First, I’m so happy that Manny Pacquiao won again! Ye-hey!!! I’m so happy for my kababayan from General Santos City!

Manny battled Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico today for the WBO welterweight title and even if I couldn’t watch (pay per view) and just relied on news updates on TV, I’m overjoyed with the news now of his victory! Go Manny! Congratulations on becoming the first boxer to win seven titles spanning four weight classes from super featherweight to welterweight!

I included Manny’s win in my prayers today. I went to St. Paul the Apostle Church after my jog and I remember that while listening to the gospel, I wished I could talk like the priest because he was a really good inspirational speaker! He delivered the message very clearly and wasn’t at all boring. I can’t help compare myself with him because I spoke in front of a crowd a week ago and I think I did fairly well — but too far compared to this priest. Haha. He’s my idol now. Anyway…

The gospel was about the end of the world or the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ — “He will come again to judge the living in the dead” (Apostle’s Creed) and how people fear it. The upcoming movie “2012″ flashed in my mind and I agreed. But the priest said it wasn’t something to worry about. He gave an example of a nun friend of his who he asked what she would do if Jesus came already and she said, “I’d probably be dancing!”

The nun was very confident that there was nothing for her to fear because she knew she lived each day doing what she can for others. Not only was she prayerful but she also acted on various good deeds. The priest said:  “Quality than quantity”. I think it’s about heart. A LOT of “heart”.

The priest said, “Love every individual” — love everyone, the environment, community. Loving means you would not wish any harm to come unto anybody or anything and we can do this. I know we can. The challenge is to do it everyday, for the rest of our lives, because if we do, then we shouldn’t fear anything, even the end of the world, just as the priest said and assured us about.

This message isn’t new to us but it’s always nice to be reminded about what is really important — how we should be living our lives. I hope to do more so I could be a better person and Christian.

Thank you Lord for everything — for the hints you constantly give me that I can be a better person  (e.g. through the priest-public speaking/oratorical challenge) and Manny’s win in Las Vegas today! Haha. You’re the best!

I hope that through this blog, I did my little way of glorifying God to others.

Happy Sunday!

M

I found it!

I found Charlie Masso and Lea Salonga’s really old duet in YouTube today called “I still believe”. Charlie is from the boy band Menudo (with Ricky Martin) and he recorded the duet with Lea in 1988.

I wasn’t a fan of Menudo — I was fiercely devoted to Duran Duran at the time, period. But I liked Charlie Masso because of this particular song (yi-heeee!). Hahaha. But he’s cute here!!! And I like his voice. I think Charlie looked gwapo in the video too and had chemistry with Lea.

Check him singing some lines in Tagalog:

So how does Charlie look now? So different!

 

I couldn’t’ believe it myself! According to Wikipedia, he was born June 13, 1969 — so that makes him 40 this year. I also found out that he moved to Mexico after leaving Menudo and now has a family.

Anyway, it’s so nice to look back — music really brings back so many nice memories. Plus remembering that high school crushing-on-someone feeling is a winner!  I never thought to feel it again over an old song. Hope you enjoy it as I did. Thank God for YouTube!

So happy,

M

It worked!

In an earlier post, I talked about not involving people in my projects so I can control everything and ensure no room for error. I changed that after watching this cool YouTube video about a group of Koreans coming together to give a spectacular show.

In the recent volunteering (relief operations) program related to Typhoon Ondoy, I decided to rely on two people to deliver critical tasks and looking back, I couldn’t imagine my life without them last Saturday! Life’s so much easier now.

Teamwork is awesome.

To many more discoveries!

M

I’ve been prayerful lately. I just feel sad looking at the news these past few weeks.

Typhoon Ondoy just left and then a stronger one comes along — and returns 3 times!

All sorts of catastrophes are attached to these “visits”. Now vegetables are at astronomical prices because roads have been destroyed or unpassable because of land/mudslides and floods. Then more and more families are displaced; many living in evacuation centers or homes still flooded with water.

I’m not going to write a news story about it but I just can’t imagine how life is right now in these affected places.  My Indonesian friend empathized with me saying, “At least you have typhoons… here we have earthquakes”. I don’t know which one’s worse. The recent earthquake in Sumatra killed more than a thousand people so that’s also catastrophic. (sigh) But I know we will rise from these disasters — we always do.

I thought about how I could help in my own small way and I got that chance last week when I managed to encourage 30 people to help repack relief goods for distribution to 855 families affected by Typhoon Ondoy.

I’m thankful for the opportunity, or the instances where I can make a difference especially in a time of need.

Thank you Lord for this chance.

M

Dear Lord,

Thank you for everything.

For every single moment, experience, frustration, happy feeling, bad situation.

For the things I could not understand before but now see clearly.

I feel blessed.

Forever grateful,

M

Today, I thought about my roles in life.

As a sister, I had to meet my brother and his family for lunch; my 4-month old nephew was with them so I couldn’t miss the opportunity!

As a daughter, I checked on my parents and gave them the “scoop” about my growing nephew.

As an aunt, I had to deal with my 13-year old niece who placed “I want to die…” as a status in chat. Alarmed, I tried to ask her about it and all I got was “I don’t want to say” — so I didn’t prod. I guess this is normal for teenagers — a phase.

I was also an employee today, answering text messages related to the donations and postponed employee activity which I needed to update my boss with tomorrow, and a friend because a high school classmate is staying with me  (girl bonding is so fun!).

But out of all the roles today, it was my role as aunt to a teenage niece that I am most concerned about. I hope soon, my niece will tell me what’s troubling her or better, I hope that she finds in me a friend she could always talk to.

So how does one become a better aunt to a teen? I honestly don’t know because it is my first time to be one. My thoughts are — if I want to be her friend then I should act like she is one of my friends. But it’s difficult! For one, she lives far away and two, it would entail a lot of time and effort. Calling and chat effort. But I would do it, starting tomorrow.

I hope it’s possible to excel in all the roles we play in life.  I remain positive in everything and maybe through my story, I could inspire people to care more or try more even if a situation looks bad or hopeless.

Happy Sunday everyone,

M

Today I arrived at work ready to do all the things I had planned to do.

As usual, I didn’t do everything but it was good!

At first, I was pressured because I had to mobilize donations for Typhoon Ondoy ASAP…and then I saw a cool YouTube video sent to me that changed my perspective.

In the video, I saw teamwork, energy, creativity and I was amazed. I thought, maybe I should involve more people with what I was doing like these guys in the video and get happier, fun, and amazing results!

I’ve been handling events for so many years already and experience has taught me that controlling all aspects makes little room for error. But it also meant taking almost all responsibility which was a very stressful thing. So maybe it’s time to let go. Maybe it’s time to enjoy work more and not be too precise. Maybe team work has just got to be more exciting.

I think in life, we really have to enjoy more, laugh more — at work, at home, or wherever we are. That stressful situations can be happier and comfortable ones if we just take a step back from those most stressful moments and breathe. Or pray. Just a thought.

Here’s the video that has inspired me to think a bit differently today.  Thank you Lord for making me an instrument in helping people in need and making me a better person through others.

Always grateful,

M

I didn’t get the Dubai job. The one I wrote about in an earlier post.

They chose another candidate based on “culture fit” and experience.

A friend said, a door might have closed, but a gate will open for me. He’s so funny because he told me that he has gone through so many doors, windows, gates, and even holes. My problem looked so small compared to what he went through. He also enumerated other things that were too hilarious — things that make you rethink about working in the Middle East. It made me feel so much better. (Thank God for friends!)

Speaking of God, going home in the train yesterday, I had my usual talk with Him, asking if He could please let me know His plans. But all I could hear were my own pleas.

Maybe it’s not yet the time…maybe I’m talking so much I couldn’t hear God’s voice. Maybe my disappointment and frustration are too loud for me to hear Him.

But there will be better things. To all out there who are as disappointed as I am, let’s keep believing that better things are yet to come. You are not alone.

Hugs,

M

Dear Dith,

I believe you are a good soul placed here on earth. Just probably a little sidetracked now because of the pain but we need to keep believing in God.

I’d like to share a story I heard last Friday.

Imagine a plate on a chair.
The chair is you.
The plate is your life.

Now imagine another chair with a plate on it, same  thing.
But the other chair is God.
And the plate on that chair is your life.

Choose which one you would rather have — a life you choose to run yourself or a life you choose God to run for you?

It’s so simple right? Surrender and trust in God’s plans for you.

I hope you don’t give up sis. Believe that His plans are unfolding if you just keep the faith and trust that things are going to get better.

I’ll always be here for you.

Hugs,
M

I’ve always been fascinated with military stuff like planes and ships. I used to play Games of the Generals and Battleship with my brothers when I was little. I was good at it too! *wink*

Today I got on an aircraft carrier called the USS George Washington. And I feel some childhood wish was granted.

Here are pictures of our approach at dusk. We had to ride a smaller navy boat to get to it (took about 40 minutes).

Entrance was at the back.

At the upper deck, a red carpet welcome was waiting for us (we were with Ambassador Kristie Kenney).

Now inside the ship.

That’s Ambassador Kenney in green with Rear Admiral Kevin Donegan and the tall guy with the microphone is the Commander of the USS George Washington (forgot his name) welcoming everyone. We were treated to a surprise — the parade of colors came down via their huge “elevator” outside.

It was impossible to get close to Manny Pacquiao, the superfamous Filipino boxer! The US navy went crazy over him!!!

That’s the bottom view from the “elevator”, which is a huge space that goes up and down the ship. 2 planes can fit in it. What we’re seeing is a helicopter with a huge round thing on top of it which I think is used for radar.

Now on top with the planes…and with everybody else! There are about 80 different kinds of aircrafts here, mostly F-18 and helicopters. No, mostly F-18s. It was amazing just being here and going to the runway.

I don’t know what kinds of planes these are.

That’s my new friend Josie from Landbank and Commander Keith Henry — a pilot (woo-hoo!) AND the Squadron leader! Super nice guy. The movie Top Gun was on my mind while talking to him. Heehee.

It was a really nice and rare experience — I’m so super lucky to be given a once-in-a-lifetime chance to board a military supership like that. I forgot to place it in my “bucket list” anyway, it’s mission accomplished!

So happy,
M