There's no rest for the weary. Upon arriving back into the United States from the Philippines, I went right to San Jose with the intent of presenting at the Rho Delta Chi formal. I met up with my lil bro and other bros that were escorts and made sure that we performed in typical Chi Rho Omicron fashion. A speaker issue garbled the message, but I think for those that heard it, the message was sincere and true. It was good seeing them again, as it was an event that I thought about and was looking forward to attending, even though I was thousands of miles away. I think it helped to make my return that much sweeter.

I even had the chance to catch Stick It with my lil bro and my lil sib from Mga Kapatid. I went in with no expectations and enjoyed it. What I really want to see is V for Vendetta on IMAX here in Sacramento. And of course, I'm anxiously awaiting the release of Superman Returns. In case you didn't know, I'm a fairly big Superman fan.

After being so out of touch in the Philippines, with respect to what is going on here, it feels weird trying to catch up. It just goes to show that the world doesn't revolve around one's personal existence. Life goes on whether you are participating or not. I'm back though, and ready to jump right back into work and the rest of my obligations.

I kept a notebook while I was in the Philippines, recording the daily adventures and drama, and every now and then taking down a few notes of self-reflection. My reading time was utilized for me to get through two-and-a-half books, of which the final one I hope to finish soon. They were Mentoring, Ghost Soldiers, and The Centennial Countdown.

I also learned a few new recipes, one of which I had the particular pleasure of delivering some tupig (too-pig) last night. The easiest way for me to describe it is as a rice cake with coconut in it. We made it from scratch, from grinding the rice and grating a fresh coconut, all the way to wrapping the mixture in freshly washed banana leaves and grilling them over some coals. I hope people enjoy them, as I'm proud to have taken part in the invaluable experience.

My lola, 87 and in the condition that she is in, found the flight and subsequent five hour drive to our province in the Philippines quite excrutiating, physically and mentally. I left the Philippines confident that the people to which I was leaving my lola, who were all extended family, were competent enough to take care of her and have a deep care and love for her. Because they could also speak Tagalog, Ilocano, and Pangasinan, they also had an advantage over me as far as being able to communicate with lola, as lola still speaks in broken English, and I in broken Tagalog. As a result, I witnessed an energy and chatter from her that I hadn't seen in a long while, which lifted my spirits and am sure is good for her as well. She was also eating more, which sort of leads me to believe that she must not like my cooking. I wonder if it's that bad. I wouldn't want to be introducing people to bad tasting food. I can only hope that those people that believe my food to be bad would let me know before I further embarrass myself.

I didn't take a whole lot of time out for myself, as my primary focus was lola. Three days before the departure, lola told me that she wanted to come back to Sacramento with me. Try as I may, the plane was booked full, except for a First Class seat for $2,700. Now, if I were in a different tax bracket, maybe that wouldn't be a big deal, but as it were, I did not have an extra $2,700 lying around. I told lola that there were no seats left and she calmly accepted the situation. The whole ordeal was quite harrowing for me, as I had, for the whole trip, been preparing myself emotionally that I would not be bringing lola back. The sudden expression of her possibly wanting to return flipped that all upside-down. In the mean time, she stayed there and her youngest daughter and her husband is flying to the Philippines from Guam to visit her on May 8. Had lola not stayed, they wouldn't be able to see her, as it's much cheaper to fly from Guam to the Philippines than from Guam to California. I plan to visit lola as often as I can, so that means a lot of traveling for me. Maybe I'd be able to take some people along should they want to visit and tour the Philippines. Or anywhere really. I have this traveling bug now, and want to fill my passport with stamps, the way my lola's passport is very full. I haven't traveled much and would like to. Anyone want to be my traveling buddy? I promise to be adventurous, entertaining, and courteous.

Overall, the trip was productive. It was emotionally draining for me, I handled it the way I know best - head on, with honesty and honor.

Exactly 12 hours left. Then I depart. This would be a good time for Peter, Paul, and Mary's Leaving on a Jet Plane. Life doesn't always include it's own original soundtrack - but how fun would it be if it did! I wonder what adventures await me in the Philippines. I can't really call it a vacation, as I have to make sure that my lola's (grandmother's) well-being is taken care of beyond my own stay. Ideally all goes smoothly and, upon my return to California, I will find that nobody has forgotten me and that nothing has fallen apart here. The world, afterall, still needs its Superman. Godspeed to all of my family and friends, I'm sure that I will be thinking of you frequently during the entire trip.  

Before I go, let me leave you with this final note. All of us here have hopes - not just for ourselves, not just for our families and for our loved ones, but also for our country. Unfortunately though, the people we’ve elected into power can’t do it all by themselves. They need our help too. What I mean is that change should begin from within. That’s where it starts. It doesn’t have to be big. It can be really, really simple, but the important thing is that each of us, I mean I'm guilty of a lot of stuff too, makes the change first from within. It starts with one. Just one person. It starts from within ourselves and then before you know it that one becomes two that two becomes four - and then before you know it, we are in heaven.So maybe, if you and I are willing to make a change, to get outside our comfort area, we can achieve heaven here on earth in no time.

This goes well with my analogy of change and growth being like a flight on an airplane. Before take-off, the pilot typically reminds all passengers to put on their seat belts. The reason is that the ascent to a higher level is going to possess some bumps and turbulence. The same is true in life. When a person decides to grow to a higher level, they will also experience turbulence. Yet, just as in a plane, when you've reached your desired altitude, it's smooth once again. So we just have to keep in mind that reaching higher and striving farther isn't going to be smooth sailing. Then we will be that much better prepared for what will come our way. Combine that with an unfallible faith that you will overcome, even if you're not sure exactly how, and you're well on your way.

Reputation is what others think of you. Character is what God and angels know of you.

I pride myself on my character. Every now and then, people acknowledge it, and I know that it's worth doing. The credit, however, cannot all be attributable to me. It belongs to all the people whom I have crossed paths with, including God. Maybe you think your encounter with me was insignificant, but I assure you, it was not. It set into motion a whole slew of chain reactions that would alter the world's future. These are emotional and physical actions and reactions that completely alter the way that I deal with the world. My spiritual and mental self are affected as well. Who knows what great deeds the future may hold? So thank you to all my detractors, acquaintances, and supporters. I owe you everything.

Time flies! In 47 hours, I will be one hour into a flight to the Philippines. I swore that it took forever to get my passport, and all of a sudden, I'm basically on my way. What will this adventure bring? It feels as though I am going on a Native American vision quest. Here's what I do know. I don't want to waste time. Time is just way too valuable. It's one resource that you cannot earn back or replace. Money and material items can be replaced. Emotions and trust can eventually be earned back, not to say that it is an easy task. Yet, no matter what, time cannot be replenished. Thus, it should really be our most valuable commodity.

So when you ask someone to meet up, or hang out, and they don't check their calendar, take that as a compliment. It means that they would rather spend some time with you than do anything else that could possibly be on their calendar. That is time that they can't get back. Don't give me your money or presents. Just give me your time. I will cherish it forever.

When I am alone, my gaiety disappears; many confused and sad thoughts assail me; it seems to me as if I had lost something, or as if luck had abandoned me. In my life, happiness was always followed by misfortune, and the more beautiful the one was the more terrible the other one appeared.

I consider myself fortunate to be able to suffer a little for a cause that I believe sacred. I do not accuse myself of any act that humiliates me before my conscience. I admit that at first I was grieved by the change of my fortune, but afterward I consoled myself by thinking of others more just and more worthy who had suffered greater injustices and once cannot make everything run according to his desire. If this is fanaticism, may God forgive me, for however much I search myself I cannot see it thus.

For my part, I shall work faithfully and quietly; I shall devote my strength to my cause. It does not matter what they may say about me; I have done my duty, I envy no one, I trust in God and the fate of my fraternity. I shall always be at the service of my brotherhood and what my fellow brethren think I can do I shall do. True piety is obedience to what is right, happen what may. God has made humans free and has promised victory to one who perserveres, to one who struggles, to one who acts justly.

I am neither immortal nor invulnerable, and my greatest joy will be to see myself eclipsed by a pleiad of fellow brothers at the time that I can no longer serve. That will be the ultimate success.

Whether the sacrifice be big or small; whether people be ungrateful and forgetful; whether malice be opposed; or whether sterile and barren egoes mock, we ought not to be dismayed before an insignificant failure nor go backward at the least obstacle that is discerned in the horizon. In order that the work of one single individual be crowned with the most brilliant success, necessary are all the favors of Fortune, all the assistance of happy circumstances, a prepared ground, a propitious predisposition; otherwise the voice is lost in the void, like hopes and efforts. Let us work then together and instead of useless lamentations, of disconsolate complaints, of accusations and excuses, let us apply the remedy, let us build, no matter if we begin with the simplest, for later we shall have time to erect new edifices on that foundation. Step by step one reaches the Temple of Progress whose numerous and fitful steps are not climbed without having faith and conviction in the soul, in the heart courage necessary in encountering disillusions, and the gaze fixed on the future. Let us do for the generation that must follow us, which will be either our reward or our reproach, all that we would like to have been done for us by our ancestors, perhaps placed by fate in very fatal circumstances, though full of generous aspirations. The road is ours as the present is ours, and if it is not given to us to reach the end, we may be sure that by fulfilling our duties, the future will be ours also -- the future of blessings. It is thus my endeavor to do just that. If I can brighten one person's outlook each day, then I have made a difference.

History does not record any enduring rule of one people over another, who belong to different races, with distinct usages and customs, with adverse or divergent ideals.

One of the two has to yield or succumb. Either the foreigner was overthrown, as it happened in the Carthaginians, the Arabs, and the French in Spain, or the native people had to succumb or withdraw, as in the case of the inhabitants of the New World, Australia, New Zealand, and others.

Yet there is no sufficient gunpowder in the world that can justify the attacks against the liberty of the individual, against the sanctity of the home, against the laws, against peace and honor.

I have our tickets and passport now to go to the Philippines. My lola and I are leaving April 9, 2006 and I'll be gone for fifteen days, while my lola will remain there for who knows how long. My uncle is still here and I'm sure his girlfriend, daughter, and grandson will end up staying in the house while I am gone. I just hope that they don't drive up our utility bills, as I am still responsible for them. However, that's life and I need to make sure that my lola's is as happy as possible for however long she remains with us physically.

Life is so brief and the happiest is so full of bitterness that in truth it is not worthwhile to sacrifice a conviction for round pieces of metal or in the form of a cross. And besides, it is all a question of temperament - some seek happiness in riches, in honors; others in humilitating and bending their fellowmen; others in making the rest believe or in believing what nobody else believes; others are contented with their self-respect with directing themselves cautiously, etc.