MOVING ON

Will the real Gmail sender stand up, and verify if this message is true? Why would I even share my personal details online to inform the dubious message sender that I'd still like to keep my gmail email account that's "subject for deletion?" Read the whole message below & share me your thoughts if you will.....I've received this kind of message at least 3 times. I can just imagine that it has been sent to a lot of people---so I'm blogging about it here now. Gmail reply-to Gmail to date Fri, Dec 18, 2009 at 4:06 AM subject Email Address hide details 4:06 AM (6 hours ago) We are shutting down some email accounts and your account was automatically chosen to be deleted. If you are still interested in using our email service please fill in the space below for verification purpose by clicking the reply button. Learn more If you are still interested in using our email service please fill in the space below for verification purpose by clicking the reply button....

Dubliners by James Joyce My rating: 5 of 5 stars i got my copy of this book from the book collection left by a friend who suddenly died this year. having kept the copy for months now, i decided i could read this thin volume of a book (that was made up of several short stories, it turned out surprise-singly) while in transit between trips from home to my many destinations. the book's actually a relatively easy, fast read, which i did by just going through it without much care about the analysis (i.e. what's it all about, actually? did i get his point?); i was out to read it just to experience reading well-written short stories (hopefully to improve one's craft of writing - perhaps?, or learn a trick or two from the writer's style). the stories have that strange personal appeal to me, though all of them have relatively-difficult structure crafted into them by Joyce. shifting between time and situations on most of them has got me enmeshed such that i must have got lost i...

Surreality by Carissa Villacorta My rating: 3 of 5 stars I got to finish reading this book while at the ferry crossing to Manhattan; it's an easy read such that you can breeze through its pages. I found great essays included in it, most specially "The Prodigal Daughter," "The Largest Rollercoaster in the World," and "Time is Gold, Money is Paper," such that they got me into pondering over my own existence as a transported individual who has lived the first 40 years of his life back in the Philippines. This book's actually a gift from a long time friend (from high school days) who thought I'd appreciate reading this one - it could very well be an indirect message that could have been clipped together with the book, on how he's got me in his thoughts, particularly of me eventually landing the headlines here in NYC. Do I really want that? Honestly, yes! but I'd certainly like to know the price I need to dole out, so that I can prepare ac...

I SMELL SOMETHING DUBIOUS FROM THIS EMAIL; SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO BUT TO WORK ON SCAM, WHEW!!!: Pay pal reply-to "support@pay-pal.com" to jerome.baladad@gmail.com date Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 8:52 AM subject Important ! hide details 8:52 AM (4 hours ago) McAfee SiteAdvisor Warning This e-mail message contains potentially unsafe links to these sites: 66.11.238.86 more info... Due to recent changes in Pay Pal's Service Agreement you need to submit additional details on your Pay Pal account. Ending from 2009 all Pay Pal accounts will come with complete detailed information! Identity protection matters. And Pay Pal works day and night to help keep your identity safe. To access the form to update your information, please click here Regards, Pay Pal © Copyright 2009, Pay Pal U.S.A. All rights reserved.

I'm totally intrigued by this story. I didn't know before reading the whole story that Jonah was actually angry over the fact that the Lord didn't destroy Nineveh as He promised ---if its people won't improve from its hideous ways. I wonder also what lifestyles were those people in Nineveh were having during those times. Curious scenarios, indeed, specially if you live in big city yourself (just like me nowadays, here in New York City ). A lot of bad things happen here, and for all we know, we may just be ready for another kind of destruction we can't even try to imagine now---until a "Jonah" comes in our midst, announcing the need for repentance now. Jonah must have failed to "move on" after he has done one of his assignments from the Lord---but he sulked and became angry. He actually wanted Nineveh to perish and be gone as soon as possible, but still Jonah had to do his assignment or else he'd be experiencing more terrible experiences sen...

One cold early afternoon, in between my writing assignments, I figured I could make a fine chocolate cheesecake . My roommate, who'd be doing the shopping for our household grocery happened to have brought the ingredients, and they're all ready in the pantry. But we soon realized we lacked graham crackers , or even the prescribed chocolate sandwich cookies. Still we persisted, we decided we could make the crust from something else. We used the leftover Quaker brand "Life Cinnamon Whole Grain Quaker Oats" for the crust. The rest of the recipe follows: Please click here to read more. Plus here's a video on "how to make Mediterranean Cheesecake:" Mediterranean Cheesecake recipe

Depending on the composition and clarity of your personal goals, going back to school after you have been laid off may give you long term benefits later in your career and in life as a whole. Also, you may look forward to being rewarded more handsomely with better choices on which directions to take. Of course, pursuing your studies may not be among the most acceptable trail to follow on what we describe as "taking the path of least resistance" -it has its built-in difficulties to face-but those who pursue this path may encounter valuable lessons that are necessary in later stages in life. Please click here to continue reading.

We feel grateful we have lazy Sundays every once in a while. We work on what we can handle for the day, and we look forward to days when can do some unhurried, honest to goodness homestyle cooking. My roommates, including our landlord, and myself decided we’d like to have a stew for today. We gathered what we have got in the kitchen, and started making the stew. Here’s how I figured how the recipe was for what we have eventually come up for our main dish for the day: 2lbs beef cubes, cut into bite sizes 1 and ½ cups of olive oil ½ lbs all purpose flour 3 large size white onions (sweet variety), cut & diced 4 long stems of celery, cut & diced 2 lbs of peeled carrots, cut into bite sizes 10 medium sized potatoes, peeled, cut into bite sizes 1 can of peeled tomato with basil (1 lb) Parsly flakes 15 beef bouillons 1 & ½ cups pancake & baking mix to make dumplings 1 cup of milk 1 can of mixed greenpeas A very big cooking pot Dump the beef cubes in flour, making sure they’re ...

China: Empire of Living Symbols by Cecilia Lindqvist My rating: 5 of 5 stars Lindqvist's book, as translated by Joan Tate, is a superb learning book on Chinese characters. After having read it, I was reminded by a remark of a friend, who is Filipino Chinese, who snobbishly told me, "being able to write those characters would not actually mean much -- and that it's more important to be able to speak the language (he spoke Fookien, and I learned in subsequent talks that he really had to struggle learning to draw Chinese characters, as he was also studying Mandarin)." He was in a way, after some thinking, discouraging me, as doing so may gradually allow me to gain more access to a powerful language like that of Chinese, that's used by easily over a billion people. I was actually dumbfounded by his remark, as I was then studying Chinese character writing. I thought he would be excited hearing me talk about Chinese characters. I soon learned that there's an inhe...

Watch the latest business video at FOXBusiness.com I'm sharing here a rather old vid from another source ( see latest in FoxBusiness ) on freelance work. I'm grateful being able to hack it out doing freelance work , which to most people I meet can be confounding to even listen to, whenever I try to explain myself to them as to how I'm doing work and earning living at the same time. Thank God, I happened to be doing freelance work nowadays, which I have started ever since I came here in the US three years ago (although I did some full time work for some small businesses one time, and gained some exposure locally, but I soon learned I had enough of that, and that's another story by itself). Obviously, hands down, there are no benefits that are similar to what employed people have. There are so many trade offs to think about, but I like to look at my situation as being that of "a glass of water half-full." It could have been worst, you know. I'm just happy am...

Fong and the Indians by Paul Theroux My rating: 3 of 5 stars I read this because it was written by one of my fave authors. It's really light reading, having finished the book while in transit to & fro my usual destinations. Its narrative's dated (though not much, as there are very relevant sections up to now), having been published first in 1968, when I was still 2 years old. A lot of sociopolitical upheavals and changes happened worldwide since then. The book covered the western world's fears then about communism, corruption, coup d'etats in Africa, plus post colonialism issues among other things (some of which still rage up to now). But still I enjoyed Theroux's satire -- I always learn from him. It's a good introduction for me about Africa, particularly East Africa, which apparently is also inhabited by immigrants from Asia, including Indians (those from the country India), Greeks, Persians (now Iranians), Chinese, among other countries that we don'...

Hmmmmm...looking very interesting! I'd love to see this one, from Cameron of the "Titanic" fame. I saw this finally with a friend after trying to get weekend tickets for at least 3 weeks[this actually took place at least a month before the Oscars, so I wasn't directly influenced at all by the venerable award giving body of the movie industry here in the US; I just thought an update on this blog posting is a great opportunity to share what I got in mind about movies these days]---I couldn't believe I had to wait that long just to get myself seats for a movie theater showing this latest flick from Cameron. We've all known by now that " Heart Locker " won the best picture and best director awards in the 82nd Academy Awards - I actually knew about this from an insider who does bit roles in the movies (so she gave me the chance to learn who'd going to be the winners that would later be announced in the awards night). And I still have to say, I...

You can commute without much fuss from another borough of NYC. Plan how to get to Staten Island by the ferry. From St George Ferry Terminal in Staten Island, take the Bus S51 from Ramp B. This ride may not take longer than 20 minutes passing by Staten Island's downtown and picturesque streets to take you the Beach. Get off at Sand Land and Dolphin Fountain, and the Beach is just a block away across the street from the traffic stop light. Have fun! Zen like view......the skies looking peaceful, and myself feeling rested even for a moment that seemed to last for a long while I didn't venture to these spots anymore; they have to be explored next visit. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge from a short distance The owners of this pug were pleased to be asked to have their pet be photographed....he just looks so strong and fit! and ready to punch anytime! LOL "Madonna and child" poses at the beach? after the beach? Was surprised to see a wind vane with a dolphin attached to it Lo...

Once in a while, I'd receive letters from people whom I don't really know, or have not met before. They'd be writing that they're out to seek love, plus their desire to get help from me, one way or another, with specific instructions on the steps I need to take so that I could help them. I am aghast that the government officials of Niger are far from taking steps to contain spreading letters like these from being sent out in the internet---it seems like they like to keep a bad reputation (which is very difficult to get rid of, unless you pay so much money just for public relations, or something else). There's nothing bad about helping, really, if only I have in my hands the help that's needed, but how do you best deal with these letters? I might as well share them here for all the curious readers, visitors out there. I'll keep on updating this posting, until they quit sending me such letters. I wonder how these writers are able to send mails like those copy-...

(one of the most memorable poems I read way back high school days---I remember our class in "Christian Living" being tasked to "disassemble" and "make sense" and more of something from this poem. But I recall snatches of what got me into thinking more: I have felt something solemn, truthful, courageous, and strong from reading, & rereading this poem, and have understood these traits are guiding posts on how to best lead a more fruitful, purposeful life.... and I just chanced to see it somewhere beneath the reams of the pages of Facebook; the wonders, indeed, of today's social networking! Thanks!!!) Out of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the horror of the shade, And yet t...

Note: These songs have come from many sources, including those I saw from friends' online pages. Feel free to share me links on songs you believe qualify as 'moving on songs,' and I'll have them linked here, too. Thank you. Also, note that some songs embedded here, by the time you've read this, would be gone one minute sooner for some unclear reason----most probably those who have posted them (from whom I have gathered the code for sharing here) have issues related to copyrights. And as such, I'm amused by the stance and related developments. In today's heavily linked world, you'll find more advantage if you just keep on sharing what you have. It's a most effective approach, too, when you have to move on and have to let go of someone, something from having a place in your heart and mind.

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky My rating: 5 of 5 stars I was halfway thru reading this book when I met a retired Russian chemist (who was suffering from lung cancer) in one of my gigs, and we discussed about our common interests in reading books. I was surprised to hear from her about Dostoevsky's books being not among her top choices for her reading fare (I saw books everywhere in her house, mostly non English ones), just like others in her personal network. She said, Dostoevsky writes in the ultimate dramatic way (almost histrionic, I thought to myself, and to which I agree to some extent), which is not completely Russian in character (and adds that Pushkin should be read by non Russian readers to get an idea of the best in Russian literature). But she added that Dostoevsky's reads better in the English translations of his books (as remarked by her daughter who's a bilingual, English & Russian writer). The conversation got me more interested in finis...

I'm getting tired receiving letters/emails like these two I copy-pasted below. I'm looking for part-time gigs, but some people can't seem to help themselves but to just take advantage of the situation. I just wish they'd all get lost! from Morgan Todd to date Thu, Jul 16, 2009 at 3:20 AM subject DEAR WORKER...!!! mailed-by yahoo.com signed-by yahoo.com hide details 3:20 AM (8 hours ago) Reply Follow up message Dear Worker, Its nice to read from you that you are interested in knowing more about the part time job offer.I am looking for someone who can handle my personal and business errands at his/her spare time. Someone who can offer me these services:Mail services: Receive my mails and drop them off at FedEx,Dhl,Ups(nothing illegal).Shop for Gifts,Sit for delivery( at your home) or pick items up at nearby post office at your convenience.I would love to meet up with you to talk about this job if you will like to work full time.But i am currently away to see my f...

Window in the bathroom looking into a similar window at the next apartment View of the ongoing construction of another apartment building outside of my window, that creates some annoying noise A photo of myself using the help of the mirror in my tiny bedroom; I'm actually standing on the bed! Some of my books on the uppermost shelf in the bedroom A more sedate, darker view of my window, looking again into the construction across the street The fluorescent round lamp in contrast against the iron white-washed ceiling My portable, detachable reading lamp, with a framed picture of the Sto Nino given to me by a friend, plus a small multi-colored lamp best used with a lighted candle in it! Detail of the floral-style metal attachments of one of the mirrors inside my tiny bedroom "A pied a what?" I asked my friend when she tried to describe what I was trying to do by keeping a bed space (actually, a tiny, tiny bedroom somewhere in East Broadway, Chinatown in Manhattan, which I sh...

I've been staying in this household in Stapleton, Staten Island, for nearly 3 months now, and my landlord, Mike, has prepared at least twice his favorite, stuffed pepper [click on the link for a typical recipe found online] . He used to own and run a restaurant offering American cuisine for many years. His version of stuffed pepper is prepared rather quick, and ending to be very yummy. He would asked me to cook the rice that would be included in the stuffing (as I bragged about "cooking rice without a rice cooker is no problem, being Asian myself"). He'd include ground beef, egg, flour, plus some special ingredients. The prep work is done fast, in less than 10 minutes, I noticed. He'd add some kind of a pasta sauce in the baking dish, add some cut pieces of potatoes around the stuffed pepper, cover the dish with foil, and then prepare the sides (usually vegetables, and mashed potatoes). The dish is baked in at least 45 minutes. I observed we can actually spend ti...