Story Interpretation: Magnificence

          Magnificence is a story of a mother, despite of being a woman, did not hesitate to show and give all her might to shield her daughter from a wicked man. It also shows how a woman find her strength to rise up against the man's abuse. Vicente deceived the family by showing the "good" side of him, which is the soft and taming man. But in the latter part of the story, his true character reveals. His real intention with the little girl was to take advantage of her innocence. The part wherein Vicente placed the little girl on his lap, this shows either he love kids or he has a hidden desire with the little girl, and the part wherein he slapped the boy and tell him that boys did not kiss boys. Estrella Alfon, the author and a feminist, shows her point of view in our society. Men being the strong one and women, the weak. But in her story Magnificence, she emphasizes the strength of a woman, specially a mother. This story is very common in our environment. Nowadays, women, even children are being molested and abused by people. We should protect our children from being abused by them. We may not be beside them always, but by giving them awareness about their surroundings, they might be able to protect themselves. A mother,s love and care should not be taken for granted. There is something in that love that makes us safe.
       Vicente's character emphasizes his darkness while the woman's character emphasizes the mother's magnifecence.

Food Review

I love to cook. I started cooking since I was 9 years old. My father teach me how to cook because he love to cook. When my aunt had a carenderia, I was her assistant. Since then, I begun to cook different dishes. And kare-kare became one of my favorite. It is saucy, vegetables are crunchy, the creamy taste of peanut and the color of annatto (atsuete) emphasizes its yummyness! Kare- kare wouldn't be complete without the banana blossom and  without its partner, the bagoong! It's mouth watering! The best way to cook bagoong is to put tomato sauce, ginger and vinegar to remove its fishy odor. 

Bariani 

         I also love bariani. I tasted it when I was in Dubai. It's a lamb cooked in different herb and spices, yogurt and rice.They use long grain rice and it's very delicious. I enjoy eating food from different country. They have different flavor, aroma and taste. 

The farthest place I've been to

July 12, 2006 when I left for Dubai. It was summer so when I arrive there, the atmosphere was so hot, extremely hot! Their culture is much more different than us because most of them were Muslims. Dubai is an open country. It means that they allow Christians to practice their faith in a subdued manner. It is also one of the fast growing country in terms of their economy. Although they were hit by global crisis, they manage to stay and continued their progress. There are lot of new buildings now, malls and other recreation places. Emarats, that's how they are called (citizens) love to go out during the evening. It is their time to go to malls and parks. They love to play. They are also nice people but there are some with wicked mind. 

The boy with me is Zayed. I took care of him when I was in Sharjah, one of the city in the  United Arab Emirates. A very naughty boy because they were spoiled brats. Their parents did not believe in disciplining their children. But this boy became close to me and I teach him, without his parents knowing it, Filipino culture of being respectful. He cried when I bid farewell to him, Now I miss him, hoping that someday, I would go back in Dubai and see him.

Movie Review: The Pursuit Of HappyNess

Based on a true story of Chris Gardner.
In 1981, in San Francisco, the smart salesman and family man Chris Gardner invests the family savings in Osteo National bone-density scanners, an apparatus twice as expensive as an x-ray machine but with a slightly clearer image. This white elephant financially breaks the family, bringing troubles to his relationship with his wife Linda, who leaves him and moves to New York where she has taken a job in a pizza parlor. Their son Christopher stays with Chris because he and his wife both know that he will be able to take better care of him.

Without any money or a wife, but committed to his son, Chris sees a chance to fight for a stockbroker internship position at Dean Witter, offering a more promising career at the end of a six-month unpaid training period. During that period, Chris goes through a lot of hardship personally and professionally. When he thinks he is "stable," he finds that he has lost $600 when the government takes the last bit of money in his bank account for taxes. He is rendered homeless because he can't pay his rent. He is forced at one point to stay in a bathroom at a train station, and must scramble from work every day to the Glide Memorial United Methodist Church, which offers shelter to the homeless. He must leave work early every day so that he is there by 5:00 in the evening along with his son so that he may be assured of a place to sleep. He is seen carrying his suitcase to work because he doesn't have a home. At work, there are nineteen other candidates for the one position.

One day, he is called into an office and in it were the heads of Dean Witter. Chris thinks that he is about to be told the job will not be his as he says that he wore a shirt and tie for his final day. Then they tell him that he has been an excellent trainee and that tomorrow he will have to wear his shirt and tie again as it will be his first day as a broker. Chris struggles to hold back tears. Outside he begins to cry as the busy people of San Francisco walk past him. He rushes to his son's daycare, hugging him and knowing that after everything him and his son had been through things would be all right.

The final scene shows Chris walking with his son down a street. His son is telling him a joke, when a wealthy business man in a suit walks past. Chris looks back as the man continues on. The man in the suit is none other than the real Chris Gardner.

In this movie, I saw a man strive so hard to live a happy and successful life with his son. Despite of all the odds and trials, he shows his faith in God. he never surrender. Chris once said over an interview with Oprah,"I chose to embrace the spirit of my mom—who despite the fact that she had too many of her own dreams denied, deferred and destroyed—still instilled in me that I could have dreams." I think, this is why he has a strong will to survive and surpass all the difficulties that he encountered. It made me realized that life isn't always about ups. You should also know how and when to stand up and go on with life. It was a very inspiring and interesting story.

Chris and Christopher Gardner

"There was a place once in Oakland [Ca] near the MacArthur Park station that became very, very, very important to my son and I at the most challenging stage of our journey, and they spelled happyness with a 'y' and that's why it's spelled that way... It's personal [the spelling]. It's definitely personal.

The Song Interpretation: Masterpiece

Masterpiece ( Atlantic Starr)

A simple touch of your hand, 

And everything is right. 

The gentle way you look at me, 

When we kiss goodnight. 

You've given me the 

freedom no other love 

has known 

And now I thank you girl 

thank you girl 

The countless ways you've 

touched my heart 

Is more than I can say 

The beauty that you've shown to me 

takes my breath away 

A picture perfect 

painting, that's what 

our love is 

And yes I need you so, 

and now I know 

[Chorus:] 

ooooh 

I've found a masterpiece in you 

a work of art it's true 

And I treasure you my love 

ooooh 

I've found a masterpiece in you 

a work of art it's true 

And I treasure you 

Sometimes I wonder what I'd be 

Had I not found you 

A lost and lonely soul this world 

could show me nothing new 

But now my life's a canvas 

painted with your love 

And it will always be 

And now I see 

The two of us together 

Through time will never part 

This fairy tale we shared 

is real inside our hearts 

let it be forever 

never let it end 

this promise I do make 

Heaven is ours to take 

[Chorus] 

When I'm lost and insecure 

you build me up and make me sure 

that everything will be alright 

My love 

[Chorus] 

(This fairy tale we're sharing 

is real inside our hearts 

Let it be forever 

never let it end)

Soft music, simple melody and yet so powerful and meaningful lyrics. That's how I describe this song.

The writer touches my heart with the meaning of this song. This song mean so much to me and my husband.

1991 when this song was played in the airwaves. I was already attracted to its melody. It was also the beginning 

of our long distance relationship. My husband has to work far from us. Though distance lie between us,

we're never far apart by heart. Letters are the only thing that binds and fills the space between us.

We both love music, and he begun sending me letters with song lyrics. I sent him this song, "Masterpiece".

Our relationship become a Masterpiece because of the love, trust and faith in God we put in our relationship.

"This fairy tale we're sharing is real inside our hearts, Let it be forever, never let it end."^_*

The most important person (people) in my life

        This is the photo of my family. They are the most important people in my life. My husband made me feel  joy and pain. He made me balance things and realize that life is not always a bed of roses, as they say. That is why I appreciate him more. We walk hand in hand in every journey that we take as a family. He is the one who helps me decide with regards to major decisions in our family. Although I can decide with things inside our household, I still ask his opinion. It is so important for me because it shows my respect to him as our provider, and as my husband. He support me in all my endeavors. I cannot perform my task very well, as a mother and as a wife, without his assistance. A home cannot be complete without a husband and a father. That is my opinion.
       Our children gives us inspiration. They are the reason why my husband work so hard: to provide and give them good future. My role as a mother is to guide, discipline and help them realize the hard work of our family, especially their father's effort. My family made me realized how important life is. Problems are part of every one's life. But because of them, I learned to look at the problems as a challenge to become a better person. I have to be strong emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. I have to have a lot of patience to become more focus. As my children become adults, I've learned to listen to them and become more open-minded.Good communication is very important in a family. This is where trust develops. I have to set aside fear, and give them my full trust in their judgement. I've become a more prayerful person because I believe that praying gives me the strength I needed. I always pray to our Almighty God thanking Him for all the blessings that He has given us and asking Him to take care and shelter my family to any form of harm. My family, my happiness: they complete me.^_^ "The family that prays together, stays together."