Thursday, December 24, 2009

Monday, December 21, 2009

Extreme Makeover

Caroling.
Puto Bumbong.
Malamig na simoy ng hangin.

Yan ang ilan sa mga bagay na nagpapaalala sa akin na malapit na ang Pasko. Last year, masayang masaya ako dahil naisakatuparan ko ang isa sa mga simpleng pangarap ko. Nabilihan ko ng regalo ang mga kamag-anak namin sa Quezon particular ang mga nakababatang pinsan. Dahil January pa lang ng 2008 eh unti-unti ko ng linalagyan ang mahigit benteng ampaw na binili ko sa bangketa. Tumitigil lang ako pag nareach ko na ang budget ko para sa taong pagbibigyan. Ang hirap kasi kapag sa 13th month pay ako kukuha ng ipangreregalo. Ayoko ng pakiramdam na meron akong pera tapos mawawala lang na parang bula kaya maaga pa lang nagiipon na ko. Nakakapagod ang mamili pag Christmas season. Kabilaan ang traffic at jam packed ang lahat ng pamilihan. Mapaaircon na mall o Greenhills o Divisoria. Kaloka ang eksena. Nagoverheat pa ang utak ko dahil may mga pagkakataong hindi tugma ang budget vs. sa gustong iregalo. Pero nakaraos naman.

Ngayong taon, sobrang affected ako ng financial crisis. Kaya ang budget ko na pangregalo naging limited na lang sa mga inaanak. Pero salamat sa 168 at sa mga tindera sa bangketa ng Divisoria. Nakabili pa ko ng panregalo sa mga pamangkin at pinsang babae na mabibilang mo sa daliri ang dami. Tawad muna sa mga boys, raised to the 2nd power ang dami nyo. Kaso may problema pa ko. Gusto ko yung ibibigay ko sa kanila. Pag gusto ko kasi yung nabibili ko parang sumasakit ang dibdib ko. Slight. Hehe!

Eto yung para sa mga girls…
Gusto ko sana yung pencil or ballpen na may feathers sa dulo. Nakita ko kasi yun sa officemate ko dati. Nainggit ako ng bonggang bongga at parang bumabalik sa pagkabata. Pero dahil hirap maglakad sa Divi ngayon, masaya at kontento na rin ako dito.


Accessory sa celfone na tulad ng doughnut malambot din sya. Para to sa mga teenagers kong insan. Tigiisa sana kami kaso kulang pala nabili ko kaya wala ako. Wahhh!!!
Coloring book at basic school supplies. Paguwi ko sa bahay saka ko lang narealize bakit ba hindi ako bumili ng coloring book na para sa kin. Luhaan. Nanghihinayang. Bwahaha!
Mommy ko bumili nyan. Para sa pinsan ko raw na nandito sa Maynila. Hindi naman ako masyadong mahilig sa Barbie pero gusto ko to. Maamo kasi ang mukha. Sana magbago ang isip at ibigay na lang sa kin. Nakikiagaw pa sa bata. O gusto nyo yun? Hehe!

Kung medyo butas ang bulsa ngayong taon, meron naman akong isang bagay na nagawa na sobrang ikinagagalak at ipinagmamalaki ko. Nalinis ko ang kwarto ng brother at insan ko. Ang hirap nun ah. At sa tingin ko naman ay successful ako. Labor of Love, ika nga. Pero sa totoo lang palusot ko lang yan, ang totoo kasi wala akong regalo sa kanila ngayong taon kaya effort na lang. Hehe!

Before...











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and
After...
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.
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The joy in giving is not in the actual giving but in shopping. Yung tipong mamimili ka ng walang kasiguraduhan kung magugustuhan ba ng pagbibigyan mo yung bibilhin mo. Pero namimili ka pa rin kasi you have the desire to give. At hindi pa natatapos dun, irawrap mo pa ng bonggang bongga. To the highest level ang effort. O kung talagang kapos daanin na lang sa sipag at tsaga o pairalin ang creativity. Iregalo ang oras at panahon. Pasalamatan ka man o hindi; may kapalit man o wala, no big deal. Because there is joy in giving; there is joy in tears (dahil siguradong after ng shopping butas din ang bulsa).

Two Sundays ago, sabi ni Bro. Adrian Panganiban, ang Pasko ay kaarawan ni Hesus na syang pinakamagandang regalo na natanggap ng ‘sang katauhan. Biruin mo sya ang may birthday pero sya ang nagreregalo sa tin. Sana ngayong Pasko regaluhan din natin sya. Ano kayang ireregalo mo sa kanya? May naisip ka na ba?

P.S. Mukhang kailangan ng Extreme Makeover ng conversation sa chatbox sa ibaba. Ano sa tingin mo?

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Me Lately

Addicted again to
Lois and Clark
.
and










The Halliwell Sisters
.
Loves the vocal prowess and musical harmony of
La Diva
.
Reached the peak of
Kamay ni Hesus

Like Stairway to Heaven


Busy with small business venture













Very affordable. I swear!
.
Attended a birthday party of a high school friend
Nice cake
.

Keep coming back on my small ranch
Now Level 18 and going up...
.
Enjoying this…
Pasko na!

Photo Courtesy of igma.tv, tvonthebrain.com, photobucket.com and starpulse.com

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

There is Joy in Tears

When you came out of your mother’s womb
The entire Operating Room was filled
With your loud and seemingly unstoppable cry
But in the middle two creatures were rejoicing
One was lying on a single bed
And the other one was holding her hand.

When a happy couple suddenly splits
Both hearts are surely bawling in distress
But as time passes by
Inner healing takes place
Separation is meant and worth it
In finding your One True Love.

When a loved one with terminal disease dies
Sadness envelops your spirit from head to toe
Not even a hard tickle can stop you from weeping
At the back of your head however
You are relieved that the suffering has ended
Finally he can rest in peace.

When your burdens are too heavy
Sometimes you want to sit and shed tears
If you follow your heart’s desire
Out of the blue a friend comes in
Sits beside you and lends you his shoulder
And say “I’m just right here.”

When Jesus Christ died on the cross
Mary, his mother and Jesus’ disciples
Mourned underneath the cross
But the will of God, the Father
Was not to hurt Mary and the Apostles
But for the welfare of the entire humanity
And for us to know that God is a loving God.

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
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Everything will be alright
Photo courtesy of coffeewithpat.org
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Monday, December 14, 2009

Zero Balance

Your credit card’s statement of account has just arrived. You were terrified to open it. You didn’t want to know your total liabilities. But the white envelope was in front of you. You tore one end, nonetheless. You pulled the white rectangular sheet of paper inside. Five digit numbers greeted you. The due date is less than a week. Your cash is only good enough for the essentials. You were so worried. But the financial agony didn’t end there. The next day, the electricity bill was delivered. Minutes later, a messenger knocked and gave you your recent water billing. In the afternoon a courier came and gave your telephone and DSL statement of account. Expenses are piling up. Your cable bill is not yet in the list. With your limited resources you feel that only miracle can save you.

What will you do?

a. Find a Bumbay. Go for 5-6.
Consequence: Bumbay, bank or any private money lender entails interest.
Warning: It’s a never ending story.
b. Disregard your debts. Pay them when you have more than enough.
Consequence: Next month your credit billing is equal to: Amount due + monthly interest. And your house might be the only one in your community without electricity, water supply and a phone ringing.
c. Find a new house and change your contact number.
Consequence: Do it if your conscience can take it.
d. Pay your electricity, phone and water bill. Then, call your credit card company and ask for a settlement. Make it installment instead of one-time payment.
Consequence: Honesty might just save you. There’s interest but at least you don’t have to pay the whole amount at once.
e. Sell some of your properties that you think you can live without. Pay all your liabilities. Then, tear your credit card into small pieces and throw it away.
Consequence: Somehow, you’ll feel depressed but eventually you will learn to live according to your means.

In Psychology, Habits are automatic routines of behavior that are repeated regularly, without thinking. They are learned, not instinctive, human behaviors that occur automatically, without the explicit contemporaneous intention of the person(wikiquote.org). Taking a bath everyday and brushing teeth after every meal are typical habits of a responsible adult. When we were still kids our parents were doing it for us regularly. Consciously and unconsciously we are also being taught about the benefits of good grooming. But as we grow up and becoming more independent, we learn to take charge and like how our parents would do it, we do it regularly until it becomes a habit - neither planned nor dictated; it’s automatic.
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I’m sure everyone would agree that money is important. We need money to buy to food, clothes, celfone load and MRT ticket; to pay our bills, tuition fee, insurance and taxes etc. In short, we need money to survive most specially if you are living in an urban society. But earning a living is not an easy thing to do. Worse, when money touches our hands a mountain of temptations are always ready to entice us. Will you entertain the seduction until you get zero balance? Or weigh your priorities and budget your finances?

It’s up to you.

P.S. Did you see yourself in the first paragraph?
If yes, here’s my simple advice: Next time, Make Saving a Habit.If no, here’s my simple advice: Make Saving a Habit and Have a Merrier Christmas.


Photo courtesy of theboltonnew.co.uk

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