Estranged, I Lost My Way Home

I am not estranged from my family but I don't make it a habit to go back to my hometown regularly. The last time I went home was April of this year and the closest date before that was June of last year. Literally, I only went to see my loved ones once a year. Am I really a bad son?

I recently just lost my job in a brutal way (this happened to me also 6 months ago; the deep cut is still fresh) but there is no way that I'm coming home. Just one SMS message and a short call to my family can already ease my pain. And I did that. No more drama. There are so many jobs out there, only if I choose not to be picky.

Don't think though that I am a thousand miles  away from home. It's just that, I don't like being in the countryside. Living there could be miserable for me. The television has only 2 channels there. Our local government implemented a scheduled power blackout 8 hours a day and I always got to miss my favorite TV show. In addition, I was a bit lucky to have a GSM and GPRS signal on the Internet, but hell, I can't stream videos, download movies, or make a Skype call. The distant church would also increase my likelihood of practicing a  now-I-can-be-seen and now-I-don't habit on a Sunday mass.

When it rains, it pours. But in the country side, it's a different thing. When it rains, the road gets muddy. I just simply hate it. And who would like to share my very large bath area? You just don't know how to feel taking a bath with a water buffalo wiggling a tail in a swamp nearby, or with the whole village watching your naked glory (Oh, this had worsen my exhibitionist side). The scarce transportation and distant travel would also had me wish I could apparate just like the Non-muggles do in Harry Potter movies.

Oh, my mother loves me so much, I swear, but every time, I went home, after seeing me in almost a year, she would utter, "Noy, ngaa nag-uli ikaw haw? Malutak, giya nga daan pay". I just smiled every time I hear that line. Mother really knows what's best for me.

I remember, when I came home last summer, I lost my way home, LITERALLY! After almost a year of being away from home, I was surprised to see the detours and some fences in the middle of the plains and rice fields. The bushes and grasses were even taller with some vines blocking my way. I wondered I might be in Terrabithia or Narnia. It took me a while before I could get to find a way home. When I got home, no one's around. I burst into tears. Later I found out that they all went to see a basketball tournament and a fancy circus show in the village center. And so I remained composed.

With these, I had big realizations in life. Things are really different now, and so I am. It seemed like yesterday when I felt the joy of living my young life in the countryside. Nothing could be happier than the memories of my childhood but I ought to have a different life now. I am a grown-up man, I now have different priorities and bigger dreams. But no matter where the road will lead me, I should always come home. I must come home.

My life is really a melodrama and I can't help it. When should I be coming home again?

WANTED: School Nurse for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

As of press time, I haven't watched Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part II yet. I'll find time in the coming days, that's for sure (I became an instant fan after watching all the first 7 episodes in a span of 4 days while others waited for them the entire decade). Don't think though that this article is about Harry Potter's battle against the Dark Lord or he-who-must-not-be-named. This is all about my profession. Where on Earth are the nurses can be found today? Where am I?

When I filled out that registration form (RF as commonly known in many state universities) to enrol myself to nursing back in 2001, I was driven by the idea that after 4 years, I'm going to America. A decade after, I'm still here. I was a bit lucky to practice my profession for 5 years in two of the most reputable hospitals here in the country. The bad news is that not every nursing graduate shared the same fate with mine, especially today. With the high commercialization of the nursing profession (with nursing schools sprouting across the country), our state was able to produce nursing graduates and nursing professionals that can no longer be fully accommodated by hospitals, clinics, and other local.health care facilities.

What's next? The scenarios for nurses are getting hilarious and quite alarming. Here's a bit of them:

• More and more nurses choose to work abroad before serving their very own country. (This is not new, of course. The issues of brain drain is an old story).
• When you ride a jeepney, you can't just simply talk or boast about your being a nurse or so because everyone sitting next to you (except for the driver, of course) are all nurses too.
• Many nurses are working on the BPO companies either as virtual assistants, customer service representatives or telemarketers. (It's quite sad, those things are not even included in the Fundamentals of Nursing).
• Many clinical or nursing instructors are teaching even with a very working experience in a clinical setting (What would students will learn aside from theories?).
• Many nurses today have completed a number of nursing and English exams (costly at that), yet they are still stuck in the country because they lack the required number of years of experience to apply to open countries.
• Most hospitals right now are charging the new nursing applicants of unreasonable training or affiliation fees. (Mostly have got no choice but to pay just to join the nursing organization of a particular hospital they wish to apply).
• Nurse Volunteering became a regular program even on private health care facilities. What's worse, most would volunteer working as a nurse for over a year and fail to get a post or staff position. The hospital will just give a “Volunteer Staff Nurse” certificate as a consolation. (That is a misnomer, volunteer nurse and staff nurse are two different terms).
• Most nursing professionals have renewed their license for nothing. They are only paying a fee every 3 years without having the feel of being a nurse, if you know what I mean.
• What's worst, some hospital nursing organizations internally built some sort of 'political system' where those whose in power exercise monopoly (I don't have to elaborate this because I don't want to speak about lies, deception, betrayal, oppression, favoritism and greed for power).

Indeed, with the above scenarios, nurses of today have nowhere to go. There are so many negative forces holding them (us) back. The competition is very steep, too. When there's no job opening for nurses in the Philippines, maybe nurses could go somewhere else. I have heard, there are so many casualties in Hogwarts now. They have an opening for a school nurse!

The Story of a Broken Glass and a Spilled Milk

What happens after the lights were turned off?

It is one of my bedtime rituals to drink a glass of hot milk before sleeping. One strange night before getting off to bed, I turned off the lights and naughtily started viewing some adult video clips (how in the world viewing soft porns can get me to sleep easily remains a mystery though). When the bizarre sounds started to fill the air in the middle of the night, I realized I forgot to put on my headset realizing that my movie was heard all over the neighborhood through the loud speakers. My hands panicked seeking for the 'off' button of my speakers and accidentally catching the glass of milk nearby...and it spilled in the dark.

Suddenly, I have this realization that what happened to that broken glass and the spilled milk is somewhat identical to what is happening in my life for the past two years. I lost my job several times for different reasons. I seemed like being suspended in the air for quite so long, hanging in a moment of so many uncertainties. When I try to look back, I can see the common circumstances where I did wrong. I was pre-occupied all the time. I was never focused. I was restless, agitated...waiting for something that I'd wish to come. I forgot to see the things that are so close to my naked eyes.

With regards to my jobs, I can never say that I did not deliver. In fact, I did best what were required of me. It's just that, I was so distracted. If only I have focused on drinking my glass of milk, and not be distracted with what's on the screen, I should have not spilled or destroyed anything.

But I realize, I can never turn back the hands of time. All I can do now is to get a dust pan, and gather the broken pieces of glass. There is no way that I can reassemble the broken pieces but I can always make another glass of milk. It's time to sleep now and hope for a BETTER TOMORROW.

What's your story? Would you rather cry over spilled milk?

My List of Top 10 Saddest Movies (Regardless of Origin and Genre)

I confess, I am a sucker of tear-jerker movies. Every time, I felt so down, sad movies were there to lift me up. It felt like every bit of teardrops turned into an ounce of happiness for me. I walked the world to find the saddest movies that can provide me such bizarre therapy. Interestingly, I found out that not all the greatest tear jerker movies can only be seen in the Hollywood. Asian melodramas can beat most Western movies by knock out.

Here is the list of movies that truly made me cry hard:

1. A Moment to Remember. This is a story of a 27 year-old woman suffering from the rare form of Alzheimer's disease. Her great love for her seemingly bad boy-turned-responsible husband was put to test when the illness struck her. Happy ending was far possible for them. I can't forget about the things she did to preserve every happy moments and memories ought to be remembered between them.This Korean movie is undoubtedly hundred times sadder than the Hollywood's The Notebook.
   
   
   
   
   
2. The Classic. Another great Asian contender that took me by surprise after watching the entire film.It's about an unfulfilled great love story of the parents passed to their children who happened to have almost the same story with them. At first, it was a bit dragging and the story is presented in a non-linear pattern. But the second half of the movie is really wicked. I was crying up to the very end of the movie.
   
   
   
   
   
3. A Millionaire's First Love. I'm not being biased. Korean movies are really on top when it comes to sad movies or melodramas. I can't help it. This is a story of a spoiled and stubborn young millionaire who happened to fall in love with a simple, adorable, fatally ill young woman. At first, I thought this movie is small-budgeted, cheap, and therefore it could be low-quality. I was totally wrong. The story is deeply moving. A bit predictable but you will definitely cry hard. My favorite part was when the guy learned that his great love is dying, he gave her a bottle full of capsules with short messages on them. The guy instructed her not to overdose by reading more than one message in a day, but since the girl is afraid of dying very soon, she read everything and cried her heart out.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Hachiko. Nobody, I guess, would ever forget Richard Gere's remarkable performance in this astonishing dog's tale. The sad tone started when Gere's character died, and the dog named Hachi who was very loyal to his master kept coming back on the train station to wait for him. He did that for the next 10 years, night and day, all four seasons, hoping that his beloved master will come back. Truly sad.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Grave of the Fireflies. This truly gave great honor to the Japanese animation. It's an underrated 1988 animated movie about two young Japanese siblings who battled famine, poverty, and cruelty of their aunt after their parents have died during the World War II. Their only source of entertainment while they fought for survival is the light of the fireflies. Witnessing how they struggle to survive and live made me pulled off so many tissue papers on my tissue box.
   
   
   
   
   
6. The Notebook. Of course, every book-turned-movies written by Nicholas Sparks were all my top favorites. This one though topped my list. Again, the story about great love and growing old was really captivating and unforgettable.
   
   
   
   
   
7. My Name is Khan. Who would have ever thought that this is a sad movie? I never really thought. At first, I was very resistant and stubborn enough to watch this film because I thought it's too long and could be dragging. When I gave it a try, I was totally blown away. In the first half of the film, I was laughing hard to Khan's autistic antics. Then, at the latter part of the film, I can't stop my tears from falling down. The story of racial discrimination among Muslims during the time of 9/11 attack of the World Trade Center is extremely moving. How the human side of Khan changed everything is something that everyone should not miss watching.
   
   
   
   
   
8. Like Stars on Earth (Every Child Is Special). When it comes to Bollywood films and Aamir Khan's crafts, 3 Idiots is really my top favorite. But this movie Like Stars on Earth has truly a heart, a very big heart. The movie centered on a child with dyslexia who struggled a lot after being neglected by her parents at home and teachers at school. With the help of Aamir Khan's character, the reason behind the child's struggle were uncovered, realizing that every child is indeed special. You'll cry without fail towards the ending.
   
   
   
   
   
9. A Tale of Mari and Three Puppies. This is another underrated Japanese movie that I happen to worship. It's a story about a dog named Mari who have struggled for survival with her 3 newborn puppies during one of the strongest earthquakes that struck one particular village in Japan in 2004. How Mari became a mother to her 3 puppies during the time of uncertainties and how they were able to reunite with their masters are truly unforgettable.
   
   
   
   
   
10. My Sassy Girl/Windstruck. Another great love stories from Korea. Both were top-billed by one of the Korea's finest actresses OMG! That's too painful to watch. In Windstruck, the most unforgettable part of course was when the guy promised his love that when the day comes that he die, he will be with the winds that will caress her all the time.
    
    
    

Honorable Mentions:

While these films may have failed to make it to my top 10, I still consider them sad, in fact sadder than sad. Here are they:

11. The Shawshank Redemption (Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman)
12. 3 Idiots (Aamir Khan)
13. Atonement (James McAvoy, Keira Knightly)
14. The Pursuit of Happiness (Will Smith)
15. The Green Mile (Tom Hanks)
16. Titanic (Leonardo De Caprio, Kate Winslet)
17. Cinema Paradiso (Italians)
18. The Kite Runner (Afghan)
19. Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks)
20. IL Mare/ ...Ing (Koreans)

So, how do you find my list of saddest movies, did you find it? LOL. How about you? If you have a totally different list, feel free to share yours on the section for comments.

Looking at the Brighter Side: 6 Benefits of Being Jobless

Just recently, the you-know-what company where I worked as a content writer was shut down and the people there including me became jobless instantaneously. Everyone was so furious to you-know-who. His actions were unforgivable. The abandonment was like a worst nightmare for all of us. How can we be insulted by aliens on our very own land? But the old fool's story has ended. Lessons for him shall be taught in a separate section.

While most went on panic hunting for jobs, I happened to scan through a bible for the jobless people. I saw the light. Being jobless won't give you miserable life at all, at least for me. These I see could be the best benefits of being jobless:

1. I can sleep limitless. Good sleep and rest are great foundation of a sound mind a healthy body. I guess, no one would argue with that. After, I have realized that our office was closed (the thefts have ran away with the hard drives and monitors), I still have a lot of reasons to rejoice. I can sleep like there's no tomorrow. For that, I can think, plan, and design my dreams for the future. (That would mean, getting another job, though.)
2. I can save a lot of expenses. Reporting to office can be expensive at times. You have to pay for your transportation, buy clothes to dress up, and spend for your food and beverages during the tea breaks. Now, that I don't have work, I can save big chunks of money that I can spend to other things that can truly make me happy. The question though is, where would I get my budget now?
3. I can have quality time for myself, friends, and family. For the past four months, I worked in a graveyard shift. I wasn't able to go to the mall or movies in months, I wasn't able to hang out with my friends for what is so called the night life (even on weekends, I felt always tired, sick and lazy because of the whole weeknight's work so I stayed home), and I wasn't able to go home to my hometown (That is pretty sad, in a year, I can barely see my mother's cheerful face). Now that, I am jobless, I am free for all, anytime of the day. I can download as many movies and music as well for my own eyes and ears to feast.
4. I can be Internet savvy in a deepest of the deepest state. We all know that the World Wide Web houses everything-jobs, money, would-be friends or followers, information, entertainment, and anything under the sun. Now that I am jobless, I can make use of the Internet to the fullest. Everyday is all about learning and discovering new things. Now, I feel elated.
5. I can save a lot of energy or efforts. I don't have to take a jeepney or taxi ride to go to work. I don't have to climb the stairs all the way to the third floor of that you-know-what building. I don't have to wash so many uniforms and clothes and underwear. (If I'm home alone, I get used to clad myself scantily for I believe that less clothes means less laundry). With these being said, I regret being on that place.
6. I was able to freed myself from seeing the ugly things out there. When I was at work, I saw jealousy, greed, betrayal, pains, deception, anger, hopelessness and grandiosity. Perhaps, if not for some of those who befriended me, I wouldn't have a place there. It's sad.

Indeed, being jobless somehow has benefited me. I am one of the jobless people who sees the light ahead. I am taking things positively. The law of attraction says what you resist persists. Perceiving job loss as a fortune rather than a bad luck could mean great things. It's a good way to start-LOOKING FOR ANOTHER JOB.  

Welcome Notes: A Blog That's Not Just For Muggles

I have arrived. Welcome to my world muggles, witches and wizards, mortals and immortals, bitches and jerks, and saints and sinners! This is my first time ever to create a blog (and I'm so excited, I'm in too deep). It's me Michaer (Mayk-khaer from the epiglottis) Rada a.k.a. Mikaer Rada to many social networking sites. And I'm not a terrorist. I am here to show to the world what it's like to be me. I guess, that might sound a bit uninteresting to most of you, but why not try to seek into the depths of me?

About the Tag Line

“I am not from a closet. I'm from Narnia. Seek into the depths of me...”

From the outside, everyone can tell that I'm a silent water, mysterious, aloof and lonely. We'll, I tell you, I'm exactly the opposite inside. My world inside is like a pandemonium without so many invites; a wonderland no one has ever wandered; a river flowing without direction; and a strange street with so many mazes.

Through blogging, I hope to get the world listen to the songs that my heart is singing. I'll be here 24/7 to give you what is suppose to feed a thirsty soul. I am a nurse, an ordinary mortal, not really a prolific writer at that, but I can assure you that like a river in the mid-day, my words will flow in you.

Why I am Blogging?

I don't have to use so many social spaces to tell you why I am here. One thing for sure, I'm here because of you-know-what, I was a victim of you-know-who, after he abandoned that place you-know-where. But perhaps, I can give you few clear reasons why I am blogging. Here are they:

• I am jobless. I have all the time in the world to post what is ought to be posted.
• I want to entertain and educate people with so many beautiful ideas that're flowing in my mind (but of course, only if you're interested).
• I want to document my life's story. (My life's a melodrama, I cannot do something about it).
• I want to provoke thoughts, opinions or views of people about issues that confront our society today.
• I have a diverse interests-from entertainment to social media, I can be your faithful partner.
• I want to have an in-depth understanding of the online communities and discover how I can relate to each of them.

There you go. Whether you're one of the muggles with the heart of diamonds or extra-ordinary earthlings with a heart of stone, or vice versa, I'll just be here to connect to you in the most meaningful way possible.