Thanksgiving is not just for turkeys, although Filipinos don’t celebrate this occasion because, well, there’s nothing to be thankful about. Seriously, Westerners especially those living in the land of milk and honey (for Third World desperados like us) have lots of things to be thankful about. I’m not talking about Barack Obama unexpectedly winning the Nobel Peace Prize, because Americans would rather enjoy a decent health care program than see their President get an undeserved (?) accolade from starstruck Europeans. Thanksgiving is a hugely popular occasion in the West because it’s not everyday that they can thank God for all their blessings and prosperity.

I wonder if we can hold a Thanksgiving celebration here in our poor country, maybe we can earn more blessings from the big guy up there and stop sending our poor workers for enslavement in some foreign lands.

Nevertheless, my friend Jaypee Habaradas of JaypeeOnline fame (congratulations for winning as the Best Technology Blog in the Philippine Blog Awards) is holding a contest with $1,500 worth of prizes as a way to celebrate Thanksgiving. If you are a blogger or an Internet buff, this is definitely a contest worth joining, as you can win cool cash, WordPress themes and even t-shirts!

Here are the awesome prizes (drumroll, please):

First Prize

• Pro Plus All-Theme Package from StudioPress ($199.95)
• Single Theme License from Pro Theme Design ($79)
• Single Theme License from Press75 ($75)
• Single Theme License from WP Zoom ($49)
• 1 Year Theme Club Membership from Elegant Themes ($19.95)
• 1 Year Hosting w/ Free Domain from DreamHost courtesy of Jehzeel Laurente
• $50 Cash via PayPal from Jehzeel Laurente

Second Prize

• Single Theme License from Pro Theme Design ($79)
• Single Theme License from Press75 ($75)
• Single Theme Package from StudioPress ($59.95)
• Single Theme License from WP Zoom ($49)
• 1 Year Freedom Plan Hosting from WP Web Host ($80)
• $25 Cash via PayPal from JaypeeOnline

Third Prize

• Single Theme License from Pro Theme Design ($79)
• Single Theme Package from StudioPress ($59.95)
• Single Theme License from WP Zoom ($49)
• Single Theme Licenses from WP Now ($29)
• 1 Year Freedom Plan Hosting from WP Web Host ($80)
• $10 Cash via PayPal from JaypeeOnline

Consolation Prizes

• Single Theme Package from StudioPress ($59.95)
• Single Theme Licenses from WP Now ($29)

Additional Prizes

• 5 Pinoy Blogger Tshirts (worth $10 each) courtesy of Batang Yagit to contestants coming from the Philippines.

Interested? Head over the contest page and read the mechanics properly. Make sure you have your own blog, Twitter account and Facebook profile to maximize your chances of winning. This contest will end on November 30, 2009 so you better hurry!

CONTEST SPONSORS:

• StudioPress
• Pro Theme Design
• Press75
• WP Zoom
• WP Now
• Elegant Themes
• WP WebHost
• Jehzeel Laurente
• Batang Yagit

Just when I feel discouraged, downtrodden, hapless, depressed and (insert disheartening adjective here), here comes a piece of good news to cheer me up. I had the good fortune to see my blog chosen as one of the finalists of the 2009 Philippine Blog Awards under the “Best Blog Design” category. It’s not as exciting as winning cold cash but it’s definitely better than putting up with all the negative riffraff in this world.

Although I know that my web design skills are above par (at least compared to ordinary non-geeks), I didn’t quite expect my blog to be commended for its aesthetic beauty. I’m still new to this professional web design thing and I have to admit that there are many web design technologies and concepts that are still beyond my comprehension. However, getting some unlikely praise and honor for my blog is a step towards a better career in web design in the future.

The 2009 Philippine Blog Awards awarding ceremony will be held on October 9, 2009 at the PETA-PHINMA Theater in Quezon City. As usual, I will not be attending this event due to financial reasons (again?).

Congratulations to all the finalists and I wish you the best of luck. Hope that I win!

Actually, it’s not a very hard decision for me, as I have always been interested in personal development, success ideas and other self-help subjects. I want to achieve success, happiness and fulfillment in life and this blog can hopefully assist me in the attainments of those goals.

It would have been easier if I started a new blog from scratch and just retain this blog as my personal blog. But I don’t want to be burdened by the additional responsibility of maintaining another blog. If I start another blog for that purpose, I will most likely neglect this site knowing that I’m more interested in talking about my dreams and plans for success than in mundane and boring tidbits of my personal life. Everything I’ve invested on this blog in terms of time, effort and money will go to waste.

Aside from a change in this blog’s niche, you might also notice the new theme design. There was nothing wrong with my old theme, it’s just that I now find it too bland and unexciting to my tastes. So I changed the colors, fonts and headers, although the layout remained the same.

This early, some of my online friends have already commended me on the amazing new design. I just hope that I don’t lose interest in it as fast as what happened to my old blog design.

A Personal Development Guru, I’m Not

A disclaimer: I’m not a personal development guru or self-help expert. I’m just a fairly ordinary guy who wants to achieve success in life, and this blog is the means to that end.

I don’t delight in churning out self-help fluff and “get rich quick” hogwash that are already flooding the Internet and local bookstores. People who are already successful or those who have thoroughly studied the lives of the rich and successful are in the best position to advise you on what to do with your life. Unfortunately, I’m neither of the two.

So why bother writing about personal development topics when it’s clear that I don’t possess the proper credentials and experience to be a legitimate expert on that subject?

I believe that anyone who desires to achieve success and happiness in life can write about the things that can help him or her attain those goals. It doesn’t matter if one is a college dropout or a college professor as long as the goal is the same: to become a successful person. There’s no law or rule that bars ordinary souls from sharing the lessons they learned from the school of hard knocks.

I’m no Dale Carnegie, Napoleon Hill or Rick Warren, I’m just Luis Reginaldo Medilo. My name might not ring a bell but I believe that I have the knowledge and experience to be able to impart the lessons I’ve learned from life and tell you how these lessons can help you achieve the success, prosperity and happiness you’ve been longing for.

I’m not the epitome of success that other self-help gurus already are, and this is what separates me from them. I truly desire to become successful and I’m constantly looking for knowledge, information and methods on how to achieve lasting success in life. Every time I’ll discover something interesting or useful, I will then share this to you so that we can both benefit from it, and then we can discuss ways on how to apply this knowledge to our everyday lives.

In case you don’t know me yet, please head over to the About Me page to know me better. Of course, it’s not an absolute necessity but knowing me will help you better understand why I want to become successful.

When I stumble across a blog that interests me I always make it a point to discover who the author is and what his or her background is. If my blog is not interesting to you then don’t bother knowing me better. Hehe! Seriously, I want to be open and honest about my life so that you will consider me as your friend and not just some Internet dude who shells out random advice. Better yet, you can e-mail me and I’ll be more than willing to respond, just to let you know that I’m real.

Why I Want to Be Successful

I don’t know if I should place a question mark (?) on that subtitle or not. Nevertheless, it’s both a question and a statement that requires further explanation.

There are many reasons why people want to become successful, depending on one’s exact definition of success. For me, success is about becoming rich enough to buy my own house, car and other luxuries and necessities in life, although some of you might find me too materialistic.

I want to be successful so that I can buy all the things I want in life and to provide happiness and comfort to my family and loved ones. I want to live the rest of my life without the nagging worry of what to eat for dinner, how to pay for my education and what the future holds for me.

Financial security is one of my goals in my pursuit of success, but my ultimate goal is to become a billionaire and then use my wealth to help the poor and less-fortunate.

Whether your dream is to become rich or just to attain success in your chosen profession or career, knowing why you want to be successful is an important step towards the attainment of your goals. You must have a clear-cut and definite reason on why you want to be successful, or else you will find it difficult to get inspired and motivated to work in making your dreams come true.

What to Expect from the New LoyMeetsWorld.com

Expect the unexpected. I don’t want to spoil the fun, so prepare for surprises along the way. I will be sharing with you some of my philosophies, beliefs, experiences, knowledge and ideas that can help you achieve success in life.

I will also write about personal experiences and events that relate to my pursuit of success and prosperity. I will no longer be writing about web hosting and blog contests, as much as it pains me to lose the opportunity to make a quick buck. But it doesn’t matter now, because I have finally decided to transform my blog into an agent of positive change and growth, and this is a decision that I will never regret.

Just like any other birthday celebrant, I would like to give a short speech to thank my family, friends, lovers, enemies, critics and other people who made a difference in my life this past year. Special mention goes to my blog followers who have been patiently reading and commenting on my pithy blog posts despite my constant absence and silence in my blogging activities.

Without much further ado, I would like to thank the following personalities for their various contributions to my dreams of becoming rich and successful :

• My friends for being there for me during the times when I’m down and out. It goes to show that friends are treasures that you value for the rest of your life, and not just when they need to borrow some money.
• My critics and enemies, for bringing out the best in me through your constructive and destructive criticisms. As much as I would like to break your necks, I will lose my will and drive to succeed without vermin like you. Hehe!
• My blog readers, commenters and followers such as Jaypee, Elmot, Ada, Tyrone, Roel, Deuts, Jerick and many more. You may not be always around in my blog because of my inconsistent blogging, but I thank you for keeping my company during the times I was able to get defeat my writing blocks.
• My blog spammers Life would have been boring without those silly comments about “vi*agra” and “webcams.” I get a laugh reading all those nonsensical comments especially when I have nothing else to do.
• My friends, fans and followers on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, YouTube and other social networking and/or bookmarking sites. Regardless of the fact that some of them are just plain online acquiantances, I appreciate your efforts to respond and comment to my posts, statuses, videos, photos and other generally boring content.
• My family (sisters, brothers and Mom), for the food, clothes, money and cellphone load. Hehe! More than just the material things, it’s your moral and emotional support that really counts. Without my family, I would have been living in emotional hell and selling my body to support my voracious appetite. Just kidding!
• All those who wittingly or unwittingly helped me in my blogging adventures. Despite the fact that some of you are trying to fleece me of my hard-earned money with your so-called “trusted and proven moneymaking systems,” I’m still grateful to all of your for sharing your expertise and insights to noobs like me. Hopefully when I’ll make a lot of money in my blogging, I’ll be the one to dispense advice to other newbies and make more money in the process.
• Last but not the least, to God Almighty, for giving me another year to enjoy and suffer life. Thank you for all the blessings and I have faith and confidence that you’ll extend my existence in this world for a hundred years or more.

To all those I forgot to mention, well, better luck next year. Hehe! And for the next year in my life, I have several wishes and dreams that I want to achieve. As they say, dreaming is free, so forgive me if I’m too unrealistic with my ambitions. It’s just once a year, you know.

• Make a lot of money in my blogging and Internet marketing endeavors, maybe in the five figures or so. So far, I’ve made an exact total of $185 from my haphazard online adventures, which is not bad for a complete beginner to making money online. This does not include my puny Adsense income which has yet to break the two figure mark.
• Be more consistent in my blogging activities. As an inherently lazy person, I constantly suffer from bouts of procrastination and forget to update my blog regulary. I promise to blog 3-5 times a week (repeat this 100 times).
• Go back to school and grab that elusive college degree. Yeah! Then fly off to the States and fulfill the American Dream (but that’s for another edition).
• Build our own house with wi-fi Internet connection in a peaceful neighborhood. It must be so disheartening for my family and I to feel like homeless refugees, spending all our money on a costly apartment that we can’t call our own. Do you feel my suffering?
• Get rid of my bad habits. Plain laziness, tardiness, procrastination, negativity, picking my nose in public. Okay, I made up the last one.
• Buy my own laptop. Any brand will do, just make sure that it’s brand new. Woah, it rhymes!
• Most importantly, good health to help me accomplish all these aforementioned goals. Better to be a hale cobbler than to be an ailing king, though on second thought I wouldn’t mind being a half-healthy, half-sick billionaire. Hehe!

Happy birthday to me and I wish myself good health, peace of mind, success and prosperity. Keep those greetings coming and join me in another year in my life.

When my parents broke up in 1989, I feared that I would no longer be able to savor the best things in life. Before my parents separated, my siblings and I were enjoying a cloistered and unencumbered life, where the best pleasures and luxuries in life can be had at a flick of a finger. We lived in a beautiful townhouse, wore the most expensive clothes, rode on the latest luxury car and ate the most delicious food available. Life was a fairytale back then, until we were forced to leave everything behind and settle in my Grandfather’s place here in Bohol.

Life was hard after that, but we managed to eke out a decent living. Despite the difficulties, my kind and hardworking mother made sure that we continued our studies in an exclusive Catholic school. My estranged father ( a former diplomat and businessman), to his credit, still managed to send us some money to pay for our tuition fees and basic necessities, until he stopped communicating with us more than a decade ago. My better-off relatives also chipped in some cash and kind to help keep our family finances afloat. I am thankful that there are still some kindhearted souls who are ready to help others in times of difficulties, because after all, this is the Filipino bayanihan spirit at work.

Hardships aside, my siblings and I were still lucky enough to enjoy birthday parties and other fun-filled celebrations, thanks to Goldilocks. We could no longer afford to throw extravagant parties complete with balloons, toys and clowns, but the fact that we’re all healthy and in good spirits is what we’re all thankful for. Anyway, birthday parties were never complete without a colorful and delicious Goldilocks cake. Sometimes, parties are simple ones with spaghetti, ube jam, hotdogs on stick, fried chicken and the famous biko (sweet rice), but if there’s no Goldilocks cake in sight, I knew that there’s something amiss.

Those special occasions will always remain forever in my memories. Everytime I reminisce of those wonderful moments, it’s like I’m taken back 20 years in time. I can no longer turn back the hands of time, but with the help of my special friends at Goldilocks, becoming a child once more is now easier than ever before. Goldilocks has that certain kind of magic that brings out the child in you and makes you forget about your troubles and sorrows even for a fleeting moment.

As I grew older and more mature, I had less time to indulge in childish pleasures and more time to tackle the problems of life. My Goldilocks moments no longer take centerstage in my life, although it doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy a slice or two of the delicious Goldilocks Brazo de Mercedes or Chocolate Roll everytime my sister brings some pasalubong from her work in Cebu. Goldilocks is like a precious diamond because I rarely find and enjoy them, but when I do, it’s a very special moment for me.

In high school, I always joined academic and extracurricular contests which require me to go to different places like Manila, Cebu, Dumaguete and even far-away Isabela! Those were once-in-a-blue-moon opportunities for me to hunt for Goldilocks stores and spend whatever money I have in my pocket just to reacquaint myself with my childhood favorites, since there were no Goldilocks stores in my place at that time. There was even one time when I thoughtlessly spent all my pocket money on brownies, ensaymada and mamon to bring home to my temporary dorm, and realized that I didn’t have any money left for transportation! Good thing that my friend from another school (and fellow competitor) volunteered to pay for my fare, and in gratitude I shared some of my loot with him. It’s nice to know that Goldilocks breaks barriers and strengthens the bonds of friendships, even in times of competition.

Do you know that Goldilocks helped me win a college scholarship? It’s not that eating cakes and pastries really makes you smarter than you already are, but my baon of Goldilocks mamon and adobo rolls helped me become one of the few students from my province to win a DOST scholarship. Munching on my favorite Goldilocks treats while answering the tough questions probably gave me a mental and inspirational boost to help me pass the examination. Good thing my kind mother thoughtfully packed my baon with Goldilocks treats or else I would have struggled to pay my way through college.

Through the years, Goldilocks has become my constant companion in my daily struggles in life. I could never imagine a birthday or Christmas party without a mouth-watering Goldilocks cake placed in the middle of the buffet table. This coming August 18, all I wished for on my special day is a Goldilocks Choco Cherry Torte or an Almond Java Mousse cake. Or if I’m lucky, a specially-prepared Choco Chiffon with my name on it. Of course, everything would be a whole lot better if I receive a laptop as my birthday gift! Hint, hint!

Now that all of us have found decent jobs, we can now afford to buy whatever we wanted from the Goldilocks store. In the hassle and bustle of professional life, it’s nice to know that there’s someone who can bring cheery smiles to weary faces. That’s why I make it a point to buy a Goldilocks mamon or ensaymada before I go home from a hard day at the office. I would ravenously devour it after my dinner even when I’m already full! Well, there’s always space for my childhood favorite in my belly, just like there’s always a space in my heart for Goldilocks.

Despite its foreign-sounding brand name, Goldilocks is as Filipino as the barong tagalog. Through the years, Goldilocks has become a permanent fixture of the Filipino culture, as proven by the company’s efforts to reach out to the common masses with its offerings of highly popular Filipino dishes like palabok and dinuguan. But what sets Goldilocks apart from other popular brands, is its commitment of keeping true to the local Filipino culture and tradition. Indeed, its famous tagline “Ang sarap magmahal ng Pinoy!” is a testament to the Filipino’s natural love for the family, kindness and hospitality, even to complete strangers. So everytime I take a bite of my favorite Goldilocks cake, I feel truly proud to be a Filipino.

As for me, I could only reminisce about the wonderful moments I had with Goldilocks. More than just the delightful pleasures of satisfying my sweet tooth with their dizzying array of delicious food, more than just a fanciful brand name, Goldilocks holds a special place in my heart as one of my priceless luxuries in life. There are few things that make me truly happy in this high tech world, and Goldilocks is one of them. Goldilocks’ impact in my life and in the lives of millions cannot be measured just by the sweet flavors it brings to hungry tastebuds, but by the smiles, laughter and happiness it brings to aching hearts. I remember the hardships and difficulties my family and I had to go through these past 20 years or so, and when I think of Goldilocks, I say “It’s worth it!”

You’re the 1, Goldilocks, because you bring immeasurable joy and happiness to ordinary lives. You may not always be in my heart and mind every minute of the day, but when you do, you are sure to bring back pleasant memories of the years gone by. Thank you, Goldilocks!

Photo credits: Goldilocks website

For anyone who didn’t know, Goldilocks is famous for making delicious cakes, rolls, breads and all sorts of sweet treats. Not the bear, mind you, but the bakeshop. I’m sure you’re now salivating at the prospect of winning a brand new laptop courtesy of Goldilocks and Nuffnang, so start thinking about your most memorable Goldilocks moments and write a blog post about it.

Am I joining this contest? You bet. I love joining contests and I’ve won all sorts of prizes ranging from cash to WordPress themes to stickers. I just wish that my blogging luck will translate into luck at the lotto outlets. Anyway, I’m still thinking about the best way to write my entry. Writing an essay is easy if you have a lot of experience on that particular topic. My dilemma is that I have only short and brief experiences with devouring Goldilocks products. It’s not that I can’t afford it, but there are few stores that offer such products here in my place. At least my sister makes it a point to buy some Goldilocks cakes whenever there’s a birthday or a special occassion.

So if you are interested in joining this contest, head over to the Nuffnang site and read the contest details. Make sure that you are already a member of Nuffnang before joining the contest. I hate to share this contest with the rest of the world because this might diminish my chances of running away with the laptop, but I can’t resist being such an egotistical freak.

By the way, this contest ends on the 15th of July, so you better give me some decent competition for the prize.

You can view my entry at my other blog LuisMedilo.com.

Please vote for my entry by choosing “luismedilo.com” and clicking the “Vote” button at this page. As of this moment, I’m at fifth place with 8% of the total votes. Well, I don’t think people appreciate my writing too much…hehe… But if you do, please take a moment of your time to vote for my entry.

Thanks!

I’ve been nearsighted since childhood. I guess I got this unwanted trait from my bespactacled father (wherever he is now) and how I wish I could live normally with perfect vision. They say that nearsighted people are usually intelligent. Well, I could have bought that argument but I’d rather have average IQ with perfect eyesight than be a genius who look like a total dork with all those heavy glasses.

It’s not that I abhor wearing eyeglasses. I could have worn eyeglasses if not for the fact that my prescription grade is quite high. I started wearing contact lenses seven years ago but now I’m tired of the usual everyday ritual of putting on my lenses, cleaning, buying lens solutions, and a myriad of other hassles and inconveniences. Add to that the dangers of getting infections that could spell disaster to my precious eyesight. I need to have my eyes repaired, and quick.

So I’m saving up for LASIK (Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis) surgery which usually costs around 50,000-80,000 pesos. I contacted the Centre for Sight at Cebu Doctor’s Hospital and asked for a price quote. They said 40,000 pesos because they have an ongoing promotion. Hmmm… that was the same price they gave me a year ago. Anyway, I’m glad that the cost is quite cheaper than those at the Asian Eye Institute or the American Eye Center. Finally, my dream of having perfect vision is now closer to reality.

40,000 pesos. That translates to about US$ 850 in today’s exchange rates. So far, I have saved a measly total of 1,000 pesos. I wonder why it is so difficult to save money. My meager salary doesn’t help, either. I have to work harder on my “businesses” and sideline jobs to achieve my goal before the end of the year.

I don’t want to sound like a beggar, but I would appreciate donations from kind-hearted individuals with an extra cash to spare. If you have a Paypal account, you can make a donation through the Donation page. Donors will be acknowledged through a donation wall. I will personally thank each donor through e-mail and through an article I will write in the future as soon as my donation goal is achieved.

By the way, if you have undergone LASIK surgery, please tell me about your experiences.

Click here to make a donation and help me get perfect vision. Thank you!

Total Donations: $0 USD

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Who would believe that US President Barack Obama has a doppelganger (look-alike)? Actually, not just one doppelganger, but two!

Ilham Anas, a photographer from Indonesia,  and Gerardo Puisseaux, a Cuban-American PR rep, are two of the latest Obama look-alikes who are cashing in on the “Obamania” craze. Gifted with the external physical attributes (at least in facial form) of the new U.S. President, Ilham and Gerardo are thanking their lucky stars for the chance to impersonate their idol.

Anas said to Reuters, “When Obama won, my colleagues played a practical joke on me — they made me wear a suit, a tie, and took pictures of me posing as Obama.” Not bad. He even landed an acting stint with a heartburn medicine commercial in the Philippines. If you’re in the Philippines, you might have already seen him in the Motilium commercial, alongside comedian Tita Glow impersonating Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (see below).

On the other hand, Gerardo Puisseaux doesn’t seem to enjoy the comparisons to Obama. “Sometimes I get tired because everybody stopping me, a lot of questions, sometimes political questions,” Puisseaux says. “I am not Obama.” Get a clue from Mr. Anas, Gerardo. Get yourself a good talent scout and manager, and you might just land a lucrative advertising deal, or maybe a bit role in a movie.

So if you look strikingly similar to Obama, or if you know someone who could pass off as the American President, take his picture and send it to me. I might organize a contest to see who’s the best Obama doppelganger in the world.

Here’s the TV ad that featured Ilham Anas: