Captain’s Blog

Last night, Josef, Tanya, Justin, Amsi, Jayps, Sonny, Ira, Faye and myself gathered at my house for our first every PINOY HORROR DVD FEST. In order to celebrate Halloween we gathered together to watch classic pinoy horror flicks such as Sukob. I really wanted to watch Pamahiin because it stars super hottie Dennis Trillo BUT THE STUPID 8-IN-1 DVD DID NOT HAVE THAT MOVIE, even if it was placed in the cover. In its stead was Viva Hot Stuff video. (What the heck will I do with that?) Well that’s what I get for buying pirated stuff. Hahaha!

Why do people find pleasure and enjoyment while subjecting themselves to psychological torture of watching horror flicks? I really don’t know. I mean the agony while you wait for the stupid DEAD FLOWER GIRL to appear even though you know that she will appear. I guess its the fun you get from screaming at the top of your lungs. A sort of primal cry of utter shock.

We even made a dare last night to NOT MAKE A SOUND when a scary scene ocurred. No f-ing way I SAID!! If I repress my scream I could suddenly drop dead of an aneurism. This was one case where repression was not an option.

So over tons of junk food and soda we screamed and shouted throughout the night. A new ritual was born that we hopefully we carry with us every year!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

During this Halloween season, we held a cute Halloween Trick or Treating for the office kids and for once, the office ran amuck with kids running around in costumes.

Every department was bedecked with ghoulish decors and the halls were populated with demons and walking corpses…

Ladies and gentlemen, that’s a preview of what November will be like in JimenezBasic!

It’s COMPLAN SEASON (KRACKBOOOM!!!!)

And that’s when all of us will become living dead!

Bwahahaha!

Are we screaming because of that scary giant spider or the prospect of receiving a ton of JO’s?

Last night, Jolina and I went around Powerbooks in search of the perfect calendar. And I must say there’s a calendar for each and every personality. Here are some of my favorites!!!

Want a hot hunk to greet you each day? Then the Daily Hunk is the calendar for you!

I was actually thinking about this a couple of days ago. Why do men have nipples? Now I can find out with the 365 Amazing Facts calendar!

Now we’re talking! A Trekker Calendar for a die-hard Star Trek geek such as myself. Live long and prosper. Over 365 Trek Trivia THAT I ALREADY KNOW!!! I don’t know what’s scarier, the fact that there are 365 bits of trek trivia or the fact that I know all of them?

Everyone has their own addictions. Other people are addicted to heroin. Others are addicted to coffee. Me, to impulse shopping, hence a shopaholics calendar for the shopaholic in me. But I wasn’t that much of an addict because I successfully resisted from buying this thing!

I was feeling particularly down today because something that I wanted to pan out didn’t pan out. Oh well, you win some and you lose some.

In any case, one e-mail placed a smile on my face. It was from my friend Mina who is now in San Francisco. She wrote me telling me that an e-mail I wrote made her and her boyfriend JP (who is currently in Paris) laugh so hard. I guess the reasonn why this made me happy because I had forgotten a very important gift that I have, its to make people laugh. To further stress the point later in the night my friend P’Chy texted me out of the blue to tell me that the greatest gift I had was in making people laugh.

Why is it that I seem to derive so much joy when people are laughing or having fun? So much so to the point that I really do not mind making a fool out of myself for my friends.

I guess, it’s the thought that everyone lives such stressful lives and the greatest gift that you can impart on them is the spirit of laughter. Laughing helps my friends forget their problems and daily stresses. In the process when I see them happy on my account, it also makes me happy.

I hope I never forget this gift or lose it despite the difficulties, loneliness and trials that I face in this life.

History was made today and I am most certainly pleased to be a part of it. Today I headed off to Pasay City to witness the breaking of the Astig Revicon Guiness Book of World Records Dribbling competition. Over 70 people started dribbling basketballs since yesterday in their attempt to beat the record held by an American of over 27 hours of dribbling. And not only did they beat the record, they went beyond the distance.

But alas, only one of them can win and the winner, the last man standing was none other than Erwin Evangelista who unofficially dribbled a basketball for 45 hours and 22 minutes!!! Imagine that!

Of course late dumating ang emcee for the ceremonies so yours truly was called up the stage to emcee. Buti na lang super showbiz ako. Hmmm maybe this is an alternative career for me. Hahaha!

Here’s to more records broken next year!!!

I’m on my third day in writing in my journal and the topic of the day was all about great expectations. Reflecting on my life I came to the conclusion that as I started to grow older my expectations started to fade. Disappointments led me to seeing life as always half-empty. Where was the “hey it can’t be that bad, life is rosy” Francis of a couple of years ago? I guess he hid away in an act of self preservation. Most of my friends tell me that I shoudn’t expect so that I don’t get disappointed. I guess I took that advice a bit too far to the point that I stopped expecting anything. Or even worst, I always expect the worst.

Today I was asked to reflect on what are my expections of life. You see our expectations determine what we get. If we expect to get nothing then that’s what we’ll precisely get. If we expect to get everything then we will. The change in perspective I was asked to embrace was to expect great things. And what’s the basis for expecting these great things? It’s that God loves us and wants the best things for us but we must expect them.

So my resolution is to always expect great things.

Success in my career!
A good lovelife!
Financial stability!
Good health!

Here’s to great expectations about to be fulfilled!!!!

Yesterday, I really really felt crappy. It’s just like everything in my life was falling apart. Moments like these make me doubt my self worth to the point that a pity party starts. Thankfully, while I was ruminating upon some of life’s difficulties and even my own self-perceived powerlessness, I stumbled upon a book called “Your Best Life Now Journal” by Joel Osteen. Apparently, it’s a journal based on a book that this guy wrote.

Upon getting the book, I wrote on it: “You did not find this book by accident.”

This morning, I started on the journal and the first chapter talks about changing your mind and enlarging your dreams. Sometimes our own cynicism and jadedness make us park our dreams. Or sometimes its own perception of our limitations that stop dreams from becoming realities. Well the book asked me to write down two dreams that I have parked. It asked me to unpack them and ask God to rekindle my desire to make these dreams a reality.

I thought about it intensely and the first dream that came to my mind was the dream to have a family of my own. To be a husband and a father. And this surprised me because I thought my dreams would be grand ambitions to conquer the world, be indecently rich and famous. But at the end of it, it boiled down to having my own family. This was a dream that I’ve parked for obvious reasons because honestly speaking in my lifestyle these are things that seem to be distant possibilities. But suddenly I realized that these dreams can come true.

The second dream I have is to own my own company. Preferably my own IMC firm but I think an overriding desire is not so much as to be a multimillionaire who owns a giant conglomerate like a Taipan but quite simply a desire to have my own business and cease to be an employee. Having a business means that you can actually help people by giving them jobs. This is a dream that I parked because I honestly felt that I wasn’t brave enough to venture out on my own.

My resolution at the end of the chapter is to stop putting limits on myself. The reason why these dreams were parked was that I PUT LIMITS TO WHAT I CAN DO!!! Henry Ford put it right when he said: “Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right.” So I’ve resolved to start dreaming again. I know its going to be hard but who cares? Gawin kung gawin.

Nothing happens by accident. I didn’t see this book by accident.

Buy this book!

You know it’s going to be a great day when the elevator you need to go up does not have any buttons.

This blog post is actually long delayed. A couple of days ago I had to witness the despedida of not ONE friend but TWO. The first of which is Miguel. A new Catalan friend of mine. Cynical and uber realistic. Catalan to the core. Meeting Miguel was like a blast of fresh air because it was refreshing for me to converse again in Spanish and a sprinkling of Catalan. Knowing friends from different nationalities really enriches you and I must say that I am very happy to have met este amigo mio nuevo.

But the second departure is actually more painful for me. Stacey Biagtan, my SE girlfriend number one, has left for Malaysia truly Asia to start a 6 month stint in a multinational company. I’m actually very happy for her because this is undoubtedly a big opportunity for her but I’m unhappy for me because I will trully miss her. Stacey for me is like my confidant. My north star. The girl I go to when I need to get a different perspective in life. My kaladkarin queen ready to go with me on a gimmick at a drop of a hat. Now that girl is gone. At least for six long months as she undertakes an adventure of a lifetime. Stacey, my dear, good luck in your adventures. Make the most out of it. Seize the day and grow. Trust me, this will be the bomb for you. Love ya!