40 Random Things (Part II)

Continuation ....

21.  I believe that if you can’t say anything nice, it’s always best to keep quiet.

22.  A little kindness goes a long way.  Never underestimate the power of a kind gesture or a smile.

23.  I’m always fascinated with nature. I love watching the sunrise and the sunset. I love seeing flowers bloom, butterflies fluttering, and birds singing. The full moon never fails to catch my attention.

24.  I love capturing special moments. Taking pictures make me happy.

25.  I regret many things in life. I learned that in order to attain peace within, the first step is letting go. Once you do, moving on is easier.

26.  The people you love can sometimes break your heart too. Open your heart to forgiveness.

27.  Driving still remains a dream. May be one day, I can find the courage to go behind the wheel.

28.  I’m not a perfect mom but I’m trying my best to be a good one.

29.  I’m thankful for my writing job. I learn something new from every topic I write.

30.  Kare-kare will always be my favorite Filipino dish.

31.  I don’t want to think of myself as a middle-aged woman. I always want to feel young.

32.  I love bags. I wish I could buy as many bags as I want.

33.  I have a small closet. I wish I can have a walk-in closet in the future.  

34.  When the Internet is down, I feel down.

35.  I enjoy watching horror films even though my fear always gets the best of me. The Walking Dead is currently my favorite TV program.

36.  I’m thankful to modern gadgets.  I can easily connect with my loved ones in the States.

37.  I’m happy that Bruno, my Labrador is still going strong at the age of 13.

38.  I have my own share of flaws. I’m impatient, impulsive and I tend to worry about small things.

39.  Life is full of opportunities. Never be afraid to try something new.

40.  I don’t know what the future has in store for me. I only pray that God will continue to bless me and the people I love. 

40 Random Things (Part I)

Today I turn 40. It's another milestone in life that I'm grateful for. Let me share 40 random things I've learned, realized, and discovered in this lifetime. 

1. It’s never too late to start exercising. I’m thankful that I found the motivation to walk and run around the village. 
2. 8K is possible after all. Who knows, maybe I have the strength and endurance to run/walk up to 10K.
3. Biking is fun. I just bought a mountain bike and I’m rediscovering how fun it is to be on two wheels. 
4. It feels great to lose weight and enjoy shopping again. When I was overweight, I was always frustrated when I go shopping for clothes. I just hope I can maintain my weight now. 
5. I can finally wear dresses again.
6. Getting gray hair is not the end of the world. Thank goodness for hair coloring products. 
7. I have the best parents in the world. They are kind, understanding, generous, and selfless. I love them very much. 
8. I admire my brother for being so wise and responsible in life. I may be older than him but sometimes he’s more like my kuya. 
9.  My yaya (nanny) has taken care of me since I was a baby. I’m blessed that she chose to stay with me all these years. 
10. I'm thankful to have a loving, supportive, and kind husband.  He gives me strength and hope.
11. I have a wonderful son who inspires and motivates me to face challenges and continue dreaming. 
12. Home is where the heart is. I realized that there’s no better place than home. 
13. Life is not perfect but once you overlook at the imperfections, you’ll realize that life has so many beautiful things to be grateful for. 
14. Life is a learning process.  There's always something new worth discovering and exploring.
15. Disappointments are part of life. Learn from your mistakes. When you fail, there’s no harm in trying again. As long as there’s life, anything is possible.
16. I cannot please everybody. It’s a waste of energy to get rattled by what other people think of you. 
17. Focus on the positive things in life. 
18. I haven’t conquered my fear of heights but I gathered the courage to ride the Ferris wheel and the roller coaster. I’m still hoping to experience the zipline. 
19. I love happy endings. I will always be a romantic at heart. 
20. People come and go but real friends are there for keeps.

Wind on my sail

Smooth sailing on calm waters.

The wind suddenly blew hard and rocked my boat.

What should I do?

I hold tight and pray for balance.

Lovely Dragonfly

When I was young I used to chase dragonflies.  These fast flying insects are amazing to watch in the air but they are more captivating when they land to rest.  When they stay still, you can appreciate their brilliant colors and their lovely transparent wings.

Dragonflies were so abundant when I was young. Dragonflies flying among the flowers and plants used to be a familiar sight but not anymore. Today it's a treat to see one flying in the garden.  Some say pollution has caused the dragonfly population to dwindle.  That's a sad thought. I hope these beautiful creatures will be resilient and be able to withstand the effects of modernization.

Do Your Best

"I have done my best." That is about all the philosophy of living one needs.

~ Lin Yutan ~

Life has many ups and downs. There are always challenges along the road but doing our best in everything we do can make a big difference. Success is sweet but we cannot avoid failing. We can learn from our mistakes and do better next time. If we try our best in each endeavor, success is not far behind.

Good Start Matters

"Well begun is half done." - Horace

I have lots of things to do today. It's nice to start early. Getting off to a good start can help set the pace. Hopefully I'll be able to accomplish many things today.

Happy Thoughts Today and Tomorrow

Fill this moment and tomorrow with positive thoughts. Think of wonderful memories, love, joy and visions of happiness. When you do, you will feel a sense of enlightenment and joy.

Just A Litte Busy

To my dear blog friends,

I've been a little busy this past weekend. I'm sorry if I haven't visited many of you lately. I'll catch up with you soon. Hope you understand. Take care.

Life Is A Discovery

I received this SMS from my friend this morning which I would like to share with you:

"Life is a journey,
a poetry,
a story.
It is a dream,
a challenge,
a discovery."

Sadly I don't know who said this quote but it's a wonderful message. Cherish and enjoy your life. Discover what God has prepared for you.

Sunshine of Life

"Friendship is precious,
not only the shade,
but in the sunshine of life."
- Thomas Jefferson

I was fixing my things and saw Wish Bear, one of my favorite Care Bears. Wish Bear loves making wishes come true. Yohan thought my Wish Bear could be friends with his pal, Stitch. :)

Reliving Happy Moments

"The heart always has room for beautiful memories." ~ unknown

I love reminiscing about happy moments. I have a lot of those memories that I love reliving in my mind. I also enjoy daydreaming. It's a hobby of mine. Ha ha!

Creating Harmony

Let me share the first SMS I received this morning:

Thank God it's Friday! The weekend is a good time to create a harmony with yourself and those around you. Rebuild on things that change has left behind. Good morning.

My friend, Grech sent it to me. It's always nice to read inspiring messages.

Difference Between a Dream and an Aim

My friend never fails to send me beautiful quotes everyday. Reading inspirational words is a wonderful way to begin the day. Let me share this beautiful quote that I received just a few minutes ago...

There's only one difference between a dream and an aim ...

A dream requires soundless sleep to see, where as an aim
requires sleepless efforts to achieve.

Hope your day started out well. Enjoy the weekend!

3-Step Process of Success

A pleasant Sunday to everyone. I read this inspiring words from the book, Jewels for the Mind by Dero Pedero. I would like to share his simple but powerful words.

Success is a 3-STEP process.

1. Start it.
2. Don't quit.
3. Finish it.

Power of Music

I find music very powerful. It can easily affect my emotions. Sad lyrics can make me cry. Sweet words can warm my heart. Upbeat melody can cheer me up. Music can soothe my tired senses. That's how incredible music is for me.

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.
~Berthold Auerbach~

Happy Weekend

Wishing you all a great weekend ahead. It's been raining here for several days now. It seems the rainy season is early this year. Hope the sun will drive away the gray clothes tomorrow so we could enjoy a sunny weather.

Take care and regards,

Sending Love, Warmth and Happiness

It's another busy day but I always make it a point to blog for several minutes before going to bed. I'm busy during the day but I try my best to visit some blog friends every evening. Wishing each and everyone a day full of love, warmth and happiness.

Wishing You Sunshine

vaI read this wonderful quote and it just lifted my spirits. I would like to share it with you. Wishing everyone a lovely day.

Somewhere on the great world the sun
is always shining, and just so sure as
you live, it will sometime shine on
you. The dear God made it so.
There is so much sunshine we
must all have our share.

~Myrtle Reed~

I Miss My Old Printer

I miss using my old Epson Printer. I bought a Brother Printer two years ago because of its multiple uses. My Brother DCP-120C is a printer, copier and scanner in one. I wanted to get Epson's model with same features but it was several times more expensive so I chose Brother.

The thing about newer printers is that their ink cartridges come in 4: cyan, magenta, yellow and black. When a particular ink runs out, the printer will not work anymore. You need to replace the empty cartridge and put a new one in order for it to start operating again.

The photo above are the ink cartridges I bought over the weekend. I just can't believe that those cartridges cost me more than P3,000 (over $70). Ink cartridges can be quite expensive.

I miss my old Epson Printer because it only needs two cartridges - black and colored. It can even continue printing if one of the ink runs out. If the colored ink runs out, I can simply adjust settings to print in black and white and vise versa, something I cannot do with my new printer. I guess I should bring my old, dependable Epson Printer to a service center to have it fixed soon.

Seasoning of Joy

It is a fine seasoning for joy
to think of those we love.

~Moliere~

I came across this line while flipping through an old journal. It's a simple quote but has a powerful meaning. Thinking of people dear to me always uplifts my spirit.