<3

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."

~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Hmmmm...

One of the greatest victories you can gain over someone is to beat him at politeness.

- Josh Billings
US Humorist (1818 - 1885)

 

Hey Blogsite!

I missed you! I had forgotten that I could conveniently email my entries to you. 

 

I’m back from my long vacay…

 

So I’ll be back blogging soon…

 

….after I get over the jetlag…

….after I sort through all the mail….

….and make sure all bills are paid….

….and return all calls….

….and clean the bathrooms….

…..change the sheets…

…..refill the pantry…

…..wash the dirty vacation laundry….

 

You’ll hear from me next year. 

 

JUST KIDDING.

  

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don't Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret."

 

— Miguel Ruiz

What If?

‘What’ and ‘if’ two words as nonthreatening as words come. But put them together side-by-side and they have the power to haunt you for the rest of your life: ‘What if?’…”

 

(Letters to Juliet)

 

Nice Weekend Re-Tweet

RT @DalaiLama: Remember that calmness and compassion are an important part of living a fruitful, positive human life.

Sent from my iPhone

Uh-Oh

Kindle is making me poor.  I’m on a book marathon and now I don’t have to wait to go to the bookstore to pick up a title.  At least Kindle editions come with way more affordable price tags.

 

SELF-CONTROL, my sweet, SELF-CONTROL!!! 

 

 

Aaaaaarrrrrgh!

 

This is harder than staying away from anything that had “calories” in it. 

 

 

Good day....good day

Today turned out to be so wonderful despite the fact that I thought it was going to be otherwise considering that I almost OD'd on self-produced adrenaline running around at work, sifting through paperwork in galactic volumes, beating deadlines hour after hour after hour that could have been more of an orchestrated torture scheme set out to get me by clockwork. It was literally dizzying and I almost fainted twice, I tell yah.

Of course, it's a special day for the hubs and me and nothing could ruin that!

Plus this glass of Pinot Noir that washed down all the ugly crumbs of the day, reading a new title in my Kindle, trying out our new electric shiatsu back massager...

The list of good stuff goes on.

Life is good.

It makes me cringe at the stuff I've written here about certain characters a few weeks back. Doesn't that happen to you too? Embarrassed of your own words unleashed at the peak of emotional turmoil?

Can't take them all back now. And I won't, by virtue of principles. If there is anything I learned in life, it is to have a spine and make a stand...rather than go down from your battles by not saying anything at all.

But, it's all good now. The facts haven't changed (sadly) but my feelings and opinions have definitely transcended.

From this day forward, I will not listen to what I hear around no matter how they forcefully shove ugly things down my throat. I will be LESS SENSITIVE, LESS REACTIVE and certainly never to be affected again by pettiness that surrounds me.

After all, we are all humans (including the villains in our lives) with our own unique sentiments and thus cannot be judged by hearsay alone.

Just as I do what I do and say what I say because of personally legit reasons, other people are entitled to the same. In God's eyes, we are equally deserving of the same love.

I will let PEACE and WISDOM rule my heart (again) no matter how scarred it had been, and seek to forgive those who've caused me insurmountable heartaches. 

Bless their hearts! But please bless mine too.

I will seek to be the Angel of Peace once more no matter what it takes and unafraid of what it costs me -- for love's direction not to go anywhere but prosper, and definitely for God's greater glory!

I'll focus on how good life is. And be really less reactive. Seriously. It's about time. I'm utterly disappointed with myself at how poorly I've reacted in the past, but hopefully there's a chance to recover.

I will prove that chance.

"Be Proactive". 

#1 of Dr. Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.  How could I have let that fizzle out?  I think I'm going to adopt it for life. Re-adopt.

Remind me when I falter.

It is good.

It's all good.


Sent from my iPhone

Funny Monday

So I decided to move my trash bin at work to the right side of my desk as part of a year-end cubicle makeover, and put my huge purse down where the bin had been. It hasn't even been an hour into the work day, and so far, I’ve shoved trash on my purse about three times already.

*sigh*

It’s amazing how we humans are wired.  

PS. I'm loving this email function. It makes publishing a breeze!!!

Save the Earth, one cup at a time!

Testing this site's email publishing function 1...2...3!

Today, I officially become a caffeine-free tea drinker & an eco cup user too! (hoping to help save the earth one paper/plastic cup at a time...) If say, 75% of people on Facebook alone sipped from disposables everyday and they all switched to eco cups/ recyclables, imagine what a big help that will be? 375 million cups saved per day!!! (if FB has 500 million users) Even 50%, that's still 250 million!!!

Reality Check for me!

What are you Climbing...Mountains or Molehills?

Thanks, Twitter!!!

Beautiful Skies

I took this shot on my way to work this morning.

(FYI, I drive safe...I was on a stoplight and the light was red, it just turned green the second before I took this LOL)

And then this at the parking lot before coming in to work.



What a sight to behold! The phonecam didn't do it justice. There is a bright glow on top of the clouds as if they were trays of light.

THERE IS AN AWESOME GOD OUT THERE.

Nothing else can explain this wondrous beauty. Some people (and science) just want to take all the credit.

Angels Abound

Hurray!
All my significant memoirs (even the not-so) are finally UNDER ONE ROOF.

HERE!!!

I’ve longed to see them become a major part of the site but never had a chance to realize it sooner because of my always-out-of-whack schedule. (plus I guess I’m more technically-challenged than I dare admit, harhar).
But thanks so much to an angel named Kaye of http://wahmaholic.com who did it for me. She was the one who converted them to XML codes (is that what it is LOL) and was painstakingly importing the posts in batches (maximum allowable per day, on a strict schedule), making sure photos were successfully turned over, and sifting through comments and ensuring they were posted as well (while I lived my normal crazy life).
I’m in the process of purging my online networking sites and my first blog happened to be co-terminus with Friendster, unfortunately the next in line to be axed. So before that happens, I wanted to make sure the 5 years worth of memories/blog posts at “Thoughts at 3am” aka “Til the Crack of Dawn” don’t die with it.
So yippy, the exodus is done. They precede my January 2010 first Sublime Spirit post.

And special thanks really go out to Kaye for doing it all for me! I can’t thank her enough. REALLY!!! You might wonder why it’s that big a deal for me. Well, it is that big a deal. I’m sentimental and waxing nostalgic just being reminded of my journey. And it helps put my thoughts and feelings in perspective.

WHAT A JOURNEY IT HAS BEEN!

ANGELS are strangers/friends who are always willing to lend a helping hand. They are right there in your moment of need. To the rescue!!!

Thank God for real-life angels.

Maybe that’s what angels really are anyway. You, me, him, her… we can all be one for somebody! We just need to be on the lookout for that one perfect opportunity. Or many.

From a Friend

Some people are like angels in disguise. Maybe that's how angels become earth-real, in a way.

Like this one. He posted this on his FB profile and I lurve it! Perfect message, perfect timing.

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered. FORGIVE them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of having ulterior motives. Be KIND anyway.
If you find happiness, they may be jealous. Be HAPPY anyway.
The good you do today people will often forget tomorrow. Do GOOD anyway."

"In the end, it is between you and GOD. It was never between you and them anyway."

Oh I forgot!

I was ranting about some thorns ("A Truckload Off My Chest") a few days back and I forgot to say this...

I just want to offer them to God.

All the pain and tears, the stress they have caused. I lift them all up to you, Lord. I'm sure you planted these ugly souls around so we can all learn and grow well in Thy Name.

May I do all things for your greater glory (always).

It's going to be a good week!

Because I said so!!!

May your week (and mine as well), be free of pain and stress! And instead be filled with peace and love!

I found this online and it made me smile!


*luv always*

New view to the word "STUPID"

If I were gonna be called "STUPID" which my husband says is inevitable due to some truths I bravely reveal, and obviously as some people are wont to do...my friends say take it.

Why?

No one really has the right to judge anyone so we must not take anything personally. Plus, you can "cognitively reframe" things whenever you get railed. And don't forget the mirror too. When you point one finger to someone, three fingers (or is it four) are pointing right back at you. Karma to the 4th degree.

Anyhoozens.

STUPID.

Smart. Talented. Unique. Pleasing. In-Demand.

It is a compliment, after all.

Oh yeah. We can all be stupid, can't we!

Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

Eat, Pray, Love?

My take is:

"Live well. Laugh often. Love always.
Think deeply. Live simply. Work hard. Give freely.

Speak gently, speak kindly. Care deeply. Love generously.
Be kind. Be thankful. Be honest. Be loyal. Be fair.

Spread Positivity.

Explore. Help. Listen. Understand. Transcend. Pray.

Fight for what you believe in. Let no one stop you. And never stoop down. Be wise.

Play. Laugh as much as you breathe. Love as long as you live."

~ Clarisse ~

It's funny because this is what our email signature (the hubs and I) screams right at you when you get a message from us. Believe it or not, it grew from a few words to a lot -- almost like a real email message all by itself. It grew through months and months of learning from these first-hand experiences with people. And it keeps on growing still.

You know, each day blesses us with lessons. Life's lessons brought about by our interaction with others. Everyone is a messenger...the good, the bad, they all come with a purpose: Serving you a bowl of lessons. It's a fruit salad of sorts. That self-righteous neighbor across the street, the pesky authoritative character in your own circle, the most humble human being you've ever met (which defies reality sometimes), a "biatch" who won't get off your back, people trying your wisdom and patience every single day, the sweetest stranger on earth, the smarty-pants co-worker, a greedy but lazy family member, the ever-generous and "going the extra-mile" sales associate. They all give us lessons. They are all there to make us better people in the long run.

Well, if we look beyond the face value of situations and work hard to transcend, that is.

Even the worst of people can bring out the best in you. They are there for you to realize that you are better-bred and so much wiser. To cut to the chase, smarter because you're nicer... And then you strive even harder for your own growth.

Life is a school. Lessons get harder with time, but in the end, we get better. We end up knowing better.

The blurb above is just the tip of the iceberg of what I've learned so far. And I seek to practice it every single day. It keeps me on the right path when challenges blind me with strong retaliating emotions. (I'm only human...)

Like when irritating people throw their weight on me (TODAY, for instance), and then I manage to have the last laugh. Because it's pretty comical how some people can really make a fool of themselves being who they are and doing what they do!

Upsetting? It amuses me. And I'm laughing til my sides hurt.

"You can't call it a day, until you've spread some positivity."

Parrrr-teyyyyyy!!!

I was asked in Facebook what my take on Optimism was:


For me:

It's not even about whether the glass is half-full or half-empty.

It's about throwing in some ice cubes, sliced lemons, and some honey...

Then baking cookies, lounging at the front porch and being tickled silly,

because you're having a private "it's DA bomb" cookies and lemonade party!

4th of July Thoughts

If those fireworks were stars, I would have made a million wishes -- for friends and family, my parents, hubby, daughter, all of you and me. I did anyway!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Blocked!

I must stop apologizing for my sporadic posts. But this blog at inception was really born with very idealistic and surreal visions of spreading constant inspiration to many (yeah right), as with my original 5-yr old but now almost defunct blogsite"Thoughts at 3am", now called "At the Break of Dawn". I shouldn't have piggy-backed that site with Friendster. But how could I have known then?



I'm back here, trying desperately to conquer the writer's block. Or blogger's block, however you may want to call it. I'm blocked, period. Blame it on spreading myself thinly the past months/couple of years. I had no choice but to write paid articles and posts everywhere on the net because let's face it, who doesn't want to rake in the moolah whenever there is an available and inviting opportunity for it? Free bucks, so to speak. All it takes is alloting a smidge of your time to publish some gibberish rigmarole a.k.a. run of the mill product reviews of sorts and then segueing bluntly to the required advertising links which sometimes readers won't even click on. Though it can easily add up to eons if you have a lot to accomplish, read: feeling greedy. Easy peasy lemon squeezy, isn't it? I still can't figure out how this new advertising avenue can work for most (does it really drive traffic; enough bang for their buck?), but I'm doing it because I get compensated for it. Remunerated for being myself -- verbal diarrheic predisposition and all, how cool is that? The whole plot is fulfilled. While my writing skill gets eventually dull and rusty.

I would cringe whenever I notice myself yielding juvenile output (with meticulously correct spelling though, thank you very much, but of course, with "LOLs" and smileys still mysteriously popping out of nowhere as if they were necessary evils and for those I painfully apologize; but it's substantial against the word count I guess, except for the smileys!) But when you're pressed for time, trying to meet a deadline -- with one of the companies sending you a notice that says, "you have 12 hours to publish this so go ahead and take a shower first and don't forget to clean the back of your ears", this, amidst accomplishing some serious career excellence tasks in your bona fide grown up job, who wouldn't succumb to mediocrity? It's a habit-former, I tell you. (And I swear, I almost said "dang" somewhere there). Now you believe me. *kEwL* *LOL* I'm just kidding. I loathe using text/chat lingo, but I embrace it at times. Mine is an affair of the schiz kind with it. Aaaah, my muse still eludes me. I'm halfway through this post and all I've done is nothing but blabber and explain myself. Narcissistic, aren't we?

I digress.

THE PSYCHIC

Have I told you that... (of course, I haven't)...that a "psychic" approached me last weekend? Hubby and I headed down south for a mini-vacation to attend my stepdaughter's graduation. We were hanging out in the mall and I went inside the Saks Fifth outlet called Off 5th to find a friend who we were supposed to meet up with. She's my husband's friend's wife. We ended up trying on different sunglasses and I was caught debating whether to get this pair of humongous Dior shades or not while experimenting with a myriad of angles and double-checking with every mirror available, when suddenly this middle-aged caucasian lady who was talking on her celphone came up to me and said goodbye to whoever she was speaking with, and then old me, "That looks good on you, sweetie." Then she started finding other sunglasses for me to try on. We were even joking that she worked there, but it didn't seem like it. I decided to stick to the first pair that I wanted and she said that it looked good because I have a beautiful face and that it will symbolize a lot of major changes for me this year. A-huh?

[PAUSE]

Then she held my hand, looked away into space and said, "I'm a psychic. You have a beautiful face, and a beautiful spirit. You are always free-spirited and happy. You have a very nice and positive outlook in life. Sometimes though, you look happier than you truly are, but you are able to pull it off. You also have very strong healing powers, a very strong energy within you and you are good at comforting and healing people. It is a gift. You are at your best in the healthcare or medical field, which you've always been in." And I was shocked because I really have always worked in a health-related field (HMO, hospital, clinic, nutraceuticals), that is, whenever I'm not in school pursuing academic exploits as a teacher or student. I confirmed this with her because there was absolutely no way I could hide the surprise, and so much truth that it came with.

Her next question was, "Are you married?" and I said yes. She said, "Your husband loves you. No doubt that he loves you though sometimes he doesn't know how to express or show it. Sometimes you wish he's more there for you emotionally". Uhrm...

"But this year will be a year of a lot of changes. GOOD CHANGES."

And I asked if there was any chance that I'll be pregnant.

She looked and touched my stomach and remarked that it seems "blocked" (what...that too? LOL, whoops, did I just say LOL). She said, "There is a baby boy that wants to be inside you. But it's not happening. He wants to be there but something is blocking it." And so I confessed that I had a still birth three years ago, a cute baby boy named Cody. My personal angel now. (Com'on, with all those truths that she started spitting out, I told myself I might as well dance with it, and hopefully find some answers I've been trying to find, like an itch I've been aching to scratch from a skin rash I've been trying to cover up).

Then she put on a serious face and said, "There are a lot of jealous people around you. All these jealousy and negativity. They are jealous of you, who you are, what you are, what you have. Jealous of you. And all these bad energies are getting in the way. We can undo it." She looked in her wallet and handed me a crumpled and worn out business card.

Her last remark was, "It might be kulam (/koo-lam/)" -- or magic spell, or a curse, but she said it in my mother tongue as if to drive the point home (though she doesn't look like someone who can speak in my vernacular, but if you're an expert in a certain field, of course you'll know what something is called in different terms). And then she left.


I was stunned. And shaken. And it left me feeling as if I was hypnotized for a minute, which also made me panic and worry if I've just given away my social security and all my credit card numbers without me knowing it. But Debbie was there. Unless she was zapped as well. Uh-oh. We seemed fine and unrobbed though. Except for coming out of Saks with a pair of $99. Dior shades for me (snagged quite a good deal anyway), and a pair of Jimmy Choos for Debbie. A-ha! That could be why! Scheming sales people, y'all!

Nonetheless, I still don't know what to make of it. For all we know, she could be guessing. Or tripping. Or just reading what seemed obvious. I could be transparent most of the time anyway, especially if I'm in the peak of an attention-deficit attack. Or do I simply fit a certain predictable mold that she's been seeing through years and years of her part-psychologizing, part-mythologizing practice (I'm not that imbecile not to catch some hints there)? Or could she be trying to pose a threat based on the information I have recklessly supplied as a hasty response to her open-ended suppositions so as to engage me in business, and thus siphon my hard-earned shopping fund from this blogging side job I was just talking about into her personal bank account (and thus farewell, Neiman Marcus Balenciaga Exclusive City Craquele Bois De Rose Motorcycle bag; adieu, new living room curtains; so long, plane ticket back home), just so she could seem to help me find out who these jealous people were -- as if I don't have a clue yet! As if!

For all we know, it could be this earthling who was unceremoniously ditched in favor of moi, or some life form who experienced the same fate in favor of the époux. Or both. Two tyrannized hearts (so they think) of the same bitter league, and/or their minions...a highly likely morphic possibility. I can't blame them. But we all must move on and grow. Everything in this world happens for a reason. It's not a cliché for nothing. Oh, unless it is this kiss-toosh back-biting shark of a witch whose presence lurks around us sometimes in family gatherings, she, whose loyalty is worse than any known polygon in the universe. Old news, my sweet. Old news.

Whatever it is, I just want to see the lady as an angel with a message. And for what it's worth, I am taking it upon myself to deflect whatever spell was cast upon me with prayers to God, Jesus Christ my one and only Saviour (and perhaps because it drove me a little barmy, practicing a little residual skill on casting wiccan spells from when I used to dabble with it back in the day wouldn't hurt either, eh?...so be afraid, my sweet, be very afraid!) I'm just kidding...but boohoowahahaha do you hear my *wicked laugh*?

I'll stick to what she said about GOOD CHANGES coming my way. Good changes not just good things. Meaning something promising and different from the current situation. I'm holding my breath for it. Karma. Bad karma for them. Good karma for me. It will all work out well.

God knows what is best.




















I have faith in Him.

Smile

Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.

~ "P.S. I Love You" book compiled by H. Jackson Brown,Jr.

Hiatus

Like I said in my Wonder Wifey site, no, I didn't get abducted by aliens. I'm just on a short hiatus -- enjoying my parents while they are here on a short visit.

Will be back writing in no time! I usually just check in to write the "paid" articles at this time -- on my other sites. Need to rake in the moolah in order to give my parents the best holiday EVER.

Anyhoozens, here's my update in FB as of today:

...ah the soothing aroma of that morning caffeine fix from the next cubicle...TO DRINK OR NOT TO DRINK??? I weaned myself off it and stayed clean for six months until I fell again last month. What bittersweet mistake, a desperate yearning all over again. A whiff so powerful, it gently lures my soul to doom. The cycle lives on, I'm back to square one...

Wish me luck. Gotta get over the coffee withdrawals again. I'm doing good munching on TGI Fridays Potato Skin Chips. *duh*



I'll succeed like I have before, I just need to make it permanent.

That pretty much sums up my battle as of late.

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle ~Plato

And I'm sure you know I had to insert Plato not just to pertain to this war I've waged against my penchant for coffee.

Anyway, life is good. Meanwhile, you might want to visit MY GRATITUDE JOURNAL for more recent updates (click on the link or the image -- if it works at all):







And here's my Twitter update as of today (if you care to know):

yeah!!! RT @RevRunWisdom: Happiness is being with family.

OH YES INDEEDY!