Jeane Napoles 21st Birthday Party (Sosyal)

Noong napanood ko ang video na 'to, naisip ko lang " may mga tao pala talaga na nagpapakasaya sa pera na nanggaling sa kanilang kababayan, na pera na dapat ay para sa taong bayan."

 Sigurado milyong piso ang ginastos sa okasyong ito. Na galing sa kaban ng Pilipinas.  Hay naku, yong mga senador kaya. magkano ang nakuha din kasabwat ni Janet Napoles? Buti nakakatulog pa sila habang naglulunoy sa pera ng mga pinoy.

Granted na galing sa pagpapagod ng businesswoman na si Janet Napoles ang ginastos sa lahat ng luho ng anak niya, gaano kaya sila kayaman no?

Nadadamay tuloy ang mga anak nya sa eskandalo na ginawa nila.  E, ang ganda pa naman nitong si Jeane Napoles at matalino dahil ayon sa balita ay nagtapos ng magna cum laude sa kanyang kinuhang kurso sa America.

Panalangin ko lang ay manaig ang katotohanan.

My True Value

I was once tainted by my own choice.  I thought that time I had the best choice of my life.  I was crumpled and painted all over with dirt. My career was on the verge of crashing.  I just hold on to that thin knot in my head. I was angry of myself.   I was ashamed of myself.  I was angry I made that choice.  And so guilty I am for everything I did. I am not worth anything!  I can't  move on.   Sulking  was only my resolve.

Not until I chance upon this post on facebook.

A speaker started off by holding up a 50 peso bill. In the room of 100, he asked. “Who would like this 50 peso bill?" Hands started going up. He said, “I am going to give this 50 peso to one of you - but first, let me do this."

He proceeded to crumple the 50 peso note up. He then asked. “Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air.

"Well," he replied, “what if I do this?" He dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. “Now, who still wants it?"

Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth 50 peso.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless; but no matter what happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes, not in what we do or who we know, but by …WHO WE ARE.

This made me realize my true value even I was once a dirt bag.  I can now think positively and be positive about everything.

All I can say is: 

And I am on to..............

Preventing Teen Pregnancy, Daughters and Parents

While in the office, a friend of mine who's named a peculiar name, Greece.   Greece received a call from her aunt.  ' Didi, is pregnant! We are going to bring her to the doctor today.  She's bleeding!'  Greece's face turned fallen ashes, gritted her teeth and muttered inaudible words.  Didi is not her biological daughter, she is a niece to her.  But Greece treated her like her own.

Didi is a 17 year old high school student, her mother died of breast cancer a couple of years ago.  Her father is a mariner, sailing in all parts of Europe.  She turned rebellious when her father bedded different women.  She abhors her father dating women and spending his cash on them.  Tired of her rebellious act, the father mariner would always tell her to avoid getting pregnant.  She would always tell her father, "I know what to do, ok?"

It turned out, Didi is pregnant for two months already.  She is living with her boyfriend for a month.  They don't have enough food for them.  Her boyfriend's family lives in a shanty town.  It was later found out that the cause of bleeding is lack of food and vitamins.  She's in bed rest for as long as she's well.

This news from home caused the eruption of our conversation about teen pregnancy.  This brought us to our mind the TV ad by Lucky Me way back 2010.  (Here is the link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8NPQfL6LFs)  Harlyn, with a crispy laughter said, "yes, that TV ad, I literally held my breath until she said that her friend Dianne, was pregnant!"  Being unmarried with no children in the group, I can't share my feelings about having a daughter.  I thought and   blurted out, "so parents should  advice their daughters to use contraceptives to avoid pregnancy."  "Yes, that's true!  Greece said.
  "I have a teenage daughter too.  She's in college now.  She got a boyfriend.  I told her, you should use contraceptives. If you can't avoid sex, use contraceptives."

With a deep sighed, Greece continued her story "I never fail to give advice to my daughter.  But she seem rebellious because I and her father separated.  I know she will also get pregnant.  It is her choice.  She knew what is right from wrong.  She knew that her boyfriend fathered a child already, that he left the girl to pursue my daughter.  What kind of a man is that?  Also she knew that they have illegal activities in our town involving drugs.  I got a hard-headed daughter.  The situation about them escalate when I left the country. "

She paused for a long agonizing silence.

"I just talk to her via fb or on the phone to let her feel that I am still by her side.  I always pray for her."

It made me feel so lucky that I was raised by my parents.  My father always warns us: (May he rest in peace in the kingdom of Our Almighty Father) "All of you, never marry unless you are all college graduates!  Girls, do not get yourself pregnant unless you are of the right age and you have a stable job!  You cannot set foot into this house and into that door once you disobey my rules!  Anyway you can marry even after your final step in your graduation stage."

Wow, that was quite a speech of my father each night during supper.  But it worked.  We were so afraid to disobey.  This was before.

 Parents today advice their daughters to use contraceptives to avoid teen pregnancy.   Some parents should teach their daughters how to use pills and their sons to use condoms. Simply because you cannot expect your daughters to be a virgin when they marry.  Teens today are more adventurous.  They are more exposed to pornographic materials.  It is everywhere.  Even their smartphones can have access to adult movies because of the wi-fi.  The temptation is always there lurking on teens' mind.

Photos courtesy of Google Images

                                                       

Well, as I thought of it more often, I think this make sense.   But hey, it is up to the parents how they are going to prevent teen pregnancy.  To Each his own, I always say.  And children vary from one another.  Daughters are not the same from one another.

Some thoughts and photographs from Google images:

Facebook Games Addiction

"Ate, isulat mo 'yong tungkol sa mga fb games addict.'  'Yan ang sinabi sa akin ng aking kapatid para sa aking next topic.  Eh, fb games addict din ako!! Bakit ko 'yon isusulat?! Ano ka, sister? Haler?

O, eh, eto ako ngayon nagsusulat na about sa fb addict sa mga games.  Opo, isa ako sa naglaro ng Farmville.  Nagtataka kase ako sa mga kasama ko sa trabaho, "baka mabulok ang mga tanim ko" lage nilang sinasabi.  At magkukumahog na papunta sa computer set.  (Buti n lang hindi pa gaanong mahigpit noon sa pag gamit ng computer.  Ngayon limitado na sa mga gawaing pang kompanya ang pag gamit sa mga computer.)  Nakipanood ako sa mga kasamahan ko sa work, abaw naman!  Magaganda 'yong mga hinaharvest nila ha.  Maraming mais! May mga makukulay na mga bulaklak!  Magaganda ang kapaligiran ng kanilang mga farm.  Na engganyo ang mga mata ko.  Sinubukan ko muna sa work, makaraan ang isang linggo, lage nang sumasagi sa isip ko ang mga pagbabagong gagawin ko sa aking farm.  O, e di ano pa, ipinabalik ko ang aking internet connection sa bahay!  S'ya, s'ya adik na kung adik!  Ang mga uwi kong trabaho sa bahay ay hindi ko na nagagawa.  Wala na, Farmville na lang.  Dumating 'yong time na nagsawa na ko sa Farmville.  Wala na kaseng pagbabago, natatamad na ko sa lage na lang move ng mga plants and everything.

Iniwan ko ang aking FARM sa level na 96.

Sumunod ang Cityville, sabi ko, mas ok eto kesa sa farmville kase pwede din akong magtanim at the same time pwede pa rin akong mag build ng mga buildings.  Umabot ako sa LEVEL 76 dito sa Cityville.  Nainis lang ako sa  mga requirements upang makapagtayo ng buildings kaya itinigil ko na ang paglalaro ng Cityville  Ang dami daming kailangan!

Castle Ville naman ang napagtuunan ko ng pansin ngunit hindi rin maganda.   Nalaro ko din ang Zuma hanggang tumigil ako sa paglalaro ng fb games.

Matagal din akong hindi naglaro sa fb, mga isang buwan siguro :D Matagal na po iyan. :)  Ewan ko ba, hinahanap-hanap ko iyong may inaalagaan ako online.  Bagong labas noon ang Bubbles Safari. Napakasimple lang naman ng gagawin sa larong ito.  Titirahin ang mga bubbles ng magkaparehong kulay. Katulad nito:

Meet Bubbles.

 Si Bubbles ay isang monkey na may sariling kuwento ng buhay,  lovelife and adventure as a monkey. Bawat episode, iba't ibang challenges ang dadaanan.  Sa picture na ito, nag-iiba ang posisyon ng mga kulay ng bubbles dahil sa spinner.  So, talagang minsan ay ilang ulit bago ko matapos ang isang level.  At wow naman, ang sarap sa feeling ng nalalagpasan yong mahihirap na mga levels.  Dito sa larong Bubbles Safari, mataas na ang level na nararating ko.  Un oh!  Level 395 lang naman! Oo na, oo na! Adik na nga yata akong matatawag.

At naku naman, dumating pa yong Candy Crush Saga!  Hmp, ayaw ko talaga maglaro nyan!  Andami na ngang adik dyan sa larong yan, sasali pa ko?  Indi na!  E, hinamon ako ng kapatid ko'ng bunso na kung magaling daw ako maglaro talunin ko ang level nya sa Candy Crush Saga.  Level 29 pa lang naman sya sa Candy Crush Saga. Ang yabang pa nya ha, hindi ko daw sya malalagpasan man lang!  I said, ok the challenge is on!  I am going to beat you.  And even be better with each level!  At eto na ako ngayon, lawit na ang dila at kunot pa ang noo sa level 140.  Nakakapangigil!

Bakit nga ba maraming nawiwili sa paglalaro ng mga games sa fb katulad ng mga nalaro ko na?  Sa aking karanasan at palagay, nawiwili tayong maglaro nito dahil sa magagandang kulay na ating nakikita sa mga computer screen.  Ang paglalaro ay ginagawa ko ring anti-stress.  Habang naglalaro ako ay tila ba nawawala ang pagod ko sa maghapong trabaho.  Ang aking mga alalahanin ay panandaliang nawawaglit dahil sa pag iisip ng mga strategy na aking gagawin sa kasalukuyan kong laro upang ako ay manalo.

Sa kabilang banda, marami din itong naidudulot na masama.  Una na dyan ay ang pag gain ng aking weight.  Wala akong ibang ginawa kundi umupo at maglaro sa harap ng computer ke may pending akong trabaho o wala.  Pangalawa ang pagkalimot sa aking niluluto, minsan din ay sumasakit na ang aking mga mata at ulo marahil sa pagtitig sa computer screen.  Naging anti-social din ako.  I turned down invitations from friends just to keep on playing, or maybe playing was just an excuse because I really don't want to go out. Lastly, sa bawat pagpikit ng aking mga mata ay nakikita ko sa aking balintataw ang mga bubbles ang mga candies na aking nilalaro.  Aha, masama ito, di po ba?

Sabi din ng pangatlo kong kapatid, "narinig ko sa gawing likuran ng upuan ko sa bus ang paguusap ng dalawang babae tungkol sa Candy Crush Saga.. sabi ng unang nagsalita: 'Naglalaro ka ba ng Candy Crush Saga?'  Sumagot ang pangalawang babae: 'Ano ka, pambata lang ang mga fb games no?!  Ang nasabi ko na lang, 'sana tumayo ka at tinanong mo kung ano ang larong pangmatanda.' :)

Ang mga larong ito ay bahagi na ng ating buhay, bahagi na ng malawak na cyberspace.  Isang click lang natin ay nasa harapan na natin.  Tayong mga manlalaro na lamang ang bahalang mag control kung paano tayo lalaro ng tama lang at sapat upang tayo ay maaliw.  

Virginity

First, What is virginity? According to Wikipedia,  Virginity is the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. It applies to both males and females.  But let us talk about the virginity in women.

So, does virginity matters? Yes! and No!

No, as long as the person loves you, it does not matter.  Some would say, "as long as the girl of my dreams stays faithful with me, it doesn't matter if she's not a virgin when I took her.  Let us forget her past.  Let us dwell on the present."  

Yes, "I want my wife to be pure.  I want her to gift me with her purity. and later on, with her faithfulness to our marriage vows."

On my own point of view, females should wait for the right time to give their virginity to her husband.  Not to her boyfriend!  That is to avoid getting pregnant out of wedlock, to avoid contamination of contagious diseases, to avoid sex scandal (who knows your boyfriend is filming your sexual moments), to avoid telling lies to your parents, and lastly to avoid REGRETS that you should have preserved your virginity for your husband to be.

Do I have "REGRETS"?  The answer to this question remains to be a secret for now.

A male friend told me that the vulva of a vagina looks like this when a female engaged in sex at an early age.

Photo courtesy of Google Images

Animal Lover daw na lalake ay BADING?

Bakit ko ba nasabi ang mga salitang ito? Dito sa Gitnang Silangan kung saan ako naroroon, may nakilala ako na lalakeng matangkad maangas ang mukha.  Sa kabuuan ay mukhang pwede ng ipagmayabang, although may kalakihan ang kanyang tiyan. :) Isa siyang guro s grade 6 at the same time ay primary coordinator.  At siya ay isang South African, blue ang mata.  Hndi maitim siyempre.  Tawagin natin s'yang Mr. Scathy.

Dito sa Gitnang Silangan, ang mga expats ay provided ang accommodation.  Nagkataon na ang dating accommodation  ni Mr. Scathy ay ipamamana sa amin ng mga kasama ko dito sa Gitnang Silangan.  Ayaw man namin na tumira dito e wala kami'ng magawa. Si Mr. Scathy ay may alagang pusa, his name is Lion.  Pero tinatawag namin s'yang Misty, minsan ay Leon Guerrero.  Lion is a street cat that he adopted.  He gave Lion shelter and love.  Pinaalagaan ni Mr. Scathy si Lion sa amin mula June 28 hanggang December of this year.  (Hmp! Ang tagal!) Napakalambing naman ng pusang ito.  Lage naka hidhid sa gilid ng mga paa ko.  Nagmamakaawa sya pag gusto lumabas ng bahay.  Yong sound at expression ni Lion animo nagpapaawa para makalabas sya.  Lage nagpapakamot sa kanyang ulo, tenga, at baba.  Mukhang sarap na sarap sya pag kinakamot namin.  Mr Scathy advised us that Lion is not allowed to eat people's food.  He provided lots of cat's food.

This is Lion.

July 1, 2013 kami lumipat from the city to this remote place.  And guess what we found in his cabinet while cleaning?!  
This photo!

Mr. Scathy and an unidentified guy

Napatili kami ng makita namin ang picture na to!  What a papalicious guy! At bigla din kaming natahimik at napaisip.  

Sabi ko: Magkaibigang matalik ang mga yan!

Cinderella:  Indi teh, bakit may I love You?

Snow White: Tingnan mo ang ngiti!  Girl na girl!

Chorus pa naming nasabi ang: "Oo nga!" Saka bakit nakayakap? At bakit may pose na nakakalaway?  

Hmm, we need a confirmation from an old employee in the company!  We invited Mr. Accountant (pero hindi talaga accounting graduate.  Ganito talaga sa Gitnang Silangan basta natipuhan kang ilagay sa posisyon kahit ano pa natapos mo ay ayos lang.) over sumptous lunch on July 2.  We asked him what does he knew about Mr. Scathy.  After a long interrogation, he confirmed that there was a rumor about Mr. Scathy involving an arab man. (Whew! Must be a handsome man!) Then, we showed the photograph hidden in a safe place of the house.  "This arab man seems familiar," Mr. Accountant said.  So, we concluded that Mr. Scathy is gay.  Because of two reasons: One, being an animal lover and two which is the strongest evidence, the photograph.

I am not against men who are sissy.  In fact, I have friends who are sissy and I love them for who they are.  It is just an experience and we never thought in our wildest dreams that he is our sister!  

Sa aking paniniwala naman, ang mga lalakeng mahihilig sa hayop ay HINDI BAKLA!  Unang-una n dyan ang aking mga kapatid.  Mahihilig sila sa aso pero tunay silang lalake.  Bakit ba iyong mga sabungero? Mahihilig sa manok pero hindi bakla.  Wala pa yata akong nakikilala na bakla na mahilig magsabong at mag alaga ng mga tandang.  Ibang manok yong lage nila hinihimas!  Minsan dead, minsan alive!  

San naman ba talaga galing ang paniniwalang ito? Ah, ewan ko ba naman, sumagi na lamang ang alaalang iyan sa pagkakakilala ko sa taong tinarayan ako na ang pangalan ay Mr. Scathy. :D

My Half Breed Siberian Husky named Kooki

I bought this dog after my father's death in 2010.  She was a little skinny and got a lot of ticks. Her selling price was Php 600.00.  I grabbed the offer.   It was so cheap even  because she haven't vaccinated yet and because of her condition that time.  On top of that, I fell in love with her color.

I gave her to my mother who now lives alone in Marinduque, Philippines as a companion.  She also felt in love with the skinny dog  (You'll fell in love with the dog, first out of pity maybe.).  She was given a lot of care and love.  She became a spoiled little doggie.  Kooki sleeps with my mother's bed every night.  She will always be the first to jump in the bed before my mother does.

One night, my mother had a nightmare.  She dreamt of giant spiders crawling and swallowing her.  She knew in her mind that she was screaming hard.  She can't move anymore.....And then, a cold thing touched her face.  Kooki was licking her face!!  My mother cried and hugged the dog hard.  She was so thankful Kooki wake her.

Kooki sensed and heard that her friend is in trouble.

This is Kooki right now.  Our beloved Half Breed Siberian Husky.

Moving On

Leaving someone behind or even something that you are used to makes me terribly awful. This familiar ache never ceases to leave me. 

I remember our rented house in San Pedro. I and my siblings live there for nearly three years. Fond memories of a loved one, friends and family were witnessed by that house. The moment came when we have to vacate the house. We need a bigger space. I cried a bucket of tears because I am leaving the house that's been our shelter for almost three years.

When my father left us was the biggest loss I had. I wanted to scream but I can't. I have to be strong even for the show off. My heart was squeezed continually and my tears kept falling.

Leaving the Philippines was a long time plan but I thought it would never happen. I have a different plan. So the plan A and plan B and even plan C. Plan B took place that is why I am here in the foreign land. Leaving the country was never easy too, again I have to facade a happy face for show off. But the truth is: I am crying inside.

Leaving the city that I used to like makes me feel terribly unpleasant.

“I have learned that if you must leave a place that you have lived in and loved and where all your yesteryears are buried deep, leave it any way except a slow way, leave it the fastest way you can. Never turn back and never believe that an hour you remember is a better hour because it is dead. Passed years seem safe ones, vanquished ones, while the future lives in a cloud, formidable from a distance.”
― Beryl Markham, West with the Night

And so I say: Changes are the only permanent thing in this world.