Friday, March 30, 2012

It's Not All About the Money

Kuya Vien regularly sends inspirational quotes and stories to me via SMS. Sometimes, they are exactly what I need at a given moment. Thanks Kuya. Let me share a story with you. 


One day, a rich dad took his son on a trip, wanting to show him how poor someone can be. They spent time in the farm of a poor family. On the way home, the dad asked, "Did you see how poor they are? What did you learn?" The son said, "We have one dog. They have 4. We have a pool. They have a river. We have lanterns at night. They have stars. We buy food. They grow theirs. We have walls to protect us. They have friends. We have encyclopedias. They have the bible. Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are." So, it's not about the money that makes us rich. It's about the simplicity of having God in our lives.    

Send Me A Song

I thought I'd stay in the Philippines forever. Then I changed my mind. I thought it would be a good idea to migrate to Oz. Due to inevitable circumstances, it's taking some time. 10 years from now, I don't know where I'll be. To everyone I carry inside my heart, wherever I'll be, you'll be with me. To the people I love and care for a thousand miles away from here (you know who you are), all is well ... All is well ... :-)





Take the wave now and know that you're free,
Turn your back on the land face the sea,
Face the wind now so wild and so strong,
When you think of me,
Wave to me and send me a song.

Don't look back when you reach the new shore,
Don't forget what you're leaving me for,
Don't forget when you're missing me so,
Love must never hold,
Never hold tight but let go.

Oh the nights will be long,
When I'm not in your arms,
But I'll be in your song, That you sing to me, across the sea.
Somehow, someday, you will be far away,
So far from me and maybe one day,
I will follow you,
And all you do,
'Til then, send me a song.

When the sun sets the water on fire,
When the wind swells the sails of your hire,
Let the call of the bird on the wind,
Calm your sadness and loneliness,
And then start to sing to me,
I will sing to you,
If you promise to send me a song.

I walk by the shore and I hear,
Hear your song come so faint,
And so clear,
And I catch it, a breath on the wind,
And I smile and I sing you a song,
I will send you a song...
I will sing you a song,
I will sing to you...
If you promise to send me a song.

Susan Boyle - Amazing Voice



Susan Boyle inspires me. Her heartwarming rendition of I Dreamed a Dream and Someone to Watch Over Me still send shivers down my spine. AMAZING voice.






I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they turn your hope apart
As they turn your dreams to shame





And still I dream he’d come to me
That we would live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from the hell I’m living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed

Hail to Strength!






Thursday, March 29, 2012

I'm sleepless these days because of my daughter. She started sleeping really late. My mind starts to go foggy when 12 midnight strikes. Last night was no exception.

12 midnight ...

Mommy: Mishka, let's sleep early tonight.
Mishka: No, Mommy. I want to cook.
Mommy: Mishka, Mommy's skin is already freaking out because we're not getting enough sleep. 
Mishka: I'll help you Mommy. You'll be okay.
Mommy: You can help Mommy by sleeping early tonight.
Mishka: Mommy, can you teach me how to cook? I don't know how.
Mommy: (*thinks* ... Okay, I'm not the best person to answer this but I don't want to break my baby's heart. After all, this is pretend play. I'll pretend.) Sure, baby. Ask me anything about cooking. Mommy knows how to cook well. What do you want to cook?
Mishka: (goes to her toy kitchen and comes back with a piece of strawberry on a plate) We can cook this.
Mommy: Um, it's usually eaten raw. It doesn't need cooking.
Mishka: (drops the strawberry on the pot then places the pot on the stove) How do I make it hot?
Mommy: You just need to adjust the settings of the oven. (It's actually a toy stove but I was already VERY sleepy.)
Mishka: (rolls a piece of dark green clay and drops it inside the water kettle)
Mommy: What's that? What are you cooking?
Mishka: That's a snake.
Mommy: (doesn't know what to say) That's .... great. You've just dropped a snake inside the water kettle. So, what's the dish called?
Mishka: Snake food.
Mommy: Great! That's great!

End of pretend play.

1 a.m. ... (ROLE REVERSAL)

Mishka: (watching Hi-5) Mommy, you can sleep here. (points to right shoulder)
Mommy: Thanks baby. (rests head on Mishka's shoulder)
Mishka: Sleep Mommy, sleep.

1:30 a.m.

Mishka: (watching Mister Maker) You can lie down here Mommy (points to couch). I'll massage you. I'll take care of you Mommy.
Mommy: Thanks baby. (tries to rest but Mister Maker was making something very familiar. He's making a snake from a piece of green clay. He didn't cook it afterwards though. The power of my kid's imagination.)

2:00 a.m.

Mishka: I'm hungry. I want cereals.

Uh-oh ...


Elementariya

Mahilig akong mag-Twitter. Nagsilbi itong talaarawan ng aking buhay. Ginawa ko itong pribado para sa aking mga kaibigan. Para naman alam nila kung kumusta ang buhay ko, kung kumusta ang buhay dito sa UAE. Bukod sa pagbabahagi ng mga pangyayari sa buhay ko, ang sarap din magbasa ng tweets ng iba. Kung sa bagay, hindi pribado ang mga tweets nila na nangangahulugang kagustuhan nilang ibahagi ang lahat ng nangyayari sa kanila sa madlang people. Gusto ko lang linawin na hindi ako masyadong tsismosa (promise!) pero puwede kong ipagmayabang na alam kong sa Gold's Gym nag-eehersisyo si Jon Avila at kanina, nagbalik-tanaw si Aiza Seguerra sa kanyang elementarya. Ang sarap bumalik sa nakaraan lalo na sa mga nakakatawa at masasayang sandali. Ibabahagi ko sa inyo ang mga tweets niya patungkol dito. Halos magkasing-edad yata kami kasi pareho kami ng naaalala. Hehe.


1. Yung sasali ka sa choir para exempted ka sa exams ng Special Ed.
2. Nung pinipilit mong gayahin yung handsign at pagtaas ng kilay ni Vanilla Ice kasi akala mo cool. Shet. Hindi pala.
3.  Nung sikat ka 'pag meron kang Swatch na relo.
4. Nung astig na astig ka sa Power Rangers.
5. Kawawa ang class secretary kasi magsusulat na siya sa board, isusulat pa niya sa notebook
6. Pizza, bucket ng KFC, malamig na Sprite at Coke kapag Christmas party. Mula Grade 1 till Grade 7.
8. Nung bagong-bago pa yung Enchanted Kingdom at excited kami lahat pumunta.
9. Sikat ka kapag may pencil case ka na maraming pindutan.
10. Nung si Ina Raymundo ay isa pang diyosa at hindi pa nag ma-mother roles!!!
11. Eraserheads, Yano, Color It Red, Parokya Ni Edgar, Rizal Underground
12. Sobrang uso ng Doc Martens kaya kahit naka-school uniform, suot mo pa rin
13. Hindi makalimutan ang mga teachers kong sila Ms. Gulay at Mr. Pechay. Nagkatuluyan ata sila.
14. Nung Grade 2 ako, nasa gitna ako ng pila sa flag ceremony. Pagkatapos nun, lagi nang nasa una. Pandak kasi.
15. Ayaw ko tumambay nuon sa Megamall kasi laging nag-aaway yung mga hiphop tsaka mga metal.  
16. Pag hindi mo kaya tugtugin ang More than Words o intro ng Stairway to Heaven, laos ka.


*** I tried translating this to English using Google Translate (just for the heck of it). It came out really silly and funny. Laughing out loud.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Alice in Wonderland

I can say that I'm still child-like in some ways. It's actually a good thing. As they say, we do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. It's okay to be silly, be curious, be fun. Dance like no one's watching, laugh like crazy, sing at the top of your voice, participate in your kid's pretend play, daydream, watch Disney cartoons, read Dr. Seuss and fairy tales ... Sometime in 2010, I caught Alice in Wonderland on the big screen. I loved Johnny Depp's portrayal of the Mad Hatter. Below are his memorable lines:



The Mad Hatter: There is a place. Like no place on Earth. A land full of wonder, mystery, and danger! Some say to survive it: You need to be as mad as a hatter.
[picks up his hat]
The Mad Hatter: Which luckily I am.
***

The Mad Hatter: Have I gone mad?
[Alice checks Hatter's temperature]
Alice Kingsley: I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people
are.
***
The Mad Hatter: [to Alice] You used to be much more..."muchier." You've lost your muchness.
***
Stayne - Knave of Hearts: We're looking for the girl called Alice.
The Mad Hatter: Speaking of the Queen, here's a little song we used to sing in her honor:
The Mad Hatter, Dormouse, The March Hare: "Twinkle twinkle little bat, how I wonder where you're at. Up..."
Stayne - Knave of Hearts: [Wraps arm around Hatter's throat] If you're hiding her you'll lose your heads.
The Mad Hatter: *Already lost them.* All together now!
The Mad Hatter, Dormouse, The March Hare: "Up above the world you fly, like a tea tray in the sky. Twinkle twinkle..."
***
Alice Kingsley: This is impossible.
The Mad Hatter: Only if you believe it is.
Isn't it sad when something starts to fade away? It can be a passion, an emotion, a figment of one's imagination, a once vivid memory, knowledge ... It can be anything. Like sand, it starts to slip through your fingers. Sometimes, you take notice but can't do anything about it. Sometimes, you try to grasp as much as you could but still it slowly disappears ... How could you have lost it when it used to be yours? The saddest thing is when you only notice once it's gone. When nothing can be done anymore. Or when you continue to deny that it's no longer a part of you a long time after it has left. It's called FATE and it entails ACCEPTANCE. Out with the old and in with the new. Probably, someday, you'll be holding something better. And probably, who knows, it's there to stay.
I'm editing my previous blogs as I go along. Adding pics/videos, penning additional lines, deleting some. This is a blog in progress. :-)

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Just Waiting ...

Borders opened a branch in Abu Dhabi Mall. It's a great bookshop with aisles of books, cool toys, gadgets and gizmos for the young and old. As I was browsing through the shelves, I chanced upon an area holding Dr. Seuss books. I love Dr. Seuss! Bought Dr. Seuss on the Loose, a book of rip-roaring rhyme from the master of verse. I won't get tired of reading the rhymes to my daughter. Below is one such rhyme (my fave), entitled Just Waiting ... (Oh, The Places You'll Go!):





Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.
~ Dr.Seuss



Friday, March 23, 2012

Coldplay - The Scientist


Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry
You don't know how lovely you are
I had to find you, tell you I need you
Tell you I set you apart
Tell me your secrets, and ask me your questions
Oh let's go back to the start
Running in circles, coming up tails
Heads on a science apart

Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard
Oh, take me back to the start.

I was just guessing at numbers and figures
Pulling the puzzles apart
Questions of science, science and progress
Do not speak as loud as my heart
And tell me you love me, come back and haunt me
Oh and I rush to the start
Running in circles, chasing our tails
Coming back as we are

Nobody said it was easy
Oh it's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be so hard
I'm going back to the start

Ooooohhhhhhh [x4]


The Greatest Irony of Love

Got this from my friend Karen's blog. Indeed, love makes the world go round. Without it, we simply exist. To love is to live. Loving involves a lot of risks. We either jump in where the stakes are high or remain rooted on the same ground asking "what if?" Throughout my life, I have loved and lost, loved and won ... But I believe that it's better to have risked it all and lost rather than to have lived a life full of regrets. I still believe in love and the power it brings. Loving the right person makes you a better person. Do not waste your love  on the wrong person because it will just cause you a great deal of pain. Before you commit to someone, assess your worth. Do not settle for anything less. If you will not let go, you will not know what you truly deserve. Do not lose hope. Someone out there will show you that it's worth the wait. To those of you who have found true love, congratulations! Learn to appreciate what you have. Do everything to make that person stay. To those of you who are still searching for "the one," you are not alone in your journey. Pray and believe.     

(Author unknown)


The greatest irony of love: Loving the right person at the wrong time or having the wrong person when the time is right; finding out you love someone after that person walks out of your life. For some, they think that letting go is one way of expressing how much they love that person. Some are afraid to see the one they love being held by someone else. Most relationships tend to fail not because of the absence of love, but because love is always present. It's just that one was being loved too much, and the other was being loved too little. Most often, we fall in love with the person we think we love, but to only discover that for them we are just for past times. While the one who truly loves us remains either your friend or a stranger.

When you think of your past love; you may view it as a failure; but when you find a new love, you view the past as a teacher. In the game of love, it doesn't really matter who won or who lost. What's important is that you know when to hold on and when to let go. You know that you love someone when you want him or her to be happy, even if their happiness means that you're not apart of it. Everything happens for a reason and for its best. If the person you love doesn't love you back, don't be afraid to love someone else again, for you'll never know unless you give it a try.

You'll never truly love a person, unless you risk for their love; love strives in hurting. If you don't get hurt, then you won't learn how to love. Love doesn't hurt all the time; though the hurting is there to test you, to help you grow. Don't find love, let love find you; that's why it's called falling in love, because you don't need to force yourself to love, you just fall. You cannot finish a book without closing the chapters. If you want to move on, then you have to leave the past as you turn the pages.

Love is not destroyed by a single failure or won by a single caress. But why is it that the greatest irony of love is letting go when you want to hold on, and holding on when you need to let go? You can never find the right person if you can never let it go of the wrong, but at the same time the moment you feel like letting go, you remember why you held on for so long. Sometimes you have to forget what you want and remember what you deserve.

To love is to risk rejection, to live is to risk dying and to hope is to risk failure. But risk must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing at all. To reach for another is to risk involvement, to expose your feelings is to expose your true self. To love is to risk not being loved in return.

How to define love: Fall but do not stumble. Be constant but not too persistent. Share and never be unfair. Understand and try not to demand. Hurt but never keep the pain.

Love is supposed to be the most wonderful feeling. It should inspire you and give you joy and strength. But sometimes the things that give you joy can also hurt you in the end. Loving people means giving them the freedom; whom they choose to be and where they choose to go. Loving someone means giving them the freedom to find their way, whether it leads towards you or away from you.

Love can be a painful risk. To love means that risk must be taken, no matter how scary or painful, for only then will you experience the fullness of humanity of what we call love. If you're not ready to cry, if you're not ready to take the risk and if you're not ready to feel the pain, then you're not ready to fall in love.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

I Love the Philippines

This is the Philippines. Am proud to be Pinoy! :-)

Pieta

God, my Father,
Create in me a heart that hungers for your will alone
--- a heart to accept your will, to do your will,
to be whatever you want me to be,
to do whatever you want me to do.

When you chose to create this world,
you knew the blueprint
and the design of my life:
the moment of my conception,
the day and hour when I would be born.

You saw from all eternity the color of my eyes
and you heard the sound of my voice.
You knew what gifts I would have
and those that I would be without.
You knew also the moment and the circumstance of my dying.

These choices are all a part of your will for me.
I will try lovingly to build an edifice of love and praise
with these materials which you have given me.
What I am is your gift to me.
What I become will be my gift to you.

As to the future, I ask for the grace to sign a blank check
and trustfully put it in your hands,
for you to fill in all the amounts:
the length of my life,
the amount of success and the amount of failure,
the experiences of pleasure and pain.

I would tremble to do this except for one thing:
I know you love me.
And, of course, you know much better than I
what will truly and lastingly make me happy.

In response to your will,
I want my life to be an act of love.
Wherever there is a choice, help me to ask only this:
What is the loving thing to do, to say, to be?
To make the decision that love must,
I seek and need your enlightenment.

Touch my eyes
with your gentle and healing hands
that I might find my way
along the winding course of love.
Strengthen my will and direct my feet
to follow that course always.

And whenever there is something special
your love has designed for me to do in my life,
let me be found ready and waiting.
Help me to become
a sensitive instrument of your grace.

I believe that you have
a providential master plan for this world,
and I want to be a part of it.
I want to make my contributions
to your Kingdom,
the contribution you have entrusted
only to me.
I want you to use me to help love this world
into the fullness of life.

Finally, my Lord and my God,
let me be faithful
in my commitment and dedication to your will,
faithful until the end.
Let "faithfulness" be the summary of my days
and of my nights.
Let the inscription
on my tombstone read:
PIETA.

Taken from the book PRESENCE, Prayers for Busy People

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Six Phases of Study

I miss my carefree student life, dammit. Those years when I still had baon. When my biggest dilemma was whether to go out on Friday night or study for the exams. Admittedly, my worst habit when I was a student was procrastination. My excitement in learning stuff was only confined to the first few months of the school year. I was inclined to put off tasks until they really really needed to be done. Good thing I got rid of the habit when I started working. I remember trying Jolt when I was in pre-med in order to cram big time for a major exam. It was so effective that I was only able to sleep for 30 minutes. I was practically awake throughout the night. When I was in med school, I resorted to Waying's milk tea or cups of coffee. Cramming is a part of studenthood. Days before that dreaded exam, you actually go through six phases of study. Check this out. ;-)



Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The Best of Just for Laughs 2011

Whenever I want to have a good laugh, I check out this video. Can't wait for the 2012 collection. ;-)

Quotes on Motherhood





Happy Mother's Day!

Happy mother's day to all the mothers out there!

Happy mother's day to my Mama! You'll always be the wind beneath my wings and my pillar of strength. Your wise words will never fail to enlighten me. Your warm hug will always have the power to heal me. You often tell me how proud you are of what I've become. Thank you for always believing in me. Sorry if I have disappointed or hurt you in anyway. I'm sorry for the times I didn't listen. I know you mean well. I love you Mom. I'll always be your little girl.



To my daughter, Mishka, I may not be the best mother in the world but I'm trying, trying, trying. I'm very proud of you my child. You're funny and smart and witty and talented. You're a lot braver than me. Haha. I'm not scared to witness your growing up years. I know that you're very capable of handling the world out there. I'll always be here. Don't worry. Trust me. I love you baby.




Friday, March 16, 2012

Slam Book Questions

Remember answering slam book questions in school? I used to get really excited in answering these questions. It's FUN FUN FUN! Lemme do this again ...

1. HAVE ANY SCARS?
Yup

2. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DISNEY MOVIE?
Lion King

3. WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LIKE TO LISTEN TO?
Depends on my mood. When I'm feeling good, mostly anything by Coldplay. When I'm not okay, I listen to feel-good songs.

4. DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME YOU WERE BORN?

5:31 p.m.


5. WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?
Peace of mind and happiness


6. WHO DO YOU MISS?
I miss A LOT of people. Wish I could spend some time with them right now.

7. WHAT IS YOUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSION?

My faith

8. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SMELL?

Food! Haha. 

9. DO YOU GET CLAUSTROPHOBIC?

Nope

10. DO YOU GET SCARED OF THE DARK?

Sometimes

11. WHAT DID YOU SEE YOURSELF DOING 5 YEARS AGO, TODAY?
Practicing in my own clinic in the Philippines and providing medical missions for the less fortunate.    :-)

12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOGNE/ PERFUME?Melon scent by Zen Zest. I've been using it for years now. A LOT of memories, good and bad.
13. COFFEE OR ENERGY DRINKS? Coffee

14. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPING? Lotsa cheese. That's it.

15. IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Uni sushi :-( We don't have it in the UAE I think.

16. WHO IS THE LAST PERSON YOU MADE MAD? My daughter. Hehe. She's kinda moody.

17. DO YOU SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE?

I'm fluent in Filipino and English. I tried learning Japanese, Spanish and Thai. I'm trying to learn Arabic now.

18. WHAT WAS THE FIRST GIFT SOMEONE EVER GAVE YOU (OF THE OPPOSITE SEX)?
Stuffed toy

19. FAVORITE CLOTHING BRAND?I'm not particular with the brand. As long as I like the style, I buy it.

20. WHAT'S YOUR DREAM CAR? Nothing fancy. A red VW Beetle or FJ Cruiser.

26. HOW MANY SONGS/ DO U HAVE ON YOUR COMPUTER/MP3 PLAYER.

200+. Would have liked to add more songs but I'm not a techie, so ...

27. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE NUMBER? 9

28. WHAT ANNOYS YOU MOST?Dishonest, mean and unreliable people

29. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO LIVE? Oz probably

30. FIRST JOB? OPD physician in a clinic

31. EVER DONE A PRANK CALL?Yup, when I was too young to be responsible ;-)

32. WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE YOU FILLED OUT THIS SURVEY?Enjoying Mama's foot spa. TLC at home. :-D

33. WHY DID YOU FILL OUT THIS SURVEY? I'm downright bored.

34. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF ALCOHOL BECAME ILLEGAL? Nothing. I don't fancy it at all.

35. WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY? Peace of mind and happiness

36. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Nope

37. DO YOU WISH ON STARS? Hehe. I do. Just for the heck of it.

38. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? NOPE! I wish people (that includes me) can read it. 

39. FAVE RESTO? 

Difficult to say. I have A LOT of fave restos. In the UAE, Samurai tops the list.

40. WHAT IS YOUR MOST EMBARASSING CD ON THE SHELF?

Let's just say that it's too embarassing to write it down here. Hehe.

41. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?Yup. I think I'm someone everyone can get along with.

42. HOW DO YOU RELEASE ANGER? I take deep breaths. I cry. I keep myself busy. I tell my close friends.

43. WHERE IS YOUR SECOND HOME?

UAE

44. DO YOU TRUST OTHERS EASILY? Sometimes. I rely on my instincts, which sometimes fail me. Whenever I have doubts, I ask around.

45. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD? Barbie doll

46. DO YOU WEAR A RING OR ANY JEWELRY CONSTANTLY? IF SO WHAT IS IT?

A pair of earrings. I'm not fond of flashy jewellery except if there's a very special occasion. I tend to keep it simple.

47. DO YOU USE SARCASM?Yup, when I need to.

48. WHAT ARE YOUR NICKNAMES?

Chinky

49. WHATS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Pistachio

50. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE COLORS? I used to love the color red but now, it depends on my mood.

51. WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST RIGHT NOW?The good times my old happy self used to enjoy. 

52. LAST THING YOU ATE? Nilagang Baka

53. FAVORITE THOUGHT PROVOKING SONG? Lost by Coldplay

54. FAVORITE THING TO HATE: I've never been a hater. It's a waste of time.

55. FAVORITE DRINK? Coffee. Didn't like it before but how I've changed! :-)

56. FAVORITE ZODIAC SIGN?
Aries. Love your own. ;-)

57. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPORT? Badminton, basketball, swimming

58. YOUR HAIR COLOR? Dark brown

59. EYE COLOR? Black

60. DO YOU WEAR GLASSES?

Only when I need to

61. SIBLINGS? My lurving brother

62. FAVORITE MONTHS?

December

63. DO YOU LIKE SUSHI?
Very much!

64. LAST THING YOU WATCHED? A YouTube video posted on someone's FB wall. 

65. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR? December 24, Christmas Eve

66. SUMMER OR WINTER?Winter

67. KISSES OR HUGS? Kisses

68. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? One Night @ the Call Center by Chetan Baghat

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Here I Am Lord

I'll never forget this song I used to sing as a child. It's one of my fave songs. It reminds me that I'm part of God's beautiful plan. In my own way, I can make this world a better place. This is what I'm here for. Whatever I go through, I should always keep this in mind.



http://youtu.be/K6fYAiqV-Bs

Here I Am Lord

I, the Lord of sea and sky
I have heard my people cry
All who dwell in dark and sin
My hand will save.

I who made the stars and night
I will make the darkness bright
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord
Is it I Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night
I will go Lord
If you lead me
I will hold your people in my heart.

I the Lord of snow and rain
I have borne my people's pain
I have wept for love of them
They turn away.

I will break their hearts of stone
Fill their hearts with love alone
I will speak my word to them
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord
Is it I Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night
I will go Lord
If you lead me
I will hold your people in my heart.

I will hold your people in my heart ...

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Rainbow

There's a rainbow always after the rain ... A song for every optimist ...





http://youtu.be/NtxR3iisxfA

Rainbow
South Border

Fallin' out, fallin' in
Nothing's sure in this world no, no
Breakin' out, breakin' in
Never knowin' what lies ahead
We can really never tell it all no, no, no
Say goodbye, say hello
To a lover or friend
Sometimes we never could understand
Why some things begin then just end
We can really never tell it all no, no, no
But oh, can't you see
That no matter what happens
Life goes on and on
So baby, just/please smile
'Cause I'm always around you
And I'll make you see how beautiful
Life is for you and me
Take a little time baby
See the butterflies' colors
Listen to the birds that were sent
To sing for me and you
Can you feel me
This is such a wonderful place to be
Even if there is pain now
Everything would be all right
For as long as the world still turns
There will be night and day
Can you hear me
There's a rainbow always after the rain
Ohh, whoa
Hittin' high, hittin' low
Win or lose you should go, yeah yeah
Getting warm, getting cold
Weather could be so good or bad
But baby this is life now don't get mad no, no, no
'Cause oh, can't you see
That no matter what happens
Life goes on and on
So baby, please smile
'Cause I'm always around you
And I'll make you see how beautiful
Life is for you and me
Take a little time baby
See the butterflies' colors
Listen to the birds that were sent
To sing for me and you
Can you feel me
This is such a wonderful place to be
Even if there is pain now
Everything would be all right
For as long as the world still turns
There will be night and day
Can you hear me
There's a rainbow always after the rain
Life's full of challenges
Not all the time we get what we want
But don't despair my dear
'Cause I know now
You'll take each trial and you'll make it through the storm 'cause you're strong
My faith in you is clear
So I'll say once again this world's wonderful and
Let us celebrate life that's so beautiful, so beautiful
Ohhhh
Take a little time baby
See the butterflies' colors
Listen to the birds that were sent
To sing for me and you
Can you feel me
This is such a wonderful place to be
Even if there is pain now
Everything would be all right
For as long as the world still turns
There will be night and day
Can you hear me
There's a rainbow always after the rain
Lord, grant me the serenity to accept with patience
the things I cannot change
courage to change the things I can
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Amen.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Irony

When you smile but it doesn't reach your eyes ...

When you hide the truth with a million lies ...

When you laugh while you're hurting inside ...

When you can't sleep even if you're tired ...

When you're silent but you want to speak out ...

When you say words that you don't mean ...

And mean the words that you don't say ...

When you have to do things that you don't like to do ...

And can't do the things that you would like to do ...

When you realize how much it means when it's no longer there ...

When you get what you want but not what you need ...

Tough love ...

When you give up when you're about to succeed ...

When you destroy in order to build ...

When you lose something in order to win ...

You gain strength from every weakness ...

Courage from every failure ...

Wisdom from every mistake ...

Just keep on going ...

What matters is YOU LIVED, YOU FOUGHT, YOU EXPERIENCED.
I am an optimist. It doesn't seem too much use being anything else.
- Winston Churchill
:-) :-) :-)

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Mad World

How I wish I could see the world through my daughter's eyes. I used to view the world like her, bright and beautiful. While I was growing up, my Mom tried her best to shelter me from every pain, every hint of negative emotion, every problem, every harm imaginable. I lived a comfortable and happy life. I trusted and loved people with all my heart. I thought the world out there will give me back every genuine smile, every good deed and every sincere intention. I was dead wrong. The cloak of innocence I used to wear gradually disintegrated and exposed me to the harshness of the real world. Reality bites. I met people along the way, lots of them. Some were there for a while, to teach me a lesson or two. Some stayed longer and made sure I realized my true worth before they left. Some stayed and never left. The latter batch, I call my beloved friends. All of them made me wiser, stronger and less vulnerable. Through them, I realized that you don't need to follow anyone's rules. You have to create your own, fit them into your life as needed, and abide by them. Right and wrong are subjective. You draw the line in everything. You need to know when to fight and when to give up. You need to know when to stay and when to leave. You need to know your worth so that you won't settle for anything less. They taught me to love myself and not to depend on anyone for my happiness. They taught me to do what I think is right. They taught me that in every decision I make, I should choose the option that will make me happy and at peace. They taught me to do the best in everything so that I won't have any regrets. They taught me to be wary of everyone I meet at all times. Because the world is full of crazy, unreliable, manipulative and unpredictable people who can abuse me. Of course there are a number of genuine and caring ones too (please count me in :-)). They taught me that faith is the anecdote to every harm, every doubt, every sorrow, every fear. They humbled me, reminded me that I'm human and capable of making mistakes. They taught me not to count the number of times I fell. The number of times I stood up was what really mattered. They taught me that whatever happens, LIFE GOES ON. I would like to thank these people for coming into my life. Life would have been so silent, simple and boring without you. I'd rather have my world rocked, turned upside down and made extremely complicated and exciting. Can't wait to meet the next one. ;-) Bring in some noise!


Sunday, March 04, 2012

Bits and pieces of me may have changed over the years but my love for books has remained. Quoted some of my fave lines below:





"If we tend to the things that are important in life, if we are right with those we love and behave in line with our faith, our lives will not be cursed with the aching throb of unfulfilled business. Our words will always be sincere, our embraces will be tight. We will never wallow in the agony of 'I could have, I should have.' We can sleep in a storm. ...And when it's time, our goodbyes will be complete."
--- Mitch Albom, Have a Little Faith

"Nothing haunts like the things we don't say."
--- Mitch Albom, Have a Little Faith





"People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life.

A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave.

A soul mates purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master ... "
--- Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

"In the end, I've come to believe in something I call "The Physics of the Quest." A force in nature governed by laws as real as the laws of gravity. The rule of Quest Physics goes something like this: If you're brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting, which can be anything from your house to bitter, old resentments, and set out on a truth-seeking journey, either externally or internally, and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you on that journey as a clue and if you accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher and if you are prepared, most of all, to face and forgive some very difficult realities about yourself, then the truth will not be withheld from you. "
--- Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

“Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it.”
--- Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

“When I get lonely these days, I think: So BE lonely, Liz. Learn your way around loneliness. Make a map of it. Sit with it, for once in your life. Welcome to the human experience. But never again use another person's body or emotions as a scratching post for your own unfulfilled yearnings.”
--- Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

“There’s a crack (or cracks) in everyone … that’s how the light of God gets in.”
--- Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

“In desperate love, we always invent the characters of our partners, demanding they be what we need of them, and then feeling devastated when they refuse to perform the role we created in the first place.”
--- Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

“The only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying; the only thing more impossible than staying was leaving. I didn't want to destroy anything or anybody. I just wanted to slip quietly out the back door, without causing any fuss or consequences, and then not stop running until I reached Greenland.”
--- Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

“Imagine that the universe is a great spinning engine. You want to stay near the core of the thing - right in the hub of the wheel - not out at the edges where all the wild whirling takes place, where you can get frayed and crazy. The hub of calmness - that's your heart. That's where God lives within you. So stop looking for answers in the world. Just keep coming back to that center and you'll always find peace.”
--- Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

“One thing I do know about intimacy is that there are certain natural laws which govern the sexual experience of two people, and that these laws cannot be budged any more than gravity can be negotiated with. To feel physically comfortable with someone else's body is not a decision you can make. It has very little to do with how two people think or act or talk or even look. The mysterious magnet is either there, buried somewhere deep behind the sternum, or it is not. When it isn't there (as I have learned in the past, with heartbreaking clarity) you can no more force it to exist than a surgeon can force a patient's body to accept a kidney from the wrong donor. My friend Annie says it all comes down to one simple question: "Do you want your belly pressed against this person's belly forever --or not?”
--- Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

“There's a reason we refer to "leaps of faith" - because the decision to consent to any notion of divinity is a mighty jump from the rational over to the unknowable, and I don't care how diligently scholars of every religion will try to sit you down with their stacks of books and prove to you through scripture that their faith is indeed rational; it isn't. If faith were rational, it wouldn't be - by definition - faith. Faith is belief in what you cannot see or prove or touch. Faith is walking face-first and full-speed into the dark. If we truly knew all the answers in advance as to the meaning of life and the nature of God and the destiny of our souls, our belief would not be a leap of faith and it would not be a courageous act of humanity; it would just be... a prudent insurance policy.”
― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love





"You can live your whole life not realizing that the person you're looking for is right in front of you."
--- One Day, David Nicholls

Saturday, March 03, 2012

Boy: I broke up with her.

His Best Friend: What happened?

Boy: She’s just too much for me.

His Best Friend:What makes you say that? What did she do wrong?

Boy: Well, for one ... She only cared about her appearance. Always had to look good, always took forever to get dressed! So insecure ...

His Best Friend: So, you broke her heart because she wanted to keep your eyes locked on her? She wanted you to see that you have the prettiest girl under your sleeve and not think otherwise? I see ...

Boy: Oh... Well ... She’d often call me or text me asking where I am, who I’m with, telling me not to smoke, not to drink. She’s so clingy!

His Best Friend: So, you broke her heart because she cares about your well-being? Because she cares about you a lot? And her greatest fear is losing you. I see ...

Boy: But ... Uhh ... Well, she’d always cry when I say something slightly mean. She can’t handle anything. She’s a crybaby!

His Best Friend: So, you broke her heart because she has feelings? And because she just wanted to hear you say you love her? I see ...

Boy: I ... Well! You know, she’d get jealous easily. I could barely talk to other girls! She’s so annoying! I had to hide it from her.

His Best Friend: So, you broke her heart because she just wanted you to commit to her? She thought you were faithful, but you lied so she could find out later and hurt even more? She just wanted the guy she loves the most to love only her. I see ...

Boy: Well, she ...

His Best Friend: You broke up with her because she’s good for you? She just wanted the best for you? She’s broken now because you were selfish. Are you proud?

Boy: I broke her heart ... Because I couldn’t see what was happening ... What happened to me?

His Best Friend: You lost the girl that loved you like no one else could. You see? You didn’t want her when all she ever wanted was you. THAT’S what happened ...

By: lyzapicayo
Doctors are often accused of callousness and self-infatuation. But let's remember that they have sacrificed the spring time of their lives, completely lost the precious years between their 20's and 30's acquiring skills to benefit fellowmen. They have suffered deprivation. Most of them haven't had more than a few nights sleep in all that time. Many have sacrificed their marriages and have lost the unique opportunity to see their kids grow.

--- Doctors, Erich Segal

Friday, March 02, 2012

On Saying Goodbye

My cousin Nikay got this from somewhere. It's a beautiful piece about saying goodbye. Here goes ...
"After a while, you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul. And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning. And company doesn't mean security. And you begin to understand that kisses aren't contracts. And presents aren't promises. And you begin to accept your defeats with your heart held high and your eyes open. With the grace of an adult, not the grief of a child. You learn to build your roads on today, because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans, and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight. After a while, you learn that sunshine burns if you get too much. So you plant your own garden and decorate your soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers. And you learn that you really can endure, that you really have worth ... and you learn and learn ... with every "goodbye" you learn."

Thursday, March 01, 2012

God Wants You to Know

After a long hiatus, I'm blogging again. :-) I'm going through a lot right now (the most I've gone through in my entire existence!). Faith is saving me. I love FB's application God Wants You to Know because it provides timely inspirational messages on a daily basis. It never fails to answer my queries and pacify my fears. It's like I'm having a heart-to-heart talk with Him every single day. Today's message is as beautiful as the others before it and I think it will appeal to everyone. I'm posting it here ...


On this day of your life, , we believe God wants you to know ... that it's time you remembered who you really are.

You are not your wallet, your job, your kids, your house. You are not your activities or your worries or the labels other people give you. Like an actor you play these roles, and like a good actor you sometimes forget who you really are. Time to wake up now, and remember that you are a being of immense power and breathtaking beauty created in the image of God.


This is SO true. Because of our busy lives, we sometimes forget who we really are. At the end of the day, we are His children and He is our Father. That is enough reason to be happy. We are in excellent hands.