Billy Joel - The Piano Man

William Joseph Martin "Billy" Joel is an American singer-songwriter. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, he is the sixth best-selling recoding artist in the United States.

Wow, if he's so popular, how come I never heard of him? Well, I'm apparently out of the loop since Google Trends has listed the search on his as "Volcanic" hotness. Now that's hot. Ok, so maybe I've never heard of his name or maybe I just really didn't mind about the artist's name every time I'd listen to a song. So I might have loved his songs when I was still a little baby and has completely forgotten about it already.

After Googling for some of his music, I finally found a very familiar tune. And yes, I am confirming that my presumption is indeed correct. I have loved some of his songs, I just didn't know him. He sang, "Honesty", and well, truthfully, even if I was still a baby when I first heard that song, I still remember the words. Now I'm feeling so nostalgic. I'm actually listening to "Honesty" right now.

"Honesty
Is such a lonely word
Where everyone is so untrue
Honesty
Is hardly ever heard..."


Ok, so now I'm a fan. Haha. Just this morning in the US, tickets go on sale for his final concert at Shea Stadium on July 16th this year. The tickets are priced at $52.50 and $98 and has been on sale for approximately 2 hours already. If you're a fan and would like to go, you may call (718) 507-TIXX or visit 507TIXX.com.

Giving Up

That is how I feel right now. I feel as if I'm living somebody else's life right now. Nobody really understands where I'm coming from. My little sister even says that I'm just trying to bring up "drama".

This all stems from being such an "obedient child". I'm the eldest among three siblings, I've already gotten myself two degrees, and I continue to play mom and dad to both my siblings who live with me. It's just unfair how my parents can't seem to understand that I get tired too. Let me tell part of the story of my life. Particularly the part when I just moved to Cebu.

I was 17 years old, and was starting on my third year in college. I was taking up Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering at the time. I didn't have specific dreams. At the moment all I wanted to do was whatever peaked my interest. When I was younger, I wanted to be a doctor so badly. Then I wanted to be a musician or a singer. I used to play the piano when I was younger, and would still love to play it again if I were given a chance to do so. So why did I pick Computer Engineering instead of being a Doctor? I graduated from high school at 15 years old. I made a deal with my dad that if he let me leave my hometown to go to college, I would fulfill my dream of becoming a doctor. At 15, of course my father said no. And he wanted me to be something else too. He wanted me to be something that his friends thought would bring in the money when I started to work. My father always depended on everybody else's opinions except my own, because I was still too young to know what was right or wrong.

In 2004, my ex-boyfriend borrowed somebody's keyboard so that he can practice playing the instrument and perform at the mass that will be happening right before their Ringhop ceremony. That somebody eventually became a close friend, but nothing more. I was delighted to finally see a keyboard around myself again. I wanted to play it so bad. I told my ex about how I used to play the piano when I was still three years old. He asked me to show some proof. I had pictures of myself playing the piano, but he thought pictures are not proof enough. In the Philippines, you'd be lucky enough to even have a camera. And we didn't have a video camera. We were poor and my mom and dad had to save a lot just to get me that toy piano that I used to play all the time. And that piano is an actual piano with actual keys, not like the kind that when you press something on it, it starts to play something. So basically, my ex crushed my childhood dreams by saying, "You're lying, if you played the piano before, you'd never forget how to play it.". I was four turning five when I stopped playing. And I was 20 when he said that. My talent was never nurtured, how'd he expect me to play the keyboard without any practice for 15-16 years? I still remember the keys though, I just didn't remember what it felt like to play again. After he said that to me, I never wanted to even look at a piano anymore. Not until I heard two pieces that I used to play when I was still a young child. "Ten Little Indians" and "Oh My Darling, Clementine". I never really played the second one till the end, but I remember being able to play it. I'm just glad the ex is out of my life now, he brought nothing but pain just because I had a higher IQ and he was jealous because I learn stuff faster than he did. Anyway, he delighted when he'd see me fail. I didn't think he was the type to do that, until I found out that he was in fact leading a double-life, and I was the front.

Trust me, being used and having so much faith in a guy can almost get you to do something bad to yourself. Those who knew about what truly happened told me that it was admirable how much courage I showed, but to myself, I was just doing what's right, and what is supposed to be done. It's like an automatic response for me. I know what is right or wrong, but I would love to do something wrong just to prove to myself that I am still human and that I should at least be doing something to screw things up for myself.

High expectations, that's what everybody who knows me has for me. They don't expect me to say no, they don't expect me to screw up, they don't expect me to have problems, when the truth is that I just keep things to myself, because when I try to tell them something's wrong, they'll just dismiss it.

When I graduated from my second degree just October 2007, I felt like it wasn't such a big deal, but everybody was so impressed that I managed to go through two degrees without failing even once. That I'm worth so much right now, because I have two degrees. It doesn't matter if I have two degrees, I don't care if I have them or not. A few days after my graduation, my father made me feel so bad for talking back. I don't believe in talking back unless I know that I am right. I was ready to apologize, but he started telling me that I was being so disrespectful, that I can't scare him even if I tried leaving our family, that he has been working so hard and that what was I doing while I was away from them? He said that I wasn't being thankful that I was taking everything else for granted, that I was just doing what I wanted to do and nothing more. I was so angry at how unfair that was to my part. I never wanted a second degree. I wanted to stop a year before I was going to graduate again. But he convinced me to finish it. He always asked me to do what he wanted, because I was bright enough to do it, when he couldn't anymore.

I want some freedom. I love both my parents so very much, but I just think that I should be able to do my own decisions now and shouldn't care whether or not I will disappoint them. But thinking about it right now, I only need to wait three more months before I get my professional license(that's if I choose to pass the exam), and finally, I can start living my own life. But if they did try to live my life for me right after, then I'm afraid I would have to carry on my life without them until they realize that I am also a person that can think.

I feel like I'm somebody's puppet, that I just borrowed this life to live and that I'm not allowed to feel what I feel right now.

Let's Talk About Dreams

Dreams can be both good or bad. In my case, I can't really tell. My dreams have been kinda weird lately. Check out my latest dream at the survey that I just filled out. I had it about a couple of nights ago. After that, I've just been on hold waiting for another dream to come to me. I wish I had more dreams. I miss dreaming. I haven't dreamed as much as I used to back when I was still in high school. Anyways, check out the survey to find out about my latest dream.

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

Ahhh, it's the day of Love for everyone. Do you have a date for today? Well, lucky you. I, unfortunately, am not as lucky. I will be spending my Valentine's Day writing articles, updating my blog, and most importantly, studying. What is the essence of Valentine's Day? Why is it so important to the lovers?

One of my guy friends jokingly said the other day, "Somebody's gonna be born on November again.". I'm pretty sure most of you know what that means. It's the day when most hotels are fully booked, as well as restaurants, and it's also the season when you can't seem to find any more red flowers no matter where you go, or what flower shop you look for. It's also the season where chocolates seem to mysteriously disappear off from shelves, whereas just a couple of months ago, nobody was even looking at them.

And suddenly, all the surroundings are red and full of hearts. The air is also suddenly filled with the tingling feeling of being in love for most people. Everybody's suddenly planning on going on dates with their loved ones, whether it's dinner at a fancy restaurant or going off on a vacation for a day just with that special someone.

Unfortunately, Valentine's Day is not a holiday where you can just get off from work and have fun. It's still an ordinary day where you have to work and get paid for it. If you do otherwise, you are at the risk of losing your job or not getting paid for it.

If you're single and lonely, that doesn't mean that Valentine's Day isn't for you too. Since it's the day of the lovers, you can spend it with your family and friends too, since you do have some love for them too. If you do have a special someone in your life, but can't afford to take that special someone on a date or even just treat that special someone to someplace romantic, you can just rent a movie, cuddle up on the couch, or you can cook for him/her. It's the thought that counts, right?

As ling as you are both still filled with love, Valentine's Day can only get better and better for you both.

Living Longer

I just read an article in the Reader's Digest magazine about how to live longer, or upgrading yourself. I must admit the stuff that they put on that magazine's very simple. Everybody can do it, but why doesn't everybody do it? I will be enumerating their suggestions, but I will also be saying about these suggestions.

1. Eat a lot less. Wow, wouldn't we all want to do that? Hmmm, a person's stomach is just the size of his fist. That should be just the right amount for a person to eat. It makes sense that one person shouldn't eat too much. Eating too much and too carelessly can cause certain diseases. It might not show up right away, but it can get you into really bad trouble overtime, so yeah, everybody should eat a lot less.

2. Make friends, get married and adopt a dog. Hmmm, I can say that I have a lot of friends, but I'm not married---yet. And I don't have a dog---yet. Some might go and say, "I'm never gonna get married. It's just gonna shorten my life, and I might just go through divorce...". True, it can happen to you, but studies show according to RD that getting married can add seven years to a man's life and three to a woman. But I'm assuming that's if your marriage is a good thing for you. And what about pets? Well, some pets are just nice to have, they comfort you, and they can lower your blood pressure and help reduce stress.

3. Get moving. Ahhh, we would love to, but a lot of the population of the Earth hate exercising. Everybody knows that healthy living is the way to go, but well, a lot of people just don't want to exercise, until they get into their 60's, then they'll start exercising. It's a fact that old people exercise more than the young people, because they understand the importance of healthy living more. Now, are you sure you want to wait till you're that old to start exercising? Or until you first experience your first heart attack?

4. Reach for red. This refers to red wine. An ingredient in red wine called Resveratrol seems to have very powerful anti-aging effects. It's too bad that people who don't drink can't have it, but they shouldn't be sad, because a pill is under development with it as the main ingredient. So I guess I'm just gonna wait till the pill's out.

Well, I'm all for living longer. What about you?

Charity Survey

So I get an email saying that I have another survey to fill out, anything that I can generate from this survey will go to Habitat for Humanity, which is a cause that I've been involved with for quite a while. But I kinda haven't been going anymore, since I haven't had any contact with my old professor from college since graduating. I might try hitting her up again an going to the Habitat again when summer comes. Summer's always a good time to help out. =]



Business Meetings

When you talk about business meetings, what comes to mind? If you're a girl, you'd probably be worrying about what to wear, right? Well, that's if you've already decided that you would go. But nowadays, you don't have to worry anymore. In fact, unless specified, or if you're gonna be doing the meeting at an office or something, you don't have to wear a business attire. You can just go in regular jeans anywhere now. The clothes don't make you anymore.

I went to a couple of business meetings this weekend. The first one was an impromptu one, actually. A friend over at a forum that I frequent invited me to share my ideas. Frankly, I had to business idea whatsoever, but I was willing to go listen, since I knew that I'm pretty good at implementing things. Of course I will not be discussing whatever we discussed. If I did, somebody might try to steal the ideas. There were five of us who went there, and two of us weren't the actual members who were supposed to go there. And both of us were girls. I'm not going to go into detail, but I can say that it was a very productive meeting. We even discovered something that the original idea didn't have during the meeting. It was a good, good night. So full of ideas and ways on how we can make it work.

Next, this morning, I went to another one. I'm a freelancer,so I value my time even when I'm supposed to be sleeping. Would you believe the guy that I was meeting told me the day that we set the date to not be late? I was there ten minutes before the set time and they came in 20 minutes after the time. You're wondering about what time? We were meeting at 8AM on a Sunday. I was like, "OMG, I wanted to meet in the morning, but not at 8AM!". But of course, I didn't tell them that. I just had to get up really early to make it. So I'm in on their team. Right now, I'm just gonna have to wait on the project that they are currently working on, and hopefully I'm gonna have something really big to do with this.

Anyway, back to what I was wearing. The first meeting, I went in black jeans and a nice brown shirt. As long as you look decent, it's fine. We met at a nice coffee shop and just let the ideas spew out, while I commented on some of the pros and cons. For the second meeting, I was dressed more formally, shall I say. I had leather shoes on and the guys that I was meeting had shorts, denims and rubber shoes on. Thank goodness I didn't overdress and just gave them the impression that I was serious about my involvement with them and that I acted cool. I was younger than some of the people I met on the first day, but I was older by a year when I met the next guys. Except for the boss though. What made me feel all strange was their impression of me. Apparently, I'm a bright person. Then the boss said, "I told you she was bright."

The guys that I met on the second day may be nice guys, but they definitely need to work on their people skills. Not saying that I'm the best at that field, I actually prefer hiding my face behind a counter, but I guess I can do better on presentations than the guys can.

Anyway, when you do go to business meetings, make sure that the people you are meeting aren't too far out of your league. And make sure that you know at least something before jumping right in. It minimizes embarrassment and can boost your confidence, if you know what I mean.

I think this is a good start for a freelance career ahead.

Paid Surveys

Ahh, as you can see, my last post is totally composed of dNeero surveys. Do they or do they not work? Who knows? I like taking surveys and posting them on MySpace, actually. But lately, I haven't done that kind of thing. A lot of people don't think that paid surveys are good enough, but then again, I can't say yes or no to this kind of thing, because I haven't tried it. I don't even know if I'm gonna get scammed over this also. But I guess we'll see soon enough. Let's see how these surveys are going to get impressions. The only reason why I'm posting these things on my blog is because I'm not paying to get something out of it. So I figured that if I didn't have to pay and just spend a couple of minutes on surveys, it's fine, right? If I'm wrong, please prove me wrong. I apparently need the enlightenment.

And since the blog title's "Paid Surveys". A person should be able to tell if it's a scam or not, right? You're supposed to be getting paid and not the other way around. Before everybody starts doing surveys for a living, everybody should go and do a little research on the certain survey site that they are involved with. As long as i don't lose anything but time, then I'm okay with it.

Survey Time

I know I shouldn't have put up this many surveys in one post, it could actually take longer than normal to load this page up now, But I wanted to know how many impressions three flash surveys are going to make in a week at least.