Are we ready?

One of my greatest fears living in the 34/F is being home when an Earthquake happens. I have experienced it twice (Thank God, I didn't feel the latest one.) and I'm thankful that it wasn't a major one unlike what happened recently in Christchurch, NZ, Japan and Myanmar.  Still, it makes me think that if a major one happens, am I ready for it? I don't think no amount of preparedness will make one really ready when the inevitable happens. Just thinking the flight of stairs I would need to go through to get out of the building makes me tired already. However, I think its important that we all know what to do. Here are some survival tips I read from different sites that maybe helpful :

1. Have an Earthquake readiness plan handy and share it with everyone living with you.
2.Contrary to what they often say to say under the door frame or under the table, DON'T! It might break.
3. Remember the Triangle of life - stay within the angles of an invisible triangle but make sure you are not under one where breakables may fall on your head.
4. Curl up into fetus position but use your hand to protect your head.
5. Stay indoors until the shaking stops, grab your emergency earthquake kit if you have and head out to the fire exit as fast as you could.
6. Go down and out as fast as you could because there will surely be aftershocks.
7. Once you are outdoors, stay on an open area free from  buildings, trees and power lines and lie on the ground.
8.  Pray! Pray really hard.

Now I mentioned an Earthquake kit. I think it is only sensible to have one. Your Earthquake kit should have the following basics inside a bag/backpack which is situated near where you can easily grab it :
- A Hard Hat ( used by construction workers)
- A whistle on a chain so you can wear it.
- Flashlight and spare batteries.
- Blanket
- Water
- Food that does not need cooking or complicated opening such as crackers or energy bar.
- Small Towel.
- Medicines, Cotton, Betadine.
- Passport (get it ready and accessible)

Hope this is helpful! Cheers! =)

Keeping them close...

While it may still have its downside, I just LOVE what technology can do nowadays...

I love that its so easy to webcam with my sister and niece all the way from UK

I love how I get to chat with my cousin from Concorde, C.A. almost every day or night when she is in FB or my kuya in Hawaii and the other one in Abu Dhabi.

I love how it keeps me in touch with friends from Singapore, KL, New Zealand, Paris, Dubai, US or even locally. It makes us so near even if we are far apart.

I love that because of social networking, Old friends have found each other and the friendship is rekindled.

I love that with just a touch of a button, its so easy to call for SOS when needed

Makes me feel that indeed, its a small world after all. =)

25 years after...

Today, we commemorate what happened in Edsa in 1986 when there was a show of collective unity to achieve freedom. We showed the world that it is possible to restore democracy in a bloodless manner. I was too young and too sheltered to be involved then but I did understand what the people stood for and it does make me proud to be a Filipino. There was a clamor for change and hearts full of hope.

Where are we now, 25 years after? I look at the world around me and this is what i see : The rich get richer, the poor gets poorer, the justice system sucks, Corruption is so massive that it is worst that how it was 25 years ago. People have lost their hope. The much coveted freedom that was fought for then seems used and abused for the wrong reasons - all for personal gain.

I just pray that people will cherish the freedom that we are currently enjoying and while doing so, not forget that with this freedom comes responsibility and accountability for the love of this country and all its people. May we not forget the essence of Edsa 25 years ago and may hope rise in the people once more.

Counting your blessings through the everydayness of life..

Its funny how sometimes God reveals to you how blessed you are in the smallest everyday things that is usually taken for granted. The other day as I was coming home from the supermarket, I came across a crowd waiting for a ride and trying to get ahead over the others when a public transportation stops to get passengers. I feel sorry for them but oh, how thankful I am that I didn't have to be in their shoes. I look around me and I am thankful to have shelter, food, finances for medicines and a little bit more to enjoy life. I am thankful for my family and for having real friends. Indeed, there are many more to be thankful for if we are just aware of it. It is always better to count your blessings than to rant how heavy your cross is or focusing on what you don't have. It really is that simple... =)

The forgotten practice of Chivalry...

Is Chivalry dead? Not really... I must say there are still a few men out there who practices it but it is a dying characteristic if the society does not do something about it.

Chivalry is best defined as a method of training and  standards of behavior for knights in the middle ages. Its code emphasizes bravery, military skill, generosity to victory, gallantry and courtesy to women. Yes, it is as basic as being courteous to women yet it is rarely done nowadays. Chivalry is :

- Opening and holding the door for a woman when you enter a venue or the car.
- It is giving up your seat in the bus or MRT to let a lady ( elderly or otherwise) take that seat.
- It is pulling a chair and let the woman seat first before getting your own seat.
- It is staying on the danger side when crossing the road.
- It is making sure the lady is not disrespected and making sure you deal with it when someone does.
- It is offering to carry the heavy stuff that she could be carrying.
- It is giving your hand to assist her in going down the steps or when going through a crowd.

No matter how modern the world has become. A lady will always appreciate a chivalrous gesture from a gentleman. A lady will always want to treated as a lady. Perhaps its never too late to practice and impart it to a new generation but it should always start within.

The Lighthouse...

As you sail through life amidst the raging waters of the deep, dark blue sea
let this Lighthouse safely guide and anchor you safely back home to my heart where you belong where I am waiting.... Loveyou...

( Photo taken from Flicker)

A Trust Issue...

Allow me to vent... Something happened last Sunday that while others may find it funny, I do not. I simply laughed and rode along with them and i simply tried to shrug it off but thinking about it now, I do feel offended. Some may think I am making a mountain out of a molehill and really, its something shallow but hear me out... Although I love food, I am visual and picky. For the life of me, you won't be able to make me eat street food probably except for occasional fishball (which I can tolerate) or the green mangoes soaked in water but thats about it. I also do not eat Balut and Dinuguan (They call it chocolate meat but really its pork blood) and liver. Eww, just thinking about it is making me cringe!

Anyway, we had dinner in a Mediterranean Restaurant somewhere in Serendra. They went ahead and ordered food, it came, I ate. In fairness, it was good but halfway through eating, I knew they tricked me into eating something I would never eat had I known.=( Boo! But I didn't want to be embarrassed so I ate it anyway and just drank more coke. They made me eat OX BRAIN making me think it was a chicken dish. Ewwwww. After dinner, I told them I kinda figured it out and Hell, they even tried to justify that it was all visual and I liked it ( Yeah, until something in its taste made me figure it out).

Point is, even if they meant it as a joke, I think it is cruel because they should have let me made that choice if I wanted to try it or not by being honest instead of tricking me into eating it thinking it was chicken. 2 things I realized. First, How gullible I could get! If my own family can do that to me and find it funny. What more other people? Second, Can I trust them still from this point on? I felt like a victim of their conspiracy. If my own flesh and blood can do this, who more can I trust? No one?  I think I would always think twice if they say something or make me eat something. Indeed, it takes time to build trust up but just a second to loose it. And that's how the cookie crumbles....