When I was a kid…

I had a lot of dreams. I aspired to be like this and/or that in the future. I wanted to achieve so many things. Impossible was not yet invented in my dictionary.  Felt I could conquer the world! Haha.

As a kid, my imagination was really wild, vivid and timeless. I cared for nothing but fun, adventure and the real excitement of life. I love to draw, write stories and play whatever games would come to my mind. I wonder where that kid is now…

I wanted to travel the entire world - explore, unearth and tell humanity how wonderful the universe is. I have always adored the creations of God. I love Nature, and even the innovations of man... Sadly though, the planet is no longer as beautiful as it was… 

When I was a kid… I wanted to become a…

Traveler/Archaeologist

What’s other better and pleasurable way to appreciate more the beauty of nature and the wonders of the entire universe than to travel, travel and travel? To travel the whole world is my very wish…when I was just a kid, and until now. 

I also want to unearth history, discover hidden facts and find relics. I was so inspired by a TV series way back in High School; if my memory serves me right, the show was “Relic Hunter.” I also love to watch Tomb Raider, The Mummy, National Treasure, Indiana Jones and other history-based or treasure hunting inspired movies. I loved history as long as I can remember and so I want to learn more.

I eventually wanted to become a teacher - for reality's sake. Haha. As for traveling, I think it’s wise to start a travel blog while I’m still looking for “that” opportunity.

Air Force/Navy/Marines

"To fly, fight and win ... in air, space and cyberspace." – Air Force

I’ve always wanted to explore the sky, and/or the ocean; thus the dreams. I even wanted to become an astronaut! I thought that I’ll always be free and alive whenever I can roam around the seas and the skies – reason why I love “One Piece.”

But of course, these are very risky jobs. As a kid, I was only looking at the positive and enjoyable aspects; I challenge intricacy and would always think that I shall win.

Now, as a Navy officer, you can also take part in aviation. I found out about Naval Aviators and blood surged through my veins. Isn’t that hitting two birds in one stone? Whew! :D

However, if it’s not in the US or other more technologically-advanced countries, I’d rather content myself with collecting miniature models of aircraft. Haha ;) :P

Ninja/Samurai

Aren’t they cool?!! Ninjas and Samurais never fail to amuse and amaze me. They’ll always be a part of my imagination and wishful thinking. Although becoming a ninja or a samurai these days seems easier said than done... if given the chance, why not? hahaha

Some people think that a ninja and/or samurai are nothing but blood-thirsty mercenaries or spies. But for me, they have an honourable reputation. Added with the effect of watching Samurai X – Rurouni Kenshin, Naruto and the like… ;)

But I guess, a police officer or a detective is more realistic and feasible. 

I also want to become an F1 pro-racer.. hahaha.. But I guess I should start learning how to drive well first.. and race with a go-kart before anything else. ;)

Although these aspirations may seem very difficult, I know they’re never impossible. I so envy those who are able to live up their dreams. Right now, I’m still having a hard time listening to my real calling. I know it’s not yet too late for me now... So, help me God. :D

On Hope and Love...

I found a website where people share with the world their most hopeful and uplifting moments - real stories (twitter-length) that show how much difference simple gestures of love and hope can do to a wretched soul. This allow others to draw strength and inspiration from their experiences; thus encouraging people to never give up on love or lose hope. And that is -  GivesMeHope.com. It is a response to the popular site, FMyLife.com (FML) where people share stories of how their day was completely ruined or how f***ed up this world is.

GMH is like Chicken Soup for the Soul - the 21st Century, Twitter-style version. it is the FML for the optimists.

The creators of this site also made a separate page for those stories which are more focused on the Love category. They called it LovesGivesMeHope.

Now, isnt this a very good idea? Why settle on the negative aspects of life when you can actually brighten up your day and others with cheerful gestures and uplifting acts? How can you move on from all the hurt and pain of the past if you are to dwell on those things instead of finding hope and love even in the smallest and simplest things?

Well, let me share to you some short stories which captured my heart and soul...

When my brother was in kindergarden, he couldn't stop talking about how cool and funny his best friend Jeremy is.

When we met him, we saw he was in a wheelchair. On the way home we asked my brother why he never told us that Jeremy was in a wheelchair.

He simply said, "Because it isn't important."

***

I was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

I told my husband I would understand if he wanted to leave, he didn't sign up for a mentally ill wife, and I have made his life hell for the past three years.

He just smiled and said, "In sickness and in health covers crazy, too."

***

I was so nervous/scared the day i brought home my first boyfriend.

I was afraid that he'd judge or be uncomfortable around my little brother Aby who has Down Syndrome.

But as soon as he saw my brother he gave him a high five and they started playing together.

Now we have little fights about who Kevin, my boyfriend, loves more.

***

My boyfriend was eager to meet my Mom, despite my various protests.

I pulled into the parking lot of the cemetery where she's buried, expecting him to completely freak out.

When we approached her grave, he sat down, said hello, and talked with her for an hour about how lucky he was to have me.

***

One day I got a phone call from my daughter's Grade 1 teacher saying I was to provide my daughter a lunch EVERY DAY!

Confused, I asked my daughter what she was doing with her lunches.

Her response? "A girl in my class doesn't get a lunch so I give mine to her."

***

Today, a married couple asked me to take their picture with the digital camera they had.

I counted 1... 2..., and right before I said 3, the man in the couple snuck a kiss on her cheek.

***

My daughter goes to kindergarten, and there is a boy there who is blind.

She didn't understand what this meant, so I explained.

The next day when I picked her up, I found her sitting across from the boy with her eyes closed, describing what trees looked like. The boy was grinning from ear to ear.

- their stories of love, acceptance and selflessness GMH...

Now, here's mine:

(I had a girl friend in grade school who was kind of boyish. One day, she got into a fierce fight with a male classmate who was actually close to her. Of course, they ignored each other after the fight. It was also during that day when some seniors bullied the guy. My friend hurriedly ran into his side and yelled at the bullies, "Don't you dare.. he's mine."

Now, they're engaged.)

These Stories Gave Me A Better Understanding and Appreciation of Life.. ;)

They Could Kill You...

However, they may also help you survive a disease as life-threatening as Cancer.

Isn't this amazing? Though it's kind of confusing and hard to believe, I think such creatures deserve more attention than fear itself. Since they're already considered deadly, most people would not even try to go near them. Just the sight of these creatures is more than enough to scare you away.

However, do you know that these deadly wildlife/rainforest creatures can also lend you a hand in times of distress? In fact, they are the favorite subjects of many scientists. Their hidden benefits made it possible to discover conventional means to curing serious diseases. Also, we're being taught to accept our differences. ;)

These are some of the top poisonous creatures that could either kill or cure you:

Scorpions against Brain Cancer

Scorpions would usually use their poison or toxins in order to defend themselves, hunt for their prey as well as drive way rivals when mating. If you accidentally startled a scorpion and it stung you, you might end up dead in an instant or suffer agonizing heart or lung problems.

The good news is, researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have discovered that a scorpion's venom can also be used in cancer treatment, particularly to a form of brain cancer called Glioma.

They found out that the venom of the giant Israeli scorpion is harmless to humans but is certainly deadly to its cockroach prey. They tried to inject a drug derived from the venom into cancer-infected human brains; they soon found out that the poison destroyed the glioma cells only and left the surrounding healthy brain cells unscathed. 

Poison Dart Frogs for a Healthy Heart

Poisonous animals or insects usually kill, intentional or not, through fluid secretions such as sweat. As for a poison dart frog, its sweat is not something you should just take for granted. A highly-dangerous neurotoxin called batrachotoxin can ooze from a poison dart frog's pores which will then stop your heart from functioning well. In fact, its poison is used by various tribes in hunting and warfare. It was even considered as a state-of-the-art military technology. 

However, such frogs dont directly produce the said toxin or poison. They got it from either the insects they ate that ate poison plants or from the plants itself. So when poison dart frogs have been subjected to experiments, it was found out that the toxin speeds up the heart before putting it to a stop. Thus, patients experiencing cardiac arrest can still be saved once the scientists can successfuly tweak the toxin's elements coming from the frog's sweat. Batrachotoxin is also a potential ingredient in anesthetics.

Lower Blood Pressure with Vipers


Nobody wants to bond with vipers no matter how attractive they look. Although some people like to take care of some snakes, jararaca vipers should be an excemption because they are more venomous than you can ever imagine. This viper's venom works in a unique manner. It prevents blood clotting; thus, a victim is killed after bleeding to death. And this is why scientists suggest using small doses of this viper's venom for cardiac patients. It can prevent or stop arteries from hardening; this way, blood clots can be avoided or remedied.

A synthesized version of jararaca viper venom is a significant ingredient in most of today’s ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors. ACE inhibitors slow down the enzymes or prevent it from producing peptides which are causing muscle constriction that can set off a chain reaction around blood vessels. This lowers the risk of high blood pressure leading to heart attack and other ailments. ACE inhibitors with the venom of a jararaca viper are now used to treat millions of people with high blood pressure.


Who would've thought that these creatures we usually consider as nothing but deadly and creepy can actually help save human lives? Well, there are always two sides in a coin, as they say. ;)

But honestly, I felt cold while looking into the photos of these creatures. They're still my least favorite creatures, next to spiders. :D

For It Is Only Time...

A Cry for Help

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, and all of the others, including Love.

One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all repaired their boats and left.


Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to persevere until the last possible moment.
When the island was almost sinking, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, "Richness, can you take me with you?" Richness answered, "No I can't..There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place for you here."

Love decided to ask Vanity, who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel, "Vanity, please help me!" "I can't help you Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.

Sadness was close by so Love asked for help, "Sadness let me go with you." "Oh...Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"

Happiness passed by Love too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her!

Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come Love, I will take you." It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that he even forgot to ask the elder her name.

When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way. Love, realizing how much he owed the elder, asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who helped me?"

"It was Time," Knowledge answered. "Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?

Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is.

- Author Unknown

Slashing Thoughts.. :D

Swords, especially a katana, are my most-loved weapon of all. Though guns are pretty convenient, nothing beats the beauty of wielding the best sword ever. And my inclination for swords led me to liking anime and stuff which have something to do with slashing or fighting with the aid of swords. I have come to adore anime like Rurouni Kenshin, Bleach, Claymore and many more. Movie characters having those sharp blades as their main weapon are also the "apple of my eye." I'm even thinking of collecting some  replica swords.. hmmmm.. :D

So let me share to you some interesting, legendary/fantasy-based information with regards to swords:

El Cid Campiador, considered the national hero of Spain, had 2 known swords; the Tizona and the Colada. Both are swords that frighten unworthy opponents if wielded by a brave warrior.

Durendal, a sword that once belonged to Hector of Troy, and was given to Roland; nephew of Charlemagne and hero of the French epic- The Song of Roland. In The Song of Roland, the sword is said to contain within its golden hilt one tooth of Saint Peter, blood of Saint Basil, hair of Saint Denis, and a piece of the raiment of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On the other hand, Joyeuse was the name of Charlemagne's personal sword. Some legends claim that it was forged to contain the Lance of Longinus within its pommel.

Excalibur is the legendary and magical sword of King Arthur. In Welsh, the sword is called Caledfwlch. In the anime Fate/Stay Night, Saber uses the Excalibur. But in the real sense, Saber or sabre is a kind of backsword that usually has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger.

Claymores are either two-handed large swords or basket-hilted scottish swords. Claymore is also the title of one of my fave anime/manga. For Claymores, the term is referring to the big swords they wield; but as for the townspeople, Claymores are the soldiers themselves.

Thuan Thiên or Heaven's Will is the Vietnamese equivalent of the Excalibur. As for the Japanese, Kusanagi (grass-cutter) or Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi is their famous legendary sword owned by the God, Susanoo which was later given to his sister, Amaterasu. hmmm.. So this is where Itachi/Sasuke's ultimate techniques came from.. :D

Jian is a double-edged straight Chinese sword. Today, the martial arts called Taijiquan still uses jian swords. However, most jian today areflexible tai-chi or wushu jian; used mainly for ceremonial purposes and not for actual combat.

Xiphos, is a double-edged, single-hand sword used by the ancient Greeks. It was a secondary battlefield weapon for the Greek armies after the spear or javelin.

In Greek mythology, you can take note of the Sword of Peleus, the father of Achilles. There's also the The Sword of Death, a grey sword that can a kill a person if you just cut a lock of their hair off.

When it comes to Japanese swords, the most famous is perhaps the so-called katana. But Katanas vary in size or length and use. Japan's master swordsmith, Masamune, made the famous and considered best weapon called Honjo Masamune.

Kodachi, is a Japanese sword that is too short to be considered a long sword but too long to be a dagger. Aoshi from Samurai X (Rorouni Kenshin) used 2 kodachi. Shiani, is a weapon used for practice and competition in kendo representing a Japanese sword.

I'd like to go on further but I thought of making a post about anime/fantasy characters and their famous weapons; swords to be precise. So see you on my next post.. I hope it really is about what I just told you... lolz

For The Love Of Dragons..

I really feel so disappointed and somehow depressed for not being able to watch "How To Train Your Dragon" last Friday on the big screen. It was so regretful that I still cant drop the thought of it until now. If only I watched it the moment or few days after I've heard that it was already aired.. *sigh* (sob sob).

I have always loved Dragons ever since I was a kid. Though I know that most "kids" or people do, I just cant shake the feeling off; just as how I love anime. I can even remember the days wherein I got really obsessed about dragons and stuff. And even though dragons are said to be eternal rivals, I still love them both. And hey, I'm born under the year of the tiger. So if they're really eternal rivals, how come such feeling of rivalry or hatred and stuff dont run through my veins against dragons.. it's even the other way around... nyahaha

I'd really like to share a lot of things with regards to dragons right now; but it seems my mood and energy are roaming around somewhere. I'll get back to this dragon thingy the moment I can feel the fiery force coming through.. nyahaha. Anyway, I just hope one of my friends can give me a satisfying copy of the movie before I'll drive myself crazy. And this made me long for other dragon-related movies.. hmm... I better go find a copy of the Dragonheart. - ciao :D

Life.. or Something Like it... ^_^

Oh yeah, I am now officially a 24 year old "semi-adult." Why the term? Well, it's because I still cant find a good direction. I mean, what the heck have I been doing all this time? Where am I heading to or why am I here? Thinking about your purpose in life, kinda sucks. And so I just keep on living for the moment. Cant I just live for today? Do I really have to worry about the future?

Well, it's not that I dont think about my future. But getting anxious about it may just shorten your life. Stress can be deadly, you know. And so I just enjoy living every moment of my life; though, not really. I mean, in life, things dong always go your way. No matter how good a planner you are, loads of things can hinder you from getting what you want. And usually, the path that you've never thought of, is actually the one that's meant for you. So dont go cursing all the roadblocks you get to deal with along the way. Those sources of pain and suffering would actually become your strength and driving force to keep moving on.

Days before my birthday, I have encountered so many heartbreaking stuff and realized a lot of things which I normally ignore. It's like I came to my senses. I was being tested and forced to make very difficult decisions. Every step I took was so damn hard I never thought I could make it. But I know, such things would keep on coming. And though they may be hard or would try to take the best out of me, they will never be impossible to defeat. Just how mysterious, challenging and beautiful life can be.