Tagged...hence this entry...

Mavic, will this issue make me a full-pledged blogger?


The format: Enumeration
The rule: Tag five persons to keep the ball rolling

Part I. Five things I enjoy doing:

• Nature tripping, near or far
• Reading, over watching the tube
• Leisure driving, with or without destination
• Singing, over dancing
• Eating, trying out new entrees

The above things are for "pampa-kalma" (to keep me calm) and keeps me focused.

Part II.

3 Names I go by:

• Zarah
• Elizabeth
• Maria Elizarah

3 Screen Names I have had:

• Princess
• "Pitsel" (Pitcher) - ask my silly classmates in highschool why the name
• "Mestisang Bangus" (Imported Milkfish) - courtesy of my first grade teacher, Ms. Gloria Hilario (Teacher I love you! You're always in my memory!)

3 Physical things I like about myself:

• teeth
• hands
• nose

3 Physical things I don't like about myself:

• Legs, super visible spider veins
• Facial skin, pimple marks not of my own doings, should have sued the dermatologist
• Arms, gain few pounds, it shows right away

3 Parts of my heritage:

• Cavitena
• Spanish
• English

3 Things that scare me:

• Creatures that crawl
• Loosing someone I love
• Getting angry, loosing my energy, gaining wrinkles

3 of my Everyday Essentials:

• Cellphone
• Credit cards
• Lipstick

3 of my Favorite Musical Artists:

• Kenny G
• Prince
• Laura Branigan

3 of my Favorite Songs:

• I don't have the heart
• Dance with my father
• The winner takes it all

3 things I Want in a Relationship:

• Security of tenure (self explanatory, hahaha!!!)
• Respect
• Trust

3 Lies and Truths in no particular order

Lies (I heard from people):

• Second chances (oowws?)
• "Don't call us - we'll call you" (hahaha!!!job hunters take note!)
• The best things in life are free (C'mon, wake up and smell the coffee!)

Truths (I have observed):

• Attitude equals altitude
• Learn the rules so you know how to bend them properly
• Expenses greater than income equals deficit (rub that plastic thing!)

3 Physical things about the opposite sex that appeal to me:

• Neatness
• Pleasant speaking voice (like my husband!)
• Sparkling eyes

3 of my Favorite Hobbies:

• Traveling
• Shopping
• Reading and blogging

3 Things I want to do really badly now:

• Sleep
• Eat Thai Food
• Loose some weight

3 Careers I'm considering/i've considered:

• Lawyer
• Software developer and computer programmer
• Teacher

3 Places I want to go on vacation:

• The Bahamas
• Palawan
• Cavite, my hometown

3 Kid's names I like:

• Abraham, my eldest
• Lemuel, my youngest
• Maria Veronica (should have been)

3 Things I want to do before I die:

• See my children's children...(i want to grow old first)
• Have a vacation with the entire clan, both sides of the family
• Write a goodbye letter for all my love ones, confess, and be blessed

3 Ways that I am stereotypically female:

• Always into "retail theraphy"
• Vain
• Gets really jealous whenever I catch my husband staring at other women, especially when these other women's outfit is nicer than mine (hahaha!!!)

3 People I admire (more than 3):

• My Lolo (Grandfather) and Lola (Grandmother) from mother's side
• My father-in-law
• My MBA Professors at De La Salle, a couple of them, who has multiple college, masters, and PhDs - I admire them for their persistence in studying and wonders how many books they have read to earn those degrees. What's their secret?

Okay, Rerey get ready! aside from Buh who's already been tagged, you're the only friend I have who's got a blogsite - it's your turn fellow!

"In our play, we reveal what kind of people we are."Ovid

Hands Off!

At this age, over the hills as they say here in the US, I felt I had enough experiences of life, of people. Unwise of me to have this kind of mindframe as the previous year had taught me, there is still much to learn. I've realized that age is not a number added but a new way of looking at things, a change of view perhaps.

My years of existence, the last fifteen specifically, had been the most colorful, blessed, and at the same time the most challenging years of my existence. A compound mixture of happiness, ups, downs, setbacks, accomplishments, etcetera. It is during these years that I developed my "too good to be true caring attitude". I must say, motherhood contributed a lot to this trait of mine.

Having genuine concern for people, I have been a shock absorber, a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, but the thing I enjoyed most is giving out advises. It feels so good when people asks for your advise on something. Elated I am when my friend told me how happy she became when she took my advise on holding on to her relationship. And another, who got promoted, when I shared my views on what I think will be better for her to pursue. And another...and another...it is an overwhelming feeling of happiness when they, whom I have given advises returns and say something like, "Salamat, kung hindi sa payo mo, di sana ako ganito kasaya ngayon" (Thank you, if not for your advise, I wouldn't be this happy now!).

The sad part is, of all those years that I have been sharing my thoughts with people and seeing the positive results, twice, i was misinterpreted. By two people (close to me at that), I was told - "Hands off!". From then, one of life's most important lessons, I've learned - DO NOT EVER - no matter how right you think you are, no matter how knowledgeable you are with the subject, no matter if you are very close or related to the person - GIVE OUT UNSOLICITED ADVISES.

"Hands off!" such a harsh remark, a real pain in the ear to hear, a struck in the heart, especially when you have only the purest of motives for the person.

Hurting as it is, it's still an experience which I'm adding to my years.

Living apart and at peace with myself, I came to realize more vividly the
meaning of the doctrine of acceptance. To refrain from giving advise, to refrain
from meddling in the affairs of others, to refrain, even though the motives be
the highest, from tampering with another's way of life- so simple, yet so
difficult for an active spirit. Hands off! Henry Miller

July 13 People

Said to have a feeling for the right time for something to happen, July 13 born people are divided into two extreme types: the less evolved, who believe themselves as unlucky and devastate their own self confidence; and the highly evolved cancerian whose self confidence and self esteem rarely waver.

I am a July 13 people, and so is Harrison Ford (the famous film actor), Father Flanagan (founder of Boy's Town and Roman Catholic Priest), John Jacob Astor IV (inventor of marine turbine and bicycle brake who died on board the Titanic). I could tell, with their lives and accomplishments that the last three belong to the highly evolved successful July 13 people. And I am...to my assessment, do not belong to both types. I am unique, in the middle, having both traits. Advantage or disadvantage? Not sure, it depends, timing is of the essence.

I believe in balance, life is a juggle and maintaining balance is a challenge. To have balance in every aspect of your life is pure success. Family, career, friends, social, spiritual - dividing my energy, time, and effort, making sure not one lacks my attention. This is where I work very hard at. This is how my life evolves. I am plus and minus to get the equal.

I am not famous as Harrison Ford, nor a genius like John Jacob Astor IV, certainly not a founder like Father Flanagan, but I believe that fate has a way of rewarding me for maintaining balance in my life, regardless of temporary setbacks, trials and obstacles.

And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. Abraham Lincoln

Letting go...

A good friend of mine (Thanks Ms. Debbie Ilagan!) emailed it to me this morning . Author is uknown but the writing is so good...'thought it's enlightening and just would want to share...

If people can walk away from you, let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody who left. The bible said that, "...they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1John 2:19]..."
People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay. Let them go.

And it doesn't mean that they are bad people. It just means that their part in your story is over. And you've got to know when other people's part in your story is over... so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead. You've got to know when it's dead. You've got to know when it's over.
Let me tell you something. I've got the gift of goodbye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it. Stop begging people to stay. Let them go!!

If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to ..LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to past hurts and pains ...LET IT GO!!!
If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth...LET IT GO!!!
If someone has angered you ... LET IT GO!!!
If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge...LET IT GO!
If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction ... LET IT GO!
If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents ... LET IT GO!!!
If you have a bad attitude...LET IT GO!!!
If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better... LET IT GO!!!
If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him... LET IT GO!!!
If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship...LET IT GO!!!
If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves...LET IT GO!!!
If you're feeling depressed and stressed.... LET IT GO!!!
If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying "take your hands off of it," then you need to... LET IT GO!!!

Let the past be the past. Forget the former things.

GOD is doing a new thing everyday!!! LET IT GO!!!

Get Right or Get Left... think about it, and then LET IT GO!!! "The Battle is the Lord's!"

I believe God is managing affairs and that He doesn't need any advice from me.
With God in charge, I believe everything will work out for the best in the end.
So what is there to worry about. Henry Ford

Bewitched Ever After

('not Nicole nor Drew's flick, got my own version to tell...names of persons in this story were changed to protect their privacy, and me from being sued or spelled....hi!hi!hi!)

Love spells? believe them? Growing up in a Catholic household, the subject is bizarre, unbelievable, or should not be discussed at all at home. However, this incident in May of 1985 left me on the gray side - believing or not believing...I know it's rather untimely for a holloween piece, but forgive me for believing that "writing is the only profession where no one considers you ridiculous if you're not getting money from it( Jules Renard)."

Fresh from obtaining my Bachelor's degree, I worked as a bookkeeper in a Real Estate Firm. Being the youngest employee at nineteen, the "ahentes" (Sales People) mostly from Cavite (a province thirty minutes away from Manila) are very fond of me - calling me "Nene" (young lady), pampering me with food, gifts, and tips whenever they pick up their commission checks. Oh, by the way, I am the one releasing their checks, could it be the reason they love me? whatever...

It was a sunny day in May, rather slow at the office, a lady "ahente" brought with her a frail looking woman with so sharp looks on her eyes that I couldn't bear staring at her for long. Apparently, the lady is a fortune teller, her name is Linda. But she's got other talents too, she could cast a spell, and love spell at that, is her expertise (does she qualify to be called a witch?).

Gathered in one corner, six lady "ahentes" eagerly waits for their turn of fate telling as Linda shuffles her tarot cards. From time to time, I hear ohhs and ahhs, and excited giggles from the group who couldn't believe what they're hearing. Wondering curiously, I listened to what Linda what saying, particulary to Ms. Ramos (she's the most glamorous sales person of the fifty plus age group). "Forget the man you're with, he belongs to another. Although you have two children with him, he will never be yours. Love the man who lives five houses behind yours, he is the one who loves you so." Ms. Ramos paused for a while and shouted a name, the person who lives five houses behind hers is Bernardo, her childhood sweetheart who stopped pursuing her when see started seeing this married man. She hasn't seen him since the day he left for the US, which was 18 years ago. Linda asked her, "You wanted him back? and you wanted to get out of this relationship that you are in now, right? then write the full name of this guy on this small piece of paper - i tell you, this man will come back and you'll be married before the year ends." After writing the name on the small white piece of paper, Linda quietly recited some sort of "orasyon" (ritual prayer) they said. Handed the paper back to Ms. Ramos with the instruction to place it underneath her pillow for three nights.

The following month, I was surprised with Ms. Ramos' visit. She came with a good looking gentleman of her age, whom she said would want to meet me too and hand me this bag of chocolate personally. I was quite confused why this man would want to meet me anyways. I was so overwhelmed when I learned that this is the man! Ms. Ramos' childhood sweetheart (Bernardo)who just came from the US, the spell worked! (or just a coincidence?). They asked me for the
"ahente's" details, the one who brought Linda to the office. Bernardo wanted to meet Linda and thank her personally. To him, without Linda's intercession Ms. Ramos' would not accept his love and he will forever remain a bachelor for he vowed to remain one if he can't have Ms. Ramos for his wife.

I asked Bernardo why after 18 years he suddenly decided to go back to PI, and his reply was, " I don't know, but I woke up one morning and I realized that I really love this woman(pulling Ms. Ramos closer) and I will fight for her love and will not surrender this time."

Wow! soooo incredibly romantic. What a girl to do? of course I gave them the phone number of the "ahente" so they could call upon her and learn Linda's whereabouts. Bernardo gave Linda $500, so I heard...and I, enjoyed the chocolates.

Yes, it was a tale of an extraordinary love, a good telenovela material which happened in real life. Don't ask me about Linda, I don't know where she is, May 1985 was the first and last time I saw her. Bernardo and Ms. Ramos got married in June, we were invited to the reception. Ms. Ramos is a June bride, so am I...splendid!

Fortunately for me, I need not a spell, for love found me worthy and guided my true love to find me.

T'was on a summer morning
The skies were clear, the wind invites
From a sharp quick joke, came out
A love I never dreamed, I only hoped

Sat by each other's side
The funny things we've shared
From a leisure trip uphills born
A love story never before told

The winds of time blew it's leaves
The love grew, the flowers bloom
From a promise told, yielded
A commitment never bound to end

The fulfillment of a rare experience
To stand the tests of time
Come the rain and high waters
A love to last a lifetime
(a poem I made for the love of my life...on the occassion of our sixth monthsary in 1993)

Over twelve years, sentiments remain the same, love's getting stronger... Bewitched or not - I love this man ever after!

Two souls with but a single thought, Two Hearts that beat as one. Friedrich Halm