What a week. A friend is depressed and suicidal (out of drugs) and another friend passed away from cancer (lymphoma). Choices and circumstances. Oh life.

Who would have thought. After emptying a bottle of l'eaupar by kenzo and years and years of clinique happy, I actually came back to bench, the local body spray from the Philippines. Of course, I had to order it online and after ordering two small bottles for $14 (including shipping), I got it after only three days! I didn't expect I'd be able to get it the fact that I'm all the way in Seattle. Anyway, I'm happy smelling unique unlike any other Americans (who by the way do not care much about body odor). I'm happy and proud of a Filipino product and I wish there's a local store here in Seattle. But then again, I'd start smelling like everyone else. - peace -

Golf, beach volleyball, horseback riding, trail biking, tennis, spa! OMG, tons to do somewhere inland Oregon! I'm excited. I needed the break anyway after coordinating a big volunteer event of about 300 people yesterday. Just glad to spend a week without worrying much about work. - peace -

Happy Belated 4th to all Americans, wanna-be-Americans and those who just live in the US of A! All I cared for was food, really. Hotdogs and burgers~~~ Yum! Peace

To all dad's (including those who consider their pets children), happy father's day!

Today, I'll be watching a Filipino film at the Seattle Film Fest. Yeeeeey! It's actually the last day of the festival and I'm glad I got to watch a few this year. Anyway, it should be fun. The movie is called "The Bet Collector". It'll be awkward having the subtitles for me because even if I'd understand the film, I know I'm still going to read the subtitles. Have a great Sunday (or Monday to most of you in Asia)! - peace

Ubuntu, it is my new favorite word. Archbishop Desmond Tutu described it as the essence of humanity, of being interconnected. "We are only human in relationships, not in isolation". Ubuntu.

 - peace

My boyfriend took me out to a movie tonight. Not another gay movie! That's what I would have said before the documentary film "Inlaws and Outlaws" rolled. You know, the typical documentary talking about typical social issues (i.e. injustice, the holocaust, 'coming out', global warming, 9/11, etc.). Anyway, the film may have been about the lives of mainly people from the LGBT community being in love, but a breath of fresh air, actually talking about being in-love, tying the knot and hoping to be seen as equals just like any other person deserves to have. Not just the stereotypical debate about extending  marriage to the LGBT community but actually understanding that just like every other person, we deserve to fall in love and share those moments with the people we actually want to spend the rest of our lives with.

I know it is difficult for many to understand why we should allow gays and lesbians the right to marriage, everyone deserves the right to their own opinion. Sometimes (or most of the time), traditions tend to dictate the way we live our values and define morality. However, we should not forget that values, traditions, not even religion can define how we should love.

- peace

Ok, I'm back home now after a three day conference in New Hampshire (actually, the conference is still going on but I'm back now). I would say I'm even more committed to making a difference. I owe my life to serve, just like those 17-24 year old kids who committed a year (or two) of their lives to service.

I'm reading Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. I would say Mortenson's story of commitment to help build schools in the most remote places of the world makes me feel humbled and very small. I don't know how much I can measure the change I can make in my lifetime but I know as much I will.

- peace

I'm at the City Year (Americorps) annual conference - Cyzygy (or spelled correctly spelled syzygy in the dictionary meaning alignment of stars). For those of you who don't know, it's actually a conference of young individuals who have committed an entire year (or two) of service to volunteer and mentor young children across America. This year is held in Manchester, New Hampshire -- about an hour drive from Boston. I'm here because I work for corporate social responsibility and my company is one of the corporate partners of City Year.

So last night, I got the priviledge of being seated three seats rows away from the stage. Bill Clinton was the guest speaker for the opening night and man he's a genius! I don't think he rehearsed anything he spoke about but he made great sense. What I took away from the speech was that we are all 99.9% similar and only 0.1% different. In order for us to move forward and make a difference, we all should celebrate our similarities rather than focus on the 0.1% difference that divide us.

This morning, another talk, more like a townhall meeting. It was fun seeing the CEO of Timberland talk about why success isn't all measured by the money and title we get from our professions. It is however the difference we try to make from our professions that really matter. As a first generation immigrant, I am proud to say that I have not forgotten about my roots and what I owe to the people from where I came from that actually made me the person that I am -- a big dreamer yet remindful. Going back to Sarah McLachlan's song World on Fire, "The more we take the less we become, The fortune of one man means less for some."

- peace all!