Living My Passion

Here's a wonderful photo blog of Joanne, a 57-year old lady from Northern California who's very passionate about photography and in capturing photographs depicting the beauty of nature -- "Living My Passion"

The End

        It's "The End".

        But it's not what you think.  It's not the end of my blogging.  It's not the end of the world.  It's not the end of everything.  And it's not (yet) the end of President GMA's term.

        It's simply the end... of the month of August!

        Yipee!  Now it's September, the start of another wonderful month and another month of journey in life.  Firstly, it's now the start of the "brrrrrrr" season so it will now be increasingly difficult to wake up and take a bath very early in the morning.

        Of course there's more to expect this September, so here's another one of my "lists":

• Baguio "Kafagway" City will celebrate its Charter Day on September 1.


• My high school will celebrate its foundation week on the first week of September.


• The monsoon season (along with the rains and the floods) is nearing its end.


• The cool weather is just perfect for riding around in my motorbike


• The cool weather is also perfect for running and jogging outdoors (at the Fort, complete with the early morning "Aerobicise" with some young and old folks and with some Army men).


• September 10 is the day some friends will be "recognized" at the Philippine International Convention Center for their outstanding accomplishments in the field of life-changing business leadership.


• Grandparent's Day will be celebrated on September 11.


• Many people's fantasies and dreams will be realized when Hong Kong Disneyland opens its gates on September 12.


• September 17 is the day I will be "recognized" in another event at the Hyatt Regency Manila for "some worthwhile endeavor" :-)


• Many friends will be celebrating their birthdays this month... Happy Birthday to all of you!  You are definitely another year older (and wiser)!

Ah, September... I'm very raring to go!

--------------------------------------
Do you remember the 21st night of september?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away

Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing.
As we danced in the night,
Remember how the stars stole the night away

Baaaadeeeeyaaaa - say do you remember
Baaaadeeeeyaaaa - dancing in september
Baaaadeeeeyaaaa - never was a cloudy day...

Patience

"Never think that God's delays are God's denials. Hold on; hold fast; hold out. Patience is genius. Patient waiting is often the highest way of doing God's will."

Victory for the Geeks

Finally! The forward-looking National Telecommunications Commission has issued Memorandum Circular 05-08-2005 classifying Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP for short) as a value added service.

After years of protracted battle with the Telcos, the Internet Service Providers and other Value Added Service Providers have secured victory over the Telco companies for the provision of VoIP to the public.

Expect, however, that we haven't heard yet the last from the Telcos. But for the meantime, let's bring out the champagne glasses and celebrate!

Fuel prices will continue to go up but long distance charges (International and Domestic Direct Distance Dialing) will definitely go down as a result of the commercialization of VoIP services.

Praying by Texting

Technology indeed provides many "conveniences"... Filipinos can now send their prayer petitions via a simple text message.

Article from the Taipei Times: "Filipinos pray for love, money via SMS".

The Abridged Script - Star Wars III

Can't get enough of Star Wars?

If the pirated version of Star War Episode III - The Backstroke of the West was a killer, this abridged script will definitely turn the tables upside down.
   

STAR WARS: EPISODE III - REVENGE OF THE SITH: THE ABRIDGED SCRIPT

And while you're there, you may want to check out the Lord of the Rings Trilogy also:

• The Fellowship of the Ring and its "bitin" ending.

• The Two Towers and the talking trees.

• The Return of the King and the witch king's death.

Definitely hilariously and sickeningly funny! 

A Wise Investment

        I walked/ran 5 km. today in 40 minutes.  It's nothing really to be proud of but it's a good personal achievement on my part -- I know I'll do better next time.

                1st km - brisk walking
                2nd km - running (until I was starting to run out of breath)
                3rd km - cool down/moderate walking
                4th km - running again (pulse rate going up to 180bpm. whew!)
                5th km - slow walking and cooling down

        My heart was telling me to stop during those running intervals, "stop! stop!  can't you hear i'm going too fast already?  i can't take it anymore".  But I kept saying "kaya mo yan, kaya mo yan, one kilometer lang saka tayo mag slow-down (you can do it! you can do it! just one kilometer and then we'll slow down)".  I won :-)

        Now I'm tired and my muscles are sore.  I'll probably snore loud enough tonight for the neighbor's dog to hear me when I sleep, but for sure I'll wake up feeling rested, energized and very much alive.

        Ahhhh! The benefits of exercise... just a few minutes of "investment" each day that will definitely reap many "dividends" in the future.

        To good health and long life!  :-)

-------------------------------------
"Motivation is what gets you started.  Habit is what keeps you going."

I've Learned...

Taken from a very looooooong list... I'm writing the ones that are relevant:

I've learned...

• That life is tough, but I'm tougher. 

• That just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes my day.  ("Thank you" will do nicely, too)

• That being kind is more important than being right.

• That when you're in love, it shows.  (ehe... pimples???)

• That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

• That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

• That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.  (not a heart to hold and a hand to understand)

• That simple walks with my father around the park when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

• That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

• That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.  (but He gives us something better)

• That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

• That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.  (I should know... I have a "hard" shell, too, hehehe)

• That the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?  (and He also rested after 6 days of work)

• That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

• That love, not time, heals all wounds. 

• That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss. (I'm waiting...)

• That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

• That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.  (and they really don't taste as sweet)

• That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. (Smiling is contagious, too!)

• That I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.

• That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.  (like climbing my Mt. Everest)

• That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.  (but not really cramming)

• That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.  (and if you're my friend, you're definitely smarter than I am)

• That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them. (ahhhh...)

• That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.  (Right! Just look at my main pic)

 

After all... that's LIFE!  :)

Jacky Chan's Success Secret

Quotes from Jacky Chan:

When I face failure, I always tell myself "I'M NOT FAILING. I JUST HAVEN'T SUCCEEDED YET."

I always want to prove that I can. I never want to face failure; I'll persevere until I make it

The key to success is learning from your mistakes.

Attitude Check

        I'm a person who likes to tease people and situations a lot (in a fun, joking way of course... nothing really serious).  Insecure maybe?  Or arrogant?  Or maybe I'm just being my playful self?  I know I may be enjoying it but others may not.

        (But hey... for the other "others" who seem to enjoy and lap up my every statement, even if they are the target of my teasing -- you are a rare breed indeed.  Thank you! You are indeed a bunch of nice people.  Bow wow wow to you!)

        So here's a change...  I don't need to wait for New Year's Eve to make a resolution.  I'll start now...

        "I will pay out five sincere compliments each day."

        Hmmm... This must be painfully boring for me, but let's see.  Poke me in the ribs if you catch me back to my "old" ways, will ya?

        I appreciate you!  :P

 

Walk Your Way to Health

        The unabated rise in fuel prices has government officials promoting Bicycling and Walking as alternative methods for going places.  Not only does it save on fuel consumption but it also reduces air pollution and promotes a healthy lifestyle.

        Regular physical activity, including walking and biking, has many health benefits. It boosts energy levels, builds stronger bones and muscles, improves the immune system, reduces stress, anxiety and depression, helps to with weight control and prevents chronic disease.

        One month ago, I took up walking (and jogging).  Prior to that, my rest pulse rate was almost close to a hundred beats per minute... my body felt heavy and sluggish and I was short of breath almost all of the time even when I'm just talking. 

        Now, less than one month into the program, my rest pulse rate is at 80 beats per minute, my body feels much lighter and I feel more alive than ever.  The last time I felt this "healthy" was way back in high school when I used to regularly jog around the campus and I could do more than a hundred push-ups.  Those were the *really* fit and healthy days. 

        Now I'm just right on track.  My goal is to bring down my reast pulse rate to 60 beats per minute or less by being active and staying active and by leading a healthy lifestyle.

        Walking is a healthy lifestyle indeed... A body in motion is a healthier body. 

Here are some reasons to start walking:

• For health: walking strengthens your heart, your bones and your muscles ... and it helps to control your weight.


• For wealth: walking is free and will enrich your life in many ways.


• For happiness: walking improves your mood and helps combat depression.


• For comfort: go for a walk in your local park or wood and discover how nature can reduce stress and calm your mind.


• For joy: walk with friends and discover just how much fun walking can be!

        Walking is definitely better than sitting on the couch reading a magazine or flipping through the channels on TV.

Regular walking has many positive benefits:

• It can improve your:
  
  
  
  • Confidence
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Stamina
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Energy
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Weight Control
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Life expectancy
  
  
  
  


• And it can reduce the risk of:
  
  
  
  • Coronary heart disease
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Strokes
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Diabetes
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • High blood pressure
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Bowel Cancer
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Alzheimer's disease
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Osteoporosis
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Arthritis
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Anxiety
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Stress
  
  
  
  

How to Get Started?

        Walking is the easiest exercise to do and it is the perfect activity for health.  If you can only walk for a couple of minutes and then you need to rest that's OK.  Where you start from isn't important - it's where you're going that counts!

        Try to walk on most days of the week - you could start with a 10-minute walk and gradually increase the time you spend walking.  Don't overdo it on your first walk.  If you are very unfit you may want to start by walking every other day. Build it up bit by bit and know what you are aiming for.

        To get health benefits from walking, you only need to walk for 30 minutes, 5 days a week.  If it suits you to break this down and do, say, 3 sessions of 10 minutes walking in a day, that's just as good.

Where to walk?

• In the park


• Inside the village/subdivision


• Using the stairs instead of the elevator or the escalator


• Park further away at the mall so that you have to walk all the way to the entrance


• Walk the dog (or your cat)


• Walk with your spouse (or gf, bf, or the entire family!)


• Join a walking group


• Inside the mall or supermarket (shopping!)

       Time to turn the television off and get off the couch.

       When walking to exercise, remember to walk briskly.

What to wear?

        A pair of comfortable shoes is the only equipment required when you first start walking.  If your shoes continue to be comfortable then there is no need to go for anything else.

Why 'brisk' walking is the best?

       Any walking is better than none.  Brisk walking is the best but, if you are unfit or have taken very little exercise recently, then gentle strolling is a good start.  It is much better to start slowly and build up to walking faster rather than overdoing things at the begining.

        Brisk walking is the goal because the heart reaches its natural "training zone" when it has to work a little harder than normal.  And when the heart is in its training zone, it helps the body burn up fat and carbohydrates faster.

You are walking briskly when:

• your heart beats faster than normal but is not racing


• your breathing is deeper than usual but conversation is still possible


• you experience a warm glowing feeling

Ah yessss... that warm glowing feeling after a walk. 

Walking is a regular activity I do almost frequently now.  I really feel alive.

----------------------------------------------
"I have two doctors, my left leg and my right."  - G. M. Trevelyan

"Every great journey begins with a single step."  - Lao Tsu, Tao Te Ching

"If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking.  Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk."  -   Raymond Inmon

Lechon-itis and Isaw-itis

I already knew about it, but someone had to write about it for me to really believe it.

Oh well, goodbye Lechon and Isaw!  Now I know why Isaw has that bitter taste...

Here's to healthy living.

A Pirating We Will Go...

        Han Solo was a pirate in Star Wars Episode IV who fancied Princess Leia, was frozen in carbonite in The Empire Strikes Back and was rescued and "thawed" back to life in the Return of the Jedi to save the day for everyone.  As a typical pirate, he engaged in the smuggling business and associated himself with the criminal underworld.   

        Hmmm, I wonder... Did Han Solo engage also in DVD piracy?

        I came across this obviously pirated DVD version of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith...  you know, the one with the grainy images, background audience noise and with a counter running across the screen to count out the frames.  And the subtitles...  ah yes, the subtitles.  The DVD came from China and originally it had Chinese subtitles.  Some enterprising "pirate" thought it would be nice to put in English subtitles instead of Chinese subtitles to that he can sell it elsewhere.  It seems the translator he hired did a direct translation of the subtitles from Chinese to English instead of faithfully transcribing what was being said by the characters.

        The result is a hilariously funny translation, definitely coming from a galaxy very far, far away...

Tsk, tsk, tsk.  The words are right there on the screen and yet...  Faraway galaxy indeed!

Yeah, right.  STAR WAR! hehehe

 

The backstroke of the west???

 

Yoda: "Premonitions. Premonitions."

 

Yeah right, Anakin! Cuckoldry the safety!

 

C3PO: "Hey you two, go get a room!"

Yoda tells Anakin that he is noed longer is already.
 

 

Padme is breaking down... she can't take the bad translation anymore since she can't walk last with you you a road for running about.  (Actually, she was saying "You're breaking my heart. You're going down a path I can't follow.")

LIER!!!

This is the best...  This is the portion near the end of the movie where Darth Vader was shouting "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

------------------------------------------
"English you must speak, hard it will be...."

 

The Double G.A.M.E. Strategy

From the "Sharpening the Saw" session, 21 August 2005

What do you need to do succeed? You need to "Double G.A.M.E."...

Guts - Have enough guts to sustain your drive to achieve your goal
Goal - Have a Goal. Write your goals down.
Action - Take action. 99% of failures result from having a goal but failing to take action.
Attitude - A positive attitude will bring you far.
Monitoring - Monitor your progress regularly and re-map out plans and strategies.
Momentum - Build momentum by taking action daily. With momentun, obstacles do not matter.
Excitement - Be excited with what you do at all times.
Expectancy - Always expect positive results.

Self talk: "I've got a goal! Grrrr!" (Repeat 3x)

Quotable Quotes:

"When you set a goal, all kinds of challenges will confront you."

However, "The whole world conspires to help people who help themselves."

Always "Have the guts... Follow through... Expect things to happen... Set your goal again."

Vote for "Pinoy Coconet" in The World Challenge

        Another fellow Pinoy is in the limelight!

        Dr. Justino Arboleda, an agricultural engineer from Bicol and a former dean of the Bicol University College, is featured in The World Challenge for his research and work on various uses for the coconut husk.  Until then, there was little commercial use for the coconut husk (the lowly "bunot" that many people use to scrub their wooden floors clean and shiny).  Coconut husk was just a by-product of copra and coconut oil production, about 12 to 13 billion pieces each year, which are mostly left to rot  or burned as waste.

        With Dr. Arboleda's research, various uses for the coconut husk were developed, such as mats, foam substitute, cocopeat (artificial soil) and coconet.  The COCONET developed by Dr. Arboleda became hugely popular as a soil erosion control device in Japan and Germany before Philippine real estate developers took notice of it.  Aside the the development of new products, coconet production also helped impoverished families of coconut farmers, who used to earn only 1,700 pesos a month from copra production, by providing them additional income from the sale of coconut husks and from coconet production.

        The World Challenge is a competition aimed at finding individuals or groups from around the world who have shown enterprise and innovation at a grass roots level. This competition is all about finding entrepreneurs whose projects are making a difference to communities.  The World Challenge is all about global involvement, casting a net for ideas from individuals or groups deserving recognition. In the process they also hope to inspire would-be entrepreneurs.

        Dr. Arboleda's Coconet Project is one of the twelve nominees in the competition.  The winning project will receive a US$20,000.00 grant to benefit it.   

To support Dr. Arboleda and vote for his Coconet project, click here.

Related Link: The Wonders of Coco Husk

Le Dexter Internationale

My blog as translated in different languages:

Mon blog en Français

Il mio blog in Italiano

Mi blog en Español   

日本語の私のblog

한국어안에 나의blog

 
Site translation by Babelfish

(If the links don't work the first time, try again some other time...  The translator could be overloaded with too many requests at the moment.)

Sorry folks, no Ilokano translation here :-)

A Silly Smile

   

Just can't help smiling lately, though for no particular reason.  So here's a silly letter of silly proportions sent to a silly no one in particular.

----------------------------

Hey friend,

Lately I noticed you've been smiling a lot.

That silly little smile on your face... that makes people wonder what's on your mind. Somebody commented that it has been a long time since you smiled so much.

Someone has mentioned the fact that life is beautiful. That's one reason to smile.

But I don't think you buy that.

'Cause you have a perfect-melancholy temperament and melancholics aren't supposed to think "life is beautiful" thoughts.

And I say "nothing's perfect."  You don't buy that too.

Perhaps this friend of yours is one reason you are smiling.  I know.  'Cause with all that have gone wrong,  your friend's comments have always been, with all due respect, lame.  And that makes you wanna just smack your friend in the face and go what-kind-of-idiot-says-such-lame-things on and on.

But hey, that never fails to put a smirk on your face.

And you even said your friend should bloody hell find some good partner, 'cause it's killing you seeing your friend like that...  Like a small little pussycat without the plate of milk.  Oh well, I don't know.

Someday something's gonna wipe that silly smile off your face. And when that day comes, good Lord, please, please may this friend of yours give you some more of those silly comments.

You could smack your friend in the face...

And that would put that silly little smile back on your face again.

----------------------------

"Smiles are contagious. Be a carrier!"

 

The Pencil

Let me share with you a beautiful allegory...

The pencilmaker told the pencils FIVE important lessons:

1st, Everything you do will always leave a mark.
2nd, You can always correct the mistakes you make.
3rd, What is important is what is inside you.
4th, In life you will undergo painful sharpenings which will make you a better pencil.

And themost important lesson of all:

5th, To be the best pencil you can be, you must allow yourself to be held and guided by the Hand that hold you.

LET'S BE THE BEST PENCIL WE CAN BE!

The Promise

        Everytime I go home to Baguio City, I always secretly wish for rain or drizzle to fall down as I start going up Marcos highway or Kennon Road.  Sure it makes the road all muddy and slippery, but that is just the nature of this mountain city.   

        I always regarded the water droplets falling from the sky as a sort of a welcome greeting for me.  The clouds splash water on the windshield as if saying to me, "Welcome back, Florent!  It's nice to see you again. Here's some welcome rain for you."

        As I get off the vehicle I always fill my lungs with the cool morning air, breathing in the coolness and the freshness all around me.  It never fails to invigorate my body and my mind.  And as the cold mountain air seeps into my flesh and bones, it wakes up my spirit and makes me feel more alive than ever.  If for this experience alone, a visit to Baguio is well worth it.

        But a stronger reason for me to visit Baguio City is to be a witness again to "God's Promise".  Like a Storm of Perfection, "God's Promise" manifests itself only after the rain has stopped -- a testament to His power and glory.

        The city always shows its beauty and splendor after an afternoon rainshower.  After a rain, the air is so fresh and clean; I can even smell the fresh scent of the plants and the trees as they rejoice in the water that has seeped into their roots.  The air is so clear that I can see the mountains far away in the distance unobstructed by dust and haze.  The leaves of the plants and the trees are glistening wet and the houses by the mountainside look so shiny and clean.

        "Look up in the sky!"

        From our home, looking over the next hill where Saint Louis University stands, up over the horizon and extending into the sky I can see the ring of colors gracing the afternoon sky. God's Promise, a RAINBOW, majestically appears in the horizon, towering above all of us like an arc of fire.  And as I look beside it, a secondary rainbow, faint, but larger than the first one, can be seen.

       It's a splendidly beautiful sight indeed!  It's a sight unmatched by any other.

       As a child, my playmates and I thought that there was a "golden pot" at the end of the rainbow.  From our point of view at home, the rainbow appeared to "land" behind the hill where Saint Louis University was located, which was in the area of Aurora Hill.  Since we had relatives living in that place, we would go there and frolick in the hills, digging and looking in some nooks and crannies for that "pot of gold".   We never found it.

       I was always held in awe by such a sight when I was a kid.  "Rainbow! Rainbow!", we would shout gleefully while pointing at the sky.  My elementary school teacher taught us how to "produce" a rainbow using a glass prism.  It had none of the beauty of the rainbow in the sky. 

        Indeed, there can only be one.

 
Note to myself: Next time I go up to Baguio, come home early after a rain to catch the rainbow.  Take pictures...  Many pictures.

 

Rainbow Quotes:

"Life is a rainbow."

"Remember that if you want to see a rainbow, you must endure the rain."

"Every cloud has a silver lining, and every rainy day leaves behind a special gift... a rainbow.

"No matter how bad the storm, there will always come a bright new day.  That is God's promise, and God always keeps His promises."

Hardships

"Hardships are one way of proving one's strength. So, if your problem is extra big, be extra flattered bcoz that's how much the Lord believes in you!"

A Second Childhood

        My work sked has been out of whack lately but despite this toxic lifestyle, I find myself unconsciously whistling or singing to myself my favorite nursery rhyme (which should be obvious to some of you now if you've been reading some of my earlier posts).  This song has gone around in a full circle and has caught up with me a few years back, making a serendipitic impact on my life's direction and is partly the reason for the "Pepperstripe" handle that I so often use.  But talking about this will entail a dedicated blog post, perhaps when I get to have more time to write about it.

        For now, I'll be having some fun recalling my favorite nursery rhymes.  Feel free to sing along if you want to. 

        Enjoy and have fun!

 

Fly, Fly, Fly

Fly, fly, fly, the butterfly
In the garden is flying high
In the meadow is flying low
Fly, fly, fly the butterfly

(This is probably the very first song that I mastered as a child.  I even have my very own recording of me singing the song off-key, hehehe)

Twinkle, twinkle, Little Star

Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are

(When I was a child, i loved looking at the sky at night and trying to count all the stars in the sky.  I could only count up to twenty then, so when I reach twenty, I would count twenty, twenty, twenty, twenty, twenty, twenty, twenty...)

Row, Row, Row your Boat

Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream

(When I was bored, I would sing this song over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over......)

London Bridge is Falling Down

London bridge is falling down
Falling down, falling down
London bridge is falling down
My fair lady

(Hmmm... this song might be banned in the UK following the UK bombings.  The terrorists might just get the "hint" if they hear this song)

Pussycat, Pussycat

Pussycat, pussycat, where have you been?
I've been to London to visit the queen
Pussycat, pussycat, what did you do there?
I frightened a little mouse under the chair

(I used to think that mice were afraid of cats until I saw a RAT that's bigger than the cat.  The cat got scared and ran away)

Jack and Jill

Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water
Jack fell down and broke his crown
And Jill came tumbling after

(Another favorite song of mine, only to discover later in that it had sexual connotations.  Thus this song is my very first "dirty" song)

I'm a Little Teapot

I'm a little teapot short and stout
This is my handle and this is my spout
When the water's boiling hear me SHOUT
Lift me up and pout me down

(When we would get to the word "shout", my classmates and I would SHOUT at the top of our voices, prompting the teacher in the adjoining classroom to knock on our wall)

 

Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty together again.

(Humpty Dumpty was a "fence sitter".  Look what happened to him)

 

Hickory Dickory Dock

Hickory dickory dock
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck one
The mouse ran down
Hickory Dickory Dock

(I had a music box that played this song before.  I would wind it over and over and play it to the dogs.  The dogs would run away everytime they see me carrying that music box)

 

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Baa baa black sheep
Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three bags full

One for my master
And one for the dame
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane

Baa baa black sheep
Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir
Three bags full

(Any nursery rhyme that has got the word "boy" in it was always my favorite.  I always thought that I was the "boy" being referred to in that nursery song and that it was cool to have sheep as pets.)

Three Blind Mice

Three blind mice
Three blind mice
See how they run
See how they run
They all ran after the farmer's wife
Who cut their tails with a carving knife
Have you ever seen such a thing in your life
As three blind mice.

(Another favorite song.  I think I enjoyed the portion where "their tails were cut with a carving knife".  May pagka-sadista ako noon, hehehe)

Jack Be Nimble

Jack be nimble
Jack be quick
Jack jump over
The candlestick

(Our teacher put a lighted candle on the floor and we would take our turns jumping over it.  Someone jumped a wee bit low and knocked the candlestick over and that was the end of the poem as we knew it.)

Rock a Bye Baby

Rock a bye baby
On the treetop
When the wind blows
The cradle will rock
When the bough breaks
The cradle will fall
And down will come baby
Cradle and all

(Ugh, how tragic!  I always felt a sense of discomfort everytime I sang this song.  Who would want to put baby's cradle on the treetop anyway and allow it to fall each time the song is sung)

I Love Little Pussy

I love little pussy
Her coat is so warm
And if I don't hurt her
She'll do me no harm
So I'll not pull her tail
Nor drive her away
But pussy and I
Very gently will play

(Hmmm, if I teach this rhyme to children now, their parents might strangle me, hehehe)

Little Boy Blue

Little boy blue
Come blow your horn
The sheep's the the meadow
The cow's in the corn
Where is that little boy
Who looks after the sheep?
He's under the haystack, fast asleep.
Will you wake him?
No, not I
For if I do,
He's sure to cry

(I think Little Boy Blue is the American version of Juan Tamad)

Little Miss Muffet

Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet
Eating her curds and whey
Then came a spider
Who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away

(What's a "Tuffet"???)

Mary had a Little Lamb

Mary had a little lamb
Little lamb, little lamb
Mary had a little lamb
It's Fleece as white as snow

Everywhere that Mary went
Mary went, Mary went
Everywhere that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go

It followed her to school one day
School one day, school one day
It followed her to school one day
Which was against the rules

It made the children laugh and play
Laugh and play, laugh and play
It made the childre laugh and play
To see a lamb at school

(Now I know it is spelled "fleece".  When I was a child I thought it was spelled "fleas" and I always wondered why a song would want to mention that a lamb had "fleas" as white as snow.)

One, Two, Tie My Shoe

One, two, tie my shoe
Three, four, shut the door
Five, Six, pick up sticks
Seven, Eight, lay them straight
Nine, Ten, a big fat hen.

(Because of this nursery rhyme, I learned how to tie my own shoes at six years old)

        There!  My collection of my favorite nursery rhymes and poems when I was a child.

        And I typed them all from heart.  Wow!  I'm amazed that I could still recall all these nursery rhymes after all these years.  Of course i had to sing a few of them while typing just to jog my memory.

        And if any of you don't know how to sing them, ring me up and I'll sing them for you, while I'm still in the mood for singing  :D
 

Kafagway

         September 1, 2005 marks the 96th anniversary of Baguio, the Philippines' summer capital, when it was established as a Chartered City in 1909. 

        Baguio City's original name was "Kafagway", a name given to it by the Ibaloi settlers which means "wide open space".  The name "Baguio", given to it by the American colonizers, was adapted from "Bag-iw", a moss plant that grew abundantly along the shores of what is now Burnham Park.

        I'm sure there will be lots of fun to be had during the days and weeks prior to and after the anniversary date, with concerts, art shows, a beauty pageant, a parade, fairs and lots of ukay-ukay markets sprouting around and doing their share to attract visitors and tourists to the city. 

        Hmmm... I wonder who will get the "Outstanding Baguio Citizen Award" this year?  It obviously won't be me, hehehe.

        I have yet to see the "road art" along Session Road, which is the latest talk of the town over there.  It's strange becuase everytime I go home to Baguio, I almost always never pass by Session Road, prefering instead to pass by other routes just to avoid the traffic and huge crowds packed on the sidewalks.  I have to make a mental note to take pictures of these "road arts" and post them here in my blog soon.

        While reminiscing about my hometown, I stumbled upon Nick "Watson" Ballesteros' Baguio-Quezon Blog.  He writes about Baguio City and about the sites and places that make the city unique.  He even takes pictures of many places and describes events and happenings that I can clearly recall during my childhood.  Heck I even remembered that I was always "Star 1" when me and my cousins played Star Rangers in my grandparent's frontyard before (Everybody would run and hide muna, and then one by one, each of us would shout STAR 1, STAR 2, STAR 3, STAR 4, STAR 5... We are the Star Rangers!  Tsaraaaan!!!)

       September 1, 2005 is Baguio Day.  Ag-biag iti Baguio!

       Umali kayo amin!

       Ok ngarud! 

 

The Magic is About to Begin

Here's one for the dreambook...

------------------------------------------
"Your Very Own Happily Ever After"

        A new era of Disney magic and tradition begins with the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland. Dreams will become reality as you are invited into lands of adventure, fantasy, yesterday and tomorrow to experience exciting attractions, outstanding dining and live entertainment. Share in the Disney tradition where a lifetime of memories awaits your arrival.

        Discover a magical kingdom of thrilling adventures, storybook journeys and beloved Disney Characters. Stay amidst the magic in two enchanting hotels offering unique shopping, imaginative dining and family recreation — all delivered with the style and service for which Disney is renowned.

        The magic forever begins September 12, 2005!

 ------------------------------------------

I inquired from a travel agent and here's the package tour cost:

DISNEYLAND TOUR PACKAGE 4D3N
US$298.00 per person

Day 01
Manila - Hong Kong (No Meal)
Arrive Hong Kong, Meet and transfer to Hotel, Overnight in City Hotel

Day 02
Hong Kong (Breakfast, Lunch)
Breakfast outside hotel. Full day free Kowloon and Shenzen city tour with lunch.
Shenzen Tour will be ended at China border. Passenger return to HKG at own arrangement. Overnight in City Hotel.

Day 03
Hong Kong (Breakfast)
Breakfast outside hotel. Full day DISNEYLAND tour with entrance ticket.
Overnight in Disney's Hollywood Garden Hotel.

Day 04
Hong Kong - Manila (No Meal)
Free unit transfer to airport

Package includes:
2 nights city hotel and 1 night Disneyland Hollywood Hotel
Full day Disneyland tour with entrance ticket
Free 2 days breakfast outside hotel
Free tour indicated in the above itenerary
Free roundtrip airport shuttle with one luggage transfer per person

Remarks:
All booking under "BOOK N BUY" basis and 50% non-refundable deposit 7 days after confirmation
Balance payment one month before arrival
Above rates are based on FIT and GROUP, NO FOC for group booking
No Refund for unused rooms (early out or no show), tours, entrance ticket, meals and transfer service.
All China VISA are subject to approval by China Authority. No guarantee on China VISA.

------------------------------------------

        I remember the first (and only) time I went to Tokyo Disneyland... It was such a genuine happy feeling that I felt at that time, the kind of happiness and giddiness that I felt as a child while rolling over and over down a grassy slope, giggilng and shouting and seeing the sky and then the ground alternately as I was rolling down, feeling ecstatic and without a care in the world.  In Disneyland. everyone was happy and smiling and having the time of their lives.  It was like I was a child again as I stepped into that magic world.  The pictures I took do not give justice to the magic feeling that I felt back then.

        It's crazy to think that people spend good money on this just to have a chance to experience "childhood" again.  But the feeling you get once you get to experience it... it's priceless!

        Disneyland? 

       Bah!  Phoooey! 

       It's only for children. 

       Right?

       That's why I'm going. 

       Who's coming?  =)

Gratitude and Thankfulness

        Yesterday at church, the topic that was discussed with thoroughness and completeness was all about gratitude and thankfulness, as embodied in the short two verses of Psalms 92:1-2.  Wow, I really was awake and alert the whole time!  I thought long and hard and indeed it is true, I really do have so many things to be grateful about. 

        This reminded me of the question I always raise to a person who's stubbornly negative about something or someone: "Ano ang nagustuhan mo doon?" or "Ano ang nagustuhan mo sa kanya?"  Trick question or not, the question re-aligns a person's mind and forces him/her to think of positive things instead of dwelling on destructive negativities.

        I just have to write this down, so here goes...

   Things that I am grateful to God for:

1. For being blessed with a closely-knit family (my parents, my sis, my relatives) who understand me, who give me advise, and who allow me the freedom to do what I want to do with my life.


2. 
   

   For all my friends (you know who you are!) who stick with me through thick and thin despite any circumstance and despite my constantly varying moods and temperaments (and you know you are still my friend even if you don't consider me one)

   
   


3. 
   
   
   

   For my "friendsters" who show me that there's more to life than just computers and the Internet.

   
   


4. 
   

   For a great church community in MBC and for being blessed with friends who accept me as I am despite my being an "outcast" among them.  My faith, my hope and my spirit are nurtured.

   
   


5. 
   

   For God Who loves me and Who gave me the life that I have and Who challenges me day by day because He knows that it will make me a better person.

   
   


6. 
   

   For my renewed spiritual journey and discovery.

   
   


7. For the music I play (however terrible I play it), because it means I am able to express myself in many ways and I have an outlet for relaxation and meditation.


8. 
   

   For my constantly improving good health and wellness despite my very hectic and toxic lifestyle.

   
   


9. 
   

   For bottomless coffee and soda at Fitness First (aside from the gym, of course).

   
   


10. 
    

    For my flexible time where I can get to workout in the gym whenever I want to.

    
    


11. For my business partners who share my goals and my vision and who put up with me and my pragmatic attitude.


12. 
    

    For all my mentors who have always believed in me, in my abilities, and in my capability to succeed in life despite my stubbornness and hard-headedness at times.

    
    


13. For my work, because it gives me a means to contribute to society


14. 
    

    For my job, because it makes me think and it keeps me on my toes at all times with worthwhile challenges and opportunities.

    
    


15. 
    

    For the business that I do, because it gives me excellent opportunities to touch other people's lives.

    
    


16. 
    

    For Figaro Coffee Shop and Mini Stop Convenience Store located at the bottom of our building for their inexhaustible supply of coffee, pasta, thin crust pizza, and siopao, hotdog sandwiches and C2 green tea.

    
    


17. For those times where I had a chance to travel outside the Philippines because it has opened my eyes and my mind to knowing how to appreciate foreign people and cultures.


18. 
    

    For the audio tapes, CDs and books that I have in my library because it gives me a chance to grow and to learn each time I listen to or read them.

    
    


19. 
    

    For the people I meet everyday because it makes me realize that there are other lives out there besides mine that are worth appreciating and touching.

    
    


20. For the big red spot on my nose that keeps manifesting itself every now and then because it is saying that I have to relax, slow down a little bit to smell the flowers and to enjoy the scenery as I travel in my life's journey.


21. 
    

    For my air-conditioned office for keeping things cool during summer (funny but many people seem to take this for granted... Wait until you get to work in a hot, humid, air-conditionless office)

    
    


22. 
    

    For my blog, which is taking on an unexpected size and shape, and for the people who happen to stumble upon its contents and maybe learn something from it or be entertained by it, however "babaw" my posts may be.

    
    


23. 
    

    For my house (even though it is becoming more like a warehouse each day), it provides me with my own private space where I can recoup and re-establish myself (sorry sis, don't come home just yet! the house is really a mess, hehehe)

    
    


24. 
    

    For the chance to have experienced the wonder and magic of Walt Disney World in Japan many, many years ago. (Everyone should make it a goal to go to Disneyland in their lifetime and re-live their childhood even just for a day...  Hongkong Disneyland will be opening soon in September! wink, wink!)

    
    


25. 
    

    For the many, many chances to ride my bike at dawn in the crisp chill of early morning air (and sometimes also in the rain), calming my mind and rejuvenating my spirit.

    
    

(more to come...)

25 blessings and counting...

        I haven't listed yet each and every blessing I've ever received, considering the short span of time that I got to write this blog.  I know there's more, and of course I'll be updating this blog often. I placed it's URL in my "Blog and Mundo" (I am Thankful Indeed) links for quick reference in the future.

        Okay then... Looks like I have celebrated "Thanksgiving Day" in advance! =)

        As for you dear reader - what are you thankful about?  Why don't you blog about it also, share it, bring cheers and smiles to everyone's faces, make this world a happier place to live in.  And if you haven't started your blog yet, why not make this your first post and start off your blog on a very cheerful note. la la la la...

----------------------------
        Here are some more things to give thanks for; you may have already read this somewhere on the 'net or maybe someone forwarded it to you in an e-mail: I Give Thanks and Give me a Grateful Heart, Lord.

 

 

More on Success

Another thing learned today from mentor Titus Manuel:

"A successful person never cheats himself of every chance to become successful."

Haay, In Love Na Naman...

        Yup.  That's correct.

        "In love ka na naman???"

        Thats what they all say when they see that big red spot on my nose.  It seems to have grown overnight into a humongous volcano that's threatening to explode like Mt. Pinatubo.

        Yuck!

        There's this cute little spot on my nose that seems to be the favorite site for that big red spot to manifest itself.  Only one spot.  Only one place.  Everytime.  It's irritating.  It's big and red and it hurts like hell.  And these naughty bastards don't come alone.  They bring the entire army with them, some of them setting up camp on my left jaw area while the rest of them settle on my right jaw area.  It's an blitzkrieg invasion!

        I used to blame my oily face for it.  Smear a tissue on my nose and my forehead and I swear you will be able to wring out enough oil give those Middle East countries a run for their money.         

        Oil attracts dirt. Dirt gets trapped in the pores and clog them up. And while the oil glands continue to happily do their thing, the greasy stuff they produce gets trapped inside the pores and like a plastic balloon that's being filled with water, the pore expands until it's filled to bursting until eventually it gives way and Mt. Pinatubo explodes. 

        Grrrrrrrrr...

        I envy people with dry facial skin because their faces don't have that icky yucky shine like mine.  However, here's a fact: People with dry facial skin tend to get wrinkles and fine lines on their faces as they grow older.  People with oily skin don't have to worry much about this.  The oil their faces produce actually help keep their skin looking young.  No fine lines. No wrinkles. Just a youthful and radiant glow, along with the shinyness that's characteristic of oily faces.

        I find it hard to believe that dust and dirt are the primary causes of pimples.  I ride my bike often and enough dust, dirt and grime land on my face to make me look like a "taong grasa" after a spirited day of riding.  Water in a swimming pool would probably turn black instantly if I dived in it.  But no pimples.

        So probably it's stress and diet that's causing all this to happen.  I must remind myself to slow down and relax once in a while and also to avoid eating beef if I can help it.  Beef is a real killer for me especially if the meat is not prepared or cooked very well; those toxins could not be adequately cleaned by the liver and the kidneys (especially if the body is stressed) thus they eventually find their way to sensitive points on the skin where they accummulate and eventually rupture.  Yikes.

       Garlic has proven to be a natural antibiotic and blood toxic cleanser.  Eating garlic used to be an option for me but it must be taken raw, not cooked.  The garlic "talkbalk" is really very bad though.  After ingesting a clove of garlic I could not meet people confidently for an entire day.  They KNEW what I ate!  Good thing I found those Garlic tablets made from pure garlic that are just as effective.  The tablets even have the shape of a garlic clove so it's really fun eating them.  I get the benefit of eating raw cloves of garlic everyday without the talkbalk.  Yey!  Hooray for science!

        That big red spot is still there on my nose.

        And someone just called me "Rudolph" this morning.

        But it's ok.  Soon, the red spot will be gone.

        Rudolph's a cute name anyway ;-)

Storms of Perfection

One of the best stories I have heard came from Andy Andrews.  He is the author of the book "Storms of Perfection", where he compiled a collection of letters from over 50 of the world's most successful people, bringing new insight to the price of success. In their correspondence with the author, these people tell the story of the biggest problem or worst rejection they personally encountered.  They were discouraged, disheartened, and they even thought about quitting.   The  difference is, they didn't!  Their stories are truly amazing and inspirational.

 
Here's Andy Andrews' story:

-----------------------------------

        "There are things we remember from our earliest childhood.  For some people it's a smell, a touch; for some people it's a lullaby. For me it's a walk in the woods with my dad. It's something that defines my childhood; something that I remember every now and then, something that has shook my adulthood.

        I walked in the woods with my dad when I was a little boy, about 6 or 7 years old, and I remember following my father through this dried up creek bed. It was in a drought in South Alabama and I remember hearing the "crunch, crunch, crunch" of the sticks and the rocks and the leaves as they broke under our feet.  I see my father reach up and crush some dried leaves in his hand and shake his head.  The river was drying up, dying and burning up. 

        We walked down towards the beaver pond where my family used to go on picnics.  There was a pool of stagnant water there and cracked mud.  The beaver's lodge was on dry land.  And while we walked around the edge of the pond looking at the grass and the wildlife that was literally blowing away, something happened that I'll never forget -- the temperature dropped dramatically in just a period of a few seconds and the wind picked up and thunder and lightning started from across the pond.  Water, rain, in silver sheets like I've never seen before came sweeping across the pond, with the lightning and the thunder and the wind.  I mean I've never seen it before.  I'm just a little kid; it scared me to death...  terrified me.

        I'm screaming and my dad picks me up by the waist and jogs through the woods a little bit. I'm kicking and the lightning's crashing with the thunder.  I was terrified.

        I know you're not supposed to get under a tree in a lightning storm but I guess my dad felt like he had no choice.  He stopped under a bush, put me in his lap, put his arms around me and he put his head down next to mine.  I was crying and whimpering and screaming.  My father said over and over to me, ''Calm down. I'm here. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. You're gonna be fine.  Everything's all right. Calm down, calm down. This won 't be long. This is just for a little bit. I've got you. You'll gonna be alright. I would never let anything happen to you. Calm down, calm down. It won't be long now. It'll be over soon."

        And soon it was. The wind stopped and the rain stopped and the thunder and the lightning died down. And my father lifted me up and he dried the tears in my eyes and told me to take deep breaths. 

        Then he said, "Follow me."

        We walked down back to the beaver pond, this time beside the creak that had started to flow. As we neared the pond my dad said, "Look, look!"  And some dear ran to the edge of the stream and jumped over.  One of them stopped and drank and ran after the others. 

        When we got to the beaver pond the water had started to swirl around in a circle filling the pond back up as the stream flowed into that vast emptiness. My dad looked at me and said, "You were pretty scared back there, weren't you?"

        I said, "Yes sir, I was."

        He said, "Me too."   

        My big, strong dad was scared too?

        And he said, "How do you think the dear felt, all alone out in the open like that?  They were scared, weren't they?"

        And I said, "Yes sir, they were."

        He said, "How about the beavers with their babies there in their home?  How did they feel?"

        I said, "They were scared."

        He said, "And the rabbits and the squirrels and the birds and the little animals... With that lightning and the thunder, they were scared too, don't you think?"

        And I said, "Yes sir, they were."

        He said, "But look around now.  Look at what's happening now.  The dears have water to drink that weren't there before. The beaver's pond is gonna fill up and they can spend the winter in their home just like they planned. The rabbits and the squirrels are eating the clean grass that the rain washed and the birds are eating worms that have come out on wet ground."

        And I was amazed!

        What looked like the worst thing that could have ever happened to any of us turned out to be the best thing that could have ever happened to all of us.

        It was a "Storm of Perfection"

        And I've always remembered those words all my life. 

        Storm of Perfection - Something that looks like the worst but turns out to be the best.  Something that has allowed in my life to mold me, to shape me, to fire me, to get me ready for the success in my future.

        It's hard to see things that way. People forget that even in the Bible God did not save Daniel from the lion's den. That's what we hear.  We hear the story that God saved Daniel from the lion's den. 

        But He never did it.

        He saved Daniel IN the lion's den.  He let him go through it because he knew that it would be good for Daniel.

        What's happening in your life now that looks like the worst?

        I also remember my dad  telling me,  "son, God is under no obligation to tell you what He is doing in your life."

        You know that statement never made me feel really good.

        But at least it has given me some calm about what is happening in my life.

        Storm of Perfection. 

        I'll never forget it."

-----------------------------------

Fly, balloon, fly

I let go of the string
Fly, balloon, fly
Rise up in a whisper
To greet the sky

A wave of my hand
Bids the balloon goodbye
Never looking back
Flying up on high

Fly up and fly free
A little speck to the eye
Ride the mighty winds
Don't ever be shy

Go on and fly higher
Past the clouds and birds
A little wish I have
Never forget my words

For you are made to fly
And you are made to be free
Take my heart up high
So that I may see.

-----------------------------------

A little bit of balloon trivia:

* Ballons are made from latex rich fluids harvested fram the bark of the Hevea brasilliensis, or Brazilian rubber trees.

* An 11-inch helium balloon can be expected to remain lighter than air for only 12-16 hours.  This is because helium molecules are small enough to escape through the molecular "holes" in the latex.

* Helium is used to inflate balloons because hydrogen, another "lighter-than-air" gas, is combustible. (I remember a friend who burned his hair and eyebrows when the cigarette he was smoking got too close to one of these hydrogen-balloons. Hahaha, he looked awfully wierd after that)

 

* Free floating balloons (those released in the air) pose no ecological hazards while floating free.

* Latex balloons pose no knows threat to aircraft (i.e. getting sucked into the airplane turbine and getting entangled inside) or to human dwellings.

* An 11-inch helium should rise at a rate of 5-6 feet per second reaching an altitude of 28,000 feet after about 1.5 hours.  (Hmmm.... what if I tie myself to a hundred balloons so that I can fly over Mt. Everest?)

* Over 95% of released helium balloons float upward over hours until an altitude of about five miles.  At this altitude the latex is brittle due to the cold.  Stretched to the breaking point, the balloon bursts into multiple broken fragments.  (Oops, so much for that Mt. Everest balloon flight fantasy)

* There are no knows cases of reported injuries due to falling balloon fragments.

* Balloons are composed of latex taken from rubber trees.  It is not surprising that they will degrade at the same rate as leaves and faster than small wood chips.

* In 1997, Discovery Channel presented a case of intestinal obsruction in a whale that has ingested a balloon.  The whale was treated successfully and released.

Also In 1997, a man successfully flew in a garden chair strapped to 45 helium-filled balloons.

Here's his funny story ;-)

 

The Cliff

        The soles of their bare feet are cut and bruised as they climb along the cliff's edge.  Somehow, she decided that it was better to take her shoes off so she that can firmly grasp a foothold along the narrow trail that led to the top.  His feet are now hurting and he regretted having to take off his shoes as she had done.  He could barely see the footpath in the dark and cloudy night, being guided only by the white dress that she wore as she clambered ahead.

        She stood along the cliffs edge and stared at the vast blackness of ocean before her, reveling at its infinite emptiness and enthralled by the thunderous sound of waves crashing upon the rocky shoreline below.  He was gasping for breath.  She wasn’t.  The wind kisses their faces as they hold each other's hands.

        Slowly he moves his hand up to her face to wipe away a tear.  As she lifts her head to look up at him, a faint smile draws upon her face, highlighting her beauty amidst the strong wind blowing.  His eyes had adjusted to the darkness now and he could only marvel at her innate loveliness as she smiled. 

        She said to him, "You don't have to go with me.  I just need to..."

        Her words were cut short as he raised his finger against her lips.  "Shhh" he said.  "We've talked about this so many times already.  You know how much I love you..."

        It was her turn to raise her finger to his lips, gazing intently as his eyes.  She drew his head close to her and planted a kiss on his lips.  For what seems like an eternity, they gazed into each other's eyes, hugging each other as the wind blew stronger.

        "I love you", she said.  He hugs her close.

        A big gust of wind startles them and they momentarily lose their balance.  She holds him tight.  "Ready?" she said.  He looks at her and nods.

        The sky begins to weep.  They step forward.

        And the three of them plunge into eternity.

The Daily Motivator

If you look at my sidebar, you'll notice the "Thought for the day" graphic which, when clicked, will lead you to "The Daily Motivator" website.

The Daily Motivator is a daily dose of motivational messages, dealing mostly with one's self and one's attitudes towards many things. These messages touch one's mind and soul and opens up a person's mind to allow him to look introspectively, motivating in a way that can not be done by "inspirational" messages (i.e. success stories from other people).

Here's an excerpt from the August 9 message, "Walk Away From Worry": "When your mind is filled with worry, just imagine how wonderful it would be to have that heavy burden lifted clean away. Imagine it, and then choose the simple act of doing it."

Ralph Marston is the author and publisher of The Daily Motivator, and this is his source of strength.

A Surprise Visitor

    I got a very pleasant surprise as I was about to update my blog.  Janette Toral dropped by and left her comment in my "A View from the Top" post.  I mean she's *THE* Janette Toral -- One of the great minds I look up to and one of the great movers and shakers in the IT industry. 

    And she called me a "reflective thinker"

    Wow!  I'm humbled.

    For those of you who are not familiar with her, Janette Toral is dubbed as the "Mother of the E-Commerce Law" due to her untiring support and advocacy for E-Commerce in the Philippines, ultimately leading to the passage of RA8792 - The E-Commerce Act of the Philippines.  She also owns and maintains the digitalfilipino.com website, and is the author and publisher of two E-Commerce books, as well as a full complement of other major accompishments.

    Janette also maintains blogs in Friendster and in Blogspot.

    I first met her during one of PICS' meetings at the Aurora Milesone Building many years back when I was still with PhilWeb.  I don't know if she still recalls me...  I was an inactive member back then :(

    I made a booboo with my post... I should have posted it in my Blogspot where i post all my "reflective" stuff.  I occasionally mis-post and get things jumbled up, so I post here when I should have posted there and I post there when I should have posted here.  Tao lang po. 

    The mis-posting turned out to be a blessing, though, and so I was a special mention in Janette's blog, "Reaching Mount Everest"  :-)

    Thanks, Janette, for dropping by! 

A view from the top

    "We all have our own private Mt. Everest to climb", so goes the saying. 

    It's not a one-time thing to climb it...  It's a journey to live for, a journey worth repeating, and a journey that deserves to be shared with many people.

    But why climb at all when a person can just be comfortable "down there" without all the stress and hardships associated with climbing and the possibility of failure ? 

    One reason: The view from the top is simply amazing! 

    You can see clearer, farther, and with more vision when you're on top. 

    Robert Schuller, in his excellent little book, The Peak to Peak Principle, helps us understand the importance of gaining vision at a place where you can see further. 

    The view changes as you rise up higher...

    In the foothills, all that you may see is the next set of peaks — the next set of challenges ahead of you. 

    But from “the peak” there is nothing to obscure your view of where you can go.

    Here's a breathtaking view from the "top of the world"

    If you want to see more, here's a 360-degree panoramic view of Mt. Everest as seen from the peak.   Just be patient as the image loads up (just like being patient when climbing a mountain), it's quite huge, but once it's finished loading, you'll get a view like no one has ever seen before.  You'll see the Indian ocean in the distance, China and Tibet in another direction, Middle east in another...  and you can see other nearby and faraway peaks that are just inviting themselves to be climbed. 

    Breathtaking indeed!

-------------------------

Everest quotes:

      Sherpa Tenzing was the other man in the two-man team who successfully scaled Mt. Everest's peak for the first time on May 29, 1953 (the other man was Sir Edmund Hillary).  A simple man, Tenzing said after climbing Everest: "It has been a long road... From a mountain coolie, a bearer of loads, to a wearer of a coat with rows of medals who is carried about in planes and worries about income tax. I had climbed my mountain, but I must still live my life." 

     Hillary was known to have said after coming back down: "Well, we knocked that bastard off!"

 

 

Now I know...

LIFE IN THE 1500'S

The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about the 1500s:

On June Brides and June Weddings:

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

On taking a bath:

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women, the children and last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."

It's raining cats and dogs - literally!

Houses had thatched roofs - thick straw - piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip off the roof. Hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."

Canopy beds weren't a luxury back then

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could messup your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

What's on your floor?

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying "dirt poor."

Hold that thresh

The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway.Hence the saying a "thresh hold."

(Getting quite an education now, aren't you?)

Nine-day old food

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added thing s to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, "Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old."

The bacon cometh home

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could "bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat."

Tomatoes have lycopene (What???)

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning and death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Julie's Bohemian Bakeshop

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or "uppercrust."

Are you dead yet?

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a "wake."

Who's doing the graveyard shift?

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a "bone-house" and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the "graveyard shift") to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be "saved by the bell" or was considered a "dead ringer."

And that's the truth...

Now, whoever said that History was boring ! ! !