Thursday, November 27, 2008

A Piece of Something!

While I was walking, I stopped for a while and thought of things I don’t have. Then I realized that the happiest of all people don’t necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. It’s true that we don’t know what we’ve got until we lose it, but it’s also true that we don’t know what we’re missing until it arrives.

In the gateway of my heart I put a sign that says, “No Trespassing” but love came laughing and said, “I enter everywhere”. Love knows no reason. Love knows no lies. Love defies reasons, love has no eyes, but love is not blind. It sees but it doesn’t mind. Love is when you take away the feeling, the passion, the romance and you find you still care for the person. Love is supposed to be the most wonderful feelings. It should aspire you and give you joy and strength. But sometimes the things that give you joy can also hurt you in the end. It starts with a smile, develops with a kiss, and ends with a tear.

When you love, you must not expect anything in return. If you do, you’re not loving but investigating. If you love; you must prepare to accept pain. For if you accept happiness you’re not loving but using. Don’t go for looks. It can deceive: don’t go for wealth, even that fades away: go for someone who makes you smile, make a dark day seem bright.

The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not twist them to fit our own image otherwise we love only the reflections of ourselves we find in them. Never impress someone for the rest of your life. A sad thing about life is that you meet someone who means a lot to you only to find out in the end that it was never bound to be, and you just have to let him go. Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we should know how to be grateful for the gift. We oftentimes don’t see the reason why we don’t always get what we want, but in the end of it all, we realize that what we wanted wasn’t meant for us, after all, everything happens for a reason. When you feel down because you didn’t get what you wanted, just sit tight and be happy because God is thinking of something better for you.

It hurts to love someone and not loved in return, but what is the most painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let that person know how you feel. It’s always better to have found the courage in love even if you lose it in the end rather than never finding love because you were too afraid to face its challenge. The greatest regrets in our lives are the risks we didn’t take. If you think something will make you happy, go for it. Remember that you only pass this way once.

Love no matter how hard you find it, it won’t… No matter how hard you try, you won’t get it. But when you’re about to give up, it comes. Sometimes the love we are looking for is right in front of us—too close for the eyes to see. So close, your eyes and heart see it self. There are things you love to hear but you can never hear it from a person who says it with his heart. Just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want him or her doesn’t mean that they don’t love you with all that they have. There are so many stars in the sky, only some are radiant to be noticed. Among those you choose to ignore is the one, which is willing to shine for you forever even if your glance remains elsewhere. God never closes a door without opening a window. He always gives something better when He takes something away. Heartbreaks will last as long as you want and cut deep as you allow them to go. Challenge is not how to survive heartbreaks but to learn from them. In relationship, thank God you’re hurting or crying. There you are given a chance to measure the importance of the person because you experienced suffering. We have no right to ask when sorrows come, “Why this happens to me?”, unless we ask the same question for every moment of happiness that comes our way. When God puts a tear in your eye, it’s because He wants to put rainbow in your heart.

A heart truly in love never loses hope but always believe in the promise of love. No matter how long the time and distance. Never say goodbye when you still want to try. Never give up when you still feel you can take it. Never say you don’t love the person anymore when you could not let go. True love doesn’t have a happy ending, that’s because true love doesn’t have an ending.

The Best Ten Love Quotes!

1) "We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly." - Sam Keen

2) "I believe that two people are connected at the heart, and it doesn't matter what you do, or who you are or where you live; there are no boundaries or barriers if two people are destined to be together." - Julia Roberts

3) "I love you not because of who you are, but because of who I am when I am with you." - Author Unknown

4) "Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

5) "In true love the smallest distance is too great, and the greatest distance can be bridged." - Hans Nouwens

6) "Love is missing someone whenever you're apart, but somehow feeling warm inside because you're close in heart." - Kay Knudsen

7) "If I could reach up and hold a star for every time you've made me smile, the entire evening sky would be in the palm of my hand." - Author Unknown

8) "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched- they must be felt with the heart." - Helen Keller

9) "Love doesn't make the world go 'round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile." - Franklin P. Jones

10) "If I know what love is, it is because of you." - Herman Hesse

Monday, November 24, 2008

Happy Anniversary To Us!

This day, November 25, is one of my happiest days of my life because we have reached one year with my Honey Marecel.
The day when we first met is just like yesterday. I can't still believe that she becomes a special part of my life now. It was when we formally met and shook hands during the burial of one brother in Asuncion. I have seen her in the school at Aces when I was a student taking Education and she took up Commerce. I was fourth year and she was in third year. We just smile when we met in the school but we were not that close because I didn't made the move to know her name not until during that burial when I knew that she is one of Jehovah's believers.
She was so charming and accomodating. After that, we had a casual talk in the school, started to get to know each other better. I must admit that i gotta a crush in her but I was keeping it within me because I was afraid to be failed. Why? Because I was thinking that she had a boyfriend considering her beauty and zealousy in Jah's service. Our relationship was only up to casual talk with no close friendship. To think that I am the type of person who is not outgoing. I was hiding myself in the shell of shyness.
Another milestone in our relationship was when she graduated wayback year 2006, and I was the Master of Ceremony together with Maam Milet. I was asked by her Ate Annie to have a picture taking and we took a pose and I was standing beside her. I have the copy of that picture now and I love to look at it. After that, we parted ways temporarily.
During circuit assemblies in Asuncion, she always had a part. I always looked at her and admired her so much. But because she always go with the DO's or CO's and even representatives from the branch office, it hindered me to get to know her better. I was thinking that she is too "holy" for me. I also heard that a Bethelite was courting at her.
It was one circuit assembly when Ate Annie invited me together with other brothers and sisters in their house. It was my first time to step in their home but she was not there because she was on duty at the bakery. We recieved a very nice accomodation. Next special assembly, we were again invited to come to their house and this time, Marecel was with us. Her textmate from Digos was with us also and I understand that this man was so eager to court Marecel but to my big surprise, she spent more of her time with me, ahem. This man also noticed this as well the way Ate Annie treated me. That was also the time that I learned that she has no boyfriend. Because of that knowledge, I was then very eager to court her.
Through my friend, Arlyn Tagnong, I got her cellphone number, and from then on, we started to exchange texts. Then I asked her, with her permission to court her, and I was so happy because as I percieved, I have a big chance of winning her heart. So, I visited her in her house formally on November 25, 2007, Sunday, 7:30 pm. It was my first time to court a beautiful lady in a place where I was not used to go. I mean it was only after a few visit in her house, not often, unlike my first gf.
I went there with Richard. I really don't know how to start a serious conversation amidst many persons in her house until we were able to talk exclusively. It was a casual introduction until I finally expressed my feelings for her. It was sudden that I felt numb but I was positively believe that she won't fail me. It was also a surprise when she expressed her love to me and told me that she admired me long before when we were studying. My heart beats so fast that I almost jump for joy but I only hold myself. I even wanted to made my motorcycle fly because of happiness when we went home that evening.
I am very happy that I finally found a girl whom I truly love and long to be with for the rest of my life. Marecel made me inspired to go on with my daily struggles and to keep my faith stronger everyday. I love her so much that I cannot afford to lose her. She is my life, and she will be my wife in the future. She is the one I am longing for to be with. She is so kind, affectionate, industrious, obedient and all the good qualities a man is looking for. I will never regret of knowing her. I will always love her for the rest of my life. I am not a perfect person, but I will do my best to be the best man for her.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

My First Love!


Photography . . .

Aside from teaching as my present profession, my first love is photography. How I really wish to trained formally on taking best shots. Although I have proven to myself that I can do it based on many wedding occasions that I was hired to be their official photographer, I need to be enhanced when it comes to the latest styles of taking shots in its best angles. I love taking pictures to anything as long as it's worth capturing. My problem is I don't have the latest camera which can compete with the modern and fast growing business of photography. But I am proud to say that I have my own style in taking pictures which will truly make the occasion a most memorable one. Sometimes, I refused to accept bigger wedding coverage because I don't have a very presentable camera to be used and to be shown to many people.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Child Photography - 5 Tips on How to Take the Best Pictures of Children

Children are Natural Photographic Subjects
Although I live in Colombia, wherever you might be in the world, children are natural photographic subjects. They simply love being photographed and “hamming it up” for the camera. This represents a marvellous opportunity for you to take some dynamic digital images. Here are five easy steps for photographing children.

Step 1 – Sometimes You Have to Shoot First, Get Permissions Later

Recently, while traveling on assignment, I was captivated by a scene in the main plaza downtown. A toddler was trying to chase down and catch pigeons that were flying and strutting all around him. Each seemed to let him get close, then abruptly take off as he went for the grab. Wobbling and swaying to keep his balance, he never gave up. He never caught one either, but that’s beside the point. The scene was so captivating nearly everyone around was watching.
When shooting images of people, I’ll ask first before taking photographs if the situation calls for it, but the fast-moving, highly volatile nature of photographing children means getting the shot, then getting the permissions afterwards when necessary. When seven year old Kenya Lopez walked into the room to show me her pet “Iggy”, I started shooting pictures immediately. Later, I got permission – and then got out of there before I had to “hold” it! At more than three feet in length, it’s still the largest live Iguana I’ve ever seen anywhere.

Step 2 – Get In Close or Zoom In

Most "people photos" taken by amateurs (and untrained family members) are taken from seemingly a mile off from the subject. You know the ones. “Oh, that’s me and Uncle Joe at Dead Man’s Curve”. Only you and Uncle Joe could ever recognize the people though because the subjects are a half inch tall in the photo (and probably backlit to boot). With children, you simply must get in close, then optically or digitally zoom in the rest of the way to really fill the frame with those expressive little faces. How could I possibly resist the sly smile of this girl as she passed by me sitting near the beach?

Step 3 – Get Down to the Child’s Level

The taller you are the more distance there is between you and great images when photographing children especially. Squat, kneel, sit down if you can or even lie down if you have to in order to get a subject-eye-view of the lil’ tykes. This is unless of course, you’re one of the “little people”. Photographing children is about them, not you. The girl wanted to know, “Are you taking pictures?” Yes, I was – then promptly took one of her. Since I was sitting on the front steps of a beachfront house I was down at her level and got this eye-to-eye image.


Step 4 – Don’t Be Afraid to Fill the Frame

Relax, the kid’s not going to bite you – okay, well maybe some of them might try, especially if you deserve it - but you still need to fill that camera viewing screen before daring to take the shot. Their smaller features virtually mandate getting closer, frame-filling images for greater impact. You can’t be very far away when photographing children. When this little boy dropped a stick he was playing with into the drainage grating, I squatted down to fill the frame and get his quizzical, almost angry look.



Step 5 – Capture the Moment

Photographing children means capturing the moment whether it’s action, displays of emotions, documenting situations, portraying clothing, recording special events, illustrating participation in sports, showing elements of childhood play or creating humorous images of children imitating adults. These two girls playing in a pool looked up as I walked by and smiled as I looked down and took the shot.

Corruption - Deal or No Deal?

Why Is There So Much Corruption?

"YOU ARE NOT TO ACCEPT A BRIBE, FOR THE BRIBE BLINDS CLEAR-SIGHTED MEN AND CAN DISTORT THE WORDS OF RIGHTEOUS MEN."—Exodus 23:8.


THREE thousand five hundred years ago, the Law of Moses condemned bribery. Over the centuries since then, anticorruption laws have proliferated. Nevertheless, legislation has not succeeded in curbing corruption. Millions of bribes change hands every day, and billions of people suffer the consequences.


Corruption has grown so widespread and sophisticated that it threatens to undermine the very fabric of society. In some countries almost nothing gets done unless a palm is greased. A bribe to the right person will enable one to pass an exam, get a driver's license, land a contract, or win a lawsuit. "Corruption is like a heavy pollution that weighs on people's spirits," laments Arnaud Montebourg, a Paris lawyer.


Bribery runs especially rampant in the world of commerce. Some companies allocate a third of all their profits just to pay off corrupt government bureaucrats. According to the British magazine The Economist, as much as 10 percent of the $25 billion spent every year in international arms trade serves to bribe potential customers. As the scale of this corruption has increased, the consequences have become catastrophic. During the last decade, "crony" capitalism—corrupt business practices that favor the privileged few who have good connections—is said to have ruined the economies of entire countries.


Inevitably, the ones who suffer most from corruption and the economic devastation it spawns are the poor—the ones who are rarely in a position to bribe anyone. As The Economist succinctly put it, "corruption is but one form of oppression." Can this type of oppression be overcome, or is corruption inescapable? To answer that question, we must first identify some of the fundamental causes of corruption.


What Are the Causes of Corruption?


Why do people choose to be corrupt rather than honest? For some, being corrupt may be the easiest way—or indeed the only way—to get what they want. At times, a bribe may provide a convenient means of avoiding punishment. Many who observe that politicians, policemen, and judges seem to ignore corruption or even practice it themselves merely follow their example.
As corruption snowballs, it becomes more acceptable until it is finally a way of life. People with pitifully low wages come to feel that they have no option. They have to demand bribes if they want to make a decent living. And when those who extort bribes or pay them to gain an unfair advantage go unpunished, few are prepared to swim against the tide. "Because sentence against a bad work has not been executed speedily, that is why the heart of the sons of men has become fully set in them to do bad," observed King Solomon.—Ecclesiastes 8:11.


Two powerful forces keep stoking the fires of corruption: selfishness and greed. Because of selfishness, corrupt people turn a blind eye to the suffering that their corruption inflicts on others, and they justify bribery simply because they benefit from it. The more material benefits they amass, the greedier those practicers of corruption become. "A mere lover of silver will not be satisfied with silver," observed Solomon, "neither any lover of wealth with income." (Ecclesiastes 5:10) Granted, greed may be good for making money, but it invariably winks at corruption and illegality.


Another factor that should not be overlooked is the role of the invisible ruler of this world, whom the Bible identifies as Satan the Devil. (1 John 5:19; Revelation 12:9) Satan actively promotes corruption. The biggest bribe on record was the one Satan offered to Christ. 'I will give you all the kingdoms of the world if you fall down and do an act of worship to me.'—Matthew 4:8, 9.
(Source:
http://www.watchtower.org/)

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Places Worth Remembering . . .


Mao ni mga lugara na naadto-an na nako. Agwantaha lag tan-aw kay ako lang pud antoson, yeheeeeh!

This is Waig Inland Resort somewhere in Bukidnon. We were here together with my fellow teachers and peers last year, I guess las December during our teambuilding activity. I enjoyed a lot of being there. It was my first time to have a vacation like it with other companions aside from my family and friends. It was really an unforgettable experience of my life.


This is the sliding board, (tama ba). During the morning in second day of stay there, I together with Client, we climbed up to the top and made some videos of the outstanding scenes. You will truly feel relax and ease when you stay and visit here. It's very cool and you will temporarily forget your problems here. Kung puwede pa lang gani unta, di na ko mo-uli pero expensive pud gamay ang bayad sa accomodation. But you will never regret of being there because of it's very cool ambiance.
This is front view of the Bethel home in SFDM, Quezon City where I stayed for 2 months for a training wayback in 1998. This is where I learned many things to become matured spiritually. I really appreciate the provisions which were given to us by the organization, specially in bountiful spiritual nourishment which equipped me to face the challenges in life and to be able to help my fellow brothers in our congregation and of course, those who are thirst in the water of life, the truth about God's word and Jehovah's kingdom.
This is the beautiful province of Nueva Ecija where I had gone for 5 days together with Fe, my close friend. It was after our class in Bethel, after our graduation, she invited me to go there. I went there and I really loved the place because of its warm atmosphere. Ilocano ti sarita ti residents iddyay. They were talking in Iloco as they were thinking that I didn't understand them, di ko nila mabaligya kay na-aw-awatak isoda uray haan unay. Simply because my father is Ilocano. Di ko malimutan si Ate Neng na palagi kong pinagkatuwaan kasi niloloko niya ako sa iloco, naiintindihan ko naman, kawawa siya kase di sya nakakaintindi ng bisaya. Tagm! Di gyod nako malimtan ang ako pag-adto didto lugara where I delivered a Public Talk in English at Tagalog.

What is the Best Teacher?

Experience Is the Best Teacher
Summary: The essay outlines why studying is only part of the complete learning process, using examples from law and real life. Practical experience in a field or subject is the final step in mastering it, because certain tasks cannot be done effectively without practice and hands-on experience.
Instant Correct Practice makes perfect.
Are you prepared to be operated on by a surgeon who has read all about it in books but has never done it before? Have you had your car repaired by someone reading from a manual but who has never been an apprentice? No! Good morning Chair and members of the audience. We define experience as direct personal participation. We define best as most excellent and we define teacher as someone or something that teaches others.

My first example about why experience is the best teacher is because you may be trained extremely well but without experience you are likely to do worse than a person with less training but a lot of experience. My second example is about our law system. My final example is about some real-life experiences.

If a child touched an iron and was burnt by it, he or she is more likely to remember not to do such a thing in future than another who is told time and time again not to touch it. Many times, as teachers would know, when you teach a pupil something on one day and he nods his head and says "yes I know", and ask him the next day, there is a high chance that he has forgotten. However if he has learned it by an experiment or by experience, he is likely to remember for a very long time, sometimes even to adulthood. There is nothing better than experience - experience is the best teacher.

We gain this through our lives and by putting ourselves in different live situations to get it. We can read about how to debate but it is never as adequate as the experience of it, standing in front of an attentive audience, conscious of saying the right thing, even feeling self-conscious and embarrassed but having done this several times, gaining the experience to deal with it and to improve from it. We try saying the debate to ourselves, to our colleagues and family before coming here today just to get the experience!

Instant Correct Practice makes perfect.
To my second example, our law system is based upon experience through punishment. Take for example a criminal being sentenced to five years imprisonment. He will be less likely to commit such a crime in future because of this.

My third and final example of why experience is the best teacher is you cannot be a barrister, a doctor or an engineer as soon as you finish University. You have to become an articles clerk, an intern or an apprentice to get sufficient experience first. You have to get a L or P driver's license before you gain sufficient experience to obtain a full license. Experience is most definitely the best teacher.

First Day of the Second Row . . .

Today is the first day of the second semester for this school year but I feel bored because there are no students, morag wa pud giganahan, hahahha! We are only talking about a lot of things in connection to our responsibilities as mentors to our studs and to ourselves, yehheeeh! Kapoy man gud ning walay klase kung wa kay buhaton. Perte man gud pud iganga ang fac rum, luoy na lang ta ni, gisilotan lagi, yeheeeh! Unsa na pud kaha ang among atubangon karung na semester sa among mga klase. Naa pay subject nako na wa didto, wa diri, makayabag ug hunahuna kay walay libro. Gamit na lang tag internet ani, suyaa bitaw ning walay reference bisag isa na lang unta. Wa tay mahimo kay pag-buot man ni sa CHED na mga subject, wa pud tawon nila gipakapinan ug mga libro. Tagam! Hahay buhay teacher! Congrats sa ako. Nganong mi-enter! Good for me - Mao ni angay nako! Tagam,yeheeeeh!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Kick Off Meeting




I was in Davao City, in Cabantian, Buhangin for our kick off meeting last Monday, Nov. 3, for the forthcoming District Convention this December 12 - 14, 2008. Dugay pa gyod ko nakaabot kay alas 12:30 as udto na ko nakalarga, hinay pa gyod modagan ang bus, yayay kaayo kay na-late gyod ko ug abot sa meeting. Utro pud diay ang akong overseer, heheheh, late pud diay. I went to GMall for the repair of my cp but they need a receipt and so, I need to go back to Globe Tagum for the receipt. Balik na pud kog Davao para ihatod ang ila kinahanglan. Balik2 pud ta ani, morag daghag kuwarta . . .