My Playpen

2025-10-21T12:43:00.000-07:00

Research on American History with Emphasis on the Declaration of Independence, The US Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

My research was inspired by Charlie Kirk, may God rest his soul.

A New World
The first permanent English settlers had waded ashore at Jamestown and Plymouth in the early 1600s. By 1770, thirteen English speaking colonies were established, including about 500,000 of African descent at a tavern in Philadelphia. A visitor from Scotland found himself in very mixed company... 'They were Scots, English, Dutch, Germans, and Irish, and of many different religions. The different religions were not always tolerant of one another. Quakers were not welcome in most of New England. Catholics were only tolerated in Maryland and Pennsylvania, and yet freedom of worship was a key feature of colonial life. Many immigrants have come to the New World to escape religious persecution. Many others, lured by the promise of cheap land and the dream of prosperity came in search of a better life. And often, their hopes were realized.

Ireland was mired in poverty as witnessed by Benjamin Franklin when he visited Ireland in 1771. Irish immigrants who were too poor to pay for their voyage across the Atlantic came over as indentured servants. An indentured servant might be treated like a slave-but there was a big difference between the two. The servant had some legal rights and a limit to his term of service. The captured Africans who were shipped to America in chains and sold as slaves had no rights and no limit to their terms of service.

For white settlers, life in the colonies was a lot freer that it had been back home. America had its upper and lower classes, its rich and poor, but the class barriesrs that separated privileged aristocrats from lowly peasants in Europe seemed much less important in the New World. In America, there was no titled nobility. The typical farmer owned rather than rented his land. A skilled artisan could become a prosperous and influential citizen. Immigrants in America were judged more by what they could do than by who their parents were.

The colonists also enjoyed a high degree of self-government. As British subjects, they owed their allegiance to the king, who granted colonies charters and appointed colonial governors. England regulated the colonies' overseas trade and provided for their defense. beyond that, the colonists ran their own affairs. They had their own legislatures, assemblies, where their elected representatives passed laws and levied taxes. At town meetings, according to one observer, 'Each individual has an equal liberty of delivering his opinion and is not liable to be silenced or browbeated by a richer or greater townsman than himself; each vote weighs equally whether that of the highest or lowest inhabitant.” Though women were not allowed to vote, they largely supervised plantations, ran farms, shops, and inns; engaged in many trades; raised huge families, and expressed their views freely. Despite fighting in the Revolutionary War, they would not win the right to vote in America until 1920.

Visitors from Europe often commented on the independent spirit they found in the colonies. Americans were used to thinking of themselves. That is not surprising for a people who had braved a dangerous ocean voyage, blazed trails, cleared the land, built towns, and made most of their own laws. Having done all that, they meant to stand up for their rights.

Events that lead to the Declaration of Independence.

Proclamation of 1763
The French and Indian War
Ever since the French and Indian War which started in 1754, France and England, with their respective Indian allies, had fought for years to decide who would rule North America. The Iroquois of New York, a confederacy of six Indian nations, had sided with England. Most of the other Indians in the East had allied themselves with France. The war ended in 1763 with a British victory and France was driven out of North America, but England was left with a gigantic war debt. The government had to raise money to pay the debt and to support the thousands of British troops who had been sent to patrol America’s wilderness frontier. King George and his ministers decide that the colonists should help pay some of these costs. It said that colonists couldn’t settle west of the Appalachian Mountains and couldn’t buy Native American land without the approval of the British government. So some of the taxes passed by the British parliament were intended to cover some of the costs for this expensive undertaking. And that is when the troubles started.

The Currency Act and Sugar Act 1764
After the French and Indian War, Parliament began passing more taxes on the colonies. The Sugar Act doubled the tax on imported molasses, which was an important sweetener in the colonies.

The Quartering Act and Stamp Act 1765
The Stamp Act, passed in 1765, finally brought matters to a head. The colonists would now have to buy British tax stamps to paste on all printed material issued in America- a stamp for each page of a newspaper or pamphlet; for every will, contract, marriage license, and diploma-even playing cards, calendars, and advertisements. Like the ‘cedula’ imposed by the Spaniards on its Philippine colony in the 1880s.

The British Parliament had just imposed an unpopular new tax on Americans. It was called the Stamp Tax and it provoked massive colonial opposition. Americans have fought faithfully in the French and Indian War, battling side by side with the British troops under British command. They had furnished their own money too, piling up war debts of their own. Another law called the Quartering Act ordered the colonists to provide barracks, food, and other supplies for the British troops stationed among them, and that caused more resentment.

Townshend Acts 1767
The Townshend Acts taxed glass, paint, paper, and tea. With each new tax, the colonists became angrier.

Boston Massacre 1770
Could Parliament impose any laws it wanted on the American colonies, even though the Americans had no voice in Parliament? Or was there a limit to Parliament’s authority?

The colonists were outraged. “Taxation without representation is tyranny!’ be came an angry cry heard everywhere.

An American cartoonist, considered as one of the ‘earliest memes’ expresses the colonists opposition to the Stamp Act. (This is the Place to affix the STAMP’)

That summer, a storm of protest swept through the colonies. Demonstrators organized by the Sons of Liberty threatened to seize and destroy the hated tax stamps and force the royal tax commissioners to give up their posts. This lead to the evening of March 5, 1770, the mounting tension exploded in the snow-covered streets of Boston. The riots escalated into what would be known as the Boston Massacre. Five Bostonians lay dead or dying on the frozen ground.

One of the victims was Crispus Attucks.

A former slave of black and American Indian ancestry. The eight solders who had fired their muskets were arrested and tried for murder in a Boston court. They were ironically defended by John Adams, a scrappy Massachusetts lawyer and a leading member of the Sons of Liberty. Adams hated the presence of British troops in Boston as much as anyone. But he believed that the soldiers had a right to protect themselves and were entitled to a fair trial, so he agreed to take their case-as an act of courage, since so many Bostonians were demanding that the soldiers be punished. During the trial, rocks were thrown through Adamn’s window and boys jeered him on the street. Adams argued in court that the soldiers had defended themselves against a lawless mob. When the jury delivered its verdict, six of the defendants were acquitted. The other two were convicted of manslaughter, a lesser offense than murder.

John Adams had an older cousin named Samuel Adams, a shrewd political activist who had led the opposition of the Stamp Act. Samual Adams knew how to sway public opinion. He called the Customs House shootings ‘the Boston Massacre,’ and he had his good friend Paul Revere make a copper engraving that showed British soldiers mowing down 'peaceful' Bostonians. Revere’s portrayal of the shooting was not accurate, but it was printed by the thousands and circulated all over the colonies- a powerful piece of propaganda that would help pave the way toward a revolution.

One of the earliest 'fake' news

This drawing of the Boston Massacre is by Henry Pelham, stepbrother of painter John Singleton Copley. Pelham published his design nearly two weeks after Paul Revere's.

The Night The Revolution Began, The Boston Tea Party 1773
The men, with as young as 15 years old were smearing their faces with coal dust and red paint and wrapping old blankets around their shoulders, disguising themselves as 'Mohawk Indians', carrying hatchets & clubs, they emerged from hiding and marched to Griffin's Wharf to where three British merchant ships were carrying 342 chests of fine blended tea, shipped from England by the East India Company. The tea chests were hoisted up from the holds, broken open and the tea dumped over the side into the moonlit waters of the Boston Harbor. Thought it was late in the evening when they began, they had discharged a whole cargo of three ships worth before dawn. Great care was taken that the protest be carried out with discipline., Nothing but the tea was disturbed, not the least insult offered to any person. After each ship had been emptied, the desk was sept clean. Everything left was put back in its p[roper state.

Intolerable Acts; First Continental Congress 1774
Parliament passed the Coercive Acts, which limited freedoms in the colonies. The acts closed Boston Harbor, required colonists to house British soldiers, limited town meetings, and appointed colonial leaders rather than allowing colonists to elect them. Colonists called this measure the Intolerable Acts because they felt they were being punished. Patrick Henry, a colonial leader from Virginia gave a dramatic speech at the First Continental Congress on what would be famously known as ‘Give me liberty, or give me death!’

Battles of Lexington and Concord 1775
A Famous Ride; Paul Revere and others rode through the night on horseback to warn the Massachusetts colonists that the British were coming to arrest them and seize their weapons. The first shots of the war for Independence were fired in the towns of Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, on April 19, 1775.

Common Sense; Lee Resolution; The Declaration of Independence 1776
In early 1776, Thomas Paine published a pamphlet titled Common Sense. In it, he presented clear, easily understood arguments for independence. He did not identify himself as the author because of the radical ideas it contained, It convinced many who still had doubts about going to war with England that there was no turning back. Richerd Henry Lee was a political leader from Virginia . In 1776 , at the Secone Continental Congress, eh proposed a resolution for representatives to vote on. That the 13 colonies should band together and become free and independent from Britain Congress debated the Lee Resolution and appointed a committee to write an official proclamation of independence.

The congress appointed five men-Benhamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Thomas Jefferson, and Robert Livingston-to write a statement of independence.

It seemed Jefferson tried to get ouf of the assignment. He wanted Adams to write the first draft. But Adams refused. Years later, Adams recalled the following conversation;
“You should do it,’ said Jefferson
“Oh, no!”
“Why will you not?”
“I will not.’
“Why?” pressed Jefferson.
“Reasons enough,’ said Adams.
“What can be your reasons?”
“Reason, first, you are a Virginian and a Virginian ought to appear at the head of this business. Reason second I am obnoxious suspected and unpopular. You are very much otherwise Reason third, you can write ten times better than I can.’

Virginia's prominent role in the Revolutionary War stemmed from its position as the largest and most populous colony. It supplied crucial political, military, and financial resources, hosted significant battles, and produced influential figures such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry. The state served as a major battleground, notably witnessing the decisive Siege of Yorktown, and its leaders were instrumental in drafting the Declaration of Independence. (researched thru google, paragraph revised by Toolbaz)

And so it was settled and Jefferson went to work. There were plenty of ideas for Jefferson to draw on. He was familiar with the writings of John Locke, an influential English philosopher who argued that people are born with certain natural rights and governments should be run for the benefit of everyone, not just their rulers. He also read Thomas Paine’s Common Sense and the preamble was largely influenced by the “Virginia Declaration of Rights,” written by George Mason, a well-known patriot. He then showed his work to John Adams and Ben Franklin who suggested additional changes before the draft was submitted to Congress.

Congress then proposed changed after change and the most hotly contested change concerned a long passage Jefferson had written attacking the slave trade and blaming King George III for imposing slavery on America. Jefferson himself lived in a slave society. He owned more than two hundred slaves. His plantations and way of life depended on labors of human property he had inherited yet considered slavery an evil that should gradually be abolished. More than once, he had proposed plans to end the slave trade in Virginia. At that time in America, it was easier to denounce slavery than to put an end to it. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and other revolutionary leaders had spoken out strongly against slavery, but for the sake of unity, they agreed to compromise, so the anti-slavery passage was eliminated. Yet, he was snot exempt from the prejudices shared by so many of his fellow white colonists. Jefferson believed that African Americans could never take their place in American society. He suggested that they should be relocated elsewhere once they were freed, perhaps back to Africa- a view held by many others at that time and he remained a slave owner throughout his life. Recent evidence suggests that Jefferson may have fathered several children with his slave Sally Hemings, who lived for many years as a member of the Jefferson Household. And so the explosive question of slavery was put aside and would not be resolved until America’s Civil war nearly a century later.

On July 4, 1776, swarms of horseflies from a nearby stable invaded the assembly room, encouraging the delegates to bring their deliberations to a close The final version of the Declaration of Independence was voted and approved unanimously. That afternoon, the Declaration of Independence was signed by John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress. He made his signature large enough so that King George would be able to read it without his glasses.

MAIN PARTS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

PART 1 PREAMBLE

States that all men have unalienable rights. The words “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed BY THEIR CREATOR with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

PART 2 LISTING THE COMPLAINTS

This lists the things the king and Parliament did that pushed the colonists to declare their independence. It names laws passed to punish colonists, taxes placed on them without their consent, and the attempt to ruin the colonies financially by cutting off their trade with the rest of the world. It also discusses why the colonists separated themselves for the British people, who they felt did not support them but allowed the king to treat the colonists unfairly.

PART 3 UNITED STATEMENT PROCLAIMING INDEPENDENCE

The words ‘United States of America; are boldly written in the document showing that the courageous signers had a united purpose.

The Declaration of Independence was sent to a Philadelphia printer, John Dunlap. He worked through the night to print the first copies. These copies are known as the Dunlap broadsides. The Dunlap broadsides were printed on large sheets of paper and were sent throughout the colonies to that they would be posted and read by the public. George Washington received a copy and read it to his troops. A copy was also sent to England. Its believed that originally about 200 Dunlap broadsides were printed. Today only about twenty-five remain. In 2000, two collectors paid over $8,000,000 for a Dunlap broadside.

References;

'Give Me Liberty!' The Story of the Declaration of Independence by Russell Freedman

The Declaration of Independence by Terence M. Stanton

2025-05-10T12:46:00.000-07:00

Dear Lord, I need to revive this page lolol

Elysium: A Movie Review

2015-01-04T20:37:00.005-08:00

There were so many things wrong in this movie. First was the overplayed hero martyr Matrix complex (spoiler). The major plot was about distraught earthlings wanting to have the same rights as Elysium residents. The film so reaks of 'illegals', who happen to look so much like surprise, surprise, South Americans, and the 'elite' Elysium symbol resembled that of a Mercedes Benz logo. I mean, really?

Oh Jason Bourne, Jason Bourne, what were you thinking taking on this role? (shakes head)

Daryl and Beth

2014-03-03T17:47:00.000-08:00

Still a better love story than Twilight

I know I'm going to piss off a lot of Caryl shippers out there, but I'm going to let it out in the open. THE BETHYL SHIP MUST SAIL.

There were mixed reviews of the 'Still' episode. I can understand as most of the articles posted out there were made by women (like me). Women who either want the Caryl ship to continue or not have Daryl hooked up with anyone because it would destroy their wet dreams.

Let me echo a comment I read in a forum. "Let's be honest, you don't care about age, you're against it for one of the three reasons 1. You have a crush on Daryl and can't see him with another chick, 2. You dislike Beth because she doesn't kick ass like everyone else. 3. You're delusional and think he and Carol had potential." - Nuff said.

Without further ado. Here are the main reasons why I dig the BETHYL SHIP:

1) Beth needs Daryl. She might have brought down a walker or two but she's no Michonne who can tackle a horde of z's with a swoosh of her blade. She definitely needs someone like Daryl by her side in order to survive. If that's not a core ingredient of a blossoming romance, I don't know what is. Besides, these are the kind of stuff Avon Romance novels are made of. Let me add, if the vampires have Bella and Edward, let the zombie apocalypse have Beth and Daryl.

2) Daryl needs someone like Beth. He lets Beth boss him around because aside from the guilt of having her dad gone thinking it's partly his fault, I have a feeling that deep down, Daryl WANTS TO BE NEEDED, hence the reluctant leader. He indulged her fixation for booze, always looked out for her even when he looked like he doesn't care. Sure he had some grunts in the beginning but that's because he's scared and doesn't want to lose anyone anymore, thus not wanting to connect at first. But breaking down at Beth. Wow. I've never seen Daryl so sad after Merle's passing. Now that's a connection.

3) Hershel would definitely approve. If I was Hershel, I'd rather have Beth end up with Daryl than some yahoo out there don't you think? Bringing Daryl home to Papa in the ZA is equivalent to bringing home a brain surgeon in our reality. :D Daryl keeps Beth safe, fed, and cared for in the ZA world. That's the only thing that should matter. Until of course, she got kidnapped! Damn you one eyed mutt! :D

4) Maggie approves! Lauren Cohan was interviewed about what Maggie would think about Beth and Daryl's 'relationship'. If Maggie, her own sister in The Walking Dead approve, all other baseless arguments on age inappropriate issues go out the window.

5) Daryl can teach Beth a thing or two. Driving, hunting, tracking, etc. Also, Daryl was never a kid because of the abuse he experienced. He's emotionally immature. Beth coaxed out that inner child in him by burning down the house - literally, to help him let go of his past. Daryl initiated Beth with Moonshine. I'm pretty sure he can initiate her in some other aspects ;) I'm talking about love you perv... but ok, we can all dream. You go JB!

6) They're a wild card pairing. It's so odd that it seems so right. Sort of like a yin-yang. I'd rather have our Daryl end up with sweet innocent Beth than with a mature and experienced woman (Rosita included). If AMC / The Walking Dead let this ship sail, it will be the most ingenious pairing in the history of television, like EVER. Norman Reedus also mentioned that Beth became Daryl's beacon. His candle. His light at the end of the tunnel. He never said anything that sweet and romantic about Carol.

7) Let's go there, Why not Carol? I love Carol don't get me wrong. But when its already two seasons over and no action? Something's amiss. Daryl looks at her only as a platonic friend. Get over it Caryl shippers ;) Its no longer a 'slow burn', its already a 'no burn'. And with the way Carol's character arc is going in S4, the last thing she needs is to hook up with Daryl.

Daryl cared for Carol because he felt bad about what she had to go through with Sophia. Plus, Daryl has rebuffed Carol's 'teases' too many times. One of my forum friends who was previously abused as a kid explained why she sees Daryl with Beth better than Carol. Though Norman Reedus mentioned in interviews that damaged people gravitate towards each other like Daryl and Carol, I believe what Daryl needs is someone who still has light in them. Dark and Dark don't exactly match. After what Beth's seen the way her dad got killed, she still hoped there are still good people out there. That's the kind of faith Daryl needs, even when its that blind. But see, Beth was right after all. Their friends are not dead when Daryl thought otherwise.

8) You love who you love. Once it hits you, BAM! There's no turning back. With all these talk about age gap going on and all, IT'S THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, MAN! You can't afford to be choosey! Besides, Beth is of age already. Age is strictly a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. And, I don't see why a brotherly love in the beginning can't bloom into something even more beautiful. Remember, they're hot blooded humans and they're not kin. Also, I know that there are couples out there who have huge age gaps and could still make it work.

9) The romantic tension is so high between them. (Notice I used 'romantic', not 'sexual') They don't just have something 'brotherly'. Sure Daryl is wayy older, BUT just hear me out. If my older brother, or an older male cousin looked at me the way Daryl 'awkwardly' looks at Beth? I'd be totally creeped out.

With all the foreshadowing of what's in store in Beth's future, we all feel that Beth's gonna bite the dust pretty soon. Hell a lot of people even expect it to happen. I don't expect her god-mode to last. Look at what happened to Hershel. So have a heart and give the girl a last chance to lock lips with the 'Dix'. I'm not even asking for hot one on one action, just a sweet kiss between the two, I'm pretty easy to please.

So there, I spent almost half of my day blogging about this already. That just shows how passionate I am about the show. So AMC, MAKE 'BETHYL' HAPPEN.

10 Habits of Happy Couples

2014-01-31T16:18:00.001-08:00

1. Go to bed at the same time

Remember the beginning of your relationship, when you couldn’t wait to go to bed with each other to make love? Happy couples resist the temptation to go to bed at different times. They go to bed at the same time, even if one partner wakes up later to do things while their partner sleeps. And when their skins touch it still causes each of them to tingle unless one or both are too completely exhausted to feel sexually excited.

2. Cultivate common interests
After the passion settles down, it’s common to realize that you have few interests in common. But don’t minimize the importance of activities you can do together that you both enjoy. If common interests are not present, happy couples develop them. At the same time, be sure to cultivate interests of your own; this will make you more interesting to your mate and prevent you from appearing too dependent.

3. Walk hand in hand or side by side
Rather than one partner lagging or dragging behind the other, happy couples walk comfortably hand in hand or side by side. They know it’s more important to be with their partner than to see the sights along the way.

4. Make trust and forgiveness your default mode
If and when they have a disagreement or argument, and if they can’t resolve it, happy couples default to trusting and forgiving rather than distrusting and begrudging.

5. Focus more on what your partner does right than what he or she does wrong
If you look for things your partner does wrong, you can always find something. If you look for what he or she does right, you can always find something, too. It all depends on what you want to look for. Happy couples accentuate the positive.

6. Hug each other as soon as you see each other after work
Our skin has a memory of “good touch” (loved), “bad touch” (abused) and “no touch” (neglected). Couples who say hello with a hug keep their skin bathed in the “good touch,” which can inoculate your spirit against anonymity in the world.

7. Say “I love you” and “Have a good day” every morning
This is a great way to buy some patience and tolerance as each partner sets out each day to battle traffic jams, long lines and other annoyances.

8. Say “Good night” every night, regardless of how you feel
This tells your partner that, regardless of how upset you are with him or her, you still want to be in the relationship. It says that what you and your partner have is bigger than any single upsetting incident.

9. Do a “weather” check during the day
Call your partner at home or at work to see how his or her day is going. This is a great way to adjust expectations so that you’re more in sync when you connect after work. For instance, if your partner is having an awful day, it might be unreasonable to expect him or her to be enthusiastic about something good that happened to you.

10. Be proud to be seen with your partner
Happy couples are pleased to be seen together and are often in some kind of affectionate contact — hand on hand or hand on shoulder or knee or back of neck. They are not showing off but rather just saying that they belong with each other.

link

Still Breathing

2014-01-25T23:45:00.001-08:00

The score was what totally melted me on this one. I thought I already heard the best from James Horner or Thomas Newman, boy was I dead wrong. The music weaves throughout the movie which made me feel really warm and fuzzy inside and it helped many moments in the film. Add to that the special reference to the local legend of a church window in San Antonio Texas.

There was something in the way Fletcher's voice (Brendan Fraser) told the legend's story that made it seem just pure poetry to me. Joanna Going is simply beautiful. Even when she played a scammer, she had class and acted like a lady. She reminded me so much of Alyssa Milano and Shannen Doherty in the early years of Charmed (tv series). I just wished the movie used the long hair she had in the poster. There's no nudity or crude sex to spoil the movie like most rom-coms have today. I would put this movie high on my romantic movie preferences in line with 13 Going 30, Fifty First Dates, Meet Joe Black, and Some Kind of Wonderful. I'm kind of kicking myself right now why I have been stalling to watch this movie for a very long time.

But of course, who could resist Brendan Fraser's face and biceps? One review I read wrote "George of the Jungle as a romantic leading man? I would have moved into a tree just to look into those eyes before I die". Funny but it was exactly the perfect word to describe Brendan Fraser. Nobody else could have pulled off Fletcher's character more than he could ever do. I'm glad this movie was done during Brendan Fraser's heyday! Viva La 90s!

Some critics (or cynics I may say) complained about the lack of chemistry between the two actors. But the doubting and quietly brooding beauty of Roz, and the macho pseudo weirdo charm of Fletcher (and the way they kiss) was just quite the opposite. It was perfect. The title of the movie should have been 'Barely Breathing' as I was breathless watching Brendan Fraser (so ok, maybe I'm biased).

The very last scene felt like I was in a dream and somehow, I didn't want it to end just yet. Though the movie was a bit underrated, it was actually pretty good. Definitely a cult classic and a must on Valentine's Day.

Night of the Living Deed

2013-10-30T10:37:00.002-07:00

I don't know if this was even worthy of being put here. Oh well, Halloween is Halloween and that is reason enough for me to start reading books like these.

The story wasn't creepy as the book looks. In fact, I would've preferred reading Nancy Drew because well, the plot is light, fun, and unbelievable. Imagine a ghost that changes clothes, has a notepad as transparent as he is which he flicks to read or write notes. The ghosts talk to the heroine like plain old you and me. No spooky rattling of chains, no nothing. It's as if the story says once you die and you become a ghost, you get stuck to wherever you died talking to (gifted) people as ordinary as day. Oh, and a nine year old girl that chooses Mr. Spock (yes that Star Trek alien) as her Halloween costume and knows what a 5 mph in a car? Come on!

The villains were also verrryyy predictable. Obviously.

You could say I wasted three days of my time instead of reviewing for my next state exam. The book was so juvy, it wouldn't even measure up to spookier classics of Choose Your Own Adventure books.

Off to my next Halloween book before all Hallow's Eve, hopefully not as disappointing as this.

But ok, because it was quite entertaining the least, I'd give it two stars.

10 Stages of a Nightmare Job Search

2013-08-15T10:44:00.000-07:00

By Steve Tobak

March 9, 2011, 3:09 PM PST

It's tough to keep your spirits up when you've been job hunting for an eternity. But Steve Tobak has been there, and his perspective may help you get through the ordeal.

This is the worst job market I've eer seen, and I've been around a long time. It's tough out there. Really tough. Having been a job seeker for six months during a recession myself, I can tell you, it wasn't any fun. In fact, it was downright scary.

Still, besides having blind faith that things would eventually work out, the one thing that kept me going was a sense of humor. Really. So if you're out there looking or know somebody who is, I hope this article helps.

Note: This article originally appeared as an entry in BNET's The Corner Office blog. It's also available as a PDF download.

1: Determination

Determined to find a job come hell or high water, whatever that means, you tell your wife, “I’m going to bring you a paycheck or die trying.” Your wife gives you a big hug and says, “I know you will, sweetheart.” The next day she takes out a life insurance policy on you.

2: Optimism

Enamored with a universe of possibilities, you go wild networking with everyone and anyone, tweeting, signing up on job search sites, filling out online employment applications, and linking on LinkedIn. You think, this might not be so hard after all.

3: Disappointment

When all that effort turns up a big round donut, you just can’t understand what went wrong. Now, with a little time on your hands, you begin to get just how bad things are out there. Reality sets in. This is going to be a long haul. Better make a pitcher of margaritas.

4: Fear

Weeks go by and not much has changed, except what you thought was enough runway money isn’t lasting as long as you’d hoped. You actually get an interview where they blow all kinds of smoke up your butt but, in the end, there’s no call-back. Not even to say thanks but no thanks. The bastards.

5: Jealousy

A friend calls you up screaming on the phone because he landed a job. You act all happy for him, but while he’s going on and on about the pay and the perks, you realize you’re grinding your teeth. Later, you can’t stop thinking why him and not me?

6: Depression

Two hundred and fifty-seven applications and three interviews with no call-backs later, it happens. You start going to bed early, getting up late, and shuffling around the house all day in your bathrobe. Your favorite food tastes like cardboard. Sex is exhausting. You give in to the void.

7: Hope

Just before the cash runs out, one of the eighty-three thousand people you contacted emails you out of the blue about a job that’s right up your alley. Heading to the bathroom for your first shower in a week, you pass by the mirror and wonder what that weird thing on your face is. It’s a smile.

8: Celebration

They run you through the mill and just when you think there can’t possibly be anyone left at the company for you to interview with, the boss calls you with an offer. You got the job! You run around the house screaming like a little girl. The neighbors think you’ve finally lost it.

9: Elation

You can’t sleep. Who needs sleep; you’ve got a job. You feel like a man again. Work starts at 9. You’re there at 7. You’ve got this amphetamine-like buzz that won’t quit … and you didn’t even take anything. You smile at everybody. Everybody thinks you’re wacko. But it’s all good. You’re getting a paycheck again.

10: Resignation

Eventually, the halo wears off. You cross swords with all the usual back-stabbers, ass-kissers, and whiners. Then your boss comes down on you hard for something you didn’t even do. So you shuffle through the parking lot, get in your car, and drive home with all the other rush-hour lemmings. That’s when it hits you. I’ve got to go to work every day again. Crap.

Last word

You’ll get through this and live to hate your job again. Kidding. You’re not alone. You’ll survive. Everything will be fine. Really.

link: TechRepublic

Is Jesus a Republican or a Democrat?

2013-08-01T15:52:00.000-07:00

I've been itching to share my thoughts on this very interesting book from Prof. Tony Campolo ( I'm not sure if I'm addressing his title properly). This book provides probing questions most Christians try to avoid. Below are some of the important topics discussed in the book

Is Jesus a Republican or a Democrat?
Author: Neither
Myself: Agree - Neither obviously, for Jesus was never a politician. But I do have to agree that both parties mean well and that Jesus is a representation of both. Tolerance, forgiveness, and equality (Democrats). Justice, discipline, and that the cost of freedom is won by blood (Republicans). But too much of a good thing is bad. Democrats - Tolerance and forgiveness without justice or belief in God is anarchy. Republicans - Foregoing the party's creed for the sake of THE party (ie, too much politicking) is not really serving the community. We need to have a balance of both if only these parties will unite (I can dream), and no, Jesus ain't Libertarian either.

On Homosexuality
Quite Agree, but with a somewhat different understanding-
Tony Campolo asserts the passage of Romans 1:19-2 that considers even monogamous homosexual relations as a sin:

"...because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened."

To the untrained heart, this doesn't make any sense. However, here is a passage from Mark 10:6-9 (not mentioned in Campolo's book). where Jesus himself clearly stated what marriage was. He describes exactly what the plan was, and doesn't even hint at other possibilities.

"But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' ' For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore, what God has joined together, let man not separate."

But then Tony Campolo rants about different 'theories' proven or otherwise, sociologically and psychologically on homosexual tendencies. This resulted into more confusion on where he stands. He mentioned that 'he made it clear to the gay and lesbian he has counseled, that while they did not choose their sexual orientation, they simply are responsible for their behavior'... Is there a difference??? Ergo, the premise stands that sexual orientation IS a choice? But a choice that is NOT as simple and easy as it sounds which I can empathize.

The hard questions most Christian gays face are - 'Does Jesus love me?' (Obviously, yes He does.) 'Is my sexual preference a sin and if so, how can something feel good be bad?' And the most important, 'will an LGBT go to heaven?' Quite frankly, I don't know the answer to that. The only One that knows a person's heart 100% is God. Judge not so you won't be judged. Any pastor, priest, or individual preaching that an LGBT will not go to heaven is misleading. Are you God? No. Then don't judge. Let God BE the judge.

The answers to these and all other questions also lies on how well an individual knows God. First, we have to know God's nature and realize that His ways are not ours. There are only three requirements to enter the kingdom of God (according to the New Testament which for me, makes the most sense vs. all other faiths):

1) Acknowledge a person's need of a Savior and that is Jesus Christ.
2) Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.
3) Love your neighbor as yourself.

There is only one way to go to hell - PRIDE. God doesn't only dislike pride, He HATES it. Until an LGBT realizes that homosexuality is an act of sin against God, there is no way for any Christian to impose their values. They will never understand. They will only be resentful towards 'Bible-Thumpers'. Now, having said that, I agree with Prof. Campolo that we should not put homosexuality under the 'super-sin' category that most self-righteous 'Christians' do. After all, everyone has sinned and fell short of God's glory.

Whatever goes in my LGBT friends' bedroom or elsewhere is none of my business. I love them for the special person that they are. I celebrate their creativity and ingenuity. But regardless of my beliefs, I understand that some people (LGBT or straight) may not accept my views. Do I understand their struggles? Yes. Do I support their cause (same sex marriage)? No. Why?  Go back to Mark 10:6-9. It is very important for both sides (pro and con) to live respectfully towards each other regardless of differing views.

Civil unions in America and most corporate policies already support same sex unions. What is a major difference between a 'marriage' vs. 'same sex union'? Main reason being that 'marriage' is sanctioned by God AND state. 'Unions' are, or may be supported only by the latter. Regardless of heterosexual couples' marriage statistics.....

Here is another important viewpoint. Though my beliefs are unacceptable to some, I of course, condemn hateful and spiteful acts toward the LGBT. We should see the difference between 'truth' that may hurt and eventually set a soul free vs. hurtful slurs on the guise of truth merely lashed out in hate. These kinds of actions promote low self - esteem to the point of self-mutilation, even suicide.

In a nutshell, let me apply the words of the apologist Nabeel Qureshi on this situation. -"Accept them, love them, and while organically letting your faith be known to them, present the Gospel in a relational context. "

On Proposition 187 or handling of undocumented residents (aka politically correct term for illegal aliens)
Agree, but with somewhat different views

I agree with Tony on Old Testament scriptures He quoted. First was Exodus 22: 21-23:

"Though shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If though afflict them any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear them cry."

Leviticus 25: 35:

"And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee. "

But here is what Tony Campolo missed which I want to share -

Mark 12:17

"Give unto Ceasar what is Ceasar's and to God the things that are God's."

Thus, is it possible to devote your life to God while submitting to earthly (state / government) rule? Yes. Why? Because Jesus said so. Prof. Campolo is quoting a scripture from the Old Testament but isn't the New Testament to be our new guideline to life? While Jesus preaches charity to 'undocumented residents', they themselves have to submit to the rules and policies of the American government. And most, if not all, are not having themselves documented because they DON'T want to pay taxes. Isn't that cheating? Prof. Campolo further suggests that if the government can't grant aid to these residents (withholding food stamps and other welfare benefits), then the church can extend a helping hand. But doesn't that condone cheaters? All I'm saying is, there is a process to obtaining citizenship or at least become a legal resident. The government should make the process easier so there won't be any excuses for delay. If we help these residents without them exerting an effort to become a citizen, or a legal resident, then that encourages more foreigners to come to America and violate its laws.

Should Christians support Gun Control?
Based from what he wrote, Prof. Campolo is an Anti-gun advocate. I disagree

The Bill of Rights guarantee every American the right to bear arms. Prof. Campolo mentioned that we have the right to own a gun as the Constitution guarantees us that right. But perhaps as a Christian, he would forego his right for the sake of our 'weaker' brothers and sisters.

That doesn't make any sense to me. The weaker (minded) brothers and sisters he mentioned in the book are those who are vulnerable or easy prey to evil people (ie serial killers, sexual predators, etc.) . Unless they have the money to pay for security systems, or train themselves in martial arts, they would still need protection in case they get attacked on their way home, or in their home. We can't rely everything to the police. Case in point - Sarah McKinley. A single mother in Oklahoma who killed her intruders to protect herself and her child. Also in the weak minded category are those who do not value the lives of others. All the more I would need protection from them! A perfect example of this is Suzanna Gratia Hupp's horrible experience and understanding her defense of the second amendment.

Now the gray area lies on the regulations of the semi-automatic guns that some named 'assault' weapons. Sure, maybe we can leave these guns to the hands of the military. Regardless of laws passed, illegal peddling of these so called assault weapons are rampant. Up to what extent do we regulate who can own certain types of guns?

To add to Prof. Campolo's humorous argument, he mentioned he was convicted when a pacifist friend asked him this simple question, "If Jesus were among us in the flesh, would He pack a gun - even if He had to walk through a dangerous neighborhood? I don't think so,... Are not Christians people who do what Jesus would do if He were in their place?" First off, it's true that Jesus doesn't need to pack guns. He would just look his accusers in the eye, convict them of the truth, or command them 'Get ye behind me Satan!' and they OBEY. That privilege comes with being the Son. However, He did allow everything to happen to Him for a greater purpose. Second, I believe that Jesus would forgive me if I had to kill another human in self-defense. Whoever plans to physically harm me will get what they deserve, if I have the means to save myself - whatever it takes. After all, if their own lives mean nothing to them, my life matters to me and I will do everything I can to preserve it so I could be of further use to God. And God, being all knowing and powerful, would understand and forgive my reasons for doing such.

Does God Have a Feminine Side?

Although I have no problems with Prof. Campolo addressing the feminine attributes of God - sensitivity, caring, and compassion, I believe that the question should be 'Is God male or female?'

I believe in women empowerment but not to the point that it's in your face. Radical feminism (and there are crazy ones out there) making angry claims that they don't need a male Savior is just absurd and ironically shows extreme insecurity on their femininity. Mainstream media often portrays a 'non-gender specific' god, or worse, proclaiming him as a 'she'.

But let's cut this argument short. Why do I believe that God is male? Because Jesus said so. He was specific when He addressed God as 'Abba' or 'Father', putting 'Him' as male. Now, an 'ethereally' male may be different from an 'earthly' male, but it's still male nonetheless.

Besides, what are the feminists so insecure of? So what if our Savior is male? It shouldn't impugn the roles of women in society.   Remember that a woman gave birth to the Savior! Women were the last at the cross and the first at the tomb. Women were the first messengers of Christ. After He has risen, Jesus told Mary Magdalene, 'Go and tell my disciples, I HAVE RISEN.' As Dr. Ravi Zacharias mentioned in one of his Q & As in feminism, 'no other worldview has greater respect and love that Jesus had for women, making them equal in His eyes, even at the the time when women were subjugated in society.'

A woman can and should not be 'boxed' in a typical category, nor can she be limited in being a soft and genteel creature. She can be whoever she wants to be, wear whatever she wants to wear. She may have great careers under her belt or prefers to be a stay at home mom to take care of her family. Either choices are excellent life pursuits.

Is Christian 'Environmentalism' an Oxymoron?
I think the question should be revised to:

Is it ok for Christians to eat meat?
Is it more Christ like to be vegetarian?

I've posted a similar blog way back on the subject. <link> True, I draw the line on the Japanese' custom of hunting whales because of tradition. I am against horse races. I condemn rooster, and dog fights for gambling or entertainment. I don't even agree in caging a parrot or any kind of bird (let's put you in a cage for the rest of your life and see how you feel). But if you ostracize your meat eating friends because you've become a vegetarian, if you impose that eating ONLY raw, plant-based foods is the only healthy way to go, or if you start praying to the trees or paying reverences to an owl for wisdom, then that's a whole different level of bizarre.

Both Prof. Campolo and I agree, that loving God's creations other than humans should be third priority. Remember the rule - 'Love God above all others (1st), AND love your neighbor as yourself (2nd). Though they are two separate commandments, neither can exist without the other one.

Its ok to take care of nature and glorify God for all the wonderful things He has made. But if your love of nature trumps the first two, then you're not really living your ultimate life purpose.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I believe in letting people live their own lives. To mind your own business and have faith in God no matter what. To live decently, act in propriety, and always hope for the best. You can be a walking testimony for God on how you behave, live, and love others. People will be attracted to this kind of lifestyle which paves the way to successfully sharing the Christian ideology. 'By this act of love, men shall know that you are my disciples' - John 13:35

The Walking Dead Funniest Memes

2013-07-26T21:43:00.002-07:00

In anticipation of The Walking Dead Season 4, I came across the funniest memes I've ever read. Thank God there's no zombie apocalypse! This is what bored people come up with when they have free time on their hands....

My favorite Daryl Memes :D

Daryl somehow made a poncho look badass

but...

salad Daryl?

how about a salad bar?

Hey, I know exactly how you feel baby boy :D....

....and the most unforgettable Daryl meme of all (lol!)

In the meantime, while waiting for Season 4...

#hopefully no copyright infringement (even if there might be), all memes were taken from random webbies.. (deadshed.com, pandawhale, buzzfeed, and funnyordie)

Autumn Color Skin Tone Analysis

2013-05-04T12:19:00.001-07:00

If you have an Autumn coloring discover your color palette and tips on how to select and wear the best colors for your rich and warm coloring, right here.

If you're an Autumn,
you probably have:

A lot of depth to your coloring with golden undertones (eg. strawberry blonde hair, chestnut brown or rich red hair)
Warm undertone to your skin. Bluish or pinkish tints may exist but the warmth is dominant. Peachy skin, which is a warm type of pink is considered warm.
Deep, earth tone quality to your eye color such as black-brown, deep to medium brown, bright brown, deep green, light to dark hazel, dark blue, mixed blue and green eyes (some gray or/and yellow in them)
In general, your coloring is low in contrast but not as delicate as Spring and Summer. Some Autumns have a high contrast coloring but not as vivid as a Winter
Light, muted but rich coloring which appears mousy and a mix of both cool and warm which make you look neutral. But you still have some depth to it.
... Or an overall deep and warm look with olive to black skin, very dark eyes and dark brown to black hair.

Not an Autumn? See other seasons below:
Summer Spring Winter

The majority of women of color as well as Caucasians with warm and rich coloring fall within this group. Also, the majority of natural red-heads are considered Autumns because of their spicy hair color which dominate their look. However there are some exceptions to red hair based on the intensity of the overall coloring.

Note: Scroll further down for a more personalized color palette with your best colors - find out if you're a Soft, Warm or Deep Autumn. Autumn is broken down into 3 groups, depending on the quality of your coloring. So you're not quite done yet!

You may have some coolness (eg. olive) to your coloring which may indicate that you flow into a cooler season. Learn more further down this page.

Your Color Palette Within
the Autumn Season

Now let's take a closer look at where on the intensity scale within the Autumn season you belong to, based on the dominant quality of your hair, eye and skin color.

By knowing this you'll know what nuances of the Autumn colors suit you best. Because even though two persons share the same season, the color palette may differ by a few nuances.

Differences between the 3 Autumns

Here we have 3 examples of the 3 Autumns with typical Autumn characteristics but different intensities. Kristen Kreuk(center) is considered a classic Autumn because of her overall warm but deep

coloring (which flows into Winter). She looks amazing in black, doesn't she?

Kate Beckinsale (left) may look like a classic Autumn but her coloring is slightly more muted than Kreuk's, which flows more toward Spring - a Warm Autumn. Drew Barrymore (right) flows the opposite way towards Summer which makes her coloring lighter and softer - a Soft Autumn.

Now let's check out the typical characteristics and color palette of each intensity:

Soft Autumn (eg. Drew Barrymore)

Eyes: Light brown, soft hazel, blue, mixed blue, gray-green (mixed green)

Hair: Golden blonde to medium brown, soft auburn, eg. strawberry blonde, mousy look. May have blonde or red highlights. Signs of ashiness may indicate that you're a Soft-muted Summer, not Autumn.

Skin: Ivory, neutral beige, olive and also brown. If you're a woman of color, the skin color hair is less important than eyes and hair, so don't think about that too much

You have a mousy coloring, a mix of warm and cool, but often with a definite yellow undertone in your skin. You may flow into Soft-muted Summer. Learn more about having a soft-muted coloring and what colors to wear.
Examples of Soft Autumn celebs: Giselle Bundchen, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, Nicole Richie, Drew Barrymore.

Warm Autumn (eg. Kate Beckinsale)

Eyes: Medium brown or lighter, olive green, dark hazel

Hair: Medium golden brown, medium chestnut, rich and warm red, auburn, deep golden brown

Skin: Bronze, golden beige, ivory, warm beige. May have freckles.

You have a definite warmth to your hair, eyes and skin. If you have obvious cool undertones then you can not be a Warm Autumn.

This is especially an issue for many red-haired women - just take note of the intensity of your hair color! If it's a softer red then you may be a lighter season or if you have any other dominant characteristics that are NOT warm, base your analysis on that characteristic.

You may flow into Warm Spring. Learn more about having a Warm coloring and what colors to wear.
Examples of celebs with Warm Autumn coloring: Isla Fisher, Debra Messing, Kate Beckinsale, Lindsay Lohan, Marcia Cross, Beyonce (mix of Warm Spring)

Deep Autumn (eg. Kristin Kreuk)

Eyes: Dark brown, black-brown, dark hazel, dark green and some instances a very, deep and dark shade of blue

Hair: Black-brown, dark to deep chestnut, medium brown

Skin: Bronze, black, olive, ivory, golden beige. If you have some cool undertones it may indicate that you flow towards Deep Winter

This is another classic color palette (along with Deep Winter) for the majority of women of color - the difference is that this is yellow-based. Your coloring is deep, warm but muted. You may flow into Deep Winter. Learn more about having a Deep coloring and what colors to wear.

Examples of Deep Autumn celebs: Jessica Alba, Kristin Kreuk, Julia Roberts, Audrina Partridge, Vanessa Minnillo, Eva Mendes.

Source: http://www.thechicfashionista.com/autumn-color-analysis.html

Why 'CHARMED' For Me, Ended With a Sour Note

2013-01-28T16:39:00.003-08:00

One day I was listening to a collection of the series' music from Seasons 1 to 3 in my iPod (which I painstakingly researched and only the best were chosen). Then I got to thinking of why I got depressed with the show that changed my TV viewing. This TV series made a big impact in my single life in the 90's that I was really affected with every episode, every fashion, happiness, and heartbreak the sisters felt. When, even as lucid as I was aware that this was just pure fiction, it came to a point that I was becoming borderline obsessive about the show. My sister and a cousin included.

I can relate best with the youngest sister Phoebe. I, being the youngest too, had a free spirit like her. Phoebe was adventurous, irresponsible, and boy crazy but has a heart of gold. She fell for the wrong men who were clearly sincere but were not meant to be. But my heart was broken when she had that ridiculous page boy hair cut that did not suit her beautiful face in Season 4 or 5, or the way they killed off Cole.

I preferred Seasons 1 to 2, where creator Constance Burge concentrated on the demon of the week per episode. But it is with a heavy heart I say, that the series did not go the way most fans wanted, and why the series slowly tanked with the departure of Shannen Doherty, or demise of Prue Halliwell whichever you prefer. Go ahead, check the ratings. It was never as high as it was in Seasons 1 to 3. I could rant and rant about the show but all I could do to this day is to never get pass to watching episode 21 of Season 3 because I know in episode 22, Prue dies.

Then we get into this stupid story line of a pastey white, half-sister trying to mesh in with the chemistry unsuccessfully.

Even with Rose McGowan's addition to the series, I mean bless her heart, it was never the same after Prue died, or Shannen left, whatever.

Although I would really, in my heart of hearts, like to be open to Paige's character, having a fourth sister destroyed the dynamics of the eldest, middle, and youngest sibling. Even Holly Marie Combs to this day prefers to be the mediator instead of the oldest. There was something amiss...

I believe the series would have lasted longer if Shannen didn't quit the show. If I had a magic wand (or a witch's cauldron), I thought of rewriting Charmed. The plot would have been more consistent and not have a lot of lose ends. Piper didnt have to go through all that bitterness and anger, unwillingly stepping up to the role of the eldest sister when Prue died. And I am still for Phoebe and Cole, and all the love interests she encountered before ending up with Coop. But they should have at least given Cole a different kind of redemption. Cole sacrificing himself for Phoebe and Prue and having him die instead of Prue, thus earning him the right to have his dad's soul carried by Leo in heaven. For Cole to be watching over Phoebe for eternity be with Coop is part of the sacrifice he had to do. Another thing the writers and producers could have done was have the sisters' powers strong enough that they all didn't have to live in the Manor, and have at least one sister per episode. Told you I was borderline obsessive. Not to mention that I actually had all sisters (yes, Paige included) astrologically analyzed. Prue - Scorpio, Piper - (should be) a Virgo, Phoebe - (should be) a Leo, and Paige - (should be) an Aquarian. Water, Earth, Fire, and Air signs, completing the elements of all astrological signs. But that's another story in my junk food riddled brain.

How shall I say it? As much as I super love the show, it left a bitter taste in my mouth long after the series ended in 2006.

Oh well, at least I could always watch the reruns, until it reaches Episode 22 of Season 3 that is.

Miniskirts, Mothers & Muslims

2012-11-29T18:54:00.004-08:00

Christians need to make major adjustments in their ideas of what living in a foreign culture for Christ means. It's not too long before they realize they need to learn a lot from those they came to teach. We must be guests before we can be hosts.

When we try to live according to local customs it can be difficult. But I believe there is a way to transform these restrictions into spiritual gain. By voluntarily submitting to the same rigid restrictions that our Muslim friends live under, Christians can walk in their shoes. Though we were brought up differently, we can choose to try to take in their point of view and live in their world... Now that doesn't mean we should and condone the way they had to kill their wives or their daughters for honor. It's seeing how highly they view family honor to the point of sacrificing their own family.

Their society, as described by their author, is not much different from ours (Filipinos). They put a high price on family and neighborly treatment. Here in America as I have experienced, you hardly know your neighbors. Whereas back home, you swap stories, kitchen utensils and even food pantry items with each other. They also believe in the value of being indebted to another for a favor done to them (Utang na loob). They also live on that familial romanticism of parents taking care of the children, and having it reversed as they grow older, to the point that the individual is not only working for himself and his immediate family, but also includes the extended family as well. For this reason we (and Arabs) often see Westerners as selfish because they are only looking after their own interests.

Do not expect that this book will give you advise on how to share faith with the Muslims, nor does this book illustrate how to explain the Trinity, or Jesus being the "Son of God". It simply says that as Christians, we should embody His message. Live by example. The golden rule of loving others as you love yourself and treat them how you want to be treated. In turn, our Muslim brothers may say 'hey, they're not as bad as we thought they were' and vice versa.

I believe there is a lot we can learn from each other. From the Muslims, the value of propriety and obedience to God, or at least their devotion of setting time for prayer to Allah. From the Christians, the price of grace, forgiveness, mercy, and the peace which can only be found in Christ.

Hopeful Saturday

2012-09-22T11:57:00.000-07:00

Having such a great day today. Accomplished my first two days of work last Thursday. I welcome today with hope. Tomorrow is our 1 year wedding anniversary but since the Moroccan Restaurant is closed on Sundays, we decided to have the lunch today. I was hoping for dinner so I can watch belly dancers but Braxton can't eat spicy foods at night due to his congenital condition.

On this bright Saturday morning, we jogged at the park, had a great oatmeal breakfast with coffee (him with juice). We're sorting laundry for wash, and would probably get ready by noon. My gosh I haven't even thought of what I'm going to wear yet. Then at night, after cleaning up around the house, we will relax for a great movie on the couch with my husband's infamous creation of Kettle cooked popcorn.

God giving me a job I deserve for now, from a reputable company with flexible hours, fortune smiles on us. Appreciating simple moments like these really shows that life is good. :) 11:30 AM

4:31 PM Just an update.... We cleaned our apartment, took us 5 hours from 11 AM. We thought we could still make it for lunch but at 4:16 when I checked our Groupon, I found out it was actually valid ONLY for dinner from 5:00 pm onwards. I am so friggin' hungry, that I might collapse. I'm having a migraine already. However, the day is not yet done. We still have the movie to look forward to, and at least, our apartment is cozy clean by that time we retire.

Jerusalem Chronicles: Guy Delisle

2012-09-06T12:47:00.000-07:00

I just love this book to bits! Actually, it's a comic book by French Canadian illustrator Guy Delisle.

With it's bustling market, ethnic and religious tensions, and just about everyday life in the city, Guy Delisle puts a humorous spin to the chaos that gave me a surreal tour of his one year stay at the Holy Land.

For anyone who has passion for travel, this (comic) book is a must have! A collector's item!
------------------------------------------------------------
5 RAVES!!!

She's Come Undone

2012-08-28T16:53:00.001-07:00

It's a fictional story about the coming of age of Dolores Price and her struggles with self-esteem after being raped by her charming neighbor. From there, she ate her way through life to compensate for her distress, watching countless hours of TV to the point of self-destruction.

Reading the book was like watching an HBO miniseries. Tragedy after freaking tragedy, no wonder she ended up in a loony bin. It came to a point that her life story was so dreary that I wondered if there will be any light at the end of her tunnel (sigh..)

Still, for what it's worth, the whale part was really touching. Characters, colorful as they are quirky, added spice to the tale. First I thought she'd end up with Dr. Cutie but that would have been too predictable. The author could have done away with 'Gigantor Mr. Good Guy' who she married later on. Ending up with Gigantor was not really the problem but the way Wally Lamb described the character. It could have been more convincing if he was just a normal, middle-aged balding guy. Here, I felt the author was trying too hard to make the story even more vibrant.

Wally Lamb also made God just a back burner in the story. I'm not expecting God to make a showdown but it shows that the lack of a spiritually rooted environment makes it difficult for everyone to cope.

Sadly, I see Dolores in many faces. The defeated wife, the struggling obese, the perturbed girl with the lack of self esteem, the list goes on... Dolores Price also showcased a part of us when we get bummed. Eating to our heart's delight with junk food and mindless hours of watching TV marathons just to help us forget about our problems for awhile.

The Moral...

* Male role models (aka dad) are still very important in a family unit. Though many children survived a traumatic divorce from parents, or lived a healthy, normal life with a single mother, the single mother had to double her efforts to make ends meet, not just financially, but morally to the child as well. The lack of a stable male role model often has a negative impact on the child's holistic development.

* If ever I'll have daughters, I won't ever leave them alone or let them hang out with an older guy neighbor / male teacher / coach / male cousin by themselves, even if the dude looked like Brad Pitt or Justin Bieber.

* I will never get cable TV. Watching trash reality shows and boohoo soaps are not just addicting but destructive to the psyche. I won't let them play video games while they are under my roof (except maybe during summer). Occasional weekend dvd or movie nights with family and friends are ok. I will instill the virtue of reading books the old fashioned way - paperbacks. I will encourage my children to play sports, or crafts, or engage them in activities that continuously develop their mind and social skills. I will limit the junk food I buy for my family.

*I will let my children feel like they're the most beautiful people in the world and be proud of their achievements. I will even study their zodiac on how to approach them the best way possible :D

* I will have my children grow up knowing Jesus and having that intimate relationship with God so they know who to look up to in worse case scenarios.
-----------------------------------------------------
4 stars

Act of Valor

2012-08-13T21:39:00.000-07:00

I love watching patriotic action films, even films that are underrated or low budgeted. Films like The Long Kiss Goodnight, or Leon, so me and hubby gave this movie a chance.

I loved that they actual Seals were drafted to star in the film. The movie featured America's firepower, the use of high tech gadgetry, military equipment, and the strategies mimicked by action rpg / first person shooter video games.

But here is where the movie failed for me:

1) Wikipedia described the first part of the plot as 'In the Philippines, a terrorist kills the U.S. ambassador, his son, and dozens of children at an elementary school, using a vehicle-borne IED disguised as an ice cream truck'. That part is what killed the move for me. 1st, International Schools in the Philippines don't look anything near that building they had. They actually had to film that scene in Cambodia. You can see a slip of a mini Angkor Wat white tower before going inside the school, and some squiggly Cambodian writing. It was funny because you can hear Tagalog being spoken in the background, and the truck had 'sorbetes' in it which made me really confused. What the hell? Are you in Cambodia??? or in the Philippines?? And in the Philippines, we don't sell ice cream through a moving 'mini' van. True, we're still ways away from Singapore but the other side of the coin also gives a different picture. So yeah, that kinda irritated me..

2) The theatrical poster screams 'The Band of Brothers' copycat.

So basically, the movie was used as an initiative to recruit SEALS. All in all the movie wasn't that bad. But it could've been done with a lot more improvement on research at least. I don't mind Philippines being used as a plot for terrorist grounds but please, make it more believably credible.

Some Kind of Wonderful

2012-08-10T22:51:00.000-07:00

Evil has devious ways of making us feel bad. Because when we feel bad, the devil feels good... And one way to make him feel bad is to feel good - even when we feel bad. Sounds like wordplay, huh?

I would often wonder, in this stage of my life, it this was it for me. What if I already met God's quota of blessings per person? And since I don't have a job yet, it's prolonging - stalling my desire to be able to settle in to a new home, help my husband, build a family...

Then there's that age problem of women on childbearing. My husband has a healthy physical lineage and so the pressure is mounting on both sides to produce beautiful babies.

Next are my personal dreams of traveling. I have seen some friends who gave up that dream in order to provide the best care for their children. As long as their children are happy and healthy, and are going to good schools (tuition can be a b*tch I heard) then they're happy. What about my personal happiness? I know that sounds selfish but am I the kind of person (or mother) to forego my own dreams for my children to be able to pursue theirs? Is it not possible to get the best of both?

Every time these negative thoughts come to mind, I thank God for the Holy Spirit's guidance to always be thankful for what I have and what I had. I never thought I'd be able to go places I've been to but I did. I never thought I'd be where I am now, having this big beautiful rock on my finger, and having the greatest accessory there is - my husband (beats having to tote a Prada bag any given day). God made all of these possible. Surely, as long as I live, He has a way of surprising me that tops my expectations.

And every time pessimism lurks in, I always hear 'Gardo's' advise. Reassuring me that life is good, why ruin it with bad thoughts? And this came from a guy whose trials I dread happening to me. Add to that a husband whose positivity is as brilliantly blinding, I found that optimism can actually be just as infectious.

So who am I to question the possibilities of God's handiwork in my life? He's not done yet. He has a plan for me. Plans to prosper and not to harm. Plans to continuously give me hope and a future. (Jer. 29:11) Realizing that there shouldn't be any room for malice in my heart and being happy for other people's good fortune is truly a virtue. God is biding His time, and His timing is always perfect. My time will come, as it always has. It may not be in the way I expect, but I know it would be something even more wonderful.

Let the jobhunt begin....

2012-07-19T15:33:00.000-07:00

I just got my employment authorization from the immigration. I can't help but feel anxious...

My career is starting all over, but at what specialty this time? Medical? Paralegal? Government? Administrative? Sales Support?

What would be the most ideal workplace for me that may entail at least once a year of traveling (aside from paid vacations) without neglecting my wifely duties? Something that would be financially lucrative but would not be too constricting? Something challenging but not too stressful?

I've experienced the best and the worst in employment. From the Bitch boss to the A-hole Boss, then there's the Best Boss, the corporate take-overs, layoffs, handling mundane tasks (customer service for an IT company I know nothing about) and fulfilling ones (sales analysis, presentation, writing for the newsletter, hitting sales team goals, participating in team-building activities).

In anticipation of the culture shock, I have to re-educate myself the following pointers learned from all my experiences:

Knowledge 11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7 5 = 96%
hardwork 8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%
Attitude - 1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100% Having a pleasant disposition - no grunting, sighing, should always be halfsmiling....

Knowledge and hardwork is important but coupled with the right attitude, work becomes easy peasy.

Get to know the corporate culture and office politics (do they wear scrubs? go light on makeup, comfy in jeans, too corporatey? wear branded clothing? go party on paydays? are they tech savvy? junk foodies?).

and most importantly....

follow instructions to a "T" Ha!

It's Called WORK for a Reason - Larry Winget

2012-07-07T23:47:00.001-07:00

Everyone who's working should buy this book! If you're managing employees, all the better. If only I'd known about this book before, it would have saved me a lot of trouble. I do practice some of the author's advise and some of his lashes I'm guilty of too. I'm sure you won't be spared, proving that this book is a business must-have.

Once you bought the book, highlight and make notes. Share it with your friends and co-workers / employees. From the self-proclaimed 'Mr. Pitbull of Personal Development', he says it IN YOUR FACE. Yeah, he may dress like a tool (part of his branding which I can understand) but he sure knows what he's talking about.

Here's a snippet of a chapter I'm sure will get you hooked...(with my notes in purple)

CHAPTER 3 - NO ONE OWES YOU A LIVING

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living; the world owes you nothing; it was here first." - Mark Twain

Employees have developed a sense of entitlement regarding their jobs, their work space, and their company.

Your company owes you a safe working environment. That's about it. As long as stuff doesn't fall on your head, the company has done its part. You will be harassed. Your feelings will get hurt. You will stub your toe. It happens on the street and at home and you can't do a thing about it. It will also happen at work. It's called life. Companies shouldn't care about your feelings. They should care about your rights. If you're happy on the job, that's a bonus. If you aren't happy that's your problem, not the company's. You have been paid. Give thanks and move on.

A DEAL IS A DEAL

The deal was you would show up when they told you to, and you would do what they paid you to do. For that, you would receive an amount of money that you agreed to. A deal was struck and all agreed. You provide results, and they provide the money.

THE WORK ETHIC OF OUR PARENTS

(This part reminded me of my hardworking dad.) My (Larry's) dad worked for Sears for forty-seven years. He didn't always love it. I almost never heard him complain. After a washing machine fell on him, he was transferred inside the store to sell sporting goods. By the way, he didn't sue anyone when he got hurt on the job. He went to the hospital, got better and went back to work. No hard feelings; stuff happens. He never once thought of motivation and attitude and his rights. His only motivation was to do the job he had been paid to do. Why? He had obligations. He had a family to take care of and bills to pay. 'You pay me, and I'll work for you. Period.' Why? Because like it or not, happy or not, motivated or not, a deal is a deal. They paid - he worked.

"But Larry we've come a long way since then!"

You are right; we have come a long way. I'm all for protecting employee's rights but Dang! what about the company's rights?

Why should the company have to suffer because you weren't happy today? Always remember that you are an expense to your company, and if you don't make yourself worth more than you cost, then you are an expense your company simply can't afford.

Got it yet? No work - no pay. No work - no job.

TO SUMMARIZE...

- Companies should be fair but they actually don't owe you anything.

-A deal is a deal. Live by it

-Make yourself worth more than you cost

-Companies exist to make profit, not to make sure you're happy

But hey don't just be a free-loader and expect me to put everything in this blog (Plus, I don't want to get sued). Buy it! It's an entertaining read which is hardly an apt description for motivational business books these days.

Dream Places to Visit - Ang pangarap ng isang Ambisyosa

2012-07-07T14:56:00.000-07:00

Summertime turns my wanderlust into hyperdrive and being its hopeless slave, I just have a simple wish.

To be able to travel to my top 10 dream destinations in between trips to the Philippines before I die at the age of 90 (Aba baket? Mangangarap na lang din naman ako taas taasan ko na di ba?)..

Part of the reason why as I child, when most little girls wanted to be nurses or doctors, I wanted to be a stewardess. To be able to travel the world. But then, 'feminists' crushed that idea growing up (as if dreaming to be beautiful or simply serving coffee in another language above the clouds was kind of a crime), I changed my dream to becoming a lawyer - until finding out that most lawyers lie (those that practice defending the obviously guilty anyway), I settled into taking Business Administration major in Marketing - good move I guess.

Blabbing aside, I've been to other places but the 10 countries / cities below have all been my lifelong pursuit. I thank God that He made the first four places possible for me. 4 down, 6 to go!

1) Hong Kong

Aside from it being the nearest to Pinas at nakakahiya naman na eto na lang eh di ko pa ma afford puntahan, it was actually my first taste of going overseas without my family. It was my first time to really feel like an empowered working girl. (CHECK! 2004, and 2007)

2) Singapore

Had a fantasy of visiting this place almost 20 years ago while I was reading a tour book in our cozy apartment in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Decades sure changed a lot of my perception of the place, but this city continues to fascinate me with all their mixed cuisine and hip places to go, on a cruise ship nonetheless. God! You the Man! (CHECK! 2008)

3) Australia

Finding Nemo, kangaroos and koalas...

... from the Sydney Opera house to the cosmopolitan stretch of beaches in Gold Coast,

The best time to visit is during St. Patty's day having a blast at an Irish Pub. Australians are friendly (but the Japanese tops them), I wish I could just bloody understand what they're saying sometimes. [CHECK ...TWICE! (Sydney and Gold Coast 2006 and 2009)]

4) San Francisco

Where my American dream began from watching that blasted 'Charmed' tv series over and over again. Many sites to tour - the Golden Gate Bridge, Cable Car, The Wharf, Alcatraz, Lombard St, prominent structures such as the Victorian Houses, Ghirardelli Square, Coit Tower and Bank of America. I sure left my heart in San Francisco - (for this is where we had our honeymoon <3). What a peaceful and romantic city. Also had my first amaretto sour in America at a forgotten bar corner. (DONE! 2011)

5) New York

From SATC, to Heroes, to Godzilla, Home Alone 2, The Devil's Advocate, Independence Day, West Side Story, now the Avengers... You name it. Most movies and well known TV series were shot (or referred to, in the case of 'Friends') in New York City - The concrete jungle were dreams are made of :) The best time to go I guess would be during Christmas season where horses on sleigh rides at Central Park as well as the Rockefeller Center with it's famous Herculean Christmas tree will be wondrously illuminated. (here's hoping by Christmas season of this year)

6) Rome

I can't forget my dad's out of the country trip to Italy when I was around 7. My first taste of Kinder chocolates for pasalubong and my dad's bagahe smelling of chilled apples. That and based on my astrological profile, this is one of the cities ruled by the constellation Leo. What grandeur and greatness! From the ancient to modern day, I bet this tour will give me a taste of both.

7) Greece

300... That Brad Pitt movie 'Troy'... Ok, I'll just settle for Mama Mia. Isn't Greece (Santorini & Mykonos) with its stark white edifices on top of hills contrasting the deep azure color of the sea a sight just beyond beautiful?

8) Austria

That magnificent view on a Zell Am See hotel used in the Band of Brothers TV series, not to mention the Eagle's Nest. And long long ago, when the words 'Alpine' to me was synonymous to milk and 'Bavarian' was a milky center of a doughnut -that's all to Austria's credit. Call it a Nazi country, I'm just after the pristine hills bursting alive with the sound of music. ♫

9) Egypt

Sphinx, Pharoahs, Cleopatra, the Pyramids of Giza, mummies, camels, the smell of sweetly spiced roasted dates... its exotic charm never ends.

10) Israel

The Walled City of Jerusalem - Where our Lord once trod. I wonder what the Sea of Galilee looks like, olive groves, Nazareth, Bethlehem,... My only concern would be if me and my husband will survive the trip with all their civil war (lol!). That's why I put it last on my list. But as they say, If your time's up, it's up! Ika nga ni Dean Winchester, 'If I'm going down, I'll go down swingin'.

If we do, however, survive the Jerusalem tour, then I'd want to go to the following: (The Runner Ups)

Monte Carlo

As Rick O' Connell of the Mummy character once said, 'I only gamble with my life, never my money'... well, in this place, I hope to elude even the faintest calls of the slot machine... This metropolis reminds me of that Charlene Duncan lyrics*♫♪ I've been to paradahhys... but I've never been to me...'♪♫*

Moscow

Aside from it being Fyodor Dostoyevski's homeland, I was inspired by that juvenile book 'Choose Your Own Adventure' where I found myself as a spy on a bridge in Leningrad.

India

The Taj Mahal, Bollywood, Slumdog Millionaire, authentic Indian chicken curry, and hopefully being able to afford to wine and dine at the five star resort above (Oberoi Udaivilas Resort, Udaipur).... Anyone can dream.

Mexico

(Excellence Riviera, Cancun) - The land of the beauty queens and limitless chimichangas ;p. Being closest to where I currently live - California.

Dominican Republic

(Majestic Resorts, Punta Cana) - dubbed as the 'Poor Man's Riviera. I heard that the Dominican Republic has tons to offer the budget savvy tourist.

Alaska Cruise

This picture reminded me of the closing scene from 50 First Dates.. and hearing that Hawaiian version of 'Somewhere over the Rainbow' makes me teary eyed ;,). Isn't God just magnificently creative?

The Grand Canyon

Speaking of His Magnificence... My big mouth was silenced by this breathtaking scene. To lodge at the Amangiri Resort in Utah if we win the lotto, otherwise, we'll settle for Motel6 :D

Spain

(Viva Barcelona!) Home of Baile Flamenco! (at bilang conquerors lang ng Pilipinas), I have to see Basilica de la Sagrada Familia by the time its completed in 2026, plus my husband wants to tour the land of the classical guitar.

And finally, the no-brainer - CANADA

Because my relatives will feel bad if I've been to all the places above except theirs :D

I know it sounds far -fetched, but hey, if dreams are free, why not make it a grand one right?

On a smaller scale, I will soon feature the best of the Philippines I've been to and the ones I hope to visit someday. Biyahe na!

My New Routine

2012-06-30T10:25:00.000-07:00

Since getting my license to work in the land of the immigrants, I suddenly have to shift my la la schedule to a more rigorous one.

I have to find work, and in order to do so, I need to polish my cover letter writing skills, revamp my resume, create a website to be more bankable, be on the lookout for job fairs in Sacramento, and would you believe the need to have a unique calling card to stand out among the gray swarm of applicants? Thanks to my ever so OC hubby who sees details I normally don't.

Not just that, but holy of holies I'm studying for an exam again. The civil service one. At times I'd think (particularly when I'm memorizing what seem to be gazillions of word meanings) of why I'm torturing myself with this. What for? To sound smart? To not let my brain die of complacency? To review and remember the basics?

I keep telling myself it will not be in vain. Worse case, at least I helped my brain cells live a little while longer.

After my daily chores, I would go to the local library (McKinley) from noon to 4 pm to study so I can stay away from (internet) distractions. Thank goodness for the working vendo outside the library. I believe I deserve a sugar fix at the end of a grueling day of racking my brains out.

Less FB Games (my Cafe World is on pause for now), less Tvnets, giving me more to proofread cover letters and browse through hundreds of online job descriptions . Lucky my favorite shows are on hiatus.

Soon, I will have to ask my hubby how to commute or worse, learn how to drive. ack!

Why I am NOT a Vegetarian

2012-06-10T15:50:00.001-07:00

This blog is not meant to offend vegetarians in any way. This post is just my 'absolute' reaction to the Skinny Bitch book / movement that authors self-taught know it all Rory Freedman (as she described herself in the book) and nutritionist Kim Barnouin started.

If you're a vegetarian, good for you. Or if you were medically advised to eating just grass, then munch away like Bugs Bunny, but I just can't be one.

Don't get me wrong. I have a soft spot for animals, especially stray kittens and abused dogs. I hate birds in cages. I believe they should be free to fly and scatter seeds and do stuff that birds do. Chimps are not pets. They were meant to swing from tree to tree, and no matter how demonic a pitbull may look like, I'm still against having them smuggled and used for dogfights. But I draw the line on food. Sure I don't eat dogmeat but I can eat pork, beef and chicken without feeling guilty. So here are some of the reasons why I don't ride into that vegetarian bullcrap:

1) Humans need animal protein - Unless you have a medical apathy for meat, regardless of what any smart ass vegetarians may say, humans need animal protein. Yeah yeah, there are a lot of meatless sources for iron and Vitamin B-12 but it's not the same. You'll notice that most (if not all) vegetarians, no matter how healthy they claim to be, look a lot paler than their meat-eating counterparts. Ginnifer Goodwin used to be a vegan / vegetarian until her doctor advised her to put animal protein back in her diet. So being a vegetarian doesn't make anyone 'healthier' than the average 'healthy' meat-eater. And when I say 'healthy' meat-eater, I meant those who intelligently know when enough serving is really enough.

As long as we eat lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, brown rice, whole wheat products, oats, minimize salt and sugar intake, and consume meat / dairy in moderation, say at least once a day, we would all have our blood sugar and pressure in check. I am living proof that you CAN be skinny and still eat meat. I might get cancer at an old age but at least I enjoyed the taste of bacon cheese burgers. Anyone who says otherwise is really not 'living', which leads us to no. 2

2) Deprivation - and yes, no matter how healthier it is to be a vegetarian, YOU are still depriving yourself. I can eat steak and try veggie meat just for the heck of it. I can have rich buttermilk ice cream and soy ice cream, or serve soy milk with my oatmeal for breakfast. Vegetarians only eat veggie meat and soy ice cream. So who has more options and who's more deprived?

3) Human relationships should trump your 'animalistic' cause. Yeah you have to be 'humane' whatever that means. So if avoiding your meat - eating friends, or being prissy at a party because they rarely have vegetarian options makes you think you're standing up for a cause, you're actually putting a damp in your relationships. And since your friends know that you don't eat meat anymore, then they have to make adjustments for you, right? Isn't that kinda selfish? If that's the case, well I'm sorry but you just don't know your priorities. And if you're only mingling with veggie eating friends, then, you don't really know what you're missing.

4) Due to my Christian faith. If Jesus fed 5,000 men with loaves of bread and fish, I believe it's His way of telling us it's ok to eat meat - even if it's just fish.

5) Cooks Illustrated, Bon Appetit, Southern Living, you name it - Cookbooks have diverse recipes for poultry, veal, beef, seafood, not to mention endless desserts made of cheese and cream - and you're confining yourself to cooking just veggiemeat? I think ingredients made of imitation meats and cheeses is just plain hypocrisy. Eating spaghetti using tofu instead of meatballs? Then don't eat spaghetti! Say in a buffet, there's vegetarian pizza - made of whole wheat dough, melted soy cheese, olive oil, bellpepper, olives, garlic and onion vs. a regular pizza served with hefty toppings of meat, veggies and cheese? Hmmmm.. I wonder which one I'd pick...

6) Meat restos - In & Out, Ruth & Chris' Steakhouse, Squeeze In Diner, Ben & Jerry's, Max's Fried Chicken, Dampa, Jello's, McDonald's... nuff said.

2012-05-30T20:51:00.000-07:00

"No matter how much I cry, my tears won't bring back our fortune. I will try to be happy without it". by Beauty, from 'Beauty and the Beast' by Madame de Beaumont. ref. 'Classic Fairy Tales' book borrowed from the McKinley Park Library

That's the spirit! way to go sistah!

Skinny Bitch - Book Review

2012-05-26T15:35:00.000-07:00

Dang! Diet coke has aspartame? holy... why did I ever buy this book in the first place? As per the book, when methyl alcohol, a component of aspartame, enters your body, it turns into formaldehyde. FYI, formaldehyde is (or part of) an embalming fluid. (Ayos, buhay ka pa ineembalsamo ka na di ba?) Who knew?

I like their writing format. Like how they're your foul-mouthed older sisters knocking your head with how stupid you' ve been putting the same crap in your mouth for years (or decades even).

There was one video in their website about a reformed meat -person who said they've been brainwashed to eat, eggs and bacon for breakfast, big macs for lunch (or any of its equivalent) and steak for dinner. I mean, who in the world eats like that? Oh yeah - the average American.

Only in America have I seen rows and rows of fridge stuffed with all kinds and different brands of ice cream, ice cream sandwiches, ice cream fudge bars, popsicles, endless stacks of cookies, Hostess cakes, candies, chocolates and a variety of potato chips, sodas, microwave dinners... No wonder almost everyone here is obese. Fast food restaurants here have meals that serve 2 piece chickens the least. 2 piece chickens! Who needs to eat two chickens??? whereas back home, you have an option to eat a single or two piece chicken meal with rice. Unfortunately, most Pinoys now are aiming for the two piece with EXTRA rice. And with the introduction of Magnum Ice cream, add to that the many little restos sprouting at Greenbelt, we're next on the list of countries with burgeoning obesity.

My problem with this book is that they use scare tactics to force you into being a vegetarian. Like, how the cattle is being boiled while still alive (some of them as the book claimed), pigs are good in playing video games, and that fish have feelings. Hmmmmm... I wonder how the fishes felt when Jesus told them to go to Peter's net? If Jesus himself fed 5 thousand men with loaves of bread and fish, I'm pretty sure there's nothing wrong with eating it. But yeah, with all the toxic wastes in our oceans these days, I can understand the fear. As long as you eat everything in moderation and give your immune system a chance to work (meaning fight the germs with all the crap you put into it) then being a meat-eater doesn't make you heartless or cruel. Hey, the authors only had hearsays about animal cruelty from factory farming. They never witnessed first-hand a pig being killed for fiesta, squealing and squealing while 5-7 men bound it's feet and gutted it all over. I did. I was four - at my grandpa's farm. I cried and shouted to stop the killing. I lost my appetite for menudo that day. But after a few days, my mom served hotdogs for breakfast and I've forgotten all about it. That's just life.

As much as I want to share this knowledge back home, where in the world will they get soy ice cream? soy cheese? soy yoghurt? veggie burger? Vegetarian options are so limited in the Philippines that they can't live on ketchup and fries alone. Besides, how would they cook tinolang manok without the chicken? Or Beef caldereta without the beef? Even if you use the veggie meat version it's not the same. Tasty yes, but different. And let me add, I know of a vegetarian who's fat. Although I have to give it to them pointing out the bad side of meat, vegetarian living doesn't mean healthy either. Having a balanced diet with exercise is. And yes, that includes meat.

Also, I have to admit that no government agencies are perfect but do they have to demonize the FDA? Really?

The verdict? - The book is too rad for me, but I may still buy their set - The Skinny Bitch in the Kitch, and The Skinny Prego book if and when I decide to get pregnant just so I have healthier options in preparing veggies or take their suggestions on some 'organic' foods available in the market. Other than that, me being a vegetarian? Oh HELL NO!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
2 stars