Diario de Mascarenhas

Love , Death

2012-01-25T21:03:00.001+13:00

"The risk of love is loss, and the price of loss is grief. But the pain of grief is only a shadow when compared with the pain of never risking love."  Hilary Stanton Zunin

We have to deal with a death at some point in our lives.  We don't want to, and we don't expect to, but we get to deal with it anyway.  Death is hard to deal with, even when you're expecting it. It's harder when it's a surprise.  You feel like you've been blindsided, unprepared, no chance to get your defenses up.  No cocoon of armor to wrap yourself in, to be safe from your feelings. So all you can do is let the feelings wash over you, and FEEL them.

It's not very comfortable. And it's even worse when you realize that you're resenting the person who died for springing this on you so suddenly.  Slowly the waves of emotion slow down and what's left is the grief and loss. And as you get centered in that, perhaps the wisdom in our quote comes to mind.  When you love, you risk loss. So how can we avoid that? By not loving?

We know that's not the right answer. All we can do is accept that grief is a part of life. If we love and are loved we'll have great joy and great grief.  The good news is that grief passes, but love endures. We can be grateful for that.

(Courtesy Wes Hooper)

2011-11-18T20:35:00.001+13:00

Hey, a few more weeks and it is Christmas again and then a New Year. Wow 2012, looking forward to December 2012, because Steve and I are going home and also for the doomsday scenario looming. I don't have any morbid beliefs, but it would be interesting to see the events that will unfold.The pictures above are just some random pictures we had these past couple of months. One is with Ajay, when he visited Auckland for his Visa requirements. Another picture is of Steve at Bungalow 8 where he got a free pitcher of beer. And the last of me with my beautiful flowers from my hubby, love the flowers. Love you hubby :)

24 Years waiting 4 Web Ellis !!

2011-10-21T10:03:00.001+13:00

"If you are not living in joy, you are out of integrity with your soul." Michael Beckwith

2011-10-03T20:42:00.000+13:00

"If you are not living in joy, you are out of integrity with your soul." Michael Beckwith

One of the problems that we all have is keeping ourselves focused on our path and staying positive about it.

It's so easy for circumstances to sneak in and sabotage our good mood and positive efforts.

So we need a method to check whether we're still on track. And Michael Beckwith, one of the most powerful spiritual teachers that I know, has given us the test.

Are we living in joy right now, at this moment, or not?

He's telling us that our natural state is joy, that our soul lives in joy regardless of circumstances, and that's where we belong.

So what is joy like? Here's a few things to look for.

First is nonresistance. Whatever is going on in our life, we accept that it's there. We don't whine and complain about it, we just handle it.

Second is gratitude. We're thankful for the "good" things in our life and we're thankful for the resources to handle the not-so-good things that show up. So we always have a reason to be grateful!

Beckwith says that's where our soul lives, in nonresistance and gratitude. When we choose to live there too, we live in joy.

Life is good when we live in joy.It's easier, less stressful and more productive.

It's our natural state.

Zai's bday 2011

2011-09-13T21:40:00.001+12:00

On my 2011 bday....dinner at Mutiara. Spent the whole day relaxing and had a wonderful night out.

Big Opening Ceremony Rugby World Cup

2011-09-10T20:03:00.003+12:00

What a wonderful opening ceremony Auckland for the opening of the Rugby World Cup. Steve and I enjoyed free drinks and nibbles at Skycity.

QR Code for my Facebook profile

2011-09-03T19:07:00.000+12:00

Sunday

2011-08-28T17:12:00.002+12:00

Went for a walk after mass. Hobson Bay walk was a 30 minutes walk, very lovely and just a jewel hidden in the city area. It is wonderful to have some place like this in the city.

Sunday

2011-08-28T17:09:00.000+12:00

Randomness

2011-07-15T21:32:00.002+12:00

These were taken a couple of weeks ago at a local cafe. We had a a yummy brunch for a bargain. Love these daily deals.

How to Get Through Tough Times

2011-06-22T16:31:00.001+12:00

How to Get Through Tough Times

By John Harricharan/ Creator of The Power Pause

Today turned out to be one of those textbook beautiful days. The sun is shining, the breeze is blowing softly and the temperature is just right — the perfect day. Even with all the challenges I have to face, I still look up at the sky and smile as the clouds chase one another across a "picture-perfect", blue background.

But I know that all the days to come will not be as beautiful and comfortable as this day is. Yesterday was dark and dreary, pierced with giant streaks of lightning, which generated thunder that rattled the windows.

Yes, I know that all the days that follow today will not be as bright as this one, nor as dark as yesterday. Some days will be better than others. Some will be worse. And I do not know which ones will or won't.

But this one thing I know: There will be change. There will be ups and there will be downs. That's how life is — there are good times and not so good times. The good times will not last forever. Every now and then, there will be rough times. But remember, even the worst times won't last either.

The trick is to enjoy the good times and make the most of them; to tolerate the rough times and know that they won't last forever. Generally, it appears that the good times seem to go so fast and the bad times seem to last forever, but this is not really so. It is our experience of time that makes it seem that way.

Five minutes in my dentist's chair may feel like an eternity, whereas sixty minutes spent chatting with a friend may seem like just a few seconds. What we are dealing with here is a matter of focus. Let me explain.

Whenever we encounter difficult problems, the tendency is to focus so intensely in trying to arrive at a solution that we become all tense and tied up in knots. When that occurs, we tend to become frustrated, fearful and sometimes angry. The problem here is that we're trying to force a solution instead of allowing a solution.

Anger could be expected, but prolonged anger is harmful to body, mind and spirit. It was the great author and lecturer, Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross who said, "Natural anger lasts for only about seventeen seconds". Anything beyond that is a reaction to circumstances or remembered situations.

Fear is one of our deadliest enemies. The fear I refer to is the type that causes us to stay awake at night conjuring up all the terrible things that could happen because of the unsolved problems we're facing. This kind of fear is dangerous, self-defeating and downright useless. It shakes our very foundations and needlessly drains us of energy.

And to be frustrated is natural. But let us not dwell on the frustration. It's like having a flat tire while driving in a thunderstorm and getting out of the car, becoming soaking wet and kicking the flat tire for being flat. It does no good.

How to Deal With Problems

So you ask me, "How then do I deal with my problems?" The first most important thing is to disconnect from the problem. By this, I don't mean that you pretend that the problem doesn't exist. It does exist, so get all the facts you can and then let it be. Break focus with it. This way, your subconscious mind will work towards a solution.

When we force our minds to be totally focussed on the problem, when we do not let it go, even for a short while, we deny the subconscious mechanism the power it has to help resolve the crisis. We must let it go. We must take a break from thinking about the problem.

Do whatever you can to break focus. Since all things have energy, even our problems are energy "things". If we focus on the problem too long, we energize it and make it stronger. By letting go and switching our focus, we shift our energy away from the problem and are now "energizing" the solution.

Does it matter how big the problem is? Not really. The Higher Self knows the answer to every problem we could ever encounter. The size of the problem is not important. What is important is how we look at the problem. Withdraw your attention from it for a short while a number of times a day.

During those times, don't look at the facts. You've already done that. Just look away from the facts to something pleasant, maybe listen to some good music, watch a great movie, go for a walk, talk to a good friend, read a good book. Just break focus with the problem for a short while.

If you do this, you will notice that the problem will appear to be less and less formidable. And somehow, in some way, you will get the guidance to do what's necessary to overcome the challenge. It may be that your car is being repossessed, the house is being foreclosed, a close friend or relative or even you yourself may be battling poor health. Doesn't matter what the problem is, break focus, allow calm, quiet and hope to flow through your mind.

As you practice doing this, almost magically, things will start to change; you will feel better, more hopeful, more empowered. And you will think more clearly. You will hear the "still small" voice within giving you the guidance you need.

Don't take my word for it. Just try it and see for yourself. You have nothing to lose except your problems. And you have everything to gain.

Suzie's bday

2011-06-19T19:48:00.002+12:00

Dinner at Satya's...Loved the Dosa. Great food and homey atmosphere.

The Secret of Happiness in 8 Words

2011-06-19T19:39:00.000+12:00

The Secret of Happiness in 8 Words
To Allow Yourself to Be Happy is the Greatest Wisdom There Is

By Stuart Goldsmith,
Excerpt from Seven Secrets of the Millionaires

You might like to know that the secret of happiness can be explained in just eight words and is, in fact, quite mundane. It does not involve meditation, drugs or self-flagellation. Each of the eight words is worth one million dollars, but here they are, free:

Tomorrow - Today - Live - For - Better - Working - A - While

What? You can't make sense of that? I gave you the words for free, but the correct order is going to cost you plenty...

Pause, while the anagram-freaks try to work it out themselves...

Got it? No? Okay, you'll have to read on...

Now, the price for my arranging the words for you is about ten minutes of your time to read this article carefully, because it has important implications for your happiness.

The first thing I want to say is that the human psyche - your psyche - is a very delicate thing indeed - and can be badly damaged, particularly during your early years, by what would outwardly seem to be "not very much."

Put another way, your mind is an incredibly delicate and subtle mechanism - a finely tuned and highly sensitive instrument. So delicate is this wonderful apparatus, that it is flat-out impossible to grow up without some damage to its mechanism.

Moderate damage is normal and severe damage is common.

Please read that last sentence again.

I would say that 100% of people - that's everyone - has moderate damage to their psyche, and about one in three have severe damage. I am talking about damage caused by a normal upbringing, not an abused upbringing. Thankfully abuse is not the norm, but more importantly, the psyche is damaged by numerous small incidents throughout your childhood where you didn't get exactly what you needed, exactly when you needed it.

Parents are, after all, people. They are neither omniscient nor telepathic. They do their absolute best, working from the basis of their own damaged psyches.

And so the cycle continues...

Now the point here is that because everyone is damaged, this means that everyone exhibits symptoms of "mental disturbance" during, and often throughout, their lives. I'm talking 100% of people here. Such symptoms include:

Anxiety
Depression
Sleeplessness
Irrational Fear / Panic Attacks
Feelings of Worthlessness, Insecurity, Pointlessness
Suicidal Thoughts
Substance Abuse (particularly alcohol which is a wonderful anesthetic for the harshness of life)
Irrational Anger / Impatience / Irritation
Worry

Because everyone experiences some or all of these on a scale of mild to severe, everyone pretends that they don't experience these things and we all play this ridiculous game in which we pretend it's just other people who have problems, not us.

I have talked to hundreds of people from paupers to billionaires. Scratch the surface and what do you get? The same old human-being we all are. The damaged psyche resulting in some or all of the negative symptoms I have listed.

I find this immensely comforting. The real problem about feeling down on life is when you think it's only you who feels like this, and that everyone else is having a great time counting their loot. If you can really take on board what I am telling you here, that everyone is a seething mass of insecurity, angst, unfinished business and emotional turmoil, then I think that helps a great deal.

It's called "the human condition" and comes about as a result of us all having such an immensely delicate psychology. We are about as equipped psychologically to handle the "slings and arrows" of life as a butterfly is to handle a force ten storm.

Every human on the planet is brave beyond measure. Forget "bravery in the face of enemy fire." That's just one sort of bravery and anyway, most soldiers didn't have a choice about going over the top. I'm talking real bravery of the sort you show every morning. You get up and face the world again. You against the world. And it's as much a battle today as it ever was. Labor-saving devices make very little difference. Do you have lots and lots of leisure time because you own a fridge, a washing machine, and a dishwasher? No? I thought not. It's the same old struggle by the same old human beings.

There is a danger in writing (and reading) a motivational, go-get-em, kick-ass "secrets of the millionaires" book because it encourages the sort of polarization I was talking about earlier. You can easily think something like: "Yeah, it's as I suspected, everyone else is happy and making great money, it's only me who cannot achieve anything of note. I'm all alone. Everyone else is so happy and well adjusted..."

I'm telling you now, in as plain a way as I can say, that everyone on the planet is more or less screwed up because of the way we are, and the way the world is. You just cannot avoid the damage.

You have to accept it, patch up what you can and live with the rest. So what can you do to increase your chance of happiness?

Live Today

The first part of the key to happiness is to live today.

That means you must try to live in the present moment, experiencing what is happening right now to you, good or bad.

This is it. This is your life. This is not a dress-rehearsal. But the twist here is to set this in the context of everything I have just said. Recognize that angst and upset are part of the human condition, experienced by everyone. This is just what it is to be a human being. We are all like this.

Why? Because from baby to teenager we had thousands of needs, most of which were met, many of which were not. Each time a need was met (particularly from early childhood)it caused psychological damage, sometimes mild, sometimes serious.

The brain is a highly adaptive and most damage can be routed around in order to allow the organism to continue functioning, albeit at a slightly reduced capacity. We develop coping strategies - the most effective of which is just good old-fashioned avoidance - we simply avoid the people and situations which cause the emotional pain and this stops us living life in all of its full colour.

When I say "live today" I'm not talking about some blissed-out, tree-hugging hippie who tries to permanently empty his mind in order to contact the "now." I'm talking about experiencing today with all of its upsets, angers, joys and sorrows. Just riding the wild bronco of life and not letting that sucker kick you off.

And when, as I often do, you experience a moment of intense pleasure, I want you to think to yourself: "This is as good as it gets." And it's true. These moments are as good as it gets.

Life is hard. Just as hard today, in its own way, as it ever was. Perhaps not as hard on us physically, but a lot harder on us mentally. That's why we're not a lot happier now than in in 1400 - to pick a year at random.

So I want you to snatch happiness when it comes to you, like a drowning man or woman seizing a life preserver. This is what it means to "live today."

The alternative is to ignore the minor day-to-day happiness and always be thinking some version of: "I'll be happy tomorrow, when..." (I have money, I get a girlfriend, I move from this bad area, I get myself a new car...)

You won't.

Or to think: "How can I possibly be happy now when..." and then insert your own unique bit of current misery, angst, depression, anxiety, panic or fear. The error here is to think that one day you'll be totally free of these things, and then you can be happy.

You won't. It's how we all are - riddled with this stuff. It's what makes us all human. It's what it means to be human. I'd go so far as to say that a person without a smattering of these things would be a flat, lifeless and intensely boring automaton. It is the degree of your angst which is important.

Zero makes you dull as dishwater.

A sprinkling makes you human and still allows for a lot of happiness. A moderate lever makes you interesting, quirky and able to cope mostly with life, but like a semi-active volcano, side-shoots of lava keep erupting and causing turmoil in your life - you need to spend some time fixing the damage, otherwise you may erupt one day.

A lot, and you are mostly immobilized in life and unable to function. Happiness is denied to you and all of your efforts should be expended in therapy to repair the worst of the damage, before you can go on. You are constantly depressed, frightened and anxious.

As an analogy, imagine a football team in immaculate, Percil-white strip, nancying around the field avoiding getting grass stains on their clean white socks. They would be a bit of a disappointment, really. They don't want to get too involved in the game in case they get mud on their shorts or bruise from that big, nasty old ball. Who wants to watch them? Who cares? They are not fully engaged with the game.

A football team whose players are muddied, bruised and riled are an altogether more interesting spectacle. They'll be fighting with passion and determination, taking daring risks, sometimes winning some ground, sometimes losing some ground, but always entirely absorbed in the game and playing right now in the present moment.

But a team which is injured, demoralized, cold and wet needs to do one thing - retire from the field, get some serious rest, bandage their cuts and recuperate. There is no point in their playing any longer. In fact they can't play. Their minds are not on the game, but fully absorbed with their pain and humiliation.

So, you see, the trick is to grab the happiness, now, in spite of any current misery from your worry list.

A Brighter Future

The final part of the key to happiness is: "While Working For a Better Tomorrow." So the whole secret is:

"Live Today While Working For a Better Tomorrow."

Why not write this out on a 3" x 5" card and put it somewhere you will see it each day? It's not a bad idea.

First, you grab every single morsel of happiness which comes your way, despite your perfectly normal negative feelings which you now know are part of the human condition and which everyone experiences.

Next, you must realize that everything you are today and everything you own today is a direct result of your past decisions. Decisions which you took, either consciously, or by default. Nobody else is to blame here. But once again I find this immensely comforting, because the power is in your hands to change the future, you don't have to wait for someone else to change it for you.

If your present life is a result of your past decisions, then the future is created by your present decisions, and boy is that true!

So you should be constantly working and scheming so that your future (which will come around soon enough) will be even better than your present. And you do this in spite of any angst and turmoil you might be feeling, just as you do it in spite of the fact that you have to breathe air and sleep seven hours each night.

Now if you recognize yourself in the "moderate" or "severe" category of emotional turmoil, then part of the process of planning for a better tomorrow involves working on yourself, perhaps, through therapy, counseling or talking to trusted friends. By the way, you cannot do this alone or through introspection.

Think of this as urgent repairs to the ship's hull, without which the boat is in danger of going down. Only a fool would try to sail in such a boat without spending some time in dock to patch things up. Perhaps you've been in denial about the condition of this leaky old tub? Have you been bailing like a demon for the last few years while battling on through stormy seas, just about keeping afloat? This is a judgment only you can make.

But apart fro the psychological work, there remains the real down and dirty work required right now, today, to make your future better for you and your family. I guess this is what separates the winners from the losers. Winners know they have to work now in order to get "lucky" several years down the line and reap the rewards. Losers want the rewards right now and cannot make the link between now and the future. They have what I have often described as a "Bunteresque" view of life (from Billy Bunter), hoping that something will turn up.

You can't live like that and be successful. You have to live your life on purpose, not by random chance. I cannot stress enough the importance of working for a better tomorrow despite ay strong reason why you feel you can't, such as:

The terrible state of the world
Your deep emotional scars
Your age (you feel it's too late)

Work gives direction, meaning and engages the brain. Idleness rots you from deep within.

I feel this is one of the most important issues and one of the hardest for me to write about. I guess the reason you bought this book [Editor's note: this article is an excerpt from the book Seven Secrets of the Millionaires] is because I'm just a few steps ahead of you on the path to wealth, happiness and freedom, and through my writings, I pass along my views of the scenery, what you can expect and how to negotiate the obstacles you are about to meet.

The final thing in Pandora's box was... hope. And when you are working for a better tomorrow, you are reaching into that box for that last, most precious gift.

The is no point in being wealthy if you are not happy

Immense wealth is within your grasp - but it won't be a simple ride.

Millions of people are wealthy and although it isn't an easy thing to get rich it is far from impossible.

Many chatter that they want to be rich, but few people have researched the factors required to achieve this. There are, indeed, several "secrets" known to those who have fought their own way to the top of the mountain. If you have some aptitude and are willing to listen, you can learn these secrets for yourself and follow those "lucky" ones to dizzying heights.

The first thing you must have is a firm belief that being rich is okay. If you harbor any opposing beliefs, then these will eventually sabotage your wealth-creating efforts, ensuring that you remain poor.

You must have a dream to act as a guiding beacon to lure you on when the going gets tough and the way ahead is dark. You cannot get rich by randomly selecting a field of endeavor for which you have no aptitude and even less interest. This is a ten or twenty year project; it cannot and must not be a ten or twenty year prison sentence. So you must do whatever it takes to unlock your secret dreams and passions. Hopefully others will share your passion and you can engage in commerce with them and make your fortune while having the time of your life.

One little trick used by all highly successful people is to have a battle-plan, sometimes called an action list or goal list. Life dreams are usually large and unwieldy and so the wise person knows how to break up these dreams into bite-sized chunks of a suitable size for our limited minds. Winners set goals, losers never set goals. It's that simple. Despite reading this advice fifty or a hundred times, still some people will not write down their goals.

Having written your goals and broken the large tasks down into simpler steps, now you require the discipline to keep you on track, working through the list. Winners have this discipline. Losers wander aimlessly, become bored or distracted, have low frustration tolerance, give up easily and drift away. If I had to pick one single secret as the most important, it would be to cultivate a sense of discipline because from this, many other things follow.

When setting your goals, make sure you keep firmly in mind that everything you obtain in this world has a price tag attached. You must be willing to pay the price, otherwise you are only window-shopping and this means you are not serious about life, just browsing.

Until this point, mostly this is theory. Now it is time for action. Above all, successful people are men and women of action. They get their sleeves rolled up and get on with the task at hand. Unsuccessful people procrastinate and always want to do it "tomorrow." Of course, tomorrow never comes. The two main reasons for non-action are laziness and fear. The fear is usually fear of success or fear of change. We are all lazy, we all fear change. Winners are able to push through these negatives. Losers succumb to them.

Before you start out on this journey, you need to have a clear idea about how much is enough, otherwise you have no destination and your search becomes an endless quest. If you are not clear about your destination, how can you ever know when you have arrived? Also, making money, no matter how enjoyable, has a price tag associated with it. Ideally you want to minimize the time you spend doing this and so you must have a clear idea of how much you want. There is no point whatsoever in amassing riches, never enjoying the fruits of your labors, and dying a wealthy man or woman. Money is an enabling force, not an end in itself.

Finally, the journey is everything as there is only one, macabre destination which we all share. The last stop on the line is Grim Reaper Halt. Life is a process, not a product. So no matter what your current level of wealth, it is time for you to start mastering one of life's most difficult lessons and that is to be happy right here, right now, while working towards a better tomorrow.

I wish you the very best in your journey,
Stuart Goldsmith

P.S. A Personal Invitation From Stuart Goldsmith

Dear Friend,

As founder and chairman of Inner Circle, it is my honor and privilege to invite you to join my elite group.

I am offering you the opportunity to join a unique group of people who have decided to turn their lives around. Many of them are already achieving money, freedom and power way beyond their expectations.

It will cost you a small monthly fee for training materials (membership, by my invitation, is free) and some serious thinking. Frankly, you will endure some discomfort as you move up the ladder of life, and you may even lose some friends as you overtake them and become more successful.

You should understand that Inner Circle never advertises in the press or publications for people to join. Each and every member has been personally invited by letter from me. This will be an exciting process of self-discovery and achievement.

Because of the exclusivity, members of Inner Circle are honored and often cause a little jealously. After all, few people like the idea of privilege, wealth, power and freedom - in others!

By electing to join Inner Circle, you will, in a very real sense, establish yourself as a self-leader. The sort of person who is serious about changing your life for the better. This country desperately needs successful, business-minded people to act as an example of what can be achieved - independent, free-thinking people like you, capable of handling success, without abusing that power and privilege.

Learn more about the Circle by clicking here. Please take a few moments now to read it, and see what others have gained by joining.

If you have a sense of adventure and a certain pioneering spirit; if the prospect of increased knowledge, power and freedom calls to you, as it did to us all, accept this invitation and join Inner Circle - today.

All you have to do now is read more here. It is doubtful that you will ever get another chance like this, so please please act now, today, before the moment passes.

Check out the iPad Contest - iPads for $1.00!

2011-03-22T16:01:00.000+13:00

Check out the iPad Contest - iPads for $1.00!

Relabel It !!

2011-03-18T21:00:00.002+13:00

"In the natural world you have no friends, you have no enemies.You have only teachers." Dan Millman

Some of the biggest and most powerful changes in our lives can come from
something that's very simple.

A change in labels!

That is, we can look at a person or situation in our life and change what we
call it.

What makes this so powerful is that with every label comes a set of options about
what to do next.

If we change a person from a "problem" or an "enemy" to a teacher, can you see
how the options change? Instead of opposing, defending or combating, our
new option is to learn.

We can do the same thing with situations. Instead of a problem, obstacle or difficulty,we can decide that we have an opportunity.

When we change the options, then we ask ourselves different questions. I've told you
before how the mind is designed to answer questions. It hates unanswered questions!

So our change in labels leads to a change in questions, which leads to new answers.

So, "if this is an opportunity, what would it be, and how can I apply it?" Can you see how the answer might be helpful?

Some skeptics will say that just changing labels is a "new-age, feel-good" game, but
that's because they don't know how the mind works. Successful people do this all the time!

Why don't you do it all the time, too?

You'll be glad you did.

The 5 Rules of Happiness

2011-02-28T16:15:00.001+13:00

The 5 Rules of Happiness

By Burt Goldman/ Creator of Quantum Jumping

You know when you're happy, and certainly no one has to tell you when you're sad. But what is it that makes a person happy?

It is important to realize that what makes you happy might depress another person. There are people, because of guilt, a feeling they do not deserve what they have, or a feeling they will lose what they have that makes them unhappy when they should be happy.

Possessions are a poor measure of happiness. Possessions are subjective and relative to the individual and the individual's viewpoint. Instead, we will use a philosophy as an example.

This philosophy is about enjoying things you like, avoiding or changing things you do not like, and accepting what you cannot avoid or change by the skillful use of your viewpoint. The use of this philosophy, as embodied in the five rules, will allow you to test many problem areas in your life and find solutions. With this philosophy, you will be well on your way on your pursuit of happiness.

Rule Number One: If You Like a Thing, Enjoy It.

Now that seems outrageously simple. At first you might say, "That's ridiculous, of course if I like something I'm going to enjoy it." But when you stop to think about it you'll probably agree that there are many things in life that we like but don't enjoy. The reasons we don't enjoy things we like are (a) guilt, and (b) fear. You will not enjoy something you like if you feel guilty after having done the thing, or if you are fearful of the consequences of doing it.

Rule Number Two: If You Don't Like a Thing, Avoid It.

The second rule seems simple enough, but reflect for a moment on how many people are involved with things they do not like -- a job, a person, a vehicle, a type of food, any one of a thousand things -- and for some reason they don't avoid those things. "Well, I can't avoid it. I have to work there because I need the money." Or, "I have to be involved with this person for many valid reasons." How many justifications can you think of for not avoiding the things you do not like to do?

Rule Number Three: If You Don't Like a Thing, and You Cannot Avoid It, Change It.

Here again, the answer is simple: change it. But just as in avoidance we rationalize that we need something about it -- the money, the time, the security -- something is holding you to that particular thing if you don't like it, cannot avoid it, won't change it, but are still involved with it.

Rule Number Four: If You Don't Like a Thing, Cannot Avoid It, and Cannot or will Not Change It, Accept It.

Acceptance -- now there is a catch. How can you accept something you don't like? How in the world do you accept something that is 'unacceptable'? How do you accept a situation that you're not happy with? How do you accept a person that you're not happy with? Well, you really don't have to accept anything; you can, of course, be unhappy. If you don't like it, won't change it, cannot avoid it, and will not accept it, I guarantee that you will be unhappy. There are, however, five rules to the secret of happiness, and within the fifth lies the key.

Rule Number Five: You Accept a Thing By Changing Your Attitude Towards It.

You are the result of your viewpoints and attitudes. Everything is relative to the person experiencing it. There are no absolutes -- nothing is good, nothing bad, except as it relates to you. Nor is life good or bad. Life simply is. You change those things you wish by changing your viewpoint about them.

How easy!
How difficult!

Your attitudes and viewpoints are all part of your mind and once you develop the power of self mind control you will be the master of your own attitudes and viewpoints. Using these five rules you'll soon find yourself on the right path on the pursuit of happiness. You'll realize why people are unhappy. Eventually it will become automatic, and you'll find happiness a predominant state of mind. Once you realize the ease of acquiring this emotion, you develop an entirely new scale of highs and lows.

Unremitting happiness, of course, is not a possible or desirable state. According to the principle of rhythm, there is always an inflow and outflow, an ebb tide and a flood tide. You'll always have highs and lows -- there's no way to avoid that. However, your highs will be higher and your lows will be higher. You'll then find that what is a happy state for you might be a state of depression for someone unaware of the Five Rules of Happiness.

2011-02-22T07:00:00.001+13:00

How to find opportunity

2011-02-22T06:59:00.001+13:00

God's way....

2011-01-10T17:30:00.000+13:00

God's way is Best: 1 day I asked God a bunch of beautiful flowers but nstead He gave me a CACTUS wt thorns. Later, I asked Him to give me butterflies but nstead He gave me worms... I was dissapointed & wept. But, few days after, I hav noticed that the cactus bloomed wt beautiful flowers & d worms soon became butterflies... God wants us to wait for the ryt time, for He knows all the best that He can give.:)

New Year, same heartaches.

2011-01-04T12:53:00.001+13:00

I am starting the new year feeling sad...We are getting older and my heart's yearning still has not been fulfilled.

Top 10 Bad Things That Are Good For You

2010-12-24T06:59:00.001+13:00

Is the Abbreviation “Xmas” Really a Secular Slight of Christmas? Or is it Something Else?

2010-12-20T19:03:00.001+13:00

The Super Suggestion Technique for Creating Whatever You Desire

2010-11-29T18:05:00.001+13:00

The 50 Best Inventions of 2010

2010-11-17T21:13:00.002+13:00

How to Become a Master of Life

2010-09-17T07:23:00.000+12:00

Moksha dinner

2010-07-24T19:52:00.005+12:00

We had dinner at Moksha's with Krupa as it was her last day at home. The food was good, I loved the Chicken Tikka. And I had 2 Malibu which was yumm. Steve enjoyed his
Lamb shanks, and Suzie found her chicken biryani had too much Rose water. Overall, we had a good time.

How to Order from the Universe

2010-06-06T08:09:00.000+12:00

How to Order from the Universe

Mumbai / Goa Holidays 2010

2010-05-30T21:32:00.001+12:00

Day 1, 20th April
Awoke @ 2 am, shuttle @ 3 am, Mcdees @ akl airport .easy breezy check in. Board @ 610 am.Brekie on plane sausages, bacon, eggs.Arrived Brisbane 855 am. Lazed 4 five hrs, had red roster which was crap. Cken, noodle box was ok.

Day 2, 21st April
Board 2 Singapore @ 155 pm.Flight long, no sleep.Suz was dying. Steve pigged as usual. Fish in black vinegar, lamb in peas. Sandwiches with feta, kumara.
Arrived sing. Steve had big dump.Suz had a puke.Suz got aris wife finally and zai got dad Jim beam. We had turkey croissants which were yum but almond croissant taste like medicine.Suz still sick. Flight 2 Mumbai gud.suz zai sleep. Steve did justice 2 d food.
Arrived Mumbai, Plane taxi as no parking. Bus took us from d plane 2immig.immig quick. Customs ok.met mum dad. Hot as.1 hr ride 2 home. Ate bacon eggs 4 brekkie.gol fish and prawn curry 4 lunch.cken tika, lollipops 4 dinner.Dmart shopping 4 mushrooms gud.got sweets, bhujia mix.

Day 3, 22nd April
Suz went 2 bandra.she met mates @ sheesha which had Arabian theme. We lazed. got voda card. tried to get wireless tata photon but alas no coverage. Diana 4 lunch.suz got yum hearsche yum chicken patties.

Day 4, 23 April
Awoke early, got 730 train 2 bandra.Suz had a scrap taking up 4 zai.i awaited them 4 one hour. Went 2 chuim @ 10, condoled libru.met chuim gang.gud lunch, catch up.Pilaf, cken roast, cury yum.Pasta good 2.home by 430 pm

Day 5, 24 April
Awoke @ 215 am. Ate cken paties, green tea.Suz got up 2.Disturbed mum, dad. Pasta party later on wit Thane gang.
Zurika got us gifts and icecream.Later we went 2 Ambadi road suz shopped. Chicken chilly, fried rice, lollipops from Status, Vasai.

Day 6, 25 April
Sunday mass in Marathi...very solemnly celebrated. Lunch and prepared 2 meet Maria. Shopped @ shoppers stop got Steve a wallet and zai got jandals.had tea @ bean café. Shopped @ linking rd.met ria @ bandra station. went 2 her pl briefly ,met her mum den tuk tuk 2 temptations @ bandra.had long island ice tea,ria breezer and zai blushing lady.lollipos and prawn wafer as starter. Ran into Sylvia. headed home @ 6 pm.rush in trains.

Day 7, 26 April
Resting @ home. Tuna 4 lunch. Get ready 4 Goa.Packing stuff.

Day 8, 27th April
Left home @ 6am.2 tuktuks 2 east, then another to domestic airport.arived @ 8 am. Waited 3 hrs.boarding time 1110.flight gud.slept.reached goa @ 105 pm.picked up by agnel uncle. Lunch @ colva silver sands.gud service. Had vindaloo, noodles yummy, cken kadai.our place at lotus suites awesum.went to asolna 2 meet Joseph uncles and relis.did grocery shopping and had corned beef 4 dinner.

Day 9, 28th April
Went 2 Margao.Took bus, was gud, only rs 24 for 4 of us. got sausages,pirk,cken andvpastry.cken vinndloo 4 lunch was spicy as. In d eve visited Anands place...was gr8...went 2 ben beach...watch sunset.Cken tika, chili and leftovers 4 diner

Day 10, 29th April
Car took us to st Francis de Assisi church. Museum olg goa .st Augustine church. Next stop panjim.
Calangute.visited liselle dad’s workmate had beer snacks. Amigo rest was crap so
Lunch @ Delhi durbar.awesum food. Got doggy bag and malai cken takeouts. Brief visit @ calangute and Miramar beach. Dona Paulo was scenic. five hrs on d road. brief visit @ holy cross bambola.now home .so tired.

Day 11, 30th April
Went to benaulim beach.....walked to colva beach. Had cken patties on d beach. No sun .zai got her 2 piece bikini and we swam in the pool. Had pork dish 4 lunch. Parmesan cken 4 diner.

Day 12, 1st May
Went on bus 2 margso.was early so went 2 church.zai got blouses. Picked up cken tikka from royal, cken biryani, cken chilli.had picnic in Margao Park. At 1230 pm agnel uncle picked us up .visited dad relis, went to asolna den holy cross of bardi.den home. gave sister and agnel uncle snacks. 8 pm dinner @ martins corner.upmarket.live musik.beef chili fry as starter was gud.zai had crabs, suz chicken cafreal, mum cken chili and egg fried rice, and dad fish curry rice and after my Smirnoff / Bacardi limons I pigged on xacuti mutton.4 dessert madka kulfi which is pot kulfi...was ok

Day 13, 2nd May
Woke up @ 6 am. Mass at holy trinity then n d road to bastora to c joaquim uncle. Reached there 945 am.gud 2 c them all. Had a spread of cken curry,cen chilli, tandoori cken, potato chops and salad. Left with gifts from them @ 230 pm.home by 345 pm.rested.eggs and leftover cken tikka 4 dinner

Day 14, 3rd May
Rested @ home...last day in Goa...cleaning d place...chicken curry 4 lunch. Went to Benaulim beach 4 last time den into the pool.

Day 15, 4th May
Awoke @ 7 pm.Brekkie of cken salami, eggs, bread.Showered and got ready 4 d guy 2 inspect d place. Pick up @ 11 am. Picked up cken patties.
, beef burgers 4 airport lunch. Checked luggage in, had lunch. Flight was delayed but we arrived @ 3.30 pm and took a taxi to home. Dad took d train home as only 4 in d cab.

Day 16, 5th May
Went 2 High St Phoenix Mills, Lower Parel.Shopped around. Sampled Mcchicken and fries. Very gud..just as in Nz.Lunch was cken fry rice,cken Manchurian and spicy cken.Got angara kabab, biryani 4 mum dad. Diana fish, green pomfret curry 4 diners. Went to Naigaon village .Met Coutinho uncle on his bday, met Dsilva and Dmello and Sequeira uncle

Day 17, 6th May
@ Home. Goat 4 lunch. Had Bacardi Limon. Went to Dmart Vasai then met Suz friends @ their place in Papdy.

Day 18, 7th May
Met Roydton.Left @ 4 pm.He picked us up from St Peters church, Bandra.Went 2 their home and his wife Berna served us a platter of sandwiches, patties, potato chops and cutlets and sweets. Had drinks met another mate Dom then went to Ji Mees kitchen in Bandra.Came home @ 11pm.Dad was awaiting us.Suz left 4 Thane @ 2 pm.

Day 19, 8th May
Sat...Went to Dsilvas place 4 pre wedding ceremony of drinks, eating 4 types of pork. Guys, girls separate. @ 4 pm we headed to the Naigaon east and caught up with Lucien, his wife Cynthia and their kids. These are college mates.

Day 20 , 9th May
Mass @ 815 am, dsilvas daughters wedding SNEHAL.Then to Mira road to take bus to Thane for Tony Uncle, Janet Aunt’s wedding anvsary.Arrived 1030 am. Caught up with Stalin, Ren and her kids. Pork suckling, goat biryani, raita @ Rens bhiwandi place. Nice but no water. Dancing, drinking, eating.Njoyd d party den went wit Zurika to get paper plates. Headed home @ 8 pm via Meeru cabs, home by 10 pm.

Day 21, 10th May
Lazed @ home...ate and slept all day.
Day 22, 11th May
On d train to Churchgate.Suz on a picnic to Gorai beach with friends. She cooked butter chicken,cken tandoori and rice. First class is still crowded as and still lots scraps.Mondegar cafe...had fried rice, cken chilli, lollipops, reshmi kebabs. Not very good compared 2 earlier visits. Shopped @ Westside, Fort.Visited Gateway of India, Sahakari Bhandar, Asiatic.Met Umesh, he got me gift and I got him a black forest cake. Got Mum Dad pastries...quiche, Thai chicken roll...not very tasty. Black forest cake 4 their anvsary

Day 23, 12th May
5.45 am mass then left home @ 930 am to bandra.Visited Aunt Lucilla..Good catch up...had cken patties. Next visit Aunt Colleen. Then Chuim 4 anvsary celebs.Rosie Aunty prepared potato chops which were yum and a cake. Done by 3 pm then along wit Zurika went to Globus and got sunnies.Home by 630 pm.Cecelia Aunt and Uncle Aziz visited us @ 830 pm..Drinks, dinner and dad, mum cut black forest cake.

Day 24, 13th May
Spent day @ home.Petline Aunty made beef pepper steak...yum as. Lazed in bed.Suz visited mates in Naigaon.

Day 25, 14th May
Stayed @ home. Visited Elco Arcade in d eve, then Zai did shopping. Took Rick 2 c old Khar Danda house, den Joggers Park. Had ice cream, hot dogs. Visited Connie Aunty and had dinner there.Kakori kebabs, goat biryani, natural ice cream. Home by 1 am. Dad awaited us.

Day 26, 15th May
Stayed @ home and lunched @ Uncle Jamal’s place.Lotsa food with goat on d menu and sweets.Shainaz gave Zai a bunch of red roses.Puri bhaji 4 dinner.

Day 27, 16th May
Went 2 Robins pl @ 10 am, house good den visited his in laws. Served mendu vadas and cake. Lunch @ our pl...Fried cken and cken vindloo.Shabnan Suz mate visited us.Den we took 4 pm train to Chuim 4 Aloo Uncle 40th day mass. Home by 8bpm.Watched Miss India finals, cricket final

Day 28, 17th May
Papdi bazr in d morning. Visited Mira Road to meet Sudha.Afternoon tea @ veg restauraunt.Home by 3 pm.Steve visited Ajay house and had diner @ Celebrity restaurant. Home by 11 pm.

Day 29, 18 May
Stayed @ home. Went in d afternoon to Dmart, get cold cuts and organise pics to be printed

Day 30, 19th May
Anniversary...cken chilli, fried rice,cken tikka and cken fingers 4 starters. Went with dad 2 d wed market 4 d last time. Finally got pics...framed and posted 2 Goa pics

Day 31, 20th May
Last day in Mumbai. Rosie Aunty and Claude Uncle came with pan rolls. Chicken tikka, chicken chili and fried rice 4 lunch. Robin, Kavita, Uncle Jamal, Edwin visited us.

21st May, 2010
Awoke early around 2.30 am. Showered, dressed, had brekkie and checked all the packed bags. Thanked Mum & dad. They sad we leaving. Our car arrived @ 4.30 am and we were off to the airport. Our holidays were over.Bid farewell to Mum & Dad @ 6.30 am , checked in the luggage and had a hot chocolate @ the airport along with a chicken Cumberland.2.5 hr stopovers @ Singapore & Brisbane.Arrived Akl @ 2.45 pm on Saturday. Customs good, home by 4.30 pm. Auckland cold as.

Hitched 2010

2010-04-07T12:26:00.001+12:00

http://www.tv3.co.nz/Default.aspx?TabId=918&showid=17033&listingID=1385312

Posted via email from kiwiboyz's posterous

Breaking News

2010-04-07T10:58:00.001+12:00

7.8-magnitude earthquake strikes northern Sumatra, Indonesia

Posted via email from kiwiboyz's posterous

Fact of Life

2010-03-30T16:40:00.001+13:00

Luis Matthew

2010-03-17T17:50:00.002+13:00

A new addition to the Catiben clan, Luis Matthew. May God bless you always.

Philippine Election 2010

2010-02-20T09:06:00.004+13:00

I have never been more passionate about the presidential elections in the Philippines than I am now. I yearn for our country to be more than it is today. Being abroad and living in New Zealand where the basic needs of the people have been met by the government and where graft and corruption is so minimal, has really inspired me to wish more for our country. I want a Philippines that will stand out in Asia, that can compete with its neighbouring countries in economy and in the socio-political arena. We have been ravaged for these past few years with Presidents who have slowly but surely placed our country in the gutter. We thought that Estrada with his pro-poor slogans can deliver but to no avail. We thought that Gloria Arroyo with her economics background can uplift our nation, but we were blinded. Our country has again been subjected to so much corruption and violation of the law under her administration, and yet we turn a blind eye.

This coming election, I fervently hope that the Filipino people will educate themselves in choosing the best candidate. I hope they will NOT vote for someone because he/she is "sikat", or "mayaman", or "who keeps saying - I am for the poor", or because the candidate is "guapo" or because he is "maka-Dios" . I have chosen mine based on track record and yes, it is Dick Gordon. Among the presidential candidates, he is the only one who has already proven that he can uplift and develop a city or an organization. He aims high so that people around him will work hard and get what they deserve. His political will and vision for our country has inspired me to hope for the best. With Gordon, bawal ang tamad, lalo na bawal ang tanga. It is time we educate ourselves...Learn more about the candidates we are choosing. Make sure that we base our decision on the right qualifications and not merely on a guess. Huwag magkamali sa maling akala. VOTE WISELY PHILIPPINES!!!

2010-02-19T07:33:00.001+13:00

A Valentine's Day poem

We met on the world wide web 6 yrs ago
Life with you babe since has never been a bore
We have our up's & our down's
U love me & i love being your clown
This Val Day's once again i proclaim to thee
I'm yours....forever yours Zai...you mean the world to me

Your Steve

2010-01-18T22:33:00.001+13:00

Being Lucky Is A Skill You Can Learn

Those who think they're unlucky should change their outlook and discover how to generate good fortune, says Richard Wiseman

By Richard Wiseman / Source: The Telegraph

A decade ago, I set out to investigate luck. I wanted to examine the impact on people's lives of chance opportunities, lucky breaks and being in the right place at the right time. After many experiments, I believe that I now understand why some people are luckier than others and that it is possible to become luckier.

To launch my study, I placed advertisements in national newspapers and magazines, asking for people who felt consistently lucky or unlucky to contact me. Over the years, 400 extraordinary men and women volunteered for my research from all walks of life: the youngest is an 18-year-old student, the oldest an 84-year-old retired accountant.

Jessica, a 42-year-old forensic scientist, is typical of the lucky group. As she explained: "I have my dream job, two wonderful children and a great guy whom I love very much. It's amazing; when I look back at my life, I realise I have been lucky in just about every area."

In contrast, Carolyn, a 34-year-old care assistant, is typical of the unlucky group. She is accident-prone. In one week, she twisted her ankle in a pothole, injured her back in another fall and reversed her car into a tree during a driving lesson. She was also unlucky in love and felt she was always in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Over the years, I interviewed these volunteers, asked them to complete diaries, questionnaires and intelligence tests, and invited them to participate in experiments. The findings have revealed that although unlucky people have almost no insight into the real causes of their good and bad luck, their thoughts and behaviour are responsible for much of their fortune.

Take the case of chance opportunities. Lucky people consistently encounter such opportunities, whereas unlucky people do not. I carried out a simple experiment to discover whether this was due to differences in their ability to spot such opportunities.

I gave both lucky and unlucky people a newspaper, and asked them to look through it and tell me how many photographs were inside. On average, the unlucky people took about two minutes to count the photographs, whereas the lucky people took just seconds. Why? Because the second page of the newspaper contained the message: "Stop counting. There are 43 photographs in this newspaper." This message took up half of the page and was written in type that was more than 2 inches high. It was staring everyone straight in the face, but the unlucky people tended to miss it and the lucky people tended to spot it.

For fun, I placed a second large message halfway through the newspaper: "Stop counting. Tell the experimenter you have seen this and win £250." Again, the unlucky people missed the opportunity because they were still too busy looking for photographs.

Relax and Open Yourself to Luck

Personality tests revealed that unlucky people are generally much more tense than lucky people, and research has shown that anxiety disrupts people's ability to notice the unexpected. In one experiment, people were asked to watch a moving dot in the centre of a computer screen. Without warning, large dots would occasionally be flashed at the edges of the screen. Nearly all participants noticed these large dots.

The experiment was then repeated with a second group of people, who were offered a large financial reward for accurately watching the centre dot, creating more anxiety. They became focused on the centre dot and more than a third of them missed the large dots when they appeared on the screen. The harder they looked, the less they saw.

And so it is with luck - unlucky people miss chance opportunities because they are too focused on looking for something else. They go to parties intent on finding their perfect partner and so miss opportunities to make good friends. They look through newspapers determined to find certain types of job advertisements and as a result miss other types of jobs. Lucky people are more relaxed and open, and therefore see what is there rather than just what they are looking for.

My research revealed that lucky people generate good fortune via four basic principles. They are skilled at creating and noticing chance opportunities, make lucky decisions by listening to their intuition, create self-fulfilling prophesies via positive expectations, and adopt a resilient attitude that transforms bad luck into good.

I wondered whether these four principles could be used to increase the amount of good luck that people encounter in their lives. To find out, I created a "luck school" - a simple experiment that examined whether people's luck can be enhanced by getting them to think and behave like a lucky person.

I asked a group of lucky and unlucky volunteers to spend a month carrying out exercises designed to help them think and behave like a lucky person. These exercises helped them spot chance opportunities, listen to their intuition, expect to be lucky, and be more resilient to bad luck.

One month later, the volunteers returned and described what had happened. The results were dramatic: 80 per cent of people were now happier, more satisfied with their lives and, perhaps most important of all, luckier. While lucky people became luckier, the unlucky had become lucky. Take Carolyn, whom I introduced at the start of this article. After graduating from "luck school", she has passed her driving test after three years of trying, was no longer accident-prone and became more confident.

3 Ways to Become a Luckier Person

In the wake of these studies, I think there are three easy techniques that can help to maximise good fortune:

* Unlucky people often fail to follow their intuition when making a choice, whereas lucky people tend to respect hunches. Lucky people are interested in how they both think and feel about the various options, rather than simply looking at the rational side of the situation. I think this helps them because gut feelings act as an alarm bell - a reason to consider a decision carefully.

* Unlucky people tend to be creatures of routine. They tend to take the same route to and from work and talk to the same types of people at parties. In contrast, many lucky people try to introduce variety into their lives. For example, one person described how he thought of a colour before arriving at a party and then introduced himself to people wearing that colour. This kind of behaviour boosts the likelihood of chance opportunities by introducing variety.

* Lucky people tend to see the positive side of their ill fortune. They imagine how things could have been worse. In one interview, a lucky volunteer arrived with his leg in a plaster cast and described how he had fallen down a flight of stairs. I asked him whether he still felt lucky and he cheerfully explained that he felt luckier than before. As he pointed out, he could have broken his neck.

Gordon-Bayani 2010

2010-01-16T09:24:00.003+13:00

I am campaining for: Gordon-Bayani 2010
To know my reasons, check:
http://www.dickgordon2010.com/
http://www.magic899.fm/Webparts/mostwanted/sengordon1.mp3
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18634291856&ref=mf
http://www.gmanews.tv/video/50617/examine-with-richard-gordon
http://us.asiancorrespondent.com/paul-farol-pinoybuzz/2009/09/smokes-views-on-dick-gordon.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI_Bz3Z_7f4

and I am sure there are many more information available out there regarding Richard Gordon and Bayani Fernando. Among the presidential aspirants, he is the only one whom I believe has the vision, qualification and the will to really TRANSFORM our country. Go Gordon!!!

Christmas '09 and New Year 2010

2010-01-04T15:25:00.003+13:00

We had a very nice Christmas celebration....The church service was long but very good, came home afterwards and had some bubbly. On the 25th we had a big breakfast, and our Christmas lunch was awesome.

For New Year, Steve and I went to Skycity. We spent a few hours at the pub, had some drinks and a bit of dancing and at 11:30 we went out to watch the fireworks display.
The vacation has been a blast. Hope the New Year brings heaps of wonderful surprises!!!

Parnell Rose garden

2009-11-04T19:09:00.001+13:00

Went for the Parnel Rose festival. Got some Turkish bread and some Turkish delights, Yumm!

A time to remember...

2009-09-12T08:47:00.004+12:00

35 years of my life and still...
I'm getting old, but still feel like a young girl....a lot has changed in my life and I am grateful for everything. I thank God for all the blessings He has given me, and the challenges that came my way....I look back at the past, on the different roads I took that led me thus far, and believe that my journey has indeed been great. I hope the future holds more adventures and grant me another gift that my heart yearns for earnestly.

Mid year

2009-08-20T18:21:00.004+12:00

As usual the days have gone by and we wonder what we have done lately. We definitely have been neglecting our blog and have not posted anything for sometime. So what has happened? Nothing much really...I guess the only time we were riveted was when Zharina said she was pregnant...hahaha...That was something else!
The pics above were taken on Suzie's bday where we had dinner at Moksha, and the second picture was the Ten Pin Bowling of Mercury Retail Staff.

Rotorua Trip

2009-06-14T14:50:00.005+12:00

Just a few pics from our Rotorua trip,At Wai-O-Tapu:

Our bus

Lady Knox Geyser

The view from our hotel room

Reflection

2009-06-07T17:32:00.001+12:00

'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.' When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.
Concentrate on this sentence... 'The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.'

Estasi

2009-05-20T18:41:00.003+12:00

The Steadfast group celebrated their mid winter Christmas and a belated birthday for Steve thus Suzie and I were invited. We had dinner at Estasi. The food was wonderful and the service superb. Our Ukrainian waiter was very accommodating, he even sang happy birthday to Steve in Ukrainian.

Ate Shelyn at Bago

2009-05-01T19:15:00.002+12:00

Here is a picture of the family with Ate Shelyn.

Origin of Mascarenhas name

2009-04-23T09:11:00.003+12:00

Origin Displayed: Portuguese
(From www.HouseOfNames.com Archives copyright © 2000 - 2009)

Where did the Portuguese Mascarenhas family come from? What is the history of the family name?

The Mascarenhas name is a habitational name taken on from any of several towns called Mascarenhas in Portugal. This name branched to Spain, and interestingly, is also found in India, where it was taken by Portuguese colonists.

Spelling variations of this family name include: Mascarenaz, Mascarenhas, Mascarenas and others.

First found in the district of Mirandela in the northwest of Portugal. The progenitor of the Mascarenhas family is said to have been Estevao Rodrigues, who was Lord of Mascarenhas, who served King Sancho I of Portugal (1185-1211).

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were Bartolome Mascarenas, who settled in Puerto Rico in 1812.

B'day & Anniversary 2009 pics

2009-04-21T19:45:00.005+12:00

We celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary and Steve's bday on the 19'th of April. Both occasions are a milestone...We are very grateful for the blessings.

Though we had a quiet celebration, we had a good time. We know that our friends and family wish us well and that makes a lot of difference. Check the link for our pics:

http://flickr.com/gp/kiwiboyz/HR5mQ7

Barbie Pics

2009-03-30T21:37:00.005+13:00

Saturday

2009-03-26T18:59:00.002+13:00

We are looking forward to Saturday's plan for a barbeque...However, the weather doesn't look promising. Hopefully it will turn out well. Pictures soon and updates....

10 Interesting Topics

2009-03-14T19:18:00.002+13:00

1. Who is the most interesting person you ever met?
Honestly, not one person stand out. I guess, I have met many interesting people, and the ones whom impressed me the most are those who left positive impressions in my life.
2. Where in the world would you most like to visit?
I love history, so I would like to see Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Rome and Israel.
3. What has been the most life-changing experience you've ever had?
Going abroad
4. What is the most spontaneous thing you've you ever done?
Steve, I think
5. Who's had the biggest influence on your life?
My mother
6. What thing that you haven't yet done would you most like to do?
I have been wanting to learn Latin dances. I would like to have proper training.
7. What is the best quality you've inherited from either of your parents?
Good brains from my father and strength of character from my mother
8. From which person have you learned most in your life?
Life itself, not just one person but all whom I have met has in one way or the other has contributed to who I am today
9. What historical figure do you most identify with?
Hmmm, not sure
10.What kind of music do you like?
Melow, the kind that sothes

......life on the web

2009-03-14T19:01:00.003+13:00

I have been logging in to my friendster account and checking everytime if I have messages from friends or family. I have also been looking for friends and adding them to my account. Its amazing how much life has change because of the net. It is the most convenient way of updating oneself with whats happening to the world in general.

I wonder what life will be like 20 years from now? What new innovations will dramatically change the world we live in? It would be amazing...

The Catiben, Sarillana and Mascarenhas family

2009-01-17T19:45:00.002+13:00

Philippine Trip Dec 08

2009-01-03T12:25:00.002+13:00

I had a wonderful trip back home...Zamel's wedding was great..and the Christmas celebration was as I expected it to be. Its a wonderful experience going back and sharing these lovely moments with the family.

A German's View on Islam

2008-12-19T09:39:00.000+13:00

This is by far the best explanation of the Muslim terrorist situation I have read. His references to past history are accurate and clear.

Not long, easy to understand, and well worth the read. The author of this email is Paul E Mareck, a well known and well respected educational consultant in Canada.

History Lessons are Often Incredibly Simple

I used to know a man whose family was German aristocracy prior to World War II, and owned a number of large industries and estates. When asked how many Germans were true Nazis, the answer he gave can guide our attitude toward fanaticism. 'Very few people were true Nazis,' he said, 'but many enjoyed the return of German pride, and many more were too busy to care. I was one of those who just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it, they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of the world had come. My family lost everything. I ended up in a concentration camp and the Allies destroyed my factories.'
We are told again and again by 'experts' and 'talking heads' that Islam is the religion of peace, and that the vast majority of Muslims just want to live in peace. Although this unqualified assertion may be true, it is entirely irrelevant. It is meaningless fluff, meant to make us feel better, and meant to somehow diminish the spectra of fanatics rampaging across the globe in the name of Islam.
The fact is that the fanatics rule Islam at this moment in history. It is the fanatics who march. It is the fanatics who wage any one of 50 shooting wars worldwide. It is the fanatics who systematically slaughter Christian or tribal groups throughout Africa and are gradually taking over the entire continent in an Islamic wave. It is the fanatics who bomb, behead, murder, or honor-kill. It is the fanatics who take over mosque after mosque. It is the fanatics who zealously spread the stoning and hanging of rape victims and homosexuals. It is the fanatics who teach their young to kill and to become suicide bombers.
The hard quantifiable fact is that the peaceful majority, the 'silent majority,' is cowed and extraneous.
Communist Russia was comprised of Russians who just wanted to live in peace, yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the murder of about 20 million people. The peaceful majority were irrelevant.
China's huge population was peaceful as well, but Chinese Communists managed to kill a staggering 70 million people.
The average Japanese prior to World War II was not a warmongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its way across South East Asia in an orgy of killing that included the systematic murder of 12 million Chinese civilians; most killed by sword, shovel, and bayonet.
And, who can forget Rwanda , which collapsed into butchery. Could it not be said that the majority of Rwandans were 'peace loving'?
History lessons are often incredibly simple and blunt, yet for all our powers of reason we often miss the most basic and uncomplicated of points: Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their silence. Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don't speak up, because like my friend from Germany , they will awaken one day and find that the fanatics own them, and the end of their world will have begun.
Peace-loving Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Rwandans, Serbs, Afghans, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and many others have died because the peaceful majority did not speak up until it was too late.
As for us who watch it all unfold, we must pay attention to the only group that counts; the fanatics who threaten our way of life.
Lastly, anyone who doubts that the issue is serious and just deletes this email without sending it on, is contributing to the passiveness that allows the problems to expand.

So, extend yourself a bit and send this on and on and on!

Let us hope that thousands, world wide, read this and think about it, and send it on - before it's too late.

Awesome Grafitti

2008-12-17T22:51:00.001+13:00

Philippine picture

2008-12-11T12:40:00.000+13:00

Just a few pics of my trip home so far...

2008-12-03T21:49:00.003+13:00

Counting the days...

2008-11-25T19:27:00.003+13:00

5 more days to go and I am off to the Philippines...I'm so excited!!!

It has been very busy at work as well. Our Christmas party is on Friday, so I am also looking forward to that too. We will be dining at The Grange, Ponsonby. Steve will come for drinks later in the evening.

I'm coming home!!!

2008-11-16T13:36:00.002+13:00

Yeay, I feel so excited, I'm going home for Christmas. I missed Christmas in the Philippines so much and finally after 3 years I will experience it again....And of course there is Zamel's wedding, I am also looking forward to that too....So just counting the days now, and then I'm flying home...Looking forward to shopping; to eating bangus, ginamus, manggang Cebu, and a lot more; most especially to spend time with my family.

Taupo Trip

2008-10-30T19:27:00.003+13:00

We went to Taupo for our Labour weekend holiday. It was a wonderful place to relax and have fun. Here are some pictures of our trip.

Last Christmas....

2008-10-07T18:17:00.002+13:00

Dinner At Sopranos celebrating our 52nd month wedding anniversary

2008-09-07T10:08:00.001+12:00

2008-09-07T10:06:00.000+12:00

Waiwera 2008

2008-08-17T20:27:00.006+12:00

We had a great time at the Waiwera pools today. It was raining and cold, but was a very good day to soak in the hot pools. The Waiwera pool had about 10 pools and each pool's temperature vary. The best pools were the Sapphire pool which was a covered pool, with 40 degrees Celsius; and the outside pool with the water spout massaging you. We spent around 2 hours in the Waiwera pools and then explored the Waiwera beach.

Brunch at the Langham Hotel

2008-07-27T16:36:00.003+12:00

It has been cold and rainy these couple of days. Yesterday a storm passed our way and we had to stay at home. Today, the weather was still bleak but Steve and I enjoyed a wonderful lunch at the Langham Hotel. So much sumptuous food on display and Steve definitely did justice to the spread...

Thought for the day

2008-07-02T07:51:00.002+12:00

Handle every stressful situation like a dog.

If you can't eat it or hump it,
Pee on it and walk away

Schmap New Zealand Second Edition: Photo Inclusion

2008-06-16T07:38:00.009+12:00

We are delighted that our photo has been selected for inclusion in the newly released second edition of the Schmap New Zealand Guide.
Click on the title to view the guide and pictures. Njoy !!

Happy Bday!

2008-06-14T11:54:00.002+12:00

To Suzie:

Whatever with the past has gone, The best is always yet to come.

We love you and wish all ALL the best!!!

Love,
Steve, Zai, Mum, Dad and all the family

Life Message

2008-06-06T19:01:00.001+12:00

Ate Shelyn sent me the following message:

Life is too short to wake up with regrets.
So love the people who treat you right.
Forget about the ones who don't.
Believe everything happens for a reason..
If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands.
If it changes your life, let it.
Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.

TRIP OF A LIFETIME

2008-05-27T19:04:00.002+12:00

Mama had a trip of a lifetime along with Zharina, Uncle Willie and Shobe. They went to Negros to visit the Bermejo and Yap clans. It has been years since mama had been to Negros and the trip gave her the opportunity to meet her relatives, the ones she already knew and the others whom she had just met for the first time. The picture above was taken during the Bermejo impromptu reunion.

A quote

2008-05-15T09:21:00.001+12:00

In life never ASSUME anything...
for if u do it makes an ASS of U and ME !!

70's Steve?

2008-05-11T19:49:00.001+12:00

We were invited for a birthday party with a 70's theme and here is a picture of Steve with his afro.

Steve's bday

2008-04-20T20:31:00.002+12:00

Steve celebrated his bday on the 19th of April. We went to a North African restaurant called Sahaa . The place was nice and the food was not bad. We had chicken tagine and touareg (which was like barbecue chicken). It was a quiet and simple celebration.

Funnies from Africa

2008-04-15T20:31:00.003+12:00

Christchurch autumn lovin'

2008-04-13T15:18:00.003+12:00

We had a wonderful holiday in Christchurch, courtesy of Larry. It was a couple of days of work and pleasure. Work because Steve had a work related meeting, then afterwards fun time for the both of us. Christchurch is both a dangerous and beautiful place. There was a mugging incident with tourists and locals where Steve and I saw the cordoned off incident area. Beautiful because everywhere we go, the beautiful Avon River is there, providing a picturesque scenery. Love it, love it, love it!!!

Kumusta?

2008-04-01T19:50:00.002+13:00

Jake and Kiray

Ate Zaida and Kiray, pinning of ribbons

Homecoming, dinner at Mandarin

Easter in Matamata

2008-03-27T09:14:00.003+13:00

Originally uploaded by kiwiboyz

Easter in Matamata

Wishing you all a Happy & Blessed Easter !!!

2008-03-22T10:57:00.002+13:00

Hoping you all are having a great holiday. Zai & me are off to Matamata.As promised these are the sordid details (u wish!!)

On Sat we awoke late & headed to The Bog , Irish pub 4 brekkie. As we did not go out on 19th i shouted brekkie.We njoyed it heaps....$7.50 for 2 toast ,2 eggs & 2 slices of bacon....the girls had this while i had the dawnbreaker 2 eggs , 2 bacon , mushrooms , baked beans , 2 hash browns , sausage & 2 toast washed down with a guiness beer.Was good to have a beer after 40 days.At 3.50 pm Zai & me headed on our trip to Matamata. The bus was on time & we reached Matamata by 8 pm.The Motel was close to where the bus dropped us & it was a nice self contained room with fridge , microwave , cutlery , tv , iron etc.
We got a pork roast with veges & green thai cken curry from the takeaway and bourbon coke / ginger beer & ate in our room.Watched tv in our room & had a good sleep.

Easter Sunday we awoke at 7.30 am , had a shower then went & got brekkie from the local bakery.Mass was at 9 am @ Holy Angels Church. Nice small parish & the priest was lively.We were greeted by sum parishoners...very friendly.After mass we went to the i-site (tourist site) & as luck would have it there was a tour bus leaving for the Hobbiton tours in a few minutes.The Lord of the Rings (Fellowship of the Ring) was shot in Matamata....the first 10 minutes.It was a 2 hr tour & we were taken around the 10 acre farm & briefed about where the movie was shot.Was a good tour.After that we watched sheep shearing & we back in Matamata city by 1.15 pm.We got fried rice & chilly cken with veges & ate it in our room.Zai had a snooze while i watched cricket.At 4 pm we headed out again for a walk.We had heaps of leftover food so we got a white rice & cken tikka from the local indian takeaway & finished all of the leftovers.We got Suz some cken tikka as we could not finish it.Our holiday was over.

Congratulations Zoren Jake!

2008-03-22T10:45:00.002+13:00

My nephew, Zoren Jake, had his Recognition Day last week and these are some pictures of him with his sister and my mama. He got a ribbon for "Most Cooperative".

Pilipinas 2008, Janina San Miguel

2008-03-13T20:00:00.001+13:00

Ummmm....Ahhh...Ummm..La La!!

Pasifika Festival

2008-03-09T13:28:00.005+13:00

The sun was shining above, and the air was slightly cool. It was a nice day to celebrate the Pasifika Festival at Western spring this year. We reached there at around 12 and spent almost an hour looking for Billy TK Junior, a rock player whose music Steve enjoys. He was supposed to be playing at the Push to Play stage. In the process of looking for the musician, I injured my foot. After scouring the park for more than an hour, we gave up and decided to just watch other shows instead. It was a good thing we did, as we were able to watch this fantastic show of the Tahiti dancer and musicians. These girls can really shake their bonbons. It was not to be missed. Afterwards, we went to the other side of the park. We had icecream sundae which was great value for money, and then headed out to look for the corned beef which we promised to get for Suzie. On our way out of Western Springs, we saw where the "Push to Play" stage was located, it was an area we never thought of going to in the first place.

Motivational messages

2008-03-09T08:55:00.002+13:00

Every day should be a good day and you should live it like it's your last.

Some people live a life of anger, frustration, pain, jealousy, and/or dishonesty, but all of these things will come to pass when your time here is over. Just take a moment to think .

We will not be on this earth forever.

One day, we will not have to worry about going to work or how we will make payment to our loan.

We will not have to worry where our next meal will come from, or how we can buy a house or a car.

At anytime, God could take us off of this earth, so you should appreciate today and not worry about tomorrow, for nobody knows what tomorrow will bring.

When you wake up each morning, thank the Lord for waking you up.
When you lie down to sleep at night, thank the Lord for another day.

If you have a job, thank the Lord for your place of employment. Ask that he may bless you in everything that you do.. Ask him to give you the knowledge and the wisdom to do your job. If you don't have a job, thank him anyway.

Ask him to direct you to the job that is right for you. When you are eating breakfast, lunch or dinner, say a prayer. Thank the Lord for providing food and nourishment to your body.

If you are healthy, thank the Lord for the health and strength in your body. If you aren't, thank him anyway for life, and ask him to heal your body.

So the next time that you get mad, think twice.

The next time you complain about something at your job, think twice. The next time you say you wish you had steak instead of chicken, think twice.

Be thankful for what you have, and the life that God has given you.

Pray and ask the Lord for guidance. Be sincere, as God knows whether or not we mean it from the heart.

Help those in need as a gift from your heart, and not so you can get a pat on the back.

Put forth the extra effort in everything that you do. Go after what you want in life, and do whatever it takes to achieve your goals.

No matter how perfect you think you are, there is always room for improvement, and an opportunity for you to do better.

If you are depressed, don't cry, just hold your head up and the Lord will help you through. Pray and ask the Lord to deliver you from your state of depression. Whatever it is that you are depressed about, God will take that pain from you heart. It may not be at that moment, or that next hour, or maybe not even the next day, but he WILL do it if you just believe in him.

God may not show up when YOU want him to, but he's ALWAYS right on time. God will not give us more than we can bear.

Sometimes he will present us with issues that will test our faith, but you have to be strong enough to believe that God will do exactly what he says.

The message for today is to praise the Lord, have faith in the Lord, give thanks to the Lord, and live every day like it is your last.

Theoretically speaking, if the Lord never does anything else for us, other than wake us up each day, put food in our mouths and clothes on our backs, we should thank him anyway.

He died so that we could have life on this earth.

As the Bible says in Psalms
118:24 -- This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!
118:1 and 29 -- Oh give thanks to the Lord for he is good; For his love endures forever.

Congratulations!!!

2008-03-08T10:36:00.004+13:00

Congratulations to Ate Zaida, graduating from her Teacher Training in Osaka, Japan.
We are very proud of you!

Crying for the the Philippines

2008-02-28T20:02:00.003+13:00

The 22nd celebration of the EDSA People Power Revolution was celebrated recently, and it is very sad that after 22 years of the second great revolution in the Philippines, the county seems to be going back to its pre Edsa years. The leaders of the country are caught up in their own agenda, and instead of focusing on the WELFARE of the country, they are either too busy putting money in their pockets and robbing the people, or others try to destabilize the government. As a result, instead of moving forward, we are returning to a past that still haunts us. I am one of those who are tired of the promises and just wants our country to really recover. We have so much to offer the world, but look at where we are now, left behind...still a developing country. It is such a shame.

You are what you eat

2008-02-26T08:41:00.002+13:00

You are what you eat, so eat well. A stupendous insight of civilizations past has now been confirmed by today's investigative, nutritional sciences. They have shown that what was once called 'The Doctrine of Signatures' was astoundingly correct. It now contends that every whole food has a pattern that resembles a body organ or physiological function and that this pattern acts as a signal or sign as to the benefit the food provides the eater. Here is just a short list of examples of Whole Food Signatures.

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye...and YES science now shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers. All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows that grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet the body pulls it from the bones, making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

Avocados and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats 1 avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? ... it takes exactly 9 months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them.

Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the motility of male sperm and increase the numbers of sperm as well to overcome male sterility.
Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.

Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries.

Grapefruits, Oranges , and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

Onions look like body cells. Today's research shows that onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes.

The Chairman and Sayuri

2008-02-23T07:41:00.001+13:00

February2008 006
Originally uploaded by zsarillana

Courtesy of "Memoirs of a Geisha", here are our hero and heroine, The Chairman and Sayuri. Ang cute nyo talaga!!!

At work

2008-02-16T18:42:00.003+13:00

We have just moved to a new office last Thursday, 14th Feb. '08. The new office is more spacious, and hopefully we will be staying here for good.

Here's a pic of me in my work area:

Happy Valentines Day!!

2008-02-09T10:06:00.000+13:00

I would like to share a beautiful passage from a book that Zharina gave us for Christmas. This is for the married couples, lovers and sweethearts...

"MARRIAGE is patience and forgiveness. It's being open and honest, thoughtful and kind. Marriage means talking things out, making necessary changes, and forgiving each other. It's unconditional love at its most understanding and vulnerable- love that supports, comforts , and is determined to triumph over every challenge and adversity. Marriage is a partnership of two unique people who bring out the best in each other and who know that even though they are wonderful as individuals....they are even better together."
Barbara Page

Say HI to the rude cow!

2008-02-09T09:56:00.000+13:00

He's cute isn't he? We'll he is rude too. He shat while we were saying Hi to him. Bad COW!

One Tree Hill

2008-02-04T21:28:00.000+13:00

We had a nice walk at One Tree Hill last Sunday. Its one of those scenic walks near the city. It took us 30 minutes and we reached the restaurant where they serve the best iced coffee.It takes another 20 minutes from One Tree Hill to go the the mall. We went and searched for lunch and as usual it took us forever to decide what to eat. Eventually, we had Kebabs which Steve said was not cooked properly (but he ate it anyway).

Sumptuous Bbq

2008-01-20T19:45:00.001+13:00

Have a look at the sumptuous food Suzie and I prepared last week. It has been a hot summer this year, with 2 weeks without rain. Everyone has been enjoying the warm and dry weather. I am hoping for some rain though as it has become so hot, and the grass is turning brown everywhere.

Waterfall @ Shakespear Regional Park , New Zealand

2008-01-09T21:02:00.000+13:00

Christmas FUN!!!

2007-12-28T22:15:00.000+13:00

Merry Christmas

Christmas '07 at the Mascarenhas' home.

Boxing Day '07

2007-12-26T18:28:00.000+13:00

Steve and I went to the boxing day sale at Sylvia Park. I think half of Auckland city were there. It was choc-a-bloc!!!People go crazy with these sales. I confess I did indulge in a bit of shopping too. I was very happy with my bargain, a cardi worth $5.

When we got home, I replied to my friend Rika's email. She had great news as she is on the way, with the baby due in April. It was good to hear from her.

Christmas, a few hours away

2007-12-23T22:18:00.000+13:00

So what are you up to these next few hours before Christmas? Have you finished your Christmas shopping? Have you wrapped all your gifts to friends and loved ones? Are you preparing the feast? And most of all, have you prepared your heart for the celebration of the birthday of our Lord, Jesus Christ? Sometimes we are all caught up with the busyness of the festivities that we now and then forget that Christmas is all about Jesus Christ. It is all about His coming into the world and helping us realise the purpose of our lives. So let us stop for awhile and greet our Lord, a Happy Happy birthday, and thank Him for the blessings He has showered us, in what ever form it may be.

Do you love the Philippines?

2007-12-01T07:23:00.000+13:00

(Picture by Paul James)

There are some stories that tug your heart and you have to share it with other people. Here is one write up that touched mine.

As you know, we have plenty of Koreans currently
studying in the Philippines to take advantage of
our cheaper tuition fees and learn English at the
same time.

This is an essay written by a Korean student i
want to share with you. (Never mind the grammar;
it's the CONTENT that counts) Maybe it is timely to
think about this in the midst of all the confusion
MY SHORT ESSAY ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES
Jaeyoun Kim

"Filipinos always complain about the corruption in
the Philippines . Do you really think the corruption
is the problem of the Philippines ? I do not
think so. I strongly believe that the problem is
the lack of love for the Philippines .

Let me first talk about my country, Korea .
It might help you understand my point.
After the Korean War, South Korea was one
of the poorest countries in the world. Koreans
had to start from scratch because entire country was
destroyed after the Korean War, and we had no
natural resources.

Koreans used to talk about the Philippines , for
Filipinos were very rich in Asia . We envy Filipinos.
Koreans really wanted to be well off like
Filipinos. Many Koreans died of famine.
My father & brother also died because of famine.
Korean government was very corrupt and is still very
corrupt beyond your imagination, but Korea was
able to develop dramatically because Koreans really
did their best for the common good with their heart
burning with patriotism.

Koreans did not work just for themselves but also
for their neighborhood and country. Education inspired
young men with the spirit of patriotism.
40 years ago, President Park took over the
government to reform Korea . He tried to borrow money
from other countries, but it was not possible to get a
loan and attract a foreign investment because the
economic situation of South Korea was so bad. Korea
hadonly three factories. So, President Park sent many
mine workers and nurses to Germany so that
they could send money to Korea to build a factory.
They had to go through horrible experience.

In 1964, President Park visited Germany to borrow
money. Hundred of Koreans in Germany came to the
airport to welcome him and cried there as they saw
the President Park . They asked to him, "President,
when can we be well off?" That was the only question
everyone asked to him. President Park cried with
them and promised them that Korea would be well
off if everyone works hard for Korea , and the
President of Germany got the strong impression on them
and lent money to Korea . So, President Park was
able to build many factories in Korea . He always
asked Koreans to love their country from their heart.

Many Korean scientists and engineers in the USA
came back to Korea to help developing country
because they wanted their country to be well off.
Though they received very small salary, they did their
best for Korea . They always hoped that their children
would live in well off country.

My parents always brought me to the places where
poor and physically handicapped people live. They
wanted me to understand their life and help them..
I also worked for Catholic Church when I was in the
army..
The only thing I learned from Catholic Church was that
we have to love our neighborhood. And, I have loved my
neighborhood. Have you cried for the
Philippines ? I have cried for my country several
times. I also cried for the Philippines because of so
many poor people. I have been to the New Bilibid
prison. What made me sad in the prison were the
prisoners who do not have any love for their country.
They go to mass and work for Church. They pray
everyday.

However, they do not love the Philippines . I
talked to two prisoners at the maximum-security
compound, and both of them said that they would leave the
Philippines right after they are released from the
prison. They said that they would start a new life in
other countries and never come back to the Philippines .

Many Koreans have a great love for Korea so that
we were able to share our wealth with our
neighborhood. The owners of factory and company were distributed
their profit to their employees fairly so that employees
could buy what they needed and saved money for the
future and their children.

When I was in Korea , I had a very strong faith and
wanted to be a priest. However, when I came to the
Philippines , I completely lost my faith.
I was very confused when I saw many unbelievable
situations in the Philippines . Street kids always
make me sad, and I see them everyday. The Philippines is the only
Catholic country in Asia , but there are too many poor people
here.

People go to church every Sunday to pray, but nothing
has been changed.

My parents came to the Philippines last week and
saw this situation. They told me that Korea was much
poorer than the present Philippines when they
were young. They are so sorry that there are so
many beggars and street kids. When we went to
Pasangjan,

I forced my parents to take a boat because
it would fun. However, they were not happy after
taking a boat. They said that they would not take the
boat again because they were sympathized the
boatmen, for the boatmen were very poor and had a
small frame. Most of people just took a boat and
enjoyed it. But, my parents did not enjoy it because of love
for them.

My mother who has been working for Catholic Church
since I was very young told me that if we just go to
mass without changing ourselves, we are not
Catholic indeed. Faith should come with action.
She added that I have to love Filipinos and do good
things for them because all of us are same and have received
a great love from God. I want Filipinos to love their
neighborhood and country as much as they love God
so that the Philippines will be well off.

I am sure that love is the keyword, which Filipinos
should remember. We cannot change the sinful structure
at once. It should start from person. Love must start in
everybody, in a s mall scale and have to grow. A lot of
things happen if we open up to love. Let's put away
our prejudices and look at our worries with our new
eyes.

I discover that every person is worthy to be
loved. Trust in love, because it makes changes
possible. Love changes you and me. It changes people, contexts
and relationships. It changes the world. Please love your
neighborhood and country.

Jesus Christ said that whatever we do to others we
do to Him. In the Philippines , there is God for
people who are abused and abandoned. There is God who is crying
for love.

If you have a child, teach them how to love the
Philippines .Teach them why they have to love their neighborhood
and country. You already know that God also will be very happy if
you love others.

That's all I really want to ask you Filipinos."

The Most Beautiful Rainbow

2007-11-14T10:01:00.000+13:00

Something to think about...

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will.
You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken.
You'll fight with your best friend.
You'll blame a new love for things an old one did.
You'll cry because time is passing too fast,and you'll eventually lose someone you love.
So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never
been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.
Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never
begin.

Hamilton trip

2007-10-22T10:55:00.000+13:00

Zai & I embarked on a trip to Hamilton for a day as we had an extended weekend;Monday being Labour day.
Hamilton is just a 2 hr drive from Auckland & we took Nakedbus http://nakedbus.com/ (don't get ideas..its just a low cost bus!!).We arrived at 6.40 pm & the streets were dead as.
We were upgraded to a business suite & our room was very comfy.It had satellite tv,a mini fridge & a nice deck.Pizza hut was opposite so we dined there.They had this awesome deal where one could eat all the pizza,pasta,salad & dessert for NZ$15!!After the feed we walked the streets of Hamilton.
Next morning i awoke at 6.30 am as the rugby final was on.We had breekie & i settled to watch the rugby in bed.But the reception was awful & i had to dash to the nearest pub.
At 10.30 am we checked out & did the riverside walk of the Waikato river.We lunched & then headed to the famous Hamilton gardens
Hamilton gardens are huge;they have an American,Japanese,Chinese,Indian,Italian,English & Maori theme gardens.A must view.We spent nearly 3 hrs there then headed to the city square and had a rest.
Our short holiday was at its end as we awaited the bus back to Auckland.View pics by clicking on this link : http://www.flickr.com/gp/89797446@N00/768D6Y

Jesus Painting

2007-09-17T20:34:00.001+12:00

2007-09-13T16:58:00.000+12:00

Hey I'm getting older....

I have heaps to be thankful for..and I am happy...

Once upon a time, we look forward to our birthdays with great anticipation...Now, it seems each birthday is JUST a reminder that we are getting OLDER. That's life for you..So let us enjoy!!!

Zai

Diario de Mascarenhas

Love , Death

24 Years waiting 4 Web Ellis !!

"If you are not living in joy, you are out of integrity with your soul." Michael Beckwith

Zai's bday 2011

Big Opening Ceremony Rugby World Cup

QR Code for my Facebook profile

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The Secret of Happiness in 8 Words

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The 5 Rules of Happiness

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Reflection

Estasi

Ate Shelyn at Bago

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Saturday

10 Interesting Topics

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The Catiben, Sarillana and Mascarenhas family

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Last Christmas....

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Crying for the the Philippines

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