Photohunt: Funny

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This is just a series of photos in our high school reunion party.   It was funny to see how everybody cooperated in the parlor games and solo performances even if it would mean showing a different side of themselves.

While posting this, I am missing the gang.

Developing a Core Value Called Integrity

If you will be asked if you possess integrity, will you be confident to say YES?

It will surely make you think not only twice.  After I read some articles the other night about this value, I was not as confident anymore.  I realized that we are all guilty at some points in our lives not having integrity.  I, for one, had lied (white and black lies) many times and in defense, it's always because what the situations warranted.  It's always about justifying that what I did was just right because it was what I thought was best and easy way out of a circumstance.

[caption id="attachment_7499" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Photo from soulseeds.com[/caption]

According to Amy Rees, an author and a weekly contributor to Forbes and The Huffington Post, "Integrity is doing the right thing at all times and in all circumstances whether or not anyone is watching."

Some Surprising Facts in Philippine History

The UB suggestion is about cool facts in history. I am a Filipino and I wanted to share this post about six (6) surprising Filipino historical facts.

[caption id="attachment_7480" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Photo from filipiknow.net[/caption]

The fact that affected me most among the six is the nuclear bomb that fell into the Philippine Sea and it's still missing. It was only in the 1980s when it was revealed that the Mk. 43 free-fall bomb was lost.

It makes me feel scared, even now, that the weapon which is at least a megaton's worth of nuclear explosive was never found.  Questions popped in my mind like - How come it is missing?  What if it's there submerged in the Philippine sea bed waiting to explode? What is the chance that it will be triggered to explode? To what extent will the damage caused by explosion spread?

Some Facts in Philippine History

Life quotes, anyone?

It's nice to learn about other quote web sites aside from Brainyquotes which I frequent.  I love quotes.  They have inspired me in many ways.  One of my favorites are life quotes.  Here are samples from Quotelicious.com:

[caption id="attachment_7469" align="aligncenter" width="275"] photo from timemanagementninja.com[/caption]

A great attitude becomes a great day which becomes a great month which becomes a great year which becomes a great life.

— Mandy Hale

MY TAKE: I realized that a great life does not equate to a life with lots of money only.  A lot of rich people are not happy.  It is how a life is well-lived by having that attitude of positivity and hope.

Photohunt: Spots

I am sure everyone of us have our favorite food SPOTS that become our favorite for all season. Banapple is a bakery and cafe that serves not only pies, cakes and desserts but also good food for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Here are some of our favorites (You can click the thumbnails for a larger view):

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Looks aren't everything.

This TED talk by model Cameron Russell is fearless indeed.

"I won a genetic lottery and I'm the recipient of a legacy."  This bold statement defines how the advertising  business and most of the world see beauty.

"The thing... that I have never said on camera is that I am insecure.  And I am insecure because I have to think about what I look like everyday."  Who would have thought that such a young and beautiful lady would be insecure? But she is.

Here is the video you all will admire.  It is not easy to admit the superficiality of it all.  While most young girls are embarrassed about their bodies and how they look, here is a model saying she is insecure and unhappy and I think it is because she is not that person we see in Vogue, or any other magazine, but someone who is like most of us, afraid, and unsure.





 

52Photos Project - Landscape

This is the LANDSCAPE that I would want to see - full of more greens. It soothes the eyes and gives that feeling of peace. This may not be that extensive but I believe that the nearer the greens, the more you gain from the experience.



 

"I don't know what a Teddy Bear is."

photo from britishteddies.com

I was born in a family where teddy bears or other stuffed toys weren't common or weren't even bought as gifts to the children.  I don't recall receiving a teddy bear or a stuffed toy.  I recall having a little plastic doll as one of my toys. There were clay pots, too, and sardine cans converted into carts with wheels made of softdrink bottle caps or what they call tansan.  There were many toys from native materials that everybody enjoyed playing with.  Nobody among the kids brought a teddy bear as far as I can recall.  We were a happy lot though, so to speak, baked by the sun most of the time, bathed in our sweat and smell, and clad in assorted threadbare shirts and shorts.

Photohunt: Entwine

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(Please click to enlarge the thumbnails.)

What crossed my mind when I landed on The Saturday PhotoHunt page seeing the theme was pastas and noodles.  We are a family that love these entwined and entangled food. I mean, who would not?

The first two (2) photos are from restaurants/food chains while the next two (2) are my own creation - an éclat of my cooking skills.

Related articles

• Guest Recipe: Pancit Canton


• Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken w/ Marinated Mushrooms and Whole Grain Bread


• imabonehead: Recipe of the Day: Filipino Fried Noodles (Pancit) | Asia Society


• From The Kitchen: Pancit Puti

Do You Evaluate Yourself as a Parent?

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="245" class="zemanta-img"] Cover of Motherhood[/caption]

In a blog post I wrote, Most of Us Parents are Afraid, I admitted that there are points in my life as a parent that I had to assess myself. Am I doing it right or wrong? That was the question.

There were stages that I really got anxious if I was doing it right. I had come to a point of assessing my style, and what I have done right or wrong. I believe most, if not all, parents come to this point of having to gauge their ‘performance’ as parents. I once wrote Being a Good Parent is Not Guarantee. I believe it is so. The influences our children acquire outside the house are varied, and sometimes they can be unreliable. As parents, we do not have control over them. We are left with pleading and imploring the Absolute Being above to take care of them and keep watch over them when we’re not around.

Do you think, as a parent, you are doing it right or wrong?  What makes you say so?

52 Photos Project - Star

These two little girls (and daughters of my office mates) are going to be stars in their own unique ways someday.

There are other stars here.

Photohunt: Morning

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One Sunday morning, we had our 'almost brunch' at  a coffee house called The Sweet Spot.  It is such a cozy place located at Maginhawa St., Sikatuna Village, perfect for a lazy Sunday morning.  It has a nook with books, too!  That part is what I love about the place.



Hello to all Photohunters at Photohunt! I am back again. :D

Related articles

• Adobo Roast Pork Loin


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Comfort Food

After each tumult, comfort food.  I had two of this heavenly aka very delicious egg tart last September 12. They did not banish completely the hurt but they served as absorbent temporarily.

Some days, I really get bored with Facebook

This is a personal view and is not intended to malign the social networking site.

http://gty.im/465291919

There are days that I get bored with Facebook. Just like anything else, the novelty of it all, for me, faded. Though the activities posted are varied, it became routine for me. Perhaps it is just me.

Not a Karaoke Sound

I think those DJs in parties where the sound outputs are that good get one of those audio interfaces in reliable music stores.  The sound outputs of DJs or musical directors must have audio interfaces that upgrade these outputs.  What is an audio interface by the way?  I always hear them from people who are in charge of the music productions in events.

http://gty.im/112128295

Browsing through the net, Sweetwater defines it as the one that bridges the gap between analog to digital while Turntable specifically defines it as the one that upgrades the sound output of the computer.  They are a necessity because those installed outputs in computers are not meant for higher sound resolution.

This is one info bit that is truly helpful.  It might not be a concern for me because I am not a DJ but it answers my question on why sound bits from the karaoke singing by the neighbors are not good to the ears.

Daryl's Birthday Extension at Peking Garden

We woke up early.  It's a day Daryl intended to celebrate his birthday.  It's the most awaited day.  We were going to eat at Peking Garden where the famous Peking duck was said to be the best among the best of Peking duck dishes in the metro.

I prayed before we left that all will be alright because we were destined to go to Glorietta at Ayala where Peking Garden is. It is far from where we were.  The one at Trinoma already closed down (unfortunately) when Daryl decided to check and taste the goodness of the renowned dish.

Anyway, as I continue, the preachy ones will probably tell that God didn't hear my prayer because on our way to Ayala, the car overheated and we had to stop by at a gasoline station.  But this is another story.

52Photos Project - Busy Street

Unfriend vs. Unfollow – What’s your Facebook choice?

I remember a FB (Facebook) friend, who was a colleague in one of those workplaces I had been to, who told me to just set my privacy settings so that I will not be ‘unfriending’ or ‘rejecting the request of’ the person but instead click the privacy buttons in order not to see any of the person’s posts.  It was said to that effect, not able to remember exactly his words. His concern must be that I would offend somebody knowing him to be that kind and friendly.

I did not heed the advice.  There were instances where I had accepted people in Facebook who were not really my friends in the truest sense of the word, and some of them are not even acquaintances but strangers.  (Well, a big part of those in my ‘FB friends’ list are actually strangers because I have not met them in person but in all its fairness to the concept of ‘FB friend’ I had gotten to know some of them through some friends, and through blogging and other forms of media, plus theirs posts or statuses).  If a FB friend’s post becomes unintelligible and/or offensive, or could be something I will be undesirably involved, I decide to ‘unfriend’.    Lately, I only ‘unfollow ‘ remembering that friend’s concern of offending somebody’s feelings; then decide finally, after a few days or weeks depending on circumstances, to ‘unfriend’.  I am usually quiet or reticent about this decision not to cause any mess.

What is a blessing to you?

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="320" class="zemanta-img"] Hard times are sometimes blessings in disguise. Let it go and let it make you better. (Photo credit: deeplifequotes)[/caption]

Photohunt: Ginormous

This was taken in 2008 at Marikina Riverbanks shopping mall.  That boy is son Daryl who was still ginormous, too (figuratively).  :D  Here's hoping he will not get mad at me.  :D

53 and pregnant, so what?

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="199" class="zemanta-img"] A pregnant woman (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

Photohunt: Family

This is Dogdog, our doxie-pin family member. Yes, he's family.  :)

Photohunt theme this Saturday is FAMILY.  Love the Photohunt family.

 

Market your Business with Vehicle Magnets

[caption id="attachment_7095" align="aligncenter" width="293"] Photo courtesy of www.letsgobanners-store.com[/caption]

There are already many available online stores to answer the question 'where can I find vehicle magnets'.

It is important, however, to find vehicle magnets that are weather-resistant, with strong adhesion, and of high quality.  These magnets must be highly customizable to be used as marketing tool for big and small businesses which means that they can be customized upon request.

Would you give away your child after birth upon learning about the birth defect?

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="350" class="zemanta-img"] English: "This newborn is displaying the birth defect known as [:w:Polydactylia|Polydactylia] involving both feet." (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]As others had opined, this is truly a tough question and scary to think about.

As an able mother, meaning one that has all the resources and readiness to take care of a child, giving a child with a birth defect is not an option. The child did not ask to be born. It is not even his or her fault to be with defect so why would a mother give away a child? A mother should love without conditions and that is the essence of it all.

A lathe designed specifically for each material

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="320"] Metal Lathe (Photo credit: Sascha Grant)[/caption]

You can choose a used engine lathe for sale for your material needs but you have to know that each particular lathe is designed specifically for each material.  It means there are lathes designed for machining precisely hard materials and those less hard.

Lathe machines today are not only used for machining hard metals, only, but also plastics and other materials.

 

Which year would you choose to live life over again, if given the chance?

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="200"] Wonderful Life (1964 film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

That is one question I read that had me thinking. I'd choose 1983. Why? That is when I felt true love the first time. That is when I felt I couldn't breathe because of excitement. That is when I had my first kiss that sent shivers all over me. That is when I felt confident that I am lovable and huggable.

Truly, a lot of things happened during that year. Alongside the exhilaration, it was also the year my father got very ill. It gave me that heavy, huge feeling of responsibility on my shoulder. But I tried to be strong. I guess it was what made me strong all along.

Which year would you choose to live life over again?

---------

This is from a discussion board I joined before where I am not active anymore.  The comments below were also from those people in that discussion board.

From EstiiBabii

I think I would chose to live 1999 all over again, even though I was a
child back then I enjoyed life during those years. I had many friends, I
was had many toys, I'd always played with my friends in the park. I
remember always going to the park during the summer time and having my
water guns in gear and running around trying to wet my friends and them
trying to wet me. I remember how much fun it was that year, I would love
to live that year once again.

From hardworkinggurl

Hi bingskee

1987 & 1989 the two years I had both of my kids. I would give
anything to have them tiny again. Though life has been sweet during
their growing years, I wold love to have those two wonderful and
memorable days once again.

I personally would not do anything different about the years as I would
not have had such a wonderful life with my two kids. Sure their ups and
downs but remembering I was their mommy and that they were my babies
made it all worthwhile for me. I actually would not change a single
thing as I want to remember all of it as is.

From thesids

Hi GF 1987 & 1989 the two years I had both of my kids

And in 1989 I passed out class 10th... Gosh!

 

Dear Ms. Bingskee

Well, 3!

anything between 1976 to 1985 on the first one. My late grandmother me
and my late grandfather really were a family and I can do anything to
get back to those days.

Then, 1989-1994 - any one for the second. College days. No study and all
the activity that I did staying in and away from the college.

And then, 1998-200 anyone for the third. Best part of my life as far as
career was concerned.

Any one of the above would be great. Tell me when do I arrive to get
into the time machine

From miadsoriano

It's not just a year that I'm interested in. It's for the whole time
that Jose Rizal lived on this Earth. If I can browse-fastforward through
his whole life, from the time he was born, and until his execution,
then I think I will be happy.

I'm really curious as to his vast knowledge, his education, his travels,
how he got into linguistics, his whole personality. Would like to
really find out how charming he was then. How mysterious. Everything.
And if I can take someone with me on this journey, it would definitely
be my husband, who has the same level of curiosity when the subject
matter is Rizal. :)

From dorannmwin

I think that I will chose 1999. The reason that I would chose that year
is because it was the year of my life that I really started to make good
friends when I was in college. In addition to that, it was also the
year that I fell in love for the first time. I will admit that the
relationship that I had during that time didn't turn out well, but to go
through it again would be a great thing for me because things would be
different knowing then what I know now.

From Jlyn10

If I tell you, would you take me back in time?

I would choose the year 1979 cause I was still small and just love being
pampered by my family members. It was a great time for everyone back
then.

I also would choose the year 2000 as that was the time when my son was
born. I just love the time spent with him, just looking at him while he
sleeps. I want to him see grow up again from the start.

From toniganzon

I would choose to live in the 80s again when i was just a child of
tender years with my parents both still alive and taking care of us. I
really missed them a lot. I don't like the 90s coz they got murdered in
1991.

From vandana7

I would choose 1963. My mom was alive then. I would want to be with her
once more. From what I have known her now, I just want to go back there,
and appreciate her, and love her, and make her feel loved and
understood.

From ladydulce

None! I'm more excited for the years I have coming. I can relive the
others as much as I want in memory, but I wouldn't trade watching my son
grow to be a man and starting his own family or learning what's in
store for me. Too cool to go back.

From LittleMel

it would be 2009. very meaningful and rejuvenating year.
as if all doors were opened for me, starting from improvement of
spiritual life
that leads to major change in my perspectives and life decisions
change inward manifests outward, I have actually found like-minded
trustworthy friends and teachers in the same year and they contribute to
more exhilarating changes in me
there is no year like 2009 to me. at least not yet.

From wongchoiyee

80s to early 90s
That's when everything is so good, money was never a problem, I get
along with my brother whom now moved out, my mom and dad pampered me,
and lots of friends, good friends. But now we have graduated we lost
touch but once again I looked forward to future because I want myself to
find a true love and get married.

From peach786

2004 definitely! that's when i had my 1st heart attack only 2 weeks
before my son's wedding. Can't get any close call than that! Wife was
called from my office to head to the hospital dropping all her chores.
All family members were assembled, and the in-laws left in limbo.
Hospital got the wind that my presence was very essential at the pre-wed
preparations so the doctors prioterised my angioplasty, put couple of
stents inside my arteries the same evening, gave me a light supper and a
cup of tea and turned off the lights for the night. i was home the next
day, and we all had our first and best family wedding ever!