MOVING ON

Once in a while, I'd receive letters from people whom I don't really know, or have not met before. They'd be writing that they're out to seek love, plus their desire to get help from me, one way or another, with specific instructions on the steps I need to take so that I could help them. I am aghast that the government officials of Niger are far from taking steps to contain spreading letters like these from being sent out in the internet---it seems like they like to keep a bad reputation (which is very difficult to get rid of, unless you pay so much money just for public relations, or something else). There's nothing bad about helping, really, if only I have in my hands the help that's needed, but how do you best deal with these letters? I might as well share them here for all the curious readers, visitors out there. I'll keep on updating this posting, until they quit sending me such letters. I wonder how these writers are able to send mails like those copy-...

(one of the most memorable poems I read way back high school days---I remember our class in "Christian Living" being tasked to "disassemble" and "make sense" and more of something from this poem. But I recall snatches of what got me into thinking more: I have felt something solemn, truthful, courageous, and strong from reading, & rereading this poem, and have understood these traits are guiding posts on how to best lead a more fruitful, purposeful life.... and I just chanced to see it somewhere beneath the reams of the pages of Facebook; the wonders, indeed, of today's social networking! Thanks!!!) Out of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the horror of the shade, And yet t...

Note: These songs have come from many sources, including those I saw from friends' online pages. Feel free to share me links on songs you believe qualify as 'moving on songs,' and I'll have them linked here, too. Thank you. Also, note that some songs embedded here, by the time you've read this, would be gone one minute sooner for some unclear reason----most probably those who have posted them (from whom I have gathered the code for sharing here) have issues related to copyrights. And as such, I'm amused by the stance and related developments. In today's heavily linked world, you'll find more advantage if you just keep on sharing what you have. It's a most effective approach, too, when you have to move on and have to let go of someone, something from having a place in your heart and mind.

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky My rating: 5 of 5 stars I was halfway thru reading this book when I met a retired Russian chemist (who was suffering from lung cancer) in one of my gigs, and we discussed about our common interests in reading books. I was surprised to hear from her about Dostoevsky's books being not among her top choices for her reading fare (I saw books everywhere in her house, mostly non English ones), just like others in her personal network. She said, Dostoevsky writes in the ultimate dramatic way (almost histrionic, I thought to myself, and to which I agree to some extent), which is not completely Russian in character (and adds that Pushkin should be read by non Russian readers to get an idea of the best in Russian literature). But she added that Dostoevsky's reads better in the English translations of his books (as remarked by her daughter who's a bilingual, English & Russian writer). The conversation got me more interested in finis...

I'm getting tired receiving letters/emails like these two I copy-pasted below. I'm looking for part-time gigs, but some people can't seem to help themselves but to just take advantage of the situation. I just wish they'd all get lost! from Morgan Todd to date Thu, Jul 16, 2009 at 3:20 AM subject DEAR WORKER...!!! mailed-by yahoo.com signed-by yahoo.com hide details 3:20 AM (8 hours ago) Reply Follow up message Dear Worker, Its nice to read from you that you are interested in knowing more about the part time job offer.I am looking for someone who can handle my personal and business errands at his/her spare time. Someone who can offer me these services:Mail services: Receive my mails and drop them off at FedEx,Dhl,Ups(nothing illegal).Shop for Gifts,Sit for delivery( at your home) or pick items up at nearby post office at your convenience.I would love to meet up with you to talk about this job if you will like to work full time.But i am currently away to see my f...

Window in the bathroom looking into a similar window at the next apartment View of the ongoing construction of another apartment building outside of my window, that creates some annoying noise A photo of myself using the help of the mirror in my tiny bedroom; I'm actually standing on the bed! Some of my books on the uppermost shelf in the bedroom A more sedate, darker view of my window, looking again into the construction across the street The fluorescent round lamp in contrast against the iron white-washed ceiling My portable, detachable reading lamp, with a framed picture of the Sto Nino given to me by a friend, plus a small multi-colored lamp best used with a lighted candle in it! Detail of the floral-style metal attachments of one of the mirrors inside my tiny bedroom "A pied a what?" I asked my friend when she tried to describe what I was trying to do by keeping a bed space (actually, a tiny, tiny bedroom somewhere in East Broadway, Chinatown in Manhattan, which I sh...

I've been staying in this household in Stapleton, Staten Island, for nearly 3 months now, and my landlord, Mike, has prepared at least twice his favorite, stuffed pepper [click on the link for a typical recipe found online] . He used to own and run a restaurant offering American cuisine for many years. His version of stuffed pepper is prepared rather quick, and ending to be very yummy. He would asked me to cook the rice that would be included in the stuffing (as I bragged about "cooking rice without a rice cooker is no problem, being Asian myself"). He'd include ground beef, egg, flour, plus some special ingredients. The prep work is done fast, in less than 10 minutes, I noticed. He'd add some kind of a pasta sauce in the baking dish, add some cut pieces of potatoes around the stuffed pepper, cover the dish with foil, and then prepare the sides (usually vegetables, and mashed potatoes). The dish is baked in at least 45 minutes. I observed we can actually spend ti...

I'm copy-pasting emails I'm getting from unverifiable sources that claim they're from Gmail. It's just getting to be pretty wasteful of one's time. But I'm seeing that by sharing these here, some curious readers and visitors out there may eventually google about these names and their letters, and can decide if they're malicious or not. Readers, beware! Starred from Gmail Team reply-to Gmail Team to date Sun, Jul 12, 2009 at 12:38 PM subject Gmail Team hide details 12:38 PM (4 minutes ago) Reply Follow up message VERIFY YOUR FREE GMA I L ACCOUNT NOW !!! Dear Gma il Account Owner, This message is from Gmail messaging center to all Gmail free account owners and premium account owners. It has come to our notice that the rate of phishing attacks against Gmail! users recently is at an alarming rate.We have taken steps to protect your Gmail! accounts through a mail verification process. Please fill in the following details. CONFIRM YOU...

[Ed's palabok, awesome with red wine, while conversing with him, & getting distracted by what's online!] At yesterday's visit to my friend from highschool, Ed Quiambao, he surprised me again by going out of his way to prepare his home-cooked pancit palabok , his version. Ed ought to seriously consider putting up a food business anytime soon, I went kidding him, which I hope he'd take action soon as he's a happy cook. His wife, Vicky, did all the prep works, while Ed and I were chatting. Click on the link found anywhere here in this posting so you'd get details on how to prepare your own pancit palabok. I'll share here what went on as we ventured into having our dinner last night. As we talked about the travails and joys of immigrating to the US, specifically here in NYC, he was soon making the sauce. He added in oil and grounded achuete in the pan for the sauce. Stirring in the sauce while it's slowly being cooked, he soon finished it by straining a...

I tried to keep away from venturing out in sharing my take about this shocking demise (as I'll be obviously riding on the current popularity of the worldwide grief now experienced over the death of an icon), but I could not help but share a thing or two about Michael Jackson. I heard the news about his death in an almost empty bus among 3 black people up there in the Bronx. Michael was very much as black as those 3 with me that time, though I figure he must have been forgiven by most black people for transforming himself into what others have described as a "white woman," an act he must have committed in order to pursue his calling as an artist, as part of coming up with a whole new package for a finicky market, as a way to depart strongly from the past (and come in terms with the present, as some will say). I suddenly remarked before the group, in my faltering accent, my observation that most media have been harsh towards Michael during the last few years of his life, as...

Copy-pasted below are dubious messages supposedly from Google, and Gmail. I just wonder what kind of pleasure do people who are into these things derive from sending out messages like these....hmmmm, the travails of having an online presence these days...well, what else can I say? from Google promotions reply-to mrg.benfield01@msn.com to date Sat, Jun 27, 2009 at 7:39 AM subject Google Online Promo © 2009 mailed-by univ.trieste.it hide details 7:39 AM (3 hours ago) Reply Follow up message Dear Valued Customer, Your e-mail has emerged as a winner of £500,000.00 GBP (Five Hundred Thousand British Pounds) in our on-going promotion.Your Winning details are as follows: Computer Generated Profile Numbers (CGPN):7-22-71-00-66-12, Ticket number: 00869575733664, Serial numbers:/BTD/8070447706/06, Lucky numbers: 12-12-23-35-40-41(12). Contact Mr Grahams Benfield, for more details through the contact below: Mr Grahams Benfield,, Email: mrg.benfield02@gmail.com Sincerely, Mr Peter Janot. +++...

Lately, I've been getting some strange replies from people I don't really know. They were replying to emails which they thought I sent them, asking them to apply for vacancies in a fictitious company that I'm supposed to represent. Despite the malicious intent, I hope something good happens from all these......Help! I copy-pasted below the text of the emails which was sent to a number of people. I apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused anyone out there. I'm a real person, and you can just reply to this posting if you want to know more about these malicious emails where my email addresses have been used. I've also received some job offers from several companies that are dubious. I copy pasted one of them here. I'll be updating this email as soon as I receive letters similar to this. Thank you for taking time to read this! from Sam Judge to dyerohmeb@gmail.com date Sun, Aug 23, 2009 at 7:50 PM subject Re: personal Assistant mailed-by yahoo.com hi...