Lovers in Heritage.. last night..

Just before I left the office last night, I was tempted to open the TV and took a peek on what's being shown at the local version of Lovers in Paris. There I saw KC looking for Piolo at the lobby of Heritage Hotel. It was flashed for only a few seconds but that scene was actually shot for a number of times, which made me realized that being an actress takes a lot of patience. Thank God I am not one. Hehehe

Back to my long-awaited episode, I was disappointed when one of my fave songs, "I Love You All The Way", was not being played at all. Or must it be that I just didn't get to that part as I already left the office in haste? Well, just to console myself, I would rather give it the benefit of the doubt. :)

Lovers in Heritage... soon!

I went home early yesterday, as early as seven o'clock in the evening. Yes, I consider that as unusual since I usually go home at nine o'clock. But that's not the story of this post.

While I was waiting for the delivery of my clothes from the laundry shop, I happened to glance at the TV. I saw Piolo Pascual playing the piano while KC was watching him. It was the preview of the future episode of Lovers in Paris.

I thought the shooting of scenes in Heritage Hotel last month was already shown in TV. I look forward to watch that scene, especially the part where the song entitled, "I Love You All The Way" is being played as a background music. But I know that would be near to impossible as I always go home late. I could have watched it in the office but i dare not to since I would rather listen to music while doing some stuff in the computer.

Enough of this thing. It's almost 9pm. Time to go home. :)

Voters' Registration Bruhaha

Weeks before the deadline of voters' registration, I was already considering transferring my registration from Surigao to Taguig since I might not be able to go to my hometown on election day, anyway.  But then, I hesitated as I got feedbacks that the process of registering would not be easy.  On the eve of typhoon Santi (October 30), I found out too late that, just the night before, the barangay accommodated most of my neighbors at the Police Station for their Police Clearance and they were already scheduled to march to COMELEC the following night.

Knowing my dilemma, the President (of our homeowners' association) took pity on me and accompanied me to the zone leader.  I was lucky enough that I was able to secure the needed Police Clearance without too much effort.  I was relieved further when I saw some of my neigbors as it was already about nine o'clock in the evening then.  The problem started when we were ferried to the barangay hall and waited for (censored!) while I could hear the rain threatening to pour flood-potential water in the area.  Right after we got we wanted, we were advised to proceed directly to COMELEC.  And it was almost midnight!

My neighbors and I (all are beautiful ladies! hehehe) decided to go home as we were already afraid that Santi might join us at the COMELEC office.  Nevertheless, we agreed to meet at seven o'clock the following day.  But then when I woke up that morning, the wind was making scary sounds outside.  Hence, I let Santi do his job while I nestled in bed and slept.  At almost noontime, my neighbors and I trooped to the barangay hall and proceeded immediately to COMELEC office.

There, we were greeted with bad news from acquaintances who just survived the recent Taguig COMELEC stampede.  Good thing, all their bones and skins remained intact.  Hehehe.  Anyway, we were informed that the COMELEC decided to defer the registration to November 3 due to power interruption..

Well, i should say, my registration efforts were swept away by typhoon Santi just like that.  The following day, November 1, I was on my way to my hometown for a week-long vacation.  I guess, I am meant to be in Surigao City on Election Day.  :)

UKG in Heritage

Just this morning, I saw Winnie Cordero on TV featuring the Christmas theme of Heritage Hotel at Umagang Kay Ganda (UKG) morning show. I did not give much thought on what has been displayed at the lobby, where I usually pass by on my way to office, not until now. The hotel showcased a London Castle, wherein anyone who would take a peek of what's inside, would see lots of yummy goodies that nobody could resist.

If I remember it right, the hotel's theme last year was about polar express that is exactly patterned after the movie with the same title. it was just unfortunate that i was not able to take a picture of myself with that background, for souvenir purposes. hehehe

When I arrived at the lobby right before nine o'clock this morning, Winnie was already in the Riviera (still inside the hotel) and was featuring the sumptuous dishes served for breakfast. I hope they also mentioned that the hotel's cakes are sooo sinfully delicious, especially that yummy chocolate cake that I recently tried. And who would not forget their own concoction of lemon iced tea that anyone in the office would swear that its sweet taste is absolutely heaven?!

I'm hungry! :)

I'm Back!

It had been months since I noticed that my ads in my blog were nothing but all public service ads. I thought my account with adsense was deactivated for some violations that I was not aware of.

Well, a week before I took a grand vacation (as in!), I received a long-delayed mail from google. I followed the instructions and, voila! I am back! I am sooo back!

For those of you who know why, wish me luck! For those who don't, just drop me a line.. :)

Lovers in Heritage

just yesterday afternoon, an officemate suddenly barged (hehehe, what an exaggeration!) in the office announcing that piolo pascual and kc concepcion were at the lobby, shooting some scenes for the local tv series, "Lovers in Paris". without much thinking, i grabbed my camera cellphone not realizing that i took the wrong gadget. i picked up the cellphone which camera has lower megapixels!

anyway, when i got to the area where i had a better glimpse of piolo and kc, i started taking some shots and forgot about my dilemma. i was even convinced to stay longer (never mind my audit work! hehehe) when i heard that one of my favorite songs entitled, "I Love You All The Way" was played as their background music.

as piolo was about to play the piano, i took it as my cue to exit and be productive somewhere!

ciao!

I Was There!

Yesterday marked another milestone in the pages of Philippine history. The first female president of the Philippines, Cory Aquino, who succumed to colon cancer on August 1, 2009, was finally laid to rest at the Manila Memorial Park, Sucat, Parañaque.

Seeing the Laban sign flashed by thousands of Filipinos on TV gave me goosebumps as it brought me back to my childhood memories when my neighbors, along with my siblings, acted like bullies at the streets, in our little town of Surigao. We did not necessarily know what we were fighting for (or shall we say, shouting for) nor we were aware of danger then as we saw helicopters flying above us and military vehicles passing by.

So much with the good ol' times (sigh!).. I decided to go to Magallanes yesterday and there I waited for Cory's funeral march to walk by. Check out the pictures which me and my colleagues captured:


I. people were already crowding the foot of flyover at the south superhighway corner edsa:




II. after the rain stopped: brrr! so cold!




III. the Laban sign!




IV. grabeh!
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V. malapit na si tita cory!




VI. ayan na!




VII. ayan na talaga!




VIII. goodbye tita!


IX. ako yan pagkatapos manood :)

The Hopeless Romantic In Me

Here I am again.  The hopeless romantic in me strikes again.  Just last Friday, we had a videoke session with my colleagues (hey! that was part of our "team-building activity". hehehe).

Anyway, due to public demand, a good-looking gentleman (i heard he is a Director-lawyer) hit the song, "Hanggang" by Wency Cornejo.  He sang it with such passion that my officemate was teary-eyed while I, well, I was trying not to be affected (hehehe).  The consequence?  To this day, that song kept ringing in my ears. :(

Here is the lyrics of that song:

Ilang ulit mo bang, itinatanong sakin
Kung hanggang saan, hanggang saan, hanggang kailan,
Hanggang kailan magtatagal,
Ang aking pagmamahal,
 
Hanggang may himig pa akong naririnig,
Dito sa aking daigdig
Hanggang may musika akong tinataglay
Ika'y iniibig
 
Giliw wag mo sanang isiping
Ikaw ay aking lilisanin
Di ko magagawang
Lumayo sayong piling
At nais kong malaman mo
Kung gaano kita kamahal
 
Hanggang ang diwa ko'y
Tanging sayo laan
Mamahalin kailanman
Hanggang pag ibig ko'y
Hanggang walang hanggan
Tanging ikaw lamang
 
Hanggang may himig pa akong naririnig
Dito sa aking daigdig
Hanggang may musika akong tinataglay
Ika'y iniibig
 
Giliw wag mo sanang isiping
Ikaw ay aking lilisanin
Di ko magagawang
Lumayo sayong piling
At nais kong malaman mo
Kung gaano kita kamahal
 
Hanggang may puso akong
Marunong magmahal
Na ang sinisigaw ay lagi ng ikaw
Hanggang saan hanggang kailan
Hanggang kailan kita mahal
Hanggang ang buhay ko'y
Kunin ng may kapal
 
Giliw wag mo sanang isipin
Ikaw ay aking lilisanin
Di ko magagawang
Lumayo sayong piling
Hanggang may pag ibig
Laging isisigaw, tanging ikaw
Hanggang may pag-ibig
Laging isisigaw, tanging ikaw

Good News! Good News! Good News!

Yesterday, my officemate informed me that her daughter passed the Nursing Licensure Examination conducted last June 2009. And as if the good news was not enough, just an hour ago, my boss disclosed that her son has passed the recently-held Architect Licensure Examination.

To view the complete list of passers, please click new nurses and/or new architects.

By the way, my professor has also passed the nc-4 programming examination given by TESDA just few weeks ago.

I can say, with deep sincerity, that I am happy and proud of the achievements of the people who, somehow, has become part of my life.

To the passers, kudos and God bless! :)

ben...

today would have marked the 69th birthday of my father, ben, short for buenaventura. i would like to believe that i was also papa's girl, next to my only sister. hehehe

please don't get me wrong. i was never jealous of my sister or any of my siblings. my papa had his special ways of letting me know that I was also his favorite child. i remember during my early childhood days when he would sit me on his lap. he would fondly call me, "bhalah", which he mimicked from me every time i was asked about my nickname. of course, i could not correctly pronounce "guia" then. (yeah, i know. i could not see the connection. hehehe)

to my papa, happy birthday. i love you very much. you will always be the best father in the world.

i hope to see you again, in God's time. :)

erratum...

i recently got a comment that the prior-to-plane-crash photos i previously posted in this blog was, accordingly, taken from the tv series, "lost".

i haven't confronted yet my colleague who emailed that article to me. he is still alive, and i have yet to strangle him. hehehe

seriously speaking, my sincere apologies if that were proven to be bogus pictures. i, too, am a victim of that misleading information.

but one thing is for sure, the gruesome agony leading to the tragic death of those passengers was.. unimaginable and could not even be realistically depicted in a tv series or captured in a camera.

My prayers for their soul...

Quit a Bad Marriage?

When i was still in Butuan, i often heard comments like this, "so easy for you to surrender your marriage". Well, i hope the foregoing article, which i recently got from the e-newsletter of Bo Sanchez, will enlighten them, at least... ;)

I have to answer a difficult question today.

I received 120+ comments in my last Blog entry entitled "Quit Often To Succeed In Life". Six comments were from suffering wives who asked (my paraphrase), "Bo, can I quit my marriage? Jimboy isn't my boyfriend. He's my husband."

Here's my answer. To a married person, marriage is the purpose and the path.
So if you're talking about the ordinary problems of married life—like your hubby is cranky, insensitive, loud, disorganized, or lazy—love him anyway. These aren't marriage-breakers. Besides, if you think you don't have any faults, ask your mother to remind you what they are.
But I believe there are marriage-breakers: If your husband is physically and emotionally abusing you—get out. Or if he's on drugs—get out. Or if he's a gambling addict and can't stop, stealing, and losing everything—get out. Or if he's in adultery, get out.
I'm not saying you separate from him permanently. But by leaving him temporarily, you're telling him in no uncertain terms that the marriage can't go on if he continues to abuse you or continues to be unfaithful to you.

You're doing this to heal the marriage. Sometimes, marriage needs painful surgery. When there are marriage-breakers, your husband needs tough love.

But at the end of the day, if you've tried everything but he still persists in his sin, then he broke the marriage. Not you. Move on with your life. Either remain single, serve God, and live happy. Or seek a Legal and Church annulment if you wish to remarry.

If you're in a difficult marriage, go for counseling. Seek it out from spiritual elders and counselors in your area. You may also call our Counseling Center at Tel. (02) 7259999 or just log on at www.KerygmaFamily.com and click on "Counseling".

Let's pray…

Lord, I lift up the wife who is reading this now who is suffering in a difficult marriage. Embrace her now with your love. Heal the wounds in her heart. Lord, create a miracle and heal her marriage.
Give the abused wife the courage to give tough love.
Give the abused wife the strength to love herself.
Give the abused wife the provision to live apart from her abusive husband.
And I pray for a change in her husband's life.
I pray, if there's still that chance for conversion and transformation, to unite their marriage in love. I also pray for the children especially—be with them, hold them, heal them, and embrace them.
And I also pray for the spouse with an irreparable marriage.
I pray for strength to live life without her spouse, and still be happy with You, with her friends, and her spiritual family. Lead her to a life of love and service and happiness. I claim your promise when you said that all things—no matter how bad—will work for her good—in Jesus name, Amen.

captured photos of a tragic death

Just got this email from an officemate. Read on... :(

OUR PRAYERS FOR THE PASSENGERS OF AF-447. MAY THEY REST IN PEACE IN THE KINGDOM OF OUR LORD.

Feel so sad for all the passengers including the extraordinary photographer, who kept his cool even in his last moments of life and took this photo. Hats off to him!!!
The world saw the disappearance of an A330 Air France during a trans Atlantic flight between Rio to Paris .
Two shots taken inside the plane before it crashed. Unbelievable! Photos taken inside the aircraft....


The two photos attached were apparently taken by one of the passengers before the aircraft crashed. The photos were retrieved from the camera's memory stick. You will never get to see photos like this. In the first photo, there is a gaping hole in the fuselage through which you can see the tailplane and vertical fin of the aircraft. In the second photo, one of the passengers is being sucked out of the gaping hole.

These photos were found in a digital Casio Z750, amidst the remains. Although the camera was destroyed, the Memory Stick was recovered. Investigating the serial number of the camera, the owner was identified as Paulo G. Muller, an actor of a theatre for children known in the outskirts of Porto Alegre . It can be imagined that he was standing during the turbulence, he managed to take these photos, just seconds after the tail loss the aircraft plunged. The structural stress probably ripped the engines away, diminishing the falling speed, protecting the electronic equipment but not unfortunately the victims. Paulo Muller leaves behind two daughters, Bruna and Beatriz.

Being Single... according to a fellow blogger

Here's an article which a fellow blogger wrote and published in the Philippine Star today, May 27. Read on:

It’s the best thing in the world, this business of being single,” Craig, my former college classmate, announced to all of us gathered at a mini reunion. He — 45 years old, VP of a Silicon Valley-based computer and technology giant, smart, sensible and quite the looker — was recently divorced from a wife of 13 years, and dare I say that he has never looked better.

I had met his ex-wife once, many years ago, and she was everything we had expected her to be — or make that everything we had expected Craig to go for — tall, evenly tanned, slim, with long dark hair, whip-smart and as attractive and ambitious as he is. But perhaps everybody — including Craig himself — failed to factor in the most important thing crucial to the sustainability of any union: compatibility.

Craig, a former college varsity basketball player, is sporty and outdoorsy. His ex-wife is a gym rat all right, but more for personal aesthetic reasons than for leisure and enjoyment. He lived to travel to exotic places; she loved the comfort of home. He worked an honest week and then transformed into a weekend warrior, venturing out of town and out of doors to scuba dive, skydive, snow and water ski, mountain climb and rappel, kayak and river raft — anything to taunt the limits of mortality, or feel that he is very much alive and in control. She, on the other hand, lived to enjoy the comforts of home, the warmth of a fireplace with wine glass in hand, and the entertainment that an old, black and white movie afforded the romantic and the sentimental.

Predictably, in time, their differences eroded whatever initial attraction had fueled them. Two children (ages six and 10) later, they found themselves estranged and clamoring for separate lives.

“Love is a decision, you know,” he told me, “not an emotion. To love someone in spite of everything is not humanly possible. It’s not only corny, it’s a load of crap, pardon me saying. If you hear of someone sticking it out with a spouse regardless of their innumerable differences, that’s because he has decided to, not because he loves her. There simply is no such thing.”

“In my country and my culture, the men tend to stay with their wives but maintain mistresses on the side just to keep things tolerable,” I pointed out to him. “We’re Catholic and all, you know. We don’t do no-fault divorces.”

“Sure, I know that — I respect it, actually,” he said. “But I couldn’t live like that. Just couldn’t. Unimaginable. I like things legitimate, ironed out, clean. If I do find the right one and fall in love again — heaven forbid — I would make an honest woman out of her. I’m not going to do anything under the table, crouch around, go to empty, out-of-the-way restaurants and do stunts like that, or however else you guys do it — no offense. Life is much too complicated to engineer clandestine, overt couplings, you know what I mean?” he said, adding, “Best to cut clean and cut your losses. And then start over.

“You ask about my kids,” he continued. “They’re realists; I raised them to be. They’re resilient. I want them to live honest lives so it has to start with me. I need to be truthful.”

I mentioned to Craig that a good friend of mine — 40-something, Filipino, Catholic, and married with children — once told me that he who divorces his wife has no integrity because he has no staying power, no word of honor, and does not make his children’s welfare a priority. Craig immediately responded, “Does this friend have a mistress?” I didn’t answer. Craig looked at me in a funny way and volleyed back, “Now you tell me who has no integrity, he who divorces his wife to be true to himself or he who stays with her and keeps a mistress on the side?”

I sat tight, taking it all in — everything he said, word for word. And thought about all my married men friends and my single men friends and tried to decide which group was happier. I affectionately call my married friends “lifers.” Regardless of sex, regardless of their happiness index, they are all tied down — period. The only option they have left is to live out the rest of destiny, which their decision to get married in the first place, to whoever woman and under whatever circumstances, has predetermined for them. My single friends, on the other hand seem to be living the life: unattached and unaccountable to needling wives. But really, how much do I know about them to conclude that they are happier? Aren’t they forever on the look out for Ms. Right? Aren’t they forever going on first dates? Aren’t they forever going out, dining out, partying? No baggage, no worries, no drama? Okay, you’re right, maybe they’re the happier bunch based on those points.

But still, I find no answers in my head because in Filipino culture, once a man is past his 30s, he is automatically suspected of being gay if he remains single. Either that or he is a mama’s boy with major intimacy problems. I told Craig this and he was not surprised because his line of work has taken him to all corners of the globe. He said, in jest, “Better to be called something you’re not than to be unhappy for the rest of you’re life. Nothing wrong at all about being gay but disastrous to be unhappy and handcuffed to its source all the way to your grave.”

To turn the mood a little lighter I told him something a single male friend once told me in all seriousness. “Craig, I have this friend, a bachelor and mighty proud of it, who told me what a fellow bachelor said to him once: ‘All women are bitches except for your mother and mine.’” He doubled over in laughter and said, “I am dying to agree with him except that I might not walk out of here alive considering how many women are present in this room.”

I looked around me and spotted a dozen women, easily, so I hailed a few over and repeated my remark about bitches and mothers. “And Craig here is reluctant to concur for fear of his life,” I announced. A chorus of cackling women erupted, “Come clean, Craig. What do you say to that?” He raises his glass and says, “Since you asked for it, you’ll get it. I say that yes, according to her friend, all women are complicated bitches except for his mother and mine, and I drink to that.” No sooner had he uttered his last word than an avalanche of throw pillows, cocktail napkins, pieces of Melba toast and half-eaten olives descended on him. For the rest of the evening he puttered around the room smelling like an hors d’oeuvres plate.

But really, I’m curious. Who do you think has more integrity, he who remains single, he who divorces his wife for legitimate reasons, or he who honors his marriage vows but carries on extramarital affairs?

swine flu scare

i entered the hotel this morning only to be surprised by the doorman checking my body temperature. he sounded apologetic when he placed that white device a foot away from my neck. good thing i feel okay except for the occasional cough which has no plan to leave me soon.

does the precautionary measures being taken by the hotel mean the swine flu is for real? now, i am getting scared..

slumdog millionaire

just this evening, i watched the movie "slumdog millionaire". it was just a pirated but very clear copy lent to me by my boss. she has nothing but high praises for the movie that she promised she will buy an original copy once it becomes available in the market.

i got curious when that movie earned 8 awards at the recent oscars. hence, despite my busy schedule, i took the time off and relaxed a little bit with bars of chocolate on hand.

the movie depicted the grim realities of life especially living in depressed areas somewhere in mumbai, india. it made me sad...

one of the most touching parts of the movie which almost brought me to tears is when jamal kissed the facial scar of latika. it was so romantic!

my rating? 5 as the highest, hmm... 3 stars!

my nephew just made it to the nursing board exams!

hey! don't look at me like that! i am not yet that old! (as to why i already have a 20-year-old-something nephew, is a another story)

anyway, my officemate informed me just this afternoon that the result for the nursing board licensure examination for those who took it last november 2008 has already been released. despite my busy schedule, i still managed to browse the net and scan the name of my nephew, Alvin Jason Kaimo Cascara.

by the way, Alvin just happened to be a magna cum laude of his batch (2008) at the university of san carlos (usc), college of nursing.

i was no longer surprised when i saw his name in the list of the recent nursing board passers. (for a complete list, please click this)

i strongly believe he would have made it to the top ten had it not with his eye problem. was it just last year that he had his eyes operated? i'm not sure.

but who cares? what's more important is, Alvin is now a Registered Nurse!

Kudos Alvin! :)

drafting my marital history

now that we're through celebrating valentine's day, let me tell you that i have already filed an annulment case against my ex-husband. hopefully, it will prosper to my favor...

for now, i am into drafting my marital history. so far, i have already written 5 pages, and it is not even 50% yet of what had actually happened.

hopefully, i will have the courage to publish it in this blog. although, i've already posted bits of it through my other blog, this one is different. you'll know someday why. just stay tuned. :)

Let's Make a Memory

Love is in the air.  In this season of love, let me share to you one of my favorite songs.  Here it is:

Let's Make a Memory

You and I will build a world of our own
Where we can run to
We will find what all true lovers have known
We'll make our dreams come true

As we walk in this land
Heart and heart hand in hand, darling
Put your faith in me
Lets make a memory

You and I will have dream so long for tonight
for love to come around
hold on me and lay yourself by my side
we'll take away the doubts

after all said and done
memeories on the run, darling
put your faith in me
Lets make a memory

Lets make a memory
Bright as the stars that shines above
Let's fill our cup with the wine of love
Just you and me
And memories of love.

Too good to be true? Yes, i think it is.  But a hopeless romantic in me is still struggling to resist reminiscing the... hehehe.  Never mind! ;-)  

tips on how to apply for a passport (part 4)

Continuation from previous post:

4) Don't hesitate to ask the guard for directions (e.g., the window where you will have to submit your application documents)

5) If you followed tip nos. 1 & 2 shown on my previous post, you won't have to go to the basketball court where authentication/verification of documents is required.

6) Be snappy. Walk fast in going to one window/area to another. If you need to run, run! (hehehe)

7) If DFA is far from your workplace/residence, better have your passport delivered for a fee of P99.

What are you waiting for?! Move!!! :)

tips on how to apply for a passport (part 3)

II. THE DAY OF APPOINTMENT

1) Be early. If your schedule is at 8:00am, be there at 7:00 am. Applicants usually flock DFA at 8am+. so, better fall in line ahead of the rest.

2) Make sure you got all your application form, photographs, your old passport (if it is application for renewal), birth & marriage certificates (for first-time application), etc. are with you on your way to DFA. (for complete list of documentary requirements, check the back of your application form &/or browse the DFA website &/or call the DFA customer service hotline)

3) Proceed straight to the gate entrance. (Do not entertain fixers or those people who are within the 300meter radius from the gate entrance. If you do, you'll get yourself confused & who knows, be fooled...)

to be continued :)

tips on how to apply for a passport (part 2)

continuation from previous post:

4) fill up the application form with due care. (make sure the information you wrote therein are correct)

5) contact the dfa hotline (i think it is 556-0000) for questions (you may ask about the validity of the form as mentioned in tip no. 3)

5) go to a decent photo studio for a photograph of yourself (important: take note of the photo specifications of dfa)

to be continued :)

tips on how to apply for a passport (part 1)

i got my passport just this morning. i thought i would have to wait in line. good thing,it took me only 30 minutes more or less (that already includes the travel time) to return back to office.

if you only knew what i went through when i applied for my passport two weeks ago...

well, i would just like to give some tips in applying for a passport. for those who are interested, check it out below:

I. PREPARATION

1) make an online request for an appointment (that is, if you don't want to go to dfa and return again for an appointment)

2) print the confirmed schedule for an appointment (that is, after you followed tip no. 1)

3) print the downloadable application form (i was not able to confirm if that form is valid considering it is printed in small fonts.)


to be continued :)

oooppps!!!

i should have posted my bachelor's pad for rent under my blog entitled, what's in butuan? under this website, http://houseforsalebutuan.blogspot.com.

i was so in a hurry that i did not bother to check that i got the wrong address...

hence, sorry! :)

another update!

my two-bedroom house is no longer available but my bachelor's pad is! it was vacated just this weekend. rental rate is at P2,500 per month.

the pad has its own mini-receiving area, mini-kitchen, mini-bedroom, comfort room, and laundry area, among others. outside the pad is a spacious lawn where one could park his/her vehicle and/or just lounge at the mini-garden.

my pad is good for a maximum of three persons. it is safe especially for kids since my gated compound is situated few meters yet from the main road.

if interested, please contact me at 0918-367-3455 or check the unit at 1st street, saint joseph subdivision, butuan city. you may look for libeth gesultura-trangia for assistance. she may not be around all the time, hence, i suggest you text/call me first.

for directions, please check my prior posts. :)

What's with the Snake People?!

I got this article from a website which I could no longer remember.  Check out what the Year of the Ox has in store for these scaly, elongated reptile beings.

Snake people are those who were born during the year 1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001.

Snake Overview

The Snake has an incredibly favorable year ahead. The year of the Ox provides many opportunities for the Snake to fulfill long awaited career goals and achieve more than he/she ever imagined. Your wisdom and patience are tools that prove successful in all aspects of your life. Relationships could be taken to new heights and deep and meaningful friendships are acquired. This year proves to be one of action, the year that all of your planning and waiting pay off for you. The later months prove to be especially successful, tying a year of arduous work into an extremely blissful culmination.
Snake Rating

79% (10 favorable and 2 neutral months)
Snake Career

Your wisdom proves to be most resourceful this year, particularly in your career endeavors. Colleagues will admire your input and your opinion will be well respected among business circles. Your work will take you to new levels in your career, as you may see a promotion or a position change that offers you a direction that is more suitable to your skills. March, April and May are strong months for a career change or an upswing in your current position. Be prepared for an outstanding year in your work and don't be surprised if everything you do results in success
Snake Relationships

The Snake's social life will bring a high amount of satisfaction to you this year, as will your family life. Though you tend to be more of a loner, this year will provide occasions that may bring you out of your shell. You have always been a good listener and you will benefit from being more assertive in social situations. More to the point, you may be thrown into a position to be more assertive, rather than volunteering. Your quick thinking will prove to be most useful. Single Snakes may find the romantic relationship they seek, as romance is favored.
Snake Health

The Snake will not suffer any more than minor health issues, but you may want to watch what you eat and make it a point to exercise more often, as these may be areas that you tend to neglect. Your busy work schedule and social endeavors may make it difficult to maintain a regular schedule of exercise, but you can find time here and there to do something active. This will help your heart and may relive stress from a long work week.
Snake Wealth

The Snake will do well with your conservative approach to spending. You have always been disciplined in your finances and this year proves to be no different. If you maintain your frugal manner, you will find that you have accumulated enough by the end of the year to make a large purchase that you have been planning for a long time. If you are in doubt about a particular endeavor, don't hesitate to receive a second opinion before committing.

kung hei fat choi!

I was rushing to Mall of Asia's Fitness First Spa for my scheduled appointment when i passed by MOA's activity center. There i saw onstage the famous feng shui expert, a woman ( i forgot her name, famous huh?!), who was discussing feng shui to the audience. Had it not been for my long-overdue spa treatment..., anyway, should i say more? huhuhu :(

Although the Catholic in me says that i should stay away from astrology, I just could not resist the curiousity that tickled me especially when one is possessed with an exhilarating energy during the chinese new year. Some of these predictions came true, some didn't. Coincidence or not, still, I'm curious.

You see, last year i had this 12-month forecast which i clipped from the Philippine Star. Unfortunately this year, or shall I say just this weekend, I was not able to get hold of the paper containing the new 12-month forecast which, if I'm not wrong, it was announced few weeks ago that they will have a special feature on that on January 24-25, 2009.

I thought the new 12-month forecast would be available online, much to my disappointment. Hence, i tried to browse other sites but as of this moment, I found none. Maybe I am not just patient enough or maybe I have not surfed wide enough.

Stay tuned for any updates! :)

10 Habits to a Healthy Body

I got  this newsletter from Bro. Bo Sanchez thru his website http://bosanchez.ph two days before Christmas day.  I did not have time to read it, not until now.  Since i've been blogging about being healthy for the past three posts, let me add another one. (Take note, I did not blurt any comments on Bro. Bo's article, lest I might distract anybody internalizing it. hehehe),  Enjoy reading! :)

1.     Move!

I already mentioned that each morning, I do simple stretching and breathing Tai Chi movements—and pray to Jesus too—for 30 minutes. I also cycle for an hour on my stationary bike, all the while reading 5 chapters of the Bible and other spiritual books, or writing my journal in my laptop (See photo above).   I also do a few pushups, sit-ups, and chin-ups. I’ll never win Mr. Universe, but it’s enough to tone my muscles. I learned that when we hit 50, we start losing 1.5% of our muscle strength every year. This is the reason why you see a lot of 60-year-old people who are very weak today—because they didn’t move their body. So walk. Swim. Play badminton. Move!
 

2.     Eat The Best Kinds Of Food

More than fourteen years ago, I stopped eating beef, pork, and chicken. Seven years ago, I also gave up crabs and shrimps. So my diet consists of fish and vegetables. At home, we eat organic brown rice and wheat bread. We also fry with soya oil. (Olive oil is too expensive.)

The Old Testament called certain foods unclean—like pork, crustaceans, shells, fish without scales—and modern science has found out that many of these foods have higher toxicity. Pork has more toxins than other meats. Crustaceans and shells are the scavengers of the sea. And because fish release their toxins through their scales, fish without scales have slightly more toxins. I’m not saying you shouldn’t eat these delicious food, but perhaps minimize them in your diet.
 

          3.   Juice Your Vegetables

Every morning, I drink fresh vegetable juice. I throw into my Juicer four large carrots, one long celery stick, and one apple. The advantage of juicing? By juicing, I’m able to consume 4 large carrots in two minutes flat—something that would take me one hour if I munched them. As I drink my juice every morning, I picture God nourishing me in every part of my body. It works!
 

          4.   Supplement

I’m a firm believer in taking supplements. I take a mega dose of vitamin C, fish oil (Omega 3), and other multi-vitamins. I also take a list of supplements too long to mention here. (One of these days, I’ll give you their names.) Before I drink them, I bless them.  So they contain a double punch!
 

          5.   Sleep Like A Babe

I usually dose off at 11:30pm and wake up at 6:00am. Six and a half hours is enough for me. If I feel a need to take a quick afternoon nap, I do it. I try to listen to my body. Praying before you sleep is fantastic because you’re able to surrender all your worries to God. So before I sleep, I do 20 minutes of my simple Tai Chi exercises again—as I surrender to Jesus all my stress. When I do this, I sleep like a babe.
 

          6.   Drink Enough

The first thing I do when I wake up is drink a glass of room temperature water. As I drink it, I ask the Holy Spirit to cleanse me. After my exercise, I drink my carrot juice. Here’s what I found out: For many of us, what we think are hunger pangs may just be our thirst. So when you feel hungry, drink water first. And eat water-rich foods like fruits and vegetables.
 

          7.   Work With Passion

Get into something your love to do. When you enjoy your work, it isn’t work. It’s play. And that keeps your body humming. If you can see your job as a sacred mission from God, you wake up in the morning with joy and excitement. Your body gets the message: “I need you to be healthy, because I’m here to bless the world.” (I have a TrulyRich Club where I coach people in their finances and work. To join, log on at www.TrulyRichClub.com now.)
 

          8.   Feel Your Feelings

Our bodies are simply the blueprints of our emotions. When we get sick in our bodies, many times, it’s simply manifesting our stress, our fears, our anxiety, and our unresolved angers. I strongly urge you to become aware of your emotions and bring them constantly to the Lord. Before Him, work through them. Feel them, yes. Respect your emotions, yes. But lay them at His feet and follow God only.
 

9.     Be Happy

Be a positive person. If you’re a child of God, how can you not think positive? If you believe that “all things work for good to those who love God”, how can you not rejoice even in your problems? Happy people are generally healthier than unhappy people.
 

10.            Love Well

What keeps me healthy? I play with my kids on the floor everyday. (I call it “floor time”.) Each week, I date my wife and hold hands often. And I have fantastic friends! (By the way, wherever you are in the world, join my FREE virtual community and sign up at www.KerygmaFamily.com) 

Once upon a time, an Elderly home had a very high death rate: One resident died each month. But one day, a volunteer came and started social activities among the old people. As the old people engaged with each other in conversation, the mortality rate plunged dramatically almost overnight. Just being in relationships will make you healthier. Imagine how healthy you will be if those relationships are deep and loving?

Hey, there are lots of Christmas parties these days.

Be healthy, my friend. God needs you to bless the world.

Merry Christmas!

May Jesus have a home in your heart.

Causes of Liver Damage

You might have noticed that this is the third consecutive time that i blogged about healthy living/eating.  Well, I just realized that we need to take extra care about our health (this is after my friends and I recently had a chat about sickness).  Still interested? Scroll on:

The main causes of liver damage are:

1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main cause. (yes, i'm guilty..)

2. Not urinating in the morning. (after 6-8hours of sleep? of course!)

3. Too much eating. (check my previous post)

4. Skipping breakfast. (check my previous post)

5. Consuming too much medication. (even vitamins, so I've heard)

6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring, and artificial sweetener.

7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil. As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit.

8. Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the burden of liver. Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store.

We should prevent this without necessarily spending more. We just have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits.

Brain-Damaging Habits

Memory lapse has been becoming a common problem not only among "senior citizens" but also with the yuppies of today's generation (i myself included? hehehe). Check out if you have the following brain-damaging habits:

1. No Breakfast
People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.

(Is this the reason why, in the good ol' days, our parents always forced us to eat breakfast even when we were already late for school? Mothers and fathers indeed know best. :)

2. Overeating
It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

(no comment...)

3. Smoking
It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.

(oh, i should stop occasional smoking! AS IF! hahahahaha!)

4. High Sugar consumption
Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.

5. Air Pollution
The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.

6. Sleep
Deprivation Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.

7. Head covered while sleeping
Sleeping with the head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.

8. Working your brain during illness
Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.

(what is the use of a sick leave?!)

9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts
Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.

10. Talking
Rarely Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain

(good thing, i have a talkative officemate. from now on, i'll compete with her. hahaha!)

top 5 cancer-causing foods

i got this email for a few times already. but as a hard-headed individual that i am, i usually just take these unsolicited advices for granted. but then, i think it is time for me to think about it and get serious. what about you? read on:

Top 5 Cancer-Causing Foods

1. Hot dogs

Because they are high in nitrates, the Cancer Prevention Coalition advises that children eat no more than 12 hot dogs a month. If you can't live without hot dogs, buy those made without sodium nitrate.

(Maybe this is true.  Somebody told me that a child of one of our colleagues died for eating too much hotdog.)

 
2. Processed meats and bacon

Also high in the same sodium nitrates found in hot dogs, bacon, and other processed meats raise the risk of heart disease. The saturated fat in bacon also contributes to cancer.

 

3. Doughnuts

Doughnuts are cancer-causing double trouble. First, they are made with white flour, sugar, and hydrogenated oils, then fried at high temperatures. Doughnuts, says Adams , may be the worst food you can possibly eat to raise your risk of cancer.

 

4. French fries

Like doughnuts, French fries are made with hydrogenated oils and then fried at high temperatures. They also contain cancer- causing acryl amides which occur during the frying process. They should be called cancer fries, not French fries, said Adams .

5. Chips, crackers, and cookies

All are usually made with white flour and sugar. Even the ones whose labels claim to be free of trans-fats generally contain small amounts of trans-fats.


How cruel! All of the above-mentioned goodies are my favorites! Waaaaah!

On the brighter side however, chocolate is not one of those!  Yummy!  Hehehe! :)

 

plane crash miracle

Surviving from a plane crash is unbelievably a miracle. Just like what had happened recently with a US Airways Airbus which landed safely at the Hudson River, New York. I got that news in the internet first but I did not give much attention to it as I was thinking, it was just too good to be true. The primary cause of the engine trouble is allegedly due to - collision with a flock of birds..

But just this morning, when I saw some of the passengers of that plane were interviewed on TV, I began to realize that the miracle is indeed real. To think that the plane could have hit any of the buildings of Manhattan or the bridge and what else.. It could have been worse!

Thank you God... :)

tagaytay invades manila!

brrr! i found myself almost freezing when i woke up at around 6 o'clock this morning. yeah, "freezing" is somewhat a little bit exaggerated. hehehe. but, at this moment, i could not find any words to describe what i felt at that time.

i was even more surprised when i checked the temperature upon my arrival in the office. 21 degrees celsius! still that low at 830am?! that's the lowest temperature i've ever monitored since i transferred here in manila.

but then, tv patrol reported that manila had experienced 18 degrees celsius more than a week ago. i could say that, that still holds true to this day as i imagined how i buried myself in a bed full of pillows few minutes before reality dragged me up to my senses just this morning.

yesterday, i was strolling along the neighborhood when the cool breeze joined me in. i suddenly exclaimed (to my mind, of course!), this is just like tagaytay!

oh my! i miss my life in tagaytay! (sigh...)