Slow Jam the News!

The Roots rock the show! Flavaaaaaah!
Imagine if we received political updates this way everyday:

Mic check...one two, one two..

I AM BACK!

I can't believe it is MARCH.

Time is flying by so fast... Didn't realize my last blog was January.

I mean, from my last entry, Barack Obama was "President-elect."

BUT...now...

He is PRESIDENT Barack Obama.... Damn! Too much time in between my blog entries...

Guess finishing out 1st semester got toooooooo allkindsofcrazy!

Anyway, second semester is more chill. So I should be dropping by ever so often...

Body Image: Self-Perception/Deception

Now this clip is allkindsofcrazy!


Thanks reye, for hookin' it up with this clip.
It's important to include friends in lesson planning! They can bring in so many ideas/resources.

Music to look forward to in 2009

Wholesome.



What a beautiful song. Love the keys. I appreciate the way this video was shot and edited.

PS. I love Blue Scholars! ha.

2009: A Look Into the Year

After much reflection on the past year, I decided my themes/foci of the year would be the following:

1. Cultivating existing relationships.
Since 2008 was focused on THE SELF, I would like to refocus on my loved ones
and community by improving/maintaining healthy relations with the people I
deeply care for.

One of the ways I will do so is by practicing the lessons I learn from
Thich Nhat Hanh's Teahings on Love.
This book is WOW. It's so practical/tangible/applicable. It's real talk.

For
example, I want to work on active listening and really taking a loving and
genuine look into a person and into what they are saying or doing. And as I do
this, I need to remember to be mindful of people's backgrounds and experiences
before I easily pass judgment. I know this sounds like "Duh, chris,we all know
this." But we tend to forget these important interpersonal skills. In
addition, I love the way Thich Nhat Hanh articulates these simple
acts of kindness and love, because it makes anyone reading the book feel like
its possible and easy to do! I think that's why sometimes it's hard to build
healthy relations with people: we make it difficult, or we think it's more
complex than how it really is.

I want to work on patience and understanding for others.


2. Being mindful and resourceful.
Since the US will be going through some tough times with the economy, I want
to make more of an effort to be mindful of the resources I have and the way
I use them. I want to be more creative with what I have and discover multiple
functions to what was initially a singular functional object.


3. Live healthy. Cook. Cook. Cook. Eat in moderation. Run. Run. Run weekly. After my run, I really felt good---internally and externally. I felt my perspective and understanding of things around me were clearer. But after this past month of unhealthy living (eating whatever was in sight), I definitely feel BLEH! I feel sluggish. My pace is slower. I feel lazier. I lost discipline and focus. I want to go back to feeling invincible. I must start again from the simple steps of being mindful of what I put into my body. I need to discipline and motivate myself to push as I run. I miss flying.



Go 2009!

2008: A Year in Review

Wow.

2008 was such an interesting year. I remember I ushered in 2008 with so much uncomfortable anxiety and uncertainty. I remember I had no idea how I was going to celebrate the 2008 New Year and with whom. I remember feeling "lost" and "lonely." I was worried that those anxieties foreshadowed the upcoming 2008 year. I was grateful that I was able to spend it with my mom and Inang----my roots, my home. So, in a way, I think that's why 2008 was themed "Year of the SELF"--going back to who I am. So it was meant to be that way...

Then 2008 began and it was definitely rough. I had to figure out if my past could be my future...and learned eventually that some things are meant to be left alone in the past and that some things are just irreparable. I had to learn the art of letting go and making things happen for the present. I had to put faith into faith...and most importantly, understand that only I can make things happen. But in order for me to make things happen, I knew I had to work on myself.


2008 was such an important year of my life (so far).

2008 was THE year I had to focus on myself.

2008 was the year I constantly self-reflected.

2008 was the year I needed to appreciate time on my own.

2008 was the year I needed to explore life on my own.

2008 was the year I learned to listen to my needs.

2008 was the year I had to be disciplined and patient.

2008 was the year for many "first[s]":
a) shot and edited videos using final cut (which was first inspired and
motivated by my Inang's late brother)...
b) trained and ran a half marathon (all mental discipline)
c) started a blog (opening myself up)
d) attended a Maxwell concert! (oooohhh la la) hahaha
e) got my tattoo (declaration to the world on my philosophy of life)
f) made efforts to invest.... (a necessity of life and living)
g) voted on an historic election

Thus, 2008 was the year I felt I grew the most ever.... internally...

And by the closure of 2008, I have to say it was one of the most memorable and worthwhile years in my life (so far)....

And I'm looking forward to continue to grow and refine myself in 2009.


One thing I did learn is that I wouldn't have been able to grow this much alone. Thanks to my family and close friends who supported me.

"Poor thing, she needs that perfect man to fulfill her happiness"

....or so these films make women think so....

Being back home in good ol' Riverside affords me ample time in front of the television. I practically spent the entire day watching random movies on TBS and HBO. By the time I finished the 3rd or 4th movie I felt upset!

These are the movies I watched in order:

1. Because I Said So (I liked this movie. ha)

2. Never Been Kissed

3. 27 Dresses

4. Sweetest Thing


I must admit that no one forced me to watch these movies. It was strictly voluntarily and I was definitely entertained and into these movies.

HOWEVER, after the 4th movie, I began to feel pathetic! Now let me clarify things first. No, I did not feel pathetic because I spent the entire day in front of the TV watching these movies (as a matter of fact, I cherished every moment of it!)

I felt pathetic because all these movies were about ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY: a broken-hearted and bitter/helpless/hopeless woman who is in search of that perfect man to sweep her off her feet...and the "perfect ONE" happens to be the "guy next door" whom she doesn't initially notice.

Therefore, identifying myself as a woman and watching these women in the film made me feel pathetic! Damn. These movies are different in storyline but have the same bottom line theme.

So I started to think about movies that portray independent and empowered women that have nothing to do with men "sabotaging" their happiness. I COULDN'T THINK OF ANY! I still can't think of any. How would that look like?

Then I started to think about if the script was flipped and it was centered upon a brokenhearted man who is bitter/helpless/hopeless and is in search of the perfect woman. NOPE! COULDN'T THINK OF ANY MOVIES EITHER. How would that look like?

Anyway, this is problematic! It's problematic for both men and women. It's problematic for the men because they look like the villains and it's problematic for the women because they look like the helpless romantic victims. It makes women think that their sense of self-worth comes only with the validation of a man's attention.

( I need to be more productive with my time in River)