Flores de Mayo in Almanza - Kiddie Version

The Flores de Mayo has started in our subdivision
 with kids as Reina Elenas and Sagalas

The Flores de Mayo season has started as I saw a kiddie parade outside of the subdivision this afternoon. The kids were dressed in dainty finery and made to look like little misses. They were accompanied by their mom, dad, kuya, ate, bunso, and friends. I can't help but stop, and take pictures as the little tykes strolled along.

It was a parade where the kids have all the fun, with everybody gawking and cheering at them. I can only look at the small ones, probably enduring the walk and the heat of the midday sun. I saw some mothers fanning their children and wiping the perspiration from their faces. 

This little girl was accompanied by her brothers holding an arc. She saw me with my camera, so she posed to have her picture taken. Such a pretty miss! Her mom would only be too proud to have such a cheeky daughter.

I can only laugh when I saw this little lady arranging her gown for a better fit. Her over solicitous escort was only too willing to assist. I looked at her clunky footwear and wondered on how she can walk with that. Well...

I waved at this pretty little miss to stop awhile so I can take her picture. She was too gracious to look back and give me that pretty smile. Meanwhile, her brothers were shouting with each other so they don't drop the fancy arc while walking.

I looked at this cute sagala and wondered why my kid wasn't able to join in parades like this one. Well...well...I can just imagine the little tot asking me to carry her. She doesn't like to take long walks. I could only imagine fanning her as she doesn't like the heat, either. I would have loved to see her in this flowery dress, though.

#Flores_de_Mayo

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Rabindranath Tagore: The Great Son of India

Rabindranath Tagore
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

India could never be mentioned, without touching on one of its spiritual leaders and son, Rabrindranath Tagore. He was born on May 7, 1861 with Brahmo bloodlines running in his veins. His descendants were founders of the Adi Dharm faith. He was India's greatest literary, having reshaped the country's literature, poetry and music.

He authored several poetries, short stories, major plays, musical dramas, essays, travel diaries, autobiographies, paintings and songs; legacies, which are now stored and collated in the school that he founded, the Visva Bharati University in West Bengal. 

One of Rabindranath Tagore's greatest achievement was of having been bestowed the Nobel Prize laureate for Literature in 1913 - the first non-European to have received the honor. His best known work is "Gintanjali" or Song Offering in 1910 which was hailed for its lyricism, elegance and naturalism. He was oftentimes referred to as the spark that kindled the Bengali Renaissance in the arts and literature.

Travel to India would not be complete without a visit to the said university. The name Visva Bharati means --- the communion of the world with India. It is said to follow the late master’s precept and belief that - "A proper Teacher does not explain things; Proper teaching stokes curiosity.":


Note from the author:

My parents took their postgraduate studies at the Visva  Bharati University in West Bengal, India as government scholars in the 1950’s. The institution was made famous by Nobel Laureate, Rabindranath Tagore, whose vision inspired the creation of the famous university. While having my cup of coffee this morning, I saw the mural of this great man encased in my late father’s cabinet. I did some research and came up with this piece. 

#Rabindranath_Tagore
#India

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Technology and the Changing Society

Technology and Changing Society affects the Elderly
Photo credit: Pixabay.com by 667037

With the advent of technology, we now see changes in society that can sometimes be discomforting. My daughter once asked me if I like to buy an IPad. She said, that I can be comfortable browsing around even when I am in bed. I said no. I have a laptop, netbook, a high end cell phone, and a cheap/basic unit that I use every day.

Besides, I keep on babbling around if I find anything interesting --- hence, the need for a bigger instrument. She laughingly told me a story about her friend who have parents, both retired, who stays in the province.

The parents have nothing much to do, except putting around the garden and do their daily task: household chores, cooking, talking with the neighbors, and watching television. The children who, by then, were all working, decided to give them both an IPad. They became ecstatic with their new play thing and toyed with them instantly---like ducks into water!

Old couple sitting in the park
Photo credit: Pixabay.com by Public Domain Pictures

To the children's amazement, their oldies became techie-savvy in just a short span of time. They saw them once in bed with their IPads, happily posting away, and  liking/commenting to each other! They looked for friends in the neighborhood, adding them, and likewise posts and comment to everybody, including themselves, all day long!

What used to be a couple who were gregarious and neighborly, have suddenly become Facebook freaks --- hammering away with neighbors who lives just a few meters from them. It looked so laughable, that my daughter's friend prayed, that their units get destroyed soon, so the old folks can go back to their usual ways. That has not happened yet.

Now, the daughter tells me that I need an IPad? No way! I have my netbook that is less bulky to carry around when I travel. No, thank you!  I have enough technology to last me a lifetime. :)

#technology
#changing society

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A Story of Turbulent Friendship Through the Years

Friendship through good and bad....

Delia and I have a turbulent friendship all through these years. We started off in the early years as being wary with each other --- her, thinking of me as somebody coming from another planet, and; me, undermining her as a lightweight and not worth my while.

As the years went by, all I knew was that, we might end up on the opposite sides of the stream. I usually lead a straight and narrow path, but would take a crooked route, if I can manage the risk. On the other hand, she remains steadfast on what she believes in, and would be adamant in pursuing a road less travelled, if she can hack it.

However, in all our endeavors, she remains to be the more pliable one who tends to trust the others more than I would. This often leads to problems in our part , and would sometimes result to acrimonious exchanges. But the heated debates never last long. We always find time, to mend our differences, and start all over again.

I believe, that such is the way of friendship. It may never run on a straight and narrow path, but could remain strong, if both parties hammers it to perfection.

Well, you know who you are, and; here's hoping for more years of "turbulent" friendship ahead!  :D

Picture credit: Pixabay.com by cherylholt

#friendship

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Trip to Palawan Underground River

Palawan Subterranean River underground Park
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

MOMMY AND DAUGHTER BONDING TIME
@ Palawan

A few months ago, my daughter and I decided to go to Palawan for a 3 days, 2 nights trip via the piso fare of Cebu Pacific.

The D-Day is fast approaching and we haven't decided yet on the iterinary. We have to  booked now, so we can still take advantage of the discounts given by booking agents.

Since we both work as freelance writers, finding the time to go on an out of town trip can be difficult and taxing. We always have work and deadlines to meet, with barely enough time for other things.

Firefly Watching
Photo credit: tripadvisor.com

I have a freer time as compared to my kid, since I don't rely much on online work for my upkeep. But, the kid has a pool of clients, and her deadlines are frenetic.

As it is, the iterinary has been pushed so many times, that we now only have a few more weeks before flight time.

I look forward to this trip and I hope to take great shots of the site. I like to see the fireflies and the underground caves, among other things. Let us see if I get lucky  to see bats flying around.

Ka Lui Restaurant, Puerto Prinsesa, Palawan
Photo credit: Kohphai.com

Reading about Palawan, made me salivate...

"Palawan has recently been named as the country’s top draw for Best Island for Travelers in 2013 by the Travel and Leisure magazine. It has outranked other places on the travel list --Maui in Hawaii and Santorini in Greece, among many others. The place grabbed the limelight as official “it place” after the Puerto Princesa Underground River was designated as one of the seven wonders of nature in the world."

Here's hoping for a wonderful summer vacation in Palawan!

#palawan_underground_river
#palawan_firefly_watching

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Komoro Japanese Restaurant at Southmall, Las Pinas

Komoro Japanese Resto in Southmall, Las Pinas City

Komoro Japanese Restaurant is situated at the lower portion of Southmall, Las Pinas. As a resident of the area, I am always at the lookout for new stores, like this one --- that I can try. The resto is bigger than the usual stalls found in the mall, but smaller than the various iconic restaurants found in the area.

As a sucker for cheap, but sumptuous food, I tried their P99 Ten Don which is a mix of prawn and vegetable tempura. I like the combination and would want to compare it with the nearby Tokyo-Tokyo Restaurant.

Ten Don -- shrimp and vege tempura

The dish arrived in a few minutes, with a dipping sauce that has a piquant taste to it. However, the prawn and vegetables were a disappointment. Instead of adding Japanese condiments, I tasted more than the usual amount of salt in the dish. I like the crispiness, though, and the dipping sauce that was served.

I hope to try other dishes next time and see if this review would changed to something more appreciative. Nonetheless, I feel that for a restaurant to survive, they need to make a difference in taste and presentation. People are no longer as naive, when it comes to taste --- be it of local or foreign selections.

My Rating:  3 Stars

Ad at front of store

#komoro_restaurant
#southmall_las_pinas


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Onli in da Pilipins: A Writer's Journal
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Other Articles by Author:

Big Burgers at Maginhawa Street, UP Diliman
Ambers Restaurant, Las Pinas
Quickie Meals at Fastfood Joints in Metro Manila
Mr. Kimbob in Southmall
Pizza Hut, Almanza, LPC
Food Trek at Maginhawa Street, UP Diliman
Tim Ho Wan Restaurant, Megamall



A
Am

Understanding Stock Options for Beginners

stock options 

Many wannabe traders think that stock options are stock substitutes that require higher leverage and lesser capital. After all, an option is used to bet on the direction of the stocks to either buy or sell at a specified strike price and date --- just like common stocks. But options have a  different characteristic, and uses terminologies that differ with common stocks. 

There are two positions in options: calls and puts. A call conveys the right, but not the obligation to buy a financial instrument at a strike price, before expiration. On the other hand, a put goes the other route. It conveys the right, but not the obligation, to sell an instrument at a strike price before expiration.

 How to Trade Stock Options for Beginners

Trading in stocks may be compared to gambling in a casino when you bet against the house. If you have a string of luck, then you have a strong chance of winning against the house. It may also be compared to betting at the racetracks, where all bets are placed in a pool. The winning bets share the pool based on calculated payoffs, otherwise known as the parimutuel system. The racetrack earns as it gets a cut for the use of the venue to trade.

In mathematical terms, winning in an options --- is nothing but a zero sum game of chance; and  like in  all betting games, you only play with monies that you can afford to lose - or you stand to lose your shirt. 

Photo credit:  stockoptionsonline.com

#stock_options

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My Old Man is Flirting with the Girls

My old man is flirting with the girls. He had his hair dyed, had facials, and walks with a swagger as we attended a friend's party today. At 50 years old, he still had the nerve of wearing tight levy’s jeans, and a batik shirt that’s open at the front.

Love and the Signifivant Other

I find it most amusing to see an old man competing with younger men,  to prove that he still has what it takes. I say to him, that he looks like a peacock on a prowl for a mate. He answered back, that I am a jealous old woman!

So, he strutted and swagger, so self-assured that he is God's gift to women. With his soft melodious voice, he flirted with women, young and old, like a young teenage boy on the loose. I sat at one table with my laptop and continue to do my work. Looking from the courtyard, I saw him try to mesmerize the girls.

He looked so pathetic, that I had to talk to him. I said, “ Honey, you better stop. This flirting will not do you any good. How can you flirt when you keep looking at me? I am never out of your sight, that’s why the girls would not believe, that you have the “hots” for them!”

3 Signs That the Significant Other Loves You

He stood there very much flustered and said, “Why would I leave you? So you can fool around with the other old men?” My face turned red, and I answered back, “Let us just finished this off with fisticuffs! You don't have brain cells, anymore!”

He laughed so hard and whispered, “Ok, let us go home and settle this peacefully!” Well, that blew it, and I replied,  "No way! I am going to stay put and enjoy this party. The food is much too sumptuous to ignore."

So we stayed, and we’re still here eyeing each other!  :D

Photo credit:  commons.wikimedia.org

#old_man
#flirting

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FREELANCE WRITING, COFFEE, AND ME

cappuccino coffee

I do freelance writing, once in a while, if I have the time. It is just my laptop and several cups of coffee that keeps me company when I work. Just recently, I suddenly woke up from my work table, not knowing that I slept. I was too fagged out that I just slumped in my seat without realizing it. By the time I woke up, several hours have passed. Writing several articles sapped my energy--- that I slept like a log.

Zzzzzz……. I was in dreamland and I didn’t even know how I got there!

I looked for coffee and there was nothing in my cupboard! Nothing to brew and there was not even a sachet left of instant coffee!

This is one sorry state that I can’t do anything about since it's 12 midnight in my part of the world. I don’t like to go out only to find non-human characters lurking in the streets.

All I have is my laptop, that I felt got surprised too when I woke up. It probably knew that I was tired---that it went on a sleep mode the minute that I dozed off, as well. I have to waken myself, but all that's left in my pantry was half a crate of Zambales mangoes. I got a few, put it in a blender, threw in some ice, and I had enough mango fruit slush to waken the dead!

Mango Slush Drink
Photo credit: By Author

Freelance writing is one of the fastest ways to earn money online. If you get commissioned to do five to ten articles at a time, that would give you enough money for weekly groceries. Response is immediate and you earn fast. No ifs or buts. It is a virtual market place, run by the concept of ---you work, we pay.

Any downside to it? Oh, yes! You may get a request for rewrite or outright rejection.

I guess, that all goes down with the territory! Now, if I only can find where to get that cup of coffee...
Have a good day everyone!

Photo credit: Pixabay.com by skeez

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3 Signs that the Significant Other Loves You

Love with the significant other is a wonderful thing.
Sharing that kind of love is Bryan and Rani.

If we can only pry open into the minds of our significant other, to know if he really loves us, it would spare us girls a lot of sleepless nights. Women, by nature, have the tendency to look at things with rose-colored glasses, when they are madly in love. Nonetheless, there are telltale signs to know if it is the real thing or not. 

Three of the more significant ones, follow:

• He is always at your side and can come up with the most preposterous excuses just to be near you. It can range from -- he sleep walked and suddenly found himself in your place; he thought that you were down with flu so he absented himself to be near you, and; he is dying of a heart ailment and has to spend the last moments with his loved one! Well, depending on the degree of love that you have for him----you can either accept the “high fallutin” discourses, or just throw him out for being a nuisance. The decision is yours. 

• He talks to you in a language that seemed to have a life of its own --- soft, sweet, teasing, and punctuated with all the lovey talks like: honey, darling, angel, my love --- and the kind of sweetness that will make you see ants crawl under your skin. He gets so engrossed with all the little things that you do, as if his life depended on it. In short, he is one crazy guy who is deeply enamored of you. Yes, YOU! 

• He easily gets fascinated with all the little things that you do for him: cooking his favorite meal, showing up as his date for an office party, bathing his dog, and sometimes, by simply doing nothing. He likes everything about you: how you walk, smile, the persona that you exude, and even the off moments where you have ----unkempt hair, old clothes, unmade up face---- everything!

BOTTOMLINE

If you happen to find this man, then by all means ----- grab him! Tie him down where he can no longer escape! That guy truly loves you and he is your man! 

#significant_other   #love

Photo credit: Robert Bryan Ingente

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Love and the Significant Other

Coming home from work, you find the significant other sprawled on the sofa, with the house in total disarray. It is a sight that disgusts you; and you want to run away. As a couple who has been together for the past decade, housework should have been the least of your worries. It should not pose as a problem between the man lying on the sofa, and you --- the harried wife. 

You see the living area as a total mess with him doing nothing. All his things were sprawled on the floor, like it was one dumping area. If you still had the energy after work, you might not have minded it much. But you are dead tired, and all of this mess gnaws in your being.

The whole place was like a war zone with only a single living thing on it. There you see him contentedly sprawled on the sofa,  watching baseball; while gulping down bottles upon bottles of beer. The significant other must have noticed you, as he looks sideways and winked! With a big smile on his face, he coyly said, "I love you honey!"

What do you say?  Love conquers all!  :)

Photo credit: Pixabay.com by music4life

#significant_other
#love

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Writing a Marketing Campaign

I looked at the document that was sent to me by a client for re-write. I stared at it, and stared some more, and yelled,

"Uughht! This marketing campaign stinks!"

You don’t use high fallutin’ words when you make a sales pitch! You don’t go around the bush to confuse your prospective buyer! When you attempt to make a sale, you go direct to the point and zero in on what you want. Everything should be written in simple English that can be understood by a 4th grader. Literary writing is different from business writing. Heck! a sales pitch is even different from any kind of writing!

My client is a learned man, who happens to be a licensed real estate broker. The only good thing about our relationship is that he listens to me. I hope he listens to me this time. The marketing campaign draft  that he sent me looks like a thesis for a masteral degree. After revision, he will not recognize this draft when I am done with it!

I hope he doesn't fire me, though!

Ohlala! LOL!

Have a good day everyone! Just having fun here!

#marketing_campaign

Photo credit: Pixabay.com by Geralt

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Modus Operandi of Budol-Budol Gang In Las Pinas City

Las Pinas General Hospital and Trauma Center
Photo credit: http://commons.wikimedia.org/ by Charles Boris Manez

Tne Budol-Budol Gang (crime syndicates) that has been plaguing Metro Manila, has reared its ugly in Las Pinas City, where I reside. This morning, I went out to buy a few things in the nearby mall. As it is just a few meters away from the entrance to our subdivision, I opted to walk along the side streets of the national highway, walking slowly as I am prone to do. While on my way, I bumped into  a distraught woman, who inquired about where to find a certain store. I must have looked friendly and unsophisticated, that she choose me from among the people traversing the streets. 

She said further, that she had already spent P300 for taxi fare, and was fooled by the taxi driver, so she had to walk as she had no more money left. I knew that something was amiss, since the locals would normally take a jeepney to find a place, and not ride a taxi cab. The latter is not practical, and you spend more since the flag down rate is more expensive than the jeepney fare.

Besides, the  jeepney would have other passengers who  can tell you about where to drop off. Hence, this mode of transportation is cheaper and safer. The woman wanted me to accompany her to the place, which she said,  was just along the highway. I smelled something fishy, and looked around to find  a police officer. I saw one at the corner of the street and told her to inquire from him. 

Members of Budol-Budol Gang before being imprisoned
Photo credit: liveinthephilippines.com

At the next instant, two women stopped by, to inform us on where to find the place. At this juncture, I knew that something was fishy. This is a budol-budol gang who was out for a grab, and with me as their target. I moved out of there immediately, and told the two women to just accompany her since they know the place better.

I left hastily and never turned back to see on what they did after that. Nonetheless, I never saw them following my route, which they pinpointed as where the place is. That just confirmed my suspicion that it was a budol-budol gang in operation. They are now plying the streets of Las Pinas City to look for people to victimize. 

The moral of the story: Better be wary always and never trust anyone while on the streets. Thinking smart could save your life.

+budol_budol_gang
+Las_Pinas_City

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Hot Momma for a Friend

Hot Mommas can be a real friend, but can be a  pest, too!
Photo credit: Pixabay.com by Mariamichelle

Hot Momma is a maverick of a friend, who gives me hell at the most inappropriate time. She is a next door neighbor, whose recreation revolves around to pestering me at every chance she's got!

A few days ago, while going about my business, I saw...

One writer who came out with a post about things that we can write about. It was a magazine type listing that anyone can use in coming up with his articles – in case he runs out of ideas.

I commented, that I never run out of ideas. My life is full of materials that all I do is cannibalize it, if there is nothing sensible to write about. I don’t say that my life is sensible: but, since it's the only one I got ---  I define the world as how I define myself.

Dealing with Hot Momma can be a pain at times.
Photo credit: Pixabay.com by Open Clips

I had this assignment that kept me busy the last few days. Today, my time runs out as I still lack ten articles that I needed to write. I sent an e-mail to the client to extend my time for another two days. I have no response yet, so I cranked out this rant.

Why didn’t I finish? Well, I have friends, that for lack of better things to do, make it a point to come barging in,  to give me hell! One of them is a character, whom I call ---Hot Mamma! When she came to know that I was writing about Christian prayers, she looked around to see, if I was burning! She said, that all the prayers were enough to fry me alive! Lol!

I sometimes threaten her with bodily harm (like cutting off her wig) if she does not stop pestering me. She just laughs if off and says, that my world will be dull and gray without her!

Come to think of it, this pesky character, who loves to being called "Hot Momma"  is right! :D

#hot_momma
#friend

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Problems with Plagiarism in Online Content

View of Tagaytay Highlands
Photo credit: Maryann Suller Macatlang

Writing portals are faced with plagiarism in online content many times. This morning, I rested for a little while, and decided to read several business articles on one site. I noticed two to three posters doing superb work on financial investments and stock trading. Since I do a lot of work on this niche, I decided to go over their work. They were superb! I have not seen anything like it except on the Economic Review or the Washington Post.

What I did next was to look at the profile pages and see the background of the writers. I read  their previous postings so as to know more about them. There was nothing said in their profile. I noticed that one writer has a different writing style for every post, and that made me wonder if he wrote all of the articles himself.

The other one came up with such superb work, that I knew  right away that I have read them somewhere. Voila! The plagiarism checker revealed that it was copied from the internet ---verbatim. If you are 24 years old, with no track record in finance work, and writes like the financial gurus of Wall Street ---nobody is going to believe you. It’s either you are a financial whiz, or you copied the whole darned thing from cyberspace!

Old Ifugao carving of a man counting his produce
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

These types of online submissions should have been rejected outright. I don’t think Google is going to like them over the long term. Having so many problematic contents at one portal is a dangerous thing. With the recent Google Panda update, the presence of numerous plagiarized content on a site would be detrimental --- like, having their Adsense removed.

Let us hope that writing sites install an auto –check feature that would stop problematic contents from being submitted. Plagiarism is a blatant insult to the reader and the entire writing community.

Have a good day everyone! :)

#plagiarism
#online writing

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