Comments - Latest Popular Stories, Instablogs Community by Gracieb

Abhishek Asthana

Abhishek Asthana — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Hi Grace,

I tend to believe that there are possibilities for the ’tides to change.’ And where there are possibilities there is hope. Though, there is a difference between hope-the feeling and hope-the assessment. Feeling hopeful can make you gullible, while making a hopeful assessment can strengthen your resolve. And while your cynicism and pessimism is understandable, religion, elections, some politicians and even spiritual gurus also tend to at times contribute positively and productively.

But most importantly another excellent piece.

”Hope is like white light – immediately illuminating and blindly disorienting.”

..beautifully put.

(aside-only the utopians write the best)

Abhishek Asthana

Abhishek Asthana — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Oh, it was not my intention to call you utopian, just made a general statement. And I take back my unnecessary nitpickings, as the article is beyond that. :)

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Oh, but nitpicking is good, Abhishek! I’d rather have company with critical readers such as you and the rest. ;)

I really like the way you think (as is clearly seen with your latest article). Loved that!

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Thanks for reading the piece, Abhishek! Utopian is the the last thing I’d like to be. LOL

But really thanks for your kind words.

I was only cynical and pessimistic by way of evaluation. But this article is really full of hope! ;)

Hope for reawakening.

Mabuhay!

Madhuri Katti

Madhuri Katti — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Grace,

I have become a big fan of your writings. You weave with a poetic touch...I shall look forward for your collected works to hit bookstores someday...maybe you already have a book published?

They say ’hope’ never really dies and even if dead it can rise from the ashes...

I pin my hope on lottery ticket buyers, they want to live a better life and they prefer shelling out hard earned money knowing all the odds very well than join some exterminating gangs.Innocent souls will save the world.

Hope the world will get bored with over dose of violence and peace will replace fear.

Madhuri Katti

Madhuri Katti — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

LOL, :)

Madhuri Katti

Madhuri Katti — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Forgot to add, once again pictures are hidden...

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

I was writing you an emotional reply when it hung... *sigh*

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Yeah...the images are hiding again... this is so sad already...

The images are important to the article...

Madhuri Katti

Madhuri Katti — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Now I can see pictures!!:)

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

I don’t see them, Madhuri! But that’s ok, I guess. You read the article and commented even without seeing the pictures. :)

They’ll come back again, promise!

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

You know what, Madhuri? I always wait for your comments. You always seem to know the why and wherefore of things and events. I admire your wide knowledge base!

And your compassion for the Third World always comes through.

Yes, I believe you! The innocent souls will save the world!

PS You write poetically yourself. Honest!

Madhuri Katti

Madhuri Katti — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Come on, Grace, I am a dumb girl sitting in small corner of the globe and trying to peer from my small window of limited knowledge and experience.

Looks like I have to work on my writing style, I don’t want to come across as know-it-all...only spiritual leaders have that quality:)LOL

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

HEHEHE I know what you mean by that last line! LOLZ

Au contraire, solitaire! The good thing about you is that you read and read, and that’s good!

But above that, you have the quality of digging deeper and connecting emotionally with what you write about. Review your writing and you’ll see what I mean.

We just write and write. We’re no spiritual leaders! LOL

Jayashree

Jayashree — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

I can’t help but poke my nose in here, coz when I first started reading the article I was so excited about pointing Grace in the direction of ’he who knows what lies beyond’. But then I guess neither of you need help with that one..sigh

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Hi Jayashree! Thanks for reading this! I await your direction of ’he who knows what lies beyond.’

Promise, I’d love to hear it from you this time. Or from anybody else, for crying out loud! LOL

Jaiyant Cavale

Jaiyant Cavale — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Let me poke my nose as well. Aye Aye we are no spiritual leaders... He who knows what lies beyond did not come back to tell the story. The one who says he is the one who knows is an impostor.

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Naughty, naughty, you boy. LOL

Jayashree

Jayashree — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

@Grace But you already know ’Him’! So does Madhuri and Jaiyant..hmpfs

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

No, we probably don’t know Him yet, Jayashree! LOL

We’re just maybe not in a race with ourselves all the time to search for Him. ;)

Wanna join our un-wisdom society? LOL

Jayashree

Jayashree — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Join? But I thought I was a star member of it already! Oh the pain..

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Okay, I was just kidding, Jayashree! Of course, you’re one of the founding members! :):)

Jayashree

Jayashree — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Tee hee! Thanks, Grace! I feel I’m getting further away from the light now, and my head feels lighter..

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Someone take Jayashree to the hospital now, quick! She’s frothing at the mouth! Her eyeballs are way up in their sockets!

LOL

Jayashree

Jayashree — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Tee hee hee! Must be a full moon night..

Fariha Jamil

Fariha Jamil — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Excellent piece Grace.

Well as far as i know of my limited knowledge, this hopelessness is one of the signs of the end of times... the end of times imply the Golden for Mankind.

I guess mankind has fallen as far as it could, its time to rise again...hope again... lol

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Thanks, Fariha.

You’re so right, girl! The Golden Age comes after the Dark Ages. And since we might, just might, be on the brink of fall, there’s always hope to hope for. ;)

Dayasurabhi Balaji

Dayasurabhi Balaji — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Inspite of all that you have written viz terrorism, political schisms, religious squabbles etc,People do cling on to life - That’s hope.

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

You’re right, Dayasurabhi. Thanks for the comment. In spite of all the human baggage and human garbage, there is hope.

In fact, it’s the last thing we always have. Most of the time, it’s the last thing we ONLY have.

Thanks for gleaning the insight here about hope as the last man standing.

Great!

Sasmita

Sasmita — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Temples are the biggest threat of being attacked. Because it stands as the religious center. This Cambodian Buddhist temple is one example. Yes, you are right. We can see the past and present only, but not the future. Anything can happen tomorrow in this uncertain world.

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Thanks for reading, Sasmita. Yes, there’s no possible divination for the future, as we don’t even know that it is.

We can only hope for the best, each time.

:)

Jaiyant Cavale

Jaiyant Cavale — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

’That is why I kiss a frog everyday.’

And I trudge to the bus stop to catch the hideous yellow university bus at 7 15 every morning.

Hope is like white light – immediately illuminating and blindly disorienting.

Some of the drugs also make you see white light.. And sometimes when you receive a heavy blow on your head, you see a strange white light, which they say is similar to what enlightened ones feel.

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Ok, I’ll try whacking myself with a pan a little later on so I can be enlightened as well. LOL

Jayashree

Jayashree — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

@Jaiyant I heard from a ’very reliable source’ that you kiss the frog in your college garden everyday..do you deny it? Tee hee!

@Grace It hasn’t been scientifically proven of course, but kissing frogs may lead to getting stuck at home with a bunch of tadoples..

Madhuri Katti

Madhuri Katti — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

@Jayashree, You are trying to peep beyond ’hope’...the think happy end of the story at the metamorphosis of the frog with a kiss...

Tadpoles...hehehe, that was a good giggly one:)lol

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Jayashree, alas!, there are no tadpoles! Not even half-tadpoles! LOL

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Madhuri, can you teach me how to get those tadpoles? LOL

Jayashree

Jayashree — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

I wanted to join the crusade in leading people to the blinding light, and enlighten myself in the process..

Psst, by the way Madhuri, I wasn’t really trying to protect Grace from the tadpoles. I just want the Prince all to myself!

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

LOL Jayashree! But the prince has turned into a frog again...

Jayashree

Jayashree — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Grace, I can always hope he would be a Prince when in my presence, right? But perhaps that’s hoping for way too much..hoping beyond hope.

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Hope spring eternal in the human breast, yada yada yada, hehehehe...

Rudolf

Rudolf — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

”If there is learned helplessness, there, too, is learned optimism. That is why I kiss a frog everyday.”

I will tell the frog. I will tell him you are actually kissing it as you wait for your prince.

I will tell the frog.

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Sshhhh, Rudolf, the frog already knows. He kisses back with eyes open. :)

Shahwar.K

Shahwar.K — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

””Hope is precisely what is fooling us.””

your write up is ”beautiful”!

thanx for ”gracing” instablogs with this piece.

i feel elated when i come across such thoughts, even if rarely.

feels great to see there are people out there who really ”think”

The title to your piece is ”POETIC”!

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Thanks, Shahwar! My full gratitude to your compliment - my entire quota for gratitude in this lifetime and the next. :):)

Rudolf

Rudolf — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Grace,

What a frog he is, indeed.

What will keeping his eyes open do for him? Unless to know when to hop away.

Poor frog.

That is why I prefer toads. Ugly as hell, but solid on the ground and can withstand a runover by a car while the frog will go piiii - with the green content of its belly exposed for all to see.

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Rudolf, you’re gross, bro! ”...frog will go piiii - with the green content of its belly exposed for all to see.”

I know that scene! I once ran over a frog!

Rudolf

Rudolf — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

...and you ran over the frog and then bent down and kissed it. Oh, yucky, yucky. Sister, you’re the gross one.

By the way, does the new frog know your history with frogs? He may need to do more than just keep his eyes open, he needs to wear armor else you pull out your lips and pull up your Hummer. And piii....

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

LOL Rudolf! Really, sick! The nightmare with that frog is all coming back now...

It wasn’t my fault! It cut across as I was going down a lane. It could have opted to jump back to the grass, but no! it chose to jump at me!

No, I didn’t kiss that one. It would have been quite difficult as it got stuck on the tire looking like a potential wallet... Sorry...

But, yeah, there was a lot of piii...

Celso Camargo

Celso Camargo — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Hope is something very dangerous. Many people have hope that their lives improve, wishing a future that bring them something good. The problem is that many people who are opportunistic, ”merchants of hope”, mainly religious and political.

We must be optimistic but not naive.

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Whenever you get serious, Celso, it sends shivers up my spine. LOL

One moment you ask me if I swallowed a punk for lunch, the next moment you’re analyzing the sociological implication of punks.

Celso, I have no more hair to pull! LOL

Celso Camargo

Celso Camargo — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Grace, know a great hairdresser that can leave your hair the same Amy Winehouse!

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Amy Winehouse...Hmmm...good suggestion! I can use that. After all, she’s got lots of hair.

Celso Camargo

Celso Camargo — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

That is not hair, is the hideout of Osama bin Laden!

Celso Camargo

Celso Camargo — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

About the kissing frog: be careful, can you imagine if someday the frog turns out into Caligula?

Jayashree

Jayashree — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

I like Caligula! Grace, you can give ME the frog in that case!

Celso Camargo

Celso Camargo — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

I have one here, but the problem is that my frog is Che Guevara.

Jayashree

Jayashree — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Che was danm hot when he was in his twenties. Need I say more, Celso?

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

ROFL!!

Ok, Jayeshree, you can have Caligula. And Celso, you can keep Che Gueverra!

You, guys, are hilarious!

The other time, Celso and I were talking about Magneto. And Jayashree and I were talking about cats.

What is happening?? And I thought my articles will be full of fire and brimstone!

LOLZ

Celso Camargo

Celso Camargo — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Sorry Grace. Today I forgot to take the medicine that my psychiatrist prescribed for me!

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The past, the present, and the perhaps...you can change medication.

LOL

Jayashree

Jayashree — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Magneto is scary. Not Freddie scary, but still scary. And I want Che, too :( I can’t help being so selfish..

Celso, your shrinks been reading your comments and he’s doubled the medication. Or perhaps it’s just because you talk to Grace. Seven pills of depakote for you from now on..

Celso Camargo

Celso Camargo — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

That’s no a problem, cause he is imaginary!

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Oh no! I cause men to lose their minds!

Hahahaha!

That was a far shot but did it reach the hoop? :)

Jayashree

Jayashree — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

What have you done now, Grace? I don’t see Celso anymore

Celso Camargo

Celso Camargo — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

I am hiding me of Grace’s frogs!

Jayashree

Jayashree — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

So they’ve become Grace’s frogs again, have they :( Well, it was nice imagining having Che and Caligula by my side for a while...

Jayashree

Jayashree — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Interesting how no matter what Grace writes about, the discussion centers around some creature in the end. Past couple days, I’ve read about cats, frogs, werewolves and tikbalangs.. Did I miss anything?!

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

I was just saying that in my other post. LOL

I should really use more fauna metaphors in the upcoming pieces. LOL

Rudolf

Rudolf — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Grace,

Why should I believe your version of events? Because we write on instablogs?

I want to hear from the frog.

If you were going down the lane, you should have seen it. Were you driving one of those cars that do not make noise? Why didn’t you jump to the grass instead of waiting for the poor innocent frog out to find its lunch and to feed its numerous kids? Why? Didn’t you see the plea of hunger in its eyes? Why did you deal such a big blow to a single Mum with numerous kids to care for?

Since that incident, have you cared about those you made homeless orphans? Have you? And you want me not to say shame on you? Why?

Admit it! You were looking for a new wallet. And that is how you obtain it for cheap? Tomorrow you complain about those who use child labor and all what not. Here you were, because of a new wallet, you rendered a family of frogs motherless.

Ah! Shame on you.

And to make matters worse, you have the audacity to keep a frog at home and kiss it when you want.

You know what, you are a good candidate for the CEO of a multinational cooperation. They treat the rest of us the way you treated that frog.

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

HAHAHAHA! Go on, berate me as you wish! MEA CULPA MEA CULPA!

Yeah...It really could have looked good as a wallet...

Btw, frogs around here don’t make noise. Everything is stealthy around here, especially if one is about to jump on another...

PS

The frog isn’t available anymore for interviews for your next book.

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Your next book: CHILDREN OF A LESSER FROG

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

or...CHILDREN OF A RETIRED FROG

Rudolf

Rudolf — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Haaaaaaaaaaaa That’s a good title... lesser frog.

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

It has a nice ring to it, huh?

The decimation of the denizens of the lower rungs on the food chain, as done by the supremacy of man and his nihilistic nature. A probe into the underbelly of the frog wallet industry and underground economy. A new exciting masterpiece from Rudolf Okonkwo!

Oh, brother, Kim Zigfeld would just love that!

Rudolf

Rudolf — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Grace, you know I can sell the book idea based on what you wrote up her.

That Kim, you know that I miss her some days- as crazy as that sounds.

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Oh, Rudolf, we knew that! I mean, you were the only two people in Instablogs that actually wrote and dedicated articles about and for each other!

We sort of watched the whole love-hate shebang unfold.

We can ask her back. Would you like that?

Hehe...

Rudolf

Rudolf — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

I don’t think it is between us and her. I think it is between her and the management here.

Begging her may earn us some newly minted abuse.

I am sure she will be back one day. When things cool down and we forget things…

She kind of put herself in a tough situation when she gave the condition she gave for future contribution. I saw that as an escape from a different issue that was hard to win.

Anyway, I go to the other place she writes to see what she is up to. But there is no debate like we see here so it is just a boring monologue.