TWO ROADS IN LIFE

When I served a two years volunteer mission almost 15 years ago, the most intriguing and catchy questions I asked people from all walks of life, are these;

Where did you come from? Why are you here? Where are you heading?

Some sarcastic answer includes; I come from my mother's womb, I am here to eat, sleep and be merry, and I am going to the grave when I die.

Some thoughtful answer are these; I come from God, I am here to live a life, and I will be back to Heaven if I am good.

My faith and belief teach me and help me know some of the answers, generally speaking, about the purpose of life, about the plan of God for each of us, and what's the purpose of our coming here on earth. But each day, as we face different trials and challenges, we are still in the process of knowing all the answers to so many questions. I will be hypocrite I will say boldly that I know the answers to the all life's questions but I entrust everything to the all knowing God, and someday, maybe not in this life but in the life to come, we will know the answers.

From the 8 Habit by Stephen R. Covey,

"Everyone chooses one of the two roads in life - the old and the young, the rich and the poor, men and women alike. One is the broad, well-travelled road to mediocrity, the other the road to greatness and meaning. The range of possibilities that exist within each of these two destinations is as the diversity of gifts and personalities of the human family. But the contrast between the two destinations is as the night is to the day.

The path to mediocrity strait jacks human potential. The path to greatness unleashes and realizes human potential. The path to mediocrity is the quick-fix, short-cut approach to life. The path to greatness is a process of sequential growth from the inside-out. Travellers on the lower path to mediocrity live out the cultural software of ego, indulgence, scarcity, comparison, competitiveness and victimism. Travellers on the upper path to greatness rise above negative cultural influence and choose to become the creative force of their lives. One word expresses the pathway to greatness. VOICE. Those of this path find their voice and inspire others to find theirs. The rest never do. "

Each of us will never become great, famous or rich. There will be some who will be blessed abundantly, and there will be some who will live in vanity. There will be some who will be looked up by many, and there will be some who may never know how they inspire others. We try to uplift, we share the source of our enthusiasm and courage. We believe that beauty is to be enjoyed, and we can be happy if we decide or choose to be happy.

A man named Lehi, along time ago, taught us that there will be opposition in all things, good and bad, sweet and sour, pain and joy. There will always be two roads in life. One that leads to exaltation and never ending happiness, one is damnation, leading to eternal misery and forever shut out in the presence of God.

The choice is ours to make which road to take. 
Choose the Right. 
Choose eternal life. 

One Person Singing Male and Female Version of 'The Prayer' and He's a Filipino!

Another Pinoy Talent in Singing "The Prayer" at the Glorietta Activity Center with the unusual dual voice,  singing male and female at the same time. Video Originally uploaded by Annabelle

Jhong, the "Air Supply Boy" with cover rendition of 'Having You Near Me' and video originally uploaded by.Zacky

And the 'Rapper Nurse' named Fatima of EAMC  as uploaded by Daff




At sinong nakakaalala sa isang Random Girl na nagpataob ng karaoke machine sa SM Mall?



Who would forget the General Santos based duo, Aldrich Talonding and his cousin, James Walter Bucong singing the social media hit, Dance with my Father. 



©2014 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards

©2014 THOUGHTSKOTO

Top 5 Free and Cheap Communication Ideas to the Philippines (2)

VOIP - that's what we need to remember.

There are lots and lots of companies and sites in the web that talks about this thing. This post is applicable whether you're based in the US, Canada, Singapore, Africa, Middle East, East Asia, Australia, or the Pacific.

First, since most OFW's have mobile phones, let's make use of it.

We use it for calling, we use it for texting. We pay a lot of money just to connect, just to hear the voices of our love ones, our friends, and classmates.

(oh by the way, did you subscribed to our RSS? You don't need to come here often, at your convenience, as well as the more than 150 others, receive our post via EMAIL. See the sidebar subscriber's button? So easy, just type your email address, and we will deliver Thoughts'ko'to directly to your Inbox)

Okay, now back to VOIP.

We need a mobile phone. I would love a WIFI phone. An Iphone is the best. Most NOKIA N and E Series are WIFI ready phone. They are affordable, and if you want to spend some savings, buy some type of phone that are wifi ready.

Now if your phone doesn't have a WIFI feature, at least it is 3G or capable of GPRS. If this confuses you, email me at thoughtskoto-at-gmail dot com for additional settings for Saudi based OFW's.

You've got the phone? WIFI and/or GPRS ready? Great!

1. Install a Dialer or an application like any of this in your mobile phone

FRING

NIMBUZZ

TALKONAUT

SKYPE

Once you installed that application, it will be ready to navigate.

Now, this is what I usually do.

I buy a credit worth 40 Saudi Riyal. It's easy because I just give my email address or username to the seller. They will load my account with 40SR, equivalent to 100 minutes of call to the Philippines! About 0.45 halalas per minute! In other countries, you can have 500 minutes worth of call with the same amount!

Okay, let's get back to the step by step guide.

2. Install this Nokia N and E Series Mobile Dialer here

BRAND PIN: 2755

SETTINGS OF CONNECTING YOUR WIFI PHONE

OPEN TO TEST YOUR CONNECTION

Open a website to test your access point

3. SET UP OF A SIP ACCOUNT

THIS WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE VOIP PROVIDER THAT YOU CAN SUBSRIBE

CHANGE THE DEFAULT CALL TYPE TO "Internet"

4. SET UP FOR NAT INCOMING CALL

I WILL TRY TO EXPLAIN SIMPLER LATER HOW WE CAN SET-UP YOUR MOBILE and START CALLING. THIS IS 2nd in a 5-part series.

Read the previous entry HERE.

©2010 THOUGHTSKOTO

Top 5 Free and Cheap Communication Ideas to the Philippines (1)

Anyway, since we here at the Thoughtskoto are so supportive of the PEBA's 2010 THEME, and that is strengthening the OFW families, we would like to focus our entries on some tips and ideas on communication, love, faith, trust and even processing of family papers.

The first that we, the Thoughtskoto's are going to give you are the Top 5 cheap communication ideas to our love ones in the Philippines. We are hoping that if you have more ideas how a Filipino abroad can maximize his/her savings in trying to establish communications to love ones and friends back home, share it at the comment below or email us.

Here it is,

1. VOIP, or Voice Over Internet Protocol is one of the easiest ways to make phone calls today that are free or cheap, excellent quality, and outstanding features. It is a telephone or a phone, connected through internet, while calling your love ones back home.

The set-up is simple, using either one of the three available options:

a) Analog or local Telephone

b) Wifi or IP enabled Mobile Phone (most Nokia E Series)

c) PC/Laptop/Netbook

Since most of us are familiar with PC/Laptop/Netbook using Skype and other messengers, I would like to deal simply on the first two option. And because not most of us have landlines, I would focus my step-by step support on Mobile Phones, Wifi or Not.

Now, since this will require a Series of post, why don't you subscribe to our RSS post?

Simply fill your email address, and that's it, you will receive our post in your Inbox!

Thoughtskoto is changing for the better. We been here for the last 5 years, and we have not done much better, so I think it is really time we will post some helpful tips and ideas for our kababayans.

I will give you a few ideas for now, since this is pretty easy to do, but in my next post, we will discuss a step-by-step guide on how to set-up your phone for VOIP Free/Cheap calls, wherever you are, whatever you, as long as you have internet, it will be rewarding.

Talking about internet, those of you in Saudi Arabia might want to consider using a Quick Net or a Mobily Broadband at home.

Al though I still would want to recommend you to apply for a DSL line, which is cheaper, and faster, especially STC, a lot of us don't want to apply for a telephone line and on the move can make use of this Wireless Broadband.

This is worth 360Sr for one month, and the next month, you will pay, 260SR, but upon purchase if you buy for a 6 months package, you will get two months free. It has two LAN CABLE slot, and up to more than 5 users of WIFI at 2.0 MBPS. No need to install anything, just buy the product, plug it into the electric, and detect in your laptop or in your PC with Alfa (Wifi detector/enhancer) and you are surfing the net. You can change the configuration in the instruction manual provided. It is very good.

Now that you have internet, you are good to go. Now some of you have internet at home and at work. That is great. We will continue discussing this in my next post on how to use VOIP as a free/cheap calls to mobile phones.

For the meantime, I'll leave you with the following good links that will give you ideas about what I am talking about.

MAJIC JACK XD

ICALL

YEHEYCALL

OOPA

So bookmark us or add us in your link, as we will continue exploring opportunities here, to strengthen our families, and to stay connected, wherever, whenever.

©2010 THOUGHTSKOTO

Hear Our Voice...

I have to add that image here.

That Juan DelaCruz especially drawn by the owner of the blog The Sandbox for PEBA reminds me always of the responsibility we all have to our country, to our fellowmen.

He said we can do all we want to that image, but just don't remove or change the thumb inked with red color because that is his stand in the coming election. Me and Azel for PEBA didn't removed that.

We respect the man.

I was also honestly touched.

What is my stand? Do I have to make a stand?

What difference will I make if I state my stand?

So I asked Nebz, PEBA's winner for this year, and an OFW advocate to draft his thoughts and expectations for the coming election. He made the flash images. Then I ask CM of the Dungeon (Palau) and George of Palipasan (Qatar), and Rio of Bisjoker (Afghanistan)the men behind KABLOGS. I also ask NJ, and the Pink Tarha Girls (Saudi bloggers).

This compilation of thoughts and ideas, serves as the Voice of KABLOGS and PEBA for this coming election.

"Let the new leaders of our land rise from the votes of the OFWs"

This article was originally posted at the Philippine Online Chronicles, and Blogwatch.ph

For decades, we've been lauded as "Bagong Bayani" as a recognition by the same government who has caused our mass exodus into foreign lands.

Let's breathe the title of modern day heroes and accept its appended challenges and responsibilities. Despite our distance and diversity, we take pride in being a part of the Filipino abroad’s global recognition as shapers of the world.

Now, the time has come to unleash the heroes within us as the majestic sun rises in the East and its rays of hope shines upon our nation this coming May 2010 election.

This is a call for our collective voice in the 2010 election. We encourage all Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families to actively participate and be part of our country’s historic electoral process.

For several years, we’ve made our presence felt in building our nation. In every single dollar remittance that is being delivered in our family’s doorsteps, we OFWs have helped in sustaining the Philippines’ economic growth.

Our experiences in and out the country have led us to become seasoned professionals who are now politically mature to discern what’s best for our home country. Now is the moment to make a difference. We are part of the 12 million Filipinos dispersed across the world and we can definitely make a difference.

We will solidify our stand to choose the right leaders fo

r our country. We will influence our family and loved ones back home, the recipient of our hardships and struggles abroad, to act too. We will guide them in making their choices this coming May 2010because we believe that their actions will not only shape our country’s future but the future of the generations to come.

Our nation has suffered from the action (and inaction) of irresponsible and corrupt government officials but we must remain steadfast in our hope and desire of having a better country. Our nation is already battered and divided. This coming election, its fate resides in US.

If there is a time to live as modern day heroes, to make a difference as global Filipinos, to embark on something worth doing, IT IS NOW!

Let us empower ourselves as OFWs. With one voice and one heart, let's vote and get counted! Only responsible voters can bring responsible leaders in office on May 2010.

Let the new leaders of our land rise from the votes of OFWs.

I am asking other OFW and Bloggers to please repost this in your blogs, or send it through email to your friends and families. Thank you. - Mr. Thoughtskoto

© 2010 THOUGHTSKOTO