Celebrating Our 24th Wedding Anniversary

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“An anniversary is a time to celebrate the joys of today, the memories of yesterday, and the hopes of tomorrow. ”

If blogs were around in 1985, then I’d have a photo for every year of our wedding anniversary. Since the start of my blog in 2006, I’ve only written four times, counting this entry. Why is it so important for me to share this day with you? It is not that I want to brag that “hey, we lasted this long” but it is more of “Wow, we have reached this far. Let’s celebrate the joys and the sorrows. You may pick up a lesson or two”.

As Mignon McLaughlin would say, ” A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” Falling in love is not easy especially when that person can get annoying. But at the same time, it is so gratifying to find that one special person I want to annoy for the rest of my life.

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Up Close with Charice Pempengco and Her Mommy Raquel

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““Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.” Mary Anne Radmacher

I have always been curious to hear Charice Pempengco sing live. Watching her sing at Oprah Winfrey Show, I wasn’t too impressed with the ““birit” style. Though quite awesome, her lung-busting vocal skills are simply not my type of singing. Perhaps, seeing her singing live will change my mind. I jumped at the chance when a good friend, Claire invited me to watch Charice Pempengco sing at Melawares’ 30th Anniversary Celebration at the SM Makati.

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Manny Pacquiao wins in the Pacquiao Vs. Hatton Fight: Youtube Video

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Manny Pacquiao wins! Manny Pacquiao wins! TKO in Round 2!


Photo via Thepinoy.net

Manny Pacquiao knocks out Ricky Hatton in the second round Saturday (around 11:36 AM, Sunday in Manila) in Las Vegas, Nevada, stripping the light welterweight crown and carving his name as one of the legends in boxing history. (Source: Pacquiao KO’s Hutton)

The end came in 2 minutes 59 minutes in Round 2 in TKO victory. Freddie Roach predicted it to last 3 rounds.

Here are youtube videos in four parts:

Part 1

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Kiko Pangilinan with Hope and Reform

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““Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.” Albert Einstein

Disclosure on Political Affiliations: I do not work for Kiko Pangilinan or any other politician. Kiko and my husband know each other way back in the UP College of Law. Neither am I affiliated with a political party. I am close to Senator Pia Cayetano and Senator Alan Cayetano . Our relationship ties date back even before they became senators. Former President Fidel V. Ramos is a family friend due to ties from my father-in-law. I used to be a student activist in my UP Diliman days. My political views range from conservative to liberal. I don’t have plans to run for public office. Meeting with politicians and writing about their programs is part of my current plans for this blog till 2010. Any endorsements will be made just a few weeks before Elections 2010.

Niña Terol, fellow blogger and Political Communications head of Senator Kiko Pangilinan said it was an “an intimate discussion/dialogue about how we can use the power of social media to transform the Philippines and usher in positive things for our people and our country” and would last from 6:30 PM till 8:30 PM but our dinner actually ended at 10:00 PM. As usual, I’m an early bird and took my time taking photos of Mesa Greenbelt 5 which I found later on is owned by Kiko and friends (read my Mesa, Greenbelt 5 post). Shortly after, Kiko walked in. Oh, he is an early bird too. I found out that he knew my husband way back in Law school so there was a lot of common ground to babble around with, before his staff and the other bloggers arrived.

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Deadly Swine Flu (H1N1) is Worrisome

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“Ninety percent of the things we tend to worry about we have no control over, so why worry about them?” Author Unknown

A (H1N1) Influenza Booklet A (H1N1) Influenza Booklet Noemi Lardizabal-Dado Things to Know, Things to do . A UN publication

With the swine flu having already spread to at least six other countries, authorities around the globe are like firefighters battling a blaze without knowing how far it extends.

WHO spokesman Peter Cordingley singled out air travel as an easy way the virus could spread, noting that the WHO estimates that up to 500,000 people are on planes at any time.

Governments in Asia — with memories of previous flu outbreaks — were especially cautious. Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines dusted off thermal scanners used in the 2003 SARS crisis and were checking for signs of fever among passengers from North America. South Korea, India and Indonesia also announced screening.

Source : Deadly Swine Flu Spreads to Mideast, Asia

My husband has been worried sick of this Swine flu. Travel outside the Philippines is part of our graduation present to my daughter and she leaves on May 6. That’s all he talks these days during dinner time. It is natural for parents to worry but up to what degree?

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Mom Bloggers at the Expo Mom 2009 on May 10, Rockwell Tent

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Mommy bloggers, and Future Mommy Bloggers, come join our Mommy Bloggers Booth on May 10 from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM at the Expo Mom 2009, Rockwell Tent. Yeah, we can only be there on May 10 because we are attending the iblog5 on May 9. But don’t miss us there!

Your favorite mommy bloggers will be hanging out there and present a powerpoint slideshow of blogging 101 and other mom blogger sites to booth visitors.

If you are a mommy blogger, please post a description of your blog and the url on the comment section so we can include your url and screencap of your blog in the presentation.
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How to Let Go of the Past

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““Losers live in the past. Winners learn from the past and enjoy working in the present toward the future.” Denis Waitley

I want you to read this and know that I have moved on a long time ago. I don’t hate you. I am not angry at you. Yes, once upon a time, I was hurt, angry and livid at you but I couldn’t allow a dark cloud to hover above my head. The anger was the final burst of energy before letting go settled in. I am aware I have faults but living in the past is not one of them. There’s no future in it. Why should I carry the burden of anger towards you? It is unhealthy. Holding on to the past is a waste of valuable energy, energy that can be used to transform myself into a better person, today and tomorrow. Energy used to attend to urgent issues. Energy used to help others in need.

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How would I know if someone I care about was contemplating suicide?

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Suicide is very much in the news these days. A forensic expert who conducted an autopsy on Trina Etrong, wife of Ted Failon said that the contact wound on her temple indicates suicide. (Edit on April 22– A second autopsy points to suicide)

I ‘d like to point out that the Compassionate Friends refer to the death as ““died by suicide” or ““died of suicide” to replace the commonly used ““committed suicide” or ““completed suicide.” The phrases “Died of suicide” or “died by suicide” are accurate, emotionally- neutral ways to explain the death.

Suicide, no doubt, is the most misunderstood of all deaths and leaves behind a residue of questions, guilt, anger, second-guessing, and anxiety which, at least initially, is almost impossible to digest. Even though we know better, we’re still haunted by the feeling that suicide is the ultimate act of despair, a deed that somehow puts one outside the family of humanity, the mercy of God, and (in the past) the church’s burial grounds.

Let’s not be judgmental on people who died by suicide.

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PR Events, Blog Advertising & Internet Marketing Course at AIM

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Note: This is a discussion about Bloggers and Blog Marketing and what Marketing/PR Executives can expect from bloggers.

Bloggers seated from Left to right:
Jonel, Azrael, me, Peter, Juned and Markku
while Regnard Raquedan is standing.

I thought I was just supposed to be an observer/participant of the Bloggers’ round table discussion on Blogging & Blog Marketing: Conversations that can lead to Conversions at the Internet Marketing Course specifically called Winning Internet Marketing Strategies & Tactics at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) . The course is a three and a half-day course designed to demystify Internet Marketing for executives, consultants, and entrepreneurs. It gives participants a practical understanding of how websites, blogs, and social networks are changing the old rules of marketing. I was pretty much surprised when Regnard Raquedan told us to sit in the front and talk about blogging, blog advertising and blog events.

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Compassion for Joseph Carlo Candare & Awareness of Philippine’s Animal Welfare Act

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UP TRIBUNAL DECISION: STOMPING A KITTEN TO DEATH IN UP IS NOT ““MISCONDUCT”

Click to Enlarge Photos

There’s nothing wrong with anger provided you use it constructively. Wayne Dyer

Meet the adorable kitties that give my family so much joy. They are so loved that we call them the other members of the family. Missy (left) is mine. Kylee (center) belongs to L and Lady (right) is M’s pet. Well, my husband gets to choose among the three but I think he has a thing for Kylee. They talk to each other at the dinner table. No kidding. I understand that not everyone is a cat lover. So when I read about Joseph Carlo Candare who got labeled as a Cat Serial Killer, I was beyond horrified that someone could engage in a brutal act. I gasped at his description, I pulled it on its tail and threw it. Then like some pro wrestler I jumped on it and my feet landed on it’s torso. Slam! Felt good!. As I continued reading, I got more appalled by the comments of the readers as the poster/blogger called for action “Wanted Dead or Alive“. Geesh, what kind of call for action is that? You might be a “Cat Killer Killer”? (Edit April 19– The yoopee multiply entry has been deleted now)

Still seething with anger, I shook my head and tried to understand the actions behind this brutality. Despite my disgust , I turned my thoughts to the student who studies at UP Diliman. What is the university doing about this? Is it providing help to Joseph Carlo Candare (JC)? I know his actions are just so gruesome to comprehend among cat lovers like me. Should I continue on with this anger? What will my anger bring me? Anger is a beneficial one if it is NOT allowed to harden into resentment or used as a battering ram to punish people. Anger signals problems we need to solve or it points to boundaries we need to set. Sometimes it is the final burst of energy before letting go settles in.

Breathe deeply. I can feel all this anger but still take responsibility for my behavior.

Right now, I can act on my anger and move on to a positive resolution.

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