Prayers are always answered

Taken from the reflections for February 21, 2013 in the Bible diary 2013 by Fr. Paulson V. Veliyannoor,CMF, PhD

No parents would give their child a stone when she asks for bread or a snake when she asks for fish. But what if the child asks for a stone or a snake? Quite possibly, they would hand her a bread or fish and hope that once her anger and disappointment die down, she would understand.
Sometimes we adults are no better when it comes to discerning what is truly good for us. Blinded by our desires, we ask God for many things, some of which could be as harmful as stones or snakes. Thankfully, God our devoted parent, knows what is truly best for us and may choose to give us something far nobler and healthier than what we had initially asked for.
If we feel disappointed at such moments, it is good to remind ourselves that God does answer our prayers, but not always in the manner we want Him to answer but always in the manner that is most beneficial to us.
Let us trust his discernment and rest easy.

Monarchs and Viceroys

In an episode of “Lie to Me,” Dr. Lightman compares people to the Monarch and Viceroy butterflies. The Monarch butterfly and the Viceroy butterfly are nearly identical and often mistaken for each other. However, the Monarch is toxic, due to its diet of milkweed, while the Viceroy is non-toxic. Because they are so similar, a predator often mistakes one for the other and avoids both since it assumes they are poisonous.

Like butterflies, some people are Monarchs while others are Viceroy. Lessons we can take from it:

1. From a prey’s point of view, it is strategic to mimic yourself after someone more capable than yourself rather than than to dwell in self-pity and suffer in your own circumstances. Kids who are bullied need to step up and at least look tough in order to hold their own ground; the evil feeds off the weak so it is better to seem strong than not seem strong at all.  If the Viceroy just allowed itself to be a victim, then it would not have survived.

2. From a predator’s point of view, getting to know people is not black and white. Though you may infer that someone is a ‘bad person,’ there may be more than what meets the eye. Like Viceroys, people put up walls in order to defend themselves; they often lack the confidence to step out from behind their mask. When meeting people, it is important to dig deep and see someone for who they really are rather than profiling them into a stereotype.
Source: http://networkofideas.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/the-monarch-butterfly-vs-the-viceroy/

Spiritual road

"You have passed through the two hardest tests on the spiritual road: the patience to wait for the right moment and the courage not to be disappointed with what you encounter"- from Veronika decides to die by Paulo Coelho

Add to your bucket list

I am not actually sure which came first, the movie or the phrase itself, but I am guessing it’s the phrase. Lol.
Also I have not actually watched the film and due to the mainstream use of the phrase I am guessing it means a list of things you want to do before you die.
If you are one of those travel enthusiasts but would like to try to go to countries where you are not drowned by the throngs of tourists and/or commercial gimmicks you might want to check these 25 countries.
 
According to http://www.garfors.com/2013/01/the-25-least-visited-countries-in-world.html, these are the 25 least visited countries in the world. Since the author was able to personally to go to these countries, if you have the bank account ( or very generous sponsor) to sustain your travels then you should probably add as an item or items  visit to at least one of these countries in your bucket list.
 
25. Dominica, no, not the Dominican Republic
24. Chad
23. Central African Republic
22. Liechtenstein
21. Djibouti
20. Sierra Leone
19. Tonga
18. East Timor
17. Bhutan
16. North Korea and you thought its at number 1
15. Libya
14. Guinea-bissau
13. Mauritania
12. Federated States of Micronesia
11. Solomon Islands
10. Afghanistan, yep not in number 1 either.
9. Comoros
8. Sao Tome & Principe
7. Turkmenistan
6. Equatorial Guinea
5. Marshall Islands
4. Kiribati
3. Tuvalu
2. Somalia
1. Nauru
 
 

 

What you don’t know won’t hurt you

I used to think that this statement doesn’t apply to me as I keep telling myself that I would rather know the truth than be lied to.
But what happens when you know “everything”?
 
I watch the American tv series “Lie to Me” it is about a group of scientists who can tell if you are lying by observing your micro-expressions and non-verbal behavior. There was one episode when it was revealed why the main character, Cal Lightman got divorced. As her ex-wife said, because he tends to read too much on my expressions always trying to determine if I am telling the truth and that means he doesn’t trust me.
 
Makes you think… if you also have that ability to “read” lies, can you resist the urge to trust no one but yourself?
 
I also happen to hear the statement “if I could only read a person’s mind”. Do you think that “power” would give you comfort? Yes in some ways probably, you would know why your baby is crying for hours, or if you’re working for the CIA , know what are the terrorists next move. But it will also have its consequences, because like Cal Lightman it can make you paranoid actually more paranoid than him, since you know exactly what someone is thinking, more stressed as you would tend to read their minds while they are talking to you.
 
Someone told me, that I should learn Thai so that you know what your officemates are talking about. At first it appeals to me but as time goes by, I find comfort not knowing if somebody dislikes me or is making fun of me.
 
I don’t know why, maybe because I am beginning to not give a care in the world what other people think or maybe because I am trying to make an effort to be happier.
 
 

Earn money by just sharing

http://hotstuffcdn.com/share/ph/194/107980

And I'm counting again

How many follow-ups will I have to do for Globe Telecom customer service representative to give me an update?

Nothin' on you

In the cover story for EW Mars confessed that the song "Nothin' on You" was rejected because of his race by a "music industry decision-maker -- a guy he won't name". That experience, made him feel like a "mutant", and he says that was his lowest point. "Even with that song in my back pocket to seal the deal, things like that are coming out of people's mouths. It made me feel like I wasn't even in the room."

Source: Wikipedia entry on Bruno Mars, Racism controversy

What the $@&!$&£¥> Globe Telecom Philippines customer service

Last night, I received more than 10 email notifications that my inquiry regarding Globe Rewards (Globe Telecom Phils is a Philippine telecommunications company) is being attended by a customer service agent.Only 1 "agent" has replied to ask for further information to verify my account with them. and after 24 hours he/she has not updated me.

Maybe it's time they change their tag line "Enjoy your way" to "We f$&k all the way"

Poor Globe Telecom Phils. customer service

Youtube Channel

Subscribe to this youtube channel http://m.youtube.com/#/channel/UClIMpsknKRtKhOICrRiC70w

Take charge of your health

want to take charge of your health?

watch this video. for any inquiries, send a mail to racingaerox2004@yahoo.com or send an SMS to +63 999-983-8209

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=641741192506130&l=6830786797818660730

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Often we allow ourselves to get all worked up about things that, upon closer examination, aren't really that big a deal. We focus on littleproblems and concerns and blow them way out of proportion. A stranger, for example, might cut in front of us in traffic. Rather than let it go, and go on with our day, we convince ourselves that we are justified in our anger. We play out an imaginary confrontation in our mind. Many of us might even tell someone else about the incident later on rather than simply let it go.

Why not instead simply allow the driver to have his accident somewhere else? Try to have compassion for the person and remember how painful it is to be in such an enormous hurry. This way, we can maintain our own sense of well-being and avoid taking other people's problems personally. There are many similar, "small stuff" examples that occur every day in our lives. Whether we had to wait in line, listen to unfair criticism, or do the lion's share of the work, it pays enormous dividends if we learn not to worry about little things.

So many people spend so much of their life energy "sweating the small stuff" that they completely lose touch with the magic and beauty of life. When you commit to working toward this goal you will find that you will have far more energy to be kinder and gentler.

From: Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff… and it’s all small stuff by Richard Carlson, PhD

 

What day is today?

Each person has a different way of handling grief. More often than not, when a person prefers to be silent is when the pain is so unbearable or shocking that he/she has no way to express it but to keep it inside.

 

People has always been judgmental when  person appears to be unmoved or apathetic when someone died. In many crime tv series that I have watched, a spouse, a child or a parent that does not seem to be enraged when a loved one died ALWAYS becomes a top suspect.

 

My mother has always been my Achilles heel. My age is the same number of years that my mother has died. Every time that I come to my maternal relatives, I was always asked how old I am and then the next statement would always be ”I could not believe your mother has been dead for that long”. When I was young, I always fight the tears from falling down when I hear that.  But as years go by I have become used to it that it has become my own personal “treat” to myself on my birthday. When I wake up on my birthday, it has become a habit of mine to remind myself that on that day I am XX years old and my mother has been dead for XX years.

 

Today is my mother’s birthday. We have always believed that she is our personal angel that she watches over us since none of us (me and my siblings) have never gone astray in our lives. We have lived separate lives for the same XX years. I have never seen her face (except for an old picture that I saw when I was already in my 20’s) but I have always fervently wished that before I die I want to see her face, that when she shows “herself” to me that’s a sign for me that I am going to die soon (I am terribly scared of ghosts by the way). I hope she fulfills that wish.

 

I know you are in heaven right now so your happiness is already guaranteed.

 

Three Moms

I am one of those "special" ones that have more than one mother. I have 3.

My first mother was my biological mother , she died the day after giving birth to me. Never had the chance to see her face, hear her voice or feel her touch. The only thing I know about her is that she prayed so much to have a daughter after having 2 boys. And that after giving birth, she smiled when she saw me and was told that I was a girl. That was the story my father told me.

My second mother was my foster mother, she took care of me days or probably weeks ( stories from relatives are inconsistent) after my biological mother died. She took care of me and loved me for 25 years.

My third mother was actually a cousin who as far as I can remember took care of me during the times I was sick when I was young. I asked my 2nd mother why I ended up calling my cousin "mommy" and she said it's because I was always with her when I was little and she always attends to my needs when I cry.

After the hoopla on Mother's day wears off, I want thank all 3 of them for what I am now. I am not the best person right now but God knows I try to be. And I wish that somehow in some little way, I have made or can made them proud of me.

May my two moms be at peace in heaven Herminia Valentin Armado and Crisanta Armado Garcia.

May God guide and help my mommy Leonila Garcia Santiago with all her needs and worries.

[ Blind Gossip ] Is this young, pretty franchise actress racist or just insensitive and controlling?

A small group of people was gathered for a private party. When a song by a popular black artist (now deceased) came on, the actress went on a rant.

“OMG! Seriously? Seriously?! What the f*ck is this? I don’t want to listen to this disgusting ghetto music! Change it now!”

The room went silent as the rest of the guests stared at her – and at each other – shocked that she would say such a thing. The song was changed, per her demand, and the actress went back to drinking and partying. She may be pretty, but she was also pretty controlling and pretty tone-deaf to the mix of people in the room.

SOLVED!

It’s Kristen Stewart! Source: BlindGossip.com

This event occurred in a hotel room. Someone put on a song by the late Tupac Shakur, and Kristen made the unfortunate “ghetto” comment. There were a few people in the room who weren’t as pale as Kristen (is anyone?), and they found the remark offensive. Nobody challenged her on it. They just changed the music and commented on it when she left the room.

That comment might just be a footnote if it wasn’t for another recent event that touches on the same topic.

Kristen Stewart recently dropped out as the lead on a film when the male lead was changed from Ben Affleck to Will Smith. From Vulture :

Ben Affleck got too busy to do the con artist romance Focus with Kristen Stewart. Now Will Smith is assuming the Affleck role, but “Stewart fell off with the feeling that the age difference between the two would be too large a gap,” Variety reports. (Smith is 44; Affleck is 40. Stewart is 23.)

By the way, Rupert Sanders, the director with whom Stewart had an affair, is 42. So, yes, the age excuse sounded flimsy. Perhaps is was just a chemistry thing, or she changed her mind about the role.

In any case, Stewart needs to tread carefully if she wants to avoid even the appearance of insensitivity to minorities in the future. In fact, if the chatter on this one doesn’t die down soon, you can expect that she will be pushed into a project with a black costar.

Source: http://mobile.blindgossip.com/#2369

Flowers, Cold night, Life

When I was in high school, I dreaded my English subject especially during my junior year not because of the teacher (despite the fact that she announced in class that I was the bitch who hated her) but because of those activities where we have to analyze the true meaning of poems, sonnets, haikus etc. I strongly believe that whoever started this notion that ALL poets/authors have some deeper meaning in their works must be cursed for infinity.

If the work was written during a tumultuous time in history and the subject of the work touches politics or religion or some important theme/subject I would totally understand that the author would hide deeper meanings in their work as to avoid persecution, punishment or even death. But what I really hate is when you have to analyze a work when the author is just describing a garden, a field, a cold night or the tiger’s fearful stature. The last phrase fearful stature is “special” to me, because I clearly remember this as the phrase that I was once asked in class to analyze what it means. I was speechless for a few seconds and just eventually had to talk gibberish about how I would be scared if I saw a tiger.

Did it ever occur to these people that what if the author just simply wanted to describe the flowers in the garden because he was bored and can’t think of anything else to write about? That it was just really a cold night and he had to write a long poem just so he could divert his attention and forget how cold it was. Why all these should have some deep meaning or should give us to the meaning of life?

Why do people always have the insatiable need to have an explanation for or know everything? Are we all shrinks deep inside?

Awkward

I was browsing through free tv shows in Itunes when I first saw “Awkward” a tv series about a teenager’s struggle as a “nobody” in high school, I couldn’t say outcast since she has friends although not the popular ones.
I found it very funny and entertaining at first and I could imagine how teenagers might be loving it but as I watch more episodes, I realized how I wouldn’t let my daughter watch this show before she is 25 or probably 30 years old.

It was still a culture shock for me, although I already know how American teenagers lose their virginity before they even go to college. Maybe because how the characters see sex as not a serious thing, that you can just go in an abandoned area (they call it sanctuary) in your school and freely have sex or make out. I have never been to the U.S. so I wouldn’t know how far or close the show is from the truth. It’s disturbing for me how parents would actually drive their teenagers to their party knowing there would be booze or ask her daughter if she already had sex with her boyfriend.

I personally know someone, a mother who allows her sons to do things freely (smoke, drink, go out late at night and all other things teenagers are so tempted to do) right before her eyes. She tells me because she wants them to be independent and think for themselves. She doesn’t want them to rebel against her and do things against her knowledge. For some teenagers, this would be a good strategy, that when they feel the independence that they are trusted by their parents, they would value that trust and will not do anything that will harm them or their future. But not all teenagers are the same, some would take advantage of that independence and would throw caution to the wind. Sadly though, the sons of this mother that I know fall to the second kind and it breaks my heart to see her sons destroy their lives and inevitably drags their mother’s life to their mess. When I try to talk some sense to her children, they (yes, including the mother) would turn the tables on me and point out how I made mistakes during my teenage years. Like common teenagers, I also made poor judgments but as I have also told them, I learn from those mistakes and take everything as a challenge or motivation for me to do things right and succeed. And by then, I have become the melodramatic meddler in their eyes (sometimes also laughed at). So I already gave up and see it as a lost cause and no longer try to somehow help them by giving my unsolicited advice.
My kids are just 4 and 6 years old, too early to know in what kind they would fall to, the ones can be trusted with independence or the other that is a disaster waiting to happen. I am not praying for perfect kids, just for the ones who may or may not make mistakes and if they do make mistakes, they learn from those mistakes and make themselves better each time.

image from mtv.tv

filipino accent

Russel Peters doing Filipino accent

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=XDORYXvLlD0&feature=youtu.be&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DXDORYXvLlD0%26feature%3Dyoutu.be

The Storyteller

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
Synopsis:
Sage Singer is a baker, a loner, until she befriends an old man who's particularly beloved in her community. Josef Weber is everyone's favorite retired teacher and Little League coach. One day he asks Sage for a favor: to kill him. Shocked, Sage refuses—and then he confesses his darkest secret – he deserves to die because he had been a Nazi SS guard. And Sage's grandmother is a Holocaust survivor. How do you react to evil living next door? Can someone who's committed truly heinous acts ever atone with subsequent good behavior? Should you offer forgiveness to someone if you aren't the party who was wronged? And, if Sage even considers the request, is it revenge…or justice? (from http://jodipicoult.com/the-storyteller.html)

If you are like me who until now wonders how Germans were “charmed” by Hitler or why many youth have joined the Hitler Youth group during the time leading to WW2 , but do not have the high intellect (or patience) to read on books that offer the psychological, sociological or political analyses of those times, this book could provide you an insight on what was happening in Germany during that time and what might have been running in the minds of the German that time. Although the story is fictional the historical details were well researched by the author (details of research can be found in http://jodipicoult.com/the-storyteller.html).


Don’t get me wrong, I am not neo-Nazi or anti-Semitic. I have just wondered if I was a German during that time, what would I have done? Would I have secretly helped Jews or blindly support the Nazis? It would be very easy to say today “Of course, I would secretly help the Jews!”. But as Josef, a character in the story have said, sometimes we would be surprised on what we can do.

It is on this same line of thinking that I have always wondered that if I was a Jew and was alive during the time that Jesus preached in Jerusalem, would I have believed him and proclaim him as my Savior? Or would I be one of those shouting “Crucify him!”. Again, (if you are a Christian today) it would be an immediate “Of course I would believe Jesus and accept him as my Savior”.

As they say, don’t judge a person, who had never walked on his shoes.

Updates for previous posts

Chinavasion

From my previous blog posts, I told you that I have returned a defective item to them. Thru email they informed that they will tell me once they received the item and once the replacement is ready to be shipped. After a month or so of not hearing anything from them, I e-mailed them inquiring if they have received the item and if they could now send the replacement. They responded back by asking if I have returned the item’s accessories as well. I confirmed that I have sent the accessories as well. They said that since a similar item is no longer available, replacement is not possible and they will instead give me store credits equivalent to the price of the item:

Bad points: if I have not followed-up with them, they would not give me an update on the return/replacement status
Good points: they were quick to provide the store credits

Cebu Pacific Air

Last time that I boarded a flight of Cebu Pacific air from Manila to Bangkok, I told you that I had a “problem” with the inflight meal that I have pre-ordered. So to my flight back to Manila last April 5, 2013, I made sure that there is note that I have inflight meal (I pre-ordered again)in my itinerary receipt. There were no problems with the delivery of my inflight. Although I have observed that a couple of foreigners were asking why they do not have meals. The flight attendant politely informed them that the meals were pre-ordered. One of the foreigners insisted that he clicked the option to order inflight meals. Although it seems that there is no note indicated in their itinerary receipt. After a few minutes of discussion, the foreigner finally gave up and told the attendant that its OK since he doesn’t feel like eating anymore.

Bad points: I feel greatly offended when they ask for my boarding pass for confirmation (after they asked for my name and if I ordered food) while with other passengers they just confirm the passenger’s name and/or if they have ordered inflight meals. Was it because the seat beside me is unoccupied and they are thinking I moved seats just to get the food?

Good points: nothing that I can think of

Pag-IBIG /HMDF (Philippines) housing loan eligibility

useful information I got from a customer service agent from Pag-IBIG/HMDF (Philippines) regarding your contributions and eligibility for a housing loan:

Good day to you,

We would like to inform you that members who have made at least 24 monthly contributions, an active member of Pag-IBIG Fund and has source of income/capacity to pay at the time of application, may avail of a housing loan from Pag-IBIG. For those member who has lapses in their contribution may not affect the eligibility of availing housing loan. The most important is you have updated your contribution up to the last month prior to the date of your loan application.

Cost of living comparison

comparing manila and bangkok cost of living according to numbeo.com

Sign at Wat Pho or Temple of the Reclining Buddha in Thailand

Globe Telecom Philippines

I sent an email to Globe Telecom (Philippines) customer service last Friday, March 15. Based in their automatic reply, they would get back to me within 1 business day. Today is March 22, no reply from them yet. I already sent a follow-up email last Wednesday, March 20.
C'mon guys! You proclaim your self as the number one mobile servie provider in the Philippines...

Grey and Edward (author swoons after typing the words)

I find it really depressing that women have been fighting for equality and yet if you observe the “love stories” that they swoon over in recent years are the ones that the man is the dominant one or the one the control the relationship.

Let’s take Edward and Bella for example. If you do not know who these two are, you probably lived in a cave or was involved or caught in a war in Afghanistan or some far flung part of the world for the last 2 or 3 years. If you think about it, Edward has always been the one “in control” of their love story. He leaves Bella whenever he feels or thinks that he is putting her in danger by being with him. While Bella moped, bawled at night and sat by the window (literally by the way as seen in the film) for months. He did not ask if she’s okay with it but just decided to leave and somehow removed any “trace” of him in her life.

On the other hand, I think there is no question that Christian Grey is the dominant one in his relationship with Anastasia Steele. I have to ask your forgiveness that I was only able to finish Book 1 and about half of Book 2 (sorry it’s too much for me). So I wouldn’t know if tables have turned at the end of Book 2 or Book 3. But for the most part, I think it’s fair to claim that Grey is the dominant one. To those who does not know them (you are probably a man). Grey is the “prince charming” of the erotic novel (mommy porn as some critics playfully describe it) Fifty Shades of Grey. He is a billionaire who is into BDSM and “fell in love” with Anastasia Steele. Yes and of course he is the dominant. Need I say more?

Gone are the days that Prince Charming has to look throughout the whole kingdom for the beautiful lady who left her one of her glass slippers at the dance. Or that he has to make a wish to a genie to make him a prince so he could be with the princess.

Or maybe, I am reading this wrong. Women want equal rights because now they want to be the “prince/soon-to-be-prince” who will do anything just to be with the “princess/soon-to-be-princess”. That women should not be restricted to the man who desires them that they should be able to go for the men they desire even if it means you have to jump off a cliff to get his attention (and make him believe you drowned and died) or wear balls in unimaginable (well, for me) places in your body just so you can please him.

Hot meal

I recently had this experience on my Cebu Pacific flight from Manila to Bangkok. I was hoping to book a Philippine Airlines flight but their online booking system only accepts credit card transactions for international flights. I prefer Philippine Airlines on this trip because I want to have a light meal or snack before arriving in Bangkok. However, there is a feature in the online booking system of Cebu Pacific that you can pre-order your food since they do not provide the food by default, one if the reasons why their base fares are lower.

In short, I booked a flight with Cebu Pacific and pre-ordered their hot meal (chicken barbeque). So everything goes well and around an hour or so in the flight, they began distributing the food for those who pre-ordered. So they confirm the passenger's name on the boarding pass against their list. When the flight attendant came to our row, she did not gave me food or call out my name. I was so embarrassed because you can tell in my face and body gestures that I was expecting food. in fact, the man sitting next to me whispered (to the wind) that its not free and they pre-ordered. Obviously he wanted to indirectly tell me that I did not receive food because I did not pre-ordered.
So right after the attendant went to the next row, I checked my boarding pass, there is no note that I have food. I checked my itinerary receipt (I printed the 1st page only) and there is no note that i have free food, so I thought to myself that maybe I forgot to click that option and just thought that I did it.

After 30 minutes or so, I can't get it off my head that I distinctly remembered that I pointed out to my husband that I ordered food. So I decided that I should check the whole itinerary receipt and took out my iPod touch. Good thing I have downloaded the mail and file before so I wouldn't need internet connection to check it. And there I saw that I clearly paid 350 PHP for hot meal. So I pushed the button for attendant assistance and I told her that I did not receive food although I paid for it. She asked for my boarding pass and for my itinerary receipt. Then I told her that I just printed the 1st page and immediately showed her the soft copy on my iPod. She looked at it and told me to wait. After a few minutes she came with the food and another flight attendant who asked again for my boarding pass and itinerary receipt. Again, I informed her that I just printed the first page but I do have the softcopy on my iPod. So she looked at it and checked against the hard copy and my boarding pass and blatantly told the other attendant " meron ngang hot meal si ma'am" ( ma'am really had hot meal) which reading between the lines means they were doubtful on my claims. The 1st attendant then handed me over the food and said that she's sorry that they do not have chicken barbeque and what they have is chicken adobo. Obviously, I do not have any choice but to take it. The 2nd attendant then told me that she will hang on to my boarding pass and my itinerary receipt because she has to do something. After a few minutes, she went back and gave me back the papers with no apology or whatsoever.
So it left me to think they don't think I deserve an apology and/or that they are still not convinced that I have pre-ordered(and paid) meal but just gave in to me since "the customer is always right".

Lessons learned for me, if I can help it, book with Philippine Airlines. If I have to book with Cebu Pacific and I pre-ordered food, I have to confirm during check-in or print all the pages of the itinerary receipt.