THIS is why we are here. It is the purpose of our lives, the meaning of our existence. We should never lose sight of that. Life places before us a decisive choice: to remain centered on ourselves or to live with Christ, who reveals what it truly means to be human. He is “the way, the truth and the life,” leading us to full communion with God…(Full article in link below)
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Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Races that feel like a vacation
Races that feel like a vacation
Photo from Two Oceans Marathon official website
As amateur athletes, races are a hobby or passion. Together with these endeavors is the opportunity to travel and explore the world. The best races take you through stunning landscapes, historic cities, and fun escapades that give you an unforgettable experience.
If you’re planning a race that also feels like a vacation, these five destinations feature real world-class events known for scenery, atmosphere, and travel appeal.
MUSIC IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF MY LIFE
Music is an important part of our life as it is a way of expressing our feelings as well as emotions. No matter where you are living on this globe. Some people consider music as a way to escape from the pain of life. It gives you relief and allows you to reduce stress. … Music plays a more important role in our life than just being a source of entertainment.
Music affects our emotions. When we listen to sad songs, we tend to feel a decline in mood. When we listen to happy songs, we feel happier. Upbeat songs with energetic riffs and fast-paced rhythms (such as those we hear at sporting events) tend to make us excited and pumped up.
Music means the world to me. It makes me think about how it relates to life and I love the beats. Music is a way to express yourself, keep you company while you’re alone, and always give you something to do. Music is a way of expressing me and being able to relate to other people.
It won’t be a surprise to most that music can affect the human brain emotionally. … Happy, upbeat music causes our brains to produce chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, which evokes feelings of joy, whereas calming music relaxes the mind and the body.
Music is a form of art; an expression of emotions through harmonic frequencies. … Most music includes people singing with their voices or playing musical instruments, such as the piano, guitar, drums or violin. The word music comes from the Greek word (mousike), which means “(art) of the Muses.
Music is love. David Crosby sang this wonderful song already in 1971. “Everybody’s sayin’ music is love .
Music tells stories. Well, composers and musicians use music to tell stories. From all over the world. Music can be used to depict characters, places, actions and even emotions. Music is often used to heighten a mood, or to express a thought or feeling when mere words are not enough.
“[Music] can propel narrative swiftly forward, or slow it down. It often lifts mere dialogue into the realm of poetry. It is the communicating link between the screen and the audience, reaching out and enveloping all into one single experience.” The best stories engage all of the senses.
One of the great things about music in general, and in particular concert music, is that playing it opens up a whole new world of experience that further enhances the mind, physical coordination, and expression. Music lovers, who are also amateur performers, may choose to play in community ensembles (orchestra, band, choir), take lessons, perform with others, compose, and nearly anything else a professional musician may do, while maintaining their regular lives. All of this involves intense physical coordination in performing an instrument alone or with others, while reading musical notation, and adding delicate or strong nuanced changes to the music that only a performer can bring. In general, to an amateur musician, music can provide an escape from everyday life or an alternative means of expressing one’s own capabilities. It is an important part of their lives and fills a need or an urge to create music.
I have been a music lover since my 4th birthday. Meanwhile, living as a German expat in the Philippines, I found out that Filipinos and Germans are music lovers. Among indigenous Filipinos, one important function of music is to celebrate or commemorate important events in the human life cycle. Fortunately, until today, these rich indigenous musical traditions live on. They serve as a reminder of the Filipinos’ long history of musical talent and ingenuity. Philippinesfinance community
Such is the case of Philippine music which today is regarded as a unique blending of two great musical traditions – the East and the West. … The majority of Philippine Music revolves around cultural influences from the West, due primarily to the Spanish and American rule for over three centuries.
Becoming a German expatriate in the Philippines in 1999, I have attended many music events. I fell in love with Filipino classical music. So what does music really mean to Filipinos? It simply tells them where they’ve been and where they could go. It tells a story that everyone can appreciate and relate to, which is why it’s a big part of every Filipino culture.
Music of the Philippines (Filipino: Himig ng Pilipinas) include musical performance arts in the Philippines or by Filipinos composed in various genres and styles. The compositions are often a mixture of different Asian, Spanish, Latin American, American, and indigenous influences.
Notable folk song composers include the National Artist for Music Lucio San Pedro, who composed the famous “Sa Ugoy ng Duyan” that recalls the loving touch of a mother to her child. Another composer, the National Artist for Music Antonino Buenaventura, is notable for notating folk songs and dances. Buenaventura composed the music for “Pandanggo sa Ilaw”.
YE LIVE IN JAKARTA Set to Welcome 77,000 Fans for Southeast Asia's Biggest Concert Weekend
YE LIVE IN JAKARTA Set to Welcome 77,000 Fans for Southeast Asia's Biggest Concert Weekend
Raw Vision Collective Announces YE LIVE IN JAKARTA – Bringing YE's Iconic Globe Stage to Gelora Bung Karno
Jakarta, 27 July 2026 – Raw Vision Collective announced YE LIVE IN JAKARTA 2026, bringing global musician and cultural icon YE, formerly known as Kanye West, to Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Main Stadium on Saturday, 24 October 2026. As Jakarta currently stands as YE's only Southeast Asian stop on YE’s 2026 tour, the event is set to welcome up to 77,000 fans from across the region for one of the year's most anticipated live entertainment experiences. Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday, 29 July at 10:00 AM WIB (GMT+7) via yejakarta.com.
As YE's currently only Southeast Asian stop in 2026 (https://tour.yeezy.com/), Jakarta offers fans across the region one of the easiest and most accessible concert destinations. With direct flights from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Manila, Ho Chi Minh City, and Sydney, official Ticket + Hotel packages, and an integrated transportation network connecting Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to Gelora Bung Karno (GBK), the city is designed to welcome international visitors for a seamless concert weekend. For fans across the region, this is not only a trip to Indonesia. This is the nearest the Globe Stage gets to where they are.
Featuring YE's signature Globe Stage, the concert will transform Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Main Stadium into an immersive 360-degree live experience that has become synonymous with YE's artistic identity. More than a conventional concert production, the Globe Stage places audiences at the heart of the performance, blurring the boundaries between artist and audience through an innovative fusion of music, visuals, and storytelling. With a capacity of 77,000, Gelora Bung Karno is one of Southeast Asia's largest and most iconic stadiums, providing the scale and cultural significance to host a production of this magnitude.
"Bringing YE to Jakarta is not only about bringing one of the world's most influential musicians to Indonesia. YE LIVE IN JAKARTA is more than a concert, it's an invitation for fans across Southeast Asia and Australia to experience Jakarta through one unforgettable weekend of world-class live entertainment, while giving fans from Indonesia and across the region the opportunity to be part of a truly historic live performance,” said Micha Ananda, CEO, Raw Vision Collective
For more than two decades, YE has been recognized as one of the defining figures pushing the boundaries of music and popular culture. His work has helped shape the landscape of modern hip-hop while influencing the worlds of fashion, design, and creative culture. His latest album, Bully, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, is a testament to the continued global attention surrounding his work and influence. Combined with an artistic approach known for large-scale visuals and stage productions, each YE performance has become a highly anticipated experience for music fans around the world.
"Every YE concert is designed as an experience, not simply a music performance. The Globe Stage is a key element that draws audiences into the creative world he has built. We want audiences from Jakarta, across Southeast Asia and Australia to experience that same sense of immersion, something spectacular and unforgettable. We believe 'YE LIVE IN JAKARTA' will be one of the most highly anticipated live entertainment events of the year,” said Karen Tjahja, Marketing & Communications Lead, Raw Vision Collective
TICKETS & ON-SALE
General public tickets go on sale Wednesday, 29 July 2026 at 10:00 AM WIB (GMT+7) exclusively via yejakarta.com, with Loket as the official ticketing platform. Entry-tier tickets start from IDR 1,875,000 (approx. SGD 155 / AUD 149 / USD 104). VIP and Super Fans Festival tiers are available. Royal Suite and Sky Box pricing on request via WhatsApp +62 821 1636 495.
Official Ticket + Hotel Bundles, covering one night's accommodation at Fairmont Jakarta, Hotel Mulia Jakarta, or ARTOTEL Gelora Senayan, all within minutes of GBK, are available from IDR 12,500,000 (approx. SGD 898 / AUD 1,181 / USD 694) through 29 August, subject to availability.
All the latest information on “YE LIVE IN JAKARTA,” including concert updates, ticket sales, and other official announcements, will be available through Raw Vision Collective’s official Instagram account, @rawvision.collective, and the official website, yejakarta.com. Press materials can also be accessed here.
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About Raw Vision Collective
Raw Vision is a purpose-driven collective formed to deliver world-class live experiences. The organization brings together a diverse team of cultural strategists, creative innovators, experience designers, and live-music production specialists with a shared commitment to elevating Jakarta's position as a regional cultural destination.
For more information, please contact:
Big things start small
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By Fr. Roy Cimagala
Chaplain
Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)
Talamban, Cebu City
Email: roycimagala@gmail.com
SOME people approach life the way toddlers approach an all-you-can-eat buffet: one gigantic plate, zero strategy, and complete confidence that nothing could possibly go wrong.
They announce world-changing plans before breakfast, only to discover by lunchtime that they cannot even keep a houseplant alive. Thankfully, Christ's parables of the mustard seed and the yeast (cfr. Mt 13,31-35) offer a gentler, wiser approach: start small. Very small. So small that your ego may need counseling.
The mustard seed does not demand to become a towering tree overnight. The yeast does not throw a dramatic press conference announcing its intention to inflate an entire bakery by noon. They simply do their quiet work. Meanwhile, humans are busy writing ten-year plans after watching one motivational video and purchasing expensive planners that will remain suspiciously blank after February.
There is profound wisdom in beginning with little things. Small beginnings build strong foundations, unlike castles constructed entirely from wishful thinking and inspirational quotes.
More importantly, the ordinary moments of daily life are precisely where God quietly waits for us. Scripture reminds us that God's will is our sanctification, not our successful audition for the role of "Most Impressive Person on Earth."
Starting small also keeps us from the dangerous sport of premature greatness. Many brilliant projects have collapsed because someone confused enthusiasm with competence. Patience grows best when watered daily by humble effort instead of flashy ambition. Even better, small beginnings gently force us to rely on God's providence instead of our own oversized confidence.
This means finding God in ordinary routines: washing dishes without composing a personal tragedy, answering emails without declaring war on your inbox, smiling at difficult people instead of secretly nominating them for exile.
Suddenly, these tiny actions become holy because they are no longer just our own efforts. They become opportunities to cooperate with God rather than starring in the one-person show called "Look What I Accomplished."
People often dream of performing spectacular acts of holiness. They imagine heroic sacrifices, dramatic miracles, or perhaps receiving heavenly applause after surviving an especially difficult committee meeting.
Yet true greatness usually arrives disguised as countless unnoticed acts of kindness, patience, honesty, and love. Heaven apparently has a soft spot for people who quietly do the right thing without demanding a trophy or at least a commemorative coffee mug.
Never underestimate the power of little things. Tiny acts of love accumulate like compound interest, except the dividends are eternal. Ignore them, however, and you may discover that you have mastered impressive speeches about faith while remaining spectacularly impatient with slow cashiers and family members who chew too loudly.
Christ himself offered the perfect performance review: whoever is faithful in little things will also be faithful in much. That sounds wonderfully simple until your greatest spiritual challenge turns out to be remaining charitable before your first cup of coffee. Apparently, sainthood begins much closer to the kitchen sink than to the spotlight.
Sanctity may indeed require heroic courage, perhaps even martyrdom for some. For most of us, however, heroism wears ordinary clothes. It means consistently choosing love when nobody notices, nobody applauds, and nobody posts it online. Hidden faithfulness can be remarkably heroic.
So, spend your day asking, "Lord, what should I do with this moment?" Whether facing exciting work, tedious chores, or endless waiting, invite Christ into every little task. The mustard seed never looked impressive on day one, but somehow it still managed to outgrow every oversized ego in the garden.
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