Happy Thoughts and Positive Energy

I don't have a perfect life. It's far from rosy but that doesn't deter me from being happy and positive despite of the circumstances surrounding my family back home.

I remember the happy times when my dad was still alive. My family back home was the picture of happiness and contentment. However, when my dad passed away 6 years ago, everything he worked hard for went down the drain. Our business, the savings, the properties...  nothing is left except for the house my dad and mom built with their own hard labor. And that house is slowly rotting, the memories, the values, the hope.

I try to salvage what ever I can but I will let God's will be done. I will maintain happy thoughts and encourage positive energy to come but if the people I am helping doesn't want it, so be it. I cannot live the life they have chosen.

God is good and He never fails. If people don't see it that way then it's not my problem anymore. I will keep believing. I will keep praying and I will keep asking God for blessings because He knows I deserve it.

Quick Money

I don't grow money out of my limbs. That is what I always tell my family. However, ever since my dad passed away, my brother and I have been pulling our resources to send money back home. What I don't understand is, our family in the Philippines seem to not realize that we are also affected by the recession.

I have been telling them over and over again that my bank account is as flat as a paper. I wish I can do something to help everyone but I am also tight.

Our company does not offer payday advance so they will have to wait until my brother and I get our salaries by the end of this month.

Quick money these days are hard to find. Pre-recession, the banks here would run after us to offer personal loans and high credit limits cards. The table has turned and the banks are very strict now. Some banks don't even lend to "Filipinos." I will not go into details as to why but it is a fact.

I don't want to ask for another loan just to help every body out. If I do that, I will never, ever get out of the financial rut. I need to help myself and my family here too. I just wish my family back home will try to understand that.

Out of Sync

I have been staring at this blank blogger composition page for about five minutes until it hit me. I think I am going through another "blogger's block" this time around. It is not very often that I experience this kind of mental block.

My mind seems to be out of sync lately with the enormous stress factors present in my life at the moment. I am stressed at work. The work load is overwhelming. My financial standing is not looking good despite the tight budget. I am thinking of my mom. Some people are asking for monetary help. My vacation leave is coming but I am still wondering where I will get the extra budget for that (if hubby foots the bill then at least one problem is solved...). There are just too many things going on in my head right now that I am having difficulty to focus.

I hope I snap out of this soon. It is unusual for me to get in a rut like this one. I always remind myself of the countless blessings I have in many, many form. I should be thankful, right?

I guess this is just a phase in my life. I probably need a longer vacation or a new working environment. Oh, I hope I get good news soon.

Too Fast, Too Soon

You might wonder what my post will be about based on the title. It can be weight loss, growth, expansion or just about anything about getting big and wider. However, that is not the case. It has nothing to do with expansion or increment. It's all about the dexterity of my mouth to out-run my thoughts. Simply put, my mouth is faster than my thoughts. And I have noticed that this week.

As usual, I become a different person only when I am in the office. I am very calm and happy at home because home is where my heart is. Lately, "my mouth speaks what my heart feels" and this is not telling my colleagues, it is telling my bosses! No, I am not venting out my sentiments and grievances to them but I am already giving them a piece of my mind - in an assertive and yet stern manner, still doused with respect. 

I used to just say yes this and yes that even if I have to beg for extra appendages to do my work. Now, I just tell them straight that I cannot finish this or that on time or they move the deadline. I have been vocal about what I can and cannot do now because the bosses are compromising me without consulting me first or asking what other projects I have. This is the problem with people, they think of some bright ideas and I get to do the dirty work. And who else gets the credit? Of course, NOT ME. So now, forgive me if I am wrong but I believe it is my right to advise them if I can meet the deadline or not by being realistic and being in the "real world" and not somewhere else where I can warp time to their advantage. I know I should think a million times before I say something especially in the work area. I am beyond that now. I am tired. I need to speak up or forever hold my peace. 

People are just asking the impossible these days. I feel that they are pushing their staff to the limit by requesting impossible feats in short notice. I am already bugged with so many work I can barely breathe and here they come, throwing more work to me and asking me to deliver the end product in 10 minutes time. Say what?!? Unless I am the goddess Shiva (is she the one with plenty of arms?), then yes I can commit. Hello, last time I checked, I only have 2 arms, 10 fingers, 2 legs, 2 feet, 10 toes and 1 torso. For crying out loud!

Who Loves Math?

Raise your hand if you do! I really admire those whose minds work like a clock when it comes to solving Math problems. My dilemma started when my daughter commenced learning pre-algebra on her 6th Grade. Algebra? Nooooo! That was my immediate response while having palpitations and tiny beads of sweat trickle on my forehead. Ask me in Physics, Chemistry and even Biology but not in MATH???

I am not really poor in Math, it's just that, most typical people who are good in arts, crafts and the languages, my other half of the brain finds it hard to process figures. I am bad at figures (even my "figure" is bad...harhaarharr! No pun intended...smile!). I actually have high grades in Math but am very slow when it comes to solving problems. I remember submitting my test papers while my other classmates have long left the school. My teacher had to plead for me to submit my papers whether I was finished or not. Of course I would not budge. It was my grade at stake not hers or anyone. I just had to give her that "puppy look" which amazingly, always get my teachers off guard and next time they knew it, they were reluctantly waiting for me to complete my test.

To my surprise, I always ace my exams and even got 97 in Trigonometry! How did that happen? I have no clue.

So now, I am wracking my head again because of my daughter. I have to scour the internet and libraries for references on solving math problems.

I thought I was already done with all these things. Here I am again, faced with the same math problems I dreaded many, many moons ago. Sigh...

Spring with New Hope

Winter posed itself longer than usual this year. We did not experience heavy rains on March but this year was different. Spring has taken a back seat for a while and now it has sprung!

I welcome the entry of this wonderful season called Spring. Although here in the hot climate of the Middle East, we are not privileged enough to enjoy Spring season in its full scale. We don't see enough verdant greens and natural blossoms of beautiful spring plants. Most of the plants here are artificially cultivated because they won't survive the harsh summer months.

Spring brings new hope after a gloomy season. It beacons new life. With all the problems the world is facing right now, the "seeming" pandemic around us because of the H1N1 virus, the dissent of other countries, the oppression of the poor, the compromising of peace talks, the global recession and the increasing number of poverty, we could only pray and hope that Spring brings a bright future as it enters the changing of the season.

Catching Up

I am back but taking things easy and slowly this time as I have a lot of catching up to do. I didn't realize the amount of tags and awards I need to do and post; not to mention the other articles I have set aside to post eventually at a later date. They need updating of course.

How was everyone's Christmas? I hope it was spent meaningfully with the people who matters most. My family had a great time and I was glad I took the trip. I was adamant of going because of financial reasons. I felt it was too "inconsiderate" thinking how the world was suffering from economic crisis and there I was - traveling. Then again, I didn't travel for the sake of satisfying my travel bug sickness but I had to spend my Christmas with my mom and siblings and in-laws too.

Well, the New Year will be a different matter. I dare not talk about it ;) I just pray and hope that good things will come despite the rise of job cuts, the crazy increase in credit card interest rates (which reminds me that I need to discard mine before I fall into a bottomless pit!), the uncertainties looming around us. I always believe that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The tunnel might be long and winding but it will reach its end. Let's just have faith and rely on our family and friends for support in this time of need.

I wish you all a very peaceful and prosperous 2009. Prosperity might not come in riches but the blessings that we still have food on our table, a roof over our heads, clothes to keep us warm and a job to sustain our living. Let's all believe. We will all pass this storm unscathed but with more steadfast faith in Him.

Happy New Year everyone.

What's in store for US of A?

Now that Mr. Obama has been elected as the 44th president of the US of A, he has a lot of cleaning up to do. He is going to face a big challenge when he starts his official day in the White House.

I cannot help but hope for the best to come for USA. I have always have this soft spot for the US since I have relatives and friends there. I hope and pray that US will come out of the financial quagmire it is in at the moment with the help of the able President Obama and his Vice.

We all go through burdens in our lives and so are our countries no matter where we reside. However, with the mighty US as one economic giant affecting other countries like my home country, we could only pray for positive things.

So, what's in store for US now that they have a new president? If I were to voice out my hopes, I want US to pull out from the crazy war and solve the war within (poverty, economic crisis, homeless people, recession, diseases and the thinning moral fiber of a nation), better education, support for the US troops and to provide more jobs to their people and to those who find greener pasture in the land of milk and honey.

These are just hopes from someone who is neither an American nor a resident of the US. Someone who believes that US will come out of whatever battle it has at the moment - a winner!

The Ant and the Bully

This is my take on the movie "The Ant and the Bully." It's my personal perception of all the bullies in the world and the ants they step on to.

I feel sad that these bullies treat others unkindly. I mean, who gave them the authority to boss everyone around? Last time I checked, we all poop & pee, we sweat like everyone else, we pick our noses too. So, what makes these bullies special amongst the rest? Could it be their inherent dominant genes, overflowing with dominance that the need to pour it out on the poor ants is their way of releasing those?

I have been picked on many times because of my size, my being pacifist and my lack of authority in some matters. I don't akin this attribute to my being a Piscean but this is me. I hate conflicts and I definitely abhor people treating me like a dirt bag. Just because a person does not retaliate one's antagonism, that does not mean he or she is a door mat. There are other worthy ideas and activities to think of and do respectively than to succumb to these people's provocation. I'm sure a lot of you have been thrown on the side by these people at one point in your life? How did you cope?

Up and Running (?!?)

My laptop's been bugged for the past week. I was unable to post other than the one yesterday and some that I have already pre-programmed to post on a certain day. I have a feeling it was some sort of a "worm" or "virus" because now, my laptop's up and running. Yey! Though not preempting any circumstances, I think my laptop "knew" that she's (yup, she's a she...hahahahaaa....just a trivia, I have this silly habit of naming things with human names...don't ask what's my laptop's name though...hahahaha!) about to be sentenced to "re-formatting." I was already copying and creating back-ups for my files when lo and behold! I tried to log in for the last time before I reformat it and was surprised to find out that I can log in again. I don't have an iota of info on what happened suddenly. All I care is that she's back, I am back and everybody's within reach again!

Bear with me again as I try to cope up with the dropping of e-loves and reading of blogs and commenting. I have gazillions of things on my head right now to process. I may just feel what my laptop felt - "system overload!"

Tuh-tah for now and like what Arnie said in the Terminator, "I'll be back..." Hasta la vista babies!!!

My browser problems!

I have recently posted an article about my problems with Mozilla and Windows Vista. At the moment, I have connection at home but I cannot enter any site at all! So, you're guessing how I can post this article, right? Well, I am in the public internet cafe so I can log in! My goodness! Times like this, I wish I was an IT expert.

So friends, please bear with me if I do not respond regularly nor drop those e-loves as I figure out how to fix these bugs!

I'll be checking every chance I get. I miss blogging already! And I miss all of you too =)

Vista and Mozilla - Testing my Patience

Curses! That's the most I can say when it comes to mouthing a bad word. Curses! I can think of all the curses known to man right now because of this issue with Vista OR Mozilla 3. I re-installed the updated version of Mozilla so I can open Yahoo properly. Lo and behold, I still cannot connect properly. I have to restart, reboot the router, clear the cache and cookies, disable some stuff and yet, I still cannot open the usual websites I frequent to using the older version of Mozilla.

This thing is really wearing my patience thin. I swear I could throw my laptop any moment now. I feel a little frustrated because I am not an IT expert so I don't understand what's happening, if it's Vista at fault, my browser, my firewall, my security settings...what?

I decided to downgrade my Mozilla to version 2 just so I can open the sites again and I managed to do that. It's starting to shed light now, I have a funny feeling that Vista has something to do with all this hullabaloos!

I need more patience! And I need it pronto!!!