Lotus Totus

ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as Important as any other.

THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

FOUR. When you say, "I love you," mean it.

FIVE. When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.

SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.

EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live
life completely.

TEN.. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives

TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.

THIRTEEN. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why
do you want to know?"

FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

FIFTEEN. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.

SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson

SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.

EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

TWENTY-ONE. Spend some time alone.

Office Reminders for JD

SOME people avoid the number "13" lest it bring them "bad luck." Notice that in some tall buildings, the elevator panels do not have a 13th floor? Whether or not they think they're superstitious, there are people who are actually afraid of "13"-more so when it's a date that falls on a Friday, because they believe that Friday the 13th means bad luck, double strength. But does it have to be so? We need not make 13 a dishonorable number. In fact, we can use it to lead us to happiness, prosperity and a long fruitful life. Here are 13 guidelines we'd like to call "Lucky 13" for two reasons. One, for you to befriend that number and "reverse your luck," and two, to stress the fact that you are ultimately the source of your "luck." You have the power to be "lucky"-it's right within you! Ready to be impervious to "bad luck"? Read on!

1. Be self-reliant. Count on your own efforts to meet your needs. Expecting others to do it for you will only make you inordinately dependent on them.

2. Do your job as perfectly as you can. It doesn't matter whether you're emptying the trashcan or interviewing an applicant. If a task is worth spending time on, it's worth doing well.

3. Conserve your energy. Know that your supply is not unlimited. If you waste it on aimless pursuits today, you might find you have nothing left for significant tasks tomorrow.

4. Give a thought to your old age. Regardless of your faith in age-defying vitamins, you will not be young forever. Wise forethought about aging will make you enjoy it more when it comes.

5. Get enough sleep-and in the right hours. Remember "Early to bed, early to rise"? Take that adage to heart; the pay-off is great.

6. Always start your day thankful. You woke up feeling on top of the world? Be thankful. You woke up on the wrong side of the bed? Be thankful you woke up-it will make you face the day truly alive.

7. Be smart about money. Invest and spend wisely. Respect money-and you'll never be a slave to it.

8. Avoid ego trips. Don't use people as props for your ego. If you long for deeply satisfying relationships, stop manipulating others to have your way.

9. Guard your tongue. It's one of your body parts that are the toughest to tame. Be its master. Know when to turn it loose and when to keep it still.

10. Cultivate humility and discover its benefits. Give credit where it's due; don't be ashamed to admit mistakes. Be humble, especially when people heap praises upon you.

11. Keep your surroundings reasonably clean. Your desk, your work area (and your room or home) must be free of unnecessary clutter. Tidy surroundings encourage clear thinking.

12. Welcome opposition and criticism. See that all others' points of view are just as valid as yours. Don't pressure others to be your clone or your yes-men. Conflicts are opportunities in disguise-handle them well and they'll enrich you.

13. Seal the day with peace. Never sleep on a grudge. At bedtime, review the day's activities. Someone has hurt you? Pray for the grace to forgive and forget. You've hurt someone? Say sorry, even telepathically; trust that heartfelt apologies somehow get through.

Notice these guidelines are so simple? You may be wondering what's the connection between them and your "luck" but if you just give them a chance to take root in you (by trying them for a while), in due time you'll feel much better about everything, knowing that inside you is a power that all the "bad luck" in the world can never topple down.

8 smart ways to invest in yourself

by MP Dunleavy

If you're reluctant to put money toward your goals, remember that your future is your best investment. Here's how to look sharp for your personal IPO.

You may not technically run your own business, but thinking of yourself as a small-but-scrappy startup can be a smart way to take stock of the way you invest your time, energy and money.

"If you were thinking of your life as a CFO would, you’d look at the (profit-and-loss) statements, balance sheets and so on," says Francie Dalton, president of Dalton Alliances, a business consulting firm in Baltimore. "And you’d keep a close eye on each line item -- like time, energy, attitude, outcomes."

While this may sound foreign, the reality is that we all make decisions every day about how we invest our personal capital. And the yield on those investments would be much greater if we considered the potential returns. If you don’t, says Dalton, "then you aren’t executing your fiduciary responsibilities to yourself as the primary resource of

I know what you're thinking, and no, I haven't given my fiduciary responsibilities as CFO much thought lately, either. So I've consulted a roster of experts and herewith present the results of my duly diligent research for your personal enrichment.

Develop your business plan

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a free-lancer like me or you work for a real company. You need a plan. "Especially these days, when you can’t rely on corporate America," notes Nancy Castleman, co-author with Marc Eisenson and Gerri Detweiler of "Invest In Yourself: Six Secrets of a Rich Life." "This is not for GE or Ma Bell or wherever you work. This is for you, for your family."

So sit down and think like a CEO about what your goals are. Do you want a promotion? Permission to telecommute? To enter a new field or start your own business? "Establish your current state and your desired state," says Dalton. "Once you know where you are, it’s easier to figure out where you want to be."

Next, quantify your goals. Dalton points out that this is where most of us fail in our attempts to invest in ourselves. "It’s not enough to say you want to be fit in ‘04," she says. "What’s your (ideal) cholesterol level? How much do you want to weigh? If a company is well-run, there are measurable outcomes from each department."

Invest in new equipment

Yesterday, the idea of shelling out the bucks on some high-tech wireless device seemed like an extravagance. But recalculate that decision according to its effect on your productivity.

When Robert Levin was starting up his publication aimed at small- to mid-size businesses, New York Enterprise Report, he spent thousands on a loaded new laptop that would allow him to monitor his business from anywhere. "It was a huge expense for me at the time," he says, "but that’s how I was able to launch the Web site."

Amy Brownstein, president of her own eponymous PR firm, was reluctant to harness herself to a PDA. But because she conducts business on both coasts and at all hours ("My business is hardly 9 to 6"), she finally invested in a Blackberry -- and it changed her life. "My productivity increased because I can stay in touch with all my clients at the touch of a button. And if I get an idea, I can shoot it to someone instantly."

Encourage staff development

Where you want to be may require skills you don’t yet have. Keeping in mind Dalton’s "current state" vs. "desired state," what sort of knowledge do you need to move forward? Whether it’s a new programming language, public speaking skills or even social graces that would enable you to hobnob with the hoi polloi, acquiring these tools is an important investment of your time and energy.

And your efforts may pay off in very tangible ways. Greg Ragland, co-founder of the Executive Vocabulary program, says one study found a strong correlation between vocabulary scores and position on the corporate ladder.

Given your own goals, you may not need to whip out that old SAT study guide. But you do need to figure out which skills will yield the highest return in your own life.

Upgrade the physical plant

When I decided to incur the additional expense of renting an outside office, it didn’t make immediate financial sense. I had just moved in with my then-fiance: Why not take the money I was saving on rent and sock it away? By now, six months later, I would have saved close to $4,000. (Minus the cost of the iPod I would have succumbed to, let’s be honest.)

But as any savvy investor will tell you, it’s really about looking at the potential return over the long haul. I decided to view the monthly cash outlay as an investment in my bigger professional and financial picture. Having an independent office space would not only make me more productive (it has), but it would help me to see my humble writing life as more of a cottage industry (which it is).

Jeffrey Golden, a financial planner in New York, points out that in addition to the tax benefits, there are other less tangible (though valuable) returns on an investment like this. Upgrading where you live or work causes other people to upgrade the way they see you. "Very fancy," one editor wrote to me, when I sent around my change of address. My office isn’t fancy, but it adds to my cachet that other people think so.

Change your management style

This may seem like a small point, but how do you handle it when you underperform relative to your expectations? Do you beat up on yourself? Cry on your shoulder?

"You need to figure out which management style works for you," says Dalton. If you tend to be the hard-driving type, it might help to be more exacting with yourself. Set firm goals and deadlines; be strategic about meeting them. Perhaps enlist the help of a colleague or friend who can help you stick to a plan. If you're the type that thrives on compassion and understanding, you'll need a softer touch. In that case you might want to have a more gentle sit-down meeting with yourself about your progress. Otherwise you might see your No. 1 employee go into a slump.

Advertise, advertise, advertise

Pamela Pekerman may only be a journalism undergrad with a drive to work in magazines, but she already knows the value of the power accessory. "I just got a Louis Vuitton bag, and I call it my investment," Pekerman says. "You need that one piece that upgrades you -- and then who cares if you’re wearing an H&M T-shirt?"

Um, I’m wearing a $9.99 H&M blouse, and my Louis Vuitton seems to have gone missing, but whatever.

Pekerman is right. Most of us can’t afford to buy a 30-second spot during the Super Bowl to make the world sit up and take notice. But how you look speaks volumes about how you see yourself -- and most important, how you’d like others to see you. This is not carte blanche to "invest" in Armani suits and a Cartier watch, but rather to build awareness of how your appearance helps to advance your presence in the market.

Bring in the consultants

There’s a key moment in the expansion of any business where the management team has to decide when it’s time for outside assistance. Levin, of the New York Enterprise Report, reached that point recently when he decided to move his online publication into print as well. "Technically, these are things I could learn to do myself," he says, "but I don’t want to take any chances, so I’m calling in the experts."

Whether you need a life coach, a personal trainer, a baby sitter or a tax adviser -- don’t skimp because you feel like you can’t afford it. If it’s the most efficient way to achieve your goals, it’s worth it.

Diversify your assets

Of course, your profit margins should always be measured in terms that are more than financial. Jeffrey Golden gives the example of the many clients he’s worked with who approached their retirement years with their finances in good shape -- while their personal interests and hobbies had all but atrophied. "That’s when I say to them, ‘Have you thought about investing in quality-of-life issues?’" Golden says.

Most of us forget to think of our hobbies and passions as investments, but they’re an important part of a well-balanced investment strategy. As Castleman and her co-authors say on their Web site, www.goodadvicepress.com, which offers a number of financial self-improvement tips: "Like any good portfolio, the best investments you can make in yourself are diversified, carefully managed and geared to the long term."

And they are rewarding in ways that may not show up right away in your bank account

Entrepreneurship is the answer

Commencement Address
Ateneo de Manila University
March 27, 2004 By
John L. Gokongwei, Jr.


I wish I were one of you today, instead of a 77-year-old man, giving
a speech you will probably forget when you wake up from your hangover
tomorrow. You may be surprised I feel this way. Many of you are
feeling fearful and apprehensive about your future. You are thinking
that, perhaps, your Ateneo diploma will not mean a whole lot in the
future in a country with too many problems. And you are probably
right. You are thinking that our country is slipping?no, sliding.
Again, you may be right. Twenty years ago, we were at par with
countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Today, we are left
way behind. You know the facts.

Twenty years ago, the per capita income of the Filipino was 1,000 US
d ollars. Today, it's 1,100 dollars. That's a growth of only ten
percent in twenty years. Meanwhile, Thailand's per capita income
today is double ours; Malaysia, triple ours; and Singapore, almost
twenty times ours. With globalization coming, you know it is even
more urgent to wake up. Trade barriers are falling, which means we
will have to compete harder. In the new world, entrepreneurs will be
forced to invest their money where it is most efficient. And that is
not necessarily in the Philippines. Even for Filipino entrepreneurs,
that can be the case.

For example, a Filipino brand like Maxx candy can be manufactured in
Bangkok?where labor, taxes, power and financing are cheaper and more
efficient?and then exported to other ASEAN countries. This wil l be a
common scenario, if things do not change. Pretty soon, we will
become a nation that buys everything and produces practically
nothing. We will be like the prodigal son who took his father's
money and spent it all. The difference is that we do not have a
generous father to run back to. But despite this, I am still very
excited about the future. I will tell you why later.

You have been taught at the Ateneo to be "a person for others." Of
course, that is noble: To serve your countrymen. Question is: How?
And my answer is: Be an entrepreneur! You may think I am just a
foolish man talking mundane stuff when the question before him is
almost philosophical. But I am being very
thoughtful here, and if I may presume this about myself, being
patriotic as well.

Entrepreneurship is the answer. We need young people who will find
the idea, grab the opportunity, take risk, and set aside comfort to
set up businesses that will provide jobs. But why? What are jobs?
Jobs are what allow people to feel useful and build their self-
esteem. Jobs make people productive members of the community. Jobs
make people feel they are worthy citizens. And jobs make a country
worthy players in the world market. In that order of things, it is
the entrepreneurs who have the power to harness the creativity and
talents of others to achieve a common good. This should leave the
world a better place than it was. Let me make it clear: Job creation
is a priority for any nation to move forward. For example, it is the
young entrepreneurs of Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore who created
the dynamic businesses that have propelled their countries to the
top. Young people like yourselves. Meanwhile, in the Philippines,
progress is slow. Very little is new. Hardly anything is fresh. With
a few exceptions, the biggest companies before the war?like PLDT,
Ayala, and San Miguel?are still the biggest companies today. All
right, being from the Ateneo, many of you probably have offers from
these corporations already. You may even have offers from JG Summit.
I say: Great! Take these offers, work as hard as you can, learn
everything these companies can teach?and then leave! If you dream of
creating something great, do not let a 9-to-5 job?even a high-paying
one?lull you into a complacent, comfortable life. Let that high-
paying job propel you toward entrepreneurship instead.

When I speak of the hardship ahead, I do not mean to be skeptical but
realistic. Even you Ateneans, who are famous for your eloquence, you
cannot talk your way out of this one. There is nothing to do but to
deal with it. I learned this lesson when, as a 13-year-old, I lost my
dad. Before that, I was like many of you: a privileged kid. I went to
Cebu's best school; lived in a big house; and got free entrance to
the Vision, the largest movie house in Cebu, which my father owned.
Then my dad died, and I lost all these. My family had become poor?
poor enough to split my family. My mother and five siblings moved to
China where the cost of living was lower. I was placed under the care
of my Grand Uncle& nbsp;Manuel Gotianuy, who put me through school.
But just two years later, the war broke out, and even my Uncle Manuel
could no longer see me through. I was out in the streets?
literally.

Looking back, this time was one of the best times of my life. We
lost everything, true, but so did everybody! War was the great
equalizer. In that setting, anyone who was willing to size up the
situation, use his wits, and work hard, could make it! It was every
man for himself, and I had to find a way to support myself and my
family. I decided to be a market vendor. Why? Because it was
something that I, a 15-year-old boy in short pants, could do. I
started by selling simple products in the palengke half an hour by
bike from the city. I had a bicycle. I would wake up at five in the
morning, load thread, soap and candles into my bike, and rush to the
palengke. I would rent a stall for one peso a day, lay out my goods
on a table as big as this podium, and begin selling. I did that the
whole day. I sold about twenty peso s of goods every day. Today,
twenty pesos will only allow you to send twenty text messages to your
crush, but 63 years ago, it was enough to support my family. And it
left me enough to plow back into my small, but growing, business. I
was the youngest vendor in the palengke, but that didn't faze me. In
fact, I rather saw it as an opportunity. Remember, that was 63 years
and 100 pounds ago, so I could move faster, stay under the sun more,
and keep selling longer than everyone else. Then, when I had enough
money and more confidence, I decided to travel to Manila from Cebu to
sell all kinds of goods like rubber tires. Instead of my bike, I now
traveled on a batel?a boat so small that on windless days, we would
just float there. On bad days, the trip could take two weeks! During
one trip, our batel sank! We would have all perished in the sea were
it not for m y inventory of tires. The viajeros were happy because my
tires saved their lives, and I was happy because the viajeros, by
hanging on to them, saved my tires. On these long and lonely trips I
had to entertain myself with books, like Gone With The Wind.

After the war, I had saved up 50,000 pesos. That was when you could
buy a chicken for 20 centavos and a car for 2,000 pesos. I was 19
years old. Now I had enough money to bring my family home from
China. Once they were all here, they helped me expand our trading
business to include imports. Remember that the war had left the
Philippines with very few goods. So we imported whatever was
needed and imported them from everywhere?including used clothes and
textile remnants from the United States. We were probably the first
ukay-ukay dealers here. Then, when I had gained more experience and
built my reputation, I borrowed&nbs p;money from the bank and got
into manufacturing. I saw that coffee was abundant, and Nescafe of
Nestle was too expensive for a country still rebuilding from the war,
so my company created Blend 45. That was our first branded hit. And
from there, we had enough profits to launch Jack and Jill. From one
market stall, we are now in nine core businesses, including retail,
real estate, publishing, petrochemicals, textiles, banking, food
manufacturing, Cebu Pacific Air and Sun Cellular. When we had shown
success in the smaller businesses, we were able to raise money in the
capital markets?through IPOs and bond offerings-- and then get into
more complex, capital-intensive enterprises. We did it slow, but sure.

Success doesn't happen overnight. It's the small successes achieved
day by day that build a company. So, don't be impatient or focused
on immediate financial rewards. I only started flying business class
when I got too fat to fit in the economy seats. And I even wore a
used overcoat while courting my wife?it came from
my ukay-ukay business. Thank God Elizabeth didn't mind the mothball
smell of my overcoat or maybe she wouldn't have married me. Save what
you earn and plow it back. And never forget your families! Your
parents denied themselves many things to send you here. They could
have traveled around the world a couple of times with the money they
set aside for your education, and your social life, and your
comforts. Remember them?and thank them. When you have families of
your own, you must be home with them for at least& nbsp;one meal
everyday. I did that while I was building my company. Now, with all
my six children married, I ask that we spend every Sunday lunch
together, when everything under the sun is discussed. As it is with
business, so it is with family. There are no short cuts for building
either one. Remember, no short cuts.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola, your patron saint, and founder of this 450-
year old organization I admire, described an ideal Jesuit as one
who "lives with one foot raised." I believe that means someone who is
always ready to respond to opportunities. Saint Ignatius knew that,
to build a successful organization, he needed to recruit and educate
men who were not afraid of change but were in fact excited by it. In
fact, the Jesuits were one of the earliest practitioners of
globalization. As early as the 16th century, upon reaching a foreign
country, they compiled dictionaries in local languages like Tamil and
Vietnamese so that they could spread their message in the local
language. In a few centuries, they have been able to spread their
mission in many countries through education. The Jesuits have
another quote. "Make the whole world your house" which means that
the ideal Jesuit must be at home everywhere. By adapting to change,
but at the same time staying true to their beliefs, the Society of
Jesus has become the long-lasting and successful organization it is
today and has made the world their house.

So, let live with one foot raised in facing the next big
opportunity:globalization. Globalization can be your greatest enemy.
It will be your downfall if you are too afraid and too weak to fight
it out. But it can also be your biggest ally. With the Asian Free
Trade agreement and tariffs near zero, your market has grown from 80
million Filipinos to half a billion Southeast Asians. Imagine what
that means to you as an entrepreneur if you are able to find a need
and fill it. And imagine, too, what that will do for the economy of
our country! Yes, our government may not be perfect, and our
economic environment not ideal, but true entrepreneurs will find
opportunities anywhere. Look at the young Filipino entrepreneurs who
made it. When I say young, and I'm 77, remember, I am talking about
those in their 50s and below. Tony Tan of Jollibee, Ben Chan of
Bench, Rolando Hortaleza of Splash, and Wilson Lim of Abensons.
They're the guys who weren't content with the 9-to-5 job, who were
willing to delay their gratification and comfort, and who created
something new, something fresh. Something Filipinos are now very
proud of. They all started small but now sell their hamburgers, T-
shirts and cosmetics in Asia, America, and the Middle East. In doing
so, these young Filipino entrepreneurs created jobs while doing
something they were passionate about.

Globalization is an opportunity of a lifetime?for you. And that is
why I want to be out there with you instead of here behind this
podium, perhaps too old and too slow to seize the opportunities you
can.

Let me leave you with one last thought. Trade barriers have fallen.
The only barriers left are the barriers you have in your mind. So,
Ateneans, Class of 2004, heed the call of entrepreneurship. With a
little bit of will and a little bit of imagination, you can turn this
crisis into your patriotic moment?and truly become a person for
others. "Live with one foot raised and make the world your house." To
this great University, my sincerest thanks for this singular honor
conferred on me today.

To the graduates, congratulations and Godspeed.

"Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam".

Thank you.

10 Words You Simply Must Know

British novelist Evelyn Waugh once said, "One forgets words as one forgets names. One's vocabulary needs constant fertilisation or it will die." Editors at MSN Encarta picked some of their favorite words to nourish your vocabulary. Some of them you may even use. (Tip: Click to see the full definition and hear the word pronounced.)

1. Defenestrate: "throw somebody or something out of window: to throw something or somebody out of a window (formal or humorous)"

It is quite entertaining to defenestrate paper airplanes.

2. Garbology: "study of waste materials: the study of a cultural group by an examination of what it discards"

Garbology might be a good career choice for dumpster divers. Recycling may make the job of future garbologists extremely difficult--they'll have less to study.

3. Digerati: "computer experts: people who have or claim to have a sophisticated expertise in the area of computers, the Internet, and the World Wide Web"

Not too long ago, computer expertise was considered nerdy. These days, many people strive to be among the digerati.

4. Antipodes:
1. "places at opposite sides of world: places at opposite sides of the world from each other, or the areas at the side of the world opposite from a given place"
2. "opposites: two points, places, or things that are diametrically opposite each other"

One could say that Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli and Warren "Potsie" Weber are antipodes.

5. Hallux: "first digit on the foot: the big toe on the human foot, or the first digit on the hind foot of some mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians (technical)"

The ballerina had her hallux insured for $10 million!

6. Otiose:
1. "not effective: with no useful result or practical purpose"
2. "worthless: with little or no value"
3. "lazy: unwilling or uninterested in working or being active (archaic)"

Will e-mail render traditional letter writing otiose? Let's hope not.

7. Cullet: "glass to be recycled: broken or waste glass returned for recycling"

Don't forget to take the cullet out to the curbside, and be sure to put it next to the trash, not in it.

8. Pellucid:
1. "clear in meaning: easy to understand or clear in meaning (formal)"
2. "transparent: allowing all or most light to pass through (literary)"

The police officer's warning was pellucid: drivers must go the speed limit in the school zone.

9. Borborygmus: "stomach rumble: the rumbling sounds made by the movement of gases in the stomach and intestine (technical)"

If you lay your head on someone's stomach, you are likely to hear borborygmus.

10. Embrangle: "perplex somebody: to confuse, perplex, or entangle somebody or something (archaic)"

As Lord Needlebottom attempted to explain the rules of cricket, his American friends became more and more embrangled.

Let it go

When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left. The bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]

People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are notjoined to you, you can't make them stay. Let them go.And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person it just means that theirpart in the story is over. And you've got to know when people's part in your story is over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead. You've
>> >got to know wh en it's dead. You've got to know when it's over.Let me tell you something. I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It's not that I'm hateful, it'sthat I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll giveit to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it.

Stop begging people to stay. Let them go!!

If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to ..LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to past hurts and pains ...LET IT GO!!!

If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth...LET IT GO!!!

If someone has angered you ... LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge .. LET IT GO!!!

If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction ... LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents... LET IT GO!!!

If you have a bad attitude...LET IT GO!!!

If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better... LET IT GO!!!

If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him... LET IT GO!!!

If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship....LET IT GO!!!

If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves...LET IT GO!!!

If you're feeling depressed and stressed .... LET IT GO!!!

If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying "take your hands off of it," then you need to... LET IT GO!!!

Let the past be the past. Forget the former things. GOD is doing a new thing for 2004!!! LET IT GO!!! Get Right or Get Left .. think about it,and then LET IT GO!!! "The Battle is the Lord's!"

Stop and think and appreciate God's power in your life, for doing what you know is pleasing to Him. If you are not ashamed to do this, follow the instructions!

Jesus said, "If you are ashamed of me, I will be ashamed of you before My Father" If you are not ashamed, send this message...only if you believe. "Yes, I love my God. He is my fountain of Life and My Savior. He Keeps me going day and night. Without Him, I am no one. But with Him, I can do everything, Christ is my strength."

God loves you and watches over you every day.

A prayer for you

Please take a moment to relax your mind and humble your heart .. Allow God, to be the only person on your mind while you read this prayer. If we can take the time to read long jokes,stories, etc., we should give the same respect to this prayer. Friends who pray together, stay together.

Dear Lord, I thank You for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, saidor thought that was not pleasing to you. I ask now for Your forgiveness.

Please keep me safe from all danger and harm.. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You.Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things.

Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over. Let me continue to see sin through God's eyes and acknowledge it as evil. And when I sin, let me repent, and confess with my mouth my wrongdoing, and receive the forgivenessof God. And when this world closes in on me, let me remember Jesus' example -to slip away and find a quiet place to pray. It's the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will.

Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may
help the weak. Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for those who are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those who are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately.I pray for those who don't believe. But I thank you that I believe.

I believe God changes people an d God changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes that they are out of debt and all their needs are met. I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God.

Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight. I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them willingly.

This is my prayer.

Lord I love you and I need you, come into my heart, please.

And You Thought You Knew Everything...

Mosquito repellents don't repel. They hide you. The spray blocks the mosquito's sensors so they don't know you're there.

Dentists have recommended that a toothbrush be kept at least 6 feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush.

The liquid inside young coconuts can be used as substitute for blood plasma.

No piece of paper can be folded in half more than 7 times.

Donkeys kill more people annually than plane crashes.

You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television.

Oak trees do not produce acorns until they are fifty years of age or older.

The first product to have a bar code was Wrigley's gum.

The king of hearts is the only king without a mustache.

A Boeing 747s wingspan is longer than the Wright brother's first flight.

American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating 1 olive from each salad served in first-class.

Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise.

Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning.

The plastic things on the end of shoelaces are called aglets.

Most dust particles in your house are made from dead skin.

The first owner of the Marlboro Company died of lung cancer.

Michael Jordan makes more money from Nike annually than all of the Nike factory workers in Malaysia combined.

Marilyn Monroe had six toes.

All US Presidents have worn glasses. Some just didn't like being seen wearing them in public.

Walt Disney was afraid of mice.

Pearls melt in vinegar.

Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married.

The three most valuable brand names on earth: Marlboro, Coca-Cola, and Budweiser, in that order.

It is possible to lead a cow upstairs...but not downstairs.

A duck's quack doesn't echo and no one knows why.

The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days when the engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled on the ground floor and figured out how to walk up straight staircases.

Turtles can breathe through their butts

Butterflies taste with their feet.

In 10 minutes, a hurricane releases more energy than all of the world's nuclear weapons combined.

On average, 100 people choke to death on ball-point pens every year.

On average people fear spiders more than they do death.

Ninety percent of New York City cabbies are recently arrived immigrants.

Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.

Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.

Women blink nearly twice as much as men.

It's physically impossible for you to lick your elbow.

The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.

A snail can sleep for three years.

No word in the English language rhymes with "MONTH."

Average life span of a major league baseball: 7 pitches.

Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing. SCARY!!!

The electric chair was invented by a dentist.(EVEN MORE SCARY!!!)

All polar bears are left handed.

In ancient Egypt, priests plucked EVERY hair from their bodies, including their eyebrows and eyelashes.

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.

"Go," is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.

If Barbie were life-size, her measurements would be 39-23-33. She would stand seven feet, two inches tall. Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.

A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.

The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.

Americans on average eat 18 acres of pizza every day.

Almost everyone who reads this email will try to lick their elbow.

Did you know that ?

Honestly, I haven't tried any of the following tips. If it can be dangerous, do not follow. Thanks.

1. Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately -- without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional "pain relievers."

2. Did you know that Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?

3. Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong. Altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.

4. Achy muscles from about of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.

5. Sore Throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

6. Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms.

Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly -- even though the product was never been advertised for this use.

7. Eliminate puffiness under your eyes..... All you need is a dab of preparation H, carefully rubbed into the skin, avoiding the eyes. The haemorrhoid ointment acts as a vasoconstrictor, relieving the swelling instantly.

8. Honey remedy for skin blemishes... Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a band-aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin, sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

9. Listerine therapy for toenail fungus... Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

10. Easy eyeglass protection... To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

11. Coca-Cola cure for rust... Forget those expensive rust removers. Just saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca Cola and scrub the rust stain. The phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.

12. Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer... If menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

13. Smart splinter remover... just pour a drop of Elmers Glue all over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

14. Hunt's tomato paste boil cure... cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.

15. Balm for broken blisters... To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine... a powerful antiseptic.

16. Heinz vinegar to heal bruises... Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

17. Kills fleas instantly. Dawn dish washing liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Goodbye fleas.

18. Rainy day cure for dog odor... Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

19. Eliminate ear mites... All it takes is a few drops of Wesson corn oil in your cat's ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.

20. Vaseline cure for hair balls..... To prevent troublesome hair balls,apply a dollop of Vaseline petroleum jelly to your cat's nose. The cat will lick off the jelly, lubricating any hair in its stomach so it can pass easily through the digestive system.

21. Quaker Oats for fast pain relief.... It's not for breakfast anymore! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

Growing Good Corn

My former officemate and friend Janice forwarded this story through e-mail. The story reaffirms one of the qualities of a good leader that was provided in the earlier-posted article, which states the gretatest leader are those who surround themselves with and/or train good/better leaders. Enjoy reading !

--

James Bender, in his book How To Talk Well (New York: Mcgraw-Hill Book Co. Inc.1994), relates the story of a farmer who grew award- winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair it won a blue ribbon.

One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.

"How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering in competition with yours each year?" the reporter asked.

"Why sir," said the farmer, "didn't you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn."

He is much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbor's corn also improves. So it is with our lives.Those who choose to live in peace must help their neighbors to live in peace. Those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who chose to be happy must help others to find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.

So if you have something good, don't keep it to yourself but share it. It is when we give that we receive...and much more.

Zen and 7 Steps to a More Fulfilling Job

Many people today find themselves in unfulfilling work situations. In fact, one in four workers is dissatisfied with their current job, according to the recent "Plans for 2004" survey by CareerBuilder.com. Their career path may be financially rewarding, but it doesn't meet their emotional, social or creative needs. They're stuck, unhappy, and have no idea what to do about it, except move to another job.

Mary Lyn Miller, veteran career consultant and founder of the Life and Career Clinic, says that when most people are unhappy about their work, their first thought is to get a different job. Instead, Miller suggests looking at the possibility of a different life. Through her book, "8 Myths of Making a Living," as well as workshops, seminars and personal coaching and consulting, she has helped thousand of dissatisfied workers re-assess life and work.

Like the way of Zen, which includes understanding of oneself as one really is, Miller encourages job seekers and those dissatisfied with work or life to examine their beliefs about work and recognize that, "in many cases your beliefs are what brought you to where you are today." You may have been raised to think that women were best at nurturing and caring and, therefore, should be teachers and nurses. So that's what you did. Or, perhaps you were brought up to believe that you should do what your father did, so you have taken over the family business, or become a dentist "just like dad." If this sounds familiar, it's probably time to look at the new possibilities for your future.

Miller developed a 7-step process to help potential job seekers assess their current situation and beliefs, identify their real passion, and start on a journey that allows them pursue their passion through work.

Step 1: Willingness to do something different.
Breaking the cycle of doing what you have always done is one of the most difficult tasks for job seekers. Many find it difficult to veer off a career path or make a change, even if it doesn't feel right. Miller urges job seekers to open their mind to other possibilities beyond what they are currently are doing.

Step 2: Commitment to being who you are, not who or what someone wants you to be.
Look at the gifts and talents you have and make a commitment to pursue those things that you love most. If you love the social aspects of your job, but are stuck inside an office or "chained to your desk," most of the time, vow to follow your instinct and investigate alternative careers and work that allow you more time to interact with others. Dawn worked as a manager for a large retail clothing store for several years. Though she had advanced within the company, she felt frustrated and longed to be involved with nature and the outdoors. She decided to go to school nights and weekends to pursue her true passion by earning her masters degree in forestry. She now works in the biotech forestry division of a major paper company.

Step 3: Self-definition.
Miller suggests that once job seekers know who they are, they need to know how to sell themselves. "In the job market, you are a product. And just like a product, you must know the features and benefits that you have to offer a potential client, or employer." Examine the skills and knowledge that you have and identify how they can apply to your desired occupation. Your qualities will exhibit to employers why they should hire you over other candidates.

Step 4: Attain a level of self-honoring.
Self-honoring or self-love may seem like an odd step for job hunters, but being able to accept yourself, without judgment, helps eliminate insecurities and will make you more self-assured. By accepting who you are - all your emotions, hopes and dreams, your personality, and your unique way of being - you'll project more confidence when networking and talking with potential employers. The power of self-honoring can help to break all the falsehoods you were programmed to believe - those that made you feel that you were not good enough, or strong enough, or intelligent enough to do what you truly desire.

Step 5: Vision.
Miller suggests that job seekers develop a vision that encompasses the answer to "What do I really want to do?" One should create a solid statement in a dozen or so sentences that describe in detail how they see their life related to work. For instance, the secretary who longs to be an actress describes a life that allows her to express her love of Shakespeare on stage. A realtor, attracted to his current job because he loves fixing up old homes, describes buying properties that need a little TLC to make them more salable.

Step 6: Appropriate risk.
Zen monks believe that the way to enlightenment comes through facing obstacles and difficulties. Once people discover their passion, many are too scared to do anything about it. Instead, they do nothing. With this step, job seekers should assess what they are willing to give up, or risk, in pursuit of their dream. For one working mom, that meant taking night classes to learn new CAD skills, while still earning a salary and keeping her day job. For someone else, it may mean quitting his or her job, taking out a loan and going back to school full time. You'll move one step closer to your ideal work life if you identify how much risk you are willing to take and the sacrifices you are willing to make.

Step 7: Action.
Some teachers of Zen describe action in this way, "If one wants to get to the top of a mountain, just sitting at the foot thinking about it will not bring one there. It is by making the effort of climbing up the mountain, step by step, that eventually the summit is reached." All too often, it is the lack of action that ultimately holds people back from attaining their ideal. Creating a plan and taking it one step at a time can lead to new and different job opportunities. Job-hunting tasks gain added meaning as you sense their importance in your quest for a more meaningful work life. The plan can include researching industries and occupations, talking to people who are in your desired area of work, taking classes, or accepting volunteer work in your targeted field.

Each of these steps will lead you on a journey to a happier and more rewarding work life. After all, it is the journey, not the destination that is most important.

Stop Stressing!

Ever get stressed out because you weren’t sure what you’d say at that morning meeting? Worried about what you’d look like after squeezing into last year’s bathing suit? Self-consciousness keeps us fighting that battle to control our self-image. But obsessing over our shortcomings inevitably traps us in embarrassment and shame.

The difference between embarrassment and shame is slight but significant, and the distinction is crucial for building a protective armor of self-esteem. When we introduce our friends to a colleague and forget her name, it’s an embarrassing blow to our image, because we think others are viewing us in a negative light. If there are enough embarrassing moments that we begin viewing ourselves badly, then our self-image collapses and we feel that heavy weight of shame.

Creating a pillar of success in our lives is one way to end the dreaded trap of embarrassment and shame. Successfully completing a difficult project at work builds confidence and leads to future success. Similarly, a satisfying relationship is a prideful accomplishment and helps motivate us to seek other such connections.

But how do we take that first brave step away from self-consciousness in order to feel like (and ultimately become) a success?

Kill shame-inducing situations before they become a threat, advises David Allyn, Ph.D., a Harvard-trained social scientist and visiting scholar at Columbia University’s Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy. His book, I Can’t Believe I Just Did That, includes a few pointers:

Be on time. Punctuality creates self-discipline and impresses both others and yourself. It’s a healthy habit that keeps you calm about the clock.

Stick to the facts. You’re bound to get caught lying, so why bother? Lies just set you up with unnecessary opportunities to feel ashamed.

Cut the gossip. Comments made behind your back sting, and don’t forget how you feel about those who talked about you. Focus on deep, meaningful talk where every conversation can be a chance to realize a dream or accomplish an aim.

Keep your word. It feels good to be considered reliable, so honor your word no matter what the reasons are for disregarding them. Remember, a promise is a promise!

If the damage is already done and you find yourself at the tail end of an embarrassing situation, you can still avoid that feeling of shame by recovering gracefully. Don’t lash out in defense or lie to cover your tracks -- you’ll just end up feeling worse and likely complicate a relationship that doesn’t need complicating.

Try laughing it off or explaining why you made the mistake. Also, don’t leave a social situation simply to avoid the people you made a mishap in front of -- avoidance will leave you feeling further ashamed and isolated.

Here’s a very important point to remember: people tend to forget others’ mistakes and obsess over their own.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad

I found my notes from the book of Robert Sukiyaki's (I am not even sure
of the author's last name) book entitled "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". Briefly,
the book is about getting rich through real estate and networking,
which works for those owners of real estate in strategic locations just
like Joseph Gaw in Solano Street of San Miguel who collects huge sums from
rooms he rents out to rich law students of San Beda College. The
following are the notes I aimed to remember from the book:

(1) If you hare risk and worry, start early.
(2) Think like a Texan, remember the Alamo
(3) Live it big
(4) If you are going to go broke, go big.
(5) Winning means unafraid to lose - Fran Torkenton
(6) Be focused, not balanced.
(7) Doubt is expensive
(8) Cynics criticize and winners analyze.
(9) Rich people are greedy
(10) What is in it for me ? How can I afford it ?
(11) Our world becomes a better place because we all desire a better
life.
(12) Be a little greedy.
(13) Do what you feel in your heart to be right -- for you'll be
criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, damned if you don't.
(14) Pay yourself first.
(15) I need a greater reason than reality.
(16) Know your "wants" and "don't wants".
(17) Intelligence + Arrogance = Ignorance
(18) Listening is more important than talking.
(19) Look for a new deal, there is always another wave.
(20) People with low self-esteem and low tolerance for financial
pressure can never be rich.
(21) The rich have money work for them.
(22) By not giving in to your emotions, you were able to delay.