Christmas Sense

Every Christmas that passes, its appeal and magic loses its touch on me. It's because as I get older and busier, the season brings only more stress into my life. Shopping gifts and tokens for family and friends, not to mention my children's classmates became a chore. The list of Yuletide programs that my kids have makes it even harder to squeeze into my tight schedule. Given the choice, I would rather not put up any Christmas decors knowing that the effort in putting it down would be doubled with all the dust it has gathered.

Am I turning into a scrooge? I realized that I am starting to become one unless I change my perspective of things. So I tackled the things I have to do into smaller tasks so as not to be overwhelmed. Now, with only 3 days before Christmas, all the gifts are wrapped under the tree & my grocery list is complete. I can sit back and quietly wait for it.

And so for this Yuletide season, I wish the same for all of you who are reading this post. May you take time off from your busy work, family and social demands. May you have a quiet moment wherein you can reflect and be with yourself and not be drowned in the series of parties you have to attend. I wish for you the gift of being still. It is only in us that we can find the true meaning of the season.

Have a good Christmas everybody!

Why Not?

I have 4 kids and I am proud of it.

Yes, I have been blessed to be given the chance to be the mother of four wonderful & hyperactive kids. When people ask how many kids I have & I tell them I have four, I usually get the response, " Wow, ang dami ah! Bakit?" Translated in English, it's "Wow, too many! How come?" The "how come" question implies why I allowed it to become that many. But, I just smile and shrug it off knowing that I should know better than be affected by those remarks. Sometimes, when I'm in a good mood, I simply reply "Oo nga." or "Yes, it's true."

I have 3 boys and 1 girl and I call them my Demolition team. My Demolition team is also one of the reasons why I resigned from my corporate job. I need to have a flexible time so as to focus more on raising them. I wouldn't be able to do that if somebody else owns my time. Thank God, I was able to find a way to earn my own money by having an online business. This enables me to be a stay-at-home mom and at the same time be financially independent.

Having 4 kids has challenged me in many ways. It tested my patience, my stamina and above all my faith in Him. Believe me when I say it isn't easy to raise 4 kids, wherein most of the time, I am alone with them. When you have 1 child, you put in your effort already but when you have 4 kids, a quadruple effort is needed.

My multi-tasking skills were put to test every day as I jumble my regular tasks. I have become adept at cooking and at the same time answering emails from clients, helping them in their homework and at the same time sending out projects, talking on the phone and dressing up my son to name a few.

As if that wasn't difficult enough, just last week, I had gone solo without a house help so I was left doing all the things in the house. From driving to cooking to cleaning to doing the laundry to washing the dishes to answering emails from clients and a whole lot more, I thought I can not make it through the day. But not only did I survive the day, I made it through the week.

I have also learned to appreciate solitude. Our house is only quiet a few hours a day when 3 of my kids are at school. During weekends, it gets crazier. Amidst the fighting, playing, shouting & bickering, I crave for some "quiet time" wherein I could have all my thoughts to myself.

It has also made me look at things in life not on what is ideal but what is possible at the moment. For one, our house is always in shambles. Before, I was obsessed in keeping our house orderly but after having my 3rd child, I gave up. It's not that I let the house go but somehow, I have learned to make allowances and accepted the fact that I have kids in the house. Vases will be broken, stains will be made in the sofa or elsewhere, there will always be a toy under the bed and the laundry will always be full. Kids will be kids, they run around; they jump, fight & scream so I just let them be. If I will always focus on the small things, I'll go nuts!

Life is guaranteed to be fun and chaotic. I never had a dull moment with them. They never fail to surprise me. I see them all in a different way. Each has its own personality. All of them can be fun, sometimes moody, and even downright hard-headed at times. But they all have their individual charm that makes them unique. Sometimes, in my eagerness to do what is right for them, I forget that they have their own personalities. I try my best not to mirror my life in them. To listen to what they want for themselves and not as to what I think they want. It takes a lot of conscious effort to really do that.

So, how is life with 4 kids?

Marvelously challenging. That would be my answer.

Frame of Mind

Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they have been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It is an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It is a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary.

-author unknown-

When I came upon this quotation, it strikes me so much because it magnifies what I exactly needed in a time when a decision needs to be done. Often, decisions are so hard to make because of various concerns that we have. We are taken aback by the prospect of venturing into the unknown, of doing something that is not sure. Basically, we are so comfortable or "lazy" in our place in the sun that the thought of leaving what we are used to seems to be out of the question. The practicality in us makes us lose our faith in taking the challenge. But we must not succumb to this fear. Nothing is impossible in this world. Nothing is out of our hands. Nobody is too old to start again. In the different paths that we take, we may stumble but it is in our rising and starting over that we shine.

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Lately, I have been so preoccupied that it seems time passed so quickly. Our house underwent repairs so it was really chaotic. With all the noise and dust, I have somehow managed to do my general cleaning in time before the year ends, put up Christmas decors and continue my regular tasks. Time could mean a lot to different people. It could mean having too much time or the lack of it. For those who are busy, the 24 hours that we have is not enough. But for those who are "killing the time", it is boring. It all boils down as to what situation you are into. As they say, we all have the same 24 hours, it is how we use that matters.

Climbing a Tree

When was the last time you wished for something really hard? Having been schooled in a Catholic school all my life, I believed in the power of prayers. As a child, I would pray for trivial things like a new toy, to go somewhere fun or to get high grades in school. It's been years since I prayed for something really hard. This is not because I am losing faith but perhaps I really didn't want something as much as my heart desired.

Each one of us has our own faith depending on our own religion. It doesn't matter to whom you believe in. What matters is that you know that there is someone out there whom you can count on in times when matters are out of your hands. However, God helps only those who help themselves. It is not enough to just pray and pray and not do your part. It is not enough to be cocky and complacent. Laziness is not at all tolerated by Him.

In achieving our dreams in life, there are many pathways to take. It is usually not a straight line. You may need to go a step backward in order to move forward. Just like in climbing a tree, there are many ways to do it. Having brains is not enough. Having guts alone is also not enough. You need a mixture of both to reach the top combined with a lot of prayers to sustain you when things are getting tough. Surely, with this combination, you would reach the top of the tree.

Bits and Pieces

All Soul's Day passed and each was one was reminded of their departed loved ones. People flocked to the cemetery bringing flowers, candles & food. It is also the time when families get reunited since this is a holiday and mostly, people went back to their own provinces. But I wonder, in the midst of all the fun & noise, can one truly remember and pray for their deceased family? My parents are both gone now and I never visited them on November 1. I would rather go on an ordinary day when there are less people. In that way, I can pray for them in tranquility and in solitude.

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I'm sure most of you know already that Joseph "Erap" Estrada was already pardoned by the ever powerful and mighty President Arroyo. This did not come as a surprise to me anymore since I wrote about this in my previous post that a pardon was seen forthcoming. The administration justifies its decision by saying the man has repented already with 6 years in house arrest in Tanay province. But, did Erap really repented? It isn't forgiveness he wants but freedom. So how could you forgive someone who has not truly repented? Well, all things said, it is only in the Philippines where corruption is tolerated with a lot of icing on it.

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Recently watched 30 Days of Night and it was freaking scary! Initially, the movie was slow but later on it switched gears and there was lot of screaming. As the title implies, it was 30 days of pure evil and terror that one would fervently wish for the 30 days to come to an end. I will not tell you details of the story so as not to spoil the fun but if you are keen on scary films then this one is definitely for you.

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Pure Madness

Imagine this, you go to the mall with your family or friends to eat and have a good time but later, one of you or worst, all of you ends up dead. It may sound incredulous but it did happen.

The recent Glorietta 2 bombing that occurred last October 19 was so shocking. Watching the survivors' recount their experience would make anyone thankful that he or she was not there at that time. Bombing a mall is just like shooting anyone in random. It could have been you and me. You see, going to the mall is one of the most popular past time of Filipinos. We just have so much time to spare that we would go to the mall any given time of the day. It's not just a place to shop and dine but now, it is also a place where you can pay your bills, exercise, meet and conduct business meetings, get a massage, leave your kids to play while you do errands and more. In short, it is a place where everybody goes and where everybody thinks they are safe. Or so we thought it to be.

Feeling safe or having a preconceived notion about it enables any human being to function normally. But what happens if this feeling of safety is threatened? Is this what our society is all about now? The architect of this evil act will never be able to justify what he did. There could be no valid reason for this.

Pure madness. This is just what it is all about.

Corruption at its Best

The news headlines recently featured Father Ed Panlilio showing the Php 500,000.00 given to him by a nameless palace employee. Father Ed, as he is more known, is the current governor of Pampanga. The money was handed over in a small paper bag. He was told that he could use the money for whatever purpose he deems will be appropriate for his constituents. The way it was given and the absence of formality suitable for disbursing government funds was indeed questionable. One can easily assume that it might be bribe money. But, hey, what were the Palace officials thinking? Bribe a priest? Well, they could try... after all, he is still human. Unfortunately, it didn't work and Father Ed exposed it to the media.

In the province of Pampanga alone, the amount of money lost in taxes was so huge. Imagine, almost 1 million pesos of taxes lost everyday during the time of Governor Mark Lapid. This was discovered when Father Ed seated 4 months ago. The total taxes being remitted now is a gigantic leap from the previous collections done 4 years ago. Whew!

The degree of corruption in our country is so intense that one could understand why politicians would kill come election time. No wonder they would do everything, as in everything, to hang on to power. Philippine politics is not about servitude. It has become a business, a family business, which is handed down from one generation to another.

Sadly, it is the ordinary Filipino who is getting nailed deeper and deeper into poverty. The fact remains that we are a poor country because of corruption. It seems that this ugly word is so ingrained in our system. However, I do not blame only our leaders. We, the Filipino people are also to blame because we let things happen and we permit things to be the way they are. We quickly forget and act as if nothing happened.

So what will be the solution to cure all this? A cynic once said, "Annihilate the Filipino people and start a new breed."

My eBay

It's been exactly 10 days since my last post. Partial reason for this is my current pre-occupation with eBay ph. I was browsing at it and decided that I could do our house a favor by unloading stuffs that we don't use or need anymore. So, I looked around the house and took pictures of the things that I intend to sell. Well, I sold my electric bottle sterilizer last week and now I have a bid for 2 wall frames. Pretty good, I guess. Of course, I do set the price low since it is already pre-owned. Besides, it is better that I sell it a low price and let another person use it than just keep it and let dust accumulate. That, in my opinion, is the very definition of WASTE.

Transacting in eBay is relatively safe. I've been a buyer myself and so far had only good experiences to tell. It's a good place to find reasonably priced items. But not everything sold in eBay is pre-owned. Some are brand new with its tag intact. Sellers are required to describe their product as accurately as they could or they risk being reported to eBay.

So, the next time you need something or looking for a great book, browse eBay. It's worth a try.

Opening One's Eyes

If you are a driver, you know very well what a blind spot is. You can experience this if you are switching lanes or when overtaking. This is how John Maxwell, in his article on Leadership, compared the "blind spots" that leaders have.

I enjoy reading Maxwell's articles on Leadership and I thought I would share it with you. According to him, a blind spot occurs when one does not see his real situation and this happens in some or almost every aspect of being a leader. Inevitably, this could affect a leader's over-all decision making capacity when he sees only one side. It would be difficult for him to understand his subordinates if his unawareness engulfs him. Maxwell used singular perspective to describe more aptly what a blind spot is.

The article stressed also that before a leader can be understood, he must understand. It also discussed the importance for leaders to do a self-examination so as to broaden his limited view. This statement is so true not only for leaders but for any ordinary individual. Often, we only see one angle... one facet of a situation.

On a personal note, this Blind spot in our life can also be the root of conflicts arising in human relationships. As a person, we all have different roles in our lives. I, for one, am a mother, a wife, a sister, a friend, an employer, just to name a few characters that I assume. And there are some people that I know who assume greater roles. In my day to day encounter with life, I would find myself in a situation wherein a conflict is brewing. Applying this Blind spot of John Maxwell, we will realize that we have to see where the other person is coming from for you to be able to understand his/her actions. One must be reflective as to why he/she is reacting this way? However, this capability to be introspective does not come easily especially if we have just met this person and sometimes even if we do know this person, we have to go deeper by tracing how this person thinks and the events surrounding him or her.

People are not wired the same way. We may be married with our husbands or wives for a decade yet still not totally understand this person who shares the same bed with us. We may have grown up with our siblings but still have spats with them. We may have a childhood friend that still never fails to amaze us why he does some things. When we take into consideration what the other person is thinking and feeling then we would become more open to communication. Every so often, when we are in a "not-so-good situation", we tend to think inward focusing only on what concerns us. Thinking out of the box is what we must commit to do.

By constantly checking our blind spots and through self scrutiny, we could hopefully diminish, if not totally remove, the big and small conflicts in our relationships. If this happens, then this world will just be a better place to live in.

Sunday Pancakes

Today is Sunday and I decided to whip up some pancakes for morning's breakfast. Instead of the usual regular pancakes, I gave in to my demolition team's (my kids) request to try the chocolate flavored pancakes. Most of my kids, as you know, have food allergies, and chocolates are included in the list of foods that should be avoided. Thus, the grocery list was revamped with all chocolate based food products removed. Still, I settled in buying that chocolate flavored pancake sitting in the grocery shelf thinking that it wouldn't hurt if they eat this. Besides, moderate or controlled exposure to it would help them get over their sensitivity to chocolates.

So, they watch in full force as I cook the pancakes taking turns dipping their fingers in the batter. They even requested baby pancakes. Once cooked, they gobbled it up with every bite saying "yummy", "mmm".

Children are so easy to please. They take pleasure and appreciate the small things in life that we, as adults, tend to dismiss. Perhaps, if we could only rekindle the "children" in ourselves then happiness would not be so hard to find.

Pet Flowerhorn

One of the things that relaxes me is our pet Flowerhorn. I like staring at it and admiring its vibrant color and hump. Our Flowerhorn has been with us for close to a year. We bought it when it was just little and now it's bigger than my hand.

This is our second attempt to take care of this kind of fish. The first one died because of overfeeding. My kids would take turns feeding it, not being being conscious that it is already overfed. After having suddenly a dead fish, I searched the Internet as to proper ways to take care of it.

They say that owning a Flowerhorn brings you luck depending on the patterns on its body. The patterns, when seen up close, resembles Chinese characters. The more pronounced the patterns are, the better. The hump, on the other hand, signifies long life which is preferred by Flowerhorn breeders. It is also a solitary fish by nature. You can't mix it with other fishes. Abrupt changes can bring stress to this fish which could make it ill. However, once it has adjusted, taking care of it will be a breeze. It thrives on fish food made especially for Flowerhorns and worms are given as a special treat.

Well, for me, luck or no luck, I don't care. I still love our fish. He's a part of our family and looking at him for a few minutes is enough to find a moment of tranquility.

Marketing Trend

My friend contacted me last week asking if they can get me and my daughter to join a focus group discussion for a chocolate drink company. They were looking for moms with a 7 to 9 year old child and somehow I fit the profile.

So yesterday, at 5 pm, they came into my house and posed all sorts of questions mainly focusing on my relationship with my daughter and what sorts of things do we do together. They presented to me pictures of prospective packaging for their product and asked what appealed to me most and why. They also showed various pictures of what would describe my relationship with my daughter. The discussion lasted for about 2 hours wherein they ended it by giving a token of their appreciation for the time I spent with them.

It was a breeze and surprisingly I enjoyed the whole thing. Today’s research companies use a lot of these focus group discussions to get a feel of what consumers want in their product. Gone are the days wherein they would do the surveys via phone. They would rather spend time and resources on really getting to know their market before launching a new ad on TV or print.

A wise decision, I would say. It would definitely save them heaps of of money.

A Merge of Colors

Above is the picture of an opening decoration of the Landmark supermarket in Trinoma mall. It was so eye-catching that a lot of people stopped to admire it. The artist who did it was good since he was able to transform the simple balloons into a striking ornament.

The balloon decoration mixed in two shades of green and orange colors complemented everything, even the red background wall. It is similar to 2 people in a relationship having different personalities, beliefs and attitudes. No two persons are alike and this definitely makes us more interesting than our animal counterpart. Imagine the balloons all done in the same colors. Would it have been attractive? Striking? I don't think so. It would be bland and monotonous; the same way when two people living together have the same viewpoint and behavior.

Yes, there would be less friction, less conflict but it would definitely be dull, uninteresting and worst, mind-numbing. Our creator intended to have variety in His human creation. We have to believe that out of another person, one can learn and that the weakness of another person can be the strength of another. In the end, we may have different, sometimes opposing views but it adds flavor and spice to what we call LIFE.

Linking Halfway Around the World

Staying connected with friends and family is just a click away. With the boom of technology comes the ease of communication. There's texting, email, chat, Friendster or Myspace, and blogs that comes into mind when you want to connect to basically anyone halfway around the world. Mobile phones are really sticking to their names... mobile. Phone manufacturers are quickly coming up with new models of phones that lets you do other than just talking and texting. Features such as WiFi are now installed that lets you access the Internet and watch television shows anywhere using your phone.

Since my line of work is in the Internet, my laptop is the thing that I can't do without. It's the first thing I open when I wake up. Of course, after the bathroom door, ha, ha... I check my mails and see what's up. Regular errands like paying the bills, making fund transfers, downloading lab results are some of the things I use it for. Aside from this, I check the movie schedule, do research, look for places (thanks, Google Earth) and much more are some of the things that I do. I can go anywhere as long as there is Internet connection and bring my laptop with me.

Speaking of Internet connection, we recently jumped into the wireless thing. Our house is now a WiFi area! I can access the Internet anywhere in the house and not be tied down to a cord. More reasons to do multi-tasking. It's so convenient.

With this fast paced, technology hungry society, can you still imagine life without cellphones and Internet? Ask yourself, when was the last time you went to the post office to mail a letter to a friend or relative? For me, it's been like ages since I last received a letter. Mostly all I get in the mails are bills, solicitations and unwanted advertisements. Besides, why mail a post card when you can just email, chat, view one another through the web cam? All that.... just a double click away.

Of course, not everybody embraces technology the same way that I do. Some would still prefer the good ol' letter since it is much more personal and intimate. And I respect them for their choices. There's no harm in adhering to what was done before. But the world is moving forward, not backward. It's either you keep pace with it or be stuck to where you are. Resiliency is the key word.

So, a life without the World Wide Web? Whew! I can't and I wouldn't want to.

Reminiscing Daddy

September 20 is a significant day for me. It was my dad’s birthday. He passed away a long time ago back in 1996. If there are words that could be linked to him, it would be discipline and temper. Discipline because he wants everything in order. Clutter irritates him so our house is spic and span. Neither can we have sleepovers with our friends or go home late at night.

My dad also had bursts of temper that we all feared. I never directly experienced his temper as compared to my brothers who would from time to time do some mischief. He had a bad temper that we all knew not to test or provoke it. It is this temperament that I think brought about his stroke. He survived 3 strokes mainly because of his willpower.

But today, on his birthday, I choose to remember my father not of his fiery disposition nor his being rigid but rather, his soft side that I knew and love. On the days when he was at home, I would sit comfortably on his lap. I would tag along with him whenever he went to the bank, park, movies or to his favorite restaurant.

As a child, I was sickly and would be in and out of the hospital. He would sit by my bedside when my mom was not around. He would give me hugs and kisses and assure me that everything will be alright when I am feverish. Thanks to his dedication in bringing me to a specialist all the way to Makati, my asthma was controlled even before I reached my teens. It could have gotten worse if the treatments were not consistent.

There was also this instance wherein I was 5 or 6 years old, he promised that he would buy me an ice cream the moment I got well. And he did buy me an ice cream the day that we left the hospital. On our way home, he stopped at an ice cream parlor, asked me to wait inside the car. When he came out, he had a big ice cream cone on his hand!

He sent us all to good private schools and provided well for our family. In my growing up years, I never experienced being deprived despite him being very frugal. We would always have new clothes and shoes for the holidays, new bags and uniforms at the start of the school year.

He instilled in me assertiveness and having my own opinions. He said I should learn how to drive when I grow up and should make my own money. He told us that having your own business is better than being an employee. He told me that every five years, there should be a positive change in myself.

My father has an influence as to who I am today. He may have had his unpleasant qualities but I know that he tried his best to do what is right for us. And for that, I thank him.

Slow Afternoons

What’s you favorite part of the day? For me, it’s the early afternoons wherein the house would be really quiet. Around this time of the day, only my youngest son, Aaron, is at home. Being 3 years old, he is the only one among the siblings not going to school yet.

My son & I pretty much have a routine during school days. We bring his older brother to preschool at 12 noon, back in the house by 12:30 pm then we eat lunch together. I then let him watch his favorite cartoon show of all time, Tom & Jerry, which lasts for 30 minutes then I make him take his afternoon nap.

With him sleeping, I have the house and my thoughts all by myself. I can easily finish reading the projects I have to submit or answer emails. If time permits and if my creativity cooperates, I also update my blog. But, if I am feeling lazy or nothing much to do, I cuddle with my toddler who looks so peaceful taking his afternoon respite.

Around 3pm, I wake him up so we can fetch his sister and brothers in school. He enjoys the car ride so much that I take him whenever possible.

Kinda simple, huh? Some may shrug it off, but for me, it is the reason why I do not want to be an employee again. I can’t do this if somebody else owns my time.

Wouldn’t exchange my slow afternoons for anything.

A Hug for a Bad Day

Have you ever had a bad day? A day wherein everything seems to go wrong? I did and it was a relief when the day was finally over. Just like when you have a bad cold and a warm chicken soup makes you feel better, a hug from someone dear to you can make you forget the bad things that transpired. It makes you appreciate the little things that we take forgranted and that life is still good.

So, when did you give someone you love a hug? Go ahead hug someone. That someone may just had a bad day.

Need for Growth

Listening to the radio, I heard a Christmas song being played. Since it is already September, they were already making a countdown to Christmas. Whew! Time flies so fast.

Another year would end and another one would begin and let us ask ourselves, "Have we grown as a person?" Growth, intellectually and emotionally, must continue as long as we live. We have to continue to nurture ourselves by finding opportunities to blossom. It can be a simple task of learning something new like a language or a hobby or anything that catches your interest, or reading a book or visiting places that you haven't been to, or even learning a new dish.

Most often than not, we hate to get out of our comfort zones. We have grown so accustomed of our life that breaking the routine is unthinkable. It is a daunting task, I admit, to dwell on something that you haven't tried. But we have to overcome that feeling to be able to enhance what is inside us. We just have to trust ourselves and bring out that innate capability of being resilient.

Joseph Ejercito "Guilty"

Everyone was glued to their TV waiting for the verdict that will be given to former president Joseph "Erap" Estrada. The administration did an overkill preparing for the worst scenario should supporters of the Erap take it to the streets. Classes were also suspended in the areas where rallies are expected to occur. But even as the guilty verdict was given for plunder charges, sentencing him to 40 years in prison, there was no violent uproar from his supporters, thank God!

Perhaps, the masses were already jaded by the frequent rallies that occured before. People power has been abused, in my opinion, that its very essence was lost. Watching the supporters being interviewed on TV about their opinion or reaction to the guilty verdict of their hero, I saw resignation in their faces.

The supporters of the former president were mostly the masses. The poorest among the poor who hailed him before as their Robin Hood. They believed in him and for all I know may still believe in him but the fact remains that their lives will not change whether Erap is freed or not. One coconut vendor said' " I am sad that he is guilty but I have no time to rally on the streets, I have to sell my coconuts."

The very words of this coconut vendor reflects the people's worn-out attitude for the things concerning politics. He knows that his situation will not change whoever sits as president.

For now, we just have to wait and see if the term given to Erap will really be executed. Some say a presidential pardon is forthcoming.

Burrito allergy

Yesterday, while waiting for a late night movie, we grabbed a quick dinner at Mexicali. It was my first time to try this Mexican restaurant being a more regular customer of its counterpart Tacobell.

I decided to order a regular Chicken Bbq Burrito. It was tasty and delicious. The serving was huge. Unfortunately minutes after finishing my meal, I began to sneeze and suddenly have a runny nose. It all continued till I got home last night. I figured it must have been food allergy because when I woke up this morning, I felt fine with no evidence of any sneezing or colds. There must have been something in the Burrito, some spice that I was allergic to.

What a waste! I truly enjoyed their Burrito. Next time, I'll make sure to take some antihistamines beforehand.

Lost phone

I just realized how my life depended on my mobile phone. I know it’s exaggerated but losing mine last week was very difficult. It’s not much about the phone itself (it’s not the latest model anyhow, got it for free from my network provider and it’s 3 years old already) but the names and contact numbers stored in it are far more important.

I just felt at a total loss knowing that I lost important numbers that would be difficult to retrieve. And it’s totally a drag to input each and everyone’s name and contact details again. It is good that I was able to retain my same number since I have a line otherwise the difficulty would be twice.

You see, I store everything in my mobile no. My doctor’s & dentist’s details are there, the water station where we order our drinking water is in it, names of important clients are there. Golly, even the reservation number of Gateway movies is there.

Funny thing is, I keep on thinking where exactly in Baguio did I lose my phone but I still can’t figure out where. But I guess it would be futile to do so. Anyway, it surely did serve me a lesson.

Black or White

How come some people finds it difficult to say NO outright? They give non-committal replies, makes you hope then in the end bursts the bubble. Are they just too nice to say no or simply can’t make up their minds?

Personally, I would prefer that you refuse outright than be dragged into something you really would not want to get into. Worse, be an expert when it comes to saying yes but leaves people hanging. They would make delays, come up with various reasons but in the end doesn’t do anything.

Whether it’s a simple favor or a really BIG decision, one should commit to a side. Are you going or not going? Are you doing this or not? To an issue, there’s always 2 sides. You can’t be both.

I know it’s not that simple. I know life is not always black & white. There are room for grays and in-betweens, but mind you,... not always. And that is why decisions are not always easy to make.

Mobile Billboards

I've seen Mobile Billboards quite often recently. It seems to be the fad nowadays for advertisers. This makes me wonder if this is a cheaper or costly alternative for fixed billboards? Coverage wise, yes, I think it is more effective since you can reach any part of the city unlike if it is fixed somewhere in a highway. And with the recent clamour of some politicians making a move to remove huge billboards along the main road, this mobile billboard has grown popularity.

Environment wise, this mobile billboard consumes gas, contributes to the vehicle congestion of the city and adds to the traffic. Advertisers should think of alternative ways to drum up their business.

The Baguio weekend getaway

Deciding to make use of the long weekend last week, we all went to Baguio together with my brother's family. It was a last minute decision to go because of the rainy weather. So Friday, night, I was running all over the house preparing the things to bring for the long trip.

Saturday 6am, we were all dressed up & ready to leave. The kids were all excited to spend the weekend there with their cousins. Seeing that the weather is okay, we trekked Kennon Road to save on time. We aimed to be in Baguio by noon.

The house we rented was new with 3 rooms. Two rooms has 2 beds each and the big room has 4 beds. It has hot water ( a must!), TV, ref, stove & gas & kitchen utensils. It even had a small balcony. It was conveniently located near SM Baguio.

Going to Baguio is already a yearly thing for us and even if we've been through this place a lot of times already, it still never fails to bring wonderful memories to the family. It managed to retain the beauty of its nature. The only complaint I have is the seemingly worsening air pollution coming from the public utility vehicles.

But in the end, it was a good R & R for the whole family. I'm sure my kids enjoyed it as much as we did.

Roots

August 21 was a marked date for us to attend a family reunion on my side. A reunion wherein all six of us siblings are complete seldom happens. Much as we would like to, our geographical locations plus commitment at work hinders us to see each other more often. So, yesterday was really a special day for us.

Packed with our own contributions for a potluck lunch till dinner party, we all headed to my sister's house in Bulacan. Everyone enjoyed the sumptuous feast complete with desserts and a little booze. The little kids played contentedly with one another while the teenagers hanged out watching DVD's and playing guitar. The reunion transpired with a lot of laughter and reminiscing our childhood days and our own dear parents.

It was good to spend the whole day with them. We all updated each other what is going on in our lives, reliving the old jokes and injecting new ones. You could see the changes that transpired in the months that we last saw each other. I'm sure all of us aged physically, with all of them using already reading glasses except for me since I am the youngest or a wisp of white hair now being seen.

There is something about seeing your siblings grow old. And we all grasp its meaning as we remind one another especially our older brothers to keep fit and stay healthy. But most of all, it is the realization that we have to exert more effort to see each other more often because we can not be here forever.

But aside from the physical changes, one could sense a deeper transformation in everybody. What I mean by deeper change is when somebody comes to you and say, "Something's changed about you but I can't pinpoint exactly what it is." Perhaps the change I'm referring to is the change inside all of us.

But mind you, our relationship with one another is not picture perfect. We all had our share of misunderstandings, arguments, fights and cold treatment. Yet, as time passed and we have grown more matured, we have learned to be more forgiving and make allowances for each others shortcomings. Although all of us now have our own families, our childhood memories and our parents bind us together.

As we headed for home at around 9 pm, tired, sleepy but happy, I thanked my parents who patiently raised us and instilled to us that no matter what different paths we take and wherever we may be, we must not forget to come back to our roots.

Undoing that Needs to be Done

After days of continuous rain and classes being suspended, I took the time to catch up on sleep. Yes, that adorable and glorious sleep! The one thing that I dreaded when I was a kid is now a much coveted thing now that I'm an adult.

Going back to rain, the past weeks found the Christian community praying for rain because of the dry spell and seemingly imminent water shortage. Well, God did hear us because we did and still have rain. Funny thing is, God gave us rain but humans create floods.

Most parts of the city are flooded. Noticeably, the areas that were before flood-free are now experiencing flood. As I see parts of the cities affected by the non-stop rain, I can't help but heave a sigh of relief and at the same time sigh with resignation. Relief because we are fortunate that our place is not under water. Resignation because it seems there will never be a solution anymore to the city's drainage system.

Instilling discipline and educating each and every citizen is a must if we want a solution to this lingering flood problem. Residents near rivers or creeks should discard the bad habit of throwing garbage to the water. And I'm not singling out the ones living near rivers, even the regular guy or gal out there should cooperate.

Takes a lot of undoing if you would ask me.

School Trend

It's the week of the 1st quarterly exams for most of the schools here. Not only are the kids preparing but the parents as well. As I scanned the pages of the notebooks of my daughter for her pointers for review, I gulped at the length of coverage. Whew!

The school's curriculum nowadays is much more competitive than before. My daughter who is currently in Grade 3 comes home from school loaded with 4 to 5 assignments. It doesn't leave much time for her to relax after spending the whole day at school. No wonder kids are so stressed and pressured. Before, services of a tutor would be needed when the child is performing poorly academically but now, tutors are there even for kids who are doing well in their report card. But kids are very adaptive in nature. Their malleability enables them to adjust in any given situation.

It is definitely a whole new ballgame for this generation... of achieving and expecting more from our kids. It's either you go with the flow to keep up with the advances or be left behind.

Be Still

Sipping a cup of coffee early Sunday morning, I was able to appreciate the quietness of the house. In the stillness of things, one can even hear the ticking of the clock and the sound the air pump makes in our aquarium. Some people gets uneasy with a house being so quiet but in that exact moment, I found comfort in what the silence offered.

Maybe it's because our house is normally noisy with kids around. You see, our household starts early during weekdays getting everybody ready for school. Then the day is filled up with errands and work that needs to be done. Dinners are much busier with everybody trying to do their own stuff, asking the older kids to attend to their homework, helping the little ones with their personal needs and with the TV blaring in the living room.

Often, in the rush of doing things and trying to get things done, we forget that we need to be still, not to move and not to talk for a few minutes. It is in being quiet that you can only hear yourself and will be able to accomplish more.

So, my friend, just when things are beginning to get crazy and you're confused, try to BE STILL.

Why I Blog?

According to Wikipedia, " A blog provides commentary or news on a particular subject such as food, politics, or local news. Others function as a personal online diary." With this definition, anybody can make a blog! And why shouldn't you?

I came up with 8 reasons why I should write a blog. Feel free to come up with your own.

1. It is an avenue to express myself. A blog allows me to share my thoughts and feelings in the world wide web. This lets other people know what a regular person like me is thinking. The human element in it makes it more interesting.
2. It will unravel my creativity inside. Initially, I was skeptical about starting a blog thinking that I do not have enough imagination to write a series of posts. Well, after a few weeks of focusing on it, it became easier and easier. Blogging allowed me to discuss various topics and constant writing will fuel that ingenuity.
3. It will improve my writing skills. Writing daily expanded my word selection, sentence construction and so on. When I read my earlier articles or posts, I observed a marked improvement. Just like any other skill, writing takes practice.
4. It links me to the rest of the world. A blog bonds me to other people through the thoughts, comments or opinions that I share. When I read someone else's blog, I know that I am in connection with a human being and not some corporate website.
5. It makes me a considerate writer. Knowing that my articles can be read by anyone who has Internet access, it made me a bit more conscious with my writing being careful not to offend any race, religion or culture by the issues I discuss.
6. It makes me a considerate reader. Having a blog myself enabled me to be understanding and appreciative of other people's views, experiences & knowledge.
7. It keeps a record of events. Writing everyday about the things happening around me serves as a journal that I can read back anytime I want. It may not be significant to me at present but five years from now, I know I will relish reading my posts again.

Well, so far these are what I can think of. How about you? What's your personal reason for blogging? Let me know your thoughts on this.

Disappointment... should we be guilty?

Yesterday, I went malling with the kids. We did the usual thing of dining out and buying a few things for school. Teens passing by were sporting the latest mobile phones and Ipods together with their branded jeans and shoes. With this trend, I would not be surprised if my eldest son ditches his mobile phone and MP3. And when he does ask for a new phone and I say no, should I feel guilty?

Today's parents are so focused on giving the "best" for their children that they end up giving everything for fear of depriving their kids. But often, we confuse deprivation with disappointment. Yes, we disappoint them when they want something and we do not give it but we definitely do not deprive them.

They need to experience disappointment from time to time to prepare them for what lies ahead. It will equip them with the necessary emotional maturity needed in handling the "downs" of life. Even if you can afford to buy what they want, let them feel disappointment. Remember, not only are we raising kids but we are also raising future fathers and mothers of this nation.

Rude Drivers

Being the designated driver of my kids during school days, I can't help but shake my head in disbelief over the lack of discipline of our drivers. The usual scenario would be a two lane road becomes three which leaves one wondering what are the lane marks' for? You patiently inch way your though traffic when an arrogant driver would try to get ahead of you by putting his car bumper to bumper to your car. A public vehicle cuts you then suddenly stops in the middle of the road to load or unload passengers. Unbelievable!

When a car tries to squeeze his car in front of mine as I wait in the rush hour traffic, I can't help but be annoyed by this driver's inexcusable behavior. Does it mean that his time is more important than mine that he had to cut his way ahead of others? I don't think so. Being on the road does not give you the right to be rude and arrogant.

Driving by instinct rather than the Right of Way policy would make any foreigner give a quick no when asked if he would want to take the wheel. I believe that the this road discipline thing can only be resolved if the requirements in getting a driver's license would be more rigid. Hmm, I wonder when will this happen?

Topic Hunting

Imagine this. You start typing a few sentences then after that, a complete stop. Nothing follows. The harder you try to finish this, the more difficult it gets. I think every writer's fear is not having something to write about. I, for one, experiences this from time to time. Having days wherein I would feel that I could no longer squeeze any creative juices out of my mind is not new to me.

I observed that I would find it difficult to write when I am jaded by the day-to day events of living. When everything seems to be ordinary and nothing seems to be interesting. What could be worst than staring at your computer screen and nothing comes out? For bloggers like me, it is but essential to update one's blog regularly and doing this would require effort. So, I'd like to share some of the things that I do when hunting for a topic.

• Step out of the computer. This means diverting your energies by doing something else. It could be taking a walk, talking to a friend, playing with my kids or doing household chores.
• Ponder on the day's or coming events. Often, this could be a good kick start for a topic.
• Ask friends for ideas. You can't think of everything so you can seek suggestions from your friends as to what could be a good topic that to dwell on.
• Experience something new. Routine zaps out the creative juices that we have inside us. Now, I don't mean you have to go bungee jumping or skydiving for you to be able to write. Just try to step out of your comfort zone so as to encounter something new. It is through this occurence that one would be able to fertilize that creativity in us needed in writing.
• Read newspapers. This is a good way to know what's going on around you and writing your opinions about current events could be a start.
• Write your ideas. Sometimes, ideas can come to you when you least expect it. If this is the case, having a pen and notebook with you always will enable you to jot down your idea and not forget about it. You can then go back to it later when you are ready to write.
• Be sensitive to inspirations. Inspirations do not always come handed down in a silver platter. You just have to attune your senses to look for it and work with what you have.

Inadequate or so it seems...

"What have you accomplished so far?"

A simple question yet when given much thought is very hard to answer. An innocent question but when asked in the middle of an argument can hurt so much. In a flash, you will re-examine your life and in so doing, whatever accomplishments you may have achieved would make you feel inadequate.

I know it was not the intention of that person to make me feel insufficient. I was just taken aback by the tartness of the question. But what is the true measure of one's accomplishments? Is it through the grandiose of material things that one has acquired, or through the number of plaques you have on your wall or is it through the number of zeroes your bank account has or the number of organizations you are a member of or the wideness of your network activity?

Accomplishments or success can have various meaning depending on the person being asked. We all have taken different paths, different directions in our lives. Through the course of things, we have prioritized what is important to us at that time. For some it may be career, for others it may be further studies or building an empire or starting a family.

What is important is that you do not compare your achievements with someone else's unless you want to be miserable all your life. Just remember that this is your life and it is only you who will be accountable for it.

Simply put, "Life is what we make out of it."

Working from Home

Working from home is what I've been doing for the past 3 years. I've worked in a telecommunications company before but I knew that the corporate set-up would not suit me. And I was right. I was happy with my job and with my colleagues but I was not happy with the rigidness of a corporate set-up. But most of all, I was not happy that I missed out on some of my family's activities.

I knew I had to choose. And so I resigned. When I did quit, I was excited that I had so much plenty of time, that I can enjoy the day with my young kids while the older ones are at school, that I do not have to dress-up and worry about the reports I have to submit, that I can watch the late morning TV programs that I would normally miss and so much more. I was ecstatic!... at least for the first 2 months.

After a while, I became restless. I knew I wanted to do something, something that could make me feel occupied and at the same time earn extra income. Besides, it is liberating to know that I earn my own money.

So I started a home based business and been doing some freelance writing on the side. This enabled me to dictate my own time and decide my work load. It is a perfect set-up on the outside but working at home also has its setbacks.

You see, it is twice as hard to get things done when you work at home. The enemy mainly is distraction. With writing, it is difficult to be distracted because there would be instances wherein nothing comes out and there would also be instances wherein ideas are racing out of my mind and I am typing very fast. So, you could just imagine how impatient I would get when I am suddenly stopped from my work.

Since I work at home, a lot of things could distract me like my kids, the telephone, the TV, the mailman etc. You really have to be disciplined and allot a time to really just work and shut yourself up from all the things going on around the house. It would also mean training the kids to respect your time when you are working.

But, nothing could be more perfect for me than this present set-up that I have. Despite it's disadvantages, I love it and I wouldn't exchange it for anything else.

Earn Extra Income

Lately, I have been dabbling with Google Adsense and how to earn from it. I've known about this for some time but it is just now that I really took the time to read on how I can wisely add it in my blog. Google pays $20 cents per click. Not much especially for somebody who's starting like me. Doesn't matter, I said to myself. This is extra income for my part and I enjoy writing in my blog.

There is much more to Google Adsense than what I thought. Below are some of the things I've learned when using Adsense:

1. Your ads need to have the right combination of colors and size. It has to be attractive but at the same time it has to blend in your blog or website. This is important so as the reader would assume that it is part of your blog.
2. You have to update your blog regularly. Everyday if possible. This would encourage crawlers to go through your blog.
3. Write quality articles. Not too short and full of pictures.
4. Write something that ordinary people can relate to.
5. If possible, target your readers. Personally, this is something I find it hard to do because I write based on what inspires me at the moment and based on my experiences. Knowing your readers would mean writing articles constantly about a specific topic. This would be an advantage when it comes to your ads.

Google Adsense, given the right focus, can serve as an extra income for working moms like me. It gives me the chance to do what I enjoy doing and at the same time earn extra from it.

De-cluttering

I spent the whole day of Saturday at home. I didn't feel like going out, thanks to the gloomy weather. And so, sitting in front of my laptop, I gave my work desk a good stare. My, what clutter. Tsk, tsk.... So I decided to de-clutter my desk and throw away all the unnecessary papers, receipts, pens not working anymore, unopened letters from advertisers and file paid bills. After about an hour, my desk was clean again. It feels good to have an organized workspace.

Going back to clutter, it is odd that we accumulate so much unnecessary things in our life. We buy things, use it for a while then after some time, it sits already in the dark accumulating dust. The funny thing is we never get the chance to throw it away thinking that we might be able to use it someday. But that someday never comes.

It is hard for a person to throw things but often, practicality should be above sentimentality. I make it a personal rule to discard things that I haven't used for 1 year. Last June, I held a garage sale wherein I sold our old clothes and beddings. The price ranged from Php10.00 to Php100.00. It was a big hit! I decongested our cabinets and at the same time made some money to buy new rubber shoes for my son.

In some countries like New Zealand and Australia, the government provides a schedule wherein rubbish like old or broken appliances, furnitures can be disposed of by the residents. It encourages its citizens to give away or throw things that they don't need. As the saying goes, "Somebody's garbage can be another man's treasure."

Come to think of it. It does make sense.

Toshiba projector TV....an owner's headache

Our Toshiba projector TV has been damaged again for the 2nd time by the same culprits. It's mice! We bought this over a year ago and still in its warranty period when the motherboard was affected by the pee of a mouse. Yes, that's right... shake your head in disbelief that our house has those pests. Well, we did all we can to eliminate these through baits, traps & poison. Hey, my husband even bought that apparatus that claims to get rid of rats through radio waves. What a joke! The only thing that minimized the pests was when got ourselves a cat. Yes, that good ol' reliable cat. The only problem is the cat became cats that we had no place anymore for all of them and my youngest son got an allergy from it. He would have a whooping cough every night. So after eliminating all possible causes of allergens, the cats had to be given away.

Now back to the Toshiba TV.

So our projector TV was pulled out for close to a month. They finally informed us that the motherboard got corroded and that this will not be covered by the warranty. I said, What?! I argued and reasoned out that we did not in any way tamper the TV and this is still covered by the warranty. After weeks of endless follow-ups, sending out emails to department heads and being irate, they finally gave in and charged us a much lower amount. We requested that all possible entrances of the supposed to be culprit should be covered. They said yes, they have covered all areas.

So months passed or exactly just as our TV turned 1 year old, the colors started to get funny again. I said oh,oh. Not again. I noticed that this happens when we have been out of the house for a long time and the TV is not being used. So again I called their authorized service center. They pulled it out and after 2 weeks, they gave me a ring. As I was picking up the phone, I said to myself that I should get ready to hear something that I do not want to hear. True enough, they told me that it was again the motherboard and it would cost us roughly Php 30,000 to have it replaced. The person on the other line consoled me by saying that if you will have it fixed, the check-up fee of Php 2,000 will not be charged anymore. As if saying that would make me feel better.

I was so shocked with total disbelief. Not with the price they quoted because I was expecting it already having to go through it the second time. I was shocked with disbelief that this is happening to us! That we made a bad choice by buying Toshiba over other brands. Even the service center that handled our TV told us that most of the repairs they handled are of the same reason... MICE. The person we talked to hunched that there might be something in the material of the TV that was used that makes it attractive to mice. Since the projector TV's inside is big and warm, it makes it a more comfy environment for rats to cuddle up and do their thing there.

Out of pure hopelessness, my husband wrote to Toshiba Hong Kong informing them of our disgust over their product. We didn't bother writing to Toshiba Philippines because our previous experience was so stressful. Yes, they gave in to our request but only after shaking hell and heaven did they finally listen. So hubby sent the email to their Hong Kong counterpart not expecting any response at all.

But guess what?

Two days ago, he received a call from Toshiba Philippines verifying the information that they got from Toshiba HK. Obviously, Toshiba HK acted on our email by endorsing our problem to the Philippine branch. And since this endorsement came from HK, it surely got the attention of our country's branch manager. Well, they said they will probe into our problem and assured us that they would call back. They didn't call back but the manager of the authorized service center called us saying that Toshiba Philippines called him inquiring about our TV and its problem. They told him that they would assist us.

Now I do not know what the word assist means. And I don't want to assume anything but it sure made my day.

I'll just wait for the developments.

Truly Rich

The book by Bo Sanchez "8 Secrets on How to be Truly Rich" was enlightening. It was written with an exact dose of humor, reality, practicality and spirituality. Unlike other self help books wherein the focus is just all about making money, this one mixes it with the essence of being a good Christian.... of how you can be a blessing to others. It inspired me to work harder in achieving not only my financial goals but to be truly rich in all aspects of my life. A book definitely worth your time.

Thirty what?

For those of you who are thirty something, let me ask you,

"How does it feel to be in your thirties?"

Thirties huh? Sounds ancient if you're going to ask a teenager. A lot of us may cringe at the thought of getting old. But if you ask me, I would say Great!

I am thirty six years old and never felt this good. Stepping into your thirties makes you feel more confident about things that matter in life like work, family and yes... sex included. It means you know what you want and where you are going. It means you are more assertive and people can not push you around anymore. You have more experience but not yet an expert on life.

Looking back in my 36 years, I have been through the many ups and downs of life. I was a daughter, a teenager, a student, somebody's friend, now an entrepreneur, a wife and a mother. Some decisions I made in life were good, some were bad, some were so so, but through it all, I have managed to survive. But I believe, I still have a lot to learn from what life may have to offer.

I wonder what the 40s will be?

Good Friends

Last Sunday, me and my friends from my previous work saw each other for a quick reunion. One of my friends decided to "drop" by from Singapore and so the reason for this dinner get-together. It has been a while since we last saw each other. The last time was I think 1 to 2 years ago. Due to the demands of our own lives, a conflict of schedule was always the reason behind our inability to remain in touch as often as we would like to.

It was good to see them once again. We may not have seen each other for so long but I could sense that the friendship is still there despite the long physical absence. In a span of 3 hours or so, we were able to update each other with what's going on in each of our lives. The evening ended with promises of doing it more often.

Die Hard 4.0

Watching Die Hard 4.0 was exhausting. It was tiring to watch Bruce Willis single handedly assault and beat the bad guys. As the movie transpires in front of you, one would surmise that this guy never runs out of luck. Well, what can I say, anything goes when it comes to movies such as this. Too much heroism for my taste. For action fanatics, there are a lot of car crashes, explosions, kicking and all sorts of action packed adventure.

But you see, I am a guilty critic. I have watched all Die Hard episodes and will probably watch Die Hard 5 should there be any despite my comments above. Why? I don't know. Maybe it's because Bruce Willis or maybe because I will not get disappointed in feeding my desire for an action flick or maybe because I just want to be entertained.

Hot soup.... anyone?

The month of July started with me feeling sick. The late nights and the frequent travel brought its toll on me. I now have colds & cough. My nose is red and runny & I am teary eyed. Ugh, hate the feeling! I remember my mom would make me take some hot soup and miraculously, it would make me feel better. Now, I'm gulping vitamin C, lots of water & some cold medicines to alleviate the sickness. I try to be productive and do some writing... with this post although I have a feeling I'm not making much sense. So for those reading this, sorry for this. I just want to keep busy. I'm tired of watching TV the whole afternoon and I hate going back to bed again.

I hope tomorrow would be better.

Overloaded Inboxes

Are you one of those who have an inbox full of emails?.... One who keeps at least 2 email addresses? Well, I am. And despite having 3 separate, all active, email addresses, I can't seem to manage to keep the inbox clean. I try to answer all the emails addressed to me but somehow I can not seem to delete them. This is most especially true when it comes to my work related email addy. I do not delete for the simple reason that I may need to refer to it again or that the topic is important.

But since the mailbox is overloaded, it takes some time for me to find the specific email that I need. Ha, ha. It totally defeats the purpose of why I keep it!

Thus, this morning, I started clearing my inbox. Golly, doing this task is so tedious that I totally forgot the time. I need to be religious from now on in maintaining my Inbox manageable.

Good luck to me.