Good things happen to those who wait...

Beautifully Imperfect

Father & Son Relationship

I've never been so enthusiastic about a site like this before. You have got to check this out. One of the best Father - Son stories ever.

Days with My Father

*sigh*

i miss my dad.

Oreo in Heat!

Let us all remember the importance of the People Power Revolution that led the Philippines to democracy. Around this time, more than 2 decades ago, the Filipinos rallied the streets of Edsa armed with prayer and brotherhood and won the fight to bring back democracy. Mabuhay ang Pilipino!

I wish. I hope. I want!

An elderly couple walked into the lobby of the Mayo Clinic for a checkup and spotted a piano. They've been married for 62 years and he'll be 90 this year. Check out this impromptu performance. We are only as old as we feel, it's all attitude. Enjoy! They certainly did!

Uso pa ba ang ligawan? (Is courtship still being practiced?)

When I was trying to research a clear cut definition of “ligawan,” which is the Tagalog word for traditional Filipino courtship, I came across a completely different word which was “lugawan,” a fast food place that serves “lugaw,” or rice porridge. I don’t know how this is related to my topic but I just find it funny. And all of a sudden I became hungry.

The research wasn’t that easy. I had to really dig deep to get a formal definition of “ligawan.” I don’t know if this sends me a sign that the traditional Filipino courtship isn’t happening anymore especially if you are a Filipino who hasn’t been living in the Philippines for quite a while. Or is the art of courtship really dead in this fast paced, internet generation?

What really encompasses the “ligawan?” According to Wikipedia, courtship is and I quote "the traditional dating period before engagement and marriage. During a courtship, a couple dates to get to know each other and decide if there will be an engagement. Usually courtship is a public affair, done in public and with family approval."

Hmmkk. Wikipedia is an awesome tool. Mental note, I need to make myself “Wikipedia-able!” Maybe then, someone can actually be interested in me and court me. HA! So based on the definition, isn’t courtship a vital stage in establishing a real honest to goodness relationship? I mean, how else can two people get to know each other and really know if they would like to pursue a relationship without going through a dating period?

So I think, it isn’t a question of whether “ligawan” is still in vogue or not, but the manner in which the courtship is done. For some, it’s the time to put their best foot forward. Time to impress. Time to be fake? Of course not, but then again you do have to try to impress, but not to the extent of coming up with a totally fabricated YOU. You just try to emphasize your best qualities first. Then ease the other person to the flaws that you might have (good thing I don’t have flaws! LOL!)

I know some people who skipped the entire process and still ended up being together. But after some time decided that they didn’t really know each other that well and that they didn’t have much in common aside from wild, hot, passionate, mind blowing (you get the picture) sex. Which I think is also important. But after everything else (and I mean orgasm) what else is there to do if you don’t have anything to talk about. Believe me, for some people I know, this could be the most ideal relationship! But not for me.

Amidst the bitter and jaded postings, putting aside the hard shell and ever growing wall that I put into my façade, I still truly believe in… (dear god, I can’t even type it without feeling icky) I still believe in…(ok, I can do this), yes, I still truly and honestly believe in love (whew, and I didn’t even vomit a little bit in my mouth this time!). And with this out in the open, I want to go through the “ligawan” process.

You know that feeling when you absolutely want to call or text but you stop yourself, when you are just dying to see the other person again but you hesitate in asking, when you experience a million butterflies in your stomach every time you see the other person, but you have to play it cool, all these things happen during the “ligawan” process. I know that the end result, if everything works out well, is for the two of you to be together. And wow, that is truly the best feeling ever! But one can’t compare to the feeling that you can experience in the firsts of the pre-relationship phase. First date, first kiss, first movie, first everything! And these firsts will never happen again. There will only be one first date, one first kiss. And that is why I think “ligawan” is so important to making a relationship really valuable to both parties. Thereby helping strengthen the relationship and making it last.

Yeah, fine. You can laugh at me now. Psh.

Obssessed with New York: NY Apartments

Obssessed with New York: Billy's New Apartment

Saving Mankind.

From one of my favorite blogs - Break the Illusion

Interested in saving the world? Me too! Here are some of my best and favorite ideas for saving humankind:

1.If someone cuts you off while driving, offer them a prayer or a blessing instead of anger.
2.Recycle.
3.Whatever you want for yourself, want it more for other people.
4.Use energy-efficient light bulbs.
5.Drop your grudges. (They serve only to poison you.)
6.Concern yourself with your actions and thoughts more than you concern yourself with the actions or thoughts of others.
7.If it’s yellow, leave it mellow. If it’s brown flush it down.
8.Smile.
9.“Never underestimate your power to change yourself. Never overestimate your power to change others.” - H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
10.Give whatever you want more of.
11.Create what you want rather than resisting what you don’t want. Mother Teresa refused to attend an anti-war rally. “But as soon as you have a pro-peace rally,” she replied, “I’ll be there.”
12.Exercise.
13.Eat grass-fed beef. Or become a vegetarian.
14.Create peace through peace. “Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity.” - Wayne Dyer
15.Dream more.
16.Work less.
17.Eat dessert first.
18.Use your talents in a way that helps other people.
19.Volunteer.
20.See yourself in others

Quotable Quotes...

"Passion can be used to describe the beauty of an earth-shaking meeting between two people, but it isn't just that. It's there in the excitement of the unexpected, in the desire to do something with real fervor, in the certainty that one is going to realize a dream."
-Eleven Minutes

British Columbia

I haven't been. I haven't even heard of friends telling me great stories about the place. All I know is that it exists. I'm sure there's a ton of great places to see and a lot of great things to do as well. I just haven't really planned on going. But maybe when the right time comes, I'll be able to visit, experience life there and who knows. I might be pleasantly surprised. It might change my life. And by that time, I'd have a BC story to tell my grandchildren.

Hope sucks...

but not all the time. sometimes you have to give it a chance. that maybe hope can be a good thing. that maybe it's good to hope. maybe.

HI. My name is Francis...and you are?

It's been over 800 years ago since my last posting on here. I think everyone was still listening to their walkmans and people are still wearing their acid wash jeans the last time i blogged. thereby, i am forcing myself to blog once again.

To say that a lot has happened within those 800 years would be an understatement. I had fully uprooted myself from downtown los angeles. Sadly. I love living in DTLA. Its reminiscent of New York City. Well not really. But its the closest i can get to remembering the streets of glorious Manhattan. I now live in the wonderfully happy world of West Hollywood. But not that close to the gays. Just the right distance. Still, its a nice neighborhood. An assortment of gays, lesbians, old folks and wannabee hipsters that got lost from the silverlake area, walking an assortment of dogs in the morning. I must say, most of these people are really nice. They take time to say hi, good morning and how are you, sometimes with real, genuine sincerity!

I also launched my non profit the past few months. Layers of Love has gone through the usual and expected ups and downs of a start up organization. But thats for another blog entry. check it out - www.layersoflovela.org

In terms of love life. I am still single. That's it, enough said.