Update report...

I am almost finished with my programming job, I just need to fix a few bugs... I mean, not a few but basically my system is up and working.

Every precious minute counts so I am giving all my energy on it.

However, my friend Pastilan left me a note that this blog has already been ranked! Wow, thanks to EC, LinkReferral and other link building blog directories, exchange links and friends who keep coming back, this opinion page has a Google PR3...

I am actually curious on how indexing is done, and how crawlers determine a site's rank and relevance. I am now trying to find time to read, Collective Intelligence by O' Reilly. A Japanese friend ordered it from amazon.jp and sent it to me via Fedex because he wants to study it, and as his English tutor, I have to study it as well. It explains how to build Smart Web 2.0 applications, and how search engines generate pages for certain query keywords and how sites are ranked according to relevance. With so many web sites, blogs and other services, how do Google and other search engines do their jobs?

Well, it's for me to find out. When I am done reading it, I will try to explain it to you as well. But for now, I'll be programming again... and oh, I have to study Ruby, Perl and web design too! Huh! So many things to do, and so little time.

I'll be back within a few days friends, promise! :-)

Friendship Poem

We need Friends for many reasons,

all throughout the season.
We need Friends to comfort us when we are sad,
and to have fun with us when we are glad.

We need Friends to give us good advice,
We need someone we can count on,
and treat us nice.



We need Friends to remember us
one we have passed sharing memories
that will always last.

thanks sisses iceah and cindy

Spread the Poem of Friendship...

1. Everyday Life 2. Words of Love 3. Sheng's Simple Thoughts . . . 4. good thoughts, good trades 5. Ours and Our Kids 6. Jengspeaks 7. Jacque 8. Snippets of My Mind 9.Melisse's Domain 10.Seize The Day 11. Living A' La Mode 12. Simple Delights 13. Motherhood in a Nutshell 14. RainCindy's Blogging Time 15. General Santos City 16. About Love and Relationship 17. Cheese Cake 18. Spectator 19. Cyber explorations and more 20. Opinions in a Filipino's Perspective

I'd like to be better acquainted with:

Jemade, Lou, Darlyn, Jannesse, Ruthi, Kikams, Rosilie

and all my friends in my blogroll because it's so nice to meet you :-)

P.S. Please leave me a comment if you want to grab this tag... so I can link your URL here

Taking a short leave

--- this is a cross post with my other blog...

Hi everyone... I am so happy that you found time to visit me here. I am sorry, I need to be away from blogging for about a week or so, I have a major programming stuff to do, and I think I need to shift my focus on that as of now.

Well, you might say, "hey, just manage your time between both". Let's just say, that I am a little addicted to blogging and it's a temptation I can't resist.

However, programming needs total attention, I need to solve a problem, design an algorithm or method on how to do it, and develop it according to its design. If I keep shifting my focus between my two loves, I might not be able to accomplish the more important one. After all, it's better to be safe than sorry.

So guys, I would love to check you out again, when I am through with all my priorities. I promise, when I get back I will write about these things:

1. Implications of the dwindling US economy to the world
   
2. Dealing with racism, discrimination and prejudice
3. Cyber slacking - why people get fired because of it
4. Why I want to be a LAWYER
5. Haven't you thought how life is in a prostitute's perspective?
6. Cheating and marital infidelity

I will also review these for my cyber explorations blog:

1. Joomla/Drupal
2. ViewMyPC
3. A live video streaming website

I hope you come again soon! I will miss you guys, see you then :-) Mata ne!

Ken says

Isn't is amazing how clever kids are today? They readily adapt to the technology, they absorb most our conversations, albeit unknowingly on our part and they learn fast.

My nephew, Ken, just turned four but he knows better how to use the PC than my parents. He knows how to turn it on by himself, he knows how to open his favorite game, and he likes to look at his face using the web camera. He also knows how to send a text message and call somebody using a cellphone although he doesn't know how to read yet. Wow, isn't it amazing?

I think our Ken isn't alone. Most of kids his age today are equally wonderful.

Maybe it's because they don't have any prior orientation or any form of biases, or because they seem to be so eager to experience everything around them, or maybe because they're so receptive and open with new ideas.

Ken comes to my parents house twice a week and he never fails to make us laugh with his innocent humor.

Last Sunday, I cooked my own version of pancake and told him we're going to make some magic. Now, that made him interested so I showed him how to do it. I had him do the stirring and the mixing and he enjoyed it very much.

He couldn't wait to eat his slice but it has always been a family tradition that we pray before meals. Some people do it afterwards but we pray before partaking. He has quite observed this for a long time and we know he knows how to do it now. So, we asked him to say grace...

"Tita oi, dili man ko kabalo magpray... ako na lang piyong para sa imo" (Tita, I don't know how to pray, I will close my eyes for you)

I know it isn't that funny but the timing was so perfect and he sounded so innocent, we all bursted out laughing.

Later that day, I found him sipping a glass of soft drink insatiably. He has been consuming much junk food. He likes chippy and all these products in the market with no nutritional value at all. It would have been better if he's eating well during his meals but no. He's picky and has appetite for the wrong kinds of food.

Rather concerned, I casually told him.

Me: "you know Ken, you shouldn't drink much soft drink."
Ken: Why?
Me: "one day, it will hurt you a lot when you pee. Soft drink will cause you to pee painfully. Do you want that to happen to you?"
Ken: No, but papa drinks too. Papa didn't get sick.
Me: Well, papa is a big man. Papa has a bigger immune system. Since Ken is not big yet, Ken's immune system is also not as big. Papa eats vegetables and drinks milk but Ken doesn't. Vegetables and milk make your body stronger to fight sickness. So Ken will get sick faster than papa.
Ken: OK... (hands his glass of soft drink to his father)

Here is Ken's picture... and with me

Mag-aabrod ba ako, o hindi?

Dumating na ang passport ko at dahil sabay kaming nag-aplay nakuha na rin ng boypren ko ang kanya. Kinukulit na nga niya akong mag-abroad na kami. Nagresign na siya sa trabaho niya bilang inhinyero ng isang bayan malapit lang sa amin. Napapagod na daw siyang pinapanood ang talamak na panloloko ng mga opisyalis ng gobyerno sa mga tao at ang pagwaldas nila kahit ng kabit nga mayor sa pundo ng kanilang bayan.

"Walang mangyayari sa akin duon... kahit anong pagsisikap ko, walang mangyayari sa career ko", ani niya. Habang hirap na hirap daw siyang ipa-refund yung mga nagastos niyang personal na salapi para sa mga materyales, para lang matapos ang mga proyekto, ang kabit ng mayor naman, lingguhan ang pag-shopping at pagcheck-in sa hotel sa Davao. Pati nga raw gastusin nila sa bahay, maliban pa sa konsumo sa gasolina...pinaparefund nila sa gobyerno.

Ang tugon ko naman, "bakit di man lang ba yan kinukwestiyon ng Commission on Audit?" Lalo lang siyang naiinis... kasi ang mga ito na daw mismo ang nagtuturo sa kanila upang makalusot yung mga pundong ninanakaw nila. Ang hirap daw magpakatino kung lahat ng tao sa paligid mo ay hinihila ka sa putikan. Napapagod na siya kaya hindi na ako umimik at sinuportahan ko na lang ang desisyon niya.

Pero bakit kahit anong pakiusap niya na isipin ko ang posibilidad na magtrabaho kami sa ibang bayan... parang ayaw ko pa rin. Kahit na alam na alam ko namang malabong magbago ang kasalukuyang sitwasyon sa Pilipinas.

Kung tutuusin naman... hindi ko pinangarap na maging mayaman... komportable siguro. Hindi ko naman kailangan ng mamahaling gamit para sumaya. Minsan, gusto niya akong bilhan ng kwentas at kung anu-ano pa, pero magiging masaya man ako... wala namang pinag-iba kung wala ng mga iyon. Ako kasi, ang expression ko ng love ay quality time. Kaya gugulan mo lang ako ng panahon... maligayang-maligaya na ako. Aanhin ko ba ang maraming pera kung swertehin at yumaman nga kami kung hindi naman kami magkasama? Kaya lang, bilang lalaki siguro parang naisip niya na responsibilidad niya ang bigyan ang magiging pamilya niya sa hinaharap ng maayos na buhay. Hindi lang sa magiging pamilya niya kundi para makatulong na rin sa mga magulang niya... pati na yata buong angkan nila, panganay kasi.

Nainis ako nang sinabi ng isa kong estudyante Hapon habang nag-uusap kami para makapag-ensayo siyang gamitin ang Ingles... na ang Pilipinas daw ay walang pinag-iba sa Zimbabwe!

Aba, panghahamak na ito... sinabi ko sa sarili ko kaya pinagtanggol ko ang mga Pinoy. Pero may punto siya. Kung iisipan, marami nga tayong pagkakapareha. Para sa inyong kaalaman, ang Zimbabwe, tulad ng Pilipinas ay mahirap at may mataas na antas ng birth rate. Sa katunayan, sila ang isa sa pinakamahirap na bansa sa mundo at pinakamataas din na bilang ng mga batang ipinapanganak taon-taon. Ang nakakapanglumo lang ay ang kanilang life expectancy o taon na mabubuhay sila sa mundo ay 44 years lang. Higit pa dito, ang Zimbabwe ang may unstable na gobyerno, at marami rin silang rebelyon, at tulad ng maraming Pinoy... marami sa kanilang mga propesyunal ay nangibang-bayan at tuluyan nang iniwan ang kanilang bansa.

Pero hindi naman siguro tayo mahirap na mahirap tulad ng Zimbabwe na nagkaroon ng malawakang tagutom dahil sa pahina ng kanilang ekonomiya dulot ng pagbagsak ng kanilang produksiyon sa agrikultura. Hindi nga ba o di kaya tama siya? Baka nga halos wala nang pinag-iba.

Ang isa pa, at ang magkatulad sa Pilipinas at Zimbabwe, ayon sa kanya... ay ang power struggle ng mga pulitiko... Maraming paksyon ng gobyerno ang nais na paalisin na sa pwesto ang kasalukuyan nilang lider na maraming taon na rin ang pagkakaupo sa pwesto.

Pero, balik tayo sa pag-aabrod ng boypren ko... Ayon, hirap pa rin kaming pagkaisahin ang aming desisyon. Ang tagal-tagal na niyang nagpapaalam na mag-trabaho sa Dubai, Saudi, Australia... siguro simula nung nanliligaw pa lang siya. Pero hindi ako pumayag kaya kahit anong hikayat ng mga magulang niya sa kanya hindi siya umalis. Na-touch naman ako dahil importante talaga sa kanya ang mga suhisyon ko.

Ngayon, mukhang desidido na talaga siyang umalis at parang di ko na siya mapipigilan. Ang selfish ko naman kung di ko siya halayaang umunlad ang pagkatao at kabuhayan niya. Sa Singapore lang kamo siya para mas malapit, pero gusto niyang sumama ako. Yun din kasi ang nais ng mga magulang niya.

Minsan naiinis na nga ako kasi sila na ang nagpaplano para sa gusto kong mangyari sa buhay ko.
Eh kung di ko gustong mag-abroad, bakit ba?

Pero syiempre, pinag-iisipan ko din naman ang sinasabi niya. Mahirap kung magkalayo kami kaya ang nais niya sana ay sumama na ako, tutal madali naman daw akong makahanap ng trabaho. Ngunit may mga bulong sa aking isipan na pumipigil sa akin na di ko mawari kung ano ba. Kung ito ba ang takot na malayo sa pamilya na buong buhay kong kasama, ang takot na makipagsapalaran sa bayang hindi ko naman kinagisnan o kung martyr lang pa ako at gusto kong magsilbi sa bansa... O di kaya hindi pa ako handa sa isang pagsasamang panghabang buhay. Kung sabagay, sabi naman niya... di naman daw kailangang magpakasal kami kung ayaw ko pa. Pwede raw kaming umupa ng magkaibang kwarto, pero di ba ang lapit noon sa temptation?

Dahil hindi pa ako nakakapagdesisyon, baka mauna na siya nang walang kasiguraduhang susunod ako. Pinapanalangin ko pa ang mga bagay na ito. hinihintay ko ang pagabay sa akin ng Maykapal. Baka nga magbago ang isip ko o baka hihintayin ko na lang ang pagbalik niya.

Kung ikaw ako, ano ba ang gagawin mo?

wonderful world of words

The weight of words...

there are words that bring healing and words that lead to destruction. There are statements that build others up but there are words that can bind a person into the prison of emotional torment, because words penetrate into our inmost being!

when we utter or receive unkind words, "they pierce like a sword", leaving scars behind.

but see the contrast when we use words the other way around! It can lift others up, encourage and cure their broken hearts and lighten their burdens!

words are good but they mean nothing if we don't do, or mean what we say

words are good only if we mean them, if we're telling the truth or intend to fulfill the commitments we've made through our words

otherwise, we're manipulating people... flattering them and using them for our benefit

let's be sincere with our words, and let our actions be an evidence for our sincerity

Now that life becomes tougher for everyone, let's encourage, not tear people down... let's build bridges... not walls

"Raised voices lower self-esteem, hot tempers cool friendships, loose tongues stretch truth, swelled heads shrink influence, sharp words dull respect."

William Arthur Ward

Online piano gets me hooked!

Wow, I don't write that often in my blog these days. I am sorry for that blogger friends... I might have not visited your blog too...

I could offer a lot of excuses...

• I am starting to get bored
• I don't have time to use my PC because my sister uses it all day
• I have to focus when I work...

but I have to honor commitments I've made, so here I strike again... maybe not that often, but hey, I am trying!

Today, one of my Japanese friends was so happy to share to me a Japanese website. It's an online piano... and after my work shift, that's now... I tried it and it seems really interesting. I'd like to show it to you too! You might find it cool, as I was so enthralled to play it... You can use the mouse and the keyboards too... isn't it so nice? This makes me remember Ruel, a classmate who wrote a C++ program like this too.

Here's a snapshot....


Click on the picture to go to the site... Enjoy!

Unveil me

I've been tagged by ate Iceah. Would you believe I am actually an introvert after I answer this tag? Actually, I am... and I am not very comfortable with sharing my soul to everybody, let alone strangers. But that's exactly what I am doing for these past few posts.

Anyway, change is good... isn't it?

START -

RULES:

1. Add your blog/s to the list. Feel free to add all your other blogs. It’s okey if you only post this questions in one blog as long as you answer them.

2. Get back to this girl --> {YEN} and she’ll add your blogs to the master’s list HERE! Note that you are not ALLOWED to change the link here.

3. Copy from Start to End.

4. Tag as many friends online you know. But you don’t need to be tagged in order to join.

Copy this Participants List: Me and Mine | Creative in Me | For the LOVE of Food | Little Peanut | Pea in a Pod | It’s Where the HEART Is | Around the World | SugarMagnolias | I Am Mommy | All About The Memories | Enchanted Play | Just My Scrap | Whats Up | Simply Me | Kitchen Deelite | A Mothers Horizon | In Depth | A Life in Bloom | Because Life is a Blessing | Digiscraptology | Joys iN life | Life is What we Make it | Photo Blog | Dancing in Midlife Tune | Pinay Mommy Online | Mommy Earns Money Online | Blessings and Beyond | Posh Post Reviews | Flowersbythewayside |The Fab and The Furious | Common Sense is Not So Common | Caffeinated Muse | Purpled Sky | Chicken Heart | Pchi's Opinions |

LAYER ONE:

Name:

Peachy

Birth date:

August 26

Birthplace:

Panabo, Davao

Current Location:

Panabo/Davao City

Eye Color:

black

Hair Color:

black

Righty or Lefty:

righty

LAYER TWO:

Your heritage:

100% pinoy - I just wonder why my father has blue eyes?

The shoes you wore today:

no shoes, I work at home

Your weakness:

kinetics

Your fears:

death of a loved one without assurance of salvation

Your perfect pizza:

overloaded with toppings... but not so oily please

Goal you’d like to achieve in life:

career: be a counselor/lawyer
personal: just to fulfil God's purpose in my life... serve Him, help and build relationships with people, a lasting marriage and raise God-fearing kids

LAYER THREE:

Your most overused phrase on IM:
by the way

Your first waking thoughts:

what time is it?

Your best physical feature:

my eyes

Your most missed memory:

childhood... so innocent yet so happy

LAYER FOUR:

Pepsi or Coke:

no soft drinks please

McDonald’s or Burger King:

no fastfoods as much as possible

Single or group dates:

both

Adidas or Nike:

nike

Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea:

ice tea gives me migraine, thanks

Chocolate or vanilla:

chocolate, migraine inducing too...

Cappuccino or coffee:

cappuccino, if i want migraine

LAYER FIVE:

A famous person, dead or alive, that you would interview:
mother teresa

Movie you can watch and say the lines along with the actors:

ice age2

Name two of your passions in life:

teaching, writing

Least favorite time of day:

morning... I'm a night person

LAYER SIX:

Hairspray or gel:

none

Your favorite meal:

healthy -> meat/fish + vegetables + rice + tropical fruit + water

Color you see when you close your eyes:

nothing... black is not a color... it's the absence of light

Listen to classical music:

why not?

Ever said LOL in real life without thinking about it:

guilty

- END -

Tagging.... Enday, Faye, Rose, Jemade, Mykt2s
and everybody on my list

Awards from ate Rose

Ate Rose is so nice to give me two awards... I feel so humbled to receive these. I am happy and guilty at the same time 'cause I know I should be writing more often so people would see some new and relevant content in my site as they come back. This is a tap in the back for me... I feel more obliged to write, but that's not a bad idea. Why not? After all, blogging has been a good way to improve my writing skills as well to find friends all over the world.

Rose is a Filipino blogger married with two kids. I like her cheerful way of telling daily events, even routines and mundane things. It's great because there are pictures that go with the stories. She's also a great cook I guess, 'cause she shares recipes from time to time. I hope she surpasses all her obstacles and overcome all her difficulties in life and stand a victor, glorious with a great big smile. Thank you again for these two awards, ate Rose!

Kind Blogger Award

Here are the rules:
1. Only 5 people are allowed to receive this award.
2. Four (4) of them are followers of your blog.
3. One has to be new to your blog and live in another part of the world.
4. You must link back to who ever gave you the award.


Awesome Site Award

Ate rose said:

"I am giving this to pchi for her sincere and adept opinions about the realms of Philippine Society"

Now, I'd like to pass both of these awards to...

I might have violated the rules, so don't follow my example...
Pastilan and Iceah (one couple), Berry, Nyl, Khaye and Louie a Filipino currently working in the Middle East.

My Shoe Size Tag

photo taken from: http://www.shoes.com/

{Start Copy}

What’s your Shoe Size? Are your feet the same size as your Mom’s? How about your Sister’s feet? Can you borrow shoes from each other?

Post a picture of your latest shoe buy. Tag the number of women of your Shoe Size, i.e. Size 5 = Tag 5 friends. Don’t forget to drop a line in this Blog when you’re done.

Jenny and Belle

SAHMdom and Beyond

The Journey Continues…

Mommy Talks…

When Mom Speaks

Walk On Red

100% Kelly

Shopaholic Ties the Knot

My Family is my Life

Living A' La Mode

Dyemeyd

Pchi's Opinions

{End Copy}

I wore size 5 1/2 in high school but maybe they've grown bigger when I entered university 'cause now I wear 6, 6.5 or 7 depending on brand or manufacturing country.

I have three sisters but we don't live together anymore since two of them are already married. My sister who lives with me wears 5 1/2 shoes so she can use my shoes and slippers but most of her shoes are too tight for me.

My mother wears 7-8 but her feet's palms are wider than mine... and I don't know my other sisters' shoe size.

We used to borrow each others shoes but now I think it's not a very good idea. We don't wash shoes often, and especially with ladies shoes and sandals, we don't wear socks or stockings. Depending on your hygiene or the other person's, it's possible that you can share fungi (i.e athlete's foot), bacteria, or bad odor. Getting rid of the foul smell is more difficult than the athlete's foot I think.

So although, sharing can be good... I try to stick to my shoes as possible..

Tagging Jean, Amor, and JM (maybe will add more next time)

All my friends in my blogroll could also grab this tag....

Are you a Filipino? Then, take part in changing the Philippines

I've read this letter of Fr. James Reuter of Ateneo de Manila from Hector's blog and with his permission I am spreading this letter as a call for prayer and change to my fellow Filipinos.

In my recent blog entry, I have written about the Moro armed struggle and the never ceasing Muslim-Christian conflict and the battle for power, land and autonomy over some parts of Mindanao. So, what do we need to do about it? These are some of the responses from my friends:

Rosilie said:
"Kalungkot, but we need miracles"

Virginia said:

In my own perception, the best thing we can do about it is prayer. Only God can change the face of the earth. People can't change the world, because the world has a lot of complications!

Iceah said:
A call to prayer and peaceful talk plus a sincere heart to make a change is what we all need, LAHAT tayo government, people involve and us Filipinos. Unity kung baga, pero kung puro tayo sisi, point fingers, ako tama, walang mangyayari talaga.

Pastilan said:
I guess this problem would end if all the Muslims in Mindanao stop believing that they are not Filipinos and all Christians stop seeing Muslims as Muslims.

I have already given my two cents worth of opinion in that post but let their suggestions be heard and let's help make the Philippines a livable and country worth living again.

Now here's an article by Fr. Reuter (he's not even Filipino)... please read the letter with your mind and heart open. Thanks again to Hector for this copy.


THE ONLY HOPE FOR THE PHILIPPINES
by Father James Reuter, S.J.

By her own admission, GMA (Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) rightfully assessed that 'over the last decades, our republic has become one of the weakest, steadily left behind by its more progressive neighbors.'

Forty years ago, we were only second to Japan in economic stature, and way ahead of Singapore , Hong Kong , Malaysia , and Thailand . Today, at our present growth rate, it will take us 30 years to get to where Thailand is.

1. A population of 160 Million;
2. Of those, 70 to 90 million (equivalent to our current population) will live below the poverty line;
3. Our national debt is estimated to be at US$200B (compared to US$28B when Marcos fled, and US$53B today);
4. We will be competing, not against Thailand or even Vietnam , but against Bangladesh ;
5. We will be the most corrupt nation in Asia , if not in the world (we're already ranked 11th most corrupt nation by Transparency International) .

The signs are clear.

Our nation is headed towards an irreversible path of economic decline and moral decadence.
It is not for lack of effort. We've seen many men and women of integrity in and out of government, NGOs, church groups & people's organization devote themselves to the task of nation-building, often times against insurmountable odds. But not even two people's revolutions, bloodless as they may be, have made a dent in reversing this trend. At best, we have moved one step forward, but three steps backward.

We need a force far greater than our collective efforts, as a people, can ever hope to muster.

It is time to move the battle to the spiritual realm.
It's time to claim GOD's promise of healing of the land for His people.
It's time to gather GOD's people on its knees to pray for the economic recovery and moral reformation of our nation.

Is prayer really the answer?

Before you dismiss this as just another rambling of a religious fanatic, I'd like you to consider some lessons we can glean from history.

England 's ascendancy to world power was preceded by the Reformation, a spiritual revival fueled by intense prayers.

The early American settlers built the foundation that would make it the most powerful nation today - a strong faith in GOD and a disciplined prayer life. Throughout its history, and especially at its major turning points, waves of revival and prayer movement swept across the land.

In recent times, we see Korea as a nation experiencing revival and in the process producing the largest Christian church in the world today, led by Rev. Paul Yongi Cho. No wonder it has emerged as a strong nation when other economies around it are faltering.

Even from a purely secular viewpoint, it makes a lot of sense. For here there is genuine humbling & seeking of GOD through prayer, moral reformation necessarily follows. And this, in turn, will lead to general prosperity. YES, we believe prayer can make a difference. It's our only hope.

Today, we launch this email brigade, to inform Filipinos from all over the world to pray, as a people, for the economic recovery and moral reformation of our nation. We do not ask for much. We only ask for 5 minutes of your time in a day, to forward this email to your close friends and relatives.

This is the kind of unity which can make a big difference. Of course, if you feel strongly, as I do, about the power of prayer, you can be more involved by starting your own prayer group or prayer center.

We have tried people power twice; in both cases, it fell short. Maybe it's time to try prayer power. GOD never fails.

Is there hope? YES!

We can rely on GOD's promise, but we have to do our part. If we humble ourselves and pray as a people, GOD will heal our land. By GOD's grace, we may yet see a better future for our children.

'If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land.'(2 Chronicles 7:14).

GOD LOVES AND BLESS THE PHILIPPINES.