The Pope in South Korea

Upon the announcement last March this year that the Pope is coming in August, I was ecstatic! Now I am relieved I didn't include Rome during my Paris trip last January. Anyway, my friend Leck revealed the news to me because apparently the Pope will be visiting their place in Seosan. As the date come nearer, I was already making early reservation for my bus trip because Aug.15 was a national holiday here in Korea and I got paranoid of mass exodus during holidays here you know, the traffic and everything.  The schedule of Pope Francis was hectic one from day 1 until day 5. He went to visit Daejon with over 10,000 people in the stadium to attend the opening mass for Asian Youth Day. On the next day he went to Gwanghamun in Seoul with again a very huge crowd flooding the area for the Beatification Mass in honor of 124 Korean Martyrs.

The one I attended was the Closing Mass for Asian Youth Day in Seosan. I travelled around an hour and a half to get to Seosan. A small province in Korea with a laid back lifestyle compared to Seoul. When the event was about to start, we saw the pope's car (of course he was there inside) together with his aides and Korean bodyguards paraded through the shrine. And the rain began for almost 3 hours. We were soaking wet in the field where he will commence the Holy Mass. At exactly 3pm the rain finally stopped as he was scheduled to go on the motorcade in the area at around 3:30 and the scheduled mass was 4pm. A miracle indeed, because in the morning the weather forecast was 100% rain from 1pm-6pm. We were convinced that we will attend soaking wet while the pope will officiate the Mass, we don't care. But when pope arrived in his mobile, dark clouds began to disappear slowly while the latter moves along and the skies becomes clear on every lane as passes towards the stage. You can see the pictures below so you'll know what I mean.

I took this picture unaware of the dark clouds moving towards as the sky goes
clearer while the Pope and his mobile is going to the stage where he will celebrate mass.

This was actually grabbed from the video I took, I was like 3 steps away from him! I went through the gates near the media men where I found a nice spot and very near the lane to be able to see the Pope.

It was raining hard before the Pope arrived, the disposable raincoats are very helpful.

The Closing Mass for Asian Youth Day, interpreted in different languages of Asia.

The only way I could touch his face! :)

Mini Series

Lately, I have been so hooked up with TV Mini Series, which I almost stopped watching since, I think 2003 the time when "Friends" was so popular. Filipino and Korean drama (dubbed in Filipino) were my previous obsession but this year I think I almost finished like around 11! Oh no, I am now officially TV series addict. Thank heavens to the super fast internet here in Seoul. Yes, I watch the online streaming plus the super bass sound of my bluetooth speaker, thanks to my sponsor- my hubby.

Here are the reviews of my favorite mini series which I have invested in my sleepless nights and eye bags!

The Blacklist

It's a Crime Drama that revolves around the mysterious life of a father-daughter relationship.
The daughter, Elizabeth played by Megan Boone who is a detective and investigator solves and polishes the crimes as foreseen by his father, "Red" played by James Spader who was once connected to the most wanted people otherwise known as "Blacklisted Criminals". Their working relationship will put them to test in protecting each other and other mysterious revelations about his husband.

I haven't actually finished the series because I got distracted with "How I Met Your Mother" Season Finale. But this crime drama has absolutely heart stopping action and suspense thrills especially on the mid episode of season 1. Season 2 will start airing this September.

Mr. Selfridge

Mr. Selfridge is a British period television drama series about Harry Gordon Selfridge and his London department store, Selfridge & Co., set in the 1900's. This series is my one of my personal favorite which inclines me to go to London! I love the story, It's about family and integrity. I admire how Jeremy Piven (Harry) plays the role of a father, a husband, a businessman and a friend in this series. He was so natural and his relaxed aura showed how he struggled to put up his business and the sacrifices he went through with the support of everyone around him amidst the problems in his family. Every episode had a great lesson and I am truly amazed by such a brilliant writer of this series.

House of Cards

This is actually an adaptation of previous BBC mini series of the same name and is based on the novel by Michael Dobbs.

I'm not a fan of Kevin Spacey, but I do think the acting gave justice to what is an American dirty politician. The series would not be complete without the scenes of Freddy's  barbecue joints and Robin Wrights' mysterious dual personality.  Seemingly ambitious and aggressive Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) wittingly manipulated the people around him and no one could ever stop him to simply achieve what he wanted - to become the President of the United States of America. And he will do everything whatever it takes. For me, he's the bad guy here. Let's just wait for the next season what's going to happen in this so-called good karma.

Game of Thrones

What more can I say, everyone is raving on this HBO mini series! The fantasy drama set in medieval times written by the ever genius George RR Martin was creatively crafted and re-enacted to satisfy the thirst and hunger of readers and viewers. I didn't read the books, obviously I would rather watch and write about it. But the story itself interweaves several plot lines and I would simply say-- it's a battle for thrones. Ambitious characters were brilliant and surprisingly realistic. And I can't wait for he next season next year. By the way, my personal favorite? It's Daenerys (Khaleesi) and Tyrion Lannister!

Once Upon A Time

It's a modern day fairy tale with a mixed feeling of Deja Vu that I would personally wish I once lived in a fairy tale land. The show takes place in the fictional seaside town of Storybrooke, Maine, whose residents are actually characters from various fairy tales transported to the "real world" town and robbed of their real memories by a powerful curse. Episodes typically feature a primary storyline in Storybrooke, as well as a secondary storyline usually from another point in a character's life before the curse was enacted. I love how the "evil queen" portrayed a role of being good and bad. I could say the people behind this idea and story seemed very creative in aligning the scenes of the past to present. Next season (and I hope not final) will air next month with the Elsa, the ice winter princess of another fairy tale story, Frozen.

The Good Wife

An American TV legal and political drama series with it's lead star, Julianna Margulies who plays "Alicia Florrick", the good wife. This is a story of a wife who struggled to become a reputable lawyer to prove to her cheating husband that her life will move on amidst their dying and broken marriage. Surrounded by people who is supporting her career, made greatest challenge to prove her worth to them not only as a good mother, wife and lawyer. I personally admire how the story is written and the casting was made. Julianna portrayed well on her character as a lawyer and she truly deserve another Emmy for this. I was just quite frustrated when Will Gardner played by Josh Charles, died in the story. Alicia and Will resembled a beautiful "love story" together which really moved me.

Suits

Where have all the heartthrobs gone! I love the lawyers' wit, humor and tactics in this series. The mistaken identity of the intelligent and fraud, Mike Ross takes up the whole story which revolves around his senior associate and the firm's name partner, Harvey Specter. Ok so being a Harvard graduate is such a biggie in their firm, and I do get why in reality, most companies really wanted an employee who graduated in a prestigious university. Going back, I only got interested on the first 12 episode of Season 1. There were more thrills and exciting episodes which tested not only the friendship of Harvey and Mike but other characters in the series as well, not to mention the very funny and sometimes annoying, Louis Litt. The last season this year was kind of boring for me. It was when Mike transferred to another company to be able to move on with a new job not worrying of being a fraud.

Beauty and the Beast

You'll fall in love all over again with Vincent and Catherine. With a powerful soundtracks engineered per episode is such a "feel-good series" like i felt, I went back into my high school days, watching the older version starring Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman, remember them? But this new version is totally different version, a more creative and thrilling plot as all ends in fighting for their love and relationship.

Catherine Chandler, (Kristen Kreuk) a detective, witnesses her mother being shot the same night she is saved from her mother's murderers by a supposed beast. Nine years later, a case leads her to discover that Vincent Keller, (Jay Ryan) an ex-soldier believed to have been killed in action during military service, is actually alive. As Catherine gets to know him, she starts finding out more about her mother's murder and about who (and what) Vincent really is. At the same time, they get to know one another and eventually fall in love.

And by the way, Jay Ryan (Vincent Keller) is really hot! The six pack abs is "a looking-forward to" every season :) 


How I Met Your Mother

Ok, I think almost everyone knows about this sitcom series. Well, I didn't really watch the whole season since, If I remember it right, the first season was born after "Friends" debuted another finale season. And I think the whole story is just basically about Friendship and Love. Friends in love, friends in marriage but the real score here are the funny and awkward moments of their relationship. Ok, Romantic Comedy as they say. The series explores many storylines, including a love triangle between Robin, Ted, and Barney; Marshall and Lily's relationship; as well as the careers of the characters. 

So, if we really stick to the title, it will be "How Ted Met Tracy" or "How Ted met his Wife".  We were all expecting it will be Ted and Robin in the end, but it really is. The thing is, there was the wife (Tracy) before Robin. They had children together, and Tracy dies, Robin divorced Barney and became single again, and why not, give another chance for the widower...:)

Desperate Housewives

When I got married in 2006 I started watching this, because I got so curious with the title and  maybe I got paranoid I could become one. I bought DVD's of the whole season from 2004, and my husband didn't complain about it.

The main setting of the show was Wisteria Lane, a street in the fictional American town of 'Fairview' in the fictional 'Eagle State'. The show followed the lives of a group of women as seen through the eyes of a dead neighbor who committed suicide in the very first episode. The storyline covers thirteen years of the women's lives over eight seasons, set between the years 2004–2008, and later 2013–2017 (the story arc included a 5 year passage of time). They worked through domestic struggles and family life, while facing the secrets, crimes and mysteries hidden behind the doors of their — at the surface — beautiful and seemingly perfect suburban neighborhood.

Modern Family

I love how the actors here portray their respective roles as modern family of today. I like Gloria and the gays :) I can see myself in them as parent someday..maybe. What I also love about this comedy series is the bonding of the family, no matter how many "shallow" difficulties they encounter, they support each other as one big happy family.

On wearing JCI LO Shirt

"Promotion is present through everything the organization does, from wearing JCI T-shirts, to how your members present themselves in public." -- JCI Local Action Guide (Marketing Plan)

I was scanning local training manuals on JCI branding but I couldn't find more emphasis on wearing JCI shirt, so i thought of writing this in my blog.. Nowadays new members are not aware of it but I have been there. There were times that I felt there is NO need for it, but suddenly one day, there a lot JCI shirts scattered in the trunk of my car during the days when I was an active member and officer of JCI Naga Carinosa. In our chapter that is always our rule, whatever activities related to JCI, we must wear one regardless of what color is available in the trunk of our car! 

 

Now why is it important? Let us go back to basic. (Don't tell me you have never worn a uniform in your life since kindergarten!) According to Wikipedia, a uniform means a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. People generally wearing uniforms are armed forces, police, emergency services, schools and workplace. Uniform means to be the same, and without difference. As Gen Wright express this: Uniforms depict solidarity.

So why is it that we need to wear our JCI LO Shirt?

1. Wearing it tells your audience about your product. This is very important especially--- most especially, when you are a JCI TRAINER. You are the bearer of the product or a service or whatever you are representing. I guess this is so self explanatory. During my days when I was trainer, I never failed wearing one, even as participant. 

2.  Uniform as a Perk. In some organization, it is considered as an honor and a kind of perk to receive a uniform. Some chapter sell the uniform, but for other generous chapters they give it for free. 

3. "We belong together". If the organization have uniforms in whatever function they attend to, they share a feeling of commonness and belonging which otherwise gets very difficult to achieve.

4. Equality. Our LO Shirts brings everyone to the same platform, no matter which class of society you've come from and thus inculcating a feeling of equality.

5. Mutual Growth. Our shirts are very important and fosters traits which are very necessary for a person as an individual and an organization as a whole to thrive and prosper. After all, the area of opportunities in JCI calls for every individual to BE BETTER in everything you do for your community and beyond.

JCI Naga Carinosa during the JCI Week Celebration (2014)

On Faux and Satire

I feel so bad nowadays that some people doesn’t think first before they post something in the Social Networking Sites.  This is like studying again the responsible media ethics in journalism.

If you are not a journalist, think again before you post something…Is it the truth? Did it came from a reliable source? Where you actually there when it happened? Do you have a poof?

Well, being a journalist itself is like being a detective and an investigator. But even if you’re not, you still have to show credible facts before making press release.   

So before you share or post some news in your social networking site or blogs, you have to keep in mind the credibility of the source.  Be sure it’s the fact that would not stir chaos in your networking circle.

I have some thoughts on making these pointers on how to be a responsible citizen of Social Networking. I hope it will help.

1. There are a lot of satire websites which makes Faux news. Well for some who do not know how to detect this site, you need to google first the website and look for its “reviews”. This will show some people commenting and trying to make jokes and fun out of it.  This link shows the top 10 websites for fake news and satire: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/faux-news-alert-best-websites-for-fake-news-satire/  So,  beware of these sites, they circulate faux news online everyday which goes viral. 
2. Local and International Newspaper have their own websites that you can share some of their news via facebook, twitter, etc. Some have their own Mobile Apps too. Also your local radio and television also have their websites that releases news almost every hour. It’s best to rely on this instead of the news from unknown websites.
3. There are bloggers who are also fond of circulating faux news. Whether it’s a joke or not, use your common sense if you want to share it or not. Better yet if you want to confirm, you need to do lots of researching. Or you can send email to the blogger for confirmation.
4. Sometimes we tend to agree even if we don’t know if the news is real or not. Keep it for yourself and try to fanaticize them in your own world.
5. Joke Vs. Faux- Funny Jokes and Pranks can make your day, this is ok to share as long as it does not show explicit words and tones. Unless you have no “minors” or underage teens in your list of friends or followers.  There are faux news that makes a joke and fun out of it, and this is very easy to determine because sometimes they use bogus names, confusing gay lin
   go terms and the like.
   
   
   A faux news will not go viral if you will not participate. Admit it, almost 80% of the news came from the social networking and sometimes we don’t really make a good use out of it. Sometimes we exaggerate news to make it more sensational- to attract attention from readers. If you are not sure of the news- DO NOT SHARE, or POST. Be responsible, Be truthful. After all, we would always want to make our world worth living. Think first before you act.