15 Things to Give Up to Be Happy - a Repost

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” ― Dalai Lama 

Hi y'all! Allow me to share this article I chanced upon on the web... Because we all need a good knock on the head at times just to be reminded that happiness is a decision. I myself found this timely and made me do a good amount of introspection.

May this week be productive for us dear readers. Live. Laugh. Love!

Your personality in a cookie

My current companion is a title from one of my favorite motivational speakers Francis J. Kong. The Early Bird Catches the Worm But the Second Mouse Gets the Cheese - Stories that Make You Think, Stories that Make You Laugh and Stories that Make You Love (whew!). In a gist, his new book is about teaching readers that life is a matter of perspective, it's not what happens to you - it's how you look at it and how you take it.

Anyway, here's a personality test based on how you eat an Oreo cookie. I just want to share it with all of you, for fun of course. There are just days when I wish knowing a person can be as easy as this (sigh)... 

Image from the web

Hey you pretty momma!

You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection. - Buddha

Photo from the web

There were quite a few times when people would tell me I don't look like a mom after finding out I'm raising a three-year old daughter alone. Quite honestly I don't know how to react because initially, statements like this is supposed to be a compliment but on the other hand, there lies the preconceived notion that mothers are expected to look a certain way. To elaborate, it means you have to let go of yourself because once you give birth you are to fit the motherhood mold. It is the sad truth that the moment we take ourselves for granted, we are also killing little by little our self esteem. 

Ina-Tay and discipline

"For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" - Hebrews 12:11 (ESV)

Image from the web

An open letter to a new blogger

"ate lany, lookie! I have a blog na din! role model man gud tika  good example. HAHA. pero bitaw ui, it's to pass the time, and to help me improve sa akong pagsulat... nagbutang ko ug link sa imong blog didto sa akong blogroll :))" 

http://medicalschoolroadtrip.blogspot.com/

This was a message I received a few minutes ago from my cousin Karla or Mae-mae as we fondly call her. Immediately I started crying because I was so overwhelmed that I inspired her to make her own blog. She even called me her role model. *tears* Oh Mae...

No homework, no cry

I am a child of that time where the definition of being "intelligent" was only limited to whether you can do mental Math or you can spell "floccinaucinihilipilification" without batting an eyelash. Never mind if you're good at music, sports, arts or what-have-you, back in the 80s it just didn't fit the bill. My parents jumped on to the bandwagon and set a study routine for me - on my first year in school. I still remember this pink cartolina posted on the bedroom wall where my schedules from Sunday evening to Friday afternoon were written. I was only allowed two hours of play on weekday and no TV except on weekends. I was scared of the punishment so I never tried disobeying my folks. The schedule was also imposed on my younger brother three years later but they didn't have much success with him.

Image from Photobucket

Prodigal blogger ME

I am a prodigal blogger.

Photo: www.outblush.com

I discovered blogging back in 2006-2007 when my office mate Red told what it was and invited me to make my blog then he will host it for me. Without batting an eyelash, I listened intently to his "sales talk" and to a 26-year old career girl so eager to prove her worth, I saw blogging as a means to conquer the world, to let my thoughts be heard and to put to practical use what I learned in college. I didn't know what to call my blog, I need to have a catchy title. Something that would make people want to read whatever I write, something that would make me famous. Red suggested Drama Queen - you know, girls who sweat even the most minute things, someone who has a lot of "kadramahan" in her life. That's how Confessions of an Urban Drama Queen was born.

A requiem for Tatay

This is my tribute to one of the male figures in my life, a little sentimental but every word is from my heart. Tatay, this is for you.

I gazed at his coffin last night and I have to smile while fighting back tears. Our next door neighbor of 27 years (we lived at Fortune since I was five years old - do the math how old I am now), Tatay as we fondly call him, joined our Creator dawn of Sunday. A day after I came home for good from GenSan. It was bittersweet.

Ina-Tay and Mr. Suave on a DATE

Photo from the web

After more than three years, I went on an official date last night.

A Week's Worth of Musings

Hello to all of you amazing people who read my blogs! :) I'm back again from a week of work and new learnings. I've been itching to write a blog post this week but the wifi in my hotel room was not working. I thought the problem was the HP ProBook 6450 issued to me by the company but after I went down to the front desk and complained (in my pajamas!), I discovered that other guests also weren't able to connect to their wifi. Attention Sun City Suites in GenSan! I suggest getting an IT person to check your connection, restarting your router obviously is not the solution!

Anyways, my week has been pretty hectic given that I'm still learning the ropes and deepening my knowledge of the firm. This one year contract has so far brought me to places some I've never even heard of. My colleagues also helped me so much and I thank them for shedding light to all my questions. From my former turned current boss D'Arcy - asking is not a sign of weakness; rather it is an indication of your willingness to learn.

Educating the Head, Heart and Hands

Image courtesy of Gamot Cogon Inst. (Ilo-Ilo's Steiner school)

The renowned Waldorf Steiner education approach will soon be available in Davao City by June 2012 through the Tuburan Institute. Steiner education was founded in 1919 by Austrian Rudolf Steiner in Stuttgart, Germany. Currently, there are more than 900 Steiner-inspired schools in 60 countries.Once opened, Tuburan Institute will be fifth of its kind in the Philippines. Last Saturday, I was invited by a friend to attend Tuburan Institute's parents' orientation on Steiner education. I was hesitant at first but my curiosity got the better of me. And I'm glad I went. It was an intimate gathering of like-minded parents curious like me to understand Steiner education. Most if not all were friends of Maya and Kate or friend of friends of friends.

The visit

"Somewhere I have never travelled
Gladly beyond any experience
Your eyes have their silence
In your most frail gesture are things which enclosed me
For which I cannot touch, because they are too near..."

                                                        The First Time I loved Forever
                                                        (theme from "Beauty and the Beast")