Mosquitos

Why are you here again? You know you are unwanted in my house and yet you keep coming back. There is really a time of the year when they are a plenty. I refuse to use pesticides to drive them away anymore.

MY WEBCAM IS FINALLY WORKING.... are you getting these comments in your FRIENDSTER and FACEBOOK?

Are you getting annoying comments in your Friendster and Facebook account with the words..

MY WEBCAM IS FINALLY WORKING, PLEASE CLICK HERE... with some picture of a girl lifting her blouse? Ang bastoooos!!!! That was my initial reaction until I found out just today that those comments are caused by a worm called KOOBFACE.

KOOBFACE is a virus/worm that is hitting social networking sites such as FRIENDSTER, FACEBOOK and MYSPACE. Good thing it hasn't penetrated MULTIPLY yet. None that I know of.

Anyway, if you are getting these comments in your other networking site or your friends complained that you are sending them these messages, here are some simple advice from a NON EXPERT like me. I got this from another site but I AM TOO LAZY to google it again.

> CHANGE EMAIL ADDRESS AND PASSWORD.. how to do it, naku find out for yourselves nalang.. more often than not, nasa SETTINGS or ACCOUNT info yon.

> RUN A VIRUS SCAN and/or ANTISPYWARE in your computer. I have AVG Free antivirus and ZONEALARM ANTISPYWARE which I bought online. THEY WORK WELL WITH ME in TANDEM.

note: Be careful with FREE ANTISPYWARE or freeware available online. More often than not they are MALWARE and SPYWARE themselves.

>> for friendship sake, TELL YOUR FRIEND who send you the malicious comment TO SCAN HER COMPUTER for viruses.

>> DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO CLICK ON THE "CLICK HERE" portion of the comment or your bound to be domed too.

>> and as always, be cautious when visiting unsecured sites

MGA PESTENG VIRUS ay puksain!!! REFORMAT!!! hehehe!

Moving On No Matter What

Amidst global recession, thousands losing their jobs everyday, companies closing, shortened workours, without hesitation and second thoughts, we are soon packing our things and moving to Singapore as planned. These depression is not only affecting the Philippines or Singapore but every nation. Recession is not something that we have control of. If we get hit by recession, whether we are here or in Singapore, it will just be the same, so why worry about recession at all.

Let's just have Plan B and Plan C.

Affirmation of Values

Have I become a better person through the years? What have I accomplished so far from what I envisioned myself to be? What do I wish to do, what do I wish to become?

I am a person with no clear directions in life. Despite having been blessed with intellectual intelligence and swept primary, high school and college with consistent honors, I haven’t really attained much in life. The only trophies I am so proud of are my two sons and my family. They’re what I cannot trade with anything else, yet, I am still no good with parenthood. More so, I haven’t been successful in becoming an ideal wife material. I admit, these are my utmost goals and they are by far the most difficult to achieve.

I have simple dreams now. First, I want to be remembered as a loving mother to my kids. I want them to look back at their growing years and see me as someone who they can talk to freely, who they can count on through good and bad and who raise them in a home full of love. I want them to grow in a home where love and warmth is felt all day long. As a wife, I want to be one who is understanding and sensitive to the needs of my husband. One who speaks only of love and nurture that love until old age and til death do us part.

What is happening now is not leading to what I envisioned to be. My actions are not in conformity with my personal goals. I had alienated Joshua from me. Now he hardly listens to me, he hardly talks to me the way we used to. I haven’t been listening to him sincerely. I have spent more time with other less important things instead of sparing a time with him and Joseph for play. As a wife, I have been overly nagging at my husband. I haven’t been giving him warm attention and have been harsh to him in words.

Today, I am realigning these values, therefore I will not promise to amend myself, instead I will reaffirm that…

To my kids,

I am a loving and kind mother. I am only using kind words whenever I speak to them.

I am disciplining them in a way they will understand.

I am not using threats to get what I want done.

I am spending more time with them and set aside chores that can wait.

I am nurturing their minds and values through proper teaching and example.

I love them unconditionally whether they behave or not.

I feed them nutritious foods.

I am not using harsh words whenever I get mad at them.

To my husband,

I am a loving and understanding wife

I am soft spoken and not asserting that I am always right at all times

I am selfless and giving to his needs

I am holding our marriage with the highest esteem, protecting it from all threats that may arise through a more open and non-threatening communication

I am only using kind words when speaking to him.

As a daughter and sister,

I am thoughtful and more expressive of my love for my parents and sister.

As a child of God,

I am not arrogant when dealing with other people.

I am using only kind words when communicating to any person, whatever their status in life is.

I am obedient to the laws of nature and the laws of heaven.

I am attuned with nature.

I take care of myself as this body is the temple of God and is being lent as gift that I should take care of.

I am not wishing any person ill.

I am not attaching myself to material things.

I am generous in sharing blessings to the needy.

Is Adding a Year to College Really a Solution?

Lawmakers are debating. College students are complaining. Parents are protesting. Is it really a solution to improve the quality of education in the Philippines? I hope CHED will use their common sense as for me answer is NO!

This is just a waste of time and resources. If they want to improve the quality of education here, here's a one difficult but surely more effective alternative though:

STOP CORRUPTION and instead get those billions out of the corrupt officials' bank accounts and add them to the budget for basic education which would include:

>> RETRAINING OF TEACHERS especially those handling basic education (primary to high school).

>> IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF TEACHERS by raising their SALARY. This will attract more qualified teachers. Good teachers are a few to find as most of them had shifted to more rewarding careers or had gone abroad for better pay. I am one of them.

The list could go on and adding additional year to college wouldn't be necessary anymore if the problem that lies in the lower level of education is addressed. The best quality of education should be given to children and not adult.

I once taught a group of college students in STI and was disgusted to find out several students who do not even know how to spell simple words correctly nor read properly. Disgusting, isn't it? Those kids were suppose to become computer engineers. Will adding one more year in college help them? No, right?

Again, the list of factors affecting the poor quality of education could go on. This couldn't be addresssed by sacrificing the already worn budget of parents.

Desiderata

When I was in high school, a copy of this poem once hung in our living room. I used to memorize them word for word but never understood its meaning. Just moments ago I was listening to RJ radio on my phone and they had it as their parting song and somehow realized how beautiful it is. I am posting this so I will always be reminded of the things that I should desire.

Desiderata means “desired things” in Latin.

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.


If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.


Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.


Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.


Beyond a wholesome discipline,

be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.


Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Babies in the New Generation are Technologically Advanced

My little boy is still two years, two months and two days old to be exact. At his age, he hardly speaks. His vocabulary is building up fast but he isn't talking straight yet. However, his technical skills is amazing. At his age, he can operate basic computer applications by himself already.

He turns on the computer if he finds it off, proceeds to login using the Open User I created for other family members. Depending on what he would like to do, he would click on the Start menu and click on Mozilla if he wants to watch his YouTube videos. Since I hardly clear the browser's cache, he finds his way to what he wants by clicking on the address bar which automatically highlights the URL, press backspace and types "Y". YouTube is usually the first entry which he then clicks on. He then spends several minutes watching his favorite animated videos, mostly, alphabet and counting videos.

If he gets bored with it, he goes to the Start menu again and search for the Folder in My Computer which contains his favorite pictures: Elmo, Barney, the Sesame Street, stars, butterflies. He doesn't know how to double click yet so I taught him to click on a picture and press enter to view it in a larger frame. He also knows how to drag and drop objects particularly to the Media player when he watches his favorite stored videos.

He also knows how to navigate to the Audibles section in YM's. So don't ever wonder if and when you try to send me a message and you get countless audibles. That's not me. (My YM is auto log in).

Sigh, my little boy is growing up fast technologically. I'm afraid that by five he'd be browsing porn sites, LOL! I am actually minimizing his computer exposure now. Not that I don't want him to learn fast. I am just lessening his exposure to radiation. Kids should be more active physically. Sigh again! Not very possible in my place.

Today's Menu: Hypertension

I finally decided to go back to my dermatologist today for a very, very long overdue follow up check for my contact dermatitis. I dropped by the Vital Signs section of the clinic for a quick blood pressure check. I was surprised to find out my BP is at high, 150/90. I told the nurse I'll take a rest and come back in a few minutes. I was surprise not because it's something new. I had been hypertensive already. I was surprised because I felt no symptoms at all. Most of the times that my BP soars high, I would feel some discomfort already. That's when I take my medicine. I don't really follow the doctor's advise to make Norvask a maintenance medicine. I am afraid of complications.

Today, the truth that hypertension is really a traitor disease was clear to me. It can occur without any symptoms at all. I tried not to panic as I don't want to worsen it. I proceeded to my derma's appointment and was prescribed Prednisone for a week. As I was about to leave the clinic, I realized I haven't asked her if it's okay to take steroids when blood pressure is high. Good thing she was still there and was told to cross out Pred from the prescription.

Sigh, I could have die because of that should I haven't had my BP checked earlier. Ouch!

The Evolution of the Electric Meter

Noon ang mga metro ng kuryente ay ikinakabit sa labas mismo ng mga bahay.... pero, dahil sa dami ng mga magnanakaw ng kuryente, inilipat eto ng meralco sa labas ng kalye na magkasama sama.

Ngayon.... dahil sa madami pa din ang magnanakaw nililipat na eto ng Meralco sa taas ng poste. Sa tingin nyo nababawasan ang mga magnanakaw ng kuryente sa ginawa nilang to?


(taken 08 April 2007 at C5, Taguig)


Ngayon ang mga magri-reading ng metro ay naka teleskopyo na!

(Saan na naman kaya nila ililipat to sa susunod no?)