Seventeen Years of Living and Loving

Please bear with me as I do away with the usual stuff as I turn romantic this time, just for this time as I share with you a tale of love and friendship with a person whom I've spent the last seventeen years of my life with.

Seventeen long years of living and loving. . .

internetless, textless world started it all

hearing his voice through a radio call

and hearing mine caused him to fall

and fascinated with a voice so cool and small.

Seventeen long years of living and loving. . .

commenced with a June wedding

exchanging and wearing of ring

amidst smiles and tears falling

and promises to each other of doing everything.

Seventeen long years of living and loving...

brought us life's realities

instead of love notes and flowers

we prefer budget and groceries

over and above our own worries.

Seventeen long years of living and loving. . .

we kept the fire of our love burning

despite challenges so overwhelming

and with our heads bowed we'll keep on praying

as we thank and ask Him for another seventeen long years of living and loving.

Salt and Coffee : A Love Story

Here's a love story worth reading by couples, would be couples and those who are partnerless as of this moment:

He met her on a party. She was so outstanding, many guys are chasing after her, while he was so ordinary, nobody paid attention to him. At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised, but being polite, she accepted the invitation.
They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything, she felt uncomfortable, she thought, please, let me go home…suddenly he asked the waiter: "would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee."
Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but, still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously: why you have this hobby?
He replied: "when I was a little boy, I was living near the sea, I liked playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my hometown so much, I miss my parents who are still living there". While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched.
That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart. A man who can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home, cares about home, has responsibility of home.. Then she also started to speak, spoke about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family. That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story.
They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful.
He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee! Then the story was just like every beautiful love story, the princess married the prince, then they were living the happy life... And, every time she made coffee for him, she would put some salt in the coffee, as she knew that's the way he liked it.
After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said: "My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life lie. This was the only lie I said to you---the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt. It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead. I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you about anything.. Now I'm dying, I am afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth: I don't like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste.
But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you. Having you with me is my biggest happiness. If I could live for the second time, still want to know you and have you for my whole life, even though I have to drink the salty coffee again".
Her tears made the letter totally wet. One day, someone asked her: what's the taste of salty coffee? It's sweet. She replied.

Another Call for Nurses Interested in Rural Service

Registration of the 2nd Batch of Nurse Trainees for the NARS Program of DOLE, DOH and PRC is now going on. Interested nurses may visit the NARS website http://www.nars.dole.gov.ph/ for details and online registration.

The author has a previous post regarding this NARS program. You may click on the click below for reference:

http://jborela.blogspot.com/2009/02/call-for-nurses-interested-in-rural.html

My Heaven Sent Scents

It has always been said that the smell of perfume is often associated with the person who wears it and I must say, with the person who gives it.

The author just got lucky the past few weeks by being a recipient of three heaven sent scents in a row. I am not totally fond of perfumes, a light baby cologne could already make my day - but having these three featured scents here seemed like heaven/eternity to me. Who wouldn't be?

Escada Magnetic Beat Perfume by Escada

Fresh scent of flowers and fruits blended together with a touch of vanilla.

(Hmmm, yummy)

Versace The Dreamer

It seemed like toffee, powdered sugar, flowers and gin all mixed-up together. Feminity and masculinity blended together. Perfect scent for couples. I also love the Greek themed bottle.

Victoria Secret's Strawberries and Champagne Body Spray

The scent I am most familiar with. Used to receive this as pasalubong from good friends.

The fragrance is just right. My teenage daughters love it!

One thing I'm afraid of while having these three heaven sent scents, people I will be meeting will just remember the perfume brand and not Jinky!

Nevertheless, my heavenly thanks to all of YOU!

A Tavern In The Sky (Taaz Bar)

Ever heard of the song that goes sa langit wala ang beer. . . ?

If there is no beer there, maybe somewhere out there, there's some or lots of it.

I know it's true because I have been to a tavern near the sky wherein one could be afforded a magnificent view of Sarangani Bay and Gensan City at night while enjoying your ice cold beer.
I am talking about the newest baby cum business venture of the

alluring Envy Me Saloon owner Donna Mae Congson -

the Taaz Bar!

Happy bloggers with a different kind of high during the opening of the Taaz Bar

(photo courtesy of Sir Orman M.)

Taaz Bar is situated at the rooftop of Citifront Lodge Bldg. along Pioneer Avenue, the heart of Gensan City.

They offer grilled foods and other short orders to go with your drinks.

So, if you are looking for a place to unwind. . .

Taaz Bar is the answer!

111th Philippine Independence Celebration

In line with our 111th Independence Day Celebration, the Department of Labor and Employment will be having once again a Mega Jobs Fair for the people of General Santos and nearby municipalities. This will be held on June 13 & 14, 2009 at the KCC Mall Convention Center.

A Livelihood cum Trade Fair shall also be conducted at the same time. Expected to participate are several entrepreneurs whose projects are being funded by DOLE and other government agencies. Their products will be displayed and sold at low prices during the fair.

List of vacancies, participating employers and products to be displayed and sold will be posted here soon. Please watch out for it.

(updated!!)Robinsons General Santos Vacancies

This surely is good news for all applicants!

Robinsons General Santos opens this coming August 2009.

Anent to this, hiring for their store personnel is scheduled on

May 27 - 29

at the Family Country Hotel, Mateo Road, Gen. Santos City.

Four (4) HR personnel from Robinsons Manila will be conducting interview

of interested applicants for the following vacant positions:

Store Managers
Assistant Managers
Selling supervisors
Cashiering Supervisors
Warehouse Supervisors
Admin Officer
HR Personnel
IT Personnel
Warehouse Personnel
Secretary
Cashier
Salesclerk

Applicants are advised to proceed to the venue on said dates. They must also bring their application paraphernalias for the interviewing officers to peruse.

For further inquiries, you may

call Public Employment Service Office - (083) 553-3479; or

e-mail me at jinky_borela@yahoo.com.

for detailed qualifications re: above vacancies, please click on this link:

http://job-search.jobstreet.com.ph/philippines/job-opening.php?key=robinsons+general+santos&specialization=&site=ph&ss=1&by=search&typ=1&sourceid=ctryHome

Special thanks to Bariles Republic for the Robinsons logo used on this page.

Priceless Curtain Rods

(I assure you, this is worth reading)

She spent the first day packing her belongings into boxes, crates and suitcases.

On the second day, she had the movers come and collect her things. On the third day, she sat down for the last time at their beautiful dining room table by candle-light, put on some soft background music, and feasted on a pound of shrimp, a jar of caviar, and a bottle of spring-water.

When she had finished, she went into each and every room and deposited a few half-eaten shrimp shells dipped in caviar into the hollow of the curtain rods.

She then cleaned up the kitchen and left. When the husband returned with his new girlfriend, all was bliss for the first few days.

Then slowly, the house began to smell.

They tried everything; cleaning, mopping and airing the place out. Vents were checked for dead rodents and carpets were steam cleaned. Air fresheners were hung everywhere. Exterminators were brought in to set off gas canisters, during which they had to move out for a few days and in the end they even paid to replace the expensive wool carpeting. Nothing worked. People stopped coming over to visit. Repairmen refused to work in the house. The maid quit.Finally, they could not take the stench any longer and decided to move. A month later, even though they had cut their price in half, they could not find a buyer for their stinky house. Word got out and eventually even the local realtors refused to return their calls.

Finally, they had to borrow a huge sum of money from the bank to purchase a new place.

The ex-wife called the man and asked how things were going. He told her the saga of the rotting house. She listened politely and said that she missed her old home terribly and would be willing to reduce her divorce settlement in exchange for getting the house back. Knowing his ex-wife had no idea how bad the smell was, he agreed on a price that was about 1/10th of what the house had been worth, but only if she were to sign the papers that very day. She agreed and within the hour his lawyers delivered the paperwork. A week later the man and his girlfriend stood smiling as they watched the moving company pack everything to take to their new home.........

And to spite the ex-wife, they even took the curtain rods!!!!!!

I LOVE A HAPPY ENDING, DON'T YOU?

Tnx for this Mam Jean!

Crisis Aftermath On Company Logos

How company logos will look like when the

global recession is finally over.

This was e-mailed to me by a good friend and am reprinting this

for us to ponder if this is really happening or why are we allowing this to happen.

Moms are Special, Very Special

This is for all moms and would be moms!

EIGHT LIES OF A MOTHER

This story begins when I was a child: I was born poor. Often we hadn't enough to eat. Whenever we had some food, Mother often gave me her portion of rice. While she was transferring her rice into my bowl, she would say "Eat this rice, son! I'm not hungry." This was Mother's First Lie.

As I grew up, Mother gave up her spare time to fish in a river near our house; she hoped that from the fish she caught, she could give me a little bit more nutritious food for my growth. Once she had caught just two fish, she would make fish soup. While I was eating the soup, mother would sit beside me and eat the what was still left on the bone of the fish I had eaten, My heart was touched when I saw it. Once I gave the other fish to her on my chopstick but she immediately refused it and said, "Eat this fish, son! I don't really like fish." This was Mother's Second Lie.

Then, in order to fund my education, Mother went to a Match Factory to bring home some used matchboxes which she filled with fresh matchsticks. This helped her get some money to cover our needs. One wintry night I awoke to find Mother filling the matchboxes by candlelight. So I said, "Mother, go to sleep; it's late: you can continue working tomorrow morning." Mother smiled and said "Go to sleep, son! I'm not tired." This was Mother's Third Lie.

When I had to sit for my Final Examination, Mother accompanied me. After dawn, Mother waited for me for hours in the heat of the sun. When the bell rang, I ran to meet her.. Mother embraced me and poured me a glass of tea that she had prepared in a thermos. The tea was not as strong as my Mother's love, Seeing Mother covered with perspiration, I at once gave her my glass and asked her to drink too. Mother said "Drink, son! I'm not thirsty!". This was Mother's Fourth Lie.

After Father's death, Mother had to play the role of a single parent. She held on to her former job; she had to fund our needs alone. Our family's life was more complicated. We suffered from starvation. Seeing our family's condition worsening, my kind Uncle who lived near my house came to help us solve our problems big and small. Our other neighbors saw that we were poverty stricken so they often advised my mother to marry again. But Mother refused to remarry saying "I don't need love." This was Mother's Fifth Lie.

After I had finished my studies and gotten a job, it was time for my old Mother to retire but she carried on going to the market every morning just to sell a few vegetables. I kept sending her money but she was steadfast and even sent the money back to me. She said, "I have enough money." That was Mother's Sixth Lie.

I continued my part-time studies for my Master's Degree. Funded by the American Corporation for which I worked, I succeeded in my studies. With a big jump in my salary, I decided to bring Mother to enjoy life in America but Mother didn't want to bother her son; she said to me "I'm not used to to high living." That was Mother's Seventh Lie.

In her dotage, Mother was attacked by cancer and had to be hospitalized. Now living far across the ocean, I went home to visit Mother who was bedridden after an operation. Mother tried to smile but I was heartbroken because she was so thin and feeble but Mother said, "Don't cry, son! I'm not in pain." That was Mother's Eighth Lie. Telling me this, her eighth lie, she died.

YES, MOTHER WAS AN ANGEL! M - O - T - H - E - R
"M" is for the Million things she gave me,
"O" means Only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the Tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her Heart of gold,
"E" is for her Eyes with love-light shining in them,

"R" means Right, and right she'll always be,
Put them all together,
they spell "MOTHER"
a word that means the world to me.
For those of you who are lucky to be still blessed with your Mom's presence on Earth, this story is beautiful. For those who aren't so blessed, this is even more beautiful.

Please share this with other Special Moms. . Happy Mother's Day!

Incomparable Pearl Harbor

During the long lull from work during the Holy Week, I had the pleasure of browsing and watching part of our huge collection of DVDs (majority of which remain unseen/unwatched as of this time). Being busy as mom and office worker took its toll on me by taking away from me precious times of watching good movies with my hubby. Seizing the opportunity of doing it while on vacation, we decided to watch the 2001 film Pearl Harbor. Imagining the wasted time by not watching this movie when we got hold of a copy ot it several years ago make me cringe right now.

Pearl Harbor is a story of love, friendship, courage and commitment during a war breakout. It has a powerful cast composed of Ben Affleck, Josh Harnett, Kate Beckinsale, Alec Baldwin, Jennifer Garner, Jon Voight, Cuba Gooding, Jr. and many others who all acted out their respective parts impressively. The movie itself clearly depicted the start of the mighty US of A's involvement in World War II.

Watching Pearl Harbor opened my eyes wider to the reality of the gruesome effects of military and superpower maneuverings. Realizing the fact that many of those who were born before December 7, 1941 experienced the nasty aftermath of the Pearl Harbor bombing, made me very thankful and grateful that I wasn't alive then yet. Thanking in prayer those who perished and who fought bravely during the war overwhelms me now. Looking back on what had happened to Pearl Harbor will teach us, the young generation and the generations to come the value of courage,love and commitment to every endeavour we wish to undertake.