Follow me in twitter @momblogger.“The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart.” I agree with Helen Keller.

Nothing prepared me for the the beauty of Palawan seascapes, its breathtaking sunsets, the beautiful people and the miracle of the Golden South Sea Pearl. The beauty captivated me so much I felt dazed. Now that I look back at it, I wished time slowed down for me to take it all in.

Photo by Jayvee Fernandez

This amazing adventure started with an invitation from Jewelmer through Yehey, their digital marketing. As I leafed through the invite I noted the “passion for life” at the top and to join them in becoming a catalyst of change. That sounds like me. I am passionate about meaningful things in life. The invite to visit Palawan is heaven-sent. I have always wanted to visit the Philippines last frontier. The stories of travel bloggers inspired me to make Palawan a must-experience travel destination . I wanted to witness how the lustrous golden Philippine South Sea Pearl is cultivated. Lastly, I wanted to observe the livelihood projects of the “Save Palawan Seas Foundation”, that are both sustainable as well as environmentally sound. I was terribly excited. Jayvee, Anna and I are the first set of bloggers to join this Pearl Farm tour, a first for bloggers in the history of Jewelmer.

There is so much to write about this trip that it needs to be shown in three parts: the travelogue, the beauty of the golden South Sea Pearl and the people of Palawan and the livelihood projects of their foundation.

The trip to Flower Island Resort, Palawan

It starts off in the ITI hangar that would bring us including Celine and Kankan to our destination. SEAIR cancelled our flight that morning. Oh well, it is an experience to ride a tiny plane that seats probably less than 20 of us. Despite its tiny size, I trusted the plane. After all , it is the same flight carrier that brings passengers to pricey beach resorts of Amanpulo and El Nido. The one hour and 10 minute flight to the El Nido airport felt comfortable. A preview of Palawan Islands , surrounded by clear turquoise-azure-indigo seas greeted me by the window as the plane landed.

The shift from noisy Manila to peaceful Palawan, seemed to slow time down. Next stop , a land trip to Taytay where a speed boat would bring us to the Flower Island Resort, an enchanted hideaway located off the coast of Taytay, Sandoval in Northeastern Palawan. Before this trip, I never heard of Taytay. It is barely mentioned in Travel Guide books and I have yet to read a blogger’s experience. The bumpy 45 minute drive to Taytay brought a wondrous mix topography of very mountainous, flat, rolling hills and small rivers.

And finally, we ended up at the pier. It was time to hurry up because dusk was setting in. Looking at the wooden foot bridge, I was horrified “Whaaat…walk in that?” I backed off from a hanging bridge in a Kota Kinabalu tour leaving my husband at the other end to continue on. This time, I had no choice. What I didn’t expect was to traverse the foot bridge that seemed like a kilometer long.

Photo by Anna Oposa

A broken ankle six years ago caused me some balance problem. I can’t even wear heels. Walking on the planks was a challenge. Some planks were rotten and loosely nailed. I felt like puking from the height (yes, I also have a height problem) but what bothered me most was the unstable planks that would surely hurl me down to the mud below me.

“Why couldn’t I just walk through the mud, instead?” I was screaming in my head.

Jayvee the gentleman, assisted me up to a point where the planks seemed stable but not for long. I stopped and called out that I cannot proceed anymore. “Help!”

Photo by Anna Oposa

To the rescue, here comes a kind man who walked up to me. With my hand held on to his shoulder, this helped balance my steps until I reached the end of the foot bridge. What a relief.

Photo by Anna Oposa

I thought the torturous part of the journey ended. I still needed to land on the boat which was over 5 feet from the bridge. What to do? Jump? No, I might injure my ankle. They told me to grasp the pole with my two hands and wrap my feet as well. Slide down to the boat like a fireman landing on a fire truck. I prayed I’d land safely. I did it.

Kankan said “don’t kill me!” Of course not! It felt great to hurdle that balancing act and I lived to step on the speedboat.

The thirty minute ride brought us to rustic Flower Island Resort where our host, JB, Jewelmer managing director greeted us. “Did we want to join the meditation?” or “did we want to rest?” JB posed a question.

Flower Island Resort

Looking at the circle of meditation group and the breathtaking view of the sunset beaming from the horizon, I nodded but not after taking quick photos of the seascape.

This is an experience of a lifetime, I thought. Our meditation guru is an 83-year-old woman named Salliji (she goes by first name only), who taught meditation for 40 years in 25 countries. Lying there on the soft, powdery sand , with the waves crashing to the shore, I felt lucky to be in this serene paradise. My meditation iPhone app serves as my tool to relax and here I was, actually listening to sounds of real waves. Salliji’s soothing voice guided us to release our monkey mind. I guess we all suffer from monkey mind , in what psychology calls part of the conscious mind – always aware, awake, controlling. I was right there by the big starry sky, sitting down in the middle of the sandy beach and letting go as the rushing waves soothed my monkey mind.

The two hour meditation left me a huge appetite to enjoy the simple Filipino-themed dinner at the Club House. I wondered if the foreign guests liked our food. Aside from the resort guests, a team from the USA was around to document Pearl Farms around the world.

I spent the rest of the evening chatting away and having a fun time with our host and the rest of the guests. Salliji taught us a neat trick when one is angry just by using a wine cork to relax jaw muscles. I look funny, I know.

It is dark as we walked through Cottage 17 that a flashlight is needed to light the way. The serene quietness is soothing that the darkness did not creep me out . It is too dark to take photos of our beautiful cottage.

I took a peek out of the window the moment I woke up at 7:00 AM. Such a lovely view despite the lack of morning sunshine.

Our cottage is nestled just below a hilly slope. The hammock looked inviting but there were lots to do that day.

There is so much to see after breakfast and before heading off to our trip to the Pearl Farm. At the top of the island is a lighthouse which takes 15 minutes to trek. No sweat, or so I thought. The trek was a winding steep climb that caused me to huff and puff all the way to the Light House. There are not much flowers in the island except for the kalachuchi and bouganvilla. Flower Island was just named as such because the previous owner named their children with flower names.

I was just too exhausted to climb five levels up the top. I was told the light house has been converted into 4 bedrooms with spectacular panoramic views. You can spend a night at the lighthouse or have a massage by the veranda below.

While everyone else headed off to the Light House, I stayed by the veranda (?) with our resort guide . Just lying there on the hammock enjoying the wind breeze and the spectacular view of islands dotting the horizon. I could stay here forever.

To give you an idea of the view, Jayvee took this photo from the top of the Light House. Photos don’t do justice to the beauty of Palawan.

Going down the slope felt a lot easier and more relaxing as I noted the chirping of birds along the way. It was time to head off to the livelihood projects of “Save Palawan Seas Foundation” in another island. This speedboat is our mode of transportation to all the island hopping. A small wooden step ladder makes it easy to get in and out of the boat.

Just before boarding, JB showed a “fossilized” clam that is as heavy as a rock. I wonder how many years that clam shell is.

Anna takes the wheel as JB guides the navigation but when he spots the boat of the documentary team, he takes over the wheel and tries to overtake them. The boat sped so fast that water splashed into our faces, into the boat, drenching us all. Such a fun almost roller-coaster ride.

Our boat did get to catch up and we arrive at Baras Island, where the Baras Marine and Agriculture Research Center (BMARC) is located.

Baras Marine and Agriculture Research Center

I will write a separate blog entry on BMARC where we got introduced to organic vegetable farming using compost that we got to mix. The project beneficiaries are the residents of Sitio Calabugtong of Taytay , Palawan who were eager to augment their income.

I grab Anna for a quick photo to capture the pretty scenery. The white sands where the crystal blue waters and sky almost meeting as one.

The Pearl Farm

The Pearl farm is just amazing. There is so much to write about the miracle of our national gem. I wrote a separate blog entry about the beautiful Golden South Sea Pearls, the creation of this pearl that takes 323 precise steps and up to five years of dedicated care.

A newly harvested golden pearl rests on my palm. My camera does not do justice to the luster of this golden south sea pearl.

A treat awaited us because the documentary team were getting aerial shots from the helicopter. It was so amazing to see all the islands from above. To my delight, my iPhone had a signal which made me tweet and share a photo of the islands.

Salliji is seated beside me on our way back to the Flower Island Resort. There is no better way to relax by propping up one’s feet on the seat. It just felt perfect out there, seated in silence, staring far away , reflecting and breathing in the fresh salty breeze.

I take a quick swim on the beach but not too long as I didn’t want to get sunburned.

I check my emails in the cottage. The signal in my Globe is only EDGE but it manages to download my emails. My SMART and SUN mobile internet does not work at all. Anyway, I am not there to get stuck online so it is just fine.

The bar is the place to relax and meet up with the other guests before heading off again to a cultural show prepared by the employees of the Pearl Farm. Everyone is sipping mixed drinks but I only take in juice. The rest of then night was spent lying down by the beach front, and stargazing. Two days is not enough to bask in this island paradise.

I need to come back here with my husband , away from the hustle and bustle of city life and stay for two weeks.

When I say “Wow, Palawan is so beautiful!” , I realize there is something more to an exclamation of wonder.

Brahma Kumaris says it all on the essence of beauty. “But where is the beauty, where is the appreciation of beauty, where is the ability to discern beauty? It is within our own consciousness. For the essence of who and what we are is beauty itself. The essence of beauty is not found in the body, a face or a mountain – they only stir the essence of beauty within our own spirit. And that beauty is not only something we taste within ourselves, but it emerges in our character as virtue, and in our life as care.”

The beauty is a light in my heart.

Read more: The beauty of the Golden South Sea Pearl, The Save Palawan Seas Foundation (to follow)
——————————-
You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets. Or Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

How about visiting my Beauty over 50 blog?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado

Follow me in twitter @momblogger.“If the people we love are stolen from us, the way to have them live on is to never stop loving them. Buildings burn, people die, but real love is forever.”

Perhaps if we try to keep her spirit alive in our own daily struggles, we would realize that she did not really just leave us. She is in our dreams of having a government that works, that makes justice and a decent life accessible to every citizen. She is an inspiration on so many levels.

For those who have lost loved ones, their lives continue to live on in our hearts, in our memories, through our work and advocacy. This blog is a testament to my love for my son, to my father, my mom and two brothers who have gone before my dad. By being of service, I keep their memories alive.

I looked up to Cory Aquino for having the courage to fight a dictator and restore a democracy. I am forever grateful for that.

My admiration for Cory Aquino is just for her alone. It is non-transferable. I admire her for her efforts in restoring democracy but the work does not end there. We need to learn from the mistakes of the past. People Power 1, People Power 2, our current president running for congresswoman and many others.

Truly I will keep her spirit alive by living it. I will try to be a good citizen through my writing or advocacy in Blog Watch. I will tell my readers exactly what is wrong with my government and the things that need to be changed to ensure that our democracy matures.

People don’t understand the historical lessons that need to be learned of People Power 1 and People Power 2. After the bad government is turned, there is no vision and everything is in disarray. Why have we not moved progressively since 1986? To keep Cory Aquino’s spirit alive is to ensure her efforts were not gone to waste.

Noynoy Aquino’s Speech at Tita Cory’s Birthday Mass, EDSA Shrine

SPEECH OF SENATOR BENIGNO “NOYNOY” S. AQUINO III
AT THE MASS COMMEMORATING THE 77TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY
OF PRESIDENT CORAZON C. AQUINO, JANUARY 24, 2010, EDSA SHRINE

As we commemorate the birth anniversary of our mother, we again feel a sense of emptiness from no longer having her around.

We have gotten so used to the comfort of her presence, especially when situations demand the best of us.

She almost always had a ready answer whenever problems arise. When she didn’t, she would provide wise counsel that always managed to make us feel better.

We looked up to our mother as our leader, especially after my father passed away. She instantly became our source of strength, while becoming the face of fortitude for her countrymen. She later managed to carry through not just her children but an entire nation now freely enjoying benefits of a hard-fought democracy.

It is in these trying times when our fragile democracy hangs in the balance that I feel her absence even more.

What gives me consolation, and courage to overcome the emptiness, is the realization that I am not alone in my grief. There are many others, like you, who felt the loss of a truly phenomenal woman.

When people from all walks of life came in droves at her wake and joined the 9-hour procession from the church to her final resting place, we witnessed a nation that genuinely looked up to her as an inspiration much as we in her family did. People wanted a piece of Cory Aquino, patiently waited in line and braved the elements just to get it, perhaps to remember what her sacrifice truly meant for all of us.

Such a strong commitment to make sacrifices, and willingness to somehow emulate her character, demonstrated a people longing for a semblance of the sincerity that she embodied.

It also showed what we CAN do. The spirit of People Power was reignited in those five days.

Is it possible that what we so admired in Cory Aquino is something that resides in each of us all along?

Imagine a country where each citizen is honest, obeys the law and is never at the mercy of shady law enforcers.

A country where citizens show their trademark bayanihan qualities at all times, not only when disasters strike.

A country whose citizens take care of other citizens, in whatever way possible.

Imagine if we do live up to that ideal that my mother exemplified. Her unique brand of heroism and sacrifice could finally have younger, stronger and more creative versions that could only come from those of us she had left behind.

Only through our participation, and our willingness to live by her example, can we make her legacy meaningful and able to effect the changes we want today.

Sa matinding pagsubok na kasalukuyang hinaharap ng ating lipunan at ng buong sambayanang Pilipino, hindi maaaring ako lamang ang magsisikap na tularan ang mabuting ehemplo ng aking ina.

Perhaps if we try to keep her spirit alive in our own daily struggles, we would realize that she did not really just leave us. She is in our dreams of having a government that works, that makes justice and a decent life accessible to every citizen. She is an inspiration on so many levels.

Working together in fulfilling our own aspirations for our country would be an ideal tribute to the woman who loved her country until the very end.

Thank you.

Source of speech: leflaneur——————————-
You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets. Or Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

How about visiting my Beauty over 50 blog?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado

Follow me in twitter @momblogger.“Doesn’t every woman deserve the right to have a safe pregnancy and a baby that’s born healthy? I believe this is a very basic human right.” Katya Matanovic

They say that it takes just one or two entries to bring hits to your blog. Three years ago, I wrote about Sex Education in the Philippines and to this day, I continue to receive search engine hits not from the keyword “sex education” but from the image keyword “sex”. I often wonder if Google had something to do with it, that they wanted people to read my entry first before jumping on to porn sites.

My stand on sex education is

We need to teach them responsible parenthood in consonance with the sex education. We don’t need to teach everything but at least give them the basic facts. Along the way, the children can do some more research on their own.

Three years ago, Phillipine Catholic Bishops Oppose Sex-Ed in Schools, Say it Should be Left to Parents. Sure that is true only if parents know how to discuss sex with their children. We can’t assume parents know how to discuss sex openly. Some might be uneducated to understand the anatomy of reproduction and thus fail to grasp natural birth control methods.

The schools together with the parents can bridge the gap of sex education but there seems to be a problem when the parents also have a lack of knowledge on reproductive health.

With the yet to be approved Philippine Reproductive Health Bill 5043 , one of the provisions of the proposed law is mandatory imposition of reproductive health education

SEC. 12. Mandatory Age-Appropriate Reproductive Health Education. – Recognizing the importance of reproductive health rights in empowering the youth and developing them into responsible adults, Reproductive Health Education in an age-appropriate manner shall be taught by adequately trained teachers starting from Grade 5 up to Fourth Year High School.

Based from the feedback from my readers the past 3 years, majority want sex education in schools. Let’s hear what they have to say.

From JMom, a mother
They are bombarded by sexual messages from all sides of their life, and parents have to take an even bigger role now to provide them with balance. I want my girls to see their sexuality in a healthier light than I did, without all the misconceptions and guilt that came with it.

From Olga, mother
It should not be left to the parents alone. Take me for instance. I am fairly well-educated in the sense that i have two degrees in my belt, but i didn’t have a clue about the process of concepcion until my late twenties, when i took an active interest in that subject after i discovered that i had an infertility problem.

From Lemon, mother
Especially in the Philippines, most parents are uncomfortable talking about sex with their children. A lot of them don’t know anything about the reproductive system. It should not be removed from the education system. I think it should be boosted to make it include all aspects… scientific, emotional, psychological, etc..

Kirstie, 18 years old
I believe that even if parents wouldn’t want them to have sex before marriage, some of them will still do. why can’t we just make them educated about it? so they can make more intelligent decisions. Through this, they will be more aware of the real consequences and know the real facts.

Enid, student
Though it’s true that sex education should start at home and be left for the parents to handle but this is just not possible for everybody. Some parents do not fully understand the whole concept of what sex is, physically, psychologically, emotionally, everything, some do not have the time, some are too conservative to talk to their children about sex and this will only leave their children clueless. Sex should be explained to teenagers, about its consequences and the responsibility involved. It is better for teenagers to have their sex education at school than from their peers.

Rosalie, college student
on my view, sex education should now be taught in high school, specifically for 1st and 2nd year. and for the policy to be effective, it should be included in curriculum. this shall exclude the issue on morality and religion.

Paul, student
i have considered a few points and personally decided that sex education (in school), in itself, is ineffective AND parental guidance (sex ed through parents), again in itself, in equally ineffective. obviously, what i am trying to say here is that sex education should encompass both the students/children and their parents.

Kline
Let us face it, even if teachers would say that they are teaching these that we may be enlightened, what they don’t knw is that they are just giving the students clues on what to do to prevent pregnancy. It further gives students ideas on what to do and how to do it.

Lala
Due to the advancements in technology, parents can’t ban their children from sex and porn the only thing you can do is to educate them at an early age and explain to the the importance of sex and when not to have it.

myvi, student
If the parents are not that educated about sex then they should educate theirselves first. How can they teach us and give us proper education regarding sex issues if they themselves dont know a thing. So it is better that they read books first or in any way educate theirselves first so that when they educate us good and true information will be taught. Their are tons of books on the library or bookstore that talks about sex.

Cess, 17 years old
I believe that sex education should be taught to the students (starting 5th grade or high school). Because students spend a lot of time in school rather than in home. Our parents are so busy enough to earn for a living and they only have a little time for their kids,…. Also, if we keep on insisting that sex education should be taught at home, it would not be so effective, from the fact that the term “sex” is a taboo… our parents will just say its bad and we will know if we will be old enough to face all those things… and there is no further explanation… so apparently we will be so confused about it… our curiosity will lead us to do so.. but if we make it as part of the school’s curriculum nothing may seem to be bad..

Anonymous
I think the Government should create a comprehensive sex education that will include all aspects (spiritual, emotional etc.) of human development.

Cecile, married
To have sex education in school is okay, as long as they teach how to protect themselves against STD, HIV or any deseases and preventing pregnancy or whatsoever….But still, let them to have freewill, it means let them choose. Make them aware about the consequences of sex. If you ask me? It’s better to get married first before sex. I got married at the age of 23 and my husband is 24 years old.

The clamor is high even among the students, and the parents to implement sex education in schools. With only a month left for the third regular sessions, It’s about time that our lawmakers take a vote on the Reproductive Health Bill 5043. Next week the Reproductive Health bill will be up for debate in the House of Representatives. It is not just sex education which is critical here. A lot of women are actually dying. The number of Filipino women who die yearly due to childbirth and pregnancy complications has doubled in the last four years. A reproductive health bill opposed by some lawmakers and stalled in Congress could address this rise in maternal mortality

I hope a favorable vote will finally be called before the end of the session in October.

——————————-
You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets. Or Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

How about visiting my Beauty over 50 blog?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado

Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

Bloggers’ meet with BB Gandanghari is on Saturday, March 14 at Mag-net, Bonifacio High Street, at 3-5 PM. You can Sign Up Here

Before Dine and I started our interview, BB was more interested in us and started to ask questions about our blogs. You can see the concern in her eyes as she asks about the circumstances on how my son died. It was like talking to an old friend. No awkwardness, no airs.

I didn’t want to tackle on showbiz questions because the magazines and talk shows cover that extensively. Instead, I focused on her new life. Her story is about the courage to be who she truly is, her positive outlook in life and the happiness she now exudes. She does not use drugs nor hormones to make herself look like a woman. “Mind over matter” is her secret to making herself beautiful. Running and pilates was all there is to it to get the form she wanted for her body. I know some of you have not adjusted to her new life. It is a process and she understands that one might be grieving over the “death of Rustom Padilla”.

Listen to her in this video interview as she talks of acceptance, God, her new found happiness, and her role in Philippine society. A summary of the interview is after the video.

Part 1

Part 2

(the audio is a but fuzzy because BB is quite far from my macbook)

1. How did you find the courage to be your real self? When did your epiphany take place? When did this “AHA!” moment happen? What were you doing when it happened?

BB says she sought constant questioning about herself. That question ended in seeking God where she learned to accept herself. She presented herself to God, and opened herself to him. That’s when she felt accepted.

2. Do you have any spiritual or religious affiliation? if yes, how do you reconcile your religious or spiritual beliefs?

BB considers herself a Bible student and read that “the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom”. She believes in God whose name is Jehovah, and in Jesus Christ.

3. People like you are not taken seriously by society and ARE often the butt of jokes. Your CELEBRITY POWER can be used to fulfill your highest potential as a human being. What can you do for your community to uplift the status or perception of transgender individuals as members of Philippines society?

It all begins with self-respect. Hopefully she can impart that self-respect which is important to her. We all have boundaries and if you respect your boundaries, people will respect that boundary too.

4. What do you advice to those who are still inside the closet and who have not come out yet?

It is dark inside the closet but no matter how dark, God see us. Why do something in the dark because whether light or darkness, God sees us the same way.

BB advises parents who suspect if their children are different to talk to them.

5. Have there been harsh criticisms since you came out as BeBe? How do you handle criticisms?

She doesn’t really care. Whatever you say, I am doing my thing. I’m very happy.

6. What kind of online presence do you want to portray? Is it limited to showbiz ? and or advocacy?

Whatever life brings her and where she can help in her own little way, she will welcome. She has no agenda for the next 5 years.

7. Learning to live this new life is like learning a new language, a new way of seeing. how has your new life been so far? IS the journey difficult? Do you see it as a challenge?

Nothing in life is easy. That’s why she constantly asks God’s guidance and mercy. She is comfortable with her faith.

8. “You cannot give what you do not have.” How do you love yourself? How do you pamper yourself?

She reads self-help books like “Healing Your Inner Child”. She started parenting herself by treating herself to a movie or buying something for herself. She does pilates to keep her body trim.

Here is a video interview from the Asian Human Rights Commission.
PHILIPPINES: former action star talks about gay rights online

Bebe’s insight into his own process of coming out and acceptance is fundamental to an understanding of gay rights. Even according to Bebe, his identity is not a choice but a gradual acceptance of an orientation which did not happen overnight. Every part of the process of awareness, acceptance and coming out is not to be taken simplistically and dismissively.

… explains how different his experience is among Filipinos, women in particular. “For some reason they seem to like me and even identify with me,” explains Bebe. Why do they like her? What do they exactly like about her? Notwithstanding some unfavourable past experiences with some family members, colleagues and others, Bebe finds Philippine society not that bad. However, she really felt free and encouraged to come out when he was in the U.S. Coming to voice is easier in a less judgmental and open society.

Bebe’s coming out is not a purely psycho-emotional experience. “It is more, ” she explains.”It is being able to stand naked before God…being able to be yourself before God,” she adds. “Be as you are…be as you are supposed to be…that is what BB means”. She is at peace with God, at peace with herself but knows that some of her fans or loved ones might take some time to get used to her.

I got to know her for seven hours upclose and personal from 3:00 to 10:00 PM. She was full of energy as we chatted the night away with another guest Nick deOcampo (director of Center for New Cinema) Thanks to Tin Mandigma, BB’s manager for this exclusive interview and Gus Vibal (of WikiPilipinas) for hosting the venue. It’s my first interview with a showbiz personality and I am so relieved it was enlightening and fun!

If you want to be friends with BB, her facebook account is binibini gandanghari, her twitter account is gandanghari while her plurk account is bbgandanghari.

Do you believe in Be all that you can be?

Read more of BB over at Dine’s interview.

Future Media Appearances

BB pictorials/feature articles are set to appear in S magazine on February 28 and YES on February 25. She’ll be hosting the Kidlat Awards (hosted by the Creative Guild of the Philippines) in Boracay on March 7

Bloggers’ meet with BB Gandanghari is tentatively scheduled on March 14. Venue is still being arranged.

Articles aggregating news + blog posts + reactions about BB can be found here.

Contact 63915-3296024 (Tin Mandigma), manager of BB Gandanghari for more information.

——————————-
You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets. Or Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

How about visiting my Beauty over 50 blog?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado

Follow me in twitter @momblogger.A multinational company recently interviewed me on the current and emerging behavior patterns and values of Moms in the Philippines in terms of family and lifestyle. Now I told the marketing guy that I can only speak for myself and observations of mommy friends. I agreed to cooperate because my inner-researcher was curious on what these marketing guys are fishing from moms.

I opened the door to a very young man with a video cam. Oops, so he’s going to take a video recording of the interview. After checking that my nose was not shiny, I started to answer his questions:

1.What is the true role of a mother?

My role as a mother changes in every phase of my child’s life. As a mother of babies and toddlers, I devoted full-time attention to their physical and emotional needs . The first three years holds a child’s highest potential for learning so I wanted to be there to nurture their growth. I rarely left the house for long periods of time till the kids went to pre-school. As a mother of teenagers, my role had to adjust a little. They were the turbulent years. It’s hard seeing them grow so fast thinking they are just babies. I knew I had to let go of being a control-freak without being too liberal. I failed miserably as a mother to Lauren, the teenager merely because I thought her personality was like mine. The more control I placed, the more she rebelled. I learned to let go by the time Lauren reached 19 years old. Marielle was lucky because I learned from my mistakes. A mom of a 20 year old and above girls is more of a bestfriend role. I still fuss over them especially on health and security matters.

2. Does family still stay together on weekends?

As much as possible, sunday is family day. Since the girls have their own social life, they limit their social activities to friday or saturdays.

3. Do moms still do the traditional cooking?

I don’t cook that often since my husband took over the cooking job on sundays. I used to cook when the girls were still toddlers. These days, I come up with fancy dishes during special occasions like birthdays or Christmas day.

4. Are ingredients complete when cooking?

Of course. Whenever I plan to cook, I make sure I shop for it a day before. I have this grocery list application in my iPhone which makes shopping such a fun and organized experience.

5. How long does cooking time on a weekday take? on weekend?

An hour of preparation and cooking time is average for weekdays and even on weekends.

6. How often does family eat at home? Eat out

We often eat at home. Eating out is rare, probably done once a month or when we’re invited out.

7. How much have family life changed?

With adult kids at home, they are preoccupied with their friends “Mom I have a party so I won’t be home for dinner”. Gone are the days when I can say “time for dinner. As in NOW”.

8. Is beauty important in a husband & wife relationship?

Beauty is really skin deep, so the cliche goes. If one is unhappy, it shows in the face. Over time, the frown or scowl lines show. My husband thinks the world of me and believes I am beautiful. I don’t know how other husbands think about beauty. Even without my husband’s flattery, I believe in making myself beautiful for my own sake and not just for himself.

9. What are other activities do moms get involve with?

I often go to the gym to make sure my metabolism keeps on kicking. Then there is my usual retail therapy to keep me happy but I make sure I don’t overspend. Another weekly treat is a visit to the beauty salon. I love pampering myself whether it be a body massage, facial treatment, manicure, pedicure. These moments are what I call my ME time and I use this to calm my nerves during a stressful week. I know other moms are into yoga and other mind-relaxing techniques.

One thing for sure, the role of moms is constantly evolving as the kids grow up and move on to another phase in their lives. Whatever the mother role, I believe a mother should always nurture herself. How else can she give love to her family without loving herself first? Nurturing is very important in a woman’s life because we show love for ourselves. Nurtured moms are effective in their work and in their relationships. We learn to feel loved by ourselves so much that we can truly love others and let them love us.

Looks like the company is interested in consumer products that mommies buy without considering the hard times ahead of us. Like most families, I impose a Money Management policy in our family. There are many ways to live within our means without scrimping on our lifestyle.

I believe in keeping an optimistic attitude towards the future without necessarily being in denial that the country’s economy is not in tip-top shape. I expect good things for myself and my loved ones.
——————————-
You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets. Or Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

How about visiting my Beauty over 50 blog?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado

Follow me in twitter @momblogger.My Cebu-based 44 year old, sister-in-law is leaving for Louisiana, USA on Thursday as a special education teacher for a suburban public high school. It came as a pleasant surprise to her. The US hiring agency informed her of an opening on July 4. She got interviewed via Skype by a panel of 10 where questions like “How do you apply technology in the classroom?” and others were asked of her. Distracted by the faces floating in the Skype window, she minimized it and focused on the camera to make eye contact with the school staff. She made the cut and from then on, a flurry of documentation fell into place . Her H-1 visa was released last thursday. A total of $3,000 placement fee was all she paid to the US-based agency.

The timing could not have been more perfect. Her only child is graduating this year and will get the chance to join his mom after graduation. I feel sad that one more good teacher is leaving our country. Her qualifications are nothing to sneeze at. She has a bachelors degree in English, a Masters degree in Education and a doctorate degree in Special Education but her salary is a pittance. I think call center employees earn more. I can’t blame her for leaving. After all these years, she has yet to build her own house.

My brother died in 1999 and since then she had to struggle living as a single mom. Sure, she can take a break now and take it easy once her son graduates. The chance for a new life seems like one great adventure not to mention the salary. The offer of a lucrative monthly salary that is almost equivalent to 7 months here was just too good of an offer to pass up. I didn’t know US teachers are paid so highly, but she is quick to say that US public school teachers are paid higher than private school teachers.

Really?

I don’t think the same applies in our country, anyway. In an attempt to somehow curb the trend of the country’s best teachers leaving for overseas jobs, bills have been filed in Congress seeking to upgrade the salary rates of teachers. However, the proposed rates still pales in comparison with the salary offers overseas.

“Our teachers are not accorded due recognition and importance they deserve, their salaries are insultingly low and with the high cost of living today, it is no wonder that the best and brightest among them are now teaching abroad, or worse, have migrated to work as caregivers or domestic helpers,” said Caloocan City Rep. Mary Mitzi L. Cajayon, author of House Bill 800 (“Act Upgrading the Minimum Salary Grade Level of Public School Teachers in the Elementary And Secondary Levels from Grade 10 to 15″) at the House of Representatives.

The proposed salary adjustment does not seem adequate to entice emigrating teachers to just stay or come back home.

In the United States, for instance, a Filipino teacher in Maryland is offered a starting annual salary of $43,481 (roughly equivalent to P1.8 million), making it a much coveted slot for many teachers from the Philippines.

For hundreds of Filipino teachers who have given up on their disproportionate salaries in the country, a future in the United States seems to be the best option.

Filipino teachers are highly esteemed abroad and are paid up to 10 times their salaries in the Philippines.

What does the sacrifice entail for my sister-in-law?

1. She does not get to see her son every 5 months as they used to but…if her son wants to live in the USA, she can bring him over through an H1-family visa.

2. She will have to cope with a totally different culture and learning environment as well. Louisiana is known to have an almost 90% black population. I don’t know if it is a blessing but she will be assigned to special children. Will that make her life easier?

3. She has no family or friends in the same state but she can make new friends, right?

My sister-in-law and her son enjoying their last few moments before her flight

As we talked over the despedida lunch I hosted this afternoon, she shared her apprehensions.

It will be a totally new life for me. I can’t be the same person as I was in Cebu.

I reassured her You can do it. You can reinvent yourself. Look at me, I never imagined myself starting a business in my forties…being a blogger and more.

She assessed herself and says she can still do it. It’s a mid-life challenge. Everything just fell into place. When my brother was dying in 1999, he asked his siblings to help her when he is gone. I don’t think my sister-in-law needed help. She was just waiting for the right time. Timing can be frustrating, right? We can wait and wait for something to happen, and it seems to be forever until comes to pass. Or suddenly, an event or circumstance is thrust upon us by surprise. Believing that things happen too slowly or too quickly is an illusion.

Timing is perfect.

This is her time.

I pray her life as a Filipina teacher abroad will be a fruitful experience. I hope her new job will be worth the challenge and the sacrifice of being away from home, family and friends.

If I were in her shoes, I’d also take the opportunity to move to the USA if it meant bringing my whole family with me. Would you?——————————-
You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets. Or Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

How about visiting my Beauty over 50 blog?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado

Follow me in twitter @momblogger.Let’s have a break. Break into a smile with Pinoy Signs through photos.

Jagging Pants

I wanted Waitress

Which photo gave you the widest smile?

Note- These photos were sent via email forward from a friend. If you claim copyright ownership, please let me know so I will take it down.

Here is my contribution:

This road sign along the road near Benguet says:
No dumping of garbage along the road. Throw it down

And it was signed by the Department of Public Highways. How environment friendly? Do these public officials know what they are doing? They should have some garbage retrieval in place. Signs like this just promote garbage disposal problems . It does not teach discipline either.

New Media Events

Enjoy a Disneyland Package for 3 days and 2 nights, inclusive of roundtrip tickets from Manila–Hong Kong via Cathay Pacific, hotel accommodations, a whole day Disney tour, and a half-day city tour for you and your family! Read more on the Asus Eee PC 701 Hongkong Disneyland Promo
——————————-
You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets. Or Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

How about visiting my Beauty over 50 blog?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado

Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

If a Tim Cumper alias Ellumbra or otherwise known as Timothy Ellis Cumper or Grabbadabba via Twitter talks about me and other bloggers in a negative light, this is the story. Tim Cumper believes that he was scammed, fooled by Mayen, Tierra Maria Estates and a group of people since October 2007. It is almost 2 years after and he is in pursuit of bloggers who have written about this.

Read the bloggers entry on Tim Cumper Watch.

Mayen Betita paused to sing their love song, “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again”. She giggled and placed her hand on mine as if placating the pain from narrating the harrowing events leading to the breakup with Timothy Ellis Cumper (also known as Ellumbra or Tim Cumper) her ex-boyfriend, a UK national.

I sought Mayen out so she could tell her version behind the alleged money scam that her ex-boyfriend accused her of. Remember, there are always two sides of the story. Before I show you the videocast I did with Mayen, let me rewind a bit.

A month ago, I was stupid enough to approve a post by Tim Cumper at the FilipinaImages.com. I felt that contributors of the Filipina Images’ Portal should have the freedom to express a positive or negative perception of the Filipina. I was also eager to hear his story.

However, I felt that Tim was extremely paranoid.

1. Tim Cumper lists down around 16 persons including Tierra Maria Estates and Medical Center Parañaque as players (View list of players) of an elaborate scam to snatch over 92,213.39 thousand pesos ($2,000.00 plus). Even the actress Chin Chin Gutierrez is involved.

2. He also thought a staff of the local UK embassy was in cahoots with the alleged scammers.

3. He believes that Mayen’s boss (Francis Jalbuena) is a mastermind of an alleged scam syndicate where his staff including Mayen is used as a pawn to extract money from foreigners.

3. Tim Cumper believes that Mayen faked the surgery of her ectopic pregnancy (with the assistance of 16 players) so they could stand to gain 92,213.39 thousand pesos.

Did Mayen fake her hospitalization? Imagine all the preparation just to “fake” this photo?

Reading his journal entries took me four hours. (read short version by Jepoy in here) I commented that I didn’t believe he was scammed. Some readers agreed with me. The comments from his entries didn’t please him and he started to accuse the Filipina Images’ readers that we were somehow related to Tierra Maria Estates, a real estate company where Mayen worked. I closed the comment section because his statements already smacked of libel.

I didn’t think much of his allegations because Tim, like you and me has every right to freedom of speech and inform the whole world of an alleged scam. In fact , he wrote about the scam in over 30 blogs and video sites. Based on the presentation of facts in his blogs, I concluded that he was not scammed.

Why?

My logic told me this.

1. Tim never sent the 92,213.39 thousand pesos ($2,000.00 plus) to Mayen. So is that a scam if the money was never sent? Maybe an attempted scam is a more appropriate word.

2. With 16 persons & entities involved, each scam player stood to gain by $140.00. Come on!

3. Was it really a scam or an attempted scam? No other victim of the organized scam has come forth and accused the Tierra Maria Estates List of Players. The 30 websites depicting the alleged scam ensure maximum exposure in all search engines results. But no one has come forth and agreed with Tim. So how can it be an organized crime? There should be another victim other than Tim Cumper. I believed it was neither a scam nor an attempted scam.

4. Tim Cumper refused to give his mailing address. Mayen wanted to prove that she was really hospitalized and wanted to send copies of her medical records and photos of her scar from the surgery.

What made it more complicated is that Tim Cumper accused me of many things.

1. He thinks Francis (one of his alleged scammer) used my username at FilipinaImages.com just because we have similar IP address. I blogged about it here and here to clarify his accusations.

Jepoy took pity on Mayen’s plight and surfed the internet for more information on the alleged scam.

2. FilipinaImages.com is now linked as “scum” in his blogs, and together with a few bloggers especially Jepoy, we are classified as cockroaches just because we disagreed with his allegations.

Mind you, Mr. Tim Cumper is 57 years old.

3. He thinks the group of bloggers are paid by Tierra Maria Estates to cover-up the scam. Hence, we are called “TIERRA MARIA ESTATES SCAM – THE SUPPORTERS” a new classification which is different from the “TIERRA MARIA SCAM- THE PLAYERS”. Lately, however, we are now called “scammers”

4. That makes us at least 21 scammers now. Let’s do some more math. Let’s divide 92,213.39 thousand pesos ($2,000.00 plus) by 21 persons. That makes $107.00 each. Haha, is that how low Tim Cumper thinks of Filipinos?

5. Oh but his defense is that the amount should be multiplied by the number of victims other than him. But wait, where are the other victims of Tierra Maria Estates Scam? Come forth and be counted.

Anyway, that’s the short version of the elaborate scam that Tim thinks happened. The accused bloggers soon asked me if we could get Mayen’s story. Don’t ask me how we got her contact number. Call it divine intervention. I called her up over a week ago and asked if she wanted to tell her side of the story. Mayen was reluctant to tell her story. “it pains me. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” Then she changed her mind when I told her that we don’t know her side of the story and that all we read is Tim Cumper’s version.

The question might pop up “Why did I go out of my way to do this interview? I am just a blogger”. I should mind my own business, right? The problem is that he involved FilipinaImages.com and practically smeared us as “scammers” in his more than 30 websites. His personal attacks even came to the point of creating a fake MySpace profile of Jepoy, distorting my photo as one of Jepoy’s friend. His barrage of personal and defamatory attacks classifies as libel under Libel Laws in the UK and Philippine Laws on Libel.

Did I mention that he is 57 years old? Oh yes, I already mentioned it.

Tim’s personal attacks on the bloggers are nothing compared to the pain that gripped Mayen’s heart the past months. While it is true that there are scams pulled by Filipinas and by just about any nationality, one needs to practice due diligence in aborting such attempts.

Instead of checking the scar in person, he based his conclusions from the webcam video that he took of Mayen’s scar at an internet cafe.

How sad it is that Mayen is accused of a scam she never committed in the first place. I want to give Mayen a voice, a chance to be heard. She does not have the budget for internet cafe fees and blog her story like most of us do. Not many are as fortunate as Brian Gorrell who has at least internet access to expose the scam inflicted upon him to the rest of the world. But not Mayen. And many others that have been scammed one way or the other.

I am involved because I am now accused of being part of the scam. Yes, a scam supoorter.

As I watch Mayen wipe her tears every now and then, I believe without a doubt that she sincerely loved Tim Cumper. I believe her when she says that she suffered an ectopic pregnancy. She motioned to her abdomen I can show you the scar. I declined because I didn’t want to lower her dignity any further. It is not my intention to be an investigator and a messenger for Tim Cumper. If Tim Cumper wants proof, let him do the job himself. Oh yes, he tried asking all the players involved and when they could not provide an answer that satisfied him, Tim classified them as part of the scam. If he doesn’t trust Filipinos, why doesn’t he come to the Philippines and see the scar for himself? Why doesn’t he file a case against the scammers?

Why are Tim’s conclusion based on a pixelated and blurry video from a webcam? Jepoy hits the nail on video quality.

How could you base your conclusions on a very blurry video of a webcam streamed from Yahoo! Messenger? The video probably was even recorded via manual screen captures or by a screen capturing program. Which means that every single pixel you record is based on the image displayed by the receiver’s video card.

Now, how the hell does a “very sophisticated” computer equipment analyze a video from this procedure? TELL ME. PLEASE. HOW? Spectral analysis on a blurry screen grab. WHAT THE F%$&?! -_-

One day when someone does a google search on Mayen, that person will see both versions of the story.

I will let you be the judge.

Mayen will not only tell of the love that was never meant to be. She imparts valuable lessons from her heart and about moving on. She empowers herself by seeking spiritual advice from her pastor. Mayen is full of hope. She knows she deserves someone even much better than her ex-boyfriend.

Despite the humiliation and pain, Mayen still had the heart to forgive Tim.

As she reflects over her loss, she pauses to giggle and seek comic relief once again as she hums to the tune of their love song.

So here it is… the videocast of Mayen Betita, A Filipina Who Learned a Painful Lesson.

I rest my case.

Related Posts or Reactions from Blogs/Forums

Read the bloggers entry on Tim Cumper Watch.

1. Tim Cumper’s Reaction and A Good-Bye

2. Tierra Maria Estates Scam Hoax Update: Mayen speaks of heartbreak

3. From Dream to Nightmare

4. World of Filipinas Forum

5. Man Blog Forum

6. hospitalscams.blogspot.com = Severe Case of Psychosis
——————————-
You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets. Or Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

How about visiting my Beauty over 50 blog?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado

Follow me in twitter @momblogger.Mom, you never taught us how to say “Po” and “Opo”, complained my two daughters. I felt guilty. Did it reflect badly on my parenting skill?

Saying “Po” and “Opo” is foreign to me. (In Filipino if some phrases or sentences ends in “po”, “opo”, “oho”, “ho” or has these words, it only means that you do have a high respect or you are very polite to the person your talking to.) I choke on the words. Not that I am rude but being raised in Cebu during my formative years, those Filipino polite words are non-existent in the Cebuano vocabulary.

I often wondered why my parents didn’t teach us either. They spoke in Tagalog. I guess it was because we lived in Cebu and they didn’t want to confuse us with the dialect.

I remember a conversation between my aunt and dad. My aunt chastised my dad that we were impolite children just because we didn’t address her with a “po” and “opo”. I would have agreed with her but we spoke to her in English and it didn’t seem right to end each sentence with “po” and “opo”. At that time, I wasn’t too fluent in Tagalog (still not fluent but getting there) so how can I labeled rude or impolite?

Not saying “po” or “opo” does not hold value to me. I just wasn’t used to saying it. During my twenties, I tried to get into the habit of saying “po” and “opo” since I already lived in Manila and guess what? I ended up saying “po” and “opo” to the guards, the vendors, my peers, and just about anyone. I embarrassed myself even more.

Most Filipinos may say “po” or “opo” but are they polite or courteous in the MRT? The “me first” mentality I see in queues drive me nuts. And don’t start me on the mad driving skills on Manila’s snarled highways.

Another pet peeve is “Ma’am”. The first time someone addressed me as “Ma’am” was from a news reporter over 2 years ago. Hearing “Ma’am” shocked me mainly because it meant I am OLD. I often cringe when I am being addressed as “Ma’am”. When I became a blogger and met new bloggers, I often requested them to just call me “Noemi”. A few bloggers still call me “Ma’am” which I don’t bother to correct sometimes because I also understand that maybe they are not comfortable calling me by my first name. I understand that our parents often teach us to respect our elders.

But really, why do I need to be called “Ma’am, Madam, Miss Noemi”?

Just call me plain old …Noemi. Or if that bothers you, call me momblogger.

——————————-
You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets. Or Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

How about visiting my Beauty over 50 blog?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado

Follow me in twitter @momblogger.It seems FilipinaImages.com is getting more attention these days. Perhaps because March is International Women’s Month. The black “Yan ang Filipina” shirt customized by wikipilipinas refused to fit me. I felt like a “suman”. So I ditched that and wore something that won’t make me look ten pounds heavier on TV. I had to drag my lethargic body at 6:00 AM thinking the She-Ka TV magazine (aired over NBN 4) was at 7:00 AM. At the last minute, the show was pushed to 8:00 AM. It was worth it.

Aside from promoting the Wikipilipinas Filipina Stories contest (extended March 15) , we got to meet some of the guests like the Honorable Councilor Dorothy “Doray” Delarmente who also owns a blog at Doralicious and three women marines.

It’s my first time to meet brave Filipina women from the Marines who related their airborne, driving the APC (tank?) and being part of the Trillanes- Manila Peninsula operations. What an honor! I wonder what it’d be like to drive one of those huge tanks. I learned they are now open to recruitment of more marines. (Email them at pmc_recruitment@yahoo.com or all (632) 8932121 loc 901 or 991)

If the marines don’t appeal to you, perhaps join us in the celebration of women’s month, here are a few Women Activities for the rest of March.

March 8 (Saturday) 8:30am – 12:00nn
Venue: UP Theater
Event: National Women’s Day Celebration (headed by NCRFW)
20 minutes presentation: An overview of wikiPilipinas.org & Filipiniana.net; A Call for more entries to the Filipina Writing Contest
Attendees: 2000 students, NGOs

March 11 (Tuesday)
Event: UP Centennial Lecture of Dr. Carol Sobritchea
An overview of wikiPilipinas.org & Filipiniana.net; A Call for more entries to the Filipina Writing Contest

March 13 (Thursday)
Venue: Batangas Provincial Capitol, Batangas City
Event: A short message from Vibal Foundation announcing its Women Portal Projects and the partnership with NCRFW to local women leaders and government officials

March 24 – March 26 (Monday to Wednesday)
Venue: Miriam College
Event: Women’s Studies International Conference
An overview of wikiPilipinas.org & Filipiniana.net; Filipiniana.net will sponsor one lecture for its (Filipiniana.net Lecture Series) featuring Dr. Carol Sobritchea, the director of the UP Center for Women’s Studies; Announcement of Filipina Writing Stories winners

Photos

1. With the hosts of She-ka, Isa Litton, Atty Marissa Manolo
2. Dine with Councilor Doray Delarmente
3. FilipinaImages.com segment

Vew the rest of the Photos——————————-
You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets. Or Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

How about visiting my Beauty over 50 blog?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado