I hope I can grasp everything...
that will be taught to us tomorrow...
God's message for me today
Dear Ryah,
Don’t just talk about your problems; talk about your purpose. Because problems weigh you down. But purpose lifts you up. And if you pursue your purpose, many of your problems get solved along the way.
Father,
God
God
P.S. Your purpose will change you, Ryah.
***
Yes Lord, I will.
***
Yes Lord, I will.
Wanting to help or wanting to have??
My answer is both. ;)
I remembered last Monday about this JoinRed website so I visited it again. I learned about this site last year, when I bought my red mini-ipod nano as post-birthday gift (I also had pre-birthday gift and on-the-day birthday gift - just kidding! well, can't remember hehe). Proceeds of this limited edition red ipod will go to Global Fund to support programs to fight AIDS in Africa.
Hallmark Cards
Starbucks Ceramic To-Go Cup
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Lady with the Little Dog by Anton Chekhov
Unfortunately, these items are not available locally so I have to "bother" a friend (in the US) and a cousin (in UK) to find all these for me. ;)
P.S. Auntie, if you are reading this, pls tell your beloved unica hija, my favorite beautiful cousin Jel, to buy these books for me online please. Thank you. ;)
I have no idea where I am going...
***
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going,
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
And I know that if I do this You will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
I will not fear, for You are ever with me,
and You will never leave me to face my perils alone.
To Buy or Not To Buy..
Claire has emailed Leslie and me about this Michael Kors loves Manila "ecobag." If there are two girl friends (in Manila) whom I can talk to about bags and would actually understand and be so supportive and passionate about it, they are Claire and Leslie. ;)
Well, I am tempted to get this bag for two reasons, first, the word Manila (I am being patriotic:)) and second, the red heart and red detail on the bag handle. Though I want to see the inside of the bag (I prefer bags with pockets) before I make my decision. Good thing, I have outgrown my "obsession" with ecobags so that's a relief. ;)
By the way, the Michael Kors loves Manila bags were out last year and were sold like pancakes(well, not really). I guess, that's the reason for the come back. You have to call first and make a reservation to get this bag.
The Joy Luck Club
Last Saturday, I watched a play, with Gillian and Eia, entitled The Joy Luck Club. Eia has read the book and Gillian has watched the movie. Gillian told us about this stage play and we agreed to watch on a Saturday. I couldn't remember when was the last time I watched a stage play so it was good thing to do something different and spend a weekend with friends and appreciate (performing) art such as this.
We had dinner at Marcianos before we watched the play. Sorry for the poor quality of photos, we couldn't quite figure out what setting to use in an ambiance like this. I badly need a photography workshop! ;)
I used Intelligent Auto for this one ;)
On Calligraphy..
In my previous blogsite, I had a post where I mentioned that I wanted to learn calligraphy. I am always fascinated with beautiful handwriting, especially cursive script. Last year, I have read a feature story about a colleague in ADB who is a calligraphy artist. Her story was so inspiring, a portion of her earnings from "calligraphy projects" helps worthy causes.
Last week, I was able to read Daphne Oseña-Paez' blog about LV Spring/Summer 2011 event held on 11 February. She attended it, the theme of the event was love and valentine's. She mentioned that there was a calligraphy artist present in the event, when I saw the picture, I recognized her, she's my colleague from ADB!
In her feature story last year, it was mentioned that some of her projects were with very exclusive clients like Cartier (Hongkong), Louis Vuitton and Citibank, Rustan's (for some brands), the British Embassy, Hotel Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Beacon International School, McDonald's and some "high society" weddings.
I didn't know what got into me but I sent my colleague an email last week, she doesn't know me and I only know her by name (and face - from the photos). She responded right away, the response was long and very encouraging, she mentioned that last year, they had a calligraphy session during lunch break, there were only 4 colleagues/students who attended, she could only accommodate a small group for a personalized approach... And she would let me know if she could schedule some calligraphy lessons this year! I was so happy that I took the courage to drop a note to her. My dream of learning calligraphy has a great chance of becoming a reality! ;)
Thomasians in ADB will celebrate..
I find this reminder so cute!
Looking forward to meeting my fellow Thomasians. ;)
Travel Light
Received this from Gill via email.. very useful and timely. Thanks Gill!
***
"He who would travel happily must travel light."- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Are you tired of lugging heavy suitcases with you every time you travel abroad? Does the idea of schlepping around overcrowded airports and train stations send shivers down your spine?
Then travelling light may be the solution to all of your problems! I know... I know... But what about an evening outfit with matching shoes that you might need for a special occasion? And what will you do if the weather gets much cooler or it starts to rain during your one-week vacation? And why should you spend money buying a new sunscreen when you already have a half used bottle at home?
But the truth is that there is a 98.9% possibility that the weather will be nice and sunny during your whole stay, that your evening outfit will remain hidden in the deepest recesses of your luggage the whole time and that your bottle of sunscreen will eventually leak and smear half of your clothes.
If travelling with just one carry-on suitcase is a radical concept for you, here are a few convincing reasons why you might want to adopt a minimalist travelling approach:
The less stuff you take...
1. The less strain you put on your back and your muscles. Have you ever had to drag two 50 pound suitcases down the hotel stairs? I have and I can tell you it does not feel good!
2. The more travel options you have. It may sound strange, but taking less actually gives you greater mobility: you can hop on and off trains, buses and coaches whenever you feel like it and you can easily make adjustments in your itinerary, when travelling from one city to another. If you want to stay somewhere longer - you can. If you want to leave - no problem.
3. The less you worry. It is true. Your worry and stress during a vacation is inversely proportional to the number of suitcases that you have. First, as you wait at the luggage carousel, you worry about your luggage getting thrown onto the wrong plane. Then you are preoccupied that your belongings might get stolen, misplaced or left behind. And as if this is not enough, you constantly have to ...
4. The less time you waste. Half an hour of waiting for your luggage after landing in an airport, five minutes of loading it into a cab and then taking the airport cart back, a one hour trip or pick up your luggage from the storage room, before departing for another city - all this extra time adds up to hours of your vacation that you could have spent on sightseeing, souvenir shopping, or relaxing on the beach.
5. The more money you save. Minimalist travelling is a great way to save money. No longer you will be charged check in baggage fees by the airlines, no longer will you have to tip porters
for carrying your suitcases for you, no longer will you feel compelled to take the first hotel room you are offered, because you are so exhausted, and you cannot think about looking for a different hotel.
6. The more room you will free up for all the wonderful souvenirs that will remind you and your beloved ones of your vacation.
Tips on travelling the minimalist way:
1. Plan ahead! Do not be one of those people, who just mindlessly shovel half of their closet into their suitcases the night before a trip. Start making a list of all the things that you need to take with you at least 2-3 days in advance and pack your suitcase little by little. It is not as overwhelming and stressful.
2. Get your research done! Check beforehand if the hotel you are staying in supplies such items as hairdryer, iron, beach towels and toiletries. Look at the weather forecast at your
destination to know what kind of clothes to take with you. Check if there are any events that you would like to visit and adjust your wardrobe accordingly.
3. Pick a smaller suitcase! You will not be as tempted to fill it up with unnecessary stuff.
4. Wear your heaviest and bulkiest clothes on the plane. Jeans, heavy shoes, fluffy fleeces are great examples of clothing that take too much space when packed, yet comfortable
enough to be worn on a plane.
5. Downsize your toiletry. Take only travel size bottles and sample packages of creams, make-up and perfumes.
6. When in doubt, leave it out! Lay out everything that you plan on taking with you. Pick up the first item and ask yourself, "Will I really wear/use this enough to feel good about carrying it with me during my whole vacation?" If there is a tiny doubt in your heart that you might not need to take it with you, leave it home!
7. Pack for the purpose, not for the worst case scenario. The main idea behind minimalist travelling is to identify a few essentials and drop the rest. Approach packing your suitcases with a minimalist set of mind. Do not pack something that 'MIGHT' be handy or what you 'COULD wear IF'! Because if something extraordinary does happen, you can always find everything you need in the country where you are travelling.
8. Think versatility! It is tempting to take your favorite pieces of clothing on vacation with you, although, it is not always practical. Travel experts suggest picking clothing items that can be mixed and matched with at least two more pieces of clothing (both color and style wise). For example, a black shirt can be worn during the day with jeans and for special occasions with
elegant bottoms.
9. Consider accessories as an alternative to extra clothing pieces. Adding little touches like a bright scarf, a nice-looking belt, or jewelry is a great way to dress up your outfit, without over packing your suitcases.
10. Leave out books! Think of all the books that you usually pack with you, hoping to read them all. At the end of your trip you are lucky if you even finish one of them! So what is the point of carrying all this extra weight in your suitcase, just to feel guilty afterwards? Solution? Bring one book, and when you are done, find a book-exchange and trade it for a new one. And instead of taking guidebooks with you, photocopy the relevant sections or save all the travelling information that you might need on your laptop (given that you bring one with you).
11. Test yourself! Pack your suitcase and carry it around with you in the city for an hour or so. If it still feels heavy - open it up and have a good hard look at everything you packed. Is there something that you could have left at home? Yes? Then be ruthless and leave it out!
God's message for me today
Dear Ryah,
When you face a problem, instead of calling them problems, call them presents. And don’t call them burdens, call them blessings!
Abundance on the way,
God
God
P.S. One more thing, Ryah. Don’t call them trials, call them treasures.
***
Thank you Lord God for my presents. ;)
Daddy's 56th Birthday
Daddy turned 56 yesterday. I made a booking in Yakimix 2 weeks before his birthday. I initially wanted to try Yakimix in Greenbelt but I was told that it was fully booked already, good thing, I was able to make a reservation in Mall of Asia branch.
Daddy and momsy picked me up in the office at 4:45pm, I was told that we have to be there at 6:15pm or else our reservation would be given away. We arrived at around 6pm and without sweat, we were directed to our reserved table. My sister had a tutorial commitment so she just followed, she arrived at around 7:30pm.
I was not feeling well when I woke up, I had fever due to sorethroat. So I expected that I would not be able to enjoy the buffet, true enough, I didn't eat a lot, I just enjoyed the soup, pork sinigang. I wanted to eat but my tummy was "full"... The important thing was my family enjoyed the food and we celebrated Daddy's birthday. ;)
Here are some photos:
I requested the staff to sing for Daddy ;) They gave him a slice of cake with a candle.
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new year, new hope, new life, new me