Whole-Day Quickies

I was at work in less than an hour with my brother. He had to do a bunch of stuff before finally bidding “Good ridance!” to the company for another job, and I had to do a bunch of stuff before finally bidding “Good ridance!” to the company for Holy Week.

While I was picking up some last items, I saw our dear Momma’s Martha Stewart magazine called Living on her desk. It was a 2003 edition and its about everything in the holidays. I browsed it, drooled over the featured food, and wished it would be Christmas tomorrow.

I haven’t gotten over that wish so I just took borrowed the magazine for a while.

After looking at the receipt coughed out by the ATM machine in a grand mall in Ortigas, I wanted to cry. First, I just realized that my annual increase this year felt like it all went to my witholding tax; second, having recalled what my manager told me about the new salary increase, its effectivity, and the total coverage of my retroactive pay, I felt that what they’re giving me is less than what I have earned. I’d like to think that they didn’t miss including my pay for the promotion from last position I had; the people in Finance just, well, they didn’t want to include it. What’s bad is that my manager didn’t seem to notice it.

Mourning over my salary won’t do me any good now. I guess I just have to take that part-time technical writer job I saw almost five days ago in Jobstreet. But before that….

I went straight to Red Ribbon “harken” the cries of my stomach. Knowing in this stage that I am already tight on budget, I decided to treat myself a good plate of my all-time favorite Palabok. I was extremely deprived.

Digging into the palabok, alone on a solo table with cake and a tall glass of Sarsi, was heaven in its most simple (Oh, that luscious meat!). I remembered I would be fasting tomorrow, and then I was like “Yes, you are going to deprive yourself with food this good.”

“Ah,” I said, then put another meat in my mouth.

Thank God I didn’t mind the time when I was inside that packed, non-airconditioned bus…else I’d be muttering traffic-and-discipline jibberish to the mother seated on my right to get her to talk to me, like the guy who had been muttering traffic-and-discipline jibberish to me on my left.

When I got off, I felt I was sweating like a pig, and when I reached home and went inside my room, I wanted to melt. Worst is I can’t take a bath because I just had a back treatment. Worse is that the spa center where I’ve been treated won’t lay off in reminding me to settle my payment on my next visit. That they have to ask about it and remind me twice! Yesterday was just my second session out of twelve, and their “nagging” would be understandable if I weren’t told that clients have a month to complete the pay. A month, not two weeks. So I was taking my time in paying, nothing bad about that, but it doesn’t mean that I’m gonna run away. I mean, jeez, talk about poor customer service. =|

The Last Goodbye

I decided to let go of my belly ring for the second time in two years to finally set free the mushing flesh within the wound from the body jewel’s soft sawing mercy.  I’m beginning to think that, apparently, some of my flesh would really be pouring out red-tinted-flesh-colored ectoplasm from the wound…the bottom pierce to be exact, which is just above my navel…if I keep “torturing” myself like this.

I thought it has completely healed after more than six months; it’s been weeks now since the last time I felt pain down there.  I realized that I could have been doing something wrong when the pain shot back three days ago, and that everytime I look at my belly to check on the ring, to my surprise, I’d find this odorless, often transluscent mucus on top of the belly jewel that already hardened.   The other day, I found flesh: an itty-bitty lump of what looked to me like inverted flesh has formed around the bottom pierce.  Oh, its raw flesh all right.  It was watery, had very little blood, soft to the fingertip…and then the idea of suddenly seeing my innards gush out like water from a faucet scared me bleepless.

Yesterday morning, I gave the wound a rest, and by the time I came home from training and tried wearing my belly ring again, I said to myself that it can’t be done anymore.  The exitwound closed more quickly than expected, and I no longer have the courage (not to mention the right amount of threshold of pain) to pierce it again as I did the the first time it closed.

So there I was, lying half-naked on my bed, contemplating and recalling the days from the time I first let go of my belly ring to the time I decided to have my belly pierced again after six months.  I may be feeling 80% reluctant of losing it but the remaining part of me is glad.  My days of belly-and-ring checking is over.  

The wound still stings if i touch it or if I contract my stomach too much, but at least I know that the pain would cease in a couple of days.  I find consolation in the thought that if I’m still be wearing that sexy, sexy little thing on my navel, I don’t know when the pain would really, truly stop.  

I’m very tolerant with pain, but I just can’t live with the same pain forever.  They’re like…pent-up longings for fatherly love from childhood…or a grade of 66 for low quality work…or utter indecisiveness as to whether one should or shouldn’t stay with their three-year-long boyfriend when he failed them for the umpteenth (and still counting) time.

Besides, I’m better off nursing a facial cut done by accident than nursing a bleeding navel done by a really foolish and prideful heart.  I had to let go because pain should go away as it always does.  Slowly, one at a time.

Scarface

As I stared at the blood that formed beside my right eye in the mirror, I knew I’d be calling myself Scarface from now.

The deep obtuse triangular shape of the wound somehow disappeared into a fat, semi-elongated line of blood that seem to glorify the bigger gash my face sustained from the “freak accident”, which involved me, my grandmother’s house’s spare room, and one of the unused wooden beds that stood on its side. It happened after I woke up, blacked out for a moment from getting up quickly, supported myself on that bed before deciding to sit down then WHAM!  I didn’t know what hit me (literally) until my vision started to clear.

“Oh well,” my mind began to say after I dab the wound with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol, “at least you look good bloodied.” And then it laughed maniacally.

Fak-yews:

Scarface is the title of a 1932 gangster film of the Pre-Code era about gang warfare and rivalry over the control of the city.  It was later remade in 1983, which was directed by Brian de Palma and starred Al Pacino as Tony Montoya. 

The remake is actually popular enough that famous Rap/Hip-Hop musicians in the States swore that they’re not “cool” without a Scarface movie in their gazillion movie collection.

Guilty Pleasures

FACT: Otakus, such as myself, found ourselves wanting to marry that certain 2D character on TV at least once in our lives.

Gulity? 

Well, whoever made this site isn’t…and is not afraid to appeal to our littlest, darkest pleasure! *snickers*

Click away, fellow otaku.  You know you want to.  Nyahahaha!!  ;P

So Mababaw this Post

Yet I can’t help writing about it.

A couple of shift ago, my best friend, Rei, kept sending me pictures SM (Sailormoon.  Shh…), my favorite anime when we were in high school, and the gorgeous pics she sent me somehow kinda “resurrected” the spirit I lost many years ago for this crossover anime fanfic story I was writing about.  It was a SM X YYH. 

So anyway, thanks to Rei’s small efforts, I unearthed my moldy papers and dusted off the chapter files saved in my HD.  For a few days now, I have been polishing the whole thing, and I guess I won’t be stopping until I finish and produce the book this time.  (I finished my first YYH book, btw.)  From then until now, I have realized two things:

(a) The Jenny-Eugene argument scene in the story very much reflected where I am now in my life (…and I wrote that six years ago!)

(b) While surfing the Net (great research material for any book), I came across this site, which narrates the ending of YYH in the manga.  And, oh my God, was I floored when I found out that it held the exact concept I was planning to write about in my second YYH (focusing on Koenma-sama, this time) after the crossover!  Hint: It was about Enma Daio being bad and all.  Oh. My. God!

Wala lang

Killing Time

Your Personality Profile

You are dignified, spiritual, and wise. Always unsatisfied, you constantly try to better yourself. You are also a seeker of knowledge and often buried in books. You tend to be philosophical, looking for the big picture in life. You dream of inner peace for yourself, your friends, and the world. A good friend, you always give of yourself first.

The World’s Shortest Personality Test

Your Life Path Number is 6

Your purpose in life is to help others You are very compassionate, and you offer comfort to those around you. It pains you to see other people hurting, and you do all in your power to help them. You take on responsibility, and don’t mind personal sacrifice. You are the ultimate giver. In love, you offer warmth and protection to your partner. You often give too much of yourself, and you rarely put your own needs first. Emotions tend to rule your decisions too much, especially when it comes to love. And while taking care of people is great, make sure to give them room to grow on their own.

What Is Your Life Path Number?

What Your Face Says

At first glance, people see you as down to earth and reliable. Overall, your true self is reserved and logical. With friends, you seem dramatic, lively, and quick to react. In love, you seem mysterious and interesting. In stressful situations, you seem sad and helpless.

What Do People Think Of Your Face?

You are a Believer

You believe in God and your chosen religion. Whether you’re Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or Hindu.. Your convictions are strong and unwavering. You think your religion is the one true way, for everyone.

What’s Your Religious Philosophy?

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion: You have medium extroversion. You’re not the life of the party, but you do show up for the party. Sometimes you are full of energy and open to new social experiences. But you also need to hibernate and enjoy your “down time.” Conscientiousness: You have high conscientiousness. Intelligent and reliable, you tend to succeed in life. Most things in your life are organized and planned well. But you borderline on being a total perfectionist. Agreeableness: You have medium agreeableness. You’re generally a friendly and trusting person. But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism. You get along well with others, as long as they play fair. Neuroticism: You have medium neuroticism. You’re generally cool and collected, but sometimes you do panic. Little worries or problems can consume you, draining your energy. Your life is pretty smooth, but there’s a few emotional bumps you’d like to get rid of. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is high. In life, you tend to be an early adopter of all new things and ideas. You’ll try almost anything interesting, and you’re constantly pushing your own limits. A great connoisseir of art and beauty, you can find the positive side of almost anything.

The Five Factor Personality Test

Your Brain’s Pattern

You have a dreamy mind, full of fancy and fantasy. You have the ability to stay forever entertained with your thoughts. People may say you’re hard to read, but that’s because you’re so internally focused. But when you do share what you’re thinking, people are impressed with your imagination.

What Pattern Is Your Brain?

Your Hair Should Be Red

Passionate, fiery, and sassy. You’re a total smart aleck who’s got the biggest personality around.

What’s Your Funky Inner Hair Color?

Slow and Steady

Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy. They see you as very cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady plodder. It’d really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively or on the spur of the moment. They expect you to examine everything carefully from every angle and then usually decide against it.

How Do People See You?

Am I a walking contradictory or what? *snickers*

Love and Anger Management

“…kung magloloko lang sila (sa pag-aaral), mas magandang mamatay nalang sila.” My boyfriend said to me that night, referring to his siblings, who are still in school. Being the eldest of four, he is also the breadwinner of their family–he pays the bills and, yes, the school fees.

I understood why he had said that. Even I, too, would probably say the same thing once I found out that one of my younger brothers is squandering my hard-earned money–”the bastard!“. I would probably damn them to hell, too–”for all I care“.

I didn’t say anything to him after. I just smiled and looked at back at the menu, consequently closing the conversation and unintentionally fogetting the most important thing I should have said or done that could probably make him change his mind about his foreseen reaction to such a case. I didn’t remind him of forgiveness.

In this day of hearts, what happened reminded me that I should not only love, but I should love with a forgiveing heart. John reminds us that if the people in our lives messed up, we should forgive them. No questions asked. Why? Because when we messed up and repent, our heavenly Father forgives us, too–with no questions asked!

In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the eldest son felt so self-righteous (for doing all what his father told him to do and not breaking, even bending, his father’s laws) that he didn’t understood why a grand feast has to take place in his father’s house for the return of a brother who showed disrespected (by asking for his inheritance when his father is still alive) and lived away from his father protective and loving wing. The elder brother forgot the times when he had made mistakes that “his father had (also) shown him love and forgiveness.” 

We all know that we had been the prodigal son at least once in our lives, but oftentimes (and we do not notice this) we are the elder brother. Let us always be reminded that in every good the Father has done to and for us, we should also do unto others as stewards of God’s love. It is not, easy, I know. Every Christian can attest to that. But there is really nothing easy about going against our self-centered nature, about wanting to forgive someone despite our anger, about picking up our crosses and following Him.

More on how to show love in today’s devotional.

“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

Now THAT is Funky!

I was looking for a unique Valentines gift for my boyfriend when I stumbled upon NeedAPresent.Com and found this really cool gift!

I’m planning to give him a star some time this year, definitely, since I don’t have a credit card yet. Right now, I’d like to keep my feet on the ground and search the old jungle the hard way.

Oh well…

A VERY unlikely gift

My ex-Trend colleague Che had her birthday last February 3, and I was lucky enough to spend it with her in Batangas.  It was my first time there–the dust, the sun, the nice house, and yes, the cool night air, which reminded me of my own Baguio.  *sigh* 

Anyway, we really had a good time.  Beer drinking with officemates while singing like mad in the afternoon and a louder, more merry singing in the evening.  We had an awesome jam session with a local band that happily agreed on performed that night right at the Ilagan’s very own parking lot! 

It was thoughtful for Che to give me a native necklace for a Christmas gift.  Sadly, I didn’t give her any for her birthday.    I would say that gracing the occassion would be my gift, in case some concerned guest would ask.  ;P

Besides all the fun and laughs, the greatest gift, I think Che, received that day–and I know she will agree with me on this–is something one would rarely receive.  Someone who just happen to be the band’s bassist was slowly charmed by this Batangenia’s “bibo” attitude and “pasaway” videoke singing.  I guess it was mutual attraction; Che and I recognized this as a blessing in disguise. 

Mmm…I smell a new life for Miss Ilagan and this Spengler look-alike.  (You mean “Egon”, the hottie Ghostbuster geek, you say?  Oh yes, that hottie. )

Warren, you’re heaven-sent.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Belated HaPpY BirThDaY, Che!!

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

To Protect my Fledging Utopia

Raito Yagami (or, ironically, “Light” Yagami) is a natural brainiac and a too-good-to-be-true hottie…not to mention that he looked like a frickin’ schizo whenever he would glare surreptitiously at Near behind the computer monitor whilst thinking arsenic thoughts of his enemy’s demise when no cop in the room is looking.  Being “L” now–Japan’s number one police detective–he had to pretend.  Else, he would be kissing his fledging utopia of an impossibly peaceful world goodbye.  Quoting from a man with apparently more brain mass than anyone I know around me, this entry is born…

…and thus, my hopes and aspirations for 2006 finally have a dramatic title.

Unlike Light, I don’t dream for world domination, world peace (pardon me for sounding heartless and godless but there is absolutely NO WAY we can achieve that in an imperfect, ephemeral world), or becoming a lousy first lady, but I do have dreams of helping people–my parents, to be specific–or more like, paying back what they have given me and done for me when I was still being reared.  So there.

That’s one of my dreams.  Doing something to fulfill that particular dream is another story.  Every dream-coming-true has to undergo a process, and a process requires certain levels of actions or steps to be done, and, consequently, achieving that dream requires the success of each step taken.  In each step I take, I should be guarded and trusting.  Above all, having faith in His mighty hand.  That’s all I need.

In taking those steps to achieve any dream, all I could do is to let myself be guided and to take responsibility in protecting that dream (even from inner negativities and deceptions) at any costs.  Sounds like bloody hard work but the Word says that every good thing done with good intentions reaps good rewards.  Call it as one of the universal rules, or whatever; that rule is always true.  Believing and seeing so, at least, kicked a little more sense in my being, cementing that little belief in me into something more than just people’s “truthiness” but the Word’s whole “truth”.

I am trying not to be swayed or even lose hope.  And if I do fail for quite a short time, I will keep going back, because more than my “great” dreams, I have greater faith.

Again, and again, and again…

I’m back at night shift once again and a few hours ago was my first night (since its already past 5 in the morning).  Yeah, its another two months of unpredictable outbreaks–both at work and on my skin–and I could get used to wearing my dark, outdated glasses again. 

Last night until now as I write this, noteworthy malware reports are rampant.  Again.  But not like the recent months when we received impossible numbers of them within only 13 hours.  Despite of that, life was easier then because all we have to worry about is how to make our reports marketable to the whole world.  I don’t know when this occured but sometime last week the “great higher up” and her cohorts decided to strictly incorporate malware behavior diagrams in every noteworthy postings we make–its all good, see, considering the fact that we are doing this for our clients and against our competitors–but, yeah, we have to compromise a big amout of time from ourselves, not to mention the number of VRs we’d sadly give away to more available people.  *sigh*  I guess I should start training to create these diagrams a lot quicker than the rest.

…Just received word that I should change some of the images I used.  Great.  Back to work…

Ever Wonder what Kids say to God?

Pancakes and Love

Just wanted to share this with everyone.

Enjoy and have a nice day!

Six year old Brandon decided one Saturday morning to fix his parents pancakes. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter, opened the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling it on the floor. He scooped some of the flour into the bowl with his hands,mixed in most of a cup of milk and added some sugar, leaving a floury trail on the floor which by now had a few tracks left by his kitten. Brandon was covered with flour and getting frustrated. He wanted this to be something very good for Mom and Dad, but it was getting very bad. He didn’t know what to do next, whether to put it all into the oven or on the stove, and he didn’t know how the stove worked! Suddenly he saw his kitten licking from the bowl of mix and reached to push her away, knocking the egg carton to the floor. Frantically he tried to clean up this monumental mess but slipped on the eggs, getting his pajamas white and sticky. And just then he saw Dad standing at the door. Big crocodile tears welled up in Brandon’s eyes. All he’d wanted to do was make them proud. He was sure a scolding was coming, maybe even a spanking. But his father just watched him. Then, walking through the mess, he picked up his crying son, hugged him and loved him, getting his own pajamas white and sticky in the process.

That’s how God deals with us. We try to do something good in life, but it turns into a mess. Our marriage gets all sticky or we insult a friend or we can’t stand our job or our health goes sour. Sometimes we just stand there in tears because we can’t think of anything else to do. That’s when God picks us up and loves us and forgives us, even though some of our mess gets all over Him. But just because we might mess up, we can’t stop trying to “make pancakes,” for God or for others. Sooner or later we’ll get it right, and then they’ll be glad we tried…

– Author Unknown

Bleach Personality Quiz

Take The Quiz Yourself!

Big jump, huh?

A Reminder

I was checking my emails when I came across a SPAM from a friend in Dubai.  In the email, he gave out info about people that seemed like facts, naming them, quoting them, and the events that eventually led to their deaths.  What struck me (not because I am or was like these people) were the last lines before his signature.  It is a reminder that Thou shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.

Here is what the last line said:

“If you get embarrassed about me, I will also get embarrassed about you before the Father. What benefit does it have, if a man gains the whole world but loses his soul? What can man give in exchange for his soul?”

And that goes for every one of us, no matter how popular of powerful we are. 

The email goes like this:

It is written in the Bible (Galatians 6:7): ” Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Here are some men and women who mocked God:

JOHN LENNON:
Some years before during his interview with an American Magazine, he said: “Christianity will end, it will disappear. I do not have to argue about that. I am certain. Jesus was ok, but his subjects were too simple, Today we are more famous than Him” (1966)”. Lennon, after saying that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, was shot six times.

TANCREDO NEVES:
During the Presidential campaign, he said if he got 500 votes from his party, not even God would remove him from Presidency. Sure he got the votes, but he got sick a day before being made President, then he died.

CAZUZA:
During a show in Canecão ( Rio de Janeiro ), whilst smoking his cigarette, he puffed out some smoke into the air and said: God, that’s for you.

I can’t even explain how he died.

THE MAN WHO BUILT TITANIC:
After the construction of Titanic, a reporter asked him how safe the Titanic would be. With an ironic tone he said: “Not even God can sink it”

The result: I think you all know what happened to the Titanic.

MARILYN MONROE:
She was visited by Billy Graham during a presentation of a show. He is a preacher and Evangelist and the Spirit of God had sent him to preach to her.

After hearing what the Preacher had to say, she said:

“I don’t need your Jesus”

A week later, she was found dead in her apartment.

BON SCOTT:
The ex-vocalist of the AC/DC. On one of his 1979 songs he sang:

“Don´t stop me, I´m going down all the way, wow the highway to hell”.

On the 19th of February 1980, Bon Scott was found dead, he had been choked by his vomit.

CAMPINAS/SP IN 2005
In Campinas, a group of friends, drunk, went to pick up a friend. The mother accompanied her to the car and was so worried about the drunkenness of her friends and she said to the daughter - holding her hand, who was already seated in the car: “MY DAUGHTER, GO WITH GOD AND MAY HE PROTECT YOU”,

She responded: ONLY IF HE (GOD) TRAVELS IN THE BOOT, COZ INSIDE HERE IT’S ALREADY FULL”

Hours later, news came by that they had been involved in a fatal accident, everyone had died, the car could not be recognized what type of car it had been, but surprisingly, the boot was intact.

The police said there was no way the boot could have remained intact. To their surprise, inside the boot was a crate of eggs, none was broken.

Many more important people have forgotten that there is no other name that was given so much authority as the name of Jesus. Many have died, but only Jesus died and rose again, and he is still alive. JESUS!!!

Patience is not a virtue

It is a catalyst, of course.  A catalyst of something that is fuelled by moral excellence or goodness (or what one thinks is moral or good).  Of something utterly unexpected, something that one would find emotionally confusing.

Maybe I’m not being patient. Maybe I’m just…waiting…

The Heart of Chicago

For the past shifts now, I have been playing my dad’s collection of the very best songs from Chicago, which I borrowed from his oldies CD collection.  I love this band (and I love Roxette, too), and I’m not entirely sure why.  Could it be because of Peter Cetera?  The way the band make their music?  The theme of their songs?  My answer is ‘yes‘ to all of these.  And perhaps what made me love Chicago more is the fact that it revealed to me a man’s heart, that they could be hopeless romantics like women and drunk with passion.  Chigago speaks the words any man could possibly say to the beloved women in their lives, and it made me want to hear those words from the beloved men in my life.

Aside from my dad, my best friend, Reilina, also share the same liking to Chicago music.  In fact, she was so in love with Will You Still Love Me (plus other factors), she even wrote a fanfic story with the same title.  Feel free to check it out at this site.

Below is a list of my top Chicago songs: 

You’re the Inspiration.  This song is the first track in CD one of the collection, and it’s a certified classic. No chicago fan would not know how to sing it or hum the opening medley.  The world absorbed this song and kept it dearly in its heart simply because it served as a particular sountrack to someone or something they love. [lyrics]

If You Leave Me Now.  My best friend Reilina told me a story about her older brother doing his own rendition of this song while twirling a towel in the air the way strippers would do it with their clothes.  I can’t imagine Jorge trying hard to be seductive, but seeing Reilina do it for me is enough to crack me up hard.  In my opinion, I think she’s better in doing it than her brother. [lyrics]

Hard Habit to Break.  The dread of the thought of breaking up seem to be litfed away when I heard this song.  I’ve broken up with someone who undeniably loved me and I could imagine how he would feel seeing me with someone else.  This song mirrored his heart.  Look Away, which I also love, echoes the same theme. [lyrics]

Just You ‘n Me.  It felt like the time when you and your man would be cruising or walking together and just enjoying each others’ company.  Simple and free… [lyrics]

Will You Still Love Me.  He did something wrong.  You got mad.  The both of you separated for good, but he still loves you.  He tries to talk to you.  You, on the other hand, decided to simply be civil with whatever he wants to happen, so you agreed to talk to him.  He tells you his side of the story.  He’s sorry.  He begs you to love him again.  Will you? [lyrics]

All Roads Lead To You.  This song is becoming my current favorite.  The lyrics, the music, the theme–the whole package!–is perfect.  I see star-crossed lovers distance apart, their past, and their destined future together.  It’s destiny.  A little Serendipity movie waiting to be unveiled at the worst possible time and instance, but everything is worth it.  Their love is true. [lyrics]

What Kind of Man Would I Be.  Sometimes I’d long to be in my boyfriend’s head and sing the song over and over to him every time he makes me feel unappreciated and unloved.  It’s special to me because, somehow, I find delight in clinging to its words where it sparks even the slightest hope, extends a couple inches of patience, and fill an ounce of strength. [lyrics]

Stay the Night.  I love it for three reasons: honesty, honesty, and honesty.  *sigh*  I’m wishing again… [lyrics]

The Stylistics and some ‘oldies’ performers have already dropped by for a concert.  Hmm…I wonder if Chicago will have one here, too. *muses*

Memoirs of a Six-year-old Wannabe

It has been my routine to delete every single email in my Bulk folder.  I got rid of them, of course…except one.

I found this one particular email that made me uncheck it, delete the rest, and open it with exaggerated excitement in my gut the way Daves would be playfully excited and makulit.  The email was a little write-up, a tribute about good ‘ol, brainy Mac.  Yeah, MacGyver, Sherry (the author) and I’s all-time favorite TV character! :D It goes like this…

MacGyver, A Map and Creativity
by Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ

I was ten years old in 1986 when I first saw an episode of MacGyver (played by Richard Dean Anderson). MacGyver wasn’t your typical action hero. He didn’t use guns to fight the bad guys. He used his brains. He used his ingenuity. He used his creativity.

In the book, “The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present” (6th ed. New York: Ballantine Books, 1995), MacGyver was described as a rugged, handsome hero who “often slipped past the enemy’s defenses and undermined their foul plans with ingenuity rather than brute force, using tidbits of scientific knowledge and ordinary items that happened to be laying around; for example, the paper clip might be used to short-circuit a nuclear missile, the candy bar to stop an acid leak, or a cold capsule to ignite a makeshift bomb, all just in the nick of time.”

The first few episodes of MacGyver got me hooked. In “The Gauntlet” (episode 4, which first aired on October 21, 1985 in the US), he was tasked to retrieve a top-secret map somewhere in the Middle East before he got sent to Central America.

He said, “The great thing about a map is that it gets you in and out of places in a lot of different ways.”

That’s where his ingenuity and creativity came in.

First, he used the map to retrieve a key from the other side of the door by slipping the map under the door to catch the key. The key fell on the map and he was able to unlock himself and evade a small group of soldiers.

Next, needing a disguise, he rolled up the map and used it to blow a pea on the ankle of a woman nearby who was tending to her laundry (think BBgun). When the woman bent to see what hit her, MacGyver grabbed one of the clothes.

Then, he was chased by a group of soldiers in the desert. With nothing but the map to help him get away more quickly, he unfolded it, sat on it and used it as a sled. Waiting on the other side of the sand dunes was his transportation — a hot air balloon.

And just when you’d almost think he finally got away, the soldiers fired their guns at him. One lucky bullet hit and pierced the balloon. Guess what MacGyver did? With strips of duct tape, he used the map (what else?) as a temporary patch. And he was finally able to escape.

He said, “A good map always takes you where you want to go.”

If you had read the quote — “The great thing about a map is that it gets you in and out of places in a lot of different ways” — somewhere without having watched that MacGyver episode, what would you think?

You’d probably think of the “conventional” meaning of the statement: that a good map can help you find your way to wherever you are going…perhaps far more quickly than an ordinary map. All you have to do is follow it and look out for road signs.

However, that kind of thinking is borne out of a functionally fixated mindset. We think according to what is the norm; or what is accepted; or what is generally considered logical by society. Just as we know that a pen is made to enable us to write, we know that a map is made to help give us directions and get us to where we’re going.

The MacGyver episode is an example of how it is to break out of a functionally fixated mindset. In about 5 minutes of viewing time, MacGyver used the only thing he had — the map — to save his life.

Coming up with many other uses for an object is one of the hundreds of creativity methods available to us. The possible uses may be unconventional, outrageous or silly.

When you look at an object in different ways, apart from what you know it is used for, you’ll generate unique insights and ideas.

So try it on any object right now. Look at the lamp on your desk. Or the paper clips that litter on your desk. Or the bottlecaps you’ve been meaning to throw away but never did. What are other possible uses for them?

Any attempt to start thinking out of the box is the beginning of creativity. Start today.

Copyright 2004 Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ

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Shery is the creator of WriteSparks! - a software that generates over 10 *million* Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks! Lite for free - http://writesparks.com

I just realized that life without MacGyver seems fine, but it leaves any fan asking out of nowhere “What is Mac doing now?” inspite of the years that passed.

Mom

…the most cApTiVaTing woman
in my life

Happy Birthday.