YANAH: Friend, Ofw, and Kablogs,

ito po ang simula kung bakit tinuturing ko siyang kaibigan... 

at saludo din ako kagaya ng pagsaludo ni

KOSA

~yAnaH~ said...

im sorry but i beg to disagree on this one:
"Naisip ko lang I think yung isang reason na iniiwan ng mga magagandang lalaki ang kanilang mga asawa dahil seguro hindi na ito nagpapaganda, laspag na sa wikang kanto."
 hindi lahat ng mga babaeng iniiwan ng mga asawa nila eh dahil sa losyang na sila. meron lang talagang mga lalaking sadyang tinatamaan ng kagaguhan (sorry for the word) at nagagawang mang-iwan when in fact, sila naman ang nagsimula ng lahat..
 i asked for a loving husband and a lovely family...what did i get?
i got a pocketful of kunsumisyon, quite a handfull of wrinkles plus the fact that "he" left us...
 kaya ngayon, i dont ask anything at all... nadala na ako.. being disappointed and hurt once is already enough...
napahaba... chureee... nacarried away

Mr. Thoughtskoto said...

Yanah, Thank you for the comment.sabi ko "naisip ko lang" now I know na mali din yung naisip ko kasi you experience it talaga. 
 Kahit guy ako, I admit meron talagang mga lalaki na ganun. In fact iniwan din ang nanay ko ng tatay ko 6 years old pa lang ako. 
 But its not over, right? 
 You won't give up because you failed once. Hope is constant. Somewhere out there, sometime, youll find the right one. The one that you're asking...
 hehe, para na ba akong pari...
 But hey thanks for dropping by!

~yAnaH~ said...

magic carpet poh kaya? meron?
kung meron.. pwede po kayang hiramin? pang bukas lang hahaha
 galing galing naman..
i always admired those guys na talagang naglalaan ng time para sa family.. naglalaan ng time in being a father and a husband...

Mr. Thoughtskoto said...

Yanah, Oo nga noh. Magic carpet ni Aladdin. Regarding the dada/hubby thing, thanks. Ill take that as a compliment ha. hehe. I appreciate more people like you who will sacrifice to be away from home, and your loveones esp the kids just for their future. 

sa post na  

~yAnaH~ said...

i dont know why naluha ako dito..
wala akogn ibang masabi kundi yun lang...

 ~yAnaH~ said...

hmmmm u might have to remove me na poh dito sa kablogs list mo, ill be goin home soon.. for good...

******************************************************

In less than a month na patuloy ko na pagsubaybay ng blog ni Ms. Yanah, nakilala ko sia at naging Kablogs. Marami akong blog na binabasa araw araw, at sa kababasa ko ng mga blog ninyo, pakiramdam at pakiwari ko'y matatalik ko kayong kaibigan. Sa ayaw man ninyo't sa gusto, wala kayong paki kung pingsisiksikan kong maging kaibigan kayo.

May ibang ibig sabihin ang paghanga at pag-iidolo. Ito'y mga bagay na nafefeel mo kung meron kang nagugustuhan o yun na nga, hinahangaan sa isang tao or blogero. Marami akong inaadmire, marami akong iniidolo sa blogosphere, marami akong blog na nababasa't nagbibigay saya at inspiration. 

pero merong mga taong gusto mong maging 

kaibigan, 

kadamay

kaugnay

kapamilya

kapuso

kaibigan.

Since I started the Thoughtskoto and organized the search project for Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards, at masimulan ang aggregating site na KABLOGS

marami akong nakilalang Pinoy na Bloggers sa halos lahat na yata ng mga kontinente ng mundo.

After all yan ang pinakapurpose kung bakit ako nagblog, magkaroon ng maraming kaibigan, 

nevermind the number of visitors visiting their blogs, it doesn't matter to me,

never mind the lay-out and social bookmarking they've been listed,

or the nature of their jobs, or the status of their lives,

it don't care.

Every blog I read, or visited or commented, 

means I am reaching out for friendship.

Thank you to Yanah. You're one of them. 

You're one of the Pinoy Bloggers who in one way or another touches our lives for good.

Yes, we admire you. After your telling of the terrible experiences you been through, 

and after making us laugh or feel sad with your stories, 

making us mad or kilig with your entries,

in less than a month, you left an impression to me and I guess to others too that

YOU ARE INDEED A GREAT MOTHER TO YOUR 'INAKAYS' 

(to borrow your term of kids)

YOU ARE INDEED A REAL AND TRUE FRIEND not just to 

KOSA (oytttttt) and JEN and POGI

but to us, your fellow Kablogs. 

Yung iba, dudugtungan na lang sa mga comment. hehe

Kahit nasa Pinas ka na, magblog ka pa rin, mamimimiss mo rin kami. hehe. I won't delete your site link sa blogsite para maalala ka namin, at masubaybayan ka pa rin namin.

©2008 THOUGHTSKOTO

Download Free Valentines Day Greeting ECard Templates

FREE!!!

There's more below as you keep scrolling.

Valentines are coming, it is time to greet friends and officemates, Kablogs and kabayans. We have an overwelming traffic when we posted the Christmas Ecard templates. Now we present to you some of the templates that you might like to edit and put words and greetings on and send by email to loveones far and away.

 These are high resolutions template pictures, with dimensions up to 2000 x 1200, ideal for photoshop editing and ecard valentine greetings. Please click each item to download or view the actual size. 

More here:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 

©2008 THOUGHTSKOTO

KA-BLOGS! 150+ and Counting!

Isang buwan na po ang nakakalipas magmula ng magstart aggregating ang KABLOGS - Blogs ng Kabayan sa Abroad

Bukas po ang kanyang isang buwang kaarawan and we are happy to report na ang independent blog aggregator na ito ay free ng ads at solely dedicated sa mga blogs ng mga kababayang Pinoy na OFW at Expats Bloggers sa buong sulok ng mundo.

Ang pinakagoal po natin ay umabot ng atleast 1000 bloggers sa listahan although naisip ko rin po baka bumagal ang loading sa dami na yan kaya nagaaral ako sa html paano ko mapapabilis ang loading kung sakali mang umabot tayo ng ganung bilang.

150 + na po ang kabuoang bilang ng listahan, at patuloy pang dumarami. Pinakamarami ang Asia and the Pacific, sumunod ang US, pero kung pagsasamahin ang Saudi Arabia at buong Middle East, mas pinakamarami ang mga OFW bloggers sa Middle East.

Alam kong mas marami pang blogs na hindi ko pa nasasagap, natitisod, nakakalkal, nahahagilap, at inaamin ko kahit anong anting anting ang gagamitin ko, kung wala sa tulong niyo, di ko mapapadami ng ganito karami.

Currently mga nasa 23-50 po ang visitors daily, naglalaro sa mga numerong iyan. Ang layunin ng blog aggregating site na ito ay para mapalawak ang scope ng mga pinoy bloggers at magkaroon ng one-stop-site para isang click lang papunta sa mga blogs ng mga kababayan after reading the snippets ng mga post nila.

Isa ako sa mga patuloy na nagsusubaybay sa site na ito kasi kada may new post automatic na nasa itaas ng bawat region. Sana magenjoy din po kayo.

Maraming salamat sa mga nagdisplay ng KABLOGS banner:

The Sandbox - Saudi Arabia

Desert Aquaforce - Saudi Arabia

Almighty Dacz - Saudi Arabia

Manilenya - Canada

Trip Ni Kosa - Canada

Poging Ilocano - Abu Dhabi

Life's A Twitch - Dubai

Jen Misadventures -Dubai

Palipasan -Qatar

HulaScoop - Hawaii

Condo ko

Life Moto

Magic Saucer

Alam ko marami pa na naglagay ng logo na di ko na naman mahagilap or matrace lahat lahat kaya please inform me para isali ko kayo sa link sa itaas.

This site as well as the OFW efforts to use the net para magenjoy at maibsan ang kalungkutan and magbigay saya, ligaya, at information sa mga kapwa OFW ay binati at memention ni Madam Ellen Tordesillas sa kanyang mga seminar sponsored by the Canadian Agency sa mga forum na heheld sa Davao at Baguio ayon po kanya.

Maraming salamat po Madam Ellen!

Maraming salamat po mga Kabayan!

Maraming maraming Salamat mga Ka-Blogs!

©2008 THOUGHTSKOTO

CAN YOU IMAGINE THE DAY A WORLD WITHOUT OFW'S?

AMERICAN VERSION

A Day Without Filipinos

"Let’s imagine then, not just California, but the entire world, waking up one day to discover Filipinos have disappeared. I’m talking here about more than 10 million Filipinos currently working overseas in countries with names that run the entire alphabet, from Angola to Zimbabwe .

Let’s not worry first about why or how the Filipinos disappeared; in fact, it becomes academic whether it’s a day or a week. Just imagine a world without Filipinos.

Think of the homes that are dependent on Filipino housekeepers, nannies, caregivers. The homes would be chaotic as kids cry out for their nannies. Hong Kong and Singaporean and Taiwanese yuppie couples are now forced to stay home and realizing, goodness, there’s so much of housework that has to be handled and how demanding their kids can be and hey, what’s this strange language they’re babbling in?

It’s not just the children that are affected. The problems are even more serious with the elderly in homes and nursing institutions, because Filipino caregivers have provided so much of the critical services they need. When temporary contractual workers are brought in from among non-Filipinos, the elderly complain. They want their Filipino caregivers back because they have that special touch, that extra patience and willingness to stay an hour more when needed.

Hospitals, too, are adversely affected because so many of the disappeared Filipinos were physicians, nurses and other health professionals. All appointments for rehabilitation services, from children with speech problems to stroke survivors, are indefinitely postponed because of disappeared speech pathologists, occupational and physical therapists!

Eventually, the hospital administrators announce they won’t take in any more patients unless the conditions are serious. Patients are told to follow their doctors’ written orders and, if they have questions, to seek advice on several Internet medical sites. But within two days, the hospitals are swamped with new complaints. The web sites aren’t working because of missing Filipino web designers and web site managers.

Service establishments throughout the world — restaurants, supermarkets, hotels — all close down because of their missing key staff involved in management and maintenance. In Asia , hotels complain about the missing bands and singers.

In the United States , many commercial establishments have to close shop, not just because of the missing Filipino sales staff but because their suppliers have all been sending in notices about delays in shipments. Yup, the shipping industry has gone into a crisis because of missing Filipino seafarers.

The shipping firms begin to look into the emergency recruitment of non-Filipino seafarers but then declare another crisis: They’re running out of supplies of oil for their ships because the Middle Eastern countries have come to a standstill without their Filipino workers, including quite a few working for the oil industry.

Frantic presidents and prime ministers call on the United Nations to convene a special session of the Security Council but Kofi Annan says he can’t do that because the UN system itself is on the edge, with so many of their secretarial and clerical staff, as well as translators, having disappeared from their main headquarters in New York and Geneva, as well as their regional offices throughout the world. Quite a number of UN services, especially refugee camps, are also in danger of closing down because of missing Filipino health professionals and teachers.

Annan also explains that he can’t convene UN meetings because the airports in New York , Washington and other major US cities have been shut down. The reason? The disappeared Filipinos included quite a few airport security personnel who used to check passengers and their baggage.

Annan calls on the World Bank and international private foundations for assistance but they’re crippled, too, because their Filipino consultants and staff are nowhere to be seen. Funds can’t be remitted and projects can’t run without the technical assistance provided for by Filipinos.

An exasperated Annan calls on religious leaders to pray, and pray hard. But when he phones the Pope, he is told the Catholic Church, too, is in crisis because the disappeared include the many Filipino priests and nuns in Rome who help run day-to-day activities, as well as missionaries in the front lines of remote posts, often the only ones providing basic social services.

As they converse, Annan and the Pope agree on one thing: the world has become a quieter place since the Filipinos disappeared. It isn’t just the silencing of work and office equipment formerly handled by Filipinos; no, it seems there’s much less laughter now that the Filipinos aren’t around, both the laughter of the Filipinos and those they served."

MIDDLE EAST VERSION

IMAGINE A WORLD WITHOUT FILIPINO'S

Abdullah Al-Maghlooth | Al-Watan, almaghlooth@alwatan.com.sa

Muhammad Al-Maghrabi became handicapped and shut down his flower and gifts shop business in Jeddah after his Filipino workers insisted on leaving and returning home. He says: “When they left, I felt as if I had lost my arms. I was so sad that I lost my appetite.”

Al-Maghrabi then flew to Manila to look for two other Filipino workers to replace the ones who had left. Previously, he had tried workers of different nationalities but they did not impress him. “There is no comparison between Filipinos and others,” he says. Whenever I see Filipinos working in the Kingdom, I wonder what our life would be without them.

Saudi Arabia has the largest number of Filipino workers - 1,019,577 - outside the Philippines. In 2006 alone, the Kingdom recruited more than 223,000 workers from the Philippines and their numbers are still increasing. Filipinos not only play an important and effective role in the Kingdom, they also perform different jobs in countries across the world, including working as sailors. They are known for their professionalism and the quality of their work.

Nobody here can think of a life without Filipinos, who make up around 20 percent of the world’s seafarers. There are 1.2 million Filipino sailors.

So if Filipinos decided one day to stop working or go on strike for any reason, who would transport oil, food and heavy equipment across the world? We can only imagine the disaster that would happen.

What makes Filipinos unique is their ability to speak very good English and the technical training they receive in the early stages of their education. There are several specialized training institutes in the Philippines, including those specializing in engineering and road maintenance. This training background makes them highly competent in these vital areas.

When speaking about the Philippines, we should not forget Filipino nurses. They are some 23 percent of the world’s total number of nurses. The Philippines is home to over 190 accredited nursing colleges and institutes, from which some 9,000 nurses graduate each year. Many of them work abroad in countries such as the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Singapore.

Cathy Ann, a 35-year-old Filipino nurse who has been working in the Kingdom for the last five years and before that in Singapore, said she does not feel homesick abroad because “I am surrounded by my compatriots everywhere.” Ann thinks that early training allows Filipinos to excel in nursing and other vocations. She started learning this profession at the age of four as her aunt, a nurse, used to take her to hospital and ask her to watch the work. “She used to kiss me whenever I learned a new thing. At the age of 11, I could do a lot. I began doing things like measuring my grandfather’s blood pressure and giving my mother her insulin injections,” she said.

This type of early education system is lacking in the Kingdom. Many of our children reach the university stage without learning anything except boredom.

The Philippines, which you can barely see on the map, is a very effective country thanks to its people. It has the ability to influence the entire world economy.

We should pay respect to Filipino workers, not only by employing them but also by learning from their valuable experiences.

We should learn and educate our children on how to operate and maintain ships and oil tankers, as well as planning and nursing and how to achieve perfection in our work. This is a must so that we do not become like Muhammad Al-Maghrabi who lost his interest and appetite when Filipino workers left his flower shop.

We have to remember that we are very much dependent on the Filipinos around us. We could die a slow death if they chose to leave us.

©2008 THOUGHTSKOTO

I'm Already There

Blogusvox, one of the winner of the 2008 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blogs Award recently posted an entry about OFW quoting an email he received from one kabayan. I would like to dedicate this song to all OFW's and Expats around the world, most importantly to the OFW/Expats bloggers na naging KA-BLOGS ko sa lahat ng sulok ng mundo.

In your own little way, habang pinagdedebatehan pa ng mga manunulat, Kongreso at Senado kung karapat dapat ba tayong tawaging bayani, tayo ay tahimik na nakikibaka't kumakayod kalabaw, nakikikambing at nagmamanokan (thinking of Doc RJ) tayo sa ibang bansa para magkaroon ng ginhawa ang buhay. 

What do you do? YOU INSPIRE PEOPLE, you make other OFW's and Expats smile, laugh, encourage, and hopeful. In short you make other peoples lives easier to carry on in this trying times. Me and Mrs. Thoughtskoto would like to dedicate this song to all of you.

He called her on the road
From a lonely cold hotel room
Just to hear her say I love you one more time
But when he heard the sound
Of the kids laughing in the background
He had to wipe away a tear from his eye
A little voice came on the phone
Said daddy when you coming home
He said the first thing that came to his mind

Chorus:
Im already there
Take a look around
Im the sunshine in your hair
Im the shadow on the ground
Im the whisper in the wind
Im your imaginary friend
And I know Im in your prayers
Oh Im already there

She got back on the phone
Said I really miss you darling
Dont worry about the kids theyll be alright
Wish I was in your arms
Lying right there beside you
But I know that Ill be in your dreams tonight
And Ill gently kiss your lips
Touch you with my fingertips
So turn out the light and close your eyes

Im already there
Dont make a sound
Im the beat in your heart
Im the moonlight shining down
Im the whisper in the wind
And Ill be there until the end
Can you feel the love that we share
Oh Im already there

We may be a thousand miles apart
But Ill be with you wherever you are

Im already there
Take a look around
Im the sunshine in your hair
Im the shadow on the ground
Im the whisper in the wind
And Ill be there until the end
Can you feel the love that we share
Oh Im already there
Oh Im already
There

*************

I went on vacation on November two thousand and kupong kupong and got married with Mrs. Thoughtskoto the following month. Then I went back here in Saudi on the first week of February. The next few months was crazy we being separated to each other. And everytime I listened to this song, it transport my memory back home, and the loveones I left behind. I asked Mrs. Thoughtskoto while she was in the Philippines to listen to this song when we were chatted one time, and we both cried. Emote tawag dun! :)

 This is a tribute song of the Lonestar band to the American soldiers who were assigned and scattered from all around the world. This song is also dedicated to all people who leave home to survive their families and a nation. This song is true to all Filipinos kahit saan mang sulok ng mundo na iniwan ang pamilya, anak, asawa, at mga mahal sa buhay at kaibigan, nakaraan at nakalipas, para sa hinaharap. 

This is a tribute to all of you. 

To all of us.

Westlife did a revival of this song in their 2007 Album "Back Home". Although I like the original version better. 

 

Download the MP3 version here.

©2008 THOUGHTSKOTO

SPREAD THE WORD: If Your Flight Is On February 2009?

I have to do a little research about the woman. Her name is Alex Ayn Arumpac, 

 UP Film Institute Student/Graduate

and attended the I-Witness Seminar of GMA Network.

She is a Film Maker and member of the International Documentary Association

She wrote this review of Panaghoy sa Suba film directed by Cezar Montano

I opened my Inbox this morning and was surprised na mabasa ang email na ito from her.

********************************************************

Subject: Asking for your help: Looking for OFWs who are flying back to the Philippines on February 09

Hello!

I am asking for your help in finding OFWs who are flying back to the Philippines very soon (month of February). 

I am looking for OFWs with stories to tell - those who have difficult issues to face (abroad, or family matters in the Philippines, etc). 

 If you know anyone, please let me know. 

I also ask you to spread the word in your community.    

:-) 

You can email me 

 alyxayn@yahoo.com

agarumpac2@up.edu.ph 

or SMS me at +63 920 610 4088. 

I hope you can help me. 

Thank you very much!

Alyx Ayn Arumpac

*********************************************************************

Please spread the word to all OFW/Filipino's Abroad who might be going on vacation or going home that date.

Kung may pera lang ako uuwi ako, kasama ng pamilya ko para malay mo madiscover ako, ito na yung chance ko maging artista, kasi hinala ko, iinterbyuhin ka, magkukuwento ka anong klaseng buhay meron sa abroad, at syempre susulatan ka ng kwento, tapos isasapelikula ang kwento mo, or baka ikaw pa gumanap na actor or actress, galing di ba? At saka magsusumbong ako, maliit sahod ko, walang increase dalawang taon na, maraming pakonsuwelo though, libre magdala ng drinking tubig kahit ilang drum galing sa planta ko...drinking water company kaya ito, hello!

But seriously, please spread the word or repost this blog, if you wish. 

Para sa mga kababayan natin na may mga hinaing sa employer, or may mga problema sa pakikipagsapalaran sa ibang bansa. May iplug ako, mga kwentong OFW ni Nebz, ang bata at gwapitong kabayan ko dito sa Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

Kung pauwi kayo in the date mentioned, please call or email Alyx. 

I will try to ask her what she wanted, and what OFW can expect. 

*** Update

Sorry akala ko Sir sia,  Miss Ganda pala. I edited the post na po.

-Alyx emailed back and says...

"It is still in the works so we are really not supposed to divulge. 

We are developing a public service show for OFWs at GMA7"

"As this is a public service show for the OFW, his family, and those who want to become OFWs 

please don't hesitate to let me know about any issues or people that you think we should give notice to."

©2008 THOUGHTSKOTO

If You Are Called To Lead

Somewhere along the way, we are all called to lead.

We maybe called to lead a group, an organization, in our job, and most importantly in our family.

Last year I posted an entry entitled "The TorchBearer"

Please find time to read it. 

Translation: Huwag maging mayabang. Naaadmire ko talaga ang mga taong despite of their successes sa buhay, despite of the heights sa mga career nila at sa financial at temporal, as well as fame at glory na nakamit nila, ay reachable pa rin sila, friendly pa rin sila, at higit sa lahat meron pa ring understanding that every individual is unique and special.

I admire yung mga blogger na ang goal is not to have more visitors na pumupunta sa kanila na wala na man ginagawa but yung nagbabasa mismo ng mga blogs mo, thereby knowing you and feels like friend mo na kasi alam mo na thoughts nila. 

I am grateful sa mga taong iyon. I am more grateful sa mga taong nagblo blog at nagcocomment sa blogs ko. I feel like I owe this people kasi isang masarap na feeling ang nararamdaman ko kung may nagcocomment. 

Sinisikap kong magpatawa, pero hindi naman ako kenkoy. 

Sinisikap ko maging kwela sa mga post ko, kumbaga light moments, 

pero mukhang serious ako.

Naisip ko magpost lagi ng inspiring na mga bagay

at full of optimism, yung encouraging na wag mawalan ng pag-asa sa buhay.

Ganyan ang tema ng blog na ito. 

TO INSPIRE OTHERS.

And hope naiinspire ko kayo, at maiinspire kayo.

A little quote of the day;

“Take the attitude of a student,  never be too big to ask questions,  never know too much to learn something new.” - Og Mandino

©2008 THOUGHTSKOTO