Incline your ear to wisdom

I always liked black cars.  I think its because I consider black cars to be elegant, dignified and reserved....Nah, really I think my love affair with black cars started with watching too much Knight Rider and had been fueled by my admiration of the Batmobile.  I often wondered what other people think of black cars and if they prefer another color, why.  I read that black used to be the number one car color until it got replaced by silver.  Yup, silver is the new black. 

I also used to wonder if color affects the cost of your auto insurance.  Do they charge more for red cars because the driver is perceived to be aggressive?  Does it cost less for owners of white cars, because white is the symbol of purity, and their drivers tend to have or strive to achieve perfect driving records?  Find out the startling answer in this article: http://www.drivers.com/article/854/" title="http://www.drivers.com/article/854/" target="_blank"http://www.drivers.com/articl... 

Previous post: Genius

    Do you know Jorn Barger?  Well if you don't, then you should!  He's the guy who coined the term weblog.  Now that you know that little tidbit, maybe you're interested on more info about him.

    W ant more?  Turns out the guy has gone incognito for some time and his online fans is still searching for him.  Yep, I know, this is eerily similar to one famous American chess player's case.  This is Searching for Bobby Fischer Web geeks edition.  Bobby has been captured in Japan and had been granted asylum and shipped to Iceland. The latest Barger sighting?  He’s been spotted asking for change holding a placard saying “Coined the term weblog.  Never earned a dime.”

    Whoever said there's a thin line that separates genius and insanity...is a genius.  Or maybe he has gone crazy too.  We'll never know.

Previous post: Blogitis

I haven’t blogged for 3 days now and I am fine!  I think this is a good sign for someone exhibiting the early symptoms of blogitis.  You see blogitis is a newly discovered, rapidly spreading disease among many bloggers.  It is the condition where you don’t deem your day complete if you haven’t posted.  You often see these bloggers tossing and turning in their beds, dreaming and concocting of things to write.  They usually read various magazines and newspapers, relentlessly scour the internet, keep every email jokes and stories forwarded by friends, all in the pursuit of blog fodder.  They always have a pen and paper handy or a PDA ready to jot down every idea that is potential blog material.

A symptom of blogitis in its advanced stage is commentum.  This is when a blogger leaves comments on numerous blogs hoping the blog owner would return the favor.  If this doesn’t satiate him, he will go to Tblurt and scream “New Post! New Post!”.  Some of them enter in the Featured Blog contest and describe their blog with all the hyperbole they can muster.  They get very antsy when no one leaves a comment after doing all these.

There is no cure for blogitis.  The symptoms only eases when you blog more.  But the more you blog, the more your Hot Blogs rating goes up.  The higher your rating, the more people notices your blog and comment, then your blog rises even higher on the list.   Your rising rating will then motivate you to blog even more.  Thus this vicious, inescapable cycle continue.  Accept it.  Embrace it.  Have fun.

Previous post: Highlights

1.    & nbsp;  Weather – The whole city of San Diego is air-conditioned!   It’s not too humid and its not too dry either.  Our rental car had a thermometer and the temperature never got past 80.  The weather was so nice you can see joggers at 3 in the afternoon!  Boy, no wonder a lot of people fall in love with this city, especially retirees :)

2.    & nbsp;  Balboa Park – This was the first attraction we went to.  We didn’t have enough time to visit the museums so we just admired the ornate facade of the buildings and hang out at a fountain and a koi pond.  I counted 7 museums but later found out that it has 15!

3.    & nbsp;  Picking oranges – Going to the Wild Animal Park, we passed by some vineyards and other fruit farms.  Some of them had signs saying “Pick strawberries”, “Pick Oranges”.  After Wild Animal Park, we went back to an orange farm.  We went up a hill passing rows of orange trees and at the top we met a farm hand and paid him $8 in exchange for a big plastic bag that we filled with ripe oranges.  He told us to pick from the first 4 rows so we went down the hill and started our little adventure.  We had a lot of fun doing this first time experience.  I wish we also tried strawberry picking but we didn’t have enough time.  We wanted to do so many things.

4.    & nbsp;  Wild Animal Park – we went directly to the park’s main attraction, a 1-hour train ride around the park where you see animals out in their natural habitats.  We had to endure a 30-minute wait but it was worth it.  The train tour included a narration so we had a lot of tips on how to spot the animals out in the open field.  We saw rhinos feeding with their babies.  We saw herds of gazelles on top of a hill scouting to make sure no predators would sneak up on them (the narrator helpfully pointed out how they were facing on different directions).  We saw a herd of giraffes surrounding a newly born calf, standing tall, scanning the field to make sure the new baby is safe.  We spotted an ibex (mountain goat) hiding in the shade of a rock, excellently camouflaged by its coat blending with the boulders.  Of course we saw other animals you would normally see in a safari like elephants, zebras and bison.  We capped our visit by enjoying a bird show featuring exotic birds instead of the common birds we are used to seeing in our local zoo’s bird show.

5.    & nbsp; Sea World – This I think is a must see for all non-frequent San Diego visitors.  The entrance fee is kinda steep ($50) but seeing dolphins, pilot whales, killer whales, sea lions do numerous magical tricks convinced me that the money was well spent.  There was also an outstanding circus act called Cirque dela Mer performed in a stage built out in the ocean that deserved a lot of video footage in my handy cam.

6.    & nbsp; Filipino food – San Diego, like many cities of California is a haven of Filipino immigrants.  There was actually a city there where the greeting banners say “Mabuhay” instead of “Welcome”  (Mabuhay is a Philippine greeting and is literally translated as Long live).  Because of the high concentration of Filipinos, there were a variety of Filipino restaurants that we don’t have here in Utah, so we feasted on our native cuisine during our vacation.

7.    & nbsp;  My Father’s Day gift – my wife took us in a cruise which included an exquisite brunch buffet.  It was also a narrated tour featuring downtown San Diego, the City of Coronado, some background of the ship building industry and the naval and cargo ships docked during that day.  I thoroughly enjoyed the cool breeze running through my face while I listen to the captain.  My most memorable Father’s Day so far.

8.    & nbsp; Coronado Beach – We were actually joined by a couple of friends from Utah during our stay there.  The guy is Filipino married to an American.  It was really funny because she was really excited to go to the beach and get a tan, while her companions were trying their best to avoid the sun.  Me and my baby had a lot of fun though.  I gave her a ride on my shoulders and ran back and forth towards the ocean.  The water was kinda cold but once you get in, it’s really nice to stay there and wait for the waves to splash on your back.

9.    & nbsp;  Playing tons of chess – The guy is also my chess buddy and we were able to squeeze in a lot of games during our stay but the most memorable were the ones we played at the beach, eating the oranges we picked earlier.

10.  Saving a bundle of cash – This is because of my wife’s resourcefulness.  She was able to get us a hotel for just $65 a night and it includes a continental breakfast everyday.  She saved us more money by buying an entertainment book (for only $10) where you get coupons for huge discounts on restaurants and other things.  The cruise was actually half priced because of that book.  We also ate at a wonderful Japanese restaurant where we got a buy one get one deal, again using the book.  She also got us a great deal for our airline tickets and rental car by bidding in Priceline.com.  So thank you Mrs. Seeker and here’s to many more trips with you and the baby! 

So as you can see, we had a grand vacation and I highly encourage every one of you who hasn’t been there to visit the truly awesome city of San Diego.

Previous Post: Childhood

Here are five things I remember from my childhood:

Cartoons – They showed them every 5 pm, one hour after the kids in the elementary grade get off from school.  My favorite was Voltes V.  I can still feel my anticipation for their leader to yell “Let’s! Volt! In!”  Signaling the five ships to connect and form the robot hero.  Ta-ran-tan-tanan-tan-tan!   Ta-ran-tan-tanan-tan-tan!   Then we will all sing along with the theme tune, which was in Japanese.  Well, we pretended to sing along for we didn’t even know what any of the words meant.  We all have our own favorite weapon of Voltes V.  Some liked the Voltes Bazooka where the robot would transform one of his hands into a canon.  Some preferred the Chain Knuckle where the amazing machine converts his knuckles into spikes and pummels the enemy robot with spiked fists by shooting them and retracting them using chains attached to them (thus the name).  But my favorite was the Ultramagnetic Topppppppp!!!!   Yeaaaaaaaah!!!  He will retrieve his gigantic belt and from a hole in his belt buckle comes two enormous steel tops with huge spikes spinning so fast it will cut any surface.  He will them manipulate these two tops with the steel belt and whips them towards the enemy robot and they will cut through its body and limbs.  And now the best part of the show: Laser Swordddddddddd!!!!    From the V on our hero’s chest comes a flaming giant sword and he will use this to end the enemy robot.  He will cut from one shoulder burying the sword into the belly diagonally and then cuts upward coming out into the other shoulder.  After exploding, a light in the shape of a V will linger in the sky for a minute.  Victory my friends, victory!  We will then rise from our seats and celebrate the day’s victory of our favorite robot hero.

Rain – I always loved the rain.  It triggers fond memories of the carefree days of my childhood.  During those days (and I hope they still do), whenever it rains children would come out of the streets and play in the rain.  We would sing, dance, jump, slide, and soak ourselves with God’s sprinkles of blessing.  We would look for fruits blown by the wind from its tree and enjoy its flavor, while quenching our thirst with the rain. 

Sherbet Ice Cream – Ice cream vendors called sorbeteros sell these in the streets pushing carts containing canisters of ice cream in three flavors: coconut, ube (purple yam) and cheese.  My eyes sparkle as I remember those three scoops (one white, one purple, and one yellow) on top of each other.  My mouth waters as I remember licking the ice cream as it melts under the sweltering sun.  Mmmmmmm.

Kite Fighting – you read it right, it’s not kite flying, kite fighting.  Here’s what we do:  We make our kites using bamboo sticks and colorful, translucent Chinese paper.  The kites are shaped like diamonds and usually have a tail.  Then we take some bottles and smash them and grind them until they turn into very fine grains of glass.  The grains are so fine its almost like powder and you could strain them through a piece of cloth.  Then we add these grains into a mixture of glue and water.  We then take a long, sturdy nylon thread and soak it in the mixture.  After the thread is dried, we use it to fly the kite.  Then we look for other kites and challenge them to a fight (there are certain kite maneuvers to signal this).  If the other kite flyer agrees, you will then fly your kites close to each other so that your kite strings touch each other and rubs each other.  As you can imagine, the other kite flyer’s thread is also “armed” so one of the strings will get cut eventually(sometimes both are cut but it rarely happens).  The winner of course is the one whose kite remains flying.

Riding bicycles – Most of my friends are older than me and some of them were already working when I was a child.  I remember admiring their fancy bikes with their aluminum rims and alloy parts.  I remember myself dreaming of having a bike with multiple gears that you can shift depending on the demands of the terrain.  I had the clunkiest bike among our group and it looked so weird I wouldn’t even attempt to describe it here.  I wouldn’t do it not because I’m ashamed of it but because I don’t want to stain the great memories I have of it.  This is the bike my father used to take me and my sisters to school.  This is the bike he taught us to ride without training wheels.  This is the bike I used to go places with my friends.  This is the bike I gave my first crush a ride (she later became my first girlfriend).  This bike wasn’t just a family possession; this bike was a part of the family.

I’ll be taking a 4-day break from blogging.  My family will fly tomorrow to sunny San Diego!  I’m as excited as a kid going to Disneyland for the first time.  But I will be missing y’all (hey, first time I used that combo, rolls smoothly off the tongue).  Also, I will be missing two days that I wanted to post.  Hence, I will take care of them with this post.

The first one is my Ten Things Post which I do every Friday.  So here are 10 Scriptures regarding the poor.  The first 3 shows the concern and generosity of God towards poor people.  The last 7 tell God’s children to show the same kind of attitude and treatment towards them.

Psalms 140:12 Lord, I know that you defend the cause of the poor and the rights of the needy.

Isaiah 25:4 The poor and the helpless have fled to you and have been safe in times of trouble. You give them shelter from storms and shade from the burning heat….

James 2:5 Listen, my dear friends! God chose the poor people of this world to be rich in faith and to possess the kingdom which he promised to those who love him.

Proverbs 22:9 Be generous and share your food with the poor. You will be blessed for it.

1 John 3:17 If we are rich and see others in need, yet close our hearts against them, how can we claim that we love God?

James 1:27 What God the Father considers to be pure and genuine religion is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their suffering and to keep oneself from being corrupted by the world.

Ephesians 4:28 If you used to rob, you must stop robbing and start working, in order to earn an honest living for yourself and to be able to help the poor.

Galatians 2:10 All they asked was that we should remember the needy in their group, which is the very thing I have been eager to do.

Romans 12:13 Share your belongings with your needy fellow Christians, and open your homes to strangers.

Luke 18:22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "There is still one more thing you need to do. Sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me.”

The second date that I will make an advanced post for is June 19.  Yep, you guessed it: Father’s Day.  For Father’s Day, I am suggesting that we all act on the verses that we have just read and make a donation to an organization that caters mainly to the poor.  One of my favorites is Care.org.  You can donate as little as $5 and as much as your heart desires.  When you make a donation, there’s a box there where you answer this question: “In whose name are you making this gift?”.  This is where you put the name of your dad.  By doing this, you do not only honor your earthly father but at the same time, and more importantly, you also honor your Heavenly Father.

Here’s the link for the donation form: https://secure.ga3.org/05/170420340000

We all want to be unique.  But at the same time  we all want to be connected to each other.  I think these are the two underlying principles why blogs are so popular.  The first one makes us express our eccentricities, our quirks without hesitation.  The second makes us rejoice when we meet other people who share those very qualities that we thought set us apart from the rest in the first place.  That inexplicable need to be different causes us to find a medium to express our individuality.  The equally inexplicable need to be connected to other people causes us to find others who share our interests, or in a deeper level, people with similar values.  And blogging provides the perfect opportunity for us to satisfy both needs....Continue reading here.

Previous post: International Blogger's Day

(graphics from museoscienza.org)

According to  this site, tomorrow is blogger's day.  They are asking you to participate by posting on one of the following topics.

1) Why did you start blogging, how long have you been doing so, and why have you continued?

2) Do you think webloggers have a lot of power? If so, what, and how can it be harnessed?

3) Why do you think weblogging has become so popular?

I think I'll make a post on number 2 or 3 tomorrow :D

Previous post: You have wealth under your nose

Adultery happens when you start looking for what you don't have. "Bo, this girl in my office is a real looker," many a husband will say. "But it's not her Wynona Rider features that got me.  I'm head over heels with her because she's also understanding, intel ligent, tender-- so many things that my wife has not."

Sure.

Guys, trust me on this.  Somewhere along the way, you'll find a woman who will be more charming.  More alluring.  More thoughtful.  Richer. Be a better cook.  Have greater sex appeal.  Be a more efficient housekeeper. And you will find a woman who will need you and pursue you and go loco over you more than your wife ever did.

Because no wife is perfect.  Because a wife will only have 90% of what you're looking for.....Continue reading here.

Previous post: Are you a TGIF person?

Previous post: 10 Tips for better digital pics

One of our problems at the Scrabble club has been solved!  

I told you about this a couple of months ago.  It’s about the guy that comes smelling like an agitated skunk.  I’m not exaggerating.  He smells reaaaaaaaaaly bad.  And when he’s around, my highly sensitive sense of smell turns from an asset into a liability…big time. 

But some of you might be thinking, “maybe that’s only your problem, and others don’t find his smell offensive”.  With that in mind, I present my case: 

Continue reading here

Previous post: I'm not as weird as you think

Or I should say, I'm not that weird.  Compared to some people at least.  Here's what I mean:

Remember my post Brilliant Minds, Questionable Causes ?  Well, it turns out I'm not the only one complaining about NASA's Deep impact project:

According to ABCNewsOnline:

A Russian court has ruled that an astrologer can proceed with a lawsuit against the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for its plans to bombard a comet.

The astrologer claims the destruction of the comet would "disrupt the natural balance of the universe."

Marina Bai's case was thrown out of a lower court because Russia has no jurisdiction over NASA, but the ruling was overturned when her lawyer, Alexandra Molokhova, was able to show that the agency's office in the US Embassy in Moscow does fall under Russian jurisdiction.

Ms Bai seeks a ruling that will restrict NASA in its plans to annihilate a section of the Tempel 1 comet, in a project that has been dubbed Deep Impact, as well as punitive damages of $US300 million.

"My client believes that the NASA project infringes upon her spiritual and life values as well as the natural life of the cosmos and would disrupt the natural balance of forces in the universe," her lawyer said.

Read the full story here.

Previous post: How's your speling?

Hey everyone, check out this very funny article about spelling bees.

After you have a good laugh, test your spelling mettle in this short quiz.

Let me know how you did.

Have fun.

Previous post: Laughing at myself

So I saw that I had 9909 visits and hurried up in Tblurt and announced I only need 11 more visits to have 10,000.  Did you catch that?  Well obviously I didn't, I need 91 more visits, not 11!   :oops:

Thanks to everyone who visited though, and sorry for the false advertisement :)

Laugh at yourself, but don't ever aim your doubt at yourself.  Be bold. When you embark for strange places, don't leave any of yourself safely on shore. Have the nerve to go into unexplored territory.
    ~ Alan Alda

Previous post: Do you like your job?

(I've listened to this guy several times.  He is a tremendous inspirational speaker.  I've taken the liberty of translating some parts in Filipino. Thanks to my wife for forwarding this email to me.)


SHOULD I PRESSURE HIM TO MARRY ME?

Dear Bo,

     Last summer I had the opportunity to watch your teaching/show here in Paramus, New Jersey.  I enjoyed the show and I also enjoyed watching your son because at a very young age, he was able to show the emotions and love in all the songs that you were together. I heard so much about you and certainly I was very glad that I had the opportunity to meet you in person.  I read two of your books that I purchased during the show. You were very nice and patient attending to thousand of us wanting your autographs. 

    & nbsp;   I want to ask you regarding certain matters that are affecting me right now. I started dating a guy five years younger than me for at least three years now.  I have some doubts in the beginning but because I am also the baby in the family, adjustment wasn't really a big problem.  My family learned to love him and the relationship was great except for one thing, commitment.  I started to worry about some stuff because I am into the early 30's now.  I can't seem to find an answer whenever I ask him about our future. He tells me it will happen but he doesn't want any timeline.  Bo, is it right for me to pressure him? Am I right in asking this question?  Should I continue seeing him?

Uncertain Future



Hi Uncertain Future,

    & nbsp;   Before I answer your question, let me speak to the other women who have the same problem but whose steady relationships aren't as long as yours.  Because I've known girlfriends who on their third date already drop
hints as huge as nuclear bombs!

"My favorite color is baby pink. Especially for my wedding gown."

"I like I Will Be Here by Stephen Curtis Chapman as my wedding march."

"I want my Uncle Jess to be our wedding godfather, hah. Can I call him
up now?"

"I like the name Lance. Will that be okay for our first born?"

Now that's pressure.

When you apply pressure, the man usually pulls back.

    & nbsp;   Let me tell you why: Men by nature are hunters. They like going after
their prey. That's the exciting part of the hunt. I tell women to always remain a mystery to their boyfriends or husbands. When the woman hunts for the man, he is flattered for awhile, but then later loses interest.

    & nbsp;   For a girlfriend, to be mysterious means he's figuring out whether you will really marry him or not.  Women, he's got to do the waiting.  And the worrying! NOT YOU!

    & nbsp;   Women, you have to act mysterious enough so that he won't be too sure that you'll always be there for him.  That he should better act quickly or he might lose you.  This is the problem with premarital sex.  Aside from the fact that it's sin, the woman is already giving herself to the man, and the mystery is gone.  This is the same problem with heavy petting.  This is also the problem with being desperate.  So don't be. Or at least, don't show it!

    & nbsp;   You may, however, ask general questions such as, "At what age do you picture yourself getting married, to anyone not necessarily to me?"  Hopefully, he'll say, "Of course to you!"

Say, "I don't know? That's something I'll decide on when the time
comes?"

He might ask, "You mean you're not yet sure of me?"

Say, "I think I'll be happy with you. (Smile) But of course, I'm still discerning whether you're the man for me or not?"

Hopefully, when he feels that you're slipping through his fingers,  he'll interrupt and say, "In two years, I will marry you." And he'll probably ask, "Is that okay?" or "How  about you? Do you picture yourself married at that time?"

Answer, "Perhaps. I don't know?" And give a playful half-smile, with a shoulder shrug. Keep the mystery.  That's the opposite of shrieking, "Are you serious? Two years! Let's reserve a cathedral then!  How about a garden reception violin quartet?"

Now let me answer your question directly, Sister Uncertain Future.

You tell me that you've been now going steady for three years?  And your boyfriend, whose five years younger, isn't interested in telling you when he wants to get married.

Your problem is a bit different.  Because of the length of time you've been together and your age, you may need to be a bit more direct.

    & nbsp;   Choose a good, uninterrupted time for both of you to talk. Begin by saying, "Hi. I really want to understand you more. What are your thoughts of marriage in general? Not necessarily to me. Just marriage, in general.  What age would you want to get married?  I repeat, not necessarily to me, but married in general."

    & nbsp;   After he responds again with his vague, non-committal answers, explain: "I'm asking because I want to understand you more and I want to respect your choices. But I hope you understand me as well. If I see that this relationship isn't going anywhere, I think I have to move on. I'm sorry. I love you, but I can't wait forever. Perhaps you're not the one for me" When you say these words, you have become mysterious again. And hopefully, you have become a hunting expedition again for him.

If he really wants you, he'll pursue you.  But if he decides to drop you, at least you know the truth and not be fooled into believing a false hope that there's something waiting for you at the end,  when there's really nothing to wait for.

God bless,
Bo Sanchez

P.S. By the way, my suggestions are simply that: Suggestions. I don't know your specific circumstances which may be totally different, thereby requiring a different course of action.

Previous post: It's Friday, and It's Ten Things Time

Here's 10 ***Sarcastic*** Jokes from the king of sarcasm himself George Carlin:

1.  Next guy who says to me, "Badda-boom, badda-bing," is gettin' kicked right in the nuts.


2.  You know how you can tell when a moth farts?  When he suddenly flies in a straight line.


3.  What's all the fuss about same-sex marriages?  I've been the same sex all my life, and I was married for years.  No problem.  What's the big deal?


4.  Just once I'd like to see a high-speed funeral procession.  A hearse, some flower cars, and a bunch of limousines tearin' ass through town at seventy miles an hour on their way to the cemetery.  Maybe someday a race-car driver will put that in his will.


5.  Don't you hate it when people send you unsolicited pictures of their kids?  What's that all about?  It bothers me.  I think it's a shame;  I hate to keep throwing away perfectly good pictures.


6.  I don't mind leaving my house as long as I don't have to look at a lot of unattractive Americans in the process.  Visors, logo hats, fat thighs,beer bellies, bad haircuts, halter tops, cheap sneakers, camcorders, and unattractive children wearing blank expressions.  God, these people are ugly.  I stay home a lot.


7.  The Golden Gate Bridge should have a long bungee cord for people
who aren't quite ready to commit suicide but want to get in a little practice.


8.  Christian deodorant: "Thou Shalt Not Smell."


9.  I have a very inexpensive security system.  If someone breaks into my house, I run next door and throw a brick through my neighbor's window.  That sets off his alarm and when the police arrive, I direct them to my house.


10.  A few basic points about driving:  One of the first things they teach you in Driver's Ed is where to put your hands on the steering wheel.  They tell you to put 'em at ten o'clock and two o'clock.  I put mine at 9:45 and 2:17.  Gives me an extra half hour to get where I'm goin'.

Previous post: The quote (philosophy)

    & nbsp;   Lea Salonga burst onto the London and New York theatre scene as the original Kim in the international hit musical, Miss Saigon, and won practically every award there is including the Tony, Laurence Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World awards for her performance. On Broadway, she was also in Les Misérables and the revival of the Flower Drum Song.  Read more.

Previous post:
A child of the Father (religion)