Humor for the Day: Lose Weight by Just Sitting

 Good luck! LOL

Where Are You Sleep?

Photo courtesy of http://www.mylifedisrupted.com

Everyone is off to bed

The oldest one was first to shut her eyes

One by one the teens were in their jammies 

But the little one first needs to be fed

Soon she dozes off like everyone else

Exchanges of "Good nights" and "Sweet dreams"

The day has finally come to an end 

The bed looks like it beams

Fluffy pillows awaits and would gladly lend 

A heavenly comfort and a tired soul's mend

It is now past midnight 

But the eyes resist the lure of sleep

The lamp's little ray was the only light 

To shut the humming sounds with all the might

Where are you sleep?

Soniador, A poem

November 27, 2011

VIDEO: Little Girl Afraid of Her Own Shadow

The cutest little girl ever. Under the blazing heat of the sun while chowing down on her ice candy, all of a sudden the existence of her shadow which is not always there was in stark presence right before her eyes. She was pointing at it while sobbing at the same time. She was like saying, "What the heck is that thing doing? Following my every move and wouldn't go away!"

Poor little thing! She was trying her earnest to dodge her shadow but there's nothing much to do really. Even her mom was not helping in her predicament.

If Peter Pan, in the famous Disney fairy tale, left Neverland to look for his shadow, this girl would rather go to Neverland so she can live without her scary shadow.

Aaaah. The ironies of life! And her mom was right, "It wouldn't go away you know." In many ways, we are like the little girl who is afraid of her own shadow. At least, the little girl's fear was born out of ignorance and innocence. In the meantime, she does not know why shadows even exist but when she grows up she'll only laugh the incident off. On one hand, our fears are much more real and gripping. We fear all sorts of shadows. The shadow of our past, present and the uncertainty of our future. As C.S. Lewis profoundly puts it:

Part of every misery is, so to speak, the misery's shadow or reflection: the fact that you don't merely suffer but have to keep on thinking about the fact that you suffer. I not only live each endless day in grief, but live each day thinking about living each day in grief.

Sometimes, it is the very shadow of our fears that hinders us to live the full life. We should learn from the little girl. We can cry, scream and point at those shadows. We need not go to Neverland so we can live happily ever after. Just accept the fact that those shadows will never go away but we can always rise above them. We need to recognize that these fears exist and at the end of the day, the sun will set and the shadows fade away. The next day is a new beginning.  

Photo courtesy of http://www.panhala.net 

Humor for the Day: Man vs Woman

Photo Courtesy of Facebook

Rachel Crow: "All the kids out there, you can because I did!"

The adorable Rachel Crow sung I Believe by Yolanda Adams for the top 9 live performance on X Factor USA last night. She dedicated her performance for her mom and dad who adopted her when she was still a few months old.

I couldn't even imagine where and who Rachel would be if she was not lovingly cared by her foster parents. Rachel was born to a crack cocaine addicted mother. She has suffered abused and trauma living in a crack house and consequently, becoming addicted to crack. What an awful start in life for any kid.

Rachel Crow is 13-year-old today and looking at her and her genuine, innocent smile, you would never guess that she went through that when she was younger. She is such a ray of sunshine! When she smiles, she brightens up the place. When she sings, she captivates and tugs at your heart. She is a young, adorable, happy girl with an old soul.

I included the lyrics of I Believe below for some inspiration.

They said you wouldn't make it so far a a
And ever since they've said it its been hard
But never mind that night'cha had to cry
Cause you had never let it go inside
And you can never give up
You can reach your goals
Just talk to your soul and say

[Chorus:]
I believe i can
I believe i will
I believe i know my dreams are real
I believe i can
I believe i will
I believe i hold it soon man
That is what i do believe

Your fools are justes singing, your soul aha
And you know that your moves will let them show
You keep creating pictures in your mind
So just believe they will come true in time
It will be fine leave all of your cares and stress behind and
Just let it go
Let the music go inside again the pain
It just start to believe
 At third my yet what people say
Hold your head high and turn away
With all my hopes and dreams I will believe
Even though it seems it's not for me
I won't give up, i'll keep it up
Looking to the sky
I will achieve on my knees
I will always believe

At the end of her performance, Rachel said, "And I wanna tell all the kids out there that you really can because I did!"  

Could you adore this girl even more? And I hope that thousands more or even millions more would be inspired with her story. It was a bleak past for Rachel but I can see that she will have a bright, exciting future ahead. Rachel Crow, I do believe. =)

Thanksgiving Celebration Filipino Style

Philippine Festivals

In the Philippines, we don't have a national holiday dedicated for Thanksgiving Celebration the same way US and Canada has. But we do celebrate thanksgiving. In fact, we do it several times a year.

Across the archipelago, there are several dozens of festivals held each year. A certain province, a certain city or town has a yearly celebratory ritual dedicated for a patron saint, a famous product, a special skill or a special quality that is uniquely associated with the place.

Every January, a special day is set aside for the Feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo Church, Manila where  devotees of the famous miraculous Black Nazarene endure the scourging heat and the long procession just to have a glimpse or even touch the statue. We have the Sinulog Festival in Cebu City where Cebuanos dance along the street to the beat of the drums while shouting a praise, "Pit Senor! Viva Sto. Nino!" While the Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City is held every fourth week of February to celebrate the flower season of the city of Pines. The Pahiyas Festival of Lucban, Laguna honors the patron saint of farmers, San Isidro. In the province of guimaras, they celebrate their famous golden mangoes through the "Manggahan sa Guimaras Festival". In Mindanao, General Santos City celebrates the Tuna Festival to give thanks for the contribution of tuna for the livelihood of the city.

A special mention for the Pasalamat Festival held in La Carlota City during the month of April to honor the god of Agriculture in Kanlaon Volcano. Pasalamat is thanksgiving in English. There are street dancing to the beat of the drums and a special pageant for the Pasalamat Queen.

Photo courtesy of www.koolbirks.com 

The list could go on and on. Different places, different names but in essence, the festivities is one and the same. It a celebration of thanksgiving.

These thanksgiving celebrations are held throughout the year in the Philippines. And everyone is invited to join the Filipinos' way of giving thanks.



Read More: Thanksgiving is not about the Perfect Turkey

Thanksgiving Day is not about the Perfect Turkey

Thanksgiving is not about the perfect turkey or is it? Everywhere in the web, articles upon articles, videos upon videos and recipes upon recipes, talk about how to make the perfect turkey. They are helpful, no question about that. But the spotlight has been on the turkey and not on the real essence of thanksgiving.

Poor thing!

As history would tell us, the "First Thanksgiving" event that Americans refer to is the one celebrated by the Pilgrims at Plymouth on 1621. They had a variety of food like fish, grains, wild fowl (including turkey), fruits and vegetables. The celebration lasted for three days eating and thanking God for all His blessings.

The Pilgrims at Plymouth 

But it was only in 1863 when Abraham Lincoln in the midst of the American Civil War and prompted by articles written by Sarah Josepha Hale proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day. From then on, thanksgiving has been observed every last Thursday of November annually.

 An excerpt from President Abe Lincoln's Proclamation of Thanksgiving Day:

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

Lincoln has said that in the midst of enjoying the bounty and blessings of life, we tend to forget that these are because of the providence of Almighty God. It seems to me that we keep on forgetting. Year after year, we fuss about the menu, about the turkey, the stuffing and dressing, the annual parade and along the way shoving the real essence of the celebration aside.

In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.

They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people.

Lincoln further encourage us to count the many blessings we are experiencing in spite of difficulties and problems. It was in the midst of civil war then and Lincoln urge America to rejoice in spite of the war and continue to be hopeful for the freedom that America soon will truly enjoy.

And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.

The food, dinner invitations, family gatherings, parade and the turkey have all become a part of the Thanksgiving custom. It creates a more celebratory atmosphere but even without it, we should always remember that Thanksgiving is ultimately, a day to give thanks. The moment that we prioritize our turkey more than cultivating an atmosphere and a culture of thankfulness then we may be celebrating Happy Dead, Roasted Bird Day than Happy Thanksgiving Day.

So forget about the perfect turkey for a while, go on ahead and say a prayer of thanks to God for He has been good.

Pinoy TV Gems: Junior Masterchef Pinoy Edition

Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition Hosts 

I've given up TV a long time ago. I can't be bothered with the news and Pinoy teleseryes are way too cheesy and dramatic which doesn't suit my taste anymore. Why should I agonize sitting through dozens of tv advertisements when I could simply skip them and go right ahead google and stream the shows? But as I've said, for me television has lost it's appeal altogether.  

Until Junior Master Chef Pinoy Edition lured me back. It is a tv cooking show that promotes healthy competition among youngsters ages 8 to 12. It is also a venue for the kids to showcase their cooking skills, team spirit and creativity. They are taught how to handle pressure especially that challenges are with time constraints. 

And Junior Master Chef is currently my stress buster. It's the only show I couldn't miss.   

Five reasons why I looooooooove the show:

1. It keeps stress at bay which means I spare myself from the mercy of sugar overdose.

2. It is always pure joy watching kids at a very young age spin off their own recipes. AMAy-zing!

3. It gives me hope that if the kids can, I can too.    

4. I love their kitchen and the plethora of ingredients? WOW. I want one in our house too! 

5. Lastly, it sets a good example for the young and old alike. 

I think we need more shows such as the Junior Master Chef on our television. It's not only a pleasure to watch but it encourages the young generation that age does not matter. They may be young but they can and they should start chasing their dreams. 

Meet the super 12 of Junio Master Chef Pinoy Edition! 

Super 12 Junior Master Chef Pinoy Edition

Humor for the Day: Funny Ha Ha

A glimpse of what it will be like for the coming years...

Keith Lapinig's Gazer Elf to be Macy's Parade Balloon for Thanksgiving

 Keith Lapinig and his creation. Photo courtesy: http://www.bakitwhy.com

A big hurrah for Mr. Keith Lapinig for winning the Macy's Great Elf American Adventure Competition. His elf creation was chosen by thousands of fans on Macy's Facebook page and the verdict is out. Keith Lapinig's creative elf creature will be made into Macy's parade balloon this year.

Keith Lapinig is a 25-year-old Filipino-American who resides in Queensland, NY. He is a graphics and web designer who along with 1000 other participants submitted his entry for the competition.

The Gazer Elf will be one of the helium wonders on Thanksgiving Day to be seen by millions of viewers and it is the newest member to Macy's family of elves.

Again, Congratulations Keith Lapinig!

Watch Keith's video below:

Danielle Mangabat: "I Am...Filipino American" Winner

Photo Courtesy of thefilam.net

A smiling 10-year old Filipino-American girl from New Jersey, Danielle Mangabat, accepts her award for winning the "I am...Filipino American." contest as announced by the Filipino School of New York and New Jersey.

All students of Filipino descent from grades 1-12 were invited to participate in the contest. They were asked to answer some questions with regards to their pride as a Filipino-American.  

Danielle Mangabat wrote an essay and she shares, "Every chance I get to showcase my Philippine roots, I seize. I participate in my school’s cultural shows wearing a “baro at saya,” which is a Filipina’s dress. I truly enjoy our Philippine cuisine and delicacies which I expose my friends to. “Pansit” and “polvoron” are my favorites. I bring back stories punctuated by pictures of my travels to the Philippines, always stating the fact that our 7,100 islands are full of adventure and diversity."


I read her essay and I knew why she won. It was short but sincere, innocent, heartfelt and truthful. She was unabashedly proud to be a Filipino that every moment she grabs as an opportunity to share about the Philippines.

She ended her piece with a declaration, "I am proud to be who I am. An American by birth, but with a strong and steadily beating Filipino heart."

She may be miles away from home but her heartbeat rings loud and clear from across the globe. We should all learn from this young lady. Let us carry the colors of our Motherland proudly and unashamed.


Read Danielle Mangabat's full essay here.

Humor for the Day: Funny Ha Ha

SEA Games 2011: Philippines on 6th Place - November 21, 2011

Barely one left before the 26th SEA Games 2011 come to an end on November 22, 2011. Sadly, we are only half-way close to Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Ritchie Garcia's prediction of at least 70 gold medal the Philippine Team will haul in.


The Philippine Team is currently in 6th place with 36 gold medals, 55 silvers and 76 bronzes.


Below is the official result medal tally for 26th Sea Games 2011 as of November 21, 2011:     

Courtesy of OFFICIAL MEDAL TALLY RESULT

We may not hit the 70 gold medals but we can keep pushing for more golds. As it is, I am extremely proud for the Filipino winners who once again brought honor to the country. 


I am especially excited and happy for Sinag Pilipinas. They proved yet again that they are undefeated in the Men's Basketball category beating Thailand with 85-57. The team sure is a ray of sunshine and they added to the Phillippines' pot of gold.    

Photo Courtesy of Facebook

Filipino Young Mathematicians Bring Honor to Country

A group of young math geniuses from the Philippines snagged the honor of placing second in the Asia Inter-Cities Teenagers Mathematics Olympiad (AITMO) held in Kavre, Nepal. Among the participants are South Korea, China, Indonesia, India, Iran, South Africa, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Taiwan.

The kids brought home 5 gold medals, 7 silvers and 4 bronzes.  

Competing against 32 other teams, to place second just behind Thailand who topped the competition, it is quite an achievement. Bulgaria took home the 3rd place honor.

I am Pinay and proud indeed especially that two among the medalists were from my high school alma mater.  

Photo Courtesy of NTG

Here are the list of the medalists (Source: abs-cbnnews.com): 

Dr. Simon Chua has said, "With proper training and guidance, Filipino students proved that they can compete with students from other countries in international math competitions such as this [AITMO]." 

Congratulations Team Philippines!

Movie Review: Praybeyt Benjamin Starring Vice Ganda

The movie, Praybet Benjamin, starring the sensational comedian Vica Ganda has earned rave reviews and an unkabogable gross earnings of $7,406,760 (around Php 311 Million) on it's third week according to boxofficemojo which is a record-breaking feat in the Philippines.

The movie is another collaboration from Star Cinema and Viva Films starring Vice Ganda as Benjie Santos and Derek Ramsay as Brandon Estolas and a slew of supporting character the most notable of which are Nikki Valdez, Vandolph, Kean Cipriano, Jimmy Santos and more under the direction of Wenn V. Deramas. 

As you would expect with a Vice Ganda movie, it's main objective is to get the audience to laugh like crazy. Sure enough, it was what the movie was all about. It makes you feel good because of the increased dopamine and endorphin levels in your body when you laugh thus reducing stress. And if you intend to only laugh, relax and enjoy then the movie is for you. You earned your money's worth. 

They say that entertainment is supposed to be that especially if it's a comedy you'd rather not expect more than to laugh. After all, a comedy film is designed mainly to be humorous and elicit laughter from the audience. In this respect, the movie lived up to that. 

But when it comes to the story line, it was average and basically a rip off of Disney's Mulan. It was as predictable as the sunset happening at the end of the day. There was nothing new. It is a typical Filipino comedy. Predictable, cheesy and corny, a little too much with the exaggeration and shallow.  

I'm not always a fan of Vice Ganda's comedic style where he makes jokes at the expense of another person. Sometimes, it can be witty and genuinely funny but there are instances too that his jokes are just downright degrading. The movie was of course loaded with Vice Ganda's punchlines. I have to admit, I did laugh. But not during the entire film as some of the viewers have claimed. 

I was looking for some depth. I believe that a comedy movie could be both hilarious and meaningful. Yes, there were some moral lessons like acceptance, family values and good camaraderie but other movies have done the same thing too. 

Nonetheless, it is undeniable that the movie was a huge success when it comes to blockbuster earnings. Not all comedy could pull off such numbers in a span of three weeks. The movie was effective in drawing the mainstream audience. But for me, it was good but not good enough. I was expecting more from the story and from the highly sensationalized caliber of Vice Ganda's comedic timing. Or may be I'm just to serious or maybe I'm just being too critical or maybe the movie was just over hyped. I give it a 6 out 10. 

Humor for the Day: Funny Ha Ha

Need I say more? ;D

Christmas Wishlist: The Amazon Kindle Fire

Who needs Apple's Ipad 2 if you can have Amazon's Kindle Fire for only $199? That gives you a savings of more or less $300.   

The Amazon Kindle Fire is the latest offering from the Kindle Series by Amazon. It is a full-color, 7-inch multi-touch, wi-fi-enabled Kindle Fire. You get to do pretty much the same things you can do with an Ipad 2 (web, apps, games, movies, music, reading and more). 

If your criteria includes a balance of functionality and price then you might just found the perfect gadget for you. I know I did. When buzz about the Kindle Fire came out, I was instantly drawn to it because of a number of things: 

• Portability - It's only 7-inch and would fit perfectly in my go-to handbag. 
• The free cloud storage for all Amazon content. This alone got me all excited already.
• Price - Ultimately, the deciding factor is the price. 

You can get two Kindle Fire and an extra $100 to spend on accessories for a price of one Ipad 2. Amazing deal, huh?  

My only apprehensions are the battery life and the on-device storage which is a mere 8GB and only about 6GB available for user content. But that's still equivalent to about 80 apps and 10 movies or 800 songs or 6000 books. The battery life can last up to 8 hours depending on usage. Considering that my greatest need is an e-reader device and the Kindle Fire can store up to 6000 ebooks, that is heaven for me already. The other features are just a plus.

All I want for Christmas is the Kindle Fire. 

Photo of the Day: Funny Haha

I think I want a piece of that turkey. Haha.

Zac Smith: "Cancer is the best thing that happened to me."

Zac Smith

Zac Smith passed away last May 16, 2010 but before he did, he shared his amazing story about cancer and how he kept his faith through it all. Zac's story is a testament that in spite of poverty, struggles, problems and even sickness, we can still live a full life. It's all about faith and it's a matter of perspective.


Imagine yourself at a prime age of 32 years old. You have a wonderful family, a great job, a great church and exciting plans for the future. It is a good life. You are very happy. You have always been healthy but then you found out that you have stage 4 colon cancer. The cancer has already spread to your spleen and to your liver. You underwent chemotherapy for months and when the scan was done, the cancer was gone. You were celebrating because God has answered your prayers. But after a month, another scan and it was bad news. The cancer has reappeared and this time to your abdominal cavity.The cancer has been growing and the chemo drugs are no longer effective and surgery is not an option anymore. Medically speaking, there's not anything that can be done. You realized that you probably will not live until 2011.


That is Zac's story.


I'm sure we've all been to that place. We are confused and we have a lot of questions. Life doesn't seem to make sense. And we ask God, why? Why all these problems? Why me?


Zac was confused too. He asked a lot of questions too. But never did he let go of his faith. He knew that God has plans for him. 

He opened his Bible and right there on Matthew 7:11: 

"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"  

He knew right away that God can only give him good gifts. And that was the time when he was able to say that, "Cancer is the best thing that ever happened to me."

Our problems may not go away. You still have cancer, you just lost your job or you lost a loved one. You have no money and you have no idea how you're going to get by. All your questions were unanswered. But let's learn from Zac Smith and do not  let our situations or sickness stop us from living our life to the full. 


Open your eyes and allow yourself to see life in a different lens.


Let Zac Smith tell you his story himself: VIDEO HERE.     

VIDEO: Sophia Grace Brownlee Singing Nicki Minaj's Superbass

I love children. All children. But what I love more are precocious little girls and boys. When I saw this video last September 2011, I was instantly a fan of these two adorable girls who sung Nicki Minaj's Superbass like superstars. Their Youtube video currently has more than 21 million hits.

It was Sophia, the 8-year old girl who did the performing and Rosie, her cousin, was her hype girl. Sophia said when Rosie is beside while performing it boosts her confidence. These kids were simply sensational. Sophia has swag, she's got the talent and the attitude. She might be a star in the making.

It's always amazing to see kids with so much confidence. I think every kid should be reared in such a way. If every kid has healthy self-image and high self-esteem they will not be afraid to do what they want and eventually achieve their dreams. Then the world will be a better place. Because the children... they are the future.

A few weeks later, these two girls wearing their favorite pink, fluffy dresses brought their British accent to the Ellen Degeneres' show and won everyone's heart with their cuteness.

Check out Sophia and Rosie on the Ellen Show. And surprise, surprise! Nicki Minaj in the house. She even sung a duet with the two girls.

A few days ago, they were invited back to the Ellen show. This time, they performed a cover of one of my favorite songs, Rolling in the Deep by Adele.

Note: 


I must add though that I have reservations with kids singing pop songs of today. They may not know what the meaning behind the songs just yet but you know how it works. The music, the lyrics and the videos have tons of subliminal messages and sexual innuendos that we need to be extra careful when it comes to exposing our kids to such materials.    

Humor for the Day: Funny Ha Ha

Photo Credit: Facebook

Been there.... and I so wanna do this. LOL. 

Sign in the Petition: No More Kardashian's on TV

I just signed a petition that E! TV should cancel the Kardashian's reality tv shows off the air and for good. 

I am in one with petition organizer, Cyndy Snider, when she said that "these shows are mostly staged and place an emphasis on vanity, greed, promiscuity, vulgarity and over-the-top conspicuous consumption."  

I am proud to say that to this day, I have never watched a single episode of their show. I'm not planning to either. I support the petition along with the other thousands who are fed up and tired of reality tv shows that do not impart anything positive to the viewers. Reality TV shows are far from being the real thing. In fact, they manipulate, concoct, create, fake and cook up stories and controversies whichever will sell to the public and whichever will bring in the big bucks. 

These kind of shows are pretty much mindless entertainment and what's worse is that we have allowed these kind of garbage to creep in and become parts of our TV experience, even our daily lives. We get used to it, it becomes part of our system and the society and soon, it is okay to get married and file for a divorce after 72 days because of irreconcilable differences. Why even get married in the first place if you knew or thought that you have such differences? Because she doesn't want to disappoint her fans, she says. Like, seriously?!!!!! Are you even for real?

This might be a new world record. A 72-day marriage! Kim Kardashian has disrespected the sanctity of marriage in a big way and it's not okay anymore.   

Just saying that it's about time that we demand quality and something of value for our television programs. Enough of the Kardashians already.      

Click the link below and sign in your name if you care. 

 No More Kardashian Petition | GoPetition 

VIDEO: Kina Grannis "In Your Arms" and 288, 000 Jelly Beans

Now, this is what I call a brilliant music video. The artistry and creativity set it apart with all the music videos of today which to me are pretty average. There's not much originality and it is loaded with tons of subliminal messages and distasteful scenes.

Kina Grannis featured in this music video singing her single, "In Your arms" with thousands of colorful jellybean paintings in the background which also tells a story all in itself. There were tree, mountains, a girl with guitar, birds, balloons, rainbow, snow, a pot and watering can, a growing plant, an apple, even a worm,  a butterfly, fire, bats, beach, an angel singing lips, fireworks, a damsel in distress being saved, a skull and planet jelly beans. It was a pleasure to watch.

It is unique and different. The time, which is 22 months, effort and work spent on making this video definitely paid off. The director, Greg Jardin, is commendable for attempting to create such artistry. The music video is simple and organic yet it oozes authenticity and pure art.

Watch the making of video below:  

Thomas Suarez: The Next Steve Jobs in the Making?

I listen to this kid talk and I couldn't help but wish I was as confident and sure of myself when I was 12.

This 6th grader from Los Angeles gave a talk about "Transforming Learning" last October 22 at the TEDxManhattanBeach showcasing his two apps, the Earth Fortune and the Bustin Jieber. He even elicited some laughs from the audience when he introduced his favorite and most successful app, the Bustin Jieber.

Thomas Suarez at the TEDxManhattan

Thomas Suarez, 12 years old, might be the next Steve Jobs in the making. Not a big surprise if it happens because Steve Jobs is in fact his inspiration. He holds his iPad, conquered the stage and talks about his experiences and what he wants.

He'd "like to create more apps, more games, and working with a third-party company to make an app. I'd like to get into Android programming and development. And I'd like to continue my app club and find other ways to share knowledge with others."     

He is very charismatic, he knows how to spot for opportunities, how to market his ideas and he is quite a visionary too. He was able to convince his parents to pay the $99 fee so he can put his app in the Apple Store. A lot of his friends at school disliked Justin Bieber then he came up with Bustin Jieber. He asks the right questions and say the wisest things.

Let's be honest. He was right on when he said, "These days, students usually know a little bit more than teachers...." The audience laughs of course. He added, "with the technology. So...Sorry." And more laughs.

In today's age, young talents and precocious minds will be technologies' next generation revolutionaries. We need to nurture them. We need to provide avenues for these young minds where they can grow and do what they want. He was right. If you want to learn soccer, you join a soccer team. If you want to play the violin then get into a violin class. But if you want to make apps, where do you go?  

This is the question that parents, teachers, schools should provide an answer to.

Sea Games 2011 Medal Tally: Team Philippines has 8 Golds, 14 Silver, 20 Bronze Medals

As of November 15, 2011, Team Philippines has bagged 8 golds, 14 silver, and 20 bronze medals. 

Thanks to Marestella Torres, a long jumper, who successfully won the first gold medal for the country last Saturday morning. It was followed by another gold by the taekwondo team of Rani Ortega, Camille Alarilla and Janice Lagman. The third gold was brought in by Maria Camille Manalo for the under-62 kilogram female catergory of taekwondo. Rene Herrera added another gold to the loot. These along with two silvers and five bronzes. 

These are only some of the medals for the Philippine team. It is a total of 42 all in all which puts the Philippines on 6th place just behind Malaysia with 48 medals.

Indonesia, on the other hand, was on top of their game having collected a total of 146 medals. Of that, 60 are golds. Thailand is next with a total of 98 medals and a close third with 91 goes to Vietnam. While Singapore occupies the 4th spot with 67. 

For the winners, congratulations! You won because you were the best among your competitors.

The winners definitely brought honor to the country. But is 8 enough? Is 8 the best that we can do? If Indonesia can win as much as 146, I'm sure the Philippine team is just as able to do such a feat. We need to be more competitive,  more trained and more focused.

The good thing is, there's always next year. And I hope that it can only get better from here.

Team Philippines for Sea Games 2012!   

Photo of the Day: Funny Ha Ha

Oh yeah!

LIVE: Watch Online the Premiere of Breaking Dawn Part 1

Exclusive only in Yahoo Movies! Don't miss what the stars wore and witness as they arrive the red carpet from the comforts of your homes.

Thousands of cult followers of the Twilight movies have been waiting for this very moment. The twihards are in an uproar and the stars haven't arrived yet. Wait till they see Edward, Jacob and Bella. It is going to be soooo wild. Join the fun!

One of the most anticipated movies of the year and the Twilight fandom is getting bigger and bigger each year. Breaking Dawn Part 1 will hit theaters on Friday, November 18, 2011.

Watch the Premiere of Breaking Dawn NOW!

Actors of Twilight's Breaking Dawn Part 1 and other stars that are fans of the series have started arriving...

Esme Cullen and Alice Cullen

Nikki Reed as Rosalie Hale

Sarah Clarke as Renee

Willow Smith (Photo Credit: Rotten Tomatoes)

Jennifer Love Hewitt (Photo Credit: RT)

Ashley Tisdale (Photo Credit: RT)

Edward Cullen in the house!

Kirsten Steward as Bella  

Kellan Klutz as Emmet Cullen

Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black

Photo of the Day: Funny Ha Ha

Photo Credit: Facebook

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How To Test Your Perseverance: The Angry Birds Approach

The Angry Birds Approach

Angry Birds

Earlier today, Yahoo News reported that the famous gang of flying angry birds have reached a milestone. Ever since its release two years ago, it has been downloaded more than 500 million times worldwide. I don't think it will slow down for the next couple of years or so. It is indeed an Angry Birds invasion around the globe. In the Philippines alone, Angry Birds merchandises from key chains, toys, bags, shirts and many more are flying off the shelves fast.

I remember the first time I got hooked myself. I stayed up late for the next three days trying to finish all the challenges. There were times when I practically spent the whole day playing. It was both fun and frustrating. There were a number of really difficult challenges and I think I've done more or less a hundred tries (maybe it's exaggeration but I really felt it was close to a hundred) before I can move on to the next stage.

Setting "addiction" and "wasted time" aside, I think how we play Angry Birds tells us something about our attitude in life particularly, perseverance.

But first things first. Let's try to define what perseverance is. According to the www.thefreedictionary.com, it is a continued steady belief of efforts, withstanding discouragement or difficulty. 

I came up with these 4 questions* that might help gauge one's perseverance. Answer Yes or No.

1. Do you stay up till the wee hours of the night playing Angry Birds? If yes, up to what time? 
    This question tells us that if we are doing something fun and challenging, we can set our minds to do it and even withstand sleepiness.  

2. Do you strive to win all three stars for every challenge?
    The measure of how well we did killing all those catatonic pigs were measured through the stars given. We did good if we get one star, two for better and pretty damn well if we get all three. The first try will not always get us the three stars but I tend to go back and play again until I get a three. There's a feeling of fulfillment that goes with it if I did.   

3. Do you not stop trying as many times as you can to complete the difficult challenges?
    The pelicans are my least favorite among the angry birds. There was this one challenge and all I have were, you guessed it, the pelicans. It was really hard since I'm not very good with the timing. I was stuck after several tries, slept on it and tried again the next day. After like an eternity, I finally got it and I almost jumped for joy.       

4. Are you set to completing the game till the end?
    As you move on to the next level, the challenges sure were getting difficult to complete. There were times that it seemed pretty silly trying your hardest to get it right. But in the end, I'd still want to be able to say, "I did. I finished Angry Birds from start to end!"

Can you imagine if we are as persevering in our careers and goals in life the same way we play Angry Birds? Then we would have achieved a great deal of our goals and we'd be living a full life. Or how about if our careers and jobs are as fun as Angry Birds? Then it wouldn't be so hard to persevere. Life would both be fun and challenging and we are loving it.


*Disclaimer:
This is not based on any research or study. This is purely based on author's opinions. :)