Passionately M

A troubled friend and roommate was the subject of a group conversation. There were some things missing and he was 'accused' of taking them for his personal consumption because he was known to be struggling financially as he sometimes voiced it out. My heart and prayers go to him because I know how it is exactly to be there. Many times I heard some of them saying things about him indirectly and at times using a 'code name' which only they themselves could understand. But I could sense it. This is not fair , as everyone not in their circle who could hear this, may feel bad. We are all responsible for our belongings . It is up to us to protect them, in the same way that we cover our jars and bottles so roaches would not get in. I saw before my very eyes a person who took some small items from the shared refrigerator, knowing they were not hers. Maybe for her, they were just 'small offenses' because those were small items. For me, when it comes to steal

It is a landmark story for remedial consultants. A Filipina's nightmare was over through the intervention of Gulf Law headed by Atty. Barney Almazar . The Gulf News story written by Janice Ponce de Leon has a very huge impact -- Debt Settlement:  How a Dubai Filipina paid off Dh1.7 million debt with Dh15,100 This is very inspiring as many people feel depressed with the debt bondage at different stages. How many stories are hidden in the cemeteries as hopeless debtors claimed their lives because their minds and hearts could not take the harassment of credit collectors? The subject requested to hide her identity, which I think is better than announcing it publicly to protect her and her family interest. In addition, many more people who suffer from the same ordeal will have the courage to go out from the darkness and seek the right solutions to their problems. One is to find the right person or entity to negotiate with lending institutions or banks. Andrea (not the true n

I was watching Sambuhay TV mass when the priest emphasized his no-rice suggestion for a better health. This reminded me of an article I read that A cup of rice is equivalent to two (2) cups of sugar. A few years back, my brother emailed me that he suffered from diabetes and he already removed rice from his regular meals.  He told me to reduce eating such Filipino staple food. Oh, I did not have that big self-control. My weakness? Fried rice cooked in butter, mixed with scrambled eggs, cubed carrots, lots of garlic, chopped wild chili, spring onions, and chicken. My high school classmate and friend who has been in the USA for many years, stopped eating rice for more than a decade. She said that she needed to be thin so she could move fast, being a nanny cum driver to children of a rich couple. Western people do not eat much rice. The first time I saw an American was when my cousin introduced her white-skinned boyfriend when I was in grade three. Her request to my mother was n

Imagine that you are to withdraw money from the ATM machine. There is a queue. You have been standing there for some minutes, or maybe some hours. Then another person passes by and stands next to the person withdrawing money. People yell at that person for being rude and disrespectful. Have you experienced the same? What did you feel? How did you react? You felt bad, right? But not all people are like that one. One day I had to pay for twenty (20) items at a supermarket cashier. At my back I saw a woman who looked older than me, carrying just one (1) item. I told her to take her turn to pay and I would be next. She thanked me and politely said, "I wait for my turn."   Woman. Gentlewoman. Behaved. Courteous. In a sharing accommodation, I was using the restroom when someone knocked on the door repeatedly as if there was an emergency. I was just beginning to do my thing there so I felt like a bit sick if I could not finish it. If it was locked somebody was inside so

Two nights ago, I saw an Asian man walking ahead of an old woman (must be his mother) who looked like having difficulty to step farther. She was wearing a sari. Later he waited for her. I could fully understand what she felt although she appeared to be two-decade older than me. When I was young, I loved to talk to old people. I learned a lot from them. I loved to listen to their stories and to see their eyes glowing while dwelling temporarily in their happy good old days. As Curtis Mayfield said, I used to love to sit and listen to the old people talk about yesterday. There's a lot of good information there. I had a former teacher whose husband died three (3) decades ago, then she found another love, but later he left her. She told me that she was afraid to be alone in her grey hair days. She had a daughter and sons, but she always wanted to talk to me because I listened to her, and I understood her. Pearl S. Buck has a very good line related to this. "Our society m

Is there something wrong in my blog title, "Maturity in the Bud"? Maturity suggests full development while bud, the compact growth in a plant that develops into a flower. There are many adult people who look like they are mature already, but when we get closer to them and observe how they react to certain situations they lack maturity. And there are young people who think and act ahead of their ages, and we label them as mature ones. We digest maturity on a psychological view, which has something to do with the mental and emotional state of a person. According to Wikipedia , "In psychology, maturity is the ability to respond to the environment aware of the correct time and location to behave and knowing when to act, according to the circumstances and the culture of the society one lives in." So it is the ability to respond to the environment according to the two (2) factors of the society one lives in -- circumstances -- a fact or condition connected wi

I was looking for a charger for my old Samsung mobile phone in an electronics store in the mall, but my daughter said that she wanted to give me a new mobile phone. I opposed to that, but she insisted and persuaded me by saying that it would not cost that much, and said that still I could use the Nokia charger for my old Samsung unit. It was an AndroidOne device, Nokia 5.1 Plus, which was being promoted at AED599 (normal price according to sales clerk was AED799). Well in the past I was a Nokia mobile phone (and Nokia Suite platform) lover until I got hooked to Samsung. The sales clerk's persuasive skills dominated my 'no' more so when he said that he would give a speaker worth AED199 to my daughter, and presented four (4) colors of that, and she got attracted with red color, with her sister in her mind. But that had a condition -- she must buy using a debit or credit card, and they must register her data using their laptop to go online. I am a certified digital

My dear daughter pulled me to the mall to have brunch there. Our feet led us to the pizza house as I craved for a pizza pie. She had just finished her lunch so she wanted some desserts but what she ordered was not available, so she asked the staff if she could buy some sweets and coffee outside and consume there, then she would order extra foods. The staff was polite in saying, "I am sorry but no outside food or beverage is allowed inside." We transferred to the opposite dining place, Fish & Co, and was warmly greeted by a lady with two (2) dimples in yellow uniform. We asked her the same, and the answer was affirmative. She even volunteered to assist in placing an order herself with the coffee shop, Gloria Jean's Coffee, nearby. I ordered salmon (cajun) with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli plus fresh orange juice. She was honest to tell me that the rest of their juices were bottle-preserved. Later the pizza house staff came maybe to exchange notes with low

My youngest daughter surprised me with the good news that she was allowed to go on Eid vacation for some days. She badly needed rest and relaxation for a work-life balance. It was very hot here in the UAE when we got blissfully reunited at 2 PM.  It was Eid so most hotels nearby were either fully booked, or if not, their room rate boards showed AED800/day +/-. My frugal daughter stepped back when she saw 'towering' figures. A I watched my Buninay eating halohalo in our meeting place, a restaurant serving Filipino foods, I held my tears back. She ordered 'mixed-with-everything' fried rice, grilled squid and  kinilaw  (raw fish with vinegar, chili and chopped onions).  Memories of her childhood flooded in my mind. How time flies! My then-baby-who-is-now-a-lady wanted to spoil me. Felt truly blessed beyond words. We hopped to Seattle's Best in the mall near the mosque. While indulging myself with my favorite Cinnabon bites and strawberry smoothies, and my ol

We all love bread. If you are the one preparing and baking your own bread, you are sure it is safe to eat. But what if you buy it from outside, from the store, from a friend or from a stranger? I buy bread only when they are sold in the licensed supermarkets/stores, and properly packed. I check the source which is printed on the label. In the United Arab Emirates particularly in Dubai, there are regular inspections of bakeries and other foods and beverages workplaces, so you know that they all must comply with the local regulations to protect the consumers. The bacteria in eggs, meats and casseroles can be killed if the oven hits 165 °F , better and more prudent at 300 - 350 °F.  According to OurEverydayLife.com , "Unfortunately, some bacteria extend their lives by producing spores, dormant forms of the bacteria that survive harsh conditions. C. botulinum bacteria, for example, is just one of many bacterial spores that need heating at 250 ° F for several minutes for the

A blessed Eid al-Fitr greetings to all Muslim brothers and sisters! Today ends the end of the holy Islamic month of dawn-to-sunset fasting. This celebration is called the " Festival of Breaking Fast ".  Wikipedia says " it is forbidden to fast on the Day of Eid ". Muslims have the ritual prayers and they do the obligatory acts of charity for the poor and needy. In the Philippines, by virtue of Republic Act No 9177 and Presidential Proclamation No. 1083 signed into law on 13 November 2002, Eid al-Fitr (Araw ng Lebaran / Araw ng Raya) , is declared by the Philippine government as a regular holiday. "The Philippines is the only majority Christian country worldwide to have done so," Wikipedia wrote. Being in the Middle East (UAE) for more than a decade, I have witnessed the Ramadan tradition for many years. Since my first day here, I have met Muslim people and some of them got close to me and treated me as a family member. Fasting, for them, m

The concept of philanthropy revolves around giving love generously to help people in need and make their lives better. Love fuels it, no more, no less. We can be a philanthropist not only when we have a huge amount of money but when we can share our time and efforts unselfishly to promote the cause of humanity. According to Tony Robbins' website , among famous philanthropists are Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Mark Zuckerberg, J.K. Rowling, Diane Von Furstenberg, Warren Buffett, George Soros, Michael Bloomberg, and Jeff Bezos. Tony has his own foundation as he believes that the meaning of life is giving. We understand the difference between living and life when we take and when we give. As Winston Churchill said, We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. Actually, it is not just about giving back to the Almighty Source what He gifted us with. It is also about balance. Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin empire, said so -- "Ridiculous yac

I read a post on social media about a man who displayed many signboards with the words "DO NOT GIVE UP" in selected visible areas in his place. This is to encourage depressed people to go on with life, and to help minimize the cases of suicide. True, this is easily said than done. People who want to give up are those with weak emotional intelligence. When they cannot find solutions to their problems or answers to their questions, they see the end of the road. Finished. Qalas (cut). When you feel like giving up, pray and surrender all things that you cannot handle to God. He sees what upsets you and what your heart desires. You think that the load is as heavy as the earth, but with the Creator, it can be light. Remember that storms come to pass. In times of darkness, we must maintain a strong mind and body. We must survive, so eat well, sleep well. If there is nothing to eat for some time, just find something to drink, and try to sleep. The goal is to survive. Bear