Mystique's Moments

Happy 32nd Anniversary!

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 01:42:00 +0000

Dear Mamang and Papang,

It is hard to remember a time when you weren't both there for us, just as you are for each other to this day. I pray that you continue to be a blessing to each other and be the greatest inspiration to us, your children. Thank you both for your selfless and unconditional love. Words are not enough to express how grateful we are to God for giving you to us. We love you always.

Happy 32nd anniversary!!!

Losing an Angel

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:45:00 +0000

There's no greater pain I believe than a mother who lost a child. I knew this for a fact even before I became pregnant and lost our little angel. No words of consolation can ease the pain away. I blamed myself at first and had a lot of "what if'", "if only" and the big "WHY" running through my mind. Only through constant prayers and incessant conversation with my husband and loved ones helped me in accepting what happened, that we're not meant to have our angel longer than we had her. Time and faith in God can really help in accepting and facing the reality.

We are still in the process of healing now, but we already accepted the fact that God has His reasons in taking away our little angel so soon. We have stronger faith and we are more hopeful of the future and know that God has better plans for our family.

To you my little angel, sleep and rest well now that you're in a far better place.

An angel in the book of life wrote down my baby's birth.

Then whispered as she closed the book "too beautiful for earth".

How very softly
you tiptoed into our world.
Almost silently;
Only a moment you stayed.
But what an imprint
Your footprints have left
On our hearts.

So sleep our little angel, sleep
So little, yet so loved
So small, so sweet, so soon
We will love you always.

Life's 50 Lessons

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 06:09:00 +0000

When she turned 50 in May 2006, Regina Brett of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, (www.reginabrett.com/) wrote :

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 50 this week, so here's an update: "

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.

17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.

18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch. (Ruben's addition: Your FAMILY and friends will.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.

38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

45. The best is yet to come.

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

48. If you don't ask, you don't get.

49. Yield.

50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

To Every Woman...

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:57:00 +0000

I came to know the author Pamela Redmond Satran through a friend who posted the author's quotes on her Facebook account. Upon reading it, I couldn't help myself not to repost the article here in my blog. It is such a very inspiring piece and I would like to share it to every woman I know. Here are somethings that we should have and we should know...

"A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....

enough money within her control to move out

and rent a place of her own even if she never wants

to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....

something perfect to wear if the employer or date of her

dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....

a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to

retelling it in her old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .....

a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black

lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....

one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who

lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....

a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone

else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....

eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a

recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....

a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

how to fall in love without losing herself..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

HOW TO QUIT A JOB,

BREAK UP WITH A LOVER,

AND CONFRONT A FRIEND WITHOUT RUINING THE FRIENDSHIP...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

that she can't change the length of her calves,

the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

that her childhood may not have been perfect...but it's over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

whom she can trust,

whom she can't,

and why she shouldn't

take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

where to go...

be it to her best friend's kitchen table...

or a charming inn in the woods...

when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

what she can and can't accomplish in a day...

a month...and a year..."

— Pamela Redmond Satran

Nikon D5000

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 07:38:00 +0000

I was overwhelmed with happiness when I got my birthday present from my honey, it's the one thing I've been wishing of, dreaming about, and endlessly raving for a year now, to have my own DSLR camera and my honey gave me no less than a Nikon D5000.

We went to Hidalgo together - if you are living in Manila and you want to get the cheapest and the best deals in cameras and accessories, Hidalgo is the place to go. If you're wondering how to get to Hidalgo, here's how: my honey and I met and get on the train at Buendia LRT station then get off Carriedo station through Isetan, we went down to the ground floor to cross the street and entered SM and exited at the other side where Watson store is located. You're already in the camera haven called Hidalgo, walked around and you will see some famous stores there like Henry's, Mayer's, etc.

Nikon D5000 price have been fluctuating for months, when my honey bought mine, he got it for P28, 500 from Mayer's, Henry's on the other hand is selling it for P29,000.00. Nikon D5000 is being sold like hotcake in Hidalgo.

I'm more excited to attend photography workshops now that I have my own DSLR camera, to know the ins and outs of basic photography and what not. Watch out for my progress as I will surely share it here on my blog.

I can't thank my honey enough for giving me this best birthday gift ever! Thanks for granting my wish more so, thanks for making me happy. You made my day really special.

Birthday, Changes and Eveything in Between

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 01:15:00 +0000

Time passes by so fast and one of the few conscious reminders is celebrating one's birthday. I can't imagine it's my Papang's birthday once again, it seems like it was just yesterday when he celebrated his last birthday and I wrote quite a lengthy piece of tribute to him followed by a lengthy hiatus as well in blogging.

Well, a lot had happened since then, I may not have just noticed it but time has been quite a friend and an ally in the past. I and my family have gone through many big, big changes. My youngest brother, Willy is now working and currently based in U.A.E. My boyfriend Jon & I have finally decided to get married in December of this year and my cutest niece is back to her lolo & lola's arms. I also got a new job which is a lot more challenging than my previous and a new apartment as well, more spacious and roomy than the old one. Changes, we really just have to welcome them and know that more often than not they bring good things & bright hope to each and one of us.

So, in closing this, I just want to wish my dear Papang a happy, happy birthday once again! May all your wishes last year came true and if they did not I'll pray that they will be granted now or in God's own time. Remember, that your children will always be here to give you happiness in your remaining years and to make sure that your time with us will always be a time well spent.

Happy Birthday Papang!!!

Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each year: The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once again. ~Menachem Mendel Schneerson

My Loving Mother

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Sun, 10 May 2009 07:30:00 +0000

Here's a poem from an anonymous author that I'd love to share with my dearest Mamang.

To the one who gave me life
I can give nothing but love
To the star so full of light
to the one sent from up above.

Thank you for the kindness
for everything you do
thank you for the happiness
thanks for seeing me through.

I love you more than anything
I'll love you to the end
you are my mother first
then my very best friend.

It is unusual what we share
everything I do you know,
every beautiful quality
you have in you, I try to show.

Not often enough do I tell you
how much you mean to me
Not often enough do I show you
how your love set me free

To live forever and always
Is what I wish for you.
A long life ever-lasting
for one so sacred and true

You are my special angel
who I always find comfort in
whether life is in a shambles
whether I lose or whether I win

To the one who gave me life,
I can give nothing but love
to the one who genuinely is,
sent from heaven above.

I Love you Mamang!!!

Food Trip in Hagonoy, Bulacan

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Sun, 03 May 2009 06:41:00 +0000

Jon's friend, Bodell, invited us to go visit their place in Hagonoy, Bulacan. So, yesterday, straight from our shift we headed north with some of our friends. We came just in time for lunch and Bodell's family welcomed us with some delectable and mouth-watering dishes served on the table. Needless to say, we enjoyed every bite of the delicious seafoods.

Afterward, me & the girls, spent the whole afternoon taking turns singing in the videoke while the boys had their own bonding moment and enjoyed talking about their most favorite subject- cars.

At around 8:00 PM we said goodbye and headed back home. By that time, I was sleepless for more than 24 hours and obviously dead tired. But I don't mind at all since I had so much fun and enjoyed every second of our trip.

Maan & I on our way to Hagonoy, Bulacan

My honey Jon with his younger brother Chris

Taking a pose when we arrived

Truly delicious seafoods

Sleep-deprived yet still pretty...LOL!

Videoke time!!!

With Jon, Chris & Bodell

Thanks to Bodell and his family for the warm welcome. ^_^

Top EC Droppers for April

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Fri, 01 May 2009 09:55:00 +0000

Time to give some linky love again to my Entrecard Top Droppers for the past 30 days.

Dropper # of drops

Blogger Templates 30
All contests 30
Traders' Hub 30
All blogspot templates 30
More Than Sew So 29
my review 29
Secondary Roads 29
Woodworker blog 29
Jean sQuared 28
I Learn Online Marketing 27

Kuhala Bay Experience

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:49:00 +0000

A few miles from Manila, in a little nook in Cardona, Rizal, lies a paradise called Kuhala Bay Resort. The awesome scenery on the way and the place itself is truly breathtaking. Who would have thought that with just a little more than an hour away from Manila we would find a real haven to relax and unwind last weekend. It was a wonderful experience for me and Jon and the rest of his team. There really are a lot of beautiful places yet to be discovered and experienced in our country and this is just one of them.

(On our way to Cardona, Rizal)

(Kuhala, here we are!!!)

(beautiful scenery!)

(taking a dip in the jacuzzi)

(enjoying the view in the morning)

(at the top gazebo)

(Jon showing off some prowess in billiards)

(Jon with his friends)

Heart Attack - How to Survive When Alone

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:57:00 +0000

Let's say it's 6:15 PM and you're driving home (alone of course) after an unusually hard day on the job. You're really tired and frustrated, stressed and upset.

Suddenly, you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only five miles from the hospital nearest your home. Unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make that far.

What will you do?

You have been trained in CPR, but the guy that conducted the course did not tell you how to perform it on yourself.

How to survive a heart attack when alone?

Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.

What will you do?

ANSWER:

Do not panic but start coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough. The cough must be deep and prolonged as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest.

A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let-up until help arrives or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again.

Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythmn. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital.

If you are reading this, please share to as many other people as possible. It could save their lives. Don't ever think that you are not prone to heart attack since your age is less than 25 or 30. Nowadays, due to the change in lifestyle, heart attack is found among people of all age groups.

Source:

Article published on No. 240 of Journal of General Hospital Rochester
Clip Art courtesy of Fotosearch.com

Flash & Furious - Dominated by Filipinos Donaire & Viloria

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 19:42:00 +0000

Everyone rejoices and congratulations are pouring in as two top Filipino boxing fighters knocked out their Mexican opponents today here in Manila in a fight aptly billed The Flash & The Furious.

Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire and Brian "Hawaiian Punch" Viloria capped an impressive day for Filipinos. Donaire retained his International Boxing Federation (IBF) and International Boxing Organization flyweight titles after a one-sided fourth-round knock out punch over erstwhile undefeated Raul "La Cobrita" Martinez. Donaire knocked down the 27-year-old Mexican-American twice in the first round and once in the second and fourth rounds before the fight was brought to a halt.

On the other hand, Viloria took away the IBF light flyweight title from Ulises "Archie" Solis in their action-packed clash. It was a longer fight between the two since both showed tenacity and determination to win the fight yet, on the 11th round Viloria ended the match prematurely with a devastating right straight as Solis was coming in.

We are so ecstatic over the victories by Donaire and Viloria and the fun is not over yet as we are expecting another victory in the offing in the upcoming fight of People's Champ Manny Pacquiao against IBO light flyweight champion Ricky Hatton on May 2 in Nevada.

Goodluck and best wishes to you Pacman! You're always in our prayers.

Wolverine Movie Leaked Online

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:13:00 +0000

I was really saddened by the news that the unfinished version of the movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine has been leaked online a month in advance. I am one of those who's anticipating the official release of the movie here in Manila.

Australian actor Hugh Jackman was "heartbroken" that the film had been leaked on the Internet. Jackman, who not only stars in the movie but also produced it via his company Seed Productions, said he was upset for everyone involved in the movie that an unfinished version was posted online last week, almost a month before its launch.

"It's a serious crime, and there's no doubt it's very disappointing -- I was heartbroken by it," Jackman told a news conference widely reported by the Australian media.

"Obviously people are seeing an unfinished film. It's like a Ferrari without a paint job."

"The FBI are onto it, and they're taking it very, very seriously," said the 40-year-old actor, who was voted the "Sexiest Man Alive" by People magazine last year.

This is the first time a film with massive box office potential has been leaked a full month before its release. Typically, pirated copies become available a day or two after the movie plays in theaters. The last time a leak of this magnitude happened was in 2003 for the comic-book film Hulk, which had an unfinished copy on the Internet two weeks before its release.

I condemn this act. Such theft undermines the enormous efforts of the filmmakers and actors as well as hurt the fans of the film. I hope the proper authorities would find the source of the initial leak as soon as possible and prosecute the shameless man to the fullest extent of the law.

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine” will bow to theaters across the Philippines and Australia on APRIL 30 (THURSDAY) and May 1 on US.

Source:

Yahoo News

A Little Prayer I'd Love to Share with Ally

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 05:15:00 +0000

As some of you may know, my cousin Ally celebrated her 26th birthday last Wednesday, April 8, 2009. It was quite a bash with all the scrumptious delicacies on the table and the joyous atmosphere around. We all had fun gobbling up the food and enjoying the company of good friends.

(Ally & I)

(Ally & I with our good friend Raquel)

(Ally with me, my honey Jon, Raquel, Czarina and Rael)

(yummy seafoods!!!my favorite!)

Happy Birthday once again my dear cousin Ally!!! Thanks for the treat...

Here's a little prayer I'd like to share with you from Douglas Pagels...

I want your life to be such a wonderful one.
I wish you peace. Deep within your soul.
Joyfulness. In the promise of each new day.
Stars. To reach for. Dreams. To come true.
Memories. More beautiful than words can say...

I wish you friends. Close at heart, even over miles.
Loved ones. The best treasures we're blessed with.
Present moments. To live in, one day at a time.
Serenity. With its wisdom.
Courage. With its strength.
New beginnings. To give life a chance to really shine.

I wish you understanding. Of how special you really are.
A journey. Safe from the storms and warmed by the sun.
A path. To wonderful things.
An invitation. To the abundance life brings.
And an angel watching over.
For all the days to come.

I love you dearie... ^_^

--------First Commenter--------

A Daughter's Wishes for her Father

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 21:07:00 +0000

Last April 5, my father celebrated his 55th year in this world. Funny how time flies so fast. I remember the old days when he used to take me to school in my kindergarten and early elementary years. I grew up in an unusual set up where in my mother was the one who works and provides for the family. Although, she told me that my father used to work when I and my three younger brothers were still toddlers, I have no memories of that at all. I just have vivid remembrances of my father who stayed with us at home taking good care of us, feeding us, and teaching us basic household chores so we won’t depend on our helper. If for some, their mother is their first teacher, for me, it was my father. He taught me to read and write and I still remember those times when I would show off to my mother my progress in reading and writing once she’s home. Even though Papang hadn’t had the chance to finish college, his readings and information on a wide variety of subjects made up for his lack of formal education. He had adequate knowledge to guide us in our schooling. He passed on to us everything we need to learn whether in school or in our everyday life. The important skills we need to survive and perform the daily tasks with grace. The fact that he wasn’t the family’s provider didn’t make him less of a father in our adoring eyes.

Looking back when I was still young, Papang was quite a disciplinarian. He was hardly tolerant of our mistakes. Every mistake committed by any of us would be met by a blow of a stick or a belt. He was very adamant about us following his rules: we must be home before sunset; we must study and attend to our lessons every night; we must all try to learn and do every household chores; we must take good care of each other; share everything we have with one another (each of us must have an equal share of food, clothing, etc); never ever miss a church service (unless we are physically disable to do so). These were just some of those rules I remember. It is only now that I fully understand how hard it must be for him to hurt us to correct our misconducts and to instill in us the important lessons that would count very essential in our growing years. I now understand why there was a time when he was teary eyed explaining to us the reason why he had to beat us. I could honestly say that we wouldn’t be what we are today if not for my father’s incessant discipline. Now all those times have long been gone, but the lessons remain and would no doubt stay with us for the rest of our lives.

To my Papang who celebrated another milestone in his life on Earth I only wish I was with you celebrating your special day. Yet, certain circumstances kept us away from each other. Although it’s hard to accept, we have to live by the fact that I have to go away to find my own niche in this world. At times, I am happy that I live afar since I feel that the distance somewhat made us closer more than ever. Now we have no inhibition in saying "I love you’s" to each other, which was quite inconceivable when I still lived at home. Every text messages, phone conversations would end up with us saying loving and endearing words to one another. I have completely opened up to you –truly a milestone in our relationship. It was pretty obvious that I was a lot closer to Mamang when I was younger but now you’re both almost on the same level. Even when we're apart I take comfort in knowing that the special bond, caring and closeness between us will never change and will always be in my heart. I am so enormously proud of you Pang! If I were given a chance to be anything I wanted to become, there's nothing I would rather be...than your daughter and there's no one I would rather have ...as my father.

On your 55th year, I wish you the eternal wisdom to guide you in your golden years. May you be graced by God with good health so no physical disabilities would hinder you from performing your duties at church- which I’m sure is one of the few things that completes and gives you happiness these days. May you’ll be blessed with all the resources to strengthen the generosity of your spirit. I know that your love for Mamang is immeasurable and would even outlive you both but I still wish for your love of one another to become stronger and deeper for its the only sure thing that will sustain you when everyone leaves you and you’re bereft of every material things. May you’ll have all the necessary strength to keep on guiding us –your children- even in our older years because we are aware that our wisdom is absolutely incomparable to yours. You still have all the time in the world to make all your dreams come true; I pray that you continue reaching for the stars and I hope you realize that we your children will be with you on your journey to the top; I urge you to live your life to the fullest with no regrets, no what-ifs nor come-what-mays. These are my wishes and more for you my dear Papang.

Happy Birthday Pang! Beyond any words that I could even begin to tell how much, I hold you and your happiness within my heart to warm your everyday existence. I am just so thankful to the years that have given me so much to be thankful for. I love you always... ^_^

(My loving Papang & Mamang)

--------First Commenter--------

EC Top Droppers for March

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 06:22:00 +0000

Yeehah! It's the end of month again and here comes a brand new month. But before I finally let go of the month that has been, let me take this opportunity to show my big, big thanks for my top 10 droppers last March by giving them some linky love.

Life's A Pizza Pie (31)

Scandinavian Ways - Winesworlds blog (31)

Blogger Templates (31)

Big Boys Have Toys Too (31)

DJ Tammy Squels (30)

All blogspot templates (30)

Tips and News on Healthy Lifestyle (30)

All contests (29)

Random Ramblings (29)

Windmill on the Hill (28)

You're all awesome guys!!! Thanks once again and happy blogging!!! ^_^

--------First Commenter--------

MM- Love Story - Taylor Swift

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 06:37:00 +0000

We girls have always been dreaming of finding our very own Romeo in this life, and I'm just so glad I found mine already. For those who haven't yet, there's no need to rush. It will come in your life in God's perfect time. Meanwhile, let's enjoy this "Love Story" by the formidably pretty Taylor Swift with an equally beautiful voice. Will my own love story have the same ending? That remains to be seen. You'll surely be the first ones to know if it finally will.

Lyrics | Taylor Swift lyrics - Love Story lyrics

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

ISP Rantings

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:42:00 +0000

I barely update my blog these days. Blame it to my zero internet connection. I have yet to find time to look for a new internet provider since I had my previous ISP (Globe Broadband) disconnected. I have been dilly-dallying mainly because I am having a hard time choosing. I had quite an awful experience with my previous provider and I don’t want to deal with the same problems again. So, I am carefully considering my options.

It’s really hard not having internet at home. Although, I’m lucky enough to have internet connection at work it’s never the same as sitting in front of my laptop with the homey atmosphere surrounding me. Plus the fact that, I have to use proxies to access non-work related sites to get away from I.T. who are being paid to make sure we don’t enjoy the hours we stay at work.

For now I have to make do with the few hours I can get away from my work load to update my blog and do my dropping chores at the cafés where there is a better chance of a much faster connection. And since I don’t really like staying at cafés - if only I have a choice- I have not been consistent doing my EC rounds too. So, I am really thankful to those who unlike me were constantly swinging by my blog everyday. I really appreciate all your efforts and I hope I can return the favor real soon. I’d like to make a special mention of Windy who has been eager to help me with something I’d like to do with my blog yet; I wasn’t able to reply to his messages immediately. I really feel bad about that and I’m really sorry If I disappointed you but as I have said in my EC message, my weekends which happens to be my day offs too, are always busy. I take these days as an opportunity to unwind and so, I rarely spend them online. I hope you will not take that against me *wink*.

As of now, I am thinking if I will choose PLDT over Sky Broadband. I have spoken to some of my office mates and they said PLDT is working fine for them. On the other hand, Sky Broadband, the newest ISP to hit the market which offers a faster connection although I’m not so sure if this is just all market-driven hype to attract possible subscribers. I have read many internet forums too to make sure I will not make the wrong choice again.

At any rate, I just hope I will have my new ISP soon. It will surely make everything easier for me. I just realized its importance in my life now that I have to go to the café to pay my bills and do some bank transactions online *sigh*. I think these are just some perks of the internet I find hard to live without and the fact that I can’t attend to my blogging chores religiously.

Do wish me good luck on my search for the perfect ISP. I really hope I’ll get connected soon. ^_^

--------First Commenter---------

MM - The Heart Of The Matter - India Arie

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 03:50:00 +0000

A friend shared this very special song with me. Special in a way, because this is her song nowadays. It is such a sad song I know, but then the words just depict exactly how she feels at the moment. Her heart has just been broken and I know it will take time before it will completely heal. Yet, I'm sure she gets stronger by the fact the her friends will always be with her ready to help in anyway they can as she journey through forgetting and forgiving the person who just broke her heart.

I like the original version of Don Henley of The Eagles but the first time I heard India Arie's version I just fell in love with it.

The Heart Of The Matter Lyrics

Have a wonderful Music Monday everyone!

--------First Commenter--------

Earth Hour

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:12:00 +0000

On Saturday, March 28, 2009, the whole world will join hands in a fight against Global Warming.

What is Earth Hour?

Earth Hour is an annual international event created by the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature/World Wildlife Fund), held on the last Saturday of March, that asks households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights and electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change. It was pioneered by WWF Australia and the Sydney Morning Herald in 2007,[1] and achieved worldwide participation in 2008.

This lights-out initiative, which began in Sydney in 2007 as a one-city environmental campaign, has evolved into a grassroots action that has attracted worldwide attention. In 2008, 371 cities across 35 countries turned their lights out in a united call for action on climate change and energy conservation. Global landmarks – such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco , Rome 's Colosseum, and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square – all stood in darkness, symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour.

Earth Hour 2009 aims to reach one billion people in 1,000 cities all over the world. To help reach this goal, a global sign-up campaign and competition is again being launched worldwide. Last year, the Philippines ranked 9th in terms of total sign-ups. All Filipinos are urged to sign up at Earth Hour's global website: http://www.earthhour.org. Earth Hour Philippines 2009 hopes to involve 10 million Filipinos and 500 businesses in key cities across the country.

Let's us do our bit for a greener world. The first step is just turning off a light. It's as simple as a flick of the switch.

Join Earth Hour 2009! Turn off your lights at 8:30pm to 9:30 pm local time on Saturday, 28 March 2009.

Sources:

http://www.blogger.com/www.wikipedia.com
http://www.earthhour.org./

--------First Commenter--------

7 Don'ts After a Meal

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:00:00 +0000

We all love to eat! Yet, most of us are not aware that there are things we should try to avoid doing every after meal. I myself, learned a thing or two after reading this article from my inbox.

Don't smoke- Experiment from experts proves that smoking a cigarette after meal is comparable to smoking 10 cigarettes (chances of cancer is higher).

Don't eat fruits immediately - Immediately eating fruits after meals will cause stomach to be bloated with air. Therefore take fruit 1-2 hr after meal or 1hr before meal.

Don't drink tea - Because tea leaves contain a high content of acid. This substance will cause the Protein content in the food we consume to be hardened thus difficult to digest.

Don't loosen your belt - Loosening the belt after a meal will easily cause the intestine to be twisted & blocked.

Don't bathe - Bathing will cause the increase of blood flow to the hands, legs & body thus the amount of blood around the stomach will therefore decrease. This will weaken the digestive system in our stomach.

Don't walk about - People always say that after a meal walk a hundred steps and you will live till 99. In actual fact this is not true. Walking will cause the digestive system to be unable to absorb the nutrition from the food we intake.

Don't sleep immediately - The food we intake will not be able to digest properly. Thus will lead to gastric & infection in our intestine.

These are simple things we often neglect that might count essential in our total wellness. It's up to us if we believe these or not but I just shared it as well so you'll be aware. As Seneca said, and I quote, “To wish to be well is a part of becoming well.”

Thank You Graphic Comments

Picture, Picture Thing!

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:18:00 +0000

I got tagged yet again by Gagay. Whew! leave it to Gagay to give me something to do and she'll be full of ideas. The girl who never gets tired, that's her. Well, it looks like fun so I'll give it some run here.

The Rules:

"Use Google image to search the answers to the questions below. You must choose a picture from the first page of the results, and post it as your answer. After that, tag 7 people."

1) The age of my next birthday

2) Place I'd like to travel to

3) Favourite food

4) Favourite place

5) One of my nicknames

6) Favourite color

7) College major

8) Name of my love

9) Hobby

10) Bad habits

11) My wishlist

Now, I'd like to tag the following people:

Spicy, jonRez, Riel, Twerlyn, LittlePeopleWealth, Willa & Mize

Have fun guys! ^_^

Master Rapper Francis M. Passed Away

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 02:53:00 +0000

I was watching the local TV noon time show “Eat Bulaga” when the program was suddenly interrupted to give way for a very important announcement. Even before the announcement was made I knew then that it was something bad. All the hosts were on stage except for Joey De Leon which we knew later on was still on his way to the station at that time. The ominous atmosphere was quite apparent and they all exuded the aura of someone who just heard a bad news. Vic Sotto, one of the main hosts, made the first public announcement that Master Rapper Francis Magalona, who happens to be his dear friend and also a co-host of the said variety show died reportedly at 12 NN of March 06, 2009 due to acute myelogenous leukemia “secondary to severe sepsis and secondary to pneumonia,”. He was 44.

Francis Michael Magalona born on October 4, 1964 is the son of popular 1950s movie tandem Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran. He was a famous Filipino rapper, songwriter, producer, actor, director, and photographer. Also hailed as the “King of Pinoy Rap” and considered as a legend in the Philippine music industry; Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., an actor, extended his condolences to the Magalona family and paid tribute to the master rapper, saying the country had lost a "modern day artist." "The country has lost a modern-day artist, a nationalist in his own creative way," he said.

According to the news, the acclaimed rapper-musician was rushed to the Medical City on Thursday night. He was “intubated” upon admission and placed in the Intensive Care Unit at 3 a.m. Friday. He was described as “toxic” during the early hours of Friday. Doctors still managed to administer chemotherapy on Magalona however; he expired before a bone marrow transplant could be scheduled.

Francis had been undergoing several chemotherapy sessions since he was diagnosed with leukemia in August last year but was too weak to fight the infection. I was even able to follow his chemo sessions since he blogged about it on his multiply site. He was supposed to perform “Superproxy” with the Eraserheads in the band’s reunion concert, “The Final Set” at the SM Mall of Asia grounds in Pasay City tomorrow, Saturday. He had been in collaboration with Eraserheads and Pupil frontman Ely Buendia for an album to be released this year.

Telecommunications giant PLDT also scheduled in April a golf tournament fund-raiser for Magalona.

Francis M. is survived by his wife Pia, and eight children Maxene, Saab, Unna, Nicolo, Francis Jr., Elmo, Arkin, and Clara.

Filipinos mourn the loss of a great and exceptional artist. Yet, we know that his legacy in music and fashion to promote love of country among Filipino youth will live forever.

As my own simple way of paying tribute to this great Filipino artist, I'll be sharing with you one of his songs "Kaleidoscope World" which happens to be one of my all time favorites.

Lyrics | Francis Magalona Lyrics | Kaleidoscope World Lyrics

May you rest in peace Kiko...

Sources:

www.wikipedia.com
www.inquirer.net

Meet the Top 10 Web Billionaires

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 21:06:00 +0000

Guess who made it to the Top 10 Web Billionaires last year? Well, having the cyber world a part of my daily life I got curious as to who indeed accumulated their billions through the internet. I got this email from a friend which I would like to share to you guys.

The dotcom boom ushered in the new-age entrepreneurship and with it came a new set of billionaires. Billionaires who have brought their start-ups a long way from their ‘garage’ days.
Many of them pioneers in their space, these online companies have today evolved into popular global brands and the key people behind them deck up the global rich list.

Forbes recently released its annual list of 34 innovators who made their billions through the Internet. Incidentally, the 2008 list also includes three Indians: Indiabulls' Sameer Gehlaut, Party Gaming founder Anurag Dikshit and co-owner of Indian job site Naukri.Com, Kavitark Ram Shriram.

Here' a profile of the top 10 billionaires who made their fortune from the Web.

Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Google

Topping the Web billionaires list are the Google duo Sergey Brin and Larry Page with a net worth of $18.7 billion and $18.6 billion respectively.

Brin, the president and head of Google's technology division, started Google along with Page in 1998 out of a friend's garage. Moscow-born Brin received a Bachelor of Science degree with honours in mathematics and computer sciences from the University of Maryland .

He is currently on leave from the PhD programme in computer science at Stanford University , where he received his master's degree. Brin continues to share responsibility for day-to-day operations along with Page and Schmidt.

Larry Page is Google's founding CEO and grew the company to be the behemoth it is today. In 2001, he moved into his role as president, products. Son of a computer science professor at Michigan State University , Page's love for computers began at age six. He earned a Bachelor of Science in engineering from the University of Michigan .

Despite getting Eric Schmidt (chief executive of Google) on board, Page is still credited with being intensely involved in company's affairs. He is said to go through CV of every employee before the person is hired at Google even today.

Jeffrey Bezos, Amazon

Jeffrey Preston Bezos, founder, president, CEO and chairman of Amazon.com has a net worth of $8.2 billion.

Inspired by the amazing power of Internet, Bezos created a business model that leveraged Internet's ability to deliver huge amount of information efficiently. In 1994 he founded Amazon.com, an online bookshop. Amazon tried to compete with brick and mortar shops on three counts: lower prices, authoritative selection and a wealth of product information.

In 1997, Amazon went Public, and expanded from selling books to an online retailer with a vast portfolio of goods. Bezos started his career with Fitel, a start-up that was building a network to conduct international trade. The Princeton University graduate later went on to work as a financial analyst for DE Shaw & Co before founding Amazon in 1994.

In 2004, he founded a human spaceflight startup called Blue Origin. Bezos also has a personal investment company called Bezos Expeditions. He was named Person of the Year by Time magazine in 1999.

Though Amazon as a company may not inspire the awe, it did during its heydays, Bezos still has his name intact among the most venerable tech honchos.

Pierre Omidyar, eBay

Father of online auction, Pierre Omidyar founded eBay. Ranked at no. 4 in the Web billionaires list, Omidyar's net worth is $7.7 billion.

French-born computer programmer, Pierre developed fascination for computers in high school and graduated from Tufts University in 1988 with a degree in Computer Science. After graduation he worked for Claris, a subsidiary of Apple Computer, developing software for the Macintosh.

In 1991, he co-founded Ink Development Corp with three friends. The company included an Internet shopping segment and was later renamed eShop Inc. In 1996, eShop was sold to Microsoft.

Intrigued by the technical problem of establishing an online venue for direct person-to-person auction of collectible items, he created a simple prototype on his personal Web page, and launched an online service called Auction Web in 1995. The revenue soon started pouring, with business expanding by word of mouth. In 1997, Omidyar changed the company’s name to eBay.

Eric Schmidt, Google

Chief executive of Google Eric Emerson Schmidt ranks at no. 5 with a net worth of $6.6 billion. Schmidt joined Google from Novell, where he led the company's strategic planning, management and technology development as chairman and CEO.

Prior to his appointment at Novell, Schmidt was chief technology officer and corporate executive officer at Sun Microsystems Inc, where he led the development of Java, Sun's platform-independent programming technology, and defined Sun's Internet software strategy.

Before joining Sun in 1983, he was a member of the research staff at the Computer Science Lab at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), and also held positions at Bell Laboratories and Zilog. He is generally acknowledged as the one who catapulted Google from being a promising tech company to a universal ‘God of Internet'. Schmidt has a degree in electrical engineering from Princeton University , and a Master's and PhD in computer science from the University of California , Berkeley .

Jeffrey Skoll, eBay

eBay's first president and second-largest shareholder, Jeffrey Skoll has a net worth of $3.6 billion.

He served as director of eBay from December 1996 to March 1998. An Internet pioneer, Skoll served as eBay's vice president strategic planning and analysis in February 1998, its president from August 1996 to February 1998.

One of the eBay cofounders, Skoll left the company and turned his attention to making movies and philanthropy. He was executive producer of North Country , starring Charlize Theron, and two George Clooney films, including Syriana. Skoll was also the executive producer of An Inconvenient Truth, the global-warming documentary that featured former Vice President Al Gore.

Skoll served as channel marketing manager for Knight-Ridder Information Inc, an online information services company, from July 1995 to July 1996. Prior to this, Skoll served as president of Skoll Engineering, a systems consulting firm, that he founded.
He was also the co-founder of Micros on the Move, a computer rentals company, as an adjunct to Skoll Engineering in 1990. He also serves as director at Community Foundation Silicon Valley and Ingenio Inc.

Graduating in BASC Electrical Engineering from the University of Toronto , he later pursued MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Shi Yuzhu, ZTgame

Founder of China 's third-largest online games company, Zhengtu, Shi Yuzhu has a net worth of $2.8 billion.

He recently listed the company on NYSE Euronext. Almost half of his fortune comes from stakes in financial institutions China Minsheng Banking and Huaxia Bank.

Shanghai 's richest resident, Yuzhu was born in Huanyuan of Anhui Province. He graduated in Mathematics from Zhejiang University in 1984 and pursued software master degree from Shengzhen University .

A few years later, he made his first million by selling his own software, and established the company Giant Group in 1991. Later in 1996, due to the over investment in Giant Building project and mismanagement, the Company fell into abyss of finance.

Yuzhu later become an expert in capital operation, and paid back to the public small investors in Giant Building project. In 2004,Yuzhu sold his production technology, assembly line and brand by 1.2 billion Yuan RMB.

Hiroshi Mikitani, Rakuten

Hiroshi Mikitani is the man behind online shopping mall Rakuten, one of the Japan 's most popular Web destination. With a net worth of $2.6 billion, Mikitani is Japan 's leading Internet entrepreneur.

Mikitani last year moved his company's headquarters from chic Roppongi neighborhood into cheaper bayside Tokyo . He reportedly treats employees to free meals with extra money. He also plans to launch e-commerce business in Taiwan . Mikitani is an MBA from Harvard University .

Mark Cuban, Broadcast.com

Next on the list is Mark Cuban, the founder of Broadcast.com, HDNet, and several other companies. With a net worth of $2.6 billion, Cuban has also been an angel investor for several startups including SlideShare, Goowy, RedSwoosh, Box.net, Weblogs Inc and Mahalo.
Having worked as a bartender and a salesperson, Cuban started MicroSolutions in 1986, a systems integrator and software reseller. In 1990, Cuban sold MicroSolutions to CompuServe, then a subsidiary of H&R Block for $6 million.

In 1995, he started Audionet with a fellow friend, which later became Broadcast.com in 1998. During the dotcom boom, Broadcast.com was acquired by Yahoo for $5.9 billion in stock.
A passionate basketball fan, Cuban bought Dallas Mavericks, an NBA basketball team, from Ross Perot in 2000 for $285 million. He also serves as a chairman of HDNet, an HDTV cable network. Cuban also plans to build his media empire.

David Filo, Yahoo

The tenth richest Web billionaire is David Filo with a net worth of $2.5 billion. Co-founder of Yahoo Inc, David Filo met Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang as Stanford grad student.
A native of Moss Bluff, Louisiana , he co-created the Yahoo Internet navigational guide in April 1994 with Jerry Yang. Filo is credited of having bought 40 per cent stake in Alibaba.com for $1 billion in 2005.

Filo serves as a key technologist, directing the technical operations behind the company's global network of Web properties. He is credited with helping build Yahoo into the world's most highly trafficked website and one of the Internet's most recognised brands.
Filo holds a BS degree in computer engineering from Tulane University and an MS degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University .

There you have it! The Top 10 who earned soo much moolah working online. When will my name be included on the list? I can only wish...LOL!

Linky Love for my Top Droppers for February

noreply@blogger.com (mystique) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Time to give some linky love again to my ever supportive co-bloggers who never failed to pay me a visit every single day last month. Thanks for the time and effort in swinging by my humble blog. This linky love is just a small way to show how much I appreciate each and everyone of you.

Dropper	# of drops
Nuclear•Winter	31
Computer Aid	31
The Ad Master	31
Scandinavian Ways - Winesworlds blog	31
All blogspot templates	31
Spicybugz World	31
Dallas Marketing Services	31
Moshi & Kibo's Dog Blog	31
ThemeLib	31
For Your Health	30

A gargantuan thanks again for making me smile and completing my day! Happy blogging folks! ^_^