Happy Easter

Hello Everyone!!!! Happy Easter!!!!

I'm at home bored and just infront of my PC so might as well do some blogging.

Last night was kinda fun, I went out with some friends and had some drinks plus the national past-time of pinoys "Videoke".

Anyways, a blogger named Ion Ignacio dropped by recently and as I checked his blog, I saw a very interesting entry. I says about Facebook and Youtube at work can increase productivity, check this link from Reuters. Well I have to agree with this, because it's always refreshing to surf outside work sites once in a while to clear our minds, refresh and then focus to work again, this does really help us concentrate better. Maybe I should email this link to our bosses at work since they blocked Friendster, MySpace, Youtube, Facebook etc.... months ago. Work sometimes can be stressful, boring, draining and pressuring, so we always need a break, be it a cigarette, food, a drink, fresh air or Facebook. But of course there should be a limitation to this, just as long as this does not become a habit, I guess this is fine.

Ok for my Monday treat I have to share the story of my friend's household help a.k.a katulong. Her name is Norma, shes' 34 and came all the way from my province, the island of Samar. She came to Manila of course to look for work and since Grade 1 lang ang natapos she ended up being a katulong, she doesn't know how to read either and can hardly write her name. I even asked her what made her sure of her age since she doesn't even remember her birthday, she grinly said she has this "papelita" or birth certificate kept at home, her little proof of her existence as a citizen of this country...tsk...tsk..poor Norma, I really pity her a lot, specially when she told me that she misses her 3 young kids she left behind with her husband who's a farmer.

Pity became hilariously funny when she told me that her husband is actually her second husband, and she said her first husband just left her without saying goodbye when she was about to give birth with her eldest child, and she's telling the story while laughing as if it was just a big joke. Inside I felt kinda envious of how simple her thinking is, seemed so out of complex. And then I asked why didn't she study, why Grade 1? she said she was destracted with boys at an early age, she got married when she was 15 years old, I said WHAATTT??? did your parents let you marry at that age? she said YES, MY PARENTS EVEN ARRANGED THE MARRIAGE, I mean WTF!!! then I realized that's their culture "up there" (she used to live in a remote barrio, in a mountain, 7 hours by foot) and she said she was "bought" by her first husband, I said bought? mmmm ohhh that's the dowry, it's an old filipino custom, now I understand.

The dowry was composed of a pig, 3 thousand pesos, 2 dozens of sardines and a nipa hut. Now how's that???? are you willing to get married for that dowry????

But what the heck!!! my point is we are so LUCKY!!! we have this kind of life but we still complain a lot, we still become so mean and selfish and uncontented. When I look at Norma, I learn to realize what I have and how to count my blessings.

Be well :)