12/19/11

The first time I heard about the massive flood was a text from a friend saying that they were flooded. At first, I admit that I took it lightly for floods are not unusual in my hometown. I mean, our house gets flooded even with short flashes of strong rain. But it's not that awful. 

Then I got more news about it and I found out that my family was at the rooftop of our former grocery store and that our house was filled with waters that's reaching our elevated bedrooms! All our neighbors were also on their rooftops and the road was like a flowing river. I was like O.o. What the! I was, foremost, surprised and shocked because nothing like this happened before. Surely it must not have been that bad, but they, at the rooftop? What the heck happened? O.o Usually when there is a strong rain in our neighborhood, only our living room gets flooded because it is depressed compared to the main road plus our house is just beside the creek. So waters would slightly fill it. But this? I felt like this is a bad dream and I never thought a calamity this great would be so near to me. (The end is near! O.o) Now I knew how it feels like when a huge calamity strikes near you. It instills fear, worry, and a strong desire to be there for your family and loved ones and to not take them for granted (but it's not like I have taken them for granted...it's just that...I haven't spend enough time with them since I started working afar)

I was even more shocked when I found out there were casualties! And the first number of casualties I found out was 79! I was even more like O.o. Usually floods don't get death tolls. I got into thinking that this only happens to major calamities like earthquakes and landslides and such. But no. It's happening right in my home town because of a major flood. Fool I am to have regarded it so lightly. I didn't know it was this awful and massive. I thought it was just a typical storm. And people where I am right now seem to be unaffected by this. Most people just continue on with their lives. Probably because they don't have any relatives in my hometown or they didn't have a grasp of enough information about the calamity or they just didn't care at all.

Then my co-workers who had relatives and families in my hometown started sharing about what just recently happened and I heard news of people losing homes, things, missing loved ones, and worst, losing loved ones. It was awful. Social networking sites flooding with information about the recent calamity, asking for donations and support for people who were affected with it. News about missing families and piles of dead bodies found amidst. It was overwhelming. It was really really sad. 

I am so grateful that although our house is a disaster, my family was okay. And my new born nephew was sleeping so soundly unaffected by the chaos around him when it happened. I am just so thankful. Honestly, I was even more thankful (and I mean really really thankful...overflowing with gratitude) when I found out that the calamity was a huge one and that my family survived it. The rain flooded the houses like a thief in the night when families were soundly asleep in their homes causing a lot of casualties in the process. I am just so thankful that my mother easily wakes up at the slightest of noise/disturbance and woke up my family in the dead of the night because the waters were caving in. I mean, if I were in that situation, and I was asleep with no one there to wake me up, who knows where my body would end up. :s 

With all the news and information that I was able to get hold of about this, I felt pangs of pain in my heart and broke down on how overwhelming the calamity is that it's even included in international news worldwide and my home town is in the spotlight again in a negative way. I was surprised that death toll exceeded 650 and counting. 900 are missing and counting. It's just so sad and disheartening. My city is not unaccustomed to floods like these and I guess people were complacent about it. Thus, probably caused lots of casualities. I just pray and hope that this will not happen again in the future. I pray for those people who are missing loved ones. There is still hope that they will be found. As for the people who are confirmed gone, may their souls rest in peace with God. For the people affected (including my family), God's mercy and grace still abound and God will always provide amidst calamities. 

9/2/11


time to let go
of past hurts
past pains
troubled past

time to be free
from the burdens
worldly cares
of this world

time to give up
carnal desires
selfishness and greed
and hatefulness

time to give in
to God's will
His purpose
in our lives

time to surrender
our everything
to Him and Him alone
who gives life

time to pray
for ourselves
for our loved ones
for salvation

time to worship
to our powerful God
always and everyday
forever eternally

It's time to give everything to God.

6/29/11

Everything seems portable now. Just like this printer I found out that is amazingly so small and can handle a small amount of load. It's some sort of an in-case-of-an-emergency printer. When you need to print something that you really need badly. It's so small it can fit in a handbag. Just hook it up to your computer/device via USB and get printing. XD






6/23/11


I am thankful for the blessings that God has endowed upon me these past few days. That includes those good people who shared their blessings to me. Last Monday, I was able to experience something that I've longed to happen. Something that I would want to happen again. For it makes my heart glad and it makes me realize good things. Not just for my own, but I offer this to the Lord.


I'm glad because my work mate invited me to an outreach program wherein we would go to a certain organization to visit and care for a group of people. I'm hoping that I can do this again and I pray that I will be proactive enough to be engaged in these kinds of activities.

We went to an organization called Missionaries of the Poor where it housed both special children and the elderly. It was actually my first time so I did not know what to expect. But it was quite a relief. It gave me a sense of fulfillment. Although, I made some mistakes at some point, I'm still glad because I was able to reach out and I was able to experience it. I'm not just thankful and glad about it, but I feel blessed to learn a lot from it. I learn a lot from really good Christians about God, about this life, about faith, about being instruments of the Lord. They shared a lot of things and just that enough makes my heart joyful. It was truly one of those moments where I really felt God's presence among us.


Well, I'm more fond of kids rather than the elderly so I may be a bit biased between our visits. I feel sorry for all those special children in that organization. When I saw them, I wondered what they are thinking and how do they go through life. It must have been hard for them to be retained there and not be able to do anything about their situations. It must be difficult for them to go on with their lives with the circumstances they are in. Before, I've always wondered what will happen to people like them when the time comes. Not just them actually, but people who have troubles with their psyche. I wonder if they will go to heaven or to hell since they are not in their healthy minds (That's why I've always been interested in the study of psychology because I believe it's harder and much needed to cure mental illnesses than physical ones.)

Then one work mate shared something that totally made sense which is not far from what I was speculating about. He told us how blessed we are to be able to go about our lives and have fun. He told us how blessed we are to have our own jobs, our dreams, and all the things that God has given ti us. But then, he also made us realize that those children there may be confined to that little space but they are happy in their own ways. They are not constricted or troubled with the problems of this world. And it's a positive that they will go to heaven with God since they haven't done anything wrong. While we, here on the outside world, are exposed to bad things and troubles and temptations. And we may or may not go to heaven. And he is right in saying that. He said a lot of things actually that made me realize and think. And it's no coincidence that I was brought into that place and experience those things. I am truly grateful because of what just happened.

I feel sorry for the elderly as well. I could see some old men there who were even younger than my father and yet they are there in that organization. I feel bad because they have been abandoned by their relatives, children, etc. It makes me realize how precious my parents are and that I should care for them during their old days. I should make them feel blessed and loved in the remaining time they have here on earth. I feel bad because I haven't really done anything to make them feel special. I'm such a pain to them. I just pray and hope that I will have enough courage and will to be able to care for them like never before.


I really admire those people who made that outreach happen and who are able to change lives in their own ways. I'm really thankful for it inspired me to become a better instrument for God's glory.

6/14/11

When I was a kid, I used to dream about having our own secret place in our house so that when there comes a time when a terrible war will broke out (I just hope this never happens), we would go to that secret place and hide there. It would be located somewhere underground and the door to it is just blended in the walls. It would have lots of canned goods and noodles and stuff to get us through. Hehe. I was pretty imaginative way back. And it so happens that my younger sister also dreamed about a similar secret place when she was a kid and I just knew it recently! Great minds think alike. Lol. Kidding. I guess we really are sisters. XD

So anyway, I just found out these 10 coolest doors and passageways and I was fascinated at what people can do. They may have their own reasons on why they made these, but the architecture, designs, and ideas behind them are so brilliant!


1. Home Theater Ticket Booth Hidden Door

If you are big fan of unique hidden doors and cool home theaters, the Home Theater Ticket Booth Door from Creative Building Resources (CBR) combines the best of both worlds. CBR's elaborate hidden door features a programmable, scrolling LED sign built into the top of the frame, while the interior of the hidden door functions like your traditional ticket booth, complete with recessed lighting. On the front of the ticket booth, a detailed wood inlay displays the high level of craftsmanship involved in constructing this hidden passageway, although we'd recommend ditching the frosted comedy and tragedy faces on the front ticket booth glass. For those who intend to staff the ticket booth, or at least fill it with a costume-draped dummy, the interior is accessed through a full sized cabinet door at the back. As this hidden door is a custom creation from CBR, we'd recommend ordering yours to match your own home theater decor.


2. Bookcase Hidden Door

The room showed above is one couples' unusually creative gift to their very excited teenage daughter. The bookcase, holding rows of books, a stuffed dachshund and a volleyball, silently swung outward, revealing a tiny, well-lighted room. Containing a desk, a chair and a laptop computer, it serves as her study area.

Justify Full

3. Staircase Hidden Door

When Louise Kircher, a retired teacher, and her husband, Dennis, a former accounting manager at Boeing, moved into their year-old, 4,300-square-foot contemporary home in Mesa, Ariz., the staircase in the master bedroom was something extra that came with the house. It rises to reveal a hidden room, where she and her husband store an antique bedroom set and a replica of a gilded mummy's coffin. A remote control amazingly lifts an entire staircase out of the way revealing the hidden passage.


4. Drawer Hidden Vault

To make sure your hidden door stays hidden, Creative Home Engineering offers a number of non-traditional hiding machines. Sure, they've got the standard revolving bookcase and sliding wall panels. But, the company also constructs hidden doors from grandfather clocks, fireplaces, paintings, stairwells, and other household fixtures. They also offer an option that allows your hidden door to double as a vault door, so your valuables stay double protected. Priced from $5-$250K, you'll probably want to make sure you've really got something big to protect to make the purchase worth your while. But, even if you don't, Creative Home Engineering claims that a quality hidden door can make a solid investment from an appreciation standpoint.


5. Mat Hidden Wine Cellar

Ever wanted a wine cellar but didn't have the space or money to build one? The Spiral Cellars design/build firm will dig a hole right in whatever room you want your cellar in and haul the dirt right out the front door. In the remaining void they infill a highly functionally and visually dazzling spiral-staircase wine cellar to fit all your favorite vintages and go with your favorite funky furniture designs. The cellars are kept at ideal temperatures, insulated on the sides and top. Cool air is piped in and warm air is piped out. Even when no air flow is needed for temperature purposes it is kept moving to keep the air fresh. Customers have had these installed in all kinds of ways, from flush- and hidden-door versions to entrances that intentionally boast their presence.


6. Narnia-like Wardrobe Hidden Playroom

This wardrobe is actually a secret entrance to a playroom. The owner of the house had the wardrobe and figured he might as well add a touch of magic to the house for a pretty amazing result. Sorry, lion and witch sold separately. Still, the stage is set much like many of us imagined when we read the children's classic as kids: a dark-painted room with wood-trimmed windows and antique wooden furniture, with a large dresser that looks strangely both foreboding and inviting.

7. Fire place Hidden Door


8. Staircase Hidden Door

9. Victorian Facade Hidden Garage

McMills Construction approached Beausoleil Architects for help installing a garage in the bottom floor of a property on Oak Street in San Francisco's Upper Haight district in order to maximize the tenant's rent. By hiding the space behind a retractable facade indistinguishable from the rest of the historic Victorian apartment house, they were able to avoid running afoul of the city planning department strict appearance codes.


10. Painted Wall Hidden Door

McMills Construction approached Beausoleil Architects for help installing a garage in the bottom floor of a property on Oak Street in San Francisco's Upper Haight district in order to maximize the tenant's rent. By hiding the space behind a retractable facade indistinguishable from the rest of the historic Victorian apartment house, they were able to avoid running afoul of the city planning department strict appearance codes.

5/10/11

It was written by an 8 year old, Danny Dutton of Chula Vista, CA, for his third grade homework assignment. The assignment was to explain God. Wonder if any of us could do as well?


“One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth.

He doesn't make grown-ups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way He doesn't have to take up His valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.

God's second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because He hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in His ears, unless He has thought of a way to turn it off.

God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go wasting His time by going over your Mom and Dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have.

Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there are any in Chula Vista. At least there aren't any who come to our church.

Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't want to learn about God. They finally got tired of Him preaching to them and they crucified Him. But He was good and kind, like His Father and He told His Father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said O.K.

His Dad (God) appreciated everything that He had done and all His hard work on earth so He told Him He didn't have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So He did. And now He helps His Dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones He can take care of Himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.

You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they've got it worked out so that one of them is on duty all the time.

You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God. Don't skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway.

If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you're scared in the dark or when you can't swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.

But...you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and He can take me back anytime He pleases.

And...that's why I believe in God.”

I find it really adorable and inspiring knowing that this comes from an 8-year-old kid. Although he is a bit off in some parts but it's understandable because he’s just a kid! He has a long way to go and even then he thinks so profoundly.

4/28/11


Whether your someone wanting to change your career path and find another job or someone wanting to apply a new job, creating a a youthful and impressive resume is vital in the working world. With all the competition walking everywhere, it's pretty difficult to create a resume that will make you stood out from the rest and will make a lasting effect in the companies you will be applying for. The resume is like your key entrance to the working force. It is your persona when you present yourself to prospective companies that you are applying. It's like selling yourself. Well not really selling yourself but you have to make yourself of great worth to the company. That you have what it takes to work here or work there. Also, resumes must not be generic and should be custom fit according to the job position and company that you are applying for. You can't just make lots of copies of the same resume and present it to all potential employers. You have to make modifications to fit with the job position you are looking for. Presented here are some ways which you can follow to make your resume interesting and appealing.

You should focus on recent relevant experience. I've always thought before when I was updating my resume and analyzing other people's resume, that when you apply for a certain job, do you necessarily place all of your job experiences in your resume despite of their insignificance to the job position you are currently applying at hand? Sure it may be interesting and makes you look good, but what really matters in the end is that, only relevant experiences will have a signicant impact. If it's not relevant, then it has to go. This is to ensure that relevant job experiences will be focused more and managers will pay more attention to them than filling your resume with nonsensical irrelevant things.

Technology is always changing. What's in today may be obsolete tomorrow. That's just how it works. And your resume is not excluded from this. You should focus on new technologies that people are using nowadays. You don't just type in your resume that you know DOS or if you're a programmer, obsolete programming languages that have gone extinct. Instead, you fill them with new technologies that are in demand right now. Adobe Photoshop CS 5, PHP 5. You have to update your resume for these and update your skills as well. List only software programs and technologies that are current in your industry.

Lastly, shift your resume from an old-fashioned written resume to a resume with your persona. Gone are the days when a resume speaks so dry, so generic, and filled with job-seeker jargons that have been used and abused over time (like detail-oriented, team player, responsible). Somehow, you have to give your resume a personal touch. Something that will have a lasting effect on the managers. Something that will make it you. You should provide details, experiences, and situations that comprehends how responsible you are. Or how detail-oriented you are. Or what kind of team player you are. Don't be vague. Be convincing. Be direct. And use strong words that can impress them.

Of course this only applies to people who are interested (or forced) to work in a company. Those who are pursuing a business wouldn't need a resume but rather some capital and enough knowledge to withstand the challenges a business would bring. But if I were to choose, it would be nice to work in a company and at the same time have your own business. That way, you'd be able to learn the pros and cons of each state of work and you'd be flexible in that each one presents different sets of challenges and rewards. It would be nice to do both but would indeed require much from you.

4/21/11

2/24/11

Back in the Cold War days, and even still today, nations would negotiate and operate under the understanding of Mutual Assured Destruction or "MAD." This doctrine requires each side to have enough force that if one is attacked by another, the other would respond with equal force, or a force that is greater. However, no one wants to be the first to attack, which keeps everyone under control and at "peace."


But that's not true on the job.

If you strike while infuriated at work, you can't expect the fight to continue as you may simply be shown the door. Think back to the movie "Jerry Maguire," where Jerry, a former company rock star, challenges the office's status and decides to take a stand. He rages through the office and then asks those around him,


"Who's coming with me?"


After a long uncomfortable moment, Jerry leaves with just one person and a goldfish. While things worked out well for Jerry personally and professionally, life rarely imitates art. If you find yourself getting too mad and letting your emotions escalate to a point where your actions and words may be irrecoverable, stop before the only option you have left is to walk out the company doors for good.


When emotions heat up, try these five techniques to bring it down a notch:


Remember your nursery rhymes. "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Getting too emotional over words doesn't do anyone any good. If you are not careful, you may respond in a way you'll regret. Let unpleasant words roll off your back and respond once you've had time to cool down.


Sleep on it. We live in an era where everything is deemed urgent, and the smallest e-mail requires an immediate response. However, think carefully before you shoot back an emotionally-charged response. It's always better to address these types of e-mails after you've had a chance to carefully consider your reply, especially because e-mails last forever and can go to people and places you never imagined. The best attitudinal adjustment between hope and despair can be a good night's sleep.


Take a walk before you take a hike. When emotions stir inside, try walking them out. A walk around the building can do wonders. If the boiling point reaches a crescendo and you've tried everything to change the situation, then it may be time to change jobs. But, before you put in your resignation letter and take a hike, make sure your decision to leave the company is based on reason, not emotion. Quitting is a permanent reaction to what might have been a temporary problem if emotion was left out of it.


Don't push it. In the heat of battle, it always feels like we should push to get in the last word or make the point even more emphatically. Remember that your workplace is not a place where anyone is indentured; working is a choice, and it's optional. It might just be better to let the point go rather than cross the line that causes someone to leave the company or another employee to lose their dignity. It's a fine line between assertiveness and aggressiveness, but that line should be known and respected.


Follow the 'Golden Rule.' When angry, the most important lesson to remember is to treat a person the way you want to be treated. That respect goes a long way.

2/10/11


...you know, that thing... I forgot.

Having problems forgetting appointments, to-dos, errands, picking up after yourself, getting out of bed... not to mention forgetting birthdays, and even anniversaries?

If you are like many people, you will often find yourself forgetting something. In an age of computers, PDA’s, and many other devices - this may be ok for some folks, unless you forget where you put those devices. Others may want to increase their ability to memorize things - luckily there are a few creative ways you can improve your long and short term memory.

USE YOUR SENSES & BE AWARE

Practice creating vivid images/concepts in your head - using all of your senses. Analyze your surroundings by sound, sight, smell, taste, and touch. Being aware all of your senses will give your mind more ways to associate (and thus remember) when it is time to recall something.

This is like a form of meditation -- which is good for your brain in a variety of ways.

Practice this tip of simply being more aware of your surroundings everyday and you will find your general memory greatly improved.

HUMOR AND VULGARITY

If you need to memorize something specific try using humor or vulgarity as a memory aid. Make a nasty or funny limerick about something that needs to be remembered and you'll have a hard time forgetting. (Great tip for students)

DON'T WORRY, BE MINDFUL

There has been a lot said about the power of positive thinking. Recently, a huge bandwagon of new-age positive thought = positive outcome theories have been on tips of everyone's tongue from Oprah to your local convenience store clerk. Just do a google search for "Law of Attraction" or "The Secret" if you aren't in the cult loop.

Negative thoughts fog our minds, but clearing out the negative and focusing on the positive also improves memory & concentration.

Stress is a big brain buster, so minimize stress and negative thoughts to keep your wits.

“What to do if you find yourself stuck in a crack in the ground underneath a giant boulder you can't move, with no hope of rescue. Consider how lucky you are that life has been good to you so far. Alternatively, if life hasn't been good to you so far, which given your current circumstances seems more likely, consider how lucky you are that it won't be troubling you much longer.”

SEE THE FUTURE

Have trouble remembering to-dos, appointments, meetings, deadlines, birthdays and other future events?

Here is the secret: When you know you have an upcoming event you don't want to forget, picture yourself at the event. What are you doing, who is there, what does it smell like? Imagine the event...even better: imagine yourself taking the steps that lead to the event.

For example... let's say tomorrow you have to call someone. Picture yourself in your home/office. Picture yourself picking up the phone. Imagine dialing the number and talking to the person of the other end.

ASSOCIATE

Association is among one of the easiest and most used tools in learning. This is the process of taking the information you wish to memorize, and linking it mentally to something else that is natural to you. When learning something new, try to associate the new concept with one to which you are already familiar.

Couple association with being aware using all of your senses and you will have a higher rate of successful recall.

CHUNKING

Chunking information is a great mnemonic method to remember multiple items. Many people naturally use chunking to remember phone numbers: Instead of thinking "17342876642" we chunk it as 1-734-287-6642.

WRITE IT DOWN

We generally think of "writing things down" as a means to NOT have to remember something. The paper does the work for -- we just need to remember where we put that piece of paper...

But, writing things down has another effect: you clear your mind and take away the stress of "having to remember", and by doing so you actually have more room in your noggin for remembering stuff. I know that explanation wasn't scientific, but it works.

2/8/11

It's been a long while since I haven't updated this blog I wonder if there's still someone who visits this. XD I've been absent for a long time and I can think of so many alibis and excuses on why this is so. But anyway I'm in the mood to post and hopefully this mood will retain so I can actually maintain this rusty blog. And since it's February and Valentine's is near (which is somewhat a traditional holiday here in the country and most countries), I guess I can start anew with something that involves LOVE. So here goes...

That you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Deuteronomy 30:20 (NIV)


Love is a choice and a commitment. You choose to love or you choose not to love.

Today we’ve bought into this myth that love is uncontrollable, that it’s something that just happens to us; it’s not something we control. In fact, even the language we use implies the uncontrollability of love. We say, “I fell in love,” as if love is some kind of a ditch. It’s like I’m walking along one day and bam! – I fell in love. I couldn’t help myself.

But I have to tell you the truth – that’s not love. Love doesn’t just happen to you. Love is a choice and it represents a commitment.

There’s no doubt about it, attraction is uncontrollable and arousal is uncontrollable. But attraction and arousal are not love. They can lead to love, but they are not love. Love is a choice.

You must choose to love God; he won’t force you to love him (Deuteronomy 30:20). You can thumb your nose at God and go a totally different way. You can destroy your life if you choose to do that. God still won’t force you to love him. Because he knows love can’t be forced.

And this same principle is true about your relationships: you can choose to love others, but God won’t force you to love anyone.