I just cannot help but repost this entry I wrote a year ago about “Books I Should Have Read Instead of Nancy Drew Mystery Stories”.

This is related to a strange but fruitful day I had yesterday while i was inside the mall. To my mind, i did a small but significant step in influencing the lives of two teenage girls.

I was stuck in traffic for two hours just to get to the mall. But strangely enough, my temper wasn’t rising with the heat and the length of that trip. I even managed to read a book while the jeep was stationary and was capable of making small conversation with the driver.

To make the long story short, I got to the mall at about 4 P.M., went through the list of items to pick-up and and stores to go to. When finally it was about time to go home, I passed by National Bookstore. I needed to drop by and see what book I had to buy and read after I finish “One Day At A Time (Book 2)” by Francis Kong. I bought the book for about a week now but I only have 60 pages left. I bet, i will finish it before the middle of next week.

While inside the store, I skipped the Fiction section, scanned the Current Events section but none interested me. Went over to the Culinary Arts and pondered on starting a new hobby but had not decided yet.

Then on the far end of the bay, I cannot help but notice two teenage girls in school uniform flipping through dating, courtship and relationships pages of some books whose author I am not familiar about. Then I found one book by Joshua Harris “Boy Meets Girl” on the bottom of the shelf which these girls has not even touched.

Memories of me being convinced by Ate Adora Balili to read the book and even share her copy flowed though my mind. The lessons and insights I got from this author are too valuable to be neglected. These are the kinds of books that our teenagers have to read to build a foundation of character. At that moment I realized  that I have the same opportunity of changing the lives of these teenage girls or influence them at the least. I knew at that moment I have to do something.

It was a little awkward coz, I was trying to distract these girls by getting the “Boy Meets Girl” book, trying to read it and make impressions that it is good. I tried to do this many times making myself a little suspicious to these girls. My thoughts were confirmed coz they transferred to the other rows.

When they left the shelf, doubt was already in my mind to a point that I can let this pass. Me and the girls had nothing to gain nor to loose either way.

But I was thankful to the books I have been readings all these years that gave me wisdom. One audiobook I was listening to earlier part of this year was “When Heaven Invades Earth” by Bill Johnson. He was talking about the Holy Spirit. He mentioned that “When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you just have to trust it and do what it says”. The voice telling me I had to do it was so loud that I cannot ignore. What made me decide of my next move was the to answer the question “Am I just going to live this boring life or make a little spice to it?”

Spices in life is a thrill but I am not used to it. But with the Holy Spirit as my guide led me back to my task at the moment. I circled to the other side of the shelf to observe the girls if they were leaving. Thankfully, they were not. It seemed they have  a research assignment and was not yet able to find what they were looking for. Taking advantage of this, I approached them and asked, “May I ask? Are you looking for something? I just cannot help but notice you were scanning the books from the other shelf. Whatever it is, I just would like to make a recommendation. (I got the Boy Meets Girl Book of Joshua Harris and gave it to the girls). Joshua Harris, he is a very good author. This book is very good especially at your age. You should read all his books.” I smiled. Before the girls were even able to respond, I already took a few steps away.

Then I went back, “This is based on personal experience. Cos this one was also recommended to me”. Then I finally left.

I was not able to get their reactions nor what they did with the book. I thought I can only do so much like what Ate Adora did with me. The decision to read it and apply it to ones life is a personal decision. I hope and pray that the girls would do the same.

To read my previous post on “Books I Should Have Read Instead of Nancy Drew Mystery Stories”, click on the link.

I got the call tonight from Tim. He called twice just to talk to me. He could have left a message in the call he made earlier in the evening. But he was more concerned that I should hear it first. I appreciated it very much that he wanted to talk to me knowing our last encounter. He knew I was so worried. He wanted to tell me the good news.

Everybody was packing up that night to leave the place pristinely clean before the designated hour. After Sarah, the maid of honor, nursed my bleeding finger from Sudoki’s steak knife, I went to the lavatory to wash my blood tainted hands. The room was clandestinely located in a narrow hallway across the main kitchen. I can hear the faint alternative rock music as they were in the middle of the hype in the dance floor. On the way back, I was able to meet Tim on the hallway. He was polite despite the trouble I caused him and the building. He checked if my finger was okay. I said, “I was more worried about the sink than my finger”. I tried to explain desperately that I wanted to help yet I still get into mishaps. I said that I was so careful but the busted sink could be because of the food accumulated in the pipes. I have been washing the dishes since late this morning while Carol and her friends were preparing for the wedding. It could be the shrimp that slipped my hands that got into the drain which was not supposed to.

Informing the bride’s mother that the sink was busted in the middle of the wedding reception was horrifying. Carol had to tell her or I will faint if I will say so myself. Even though I was comfortably secured from shame by the kitchen walls, the echo of Carol’s voice in the hall almost made me collapse. Crashing into a wedding with nobody I knew, tagging along as a kitchen help for someone not “technically” invited to the occasion, and bringing down the half-a-century old sink of a hundred year old Victorian Mansion in the middle of a wedding reception, these were the least things an Asian woman in the middle of a Goth-inspired Western wedding would want to happen.

In my limited knowledge of the people at the reception, there were only two Asians and both of them were working in the kitchen. I am of the inferior class since Sudoki was a chef working on his grill outside the building and, at the same time, a guest of the bride.

When Tim had decided that the sink was not workable on the second attempt of rescuing me from the ordeal, I was forlorn. I wanted to vanish from existence. I knew this could entail additional charges to Gayle, the bride’s mother, and could somehow jeopardize Carol’s friendship with her. In my intention to help without asking for anything in return I made a terrible ending to Shelby’s memorable night.

Even though Carol had to call me that morning to make sure I was awake, I was already on my way out to have my breakfast. I still had time before her arrival to pick me up. When she confirmed that she was already in the parking lot, I summoned her to grab something for the road from the buffet. She had her tea, I had my coffee and muffins and then we headed off to Gayle’s house at ten minutes to nine.

My assistance to the kitchen crew started when I was assigned to transfer the lukewarm tea from the bowls to the gallon. We needed to make sure there will be no spillovers in the van while on the road to Pasadena. It takes one hour to get there from Ventura.

While I was in the kitchen, it was then I was introduced to the family dog who was a brain tumor survivor. The small white streaks sparingly scattered on the right portion of his face against an all black hair were the evidence of the radiation therapy. But his mental ability was not affected by this condition at all. When Carol found out that the main door was open, there was a slight concern. I left the door open while we were putting Gayle’s stuff inside the house into the van. I didn’t know it would be a problem until the dog was nowhere in sight. The dog could be lost in the neighborhood that had almost identical houses and no fences. It could have gone a couple of houses away while enjoying his momentary freedom when it heard it’s name and turned back. When I saw it running playfully towards Carol, it had a look on it’s face that says, “Gotcha! I scared you, huh!”

On the way to Pasadena, I had to be Carol’s navigator aside from the GPS she always uses for trips like this. It was her way of validating the information whichever it came from, a trait I have wanted to acquire. She does not usually settle for one information unless it withstood the challenge of another. I would find her going around the building or linger on phone calls to talk to people who would confirm her data. This makes her one good natured lady who can make decisions not only on things that matter at work but even to my pathetic meanderings.

That’s what Becky also observed about Carol. She was happy that while we needed to figure out which things go and what works while packing up to leave Gayle’s house, it was Carol who has the final word.

“So what are you?” a middle-aged man asked me while he lifted the other side of the cooler towards the kitchen.

“I am with Carol. I came here to help.” was what I said. I had to mention Carol’s name to remove any doubt they have that I am an intruder. By my looks alone made me an outsider to this event. Anytime they could escort me out of the premises.

Carol was out looking for Jackie to convene on the plan while I occasionally enjoyed the façade of the hundred year old Victorian Mansion as I made my trip from the van to the kitchen. I learned later that afternoon when Carol and I was able to walked down the neighborhood that the place was built in 1908 by some rich landlord who came from northeast. It was situated in the neighborhood who had adapted the Victorian influence to the California climate. It was donated to the Red Cross a couple of years back. Red Cross, being a non-profit organization, whose operation is supported by donations, had to make income by renting the venue to certain occasions. A perfect venue for Shelby’s Goth-inspired wedding.

All the stuff that we brought from Gayle’s house was finally settled in the main kitchen. On the far end adjacent to the main hall, I can hear Carol talk to Becky about the occasional eardrum-popping volume she accorded to the songs of the seventies while we were on the road. “Some songs were just meant to be played loud” she said. I totally agree because when the next track from a different genre played, it never had the same effect. I had to shift down the volume immediately to the comfort of our ears.

Jackie was able to get everyone together in the kitchen for the strategy meeting. She was Gayle’s long time friend from Portland who was in charge mainly of the order of the food for the ceremony. She had prepared entries for the hors d’oeuvres and salads while Sudoki, a Japanese chef, was in-charge of the main course.

Becky, also one of Gayle’s long time friends, was handy in bringing some of the stuff needed for the preparation of the food like big platters, trays, mixing bowls, ladles and knives. Even if the whole mansion including the terrace and the manicured garden was rented, we were not allowed to use anything from the kitchen.

In that gathering, I learned that the man who asked that morning of what my role would be was Gayle’s brother. No wonder how he made everyone feel so comfortable and at ease while the chaos was starting to happen in the background. Then I was finally able to meet Gayle in person. Gayle introduced Tim; he was the doorman of the mansion. Tim was there to make sure that the venue was ready for the occasion.

I never thought I would be in contact with Tim while the event unfolds. I was more concerned of people being oblivious to my presence while making sure that I do not get in trouble. I had to ask Jackie, Becky or Carol for anything I was in doubt before making my move or I would not forgive myself for anything it would cause.

Before we caved in to our chores, Gayle gave us a quick tour of the mansion where the ceremony and the reception will take place. The main hall, which could have been the former family’s grand dining room, had nothing in it except one long table draped to the floor in black linen. The table was perfectly situated parallel to the wall with mirrors from the waist up to the room’s height. Opposite it was a mural, dating back to the construction of the building, that extends to the entire length of the room.

Exiting the main hall led us to the receiving area, this was also the first room you get into when you get through the main entrance. Jackie said, that hors d’oeuvre will be served in this area. Carol also made a note of where the coffee stand was when I will be arranging them before the slicing of the couple’s cake.

Gayle and Jackie went ahead to the family’s den where it was already flanked with chairs for the ceremony. As we were tailing on them to cross the aisle, Gayle’s brother warned us not to step on the runner. Even if he didn’t say it, I would have crossed over it as I saw him do it too. I turned my head back making sure that there were no shoe prints. Then I caught the glimpse of the arch where we entered and the massive wall presented itself in front of us, all clad in ornate wood panels from floor to ceiling. But the most breathtaking view was the terrace overlooking the manicured garden which can be seen from the glass doors encompassing the entire length of the room.

I knew that the tour was over because Carol was already asking about the food. In that hint, I already made my way back to the kitchen for my part.

(This entry was for a question at Yahoo! Answers about exercise. Due to some routine maintenance, I almost was not able to save this on my account. This is a backup copy.)

I have been scrambling my self for motivation but I have found out that that was not the answer. I think it is the habit that should be changed. The difference is that, when the former is gone, so is the attitude, but with the latter, your system just basically is attuned that you just have to do it no matter what the circumstances.

Getting into the habit is difficult. I will not tell you how but I will tell you things that will help you get into it.

For one, sleep early so that you will wake up early. Waking up so late in the morning already makes you feel tired to start with. Another thing also is when you wake up late, i have observed, is that your body and mind has this tendency to leave out some of the activities you have originally planned. But when you wake up early (with the fact that you had a good night sleep), you can accomplish a lot so early in the morning that you have time for anything for the rest of the day.

Second, schedule your exercise on a time that you can do regularly. Aside from the reason of having consistency in your routine, another purpose also is for you to have no reason to skip it nor pass it off to a later time. You have to avoid doing that because once you get that thought in your head, it will be very difficult to get back on track coz you will have the habit of delaying it further more until you do not want to do it anymore.

Third, decide if you want to exercise at least a day before, not when you only have five minutes to the gym schedule or you discovered you have your free time today. this will make you feel more stressed doing exercise.

Lastly, when things are getting tough on you (say our whole body is all sore, or you are always catching up for your breath that makes you think you should quit), DO NOT QUIT. Our body is designed to level up. Meaning, once it reaches a certain threshold, it can accommodate more stress until you reach the comfort level. Also meaning, stay on course…..Enjoy!

See link below:

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(,”) pheng

I woke up so early just to make it on time. Still with the time allowance and two pending items to settle resulted to seventeen minutes past my first appointment. It had a domino effect on everything thereafter. When already at her gate and calling her that I arrived, she was actually waiting for me at the parking lot just so it won’t add to my tardiness. Despite that and the long list we had to go through before finally getting to our depot, she ended up missing her breakfast from a chain offering a promotional game for customers. But we made it to our final destination.

Strangely enough we were twenty minutes early. Still it was not worth the promptness since we cannot disembark. It was not one of those moments that you are thankful for being an early bird.

Anyway, for tonight, nothing planned. Only dinner and a good night’s rest.

Tomorrow’s the big day…..(,”)

Her discovery was not accidental. It was much more of unexpected since fossil collectors were already in the area. They are in the dig site collecting fossils commercially. It just took another careful eye of Sue Hendrickson, a fossil hunter, to have her remains noticed. It was suposed to be a day off from sweltering heat and dust at the site since most of her companion went to town to fix their vehicle. She stayed and made use of the time hunting for fossils.

The find was huge, it was a bone of a dinosaur. Although they did not know the sex of the reptile, they named it “SUE” after the fossil hunter who discovered it.

(Lesson: Keep on doing what you know you are good at. In unexpected circumstances, your moment will come. It only takes an extra effort.)

It all began when her life ended. But nobody knew how it happened. For now, it doesn’t matter. What’s more astounding was the fact that she was preserved and unearthed because she has recreated life not only hers but many of those before her.

Sixty-five millions years ago, her herd and all those living in these times spent the last days of their existence. She may have passed away long before this happened. But she was the piece of the puzzle for her species and maybe for everything that existed during that time.

It was her time. She was already at the dawn of her life when catastrophically or naturally she lay rested in that riverbed. She may not have that death worthy of recognition that significantly defined an era, but it might be the reason that nature preserved her well.

She had her life…and more after that. Who would have thought that after their dominion another life form was emerging and walking on the same soil as they had, responding to the same compulsion of existence and survival.

And to this day, that life form evolved and became the generation that unearthed her.

Her life and mine spanning 65 million years apart is only a spec in the evolution of time. The earth is 4.5 billion years old. Before her time and after, a lot of things has transpired.

What is more to come after our lifetime?

Waiting for me?

Longing to meet me?

I’d be lucky but I guess not.

She doesn’t know me. That doesn’t matter because I am nothing to her.

Her life has been a great accomplishment not only to me but to many as well who recognize her. Although she might not be aware of that.

Her whole existence was only a natural response to the compulsion of existence and survival. Survival… that’s harsh…I bet she doesn’t want to call it that way. Because there was no other way. Was there?

But her mark was made and it was grand.

Especially the story that she carries with her.

Am I worthy to see her? We all are not.

But we are all obligated to earn that and see where time brings us to.

Am I ready?

It’s been a month of anticipation and soon I will be able to see the beginning of time. What was life back then?

Although I might not be able to figure it out. She will definitely have a story for me.

She is waiting for me. Longing to talk to me and leave me an awe.

Why she? Will she be able to help me? I guess no.

But I guess she will be able to inspire me and look at the world in a different way. Can’t others have that same effect on me?

Definitely not. There’s only one she and she is there waiting for me.

I got a whole lot of stories to tell about this topic. However, it will be too revealing for myself and my family. But I know everyone has been in my shoes one time or most part of it

Nevetheless, you know what I mean, right?

Small sacrifices today. Little gains tomorrows.

However, please don’t get me wrong that it only involves money (although everything is in someway connected to it). As the poker player says, “Money is the only a way of keeping track.”

It should be in everything we do in this life. Off the top of my head are:

1.   living healthy

2.   acquiring knowledge

3.   time management

4.   personal development, and of course

5.   financial soundness

We cannot just wait for something to happen. What we do today says something about our future. (,”)