My Own Shangri la

Is age catching up on me? This is the same question I often hear from friends or other people of my age when they feel easily exhausted or whenever they suffer from some agonizing back aches or muscle pains. I had often pushed myself to the limit on performing the daily routine of household chores and I think those everyday simple tasks have somehow contributed to this uncomfortable aches and pains especially on my arms, hands and fingers. Thus I can’t help but ask the same question now. Is age catching up on me? Well, I guess so. I’m not getting any younger I know!
The usual solace I give myself when I have these body pains is a relaxing moment on a health spa. I think it's time to visit my favorite Health Spa again. It’s been a while since my last visit and I totally miss the perfect body massage and the peaceful ambiance of the place. Together with the soothing music and the free snack as well. That’s one freeby of the place I never let go. Lol!
I have been to other Health Spas but one thing I like in this fave Spa apart from the excellent service and relaxing ambiance is their very safe and well made Wood Lockers. Even when alone in their Locker room, I feel totally safe including my personal belongings. One would wish that all lockers would be like those, be it Gym Lockers or School Lockers. Anyway, I think I just long to be in that relaxing place. The place I consider my own Shangri la.

The Manila Hostage Taking

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The horrifying hostage taking incident that took place in Manila the other day is definitely an added blemish to the country’s over-all impact to the international community. There were a lot of “finger-pointings” as to the cause of the tragic end. Obviously, too many blunders have been commited, but it’s all water under the bridge now. It is just heartbreaking that a supposedly good police officer would have to involve innocent tourists' lives in his fight for his reinstatement in the organization that sacked him. The country is once again positioned in a bad light. Hopefully this nightmare that haunted not only the country but the whole world as well will break the ground to dig into the deeper loopholes present in the police organization as well as the local and the national government. I sympathize with all the victims, their relatives and their countrymen.

I got this postscript written by one of the hostage taking survivors from an email. Some of you may already have read it but in case you haven't yet, I'm sharing it here with you.

Postcripts Of A BloodBath
by Bang Lu Min
(One of the Hostages)

Mr. Mendoza was already upset even before he saw on television what the
policemen did to his brother. The other tourists who remained inside the bus
were complaining. Wei Ji Jiang wanted to go to the bathroom. Dao Chi Yu was
hungry and the rest were just groaning and whining like they have forgotten that
our lives rest in Mr. Mendoza's hands.

The hostage taker, as you know him was really nice. He treated us okay and even
let the elders and the children leave the bus. He said your policemen treated
him unfairly. He was a policeman too and was accused of doing something he had
no knowledge of. But your government didn't listen so he used us to get
everyone's attention.

Things would have never turned for the worst if he didn't see how his family was
dragged out of their house and taken into custody. He was watching the news all
the time as we huddled around each other behind the bus. He shouted some words
in your language then started shooting in the air. A girl about my age started
screaming. Mr. Mendoza demanded her to stop but she didn't understand English.
God, he had to slash her neck with a knife just to put her to rest. Her
boyfriend who tried to hit him was shot in the head.

Tension was rising. You can see in his face how scared and confused he was. The
bus driver ran away leaving him alone with strangers from a distant land. I can
see him walking across the aisle, sometimes pointing his machine gun to one of
the tourists. But he tried his best not to hurt us, especially those who really
cooperate.

I guess its in your nature not to inflict pain on others unless it was
necessary. I remember him saying that he will free us before sundown and
implored us to forget everything when we return home. But his words don't matter
now. The policemen were trying to force their way in, while we all lied down to
shield ourselves from bullets. Mister Mendoza blindly shoots at his enemies
which I think kept them from rescuing us. I hear sobs under the chairs. Some
were even shouting the names of their loved ones even when the air merely eat
their words. Kevin Tang tried to escape when the glass door was was shattered,
but one shot and he slumped on the floor with blood gushing from his mouth.

Heavy rain pitter-pattered on the rooftop. In old Chinese saying, it means an
end to a struggle. Finally, somebody was able to open the escape hatch at the
back of the bus. Freedom. But I knew Mister Mendoza was still alive. I knew he
was just waiting for a chance to strike back at his enemies. So I told those
around me not to escape. Let the authorities come for us instead. Then there was
gunfire. He was firing at his enemies with a machine gun. Those who were at the
escape hatch fled abandoning us once again. It's like a nightmare with no end
and to wake up means a certain death. Then somebody from outside the bus threw a
canister. It forced out a black smoke that is so painful to the eyes and putrid
smelling to the nose. People started screaming. We cannot breathe. Some ran in
front of the bus but Mister Mendoza warned them of stray bullets. It was too
late. One was hit on the head, the other was hit on the shoulders. Bullets were
now flying. Its like the authorities thought we were all dead. Mister Mendoza
finally realizes his mistake and said sorry to everyone, dead or alive. He then
ran towards the front of the bus where he would meet his maker. As he passed by
my chair with bullets whistling overhead, I clutched my hand on the velvet
curtain and wrapped it around my face. All I could think of was to stay alive -
for my child who is waiting for me back in Xinjang. I know I will survive,

I will come home.

Bang Lu Min
Survivor, Quirino Bloodbath

Marketing Strategy

As many of you already know, I once worked in an insurance company few decades past. Around that time, the company I was working with was quite doing well despite the lack of dependable marketing strategy. As far as I can remember, we only had few personnel specifically assigned to dig-up potential corporate clients with vast need for various insurance coverages. Those Production personnel plus few affiliated agencies were the only ones that were depended upon to keep the business going.

Lately, I heard from hubby (he and I met in that office), that the said office Alma mater of ours (allow me to use the word) is perfectly doing fine now. Though a number of the original bosses already passed away, the younger generation now on top brass level are definitely in the know how of excellently running the business.

It’s nice to know that they now implement various marketing strategies including subscribing to marketing list and other consumer mailing lists obtained from list brokers or was it from a mailing list company? Well, not so sure which. but it sure gave them good results.

-->Hubby and I are happy for our office mates who are now amongst the top brass level. I believe they were the key for the company's current success!

Noel and Iya Tying the Knot

Congratulations and Best Wishes to Noel and Iya!

My nephew Noel and his sweetheart Iya (a.k.a Grace) has finally tied the knot last Sunday, August 8, in Seattle, Washington. I wish them endless love and happiness.

The couple has been through a lot but blessed as they are, they have passed all the obstacles and everything turned out well. So happy for you, guys! I love you both!
God bless!

A Post Grabbed from Daughter's Blog

I'm not in good mood to write as usual. I blog hopped instead and stumbled upon this old post of my daughter from her own blog. It amuses me as I find it cute and opted to re-post it here to share to you an excerpt of what has been in the mind of a "ditched" tough girl. She's really tough in all sense of the word. And I'm proud she is!


May 1 Post
April 26, 2008

In our product training, we usually start our class by surfing into the internet and documenting some lessons that we’ll be tackling for the day. But yesterday was different. We started it with a discussion about May 1. We needed to plan things out as we are in the last days of our product training and each date is significant to us. Some of my wavemates had still not heard the news that May 1 celebration is not going to be moved to a Friday or a Monday. They were asking questions, I was participating too but had suddenly drifted for a while.

If I remember it right, it was the night of May 1 of last year when a guy told me that he thinks “it will be easier for us if we break up.” Right. Lame line, but right. I was not shocked at all with his request. Maybe it was really what we needed and all along, I was just waiting for him to say that.

I answered him, “Okay.” And there were no other words uttered to further or prop our assumptions. His short line and mine seemed enough to make everything all right. True enough, everything was, because I killed him. Time of death: 9:55pm, I remember the call in my head.

He had to be killed—for at least a month. I needed to consider him dead for me to swiftly move on. No bitterness at all in between us, I just thought we needed to detoxify each other from our respective systems. Three years is three years anyway.

But then again, if I really do remember it right, it was two weeks later than May 1 when that guy told me that he was so stupid having said such line. Yes, he was foolish indeed. He was foolish to not recall that I don’t have a third eye and in no way I would like to open one. I have never seen unnatural things around me such as ghosts like him, even if they seek for clairvoyants’ help. And it’s a fact that just the thought of ghosts scares the hell out of me; he should have known that.

After minutes of drifting away from the discussion, I just realized that it’s roughly been a year since my last amorous episode ended. I’m currently unattached and I honestly didn’t think I would be doing this good. Few more minutes passed, I heard our class finally scheduled the non-working holiday on the date of Labor Day itself. After everything was settled, another odd thought grasped my mind: May 1, people around me mark it as Labor Day… With me, I mark it as Independence Day.


There goes her post. She posted it a couple of years ago. I'm delighted to think that I was once like her. young, vibrant and composed. Couldn't help but frequently tell her, she'll only be young once, hence I want her to enjoy her youthful life as much as she can, in a way that she'll be proud of herself ... like what her mother did when she was her age.

Thanking God for a Restful Sunday!

... And a family dinner out made my day! 'Twas kinda complete day- off for me yesterday. I slept morning and afternoon while the big kiddos did most of the household chores. Actually, sleep for me is often too difficult to come by unless I take an anti-histamine pill with 100% drowsiness side effect or some vitamins that induce sleep. I try to evade the latter as much as possible cos it blows my appetite like that of anacondas’! Lol! Unfortunately, even with the huge appetite, I still don’t gain the needed few pounds of weight. I think it’s in my gene. I’ll be skinny all my life despite the a la construction worker passion for eating! Omg! .. so yesterday , I took that vitamin/appetite enhancer once again. Thus, the precious sound sleep I had and the rapid emergence of hunger I feel again today.

Now that I'm quite refreshed, I’m thinking of extending my day-off. He he.. I’ll make do with the doggie bag take out we had last night. Will manage with some light household works and that woud be it. I gotta enjoy a relaxing day with my lappy then off to my lab test results come late afternoon. Probably, it would only be then that nail-biting moment will set in. Wish me luck that each lab exams turns out good/normal as usual!

Wishing everyone a fantastic brand new week! Take care!