Curbside Stories

Merry Christmas! I could not ask for more. God has blessed me with so many things this year that I am deeply humbled by His generosity. If there are things that I would wish to have, it would be for other people. I pray for the victims of Typhoon Pablo and the rest of the calamity-stricken areas to be safe and to continue to gather their faith and strength to build their lives again. I pray for the people to continue to help and extend their generosity to those who need their help the most. I pray for the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary and their loved ones to find healing, peace, acceptance and forgiveness so that they may be able to live their lives better than today like what the innocent children wants them to have. I pray for wisdom to all country leaders to exert extra effort to promote harmonious living within their country and among other nations. I pray for Your continued mercy. May You guide us towards the right path through your Son Jesus Christ, o...

I don't know about you but whenever I am stressed, I go to a different place. It is not necessarily a far place, just a different ambiance or away from the source of the stress.

"Each day is a special gift from God, and while life may not always be fair, you must never allow the pains, hurdles and handicaps of the moment to poison your attitude and plans for yourself and your future. You can never win when you wear the ugly cloak of self-pity and the sour sound of whining will certainly frighten away any opportunity for success." "You will achieve grand dream a day at a time, so set goals for each day, not long and difficult projects, but chores that will take you, step by step, toward your rainbow. Write them down if you must, but limit your list so that you won't have to drag today's undone matters into tomorrow. Remember that you cannot build a pyramid in twenty-four hours. Be patient. Never allow your day to become cluttered that you neglect your most important goal--to do the best you can, enjoys this day, and rest satisfied with what you have accomplished." "Never neglect the little things. Never skimp on the ext...

I took this photo at Mall of Asia Baywalk. That is the MOA Eye, the highest ferris wheel in the  Philippines.

Not intended to promote a coffee brand. I was just cold that I have to have something to keep me warm. We were allowed to have coffee, anyway. I attended the last session of my Ethics subject for my MBA and we discussed about good governance, ethical standards expected of a public official and the like. One of the reporters said that a public officer should earn public trust--which I totally agree. Another thing that was discussed were the 8 norms of conduct of public officials: 1. Common public interest  2. Professionalism 3. Justness and sincerity 4. Political neutrality 5. Responsiveness to public 6. Nationalism and patriotism 7. Commitment to democracy 8. Simple living If only these eight are being practiced by all government officials and employees, then, probably our courts will not trial a public official for graft and corruption. Blessed is the nation whose God is LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. Psalm ...

Please don't let him know the difference between my teardrops and the raindrops when he sees me crying in the rain. I'd rather drown in my own tears than to know that he can tell the difference and yet he does nothing to wipe them off my face. I am sad. I have never been this sad but surprisingly, I do not have the energy to cry. It seems I have already consumed all my crying energies in the past. If there is one valuable lesson that I have learned, it is to not force happiness. Do not force people to fill that void in your life, they will fill the gap but when they realize it is not the thing that they want and it doesn't make them happy, they will leave an even bigger space that will leave you feeling half alive.

Do everything in God's glory and to always be thankful of our blessings. Don't make promises you cannot keep. Keep your integrity. Be careful of false prophets. You will know them through their actions and their followers. Not be lazy. To not be a worrywart. Remember the old saying, "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift that's why it is called present." Do not point your fingers at your neighbors. Do not be judgmental. Always see the goodness in others. Give others a chance to prove themselves.

I am inside the campus, sitting on one of the many metal benches at the admin building, maximizing the battery of my laptop, observing the interactions of the students and professors around me. On my left is a group of five teens being scolded by their professor. On my right, on the other bench, is a group of students probably waiting for their class to start. In front is a huge white board where students can check out their room assignments, how to drop and add subjects, how to validate their IDs and all other school transactions that most of which I did not experience when I was in college. While not many interesting  activity is happening right now, I enjoy people watching when I go to places. It excites me to see various expressions on their faces, their gestures and the tone of their voice. People watching gives me a grasp of the realities of the world.

This is the second Albom book that I am going to read, the first one being Tuesdays with Morrie. I know that it will be another tear jerking and inspiring book. "All endings are also beginnings. We just don't know it at the time..."

My cousin is back into blogging. It has been a year since her last post. I am glad she's back because I know she has a lot of nice things to share. And speaking of share... I would like to share her first post this year. It is an excerpt from the Little Black Book about the 5 things teens should never live with. Adults should also apply these to their lives. ******************* The world is full of people who look back with regret on their teenage years. So here are those 5 regrets you don't want to live with the rest of your lives. 1.)   Moral regrets . Don't allow yourself to compromise your purity and be remembered forever with the stains of sexual sin(Rom.12:1) 2.)   Ministry regrets.   If the Lord is speaking to you about sharing your faith w/ a classmate, take the opportunity. It may never come again. 3.)   Mentor regrets . Submit yourself to a good pastor and others you trust to mold you and develop you as a leader. Now is the greate...

Fear is the most paralyzing of all emotions... I can never forget that message from one of my professors in medicine. I also couldn't agree less. I am actually enveloped by fear right now. I have a new relationship and I could not let it out in the open because of the fear of jeopardizing my plans with my life and my son's. I fear rejection. What if his family will not like me because of my past? What if he could no longer wait for me to get married? What if it will not work out?  What if? My life is full of uncertainties... and fear is slowly taking full control of my life.

I don't normally do lists of to do's. It is actually one of the things that I don't like to do because I am spontaneous and looking on a list makes me feel pressured. But, I have changed. I have reached the 3rd decade of my life and in the next years before I reach my 4th, I want to accomplish the things that I know will make me say 'I have lived my life to the fullest.' This year, I am going to make a list of the 10 things that I want to accomplish for 2012. I have started with getting a driver's license when I turn 3-0, and now I have it. I like the feeling of accomplishing personal goals without the pressure. This list is not according to importance or priority.  1. I will take a Civil Service Examination. I wanted to be a licensed professional. 2. I will take the TOEFL. I need it for my career abroad. 3. I will be more adept in Photoshop. 4. I will have a DSLR. Although, I really really love  my Canon PowerShot A3200 IS, I wanted t...

Didn't caught any, but, he'll go back next time. This photo was taken at our farm, about 10 minutes walk from home. I used my Canon PowerShot A3200 IS camera. Sure, the city that never sleeps promises more than what you expect, but, nothing beats living in the province. And that if I will be born again and will have the chance to choose where to live, I'd still choose to live where I live now. I want my child to experience running on rice fields and meadows, pick fruits and harvest vegetables, feed the animals without having to go to the zoo, go fishing and discover that patience is a virtue.

Photo from Psychology Today. It is new year again? Did you do a resolution in 2010 for 2011? Were you able to accomplish your resolutions?  Will you consider doing another list of things that you will hope to change or improve in 2012? According to a research, here are the most popular new year resolutions: 1. Resolution to improve health. This includes losing some pounds and doing a regular exercise. 2. Resolution to quit vices such as smoking, excessive alcohol intake and gambling. 3. Resolution to pay debt or to maintain good credit standing. 4. Resolution to finding a job or a better job. 5. Resolution to save money either by depositing in a bank or investing to some business or stocks. 6. Resolution to travel. 7. Resolution to spend more quality time with family. 8. Resolution to do charity works. 9. Resolution to learn new things. 10. Resolution to keep a hobby. Unfortunately, more often than not, only two out of the ten resolutions get to be done...

Happy Thanksgiving! Aside from the many blessings I have received this year, there is one thing special that I am really grateful for today... it is my son's second life. Last Friday at around 2:30 in the afternoon while I was busy giving directions to my office staff, I received a news that my son was rushed to the Emergency Room because he was hit and run by a motorcycle. That was the most devastating news any mother could hear about her child. I was not prepared for the day. I immediately rushed to the ER to check on him and he was crying and in pain. I heard him asked the nurse "Where's my Mommy? Where's Daddy?". My heart felt like it stopped beating when I saw him drenched in blood. He had contusion and wound on his forehead, arms and left leg. His right leg was fractured and could not move. At 6:00 in the evening he was scheduled for wound debridement, suturing and casting. He cried and cried while waiting for the schedule until he felt tired. I acc...

It's been a while... My younger sister gave birth to a healthy boy last October 22. He looks like my son when I gave birth to him. He is too cute for words! How I wish I could carry him. They are living in another country so we'd probably see him when he is already walking. I brought up the news to dad and he asked why I didn't name my son that starts with "J"... I broke the unwritten rule... his  name starts with "J' and so are my sisters, brothers and nieces. A few weeks ago I have been busy going around town meeting new faces, meeting clients and taking driving lessons. I don't know if I mentioned in this blog that I promise to have a driver's license before I turn the big 3-0. Yep! I already know how to drive. I'll get my non-professional license before the end of this month. SO HAPPY! We had a Halloween party in our grandmother's house. It was organized by my cousins. They all wore costumes, we played games, we sang a...

I love Dr. Seuss. Click on the jump to read the contents.

When somebody compliments you about a job well done, the way you look or your beautiful shoes, how do you respond or react? It is just recently that I have learned to accept the compliments. And there is a solid reason why I did not years back. Whenever someone would give me compliments, I would say "oh, it is nothing" or "not really".  Find out what is the Pinoy’s Negation technique when receiving compliments! Not all Filipinos would accept compliments without negation. And that is what I have learned to not do anymore. Accepting or receiving compliment is not being conceited or arrogant... it is in fact, acknowledging the sincerity of the person giving the words of praise and confirming that indeed you made an effort to do a great job or to look good. So, the next time you are being complimented of something, smile and say "thank you!".

It has been a while since my last post. I was really busy the past weeks that updating my blogs (yep, I have tons) everyday was not possible. So, what's up with me last week? My new career in marketing is taking a lot, and I mean a lot, of my energies lately. If being in the IT department was stressful, make it double this time. I had to meet deadlines each time and had to make sure that people know what we are up to. It is like a whole new world for me. Despite the stress, I like where it is taking me. It is making me more sociable and I get to meet new friends. Last week totally tested my stress meter. It was hard but I am glad I survived it. I am now actually looking forward to another stressful work next month. Another good side of it all is that, behold, I have moved on. Completely moved on. I am ready to go back in the dating scene. I kinda missed it. 

Hmnnn... Seeing old friends and discovering new places thrill me. I have many friends who now live in other countries and meeting them in some place always gives me the jitters. I have three best friends in college that I only get to see whenever one comes home from Australia. I actually find it odd to meet them only once when the two are just two towns away from mine. Distance makes the heart grown fonder... and that is true in our case. Photo from here . I remember many summers ago, I went to Puerto Galera for a vacation together with some friends. It was my first time to go to the place and the first time that I will be away from home for a week. I swear, I wasn't able to sleep the whole night preparing for my things and thinking about all the things I could do in Puerto Galera.  It was a thrilling experience and it was the best summer vacation ever. So, now I am thinking of going to the place again.