Starting My Financial Life

I can't believe that I'm already doing something about my financial status. I mean I've just went to my bank today and just got my self a credit card. Yup I was approved instantly (because I invested $500 as a security deposit) and I am now on my way to make a credit rating.

A good credit rating means being approved for future loans and a bad one means goodbyes to your dreams of buying a car or house. Well you could always pay in cold hard cash but having a credit card thus have its benefits.

One of my reason for having a credit card is that I want to buy stuff over the internet which I could never do with my debit card. And if ever I need cash immediately the credit card can help me with that department.

But I should be wise in using my credit card because it's like a double edged sword. If I over use it I could end up under debt and this will not look good on my credit history.

Philippines: The World's Texting Capital

There is no denying it the Philippines is the texting capital of the world! Why? Well the Philippines is the only country where:

1. Almost everyone has a cellphone (It's like a part of a Filipino's hand).
2. Cellphones are considered a need and not a want. A Filipino who could barely have food to eat would still have a cellphone and money for air time credits.
3. The Philippine market for cellphones is HUGE! Offering different kinds of cellphone models which are renewed every month.

I only realized this because here in Canada the cellphones are well old... they don't have the latest Nokia phones that we have back in the Philippines. The high end phones here are mostly Blackberry's and Iphones but the selection is very limited.

That's why when I use my Sony Ericsson W960i touchscreen phone someone would compliment my phone and ask where I got it. And I always answer that I got it from the Philippines and it always raises eyebrows. Like how can a third world country have such hitech phones right? Well that is also a mystery to me.

Edmonton Police Service

Back home in the Philippines the general image of the police are corrupt and they are of no help at all with regards to solving crime cases. Just like the whole justice system in the Philippines, the police will only work for the ones with money.

But here in Canada you don't have to fear the police because they are very friendly and approachable. And unlike in the Philippines where traffic enforcers will make up offenses so that they could squeeze money off you.

Here in Canada your traffic offenses are recorded using cameras and other stuff (hehehe) but I do know for a fact that your speeding ticket is mailed to you with instructions on how to pay your fine.

So why on earth did I bring this up? Well the previous tenant of our apartment received his speeding ticket so thought I'd blog about it hehehe.

I don't like comparing my old home with my new home but there are things that we should all be aware off so that we could be able to do something about it. Although there are still drugs and other bad elements here but they're mostly concentrated at the night life areas so I still feel safe.

Working: The Graveyard Shift

Today I worked at Tim Hortons at 11 pm to 7 am. I have to say that this shift is more stressful even if there are less people. Why? Well this may be because of the following reasons:

> I'm the only one at the Till (Cashier). Meaning there is more room for error since I'm all alone and I can't ask anyone for my help.

> It's So BORING! Yup, time passes so slow when you are bored and doing nothing too. There are no people so I have nothing to do for 80% of the time during my shift. I had to look for something to do like sweep the floors to preserve my sanity.

> If there are people... then it's busy! On the contrary of doing absolutely nothing when no customers are around. If there are customers well your life could be a living hell. I don't know why but customers come at groups. And I have to do everything from making the coffee and the sandwiches (I hate making sandwiches).

But working at night is ok. But I don't want to work at night for a whole week or I'll go insane. Anyway, I was really shocked when the baker told me to throw away all the donuts and baked goods because she said they weren't fresh anymore. I have to say that I may have the Filipino mentality in me where I don't want to waste anything especially food. I was really reluctant to throw away the donuts because if I was back in the Philippines, these donuts could feed hungry children and to think that the donuts were still edible.

Suicide

There are times when I would wish that I could just give in to my weakness and just jump from a tall building to end everything... end my pain... end my suffering... end my hardship... end my loneliness...

I just want to cease existing. You see I see no point in living because we are all slowly dying anyway. Why live when people are killing other people anyway. Why live to repeat each day doing the same routine over and over again.

I walk home each night wishing I would just drop down on my knees and just disappear. You know the feeling when you're asleep. For a while you disappear from the world and you are at peace. No one is there to hurt you and you can be anywhere and be anyone you wish to be.

How easy life could be if that's the case... but there's much more to life really. Each day has its own unexpected happenings even if they are that minute. It is sad that because we live in such a fast-paced world that we fail to appreciate the simple things in life that makes living worthwhile...

Yup... even if my life is crappy and that there are some rough edges... I still continue and go on... Why? Because there is always something beautiful that I can look forward too.

High School Fashion Statement

I was told that fashion here in Canada is not that updated unlike here in the Philippines and I have seen the people here and it's quite true. Filipinos are more "kikay" or fashionistas than most Canadians here.

But we can't totally rule out that Canadians have no fashion statement. Because you know what's in with high school students now? It's wearing colorful pajamas to school! Yup! It's a hassle free fashion. You wake up, go to school, go home, and sleep. No hassle at all... hahaha!

But I don't think that I'll try that in thing with high school students because I don't go with the flow if I don't like it. I still believe in changing clothes and taking a shower.

But you know what? Those pajamas do look comfy. But I will never follow that trend hahaha.

Poor People in Canada

I just hate it when people beg for money here in Canada. These are the people considered poor here because they could always get a job like we did but instead they rely on the subsidy by the government and through begging for a living. They are well dressed, have a shelter under their heads, and they are able to eat three times a day.

They are poor but they aren't like the poor in the Philippines where children starve. Because here in Canada children are fed at schools (and schools here are free mind you, except college). Also there are no sick people who are left untreated because Canada has tertiary hospitals that are open to the public (poor or rich). And government hospitals in the Philippines are of no match here because hospitals here are very clean and well supplied with medical equipment and medicine.

But you know what? If you work hard and don't have children if you can't afford to have any then you will be more productive. Well, that's what I believe anyway.

The Puzzle Ring

I just love my ring that my mom got me. It's from Unisilver (yup it was bought from the Philippines) and it's literally a head turner with people asking me the question, "Are you married young man?"

Well aside from looking good and looking expensive (it's just Php 600 really, don't tell anyone hehehe) it totally fits my personality. Why? Well because it's complicated. Why again? Well take a look at my ring now:

Yup it doesn't look like my ring right? But it actually is the exact same ring I wore on my finger. Take a look at my ring here:


Yup it's a ring made of 6 circular loops and I tell you, it sure is hard to get it back together so I really hate it when people touch it and end up breaking it apart and they absolutely have no idea how to place it back together.


So why is the ring like me? Well aside from being complex and difficult to understand, I am easy to break and people have no idea on how to put me back together emotionally. But even how many times people try to ruin me, I am still able to place myself back together even if some of me are bent up.

Moral of the Story: It's so easy to break and hurt other people but they don't even give any effort to fix what they have broke. They don't apologize and they don't care that they have hurt others...

Stubborn Father

Ok I know, this is another one of my rantings... well maybe I should change this blog into my rant zone huh? Well if you don't want to hear rantings you may visit my other blog Angel in the Sickroom or you may choose not to read this post any further.

My father is maybe one of the most stubborn people in the world. He doesn't admit that he's wrong and that he blames other people for his short comings. Like the use of the washing machine for example. The washing machines here in Canada are very different from the ones we have at home. You can say that it's sort of hi-techy. In here there are different settings like the choose of either warm, cold, or hot water in washing or rinsing. It's actually quite complicated but if you only read what is written on the knobs then you can work your way around.

But my stubborn father insists on not learning because it's totally different and says that we should be the ones to operate it because he doesn't know how to. Well if you only use your common sense and your eyes instead of your loud mouth cursing and mumbling to yourself I bet one could easily figure its use out. It's not like a total mystery that needs a rocket scientist to figure out.

And there are so many jobs in Canada and he wants to choose a job as a garbage collector. For a person who has a mechanical engineering degree I wonder why he could be so stupid. He reasons that he knows a garbage collector in Canada who has a three story house and three Ford pick-ups. But the thing is that garbage collector may have another source of income like selling the furnitures and other stuff he salvages from the dumps and sell it to the third world countries. Or he could be like my dad who has a wife who has a higher paying job than him and the only one who literally feeds the family and makes it alive.

Yes, my dad is so stubborn that he doesn't want to continue his education to be able to land higher paying job saying that he's not fit for it. Well I kind of agree because he can't even make his own resume for Christ's sake and he always relies on my mom for this. I just wonder how my mom could keep up and tolerate living with a person who does not even contribute to the family but even cause damage to it.

But honestly. I don't expect much from my father because by the way he's going he's not going anywhere (except down) and my mom will have to clean up after his mess like all the time. He's also has a very loud mouth which is also very irritating. As they say it's the loud people who have the less brains and I have to say that it's true.

Goodbye Philippines!

I don't want to be negative in this blog but some Filipinos really are thoughtless and tactless. Of all the Western culture they could adapt with they decided to adapt the attitude of "I'm better than you you fat pig!". So what if I'm fat? Does that cause the world to crumble?

But don't really care actually. So to my haters out there in the Philippines, I am happy with my life and I know that all doors and opportunities for a better and successful life is just at my grasp in a first world country like Canada.

I am sick of the Filipino crab mentality and how people act and live here in the Philippines. I know that people won't give a damn if I wear designer clothes and how I live my life. People here in the Philippines just love sticking their nose to my business and it irritates me. What do you people care about what I do? I don't give a damn how you people live your lives so don't meddle in mine. It's not my problem if you are insecure and I intimidate you.

So people take care of your own lives before meddling with mine ok?

On Airport Security Measures

This was only the second time that I had ever went to the airport to ride a plane to Manila. The first time was (I remember vaguely) when I went to Manila as a toddler to attend the funeral of my beloved grandmother (mother’s side). That time even when I was a toddler, I could still remember that very tight security measures were not that implemented then.

Presently, well it’s a completely different story. I had to remove my shoes, belt, cellphone, coins, etc and I felt like my privacy was invaded. I understand why the coins and metallic objects are needed to be removed (this is so I could pass the metal detector without any beep) but the shoes? My mom did inform me that checking the shoes was also required as some people place drugs, weapons, and other illegal contrabands in their shoes’s sole. Ok case closed, but why do we have to be checked twice? Before entering the airport lobby and before checking in at the departure area? Mind you the Cagayan de Oro airport is very small so the second detector would be just a few steps away. Why the very tight security anyway? But at least they are trying and giving much effort to secure our safety so I quite understand and leaving my comfort zone for our own good is quite acceptable to me…

David Vetter - The Boy in the Bubble

This is David Vetter and he is well known as The Boy in the Bubble. You would see here in this picture his innocence and his youth... but all of that is slowly going to fade away...

You see David was born with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) meaning he has no immune system. The common cold could kill him and therefore he must continue to live in a sterile germ-free environment, a bubble free of germs.

David was a happy and kind boy but as he matured and grew his emotions became more mature for a young boy. He wasn't a teenager yet but he was already becoming to have these dark moods and he wanted to be alone because he felt that he had no where else to go... he was going to die... there was no need to continue on living...

He was trapped in a cage as he saw his childhood friends and family members growing up and leaving him to explore the world and live their own lives. David was actually built a space suit so that he could explore the world around him. But he was always terrified to leave his bubble because if he was exposed even a tiny bit with a leak in his space suit he could die.

My heart was totally crushed as this young boy faced so much hardship but he remained strong and made it up to the age of 12. But sadly even though his doctors tried to save him, he still died after a bone marrow transplantation. The operation was a success but they weren't able to detect that the bone marrow harbored inactive viruses that caused a tumor which in turn caused massive hemorrhaging in David's intestines...

Seeing David suffer for so long emotionally for so long was heart wrenching... I am thankful that with our technology today 90% of newborns with SCID are successfully treated and doesn't have to live a life in isolation.

When David died, it was the first and last time that his mother was able to touch him...

People Who Curse and Say Bad Words

I really hate people who says bad words and curse! I hate it when I hear them cursing by themselves because it just makes the air so negative and I don't like it and I get in a bad mood.

I wonder why some people love having a foul mouth. Maybe they think that it's so cool and that they are so amazing if they had a wide vocabulary when it deals with ill and bad words.

Here are other terms for bad words: A curse word. A swear word. A malediction, malison, imprecation, denunciation, execration, anathema, proscription, commination, expletive, disparagement, vilification, or vituperation. Bad language, strong language, foul language, colorful language, blue language, unparliamentary language, profane language, or harsh language.

As Dr. Kate said:

"Swearing in public upsets many people. It is really verbal harassment if other people can hear it.

It is good manners to remember where you are and think about other people's rights and feelings. Everyone has the right to feel safe and having to hear loud nasty words can make people feel unsafe. If people are annoying you by using bad language move away from them and don't use it yourself."

If you grew up swearing all the time then you should really stop it because it is very offensive and rude. If you can't help it and have to say something then make it creative like saying Holy Cow instead of Holy Sh*t or "Bark" it instead of the F word.

And if anyone uses these foul words at you remember that there are more words in the vocabulary than the known foul words. Example:

Foul Mouth: Hey you [censored]! What are you doing here [censored]? [censored] off!
You: Excuse me is it me or do I smell a foul wind slightly blowing?
Foul Mouth: Why don't you [censored] me instead you [censored].
You: Oh please my dear fellow, you are nothing but a minute particle slowly drifting to a dark lonely abyss... I pity you.
Foul Mouth: Oh come on you [censored]. You think that I [censored] care about what the [censored] you're talking about?!

<<<>>>

Foul Mouth: Hey you [censored]! What are you doing here [censored]? [censored] off!
You: (not minding that pitiful creature)

How to irritate internet Trolls

If you have read Anah's Troll Proofing article then you may have a clear picture of who these internet trolls are. But for the benefit of those who haven't read her article (and you should), internet trolls are "people" who attack you or anyone for that matter using words that are degrading and foul. The best term would this would be "verbal harassment".

We see all of these people in places like YouTube and if you're unlucky enough, you may have a troll visiting your blog and doing what they do best: express to you how pathetic and pitiful they are using second-person pronouns instead of first-person pronouns. Example: You're fat and ugly and your mama hates you! What they really mean is this: I'm fat and my mama hates me!

And one way to distinguish an internet troll is that they usually don't leave traces like names or contact e-mails or whatsoever because their ego is poor and shattered that they can't endure a rebuttal statement. But internet trolls don't know is that even when you don't leave a name and be anonymous you leave prints behind. And these prints are what we call as an IP Address. Trolls don't know this but we could actually trace this IP address to their computer and this could be used in court (together with their ill message) as proof in a hearing at court.

But if you don't want to go to court because you have evaluated the situation and realized that the troll is just a nuisance and that you have better things to do than go after useless creatures like these trolls one good way to do it is to ignore them!

Trolls hated being ignored because they know that they are treated as if they don't even exist and that their pathetic attempts to catch your attention is not working.

Donate Your Boat For Charity

Yup you can donate boats, working or not, to the Angel Ministries and this donation could help create anti-drug documentaries and children's animations or to any charity of your choice. What makes Angel Ministries different from other charities is that your donations goes directly to the people who need it 100% and nothing is deducted for the salaries of the employees that work for Angel Ministries.

So how does boat donations work? Well The process is simple:

• You can call them at 1-800-227-2643 or fill out their online form at boatangel.org
• They then send you out a receipt via email and package in the mail with a form and a disposable camera so that they can get pictures of the boat
• They then get the package back from you and list it at charityboatsales.org Your boat will be picked up in 6-8 business days. If it doesn’t sell, then they will pay to have it stored!

Imagine, your old unused boat could actually be able to change a young child's life for the better. If I had a boat that I don't use anymore, I would donate my boat to charity.

Being Beautiful

In today's society, everyone is empowered to make a decision for his/her own welfare. Everyone is empowered to make a choose to be who he/she wants to be and with science and technology that is made possible. Everyone wants to be beautiful and for the bold and brave plastic surgery is the way to take control of their lives and bring out the best in them.

Being beautiful gives you an empowerment and an edge over other people. You feel good because you look good and it is this radiance and beauty that opens new opportunities for you. Your appearance says pretty much about who you are.

If you have a problematic waist line and want a remedy for this a tummy tuck in Beverly Hills will do wonders. Having a flat and sexy waistline is a dream for thousands of people and you can achieve this in a matter of hours!

And for the flat chested women who want to feel more feminine then Beverly Hills breast augmentation will bring out the woman in you. You will never be insecure over women who are endowed with larger breasts ever.

Science was made to improve man's living, and with plastic surgery science has fulfilled it's purpose. We can feel good about ourselves, we have the choice to be happy.

The Sedona Method

Have you ever wanted to be at peace? I mean literally in a state of euphoria where all your anger, fears, greed, stress, and all those human emotions just simply melt away. How easy it is if you could just let go of all the baggages that you have and just move on with your life being happy and content. With The Sedona Method, you could achieve lasting happiness, success peace, and emotional well-being.

How The Sedona Method is the bridge between The Secret and the Law of Attraction is not very confusing and very easy to understand. So first what is the Law of Attraction? The Law of Attraction is the state where you hope and wish for something to happen and it will happen. It relies on the principle "Like attracts Like". What you want will come when you want it. But the problem with us humans is when we want to make something happen we use the of personal will (ego). We may end up getting what we want but we don't let go of the thoughts and feelings that we have to achieve our goals so we end up being miserable while causing misery to other people too!

What's beautiful about The Sedona Method is that you are able to attract your goals by dissolving rather than strengthening your ego. We don't have to force ourselves to think positive and over stress our selves into forcing ourselves to go to the direction we want.

"With The Sedona Method we create what we want by letting go of our imaginary sense of limitation, our incessant need for more, our desire for the goal, and our attachments and aversions to the goal – in short, ego itself. By creating through letting go of every goal, we also support ourselves in awakening."

Wow! This is one way to reach a spiritual enlightenment indeed. Please visit the website of The Sedona Method to learn more about this wonderful key to set ourselves free from all negativity and to get your free DVD and CD!

Overpopulation. Be a Solution.

I sternly believe that overpopulation is the cause of poverty. In the Philippines, the country where I grew up in, the population of the poor outnumbers the rich and the working class. Filipinos have this old belief that the more children they have, the more number of people will be able to work to take them out for poverty. Well I say that this notion is outrageous! Children are not there to make your life better, it is actually the other way around. It is actually the parents who should work hard so that they can support the child's needs and provide him/her with a bright future.

But how could parents who can barely provide for themselves be able to support a child and send him/her to college? If they can't support one child, how on earth could they support a dozen children? And so the vicious cycle of poverty occurs and poverty is never solved.

I do not feel pity for families who are very large in number and are suffering. Having a family is a vocation and it needs planning and one's full time attention. Why choose to have a large family when you can't even support yourself? Don't tell me that they can't afford contraceptives because the government offers free contraceptives and even ligation and vasectomy at public hospitals and some health centers. But the poor people are just uneducated and do not think of their children's future.

What I hate about these poor people is that they are the one's who always makes a scene at roads and tries to destroy the economy with their protests and outcries of desperation. In the first place what have they contributed to society and the government when they don't even pay tax and they expect that the government should be responsible for feeding them. If the Philippine government is corrupt and unable to provide the citizens their needs, then this should be an excellent reason not to have a dozen babies.

I commend the efforts of China in implementing the one child policy. Before the Chinese could not afford to buy meat because it is very expensive, but now they are able to enjoy that because they can now afford to buy their needs because they only have one child to support.

If only Filipinos had the sense of responsibility they would have the sense enough to follow in China's footsteps. If you can't afford to have a child then don't. Parents who have children and who can't provide their children their needs should be punished by law for negligence and child abuse. A child should be given only the best as they are the future leaders of our country. That is why there is a correlation between poverty and crime because children are forced to steal and use drugs because of the hardship that they undergo.

The Philippines will not develop unless the root cause of poverty is destroyed and that is overpopulation. With overpopulation there is a shortage not only with resources such as food but a shortage in jobs as well. That is why many Filipinos who have the right qualifications and skills often chooses to migrate abroad because this is the most practical thing to do than stay in the Philippines where conditions are becoming worst.

I will not be amazed if the Philippines become completely brain and skill drained and the people left would die out of hunger or worst uprisings and the never ending EDSA revolutions saying that the government has done nothing for them. But before we blame poverty on politics and the government, why not look at ourselves if we are not the cause for our own poverty.

I am proud to say that I came from a poor family. My dad's family was poor and so was my mom's. But because my parents were smart enough to have only two children they were able to send us to prestigious private schools and provide us with our needs. Because of hard work and family planning we are able to enjoy the life of a middle class right now where we can afford to buy anything we need and want.

Solving poverty does not need a political scientist or an economist, it just needs common sense. Think of your children's future... think of your selves... DON'T HAVE A CHILD IF YOU CAN'T SECURE HIS/HER GOOD FUTURE.

Finding the Right Mortgage

When my family and I are going to move this June we're just going to rent an apartment. But sooner or later we must buy our own home because renting an apartment is okay but time will come when paying those monthly apartment bills will be too heavy and even if you want to make some improvements at your apartment, you can't because it's not yours.

That's why my family and I would need to find the right mortgages to help us buy or build our dream home. When I was surfing the web and comparing different companies that offer different kinds of mortgages, I have realized that there are several types of mortgages for different kinds of buyers with different kinds of needs. There are people who need to refinance an old mortgage, some needs to buy a new home, and others use mortgages as a home equity line (that's when you use your house as a collateral for a loan).

It would be obvious that we fall under the people who need to buy a new home but even knowing what category we fall to there are still too many numerous mortgages to choose from. That is why you'll need a service like mortgagefindersnetwork.com so that they can help you find that mortgage that perfectly suite your needs and budget.

Money Problems

I was quite shocked to find out recently that my mom had actually gotten herself a payday cash loan before. I knew that my mom was having some difficulty handling all our finances when my dad stopped working but I never knew that such loans existed.

For those who don't know what payday cash loans are they are loans intended to cover a borrower's expenses until his or her next payday. I find this loans quite helpful really since we can't change the fact that the country's economy is not that good anymore and there are so many price increases but there is no changes in the salary.

Oh well, as long as payday cash loans exists I'm sure that everybody could get by. Good thing we're already moving this June to another country with a better economy.