ALPHABET OF HAPPINESS

A—Accept  *Accept others for who they are and for the choices they've made even if you have difficulty understanding their beliefs, motives, or actions.

B—Break Away  *Break away from everything that stands in the way of what you hope to accomplish with your life.

C—Create  *Create a family of friends whom you can share your hopes, dreams, sorrows, and happiness with.

D—Decide  *Decide that you'll be successful and happy come what may, and good things will find you. The roadblocks are only minor obstacles along the way.

E—Explore  *Explore and experiment. The world has much to offer, and you have much to give. A! nd every time you try something new, you'll learn more about yourself.

F—Forgive  *Forgive and forget. Grudges only weigh you down and inspire unhappiness and grief. Soar above it, and remember that everyone makes mistakes.

G—Grow  *Leave the childhood monsters behind. They can no longer hurt you or stand in your way.

H—Hope  *Hope for the best and never forget that anything is possible as long as you remain dedicated to the task.

I—Ignore  *Ignore the negative voice inside your head. Focus instead on your goals and remember your accomplishments. Your past success is only a small inkling of what the future holds.

J—Journey  *Journey to new worlds, new possibilities, by remaining open-minded. Try to learn something new every day, and you'll grow.

K—Know  *Know that no matter how bad things seem, they'll always get better. The warmth of spring always follows the harshest winter.

L—Love  *Let love fill your heart instead of hate. When hate is in your heart, there's room for nothing else, but when love is in your heart, there's room for endless happiness.

M—Manage  *Manage your time and your expenses wisely, and you'll suffer less stress and worry. Then you'll be able to focus on the important things in life.

N—Notice  *Never ignore the poor, infirm, helpless, weak, or suffering. Offer your assistance when possible, and always your kindness and understanding.

O—Open  *Open your eyes and take in all the beauty around you. Even during the worst of times, there's still much to be thankful for.

P—Play  *Never forget to have fun along the way. Success means nothing without happiness.

Q—Question  *Ask many questions, because you're here to learn.

R—Relax  *Refuse to let worry and stress rule your life, and remember that things always have a way of working out in the end.

S—Share  *Share your talent, skills, knowledge, and time with others. Everything that you invest in others will return to you many times over.

T—Try  *Even when your dreams seem impossible to reach, try anyway. You'll be amazed by what you can accomplish.

U—Use  *Use your gifts to your best ability. Talent that's wasted has no value. Talent that's used will bring unexpected rewards.

V—Value  *Value the friends and family members who've supported and encouraged you, and be there for them as well.

W—Work  *Work hard every day to be the best person you can be, but never feel guilty if you fall short of your goals. Every sunrise offers a second chance.

X--X-Ray  *Look deep inside the hearts of those around you and you'll see the goodness and beauty within.

Y—Yield  *Yield to commitment. If you stay on track and remain dedicated, you'll find success at the end of the road.

Z—Zoom  *Zoom to a happy place when bad memories or sorrow rears its ugly head. Let nothing interfere with your goals. Instead, focus on your abilities, your dreams, and a brighter tomorrow.

CHILD STRUGGLE

Everyone has requires to work in order to earn money and to survive in everyday need. Working also requires the right age and this responsibility is for the father as the head of the family family.  They are the one responsible in providing the basic needs of his family like food, clothes, shelter and the most important one, education for his children.  But what if your parents are don’t have a job and not responsible enough to provide us this support?  Are you going to take the risk in finding job at the very young age?

Children with unemployed parents do not have social security but must work to help in their families' struggle to survive. The satisfaction of these children's basic needs in life takes priority over their other needs such as education and recreation.

Filipino families particularly value helpfulness and responsibility-sharing. Philippine culture especially in rural areas consider child work as a phase of socialization where future roles are learned and working to share in the family is seen as training.  This is the reason why some of the parents taking it as an advantage, they are forcing their children to work at the early age.  Many parents prefer to send their children out to work rather than to school, either because they cannot afford to pay the tuition fees, books, uniforms, transportations and other expenses or because they can not see what will be the help of schooling in the future.

Child Labor is rooted in poverty and the lack of economic opportunities. It is often a response by the household to the need to satisfy basic requirements.  It is the illegal employment of children below the age of seventeen where they are not directly under the sole responsibility of their parents or legal guardians.

One of the best examples of child labor in the Philippines was very noticeable.  Children living on the streets engage in informal labor activities such as scavenging or begging.  We notice it everywhere; some of them are selling sampaguitas in the middle of the street while some of them begging for money, I also see women using her new born baby just to beg the attention of people around them.  Aside from this some of children are also engaged in domestic service and are involved in the commercial sex industry, including the use of children in the production of pornography and the exploitation of children by sex tourists.

           

Aside from poverty, another major factor that I noticed in the increase of the number of working children is the demand for child workers. Employers know all too well the advantages of employing children. They represent a docile work force, which could be hired and replaced at a fraction of adult wages. They do not join labor unions and very seldom complain.

           

Above all, employers who hire children gain a competitive advantage in both national and international markets due to the low wages they pay children.

           

I am against to the family of those children who are helping their family by working at the early age because I know how hard to deprived the experience of being a kid.  I was forced to look for a job when I was seventeen just to struggle to pay my balance in my previous school and to continue my college.  I do this to help my siblings to their needs that my parents can’t provide.

And until now, I was working after school just to support my needs as a student and sustain the needs of my siblings. I need to attend my class in the morning and instead of doing my projects and assignments after school I need to work.

At this age I need to help my parents in providing the fee for electric and water bill which the typical college student doesn’t entail to do.  In some way I think there are still positive values that I have learned in working at this age, it made me feel that I am more responsible.  It also taught me to be strong in facing problems especially when it comes to money and other material things.  I am wishing that these values also apply to those children out there who are suffering in working at the early age.  Like in my own experience even though I am working too hard for my family I didn’t taught of stopping or dropping my opportunity to go to school.  I strive hard to earn money and to fulfill my dreams, to hold a degree that everyone can be proud of.  I just want my parents to realize that I can be on my own without their financial support and help.

COMPUTER GAMES ADDICTION

Computers, video games, and the Internet have become part of my daily lives. Computer use has reached beyond work and is now a major source of fun and entertainment for many people especially the students like me. For most of people, computer use and video game play is included into their lives in a balanced healthy manner. For others, time spent on the computer or video game is out of balance, and has displaced work, school, friends, and even family.

When time spent on the computer, playing video games or browsing the Internet reaches a point that it harms a child's or adult's family and social relationships, or interrupts school or work life, that person may be caught in a cycle of addiction.  Like other addictions, the computer game has replaced friends and family as the source of a person's emotional life. Increasingly, to feel good, the addicted person spends more time playing computer games or searching the Internet.

Some of the most popular computer games nowadays are counter strike, tantra, DOTA or the Defence of The Ancient, ran, guildwars, different online basketball games like NBA live, pangya, rakion, prison tales, warcraft, starcraft, ragnarok and many more.

Some of the sign I have noticed with my cousin who are fond in computer games is that he spent mostly his non-school hours on the playing on computer games, he can play for 12 or 14 hours straight; playing from the time he wakes up till he falls asleep in the early hours of the morning, he falling asleep in school, not keeping up with his assignments and other school works, worsening his grades, he sometimes skips his meals to just play, lying about computer or video game use, choosing to use the computer or play video games, rather than see his friends and playing outside the house. 

The symptoms I noticed for some of my friends and classmates who also engage in this addiction, thy are seriously disrupting family, social or even work life, lying about computer or video game use, experience feelings of withdrawal, anger, or depression when not on the computer or involved with their video game, may incur large phone or credit bills for on-line services and can't control computer game use. They even turn computer games to gambling, Php. 50 per game will be more exciting and challenging for them to defeat the intruder.  For them computer games are like a drug that when you take it from them, they will keep on finding it, even though they know the consequences.

I can not blame the people who engage in this kind of addiction because even I engaged in this kind of habit.  For me computer games enhance my imagination by creating techniques and different strategies while playing.  It also develops my confidence in facing the hardest enemy in the battle.  Playing computer games is my way of escaping in my personal problems because it relieves my stress.

I admit that computer games are addictive but if you have self-control it has to be good though. I play computer games because I still believe that in some way this could be an outlet for learning, creativity, and self-expression. Entertainment value is also one of a great factor for me, also they do help somewhat with coordination; I can also learn much more, depending of what I play. I know I have increases my vocabulary from many strategies and some decent military tactics.  I am a frustrated driver, and I want to have my own motorcycle, and in some racing games taught me real life driving techniques. That’s why even though I have not tried yet the basic motorcycling procedure; at least I know the basic method of driving. This is the reason why that I am still proud to say that even I am engaging in this kind of habit I still know my limitations. 

We all know that computer games are usually fun and relaxing.  But for some, games can become consuming and addicting, taking away from day to day activities and social behavior.  So what is the best way to keep the situation under control?  Banning materials is definitely not the answer. Probably the most important aspect to take note of is: Like they always insist, “Parents must take responsibility.” and as simple as by being responsible.

MY 2007 OVERVIEW

Year of the Dog already left us and I think we are all in the reflective kind of mood. Some of us have had great success; some have done well while some have been left disheartened. So let’s look to the future. What will we strive for in the New Year? Any ambition that we really want to become a reality in 2007?

Allow me to be what I want to be....

To start off, it's strange to think a world which consumes so much of my thoughts and time has only been a part of me for almost a year. Never would I dare to have imagined knowing people who influenced me, inspired me and captivated my imagination so much as it has done.

2007- My hopes:

I have never ever made a resolution and kept it, so instead I’m going to say what I hope for! My plan is to study harder so that my parents who truly believe and trust with me will make happy.

Bad habits... I have a few and I’m planning on curbing some of them or getting rid of them completely... I've resolved to cut down on my computer time and spend that time doing other things like doing home work and projects.  I want to learn something new that will help me a lot.

I want to be more positive, so I am making a conscious effort to say nice things, and lastly, I need to give much time to my family more.

I am determined to start 2007 a fresh, a positive head for a positive year. I'm looking forward to the new challenges ahead and it should be fun!

AS WE GROW UP

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.

~anonymous~

INSPIRING STORIES

LOVE OF LIFE

It all started when I was 16 years old. While I was playing outside on my farm in California, I met a boy. He was an average kind of boy who teased you and then you chased them and beat them up. After that first meeting in which I beat him up we kept on meeting and beating each other up at the fence. That only lasted for a little while though. We would meet at the fence all the time and we were always together. I would tell him all my secrets. He was very quiet he would just listen to what I had to say. I found him easy to talk to and I could talk to him about everything. In school we had separate friends but when we got home we would always talk about what happened in school. One day I said to him that a guy I liked hurt me and broke my heart. He just comforted me and said everything would be okay. He gave me words of encouragement and helped me get over him. I was happy and thought of him as a real friend. But I knew that there was something else about him that I liked. I thought of it that night and figured it was just a Friend kinda thing that I was feeling. All through high school and even through graduation we're always together and of course I thought of it as being friends. But I knew deep inside that I really felt differently. On graduation night even though we had different dates to the prom I wanted to be with him. That night after everybody went home I went to his house and wanted to tell him that I wanted to see him. Well, that night was my big chance and all I did was just sit there with him watching the stars and talking about what I was going to do and what he was going to do. I looked into his eyes and listened to him talk about what his dream was. How he wanted to get married and settle down. He said how he wanted to be rich and successful. All I could do was to tell him my dream and cuddle next to him. I went home hurting because I didn't tell him how I was feeling. I wanted to tell him so bad that I loved him but I was too scared and frightened. I let my feelings go and told myself that someday I would tell him just how I felt. All through college I wanted to tell him but he always had someone with him. After graduation he got a job in New York; I was happy for him but at the same time I was sad to see him go. I was sad also because I didn't tell him how I felt. But I couldn't let him know now that he was leaving for his big job. So I just kept it to myself and watched him go on the plane. I cried as I hugged him for what I felt was going to be the last time. I went home that night and cried my eyes out. I felt hurt that I didn't tell him what I had inside my heart. Well, I got a job as a secretary and then worked my way to a computer analyst. I was proud of what I had accomplished. One day I got a letter with an invitation to a wedding. It was from him; I was happy and sad at the same time. Now I know that I could never be with him and that we could only be friends. I went to the wedding the next month. It was a big occasion. It was a big church wedding with the reception at a hotel. I met the bride and of course I talked to him too. I fell in love one more time. But I held back so it wouldn't spoil what should be the happiest day in his life. I tried to have fun that night but it was killing me inside watching him being so happy and me trying to be happy covering up my sadness tears inside of me. I left New York feeling that I did the right thing. Before I left on the flight, he came running out of nowhere and said his good-byes and how he was very happy to see me. I came home and just tried to forget about what went on in New York. I had to go on with my life. As the years went on, we wrote to each other on what was going on and how he had missed talking to me. On one occasion he never wrote back to me at all. I was getting worried as to why he hadn't written anything for a long time after I had already written 6 letters to him. Well, just when everything seemed hopeless and sad in my life, I got a note that said: "Meet me at the fence where we used to talk about things". I went and saw him there. I was happy to see him, but he was broken-hearted and sad inside. We hugged until we couldn't breathe anymore. Then he told me about the divorce and why he hadn't written for a long time. He cried until he couldn't cry anymore. Finally, we went back to the house and talked and laughed about what I had been going and to catch up on old times. But in all of this, I couldn't tell him how I felt about him. In the days that followed, he had fun and forgot about all his problem and his divorce. I fell in love again with him. When it came time for him to leave back to New York, I went to see him off and cried. I hated to see him leave. He promised to see me every time he could get a vacation. I couldn't wait for him to come so I could be with him. We would always have fun when we were together. One day he didn't show up like he said he would. I figured that he might have been busy. The days turned into months and I just forgot about it. Then I got a call one day from a lawyer in New York. The lawyer said that he had died in a car accident going to the airpor, and that it took this long till everything was settled. It broke my heart. I was shocked about what took place. Now I knew why he didn't come that day. Again, I was broken-hearted. I cried that night, cried tears of sadness and heartache. I asked questions: "Why did this happen to a kind guy like him?" I gathered my things and went to New York for the reading of his will. Of course, things were given to his family and his ex-wife. I finally got to meet her since the last time we met at the wedding. She explained to me how he was and how he always provided. But he was always unhappy. She would always try everything but she couldn't get him happy, as he was that night at their wedding. When the will was read, the one thing that was given to me was a diary. It was a dairy that of his life. I cried as it was given to me. I didn't know what to think. Why was this given to me? I took it and flew back to California. As I flew on the plane I remembered the good times that we had together. I started reading the diary and what was written. The diary was started with the day we first met. I read on till I started to cry. The diary told of him saying that he had fallen in love with me that day I was broken-hearted. But he was too afraid to tell me what he had felt. That is why he was so quiet and liked to listen to me. It told of how he wanted to tell me so many times, but was too afraid to say anything. It told of when he went to New York and fell in love with another. How the happiest time he had was seeing me and dancing with me at the wedding. He said he imagined it was our wedding. How he was always unhappy till he had no choice but to divorce his wife. How the best time in his life was to read the letters written to him by me. Finally, the diary ended when it said, "today I will tell her I love her". It was the day he was killed. The day I was going to finally find out what was really in his heart. So the moral of the story, If you love someone, don't wait till tomorrow to tell him/her. Maybe the next day will never come at all..

ANGELS

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room. Instead the angels were given a space in the cold basement.

As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied... "Things aren't always what they seem".

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.

The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel "how could you have let this happen!? The first man had everything, yet you helped him," she accused. "The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let their cow die."

"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave her the cow instead. Things aren't always what they seem."

Sometimes this is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage. You might not know it until some time later.

BE PATIENT

This is a true story which happened in the States. A man came out of his home to admire his new truck.
To his puzzlement, his three-year-old son was happily hammering dents into the shiny paint.
The man ran to his son, knocked him away, hammered the little boy's hands into pulp as punishment.
When the father calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital. Although the doctor tried desperately to save the crushed bones, he finally had to amputate the fingers from both the boy's hands.
When the boy woke up from the surgery & saw his bandaged stubs, he innocently said, " Daddy, I'm sorry about your truck." Then he asked, "but when are my fingers going to grow back?"
The father went home & committed suicide.
Think about the story the next time u see someone spill milk at a dinner table or hear a baby crying. Think first before u lose your patience with someone u love. Trucks can be repaired. Broken bones & hurt feelings often can't.
Too often we fail to recognise the difference between the person and the performance.
People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes. But the actions we take while in a rage will haunt us forever.
Pause and ponder. Think before you act. Be patient. Understand & love.

 

MOTIVATION

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?"
Hands started going up.
He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up.
He then asked, "Who still wants it?"
Still the hands were up in the air.
"Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.
He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. "Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.
"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way.
We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. You are special - Don't ever forget it!

                                                                                                                                                                                  

MY PASSAGE

For me, the reporters are all effective because I learned a lot from them.  I know all the topics that they discussed will help me in future, most especially in making, producing and directing a film.

                       

Since I was a little child I really like and I dreamed to become a scriptwriter and a director.  I thought that in just a click of my hands I can direct, produce and make a wonderful script but sad to say I was wrong.  After they discussed about those topic I realized that it’s not easy as I think.  It would require dedication, patience, wild imagination, etc…

                       

I really enjoy attending and listening to the reporters because all the topics are interesting, it helps me to prove the things that already know. Like for example, before in cinematography I didn’t aware that there’s a lot of camera shot, I thought that they only used 3 kinds of shot, which is the medium, close-up and long shot

                       

I love watching movies.  Before I watched movies as my pastime and for no reason, sometimes I watched it because of the actor who will go to portray the role. But after we discussed all topics I realized that I can learn and I can also get some techniques in making a film by just sitting in a front of the television and criticizing all the film that I’m going to watch.

                       

I also learn that I need to view things in some ways.  I can’t forget what my former professor said to me “Ang manunulat ay ipinapanganak at hindi ginagawa.”  I loose my hope to become a good writer and director because I know I’m not born to become a writer and director. My own instinct pushes me to continue what I have started.  But, after all the discussions, I discover that he was wrong… the writers could be made.  It’s just like in acting everything can be learned; all we need is patience and the willingness.

                       

I know and I prove that everything we discussed will help me a lot.