Singlish for the Traveller

        Finally, I discovered the Singaporean equivalent of the word "PALAGPAT"...  Believe it or not, locals use the term "TALKING COCK"

Talking Cock (v.) - a local Singaporean term meaning either to talk nonsense or engage in idle banter.

        Close enough?  Well, Singlish, as they call their unique language, is a very efficient form of communication.  Singlish is the uniquely Singaporean vernacular blend of English and local (mostly) Hokkien, Malay and Tamil terms.  Often (unfairly) maligned, Singlish actually involves  a lot of very witty cross-cultural wordplay.

        Here are  some commonly-used Singlish sentences extracted from my sis' book, talkingcock.com's "The Coxford Singlish Dictionary":

(English sentence) -- (Singlish translation)

Hello, here is my passport -- Nah!

Good day!  Welcome to the Grand Hotel -- (silent stare)

Did you have a pleasant flight? -- Your plane? How?

May I have your name? -- Name?

Do you like this room? -- This one, can?

I'm sure it'll be alright -- Can, lah. Take!

Hello! -- Eh!

Where shall we go for a meal? -- Go where?

How about this place? -- Here can?

Can you help me photocopy these documents, please? -- Take and zap!

Quck! Let's get out of here! -- Take cover!

Do you like this? -- Can?

What are you looking at? -- See what?

What shall we do this evening? -- Tonight do what?

Let's attend a concert -- Lai, go concert

Where are we going? -- Go where?

Is there a problem? -- Wha'ppen?

Hello handsome! -- Eh, yan tao!

Shall we go on a date tonight? -- Tonight want to pak tor, not?

I thought we'd start with dinner, then watch the midnight movie -- Go and whack first, then kua meenite.

Sounds good to me -- On, lah!

        Note how utterly efficient Singlish is compared to the English Language? 

        In the same amount of time that two English-speaking persons will talk about the current weather only, Singlish-speaking persons would have already talked about the weather, the sports, the latest showbiz news, have said goodbye to teach other, and would have gone to sleep already .

        Here are some other interesting terms:

(Singlish) -- (English)

nowsaday -- nowadays

off day -- day off

swee (or swee-swee) -- pretty or beautiful

iron rings -- onion rings

supot -- support

semen -- a very unfortunate common mispronunciation of "cement"

semen mixture -- a very unfortunate common mispronunciation of "cement mixture"

Okay lah!  Gotta tsao, not?

Learn more Singlish terms from The Coxford Singlish Dictionary.

 

Speechless...

Living with Jesus in your heart is such a wonderful feeling. 

It just leaves me -- speechless!  =)

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

SPEECHLESS
--by Steven Curtis Chapman 

Words fall like drops of rain
My lips are like clouds
I say so many things
Trying to figure You out
But as mercy opens my eyes
My words are stolen away
With this breathtaking view of Your grace 

And I am speechless I’m astonished and amazed
I am silenced by Your wondrous grace
You have saved me
You have raised me from the grave
And I am speechless in Your presence now
I’m astounded as I consider how
You have shown us
A love that leaves us speechless 

So what kind of love could this be
That would trade heaven’s throne for a cross
And to think You still celebrate
Over finding just one who was lost
And to know You rejoice over us
The God of this whole universe
It’s a story that’s too great for words 

Oh how great is the love
The Father has lavished upon us
That we should be called
The sons and the daughters of God 

We are speechless so amazed
We stand in awe of Your grace
We stand in awe of Your mercy
You have saved us
We stand in awe of Your love
From the grave
We are speechless 

We are speechless in Your presence now
We stand in awe of Your cross
We’re astounded as we consider how
We stand in awe of Your power
You have shown us
A love that leaves us speechless
We are speechless

 

I am speechless...

Standing Ovation... almost!!!

(Oct. 25, 2005) The trip to Singapore via Tiger Airways was uneventful... well, almost.  I arrived at the back of SM Megamall building just in time to catch the 7AM Philtranco bus to Diosdado Macapagal Airport in Clark, Pampanga.  I hopped on, paid the P300 fare and found my seat beside a lady who was going to Malaysia on an Air Asia flight.  No time for kwento-kwento though as I found myself dozing off inside the bus all the way to the airport.  I just had to catch up on my sleep.

          At the airport, the check-in was a breeze.  After paying the requisite travel tax and terminal fee and going though customs unimpeded, and convincing an Indian-Singaporean citizen that only his Filipina wife and baby need to pay the travel tax, I was already at the departure holding area at 9:00AM waiting for my 10:50AM flight.  It's a good thing I was able to copy the praise songs to my phone from some CDs a friend lent me, and with the earphones, my phone became an instant mobile iPod.

          We boarded the plane on schedule.  I got a seat at the back near the plane's restroom and settled down comfortably as I continued listening to the songs.  As the plane was taxiing off, someone shouted "Emergency! Emergency!"  I looked up front and someone came running towards the restroom carrying a baby with outstretched arms.  It was the Indian-Singaporean guy I talked to earlier.

          "Sir, where are you going? You have to be in your seat!" said the stewardess.

          "I want to change diapers" the man said back, going directly to the restroom.

          "Sir, it is very dangerous. You have to sit now.  The plane is already taxiing on the runway."   I could hear noises inside the restroom and some banging sounds.  I even heard the man talking to his baby and telling him "Of all times to poo, why does it have to be now?"

          There were already three stewardesses talking to the man and urging him to go back to his seat with the baby and resume what he was doing after the plane had taken off.  I was just listening amusedly at the conversations; the man wouldn't hear anything of the stewardesses' suggestions.  He kept doing his thing, banging around the restroom, wetting some tissues to wipe the Baby's behind, disposing of the diapers, washing his hands, while all the time warding off the nosy stewardesses.

          Finally after less than two minutes and before the plane could finish taxiing off to the end of  the runway, the man emerged triumphantly from the restroom, all smiles, and carrying his baby who was still naked from the waist down but very clean already and smelling like a real baby!  Wow! That man was amazing!  I was half-expecting the take-off to be delayed because of this commotion at the back of the plane.

          And so the plane took off on schedule to another uneventful flight. This would be 4 hours of flying so I just had to get comfortable in my seat, listening to music and dozing off casually.  The band members of River Maya were travelling to Singapore also and were seated at the seats opposite me and they were also casually listening to their ipods and cellphones.  Hmmm, so much for turning off your mobile phones while inside the plane.

          As we neared Singapore, the pilot announced on the Intercom that our landing would be delayed due to "attrocious rains, winds and lightning" down at the airport.  The plane would continue to circle above the clouds while waiting for the weather below to calm down. "Not to worry, we still have plenty of fuel on board" the pilot said as we continued to circle above singapore.

          Finally, after 30 minutes of circling above the clouds, the pilot decided to land the plane. "Attendants, flight stations, please", he announced on the plane's intercom.  The fasten your seatbelt lights blinked one last time and I felt the plane start to slowly descend.  The plane shuddered violently as it hit the clouds and I could see water stream sideways on the windows as the wind and rain started buffetting the plane.  I could see flashes of lightning outside as the plane continued to shudder and vibrate from the wind and the rains.  I suddenly found myself saying a silent prayer for a safe landing. Everyone was silent and alert, no one was talking or breathing.

          Finally, I could see the runway below and I could feel the plane slow down as the pilot pulled back on the throttle. It seemed as if the plane was gliding.  Everyone was still silent.  Then ever so gently, the wheels touched down, skidding slightly as the they hit the wet runway, and the pilot applied reverse thrust at the right moment to catch the skid until the plane slowed down to a comfortable speed.  I could hear everyone heaving a sigh of relief.  Someone started clapping and immediately, as if on cue, everyone followed suit, applauding and cheering and clapping, even the stewardesses clapped.  If the people weren't strapped to their seats, I was sure they would have stood up to give the pilot a standing ovation.

          The rains have stopped as I got out of the airport.  Everything was so clean and shiny, the plants were all wet and shiny, too, and breathing in the air was so refreshing.

          I had been given the best Singapore welcome possible...  It was another "Storm of Perfection."

          I'm off now to meet with my family and have a wonderful time. =)

 

Blog-blog-an na!

        Blog-blogan na!  (That's a term coined by my sis)

        Hmmm, I have a feeling that some young ones (outside of my age group) are straying into this side of my blogosphere...  Are you one of them?  Well, if you don't know who the members of "Menudo" are (aside from Ricky Martin), then you definitely belong to the "young ones" age group.

        They're too silent to post any comments, though.  That's ok.  However, any comments, no matter how short, would definitely make me happier =)

        Anyway... WELCOME, WELCOME, to my little corner on the Internet.  I hope you find your visit here pleasant.  I have to watch my posts from hereon... absolutely no PG-13 topics for me.

        So what's a blog anyway?  And how do you start writing your own blog? 

        A "blog" is a web-based journal in which people can publish their thoughts and opinions on the Internet.  Anyone can start a blog...  It's straight-forward and, in the case of Friendster, free!

How to Start Your Very Own Friendster Blog:

Steps:

1. Create your Friendster Blog and assign a name to it (ex. Juan's Blog, Maria's Little Corner)


2. Decide on how you want your blog to look. You can pick a color scheme and layout from the different predefined templates available on Friendster.


3. Customize the layout of your blog (two columns or three columns) and decide what you want to include in the sidebar information (about you, link to your e-mail, recent posts, interests, etc.) and where to put those information.


4. If you want, you can also create a "Typelist" so that you can include in the sidebar your favorite books, favorite albums, links to other sites, other blogs you visit, etc.  Don't forget to include a link to my blog, too!


5. After you've set up your blog, write a few posts to test it out, and make any adjustments to the layout or style that you see fit.


6. Publish your blog by sending the URL to your friends or advertise the URL on your profile (Friendster profile, Yahoo profile, etc.) You may also add your blog URL to comments you make on other blogs or on the signature of your e-mail messages.

Tips:

• If you update your blog frequently, more people will return on a regular basis to read it. Establishing a reader base will motivate you to write more and in turn more people will read your posts.


• Keep the posts interesting. Try to avoid focusing on things that most readers won't find worthwhile (such as "I went to the mall today and saw my crush.") Remember, this is not a diary.


• Spell check your writing before posting.


• Don't feel bogged down if no one visits your site for the first few months. As with communities this large, it will take some time for your blog to get noticed.


• If you want a broad (international) readership, do not use too many abbreviations or slang terms that might not be easily understood by people who are not from your country/area.

Warnings:

• Avoid posting anything on your blog that might be personal to other people. (Example: Your uncle might object that it's published on the Internet that he is a chocoholic.)  If something is personal, avoid using last names at the very least, or make up a fictitious name for that person.

        Once you've got your blog up and running, tell me about it so that I can link up my blog to yours!

        Happy Blogging!

the adventures of ngongo dexter

        I finally landed in Manila with my eardrums intact.  My stuffy nose has cleared slightly and I only felt the air pressure on my ears as the plane was descending towards Manila.  It's still a very uncomfortable (and scary) experience that I won't repeat again. 

        It's a good thing the PAL flight from CDO to Manila was delayed by 1-1/2 hours so I had spare time to rest and get my nose to clear up before flying.  Whew!  I really was so thankful for the delayed flight; the other passengers became grumpy and irritable.  Tsk tsk, too bad for them.

        Here are some snapshots of the trip:

Inside the car crossing Mactan Bridge.  A slight drizzle says to me "WELCOME TO CEBU!"

 

Driving at the Cebu Transcentral highway... twisty roads up o'er yonder!  I wish I was on a motorbike enjoying the mountain breeze instead of inside a car feeling cooped up.

 

At the top of the mountain (with my ears about to "pop") looking down towards the Cebu EPZA and the Cebu Strait in Balamban, Cebu, where I met with FBMA.  In the background is the Island of Negros shrouded in clouds.  Locals say it's a one hour ride by banca to cross the strait.

 

Back in Cebu City to sample some delicacies.  This small eatery (near the University of San Carlos) is a must-go-to place to sample some local delicacies: Pusó (hanging rice wrapped in banana leaves) and Chinese Ngohiong (Chinese Lumpia with spicy sauce).   Hmmm...  ngohiong for ngongo dexter? hahaha! 

   

6:00 AM at the deck of Sulpicio Lines' Princess of the Ocean, while travelling from Cebu to Cagayan de Oro...  A fiery sunrise peaks over the mountains of Bukidnon.

 

A visit to Cagayan de Oro won't be complete without sampling some Sugba Chicken, Kilaw Fish, Green Mango with chopped onions and bagoong, and Fresh Buko Juice.  Yum!!!  Spoons and Forks are not allowed =)

Kadyot Lang!

Brushing up on my Bisaya: ''Kadyot lang, nong", I would hear people say as they alight from the jeepney.  These words usually follow after they would shout "lugar lang!" to the driver.  "Lugar lang" means ''para" or "para sa tabi" or "tabi lang" in the tagalog vernacular -- people would say this to the jeepney driver when they want to stop and get off.

What about ''Kadyot Lang"?  Many Manileños are already familiar with these two words from Love Radio's played-to-death jingle "Kailangan pa bang i-memorize yan?".  "Kadyot lang" actually means "sandali lang" in tagalog, although it sounds as if it means something else (hmmm... something naughty comes to mind?? Kaw ha! Hehehe!)

Other interesting words:

When traffic gets tangled up at an intersection and the traffic officer couldn't seem to untangle it, the jeepney driver would say ''naglibog  na!" (Nalito na)

When a person asks a favor from someone, like when someone is paying his fare to the jeepney driver and his arms aren't long enough, they would say "palihug" (please) to someone up front who could pass on the payment.

Well, anyway, my nose is unclogged finally! Yipee! This means I could fly again in a plane!  But now i've got an itchy throat like a dry cough that continuously tickles the throat.  And I still have to do a lecture tomorrow morning.  Hopefully, a night of rest will make the itchy throat go away.  Otherwise my audience will be treated to a "barking" lecturer, coughing and wheezing. Oh well, nothing's perfect.  Pasensiya na lang sila, hehehe.

I'll post some travel pics when I get back to Manila.

ngongo dexter

TRAVEL LOG: Air travel with a clogged nose is such a very uncomfortable experience. I'll never travel by air again if my nose shows even the remotest signs of getting clogged up due to colds or flu. Aaaaargh!!!

I couldn't even "pop" my ears by chewing, swallowing or trying to yawn, so the air pressure inside my ears couldn't stabilize with the outside air pressure as the plane was rising and descending. Good thing the Air Philippines flight from Manila to Cebu took only one hour. I wasn't prepared, however, for what would happen next..

I was going to a meeting in Mactan Export Processing Zone in the opposite end of the island. We would be taking the Transcentral Highway and would be crossing the mountains to get to the other side. I thought that was great since I would be seeing mountains and experiencing cool air once again. So off we drove.

Little by little, as we were going up the mountain, I could feel the pressure building up inside my head once again. OH NO! There go my nose and ears once again! The pressure built up like I was about to go deaf. I was able to "pop" my ears slightly as we reached the top, only to go back down the mountain and feel the pressure building up once again. Oh no no no!!! And then we had to drive up and down another mountain, and then another, and another, and another. I was in agony. That was two hours drive going there and another two hours drive going back. Grabe talaga the feeling!

I'm now finished with the day's work. I have rested and my nose has de-clogged a bit. I'll be travelling again, this time from Cebu to Cagayan de Oro, and thankfully I'll be travelling by water this time, sleeping while on the ocean and waking up in the morning at my destination. Hopefully my nose will have cleared by then...

Ngo ehh traveh yeth fo me at theeth taymng (No air travel yet for me at this time).

Mag-exercise tayo tuwing umaga

I wasn't able to do my early morning run today since my nose was clogged up and I couldn't breath normally, so I just walked leisurely around the Fort and took a few pictures of the early morning activities that go on over there...

Here's the Aerobics and Calisthenics fanatics dancing away in front of the Bridgestone Center to the tune of "Hey Mambo!"

Joggers walk around casually in their mix-and-match jogging attires (They should be called "walkers" instead).  The fast runners run around the outside perimeter where there are less obstructions (joggers/walkers) in their path.

More "walkers".  The air is crisp and cool and makes walking/jogging/running so enjoyable.

God's glorious splendor -- sunrise at 6AM.  The early morning sun peaks out of the clouds and tells of another bright and sunny day ahead.

----------------------------------
Heart check (after 2-1/2 months of exercising regularly 3x a week):

• My Rest Pulse Rate has considerably improved.  It's now at 56 beats per minute


• My Active  Pulse rate has gone down, too, to 80 beats per minute


• Time to Run 5 Km: The best time i have so far is 29 minutes and 50 seconds


• My heart rate now goes down quickly from 180 bpm to 110 bpm after just 10 minutes of rest

The most significant improvement I noticed is that I sleep much more soundly now. The best sleep is the sleep I don't notice at all.  Now, I wake up in the morning feeling invigorated and energized always. 

The feeling's so good, I really feel very much alive!  =)

Quench Your Thirst

        A parched throat, dryness in the mouth and lips, and a deep craving for water, even an itsy bitsy tiny drop just to wet the lips...  That's how thirsty I was in my "journey".

        This was a journey of unmeasurable proportions, trying to climb my own private Mt. Everest, trying to find myself and trying to discover myself amidst a very chaotic world.  It has been said, "The world conspires to help people with a goal."  I had a goal here - to prove myself and to seek my purpose in life

        But I was thirsty. 

        Guess what?  In my thirst I found... Him.

        Unconsciously I was continually seeking for God in my own way and doing my own thing, like a lost sheep walking around aimlessly looking for his master in the wilderness. 

        I was thirsting for Him.

        Little did I know that He also thirsted so much for me.

        He was there all along, continuously reaching out for me and calling out to me but I failed to notice Him.  Perhaps because I was too busy with so many things and too pre-occupied with my goal of "climbing to the top".

        Or perhaps I didn't notice Him because I had closed my heart tightly shut, having decided to rely only and only upon myself to complete my "climb" and journey. 

        What happened next was serendipity -- a chain of events that were so closely intertwined with each other as if an unseen hand was guiding them all.  There was hardly any time to breathe.

        In my search for Him, I was led back to His fold, carefully looking after me and entrusting me to a group of friends from whom I found strength and support so that I won't be misguided or influenced by decadence.  I still remember that date - Father's Day, June 19, 2005, having just returned from Singapore and having celebrated my birthday on the plane, and having just closed down a dying business venture that was taking up all of my time (I used to work seven days a week, never taking time to rest or to pray even on Sundays)

        Since then, I started to consciously dedicate my Sundays to worshipping Him.  Days passed.  Weeks passed.  I found that I was now always looking forward to weekends so that I can worship Him and listen intently to His Word so that I can reflect upon it.

        Little did I realize that through these small events, God was slowly, patiently chipping away at the stone walls of my heart.

        I was unprepared for what He planned for me next... it was His final blow that would ultimately tear down the last remnants of the stone walls of my heart so that it would finally open up -- He made me feel how it is to LOVE again -- to be in love, to fall in love, to bare my soul and to be vulnerable.

        In the process of falling in love, my heart was opened up.  My heart got hurt and it was left empty with no one holding it.

        But you know what?  My heart was empty alright... but it was now open and ready to accept Him.

        And come into my little heart He did.  Like a small container, I realized that God had been so generous with me, countinuously pouring blessings on me until I was full and overflowing that I had to empty myself so that I could receive more.  He really was there all along.

        I knew then that God loves me so much that He wants me to spend eternity with Him.  He wanted more of me.  He had done his part to open up my heart.  The rest was now up to me if I really wanted to be close to Him. 

        Suddenly everything I have learned about Him fell into place... That no matter what I do -- doing good works or deeds, giving to charity, attending mass, singing praises to Him -- these things won't bring me anywhere near close to Him, for I am sinful and my good efforts are simply not sufficient to cover up for my sins.  God is too perfect and Holy; me with my sins have absolutely no place in His presence.

        But God gave me a gift, He gave us all a gift -- his Son Jesus, Who died on the cross and Who paid for our sins with His own body and blood.  He died on the Cross to bring us eternal life.  All I have to do now is to have faith in Him, to believe in Him, and to accept Him as my saviour! 

        It was a sweet surrender.  I accepted Jesus and allowed Him to have full control over everyting in my life.

        I was overwhelmed with peace, love and joy... I had experienced HIM.  Once again, tears fell from my eyes. 

        Yesterday was my best day ever!  I was truly, sincerely happy.

        My journey has now come full circle.  I'm back where I started.  I'm now ready to start a new journey but this time there's a BIG difference -- I am no longer the master of my fate and I am no longer the captain of my soul.  I have accepted Christ to lead my life.  I trust in Him.  He is now my leader and my friend.  I am His follower.

        My new journey is now all about change and growth as I get to know God better through the Bible, through prayer and through interaction with other Christians.  What lies ahead of me now is a glorious adventure of living as a real Christian, the way God wanted me to live.

        Isn't God amazing?  He went to great lengths just to bring me into relationship with Him. 

        What a wonderful God we have! 

        Now... I thirst no more.

------------------------
"Jesus, I want to know you. I want you to come into my life. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin so that I could be fully accepted by you. Only you can give me the power to change and become the person you created me to be. Thank you for forgiving me and giving me eternal life with God. I give my life to you. Please do with it as you wish. Amen."

All Things Good

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." -- Romans 8:28

Peaceful Certainty

"God wants us to live through each day with a quiet heart and a peaceful certainty that our lives are in His hands, trusting in His plans and purposes."

It's Your Day Today!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to EN, my one and only sis!

Wishing you good health, happiness, lotsa lotsa friends, and walang kakupas-kupas na beauty ever.

I'll always be here for you!  Take care always and God Bless! =)

Global Brands

        I was at Powerbooks the other day and stumbled upon the photo book "Shelf Life" by Rosie Walford.

        In this book, Rosie introduces us to 113 brands that became "endangered species" in the global market.  These are local products that don't give a damn how English speakers might interpret their names.  It is a recommended book for brand marketers and an absolutely entertaining book for us ordinary mortals. 

        And you don't have to read page by page of text to enjoy it.

        Here are some of those supermarket heroes:

        Anybody want some Coolpis juice?  They're peach flavored, too!

        Or how about some Cocagne Sardines?  These must be deliciously addictive...

        I love tofu and "taho", but I might think twice about eating this "Poo Tofu" from Indonesia.

        Chocolates are for lovers.  But Flirt chocolates are for desperate persons.

        Now... this tea is really for "desperate" persons ;-)

        ...and when you go to the bathroom, use this.

        ...and this.  The ever useful Krapp Toilet Paper.

Enjoy more about Rosie's book here: http://www.shelflife.co.uk/

What's Your Love Language?

        What communicates love to you might not mean a thing to your mate.

        Still can't seem to find a way to communicate your love to those closest to you? Perhaps it is time you learn about the "Love Languages".

        That's right. According to relationship expert Gary Chapman (not to be confused with Amy Grant's ex husband), author of the best-selling book "The Five Love Languages", there are exactly five different ways you can show love to your spouse, your kids, your friends, your parents, your coworkers, practically anyone you have an interpersonal relationship with, including God.

• One is Words of Affirmation, using words to affirm another person. If it is a spouse, it could be, 'You look nice in that dress,' or 'Do you ever look tough tonight!'

• A second love language is Acts of Service, doing things for them. You know the old saying 'actions speak louder than words,' for some people that is true. If you wash dishes, if you cook meals, if you offer to carry their bags, they feel loved.

• A third love language is Gifts. It is universal to give gifts as an expression of love. In anthropology, the study of cultures, anthropologists have never discovered a culture where gift-giving is not an expression of love. The gift says, 'She was thinking about me. Look what she got for me.'

• A fourth love language is Quality Time, which means you give a person your undivided attention. This doesn't mean sitting on the couch and watching television, because then someone else has your attention. If you are sitting on the couch with the TV off and you are looking into each other's eyes and talking that is quality time -- so is taking a walk or going out to eat, so long as you are communicating with each other.

• A fifth love language is Physical Touch. We have long known the emotional power of physical touch. In marriage it is holding hands, it is kissing, it is embracing, the whole sexual part of the marriage.

 

        Out of those five love languages, everyone has a primary love language. The problem is that by nature we speak our own love language. Whatever makes us feel loved is what we do for our spouse. So you have the husband whose love language is physical touch. He comes home and goes to the kitchen. He wants his wife to feel loved. He starts hugging her. She says, 'Leave me alone! Can't you see that I am busy?' His problem is not his sincerity. He was sincere. The problem was he was speaking his language and not her language. If acts of service is her love language, the best thing he could have done was to have gone in there and said, 'Honey, why don't you sit down and rest. Let me finish that.' Wow! She feels loved because he is speaking her language.

        So what's your love language?  Take the short quiz  HERE.

        Here's my test result, the top most in the list being the one I prefer to "speak" the most (my primary love language):

#1 Acts of Service -- I prefer to show my love through favors and chores and doing things for others. I feel put-upon and unappreciated when my efforts are taken for granted.

#2 Touch -- I want to give and/or receive affection physically.

#3 Quality Time -- This can be expressed either through those intimate tete-a-tete discussions or via doing things together.

#4 Words of Affirmation -- I need to hear praise to know I am loved and I may also prefer to express my affection verbally. Negative comments cut right to the bone. I want to hear that I'm loved and how much and why.

#5 Gifts -- I am moved by presents and physical tokens of affection. It's the fact that someone is thinking about me enough to give me something that moves me. The objects are of secondary importance to the relationship and sentiment with which they were intended.

Now, I know why I'm so "kuripot", hehehehe :P

And the Team Leader is...

Timelines:

        July 13, 2005 - I've decided to start my own journey to climb my own private Mt. Everest -- to take on the challenge of "reaching the top"; to prove to myself that I can make it on my own and to succeed in this thing called "life".

        September 10, 2005 - I've learned that it takes teamwork to scale new heights; much more if the mountain I am going to climb is Mt. Everest.  It takes a good team leader to lead and to show the way to the top.

        October 11, 2005 - Three months into my journey, I am still (very, very) far from reaching the top, taking my time acclimatizing and enjoying the scenery around me.  This time, however, I found an unexpected companion in my climb.

        It was Him.  He was there all along.  Observing me.  Silent, never complaining, but ever present and so patient with me.  He helped me along when I stumbled, He reached out and encouraged me to go on when I wanted to quit, and He even carried me sometimes when I was too tired to walk.

        Jesus was with me all along in my journey.  Of course I knew Him already, having been raised in a religious family and having studied in a Catholic School.  But I suddenly woke up from a dream and came to an enlightened realization that it wasn't enough to just know Him and to know about Him.  It also wasn't enough just to believe in Him.  I had to accept Him in my life, to know Him personally and to have a relationship with Him, and to invite Him into my heart so that I don't have to struggle everyday in my "climb".

        Suddenly, i't's no longer about mindlessly climbing the mountain trying to reach the top.  It's no longer about succeeding in life.  It's too mababaw.  I know that in due time, I'll reach the top anyway.

        My perspective has changed. 

        It's now all about LIVING life.

        And it's now about climbing the mountain with Jesus as the Team Leader, accepting Him to lead my life and trusting Him to bring me to a mountain far, far higher than the highest Mt. Everest I could think of.

        The journey unfolds itself...  And I'm enjoying it now more than ever :-)

Bis-nes!

        Usapang Bis-nes!

        Twenty years ago, if people had extra cash to dispose of and when asked what to do with it, their most common answers were "to buy a new house", "to buy a car", "to buy an appliance showcase", etc.

        Times have changed.  Today, when asked the same question, most people would answer "to start a business" or "pang-capital ko sa negosyo".

        Why do people want to start their own business?  A survey was conducted asking people the reasons why they want to start their own business.  The answers from 1000 people were varied but the researchers found that they could be grouped into nine categories:

1. To earn extra income (because their present income from work is not enough)


2. To have more time (for the family, for friends, for themselves)


3. To have a beter home (more comfortable living)


4. Retirement (planning for retirement or to retire now)


5. Education (to finish education, to attend graduate studies or to enroll their children in a quality school)


6. Financial security (to pay off those debts and sleep stress free and without worry from collectors)


7. To have opportunities for Travel (both local and international travel)


8. To be able to give to Charity / Church (because the ultimate purpose of wealth is to help others)


9. To leave a legacy (something that will outlive them for the benefit of other people)

 
        But much as they would want to start their own business, they have some common challenges:

1. Lack of time and money


2. Lack of education


3. Lack of expertise


4. Lack of encouragement and support


5. Low self-esteem


6. Fear and doubt

        A little bit of trivia: Did you know that ninety percent (90%) of business startups fail within the first three years?

        Will your business susvive the first three years of its existence?

        So here's my proposal (my shameless plug): I offer FREE business consultancy to people who want to start their own business, or for people who are exploring/thinking of starting up their own business (despite the limitations and challenges I enumerated above). 

        A treat to a cup of coffee will do nicely to keep a spirited conversation.  A hotdog sandwich and iced tea from MiniStop will do nicely as well.  But it's not mandatory :-)

        Let's talk.  (serious ito, ha)

Have You Escaped Yet???

Warning: Game Spoiler!

How to escape from the "Crimson Room".

Here are instructions:

Find the following items:

1. CD Case (Upper left drawer)


2. Memo (Upper right drawer)


3. Thin Ring (On the thin glass plate on top of the drawer)


4. Casette Tape (On the floor, under the drawer)


5. Battery (On the edge of the bed; click on the left side of the purple carpet while facing the red wall)


6. Small Silver Key (Open the curtains by the window)


7. Thick Ring (Open-close the curtain repeatedly until the kay falls out)


8. Small Golden Key (Lift the pillow on the bed)


9. Metal Stick (Click on the edge of the bed near the headboard while the pillow is still lifted)


10. Power Cable (Use the Small Golden Key to open the lower left drawer)


11. Mysterious Red Box (Use the Small Silver key to open the lower right drawer)


12. Ordinary Key (Inside the CD Player; Use the power cord and turn on the CD player)

Go to the URL indicated in the memo (make sure to open the URL in a new window). Take note of the numbers on the cards.

Use the Two Rings and the Metal Stick to open the red box; put the battery and the cassette tape inside the box and play the movie.

Watch for the "+" sign that the dancing guy will be pointing to; position your mouse cursor over it but DON'T click just yet.  Wait until the movie has ended and you are facing the red wall.  Click on the spot 3 times and the safe will reveal itself. 

Remember the numbers in the yellow chamber?  This is the combination to the safe.  Open it using the Ordinary Key.

Take the screwdriver, go to the blue door and "destroy" the doorknob.

Escape quickly before the ghost eats you!  Heeeheeh   ;-)

Easy, no?

Secret Love

Someone just sent me a secret love letter...

Hi Dexter ,

How are you doing?

I'm doing great.

I haven't heard of you in a long time.

You want me, don't you?

Who am I?

Like you don't know!

Me... Romantika

The woman  of you dreams

Would you like to go on a date?

Where do you live?

Manila !!!

Sorry, that's much too far for me.

I'm from  Europe .

Keep on dreaming, cause I am the  woman  of your dreams and you will never get me!

Your chances with me are 1 in  1000

Hihi...

 

Click here to receive your own "love letter"  ;-)

Pwedeng mag-share?

        Nangyari ito noong 4th year college ako.  Isa ako sa mga lead organizers ng isang annual concert show na binalak naming i-revive sa school namin.  Ang concert na ito ay dating isang annual event ng kolehiyo na natigil lamang nang nag-propose ng "posterity measures" ang paaralan namin at ipinatigil ng ilang taon ang mga concerts at iba bang mga kahalintulad na aktibidades.

        Suportado ng lahat ang plano namin, maging ang college dean.  Mayroon pang isang orphanage na magiging beneficiary sa magiging proceeds ng concert na ito, kaya napakaganda talaga ng konsepto.

        Nagpa-audition kami, nag-assemble ng technical at support team, nag-brainstorm, at nagpraktis halos gabi-gabi.  Lahat ay sumasali sa mga praktis, nais patunayan ang galing ng aming kolehiyo sa iba't ibang larangan ng musika at sining.

        Bawat praktis ay itinuturing namin na parang actual concert na talaga.  Ibinigay ng lahat ang kanilang makakaya.  May mga nag-skip pa ng mga klase at ipinagpaliban muna ang paggawa ng assignments, reports at kung anu-ano pang mga gawaing paaralan para lang mapag-igihan ang kanilang performance.  Lahat ay napupuyat sa halos gabi-gabing pag-praktis.  Ako mismo ay napuyat, nangayayat, at bumaba pa ang mga grado ko (nawala ako sa dean's list noong semester na iyon).  Pero ok lang.  Lahat ay ginawa namin para lang sa isang matagumpay na concert ng aming kolehiyo.

        Nang malapit ng ang petsa ng concert namin, dumating ang isang pangyayaring hindi namin inaasahan.  Gagamitin daw ng PBA ang gym para magpraktis sa umaga at para maglaro sa gabi.  Malaking event daw ito, Purefoods vs. Shell, sa Baguio maglalaro.  Ano???  Ang concert namin ay sa Sabado ng gabi.  Ang praktis at laro ng PBA ay sa Linggo pa naman.  Paanong hindi namin pwedeng gamitin ang gym?

        Wala kaming nagawa.  Malapit na ang petsa ng concert at ipinagpasya naming maghanap na lang ng ibang lugar, kahit mangupahan na lang kami basta matuloy lang ang concert.  Nakapag-distribute na kami ng mga tickets at nakapag-promote na sa radyo kaya "the show must go on" 'ika nga. 

        Pero mukhang sasablay ata ang bagong plano namin... Lalampas kami sa budget dahil kailangang umupa ng lugar at mag-arkila pa ng sound system imbes na makalibre na sana sa gym ng school namin.

        Nangyari ang kinatatakutan ko... Hindi natuloy ang concert.

        Tsk tsk, nasayang ang tatlong buwang preparasyon at paghihirap.  May "bonding" na kami sa isa't-isa dulot ng halos gabi-gabing pagpraktis namin.  Lahat ay malungkot.  Malapit na ang finals namin, matatapos na ang semester at mahihirapan nang i-assemble uli ang grupo pagkatapos ng summer vacation.

        Biglang bumagsak ang aking mundo. 

        Ano na ang gagawin ko?  Ano na ang sasabihin ng mga tao at ng mga kasamahan ko?  At ano na lang ang magiging explanasyon ko sa kanila sa hindi na pagpapatuloy ng concert namin?  Paano na lang ang paghihirap at sakripisyo na ginawa namin?  Ano na?  Paano na?  Bakit ganun?  Bakit ganyan?  Kailan na?  Saan?

        Tulala ako. 

        Sa araw ng concert sana namin nagpalabas kami ng announcement ng hindi na ito matutuloy.  Maraming dismayado.  Ako naman ay naglakad-lakad na lang sa Session Road.  Hindi ko na alam kung ano ang gagawin ko.

        Sa kakalakad ko ay napadpad ako sa may simbahan.  Pumasok ako at nakimisa pero tulala pa rin ako at wala man lang akong naintindihan sa mga pinagsasabi nila sa loob...  Hanggang sa kinanta nila ang kantang "Lift Up Your Hands".

        Nakinig ako.

"...and He said cast your burdens upon me those who are heavily laden."

        Ako ay biglang natauhan sa aking pagkatulala.

"...come to me all of you who are tired of carrying heavy loads"

        At napatingin sa sahig.

"...for the yoke I will give you is easy and my burden is light"

        Napaluha.

"...come to me, and I will give you rest"

        Hanggang sa tuluyang naiyak.

"...just face the rising sun,
and you'll see hope,
and there's no need to run."

        Huminga ako ng malalim.

"...lift up your hands to God,
And He'll make you feel alright."

        At ako ay napatingala sa Kanya at nagsabi ng "Salamat Panginoon. Ako'y nagtitiwala sa iyo. Taos-puso kong tinatanggap ang pagsubok mo na ito para sa akin."

        Natapos ang kanta.

        Gumaan ang aking pakiramdam.

        Lumiwanag ang aking buhay.

        At lumabas ako sa simbahan na masaya :-)

-------------------------------------
Lift Up Your Hands
Words and Music by Cecile Azacon
Sung by Basil Valdez
Arranged by Ryan Cayabyab

Complete lyrics here.

Tuwing naririnig ko ang kantang ito, naaalala ko ang pangyayaring ito sa aking buhay at muli akong naliliwanagan...  Walang mabigat na problema kapag ako'y magtitiwala sa Kanya.

The Certificate

Congratulations to Cousin Lurensbee for his latest "Certificate"!

Nakakataba talaga ng puso yan, clap clap clap! :-)

Escape from the Crimson Room

Got time to kill?

"I drank too much last night.
What time is it now?
So thirsty.
The bed doesn't seem to be the one I usually sleep on.
Is this a hotel?
No. It doesn't seem to be a hotel.
I'm trapped in this room.
I have to escape."

 
Patience is a virtue...  Escape from the CRIMSON ROOM.

 
(Hint: When you get to the part where you have to open the safe, make sure that you get the combination correctly on your first try.  Otherwise the safe won't open even if you get the combination correctly and you have to start all over again.)