Amazing Musings

The Man Who Thinks He Can

2011-11-21T21:21:00.001+08:00

If you think you are beaten, you are

If you think you dare not, you don’t

If you would like to win but you think you can’t

it’s almost a cinch you won’t

If you think you’ll lose ,you’re lost

For out in the world we find:

Success begins with a fellow’s will,

Its all in the state of mind

If you think your outclassed, you are

You’ve got to think high to rise

You’ve got to be sure of yourself

Before you can ever win a prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or the faster man,

But sooner or later, the man who wins

Is the man who thinks he can.

from think and grow rich

Surrender

2011-10-21T19:22:00.000+08:00

I like Oprah's quotable quotes and recently I came across another nice one:

“When you’ve worked as hard and done as much and strived and tried and given and pled and bargained and hoped…surrender. When you have done all that you can do, and there is nothing left for you to do…give it up. Give it up to that thing that is greater than yourself and let it then become a part of the flow..”

Anyone who has ever dreamt and the dream remain unrealized can relate. I also have things in my plate which I wanted so bad and they are still like that until now - unrealized. All these years, I was learning and sharing in my own little way how we can get what we want in our life, but here is one reason explaining why we can't get what we want in life:

"God can dream a bigger dream for me, for you, than you can ever do for yourself"

I am a believer of the law of attraction. And I was able to witness different ways people proved that it works. But hand in hand with the belief in the law of attraction should be the belief in the law of detachment.

The law of detachment says that in order to successfully attract something, one must be detached to the outcome. If we are attached, we project negative emotions of fear, doubt, or craving which actually attracts the opposite of our desire. We are then operating from a position of worry, fear and doubt rather than serenity, trust and faith. Of course there are times when negative emotions are meant to be felt and acted upon, but our dominant emotions should be positive ones.

Just this week, I made a decision which I thought was right. I followed the rules, I checked and cross-checked the bullet points and yet I lost. I was very frustrated with myself. But I decided not to dwell too much on the frustration and I clearly remember praying to God minutes after to remove the bad feeling I have and to just nudge me to let go and move on. I again prayed the same prayer during our prayer meeting, and again before I went to bed. Lo and behold, in less than 36 hours I was able to turn the negative around and I gained more than what I lost. Coincidence? I don't think so.

I could have romanticized what happened and call it a random coincidence, but I believe this is more than coincidence. I believe it was a lesson at letting go. I still have a long way to go from learning this letting go thing but I will get there soon. I have the tendency to be a control freak and I easily lose sight of the goal when a speed bump presents itself along the way. But this thought is comforting: that you give it all you got, since that’s all you can really do now, then leave the results to a Higher Power. You don’t fail until you stop trying. But sometimes, to stop trying is the best thing you can do.

So here I am now doing everything I can just like what Corrinne May said - "Take my five loaves and two fishes, do with it as you will. I surrender", then whisper to God my dreams, then let go - with the thought that God is doing some maneuevering in the universe to make everything perfect in His time.

Cirque du Soleil: Varekai in Manila

2011-07-29T17:15:00.008+08:00

When I was young, I loved watching the circus shows they show on tv. The jugglers. The lions and the tamer. The wire-walkers. The fire-eaters. The flying trapeze. But the part I really loved was the clowns. The moment they enter the ring, I was always excited. They never failed to entertain me.

So I was really happy when I learned Cirque du Soleil is in Manila and I have the chance to watch their Varekai production. Thank you SunLife!

It was my first time to watch a production of Cirque du Soleil and my first time to watch a circus live. I cannot think of one word to describe the show but several words might capture it: astounding, amazing, spectacular, mind-boggling, exciting, out-of-this-world, terrific, fantastic, and for me, the greatest show on earth. The performers moved and danced and glided from one end of the stage to the other and flew around like birds, they somersaulted in mouth-dropping precision as if they didn’t have bones, then landing either on the floor or on the palms of fellow performers effortlessly, and gracefully bending and contorting their bodies forward and backward with so much fluid facility as if they were made of rubbers.

Grand Chapiteau (photo courtesy of Chuvaness)

Cirque du Soleil in English means "Circus of the Sun". Cirque du Soleil began in 1984. Guy Laliberté created the enterprise based on a project involving 20 street performers and the Canadian circus. Currently, Cirque du Soleil employs more than 4000 staff members, including 1000 artists from 40 different countries.

Cirque du Soleil, one of the world’s most famous modern circus troupes originated from Canada. Though the 21st century is the era of advancing modern technology, Varekai is still being performed inside a big tent with elaborate costumes, popcorn and traditional acts of wonder and awe.

Here are some trivia about The Grand Chapiteau

The Cirque du Soleil mobile "village" includes the Grand Chapiteau (Big Top), artistic tent, entrance tents, VIP tent, box office, kitchen, school, office trailers, warehouses and more.
180,000 square feet (4.2 Acres or 17,000 square meters) is needed to house the entire site including the tents and trailers.
The artistic tent is 1,300 square feet (120 square meters) and houses areas for: wardrobe, warm up and training, physiotherapy and dressing rooms.
It takes 11 days for more than 200 workers, including 100 hired locally, to complete a city to city transfer of the infrastructures.
It takes 7 days to set up the site and all the infrastructures and it takes 2 days to completely tear it down.
This represents at least 11 000 man hours which represents 5.5 years of work if one guy did it alone!
An average of 55 tractor trailers are needed to carry more than 2 million pounds of equipment from city to city.
Completely self-sufficient for electrical power, the site relies only on a local water supply and telecommunication facilities to support its infrastructure.
The Grand Chapiteau measures 165 feet (50 meters) in diameter and is supported by four 82-foot-high (25 meters) steel masts.
The Grand Chapiteau is comprised of 18 pieces of flame retardant vinyl canvas and is manufactured in Bordeaux, France by Voileries du Sud-Ouest, internationally renowned for their big tops.
The climate-controlled Grand Chapiteau seats more than 2,500 people.
The Big Top is held down by roughly 400 stakes, 5' (1.5 meters) nails.
The cupola is 52 ft (16 meters) above the ground.
The Big Top can support winds up to 75 miles/h (120 km/h).
A Big Top lifespan is about ten years, depending on the conditions of use (storage, temperature and frequency of setup/tear-down).
The Big Top infrastructure costs roughly $1.6 million. This does not include the stands or the other tents.

The Acts

Flight of Icarus

Icarus performs astounding dives and contortions in the net that holds him captive. With agility, deftness and sensitivity, Icarus performs astounding dives and contortions using this net.

Icarian Games

Foot-juggling is one of the oldest circus arts disciplines. The bearer lies on his back and twirls the other on his feet. The Icarian Games is an ancient discipline of the circus arts rarely seen in today’s contemporary circus culture. This act is generally presented by members of the same family. In tribute to this custom, the Icarians along with other acrobats synthesize in this spectacular display of human juggling. The human body becomes catapult and catcher in an elaborate, explosive and highly choreographed presentation of strength, balance and agility.

Water Meteors

Three young acrobats twirl ropes high above their heads with metal cups attached to the ends, simultaneously performing virtuosic acrobatic feats. Handling their ropes with rare agility, they perform impressive acrobatic figures at the same time.

Triple Trapeze

On an elevated trapeze apparatus, four young women perform a series of striking acrobatic moves, displaying grace, sensuality and impeccable timing.

Georgian dance

This act takes its inspiration from the Republic of Georgia, where inhabitants took to battle with numerous invaders over the centuries. The movements of the dancers recall the Georgians’ struggles against powers that sought to dominate their land. Endurance, precision and more than a hint of frenzy mark this act.

There is a 25-minute intermission. From my seat high above the venue, I talked to one of the ushers if I can move to an empty seat nearer the stage. And he agreed! He even looked for an empty seat for me! So for the second set, I am at a premiere seat. Thank you, Lord! =)

Slippery Surface

Darting and intertwining on a specially designed sliding surface, the artists fling and catch each other, creating an illusion of skating.

Aerial Hoop

Suspended high above the stage or flying through the air on her hoop, a young woman performs a series of movements displaying her flexibility and strength.

Solo on crutches

Like a jointed puppet, the Limping Angel dances on crutches while background performers teeter on canes in a dance that reignites Icarus's desire to fly again. Hands down, this is my favorite act. The “solo on crutches” act was done by a physically-challenged performer Dergin Tokmak. He appeared as the Limping Angel, moving across the stage effortlessly even while on crutches. He did those difficult moves any able-bodied dancer can find difficult to do. A really amazing performance.

Aerial straps

Two flyers suspended by wrist straps glide gracefully above the stage, performing original acrobatic figures in a synchronized display of precision and power. With a double strap, the two artists meld midair, becoming one in a series of striking acrobatic silhouettes. I love the part where they smiled to each other before taking a bow.

Handbalancing on canes

The performer achieves a variety of contortions and poses while balancing on a series of canes. Grace, strength and flexibility are exhibited, as a young woman balances on a series of strategically placed canes. Poised now on her feet, now on her hands, she contorts herself on these canes, maintaining a delicate equilibrium.

Russian swings

The audience watched with eager anticipation as they ushered in two, big Russian swings where later acrobats are hurled high into the air, alighting on their partners' wrists or on a landing canvas, sometimes even flying from one moving swing to the other. Breathtaking! A really swell act to cap the show!

The Clown Acts

No circus show would be complete without clowns! Joanna and Steven amuse the audience with acts that are simply absurd.

The audience gave the troupe a standing ovation and loud rounds of applause. Most applauded was of course Icarus (Mark Halasi) and the Solo on Crutches (Dergin Tokmak). Even the troupe themselves appreciated Dergin's unique performance.

It was a very good experience. Up to now I'm still watching snippets of Varekai from youtube.

Coming Varekai shows:
São Paulo, BR - From 15 September 2011 to 27 November 2011
SA Rio de Janeiro, BR - From 8 December 2011 to 8 January 2012

Cirque du Soleil currently has 22 shows. I hope I will be given the chance to watch more of Cirque du Soleil:

Alegria
Criss Angel - Believe
Corteo
Dralion
Ka
Kooza
La Nouba
The Beatles - Love
Iris
Michael Jackson - The Immortal
Mystere
O
Ovo
Quidam
Saltimbanco
Totem
Varekai
Viva Elvis
Zaia
Zarkana
Zed
Zumanity

Philippine Group Buying Sites

2011-07-28T17:05:00.006+08:00

Group buying, also known as collective buying, offers products and services at significantly reduced prices on the condition that a minimum number of buyers would make the purchase.

They are sometimes called collective online buying, social buying, crowd buying -- but they all mean one and the same thing: getting good deals and significant discounts by the power of bulk buying.

Note that this is not the typical department store or mall sale promo, but the discounts are really enormouse with deals going up as high as 90% less the original price.

So next time you are planning to have a massage, eat out in a restaurant, watch a play or movie, buy some new clothes, get the latest gadget, stay in a five-star hotel or but anything else, try first to visit these group buying websites first and see if they have the right offer for you.

Below is a list of the group buying websites available in the country today. Although most of those in the list cater to the residents of Metro Manila, some offer deals that are also available for those in other parts of the country like Cebu and Davao.

500 Peso Deals

AtCrazy

Awesome!

Beeconomic – Groupon Philippines

Buyanihan

Cash Cash Pinoy

Catch the Deal

Cheapipay

CityPoynt

CleverBuy

Crazy Deals

Cuponz Philippines

Deal Dozen

Deal Grocer

Deal Spot

Deals Tent

Discount Pilipinas

E-Deals To Go

Ensogo Philippines

eBay.ph Kuponan

Gupo

Halo-Halo Deals

HighLife

Local Roam

Lucky 7

Mega Deals PH

Metro Deal

MuraIto

My City Counts

Nakamura Ka

Pakyaw

Pilipinas Best Buys

Pinoy Vouchers

Plejee

Salamat.ph

Save on Pinoy

TipidTo Deals

Twangoo Manila

Weemall

Wow Deals

YugaDeals

I have friends who gave positive reviews about these group buying sites, especially Ensogo, Megadeals and Cash Cash Pinoy.

If you know of any new group buying website that has emerged, kindly let me know so I can add it to the list once confirmed legitimate. And let me know too if you have tried buying from any of these groups so we can all be guided on who offers the best service and best deal.

Delete with a Hard Heart

2011-07-22T17:06:00.004+08:00

I took photography lessons some years back and on the last day, our teacher, Leo Castillo, gave us some helpful tips on how to make our photos better. One of which is to read Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way”. It is about the 12-week program to recover your creativity from a variety of blocks, including limiting beliefs, fear, self-sabotage, jealousy, guilt, addictions and other inhibiting forces, replacing them with artistic confidence and productivity. But if there is one lesson I will particularly remember that really stood out, it is this: delete ALL your photos. As in delete?? Yes, he said! I was not that hard-hearted then so I did not comply. Might have done wonders to the quality of the photos I shoot now if I did!

Digital photography’s almost limitless capacity for storing photos is both a boon and a bane. Photographers of the old days found photography expensive in terms of time and money because aside from paying an arm and a leg in order to see printed versions of their shots, they have to wait a day or two before they can receive the prints.

During the early part of digital photography, storage was expensive. So they also practiced deleting unworthy photos to save on memory, both portable and in the computer.

But soon, the prices dropped and the pixel (and megabyte) counts went up. And everyone just kept shooting more and more.

Today, coming back from a vacation with 500 shots is not uncommon. Back in the day, that will be equivalent to about 20 rolls of 24 exposure film. But now, it’s so easy and cheap.

We had an exercise where one of our instructors, Karlo De Leon, took note of the file number of our last photo in the camera. This will ensure that we don’t cheat. Then we were told to take only four photos. Only four. The best we can find. No room for shutter-happiness. And we were forced to really compose our photos well before pushing that shutter.

Anyway, he said, we don’t need 40 shots of a sunset.

But should the shutter bug bites again, here are some tips on how to unclog our memory cards and hard drives with photos:

In Camera

If you have downtime during your travels like sitting in the airport during long layovers or traveling on the bus to the next destination, delete photos while they are still in your camera. Look for the obvious rejects: blurred shots and under or over exposed shots. The camera screen is too small and is not always the best view at discerning minute details, so don’t spend too much time zooming and being too critical.

First Pass

After download, do a first pass on the computer. Here, more blurred shots can be discovered and deleted. The obviously improperly composed shots can be deleted too.

Second Pass

It’s now time to stop being nice. Be totally honest with yourself at this point. Be ruthless. Delete the duplicates and choose only the best shot among the same set of subjects. Choose the best sunset, the best group picture where everybody is in it, the best jumpshot, etc. Be ready though to have the following thoughts creep: This is nice. I like it. A bit. And it’s not too blurry. And hey I’m cute here. But just be honest. If you are not going to print it, nor include it in a web album to be shared, nor use it to enter a photo contest, nor sell it, nor send it to a friend or family member, why keep it? We can’t hold on to everything in the past. Let it go. Those are just average pictures.

Honestly, this post is also a reminder for myself to do some spring cleaning in my photo hardrive. I’m sure I will be able to free a lot of space. But to avoid ending up with a lot of photos, I better train myself to compose first, do some adjustments in-cam, then shoot away. And also delete heartlessly the obvious rejects.

http://smartyph.quazen.com/arts/photography/delete-with-a-hard-heart/

Safedrive Drug Test Center, Inc

2011-07-20T17:38:00.001+08:00

I have to renew my Philippine Drivers License and one of the requirements is a Drug Test. Good thing there is Safedrive Drug Test Center, Inc. at SM Megamall. I entered their small office with about 5 people already inside but the procedure all took 30 minutes. The staff are friendly and helpful. They also have no lunch break so it is convenient for working people to drop by during their lunch breaks.They are right next to LTO Drivers License Renewal Center - Megamall branch so it will be like a one-stop shop for those renewing their license.

Procedure:

1. Go to Window 1 and they will request to see your old license. You will pay the processing fee of P400. Then they will give you several forms to fill-out.
2. You will be called to go to Window 2 so they can take your photo and get your fingerprint.
3. After several minutes, a medical technologist will call your name. He will give you a container to put the urine sample.
4. After urine collection, you will be called for the physical examination. The person in charge will get your height, weight, ask questions such as if you are using eyeglasses when driving. Then he will check your vision by making you read an eye chart.
5. In less than 10 minutes, the Medical Certificate will be issued together with the Drug Test Report.

By the way, the Drug Test report can also be used for:

a. city hall sanitary permit requirements
b. S2 license renewal
c. firearm's license acquisition

Safedrive Drug Test Center, Inc is open from Monday to Friday, 9:00am - 5:30pm. They are located at the Ground Floor, Megamall Building A (their door is outside the mall). They are directly infront of St. Francis Square. For more details, call them at 636-1995/636-1997.

photo courtesy of Safedrive Drug Test Center, Inc. Facebook page

Ton Ton Authentic Thai Massage

2011-07-19T17:19:00.007+08:00

Some drink themselves silly, others shop till they drop, while a good number out there eat like there's tomorrow. My secret addiction is massage.

I can no longer remember my first massage but since then, I have been addicted. I was on continuous lookout for the best massage place and best masseur/masseuse. So allow me to share with you one of my favorite massage places: Ton Ton Traditional Thai Massage.

All branches of Tontons I have visited have this quiet and relaxing reception area.

Waiting time is 10 minutes max. Then they will make you wear slippers and they will lead you to a small area where they will wash your feet tenderly with warm water.

Then you will be led to one of the cubicles separated from one another with a thick curtain.

There you will be requested to change to loose clothings. Their massage is very relaxing. I was massaged, stretched, pushed and squeezed at the right places with just the right pressure. It is true that Thai massage is a lazy man's yoga. Whenever I am there, I really want time to slow down. It is my heaven on earth.

I also like their foot massage. Instead of lying on a hard mattress, you will be made to sit on a lazy boy. They will put a hot compress on your nape and then they will methodically massage each foot with just the exact pressure. They will finish the massage by putting baby powder from the legs down to the feet. A 5-minute
back massage will cap the whole relaxing experience.

There are different branches in Metro Manila and interestingly, their prices differ. For the cheapest price, go to their Banawe branch where a one-hour massage is at P200 any time of the day. The rest of the branches have prices of 250 pesos during afternoons (12:00-6:00pm) and 300 pesos on all other times (6:00pm - 12:00mn).

Other branches are:

1. TRAMO BRANCH
- 2253 Aurora Boulevard Pasay City
- Tel. No.: 852-8357
- Open Daily 4PM to 2AM

2. BF HOMES BRANCH
- 273 Aguirre St., BF Homes, Pque. City
- Tel. No. : 829-6468
- Open Daily 12NN to 2AM

3. LEVISTE ROAD MAKATI
- 110 Plaza Royale Bldg. L.P. Leviste Rd. Salcedo Village, Makati City
- Tel. No. : 812-1089
- Open Daily 12NN to 2AM

4. SUBIC BRANCH
- Bldg. 1143 Rizal Arcade Argonaut Highway Subic Bay Freeport Zone, 2222
- Tel. No. : (047) 250-2292
- Open Daily 11AM to 1AM

5. SHAW BRANCH
- EMS Bldg. 2nd Floor Brgy. San Antonio Village, Pasig City
- Tel. No. : 635-0152
- Open Daily 12NN to 1AM

6. TOMAS MORATO BRANCH
- 303 Tomas Morato Avenue Quezon City
- Tel. No. : 352-0049
- Open Daily 12NN to 2AM

7. ANNAPOLIS BRANCH
- 25 Greenhills Court Condo Annapolis St., San Juan City
- Tel. No. : 722-1227
- Open Daily 12NN to 2AM

8. PASAY ROAD BRANCH
- 910 Colbella Arcade, Pasay Road Makati City
- Tel. No. : 813-2191
- Open Daily 12NN to 2AM

9. V.LUNA BRANCH
- No. 18 East Avenue corner V.Luna Road, Quezon City
- Tel. No. : 927-5171
- Open Daily 12NN to 2AM

10. PEREA BRANCH
- 109 Maripola Bdg. Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City
- Tel. No. : 817-7155
- Open Daily 12NN to 2AM

11. BANAWE BRANCH
- Goldland Building No. 528 Banawe St., corner No. 118 Calamba St., Quezon City
- Tel. No. : 742-7559
- Open Daily 12NN to 2AM

12. TAGAYTAY BRANCH
- 2B 12 Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo Highway Silang Junction, North Tagaytay, Cavite
- Tel. No. : (046) 544-0082
- Open Daily 12NN to 2AM

13. NEW MANILA BRANCH
- Mariwasa Bldg., 717 Aurora Blvd., Quezon City
- Tel. No. 725-9645
- Open Daily 2Pm to 2AM

14. URCI LAS PINAS BRANCH
- Unit 20-C Bldg., URCI Townhomes National Road, Pamplona, Las Pinas City
- Tel. No. : 403-2397
- Open Daily 12NN to 2AM

15. CONGRESSIONAL BRANCH
- 2nd Floor 1 Joroma Place Congressional Avenue, Ext. cor San Beda St. QC
- Tel. No. : 929-4201
- Open Daily 12NN to 2AM

16. LIBIS BRANCH
- Unit 9A & 10M Club Sixfifty 150 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave. Libis, Quezon City
- Tel. No. : 637-5610
- Open Daily 12NN to 2AM

17. STA. ROSA BRANCH
- Unit 3A & 3B 3rd Floor PCC Bldg. Balibago Tagaytay Road., Sta, Rosa Laguna
- Tel. No. : (049) 502-5554

18. KATIPUNAN BRANCH
- 3RD Floor YDG Bldg., No. 219 Katipunan Avenue Blueridge, Quezon City
- Tel. No. : 913-5640
- Open Daily 12NN to 2AM

19. CONCORDE MAKATI BRANCH
- 200 Concorde Condominium cor. Salcedo Benavidez St., Legaspi Village, Makati City
- Tel. No. : 869-1609
- Open Daily 12NN to 2AM

20. MALABON BRANCH
- RNL Ent. Centre 2nd Floor #153 Governor Pascual Avenue, cor. MH del Pilar Tinajeros, Malabon City
- Tel. No. : 352-7910
- Open Daily 3PM to 2AM

21. FORT BONIFACIO BRANCH
- 2nd Floor Unit A Sapphire Residence 31st 2nd Ave., Crescent Park West Bonifacio Global City, Taquig City
- Tel. No. : 519-7424
- Open Daily 12NN to 2AM

photos courtesy of Tonton's Facebook page

Financial Freedom 101: Opening Ourselves to More Blessings

2011-07-18T17:09:00.002+08:00

We have been made to believe that it is "better to give than to receive". But what we don't know is that the original passage actually says: "it's better to be in the position to be able to give than to be in a position to have to receive."

Makes a whole lot of difference, right?

Besides, how can we be possibly in the position to give if there wasn't anyone around to receive? For every act of giving, there must be an act of receiving. They are of equal importance.

It is nice to ponder on how it feels to give something to someone who is grateful and willing to receive. But also think about how it feels when someone rejects our gift.

If we are not willing to receive, we are denying the giver the joy and pleasure that comes from giving.

What's worse, we are training the Universe to give its abundance to someone else. The wealth of the Universe has to go somewhere. Why not to us?

Many poor people actually believe that they are better people because they are poor. This is something I have actually believed in before because of my conditioning. For me before, poor = humility. Poor = meekness. Poor = good.

But come to think of it, isn't it better to be well-off so we can help others from a place of more instead of a place of wanting? Besides, we should believe that money will only make us more of what we already are. If we are kind persons, money will only give us the opportunity to be kinder.

The bottom line is: open up to abundance. And once we do that, we will not only start receiving more money, but we will also receive more love, more peace, more happiness and more fulfillment.

And needless to say, once we start receiving, make sure we say "Thank you" every time a blessing comes us. Gratitude is essential to keep the flow of blessings coming.

And it will also worth doing that each time someone gives us a complement of any sort, simply say "Thank you." We don't have to return the complement to that person at the same time. This lets us practice being an excellent receiver. We are allowing ourselves to fully receive and own the compliment instead of "deflecting" it, or throwing it back as most people do.

Financial blessing we find or receive should also enthusiastically be celebrated. This is true even for money we find on the ground, for money we get as gifts, for money we get as a paycheck, and for money we get from our business. I used to ignore those centavos i find on the ground but now I am picking them up because I look at them as representatives of the financial blessings I attract.

Another nice way to be a good receiver is to start nurturing ourselves. At least once a month, do something to nurture ourself and our spirit. Get a massage, a manicure, a pedicure or take yourself for an out-of-the-ordinary meal. Do something that will allow you to feel rich and deserving. Because we really deserve to be blessed.

http://smartyph.quazen.com/shopping/how-to-open-ourselves-to-more-blessings/?352435#comment-352435&reload

Join Pinay WAHM’s $800 Birthday Giveaway!

2011-07-12T21:02:00.000+08:00

Join Pinay WAHM’s $800 Birthday Giveaway!

I’m joining another contest, and I’m hoping that I’ll get to win one of the exciting prizes. It’s very easy to join, so why not visit the link below and try your luck also!

FIRST PRIZE – $230

$100 CASH

$90 WORTH OF GIFT CERTIFICATE FROM WAHMAHOLIC BLOG DESIGNS

$40 WORTH OF .COM DOMAIN & 1 YEAR OF FREE HOSTING FROM PINAY MOMMY ONLINE

SECOND PRIZE – $175

$80 CASH

$60 WORTH OF GIFT CERTIFICATE FROM WAHMAHOLIC BLOG DESIGNS

$35 WORTH OF .COM DOMAIN & 1 YEAR OF FREE HOSTING FROM PINAY MOMMY ONLINE

THIRD PRIZE – $140

$60 CASH

$50 WORTH OF GIFT CERTIFICATE FROM WAHMAHOLIC BLOG DESIGNS

$30 WORTH OF .COM DOMAIN & ONE YEAR OF FREE HOSTING FROM PINAY MOMMY ONLINE

5 CONSOLATION PRIZES – $45 EACH

$20 CASH + $25 WORTH OF .INFO DOMAIN & 1 YEAR HOSTING

FOR EACH OF THE FIVE (5) LUCKY WINNERS

EARLY BIRD PRIZES

1ST TO SUBMIT – $15 BLOG HEADER FROM WAHMAHOLIC BLOG DESIGNS

2ND TO SUBMIT- $10 CASH

3RD TO SUBMIT – $5 BLOG BUTTON FROM WAHMAHOLIC BLOG DESIGNS

GENEROUS CONTEST SPONSORS:

Baguio Girl · Filipina Blogger · Places and Plates · Vector Dad · Pinay Mommy Blogger · Tsinay Travels

Expressions and Thoughts · Delight My Appetite · Me, Myself and Jes · Fishy Talks · Oh Gosh Gulay · Mommy's InfoDose · Advocating Breastfeeding · The Oblepias Family Blog · Gowns and Heels · Nshima Servings · transforMAYtion · Pinay Mama · The Bloggers Journal · A Network of Entertainment · ZoWanderer · LEVYousa · {cherry} everyday · Dreamworld Traveler · Samut Sari Etsy Store · Her and History · Beauty and Fashion Diva · Mye de Leon · I Embrace Life · From Asia and Beyond · Jared's Little Corner · My Tots Exactly · Barbie Dress Up Games · Written by Mys · Hands Full of Life · The Life Encounters

Observations

2011-06-10T16:42:00.000+08:00

Most people who claim to be loving are not.
Most people who claim to be religious are evil.
Most people who brag about a skill don’t have that skill.
Most people who judge others don’t see they are judging themselves.
Most people who say they are open minded are closed minded.
Most people can rationalize any behavior they do.
Most people think everyone else is batty.
Most people never accept responsibility for anything they do.
Most people are more blessed than they ever admit.
Most people complain more than they compliment.
Most people are jealous of other people’s good fortune.
Most people will lie if they can get away with it.
Most people take on the mannerisms of the people around them.
Most people don’t know they get what they give.
Most people have more trouble receiving than giving.
Most people have trouble giving anything but potatoes.
Most people don’t know they are most people.

- Edward Gary Allens

Ava and her pacifier

2011-04-15T15:58:00.000+08:00

I heard mass one day at the Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord in Megamall and the priest, Fr. Joel Jason, let us watch a video entitled "Ava says goodbye to her pacifier" . It was both a funny and tearful way of letting go. Funny because she is letting go of something trivial as a pacifier, and tearful too because when we ponder on the symbolism, the pacifier is just a representation of any attachments we have that we need to let go one day.

Dear child,

I know you don't like pain. I don't like it too. But for one to get well, one must endure the pain of surgery — to cut away that which is no longer helping but hindering you.

Doc,
God

P.S. Pain won't last, my dear child. So bite your lip and take a deep breath. Joy is coming, and that will last.

Agnes Ignacio, the Piano teacher from Romblon (Pilipinas Got Talent)

2011-04-11T17:14:00.005+08:00

Just thinking about her and her story still makes me cry. Agnes Ignacio is a piano teacher from Romblon. Hers can be the usual story of a life lived in solitude but what made it more heart-thugging is she is also sick with 4th stage breast cancer, with metastasis on the 3rd lumbar.

According to her, four years ago her parents were still alive and life was happy. But when they died, she started to live alone, her siblings left her and her husband whom she is about to spend almost 25 years of marriage left her. The reason: they don't want to burden themselves with her sickness. In short, they abandoned her and left her alone. She earns from teaching piano to the students of Romblon who would pay her P150 per lesson or sometimes nothing at all. When Kris Aquino, one of the hosts, asked her why she joined Pilipinas Got Talent, she silently replied that she wanted to visit her doctor again and she wanted to buy a new piano so she can teach her students better. But she said this without any intention of eliciting pity nor sympathy, which made me feel sorry for her more. I know how it feels to appear fine inspite of a nagging pain inside.

Kris Aquino told her she will give her a grand piano (very nice of her). She probably thought that Agnes doesn't have a fair chance of making it to the finals so she might as well get her prize now.

I will pray for Agnes. May she be healed of cancer and may she find joy and peace in her heart inspite of the abandonment she got from the people who are supposed to take care of her and love her especially in this moment in her life. She is a very positive person, and may she continue playing beautiful piano pieces.

Clutter

2011-04-06T16:56:00.000+08:00

I don't know with you but whenever I see clutter anywhere, I feel stressed out. Whenever something is out of its original "home" i get distracted. Maybe it is the O.C. me creeping out but I am more productive in a neat and organized environment. The problem is, I am not neat and organized! I have this tendency to just throw the newspaper on the floor after reading at night whenever I am too sleepy to put it on the table, or to stash away clean clothes that fell with the piece i retrieved.

Very minor but rarely do we recognize them for what they really are – potent threats to our productivity, energy, concentration and peace of mind.

For those of us committed to achieving greater success in our lives, a cluttered physical environment produces negative consequences:

Firstly, we will feel drained. If there are clutter everywhere we look, our mind constantly keeps thinking “I need to fix that.” Eventually, we feel drained, anxious, irritable, and overwhelmed.

Secondly, problems seem out of control. We often overlook irritations for the short-term gain of being able to continue with our daily routine. The danger, however, is that some problems will grow worse with lack of attention. That small hairline crack in the windshield can be easily fixed in 30 minutes but can become a crack over time if left unattended.

It seems small irritations and distractions also have an impact on our mental being. It is common for people who feel overwhelmed by their physical clutter to go into a state of resignation. When we have a sense that we can’t control the little things – such as quickly finding a pair of scissors when we need it – then it becomes easy to tell ourselves that there’s no way we can have the other, bigger things that we want, such as a better car, bigger house, prestigious job, or loving relationship. This is the psychological effect.

The upside is that the same concept works in reverse. When we do recognize that we can control little things, such as that squeking bed, we recognize that we can control the bigger things in life, too. Taking action to manage irritations, distractions and clutter builds our confidence in our ability to achieve success, regardless of form.

We should be controlling our environment, not the environment controlling us.

Letting go and letting God

2011-04-05T17:16:00.000+08:00

As kids, we must have all tried playing with sand and tried to pick up a handful. And we realize that no matter how hard we try to hang on to it - it just sifts through our fingers until only a few grains of sand are left. The saying "If you love something, set it free" is so cliche but there is some truth to it. Because what we want in life - our goals and dreams, happen the same way the sand does...

The tighter we hold on to them and the more anxious we get about the outcome - the more they just seem to slip away from us.

But with a calm steady hand, we could easily hold the sand all day long.

It seems counterintuitive.

But we often see people spending far too much time worrying and feeling anxious about wanting or desiring something. Most specifically when it comes to our prosperity, finances and relationships.

But why is it that the more we focus on something as the be all and end all - the more elusive it becomes?

But when we focus on the foundation of our desires and goals - like happiness, well-being, joy, peace of mind, etc. - and what you can positively do with the prosperity in our life, something good and positive happens. We start making things happen - almost like we've magnetized everything we want and it can no longer resist us.

When I realized this, I just tell God all my heart's desires but at the end, I let go of these desires and just trust Him that in His goodness, he will give the best for me. His will be done.

Lessons from Noah's Ark

2011-03-17T08:59:00.000+08:00

a friend forwarded this to me. some thoughts to ponder..
i like number 3 best.

Noah's Ark : Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark .

ONE: Don't miss the boat.
TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat!
THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
FIVE: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.
SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile.
TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
ELEVEN: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.

In Case of a Tsunami

2011-03-11T18:00:00.002+08:00

What to Do When a Tsunami Strikes

How to keep yourself alive in the event of a tsunami.

Tsunamis are a mass of sea waves that are usually caused by an earthquake in the floor of the sea. Tsunamis travel rapidly in the open ocean, sometimes at speeds exceeding 600 miles per hour. When the tsunami hits shallow water, the height of the tsunami can rise rapidly. This can cause devastation to the land near the shore where the tsunami hits.

The First Isn’t the Worst

The thought that the first wave of the tsunami is the strongest and hardest is a misconception. Oftentimes the successive waves are larger than the first. The can occur minutes apart and may continue for several hours after the first wave hits.

You May Have Only Minutes

If the earthquake that causes the tsunami happens far out in the ocean away from the shore, there should be ample time for the authorities to issue a tsunami warning. If, however, the earthquake happens close to shore, there may only be minutes between the earthquake and the arrival of the first wave.

If you feel the ground shake and you know an earthquake has occurred or if you notice a sudden change in the sea level, you should evacuate to high ground as soon as possible. If possible, make sure that you are at least fifty feet above sea level. At this height, you should be clear of any waves that are headed your way.

Be Prepared

Before a tsunami hits, you’ll want to have a disaster plan prepared with your family. Everyone should know what signs to look for and where to go should a tsunami be approaching. In addition to a disaster plan, you should prepare a disaster kit. Make sure each kit contains provisions for at least three days.
This kit should include food, medical supplies, a flashlight, batteries, clothing, a blanket and photos of each family member.
One kit is not enough. You need to have a separate kit for your home, your car and your workplace.

Stay Away From Shore

While it may be tempting to watch a tsunami from the coast, never, ever give into this temptation. Do not assume you can outrun the tsunami as many people cannot run faster than a tsunami can travel.
It is also important that you do not assume that it is safe to return to shore after the first wave. As explained before, tsunamis are a series of waves with subsequent waves being stronger than the first. Wait until the authorities state that it is safe to return to shore before doing so.
By taking the appropriate measures, you and your family can be prepared should a tsunami strike and your changes of surviving the tsunami will be drastically increased.

thanks to Jenni Epperson for this timely article

Morning Habit - Calamansi

2011-03-11T17:54:00.000+08:00

I have been doing this "morning habit" for more than a week now and I am already getting the hang of it.

I have been hearing about it since I was young, though there are various versions - the weirdest is to put the calamansi over the fire before squeezing the juice out and drinking it plain. Bo Sanchez's version is:

1. Take it first thing, on an empty stomach.
2. Take it pure. No water, no sugar. Putting water or sugar will just make it and the drinker acidic.
3. Take it green. Not the ripe ones. So it's best to buy calamansi every 2 days or so, not for a week's consumption.
4. Don't take anything else for an hour. Have your breakfast after the one hour period.

Here are some helpful tips in taking this morning habit:

1. Get 28 green calamansi. Wash the calamansi thoroughly. Organic is best.
2. Slice the calamansi at the side, not at the middle. Slicing so prevents the seeds from being sliced too. Otherwise, the juice will take a bitter taste.
3. Squeeze the juice out with the seed. Don't use a strainer since you need to get also the pulp from the seeds.
4. Using a fork, mix the calamansi juice and the seeds as if you are beating an egg.
5. Scoop up the seeds using the fork, gliding them out of the glass.
6. Drink your pure calamansi extract.

Don't drink 28 calamansi in one go, on day 1. Start with 4 calamansi on Day 1, 8 on Day 2, and so on, until you drink 28 calamansi on Day 7.

No obvious result will be felt immediately. But rest assured that it is already doing wonders in your body on Day 1, making your immune system strong. It builds up your body to fight diseases and alkalinizes your body as well. Since cancer cells and germs thrive in an acidic body, they will not feel welcome in an alkaline system.
It might take time but today is a good time to start.

Click here for more info

Super Ilocos Tour Guide - Mang Arnel

2011-03-11T12:58:00.000+08:00

I was browsing the blogsphere one day and came upon this entry from Chyng Reyes. She also loves to travel and her writing style is so engaging that you will feel as if you have already gone to the place with her. But what struck me most was her Ilocos blog, especially her story on her tour guide Mang Arnel.

A brief background: she is supposed to travel to Ilocos with a friend but the friend decided not to join at the last minute: when she is just about to board the plane. Instead of canceling her trip, she decided to push through. Only later did she realize that problems will surely arise budget-wise, since most of the expected expenses she estimated to spend for the trip was to be divided in two. Suffice it to say, she scrimped, to the point of even depriving herself of a bottled water!

And here comes Mang Arnel, her tour guide. One, he treated her to a P100 peso tour (which she cannot afford because of her money situation) just for her to see the Kabigan Falls. Two, he treated her to lunch!

Honestly, as I was reading her blog, I was crying! Here is a man who spends his entire 2 days to drive somebody around for P1200, not to mention act as a tour guide and photographer too, and is willing to part with some of his hard-earned money just so his guest will have a good time! Now that is for the books.

I have been to Ilocos last month and our guide/driver Lee is also very nice and is worth of my referral, but I believe Mang Arnel deserves this separate entry. Thank you Mang Arnel for making us believe that Filipinos are good people.

Mang Arnel 0918.689.0723

Here is Chyng's blog on Mang Arnel.

The Little Store in San Juan

2011-03-07T16:23:00.002+08:00

This "little" store has been in operation for 11 years, and still going strong. Blame it on the loyal followers of its P70 delicious and authentic chinese lumpia.Half of this big chinese lumpia is already filling.

It has another branch along Gilmore Street in San Juan named The Big Little Store. This store is bigger but the original store is more cozy. Both stores are divided into three sections. The left part is the area where there is a wide variety of Asian food products and local products. I felt nostalgic when I saw the white rabbit candies with the edible inner wrapper.

The center portion is the cashier where one queues to pay. This is also where the foods are displayed.

The right part is the restaurant – there are around six to eight tables that are always more than half-filled with customers anytime of the day.

The grocery area sells a grand variety of products. They offer different condiments such as curry pastes, chili pastes, soy sauce, herbal teas, dried mushrooms, vegetables and frozen dumplings. My friend swears by their siopao. Too bad they ran out of stocks easily.

We also ordered kiampong rice and crab cake.

..and to cap the meal, we had the yummy turon

All in all, we paid less than P150 each.

The Little Store is located along J. Abad Santos, Little Baguio, San Juan. From Wilson Street coming from Ortigas Avenue, turn right at J. Abad Santos and go straight for around 100 meters.

For more info, call the Little Store on a Hill at Tel. 721-9174. They also deliver within San Juan area.

photos courtesy of Cynthia K.

Positivity

2011-02-22T15:19:00.000+08:00

It's such a bummer to go through life being negative. I have proven in more than a few occassions about the power of positive thinking. Of course I am not talking about ignoring reality and psyching yourself up to be happy when actually you feel like being sad. Those are entirely different things. There is nothing mystical in this; no new age teachings, no psyching yourself up. This is a particular skill that is as real and definite as any of the other skills you can learn.

When we become a positive person, our family and the people around us will end up with a positive outlook on life. It can literally change their lives. Your spouse, the people you work with, the people you work for, etc. The effects of this positivity are just like a stone thrown into a calm lake, the ripples just go out farther and farther, and they keep going.

The first step to becoming a positive person is taking charge of your attitude.

It sounds very easy, but since we live in a very negative world, it was said that by the time we turned teenagers, for every pat on the back we received, we received at least 17 criticisms on the average.

How do you become a positive person in a very negative world?

Normally we let negative circumstances or situations take control of our attitude. A man cuts you off on the road, you don't just sit back and say, "Oh, cool! That's nice." No, you want to run after him; you want to get furious. It is our nature to react to negative situations and negative circumstances.

One of my favorite authors, Zig Ziglar, gives a good example. He asked about the difference between reaction and response. He said, "You go to a doctor's office, you've been on a medication that they wanted you to try. If the doctor looks at you and says, 'Oh no, your body's reacting to the medication.' That's bad news. If on the other hand he says, 'Wow, your body is responding to the medication.' That's great news. Just one word difference, reacting versus responding." As we go through life, our natural inclination unless we choose otherwise, is to normally react to any negative situation. With so many negative things in the world in both our immediate world as well as the world in general, nobody lives up to our expectations. Nobody does everything the way we would do it. Ours is almost always the best. Nobody realizes that we want to be appreciated and praised and encouraged. Just the opposite: people are focused on themselves. And consequently they throw lots of negative stuff our way.

Well, it’s normal and natural for us to react. But, when we react, we are letting those people, those circumstances, those situations control our happiness. But we want to take control of our own attitude. Take charge. And the key to taking charge of our attitude is realizing that even though a negative situation changes our focus, it’s our choice to either leave our focus on that negative situation or move it away. And that’s step number one, taking charge of our attitudes, resetting our focus.

Heard of this nice Martin Luther quote: He said, “You can’t stop a bird from landing on your head. But you can stop it from building a nest.” We definitely cannot stop a negative situation from coming our way, but we don’t have to let it destroy our day because we can instantly reset our focus.

Perhaps one of the most powerful elements in becoming a positive person is learning how to become a grateful person. A good friend of mine is currently battling breast cancer. But she has a very positive outlook in life. She doesn't focus on her disease. Instead,she counts her blessings. Sometimes she cries not because she is sick but because of the number of nice people helping her in any which way they can. I cannot help but secretly cry when I was sitted next to her in one of our prayer meetings while we were singing "I Rest in You Lord". There is a phrase there that goes, "I'm not afraid anymore, I'm not afraid anymore.."

How on earth can she sing that from the heart, and not just through lip service? Only because she focuses on the positive, not on the negative.

She even said once that if this sickness of hers will make her family go back to God, she is ready to go anytime.

When we possess positive attitudes like these, we can make the best of any situation.

Thank you Nick

2011-02-22T14:26:00.000+08:00

This is how Nick Vujicic changed my life:

It happened more than 4 times already that whenever I pray to God to give an extra lift to my somehow heavy heart – he sends me Nick Vujicic. A month ago, with no obvious reason at all, I was very sad and depressed. Nick Vujicic came either thru a twit from an actor I follow, a facebook shoutout from a motivational speaker or the weirdest source, from a spam email. But in every way, he never failed to number 1) bring me to tears, number 2) to make me more grateful and number 3) bring me back to being joyful again.

Nick Vujicic (pronounced Voy-a-chich) was born without arms or legs. During his childhood, Nick dealt not only with the typical challenges of school and adolescence everyone faced such as bullying and self-esteem issues, but he also struggled with depression and loneliness as he questioned why he was different from all the other kids surrounding him. He even thought of committing suicide at the age of 8.

As he grew up, Nick learned to deal with his disability and started to do more and more things on his own. He adapted to his situation and found ways to accomplish tasks that people could only do by using their limbs, such as cleaning their teeth, brushing their hair, typing on a computer, swimming, playing sports, and much more.

Now 28 years old, this limbless young man has accomplished more than most people even twice his age. He is a motivational speaker who tours the world to share his life. Nick shares with his audiences the importance of vision and dreaming big. He stresses how important attitude is and it can be the most powerful tool we have at our disposal and illustrates how, at the end of the day, the choices we make can have a profound effect on our lives and the lives of those around us. Nick shows through his life that the keys in fulfilling our biggest dreams are persistence and choosing to embrace failure as a learning experience, rather than allowing the guilt and fear of failure to paralyze us.

“I have never met a bitter person who was thankful. I have never met a thankful person who was bitter. In life you have a choice: Bitter or BETTER?”
- Nick Vujicic

Read more: http://socyberty.com/advice/nick-vujicic/#ixzz1EfMYrCf5

St. Paul College Considering to Replace Textbooks with Android Tablets

2010-12-14T08:59:00.004+08:00

I remember when I was kid I have to bring all my heavy books to school everyday. Back then, we have these big bulky bags with wheels and every dismissal, the corridor will be so noisy from all the scampering kids pulling their noisier bags on wheels. So reading that St. Paul College is thinking of providing their students with android tablets is surely a big innovation. Aside from the weight, textbooks are expensive and lots of trees are being cut down for the paper. This move will reduce paper usage, costs and stress from the students’ backs.

St. Paul College is said to be currently on the lookout for Android tablet suppliers. Initial requirement is 5,000 android tablets.

From the parents' view, this is good news since St. Paul is said to be including the cost of the Android tablets in the tuition/miscellaneous fees which they can pay for in installments.

Good times.

Around the Bend

2010-12-13T08:53:00.002+08:00

In life, mistakes, regrets, and incorrect choices have been made, and they came with consequences, pain, and fear, but it's the wisdom and willingness to learn from the past and then press onward that can lead to a surprising and joyful future.

What must be done is to be just as persistent in life... even if that life contained unfamiliar, unseen bends in the road... because maybe once-in-a-lifetime moments waited just around the corner.

Financial Freedom Lesson 5: Take Responsibility

2010-11-23T08:44:00.004+08:00

When things go wrong, people choose to blame, complain and justify. They will blame the economy, the government, their parents, their bosses, their partners, their competitors, the weather, etc. They will blame everyone and everything else except themselves for whatever happens in their life.

Either that or they will endlessly complain about how crappy their life is. And I believe this will only lead to more negativity in their life because those negative thoughts will bring into their life what they think of all the time.

And if ever they are not blaming or complaining, they will justify by consoling themselves that money is not important. But the truth is, whatever is not important in your life will not appear. Even if they do, they won’t stay. If somebody likes you and you make that person feel you do not like him, he will eventually go away and will never go near you again. Same with money.

Positive people play the winner role. They do not dwell on what ever has happened to them. They will look into what has gone wrong, fix it so that they will get the results they want, and move on.

They do not participate in the finger-pointing game. But instead, they look at their life and reflect on themselves to see if there is anything within them which requires change. If there is, they will change and turn their lives around.

They realize that lack of money is really the root of all evil, they understand and they acknowledge that money is important, and they will never be ashamed to pursue it, to accumulate more for their good and those of others.

They know that wealth will not only bring them financial freedom, but they can also help improve the lives of others.

Financial Freedom Lesson 4: Tithe

2010-11-22T14:43:00.004+08:00

The bible asks that we give ten percent of what we receive as an offering to the person or organization we derive spiritual guidance from. Why? We will say "God is rich","the Church is already rich", etc. And "God will understand if we scrimp a bit because more pressing needs have to be addressed first". But giving leads to receiving. Giving is the nature of the world. Giving is the very essence of abundance. Skipping this tithing means we still believe in scarcity, else we would give. Giving is a concrete statement of abundance. We can also give time and talent but tithing is really about offering money.

I used to "cheat" in my tithing. I used to set aside 10% of whatever money I receive and instead of giving it back as a whole, from there I get my mass offerings, the alms I give to the beggar, even money to be lent to somebody in need. But I realized it was wrong. Tithing is actually a spiritual practice to remind us that our only Source of supply is God. Tithing is a discipline that pushes us to connect with gratitude, to remember that we ARE taken care of.

Now, my experience has shown me that whenever my funds are getting dangerously low and I give some away either as a donation, alm to a homeless person, etc., the results have always been surprising! More money always just shows up for me – exactly when I need it. Though there may not be alot – but there is always enough. This is something big to me because my conditioned attitudes around money all used to revolve around scarcity, and they run deep. But now, I am experiencing a paradigm shift and floodgates of blessings are being opened. And it also gives a feeling of abundance.

My published article here

Financial Freedom Lesson 3: Find your Why

2010-11-18T17:12:00.004+08:00

What do you think you cannot do?

Find your why, and you’ll see the way.
– Ralph Marston

In order for us to be successful in whatever endeavor we put ourselves in, I recommend that we make a list of at least 10 personal, deeply compelling reasons WHY WE MUST lose weight, get healthy, change our life, get wealthy, etc. We can then do whatever we think we cannot do. But first we must change our thinking. Because if we just focus merely on how to get it done, we’ll find that many of the paths are blocked. Focus instead on why we must, and we’ll open ourselves to a new set of workable, accessible and achievable strategies.

My WHY on losing weight? I want to be healthy. I am not getting any younger and news of different kinds of sicknesses and even deaths striking people my age are rampant. I also feel happier and in a better mood because of this lighter weight.

My WHY on getting wealthy? I want to bring my father for vacation to different parts of the country, and the world. He rightfully deserves this because all his life, he has been working very hard for his education and later for his family.

Another WHY will be to experience a world of abundance. I no longer want to go back to the days when I have to use a credit card for a P100 meal, or cancel my membership subscription to a book club to get the P150 deposit just to tide me over for another day, or line up in a gasoline station with my P20 worth of coins because the empty gas signal is already flashing. I want to experience eating in a restaurant without looking first at the right side of the menu (prices) before I order, even if I have been drooling over that food even in my dreams.

There are a lot more and all these will provide the necessary push whenever I become complacent in reaching for my goals.

Read more: www.quazen.com

Seeing Reality Both Ways

2010-11-18T08:29:00.000+08:00

We always have a choice. Either we can see the limitation before us, or we can see the wealth and prosperity before us. Life is actually an optical illusion. What we see depends on our current mindset. Our mindset depends on the way we were programmed since we were small until now. Most of us were programmed by the negative media, by our education, our parents, and everyone else around us. Most of us are seeing the scarcity reality instead of the abundance reality. We forget an abundance reality also exists. Like in this famous optical illusion, do we see an old woman or a pretty young woman?

It depends on our focus. The same is true for reality. It’s time to move from seeing the world as scarcity and fear-based because the world also is abundant and love- based. We have a choice. If we only allow our minds to do so.

Read my published article at www.authspot.com

Dr. Emoto's Water Experiments

2010-11-12T09:28:00.003+08:00

Dr. Masaru Emoto from Japan conducted several tests to prove that water can “hear”. He typed out words on a piece of paper and paste these written words onto a bottle, and see how the water reacted to the words. And he saw that crystals were formed from the words. From his research, he was able to discern that the reaction of the water came from the vibration of the actual words that were pasted onto the bottles more than the intention of the person who was pasting the words onto the bottle.
From Dr. Emoto’s experiments, the water stamped with good and positive words is far more symmetrical and aesthetically-pleasing than that stamped with bad and negative phrases. Of course we are already aware that positive and negative thinking have a major impact on our surrounding and relationships. That idea is easy to grasp, but this extremely tangible evidence of it is astounding. If the words and thoughts that come out of us have this effect on water crystals, think of what kind of effect they have on the people and events that come into our lives.

And remember: the average human body is 60% water. Ponder on that.

Here are other findings:

1. Distilled water exposed to classical music takes delicate, symmetrical crystalline shapes. Water exposed to Bach’s Goldberg Variations

2. When the words “thank you” were taped to a bottle of distilled water, the frozen crystals had a similar shape to the crystals formed by water that had been exposed to Bach’s “Goldberg Variations” — seems music composed out of gratitude to the man it was named for.

3. When Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel” was played to water, the resulting frozen crystals were split in two.

4. When water samples are bombarded with heavy metal music or labeled with negative words, or when negative thoughts and emotions are focused intentionally upon them, the water does not form crystals at all and displays chaotic, fragmented structures.

5. When water is treated with aromatic floral oils, the water crystals tend to mimic the shape of the original flower.

Now, this makes me believe why saying grace before meals is good. Aside from thanking God for the food we are about to eat, we are also in a way saying positive and grateful words that the food and water can hear, thus making them healthier for our body.

Read more: saying i love you to water before drinking it

Lickqueur Adult Ice Cream

2010-10-22T07:35:00.000+08:00

My drinking friends got excited when I informed them of Lickqueur - the Adult Ice Cream. Their slogan that "Every Lick has a Kick" should say a lot.

The company (M33 The Company, Inc.) was established by 5 friends (Patricia Gana, Pinky Jacob-Ileto, Ria Manalo, Carina Purugganan and Earl Yu). All love food and the good life. They came up with a unique and creative product and offered it to the market. And Lickquer-the Adult Ice Cream was born - innovative and fun and literally as well as figuratively COOL!

PRODUCTS AND PRICES : Available in 6 flavors in quarts (12 scoops) and pints (6 scoops) PRICES P 700.00/quart P 375.00/pint P 1,375.00/half-gallon or 24 scoops (limited flavors only)

MARGARITA PASSION (Margarita)
SINFULLY BUTTERSCOTCH (Butterscotch Amaretto)
AFTER MIDNIGHT MINT (Choco Mint Martini)
OMG!!! (Screaming Orgasm)
STRAWBERRY KISS (Strawberry Martini)
PAINT THE TOWN ORANGE (Choco Orange Martini)

How to place orders :

1. Call/SMS/inquire on Lickqueur ice cream through Pinky Jacob-Ileto at 09178502702

2. Place your orders via SMS or phone call. For SMS orders, expect a confirmation or reply to ensure your orders are received.

3. Full payment of orders upon pick up.

4. Leadtime of production : NONE!!! But subject to availability.

5. Orders will be picked up in Greenhills, Mandaluyong and Makati City. Details to be discussed during transaction.

6. All transactions are non-VAT. No receipts will be issued.

CALL/TEXT A LICKQUEUR PICK-UP OUTLET NEAR YOU (Order/call first to reserve)

1. Greenhills c/o Pinky Jacob-Ileto (0917-850-2702)

2. Makati c/o Jason Grigg (0915-635-6203)
Reyes Building 1644 Evangelista Street,
Brgy. Bangkal, Makati City
Landmark : Inside Reyes Haircutters
Opens : 9am-10pm daily

I am not really a drinker but I surely would like to give this ice cream a try.

New Macbook Air 11.6" from Apple

2010-10-21T14:12:00.006+08:00

Today marks the unveiling of the newest macbook from the Apple family - the Macbook Air 11.6". It is Apple's smallest netbook so far, weighing only around 1 kilogram. It is one of the tiniest, thinnest, most drool-worthy laptops in the market today.

SRPs are:

64GB – Php51,990 ($999 in the US) inclusive of 12% VAT
128GB – Php61,990 ($1,199 in the US) inclusive of 12% VAT

Additionally, in cases where a MacBook Air to encounters software emergency without an internal or external optical drive, Apple thankfully considered that situation, and has included a Software Reinstall USB drive with both the 11-inch and 13-inch models.

Cassandra Care Animal Home Inc.

2010-10-20T14:48:00.003+08:00

A Wellness Hub for our cats and dogs?? Yes, there is one and it is located in Paranaque City. Such place is called Cassandra Care Animal Home Inc. (CCAH), an animal shelter housed in a sprawling building that is both an animal hospital and pet grooming center. Because animals also get stressed just as humans do especially when they’re sick or when their food is changed or when they change masters. Of the many dog breeds, it is the German Shepherd that’s very sensitive to food change and easily gets an upset stomach.

Cassandra’s facilities include a pet station, grooming center, pharmacy, library, treatment-surgery room, radiation room (X-ray, ultrasound and soon MRI and CT scan), laboratory, whelping room and rehabilitation area for limb problems. There are three kennel rooms with 18, 20 and 22 space capacities. They also offer hair-cutting, shampooing, blow-drying and styling, even spa facilities with massage treatments!

Senior veterinarian and hospital director Ronald Lampano is assisted by co-veterinarian Roland Encarnacion, Dr. Paula Villanueva and Dr. Sadelloyd Pensoy with veterinary groomer Dr. Magdalene Dimapilis.

Cassandra Care Animal Home Inc. is at 290 Aguirre St. inside BF Homes in Parañaque City. The pet hospital and grooming center is open daily:

Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m., and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sundays and holidays.

For more info, call 5680347, 8267365 and 8264231.

For emergency cases, an ambulance is on standby 24/7.
For more information, log on to www.cassandracare.com.

JAC Liner's Free Wi-Fi onboard

2010-10-12T15:34:00.003+08:00

photo courtesy of JAC Liner

JAC Liner Inc. has recently equipped some of its buses with Wi-fi access powered by PLDT WeRoam. Passengers can now surf the Internet while inside these buses equipped with Wi-fi. Buses equipped with Wi-fi Internet access have a "Free Wi-fi on board" sign mounted on their windshields and the side panels.

All buses bound for Biñan and Balibago in Laguna and selected buses headed to Lucena City in Quezon are now online, en route at no extra cost. The rest of the fleet are scheduled to follow suit.

This is good news especially during heavy traffic.

JAC Liner has terminals at the following areas:

LRT - BUENDIA STATION
2052 Donada Street corner
Buendia Street, Pasay City
Metro Manila, Philippines
Tel. No: 4042073

KAMIAS STATION
2 Mapagmahal Street
Baranggay Pinyahan, Kamias
Quezon City, Philippines
Tel. No.: 9276139

LUCENA STATION
Grand Central Station
Diversion Road, Ilayang Dupay
Lucena City, Philippines
Tel. No: (042) 3737493

For more info, get in touch with JAC Liner.

The Philippines’ 10.10.10 Run for Pasig River

2010-10-08T17:03:00.009+08:00

This coming Sunday will be the much-awaited Kapit Bisig para sa Ilog Pasig 10-10-10 Run.

Some 140,000 runners are currently registered for the run. That would be enough to take the Guinness world record title for most participants in a footrace. The record of 110,000 runners has been held for 22 years by San Francisco’s 1988 “Bay to Breakers” race.

Gina Lopez, ABS-CBN’s Foundation managing director, is happy that the Filipinos are supporting this great endeavor.

Race/Event Date: October 10, 2010 (10.10.10)

Race Types/Location:
3K Run – SM MOA
5K Run – CCP Complex
10K Run – Makati

Gun start - 5:30 am

And here is the finisher's bracelet to be given to all runners crossing the finish line:

photo taken from the internet

It is going to be one epic and momentous event I wouldn’t want to miss. I am glad am part of this run.

Run Away

2010-10-07T17:09:00.005+08:00

Runners have different reasons and different takeaways from their experience. I was never athletic in my life. Sports for me was table tennis and bowling. Include chess if you want to but if you get the drift, I was never the sporty kind of person.

Last May, I joined my first run - the Kerygma Fun Raiser. I was reluctant at first because of my athletic experience (or the lack thereof) but with some coaxing from my bestfriend, I registered under the 1k race.

I survived the 1k and in the months that followed, I joined several 5k races. For my first 5k run, i clocked in at 51 minutes and last August 1 during the Rexona Run, my time was 44 minutes. Improving? Surely I am!! =)

In between races, I run 5 kilometers atleast 2x a week, 3x at most. I'm a far cry from the panting girl who can barely run 30 seconds straight. My longest nonstop run was at 20 minutes but I still yet to accomplish that much-elusive 30 minutes straight run.

I also was able to overcome that awful side stitch I felt in my early runs. Don't know how, but it just went away. No race is worth a real injury. That's why I am being kind to my knees and feet and I only increase my pace and distances gradually.

I am not an aggressive runner. I never finish in the top half of a race. But during my weekday runs, I especially love the meditative aspect of it. Since I started running in June, I have already finished listening to around 7 audiobooks, 2 of those are favorites which I have listened to about 3x each.

A good run in the morning sets the pace for the day. I go to office with a clearer mind and happier disposition.

Of course there are mornings when waking up is hard, and getting out of bed is harder. The cold mornings aren't helping too. Snuggling up under the blanket is more inviting, than sweating it out there, alone in the cold, dark daybreak. Good thing telling family and friends that I am running makes it harder to make excuses to myself.

Before the end of 2010, I am running a 10k race and before I turn 42 years old, I am running a full marathon.

There! I said it for the world to know and for the universe to conspire to my favor.

Needed that much help!

Financial Freedom Lesson 2: Forget "Judith"

2010-09-30T16:18:00.004+08:00

How many of us think about Judith the moment we wake up, during breakfast, on the way to work, while working, at lunch, on the way back home, and even before we close our eyes? She is a constant companion, both of our conscious and subconscious minds. She is like a leech that attaches itself to our day-to-day thinking, 24/7.

"Judith" aka due date.

Due dates of our electricity bills, telephone bills, credit card bills, next door neighbor we own money from - name it. All of our indebtedness' due dates creep in our minds whether we like it or not.

We should always remember: when all we think about is how little money we have and how big our financial obligations are, these thoughts only bring us closer to the edge. We have to eliminate these thoughts from your brain. Of course, needless to say, we must be responsible enough to know the due dates of our obligations but dwelling in them day in day out is another story.

Even if we have good intentions such as our desire to elimate our debts, the word debt itself is so powerful that it only make us focus on more debts and may in fact make us go deeper in debt. Out of seven days in a week, we think of Judith six times and only think of how to earn more once. We should reverse this habit and think more of the positive than the negative.

When we are in debt, it is hard to forget about the coming bills, the insistent credit card collection calls, and the upcoming expenses we will have, but if we want to see the abundance wealth that we need, then we have to concentrate on what it is that we want. It takes time and it takes control, but by adjusting our mind patterns, we can make it work to bring money into our life.

We must eliminate any thoughts of debt, bills, or lack of funds from our mind and our vocabulary. When we think of money, don’t think of what we don’t have, but think of what we will have. Always be aware of this: whatever our conscious and sub-conscious mind dwells on will come to us.

Now let us forget that D word and think of more positive thoughts.

Financial Freedom Lesson 1: Be aware of your Financial Blueprint - and change it

2010-09-28T18:15:00.005+08:00

I grew up in a family that is not very poor but surely not rich. I think the term commonly used to describe our financial status is "comfortable". My daily allowance as a kid is just enough for a sandwich. Nothing for scented stationeries, for colorful hello kitty and little twin star stickers, nothing even for drinks! When I reached high school and college, of course my allowance increased but still, just enough for the bare necessities. I have to ask for extra cash for projects and other incidental expenses, which my parents happily give.

I did not feel sad then because even when we were still young, it was already stressed upon us that "we are not rich" "we have to work hard for money" "pag maiksi ang kumot, mamaluktot", etc.

Later, I learned that these are limiting beliefs. Of course my parents are also not aware of this and they didn't mean any harm . I must be thankful to them because they really worked hard for our family. But apparently, we can have all the knowledge and skills in the whole world, but if our "financial blueprint" is not set for success, we are doomed financially.

We all have a personal financial blueprint ingrained in our subconscious minds, and it is this blueprint, more than anything else, that will determine the status of our financial lives. We can know everything about accounting, marketing and sales, but if our money blueprint is not set for a high level of success, we will never have a lot of money. And even if we somehow do, we will most likely lose it!

Sounds scary but come to think of it, there is some grain of truth to it. We Filipinos have the fondness for the underdogs. That is the reason we are so fond of telenovelas. In the movie "Titanic" it was projected that the rich people like Rose are sad and lead boring lives while poor people like Jack are happy and lead exciting lives, just dancing the night away.

We must correct this mindset.

"It is not enough to be in the right place at the right time. You've got to be in the right place at the right time while being in the right mindstate." - T. Harv Eker

Look what happens to lotto millionaires. In the US alone, nearly one-third of lotto winners become bankrupt within five years of their winning. Why? Because of limiting beliefs about money. In fact, many Lotto winners say it was a nightmare and wish they never won. Because of winning, their marriages broke up, their families disintegrated, their children turned to drugs, and they lost all their happiness. Because many of them thought rich people are greedy, rich people are kidnap-for-ransom magnets, rich people stepped on other people to get rich. And in their subconscious minds, they inch by inch gravitate towards their poor status. So they squander everything to be poor again - and then be happy again. These all happen subconsciously.

But we have a choice, as we always do. We can adjust this "psychological wallet" or "wealth thermostat" so we will not lose the extra money that comes our way. More on this later.

Lessons from Ondoy

2010-09-27T17:51:00.006+08:00

It was 1 year ago when Ondoy wrecked havoc in Metro Manila and neighboring areas. We in Marikina were severely affected. Though water was just thigh-deep in our house (as compared to others whose houses were submerged up to the roof), it was a very depressing experience. God forgives but nature does not. But we can only get depressed for sometime, then move on. Otherwise, we will be the losers.

Here are some of Ondoy's lessons:

1. There is no such thing as karma.
One of karma's definitions is "what we send out comes back to us". But nature made Ondoy send us back what we gave it - plus MORE. It was us who cut the trees in the mountains. It was us who threw garbage unabashedly anywhere. It was us who clogged the drainage with our candy wrappers and plastic materials. We threw one, Ondoy returned two back to us.

2. We are a people of great Faith.
During the flood, where can you see a man waving in the camera with their right hand while holding their grandmothers propped on their shoulders with their left hand? Only in the Philippines!! We are one of the weakest race but we are the most resilient people. We see the good side in bad situations. We can manage to joke around amidst tragedy. We fall down fast but we rise up faster. And that is an asset. People from other countries are tickled pink by our actions but that seems to be our reaction from the constant pain we got as a people - starting from our colonizers, and now from nature and from the corrupt people.

3. We learned what matters most.
We got broken furniture, unusable personal belongings but what hurt me most was losing all my baby pictures my parents patiently collected during my growing up years. I just pacify myself with the thought that atleast those were just physical memories, what matters are the intangible memories that only the heart knows.

I realized that God used dirt to create man thousands of years ago and now he has again used dirt to re-create us - to make us realize who and what are most important in our life. We may even consider Ondoy our second rebirth, our chance to correct our mistakes - to nature particularly. Like the great flood during the days of Noah, God used Ondoy to purge us from our attachments. Let us see beyond the bad and try hard to see the rainbow - symbolizing God's faithfulness to his people.

thanks to my sister's photo of my niece hamming it up for the camera during Ondoy.

John Calub's "How to Become a Money Magnet" Comprehensive Seminar

2010-09-21T10:12:00.007+08:00

I was introduced to the seminars of the Philippines’ number one motivational speaker, John Calub, by my sister. I know nothing about the guy so I was intrigued on what this business of Law of Attraction is all about. I attended his 2-hour free seminar and I got interested so I again joined his 2-day seminar.

John Calub is a typical yupie years ago, an entry-level employee who became the top salesman for six consecutive years in two corporations. He then decided to go into the restaurant business, succeeded to the max, but fell with a loud thud. In 2007, he found himself with only P34 after breaking his piggy bank. Good thing he was given an assignment (he was a broadsheet writer) to interview Jack Canfield (of the Chicken Soup for the Soul fame) who is visiting the Philippines to give a seminar on Law of Attraction.

He learned from Jack Canfield tips on how to get rich by doing 4 simple steps, and they are to:

Decide – the first step where people usually get stuck
Visualize – picture in your mind your goals and dreams
Study how to get rich – read books, attend seminars, learn about cashflow, finances, etc.
Spend time with the rich to think like them

He applied all the tips he learned from Jack Canfield and also immersed himself in reading the books and attending professional trainings of Tom Peters, Sam Reese, Marthar Rogers, Neil Rachman, Tony Parinelllo, Jack Daly, John Maxwell, Jay Conrad Levinson , Charles Haanel, Julia Anne Ford, Tony Buzan, Tolly Burkan, Warren Buffet and of course, his mentor Jack Canfield.

And the rest, they say, is history. Now he owns various successful businesses and is the CEO and President of his own training and coaching company, John Calub Training, Incorporated.

After I attended his seminar, I too became interested in developing my ability to attract wealth, success and financial freedom. One by one, I will discuss these learnings in the coming days.

I know the topic of money is a bit sensitive to some because of our orientation that money is the root of all evil. Actually, it is the love of money which is the root of all evil. Or to be more honest about it, the lack of money is the root of all evil.

Journey with me in my quest to learn more about Financial Freedom.

By the way, John Calub is again conducting his " How to be a Money Magnet Comprehensive Seminar" this October 16, 2010, Saturday, 8 am to 6 pm, at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. Regular Seminar Fee of P8,000.00 per participant is WAIVED. Seminar is FREE! Pay only P250.00 to simply cover your course materials, certificate of completion and processing of your registration.

For more information, visit www.moneymagnetseminar.com

Ikea in the Philippines

2010-09-20T17:11:00.008+08:00

I have always liked Ikea products - cool and functional all in one. Too bad we don't have an Ikea branch here in the Philippines, only resellers. Here are some of the Ikea products I have bought for my room:

Remote Controls Holder

Desk Pad

Trash Bin

Lamp

Table

3-Chest Drawer

Bedside Table

3-chest drawer

Circular Mouse Pad

Here are the Ikea resellers in the Philippines:

online:
Ikeaphil.com

makati/greenhills:
Mobler

katipunan/kamias
5 Corners

Viajeng Cusinang Matua - Pampanga Old Kitchen Tour

2010-09-17T20:31:00.004+08:00

Viajeng Cusinang Matua means Old Kitchen Tour. The tour takes the participants to different Pampanga old kitchens, since the Kapampangans (Pampanga locals) are known for their most delicious cuisines. First stop is at the Kusina ni Atching Lilian Borromeo in Mexico Pampanga. Atching Lilian is known in Pampanga because she hosts a local cooking show. She is a recognized expert when it comes to Kapampangan cuisine and she is also a respected food historian. She is so warm and gracious as if she is everyone's grandmother. She served us a buffet of sinangag, puto, kutsinta, galantina, dinuguan, tamales and homemade tocino. The tsokolate (chocolate drink) she served was of the native kind, stirred using a wooden batirol until frothy in a copper pitcher and served in a wooden mug.

She also gave a short cooking demonstration of the famous San Nicolas cookies. These cookies were first introduced in 1600. What made the cookies extra special was that it was shaped from wooden molds that are more than 100 years old. And no two molds are alike.

Next stop is the Kabigting's Halo-Halo in Arayat Pampanga. Though Razon's Halo-Halo is more famous, Kabigting's version is equally good. Made with only 3 ingredients namely mashed red beans, corn and homemade pastillas, I agree that they are really as good as Razon's.

Next is Susie's cuisine in San Fernando Pampanga. They are known for their Tibok-Tibok (or milk pudding). Pampanga's version of maja blanca, it is made with carabao milk and has a gelatenous consistency with latik on top. Another bestseller is the mochi, finger-shaped rice cakes with sweet mongo bean filling. They also serve snacks like pasta and noodles. Another must-try is their pansit palabok.

Lunch is at Everybody's Cafe along San Fernando Highway. They are best known for serving authentic Kapampangan dishes. Their camaro (crickets) and morcon are a must-try. Not to be missed are their fern salad topped with salted egg and of course, the betute or stuffed frogs. It took me sometime before I ate the stuffed frogs but did it anyway with eyes closed and a lot of imagination of happy thoughts..lalalalallaaaaaaa.....

Then we visited 2 churches - the Bacolor Church and the Betis Church.Pampanga has many old churches, and these 2 are the most famous. Betis church is named as one of the most significant cultural landmarks by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts while Bacolor is famous as the site where the telenovela May Bukas Pa (led by a child playing the role of Santino) was shot.

Then we went to Prado Farm in Lubao. The owner, Reimon Guttierez, guided us to the charming and unique farm. We were served their own family favorites like tsokolate pinipig suitably matched with their homemade fried suman, bringhe, and sweet mangoes. We were then toured around their property where they do organic farming.

Our last stop is at the Kusina ni Atching May Gosioco where I tasted the best sisig EVER!

The ride back to Manila was quiet, with everyone asleep from all the food eaten the whole day of stay in Pampanga.

The trip was a success thanks to Tracey Santiago of TravelTales, Inc. They promote Responsible Travel and Sustainable Local Tourism in the Philippines. They encourage travelers and host communities or destinations to be part of the growing consciousness of Responsible Tourism.

You may get in touch with them at:

Email: traveltales@ymail.com
Facebook: traveltales, inc.

Landline: +632 2390950
Mobile: 09209235615

Look for Tracey Santiago

The New Apple Ipod Nano 6th Gen

2010-09-17T17:17:00.001+08:00

Another eye candy from Steve Jobs - totally different in looks from the rest of the Ipod Nano family. Aside from being so small and handy, its best feature is its touch screen. I believe the runners and gym enthusiasts out there will consider this a good buy due to its easy-to-carry size. Though the camera and video playback functions were removed, what were added totally compensated for the loss. It already has a built-in pedometer and the FM radio is still there.

thanks to crookedminds.com for the photo

Apple even joked that it could double up as a watch! And accessories are now available to make that possible.

photo courtesy of ubergizmo.com

If given for free, of course I want this. But I am totally happy with my current Ipod Touch (or better yet, save up several thousands more for the new Iphone 4). The Ipod Touch's bigger screen is convenient for video watching, playing Plants vs Zombies, Angry Birds and Bejeweled, and I am already used to the Touch's bulkier size even during a run.

Verdict: Nice to have but I still prefer the bigger Ipods.

Bukas Palad's Christify

2010-09-16T17:42:00.004+08:00

I have always been a Bukas Palad listener. I love their songs and I try to attend all their album launches. The experience of listening and watching them sing is truly soul-satisfying. The happiness is unexplainable, really at the soul level.

Bukas Palad, a Catholic Filipino music ministry who commemorates their 24th anniversary, launched their latest album last August 29, 2010 at the Church of Gesu, Ateneo. The title of the album is Christify. It is Bukas Palad's 15th album.

CHRISTIFY contains new hymns for different parts of the Mass.

The title track, Christify, speaks of the actions involved in the offertory. Magpasalamat Sa Kanya gives thanks to the Lord for His salvation. Praise The Lord Who Heals tells how “the Lord consoles the grieving and heals their bitter pain.” The Lord remembers His promise to be with us forever in Kailan Pa Man. Say The Word asks the Lord to speak His words of healing as we receive His body and blood in Holy Communion.

Following are the 10 songs in the album:

1.Christify
2.Praise the Lord Who Heals
3.Pagkabighani
4.Magpasalamat Sa Kanya
5.Magnificat
6.Say The Word
7.Sa Tahanan Ng Poon
8.Kailan Pa Man
9.Miserere
10.Love and Truth

The album is accompanied by a songbook with choral arrangements and liturgical notes for all the songs. Bukas Palad will bring the songs of CHRISTIFY to parishes starting this month until November:

Sept. 25, Nativity of Our Lady Parish, Olandes, Marikina;
Oct. 2, Santa Rosario de Pasig Parish, Rosario, Pasig;
Oct. 9, Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (Quiapo Church);
Oct. 16, Transfiguration of Christ Parish, Antipolo;
Nov. 6, Christ the King Parish, Green Meadows, Q.C.;
Nov. 13, SM Megamall Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord and
Nov. 20, Immaculate Conception Parish, Pasig.

Founded by Fr. Manoling Francisco, SJ, Norman Agatep and Jandi Arboleda, the music ministry has influenced Filipino liturgical music by introducing Hindi Kita Malilimutan, Tanging Yaman, Sa ‘Yo Lamang, Humayo’t Ihayag and I Will Sing Forever.

More years to come Bukas Palad! Continue to bless the world with your beautiful songs.

"Jack Canfield Live in Manila" September 27, 2010

2010-09-16T13:41:00.002+08:00

Jack Canfield is coming to Manila this Septemeber 27, 2010 at SMX Convention Center. He is the co-author of the best selling Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books and one of the casts from the popular DVD movie, The Secret.

This program enables you to build resilience and develop competencies with a positive winning mindset that ensures sustainable growth and organization success even in the most challenging and turbulent times.

Session 1

Understanding the Secret Law of Attraction and how it works universally
Creating the habit of focusing, thinking, feeling and taking action on what you want and getting more of it
The key to living the Law of Attraction for peak performance and organizational success
Building and eliciting 100% responsibility from yourself and your team to determine the reaction and outcome you want
The building blocks of high self esteem and maximum confidence

Session 2

Getting past your limiting beliefs and releasing guilt, anger and resentment
Cleaning up your messes and incompleteness for more focused thinking
Using positive “self-talk” and a positive attitude of gratitude to achieve more
Transforming your inner critic into your inner coach
Dealing with negative people and situations and surrounding yourself with positive and successful people

Session 3

How to stay motivated and keep your team
motivated for breakthrough results
Fueling your success with passion and inspiration
for non-stop gains in every area
Identifying and using your giftedness and focusing
on your strengths and core genius
Creating a compelling purpose and vision for
yourself & your team to attract greater abundance
Setting powerful goals and objectives and
unleashing the amazing power of visualization to
successfully meet any goal faster and easier

Session 4

Using Affirmations to “Release the Brakes!” that are keeping you and your organization stuck and
accelerate your results
Establishing an effective action planning and
tracking system with clear strategies and tactics for
high performance
The 4 new success habits that can change your life
the fastest
Overcoming rejection and the fears that stop people
from taking action
Taking action, asking and geting things done quickly
to achieve great results

Session 5

Practicing “The Rule of 5” and creating powerful achievements
The single success discipline that can put you in the top 1% of your field
Asking for and responding to feedback to keep learning and getting better
Persevering in the face of any obstacles or road block
Practicing uncommon appreciation and having an attitude of gratitude
Reaping the rewards, acknowledging, affirming and celebrating each achievement in your success journey

Session 6

Using “The Daily Disciplines of the Secret Law of Attraction” for better results and organizational growth
Applying the 10-step Law of Attraction – success action system and visual tool to move you and your team to peak performance and organizational success
Life lessons in mastering the Secret Law of Attraction and The Success Principles

I can call myself an avid Jack Canfield fan. I have read most of his books and can't wait to read the rest. For more info on his seminar, check the the ITD Group website.

Coming Soon: Megaminds

2010-09-10T11:32:00.002+08:00

Another movie worth waiting for. The story revolves around super-villain, most brilliant and the least successful Megamind (Will Ferrell) who killed his good-guy nemesis, Metro Man (Brad Pitt). He became bored since there is no one left to fight. He created a new foe, Titan (Johan Hill), who, instead of using his powers for good, sets out to destroy the world, positioning Megamind to save the day for the first time in his life.

Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, Tina Fey and Jonah Hill voice the film.

SEMCON 2010 - October 7 and 8

2010-09-10T10:54:00.004+08:00

In the last 3 years, the Search Engine Marketing Conference was conducted and for the 4th year, it will happen on October 7 & 8, 2010 here in Manila. It’s a search marketing event that should not be missed out on.

This year, the big guys in the SEO world — Aaron Wall (SEOBook) and Todd Malicoat (Stuntdubl) along with Jim Boykin, Charlie Ellis and Dean Chew will be coming to town. They don’t often come over to the Philippines simulaneously and talk SEO so this opportunity should really be worth attending.

The 2-day conference will cover “Search and Social” — SEM, SEO, SMO, PPC — and how the mix of both strategies bring the best results in search marketing.

We also have our local gurus on the SEO and Social Media sphere — RJ David of Sulit.com.ph, Benj Arriola, Mike Villar and TJ Manotoc (to talk about Search & Social Media in the Newsroom).

What to expect in SEMCON 2010?

Meet & greet the rockstars (a networking night so you get more time to mingle with speakers and fellow delegates).

Find talents or scout for a new client, business partner or employer. Bring a lot of your calling cards with you.

Ask the tough questions and get the answers straight and fast.

Meet Aaron Wall himself!

So mark the date:

SEMCON 2010

Hotel IntercontinentalMakati City

October 7 – 8, 2010

Call +632-8960639, 8960637 or email fiera@info.com.ph for inquiries & reservations.

See here for complete list of topics, speakers and conference details. Follow SEMCON on Twitter here or check it out on Facebook here.

This event is brought to you by YugaTech, Fiera de Manila, IMVSolutions & SEOPH.

Joey Velasco (1967-2010)

2010-07-23T13:44:00.009+08:00

Joey Velasco the "heartist", a title he coined himself, died last July 20 at 43 years old. His famous “Hapag ng Pag-asa,” an oil on canvas, came to be because he wanted his children to count their blessings in the face of street urchins who don’t have food and shelter.

For inspiration, Joey Velasco found 12 children in poor areas around Metro Manila and Quezon City. After treating them to lunch and had short chats with them, Velasco took their pictures and went to his room to start working on the painting.
The result is a depiction of the Last Supper, with Christ breaking bread with streetchildren.

Ten-year old Emong is the boy drinking juice and sitting next to Jesus. I showed him a Hapag reproduction. Excitedly, he pointed at the man breaking bread and said, "Uy, si Jesus. Nakita namin sa kalsada yan. pagod at gutom kaya niyaya namin kumain... Minasahe at pinatulog." [We saw Jesus in the street. He was tired and hungry, so we invited him to eat... and [we even] massaged him and made him rest.] Such a cunningly powerful message from a boy. This is a banquet of poor kids who invited Jesus to dine with them.

- Joey Velasco

The children featured in the painting are no longer in the areas where Joey Velasco originally found them. Through his partnership with Gawad Kalinga, an organization dedicated to sheltering the homeless, the 12 children and their families now have homes of their own. The sequel to the Hapag ng Pag-asa is the Hapag ng Pag-ibig.

The children’s stories are also featured in the book “They Have Jesus: The Stories of the Children of the Hapag." While reading the book, I had a glimpse of the depth of the man. By his standard, he was complacent and just turn a blind eye to the hungry people around him but if compared against many of us, he is a big man with a bigger heart. He carries this Bosconian spirit up until his death.

I once chanced upon his exhibit and I can't help but be overwhelmed by the emotions and messages he wanted to depict from his paintings. My personal favorites are:

"Hele" Something within tells me not to receive communion in that 3:00 pm Sunday mass. I felt gripped by a sense of shame and turmoil deep inside. The pain and reality of my life would creep back up. I was filled with worries, fears, doubts and inadequacies. While sitting on my bench I got destructed to people. I saw three young men, all with down syndrome stood up from different pews and fall in line to receive the Eucharist.I whispered to my wife, "Buti pa sila nangomunyon." She smiled and just looked at me, "Anu, i-pepaint mo nanaman sila?" More than the visual interest, I closed my eyes and wanted at that moment to enter into their world. With the distinct line across their palm which is called Sydney palmar line, they receive the host. They have small hands and short fingers but their touch can move the unmovable, and thaw the coldest of hearts. I noticed that they have different shades of almond eyes that can cross and have clogged tear ducts. Those beautiful eyes only seek the goodness in people; they are not cynical nor judgmental. When they love it is unconditional, and forever and it is with all of their mended little hearts. All these years, I just thought that they just have extra chromosomes, only to discover the gracious reality that they are also extra ordinary children loved by God. When I entered their little world, I was definitely in communion, because I saw Jesus dwelling in them

- Joey Velasco

I Thirst

Pogi Boy comes from Violago near Payatas; he sells empty bottles of mineral water. I chanced upon him in a kiddie party where well-to-do children intermingled with poorer ones. It was a potluck party with ice cream, cakes and spaghetti galore. The poorer kids also brought their own food-to-share. I noticed Pogi Boy pathetically mingling with the better-off kids. They snubbed Pogis’ wide-opened recycled paper bag of bischotcho. Helplessness engulfed me as I felt the boy’s sadness. I asked Pogi Boy if he brought coffee along to down his biscotchos. He smiled. I will never forget that outstretched arm, offering…

- Joey Velasco

Pagkakasubsob

This painting is more than just about falling down. Picture a humble God who draws strength from a heavy fall; he allows a powerless and insignificant child to nurse his wound, to love Him. A sign of weakness? Christ knows about a different strength. He allows people to love him. This painting is about being humbled and awed at the same time. It is about allowing others to give us a lift when we fall and feel weak. And as the paint dries and hardens on my canvas, it teaches me how to soften my stance and tenderize the soul. . Sometimes, all I need is a good cry.

- Joey Velasco

That We May Live

I couldn't walk. Bembem, Dodoy, Dexter, Aling Dora and Mang Joven had to carry my heavy body down the GK site where we built their homes.Instead of the artist's paint brush, i was holding a roller which I dipped in a bucket of Boysen permatex paint and rolled a peach color on the wall. Mang Joven spoke like a sage as he took a deep breath: "Sa bawat hagod mo, ay isang hininga na para sa amin."It hit me to the core. it dawned on me how a single minute gesture can affect a fellow man. I pray I could do billions of strokes while I live. Till the last drop of paint.. til the last drop of blood. It is with this memory that I painted these kids carrying the body of Jesus down His tomb. No tears, so much pain yes, but gazing heavenwards with gentle gratitude in their eyes: "Salamat bosing Diyos nakapiling namin siya--- kaibigang tunay na nagbuwis para sa amin." A friend and a brother who cared and died... that we may live.

- Joey Velasco

Munting Sireneo

The little weary hands of poor children are not just after the coins in our pockets. They reach out to us and they bless us too. God builds up colors on our monochromatic notion of charity. He puts the true color of his enduring love and compassion by dwelling in us. It is not a bending toward the underprivileged from a privileged position; it is not a reaching out from on high to those who are less fortunate below; it is not a gesture of sympathy or pity for those who fail to make it in the upward pull. On the contrary, compassion means going directly to those people and places where suffering is most acute and building a home there.God merges His colors in us and inextricably intertwines us to Him. Like the canvas of a glazed oil paint, we stand the tests of time. These impoverish children are empowered to help us too and we can learn from them. With their tiny hands they can even lighten the heavy load off our shoulders.

- Joey Velasco

This painting is a remake of Caravaggioâ's "Incredulity of St. Thomas". In this modern retake, Thomas touches the Hapag and scrutinizes it. This reminds me of a 2nd-year college student who visited my exhibit a year ago in the UST Fine Arts Department. She approached me and said in a soft voice, "Sir, I am an atheist." Not sure of what I heard, I asked her to repeat. Again she went, "Sir, I am an atheist." Pointing at the Hapag painting, she followed through: "but sir, if that is what God is all about, it has awakened a part of me." I just smiled. Six months later, I mounted another exhibit at the UST Museum. My heart stopped when I read a message in the guest book. I will never forget those words: "

I am the atheist student who approached you the other time. I have been visiting your new exhibit five times already hoping that I would meet you. Sir, I have been baptized already."
- Joey Velasco

and my favorite:

Paleta de Sangre (Palette of Blood)

As a social realist painter, I was swiftly ushered to the dramatic use of the contrast of light and shadow (chiarascurro) which was influenced by the old masters like Rembrandt, Caravaggio, and our own Luna and Hidalgo. There is a subtle play of the darkest dark and the brightest bright. I guide myself with questions like "Where is the light coming from?" "Is it a warm light or a cool light?" It is in identifying the light source that the figures are illumined and the artist achieves realism. I want to give the feeling that if you cut the canvas with a blade it would bleed.
I view my obras as real, not because of the technique but because of the reality happening in our society. "Where is my own light coming from?" "What gives me direction in spite of darkness?" "What makes me paint?" It struck me that Jesus had been painting my own portrait on the canvas of my soul, not using paint but the palette of His blood . Through the field of art, He was introducing Himself to me. It was as if he was trying to tell me who He really is. "Saan nagmumula ang sinag?"

- Joey Velasco

Rest in peace Joey. Thanks for the inspiration.

11:11

2010-07-22T16:31:00.003+08:00

I can no longer remember the countless times I glanced at the clock and it is either 1:11 or 11:11. Be it in my cellfone, pc clock or digital clock in my room. Is it coincidence or too frequent to be random? I find it creepy every time it happens but got spooked out further when I found a page in facebook especially for this 11:11 phenomenon and even websites explaining such occurrences. Apparently, our fun-loving spirit guardians use our innate ability for pattern recognition to let us know that they are here through these 11:11 prompts. Though I am not a fan of this new age thing because I only believe in God, i also find it amusing, and well, spooky..Maybe I will try to say a wish next time =)

Richard Carlson

2010-07-21T16:00:00.002+08:00

I have taken a new interest in audiobooks around 4 months ago and they keep me company in my daily commute to and from work, gym workouts, jogging, name it, I even fall asleep with my earphones on. Currently playing in my ipod is Richard Carlson's "Creating Miracles Everyday". I have his other more popular audiobook "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" but I opted to listen to his less popular audiobook because I am saving the best for last.

I easily got hooked because of his sooo soothing voice. This alone can make me relaxed and unstressed. He seems to be just next to me,telling me what happiness is. For good measure, his words make a lot of sense. He seems so unreal, too good to be true. I distinctly remember him saying in the early part that he is somewhat amazed with the business of happiness that he spends his life being happy and at the same time study happiness. His dog is even named Happy. To put a face to the voice, i thought of googling him. And I was so surprised when I learned that he died 3 years ago from pulmonary embolism during a plane ride to promote his book. I thought "what a waste", he still can touch millions of lives. Of course his books will be his legacy and will go down several generations but his death will be a loss to his family and the others he would have still touched in a deeper level than just being touched thru his books or audiobooks. He is very much adored by his family. His wife of 25 years, Kris said he wrote her hundreds of love letters. He did everything the biggest way he could.

My second thought now is: listening to him again later will be a bit scary - since he seems just sitting next to me whispering...

An Evening with Noynoy

2010-05-07T15:19:00.002+08:00

An interesting testimonial by the daughter of a known Marcos loyalist/anti-Cory, Ambassador JV Cruz

An Evening with NoynoyBy Candy Cruz

At a small birthday dinner, I had the privilege of meeting Senator Benigno Aquino lll,an opportunity I had with President ERAP and Senator Manny Villar in the past. But this was something different. We sat and chatted from 930pm to 230am. It's rare for me to stay up this late, but strange enough, he kept me wide-eyed til the wee hours. And anyone who can keep my body clock from fading after 10pm must be interesting enough, to say the least. From that day, privately, Noynoy Aquino has surprisingly shot down my lifelong apathy towards this country and spawned a brand new excitement in me for its future.
Noynoy was little in my consciousness before this very informal meeting, shortly after both his Mother's death and accepting the challenge to ran for president. The little consciousness I have of politicians, and in this case Noynoy, was that of being the son of the late President Corazon Aquino, whom my Dad,the late Ambassador JV Cruz, mercilessly villified,or so it was said. That certainly was no secret. Rightfully or wrongfully so, and that is a matter of opinion, it was a good half a century ago and nobody wants to consciously live in a time warp. I was a Marcosian and not a Coryista and that’s history.

So let's not rewind to Cory, that was a good half a century ago, but fast forward to Noynoy. Whatever he said that night made bloody good sense to me. He left me absolutely gobsmacked. His words spewed out palpably from his head and his heart, rather unlike the laid back man he appeared to be. He was incredibly well informed and he talked about everything.. .country, the constitution, his kind of politics, travel, which he admitted he enjoyed but did not have the lust for. He talked about books, quoting from authors from the top of his head.
He spoke animatedly about the attempted assassination on his life, ducking, diving, bleeding. pointing to where the bullets were still lodged in his neck and in his leg,inoperable. I am surprised that up to this day, he could have very well defended the insults from people who perceive him to be abnormal and I am quite sure he is being judged on the basis of his gait and the slight immobility of his neck. That’s way beneath him. And his depth.

I will not go into details about his political platform because whatever he said then, in the confines of that little room, he is saying to this day. He's been extremely consistent, to say the least. His words were intelligent, one may say not as intelligent as Marcos or GMA, but need I say more? You decide. And just to make a slight diversion, it is documented that Hitler's Nazis at Nuremberg had IQs in the genius range. But intelligence, being relative, probably has no relevance to IQ.

So what is wrong with an above average intelligence, which a lot of world leaders possess, to no detriment but much benefit to their people? How many of them are and were really brilliant or at a cut off point for genius? He did not feel the need to blow his own horn about the three bills he co-authored that were passed into law or several others of which he was principal author, all substantial. But as anyone knows,to get anything through Congress depends on one’s political affiliation versus the majority. But I am not going to get into the mechanics of politics.

Senator Aquino didn't find time to filter anything in his head just to make sure he got things right. The words flowed spontaneously without restraint. It was clear as daylight that this man has the gall, intellect and stubborness of his Dad, and the humility, spirituality and thoughtfulness of his Mom, as a person. That is an explosive combination. A good head and a big heart. During dinner, I watched him take all of 3 bites as he rattled on like a good raconteur. Although he smoked, he didn't drink as much as a glass of wine.

There was no hint of any personality deficit. Yes, some character flaws can deny leaders from reaching their highest potential but that refers more to overconfidence, greed,pride, alcoholism, none of which he exhibited. It seemed like he knew what he wanted and that his thoughts were definite. Sad to say, the culture of this country being what it is, there is a stigma attached to anything remotely connected to the word psychiatrist. Call it ignorance, if you want. Granted that he ever saw a psychiatrist in his younger years, I bet that this was a result of the 8 years imprisonment of his father, and the threat on his father’s life, which proved to be real. And after which the responsibility laid on his shoulders to look after his family. What head on young shoulders will not feel any anxiety about something so serious and with good reason. That would be abnormal. That is what an acute psychiatric illness is all about. Something akin to a bout of flu. My brother has a chronic psychiatric illness and that is dead serious.

What surprised me most was his incredible sense of humour. He was brilliant at mimicry and impersonation and that included his sisters. But,what got me in stitches was his impersonation of Josh,son of his sister Kris. He had a "wicked" sense of humour as the Brits would say, playfully malicious and mischievous. Not the conservative and sometimes bitter or cruel brand that some Filipinos own. His stories were hilarious, and it was evident how fond he was of Josh. He spoke of him like a surrogate father would. He hardly touched on the subject of his Mom or Dad. He was his own man with his own opinions. He struck me as unaffected. Nothing seemed to faze him. Except one thing, I felt.
Before we broke up at 230am, some of the company I was in, all of five,asked him to sign a photo of him. When I grabbed mine,I asked that he please address it to my mother-in-law. I told him she was not well,that she had cancer, and that I hoped it might make her smile a little. Taking his pen, his hand froze for a second and as he nudged his glasses further into place,he asked, almost solemnly,how he should address her. I told him how,and for one brief moment,he became pensive before he wrote to address her dearly. He was thoughtful as he added a short message "Prayers for your recovery," signed Noynoy Aquino. As I watched him,I felt we were both on the same wavelength. He had just lost his Mom to cancer and I had lost both my parents to cancer. We knew about the disease and the suffering it brought. It’s called compassion.
Noynoy made no negative comment about anyone, politician or otherwise, including the Marcoses. He didn't single them out, and only spoke of overhauling the justice system and that he would see to it that there was closure to all pending cases, whatever their numbers and whoever they were. He did not compare himself to any politician. Switching from fluent tagalog to fluent english was a piece of cake for him. He didn't swagger in or swagger out. Before he came into the fray, I had only voted once in my life and stayed away from this country for almost forty odd years. After this, I decided to re-register because I was out of COMELEC’S radar. As election nears, I still can't seem to kick off the impact he left on me.

I hope I'm right.

Candz

Dear John

2010-02-09T08:54:00.006+08:00

Channing Tatum is John, a military man who is on vacation for 2 weeks. Amanda Seyfried is Savannah, a rich, beautiful, loving, sweet lady on school break. John was raised by his loving but uncommunciative father who is a coin collector and who cooks chicken on Saturdays and lasagna on Sundays. I might have missed it but there was no mention of John's mother. In a matter of few days, they fell in love and promised eternity to one another. Then it was time for John to go back to the army. The exchange of letters started (thus the title Dear John, but why not Dear Savannah???) and this is the part I enjoyed most since I am a stickler for nicely-composed writings. In movies, more than the visuals, I love love being expressed in words. Anyway...

9/11 happens and John re-enlists. And re-enlists again. Until one Dear John letter appears where Savannah informed him that she has been engaged to someone else (ah so THAT is the reason the title is Dear John...cool). The movie then continues to tell how John took the news, how he boldly faced danger by enlisting in dangerous missions, how he got shot, and why he needs to go home, not for Savannah, but for his father who had a stroke.

Now this is the part that somehow just connected to me, John's relationship with his father. Theirs is love unexpressed. My father is almost the same - quiet, unexpressive, calloused even. But I know in my heart that he loves his family so much to the point of cooking for us, cleaning after our mess figuratively and literally, even doing the laundry for my clothes. But I never heard him say any words of endearment. Once during high school our religion class had an assignment where we are to request our parents to write on a piece of paper what they love best about their child. I learned that he loves me for being God-fearing, responsible and kind. Small and simple words but big for me. And I will never forget when my mother told me he secretly cried when I passed the board exam. My father is 69 years old but still very sharp and strong. As much as I can, I spend quality time with him like joining him when he eats alone, treating him to a massage, watching a concert with him, bringing him to our company outing, anything - just so he won't feel sad and alone.

Moving on...

The story continued to tell how John buried his father and how he dealt with Savannah's new love. How could she fell for someone is something John found hard to accept, but WHO she fell in love with hurts him more. But the story tells how John's good heart overpowers his lover's heart and he did one act of kindness that is utterly too kind and selfless.

Then somebody must have pushed the fast forward button because the scenes that transpired next were so fast I was just beginning to get weepy and suddenly the credits appeared.

It was a tear-jerker alright but it lacks the kilig I expected to get. They say the book version is better.

My Photography Bucket List

2010-02-04T11:52:00.012+08:00

I got interested in photography after seeing a number of beautiful photos, then telling myself I will learn how to capture similar shots. I thought it was just a matter of finding a nice spot and clicking the shutter release. Little did I know that finding the right spot is just the first step. I next have to consider the intensity and source of the light, composition, aperture, shutter speed, iso, and how all of these should work together to produce one beautiful picture. Sounds overwhelming initially but as they say, once you learn how these all play together, it is like driving, or biking, or even walking, where you will not plan your next moves, they just happen out of instinct.

Well, I have taken the first steps but I have a loooong way to go from being a newbie to becoming a full fledged photographer.

Yes I own a DSLR but that does not make me a photographer. Yes I got a few lenses but that does not assure me of a perfect photo everytime I take one.

But I know, with practice and dedication, I will be able to take those beautiful photos. For the meantime, here is a list of photos I want to take one day:

1. star trails - i have long wanted to do this but doing so means staying overnight at a high place somewhere in a rural area where there is less pollution and false light. Successful star trail photos sometimes take hours to capture.

photo credits: www.wunderground.com

2. traffic trails - i tried doing this but I am not satisfied with the results because I was at road-level. Best spot is at an overpass of a busy 2-way highway since the yellow lights of the incoming vehicles will give a nice contrast to the red lights of the vehicles going the other direction.

photo credits: www.jaaphotography .com

3. long exposure waterfalls - i was able to do this at Lake Caliraya but with the guidance of our instructor, Richard Larrios. I want to do it again on my own so I can test if I remember everything he taught us.

I want to shoot a tall, cascading falls. Even Wawa Dam is a good subject, problem is there are always many people taking a bath there and using long exposure is not an option.

photo credits: Jeff Howard

4. shooting bangui windmills - just getting near them is already a wish. A sunset shot would be great!

photo credits: diverdown

5. panning shots - the best panning shots require speed and space, so i think I must be in a sort of racing track, a road or playground to best do this.

6. water droplet shot - this shot requires patience, patience and more patience

7. macro shots

This will be a bit of a challenge because firstly, i need a macro lens which costs an arm and a leg (calling on the universe...). Secondly, I need to be around flora and fauna, the best subjects for macro shots. Best place would be a park or a garden and going down on all fours is somehow needed to get the best shots. My dream shot would be that of an ant carrying a leaf or food. Just no frogs shots please.

photo credits: Licht

Apple's iPad

2010-01-28T08:31:00.007+08:00

Steve Jobs did it again! After months of anticipation and tons of rumors on what will be THE announcement in January, the iPad was finally revealed.

It is a cross between a smartphone and a macbook. It is tablet-shaped, looks like the cover of the macbook pro, allows users to access Safari browser, email, and Iphone/Ipod Touch apps. The large 9.7" glass top (for reduced smearing) touch screen makes it a lot easier to browse thru the web, photos, videos and apps. It boasts of a 10-hr battery life, a built-in wi-fi and bluetooth connectivity and just a half-inch thick.

Basic iPad (16 gigabytes) sells for $499 and the most expensive is the $829 64 gigabytes running on 3G.

On of the newest features of iPad is the iBook and the iBookstore. iBook is an ebook reader app which Apple created to match against Kindle. In tall orientation (or portrait as we know it), you can use your fingers to to turn a page and preview the next page or just tap the screen to go the next page. The paper-like texture of the screen gives the iPad a real book feel.

The iBookstore is like Amazon to Kindle where you can buy new books to appear in your virtual bookshelf.

Personally, the iPad is nice to have but not a must-have. I will choose the macbook and ipod touch over it anytime. When your work is mostly software-oriented, then this is not for you. This is perfect for someone who travels or someone who is always out of the house or office. But I will certainly appreciate having it for casual browsing, reading the online newspaper while lying down, playing games in bed (perfect for plants vs. zombies!) and ebook reading.

iPad will be out in the market in 60 days.

Still don't like the name though. iSlate is better.

Other info on the iPad:

Specs:
0.5 inches thin

1.5 pounds

9.7 inch IPS display

full capacitive multi-touch screen

1Ghz custom Apple chip. (called A4)

Can have 16, 32, or 64 GB of SSD

802.11n Wi-Fi

Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR

accelerometer

compass

speaker

microphone

30 pin connector

10-hour battery life

Price:
Wifi only - available in 60 days (march 2010)

16GB - $499

32GB - $599

64GB - $699

Wifi and 3G (micro SIM - unit is unlocked) - available in 90 days (april 2010)16GB - $629

32GB - $729

64GB - $829

Extremes

2010-01-04T14:40:00.001+08:00

When I attended the funeral mass for our relative who died on Christmas Day, I was struck by what the priest said. He told the family that Jesus Christ also came to their household on Christmas, but not as a cute and cuddly baby, but as a crucified and dying man. Yet, still the same God who became man to save us from sins. What a realization. I've always associated Christmas as fun, happy, festive but not gloomy and dark. As if death could never ever come and has no right to come on this supposedly happy day. And yet it did. Actually it can come anytime.

My bestfriend is celebrating her birthday today but how can we be happy and celebrate when her aunt is presently lying in state? It is hard to celebrate the gift of life during a time of mourning. I remember years back when my grandmother died 3 days prior to her birthday so during her birthday, there was a cake on top of her coffin.

Talking about extremes at its finest.

What is beyond?

2010-01-03T08:09:00.003+08:00

In just 3 days I have already attended 2 wakes. In each time, I am almost always tempted to tell the relatives the cliche "it's ok, he/she is in a better place now" but I know it won't offer (yet) any solace to them because the need to grieve is present and unavoidable.

Deaths always affect me. Who won't be? In my mortal mind, it is the finality, the end, the consummation of life. When I was younger, I've always thought of death as really the end, then darkness follows. After learning a few things from school, the church and the community, I began to believe that death is just a phase someone need to pass through in order to reach the other side. But I know I have to go to a step higher in understanding and reasoning that death is just a beginning. Papa told me that in their community, when someone dies, they say "Congratulations!" instead of "Condolence" to the family of the dead. I might get a knock on the head if I say that but when you think about it deeply, death is really just the beginning of eternal life.

For the meantime, I should make it a point to work as if it is my first day on earth, learn as if I were to live forever, and live as if it is my last day.

Sounds like a tall order but I will try.

2010 is here!

2010-01-01T11:34:00.004+08:00

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that
you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines.
Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore.
Dream.
Discover."

2009 has generally been very good to me and my family (because we looked at the blessings, not the negatives). I am sure the coming years will be doubly better for us and for everyone.

To live a "better life", I will be doing the following this year:

1. sleep eight hours a day
2. eat more greens and less junk
3. keep my room uncluttered (like it is today, Jan.1)
4. hit the gym 3x a week and lose those unwanted bulges
5. return to blogging
6. pass by the adoration chapel more often
7. live within my means
8. think positive and observe the law of attraction
9. join project 365
10. be a better friend
11. master photo-editing
12. manage my digital photos effectively
13. spend more time with the family and take care of the oldies
14. travel
15. drink more water
16. shoot more and better photos
17. give more
18. ..and i need to earn more
19. buy either a book or a blouse every payday (i want the first but i need the 2nd)
20. live, laugh and love

There you go, my 20 to-do list this year.

Happy 2010 everyone!

YugaTech Great Gadget Giveaway

2009-12-14T14:12:00.003+08:00

Starting this week, Yugatech will be doing a series of different contests for his “YugaTech Great Gadget Giveaway” with a major theme around it. It will be really simple and have easy mechanics. The contest for this week is called “Merry Tweetmas”.
Round 1: The theme for this week will be Twitter. Here’s the mechanics:
1) Follow @abeolandres and @talk2globe on Twitter.
2) Post a tweet “Just entered to win a Modu Phone. Quick! Go follow @abeolandres and @talk2globe and retweet: http://bit.ly/6e2q7O #thanks2yugatech”

He is giving away a Modu phone, 10 Globe Tattoo and 20 Php500 prepaid call cards randomly. That’s 31 winners in all for the Twitter giveaway.

Join now and win beautiful prizes!

Coney Island Ice Cream is Back!

2009-11-27T14:18:00.002+08:00

Coney Island Ice Cream is back! But under the name "Go Nuts Ice Cream". I have always thought that Coney Island Ice Cream is owned by an American Company. Little did I know that it is 100% Filipino-owned. The Trillanas are also the owners of Go Nuts Donuts and Whammos.

Back in college, there is a Coney Island Ice Cream kiosk across Miriam College and Ateneo. I can still vividly remember that every July 4, me and my friends would troop to that area along Katipunan to avail of the ice cream at 50% discount! I cannot remember any other ice cream flavor because I always get the bubblegum flavor every time.

I also have childhood memories of mama and I going to Rustan's Cubao and I always ask her to buy me a cone of the bubblegum flavored ice cream. I remember the bubble gum pieces (big square ones!) infused in the ice cream and I will not spit out any of the chewed gum until I finished the whole cup, and my mouth will be full of this gum that i had trouble chewing with a closed mouth.

When I passed by the Gonuts Donuts at Megamall awhile ago, I saw that they already have the Go Nuts Ice Cream and I did not pass the chance - I gotta get my bubble gum ice cream! And the experience had this happy nostalgic effect. The taste is the same but the color has changed. I remember it was blue before, now it is pink. And the main difference: it has fewer bubble gum bits which are frozen. Upside is, I had no trouble chewing =)

Flavors available:
belgian chocolate, french vanilla, cafe mocca, pastillas de leche, rocky road, choco hazelnut, pistachio, ito's macadamia,strawberry, ozark black walnut,new york new york.

Prices: Favorites/Premium

single scoop P60.00 / P80.00

double scoop P100.00 / P135.00

tub P185.00 / P215.00

Cancelled: World Pyro Olympics 2009

2009-11-25T10:54:00.003+08:00

Due to varying weather conditions of late, the Executive Committee of the World Pyro Olympics 2009 announces the postponement of the event to a later date next year.

The November 28 opening was marred by strong rains during Team China's performance. (read Lagalog's onsite reporting here)

Purchased tickets will be honored on the new dates. For more info, contact WPO at 568-6908 or 384-0239 or log on to http://www.worldpyroolympics.com/ for details.

photo courtesy of atlas shrugs

Plants vs Zombies

2009-11-23T16:19:00.004+08:00

My current favorite computer game now is Plants vs Zombies by Popcap. It is a tower defense game but I will put it under the genre of Diner Dash and Wedding Dash in such a way that I get stressed (but in a nice way) to act fast and multi-task in order to win. Spent not so few hours with this game that I even dreamt about zombies-eating-plants!

Thought at first it is just a child's game but eventually, I began to enjoy playing it. It tests your patience, strategy skills and planning.

The objective of the game is to protect your house from being invaded by zombies who come in different costumes, different strenghts and weaknesses, different skills and issues in life (the michael jackson zombie is one cool dude). To protect your house from being invaded and your brain from being eaten raw, an arsenal of different plants are available. You need to plant these floras and arrange them in such a way that their different capabilities and toughness will be fully maximized. Best choice of plants depends on the types of zombies you will encounter per level.

In order to purchase different kinds of plants, you're required to gather sunshine while in game play. During daytime levels, sunshine falls from the sky periodically; however this isn't enough to fuel the needed army. Thankfully, sun flowers can be planted to make sunpower come faster.

During night levels, different strategy is needed to gather sources of light since sunflowers produce sunpower oh so slowly and the friendly mushrooms will come handy.

There's a very comic-like feel to things (maybe to compensate for the gore and ugly-looking zombies), but the gameplay is incredibly addictive. I just can't stop playing.

There are 5 games modes: Adventure, Mini-games, Puzzle, Survival plus the relaxing Zen Garden. I am done with the Adventure mode (day, night, fog, swimming pool and roof). Im still trying to finish the rest.

There is a free download good for an hour at www.popcap.com

I love the Sesame Street Google Doodles!

2009-11-10T10:44:00.004+08:00

I've been checking Google first thing in the morning to see if there is a new google doodle. Still waiting for Kermit...

2009 Pyromusical Competition in the Philippines

2009-10-13T13:13:00.003+08:00

Dubbed as the first in the Philippines because previous years' competitions were without music. Secondly, it will be land-based firing, so you can expect low-level fireworks this time! La Mancha, the organizer of this event, did a 13-minute teaser during the last Pyrolympics for this.

I am sure, like the other Pyrolympics, this Musical Pyrolympics is worth watching.

Here are the schedules:

November 14, 2009
South Korea and United States of America

November 21, 2009
Germany and China

November 28, 2009
Japan and Australia

December 05, 2009
Canada and Italy

December 12, 2009
Hightlights from the Participants and Philippines

Bring the kids and watch this spectacular event!

Venue:
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. near MC Home Depot and Bonifacio High Street. Tickets will be available this October!

Lake Caliraya

2009-04-16T19:23:00.000+08:00

Had the chance to shoot at Caliraya Lake last month. I have been hearing a lot about this place but this is the first time i was finally able to see the place for myself.

It is a man-made lake situated in the towns of Lumban, Cavinti and Kalayaan, Laguna.

We rode a speed boat and were transported to the other side of the lake. It is a sanctuary owned by Mr. Peter Wallace. I was surprised to see so many animals in the small island. Not to mention many places calling for some photo ops.

We also had the chance to shoot at the Japanese Garden...

For the first time, i had the chance to try Infrared Photography. This is where i got burned! Because to maximize the full effect of the IR, shooting time must be between 10am - 3pm. I was shooting from 12nn to 2pm. Dehydrated, burned, soaked with sweat - but i still nudged myself to learn how this IR works. Here is the result:

The next day, we visited the Kalayaan Twin Falls. We arrived at 6am, purposely early to avoid the early swimmers.

Last stop is an old tower at the entrance of Lagos del Sol. It appears ordinary, i almost did not notice it the first time we passed but when we came back during sunset, it exposed its beauty under the orange/blue-tinged sky.

It was a very tiring shoot. But very worth it.

Monasterio De Tarlac

2009-03-30T00:37:00.009+08:00

Situated on top of a mountain is the Monasterio De Tarlac. It houses the relic of the True Cross of Jesus.

The spacious property offers a panoramic view of Tarlac. The noticeable silence in the place is a sure welcome from the noisy city.

There are two sets of the Stations of the Cross. One is for the less agile and the other is for those who are ready to go up and down the hills under the searing heat of the sun.

I love the peace and serenity the place gives. Up there, it is easier to be "holy" and "follow" Jesus' steps. But reality has to take over and I eventually need to go down to the real world.

The relic of the true cross is exposed only twice a year. On January 30 and on September 14, the feast of the Holy Cross. A mass is being offered at 10:30am every Saturday and Sunday.

How to go there:

Take the NLEX, exit at St. Ines, Mabalacat, Pampanga. Just follow the road going to Tarlac. At Brgy. San Sebastian, look for Hon Kee Tea House (right side) and turn left. At the end of the 36-kilometer scenic road is Brgy. Lubigan where the Monasterio is located. Various signages are posted along the way.

When you thought i wasn't looking

2009-03-02T17:30:00.001+08:00

Just thought of sharing this. A message every adult should read because children are watching us and doing as we do, not as we say.

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you hang my
first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately
wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a
stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind
to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make my
favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little
things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a
prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always
talk to, and I le arned to trust in Him.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make a
meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I
learned that we all have to help take care of each
other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of
your time and money to help people who had nothing,
and I learned that those who have something should
give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care
of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have
to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you
handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't
feel good, and I learned that I would have to be
responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come
from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things
hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of
life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and
productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and
wanted to say,'Thanks for all the things I saw when
you thought I wasn't looking.'

In Memory of Amiel Alcantara

2009-02-27T09:41:00.005+08:00

Any death is tragedy in itself, but the death of a child is tragedy multiplied by the hundreds.

Julian Carlo Miguel (Amiel) Alcantara, a 10 year old student of the Ateneo de Manila University got fatally hit by a van on the afternoon of February 24.

Here is what happened:

According to initial reports, Amiel and his older brother were dismissed from school at past 3pm. The boys were already in their car when Amiel got hungry and so he and his yaya decided to go to the Ateneo grade school canteen to buy something.

Meanwhile, inside a gray hi-ace van, a 30something mom had instructed her driver to go and get her young son. She said she would just take care of moving the vehicle if need be.

One mom (whose son is the classmate of Amiel) was right there and witnessed the horrible, horrible accident. When the driver went out of the van, he left it idling. The cars in front of the van moved already, a big gap was left in front of the van, so the cars behind the van began blowing their horns to make the van move. The mom went down to move the van. That's when she accidentally stepped on the gas, instead of the brakes, rear-ending the car in front of her, which in turn, hit the car in front of it. The impact was strong, but that wasn't when Amiel was hit.

The mom, in her panic, then reversed very quickly. She didn't see Amiel and his yaya who were on their way from the canteen, crossing behind her van, looking for their own car. That's when she hit the boy and the yaya. She didn't even realize that she had hit two people, she kept going in reverse, even if the other drivers and bystanders were screaming for her to stop. They had to extricate poor Amiel from under the van. The mom who witnessed all these has asked her driver to help carry him. When she saw Amiel, she knew at once that he was gone. She saw his things scattered on the ground, even the hotdog he was eating right before the accident.

My prayer goes to the family of Amiel, to his parents, his yaya and especially to his brother. My prayer also goes to the driver of the van and her family. Numerous reports are on the loose about her indifferent attitude towards the accident, about how a cellphone was involved, about the insensitive way she responded to inquiries, but before the official reports are out, let us not add to her burdens. She has suffered enough.

Grasping at reality amidst this surreal event, I realized it could actually be anybody at the shoes of anyone involved in the accident, at anytime.

Schedule of Masses (Makati and Ortigas District)

2009-02-25T11:39:00.003+08:00

This list might be of help for those on the look-out for a Eucharistic mass especially this coming Lenten season. To be sure, try to check first and let us know of any changes so we can also update the list.

MAKATI BUSINESS DISTRICT MASS SCHEDULES

Asian Institute of Management
Paseo de Roxas
Monday - Friday - 1230PM
First Friday, Saturday - 6:00PM
Sunday - 9:30AM

Ateneo Law School
Rockwell Center
Monday - Friday - 12:15PM, 6:00PM
Saturday - 5:15PM

25F Ayala Tower 1
Ayala Avenue
Monday to Friday, 11:30 AM to 12:00 NN

Bank of Commerce
Ayala Avenue
Wednesday, Friday - 12:15PM

Builder's Centre
Ground Floor
Salcedo St., Legaspi Village
Monday - Friday - 12:00NN

88 Corporate Center
Suite 905 (subject to change)
Sedeno St. corner Valero St.
First Friday: 12:15 PM
(Ash Wednesday Mass is also normally celebrated)

Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP)
Sen Gil Puyat Avenue
Monday - Friday: 12:00 NN

Eastern Telecoms Plaza Penthouse
Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue
Monday - Friday - 12:00NN

Equitable PCIBank (now Banco de Oro)
Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel
Makati Avenue
Monday - Friday - 7:45AM, 12:15PM, 5:30PM

Greenbelt Park
Monday - Friday - 7:30AM, 12:15PM 5:45PM, 7:00PM
Saturday - 12:15PM, 4:30PM, 6:00PM
Sunday - 7:15AM, 9:00AM, 10:30AM, 1200NN,
3:00PM, 4:30PM, 6:00PM, 730PM

Glorietta Ayala Center
Wednesday, Saturday - 5:00PM
Sunday - 10:30AM

Makati Medical Center
9th floor Chapel or Ledesma Hall
Monday - Sunday - 7:30AM, 12:00NN, 4:00PM

Metrobank Plaza
Penthouse Annex Building
Sen Gil Puyat Avenue
Monday - Friday - 7:45 AM

PhilamLife Tower
Paseo de Roxas
9th Floor
Monday - Friday 12:15PM

Prudential Bank
3F Ayala Avenue
Wednesday - 12:00NN

4F RCBC Plaza
Ayala Avenue cor. Buendia
Monday - Friday - 12:00 NN to 1:00 PM

ORTIGAS BUSINESS DISTRICT MASS SCHEDULES

Chateau Verde Condo
Lobby
Valle Verde 1
First Friday Masses - 6:00PM
Sunday - 11:00AM

EDSA Shrine
Monday - Saturday - 6:30AM, 12:15NN, 5:30PM, 7:00PM
Sunday - 8:00AM, 9:30AM, 11:00AM, 12:15NN
3:00PM, 4:30PM, 6:00PM, 7:30PM

Meralco Chapel
Meralco Compound
Meralco Avenue
Monday - Friday - 7:00AM, 12:00NN

RFM Auditorium
RFM Corporate Center
Pioneer cor. Sheridan Sts., Mandaluyong City
Monday - Friday - 12:00 NN

SM Megamall
Julia Vargas Avenue
Monday - Friday - 1215, 6PM
Saturday - 5:00PM, 7:00PM
Sunday - 9, 11AM, 1230, 2PM, 330PM, 5PM, 630PM

Stella Orientis Chapel
University of Asia and the Pacific
Josemaria Escriva Drive, Ortigas Center
Monday - Friday - 7:45AM, 12:05PM
Saturday - 12:05PM

Tektite Chapel
West Tower
Emerald Avenue
Monday - Friday - 12:15PM, 5:30PM

Thanks to the The MabutingBalita.net Team for compiling the schedules

My Funeral Planner

2008-10-31T21:46:00.006+08:00

I once attended a program some years ago and at the end there was a raffle draw. One of the grand prizes is a memorial plan. The audience laughed, especially when the host said the winner has to claim the non-transferrable prize within a year :)

The deadline given is of course laughable, but the idea of having a memorial plan or to be more large-scale, a funeral planner, is not.

We always say that death comes like a thief in the night, we don't know the time nor the day when the Lord will say our time on earth is up. When that time comes, being ready spiritually is winning 3/4 of the battle. But the other 1/4 is being ready with all the other necessary stuff emanating from death.

Fr. Larry Tan from Don Bosco is the author of the booklet My Homebound Planner. It has some To Do lists and also has lots of practical guides on one's funeral (no matter how morbid a thought it can be). There is a part where one can prepare his living will and a list of personal documents as well as legal, financial and educational-related documents. "My Last Will" is a page where one can put into words all the sentiments he/she feels. "My Loose ends" page contains the lists of one's debts, collectibles, borrowed items and things others borrowed. A page is even reserved for one's letter to the Lord.

I bought the booklet from Fr. Larry when he said mass at the office a few months ago. My father saw the booklet in my room a few days after and as soon as he read the title, he quickly gave me a call and inquired about it, admitting he found the booklet disconcerting. After assuring him that I'm not dying yet, he finally conceded that being prepared also in that aspect is practical.

I remember when my mother died almost 10 years ago. Im convinced she was ready both spiritually and otherwise. She knew that when she dies, we will look for her memorial plan and wise as she is, she also put there a letter to us with all the detailed instructions for her funeral, she even included the phone number of the funeral parlor and the name of the person we will contact.

Honestly, I found it overwhelming to fill out the booklet. There were some questions I am not prepared to be asked. But if it is hard for me, how much more it will be for my family who will be left behind.

So casting those morbid and overwhelming thoughts aside, I know I should start filling it out soon...

The Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord

2008-10-16T16:43:00.007+08:00

SM Megamall has opened this week its new and spacious chapel, the Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord. Dubbed as a megachapel by Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales, the new chapel can sit up to 1,000 people, has a Crying Room for the bawling babies and has a cellphone blocker that will surely avoid the instances where a cellphone will sound off at the middle of a mass.

The old, smaller chapel will now be an Adoration Chapel which is open during mall hours for those who want to spend some quiet moments with the Lord.

The new chapel is located at the 5th floor of SM Megamall's Mega Atrium area. It's chaplain is Fr. Joe Yu.

I would like to commend the efforts of the Sy Family particularly Mrs. Sy for putting up Philippine's largest chapel in a shopping mall. SM is the first shopping mall to hold regular masses when in 1985, SM North Edsa started its first mass. Families since then have started their Sunday get-togethers with a celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

Photos courtesy of Bro. Mon Velasquez

Parallel Railroad Tracks

2008-10-14T15:20:00.006+08:00

This is quoting Rick Warren, author of the famous book, "Purpose Driven Life"

I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.

Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.

No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.

And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.

You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your
problems.

If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, 'which is my problem, my issues, my pain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.

The Big Binondo Wok

2008-10-13T15:03:00.011+08:00

Having just made an exploration a month earlier of Binondo in my photography class, I was as excited to do another Binondo tour but this time with Ivan ManDy's The Big Binondo Wok.

I was immediately impressed by Ivan's dedication to share his knowledge of Binondo to the Filipinos. Garbed in a chinese costume and with a Philippine flag on stick held up high over his head, he is like the pied piper of Hamelin as we followed him along the streets of Binondo.

After a brief introduction of Binondo and chinatown, we first stopped at a Chinese slipper store, the New Le Sempatica Commercial and Ivan told us how feet binding was observed in China during the earlier years. I learned that men of those days prefer women with smaller feet, thus the women then were willing to go through excruciating pain just to prevent their feet from growing. How? By tying their feet with bandage dipped in herbs and medicines. The bandage was tightened every day until the feet grow so small to be just the size of a closed fist.

Ouch.

Our next stop was the Eng Bee Tin Mezzanine Fire Fighters Cafe. We were served with Kiampong Rice, Fish Ball soup and Iced coffee. The kiampong rice tastes so good i could have asked for a second serving if I didn't restrain myself. The fish ball soup has fish balls that were not made of flour. The iced coffee was great too.

Next stop was a Chinese Drugstore, Ban Shiong Thai. There we were shown with a couple of dried geckos tied together. Ivan said the chinese use this like a tea bag - dipped in a kettle and the water to be drank afterwards. Known to cure asthma, colds and flu. Bubble in my head says I'd rather be sick than drink that!

Ivan then led us in a very inconspicuous restaurant that only has 5 tables, the 5th one being a freezer top. But dare not underestimate this humble place because they do have the best dumplings in the area. It's my favorite pitstop. The dumplings were made right before our eyes, thus the freshness cannot be doubted.

By the way, we can eat all the food we can on this Big Binondo Wok. We just need to request for a refill and more food will be brought to the table.

After satisfying ourselves with all the dumplings we could take, we next moved to the Santo Cristo de Logos Shrine. This is where Christianity meets the Chinese culture. Instead of candles, incense were lit. And the after saying a small prayer, the faithfuls get these wooden chips and toss them like a dice. Whatever is the result would determine the answer to their prayer: a yes, a no or question irrelevant.

Another foodstop is the store that sells brown eggs. Ivan gave each one of us a brown egg and prodded us to open it and take a bite. After everyone took a bite, he told us that we just tasted a snake's egg! Yuck!

But actually, those were just tea-marinated eggs. The eggs were made to stay in the mixture for 3 days to give them a brown color and a yummier taste.

A few steps away, Ivan took a plastic canister from one of the vendors and gave each one of us this orange stuff and he asked us to taste it. He made us think what the taste reminded us of. I immediately thought of Hawflakes, that childhood food papa loves to bring to us as pasalubong. Ivan told us the orange stuff is actually Chinese Hawthorn, and this is where Hawflakes were made from.

Our last stop is this Lumpia Restaurant, the New Po-Heng Lumpia House.

I have always loved the chinese lumpia being sold at the Big Little Store along Gilmore Avenue. But this one tastes notches better! The peanuty sauce is not too sweet for my taste. And the vegetables used were fresh and crunchy to the bite. The best chinese lumpia for me! I thought I cannot eat it all because of my full stomach but I did eventually.

I had fun in this Binondo Wok. Though my feet ached, my tummy was happy. =)

I've Fallen..

2008-10-01T17:02:00.001+08:00

..not in love - but in a deep excavation.

This morning, on my way to the office, I did not notice a very deep digging on the road and before I had the chance to step on the breaks, my two front wheels already fell into it. I heard a loud thud, metal-to-cement kind of sound and I knew I was in deep trouble, literally. It was also raining that time. Good thing some good samaritans came over to offer assistance. One manong took the lead and requested more helping hands from the surrounding area because the initial 6 pairs of strong arms fail to bring Simon out of the hole. Simon by the way is the name of my green, kermity car. At the end, it took 9 men to bring us out of the hole. Miraculously, there was not even a single dent on the fender.

All those times I was my usual cool self (though a bit nervous initially) because I knew I prayed the moment my wheels fell into the hole. God took me out of the hole, like His usual habit of taking me out from deep voids I encountered in my life.

Happy Birthday mama!

2008-09-22T07:38:00.002+08:00

Back when papa was still working abroad and emails, webcams, chatting and skype were still inexistent, he and mama talk thru slow mails and voice tapes. These voice tapes of hers i still treasure until now because thru them I can listen to her once more as if she is just around. Because i truly miss her last night, I listened to her voice tapes again.

When I pressed the play button, it was in the part where she was saying to papa that she longs for someone to talk to and she was somehow glad that she can already share with me her problems. I was 11 then.

Now I am dying to tell her the same thing. How I wish she is around so I can have someone to share my problems with. She is the best listener in the whole wide world, my bestfriend, with a soothing voice and a calming presence. Whenever I feel too happy or too sad, I will call her from anywhere just to share with her anything. There were still no cellphones then. I still remember using the red public phones which use 3-25 centavo coins. We had many private jokes, shared lots of guffaws. Our bonding time is usually the moment before bedtime. And then she will tuck me to sleep after loving kisses and embraces were exchanged.

She would have been 62 today if she was still alive. We would have celebrated with a simpe get-together dinner at home, partaking her home-cooked meals. I would have gifted her with a simple gift together with a simple card. I would have kissed her tenderly and say I love you.

Happy birthday mama! Catch my long distance happy birthday kisses, ok?

System Restore

2008-09-20T14:36:00.003+08:00

I have downloaded the movie Sicko in torrent but when it was time to watch it, my Windows Media Player only played the audio and not the video. So i ran Gspot to determine if i lack a codec to make it run. Apparently, I lack the codec FMP4. So I searched for a free download of this certain codec and when i found one I immediately installed it. When i played again the movie in WMP, i was so happy to see the opening credits rolling but it was upside down! One google search suggested that I just turn my monitor 180 degrees (hehe) but even if i do, the image was still flipped horizontally. When i searched again google to determine the cause of this problem, I learned that my pc lacks DivX 6 decoder and I should download it then it will turn everything right side up.

So i did.

Unfortunately, not only did i again revert to the audio-only-no-video scenario of Sicko but all my downloaded movies failed to play in WMP!

Baffled as to what to do next, I again searched google. And the immaculate next step: system restore.

So i did a system restore and I was brought back to my system settings 8 hours ago.

I played the movies I have downloaded and they played perfectly.

I played Sicko and expectedly, there is still again audio but no video.

I played Sicko in Nero Showtime and it worked. (sigh...)

But I was already not in the mood to watch Sicko so I just pondered on what had happened. And I suddenly wished there is a system restore in real life. Some kind of a button and you can, at any time, at my beck and call, push it and I will be transported back to a certain time in my life where happiness preceded sadness, health is wealth and sickness is just an idea, prevention will be taken instead of running around for a cure. A place in time where there were still no problems.

And when I have that power to system-restore my life, I will choose to go back to:

mama is still alive
papa is strong and he can still carry me and take me around
money is scarce but i have fewer responsibilities
we still have an ayi who cooks, do the market and cleans the CR for us
when I still haven't discovered credit cards
my biggest problem was the graded recitation in school the next day

But time has to fly and it carried away with it health, youth, existence and some other elements of my comfort zone. But it also carried with it experiences, growth, maturity and wisdom to sustain me in this trek called life.

Photo Hunt #18: Road

2008-09-19T08:03:00.003+08:00

This was taken from a side road on my way to Sagada, Philippines.

At the background is the famous Rice Terraces.

more photohunters here

No more stomach aches - 1 week and counting

2008-09-18T08:07:00.000+08:00

A week has passed and I have been free from stomach aches so far. Thank God, really. Those stomach aches are a nightmare. I guess the medicines helped. But I can also hold accountable the food I have avoided for the relief my stomach is enjoying now. For a week already, I have been more conscious of what I am eating. If that is the lesson I need to learn, I have to thank those stomach aches for showing me how eating carelessly can make me sick. I have been eating lots of greens and fruits, less meat if there is a choice, more of chicken and fish. Im sure I can live without coffee, softdrinks and alcohol. But I know I will miss chocolates anytime so I guess I can take a few just to satisfy the cravings.

Contest! Come Join!

2008-09-16T08:15:00.001+08:00

I would like to congratulate Pearl on her own, new domain!

To celebrate, she is giving away these wonderful prizes:

a one-year subsciption of Good Housekeeping magazine or $15.00 to be credited thru paypal for the international winners.
1,500 entrecard credits
free one month 125x125 ads on her site
100 entrecard credits to the first 30 participants

To know more about this contest, check Pearl's Sharing My Thoughts.

Information Please

2008-09-16T08:13:00.000+08:00

I want to share this story I read from my email today. Just shows how not to underestimate the impression you may make on others.

When I was quite young, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighborhood. I remember the polished, old case fastened to the wall. The shiny receiver hung on the side of the box. I was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination when my mother talked to it.

Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person. Her name was 'Information Please' and there was nothing she did not know. Information Please could supply anyone's number and the correct time.

My personal experience with the genie-in-a-bottle came one day while my mother was visiting a neighbor. Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a hammer, the pain was terrible, but there seemed no point in crying because there was no one home to give sympathy.

I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway. The telephone! Quickly, I ran for the footstool in the parlor and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver in the parlor and held it to my ear. 'Information, please,' I said into the mouthpiece just above my head.

A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear. 'Information.''

'I hurt my finger...' I wailed into the phone, the tears came readily enough now that I had an audience.

'Isn't your mother home?' came the question.

'Nobody's home but me,' I blubbered.

'Are you bleeding?' the voice asked.

'No,' I replied. 'I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts.'

'Can you open the icebox?' she asked.

I said I could.

'Then chip off a little bit of ice and hold it to your finger,' said the voice.

After that, I called 'Information Please' for everything. I asked her for help with my geography, and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math.

She told me my pet chipmunk that I had caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts.

Then, there was the time Petey, our pet canary, died. I called ''Information Please,' and told her the sad story. She listened, and then said things grown-ups say to soothe a child. But I was not consoled. I asked her, 'Why is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?''

She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly, 'Wayne, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in.''

Somehow I felt better.

Another day I was on the telephone. 'Information Please,' I said.

'Information,' said the now familiar voice.

'How do I spell fix?' I asked.

All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. When I was nine years old, we moved across the country to Boston. I missed my friend very much. 'Information Please' belonged in that old wooden box back home and I somehow never thought of trying the shiny new phone that sat on the table in the hall. As I grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left me.

Often, in moments of doubt and perplexity I would recall the serene sense of security I had then. I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spent her time on a little boy.

A few years later, on my way west to college, my plane put down in Seattle . I had about a half-hour or so between planes. I spent 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister, who lived there now. Then without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my hometown operator and said, 'Information Please.''

Miraculously, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well, 'Information.''

I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying, 'Could you please tell me how to spell fix?''

There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, 'I guess your finger must have healed by now.''

I laughed, 'So it's really you,' I said. 'I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time?''

I wonder,' she said, 'if you know how much your call meant to me? I never had any children and I used to look forward to your calls.''

I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister.

'Please do', she said. 'Just ask for Sally.''

Three months later I was back in Seattle. A different voice answered, 'Information.''

I asked for Sally.

'Are you a friend?' she said.

'Yes, a very old friend,' I answered.

'I'm sorry to have to tell you this,' she said. 'Sally had been working part-time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago.''

Before I could hang up she said, 'Wait a minute, did you say your name was Wayne?' 'Yes.' I answered.

'Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down in case you called. Let me read it to you.'

The note said, 'Tell him there are other worlds to sing in.

He'll know what I mean.''

I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.

shared by Paul Villard

photo courtesy of meagain625

Climate change could devastate Philippines

2008-09-15T17:03:00.000+08:00

I read this terrible news today and it is quite alarming:

Climate change could have a devastating impact on the Philippines, leading to widespread destruction of the country's flora and fauna and flooding the capital Manila, a NASA scientist warned here Friday.

The continued melting of Arctic ice caps, brought on by climate change, could cause sea levels to rise by seven metres (23 feet), said National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) physicist Josefino Comiso.

He said the country's fish stocks would be depleted and many species of plant and animal life would die because of the change in ocean temperatures caused by climate change.

Comiso said the slow melting of the ice caps should be more than "just an item of curiosity" for Filipinos.

We can already feel the effect of the global warming in the Philippines. Hopefully something can be done before this unimaginable destruction befalls us. Josefino Comiso's info is credible enough since he is part of the United States Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change which shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former US vice president Al Gore.

read the full story here

photo courtesy of BBC

Propagating Friendship Award

2008-09-12T16:40:00.000+08:00

I love the blogs of these people and I'm glad to pass this award onto them! All they need to do is to leave the following message on their post when they pass the award on to their chosen eight bloggers.

They all are charmed with the blogs, where in the majority of its aims are to show the marvels and to do friendship; there are persons who are not interested when we give them a prize and then they help to cut these bows; do we want that they are cut or that they propagate? Then let's try to give more attention to them! So with this prize we must deliver it to 8 bloggers that in turn must make the same thing and put this text.

I would like to thank Pearl and Jelly Belly for this wonderful award. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart!

Now, I am passing this on to...

Karen / Rachel / Scottzprincess / Bless /

Mariuca / Apple / Reenashwina /

Gwapasila

My Endoscopy Experience

2008-09-11T08:02:00.002+08:00

Finally it was over!

Let me share how the procedure went.

I was at the Megaclinic at 5:30pm and after some paper works, I was asked to change into a hospital gown. The doctor came after a few minutes and requested me to sit on a bed. She sprayed my throat 3 times in 30 seconds interval with this banana-flavored but very bitter liquid which immediately numbed my lips and my throat. She explained how the procedure will go while waiting for the anesthesia to take effect.

After 2 minutes, I was asked to lie down on my left side. A nurse taped a mouth guard on me to protect my lips and teeth from the scope (and maybe also to protect their scope from my teeth). I was wondering why they never took my blood pressure because if they did, they would have gotten a very high reading because I was extremely nervous then especially when I saw the endoscope which is about thumb-like in width and around 4 feet when uncoiled. There is a camera and light at its end and some depth markings on its body. From the way it looks, it appears soft and rubberized because the end kept bobbling up and down.

I was at first watching her every move but when it was time for her to put the scope to my mouth, she requested me to close my eyes.

I felt it when the scope was snaking its way down my throat. It was not actually painful but more of a weird kind of feeling. There was an area down my throat where she had difficulty pushing her way in so she asked me to swallow. Once she got passed that barrier, I felt something tickling my insides but not in a funny way. Again more in the weird way. Closest feeling I can compare it to is when I swallow a big chunk of food and I can feel it ease its way down my esophagus.

I felt my stomach getting wider because of the air she introduced through the tubes. She initially explained to me that she needed to do this to make my insides distend so it will be easier for her to see what she needs to see.

All this time, a nurse was rubbing my back to make me comfortable and relaxed. From the moment the scope was pushed down my throat to the time it was removed, she did that. It helped actually. I looked for her after the procedure to personally thank her for what she did but failed to find her.

I gagged and coughed a few times. There was this one cough where I made this really wild and rude burp, a loud sound I never made before and maybe never can replicate again.

The doctor said I should try to resist burping because the air she placed inside is being released, making the procedure last longer than usual. Ok. As if i can help it...

Anyway, I was able to resist gagging the second time around and so she was able to take a sample of my insides through this thin wire she inserted inside the endoscope. She said it will be tested for the Helicobacter Pylori (h.pylori), a bacteria responsible for gastric ulcers and stomach cancers.

Finally I heard the doctor say "Im going out", a phrase I've been longing to hear!

We then watched the video and she showed me her findings.

Good news is I don't have any ulcer or any suspicious-looking growth.

What I have is hiatal hernia and my GERD was confirmed. I also have some red patches along the walls of my stomach which are actually minor wounds.

I was given Nexium and Ganaton. I need to see the doctor after 2 weeks, just in time for the release of the H.Pylori test results.

For the meantime, I should avoid taking fatty and spicy foods (i ate bread with butter this morning and my stomach reacted again. i then remembered butter is fatty. damn..); chocolates (aside from the fleeting chocolates cravings, im not much of a sweet tooth so this i can resist); softdrinks (i have my softdrinks-addiction days but i can actually tolerate being softdrink-free); coffee (this i resort to if I slept late the previous night and can't concentrate at work due to sleepiness); nuts (goodbye nagaraya original flavor); alcohol (no problem with this) and citrus juices (water is the best choice).

So there goes my endoscopy experience. Good thing I expected the worst because what actually transpired was a lot tolerable. My thyroid biopsy was way, way above the "worseness" category compared with my endoscopy.

Thanks to bestfriend M for accompanying me to the Megaclinic =). Your presence is appreciated.

Remembering 9/11

2008-09-11T08:00:00.002+08:00

I want to share this with you to commemorate the 7th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy.

'MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL'

You say you will never forget where you were when
you heard the news On September 11, 2001.
Neither will I.

I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room
with a man who called his wife to say 'Good-Bye.' I
held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the
peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it
is OK..I am ready to go.'

I was with his wife when he called as she fed
breakfast to their children. I held her up as she
tried to understand his words and as she realized
he wasn't coming home that night.

I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a
woman cried out to Me for help. 'I have been
knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said.
'Of course I will show you the way home - only
believe in Me now.'

I was at the base of the building with the Priest
ministering to the injured and devastated souls.
I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He
heard my voice and answered.

I was on all four of those planes, in every seat,
with every prayer. I was with the crew as they
were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the
believers there, comforting and assuring them that their
faith has saved them.

I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan , Afghanistan .
I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news.
Did you sense Me?

I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew
every name - though not all know Me. Some met Me
for the first time on the 86th floor.

Some sought Me with their last breath.
Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the
smoke and flames; 'Come to Me.. this way... take
my hand.' Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me.
But, I was there.

I did not place you in the Tower that day. You
may not know why, but I do. However, if you were
there in that explosive moment in time, would you have
reached for Me?

Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey
for you. But someday your journey will end. And I
will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may
be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are
'ready to go.'

I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.

God

Endoscopy

2008-09-10T08:07:00.001+08:00

This afternoon, I am scheduled to have an upper endoscopy or gastroscopy. This procedure was requested by my doctor after having some severe stomachache bouts in the past weeks. They usually start late in the afternoon and will continue for 3 to 5 hours. Sometimes the pain comes at night and is so severe it will wake me up from deep sleep.

According to wikipedia, Endoscopy is a minimally invasive diagnostic medical procedure that is used to assess the interior surfaces of an organ by inserting a tube into the body. The instrument may have a rigid or flexible tube and not only provide an image for visual inspection and photography, but also enable taking biopsies and retrieval of foreign objects.

The instrument will check my 1)small intestine 2-4)lower esophagus 5)mid esophagus and 6) stomach.

I chose not to be sedated because I want to avoid the drugged feeling afterwards and I also want to attend our prayer meeting from which I have already been absent for quite some time now. I also want to save the additional P3,000 being charged for the sedation =). Anyway the doctor said as long as I won't have any gagging problem, everything will be alright.

I am starting to get nervous because after reading people's experiences of their endoscopy procedure, some said it was the worst medical procedure done to them. They heavily advise to seek for sedation. Now Im starting to think if i made a right decision to go sedation-free.

I will have my last meal at 11:00am and go foodless and waterless from then on until 5:30.

Tomorrow I will share how it went.

By the way, here is the instrument that will be used on me later. Goodluck arlene!

upper gastrointestinal photo courtesy of steve

endoscopy photo courtesy of wikipedia

Binondo Shots: the rest

2008-09-09T08:43:00.004+08:00

And here are some of my other Binondo shots:

Interior of the Binondo Church

Locked!

Lowdrant(?)

Sto. Cristo de Longos

Smile!

Lemons and tomatoes

Life is hard. But just smile!