MICHAEL JACKSON & RYAN WHITE HAVE GONE TOO SOON

While watching Usher sing the song “Gone Too Soon” during the memorial for Michael Jackson, I became intrigued with the song that I decided to search for the lyrics and was touched by the words. Michael really wrote meaningful and soulful songs. I later on learned that the song was written for a boy named Ryan White. Who is he you might ask and why would Michael Jackson write a song for this person? Well, read on and find out.

Ryan White is a hero. He was an American teenager who became the spokesperson for HIV/AIDS. A hemophiliac, he contracted the HIV virus through a contaminated blood treatment and was given six months to live. Since HIV at that time was associated with homosexual activities, Ryan was banned from his school. The teachers and parents fought to prohibit Ryan from attending school. Fighting for his rights made him a prominent figure in educating the public about HIV and advocating for more HIV/AIDS research. Celebrities like Michael Jackson, Elton John and Phil Donahue were by his side. Ryan lived for another five years, after which the US Congress passed an important piece of AIDS legislation called the Ryan White Care Act. His programs are the largest providers of services for people with HIV/AIDS living in America.

I love stories such as this. I find it necessary to share an inspiring tale of strength, faith, perseverance and love. Ryan White just like Michael Jackson have gone too soon. Enjoy the video and may your spirit be sparked by the words honoring this young soul.

Ryan White 1971-1990

"Gone Too Soon" by Michael Jackson

Like A Comet
Blazing 'Cross The Evening Sky
Gone Too Soon

Like A Rainbow
Fading In The Twinkling Of An Eye
Gone Too Soon

Shiny And Sparkly
And Splendidly Bright
Here One Day
Gone One Night

Like The Loss Of Sunlight
On A Cloudy Afternoon
Gone Too Soon

Like A Castle
Built Upon A Sandy Beach
Gone Too Soon

Like A Perfect Flower
That Is Just Beyond Your Reach
Gone Too Soon

Born To Amuse, To Inspire, To Delight
Here One Day
Gone One Night

Like A Sunset
Dying With The Rising Of The Moon
Gone Too Soon

Gone Too Soon

LETTUCE AND MORE

I did it again. I lost control. The plan was to buy lettuce for a salad craving I wanted to fulfill this lunchtime. It was clear in my mind what I had to do in the morning, that is attend Pilates class, go to the bank then buy lettuce at the grocery. What went wrong? As usual, I did not stick to the plan. I accomplished the first two then failed on the last because a 48-peso purchase of Tagaytay romaine lettuce turned to 520 pesos at the counter.

There I was carrying a yellow grocery basket, heading towards the vegetable section until I spotted bananas that I want to include in my diet, so obviously I grabbed a bunch, then the romaine lettuce after which I got cherry tomatoes, nuts and almost included pomelo but decided otherwise. Walking through the aisles, I saw cookies and chips my kids love. I saw my arm extend to grab not one or two but three different kinds.

Are you a victim of shoppers high? I normally feel this when I buy for others; buying for myself makes me feel guilty afterwards unless it is something I need badly and if I have the money. As the designated personal shopper of relatives, especially during the Christmas season, I get so energetic to begin the day and find the gifts simply because it is not my bank account being deducted here. But the grocery scenario earlier affects my budget and even when I realized the basket was getting filled up, I still did it.

Temperance. Self-Control. Discipline. Will power. These words describe the one attitude I should have practiced and that is self-restraint. That in a nutshell was my mistake. Well at least I will get kisses from the kids.

GIGANTISM

-Tanya before and now-

How peculiar is it that my post today tackles a piece about another woman. Unfortunately it is not a happy story as that of Tammey Burns (see post below). Again, as I was having my cup of coffee and watching the Today Show (it is safe to assume that this is a daily routine for me), host Meredith Vieira was interviewing a woman who is suffering from gigantism. Her name is Tanya Angus; she is only 30 years old.

At age 20, Tanya stood at 5’11” and weighed 115 lbs. Today she is 6’6” tall, weighs 480 lbs and continues to grow. This rare disorder is called acromegaly. Also called gigantism, Tanya’s condition was revealed by a tumor wrapped around the pituitary gland at the base of her brain that secretes huge amounts of growth hormone. She has been operated a number of times but the tumor keeps coming back and it seems like no medication is taking effect anymore.

If there is anything positive that can be derived form this story, it is the bravery of Tanya to come out and speak about the disorder. Her intention was to warn the people that this disorder just props up. You can wake up and see your feet are bigger and your clothes don’t fit anymore.

We are guilty of judging people by the way they look. No matter how many times we have heard of the cliché “Do not judge a book by its cover”, or the more popular rendition of Melanie Marquez when she defended her brother Joey, “Do not judge my brother, he is not a book” (bwahaha), we continue to do so. Finding faults in others is a common activity because of the need to qualify that our lives are better; it is like an ego booster of some sort.

In a nutshell, there is no perfect life, just like there is no perfect person. We fix our problems with tools given us and we accept our fate with complete surrender to God. The latter is difficult especially when dealing with a traumatic experience but just like Tanya, we continue to live until He says our mission is over. Good luck Tanya.

photo from Today Show website

WOMAN LOSES 410 LBS

This morning while watching the Today Show, I was intrigued to hear about a 48 year old woman who has lost 410 lbs without surgery. Emphasis on the words WITHOUT SURGERY!!! It was pure determination and will power on her part. She felt it was time to make a change when her health continued to deteriorate and she was relying on her relatives to help her with her personal grooming. Her name is Tammey Burns. She is truly an inspiration for those who think or believe nothing could be done when weight has reached this level of obesity.

Her first step was to see a Psychologist who helped her understand her emotional issues with food. Doctors say most obese people use food to comfort themselves and are escaping from the real issues they need to address. Tammey later on worked on the physical aspect of weight loss through exercise. She proudly calls herself a walking athlete.

A story like this can only encourage those who have been battling with their weights and make them believe they don't have to be a participant in The Biggest Loser, or have body wraps at Marie France, or seek the services of Vicki Belo for liposuction to lose substantial amount of weight.

Take this story and apply it with other problems because if you dig deeper into this scenario, the attitude of Tammey and her persistence and drive are what made this perceived impossibility a possibility. That in a nutshell is an example of tenacity. Hats off to you Tammey.

A WORK IN PROGRESS

Frustrated. Angry. Impatient. Depressed. Troubled. Disheartened. Discouraged. Exasperated. Insecure. Mad. Tired.

Who is being described above? Well, sad to say that is me. These are descriptions of a 41 year-old woman who exercises five to six days a week by running, doing Pilates and spinning on a stationary bike and still does not see any improvement in stamina, speed, flexibility and most importantly, weight loss. I have been watching my diet too. To top that, a couple of injuries are popping up.

The better side of me is whispering, I hope though, it would scream at my stubborn mind, that this is normal. As a woman ages, her metabolism slows down. I cannot and will not include age as a reason because there are many who have proven age does not prohibit one from reaching a goal, more so, a weight goal. Years back my thyroid “malfunctioned” and this provided an explanation for my weight loss then weight gain. I had hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism in a span of around three years. As a matter of fact, I have to take medication for the rest of my life because I burned my thyroid. So this can no longer be an excuse.

So what is it then? Should I be running faster, longer? Biking stronger? Or doing Pilates four times a week? If I include any other form of exercise then I would be spending most of my mornings exercising. My life schedule is not free to accommodate just exercises; definitely not like the contestants in The Biggest Loser who work out 7 to 8 hours a day. Should I just turn vegetarian? For now I can’t seem to imagine a life without bacon and a really tender rib-eye steak. I do have a sweet tooth but have limited my intake of desserts as well. Oh yes there is the easy way out if only I had tons of money—that would be liposuction and the like.

I am far from being overweight. It’s just that I do have a goal and I can’t seem to reach it in spite of my efforts to do so. I do feel shallow talking about this. I will not argue on how trivial this issue is compared to the many problems out there. I sound ridiculous in fact. Writing this just made me realize this. This outpouring just did me good. I once read contentment breeds happiness. Attaining this should be my goal. In a nutshell, I am a work in progress and will always be.

NAK NAM POO CHA

This was one of the many creative and funny banners I spotted at the recent anti Con-Ass rally last Wednesday, June 10.  At first I thought it was an advertisement for a Chinese restaurant until I took a second read. I pointed it out to Jamike and the other people we were with and we started laughing. I just felt this is exactly what I want to say to this current government.

BED WEATHER

I have the house to myself this afternoon. My kids asked me to take them to my parent’s house; maybe they needed a change of view.  The rains have started to fall heavily, looking more like a typhoon rather than a low-pressure area hovering above Luzon.  I have done most of the work required from me today so while I am writing this, I am also switching channels between watching the French Open, CNN’s update on the Air France flight 447 plane crash and ANC’s news on Gloria Arroyo’s puppets forcing a Constitutional Assembly.  Let's not allow her to extend her presidency.

I would rather not talk about the last item because it just puts me in a negative state of mind and this is not healthy at all. I think this bed weather allows the mind and body to relax a bit.  I noticed when the weather is extremely warm and humid, the body tires, the mind loses focus and the aura is unenthusiastic.  I would bet majority of fights occur when the weather is hot. 

I have two problems when I am home and the weather is such.  I get sleepy and it’s like I am hungry all the time.  In fact, I always have a bottle of water next to me to fill me up; otherwise, I’d be in the kitchen grabbing a snack even if I’m not really hungry. In a while I will get on my stationary bike, workout a bit and….have a glass of wine tonight.