Notepad Corner

Life is never a bed of roses. There are ups and downs and unexpected turns. There are times when you have worked hard, very hard and harder but failed almost in all attempt. Our hopes are still kept alive till we reach our destination. The incongruous mix of happiness and sadness together makes life successful. Haven’t we heard of the adage “Failure is the stepping stone to success” it’s absolutely right. We learn man y things from each failure. When you make a mistake for the first time, next time you are sure not to make the same mistake. That’s how our mental power works within us. Success cannot be achieved in a single day. You need to fight a lot of wars to get settled in life. There is a driving force within every human being. The driving force which helps you move ahead in life. Failures are sure to bring unhappiness around you and in contrast, success will always bring you happiness and cheerfulness. The wrong expectations and experiences can make you think negative and wh...

We feel good to see the fruits of what we work hard for, yet do we really have to work too hard every day of our lives to the point that the effort itself becomes the means and the end, rather than working hard as the means to an end? What’s the point of having a fat wallet if you will still end up miserable? We parents work hard to augment the financial needs of our family, to give our children a bright future and to prepare for our future.   However, experts say that there’s a big difference between working too hard and working smart in living a meaningful life. Working hard that is working smart leads to positive results and progress while working too hard leads to smaller returns wherein most of the time leads to broken families. Thus, it is not based on how much effort we exert but the outcome of what we do.

I can still vividly remember my first day as a college freshman.  I was an impressionable sixteen-year old with no clue as to what to expect from university life.  Despite the uncertainty, I knew deep inside that I was beginning to enter the doors of womanhood. I wasn’t exactly an adult yet, as it was only weeks ago when I was looking around for sweet sixteen party themes for my birthday.  But I felt that I was gradually being exposed to the harsh realities of life.  I was cautiously flirting with the idea of adulthood at that time. Going to college made me realize that I was no longer the kid I used to be.  I was slowly asserting my independence, simply because I had to.  Circumstances led me to rely on myself as I trudged my way through early adulthood. Fast forward to today, I am a full grown woman with a better grasp of life and its intricacies - at least I think so!  I have been through more trials than Kim Kardashian has had b...

There comes a time in every person's life when there is a void hard to describe, an unsettling desire to do something bigger than themselves. There are many reasons why volunteer work can replenish that feeling in a most gratifying way, it can redeem the spirit, harvest knowledge, create social connections and improve the CV. Volunteer work with the Army Cadet Force or other charities such as the Red Cross, Oxfam and Shelter can be a character building component of anyone's life because through helping others, you help yourself. When giving back, you not only gain experience in many of life's components, but you build self-esteem and gain confidence, discovering new things about yourself and the community you take part in. Through altruism and compassion, you create genuine human connections and find priceless life lessons in the least expected places. Volunteering expands not only our own happiness, but improves the way we interact with the world. We are hardw...

No Pain, No Gain is a very common expression we always hear from our friends and loved ones when they are giving us hope, motivation and to boost up our self-confidence when we face a difficult situation in our jobs, business or with personal relationships.   Success in life will not come to us handy dandy, not unless you were born with a golden spoon. Without taking risks one will never achieve great success. One must have the courage if she/he wants to succeed in his/her life endeavors. We cannot assure ourselves to be always on top, trials may come and bring us down.   We must learn how to get-along with our associates, learn how to endure pain, solve conflicts, better judgment and wise decisions to achieve professional excellence.   No man is an island, we need other people to live, to share ideas, to take care, to love, to help us out in time of needs. To dream big in my opinion is not an exaggeration of what you want to become or what you want to have.   Bu...

Holy Week or the Lenten Season as we call it, is the best time to quantify, to think deeply, to meditate, to reflect, to recollect and to do some mental concentration in our lives. During my younger years, we were taught to observe silence during the Lenten Season. We were required to attend more children catechism lessons in the Parish Church, read and sing the “Pasyon” (Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ)    in the  “ Pabasa” of our neighbor. “Pabasa” is an old Holy Week practice here in the Philippines that has remained well preserved particularly in the provinces where it is held continuously day and night sometimes for as long as three straight days. In recent years, the melodies of pop songs are sometimes used to make the chanting of the Biblical passages sound more interesting and lively. As kids we enjoy reading it, for we have to sing the biblical lines in the book.  Gathered together are close relatives and friends, day and night until it ends...

March, 2011 is a month full of surprises for our family. My two sons reaped the fruit of their hard work. JM, my eldest son was immediately hired for work after his graduation last May, 2010.  He became a regular employee after his six months probationary period on November 2010.  Last week of February, 2011, the company offered their employees an in-house job opening for a higher position.  He is very much interested to try his luck but having second thoughts. He asked for our opinion if he will pursue or not.  His Dad and I advised and encouraged him to go on with his endeavor. Opportunity knocks only once, and there’s nothing to lose if he doesn’t get the position he will still be employed.  He took the written exams, passed it and made it up to the final panel interview.  He got the job! From Level 3 Technical Support Representative, he was promoted to Level 5 Technical Support Representative.  On the 10 th month of his employment he already got...

My Mom being a woman of strong faith, is the one who first taught me the importance of putting God in our lives.  She taught me how to pray the Holy Rosary when I was still very young.  From then on, I developed this strong devotion and faithfulness in praying.  By the time I became a mother, I also passed this on to my children.  I was able to face life’s struggles and hardships with the aid of praying.  Knowing trials are given to us not to put us down but to mold us to become a better person, firm and stable in handling the gift of life.  Believing someone up above is watching over me and would not forsake me just as long as I keep on tracking the right path. I am very thankful and happy to receive a Holy Rosary present from my cousin when she had her pilgrimage to Rome .  It has been years but until now I can still smell the sweet scent from its beads.  The rosary was made up of wood with a scent of a rose.  I’ve been always using ...

There are times that some things are better left unsaid, better left unspoken.  As we get mad, we often say things not really intended to be said. If you’re too angry to think rationally, remove yourself from the situation. Give yourself a few quiet minutes alone to cool down. The more you understand your own temper, the more you will understand why people get mad, and the better your reactions to anger will be. Advises are great, if the person welcomes it.  We should refrain from giving unsolicited advices.  If a friend asks for it, then that is the time to share and extend your views and opinions. In business meetings with associates or clients, keep your thoughts to yourself first. Wait for the proper time or situation where you can speak out your ideas and suggestions.  In client meetings stick to the important matters to be discussed. Be aware that you are consuming both of your precious time. Being talkative doesn’t necessarily mean that you are being frien...

Disagreements, misunderstandings, and opposition arise in every marriage or should I say at least in most marriages.  Here are some tips on how to lessen such conflicts: Work toward prompt resolution and do not let the conflict linger.   As much as possible do not sleep at night without resolving your issues. Avoid harsh words that may irritate or hurt your partner’s feeling.  It will surely aggravate the situation. Let bygones be bygones.  A fight over the past should not be brought out in each conflict.  Forget it.

This fast paced world is not nap friendly.  The saying “Some sleep five hours, nature requires seven, laziness nine and wickedness eleven” shows our regard for sleep. When one is caught sleeping even during his free time, people are quick to judge him as lazy.  What many don’t realize is that a 15-minute nap can actually do wonders in our busy waking hours whatever activity we opt to do.  Napping can increase productivity for it gives us a chance to “recharge” that can result to more vigor and clarity of mind.  The way not to fall asleep on the job is to take naps when you need them.  Sleeping 15-minutes to 2 hours in the early afternoon can reduce stress and improve alertness. A nap is like a snack on sleep.  We do this when studying or working for long hours and this certainly helps in reinvigorating us.  There is an exquisite pleasure in giving oneself over to drowsiness.  Napping is one of the few pleasures left that are not life threatening...

I n four decades of my existence in this world, I am now one of the living witnesses who can attest on how the world is changing.  I cannot help comparing the world I grew up into before and how it changed throughout the years.  Monitoring and analyzing, I jot down and put into writing the following changes. Human behavior is far off different before and today.  People of yesterday, especially children were more of the simple type.  Enjoying the simple things life can give, more disciplined and acts in a more refined manner.  During my time, in just one daring look of my Mom, I will behave and stop doing whatever I make her mad.  When I became a mother, I also applied some of the old ways in raising up a kid, but I revised some of them too.  Like for instance, I made sure that we have an open communication with our kids.  We listen to what they say.  They can openly reason out and justify whatever wrong doings they have done, then from...

To bear a child is the most precious heavenly gift a woman can receive.  Incomparable and unparalled  sense of happiness overwhelms the heart of a mother.  To love, to care, to see them grow and to cherish every moment with our kids are immeasurable deeds of a parent. This writing is warmly dedicated to a boy who’s turning 3 years old this February 14.  Meet Austin Nathaniel Serrano, born February 14, 2008, the only son of Carlos Serrano and my friend Christine Pham, who’s diagnosed with Advanced Stage of Bilateral Retinoblastoma Stage D - R eye with vitreous seeding and stage E - L eye with a detached retina on  August 25, 2009. Austin Yes, Austin is fighting and struggling for his life from this cancer disease.  He cannot see a thing anymore at the moment.  Being a mother, my heart seem to torn apart the moment I learned about Austin’s condition.  I cannot help myself crying while reading my friend’s journal in Austin’s website....

Being a family of collectors, here is a continuation to my previous article about My Son’s Collection.   In this writing I will reveal my collections and my husband’s passion for collecting stuffs. complete set of Harry Potter Series Lord of the Rings, Dan Brown's, Robin Cook's, John Grisham's, etc. over 200 Star Wars books  some of Yahmir's book collection I am a book-lover.  I am fond of reading fiction, non-fiction, thriller, suspense, fantasy and other topics that catch my interest.  These books that I am buying and reading does not just stay in the bookshelves after I am done reading, for my husband and my sons are reading it too.  Seldom that I buy new or firsthand books, usually I buy them on book-sale or second hand book outlets,  except for the Harry Potter Series, Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings and Dan Brown’s collection.   I also have this craze in collecting gadgets, from pagers to pda and cell phones....

One of the best birthday gift I received last January 4, 2011 is a show piece that I really treasure, a source of my pride and joy, a very memorable and undying remembrance.  As shown in my first article, this blog was born on November 9, 2010.  Being a greenapple in the blogging world, I am still a noob in the ins and outs of blogosphere.  I am still in the process of learning through interacting, reading blog tips for dummies and blogs of fellow bloggers, joining bloggers’ groups and many more.  I still have to go a long long way to be a professional blogger to acquire page ranks, commendations etc.  Well, I am not rushing things, I do part time blogging to put into use my passion for writing.  I compose and write articles according to my own experiences and interests to share tips and ideas, to emphasize a personal point of view, to inform or give words of advices to my readers. I started with http://notepa...

How is your New Year coming along? Well, I have a few New year’s resolution to make this year, a decision that I made on the first day of the year about the things that I intend to do or stop doing during this year. Healthy diet tops my list, I need to shed out some fats accumulated over a year hahaha. Second, Impulse buying becomes a habit that I needed to control, I will now be more strict on my budget. Third, to make blogging a routine.  And lastly, to learn more on how to hold and control my temper.       In the Chinese Calendar, I was born in the year of the fire horse, according to fengshui my horoscope forecast for this year is on average.  I can make it good by attracting the good chi (positive energy), having the favourable  elements of water and metal and the color shades of white, gold, blue, black or gray.  To attract chi, I have plenty of chimes in my home, the sweet, clinging sound when the breeze lightly touches the chime is s...

Year 2010 has been generally a good year for me and my family. Although not too many aspired accomplishments were made and done in this year, I am happy ending this year chapter of my life. My eldest Son had graduated in this year at age 19, got immediately hired and now enjoying the benefits of a regular employee.  My youngest son, a transferee to his new school got into the cream of the crop section and entered the top ten, having the 3 rd rank by second quarter of school year. Christmas bonding moments with my siblings together with our Mom and Dad. Due to hectic schedules, we only see each other occasionally.  Yuletide season gives us the time to see more often and to bond more together with our families. Sisters: (from left to right) Tess, Joy, Cecille, Maricon with Mom and Dad my 2 sons, nieces and nephews with my Husband, Mom and Dad, Tess, Cecille and husband and my only cousin  on Father's side Ate Vangie and husband Lastly , one of the ma...

Being a stay at home Mom is not an easy task. There are times when I am also so much stressed out because I am too much of a worrier, particularly when there are things that needs repair or replacement in the household, like to look for a plumber to fix a leaking water pipe, or a carpenter to fix the leaking roof are only some of the major house problems that needs immediate attention. Housekeeping, for me is a vocation, an occupation wherein I do not have a monetary remuneration J , yet I also enjoy especially when all things are doing well with my home and family. Keeping my home clean and tidy makes it beautiful and pleasing, which gives me a feeling of peace and contentment. Even if I am busy helping my house help with the routine house chores and tending to my children’s daily needs (cooking and preparing their “baon”), I still find time to pamper myself in my own special ways. Let me share to you how I do it: · Our bathroom is not equipped with a bath tub, so I impr...

“The only thing that will stop you from fulfilling your dreams is you.” By Tom Bradley. This quote inspired me to write this article. Every human experiences moments of fulfillment. At present, my life’s greatest fulfillments are moments of: Grace. I graciously thank the Almighty Father for keeping me alive to see and feel the beautiful things around me. Happiness engulfed me when I gave birth to my two precious sons. For giving me a lifetime partner who can patiently bear with my shortcomings. My parents and siblings, always very supportive and loving. Lastly, for my friends whom I can share my happiness, sadness, advices and ideas which helped made me more a strong person. Due to all these graces, I am so much blessed and realized my worth and role in this world. Love, Satisfaction, Peace and Contentment . I can say that I am truly satisfied with what life has been bringing me all these years, although I am not living a luxurious way of life, I am very much contented with what...