"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again..." -- Barack H. Obama

An hour ago, a piece of history has just unfolded. Barack H. Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States of America. This day marks a date in history when all people around the world, not just Americans, gather and hear what a man of humble beginnings has to say as he becomes one of the most powerful leaders of this planet. His messages are so striking that it applies to all races, to all nations. Much is expected of him as there are millions believing in him. He may not satisfy fully all those expectations but his charisma may all be well enough to inspire billions around the globe. I am one of them. His words emanates to every heart of the people listening. One of my dreams is to inspire a lot of people. He did one good job doing that just now. Congratulations, Obama! May God enlighten you as you lead America, and be a good example to other nations including the Philippines.

- Mitch 01/21/09

NOTE: For the full context of Obama's inaugural speech, please go to
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/us/politics/20text-obama.html

New Year's Resolution

What's my new year's resolution? I'll start with one simple thing -- being on time. Every journey starts with a single step, so I thought that this one simple resolution will ripple good waves throughout this year. Being on time means having enough sleep, which in turn is good for your health. Doing that will make me even more conscious about my health. And speaking of health, that reminds me to eat healthy food. My regular exercise is mountain biking which makes me burn about 1000-2500 calories a week depending on the route/trail. This hobby by the way is also a good way of meditating. I find inner peace especially when climbing mountains with the spectacular view and all you can hear is your breathing and your bike. Anyways, there are still a lot of good effects of being on time on everything. You'll be surprised... =)