Help Someone Out of Poverty This Christmas

Christmas is a time for giving. In a little over two weeks, we become pre-occupied with searching for a perfect gift to give our loved ones. Something special that will not collect dust on the shelf or be stacked away in the closets for the rest of their life. It is indeed a difficult task to search for a perfect, meaningful gift. 

The past few days I have been pondering on helping someone get over their misery. Everyday on my way home from work, I see families living under bridges, children begging in the streets, minors selling flower leis to earn a few coins. The news of poverty and hunger in some parts of the world is heartbreaking. Children who have been reduced to skin and bones brings me to tears. 

Last year, on Christmas eve, I packed a hot, home cooked meal, a fruit and a bottle of water in a brown paper bag and walked around my neighborhood to look for the old, homeless man who sleeps on the sidewalk. When I found him, I gave him the bag and said, "Merry Christmas, Sir. Please eat and enjoy your Christmas dinner." He looked at me with those eyes that were full of disbelief. I had to turn away before I started to cry. I looked up to heaven and whispered, "Thank You, Lord, for the blessings you have given me. I know I complain a lot about things, but pointing me to this poor homeless man has given me deeper appreciation of what I have. I am truly blessed." 

This Christmas, I have once again been pointed to a mission that would help my brothers and sisters who are trying their best to live from day to day. A noble group of people are working to alleviate the suffering of the people in sub-Saharan Africa. Send a Cow is an organization that helps raise funds to bring these people out of poverty. Based in the United Kingdom, this charitable group extends their kindness to a country thousands of miles away. Send a Cow works with poor families in seven African countries, providing practical farming assistance that will last for generations to come and supporting families through every step of their journey out of poverty.

This year's goal is to be able to raise 20,000 festive gifts that will definitely make a difference to poverty-striken families in Africa. To help increase awareness for this campaign, Send a Cow tapped their ambassador, Gloria the Cow, wearing a specially made, custom fit jumper sporting designs that represent the gifts that can be found in the Christmas Catalogue. 2014 marks the 13th year of Send a Cow's Christmas catalogue, the proceeds of which have helped over a million people (and counting!) overcome poverty. 

This is Gloria the Cow, modelling her custom made knit jumper

If you really want to make a difference, now is the time. Speak to your family and friends. Encourage them to spare a little to make a BIG impact for a family thousands of miles away struggling to survive. Better yet, send your friends a card that says  "I am giving you a special gift this Christmas. I have donated to Send a Cow  in your name. Thank you for making someone's life better this Christmas. I hope you do the same and pay it forward." 

You can view the Christmas Catalogue here. For more information, contact Cow PR at sendacow@cowpr.com. For print copies of the catalogue that you can show your friends and families, please contact 01225 874 222 (U.K.)

There has never been a better time than now to feel the true meaning of Christmas. 

Note: This is NOT  a sponsored post. I have been given an opportunity by Send a Cow to practice my Christian faith by increasing awareness for the purpose of alleviating poverty in Africa.

Pain Relief For Your Beloved Pet

Two weeks ago, my son's 4 month old puppy named "Fang" was run over by a speeding scooter. Fang suffered a deep scrape in his groin area, and being so young, he was crying non-stop. He was immediately taken to the vet to check for fractures and/or internal bleeding. Luckily, it was only the wound that was causing his discomfort.

The veterinarian prescribed antibiotics, a cream preparation for the wound, and a pain reliever, vetprofen. (Read more about the product info using this link: http://entirelypetspharmacy.com/vetprofen-75-mg-240-caps.html) Fang was kept in the pet hospital for three days to ensure he gets IV fluids and to monitor him for other symptoms that might point to something else. The pain medication worked wonderfully, because Fang was back to his normal frisky self after three days. 

My son Aton and Fang, a Pomeranian-Spitz mixed breed

When your pet is in pain or has undergone medical or dental procedures, ask your vet about vetprofen. It is such a good product I would recommend it to pet lovers if I were a veterinarian. 

Play and Win Real Money!

What do you do when you're online? I usually blog, check my email, browse Facebook or Twitter and play games. Have you ever thought that lazy weekends can be turned into something profitable? Spending time online can earn you some extra cash too without necessarily investing some amount of money.

How to do it? Simple! There are online games that we can play that can make you win real money. Of course your next question would be, "How much would it cost me to join?" Believe it or not, you can start playing with NOTHING. At casinobonus.com, you can avail of a no deposit bonus and start playing immediately. You can have fun and a chance to cash out real money. The site also has an activity tab where over 40,000 members/players worldwide share tips about no deposit bonus codes to help the newbies decide which to get and where to play it. 

There are thousands of fun games to choose from like virtual slot machines, roulettes, bingo, microgaming online casinos, etc. Casinobonus.com also offers no deposit casino bonus codes for those who would want to have the feel of playing in a real casino, and yet do not have the need to be at the actual venue. Stay in the comfort of you own home and have a good time. Don't forget though that having fun also means being responsible. 

Give the site a try and who knows, you might win some extra cash for the holidays! There is, after all, a truth to the saying "Beginners luck!" 

15 Things About My SuperMom

Today is my mom's 76th birthday. As a tribute to this strong woman, I am writing about why my mom deserves all the accolade. Here are 15 things about my mom that makes her stand out from other equally great mothers:

1. At 76 years old, my mom is stronger than a 40 year old office employee. Mama attends aerobics sessions every morning at 8 am. During Thursdays, she attends a Zumba class.

2. She was widowed at the age of 54.

3. At 42 years old, my mom finished first in a 10 kilometer race for the Womens 40-60 age group.

4. She earned a degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Santo Tomas, where she met my father who was then enrolled in the College of Medicine.

5. She's the third child in a brood of 5 girls, namely Norma, Remedios, Amparo Teresa, Caridad and Gloria.

6. Her father was killed by the Japanese soldiers during World War II. Mama was only 6 years old then. Her youngest sister was still in their mother's womb when this tragedy happened.

7. During the Liberation period, her most convincing line to the American soldiers was "Hey Joe! Give me soap! Give me towels! Give me corned beef!" 

8. She is a strict disciplinarian.

9. My mom is a great cook! The aroma coming from her kitchen is so inviting. It is because of this talent that made her and dad venture into the catering business.

10. She is also diabetic and has some hearing impairment but that would not keep her from watching her favorite soaps, especially if Piolo Pascual is in the lead role.

11. She's a true-blue Batangueño. 

12. She now has 6 grandchildren. Three girls and three boys.

13. Her favorite color is red - Open her closet and you'll notice that her sweat pants, exercise shirts, sneakers, slippers, blouses, skirts, handbags and purses have to have some red color in them, if not totally red.

14. Mom has a very good singing voice. She said she may have gotten it from her father who was a "cantor" (lead singer in the church choir) before he was killed.

15. She can be a monster-in-law, if she feels that her child is on the losing end. However, once you really get to know her, she can also be the sweetest mom.

I could go on and on writing about my mom and how I look up to her as a role model of what "motherhood" is all about. However, right this minute, all I can say is.... 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Mama! 

May you be blessed with many many more birthdays! 

I may not say it as often as I should, but just to let you know... I love you, Mama. 

Have a great birthday!

36 Days of Free Books and Magazines ~ Only at Buqo!

Christmas is just a few days away and the excitement is all over. Grown-ups sometimes become too busy preparing gifts for their children, nieces, nephews and god-children that they sometimes forget to get something for ourselves. Not to worry! Now is the time to get ourselves something that we all love - BOOKS!  Who wouldn't love a good book, a comfy couch and some quiet time? We will be in for some long weekends and what else could be as exciting as receiving #freebooks and #freemagazines?

Buqo Bookstore will be marking their first Christmas this 2014 and they will be celebrating it with the true meaning of giving. Their promotion is called "36 days of Buqo Christmas." For 36 days, starting November 26 until the last day of 2014, they will be giving away one free item EVERY SINGLE DAY. A book or a magazine, totally free for download! Each new item will be available to download from 11:00am to 10:00am the following day. When 11:00am comes around, another new freebie will be up for grabs. I am giggly with excitement over this #buqopromo!

Look for this banner in the app store to claim your free gift.

Simply download the Buqo app in the iOS App Store or on Google Play (for Android devices). Check for the special banner in the store for the featured freebie. If you don’t have the buqo app yet, now’s the best time to get it. Download it on your iOS or Android device, or both! Visit their website too at www.buqo.ph.

Follow them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/buqoapp), Twitter (www.twitter.com/buqo) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/buqoapp) so you don't get left out on the featured freebie of the day.

Watch out for these announcements on social media

Good hearts, great books, awesome giveaways! #36DaysofBuqoChristmas - because 12 days just isn't enough!

The Fifth Papal Visit Experience: Pope Francis in 2015

In about fifty-two days from now, the Philippines will be blessed with the arrival of Pope Francis. His Holiness will be in the country from January 15 to January 19, 2015.

Papal visits to the Philippines do not come as often compared with that of other countries. I am fortunate enough that I have had known of four Papal visits -  Pope Paul VI in 1970; Pope John Paul II in 1986 and 1995; Pope Benedict in 2008, and the upcoming visit of Pope Francis in January will be my fifth.

The Philippines is one of the two predominantly Catholic countries in Asia, (the other being East Timor). Catholicism was introduced in the islands by the Spanish missionaries in the early 1600s. To date, more than 80% of the population are Catholics.

The arrival of the Holy See will be a once in a lifetime event for most, so I created an infographic of His itinerary. I am hoping that I would be able to go to my Alma Mater on the 18th, where Pope Francis will celebrate Mass. 

Our country will be eagerly awaiting the arrival of Pope Francis. We ask God to grant him a safe journey. We pray that Pope Francis, being the head of the Roman Catholic Church be an inspiration to those who have gone astray to find their way back to God's Grace.

Peace. Hope. Love. Have a blessed Monday everyone.

One More Pat on the Back

Last week, during our Monthly Team Update meeting at work, I was awarded a certificate for receiving the Highest KPI Direct Results for the third quarter of this year. Another feather in my cap? Uhhh... I hate to look at it that way. I just happened to do what I needed to do. My peers are equally as talented, however, I could have just bested them out by a few points.

I am not an under-achiever, I don't mean it that way. However, at this point in time, I think I have already proven my worth in the industry. There are a whole bunch of people a lot younger than me. These people have their whole future ahead of them and I would be happy to see them succeed. 

The Certificate

The Perks - A Starbucks Gift Card

Anyway, just sharing with you a piece of my life, just one day that made me feel good inside, one more recognition, one more pat on the back, another job well done.

The Quality Assurance Team  (can you find me? haha.)

Blessed Sunday, everyone!

Where To Watch? Watch it Right Here!

Once in a while we get to watch a movie that sticks with us for the rest of our lives. I have had a few movies that I would never grow tired of watching over and over again. One on One, Chances Are, Death Be Not Proud, Titanic, Love Story, Legends of the Fall, Ben, The Patriot, Gran Torino, Notting Hill, Nights in Rondathe, The Wedding Singer, The Bridges of Madison County, etc. Oh, I could go on and on about my favorite movies about love and about underdogs winning.

I have DVD copies of some of my favorite films, however, there are some films that are really too old and too hard to find that I just hope that I could at least catch a re-run on the movie channels. Working at night does not do me any good, since I would be at work when my favorite film is shown on TV.

Thanks to #wheretowatch, I can get easy online access to theater schedules and locations. It points me to stores and kiosks where I can buy digital copies of my favorite movies, as well as digital downloading and streaming sites just by using the search tool! This is not an app, which is really great! I can watch movies I love on any device! One more great thing is that the site is ad-free!

Want to know more about Where To Watch? Watch the video below and you'll agree with me that this is such a wonderful site. Never again will you miss a chance to watch THAT movie that will create an impact on your lives.

Disclosure statement: This is a sponsored post by Sverve for wheretowatch.com.

Fiber Drinks, Apple Cider Vinegar, Exercise and Insulin ~ My New BFFs

I have lost two pounds since I last saw my endocrinologist. That was a little over a week ago. I have shunned rice and replaced it with a slice of bread or flax seed crackers. My alternate carbohydrate source is boiled plantains. I am eating more vegetables now than I ever did. It sometimes makes me feel like I am turning into a goat, eating all those green leafy vegetables! I take a fiber drink twice a day. I read that Apple Cider Vinegar has a lot of health benefits, like lowering cholesterol, helping in weight loss and reduces blood sugar levels. I mix a drink made of 8 ounces of water and two tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar which I take after breakfast.  

As part of my exercise plan, I now walk a lot. I got myself a hula hoop. I haven't used it in a few days though because my sides still hurt from the first time I used it. (I think I overdid it). I had high hopes on lowering my blood glucose levels with the increased dosage of pills. However, I think I really need another appointment with my doctor. My blood sugar levels were still very much elevated, despite having an empty belly. I was falling into the vicious cycle of diabetes management. Stress again set in, brought about  by my daily blood glucose readings and the cost of the medication. I was spending Php 655.00 for five days worth of pills. 

I emailed my doctor, provided her updates regarding my weight and sugar levels. I told her honestly, I am getting so frustrated with myself. The only good thing is that I did lose some weight. I do not want to get to the point that I would have kidney or liver damage, or a bad heart, or lose a leg! I needed to be healthy.

Tomorrow, I will be getting a new prescription from my doctor. She will start me on a combination of insulin and pills. She said I only have to use insulin until such time that my blood glucose levels go down to "acceptable" levels. I hope this time I will be on my way to health. My doctor will be writing me a prescription for the Lantus insulin pen. This device encourages patient compliance because of the conveniece of administering the dose. The "pen" is pre-filled with insulin and works pretty much like the lancing device of a glucometer. The needles are so fine that it would be so close to being painless. One more thing is that I only have to use it once a day. The price is only Php 858.00 for a pen containing 100 units. I would still be saving money with it and maybe this time I would lower my blood sugar levels from 9.8 to something around the normal range of 4.5-6.3.

I am keeping my fingers crossed. What a journey this is!

One Year At A Time

Today is my birthday. Way too happy to write. Way too overwhelmed with all the love I have in my heart. I will end my birthday countdown with a music video that speaks so much of my promise to my loved ones.

Today, I will set aside illness, worry, and fatigue.

TODAY, I AM THANKFUL. I was born into this world with a purpose. I am beautiful. I am unique. I am God's child.

Another year, another chance to fulfill my mission.

Faith. Hope. Love. Sending you all endless blessings of peace and contentment in your hearts.