On New Years and New Beginnings...

Repost:

29 Simple Things You Can Do to have a Fantastic 2011
By Bo Sanchez

No long article from me today.

This will be short.

My message today: The keys to success are simple. I believe that real genius lies in sticking to the simple.

Today, I’d like to “spoon feed” you.

I’d like to give you 29 simple things that you can do this year that will revolutionize your life.

If you do these 29 simple things, 2011 will be a blast.



1. Laugh with inspiring friends at least once a week or more

2. Have Mentors in the most important areas of your life

3. Walk 30 minutes a day

4. Use your talents for God by serving in a ministry

5. Invest 20% of your income every month

6. Read one inspiring book a month

7. Cut TV watching to the barest minimum (Zero is a good number)

8. Limit newspaper reading to 5 minutes or less a day

9. Take vacations often

10. Eat fruits for breakfast

11. Always have a salad for lunch and dinner

12. Start a business (or improve your business) this year

13. Always be grateful to God and others

14. Always live by your deepest values

15. Spend time with God everyday

16. Play with your kids at least once a day (If you don’t have any, borrow.)

17. Have a weekly date with your spouse (If you don’t have any, don’t borrow!)

18. Date your parents regularly

19. Before you sleep, remove all anger by forgiveness

20. Be the kindest person you can be

21. Find your passion and live it fully

22. Give more hugs (and receive as many)

23. Listen to understand, not to reply

24. Celebrate more often

25. Put people over projects

26. Enjoy quiet and solitude

27. Always give 10% of your income to God

28. Keep dreaming



I have a 29th thing I would like to recommend to you: Join me at our weekly Feast and change your life forever. Bring your friends and family. Everyone is welcome. For venues and time of the nearest Feast in your area, email Annie at feastsecretariat@yahoo.com.

On Self-Preservation...

Self-preservation is an instinct, is the first law of nature.

Any organism will strive to make sure that it stays in place, in a comfort zone, in an environment where all it's basic needs are met.

Does this too justify the human need of self-preservation?

Or is it a convenient excuse to greed, arrogance and deceit?

In the psychological and physical sense, what makes people different from a parasite, which lives off a host; sucks the life out of it then leaves to find another that will satisfy it's need?

On Realizations...

Early this year, a significant chapter of my life ended. Abrupt and unexpected, however, it is how endings are...

1. Friends will be friends and will always be friends.
These are the people you should truly value. People who have been there at various points in your life. Some longer, some for a few years... But one thing is constant, they will remain supportive whatever decision you make, and be there when you screw up. Saying "I told you so... but we're still here to buy you booze! SO drink up and get crazy!"...

2. Choices define who you become.
Where I am now, who I have become is a collective of all the choices I have made, so far with no regrets. Things always turn out for the best. Making a choice is always difficult, some choose the easy way, some choose the path less travelled. I most of the time choose the latter. This builds strength and character. Whichever path you take, there are no guarantees, there are no certainties, so just slide...

3. Welcome to the world of wireless communication.
I know... I know... I know...
The email has been in use since the 80's. But it never dawned on me that an email can now be used to blow off a person. Impersonal and efficient.
However unethical, it has less interaction, less conflict, less the drama... very convenient. One of my friends said, "... at least it wasn't on a post-it..."

4. People do not fail you, it's your expectations that fail you.
Everybody is as imperfect as you are. So do not expect, it only leads to your disappointment and frustration. This then is inadvertently mirrored to the person. Hence, in your head, that person has failed you.

5. Be careful what you wish for you might just get it.



Cheers! Til next post!

On Inspiration...

I need inspiration...

Brain cramp...
Stupidity attack...
Headache...

Tu... ni... nu... ni... nu...
Hmmm... Hmmm... Hmmm...
Du-uh... Du-uh... Du-uh...

I need inspiration...

On Endings...

This has been a long time favourite and I have recently found it on youtube. I thought it would be nice to share.

From the Film "La Cavalcade des Heures" Circa 1940

On Purpose...

I used to write with passion...
with purpose...
with my soul...

Tonight I can write...
I think I can write...
I am trying to write...


...............
................
..............

On Positivism...

Visiting RITM (The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Filinvest, Alabang) is always a pleasure. You get that same feeling upon seeing family and friends, after you think you're about to explode from the daily stressors of your mundane life.

It's just like coming home...


On my second visit, I met Shola Luna. A person of indomitable spirit and a big heart.


Part 1:




Part 2:




For more information visit: www.positivism.ph

Blood on the Moon

28 February 2010: Fullmoon.

01 March 2010: Tsunami Alert Level 2, waters rising 1 meter aftermath of the 8.8 earthquake in Chile

02 March 2010: 6.1 Earthquake in Cagayan

I hope that's the end of it.

On Politicking...

As I post this please consider that I am non-partisan to any Presidential Candidate as of the moment. Also, these pictures were gathered from friends and friends of friends who were helping out in the affected areas where the pictures were taken.

I am sincerely grateful for all the efforts and the help extended. None the less, things should be done in good taste.


This was taken in Cainta, 26 September 2009.




This was taken in EDSA, a green dump truck caught in traffic around 2PM, 11 October 2009.




This was taken in San Mateo, also over the weekend.

Ondoy Relief...

Ways for you to share your blessings:

1. Donate in kind
2. Donate cash
3. Most importantly, volunteerism (for sorting, packing, distribution of relief goods, manpower for soup kitchens, evac centers, medical personnel, et.al.)

I have posted some links to help you find the most convenient way for you to help. This is a time to get together and show that the Filipino spirit of Bayanihan is still alive.

Websites:

Ondoy Relief Official Website
http://www.ondoyrelief.org/

Philippine National Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org.ph/Site/PNRC/wtd.aspx

Sagip Kapamilya/ABS-CBN Foundation
www.abscbnfoundation.org

ABS-CBN HOTLINE
416-36-41

SAGIP KAPAMILYA
413-2667 / 416-0387
No 13 Examiner Street, Quezon City, Look for Ms Girlie Aragon

Bank: Banco de Oro, Mother Ignacia branch
Acct name: ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.
Acct no.: 5630020111

ABS-CBN Foundation Inc for overseas donation: 1-800-527-2820 or www.abscbnfoundation.org

Routing code for international cash donations
BNORPHMM ABS-CBN Branch

In kind donation:
Drop off sites are at 13 Examiner Street or at Scout Bayona in front of Rembrandt Hotel.

ABS-CBN Foundation US Office Toll-Free 1-800-527-2820

Google Help for Typhoon Ondoy Victims in the Philippines
http://www.google.com/landing/typhoon-ondoy.html

PAWS Philippines
http://www.paws.org.ph/site/1/default.aspx

PAWS has opened its doors for dog and cat evacuees!
Please extend a helping hand to the innocent animals!
You can also help by donating dog/cat food and cages/shelters with roofs.
Address: Aurora Blvd., Katipunan Valley, Loyola Heights Q.C.
Telefax: 02.475.1688

On Yellow Ribbons...

In Memory of Ninoy and Cory Aquino

"I believe that the vocation of politics must be accepted by those who take up the service of leadership as a vocation in its noblest meaning: it demands 'all of life. For the life of one who would lead his or her people--in our time as never before--such a life must strive for coherence with the vision aspired to, or else that vision itself and its realization are already betrayed.

That vision must itself be present, in some authentic way, in those who seek to realize it: present, in the witness of their example; present, in a purity of heart vis-à-vis the exercise and usages of power; present, in an ultimate fidelity to principle, in a dedication that is ready to count the cost in terms of “nothing less than everything.”

It is Cardinal Newman, I believe, who said that in this world, we do good only in the measure that we pay for it in the currency of our own lives. For us Christians, there is always the image of Jesus, and the price his service demanded of him. And for me there has been, as a constant reminder, the sacrifice my husband offered, and the word that it has spoken, to me and my people."

By Corazon C. Aquino - Oct 1995

On Field Trips and Dinners...

The past 2 weeks have been a media frenzy over expensive dinners and a 65-person entourage. Yes, the controversial GMA state visit or rather the state field trip to the White House.

I totally agree! It was a very extravagant field trip, 2 dinners amounting to 1.72M pesos ($35,000 USD) is no trivial matter, specially at this time of Global Financial Crisis.

Here are my thoughts:

1. On the spending of $20,000 USD on a french dinner. Well, it would be the standard or normal amount you will spend, if you wine and dine at a restaurant, where it takes 3 weeks to a month to get a reservation, then feed 65 people.

Then another $15,000 USD on a steak dinner. Well, if I were again dining at the finest steakhouse in Washington DC, with 65 close friends, for sure I will run up the same bill.

2. I think the warm summer air or the jetlag got to most of them. They were all thinking this was a field trip to the White House and not a business trip sponsored by the Filipino tax payers. Some delikadesa and personal ethics should have been appreciated.

I mean if it were on personal time, or a personal vacation, sure... splurge all you want. You all should have known better that the timing of the trip was at a time when the nation was mourning the loss of the simple and humble Saint of Democracy.
Hence, the after math.

3. With 1.72M pesos, I can

- build 2 schools with 10 furnished classrooms, 2 teacher's lounges, 1 computer lab, 2 5 door bathrooms, a pantry and a soccer field.

- buy 1,146 families one cavan of rice to last them a month.

- send 138 high school students to school for one whole year, including all allowances, not just the tuition fees.

- build a marine sanctuary in Malcapuya Island, Coron, Palawan.

- build 6 water irrigation pumps to cover 6-10 hectares of farm land.

But then again, that's just me...

4. So what happened to the trip???
This is still something nobody has brought up, spoken of, or even mentioned!

President Barrack Obama invites the delegation of GMA, the first Asian leader to be invited to the White House and we still don't know why???

I find it really odd that the Washington Post and the New York Post would feature dinner tabs. I mean so what! Who cares about how much a foreign dignitary spends for dinner? Is this news worthy for the American readers? Is this something that will affect the US readers directly?

Or is this plain diversion... Causing the Filipinos to march to the streets and the media have a field day on expensive dinners.

I have always believed that the US will never give up their hold on the Philippines. The country being an archipelago and right smack in the middle of everything, makes us the best site for naval and air bases. Geographically, we are at the best vantage point to strategically place carriers, subs, planes, personnel, supplies, and medical facilities in case war breaks loose.

My point is, what could be so urgent that GMA has to fly all the way to the US, and discuss with the US president? Is it the continuing power struggle of North Korea? Is it strengthening ties for Balikatan, reviving VFA? Is it allowing more military personnel and facilities within Philippines waters?

ie. USS George Washington an aircraft carrier that can hold 70 F-21s, 5000 personnel and one of the largest carriers, docking at Manila Bay... a coincidence?

5. Maybe I am just over thinking stuff... maybe I have to take it at face value... My country is being ruled and taken advantage of, by half-wits who take pleasure in steak dinners and over priced wines, which they won't be able to afford on their regular monthly wages, even if they sold their grandchildren's children to work and slave in the government.

And the US President just wanted to say "Hello, Madam President! We wish to continue doing business with your country with no strings attached..."

Hmmm...

Maraming Salamat po!

“I would rather die a meaningful death than to live a meaningless life.”
Cory Aquino

Finally...

It's about time you found me... yes I am referring to you dear... And it is about time you did after adding you and all... I was beginning to think you are challenged...

Anyway, I still have the same contact info, so you both can contact me if you need to ask me anything...

Cheers!

On Inferiority...

Exaggerated sensitiveness is an expression of the feeling of inferiority.
Alfred Adler

Fear is the thought of admitted inferiority.
Elbert Hubbard