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. 

What will you buy, House and Lot or Condo?

Naalala ko lang habang naglalakad sa loob ng mall at kinukulit ng isang realty agent na kumuha ng isang unit ng condo. Nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataong masabi ang aking mga katanungan. Ito ang naging tema ng aming usapan.

Me: Ah bakit ko ba kailangang kumuha ng condo sir?

Agent: Sir mura lang po ang downpayment, convenient po para sa inyo at may mga security po tayo, amenities na maganda at state of the art.

Me. Ako po simple lang naman mga tanong ko po sir.
kung kukuha ako ng unit, at nasa 10th floor ako, paano po kung lumindol?

Agent: Sir, may quality po ang ating mga building na hindi basta-basta natitinag sa lindol. 

Me: Eh halimbawa nga po sir lumindol at nasira ang building o condo, anong mangyayari?

Agent: Sir may option po kayo ng insurance para sa inyong unit.

Me: Okay halimbawa 10th floor ako, at nasira ang building ng condo, pero may insurance ako, paano ko maipapatayo ang aking unit sa 10th floor kung hindi pa nagpapatayo ang may unit sa 1st floor or 2nd floor?

Agent: Ah hindi ko na po alam sir eh.

Makati Area

Mas mura nga ba ang Condominium kumpara sa House and Lot?

Mas mura nga ba talaga ang Condo kumpara sa House and Lot? Yan ang tanong ng karamihan. May mga unit ng condo na nasa Metro Manila area na mahigit sa isang milyon lamang ngunit wala ka ng makukuhang maayos na bahay at lupa sa Metro Manila prime area na hindi bababa sa 2 milyon. Pero sa may mga kailangang bayaran sa condo monthly maliban sa tubig at kuryente plus parking fee kung may sasakyan ka pa. Ang condominium naluluma habang tumatagal at nagdedepreciate ang value. Sikat ka ngayon pero laspag ka na bukas. Pero ang house and lot, posibleng magdepreciate ang iyong bahay pero tumataas ang value ng iyong lupa lalo na kung nasa highways o malapit sa mga prime o matataong lokasyon.

Alin ang mas magandang lokasyon?

Sa Metro Manila o malalaking cities, mahal ang lupa kaya napaconvenient ang condominium. Mas magandang lokasyon both condo unit at house and lot ang mga lugar na malalapit sa malls, schools at market or business district. Magandang pwesto din ang mga malalapit sa highways, terminals at stations ng mga MRT/LRT o public transport.

Mas gusto namin ang mamuhay sa medyo malayong lugar kaysa sa Metro. Iwas polusyon. Iwas traffic. Iwas gastos. Pangarap namin ng simpleng pamumuhay sa medyo probinsiyang lugar pero di naman ganun ka kalayuan sa malalaking bayan. Pangarap namin na magkaroon ng garden, at makakalanghap ng sariwang hangin. 

Halimbawa ng Condominium 

Seguridad o may sariwang hangin?

May mga taong mas gusto ang nakakulong, kain, tulog, trabaho, exercise at magtambay sa bahay. May mga batang professionals at maliliit na pamilya na mas gusto ang buhay sa condo kaysa sa mga townhouse o villages maliban sa malapit sa trabaho, mas convenient. Kapag gusto mong seguradong may safety ka sa maganakaw, manghoholdap at maging sa masasamang elemento, condo ang nababagay sayo. May gwardiya, may cctv camera, at may maayos na sistema at maintenance people 24/7

Mas gusto ko ang makakalanghap ng sariwang hangin. Magagawa mo lamang ito kung ikaw ay pwedeng magtanim ng mga halaman at punong kahoy. May pwesto para maggarden kung sakali sa house and lot o subdivision.

Iwas baha o Iwas lindol?

May mga lugar na binabaha, lalo na kung panahon ng bagyo at tag ulan. Ang house and lot, maaring maapektuhan sa panahon ng mga bagyo at matinding pagbaha. Safe na safe ang condo sa pagbaha. 

May mga lugar na minsan tinatamaan ng lindol. Wag naman sana, pero minsan hindi natin alam ang mga tawag ng kalikasan. Nagkakaroon ng lindol na maaring mawala na parang bula ang ating ipinundar sa condominium. 

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Ito po lamang ang aking mga naiisip. Nasa bawat isa pa rin po ang desisyon. Gaya ng mga nasabi ko na na mga factors, location, halaga, at kakayahan, seguridad at convenience kayo na po ang bahalang magdesisyon. Ako po ay mas prefer na bumili ng lot, o house and lot, kaysa sa condo unit.

©2014 THOUGHTSKOTO

Chocolate - Indulge Yourself

Alin ba dyan ang gusto mo. papadalhan kita. I am sure hindi yan Made in China.

I have to ask Mrs. Thoughtskoto for a P1000 budget para pambili lang ng mamahaling Chocolate for you. 

Para naman kahit papaano...

According sa mga Chocolate Eaters, ang Chuao Chocolate ang pinakabest na chocolate sa buong mundo.

According sa Forbes, the most expensive chocolate is Madeleine & Chocopologie by Knipschildt

The healthier according to health experts, are dark ones. 

©2009 THOUGHTSKOTO

Starve the Problems, Feed the Opportunities

“Starve the Problems and Feed the Opportunities” - Peter Drucker

"Effective people are not problem-minded; they’re opportunity minded. They feed opportunities and starve problems." - Dr. Stephen Covey

I simply love this quote that I printed it in big paper a long time ago 

and posted it in the wall of my room.

Do we focus on our problems or our opportunities in life?

Most of the time in our lives we focus too much on our problems in life, as well as focusing too much on the past. We should remember that there not much to be gained from looking backwards instead of forwards.

No, don't get me wrong, I am not trying to discount the rich lessons we can gained from our past experiences and failings but what I am trying to say is, its time to move on.

Do you feed your problems in life? 

Kung sa tagalog pa, ginagatungan pa ba natin ang naglalagabgab (now I am not sure if that word is right, lol) at to borrow the word of Hulascoop, masalimuot na buhay?

Are we too absorb by every minor and major problems that confronts us day in and day out? Are we too preoocupied by the challenges and seemingly insurmountable trials and problems that besets us? As a person, do we focus and even magnified our afflictions and infirmities in life?

WE SHOULD START TO EXAMINE OURSELVES. 

DO NOT FOCUS ON THE PROBLEMS OR YOU WILL BE MISERABLE. 

I AM NOT KIDDING. 

NO ONE SAYS, WALLOW IN SELF-PITY AND YOU'LL LIVE. 

OFTEN, when we are down, and we don't get up, we don't have the courage to stand and fight anymore. Thus, we end up losing the game. Losing is fine if we give our best, but if we lose because we did nothing, that's what we call, LOUSINESS.

"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."

Life has so many issues, but focus on the most trivial and important things rather than the not worth dealing with. 

STARVE THE PROBLEMS.

(pasensiya na, gutom na ako kaya I am ranting about anything here, hehe)

DO YOU FEED OPPORTUNITIES?

Do we grab every good offers, every open opportunity for advancement, for learning, for discovering something about ourselves, about the world we live, about the work we are in?

We live in a world with stiff competition, and with tremendous outpouring of knowledge and information in the web.

Do we take advantage of every good things, of every opportunities?

I encourage all to do so. 

The largest problem with focusing on problems is the distraction from concentrating on the current opportunities.

Simply put,

Starve the problems and they die.

Feed the opportunities and they flourish and live.

©2009 THOUGHTSKOTO

What Kind of Chinese Animal Are You?

The title, I hope it does sounds good to you. 

Note - I don't subscribed to this, katuwaan lang.

Translation: wala ako sa tamang pag-iisip kaya walang maiblog!

Yay!

KUNG HE! FAT CHOI!

(Mukhang malapit na sa tunog ng Hey, ung fat mo tabatsoy!)

Ako ba yun? pagkakaalam ko payat ako, ay, lean daw pala sabi ni Mrs. Thoughtskoto, pero ako ba yung mataba or tabatsoy? 

Malaki ang problema ko ngayong New Year.

Unang una, nawalan kami ng koneksiyon ng Internet sa bahay

kung bakit ngayong January maraming nawawalan ng internet koneksiyon

ay hindi ko alam. Si Kosa at Manilenya, taga Canada, nawawalan ng koneksiyon, 

ang layo naman ng Saudi para idamay ako.

NEBZ, salamat sa tag, follow-up post ko na lang ha.

Sinusulat ko pa things about me...at sa dami ng brilliant blogs na alam ko, 

sinosort ko pa ang 7 na yun.

Pangalawa, nakakatakot ang tiyan ko sa salamin. May malaking nakaumbok na kahit anong gawin kong stomach in, chest out, ay lumalabas pa rin. Gawa ito ng kakaupo sa harap ng computer at kakaclick ng mouse, at kakazip ng Gain na Milk Choco.

at 

Pangatlo, maliit ang sahod ko. 

Ay teka, di ko problema yan this year, 5 years ago na. hehe

Konsumisyon ang tawag dyan, opposite ng new and satisfying renumeration/remuneration

Anyway, binabati ko kayong lahat ng Happy Chinese New Year!

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is often called the Lunar New Year, especially by people in mainland China and Taiwan.

My wife's grandfather is a descent from China, and though she have Chinese blood and do speak some Chinese language and can write some Chinese characters, she insist that she is purely Filipina. 

Ni hao ma?

I greeted her the other night while we are watching CNN International's coverage of the Chinese Spring Festival or New Year a 'Kung Hei Fat Choi'. 

Then I thought of posting this for the interest of others. 

We don't believe or subscribe to it, but just for fun lang.

Anong year ka ipinanganak at anong corresponding animal ka? 

Ay sori, hehe, animal mo? (parang not pleasing)

What kind of animal are you? (Oppps, sori, parang ang sagwa pakinggan.)

Anyway ako daw Dragon, specifically Fire Dragon. 

Very interesting kasi lahat yata ng dragon ay bumubuga ng fire. 

People born in the Year of the Dragon are 

healthy, 

(mild lang naman scoliosis ko, mahina lang ako kumain, konti na lang ang blood ko) 

energetic,

(oo true yan, di ako naglalaro ng basketball, volleyball, soccer, wala akong sports kundi, sportsmanship)

 excitable, 

short-tempered, 

( di ako nagagalit, umuusok ang tainga, oo)

and stubborn. 

(very true kasi pag gutom ako, kakain talaga ako!)

They are also honest, sensitive, brave, and they inspire confidence and trust. (totoong totoo, tanungin niyo mga nakaaway ko)

Dragon people are the most eccentric of any in the eastern zodiac. 

(eccentric as in 'hot' kasi may fire???)

They neither borrow money 

(hmmmn, nabayaran ko na ba si...)

nor make flowery speeches, 

(ewan ko lang nito ha, pero paano ko nga ba napasagot si Mrs. Thoughtskoto?)

but they tend to be soft-hearted

 which sometimes gives others an advantage over them.

Pero mukhang di daw maganda ang 2009 ko sabi sa Chinese Calendar. Sana wag naman. I always believe that the destiny of people is not on what's written and what's the fortune teller is saying but it's how we conduct our lives. 

We can be who and what we are if we wanted to. It all depends on our choices. 

Just for fun. 

If you wanted to know what's the animal corresponding to your birth year see 

here.

You can also enter your birthdate here and presto! 

malalaman mo na kung anong animal ka! 

(Sori, masakit pakinggan, parang naririnig ko yung kapitbahay namin sa 

Pinas na sigaw ng sigaw sa mga anak niya...)

Check out here what's the 2009 has instore for you. :)

©2008 THOUGHTSKOTO

The Rope

There was once a mountain climber, who wanted to climb the highest mountain. He begun his adventure after many years of preparation, but since he wanted the glory just for himself, he decided to climb the mountain alone.

And lo, the journey begun, when the night felt heavy in the height of the mountain, and the man could not see anything. It’s so dark, all was black. A zero visibility, and the moon and the starts were covered by the clouds.

As he was climbing, and it’s like forever, only a few feet away from the top of the mountain, he slipped and fell into the air, falling at a great speed. The climber could only see black spots as he went down, and the terrible sensation of being swallowed by gravity. He keep falling…and falling, and in those moments of great fear, it came to his mind all the good things and bad things that had happened to his life.

He was thinking now about how close death was getting, and he closes his eyes; when all of a sudden he felt the rope tied to his waist pull him very hard. It’s tightening! His body was still hanging in the air. Only the rope was holding him, and in that moment of stillness, he had no other choice and he started to scream,
HELP ME, OH GOD!

He sobbed. Dreams failed, he would be remembered as someone who died in the mountain, in an accident in his quest for glory. He thinks of his family and friends, and those people he cared about. “Oh God, help me”, in the deepening silence of the night his voice is helpless and hopeless but he managed to call God.

All of a sudden, a deep voice coming from the sky answered:

“What do you want me to do?”

The climber answered, ‘Oh God, is that you? Save me my God!”

“Do you really think I can save you?” said the voice.

“Of course, I believe You can” said the climber.

“Then cut the rope tied to your waist…” ordered the Voice.

There was a moment of silence; and the man turn between two choices. He will cut the rope and fall or hold on till morning and wait for rescue.

He decided to hold on to the rope, and the Voice is not heard anymore.

The rescue team tells, that the next day a climber was found dead, and frozen…his body hanging from a rope. His hands holding tight to it…
ONLY 10 FEET AWAY FROM THE GROUND.

And we? How attached are we to our rope? What are the things that make us hold on to the rope, like fame, glory, worldly things, status and beauty. Are we willing to let go?

©2008 THOUGHTSKOTO