Holiday Cheer Through Out The Year!

This is a sponsored post.

I have started talking about Christmas in my previous post and I think it's too early to be talking about my Christmas wishlist for my family. Anyway, before worrying about stretching my budget for the season of love and gift-giving, let me for the meantime share with you the items in the list. It pays to see something to visualize even before the occasion to keep you focused on their realization. Thank God CouponChief is here to help.

For my older brother, I hope to give him a pair of shoes. There are lots of choices though at shoes-accessories. For my younger brother who has planned to get hitched early next year, I want to give a digital camera so he can take pictures of his wedding which I may not be able to see. I am thinking If I also have to give him a suit. For my two other brothers, I can share with them a computer and a force jacket each. The weather in my hometown really gets cold especially in the months of December and January. For my sister and her favorite pet "Bantay", a variety of beautiful dog costumes will do.

And finally, how can I forget my mom and dad? I wish I could give them some pairs of classic utility pants and jessica london's jacket and blazers.

Well, that means I have to doubly work hard before I run out of the deadline.

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My Seven's

I got tagged by Chuckie Dreyfus. The mechanics of the meme: Name seven things about me that are related to the number 7. I wish it were 6. (LOL) Would have been easier.

Here are the seven things about lordmanilastone that are related to number 7.

1. I usually have dinner at 7:00 p.m. That is my only available slot in the evening, before and after that, I teach a lot of students.

2. Duckpin (7 letters) Bowling (7 letters)=This is the hobby I am crazy about these days but I just don't have much the time to really enjoy it regularly.

3. I always have a hard time hitting pin no.7 when it's the only pin left for a spare.

4. When I was seven years old, I hated going to school and would be in tantrums without my dad handing me a one-peso coin for my baon (pocket money). Hehehe.

5. My first name is composed of seven letters. (lordmanilastone=take out seven letters and that's my first name, the rest is my family name) Sorry for making it a puzzle game for you guys.(LOL)

6. 2 + 2 + 3=7 The total number of the PR my blogs got. (LOL) Sorry, this number is giving me a hard time now, really!

7. Here are the lucky seven picks whom I'm afraid would have a hard time as much as I did putting two and two together of the list, hehehe.

Morinn , Lotusflower , Serena , Malditang Pinay , Nick , Shannon , and Donalyza .

You saved the day, guys!

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Health and Fitness

It was the first time in months I had to commute back home alone last Friday night. I wasn't used to such but I had to heed to AJ's request. (He doesn't want to wait on me playing duckpin bowling until the wee hours of the next day (LOL)). I felt some thrilling liberty traversing the dark path towards home but the feeling of being abandoned was overpowering. With the heavy back pack weighing on my back and the trepidation lurking in my nervoused guts, I walked the long stretch of the road from my office to the highway for my bus way home. It was almost midnight.

The thoughts of AJ were my company. He would often carry my favorite green backpack containing my used clothings and some tchotchkes. Whenever we are headed for the junction, I'd often feel a recurrence of my youth looking at him while trailing behind. He is several inches taller than I am and he just walks really fast that I am often left panting a few meters away.

Damn it! I almost missed that. When I arrived at the junction where the bus stop is, I felt some pressure on my bag. My dubiety reminded me to turn my head and double check my bag. Just heard the place is infamous for snatchers and pickpockets. I recalled, I just put my old cellphone and the key to the office in my bag's side pocket. My head freaked out with the idea of losing an old phone geminated with sentimental value and worried about listening to rumors bannering a ransacked office when I'm back at work.

I was right, somebody behind me in the middle of the crowd tried to steal my dirty underwear. (LOL) No, I mean my cellphone(3210). The side pocket of the bag was fully opened but I was quick enough to prevent the worst case scenario. I just gave that lady in her 30's a cursing look, mental telepathizing I would call the police to squeal her arbeit in the central business district. And she had the nerve to steal the undies I bought at Divisoria? (LOL)(No, I mean my cellphone again.)

The long trip was not tedious rather it was giving me a renewed vigor. I would usually feel sleepy on the bus but at that particular moment, I was so alive. It was strange that there wasn't heavy traffic.

I had a mindset and plan that would surely anger my boyfriend once I hug him in bed later.

I dropped by the duckpin place expecting to see Fred. I surely missed sharing a few bottles of beer with him and a little memorable and sensible chit-chat, plus the benefit of sweating out playing a few rounds of bowling. To my dismay, he had left earlier when I arrived. The presence of Mommy Ruth though made me feel a little bit comfortable. She was telling me about her trip in Palawan and how she spent a memorable time with her relatives in the islands.

She hugged me at my entrance to the 9th lane. I always felt she was a mom. She is too caring and sweet.

"What do you want to drink, Miss Universe?" she enthusiastically asked. She was very eager to treat me for a drink.

"Really? are you treating me tonight?" I asked for assurance. She nodded. "One San Mig Light Mommy Ruth and that's all." I said, shyly.

She was playing with the other members of the club but she took a replacement and decided that we play, just the two of us. We were so happy with our scores. We hit more than a hundred pins in each of our three games. I won leading a few wooden lame ducks. It was such a nice game and it was indeed an exercise as we tried to finish the game so expeditiously.

While drinking my beer and she, her bottled mineral water, she noticed my wounds. I told her what had transpired in me in the past weeks.

"My son, you should see a doctor and have those wounds checked." she imparted. "How could you spend a lot on your drinking and smoking and be a miserly on your health and medications?" she sermoned this time. I looked at her and she read my eyes.

It was past 2:00 a.m when I decided to leave. I hope to see Fred the next time.

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Pagerank: It's a 2-2-3

First and foremost, let me take this chance to thank Blogcatalog, Blogrecords and all the other blogging directories out there for the awesome achievement I got through my sites. (At least for a newbie like me) Special mention goes to my fellow bloggers, virtual friends, visitors of the sites, staunch readers, and all whom I might neglect to recall. Blogging hasn't been this rewarding without you guys.

Characters In My Life has a PR of 2, this site which I spend most of time on has a PR of 2, and My Dreamzzz World has a PR of 3. Finally after the long wait, I can finally say my blogging effort has come to fruition. This is such a big achievement on my part who was once so naïve of what blogging is all about. Thanks to Google which made it easy for me to discover the plethora of opportunities on the net.

I can’t express how much grateful and happy I am though I know PR 2 and PR 3 aren't really that much. I have considered my sites like my own children that I sometimes feel disheartened knowing I haven’t fed them with the latest posts. No matter how busy I am working as an Online Teacher, I will try my best to keep them updated as religiously as possible.

A million thanks everyone. !!!

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Pecuniary Talk

Earlier, last week, Jenny, one of the latest additions to our roster of teachers asked me if I could lend her some cash- enough to suffice up her family needs more than a week before the company's pay out. I have known her for barely a month but obviously that incident where she discreetly approached me at my station was not something I had to take against her. I used to be a money-borrower myself and in all honesty, I still do until now.

"Teach, I am wondering if you have some spare..." she said matched with the hesitant and the hopeful expression in her face. I knew what she meant and I was momentarily speechless not confident enough to say 'yes.'

She went in to continue that she and her family just moved in to a new apartment and they have to start filling up their small room with their own domestic properties like stove, pots, dishes, as well as diapers for her baby and their daily provisions. She is just one of the moms out there I certainly commend for the courageous move to settle for a nuclear family in the city in exchange of the extended family she belonged in, back in her hometown in the country.

I never promised a favorable response of her untimely need since I myself had nothing to spare. I just told her I'd ask AJ if he has some to lend her.

Jenny is definitely one of the best teachers we want to work with in the company. Knowing she is trying to make things fall through right for her and her family- (she's got a toddler and a homemaker hubby) instantly left a good impression on me. I really wanted to help if I could.

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Ruminating My Religiousity

It was a quarter before noon when I decided to take my meal at Ate Liza's. I took one of the small round tables just beside it's entrance. Everybody in the kitchen seemed so preoccupied that my presence was apparently conspicuous. I have been skipping breakfast these days so my esurience pushed me to butt in with the customers scrambling for food over the counter. I told Ate Liza, I wanted some mung green soup for one of my seemingly habitual brunch sessions. I was trying to avoid a deja vu of what occurred the other day.

The other day, I got in the cafeteria just a few minutes past twelve and I felt sorry all the pots and containers were empty. There was nothing left to eat for a late comer like me. I was compelled to eat outside the building.

While waiting for my food to be served, I couldn't avoid wandering my eyes around. My wait was taking more than usual as expected. A fair looking lad measly enjoying his meal caught my eye. From his looks, I realized that he works at the printing press located just one notch up from the third floor of the building where our office is located. He looked dingy in his tattered pair of shorts and his shabby white shirt. In spite of that, he radiated a certain glow of a fine, young-looking, man.

He was unmindful I was watching him and I for the time being forgot I had to hasten my meal because I had to teach after thirty minutes.

After satisfying himself with one order of rice, a tiny bowl of complimentary soup, and half an order of sauteed cabbage, he bowed his head, clipped his hands, and started whispering a prayer. I was in awe. I was hurt to be confronted of my negligence of my faith. Memories of my Christianity in my yester years started flashing back in my head. I was such a fanatic then attending Bible studies, going to church regularly, praying the rosary, etc.

I watched him 'til he finished his communion with God. A twinge in my heart told me I haven't been thankful these days- a time when the quality of my life is moving forward. I am well recuperating from my disease, pleased with the buoyancy of my job, able to support my family despite the hard times, and free from major adversaries in life.

How could I be so ironic?

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Reviewing my Patience

Patience is virtue. I know it's trite but I think I forgot to live by it in my class yesterday.

Here is what happened. I see the student online, click on his name in the main messenger window, and a conversation window appears. I click on the video icon, wait for a few seconds, (sometimes a few minutes depending on the internet speed) the connection loads, my student and I get connected. It's 8:30 pm and the class starts.

ME: Hi, Carlo, good evening! ( I project a wide smile to show how happy I am to see my student.)
CARLO: Yes...(His voice was very soft and was without vim.)
ME: Carlo, if your teacher says, "Good evening!" You should say,"Good evening, too!" Ok, one more time, Good evening Carlo!
CARLO: Good evening too.!
ME: Ok, very good, Carlo! Next question, Carlo, how are you doing today?
CARLO: I went to school today.
ME: What? No, I am asking you about how you feel today! (a bit intense but not yet shouting) How are you doing today?
CARLO: Today is Tuesday. (Seems like the student has left his zeal somewhere else as I can't sense it.)
ME: Carlo, I didn't ask you what day it is today. My question is, "How are you doing today?" Ottoke chininyehaeseyo? (I was compelled to speak in Korean for the seemingly alienated student.)How are you? (I was becoming redundant and starting to raise my voice.) Are you ok, are you fine, or what?
CARLO: I'm fine.
ME: Ok, very good. One more time, How are you doing today?
CARLO: I'm fine.
ME: Alright, very good Carlo. How about your mom, how is she doing today? ( a little bit calmed down this time)
CARLO: She is watching TV. (he really sounds lethargic and sluggish that he can hardly utter the words clearly)
ME: No! (annoyed again and starting to lose it) Carlo, were you listening to me? My question is, HOW is your mom doing today? I didn't say, WHAT is your mom doing today?
(I had to type the questions in the messenger window and emphasize the difference between HOW and WHAT. There is a long dead air. The student is quiet, so I have to repeat the question and try to make it easier for him. )
ME: Carlo, HOW is your mom doing? Is she fine, is she ok, is she feeling bad, what?
CARLO: Is she fine. (minus the right intonation this time)
(It's harder to teach online than teaching the student in the actual setting.)
ME: Ok, say it again, She is fine, or My mom is fine. (I stressed)(The student repeats for God's sake.) Alright, if I ask you the question, How is your mom doing, you can say she is fine. Can you say that again? (I ask the same question again for familiarity.) How is your mom doing?
CARLO: She is fine.
ME: And now, What is she doing? The question is what and not how. What is your mom doing?
CARLO: She is fine.

Once, my boss asked me about the progress of Carlo (not his real name).

"How about Carlo?," he asked. "His mother told me he still doesn't know how to read and he is not showing any improvement."

"Sir, his case is very isolated, I have been teaching him for almost a year and it's really hard to see any improvement in him. I have been doing my best to help him. I have other students younger than him who don't know how to read when they start their classes with me, but after three months or so they already know how to read and respond to the basic questions in English" I explained.

"So, you think there is something wrong with the student's mental state?" he asked again.

"I think so sir." I replied and my boss ended the phone call.

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