After reading Ate Lainy’s post about her birthday, I felt as though mine should be the very next day so that I can celebrate with friends, families and colleagues and have some fun too. Ha ha ha.
Like Ate Lainy, I was born on a 29 too, and so was Noela, but what is so peculiar about mine is that the 29th I am referring to belongs to February. Many friends ask me whether I do celebrate my birthday only on leap years. They ask if I always wait for 4 years to pass by so that I see another 29th February before I celebrate. Some do advise me to pickup 28th February or even 1st March, since first March is the day after 29th February and could virtually mean the same thing. 1st march? You got to be kidding. That’s completely a different month!
What is the significance of my birthday to me? Can I celebrate it on any day I feel like? As I Googled the web about the significance of a birthday, the most striking thing I found, obviously, was the celebration that usually takes place on one’s birthday. Searching further for why there should be a celebration, I thought that it all started right back, even before the birth of Christ. Primitive pagan cultures believed that evil spirits often visited people on their birthdays. To keep someone safe on his/her birthday, therefore, he/she was surrounded by well-wishers who sang and danced almost the entire day. The singing and dancing gradually evolved to a full celebration filled with eating, drinking, playing of friendly games, lighting of candles and making wishes, etc.
Coming back to my initial question, what will be my answer if someone asked me for the significance of my birthday? These are the things that will run across my mind to help me put the answer together:
GRATEFULNESS TO THE MOST HIGH
My birthday reminds me that God has seen me through a year and allowed me be a part of the next year. Isn’t that great? I don’t want to think of death as something very bad, no Christian should, but being human, we really don’t want to leave too soon. We want our family and friends’ company.
ANOTHER STEP UP THE MATURITY LADDER
Being one year older, on that day, I think of myself as a more mature person. Maturity comes with many trials and tribulations, one of them being responsible both for self and for others.
DEEP DOWN MEMORY LANE
Wow! One year already? As I stand amazed at how fast time flies, I try to reminisce on the past to visualize my failures and successes. Most people say the past as yesterday and we always should let go. That’s true! No one can live in the past, but it is important to always look back in order to build better roads and bridges into the future.
A PLAN MUST BE LAID
Tomorrows bread shall come tomorrow, they say, but I strongly believe we should make a plan on how to fetch for tomorrow’s bread, how to use it, and how to preserve some for another tomorrow.
SPREAD THE WORD
With all the above in mind, there is one thing that must be done. You can’t keep it all to yourself. Letting those around you know is very important. So too is letting them be part of the fun. That is where the celebrations come in.
Happy birthday to all of you celebrating yours today. Making the best of wishes, for you, on your behalf
*Uncle Che is my Cameroonian blogpal who also co-authors this blog apart from Lainy’s Musings’ Malaysian co-author, Windy. This post was previously published after I had my birthday in 2008. However, I lost the original post when this blog got hacked and everything got screwed up. I found this post at Google Reader and deemed it best to republish.
The Philippine 2010 Automated Elections made history. It was the first ever automation that the Filipino nation had experienced and no doubt, it was the most peaceful and fraud-free.
I am proud to say that I am one of those that made history happen being one of the organic employees of the national government agency that guards the ballots.
Yours truly with my Co-Election Assistant while the Smartmatic Provincial Coordinator was looking on. We were helping out the City Election Officer in preparing the Statements of Votes before winners were declared
Looking back, a helluva lot of things were needed to be given thorough consideration. We conducted months of training for teachers who served as Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs). They were the frontliners who manned the election process during the voting day. The automation bore better impact amongst the voting populace. The voters’ turn-out was relatively high at 84%.
However, the techniques adopted by the BEIs were rather dismal. The long queue at the various precincts elicited complaints from the voters themselves. The BEI’s weren’t able to think of some smart techniques to be able to make queuing more organized and hassle-free.
Despite it all, we were able to declare the local winning candidates at our level in less than 12 hours. In my previous election experience, it would take about 2 weeks or so before winning candidates were declared.
With the full automation, everything went smoothly. What’s striking though was the booklet printing of election manuals and paraphernalia. Despite it being fully automated, the Commission still heavily relied on some pamphlets and fliers for voters’ education and yes, even on election day, election materials were printed.
As I have mentioned in my birthday post, A Celebration To My 25th Birthday, I got two cakes on that day. I could actually have a hundred cakes and there’d be no fuss about it but the fact that the cake was given as a birthday present courtesy of a wonderful blogpal from the US made it very special.
So how can a blogger from the US send out a cake for my birthday? We’ve been exchanging a few messages at Facebook a day before my birthday when she asked if I’ve checked my Paypal account. Since we’re dealing with a few transactions, she informed me that I have been paid via PP. I didn’t get to see that special message because I was already at work. When I checked my account, there I saw an amount that was sent intended for the job I did for her but I had to tell her that she must have overpaid me for the tasks. She had to tell me that there’s a special message attached and I got the surprise of my life upon reading it:
The gift note via Paypal
My heart was genuinely overflowing with joy! I had been a recipient of some gifts but what made this entirely different was the thought that the gift-giver didn’t make distance and separation as a barrier for her to be able to make me feel special on my birthday. It’s the gesture that I honestly appreciate and I can’t help but be grateful for these wonderful people that God blessed me with.
Choco stripes cake
From you to me!
Only had the chance to slice the cake a day after, LOL!
The Ice Cream
Delicious Mango-flavored ice cream
Thank you Sis Recel for having such a generous heart. More than the gift, I thank God for having you as one of the genuine blogpals I ever had all through these years. May God richly bless you with so much more and may you constantly touch more lives as you have touched mine.
It was a beautiful and exciting day for me. For a week, I had been waiting for your package to arrive. The courier agent informed me via SMS that it shall be delivered to me today. Had I not known the effort and the sincerity that came along with it, I wouldn’t have made so much fuss about this.
However, I feel so touched that a virtual friend like you will go through so much effort just to send me something special for my birthday. You made sure that I am going to receive the presents right on time by choosing the best courier around. In just 3 days, the package arrived in Philippine soil. You are such a sweet soul!
I am such a happy and blessed soul!
Can't you see it? It's all over my face! ;-)
I have told you so many times in the past that it isn’t everyday that I come across a blogger whom I so admire for her writing prowess. You exude that incorruptible girl power that not too many is endowed with. You are an epitome of a modern day woman yet you got your values intact.
From the day I started out my blogging journey, you already had my admiration and there’s no turning back since. I have been your avid fan and I have always been open about it. I frequent your blogs and I have always felt a rare, strong connection. It doesn’t happen to everyone. You have also been very supportive of me and my endeavors. For the three huge blogoversary celebrations that I have had, you have always taken part without hesitation. I don’t feel shy asking you at all for being one of my blogoversary sponsors because I know you won’t say no, hahaha! Kapalmuks ko! LOL!
Having said all these, my heart is overflowing with joy having realized that virtual friendship can be found for real. I feel happy that not everyone hates me, hahahaha! Kidding aside, I feel so blessed and loved so many days before my birthday. Thanks to you! I know I am loved and blessed everyday of my life because the air that I breathe each day is a huge manifestation of that. But having received these lovely stuff from someone that I haven’t met yet in the flesh, it feels entirely different. You simply made the Countdown to my 25th triple extra special!
Thank you for these Clinique items!
I love to be a woman!
Girl power! I so love this!
Clinique pouch
Calvin Klein top
More than the material gifts, I truly appreciate the gesture for making me feel very special on my natal day (which is still 2 days from now).
Seriously opening a card.
Geez! Sneaky camerawoman, hahaha!
I am grateful to God for giving me great acquaintances that I learn so many things from. I can’t express in so many words how much I am grateful for the gift of your friendship. May God continue to bless you.
Love and Hugs,
LAINY
NOTE: No name and blog link of the generous gift-giver shall be disclosed. This was a very personal request that I have to respect.
It has been a rough day for me. Honestly, my happiness for being officially an aunt for the very first time was clouded by today’s events.
A proud Aunt I am to a bouncing baby boy!
My SIL incurred a postnatal complication after 6 days of giving birth. Everyone at home panicked. While I was busy doing my daily blogging chores early in the morning, I felt my heart stop when I read my Mom’s SMS asking for help. I had to call her immediately and I got even more shocked when I heard her crying and hysterical over the phone. I felt numbed. I didn’t know what to do. I had to gather my wits back and had to call my youngest brother to fetch me in my apartment. Believe me. I rushed to the hospital bra-less and my bottom’s button missing. I just had to get there to the hospital pronto.
When I arrived at the hospital, I witnessed my SIL having another seizure attack. It made me so nervous seeing her like that! No wonder my mother panicked and our neighbors had to calm her down because mom was too hysterical. My SIL was on oxygen and on catheter. We were told by her gynae that my SIL is having a bad case of postnatal eclampsia.
I can’t believe that it can be possible for a woman who had a normal delivery to a healthy bouncing baby boy! I had to be there for my brother who obviously was also in a state of shock. I was told that eclampsia happens to 1 out of 2,000 women. It can be extremely life threatening and a woman can have severe complications. Oh boy! The risks of childbirth!
When everything had settled down, my brother retold the story beginning from when they arrived at the hospital. I can’t help but express my angst at the hospital Staff at the Emergency Room. Had I known the story much earlier, I would have fuc**d them off.
As I learned, they were intentionally blocked by the security personnel from seeking treatment at the ER because they were told that the only available room was Suite Room.
To make matters worse, instead of looking after the patient and offering medical assistance right then and there, what they were interested in was whether my brother could afford to pay for the room!
When my brother realized what they were up to, he demanded for medical attention be given first and then later asked for an immediate transfer to a different hospital.
The Resident Doctor must have seen the anger on my brother’s face and this led them to immediately provide attention to my SIL. At the end of this traumatic episode, my SIL was tranferred to a different hospital by ambulance.
What’s happening to my country?
Will the Filipinos be always deprived of medical care and more so when it is critical? Who are we going to blame for these blatant unprofessional ethics? Can we always let them off the hook for being so negligent with their duties? The decaying system of the government is very evident everywhere.
For two thirds of the Philippine population who are born without the means to pay for a life above subsistence level, these people have been duped by a democratic process to believe that the commonwealth promises of a better tomorrow will be fulfilled by the high and mighty. So are we to assume that in this country reborn by a PEOPLE POWER INSURGENCY to make that change in leadership and with HOPE for a positive change, these same people are left to rot in their destitute condition and in this case of medical support and relief, to be treated worse than animals?
One person that’s trending very strongly at the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) today is the genius, Steve Jobs. With his peaceful demise the other night, people can’t keep from sharing their thoughts about him with the untimely loss of his ingenuity. Most people around the world have offered their loving tribute for this brilliant man; an icon in his own realm, certainly one who had transformed the perception of similar industries. No doubt, this man has had an immense influence in mankind’s rapid and multi-faceted digitized communication.
Photocredits: http://www.gottabemobile.com
I’ve expressed my thoughts about the ingenuity of this man at my other blog, The Fool on the Hill. This time, I wish to share all the touching thoughts and tribute that Apple fans and non- Apple fans alike who have poured out their eulogies at PC Mag.
Here it goes:
“Three Apples changed the world: the one that Adam ate, the one that fell on Newton, and the one that Steve Jobs created.”
—Pradeep Kumar Mittapally
“Every so often, the stars align to create individuals that really impact the world in a uniquely special way. Steve Jobs was one such individual. I reflect on the joy of using Apple products that not only brought a lot of pleasure to my life, not to mention productivity, but also a sense of what all things on planet earth should be like. I write these few words on my MacBook Pro with my iPad attached and my iPhone 4 at my side. As I look at these products, I am reminded that only Apple could have brought these products to life: the simplicity of design, the elegant beauty, and the fact that the products simply work. Not to be forgotten is the greatest customer service of any company on the planet.”
—BeckleMic
“I can’t help but think of the contrast between Steve Jobs’ way of doing business and Wall Street’s. Jobs created new and useful products. Wall Street creates financial stacked decks. Jobs led with design and quality, supported by marketing. Wall Street and most U.S. consumer companies lead with marketing or finance and pit the engineers against the accountants—design and quality be damned. Jobs should be held up as a business ideal. No more ‘Of course you must have a good product, now let’s move on to finance and marketing.’ Harvard Business School, are you listening?”
—gtogto
“It’s difficult to imagine what our lives would have been without Steve Jobs’ innovations. In my opinion he was a great Innovator and a Passionate Maverick who revolutionized the technology industry through his breathtaking miraculous products. In simple words he was a pure GENIUS and a CREATOR.”
—Praveen Javehrani
“Steve Jobs changed my world. My first PowerBook 150 opened the whole Apple universe to me. My whole career has been Apple-focused, whether working for Apple Retail and showing people how easily they can do things on a Mac or iOS device, to user experience and usability, how to make other products as easy to use as Apple products. He set the bar high and showed everyone that it is possible to achieve wonderful things if you let yourself do it. I’m still learning from Steve.”
—Kim Hiland-Belding
“I salute to the Great Innovator and Creator of 21st century, Mr. Steve Jobs. You made the world think Differently and work Smartly. Thank you very much for giving us Apple!
The world will remember you for ever for what you did and gave.”
—Arun Singh
“Steve Jobs was the Ben Franklin of our time. He changed the world with his innovative genius. There are few places in our world that have not been improved by the technology he brought to market. RIP Steve Jobs—who will ever be able to replace you?”
—Denise Cargill
“I keep thinking of one oft-used word that hasn’t shown up yet in the tributes to Steve Jobs: maverick. If anyone deserved that title it was him. It was probably the title he would have been most proud of too.”
—Jim Eshleman
“Even us non-Apple fans have to admit that Jobs was one heck of a leader and a brilliant marketer, designer, engineer, and visionary. No one took tech to the masses quite like Apple in the last decade.”
—Catherine Blakeney
“I, like many, owe an awful lot to Steve Jobs. If it wasn’t for him, I probably wouldn’t even own my home. Bought my first Apple Mac 128 in 1984. Learned computer programming and eventually made a living programming on the Macintosh. Thank you.”
—Steve Breish
“He was part of my generation, part of my bringing up and then all the marvelous wonders he brought to market, and changed the way the world conducts communications, looks at computers and looks at technology… I mean, it hurts to see his passing, a passing of an icon of our age.”
—Chuck Linden
What about you? You wanna share how Steve Jobs has influenced and inspired you?
As it is with girls in general, Cheeky has started to get vain. Not only she walks with a sexy gait with her butt (without wearing her pampers or undies…. hahaha!), she wants to look pretty and maintain her velvety complexion. Duh!
Pretty Cheeky
So…..
1. She has a choker with TEN bells. Windy had to search to buy these bells so that she rings like an Alarm clock. That way he know when it’s totally silent inside the house, Cheeky is either peeing or pooing or gone to sleep. LOL!
Cheeky's choker
2. She was fed with Dog food since Day One and Windy figured that being a 2-month old pup, she probably misses Mama Cheeky’s milk. Windy had that fixed.
Windy went back to Global Pets where he bought Cheeky and he was told NOT to feed her with Evaporated Milk because as a pup there is too much lactose in it and would have a bad case of diarrhea.
“There is special low-Lactose milk for pups, Sir”, was their solution.
“Oh yeah! that’s great. Please show it to me”, was Windy’s response.
And Windy’s jaw dropped to the floor. For 250 grams of that special low-Lactose milk, it blew a hole in his wallet! It cost USD13.50.
Cheeky's milk
Oh heck!
It’s for Cheeky so the sky’s the limit anyways…. Hahaha!
Yesterday afternoon, Windy picked up a second seat cushion for Cheeky. These were selling cheap and so Windy grabbed one just in case the other cushion inside her cage needs to be washed.
Back at home, Windy left the new seat cushion on the floor. Cheeky as usual made a go at it and kept biting the cushion’s tie strings. She went on doing that for over an hour.
At the beginning
Windy decided to tie the strings around her neck making sure it would not choke her if she pulled hard inadvertently.
It's like a millstone around my neck
And then Windy realized like all great inventions this answered most necessities….
1. She carries her “bed” with her all the time.
Gosh! It grows on me!
2. She has a 24/7 toy to roll and tease and bite and when exhausted, fall off to sleep directly on the cushion.
Sleepy?
3. She can’t move fast and get in the way between Windy’s feet when he walk around the house.
4. It helps her to sleep as she keeps going round and round in dizzy, endless circles trying to figure out how to unlock herself from it.
5. She can pee on the cushion and it acts as a sponge. LOL!
6. She can consider poo-ing on it if she loves her poo pong
I am going to poo fettuccine! LOL!
7. When hungry and waiting to be fed her meals, she can chew on the cushion strings or cushion.
The excitement of having Cheeky in Windy’s life seemed to dissipate when I began to hear some complaints from the brilliant man himself. I was informed that Cheeky had been giving Windy such a hard time.
Just like today, Windy had to spank her coz she peed on the carpets four times (4X). Windy told me he had been patient enough. He had to grab Cheeky’s neck and swung her into the cage. He had no other recourse but to ground her for three long days in her cage.
Windy also complained about the amount of work that he had to devote in caring for Cheeky. He had to clean her cage and disinfect it with chlorine. Then clean up after her the whole day after she pees and poos.
I have actually received this email from Windy which says, and I quote:
Today, I managed to train or is it frighten Cheeky to walk back to her cage and stay there, even with the cage door open. Without a whimper she stayed put inside the cage….without a whimper because she will get smacked if she whined.
Then I changed the place to beside my bed. She did not follow my command words. I found out that she waited for me to leave my bedroom and then she would move out from the spot. She got whacked and then stayed put even if I left the room
Next, I gave her her Dinner and commanded that she does not eat it. She obeyed.
After she ate her Dinner, I tried to get her to follow instructions to get into the blue tub to pee or poo. She refused. So I put her inside the blue tub. She tried to get out and got spanked again.
Then, of all the goddam blazes, she sat squat inside the blue tub and went off to sleep. Photos show….
Go to hell!
Toilet training
Windy said that it’s good when Cheeky is inside her cage coz she dare not whine or yelp at all or else she will lose her mouth, hahaha!
Now you be the judge. Is it poor Windy or poor Cheeky? LOL!
P. S.
As I was ready to publish this, Windy informed me that some of Cheeky’s training has borne fruit.
THE SCENE:
Both Windy and Cheeky came home after a car drive and a walk. She started to play, Windy gave her a wee bit food and an empty plastic cup. She played with it until she was tired then she peed again on the carpet but Windy did not beat her but he just showed her what she did. Cheeky walked back to her cage silently and went in and she’s been in the cage till now without whining or coming out. Finally, Cheeky understood Windy’s English. Honestly, Cheeky almost died learning Windy’s English. How many times she made Windy chase her around the house while the former wanted to beat her butt! LOL!
If I may just add, Windy said that Cheeky learned his English faster than me, LOL! What a brutal statement to say, hahaha!
NOTE:
WINDY SAYS THAT IF ANY BLOGGER REPORTS HIM TO PETA OR THE RSPCA, HE WILL SPANK THE REPORTER’S BUTT THE SAME WAY HE DID CHEEKY.
about her birthday, I felt as though mine should be the very next day so that I can celebrate with friends, families and colleagues and have some fun too. Ha ha ha.
General Santos Time
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