My Own Saga: One Step to Freedom

Dear friend,

I am actually hesitating to post this right now but I am also typing it so I am clearly not making any sense. This is once again another outburst post so brace yourself for some whines that you might want to slap me. The bonus thing about slapping me is I'll take it.

I actually want to leave the house again just like in my senior year back in college. I want to live in an apartment again and feel the freedom I felt before. I want to experience living away from home especially now that I graduated. There are differences, obviously, between staying in an apartment while studying and while working so I'd like to see those differences.

Another reason why I want to leave the house is to teach the people here a lesson or a few. My brother is so irresponsible and uncontrollable (I don't even regret saying it here) that my parents can't even handle him and I think by leaving home, my parents will have to somehow "rely" (not sure if it's the right word to use) on him and make him act responsibly because he's already a college student and he's still acting so carelessly (except when he's around his girlfriend so that's a bit of a stretch).

I can also use some quiet time because silence is a rare quality in the place I live in. There will always be drunkards around noon almost every day, dogs barking because of these bastards, and those irritating engine noises from motorbikes.

And the most significant reason of them all is to refresh and relearn about independence, self-responsibility, and self-reliance. I have a good friend who lives away from his home since his college years and I really look up to him because he's really oozing this independent and self-reliant aura around him. He knows what he wants and he gets it through his own way. He also became really mature (not saying that he was immature before so please don't take it the wrong way).

Learning about his lifestyle today, I got inspired to actually want to get out of here and living on my own while working. I want to experience relying on myself everyday and I don't have to rush my way back home because I don't want people to worry. It might be possible that by leaving home, I can achieve more as well because of the freedom I'll have. I also want to get away and just live without restraints and learn more about self-responsibility in my actions. And I don't want to live in my house when I reach my 30s because that's kind of sad. It's like I never got out of my parents' (especially my mom's) grasps.

But before all of this becomes possible, I need to look for a job again and I am still torn between freelancing and a stable job. I'd like to have both if it's feasible and I can manage myself (I'd like to see that). I don't want to compare freelancing and a regular job because let's face it; they're just even (unless you're really focused on one side).

I'm still thinking over about my future career so leaving home might take a while as there are a lot of things to consider in making decisions over my future job. I know I can't be picky but I have to make sure that once I signed up, I'll stay there for a long time. I don't want to make another wrong move when it comes to something as big as this.

Thank you for reading this (even though I know that nobody reads this crap) and I hope everything is good and will be good for you in the days to come.

Sincerely,

Zepp

My Own Saga: Uncertainty and Vacancy

Dear friend,

Everything's happening so fast these days. Have you noticed that? Well, I have. Even in the slow days, I still feel that they're a little faster than the usual. Is it because I am so preoccupied? Preoccupied to the point of my thoughts almost blocking my concentration? I don't know. All I know is I'm thinking too much that I fail to realize the concept of time and reality. Anyway, I won't dwell on that too much because there's this bigger thing I want to deal with right now.

Tomorrow marks my first week out of work. I know I said it in some social networking site that it's bittersweet. It is indeed bittersweet; sweet because everyone of us in my workplace have new beginnings waiting for them, near or far, and I'd like to maintain that thought because I don't want to feel and think that I've abandoned them especially in a time when only a handful remains. It is also bitter because I'll be leaving them behind, these new friends that I am slowly getting more and more comfortable with because of our number (I hope I'm still coherent and making sense).

I honestly never thought I'd be close or comfortable with my co-workers. I just want to adapt to the workplace and not feel out of place but when the numbers were reduced to only five, we sort of became solid to each other somehow and we became a small but tight-knit team. We're messing with each other but we know when to get serious and when to lose control (not the crazy type of losing control).

And I am missing them so bad. I miss the laughter even if they sometimes think I'm laughing irrationally. I'm just letting off some steam from all the working and processing. I also miss the feel of escapism when we go to lunch together and just laugh at each others' teases and jokes.

My resignation is not actually planned. It's totally unexpected because there's this one opportunity/job offered to me and my friend from production to provide video coverage of the events in a far place (For security purposes, I can't mention the place) and my remaining number of leaves are not enough to cover the days I'll be gone for the coverage so resignation seemed like a safe option instead of AWOL (Absence Without Leave, in case you don't know what it stands for). Another reason is that I am the only feasible partner for my friend in the video coverage since we've been doing this for a while now and we know how we work. If someone else is selected, then he'll have to teach his partner the stuffs all over again so it seemed like a valid reason but still...

I was actually planning to stay longer than four months because I want to redeem myself from the mishap I did in the past. I want to set my record straight and clean and I want to remain there for a while to make my income a source of a solid capital for the business my friend and I were trying to establish: a film production.

Right now, I'm a bum (again) and I'm with my old enemy, uncertainty. I've always feared uncertainty. It almost drove me insanely sad after being idle for quite a long time last year and I don't want to experience that shit again but in this time's circumstances, it looks like the whole ordeal is bound to happen all over again and I have to keep myself sane and stable.

I had a chat with a person I consider dearly significant these past few days and that person mentioned about thinking long term. Then I realized my parents are now considering the thought of retirement. It's not that good because I can't rely on them forever and I have to refresh and learn how to live without the reliance on my parents all over again. I have to learn how to manage without my parents' help. I have to learn how to be self-reliant, self-powered, and self-responsible.

I also have to let this one out: that significant person inspires me to learn how to live independently. I'm of the right age and I just need to equip myself to be capable of handling independence properly. I won't ask for that person's help because I don't want to be someone's burden. I have to learn all of this on my own.

And about that person, I've decided not to talk about it too much anymore. I'll just keep it to myself until something significant happens.

And I think I just ran out of thoughts to pour in this post. But before I go, let me just remind myself of the things I should keep in mind for the whole year (or my whole life):

• Less regrets (or none if possible).
• Keep learning.
• Enter happiness (and other emotions in an opportune time).
• Don't let fear take the steering wheel.

I know there are other things I want to remind myself but these four seems the most significant reminders I need right now. 

Thank you for reading my post today. I wish you well. 

Until the next post.

Sincerely,

Zepp

My Own Saga: Mayday

Dear friend,

It's been a while since I last wrote something here. A lot of things happened lately. Let me help you catch up with this poem I wrote and maybe you can help me. You'll see the poem after this letter. Thank you. 

Sincerely,

Zepp

MAYDAY

It started as a tiny seed

It’s planted inside my head

No, it’s not medicinal weed

Unlike what most people said

Then this little seed grew bigger

I watered it with my thoughts

I deemed that it will be better

But my feelings, I have fought

A notion, this bud turned into

And I tried to manage it

But my mind had just lost its screw

And it is about to split

Because now, it is a desire

A scary contemplation

For it is spreading like wildfire

It’s a vicious temptation

I think you are getting a clue

As to what this is about

And I do not know what to do

Right now, I’m giving a shout

What the fuck’s happening to me?

I’ll need a diagnosis

What is this thing I cannot see?

I hope it’s not psychosis

I want to make sense out of this

This phase I am going through

It is not easy to dismiss

This feeling I have for you

Oh God, I want to make it stop

Before I drive myself mad

Or my logic begins to drop

And my days, they might get bad

My Own Saga: Endure and Survive

Dear friend,

I started working again last week. I'm back to the office world again and I'm thankful for this second chance. I'd like to take this as a redemption because of the mishap I did with my first although there will be some adjustments and sacrifices I have to make along the way.

I almost got used to the slacker lifestyle; I'm referring to the homebody type of life. I almost indulged myself with the perks of staying at home and cruising through the day. I need to change that since I need this job for a lot of things. One thing is a camera for business and artistic purposes. But I'll have to endure to survive and maintain my composure and sanity before I get to that sub-goal. So I need to adjust myself for I still think I'm stuck in the transition or I think I have what is known as the "post-graduate syndrome".

Going back to my work, the workplace is all right. The atmosphere's pretty light but the challenges set the pressure. People there are really welcoming and cool. They're really hospitable since day 1. But there's one thing I don't like in the workplace is its location.

The workplace is set in one of the busiest places in the world or perhaps, the busiest place in my world. The flow of traffic there sucks my soul and I mean literally because it really drains my energy from going there to going home.

First, I have to wait for 40 minutes to an hour for a ride to work. Then, the travel time lasts for around two hours because of the heavy flow of traffic and a huge volume of cars on the road. Almost every road we take is fucking congested. There is rarely a smooth moment during the travels unless I go to work in the weekends and holidays which might be a rare thing [I hope].

Of course, life in that particular city is fucking expensive. The travel fare is damn expensive. The food can be pricey too if you choose to eat in a good place. There are decent places to eat like the fast food chains though my appetite won't be satisfied in those stores. Thankfully, the workplace offers food in a reasonable way so expenses are lessened a little.

The city also tests my limits and patience because there will always be challenges everyday like lines in terminals and congested traffic conditions at night. I even thought of staying a little late just to get home smoothly though it's not really a recommended idea since I live far and I have to sleep early just to get to work on time.

One thing I have to sacrifice is my passion and you perhaps have some idea of what that passion is so I will not elaborate that anymore. I'll have to sacrifice a little of that passion to sustain and support myself and even contribute to the family as well. I can't rely on my parents forever since they only have a few years before retiring.

My friends and I started a film production last year and we recently thought of turning it into a source of profit as well. That explains the reason for the need of a camera. The idea is quite nice because I can actually practice my skills from my course and make money out of the experience too. It's a nice package to be honest. But first, I have to finish the transition and get out of the "post-grad syndrome" to finally establish my foundations firmly.

Damn. I think I should be sleeping too since I have work tomorrow. I'm still getting used again to the idea of waking up early again. It's like going back to school except you're not dealing with people who are mostly like my age and every action I'll make and take will weigh the outcome in the coming days and months.

So I guess I'll stop here for now. It's been nice to write again. I just hope to get through this unscathed or at least with a few scratches along the way.

I'll have to remember this as well for motivation:

"ENDURE AND SURVIVE."

Sincerely,

Zepp 

My Own Saga: Lost in the Smoke

Dear friend,

It's been a while since I last wrote here. A lot of things happened when I was gone. Many left while some stayed... or something along those lines. I'm a little intoxicated right now. My head is a little woozy but I can't sleep yet since I feel the urge to write something here. Well, it's because I felt I sort of abandoned this blog to be exact.

What's happening with me right now, you may ask? I was busy these past 5 months. I was busy with being a production assistant in several films and one television series. The whole experience was tiring yet rewarding since I met a lot of good people. They were really fun. I think I mentioned them in my previous posts.

Right now, I'm not preoccupied with any projects. I'm getting a little unmotivated with transcribing materials. I've been busy with other things like making short films and skits with my friends and covering events for clients. I've been looking for jobs again. I'll apply for another job tomorrow. I hope to nail this one because practically speaking, I really need a stable job with a fixed income.

My mom has been complaining for quite a while because I don't have a regular job and she keeps on saying that I should have a job that has a fixed income and benefits. I understand her point and it somehow convinced me to look for another job once more because the transcribing gig is unpredictable when it comes to distributing income. I'm also almost broke so I also need to earn money to save up for a camera.

That's my professional and financial status so far. About my personal life, all I can say is that it's a little messed up, both positively and negatively. It's positive because my life is not monotonous and it's negative because I'm sort of losing control over myself.

I've been smoking since July. I know it's not good yet I keep on smoking. I'm NOT a chain smoker though and I can pull off a maximum of two weeks so far without smoking. I think I only smoke when I'm under stress and with my friends. I don't smoke at home or near its premises or my life will get more wild and "dramatic". I consider smoking as a "guilty pleasure" and I want to stop before something bad develops. I've also been eating too much sweets so I need to lessen that too.

About the affections, they somehow decreased but they tend to resurface when these persons reappear in any form in my life like for example, this particular person's name keeps on appearing in my face anywhere and anytime and I'm like, "What the fuck, fate? What are you trying to say?" Excuse my language. Then, for the second person, I've been thinking of talking to that person and try to be friends again. I know I messed up but I need that person for motivation. I don't care about intimacy. I need motivation.

Speaking of motivation, I really do need motivation right now. I remember one friend told me that I'm weird but my weirdness is okay because I tend to surprise people with the things I'm capable of and I was also surprised of that about myself too. When she said that to me, I miss that part of myself where I try to prove to myself and to other people the things I can do. I miss being inspired, motivated, and driven. I miss the energy and adrenaline pushing me to do things.

Now, I'm loose. I am confused and lost. I'm still trying to figure out where I'm heading. I'm still searching for a form of motivation or inspiration. I want that kind of motivation back in my life again because I want to be proud of myself more. I don't want to feel helpless or reckless. I don't want to self-destruct anymore.

I don't want to stray further.

I want to get back on track.

So there you have it. I think I just summarized the happenings of my life so far. Either that or I might be forgetting more details but I can't write them anymore because I can't remember or think anymore of what to add here.

I really suck at ending my posts. I miss writing though. I miss writing poems and scripts. All I need is inspiration so I'll just keep on looking.

Thank you for staying and reading all these blubbering from my mind.

Sincerely,

Zepp

My Own Saga: Misplaced Affections in the Smoke

Dear friend,

As it turned out, my plan did not work out. Well, it wasn't set into motion actually but it's not because of me this time. I tried to communicate with the person I'm trying to reach out. I tried to settle my matters but looks like my efforts were in vain and perhaps, they were ignored. Maybe I am too late or maybe I'm desperate as one of my friends said.

Maybe the feelings died or maybe there's nothing at all.

I don't know the real reason.

Should I still go after it or should I let it go?

I'm almost near in finally having an answer to that question and it's leaning towards the latter. It's obvious that that person doesn't want to see me at all so why bother although I also thought that I should try at least to say what I feel for that person but this time, the personal way won't happen for a long shot so I might tell it through Facebook or through text messaging or any form of electronic communication.

But it sucks, you know? It sucks because there might be no feeling of sincerity or reality if I send a message saying that I like that person. But what can I do? That person won't make time so I'll really rely on the resources I have to get that message across though I have to really think about saying it or just bury it inside me. If I keep it, the feeling might resurface. If I say it, there's a strong chance I can finally let go if nothing still happens after getting that message across. At least, I won't wallow if I don't get the desired outcome because I know that the chances are slim for me.

On another note, I've been hanging out with my friends and I introduced hookah to them a month ago which they enjoyed. My siblings introduced that to me before I showed it to my friends. At first, it was okay but a few weeks later, I think it triggered one of my friends to start smoking. As of last Sunday, he consumes one pack of cigarettes a day and I'm worried.

I never thought that he was a smoker. He never told us he smoked during his high school or college days. I presumed he was a non-smoker but when he smoked for the first time in front of my friends (I was absent that time), another friend told me he smokes as if he already knew how to smoke before.

Last Sunday, I tried smoking too. I had a stick and I don't know if I liked the feeling or not but I ended up having a headache when I went home after our hookah session at a coffee shop. The menthol flavor felt like it's piercing my throat. But at least, I finally tried it and I now know what it feels like when smoking. I don't know if I'll try it again in the future but let's hope I won't because I really don't like its side effects.

What else... I have a week off that started last Sunday and it'll just be until Friday because the lead actress of the show I'm employed at had another shoot for another show so she's not available for our scheduled shooting days. I'll be heading back to the location this Saturday.

I'm actually having a good time during the shoots for that particular show I'm in. The people there are really awesome to work with. They're actually funny and when it's serious, they're also really serious as that's how we're supposed to act during work. I'm okay with the compensation because it's the experience that counts anyway.

Well, that's it. Thank you for your time in reading this. I don't mean to blurt this all out here but I just want to let it out so thanks.

Sincerely,

Zepp

My Own Saga: Trial and Error

Dear friend,

It's already the month of June. I left my job two months ago. Well, it's not really a smooth farewell but I got out. I was busy for two weeks last month. And then, I will be busy again starting this Saturday and will last for 18 days. Thankfully, it's not consecutive because the key people have other things to do on our vacant days.

Yes. I've been busy since I got out of my previous job. I think I'm slowly getting out of my shell somehow but I still feel I lack a lot. I need to grow some balls to be precise. There's this feeling of being incomplete inside myself and it somehow kills my mood whenever it passes by my mind and I also get distracted because of it.

I'm starting to experience new things ever since I chose this new path but I still think I'm missing out a lot on life. People think I'm getting old and I think so too but I still haven't experienced a real relationship. (Don't get me wrong on this one. I'm not like one of those teenagers who's dying to have a relationship, okay?) I almost had one but then I got cold feet. I know. You want to slap me to wake and put some sense in me but it's all done and I've learned the error of my ways or I'm still learning on it at least. But I'm not here to whine and wallow about my cold feet. I want to pour this certain thing out of my mind.

You see, there's this one person I admire but I don't know if this person still likes me or not because back in senior year, this person said "I like you" to my in a shy way. Of course, I was shocked and awkwardly expressed my gratitude but this person doesn't know I also have a mutual feeling for that person but I wanted to make sure if the feeling is real or not. Until now... But I endured a year with that person. Graduation came and we went our separate ways.

Then, there's this one day in a few months after graduation that I was strolling in a random mall when I saw a former classmate. We chat for I think an hour to catch up and then, I suddenly brought up the revelation because from what I remember, my classmate was a witness to the incident back then so I asked her if she thinks the revelation is sincere or a fraud and she thinks it's the latter.

I've been trying to reconnect to that particular person but we seldom see each other and this person also has a knack of cancelling plans in the last minute due to some reasons. I know I have to understand the reasons but it doesn't have to cancel when I always invite that person so I of course think there is avoidance going on.

I'm still plagued by the revelation and when we finally see each other, I want to know the truth and if I'm given a chance to start something from there, I'd like to try that even if it's odd. Anyway, it's okay to make some mistakes in your first relationship if it will go down like that, right? But let's not hope it will end up like that although there's a 80% chance I'll get rejected anyway because I think I'm below this person's standards and we have little in common.

I told my friends about this predicament and they think I have strong feelings for that person so they agreed that what I'm planning to do will really help me and if things go okay from there, they'll support me because I'm a newbie. But I won't assume that we'll be together. No.

So there. That's my current status and predicament these days. I hope things will work out and if not, it's okay just to say what I have to say and ask what I need to ask from that person. I've prepared myself for the outcomes anyway so I'll be good. So sorry if you think I ended this abruptly. It's just that I think this is all I have in my mind right now so I'll be leaving on this note. Anyway, thank you for reading and understanding.

Sincerely,

Zepp

P.S. To that person,

If you're reading this (in which I think there's a slim chance you'll even visit this site), if we see each other, please don't get awkward on me when I say what I have to say. I won't spill it here because it'll just kill my plan. I hope to see you soon. Thank you. 

My Own Saga: Passion or Practicality?

Dear friend,

I haven't been active here lately because I don't have much time to write entries and I am a bit too stressed to write entries. You see, I've been busy with my job for the past two months and it'll be my third month at work next week. So how are things at work, you ask?

Well, obviously I'm a bit stressed out myself with work. Training's over and we're finally doing the job we got hired for and it's really a complicated work I must say. You might think it's easy because we only sit in front of the computer all day and do our thing but it's not as simple as that, my friend. Oh no. It's just mind-splitting most of the time. (I can't specify what I do there.)

I also think I'm still not used to the night life myself.  Alive by night, asleep by day. I just can't get used to that. As a result, I am always sleepless or I don't have enough sleep everyday and because of that, I am always restless, a bit jumpy, and I am prone to mood swings. Not the dangerous ones though, just the normal mood swings but people find it weird somehow because of how easy my mood changes. I am not bipolar or something. I am just moody or maybe cranky.

Because of my job, I don't have much time for myself too. Not enough time to rest and recuperate from the stress. Not enough time to relax. Not enough time to be with my family and friends. I miss out on a lot of things in their lives and I don't want that to go on for a long time.

I know you must think and you want to ask why did I even take this job in the first place if I'll whine like this right now. I have my reasons back then and all I can say right now is that it's like an experiment or trial and error if I describe it more accurately. I don't feel any regret of getting hired there to be honest. It's just that I had these realizations too early.

I've been looking for a new job lately because I realized this early how mundane my work is and I think I feel like a junkie with my lifestyle. I am not a quitter, okay? It's just that I felt this early that I am going nowhere with this and I need to be in the field I am really acquainted with and I need to apply the skills I acquired in my 4 years of college education. Because in my current job, I can't apply these skills. Obviously.

And now, there's this opportunity I want to take. It's a 5-day job in a film production. Why five days? Because they only have five straight days to shoot the film and I guess it'll be one long and exhausting shoot but that's how things work in a film production especially in an independent film production because you only have limited budget and resources and you can't afford to waste so much money with the budget you have on your hand for production.

Anyway, my point and my problem here is should I stay or should I go. Should I take this opportunity that comes sparsely or should I stay and wait for the right time to get out of my work permanently?

If I take this chance, I'll miss a week of work but I am satisfied because I will learn a lot of things from the production especially since it's one of my fields during college. I'll probably get the fire or creative passion back in me again.

 If I stay, however, then it'll just be the same mundane days where I'll whine for some segments of that day and wait for Friday night to come to feel better and it's on repeat until I decided to throw the towel.

This is a conflict of passion and practicality. Which do I choose? An opportunity where I might earn little money but I'll learn and get a lot of things out of it or a job so mundane but the compensation is a bit higher than the former though it's still a bit too low for general people's standards? And I only have today to decide because the production starts tomorrow.

I hope that with the decision I make later, I won't somehow lose myself in regret (or I think it'll happen if I choose to stay.)

Sincerely,

Zepp

My Own Saga: Incoherent Crap

Dear friend,

We all know that emotions enhances the experience of life. It sort of gives more life to the experiences and encounters during our lives. But sometimes, emotions derail us from logic and rationality. What's worse is that I'm emotional. I'm actually too emotional for a man's standards or maybe, the ideal level of emotion for men if there's such a thing or maybe, I'm rambling on like an idiot, saying things that don't exist.

I'm having troubles reaching out to people these past two or three days. I suddenly doubt if I really belong to where I am right now or maybe I should just loosen up and open myself to others. But it seems hard especially when other people see this other side. I'm thinking too much about what happens if they see me that way. Will they just go on with their lives or will they leave me behind?

I used to think that being alone is a nice thing because it helps me think and understand more about the things I'm trying to process but when I reached the senior year of my college life, I realized that I need friends to lighten up, help me comprehend what's happening, and even give me an orientation of the things I haven't experienced in my life.

You see, I've been spending my time too much in my shelter. I give in to my fears and I hate myself for that. When I see or hear people experiencing new things or they know these things I don't, I feel bad for myself to the point of regret and beating myself up for not doing these things.

That's why I need friends these days. It's because I don't want to think too much anymore. When I think too much, I spiral down to the point of breakdown and I don't want it to happen anymore. I want to move on and get out. I want to enjoy life with other people. But because of the fear, I hesitate and pull out and I want to punch myself so bad that I almost want to hate myself for being idle and for giving in to the fear.

I apologize if this post is so incoherent that you will get lost in this mess of mine. I just want to let this out and I can't express this vocally. I always end up hesitating when saying these things out from my mouth. I just want to write these things all out. I know the effect is not really that much and I know that I think no one or only one person reads the crap I'm posting beside myself.

I just want to improve and adjust. I want to understand. I want to get out.

Please. 

Sincerely,

Zepp

My Own Saga: Starting Over

Dear friend,

As you can see, this is my first post for 2013. Hooray. But it's not really a breakthrough so we can scrap the confetti aside and just get on with the point.

For several months since my graduation, I have been struggling to get a job and stay in one. It's not that I quit so soon from my previous job because I can't handle it. There's another reason which concerns about the salary that made me stop and technically, my "job" is not really a job but more of a side project. But I enjoy my three or four months there.

The people who were my workmates were pretty nice and cool. They are all older than me and most of them have families of their own so when I work with them, there is this feel that I am their youngest brother or something. They are not really too serious because they know how to have fun and when to crack up jokes but when everyone's serious, they are all dead serious about what they're doing.

But the end inevitably came a little soon. I had to stop coming in because I was getting a bit underpaid. I am not the only one who faced this problem but every one of us within that group has that problem. The cause lies within the clients who are not paying punctually and fully.

I think they still haven't paid my workmates even after I left. I felt bad about stopping and sort of abandoning them but I can't ask my parents for travel expenses for long. I also can't ask too much from my boss there for my salary because the salary comes from his own wallet and not from the budget that was supposed to be filled up from the clients' payment.

So I stopped coming there. It was easy to get out because there's no contract involved about my work there. The only thing I signed there is a confidentiality contract about the project we worked on during my time there.

Well, looks like I told too much about one of my previous predicaments last year. Let me move on to the new deal.

I'm about to start with my new job this coming Monday and I am both excited and nervous for this one. I am excited because of a lot of new possibilities inside like new friends and new things to learn but I am also nervous if I can handle this or not. By the way, I can't tell the specifics but I can assure you that it is legal.

My friend who referred me to that job and company tells a lot of stories about her working experiences there and at first, she seems to enjoy it but as her training ends and the real nature of her job started, she slowly started to get stressed and from stories of enjoyment, her stories turned into stressful moments about the job.

I listened to her stories because I'm being a friend and she wants to let out her stress from her work but her stories affected me to the point that I question myself if I can handle the job as soon as training ends. I really hope whatever I learn during the training will stick with me for a long time.

Besides the anxiety, I am also excited like I said before because this is a fresh start for me. With a fresh start come new possibilities like new friends and new experiences. I'm also excited for the lessons I'll learn during the training. And I actually want this excitement to dominate over my anxiety. I don't want the fear to ruin this new opportunity for me.

Speaking of new opportunity, I want to take this job as a springboard or introduction for me to the concept of having a job with a decent pay. I would like to use the job to get the feel of the possible kind of environment I'll encounter in the future when it comes to offices and workplaces.

I also want to think about it as some kind of a memorable experience where even if this is not my dream job, I manage to have fun while working because of the people I will be working with in the days ahead.

I just hope I'll last long in this job and if I slip, I'll stand up and be on my feet quickly because there's no time for grasping the situation when it comes to working. You have to be fast on your feet, be flexible, and be prepared for everything that comes along the way.

Wish me luck in this new start and I wish you luck with your current and future endeavors and challenges.

Sincerely, 

Zepp

My Own Saga: Consistently Inconsistent

Dear friend,

I am really getting consistent at being inconsistent. I have these constant headaches and maybe I get them because of thinking too much. But what am I to do? I can't stop thinking. I mean, we all have got to think in every day of our lives, yes? If you're planning to tell me to stop thinking, perhaps I should tell you right now that I won't stop thinking. Not that I don't listen to my friends' advice but I think my world revolves around thinking.

But due to thinking too much, I think my mind starts to get tired with all the thoughts, especially those things I should not even ponder about. I can't enumerate them all here because I can't remember most of them right now and I do not want to share them here because 90% of them are personal and 10% of them are absurd.

As a result of my mind getting fatigued, I have become more forgetful than ever. There are moments where I go out of my room to get or do something and as soon as I go beyond my door, I forget the thing I'm supposed to get or do.

There are also times where I am getting inconsistent with the stories I tell to my friends, especially when I tell about something that happen on a particular day and I tell it later to my friends but it ended up being skewered because I forgot some of the details already. I can still tell my friend the gist of my stories but some parts went missing.

Another inconsistency is my mood. Sometimes, I want to get out and spend time with my friends but there are times where I lock myself in my room all day long. It is not supposed to be a big deal but it is now because I am bothered.

My guts is another thing that flickers inside myself like a dying light bulb. I have days when I feel I can take on the world but these days also fade away and my courage goes down to scratch. Why can't I be consistently brave or courageous?

I am also having troubles keeping focus at things lately. I think my attention span has decreased because I can concentrate before but now, I get knocked off-course with a blink of an eye and I really, really do not want that anymore.

Because of these inconsistencies, I end up hurting people unintentionally, including my friends and family. The bad part is that I never know that I actually hurt them until they start to avoid me.

I just want to discipline myself, you know. I want to grow up and get my mind in its right place. I want it to be at rest somehow and keep it stress-free. What I mean by "grow up" is to take things seriously and with responsibility because I am really messed up and I've been f***ed up for a long, long time.

I don't know if leaving my room, the house, and my family for a while will help but there is a strong chance that it will help because I can use the peace and silence. The house is really kind of noisy when my family's here, especially with all the shouting and loud talking. By the way, they're not shouting because of fighting but they can't hear each other sometimes. They're not all deaf too, okay? They are just jumpy and somewhat overreacting at times, like me. I guess.

I've also thought of talking to a psychiatrist or therapist to help me here but where in this particular shithole can I find such people? And there's a big chance that I cannot afford their services. I consider talking to my friends but I can't find the right words to say because they might not understand what I am going through and what is wrong with me. That's why I really want professional help.

I really hope that before 2013 comes, I can get this ordeal over with and move forward because I really don't want to get stuck in here for decades. I've seen people get on with their lives and I believe I should move forward too because there is no point in staying in one place especially when the people around you are fast on their feet and I do not want to be left behind somehow.

Sincerely,

Zepp

If the World Will End...

Forgive the overwhelmingly negative post (if you think it's a pessimistic entry) and the inconsistencies if there are.

***

December 21st, 2012. We all know the date. Some of the population fear this date while some don't and others just don't care. Me? I'm sort of between the latter two. What will happen on this specific day, you may ask? You may have heard a lot of theories about the possible events on this day so I won't dwell on this subject now. Besides, I'm not here to discuss the "apocalypse" itself.

There's this horror film I watched a few months ago which is now one of my all-time favorites. There's this particular scene in the film where our hero and heroine let the world end and the heroine said that "it's time to give someone else a chance." I can't tell their names and the film's title because what I just said here is a BIG SPOILER, as you can see with the capitalized letters. With this being said, I am sort of agreeing with what they think about the world ending and their reason why they should just end it instead of saving mankind.

I can't tell specifically how much faith I still have for our kind but all I know is that it's below the middle or the appropriate amount of faith if there's such a thing. Not being a pessimist here. I'm just saying because of the things I see lately.

You see, the world today has collapsed. You may not see it with your eyes but if you actually process the things you see, you may arrive at the same conclusion as mine. Stupidity and absurdity have dominated and overshadowed intelligence, practicality, and rationality. Some of us are surrounded by madness and violence while others are clouded with materialism, power, and pride.

Sadly, there's this news in Connecticut where a 20-year old shooter killed 27 people that includes 20 children, and then shot himself. Violence has taken its toll and innocence is an unfortunate victim in this incident.

Also, our priorities are messed up and it has reached the below zero level of absurdity where we prioritize the smallest endeavors that have no lifetime effect instead of bigger challenges and things that give us a chance to turn their lives around.

We spend too much time worrying about what to share on our social networking accounts. We also ponder and wallow too much with the affections of others when we should be reflecting about how we should live our lives. "There's more to life than love," as what one local celebrity said. We think too much of how we look good in the eyes of others instead of feeling good about ourselves. We also pour our time too much on the thoughts of trying to fit in the wrong kind of people, more specifically, the zombies who prey on your self-identity or individuality.  By the way, take note of the word "too much" there before you say anything.

Basically, we lament and reflect on the wrong priorities. Well, I don't want to consider them as priorities because they are not really a necessity and what I mean with necessity is that a necessity that has a lifetime impact like the basic needs. I guess you all know Carl Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. There are also BIGGER THINGS we should worry about like making our world a better place to live in and making our lives worthwhile besides the basic necessities.

These points aside, I agree that it's time to give someone (or something) else a chance. Humanity, we have plunged into a deeper darkness. It will be hard to get out unless all of us will cooperate. The world might need new and better caretakers of the planet and history needs a new era of lesser shame and brighter future because this era has gone bleak.

Now before I end this, let me leave you with a question.

Is humanity still worth saving for?

My Own Saga: Torn and Still Thinking

Dear You*,

I have a thought that you are getting impatient and I am sorry for making you wait and all but I still don't know what to answer to you. It's been almost two months since you told me what you said and I really don't know what to say. For the second time, I apologize for that.

The thing is I am still torn. I'm supposed to be used with being torn and confused because never in my life have I stopped being torn and confused yet. There are always choices in front of me and I am terribly indecisive so I take my time. I don't want any regrets once I've made my decision. I know that you are still waiting and waiting for my answer but I want to take a few more days in this thing between us because what I will say, no matter what it is, can change our lives or maybe how things go between us.

I also don't want to be pressured by our friends in deciding what to do in this predicament. I don't want to be carried away in deciding. I want this decision to be mine and mine alone. I don't want any push from anyone. I ask for their advice to lay out the possible consequences ahead once I make my move.

I also like to have some space in deciding. I don't know if your constant presence will help me in deciding. I think my conscience will just be more torn and conflicted. So I am asking you for a little space if you can give me a few days of your absence. I think it might help me. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Zepp

*By the way, this "You" I'm referring to is different from the previous "You" from the past.

An Outburst

Forgive me for this intimate and somewhat messy post but I am in the mood for letting this out because I don't know what will happen to me if I just keep it inside.

I'm a person who's always in touch with my feelings, a person who wears his emotions on his sleeve. I still believe I am but I don't want to get my emotions in the way of my logic. Not anymore. It's not really helping me at all. My emotions make me go back to my past which I really don't want to linger on forever and every time I go back to the past, it's like I'm going down to a deep tunnel and I cave myself inside it. The past also made me go to my most vulnerable state and of course, I never liked it. There are times I wallow suddenly when I'm in that tunnel and I find that a little irrational now because all the events behind my tears look so irrational and stupid... and I hate being stupid! I feel like I want to claim my tears back.

I cry suddenly because I think it'll help me to slowly let go because once I let these tears out, I might be fine at the end of the day but I believe it's just a temporary remedy. I want a permanent cure.

The reason why I am here right now, writing this post, is to let go. Well, I don't expect to believe that after posting this, I think I have let go all of my burdens but if it helps, why not take a shot? Anyway, I don't want to get stuck in this shithole forever. I'm getting messier and messier as the days go by. I don't want to wallow and think of my past in the coming days. I want to move forward and live my life without any worries, hesitations, and fear. Shit. I want to erase all the things that kept my head bound in this phase. I want to let it all go. But I don't know where or how to start.

Maybe talking to a therapist might help or talking to a friend might do it to. I've also thought of dealing with this myself but I always hesitated for I fear the truth. But from the looks of things, dealing and confronting the problems look like a big help now. But first, I need to gather myself and my thoughts before I push this plan.

Not Another Brain Storm

Summer is almost ending and when it's over, it will be my last summer because if I finally get a job, there will be no two months of slacking off and lazing around. And once this summer is done, it's not the school I'll be looking forward to, it's the workplace and the school and workplace are two extremely different environments that no matter how many analogies you try to make, you still can't find a perfect one to make them similar to each other.

As the month of May goes halfway, I slowly realize that I am still not prepared for what's coming for me in the future days. I'm not talking about my skills. I'm talking about myself. I know I talked about this in the previous post and maybe you're starting to see that I'm redundant but sometimes, one post or in terms of real communication, one conversation is not enough to settle complicated things and you got it right, what I am dealing right now is extremely complicated that it can be life-changing.

I still have some unfinished business in my college life that I need to work on before summer ends for closure that might end up either good or bad. The uncertainty is killing me and my low level of guts is wearing my brain down from too much thinking. I am seriously jaded of hesitating and of going back and forth.

I'm not sure if I can still handle this alone but I'm trying really hard to deal with this by myself. I also can't talk to anyone yet about this because I still have to understand a lot about this one. Maybe a journey of self-discovery is the cure for me because before I can finally make a move on this, I need to understand the nature of this problem which is me.

Anxiety, Transitions, and Closure

I have a job interview tomorrow and it's my first. I'm actually a "little" nervous. I would like to use the word "little" because it might help reduce the nervousness I'm trying to suppress or hide. I know I can handle this but I can't help but feel anxious about it. There. I forgot adding the word.

I'm also anxious about finally leaving the thoughts of a student and embracing the stage of being a young professional. I'll miss talking to my college friends, to be honest. I've never felt so comfortable with them. I will not linger to this point since I have already said these before. I'm a little worried about the people I will meet at work. Will I enjoy working with them? Will I have the chance to make things like college again? I really love hanging out with my college mates because I can laugh out loud and be serious at the same time. I just hope the people I will meet at work will almost be the same or might be better but there's a slim chance they will be better.

I cannot believe I am actually nervous during the summer. I am supposed to be and usually nervous during school days but this is just a different feeling. It's all because of the job-hunting. I know what I tweeted about rejection. (Yeah... I have a Twitter account.) I know that I should suck it up since everyone experiences the feeling of rejection but being rejected hurts a little... Okay, I lied! It hurts. But I must not wallow for so long about rejection because it will not help me and there will be better chances and options for me ahead since I'll be going to some companies with my college friends and look for available jobs.

Now that summer is about to close by the month of June, I want to do a lot of things and enjoy myself before going to work. By the way, for those who didn't know, my place's summer starts from late March or early April to the end of May or early June. Going back, there are a lot of things I want to do and settle before June comes.

Here are some of the to-do things before summer ends:

1. Go to a beach with college friends. 
2. Go to a beach with family and relatives.
3. Finish the script I've been working on for almost a month.
4. Make two films with my college friends: One for the school and one for a film festival.
5. Closure. I want to move on just like everyone else.

I'd really go to a beach with my college friends and with my family and relatives but on different times because it will be a first for me to go to a beach or to go out of the city with my college friends and I would love to hang out with them before going separate ways for the time being. I also want to go with my family and relatives because it's been a while since I had fun with them and maybe, this summer is a good time for me to enjoy with them too. 

I want to finish the script I've been working on. I'm still writing its sequence treatment and I'm stuck. I haven't touched it for a while. I have a lot of unfinished scripts but I really hope to finish this particular script because I love the concept. 

I have to admit, I enjoy making films with my college friends so I really want to shoot with them. I can learn a lot of things from them since they know more about film making than I do and it's really nice to bond with them.

And finally, there's the closure. This closure has two contexts to me. It can be: one, closure of college and moving on to young adulthood, and lastly, a feeling that must be said to a certain someone so I can finally move on. I won't pry on that one because I would rather talk about it personally to someone I can really trust and someone who will not judge me in advance.

So there you have it. These are the things stuck in my mind this summer. If I haven't written for a long time, just assume that I am okay and doing good. If you think otherwise, well, at least, it will be okay. (For the readers, you have an idea where I somehow got this statement or at least, the sense of it. By the way, thanks Charlie for reminding me that I am not the only one. ) 

Those Were the Days

I saw this picture on 9Gag.com this morning and I can't help but to miss my childhood and feel lonely about those days. Those were really the days. Even if I did not have a generally good childhood, I enjoyed the times I go out of my house and see my friends. When we go out, we just sit and hang out under a tree near my house even at night and we just talk, make jokes, and laugh about them and we even go home at around midnight because of hanging out. Now, nothing's really funny when my friends make jokes online and through text messages. 

I know that mobile phones and social networking sites are created and developed to maintain the connection between us and our friends. I know the developers are aiming for that but unfortunately, the mass took it to a different direction. Most of us, myself included, got addicted with these innovations and relied too much from them to maintain the connection and communication. Yeah, my friends don't really have the time and all and these things help us connect to each other but we took these to a different level, a different degree of usage. We went a bit overboard because now, when I go out of my house and into the streets, I only see few kids and I can't hear any laughter or footsteps from kids chasing each other around. I bet most of them got hooked with the social networking sites and mobile phones. 

I'm not really blaming the developers for the effects because they created these innovations to help us. Mankind just got addicted to them and they are having a hard time to let go. It seems that because of the easy access to our friends to chatting and text messaging, we rely so hard on them. We have forgotten the essence of going outside and hanging out with them and just talk. We forgot about the meaning of our friends' actual presence and the true feeling of companionship and maybe what it's like to laugh out loud with all our friends' jokes and remembering all the funny and embarrassing memories. 

It looks like most kids of today will never know and enjoy the meaning and feeling of going outside and enjoy the childhood games because they will be imprisoned in their own rooms or in their houses looking at their mobile phones and computers or laptops and just sit there to waste their childhood. If I'm a parent, I would be sad for my kids if they turned into this. 

Creating My Own Pace of Life

Hey. It's Zepp with his first post for 2012-- What the hell. Who am I kidding? I thought I can do well with my new year's resolution but I sucked. Not really doing well with concentration issues for I am still distracted with my studies. Maybe it's because I really lack the motivation and I'm trying to look for one. I only have two months to go before I leave college and I am hoping to leave in one piece but there are a lot of challenges and tasks to be done before I leave.

Two months may seem so far but in today's time, it's not. People just care less of the time and bam! It's already March or whatever month they were waiting for. Like what I said in one of my blog posts last year, today's life is on the fast pace.Well I say, screw that! I can create my own pace of life, my life. It's not that I don't care about whatever's going on and it's also not that I don't care about deadlines but sometimes, I don't have to drown myself with school works and other works that needs to be done. I also want to have the full control of my time and life.

That's also one of the things I'm considering when I look for a job. I want to write but I'd love to write in a comfortable environment that has less to no distractions. I'd like not to rush with things because I have my own pace. It looks like I'm a slacker with what I'm saying but most people can understand this, right? And maybe deep within themselves, they also want this.

I don't want to complicate my life any further. Living was simple before and now, man has made ways to make life more complicated and sophisticated. As the times go by, man's needs begin to get more complex and when it has reached too much complexity, they whine about the complexity and from there, they want another change that they think can help life to be easier but once again, the cycle starts over. Usually, people try to follow this current and in the end, some managed to hold on while others got washed up and left behind or maybe ended up somewhere else. Those who remain in the drift might end up like those who were "lost" but those who got out of the current sooner may end up creating their own lifestyle and be the captain of their own boat.

Me? I want to get lost in the waves and just start anew but I think that's a bit soon to say since I don't have any foundation yet to start one. *sigh* But if I really do get the chance to do this, I will take it and leave. By the way, I am still planning on fulfilling my new year's resolution even if it's already been 16 days since 2012 came. I will really fulfill my list. I just need to concentrate and not lose track of what I'm doing. Take a deep breath and go on.

New Year's Resolution and a Look Back to 2011

2011, like I said in some social networking site, has been a very tumultuous year for me. A lot has happened. Obviously. The year can possibly be summarized through my blog posts here but there are still events I left out here because some are too big while some are too small to matter. Many memories will be treasured and many memories will be thrown away. I had quite a lot of experiences this year and most of these experiences changed and rocked the way I lived my life yet I still have so many things to go through and understand to grow up.

There are times I am very proud of what I've become. There were these times I've never felt happy of what I've done to myself and the things I have achieved this year though I achieved a little. There were also the times where I regret all my failures due to cowardice and of course, the awkwardness of the situation to me which most or maybe all of you may not understand. These were the times where I want to hit myself very hard in the head or bump my head so hard on the wall that I die instantly due to severe head trauma and hemorrhage. Yeah. I am that hard to myself.

I also became free this year and learned a lot of things from living away from home. I also met a lot of people and experienced the things I never experienced when living at home because of this newly-gained freedom. (It's not really new anymore.) I know I sounded like a child who just got out of its crib for the first time but I treasure this freedom because I know it will help me more in understanding the things I'll experience when I finally left the comforts of my house and my parents.

2011 is a very emotional year for me as evident with "Breaking Down" posts. I have never cried this many in the previous years and yeah, I cry! Okay! It may be too sensitive for me to cry but come on, I can still break down, you know.

Anyway, if you wish to look back on what has happened to my 2011, you can do so with the chronicles while I move on to my second part of this post which is my new year's resolution. I am taking this chance and time to write something long and meaningful to say goodbye and leave all the troubles of 2011 behind and wave hello to the New Year, to 2012. Maybe it'll take time for my first post for 2012 because I'll be focusing on my studies now. (Please let me focus...)

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION:

1. I have already mentioned the first one above which is to focus on my studies. I am literally shaken with what's happening to me in the academic part of my life. Looks like I had too much fun. It's really time to put my game face on.
2. To really concentrate on studying, I'll reduce my time on the Internet. Social networking sites have been a distraction to me. I always end up procrastinating on Facebook and rushing with my homework. I must be really really sad with my life right now knowing that I spend too much time on Facebook. 
3. Think before I act. I know I don't want to think too much but of course, I have to think fast right now for we live in a world with a fast pace and acting without thinking can be reckless so I have to plan and consider my actions before doing them. Reckless actions cost a lot of things like time and money.
4. Think before I feel. Another reason for distraction is the emotions. They can really be a pain, a hindrance to my goals for the day, for the week, for the month, and maybe for the year. Sometimes, I don't want to feel for a while to get me going and growing. 
5. Of course, I must consider the things I take or intake. I must start living healthy. Enough said.
6. I'll stay away from peer pressure now. I'm not blaming anyone for anything. I just think it'll be nice if I can be on my own for now to focus on what I should be doing. It's time to get serious.
7. When opportunity knocks, take it. Of course, I don't have to take every opportunity that is presented. I have to choose these opportunities that will interest me and help me in every way to grow up and learn something from the chances. 
8. Manage my time. Having a messy time management does not get me anywhere and it does not bode well at all. If I feel lazy for doing something, I need to kick myself in the ass and move it because time during the second semester is really moving frakking fast. If I procrastinate, everything will be pushed back and they all will become major setbacks. I need to slap myself to snap out of it.
9. I should learn how to let go. Reflecting on my past failures is helpful but not wallowing on them. I should just learn how to move on and forget because as a new day unfolds, there's a chance for redemption. Every day is a new clean slate to start over.

If I ever forgot something, I'll just add them here. If I fail to fulfill even one of these things, I need a psychological evaluation. It's been a very long post and once again, 2012 draws nigh in almost 23 or 24 hours so I say and greet in advance a happy new year to all.

Nostalgia

I watched a movie called Super 8 directed and written by J.J. Abrams this morning. It's a Sci-fi thriller film about a group of friends making a super-8 film (hence, the title) when a train derails and crashes, unleashing a dangerous creature in their town and a chain of mysterious disappearances begin after. Anyway, I'm not here to review the film. Not now, I guess.

After watching the film, nostalgia has been evoked into my mind. I admit that I cried during the ending of Super 8. I am that emotional but what can I do? Besides, the film is really effective. It made me look back to my childhood, even if I don't really have a good childhood in general. I suddenly miss the movies back then. I miss this adventure-like feel of childhood where my buddies and I used to make believe and stuff. We used to imagine things and create scenarios from movies and our minds. I totally enjoyed that part of childhood.

Now I'm all grown up... sort of. Well, I missed that part of my childhood. That part of childhood where imagination takes me anywhere I want to go and on Saturdays and Sundays, I can take an afternoon nap or play on my PlayStation or even do something weird with my friends. I miss the part of my childhood where my laughter is genuine. Those funny but priceless moments with my friends.

I just regret that I follow my parents' orders too much. I forgot to take on more adventures in my childhood because I was trying to make my parents happy. I'm not blaming them or anything.

It just sucks that I don't have this freedom in my childhood where I can explore things for myself. There are still a lot of things I haven't explored yet in my childhood. This is a cliche but I somehow want to go back and experience my childhood once again and maybe this time, set things right. I don't know. Or maybe to just try things I haven't done in my childhood so I can feel somehow contented with my childhood.