Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
You'd want to go to Palawan
Feb. 18-22, 2010
When was your last jaw-dropping experience? I had mine last weekend at Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
I wish I could take it all in. Palawan is not just a destination to spend your retreat or vacation. It’s an experience, a worthwhile encounter with nature.
*I didn't bring a camera. So these pictures were uploaded from various sources. Hehe. Buti na lang. Thanks to CSM family.
*All thanks to God for allowing me to join the trip and have my first time experiences (ride a plane, snorkel and fish-feed, breathe fresh air), and be awestruck with Him than ever before.
Note: By the way, the 3rd leg of voting for the New 7 Wonders of Nature is still on until this year. On 2011, the final list will be declared. Please vote for the Puerto Princesa Underground River (http://www.new7wonders.com/n7w/nature/finalists/puerto-princesa-underground-river)
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Matter of choice
For a material to write about, I’d rather blog about a book that contributed some valuable insights than about a soap that whitened my skin.
For a shopping spree, I’d rather look over the shelves of flat shoes than choose upon a line of high-heeled boots.
For some recreation, I’d rather lay some picnic mat under a tree than stand in line to experience my stomach somersault on a rollercoaster ride.
For a movie trip, I’d rather pay a ticket for a cheesy Star Cinema flick than spend my money for a heart-pounding, suspense-thriller movie.
For some teaching opportunity, I’d rather coach you one-on-one than lecture in front of large class.
On a birthday party, I’d rather fill my plate with pancit than fork on the red spaghetti.
For some outdoor games, I’d rather play patintero and monkey-monkey-annabel, than go climbing on a rocky hill.
For an exchange gift, I’d be happier to receive some notebooks or pen or something I could practically use (including photo album and mug and handkerchief), than some glamorous figurine that’ll just function as accessory on our living room.
For some music pleasure, I’d rather be lulled by the Mabuhay singers than rock on with Lady Gaga or the Wonder Girls.
For another pleasure, I’d rather sleep than take a morning walk and exercise. (Talk about laziness.)
For a husband, I’d love him to be very Filipino than for him to be some citizen of another country.
(Here’s the Disclaimer: You might perceive my kind of personality given these. Further, my choices do not stand unchangeable and exclusive on their own. I may do the otherwise if I get to do them with the people I love. Spending time with them will be my first choice; the activity itself will fall on the secondary. But please read on…)
Life presents us with so many choices. But actually, those choices are reduced to just two, the black and white options are: to follow God or not. Of either choice, we’re to answer the rewards or consequences that each entails.
For a shopping spree, I’d rather look over the shelves of flat shoes than choose upon a line of high-heeled boots.
For some recreation, I’d rather lay some picnic mat under a tree than stand in line to experience my stomach somersault on a rollercoaster ride.
For a movie trip, I’d rather pay a ticket for a cheesy Star Cinema flick than spend my money for a heart-pounding, suspense-thriller movie.
For some teaching opportunity, I’d rather coach you one-on-one than lecture in front of large class.
On a birthday party, I’d rather fill my plate with pancit than fork on the red spaghetti.
For some outdoor games, I’d rather play patintero and monkey-monkey-annabel, than go climbing on a rocky hill.
For an exchange gift, I’d be happier to receive some notebooks or pen or something I could practically use (including photo album and mug and handkerchief), than some glamorous figurine that’ll just function as accessory on our living room.
For some music pleasure, I’d rather be lulled by the Mabuhay singers than rock on with Lady Gaga or the Wonder Girls.
For another pleasure, I’d rather sleep than take a morning walk and exercise. (Talk about laziness.)
For a husband, I’d love him to be very Filipino than for him to be some citizen of another country.
(Here’s the Disclaimer: You might perceive my kind of personality given these. Further, my choices do not stand unchangeable and exclusive on their own. I may do the otherwise if I get to do them with the people I love. Spending time with them will be my first choice; the activity itself will fall on the secondary. But please read on…)
Life presents us with so many choices. But actually, those choices are reduced to just two, the black and white options are: to follow God or not. Of either choice, we’re to answer the rewards or consequences that each entails.
Matter of choice
For a material to write about, I’d rather blog about a book that contributed some valuable insights than about a soap that whitened my skin.
For a shopping spree, I’d rather look over the shelves of flat shoes than choose upon a line of high-heeled boots.
For some recreation, I’d rather lay some picnic mat under a tree than stand in line to experience my stomach somersault on a rollercoaster ride.
For a movie trip, I’d rather pay a ticket for a cheesy Star Cinema flick than spend my money for a heart-pounding, suspense-thriller movie.
For some teaching opportunity, I’d rather coach you one-on-one than lecture in front of large class.
On a birthday party, I’d rather fill my plate with pancit than fork on the red spaghetti.
For some outdoor games, I’d rather play patintero and monkey-monkey-annabel, than go climbing on a rocky hill.
For an exchange gift, I’d be happier to receive some notebooks or pen or something I could practically use (including photo album and mug and handkerchief), than some glamorous figurine that’ll just function as accessory on our living room.
For some music pleasure, I’d rather be lulled by the Mabuhay singers than rock on with Lady Gaga or the Wonder Girls.
For another pleasure, I’d rather sleep than take a morning walk and exercise. (Talk about laziness.)
For a husband, I’d love him to be very Filipino than for him to be some citizen of another country.
(Here’s the Disclaimer: You might perceive my kind of personality given these. Further, my choices do not stand unchangeable and exclusive on their own. I may do the otherwise if I get to do them with the people I love. Spending time with them will be my first choice; the activity itself will fall on the secondary. But please read on…)
Life presents us with so many choices. But actually, those choices are reduced to just two, the black and white options: to follow God or not. Of either choice, we’re to answer the rewards or consequences that each entails.
For a shopping spree, I’d rather look over the shelves of flat shoes than choose upon a line of high-heeled boots.
For some recreation, I’d rather lay some picnic mat under a tree than stand in line to experience my stomach somersault on a rollercoaster ride.
For a movie trip, I’d rather pay a ticket for a cheesy Star Cinema flick than spend my money for a heart-pounding, suspense-thriller movie.
For some teaching opportunity, I’d rather coach you one-on-one than lecture in front of large class.
On a birthday party, I’d rather fill my plate with pancit than fork on the red spaghetti.
For some outdoor games, I’d rather play patintero and monkey-monkey-annabel, than go climbing on a rocky hill.
For an exchange gift, I’d be happier to receive some notebooks or pen or something I could practically use (including photo album and mug and handkerchief), than some glamorous figurine that’ll just function as accessory on our living room.
For some music pleasure, I’d rather be lulled by the Mabuhay singers than rock on with Lady Gaga or the Wonder Girls.
For another pleasure, I’d rather sleep than take a morning walk and exercise. (Talk about laziness.)
For a husband, I’d love him to be very Filipino than for him to be some citizen of another country.
(Here’s the Disclaimer: You might perceive my kind of personality given these. Further, my choices do not stand unchangeable and exclusive on their own. I may do the otherwise if I get to do them with the people I love. Spending time with them will be my first choice; the activity itself will fall on the secondary. But please read on…)
Life presents us with so many choices. But actually, those choices are reduced to just two, the black and white options: to follow God or not. Of either choice, we’re to answer the rewards or consequences that each entails.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
My Nokia 1100
Three years ago, my brother gave me a gift out of the fruit of his job as a bagger in Walter Mart. It was unusual! For one, I’m not used about my brother giving me something wholeheartedly and two, we constantly fight over our own needs, whether over food or pillows or school things or chores (and the long list goes on).
So one afternoon while sitting quietly in the sofa and he harshly handed to me a purple paper bag as he got inside the house, I was consciously trying to hide a smile upon realizing what’s inside.
My brother told me long before that if he already can, he would buy me a cellphone—while he would constantly ridicule me about my kind of lifestyle and the second-hand Nokia 3210 that I own. If you’re in my shoes, I think you’d be irritated, too. But you’ll be equally pleased when in exchange for that your brother would thoughtfully give you a brand new cellphone. In spite of the booming camera phones on the market back then, I felt that I got to be a notch higher with 1100 than with the bulky 3210 (though I enjoyed playing Snake and Memory Game in there). It was also my brother’s first gift to me (I think). So I felt that the price for that phone just got doubled than any other camera phones available.
Aside from the larger storage for messages and phonebook (as compared with my 3210), its built-in flashlight is equally useful! There are also two kinds of Snake games in it that you can battle with. My thank you to my brother was done in just a soft and abrupt manner, though my heart shouts with so much appreciation.
So there’s the story of my original 1100. If I wasn’t that forgetful and careless that I was able to keep my phone in safe places, I would have saved it from numerously falling that its LCD would not have given up. The backlights first waned away, and then I couldn’t see anything on the screen anymore, until finally I felt it just needed to retire from service. I had to remove my SIM card and find another phone for it to settle.
From my salary as a call center agent, I was able to buy a Samsung E250, which life didn’t last long as well because of its problematic slide design. I ended up phone-less. Then, as if it resurrected, my aunt gave me another phone, her Nokia 1100. I’m still enjoying it today though the keypad’s letters and numbers have already been erased. Its built-in flashlight is my helpful companion especially when I go home late at night because I could avoid the dogs’ poops that may be scattered somewhere in the neighborhood. I also don’t have to be overly cautious to bring it out in public places while I text or save my immediate ideas in the Drafts folder.
By the way, I’m still keeping my first, old and busted 1100. Why not have it repaired? Or for a more environment-friendly act, shoot it in the Nokia-gadgets bin located on the malls?
There are some things I cannot let go of just yet. Do you have that kind of sentiments, too, especially if you associate a certain thing with a person?
So one afternoon while sitting quietly in the sofa and he harshly handed to me a purple paper bag as he got inside the house, I was consciously trying to hide a smile upon realizing what’s inside.
My brother told me long before that if he already can, he would buy me a cellphone—while he would constantly ridicule me about my kind of lifestyle and the second-hand Nokia 3210 that I own. If you’re in my shoes, I think you’d be irritated, too. But you’ll be equally pleased when in exchange for that your brother would thoughtfully give you a brand new cellphone. In spite of the booming camera phones on the market back then, I felt that I got to be a notch higher with 1100 than with the bulky 3210 (though I enjoyed playing Snake and Memory Game in there). It was also my brother’s first gift to me (I think). So I felt that the price for that phone just got doubled than any other camera phones available.
Aside from the larger storage for messages and phonebook (as compared with my 3210), its built-in flashlight is equally useful! There are also two kinds of Snake games in it that you can battle with. My thank you to my brother was done in just a soft and abrupt manner, though my heart shouts with so much appreciation.
So there’s the story of my original 1100. If I wasn’t that forgetful and careless that I was able to keep my phone in safe places, I would have saved it from numerously falling that its LCD would not have given up. The backlights first waned away, and then I couldn’t see anything on the screen anymore, until finally I felt it just needed to retire from service. I had to remove my SIM card and find another phone for it to settle.
From my salary as a call center agent, I was able to buy a Samsung E250, which life didn’t last long as well because of its problematic slide design. I ended up phone-less. Then, as if it resurrected, my aunt gave me another phone, her Nokia 1100. I’m still enjoying it today though the keypad’s letters and numbers have already been erased. Its built-in flashlight is my helpful companion especially when I go home late at night because I could avoid the dogs’ poops that may be scattered somewhere in the neighborhood. I also don’t have to be overly cautious to bring it out in public places while I text or save my immediate ideas in the Drafts folder.
By the way, I’m still keeping my first, old and busted 1100. Why not have it repaired? Or for a more environment-friendly act, shoot it in the Nokia-gadgets bin located on the malls?
There are some things I cannot let go of just yet. Do you have that kind of sentiments, too, especially if you associate a certain thing with a person?
Friday, February 12, 2010
On writing and being read
When you write, you actually give yourself to the world also known as readers, while breaking down your guards and exposing your insides.
As much as I can and if I have that option, I would just confine between my desk and my chair so the words on my journal would remain unseen by any other being unless I already died. With this in mind, I’m actually being stingy not just to those whom I could’ve ministered to, but much to myself for locking down my doors to the feedbacks on what I can improve on. I’m not saying that I publish my thoughts to every person that I would come across with. Of course I know you know better. But being confident in this: each one of us has a story to tell and that we’re also designed to express. One avenue given to us is through our written works.
I realized that my being reserved in that way actually roots from fear and insecurity. For the most part, I do not take the risk to stand up and say my piece because I don’t want to remove my guards and expose my vulnerability to men. I didn’t like the thought that they would come to me with attacks of you’re-this-and-that. Another thing is, when I attempt to give it a shot, the way I consider that the works of others are way better than mine would shoot me back. Now I had to reassess my life and look on what and who really matters. Who am I trying to please?
“God was pleased to trust us with His message. We didn’t speak to please people, but to please God who knows our motives.”
-1 Thessalonians 2:4
If you are or have been in the same struggle as I was, then it would help you much to be more honest with yourself. As I recall my activities in the past, the moments that I try to pose an I’m-okay-with-no-need-for-correction façade only ends up with more mess for me to clean up. For me, these points can somehow sum up the most vital steps to recover from a lot of red marks on your paper:
· Put your confidence in the Lord, not on yourself, not on men. The most valuable comment comes from Him who deeply knows you.
· Be humble with who you really are by accepting your shortcomings and weaknesses, and learning from them.
· Understand that you have been given the potentials and the opportunities to grow.
· Be in gratitude so in all you do, you do them for God’s glory, which will cause you to aim for excellence. That kind motivation is what matters.
I’m still a struggling, learning writer. We have the best author and editor of our lives, though. And His big embrace of grace is always welcome for you to receive.
On writing and being read
When you write, you actually give yourself to the world also known as readers, while breaking down your guards and exposing your insides.
As much as I can and if I have that option, I would just confine between my desk and my chair so the words on my journal would remain unseen by any other being unless I already died. With this in mind, I’m actually being stingy not just to those whom I could’ve ministered to, but much to myself for locking down my doors to the feedbacks on what I can improve on. I’m not saying that I publish my thoughts to every person that I would come across with. Of course I know you know better. But being confident in this: each one of us has a story to tell and that we’re also designed to express. One avenue given to us is through our written works.
I realized that my being reserved in that way actually roots from fear and insecurity. For the most part, I do not take the risk to stand up and say my piece because I don’t want to remove my guards and expose my vulnerability to men. I didn’t like the thought that they would come to me with attacks of you’re-this-and-that. Another thing is, when I attempt to give it a shot, the way I consider that the works of others are way better than mine would shoot me back. Now I had to reassess my life and look on what and who really matters. Who am I trying to please?
“God was pleased to trust us with His message. We didn’t speak to please people, but to please God who knows our motives.”
-1 Thessalonians 2:4 (CEV)
If you are or have been in the same struggle as I was, then it would help you much to be more honest with yourself. As I recall my activities in the past, the moments that I try to pose an I’m-okay-with-no-need-for-correction façade only ends up with more mess for me to clean up. For me, these points can somehow sum up the most vital steps to recover from a lot of red marks on your paper:
· Put your confidence in the Lord, not on yourself, not on men. The most valuable comment comes from Him who deeply knows you.
· Be humble with who you really are by accepting your shortcomings and weaknesses, and learning from them.
· Understand that you have been given the potentials and the opportunities to grow.
· Be in gratitude so in all you do, you do them for God’s glory, which will cause you to aim for excellence. That kind motivation is what matters.
I’m still a struggling, learning writer. We have the best author and editor of our lives, though. And His big embrace of grace is always welcome for you to receive.
As much as I can and if I have that option, I would just confine between my desk and my chair so the words on my journal would remain unseen by any other being unless I already died. With this in mind, I’m actually being stingy not just to those whom I could’ve ministered to, but much to myself for locking down my doors to the feedbacks on what I can improve on. I’m not saying that I publish my thoughts to every person that I would come across with. Of course I know you know better. But being confident in this: each one of us has a story to tell and that we’re also designed to express. One avenue given to us is through our written works.
I realized that my being reserved in that way actually roots from fear and insecurity. For the most part, I do not take the risk to stand up and say my piece because I don’t want to remove my guards and expose my vulnerability to men. I didn’t like the thought that they would come to me with attacks of you’re-this-and-that. Another thing is, when I attempt to give it a shot, the way I consider that the works of others are way better than mine would shoot me back. Now I had to reassess my life and look on what and who really matters. Who am I trying to please?
“God was pleased to trust us with His message. We didn’t speak to please people, but to please God who knows our motives.”
-1 Thessalonians 2:4 (CEV)
If you are or have been in the same struggle as I was, then it would help you much to be more honest with yourself. As I recall my activities in the past, the moments that I try to pose an I’m-okay-with-no-need-for-correction façade only ends up with more mess for me to clean up. For me, these points can somehow sum up the most vital steps to recover from a lot of red marks on your paper:
· Put your confidence in the Lord, not on yourself, not on men. The most valuable comment comes from Him who deeply knows you.
· Be humble with who you really are by accepting your shortcomings and weaknesses, and learning from them.
· Understand that you have been given the potentials and the opportunities to grow.
· Be in gratitude so in all you do, you do them for God’s glory, which will cause you to aim for excellence. That kind motivation is what matters.
I’m still a struggling, learning writer. We have the best author and editor of our lives, though. And His big embrace of grace is always welcome for you to receive.
What's in your name?
You may throw a weird look upon this blog site's title. Or you may think that the writer must have been trying to search for some quite catchy phrase which would induce some interest in her readers about what could be this blog site's all about. Well, it's really some effort for me to come up with something like that. So I decided to just start this whole thing off from something that basically would identify me. And it's my name--Riza Pilapil.
Learning from my French dictionary during college, "riz," which is actually what my few close friends call me, literally means "rice" in such language. Now, when I got to introduce myself (in full name) to some new acquaintances, or one time when the saleslady in Watsons to whom I gave my SM Advantage Card as I did my purchase saw my imprinted name on it, the immediate reaction was: "Kaano-ano mo si Pilar Pilapil?" (How are you related to Pilar Pilapil?) Now, I won't contest on Ms. Pilapil's popularity that the people is so used to connect with my being (or to those with the same surname as hers... or mine). I don't also mind if those who have asked me that question cares about the importance of knowing someone who's closely related to a celebrity (at least by surname). By the way, I found this site, and maybe this is one helpful link for those trying to search their roots.
Now after all my declarations on the previous paragraph, I would also associate my name to the muddy pathway along the rice fields, which is so useful for the farmers in getting through their daily tasks. Yeah, that's the pilapil. If you're a Filipino, I hope you would know this. I have also been the center of teasing by my classmates when during one point in the 90's, a commercial about this bathroom tissue in its easy pull-it packaging came out. The commercial's recall was because of this catchy jingle centering on hygiene. I won't elaborate more on that. I'll just give away the lines: "sa bukid walang papel, ikiskis mo sa pilapil." I didn't like the idea. But I think it created the identity the ad team aimed for.
I don't try to get away from the name that has been gifted to me since I was born into this world. I thank my parents for cluelessly putting together my name that complemented each other and that gave me a subject to start off with my blogspot.com. The more important thing is my identity belongs to God. And my name is written in his heart.
As it is written in John 1:12, I am God's child.
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
What's in your name?
Monday, February 8, 2010
ON STEWARDSHIP... Here's one insight that came as a new light to me as I was reading through "Your First Job" by Nelson Dy. It was from the answer of BJ Sebastian (Corporate Planning Director of JG Summit) as he was interviewed by the author on how he's maintain such trust that his bosses at JG Summit has put upon him especially regarding the company funds: "Stewardship is not just about being faithful, it's also about being skillful. Even if you don't have much, if you put yourself in the hands of God, then He can do a lot. If He gave you abilities, then by all means use them. You have to be skillful in what you do. So if you're already a good manager, be a better one. If you're already a good finance person, then study more, keep yourself at the cutting edge... So you have to do your homework."
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