what happens now?

Susan Roces, the widow of FPJ has said her piece on the "gloria-gate" tapes and called for PMA's resignation. I understand her anger but she has not given any alternatives...

The question still remains, what happens now? If PGMA steps down and be replaced by a member of the opposition, will it change our contry's policy, economy and end corruption? Will a change in leadership bring significant change to our livelihood or will we still remain where we are?

congrats ma!

We (my family and I) have known this for a few months and yesterday it became official... My mom (Zenaida Tan-Lim) was nominated as part of the 1000 women for the the nobel peace price. She is one of the 27 Filipinos who are on the list from 153 nations who have been nominated as a group for the Nobel Peace Prize 2005.

The nominees -- socio-civic workers, peace negotiators, educators, lawmakers, graft-busters, among others -- were presented yesterday at ceremonies held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines as part of a worldwide initiative to get more women win the prestigious award.

Zenaida Tan-Lim, who helps the widows and orphans of the victims of conflict between the Moro National Liberation Front and the Philippine troops...

I am very proud of what my parents are doing... They have set up a foundation (Sarang Bangun) and a school (SBLC) that combines Islamic and DEPed education. I just wish that I can follow in their footsteps and make them proud.

what now?

So many opinions have been given regarding the "gloria-gate tapes", and GMA's confession... after all the talk, the question that hangs is "what now?"

Did GMA's confession / apology Monday night solve anything? Did it really answer the question about tapes, the alleged cheating and what have yous? What is the point? really, what is the point of arguing or analyzing her speech if it really did not solve nor answer the real question? Why dwell on something that is not said?

Before doing anything drastic ... let us ask ourselves... What can we do (as a citizen) about this? Is there a better alternative to GMA? Is what the opposition offering better than the present situation? If we change leaders, will it change anything in our country and our lives?

It is not just a matter of changing leaders but more of a change in morality and integrity among our leaders and the attitude we have. Does a change in leadership really mean a better country? or will it just be the same "play" with different actors?

recycling post

an ode to a companion

To the one person who have to power to make me happy and the power to hurt me the most;
To the one person who can make me smile inspite of all the worries in world, my one-person cheering squad;
To the one person who takes me back and hugs me close inspite of all the trouble I cause;
I say thank you and I love you

*********
pleasant surprise

Just when I thought you have forgotten, you do something that conveys you planned this all along… that you knew about it and was just waiting for the right time to say it.

Just when I am about to thrown in the towel and say “that’s it! I can’t take the *#@* anymore!”, you do something so commonplace that it melts my heart.

With a phone call, you were able to dispel my fears and worries; with a touch you were able to convey a feeling so strong that it dissolves any doubts. Your warm embrace evokes feelings of home and love, of being safe. To be with you, is to be protected and loved.

You are a grown-up with an inner child trapped inside, a person who seems so unaffected and indifferent but whose deepest desire is to be loved deeply and truthfully.

You never cease to amaze me. I am truly thankful to have you in my life.

happy birthday Ainee

Happy birthday Nur-ainee!

Miss you... hope you have a very happy day today...
Love atchie annie

DA turns 107

Just want to share this:

DA turns 107Agriculture secretary Arthur C. Yap will lead the107th anniversary celebration of the Department ofAgriculture (DA) today, Thursday, June 23, 2005. Thefestivities will kick-off at 6:00 A.M. with a Fun Walkactivity from DA to the Veteran’s Hospital and backfollowed by a Calisthenics activity to be participatedby the DA employees, followed by a Thanksgiving Massto be held at the Convention Hall of the Bureau ofSoils and Water Management (BSWM) and an ExhibitionGames at the DA-NAFC Gym.

One of the highlights of the celebration is thelaunching of the “Globe Agri-Text”, an SMS servicethat will disseminate information on weather andagricultural commodity prices thru text between DA andGlobe Telecom at 9:00 A.M.

In the afternoon, a series of lectures related towomen’s health including a lecture demo on skin patchcontraceptive method and women’s breast cancer will begiven in the afternoon through the initiative of theDA Employees’ Association and the DA-GAD. The lectureseries will be held at the ITCAF Main Conference Roomat 1:30 P.M.

Another activity to look forward to is the MiniHuwarang Palengke which will feature four segmentsnamely, Urban Agri-Aqua, Affordable Food, NutritiousFood/Healthy Well-Being, and Entrepreneurial Approach.It will be headed by the DA’s different bureaus andattached agencies.

To add flavor to the affair, a tribute to pastagriculture secretaries will be held at 6:00 p.m. at the BSWM to honor the men who have led the DA throughthe years. Among the former DA secretaries expected tograce the event are Salvador Escudero III, Carlos G.Dominguez, Senen C. Bacani, Roberto S. Sebastian,William D. Dar, Sen. Edgardo J. Angara, Domingo F.Panganiban, Leonardo Q. Montemayor, and Luis P.Lorenzo, Jr. Senator Ramon B. Magsaysay, Jr. and CongressmanBenasing O. Macarambon, Jr., Chairmen of the Committeeon Agriculture and Food for the Senate of thePhilippines and the House of Representatives will alsobe given due recognition.

Upon the proclamation of the Philippine Independenceon June 12, 1898, the Department of Agriculture andManufacturing was created through a PresidentialProclamation on June 23, 1898. Throughout the years,the Department of Agriculture (DA) has evolved andundergone changes in policy and name.

One hundred and seven years later, DA continues itsmission to help and empower the farming and fishingcommunities and the private sector to produce enough,accessible, and affordable food for every Filipino anda decent income for all.###

friendship

It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

*********
doc emer's recent entry about friends and friendship made me think about getting in touch with old friends...Friends that I haven't heard from since high school or college days.

I have been remiss in keeping in touch with some of my old friends, although I do give them a call or send them email / text once in a while. I recently visited friendster and was happy to note that some of my old friends are members.

I recently exchanged "hellos" with a couple of high school classmates and thinking of having a get together for those who are working in Manila since most of the high school classmates are working in Zamboanga.

Finding a common ground after years of not seeing each other nor communicating will be the fundamental step in the renewal of friendship. I do hope that I get to find one.

*********
I miss my high school and college barkada.

I haven't seen them for more than a year, that is why I am very thankful for modern technology. Text and emails are our way of keeping in touch.

The distance between Manila and the cities where my friends are (Zamboanga, China, Canada, Hong Kong) diminished when we correspond through email or text (which we do almost daily). But I still miss our weekly get together, our long talks and the Cel's cooking. I guess nothing beats physical contact.

Trumba, umuwi na kayo kaagad!

*********
I am thankful for having friends that are with me through both the good times and the bad.

Childhood friends
I have known eileen, judith, jane, leah and rita way back elementary years. They will forever be my childhood friends...Our group expanded to include analene and rhona in high school...they were my partners in crime in collecting "piso" para sa merienda when we were in high school... we always have good mid afternoon snacks of "rebusaw" (banana-q) or bugers. Our barkada also went to include some other "groups" which shared our love for the beach and food.

I have to leave my "comfort zone" for college and work and that meant that I have to say good bye to my dear friends. I still get in touch with them through text and emails and see them when ever I visit zamboanga.

Eileen and I have plans of going to Hong Kong or Singapore this year or early next year. I do hope plans pushes through.

College barkada
When I studied in UP, I met these wonderful people (katie, sharon, cel and xtine). We called ourselves Trumba or the tropang baliw. College was a breeze with them as friends.

If you want to know the real me, all you have to do is to talk to any of them and bribe them to tell you my deep dark secrets (as if they will and can be bribed!). My soul sisters, I can tell them anything and they will never judge me for mistakes I made (and did I make them). They are always there for me... great shoulders to cry on and such patient listeners!

Now that they have left the Philippine shores for a better career and life (Cel pag dating mo, ako manager ni william ha!), I miss having our weekly lunches and out of towns. I miss the friendship. I am forever thankful for emails, YM and Chikka.

MBA and Beyond
The BEAR family will always have a place in my heart. The individuals who made up this group made the program such an experience. Thanks for the laughter and tears and the all nighters!

I am thankful to have met and befriended such wonderful people with whom I can watch, analyze and experience life with.

*********
My father always used to say that when you die, if you've got five real friends, you've had a great life. -- Lee Iacocca

my birthdate

not too busy ... might as well post this:

Your Birthdate: June 17

Your birth on the 17th day of the month suggests that you are very lucky financially, because this date indicates a solid business sense. Although you are probably very honest and ethical, this birthday enables you to be shrewd and successful in the world of business and commercial enterprise. You have excellent organizational, managerial, and administrative capabilities enabling you to handle large projects and significant amounts of money with relative ease. You are ambitious and highly goal-oriented, although you may be better at starting projects than you are at finishing them. A sensitivity in your nature, often repressed below the surface of awareness, makes it hard to give or receive affection.

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

happy birthday to me

to me?
I feel such a dinosaur. hehehe Actually kahit cronologically tumanda ako, i still feel young... sabi nga eh 23 - 25 p lang ang real age ko. bwahahaha

birthday blues

Just one day before my birthday and here I am having the blues. Seems nothing is going the way I planned, plus i feel so unappreciated by the one person that matters most.

The blues are not due to the fact that I am getting a year older... it has something to do with what happened yesterday. I hate having a discussion and a "tampo" with my best friend.

Hope that things and emotions change.

money and cleaning tips

Is the trashcan in your house overflowing? Do you keep all the sentimental tokens from your past and present relationships? Do you tend to leave your clean laundry out in the open? How about having months old magazine (some you have read and others in the to-do list) lying around the house? Do you have a hard time finding things or are constantly losing stuff around the house? Is your house or space a mess? If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, then you must be a certified Messie.

I recently read a book entitled "The new messies manual: a procastinator's guide to good housekeeping". I found it quite interesting and useful that I thought about posting some of its tips. This book will help you take control of your life and clutter. It will help you organize and simplify your activities, pay your bills on time, keep you house clean, plus a whole lot more.


How to be more organized:
1. Learn organizational strategies that make sense and will work from you.
If it is easy, it will be faster for you to do things. Find simple ways to get things done.
2. Unclutter and simplify your life. Having too much things can be frustrating and time consuming. You can also simplify your wardrobe, your eating habits and other activities in your life.
3. Make incremental but permanent changes.
4. Take breaks when things get spacey.
5. Take time to refuel your spirit.
6. Join a support group.
7. Use organizational books.
8. Read books on ADD (attention defecit disorder) since most messies seem to have add to some degree.
9. Get “another pair of eyes”

Attitudes for Success
* If you fail, don’t give up. There is always room for change.
* Practice self-care. Living in a disorganized and messy life / house can be a cause for a lot of stress.
* Encourage self-confidence
* Seek passion
* Ask for help
* Delegate
* Be willing to make adjustments
* Seek serenity
* Value your differences
* Go with the flow of your own personality
* Honor your need to create
* Be cheerful
* Forgive yourself quickly
* Accept your weakness
* Get rid of a make-do mentality
* Dream bigger dreams for yourself

Organization is easy to do and easy to maintain once you have embraced these three simple concepts:
* Simplify. Separate things that you want to keep from those you want to get rid of.

* Sort. Always keep these sayings in mind: “A place for everything and everything in its place” and “Birds of the same feather flock together”.
1. Group. Put like things together and have different centers for your items. Have a photo center, a music center, an art center, a cd / dvd center, etc.
2. Label. Labeling helps in making your organizational system “official”. It helps you remember what system was devised and makes things easier to find. It tells other people in the family where to put things and hones your organizational skills.

* Store. Below are five rules to store things successfully.
1. Have enough storage space
2. Keep stored items visible
3. “Contrainarize” your belongings
4. Label what you store
5. Store in proximity to use

Everything needs to be properly store so that they can be easily retrieved, Here are some rules to follow:
1. Get white boxes or boxes where you can write on the sides for record keeping (i.e. write what items are in the box)
2. Sort the stuff
3. Label the boxes
4. Group the boxes
5. Make a master list of the boxes and what items are in those boxes.

More Tips on Organizing
1. Clear surfaces, table and counter tops.
2. Keep top / surfaces off clutter.
3. Avoid Messes – clean as you go along.
4. Be proactive
5. Deal with the sentimental past
6. Get rid of distractions and other unnecessary stuff.

Below are some money saving tips that we all could follow:
1. Put aside a portion of your paycheck (say 10%) every month for emergency / travel / savings.

2. Make a budget based on your monthly utility, credit bills & other expenses and learn to stick to it.

3. Distinguish between wants and needs. You can save lots of money if you don't always give in to your wants.

4. Less is better. A lot of people spend just to "keep up with the Jones" and ran up mounds of bills and debts just to have the newest and biggest item. Do you really need the lastest mobile phone or the latest PDA when the one you have is still working?

5. When doing the grocery, plan in advance. Have a checklist ready. By knowing what you need, you cut down on impluse purchases.

6. If you are buying, buy quality. You may spend P3000.00 on a pair of shoes that will last you for a number of years rather than P500.00 or P1000 for a pair you can only use once or twice. I have this thing of dividing the cost by the number of uses or years that I have the item. This will tell me, if I have a good buy. Example: I purchased a pair of naturalizer slip ons worth 3k in 1997. Divide it by the number of times / years i use it or can use it (i wore the slippers almost weekly for 5 years). 3000 / 5 years is 600 per year. A great buy. I always do this strategy when purchasing items that seem costly. I always think about how often I will use the item. If I would use it frequently (and it would last for a long time), then it is a good buy.

7. On fashion: buy clothes that could be easily coordinated with your wardrobe. Buy quality basics such as a white blouse. Avoid buying trendy clothes that would easily go out of style. If you would be buying trendy stuff, opt for the cheaper version.

*********
More tips soon

getting older

in three days, I will be a year older...

Thanks for the early greeting cel, william and bruce. Kahit malayo kayo naalala nyo p rin ako. Cel, ikaw naman ang susunod na tatanda sa barkada. bwahaha. Best regards to your son (william) and the hubby (bruce). Thanks for the ecard and the friendster greeting.

*********
To my MBA friends who spent Saturday night with celebrating with val and me, thanks! It was really nice seeing you all after so many months. It was great to catch up with what's happening in your lives. Had such a wonderful time even if we still observe "cinderella time". Hope to see you all next month sa birthday ni raymund and shegu. At sana no body turns into a pumpkin in the middle of the gimmik. hehehe

pointless

Just when you thought the philippines have loads of useless laws, here are some pointless laws in the US.

TGIF

Let us celebrate family and life! Here's to another long weekend c/o the government.

*********
Valerie and I will be hosting our birthday dinner tomorrow, and both of us are excited to meet up and share stories with friends that we haven't seen in a while.

*********
Sunday, Independence day. My siblings and I will be "celebrating" it at my lola's (great aunt actually) place. My lola hasn't seen my atchie for a year and the Sunday visit is also a homecoming lunch. I wonder what topics will be taken up... will it be the never ending "family" story again?

*********
Monday, non-working holiday. Might as well hit the mall and buy my essentials (contact lenses) as well as a birthday gift for myself.

dementia

Test for Dementia

Below are four (4 ) questions and a bonus question. You have to answer them instantly. You can't take your time, answer all of them immediately. OK?

Let's find out just how clever you really are. Ready? GO!!!

First Question: You are participating in a race You overtake the second person. Whatposition are you in?

Answer: If you answered that you are first, then you are absolutely wrong!If you overtake the second person and you take his place, you are second!

Second Question:

If you overtake the last person, then you are...?

Answer: If you answered that you are second to last, then you are wrong again. Tell me, how can you over take the LAST Person? You're not very good at this! Are you?

Third Question: Very tricky math! Note: This must be done in your head only. Do NOT use paper and pencil or a calculator. Try it.

Take 1000 and add 40 to it. Now add another 1000. Now add 30. Add another1000. Now add 20. Now add another 1000 Now add 10. What is the total?

Did you get 5000? The correct answer is actually 4100. Don't believe it? Check with your calculator!

Fourth Question: Mary's father has five daughters: 1. Nana, 2. Nene, 3. Nini, 4. Nono. Whatis the name of the fifth daughter?

Answer: Nunu? NO! Of course not.Her name is Mary . Read the question again

Now the bonus round: There is a mute person who wants to buy a toothbrush. By imitating the action of brushing one's teeth he successfully expresses himself to the shopkeeper and the purchase is done. Now if there is a blind man who wishes to buy a pair of sunglasses, how should he express himself?

ANS: He just has to open his mouth and ask, so simple.

KEEP THIS GOING TO FRUSTRATE THE SMART PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE!

*********
Got this from a friend, and since I love sharing quizzes / puzzles of this nature, I decided to post it. It's a great exercise for those gray matters.

puzzle

Got this from a friend. Thought I might as well share the torture / stress (hehehe). If you like mystery / puzzle games, you might like this one.

*********

There are 13 items hidden in this room in order to let you get out of this room link below.

http://flash.qbol.net/pl;p/youxi/images/04042203.swf

If you found:

0-6 items, your IQ is very low, total idiot

6-8 items, Low IQ, u r an idiot

9-10 items, u r normal

11-12 items, your IQ is high, above the average.

Find 13 items, get out of the room and consider yourself very rare!

Less than 4000 people in the world have got of the room! Inspiring enough!?!

*********
I found only 11 items, how many did you find?

anticipation

I feel like dancing!

It has been raining daily since last week but the gloomy weather will not affect my mood today, my sister and brother are arriving from the UAE today! I haven't seen my sister for a year and my brother for 4 months, their homecoming is much anticipated.

It seems that with their arrival, mama and papa will be arriving from Zamboanga anytime this month. My house will cease to be a "library" and become a "zoo" once again.

Looking forward to the chaos and laugher and bonding and the cooking / baking of my atchie.

disappointment and failure

Disappointment and failure, this is what I am feeling right now,

I really thought that things are going to change, and that the text and email I received last week was the sign I was asking for. Alas, things were not meant to be… For the nth time, things did not work as I have planned, no matter how hard I tried and practiced, I failed.

Why does it seem that no matter what I do, I cannot seem to get what I really want? Why does it feel that my best is not good enough? Why do I feel that I am a failure?

Why can’t I do 45 wpm?

the true me?

I saw this in babypink's blog and thought that i might as well give it a try... funny enough, it seems to hit the nail on the head!

The True You

You want your girlfriend or boyfriend to do more for you.

With respect to money, you spend as little as possible.

You think good luck will definitely be yours, someday.

The hidden side of your personality tends to be methodical in your ways - with trouble adapting to the rules of society.

You are tend to think about others' feelings a lot, perhaps because you are so eager to be liked.

When it comes to finding a romantic partner, you don't have any particular type in mind, but you are inclined to look for someone who will say yes when you ask him / her out.

Who's the True You?

more on the Koran issue

Here is the latest on the Koran controversy that stemmed from the Newsweek article:

U.S.: Gitmo Quran Was Splashed With Urine

walang magawa

It's another one of those lazy Saturday evenings... nothing to do, nothing good on tv...so might as well take one of those quizzes.

*********
According to the quiz, I am a:



footsie - you like to goof around and laugh with
the people you care about.

What Sign of Affection Are You?
brought to you by

*************


Your wise quote is: "The best
antiques are old friends" by Unknown...
Your buds is the source of your happiness
(maybe not all but still). Even if it's just
one, a couple or a whole group they are the
ones you can't wait to see. It does not matter
if you're shy with everyone else or not, with
them you let your true spirit shine and can be
as loud as you want. They accept you, and you
love them for that.


What wise quote fits you?(pics) UPDATED
brought to you by Quizilla
*************

The Goddess of Roses and Love. You are a hopeless
romantic. Always optimistic and loving, you
have many friends and you are exceptionally
trustworthy. You are a innocent beauty.


Which gorgeous goddess are you? For girls! (breath taking pics!)
brought to you by Quizilla

June na!

June na! Tag ulan na! Tapos na ang summer, pero wala pa ring outing ang department ko. huhuhu. 3 summers na ako dito sa agency na ito, at sa tagal ko dito, walang naganap na outing. Buti pa sa ibang departments.

June na! Tag ulan na! Tapos na ang summer... Pasukan na naman. Magiging masikip na naman ang trapiko sa EDSA, Katipunan, U-Belt area at kung saan pang may malapit na iskwelahan. Maaga ang gising ng mga bata at mga nag oopisina, ngunit, minsan late pa rin ang dating sa iskwela o opisina dahil sa trapik. Kailan kaya mabibigyan ng solusyon ang trapik sa Maynila?

June na! Tag ulan na! Tapos na ang summer... Pasukan na naman. Gastos na naman ang mga magulang at ang mga nagpapaaral. Taon taon tumataas ang tuition ng mga private schools at tumataas ang bilang ng mga estudyante sa pubic schools. Sa pag taas ng bilang ng estudyante (sa public schools) at tuition (sa private schools), tumataas din ba ang kalidad ng edukasyon? Dumadami ba ang mga silid aralan? Mas magiling ba ang mga guro? Eh ang mga aklat, tama ba ang mga "facts"?

June na! Tag ulan na! Tapos na ang summer... Independence day celebration na naman... ano na naman kaya ang gimik ng maliit na presidente? Cha-cha? Papogi?

June na! Tag ulan na! Tapos na ang summer... birth month ko na. Tatanda na naman ako! huhuhu... single pa rin. bwahahaha... What will this month / year bring?

the plan

They say that in order to reach your goal, you must write it down... That way you can monitor if you are attaining it (or on your way to getting it). It is also one way of making your dreams / goals concrete.

Well, here goes nothing:
1. To be able to work at the ADB or World Bank or an international agency before I reach 32. Hmmm, time to polish my resume and get the necessary skills. How about doing 45 wpm on the typing test? Wish me luck!

2. Lose 5 to 10 pounds before the end of the year. Getting older means that i have to work harder to stay in top shape, and i have to exercise and watch what I eat. My metabolism is not what it used to be 5 years ago. huhuhu... I need to cut down on my fave chocolates and chips.

3. Have a grand vacation within the next 5 years. Take a trip to the UAE to visit my siblings and cousins... go to Hong Kong Disneyland, and Bali... Have enough savings to be able to go the USA or Canada or Australia for vacation or to visit friends and relatives.

4. Own a house / condo before I turn 35.

5. Learn to drive.

6. Be able to go to Mecca before I turn 40.

7. Have kids before 35... Teka, that would mean that I have to be pregnant by 34 0r 33. If it would take me a year (or six months) plan the wedding, that means that I have to be engaged when I am 32.... which means that I have to know "him" when I am 31 or 30... shocks, the pressure! hehehe...

8. Go parasailing.

9. Take a curise.

10. Treat my parents to a wonderful vacation or at least cover for their plane fare.

11. Learn to bake.

12. Have a new celphone and wardrobe... is it time to look and act my age?

*********
Hmmm, what else pa ba? Earn my first million in the next two years? Have a small business? Insahallah, I hope that I can accomplish these goals.

a new look

Seems that almost everyone are doing some changes, whether it be a physical make-over (new haircut, hair color and makeup, new clothes, etc) or a new out look in life, or a new template for their blogs, that i decided not to be left behind.

Since I will be a year older this month (i also hope a year wiser), i decided to have some changes in my life, starting with the look of this blog... It seems so girly doesn't it? Para bang ikinakaila ang age, hehehe.

Hmmm, ano pa kaya ang pwedeng gawin? New friends? New diet? New wardrobe? Ang babaw ano?

what love does

An article (Watching New Love as It Sears the Brain) in the seeks to explain what love does to our brain. It seeks explain why people in love do the things that they do (i.e. out-of-character behavior, sleepless nights, etc)

In the study, Dr. Fisher, Dr. Lucy Brown of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx and Dr. Arthur Aron, a psychologist at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, led a team that analyzed about 2,500 brain images from 17 college students who were in the first weeks or months of
new love. The students looked at a picture of their beloved while an M.R.I. machine scanned their brains. The researchers then compared the images with others taken while the students looked at picture of an acquaintance.

Functional M.R.I. technology detects increases or decreases of blood flow in the brain, which reflect changes in neural activity.
In the study, a computer-generated map of particularly active areas showed hot spots deep in the brain, below conscious awareness, in areas called the caudate nucleus and the ventral tegmental area, which communicate with each other as part of a circuit.

These areas are dense with cells that produce or receive a brain chemical called dopamine, which circulates actively when people desire or anticipate a reward. In studies of gamblers, cocaine users and even people playing computer games for small amounts of money, these dopamine sites become extremely active as people score or win, neuroscientists say.

I wonder what doc. emer will say about this?