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.