Cinderella Story

In one way or another, we are shaped by the things we read. These are stuff that permeate your inner life and become part of what you believe. There are two books about a story of young girls that I love the most (so far) one is Anne Frank and the other one is about Adeline Mah… Chinese Cinderella.

When we think of difficulties, sometimes we tend to forget others are suffering way beyond what we could imagine. And we become selfish. Adeline Mah in her her story would give out her thoughts about her life and why I believe some of us are lucky to have this life that we could have missed and could have other life and entirely different future.

“How could everything remain so much the same when the person no longer with us?” - her grandparent died, the only person who believed and truly cared for her.

“I’ll just have to find my own way” - faced with difficulty

“Though I am really nothing, you make me believe I am special” - thoughts on her grandparent

“It thrilled me to be able to escape the horrors of my daily life in such a simple way” - away from others

“By wanting to have the things both ways and straddling the fence, was he aware that each compromise would chip away his integrity” - about her elder brother whom she thought would fight for her

“Don’t start without me” - nice moments with brothers and sister

“She is going to be different” - as told by grandparent

“You must never forget to dream. Try to do your best at all times. You have something priceless inside you which must not be wasted. I’ve always known that. You must prove them wrong” - as told by grandparent

“You have defied the odds and garnered triumph through your own efforts. Your future is limitless and I shall always be proud of you” - nana

Frog, Prince and Kiss

Lost in confusion. I didnt realize that it could end up just as simple as you would have read the message of this blog.

It started out when we met. We didn’t really see sparks flying up in the sky. Just that. We never really talk. We never trade secrets. Never friends.

But one day, fate decided to play trick on us. We were stuck in each others company. We play the part of people in the screen that matches the role we love and the role we could not have.

I saw it, as a hopeless romantic would have, as a magic moment of the day where life begins to reveal the madness of love.

I remember. We reverted back to our different lives. You played the part. I stayed the part. I waited.

I changed. I acted what may seem foolish to others. You acted which is less visible to others.

It leaves no permanent mark. No love, nothing.

People who believe in magic moment are lost in confusion. There’s nothing more to it than that. In fairy tales, the princesses kiss the frogs, the frogs became princes. In real life, the princesses kiss the princes, and the princesses turn into frogs.

(Italized, quoted by Paulo Coelho)

Men Are Just Happier People

A guy friend mailed me this message, maybe to lure me to believe that he was lucky he belonged to the fairer sex. What do you expect from such simple creatures?

Your last name stays put.
The garage is all yours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
You can be President.
You can never be pregnant.
You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
You can wear NO shirt to a water park.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.
The world is your urinal.
You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character.
Graying hair adds attraction.
Wedding dress~$5000. Tux rental~$100.
People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.
The occasional well-rendered belch ispractically expected.
New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
One mood all the time.
Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
You know stuff about tanks.
A five-day vacation requires only onesuitcase.
You can open all your own jars.
You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.
Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
You almost never have strap problems in public.
You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.
Everything on your face stays its original color.
The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
You only have to shave your face and neck.
You can play with toys all your life.
Your belly usually hides your big hips.
One wallet and one pair of shoes one color for all seasons.
You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.
You can "do" your nails with a pocket knife.
You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.
You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25minutes.
No wonder men are happier.

Send this to the women who can handle it
and to the men who will enjoy reading it.

By being the exact opposite of man, can be so rewarding.
I am glad I am a Girl

For Jen

(This is a tribute to my bestfriend Jen on her wedding day, Mar.03, 2007)

When Jenny first told me – note that I was told not asked! – that I was making a speech; I thought it was her way of getting back at me for anything I had ever done to her while growing up. At which point all of the warm fuzzy feelings I had about my friendship with Jen disappeared.

Now the only guideline I have been given regarding this speech is not to tarnish Jen’s angelic reputation. However, Jen and I have been close friends since grade school so this stumped me a little as I have so many anecdotes to draw from.

Now, I don’t want to break any rules, but I think that in the interest of watching Jen squirm I can definitely bend a few.

Perhaps you would expect me to say that she is something along the lines of amazing, intelligent, sexy, funny etc etc etc. But not one good adjective sprung to mind from the millions available.

She is rather re-nound for losing her temper with spectacular ginger ferocity. She is young, funny and headstrong… whose middle name is naughty… a deadly combination.

MOI – YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED………!

Seriously, Jen is unique – she is a perfect blend of beauty, wit and personality.

And for that let me quote the saying “A best fiend is like a four leaf clover: hard to find and lucky to have”. I am the four leaf clover in her life. And not the other way around.

Moi, this wedding speaks a lot of your personality that I have not discovered before:
Clearly you had an impeccable taste
That you could demonstrate the kind of commitment that she deserved. And
Most importantly, your hair and make-up knowledge is second to none which comforts me that Jen have finally landed a real man of her own.

So on that note before I get into any trouble…

As you sit side by side through this roller coaster of life, remember to scream from the peaks, hold hands through the dips, laugh through the loop-the-loops and enjoy every twist and turn for the ride is better because you share it together. May you live forever in love and may love live forever in you.

I wanna know what Love is

A few professionals interviewed children aged 4-8 years old to know their definition of what love is. Here are their thoughts and many were amazed with the depth of these children's views.

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." Rebecca- age 8

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." Billy - age 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out an
d smell each other." Karl - age 5

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs." Chrissy - age 6

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." Terri - age 4

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK." Danny - age 7

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss" Emily - age 8

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,"Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday." Noelle - age 7
"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." Tommy - age 6

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. They were the only on es doing that. I wasn't scared anymore." Cindy - age 8

"My mommy loves me more than anybody You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."Clare - age 6

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken." Elaine-age 5

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford." Chris - age 7

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."Mary Ann - age 4

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones." Lauren - age 4

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you."Karen - age 7 (what an image)

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross." Mark - age 6
"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget." Jessica - age 8

And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,"Nothing, I just helped him cry"

When there is nothing left but God, that is when you find out that God is all you need.

WHY I AM NOT MARRIED?

You have two choices in life: You can stay single and be miserable, or get married and wish you were dead.

At a cocktail party, one woman said to another, "Aren't you wearing your wedding ring on the wrong finger?" "Yes, I am. I married the wrong man."

A lady inserted an ad in the classifieds: “Husband Wanted". Next day she received a hundred letters. They all said the same thing: “You can have mine."

When a woman steals your husband, there is no better revenge than to let her keep him.

A woman is incomplete until she is married. Then she is finished

A little boy asked his father, "Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?" Father replied, "I don't know son, I'm still paying."

A young son asked, "Is it true Dad, that in some parts of Africa
a man doesn't know his wife until he marries her?" Dad replied, "That happens in every country, son."

Then there was a woman who said, "I never knew what real happiness was until I got married, and by then, it was too late."

Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence.

If you want your spouse to listen and pay strict attention to every word you say -- talk in your sleep.

Just think, if it weren't for marriage, men would go through life thinking they had no faults at all.

First guy says, "My wife's an angel!" Second guy remarks, "You're lucky, mine's still alive."

“A Woman's Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray for: Wisdom, to understand a man, to Love and to forgive him, and for patience, for his moods. Because Lord, if I pray for Strength I'll just beat him to death”

About an Author

Paulo Coelho Quotes - fave author

Paulo Coelho is one of my favorite authors (I hate to think he's comparable to JK Rowling and Bob Ong, hehehe). Here are the quotes that might help you understand why I read his books:

“Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own”

“People need not fear the unknown if they are capable of achieving what they need and want”

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure”

“Usually the threat of death makes people a lot more aware of their lives”

“Stop thinking all the time that you're in the way, that you're bothering the person next to you. If people don't like it, they can complain. And if they don't have courage to complain, that's their problem”

“...there were two things that prevent us from achieving our dreams: believing them to be impossible or seeing those dreams made possible by some sudden turn of the wheel of fortune, when you least expected it. For at that moment, all our fears suddenly surface: the fear of setting off along a road heading who knows where, the fear of a life full of new challenges, the fear of losing for ever everything that is familiar”

“A warrior accepts defeat. He does not treat it as a matter of indifference, nor does he attempt to transform it into a victory. The pain of defeat is bitter to him; he suffers at indifference and becomes desperate with loneliness. After all this has passed, he licks his wounds and begins everything anew. A warrior knows that war is made of many battles: he goes on”

“Tragedies do happen. We can discover the reason, blame others, imagine how different our lives would be had they not occurred. But none of that is important: they did occur, and so be it. From there onward we must put aside the fear that they awoke in us and begin to rebuild”

“You have to take risks. We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen”

“We can never judge the lives of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation. It's one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it's another to think that yours is the only path”

“But there is suffering in life, and there are defeats. No one can avoid them. But it's better to lose some of the battles in the struggles for your dreams than to be defeated without ever knowing what you're fighting for”

Hope you read some of his books; it might help us deal with life.