Straight From Within Ep.14: Friends are there to keep us company – through the good times and the bad times. We like sharing stories and opinions with them. But sometimes, we’ll just realize that we are learning from them – not actually from their friendly advices, but from their experiences.

It is common for friends to share their problems and secrets. It is a way of releasing those unwanted feelings, as well as a way of getting the comfort that they want from their friends. In return, those who listened also got lessons from their friend.

It was a usual night for me and some of my friends last Saturday night. We attended an anticipated mass, ate dinner together, and shared stories. We came to a point where we were already talking about some serious matters until a friend shared some sort of family problem. He might not know this but until now, I am still thinking about the conversation we had. I learned from his story.

I am the type of person who cannot control spending whenever I have money, though it lessened when I started to work. But I think it was just okay because I earned my money, and I think it is just fine if I spend it on the things I want, but of course, I still limit myself. Actually, my way of thinking when I am depressed is to buy things that I want. But still, I want to lessen my spendings on unimportant things and just put my money on more important things.

It was getting late that’s why we decided to go home.

I have this plan for a few months now of coming up with a segment or whatsoever here in Rowjielogy called “Dekada” or “More Than A Decade Of Friendships”, where I want to feature my friends who have been with me for a decade or more than a decade now. I just hope I’ll have time to push through this plan.

“All you need is Pride!” ika nga ni Judy Ann Santos sa commercial niya ng sabon na Pride. Ngunit wala itong koneksyon sa  episode ng Dear Blog ngayon.

Dear Blog,

Kamusta? Hay, unang araw na ng Oktubre. Ang bawat simula ng buwan ay itinuturing ko bagong simula para sa akin. Not necessarily na magbabago ako, pero parang nagdadala ang unang araw ng buwan ng bagong pag-asa.

Anyway, speaking of pride… Wala lang. Ano nga ba ang pride? Ito ba yung “ipinagmamalaki”? Kasi diba, sinasabi ng iba kunwari, “the pride of the Philippines”. Hmm, parang ang nais ipahiwatig ay ipinagmamalaki ng Pilipinas. So ibig ba sabihin nito ay hindi negative ang salitang “pride”? Kasi diba madalas nagagamit din yun kapag kunwari may isang tao na ayaw magpakumbaba? Yung bang “Masyado kang ma-pride”.

Kung sa sarili mo, tingin mo ba may pride ka ba dapat? Siguro dapat meron, pero minsan siguro dapat hindi umaapaw.

Hindi masama ang magbigay ng tulong diba? Pero was there a time in your life kung saan ayaw niyo ng may tumutulong sa inyo? May times kasi minsan diba na nagkakaroon yun ng epekto sa taong tinutulungan mo. I mean, parang nawawalan ka ng kompyansa sa sarili mo na magagawa mo eh. Kasi kaya mo naman diba? Hindi ka naman humihingi ng tulong actually. Pero sabi ko nga, maganda naman yung tumutulong din eh. Pero why can’t they be sensitive enough of what I’ll feel? I mean, some things make me feel that I can’t do and achieve some things alone by myself. I do appreciate their help and concern pero sana understand din po na may effect din sa akin ang mga nangyayari. Kelan pa ako matututo diba na magdecide on my own? I mean, I want to experience things din naman kasi through experience ako matututo.

Anyway, on a lighter note, ito ang mga larawan naming magkakaibigan noong Sabado. Hehe. Mapapansing walang larawan na kami ay kumpleto. Kaya ayan, kailangang hawakan ng bawat isa ang camera. Hehe. Salamat sa aking kaibigang si Kim para sa mga larawan.

Rowjie

Rowjielogy Trip

Rowjielogy has recently launched two new sections – Flashback and Special.

Entries such as “The Return To Innocence“, and “Batibot Days” can be found under Flashback, while “The Good Samaritans In David’s Salon“, and “On Love… Moving On…” can be found under Special.

Blog Trip

Blog Trip was originally a department of Rowjielogy when it started in June 2006. It featured several Filipino blogs. Now it’s back with a different format. Recently, it released 13 blog trip pages for different blogs. You can check it out in the links section of this blog. Just click the link “Blog Trip Page” on the side of each blog’s name. More to come soon!

Barkada Trip

Oh well, it was just an ordinary Saturday evening for me and my friends. After hearing mass (Uhmmm… I was so late!!!), Jay-Ar, Rovy, and I decided to go to SM Mall of Asia since Rovy had to buy something there.

We strolled around the mall first before we ate our dinner. After that, we joined Rovy in the grocery. We wanted to talk about a lot of things that’s why we decided to find a good place where we can talk to. And we decided to have some drinks in Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. We went home at around pass 11pm.

By the way, a story that night… While I was sipping my hot chocolate, Jay-Ar noticed that there is an insect inside my drink. If you would ask me, I’ll just remove the insect and continue drinking. But my friends insisted. Well, okay, I went to the counter to show what we found to them.

In fairness, they replaced my drink with a new one (and with a whip cream!). And they apologized for what happened. Actually, it was just nothing for me. But I really like what they did. Then after a few minutes, they gave me a card stating that they apologize for what happened. And I’ll get a free beverage of my choice in my next visit. Yahoo!!!

Hi Rowjie! How are you? I thought you have reflected well about your life last weekend? Why is it like there’s something bugging you again? Why do you feel alone? Well, if that’s how you feel right now, then you must be sad. I know that somehow you waited for this day so you could meet your friends so that you could have some fun. But due to some miscommunications, you all haven’t met tonight. I saw you sitting alone in front of the church before you went home.

Don’t be sad. Instead of thinking all the things that make you sad and worried, try to look on the brighter side. Okay? It’s all part of our lives. Time will come and you will get over these things.

It’s only a few days before your birthday. I know that the past year has been a roller coaster ride for you. I hope that the next year to come will be a good one for you.

You know what, I really hope I could help you. But I am also you, and you are also me. I also feel whatever you feel. That’s why I understand you.

SONG: Goodbye Sadness (Tristeza)
ARTIST: The CompanY
MOOD: Perfect when you’re in the first stage of “moving on”, or when you feel really happy because someone special finally came into your life. Since it’s Easter Sunday, this can also be a good song because after a sad mood last week, the Christian world is celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“The big sadness the heart feels
Let it leave mine forever
Let my lips sing again
From this day on my days are days of sun and roses
My life’s a carnival of song
From this day on my dear the door to sorrow closes
This day when you came along”

Before anything else, I want to greet everybody a Happy Easter and welcome to the first episode of Biorhythm. I hope that we’ll know the message of Easter. Anyway, how did I spend Easter Sunday? My family watched the annual “Salubong” procession. After that, we went to SM Bacoor to attend the Easter mass there. Actually, I am really trying to enjoy the day. I just hope I did. I also passed by Quantum this afternoon while waiting for my mom and sisters buy what they will buy. I saw the Dance Maniax machine again. It reminds me of my 4th year high school years with my friends who would always play Dance Maniax in SM Sucat. Hehehe. I gave it a try but I failed in the song “In My Dreams”. Huhu. I tried again but I am really failing now in that song. Maybe I already forgot our dance steps for that song. I need some practice again to finish that level. Hehe. I still have two tokens in my pocket.

Read The CompanY’s Destination: Bossa

Yesterday morning, me and my friends did not have any plans yet where to go that night, except for Kim who really want to eat Halo-Halo from Razon’s. After an exchange of many text messages from some of my friends, we just decided to go to SM Mall of Asia again, since we also have some things to talk about. I went to SM with my friends James and Kim, and we met our other friends Jay-Ar and JohnJan there. We were all excited because it has been a long time since we were all together. Before anything else, we ate first in Razon’s, where we ate their famous Halo-Halo. It was my second time to eat their special halo-halo. If you ask me, honestly, I cannot say that it is really delicious, but it tastes good. Maybe I just had a “big” expectation that it really tastes good. But what I really like about their halo-halo is it’s very fine ice. It is not messy when you try to mix it. Anyway, what’s important is it tastes good, perfect for Summertime 2007, though it was cold and windy last night.

While eating, we shared stories about the things that happened tous recently. It was a nice conversation. We just lack time because it was already late when we all met. For me, it’s a nice way of having a cool break after a week of tireful work and problems. Just a time to forget everything, and have time to relax, and release all emotions by talking to our friends. I just hope things would get better soon.

This is a photo of me and some of my friends last Saturday in SM Mall of Asia (L-R: James, Kim, Rovy, Rowell). Our friend JohnJan first used the term “Saturday Night People” because as much as possible, we spend our Saturday nights together. Usually, we attend an anticipated mass together, and after that, we’ll go somewhere to eat, chat, and hang around.

We’ve been doing this after we graduated from high school last 2002. And speaking of high school graduation, we’ll be celebrating the 5th year anniversary of our high school graduation this March. Hehe. (And I want to say congratulations to all who will graduate this March 2007).

Anyway, back to my friends. Time changes and some of us are getting busier and busier, that’s why we don’t see each other often anymore, but it is understood. But at least, whenever we have free time on Saturdays, we find time to get together, just to know how is everyone doing so far.

There are times when we laugh out so loud on Saturday evenings, but there are also times when we feel that life is being unfair. I just want my friends to know that we can always count on each other no matter what. We may not text each other often, or reply to each other’s messages, but still the time we spent for more than 10 years now built a strong foundation in ou friendship that I really hope won’t be broken.