Perfect Blend of Friendship Award

A big thank you to the person who gave me this award: Ate Iceah, a mommy blogger who writes positive and uplifting devotions every week that serves as wake up call when we feel lenient and lax with our relationship with God and our service to our friends, family, neighbors and even strangers.


Awarded: Mai Yen Suzanne Clark & Butchay's Blog MommyBa's Journey Hope This Helps You by Mec Popcorn's Thoughts Berry Blog A Tsinay Blog Berry Mumbling , Iceah of wow-legs, Pinay-chicken-heart, Pchi of Opinions in a Filipino's Perspective, Your blog where you posted this...


Now, I'd like to pass to all my blogger friends... I hope our friendship lasts and never ends.... (movie line?) LOL

A Birthday Prayer

A Birthday Prayer
by Pchi

Thank you dear Lord for another year
You have given me to live
I'd try to give you honor as much as joy
As I tread the journey I will take

Teach me to love the way you want me to
Allow me to see people's worth beyond what I can see
Don't let me trample on others feelings
Help me to be careful
Oh how I treat them, oh should be with glee

I lay down all my plans for the future on you
Help me choose a career suited for me
So I'll be happy as can be
Money is important and don't let me be greedy

Of all the things that you allowed me to be
I am so glad I have family and friends on my side
There's nothing I regret, nothing I'd change
If I would live it all over again

Well, I just actually wanted to say
I thank you for my birthday
I've been what I am because of your mercy
I hope to love you back as you to me

Thanks Lord, I love you

MINDANAO: POVERTY, SOCIAL INJUSTICE AND THE MORO ARMED STRUGGLE

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My Fill-ins

This tag was passed on to me by Yenzz

Players : YEN/ MICH/ EDS/ LIS/ vinkoy/ Chubz /Yenzz / Pchi / YOUR BLOG WHERE YOU POST THIS TAG

My roommate and I once: lived and ate together for two semesters

Never in my life have I: smoked cigarette and drank alcohol

High school was: not enough to prepare me for college

When I’m nervous: I panic and realize I need to relax

My hair: is black

When I was 5: I started pre-school

When I turn my head left: I see my bed

I should be: sleeping... it's 1:33 in the morning

By this time next year: i will turn a year older (august is my birth month)

My favorite aunt is: Aunt Dita

I have a hard time understanding: why people can be so greedy they can be so evil

You know I like you if: I treat you nicely with lots of smiles

My ideal breakfast is: milk, rice and veggies+meat

If you visit my home town: you can eat a lot of different kinds of bananas

If you spend the night at my house: depends on your purpose

The animal I would like to see flying besides birds: human?

I shouldn’t have been: staying up late

Last night: I was working

A better name for me would be: Sandy

I’ve been told I look like: Donita Rose, my sisters

If I could have any car, it would be: Toyota Prius (black)

Now tagging On Mobile, StageMom, Jarvil, and Janeth

What a long day! This was what happened...

Thanks Carol for this tag. Sorry, the response was uber late, but was glad enough you had me in mind when you did this tag.

Rule:

1. List 6 things that describe yourself today.

2. Add your blog to the list. Feel free to add all your other blogs.

3. Tag other online friends you know.

Links: Creative In Me Little Peanut Me and Mine Pea in a Pod Sugar Magnolias Doll Me Up Deviously Creative IamDzoi My Happy Place To the Moon and Back Raising Sandy My Colorful World Working It MyParty.Finds.A Home. Em's Detour Stripe & Yellow Something Purple Vanity Kit Mind Bubbles Living the Healthy Life Insights from the Grocery Cart Opinions in a Filipino's Perspective [add your link here]

Today, I

:: [10 AM] woke up really late

:: [11 AM] received a text message from the worried mother of my boyfriend who went suddenly missing and asked me whether I knew his whereabouts

:: [4 PM] went to my boyfriend's parents house to talk to them

:: [5 PM] went to supermarket to run errands for my elder sister

:: [8PM - 12 midnight] - worked and talked with my Japanese friends online

:: [12 midnight] was told and glad that my boyfriend was back home

HAHA. Thank God for this day!

Now, I'd like you to share your day Jagif, Noni, Prosetitute, and Amor

Awards

Wow, this makes my day... I am happy my friends value my blog and my friendship. Now that gives some meaning to my existence here. Anyway, enough of this drama, I'd like to extend my sincerest gratitude to Ate Rose and Ate Lou for giving me the "Kick Ass" award and Ate Iceah and Maicel for saying that they love my blog... Tears of joy...*sob*

Thanks again Ate Iceah and Maicel *hugs* This is very sweet.

The rules of the award are:

1. The winner can put the logo on his/her blog.
2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of the people you’ve nominated

Now the problem with choosing seven other blogs is killing me because I like almost all my friends' blogs. Why? Because our blogs are the extension of the ourselves and I rarely read a blog without getting curious about the mind behind it.

BLOG = language of our souls

So, let's see... I will pass this award to.... Vikki, Louie, EV, Rose, Fe, Kikams, and back to Iceah
It's true, I like your blog friends...

Kick Ass Award

thank you ate Rose, ate Lou, berry, pastilan, and iceah

Do you know any bloggers that kick ass?

Maybe they’ve got incredible, original content. Or they’re overflowing with creativity. Is it someone that helps you become a better blogger? Or a bloggy friend you know you can count on? Or maybe it’s someone who simply inspires you to be a better person… or someone else who sends you to the floor, laughing your ass off. Whatever the reason may be, I’m sure you know at least a couple of bloggers that kick ass. Well… why not tell ‘em so? LOVE ON ‘EM

* Choose 5 bloggers that you feel are “Kick Ass Bloggers”
* Let ‘em know via email, twitter or blog comments that they’ve received an award
* Share the love and link back to both the person who awarded you and back to http://www.mammadawg.com/to get the code for the kick ass image.

I actually don't like term because it sounds vulgar enough from my 50% conservative and 50% liberated point of view, let's just do what the award says nonetheless. I will nominate five bloggers who are writes really interesting posts, sometimes inspiring and sometimes funny.

Please accept this award.... Ferzam, Mykts, CJ, Gumer, Lei

Ferzam - relevant news, political cartoons that depict social, political and social situations in the Philippines

Myk2ts - vivid and color description of every day events and love life, told in a very personal way you might think you are in the writer's shoes

CJ - rants and opinions on political and social issues from an ex-government worker who is pursuing a nursing career

Gumer - tips and tricks from a computer enthusiast, a plus: written in good English

Lei - colorful and not so colorful life of a wife and mom, a very personal blog written in Filipino that almost anyone could relate to

BTW, all of my friends in my blogroll can grab these tags...

Common grammar slips we commit when using English- Part II

Native English speakers do commit grammatical errors even though it's their first language. Being an American, British, or Australian doesn't guarantee a flawless English. Sometimes, even native English speakers tend to be careless, forsaking the rules that make up the language.

Any language consist of a grammar rule, or a syntax. As a computer scientist I know many programming languages, and they too have certain constructs, a rule, a syntax and a semantics rule so that the computer can understand what we tell them to do, in a way we want them to!

Well, syntax is there for a reason. But this post is not to explain that. I've come up with a post about the common misuses in the English language, part two. I am not a linguistics expert, but I do know English as a second language. Having said that doesn't really make me a qualified authority, let me share you the most common errors I observe anyway.

We've been out of school too long ago and we became too lax. I think our English skills have seriously deteriorated from a lack of proper use. Who corrects our errors anyway? Unless we work in a publishing or information company, we know that we can always get away with the small lapses. As you are reading this, you might have observed some. LOL

As a math major, I only had a total of 15 units of English related courses in the university. These are: three units of English grammar, three units of communication skills in writing, three units of speech communication, three units of literature and three units of scientific writing. Now, that's a problem if I am going to enroll in a law school next year.

Well, the only link was that all my subjects were taught in English so I still had something to write occasionally in a semester. In a school like UP, even Math, Programming, Physics or PE subjects have essays and written reports. Mind you, even NSTP (National Service Training Program) required us to write an essay on a win-win conflict resolution of the Moro armed struggle in Mindanao and it should be no less than ten pages, font number 10, 1.5 spacing. Guess what, it's longer than my English language courses' requirements. And of course, I had to write and defend my manuscript in English too!

English certainly has it's quirks but isn't it what makes it interesting?

Too much introduction by the way, but here they are:

Part one? click here

Prepositions of Time: On, In, At

On

We use on with
a. days of the week: Mondays, Tuesdays... Sundays
Example: I will be seeing my dentist on Saturday.
b. precise date: August 14, 2008, May 28, 1st of October
Example. My mother was born on August 3, 19xx
c. seasons

In

In is used for broad rather than specific
a. years, decades, centuries
In 1898, Emilio Aguinaldo was proclaimed the first Philippine president.
b. months
We will be moving out to our new apartment in December.

at

At is used for specific rather than broad
a. specific time of the day
Example: Please call me at 8:30.
b. specific time expressions: night, noon

Prepositions of place: in/at/on

In
a. commonly used for broad rather than specific (countries, or broad areas in context)
Example: In the Philippines, the weather is hot all year round.
b. referring to closed spaces (ex. building)
c. bodies of water (Ex. in the sea)


at
a. specific rather than broad (i.e. : address, specifying a town or city)
ex. I live at Apartment 231, Narra St., Davao City.
We have been living at Kanagawa prefecture.
b. referring to open spaces (ex. parks, zoo, etc)

on

a. surfaces (desk, table, floor)
b. street
ex. Turn left on Main Street...
c. directions (left, right)
c. small islands

to - to indicate a movement from one place to another
Ex. I will go to the movie theater.
Let us go to the office

Note: article "the" denotes "building"

Modals: can/could/might/must/shall/may/should

Correct usage of Modals
a. No 's in third person singular
ex. He can speak Italian.
b. Use not to make it negative
ex. cannot, should not, will not
c. can, must, should don't have future of past forms
I will can sing in the future (wrong)

might -
a. something you cannot decide at the moment
b. something that is possible to happen to you if you are not careful (ex. accidents)
c. something that is likely, you need to be prepared just in case

should
a. asking for suggestions
ex. Should I leave him or not?
b. giving advice
ex. I think you should leave him now or regret it later.
c. making decisions
ex. Should I buy this one or that one?

could
a. asking somebody's permission to ask for his help
Could you please do me a favor?
b. expressing ability in the past
I could swim before.


may - asking for permission

I will try to explain these things next time:

lie, lay - lay/lain

you/you're/your

this/these

their, they're/there

well/good

that/which

irregardless
effect/affect

who/whom

I/me

If I was/were

amount/number

through/threw/thru

program/programme

imply/infer

I have got to/ I have to immediate/later

Yet vs Already

Some sources:

http://www.englishpage.com/modals/modalintro.html
http://esl.about.com/od/beginningenglish/ig/Basic-English/Prepositions-of-Place.htm
http://www.eslgold.com/grammar/explanations.html

Other interesting reads for common English blunders

http://listverse.com/literature/10-common-english-language-errors/
http://www.bartleby.com/141/strunk3.html

Dream Vacation

Thanks ate Fe for this tag. Now it's my turn to disclose my dream destination.

I've always been fascinated by the group of islands in Batanes, in the northernmost part of the Philippines. I love everything I've heard from word-of-mouth of people who have visited this place. They say the Ivatans (local folks) are very nice people and they seem to take care of their province very well 'cause it looks very clean and pristine.

Batanes, Philippines
Source: http://www.philsite.net/batanes.htm


Outside the Philippines, I'd like to go to Switzerland. I'd like to go hiking on the Swiss Alps (if that is possible), eat their chocolates and drink fresh milk. I will also buy swiss knife. LOL

Alps, Switzerland
Source: http://www.world-tour-orion7.com/images/SwissAlps.jpg

1. Pink and Bubbly
2. Everything Kimchi
3. The Cake Chronicles
4. Pinoy Gaming World
5. imishyou
6. Morgentau und Rosen
7. Pchi's Opinions
8. You're next

Now tagging Ate Isah, Berry, ReanaClaire, Vida, Mommy Lei, Miah

and everyone from my blogroll who wants to grab this tag...

Please share your dream destinations too, and why...

Karanasan ko sa pilahan sa DFA

Isang araw naisip ko, "kukuha kaya ako ng passport?" Baka sakali kasi may pagkakataon ako na makapag-pangibangbayan, medyo napapaisip na din na magbaka-sakali sa ibang bansa. Sa katunayan, nakapagsulat na ako ng post sa kalituhan kong ito.

Wala naman talaga akong balak na umalis para magtrabaho sa ibang bansa. Kahit nuon pa, naisip kong dito lang ko sa Pilipinas maninilbihan. Pero ano kaya kung magbago ang isip ko, e di, mas mabuti nang maging handa. Kaya gusto kong kumuha ng passport.

Nitong nakaraang Biyernes, pumaroon ako sa opisina ng DFA sa lungsod ng Davao. Mga alas kwatro pa lang yun ng umaga at mataas na ang pila. Kasama ko ang boypren ko, sa bilang niya mga nasa ika-120 kami. Alas otso pa ang bukas ng opisina pero nandoon na kami kahit madilim at malamig pa ang paligid. Napagtantiya ko, ang dami pala talagang Pilipinong nais makapagtrabaho sa abroad, biruin mo, kung araw araw ganoon kahaba ang pila, aba hindi ko na kayang gamitin ang aking mga kamay at paa sa pagbibilang dahil sa sobrang dami.

Dahil palakaibigan naman ako, minarapat kong kausapin paminsan-minsan ang aking mga katabi. Ilang oras pa naman din kaming nakikipagsiksikan sa maliit na ispasyo para makatiyak lang na maproseso ang aming mga dokumento. Halos karamihan sa kanila Muslim, galing pa sa malalayong pook sa Mindanao, tulad ng Cotabato, Davao Oriental at kung saan-saan pa. Babae at lalaki, bata at medyo matatanda na. Ang daming gustong mamasukang katulong at kung anu-ano pa. Oo nga naman ang hirap makahanap ng disente at matinong pagkakakitaan dito sa Pilipinas, lalo na kung mababa lang ang pinag-aralan.

Noong mga bandang nag-uumaga na, nung nabalot na ng liwanag ang buong paligid, bigla na lamang kaming nagtaka. Tila mukhang dumaming bigla ang mga nauuna sa amin. Aba, medyo nakakainis din pala. Pero hindi na ako nagtaka. Tayo na yata ang isa sa mga pinaka walang disiplinang lahi sa buong mundo. Ang dami-dami nating dirty tricks upang makalamang sa iba. Bakit sa Singapore di naman uso ang sumingit sa linya. Kahit saan maayos naman silang pumipila, sa bus stop, sa mga sinehan, pero sa Pilipinas... hay naku... kahit may pinag-aralan minsan walang modo.

Upang malibang naman kami, niyaya kong maglaro na lang kami ng word games ng boypren ko. Noong una, bitay o yun bang lokal na bersyon ng "Hangman". Pinalitan namin ng "Bingo" noong huli. Ang patakaran sa laro ay magbigay ng sampong aytem sa bawat kategorya. Halimbawa: "Magbigay ng mga prutas na hindi kahoy". Aba, at least mapapaisip ka... at hindi mo mapapansin ang oras kasi abala ka... may matutunan ka pa. LOL. Eto namang boypren ko, hinahaluan ng biro, kaya tawa kami ng tawa. Minsan pinagtitinginan na nga kami ng ibang mga pumipila kasi kami lang ata ang mukhang masaya. Paano ba naman kasi, nung ang kategorya namin ay "magbigay ng 10 pagkain na nagsisimula sa letrang P maliban sa junkfood, ang isinulat ng boypren ko ay:

1. pritong manok
2. pritong itlog
3. pritong isda
4. pritong baboy
5. pritong talong

at kung anu-ano pang prito... Hay talaga, ibang klase din naman ang humor ng boypren ko. Wala na akong magawa kundi tumawa. Seryoso pa naman ako sa laro.

Palakaibigan din naman ang boypren ko. May mga nakausap din siyang mga lalaking aplikante. Yung isa nga, halatang kararating lang dahil basa pa ang buhok, at bigla na lang siyang nasa unahan ng pila. Bumayad daw ito ng P300 para makasingit dun sa isang aplikanteng nakapila sa unahan. Siguro marami silang nagbayad kasi nung papasok na kami, bigla na lang humaba ang aming pila, at nasa ika-250 na kami. Kay naku talaga sa mga Pilipino, kahit anu-anong raket na lang ang pasukin. Nakakainis lang kasi ikaw na matino, nauungasan na, nalalamangan pa. Naisip kaya nila ang pakiramdam nang sila naman ang naloko?

Bakit ba kahit saan ganito ang sitwasyon?

Talamak din ang korapsyon. Kung kailangan mong asukasihon ang mga dokumento dapat mag bigay ka ng lagay o pera depende sa hiningi nila. Isang halimbawa, sa aming bayan, kung mag-aaplay ka ng posisyon sa DepEd bilang guro, kailangan mong magbigay ng di bababa sa P60, 000 sa kinauukulan (sa supirentendent o kung sino man) para ipasok ka nila. Kahit saang ahensiya, ganito pa rin. Nakakaloka. Pero hindi ko naman sinasabing lahat ay ganito. Kahit paano may mga mabubuting budhi naman sa gobyerno. Salamat din kahit papano mayroon pa namang matitino. Sana dumami ang lahi nila at sana magbago na ang mga opisyal na garapalang nanghuhuthot ng pera.

Nakakainis talaga, lalo na kung apektado ka. Siguro, bale wala lang kung hindi ka naman gaanong naaapektohan. Kung hindi nga lang ako nasasayangan sa P1,000 na dagdag na halaga upang ipaproseso sa mga travel agency ang aking passport, e di na ako pumila. Hay naku talaga.

Sana isang araw, magising naman akong wala na ang mga problemang ito sa Pilipinas. Pipila pa naman ako uli kasi di tinanggap ang mga supporting documents na dala ko. Babalik na naman ako, ngunit mag-isa na lang ako. Siguro, kailangan ko nang tanggapin na ganito talaga mamuhay sa Pilipinas. Saan ba makakabili ng pasensiya, bibili ako bultuhan. Naubos kasi nung minsang pumila ako sa DFA. Kailangan kong makabili bago ako bumalik doon.

Edit:

Nakakuha na ako ng passport. Bumalik ako noong Martes, alas 8:30 na ako dumating, naasikaso naman ako kaagad, natapos ko ang proseso sa loob ng dalawang oras. Nakalabas na ako ng opisina ng 10:30.

Ang moral lesson ay: huwag pumunta ng Biyernes kasi maraming tao.

Ang problema hindi ko yata magagamit ang passport kasi wala naman akong balak magtrabaho sa ibang bansa. Pero malay natin, nakapagbakasyon ako kahit sa Hongkong, Singapore o Malaysia lang. Afford naman yata kung pag-iipunan, di ba?

To English readers: Once in a while I write in Filipino because I talk about touchy aspects of our culture. It's just right to use our own language to talk to my own people.

Awards

Arte Y Pico Award

Ate Rose gave me this award. Thank you so much, I am so glad to have it.

The rules for passing this honor on:

1) Pick 5 blogs that you would like to award this honor to.

2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.

4) Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of http://arteypico.blogspot.com/ so everyone will know the origin of this award.

Now, I would like to share this award to my friends Kikams, Ruthi, Rosilie, Yenzz, Story the Great


Brillante Weblog Premio-2008

Thank you Ate Isah for this award.... So happy to receive it. *bow*

Rules of this award are :

1. Put the logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Add links to those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

Now sharing this award to KateLove, Nanay Belen, Sharz, PinkShoelaceGirl, Mommy Lissa, Ken, Jannesse

Suggestions for a happier YOU

Faced with inflation, job recession, and other stresses in our modern lives, we need to be creative to find ways to stay afloat sane during these times. We deal with personal problems daily, as well as handle difficulties with our relationships with people, be it with our family members, partners, friends, co-workers, or even strangers. In a dog-eat-dog world, it really is a busy and stressful life.

So, is happiness elusive? I don't think so. If we know how to balance our priorities, invest our time on the things that matter most, I think we will find fulfillment and at least a little happiness that we are looking for. Sometimes, we don't have to look far, because being happy depends on our behavior, our way of life, our lifestyle and way of thinking. Nevertheless, an article from Reader's Digest gives 20 tips on how we can be and how to stay happy.

Here they come

1. Practice mindfulness.
2. Laugh out loud.
3. Go to sleep.
4. Hum along.
5. Declutter.
6. Just say no.
7. Make a list.
8. Do one thing at a time.
9. Garden.
10. Tune out the news.
11. Take a dog for a walk.
12. Scent the air.
13. Ignore the stock market.
14. Visit a quiet place.
15. Volunteer.
16. Spend time alone.
17. Walk mindfully.
18. Give priority to close relationships.
19. Take care of the soul.
20. Count your blessings.

Source Reader's Digest. Read the whole article from here or cut and paste this site to your URL.
http://www.rd.com/living-healthy/20-simple-ways-to-get-happy/article16181-1.html

Looking for a stress reliever? Let's SING stress out!

Singing is top of the activities that my boyfriend and I enjoy. We love singing at KaraOkes. At NCCC Mall Davao, we sing our hearts out in their booths for P11 per song (roughly $0.25). He serenades me with "Beautiful Girl" and "You look wonderful tonight". We sing really old and classic songs, mostly love songs or country genre. When we get together with my college buddies, we either eat out, have coffee or sing. I also like to sing alone. HAHAHA.

I am actually a lousy singer. I do get the notes sometimes, but more often it's off the key. My brother would tease me every time I play keyboards or the guitar because I sing really bad. My boyfriend is more encouraging though! He says I just need more practice. Gee, that's why I love him, he only says good things.

Anyway friends, now I found a great site for frustrated singers like me. It's free but there are songs that are only accessible to Gold members. My friend Jane referred it to me and now I'm loving it too! It's great because it's a good stress buster, a relaxing activity and a good practice for our professional career later on (hopefully). LOL. You can record a song of your choice and show it to your friends. You can meet a lot of new people too!

Not a sponsored post, OK? Try it. You will love it... that's a guarantee. Again it's SingSnap.

I hope there is a Christian version of this site where I can sing songs by Jaci Velasquez, Bob Fitts, The Vineyard, Steve Cuban, Hillsong, Don Moen, et al.

Tag Of Four

I've been tagged by Marie. Thanks sis for this tag.. :)

Instructions: What you are supposed to do...and please don't spoil the fun...Click copy/paste, type in your answers and tag four people in your lists! Don't forget to change my answers to the questions with that of your own.

(A) Four places I go over and over: beautiful islands, malls, church, favorite eating places

(B) Four people who e-mail me regularly: my sister, my boss, job personnel, a Japanese friend

(C) Four of my favorite places to eat? KFC, Red Ribbon, Mandarin Tea Garden, Le Franz

(D) Four places you'd rather be? home, beach, mountain, where my loved ones are

(E) Four people I think will respond: Jemade, Myk2ts, Malyn, Vicy

(F) Four TV shows I could watch over and over: Ow, sorry I don't watch TV shows again

Now tagging Jemade, Malyn, Mykts, Vicy,