Reconciliatory Dream

Last night, after more than 10 long years, I had a different dream about my ex-bf. We finally talked!

Seriously, after we broke up, all my dreams about him were hazy. Most of the time, he gazed at me from afar looking sad and disappointed and he slowly disappears the moment I try to go near him. At times, we seem to avoid each other.

However, last night was different. He was near and we talked! The place was not familiar, but the setting was that our roads crossed again after a long time and we didn't avoid each other anymore. What's nice also was that he no longer looked sad nor disappointed. He looked so delighted to touch-base with me again!

While eating dinner, I shared this to hubby and told him I feel I will finally see him again. Hubby knows I've been wanting to talk to him now that we're both married. First, to apologize for changing my mind after seven years of love and friendship. Second, to thank him for having been a true gentleman all throughout our relationship.

I do hope we will have a reconciliatory meeting not just in a dream.

Goodbye for now Lolo!

My hubby's granddad finally rested in peace last Nov 20, 2009, on the birth day of Tito Jojo, his youngest son. He died peacefully at the age of 86 years old.

Goodbye for now Lolo. We love you!

Sid, Pablo, Tyson

Before we transfered to our new home, I was so firm in telling my brothers and husband that animal-pets are not welcome. Unfortunately, my household: my hubby, brothers, sis-in-law and nieces love animals. I had no choice but to start liking animals too.

Getting used to animals in the house was a struggle, particularly with Tyson, the two-year-old cat of my brother. But with Sid, the puppy given by our neighbor, it's a different story. There's really something with children, even with animals, that can make adults heart melt. He instantly became the apple of our eyes!

He's silly, rowdy and playful. But he is very sweet. So cute and adorable. The moment he sees you, he will run to you, embrace your leg and wag his tail rapidly. He's been the stress buster of us all! He's a head-turner too. All customers of our store are his fans!

Pablo on the other hand is our adopted kitten. My husband saw him under our neighbor's truck parked in front of our house. He was so thin and fragile. But he's slowly starting to gain weight. He's Sid's playmate and toy at the same time. Sid bites his ears and tail. He also rides on him.

For about a month now, I'm definitely enjoying our pets particularly Sid.

Happy birthday to me!

I celebrated my birthday today. The most memorable so far. Not because it was grand or something. The reason is that I was able to finally celebrate it again with more of my loved-ones around, in the simplest but most intimate way. The way I want to spend the special days of my life.

This time, I celebrated it with my hubby, youngest sibling, one of my sis-in-laws and three nieces. I also blew candles on the cake my sis-in-law gave me. We prayed together as a family from breakfast 'til dinner. ( The part that I cherish most!). My 3 siblings and other loved-ones who are far all exerted efforts to give me their best birthday wishes and greetings! The most special of course was the wake-up greetings from the two little angels, sons of my brother, Enteng. In the afternoon I also received a call from my best-friend, Rochel who just arrived from her 1 week trip to Singapore. Add to these the greetings I got from relatives and some friends.

It really feels heaven to be loved and remembered! I pray that next year will be another simple, intimate and memorable birthday!

Thanks to God for giving me another year to fulfill my mission!

Your beliefs dictate your world!

Years ago, me, earning a college degree was far-fetched. It was nothing but an idea. A wish that I consistently uttered in my prayers. Main reason was that my mother's income was not even enough to feed us and put us in a home we can call our own. Now, however, I'm both a bachelor's and master's degree holder. My bachelor's degree was earned in UP Los Banos. My Master's, in UP Diliman.

You may ask, how did this happen? Let me share how.

When I was in Grade 5, I got fortunate to be part of a free Lakbay Aral (Educational tour) to Laguna. My first and last field trip in my whole elementary life. One of the places we explored was UP Los Banos (UPLB). UPLB truly enchanted me that I started to seriously day dream about going to college despite the fact that I couldn't afford it. To be exact, I itched to study in UPLB! A chunk of it was obviously because the beauty of the campus mystified me. Its span made me wonder how students there survive. The other was,I learned it was one of the top "Us" in the Phils. The thought of studying in a premier Unversity that's a Nature park at the same time truly thrilled me!

Little did I know my mere dreaming was already the start! My pretending to be a student in UPLB, somehow, paved the way for me to develop my plan. I was already solving the puzzle! I was just make-believing. But as I was so into it, I felt it was so real..... Until it did! Of course, landing to UPLB wasn't an easy journey. It has its own touching story that I would like to share too one day.

I'm not sharing this to brag.

My main purpose is actually to emphasize that the below message I received from Bo Sanchez's GodsWhisper is TRUE.

Here's the message:

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Dear Judith,

Here’s a law I built in the fabric of this universe: You will see what you
expect to see. If you believe that life is a valley of suffering, that’s
what you’ll find everyday. If you believe that life is an ocean of
abundant blessings, that’s what you’ll find everyday.

Believe,
God

P.S. Your beliefs dictate your world, Judith. Choose them well.

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So what are you dreaming about right now? What is it that you consistently think about? Please make sure it's something great, bright or noble! Remember, what you think is what you become! Your beliefs dictate your world!

Sentence, Paragraph, Essay, Book

18 years ago I was struggling to complete an English sentence. Thankfully I didn't give in to the difficulty. I pressed on. After 7 years, the difficulty was no longer in completing the sentence. It escalated to finishing a paragraph. Now, I'm able to write a paragraph swiftly.

But my struggle remains! My difficulty now is on how to make my writing grammatically correct and easy to read. How to use the right words and blend them? How to structure my thoughts into a piece of essay that vividly conveys my message?

Good thing I remain hopeful that this too shall pass. There will come a time when I will be able to vividly scribble my thoughts. That it will be as effective & grammatically impecable as I want it to be. As what my experience taught me, it's just a matter of time and practice. By continuously pressing on, the level of difficulty will soon be in stitching my ideas into one coherent and powerful thought that will make up a best-selling book! What kind? I don't know yet. But I'm sure it will form its figure as I continue my writing journey.

Cheers to that most awaited day!

Long Weekend

Stay home. Rest. Do some house chores. Bond & catch up with loved-ones. These are my usual answers when asked about my plans for long weekends.

I admit, I'm a certified home buddy. I'd rather stay home, take naps, clean the house, mend torn clothes & stuff than do malling particularly when I deem my impulsive-buying personality will be awakened!

A home buddy by choice, I should say. The main reason is that I've been deprived of the pleasures and freedom of being in my own home during my growing up years. (If you read my previous posts you would learn why.) Now, that I'm finally living in my own home, I want to make up for the lost times. The other reason is that we are still saving and preparing for our (planned) big escapades ahead!

Yes, you heard me right! My long weekends won't be mundane forever. It will soon be a blast! I'm a "provinciana" thus I love adventures! Big escapades at that! Just wait and see.

Nature fascinates me greatly! My favorite color is "green" & I like it more when it's accented with happy colors of pink, red, yellow, violet, orange! The green rice fields that turn golden as the rice seeds mature pleases me greatly. The plants & flowers that bloom when the sun touches them gives me great joy. I'm a fruit muncher so harvesting produce of fruit-bearing trees makes my heart leap! I love going to the beach! The splashes of the waves on the shoreline are music to my ears. I marvel at the cool breeze that embraces the surroundings in the early mornings! I love seeing wild flowers grow on the slopes of the mountain. In short, I'm a nature lover! Thus, my hubby & I have plans of big escapades! You'll see. It's just a matter of time.

Soon, you will hear me share anecdotes of our lazy weekend in Sagada, Benguet or Hundred Islands, Pearl Farm, Palawan. And when my former boss-turned-friend see me again and ask "Did Dante finally bring you to the mountains?". My answer would be a quick " Of course & am lovin' it!

The Leap

"The Leap" is the article God led me to read in "Our Daily Bread" today. Mainly to explain why He allowed me & hubby to be in our set-up right now.

A while back I was emotional. I couldn't stop tears from flowing down my cheeks. Perhaps, it was because subconciously I was longing for my hubby.( Looks like the "wife" segment of my brain is starting to feel uncomfortable with our current setup. Hehehe!)

For about a month now, hubby & I get to be with each other only for two days in a week. He decided to stay in Bulacan full-time so he can focus on the resto business he put up there together with a friend. Since we started with our relationship, he's never been away this long. So, I'm painfully adjusting.

While I was pondering on our current setup, I somehow asked God why He led hubby in this kind of undertaking - entirely different from his background, which is IT. I also asked why He pointed a place for the business that's somewhat remote and far from our residence. I got a bit hurt as well when I saw his temporary abode, the small sleeping quarter in the resto. It's secured, but cramped with supplies & stuff. Not a comfy place to rest after a long day.

Anyhow, good thing God clarified. I was led to read Genesis 12: 1-4. These verses talked about how God called Abram to leave his country, his people and father's household and go to the land that He will show him.

This leap in our setup is indeed odd & challenging. But as He clarified using the verses I just read, I should cling on, trust and take a leap of faith like what Abram did!

Habits create your future!

Since I signed up in Bo's Truly Rich Club, I've been receiving daily dose of helpful reminders which Bo coined as "GodWhispers".

Today, I was reminded that happiness is something internal. If I want to be happy, I should choose & strive to be so. I shouldn't let circumstances (the external factor) dictate my feelings, my mood.

Yeah, today, I struggled to put myself out of a circumstance & deal with it objectively. Good thing, my subconscious reminded me to open an MSword and scribble in the empty sheet what I felt while I continuously take a deep breath. When I was finally calm I trashed my "angry" notes).

But the reminder that truly made an impact on me is this :

Dear Judith

Your habits create your future.If your habits today won’t create your dream, then change your habits or change your dream.

Clearly on your side,
God

P.S. My suggestion: Change your habits. But you don’t really quit bad habits, Judith. You replace them with great ones in pursuit of a fiery dream in your heart. Oh, if you only know how much I believe in you!

After reading this, I made a mental audit of my habits. Thankfully, I only have to make little adjustments.

Truly, habits create our future. Thus, if you want something better, seriously ponder on what you have now.

Whew!

I do enjoy bonding with my little nieces. Teaching them had been my past time since we started living under one roof.

But, it's a different story today. I got tired! They competed for my attention! They blabbed at the same time! They don't run out of questions & stories! These somehow sapped my remaining energy!

Good thing the younger one finally agreed to sleep. Now, I'm able to focus with the older one who's still busy doing her first composition entitled "Myself".

I'm getting bored (and sleepy) waiting for her so to stay awake I'm writing this post.

Oopps, she says she's finished!

Tick..tack...tick..tack...

Wow! Looks like my efforts are finally bearing good fruits. With little guidance she's able to finish a coherent composition! Here it is, verbatim:

" My name is Stefany M. Pana. I am 9 years old. I live in Jose Pio Drive, Savvy 25, Severina 18, Paranaque City. My mother's name is Judith M. Pana. My father's name is Rodel D. Pana. And, I have sibling, her name is Sheinadel M. Pana.

I have dreams. First, I like to build our beautiful house. Second, I like to be a Dra. Third, I like to build our Clinic. Fourth, I like to build our beautiful garden. Moreover, I also want to be in section 1. I want to be Top 1, scholar and honor. Lastly, I want to have a farm, farm resourt, swimming pool and 2 cars.

Now let me share my hobbies. I like playing games such as patintero, scoobydoo games in laptop, crossword, puzzle, scrabble and jumping rope. I like watching t.v. too.
Overall, my life is happy and full of love. I have loving parents, loving auntie, loving uncles, loving cousins, loving grandparents, and loving sibling."

Whew! I can finally sleep!

Patintero

One of the games I missed playing for many years now is "Patintero". The one I cherish the most is playing it together with Nanay (my mother), my siblings, cousins & aunts. I believe it happened just on two occasions. But, boy, it meant so much!

Today, after more than twenty years, I played it again. This time with my youngest brother (now 26 years old) & my two little nieces!

Gosh, I'm still thrilled! I still play with gusto! The simple fact of successfully passing through my opponent still satisfies me greatly!

But now, at some points in the game I put myself out of the scene, wear my grown-up hat & observe how my two little nieces are enjoying it!

It felt TerRRriFic to see them have their GRANDest late-afternoon break, just like me when I was a child! They shouted to the top of their voice. They giggled! They laughed heartily! My team-mate, Shenna, argued with his uncle as if they were of the same age. She tried to pass through his long arms! She gave her best to tag her opponent sister, Fanny, to the point that she stumbled. They were all out for the game that they didn't mind the bad & painful falls they had.

Simple games like this is surely a blast for kids! To us grown-ups, this may mean nothing. But to kids, simple games played with them by their parents, siblings, cousins, aunts & uncles create so much impact. Twenty years from now, don't be surprised to learn that these short moments are the most precious memories they treasure dearly.

So, when given the chance, grab it! Play with your little loved-ones & let the child in you come alive!

Truly Heart-warming!

While we were watching t.v. last night, my 9-year-old niece, "Fanny", really touched my soul. She shared her savings is running Php17.00. After praising her, I asked what she will buy with her savings. She replied that she will buy new shoes for her Papa because his current is already worn out. She also added, after buying the shoes she will save again for her Papa's wallet.

Heart-warming, indeed! I'm thankful my brother is blessed with two very sweet & loving little girls!

Competent Communicator Norm

Finally, I've completed the basic manual in my Toastmasters' journey last Thursday eve. After delivering my last speech project (10th speech) I earned my competent communicator norm.

Here's my graduation speech!

YOU MUSTN'T QUIT!

You mustn’t quit! Don’t you dare quit! Push onto the finish line! This is what I play in my mind over & over when I find myself stuck somewhere or is too weary to move forward. By steadfastly pushing on I have proven time & time again that I don’t only accomplish something. I also move myself up a notch because of the learning experiences. Best of all, I earn rewards!

I discovered this remarkable reality when I was in grade 4. That was the time when my father got so ill & eventually died. The rest of my family moved back to Bicol while me & my younger brother stayed with our Aunt in Cavite to finish the school year. We used to live in Pasay in my parents’ employer. We left when my father got ill due to some misunderstandings. As our school was in Pasay, we commuted from Cavite. The everyday trip was long & exhausting. At our age, it was also risky as we had to brave the streets by ourselves! Likewise my brother & I had to endure waiting for each other as my class was in the morning while his was in the afternoon. But we didn’t notice. What bothered us was our provisions! They were NOT sufficient to keep us loaded for our whole day stay at school! My aunt could only afford our lunch & our transportation. We didn’t have extra for our morning & afternoon snacks! As to the waiting time, I was able to settle my brother’s by asking our school guard & janitor to look after him while I attend my classes. But I was terribly bored waiting the whole afternoon for him! I also get famish most of the time because I let him eat more of our provisions so he could have enough energy for his classes in the afternoon!

Soon I learned to fight boredom by finishing my assignments & reviewing our lessons. This paved the way for me to become part of top 10. However, I really couldn’t combat starvation. I was already tempted to quit school. But my heart was against it. The thought of repeating & being much older than most of my classmates bothered me greatly! So I shared my dilemma to the mother of my classmate. Fortunately, she had a way to help me. She made me assist in her sideline of sawing beads into necklaces. She paid me P1 for each. Thus, the whole afternoon I was busy making necklaces of beads. I made sure to finish at least 10 before my brother’s classes end so I could buy two snacks & have extra for our fare from Libertad to Baclaran where we take the jeep going to Cavite. Unfortunately, after a month, my classmate’s mother stopped sawing beads. So I was back to enduring starvation and thinking of quitting school. I only changed my mind after I was able to close a deal with my adviser that made me earn P3 & additional points in my Values Educ subject. I fetched her kinder daughter after her class & bring her to their home. But then I realized I end up more tired & hungry because I had to walk back to school. Until I thought of another solution!

I figured maybe I could get some snacks in the house of my parents’ former employer, Lola Mana. She was a disciplinarian but had a compassionate heart. I strongly felt she would be moved if I pay her a visit. Good thing my feeling was correct. Upon seeing me she ordered her maids to give me some snacks. That event gave me a bright idea! My problem of getting hungry will be solved if I spend the rest of my afternoon in Lola Mana’s house! That visit became a Monday to Friday ritual. Right after accompanying my teacher’s daughter, I go straight to Lola Mana!

At that age, I already knew I needed to do something in return so I could continue going to her house. Thus, I insisted to help her maids. I also made sure I gave my best in whatever task she assigns to me. Later I figured my bro could also have his snacks there before we head back to Cavite so I arranged that we just meet there after his class.

Our unfortunate condition indeed brought out the best in me. It sharpened my negotiation skills and resourcefulness. Our daily commute made me braver and street-smart! Looking after my brother made me motherly & more mature. I also learned to value things! What’s more, we successfully finished that school year and earn back the trust of Lola Mana that led for her and my mother to reconcile & touch-base.

Going back to the issue on schooling, upon learning that I would stop, Lola Mana offered to provide me shelter so I could continue. I stayed in her home until I was in 2nd year high school. It was a simple give & take arrangement. She would feed me and provide me shelter. In return I would diligently help in the house. Little did I know that such set-up would be my strong foundation spiritually, personally & scholastically speaking. Lola Mana’s family joined forces to painstakingly teach me my core values now – diligence, integrity, honesty, frugality, dedication, fortitude, love for God! Through my day-to-day obligations I learned the basics of time management & life in general. Lolo Manuel & Kuya Let exposed me in office work & other manly duties. Lola on the other hand, taught me the basics of managing a home through my household chores. My training went even to minute stuff like making sure I don’t waste a single piece of rice on my plate! She also patiently brought me closer to God while she honed my potentials scholastically speaking. I still vividly remember our afternoon sessions of bible reading. I had some problems with my English & accent then. Every afternoon when I don’t have school, she would let me read verses in the Bible aloud and correct every error in my pronunciation. She would also test my comprehension by letting me explain how I understood what I read.

Our informal learning sessions helped me to excel in school & get full scholarship for my entire college education in one of the top state Universities in the country. What’s more I was able to get additional financial help for mine & my siblings’ other school expenses from Laurie Defatte, an American, whom we met through Lola Mana. She religiously sent me money until I finished college.

Looking back, I did get so much in return by simply not giving up! I would have not become who I am now if I decided to quit and went with my family to Bicol. I would have not discovered I could benefit greatly from our relationship with Lola Mana if I didn’t courageously give her a visit! Thus, although that stage in my life was my toughest ordeal, I dearly treasure it. Truly ugly problems and hurdles are wrappers of great gifts & rewards!.... There is always rainbow after the rain!

So whatever difficulties you face right now, don’t ever quit! Yes, don’t quit! Rest if you must, but never quit!

As I quote Edgar Guest “ Success is failure turned inside out. You never can tell how close you are. Stick to the fight when you're hardest hit. It's when things seem the worst that You Mustn't Quit!"

A Walk around the Subvision

Yes, you read the title correctly.

Finally, we moved to our new home! The one we can call our own. It feels great, really! Now, I'm itching to complete the remaining work - security grilles, furnishings & stuff. It's good that I'm given good advice by friends - do it one at a time.

It took 8 long months to construct our home. Difficulties & challenges came along the way. It took 3 months to secure the bldg. permit. Temp. electricity took a couple of months to be installed . What's worst, my contractor did not tell me right away that the money I paid him for the materials did not all go to my house. He spent it in his other projects that encountered problems. Thus, although I was so generous with my payments I found out one day that my house was not progressing! Thankfully, me & hubby did all we can to be objective & calm in handling the situation. Rather than forcing the contractor to produce, we decided to take over. Our contractor on the other hand was humble & brave enough to face the consequences of his mistakes. He remained at our disposal for some of our (non-financial) needs & concerns.

We ended up spending a lot more than our budget. As I'm more hands-on in this area than my husband, I also got exhausted attending to all the needs & concerns. It was truly physically & financially draining! But shit happens! All we're left to do is to charge everything to experience. At least our house is now finished & we already live in it! (Although I'm still waiting for the occupancy permit & permanent MERALCO (electricity) connection)

Yehey! We're no longer renting! Now we know as well what to watch out for in similar undertakings.

Because of going over the budget, I had to sacrifice other plans I earnestly hoped to fullfill when the house is done (e.g. buying appliances, fixtures & stuff). Fortunately, the pleasure of seeing our home & being able to have our lazy walk around the subdivision is slowly making me forget.

It's been a while

Yeah. It's been a while. 'Have been swamped with work & stuff lately. 'Thought of writing when I was in Bicol taking my easter vacation. But I ended up still catching up on some tasks. I had fun though. It's been two years since my last homecoming. I missed the company of my 2 younger siblings. Also had some quality time with my 2 nephews who are living with Nanay right now.

Overall, I believe my summer have been productive.

It's Mommy's Birthday!

The 3rd significant woman in my life, my mother-in-law, celebrated her birthday yesterday. I was still awake when the clock ticked 12MN so I immediately texted her a simple birthday message. She sent a 'thank you' reply early morning the next day.

I'm not really that sweet or close to her. In fact, I restrain myself when I'm with her because like me, she has a dominant personality. Two dominant women have the tendency to clash so I keep myself on check, although I observe she does the same too. Besides, she has a distinct personality which both hubby & me couldn't fully comprehend. Moreover, like my own mother, she whines too often (which I'm trying to understand because apparently this is common to most older women). Although I'm able to handle Nanay better because I can easily make her shut up, change her mood & mindset.

Anyhow, she's significant to me because without her my other half, bestfriend & hubby would have not existed in this world. Besides, if she did not raise hubby that well, I would have a problematic marraige to date. She seem to have inculcated in him the right principle & values regarding managing relationships and life in general.

I don't say my husband is perfect. He is far from being one. Just like any man, he also committed shameful mistakes! He is a work in progress! (Mind you I'm more knowledgeable in carpentry & plumbing than him.) I believe he was too sheltered & pampered too at some point in his growing up years that he's handicapped in managing his personal & domestic life without me. Hehehe! But he's sweet, understanding & loving. Home buddy. No vices. He's amazingly very patient & calm too just like my eldest & youngest brothers.

Overall my hubby is a fine husband. (I hope a good father too, when we finally have kids). I would have regretted marrying him if Mommy failed to build his character . That's why although Mommy remains a mystery to me, I'm very grateful to her!

Happy birthday, Mommy!

Keys to a productive day!

Pray before you rise up from bed. Ask for wisdom, guidance, protection, great health, and what have you!

Read your Bible. Feed your spirit. It's the same as eating breakfast!

Eat a hearty breakfast! You need it to condition your body for the day's challenges.

Prepare a to-do list (in any manner you prefer). Plan your course for the day. Prioritize!

Act! Accomplish what you've planned to do and monitor your progress.

Rest & relax once in a while during the day. It allows you to recharge & refocus. Remember to eat healthy lunch & snacks too!

End the day with good dinner. Have some quality time & fun with loved-ones. Be grateful for the experiences, be it good or bad. Things happen for a reason. Pray again before you sleep.

Start Now!

This was circulated by our HR in my previous work. I find it inspiring and I want to share it. I hope the author (whom I forgot to find out) won't mind.
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Start right now to fulfill your best possibilities. Start right now to achieve the goals you've set for yourself. Those goals, those possibilities are too important to let them go stale. There is something you can do right now to move toward them. Get busy and do it. There is some initial action you can take. Get busy and take it.

What have you always told yourself you would do? Who is the person you have always wanted to become? What is the lifestyle you've always wished for? Wishing is not enough. Intention is not enough. At some point you must take action to achieve those things you truly desire. That point is right now.

Now is the time you have available to you. Now is your opportunity to act. Now is when your goals, your dreams, your ambitions begin to become a reality.

There's no need to put off the fulfillment of your best possibilities for another moment. Start now, take action, keep going and experience the incomparable thrill of making your dreams a reality.

It's Nanay's Birthday!

The other very important woman in my life, Nanay (mom) will celebrate her 61st birthday tomorrow. I know she's expecting my greetings so I called her already.

I was saddened to learn that she's having loose bowel movement. But she assured me she'll be fine. (I do hope she will because I don't want her to have another intestine infection again).

After she got hospitalized last year I've tried many times to get her a health plan. But I didn't succeed. She retorted she doesn't want to attract sickness. Besides, she's old already.

Somehow, she has a point. I worry too much she will get sick rather than believe in her conviction to remain healthy & strong.

Talking about her conviction, I would say that Nanay has been a very brave, strong & persevering woman. Very loving & responsible parent too. She raised the 5 of us almost by herself because our father was working far away all the time. More than that, before he died, at age 37, he was bedridden for one year. His sickness put us to so much debt and poverty. Slowly Nanay worked hard to put us out of debt & build us again a decent home. She did not re-marry. She dedicated her life to us, her 5 kids.

Also, it was Nanay who first introduced me to being a girlscout (always prepared). Whenever I recall those times when we were residing in a remote place & there was typhoon, I'm amazed with how she managed to keep us safe & our "bahay kubo" intact. With my 2 older siblings who were 10 & 11 years old then, they would climb up the roof & secure our little house by tying it to a nearby sturdy tree. Upon learning a typhoon is approaching she would mobilize us to fetch as much drinking water & firewood as we could. She would protect our cabinets with plastic so our clothes & other important belongings won't get wet. Our little house was situated near the riverbank. When it overflows she would lead us to evacuate to a neighbor. She would instruct us (our youngest sibling wasn't born yet so only 4 of us) to hold tight to the rope tied on her waist while we brave through the whirling winds & rain. Mat, blankets, some clothes & food sealed in plastic were tacked on my older brothers' back, while she carried a gallon of drinking water & night lamp. After the typhoon, she would patiently do basic carpentry to repair damaged walls & roof of our house.

Nanay has been through so much. I'm thankful she remained steadfast. Now, at 61 she's not as brave as she was but remains very loving & caring even though the 4 of us are already married and our youngest is already 26 years old.

To Nanay, happy birthday!

(First) Vita Plus Health Drinks

I learned about First Vita Plus health drinks from my friend, Khatz. She left me a box of dalandan flavor to try before she went back to Singapore. She urged that it would help in my fertility workup. She also explained it's all natural & would complement my effort to shun synthetic food & get rid off toxins from my organs.

I didn't really give it much attention because I saw that it was a bit pricy. But after I tasted it, the rest is history.

I've come to love this juice! It tastes reeaalllly good! The ingredients perfectly blend! You wouldn't notice the herbs. Mind you that it contains five power herbs such as Malunggay, Camote & Sili Tops, Uray & Saluyot. So everytime I drink it I feel I'm becoming healthier. And even if I drink a lot, I don't worry about taking in too much cetric acid or carbonated water & artificial flavors. It's guiltless pleasure ...hehehe!

We were able to consume the box that Khatz left in just 1.5 weeks. I bought the first bag containing 12 boxes and costing almost 7K last Nov 2008. I gave out 5 boxes as gift last Christmas. The rest, we all drank! My hubby & myself got crazy with it and so are my 'pamangkins' (nieces & nephew) who stayed with us the whole Yuletide. Since it has become part of mine & hubby's daily appetite, I bought my second bag right after finishing the remaining stock. The price which I was initially so concerned about became insignificant.

If you want to try this Health drink as well, pls feel free to contact me (jarabelo.judith@gmail.com). I'll be glad to assist.

You can know more about this product by going to http://www.firstvitaplus.net/

Happy 81st Birthday, Lola Mana!

Lola Mana, one of the most important women in my life, is celebrating her 81st birthday. She's born on a leap year, Feb 29, so this year it's either Feb 28 or Mar 1.

I'm thankful she reached her 81st years of life without any serious health baggage. She's relatively healthy, except for the usual old-age discomfort of joint pains, light sleep, and hearing problem. She remains beautiful as she is. She still manifests deep sense of frugality, practicality & conservativeness. But more tolerant now with the 'odd' things that she sees around unlike when she was younger. She hated tagalog telenovelas, but now I learned that she avidly follows 'Kapamilya' shows & soaps (which surprised me)!

She used to ban us from watching tagalog shows, that's why. She would push English shows only! According to her, we (me & my siblings) must love English shows so we could learn the international language right away. When she would see us watching tagalog soap operas, she would nag us. The only Tagalog show we watched then was John & Marsha & only when Lolo Manuel (her late husband) was watching. All throughout the week were English - KnightRider, Mcgyver, Airwolf, The E. Team, Miami Vice, Mission Impossible, et. al. Likewise, our t.v viewing was filled with snap quizzes. Whenever she hears an English word she thought was worth memorizing she would quickly ask for its tagalog translation! When we don't know, she would patiently reiterate the word & its tagalog translation.

It's really refreshing & heartwarming to reminisce my experiences with Lola Mana. Bitter experiences (as I treat them when I was younger) that now are sweet and truly valuable (after realizing their worth)! She's not my real grandma. We are not related by blood at all. She was simply my parents employer. But since my family lived in her house, she & Lolo Manuel took the responsibility to teach and impart to us these great lessons & values.

I didn't understand her then. But now I know. She's so correct! Exposure to English language through watching English shows/soaps/movies is truly one of the easiest & fun way to slowly learn the English craft!

Thanks.Thanks. Thanks, Lola! My birthday prayer for you is that you continue to have peace of mind & healthy body. No more joint pains & hearing difficulty! Your sleep this whole year should all be sound!

Reflections

I have been in bad shape since Monday. The first two days was because of the usual period cramps. Yesterday was because I got stressed at work. So today, I decided to telecommute. Good thing I did because I feel much better now although my throat still aches.

In between the moments when my mind was not busy with work I reflected on a number of things. I don't want to sound mushy, but I'm glad my reflection always ended with a happy thought.

One of my reflections was that of my stint in Stolt Nielsen, a global shipping company. When I filed my resignation, my closing statement was that I will forever be thankful to this company. Six months after, I'm amazed to find myself feeling more than thankful! And I can't contain my emotion that's why I wrote this post.

Stolt Nielsen made me feel so cared for as an employee. Very generous with benefits. Since it's multinational & relatively big I got exposed to diverse personalities & cultures. I gained great friends (both personal & professional)! I met & worked with amazing people! My bestfriend & I got to work in the same roof again that allowed me to enjoy more her company. I was given due recognition for my efforts that helped boost my self-steem. More than these, Stolt Nielsen opened up so many doors of opportunities for me that allowed me to grow more as a person and as a career woman. I don't say that Stolt Nielsen is perfect and that all had been sunshine in my entire employment. Just like any other organization, to my eyes, it had its own inefficiencies & politics. I struggled to fit in. My employment had its rainy & stormy days. In fact, I left with a heavy heart because of some misunderstandings with my immediate boss. And too bad, we weren't able to patch things up (although I'm hopeful we will, one day). But truly, the bitter-sweet memories of my Stolt days combined all together is a blast! I'm more mature, more confident, more knowledgable and more blessed because of Stolt.


And, this is the reason why I feel better now.

Fastest Thing!

This has been circulating on the internet. Our Pastor even used this as part of his humor last Sunday. The person who wrote this is not only amusing. He's also brilliant! And, if Eleuterio is real & a true-blooded Filipino, wow! Now, we can claim, we're not just happy people. We're also quick-witted! Hahaha!

Cherish the laugh!

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The HR Manager at CISCO was given the task of hiring an individual tofill a job opening. After sorting through a stack of resumes he found four people who were equally qualified. .. An American, a Russian, anAustralian and a Filipino. He decided to call the four in and ask them only one question. Their answer would determine which of them would get the job.

The day came and as the four sat around the conference room table the interviewer asked, "What is the fastest thing you know of?"Acknowledging Dave, the American on his right, the man replied, "A THOUGHT". It just pops into your head. There's no warning that it's on the way; it's just there. A thought is the fastest thing I know of.""That's very good!" replied the interviewer. And now you sir?" he asked Vladimir, the Russian. "Hmm.... let mesee. A blink! It comes and goes and you don't know that it ever happened. A BLINK is the fastest thing I know of." "Excellent!" said the interviewer. "The blink of an eye, that's a very popular cliche for speed."He then turned to George, the Australian who was contemplating his reply. Well, out at my dad's ranch, you step out of the house and on the wall there's a light switch. When you flip that switch, way out across the pasture the light in the barn comes on. Yep, TURNING ON A LIGHT is the fastest thing I can think of."

The interviewer was very impressed with the third answer and thought he had found his man."It's hard to beat the speed of light" he said. Turning to Eleuterio, the Filipino, the fourth and final man, the interviewer posed the same question. Eleuterio replied, " Apterherring da 3 frevyos ansers sirrr, et's obyus to me dat the fastestthang known is " DIARRHEA "

WHAT!?" said the interviewer, stunned by the response. "O I can expleynserrr ." said Eleuterio . " YOU SEE SERR, DA other day I wasn'tPeeeling so good and I run soo fast to the CR, but, before I could THINK, BLINK, or TURN ON THE LIGHT, sus ginoo, I already had a big shyet in my pants. Eleuterio is now the new "Senior Lead Engineer" at CISCO

Useful Household Tips

This was forwarded to our maillist in Butter-N-Toast, Toastmasters. I find it very interesting & useful so I took the liberty to post it. I hope you learn something from it too.

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Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the little 'stringy things' off of it. That's how the primates do it.

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.

Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold! Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.

Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.

To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.

For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting.

Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.

Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. Yummm!

Reheat Pizza. Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

Easy Deviled Eggs. Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

Expanding Frosting. When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.

Reheating refrigerated bread. To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

Newspaper weeds away. Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers, put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.

Broken Glass. Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.

No More Mosquitoes. Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

Flexible vacuum To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

Reducing Static. Cling Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and ... ta da! .. static is gone.

Measuring Cups. Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.

Reopening envelope. If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.

Conditioner. Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.

Goodbye Fruit Flies. To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2' with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

Get Rid of Ants. Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

BPI vs. Metrobank

Today I was given the chance to compare services of two banks - BPI & MetroBank.

I'm really a BPI account holder but I was forced to transact with MetroBank because my contractor's account is in the said bank.

Convenience. BPI is better. Transferring of fund to another BPI account is just a click of the mouse after it's enrolled. They have many branches & seem to be linked tightly to each other. Depositing from another branch is very easy. Good banking system, I should say! With Metrobank I experienced waiting for almost an hour because they cannot find the branch where my contractor has his account! Their directory is not updated!

Personal Touch. I still favor BPI. I don't know. It may be because the approach of the Metrobank Personnel I talked to was not to my liking. It was too "bakya" for me. I felt awkward with how they tried to sell the bank's investment products to me. More so with how they asked questions about me. It was too blunt & intruding!

Professionalism. I would like to give credit to the guy who attended me. He was good in customer service. Looks professional too in the way he handles irate client. Too bad I was not able to get his name. (I got mad because my contractor gave me wrong info about his account & the teller didn't want to process it). I felt sad however, to see how loaded he was while his two other colleagues in the new account section were just *flirting* with one male client (sorry for the word). But I don't blame them. It seems like that male client brings in so much cash in the branch. Anyhow, it's good that I still have not encountered a BPI Personnel exchanging kinky jokes with a male client.

Overall, I'm happy I'm a BPI client. But I still want to give Metrobank the benefit of the doubt.

Sonya's Escapade

Last weekend we had an opportunity to dine & tour at Sonya's garden through the invitation of our friend, Leo.

I appreciated the food, composed of veggie salad, bread, pasta & dessert. But poor hubby missed the usual rice & viand! Fortunately, he enjoyed the dalandan juice & dessert!

After our lunch we toured the place. Truly, our eyes feasted. The ambiance gave a refreshing feel I couldn't explain! The landscape & the simple beauty of the flowers & plants around naturally enchanted us!

It was indeed a refreshing escapade! Thanks to Leo!

Green tips to prolong life of books & docs

I practice five(5) rules to prolong life of my books & docs. But last December, I discovered one (1) more. The most important, I believe, since I don't only protect my books. I also protect the environment.

These were my 5 Rules to longer books-&-docs-life.

1. Cover them with plastic right after purchase.
2. Handle & flip each leaf with care.
3. Flatten each leaf. Make sure no part is folded.
4. Return them onto their nest or shelf right after use.
5. Immediately seal with scotch tape partially torn or worn out leaf-edges.


The 6th rule: Put them inside transparent plastic while they wait for their next use on their nest.

Actually, this 6th rule popped by accident. While figuring out how I could protect my books from gathering dust, I chanced upon a document I kept inside a plastic. The plastic was dirty & worn-out already. But the docs inside remained crisp & white.



After my Aha! moment, I immediately digged through my collection of used transparent grocery bags. See picture of my collection! I have wide array that fits to the sizes of my books & docs. (Remember, I'm also an advocate of 5Rs, one of which is re-use).



I then started to put my books & other treasured items inside these plastics. The result truly overjoyed me! Gaze at the pictures of my books & you hardly notice they are snugged inside discarded plastic bags!




The grocery plastic bags that normally go to the garbage perfectly sheltered my books!The "green" factor just comes as a bonus. Little effort but so much benefit!

Sweet Musings about Nanay (my mom)

If last week I felt so annoyed for the hassles my allergies caused, now I feel I should be grateful it happened. My allergies served as the reason so I could spend some quality time with my mother.

She's now 61 years old. The hardships she went through in raising us, her 5 brood, now show on her wrinkled & scorched skin. But she remains tireless in demonstrating how she loves & cares for us. In the several days that we're together I've felt so loved and cared for. She still treats me like her little girl. She still can't help herself from giving me sweet caress(es) when I lie down beside her for our small talks before she sleeps. But what I love most is that she's been spoiling me & my hubby! When we wake up our ginger or malunggay tea is already waiting for us! Breakfast is ready! She makes my domestic life so carefree!

I wish she can be with me all the time. Unfortunately, I can see that she does not enjoy life in the metropolis. She draws strength & happiness from her daily gardening & raising of pets. She terribly misses her native chickens, her pigs, her other pets, her ornamental plants & vegetables. So, although she committed to stay until Thursday, I already said she can go home this coming Sunday. Anyway, my allergies are almost gone now. I saw her face lit up the moment I mentioned she can go home sooner.

I just pray she'll remain strong & healthy until her '90s. For 3 years now she's been mentioning about owning cows & goats to add to her list of pets. That's why I earnestly pray I could have enough money soon to buy her a bigger land so she can have bigger space to raise farm animals & grow her ornamental plants, vegetables & fruit trees.

Thanks to God & to my allergies for paving the way for our mother-daughter bonding.

Siling Labuyo for Itchy Skin Rashes

After being in the metropolis for a long time, I forgot that Siling Labuyo (small variety of pepper, the very hot ones) are effective remedy for itchy skin. Thanks to Nanay for making me remember. Mothers really know best!

Yes, you heard me right. Fresh red pepper cures itch! And let me emphasize that it is very effective & cheap compared to anti-histamine ointments available in the market.

Six years ago, I was already rushed to the hospital due to rashes after doing general cleaning. But I enjoy doing domestic chores. Likewise, I admit I can be OC (obsessive compulsive). I want things done my way. I'm very hands-on. I'm also hard to please when it comes to cleanliness. So I prefer to do domestic stuff myself. Unfortunately, I had terrrible skin rashes (again) last week after cleaning and arranging stuff in our rooftop. As they were getting worse I was forced to avoid doing chores. But my hubby hates domestic duties so I had to seek help outside. Good thing, Nanay is always ready to rescue. Upon learning my mishap she immediately rushed to Manila from Bicol.


Skin rashes are really itchy so Nanay immediately bought a bunch of fresh "Siling Labuyo". She made me apply their sap topically on the itchy part. In one application itchiness did disappear! My skin did not darken as well unlike in the past when I applied anti-histamine ointments my derma prescribed! The only downside is that I suffered from extreme burning sensation for hours! But overall I'm satisfied. My rashes healed fast without the ugly dark spots!

Thanks to my dearest Nanay & Siling labuyo!

Beliefs of Successful People

Last Jan 14 I had the opportunity to attend a short lecture by Tony Burgess (Director of Academy of High Achievers, www.aha-success.com). In his lecture he shared the Beliefs/Traits of successful people. They are the following:

I am amazing! I have so much potential!
Problem = Learning
Yes, I can do it!
If one Can, I can!
If noone Can, I can!
The how will become clear!
I'm responsible for my mistakes, noone else!
Soon, I will be in the driving seat!
GRATITUDE- I'm grateful for what I have!
VISUALIZATION -I'm able to visualize clearly my dreams!
Keep deciding & Acting

So, if you have the same mindset, you are on the right track! You'll soon achieve your goals!

Cheers to your success!

Reuse Suds & water from the laundry!

My husband always gives me a stern look whenever he sees me toil to reuse the suds and water from the laundry. In return, I give him a sweet smile! :-)

Re-using of suds & water was a childhood obligation that I hated to do. But since I was made to do it all the time it became part of my system. Now it's been my practice to also clean the bathroom or wash rugs & rags after I wash our clothes so I can re-use the suds and water. If there's extra I patiently transfer them into a covered pail then slowly consume them for flushing the toilet or for washing other dirty stuff.

I admit it's tiring. But I choose to do it for three good reasons. I am able to cut water bill & expense on detergent. I am able to accomplish my everyday goal to be environmentally conscious! Most importantly, I am able to abate the blows that mother earth gets from us-humankind!

So, realizing my noble purpose,(after giving me a stern look), my husband obliges himself to snatch from me the pail-of-used-suds-&-water and carry it for me all the way to the bathroom. Sweet no?!

Tomatoes & left-overs in the Freezer!

Yes, I store tomatoes (the over-ripe ones) in the freezer! Keeping them there prolongs their life.

I also do the same for cooked left-overs that we don't feel eating again yet. I stock them in the freezer for a day or two. When our tastebuds are ready to enjoy them again, I move them to the ref to thaw. After being heated, they almost taste newly cooked!

I do this not because I have separation anxiety for the things I bought or exerted effort on. Main thing, I prevent food wastage. I save money! And, I don't feel guilty about mismanaging my blessings & resources.

Pls try it.

Patch Adams

I just finished watching this movie. It's really moving and heart-warming! Packed with lessons, humor and drama! After a great laugh during the spaghetti-in-the-pool treat for the lady-patient, we got teary-eyed when Patch fought for his right to graduate in the Med school. 'Never thought it could be a good treat after forcing myself to be productive today!

Well, my whole day had actually been both productive & sentimental. This morning, just before I rose from bed, it popped in my mind to text our Ninang (Godmother), say hi! and share to her that I learned Buko Juice is a wonder water, good for her recovery from the series of chemo she underwent. I thought it was a great idea so I immediately sent her the SMS. In her reply I seem to have lightened up her day!

At 10 am, while trying to relax my eyes from gazing at the computer monitor, I thought of texting the lady I emulate for the pending dinner treat for her. I had to express my sympathy because I learned her father-in-law just passed away.

At lunch, I took the initiative to lead the prayer. Little did I know I was uttering a not so-usual meal prayer this time. After thanking the Lord for our blessings, peaceful and productive day, I asked that he keep us good steward of HIS wisdom & riches. I saw my husband gave a sweet smile and nod to agree. Said prayer set the tone so we could reminisce and express how we appreciate where we are now. My husband said it better. We're fortunate to be able to feel how it is to have full control of the time!... where we can be more productive by taking advantage of leveraging! We're now starting to be in the situation where we can strategize and plan more! Yahoo!(Me & my husband are working from home right now so we're able to enjoy meals together).

Then at dinner, I got a surprise text message from an aunt in the province asking that I lend her some money to serve as capital in buying 'palay'(rice). Last Christmas I talked to her and she was asking if she could temporarily work as househelp for me while they're waiting for the coconut to bear fruit. She explained that they don't have source of income right now because coconuts did not bear good fruit due to continuous rainfall. I turned her down because I don't need househelp & I feel awkward with the idea. Because Patch Adams reminded us of the essence of giving & helping others, my husband & are seriously thinking of lending her provided we can afford the amount.

Truly, I'm thankful for everything. I don't know. Sounds mushy but I do feel so blessed to have a great marraige & husband; loving mother & siblings & in-laws!


Going back to Patch Adams, if you are fond of watching inspiring and heart-warming movies, I urge you to grab a copy and watch it soonest!

Done with Speech No. 9!

After the agonies, I've finally delivered my Speech no. 9. The full text is pasted below with the pictures of 2 of my most treasured dreamboards.

This a true-to-life recounting of my goal setting experiences. I hope you'll learn something from it and will soon seriously do the same ( if not doing it yet) . Enjoy Reading!

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You want A Bright Future? Set Your Goals Now!


This shabby notebook may look worthless. But believe it or not, this was instrumental in shaping my future. This served as my dream-board and journal where I scribbled my prayers, my hopes , my dreams, my goals as well as the twists and turns of my life from 1996 to Yr 2000. These cardboards on the other hand, came to life in 2002 when my husband & I decided to go for bigger and bolder dreams! I could have thrown these stuff already. But I treasure them dearly because they never fail to make my reminiscing of my past sweeter! More importantly, they serve as my reminder of how vital it is to have goals, to plan for your future and consistently work on them until you achieve them and become a better you.

Writing goals, prayers, hopes and dreams concretized my thoughts and fantasies. In times when I feel I was not going anywhere reading them provided additional strength to continue moving forward. Though I admit a number of my goals changed significantly as time went on, two things never did — I always have plans and that most of them did materialize.

As emphasized by successful people and gurus, a person who aims to achieve something should always make it a point to set his goals. Goals provide direction. They act as roadmap for our future. That is why, it’s always an advantage to have GRAND dreams so that we can be sure we will end up on a better ground. Keep in mind that no one wins without a particular game plan. Has anyone here encountered a WINNER without any game plan at all? Only those who set goals have huge chances of winning! Scrutinize the life stories of successful people and you will see that they all were avid goal setters. They dream BIG!

I know it’s easier said than done. I had my shares of that. But honestly, if you are serious about succeeding, setting and reaching goals should be empowering. Besides, ways and means to remain excited about goal setting abound. In my case for example:

I Commit to my goals. When my husband and I committed to consistently work on our goals, we wrote them in this cardboard and we clipped this on the door of our closet so we see them always. As some of them materialize I never expected this piece of cardboard could become a source of joy and inspiration to dream more.

I R-E-A-D my goals: I exert best effort to READ my goals regularly. I EXAMINE and EVALUATE them as often as I can. Doing this allows me to discover new ideas to slowly make them happen. When I find that what I wanted few months back is not exactly what I want now, I ADJUST them when needed. And, I DISPLAY them in the most conspicious place of our room so I see them always! ( Now, I also keep them in my mobilephone & laptop so I can conveniently gaze at them when I'm on the go!

Moreover, I complement them with chunks of “to do list”. The to-do list allows me to be productive & remain on track. What I like about my to-do lists is that they make me feel guilty about putting off and not accomplishing my action items. I also do my best to take action on the most important things every day. The to-do list doesn’t have to be very organized. Just make sure it’s readable, handy and aligned to your goals.

On the other hand, when circumstances get tough, when things seem to take forever to happen despite working long and hard and I start to lose my drive and get weary, I strive to recharge by praying. I’m also fortunate that my husband exerts effort to give all the encouragement and support I need in my trying moments.

An example is that of my dream to own house & lot. I admit my specs were ambitious. But I thought earning it was possible in 3 yrs. Unfortunately, it took 7 long years before this dream started to materialize. God knows how many times I complained for his very slow response. But I’m thankful I waited. I realize he didn’t want me to buy ready-made house. He wanted me to build it the way I want.

I also strive to surround myself with successful supportive people. I made a mistake once. I don’t want to commit the same again. I gave up my lovely voice as a child and my passion for singing because of staying in a crowd of naysayers.

If I can, I also try to emulate successful people. I meticulously read their success stories. Learning how they triumph inspires and keeps me motivated. It sparks new ideas! And it's true, somehow you save time and avoid the painful trial and error!

And…most importantly, I make it a point to be grateful for what I have. Being grateful keeps my faith in God and in my capabilities solid. I'm able to remain positive. It makes me value my gifts and my blessings. It allows me appreciate more the fruits of my goal setting efforts. Having a grateful disposition also opens up more doors to amazing opportunities!

We truly are the master of our fate, the captain of our ship. Where we are now is always the result of the choices we made. And our future will be shaped by the goals we set. So, I urge you decide to take charge of your future and create the life you love to live! It’s never too late to sit down and set your goals. Year 2009 has just started, this may be a good time to start, renew, revisit, revise or revive your commitments and your dreams!

(When I already have the resources)I hope to organize an event in the future that will showcase the methods & tools used to set goals for success! I hope I will see you there!

Still not Prepared for my Speech!

I committed to deliver my 9th Basic Speech this coming Thursday. It's almost Wedsnesday but still to prepare it. Lord, when will I improve in this area?

I always have the tendency to cram. 'Been trying to rectify this weakness but I keep failing. I wasn't able to do my speech despite the long vacation! I was tempted to keep quiet when our VP for Education called for speakers. In fact, today I texted him to say I can forgo my slot. He didn't reply though. And I found in the group's post a while back that he already declared me to deliver this Thurs. I can't escape anymore! Thus tomorrow, I should force myself to come up with my speech! I did try to start drafting since Monday. But so many other things to do keep popping up. I know it's a bit absurd because I was able to compose this post! When you're in my shoes, you'll know.

Oh, by the way, I'm talking about my speech for our meeting in ButterNToast, Toastmasters Club (http://butterntoast.freetoasthost.net/). Toastmasters is an international organization of renowned, budding public speakers and wanna-be(s) like me. Since I'm about to deliver my 9th speech, it means I'm almost done with the Basic Manual! Hurray! That means I've one milestone soon in the area of public speaking. Truly, my membership in Toastmasters has helped me greatly boost my confidence and improve my speaking skills!

Going back, well, good luck to me tomorrow. I hope I can soon address my cramming habits.

To do List keeps me on track

Although my ATM card had been captured, I'd like to believe that I have been productive today.

Keeping a To-do list does help a lot in tracking productivity. It also provides some sort of direction. It doesn't have to be very organized. For my case, I just randomly scribble what comes to mind. When I'm mobile I enter it into my Iphone. When at home, on a piece of paper, specifically when I'm busy with the house chores. I usually do the prioritizing in my mind or when I have time, I consolidate my notes and arrange them by priority. To make sure I do accomplish what I wrote I review my progress regularly. And I have to admit I do get excited and ecstatic when I'm able to remain on track!

Today, including the hiccups which I consider blessing in disguise, I was able to accomplish 90% of my to-do notes. Not bad!

Tissue Paper, Towelette

Taking home unused (or used) tissue papers or towelettes gives me 4 simple pleasures. First, it brings back fond childhood memories. Second, it makes me feel proud of being environmentally conscious. Third, I'm able to save money. Fourth, the towelettes help me mend our precious-but-seriously-torn pants & shorts effectively!

Taking home unused tissue papers and towelettes used to be just Lola Mana's practice. She never fails to do this when she has the opportunity. The unused tissue papers go to our tissue holder for our use. The used ones are for cleaning the stove or the jalousies. For the stove, they absorb oil very well so cleaning is easier. For the jalousies, they effectively grab dust leaving a spotless gloss. The towelettes on the otherhand are washed and re-used.

I used to feel embarrassed whenever Lola Mana would let me gather these items. I also thought this was wrong. But after observing a number of waiters throw them in the garbage anyway, I began to appreciate Lola's effort. Now, I also realized I was fortunate to be taught (and trained) at a very young age the basics of protecting the environment. Unconsciously, I had been practicing the 5Rs - reduce, reuse, recycle, respect, responsible. I'm so glad I internalized this practice! Imagine, with the simple act of reusing and recycling I'm able to reduce waste. More than that, without knowing it, I've been advocating respect to the nature and sense of responsibility as well! So everytime I have the opportunity, I put these items in my bag with great pleasure, specially the towelette!

Yes, you heard me right. I find pleasure in bringing these items home specially the towelette! The main reason, I discovered they are also useful in mending our favorite-but-seriously-torn (in the butt area) cotton pants & shorts! Their being soft make them very good patches. Look at the pictures below to see what I mean!

I was able to prolong the life of husband's favorite shorts.




















This one is my favorite pants.

















The towelettes I used for the shorts are those I gathered from our dinner-outs within Manila. Those in the rugged pants were from Cathay Pacific & FinAir, during my recent business trip to Europe.

Indeed, taking home these pieces of paper can be embarrasing or a waste of time. But I hope this sharing will shed better light, urge us to take a second look at the tissue papers/towelettes we will leave behind and remember the 5Rs of protecting the environment. I'd be happy to hear your own story of the pleasures you get from doing this simple act!

More Daring & With Better Purpose

It's Jan 2, 2009 now! I couldn't believe I did not update my blog for several months!

Well, am renewing my dream to become a better writer so here I am again! Bolder this time as I've finally gathered enough guts to reveal my identity. With better purpose too for I'll now take my shot on sharing practical ideas (and maybe wisdom) and writing about life management in general! My way of honoring the two great women in my life. My mother - Elena Pana and Lola Mana, Mrs. Romana Bautista Flores. But most credits will go to Lola Mana 'coz my mom & I both learned from her.

Simple but intimate! That's how we celebrated the Holidays. (And I guess for most of the BIG days of my life...hehehe!) Simple & intimate get-together do allow for more bonding with loved ones. No fancy pleasantries. Just heart-felt sharings & conversations with the people you cherish. Our Christmas celebration this time is with a number of our pamangkins. They stayed with us for a couple of days. After dinner we played Bingo together, me, acting as Santa! Indeed, for 3 days our home had been filled with kisses, hugs, laughters, screams & cheers of angels!

Oops..before I forget, I'm now in a new job and I've finally finished my Masteral studies. We're also moving soon to our newly built home! Indeed, God blessed me greatly for Y2008. But I'm sure he has more abundance and wonderful experiences in store for me so I'm welcoming Y2009 with my advance thank you(s) to HIM! A prosperous & peaceful Y2009 to us!