3 Reasons Why People Avoid High School Reunions like the Plague

Remember Vitamin C and her high school anthem Graduation (friends forever)? Me neither.

While many would say high school was the happiest part of their growing-up years, there are others whose heart simply sinks every time the invitation for reunions gets to their inbox. Here are 3 of God-knows-how-many more reasons why some people don't attend high school reunions.

Awkward questions

"How many children do you have?", "Where do you work?","Why are you still single?" are some of the questions the criminal persecutor should be asking you and not your former classmate. This is exactly why you hated high school back then because you're expected to be just like everyone else. In this case, breeding machines.

Life is Unfair and Other Life Lessons Worth Sharing

It's been a year since I made that pivotal decision of moving to Cebu to start a new life. Of all the things I experienced in my first 12 months here, I gotta say these 3 lessons struck me the most: (And no, I still don't fancy Lechon).

Startin anew is tough, but it's gonna be worth it

Imagine the horror I felt seeing the condition of the place I'm supposed to be 'dwelling' for my tenure in the Queen city of the South. There's no bed, no seats, no chairs - just emptiness reminiscent of World War II or a flop concert. That's why it was so cheap!

My initial reaction was to go back to Iloilo City asap and pretend my resignation with my former company didn't happen and I was just too drunk that day (and I don't even drink, mind you). But I didn't. 

I cleared my mind, mustered every positive vibes I could get from that <too foul for the public> room. Also, I reminded myself I can't give up - I ain't givin them haters their damn satisfaction. I waited for my first salary and two weeks later I transferred to a much much better place.

No More Back Pains Running with Skechers Go Run

I've finally pulled the courage to join my very first 5k marathon back in 2010. It was nerve racking to be running beside the pros, but there was excitement to prove myself, to prove speed is my niche, that running is my destiny. Several panting and crushed water cups later, my personal record clocked in at 28 minutes and 22 seconds. Not bad for a first timer. For years, running after work had become a routine to keep me sane: stress hates sweating. It's a common fact of life. Also, I was fat before so I needed cardio to keep the caloric build-up at bay. Before I knew it, joining marathons had become an addiction; surpassing the previous PR was tantamount to quenching that thirst after a hard day's bumming at the beach.

And then one day I hit a snag. My back begins to ache after every jog. I'm only in my late 20s.

To make the Les Miserables script short, I was forced to stop running. Forced to stop doing the only thing that brings me happiness in this world (well, beside other things like food and more food). Words cannot describe what's it like to be mobile and bedridden at the same time.

After the horrible experience winning against dengue back in 1998, I swore not to set foot to the hospital EVER again. It was the reason I'm obsessed with fitness. But the pain in my back had become worrisome I knew that doctor visit was inevitable. I wouldn't give in without a bloody fight though. Wearing my Detective Conan glasses, I reviewed every detail in my running.

Running posture?           ✓
Nutrition?                        ✓
iPod playlist?                  ✓
Proper stretching?          ✓
Shoes?                               ✗

I'm not gonna name the brand, but in less than a year of using it showed why it lags in the athletic shoe race. You know that feeling you're SO close to the truth and your tongue just can't get the words out? That was how I felt realizing the shoe was the culprit all this time. My pelvic and back were absorbing most of the shock every time I run. The shoe thinned like that sandwich you used to hide in your bag in grade school because you didn't like the spread. Atrocious!

Pescetarian and Weight Loss: How the Fish and Veggie Diet Changed My Life

When was the first time you tasted meat?

Obviously, it’s one of those questions even our parents would have a hard time answering. So, let’s rephrase it: When was the first time you realized you’re enjoying one of nature’s most succulent gifts?

The smell of meat succumbing to the heat as the spices caramelizes to give you that sensation none but a pork chop, a fried chicken, or a steak could give.

My first introduction to the world of carnivores dates back more than two decades ago. Dad was a pork lover while mom’s a champion of chicken recipes. Naturally, their offspring will share the trait.
It was until sickness came that the meat caravan came to a halt. With 4 of my relatives succumbing to cancer (3 breasts, 1 colon) and a clinically proven ‘fact’ that my father’s side is a cancer gene carrier, things are starting to go green in our household.

I didn’t abide with it, of course. For one thing, I despise leafy green vegetables. For another, I just couldn’t find the joy in plants (I’m not a Rabbit!). There’s simply no comparison to my mom’s Pork Adobo! Today, I could hardly swallow the sight of it.

What really drove me to the greener side is my fitness pursuits. A young adult’s world is littered with opportunities, financial possibilities, and lots of flirting. An unfit 20+ single guy will hardly finish first in these races.

While I considered meat as the enemy (see 15 reasons why), I know I will eventually fail should I go 100% vegan. I regularly go to the gym, join marathons, and swim. To fuel these activities means I need to have a national reserve of protein. I searched for answers and God (or Google rather) gave me Pescetarian.

From Wikipedia:

Pescetarianism is the practice of a diet that includes seafood but not the flesh of other animals. A pescetarian diet shares many of its components with a vegetarian diet and includes vegetables, fruit, nuts, grains, beans, eggs, and dairy, but unlike a vegetarian diet also includes fish and shellfish.

Reading this was like getting out of the tunnel. I still have a chance to live a longer guilt-free life! Also, I simply love sea foods (especially shrimps) so I feel I could do it.

The first two weeks of the pescetarian diet has been met with siomai cheats and a much-depressed-after Mang Inasal visit. I understand it was my used-to ways that is resisting the new fish and veggie regime, and I’m willing to compromise. I decided to have meat cheat days 'once' a month. Surprisingly after the pact, meat cravings have been a rare sight.

3 Reasons Why You Should Go to the Gym Alone

“Have a gym buddy” was almost present in every article giving tips on how to lose weight by going to the gym. It's a new year and resolutions are being made faster than Santa (or the Fairy Godmother) could have managed. 

Glimpses of the future where the goal is achieved brings an almost seductive flair to the darkened and hopeless mind of an overweight person. For beginners, a gym buddy is a necessity as it is scary to be delving into this new world alone. Through thick and thin they will pursue. 

It was a ticking bomb.

Two months later, you and your gym buddy no longer talk to each other. Worse, you two talk but one of you has a changed mindset – better hope it's not you. I've seen this catastrophe happen a lot. Here's the drill: a group of friends enroll in the gym, then like watching The Weakest Link (I love that show), the number decreases with each week passing until the one left reaps the price of success alone. It happens a lot. 

Want to keep your friends while losing weight successfully? Do the lifting alone; here are 3 reasons why going the lone wolf way is better.

One is Going to Have a Faster Result

Competition is nice – at least in the first three weeks of the program. Ultimately, one will show faster progress than the other; while the latter binge eat at night and stock beer in the fridge, the other cuts his carb consumption by 20% each week not to shock the body. Two things happen when these two notice the bloating difference in their progress: if the friend takes it positively, he will get back on track and work extra hard to catch up. If he takes it negatively, resentment will be instantaneous.

Let's get real here. People who want to lose or gain weight are generally sick and tired of their situation. It gets worst when they're being reminded by those people who are close to them why they couldn't get out of the situation in spite of trying. 

In short, the negative reaction gets the higher percentage every time. There will be panic, confusion, and anger. 

Worse, the losing friend (in hope's term) will eventually resort to self-sabotage to (instinctively) slow down/dampen the other's progress/spirit. Diet cheats, lifting lighter weights, and not showing up on schedules lead to finally giving up.

4 Food Houses I’m Going to Visit When I Go Back to Iloilo City

We often complained about the salmons going all through the hard ships to get back to where their ancestors spawned them. It’s no joke. We’re talking about hundreds of miles from sea to the freshwater lakes on the mountains. Watching them swimming against the current and dodging hungry Grizzly Bears is kind of too much to imagine, to be honest. I’ve been away from home for 9 months now and for the first time I understood why the salmons do it: There’s no place like home.

While I’ve got no complaints living here in the Queen city of the South, I terribly miss Iloilo city; its conservative lifestyle, the frequent power outages, the running track in Sports Complex and of course, the native dishes! There are many home grown resto and food house brands in Iloilo City (Mang Inasal as the most popular) that it's quite hard to decide which has the best delicacy in town. 

College days were spent in the city and when you’re a student, Jollibee and McDonalds were the go-to places. In my first year of being a kickass professional, my taste bud spontaneously longed for something else now that I have the financial capacity. These are the 4 food houses I’m going to visit when I go back to the City of Love:

JD Bakeshop

Its cordon bleu and sotanghon guisado were the best! I’m actually salivating by the thought of this combo I introduced to my friends and office mates 2 years ago. The fried chicken is a must, too. Instead of gravy or catsup, JD serves its secret-recipe fried chicken with vinegar. I thought it was weird at first. However, after a few bites I understood why people are rushing for it. One bite was like having a taste of that 13th month pay released in February! Typically, JD Bakeshop's main products are bread and pastries, but I’m glad they’ve tapped into the main course menu, for they were top notch!

Teds Old Timer La Paz Batchoy

My dad was a batchoy fanatic since his bachelor days. Naturally, he gets to pass on the noodle affinity to the next generation. Teds is an iconic brand. It has many branches nationwide. 7 out of 10 Ilonggos would choose it over its nearest rival, Decos. What I liked most about Teds is its Sotanghon/bihon guisado. I love sautéed noodles! 

A Message For My Math Teacher

Thinking you're going to find an FB or Google+ page of the teacher I'm about to lambast would be like hoping for the US crisis to end tomorrow. It just not gonna happen. For one thing, that teacher is so old a social networking profile is laughable. For another, if she'd managed to create one, she would have been SO popular I wouldn't dare to create this post in the fear of an angry mob hating me and my poor blog. After all, who wouldn't love a teacher SO nurturing, compassionate, and dedicated, like she was?

Yes, I was being sarcastic.

You people have no idea how difficult it is to be an ugly middle child with zero talent in Math and English. I used to repent for my sins in the hopes that tomorrow Algebra and I become best friends. English wasn't interested in me either, and so do I. I mean who would take an interest in it when lessons were presented like a formula in Algebra that I'm supposed to solve (but cannot): S - V - DO - OC

For people who are in the position to influence the young minds entrusted to them by parents and the government: Don't pass on your bitterness to the next generation!

It was the day I prepared for the most. I was willing to give Math another chance to draw me in after a disastrous year. Integers who? The teacher came in and I felt all of mankind was extincted. Not because of the extra fat hanging by her chin, the teacher just gave me that aura my previous Math teachers have had! I think you'll agree with me when I say most of them don't really like the word patience.

Instead of focusing to those who are struggling to keep up with the class, my Math teacher entertained those students who are outstanding already in their own wizardry right. And to make matters worse, the class has 35 students. What a very conducive atmosphere for learning, ei? So whatever confusion you've got in mind about the class, you get to keep it to yourself. And there goes another lesson not understood. Another quiz score of ZERO. I could almost see Doom waving its hands when I looked outside the window. It was hopeless.

So why did this particular Math teacher matter?

The words that came from her uneven lips came to me like a news of a family member being rushed to the hospital while I'm having Starbucks on a pay day. It was so devastating and ridiculous I couldn't tell which emotion won the space in my heart and mind. Not gonna transcribe it verbatim, but to put it bluntly, she thought I could never succeed in life because I'm not good in Math.

4 Things That Will Scare Men From Asking You Out

After lambasting guys and their disgusting traits on These 5 Things Will Scare Women From Going Out With You, it took me a while to recover from the fact I'd somehow betrayed my female friends for sharing some of their most embarrassing personal partner preferences to the world (and they don't change garment with me in the room anymore). As a way to make amends, I have compiled the 4 Things That Will Scare Men From Asking You Out. So girls, read carefully.

Clown Makeup
While clowns have become a childrens' party (and afterwards, nightmare) staple among us growing kids, it doesn't resonate well when women decide to copy them via their makeup application. Yes, I'm talking about too much cake on girls' faces that we guys find really disgusting. As the name implies, too much makeup suggest you are hiding something beneath that lovely face of yours.

Every guy dreams of touching, caressing, or kissing your face (before the main show, of course). But the last time I checked, guys don't really like the taste of <insert your favorite cosmetics brand here>. 

These 5 Things Will Scare Women From Going Out With You

Having lots of girl friends has its pros and cons. While most of the guys hate you for being the girl's choice, the good thing about it is the girls trust you enough to share some of their stuff to you (and they trust the "friendship" enough for them to change their garments in front of you). Not just ordinary stuffs like I wish he knew how I feel or I love him, but I don't want to give up my virginity: Secrets! The kind which pick-up artists and pimps would die to hear. 

Your first line of defense when hunting women for a date is how presentable you are. Don't get me started with inner beauty or love-conquers-all bull. Dude, we are in the real world, not in some Amanda Bynes/Freddie Prinze Jr teen flicks. The moment you introduce yourself or do your pickup lines and gestures, her irises will scan your entirety faster than NASA's satellite on North Korea ever could. Yes, she is literally being superficial by judging your looks. It's just the way it is in the jungle, silly.

Run Amok With A Gun Or Turn A Bad Performance Evaluation Positive

Dwelling on the negative simply contributes to its power.

- Shirley MacLaine

Whether you went out from the HR office with shrugged shoulders or with murderous stares, a bad performance evaluation is something not everyone could take professionally. The world still wallows in recession, and a thing like a bad performance evaluation is like a disconnection notice from your cable provider a day before the new season of Games of Thrones is set to air. It sure feels like the world totally hates on you.

What separates a good employee from a bad one is how he turns the bad performance evaluation into something positive, with a determination to prove he is still worth it. He sees it as a window of opportunity. It's not a question of why. It's how. Here are the steps. 

It's nothing personal. Accept that no employee is perfect.

Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.

- Dalai Lama

3 Feel-Good Sites Highly Recommended for Miserable People (Like You)

When Expectation was born, nobody knows exactly. Although I have a shrewd feeling it was on October. No, we're talking about the actual word Expectation. It is, unfortunately, a Libra. Bipolar as Charlie Sheen yet firm like Morgan Freeman. In short, it can be good and bad. While most Libra has trouble deciding which flavor of ice cream they want, expectation is simply dependent on how its effects are being perceived by its person.

Yesterday I was excited for today. It's pay day and I was waiting for some good news as music charts refresh data on a Friday. I was wrong. There have been some 'pay' mistakes and the artist I was rooting for didn't do well on the charts. I usually get over these negative feelings fast, but they still sucked and I needed to deal with them.

After savoring the disappointment Expectation has brought me (I want a machine gun), I turned to positive thoughts and visited these 3 feel-good sites highly recommended for miserable people (like me).

Choosing an Affinity Between Landscape and Portrait Photography

The reason for my grueling financial crisis of 6 months back in ‘09 is to fulfill my fantasy of capturing those shots I gagged at on travel and wildlife magazines. While the point and shoot camera produced moderately decent shots, I know that only a DSLR could appease that tingling unrest. And so, I bought a Canon 1000D, swiped the poor little credit card, and enrolled in a summer photography class. 

It was wonderful and a life changing experience. Like some stranger opened this little box inside me and unearthed an explosion of possibilities and hidden ideas.

3 months later, I was a little disappointed realizing I didn't feel the anticipated connection with landscape or outdoor photography. I was so sure they would be my forte! I was doing OK, but I felt this weird satisfaction when doing portrait photography. I believe in destiny, and I think Portrait photography was meant to be.

4 Types of Gym Members and Why You Should Be Guilty

Whether it’s in the cinema or in the subway station, there’s no escaping the public and its nasty group of friends; rudeness, dirt, and disorder. It’s no wonder the demand for home entertainment installation or vehicle purchase is on the rise over the past years. This, of course, does not differ in the fitness world where the gym, which is supposedly a sacred place to focus on gaining/losing weight, is besmirched by the prevailing demon called ‘public access.’

The Herd

Definition: (Nuisances, Commercial)

Usually composed of 5-7 people who decided to take their friendship to the gym and enrolled simultaneously in the same program. And to make matters worse, they decided to have the same schedule, too, signaling a drought in the equipment.

Don’t get me wrong, I know exactly how it feels to be going to a place full of sweaty and intimidating personalities.

What’s wrong with the herd entrance lies in its number. The goal would be coming in a group to hide the shyness or intimidation. This worked in the wild, right? A pride of lions get conflicted, like tween girls forced to pick which One Direction member they like, over a specific target because the buffalo's or springbok’s 50+ of strong members are too much to digest.

Unfortunately, you’re neither a buffalo nor the springbok. Instinctively, the senior members easily spot the weakest and smelled fear in an instance. There will be older members that will exploit this weakness.

 * Annoyance Scale of 1 to Justin Bieber: 2

The Techie Dude

Definition: (Some *sshole with gadgets)

The minute you entered gym and felt you’re back in the Mac store upon seeing that guy taking and making pompous calls with his iPhone – you just met your Techie guy.

Apart from the fact these people are causing noise and unnecessary delays to others, I see this as disrespect not only to the other members but to themselves; you go to the gym to work out. Every minute counts if you want those flabs gone.

Most of the members these days have desk jobs, and it irks the hell out of me to see them treat their program like some middle child. If you can’t avoid receiving calls, switch it to airplane mode. If you can’t avoid making calls, then screw you.

* Annoyance Scale of 1 to Justin Bieber: 5

The Smelly Ones

Definition: (Abomination to Arnold Schwarzenegger and all of his ideals)

When you’re in a place where everyone is already sweaty and dirty, body odors should be treated disinfecting-ly. Damn, you wouldn't want to add to the toxicity level of the place, right?

Apparently, the herd instinct is so hard to get over by as more and more people are still signing for the Filth Club. Sweat is completely acceptable, but God-awful underarm smell and a breath that would wither the nearby insects dead are just plain disrespectful.

There was this new member (a foreigner) and he had the foulest green-onion-tinged underarm smell my poor delicate nose had the misfortune of inhaling. I now understood why he’s always alone with the equipment when he’s working out; most of the members have been informed by an invisible air transmitter of the abomination his presence inflicts.

I tried to talk with the staff because, apparently, the gym stated body odors are prohibited, but I decided to let it pass since he’s apparently some short-term member. Thank god, he was!

* Annoyance Scale of 1 to Justin Bieber: 7

The Intern

Definition: (Instructor-Wanna-Be)

He is so accommodating and helpful he puts the instructor’s enthusiasm to shame.

This is totally cool if someone is asking for help. It gets annoying when, somewhere out of the blue Korean peninsula he is giving tips and how-to’s like it’s showoff day for the Big Bosses. It gets more frustrating when he is critiquing the way your ass is not arched enough in the middle of you executing the squat.

Can I have a gun, please?

Whether his intentions are rooted from a genuine need to help others (particularly newbie) or from him being an attention maniac, it is the bona fide gym instructor’s responsibility to do these. They are hired for reasons they have a reputation to maintain.

Consider: when that newbie gets his neck broken by a wrongly executed stunt, could you really blame The Intern? I don’t think so.

* Annoyance Scale of 1 to Justin Bieber: Justin Bieber

One would thought given the price of the gym membership fee that people would be educated enough to read and follow the rules? My friend, you’ve just experienced a rude awakening.

Welcome to the jungle we call civilization.

Keep Attracting To Keep Your Job

My household likes to read. Magazines, books, publications, and comics littered the house floor like some after-scene straight from Twister (I liked that movie!).  

Of all the publications (and as a science freak), I was hooked naturally with National Geographic. They got some of the most iconic headlines ever! (Read cover)

The young Critic's Choice's mind was honed by how much impact a cover and its headline could make people grab something and to read it. And so, it has been my guiding torch in my foray into the world of slide presentations. 


What captures the imagination pleases the soul - The Critic's Choice 

(It's 2012, and we can use our own quotes now.)

Should the World Get Rid of the Libra Race?

I was born on the last days of the Libra threshold. Of all the stuff said about people who're born under this sign, being slightly shallower than other signs is the one thing that made me laugh. It's SO damn true. 

Back when superheroes were forced in team formations, I always pick the one who is fast, silent, and uses air as power. Remember Captain Planet and the Planeteers? Same with Avatar: The Last Airbender, Flame of Recca, etc. I gotta say my Libran properties connected me to these characters. They are usually calm, thinks first before acting, and usually the witty sarcastic ones (moreover, they're usually more adept than the fire-wielding, loud mouthed team leader; Librans knew it is smart not to appear smart; or in this case, more kickass than the leader).

Running Debut in Cebu Fun Run 2012 and Discovering the 3 S of Marathon Success!

Marathons are one of those things I'd say I'm most competitive at. I began joining these fun runs back in 2009 for curiosity's sake and fell in love with the freedom and mental strength it gives. For beginners, it's fun if you're not out of breath after a few yards or your legs not screaming for rest. Unlike most people's reasons of joining marathons (socialization, flirting, Facebook-centric goals), I joined marathons for testing my limits, and hey, I realized a few things about myself that I didn't know before:

* I am stronger than I thought
* I am faster than i thought
* I am more focused than I thought

While I'm not the fastest (I'm no PRISAA runner), I'd say, neither do I belong to the group arriving last at the finish line. Personally, I'd rather go home in the middle of the race than arrive at the 'empty' finish line and say, "Where the heck did they go?"

4 Crazy Things I Learned in Cebu

After a week living and breathing in Cebu, I have come to a list of things I’ve observed in the Queen city of the South. From the peculiar weather to the tricky language accent, at first, it was really tough to deal for a conservative Ilonggo like me.

Hot Chicks Everywhere

Wherever you turn, you’ll find chinita babes, exotic beauties, and half-bloods cramping in every possible spaces in the malls, in the park, in restos, and in Starbucks. They’re everywhere. I can attest that 6 out of 10 Cebuanas are gorgeous. 

They always looked like they’re auditioning for a reality TV show. Their hair is never black; shades of expensive looking hair dye emblazoned their hair strands whenever the wind blew in their way. I find myself blushing furiously whenever they caught me looking at them. I kind of grew up with the “staring is rude” culture, so these moments are embarrassing to me. But who cares? They're a feast to the eyes!

Tagalog Who?

You’ll hear the usual tourist complain that people here will answer you in Cebuano even if you asked them in Tagalog. Contrary to popular belief, Cebuanos don’t hate people from Manila. They just find it hard to speak in Tagalog. Not because they’re dumb or something, but because learning the language is not of great significance to them compared to other provinces. They are proud and they love their dialect. If you want to get directions right, ask them in English. They’ll have no problem with it.

Squealing Sequels - The Courage To Write Again

Nothing could be more frustrating than trying to recapture the fire that started and died a long time ago. In my case, the sequel to the first novel was completed shortly after the first book. In those times, I was a hungry wolf pursuing a calling that only by doing 'it' could appease; I was full of adrenalin, writing every day for 5 hours, fearing the momentum might dwindle if I stopped for a day. The result is an astonishing 32 chapter novel. That's 12 more chapters than the first. 

While I'm happy with the pace of the output (I finished the 2nd book in 11 months), I wasn't so happy with the quality. The book had a lot of inconsistencies, purple proses, and horrid conversations. I cannot decide what magical powers to give to the characters and the villains sounded like a rehashed play from the first book. Clearly, I was getting the 'real' hang of being a writer.

Let Rejection Lead the Way

No Venture, No Gain.

Not just physically, the time-tested adage also applies to everything we do where we put our soul onto it. In my case, I finally let go of the fears of rejection and send the work to its respective judges: the literary agents.  After polishing the novel for the millionth time and wrote the dreaded query (causing me tears and nose bleeds), I submitted the work to 12 agencies, and so far I got 2 replies, all of which aren't really good news.

6 Things To Do Before Dying

Life is precious because it ends. This is something all the movies tackling Gods/mortal theme understands. Humans's source of limitless motivation is to continue living, for it's the only way we can make our dreams and promises come true. 

Having been in a desk job for more than 4 years now, I came to a point where I just don't wanna exist, I wanna live! If the Fates turn their fingers favorable to me, I am asking to do these 6 Deeds Before I Die. 

6. Swim with the Manta Rays, Dugongs, and Whale Sharks 

Why?

I've always been fascinated with these marine creatures, especially the Manta Rays. Graceful and calm, swimming with them would, I know for a fact, give meaning to my life. Most people would opt for physical and social satisfactions like riches and fame, but for me, it's simple as this. While Dugongs assure a pet-master-bonding-together moment, a Whale Shark encounter would be a God-letting-a-human-see-his-creation-in-action spree.