What you want + that is right = is happiness

It may sound crazy, but I have an equation for happiness. I have already shared this thought with some of my friends. I can’t say that they were convinced, but I can tell that from they’re face that I made a point. I believe that we only need two things to be happy: 1) Know what you want and 2) make sure that what you want is right.

It looks simple, yeah? Hardly. Putting the two fractions on the left side of the equation together is not a walk in the park. Knowing what you want, as I’ve always proclaimed, is not overnight epiphany. Some people spend their entire life trying, looking, searching for what they want and still can’t find it. It takes a lot of realizations, efforts, failures and pains to know what you really want in life. You don’t wake up one day and say “Hey, I’m gonna be a marine biologist”.

Some people, on the other hand, are too prideful to admit what they want (Hehehe, clue?). And as they watch a lifetime of happiness slips away, they wonder why the hell their life is so empty. It’s because knowing is not just being aware of what makes you happy. It’s about doing something. In fact, it’s more of taking chances, risking and experiencing the pain. Knowing how much a thing weigh is determined not by truth but rather by lifting and carrying it around. Hard times help us gauge how much we value things.

Add that to the ‘that is right’ part and this whole happiness thing becomes a pretty tall order. Here’s a harsh reality: most of us think base on what we feel. Most of us decide base on what we think. So if our feelings fool around, our ability to make just decisions become wobbly. Yeah, I know a lot of people (including myself) who would literally jump right to the next bus, 6′o clock in the morning just to be with the person he/she wants (Hahaha! Whoever you are I am so sorry. I can’t think of any other person that will solidify the point I am trying to make here). Feelings, for the most part, are the number one enemy of what is right. The sad part is the former often won. Our feelings complicate things. Complicated things complicate life.

So here’s a very good question: if happiness is such a needle in haystack to find, would the entire process of finding it defeats its purpose? I say, no. I say, hell no. We already have the proof. How does 1-hour of family meal ease the burden of an 8-hour grueling work? Why do 3-day vacation leave is all you need after months of endeavor? Why do last-minute closures are such a relief to dying people? Why does “And they live happily ever” is enough as a fulfilling ending to tragic novels? Millions of books were already written, thousands of movies were already made, and endless stories were already told: a flicker of happiness casts away an abyss of darkness.

This is for those people who think they’re lost. You are just doing fine. We are just doing fine. Steel up because even if our happiness is somewhere out there, it’s worth the wait.

Fitting In

Fitting in is not a very ideal when it comes to social situations but right now, I badly need it.

My life was so comfortable back then in Subic so now I’m paying the price. No good lifestyle goes unpunished, ei? Yeah, Subic was the place for me. Back there the city wasn’t demanding. The phase was not fast but it wasn’t that slow either. Sure, we don’t have hundreds of cinemas but we can still watch almost anything we want. We don’t have Starbucks but Mocha Blends is a decent substitute (Nope, they’re not paying me. Hmm… I wonder how’s that acoustic guitar chic doing, heh). No big, fancy malls but who needs them when the view of Magsaysay and Boardwalk is always a walk away. Now that I’m in a new city, all of those were taken away from me.

So now I have to get back my life by adopting. By fitting in. And what would be the better way to fit in to a new place than know it. That’s my short term objective right now: know the place. Next would be to get comfortable with it. But that would be another story, err blog. I have narrowed all the things I can / should do in 3 items below for me to know the place.

• Get outside my usual routine – whenever MRT get out of my sight, I silently panic. It’s like my dry land. My safe refuge. If I can see it, then I can definitely go back home. I therefore conclude that I should break my routine and try unfamiliar roads. I think I should start with the basics like Luneta or Malacañang (Gulp). La Mesa Eco-Park, anyone?

  Which, by the way, reminds me that Emer, Kiko and I are looking for our “MacLawrence” – the club from ‘How I Met Your Mother’ –where we can regularly hangout..Ano brow, meron na ba tayo jen?
  

• Do something outside work – back in Subic, going out – or doing anything outside work – is very easy. That’s because I know the place and it’s relatively small. Here, not only the place is foreign, exploring around can be pretty much intimidating (and frightening with the bombing and mugging just around the corner). So if I could be comfortable with my sense of direction, I don’t think doing something outside work would be hard.
  
• People, people and people – the best way to fit in is, of course, to connect with people. Comics and I have been catching up lately and it’s really great. It’s like Panacea days but this time we can afford decent meals instead of the endless Pancit Canton. Emer, Kiko and Raul are all here so the gang is complete. Plus the people in my new job are nice too. Hehe, honestly they’re kinda quiet and reserved. That’s a bit opposite from what I’ve expected. They rarely go out; in fact we haven’t gone out yet as a group (Except for that time I treated everyone with coffee. One of them told me that I was first to do it).

Yesterday, I did try to ‘get outside my usual routine’ and it was kinda fun. But I’m all alone so I looked pathetic. Ugh. I’m really not good at this but I must try. Kelangan Lomaban e. ‘Til next time peeps, toddles!

Lomaban Ka

For those who don’t know me, I just got a job offer here in Manila which forced me to relocate. Everything seems to be perfect with my new job except for one thing: I have a night schedule. This is the first time I’ll be doing it so it’s really a big deal. Sure, I often sleep late back then, but making the day into night, it’s an entirely new story.

So earlier today, I woke up from bed with a killer headache. I guess the huge change in my life is finally starting to tax me. And since I’m pretty much new to the place, I can’t do anything but stay in the apartment where my only form of entertainment is my computer (I’m blogging right now, that’s how I define entertainment these days. Yeah it’s been a pretty slow week) and my TV which has only channels, one which I can barely recognized what I’m watching and the other one which is so lame that I almost threw my TV outside the window – really pisses me off (sorry not point of the story). Ok going back; suddenly I received a text message from my Nanay (Mom). Thing you should know about my mom is she doesn’t know how to text, she’s just asking my nephew to do it for her. Here’s how the message exactly looks like:

“kumusta ka na”
(how are you?)

Touched by my mom’s gesture, I went ahead and replied:

“nay, ok lang po. although nahihirapan ako sa panggabi na schedule.”

(I’m fine, mom. although I’m having a hard time with my night schedule)

I don’t know if it was motherly instinct, maybe she sensed that the night schedule was really a big deal for me, she replied with… wait for it… (hehe)

“lomaban ka”

(you must fight!)

I was laughing by myself when I read the message. I really appreciate her watching over me in the least way that she can. Thanks mom! Don’t worry “lomalaban ako“.

The Life Savers

I have reasons to believe that there’s a secret group of super heroes here on earth. I’m calling them the “The Life Savers”. These are people endowed by the heavens with an impeccable skill in timing, unparalleled kindness and ubiquitous resources. They are common people around us, disguised as, um well, common people. I have listed a few of them below:

• Captain LockPick – I’ve been in a very stupid situation before and this guy saved the day for me. I was on my way to work when I remember that I left the key for my apartment INSIDE my apartment. That’s just the classic me. My day started to turn dark when suddenly my friendly neighborhood Captain LockPick comes to the rescue. With his gadgets, and 150 bucks, he skillfully unlock my door and saves my day in no time!
  
• Ms. Accountant / Wonder Woman – ever run out of cash for that ‘something came up’ predicament? Well, have no fear because Ms. Accountant AKA Wonder Woman is here! Hidden beneath her thick eyeglasses and old-maid wardrobe is a kind-hearted superhero that will let you do cash advance any time of the day!
  
• Super Friend – this multi-skilled super hero is the most common of all. And they serve in so many purposes. Ever had one of those dreaded nights where a ridiculously high-priced coffee can make you feel better? Well, this super hero will join you any time of the day (or even night, even late night). If you’re lucky he / she might even pay for the coffee. And BTW, he / she also have the ability of Ms. Accountant / Wonder Woman, that’s when she becomes super-duper best-est friend, Hehe.

These people selflessly devote their lives to make this world a better place by filling in millions of little holes in our lives. And for that, I can’t thank them enough. This one’s for you, super hero. Cheers!