The Return of the Phoenix

"A mythical bird that never dies, the phoenix flies far ahead to the front, always scanning the landscape and distant space. It represents our capacity for vision, for collecting sensory information about our environment and the events unfolding within it. The phoenix, with its great beauty, creates intense excitement and deathless inspiration."

I received a group email this morning from a dear friend whom we shall "XtraChallenge." I think his email is worth posting in this site for us to learn something from his experience. I firmly believe that life is a learning process. Sometimes we need to experience pain for us to learn our lessons not usually taught in the four corners of our classroom.

Prophetic as you may call me but about a few months ago, I know the possibility of ending the series of pictures being sent to us would be like this. But who cares? If you are in love, you will conquer everything for the person you truly dear. And even if you know your friend will possibly get hurt, you will not hinder his happiness, instead , you will continue to stand by his side to pick him up in case he stumbles.

"THE PHOENIX IS BACK"

"I confirm that for the least a few weeks I was so distraught, confused, and out of sorts because I WAS IN LOVE. I was in love with a 21 year old boy. A sweet, enigmatic and funny boy who made me smile and laugh for 2 months. Downfall, he claims that he is straight. And if he is not, I think he has a lot of extra curricular activities. You really could not say whom you would fall in love with cause you all know that I do not go for someone that young and to make it more complicated, he was one of my telemarketers. But hey, that is why we call it love. We do crazy things and accept them for who they are no matter what and risk other things that we hold dear to our hearts.

My weakness is my heart. I am an emotional person. Funny cause in a world where almost everything is unceratain, I should be immuned from the lessons of the heart. Experience and wisdom should have taugt me so. Given as well that I loved him, nothing happened sexually between us. It maybe hypocritical, but I guess, respecting him is what matters most. The perpetual hope is there, but I can't wait forever. There are a lot of things that I should look forward to in my life. .

It is really time to move on as the relationship will not prosper. What I will just hold dear in my heart are the memories that we shared when we had dinner and coffee together, watched movies together, went to places like Subic, Cavite, Zambales, and went fishing and had a picnic in very quaint place. Memories that will always be a part of who I am.

Thank you for the superfriends who talked to me during these times and shed light and made me realize my temporary insanity should stop.

Rising from the ashes brought by the flames of love, Phoenix. "

Vote for Tubbataha Reef

I appeal to you all to please vote Tubbataha Reef as one of the new 7 wonders of the world. Other entries from the Philippines are Bohol's Chocolate Hills and Puerto Princesa's Subterranean River National Park.

The word “tubbataha” is a combination of two Samal words which means “a long reef exposed at low tide”. This reef is made up of two coral atolls divided by an eight-kilometer (5 miles) wide channel. The South Atoll, the smaller of the two is five kilometers in length and three kilometers in width; while the North Atoll, the larger of the two is 16 kilometers (10 miles) long and five kilometers (3 miles) wide.

Vivid corals cover more than two-thirds of the area and the waters around the reef are places of refuge for numerous marine lives. The seemingly diverse ecosystem of this sanctuary rivals the Great Barrier Reef – having 300 coral species and 400 fish species.

In 1993, the United Nations designated Tubbataha as one of the two World Heritage Sites found in the Philippines. The other site is the Banaue Rice Terraces in Ifugao.

Tubbataha has become a popular site for seasoned sports divers because of its coral “walls” where the shallow coral reef abruptly ends giving way to great depths. These “walls” are not only wonderful diving spots but they are also wonderful habitats for many colonies of fish. There are giant jacks, hammerhead sharks, barracudas, manta rays, palm-sized moorish idols, parrot fishes, and moral eels living in the sanctuary. Tubbataha is even home to the hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) which are endangered species.

Aside from being a marine sanctuary, Tubbataha is also renowned for being a bird sanctuary. A lighthouse islet, at the southern tip of the South Atoll, supports a large number of seabirds which nest there. Around the Tubbataha, there are tens of thousands of masked red-foot boobies, terns, and frigate birds resting during their annual migrations. To minimize any external intrusions, the Philippine Coast Guard maintains a small monitoring station on one of the many permanent sand bars.

Magat Salamat Elem. School

Just grabbed this old grade 4 class picture of our Magat Salamat days from Orlanda "Gigi" Manalac's friendster account. This is not a gossip, but she used to be my first gf and believe it or not in grade 5. he he he.. She migrated in the US in '87 (if I am not mistaken). We're both single up to now but good for her she's already engaged with Jeremy. hu hu hu.

Try to figure out who among those cute little kids was me. he he. Our class adviser in the pic is Mrs. Borja who I think because of our "kakulitan" suffered a mild stroke so she was replaced by another one who I could no longer recall the name.

Banig

Since I was a kid, I would always love to watch different talent shows especially singing contest, may it be on TV, schools and even the littlest stage shows in our barangay. Maybe my frustration to join such competition forced me to watch those shows.

I used to be a regular viewer of Bagong Kampeon which was then being shown over RPN 9. One of my favorite champions then was Josephine "Banig" Roberto. A little kid with the voice of Tina Turner.

After she won the plum prize for the Bulilit Kampeon, she competed for Star Search in the US where she defeated no less than Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera

Just today, she just popped into my mind and I searched the web particularly the Youtube to check on how she is doing in the States right now and how she looks like after living in the States for several years.

I also learned that Banig has a Big Philippine Surprise!

She is currently finishing up her long-awaited Philippine album to be released in Manila in early 2008.

The album consists of original Tagalog and English compositions and a couple of revivals to assure satisfaction of all listeners, young and old. All original songs are written and produced by Banig and Jhoanna "JoJo" Roberto, a rising female writer, producer, musical arranger, choreographer and rapper, in the music biz.

This album proves another challenge in Banig's versatility as an artist, writer, and producer as this is the first time Banig is musically involved in a Tagalog album. As some of Banig's followers may recall, her very first Tagalog release, "Makinang Kumakanta" under WEA Records, was back when she was 9 years old, barely starting out in the Philippine entertainment world.

We Are Family

This is my family. I am proud to say that God blessed me with a good family. I have friends who would get envy at me when I was young for having a loving family. My dad's name is Ernie and my mom is Letty. I am proud to have a very hardworking and loving parents who painstakingly raised us 5 children so they could give us good education and future.

I have 3 brothers and 1 sister. My siblings names are (in chronological order he he he) Edmon, Eric, Emil and Marileth.

As a 3rd child, I experienced what they called a "middle child syndrome". A feeling that your parents' attention and love to you is not the same as your siblings.

I am aware that my siblings are blessed with better looks than I do. But, this did not discouraged me to study hard and to pursue my dreams. So I studied hard and positively turned this negative feeling in a more rewarding manner to get my parents' attention.

Growing up in a "blessed town" of Tondo taught me a lot of things in life and made me a stronger person that I am today. Tondo, a place where you could see happy people
despite of their economic condition. A place where you could see people who knows how to appreciate even the littlest things that they have.

It is for this reason that I have learned to appreciate even the smallest blessings I receive from God.

When Eduard Meets Blogging

It's been months that I first heard about this blogging thingee... he he he.. Been wanting to sign up long ago but we dont have internet connection.. Poor me... I then conditioned myself to save some of my peso so I could pay the monthly fee for this internet connection. he he he

So, finally I am here.. i hope to learn alot and meet new friends through this..

Guys, expect more interesting blog from me soon as I let you all travel experience Eduard Solomon's WORLD..
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