When Pressure Gets on Me

This is the message that pops out my head:

I’m so tired.

Never Say Never

The Farmer's Donkey
Author Unknown

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out a way to get him out. Finally he decided it was probably impossible and the animal was old and the well was dry anyway, so it just wasn't worth it to try and retrieve the donkey. So the farmer asked his neighbors to come over and help him cover up the well. They all grabbed shovels and began to shovel dirt into the well.

At first, when the donkey realized what was happening he cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he quieted down and let out some happy brays. A few shovel loads later, the farmer looked down the well to see what was happening and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was shaking it off and taking a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he continued to shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, to everyone's amazement, the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!

Moral: Life is going to shovel dirt on you. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Every adversity can be turned into a stepping stone. The way to get out of the deepest well is by never giving up but by shaking yourself off and taking a step up.

What happens to you isn't nearly as important as how you react to it.

Because I Dont Have Any Reason To Point My Fingers At

The Psychological Symptoms of Stress
Ezine article: Brett Thomas

Stress is a bodily reaction to external stimuli that have negative effects on our bodies. The symptoms of stress are simply the ways in which our bodies respond to the stress present in our environments. Some causes of stress are easily avoided while it is nearly impossible for us to do anything about others. The symptoms of stress can manifest both physically and psychologically, although the psychological symptoms are generally considered more serious and can be potentially dangerous if not properly treated.

Telltale Indicators Of Stress

The state of our mental health also has effects on our physical well-being so it is imperative that we deal with any psychological symptoms of stress that we may experience. The response of the mind to stress is on a level different from that of the body, and the mind often shuts down other mental faculties whenever it encounters stress in order to focus more on stress-related problems.

The inability to focus or concentrate on work and a quick temper are both among the more prominent of all symptoms of stress. Each person has his or her own unique method of coping with stress, although the end result of a person being overly stressed is invariably a break down. Other psychological or mental symptoms of stress are usually not obvious and can be very difficult to detect. Often, a break down is the first indication that a person is actually suffering from stress. An inability to concentrate and the tendency to become quickly frustrated over trivial matters are also among the psychological symptoms of stress.

Physical symptoms of stress are generally a lot more obvious than mental symptoms, and many individuals who suffer from psychological symptoms of stress are very good at hiding the fact that they are stressed.

Often, individuals who experience great amounts of stress in their workplace will also bring the effects of that stress home. Various small inconveniences at home could also contribute to their growing frustration, and they will eventually become extremely stressed and anxious. Their tempers are thin and a break down may occur at any time. Most companies will recommend that a stressed employee consult a psychologist so that he or she can learn to better cope with his or her stress.

For most people, stress is an inescapable part of everyday life. True as that may be; excessively high levels of stress can be extremely damaging. It is very important that you know how to identify possible symptoms of stress in yourself and in others. Being able to identify stress is the very first step in the long road to relieving the symptoms of stress in the workplace and at home, thus making for a much more relaxed and enjoyable existence.

Reduce stress. Live and feel better.

Friday the 13th – Deja Vu

My Life With You According To Me

June 13, 2006

You have been in my thoughts a lot lately, especially my thoughts about us hanging to this wavering relationship and have come within a hair breath of calling it quits. But then we are trying to patch things up and yet hope that ours would eventually end as a lifetime partnership. Why? Would you still be proud of me as we progress along? Does the quality you like about me are the qualities that you really admire? Maybe at 25 you seem mature and fixed on your choices but still, what you like right now would be superseded by your choices tomorrow.

Anyways, I’ve been living in hell with God for the past two years of my life. This is a flattery believe me, as masochist as I am, this statement is optimism. It is hell to admit to a more pessimist outlook but things really change a lot with you. I’m learning, but you are only you – vulnerable to irritation and sensitive to criticism. Am I living a life base on my incapabilities? Am I always seeing right through your incapacities as well? Somehow I have known your shortcomings, failures and frustrations. Frustrations that includes me. I can be never be your source of inspiration. I’d like to think that I was always your disgust when things go down for you. What I really fear is my attitude. The impression you have. Is this really me? Maybe I’m materialistic, I probably overrated our relationship and running after responsibilities is what really matters to me.

Conventional life? Yes, maybe I am too sentimental that I appreciate the angst, deep-seated emotions of our relationship and believe that is important to think I have a use. Unconventional life? My life as a walking contradiction that’s why I am always inconsistent.

Is this really the attitude that would stick with me for a long time? I duped myself into believing that being fawned over being stable career-wise would make this relationship firmer without realizing that my constant nagging and complaining, though my intentions are good, have almost destroyed us.

Have I never given you the acceptance you needed? Have I never been contented?

All relationship has blind spots, which often fails to see the situation clearly. Contentment and acceptance are my blind spots that I keep on struggling with. I always compelled you to change. My very temperament continues to push myself into that direction.

It is really frustrating that there we have come embittered and petty in dealing with each other. Yes, we talk. If there are misunderstanding and indirect messages, talking won’t do good plus we get used to using phrases and unaware of how offensive it becomes. Continued discussions merely leads to a more tedious argument, which pushes is both up the wall. If only we could teach ourselves to know exactly cross the real message of the words we say and that we know in return the exact meaning of the words we hear.

Do we have only had a thin chance that is clouded with shallowness and frustrations and only bitterness would only be left.

And really, “life can become an adventure with the right companion or a heavy burden with a wrong one”

Independence Day - Freedom From Poverty

Let's live in these places, could we? Wish I live there

WORLD'S BEST PLACES TO LIVE

Reuters – June 11, 2008

CANBERRA, June 11 - Zurich in Switzerland has again come top of a list of 215 cities as the location with the best quality of living while Luxembourg was ranked the safest - and Baghdad, Iraq, came last on both counts.

Management consultancy Mercer said European cities dominated the top slots in its 2008 WorldWide Quality of Living Survey, with Zurich retaining its 2007 rank, followed by Vienna in Austria in second place while another Swiss city, Geneva, came third. The survey also has a second list ranking safety.

In fourth place was Vancouver, Canada, and Auckland, New Zealand, came fifth.

Germany also had three cities in the top 10 with Dusseldorf at number 6 and Munich and Frankfurt both at number 7. Prague was at number 71 the highest-ranking eastern European city and Minsk in Belarus the lowest ranking European city at number 183.

"Europe dominates the list in terms of infrastructure, health and political stability," a senior researcher from Mercer, Slagin Parakatil, said in a statement.

The rankings are based on 39 key quality-of-living determinants such as political stability, schooling, socio-cultural environment, recreation, housing and natural environment.

Honolulu was the highest entry for the United States coming in at number 28 followed by San Francisco at 29, Boston at 37, Chicago and Washington D.C. at 44 and New York at number 49.

The highest ranking for Britain was London, at number 38, while the Australian city which ranked highest was Sydney coming in at number 10.

In Asia, Singapore came highest, ranked number 32, two places above a year ago, and slightly higher than Japanese cities such as Tokyo, which came in 35th. Hong Kong and Beijing retained their 2007 rankings of 70 and 116 respectively.

In Africa, Cape Town, at No. 80, was ranked as the city with the best quality of life.

The cities with the lowest quality of living were listed as Ndjamena, Chad at No. 211, then Khartoum, Sudan; Brazzaville, the Congo Republic and Bangui, the Central African Republic. Baghdad retained its position at the bottom of the table, ranked No. 215.

Mercer said the survey, which is conducted to help governments and companies place employees on international assignments, has another list identifying cities with the highest personal safety ranking based on internal stability, crime, law enforcement and relationships with other nations.

Luxembourg topped this list followed by Bern, Geneva, Helsinki and Zurich which were all equally placed at No. 2.

Baghdad again came last as the world's least safe city along with Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Karachi in Pakistan, Nairobi in Kenya, and Bangui.

Mercer researcher Parakatil said it was key for businesses trying to set up in new markets to look at local costs and the quality of living to encourage expatriate staff to move there.

"Personal and family safety is of paramount importance when employees consider opportunities overseas. Cities that are, or are perceived as, unsafe may experience difficulties in attracting the best people and skills," Parakatil said in a statement.

When Shit Speaks

I need this to keep my silence still:

click image/here to enlarge

Coming Home To Unrest

Could this be blamed all to hormones?

Or sweet side-effects of being anxious and at the same time excited?

How this ambivalent confuses my nerves up - of feeling both positive and negative emotions at the same time and in the same situation.

The positive valence of gratefulness and happiness pacifies my contentment yet are being pulled down by the negative valence of fear, worries and hate.

I hate it. I hate seeing selfishness at work. I just don’t understand why some could really sleep at night knowing how the 6 out of 7 deadly capital sins lead her/his life.

A daily dose of pride, avarice, envy, gluttony and slothfulness that greets my morning and bid my night – have a shot of this twice and I know I will be overdose with this too soon.

Do You Want to Use This? Still?

Cute hair bands, isn’t it?

But wait!

Tadaaann!

Cheap Hair Bands Made from Recycled Condoms

Hehehe I know this is so last year but how come I learned about it just this day through a forwarded email sent to me? Anyway, here’s the full transcript of the report:

BEIJING, Nov 13, 2007 (AFP) - Used condoms are being recycled into hair bands in southern China, threatening to spread sexually-transmittable diseases they were originally meant to prevent, state media reported Tuesday.

In the latest example of potentially harmful Chinese-made products, rubber hair bands have been found in local markets and beauty salons in Dongguan and Guangzhou cities in southern Guangdong province, China Daily newspaper said.

'These cheap and colourful rubber bands and hair ties sell well ... threatening the health of local people,' it said.

Despite being recycled, the hair bands could still contain bacteria and viruses, it said.

'People could be infected with AIDS, (genital) warts or other diseases if they hold the rubber bands or strings in their mouths while waving their hair into plaits or buns,' the paper quoted a local dermatologist who gave only his surname, Dong, as saying.

A bag of ten of the recycled bands sells for just 25 fen (three cents), much cheaper than others on the market, accounting for their popularity, the paper said.

A government official was quoted as saying recycling condoms was illegal.

China's manufacturing industry has been repeatedly tarnished this year by a string of scandals involving shoddy or dangerous goods made for both domestic and foreign markets.

In response, it launched a public relations blitz this summer aimed at playing up efforts to strengthen monitoring systems.

Pictures from FunandFunONly.Net

How to Tame Debts

Really, I should learn more about this. The instant I peeped in my credit card statement of account, I got into thinking how in the world I came to have a debt amounting to that. I am having hard time thinking about the purchases I made since I can’t really remember valuable or expensive things I bought using it. For less than a year, I have almost reached my credit limit. I really really have to put my card into the fridge and not use it until I have finished paying it off. Although it’s a consolation that I am still in a good credit standing by paying my monthly minimum due promptly, I am so eager to pay it off right away. I just don’t like the thought of having a debt like that although it is a contradiction to the amount written over my credit statement. I am not really into borrowing money especially personal loans. But who doesn’t have debts anyways, right?

I found great sites that have detailed tips on how to avoid and manage debts. For obvious reason, I think the real solution to free your self from being caught in the middle of pouring debts is by avoiding it in the first place.

Here’s a great article I have copied verbatim in Ezine Articles as written by Usha Pradhan.

A debt free life style denotes a financial protection and an autonomous financial possession without any additional financial trouble. It means a life without paying an interest that always has to be managed by compromising with the needs and dreams of our day-to-day life. We, however, do not always succeed in managing our finances in the manner we want them to be. As a result, we often have to bear the burden of a debt.

Here are a few basic steps that we need to make a rule of thumb. Once that is done, we can easily keep all sorts of debts at bay. Even if we are presently bearing any debt, following these steps will see us to the safer shore.

1. There should be a proper budget that never exceeds the income. The budget should notice the basic need of the family/person carefully. The concentration should not be on the commodities like new electrical gadgets, fancy cosmetics, toys, if the pocket does not permit it.

2. Usage of credit cards should be restricted. This is something that leads the family/person towards unwanted debt. If the bank offers a very normal interest rate, try to avoid using a credit card even then.

3. If there are already debts on the family/person, that needs to be solved out first. Anything, but the repayment should be the first priority. This should be the primary concern in your budget. According to the amount of the debt money, other expenditures should be listed up. If the annual percentage rate of the bank is high, then try to save even a single penny, if you have any as extra at all. Do not run after the dreams before the debt settlement.

4. If you have Debt from many sources, then you need a debt consolidation. Count the exact amount that you have to return, and then make a budget which can show you the exact time to be debt-free. Spend some days on debt diet. Distinguish between your needs and wants. If you want, you can go for credit counseling.

5. Make sure that you pay the interest every month in time. If you cannot remember dates, highlight the dates on calendar.

6. If you are unable to make an economic budget that will help you to be debt-free, opt for a debt repayment accelerator plan. They will fix a budget according to your family income and the priority will be on refunding the money and the payment of interests. Some debt-free software systems are available in the market that can guide you.

7. After paying back the all money, you again should be careful about the upcoming debt. Plan the monthly budget with your partner so that you can save some from your earning and make sure that you are not buying unnecessary things with credits.

8. However, after all struggles, you may need money for an emergency. So try to save as much as you can with a proper plan. Furthermore, if you need much than your savings, try to get money from a reliable source. Always look for the most comfortable credit plans, look after the rate of interest carefully.

So... Enjoy a financially secured debt-free life.

-----

Hope you have learned some from reading it as I did. Good Day!

Because I need a motivation

Pencil story

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box.

"There are 5 things you need to know," he told the pencil, "Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be."

"One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone's hand."

"Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil."

"Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make."

"Four: The most important part of you will always be what's inside."

"And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write."

The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.


Now replacing the place of the pencil with you. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.

One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God's hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.

Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems in life, but you'll need it to become a stronger person.

Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.

Four: The most important part of you will always be what's on the inside.

And Five: On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties.

Allow this parable on the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person and only you can fulfill the purpose to which you were born to accomplish.

Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot make a change.

Just Remembering

I happen to read this another "love letter" I wrote to Him 4 years ago when I organize our cabinet last week. I remember him always complaining about his colleague who happens to be his She Boss. Grrr, just the thought of her. ;))

Oist,

Don’t fret, I’m always here.

The existence of the like of S**** D***** (Name of His Boss) is only but a manifestation that life sucks. Because life sucks, we need not feel disturbed, we need not feel infuriated and most of all we need not feel that life is always unfair. For even she behaves in a prehensile manner and acts as if she’s the only creation of God, somehow her life sucks more than you do. I know.. This is her time and as you said, Karma is a strong force. If only thoughts could kill, we will not wait impatiently for Karma to visit her, to succumb her whole being. Instead, we will witness her downfall. But true to the principle of desiderata, there is always someone superior or inferior to you and the lesson, we must always practice humility and acceptance, the point? We don’t have to wish for her distress but just wait for the course of time, for the tide to change. And along with this changes and the passing through of time, the fortune of man changes as well..Heehee I digress, trying to sound rhetoric is a total fail. Heh.

Anyways, I always believe that every person comes to a point of realization, our only hope is that, her realization will come too soon and her conscience will rile her hard she could not sleep in comfort anymore. Hahaha may she ride with night mares every single attempt of sleeping and comfort and when she do, she may never wake up again. Pray that to Sandman. Okay?

Hang there. I’m just here.

Love;

Sheena

When Storm Comes – Fly Like an Eagle

Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks? The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come.

When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it.

The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.

When the storms of life come upon us - and all of us will experience them - we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God.

The storms do not have to overcome us. We can allow God's power to lift us above them.

God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure and disappointment in our lives. We can soar above the storm.

Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.

Thank God it’s Saturday

Mountain Story

"A son and his father were walking on the mountains.
Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

Curious, he yells: "Who are you?"
He receives the answer: "Who are you?"

And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!"
The voice answers: "I admire you!"

Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"
He receives the answer: "Coward!"

He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"
The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."

Again the man screams: "You are a champion!"
The voice answers: "You are a champion!"

The boy is surprised, but does not understand.
Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE.
It gives you back everything you say or do.

Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.
If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart.
If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence.
This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life;
Life will give you back everything you have given to it."

“YOUR LIFE IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. IT'S A REFLECTION OF YOU!"

A story why I must not complain about my backlogs, hehehe

Is This a Good Solution?

Availing Loan To Pay Off Credit Card Debt

I’m writing this as I wait for my monthly statement of credit card account to arrive this week. I keep a track on my expenses and knows when is my due date payment but I still need to check my SOA just to be sure. I have thought of several options to trim down my credit card debt. Although it is not much, I am not quite comfortable knowing that my expenses have exceeded to what I could really afford. Hmpf! But don’t get me wrong, it is not about impulsive buying or that I have used the credit card just for the sake of buying something unnecessary. I do pay a little higher on my minimum balance due but what I really want is to at least pay off my credit card debt in half.

Anyways, going back to the question, is taking loan to pay credit card a good decision? According to the tips I have read over the net, taking a loan to pay credit card is one good solution like me could opt. I consider following this advice but where to? It also stated that when looking for loan institution; choose the one that offers the lowest interest rate.

My best choice would have been SSS if I didn’t fall one month short of its required number of contribution. Blame it to their delay of posting. Tsk. HDMF is another good alternative but I how much do they grant? A multi-purpose loan only grants 60% of the total TVA which I don’t know how much I have contributed as a member as yet. This is payable in 1 to 2 year term at 10.75 interest rate per annum. Good deal right? Calamity loan could have a higher loan proceeds but as what it’s called, there should be a calamity first before you could avail this.

Here are the qualifications and instruction I browsed in their site.

Who May File

• The member has made at least 24 monthly contributions.
• Members with active Fund membership at the time of application with commitment from
• both the employee and employer to continuously remit contributions at least for the term of the loan.
• For members who have withdrawn their membership contributions due to membership maturity, the reckoning date of the updated 24 monthly contributions shall be the first monthly contribution following the month the member qualified to withdraw his Pag-IBIG contributions.
• A member with an outstanding Pag-IBIG housing loan that is not more than 9 months in arrears and is not yet cancelled or foreclosed.
• A member with an outstanding Pag-IBIG housing loan that is more than 9 months in arrears but is not yet cancelled or foreclosed may be allowed to avail of an MPL, provided that the purpose of the MPL is to update his/her housing loan arrearages.

How to File

• Secure the Pag-IBIG Multi-Purpose Loan Application Form (MPLAF) from any Pag-IBIG Fund NCR/Provincial branch.
• Accomplish 1 copy of the application form.
• Under PACSVAL/PDDTS releasing, attach photocopy of passbook or Automated
• Teller Machine (ATM) card reflecting the account name and bank account number.
• Submit complete application, together with the required documents to any Pag-IBIG Fund
• NCR/Provincial Branch. Processing of loans shall commence only upon submission of complete documents.

LOAN FEATURES

Loan Amount

The loanable amount shall depend on the number of contributions made, based on the following schedule:

No. of Contributionsnt--------- Loan Amounto

24 to 59 months ------- Up to 60% of the TAV

60 to 119 months -------- Up to 70% of the TAV

At least 120 months -------- Up to 80% of the TAV

Interest

10.75% per annum for the duration of the loan.

Release of Loan

Through a check payable to the borrower or shall be credited to the borrower's account through LANDBANK's Payroll Credit Systems Validation (PACSVAL)

Loan Term/Payment

The loan shall be paid over a maximum period of 24 months, plus the applicable grace period of 2 months for local accounts and 5 months for centralized accounts. Centralized accounts shall refer to employers that prepare the payroll in advance, usually at the head/central office. All other accounts not falling under the category of centralized accounts shall be classified as local accounts.

• For employed members, payments shall be made thru salary deduction
• For voluntary members/individual payors, payments shall be made through any of the following modes:

- Salary deduction

- Over-the-Counter;

- Auto-debit arrangement with banks;

- Other modes that Pag-IBIG Fund may adopt in the future

Loan Renewal
Payment of at least six (6) amortizations.

-----------------

I have already filled up an MPL form and gave it to our company HR for signature and computation of my NET pay. Just wish she will do it ASAP before this month ends. My due date falls on the 1^st week of each month!

Obstacles

A nice read:

In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it

Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the big stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many others never understand.

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one's condition.

Mi Amigas

MINSAN
eraserheads

minsan sa may kalayaan tayo'y nagkatagpuan
may mga sariling gimik at kaya-kanyang hangad sa buhay
sa ilalim ng iisang bubong
mga sekretong ibinubulong
kahit na anong mangyari
kahit na saan ka man patungo

chorus
ngunit ngayon kay bilis maglaho ng kahapon
sana'y huwag kalimutan ang ating mga pinagsamahan
at kung sakaling gipitin ay laging iisipin
na minsan tayo ay naging
tunay na magkaibigan
minsan ay parang wala nang bukas sa buhay natin
inuman sa magdamag na para bang tayo'y mauubusan
sa ilalim ng bilog na buwan
mga tiyan nati'y walang laman
ngunit kahit na walang pera
ang bawat gabi'y anong saya

(repeat chorus)
minsan ay hindi ko na alam ang nangyayari
kahit na anong gawin
lahat ng bagay ay merong hangganan
dahil ngayon tayo ay nilimot ng kahapon
di na mapipilitang buhayin ang ating pinagsamahan
ngunit kung sakaling mapadaan baka
ikaw ay aking tawagan
dahil minsan tayo ay naging
tunay na magkaibigan

so there.

On Budgeting

As a couple, we only have more or less 18-20K combined net income which depends on the incentive he will receive each month to get us by. Although it’s a good thing that he always receives incentive each month, the amount still varies so we need to wait for it before we can actually do the budgeting. With this amount, budgeting is really important for us although we don’t really spend much on house bills and food since we are still living with his mother. The only monthly bills we assumed responsibility of that makes it as our fixed expenses are the electricity bill and 75% of the maid’s salary plus the monthly payment for my credit card, motorcycle (which will end on November), appliance installment(10months to go) and my monthly check-ups including vitamins &medicines(up to September). But there is also the allowance to be included in our monthly budget and other miscellaneous expenses and needs.

For almost 4 months of being married, I keep a record of our monthly budget which usually total to almost 10K but still I can’t keep a track as to where the remaining money goes. We also do keep a little more extra budget for other leisure expenses and a 3 to 5K is automatically put into savings, which must not be touch no matter what. I think I’m not good at budgeting since we still find ourselves short from our budget. Hmmm, this makes me get into thinking of other effective ways to budget. I know in myself that I am not extravagant nor he is. But as they say, money really passes our hands quickly without us knowing where it had gone to.

Anyways, here’s how-to tips I got from WikiHow

How to Budget Your Money

• Calculate your regular income. Include that of your spouse also, as well as regular income from other sources.
• Make a list of all income sources and amounts. Do you receive regular overtime or a large bonus? Is it guaranteed? Can you calculate average amounts by using past bank statements or pay slips? Try to be accurate and get to an average 'net' (after taxes) income.
• Calculate your regular expenses. Save all receipts and expenses for one month. Ideally, you need to carry around a pen and small pad with you for one full month. Write down every amount you spend, what it is for and where you spend it. Much of the spending will be on large, regular items (rent, utility bills and grocery shopping, for example), but there will probably be many small regular items too (newspapers,magazines,coffee shops, snacks, haircuts and entertainment)
• Look at the figures. Money coming in (income) and money going out (expenses). If your expenses are more than income, you need to take action!

TIPS

• Don't rush budgeting.You need a month to figure out exactly where your money is being spent the most.
• If you find your expenses are extremely high, compared to your income, you have to cut back on some unnecessary spending.
• Very few people ever bother to budget, which is why so many people are in debt. Few really realize just how much they spend on worthless expenses.
• Try to categorize your fixed expenses (e.g., those expenses that don't change from month to month, like a mortgage or car payment) and your variable expenses (e.g., those expenses that can go up or down, like your utilities or mobile phone bill that depend on your usage). Since hidden or unmanaged variable expenses can eat away at your income, those might be good candidates for categories to monitor.

Lessons on Life

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge
things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look
at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in
summer and the youngest son in the fall.

same place/tree taken in different seasons

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.

The second son said no, it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so
sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping
with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they
had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season,
and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come
from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring,
the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral lessons:

Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.

Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time later.

To Wish This Will Not Happen To Me -

Let me share this fact and technicality of domestic violence. I have come to know this when my sister-in-law asked me to do some little research on this for one of her law subject. I got interested somehow since, one, I am a wife now. Hehehe Not that I doubt my partner that he can actually do this. Or maybe, it would be the other way around. Heh :D

The cycle of violence

The “cycle of violence” theory also provides an understanding to why the person affected by domestic and family violence continues to face a violent situation.

However, it is acknowledged that it is not the same for everyone and some people may experience only some stages of the cycle (or not relate to it at all.

number of stages in the cycle

The build-up phase

This phase may begin with normal relations between the people in the relationship, but involves escalating tension marked by increased verbal, emotional or financial abuse.

In non-violent relationships these issues can normally be resolved between the people in the relationship.

The stand over phase

This phase can be extremely frightening for people affected by domestic and family violence.

The behaviour of the person who uses violence in relationships escalates to the point that a release of tension is inevitable.

The person affected may feel that they are ‘walking on egg shells’ and fear that anything they do will cause the situation to deteriorate further.

Explosion

The explosion stage marks the peak of violence in the relationship. It is the height of abuse by the person who uses violence to control and power over others.

The person who commits domestic and family violence experiences a release of tension during an explosion phase, which may become addictive. They may be unable to deal with their anger any other way.

The remorse phase

At the remorse stage, the person who uses domestic and family violence in their relationship feels ashamed of their behaviour.

They retreat and become withdrawn from the relationship.

They try and justify their actions to themselves and to others, unaware they are actually addicted to the release they have just experienced.

The pursuit phase

At this stage, the person who uses domestic and family violence in relationships promises to the other person affected, never to be violent again.

They may try to make up for their past behaviour during this period and say that other factors have caused them to be violent, for example, work stress, drugs, or alcohol.

The violent offender may purchase gifts, and give the person affected attention.

Also, the violent offender may go through a dramatic personality change.

The person affected by the violence will feel hurt, but possibly relieved that the violence is over.

The honeymoon phase

During the honeymoon phase of the cycle of violence, both people in the relationship may be in denial as to how bad the abuse and violence was.

Both people do not want the relationship to end, so are happy to ignore the possibility that the violence could occur again.

After some time, this stage will fade and the cycle may begin again.

Got this from here.

Trying to Start Now

With my desire to actually have our own space even as early as now, I have made inquiries about housing/lot loans offered by PAG-IBIG.

Here are the Steps on how to apply for a Pag-IBIG housing loan:

1. Attend a loan counseling session at the Pag-IBIG office (here in Legazpi, the schedule for counseling session is I think every Friday)
2. Accomplish a Preliminary Loan Counseling Questionnaire, Housing Loan Application (HLA) and Membership Status Verification Slip (MSVS). If eligible secure checklist of requirements (requirements would depend on the loan purpose)
3. Submit HLA with complete requirements. Pay the processing fee of P1,000 (non-refundable)
4. Receive Notice of Loan Approval/Letter of Guaranty and sigh loan documents.
5. Proceed to the BIR and present Deed of Absolute Sale (DOAS) between the owner of the property and applicant for payment of documentary stamps and capital gains tax.
6. Proceed to Registry of Deeds for payment of transfer tax and registration fees for the transfer of the title.
7. Proceed to Notary Public for notarization of Loan Mortgage Agreement (LMA) and annotation of mortgage with the Registry of Deeds and to Assessor’s Office to secure new tax declaration in the name of the applicant.
8. Secure Occupancy Permit from the Local Government Unit Engineering Office when the loan is for any of the following purposes: Purchase of new Residential Unit (PRU), Purchase of Lot and Construction of a Residential Unit thereon or for House Construction only.
9. Submit the following documents to Pag-IBIG:

• Original Transfer Certificate of Title (OTC) in the name of the

applicant with annotated mortgage

• DPAS with original RD stamp

• New Tax Declaration in the name of the applicant

• Updated Real Estate Tax Receipt (for house and lot, if applicable)

• Occupancy Permit

• Assignment of Loan Proceeds

10. Release of loan proceeds
11. Start of monthly amortization is the following month immediately following the loan take-out/final loan release.

As far as I know, you still need to shell out at least 20K for all BIR taxes and transfer of title fees even if you are going to loan it through PAG-IBIG - unless the owner/developer will shoulder these expenses. The capital gains tax would be the most costly.

I have already contacted an agent and offered me one of the lots near my parent’s house in OLV Buraguis. Its just 70 sq. m, quite small but just enough for a starting family. The owner is selling it at 2800 per sq. m. so that would be 196,000 in total price. But I heard there will be a new subdivision being developed in Ridgeview, I think it would be easier to deal with a developer than a personal owner since most of the time; developers process the papers for you and shoulder the BIR taxes and permits. Hmm. I just have to wait for that.

For more information on the qualifications and other requirements in applying for housing loan through Pag-Ibig/HDMF. visit their site. click here.

On Contentment

There are two ways to be contented: one is liking what you do, and the other is doing what you like

author: Unknown

hays. Just Right! Keeping myself busy. Forcing myself to. heh.

SUMMARYZING LIFE

In one simple story, here's how you should manage your time and your life:

When things in your life seem almost too much too
handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough,
remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had
some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very
large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill
it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the
jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and
poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the
golf balls. He then asked the students again if the
jar was full they agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured
it into the jar . Of course, the sand filled up
everything else. He asked once more if the jar was
full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from
under the table and poured the entire contents into
the jar, effectively filling the empty space between
the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
"I want you to recognize that this jar represents
your life. The golf balls are the important things-
your God, family, your children, your health, your
friends, and your favorite passions--things that if
everything else was lost and only they remained your
life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your
job, your house, and your car.

Learn From This Story

This is probably the oldest forwarded e-mail I still keep on my Inbox. Let me share you this very interesting story you will definitely learn from.

Well, just read on:

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to
visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into
complaints about stress in work and in life. Offering his guests coffee, the
professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an
assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking,
some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the
coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If
you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving
behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the
best for yourselves that is the source of your problems and stress." What
all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went
for the best cups and were eyeing each other's cups. Now consider this: Life
is the coffee, and the jobs, money and position in society are the cups.
They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and do not change the quality
of Life. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the
coffee God has provided."

So, don't let the cups drive you ... enjoy the coffee instead.

A Piece of Information

**Don’t know where I got this presentation. I just have a copy of it in my document folder**hehehe