Creating a simple life isn't always easy. Some steps, like stopping the junk mail, are easy and can be accomplished in a matter of minutes. Others, like cleaning up your relationships, can take much longer and be among the most difficult things you ever have to do.
I'm referring to an impossible marriage or a relationship that isn't going anywhere, and that is causing you stress or pain. If you're in such a relationship, and you've tried to fix it and you can't, get out. If you can't come to that decision on your own, then get help. Talk to a therapist, or join a support group of people who are committed to your happiness and well-being. If you can't find such a group, then form one of your own. Meeting on a regular basis with people who are going through similar problems, and who are committed to growth, can prove a powerful impetus for you to get out of a dysfunctional relationship.
Cleaning up relationships refers to friends, too. Perhaps it's time to think about moving on from a friendship that no longer works for you. Ending a friendship, unlike ending a marriage, doesn't necessarily require a major confrontation or discussion. Depending on your history together, sometimes it's easier to retreat and simply fade out of someone else's life.
Just realized that when you think about it, the "getting out" of a difficult relationship can be relatively easy. It is "deciding to get out" that is the difficult part. No other thing you could possibly do will simplify your life as quickly or as completely as getting out of a relationship that isn't working.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Clean Up Your Relationships
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Happy 26th Birthday, Mary Jean!
happy birthday, mary jean! ayan ha, sinolo mo ako and you enjoyed your favorite meal.ang alas sa aking team!
paano ba yan, pati kami nahawa na kay raphael!
iyra, di kaya magalit si joenabie sa iyo? pero, nice hair - mas pretty ka kapag ganyan
sabi na nga ba abbie, lalakero ka eh!
para kay harriet!
jeremy, bakit mo tinakpan ang nagblowout sa atin ng KFC?
jean, sana naglean ka ng kaunti para mas kakakilig!
mike, bakit nagiinarte ka dyan sa gilid? LQ kayo ni abbie? Friday, August 26, 2005
If I Knew...
Shared by a special friend…
If I knew it would be the last time That I'd see you fall asleep, I would tuck you in more tightly and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.
If I knew it would be the last time that I see you walk out the door, I would give you a hug and kiss and call you back for one more.
If I knew it would be the last time I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise, I would video tape each action and word, so I could play them back day after day.
If I knew it would be the last time, I could spare an extra minute to stop and say "I love you," instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.
If I knew it would be the last time I would be there to share your day, Well I'm sure you'll have so many more, so I can let just this one slip away.
For surely there's always tomorrow to make up for an oversight, and we always get a second chance to make everything just right.
There will always be another day to say "I love you," And certainly there's another chance to say our "Anything I can do?"
But just in case I might be wrong, and today is all I get, I'd like to say how much I love you and I hope we never forget.
Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, young or old alike, And today may be the last chance you get to hold your loved one tight.
So if you're waiting for tomorrow, why not do it today? For if tomorrow never comes, you'll surely regret the day that you didn't take that extra time for a smile, a hug, or a kiss and you were too busy to grant someone, what turned out to be their one last wish.
So hold your loved ones close today, and whisper in their ear, Tell them how much you love them and that you'll always hold them dear
Take time to say "I'm sorry," "Please forgive me," "Thank you," or "It's okay." And if tomorrow never comes, you'll have no regrets about today.
Jap Food with Three Sweet Ladies
(l to r) Gigie, Ralline, Mench, and Sally
mench, ganda ng jacket! sally, bakit ka nagtatago sa likod ni mench? ganda-ganda eh!
roommates! gemini babies! the future mrs. lee longa (in 7 days) and the soon-to-be bride of.... Thursday, August 25, 2005
The Time is Now
"We can spend a whole lifetime enjoying various benefits and not appreciate their value until we are deprived of them. How many lovers boldly contemplate separation, fondly imagining that they have had enough of the beloved. And yet as soon as they actually experience separation, they burn up with longing." – Jami
Do I ever recognize myself in this quote! Retroactive gratitude I call it - realizing after something is over or someone is gone that I really appreciated what I had, but wasn't aware of it until it was gone. Good health, the smile of a loved one, a job that allowed for creativity and self-_expression - the list of what we might have taken for granted is endless.
Failing to appreciate what we had until it's "too late" leads to regret, one of the most insidious negative feelings there is. Regret is a poison that keeps us in the past: If only I had told him more often I was thankful for all he gave me, maybe he would not have left me; if only I had been more appreciative of my legs before I got hit by the car; if only I had told her how much her kind words meant to me...if only, if only. Our minds spin around, creating story upon story of how life could have been better if we had taken less for granted.
Whenever I find myself swirling around in a fog of retroactive gratitude, I do two things. First, I take time to consciously thank the person or thing I have belatedly discovered my gratitude for. If the person is alive, I thank them via letter or phone call. If not, I send a mental thanks, as I do for a situation I am grateful for. Second, I take a hard look at my current life, at the things I might be taking for granted right now.
While we can never know if being grateful in the moment would have created a different outcome - maybe he wouldn't have left you if you had nagged less and been more grateful, but then again, maybe not - what is for sure is that the more we give thanks now for what we do have, the fewer regrets we will have in the future, no matter what happens. Maybe we can't tell your sister who just died how grateful you were for your presence in your life, but right now you can tell your husband, your child, and your best friend what they mean to you.
Always remember to let the fact of our regret send us into the world with even more appreciation for the gifts we have been given, and a commitment to communicate that appreciation as often as possible.
Gigie Esguerra's Bridal Shower - 24 August 2005
the lovely andrea "heidi" calonzo - inlove na inlove ang friend ko!
anna marie ordonez (former officemate at SGV and PwC) - hey, anna! still pretty as ever!
go, gie! kaya mo yan!
ang sexy talaga ng roommate ko! go, gigie!
Ms. Lou, Ralline and Sally Tuesday, August 23, 2005
On a Different Path
“Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity." (Kahlil Gibran).
Which one are you? Give others freedom to be themselves. Appreciate the differences between their ways and yours. Such is the way to cultivate true friendships. Never question what has been given freely, but rather accept it with joy and celebrate the fact that there is an individual that cares enough to share his/her life and blessings with you.
Before everything else fades into oblivion, and what is important be relegated to negligible, remember one thing, good begets good and never evil. Evil comes when what is good is treated with malice, jealousy and envy. These stem from people not comfortable with themselves and their relationship with others. People such as these should look deep into themselves and divest their souls with unworthy intentions. If not, their lives would be in a perpetual state of hell. Wanting to be loved, wanting to belong, but never quite so. I’d like to pity such people, but frankly, it’ll be a waste of my time. It’s been said that a true friend will not only share their riches with you, but reveal to you your own. It’s a futile effort if you yourself cannot see what you are worth.
Some people have a great capacity to love, but even that has its limits. Limitations imposed by the fact that we are human and as such are hampered by our own humanity. We have to learn to accept ourselves for others to accept us. Find the good in your soul and let it illuminate your life. Do not waste time in petty bickering and rumor mongering, life is too short and friends too few to waste.
Nothing in life is free; rather it is the value that we assign to it that differs. Reflections in life lead you to crossroads, and crossroads lead you to decisions. Decisions propel you both ways, forward or backwards. Friends should be a joy in one’s life and not an encumbrance. Life is meant to be lived richly. And I am meant to be me.
Monday, August 22, 2005
Behind the Shadow of Friendship
Much can be said about living your life the way you want it to be. I for one would like to do this without fear of anything. But in reality, some aspects of life has to be lived in constant fear.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but if your opinion is said with malice and with the intention of hurting another, such opinion is better left unsaid.
on friendship
Rachelle, thank you for this�
When do friendships start and when does it end?
Friendships start with the meeting of two people and find that there is a connection between them that surpasses their own mundane existence. Friendship like love or breathing cannot be denied. To do so would be to deny life itself. It is essential for a person�s sanity and for whatever peace we see in this world. It makes one aware not only of oneself but of the people around him. It provides the feeling of being loved and needed, a necessary lift when one is down, a safe haven in times of trouble, a chance to be YOU.
Do friendships end? Unfortunately, they do, sometimes for the slightest of reasons, and sadly through no fault of our own. A person I've never met gave me this advice on letting go, very wise and heartfelt. I thanked him for it but the best expression of gratitude I can give him is to share his advice to others.
"Memories are milestones in life�s journey. Look back on your journey and remember him for milestones he helped you put on your path. Then look ahead to where you are going, knowing always that those memories are going to be there when you need them... to guide you, to help you make the next big choices of your journey...�
Friendship is about honesty and about things friends can conquer while being honest with each other. It is about faith and loyalty. But it is also about love, caring and giving. It is everything that is good and we must remember that no bad thing can come out of true friendship. We just have to believe�
Clouds Behind the Silver Lining
As early as 11pm last night, I decided to cut off ties with two people that I�ve melted my heart out with love and fondness. This decision did not come easy, but maybe some good will come out of it.
I really don�t know what the reason is or what my connection is with these two people but every time I am with their company, I enjoy myself and feel contentment in life. I would think that�s reason enough to keep a friendship going, don�t you?
Yet, to clear the atmosphere, I really have to be brave and use all my will to do so. (Yes, if you can see me now, I am crying � as usual!).
If you know who I am, you won�t be surprised if you�re showered with love, generosity, care and my so powerful embraces and my kakulitan. I�ve already experienced a number of failed relationships especially with my so-called friends because of my tendency to �overdo� my natural friendly act.
Nevertheless, all the shitty stuff vanished into thin air with the way these two people showed me how they appreciated my concern and bigheartedness. Usually, the so-called friends usually grab every opportunity they could get for all the freebies when they are near me. These two however, would turn down offers of generosity and at times would actually fight me for it.
This is my life and this is my money, I could spend my time and my money anyway I want and to be with anybody that I feel can make me happy. Life is too short to do otherwise.
Funny but I still fight for it. I know nothing is wrong with what we are doing and yet there are �issues� coming out which tend to cloud our friendship. Issues which are proliferated by people around us whether out of envy or just plain malice. Should I be affected? Ideally, I should not, but in reality I still get affected when people try to undermine the good and turn it into something bad. I am only human after all.
I�m on my last year before stepping into the 30�s mark. I must admit my days are not getting any younger and though I might go on nights out, the feeling of loneliness weighs heavily on my shoulders. With everything that�s been happening, I feel that it is now time to think and re-assess where I�m headed in this life. Friendships (real ones) are so hard to find these days that I loath to give it up.
It is close to 5am and I�m getting ready for work, will I be able to do it? Be brave and put on a mask and let go? Hard, painful but best efforts.
You know who you are� love you both!
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Having Fun at Tagaytay Highlands
ang aming escapade na patago! brought the whole team to tagaytay highlands on a saturday-work day! ha, ha ,ha!
paano ba yan, lahat kami eh vavavoom ladies! marvin, ikaw ha, sino ang sinusundan mo dito sa group ng mga girls? hmm...
si ka roger (papa ni jannice na magaling na mangaawit) ang ganda ng hairstyle! si mitch (ang bebz ni raf) ang pinakasexy sa lahat!
hello! yes, my love.. i'm doing good. kasama ko lahat ng bata. and as always ako ang pinakamatanda sa group yet papatalo ba ako, siyempre, sexy pa rin at pretty as ever. miss kita dito, wala ako kaPDA!
kami at kami lang and super happy, at para kaming mga pakawala sa kural dahil ubod ng saya at tuwa! wala ni isang KB!
may tatalo ba sa aming tatlo? si raf, mitch at ate raiz! matinding PDA ito! syempre, mahal na mahal ko ang dalawang batang ito.
of course, the best part of the trip: sumptuous chinese food (fine dining galore)! as in! practice to the max ang kids sa paggamit ng chopsticks but before anything else, strike a pose for posterity!
kami ang singles! walang tatalo sa mga singles (pero most are not anymore available - alam ba ninyo kung sino ang NBSB dito?) sa pagpose sa digicam! masayang masaya kahit walang ka-HHWW!
nakuha pa naming pumunta sa Mushroom Burger para sa mga pasalubong at ang magcasino for an hour! huling hirit bago bumalik sa realidad!
kailan kaya namin ito mauulit muli?
(l to r) raphael gomez, michelle samonte*, ralline jean mojica, mary jean bernabe, roger vejerano*, jannice bautista, abigail cruz, sheryl delos reyes, iyra buenrostro, michael villanueva, joenabie encanto*, jeremy arevalo and marvin vergara
Friday, August 19, 2005
Assistant Metadata Specialists
ganito sila kasama! Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Team to Beat!
may singit dito sa team pero love naman namin siya kaya sama na sa treat!(l to r) jean, jannice, yours truly, iyra, sheryl and mike
Friday, August 12, 2005
Good Food with Good Friends
at long last, natuloy ang aming chili's lunch. mabuti pa pala ang biglaan eh natutuloy! yummy!
ang siksik at ang seksi!
ang mga tax experts: aileen and arvin!
sarap ng food! syempre, smile pa rin kami to the max! Monday, August 08, 2005
Happy 21st Birthday, Michelle!!!
Chili's Greenbelt, Makati City
11:45am - 145pm
michelle "mitch" samonte, ang bebz ng only boy ng B1 (eh di sino pa, eh di si raphael "raf" gomez) ! she's so close to the team na aakalain mo staff din namin siya dahil lagi siyang kasama sa mga gimiks. one great girl! talented and pretty, just like the girl sitting beside her! ha, ha, ha! 
perfect for each other and wishing them a lifetime of togetherness.wag kayong bibitiw!
talagang nagulat sa pagkanta ng happy birthday song to the tune of chocolate.sarap ng free dessert!
nasaan na si jean? kasama dapat dito sa picture? 
hmm... i have to check the cam. nawawala ang alas! 
