Ibanag In the CityIbanag In the CityI reside in the city but live the suburban life of an Ibanag. Blending the many beautiful ways of my mother and her distinctly Ibanag cultural heritage, I have become my own, noting my strengths, my frailties. This is me and how I see life. The sig 
Articles
Marriage for Laughs
2008-04-24 17:11:00 I got this from my email and for the sake of a few laughs, a smile perhaps or maybe a snicker, I am repeating it here. Cheers!Marriage (Part I )Typical macho man married typical good-looking lady, and after the wedding, he laid down the following rules: 'I'll be home when I want, if I want and at what time I want -- and I don't expect any hassle from you. I expect a great dinner to be on the table unless I tell you that I won't be home for dinner. I'll go hunting, fishing, boozing, and card-playing when I want with my old buddies, and don't yougive me a hard time about it. Those are my rules. Any comments?' His new bride said: 'No, that's fine with me.Just understand that there will be sex here at seven o'clock every night...whether you're here or not.'(DARN SHE'S GOOD!)************ ********* ********* ********* *********Marriage (Part II)Husband and wife had a bitter quarrel on the day of their 40th wedding anniversary!The husband yells, 'When you die, I'm getting yo...
Call To Earth Day
2008-04-24 12:22:00 Concern for the environment had always been instilled in our children since they were old enough to talk. This is one reason why our eldest daughter took up B.S. Biology. Somewhere along the way, her focus shifted to children, taking courses that would later qualify her to teach kindergarten and take her all the way to Jakarta to handle kids of ex-patriates in an international school. Thirty one years old, single, and idealistic as ever, she told us that she didn’t shift her focus; but redirected her efforts to teach younger kids, since they are more receptive to learning – more so about environmental protection. Yesterday being Earth Day, she called us from Singapore where she is staying currently to remind us of certain actions and activities to promote Earth Day . I was concerned about the cost of the call to her budget, but she told me the prepaid phone card she obtained has a very generous offer that would really allow for meaningful conversations with family – at a very ... More About: Call
Tree planting and growing - an earth friendly and joyful task
2008-04-24 05:14:00 A wee bit of an avocado plant to a now grown one:-) right in the middle of our backyard.My humble contribution to earth day is attested by these photos of fruit trees as well as plants I was able to grow in our backyard, starting almost six years ago.There's the jackfruit tree, photo of which is at the left above this line. Then the next is my favorite forget-me not flower plant. Makes me feel like a real mother plant Mom whenever I prune her unwieldy leaves. Then there's our squash plant, where we are now able to harvest its flowers playing its nutritious role everytime we prepare our green salad recipe. Then at the corner of the yard, two other avocado plants, now also fully grown but taller than what we have in the middle of the yard.It feels lovely to see them plants grow each day, pruning and watering them just like you 'do' for a child.Happy Earth Day! Better Late than never.Cheers! More About: Tree , Growing , Friendly , Planting
Have you heard of the Million Blog List?
2008-04-21 10:31:00 "It is estimated that there are over 70,000,000 blogs in the blogosphere. There is a current experiment to see how fast can a million blogs register at a certain site. The name of the experiment is Million Blog List - A blogosphere experiment.Get your blogs listed. Take a poll and guess how long it will take for the million blogs to get listed".I'm # 816 on the listGo!
The Buteyko Knowledge Channel: The Plan
2008-04-17 10:34:00 My friend and I planned on putting up "The Buteyko Knowledge Channel ".This was what I initially provided as research for the project:The Plan ned MissionTo be the authority portal for buteyko knowledge and information To provide an environment for global advocates and collaborators in the promotion of quality buteyko products and services The Keys to Success - the following will play a significant role in determining the success of the Buteyko Knowledge Channel1. Effectively segment the online market of the buteyko practice through branding 2. Successfully position ourselves as the authority portal on buteyko through superior content3. Communicate the differentiation and quality of offering through proven methods of web marketing4. Develop a repeat business base of loyal clients through superior online experience both for the customers and partnersWhat The Buteyko Channel would Be:1. a B2C Business to Consumer Portal partners are Buteyko website owners, butey...
Wanted: a Good Condo Acquisition Plan
2008-04-17 09:32:00 My cousin who’s a nurse, working on a foreign and European traveling luxury liner for over five years now is excited about the idea of buying her first real estate property here in the Metro. Initially, three years ago, she’s had the chance to buy her 2 hectare farm land in the province. The land is now fully paid and her cash crops are earning her well, thank you. Her plan is to buy a condominium property as soon as possible. She was able to inspect and evaluate the unit the last time she was here while on her annual vacation. She loved the property’s location and “looks like” she “could afford it”. It’s a good investment to prepare for her “daughter’s schooling accommodations when the time comes”. According to her, her current financial picture is: she has enough money in savings and time deposits. She also has a life insurance which is on its fifth year of payments. Her available cash is more than enough to buy the property in cash, plus the rest of the pr... More About: Condo , Good , Plan , Wanted , Acquisition
To dream for a house, impossible?
2008-04-17 08:20:00 Owning a home is one dream many people aspire for. To many, a home is a dream fulfilled, success if you will, a sanctuary of comfort and peace. But is it really? How does a person or his family know if they are ready to own a home? The most essential and basic question to ask is, can you afford it? Do you have the ability and/or the capacity to buy a house or take a mortgage from a financing institution which will help you finance the acquisition. Because this is what it is really about. And what do the financing institutions look for when evaluating an applicant seeking for a housing loan. Common sense tells me, these are some of them: Is the applicant qualified to take a loan? Does his personal financial condition reflect a positive credit history after verification?Is income steady and consistent, can accommodate payment or amortization for the amount applied for. Does he have the integrity to pay back the loan year after year. After verification,... More About: House , Dream , A House , Impossible
Disposing and Managing Vegetable and Animal Oil Household Waste
2008-04-13 14:59:00 I think Marikina, the place I am very proud to live in has started another inovative and environment friendly waste management strategy. I think this is what they call the household hazardous waste program, somewhere else. This strategy entails collecting used animal and vegetable oils from community dwellers with the end goal of generating bio-diesel from the collected waste.In other words, recycling. In our subdivision, they have began doing this just this afternoon. I said 'I think' at the beginning of this post because I am not actually sure :-) I hope it's not one of those "trying to have another business" group planning another business venture. I am praying it is 'Munisipyo'-initiated.I remember seeing a news report about an unscrupulous group passing off waste cooking oil as newly refined. WTF is the matter with these people's conscience? But I digress. Normally, vegetable or animal oils will have to be “stabilized for disposal. Landfills are not allowed to ac... More About: Animal , Household , Vegetable , Waste
Is your Car Drifting?
2008-04-13 14:52:00 I saw this movie about car drifting and I just got myself wondering how much energy this sport could consume. Truth is I am not really a car enthusiast much less car race afficionada but sports or hobbies like this can take a toll on global energy consumption not to mention the pollutants it could generate. Not environment friendly at all:-(Here's what I found on You Tube about Car Drifting
My cousin, his family and a car
2008-04-12 17:22:00 My cousin, his wife and two young kids are now based in the U.S. They are both medical health workers there. They came back for a much-needed visit to my sick uncle. Last weekend my Mom, and I, together with the rest of the family set out to see them. Our visit proved happy, boisterous and well, everyone was talking like crazy. Indeed, it was another ‘celebration’. When the noise died down, we were back to getting each other up to speed, great to note that they got a new house around the area where they work, “nothing fancy,” but affordable and comfortable.He got to talking about the fact that he is also in the market for a car. It was deferred because they had to make this trip. He seemed concerned, that his “children needed a good car”, so they can, from time to time, enjoy precious moments of country visit to friends they have made out there. He and the wife mentioned about taking out a car loan. But he wasn’t sure what to get and what type of financing ... More About: Family
Second wind, hopefully third car?
2008-04-12 05:57:00 I promised my young children that I would buy our first car in 1993. Whether it was brand new or used I didn't care. After looking around for sometime, we finally got one in May 1994. She was an old Toyota, seen better days. She was baptized with some name I now, can not recall. Quite serviceable, but needed a little paint and re-upholstery job. The children, ecstatic, suggested to color her red for luck. She looked haggard when we first saw her, with all her white color chipping off. So it came to pass. Pretty in that dark red color, she came home one day, looking like she was ready to give us a lot of rides.My children had a lot of fun riding her. They went to school with her, practically everywhere, and we rode like it was the prettiest car around. It was in this Toyota that I took to taking on driving seriously. Over here, our motor vehicle office is quite lax. I got my license before I can drive perfectly:-( Point is I just got the license but never got to practice.... More About: Wind
My Humble Contribution To Mother Nature
2008-04-10 10:15:00 I planted this avocado plant almost a year ago perhaps.In fact there were three of them. This one is thenon-composted and about 6 inches tall. Today it has grown to 1 1/2 feet. And then there's these two others, but composted.They are of the same age but notice that these twoare about 6 inches taller than the non-composted.Today, we have a total of 4 fruit bearing trees in our backyard.1. Composted Avocados which are about 2 1/2 feet tall2. Non-composted avocado which is about 1 1/2 feet tall3. Papaya is about 3 feet tall4. Jackfruit is about, oh she(he)'s tall almost 15 feet. This was our first fruit bearing tree, which we planted shortly after we moved here more than 5 years ago.5. Then there's the atis which bore about 6 fruits but last year. But only 2 were good. The rest? The birds ate them. Ahh leave som... More About: Nature , Mother Nature , Mother , Contribution , Humble
Pulitzer Prize, Every Writer's Dream Trophy
2008-04-09 20:14:00 Philippine - born Jose Antonio Vargas, aged, 27 won the Pulitzer Prize for Washington Post's news breaking reportage of the April 2007 Virginia Tech Massacre. Jose Antonio Vargas has been a journalist working for the Washington Post for the last 10 years. The story is about Cho Seung Hui, a South Korean student at Virginia Tech, who killed 32 people before committing suicide. It surprised me to know that Jose Antonio Vargas dug his information from, yup, you may have guessed it right. He used that now popular social networking website, Facebook. I understand that he’s one fellow who uses the internet quite extensively to do his job better. And look where it got him? Winning under the Breaking News Reporting Category, Jose Antonio Vargas was part of the Washington Post Staff who did a “multi-faceted coverage of the deadly shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, telling the developing story in print and online”. The Pulitzer Prize was initiated by Joseph Pulitzer wh... More About: Dream , Trophy
It's not a Monday but a super Tuesday when I got the good news
2008-04-09 07:29:00 My friend who is currently in the United States called me the other day, Tuesday, to ask what I would want as a long overdue 2007 Christmas gift. Sheepishly, I told him, nahh, you’ve got to be kidding. But he remembers me mentioning about a “more sophisticated camera”, I had been wanting to own for the longest time. “Remember”, he said, for your blogging pleasures? “And surprise!,” he said, “I already got you one.” Wow! I could not believe my ears. “How on earth did I deserve that”? That’s what I asked him. “Worry not. I got your gift from cyber monday. “It is a super online site that provide links to a whole line of merchants offering significant discounts for hundreds of items purchased after Thanksgiving here. From consumer electronics, to HDTV’s, sporting goods, shoes, supermarket items, publications, if you want something, they definitely have it online. You can browse and pore over all these items until you make your final decision to buy... More About: News , Good News , Super , Good , Monday
Cause you're the TAXMAN, yeah you're the taxman
2008-04-08 12:49:00 Come April 15, something as sure as death will befall me and countless other business owners. It is that time of the year when we pay income tax for earning a perceived financial term called income. It's been quite an experience running a small business, something which my mother asked me to continue for her. Believe you me it has not been easy.Every year I scratch my head hoping to find a nice and glorious statement in my accounting books that say I did earn something. Heck. For the last couple of years, there' s really been nothing:-(Truth be told, our small operations have been in the red for some months now. New equipment, new services, new products, new anything as long as it would help the business, we have tried implementing. The thing is the tax people find it hard to believe that the business didn't earn anything as we declare every year.I have been thinking of what to do next. Shall I sell the business? Shall I change the nature of the business like going to catering ... More About: Yeah
Off the Record, ahhh but remind me to become famous
2008-04-04 09:46:00 Paparazzi's have become a pejorative term for news photographers who take celebrity photos in exchange for large amounts of money. Countless celebrities have been 'victimized' by paparazzi's most prominent of whom are Britney Spears, J Lo, Nicole Ritchie, the Hilton sisters, Lindsay Lohan, George Clooney, Tom Cruise and wife Katy Holmes, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, and so many others.One of the more notorious paparazzis is Ron Galella, "who transposed many of his methods to New York. Galella's success came by scandals of his own making, and he is now best known for his photographs of Jackie Onassis, who filed a lawsuit against him in 1972". During his most notorious days, Galella went to the extent of getting beaten just to get those most precious photographs. Richard Burton's bodyguards beat him up enough to cause him to spend sometime in a hospital bed. Sean Penn spat on him, and his jaw was broken by Marlon Brando.“The word paparazzi was popularized after the Federic... More About: Famous , Record , Remind Me , The Record
Got to work hard for the money
2008-04-04 09:26:00 Life is far from perfect. But it goes on. The world is not stopping by to wait for you to get up and do what you are supposed to do. This means that everyday, people need to earn and raise money to support their designated individual or family’s lifestyle. Sometimes, things get awry. Markets come falling. Deals go bad. Suddenly, people find themselves head and ears in debt -- from cash or from bad credit loans. Believe that there is hope. Money is available for those who are wise enough to make it right the second time. One need not suffer from bad credit credit cards any longer. Solvency issues can still be resolve. But it is important to take note, that in using credit to settle an account or pay a bill, responsibility is always the key. And discipline is the fuel behind the key. More About: Work , Hard
Woman, 50ish and Living Her Life
2008-04-04 06:24:00 A lot of things had been going on in my life lately that got me seriously thinking.Reflecting, I realize that Simone de Beauvoir was right after all. That a woman must be in-charge of her own life because only she knows what is best for her. Sure, one can be influenced by what others think but it should not be the sole basis of how life goes on.But why didn't I realize this earlier?I guess it must be some form of a passage? Everyone goes through a phase -- the hurts and the disappointments resulting in my case, from the dysfunctional and inequitable realities of my own relationships.Was lack of wisdom brought in by my youth? Was I incapable of making intelligent decisions about my personal happiness because I was young? Inexperienced and afraid? Why did I fail to recognize much earlier that I am unique, different from everyone and, that was, in fact good? Did I not know myself too well? Afraid, just went along with the traditional notion that 'good' women must not b... More About: Life , Living , Woman
Ramiele, the fight isn't over till the singin's done
2008-04-01 15:24:00 I hope Ramiele doesn't get booted out this week. I am sure it is going to be easy for them to do that you know. She, being Asian in origin. Having said that, I would like to think that 'race' has never been and will never be an issue.But, I doubt if she'd even be on the Top 5, much less an American Idol :-(There is no question Ramiele is close to my heart. She is a Filipino by birth, you see. I don't know about the others, but by nature we gravitate towards our own. Where ever we go, especially abroad, we are always happy to see someone familiar, of our own, if you must. And there is nothing more heart warming than to see one of us make it big. Is there anything wrong with that? I thought so.Back to Ramiele. Her voice can definitely compete. But every week her body language states otherwise. I can almost feel her ready to give up during booting out time. No! Ramiele! You have to believe! Belief in yourself will give you enough motivation to stay. Faith and the... More About: Fight
The French Connection
2008-03-31 09:19:00 Filipino workers who dream of one day saying Oui, mademoiselle, Oui mossieur, or those imagining to drink that uppity and classy Bordeaux wines, or perhaps salivating on escargot as in French haute cuisine--- time to make a landing at Charles de Gaulle Airport. And start brushing up on your French. Because Paris here we come. Whopee! How you say? French Ambassador to the Philippines confirmed that France is easing up their immigration rules to accommodate more Filipino IT and nursing professionals. It’s been quite a process but finally signing of the formal agreement will happen this year between country representatives. Fact is, Filipino professionals are known to be one of the most outstanding workers worldwide. Be it an IT line of work, engineering, accountancy, customer service, the fine arts, health care I must say we are among the best. And what country wouldn’t want such type of workers? France is a country where the words, liberty, equality and fr... More About: Connection , The French , French Connection
High Tech Marikina on the Roll
2008-03-31 07:20:00 Marikina recently launched access to its online city ordinances to provide residents like myself delivery of basic government services right to my doorstep. Through the 'Virtual Ordinance Library', Marikina is really up to its promise of providing only the best in public governance.I have not really tried these services but I am confident that it works. I asked around. I have friends in Calumpang.Take note, since last year, Marikina, established City Hall a Wi-fi spot. This I have to try personally. One of these days I will bring our laptop and see if I could do some blogging there. Maybe I can teach some matured citizens how to blog. Why not?Additionally, the City also installed personal computers with Internet connections in barangay halls and health centers. I wonder exactly how many barangays were able to take advantage?See the full story here.And what's more, the City government, through its Management Information System (MIS) also launched the first Marikina Web Awards. "Th... More About: High Tech , Tech , Roll , High , High-Tech
This Business Called Beauty
2008-03-28 09:17:00 After I resigned from my corporate job, I was forced to take on the management of our family’s business. It was a business held by my Mom as a sort of a hobby. She wasn’t really much in a beauty kind of endeavor. She was really more of a restaurant operator. . . but after having been in the food business for more than 25 years and only after contracting glaucoma, she decided to go easy and instead venture to a beauty salon business. Which wasn’t too taxing. Having said that, let me state, she started the business good and she passed it on to me, better than ever. Reluctantly, oookeyyy? When I assumed management my first question was, are we going to maintain salon operations like it was just a hobby as usual, or were we going full blast and offer the works, so to speak? And what new equipment did we need? Did we need business loans? Business was actually doing well, considered ‘hot’, even. The customers are all over because my Mom had great PR, public relations, you s... More About: Beauty
Shop till you drop dead or Making money your master not a servant
2008-03-27 07:39:00 I think lack of understanding about personal finances is a large source of family problems now a days. Very few people are willing to openly talk about their finances or debts. This, I think lead to financial illiteracy, big time. I realize t his as I was making a research on the different styles of personal financial management. What stucked like a sore thumb to me, was a site called Debtors Anonymous (DA). DA works in much the same way as Alcoholics Anonymous, dealing with people who are essentially compulsive debtors and helping them get over their “addiction”. DA helps debt addicts recover from this malady called overspending. Compulsive spending - is it an illness? I need not talk about its psychological implications here, a professional counsellor would be required to do that.One thing sure though, it needs to be addressed. If you believe you know someone close who is in this difficult life situation, I am sure you will recognize the following lifestyle o... More About: Money , Shop , Dead , Master , Drop
How hard a decision is it to buy a home?
2008-03-25 10:02:00 What does it take to save enough money for something? After years of frugal living, you believe that you finally have what it takes to buy your much coveted home. You now have some savings. You are about to take the home acquisition plunge. The prospect of owning your first home is within reach. But what kind of a home would you want and where shall it be located? Decision s, decisions. Additionally, other significant items must be studied like affordability, is it of fair market value, what methods of acquisition are available, would it be cash or cash plus mortgage payments, what are the down payment options, interest rates, property taxes, etc. Is this what the Brits need to evaluate at this point? If you have saved enough and find yourself much like the rest of UK residents, who according to a study spent a “combined £1.9 billion” for luxury items instead of going into the housing market, then what gives? Unconfirmed apprehensions draw people away from thei... More About: Home , Hard
Wealth Built on Debt, How Is That?
2008-03-25 08:19:00 My high school classmate was back recently from the United States. She invited me for chit chat the other week. We were so pleased to see each other, both saying that not much really changed except for some grey hair and additional pounds on her end and less on mine. She's been a U.S. resident for almost 10 years now. Between sips of our favorite coffee drinks, she announced that she and the husband was planning to move back to the country. She's been displaying the symptoms of a hypertensive and would not want to exacerbate the condition. One reason she says, is her home mortgage. The possibility of a foreclosure seems inevitable. At this point, her initial happy aura slowly turned to gloom.Two to three years ago she was on a roll. She was heavy into investments, buying a new car even when the old ones were still usable, buying a new home, travels, signing up with 2-3 credit card companies. Only because her co-teachers in a California middle school were doing it. Suddenly, "I w... More About: Wealth , Debt
Who are the great junk junkies?
2008-03-25 04:58:00 And how are the Americans doing about this thing called recycling? Here are some of the possible answers:1. 650 pounds of paper are used annually. If successfully recycled, 100 million tons of wood would be saved every year. 2. 80% of what’s thrown away in American households are recyclable. 3. 2.5 MILLION plastic bottles are used every hour and not recycled. 4. enormous numbers of glass bottles and jars are thrown every day enough to fill a building like Sears Towers in Chicago. Think - all these jars are recyclable. 5. over 1,000,000 sea creatures are lost yearly due to plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean. Think Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It's twice the size of Texas and is floating somewhere between San Francisco and Hawaii. It's also 80 percent plastic, and weighs 3.5 million tons. Whoa! 6. recycling one ton or about 2,000 pounds of paper can save 17 trees, 2 barrels of oil which is enough to run the average car for 1,260 mile; 4,100 ki... More About: Junk , Junkies
Recycle the recyling idea?
2008-03-24 06:15:00 Protect Mother Earth through recycling. Here's what they are doing in some parts of the world. 1. In the Bay Area of San Francisco a concept called 'waste-to-energy' is in place in which garbage and other non-recyclable materials are burned in especially designed incinerators while the heat produced runs the steam turbine in an electric power plant. Is the city doing it right? Read their story here. 2. In Ontario Canada residents are recycling 38% of their waste considered far from its 2008 target of 60%. What they have is the landfill system. In Toronto and Hamilton and regions like York and Durham, they have curbside pickup programs. In Nova Scotia, the province “put deposits on virtually every beverage container; required businesses and industry to follow the same recycling rules as residents, offered cash incentives to municipalities to increase recycling – and banned organics from landfills.”Soon, they say “a ban on organic waste in landfills” shall b... More About: Idea , Recycle
The Annual Search for Christ in Us
2008-03-24 05:22:00 Every year we witness this on a Good Friday to commemorate Christ 's Crucifixion and Death... acts of penance from penietents.Is there more to it?And on to Easter Sunday... Back to the usual...I wish it was more meaningful for most. (Christ in US Must Be Alive Again) More About: Search , Annual
Holy Week Family Vacations
2008-03-20 05:32:00 Wow it is Holy Week once more. It is supposed to be a Catholic ritual ideally spent for introspection if you will or reflection... to sort out the whys and wherefores of our lives. That is the tradition. I think only the old do this these days. The young? Well, their all hied off at some travel spot. Worry-free and carefree. How time flies.It is Maundy Thursday today in the Philippines. No traffic. Yey! The city is quiet. Finally, the roads can take a respite at least for the next 2 days. They need a break too, I surmise.As usual families who cannot afford to go out of town trips just rented tons of DVD tapes ready for the weekend viewing. The budget conscious lot paid their way to Boracay and similar spots, through cheap air fares like those offered by Sea Air. But the news last night said a couple of flights were canceled. I don't exactly know how many but definitely there were cancellations.What a boomer!For the rest of us, and I don't know about you, I am taking a chance... More About: Family , Vacations
What's the Deal? Phishing Expedition?
More articles from this author:2008-03-18 14:55:00 Not for any particular reason, just now, I did a search of 'Ibanag in the City' on Google. Among other things I found that my blog has been indexed? Why do I sound like I was complaining? I am not sure. But it seems that this blog directory called blogged.com is using my blog for a certain purpose. First, viewers were being asked to rate my blog; second if the viewer happens to be the owner, a claim must be made but not after they ask you to sign in asking for email ads and all.WTF. Sorry.I smell something unusual here. Am I right in thinking that this is a phishing expedition? Whoa! It really is not clearly visible if you look at this print screen I took because the usually bmpeed print screens I have already converted to jpg. I don't need the extra load in my blog.Suffice it to say I am witnessing first hand the unsavory side of the web. Am I correct in assuming this? I need to know :-) More About: Phishing , Deal , Expedition 1, 2, 3, 4 |
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