Vote Earth!

2009 marks the World's First Global Election, between Earth and Global Warming. People of all ages, nationalities, race and background cast their votes through their light switch - switching off the lights is a vote for Earth or leaving them on for Global Warming.

The Global aim of Earth Hour is to reach the target of one billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009. The meeting determines official government policies to take action against global warming, to replace the Kyoto Protocol.

Let us unite with the rest of the world to vote for Earth against Global Warming! This our call to stand up and protect the future of our planet... and we have to help to make it happen!

We all have to vote and every single vote counts!

Save Energy! Save Earth!

. L . O . V . E .

I've read a site in the internet explaining on "How to show love to another person".

It explains...

Fall but do not stumble, be constant but not too persistent, share and never be unfair. Understand and try not to demand, hurt but keep the pain. Love is like a knife. It can stab the heart or it can carve wonderful images into the soul that always last for a lifetime.

Love is supposed to be the most wonderful feeling. It should inspire you and give you joy and strength. Sometimes the things that give you joy can also hurt you in the end. Loving people means giving them freedom that they choose to be and where they choose to be. Loving someone means giving them the freedom to find their way.

Love is a painful risk to take but the risk must be taken no matter how scary or painful, for only then you'll experience the fullness of humanity and that is love. Only love can hurt your heart, fill you with desire or tear you apart. Only love can make you cry and only love knows why. If you are not ready to cry, if you're not ready to take the risk, or feel the pain, then you're not ready to fall in love. There was a time in our lives when we became afraid to fall in love because every time we do, we get hurt. Then I figured that's why it's called falling in love. When you decide to love, allow it to grow. When you promise to love, refuse to let it die.

You love a person when you're with the person that can do no wrong. That you love each other through thick and thin, and you want to take it to the next level and be one with each other. You're bound on it and make you feel like time has stood still.

- - -

But for me, love is so unfair. We have given if not our best but our all, but just the same it is still not enough. There are things that only keep us holding on... but oftentimes we thought of just letting go. It hurts, but we must. We must for there are no other options, no other way and no more chances of things being ok.

My Favorite Inspirational Quotes

Below are some of my favorite quotes that truly inspired me and I hope you will be too...

Adolph Hitler : "If you win you need not explain, but if you lose you should not be there to explain."
Alen Strike: "Don't compare yourself with anyone in this world. If you do so, you are insulting yourself."
Mother Teresa: " If we cannot love the person whom we see, how can we love God whom we cannot see?"
Bonnie Blair: "Winning doesn't always mean being first, winning means you're better than you've done before."
Thomas Edison: "I will not say I failed 1000 times, I will say that I discovered there are 1000 ways that can cause failure."
Leo Tolstoy: "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."
Bill Gates: "If you born poor it's not your mistake, but if you die poor it's your mistake."
Einstein: "If someone feels that they had never made a mistake in their life, then it means they had never tried a new thing in their life."
Mother Teresa: "If you start judging people you will be having no time to love them."
William Shakespeare: "Three sentences for getting SUCCESS: a) know more than other, b) work more than other and c) expect less than other."
Leo Buscaglia: "The hardest battle you are ever going to have to fight is the battle to be just you."
Ben Franklin: "That which hurts, also instructs."
Chinese Proverb: "Tell me, I'll forget. Show me, I'll remember. But involve me and I'll understand."
James Baldwin: "Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced."
Jesse Jackson: "Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up."
Jonathan Winters: "If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it."
Joseph Addison: "There is nothing we receive with so much reluctance as advice."
Ambrose Bierce: "Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret."
Oscar Wilde: "True friends stab you in the front."
Unknown: "When you spend your life worrying about how other people feel, you lose track of how you feel."
Plato: "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle."
Les Brown: "Shoot for the moon, even if you miss it you will land among the stars."
Hervey Allen: "The only time you really live fully is from thirty to sixty. The young are slaves to dreams; the old are servants of regrets. Only the middle-aged have all their five senses in the keeping of their wits."
Heartland Advisor: "It takes a real storm in the average person's life to make him realize how much worrying he has done over the squalls."
Moliere: "If you suppress grief too much it can well redouble."
Carlos Castenada: "We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same."
Jonathan Swift: "Ambition often puts men upon doing the meanest offices; so climbing is performed in the same posture with creeping."
Charles Noble: "You must have long range goals to keep you from being frustrated by short-range failures."
Nellie Hershey Smith: "The next best thing to winning is losing. At least you've been in the race."

Conversation with a Friend

Sometimes, we really have to sit with a friend and have a good conversation to at least bring out a little of ourselves. The words we may hear from them may sometimes hurt us but in the end, we learned.

20 February 2009

[09:22] annvernille: WE are blessed.

[09:22] annvernille: lahat ng virgo na kilala ko, ganun, they're already successful and yet they think they are not good enough.

[09:36] annvernille: subok na matatag, subok na matibay.. pang commercial talaga!

[09:43] annvernille: oo masakit kung iiwan mo na sya

[09:43] annvernille: pero mas masakit kung iiwan ka na nya para sa family nya.

[09:45] annvernille: kung maaagapan na ng maaga, why not kesa naman sa maghintay ka pang masaktan talaga.

[09:48] annvernille: alam mo mards, sometimes we need to be smart.

[09:52] annvernille: sometimes, men doesn't have to know what women feel, hindi naman sya nagtatanong eh.

[09:55] annvernille: hindi ako naniniwala na ang puso hindi matuturuan.. you could if you are willing to open your heart.

[10:00] annvernille: loyalty is there.. love can come last.

. . . Life's Seasons . . .

If you give up when it is winter,
you will surely miss the promise of spring,
the beauty of summer and the fulfillment of fall.

Do not let the pain of one season destroy the joys of all the rest.

Do not just judge life by one difficult season
but instead persevere through the difficult patches...

And better ones are sure to come,
sooner than later.

En Français. . .

I have nothing to do last night so I decided to go over our mini library and read some of my college books. I was surprised to find our scripts, inserted in one of my books, during our dramatizations in our French class.

Being a Foreign Service student, one should need to take a language class like Nihongo, French, Spanish or Mandarin. I remember, it is a must for us to take Nihongo lessons during our first year (two semesters) and on my 2nd and 3rd year of college (four semesters), we have to choose between Spanish and French on what language to take.

Senior students, at that time, frightened us that French is a hard-to-learn language and many of their classmates either dropped or failed the subject not to mention the strict professors. But reality caught up on me. Due to (could be) same reasons like mine, many students enrolled in Spanish and I was a late enrollee so, I was left without any option but to take French.

But opposite to what others said, when classes began, I learned to love the language. Yes, it is indeed tough but very challenging… and by the way, my professors were so great! They were just strict because they wanted us to really master the language.

Below is a copy of one of our scripts…

Ian Kenneth as PAPA

Maria Paz as MAMAN

Lorna as JULIENNE

Carmina Anne as ANNE

MAMAN: Je viens d'avoir notre courier, mon cher!

PAPA: Ah, bon. Qu’est ce qu’il y a?
MAMAN: L’aller vien d’arriver, aussi.
PAPA: Bon! Je n’attend pas dire les enfants. Nous leurs dirons au cours de petite dejeuner.
MAMAN: Bien!
----------
MAMAN: Ah, vous y avez filles. (Ah, voile filles). Bonjour!
ANNE et JULIENNE: Bonjour Maman, Papa!
JULIENNE: Qu’est ce qu’il y a? Vous avez souriez…
PAPA: Bien, nous avons une surprise pour vous.
ANNE: Vraiment? Qu’est-ce que c’est?
MAMAN: Nous allons déménager à Baguio!
ANNE: Quel???
JULIENNE: Pourquoi?
PAPA: Bien, vos grandparents partiront pour Canada le moin prochain. Ils ont decide nous donner leur maison. Ils y resteront avec tat ante Petunia.
ANNE: Mon Dieu! Baguio! C’est formidable!
JULIENNE: Oh là là! Je ne crois pas, j’habiterai à Baguio finalement. C’est bonne nouvelle Maman, Papa!
ANNE: C’est vrai? Mon Dieu!
JULIENNE: Ce sera permanent?
MAMAN: Oui, ma chère!
PAPA: Je suis heureux, vous êtes contentes.
ANNE: Allors, Quand nous partirons?
PAPA: Ce Vendredi.
JULIENNE: Mais, attendez, nos études?
MAMAN: Avez-vous pensé déjà aux?
JULIENNE: Oui, maman… j’y ai déjà pensé? Je crois j’allerai à UP Baguio
ANNE: Formidable! J’ai envie de changer mon mode de vie.
(ALL LOL!)
----------
JULIENNE: Alors, il me faudra beaucoup de pullover.
ANNE: Bien sûr… moi aussi. Mais, je souhaite, ils ont beaucoup de magasin agréables.
MAMAN: Bien sûr, ma chère.
JULIENNE: Mais Maman, qu’est-ce que vous deviendrez? Vous travaillez?
MAMAN: Ah, c’est bien, ma chère. Je reprendrai le ferme de fleur de ta grandmère.
ANNE: Et Papa?
PAPA: Je serai avec LandBank.
ANNE: Ah, bon! Uh, Maman, Papa.. je crois il nous faudra notre permis de conduire, quand nous y arrivons.
JULIENNE: Et nos voitures…
MAMA et PAPA: Hmmm…
PAPA: Bien, mais vous aurez partager avec un voiture.
JULIENNE et ANNE: C’est bien. Bravo!!!
MAMAN: Mais vous avez nous promette ce vous ralentisserez aux carre fours! Et ne voulez pas trop vite.
JULIENNE et ANNE: Bien sûr! Non, problem!
PAPA: Je suis sertain, nous nous amuserez bien et nous aurons la vie bonne.
MAMAN: Vous aimerez la place mes chères. C’est très ravisante… Avec beaucoup de belles fleurs.
PAPA: Au fait, l’avion part à dix heures. Il faudrait que nous nous levions à cinq heures du matin.
ANNE: Après ça?
MAMAN: Vos grandparents passerent nous prendre à l’aeroport.
ANNE: Combien y a-t-il d’ici à Baguio?
MAMAN: a 200km. environ.
ANNE: D’accord. J’aime bien voyager.

In the Presence of My Enemies by Gracia Burnham with Dean Merill

I was inspired by an officemate to read the book, IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES by Gracia Burnham with Dean Merill, which he also borrowed from a common friend. I loved reading it so I bought one for my collection.

The book tells the story of American Missionaries, Martin and Gracia Burnham, who were kidnapped by the terrorist group, Abu Sayyaf. While having their romantic anniversary getaway at Dos Palmas Resort in May 2001, they were seized and spent a year of their lives on the run, fighting to survive in the Philippine jungles.

The book is a chronicle of the improbable suffering of the hostages; hunger, privation of comfort, day-long marches and gun battles amidst heat, cold and exhaustion, not to mention the grisly tales of murder, terror and forced marriages between captors and captives.

There are also surprising events in the book that narrates the relationships developed between terrorists and the hostages. Their conversations were often friendly and at times, the captives realized that they were all on the same side avoiding a deadly confrontation with the soldiers who were tracking them.

The event also became a time of recollection and soul-searching; when true faith in God was tested especially when hope turned to despair. But always in the end, above all, God is gracious and merciful.

I highly recommend the book, In the Presence of My Enemies, to those who seeks encouragement and inspiration.

. . . God's Gift . . .

I haven’t noticed, just now, that I don’t have any post published introducing my baby to the blogging world. So, now I proudly present my little angel, Stephanie Lorraine. I conceived her when I was working in Hsinchu, Taiwan (2006) but I flew her to the Philippines when I was on my 5th month of pregnancy.

Lorraine was born at the University of Sto. Tomas Hospital at 8:05am of December 2, 2006 and weighed 7.28lbs. Her pediatricians nicknamed her “Pinky” and “Baby Ganda” because of her pinkish skin and beautiful face. Of course, mama is very proud of her.
I remember one time, Lorraine was about 8 months old, when we went to SM North Edsa to buy some of her stuffs at the Children’s Section when a man came to us and asked if I am interested to let Lorraine join their contest – SM Next Baby Model. We didn’t join the contest; first, because she’s below the age requirement of at least a year old and second, I’m not yet prepared to be a stage mother. He instead gave me a leaflet of the contest. I read the criteria for judging as follows: 15% physical built, 15% skin complexion, 30% projection and 40% overall appearance. I wonder, if we joined the contest, could Lorraine possibly won the competition?

The Gift of Love and Life

Having a child is definitely the most important event in one’s life. Moreover, children are the special treasure that enrich our lives, give us happiness and make everything worthwhile.

After so many years of yearning for a baby, Kuya Eli (my officemate) and Doc Anna believed their prayers were finally answered. The good news came Sunday morning, and the couple felt elated.

@ Kuya Eli & Doc Anna: The beautiful miracle of love and life has come to you now. May his/her/their coming bring happiness and joy to your family. Félicitations!

“Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. The real miracle is the love that inspires them. In this sense everything that comes from love is a miracle.”

- Marie Lloyd

An Invitation from Canada

FRONT INSIDE

I got an invitation (all the way from Ontario, Canada) from my childhood friend, Ann Vernille, who will be having her Baby Shower on October 25 @ 6pm. Bad thing… I haven’t saved enough money for airfares. Well, there will always be next time or I’ll just patiently wait for Twinkle and Baby Miaka to visit us here in the Philippines -- hopefully soon!

@ Twinkle: Mare, I’m very very sorry. I won’t be there personally but my love and prayers will always be with you and Miaka.

@ Miaka: Baby, we’re very excited of your arrival! Soon Little Lorraine will have a baby sister in you. I know you will grow up to be a beautiful woman and have eyes and dimples like your mother. You came to us as a blessing from God and to be your mama's inspiration. And now, even though you’re still there inside your mama’s womb, I knew that you also feel what she feels. Just be strong because you’re the only one who’s keeping her very strong. Ninang loves you so much! See you soon! Hugs and kisses!