Author: Chris

Bullet my blue sky

| Chris

I’ve been anywhere but here, have I not? I know. But let’s move on, shall we?

Sometimes life can be so slow. Sometimes it passes you by like a bullet, you don’t even know it’s there until it hits something. And then, a moment later you again realize… Whew! It could’ve been you that was hit, but you got lucky perhaps. And then, once again your eyes open… that bullet really may have been meant for you but, for some reason, it missed.

The past three days have been pretty scary for us here in our little town of Cheyenne. We have had tornado warnings after tornado warnings and have spent quite a substantial amount of time in the basement parking lot trying to keep safe instead of working on projects that needed to be finished yesterday. Thank God, we’re still here though. But some folks just a few miles from us in Colorado weren’t so lucky.

I’ve always dreamed of going to China. I could’ve gone anytime. Even now. Then one morning I wake up to read of the devastaion that had occured and the unimaginable amount of casualties. I could’ve been there. I could’ve been one of them.

Life is a moving picture, isn’t it? It changes from one moment to another. Without notice. Sometimes we’re obscure spectators and sometimes we’re the stars of the show. But there is always one constant. Spiritual bullets. They are always cluttering our blue skies like unseen demons roaming back and forth, preying on unsuspecting strangers. But they move so fast we think everything’s fine. Though, it’s just a matter of time until it’s our turn to get hit.

A lot of times though, I see myself dodging unseen bullets that I miss life itself. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy my life. It’s just that every now and then, I can’t help but be overwhelmed with fear. For different reasons. I never thought that my divorce was a possibility until it happened, you know. Now, it seems like it’s just a matter of time until another bullet would hit. Would it be small, like those that have hit me many times before? Or, would it be a big fat one that I may not survive it, this time around?

I thirst for peace. But peace can sometimes be elusive. However, just like the bullets, it also roams around looking for unsuspecting strangers to comfort. It’s in the air. And I look for it constantly. And as I do, I realize that I am alive. Lucky, perhaps. Blessed, for sure. It’s a fact, that no matter how many bullets may hit, still life goes on. Forever, really.

This thought reminded me, not of U2’s political song (as this post’s title may have suggested), but of one of my favorite bands of the last 10 years. I just had to play this song today, as it really helps to keep my hopes alive. Not to mention, rock my socks off… on a dismal Sunday! After all, it’s freakin’ 62 degrees outside and I’m sweating like a pig, already!

Anyhow, without further ado, here’s P.O.D with… Alive!

Songs about Heaven, part 4 (Over Yonder)

| Chris

I’ve been away for a couple of weeks on travel. It was nice to just be out of the office for awhile and not to be at my desk. It was good to drive away somewhere and be far from everything. Even if it was all about work still.

But what’s more interesting is that I was able to finally see the gorgeous mountains of north Wyoming and south Montana; and experience the beauty of this part of the Rockies, for the first time.

My mouth was open; simply stunned and made speechless by what I have seen. Mind blowing terrains, towering boulders, tunnel passes under the mountain, long and winding roads, buffaloes, hot springs. Even ghost towns that looked like scenes from a spaghetti western. You name it, I saw it. The big bummer is that I forgot to bring a camera. I didn’t think I’d be passing through scenic routes after scenic routes.

So just trust me when I say I’ve seen a corner of heaven. Where the angels wore boots. I really have! It may be a bit of a drive but from where I live, it’s just ’round the bend! Over yonder… if you will.

Oh, by the way, it’s good to be home. Or should I say, it’s good to find it.

Yonder

I’m incomplete until we meet
When it’s over
Seems so far away from yesterday
Now it’s closer

Light shining at the end of the tunnel, I believe
To help me find my way, way back home today

There’s a house over yonder
Never lost, never wander again
Knock on the door, step inside, walk on the floor
Here in the house over yonder

You don’t have to know, just let it go
Free your mind, heart and soul
Go fly away, yet learn to stay
When you hear the voices say

Light shining at the end of the tunnel, do you believe
To help you find your way, your way back home today

There’s a house over yonder
Never lost, never wander again
Knock on the door, step inside, walk on the floor
Here in the house over yonder

How many times we miss our chances
And when we close our eyes
How much more before we die

There’s a house over yonder
Never lost, never wander again
Knock on the door, step inside, walk on the floor
Here in the house over yonder

©2004 Chris Alma Jose

And here’s the video…

Halle Lou Yeah!

| Chris

Okay! We’ve all misheard song lyrics on the radio many times, but when it happens in a church worship setting… beware! You might just find yourself hastily losing your religion!

Father, forgive them, for they know not what they sing. (thunder cracks)

Productive Shoutouts

| Chris

At the turn of the century, the internet seemed to have changed from a mere informational medium to a real-time virtual hangout place. I can still remember in the mid 90’s when the most you did online, besides search for static information, was to chat on IRC. Or join newsgroups (I was big on this one in particular). And instead of a MySpace page, you probably had a Geocities homestead. Today, it seems like social networking is just “the way you do internet” now as reality TV is “the way you do TV” now. It’s a way of life to know someone from anywhere around the globe as if you grew up in the same street. Interesting, indeed. The world seems so much smaller today than it was just a decade ago. And that’s a very good thing in my book.

But much like TV, social networking could easily take up a huge chunk of your life, if you’re unaware. Unless, of course, you consider it your entire life. And perhaps, there’s a reason why it should be. On the other hand, sometimes, it slips our mind that there are other important things we could accomplish for the benefit of our future than just hanging out with, and virtual high-fiving our online buddies 24/7. Now, I’m not saying to stop doing that. I’m just thinking of alternative means of interacting in cyberspace. Especially, the ones that encourage personal productivity. The ones that can actually help lead us to a better place at some point in time; be it spiritually, emotionally, physically or financially.

The web today seems to have something for every imaginable lifestyle and demographic. Both good and bad. However, a lot of times, popularity leads to trends and unfortunately, you get sucked in one way or another. After all, don’t we all want to feel connected? Or even cool, validated and relevant? That’s life, I guess. And so, what do we do? We sign up for an account and join the crowd. Ha!

Lately though, I’ve discovered many new sites that aren’t as hip as the ones we’re normally familiar with. At least, not yet. And when I started journaling online a few of years ago, I never expected any social interaction. Yet, I appreciate that it actually enables you to make friends and/or inspire people with the words you write. Being a creative creature, writing gives me a valid reason to spend time blogging. It is being productive, much like I consider writing and recording songs a true form of productivity. Simply because that’s just who I am and that’s just what I do to make my life worth something.

Besides reading blogs, I like going to places where I actually learn something. Like Yahoo Answers, for instance. It’s cool that you can ask any question under the sun and you get responses coming from your own town all the way out on the other side of the planet. Your perspective is drastically widened that way. You’re offered several viewpoints instead of just one. I love it. And then, there is Lifehack.org. It’s my Dear Abby on living a productive life. Very cool.

Okay, I feel like I could go on forever on this topic. I simply want to share some of the places on the web I’ve been hanging out lately, actually. Maybe, you can check out some of them yourself and see if they can help enhance productivity in your life online, as well. I know it does mine.

Besides the obvious ones (and the ones I’ve already mentioned above), here are some other sites I consider regular stomping grounds:

  • del.icio.us – Your browser’s Favorites is a thing of the ancient past. Get on with the times and access your bookmarks on the web, already. Also, it’s cool that other people give recommendations, too. I never would’ve found out about an important link if no one bragged about it. I don’t go a day without using it.
  • digg – If you’re a news hound like me, this could get addicting. I purposely try to stay away if I know I need to get something else done.
  • Bibsonomy – A place to share publications and literature. I go here to randomly learn about something someone wants the world to learn about. I’m just an information addict, I guess.
  • 43 Things – List your goals, share your progress and cheer each other on. Very cool site. I have yet to utilize this one though… I am still afraid to make some commitments. But I try to get inspired by others who have made their goals, persevered and got cheered on.
  • LinkedIn – Want a better job, start rubbing elbows right here. Me? I really hope I get to keep my present job as it is the best one I’ve ever had in my life.
  • Twitter – This is micro-blogging at its best! I use it to keep up with (literally) up-to-the-minute news updates on just about anything from top headlines to a hospital patient’s minute-by-minute progress. I got it set up once to send updates through SMS on my cell phone until it started ringing off the hook and drove me nuts!
  • Last.fm – One word… music. Now, you might not consider this productive, but as a musician, I am in constant need of inspiration. This is definitely optional, just for people who consider music the air they breath.
  • Tumblr – I’m new to this one and have yet to make full use of it. It’s a nice little area for showcasing my art without having to explain it in words, I think. It’s a tumblelog, after all. A what, you asked? A tumblelog!!!
  • Netvibes – Don’t get me wrong, I think iGoogle works fine. But Netvibes is iGoogle in designer clothes with lots of bling, cash and is fatally attracted to you. I’ve been on it for two years now and they’ve come a long way since. This cool portal helps put everything I have online all in one convenient place.

The following sites, I don’t use but still find interesting, nonetheless.

  • LibraryThing – Book lovers, unite! If the library is your regular hangout spot, here’s an online version for you.
  • GoodReads – A social cataloging site similar to LibraryThing. Unfortunately, I’m not a bookworm or I would get lost in here on a daily basis.
  • StoryMash – For fiction readers and writers. It allows members to collaborate in the writing process. This system of user-generated content pays all authors over 50% of all revenue made by the content they publish. Very cool, indeed!
  • CakeFinancial – This one’s specifically for investors. It allows members to share their real stock portfolios and performance with other members. I might use this one day, when I finally learn how to invest!
  • Care2 – Do you love the earth? I mean, like way more than your average green practicioner? Then, come on in and join your fellow radicals and activists.
  • ExperienceProject – This online community connects members who share similar life experiences. Like, if you’re suffering from depression, or being haunted by a rough childhood memory, you’ll be in good company here. I really thought it a good place to find some kind of healing.
  • Jaiku – It’s a micro-blogging site similar to Twitter. Nicer, in fact. But not as popular. And, it’s owned by Google, I think.

Anyhow, I’m sure I barely scratched the surface here. But, like I said, there’s so much interesting places out there on the web, that we now have several means to improve the quality and productivity of our lives… if only we knew where to find them. Hope this helps a bit.

It’s all about ME ME ME!!!

| Chris

Well, at least on this post, it is! He he! My dear friend, Selma, let me borrow this template so I could reveal some personal facts that even I myself might not have thought of in a long while. But I can’t promise anything special here. Just the facts, people. Just the facts.

So, here’s to boring the whole planet…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

my 2nd birthdayMy earliest memory is…..

… my 2nd birthday party. Manila, Philippines. 1965. I was wearing a t-shirt that had John, Paul, George and Ringo’s heads printed on it. The whole neighborhood was in the house paying their respects. All eyes were on me. Gifts. Offerings. I got ’em! I even got the biggest slice of cake, I believe. Why not? It was mine, after all. It was then that I realized I was destined to be a rock god. California, here I come.

At school I…..

… was dubbed Mr. KISS. Since their music was pretty much all the education I was interested in… teaching everyone about, that is!

kiss this!My first relationship was….

… with a (third) cousin! Kissing cousins, that’s right. Hey, give me a break! I was 15, for crying out loud! What did I know back then?

I don’t like talking about……

… the weather. Life is a much better subject… yours and mine, that is.

My most treasured possession is….

… my faith in God. As with tangible things, well… it’s easy to lose your grip on anything in this world. Especially, when you’re dead.

I wish I had…..

… more guitars. Can’t have just seven! That’s preposterous!

This is a good start

I wish I hadn’t……

… eaten too much for dinner. I’ve got a gallon of tapioca pudding in the fridge. But, you can’t have your pudding if you don’t eat your meat, right? Well, I ate so much meat, now there’s no room left for the pudding! Nope, really can’t do it. Might squirt out of my bellybutton, if I tried. And this happens all the time, dang it!

At home I cook…..

… Italian, Chinese, Thai, Cajun, Southern cuisine and my personal comfort food… Jamie Oliver’s midnight breakfast. Served any time of day, any day.

My favourite gadget is….

… a Jimi Hendrix edition wah-wah pedal. ‘Scuse me, while my guitar gently weeps.

I’m very bad at….

… acting my age. Though, I’m afraid I’m starting to look it now. The mirror has suddenly become my nemesis. Damn you, bathroom mirror (splashes a glass of merlot on it)!

I’m always being asked…..

… Where ya from, boy? That’s what I get for being a lone Metro-raised Asian (and not looking my age) here in ye olde wild wild west. It’s quite an education, I tell ya.

It’s not fashionable, but I love….

… not being fashionable, at all. It’s quite inexpensive, to be honest. Besides, the Joneses don’t live in my neck of the woods, so there’s no one to keep up with. Lucky me!

The last big belly laugh I had was…..

… yesterday, in fact. I fell out of my chair (for the uhmpteenth time) listening to this classic prank call (for the uhmpteenth time). You should, in fact, do yourself a big belly laugh of a favor and check it out, as well. You’ll thank me for it… after you’re done ROTFL, that is.

If only I could be sure….

… ummm… no, nevermind. I am sure!

my 2nd birthdayFriends say I am….

… deep. No wonder sometimes I feel like drowning (in my own philosophical pool, perhaps).

The song I’d like played at my funeral is….

… one I have yet to write. But actually, that’s kind of morbid, don’t you think? So maybe I’ll opt for, ummm… Someone Saved My Life Tonight (no, not sugarbear, silly). Or, how about… Goodbye Yellow Brick Road? Yeah, yeah! That’s it! Since I’m getting off the road to nowhere and am now on the road to somewhere, it would be perfect, I think.

My greatest fear….

… is that I might succumb to fear itself. It’s possible, y’know. Since, contrary to popular belief, I am not fearless, at all.

At the moment I’m reading…..

… Choosing Civility, by P.M. Forni. This dude was born and raised in Italy but eventually moved to the States and have since learned the value of practicing considerate conduct in everyday life by comparing the two seemingly different worlds he’s lived in. I believe that it is to one’s great advantage to learn (or even immerse into) a culture other than his/her own. Because, the more you know, the more you’ll understand. And the more you understand, the less questions you’ll have. And the less questions you have, the more you’re capable of accepting people for who they are. And the more people accept each other, the better the chances of this world shrinking into a nice little beach bonfire circle of sorts!!! And that, my friends, is what I call… California dreaming. Peace, Love and Harmony, y’all! Didn’t I say, the sixties rule?

At the moment I’m listening to….

… a lot of struggling, yet unbelievably talented indie artists you’re probably never going to hear about. Possibly, because their music is not quite the flavor of the month. Ever. Usually, I listen to new rock with a 60’s vibe. Right this moment, it’s The Nines. A Canadian power trio that combines raw guitar with Beach Boys type of singing. Also, there’s this band from London called Jackdaw4 that I have been crazy about for maybe a year now. They blend Queen-like harmonies with Magical Mystery Tour quirkiness. You should treat yourself and listen to Jesus Wants My Soul Back. It’s a thing of beauty!

My favourite work of art is…..

… one I create myself. Usually, through an altered photograph, a written song, or even a simple dish I happened to whip up in the kitchen. Nothing spectacular, by any means. Just my fave. Simply because I believe in me. Silly and all.

my 2nd birthdayMy worst job was…..

… at a construction firm in Atlanta, GA where I was tasked to clean a bathroom so filthy it should have been nuked instead. Let me put it this way… this photo you’re looking at is STERILIZED in comparison. I gotta admit, it hurt my rock god ego a little, but… oh well.

They loved me there, though. That bathroom, at the end of the day, was gleaming you’d be blind to look without your sunglasses on.

I often wonder…..

… what if people cared for each other more than themselves. Yeah! Imagine a world without money, door locks, plastic surgery or weapons. All in all, aren’t they all just bricks in the wall, anyway? Or so I’ve heard.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Well, there you go. Everything laid bare for the whole world to see. Now, who’s brave enough to follow suit?

Reload already!

| Chris

Normally, I don’t enjoy ranting about technology. But when my patience gets affected in any way, I know it’s time to let off the steam a bit.

Okay. Reloading the browser. This technology is soooo last week! And, that’s my beef.

When you’re on a website that updates content by the minute, or second in fact, it gets annoying when you have to hit the reload button just to see what’s new. Imagine doing it when on a chat or IM…

Hmm, I wonder if I got a response yet. After all, it’s been, what… 2 seconds already! (hits reload button)

Maybe it’s just me, but I get lazy when I know I’ve already been pampered to death for years by AJAX-driven sites like, Netvibes, or the Google apps (Reader, Gmail, Gtalk, Notebook, etc.). So, why should I have to regularly hit a button on, say, Twitter, just to get the latest updates. Sites like this generate updates faster than you could switch tabs back and forth on your browser.

Also, I shouldn’t have to ask an email client whether or not I have new mail at the moment. Just let me know when friggin’ mail arrives, dagnabit! Fart, or something! I don’t know! Sheesh! How hard could it be? Can’t I just leave the window open all day and have it ring me up whenever something new arrives? Yeah, instead of having to visit every one of them every other minute… because I’m worried I might’ve missed something… already. After all, in this day and age (or at least, in Web 2.0 standards), a 10 minute-old news is called Archive! He! Care to view the microfiche?

K, I’m done.

Sorry, we haven’t had that spirit here since…

| Chris

That’s right… 1969!

You Belong in 1969
You are a free spirit with a huge heart. Love, peace, and happiness rule – oh, and drugs too.

What Year Do You Belong In?

I can remember vividly. I was six and bangin’ my drums to Honky Tonk Woman, dressed in military camouflage and cowboy boots, and getting wasted on Kool-Aid!

I haven’t had that kind of sleazy spirit, since.

Oh, and the photo above? That’s more like my mom, actually.

Songs about Heaven, part 3 (Forever Young)

| Chris

Don\'t look back, cowboy!It’s been awhile, but I’m back with the third installment of my Songs about Heaven series. For those of you who haven’t been following, I’m simply highlighting some songs I have written and recorded in the past which have been influenced by my own creative thoughts of what heaven might be like. Because the future is always bright, no matter how we choose to see it.

This song is about childhood. A time when everything was fresh and new. Untainted with doubt and fear. Untouched by an impure world. And yes, free from back aches as well.

Now that I’m older and a bit guarded, I sometimes long for the days when I could be brave and strong again. When I could put my heart on a platter and serve it without fear of rejection. When I could proudly wear a mohawk and ride into the sunset on my dark wooden horse. Instead of going to work and worrying about paying bills.

This is how I see heaven. It’s a place for children. Pure and unblemished. It’s where wings are grown and freedom is felt. It’s when you’re truly at home, I think.

I can’t wait for those days to be back. And when they are, it will be heaven, indeed.

In the meantime, here’s a song of hope…

Days of My Youth

hear me out for a moment, i won’t take so long to tell you
do you vaguely remember the whispers i made some time ago
in my darkest hours, energy i can’t replace no more
i try to pull back the hands of time to the days my youth, yeah

when you turn out the lights i start to see the road i’m taking
when i look into your eyes i see i am free
in my proudest moments all my trophies are crashing
trashing to the floor
no i can’t wait to travel back

to the days of my youth i promise to you
in the days of my youth i’ll never stray away
in the days of my youth i’ll find the proof
i’ll find it in you, yeah

i’ll find my way back to you and i’m now coming through
call on me and i’ll call back to you, yeah
like a bird on its wings when you tell him it sings
i will fly and will be satisfied in the days of my youth
yeah, in the days of my youth

yeah, in the days of my youth i promise to you
in the days of my youth i’ll never stray away
in the days of my youth i’ll find the proof
i’ll find it in you, oh yeah

in the days of my youth i’ll never be sad again
in the days of my youth i’ll never cry again, no
in the days of my youth i’ll find the proof
i’ll find it in you, yes i’ll find it in you
in the days of my youth

©2002 Chris Alma Jose

Under the wintry weather

| Chris

The sun is up today yet the temperature will barely climb up in the low 30’s. But yesterday this is how it looked like (pic taken from my front porch).

Spring in Wyoming

You should’ve seen it a couple of hours later. Six inches of snow on top of my car (silver Subaru on the left).

It’s Spring in Wyoming! Yep, we’re definitely under the weather here. I know I am, today. Too sick to go to work. I should be okay, though. Good thing the weekend’s ahead. I’m not scraping ice off of my windshield to drive anywhere. Think I’ll let it thaw out by itself for a couple of days before I come out of my nice little warm cocoon.

Meanwhile… a little hot cocoa is about to be served. Now, where was I? Ahh… TV.