Try Everything

Happy New Year!  I know it’s late but it’s the only and best way I could think of to start my first post of 2017☺

So, a new year.  Since the beginning of January, I've been wondering what 2017 has in store for us. What are my plans to make it an unforgettable year?  What am I going to do?  To tell you the truth, I don't know, and I'm not the type who makes resolutions at the beginning of a new year simply because I've always felt they were nice to see listed down on paper, but so difficult to achieve in reality.

The Need to Auto-Correct Humanity

I’m sure you’ve seen Prince Ea’s viral video Can You Auto-Correct Humanity. If not, here it is:
Pretty strong message, huh?

I saw that clip yesterday, and the part where people communicate more through social media than up close and personal really struck me.

How often have we seen friends’ statuses saying that they have problems or they’re depressed? When we do, we usually click on the Comment button and send words to uplift their spirits. Those words help, I’m sure.

But how often do you actually call your friend to talk, and give him or her encouragement, to let that person know and feel that you do care because you set aside time for him/her?

In a world of technology where all forms of communication are within our reach, it really is sad that we tend to forget the importance of actually talking to each other. Or even finding time to be with each other because everything we do is through social media.

Last month, a high school friend’s mother passed away. Aside from commenting on his status and sending a private message, I called him. A few days later, after they lay his mom to rest, he sent a message saying that it was only then that the emotional, physical and mental stress finally dawned on him. I called again. It was a longer conversation this time.

Then the other night, another friend from high school posted several statuses on her account that sounded so desperate and alarming (you guessed it, suicidal), I immediately asked for her number. When I spoke to her, she explained that she was just being her normal crazy self and was simply looking for attention from her mother and brothers who didn’t seem to care about her. I was relieved that she wasn’t serious about taking her life…err, at least she didn’t sound like it. But I still told her that if she needed to vent out, I was just a call away.

Both friends live in the Philippines. Sure the charges are higher because of the international calls, but I was just glad that by the end of our conversations, they sounded calmer, relieved, and a bit happier. 

And by the time I put down the phone, I felt better as well.

12 powerful resolutions

This was forwarded to me by Carol, one of my SFC babies.  And although I don't usually make any resolutions every year, it's definitely a good article to pick up some words of wisdom to guide us throughout the year.

So open the new chapter in front of you and appreciate it’s clean white space.  This chapter is called Opportunity and it starts today…

serving in the community

Again, another bump in our service. I had somewhat expected this, but of course I hoped I would be wrong. It may be too early to complain since nothing has happened yet, but then, that’s also one of the reasons why it’s so frustrating...nothing has happened yet! I don’t want to blame anyone or point fingers, so I’ll just blame it on the timing (so many things happened and it’s the Christmas/Year-End season). I don’t know...I just want to give up and go back to when things were (somewhat) easier and we had less responsibilities. Is it too much to ask if we want to go back to being members?

your children are one-half of you

A few days ago, I saw this being shared by many of our friends in FB and I knew I just had to post it here.  Don't worry, Hubby and I aren't going through a rough patch (we rarely fight), but I want this to serve as a reminder to us and to all the parents out there to think and stop themselves before saying anything negative about their partners that will hurt their children.

i won 250,000 dirhams?! yeah, right!

A few minutes ago, I received a call on my personal mobile number. The man (not sure if he’s Pakistani or Indian) who called told me that he’s from Etisalat and that my number was entered into a raffle, and apparently I won Dhs250,000. He then told me to call him back so that he would give me the details on how I could claim my prize. Of course, I was skeptical. His number was an ordinary mobile number. But just for the heck of it, I called him back using our company landline phone. When the man answered, he said I should call him using my mobile number because “landline numbers are not allowed.” Ha! Right away, I put the phone down. He could have the Dhs250,000 for all I care!

marriage and togetherness

There’s a couple we know who have been married for at least 25 years. Whenever we see them, we notice that they’re usually very sweet to each other: holding hands, making akbay, the husband tucks his wife’s hair behind her ears, etc. They embodied a picture of a very happy, and very much (still) in love couple considering the number of years they’ve been together. However, just recently we discovered that their marriage wasn’t all honey and roses as it seemed. At home, they weren’t truly happy. Since they both have jobs and they admitted they’re both workaholics, they rarely have time to sit down together and talk, even for dinner. Even though they lived together, it’s like they were living separate lives because of the busy schedules they had. For several years, this set-up worked for them. But then they realized later that it wasn’t healthy for their marriage.

mary immaculate parish

On the first Sunday of our vacation in the Philippines, Hubby and I decided to attended the evening mass with our daughter at the new church near my family’s home. Since it would be my first time to enter the church (it opened its doors early this year I think), I was very excited. Unfortunately, none of the people at our house knew what the mass timings were and there was no billboard in sight at the church grounds which mentioned this information. So, we figured that since most churches have a 6pm mass, then we would go there by 5:50pm. And of course, we guessed wrong; apparently, the first evening mass was at 7:30pm. We didn’t want to go back home and then return, so we opted to enjoy the peace of the church until the mass started. To pass away the time and since there were just a few people there, I decided to walk around and take photos of the interiors (but of course, medyo nahiya ako so I didn’t take that many and I didn’t use the flash...which explains why the pictures aren’t as clear as I wanted).

one of the stoups (holy water bowl)

unlike most churces that had icons of apostles, this one had statues of saints

a view of the opposite wing from where we were sitting

Hubby and Caila standing in front of the icons of Jesus and Mary

the Baptistery

me and Caila and the image of John baptizing Jesus at the Baptism area

the choir

the wall being used as a projector screen

the Sanctuary

For a church that isn’t yet finished, it looks nice huh? It’s not air-conditioned, but the electric fans and the big doors at the sides that brought in the cool air were sufficient. Actually, my first thought when we entered was that it would be nice for a wedding. There was a choir loft above the main doors which would be a perfect place for the videographer/photographer to take a Princess Diana shot of the bride as she walks down the aisle. And unlike the churches here in Dubai that have a Babies Room, this one didn’t (is there any church in the Philippines that does?) so we were able to enjoy the mass in a pew inside a church with our daughter...something that we haven’t done in over a year. Anyway, the mass was officiated by an Italian priest (Fr. Pablo or Fr. Paolo…I can’t remember) who I guessed has lived in the Philippines for a long time already because he could speak the local language pretty fluently, allowing him to shift easily between English and Filipino. Unfortunately, the sound system either wasn’t working properly or just wasn’t good because several times the speakers sounded sabog.

While we were singing the hymns (especially the ones in Filipino), there were times when I could feel tears pricking my eyes. It’s a bit embarrassing, but this often happens to me when I attend mass in the Philippines. I become all sentimental because of the experience. I don’t know why. I think it’s probably because the churches here in Dubai are almost always overcrowded and the mass readings and responses seem rushed, making it difficult to believe and enjoy the fact that we’re in God’s house when we attend mass; so when I do attend a peaceful and solemn mass, I really take it to heart and appreciate it. I’m emotional that way, I guess.

Add this to the fact that the priest’s homily was enlightening as well. Weird as it may be, I wished that I had a pen and piece of paper then so that I could jot down what he was saying. The theme that day was correcting others’ faults, and he mentioned that despite Italy and Philippines having the most Catholics in Europe and Asia, these countries are the most corrupt in their continents...mainly because the people are afraid to correct each other. Faced with the fear of being persecuted or disowned or killed or rejected for standing up to what is right, we usually just act like The Three Monkeys. Because we want peace and order and we hate getting involved in any arguments, we Christians prefer to keep our eyes closed and act blind, cover our ears and pretend we didn’t hear anything, and/or keep our mouths shut and don’t tell the truth. But then, this is not the way we should do things. For serious matters, you should correct a person face to face, with 2 witnesses, and in the presence of a member of the Church or Law/Government. Easy to say, difficult to do. Oh well. At least I left the church learning something.

water and electricity conservation tips

When we moved in to our apartment last December, since it was the winter season our monthly DEWA (Dubai Electricity & Water Authority) bill was pretty low. Maybe because we didn’t need to use the a/c or probably because we didn’t watch TV that much. But then when the summer season began, so did the rise in our bill. From less than Dhs200, it has reached to more than Dhs700! Take note, this doesn’t yet include the housing fee. That’s roughly 8,000 pesos in a month for water and electricity alone! Augh!

mcdonald's and tom and jerry

Last night, we went to the McDonald’s branch near our apartment building after having Piper washed and cleaned. Our daughter wasn’t hungry so she went to the area where four screens were showing the same Tom and Jerry show. I noticed that every time we go there, it’s always Tom and Jerry on the screens; nothing else. Before, I didn’t mind what they were showing because Caila would always stay with us while we ate, but this was the first time our daughter went to that area.

still blessed

Last night, I almost wanted to break down.
I was exhausted from having to go back and forth between the Immigration Department so many times and I was worn out from my never-ending arguments and negotiations with our former real estate; not to mention that our finances were almost depleted from all the expenses due to the sudden move to our new apartment across town.
I was in the car with hubby on our way home, and I wanted to cry in resignation. Silently, I asked God why He was giving us such a difficult time just to sponsor Yaya’s darn visa. It was supposed to be such a simple and fast thing to do, but evidently in our case, new problems arose every single step of the way.
Anyway, as I was questioning God, hubby and I passed by 3 cars that were involved in an accident near DAFZA. And later, we saw a car that was wrecked almost way beyond repair at the intersection near our building. In both accidents, we saw Dubai Police and Ambulances, so definitely, some people were hurt.
That’s when I realized that in spite of everything, we were still blessed. I had focused too much on the problems we were facing, that I neglected to see the reason and purpose as to why we had to go through all of this, as well as the blessings that we had been receiving along the way.
Right that moment, I silently whispered my thanks to God in prayer...something that I should have done before, but unfortunately, it took 2 car accidents to make me open my eyes.

a story of appreciation

Thanks to Ann for sharing!

One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company.
He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision.
The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score.
The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?"
The youth answered "none".
The director asked, "Was it your father who paid for your school fees?"
The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees."
The director asked, "Where did your mother work?"
The youth answered, "My mother worked as clothes cleaner."
The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.
The director asked, "Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?"
The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me."
The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning."
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid.
The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tears fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future.
After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.
That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.
Next morning, the youth went to the director's office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: "Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?"
The youth answered, "I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes."
The Director asked, "Please tell me your feelings."
The youth said,
"Number 1, I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not be a successful me today.
Number 2, by working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done.
Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship."
The director said, "This is what I am looking for to be my manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not let money as his only goal in life. You are hired."
Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously.

.............

A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying the kid instead?
You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.

things i learned yesterday

Actually, these are things that I am always aware of, or received countless forwarded e-mails about, or heard in many talks in CFC and SFC. But yesterday, I was reminded about them...and I hope I won't forget them or take them for granted ever again.

1) Life is short. You never know when or how yours will end, so you should make it as meaningful as you can.
2) Friends made in Christ are true friends for life. They may not end up being your best friend/s forever, but they will surely be good friends you can count on.
3) The wife is her husband's partner; but the husband is still the head of the family who makes the decisions.
4) Couples should never say anything negative about their partner to anyone (remember when we said our vows "...to honor and respect...").
5) Bad things happen to all of us and we often don't know why, but the only things that can help us overcome them are true friends, family and God.
6) Think before you speak. You'll regret it if you don't.

rules of life

During our household last week, one of our sisters told us about a speech that Bill Gates gave to a group of high school students recently. However, the “11 Things That They Don't Teach in School” the Microsoft Chairman talked about actually came from Charles J. Sykes. Here’s the list as it was written and compiled by Mr. Sykes (including the last 3 that Mr. Gates didn’t mention):

1) Life is not fair. Get used to it. The average teen-ager uses the phrase, "It's not fair" 8.6 times a day. You got it from your parents, who said it so often you decided they must be the most idealistic generation ever. When they started hearing it from their own kids.
2) The real world won't care as much about your self-esteem as much as your school does. It'll expect you to accomplish something before you feel good about yourself. This may come as a shock. Usually, when inflated self-esteem meets reality, kids complain it's not fair.
3) Sorry, you won't make $40,000 a year right out of high school. And you won't be a vice president or have a car phone either. You may even have to wear a uniform that doesn't have a Gap label.
4) If you think your teacher is tough, wait 'til you get a boss. He doesn't have tenure, so he tends to be a bit edgier. When you screw up, he's not going to ask you how you feel about it.
5) Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word of burger flipping. They called it opportunity. They weren't embarrassed making minimum wage either. They would have been embarrassed to sit around talking about Kurt Cobain or Britney Speers all weekend.
6) It's not your parents' fault. If you screw up, you are responsible. This is the flip side of "It's my life," and "You're not the boss of me," and other eloquent proclamations of your generation. When you turn 18, it's on your dime. Don't whine about it, or you'll sound like a kid.
7) Before you were born your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way paying your bills, cleaning up your room and listening to you tell them how idealistic you are. And by the way, before you save the rain forest from the blood-sucking parasites of your parents' generation, try delousing the closet in your bedroom.
8) Your school may have done away with winners and losers. Life hasn't. In some schools, they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. Failing grades have been abolished and class valedictorians scrapped, lest anyone's feelings be hurt. Effort is as important as results. This, of course, bears not the slightest resemblance to anything in real life.
9) Life is not divided into semesters, and you don't get summers off. Not even Easter break. They expect you to show up every day. For eight hours. And you don't get a new life every 10 weeks. It just goes on and on. While we're at it, very few jobs are interesting in fostering your self-expression or helping you find yourself. Fewer still lead to self-realization.
10) Television is not real life. Your life is not a sitcom. Your problems will not all be solved in 30 minutes, minus time for commercials. In real life, people actually have to leave the coffee shop to go to jobs. Your friends will not be as perky or pliable as Jennifer Aniston.
11) Be nice to nerds. You may end up working for them. We all could.
12) Smoking does not make you look cool. It makes you look moronic. Next time you're out cruising, watch an 11-year-old with a butt in his mouth. That's what you look like to anyone over 20. Ditto for "expressing yourself" with purple hair and/or pierced body parts.
13) You are not immortal. If you are under the impression that living fast, dying young and leaving a beautiful corpse is romantic, you obviously haven't seen one of your peers at room temperature lately.
14) Enjoy this while you can. Sure parents are a pain, school's a bother, and life is depressing. But someday you'll realize how wonderful it is to be a kid. Maybe you should start now.

five things parents can do in raising their child

A n@wie sis (hi Arvee!) attended Kumon’s Seminar in July with her colleague, where one of the speakers was Bam Aquino (cousin of P-Noy and the youngest Cabinet Official ever). Mr. Aquino spoke of several things his parents did when he was growing up that contributed a lot to the man that he has become – successful, yet God-fearing and family-oriented.
Here are the 5 lessons he outlined:

My parents taught me the value of achievement.
* Excellence is a HABIT they instilled in me.
* Failure is not an option but a reality. They taught me to be resilient.
* It's not the end that really matters but the climb.
Only their love is free. Nothing else is.
* You must always work hard for everything.
They NEVER sheltered me.
* My parents let me experience how life really is. During campaigns we helped our late Uncle Ninoy and late Auntie Cory; and my parents let us really experience the experience…kahit mainit, magulo at mahirap.
They let me choose my own adventures.
* Never micromanage your child.
* Just give them parameters then allow them to decide on their own even if you don't always agree with the decision.
Integrity Service.
* Always serve as a good example.

Arvee shared this in our egroup, and with her permission (thanks sis!) I’ve posted it here to help and serve as a reminder to me and other parents out there.

ramadan in uae

Ramadan has arrived!
This means that for Muslims everywhere, they need to devote time to prayer and spiritual reflection.
Non-Muslims need to be especially sensitive and respectful to the Muslims during the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.
Shorter working hours and fasting from dawn until sunset are usually the first things that come to mind when we think of Ramadan.
Although non-Muslims are not required to fast, we still need to show some consideration by not eating, drinking, smoking and chewing gum in public. Of course, there are those who are exempted like pregnant & breastfeeding women and people taking medications.
It may be difficult since we aren’t used to going the whole day without so much as a bite or sip, but sometimes companies allow their non-Muslim employees to take quick snacks in their office’s pantry. On the other hand, since the working hours are shorter, others usually wait to feed their hunger until they're in the privacy of their own homes.
Unfortunately, since most of the people don’t or can’t eat at their workplace, it becomes really dangerous to go out on the roads. It’s the time of day where the sun is scorching, the people are hungry, and they want to go home right away...which makes them really impatient and hot-tempered. You’ll see them driving so recklessly, especially on the major roads and highways. It would be better to either wait in the comfort of your office until the roads are safe and clear or take the metro or bus.
From another perspective, Ramadan is a good time as any to start shedding those unwanted pounds. Just don’t starve yourself the whole day and then wolf down mountains of food in the evening!
Ramadan Kareem everyone!

remittance

Last Friday when I called Mama for our regular weekly conversation, she reminded me that the payment for her pension was due, and she requested if I could add bit more for her other expenses when I send the money. Considering that I only remit money to her every 3-4 months, I did what she asked over the weekend.
 
Yesterday, Mama called me to let me know that they were ok despite the arrival of Typhoon Basyang, and she said she just wanted to say THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU! THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU! THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU! THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU! (well, you get the picture) for the money I had sent. I couldn’t count the number of times she said that, but it was really heartwarming to hear.

Then I realized how many times have other OFWs sent their hard-earned money to their families in the Philippines without so much as a sincere “thank you” or “take care of yourself” or even “we miss you” when they receive it…then the only time they’ll think of calling their hardworking loved one abroad is when they need money again? Sheeeshh!!!

Anyway, I’m just glad that Mama really appreciated what I sent. The loneliness from being far away from them and the hard work we have to endure is worth hearing how grateful our loved ones are and knowing that they’re ok.

shocking news

I came across these 2 articles in Gulf News today:

A woman tries to flush her newborn baby down the toilet of a plane
A man is caught sexually molesting a comatose girl

What in the world were these people thinking?!?!

libre lang ang mangarap

I received the below article in my e-mail a few days ago. After reading it, I immediately sent it to all my friends, including the 3 yahoogroups I'm a member of. Anyway, I'm posting it in my blog to serve as a reminder and eye-opener to myself and everyone out there.

Thanks to Kiomi for sharing!

Narinig mo na ba ito: "Libre lang ang mangarap."

Pag mukhang walang direksyon ang buhay mo, sasabihin nila,"wala ka man lang kaambi-ambisyon!" Pag andami-dami mong gustong gawin, sasabihin naman nila, "ambisyoso ka!" Ayos ba?

May mga nagtatagumpay sa buhay, may sumisikat at nalalaos, may gumaganda ang buhay pansamantala ngunit pagkatapos ay bumabalik sa dati at kung minsan ay mas masahol pa. Tignan mo yung kapitbahay mong nag Saudi o kaya'y pumunta sa Dubai at Italy o kaya si ate sa Hongkong. Wag na tayo lumayo... Musta kaya ang buhay sa call center sa bandang Libis o Ortigas? O kaya yung teller ng banko sa Makati . Ano ba ang kasalukuyang sinasalamin ng buhay nila. Kaginhawaan? Kasaganahan? O kahirapan pa din.

Marahil marami ang nangarap sa buhay. Kahit siguro yung kaibigan mong ewan, marahil ay may pangarap din ngunit libre nga ba ito? At kung libre, bakit madami pa din ang hindi nakakaabot sa kanilang mga pangarap.

Kasya ba ang take home pay mo? Musta ang credit card mo? Max up na yung pangatlo?! Palagay ko hindi libre ang mangarap. Tulad na lang ng kalayaan, subukan mong isalin sa ingles ang salitang ito – freedom. Libre nga ba ito? Kung libre ito, bakit may Ninoy, bakit may Evelio Javier, at madami pang nagbubuwis ng buhay? Tsk tsk.

Nakakatuwa ang paggamit ng ating mga salita. May kakilala akong nag-Saudi. Nakapag pundar ng bahay, umabot sa mahigit isang milyon ang nahawakang pera. Tuloy tuloy na sana pero nalulong sa droga, nawala lahat ang kabuhayan. Nangarap ba siya? Marahil. Pero somewhere along the way, nawala ang focus niya.

Tapos si Manong Ed, istokwa, bata pa tumira na sa palengke. Sabi sa kanila, "black sheep" ng pamilya. Di na inintindi ng magulang. Ang batang palaboy-laboy sa palengke ng Surigao, kamuntik naging sundalo, kamuntik din nakatapos ng engineering at nag-mekaniko. Nasaan na siya ngayon? Nag-abroad na, tangay ang limang kaibigan at kapamilya. Saan kaya niya hinugot ang kanyang lakas upang makaalis sa palengkeng naging kanlungan niya habang siya ay nag-iisa?

Listen, yung nanay ng friend ko at age 44, nag-nursing. Saan na siya ngayon? Nagto-tour na. She has all the money to do just that. Ano! matanda ka na?

Eto isa pa. Yung lola ng friend ko, nag retire at age 65. Bumalik sa skul, kumuha ng Law. Sabi ng mga apo at anak, "Matanda na kayo. Pahinga na lang kayo sa bahay." Sagot niya, "Ubingak pay! (bata pa ako)." Nakinig ba siya? Hindi! Ayun pumasa sa bar, lawyer na ang lola! Whew!

Ano, hihirit ka pa? Minsan sa isang seminar, lumapit sa akin ang isang clerk, may konting luha at lungkot sa kanyang mga mata. Sabi niya, "Labing pitong taon na akong clerk, wala pang nangyari sa buhay ko!" Ako ay namangha at nabagabag. Anlalim nun ah! I got scared. Sabi ko, "Anong ginawa mo? Madami namang seminar na pwedeng puntahan, libro na puedeng basahin o kaya panibagong skills na pwedeng pag-aralan." Ang kanyang tugon ay nakakalungkot. Sabi niya, "Busy ako sa work eh!" She was practically imprisoned sa lamesa niya for 17 years!

Kaya ang mas malalim na tanong, "Are we busy with the right things? Does it make us grow? Does it make us a better person? May mas magandang pupuntahan ba ang ginagawa natin sa susunod na mga taon?" Ang karayom, pag tinusok sa 'yo ay masakit. Mararamdaman mo ito. Kaya ang karayom itinali ko sa isang steel rod at itinusok sa dibdib niya, at sinabing, "Tignan mo yang isang officemate mo. Dati clerk din siya, ngayon Systems Administrator na. Pareho kayo ng simula diba?"

The desire to dream starts from the heart, it is a daily decision to be where you want to be. It is owning it. `Tol, wag ka umasa sa mana mo o kaya sa gobyerno o sa Boss mo. At the end of the day, commodity ka lang. Ang buhay kasi is buy and sell kaya dapat alamin mo ang tunay mong halaga baka na syo-shortchange ka! Bilhin ka ng boss mo sa halagang Php10,000 tapos ibebenta ka sa halagang Php100,000. Yan ang harap harapang prostitusyon!

Ask yourself. Masaya ka ba where you are? Ok ka na ba diyan? kumusta lineage ng pamilya mo? Is that what you want to see in your generation? Sabi ng isang guard sa akin noon. Junie, security guard na lolo ko. Security guard din tatay ko, kaya security guard na din ako. Sabi ko, "Ayaw mong maging chief of police?" But really, kung yung nagdaang henerasyon sa pamilya mo e puno ng kakulangan, would you even dream and act to change it? O you resign to it and say, "Eto ang kapalaran ko."

Simulan mo. Minsan masarap maging discontent. Wag mong isiping bata ka pa o matanda ka na o may kakulangan ka. Ala akong pinag-aralan eh. Mahirap lang kami. Wala kaming pera. O nagpapadala ka sa mga taong nagsasabing, "Sama-sama na lang tayo dito!" This one really scares me! O nagsasabing, "Ambisyoso ka!"

`Tol, at the end of the day, di naman sila ang magpapakain ng pamilya mo eh. Try mong utangan sila. It's not about lacking in resources, it is about resourcefulness.

I started losing friends when I realize may mga taong excess baggage sa buhay natin. Minsan may nakilala ako, sobrang nega. Sala sa init sala sa lamig. Laging may problemang dala. Minsang kasama ko sabi niya, "Bat di mo ako kinakausap?" Sagot ko naman, "There is nothing good to say!" Lagi akong nagtatanong, "Is this person going to make a good influence sa buhay ko?" Syempre, yan din ang lagi kong tanong sa sarili ko. Choose your friends.

An eagle can not fly if he is dressed like a turkey. And you can't go to the same school as the duck's school. Tignan mo if they have grown in the past few years kasi may tinatawag na Law of Association. Are they excited about life or they see it as drudgery? Are you in survival mode or is your life accelerating? Pareho ba maxed up credit card niyo? Do you hear more complaints than movements? Ang bakasyon ba mas pinagpla-planuhan kaysa sa buhay? Is happy hour better than growing together?

There must be what they call the next level kasi ang buhay hindi dress rehearsal. Kaya if you see yourself in the bar every weekend with your friends, you better run away from them!

Start within you. Change the way you see things. Look at your life as a new canvass. Choose the colors! Wag mo nang balikan yung nakaraan. Di mo na mababago yun. Yung ngayon at bukas, may magagawa ka pa. Dapat may internal change muna. You have to start with your character. Be a better person everyday. Lahat ng gagawin mo should have an impact hindi lang sa buhay mo kundi sa mga taong nasa paligid mo. Everyday decision yan. Pag-align na yung character mo, pag tama yang puso mo, everything will come into focus. Mas magaan ang buhay mo. Then yung sinasabi nilang, the whole universe will collide to give you what you deserve will definitely happen. Remember, the universe respond to deserved, not need, not want.

Finally, stretch yourself and your life like a rubber band. You will never know what your potentials are until you stretch yourself hard enough it's gonna break you. Don't let anyone live your life and drive you where they please. Like a boss with a stick and a carrot dangling at the other end. The only person who can tell you na hanggang diyan ka lang is yourself so the competition is not between you and the other person. It's the devil inside you that doesn't want you to grow.

Make a decision to change wherever you are. Don't wait for someday. Someday, someday, someday. Remove that from your vocabulary and say NOW IS THE TIME TO CHANGE!

Sama sama tayong mangarap. Mahal ang mangarap pero halika, I'll walk with you. Ano, kelan tayo magsisimula?

You already know everything you need to know about success. All you have to do is to put the remote control down, scoop that bag of chips away, get out from the couch and do something!