Sometimes the more pointless the relationship is, the more you want to fight for it.

I just copied this line from Facebook coz I think it tells my love story.

I've been involved in pointless relationships twice, and never learned - too bad for me.

The first one was a 7-year relationship which from the start I knew will end.  But I stayed in that relationship and fought for it, in spite of all the problems and criticisms from people around me.  As I expected, it ended,  The good part is that I became happier after that relationship - that's how pointless that relationship was.

The second one was more serious, not because it was a long-term relationship but because it resulted to a cute little baby Basty (my angel).  With this one, we are two people, one from the North the other from the South trying to meet in the middle of the road.  Sadly between North and South are humps, boulders and broken bridges.  While traveling, the relationship became pointless day after day until it reached the day when the engines just stopped.  Still, we are fighting for it, though deep inside we know that there's a big possibility that we'll never meet.

I fight knowing that it is pointless hoping that somehow, someday it will make sense.

Are Filipinos Ready for the upcoming Elections?

In less than a month now, Filipinos will be lining up on their respective precincts to wait for their turn to vote.  Are the voters ready on Election day?

Since March this year, I've been going around different towns and barangays in Laguna.  My goal is to educate voters on the Automated Election.  My first question every time I conduct a seminar is "Sino dito ang alam na ang gagawin sa darating na eleksyon? Pakitaas ang kamay." (Those who know what to do on the upcoming election, please raise your hands!), as expected, less than 5% of the audience raise their hands. In less than a month before May 10, 2010, I am not sure if the percentage of voters knowledgeable on the how tos of the upcoming May 10 elections will increase drastically.  As much as I want to speak to everybody and teach them what to do in the Automated Elections, my resources are not enough.  I am praying that candidates will take the initiative to educate people, not just talk about their promises.

I would like to commend Councilor Pamboy Lopez of San Pablo City.  Unlike other candidates who spend a lot of money on giving away Gin, Councilor Lopez spends money, time and effort in Voters Education.  If every candidate will conduct Voters Ed seminar daily, assuming 100 participants per seminar..that will make a big difference.

To those who already know what to do, please relay the knowledge to other people.

The Eco Shoppe

We are very excited with our soon to open shop in Los Baños, Laguna. The shoppe is along Grove near Robinson's. It will be carrying different organic and natural products. Here is the list:

• Sketch Shirts - when we thought about setting up a store, Sketch Shirts is the only product line that we thought of selling.  Why?  Because it is our baby, our original design.  But other opportunities came in, that we thought will also be good to sell.  Anyway, we only had one dilemma - are there available earth friendly silkscreen paints?  Good thing we found a brand that is water based and non toxic.
• Human Heart Nature - we've been using HHN products for almost a year now; the results are really great.  Having started the HHN business as a dealer helped us open our minds in switching from chemical based products to organic.  Human Heart Nature manufactures affordable organic bath and body products.
• Earth and Me - very cute and effective product lines.  Earth and Me focuses on babies and mommies.  
• Victoria - I am surprised with the result of using this Victoria Organic Detergent.  I love the smell, it feels good on my hands too.  Everyone, and I mean Everyone who bought this product from us are satisfied with the result of using Victoria.
• Cyleina - organic bath soaps.  I have already tried 3 variants of Cyleina (shea butter, oatmeal and honey and kojic), Thina have used 1 (apple and cinnamon).  I have only good things to say about this product line.   
• Papelipa - these are handmade recycled papers.  The primary purpose of carrying this product is to serve as material for gift wrapping.  But aside from gift wrappers, we will also include Papelipa's scrap book line.

I think our line up is a very good.  Soon, we will be adding more products.  So see you in our shoppe!

Veggie Meat and Homemade Cheese naman!

I Can't Believe It's Not Meat!It's been 2 weeks since my last post. I was so busy with my Voters Education speaking engagement and setting up of our soon to open shop in Los Banos, Laguna.

Today, I will talk about Veggie Meat aka TVP (texturized vegetable protein). We might include this in the list of our products. Tomorrow, we will be experimenting on different processed meat recipes like sausage, patties, dumplings,etc using TVP. Hmmm...i really hope we'll be able to create sumptuous dishes. The plan is, we will sell frozen processed TVP. This isn't really new, but at least we will be able to provide more options to those people trying to be vegetarian and live a healthier life. But I think, the most difficult part in selling TVP, is to personally use/eat TVP in our daily meals. Of course, we cannot sell something that we do not use ourselves right? I have tasted TVPs, and found it good substitute for meat, but right now I am not sure if I can completely forget the real meat; maybe in few weeks or months.

Another product that we are selling now is the Homemade Cheese. Sarap! Not too salty, very creamy, and very affordable. This is Thina's best seller for this month.

Our shop in LB will be opening soon, target date is April 15, 2010, so, we might add more organic and healthy products in our Food Line. Watch out!

A One-Stop Organic Shop

I am imagining my own Organic Supermarket.  I can see a spacious place with very nice Japanese landscape and relaxing ambiance.  Inside, all products are organic and produced in the Philippines - fruits, vegetables, meat, bath and beauty products, toiletries, etc.  Aside from a market, it's also a restaurant where customers can ask my chef to cook for them - of course my kitchen will only use organic oil, herbs, spices, etc.  I also imagine a small garden that will provide basic ingredients - like onion, garlic, tomatoes, herbs etc.  I can hear people talking about saving Mother Earth, going green, patronizing Filipino products, etc.  Plastic and styro are No-nos.  Wow! A one-stop Organic Shop.

This is my long-term goal but for now I will promote organic products online and our soon-to-rise shop in Los Banos, Laguna:Sari-saring Organic Store. Lol!

http://sketchshirts.multiply.com

Kumikitang Kabuhayan ng Raketerang Ina

Simula nang ako ay maging isang single mom, hindi na mabilang ang mga raket na pinasok ko. Heto ang aking mga naaalala:

• Shoe Business:  namimili ako ng mga tsinelas at sapatos sa Liliw, para ibenta sa mga officemates ko sa Makati.  Mgandang kita, doble presyo.
• Food business.  nagluluto ng siomai at samosa sa RAQ4 Badminton Court every Wednesday, Friday at Sunday.  Super benta ng siomai,  3pcs for 20 pesos.  More expensive than other siomai, pero dto ko naprove na kahit mas mahal, mbibili pa rin bsta mganda quality.  Minsan, gumagawa din ng nachos.  Nagbebenta din ng homemade cheese na knikuha ko kay Sir Domz.
• Website development. I find clients who would like to have a website, or a customized software, etc. 
• Human Heart Nature:  dealer ng Human Heart Nature - organic bath and body products. Also thinking of being a dealer for other Organic products like Cyleina and Earth and Me.  Being a dealer of organic products made me see things in different ways. I am now more aware of the things that harm our environment, hence I think twice before using chemical based products.  I am also living a healthier life din, sana lng meron na din Organic beer. hehehe!
• Bookkeeping job:  I have a regular bookkeeping job para sa iba't ibang barangay ng San Pablo.  Easy job, easy money.
• Voters' Education Seminar.  Since malapit na ang 2010 Automated Election, eto ang malaki laki kong raket ngayon.  I'm earning money at the same time I'm helping other voters.  Sarap ng feeling everytime mtatapos ang seminar thankful ang participants sa mga na-share ko sa knila.  Through this seminar, nafufulfill ko ung dream ko na maging Professor.
• Sketch Shirts.  Eto ang aking newest source of income.  It started na one-time raket for Vday 2010.  But it turned out na ok na gwing regular business.  Thina and I are now preparing for our shop in Los Banos, Laguna.  We are optmistic that this business will be a regular one, hindi raket lng.
• At kung anu ano pa.

Sometimes, before I close my eyes, I think of how I am able to manage my life and my Basty's life.  I am amazed at how I am able to support needs of my baby on my own.  God always provides for us.  He never leave me empty handed.  He always gives me rakets. hehehe!

I am happy with my life now.  I don't have everything, kahit cellfon ko nga walang camera, but I have enough.  Enough to keep us going.  Konting sipag pa, I know I'll find the best raket ever.  Sabi nga ni Czjai, raket lng ng raket!!!

Kiwanis Club of Buklod San Pablo

August 2008, Kiwanis Club of Buklod San Pablo was chartered, and I was the Charter Secretary.  I felt like a 10 year old girl again helping other kids thru iodized salt distribution.  Back in elementary days, my dad tasked me to distribute iodized salt to my school mates in San Pablo Central School, coz as we all know, iodized salt can help kids grow smarter.  Distribution of Iodized Salt is one of the longest running project of Kiwanis worldwide.

Kiwanis Club of Buklod San Pablo is an organization of young volunteers.  Buklod is composed of the youngest Kiwanians in the Philippines, and probably in the world.  Kiwanis is an international organization whose mission is to help the children of the world, one child one community at a time.  I enjoy every moment of being a Kiwanian.  

My mom tells me "Why join Kiwanis?  It's expensive!", but I always say, " We may be spending our own money, but it's fine...will you think twice of helping other people by spending few hundreds?."  I remember one of our feeding projects for the affected areas of Bagyong Undoy in Victoria, Laguna.  A donation of P100 can feed 100 children in a day. Imagine that!

Aside from iodized salt distribution and feeding program, we also do book distribution (coz we believe that children must learn to love reading), story reading, school supplies distribution, etc.  But being a Kiwanian is not all about projects and community services, it's also about fellowship.  In our club, Buklod-San Pablo, we have become good friends.  Personally, I look forward to our weekly meeting because I enjoy exchanging ideas with them, telling each others' activities for the past week, sharing problems and advices and of course...drinking beer!!! We are different people from different walks of life, but one thing bonds us, the passion to help other people while having fun.  

I would like to share with you the blog of our current President Wilson Anzures http://wranzures.multiply.com/journal/item/54.