Do you know what this is? It took me quite a while to figure it out!
Fellow blogger and friend, Kenneth Diaz, launched Project 365 last year (2010) with the objective of taking at least one picture a day. On his final entry, he wrote some insights he learned after taking more than 365 pictures in one year! Great insights that I personally uphold as well, that's why I'm sharing them here with you.
There are lots of good pictures out there waiting to be taken and it can be a simple matter of opening one's eyes.
Corollary to no. 1, always bring your camera with you, even on the most mundane occasions. You never know what'll come falling from the sky after taking that left turn on the street.
Creativity requires ***a lot of work***. It can be exhausting, but ultimately, rewarding.
Still, it helps to be lucky ... most especially in photography ...
I'm starting to appreciate this thoroughly postmodern notion: Nothing is original.
Very Important: Things aren't always how they appear to be.
Empathy is useful. But so is a sense of humor.
Technical perfection is not the end all and be all of the photograph. It is the story.
Sunset photos are cliches, but one can't help taking a picture of it every time you see one.
No matter how many times it's been said, or how corny it sounds, it still rings true: the world is beautiful.
Kenneth Diaz - Chronicles of a Disturbed Mind Project 365
All the pictures in this page are from his collection! I took the 3 best pictures that I liked. If you wanna see more visit his site at Chronicles of a Disturbed Mind.
Kenneth Diaz. Chronicles of a Disturbed Mind - Project 365
This was quite a feat my friend! Congratulations! Continue telling beautiful stories and taking beautiful pictures.
In observance of the lenten season, I'm putting on hold the rest of the food scouting posts and leave you here with a more thought-provoking and hopefully inspiring post as well.
A NEVER ENDING LOVE STORY
Once there lived a Perfect Boy and a Perfect Girl, true soul mates destined to cross each other's paths and live a happy life together. Will they ever find each other, fulfill their destinies, and live happily ever after?
I'll give you three reasons why this will never be:
No. 1: When Perfect Boy meets Perfect Girl, he will see the flaws in Perfect Girl and automatically discount her as his true soul mate.
No. 2: When Perfect Boy does find someone he's interested in, the girl turns out to be Perfect Girl. And Perfect Girl will think that there's someone better out there waiting for her.
No. 3: If indeed Perfect Boy and Perfect Girl do manage to overcome the first two obstacles and find each other in a relationship, they will act as if there's no one better than them in this world. Not only towards the rest of the world, but towards each other as well. This will undoubtedly lead to their separation.
So will perfection ever meet perfection?
COMPLEMENTARY RATHER THAN PERFECTION
It's a hard fact to accept in life that nobody's perfect, and thus when it comes to us, humans, perfection will never be able to live happily ever after with perfection. The only time this can be possible is when one unconditionally relents to the whims of the other, a trait trying-hard-to-be perfect individuals will not be able to easily do.
So instead of trying to find someone perfect, find someone who complements you. Someone who'll complete your world and together both of you can be perfect.
ACHIEVING PERFECTION
Now meeting those that would complement you is not a rare occurrence. Clark Kent found it through the red cape in his Superman outfit.
Harry Potter had a perfect relationship with his Magical wand.
And SunJun will finally achieve perfection by owning a pair of Somnio Running Shoes!
If I get my hands on a pair of Somnio Mission Control Running Shoes, I'd use it for running and nothing more. Things made with perfection in mind, to serve a certain purpose, must be respected and used accordingly.
RUNNING FOR LIFE
I love to run and I will use this pair of shoes to continue running. Through running, not only do I keep myself physically fit but mentally strong as well. When those initial pangs of pain start to manifest, I will myself to continue and push the limits of my body.
You also learn to raise your head up high when running. Looking down will make you feel nauseous while raising your head will allow you to breath easier. And that is how each and everyone of us must face life as well - with our heads held high.
SOMNIO RUNNING SHOES
Watch this video and let me know what you think.
Wasn't that amazing? Go get your pair of Somnio shoes now!
Somnio Mission Control Running Shoes (Photo courtesy of Unbox.ph)
Using Somnio's Gait Analysis Software, each pair of Somnio running shoes can be custom-made to perfectly fit each sole of your feet. This can provide added comfort and will surely improve your performance. All this comes with a hefty price tag though, a pair can cost around 7,000 pesos. But let's sing along to Jessie J for once and say that "It's not about the money,money,money ... Forget about the price tag." If I remember correctly, when Mr. Danny Orr, Somnio's Product Manager, was interviewed in Hardball at ANC, he said that for every pair of Somnio running shoes that you buy, Somnio Philippines will send a Filipino child to school! How great is that?! Now that's true value for your money regardless whether you eventually use the shoes or not. hehehe (^o^)v And that is what makes this pair of shoes ... ... ... ... truly perfect!
Low on budget? No problem! Try your luck by joining Unbox.ph's Somnio Running Shoes Blogger Contest and you might just win yourself a pair of SOMNIO RUNNING SHOES! While you're at it, join Unbox.ph at Facebook if you want to keep yourself updated with contests and giveaways like this.
So will SunJun ever get to meet the one that will complement him to perfection? (Abangan ang susunod na kabanata ...) (^o^)/
Update:
Oh well ... I didn't win. I found some good deals on Amazon.com though. Check these out. SOMNIO SHOES at Great Prices!
It's official! I'm now an Amazon.com Associate. If you're planning to buy something from Amazon.com, whether it be books, ebooks, toys, shoes, or electronic gadgets, let me know and I'll send over a link to my online shop where you can buy the items. You will be helping me out in the process. My gratitude to you all in advance. Thank you.
I'm so happy with what I accomplished today! I found two new wireless internet connections at home. One is an unsecured connection and the other is a secured one. Yes, I successfully hacked my way into somebody else's internet connection! Some people are so predictable hehehe (^o^)/
Too bad the signal doesn't reach as far as my bedroom. I have to stay outside at the terrace to get the signal - but it's very strong and the connection is considerably fast! woohoo! But what good is more than one internet connection, right? Well, if you have more than one PC then you can use separate connections to browse the internet. This way you can have one dedicated PC for downloading alone, maximize the bandwidth of that connection. (^o^)/ And another advantage is when there's something wrong with your own connection, you can try the others and see if you can connect through them. Well, not really a significant advantage for me right now but I'm just loving the fact that I was able to guess somebody else's password. he he he he
It's my first "ang pao" for the year! Read on to receive your blessings! ^^
I received this during the eve of the Chinese New Year (tonight)! It was such a surprise for me! I can't remember exactly when I stopped receiving this from my relatives but I think it was still way back when I was still in school! That was many many years ago. And so I am happy to be receiving this tonight!
If you look closely, the Chinese character is written upside down. I've encountered this before but I don't exactly now the reason behind it. Maybe some of you can help me out on this ^^
Every "ang pao" that I receive I usually put on my wallet! My wallet has never been empty ever since! I believe it brings me good fortune.
And so, on this day, I share my blessings with you. May all of you have good fortune during this year of the Golden Tiger as well! Don't worry, there's more than enough blessings for everyone! (^o^)/ Share it with your friends as well.
... when all you want is companionship
... when all you want is somebody to go out and have pizza with
... when all you want is somebody else to talk to
... when all you want is security
... when all you want is to have kids
... when all you want is stability
... when all you want is recognition
... when all you want is somebody to go to the movies with
... when all you want is a tennis partner
... when all you want is somebody to be there when you wake up in the morning
... when all you want is somebody to take care of you
... when all you want is somebody to drink beer with
... when all you want is somebody to watch TV with
... when all you want are your wants
Here's an interesting read for the weekend. I saw this in last week's Sunday Inquirer Magazine. See if you can relate as well ...
What's worse: your parents telling you that you are to remain single until further notice, or the day they decide that it's about time they put you on the market?
Click continue to see the full article by Cate de Leon.
IT’S SOMETHING that happens to most of us. One moment you’re practically banned from meeting the opposite sex, the next you’re being pushed and shoved toward every eligible partner in sight. There isn’t much you can do about it, really. Parents wouldn’t be parents if they weren’t capable of inflicting a certain amount of torture on their kids. But it always helps to share stories and find comfort in the fact that we are not alone in our suffering.
Four years ago, right before I went to college, my dad sat me down and gave me a serious, awkward talk about how it was best for me not to get a boyfriend just yet. Barely a month into my freshman year, however, we had this conversation:
Exhibit A
“What about that classmate of yours? Bea? She’s pretty!” Dad said, elbowing my brother, Derek.
“Dad, you’re so sexist!” I fired from the backseat of our car. “You keep your eye out for Derek, but me, just because I’m a girl you think I should have nothing to do with the opposite sex.”
“That’s not true!” Dad defended himself. “I just haven’t seen anyone who’d be good for you. Dan is too scrawny, Ben is too dark, and Brian, well, he’s OK, but you don’t really look good together.”
I was dumbfounded. “You’ve been checking out my friends?”
Exhibit B
“So is he courting you?” Mom was nosing around my ‘love life’ again.
“What?! No!”
“Do you like him, then?”
“Nooooooooo!!!!”
“Sige na. You can tell us. We’re open!”
Exhibit C
“So how was your date?” Dad interrogated as he fetched me from a night out with my org mates.
“Huh? It wasn’t a date. We weren’t the only ones there. We were with friends. Besides, we don’t like each other, OK?”
“Oh, I was just wondering why you had this glow about you,” Dad smiled, pleased with his own teasing.
“I do not have a glow about me,” I retorted as dryly as I could.
“There it is, o! I see it!” he literally pointed at my face.
“Hope for their offspring makes parents delusional,” I said, annoyed.
“If you’re happy, I’m happy.” Dad quipped, undaunted.
And after a few seconds, he couldn’t resist adding, “So when do I meet him?”
Exhibit D
It was Christmas season and I had just gotten back from caroling with one of my student organizations.
Dad looked at the clock. “It’s late already. How did you get home?”
“Jake dropped me off,” I answered matter-of-factly.
At this Mom and Dad broke into wide, meaningful grins; first at each other and then at me. “Oooh! Who’s Jake?” they asked almost simultaneously.
“O, ayan na naman kayo ah! Ang bait-bait ng tao, pinagsu-suspetsyahan n’yo! [There you go again! He was just being nice and here you’re turning him into one of your usual suspects.]”
“What? We were just asking who he is. We just want to know who your friends are, that’s all,” they feigned innocence.
Exhibit E
We were at my uncle’s wedding. It was a very small and simple gathering – not the kind where you’d expect to meet any prospects. Then this tall, dark and decent-looking guy showed up. Okay, so I did check him out but concluded pretty early that he wasn’t my type. So I was contentedly sitting by myself when all of a sudden Dad’s voice boomed from a short distance. “Cate! Cate! Come here, I’ll introduce you!”
Sure enough, he was standing next to the tall, dark, decent-looking guy, enthusiastically conversing with him and his mother. I stood up and shook his hand, just to be polite. His mother said he was currently taking his master’s in Electrical Engineering at the University of the Philippines. Poor guy. It would have been better for his mother not to have said such things. Dad is attracted to such credentials like a dog is to a big, juicy piece of meat.
Come reception time, I spied Dad talking to the guy one-on-one, even picking out a small table just for the two of them. Poor, poor guy.
And, of course, when we got home, Dad wouldn’t let me hear the end of it. “He seems like a great guy! He’s nice, smart, and he’s a Christian! It would be good for you to get to know him better.”
My protests about how he wasn’t my type were in vain, falling on deaf ears.
And there are so many more examples that would take me infinity to enumerate. The funniest I’ve heard so far was how a nerdy guy friend of mine was “required to go out with a girl” by his dad.
Makes me wonder which is worse: your parents telling you that you are to remain single until further notice, or the day they decide that it’s about time they put you on the market. I also don’t tell them whenever I like someone because I think they’re crazy enough as it is. Nevertheless, I think they can still tell.
I guess there’s no choice but for me, and others like me (I’m sure I’m not the only one being sold off), to bear with all the madness and to try my best to protect my male friends from unnecessary parental interrogation/checking out, and the fact that my parents think they all have crushes on me. I just comfort myself with the knowledge that it’s normal for mom and dad to be overly confident and slightly delusional about their offspring. •
Can you relate or can you relate? Send your comments and similar stories to catgdeleon @yahoo.com or visit the author at http://writer-cat.livejournal.com
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I truly can relate. However, I think this girl has awesome parents but she doesn't know it yet. When she finally meets that special someone, I'm sure she'll be more than glad to share that person with her parents. I do understand that she may want to keep her love life private for now.
Sometimes I wish my parents were more sociable and that we have more family friends.
A healthy heart with all three coronary arteries working fine. For most, I think there are only 2 main arteries. This heart must belong to someone special.
Myocardial Infarction (MI), otherwise commonly known as a heart attack, is caused by plaque build up in the arteries of the heart. The plaque blocks blood flow to the rest of the heart causing all sorts of problems.
Angioplasty and stenting is a process that tries to dislodge the plaque build up and permanently place a stent to the affected area to prevent the same area from narrowing again. There by increasing blood flow to other parts of the heart again.
Know more by watching this video. The Angioplasty procedure undoubtedly has been brought to the limelight when Eraserheads lead vocalist Ely Buendia underwent the procedure thrice in recent years (2007 and 2008).
Twenty years ago, a friend gave me a book about facing fears. My arrogant response to her: "Thanks for the book. But frankly, I don't think I need it. I don't know why, but fear isn't a problem for me. I don't have any fears."
Ten years later, I ate my words.
Because after a deep soul search, I realized how my life was run by many fears. Many of the things I was doing I did because of fear! I feared what other people said about me. I feared failure. I feared angry people. I feared of not having enough. I feared of not being enough.
In my life, I've discovered that there is only one thing that can overcome fear. There is only one thing that is more powerful than fear.
The only antidote to fear is LOVE.
When you fill your life with love, your fears naturally disappears. I'm talking about a love for God, a love for others, a love for yourself, and a love for life itself. The Bible says, Perfect love casts our all fear, and I totally believe it.
In fact, remember the 7 Tools of Happiness I listed above? (Part 2) Every single one of them is really a facet of love - and each tool can drive away a specific fear in your life. Once your fears are gone, happiness will flood your soul.
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And so we are back at LOVE! It seems to be the key to everything! Not only is it the main ingredient to overcoming your fears and being happy but also the secret to completing your soul!
Secrets to Happiness Part 3
By now, you would know that Happiness is a way of life and that we can be Happy always! And Bo has shared his 7 Tools of Happiness. In this part, he shares to us why so many people are unhappy.
Your Body is Hardwired To Be Afraid
by: Bo Sanchez
The enemy of happiness isn't sadness.
The enemy of happiness isn't problems.
The enemy of happiness isn't loneliness.
The enemy of happiness is FEAR.
Our lives are so fueled by it. We run our lives by fear.
In Dan Baker's excellent book, What Happy People Know, he explains how our body circuitry is wired to fear.
Our brains have three parts. The brain stem, the amygdala, and the neocortex. The more primitive parts of our brains, the brain stem ( also called the reptilian brain, because reptiles have these for brains) and the amygdala are programmed for fear.
Why? Our ancestors needed fear for their physical survival. Imagine yourself living in the wilderness with lions, wolves, and cobras around you. Danger lurks behind every tree and shadow.
Once their brains register fear, the endocrine glands produce our fear hormones adrenaline and cortisol. it gave them super strength to fight or flight. And in fighting or fleeing, they exhaust the adrenaline and cortisol in their bodies. Well and good. But what about us who usually sit behind desks and work on computers?
We still have the same fear mechanism. But this time, we're no longer afraid of lions or cobras behind every tree. We are afraid of our rising credit card bills. We're afraid of our boss. We're afraid of losing our jobs. We're afraid for our children - what will happen to their future? We're afraid that at 35, we won't get married anymore. We're afraid we'll grow lonely. We're afraid we'll run out of money. We're afraid of social rejection. We're afraid of social shame and losing face. We're afraid of disease.
And these fears are so real, our endocrine glands produce adrenaline and cortisol as well. And because we're seated behind our desks, pounding on our computers, we really don't use up any of it. Adrenaline and cortisol become poison in our bodies, destroying our health bit by bit.
Thus, very few people are happy.
Conclusion: If you want to be happy, we need to overcome our fears.
As we learned in part 1, Happiness is not an emotion neither it is a mood. Rather, happiness is a way of life! We have control over our happiness, it is within our circle of influence. In this next part, Bo shares the 7 Tools of Happiness.
7 Tools of Happiness
by: Bo Sanchez
I know of strange human beings walking this face of the earth who are extremely happy. Not just moderately or mildly happy. But deeply joyful. (Hey, you may be one of them. Congratulations!)
I know them. Some of them are my friends.
Because of my work, I've traveled all over the world. Last count: 36 countries. That's a lot of frequent flyer miles, jet lag, and lost luggage. But that also means I've met more people than the average person on the street. It's not just the sheer number or the variety of people I've met. Because I'm a preacher, I've not only met them, I've engaged many of them on a deep level. Like on our first meeting (or phone call or email), they open up their hear and pour to me their problems like I was their soul amte.
So I have this distinct advantage of knowing lots and lots of people on an intensity that's beyond superficial.
So I asked myself this question: Who are the happiest people I know? I listed them down. After sifting through the hundreds of thousands of people archived in my brain, I asked a more difficult question: What is common among them all?
I came up with seven great things I see in extremely happy people. I call them the 7 Tools of Happiness:
Secrets to HappinessPart 1
This is for everyone out there looking to be Happy! (Who doesn't want to be happy right?)
The Difference Between Happiness and Pleasure
by: Bo Sanchez
A thick wad of 1,000 pesos bills gives pleasure.
A chocolate parfait with thick chocolate syrup gives pleasure.
A fun movie, with a bucket of popcorn on the side, gives pleasure.
A roller coaster ride gives pleasure.
A kiss gives pleasure.
What's the difference between pleasure and happiness?
Pleasure is an outside job. But happiness is an inside job.
It doesn't depend on any external circumstances. Yep, even if you only have three strands of hair on your head. Happiness isn't the absence of problems. By the way, do you want me to show you a few people who don't have problems? Great. Bring your shovel out and let's dig them up from their graves.
The Bible doesn't say, "Be joyful sometimes." Or "Be joyful when you don't have problems." The Bible says "Be joyful always."
Is that possible? I mean, c'mon. No one can be happy 365 days a year.
But the Bible says, "Be joyful always" because happiness isn't a mood.
Happiness isn't an emotion either.
Your phone book has gone online. If you need to to search for information on a phone number, there's no need to manually look for it in your telephone book anymore. Instead, just visit this online Phone Book Search site. It's the online source for reverse phone lookup. Their internet phonebook directory has the technology to find the owner of any phone number from any state or area code.
Find Out Who Called You. Visit the site for a free reverse phone number lookup. You now have the resource to track any phone calls and get information about the owner of that number. Nowadays, with the presence of more nosy telemarketers, this can really come in handy.
Did you know that you can have your number registered in the National No Call Registry and block unwanted calls from telemarketers as well? By registering, they say that you are effectively removing your number from any telemarketing database. The service is free and your registration lasts for 5 years.
There is a new project that gives users the ability to search for and get information about any Mobile phone number in the U.S. They're using Mobile Phone Reverse Lookup technology to be able to search any cell phone number. Their database includes full phone numbers from most major states in U.S. Now there's a way for you to know who exactly is calling you.
Are you looking for court records? If you are from Oklahoma, you might want to check out the Oklahoma Court Records site. The site allows you to search for court records from court reports, public documents, arrest records, divorce records, and more. The site actually allows you to search for court records nationwide. Just indicate the state or the city in the search field and it will search the records for you instantly.
