Little Miss Know-it-ALL

The Physics of Bowling

2009-08-08T14:13:00.000-07:00

I have never played bowling very often and seriously as i am being addicted to this sports for almost a couple of months now. The main factor of course are my bowling buddies who are very much addicted to this sport. We never fail to bowl every weekend and as i play the game more often it made me think that bowling is more than how much effort you exert on throwing the ball and how heavy the ball that you are using. Obviously i exert lesser efforts than my male counterparts and i used the lightest ball. But come to think of it, my friends are amazed because often times i still hit more pins.

My bowling best bud Jun has taught me some moves that i was able to apply every now and then which made me play better games. To fully understand and be convinced about all these moves to consistently score strikes i googled the physics of bowling and these is what ive found out.

A certain Tom Cull broke down the physics of bowling into three distinct components:

1. approach and preparation of delivery to the point of release - The bowler starts with the ball about waist level and approaches the foul line while raising the ball upwards and behind herself. The ball is usually released a few inches off the ground, so the ball has the potential energy of height from the shoulders to the ground imparted to it as kinetic energy. The arm of the bowler mainly serves to redirect this energy toward the pins. The walking to almost sprinting approach of the bowler serves the purpose of steadying the bowler as well as imparting some speed to the released ball (although I have seen may a recreational bowler come to a complete stop at delivery).

2. the path of the ball on the alley - The ball and oily alley interaction is extremely difficult to model completely, yet many experienced bowlers can figure the lane to lane variation in about 5 minutes and make the adjustments to their game to be successful. The ball slides on the lane until the frictional force causes it to roll without slipping. The direction of the frictional force is constant. This produces a parabolic trajectory if the ball has any side spin.

When the ball rolls, the side spin takes over and the ball can hook back toward the middle of the lane in a straight line. The combination of sliding in a parabolic path and then rolling in a straught line looks like a big hook when some bowlers throw the ball.

3. the interaction of the ball with the pins - The pins are arranged across the 3.5 feet of the alley and 3 feet deep

( 7)    ( 8)    ( 9)    (10)     ( 4)    ( 5)    ( 6)         ( 2)    ( 3)             ( 1)

The collision of the ball with the pins is a chaotic system. Small variations in the velocity (speed and direction) of the ball when it hits the pin, as well as collision location can lead to widely different results. For example, a very straight throw that hits the head pin head on, can lead to a 7-10 split which is nearly impossible to make. In fact, making the 7-10 is a shot that requires a huge amount of good luck. The "pocket" is defined as between 1-3 for righthanded bowlers and 1-2 for lefthanders. Hitting the pocket does not guarantee a strike but it is where experience dictates a strike is more likely. In fact, most strikes happen as a result of "good pin carry." Good pin carry is when the pins knock each one another over after the first one is hit by the ball. It is actually possible to have bad pin carry in which pins miss each other and remain (this happens most often when a bowler leaves a 5, 1-5, 2-8, 3-9, or 4-7-10, and many other combinations. The ball weights anywhere from about 10 pounds to 16 pounds and the pins weigh in at 4 pounds. So the ball can change course significantly after contact, while the pins fly off in all directions.

There is no reasonable way to predict the collision results. Bowlers who bowl a perfect 300 game often speak of being in the groove, which may refer to having a reproducible approach and release, but almost any 300 game has a least one "lucky" throw in it.

Amazing! I started using a 7 lbs ball but i made it a point to use heavier balls each game i play, and now im using an 11 lbs ball. Now i know the reasons behind all those power moves and deadly bowling styles, watch out on my next game haha

knowing what you dont like vs. knowing what you like

2009-07-27T18:04:00.000-07:00

I wanted to do much more in my life here miles away from my family. The problem is, ive always knew what i didnt like to do, but not exactly it was what i did like to do. Thinking about this problem of mine, maybe its most likely that i believe that i cant have what i want, and thus i dont think about it.

It is like thinking that if we encounter too many losses or setbacks in a particular area of life, we tend to stop "liking" or "wanting" those things. Or at least we appear to do so on the surface. The truth is that we still like or want them, but we no longer "live" in the part of our brains that does the wanting.

Thus, if you have this kind of block, the straightforward way to approach it is to ask yourself what you cant have, and then see if you would want those things if you could have them.

Make sense?

The Killing of John Lennon

2009-06-10T11:55:00.000-07:00

The Alchemist

2009-06-03T00:14:00.000-07:00

Should just be treated as such

2009-05-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

A friend posted a link regarding the sex video scandal of Hayden Kho and Katrina Halili which can be viewed at youtube. I got curious because it was all over the news in the Philippines that this doctor have filmed his sexual escapades with different girls. What made this more prominent in the news was the fact that the girls are celebrities in their own right. One was FHM’s sexiest woman for a couple of years, the other is a fellow doctor, and the last one is a Brazilian model. Add the fact that this guy has a rich and popular girlfriend as well made the incident newsworthy.

Today a guy friend told me that there were real videos that can be found in another site. Since i have nothing to do after work i watched the three full videos of the said docror's sex scandal. Overall, the videos are just an intimate moment with a man and a woman. What made it disgusting is the fact that the man filmed the acts without the women’s knowledge. I don’t like the fact that Hayden did what he did which made the women vulnerable to the public but the women should have been more careful in the beginning. If they want to be respected, they have to respect themselves first. This should be a lesson to some girls, never fully trust a person as to go all the way with him without knowing what he is capable of. Ang galing kong magpayo no lmao!

There are talk and speculation that Hayden Kho Jr.'s medical license will be revoked. In fairness to Hayden Jr, it was not his intent to publish his sex tapes. Those were just his personal and private collection to which you and I and the rest of the world is not part of. True, video-taping those highly controversial sex acts may be deemed perverted. However, I am sure there are lot of other people out there with some other quirks and irks that we know nothing of and the sex videos of Hayden Jr. should have been treated as such. Private and Personal. The involved sex partners should be the ones to press charges, not the Professional Regulation Board or the Senate! Election is near no wonder politicians are getting involved already.

The way i see it

2009-05-09T16:29:00.000-07:00

I love Tim Hortons coffee! But whenever i passed by Starbucks and i feel the need of having a good coffee i normally order latte or caramel frapuccino venti! I also like reading the paper cup. “The Way I See It” is a series of quotes, one is printed on each coffee cup.

Here are some of the quotes that strike me...

Failure's hard, but success is far more dangerous. If you're successful at the wrong thing, the mix of praise and money and opportunity can lock you in forever.
Hmm... interesting.

The irony of commitment is that its deeply liberating - in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic. from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life.

And today my coffee paper cup says...

You can shower a child with presents or money, but what do they really mean, compared to the most valuable gift of all - your time? Vacations and special events are nice, but so often the best moments are the spontaneous ones. Every moment you spend with your child could be the one that really matters.
Ouch!

Spoiling and Loving A Child

2009-05-09T00:41:00.000-07:00

Just bought psp for my little boy and i googled its effect on children. And this is what ive found out.

One Year in Canada

2009-05-04T23:11:00.000-07:00

I've been here in Canada for almost a year now. And on my first year anniversary, I contemplate and ponder on what the last year been like in terms of the different aspects in and of my life.

Andre: generally alright and growing fast

Family: generally okay

Financial: better than ever

Love life: what's that?

selfworth: erratic but basically up there

health and weight: gosh! i need to lose weight... seriously!

Am I happy? I'm not sure but I know that I'm not really sad. Life has become one big wheel of expected and unexpected events. Gone is the thrill of the unexpected in everyday living but I'm left, still, with the daily worries of everything and anything under the sun.

polkadots!

2009-05-02T18:31:00.000-07:00

i’ve been obsessing over dots and stripes for the past few weeks. i just put on the new polka dots bed sheet that i bought, i feel like i will be back to perfect sleeping again. i’m not normally drawn to either look but something about this classic pair has intrigued me lately. more often than not i find myself drawn to tiny black and white dots, rather than a larger variation, but i thought it would be fun to flesh out a full mini trend on each. there’s something delightfully fresh and preppy about dots. now im really excited to get my own room so i can fill it with lots of dots and stripes...

Day Off

2009-04-28T21:08:00.000-07:00

Just had my day off today and i think i spent it so right. Though i slept late the previous night because my friends and i finished a bottle of smirnoff mojito, i still manage to wake up early to attend the 8:30 mass at St. Philip's. Then i have to walk several blocks on my way home. Then i passed by Fantastic Sams wherein i decided to have my hair cut even though i didnt have any plans at all. After that i went to the bank to deposit cheque and went home.

My friend and i decided to go downtown since its both our day off and we invited three more friends so it would be sure fun. We really had a great time shopping but we have to go home because midtown plaza needs to close. When i got home i checked my mail, facebook, chat with friends, talk to my brother and organize my stuff.

Then i took a shower and now im writing this before i sleep. What a day! I may still have lots a things to worry about but im glad ive lots a friends who are helping me to get things done, even if they are thousand miles away from me.

I know i may not be able to take a day off from work whenever i like, but there are things i can give myself a day off from and this is what i realized today. Now, the next time i feel stressed, messed up, tired out or done in, i can declare a day off from:

1. Worrying
2. Caring what other people think
3. Finding reasons why things happen as they are
4. Knowing it all
5. Fighting battles
6. Making phone calls
7. Serving as case manager
8. Handling details
9. Multitasking
10. Working out
11. Holding it in
12. Planning ahead
13. Solving problems
14. Saying the right thing, and the list goes on...

Perhaps all i need is a new haircut

2009-04-28T18:17:00.001-07:00

It’s hard to let go and say good bye. There comes a time in our lives when we know it’s time to start a new chapter: move to a new place, face new obstacles, start a new career, go back to school, build new castles, whatever… but we are too scared to close the old chapter, because closing it would mean letting go of the comfort zone, of all the familiar things that we are so used to and that is almost always challenging and unpredictable, so we keep postponing what needs to be done.

If you have been procrastinating on your path to a better, more successful life then perhaps all you need to do is , do something a little wild and random. For example: get a new haircut to make you feel brand new! I went to a hairdresser today, not knowing what I want to do with my hair. I let go of all the control and told her to do whatever she thought was the best look for my hair. Brave, huh? Well… sometimes you just have to let go and simply trust people.

The result: I love my new haircut! It’s a lot shorter, layered and I have bangs now! I haven’t had bangs since high school, so that will take a bit getting used to, but other than that I’m feeling pretty Fab! Ha-ha…I feel like a new person, full of strength and ready to make some big changes in my life! It’s exactly what I needed at the moment!

SHOES!!!

2009-04-25T21:28:00.000-07:00

Today, i saw the need of putting all my shoes out of their boxes specially the new ones which i havent worn yet. I just bought a new shoe rack this week and put some of my shoes out so they can breathe.

No one shoe will fit all occasions in your life. In your downtime you need casual shoes, while for sports you need athletic footwear. Formal affairs demand dress shoes, and the list goes on. For every event in your busy schedule, you will need the right kind of shoes. And when seasons change, you will need boots to keep your feet warm and dry in style, and sandals you'll want to pack for your next beach holiday.

One's shoes send the rest of the world a signal about the wearer. More than any other article of clothing, shoes can influence how others view us, not to mention how we view ourselves. There's a reason, after all, why mothers traditionally advise their daughters to first look at a man's shoes.

A friend once told me on that part of how she judges a man is by the shoe they wear - which apparently, is a view that i also have. Other that rockports and sneakers, women are attracted to men who choose the right pair of shoes on whichever occasion.

But I think, perhaps, that the SIZE of a man's shoes is of rather more interest than the actual shoes

I really dont understand...

2009-04-25T00:23:00.000-07:00

One of the risks that every OFW (Overseas Filipino Workers) takes in pursuing a dream abroad is to shatter a love affair that almost took them a lifetime to build. Though we would bravely prove the phrase "Long distance love affair doesn't work" to be wrong, this requires a lot of sacrifices and efforts to sustain, to keep the fire burnin', and to fill the gaps that would definitely goes wider over time if would be taken lightly. No, im not speaking for myself...i dont have a boyfriend back home. I am just amazed why this happens to some people.

Even if we are a part of a generation where communication is considerably cheap compared to a few years back, thru sms, voice chat, video chat, or a phone call. These are not enough and could never replace the presence of a partner to his/her lover. The touch, the kiss, the scent and a scene where you are physically there are crucial to every relationship to continue to grow.

There are some people i know and dont know personally who already laid out a solid foundation of many years in their relationship of being together. Their commitment to fight the odds together should be enough for them to survive. But I guess sometimes they are just tricked by their own imagination. Some people are not as strong as what they have thought. I cant understand why the love that pushed some people to work abroad and the love that motivated them to keep moving on can fade in just a matter of time.

I really dont understand...

Transitions

2009-04-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

Life is a series of coming and going, of departures and arrivals, of leaving and coming-home, And in between are transitions.

I am fascinated with transitions. Each of life’s passages are spellbinding quiet moments that transform us: the stage of becoming.

Like a child awakening and starting to see beauty, the sun, too, rises in the child’s face, when he smiles and that twinkle in his eyes seeing things for the first time.

We fall to rise. The sun sets, but tomorrow it is sure to rise again ~ and the transitions.

Many times, I stumble and fall and felt like darkness over-shadow me. But the morning makes me like a child again, seeing things in different ways, the dawning of understanding and so I rise again to embrace the promise of a new day. Yes it is another day but i woke up so late because i was drunk last night...

And there are bitter-sweet transitions: we love and get hurt, we create memories and bruises, get scarred but see the stars, And yes, we learn anyway.

And there the seemingly end of a journey but we see new horizons. We are to choose to move on or stay. Is it the arrival or another departure?

Are the roads we are treading now take us away, or leading us home?

We dapart to arrive, like the sun sets to rise again.

For life is a series of falling asleep and awakening.

What have we done in between?

One Day, Some Day

2009-04-21T18:10:00.000-07:00

Best friends fight too

2009-04-20T23:27:00.001-07:00

From time to time we experience having difficulty convincing people to believe what we say, to do what we want them to do, to understand what we want to convey. And if this happens we are left with two options - fight or flight. If the person is significant to us of course we ought to choose fight. Since our childhood years, the moment we socialize with other people we find ourselves in situations wherein we need to fight with someone.

We fight with our parents, siblings, relatives, neighbors, boss, subordinates, enemies, classmates, teachers, boyfriend, and best friends. Yes, bestfriends fight too. In fact I would go so far as to say that if you have never been in a verbal fight with your best friend or even a physical fight, then they aren't realy your best friend. The true nature of a best friend is to always be there for you and to spend a lot of time with you.

Sometimes arguments start off with something silly and have the potential to escalate. Sometimes you might be in a fight with a friend and then if you really reflected on your argument, you may realize that you don't even remember what you were arguing about in the first place. Good friends are hard to find as the expression goes and it is ridiculous to hold a grudge against a friend over a silly argument.

But whatever happens true friends will understand you and vice versa because the last thing that you would want to do is to lose a best friend.

Missing Mom

2009-04-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

On Becoming A Parent

2009-04-17T22:39:00.001-07:00

I know i may not be the best parent in the world to talk about becoming one. But when friends ask me what its like to be a parent, I say that its among the hardest things you'll ever do, but in exchange, it teaches you the meaning of unconditional love. Everything a baby does strikes a parent as the most magical thing he or she has ever seen. I will always remember the day Andre first smiled at me: and there is nothing quite as peaceful as holding a sleeping child in the comfort of your arms and wondering how its possible to care so deeply - these are the moments that i find myself remembering in vivid detail now.

I really miss my son! I haven't seen him for almost a year now, he has grown a lot. I wouldn't be here in Canada if not because of him but i managed to live far away from him - isn't it ironic? But really, there's no experience quite like having a child and despite the challenges that i am facing, i have considered myself blessed because of the child i created. However, i think i have to be prepared for surprises...

New Blog Title

2009-04-17T00:36:00.000-07:00

Tonight I just feel the need of getting back to blogging. Assessing what transpired after almost one year of my stay in Canada, I see the need of taking things into account. At one glance, it seems that there were very few significant happy things that happened for the past year. But taking time to really think about it, the one year that I spent here is one of the best things that happen to me.

Why did I say that - 1. I cant believe I've survived living away from the important people in my life. This fact alone made me think that I still can do better things in my life. This is just the beginning of my journey which I can proudly say that I established by myself. 2. Im so glad I met new important people who helped me keep my sanity for the past year. They made me realize that in life we really need to sacrifice something in order to fulfill what you have longed for. They fearlessly made me aware of my weaknesses, stubbornness, and shortcomings. I may not turn 360 degrees but some of the consequences that im facing right now is killing me. It may be too late to realize some things but we always learn our lessons the hard way. 3. I was able to provide more for my family particularly for my son. 4. Most importantly i am fulfilling the very reason why i am here - a better future. My permanent residency application as well as my son is already on process. :) I may encounter problems with the documents but in God's will everything will turn out right.

Lately, I am having a hard time sleeping maybe because of these overwhelming events the past year has brought me. And this made me decide to give my blog a new title - BEFORE I SLEEP...

Every night we sleep looking back at the day we finished with joy and happiness while some adding sadness. Life is not so simple or balanced that we can sleep each day with the same emotional balance. With my new blog title for sure I can sustain my blog now since I will process some of my thoughts BEFORE I SLEEP...

Loving Winter

2009-01-01T20:41:00.000-08:00

Did I really title this post loving winter? I must be sick. Something about being outside and having fun with friends makes all this snow and cold exciting. My snow pants, jackets, and boots are of real great help to withstand and enjoy winter at the same time. I just wish my son is here so we both can play with the snow. If he is here id be enjoying shoveling more, running in the snow, and making snow balls.

The winter landscape offers so much to discover, and notice, and marvel at. And ive discovered the key to enjoying winter - getting out in it! I dont have a choice though but to walk to work even during winter. But the walking experience made me a stronger person. One time i slipped i just sang to myself - "i get knock down but i get up again..."I can feel my facial skin tingle as the temperature continues to drop. Everytime, I try to balance my close-up observations with some brisk walking to keep the warm blood flowing. Each step produces a squishy sound as my boot crunches the snow.

Yes, it is still winter in the nexy three months and I love it!

The First Day of Autumn

2008-09-22T19:26:00.000-07:00

Summer is over - the only season that I am used to. Today is the first day of autumn - the color of the leaves of the trees are changing and its getting colder. We already shopped for fall and winter clothes a couple of weeks ago at least to be ready enough for the season that is very new to us.

I dont know but I realy feel sad today...the sun doesn't shine at all and its cold =( This new season is like a step mom or dad that is hard to accept at first since I am used to being with my biological parents since birth. And now here comes a new being whom I barely know and will somehow affect my life. The idea of having a step dad or mom brings a lot of apprehension and resistance as well. But there will be no choice since its already there and we cant do anything about it anyway. We have to learn how to deal with it since its there already. One just have to discover the good side of it in order to appreciate and like it eventually.

Just like autumn or winter, i may not like it at first but i have to learn how to live with it because i dont have a choice but to stand this season since I have to finish my contract and eventually settle here if things will work out well. Some Filipino and Canadian friends already gave us some pointers on what to expect during fall and winter. They advise us on the kinds of clothes that we need to buy and the likes. There are some scary stories though like frostbites. If other people can survive these seasons, why can't I?

To live normally I just need to appreciate the good things that autumn brings. Number one in my list - leaves changing color =) In the Philippines, this doesn't happen but its great...so beautiful =) I still have to discover what is in store during fall and its quite amazing that there are a lot of people who claim that fall is their favorite season. I know there's something to look forward to on the coming days....

Smile!!!

2008-09-09T10:40:00.000-07:00

Dont Wait For Joy

2008-09-09T08:13:00.000-07:00

We convince ourselves that life will be better “after”.

After we finish school, after we find a job, after we get married, after we have a child, after we have another child.Then we feel frustrated because our children aren’t big enough and we think that we will be happier after they grow and stop acting like children. Then we get frustrated because they are adolescents and difficult to deal with.

We think that we will be happier after they leave that stage.Then we think that our life would be complete when our spouse is better, when we have a better car, when we can afford a vacation, we when reach the top, when we retire.

The truth is: THERE IS NO BETTER MOMENT THAN THIS ONE IN WHICH TO BE HAPPY.If it isn’t now, when? Life always will be full of “laters” and of challenges. It’s better to admit it and decide to be happy anyways. There isn’t a later, nor is there a road to happiness.

Happiness is the road and the time to travel it is now.Treasure each moment that you live and treasure even more that you share it with someone else. Someone who is so close that you carry him in your heart and remember that time waits for nobody.So, stop waiting until after you finish school, until after you fall in love, until after you find a job, until after you get married, until after you have children, until after they leave home, until after your divorce, until after you lose those ten extra pounds, until after work on Friday or after church on Sunday, until after this season, or until after you die. Decide that there isn’t a better moment that this very one in which to be happy.

Emoticon Mode

2008-09-05T15:11:00.000-07:00

Cooking as A Decision

2008-08-12T20:20:00.000-07:00

If there's one household chore that I'll definitely wont give a try, it is cooking. Since my younger years I just dont have the passion for cooking. Ironic though because I have been working in the food industry for 8 years now. Yes, I still know how to cook a very good omelette which I learned in Delifrance or spaghetti with smoked salmon in lemon cream sauce which I learned in Malcolm's but I just dont have the interest and motivation to cook for someone else or even for myself.

For the past three months of my stay in Canada, only Terry and Weng are cooking and my part as usual is to wash dishes afterwards. Though I impress them whenever I cook breakfast omelette and other egg dishes, (thanks to Delifrance!) my friends know that I can cook more...

Now Im starting to do some frying, and two days ago I cooked my first ever dish - CHICKEN PORK ADOBO. Needless to say, they all liked it - ubos lahat pati kanin =). Now, I realized that I have the ability in cooking sumptuous meals. But it is more fitting to say that cooking is not really an ability, ITS A DECISION. I may have the ability to cook eversince but I just dont want to cook. Now, I decided that I WILL COOK AND I CAN COOK WELL...puwede na ko mag-asawa hehehehe =)

White Flag

2008-08-10T07:35:00.000-07:00

One of my friends can really relate with the White Flag sung by DIDO.

White Flag (DIDO)

I know you think that I shouldn't still love you,
Or tell you that.
But if I didn't say it, well I'd still have felt it
where's the sense in that?

I promise I'm not trying to make your life harder
Or return to where we were

I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be

I know I left too much mess and
destruction to come back again
And I caused nothing but trouble
I understand if you can't talk to me again
And if you live by the rules of "it's over"
then I'm sure that that makes sense

I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be

And when we meet
Which I'm sure we will
All that was there
Will be there still
I'll let it pass
And hold my tongue
And you will think
That I've moved on....

I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be

I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be

I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be

This song speaks for everyone of us who have loved and lost. For anyone who has ever truly loved passionately, this is a 5 star song. It tugs at the heartstrings of anyone who has truly loved someone that they are unable to be with. This song is about undying devotion to a loved one; when you are so emotionally bonded that you can sense when they are near, or when they are emotionally thinking about you even across miles.

The message of this song is so ideal that not all people who have loved and lost can react in the same way. In my case for example, I have been in love and heart broken but I know sooner than later I should be ok because I cant go on like this forever, that is being in love with someone that doesn't love you back. So I have to move on and try to forget that someone that I used to love and try to convince myself that I dont love him anymore even if I do. I have perfected the craft of standing for whatever emotional decision that I made, and there's no turning back.

But this song made me realize that it wont make you a lesser person if you continue to love someone even if you cant have him and be with him... IM IN LOVE AND ALWAYS WILL BE...

On Being in Love...

2008-08-01T16:28:00.000-07:00

You dont get to choose, you just fall in love
You get this person who is all wrong and all right at the same time
And you know that you love him so much except sometimes
He drive you completely insane and no one can explain it

And the reason why it is so confusing is because
IT IS LOVE
But if love doesn't have any challenges what would be the point?

So mushy but I think this is what Im feeling right now...I think. And here are the symptoms...I can’t stop thinking of my object, he stays in my mind when Im working, spending time with friends, working out in the gym or relaxing in evening. The vision of my object is haunting my mind like a ghost and it never works when I tell myself not to think of him. I remember all the time spent together, every single word, gesture and look. I hate this!

Now I realize that you have to do nothing to fall in love and often there’s either nothing you can do to stop falling in love. It’s very illogical: you suffer from splashes of emotions, doubts, can’t fully control yourself and it’s all because of a person you usually almost don’t know. When we fall in love nature shows all it’s power on us. Sometimes it even goes against our sense when we understand that we can’t expect nothing good from these relationships that it’s the wrong person but still can do nothing about ourselves.

And it made me remind of the song "I Love You" Sung by Sarah McLachlan which was played in the timeless movie Message in a Bottle.

I have a smile
Stretched from ear to ear
To see you walking down the road

We meet at the lights
I stare for a while
The world around disappears

Just you and me
On this island of hope
A breath between us could be miles

Let me surround you
My sea to your shore
Let me be the calm you seek

Oh and every time I’m close to you
There’s too much I can’t say
And you just walk away

And I forgot
To tell you
I love you
And the night’s
Too long
And cold here
Without you
I grieve in my condition
For I cannot find the strength to say I need you so

Oh and every time I’m close to you
There’s too much I can’t say
And you just walk away

And I forgot
To tell you
I love you
And the night’s
Too long
And cold here
Without you

Falling in love is the most natural and the least harmless kind of doping. Yes, it’s not mural, it never looks in the future, in fact it has no future but it gives life some spirit of freshness and youthfulness. Im happy! =)

Arte y Pico Award

2008-08-01T15:14:00.000-07:00

Before leaving for Canada I anticipated that I will have a lot of spare time to sustain a blog, make money and thus consider blogging as a career. But I was wrong, though I still dont have lots of friends and hobbies here still a lot of my time is dedicated to work. I came here to work though and make money, and now I only have one day off in fifteen days...tiring but it all pay off whenever I receive my paycheck =)

I haven't updated my blog for quite some time because of the busy schedule and whenever I find time I only blog about the simple things that made my day. The blogging career and the additional income thing are gone at least for now. I still find pleasure on writing about something, account it and feel good about it...now this is just the sole reason why I blog whenever I find time. And now I got a consolation - I'm extremely delighted whenever I learn that some of my friends are reading my blog and commenting on it. =)

And now I have another major prize - The Arte y Pico Blog Award which was given by deatabs. Thanks much for this, it really made my day. Its really overwhelming to be recognized for something that I just thought to be effortless because I just enjoy what I do, dont even let people know about it - no targets, no pressures. I dont even realize that there are people who are reading my blog. Now, Im having second thoughts on improving my blog and devote more time on it.

Again, thank you so much Dea for this wonderful flattering recognition. We may not be given the chance to be really super friends, and I might not see you for nearly a decade now but you never fail to make me feel good with your very nice remarks and compliment, and you never fail to impress me with all you humble achievements, unmatched dedication and hardwork on your career and family life. Indubitably, you will really go a long way! Im happy for you friend! =)

And now, Im going to give the award.

The rules for passing this honor on:

1) Pick 5 blogs that you would like to award this honor to.
2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.
4) Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of “Arte y Pico” blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.

The award goes to the following blogs which I really have fun visiting from time to time.

1. Jackie T.'s The baghag Diaries: A Day in the Life of the Bag Hag
2. Candishhh's The Candishhh Tales
3. Cookie Lugue's SchroochChronicles
4. Colette's Lil Miss Maldita
5. Bondat's Abnormalidad

=)

You had me at my best; she loved me at my worst...

2008-07-23T13:36:00.001-07:00

Here's another post about second chances, but this time its about the movie of Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz... I have never imagined myself blogging about such kind of cheesy things, but now I am - Im now tansformed into an emotional machine. Yes, Garvinne you read it right, my OFW experiences have given me the opportunity to seek the emotional bits and pieces inside me...

Back in the Philippines, I used to watch Tagalog movies specially when Im with my high school buddies. Before, honestly I wont like to spend money for such kinda thing but it is really the company which makes me convinced to go with my friends. More often than not, we find ourselves laughing in the middle of serious things because our attention were caught by something or someone in the scene, say an outdated outfit or something that we have associated with a different meaning. And most of the time the person in front of us or behind us will get cranky but that wont stop us from repeatedly commenting on the little things about each scene. And now I cant even remember a single movie that we really liked and talked about after we watched them. There are two Tagalog films though that I watched in the cinema which are memorable to me. One is Dubai, because the day after I watched it with friends, I gave birth to Andre. And the other classic Filipino love story of all time is the one starred Sharon Cuneta and Richard Gomez's Minsan Minahal Kita. I wont get tired of watching this movie again and again.

Now, going back to the movie, One More Chance. The setting is just the same with the usual Bea - John Lloyd movie wherein scenes just happened in the usual places the characters are frequenting. But the script and the story give justice to this local romantic comedy film.

The story is so realistic that 8 out of 10 people who watched it can relate well.

Basha (Bea Alonzo) is an architect in the same firm as her fiance' Popoy (John Lloyd Cruz), who is an engineer. They belong to the same close-knit group of friends and have been together for five years until Basha gets fed up with Popoy's controlling but well-meaning ways and opts out of the relationship, building a new life for herself.

If we are to see this scenario in a normal point of view, this case can be resolved without breaking up. The partner just need to communicate what is happening and just try to compromise things. But if this ideal action took place, the movie wil just end here and they live happily ever after. As the song goes, sometimes love just aint enough and I certainly understand Basha when she decided to take the firm decision of finding herself first before giving it all to love.

To continue the story, well yes I understand Basha for her decision but what I cannot comprehend is the fact that inspite of the ego breaking actions of Popoy just to win her back, she continued to ignore the guy and go on with her new life as if nothing happened in the past five years that they were together.

Not knowing how to pick himself up after the love of his life leave him, Popoy struggles to live his new life alone. Meanwhile, Basha resigns and transfers to a smaller firm where she begins to feel the freedom she's been longing for. Popoy and Basha try to live without each other but the ties that bind them make it harder for both to move on. Their families and friends became constant reminders of the promises and dreams they had during their happier days.

Slowly Popoy learns to pick up the pieces and discover a life that he can call his own. But Basha's journey proves to be more difficult, especially when she sees Popoy starting to date other girls. A part of her wants to get her back but a part also knows that she was the one who asked. This scenario is very typical among girls generally, when we know that the guy is really into us we sometimes tend not to take him seriously but when the time comes when we know that he gives up, that's the time when we become so eager to win him back...

Opportunity knocks when Popoy's aunt commissions them to build her house together. After feeling awkward around each other. Popoy and Basha eventually warm up. After all, five years of being together is hard to erase. Slowly, and unconsciously, they fall into their old routines and find themselves enjoying each other's company once again. Both realized how much they missed each other yet both also recognized how much they changed.

But Popoy knows too well that giving in would mean going back to how they were before. And he's way too scared to get in the way of Basha's growth once again, especially now that he has seen that she can do it alone. Now, this became so complicated. But their decisions and actions are very mature that they know that love is just aint enough in rder to sustain a relationship, two complete and emotionally stable individuals are needed to keep a relationship of a lifetime. =)

Subscribing TFC

2008-07-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

Now, Im beginning to realize how it really feels to be a true-blooded OFW... Ive been working abroad for only 2 1/2 months now and now I understand why OFWs are so fond of TFC. Whenever I watched Wowowee back home, I really find it somehow baduy and exaggerated for people to act that way. But after a couple of months spending lonely times away from my family and friends, now I can relate to my fellow bagong bayani hehehehe....

Now, I truly miss OPM songs, TV programs, and movies...It is always true what they say that you can only truly appreciate things that really matter to you, once they are out of your system...

Now, we subscribe TFC! For only 12.95$ per month, we can watch our recent favorite episodes of Maalaala Mo Kaya, The Buzz, etc. And another good thing is the Pay Per View thing when you can watch recent movies, for sure we will be subscribing this more often...The Filipino Channel is one of the things that is keeping our sanity here in Canada...

The culture clash that we face everyday is no joke. And it only takes one Filipino TV program to make me feel home with my son and my family. =)

Second Chance

2008-06-28T02:28:00.000-07:00

Life always gives us a second chance...The 'second chance' is a powerful thing. Second chance at life, in love, in friendship, in your career..the ability to grant someone else a second chance, the courage to accept a second chance that is given to you.

In my life I've experienced just a small amount of giving people second chances. I always believe that once a person has done me wrong, he would be capable of doing it to me again. Now I realize that this should not be the case, people change I know. Because I changed a lot! If I were given a second chance by my significant others then why is it hard for me to give second chance to someone who is very much willing to take the second chance. Of course this would be easier said than done but I'll definitely take some course of action to have important things resolved with some important people soon...

A second chance wears the mask of many faces, it can mean overcoming a personal battle or fear within yourself, giving up on a dream you've been holding onto, putting the feelings of another person first, believing you are worthy of one, letting go of your prejudices, even stepping up or stepping down in a given situation.

Allow yourself the right to have a second chance. If no one will give it to you, take it... grant yourself one. What ever may have oppressed you, hurt you, scared you, failed you...try again....because you deserve a second chance.

Remember what it feels like to have a second chance at something because one day there will come a time in your life when you find yourself at a cross road and have the ability to give someone else that second chance. Yes, now I will....

For Terry, Jeremy, and All My Friends Who Love to Travel

2008-06-27T11:11:00.000-07:00

Citing again another reading from Paulo Coelho's Like the Flowing River entitled STATUTES FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM. I remember two of my friends when I came accross #s 10 and 11 respectively, Terry and Jeremy Bondat...

For Terry...
10. Every human being has the right to search for happiness and by happiness is meant something that makes the individual feel content, not necessarily something that makes other people feel content

Girl, I've known you for like barely two months only but it seems that i've known you and Weng for quite a long time. We've been thru a lot of emotional struggles, "I Know What You Did Last Summer" secrets, been talking about a lot of posible love interests here in Canada, been anticipating how we would make eksena as an OFW if ever we will be as controversial as Flor Contemplacion and Delia Maga.

I just wanna stressed this point though I know you're starting to realize that you can never please everyone. I know you're somehow contented with your life and already having second thoughts on why we are here, in time we will know...

For Jeremy...

11. Every human being should keep alive within them the sacred flame of madness but would behave as a normal person.

Grabe ikaw talaga unang pumasok sa isip ko when I read this hehehehehe...Since this is very self explanatory, alam mo na yun bwahahaha...For his latest kabaliwan, visit his blog http://abnormalidad.blogspot.com ayan ha nagpromote pa ko hehehehe...I miss our kulitan and barahan at jashs.com, sana magparamdam ka din dun...

And For All My Friends and Former Bosses Who Love to Travel...

You might find the following lessons useful:

1. Avoid Museums - If you are in a foreign city, isn't it far more interesting to go in search of the present than the past?

2. Hang Out in Bars - Bars are the places where life in the city reveals itself, not in museums. These are the places where ordinary people go, have a drink, ponder the weather and are always ready for a chat.

3. Be Open - the best tour guide is someone who lives in the place, know everything about it, is proud of his and her city, but does not work for any agency.

4. Try to Travel Alone or - if you are married - with your spouse - It will be harder work, no one will be there taking care of you, but only in this way you can truly leave your own country behind. Travelling with a group is a way of being in a foreign country while speaking your mother tongue, doing whatever the leader of the flock tells you to do, and taking more ineterest in group gossip than in the place you are visiting.

5. Dont Compare - Dont compare anything - prices, standards of hygiene, quality of life, means of transport, nothing! You are not travelling in order to prove that you have a better life than other people. Your aim is to find out how other people live, what they can teach you, how they deal with reality and with the extraordinary.

6. Understand That Everyone Understands You - Even if you dont speak the language, dont be afraid. Some people think that if they travel alone, they will set off down the street and be lost forever. just make sure you have the hotel cardin your pocket and - if worse comes to worst - flag down a taxi and show the card to the driver.

7. Dont Buy Too Much - Spend your money on things you wont need to carry: tickets to a good play, restaurants, trips. Nowadays, with the global economy and the internet, you can buy anything you want without having to pay excess baggage.

8. Dont Try to See the World in a Month - Its is far better to stay in a city for four or five days than to visit firve cities in a week. A city is like a capricious woman, she takes time to be seduced and to reveal herself completely.

9. A Journey is an Adventure - Henry Miller used to say that it is far more important to discover a church that no one else has ever heard of than to go to Rome and feel obliged to visit the Sistine Chapel with two hundred thousand other tourists bellowing in your ear. By all means, go to the Sistine Chapel, but wander the streets too, explore alleyways, experience the freedom of looking for something - quite what you dont know, but which, if you can findit, will, you can be sure, change your life.

For sure, I'll be following all these tips...I just wish I have enough money and time to enjoy travelling differently! =)

On Nonverbal Communication

2008-06-27T09:08:00.000-07:00

As an OrCom major, we've learned a lot about nonverbal communication as a powerful means of self expression. My thesis is even about the meanings of silence in Philippine organizational setting, so before coming up with my topic I have to justify where did I come from - nonverbal communication. OMG I remember my thesis adviser Dr. Adela Beringuela, I swear who could forget her? Right Mishel, Lee, Jessica, Jacq? Who would forget our bloody thesis days????!!!!!!

Even the best verbal communication skills are not enough to create and sustain successful relationships. Good home and work relationships require the ability to communicate emotions without saying a word. Wordless communication conveyed through facial expressions, body language, pace, intensity and tone of voice captures and holds the attention of others and gives you a powerful means for self expression.

Eye contact, facial expression, tone of voice, posture, touch and space, and even silence are some of the nonverbal cues that one should be aware of in order to understand other people and be understood as well. We always see to it that we make ourselves understood by gestures, smile, facial expression, and the DESIRE TO SHARE SOMETHING. That simple desire to share something meant that we could enter the world of language without words, where everything is always clear and there is no danger of being misinterpreted.

Ive seen a lot of couples here in Canada, a typical Filipina wife and a Canadian husband. While its true that sometimes we had difficulty understanding foreigners when they speak in English so fast, (and yes there are times when I suffer nose bleed when talking to Canadians, hehehehe....) its really amazing when two different cultures fall in love...

I remember two Sundays ago, a white haired man in his late 70's wheeled a woman of the same age in a wheel chair to the area in front where I was seated. he had on thick rimmed eye glasses that went out of style a long time ago. He had an old fashioned pair of suspenders holding up his somewhat baggy pants that were already firmly secured by a belt. I was distracted by his actions towards his wife in the wheel chair during the service. After arriving, he adjusted her clothing and the chair and whispered to her something that caused her to nod approval. He would frequently adjust her clothing, ask her if everything was OK and hold her hand whenever he could. I could see him looking at her during the service with a kindly face and expression of obvious love. I imagined a long term marriage during which her health deteriorated and he assumed care taking responsibility out of pure love. I am confident that he did not see any of this as a burden either. I'm not sure I could fully recount the sermon, but the truth is I got more inspiration out of seeing them. How I wish I would also find someone who will love me like this and I will love unconditionally....

RULES

2008-06-27T01:25:00.000-07:00

When talking about rules, it always come accross my mind the Outback Steak House's "No Rules, Just Right" theme that truly provide a wonderful dining experience! “ No rules, just right” is how Outback Steakhouse is building its reputation when it opened its doors in 1997 - like dressing casually for a steak dinner, or serving American food in a totally Aussie (that’s Australian) laid back atmosphere with boomerangs and koalas. Although this concept is only about 10 years old, it has aggressively grown to over 400 chains in the US and some parts in Europe. Bistro Group of Restaurant Concepts was awarded the exclusive franchise to develop and operate Outback restaurants in the Philippines.

Every now and then I crave Outback Steakhouse! I think they are the pioneer in making the menu flexible so as to satisfy guests' needs, thus making everyone happy!

Sometimes I cant seem to understand why we human beings are so obsessed with making rules about everything. Because of some rules sometimes we seem to stop concentrating on the things I love and just be concerned about following rules.

With love, there are no rules, here's an excerpts from “BY THE RIVER PIEDRA I SAT DOWN AND WEPT” by Paulo Coelho

Some may try to control their emotions & develop strategies for their behavior; others may turn to reading books of advice from “experts” on relationships – but this is all folly. The heart decides, and what it decides is all that really matters.

All of us have had this experience. At some point, we have each said through our tears, “I’m suffering for a love that’s not worth it.” We suffer because we feel we are giving more than we receive. We suffer because we are unable to impose our own rules.

But ultimately there is no good reason for our suffering, for in every love lies the seed of our growth. The more we love, the closer we come to spiritual experience. Those who are truly enlightened, those whose souls are illuminated by love, have been able to overcome all of the inhibitions & preconceptions of their era. They have been joyful- because those who love conquer the world & have no fear of loss. True love is an act of total surrender.

“But there is suffering in Life and there are Defeats. No one can avoid them. But it’s better to lose some of the battles in the struggle for your dreams than to be defeated without ever even knowing what you are fighting for.”

Love is a trap. When it appears, we see only its light, not its shadows. Life takes us by surprise & orders us to move toward the unknown – even when we don’t want to & when we think we don’t need to.

“It’s risky, falling in love.” It’s like a narcotic. At first it brings the euphoria of complete surrender. The next day, you want more. You are not addicted yet, but you like the sensation and you think you can still control things. You think about the person you love for two minutes & forget them for three hours.“ But then you get used to that person & you begin to be completely dependent on them. Now you think about him for three hours & forget him for two minutes. If he’s not there, you feel like an addict who can’t get a fix. And just as addicts steal & humiliate themselves to get what they need, you’re willing to do anything for love.”

Love doesn’t ask many questions, because if we stop to think we become fearful. It’s an inexplicable fear; it’s difficult even to describe it. Maybe it’s the fear of being scorned, of not being accepted or of breaking the spell. It’s ridiculous, but that’s the way it is. That’s why you don’t ask –you act. You have to take the risks. I think that when we look for love courageously, it reveals itself, and we wind up attracting more love. If one person really wants us, everyone does. But if we’re alone, we become even more alone. Life is strange. We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen.

Sooner or later, we have to overcome our fears, because the spiritual path can only be traveled through the daily experience of love.

Hayyy, I miss the feeling of falling in love.....

Mistakes...

2008-06-16T10:35:00.000-07:00

The Story of the Pencil by Paulo Coelho

2008-06-15T06:29:00.000-07:00

A boy was watching his grandmother write a letter. At one point he asked:
‘Are you writing a story about what we’ve done? Is it a story about me?’

His grandmother stopped writing her letter and said to her grandson:
‘I am writing about you, actually, but more important than the words is the pencil I’m using. I hope you will be like this pencil when you grow up.’

Intrigued, the boy looked at the pencil. It didn’t seem very special.

‘But it’s just like any other pencil I’ve ever seen!’

‘That depends on how you look at things. It has five qualities which, if you manage to hang on them, will make you a person who is always at peace with the world.’

‘First quality: you are capable of great things, but you must never forget that there is a hand guiding your steps. We call that hand God, and He always guides us according to His will.’

‘Second quality: now and then, I have to stop writing and use a sharpner. That makes the pencil suffer a little, but afterwards, he’s much sharper. So you, too, must learn to bear certain pains and sorrows, because they will make you a better person.

‘Third quality: the pencil always allows us to use an eraser to rub out any mistakes. This means that correcting something we did is not necessarily a bad thing; it helps to keep us on the road to justice.’

‘Fourth quality: what really matters in a pencil is not its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside. So always pay attention to what is happening inside you.’

‘Finally, the pencil’s fifth quality: it always leaves a mark. in just the same way, you should know that everything you do in life will leave a mark, so try to be conscious of that in your every action’

Source: Like the Flowing River by Paulo Coelho

Everyone of us is a different and a unique "pencil". We all write our own way, and in this world that we live in, we all leave our marks one way or another. =)

Life Without Andre; Andre Without Me....

2008-06-11T14:38:00.000-07:00

One thing that's really killing me is the fact that I really really miss my son. Its been a month and a week now since I last saw him. The day after my flight, my brother went to Ocean Park with Andre...but seeing the picture that my bro posted in Friendster my son seems not happy seeing the fishes there, or not really happy because Im not around?

I always see to it that I'll have a chat with Andre as often as I want, baka makalimutan nya kc ako. And his usual question is, "Ano oras ka uwi?"...He always have the thought na gagabihin lang ako palagi, just like his usual question whenever I leave the house and go to work coz often times ginagabi talaga ko umuwi, or inuumaga for that matter. And I was really touched when sometimes he's still waiting for me kc nga magkatabi kame matulog=) This is one thing that I really miss about Andre! Kahit na sobrang pagod pagod ka na from work, when he kissed me, and had our usual talk, grabe nawawala lahat ng pagod ko and other worries....and now im crying!!!! This is one of the priceless moment that I would never exchange for anything...

We always go out together, and since SM San Lazaro is just a stone's throw away from our house, we're there everyday...Though Im sick and tired of Jollibee food, I have no choice but to eat there almost everyday because my son prefers to stay there, and I really dont get why...I buy more stuffs for him, than for myself...And whenever Im home, I always see to it that Im hands on. I go with him when he plays with other kids just to make sure that he wot get bullied, stage mom ba....And whenever I go out with my friends, I always bring him with me as long as we wont go to bar and stay late at night. I always see to it that he gets what he wants, sometimes to teh extent of spoiling him, but I know I have my mom to do the balance.

I miss his cyclic questions, the never ending whys, tapos? This scenario sometimes makes me scheewm and shout but Im glad my son is thinking, smart kid!

I have lived the past three years of my life with my son beside me, and now its been a month since I last saw him. The last time I talk to my mom, according to her lalo daw kumukulit si Andre, ayaw ng umuwi samen palagi nandun sa mga pinsan nya at gusto dun na matulog...I dont know how to react, I know my son is a normal kid and growing....

Realizations in One Month = Realization of a Lifetime

2008-06-10T09:58:00.000-07:00

Its just yesterday when I concluded that i dont have anything to blog, that my one-month stay here in Canada had been monotonous that I really wanted to go home already. But after an almost 24 hour contemplation, I realized that its not realistic that I would have to go home soon. Before I finally decided working here, I really weighed a lot of things and considered some other options which could make me stay in the Philippines either.

Though Im not really happy with my decision of working abroad, I have to really disregard the happiness factor this time. I realized that all my life, all my decisions are concentrated on whether it will make me happy or not. All my life, I always consider the option in which will make me happy even if its not practical or it seems not right. This time, I have to consider something that wont make me happy at all, but is definitely the right thing to do. As I see my son growing fast, I saw the need of making sure that I can give him the best of everything as he grows up - the best education, material needs, love, and other social needs. I really wanted to provide him a better life than what I had. He's my life and all the actions I made, and the decisions I took after giving birth is all because of him. I have to admit that I have lived a straight life after giving birth, didn't involve myself in a serious relationship, and just did exactly the opposite of my lifestyle before I got pregnant. I remember I had dinner with a friend and he told me that he did not imagine that I am capable of changing my lifestyle and will just have a conventional life. Well, this is all because of motherhood!

While a lot of my friends were amazed why I did not try to have another relationship again, the answer is simple, I dont need a man to be complete, because I already am complete! I have a steady good paying job, I have a very cute loving son who loves me unconditionally and who will be there with me until the day I die. I have a great family. My friends will forever stick with me thru thick and thin. I dont have to be stressed coz Im happy with how my life is right now. I have the sperm donor to thank for. If he never left me, I would never have realized what I’ve been missing. I would never have found out what I’m capable of. Thank you for making me accomplish everything without you. Like what my friends said, the best way to get even is to show you that I’m better off without you. And they were right, because without you I am now complete.

Going back to working in Canada decision, this is all because of Andre. Though I have a stable job and very good boss in the Philippines, the opportunity of working abroad is definitely a better option. And I guess I should just go back to the reason why I opted to choose working abroad more than anything else, and just stick to it no matter what happen. There's no turning back right now. And just yesterday, I was able to identify three important realizations that an OFW like me should think about and consider to be able to fulfill what we really wanted in the first place.

1. Enjoy Life - one must really enjoy in order to live. Its really hard to live each day if you have nothing to look forward to. I may not find a lot of friends right now, but my new found friends help me keep my sanity!

2. Be happy. look at the brighter side - Every glass was always half full, not half empty, so we always looked at how we could fill it up. Sadness, I've learned is a state of the mind. It’s only mental, all in the brain, so I've learned to control it and turn around any situation, even if we are submerged in the deepest quagmire one can ever imagine.

3. Feel good. Be open to other cultures - As Filipinos, we have lived in a multi-ethnic and multicultural society. Many of us are multi-lingual. Thus, it is easier for us to be open to other cultures. Filipinos have a universal soul, the result of seven thousand islands being crisscrossed and settled by Moslem Indonesians and Malays from the south, Christian Spaniards and Americans from the east, and the Buddhist Chinese from the north and west. We have a hodgepodge of cultures where people learned to co-exist in provinces scattered over three hundred thousand square kilometers of water, solid and rocks, mountains, volcanoes and forests.

Not to mention that I have learned a lot in my one-month stay here. Now, Im fully in-charge of my stuffs, Ive learned how to organize things for myself, do the laundry, dishes, and other household chores. And now, together with my new friends here we are in search of doing something valuable and worthwhile to fight the boredom and monotony.

Product of Canada?

2008-06-09T11:24:00.000-07:00

How time flies! Its been a month now since I set my feet here in Canada. But that one month had been so monotonous that I cant even think of anything to blog about. And I cant imagine myself experiencing another month just like that! I really want to go home!!!!! I envy my friends who work in Singapore because they can visit home as often as they want to....

At this moment, I just remember the news feature that I've watched several days ago about the Product of Canada as tagged in the labels of almost all products here. While its a common knowledge that some produce, canned goods, seafood stuffs, and many more are not actually real product of Canada, still when you go to the grocery there are even dairies and chocolates tagged as products of Canada...

Almost everywhere, there's a growing sense that it would be smart to reduce our consumption of food that's traveled halfway around the world. Partly this is about flavour, and the idea that less travel means fresher food that tastes better. Partly it's about safety: being sure that food from where we live is subject to Canadian standards and inspections. Partly it's about supporting farmers who live nearby. Partly it's about using less fuel for the sake of the planet. So there are plenty of reasons to look for the "Product of Canada" label in the grocery store. But here's the thing.

"Product of Canada" doesn't actually mean the food is from around here. All it means, legally speaking, is that at least 51% percent of its production costs were spent in Canada. As Wendy Mesley's report reveals, sometimes "Product of Canada" has been to three continents before it lands here.

Now Canadians are bothered because they thought all the while that what they are buying are really made in Canada. Canadian s believe that it's a deplorable practice indeed but the consumers are also naive to think what they are eating from a Made in Canada package is indeed from Canada. Nowadays there could be ingredients from 5-10 countries into a single package. If the retailers just say ingredients from multiple countries, it would be okay but they cannot make more money. The huge problem with the Made in Canada labeling is the products from countries which have been flagged as unhealthy or banned can still come totally un-noticed to Canada in a frozen block and get transformed here without a consumer ever knowing about what they ate.

I even had a conversation with a Canadian co-worker and he quoted "And we have the nerve to call some countries"third-world countries," when this kind of betrayal of public trust and systematized corruption is happening, steered by profit seeking corporations and vote seeking politicians. Who gets to make these stupid 51% rules and gamble with our health? I rarely bought any processed food but now I do not think I will be buying it at all. When the mad cow scare was happening in the UK, I stopped buying chocolate or any milk products from Europe but to find out now that the butter-oil sugar mixture being sold as made in Canada was from the UK... "

I was really amazed that Canadians are really nationalistic and are really patronizing products that are made from their country, but the tagged Product of Canda is really misleading.

With this, I cant seem not to compare Filipino mentality to Canadian mentality. In the Philippines, its the other way around. Filipinos prefer imported products because of quality and other rooted causes due to colonization of other powerful countries. Too bad, but this has been the colonial mentality among the Filipinos for ages. Need I say more?

The Difference Between Food Chain in Canada and the Philippines

2008-05-29T15:52:00.000-07:00

Its inevitable that there will be cultural differences between the east and the west. But its important to note however the differences between the no. 1 food chain in Canada and the Philippines. By revealing the significant differences between the two we will know why Canadian employers still need to hire foreign workers, Filipinos in particular and not from any other country. On the other hand, this would be very helpful in determining the success of foreign brands across the region.

Its pretty obvious that Jollibee holds the number one spot in the food chain bussiness in Philippines while Tim Hortons is definitely the brand preferred by Canadians all over the world. I would just like to note how the two brands are runned differently and I think you will be somehow surprised by some revelations. Read on...

I wanted to stress that I was very amazed that during my orientation at Tim Hortons, the very first thing that the employer emphasized is harassment in the workplace. That the company assures that all employees are protected and once threathened by harassment, whether physical, cultural, racial, religion, or gender aspects, one can make sure that there are corresponding sunctions to such an unpleasant act. As a foreign worker, I need not worry anymore on how the other team members might treat us new members of the team. Another thing that I would like to highlight in orientation and training procedures, is that here we need not take note of evertything that seem to be important including standards, etc., and we need not memorize anything. There was no boring lecture, all we need to do is to watch the video and ask the owner afterwards should we have further queries, then the half day is hands-on. This normally takes three to four days. There is an exam though after watching the video but once you clicked on the wrong answer, there's a chance to determine the right answer, which make it easier to remember things.
I was not able to work at Jollibee in the Philippines but I worked with Delifrance, another Jollibee affiliate, for five years and I have friends who worked for years in Jollibee. This is my basis of my comparisons. During employee orientation at Delifrance or any other food chain in the Philippines, of course VMV (Vision, Mission, Values) is discussed as well as the employee handbook stressing the various disciplinary actions that correspond a certain offense. Training in the Philippines is a very long structured process, true enough one could not learn over night. One has to memorize all SOPs, etc in order to pass exams and once you failed you have to retake the exam just once and make sure you will pass or else...There's even a graduation and there will be valedictorian for each batch. I realized that this is such a conventional way of training, classroom approach.

Though there is an open line of communication in the food companies in the Philippines, this is more evident here in Canada. I can speak directly with the owner regarding work issues, and the likes withour strictly following the chain of command.

In the Philippines, we tend to strictly follow the flow of communication within formal hierarchy.

Another obvious difference is handling wrong product punched, made, or served to the customer. At Tim Hortons, regardless of the reason why a certain product is regarded, be it employee's mistake or customer's mistake, it will go to wastage...There's this one time that I was training in baking and I accidentally dropped one batch of muffin to the floor, and the store manager who was training me at that time was still nice to say that its alright and we'll just make new ones.

In the Philippines, the service crew or the manager will really have to defend and justify why a discarded product was made. If you were not able to justify why products should be recorded as wastage, and was proven that it is only due to your negligence, I'm sorry but this will be charged and will be deducted in your salary...It is a practice of instilling discipline and focus to one's work but there will be times when there will be unavoidable circumstances that one can't really get rid off.
It is notable also that ovens and products per se are really high tech and need not require additional workload at the atore level. There's no need to memorize the required varied temperatures, vents, minutes of baking, etc. You just have to press the corresponding button for each product and there's no need set temperature, time, etc. This is really so cool! Not to mention that all products are baked from freezer to oven!!! And there are no proofers in the store, croissants, and danishes need not be proofed, it goes straight to the oven!!! Even eggs for breakfast muffin are baked from freezer to oven, amazing!!!

When I started doing baking jobs at Tim Hortons, I remember my bakers at Delifrance and appreciate their work and performance. They are really very good! Being able to maintain the product quality and availability amidst the somehow low technology as compared to Tim Hortons. If they are the ones assigned here, there's no doubt that their productivity may be four times as their Canadian counterparts. And this is one of the main reasons why they are hiring Filipino workers. I'm not really good at baking though but at Tim Hortons it seems to be very easy as compared to the baker's tasks in the Philippines!

Another thing noteworthy is cashiering, popularly known as TILL here. Though there is someone assigned initially at every till, any one else can punch even the managers. Though this sometimes happen in the Philippines, the significant difference is that there's no need to cut-off the cashier after their shift. Its only the managers who will cut-off directly the sales and documents on each till, and the cashier has no accountability at all whether the money or credit card documents did not correspond cashier's accountability report. Not to mention that everyone can void items punched.

While in the Philippines, every document be it void, refund, merchant copy or bank copy of credit card transactions need to be settled by the cashier after his shift. And he shall be held liable for every discrepancy in the cashier's accountability report. In addition, only managers can void items.

One thing that I really enjoy at Tim Hortons is the unlimited access to coffee, donuts,and bagels. I will never get tired of coffee! Even if you're not yet in for work, you can always get coffee and donuts. And you can also bring a cup again when you punched out and bring it home. Cool! =)

At Delifrance, there's this employee meal also but as scheduled per day depending if you rendered short hours or long hours. You cant choose whatever you want, just the one identified in the staff meal schedule. But at Jollibee I think, they can choose whatever it is on the menu but just one per meal, I think.

And at this part, its time for the Filipinos to shine! In the Philippines, one thing that established brands are known for aside from the product quality is the impeccable service provided by all the store team members, from the bussboys to the managers everyone see to it that excellent service is rendered at all times. Though we came to experience bad service from different establishments from time to time, still majority of retail establishments in the Philippines are service-oriented. And I'm very proud that each branch that I managed in the Philippines have consistently delivered unsurpassed service, as far as I know. And now I really miss my Delifrance and Malcolm's team!

Though Tim Hortons is undoubtedly the best in rendering good service among the popular food chain in Canada. I think service in the Philippines, service is far better! =) We were really dissatisfied with the service of McDonalds, A&W, and Wendy's here...too bad!

Food companies in the Philippines really stress cost implications to everyone concerned. Every single food cost detail should be well explained, and all cost cutting policies should be well observed.
While at Tim Hortons, the managers wont be that mad if there are a lot of throw aways. This is exactly the opposite scenario in the Philippines when managers are confronted with high food cost and other variable costs.

Though there are times when managers in the Philippines are doing crew work during bottle neck, but managers really manage operations in the truest sense of the word.

At Tim Hortons, managers are doing crew work all the time! It seems that they just act as relievers to those who will have their break, even the owners. They throw the garbage, do everything that everyone else does.

After realizing all these comparisons and differences, I started missing and appreciating all the significant people that I've worked with in the Philippines. Indeed, there is no place like home...But life is all about decisions we make and actions we take. Since I'm here already, there's no turning back I just have to accept the differences between us Filipinos here and our Canadian counterparts, and appreciate some similarities in order to work harmoniously.=)

Tim Hortons

2008-05-25T19:28:00.000-07:00

Recently, Im a part of Canada's largest quick-service food chain, TIM HORTONS. Im so lucky and blessed to have Joni Seaman and Lou Gossner as my boss here. When I first set my feet here in Canada, I've a lot of apprehensions but when I met these guys I know Im on the right track and there's no turning back, no coming back to the Philippines soon...

More than anything else, I think the success of the brand is founded on the social responsibility it portrays. The store promotes itself through community support and the "Tim Horton Children's Foundation." Founded by Ron Joyce, the Foundation sponsors many thousands of underprivileged children from Canada and the United States to go to one of six high-class summer camps located in Parry Sound, ON; Tatamagouche, NS; Kananaskis, AB; Quyon, QC; Campbellsville, KY; and St. George.
The foundation's highest-profile fundraiser is Camp Day, which is held annually on the Wednesday of the first full week in June. All proceeds from coffee sales at most Tim Hortons locations, as well as proceeds from related activities held that day, are donated to the foundation. Small stores located in Esso Service Stations do not donate coffee proceeds on Camp Day.

A Timbits hockey player, from Niagara Falls
Mr. Joyce's dedication and commitment to the Tim Horton Children's Foundation earned him the Gary Wright Humanitarian Award in 1991, presented periodically in recognition of the outstanding contributions to the betterment of community life throughout Canada. In recognition primarily for his work with the Foundation, he received an appointment to the Order of Canada, with the official presentation taking place on October 21, 1992, in Ottawa.
Tim Hortons also sponsors the Timbits Minor Sports Program, a community program for local sports teams involving children aged four to eight years. The program places an emphasis on learning the sport and building friendships among the participants, as reflected in the program's advertising tagline--"The First Goal is Having Fun."

In the Philippines, I know some of our top companies also have this social responsibility to be able to give back to the community. Thru the various foundations like Metrobank Foundation, SM Foundation, and the likes, big corporations were able to give back a part of what they earned in the society, which is really a good thing.

But in Tim Hortons, I saw how Canadians love Timmys. It has become a way of life to Canadians. Everyday, I saw the same faces in the same dayparts with the same orders. Its really amazing. Its counterpart in the Philippines is of course Jollibee, being the number one food chain in the country. But I think, if only Jollibee employs the same community and good will thing just like Tim Hortons, McDonalds need not operate in the country. I am aware of the Maaga ang Pasko thing in Jollibee but when I asked Jollibee managers about it, its not as good as what everyone else's think.

Malcolm's Place Wagyu Beef, Nice People, and Good Memories

2008-05-17T15:05:00.000-07:00

Before I considered working in Canada, I used to manage this casual dining place - Malcolm's Place - a not-so-hidden secret of Salcedo Village, frequented by yuppies and sophisticated cntele because of its quiet, laid-back atmosphere that eases the mood of diners. This is located at 108 HV dela Costa St. Salcedo Village, Makati City. 844-0000.
Serving wagyu beef specialties, Malcolm's menu is an interesting mix of American, continental, and mediterranean cuisine. Malcolm's also offers free WIFI to guests, making the place a hotspot for client meetings and the likes.

The star in the menu is the Wagyu Rib Eye, soo good that it would satisfy your wagyu fantasies of tender and tasty steak meat!

My other favorites are as follows:

Hello Pumpkin! (P110) - "A lovely way to greet your day! Thick, golden, pumpkin soup with aromatic spices bursting with fresh flavors.

Salmon Says (P220) - Salmon Says, "Try this, spaghetti embellished with smoked salmon and an utterly unique lemon cream sauce."

And the killer desserts, coffee crunch and apple crumble ala mode...

For over one year now, Malcolm's gained both positive and negative feedback on the wagyu quality as mentioned by dining guests and nice blogs by both satisfied and unsatisfied guests. many thanks to all bloggers who blog about Malcolm's, their blogs definitely served as advertisement. Nevertheless, due to the restaurant's goal on offering premium wagyu products to guests the management, chef, and the restaurant team members are consistently studying and implementing better measures and continuous research and development.

But one thing that I am very proud of is the consistent above average service provided by the nice and fun servers and the rest of the restaurant team members...Two thumbs up for you guys! =)

drinking partners...

...during the anticipated surprise despedida. I was really touched! Thanks much to my two awesome bosses, Pam (for the very touching video presentation, hope you can forward me a copy), Chef Clarie and Jen for your presence at those wee hours in the evening, and of course to all of you guys who made it possible for Malcolm's to operate and find its niche in the market. I'll be forever thankful for all the learnings I gained, all the wonderful experiences I had with you guys. Malcolm's will always have a place in my heart. =)

Life is Like an LRT-ride

2008-05-17T07:56:00.000-07:00

Here's another entry from my journal on January 12, 2000...

Since my college days, LRT has been a vital part of my life. This is the only means of transportation that I am used to riding for the past four years of my life. Through the LRT I need not experience the hell of commuting thru land transportation. Though LRT is also hell, my travel time is really faster compared with that of the land transportation.

Now, Im really a veteran when it comes to riding the LRT. I can endure the stampede inside unlike my friends. My everyday adventure in the LRT made me realize that LIFE, INDEED, IS LIKE AN LRT-RIDE. Sometimes I sit comfortably but most of the time, I have to stand the init, the foul smell, and the not-so-nice people inside the LRT. Just like in one's life, sometimes we live comfortably without worrying about anything at all. But most of the time, we have to suffer life's inconvenience, we have to stand every problem we encounter.

Every train can also be likened to one's opportunities that come along the way. Particularly during rush hpurs, more often than not, hindi kaagad ako nakakasakay in the first train that come. I remember one time, I have to wait for the 10th train para makasakay (Im not kidding!), that's like an hour and so. Just like opportunities in life, they really come and go. So we have to grab it at once amidst the hindrances that come along the way. If we dont, we still have to wait for the next opportunity to come.

Lastly, one's destination can also be likened to achieving one's goal. For instance, my usual destination is Libertad or Gil Puyat. In getting to the said station, sometimes I have a hard time, at times its very easy for me to get thru it. Just like achieving one's goal, sometimes it seems to be effortless. One's goal is achieved without so much effort because everything seems to be happening the way one wants them to be.

But most of the time, there's no easy way in achieving one's goal. We have to encounter a lot of hardships before we attain it, we have to stand and get over with all the problems that come along the way.

With all these analogies, Ive realized something, LIFE, INDEED, IS LIKE AN LRT-RIDE! =)

Taking Things Slow

2008-05-16T18:52:00.000-07:00

Its May 16 here in Canada. Its been almost a week since i wrote my first entry here. I was so excited to start this blog but unfortunately due to some really unavoidable reasons, I wasn't able to have a followup posts. I brought my old journal with me and I decided to post some of my journal entries here as is...

This is my entry last January 11, 2000

Sometimes in our lives, we experience like rushing on things as if there'll be no tomorrow. Like now, I want to accomplish a lot of things at the same time which I understand is not so right.

Teach me to go slow , Lord,
And learn to wait on you -
Dont let me jump ahead
While wondering what to do.

Teach me to go slow, Lord
Each promise you'll fulfill -
You answer in your time, And in your perfect will.

There'll be time for everything, no need to rush. God knows perfectly when is the right time to accomplish something.

Teach me to go slow, Lord
And only my anxious heart
Keep my eyes on you, and
Dont let the teardrops start

Teach me to go slow, Lord
Reach out and take my hand -
For I am deeply troubled
And just dont understand.

The past few days, I dont understand what's happening with US. May God lead us the way and make us realize the reason behind everything.

Teach me to go slow, Lord
Take one day at a time -
Dont let me fall, but lead me on
To peaceful heights sublime.

Teach me to go slow, Lord
Please work this out for me -
When all is right once more,
Let me give praise to thee.

He is really a nice person. He has everything in him that I couldn't help but admire. But is this what they called the right love at the wrong time. We're pretending as if there's no problem on the two of us. I can't afford now to just let things happen but I also dont want to rush on things. May God show us the way, and we'll just follow the path whatever God will provide us. Right now siguro, I'll just live each day at a time.

Teach me to go slow, Lord
And help me see above,
This dark cloud 'till I can gaze...
Into your face of love.

Sobrang natatawa na lang ako when I read this. Come to think of it, sobrang petty ng mga problema ko eight years ago. Though I am experiencing the same feeling now on rushing things pero on a much higher level of responsibility. I'm here in Canad for almost a week now to work but it seems like I need more work to keep me busy and I am trying to look for other jobs this early phase of my stay here. I know God has better plans...I know. =)

BLOGGING FINALLY!

2008-05-04T20:34:00.000-07:00

After I gave birth last October 2005, I became a resposible, mature, and more focused individual (naks!). So whenever I'll start doing something I would like to make sure that I will be able to sustain it. Otherwise, I'll just shift into doing something else. Unlike before, when I think of venturing into something new, be it relationship, hobby, or whatever affiliations, go lang nang go regardless of what the outcome will be or the sustainability.

Now blogging....creating a blog is as easy as 1,2,3. Even a pre-schooler can create one. I know I can start a nice blog but I dont think I can maintain one due to busy work and gimik schedule, not to mention the bonding moment with my son. Until the time comes that I have to work in Canada (I'll be leaving 2nd week of May) , anticipating that I will have a lot of spare time there considering the work schedule and I am miles apart from my loved ones. Now I know I can start a blog worth reading......

Here, I'll be posting places, events, people, and other things that interest me. Initially, I would want to feature ONE DAY in the life of people from all walks of life so readers will know and will better understand why people think and act the way they do. I think I'll be sticking with this idea in my future posts.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Good day! Smile=)