PINAY TRAVELLER'S BLOG

Busy...Busy...Busy

2009-05-20T17:10:00.005+01:00

Yes, I am alive! I have been so busy these past few weeks as I am sorting out things for our relocation to Queensland, Australia. It is indeed a very big decision since we've been here for 6 years in the UK. I have had many sleepless nights over this particular issue. Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages. And with constant prayers, the decision of moving overrides everything. Another chapter of my life, together with my son Arjo. Life goes on! There are alot of things to thank for. I have been blessed so much. I would like to thank God for everything. There had been a turmoil in my life before. But the most important thing is that I was able to stand up and conquer the storms in my life. I am looking forward to start a new and better life in Australia. Wish me luck!

Book of Love

2009-05-08T20:40:00.005+01:00

Here's my recent photo entry taken while relaxing yesterday in my bed. I saw a book and deeply inspired by the song called the "Book of Love" . I've seen the movie "Shall We Dance" (with Richard Gere and Jenifer Lopez) and I love the song featured in that movie. Eventually, I came up with a concept based on the title itself.

An Answered Prayer

2009-05-04T12:24:00.009+01:00

It has been a while since I updated my blog. So many things are goin on in my life. From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank my family, relatives and friends who helped me in their own way through prayers. God has answered our prayers! Thank you God for everything!!! Amen.

Susan Boyle's Incredible Performance on Britain's Got Talent

2009-04-16T11:36:00.014+01:00

... Susan Boyle, 47 year-old, never been married, from West Lothian stunned the judges on Britain's Got Talent. Listen to her as she sings 'I Dreamed A Dream' from Les Miserables. Even Hollywood star Demi Moore has reportedly revealed that she cried watching Susan Boyle's audition on the said talent show contest. The video has grown to become an overnight internet sensation with over 33 million hits on YouTube....and still counting.

Following her performance on Britain's Got Talent, Boyle was a guest on STV's The Five Thirty Show. She was interviewed via satellite on CBS's Early Show and ABC's Good Morning America and via a telephone interview on FOX's America's Newsroom. In an interview, Simon Cowell said Boyle had received an invitation to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show and predicted that if she did appear "there's every chance Susan Boyle will have the number one album in America".

Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent
Uploaded by dwarthy

My 365 Days Project

2009-04-13T17:28:00.010+01:00

I am officially commencing my 365 days project in Flickr. A self portrait challenge! This is my "Day 1" entry. I'm pretty much excited about it and hope I can keep up with it. ;) This is something I could look forward to for a long exciting year. With any luck, 365 days will fly by quickly! tee-hee..

Easter Eggs

2009-04-11T13:49:00.007+01:00

Easter eggs are specially decorated eggs given to celebrate the Easter holiday or springtime. The egg was a symbol of the rebirth of the earth in Pagan celebrations of spring and was adopted by early Christians as a symbol of the rebirth or start of new life.

The oldest tradition is to use dyed or painted chicken eggs, but a modern custom is to substitute chocolate eggs, or plastic eggs filled with confectionery such as jelly beans. These eggs are often hidden, allegedly by the Easter Bunny, for children to find on Easter morning. Otherwise, they are generally put in a basket filled with real or artificial straw to resemble a bird's nest.
Egg hunt is a game during which decorated eggs, real hard-boiled ones or artificial, filled with or made of chocolate candies, of various sizes, are hidden for children to find, both indoors and outdoors.

When the hunt is over, prizes may be given for the largest number of eggs collected, for the largest or the smallest egg.

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photo credit: wikipedia

The Power of Prayer

2009-04-10T10:20:00.005+01:00

"The power of prayer is not the result of the person praying. Rather, the power resides in the God who is being prayed to. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of Him." No matter the person praying, the passion behind the prayer, or the purpose of the prayer - God answers prayers that are in agreement with His will. His answers are not always yes, but are always in our best interest. When our desires line up with His will, we will come to understand that in time. When we pray passionately and purposefully, according to God's will, God responds powerfully! " (http://www.allaboutprayer.org/power-of-prayer.htm)

...Personally speaking, I truly believe in the power of prayer. In everything that I do I always say a little prayer for His guidance. It is one way of communicating with God. It gives us new ways of seeing life and relationships, of understanding work and the cost of growing. God calls us to pray and through our prayer, God empowers us and gives us strength.

Special Day

2009-04-09T09:55:00.008+01:00

I won't let the day pass without greeting two members of my family. These are my lovely niece Latrisha and my big brother Kuya Jojo. Trisha graduated from Prep 1 at St. Agustine International School in the Philippines. She is a dote! Love her. Here are few photos of her and during the graduation. Congratulations, Trisha!

Trisha with Leonard (Trisha's Dad), Malou (my twin sis, Trisha's Mom), Mom, and Auntie Osing (NY)

..And it's Kuya's 43rd birthday. Happy birthday to you. Love you, big bro!

...Kuya when he went to Dubai

Wanna Taste Garlic Shrimp?

2009-04-08T18:34:00.007+01:00

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter
1 1/2 to 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 to 6 medium cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
salt, to taste

Preparation:

In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat until butter stops foaming, about 30 to 45 seconds. Add the shrimp and garlic and sauté over medium heat, turning frequently until the shrimp just turn pink, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the parsley, lemon juice, and salt; stir well. Remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately, with rice or a salad. Serves 4.

Jesus, Take the Wheel

2009-04-08T15:03:00.001+01:00

sang by Carrie Underwood

Ave Maria

2009-04-07T17:27:00.005+01:00

Simple Things

2009-04-06T18:59:00.003+01:00

Life is made up of small pleasures.

Happiness is made up of those tiny successes.

The big ones come too infrequently.

And if you don't collect all these tiny successes,

the big ones don't really mean anything.

by:Norman Lear (1922)

Just Another Ordinary Miracle Today

2009-04-05T21:53:00.004+01:00

A beautiful song called "Ordinary Miracle" by Sarah Mc Lachlan.

video credit: etslee

Do You Know About MRSA?

2009-04-01T16:39:00.003+01:00

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium responsible for difficult-to-treat infections in humans. It may also be referred to as multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (ORSA). MRSA is by definition a strain of Staphylococcus aureus that is resistant to a large group of antibiotics called the beta- lactams, which include the penicillins and the cephalosporins.

In hospitals, patients with open wounds, invasive devices, and weakened immune systems are at greater risk for infection than the general public. Hospital staff who do not follow proper sanitary procedures may transfer bacteria from patient to patient. Visitors to patients with MRSA infections or MRSA colonization are advised to follow hospital isolation protocol by using the provided gloves, gowns, and masks if indicated. Visitors who do not follow such protocols are capable of spreading the bacteria to cafeterias, bathrooms, and elevators.

Check this informative video about MRSA.

video credits: medifix

Signs You Are Living Beyond Your Means

2009-03-30T16:07:00.004+01:00

Dwindling savings mean that global households are taking on more debt and are less able to absorb a financial blow like the loss of a job or a downturn in the economy.

If you are concerned that your finances could be in danger, there is a way to tell whether you're in over your head. Answer 'yes' to any of these questions and you could be living beyond your means.

You do not have a budget.
You rely on your bank account’s overdraft to cover monthly expenses.
Clothes in your closet still have the price tags on them.
The saleslady knows you by name.
You have become a preferred customer.
You rarely spend time in the kitchen.
The man at the coffee shop asks if you will be having 'the usual.'
Your hair costs you half of what you pay for rent.
The cab company is on your speed-dial.
You lie about what you have spent.

As a nation, we are digging ourselves ever deeper into debt. To avoid becoming part of the gloomy bankruptcy and foreclosure statistics, it's important to measure your financial health regularly.

Philippine Delicacies ("Food Trip")

2009-03-29T18:57:00.008+01:00

... I missed our very own food delicacies. I have seen this brave traveller named Andrew Zimmern. He travels around the globe to try various delicacies. In these videos, he visited the Philippines and there it reminds me our yummy foods. ;) Check this out!

Some Rambling Thoughts...in Nursing

2009-03-26T09:55:00.009Z

I returned to work yesterday from almost two months of leave. It was such a great feeling knowing that I have been missed by my colleagues. They are such cool buddies! As usual the hospital ward is still as chaotic as before mainly because of understaffing (like any hospital wards in the gIobe!). I am very much thankful with the foundation that I developed throughout my early years of Nursing in the Philippines. I just put into practice everything here in the UK. You have to deal with it squarely. I admit Nursing is such a very stressfull and also an exciting profession. It's both rewarding and frustrating, utterly fascinating and dull as tombs at times. However, "someone has to do it!". The weapons we have during stressfull situation is to have a presence of mind....and a very good sense of humour. "It's either we laugh or cry". Which one is better? Of course, the laughter. The longer you are a nurse the more warped your sense of humour becomes. No one outside the field appreciates gross stuff the way we do, especially when it's discussed at the dinner table! ;)

The Golden Rule applies to any situation at any instances. That is exactly how I feel about treating other people. Treat them just like you want to be treated. It is very simple. It's written in the bible. Almost every human being responds to kindness and respect. However, not everyone would respond the same. But that's life! Personally speaking, nursing gives us a different outlook on everything. It helps us grow, deal with things that most people avoid, somethings not fun at all. We see the goodness, the badness, the ugly and the beautiful too.

Five or ten minutes of our time can go a long long way to a patient. Sometimes they just want to talk to us or simply wants to know if somebody is still there when they need help. Imagine them sitting or lying in bed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 30 days a month. What would be your outlook then? I could hardly be settled if it was me. Patients deserve to be given the utmost care they need.

So many lessons. So many opportunities to grow in compassion and wisdom. And that I thank Nursing!

In Memory of My Dad..

2009-03-24T13:48:00.008Z

Daddy passed away 5 years ago (24th of March 2004). I have never realized it's five years already. All I could recall are the good times we had. He was such a cool Dad! When things went wrong for me he reminded me that everything would always be all right. He would cracked a joke and for a split second my outlook would be totally different. I have missed that!

It was such a great privilege that I have known the story of his life before he passed away. I made a journal for my family. He lived a colorful and exciting life in the Airforce. It was cut short because of politically motivated instances. He shifted and became a commercial pilot. Everything changed when he fell in love with Mom. Because his flight routes were far from my Mom he resigned to stay near Mom's place. He said he didn't want to lose the opportunity to be with my Mom always. He then became a self defense instructor in NAPOLCOM. They got married and the rest is history.;) I am truly proud of him. Love you, Dad!

Let Us Ride a Vinta

2009-03-21T19:40:00.005Z

The vinta ( locally known as lepa-lepa or sakayan) is a traditional boat found in the Philippine island of Mindanao. The bamboo amas extend forward of the main hull.These boats are made by Bajau (indigenous ethnic group in Southern Philippines) and Moros (a name given to Muslim Filipinos, a collection of several multilingual ethnic groups, the largest mainly non-Christian lining in the Sulu Archipelago). It has a sail with assorted vertical colors that represents the colorful culture and history of the Muslim community. These boats are used for inter-island transport of people and goods. Zamboanga City is known for these vessels.

photo credits: http://www.pacific-tall-ships.com/Vinta.htm

: Bishop Museum Occasional Papers Vol XXIV

The T'boli Tribe of Mindanao

2009-03-20T20:59:00.008Z

I am proud to be a "Dabawenya". I grew up in Southern Mindanao (Philippines), a very diverse place to live. Davao is rich with its own cultures, arts and history. It is one of the progressive cities in the country. Tourists and the locals started to appreciate my hometown when the peace and order has been continously secured by Mayor Duterte. Metro Davao was also ranked among the 20 Most Livable Cities in Asia by the Asiaweek. However, the modernization didn't affect the local tribes. The "Lumad" is a term being used to denote a group of indigenous peoples of the southern Philippines.

One of the most recognized tribes are the T'bolis. From the body of ethnographic and linguistic literature on Mindanao they are variously known as Toboli, T'boli, Tböli, Tiboli, Tibole, Tagabili, Tagabeli, and Tagabulu. They term themselves Tboli or T'boli. who are the inhabitants of the Tiruray highlands, southwest of Mindanao, are known for their colorful body ornaments consisting of earrings, lush necklaces, and handcrafted bracelets. They wear a unique outfit called t’nalak, made from woven abaca, which turned out a beautiful mixture of red, brown and beige designs- an extra ordinary work of art that attracted people from all over the world. They are one of those many tribes that have maintained and evolved an artistically rich cultural practices evidently shown in their musical performances. Bamboo tubes, wooden guitar-like instruments, mouth harps, bronze gongs, drums and many more are some of their wide array of musical intruments made out of their own wood products. They are remarkable balladeers singing about their lives and legends, and dance is an essential part of their festivities.

An interesting video I came across in You Tube called "Tboli Weavers and Dancers" by Jerontv. Check this out.

photo credit: wikipedia

Are You Feeling Low?

2009-03-19T17:03:00.005Z

Are you feeling low? Try to grab a few squares of dark chocolate to boost your mood and energy level. Chocolate can affect the amount of serotonin in the brain. This chemical is known for having an effect on mood, and is regulated by many anti depressants.

One of the substances that makes unsweetened chocolate so bitter, theobromine, is similar to caffeine and theophylline. It, like those substances, is a stimulant. That means that consuming it could make you feel more alert and energetic, resulting in greater feelings of happiness. This chemical was first discovered in cacao beans in 1841 by a Russian chemist, but it wasn t until 1878 that it was isolated from those beans.

However, let us just forget all the scientific basis for a moment. Some things in life we don't need a scientific basis for. Eating chocolate is one of those times. If it tastes good and makes us feel good then enjoy munching chocolate!...... It always works for me!;)

Are You A Victim of Domestic Violence?

2009-03-18T12:24:00.008Z

Domestic violence should not happen to anybody. Ever. Period. But it does - and when it does, there is help. Maybe you have lived with abuse, maybe it happened just once; maybe you work or live next to someone who is being abused right now.

Domestic violence and emotional abuse are behaviors used by one person in a relationship to control the other. Partners may be married or not married; heterosexual, gay, or lesbian; living together, separated or dating.

Examples of abuse include:
-name-calling or putdowns
-keeping a partner from contacting their family or friends
-withholding money
-stopping a partner from getting or keeping a job
-actual or threatened physical harm
-sexual assault
-stalking
-intimidation

- controlling what the victim can and cannot do

Violence can be criminal and includes physical assault (hitting, pushing, shoving, etc.), sexual abuse (unwanted or forced sexual activity), and stalking. Although emotional, psychological and financial abuse are not criminal behaviors, they are forms of abuse and can lead to criminal violence.Women who are being emotionally abused often feel as if they do not own themselves; rather, they may feel that their significant other has nearly total control over them. Women undergoing emotional abuse often suffer from depression, which puts them at increased risk for suicide, eating disorders, and drug and alcohol abuse.

The cycle can happen hundreds of times in an abusive relationship. Each stage lasts a different amount of time in a relationship. The total cycle can take anywhere from a few hours to a year or more to complete. It is important to remember that not all domestic violence relationships fit the cycle. Often, as time goes on, the 'making-up' and 'calm' stages disappear.

What can you do?

- CALL THE POLICE if you feel you are in danger from your abuser at any time.

- Get support from friends and family.

- Find a safe place

-Get medical help.

- Get a personal protection order.

- Make a safety plan.

Your life and your safety are most important. Trying to bring your children with you is important. Everything else is secondary.

.....If you are being abused, REMEMBER:

You are not alone!
It is not your fault !
Help is available!

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http://www.domesticviolence.org/

Life Metaphors

2009-03-17T10:43:00.023Z

What are your metaphors? This is not usually straightforward. We have to stand back a long way to see the pattern in our lives. Some people see life as a battle. Every encounter is a struggle, and if they don't win, they feel like they have lost... Others view life as a mountain climb, it consists of hierarchies and they are always climbing the corporate ladder... Or people see life as a race. They always finding the fastest route, "keeping up with the Jonses." "They have this new expensive car, we should have one too!"... Or some people see life as a prison. Feeling like we don't have choices, like others have all the power...These are just a few of the life metaphors that run people's lives.

At this point of my life, I see life as an adventure. A new day brings new opportunities to explore. If something goes badly today, there's always tomorrow. And whatever the case in point, the fact that "it didn't work last time has nothing to do with next time!".

.... What metaphor(s) fit your life?

Thank You, Lord

2009-03-14T08:31:00.002Z

Honk If You Love Bacon!... Bacon Can Cause Cancer

2009-03-11T14:27:00.010Z

Typical English breakfast usually consists of bacon, sausages and eggs. Guess what? Study reveals that eating processed meats such as bacon and ham causes cancer, according to a new landmark study. Both red and processed meat were "convincing" causes of bowel cancer. Bacon, like other cured (or pickled) meats such as ham, corned beef, frankfurters and salami, contain nitrite. Nitrite, and sometimes nitrate, both of which occur naturally, are used to produce the characteristic colour, flavour and texture of these products and also aid their preservation. The use of nitrite and nitrate can, under some circumstances, result in the formation of substances called nitrosamines. Nitrosamines can cause cancer in laboratory animals and they may have the same potential in humans. Scary, isn't it? Better think twice now.

But the researchers found that non-starchy vegetables including green leafy varieties, spinach, broccoli, and aubergine, "probably" offered protection against cancers of the mouth, larynx, pharynx, oesophagus and stomach.