Office by Alex Penny
Since the world began, I am Niña to my classmates and Neris at home. College came and my ‘mean girls’ friends Gelly and Minnie wanted a name for me that would rhyme with theirs and so Neri was born.
I think I like Neri better especially when all I ever wanted is to grow. You know, I believe that people really live up to their names and Niña means little girl in Spanish and this somehow defeats what I wanted. Hehe..
Almost half of my life I spend in my alma mater (St. Mary’s) who taught me things about God, how to make friends, survive high school bullies, love science and hate math, study harder and make enough memories to bring to college.
College (both at Baliuag University and Bulacan State University) made me appreciate and love myself even more. Thank you to the true friends I gained.
I consider my job at Talent Shout as an article writer as my first job. This is where I did the most ironic thing in my life which I will soon blog about. My second job is my current job which is at the Provincial Government of Bulacan. This is where I learn that being a public servant is and should be a noble thing to do except that some people can’t help putting a wrong image to it. If I would be given a chance to serve the people in a bigger capacity I will and that’s what I am trying to do. [haha XD secret lang!]
I adore, love and venerate desserts, pastas and chocolates. I love yellow the same way I love sunshine and rain. I like listening to mellow music, writing my thoughts, doodling stuffs, talking endlessly [that my sister tells me to stop already especially when she wants to sleep na at night], watching movies except science fictions, reading novels and practical books. I am a dreamer and I dream a lot even when I’m wide awake. Hihi
We are an advocate of democracy so feel free to send me your comments, suggestions or notes to nerisatorres@gmail.com.
I am naturally curly, btw :)
[all posts are created by Neri unless stated otherwise=]
Recently, there was this book that was launched by the author of course, veteran journalist Aries Rufo. To be honest I haven’t really heard the name except now that the title of his book caught my attention and curiosity – Altar of Secrets. The book tackles the scandals of the leaders of the Catholic Church in the Philippines – from politics to sex to money. Damn. Now there’s someone talking about it. (Just kidding!)
In an article published in Rappler (a social news network), Rufo was asked if he was trying to ruin or destroy the church that he himself belongs to. He replied with an answer of which I agree. A book can never break a church that was founded 2000 years ago. He even quoted a bishop who said that there must be something divine in our Church that made it 2000 years old and still counting. Then why write the book?! The author said that his book is trying to present the divine and human side of the Church and that by presenting its human side we can address some problems properly and ‘institute reforms.’ Tough love daw.
Local Secrets.
Our local versions of the church and its organizations are not exempted from having secrets too. We also have little skeletons dangling in our closets and naïve as I am some secrets pour out to me like overripe fruits fall from its tree.
Trusting the Lord is like floating on the waters. No matter how afraid you are to let go your body off the ocean floor, no matter how afraid you are to lay down your body on the water, you would still float because nothing can change the buoyancy effect, the fact that the density of the water is higher than the one of your body. You would still float/get protected/be safe/be guarded from harm because nothing can change the fact that you are God’s child and you can do all things through Him who gives you strength. (Philippians 4:13).
(googol photo:)
For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
-Galatians 3:26
06022013
—
Nick Carraway, The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald)—
The Time Keeper, Mitch Albom
Finished the book today. It was an easy and fast read. I expected something more dramatic or (more) inspiring like that of Tuesdays with Morrie or Have a Little Faith, both by the same author but the story is flat simple and short. I gave it two stars out of five in Goodreads. I am thankful I’ve waited for the paperback edition of the book. The 725-peso hardbound copy is too expensive for a short story. hihi. :)
On the other hand, I think most of the people can relate with the characters of the story. Those who want to end their lives so bad or find life without purpose will surely feel for Sarah Lemon while those who want to outlive the present can empathize with Victor Delamonte. There are also those people who want to stop the moment to save a person or make a particular moment last like Father Time. Surely, there is or was a time in our lives when we feel one of these three.
05032013
Don’t you just love Pepper Potts? :)
I like her! <3
Though I was at first lousy about our weekend at Anawangin Cove, Zambales (I dunno why, maybe bec I was sick), I enjoyed the breath-taking views from the mountain, the ocean and the sun :)
Thank you Jesus for your magnificent works! and for my office mates too! and for making us safe. You’re the best! :)
I would talk er— I mean write about my realizations on Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project but first I want to say that today, my Tumblr turns one! Yipee!
“I think this happiness project is all about trying to get more control over your life.”
Control over my life. After reading The Happiness Project, I realized how many instances I acted or reacted impulsively or hastily or unwarily. Say for example when I feel irritated right away when someone took a turn that was supposed to be mine. Didn’t I think that person may be in so much hurry than I am? Or maybe there was an emergency?
I have been unhappy since God-knows-when but I realized all I did was to wrangle against the feeling or maybe against that fact. I wasn’t able to embrace the reality that I am unhappy and the immortal truth that I can actually do something about it. I can be happy again.
I may be stuck in an environment that doesn’t thrive to grow but I can always go out and find another land to plow. Or for the meantime, I can find a hundred things to do to make full use of my time like scanning and saving my childhood photos, reading the books that I think I am supposed to have read at this age or learning a new skill. I can apply this thinking to other things like to the people that surround me or to an unexpected that may happen. Then I can be happy again.
(Then I can be happy again? It sounds simple but complicated. Basta.)
It’s time to get started with my own Happiness Project!
04162013
WHAT and IF are two words as non threatening as words can be, but put them together side by side and they have the power to haunt you for the rest of your life. What if?
I don’t know how your story ended, but if what you felt then was true love then it’s never too late. If it’s true then why wouldn’t it be true now? You need only the courage to follow your heart. I don’t know what a love feels like - love to leave loved ones for, love to cross oceans for, but I like to believe that if ever I feel it, that I’ll have the courage to seize it. And if you didn’t..
I hope one day you will.
"—
—Letters to Juliet
I watched the movie again! haha! What if? T.T
Five or six years ago, the first time we said goodbye to a brother who’s going to enter the seminary, we literally cried buckets of tears. We didn’t know where the Immaculate Concepcion Seminary was. We had no idea of what happens there. We were just sad to let go.
The second time was I think Laurence’s time. We did not cry but we were sad.
Years passed and the seminary seemed like a hole that swallows our male friends one by one, year by year. (hehe) It almost became a tradition that a friend enters the seminary each year. To this, we got used already and it is in our delight to learn that someone’s ‘entering.’ Whenever we learn a friend’s ‘going in,’ instead of being sad, we ask what he needs, what we can do to help, how much help he needs. (Joke lang ung how much XD )
Yes, we got used to it. Part of the reason may be is that we no longer see what they have left behind – that they can make good celebrities out of their pretty faces or good fortunes out of their degrees. Instead, we are already getting a glimpse of where they are going to – that they will be shepherding the unchurched, bring Christ closer to people or vice versa and in a few more years, will be authentic, full pledged representatives of Jesus Christ.
It’s just WOW. And hopefully and prayerfully, this glimpse will someday be reality.
Congratulations Sem. Laurence Bautista! And to everyone who graduated yesterday! Haha!
03252013 :)
P.S.
My greatest fear used to be waking up in a town/ in a world of zombies. But since The Walking Dead already gave me the idea that I can survive such phenomenon, I thought of another fear. That is, when I learn that a trusted and long time friend is faking friendship with me. My greatest fear would be discovering she’s only keeping me so that she’ll look kind, sweet and accommodating on the surface when in fact she’s selfish enough that she wanted the world to hers alone.
This is my greatest fear as of now. Something that needs to be faced very soon, I guess.
This is my greatest fear, what’s yours?
