ROLDANKING

40 HOME-BASED BUSINESS IDEAS

2011-11-09T08:57:00.000-08:00

Try dodging few of these home-based business ideas. Do it at your own pace and space with no time constraint or even peer pressure.

An excerpt (re-write) from ENTREPRENEUR Magazine (Summit Media), June 2011 issue.

(Prices and figures that corresponds may not be real-time, may change without prior notice and may vary case to case basis)

FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER

As photographer, your equipmentwill eat up most of your capital; camera, lenses, tripod, memory cards, lightboxes, light stands, and reflectors.

Startup costs: PHP200, 000-PHP500,000

FREELANCE WEB DEVELOPER

Invest in a computer with thenecessary hardware and software. Create and maintain company websites for smallcompanies to big corporations, as well as organizations and individuals.

Startup costs: PHP50, 000-PHP100,000

TRAVEL AGENT

Go beyond the usual booking andarranging of flights and offer customized vacation packages to your clients,anywhere and at any time of the day. Invest heavily on your marketing efforts.

Startup costs: PHP50, 000-PHP100,000

CATERING

Find a niche by providingspecialized services like and all-healthy menu, or a finep-dining ambiance.Aside from your employees and delivery system, plan your logistics well.

Startup costs: PHP100, 000-PHP200,000

TUTOR

Offer to tutor students in theirhomes, schools, or other childcare organizations. Prepare your lesson planswell and spend on marketing.

Startup cost: PHP10, 000-PHP50,000

EVENT PLANNER

Organize everything from weddings,debuts, to birthdays or build a niche in one. Networking is essential ingetting new clients. Be creative, detail-oriented, and well-organized.

Startup costs: PHP50, 000-PHP100,000

T-SHIRT PRINTING/SILK SCREENING

Go traditional with silk-screeningor go for more unique and instant designs with iron-on decals. Join bazaars orcreate your own online boutique.

Startup costs: PHP10, 000-PHP20,000

PERSONAL TRAINER

Provide one-on-one or groupfitness sessions in the comfort of your clients’ home or in the gym where theyhave a membership.

Startup costs: PHP5, 000-PHP20,000

DIRECT-SELLING

Look for a legitimatedirect-selling company that genuinely interest you as you will be the one goingout to pitch their products to other people.

Startup costs: PHP10, 000-PHP20,000

MOBILE PET GROOMING

Welcome your client’s furry littlefriends to your home or go to theirs. Make sure you have top-of-the-lineequipment and animal-friendly cleaning solvents.

Startup costs: PHP10, 000-P20, 000

MEDICAL/LEGAL TRANSCRIPTION

Work for a variety of companies bytranscribing medical and legal notes. All you’ll need is a compute, a phone orfax machine, and an Internet connection. Connect with hospitals and law firms.

Startup cost: PHP50, 000-PHP100,000

FREELANCE ACCOUNTANT

Provide bookkeeping services tohouseholds and business. Invest in new accounting software to help you servicemany clients at the same time.

Startup costs: PHP10, 000-PHP20,000

FREELANCE INTERIOR DESIGNER

Coordinate with architects,contractors, painters, and suppliers. Invest in your sample books, and acomputer with updated interior-design software programs.

Startup costs: PHP50, 000-PHP100,000

PERSONAL CHEF

Cater to individuals or groups whowant a unique design experience in the privacy of their home. Plan your menu,manpower, and logistics well.

Startup costs: PHP100, 000-PHP200,000

JEWELRY CREATION

Aside from your creative skills,invest in your materials and tools. Go beyond the usual beaded accessories andprovide intricate necklace, earrings, and bracelets made of metal andsemi-precious stone.

Startup costs: PHP10, 000-PHP50,000

CLEANING SERVICE

Clean residences or office spaces,or find a niche in carpet or upholstery cleaning. Invest in your cleaningequipment like vacuum cleaners, mops, and cleaning solvents.

Startup costs: PHP10, 000-PHP100,000

CANDLE MAKING

Sell them in bazaars or onlineshops, or consign them to department stores and home-line boutiques. Providemore than the usual scents, shapes, and colors.

Startup costs: PHP10, 000-PHP20,000

FREELANCE MAKE-UP ARTIST

Take makeup lesson in one of manyaesthetic centers in the country. Most of your capital will go to your makeupand equipment. Cover weddings, fashion shoots, or commercials.

Startup costs: PHP50, 000-PHP100,000

MOBILE SPA

Create your own massage oils, bodyscrubs, and body lotions. Take up a massage class or train your employeesthrough training centers. Make sure you have good logistics and transportation.

Startup costs: PHP300, 000-PHP500,000 (excluding acquisition of vehicle)

FREELANCE HAIRSTYLIST

Enroll in hairstyling classes andinvest in quality industrial equipment: hair dryers, curling and flat irons,and brushes,

Startup costs: PHP50, 000-PHP100,000

HERB GARDENING

Supply various herbs and greens tolocal restaurant, hotels, homes, and even supermarkets. Make sure though toobserve the required farming practices if you are going to claim that yourproducts are organic.

Startup costs: PHP50, 000-PHP100,000

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING

A bulk of your capital will go toindustrial-grade equipment like lawnmowers, garden sheers, rakes and shovels, serviceresidential areas, office facades, or a community gardens.

Startup costs: PHP300, 000-PHP500,000

ERRAND SERVICE

Manpower will be your mostimportant asset here, and timing will be your selling point. Invest in training,logistics, and transportation.

Startup costs: PHP500, 000-PHP700,000

ONLINE BOUTIQUE

Design and manufacture your ownclothing line and set up shop online. You can choose to start on a free-hostingwebsite or create your own domain name.

Startup costs: PHP100, 000-50, 000

BAZAAR ORGANIZER

Much of your effort will bededicated to finding tenants, coordinating with them, and organizing the areas.Invest in marketing efforts to draw them in.

Startup cost: PHP20, 000-PHP50,000

ONLINE BAKERY/DESSERT SHOP

Using the baking and cookingequipment you already have at home gives you the chance to place your moneyelsewhere: Marketing and Ingredients.

Startup cost: PHP50, 000 – PHP100,000

FREELANCE WRITER

Write to the editors of differentpublications (print and/or online) expressing your intention to write for them.Provide some sample stories as well.

Startup cost: PHP5, 000 – PHP10,000 (most for business registration and printing of receipts)

FLOWER ARRANGER

Create arrangements not just forevents or parties but also for residences, offices, and hotels. Look for flowersuppliers and build your own arrangement space at home.

Startup cost: PHP20, 000 – PHP50,000

PROFESSIONAL EMCEE

People with good communication andpublic speaking skills can learn to host events such as parties, weddings,company events, and seminars. Networking to look for clients is key.

Startup cost: PHP20, 000 – PHP30,000

HOME-BASED TAILORING / GARMENT ALTERATIONS

Be the place of choice forcustom-made clothes and alterations. Industrial sewing machines and a wideselection of fabrics will be essential.

Startup cost: PHP50, 000 – PHP100,000

ONLINE BUY and SELL

Sell anything from clothes andaccessories, perfume and toys, to establish a credible and efficient electronicpaying system.

Startup cost: PHP50, 000 – PHP100,000

VIDEO EDITING

Shoot and edit videos for companyreports and presentations, school projects, or weddings and debuts. Your videocamera, computer, editing software will eat up most of your capital. Considerrenting studio equipment when starting, to cut your initial expenses.

Startup cost: PHP100, 000 – PHP200,000

PEST CONTROL

Provide pest control services toresidences and office buildings. Find a niche by using organic and non-toxicchemicals

Startup cost: PHP150, 000 – PHP100,000

HANDBAG DESIGN AND REPAIR

Design and manufacture your ownhandbags, purses, or clutches using differenst materials. Focus oncraftsmanship and quality of materials. Accept repairs as well.

Startup cost: PHP50, 000 – 100,000

COPYWRITER

Write press release, productdescriptions, or event reports for PR companies and big corporations.

Startup cost: PHP20, 000 – PHP100,000

MOBILE BAR

A bulk of your capital will go toyour alcohol inventory and logistics requirements. Incorporate fun drinkinggames and contests to make it more appealing.
Startup cost: PHP50, 000 – PHP100, 000

DELIVERY-ONLY FOOD SERVICES

Your main hurdle will belogistics. Prepare and package meals at home and deliver them to a specificarea. Create a menu that has a theme, is quick to cook, and travels well.

Startup cost: PHP200, 000 – 300,000

ORGANIC FARMING

Take advantage of the growingorganic food trend and grow organic fruits and vegetables. Create your owncompost and sell that you gardening shops as well.

PHP50, 000 – PHP100, 000

COURIER SERVICE

Deliver documents, letters, orsmall items to offices and residential areas. Go green by using bicycles.

Startup cost: PHP100, 000 –PHP200, 000

COMMUNITY TOUR GUIDE

Coordinate with your city’stourism arm to become an accredited tour guide. Provide walking tours, foodtours, or entertainment tours to locals and foreigners.

Startup cost: PHP20, 000 0 PHP50,000

For subscription on Entrepreneur Magazine please visit SUMMIT MEDIA PUBLISHING.

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INTERNET MARKETING: A BUSINESS GATEWAY TO THE WORLD

2011-11-01T04:17:00.000-07:00

Internet marketing can be defined in multifarious ways. Youname it as long as you are in the business of using the internet to rake-offprofit.

Earlier, Internet Marketing consisted of making a website,posting ads to the other companies’ web and so on. But things have changed,Internet Marketing has become a household parlance to every business there is.Internet is being used to boost profit by any company whether it’s a confessedutterly an online business, halfway or just nothing at all.

For obvious (business) reasons Internet Marketing uses theInternet to do the following:

Communication. This is the flagship of the internet. It’s plane communication. Then it eventually evolves into some kind of business to communicate products and services to prospective clients.
Advertise. I guess this is one of the lifeblood of Internet Marketing or the internet itself. This includes selling ad space, goods or products and a lot more.
Research. Encyclopedias were one time kings and queens to scraping information on any kind. Now, you’ll see good ‘ol grandpa on rocking chairs totally unemployed. But I still love ‘em!

Setting aside anachronism, Internet is being used by Internet Marketers to gather demography, feasibility studies, needs, potential and established costumers.

Internet Marketing may include handfuls of the following:

BUSINESS WEBSITE: This kind of internet marketing is typicaland common. This includes images, write-ups, videos, audios and by all meanspossible to convey to the world at large what the company is and what benefitdo they have to clients and visitors alike.

SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING: Obviously, google.com is standingtall among others. A multi-billion company at that by just a pay-per-clickfashion. Google.com as well as other search engine web sites is running asearch engine optimization (SEO) where they are highly paid. SEO is a listingpriority boosting program that maximizes your website hits and popularity onthe internet.

ELECTRONIC MAIL (EMAIL) MARKETING: E-mail blasting, massemailing, or anything that pertains to sending emails to selected or collectivegroup of people and companies. This type is a little bit reserved rather thancandid. It targets only one particular person per email at most.

BANNER ADVERTISING: One website may as well entertain adplacements from other companies or individuals rather than just their own. Fora certain price the ads will be place at certain space on the website dependingon the price and size just like newspapers ads.

ARTICLE MARKETING: Simple, just the way I’m doing! It’s theprocess of writing article about a particular product or service then uploadingit to the article syndicating websites for it to spread at the World Wide Web.

PRESS RELEASE: PR or Press Release is common among manycompanies. This contains news and views, profile, products and services, awardsand recognitions, finished projects of the company whatsoever in one. It isoftentimes sent as hard copies on a neatly and smoothly printed press kit. Butit can also be sent in a form of soft or electronic copy through the internet.

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING: Social communications nowadays arehypes and almost a must. The least you can do to present your product to theworld is through social media sites. Namely; facebook.com, friendster.com,multiply.com, twitter.com and so on. At most you can have a website. In factnowadays not having a website can divert some of your probable clients to yourcompetitors, which I could say “money-turned-to-stone.”

I suggest having your own website though, although you might shell outa little amount but it wouldn't be bad, rather than just using social medianetworks.

First thing in mind is reputation. Personal website may givelasting impression to clients about what company you are. It might be redeemedpartly by the designs and interactivity of your website. Mental reflex dictatesthat if a company cannot afford a website (as most company can) then it’s a bigquestion to their product and services. Frank and candidly, most clients prefercompanies with websites of their own rather than those stuck at socialnetworks!

Second thing is that fly-by-night black ship of the internetmarketing can easily create an account at any social network rather than maketheir own website. Thus, clients tend to back-off and verify a product for awebsite just to reassure.

BLOG MARKETING: A very start-up to website creation. A thing to wannabies. Blogging is asite where you post opinions, comments, photos, videos and even audios. Theblog has its own isolated benefit but not more than a website does (www.website.com).

A blog is a potentialprofit generator depending on your frequency on updating and posting contents.This is not bad for internet marketing greener.

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SOCIETY LOUNGE: A FINE GUSTATORY TREAT

2011-11-01T03:40:00.000-07:00

We have here Filipino sits a la French palate teaser!

But before your nose eagerly sticks into their finely craftedculinary artistry, you might be kicking few strides from the bustle of Makati’s busy streets.Well, maybe just some few steps from your swivel chair and wallah! That’sAtrium Makati.

Don’t freak out for ambiance finicky companions, they’ve gotoutdoor and indoor set-up for some composed and liberated souls.

This Society Lounge thing is the brainchild of the twotriumphant buddies; Andren Dizon and Chef Patrice Freuslon. Both of them steptheir best foot forward on distant shores. They came back to the countrybringing home the bacon and heralding to the archipelago their culinary andbusiness prowess.

Pampanga has been instrumental to the shares of the place’s ornatesetting. Dizon being a native of that place hauled to the Lounge if not thebest then Pampanga’s finest furniture hand made. Take your soles from theinside-out of the Lounge – you’ll never go wrong.

While Chef Freuslon juggles in the kitchen her Frenchcooking stint with Asian and Middle Eastern ingredients. She’s a cookingdemigod of her thing.

That is why at society Lounge appetizers and other dishesgive you a whip in the tongue and a chill to the bone with Crocodile FilletTempura Cum Mango, Sweet Chilli Dip, a mouthful of Shrimp Noodle Spring Rollswith Garlic Chili and a tease of remoulde sauce.

Here, you maybe missing half of your stay, or should I say,half of your life – without the inviting taste of Roasted Salmon Filletpaddling in Cognac Sauce harbored at a scoop of red rice garnished with freshwild greens – the green asparagus and Chinese cabbage.

Mangoes here are one of a kind that dangles a mile at thedinning table. They are treated like queens on the sweet, sour and savorydishes. Obviously, mango is an aftertaste catalyst or neutralizer of thosementioned above.

Macapuno is one thing for Chef Freuslon to tango with warmchocolate caramel tarts.

That’s a taste buster!

Society Lounge can book upto 50 people to be laid snootilyon their cozy couch and at least 30 to 40 people for the VIP lounge.

Well, they’d commit the sin of omission if they will notserve your finicky taste for wine because at the array, they have the hall offamers for wine from trending cocktails, to fine and mainstreaming champagne.

They are nestled somewhere here:

Atrium of Makati Bldg., Makati Avenue, Cor.Paseo De Roxas, Makati City.

Drop a call: (632) 408-1852

Enjoy!

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FOOD CART: LOCATION IS KEY

2011-11-01T02:55:00.000-07:00

Often times as start-up franchisee we first tend tocalculate capital before contingencies. But Henry Ong (a coveted financial adviser)suggested otherwise.

Now, your budget will depend on feasibility studies on anything else that includes as part and parcel of your target business. At thisjuncture – it’s location!

For somebody who has cold cash in hands we sometimes shrinkour location to fit the size of our budget or shrink our budget to fit the sizeof our location.

This time it would seem neither.

Your target location maybe:

PUBLIC MARKET: Or otherwise known as “bilihang bayan” or“pang-masa.” Here, margins are kept low for the price to be much competitive;leveling it to the kind of consumers found in the public market.

Lower margins would mean:

Cutting cost in every area of your operations
Cheaper recipes or ingredients
Reduced servings
Source out for intermediate workforce

If your target location is a public market, then obviouslyyour cash or capital outlay is a little bit smaller.

Affordability is king!

But then logic dictates that what you give is maybe what youtake. With lower margins, then comes lower return of investment – most of thetime.

SHOPPING CENTER: A place most of the time a bit aloof fromcommon mass footprints.

Little elite in ambiance.

In this location designs and taste have to tango to get tothe edge. Remember that shopping centers are hubs of professionals and youngindividuals who are likely to be attracted to comely branding, stylish designsand packaging.

To be at par you may have to:

• Shell out more cash

• Use high-end ingredients

• Train staff for better costumer service

With all these, revenues are higher for the reason thathigher end branding, packaging, training whatsoever brings out the best in thebusiness. Besides, you can also charge higher prices for the goods or services.

Location now depends on your risking personality. Forshopping centers, returns maybe big but losses maybe the same too. In thepublic market – you’ll get the reverse – lesser investment – lesser loss.

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YOUR CHOICE, YOUR DESTINY

2011-05-30T01:08:00.000-07:00

Ever since I step my best foot on college and with my specialization and orientation grounded on philosophy, I’m bugged every now and then of what am I to take unto my sleeves. What goal or career am I to pursue. (Just a hint, I am a seminarian then. And you know where a seminarian is heading,? right) With that status, there are two major elements that I have to check and chose, priesthood or the other way around? When I pursue for priesthood, impending choices I know would still crash along my way. What’s worse is that your choices are coiled upon the wand of your superior or your bishop. When I chose life outside, then much of ‘em is spawning around.

What am I to follow?

There are many choices that are worse not being there at all, ’cause it’s hard for me to pin them out. Am I to pursue engineering, fine arts, computer, editorial, showbizness (ehem, excuse me), yeah it doesn’t mean that if you’re not handsome you cannot be on the line.

Excuse me again for this, to lay myself on the ground, I know how to draw. In fact I did it some way back in elementary when I won third on our annual campus art competition; and in high school when I won Community Service when I was left bathing on silver dusts, paints, scissors, colored papers, colored pens, cutters, back drafts, cartolinas and a lot of them still waiting at home waiting to be bored by the usually pay back "oi, thank you, ang galing mo’ng mag-drawing," and all of them goners afterwards. That is why my uncle encouraged me to take engineering or fine arts.

I also love computers or any tech elements. When I was a kid, I usually turn, twist and pop radio component parts ’till they no longer say a word.

In college, I spend a lot of my slack time, or not even slack time, doing some tweaks on a Pentium 2 or 3 computers ’till the system says "DISK BOOT FAILURE," and the technician would spend one lunch break for the reformatting. Well, to do it myself, 7 months ago since I’ve written this post I just have finished a Computer Technician training course which I’m finding time to invest.

What would I expect next, but to say that I know how to write and still getting better about it? Did I? Well, I guess you’re too shy to leave a comment afterwards, are you? Objectively, I’m raking few bucks from that, in fact. That’s my occupation and other preoccupation as of the moment. I write for bands and other local (Philippines) artists through my interviews with them; and I also write for you who love to read or skim.

But of all these, which of them am I put at the crux or at the center of my earthly pilgrimage?

Too English, let me speak my tongue: kumbaga, ano yung kakaririn ko?

If I have to draw them at the canvass of my life, they exude a perfect picture of what I like. And I guess this is not a one in a million life phenomenon, it is as common as seeing stars in the sky every night. If you wanna make your life better, then you are immediately confronted to look for the east where your sun rises and stars fill it when night comes.

So, it’s like chasing a rainbow for a pot of gold at its end. But it’s not at all about chasing colors. If you believe in destiny, just like most people do, then most likely you’ll be frozen into a halt. Since you’re waiting for your destiny to work for you, instead that you for your destiny.

I do believe that robots have destinies; that they cannot do otherwise but follow and be a slave of what have been programed in them.

Well, that is their destiny, are you?

It’s hard for me to believe that destiny is a distant from here. That you’ve got no other choice but to follow this long and winding road from here to there where your destiny ends. It’s a matter of CHOICE! I can say no to this and say yes for the others (of course death, you’ve got no choice, but save that as long as we live). Of course we cannot deny things that are getting out of control, things beyond our arrest.

But I’m not writing about it, so forget it.

God did not intend to make robots in us. It’s hard to realize human existence without freedom. You can even choose between heaven and hell, though God wants you to be in heaven, but if you chose to be somewhere else then God cannot do something about it. It’s in human nature to choose, and God respects nature.

One Sunday, I have attended a charismatic talk in the person of Bo Sanchez. He speaks about being choosy about life, of what you really want in life, of choosing the right cup of tea in your life - of what God wants in your life - and our power to choose.

Life offers so many stuff (beautiful stuff indeed), that you find it hard to choose among those vivid elements in life. In other words, we are confused and we are waiting for God to choose it for us. Because we think that God offers only one and only one thing in life, and that what you have to choose, no more, no less.

Again, God doesn’t want a robot in us and that’s the purpose of giving us the power to choose. If you are confused, that is because, as what Bo said "…what if God wants all of those things for you, and that you only have to choose among those promising stuff." Why choose? Because you need to focus.

Focusing, in simple terms made a Thomas Edison or a Charles Babbage in the world history and made their influences reverberate and profit our present generations.

You don’t need to be confused, you won’t be missing anything at all, not even missing God’s plan for you. You won’t miss a piece if you chose this rather than the other one. You won’t miss one half of your life if you chose to become a Fine Artist rather than an Architect, though you like both. The usual advice is think about it, pray about it because it works and then decide about it!

That’s it!

I, myself, I won’t be missing anything if I chose to become a priest rather than get married and be wealthy someday. Because, I believe that God is offering me those promising choices in a wide and silver platter.

If you’re going to ask me if I have chosen one, then I have to tell you that until now I’m still having a “free-taste” of everything - just a little bit of everything, spreading my wings as far as it can go – I’m still excited!

In a bird’s eye view - It’s your choice, your destiny!

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NAGPAPALIMUS

2011-05-29T22:21:00.000-07:00

Isang matandang nagpapalimus sa kanto

Gamabi na’y wala pa ring taginting sa lata ng Hekaido

Kung lata pa lamang ay kayang saluhin buntunghininga’t tinging nagmamaliit

Ito’y umapaw na sana

Tumayo na nga lang at makalipat sa kabilang kanto…

May mamang nagmamaniho…

Dire-diretso…

Walang preno…

…mamahinga ka na nga lang lolo

Sadyang malupit sa’yo ang mundo.

☺☺☺

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT?

2011-05-29T22:11:00.000-07:00

This is a seemingly rugged philosophy I often heard of people who hate doing things again and again, or simply those who are stubborn or lazy louds. At first glance the logical connection seems right of the two nuances — perfection and imperfection. Yeah, practice makes perfect, but the other side of the coin says nobody’s perfect! And it seems so convincing to keep them up every time there is a chance calling you to say so.

However, taking a second closer look at the two ideologies, two simple things come to the open — self and the things you do. Simply, when you say "practice makes perfect" it speaks about the things you do. When you say "nobody’s perfect" it speaks about yourself. You, being imperfect has nothing to do with the things you are trying to perfect. Thus, you do have to consider the dichotomy or the duality of two things — self and the things we do.

When you practice, you are trying to perfect the things that you are doing (i.e. dancing, singing, writing, drawing). When you say nobody’s perfect, you simply admit your contingency or your human nature which is imperfect.

Now, saying "practice makes perfect" is trying to perfect RELATIVELY the THINGS that you are doing, NOT yourself. Obviously, you cannot make yourself perfect by perfecting what you are doing; else you’re next to becoming a god. It is a useless passion trying to perfect yourself, rather than the things that you do. The perfection that we’re trying lay on the ground is not the perfection as if you’ll never commit any speck of mistake forever.

YOU, know it well, you can NEVER do that!

What we are talking about is a relative perfection, perfection that is suited for a man, not of a God. So we have to discount godly perfection here.

Now, at human grounds, it doesn’t mean that when we are not perfect, we cannot do things perfectly. Human as we are, no matter how we ‘perfect’ ourselves, and no matter how perfect the things that we are doing, there will still come a time that we would still falter and commit mistakes. And that is where we give justice to reparation, since mistake is everybody’s lot. We cannot make our imperfection ("Nobody is perfect) a defense against not perfecting ("Practice makes perfect") or doing things well.

Just do things as it is to be done, and perfection will find its way to it.
Just remember, in our imperfections, we see perfection itself.

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A BETTER WAY TO KICK-OFF A BUSINESS

2010-12-25T19:08:00.000-08:00

If you are actually planning to start your business, I bet you are planning to put a capital from your own money or use the money of others. In other words there might be thousands of crediting or loaning or whatsoever out there, but whatever is that it is called debt or equity.

Debt means using others money barrowing from banks or other lending companies to start your business. Equity is using your own fund or your own savings to start up your business.

The question is which is which? Sounds obvious? Let’s see!

EQUITY FUNDING

Here’s what we called bootstrapping in equity funding business kick-off. It involves adjusting your own living expenses or using your savings to fund your business. Sometimes I heard it like “shrinking your budget to fit to the size of your dream or shrinking your dream to fit to the size of your budget” – either way you have no choice if the budget speaks.

Ok. For bootstrapping businessmen out there here are your advantages:

• You have complete independence and command over your business. Remember, if things turn worst to worst then you have only your own money to lose without hang-ups over your creditors.

• Bootstrappers tend to be more cautious about using the budget especially if it’s hard-won. Others would tend to be more spend mongers like some credit card holders. It’s not your money anyway.

• The best thing is the lack of budget is a blessing in disguise in the form of honed selling instincts. Because the lack of budget gets you to the edge of the cliff which pushes you to grapple for survival, thus necessitating the sale of the product asap.

• In bootstrapping wastage is damnable and there will be nothing to waste anyway.

Bootstrappers downside are as follows:

• Of course underfunding is one of your major downside. You use your own budget obviously. But for me it really depends on what kind of business you want to establish and how affluent you are.

• Lack of business plans. According to some business consultants this usually happens to bootstrapping business; they usually don’t have plans. Well, perhaps fewer feedbacks or advices to hear from investors. Again, it depends. Individual values speak sometimes.

CREDIT FUNDING

Credit funding serves great help for a non-saver monkey in the entrepreneur world. It will let anybody allow to start business in a fabulous budget at the expense of the creditor. But you have to be careful because this business start-up fashion gets into the nerve of your business in the form of walloping interest rates.

Your advantages get to be like these:

• It catches your business’ surging overhead even before your capital is drawn out from your hard work.

• Saves you more time – quick and easy – though for credit cards only.

• Credits are good temporary solutions. It comes to the rescue if you comes short of your budget.

• Again with credits you can start with nothing on the pocket or and as long as your business has a promising daylight.

Your disgrace if things get out of rail:

• Of course a debt is a debt until death. Without wiser thoughts on handling debts or credits then you’ll be running through hell.

• You don’t have full control over your business in a sense that creditors keep hacking at your back while you work harder each day or else double it.

• You’ll have constant race between debts and your profit. Unless, business goes well then all ends well.

The final scruple is to never go into business you don’t have knowledge to. That is the very basic principle every businessman knows and follows. Knowledge is queen to building a business, while capital is king.

TAXES BLUES: PAY TAX LIKE A PRO

2010-12-25T07:52:00.000-08:00

They said that tax is like a form of legalized robbery. Businessmen abhor paying taxes because they see nothing out of what they scrape from their hard work. Everything goes out of the blue like a smoke gone with the wind.

We dislike taxes the way we fear death. But weather we like it or not, according to some advocates, tax is as inevitable as death. Tax on the other side of the same coin is the lifeblood of our physical society. It is in taxes that we build bridges, schools, highways, hospitals and the likes. But it is also in taxes that the social raptors get into our nerves and thus build walls against them instead of bridges.

Tax evasion is a criminal act, that is to clarify things. If the government is dexterous in formulating laws in labs to siphon more taxes, then businessmen are as much cunning in scheming ways to evade tax hits like the famous bullet-timing of The Matrix by Neo.

Nevertheless, there are smart ways of paying taxes – that is to say minimizing the grasp of its fangs on your hard-won earnings or business profit.

TAX SYSTEM IS AS COMPLICATED AS LIFE ITSELF

Let’s accept it that taxation is a complicated piece of systematized suction machine at the expense of our government – not the paying itself. Paying tax is as easy as eating an apple pie. What makes it complicated anyway? It’s just a tango of mathematical operations such as plus and minus.

The complications of taxation add up to the complexity of starting your own business at least here in the Philippines. Further, taxes are a capital burdening leeches sometimes that frustrates businessmen. That is why businessmen held high their brows in quoting their CPA about tax deductions and exemptions. This leaves sour grins between entrepreneurs and the government.

TAX FIRST THINGS FIRST

Businessmen, employee, self-employed or any body that is concerned of earning money must at least know the basic taxation system in our country. Knowing what to pay for is basic as where to spend your last penny – because how badly do you need to minimize your tax payment?

Some businesses are heavily taxed because of the very simple ignorance of not knowing tax exemptions. Collecting sector won’t mind telling you what exemptions are if you won’t mind yourself asking. It’s for their own advantage anyway.

Businesses are first of all advised to hire accounting staff or consultant to check on this matter.

SAVING FACTORS: EXEMPTIONS

Again exemptions are exemptions as long as you dared asked for it. It is never obligatorily imposed on you by the government, if it is then no business will be taxed in a daredevil amount. Unless you asked, you’ll never get it. I guess this is where the government plays a little bit safe into their canopy.

First rule it to find as much medium as you can to minimize tax obligations. You can haggle on your proper use of deductions, the lowering of declared gross income and the proper use of tax credits.

KNOW WHICH IS WHICH

Know what sector of your business is to answer the inquisition of taxation. The basic figure is that administrative sector of the business may differ in taxation from the second which is the manufacturing. The manufacturing requires heavy materials, more labors, electricity and therefore more expenses. Administratives are the staff, accounting, marketing and clerical of the company.

If you happened to buy to one of the biggest pharmaceutical stores in the country, you are perhaps asked for a discount card for points. In the same fashion the Finance Department would issue the what we call Tax Certificate as (meager) tax shield. This will lower your tax liability.

GOOD BOOK KEEPING

While paying tax is a way, keeping a good tracking of all your tax outputs is another thing. It would be unwise to go into big business and answer the beaconing of taxes without a good accountant to paddle your canoe.

Paying taxes on time may actually lower your tax obligation if you happened to heed to its scruples.

Tax has never been burdensome than paying for what you must have saved by knowing its basic ground operations. And it may never be as annoying as your neighbors shrieking maids or as frightening as death if you know the rule of the game.

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (RULE SEVENTEEN)

2010-12-19T05:15:00.000-08:00

For a Better Way to Live

Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness I s a perfume you cannot pour on other without getting a few drops on yourself.

Ok. You have the question “how to be really really happy?” The answer is “it's all up to you!” No hurt feelings because I have to tell you even the most illustrious and most mentally favored philosopher in the world doesn't have an answer to that – or at least doesn't have a specific answer on how you would be happy with your life.

Aristotle just said “happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” So where is the answer to that?

Socrates himself leaves one of the most quoted quotable quotations in the world “know thy self.” But Socrates left us hanging in the mid-air searching and wondering for the unfinished part of the “book.” The statement is so plane and easy as eating an apple pie but is so imperatively persuasive that you'll be pushed to the edge to look for the answer to the statement – because the more you know yourself, the more that you'll be happy.

They said it's money, but this has been a perennial fact and argument that money is hell to others. So that's not money (alone). They said friends will make you happy, yeah, they will. But there are those individuals who have a lot of friends lurking and spawning around but cannot appreciate it. So, who and how you gonna make yourself happy?

There are lots of premises about this but I have to make it simple – happiness is within you! Because happiness is a feeling. Happiness is not like a fly-away butterfly that will only make you happy once you caught it into a net. Happiness is within yourself it's up to you to stir it up. Don't oblige others to make you happy – it's not their responsibility. God has given you the responsibility to be happy. Don't even oblige God to make you happy – or else – that won't work certainly. God has planted within ourselves that seed of happiness. Now you have to cultivate it.

Others think, to be happy is so expensive, that is why they surround themselves with astounding wealth, mansions, luxury cars, casinos and lots of night-outs and fat checks. Others think also that these things won't make them happy – so they remain in poverty – and so neither they are happy! Perhaps, both of them are missing the point. Perhaps, both of them are busy catching butterflies in the wild.

Happiness is a feeling, an emotion, a perception and a reaction. All of them are all pressed down into your heart. There is no emotion, perception or whatsoever in diamonds, money, mansions, cars because again man is the measure of all things. The happiness you feel depends upon the way you measure things around you.

The problem is that because of our self-made hectic fast switching society our sense of emotional, mental and personal well-being have been left behind and we are fast getting ahead of ourselves. We have forgotten to give values to small but significant details of our lives. We have forgotten the basic instruction that an 8-hour sleep is essential to our happiness. We have forgotten that a basic respect and “thank you” to whoever gave us favor is basic to our happiness. We have forgotten that a little is better than nothing at all. We have forgotten that sharing is fundamental to happiness.

Happiness is like facing a mirror; happiness cannot help but be reflected back to you. If you smile, the mirror smiles back at you. If you give, the mirror gives back at you. That is all the same with the opposite.

If I could suggest something to make you happy it is no other than sharing. If you have already found the fountain of happiness then the pinnacle of what we call happiness is when you let others get wet with that fountain of happiness you've found.

Finally, at Og's last Rule I'd like to share a brainchild by George Carlin of how we are missing a lot about life -and happiness!

And at the culmination of this book review I pray that your life will be prospered by God cause this is how your life is meant to be.

God bless you!

THE PARADOX OF OUR TIME

“The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, (or just never mind).

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”

PENG SERVICES

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INTRODUCTION

RULE ONE

RULE TWO

RULE THREE

RULE FOUR

RULE FIVE

RULE SIX

RULE SEVEN

RULE EIGHT

RULE NINE

RULE TEN

RULE ELEVEN

RULE TWELVE

RULE THIRTEEN

RULE FOURTEEN

RULE FIFTEEN

RULE SIXTEEN

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (RULE SIXTEEN)

2010-12-19T05:08:00.000-08:00

For a Better Way to Live

Search for the seed of good in every adversity. Master that principle and you will own a precious shield that will guard you well through all the darkest valleys you must traverse. Stars may be seen from the bottom of a deep well, when they cannot be discerned from the mountaintop. So will you learn things in adversity that you would never have discovered without trouble. There is always seed of good. Find it and prosper.

They said, we learn more from our mistakes than from our success. True enough, man's nature is that, when one becomes successful then he tends to be complacent – this is where man's virtue (of learning) tends to be idle and tends to rest in slumber. This is perhaps an interesting psychological phenomenon that an easy come success is an easy go success. Because you have nothing to hold on to. There will be no reason strong enough calling you to treasure your success if you haven't failed at least once. Well, I don't mean you have to fail voluntarily or intentionally.

Failures in the form of adversities will teach us more for success. Sometimes adversities will also redirect us from a more conventional way of doing things to a more sophisticated one. God uses this even; God would give you a share of trouble not to trouble you but as a redirection – cause you might be in the wrong place with the right capability.

Always look for the good thing in all unwanted that is happening around.

Speaking of unwanted, I don't know if it's really “unwanted” but one of the most expensive and coveted mineral wonder in the world is the pearl. You might, I presume, knew how it was being formed. Here's how it is formed, “the formation of a natural pearl begins when a foreign substance slips into the oyster between the mantle and the shell, which irritates the mantle. It's kind of like the oyster getting a splinter. The oyster's natural reaction is to cover up that irritant to protect itself. The mantle covers the irritant with layers of the same nacre substance that is used to create the shell. This eventually forms a pearl.” (howstuffworks.com)

The problem with us is that even in times of prosperity or peace we tend to always see scarcity and and trouble – or are just really fault finder? No doubt that it is even harder for us to see good in adversities.

It is said that necessity is the mother of inventions. For without it who would dare spend a lifetime of scheming a way to produce an incandescent lamp to light a dark room? For without adversities who would teach white hat hackers how to defend a web site from the havoc of black hat hackers? For without the adversities of a typhoon who would awaken the spirit of brotherhood and humane faculties of Filipinos who have been affected by it?

Adversities may also teach you to bend a little bit after you have been so obstinate with all the growing ups you've learned. It teaches you to be humble the way it teaches you to become a real man – not cry baby!

One surprising thing about eagle is that they love to stay in the storm! All the birds in the animal kingdom would take shelter in caves and big trees when storm strikes, the eagle would not. The eagle surfs against the storm! They seem to be enjoying the storm instead. They said that this is the time where the eagle trains himself how to soar and hone his agility to hunt for prey. By the way eagles don't fly – they soar! I don't know the difference but I guess there is.

So fly like an eagle in times of adversities – if animals can, why can't you!

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (RULE FIFTEEN)

2010-12-19T05:02:00.000-08:00

For a Better Way to Live

Never allow anyone to rain on your parade and thus cast a pall of gloom and defeat on the entire day. Remember that no talent, no self-denial, no brains, no character, are required to set up in the fault-finding business. Nothing external can have any power over you unless you permit it. Your time is too precious to be sacrificed in wasted days combating the menial forces of hate, jealousy, and envy. Guard your fragile life carefully. Only God can shape a flower, but any foolish child can pull it to pieces.

How do you know if you are the fairest of them all? Or the most talented, the most sought after among them all? Is that you have lots of detractors!

When people usually see you in front of their face, they see you in a picture frame. That's who you should be as they want it that way. But if you are the one who is growing, improving and going better than they do, then you are actually outgrowing that picture frame where they usually see you. They are not use to seeing you getting out of that picture frame and so the tendency is that they'll pull you back to fit again into that damned frame they built for you.

Don't allow yourself to be affected by jealousy, hate, gossips and discrimination because all these leeches are going to exhaust all your enthusiasm and energy – unless you'll be one of them!

Gossips are like swarms of flies they'll going to look for wounds and scabies and they're not there to hasten it's healing but to further aggravate the malady.

People who are fault-finder are like this they'll find small leak in your personality and pester on it despite of the wonderful things they see on you.

Don't pay hate with hate or anger with anger. This might sound a bit difficult when you’re in the heat of the argument, but hey you cannot really put off a fire by another fire, isn't it? What you'll get if you did is just a psychological recompense the other would be legal and financial liabilities which are worst choices.

Remember this, life is short. Always keep that in your mind, life is short.

Hoarding anger, hate, revengeful thoughts and the likes shortens it the more. Worst, it shortens life to nothing but the worst. In other words you’re just wasting your time dealing with people who are so angry, hateful and gossipers. Immediately cancel your business with them and run as fast as you can away from them, except if you want to help them get over it.

But here's one great thing about you, yes you, if someone gets into your nerve, “nothing external can have power over your thoughts if you don't allow them.” The problem is we do allow it to sabotage our peace of mind. Always make it a practice every day to tell yourself: “Nothing external can have any power over me.”

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INTRODUCTION

RULE ONE

RULE TWO

RULE THREE

RULE FOUR

RULE FIVE

RULE SIX

RULE SEVEN

RULE EIGHT

RULE NINE

RULE TEN

RULE ELEVEN

RULE TWELVE

RULE THIRTEEN

RULE FOURTEEN

RULE SIXTEEN

RULE SEVENTEEN

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (RULE FOURTEEN)

2010-12-19T04:55:00.000-08:00

For a Better Way to Live

You will achieve your grand dream, a day at a time, so set goals for each day – not long and difficult projects, but chores that will take you , step by step, towards your rainbow. Write them down, if you must, but limit your list so that you won't have to drag today's undone matters into tomorrow. Remember that you cannot build your pyramid in twenty-four hours. Be patient. Never allow your day to become so cluttered that you neglect your most important goal – to do the best you can, enjoy this day, and rest satisfied with what you have accomplished.

There are people who have been so successful all their lives they've got even to be the most influential person in the city. The problem is that when they reckon themselves they see a hallow pit within themselves; because all these days they have been doing things they do not love and they haven't learned to love.

But sometimes you've got to love what you do. There is a saying that goes “true happiness lies not in doing what you like but in liking what you do.” I don't know exactly what this means, but for me it's either way.

Sometimes you have to do both. Sometimes you abhor medications but since your body needs it, you have to take it. Everybody wants easy money. Typically nobody wants handwork but you have do it to make a living or for money. But unless you'll learn to put value or to find the value in everything that you do then only we can say that you've got to do things one at time.

When you set goal for that day be sure to do it or finish it before the day ends. Those unfinished task usually clings like barnacles on your shoulders ones they are undone and will accumulate tomorrow.

In my experience of working in a corporate world where work is more than what my job description has been telling me to do, sometimes a work done at a day is better and more stress relieving than several tasks left halfway or undone. I always make it a habit to focus on one task at a time and make sure that it is done before the day is off.

Enjoy your work until it ceases to be work anymore.

☺☺☺

INTRODUCTION

RULE ONE

RULE TWO

RULE THREE

RULE FOUR

RULE FIVE

RULE SIX

RULE SEVEN

RULE EIGHT

RULE NINE

RULE TEN

RULE ELEVEN

RULE TWELVE

RULE THIRTEEN

RULE FIFTEEN

RULE SIXTEEN

RULE SEVENTEEN

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (RULE THIRTEEN)

2010-12-19T04:47:00.000-08:00

For a Better Way to Live

Welcome every morning with a smile. Look on the new day as another special gift from your Creator, another golden opportunity to complete what yo were unable to finish yesterday. Be a self-starter. Let your first hour set the theme of success and positive action that is certain to echo through your entire day. Today will never happen again. Don't waste it with a false start or no start at all. You were not born to fail.

I have one question. Ask me what?

Who could have made this day for you? Who made this day for you now that you are still alive?

Nobody?!

Even if you’re the son or a daughter of the richest man on earth. A day is the most precious jewel being dropped from heaven by the One who made you – God. And usually it is received with great deal of ingratitude, worries and sarcasm. Well, most of us do.

If you woke up worried and anxious about the day, calm down, cause even the most influential figure or man on earth do feel the same way sometimes. These individuals would rather dive down into their pillows and conceal themselves from the outside...perhaps even Superman do.

But the best thing is that you're still alive! No other rhetoric is greater than that.

Don't you ever wonder that despite others are more successful than you are, more handsome than you are, more talented than you are, and a lot richer than you are and here you are still alive while they are dead?! Don't you think you have been given more chances that haven't been given to them when you wake-up each day?

Better yet buy a daily newspaper turn several pages from the cover and look for...The Obituaries! Hola, which do you prefer more, the obituary or this day to live?

☺☺☺

INTRODUCTION

RULE ONE

RULE TWO

RULE THREE

RULE FOUR

RULE FIVE

RULE SIX

RULE SEVEN

RULE EIGHT

RULE NINE

RULE TEN

RULE ELEVEN

RULE TWELVE

RULE FOURTEEN

RULE FIFTEEN

RULE SIXTEEN

RULE SEVENTEEN

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (RULE TWELVE)

2010-12-19T04:38:00.000-08:00

For a Better Way to Live

Never neglect the little things. Never skimp on that extra effort, that additional few minutes, that soft word of praise or thanks, that delivery of the very best that you can do. It does not matter what others think, it is of prime importance, however, what you think about you. You can never do your best, which should always be your trademark, if you are cutting corners and shrinking responsibilities. You are special. Act it. Never neglect the little things!

What makes a crystalline silver strand of one of the most coveted beaches here in the Philippines is it's sand composition – a single sand particle. This is where Boracay is known of. Every sand particle cooperates to give the beach a white crystal clear appearance.

They said man is the measure of all things. The little measure of praise you effortlessly give to a co-worker or to a kid each day might be a megaton worth. And a megaton of effort might be nothing to the one who doesn't care. But nevertheless, don't neglect little things even big things either for what is big and what is small but by the way you handle it.

Mother Theresa of Calcutta India said “we can do no great things, only small things with great love.”

It's not again in how big things you are doing, it is in how great is your love for what you are doing that makes sense after all.

What made Rolex expensive but the small parts painstakingly intertwined to produce the watch such as the OCSC (Officially Certified Superlative Chronometer). A very small mechanical part of the watch that took them a year to make a single unit not counting series of rigorous testing that makes Rolex of high quality watch at a very high price.

Now, what makes a man valuable more than any Rolex thing? It is no other than the (little) values he has developed under rigorous testing for many years. Cause what makes also gold a coveted metal but the every molecule that has been purified from impurities after series of firing from the furnace. Same thing, a man's value can only be tested on fire big or small.

Value is never applied in a world where lots of friends abide and comfort abounds, true value can only be tested outside of that comfort zone. True value is tested in the wilderness – in the jungle. Sometimes, your true character and values will surface once you are alone and nobody's watching.

Let me offer a poem from Douglas Malloch which presses on to the best thing that we can do not of how little or big we are:

BE THE BEST OF WHATEVER YOU ARE

If you can't be a pine on the top of the hill
Be a scrub in the valley--but be
The best little scrub by the side of the rill;
Be a bush if you can't be a tree.

If you can't be a bush be a bit of the grass,
And some highway some happier make;
If you can't be a muskie then just be a bass--
But the liveliest bass in the lake!

We can't all be captains, we've got to be crew,
There's something for all of us here.
There's big work to do and there's lesser to do,
And the task we must do is the near.

If you can't be a highway then just be a trail,
If you can't be the sun be a star;
It isn't by size that you win or you fail--
Be the best of whatever you are!

☺☺☺

INTRODUCTION

RULE ONE

RULE TWO

RULE THREE

RULE FOUR

RULE FIVE

RULE SIX

RULE SEVEN

RULE EIGHT

RULE NINE

RULE TEN

RULE ELEVEN

RULE THIRTEEN

RULE FOURTEEN

RULE FIFTEEN

RULE SIXTEEN

RULE SEVENTEEN

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (RULE ELEVEN)

2010-12-19T04:31:00.000-08:00

For a Better Way to Live

Laugh at yourself and at life. Not in the spirit of derision or whining self-pity, but as a remedy, a miracle drug, that will ease your pain, cure your depression, and help you to put in perspective that seemingly terrible defeat of the moment. Banish tension and concern and worry with laughter at your predicaments, thus freeing your mind to think clearly toward the solution that is certain to come. Never take yourself too seriously.

There is a saying that goes “never take life too seriously, you will never get out alive.”

Never take life too seriously is the rule of the game that you must learn, especially to corporate people who are doing serious corporate jobs. If you can please squeeze-in few drops of laughter into your agenda and in your cup of tea - do it!

Laughter has no prescription over-the-counter of a drugstore, if it has, then your family doctor must have asked you to take it every day before work. But it's not. It's everybody’s business. No one would dare tell you what would make you happy, not even a blockbuster film.

In fact happiness and laughter is a gift. There are people who can easy laugh with no hypocrisy bubbling down. They can easily pick up pieces from the bits of life and laugh about it.

Many comedians lived and died in this world but they cannot guarantee that they are happy. And certainly they can make other people laugh – but cannot guarantee to themselves.

One famous comedian said one day in one of his depressive days, "sometimes I would like to stay under the rain, so that no one can see me cry."

So happiness?! It's everybody's business!

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INTRODUCTION

RULE ONE

RULE TWO

RULE THREE

RULE FOUR

RULE FIVE

RULE SIX

RULE SEVEN

RULE EIGHT

RULE NINE

RULE TEN

RULE TWELVE

RULE THIRTEEN

RULE FOURTEEN

RULE FIFTEEN

RULE SIXTEEN

RULE SEVENTEEN

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (RULE TEN)

2010-12-19T04:20:00.000-08:00

For a Better Way to Live

Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.

If in time you have to treat it with urgency, then in your fellow you have to treat them with time, tender loving care. Why? It's not because you'd be gone by tomorrow but they themselves might be past of tomorrow and just be part of your history – they might be gone tomorrow.

You can only treat your fellow like a rose if you have forgiven your past grudges about them and have forgiven what they will be doing to you in the future. This seems so mean to you but hey, how badly you needed change!

You can achieve living this day if you will be happy with everybody. You can only be happy if you allow it to yourself. No comedian in the world can make you happy except by laughing with yourself. And always bear this in mind – there is no amount of things that can make you happy except by being happy with it. There are people who are making big things and yet they are not happy and there are people also who are making small things such as a kid lending a hand to his mom baking cookie and yet as happy as a king.

In everything that you do – do it like a king would do. If you laugh, laugh like a king. If you dance, dance like a king. If you forgive, forgive like a king. If you'd be happy, be happy like a king. If you love, love like a king!

Believe this – that the best thing in life is free!

By the way, who owns happiness? Who owns love? Who owns laughter? Nobody does. Nobody has the monopoly of it. Rich people have it as well as poor once. There is hefty abundance of it among them. You own it. It varies only on how people use it and respond to it. How you make and respond to it is not the problem of love and happiness anymore. It all depends on you.

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INTRODUCTION

RULE ONE

RULE TWO

RULE THREE

RULE FOUR

RULE FIVE

RULE SIX

RULE SEVEN

RULE EIGHT

RULE NINE

RULE ELEVEN

RULE TWELVE

RULE THIRTEEN

RULE FOURTEEN

RULE FIFTEEN

RULE SIXTEEN

RULE SEVENTEEN

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (RULE NINE)

2010-12-19T04:14:00.000-08:00

For a Better Way to Live

Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find “tomorrow” on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats, and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, “If I had my life to live over again...” Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day!

Well, most people who never succeeded treated themselves as if they have thousands of years to live. I'll tell you even the richest man in the world cannot buy a single second of his portion of life. Nobody owns time. Treat it with scarcity.

You know people who have “thousands” of years to live, those are people who drink, party, worry, work and do things to the excess and afford themselves a couple of hours sleep a day – only to know that time is knocking at their door fast.

What you CAN do today – do it!

Don't wait for tomorrow. Who says you own tomorrow or you have tomorrow – you only have this day to live! You only have this day as a crowned jewel of your existence. Yesterday is a pile of rubles and tomorrow is an engineered blueprint of your now. But tomorrow is a distant dimension farther than an unknown galaxy yet.

What you have is now – it's in your hand. Go! Run with that today's baton in your hand and make this day your day – only and only if you have forgiven the past and the excitement of the future thrills your soul.

When your head romances the pillow assure yourself that you have done it best. It is the best that nobody could have done but you.

☺☺☺

INTRODUCTION

RULE ONE

RULE TWO

RULE THREE

RULE FOUR

RULE FIVE

RULE SIX

RULE SEVEN

RULE EIGHT

RULE TEN

RULE ELEVEN

RULE TWELVE

RULE THIRTEEN

RULE FOURTEEN

RULE FIFTEEN

RULE SIXTEEN

RULE SEVENTEEN

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (RULE EIGHT)

2010-12-19T04:06:00.000-08:00

For a Better Way to Live

Never again clutter your days or nights with so many menial and unimportant things that you have no time to accept a real challenge when it come along. This applies to play as well as work. A day merely survived is no cause for celebration. You are not there to fritter always your precious hours when you have the ability to accomplish so much by making a slight change in your routine. No more busywork. No more hiding from success. Leave time, leave space, to grow. Now. Now! Not tomorrow!

In my four years of working in a certain company I feel that I came to a point that I'm going nowhere. The meager light that I use on my way through the dark highway has stopped giving me clues of the road ahead. Nothing but days of prayers have been spent. I asked God to show me back the light – and He did!

At this penning I'm actually fixing myself for another career goal or rather another employment which I deemed more auspicious. But again my headlights span only few meters on the dark highway of fate. The ahead of the road just keeps unveiling as I kept mustering the courage to put my best foot forward without actually knowing what's ahead – but my Divine Master knows it all. To whomever read this – pray for me please. Thank you!

I bet you sometimes feel that you've been so busy once in your life but at the end of the day you feel like you've done nothing, you haven't turned a stone. This I might relate to what we call a rat race.

Like a hamster that keeps running in a circular rat cage without really going somewhere else but the cage. When you realized things like this in your life it's high time for you to rekindle your dreams again. It's high time again for you to start doing things with an end in the mind. Don't let fate dictates what will you going to do and who will you be, instead let yourself dictate fate.

Og Mandino calls this as “killswitch” in a car engine. This switch terminates motor operation in a car whenever it is forcibly opened or carjacked. The killswitch will suspend the operation of the under chassis but excluding electrical lines and other minor operations. So the car seems to be ok. If you test it the horn blows, the windshield wipes and the stereo sings. The only thing that will heat you up is that you are going nowhere because the engine is dead.

Well, again if you feel like somebody had triggered on your killswitch it's time for you to extend a hand for yourself and turn off that killswitch.

Somebody in the past might have done that to you. Your family member, your close friend, your classmate or your neighbor or you yourself – it doesn't matter now. Just go ahead and set your dreams again on track. Tangle yourself away from that rat race.

Set dreams, goals and perspective. That's the only way you can get ahead of others andgive purpose to your life.

Stop the petty busywork. If there is a need for you to be busy then it's no other than building up your dreams to reality – for it's a better way to live!

☺☺☺

INTRODUCTION

RULE ONE

RULE TWO

RULE THREE

RULE FOUR

RULE FIVE

RULE SIX

RULE SEVEN

RULE NINE

RULE TEN

RULE ELEVEN

RULE TWELVE

RULE THIRTEEN

RULE FOURTEEN

RULE FIFTEEN

RULE SIXTEEN

RULE SEVENTEEN

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (RULE SEVEN)

2010-12-19T04:02:00.000-08:00

For a Better Way to Live

Each day is a special gift from God, and while life may not always be fair, you must never allow the pains, hurdles, and handicaps of the moment to poison your attitude and plans for yourself and your future. You can never win when you wear the ugly cloak of self-pity, and the sour sound of whining will certainly frighten away any opportunity for success. Never again. There is a better way to live.

Persons who never find joy in what they are doing might always feel that life isn't really fair, right?!

Sometimes, you might be working too hard instead the other gets the credit. Sometimes, your best might not be enough. You feel that you have fallen into a bad hand, the problem is you got one. The problem is that we always compare in bad spirit. We compare to make us more envious rather than more inspired.

Be the best of whoever you are. Always bear in mind that whoever you are in this world, you serve to complete the beautiful picture puzzle of this world. I may again remind you that however unfortunate you are and you feel – somebody out there is willing to bargain with you.

Here's a poem suggested by Og Mandino. This serves him a lot every time the sting of discontentment and grudges towards life:

Today, upon a bus, I saw a girl with golden hair.
I envied her, she seemed so gay, and wished I was as fair.
When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobbled down the aisle.
She had one leg and wore a crutch.
And as she passed... a smile.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 legs, the world is mine

I stopped to buy some candy. The lad who sold it had such charm.
I talked with him, he seemed so glad.
If I were late, it'd do no harm.
And as I left, he said to me, "I thank you, you've been so kind.
It's nice to talk with folks like you. You see," he said, "I'm blind."

Oh God, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 eyes, the world is mine.

Later while walking down the street,
I saw a child with eyes of blue.
He stood and watched the others play.
He did not know what to do.
I stopped a moment and then I said,
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked ahead without a word. And then I knew,
he couldn't hear.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 ears, the world is mine.
With feet to take me where I'd go.
With eyes to see the sunset's glow.
With ears to hear what I'd know.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine.
I've been blessed indeed, the world is mine...

Certainly, there is Better Way to Live!

☺☺☺

INTRODUCTION

RULE ONE

RULE TWO

RULE THREE

RULE FOUR

RULE FIVE

RULE SIX

RULE EIGHT

RULE NINE

RULE TEN

RULE ELEVEN

RULE TWELVE

RULE THIRTEEN

RULE FOURTEEN

RULE FIFTEEN

RULE SIXTEEN

RULE SEVENTEEN

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (RULE SIX)

2010-12-19T03:53:00.001-08:00

For a Better Way to Live

Let your actions always speak of you, but be forever on guard against the terrible traps of false pride and conceit that can halt your progress. The next time you are tempted to boast, just place your fist in a full pail of water, and then you remove it, the hole remaining will give you a correct measure of your importance.

Like love, it cannot be love at all if it is not redeemed by actions as also faith works alike. Faith moves you into action and if it doesn't, we could hardly justify it.

On the other way around, it is tempting to think after few dosage of fame that you are more important than others – false pride and arrogance toll down in your head.

Think about this, would there be fame without fanatics, would there be crowned Miss Universe without the least in the contestants, would there be politics without voters, so would there be you without farmers tending for your food to eat?

It would even be unbecoming for a president to claim that he is more important than a street sweeping metro aid. I believe there is a purpose why he is sweeping the streets and he is a president. I believe we have all our proper place under the sun.

Perhaps, maggots will one day tell us that we are all the same – 6 feet under the ground!

Always drive your best self on the highway but don't forget your breaks. Other individuals are not the complete measure of yourself it is what you do that measures you. Although, it is said that man is the measure of all things, that measurement fall short when you use that to your fellow men.

You'll never lose a thing anyway if you'll remain humble – except that you free yourself from trouble.

☺☺☺

INTRODUCTION

RULE ONE

RULE TWO

RULE THREE

RULE FOUR

RULE FIVE

RULE SEVEN

RULE EIGHT

RULE NINE

RULE TEN

RULE ELEVEN

RULE TWELVE

RULE THIRTEEN

RULE FOURTEEN

RULE FIFTEEN

RULE SIXTEEN

RULE SEVENTEEN

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (RULE FIVE)

2010-12-19T03:37:00.000-08:00

For a Better Way to Live

Build this day on a foundation of pleasant thoughts. Never fret at any imperfections that you fear may impede you progress. Remind yourself, as often as necessary, that you are a creature of God and have the power to achieve any dream by lifting up your thoughts. You can fly when you decide that you can. Never consider defeat again. Let the vision in your heart be in your life's blueprint. Smile!

Ever wonder why Helen Keller despite of being blind and deaf has been so successful in life plus the fact the she moved life is one of the greatest achievement she had offer to the world? If a blind and impaired like her made a splash to humanity, why can't you? I have also been asking myself about this every day.

Yeah, why can't I?

Who's stopping me?

Nobody else – but me!

Hundreds and even thousands of great thinkers dead or alive have been saying that “what you are is the result of your own thoughts.” You are what you think.

One preacher I heard said that we are actually swimming in the oceans of blessings everyday we're just insensitive about them.

Yeah, true!

In fact, mourning about your problem is an unnecessary action for it to be solved because after all what do you get in return – more problems, right!

What do you do? Confront it as soon as you can, face it as bold as you can.

How do you do it? First, be thankful that you're still alive despite the problems; you still have the chance to solve it. Be thankful for all your blessings every day. Just by waking up in the morning is a great opportunity nobody else in this world could give – but God alone.

Second, again more often than not, you cannot solve your problems alone – in fact somewhere else in the world someone might be willing to take your place to solve your problem – unfortunately most of them are dead.

Tune yourself to always be receptive to everyday blessings – even if it's raining. There is always a seed of good in everything that's going on here.

If you were living in war or even post war at the time of Henry Sy perhaps all you will see is the war itself and be immobilized by it. But Henry looks the other side of the coin – opportunities.

His SM malls are one big solid evidences of his brilliance under pressures. Henry went on supplying shoes for American GIs at the time of war – and that is where his ever awed business came.

Hey, where in the world would you find business in times of war? But he did.

☺☺☺

INTRODUCTION

RULE ONE

RULE TWO

RULE THREE

RULE FOUR

RULE SIX

RULE SEVEN

RULE EIGHT

RULE NINE

RULE TEN

RULE ELEVEN

RULE TWELVE

RULE THIRTEEN

RULE FOURTEEN

RULE FIFTEEN

RULE SIXTEEN

RULE SEVENTEEN

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (RULE FOUR)

2010-12-19T03:24:00.000-08:00

For a Better Way to Live

Always reward your long hours of labor and toil in the very best way, surrounded by your family. Nurture their love carefully, remembering that your children need models, not critics, and your own progress will hasten when you constantly strive to present your best side to your children. And even if you have failed at all else in the eyes of the world, if you have a loving family, you are a success.

I always believe that sparing the rod for naughty kids will spoil them, nor hitting them with it will discipline them. I guess it would be enough to let kids realize that every bad thing they do has consequences; if it can be justified by a rod, then so be it. But a harmonious relationship with your kids is not within the rod – it’s between communications.

Why?

Because discipline without communication is purely punitive. There is no bonding agreement between the two, the parents and the kids. The child can only recall time and time again that his or her parents have been so strict about him – all and nothing else – what a poor way of raising your kids.

Kids don't even need words (except if it's kind) – they need actions – they need role models, likewise not critics.

From the moment they were born is an automatic enrollment to free agency. They become free agent of this world now. Sometimes it will not be your discipline who will mold who they are and who will they be – it will be their choice. And the best way we can do for them is pick them up when they fall.

Hug them as much as you can, cause time will come that you'll be asking yourself “Where did they go?”

They'll going to live you.

Here's a cute poem suggested by Og Mandino for a parent to a kid.

TO ANY LITTLE BOY'S FATHER

There are little eyes upon you, and
they're watching night and day,
There are little ears that quickly take
in everything you say,
There are little hands all eager to do
everything you do,
And a little boy who's dreaming of the
day he'll be like you.

You're the little fellow's idol, you're
the wisest of the wise,
In his little mind, about you no
suspicions ever rise.
He believes in you devoutly, holds that
all you say and do,
He will say and do in your way, when he's
grown up, just like you.

There's a wide-eyed little fellow who
believes you're always right,
And his ears are always open and he
watches day and night,
You are setting an example every day in
all you do,
For the little boy who's waiting to grow
up and be like you.

☺☺☺

INTRODUCTION

RULE ONE

RULE TWO

RULE THREE

RULE FIVE

RULE SIX

RULE SEVEN

RULE EIGHT

RULE NINE

RULE TEN

RULE ELEVEN

RULE TWELVE

RULE THIRTEEN

RULE FOURTEEN

RULE FIFTEEN

RULE SIXTEEN

RULE SEVENTEEN

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (RULE THREE)

2010-12-19T03:11:00.000-08:00

For a Better Way to Live

Whenever you make a mistake or get knocked down by life, don't look back at it too long. Mistakes are life's way of teaching you. Your capacity for occasional blunders is inseparable from your capacity to reach your goals. No one wins them all, and your failures, when they happen, are just part of your growth. Shake off your blunders. How will you know your limits without an occasional failure? Never quit. Your turn will come.

You learn much more from failures than success. Success sometimes would tend to let you be complacent in life.

When Manny Pacquiao has his training he trains like crazy although it is said by his coach that they have the great advantage over his opponent. Why is he doing this? Manny is not giving-in to the temptation of being complacent. Perhaps, he's thinking “not a chance for my opponent - bring it on!”

Failures will sink in every now and then to check how are you doing with life, and if you're not yet then more failures will come until you learn and finally succeed.

Just try to imagine if a child practicing baby steps and after she fell several times would just say “well, perhaps I am not destined to walk all my life. So I'll just stay here and be like this.”

But she's not!

You see, a baby after several failures of trying to walk is now happily scampering the a playground area in school or in your house.

Now, are you a baby? Certainly not! If a baby can do it, so why can't you?

Surely there are lots of stories to prove you that failure is a key to success – but it won't unless you believe in it and allow it.

It is said that calm seas never make a skillful sailor, turbulent does. One of the great sailor moguls in the world are the Vikings. They almost have sees connected to their own system that it made them who they are as conquerors and sailors. It is said that the “north wind (a turbulent hurricane-like winds) made the Vikings.”

You'll never be successful unless you'll learn to deal with failures.

☺☺☺

INTRODUCTION

RULE ONE

RULE TWO

RULE FOUR

RULE FIVE

RULE SIX

RULE SEVEN

RULE EIGHT

RULE NINE

RULE TEN

RULE ELEVEN

RULE TWELVE

RULE THIRTEEN

RULE FOURTEEN

RULE FIFTEEN

RULE SIXTEEN

RULE SEVENTEEN

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (RULE TWO)

2010-12-19T03:03:00.001-08:00

For a Better Way to Live

Today, and every day, deliver more than you are getting paid to do. The victory of success will be half won when you learn the secret of putting out more than is expected in all that you do. Make yourself so valuable in your work that eventually you will become indispensable. Exercise your privilege to go an extra mile, and enjoy all the rewards you receive. You deserve them!

In other words be helpful.

Walk the extra mile. Who could have thought this with great love and authority but Jesus Christ? He said when you are asked to walk a mile, walk for two miles instead.

If you do more than just your paycheck or your job description is telling you, you are actually opening the floodgates of opportunity for you. The best bonus is that you win more friends. Why? Because every time you transact with somebody they think it's business but you surprised them by taking part of you for them and you make them feel good about you.

Paycheck or whatever payment you work for is always there as long as you are capable of working or doing things for business but doing more than what your check is telling you to do is an isolated case of the human phenomenon.

Going an extra mile is obviously outside of the business enterprise. In fact, if you do this you establish within both of you a bridge that becomes the avenue for a lifetime of friendship.

And in everything that you do you have to do it your best because you will never know when will be the next time that you will be given the chance to do it again.

Perhaps, 20 years from now you will regret those things you did not do than the things that you have been mistaken – things that you have done. Mind you, regret is more painful than failure or rejection!

So what are you waiting for, flap those wings, put on the sail and step your best foot forward – and break a leg!

☺☺☺

INTRODUCTION

RULE ONE

RULE THREE

RULE FOUR

RULE FIVE

RULE SIX

RULE SEVEN

RULE EIGHT

RULE NINE

RULE TEN

RULE ELEVEN

RULE TWELVE

RULE THIRTEEN

RULE FOURTEEN

RULE FIFTEEN

RULE SIXTEEN

RULE SEVENTEEN

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (RULE ONE)

2010-12-19T02:49:00.000-08:00

For a Better Way to Live

Count your blessings. Once you realize how valuable you are and how much you have going for you, the music will return, the sun will break out, the music will play, and you will finally be able to move forward toward the life that God intended for you...with grace, strength, courage, and confidence.

It's hard to count your blessings when what you have to count instead are your bills, loans, mortgages, sickness, family problems, personal dilemma, job conflict and so on. Well, I'll tell you if you don't have the blessing you won't be reading me now – aren't you?

I don't blame you if you feel bad about those things, I myself do. But unless, you start counting your blessings or your gifts you can never light a candle in the darkness.

Let's start counting...

First, you hold the Seven Wonders in this world. If you are with me, safe, sound and sane then bingo! you're the luckiest earthling this world could ever had.

First wonder is that, you have eyes to see, second you have nose to smell, third you have ears to hear, fourth you have mouth to speak, fifth you have hands to feel, sixth you have head to think and seventh you have hearth to love.

Those are the real wonders in this world and they're in you. Literally, how would you appreciate the wonders of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon if in the first place you don't have eyes to see it?

But how about those that don't have? The fact that you live is a real wonder while others die every second more than you blink your eyes – and you're not one of them yet!

If you are working in a company virtually harassed by a bossy boss, fastidious co-workers, unpleasant salary and obnoxious working environment, hey think again there are those who are in the unemployment line who are willing to bargain with you – would you?! Or perhaps 95 percent of the world's unemployed are willing to gamble or give up ten or twenty years of their lives just to be in your place.

Hey wake up...there is a better way to live for you – and it begins today!

☺☺☺

INTRODUCTION

RULE TWO

RULE THREE

RULE FOUR

RULE FIVE

RULE SIX

RULE SEVEN

RULE EIGHT

RULE NINE

RULE TEN

RULE ELEVEN

RULE TWELVE

RULE THIRTEEN

RULE FOURTEEN

RULE FIFTEEN

RULE SIXTEEN

RULE SEVENTEEN

FOR A BETTER WAY TO LIVE (INTRODUCTION)

2010-12-19T02:33:00.000-08:00

This is all about the book of Og Mandino's book A BETTER WAY TO LIVE. But before that, we want few pieces of him.

Og Mandino is like everyone else, is an ordinary man who lived next door – till life taps him on the shoulder – and his ordeal begins in the mantle of this earth.

He is an American writer best known for his bestselling brainchild The Greatest Salesman in the World. And so with his other books such as The Return of the Ragpicker, The Greatest Mystery in the World, Secrets for Success and Happiness, The Greatest Success in the World, The Christ Commission, Mission: Success! and a lot more.

When one time Mandino was giving a talk, lots of his audiences have been dumfounded by the way his life was in the crucible of success – but one in the crowd approached him after his talk and told him that he is making it too easy on his part and to them. So, he laid down two sides of the same coin – his success and even before that.

Og Mandino went through hell for a man that he is now.

He is now an inspirational author by a split second wherein one time he wants to take his life by gutful bullet points perhaps, through his head. But a ray of light showed him a better way to live. From that on he scampered streets to streets till he found a library where he found thoughts on better ways to live life. You’ve got to read the book, he’s got a nice recap of his life before his laurel days.

In this book you’ll be hinted how to turn your dreams into reality. Just have an open mind and heart and be ready to redeem what you’ll learn through actions! For everything is null and void without actions.

I bet you have good intentions even when your nose is pressed against your monitor right now – I tell you – you have to act on it! A good idea is never a good idea unless acted upon. Burj Dubai (Burj Khalifa) is never a Burj Dubai unless a ground breaking is being laid for it.

So act now!

But there is one thing that Og wants you to accept in your life that perhaps somewhere down the road you have realized that there is something missing or lacking in there. That perhaps, somehow you need help! Concealing that fact is futile acts of psychological pamper – you can hide it from them but not from yours.

I guess whatever social, political and religious denomination you are Og’s seventeen prescriptions will work for you. Og makes it sure that whenever he writes and after that he gives salute to his Boss – Jesus!

Og reassures, so do I, that failure is the sidekick of success. When Og was trying to submit his penning to over fifty magazines in town none of them lift a finger for Og – plus the cockroach infested kitchen and a lack of hefty meal. Well, that’s a lot of failures!

But before anything else here is the main tenet of Og Mandino’s life metanoia and perhaps of this book: You can accomplish anything you wish that is not contradictory to the laws of God or man, providing you are willing to pay a price. That is to say no one lives for free. We are living in a world of consequences and of cause and effect. Where you are now is the price you have paid.

In your way paying the price for your dream you don’t have to worry because there Is a Big Guy above in control of everything. For Og, that Big God is actually moving his chess piece, set back and see what will you going to do – that is your share of challenge!

Og believes that life is a game and that in every game is a set of rule. You’ll never win a game unless you follow the rules. Problem is that in school we’ve been thought academically from head to toe – but we were not thought much about what is life. In fact, the higher your grades the more they expect that you’ll be more intelligent in solving life potpourri of challenges – we’ve proven that wrong!

School is good. I admit I learned my first ABC in school, basic values education, and numbers in mathematics. Well, math will help you solve numerical complexities but not your financial overhead or relational problems.

Now you have God, yourself and other people as your success agents. After series of failures Og finally hear the following words ringing in his ears: “Congratulations, Og, we’ve just bought your book.” And the cry of success is reverberating in one part of his town “I remember walking slowly up to the front of the church, falling down on my knees, and sobbing. Then I clenched my hand tightly together, raised my head, and cried out, mom, wherever you are, I want you to know…we finally made it!”

Now, the fact that you can read this piece of collective alphabet in front of you – you start to do miracles in your life.

Do it!

RESTORATION – RESTORED!

2010-12-01T03:34:00.000-08:00

The BO SANCHEZ'S KERYGMA CONFERENCE 2010 – RESTORATION! Be Blessed. Be Inspired. Be Restored.

THE EVENT

The conference is one of the biggest Catholic Learning Event in the country. It started in 2006 spearheaded by the founder Bo Sanchez. It has become an annual event since the maiden voyage at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

In 2006 the first event was held under the servanthood of the Light of Jesus Community, also founded by Bo Sanchez. The first Kergyma event was titled Kerygma Live! The prayer convention overwhelmed so many that they demanded for a repeat of such event. By the following year the event was formally dubbed as “The Kerygma Conference” with the additional support from the sister organization, the Shepherd’s Voice Radio and TV Foundation, also founded by Bo Sanchez.

In 2007, Kerygma Conference 2007 under the thrust You Have The Power embarked its spiritual sinews to transform people under spiritual dryness and doldrums. The conference awakens the spiritual power of each and everyone to a new life through our Lord Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, people hunker for more. Bo thinking that they have already given the spiritual nourishment to people laid again the consecutive conference – The Kerygma Conference 2008 Awaken The Miracle In You! This reminds the participants of their capability of make miracles in themselves through faith to our Divine Master – our Lord Jesus Christ!

In 2009, the event has been such unstoppable that it gets bigger and bigger, stronger and happier. After instilling in the hearts and mind of every participant the miracle within, it’s time to let them know that we have a Big God above. So the theme for the next Conference was Dream Big and Win Big – thus the Kerygma Conference 2009 Dream Big and Win Big!.

This 2010, the recently concluded event was dubbed Restoration! An event that orchestrates and redeems the natural mayhem we have experienced at the remaining months of 2009, such as the typhoon Ondoy. In spiritual solitude and meditation, Bo knows God wants his people to be restored – thus the Kerygma Conference 2010 Restored!

THE FOUNDER

Eugenio Isabelo Tomas Reyes Sanchez Jr. or known as Bo Sanchez holds the baton of this event. He was a Catholic charismatic preacher, author, entrepreneur, corporate speaker and founder of so many books and organizations.

He was 13 years old when he got the spark in doing what God planned him to do. He was invited one time in a prayer meeting his mother and her company usually do at their garage. Then one time he was quoted by his mom that he would later be preaching to thousands of people. That thought was saluted by Bo Sanchez and started stepping his best foot forward – to share and shine his “light to the world.”

Bo Sanchez founded the Light Of Jesus Community (LOJ) in 1980, which is the head organization. Later he founded some other organizations such as the Shepherd’s Voice Publications, Shephered’s Voice For TV and Radio, Anawim, The Feast and a lot more – including the Kerygma Magazine and the Kerygma Family.

THE KERYGMA

The Kerygma is a Greek terminology for “proclamation of the Gospel.” It started as a magazine suggested by his father. Bo heeded the suggestion, named the magazine as Kerygma and 20 (and counting) years later becomes the most popular spiritual magazine in the country despite of the predicament before its popularity.

Then the magazine spawned a sister organization called the Kerygma Family. From here, the burning torch of faith becomes more intense and bright that it mushroomed to a bigger event – the Kerygma Conference!

THE KERYGMA CONFERENCE 2010

They could not help but held the event in a bigger venue; such as the Philippine International Convention Center at Roxas Boulevard.

They could not help but gets better every year with more surprises at store. This time it’s a 3-day spiritual gala from November 26, 27 and 28, 2010.

And they could not help but bring more souls closer and more intimate to our Lord Jesus Christ. And as bonuses to the event, which I consider as the happiest event I have ever attended although I attend concerts of popular singers as part of my job, is the joy we felt that no amount the world could ever offer.

Truly, this is the happiest place on earth!

We may call it spiritual event; but hey where is the soul without the mind and the body! The conference is so unique (from any other charismatic event, so to say), that it doesn’t offer only spiritual nourishment but it includes the whole aspects of a human being – social, marriage, mental, physical, emotional and a lot more. Because we believe those are integral parts of ones’ spiritual being.

Each of us huddles different brokenness either from childhood or of the present. It could be marriage, spiritual, personal, emotional aspects of you. That is why what are in store are different forms of restorations they offer:

THE LEADERSHIP Restoration (The Secret to Sustainability and Explosive Growth) – a specialized whole day event for aspirant leaders or for those who are looking for restoration in a “leadership” unto his self.

THE MARRIAGE Restoration (The Secret to a Fantastic Family Life) – this conference is for married couples who want to be reoriented to their marriage vows, be more intimate, be more loving and be more responsible parents.

THE SINGLES Restoration (The Secret to a Blissful Journey) – this is a conference that give singles a blow by blow restoration on their single brokenness as well as single decision making, relationship, sex and finding their partners in life.

YOUTH Restoration (The Secret to Level-Up Living) – one of the happiest conferences in the KCON, obviously by namesake. This conference teaches the youth (specially high school and collage students) life direction and how fun it is to be young and living life with God. This is to empower youths of today of their spiritual realm as well as social.

FAITH Restoration (The Secret to Being a Happy Catholic) – here you’ll be thankful of being a Catholic. Here you’ll be amazed of the treasures of Catholic faith that abounds in each and every one of us. A truly faith enriching conference, after that you’ll have all the reason to be a proud Catholic.

INNER Restoration (The Secret of Healing and Deliverance) – this is a restoration that arrests and reconciles your inner wounds and the wrong beliefs that blocks you from growing. This restoration guides you to be a healing agent to others too. You’ll be ushered to an energized living through faith. You’ll be washed away from wrong notions in your life and turn you into the light.

HAPPY CELEBATES Restoration (The Secret of Not Being Alone but Not Being Lonely) – here celibates are happier than kings. They are to be reminded of their important task of being called to God’s Love and Mercy. Alone but not lonely will be reconciled and be known to them in this seminar.

SINGLE PARENTS Restoration (The Secret of Joyful Solo Parenting) – single parents will be oriented on the joy of being a single breed winner to kids. They’ll be reminded of the getting on with the act of being a single parent – the pain, the loneliness, the love and care and success of being a single parent!

These Restorations are redeemed by the synergy of all the members of the Light of Jesus Community including priests and lay preachers such as:

Bo Sanchez – Founder.
Alvin Barcelon – Feast builder of Feast Marilao, author, school director, radio and TV host.
Jon Escoto – Feast builder of Beñan Laguna, author, international corporate speaker, senior executive.
Pio Español – Feast builder of Feast Taytay, LOJ pioneer, preacher.
George Gabriel – Feast builder of Feast Pasig morning session and Feast Manila, author, managing editor, radio and TV director and hosts.
Obet Cabrillas – Feast builder of Feast Pasig youth session, author, Radical Men Formation director.
Carl Fontanilla – Feast builder for Cebu, Davao, Iloilo (and some other places), managing director.
Vic Español – Feast builder for Feast Ortigas, general manager, entrepreneur.
Randy Borromeo – Feast builder for Feast Makati, stage director, multimedia president, overall coordinator for KCON.
Arun Gogna – Feast builder for Feast South, author, singer, professor.
Rissa Singson-Kawpeng – editor, author, worship leader, speaker
Michaelangelo Lobrin – humorous public speaker, seminarian, author

Note: The following speakers and the details preceding every speaker maybe abridge. If you want full details talk to them personally, contact or research on them – better yet attend The Feast nearest you.

BIRD’S EYE VIEW

When I was born and my diminutive cute battle cry reverberated in the house where I was delivered, my parents told me it was their happiest moment – I didn’t know it yet so I just continue growing. When I was in school, graduation of course is the happiest page of that chapter in my life.

Then when I was working, joy is a kilometer ahead of me each day – more often I’d grapple for happiness for a day. It’s hard to find joy in a workplace where the monotony of doing things are spinning lots of cobwebs of boredom, pressures and fastidious workmates.

But when I was at my unguarded moment free from the tangle of an 8-hour daily arrest of a work life, The Feast is one of my happiest moments – I’m looking for anything else. But hey, this is it!

(The passes in the form of wristbands to the Kerygma Conference 2010 - that I'll be missing for another year.)

When the work life is sucking too much of the air I breathe, of the energy and the handfuls of love that I have this event replenishes what was lost. Well, I have to say this “a Feast a day takes worries away.”

The 3-day event in PICC is one of the happiest moments in my life during my unguarded times – the time when I’m freer from the fetters of work and pressures. Of course there are problems and impending worries that are crouching and pigmenting my mental faculty – but they don’t get even with the promising daylight of joy this event offers me. So, I made these days the Lord’s victory over my worries. The joy and happiness I felt is too big enough for worries to creep in – I say sorry for them!

Kerygma Conference 2010 is truly one of the biggest event, I can consider, that brings the joys of heaven down here!

Looking forward for Kerygma Conference 2011 – with eager brows ahead!

(A teaser for the Kerygma Conference 2011)

(A partial [and still counting] list of THE FEAST- a smaller Feast being done weekly. The one in PICC is a Grand Feast)

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

☺☺☺

TWO LITTLE ANGELS

2010-11-15T01:30:00.000-08:00

It is noble to learn from stories or even nobler to learn from experiences themselves; however, the best of all is to learn from both.

I am usually troubled by the thing recollection giving. I was once in a school which requires us to give recollections, as in giving talks to students of the other schools. I’m far too unrelenting to give one if only I could say no.

Speaking to a public, even just to handfuls of group gives me a nauseating stomach every now and then, thinking that my good might not be enough after all to give to these individuals the thing they suppose to gain. That everything might turn out to be worst, once again. Besides that fact that I’m not too prepared, I have this low public disposition.

I’m so down-esteemed when it comes to facing and drawing the crowds; that I might just be huddled behind my company.

I know that I might not be the only one having these emotional willies in handling groups of people. However, in one of my recollection giving, everything turns out to be like a blessing in disguise, in a nutshell, I superbly enjoyed the activity. I did even perhaps gain the most copious fruit of that activity for life.

Really, oftentimes things are not as they seem to us. This palpable experience respectively orchestrates the narrative story of the two angels which was kept few pages in my module.

It is a consequential story wherein two angels who looked for an asylum on the first house they tried to knock. They came in to the house of a wealthy merchant. But they were kept warm over the night at a stingy compartment. Consequently, the older angel found a hole at the wall of the house. The older angel covered and fixed it. The next day, the angels found rest at the house of a farmer couple. They were snootily kept on the bed. With kindness and compassion to these straying angels, they were even fed with finest bread the farmers could ever have.

But in the morning, the wife was weeping for their only milking cow was dead. The younger angel indignantly complained to the older angel, “the rich man treated us badly but you fixed the hole in his house, and yet this farmer who kept us really warmed and well fed was deprived of their only living instead.” The older angel replied, “when we were at the merchant’s house, I saw gold stocks in the hole, so I covered it knowing that the merchant is so greedy he might use if for worse. But last night when the angel of death came to get the farmer’s wife, I gave him the milking cow instead.”

Really, things are not what they seem to be.

I suggest, you’d be careful the way you see and say about things, events and much more your fellow humans – which are more complicated than any phenomenon in this world.

☺☺☺

THE BIRTH OF BICOL CLERGY

2010-11-15T00:30:00.000-08:00

What is Bicol but a lump of earth nestled amidst the tiny Philippine archipelago. And what is Bicol Clergy, a few centuries ago, but a circle of priests, church leaders and believers mounted by daring and brave souls from the western horizons all the way to the spiritually untamed planes of Bicol region. Modern generations may perhaps, passively overlook the worth-dying events that tolled the foundation of the priestly people of Bicol. Not to mention the sublime purpose that it brought us – Christianity. The birth of Bicol Clergy is a hard-won reality.

In the historical exposé of Dr. Danilo Madrid Gerona, a noted Bicol anthropologist and historian (September 23, 2005, HRMS, Naga City), it is evident that the origin of the Bicol clergy is a hope-against-all-hope enterprise. Such when he mentioned about Several Friars ferrying in a small makeshift boat, and was caught in the middle of turbulent sea due to the unfavorable weather condition. The lack of food, hunger and bad weather that arrested their journey, found no match to their spiritual and apostolic ardor – and for the Christianization of Bicolandia.

Though the Franciscans (and other religious orders), are the pioneering heralds of priesthood and Christianity to Bicol, have their own vices and intemperance during their tutelage, are still individuals that calls for our salute.

Still few circumstances define the noble foundation behind the modern and prolific aura of the Bicol clergy. It is well understood from the lecture of D. M. Gerona that the brawl between the religious priest and that of the secular was in its lighter side, a blessing in disguise. It would be perhaps, credited for the foundation of a formation house for priest in Bicol. The Seminario Sanctissimo Rosario Concellar de Nueva Caceres. Wherein, in its centuries-long of formative fervor, serves as a fertile ‘life blood’ of the Bicol Clergy.

Revolts, compared to other places in the Philippines, are rare phenomena to the Bicolanos; if not only because of their acquiescent personality and deep-rooted religiosity.

Hence, despite resistance, misunderstanding, and troubled moments, the spirit of Christian accord prevails as the promising daylight of the integrity of the Bicol Clergy. Notwithstanding the fact, that Bicolanos, as sensed in the signature of common sympathy, are with hearts naturally inclined to exceptional religiosity – bringing about the Birth of the Bicol Clergy.

☺☺☺

STRATEGY 7: ANG PERA NA HINDI BITIN

2010-11-11T02:57:00.000-08:00

(A book review on ANG PERA NA HINDI BITIN by: Eduardo O. Roberto, Jr.)

A friend of mine just reflexively cuddled me to a Christian bookstore, if I'd be excused from commercial stipulation; the name of the book store is Philippine Christian Book Store (PCBS).

There is no intention of buying anything on or off the shelves, considering my pocket money cannot get even with expenses of the consecutive days before the next cut-off. So I just enjoyed myself and keep teasing my eyes with those hefty pages on the shelf. Kumbaga, binubusog ko na lang mga mata ko sa mga magagandang librong nakapatong sa mga estante.

Then out of nowhere, my friend's hand dangle a mile to show in front of my face this little not too thickly semi-pocket book titled Ang Pera Na Hindi Bitin. So I checked it out. Know what, mas tiningnan ko pa yung likod kaysa front cover ng book – kasi andun yung price eh. It doesn't make sense kung subrang ganda nung book and the contents itself – after knowing that wala ka naman palang pambili.

I found out it was only fifty pesos – as in P50.00. Saka ko na lang inalam yung title - “Ang Pera Na Hindi Bitin” by Eduardo O. Roberto, Jr. So, I tried to inspect my pocket left and right, up and down – I always ware 6 pocket-pants for convenience for all my other necessary accessories plus the odd fact that I don't have a wallet for 28 years now. I always have my money on my pockets – bills or penny.

I bought the book, nevertheless. It's out of my budget, but hey! Binili ko sya. Parang gusto pang kumapit ng 50 pesos sa bulsa ko, hirap akong dukutin. Well, sabi nila it pays to learn and it pays to be informed. Obviously, we spent thousands pesos on television, internet and prints to be informed. Now here's one book that will bring you to the bottom (base) of investing without drowning your pocket and mental faculty as well.

I finished the book in just one night. The book contains some sort of 106 pages cover to cover, regular fonts, double to 1.5 spacing, and directs to point money making and saving tips. If you can read this book and if you are a regular employee, borrower, lender or somebody aspiring to ease the sting of poverty and financial conundrum in your life, then you'd feel like you’re the one who have written this book. Nakakarelate, kumbaga. Laging kapos sa pera. Laging nakakautang at hirap magbayad ng utang. Kung nagpapautang man, hirap maningil ng utang.

O, by the way sa mga nagpapautang, ito lang tandaan nyo, sariling moto ko to “madaling magpautang, mahirap maningil ng utang.” Kahit kaibigan mo, nagiging kaaway pa minsan.

Right were I'm reading the book I still have my own debt na from time to time binabayaran ko pa. That's one of my greatest financial pursuits as of now – after that, I shall have my investments!

On the first few pages of the the book it contains a humor cartoon between a man who withdraws an amount more than what he saves. So the ATM machine scolded him, “Hoy! Ang kapal ng mukha mo! Bakit ka magwi-withdraw ng P500 eh wala pang P100 ang pondo mo.”

Sometimes, of my four years of being employed, sinubukan ko na ring gawin to baka nga naman magkamaling mag despense yung ATM machine, di ba? Pero, huh asa pa! And all those years of employment lagi din akong kapus, lalo na pag malapit na yung sahuran.

What does the book really tells us. It's all about being short of your budget and how will you overcome those shortcomings.

The book offers 7 Strategies on how you could simply budget your income and even multiply it – Biblical and practical.

INTRODUCTION

You must have experienced having worked all day in and out, years after years but at the end of the day you have realized there's nothing left on your savings. And what adds insult to injury is that you accumulate debts instead of income – hey wait you have been working a lot! Now, you've realized your finances have turn upside-down. This is difficult!

The author himself summed-up all his struggles from borrowing amount for business that failed and nosedived on the ground to the business where he was cheated till he succumbed to the quagmires of debts. In other words, hindi lang nalugi, nagkanda utang pa.

The author sticks off his nose from those debts by learning the lessons from those failures. He learned from his Bible studies what he calls “financial stewardship.” All of the things that we have are just temporary and are subject to our management. In fact none of those can we bring when we die.

Spiritually, God cares by the way we manage money. Some of us may not be spiritually ready for big deals and much more some of us are not yet ready emotionally and mentally about handling much money.

Akala kasi natin problema lang ang walang pera o kunting pera, helo! Problema din kaya ang maraming pera.

Learn the lessons na lang sa mga taong biglang nanalo ng milyones sa lotto, then after several years balik ulit sa dating buhay. That is why importante yung sinabi ng author, “financial stewardship.” Yung tamang pangangalaga sa pera, at magagawa mo lang yun kung spiritually and mentally ready ka sa paghawak ng pera. Kagaya na lang ng parable of the talents sa Bible, pinagkatiwalaan tayo it's either itago natin ng itago o padamihin, pangalagaan at i-share.

For Lottery disgrace story: HERE

This book as accorded by the author is not gonna make you superbly rich, unless you make it there, this book intends only to teach you the basics of money saving and investing – para 'wag laging bitin sa pera.

Secondly, this book intends to teach about contentment which one of the prime factor of happy life not only financially but totally.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Money and possession are the most coveted topic in the Bible. According to the author, there are 500 verses on prayer, 500 verses on faith and over 2,000 verses on money and possessions. Which goes to say that perhaps God is using money to test man’s worth and trustworthiness for heaven? It is stated in the Gospel of Luke 16:10 – 12 “Those who can be trusted with small things can be trusted with the big ones...” and vice versa.

Dami ko nang nasabi, let us cater on the first strategy now. Game!

STRATEGY 1 – SAVE

The golden rule when it comes to investing and taking good care of your money. You cannot lift a finger on any investment if you don't have savings – worst, have debts rather than savings.

Ang pag-iipon daw kasi mahirap pag hindi ka sanay. Minsan mana-mana din yan. Kung tinuruan ka ng nanay at tatay mo na mag-ipon at sila din ay nag-iipon, then most probably hindi mahirap sayo ang mag-ipon ngayon. It's just a matter of pasanayan. Once it became a habit then it's easy as chewing your breakfast.

Here's the strategy of how you're going to do it. Ito rin kadalasan yung sinasabi at tinuturo ng mga napupuntahan kung seminars saka mga financial advisers:

• Give 10% nung kinikita mo. I guess, this works all the time. What I mean is give to the Lord 10% of it. Robert Kiyosaki (author ng ligbrong Rich Dad, Poor Dad), one of the greatest investor and financial adviser in the world do this, Bo Sanchez here in the Philippines and the author himself.

• Save 20% nung kinikita mo. Whatever earnings you have, no exception. Kumikita ka man as employee or kumikita ka as fish ball vendor, it doesn't matter. This is one way of saying “pay first yourself.” Dati di ko maintindihan to. Akala ko, night out or night life ka muna, pakain ka naman or gimik ka muna – pay yourself eh. Save first pala ang ibig sabihin nun!

Kung gusto mo ring palakihin from 20% hanggang 50% percent, then so much the better. Depende sa diskarte. Pero, believe it, this basic instruction really works.

• Obviously, yung 70% percent yun na yung pangkalahatan. Gimik, pambayad sa mga bills at iba pang gastusin. Nasa sayo na ang pag-prioritize ng lahat. Pero, “first things first muna.”

• Isa pang suggestion. Try to tally all your expenses. After a month check mo baka kasi may kailangan ka pang bawasin dyan na di naman kasama sa dapat pagkagastusan. Parang blood pressure check lang to. Baka tumataba yung mga pinagkakagastusan mo, yung kita mo lumiliit.

STRATEGY 2 - GIVE

The process of giving is just like the process of saving. Pasanayan ang pagbigay, sa una mabigat. It needs to be a habit then when it becomes a virtue it would be easier than ever. Mapapansin mo you're giving without expecting something in return. It's one way of saying, “Lord, thank you for all the blessings.” If you can say it verbally, then why not do it actually.

“Give and give until it hurts, give and give until it hurts no more.” Yan ang sabi ni Mother Theresa of Calcuta, India.

How much will you give. As discussed above, 10% percent yun. Sa bible first fruits tawag dun. Ibig sabihin yung pinakaunang putol, pinakasariwa at pinakamataba.

Bakit first fruits pa? Bakit pinakamaganda pa sa lahat ng ani?

Obviously, alangan bigyan mo ang Diyos ng bulok! Sa bible sinabi nya sya ang may ari ng lahat. Kumbaga, kung ako yung may-ari ng kumpanyang pinagtatrabahuan mo, bakit ako tatanggap ng bara-barang trabaho. Ako yung may-ari ng company – I want it the best!

You don't have to worry God is a God who never lied and breaks promises. Ito yung pinangako nya sa mga taong nagbibigay.

“'Bring to the storehouse a full tenth of what you earn so there will be food in my house. Test me in this,' says the Lord All-Powerful. I will open the windows of heaven for your and pour out all the blessings yo need.” (Malachi 3:10)

At ito pa. “Magbigay kayo at kayo'y bibigyan. Hustong takal, siksik, liglig, at umaapaw and ibibigay sa inyo. Sapagkat ang panukat na ginamit sa iba ay sya ring gagamintin sa inyo.” (Lucas 6:38)

Last hirit sa strategy na ito. If you have started the habit of giving, please prepare your “storehouse” - yourself – for the graces that will be poured out to you. Kailangang ihanda mo rin ang sarili mo dahil ibubuhos sayo pabalik ang mga biyaya, siksik, liglig at umaapaw!

STRATEGY 3 – GET OUT OF DEBTS AND STOP BORROWING

Debt is one of the parasites of your income. Minsan hindi mo pa natatanggap yung sahod mo, maypaglalagyan na. Nakakafrustrate di ba? Based on my experience. Napapansin ko pag palapit na yung sahuran, paubos na rin ang pundo ko.

Minsan dito tayo magaling, mangutang.

Nagpapautang ako for one time. Ang bilis ipahiram ng pera, pero ang hirap kunin pabalik. As much as possible avoid lending money if you can't be too sure sa pinapautang mo or masyado kang mahiyaing maningil, lalo na kung yung perang pinapahiram mo ay di sayo.

Sa may mga utang sa credit card. Actually, instead na takbuhan nyo yung utang nyo – nadiscover ko lang puede naman palang kausapin ang mga creditors mo; that you have to pay them in an installment, kahit wala munang tubo, surprisingly, pumapayag sila. Logically, kaysa naman di sila mabayaran at all, di ba!

Pero payo pa nga ng author ng librong to, “cut your plastics” into two kung talagang naging temptation sayo yung credit card mo at nagkanda baon-baon ka na sa utang dahil dyan.

Yung may mga utang na planong bayaran sa pamamagitan din ng utang. Try borrowing dun sa may mas mababang interest para mabayaran yung utang na mas mataas ang interest.

Pinaka-importante lang tagala mawala yung mga utang mo. Because you cannot move on financially habang may utang ka pa – believe me!

Lastly, karadagang points, simply lang:

• Have a steady income before getting a housing loan. Obvious ba? Di na kailanggan imemorize yan.

• Do not consign loans! Ito yung kadalasang nangyayari sa mga katrabaho ko. Nagiging co-maker ng utang ng kapwa empleyado. At pag nag-resign, kawawa! Iwasang panagutan ang utang ng iba.

• Don't loan just to impress! In other words wag magpasikat.

STRATEGY 4 – LIVE SIMPLY

Maging matipid!

Ang sabi ko maging matipid – hindi maging kuripot! Minsan kasi may mga mamahaling bagay na nandyan sa atin pero di naman natin kailangan. At bare essentials yung kailangan lang naman talaga ng tao ay pagkain, tirahan at damit. We call it needs. Others that are corollaries to it are wants; mamahaling relo, alahas, handbags, sasakyan at kung ano-ano pa.

Minsan nga yung tinapay pagkain na yan, puede mo nang kainin walang problema dun, pero bakit mo pa kailangang palamanan?

Pabayaan nyo sila kung napagkakamalan nilang kakuriputan ang pagiging matipid mo, after all ikaw din naman ang kinakapus hindi sila.

To make you believe in the power of simplicity to help you prosper, we have examples of the richest men on earth. Si Warren Buffet, na naging isa sa pinakamayang tao sa mundo, drives a pick-up truck and still use and live in a house he used to live about 50 years now. Carlos Slim Helu, still lives on the same house for 40 years now. Sumama rin sa patipiran sila Ingvar Kamprad, a furniture magnate, na sumasakay pa rin sa bus at economy class yung flights. Si Heny dito sa Pinas, nakikipagtawaran pa rin kung namimili.

Sa totoo lang mas madaling gastusin ang pera kaysa ipunin, yun nga lang depende sa pinagkakagastusan mo. Si Warren Buffet na mismo nagsabi, “if you spend for what you don't need, later you will sell things that you need.”

Tama!

Minsan naisasangla na pati mga kawali at kaldero para pandagdag matrikula ng mga anak. Bibili ng mamahaling gamit, tapus wala pang isang taon isasangla na o ibebenta kasi kailangan na ng pera - obviously mas mababa na yung bentahan - wala pang bawi.

Ito pa importante sa lahat, don't let your possessions possess you. It is sad when having is more important that being. Mas importante pa ngayon ang pera kaysa maging tao – mali naman yun. Kaya nga sa pambungad ko, it is important na bago ka humawak ng pera maging tao ka muna. Kay Eduardo Roberto, Jr. – financial stewardship tawag nya.

Karagdagang points pa po:

• Separate your spendings from your emotions. Ok din naman to. Pero point ko lang, you can use money to shake-off stress. Pero minsan ginugusto na nating ma-stress para laging gumimik – nakakawala ng stress eh – not good naman yun. O kaya minsa ayaw natin malait na kuripot or killjoy kaya napipilitang manlibre.

• Pray before you pay. I believe in this. There Is a caring Somebody working for our needs. May mga bagay na outside of our own sight yet works with or for us. May Puwersang dumidinig sa lahat ng panalangin natin. I can attest to this many times simula ng bata pa ako hanggang sa ngayon.

STRATEGY 5 – MAGSIPAG, MAGNEGOSYO

Nothing beats this principle. Though, I only have to add something here, “whatever you do, do it the right way.” Kasi kahit anong sipag mo pag mali-mali yung kamada mo, di ka rin aasenso, mapapagud ka lang. Gaya ng ginagawa natin ngayon. Sipag alone do not work. Dito ko ipapasok yung term na, “financial education” or “financial literacy.” Kailangan lang naman para umasenso o di kaya'y maging “financially free” ka ay tamang kumbinasyon. Sipag at edukasyon.

Di ka pa naman siguro nakakita ng ibon na lumilipad pero isa lang yung pakpak nya. In other words, kailangan nya ng dalawang pakpak para makalipad ng mataas. Sa pag-unlad financially, ganun din. Kailangan mo ng sipag at talino. Hindi pueding sipag lang, o di kaya'y talino lang.

Sabi nga sa The Secret, “thoughts become things.” Ibig sabihin, hindi maging bagay yang iniisip mo o talino mo kung wala ka naman sa gawa.

Sa mga empleyado, wag mahiyang humingi kung sa tingin mo deserving ka naman sa paghingi mo. You will never know kung tataasan ko o hindi unless na humingi ka. Sabi nga sa Matthew 7:7 “ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find...”

Kung hindi ka man tinaasan, magiging masipag pa rin. Remember, hindi ka lang nagtatrabaho para sa umento or magpa-impress, kundi nagtatrabaho ka rin para matoto. Someday makikita mo, some company will be pirating you to them – and that will be the loss of your company not yours.

Karagdagang puntos ulit:

• Maging Enterprising. Sabi nga nila wala naman talagang yumayaman o naging finacially free sa pagiging empleyado. Siguro nga tama. Kasi as I have observed, karamihan ng umaangat ay talagang may hawak na negosyo. Kahit anong negosyo. Si Joey Conception, may ari ng www.gonegosyo.net ay naniniwalang ang sagot sa kahirapan ay entrepreneurship.

Now, paano gagawin? magsimula muna sa maliliit na sideline. Napakayaman ng internet sa sideline, maging masipag lang talaga. Si Carl Ocab isang (dating) high school na naging full time blogger na at ngayon kumikita na ng P80, 000.00 a month. Magpost ng iyong mga gustong ibenta sa www.sulit.com.ph, www.ayosdito.ph at marami pa.

Just keep on educating yourself and sharpening your skills. Ito pagnagawa mo to no pressure to saka enjoy ka pa, since you're doing it according to your core gift.

“All hardwork brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (Proverbs 14:23)

• Matutong Magbenta. Gustuhin man natin sa hindi, lahat ng umasenso financially, natutong magbenta. Puwera na lang kung ikaw si Pacquiao. Pero kahit sya bumibili rin ng mga properties para din ibenta. So, no exception to para di ka matutong magbenta. Again, educate yourself on how to do this.

Maraming scams gaya ng pyramiding scams, pero para masiguro i-check ang mga ito sa DSAP (Direct Selling Association of the Philippines). Mga registered sa DSAP: Avon, Amway, Sara Lee, Symmetry, Easy Phamax, Tupperware atpb.

• Minimize Overtime or Overworking. Ito pa rin, walang kapalit at walang bawi yung 8 hours na tulog ng isang tao na nawala dahil sa overtime. Kahit naman itulog mo pa to ng buong araw. I have experienced this nung nasa call center pa ako nagwo-work. Iba ang tulog na tama.

Observe this, overtime ka ngayon. Kinabukasan pagpasok mo, inaantok ka pa rin. So tulog ka pa rin ng tulog – di ba bawi rin – sulit pa yan pag nahuli ka ng boss mo!

At pagnagkasakit ka because of overtime or overworking, yung lahat ng naipon mo, kung meron man, bawi rin ng gamot at hospital yan. So, balance lang talaga.

• Treat your customers as friends not as clients. Mahirap kasi kung tingin mo lang palagi sa mga customers mo mga cliente parang pagkakaperahan mo lang pagali. Hirap tumagal ang ganitong usapan eh. Treat them as friends and being a client is a bonus to you.

STRATEGY 6 – MAG-INVEST

Ito na yung sinasabi, hindi lang basta iniipon ang pera. Pinapalago din ito. Maganda din naman ang nag-iipon, nothing's wrong naman dun, pero pinakamainam sa lahat ang magpdami ng perang naipon.

Pag nag-ipon ka kasi, kumbaga parang math din yan, addition ang nangyayari. Pero pag nag-invest ka, multiplication ang nangyayari sa pera mo. Only that, it includes little to great risk, depende sa klase ng investment.

We just have to remember the two pillars of investments, para sa akin lang to ha, time and money. At sa pag-iinvest walang hinog na oras para mag-invest, right NOW is the time to invest. Right when and where you read this article or wherever it is. The earlier the better, the merrier and the richer you are!

Kahit naman sa investments may scams pa rin. One of them as told by the author is Multitel. Check here.

So, where are yo suppose to invest? Madali lang, as suggested by the author himself:

• Real Estate. Ito talaga maraming yumaman dito pero marami din nalulugi, not unless you educate yourself about this kind of investment (we'll discuss on it at the last strategy).

Invest in properties na puede mong paupahan kagaya ng mga condo units, mga house and lots. Pinakamagada yung foreclosed properties (yung mga properties na nasa pag-aari na ulit ng banko).

Para malaman kung paano mag-invest puede kayong umatend ng seminars, magbasa ng libro o magtanong sa marurunong. Ito puede to: www.thinkrichpinoymanila.blogspot.com.

Wag basta-basta pumasok sa kahit anong business na wala kayong kaalam-alam sa ginagawa nyo – golden rule of entrepreneurship yan. You need head knowledge first, sabayan nyo na rin ng pagmamahal ang ginagawa nyo para wag kayo basta mapapagud kasi kung hindi, para kang nanliligaw sa babae nyan na close lang sayo pero hindi ka naman mahal.

• Mutual Funds. Yung kikitain ng pera nyo dito nakadepende sa flow ng economy natin, kasi apektado rin ang company na humahawak ng pera mo. Pero safer mag-invest dito kaysa ibang investing mediums. Dito parang alon yung situation mo, pueding tumaas ng tumaas at pueding bumaba ng bumaba. Ang advantage – puede kang kumita hanggang 40% per year. Ang disadvantage lang pueding bumaba ng bumaba yung kita nito, or pueding wala kang kikitain in a year. Pero don't worry napakadalang mangyari nyan. Mas tatamaan ka pa ng kidlat kaysa mangyari to.

One more thing about the bank. During the seminars I attended I discovered na pag nag-invest ka sa kanila, like time deposit, fixed yung income ng pera mo; some sort of 5% percent per year. So, kumbaga alam mo na magiging kita mo after 30 years kung yun ang maturity na gusto mo. While sa mutual fund, you will enjoy the thrill of ups and downs. Sa bank, sila yung kumikita ng malaki hindi ikaw.

For tips on mutual fund try visiting these sites:

www.pinoymoneytalk.com and www.randelltiongson.com. Also try reading MoneySense magazine and Entrepreneur magazine for more knowledge and tips not only on mutual fund but every business interest. For advices try Registered Financial Planners Institute (RFPI).

Pero ito yung mga stable companies na maganda mag-invest: Sunlife Financial, First Metro, Ayala Life Assurance at marami pa. Usually yung minimum investment for mutual fund is P5, 000.00 to P10, 000.00.

• Stock Market. Dito parang co-owner ka na rin ng company kasi part yung pera mo sa naging investing nila. Yung na-invest mo dito puede mong ibenta afterwards pag tumaas na bilihan ng stocks. Ang risk nya pueding mawala investment mo once nag-down yung stocks ng company. More risky to kaysa mutual fund.

Dito sa atin may tinatawag na “Blue Chips” stock (samahan ng malalaking company to dito sa atin gaya ng Ayala Corporation, San Miguel Corporation, Jollibee, etc...). Dito, medyo mataas ng required starting amount – around P25, 000.00 to open an account.

Try nyo to Nag-oofer to ng free seminars for investing on stocks: www.citiseconlin.com.ph.

• Small Business, franchise or direct selling, distributorship. Ito na yung sabi kung small business na sinasabi ko. Make this as your playground but play on it seriously, kasi sayang ang pera.

May nai-suggest ang author about Mark So ang nagsulat ng article na “How to Make Extra Money with Zero Capital.” Di ko pa nababasa yung blog nya up until na sinusulat ko to, pero try nyo: www.markso.wordpress.com

As what I have mentioned earlier, puede kayong magsimula sa paliit-liit na distributorship kagaya ng Avon, Amway, Fuller Life (na dating Tupperware pala dito sa atin) and so on. Dito puede kang kumita ng P1, 500 up to P25, 000 a month depende sa deskarte.

STRATEGY 7 – EDUCATE YOURSELF

Whew! Ito na, matatapos na rin tayo.

Siguro kung nagbabasa ka puede mung unahin to saka na yung ibang strategies kasi learning first yung SOP talaga sa kahit anong larangan naman eh.

I suggest you have to buy the book itself. It's worth the pay naman eh. Kumbaga it pays to learn naman talaga.

I think poverty is the offshoot of ignorance. Sometimes, deep within you is a voice saying that there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The problem is that you don't have the road map or in other words the knowledge on how to make it there. That is why education is important, but most of us ignore this crowned jewel of prosperity. More often we say it's expensive, then we try ignorance, only to see ourselves pressing our nose against the sting of poverty. Sometimes, remorse is too late.

So, educate yourselves as much as possible, after all the life you save from the compromise of debts and poverty will be yours.

I suggest you buy the book, kasi marami pang suggestions dun na di ko dito nailangay.

A word from St. Paul to the Romans 13:8 “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law”

May your life be blessed!

The author:
EDUARDO O. ROBERTO, JR.

Books:
ANG PERA NA HINDI BITIN
ANG BUHAY NA HINDI BITIN

Visit to know more about him or buy his books:

Website:
www.ardyroberto.org
www.OFMLit.com

☺☺☺

STOP, LOOK & LISTEN THIS CHRISTMAS

2010-11-01T19:48:00.000-07:00

I guess I don't have much to say this issue; others have something to quote you in behalf of my placidity. Nonetheless, just few speckles of my inner thoughts this Christmas season will do for me, I guess.

Foremost, I tagged this cover write-up as STOP, LOOK and LISTEN THIS CHRISTMAS as though an orange color in a traffic light, saying slow down congestion ahead! But here, there’s no congestion ahead halting you down, rather we might be missing a lot of things this Christmas. Real surprises and happiness are not ahead, but are along the way. So get loose off your gas down and paddle your canoe slowly.

Life is short and time is fleeting – together with them are precious events in our lives we might have missed.

Stop, look and listen. It rings a bell. I suspect you’re trying to recap how your little limbs limber to the tune of this nursery rhyme at preschool. “Peep, peep the small jeep is running down the street…” something that goes like that. This is the tune we might have grown up with, but it has something more to tell us this season.

Now, how does this makes sense and jingles with my Christmas afterthoughts?

Why STOP?

Obviously, life now is fast paced! You might not actually notice a thing if you’re in the middle of the road, unless you notice your feet pressing hard against your gas pedal. This is much evident in highly advanced countries, such as Japan where every 3 months most people changes their cell phone units with more sophisticated ones. Well, that’s grossly 3 years here in the Philippines before a unit gets loose.

I’ve been steering the wheel of this advertising magazine for more than a year now and it has been a hell of a ride catching up with all its materials (advertising revenues, editorials, schedules, events, productions etc…) for a release and to serve the needs of our beloved advertisers. At large, I was thinking and doing the necessary just to get ahead of things and the demands of my job, perhaps to impress, show that I’m doing my job or just sizing up myself with it. Then at the end of the day I went home, shrug my shoulders, slumber, shake myself off the bed and realized I’m getting ahead of myself and sanity. It doesn’t pay that much – at least that’s what my paycheck hints me.

Slow down. There is more to life rather than just getting too serious with life or your job – else you won’t get out alive and a balding head to deal with.

LOOK. It would be hard to notice something worth noticing along the road if you’re running fast. So, again you really have to slow down. There is more in this world than just meets your work or whatever that gives you more excuses. It is your family, loved ones and yourself that you have to look straight with love this Christmas. More than anything else, it is your presence among them that matters most.

Believe me, material compensation in behalf of your presence doesn’t get even with your absence. Christmas is getting colder as it gets near and it would even be ‘freezing cold’ without you. Somebody out there in the cold might badly in need of your warm embrace.

One of the most disregarded elements of human communication is listening. Just like the air we breathe, listening is the lifeblood of human communications. So why LISTEN. You won’t STOP and you won’t LOOK if you’re not interested to LISTEN. This Christmas it’s not about how loud your voice in heralding your Christmas greetings or how loud your fireworks popping out of you backyard, but it is how much you mean yourself to them with both ears willing to listen.

There are lots of stories to tell this Christmas. Try listening to what your love ones have to say and you’ll just know that listening is more pleasurable than opening your mouth most of the time. Know that when you listen, not just hear but assimilating every words, you actually connects to the deepest realm of a man’s value and vulnerability. Know that when you listen there would be the intertwining of one soul in two bodies. At best, you might as well understand yourself by just listening to them – that is the power of it – and the greatest gift this Christmas.

Further ahead, I would like to thank Georges Carlin, a celebrated writer, for this worth noting brainchild.

“The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, (or just never mind).

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”

☺☺☺

BASICS OF FINANCIAL FREEDOM

2010-10-26T06:10:00.000-07:00

I've been to several Financial Planning and Financial Literacy seminars in my hot pursuit to financial freedom – up until now, but this guy has something to say at the corner – Mr. Henry Ong of Business Sense, Inc.

How and what is it really to be wealthy?

A quick mental reflex will tell you that wealth is all about lots of money, dude! Like Manny Pacquiao, isn’t it? Like lots of Volks, Astons, hot big wheel hummers? House and lots spawning everywhere in the archipelago? Maids at your beck and call? Fine clothe lines? Latest gadgetries? Jewelries? Lots of savings in the bank?

Yeah, why not?!

They might be an obvious objective evidence of your hard work or frugality. But that is just half-slice of the pie. Because according to Mr. Henry Ong, a Registered Financial Planner, as he may suggest cutting cost and expenses out of your income might cause you to miss a lot out of your life – he said a “quality life.” Perhaps, quality foods, amenities, time and even health to yourself. This is where the philosophy of Aristotle strikes the bell, “the mean of virtue.” Anything that goes in excess or in extreme end is a vice or not in line of manly virtue. Same is true with over frugality and stinginess. You are foregoing a lot of things quality to you and your loved ones because of your imminent fear of the coming rainy season.

You might be excused to think of the coming rain, but Mr. Henry Ong seems to suggest that being wealthy is not actually motivated by fear. I toss to this idea that a financially wealthy individual is also a psychologically, spiritually, physically and emotionally healthy individual. I logically believe that being healthy on the other aspect of one’s personality speaks a lot about how financially free a person is and will be.

Being financially affluent and spiritually broke is not wealth either. Being financially rich and physically sick is not wealth either. Being financially flushed but relationally broke is not wealth either. Being financially loaded but having delinquent children is not wealth either. Being financially heavy but having your social security at stake is not wealth either.

We are so familiar with so many individuals who are so obsessed with their work, trying somehow to please and impress their officemates or a big boss, pressing their nose against their work at a solid 8-hour and consecutive 8 hours overtime. Ok, they earn no doubt including the murky grin of their boss – only to end up pressing their butt against hospital beds, signing bills and scrapping all earnings for the medical dues incurred.

If you have to realize you seem to work for nothing but for a doctors fee or for anything else. We have to remember that before anything else goes to the sink sewer, what profits above all is yourself – before anything and anybody else.

Mr. Ong believed that it’s ok to have fancy cars, houses, dines or any expensive properties as long as you have the means to maintain them. They are not wealth at all if at the back of the same coin are accumulation of liabilities caused by them.

Being wealthy for him is not (just) all about those things, as obvious, I have my lots of elaborations above. Together with him I believe that being (real, and really) wealthy is all about being:

• Financially Independent – that is, you are free from worries or work pressures. In other words you are not obliges to work eight hours a day and yet able to earn and pay bills and other obligatory miscellaneous life expenses.

• Able to manage money well – a (financially) wealthy individual is able to manage his incomes to wherever it is to go.

• Able to multiply incomes – it is basic in every financial education I’ve learned that a financially wealthy person is the one who is able to multiply his income – sorry but not much on saver buffs!

• Able to secure his profit from any loss – one of the best way to test a person’s financial acumen is not just to multiply his income but to secure them too. Because no matter how genius you are in multiplying your income you have to learn to guard it from loss. Say a Nicolas Cage effect, he is one of a highly paid actors in Hollywood and yet cripples down his finances.

• Able to give more – I believe that a financially free individual is the one who is able to give more. It is a basic principle that you cannot give what you do not have and so a financial freeman is able to manifest it through giving as an outlet of his being financially overflowing.

• Able to do what his heart’s desire – a pampered vacation to Boracay, El Nido or a fancied 80 days around the world, you name it but it’s one of the manifestations of a financially free individual. Again, being able to do what you want without the pressure of a burning obligation of work life (except perhaps if you enjoy what you are doing, well they say it ceases to be work). It includes the renaissance of your abandoned hobbies. Being able to work generously but enjoys the pamper of your bed at whatever time you like to wake up.

Well, that’s a lot of talking and there are lots more to mention.

You’d ask how am I gonna do that? Mr. Henry Ong suggests you really have to plan your way to it. It means like looking for a knowledgeable person to help you - such as Registered Financial Planners.

Secondly, is to develop, imbibe or imitate wealthy minded individuals (who are actually wealthy by now).

Third, is one of the crowned values of a wealthy person, no other than discipline. Mr. Ong suggest you save and invest without sacrificing the quality of your life.

And lastly, find ways to increase your income streams. We are not advising to increasing your job, as what I have been thinking those days but ultimately to say – that you’ve got to be an entrepreneur to do that!

That's a sure bet to wealth.

Common sentiments tells us that nobody made it by just working on a desk or having jobs till time is through with them. Except, if you exceptionally belong to “the lucky sperm club” as what Warren Buffett said. Or else you are a company's bigwig or a prime holder, that’s it!

☺☺☺

LIVES OF SAINTS

2010-10-24T01:24:00.000-07:00

It is wrong to think that saints do not sin, in fact saints are sinners too like us. Some of them are even worse than most of us casual people do. What is notable about them is their fortitude, exemplary struggle and persistence, to become closer to God, and show that sin has no power over God's mercy.

Leonardo Foley of the Order of the Franciscan Monks in his book Saint of the Day. Saints become who they are because of their total surrender to the will of God without exceptions – the extent that they are called heroes and heroines worth of emulation.

Saints are recalled as individuals with exceptional zeal towards their faith – spiritually centered and materially tamed individuals. They are considered as one of the most important elements of faith and religion, more in particular the Christian faith. In fact sainthood or “saint” generally attributed to Christians or close to it who is in heaven.

The Catholic Church holds the melting pot of all saints, if sainthood or saint is to be the central concern of the dialogue. The (Catholic) Church does not actually make saints as we might usually know from the term “beatification” and “canonization” done by the pope. The church rather, recognizes saints – it is God who 'makes' saints.

Why do we have saints? What do they do to us living and struggling in the mantle of the valley to tears? Simple, as clearly mentioned above, saints are worthy of praise and imitation. They are role models of faith – it is in them that God rejoices – it is in them that Jesus is magnified! As for us Christians, their lives remind us of how we should imitate a Christian spirituality, values, character, morals and so on.

We do not worship the saints, contrary to what other religious denominations think. We only ask their assistance on our prayers. If it's good to pray alone, isn't it better or best if somebody prays with you or helps with you in your prayers? We have to remember that the saints are also called masters of prayers; and that prayer to them is actually the lifeblood of their soul. Prayer has been their sword and shield on their spiritual struggle here on earth.

To clarify things there are three “worships” that we attribute to God, Mary and Saints if worship would mean its perennial meaning, “to honor” or to “give respect.” For the sake of clarity, we have to use the term devotion.

Latria, Hyperdulia and Dulia are devotions we attribute to God, Mary and the Saints. These terminologies are Greeks for terms such as honor, reverence, adoration and worship to God and the saints or any act that we raise our hearts and minds to God and them.

Latria is the highest of them all and in sacrificial in nature. Hyperdulia is attributed to Virgin Mary. This special adoration is given her because of that exceptional role and fiat to the Plan of Salvation. Dulia is given to the saints because of the exemplary faith and obedience to the Savior. The last two are actually salutes in recognition to a great works of faith they've done – like a military official who have shown indomitable bravery on the field.

In other words, a saint can be summed up but not limited to being an exemplary model, extraordinary teacher, wonder worker or source of benevolent power, intercessor, selfless, ascetic behavior and possessor of a special and revelatory relation to the holy – according to John A. Coleman, graduate of theological studies at Berkely.

HANDFULS OF SAINTS

According to the Catholic church census there are about 10, 000 saints recognized by Christianity not counting perhaps those unlisted and imminent to sainthood. Nevertheless there are few of them here I've handpicked for your emulation.

SAINT VALENTINE
(Patron of Love, Young People, Happy Marriages)
Feast day: February 14

SAINT THERESE OF LISIEUX
(Patron of Missions)
Feast day: October 1

SAINT LUKE
(Patron of Physicians and Surgeons)
Feast day: October 18

BLESSED KATERI TEKAKWITHA
(Patroness of the environment and ecology)
Feast day: July 14

SAINT JEROME
(Patron of Librarians)
Feast day: September 30

SAINT ROSE OF LIMA
(Patroness of Latin America and America)
Feast day: August 30

SAINT ANTHONY OF PADUA
(Patron of Pregnant Women, Doctor of the Church)
Feast day: June 13

SAINT BERNADETTE
(Patroness of Bodily Illness)
Feast day: April 16

SAINT ANGELA MIRICI
(Patroness of Handicapped People)
Feast day: January 27

SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST
(Patron of Hospitallers)
Feast day: June 24

SAINT MATTHEW
(Patron Saint of Bankers)
Feast day: September 21

Thanks: catholic.org for the photo credits

VIVA LA VIRGEN! The Peñafrancia Festival (Meet the Bicolanos Indomitable Spirituality)

2010-10-06T07:37:00.000-07:00

VIVA LA VIRGEN! VIVA EL DEVINO ROSTRO!

God must have spent a little more time on the place where the religiously coveted celebration is held annually. Naga City is considered as the heart of Bicol, not much maybe because of her geographical location but maybe because of the graciousness of Bicolano cultures flourishing on her breast. Specifically, the feast of Our Lady Of Peñafrancia as the flagship of all events coupled by few others such as Pastores De Naga, Miss Bicolandia and a lot more.

As a college student before who trod the peaceful plains of Naga City, this place left memories in me to fonder. I’ve been a collage slab in there taking up AB Major in Philosophy Minor in Religious Education for 4 years. And I guess I left some part of me there. Pulling back time, if there is anything I could reminiscent that would left my heart and mind cold-sweat but at the same time elated, that would be my Alma Matter and the Peñafrancia festival – and few other memories that keeps the willies in me!

HISTORY THAT MARKED THE SPOT

Annually this holy and religious act of Bicolanos are shown and demonstrated in the face of Naga City. Although, we may say that the repetition of such event counts history after history, it would never seems to be a monotony – Bicolanos just gets more sublime every passing years with the faith to Ina (Our Lady Of Pañafrancia).

Just a bit from the ashes of time, Peñafrancia got its spark to a certain French kid Simon. He lived and was raised in a well-to-do family who could in fact grant his wish every time. When his parents and only sister died, Simon has all the family’s material possession given to him. Just to ward-off further trouble with his newly acquired material affluence, he donated them to the church and to some other charitable institutions and then entered in a church service as chamber boy.

He has an undying admiration for Mother Mary that in his deep contemplation of her beauty, it is said that he would lost consciousness and would wander on it while he was told by a voice that he would be named Simon Vela instead. He was then asked to go to Peña De Francia, west of his country.

He has searched for that place for no avail through caves, hills and mountains. All ready to give up his pursuit. He was once again quoted by the voice not to give up. This gives him another courage to go on for the search again.

The place doesn’t seem to exist not until he was hinted by two incidents that crossed over his way. One was when two brawling men spoke about the place Peña De Francia. One of the offender spoke about hiding in an unknown place called Peña De Francia which sparked his zeal once again.

Second, is when he met a man selling charcoal and asked him where he came from, the man answered that he came from Peña De Francia. This again give further light on his dim way towards his pursuit. But never availed their assistance whomever he asked to lead him. He reached a villa called Martin de Castañar. That was May 14, 1434 since when he started the search September of 1434. After he attended a Holy Mass in a church a man finally pointed him to a place, a rocky hill called Peña De Francia. He was so grateful about of all the complementing events in his journey upon arriving at the place.

Having exhausted his food provision, Simon is almost losing his physical strength. However, along his way to the hill he has picked a pouch full of bread and a piece of meat which sustained him for another journey tomorrow.

He almost fall on his knees for surrender, but the voice kept giving him the strength to vie some more. Until he finally saw a dazzling light from a distance that elated him emotionally and spiritually, that was Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus in her arms sitting in a throne. To console Simon with his undertakings just to see her the Lady replied, “Simon, rejoice! Your constancy will be rewarded. Your dream will be realized. Your labors are now ended. Take heed and keep in your heart what I wish you to do. Dig in this spot and take what you can see and place it on the summit of this rocky hill. Build on this hill a beautiful dwelling. You are to begin it and others will come to finish it. This must come to pass as it has been the wish of my child.” The lady disappeared after those words.

In the morning he began digging the place where the apparition took place together with some other men as instructed him later by the voice. The men thought they were digging for hidden treasure if not only that they’ve been told to dig something that worth more than what they think. May 19, 1434 was marks the summit of his search when they found the most coveted image of the Virgin with the Child in her arms. There came the glorious toil of Simon Vela that heralded the birth of Peñafrancia.

WHO, WHEN, WHERE and HOW in NAGA CITY

It seems to have coinciding names when it comes to naming the festival Peñafrancia, it’s perennial origins Peña De Francia and Peñafrancia, Spain. It was just told That Miguel Robles de Covarrubias, son of a government official from Peñafrancia, Spain who settled in Cavite in 1712, got ill while studying as a seminarian at the Universidad de Santo Tomas. He holds in his hand the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia together with his contrite imploration for his healing coupled with a promise that if she would heal him he recompense by constructing a chapel by the riverbank of Pasig river.

The Miracle did happened. He was finally ordained as priest in of Nueva Caceres (now Naga City) instead of Manila. Perhaps, further research will tell us why it was in Naga City rather than in Manila.

Father Miguel did build a chapel along Bicol River by mobilizing natives of that place. Second, and perhaps the most controversial act done is the carving of the image of the Lady of Peñafrancia which spawns various miracles since then.

It was said that a dog was killed for its blood to paint the newly carved image, but when the dog was thrown into the river, it regained its life back and swam towards the bank. Hundreds have witnessed this hair spellbinding miracle. With that hundreds of miracles have been attributed to Our Lady of Peñafrancia then.

As devotes grew in number unstoppably, the Lady took her rightful place in the hearts of Bicolanos as well as in their land. In September 20, 1924, the Lady was official crowned as Patroness of Bicolandia by Rt. Rev. Msgr. Guillermo Piani, an apostolic delegate.

The image has been dated to be more than 300 years old, therefore becoming an apple of the eye for antique lovers. Corollary to this, the image was looted in August 15, 1981. This has been a devastating upshot for the faithfuls not only because the image was stolen but a life was lost in a massive search for the image – a policeman was killed and a police lieutenant was wounded while they were en route for a lead somewhere for Bolo Sur, Sipocot, Camarines Sur.

The upcoming festivity of the Lady of Peñafrancia necessitated the church to create a replica during the traslacion – the literal transfer of the image from one enshrined place to the other.

Over a year later, with great disbelief the Bicolanos were shocked by the return of the original image to Rt. Rev. Msgr. Florencio Yllana of the CBCP. On September 8, 1982 feast of our Lady’s festivity; a motorcade was done from Manila to Naga City despite the storm Ruping. The storm doesn’t get even with Bicolanos burning faith when at 10:00 pm the image safely arrived in Naga Metropolitan Cathedral where a pontifical concelebrated mass was offered in thanksgiving for the arrival of the image.

Basilica Minore at Calle Balatas Naga City is instrumental for her safekeeping and enshrinement. The Basilica is the point of departure of the image during the traslacion and the point of arrival is the Metropolitan Cathedral, then the image is enshrined back to the Basilica by way of fluvial procession.

THE FEAST

Every third Saturday of September is a religious red alert in every Bicolano calendar since this is when the Peñafrancia Festival occurs. The festivity is celebrated with joy and thanksgiving of course, but religiously it was a 9-day novena to our Lady. The big sea of crowd drowns the city upon the culminating day highlighted by the event called traslacion that said started in 1885. The image of the Lady of Peñafrancia stays at the Cathedral for 9 feast days where Bicolanos themselves populate the perimeter day or night, rain or shine and 24/7.

The ever religiously endearing shout out of the Bicolanos to the Virgin Mary “Viva La Virgen!” and to the Holy Face of Jesus “Viva El Devino Rostro!” have been the signature of their indomitable faith. You see them basking under the heat of the sun, the congestion of the crowds and the stink that doesn’t seem to matter and to match their searing faith.

The celebration has a lot of subsidiary highlights such as the annual Search for Binibining Bicolandia. The coveted military parade is held with-in the 9-day celebration. The parade showcases the beauty of Bicolanas in their best bib and tucker sexy suits and military esteem. Naga City is flooded with different events big or small such as concerts, carnivals, fund raising, promotions and motorcades.

Bicol has been so blessed with Her. It is so overflowing and far reaching. Her miraculous aroma had gathered souls all over the Philippines. In fact, few other balik bayans abroad spare days ahead just to be with this event. I guess you’d never see devotion as impenetrable as this, dedicated to Virgin Mary.

Words are short to describe how would you actually feel being in the midst of this event, perhaps teary – eyed for even just an emotionally overwhelmed spectator. But what is more flattering feel penetrating to the bones is the Bicolano's love and respect towards the Lady. With her ever imbuing gaze and charisma even a brawler on the street would vow and salute her passing in their midst while uttering the word “Ina” – mother!

Truly, a deep utterance of a Bicolano's indomitable spirituality that gives it an indelible mark on the sands to time.

Thanks and for further readings:

www.uegenedy.com
www.penafrancia.net

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BEST GAMING LAPTOPS OF 2010

2010-10-05T06:31:00.000-07:00

When we say it's the best, it's the top of the line objective technological thrust. It would perhaps require your wallet’s sinews, but it's worth the pay.

When we say gaming, the catchword that plays in our mental faculty is speed and power – and perhaps style and design. This requires the robust technicalities to get even with your eager gaming senses. But once again it requires your wallet to at least bleed white. The higher your expectation the higher will be the price. This is what I always tell my clients, in technology, the higher the brute and beauty you expect from your technological piece, the more offensive the tag price will be.

Another thing is frustration. In today’s fast-paced, high-speed technological showdown, you’d expect to be running after the new brew of gadgetry in the middle of the road. The shining shimmering splendor of your gadget today might not be true tomorrow. So, for the techno-buff and gadget bums one better chance is to listen to this advice and the best way to do it is to be vigilant about the new products spawning the market every now and then – if you are a hardcore techie slab!

How should you buy a laptop now? I suggest you’d go for the quality rather than the brand, though most famous brands really spin the quality, nevertheless go still for the quality – I insist! Brands may be get hyped by advertisers and subjects themselves.

When we say quality, what rings a bell is longevity – I guess that spearheads the term quality and the others are just complementing details. The longevity of use without much technical crashes. Others maybe the longevity of the battery life, since what is portability of a laptop without this. Then we have the surefire quality which is the speed. If it’s superb speed that defines your gaming nirvana – then it’s king! Of course, durability. You’re carrying portable sensitive thinking machine in your hand with tender parts, just a bang and off you go for pocket poking repair services. Remember, a laptop repair is more expensive than a desktop – much more with the upgrades.

How do you know the best quality laptop? No other than ask research and know as much as you can hold from the experts and users – that’s the only way. Some suggest straight for an Intel Centrino mobile, well let it be if it’s so save the dash of advertising bash.

In your gaming experience, it takes two to tango. That is, the audio and the video experiences.

That’s it!

The audio rendition must be crisp and laudable. The video-visual experience is the most sacred in the gaming warfare. Obviously, it sucks all the energy your laptop unit has. Since life-like gaming panorama needs more CPU and RAM sinews. That’s why video adaptors are the lifeblood of your gaming laptop. It must have architecture to power and perfection for smooth graphic sailing.

Here are complementing laptop peripherals that must contain power and angst for superior gaming:

• CPU power
• RAM power
• Graphics Card power

Those three elements are the crowned jewel of a gaming laptop you could show in front of the face of the gaming humanity with brows held high – as long as mobile gaming is concerned.

Few handfuls of the handpicked gaming laptops on the market are those below. You might have your choice and their might be more coming, but these are mine as of 2010. Prices are self-service inquiry since it varies from place to place and countries to countries.

ASUS REPUBLIC OF GAMERS G73JH

This might be Asus’ present mobile gaming monster. The searing insides features include 6 hyperthreaded CPU cores with 6 individual data channels the Intel Core i7-720QM processor, a full load of a wide-accommodating 8 GB RAM coupled by a 1TB(Terabyte) hard drive. The visual sensation comes with a 17.3 inches screen. It weighs 7.4 pounds only. The touch pad is considerably responsive. The key are spaced with consideration for bigger and jerking pinkies.

SAGER NP5793

The beast in this unit is the dual graphics processor embedded on its lungs. That would be some sort of superb graphic quality. It has Core 2 extreme processor, perhaps adaptable to a Quad Core processor. With the high quality graphic adaptors you’ll just see realistic blood spill, gunshot holes, rubble piles, dust particles etc.

iBUYPOWER BATTALION TOUCH CZ-10

With 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 processor, 4GB RAM with 320GB hard drive, the quality’s uncompromising, with the same muscles as mentioned above. It weighs 6 pounds for portability hype. The battery life won’t let you down designed for long and extreme gaming mania. From the outside customization you’ll get the edge of the stylish visual pleasure.

DELL XPS M 1730

This one’s got the coveted graphic bliss of Nvidia GeForce SLI with its 17 inches (1929X1200). A high resolution display for visual aide to the max – it might be a safe buy for its price nonetheless. The heart is Intel Core 2 Quad Extreme edition. A (perhaps) dual graphic processor by NVIDIA Ge Force Go 8700M GT, won’t let you down the step behind. Random Access Memory contains 4 GB robust DDR2 caching elements and a lot more. From the outside is the Eden of flattery for it's design. It has titillating glowing panels outside like spaceship wing. Light colors varies upon preferences.

So far, if you may excuse me, there is still a lot of mushrooming gaming laptops out there that might outwit these – see it for yourselves. But they may pinch your wallet a little bit and if you adhere that it pays a little bit to be entertained and to let your fingers danglesfew distant miles on our technological highways, then money isn’t the deal – it’s fun instead!

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