Beliefs, rituals and traditions.

Today is ash Wednesday and it got me thinking. All my life I have been part of a family that has no religious traditions. Aside from Noche Buena and New Years eve dinner, I can't remember a single time when we had to go through a family tradition. Even when we visit the cemetery for all souls day we do it individually and never on the day itself. So this got me thinking what are our traditions, rituals and beliefs.

For the past how many years if not for a friend of mine that put so much effort in making me go to church, I probably would have gone ten years without hearing a single mass aside from weddings and funerals I have to attend. And even then I probably would have been seated outside half listening to the sermon. Does this make me a bad person?

Growing up I always wondered why smoking was regarded as such a bad thing. My dad was a smoker, my mom was a smoker and a lot of people I knew, good people smoked. I never fully understood the stigma that people attached , to what I admit is a bad habit, but should not define the overall goodness of a person, maybe a weakness in character can be attributed to this, but that's as far as it should go.

As I go through life I wonder what will define me as a person? Will it be the stories i tell of my past glory. Will it be my future family? Will it be my career? What are my beliefs, rituals and traditions? I guess it will take me a while to figure this out. But it does get you thinking, doesn't it?

Republic Tattoo

I am a part of a Tattoo shop!

Can you believe it? I can't. What started out as an attempt to put up a poultry farm has turned into putting up the most premiere tattoo parlor in the Philippines. "Republic Tattoo". Isn't that amazing.

So just in case anyone is reading this, and is itching to get a tattoo. Let me know!

Mt. Marami

This is a long overdue post. Its been almost two months since I posted, so my writing is a little rusty. And its taken me 15 minutes to craft this first paragraph, including the part on how difficult it was to write.

Mt. Marami..... Hmmmmm.

I'm not a seasoned climber by any means, I only started last year and have only been up a few mountains. But this was certainly the hardest in my book. The trail was quite long. And it didn't help that summer was already showing its teeth. But just like all the climbs I have been in, I cannot help but be mesmerized by beauty and the challenge that a mountain offers. I don't recommend this mountain for first timers, but if you decide to visit its peak, water, a hat and sunblock will be your best friends.


Marc and Richard still half asleep

Talk about an unlucky break, JD's tire had a leak

On our way to the entrance of the mountain


One of our many rest areas

Me and Marc midway

See that rocky peak? YES! That's the summit!


There was an overcast, so the picture wasn't that great. But it was still breath taking


The boys on top