ABC STARS Inspires

"I  just have to say this Larry, you could be so out of focus. And, Darling, you take a lot of things for granted." "I know B, it's just that I'm extremely bored. I can do my job, literally, in a blink of an eye." Larry, broodingly, mumbled. "Exactly, Larry. That is what you do best."  "It can be lonely at the pinnacle of success. Bridget, you have been in the limelight for so long, you know how it's like, so, how do you do it?" "Do what? Larry?" As she gazed at his brown eyes with her doe eyes. "You know what I mean," as he heaved a sigh of exhaustion. "Moi ? I don't please everyone. Some people will never like you just because...  C'est la vie ! They may not like your hair or if you are too tall, or whatever. Question is... do you really want it?" "I don't know. To be honest, I really do not know." Then, he glanced at the sky. "That cou...

Robert Frost There are four writers that have contributed to the ink that transform into words, whenever I use the quill— figurativel y, of course: in this beatnik-age; gratefully , my hands will no longer get tainted—because of the advent of the ever reliable computer/laptop keyboard. Humorously, I am reminded yet again, that— literally , my brother pointed out to me that, technically , I should be referred to — as a typist rather than a writer. Anyway, they are: First: my Father; second, Edgar Allan Poe; third, Mark Twain; and the fourth, Robert Frost. The poem, " The Road Not Taken ", literally, caught me off guard, and yet, metaphorically, set me back on the right track. An accidental paradigm shift. An error that corrected my path. A poem that made me understand more profoundly and most succinctly — the writer's craft and the passion for our noble profession. The Road Not Taken Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorr...

Mango Cheesecake Large Sugar Sweetness level O% (Diabetes runs in the family, so...) And, to go. (Take away or take out.) The Magsaysay Avenue Branch is well-illuminated. The ceiling is, opulently, installed with chandeliers that make it surreal. Almost like a miniature cathedral. Across the entrance window is a ceiling to floor glass wall that lets you see the Basilica. On your left are a few trees and a well-tended garden. There is a balcony overlooking the now widened Avenue. You can see Starbucks and Yellowcab. And, watch the world pass by and enjoy the postcard-perfect view of the Urbanity of The City of Naga. The clientele are mostly rich millenials, the kind you see in the 1990s hit series Beverly Hills 90210. And, yuppies. I feel out of place because I think I may be a tad bit older. So, I just have it to go. I have been going there a LOT of times. They even gave me a loyalty card which I lost, but, it does not matter. I keep g...

Ascension Press  and  Ascension Presents   in collaboration with  Inspires   give you this riveting magnum opus.‎.. Condensed Reflection by James Z. Carpio In a movie, a son went home to his hometown when he heard the news that his father passed away. His father lived far and away in a distant country. Subsequently, when the son went to the chapel, he just saw the casket and no one else was there. It was late afternoon, and he sat there in the front pew and was lost in his thoughts. He felt, deeply, sorry for his father. The chapel was silent. And, it was cold. Then, after three hours of more deafening silence, a lady came in and sat beside him. He smiled at her and she smiled back.  It was his childhood best friend. On the funeral day, she attended the burial rites.  It was just the two of them. Again, everything was so silent. Solitude and solemnity. Souls trying to speak, but not with words, but with me...

At five years old, I was hit by a vehicle. I, then, had a learning disability. At six years old, I was sexually abused. In grade school, I was bullied. In high school, I was bullied even more. At the university, I failed two subjects. My learning disability went haywire. I couldn't drive a vehicle anymore. At nineteen years old, I lost my mother. A year after, I succumbed to clinical depression. I was racially discriminated at work for being Spanish descent. My superiors told me to keep my office attire simple because I made them look shabby. People had taken advantage of my kindness. Well, enough of those, I am doing wonderful now.  Nonetheless, against the odds, I never felt sorry for myself or felt helpless.  I did not wallow in self-pity but instead focused on anger expression through Art. I became creative. I love taking action and seeing the end product. And, channeling it productively through exerc...

My Grandmother studied at home with one of the best teachers during her era. She would always be accompanied by an aide with a parasol during scorching days. She was morally upright and frowned upon dishonesty. She would be the first to tell authorities to punish even family if they had done wrong. She would let go of petty things. I was very young when she passed away. But, I could still recall, distinctly, her fair complexion, her deep set eyes, thin lips, and aquiline nose. And, she always wore big sunglasses. I think she had sensitive eyes. I think that trait I inherited from her. My eyes cannot withstand the bright rays of the sun. It came to a point, that I went to the E.R. to have my eyes checked. The doctor asked me from 10 to 1, how much pain I felt, and I replied about 8. I have Spanish round eyes as well. Before she left this world, she told her grandchildren that we are of noble/blue blood (" sangre azul " or " dugong bughaw ...

Haddonfield was a bit unusual for him, he felt he had to do as the Romans do, so they say, when you are in Rome. He was not used to that, he had to greet most people he met on the sidewalk. It is customary, cordial ,  and   typical of a civilized hometown. “ Lovely day today, and have a good day ” — became his standard spiel. It felt wonderful as days went by. Why? Because you would feel that you are there and people do see you. You exist, you are worth saying hello to, essentially, you matter! Back to reality. Here in The City of Naga, you cannot do that, otherwise ,  people would think you are up to something. Here, you do not talk to strangers unless, you are asking for directions. Haddonfield has about 10,000 plus people while The City of Naga is estimated to have 1 7 0,000 plus people. The extreme contrast between the two places' population   is the primary reason why the genteel Haddonfield and the frenetic Naga are at opposite ends of a s...

Forty two years, seven months, and sixteen days here in my own heaven on Earth made me wiser and stronger. Each passing day, I start anew, practising the philosophical concept of Tabula rasa or a cleaned blank slate. As a writer, each day is like a blank page. How do I begin to write and end it, is a result of lessons learned from years gone by. They led me to go forward onto progression.  Here are just a few that helped me reached the pinnacle of success. 1) Not all people will like you. Here is the best approach, since you cannot please everyone and for sure some people will not like you because they remind you of their enemies or a mundane thing like they do not like your haircut. The best solution is let it go. Instead, have that attitude in reverse. Ask yourself, will you like them? 2) Anger should be expressed constructively. Prayer and exercise are my own personal way of dealing with anger. No pent-up emotions. No repressed ill feelings....

photo credit: J. Tewell Natives of Albay, southeast Luzon. Philippines, about 1899 via photopin (license) License: (license) photo credit: FotoGrazio Filipino Marines (free to download) via photopin (license) License: (license) Modern Day Filipinos The Black Nazarene My Ancestor The Negrito Camera settings have gone awry. It is a good thing that I studied photography. I, literally, look like a ghost with the cameras, gadgets, etc., that they produce in this part of the globe.  When I went to Europe, at the immigration section, I passed through the gate for Europeans only. Then, the officer let me through. But, I felt bad because the Filipino companions I was with, were told to pass through the gate for Non-Europeans. To be honest, I do not like it that here in the Philippines, a few and fortunately not most, would look down on Negritos. Why would they want to do that? I say hello, to my African-American neighbor. ...

The Holy Family Carpio assumes top NBI post Carpio was appointed the 10th director of the National Bureau of Investigation. Carpio, 54, was an active human rights lawyer under the Marcos regime, the reason why he was detained when martial law was declared in 1972, and again in 1981, while seeking justice for victims of the Daet Massacre of June 14, 1981. Born on October 25, 1931, in Naga City, he finished his high school at the Camarines Norte High School in 1949 and his pre-law degree, at the Ateneo de Naga in 1951. After completing his second year in law at the University of the Philippines in 1953 as a scholar, he was called to active service into the Armed Forces of the Philippines as a member of the 8th and 10th Battalion Combat Team (BCT). He was transferred to the Philippine Constabulary in 1959, during which he completed his last two years in law at the San Beda College in 1962 where he placed 14th in the 1962 bar examinations. Then, h...