My Fellow Procrastinators.....

What?

The Power of Words

       Nothing beats a cup of coffee and a good book on a rainy day. As I went through my bookshelf this book caught my attention----- All I Really Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum. I laughed at the idea  but I must admit the title was catchy. When I held the book in my  hands I realized-- yeah, this book scored some extra points. I can remember when I was young and curious,I had so many questions that I thought only grown-ups could answer. But hey now that I grew older, at age 23, yeah nobody knows shit. Really, grown-ups may have a lot more questions than kids. Even tougher questions.Maybe, all I really need to know I already learned in Kindergarten, whatever comes after it are things that will only lead us to hundreds of "?".

       I can't help but share this part of the book which gives us a bit of advice.

       In the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific some villagers practice a unique form of logging. If a tree is too large to be felled with an ax, the natives cut it by yelling at it. Woodsmen with special powers creep up on a tree just at dawn and suddenly scream at it at the top of their lungs. They continue this for thirty days. The tree dies and falls over. The theory is that the hollering kills the spirit of the tree. According to the villagers, it always works.

       Ah, those poor naive innocents. Such quaintly charming habits of the jungle. Screaming at trees, indeed. How primitive. Too bad they don;t have the advantages of modern technology and the scientific mind.

       Me? I yell at my wife. And yell at the telephone and the lawn  mower. And yell at the TV and the newspaper and my children. I've been known to shake my fist and yell at the sky at times.

       Man next door yells at his car a lot. And this summer I heard him yell at a stepladder for most of an afternoon. We, modern, urban, educated folks yell at traffic umpires and bills and banks and machines- especially machines. Machines and relatives get most of the yelling.

       Don't know what good it does. Machines and things just sit there. Even kicking doesn't always help. As for people, well, the Solomon islanders may have a point. Yelling at living things does tend to kill the spirit  in them. Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will break our hearts.

Even at a very young age, we were told by our parents not to yell at people. It's bad. Just bad. Now that we are grown-ups and we've experienced the different phases of our lives, we may have forgotten this simple lesson our parents taught us. 

More Fun in the Philippines- Davao

First Technical Journey of the Provincial Veterinary Staff

Where would we probably go in Davao? 
Of course at places where we can get a closer look of animals! 

Bird Show at Malagos Garden

Located at Calinan-Baguio Rd., Davao City, Malagos Garden Resort is a paradise rich in flora and fauna. Not to mention the beautiful birds chirpin' and flying  in the area, the butterfly sanctuary and koi cafe. They have an Interactive Bird Show at the Ampitheatre which never fails to make people smile.

This pic was taken at the Philippine Eagle Center. Wonder where the eagle is? I still have to search for the pic, I will upload it soon. I usually don't enjoy walking alone but this place is like a live forest. Whatever direction you go into and any place you look at is a surprise. Take that last pic in the collage, I was just looking for a restroom when I found this wonderful place. It looks even magical in real life with all the vines, ferns, bridge by the river and the colorful flowers that seemed painted perfectly in a canvas.

Davao Crocodile Park
Davao Crocodile Park is considered to be one of the tourist attractions of Davao City. It doesn't only showcase variety of crocodiles and how they are nurtured but many different animals as well.  As you step out of the park, the experience will give you a great appreciation to nature.

What I loved most about these gardens and parks is the fact that they give the animals a home. These parks are designed just like their very own homes in the forest. Not just a park equipped with the necessary facilities and food for  their survival, not just a farm that will give them shelter but a "home" where they are safe,free and loved. 

More Fun in the Philippines - Cebu

Lucky to be able to visit the "Queen City of the South",Cebu City, before the tragic earthquake happened last October 2013. The earthquake may have destroyed churches and buildings but what it left, are still worth seeing - the ruins. 

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Here are some pictures of the places we visited and worth visiting again: (Before the earthquake)

Taoist Temple

Since we were conscious of our time then, we were not able to visit all the places that are supposedly on our list. Traveling to Cebu City and taking more pictures of the beautiful scenery and structures are included in my To Do List so keep posted!

Don't Quit

This is one of my fave poems. Too bad I do not know who wrote this and I cannot acknowledge the man who gave me encouragement in ways he may not have imagined. Hope this will give you the same inspiration on the lowest times of your lives too!

Nanay :)

         My very first blog is dedicated to a lost loved one but will forever be in my heart.

       If you were able to read "The Fault in our Stars" by John Green,Hazel Grace, the cancer patient,didn't like how people would post on the wall page of a cancer patient who had just died the words- You'll live forever in our hearts. The word "forever" implies the immortality of those left behind.

         I'd still love to use the same word not that I am immortal but my love for my Nanay is eternal. Years had passed but every time I utter the word Nanay it is still the same  way I utter it whenever I spoke with my dear grandmother- Nanay Nene. She preferred "Nanay" than "Lola" because she felt it is more pleasant to the ears and  sweeter than the latter. (And I am not fueling an argument to those who call their grandmas Lola  hehe :D, each in his own) I may have lost her on the 17th day, July of 2008 but the values, discipline and the lessons she taught me as I grew up are the bars of golds and diamonds I will treasure my whole life.

         She didn't die young but she always seemed young to me. Apart from not having so much wrinkles you usually get when you get old(yeah she only had three to five lines, and I am a bragging granddaughter here!), it was the smile on her face whenever I arrive home from school, the twinkle in her eyes as she told me stories of her youth and the glamour she possessed despite old age----- she was young. 

         She was a strong woman. If I turn 60 or 70 I wish I could have the strength of character and will she had when she was alive. She was a woman of principle, wisdom and standards. She was never afraid to talk about the regrets in her life. She was one strong woman to fight the illness that made her bedridden for one and a half years. That's how long she fought. That's how long she had suffered. During these days I wished I could give some years of my life to her so she would live longer. I wished I could feel the pain so she won't suffer that much. But some wishes do not come true because there's always God's plans for you. 

         I love you so much Nay! We love you so much and you will forever be in our hearts. Forever.