Follow me in twitter @momblogger.”A lot of it just has to do with luck, serendipity.” Emanuel Ax

Yesterday, HBO asia launched its new original series Luck that premieres February 20 at 10 PM. Media was treated to the pilot episode starring Oscar® winner Dustin Hoffman and Oscar® nominee Nick Nolte. I am not into gambling or horse racing so the terms used were alien to me. The thought occurred to me: could the racing be fixed ? or is it luck?

I was brought up to be prepared, work hard, and hope for a little luck. I do recognize that the harder one works and the better prepared I am, the more luck I might have. That is one reason I never mess around with gambling. I don’t like taking risks like that. In fact, I have never played Lotto.

The HBO Luck launch was a exception when the PR had this game “Pick two” where I had to list down the color (red, blue or green) in two sheets of paper. I thought of the Corona Impeachment Trial to decide the color. Red is associated with the Supreme Court protest. I scribbled RED on two sheets of paper. Mind you , this was before I even saw the horses.

Well, as luck would have it, seven of us WON. RED was the lucky color of the day. The only sure thing about luck is that it will change.

Go and wake up your luck. ——————————-
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.

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Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

Yes I am one of over 50 million people all around the world who have fallen in love with the characters, the story and the music that make MAMMA MIA such a hit! It is (to me) the ultimate feel-good show. Cast members of the hit musical “Mamma Mia!” will deliver a “great” performance every single night of its four-week run in Manila which started January 24. I was lucky to get three tickets to the Partierre box for the Opening night at the Cultural Arts Center of the Philippines. (Thanks Tim Yap and Concertus) Good thing my husband and daughter were eager to watch it with me.

I was 19 years old at the time Dancing Queen became a hit in the seventies and I remember twirling around and around to the music. I loved the music!

This time around , writer Catherine Johnson’s creates a sunny, funny tale that unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings 3 men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago. Since I knew the story from the Mama Mia movie in 2008 already, I found the musical a bit boring except when the ABBA songs were sung. There’s also something striking about watching a live musical that cannot be captured in film.

The show is definitely a feel-good story, a nostalgic trip to my free-spirited and dancing years.

The best part of the musical is the finale where all the cast members dance and sang. It felt like a mini- concert. The audience stood up and even danced along with the cast. That was so much fun. I wanted my husband to dance with me but he was too shy. My daughter wouldn’t let me either and I didn’t want to be a source of embarrassment. I looked around me and spotted much older women swaying their arms and shuffling their feet to the beat of the “Dancing Queen”.

Holding my husband’s hand, I pretended to sashay to and fro on an imaginary dance floor.

Mamma Mia evokes those warm and feel-good feeling that makes you want to jump up from your seat and dance along with the cast.

Expect a great night with a lot of glitter, a lot of glamour, and a lot of beautiful ABBA songs. When I left CCP , I felt like singing (and dancing) “Dancing Queen”, the theme song of my life…Having the time of my life.

You can dance
You can jive
Having the time of your life
See that girl
Watch that scene
Dig in the dancing queen

Check out ticket and show information of Mama Mia in Manila.

Some photos from Mama Mia website——————————-
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 me tell you how convenient it is to wear tampons over napkins. In the olden days my mom told me they didn’t use disposable napkins. I couldn’t imagine how that could be possible. Women often referred to their menstrual period as “I’m having my rags” because pieces of old cloth were actually used to soak up menstrual fluids. Not only that, women washed the soaked blood after every change. Messy indeed. I didn’t have to use rags because in my generation, I got to use disposable sanitary napkins and a few years later, tampons came along. The sanitary napkins in the early seventies looked like a bunch of disposable cotton wrapped around a rectangular gauze that needed a belt or safety pin to tie the napkins in place. It was embarrassing to have those leak accidents. I still remember when the sanitary napkins in 1975 came out with adhesive to keep napkins in place. Though adhesives felt a bit more convenient, it left an unsightly mark on the underwear that refused to wash out.

When tampons came into my life in the early eighties, I realized how liberating it was to shift from napkins to tampons. At the beach outing with friends, I felt confidence as I wore my swimsuit.

Advantage of tampons over napkins

The main reason is of course feeling confident. Tampons offer better protection and help keep a period private. I can wear tampons confidently under shorts, a fitted skirt or my swim wear without showing unnecessary bulk. Wearing a tampon gave me the freedom to shower, play badminton, and even swim while on my period. This freedom is probably one of tampon’s biggest advantage over the napkin, making it the best option during a summer getaway.

Consider how a napkin leaks much more than a tampon can. When inserted properly, a tampon minimizes the chance of leakage because a tampon fits to the wall of the vagina and soaks up blood for a period of several hours. When one replaces it frequently, a tampon is so much more reliable than a napkin. It leaves me feeling much cleaner and fresher than using a napkin.

Facts of using tampons

Like I said earlier, myths surrounding tampons made me initially resistant in giving it a try. Some of these myths are explained below.

1. A tampon will not move beyond the vagina and get lost inside a woman’s body

It just isn’t possible for the tampon to get lost or pushed far back because the opening of the cervix found at the end of the vagina is too small to allow a tampon to pass through.The walls of the vagina also hold the tampon in place and it will stay put until you take it out.

2. A tampon does not get stuck inside a woman’s body

It is not possible for a tampon to get stuck inside you. There might be problems taking it out if you are feeling tense. Just try to relax if you feel some resistance when you pull out the withdrawal cord. Leaving the tampon a little bit longer will allow the tampon to absorb enough menstrual fluid and make it soft enough for easy removal.

3. Tampons do not block menstruation.

The tampon sits in the middle third of the vagina and won’t block the menstrual flow. It absorbs the menstrual fluid into its inner holding layers until fully saturated. When the tampon is saturated, the excess fluid just flows out of the vagina either through the tampon or outside of it.

4. A virgin can use tampons and it will not affect her virginity.

Many young girls worry about using a tampon because of an old myth that one can lose their virginity by the tampon breaking their hymen. This is not possible. Tampons are small and cylindrical and they do not go so deep as to break your hymen.

Whether one chooses to wear sanitary napkins or tampons is definitely a personal choice. It is really important to stay informed and weigh options in using tampons. Over the years, the use of tampons allowed women to be more active and have fuss-free menstrual periods. Women these days have come a long way since their grandmothers. Imagine the freedom and discretion to do whatever you like while menstruating including swimming and sports.

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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.

Meet my daughter. Of course you know her by now. She is part of Bloggers United, the first bloggers-only bazaar that was created to promote a sense of camaraderie and community among bloggers and their readers. The first bazaar, held on May 2011, was so successful that a second bazaar was quickly organized in partnership with the country’s largest online shopping website, Multiply Philippines.

The thing is she will be in Singapore for business so I volunteered to man her booth.

So yes, me…the momblogger, the mom of blogger Lauren will be there to sell her stuff. (See Lauren’s blog post on this). Our house is cozy and not much closet space so she has to unclog her closet by selling her stuff. Though previously owned by her, trust that each item is of good quality. I will be selling a few of my clothes too (size medium to large). Some of them I just wore once because I hate repeating clothes if they have already been photographed and shown in Facebook.

What: Bloggers United 2
When: Saturday, December 3
Time: 11:00 AM till 3:00 PM ( the bazaar is till 10:00 PM but I have to leave early to attend a scheduled party)
Where: Treston International College, University Parkway District , 32nd street corner C-5 Road , Bonifacio Global City (See map below)
What else?: Entrance fee of 100 pesos
Click teaser photos of some items

Why should you go?

1. You will meet fashion bloggers and of course me! Some of Cebu’s very own fashion bloggers which include Kryz Uy, Eden Villarba, designer Yves Camingue, Gillian Uang and Mildred Zapanta and a few more will be part of this bazaar

2. I will give away volume discounts. A dress is around 200 pesos. (Volume discount of 2 for 300 or 3 for 500)

For tops, it is 100 pesos each, 2 for 180, 3 for 250

3. I will give early bird give-aways (for purchases 500 pesos and above) until supply last. Please come early because I can only man the booth until 3:00 PM. My helper will stay until 7 PM though.

4. This event is the perfect opportunity for both bloggers and their adoring readers to mingle and personally interact with each other. Fun contests and exciting giveaways from sponsors and entertaining performances from bloggers (Walkie Talkies, Reese & Vica) themselves .

5. Part of the proceeds from this event will go to the GMA Kapuso Foundation (http://www.kapusofoundation.com/) for its school building project, a small but significant step to improve the Filipino youth’s access to education.

This is a one-day-only event that you shouldn’t really miss! This is the perfect shopping day this Christmas because the most affordable and most fashionable clothes, accessories and footwear will be up for grabs. See you there. Look for me at iambourgeois.com / beautyoverfifty.net booth

Here is the map to go to Treston International College,Taguig City

View Larger Map

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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.

Most politicians are the same all over. Nikita Khrushchev says it so well , ” they promise to build a bridge even where they is no river.” As editor of Blog Watch, I make it a point to disclose political affiliations. It is a good thing I knew Pia way before she got married, had kids and became a senator. Even my girls could not shake off their shock and pleasant surprise that their Tita Pia is a senator. Not just an ordinary senator mind you. Pia is an extraordinary senator. I am really proud of her achievements unlike some senators who I feel don’t work for the good of the country.

How could I say no to the book launch of a friend and a good Senator?

Her book is called “My Daily Race”, culled from selected blog posts at mydailyrace.com. She started her blog five years ago, probably the same time I started mine. She called it “My daily Race” because it was …”striking a balance between my work in the Senate, my kids and doing the things I love. There is no prize at the end of each race, but there is joy and peace in knowing that I did my best, my children are loved and that life is better for people whose paths I have crossed.”

Media often want to portray her as a triathlete neglecting the good work she does in the Senate: on Women and health issues. Social legislation which is her strength does not hog the headlines the way her brother, Allan Cayetano does. She also admits that she does not have the skils to produce words like a rapid fire machine gun like her mentor (Senator Miriam) does.

Video at the book lauch: Pia talks about the reasons behind the book

Blogging was an option so she could write about her work, not just as a Senator but the work she does outside of the Senate and her life as a mom, a triathlete and the many other things that she choose to or have to be. Blogging was an opportunity to publish her thoughts and work even if traditional media considered it newsworthy or not. When it came to senate work, public work seems to be limited to sensationalized investigative hearings held by the Blue Ribbon Committee.

Many have started to notice Pia’s work as an advocate for women’s rights health and the rights of other minorities. No wonder she was re-elected in the last 2010 elections. The reproductive health bill is discussed over social media and she is quite popular among the RH Bill supporters.

I no longer wonder how she remains cool and collected during RH debates at the Senate. It helps to have a high level of endorphins from running. It helps deal with the negativity at work. Somehow, I agree that senators should do some exercise in between sessions just to be more level-headed in their debates.

Pia and I share similar losses: the loss of a son and a father the past decade. Pia was there to hold my hand during the wake of my son and even took time to talk to me. She even ordered a grief recovery book from the states.

In a way, her book is a grief journal since many entries were written while she was grieving either for her son, dad or her grandmother. It can also be a self-help book if you want it to be.

The book is not meant to picture her as anything more or less than who or what she is. It simply is what it is. Her objective is simply share her life experiences and answer the questions that is often asked of her…what is it like to be a senator? a triathlete? a working mom.

Though she has a good support system at her home and workplace, there are some days that things don’t fall into place.

But she picks herself up and try again.

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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 cheerful frame of mind, reinforced by relaxation… is the medicine that puts all ghosts of fear on the run.” – George Matthew Adams

Some people who are not as wired as I am think I am too stressed out with my work. Maybe because they do not understand how it is. My online friends vouch it is fun and meaningful depending on how one uses their social media tools. Having fun while working is a blessing.

I often see advice that it is important for you to relax, take a break and not stress over an email or text message that can wait until next week. It may be applicable to those in the corporate world but for an advocate using social media, this is a part of our life. It isn’t a chore or something I stress over especially if Missy, my cat is on my lap. She insists to sit on my lap or else suffer her pitiful meows. I should be flattered. “For a man to truly understand rejection, he must first be ignored by a cat.” I guess it must be in their genes. Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this.

It is relaxing to have her on my lap, patting her furry head as I tweet. Time spent with Missy is never wasted.

She loves to watch the timeline scroll down. When a burning issue unravels in Twitter, it scrolls very fast which makes her more “engaged”.

No time to get totally annoyed at useless tweets with a cat on your lap. As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the human kind.

When she gets bored, she gives me a tummy massage.

excuse the flabby tummy

I give her an extra treat by letting her watch Youtube videos of other Siamese cats. Ah..Missy, my pet is so cute.

Indeed, the time to relax is when you don’t have time for it. Why not do it while working? I am believer in finding tranquility within. It is useless to seek it elsewhere. Dr. Joyce Brothers advices is that “No matter how much pressure you feel at work, if you could find ways to relax for at least five minutes every hour, you’d be more productive.”

How do you relax?
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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.I thought I’d never hear the day when my daughters would appreciate me for teaching them how to fix their things. Not that I am neat freak, I just want things in their proper places. When they were little girls, I required them to at least fix their beds just before leaving school. Oh they were obedient girls of course. I slacked down a bit as they went into college and lived in a dormitory.

A few years back, they got to see how their fellow dorm mates “organized their rooms” and that I shouldn’t feel bad if I think their rooms are “messy”.

They are adults now so I can’t really be bothered with their rooms. Whenever I drop by their room, I just stay by the door. I don’t step inside because I want to avoid lecturing them on neatness.

I don’t nag my family to the point that my neat freaky attitude drives them crazy. If they are messy with their things, that is their problem. If an item gets lost because they were not organized, it’s their loss. “Don’t come crying to me that you lost a book , a CD or something”.

I believe that clutter around me creates more clutter in me so I don’t like that feeling.

It cannot be avoided that I’d see a mess or two. On one occasion, I just could not help noticing parcels of tokens or products on the floor in my daughter’s room.

Of course I wanted her to decide on ways to de-clutter her room and if I could help her. She thought she needed a new dresser and remove her writing table. Good idea. I told her: “let’s go to the furniture store and get you the dresser to organize all these beauty products, fashion accessories and other trinkets”.

She loved the idea but on shopping day, I was met with resistance due to previous work commitment. Minutes later, I was surprised that the shopping for a new dresser will push through.

It was a beautiful afternoon and that rare occasion when a daughter is with us on a Sunday. We strolled the furniture section of Market! Market! and spotted this white dresser that went well with the rest of her white-themed furniture inside the room. It was perfect!

Days after the white dresser was delivered to her room, my daughter’s room is now more organized with less clutter.

I praised her “see how nice your room looks now”. We both smiled.

Mission accomplished. ——————————-
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.Where do I begin to tell my Nuffnang story? Perhaps it started with that small dinner. I was among the first bloggers to be consulted about the Nuffnang Philippines launch sometime 2008. It was a private affair. What struck me the most is Eric Ramierz, one of the owners sat down with us to listen to our thoughts and suggestions.

There were blog advertising networks back then but I wasn’t too happy with the experience: late payments and selective ads. Without batting an eyelash, I agreed to sign up. I found it challenging as a blogger to grow along with Nuffnang.

with Nuffnang co-founder Tim

I activated my Nuffnang Blogger account on August 24, 2008. It’s been three years now and I have seen its growth, their trials and tribulations. From a staff of two girls, I see now a country manager, a blogger coordinator and many more job descriptions that only speak of Nuffnang’s evolution.

it took me a while to shift to “Gliterrati” where one is exclusive to Nuffnang ads. I saw the income difference immediately when I stopped all other blog ad networks.

What I like most about Nuffnang is they continue to be open to suggestions even if it is not in their policy or stand to lose a significant advertiser. Like, I was totally against milk ads because I am a breastfeeding advocate. Good thing they didn’t pursue the marketing spin of milk companies. After all, we are the bloggers who know about the influence of our community.

It feels like talking to my “parents” about future plans.

“Social Network” Premiere for Bloggers in 2010. Photo by Benjie Tiongco

Most importantly, Nuffnang raised the bar on the value of bloggers. More and more companies are advertising in our blogs. You can see how digital media has been revolutionizing the media sector.

It is not all ads in Nuffnang. We have lots of fun and we meet new friends here and abroad. There are the movie dates, the picnics and the Nuffnang Asia Pacific Blog Awards. It was fun meeting other bloggers within the Asia Pacific region.

Meeting a few Malaysian bloggers in 2009

I don’t know where the story ends. More and more we are seeing consumers accessing multiple media platforms simultaneously, especially accessing the internet whilst watching television which many consumers are doing several times per week.

I forsee a bright future for Nuffnang and their bloggers as emerging trends happen.

Come 16th of December 2011, 500 bloggers from around the Asia-Pacific region will flock to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards 2011 in Putrajaya Marriott. The Awards aims to not only honour the region’s best bloggers, but also to bring together blogger communities from across Asia-Pacific. The Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards is brought to you by Volkswagen Malaysia and Putrajaya Marriott.

Win exclusive invites. Nuffnang.com is giving you the chance to win an invite to the Blog Awards, simply by participating in the blogging contest as outlined below! The contest starts 25 October 2011 and ends 11.59 pm, 19 November 2011.

Photo via Ada Lajara. Glamorous Filipina bloggers gather at the Link Hotel before proceeding to the Pan Pacific Hotel for The Nuffnang Asia Pacific Blog Awards Ceremony

With Alodia Gosiengfiao, Ashley Gosiengfiao, Jehzeel

Photo Credits to Ada Lajara . Philippine Nuffnang President Eric Ramirez with Filipino Bloggers at the Pan Pacific Hotel
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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.When I was a little girl, I loved reading books about saints. It must have been their courage and faith which struck me the most. There was even a time I imagined the Virgin Mother Mary to appear in front of me. Sitting on a rock at the back of our house, I prayed, clutching on to the rosary beads and waited for the Blessed Mother …and waited. I may never be a saint but I can try to be good to others and do service to my country.

St. Josemaria Escriva, known as “the saint of the ordinary” is a one saint that most of us can relate to. He believed that we need not do ‘great’ things in order to become saints but rather we must find God in the simplest and most ordinary events in our lives.“There be dragons” is a movie inspired by the life of Escriva. It deals with the inner dragons one must face while making tough decisions in life. The movie centers on Josemaria Escriva and Manolo Torres, two childhood friends who took different paths in their lives due to several reasons. One chose the path of peace and becomes a priest while the other chose the life of a soldier driven by jealousy and revenge. Each struggled to find the power of forgiveness over the forces that tore their lives and friendship apart.

The movie tells the story of London-based investigative journalist Roberto Torres (Dougray Scott), who visits Spain to research a book about Josemaría Escrivá (Charlie Cox), the controversial founder of Opus Dei. A New York Times article cited Heriberto Schoeffer, an independent film producer in Los Angeles and a member of Opus Dei when he first conceived of a film dramatizing the life of Escrivá. “All I wanted is for people to see a good side of him, because so many bad things are said about him and Opus Dei.” Schoeffer mentioned.

I will not be a spoilsport so I will end there and leave the review to a certified movie critic and others at the Review section dragons.ph.

However, let me share a few reflections on my life as I watched the movie.

Loving God in times of grief

A death in the family especially that of a child is impossible to describe in words. The young Escriva asked her mother “do you hate God now?” when his sibling died. The mother tearfully replied that she loved God. Not everyone will react the same manner as Escriva’s mother. Some will question “Why God? Why me? why my child?” in anger. Others will accept their loss as God’s will. How should a believer in Jesus, a follower of Christ react when they are in deep grief? It is so easy for others to say not to question God’s will when they have never lost a child. This is a process that bereaved parents have to go through in order to reach the next stage.

The answers were never clear to me for the first five years after my son’s death. The reason “Why?” unfolded when I earnestly prayed and sought God’s will. I have written about this before that it happened when I sat down on Luijoe’s favorite chair and just like that, I felt God’s presence.

Faith is shown by Escriva in many ways.

Faith is a gift, Escriva tells his disheartened companions, “and God has called us to manifest it in love here on earth. Unwavering love for every child of God no matter who it is, no matter what side, no matter what circumstances.”

There is another scene where a woman catches Escriva praying. She goads him “He doesn’t hear you does he? All this pain and he stays silent. I don’t know how he can allow such thing.” The woman even referred to God as a monster.

Yet the woman said that she loved God which Escriva found odd. “Even though he is a monster?”

She replied. “A woman can love a monster. I fight him with love”.

Just like her, my faith was shaken but in the end, I turned to Him for comfort. I can say the same thing as Escriva did when he uttered, “You were there tonight, Lord. I felt you there.”

God’s world is so full of goodness

“God’s world is so full of goodness,” Escriva says to the Archbishop as he opens a window to showcase the beautiful scenery outside.

There is so much to be grateful and be joyful about.

Did I really think the world is full of goodness? It took some time to realize that and in the end it was a matter of choice. The road from mourning to joy was not easy. Pain is my greatest teacher. Regardless of where the pain comes from, there are always lessons to be learned. Pain from losing my loved ones moved me towards finding the joy. Grief is inevitable but misery is optional. Joy over misery is the path I chose. I tried to find the good in this world, finding the joy in myself, from my husband, friends and family.

Finding joy was tantamount to finding myself.

God’s work

‎Escriva referred to his work as God’s work. Opus Dei — the name is Latin for work of God — “teaches that ordinary work can be a path to sanctity if the believer maintains a demanding regimen of religious practices intended to achieve holiness.” I may not belong to the “Opus Dei” but I believe God’s work lies in each one of us.

When my son died, I wondered why God took my precious boy away when he was so young and full of promise. Why didn’t he just take me away? For a couple of years, I just wanted to waste away and die of natural causes. After a couple of health issues, I found myself, still alive…and wondering ” so why am I still alive?”

There must be some work I have to accomplish.

Bobit Avila in his article, Evil dragons still live within our midst , clarifies the message of God’s work. “Indeed, in the past, the clergy taught the idea that we can only find Jesus Christ inside the church. But St. Josemaria Escriva preached the idea that we are all called to a life of holiness even in our most ordinary work.”

I don’t know enough of the “Opus dei” to write an objective look into it . All I know is the Opus Dei is violently opposed to the Reproductive Health Bill. I have no information whether or not Illuminati shares the views of Opus Dei on the subject of reproductive health interpreted by the Catholic Church as an abortion proposal.

As you might all know, I am pro-life and pro-RH which is part of my work as an advocate for children’s rights and women’s health. It is ordinary work that I took upon myself out of deep concern for women’s health and the quality of life of their families. (more on Why I support the Reproductive Health Bill)

Learning to forgive

The dramatic point of the movie reveals Manolo and his son Roberto in a touching scene where one hopes for a last opportunity of forgiveness.

‎”So many wrong turns in my life,” the dying Manolo told his son. The journalist muses: “When you forgive, you set someone free: yourself!”

How many wrong turns have I made in my life?

A few maybe. Some of these wrong turns were beyond my control. It is not the number of wrong turns that matter now. It is about getting up and moving forward to pick up the pieces. Part of this involved learning to forgive. In learning to forgive and keeping a clean slate, the person I am really freeing is myself.

The capacity of every human being for sainthood

Oscar Wilde once said “Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future.”

Even good people have a past. They’ve done things before which were bad. Every one who’s led a bad life still has a chance to do right. Maybe my childhood dream to be a saint is all gone but I can always strive to do good and not commit the same mistakes in the past.

My childhood dream to become a saint may not qualify me anymore but a dear friend reminded me that “the only difference between a sinner and a saint is that the saint stands uo and tries again when he/she falls”.

Nothing can change the past, but forgiveness can change the future.

The director of the movie says this is a story for “every human being” — who feels, who thinks, who has a family, who feels angry, feels the need for revenge, who feels love, wants love or needs love.” Who hasn’t grappled with these emotions? The movie is “100% about humanity” that will surely touch your hearts.

Here are the complete details of ‘There Be Dragons’ Cinemas and Showtimes (MTRCB Rating PG-13).

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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.

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Follow me in twitter @momblogger.The countdown to the world’s population is expected to hit seven billion soon. I want to reflect on how I fit into this story of human life. After growing very slowly for most of human history, the number of people on Earth has more than doubled in the last 50 years. I feel quite ambivalent about these figures. While it it means people are living longer and more children are surviving worldwide, not everyone has benefited from this achievement or the higher quality of life that this implies.

7 billion and me

By filling out the number in this calculator, I see myself fitting in the world’s population.

In 1500, the population is estimated at 500 million but in 2011, it is 7,000,000,000

When I was born, I was the 2,873,706,564th person on Earth and the 76,375,542,810th person to have lived since history began.

The figure is an estimate of how many people were alive on my date of birth. It is one possible value based on global population figures and estimates of growth rates over time. Data before 1950 is less accurate than figures after that date. The second figure includes calculations based on the methodology of scholar Carl Haub, who estimated how many people had been alive since 50,000 B.C. His calculation has been amended by the UN to include additional points in time.

I’d like to take you further through the UN Population Fund’s detailed population calculator, 7 billion and me to see more.

On the same day I was born 278,627 were born throughout the world. It is interesting to add that on the day I was born, 910,171,342 were living in cities and towns

1,963,529,226 were living in rural areas
1,433,951,908 were women
1,439,748,660 were men
1,041,043,490 were under age 15
and 226,759,928 were over age 60

How does the world population of 7 billion affect me?

On the day I was born , 2,873,700,568 people were alive and 6,839,911,966 were born since then. Sadly, 2,713,691,135 people have died since I was born. As a result, the population today is 6,999,921,400

The Philippine population

The Philippines population is pegged at 93,800, 552. Every hour, there are 265 births, 60 deaths with an average yearly growth of +1.7%

In developing nations, where improvements in health care and sanitation are seeing death rates fall, birth rates still remain relatively high. This is leading to rapidly rising populations. In fact, 97 out of every 100 new people on the planet are currently born in developing countries. Qatar – which has a large immigrant workforce – has seen its population rise rapidly in recent years. In richer economies, although death rates are also low, widely-available birth control and a desire for smaller families keep birth rates subdued. Fewer babies ensures populations level off or even decline. Moldova, although poor by European standards, has seen its population drop mainly because of emigration.

The average life expectancy in the Philippines is 67.8 years with female at 71.3 on average and male at 64.5.

Japan’s high life expectancy has been put down to a combination of a healthy diet and good public health provision, which includes regular check-ups. The low life expectancy of those born in poorer countries, such as the Central African Republic, is explained by a number of factors, including poverty, conflict, poor access to health care and the high prevalence of Aids.

What’s next?

The global population will continue to increase during my lifetime and beyond, reaching 10 billion by 2083. It is expected that the rate of growth will slow down. Most of the current growth is happening within the developing world.

Longer lives: Death rates and birth rates are falling in my area. This means working-age people like myself will be supporting increasing numbers of older people during the next decades. By 2050 , there will be just 4.6 working-age people for every person aged 65 or above – a decrease of 63% from 2000.

Battle for resources: It is estimated that the richest group of countries consumes double the resources used by other areas of the world – including the Philippines. The UN estimates that if current population and consumption trends continue, by the 2030s we will need the equivalent of two Earths to support us.

Wow, those statistics are frightening.

I believe that the youth hold the key to the future, with the potential to transform the global political landscape and to propel economies through their creativity and capacities for innovation.

“But the opportunity to realize youth’s great potential must be seized now. We should be investing in the health and education of our youth. This would yield enormous returns in economic growth and development for generations to come.”

Did you know? Every day 1,000 women die giving birth – one every 90 seconds.

And 4,991 people is the amount the population has grown while I have been working on these stats?

Ensure every child is wanted & every birth is safe.

The clock is ticking. 1 day to 7 billion.

Where do you fit into this story of human life? Put your birthday in this calculator.

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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