Mental Note

While attending a seminar the other day, I found myself scribbling on some pieces of paper making some notes. Here are some of the personal things I wrote:

1. I want to learn to be more confident and be more organized in my thoughts and in my surroundings.

2. I want to be debt-free soon, get rid of all my credit cards and learn how to save money for the rainy days.

3. I want to lose weight, look better, feel better, and embrace a healthier kind of lifestyle.

4. I want a job which will allow me to have work-life balance. I really want to be able to go home early from work all the time to spend more time for the baby. (My current work doesn't allow me this kind of time sched).

5. I want to improve my sense of fashion (without spending huge amounts of money) and be able to streamline my wardrobe (read: get rid of old clothes and unwanted stuff).

6. I want to be able to make ample time for doing all my norms of piety (and that pretty much depends on self-disciple on my part).

7. I want to be able to make a difference in society. I have been planning to join TAG for so long now. TAG means Television Advocacy Group. They are a group of ladies who try to promote responsible media practice and awareness of the effects of good and bad tv shows airing now.

:-)

Arte y Pico

Thanks to Jona for this award! This is house-everything's very first. :-)

The rules of this tag are as follows:

1) You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.

2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.

4) Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of "Arte y Pico" blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.

Make sure you visit the link above.

Sending this award to Pat, Tet, Ai, Vannie and Jacqui!

40 Tips for a Better Life

Got this nice email from my friend Michelle:

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.

3. Buy a DVR and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.

4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.'

5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.

7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.

8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

9. Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

11. Drink green tea and plenty of water.. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

26. Forgive everyone for everything.

27. What other people think of you is none of your business.

28. GOD heals everything.

29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

33. The best is yet to come.

34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

35. Do the right thing!

36. Call your family often. (Or email them to death!!!)

37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.

38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

40. Please Forward this to everyone you care about.

May your troubles be less. May your blessings be more. May nothing but happiness come through your door!

Keeps Me Grounded

Here's is my secret weapon for staying grounded and sort of "in control" amidst all of the chaos around.

We're planning a trip to Antipolo tomorrow with my uncle and aunt from Germany who are here for my Dad's wedding. I really hope we get to do that much-awaited pilgrimage since it's our Lady's month this May. Got so many blessings to be thankful for.

Hello Blog!

Hello Blog! I miss you my dear house-everything blog!

I've been so busy with work and my dad's wedding preparations that I've decided to let blogging take a back seat and concentrate first on my family.

As of today, my dad is newly-weded and is currently in Bohol with my Ninang having their honeymoon cum birthday celebration.

Now that he's married and is planning to shuffle between Batangas to Cainta just every so often, I really don't know what's going happen in the homefront. I guess it's gonna be just hubby and I who will work to manage the whole household.

Come to think of it, I've never lived apart from my Dad since that day I was born...until now. That's gonna be a weird feeling I guess. Unlike my sister who left home to stay in Tanglaw when she turned 18, I stayed put with my parents even after getting married and giving birth. When we lost my Mom 3 years ago, a huge part of the home/family went crumbling. And now my Dad will be "somewhat" moving out...hmmm...I feel really weird and at the same time, kinda sad.

Anyway...it's all about my Dad's happiness now. We love him so I guess everything will be alright.