A Tribute to the Filipinos Unite Movement

Mel has created a link love for all Filipino bloggers entitled "Filipinos Unite".

This prayer is intended for all Filipino bloggers.

If you're a Filipino and your blog is not included here, then visit the site and be part of this good movement. Feel free to use your own prayer as long as the concept is the same. Don't forget to post the prayer together with the linky love. Mabuhay ang Filipino!

- Start Copy Here -

Prayer

Dear heavenly Father, we consecrate to you our beloved country- the Philippines and all the Filipinos around the world. We acknowledge Father that apart from You, we can do nothing and it is only your divine providence and grace that can unite all Filipinos as one nation. We therefore humble ourselves before your throne. We confess all our sins to you individually and collectively as a nation. Forgive us our sins Father and wash us clean by the precious blood of Your beloved Son- Jesus Christ. Mend our wicked ways and let us experience a strong and genuine spiritual revival for ourselves and for our country. Let the Holy Spirit imbibe in us the power, love and wisdom to return to Your path of holiness and righteousness. Bless our country, heavenly father. Bless all Filipinos wherever they maybe. Let progress, unity, harmony, stability, justice, peace and prosperity reign in our country.

Bless our leaders, from the President down to the lowest Baranggay official. Touch their hearts that they may serve our country with all honesty and with love and integrity. Bless our children and our future generation. And bless us all Father in all aspects of our lives. This we pray to You heavenly Father, in the mighty name of Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

If you wish to be included in the master list just e-mail melalarilla@gmail.com or visit Filipinos Unite.

Filipino bloggers who have united
1. Mel Alarilla Bulacan, Philippines, Filipinos Unite!!!
2. Angel Cuala Batangas, Philippines Father Blogger dot com
3. Lavern Tan Las Pinas City, Philippines Pinoy Ambisyoso
4. Francis Daniel Maning Cebu, Philippines Istayl Sugbo
5. Snow Philippines Dear Bloggery
6. Bloggista Marikina, Philippines - Bloggista -
7. Chris A. - Cavite, Philippines - CMAQuest
8. Aisha - Eugene, Oregon, USA - The Holley Herald
9. Rowena - Davao City, Philippines - All Out My Naked Truth
10. Icymar Tagimacruz - Cebu, Philippines - Kreative Myndz
11. Pat Mangubat - Philippines - New Philippine Revolution
12. Empress - Cebu, Philippines - Empress of Drac.Com
13. Marilou Domingo - Philippines - Ibanag in the City
14. Ester Besmonde - Canada - Walk Through Money Online Journal
15. Ramon Paulino - Quezon City, Philippines - FatherlYours.com
16. Mindanaoan - Mindanao, Philippines - Mindanaoan
17. Bloggie - Davao City, Philippines - Davao Bloggers Network
18. Xerendipity - Dumaguete City, Philippines - Obnoxious Queer
19. Viviene C. (Bingkee) - Connecticut, USA - I Love/Hate America
20. Roy - Angeles City, Philippines - The Struggling Blogger
21. Janette Toral (Ada) - Marikina City, Philippines - Blogging From Home
22. Milton Coyne III (Bluedreamer27) - Cavite City, Philippines - Bluedreamer’s Top Five
23. Marites dlR - Davao City, Philippines - Me, the islands and the world
24. Mauie Flores - Cainta, Rizal, Philippines - Living a Sugar-free Sweet Life!
25. MsRay - Bacolod City, Philippines - Woman on a Journey
26. Pia Go Olano - Philippines - My Life’s Journey
27. Jena Isle - Pampanga, Philippines - Random Thoughts
28. Caca - Mindanao, Philippines - Mood Swings
29. Pinoy Apache - Cebu City, Philippines - Pinoy Apache
30. Jessie Simbulan - Philippines - The Reporter
31. Tony Roda - Manila, Philippines - MENstream
32. Fingertalks - Philippines - Fingertalks
33. Wendy Lopez-Redaon - Quezon City, Philippines - From The Eyes of My Heart
34. Marlene - Davao City, Philippines - Potpourri of Ramblings
35. Liza Cochico - Quezon City, Philippines - A Simple Life
36. Tricia Mazo-Galvez - Las Pinas City, Philippines - Proud Mommy
37. Wayne - New Zealand - Affiliate Crunch
38. Shiera Delusa - Osaka, Japan - Bisdak Babbles
39. Madz - Lunda Norte, Angola - Things I Did Not Know Before
40. Kcee - Makati City, Philippines - Barefooted Me
41. Yani - Davao City, Philippines - Banicmanic
42. Rodaflip - Ontario, Canada - FlipAntasticWeb
43. Ramvie Santiago - Philippines - Philippine Blog For All
44. Russell Bravo - Caloocan City, Philippines - Russell Dot Com
45. Michelle Valenzuela - San Francisco, California, USA - Tumawa K Kabayan
46. Pinay Wife - Cambodia - Pinay Wife Speaks
47. Lei - Pasig City, Philippines - Moon Goddess Lae
48. Shawie Gick - Orange County, California, USA - A Grateful Heart
49. Hariette Wendam - Iloilo City, Philippines - Praning’s Shoutout
50. Joan Joyce Absalon - Navotas City, Philippines - Joan Joyce dot com
51. Rashieka Estelle Absalon - Navotas City, Philippines - My Name Is Rashieka
52. Darlyn - Gen. Santos City, Philippines - Touched By An Angel With Love
53. Kate Cancio - Marikina City, Philippines - Becoming Kate Cancio
54. Ria - United Kingdom - Continental Fairy
55. Ginoray - Cainta, Rizal, Philippines - Profound Matters
56. Penlighted - New York, USA - Light It Up (Blogging for Jesus)
57. Lyn (Moccalyn) - Manila, Philippines - Life Spices
58. Ana Lindenhann - Denmark - The Filipina Mom in Denmark
59. Chris Red - Philippines - Christinchen’s Soapbox
60. Richies 2Ts Inspires - Stockholm, Sweden - Richies Inspirational Designs
61. Island Angel - Davao City, Philippines - Seashells Of Island Angel
62. Manilyn Tingcang - Iligan City, Philippines - LinGZ.spot
63. Joyoz Obsioma - Melbourne, Australia - Everyday Life…Generally Speaking
64. Gladita - Bacolod City, Philippines - PromdiLiving
65. Lesley Cucal - Tarlac City, Philippines - Bottomless Coffee
66. Rose Cottrill - West Virginia, USA - Rose’s Obstacles and Glory
67. Mys Lyke Meeh - Toronto, Canada - Mys Lyke Meeh
68. Gloria (Goyz) - Calamba City, Philippines - Good Health
69. Mitch (Annay Butakal) - Cebu, Philippines - Ramble Baboy
70. Ria Coleto - Cervantes - Dubai, UAE - It’s My Party
71. Luna Miranda - Makati City, Philippines - Miranda
72. Kit (Suplado) - Makati City, Philippines - Suplado Reviews
73. Rachel - Philippines - Heart of Rachel
74. Josie Santos - Sydney, Australia - Fragments of My Soul
75. Wella Jane- Misamis Occidental, Philippines - Thinking Pen- Blogging For A Cause
76. Kelvin Requiroso (Kebelle) - Quezon City, Philippines - Spirituality Page
77. Pusang Gala - Mandaluyong City, Philippines - Pusang - Gala
78. Jason - Paranaque, Philippines - Pinoy Updates
79. Onatdonuts - Taguig City, Philippines - OnatDonuts
80. Ibyang - NSW, Australia - A Wife’s Charmed Life
81. Mike Avenue - Philippines - Mga Tagalog Na Tula Sa Filipinas
82.Jhay Gamba - Cainta, Rizal, Philippines - I Blog Mo!
83. Carla Farnesyl Fundales Idago - Malabon City, Philippines - Heterotripper: Anong Maskara Mo Today
84. Tet Garchitorena - Naga City, Philippines - The Life Of An Oregano Addict
85. Rael Denoman - Imus, Cavite, Philippines - Manikang Papel
86. Liezl F. - Valenzuela City, Philippines - Breezing My Confined Emotions
87. Kengkay - Germany - Kwentong Kengkay
88. Earthlingorgeous - Manila, Philippines - Earthlingorgeous.com
89. Pinay Key Point - Tarlac City, Philippines - PinayKeyPoint
90. Ria Stevenson - Texas, USA - Live Love Laugh
91. Pajay - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Klasrum Ni Pajay
92. Texas Sweetie - Texas, USA - My Virtual Diary
93. Aquamarine - Hongkong - Aquamarine
94. Shemistry - Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, Philippines - Foolishly Overacting -
95. Dines - Winona, Minnesotta, USA - Kalei Dines Scope
96. Che (Chorva) - Philippines - Chorva Entertainment Blog
97. Arnel Gara Artes - Cebu City, Philippines - A Hunter
98. Donald Pal (Dhon) - Cebu, Philippines - Life Love Lust
99. Fermin Absalon - Navotas, Metro Manila, Philippines - Beyond Feron Dot Com
100. Dzerom - Calamba, Laguna, Philippines - Blogging Without A Cause
101. K (Knoizki) - Hongkong - A Dialogue With K
102 Orville Hitadle - Cebu City, Philippines - Downloader’s Stuffs and Freebies for All
103. Cindyrella - Hongkong - Cindyrella From Hongkong
104. Rimewire - Cavite, Philippines - Disproving the Genius
105. Edelweiza Mabalay - Manila, Philippines - The Life of a Breadwinner
106. Manolito Montala - Philippines - The Filipino Enterpreneur
107. Leona Khan- Pasig City, Philippines - Vanidosang Panda
108. Pepe Mckunat - Philippines - Life is Tough, but prove You are Tougher
109. Batopik - Taguig City, Philippines - Batopik
110. Gin E - Manila, Philippines - Mommy in Manila
111. B’ley Villones (Dyosa) - Paranaque City, Philippines - Blagalag
112. Donald Serrano (don_ser) - Philippines - don_ser The Feeling ProBlogger
113. Love Lot - San Francisco, California, USA - Lov-A-Lot
114. Enchie - Manila, Philippines - Sweet Nothings
115. Iceah Marie - Gen. Santos City, Philippines - Chicken Heart
116. Mee*I Velasco - Antipolo City, Rizal, Philippines - Waiting On The World To Change
117. Kuyanin - Philippines - Kuyanin: Starting Afresh
118. Chyng Reyes - Manila, Philippines - No Spam, No Virus, No Kiddin’!
119. JuanDerPul - Philippines - JuanDerPul Pinoy
120. Kenneth Mendoza - Laguna, Philippines - Kenneth Mendoza- Speaking Out, Blogging, Ranting and Fooling Around
121. Grace - Michigan, USA - We Live To Tell God’s “Amazing Grace”
122. Carnation - Antique, Philippines - Carnation
123. Jed Chua - Mandaluyong City, Philippines - Reel Advice
124. Pammyboo83 - Dumaguete City, Philippines - Filipino Lifestyle
125. Sagada- Igorot - Mountain Province, Philippines/Chicago, USA - Blog of The Sagada- Igorot
126. Bai Maleiha Candao - Cotabato City, Philippines - Soulful Images
127. Jehzeel Laurente - Philippines - Jehzlau Concepts
128. Poohgahk - Philippines - Shout Out
129. Norman Novio - Occidental Mindoro, Philippines - Pamatok
130. Bien Nillos - Negros Occidental, Philippines - The Freudian Slip
131. Madelyn Basalo-Sells - Cafunfo, Lunda Norte, Angola - “The Pride of Hingotanan, Bohol”- My Life’s Journey To Success
132. Jannesse - Las Pinas City, Philippines - The Wifey Diaries - url -
133. Willa Stock - Ontario, Canada - Fickle Minded- A Life That Is Less Ordinary
134. Aihara (Tessah) Ramintessah Sanchez - Japan - The Economics of Life
135. Ron Albert - Quezon City, Philippines - A Slice of Turon
136. Elyong - Davao City, Philippines - Elyong
137. Kokoi - Baguio City, Philippines - Blog ni Kokoi
138. Fat - Japan - Anything Goes
139. Mye De Leon - Rizal, Philippines - Blog Appetite
140. Jan Geronimo - Oriental Mindoro, Philippines - salabasngmandaluyong (Rx For A Better Life)
141. Chuva - Philippines - Chizmizan With Chuva
142. E. J. Bautista - Quezon City, Philippines - Bogcess
143. Maree Tee - Philippines - I Am Mrs. Tee
144. Alma Cafe - Davao oriental, Philippines - Reach Beyond Your Limits
145. Arlene Collado - Philippines - Joys in Life
146. Juvy - Philippines - Pinoy Portals
147. Jan Mckingley Hilado - Cebu City, Philippines - The Ultralife of Student Nurses
148. Carlos - Davao City, Philippines - Carlos Ideas
149. Mentor - Cebu, Philippines - The Image of Cebu
150. Emma Ballada - Laguna, Philippines - Life Momento
151. Darkspark - Philippines - Papermills
152. Your name, address, name of blog and its url

- End Copy Here -

Blogging for Beginners: A Step by Step Procedure

Almost everyone you know talk about their wonderful blogs and how they enjoy blogging. Some of them even claim to have earned a sizable income from blogging. You are interested and you would like to visit their blogs, and eventually, create a blog of your own. You do not know; however, where to start because you are not a computer savvy.

Well, fret not! Here is a step by step outline of how you should go about making your first blogging experience a truly memorable one.

What is a blog?

A blog is a web site which features articles, videos, pictures, journals and many possible means of communication. They could be categorized according to niches or interests. There are blogs for writing and the arts, health and education, IT and computer technology, Travel and photo blogs, money-making blogs and many more.

Blogs gained popularity in 1999 when the first web hosting tools were discovered. From then on, the number of bloggers increased steadily with majority writing their personal journals.
Eventually, blogging areas broadened and more and more topics were included.

Today, there are blogs on all topics under the sun and it still continues to grow in leaps and bounds around the world.

How can you create your own blog? Below are simple steps to follow.

Chronological steps in creating a blog.

1. Determine the purpose of your blog.

Before you create your blog, be certain of what you would like the content to be. What would be the name of your blog? The name of your blog should be in congruence with your content. What is the purpose of your blog? Who are your intended readers? All of these should be taken into account.

2. Choose a domain name.

The domain name should be in congruence with the purpose, the theme and the content of your blog. Choose a name that is catchy and that could easily be remembered by a casual reader.

3. Selecting your web host carefully.

After you have carefully chosen the name of your blog, you have to select now your web host. A web host is a site that owns a server which is accessible in the World Wide Web (www) for internet users. This host will allow your blog to be available in the internet.

There are two most common hostings and these are the free hosting and the paid hosting.
If your blog is for business purposes or other significant enterprise then you should opt for paid hosting. If you just want to experience blogging, then free hosting would be sufficient.

The two most popular free hosting sites are wordpress.com and blogger.com. If you blog for fun, there would be no problems with these two sites. They both have user-friendly features.

For paid hosting, there are hundreds or more, available in the net. Some of them are HostGator, Blue Host, Go Daddy, etc. You have to select the one that best fits your purpose of blogging.

You must consider whether they would provide technical support or not. This is very important if you are a newbie to blogging.

4. Select appropriate theme/template design.

Your template design should match your purpose. A formal looking template would be appropriate for a money making blog instead of the flowery, colorful ones.

There are several to choose from:

Two column or three column or more, templates are available. Do not clutter your blog with two many useless columns.

5. Post interesting and related contents to your blog.

 

After the steps 1 to 4 are done, you are now ready to post your first article. Your article's title should be carefully selected. More specific titles are preferred than short, general titles.

6. Insert pictures, images or videos to enhance your post.

An all text article would look drab without any picture or image. Be sure to double check your spelling and grammar before posting.
There are spell-checkers and grammar checkers in your blog templates.

7. Be sure to save your article after posting.

Label and assign tags so that web crawlers would be able to pick them up. These crawlers are responsible in updating your blog every now and then.

8. Maximize your blog exposure.

You can do this by enlisting it in ranking sites like Technorati, Blogtopsites, Alexa ranking, Blogtoplist and many others. You could also "Add your URL to Google Search" and "Add your site to Yahoo."

You could also join blogging communities like MyBlogLog, Twitter, Mixx, etc. to increase your ranking and readership.

9. Update your blog regularly. 

This may be done three times a week or daily. It all depends upon your goals. A consistently updated blog would be visited more often by crawlers of search engines, thus increasing the exposure of your blogs.

You should also be familiar with the general features of a blog to be able to interact with bloggers properly. These features are:

General features of blogs:

1. Comment section

This makes blog unique because of this interactive feature. Readers could comment on posts they find interesting. The comment section maybe moderated or not. If you want to screen the comments, then you should choose "enable comment moderation". The comments then would only be posted after your approval. This would prevent "spam" (unwanted comments) from being published.

2. Customize/edit features

You could customize/edit your posts/articles anytime you want to. You could download pictures, upload videos and create external links to other website or blogs.

3. Archives of old articles

Old articles are arranged chronologically according to the date they were written. Labels and tags are also included to further categorize the posts.

4. Feeds

These are machine generated updates of the content of your blog; they maybe RSS (Rich Site Summary) or Atom feeds.

They can be subscribed too and are easily available through emails or Google readers.

5. Blog roll

These are links from other blogs or sites. You can add or delete the links anytime you want to, by entering the customized mode of your template.

6. External links

You could link your article to any source in the internet just by clicking at the link icon.

Blogging would be more meaningful if you could interact with other bloggers.

How could you interact with blogs/bloggers?

You could interact with blogs through the following:

1. Commenting on articles you find interesting.

Your comment should leave your email address or your back link where the owner of the blog would be able to reply to your comment. Comment only on articles that are of real interest to you; that way your comments would be well thought of and of real value to the discussion.

2. Promote the blog or an article in the blog.

You can Digg, stumble, mixx or Yahoo Buzz the article to promote it. You could also post the URL at MyFace, Yahoo answers, MyLot forum and several forums.

3. Find blogs in your area of interests

The best way to search for blogs is through Google or Yahoo search. You could also visit blogging communities like to browse their different blog categories.

There are various niches, like arts and culture, mixed bag, personal diary, education, books, blogging, cartoons, and several others. In lifestyle the top three blogs are:

Oriental Lodge

Everyday Living
Freaky Frugalite

In writing:

Blogs to Note

West of Mars

Darnuth Keep

You could also search blogs in several blog ranking sites like Technorati, Blogtopsites, Alexa ranking, Blogtoplist, etc.

The blogs are usually categorized into different niches or areas of interests, so it would be easy searching and browsing through these sites.

If you want to follow a certain blog or writer, you can subscribe to his RSS (Rich Site Summary) or Atom feed.

This machine-generated summary, will update you through your mailbox of new articles written in the blogs that you have selected.

4. Creating your own blog would maximize your interaction with other blogs/bloggers. 

Your blog URL (blog internet address) would show up every time you comment or interact with a blog. This would allow you also to follow your favorite blogger.

These are the basics of blogging. As you "blog" along, you'll be learning more about how to tweak your HTML and many more.

Blogging is a dynamic and challenging activity. You write, learn and interact simultaneously. Be a blogger and be part of this exciting blogosphere!

100th Blog Post: Are You a Part of This Blog’s History? The Year That Was, at Random Thoughts

I purposely wrote this article to coincide with my 100^th post and with the New Year. This is to bring good luck. I’m not a suspicious person, but there is no harm in thinking positively.I believe that being happy and successful is a matter of choice. You should have persistence and determination if you want to achieve your goals in life.

Since this is a special post, join me in going back in time to reminisce for a while. You might be one of the participants of this blog’s history.

Photo by hans s

I started this blog 9 months ago, in March 27, 2008. My first post was just a brief paragraph entitled: " The Value of Honesty". I had no previous experience, no knowledge at all about blogging, HTML codes, templates, widgets, etc, I was groping in the dark, so to speak , so I just wrote the article and posted it; not knowing what to expect next.

I was surfing the internet for some related material to a study I was conducting on “Web- Based Instructional Materials” and I chanced upon the blogger.com. As soon as I had clicked on it, I became hooked.

After my 8-5 daytime job - I blogged.

It became some sort of relaxation and release for me because I loved writing even when I was in grade school, and blogging had fulfilled that need to write. And what more, I wanted to be read and through blogging, there would be a chance that someone might read my posts.

Of course, that did not happen for several days. I can’t even find my blog through the search engines. I surfed and learned that I had to add my blogs to the search engines blog list, before I could expect them to appear in the search results.

Initially, I have created three (3) for my different areas of interests, writing, children, health. I added all my blogs to the search engines’ pool of blogs. Still, for a month, my blogs were not accessible through the internet, I was getting discouraged.

But I knew that if I stop - then I would fail, so I decided to keep at it. I still have not failed if I've not given up yet, right? So, I surfed again online, looking for ways to maximize my blogs’ exposure.

I had installed Google analytics, had verified my blogs and had signed up in almost all ranking sites. As a result of these, I got some visitors, and slowly, the search engines were showing a post or two.

That was the time that I came across Entrecard.

As usual, I learned through trial and error. Slowly, I became adept at card dropping. Sometimes I could drop a handful (more than a 100), sometimes less (50). Entrecarders whom I had visited, started to visit too, and I gained my Google page rank 1.

Thanks to Entrecard, I had come across blogs that I would never have known: "The Big Picture" and "Tasha's Take" of Tasha Bud, Ken Armstrong Writing Stuff " of Ken Armstrong, “Caught in the Stream“of Francis Scudellari, The Esoterical Journey of Ray Gratzner, "The Truth About Lies" of Jim Murdoch, "The Struggling Blogger" of Roy dela Cruz, "BaaBaa Blogging" of Fiendish,"HotMomma" of Mathe Baniaga, "Ruminations of the Small Town Country Boy" of Eric Schweer, "Purpled Sky" of a Wonderful Mom, "The Spitting Vessel" of Durano Lawayan, "Jean's Musings" of Jean Knill, "Seeking Things Above " by Tony, Hunting the Muse by Brady Frost, Pinoy Copywriter by a Pinoy Writer
" Pinay Mommy Online" by Mommy Ruby, "Father Blogger Dot Com" of Angel Cuala, and many more.

It was also in this blog that I started to solicit contributions from all over the blogosphere for my book entitled: “Inspirational Stories and Thoughts of Bloggers all Over the World.”

The first article was that of Nicholas Chase entitled “Inspiration” which was posted on July 26, followed by Roy dela Cruz’s “She Didn’t dance” on August 11 and by Jean Knill’s “It’s Not Too Late” on September 11.

The other contributors, Ken, Francis, Tasha, Ray, Jim, Durano and Roy (Part 2) are posted in Gewgaw Writings. Thank you guys, for the support.

It was only in my 3rd month that Google adsense had approved my blog for advertising. My blog was accepted also by paying post, blogvertise, review me, and sponsored reviews. I started to earn by posting reviews in my blogs. I had refused some of them though, so this made me falter in this venue. I gained my Google Page Rank 3 by then.

I joined writing sites like Helium.com, Triond.com and Associated Content.com and a forum- MyLot, where I got my first online earnings.

Thanks to my MyLot friends: Nilzerous, Jillhill, Sydney Hazelton ( who is a top-notch writer at Triond.com too), P1kef1sh, zeroflash2x, paid2write, my friends from the blogging world, Roy & Angel, and many more. They have made the discussions there lively and relaxing.

Thanks to my Associated Content friends, Patricia (who, incidentally is an Enctrecarder now) Jcorn and the rest of the group.

I would like to acknowledge my Helium friends too, Rachelle de Bretagne, Ruth Belena, Roy, Angel, Jean, Brady, Mathe, Eric, and Writer's Edge. I have been very busy with these writing sites that my blogging was somewhat relegated to the background.

But blogging still would be a vital part of my internet world; just like the several, generous and helpful friends I have gained, who are always there to encourage and say a kind word or two, Thanks to you guys!

This January 1, 2009, I would like to welcome the New Year with a gift (300 EC credits) to my Top Ten Droppers for the Month of December.
Thank you also to the previous months’ top droppers.

Dropper	# of drops
Windmill on the Hill	27
Technically Easy	25
Sassy Black Friend	25
Symphony of Love	24
Jean's Musings	24
The Half-Life of Linoleum	23
Toltec Insights with Dr. Susan Gregg	22
C'est La Vie	21
Angels on Your Shoulder	20
Random Chronicles	16

And to my friends, visitors, droppers and from all over the globe. Thank you and may God bless you with a successful, fun-filled, happy and peaceful 2009!

Marriage and the Vital Role of Sharing

Sharing is vital in a marriage because marriage is a partnership. Marriage does not occur unless there are two consenting adults who vow "to have and to hold" each other; marriage does not occur too, unless there are couples who consummate their involvement with each other through a personal and intimate physical union.

This fact alone indicates that sharing is one very important aspect of marriage; that it is a partnership in which each one is expected to have an equal obligation of all things that should be shared.

What are the things that married couples should share? Shared activities of couples include several simple but bond strengthening processes.

One primary activity that should be shared is time. Married couples should find time to spend with each other and share each other's thoughts, concepts, feelings and what-nots.

One successful couple I know, spent at least one hour everyday with each other. They talk about nothing in particular but just share their thoughts with each other. They share what transpired during the day.




They talk about their plans for the morrow. They talk about the things that they had problems with. They share their visions and their dreams with each other. Couples who do this usually have a long lasting relationship because they get to understand each other more.

Responsibilities should be shared also. They should agree on who takes care of each of the various responsibilities that come with marriage. When responsibilities are shared, there is a sense of belongingness and oneness that would make the marriage stronger.

A financial obligation is one of these. A clear agreement would avoid misunderstandings that could arise from this aspect. There are lots of marriages which have gone sour because of financial disagreements. It should be made clear who pays for this and that bill.



Household chores should also be shared. Who should cook? Who should iron the clothes? Who should wash the dishes? These may seem trivial but when these are coupled with work related stress and pressure, they can be taxing.

Couples should help each other out in this aspect. They would discover the joy of doing the dishes together, of the happiness of being able to cook food together.

Rearing children is a great, shared responsibility - the greatest of all. Since they have willingly consented to procreation and literally "made" their children together, they should also be willing to share in the enormous task of taking care of their children.

What a wonderful family it would be, when the mother and father agrees to commit themselves to share in the upbringing of their kids in an atmosphere of mutual sharing and love.

Photo 1 by viZZZual.com

Photo 2 by Joe Shlabotnik

Photo 3 by chegs

A CALL FOR PARTICIPATION

I have an on-going call for comments at my blog: "A Campaign for Non-Violence on Children's TV Programs" ,


Wouldn't it be wonderful to know your thoughts on this? (pros or cons)

Kindly click on the link and contribute your thoughts and win great prizes.

In Support of Roy -The Struggling Blogger for His Chance to Win at Technology Talks

Technology Talks is presently conducting a Free Domain Hosting contest, (this is very generous of Technology Talks, may their tribe increase), and because this friend is a Cabalen, a true blogger through and through, a kind-hearted soul and a good father - I vote for him.



I give my full support for none other than - Roy of The Struggling Blogger. I would like him to win the contest.

If anyone of you, out there, wants to help Roy, a fellow, dedicated blogger to win this free domain hosting; then by all means, kindly post a similar article (with the same links) in your blog, expressing your support for him.

Thanks and happy holidays.

More power to you Roy, and good luck!

Tips on Christmas Gifts for Your Teen Girls

Teenagers are very hard to please. You have to be in the same frequency as their brain wavelengths to be able to discern which Christmas gifts they would most appreciate. Here are some gift ideas that could help you decide gifts for your teen girls:

1. Gift certificates

You will never go wrong with these certificates! They could range from as low as $ 50 to $ 1000 or more. With these certificates, they are given the freedom to choose what they would truly want.

Buy the gift certificate from a department store that is large enough to provide her with several options; from gadgets, to make-ups, to stuffed toys, to appliances and many more.

This will also save you the headache of deciding what best to buy for her. The price could also be adjustable according to your available budget.

She would be happy too, that you're treating her as an adult by allowing her to decide.

2. Cell phones

Teenagers would welcome the latest cell phones available in the market. It would make them "cool" in the eyes of their peers. Remember, this is one of their utmost concerns, to be accepted and looked up to by their friends. Belongingness is vital at this stage of their lives.

3. Dresses in fashion

Teen girls dress up for fashion. They don't want to be considered nerds or pariahs among their peers. Balance your taste between her comfort and the on-going fashion. If the present fashion does not cater to your taste, don't worry so much as your fashion several years ago; likewise, does not cater to her taste. Each generation has their own sense of how people should be dressed, so you must respect hers.

by dreamcicle19772006

As long as the dress does not shock your sensibilities and does not show half of her soul, then it would be okay.

4. The latest iPod model

This is assuming that you have enough financial resources to buy this. A teenager usually looks "cool" to her peers when she owns the latest of anything. Of course, you have to make her realize that this is not necessarily the case; that good character is still the genuine factor that makes someone cool.


5. Jewelry

Trendy and fashionable ear rings, necklaces and bracelets, even if they're not 18 carat gold, are welcomed by teen girls.

In fact, online it is one of the most ordered commodity - tinker bells, juicy couture and many more. You could also order her birthstone. Make it more meaningful by personalizing it with her name engraved on it.

6. Scent collections

A set of scents that would suit her different moods would be good. Teen girls usually want to experiment with scents. If your budget is not enough then opt not for the purse concentrates but the diluted colognes or sprays which are usually cheaper.

Photo by Manassas Cakery

7. Cameras

Digital cameras which are handy are trendy to teenagers. Buy the color that she likes
and personalize it. A teen girl is struggling to establish her identity and adulthood and nothing would beat the exhilarating feeling of knowing that she has full possession of the object.

Whatever you decide to give your teen girl for Christmas, always do it with love.
Love is still the vital factor that would make a Christmas gift complete and meaningful.

Happy holidays!

This article has been published at Helium.com

Filipinos, Say no to Charter Change (Cha-Cha)

From You Tube

Do we really need a charter change? Or are shrewd politicians utilizing this as a way to advance their self-interests?

This video was passed on by Roy of The Struggling Blogger, who incidentally wrote an article - "Bloggers' Connection" about The Inspirational Book which yours truly will be self-publishing next year. Thanks Roy for that generous write-up, I appreciate it a lot. Good luck in all your endeavors. Mabuhay ka cabalen!

Let's All Welcome a New Blogger!

Let’s all welcome to the blogging world my dearest friend from India - Krishna.
He was reluctant at first to create a blog but I prodded him on. I assured him that we are a friendly lot here in the blogging world, and I was able to convince him.



Now he had created his blog: "KRISHNA'S MUSINGS" and had written his first post within 15 minutes. He had to hurry to a significant task. But he promises to attend to blogging eventually. His first ever topic: "Terrorism in India and Abroad" is a good read (although written in a few minutes).

Why don't you pay him a visit and leave a comment. I am sure this would motivate him to write more of his great thoughts.

Let’s all support a new blogger and welcome him to our exciting world of blogging. Thanks.

Photo by Mike Licht,...

Making a Choice Between Multivitamins

Choosing the appropriate multi-vitamin for a person is important so that its maximum benefits could be obtained. TDM (Therapeutic Drug Monitoring) usually does this when time permits and the person is willing to undergo the procedure.

In therapeutic drug monitoring, drugs are administered to a certain person and observed for its therapeutic effect. The drug dosage is adjusted until such time that the dosage is therapeutic and neither sub-therapeutic nor toxic to the person.

Photo by vieux bandit

A more practical way is to take into account all of the factors that may affect the ingestion of the drug. In this process there are several factors that should be taken into consideration.

First and foremost is the physiologic make-up of the person. The "organ function" should be considered first. Does the person have a dysfunctional liver or heart? Is his excretory organ functionally well?

The vitamins for a person with a heart ailment should be one that has no side effects on his heart; likewise the vitamins of persons who have dysfunctional livers would have to have no toxic side-effects on his liver. Organs that are functioning normally would ensure that the purported boosting effects of the multi-vitamins would come about.

Second, the age of the person. Very young children and very old people usually have a slower body metabolism. Young people in their teenage years have the strongest. That is why vitamins are not commonly given at birth but only after 2 months. For geriatric (old) patients, the same principle applies too. The easily metabolized vitamin is a good choice.

Third, is the weight or body mass of the person. The higher the weight and body mass, the stronger would be the dosage. There are vitamins which have a higher concentration than others.
These maybe selected for optimum results for those with higher body mass.

Fourth, the economic status of the person.

Photo by mikebaird

The question: "Could he afford the prolonged maintenance of the multi-vitamins? If not, then cheaper alternatives should be selected. It is of no use if the person just takes the vitamins for a week then stops because he cannot afford to buy.

Fifth, the effectiveness of the multi-vitamins as documented by people who have used them. The best advertisement of a product is still through word of mouth from actual users.

Sometimes, it is only through trial and error that one would be able to choose the correct multi- vitamins for himself/herself. It is still an individual

This article has been published at Helium.com

Beneficial Effects of Sunlight ( Early Morning Sun)

Sunlight or sunshine always denotes happiness and joy. It is because most of us associate light with the good, happy and beautiful. Sunlight also brightens our day as compared to what darkness or lack of sunlight brings to us.

We have believed that these positive thoughts associated with sunshine are only based on our perceptions, but this is not so because Science now has proven that there are scientific evidences that connect sunlight to various beneficial effects.

The following have been proven as the beneficial effects of sunlight in our lives.

1. A condition termed Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a very appropriate term for the condition, has been found in persons who were not exposed to sunlight. The condition is characterized by a general sense of melancholia, depressions, bouts of mood swings, and an increased desire for food and sleep.

Photo by MHJohnston

This is because the lack of sunlight lowers serotonin which is the hormone that is usually elevated when a person is happy. Serotonin interacts with other hormones like melatonin to balance a person's condition.

People who have SAD were greatly cured of the condition after constant exposure to sunlight. That is why when it is winter and dark, we oftentimes call it a gloomy weather, because we feel "low", due to decreased serotonin levels.


It has been proven that even artificial light could also cure the condition.

2. Vitamin D, which is essential for the skin, bones and hair growth, is derived from the sun. Without the sun the production of vitamin D would not take place because of the active role of sunlight in this process.

Photo by bradleyolin

3. Sunlight is also utilized as treatment for physiologic jaundice. This is a condition that occurs commonly in newborn infants in which there is a yellow discoloration of the sclera of the eyes and the skin due to bilirubin elevation. Bilirubin is an end product of Red Blood Cells (RBCs) degradation.

The infant is usually exposed to sunlight for several minutes during the early morning when the sun's rays are still mild, because if this is left untreated, it could manifest to a liver disorder.

4. Sunlight is also used as a sterilizing agent. When we do not have the means to kill bacteria, we expose the suspected contaminated material to extreme sunlight.

Many bacteria, viruses and viable substances are killed by prolonged exposure under direct sunlight.

A specific example is Neisseria gonorrhea which dies in the open air under hours of exposure to sunlight, when the purulent discharge coming from the disease has dried up; so with lots of pathogenic bacteria.

Photo by phault

5. Sunlight provides a spectrum of light so we could see and visualize the beauty of things around us. Science had established that without sunlight, we are unable to "see". Imagine how the world would look like if there is total darkness.

There are still several beneficial effects of sunlight in our lives. We must however know how to use this properly as excessive abuse of its use could achieve the opposite effect; it could be detrimental to health; skin cancer has been known to come from prolonged exposure to UV sunlight.

Moderation, therefore, is the key word. So, do not be afraid to expose yourself to the early morning sunlight. It is good for your mental and physiological health.
*********************
This has been published at Helium.com

Obama Wins Over McCain in the Historic American Elections

I don't usually write articles about politics and I was not really a die-hard follower of the developments in the recently concluded American elections, but I was curious to know who won, so I scanned Yahoo News and got this excerpt:

Quote:
"This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and the special pride that must be theirs tonight," McCain said. "These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face."
Unquote.

I can’t put exactly a finger, as to why I suddenly felt a lump in my throat. The lump in my throat got even more pronounced when I watched President Obama’s speech in Chicago after his electoral victory.

Photo by Abangbay

He talked about the United States still being one in spite of differences in color, religion, race, and individual preferences. As I was watching him speak, I grew maudlin. Perhaps because I admire how both candidates were gracious in defeat and victory, or because for the first time in history – the seemingly impossible feat has taken place – a black American has been elected to the highest position in one of the most powerful countries in the world, or simply because in my heart, I was wishing Philippine politics would be like the same – clean and unrigged; that losers would graciously accept their defeat; and that everyone would work together after the elections, for the betterment of the nation.

But sadly, this is not what is happening here in my own country. Presently in the locality where I live, the losers of the elections are now still trying to recall the proclamation of the Governor elect of the province.

Why do they have to do that? If they really wanted to help the people, they can do so, even if they are not in Office. It is clearly apparent that their agenda is not service for the people but for their own selfish motives.

I perform my obligations dutifully as a citizen of my country. I fulfill all my responsibilities to the best of my ability, but still…

I pray that our corrupt politicians would eschew their self-interests and genuinely think of the welfare of their constituents. These bad eggs are destroying the true democratic spirit of Philippine politics.

And all I can do, for now, is pray!