Global Launch of the 2009 Pinoy Expats-OFW Blog Awards

Any successful endeavor is worth repeating and much more sustained. Especially when it touches and inspires the lives of the people for whom it dedicate its toils, pain, and achievements. Such are the motivations for which the 2009 Top 10 Pinoy Expat/OFW Blog Award (PEBA) is once again being launched online. Wikipedia mention of PEBA  here.

In its second year, PEBA will recognize Pinoy Expats and OFWs bloggers making a difference in their lives, workplace, community, the Philippines and the world in general. 

This year the theme is 

“Filipinos Abroad – Hope of the Nation, Gift to the World”. 

Cognizant and directly affected by the brunt of global financial crisis, Filipinos continue to anchor their hope and trust to their family members abroad as herald of better news and good tidings. Thus, reinforcing the OFWs and Filipino expats role and image as new heroes and saviors.

PEBA also recognizes that Filipinos wherever they are, be it land-based, sea-based or air-based as the case maybe, are shining examples of dedication, diligence, and excellence in almost anything they do. It is not uncommon for them to be praised as assets to companies and organizations contributing to the social and economic well being of their host country.PEBA considers the more than 12m overseas Filipinos scattered abroad as gifts to make this world a better place to live.

The award which started last year had a very simple objective. It was created to award bloggers who infuses enthusiasm and inspiration for others to do good and be hopeful in this world of hopelessness. Filipino expats and OFWs with their talents, means, resources and blogs unfailingly served as voice and beacon of hope. Ten top bloggers were identified from around the globe such as theAmericas, Europe, Africa and Middle East, and Asia and the Pacific, who, up until these days continue to blog and their commitment re-ignited in contributing change through their own little ways.

So for this year with the valuable help of numerous individuals from around the globe, the search is on again. Filipino bloggers and netizens are invited to recognize Pinoy Expats/OFW who tireless blog in making the blogosphere a better space and place for exchange, discussion, and service of the Filipinos and the citizens of the world alike. It is worth knowing and learning those stories of Filipinos overcoming difficulties and challenges. Although it is a reality that not everyone is successful but still their stories are way for others to gain insight from their life lessons and experiences.

From May to October 2009 any Filipino blogger can nominate or be nominated except for last year’s top 10 PEBA awardees. Guidelines are available from its official blogsite (click here). By December 2009 winners will be announced in a public event in the Philippines whose details are still being prepared and ironed out. Sponsors, supporters and volunteers are very much welcome to make this endeavor a success.

Be part of another historic event of Pinoy Expats and OFWs!

Creamy Chicken Squash Soup

I learned this recipe when I was in college, because it's easy and requires only few ingredients. Hubby requested for this yesterday, and he enjoyed it together with Hevyn.

Creamy Chicken Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo chicken breast

3 cups water

1 medium size butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes

1 small can evaporated milk

1 tsp salt

1. Boil 3 cups of water, put the chicken and boil for 20 minutes in low heat or until cooked and tender, add the squash.

2. Remove the chicken breast while cooking the squash. Let it cool, debone and flake the meat.

3. Let the squash boil in the chicken stock for 10 to 20 minutes on low heat, or until tender. Mash it or puree the squash. This will thicken the chicken stock. 

4. Put back the flaked chicken meat in the squash soup and mix well. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pour the evaporated milk and stir gently. 

 

Power Of Name

What's in a name?

My husband always ask me this. Whenever we go shopping, I always look for certain brand names. I always remind him though that there are brands worth looking for, brands that has established good impression to customer not because they are sooo expensive rather because of the unquestionable quality of goods they sell. Its better to spend more for an item that can stand wear and tear than buy that which is cheaper and gets worn easily. 

I wonder if it's the same when it comes to our names.  Does it also give an impression of who we are. As to what I know names have their own meanings. My name is an Irish name which means blind and beauty; my husbands name means a leader- which I can assure you true based on the things he's doing now and even before. Beacause I'm a little paranoid about the meaning of my name, I did make a careful research on names when I was pregnant to make sure my daughter will have a name with good meaning which is heaven's wisdom. 

Only today did I learn the names also has its power, and here are ours.

This is my daughter's name power:

Your Name's Power is Perception

Your name's power is that it helps you be perceptive. Your name conveys both wholeness and wisdom. People who meet you can't help but think you are enlightened. You try to live your life with flexibility and insight.

My husband's:

Your Name's Power is Beauty

Your name's power is that it helps you be beautiful. Your name conveys both a pleasant and kind attitude. People who meet you can't help but think you are delightful. You try to live your life with honesty and affection.

And mine:

Your Name's Power is Creativity

Your name's power is that it helps you be creative. Your name conveys both purity and skill. People who meet you can't help but think you are charming. You try to live your life with people you trust, surrounded by nature.

What's Your Name's Power?

Another Face of Pride- Gossip

As the days go on, everyday gets busier.  Household chores, Hevyn, some part time jobs, and some of dh's heart warming project to help a friend who is in need... these are only some of the things that takes my time. I still feel depressed (due to PPD) at times, and the more I feel depressed the more I try to isolate myself from a lot of people I know - my social absence with them has given them time to develop the wrong impression of me being unfriendly . The impression turned into false rumors and now into really dirty gossips, which I think is not really healthy.

I'm venting here because I know they wouldn't be reading my blog anyway unless they know I do blog. At a point I do hope they stumble upon this blog and read this.  There's a feeling that I wanted to confront them but I don't want anything hurtful to come out of my mouth, and the thought of an argument which might end up to contention involving a lot of people doesn't really fit my personality. It feels like I'm a  hollywood star, they are the producer of course. The production will never be a hit, with the contract unsigned, story unacted by the actress.

How could someone find pleasure making up stories and spreading it. As President Benson said, "We are tempted daily to elevate ourselves above others and diminish them." Gossip is another face of pride we should never welcome, and if it ever knocks on our doors we should put end to it and not pass it on. 

Gossip is  another face of PRIDE- the universal sin, the great vice. It is the same pride (or gossip) that offends people,  cause contention,  results to broken families,  destroys our relationship with our friends and those we love, it is that destroyed the Jaredites, Nephites and many civilizations in the scriptures. Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart, or core, is still missing. "It is manifest in so many ways, such as faultfinding, gossiping, backbiting, murmuring, living beyond our means, envying, coveting, withholding gratitude and praise that might lift another, and being unforgiving and jealous."-(Beware of Pride- E.T. Benson)

It results in secret combination to get power or gain the glory of the world. 

Gossip is a very hurtful and destructive thing you wouldn't want to get your hands dirty with. Lets get rid of it, and try to find and share good things about others instead. There's really nothing good we can get from it.

Back Again

Yup, I'm back and to those who thought I abandoned my blog- I didn't. We switched to another internet/dsl line which took more than a month, sigh, so today I'm scrubbing my in-box and I know this is the most late holiday greeting, but I still want to say it here, I hope everyone had merry Christmas and happy 2009, happy Chinese new year too, and happy Valentine's Day. For those who visited my blog and for your kind comments thank you.

A lot of things happened for the almost two months when I was missing in the blogosphere... lets start with the little darling  who will be turning 10 months tomorrow. She's never as active as she is now, crawling most of the time, holding on the edges of every furniture as she tries to walk on her own... and not to forget, she has her two lower-front teeth and she uses it to wake up her father by biting him on his nose, lol, poor kenji. Her first word aside from "mama","papa", or "dada" is flower and she pronounces it as "flo-wa". I also learned some new recipes during the holiday, and I'm glad I can now cook roasted chicken, and I'm still learning my baking skills for cakes and bread. Hubby says my cooking is doing better, its so nice that he can tolerate it even at times that I myself can't understand the taste of the food I cook. haha. 

For the last two days the sand storm is really really terrible, my sinusitis hurts really bad yesterday coupled with severe headache and sore throat. Thanks to dh for taking care of me, and I feel so much better today. Hevyn is still sleeping and would probably wake up around 11:30 or 12 noon, I better cook my lunch now.... until next post. :-)