Willy-Nillies 30/03/09

You know the expression "one jujube at a time"? It's got a whole new meaning to me now. You see, it's been a while since I've been regularly attending church service. Not that I am a goody-two-shoes church girl or anything. It's just that there were other things that I was prioritizing then that I forgot that I also needed to feed my spiritual self too. So, there I go, for more than a month now, that I am (as much as I could) attending church for the sake of doing so.

When I started attending church again for the first time this year, all the faces I have seen were new. I haven't recognized any old-timer or something. Like as if all of them has went on with their lives alongside with them leaving the church as well. I felt peculiar, moreso, alienated. But what could I do? I told myself that I only have about 1 1/2 to 2 hours of time to spend every Sunday and I was just there for the preaching so what the heck, right? So there I went, Sunday after Sunday. It was a more-than-willing decision for me to go to that church, sit at the very last row, stretch my neck so that I could see the Pastor, and just feel like a ghostly visitor. Up until now, I actually don't know why am I keeping myself sort of distant to everyone else. Like Sunday for me is my anti-social day. No people. No greetings. No anything.

And it felt like I was one with myself (well, sorta). Like the whole time I was alone and was paying attention to the preacher, I was also observing the people that were around me and how they act, react, and all that. Sunday for me, though I'm alone, was a fun experience.

There would be also some times that I bring Yosh along. He's really a jolly, bouncing kid and has that unwavering energy that keeps up with any kid his age or even older than him. The joy that he has is very contagious. That sorts of haunts me (in a good way). And his smile is pasted my head until I don't know when. Kids do have a charming way of keeping their parent's heart without over-reacting nor demanding. And yes, seeing him at church is a very refreshing way to start my week. Even if I had to bring him along with me, feed him, keep up with his energy, and entertain him ---- whenever I spend time with him, I feel like I won a million bucks... everytime! Haha. I sometimes wish those feelings would readily turn out as real money too! Hehe.

Anyhow, I used to think that Yosh is a late speaker, and indeed he was. It was only about a month ago that he knew how to express himself in about two to three words (at most). Like, "Penge Pee-Po" (May I ask for a change?), or "Mommy Poo Poo", or "Tita Asan?" (Where's Auntie). However, it's amazing that he has this heart in him that really wants to communicate. That which wants to connect and be understood. He doesn't do a lot of blabbering anymore. He could name Sponge Bob, Batman, and Spiderman with his baby-ish enunciation 'cos he couldn't pronounce the names very well yet. It's more like my housemates and I just need a little getting used to the words he is speaking and we could talk to him already.

Awww... I'm going to reminisce these days that Y is still a baby... A toddler... A little boy. =)

A Writer I Am Not --- Just Yet

For the past few weeks, I have been trying to write essays and all that. For something... It was not easy, really. I have realised that I settled to expressing myself in simple words and plain statements. The love for words and the love for expressing myself with total surrender had come to a halt without my knowledge. I have written a 750-word essay for about three days (with intervals of long hours in between). Which is frustrating. Playing with words, using them in different situations, discovering a new meaning and use to it, whilst intentionally impressing other people was a part of myself before. I was trying to learn. I was, at the very least, trying. And that self was long gone without me realising it. Too much buried in work I suppose and maybe I just settled for something more convenient, which is auto-thinking. Automatically unthinking. Guess this started when I thought I do so well with my work that I have lesser and lesser grammatical errors on the sentences I type over and over again, and all I had to do was to type without giving too much regard. The sentences I need to send out to our customers need not be too articulate nor expressive anyway.

It was lethal.

Even the small taps of my fingers on my keyboard sometimes distracts me of my foregoing thought about a topic or a sentence that I was about to write. But it's impossible for me to type without a sound, as it is the same to everyone, isn't it? Nevertheless, I was given two options. To proceed or not to proceed with this another painful learning point of my life. To learn or to settle. To grow or to be stunted. In any case, we both know what I would choose.

After I have dealt with myself and my personal concerns of why human act like human, I am now on another phase of my life where this time... It's me re-evaluating how far I have come when it comes to my knowledge of expressing myself.

It not gonna be an easy journey, and most probably just like the others, this will be a lifetime process.


I wrote this post in about an hour.


Another blow of frustration.


Why don't I start pulling up my MS Word again?

I CHOOSE TO BE BETTER (A Story Worth Sharing)

I'd like to share this to all of you. We sometimes need someone or something to remind us that life could be lived easier that we thought...

We just need to make the right choices.



READ THIS , LET IT REALLY SINK IN - THEN CHOOSE ..

John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, 'If I were any better, I would be twins!'

He was a natural motivator.

If an employee was having a bad day, John was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked him, 'I don't get it!

You can't be a positive person all of the time How do you do it?'

He replied, 'Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or ... you can choose to be in a bad mood

I choose to be in a good mood.'

Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.

Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or... I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.

'Yeah, right, it's not that easy,' I protested.

'Yes, it is,' he said. 'Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood.

You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life.'

I reflected on what he said. Soon hereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.

After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.

I saw him about six months after the accident.

When I asked him how he was, he replied, 'If I were any better, I'd be twins..Wanna see my scars?'

I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.

'The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter,' he replied. 'Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or...I could choose to die. I chose to live.'

'Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness? ' I asked

He continued, '..the paramedics were great.

They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action.'

'What did you do?' I asked.

'Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me,' said John. 'She asked if I was allergic to anything 'Yes, I replied.' The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity''

Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.'

He lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude... I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.

Attitude, after all, is everything .

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.' Matthew 6:34.

After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.


You have two choices now:

01. Delete this

02. Forward it to the people you care about.

You know the choice I made.

Prepare for Earth Hour (March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm)

For Quite Some Time I Have Been Doing These Earth-Saving Things Without My Knowledge:

- Not using the electricity too much. Not too much light at night. No lampshades, no turned on lights while sleeping.
- Not having a washing machine, microwave oven, air-con
- Not buying a car and choosing to either carpool or take public transport
- Not throwing garbage just any where
- Not destroying the beaches by leaving my rubbish garbages there. Bringing with me whatever I had brought with me
- Choosing energy efficient appliances and light bulbs
- Keeping my toilet napkin and tissue-free
- Giving unwanted clothes to charities
- Using some of these unwanted clothes as rags or wearing these clothes at home to an extent that it's almost rag-like (hehe)
- Using water used for shower as a toilet flush
- Re-using my pair of pants (seriously!)
- Re-using papers, avoiding unnecessary printing, using both sides of the paper when printing
- Preferring paper cups over plastic cups


On 28 March 2009, just like what I did last year. For an hour, I have turned off all my electricity and savored the time that I was contributing to a world-wide cause. 15 days from now, I shall wholeheartedly do the same.

Yes, I am an activist for a world-wide cause. A part of World Wide Fund organisation that hoping to save lives of species that contributes to the balance of our ecosystem, and eventually, hoping to save the lives of millions of people that live with it as well.

There would be about 80 years that Y left on this earth and I would like to leave him a world that is still wonderfully and magnificently live-able.

Asbestos Related Treatment

A diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma is always difficult, whether it is pleural mesothelioma or another variety. Because this is such an aggressive and stubborn form of cancer, patients and their families may have a difficult time addressing the issue of treatment, but because options for mesothelioma patients are steadily increasing, the discussion of treatment is quite important, even if all hope seems lost.

Each mesothelioma case is considered individually and there is no right or wrong treatment for the disease. What's best for you or your loved one will depend on a number of factors. Diagnostic tools such as x-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and biopsies will be used to determine these factors and these tests will assist the doctor and/or oncologist in determining the best treatment for the patient in question.

Surgery can be performed on mesothelioma patients for one of two reasons: in an attempt to cure the disease or for palliative reasons in order to keep the patient more comfortable and improve the quality of life. Unfortunately, because mesothelioma is almost always diagnosed in its late stages, curative surgery is not usually an option.

Following the backlash of asbestos-related exposures and illnesses, many people were wondering how scientific research was going to proceed. The response has been encouraging, with cancer specialists and other doctors working each day towards a cure for malignant mesothelioma. While a way to completely eliminate the cancer from the body does not presently exist, there are several successful mesothelioma treatment programs as well as clinical trials that are working towards developing a way to eliminate this unfortunate form of cancer.

Pepper Lunch? Pepper Lunch!

Pepper Lunch, yes indeed. Just by looking at the foods at their website makes me go *yummmm*. Ü

To know more about them, visit their website at:

http://pepperblogph.blogspot.com/

"I Love You, Yaya!" Seminar and Book by Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan

First of all, I would like to thank the heavens above for sending me a well-suited Yaya for Yosh... Melody. Ü She's very respectful and have a high regard for everybody and really cares for Yosh.


This being said, I was thinking of sponsoring her for some seminars like how to improve caregiving for toddlers and how to cook nutritious meals, etc.

I have received an e-mail from a colleague and she shared about Ms. Maricel Laxa- Pangilinan's book launch and version of her "I Love You, Yaya!" Seminars.

I really do not know what's inside the book (got some ideas though) but for sure I know that moms like me (and yayas too!) will definitely learn from Maricel's words of wisdom and knowledge and expertise as a mother and an employer.

For the book launch and seminar this March 29, 2009, here are the details:
Date: March 29, 2009, Sunday
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Location: Powerbooks - Megamall (Ortigas Center, Pasig City)
Speakers: Maricel Laxa Pangilinan, Dr. Donna Simpao

I highly encourage moms to bring their yayas at this seminar. These yayas will sure enjoy learning new things from the experts and they will feel empowered using these new ideas in their workplace... which is our homes. Ü

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Added on 10 July 09:

My colleague has forwarded this e-mail to me. I highly encourage SINGLE PARENTS like me to grab this book at their nearest bookstores! Below is the e-mail Ü ~

HI, EVERYONE... this is Felichi Buizon.

YOU MAY OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO MAY NEED THIS!!

I PERSONALLY WORKED ON A FEW ARTICLES FOR THE EMPLOYER'S HANDBOOK AND SESSION TWO FOR YAYA'S HANDBOOK.

TRIED AND TESTED ANG MGA IDEAS NITO.

IN OTHER WORDS, WE MADE THE MISTAKES,SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THEM... HAHA! !EVEN IF YOU HAVE NO YAYA... THIS IS STILL WORTH LOOKING INTO.

"I Love You, Yaya!" HANDBOOK

A Must-Have for Caregivers and Employers

In these busy times, parents cannot discount the tremendous impact yayas or caregivers have on their children. For the past 10 years, The Parenting Company (TPC), in its advocacy of providing the best care for children, has been conducting the "I Love You, Yaya!" seminar program, a one-day training workshop for child caregivers and first time mothers. Conceptualized by mompreneur and celebrity mom, Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan, the "I Love You, Yaya!" seminar program aims to empower and equip caregivers with basic knowledge and skills to create a healthy and holistic environment where the child can maximize his potentials in different aspects of life. Maricel, together with sisters-in-law Dr. Donna Simpao and Felichi Buizon, along with professionals from various fields on child care, have been bringing the advocacy around the country-in residential areas, the corporate world, even in showbusiness.The Parenting Company and the trainers want to reach more parents and caregivers to make a significant difference in the lives of children. But the "I Love You, Yaya!" seminar program is still far from covering the entire country. Thus, TPC offers a must-have handbook for both caregivers and employers-The Yaya Handbook. It is a two-part reference book containing informative articles on hiring, training, and nurturing caregivers, as well as practical guides on first aid for children, common illnesses, developmental milestones, and even fighting stress. What's more, yayas can listen to the trainers themselves as the handbook comes with an audio CD containing the lectures in the handbook. It's like listening to the actual "I Love You, Yaya!" seminar in your own home! The Yaya Handbook-get it now and help make a difference in our children and caregivers' lives. For Orders and Inquiries Call: 920-0537 or email http://ph.f657.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=theparentingcompany%40yahoo.com

Special Discount for Bulk Orders!

Available at TPC Office #59-A Xavierville Ave. Loyola Heights, Quezon City

Employer's Handbook

An Employer's Guide with the following topics:

· Interviewing Caregivers

· Will you or will you not?

· Getting helpers from a recruitment agency

· A Guide to Partnering With Our Yayas

· Delegate

· Common mistakes we (parents and yayas) make in feeding our children

· Teach your Yaya the value of disease prevention

· Yaya: Your Organization Buddy

· Educating Our House help

· Helping our helpers help themselves

· Nurturing Caregivers

· Love Your Kasambahay

· Letting our helpers celebrate Christmas too

· Best Gift Ever: SSS for your household employees

· Enforcing the Day-off Policy

· Your Yaya and her cellphone

· Watch what they say!

· Letting Go

· Relax and see a movie

· Vacationing without Yaya: Will it really be a vacation?

· Yayas and the never ending birthday parties

· Boosting Boys Molding Men

· Keeping Them Happy

· Family that Eats Together

· Engaging your Child's Cooperation

Yaya Handbook

A Yaya's Manual accompanied by an audio CD with the following topics:

SESSION 1

Topic 1: Gabay sa Wasto at Masustansiyang Pagpapakain sa Bata at Sarili (Basic Nutrition)

Topic 2: Kalinisan, Kalusugan, at Kaayusan sa Pag-aalaga ng Bata (Health, Hygiene, and Orderliness for Child Caregivers)

Topic 3: Gabay sa Paglaki ng Bata (Developmental Milestones)

Topic 4: Gabay sa Wastong Pangunahing Lunas para sa mga Bata (Basic First Aid for Young Children)

Topic 5: Mga Karaniwang Sakit ng Bata (Common Illness)

SESSION 2

Topic 6: Laro Tayo! Pagbuo ng Isang Malikhaing Kapaligiran (On Play)

Topic 7: CreActivity (Activities to Enhance Creativity)

Topic 8: Tayo'y Magbasa at Magsulat! (Pre-Reading and Pre-Writing Activities)

Topic 9: I-Off na Muna ang TV (Alternatives to TV viewing)

SESSION 3

Topic 10: Epektibong Ugnayan ng mga Kasambahay ng Pamilya (Family and Yaya Partnership)

Topic 11: Gabay sa Mabuting Asal at Tamang Pakikitungo ni Yaya sa Tahanan (Good Yaya Manners)

Topic 12: Pag-iwas sa Stress & Burn-out ni Yaya (Yaya Stress)Hindi biro ang maging Yaya, di ba?
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The Parenting Company, Inc.
1107 Jollibee Plaza Comdominium F. Ortigas Road (Formerly Emerald Road) Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Philippines 1605, MNL
p: 995-4918 / 995-4908 f: 638-4156
Website - None Supplied
E-mail: theparentingcompany@yahoo.com (Look for Jovette Pangilinan)

The Parenting Company Inc. offers parenting and familytraining programs and services. We want to educate and equip parents and individuals with effective techniques and build up essential skills in strengthening families today. The Parenting Company Inc. also organizes and manages various family projects and events in partnership with key organizations, corporate partners and sponsors. Our pool of consultants is headed by “chief disturber” and top motivational speaker Mr. Anthony Pangilinan and his wife, multi-awarded actress and “mompreneur” Ms. Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan. Wanting to give only the best training to parents and individuals, The Parenting Company Inc. has top-caliber parenting experts and advocates as trainers, consultants and resource speakers. We are passionate in advocating effective parenting and in bringing positive change in the home for our society’s progress. Partner with us as we work to increase the Filipino family’s skills and abilities, equip them with the necessary tools for growth and development, strengthen their personhood and effect change in the home for our society’s progress.