Passionately M

He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home. Thus said Johann Wolfgang von Goethe . In a fast-paced world where virtual connections seem to take precedence over genuine human interactions, it is sad to see many people being addicted to gadgets, finding peace outside the home environment. They live not here and now, but somewhere else, not only now, maybe travelling to a distant past, near or remote future, with a virtual someone. Does it mean they do not find peace at home? Does it mean they are not the happiest?  One who finds peace in his home is the happiest. When you are peaceful in a place, you are there -- your mind and your body. You have presence of mind not lingering elsewhere. It is your present to those near and dear. Time is a limited resource. When you share your limited time and what-have-you with others outside your home, it is good as Thomas Fuller has this meaningful quotation, "Charity begins at home, but it must not end there."  But

  There comes a time when I feel very overwhelmed by the abundance of things to do. Instead of considering them as a heavy load to bear, I try to look at them as heavenly gifts that somehow I think I can do most of them, given the time, talents and experiences I have. I consider them in a positive way --  as opportunities to be productive, to convert time to something valuable. They go to my head at the same time, and I must admit it leads me to foggy moments. Which is which? Which must be prioritized? I am always emotional and I just want to do things that make me happy, but being happy is not enough. I was also raised by my parents whose thinking was 'money' must not be the prime mover why you must do a thing.  I have realized that as days went by, my paradigm slowly has shifted to something else, particularly when I experienced how to really have nothing, as in literally nothing, except myself and what priceless things I got, to survive alone.  I started to have an inventory

My high school classmate and friend, a doctor in our place, invited me to join his newly organized FB Chat Group. He was our batch president and I was the class president. I wondered why it was named after my close friend and godmother of my middle child. Of course I could not say NO.  I felt devastated when I learned that my friend, a dentist, the reason why that chat group was created, would undergo mastectomy soon, and they were raising funds.I had some chats with my friend, Fatima (not her true name), and she did not tell me that. Maybe she did not want me to worry as she knew some of my health issues, too. One former  classmate, Eva (not her true name),  who was very active in coordinating with alumni, updated us that in just few weeks, Fatima underwent three (3) surgeries: cervical surgery, colectomy and appendectomy, and yes, soon mastectomy.  She knew it well as they were both in the same born-again Christian group, set up by her husband, a pastor, my former college batchmate a

This is a very tough period for many of us, and indeed, this time requires us to be the toughest we. We have to stretch the purchasing power of whatever we earn. Priority in the list is always the survival needs. I see many bartering groups on social media these days. A person offers the products he does not need anymore, in exchange for something (with the specifics, he wants -- mostly groceries, and sometimes they mention 'not from this X store' -- that is called 'personal preference'). In a barter transaction , one party provides a service or product to another in return for receiving a service or product of equivalent value. This practice has been used for centuries as a way to obtain goods and services without the need for cash. Charles A. Beard once said, In primitive society, man produced directly for the satisfaction of his own wants, but with the development of society came differentiation of function; exchange and barter arose, various trades sprang up, and wi

  The next  barangay  elections in the Philippines will be held on 30 October 2023, Monday.  'Barangay'  is the smallest of the administrative divisions in my country. It is known in other places as a 'village'.  Barangays  make up the cities and municipalities. Every barangay has  sitios  and  puroks  (smaller units or clusters) but their leaders are not elected.  Lifted from the Inquirer , the following is the complete calendar (2023) related to the coming barangay elections in the Philippines   -- Filing of certificate of candidacy – July 3 to 7 Election period – July 3 to Nov. 14 Campaign ban – July 8 to Oct. 18 Campaign period – Oct. 19 to 28 Liquor ban (Campaigning Prohibited) –  Oct. 29 to 30 Election day – Oct. 30 Last day of filing statement of contributions and expenditures – Nov. 29 Recently I got messages from some of the aspiring candidates and / or their relatives and friends, expressing their intent to run or rerun as candidates for the local barangay ele

Most of the netizens are crazy about Instagram Reels.  My friend who invited me for a dinner treat on his birthday, was always head down to his gadget, answering birthday greetings, and trying to get engaged with his online viewers. He said he got very popular because of IG Reels. In my mind, I just hoped he had just at least some few minutes to talk to me as a real friend, in real place, at real time, there, then. After eating and few minutes of browsing on internet (too) for news updates, I told him I wanted to go home, but he said he was still doing something and to please wait. Well, fine. That was his request as a birthday celebrant. I got peanuts and iced tea. At least peanuts are good for my brains. I love to watch Reels, too, but only interesting ones. I skip most of them.  Instagram Reels is a feature on the social media platform Instagram that allows users to create short-form videos set to music, similar to TikTok. It was conceptualized as a response to the growing popularit

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, embracing new technologies has become imperative for companies to stay competitive and achieve sustained growth. Dubai, United Arab Emirates, renowned for its innovation and forward-thinking approach, offers numerous opportunities for businesses to leverage cutting-edge technologies and revolutionize their operations. There are still many businessmen who want the traditional way of doing business. But as John F Kennedy said, Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. In the dynamic business landscape of Dubai, embracing change and adopting new technologies are essential for companies to thrive and remain relevant. Just as John F. Kennedy emphasized, businesses must not cling to the past or be content with the present; instead, they must look forward and embrace the possibilities that new technologies offer. By doing so, they can position themselves as pioneers in their ind

Today is 25 July 2023, Tuesday, 7th day of Muharram, or first month of the Islamic New Year . (I just do not know why the blog date shows 24 July 2023 even if my computer calendar shows the actual date, see below.) The evening of 18 July 2023, Tuesday, a week ago, marked the beginning of a new lunar Hijiri year. It is a like a dawn after the night, a new start. It gives an infinite hope to those who still have the courage to go on, amidst all life's challenges. The number 7 is significant as it represents the seven (7) emirates, united by a common noble spirit. In the Holy Bible, on the 7th day, God took a rest after creating the world in six (6) days, according to scholars. I wish to connect the light and rest. There is a saying by Kate DiCamillo (about light), remaining line unknown, Light is precious in a world so dark, and rest is a refuge in a world so fast. I passionately m editate on this.  If we only take a pause, how many are in the dark in search of light at the end of t

The treacherous journey of migrants attempting to cross seas in search of a better life has become a tragic and recurrent tale in our world today.  Analyzing the situation and finding deeper reasons that compel individuals to leave their homeland, I find it as diverse as the people themselves.  The reasons for leaving their homeland are often rooted in extreme poverty, dire economic condition, unbearable conditions like wars, and the loss of loved ones.  Some flee political oppression and persecution, facing the threat of violence or imprisonment for their beliefs or ethnicity. Natural disasters and environmental catastrophes can also force migration when livelihoods and homes are destroyed,  For them, there is no prospect for a secure future, so there is no choice but to seek refuge elsewhere. CNN on its 19 June 2023 edition online, has this news title: "Hundreds of Pakistanis dead in Mediterranean migrant boat disaster, official says".  Driven by desperation and hope, coun

For some financial constraints and other issues, my friend had not gone back home to the Philippines for thirteen (13) years until a month ago. No, he was not jailed, not hospitalized or whatever other worse scenarios -- simply the money issue.  In his last company, he has worked for more than four (4) years doing multi-roles. They are only few there and he could not afford to leave the employer, being a 'brother' in a religious organization. The care and concern was there, solid despite the fact that they experienced delays in salary when business was not good or for some other reasons. In December 2022, he requested the employer to permit him to go home and get reunited with the family. It took six (6) months before it was approved. His co-worker who was a new hire, was granted permission ahead of him. Sometimes, life is unfair, but this is the truth, everywhere. He said he would stay at the country of origin for three (3) to six (6) months, as he has accumulated his leave cr

I hate to hear this -- "Female is considered as a weaker sex." Imagine this. In some cases, there is a same job done by a man and woman separately, payment priority is for the man before the woman, because she is considered to have a soft heart. Or perhaps, if they do both get service fees, the amount for man is bigger than for a woman. When a woman receives money, her priority will always be her family. If she is a mother, she wants to ensure that there is a food on the table for her children. If the foods are not enough for all, she will sometimes lie and tell her children that she already ate somewhere outside, so everyone has his / her share and will not be hungry. My friend, although she is still unmarried in her 40's, serves as the breadwinner for her sister who is a widow and her young girl. She also supports her brother who was left by the wife when he suffered from chronic illnesses. Her employer did not pay her for some months. Since they already established a g