Ramblings Intérieurs

Philippine Daily Inquirer

100. Philippine Daily Inquirer

Finally, I reached the 100th mark for my list of reasons to be happy and thankful that I am living in this lifetime. Since this is a record, it is only appropriate that the 100th reason would cross all boundaries. And what more could this be but our newspaper for more than 15 years (if I'm not mistaken).

This broadsheet has been a very big help not only to me but to my family as well. The information that this newspaper has giving us for the last 15 years or so has been very, very useful to us. It does not only give us the latest news (very, very credible I must say) but tips on practically every aspect of life - personal, financial, mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual. It's an all-in-one paper.

I can give short examples about those as I grew along with PDI.

Personal: I grew up reading the advices of Robbie, Rissa, and Raya Mananquil (now all models and professionals) when they were still teens in the 2BU! section of Inquirer. The advices of Tita Dulce also made perfect sense as I heed her advices and gave her advices to my friends who turn to me for advices (shhh...that's a secret).

Financial: The Business Section of PDI has more that just business news. It has featured and is still writing stories about the inspiring and success stories of the best entrepreneur the country has produced. Of course, on those stories it is clear that the success stories of these CEO's, COO's and taipans were not walk in the park. They encountered a lot of challenges, difficulties, and pains but they continue and succeeded. How? Read the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Mental: The Opinion Section of the Inquirer is another gem. This is where I read the best writers that the country has produced. Conrado de Quiros, Michael Tan, the late Adrian Cristobal are just one of the few many writers that I read in PDI that got me hooked on reading the most widely-read broadsheet in the country.

Emotional: A lot of stories in PDI had made me emotional. The stories of the youth in "Young Blood" and their counterpart, the uhmmm, sixty-something in "High Blood." Not to mention the real stories that appears in it's front page. The not so-good-things about our country and how we and I are not able to do something about it. But what makes this truly special is that because the stories always end up with hope. Hope that we should not abandon despite everything.

Physical:
Of course the Sports Section of the Inquirer is a class of it's own. Almost always on time (sometimes PBA results yesterday would not be included in the next day's issue). But in general, I could rely on PDI regrading results of sports tournament I watch. NBA, US Open, Super Bowl, you name it they got it. They also have the best sportswriter in town, Al S. Mendoza and Recah Trinidad (who came back after a fling with retirement). The Tuesday Section of PDI about Lifestyle and Leisure also gave me tips on how to live a healthy and happy life with articles about the latest exercises and how to have a happy disposition in life through the articles of Cory Quririno.

Spiritual: This is the best part.

PDI has Fr. Jerry Orbos in it's Opinion Section every Sunday. Fr. Orbos column is my must-read column of Inquirer every Sunday with his jokes and anecdotes about life and his practical tips in life on how to live life as a Christian.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer also has what it calls "radical optimism" every Sunday. This means that every Sunday, it's front page only features good news. Yes, only good news. If you read a bad news or headline, you will see the good news inside it. I have another good news. It's not limited to Sundays anymore, as you can see in my previous blog entries.

Now, how's that for news?

Blogging

86. Blogging

Blogging for me is a therapy. This is where I get to write and ponder about all the things that happens in my life. A few years back I had a journal or a diary that I write about my experiences and the things that I learned in my so called life. As the years went by and my handwriting became unrecognizable, the journal entries became few and far in between but I still managed to write in my journal if there's something major that happened to my life.

Then blogging came along. At first, I was hesitant to start a blog because the whole world, or at least those who read my blog, would be able to know what's happening with my life. I also wasn't able to write about everything, lest I get fired from my job or lose a friend by blogging about my work or the personal things going on with my friends.

What prompted me to start a blog is an "open" love letter to a woman that I felt at that time was the woman for me. It was an undated love letter and it has all the emotions and the feelings kept inside by a boy in love with a woman and the things that a boy did for that thing called love.

At that time I posted the letter in my Friendster blog, I honestly hoped (or did I pray?) that she would be able to read the letter. Was she able to read it? I honestly don't know but her officemate was able to read it (after two years). The comments came in and I was ecstatic. They are commenting on my blog. I decided to write another blog entry and another. And another. Before I knew it, I was already enjoying it.

Today, I wanted to blog everyday until I'm able to list 2008 reasons that I should be happy and thankful that I am living in this lifetime but time, money, and resources won't permit it. You might think that it's a tall order but it isn't. I wasn't able to write maybe a hundred things already that would make me happy and thankful that I am living in this lifetime for one reason or another. And I'm a bit sad about that because it could be one thing that can make you (yes, you, the one reading this) happy.

Looking into the future, I would probably open a webpage of my own where I would be writing and blog about everything and anything under the sun, no holds barred. I also foresee myself earning from this thing called blogging. For now I would just continue blogging about all the positive things in life that escapes me and you. Yes, that's us because I am also guilty of looking at the negative things that engulfs me that the positive things in my life escapes me. My blog is here to remind us that life is good and that there's a lot of reasons for us to be happy and thankful that we are alive and living in this lifetime. Don't you agree? =)

Next: Blogs that you need to check out (it will change your life!)

"Love Struck" Writing Contest Winners

No, I didn't win the contest. The competition was stiff and there were a lot of good entries. At first, I thought and I felt my chances of winning was good. But as the entries increased and read some good stories, I felt my chances dipping. I wasn't able to read all of the entries because it was being blocked at work (oops!). Most of the winners (except one) I just read today before writing this entry.

This blog is to show you the winners so that you can enjoy some great literary blog masterpieces. So here are the winners and of course they are included in my 2008 "hit list."

But wait, before you read the winner's blog entries, you might as well read mine first. It's not a masterpiece but it came from my heart.

Love Story: http://yllor.blogs.friendster.com/my_blog/2007/07/love_story.html

The Winners:

34. Mnel- First Kiss: http://docmnel.com/ladolcevita/blog/?p=1

35. Lady Cess- The Promise of a Fairy Godmother: http://one-twentyone.com/2008/02/23/the-promise-of-a-fairy-godmother/

36. KingDaddyRich- Siya: http://kingdaddyrich.blogdrive.com/archive/82.html

The Runners-up:

37. Kongkong - The End of Friendship: http://scroochchronicles.blogspot.com/2008/02/0319the-end-of-friendship.html

38. Fitz- A Valentine’s Date to Remember: http://readytoberich.blogspot.com/2008/02/valentimes-valentines-romantic-date-up.html

Note: This was the only entry that I was able to read before Noemi Dado announced the winners. I predicted that this would be in the Top 3. Well, it did not. But it was on the Top 3 runners-up and still a winner in it's own right.

39. Mr. Z- Strange Times My Dear: http://www.whileyouweresleeping.org/7/strange-times-my-dear.htm

If you want to read all the entries, here is the link to Noemi Dado's website: http://aboutmyrecovery.com/2008/02/24/two-year-blog-anniversary-lovestruck-winners/

Enjoy reading! =)

Love Struck Writing Contest

I joined a blog-writing contest in Mrs. Noemi Dado's blog (http://aboutmyrecovery.com/2008/01/26/love-struck-writing-contest/) However, my entry is a blog I wrote last year and Noemi wanted to have it updated to the current date (for me to be able to join) which I don't want because it would lose the significance of the date and it was one of those "spur-of-the-moment" writing. Although I did update my blog to "customize" with the subject of her contest, the date when I wrote the blog is retained.

Noemi said I just need to write a new entry that says I wrote a "Love Struck" entry then link to the old entry. So I am writing this entry and giving the link of my entry below. I just don't know if I got her instructions correctly. Haha...

If you happen to be reading this blog and you have your own "love struck" story, I gave the link above and you know what to do. She has some cool prizes in store.

So here's the link to my entry - http://yllor.blogs.friendster.com/my_blog/2007/07/love_story.html

Inday Jokes

22. Inday Jokes (1/24/2008)

Inday really makes my day. It's been a while since I received an Inday SMS jokes and after signing in tonight at work, I received an email saying that Inday already has a blog and gave the link. I haven't finshed reading the whole blog but boy,oh boy, I haven't stopped laughing and I am still smiling as of this moment that I had to include Inday in my list. Inday is one hell of a creation. Whoever or whatever organization started this Inday jokes, my hat's off to the creator. If you don't know what I'm talking about just visit http://www.blogniinday.com/.