Facebook... Oh Facebook...

It was so much fun at first. Imagine, being reconnected with people you have not seen for decades! Suddenly, everyone's in one place and they are just a click away.

I blogged less and FB'd more... Heck, I got hooked and spent more time in there than necessary. I played addicting games and interacted with long-lost friends. I "liked" almost all posts that appeared on my News Feed and left comments where I agreed most. I appreciated that I didn't get to miss any of my friends' birthdays.

Never mind if there were sarcastic posts or comments... They seemed funny at that time...

Until one day, I realized that those biting posts were meant for other friends... probably in retaliation for something that happened between them or, simply, to just get nasty. The "likes" became some sort of a loyalty check- "hey, whose side are you on?"

People started forcing their own opinions down their friends' throats. R-E-S-P-E-C-T became a thing of the past. Instead of cheerful exchanges, you now see long threads of debates and arguments that are not even close to being friendly.

It was in Facebook where I got embroiled in my so-called-friends' histrionics and hysterics. People openly aired their dirty laundry... For sympathy? For "Likes"? For goading? For the "Rah! Rah! Rah! Sis Boom Bah!" cheers? You tell me!  I guess there are some people who really get a kick out of it and enjoy the attention.

Gone were the days when my News Feed fed me uplifting, funny and positive posts to start my day right. Rants, protests, opinionated/ judgmental elucidations, bashing, bullying... ahhhh, too many of them now. I must admit I myself succumbed to the temptation (of posting my negative thoughts and opinions) a number of times in the past.

And so... one day, I decided to deactivate, thus, disconnecting myself from more than 500 "friends" and a big number (I lost count) of friends requests (those I decided to ignore).

However, I am not saying I am rejecting Facebook altogether. This time though, I already know the people who matter most to me and with whom I truly want to stay connected with.

I never felt better! ;)

Now, the sun shines on...

Blessings to all of you!

Image credit: Lauren Huston

Lost In Reverie

 you are
the silent witness
that tells
no lies

a mute confidante
that holds
all secrets 

behind the smile

no line or flaw
is hidden

you reveal things 

as they are

without fear
of reprisal

you bare both
beauty  and blemish

with cold neutrality

 the phantoms
crawling
in one's head
the angst and
trepidations
buried deep in
one's heart
all these chimeras
remain
clandestinely
subdued

unless the master
so exposes

and as the day dawns
when you
can no longer
hold your
silence
you shatter
into pieces
carrying with you
a thousand riddles
ensconced in
countless
glistening
shards

© Bing (PinkLady) 2011

Posted for The Thursday Think Tank #46, The Poetry Pantry #47,

Poetry Potluck: "Doubts, Fears, Inhibitions and Hesitations"

and Thursday Poets Rally 43

Image credit: Link

Fun Tags and Lovely Awards

I've been tagged!

So much love is going around the blogging world right now. And I am very grateful to fellow bloggers who remembered me when they shared their beautiful awards. A BIG THANKS to all of you! 

The first one came from Joanny whose blog I discovered while visiting fellow poets who joined the Thursday Poets' Rally. Since then I became hooked on her avant-garde style of blogging. Her poetry spells bliss and her quaint images are fabulous. Visit her site now, aptly named Live Beautifully Dream Compassionately Love Completely,  and see her awesome work.

Super Comments Award

This cute award from Joanny came with 10 questions that I must answer... Here they are:

1)  Why do you blog?

I blog

to soothe

my tired and 
sometimes aching

soul...

i blog

to unclog

the cobwebs

in my 

wayward 

mind...

i blog because...

simply because

2)  Name your three best memories.

sunday jaunts 
at the beach with dad

i learned to swim 
before my ABC's

sumptuous lunch of

crabs, prawns and oysters

never mind if they made 

my skin turn red and itchy

our birthday morns smelled of

chicken soup and noodles

those were the happiest

days of my life

3)  Name 4 of the best fiction books you've read.

Rage of Angels by Sidney Sheldon

defined and sealed my career path

Gone with the Wind  by Margaret Mitchell

made me want to emulate Scarlett O'Hara's strength of character

but without losing her Rhett Butler

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough

was a beautiful saga of love lost, found 

and lost again

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
a tender story about an enduring relationship 
and unconditional love... 
a romantic novel about two people 
who were given a second chance at the love of a lifetime

4)  What are the 5 best movies ever made? (and that I love....)

Titanic

Gone with the Wind

Love Affair

You've Got Mail

Schindler's List

oooopsssie... i shouldn't forget these two movies that i really love-
What Dreams May Come (simply the best among the best!!!)
The Notebook

5)  Name 5 things I can't live without.
 I would have answered: my kids' love and respect, my sunshine's unconditional acceptance, my parents' undying support, the  work i so love, and the loving company of my BFFs and TFFs, but the question asks for "things" so here's my list... 

my vanity case
laptop
Nokia touch phone
my journal
sunglasses

6)  If you could change your name what would it be?

[from "What's Your Chinese Name?" in Facebook]

7)  Tell us a unique and interesting fact about yourself.
 
all the seasons of my life
were immortalized
in journals i have
written 
and collected
through the 
years

8)  What do you love best about yourself?
 i have learned to forgive...

“Sincere forgiveness isn't colored with expectations 

that the other person apologize or change. 

Don't worry whether or not they finally understand you. 

Love them and release them. 

Life feeds back truth to people in its own way and time.” 

~Sara Paddison~

 9)  If you had a "Freaky Friday" experience, who would you change places with?
  I'll follow the lead in that movie and change places with my 14-year-old daughter Jazzy.  
It would be nice to get to know her better through her friends in her own world.

10)  What is the best thing about being a woman.
there is nothing grander 
than growing another 
life in your womb
and giving birth
to one of God's 
beautiful 
creations...
 of all God's gifts to women
motherhood is the best!

"The angel of the Family is Woman. Mother, wife, or sister, Woman is the caress of life, the soothing sweetness of affection shed over its toils, a reflection for the individual of the loving providence which watches over Humanity. In her there is treasure enough of consoling tenderness to allay every pain. "

~Giuseppe Mazzini~

The Three Things Tag

Two of my favorite poets, Jingle and Imagina, also tagged me.

Jingle is the brilliant host of the Thursday Poets' Rally and the brain behind Jingle Poetry where poets converge and share their work. Imagina is one of the talented poets I've met through the Rally.

Here goes the Three Things Tag...

3 Places I Would Pack My Travel Bag For

Louisiana, USA to visit my sis and her family

Virginia, USA to visit my bro and his family

UK to visit my sunshine

3 On-Screen Characters I Love To Watch

Shrek

Hannah Montana

 Mr. Bean

[Don't be surprised... I'm just a little kid at heart... ;) ]

3 Moods That Describe Me The Best

I suffer from severe mood swings...

3 Things I Always Think Of Doing On A Weekend

 Sleep, Blog, Sleep = Lazy Sunday

3 Things From My Childhood That I Can't Forget

 ~See no. 2 above~

3 Things I Would Never Say No To

Retro/Disco Girls' Night Out

Medical/Dental/Opta/Legal Mission Programs of our Mater et Puer Foundation

 Mall-ing with my Kids

3 Things I Can't Live Without

~See no. 5 above~

Along with the tag came these lovely awards...

Thank You Award

Good Friends Award

The Happiness Award

The Happy Award

This Happiness Award was passed on to me by Jingle, Heartspell and notjeffery1, all awesome, happy and brilliant poets/bloggers.

Here are the rules to accept the award:

1: Link to the person who gave it to you,
2. List 10 things that make you happy,
3. Pass it on to 10 happy bloggers.
4. Notify the nominees about this Happy Award.

10 Things That Make Me Happy

hugs and kisses from my kids

my ray of sunshine

a big smile on my dad's or mom's face

retro/disco night out with my BFF's and TFF's

nice comments from fellow bloggers

coffee moments with closest friends

charity work of Mater et Puer (Mother and Child) Foundation

sunset at the beach

a good night's sleep

private messages in Facebook from long lost friends

The Outstanding Blogger Award

Another lovely award from both Joanny and Jamie Dedes (the epitome of strength and hope whose poems seek to inspire) is the Outstanding Blogger Award...

The Outstanding  Blogger Award

Remember, there's no pressure here. You may choose not to do the tags but please feel free to take all the awards you like. 

You have been tagged and awarded:

thom

sandee

mike

fiveloaf

weezer

sherry blue sky

buttercup600

cheryl

victoria

hoiden

christine

Again, a BIG THANKS to joanny, jingle, jamie, imagina, notjeffery1 and heartspell for these awards and tags. These awards/tags are also for you. Go ahead and grab any or all of them.

Of Fun and Friendship (Thursday Poets' Rally Week 27)

bound by friendship

ties that are deep

two decades of sisterhood

an unbreakable loop

"raise the roof!"
that was the mood

a night of 80's fun

and disco jam...

of strobe lights

and tights...
of red stilettos

and loud echoes...

never ending banters

in a room full of prancers...

 

one night of break

for sanity's sake!


  © Bing (PinkLady) 2010

It was Kadayawan Festival in Davao City last week. Fat Bobby's hosted another 80's party called Retro Friday (August 20) and even though I had an on-and-off fever, I couldn't pass up the once-in-a-blue-moon bonding time with my equally busy BFFs and TFFs. And so, FUN FUN FUN we had that Friday night! Disco balls, laser lights and wet (as in sweat) look... it was soooooooooo 80's once again!!!

A BIG thanks to Jingle and the other poets who voted for me. I really appreciate this beautiful Celebrate Poet of July Award. Thank you so much!

Come and join Thursday Poets' Rally
Week 27 ~ August 26-September 1

hosted by Jingle

Heaven's Gate

the words stopped flowing
 tears flooded my face
i was speechless
my heart was heavy
pain tore it apart...

the dreaded news came
you passed away and joined our Creator
was it just a day after
i debated with myself
if i'd go see you on your deathbed...

i was crying as i rushed to see you
only to miss that turn when i was near
as cowardice gripped me
i told myself, "tomorrow"
for i needed to collect my thoughts...

but tomorrow proved too far
for someone who was in great pain
you didn't even live to see the next sunlight
that broke through
your window pane that morning...

when i finally found the courage to see you
you were in a deep solemn slumber
wiping away all traces of pain
that devoured your body and spirit
looking beautiful as ever...

hard as it is to say goodbye
we know it is only for now
and take comfort in knowing
that you are at heaven's gate
waving at us with a big smile...

 © Bing (PinkLady) 2010

I wrote about my friend Mayen a few months ago- Sunshine In Her Ravaged Soul. She succumbed to cancer of the colon at 5:50 o'clock in the morning on August 10, 2010. She was 44.

Her death was a big blow not only to me but to everyone whose lives and hearts she had touched. I must admit that this sent me into hibernation and made me reassess my own mortality. There might even be no tomorrow to speak of...            

May the road rise up to meet you, 

may the wind be ever at your back.  

May the sun shine warm upon your face 

and the rain fall softly on your fields.  

And until we meet again, 

may God hold you in the hollow of his hand.  

~Irish Blessing~

 ATTY. MARIE LORRAINE "MAYEN" GUYO-BALBASTRO

July 16, 1966-August 10, 2010


Rest in peace, my friend...

The Perfect Poet Award For Week 25

 

 A big thanks to Jingle (and all the poets who believed in me) for the Perfect Poet Award for Week 25. For her enlightening and inspiring wisdom on "letting go," I am voting for Amanda for the Perfect Poet Award for Week 26.

Come and join Thursday Poets' Rally
Week 26 ~ August 12-18

hosted by Jingle