The Other Side Of Me

Eyjafjallajokul: How Would You Say It?

2010-04-18T00:44:00.000+08:00

It has been a while since I last updated my blog. I have been busy folks. I got tied up at work and in dealing with my personal affairs. But I am still trying my best to keep my words of updating this blog regularly. It is just sometimes when I hit the bottom, I tend to forget the world and focus on my problems instead of reaching out. I tend to retreat and be alone instead of going out of my shell. I am past my troubles now. I know there is still more to come.

On the lighter side, the word “Eyjafjallajokul” is so far the hardest word I encountered. It is actually an Icelandic volcano. AP supplied this pronunciation “ay-yah-fyah'-plah-yer-kuh-duhl”. Well, I don’t care how it should be pronounced, for me it is just a plain Icelandic volcano that erupted recently. I am not sure if I can spell it right; what I am sure of is that Eyjafjallajokul spells problem.

Man Can Live on Cash Alone

2010-04-05T23:14:00.000+08:00

Can you imagine yourself without a credit card? Credit card is as indispensable as food in our daily living. Almost all people are using credit cards. Even my sister got one and she is convincing me to have one too. I do not think it is necessary as I can still live with my present cash. Bank of America has provided the following tips to prove that man can live without having to use a credit card. I hope it would help you in any way.

1. Use a debit card. Debit cards offer many of the conveniences of credit cards. They make purchases easy and help you avoid the risk of carrying around a lot of cash. Debit cards don't offer you a line of credit. Instead, your purchases are deducted directly from your checking account, so you don't have to worry about interest charges.

2. Save for a goal and pay in full. When you live on cash only, you have to save first for each purchase, rather than fund them with credit. Let's say you want to buy a TV. Save up for your goal, and then head into the store and hand over your debit card. The TV is yours, without credit card payments or interest fees.

3. Avoid overdraft fees. If you've signed up for overdraft protection, keep track of how much money you have in your checking account, because if you overspend you will be charged overdraft fees. However, if you don't sign up for overdraft protection, your debit card transactions may be rejected when your balance is running low. Consider opting for the best of both worlds: sign up for overdraft protection, and then keep a large enough balance in your checking account so you don't need to use it.

4. Sign up for online banking and online alerts. With online banking, you can pay bills, track balances and manage your account. And if you sign up for alerts¹, you can help avoid bank fees by asking to be notified when your account balance drops below a level you've specified or a check you've written has cleared your account.

5. Set up automatic payments. You can live on cash only without worrying about checks getting lost in the mail. Ensure you pay bills on time by automating payments for things like utilities and student loan payments.

6. Protect yourself. Find out how your debit card protects you from fraud. At Bank of America, you can have your photo printed on your debit card to help prevent it from being used if stolen. Also, your purchases are monitored for unusual activity, and you have no liability for fraudulent transactions if you report them within 60 days.

Living on cash only isn't always easy - or the right choice. Some vendors only accept credit cards. Also, using a debit card won't contribute to building your credit score, which affects how much interest you'll pay on loans to purchase a car or a house. So go ahead and live "cash only", but don't ditch your credit cards completely.

(From Bank of America Primer)

It is true; people can live without a credit card. I for one am already an example. I try to be much disciplined when it comes to my expenses. It all boils down on how good you can manage the money you have on your hands. I do not believe in spending the money that I have yet to earn. By living with the principle of living below your means, you will never be having problems with piling up of debts and paying for interest fees. I know I made the right decision for not having a credit card. Living a simple lifestyle is the key.

Heart Disease and Chocolates

2010-04-04T23:42:00.000+08:00

Good news to all chocolates addicts like me out there. A new study in London proved that chocolates can lower the possibility of developing a heart problem. According to the said research, if taken in moderation, it can practically reduce the risk of having a stroke by 40 percent.

The study was conducted by German researchers with 20,000 respondents. They gathered their data by asking them about their diet and exercise habits. They think that flavonols that chocolate contains is the main culprit in this new development. Flavonols are antioxidants that can be found in some vegetables and fruits like kale, onion, broccoli, lettuce, apple, tomato, berries and grapes. It can also be found in tea and red wine. This antioxidant is helping the muscle to widen the blood vessels thus making the blood pressure go down.

However they are not recommending that for people to avoid heart problems they should eat more chocolates. As we all know that too much consumption of chocolates can lead to weight gain which is one major factor of developing heart problems.

Chocolate has its good side and bad side as well. It may not be the precise element of prevention although it can help a lot. this is where the principle of moderation applies. We must always bear in mind that anything that is taken is excess is bad. In everything we should do it with moderation.

(Source : Yahoo! News)

A Time to Reflect

2010-04-02T00:11:00.000+08:00

We are on a Holy Week, a very important time in the lives of Roman Catholics not only in the Philippines but around the world. Since it is a week long holiday for a lot of people, we took advantage of it to take a vacation. However, it is not only a week to relax and enjoy but let us also reflect on the significance of this event in our life. This is one way of commemorating the sufferings of our Savior just to save us from our sins. He gave His life to us so we can have an eternal life with Him in heaven. What did we do to return His kindness towards us?

Maybe tomorrow, we can do a little sacrifice for His sake. How about a selfless act of kindness towards our fellowmen, or a charity perhaps? Most of the time we spent with ourselves, thinking about our own welfare, can we at least think of our unfortunate brothers or sisters even just for a day? That is not too much to ask.

Instead of heading to the beach, can we try to participate in the Station of the Cross first? This maybe difficult to do but it is nothing compared to what He had done to us. We only give a portion of our time for Him but He gave His life to us.

May we could incorporate the true meaning of this occasion in our daily life.

Worthwhile Weekend

2010-03-27T16:48:00.000+08:00

I woke up late since it is weekend. I skipped breakfast and had late lunch. I feel the urge to do all my laundry as they are starting to pile up. I washed my bed sheets, pillow cases, my blanket and towels. I also cleaned my room and organize my clutter and disposed stuffs that are no longer necessary. I took advantage of my mood as this rarely happens to me. It only occurs once or twice a month at most hehehe. I was tired to the bones but very much satisfied.

I lay for only five minutes then I see my bookshelves disorganized. I stand up and arrange my books. I separate the ones that I already finished reading. When I was done, I discovered that there are still five books remaining that lay there and I never get to open since the day I purchased them. I guess I have to set aside an hour a day for my books. I am so enamored with internet that I forgot about them already. Hmmm for a little change this time.

I am glad that I was able to de-clutter. At least my room now looks in order and not like a battle field like it used to look before. Time for a refreshing bath came next. And now, I guess it is time for sassy girl to have her forty winks. See you again guys.

Fight Stress While Eating

2010-03-24T22:08:00.002+08:00

Busy at work. Too many tasks but it seems our time is not enough to finish the job on time. Most often than not, we never know about it but we are already in stress everyday in our life. Or sometimes we are well aware about it but we just try to ignore it. Sometimes we are too tired or preoccupied to even think how to battle it. Stress is one of the common problem that most of us are experiencing anywhere around the globe. I have read a lot of articles about it. Stress can lower your productivity level. If you won't address it as soon as possible, you might be endangering your health by developing heart problems. However, I have read an article in Yahoo that I find very interesting. Battling stress can be done in a yummy way. It highlighted the eight foods that can help fight stress. I find it as good news as most of the food mentioned are my favorite. :) On the top of the list is.....

Dark Chocolate. Wow! Definitely my favorite. I am a self-confessed chocolate addict.
Skim Milk. I love this too. I make it a point to have a glass or two of milk everyday.
Oatmeal. Occassionally, I make it as my breakfast when I don't feel like eating cereals.
Salmon. Not really my choice of fish. I prefer tuna but it's ok though.
Walnuts. Whoa! I am nuts with nut. Can I include almonds too?
Sunflower Seeds. Yay! I love sitting in a corner eating this yummy seeds since childhood and up to now.
Spinach. I wish I am like Popeye. I am not really a spinach person. :(
Blueberries. Yum yum...

See? Eat the above-mentioned food to beat stress. It is just that easy. Find out more about the subject by clicking here. I also found this article about stress which you may find informative too.

Be Healthy!

A Treat for Twilight Fans

2010-03-22T22:47:00.001+08:00

Can’t get enough of the Bella and Edward? Here comes another treat for all the fans of Twilight and New Moon. If you are still going gaga over the Twilight cuties and all those collectibles you have on your shelves, here’s another sweet treat you will surely enjoy. Introducing a free downloadable book called Twilight Cupcake Book for all you Twilight fans out there. Be prepared for a lot of blood spilling! Not really, it is not something icky rather; it is something you would enjoy for all its sweetness. Got no idea what I am talking about? Why not click here?

I have my copy already. Don’t be the last person to know about it, grab your copy now. And share it with your friends. This is something all us fans will enjoy.

And oh, I forgot to tell you that I am also a fan of Bella and Edward and their cheesy lines lol! I never missed the two movies. Being a fan and missing the movie of my favorite celebrities is like committing a grave sin. I never wasted my time. I queued at the cinema no matter how crowded it is just to watch Twilight and New Moon. Despite all the hardships I have been through just so I could watch these movies still I can say that the movies were worth it! I am hoping for another sequel. I hope the producers will make another one.

So long my friends. Happy downloading!

I am Having an Insomnia Again

2010-03-21T00:40:00.000+08:00

In as much as I want to sleep, I cannot close my eyes. I have done watching 3 movies and yet, I am still fully awake as if it is the middle of the morning where in fact it is already midnight, whew! I have not sleep since this morning and yet I am still full of energy and very much awake. Does the iced tea got to do with it? Oh no, I already know why, it was really the iced tea. It has more caffeine than coffee; now I know why I am active like this. I am like a bat having a nocturnal life. The only difference is that it is as it can sleep during the day while I cannot. Poor me, I have to wait when my eyes will start to feel sleepy. For now, I will have to surf the net to kill time.

How will the mechanic complete another cunning battery?

2010-03-20T23:42:00.001+08:00

Does anyone knows the answer to this question? Well, I do not have any idea at all. I am not a mechanic. How about you? I have tried to google it but I cannot seem to find the answer I wanted. Instead of being enlightened, I was rather confused. All I see were blank posts. I cannot afford to make my posts blank so that is the reason you are reading this. In my quest to find the right answer, oppssss....I think this is a puzzle in question form.

No matter how I tried to think of the solution, I cannot really find one. Well anyway, it is not compulsory to answer this question. If you have an idea, just drop your comment below.

Disclosure Policy

2010-03-20T00:06:00.001+08:00

This is a personal blog written and edited solely by the author herself. This blog aims to share the author’s ideas, experiences and anything she wants to say. All ideas you found in this blog derived from the author’s own experiences and all sort of things that she had read about. If you have questions regarding this blog, feel free to send an e-mail to tidbitsofwisdom@gmail.com.

This blog accepts all kinds of advertising and abides by the word of mouth marketing standards.

The author of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and other various topics. Eventhough the author receives compensation for some of her posts or advertisements; she always gives her honest opinions, findings, beliefs or experiences on those topics or products and services. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the author’s own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

Old Habits Never Die

2010-03-17T20:41:00.002+08:00

Sorry folks, been busy lately. In as much as I want to keep this blog active, sometimes I cannot avoid to neglect it for a while as I got caught up with so many tasks that I had no choice but to do them before I get myself kicked out. I cannot imagine myself jobless. It would kill me. I never dreamed of living in the streets begging for foods from other people and be dependent to people’s charity. I know this is some kind of crazy thinking but I would rather think about it as it is unlikely to happen at all. Things happen when you least expect it. I believe in this kind of thinking.

I got a little frustrated with myself too. I was not able to do my New Year’s resolution of living a healthy lifestyle. Lately, I have been eating a lot of fatty foods like chicharon and longganisa. My consumption of sweets is increasing as everyday I am craving for ice cream and chocolates. OMG! I do not know how to curb my cravings. Again, I am back to my poor eating habits and I don’t like it. Truly, old habits are hard to kill no matter how hard I am trying. I am glad though that I still continue with my regular exercise. It helps me a lot to shed my unwanted fats and weight. I never dreamed of becoming very big and people would tease me that I look like a whale. I have discipline with my exercise, why can’t I apply the same discipline to my food consumption? Never mind, I am too tired to still be thinking about it for now.

Arnel Pineda will sing on Pacquiao vs. Clottey Fight

2010-03-09T22:32:00.000+08:00

I cannot wait for the March 14, 2010 to arrive. I am very excited. I want to drag the clock for this day to come. It may be an ordinary day for a lot of people. But for the millions of Filipinos, this is one special day as Manny Pacquiao will defend his title against challenger Joshua Clottey. During his interviews, Pacquiao is very in shape and is ready to face the opponent. This is going to be one hell of a fight.

Aside from that, there is one thing I am very much interested about. It is to find out who will be the person who will sing the Lupang Hinirang, the Philippine National Anthem. And yes, it is final; Arnel Pineda who is the vocalist of the band Journey was selected to do the honor. He is an excellent singer. I just hope he will sing our song the way it should be sang note for note. No alterations like other singers in the past used do.

If only I could make the clock move faster, I would have done it already. I wish it is already March 14 as I am anticipating this big event for months and now it is only a few days away.

Good morning sunshine!

2010-03-03T06:22:00.002+08:00

Morning everyone, I hope you are having a wonderful morning.

I woke up early as I cannot sleep comfortably anymore. The heat brought by summer is killing me. Last night, I went to sleep very comfortably after a refreshing shower but this morning, I woke up sweating. I do not know when it will end. March has just begun. Summer time has officially arrived. With nothing else to do, I proceeded to check my e-mails and updated my blog. I am still very sleepy but I cannot go back to sleep in this condition. I am just hoping that I am going to have a wonderful time for the rest of the day even in the middle of the summer heat. I might as well enjoy it than be depressed like the rest. Do you know what I have in mind? Well, like most Filipinos do on summer, I would stop by at Chowking this afternoon to refresh myself by eating the all-time Filipino favorite halo-halo; the official and the most popular refreshment of summer. At least I have something wonderful to expect that would happen to my day.

As I have read once that the difference between good and bad mood is our attitude. I would rather side with the good. Today, I would smile and endure the heat; for this too like the difficulties we are experiencing and enduring everyday, shall pass. This is a good thought to ponder in order not to put ourselves on the brink of stress just because of our situation.

It is the End of the World?

2010-02-28T06:45:00.001+08:00

Earthquake in Haiti now another earthquake in Chile, are we facing the demise of our civilization? Are these incidents a manifestation of the near end? Mayan calendar ends on December 21, 2012 is it true with the rest of us? Sometimes, I am inclined to believe it. It is scary to think if disaster would strike us the way it does in the movie 2012. I doubt if anybody would survive it. How prepared are we if it really happens?

Does it ever occur to you that it is God’s reminder for us to mend our ways? I am not being religious but it is not bad to listen to what our inner self is saying to us. Well, whatever it is let us be ready and brace ourselves for more disasters to come. I am not saying that there are still looming disasters ahead but it is better to be prepared than be caught in surprise like what happened in 2005 when the tsunami struck the unsuspecting countries. Warnings have been sent but it was not really taken seriously so what do you expect but an immense damage and waste of lives brought about by the tragedy. I cannot forget that disaster as I was watching it on the news when it struck numerous countries.

Let us just pray for our safety. Do not underestimate the power of prayer. It is one of the most taken for granted aspect of our lives. Maybe it is high time for us to focus on our spirituality because there is nobody that could help us in the midst of disaster but our faith in God. Have you said your prayers today?

Making Money At Home

2010-02-25T05:08:00.000+08:00

I have a friend who stayed at home when she got married. Although it was not of part her plan but she was she got no choice. When she had her first child, she was forced to become a stay at home mother and wife. Since there is nobody whom she can trust, she became hands on in taking care of her baby as her husband has to work for a living and support their family. It was fine with her at first, but when boredom started to creep in, she started find something to do that would make her everyday stay at home a fruitful one.

Like most people who cannot live without their laptop, she applied for an internet connection to battle boredom brought about by the usual activity at home. According to her, she has two purposes for this. First is that, she cannot let go of her madness over Facebook. As of the moment, she is maintaining five accounts just for the sake of playing Mafia Wars. Second is that she wanted to make money at home. This is true. Just by using the internet, she could earn money without leaving the comfort of her home and she can still look after her baby. Like me, she also started blogging to have a sideline for her extra income. Apart from that, she applied for online jobs that only need an internet connection and a phone. Right now, she has two jobs online and happily told me that she is earning quite well from there.

Of Love and Stupidity

2010-02-22T21:13:00.000+08:00

I do not know why sometimes one tends to fall in love with the wrong person. I have a friend who has this unfortunate luck. Everytime she falls in love, it is always with the wrong person. Life is always playing a game on her. I know a lot of people share her fate and I am not an exemption I am just lucky that mine is not as worse as hers.

She’s an intelligent woman but when it comes to her emotions, she is powerless to control it. I have been a witness to all her anguish and pain. If I go back and think about it, I could say that she is a stupid jerk. How can you love a person who treats you like a piece of trash? I have been through that road before and I decided not to let it happen again. I don’t know about my friend why she keeps on committing the same mistake. They would break up and only after a short time I would discover that they are back in each other’s arms again. After all the pains both physically and emotionally inflicted upon her by the same person for countless of times and still I would find her to be with the same demon of a man. Maybe she is just a masochist; if I am in her shoes I would not tolerate such atrocity towards my person. She is a classic example of a person in a love hate relationship.

I know this thing is happening to some of us. A lot of people think it is normal; however I don’t believe so. It is a clear act of degrading a person. This kind of relationship is sick and destroying her self-esteem. I have told my friend about it a lot of times but she won’t listen. So I stopped advising her already. It’s her life and she can do anything about it as she wishes. I am only hoping that someday she would wake up and realize how she is wasting her life on such a useless relationship considering that her partner was a married man. Someday when she opens her eyes, I hope it is not yet too late.

Rain, Rain Come Again

2010-02-17T21:34:00.002+08:00

After almost two months of waiting the rain has finally come. For the past months we only have nothing here but hot and sunny weather conditions. I am thirsty all the time that I always carry with me a bottle of water. I can’t stand the heat. I always have difficulty in sleeping at night because it is so hot. If some people complain about the blizzard they are experiencing, we here in the Philippines are carping about the heat. The drought is now happening in some parts of Luzon. Cloud seeding did only a little help but never alleviate the worse condition. A vast tract of agricultural lands have dried up and is useless for planting rice. A few months from now and we will be feeling again the increase of prices of the prime commodities especially the rice, the one we consider as staple food of the Filipinos.

I have been longing for the rain to come; so when I hear the sound of heavy downpour on our roof, I wasted no time to go outside and feel the big droplets as it touched my face. I indulge myself with the wonderful feeling as the raindrops touch my face. It lasted for an hour. I thanked God that tonight I could sleep serenely as the weather is no longer hot. I would take advantage of it for tomorrow I will never know if it’s going to be like this again. I hope so.

All about Love

2010-02-14T22:54:00.000+08:00

Since the whole world is celebrating Valentine’s Day on this day, I think it is just right for me to discuss something about love particularly the romantic kind. Love they said is a very complicated word. A lot of writer, poets and even ordinary persons tried to define it. They come up with lots of meanings and opinions about this controversial subject as what the other experienced is different from the others. In the course of history, even the literature, they were full of love and betrayal. Some would kill for love and others want to die for love. I do not know what power love has over these people. Some would abandon everything for love. Some would fight for it while others give way. I do not really understand it no matter how hard I tried to find its real meaning.

One author tried to explain love in a very artistic poem. I want to share it here. My apologies to the author as I was not able to get his/her name. If somebody might chance to read this knows the author, please let me know so I could give him or her proper credits.

GLIMPSE OF LOVE

What thing is Love? For sure love is a thing.

It is a prick, it is a sting.

It is a pretty, pretty thing;

It is a fire, it is a coal,

Whose flame creeps in at every hole;

And as my with doth best devise,

Love’s dwelling is in ladies’ eyes,

From whence do glance loves piercing darts

That makes such holes into our hearts.

As for my part, I have been to relationships that all ended in tears and disappointments. I know it already belonged to the past but I will just talk about if for the sake of discussion. I had three past relationships. The first two was out of curiosity and the last one I had was what I considered that I really loved a person for who he is and that I was thinking we would end up being married. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. My world crumbled when I realized that we were going separate ways. He was the person that I thought I am going to spend the rest of my life, but it did not happen. I don’t know what happened. As far as I can recall, we were in love with each other and then one day, he became cold and deliberately made me feel that he wanted out of the relationship. I was devastated when he told me there was another woman. With nothing else to do about it, I let go of everything and all the memories we have shared and then go on with my life. After all the chaos had subsided, we talked the way matured persons should do. Only at that time did I learn what had gone wrong. He cannot accept the fact that I am earning higher than him. It was his ego that separated us. What a shallow reason to break the long years of relationship for such a petty matter. Well anyway, past is past so there is no need for us to blame each other. I just wished him happiness for all his endeavors.

Two years had passed and here I am now, completely healed of all the wounds that I endured. So glad to have successfully forgot about the past. I am leading a new life and I do not know if I wanted to love another person again. I tried once but to no avail. That person sucks. For now, I am contented with the kind of life I am having.

TGIF Thoughts

2010-02-12T21:48:00.002+08:00

Thanks God, it’s Friday again folks!

So, what do you have in mind? Go out and have a night life? Good for you. Unfortunately, I did not have that one. But I am fine; I just don’t feel like going out tonight. I only love to lie on bed and listen to soothing music and relax. This is my way of de-stressing. The weekdays were quite busy, so this is high time to have a break from a stressful life and retreat to my private escape. I am just letting my thoughts drift away onto almost anything that comes to mind, nothing really serious though.

I love closing my eyes and imagine I am in the middle of a vast green field with lots of growing lavender which scent fills my nostrils and fluttering yellow butterflies. Sometimes my favorite scene is in a bank of a river or creek with crystal clear water and I am dipping my feet in it. This scene always happens when I was a little girl. When I am alone, I would go to the creek and would just sit there for hours while my feet are in the water. Sometimes, I would go crazy chasing those small fishes without success. I never really had a close friend when I was kid. I used to spend my time alone. I rarely play with children. Maybe that is the reason that I feel inferior; that even up to now, I would still feel sometimes but I am just trying to suppress.

I feel sleepy now, so I think I would head to slumber now. I am excited as tomorrow I would wake up anytime I want to. It is Saturday, it’s a weekend folks.

It’s me your sassy girl signing off. Nightie night.

Behaving Like Educated Individual

2010-02-10T21:57:00.001+08:00

I was dismayed when two of my officemates had an argument earlier today. Their argument reached the level that they acted in a way unbecoming of a professional. They call each other bad names. I cringed as I listened to them. I do not know if they were aware that they look like stupids.

I am not taking sides though but I guess I know who is at fault. It started when one called the other brainless. That is not a good thing to say to a person in front of people as we all know that it could humiliate that person. As professionals, we should behave like an educated man does. We should be civilized in dealing with people no matter what is their status in life. If we don’t want what the other person is doing, we should talk in a good way and should avoid humiliating the person. We should talk to them in private instead.

We can deal with people in a diplomatic way. It is our attitude towards people that can make or break us. If we do not have anything nice to say, we should better keep our mouth shut. When people approach us and tell us something, we should listen because we do not know anything. Those people are also entitled to be given a chance to speak their mind. If people criticize us whether it’s positive or negative criticism, we should listen and see ourselves in their eyes, we may not be aware of it but people who sees us knows something we do not know.

If we only learn how to deal with people, this world will not be as chaotic as today. All problems can be sort out by having talks instead of shouting invectives towards each other. I wish would have this in mind so they won’t behave like kids from kindergarten again.

My Dearly Loved Mother

2010-02-08T21:55:00.002+08:00

Hello everyone, I was not able to update my blog lately as I got busy with my job and preparing for my mom’s impending vacation to Manila to visit my sister who is expecting to give birth on March. I am excited as I am going to have a new niece. Yes it’s a girl. I hope the baby will be alright and healthy. Up to now, we are still looking for a perfect name for her.

I was not able to visit my parents last weekend. I am very happy as my mom made the initiative to visit me and my siblings. I am lucky to have a loving mother. Although we are all grown-ups, she still see to it that she is always there for us when we need her. When we are at home, she is still treating us like kids. She cooks for us. According to her, she misses the time when we were kids where she was attending to our needs all the time. Though we are all out of the nest now, she still considers all of us as her babies. She misses the noisy kids she used to have at home. She was even the one dressing me from birth until I turned 12 years old. She was the one fixing all our hair; because as kids, I and my sisters used to have very long hair. When one of my sisters got married, she cried because for her she is still that eight year old girl that is always asking her to pack her bags everytime she is going somewhere.

Everytime I am sick, I always want her to be around because I feel better when I see her. I don’t know, even at my age now, I am still longing for my mom’s love and care. Her touch is already enough to comfort me. Of the creatures that God made, it is the mother who is the splendid of all because she can dry a child’s tears, heals a scraped knee and helps mend a child’s broken heart. There are a lot of things a mother can do. And all those things I consider as miracles.

Pride and Prejudice

2010-02-05T22:55:00.000+08:00

I thought my day would go smoothly today but I was mistaken. I was busy doing my work. I did not notice that a commotion has ensued between two of my officemates; only later did I learn that the one I perceived was a minor discussion turned out to be a major misunderstanding when I heard their raised voices. The other one was just asking some questions to clarify the task that was assigned to her but the other party did not understood and he got angry instead. I do not like to hear people yelling at each other. I felt so uncomfortable that I wanted to cry. It was as if I am a party to the turmoil too although I was only a mere spectator to the incident. I did not say anything. Another colleague said that it is typical thing that happened here. I would get used to it later. I feigned to be busy with my work. But from the corner of my eye I was watching everything that’s happening. The other observer tried to pacify the angry one but he would not listen that made the one who pacified them furious and he said words that I know marred the feeling of the other but it is the truth. He was so close-minded. He won’t listen to suggestions or accept comments. If one would say something, he would accuse him of questioning his authority. What kind of a leader is that?

Although we are experienced with our work, there are times that we also stumble. After all we are all humans and capable of making mistakes. It is one of the characteristics that make us very human in every sense. This kind of people is proud and so full of themselves. They only think of themselves as right and other people’s opinions are wrong. We should realize that it is not all the time that we are right. We should listen to others too as they have some ideas that we do not know. If only we keep our mind open and be understanding, working with other people would be harmonious.

How a Stupid Game Change my Outlook in Life

2010-02-04T21:36:00.002+08:00

I know a lot of you are familiar with the computer game called Zuma. I used to call it the game of stupids; a game that serves to kill time. You may wonder why I call it as such. It is because you play the game and doing the same thing all over again and again. There is nothing you will learn from it. I would rather play hang-a-roo, text twist, book worm, boogle or scrabble than waste my time with a game that does not teach anything at all. Out of curiosity, I gave it a try. At first I find it boring and not challenging at all but then I still continue and give the game a chance. As my level went up a notch higher, I feel the urge to discover what will be the end of this game. What is the prize that awaits me? It became my motivation to go on with the game. And then as the level went up, the difficulty also increases. I got stuck at level 8 for a month but I did not admit defeat. I persist on playing until surprisingly, I was able to reached level 9. It was a sweet success after waiting for a month. As of the moment, I am struggling to reach level 10 but again I get stuck with level 9. I guess I have to wait for another month to survive this level.

As I sit now, I contemplate on what I learn from the game if any. Maybe not another word for my warehouse of vocabulary but it does teach me another thing. It is the persistence to struggle in order to achieve whatever our goals in life. Like the challenges in every level of the game, our lives do have the same challenges that get difficult as the level goes up. Like in the game, it does not matter how many times we have experience the “game over” phase; what matters most the courage to start a new game again.

Pinoy Big Brother

2010-02-03T22:12:00.000+08:00

It is not my usual thing to watch Pinoy Big Brother but as the show is approaching its end, I am intrigued to watch it. When this Double Up Edition started, I did not like it. With some of the girls acting like bitches, I felt like I am going to shoot them the moment they get evicted of Big Brother house. Lol My colleagues like the brewing love team of Jason and Melissa. I do not know if it is really true. To me, it looks like scripted. It is just like paving the way to an upcoming movie that would star both of them. I do not know that is just my opinion. I like Melissa’s character. I think she is the biggest contender for the Big Winner and would eventually become the next Pokwang when she goes out of the house. She has those funny lines that I enjoyed the way I enjoy Pokwang ‘s funny antics.

On February 13, 2010, the winner will be revealed at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. For sure I will be watching it on tv. I just want to know if my hunch is right that Melissa would bring home the bacon. I wish so. I am being biased her. She is from General Santos City and a Mindanaoan like me. So I am hoping she can make it to the top. She has an advantage now. She already locked in her position for the Big Four, so there is a big chance for her to emerge as the winner. Go Melissa go!

Blog Things: Are you Beer or Wine?

2010-02-02T19:07:00.001+08:00

You Are Beer

You are very relaxed and casual. You're happy to have a drink with friends, and you're not too picky about what that drink is.
You are definitely not a snob, and it drives you crazy when people get too fancy about what ever you're drinking.

You drink to let loose and have fun. You are the furthest thing in the world from uptight.
If someone hands you a drink, you'll drink it. You'll toast often and to anything!

Are You Beer or Wine?

Blogthings: Take a Quiz. Annoy Your Friends.

I like beer. I drink a can or two to relax. But my favorite is the Cali Shandy, it is a non-alcoholic drink.

Just Another Day in my Life

2010-02-01T18:26:00.000+08:00

I just came home from work. I am glad that I got home safe and sound. There are no untoward incidents that happened today. My day at work just went by smoothly. I am a little tired so I had a few cans of my favorite Cali Shandy while relaxing to refresh myself; I tried going back to what happened to my whole day. I woke up very sleepy today as I always do every weekday. That is why I always wanted everyday to be weekend.

As I open my room, I realized that I was still alone; my roommates had not arrived yet. So the whole room is all mine to do anything I wanted. After an hour of relaxing, I do a little exercise and then I sit myself and started writing this ignoring the hunger that I started to feel. I think I have to go now and grab my small dinner then finish the book that I am reading.

Till next time my dear friends…….

Misguided Generation

2010-01-31T22:09:00.001+08:00

We cannot deny the fact that the younger generation of today is becoming irresponsible. I am not speaking about them in general, but most of them are. These spawns of irresponsibility rooted from the parents who rear them in a wrong way. Way back in the days of the older generations, their parents are always there to guide them. There are no TVs, PSPs, internet and all forms of recreation to replace their presence. Families still value the practice of doing things together; be it eating together or praying together. But nowadays it is being taken for granted. With the advancing of technology, the morality is hitting its low point. And the church says the same thing.

Respect for the old ones was no longer being given much importance. When I was a young girl, I can never talk back to the elders but now, kids are so free to say what they want even if it is already beyond the borders of respect. They do not care at all. This bunch of selfish creatures is busy hitting the keyboard of computers than spending time with their old folks. We cannot blame them but rather the ones who bring them to this world.

I have known a person whose parents belong to the affluent of the society. With so much money they can afford to send her and her siblings to any school of their choice. She can have everything she wants; but she was not happy amidst all the luxury. Her parents are not always around for her. Without her parents’ guidance she was drawn to peers who greatly influenced her life. What became of her? Not a good thing to say. She became a mother at the age of fifteen and it does not end there. She ended up in a rehabilitation center.

Of Youth and Sexual Awareness

2010-01-28T23:18:00.003+08:00

The Department of Health is alarmed with the steady rise in the cases of sexually transmitted infection among urban yuppies here in the Philippines. Actually, it is in tonight’s news. According to the authorities, technology is one of the contributing factor most especially with the easy access of the youth on the internet. Without the supervision of parents, children can access inappropriate sites and get information that is not suited for their age. The church on the other hand is blaming the deterioration of morality among Filipinos. They become more and more liberated as their views change with the years especially in the matter concerning sex. The youth of today is very different from the past. The past regard sex as something very sacred that it is only supposed to be shared by married couple. However at the present, even an eleven year old is very much aware about this thing and doing it already, hence the high number of cases of teen-age pregnancy with the growing popularity of pre-marital sex. I don’t condemn people who are doing this. I am not a conservative thinker. For me it is alright if you are responsible enough and know the consequences of your actions. If you have a stable job and can support your child, why not? But for God’s sake, how do you expect a 14 year old girl to take care of her child or a 12 year old boy to support his kid? The mere thought makes me shudder. They are not aware of the responsibilities that come with it. Maybe they think sex would just end the moment they orgasmed. The common Filipino stand about it is still very conservative. The church maintains the same stand.

If only parents would just guide their children, there would be no child who would go astray. How about the educational system? Is it also deteriorating? Education is also a crucial part in the formation of one’s character. It can influence the way one think. And as for this cases of sexually transmitted diseases among the urban yuppies, come on be responsible enough. Practice safe sex. You are old enough to be told

A Little Change

2010-01-28T12:31:00.002+08:00

Hello everyone, I am having a busy Thursday but as I have promised, I am keeping my word to make this blog active again. That is part of my new year’s resolution. I am happy that I do not have pending work already. But tomorrow would be a busy day again. I am really sure of that. Well anyway, c’ est la vie. I have to make my work done before the sun sets as I do not want to have back logs. I want to develop a system to make my work a little easier. I have to compensate the salary that the tax payers are giving me. I owe a lot from them so it is but natural to give them the best service that they deserve.

And oh, time for filing SAL (Statement of Assets and Liabilities) again. It is mandatory to avoid being penalized by the government. Only a few things have been added to my assets; so it is easy to do it as I have written everything I acquire this year. Thankfully, I never had big liabilities last year. I was able to manage it to be just in a tolerable level. As what I always advocate, when it comes to your finances, just live below your means. Live a simple lifestyle. This is the secret of people who succeeded in managing their debts and assets.

You Suck!

2010-01-27T22:12:00.002+08:00

I am glad to be free from all the things that are bothering me for the past days particularly about this special person in my life. He is not my bf if that is what you are thinking. He is just an important person. I just can’t understand what he really feels towards me. So today, we have a heart to heart talk so I will know what is it that he really wants to happen. I don’t want to dwell in this guessing game. I want to know the real score. And guess what I found out. He said he loves me but he also loves another woman. When I asked him who the one he loves more, he said both. You know what, it raised my eyebrows. This could not be the person I want to be with. Hello? I told him to choose but he did not. In the end I was the one who quit. Although I did feel something more special than friendship for him but I do not like the idea of loving a person who loves another one. Ewwwwwww….that is not me. If I want a bf, I want him to be only mine. I would not share him with any bitch out there. I never dreamed of being in a sick relationship, never ever. Thanks God for not letting me make another mistake again. I don’t care about how special my feelings are for him. I want to be out of this situation as quickly as possible. I am not losing hope that one day,I would find the right person. For now, career is my top priority as my dream is just around the bend waiting for me to make it happen. As for him, I wish he would be happy with his life.

The Mask I Wear

2010-01-26T21:50:00.002+08:00

There were times when I smile but deep inside my heart, I want to cry. Sometimes, I want to scream but I have to laugh, I want to jump in excitement but I have to sit and be still, I want to hug a person yet I have to feign that I do not care at all.

It is during these moments that I am wearing my so-called mask of emotions. This is to hide whatever I feel inside and put on a facade that is appropriate for the situation I am in. I am always guilty of doing this for a countless occasions. I am sure I am not the only one doing this. It is not because I am afraid to show who I really am. Sometimes there were moments that call for this necessity. Argue with me if you want. I know you also wear your own mask.

On Being Single

2010-01-26T21:49:00.000+08:00

My aunt told me that one of my cousins is going to get married this December. As early as now, she asked me if I would go to Manila to attend the said wedding. I am not yet sure if I will go. Deep in my heart, I really want to; however, I am having apprehensions. I am only evading that very famous question that I always hear and hated very much, “Most of your cousins are already married, how about you, when are you going to get married?” I am sure that question would again pop up during the said occasion. I think I have to avoid them in order not to hurt their feelings with my sharp retorts. I think it is better for me to not attend.

Knowing our culture, if you are still single at thirty, that is already a hot item for them to speculate about a person’s life. I wish people would be so kind enough not to interfere with my personal life. I am having a career I cannot give up for now and this is my priority. Why can’t people understand that? I do not want anyone asking me about my life? I am leading my own life and I wish they would leave me alone and stop bothering me. Sometimes I could be rude when I get fed up of their incessant questions about my life. I never interfere with anyone’s affair so I hope I could get my own peace with my affairs too.

My friend said that I would just ignore these people and smile when asked about it again. As they do not have the right to tell me what to do and I do not have anything to explain to them. I want to follow his advice but sometimes I can’t really help myself from spitting inappropriate words. Despite my diligent efforts to control my tongue, it would still lash back and before I knew it I already said words I am not supposed to say.

If one of you is reading this, please stop and leave me in peace. This is my own choice and this is my life, okay? Please just stop.

Victoria’s Secret Revealed

2010-01-24T15:29:00.003+08:00

She is the woman I meet everyday on my way to work. She never fails to offer her sunny toothless smile. Even on days that I am not in the mood to smile, I cannot resist her infectious smile. I cannot help myself from smiling back. At first, I never gave her much thought and I would never return her smile. I am too busy to notice every people on my way to work. But she never stops to smile everytime we meet. That was when I started to smile back and eventually we develop this friendship that only the two of us understand. She seems like a carefree soul. This small woman is not infected by the problems of the world and complexities of life. Her name is Victoria. I learned about it because one day, I tried to strike a conversation with her. From our small conversation, I learned that her husband died in a tragic incident. He was shot at while working on their farm by unidentified men leaving him lifeless in the middle of the field. I asked about her children. She said she lost both her boys to war. She was left alone with no one to take care of her. It is such a tragic life to live. I can’t imagine if I am in her shoes; maybe I already get a gun and put a bullet in my head. I am wondering why in such state she still has the strength to smile and battle life’s hardship. She never gave in. She could even afford to smile to everybody she meet everyday while traversing the street where I live. It is a habit she does as long as I remember.

I regard it as somewhat peculiar. After all that she has been through she can still manage to have a sunny disposition in life. It is something I do not understand. So I ask her about it. Her answer was very simple. She believes that God is taking care of her family. What had happened to her in the past has a purpose. She might not know about it but it is God’s will according to her and one day she will understand everything in God’s appointed time. Such deep faith that woman has that she really earned my admiration. Just last week, she told me something. She said she would be leaving soon to be with her family. I was not able to digest everything she said. I was somewhat perplexed. I just shrugged it off only to learn that she already passed away early this morning. She had suffered from cancer for two years before she finally got her eternal peace. It is only now that I fully understand what she meant. It is sad to think that I can no longer see that smiling woman I used to meet on my way to work. Wherever she is right now, I know she is very happy as she is finally united with her loved ones.

Goodbye Victoria, until we meet again…..

Investing for the Future

2010-01-23T18:07:00.002+08:00

I am frustrated that my money is not earning enough interest from the bank. I thought of opening a time deposit account but the interest is minimal. I dropped the idea. For now, I am thinking of venturing into a new field. And I am talking about stock trading. I have a degree in commerce, but I forgot all about it already. I never got the chance to go into this field since I graduated. I was not able to use everything I learned from the academe. When you stepped in the real world, it is very much different from what was written in the books. I like the application rather than the theory. I find it a lot easier than solving those x’s and y’s which I hated very much.

My best friend said that stock trading is very much like gambling; you could win big or you could lose everything if you do not know what you are doing. It is important to know more about it before taking a big step towards it. If not, then it is like going to war unarmed. Nobody wants to do that; neither me. Now it is a challenge for me to learn about it again. I am glad to have a reliable best friend who always advises me and giving me his views on a lot of things. For now, I am going to check the site that he suggested.

Learning and Frustration

2010-01-23T16:44:00.001+08:00

I am a person who never wants to stop learning. I want to make my mind always busy. I always remember what my teacher in high school once said; an idle mind is the devil’s playground. There are a lot of things I want to learn about. I want to learn how to bake, sew, play the piano and a lot more. I envy my sisters who know how to use the sewing machine. It is really my dream to make my own quilt. I attempted to do it but when I accidentally sewed my finger, I gave up. Maybe sewing is not for me. Cross stitching also caught my fancy but my one of my sister is too busy to teach me. Why do they know a lot of craft, while the only thing I know about is holding a book, sit in a corner and read or sometimes solving puzzles. I cannot even sew my own pillow cases. I have to wait for my sister to do it for me. I know how to cook but only a little. I am not what you consider an expert in cooking. But at least, I can say that what I cook is surely edible.

I even tried to ride a motorcycle when I was seven. My father taught me but it was so long ago and I already forgot everything about it. I also want to learn how to hold and shot a gun. It is not because I want to kill people. I am a peace loving person. It is just for self-defense just in case I need it someday. There is nothing wrong with being prepared for anything. We do not know what is in store for the future.

My latest adventure is learning the French language. It was really a challenge. I bought a French dictionary for this purpose. I know a few words but too bad, I do not know how to construct sentences. My best friend cannot teach me for now as he is very busy with his studies. I am trying to familiarize two words a day. I am learning the words step by step. And that is where it ends as I do not know how to write it and construct sentences from those words I learned. I wish I was born French because I really love the language.

One Cold Friday Evening

2010-01-22T22:43:00.003+08:00

Thank God it’s Friday once again. I love Friday evenings; not because I can go out and have a night life but because I can stay awake as long as I want without worrying as I won’t have to go to the office tomorrow. I am having a cold evening. I stay in bed reading John Grisham’s The Broker. But I got tired so I face my laptop, visited some blogs and played a little game and now, blogging.

Earlier at the office, I didn’t feel like doing anything. I just wanted to sit in my place and scribble whatever would come to mind. My thoughts were going back home longing for a warm bed and my pillows to sleep on. I really love to sleep if the weather is like this. It looked like it would rain but it never did. We had a cloudy day and it made me lazy. I wish tomorrow will also be like this so I could sleep as long as I want. If only everyday is Friday, it would be fun for sure.

Sunny Morning

2010-01-21T08:31:00.000+08:00

I was running late for work this morning as I cannot make up my mind on what to wear for the day. We are still waiting for a new memo about our new set of uniform. Temporarily, we are donning civilian clothes. I don’t like it. I always want to wake up in the morning without worrying about what to wear for the day. It is one of those days that I hated. If only we have our uniforms now, I would just get up, shower, open the closet and voila, my uniform is already waiting for me to pick it up and put in on. I am the type of person who doesn’t want to think about clothes. I would only wear what would I see when I open the closet. But today, I don’t know why I am having a hard time in looking for what to wear. I am being weird this morning.

Finally, I was able to pick up the one that I like and off to work I go. The weather is good so I have the pleasure to walk from home to the office. I love the feel of the warm sun touching my skin as I walk. It is something I would not exchange for anything else. I feel so light and happy inside. I smiled at everyone I encountered along the way. They are all strangers but who cares? I only want to share my sunny mood.

Good morning sunshine!

So Glad to be Back

2010-01-20T22:51:00.000+08:00

I am so much elated to have my sanity back again. I am now seeing things in a new light. And I decided to make this blog active. Slowly my emotions are not that topsy turvy anymore. I am no longer that girl feverish with my over flowing emotions because of my little craziness over a man. I am glad to be back to the real world. A world that awaits me to function as a responsible individual I was born and taught to be. For now, my concentration is on my career and the horizon ahead that is full of hope. I am excited to wake up every morning to find out what the day has in store for me. Looking back, I laughed at myself. How could I be acting like a teen-ager at my age? Omg! But this is me and now, I am back as my real self. In short, I am no longer in love. :)

You are the Love of My Life

2009-11-19T20:01:00.000+08:00

You Are The Love Of My Life
I knew it right from the start
The moment I looked at you
You found a place in my heart

You Are The Love Of My Life
You give me reason to live
You taught me how to be strong
With you is where I belong

No one's ever touched me
Quite the way you touched me
People search a life time
To find what we have

You Are The Love Of My Life
One thing that's good in this life
I'll spend the rest of my days
Just loving you

You Are The Love Of My Life
The heart and sould of my life
Once I was lost and alone
With you at last I am home

You Are The Love Of My Life
You give me reason to live
You give me so much of you
And leave me room to be free

No one's ever touched me
Quite the way you touched me
People search a life time
To find what we have

You Are The Love Of My Life
One thing that's good in this life
And in a world full of change
One thing I'm sure of

You Are The Love Of My Life
The one thing that makes sense in this world
I'll spend the rest of my days
Just loving you...

You Are The Love Of My Life
And I thank GOD I'm alive
To spend my lifetime with you
You Are The Love Of My Life

This song conveys everything I feel for J. I don't know but I really love this guy so much. I am willing to give up everything for him. He can make me laugh with his silliness. I find it very cute that I want to pinch his cheeks. I know I really love this man. My big guy, my daddy. I am looking forward to the time when my dream will come true. That we would be spending our lives together until we grow old.

I Miss You

2009-11-12T14:10:00.000+08:00

I am so sad today. Since J started going back to school for his master's degree, the time he spent talking with me is becoming less and less. I don't want to be selfish to demand most of his time But I can't help it sometimes. I know and understand that he has to do it to get what he wanted in life. It's just that I am so used to his presence. We used to talk for long hours but now home works come first. Sometimes I am getting jealous but I just can't tell him. I know it's not right to compete with his dream. I am like a child sometimes that demands for his attention.

Lesson Learned

2009-10-15T16:02:00.000+08:00

"Don't miss the chances that life is giving you. spend time with people you love. Remember, when it comes to life, there are no rewinds."

I never appreciated this bit of wisdom before. I only learned its importance when I lost my grandmother. All the times I have lost when I was young. I never realized how she wants to reach out to me. Being an irresponsible teen, I ignored all the things she do for me. She loved to touch my hair and let me sleep in her lap. But what did I do? I ignore it because of selfishness. When she died, that's the only time I realized how much I have lost. I know I can never make time go back again in my favor. I know there no more second chances. And I am so sorry.

The Essence of Friendship

2009-10-08T15:38:00.001+08:00

Inspiring thoughts on friendship sent by a friend.

You can't tap your back for a job well done. You can't hug yourself for comfort and you can't cry on your shoulders when tears fall. This is why you have friends in your life. To let them do whatever you can't.

Life is wonderful when we have friends to share great moment in life with. Friends to take the blues away and friends who make us laugh and smile.

On Friendship

2009-09-06T10:48:00.005+08:00

I received this message from a friend of mine.

Great Things About Friends

They will give you a loan at a much better rate than the bank.
They share your drink without fear of germs.
They are better at cheering up than parents do.
Just hearing their voice makes you feel better.
Someone with whom you can trust your online password.
Without them, you'd never dare to attend school reunions.
Waits with you until your jeepney comes.
And lastly, friendship is less likely to break up than a romantic relationship.

These are the benefits of having friends. But be careful be very careful. Real friends can not be found that easy. There are those who pretend they are for real but little did you know they're the ones who will cause your destruction.

All About Me

2009-08-12T15:12:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! Thank you for taking your time to open and read my blog. I want to share what I have in mind to the world. I am just an ordinary girl you meet everyday. I work, I'm having fun with life but my happiness lies within the four corners of a book. Reading is my passion.

I saw the light of the world on one cold month. I was to be named Angelina but my mother objected. For reasons that she only knew about. I came from a family of farmers, the eldest in the brood of seven. I was raised as a farm girl should be raised. While other kids were out having fun under the sun during their vacations, I was out doing farm work with my siblings. My father taught me a sense of responsibility and the value of hard work at the age of eight.

I may have missed the fun of childhood but I never regretted it a bit. For I learn a lot of lessons in life. I think of it as equipping myself to face and survive the battle and harshness of life. I have my parents to thank for that.