APPRECIATE LIFE: Smile

When you feel you are on your lowest just remember to appreciate all the good things in your life, no matter how small. You already have some amazing things in your life, whether you realize it or not.

Most of us have incredible family members, friends, other loved ones who love us back. Learn to appreciate what a miracle that is. Most of us have eyes, with which to enjoy the amazing miracles of sunsets and nature and beauty all around us. Most of us have ears, with which to enjoy music, one of the greatest miracles ever. Be grateful for each of these things, and more! Take time every day, throughout the day, to thank life for all that it has given you, to thank others for what they give you, to be GRATEFUL." ♡-Apple

DESIDERATA

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter;

for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. 

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery.

But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.

Especially, do not feign affection.

Neither be critical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars;

you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be,

and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be

happy. 

© Max Ehrmann 1927 

Whenever I feel down or lonely, or the world is unfair, I always read this poem and almost always this poem makes me feel better. I hope you find time to read this again and again when you feel lonesome, hurt, treated unfairly.

God bless your heart <3 Smile!

Las Piñas 7th Water Lily Festival

Las Piñas 7th Water Lily Festival was held last Thursday, July 19, 2012 at Carnival Court, BF Resort Village, Las Piñas City, under the Water Hyacinth Basket Weaving Enterprise of the Villar Foundation led by its Managing Director, Cynthia Villar, Former Representative of Las Piñas.

The Water Lily Festival was conceptualized in order to highlight the products made out of water lilies, which were treated as aquatic pests before as they used to clog the Las Piñas River, but are now useful raw materials quips Mrs. Cynthia Villar.

There were fluvial parade, street dancing, musical performances from Manunugtog Kawayan and other local bands, water lily weaving demonstrations and of course, a display exhibit of various handicrafts made out of water lilies during the 7th Water Lily Festival.

 

One of the highlights of this year's Water Lily festival is the search for Miss Las Piñas Water Lily. Wherein, each of the 20 barangays of Las Piñas fielded their own candidate. Known designers such as Noli Hans as well as the barangay residents in Las Pinas themselves created the gowns donned by the contestants. The gowns was fashioned completely from dried water lily stalks and leaves, imagine that! This was so exciting! Very Cool! Very innovative indeed and very Filipino!

Contestants of the 2012 Miss Waterlily Festival beauty pageant join Cynthia Villar and her son Rep. Mark Villar (left)during a fluvial parade at the Las Piñas River on Thursday. Photography by Benjie Castro

Through this festival, we are able to help the water lily weavers to market their products by showcasing them throughout the day-long festival, from the beautiful gowns of the contestants in the Miss Water Lily to the decorations of the boats in the fluvial parade,” said Former Representative Cynthia Villar who's name had become synonymous with water lilies and green social enterprises.

A pre-pageant was held last Tuesday, July 17, 2012 and the winner was crowned on the festival day itself last July 19, 2012. Las Piñas Representative Mark Villar said during the pre-pageat event: “The contestants at the Miss Las Piñas Water Lily pageant prove that Las Piñeras are truly beautiful. The reigning Miss World 2012, Queenierich Rehman is from Las Piñas. On top of that, we also show that we are environmentally responsible citizens. For one, we have made something beautiful out of water lilies, otherwise treated as wastes.”

Grand prize winner Lyra Velchez (No. 16) floated above the rest in her meticulously tailored water lily stalks dress. Photo by Niño Jesus Orbeta

 

The winners of Las Piñas Miss Waterlily 2012 search are: Grand Winner Lyra Velchez of Barangay Manuyo 1; First Runner-up Angelica Prieto of Barangay Talon 2; and Second Runner-up Lady Ann Erlano of Brgy. BF International/CAA.

The winners of Miss Las Piñas Water Lily become ambassadresses of the city, they get invited in various events and festivals all over the country to represent the beauty of the city as well as its environmental and livelihood programs such as the United Nations (UN) award-winning river rehabilitation or Sagip Ilog program—a brainchild of Mrs. Villar.

Grand prize winner Lyra Velchez (No. 16) receives her prize from Mrs. Cynthia Villar and Congressman Mark Villar.

The water lily handicraft business in Las Piñas City started as a backyard industry nearly a decade ago. People can't help but take notice of the wide range of products that can be made out of the plant that grow in abundance in urban waterways.

These included baskets, trays, chests, bags, traditional bags called bayongs, hampers, cabinets, lamp shades of different shapes and sizes and even a dining table complete with chairs. The smaller items range from coasters to slippers.

                                BEFORE                                                                       AFTER

The water Lily had now evolved. Its products now ranges from handicrafts to wearable arts and gowns. They now weave water lily to something wearable. Thursday’s Water Lily Festival in Las Pinas was both a trade and a fashion show highlighting the business potentials of the plant that grows in abundance in local waterways. 

With creativity, you can do a lot with water lilies aside from providing livelihood for hundreds of families in Las Piñas, the water lily business has also cleaned up the city’s waterways.

Zapote River is now free of water lilies and fish had begun breeding there again. They are now getting their water lilies from the Laguna de Bay. Mrs. Cynthia Villar hopes that the Laguna de Bay lake will also be cleared of water lilies because of this business.

Buyers of the water lily products range from:

•  individual patrons
•  supermarkets
•  department stores which place orders in bulk
•  exporters who bought products from the Villar Foundation shipping them to the United   States, Europe, and Japan.

Price List of some Water Lily products:

The water lily slippers are popular especially in Japan cost Php
Hampers sell for P750 and P900 each,depending on the size.
Trays sell for P100 to P200 each.
Lampshade would be worth at least P500
Three-drawer cabinet, P5,500.
Dining set made up of a table and four chairs (with metal or wooden supports) would be worth P25,000.
 

The Water Lily festival not only promotes Las Piñas as a city and draws the attention of the people to our environmental and livelihood programs. “We are proud of the barangay-based livelihood projects that we have created, the raw materials of which all come from wastes. We have employed more than 500 families in our livelihood centers,” cited Mrs. Villar.
 The Villar Foundation water lily products has a gross selling price P100,000 per month which increases during the Christmas season, when orders for popular Christmas gifts like baskets, trays, and ornamental pots shoot up.

Right now, the Villar Foundation is developing charcoal from dried water lily stalks. And they're now looking at using the stalks and leaves as a leather substitute to be used in bags according to Mrs. Villar.

THE BOURNE LEGACY NEW TRAILER: Jeremy Renner Saves Rachel Weisz

In this newly released trailer from The Bourne Legacy, Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) rescues Marta (Rachel Weisz) from Manila cops. It will open on August 5, 2012 in Philippine theaters nationwide. Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino said the Philippines will be the first country in Asia to screen the much-awaited action film.

Filipino actors who played some parts on the movie are the following:

John Arcilla as a security guard
Lou Veloso as the ship captain. 
Andre Tiangco
Madeleine Nicolas
Ruby Ruiz
Anne Garcia
Ermie Concepcion 
Joel Torre. 

According to the producers, Manila will serve as the setting for the film's 'climax,'scene or the last 25 minutes of the movie. 

The production had stayed in the country for eight weeks to shoot scenes in various areas in Metro Manila and in El Nido, Palawan.

BATMAN: The Dark Knight Rises

It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. 

Getting the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. 

For a time being, the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act. But everything change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. 

Anne Hathaway reinvents Selina Kyla aka Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises.

Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.

BATMAN: The Dark Knight Rises

Showing in all cinemas nationwide today July, 19, 2012 under Warner Bros. Pictures.

MTRCB Rating: PG-13 | Runtime: 2 Hours and 45 Minutes 

Directed By: Christopher Nolan (The Prestige, Inception, Memento) 

Starring: Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Caine and Gary Oldman.

 #film #movie #batman #thedarkknightrises  

SEA AIR Seat Sale Period from July 19 to 25, 2012

Domestic Flights

• Sale Period is from July 19 to 25, 2012.
• Clark to Kalibo for P499
• Manila to Kalibo (Boracay) for P595 Flight Starts August 4
• Manila to Tacloban for P430 Flight Starts August 1
• Manila to Puerto Princesa for P452 Flight Starts August 3
• Manila to Cebu for P119 Flight Starts July 31
• Manila to Iloilo for P399 Flight Starts August 2
• Manila to Bacolod for P499 Flight Starts August 20
• Manila to Davao for P649 Flight Starts August 18
• For Clark Flights, Travel Period starts on July 19, 2012 to March 31, 2013.
• For Manila Flights, Travel Period starts on their Flight Start Date until March 31, 2013.

International Flights

• Clark to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia for P649
• Clark to Hong Kong for P1,199
• Clark to Bangkok, Thailand for P1,999
• Clark to Singapore for P2,100
• Travel Period: July 19, 2012 to March 31, 2013

• Sale Tickets are Non-Refundable, Non-Reroutable, Non-Transferable, Upgradeable with fare difference and upgrading fee, and Rebookable if more than 3 days before flight subject to a fee plus fare difference (if any), less than 3 days to 45 minutes before flight subject to a fee plus fare difference (if any), less than 45 minutes before flight, considered as lost ticket (forfeited)
• Not applicable to Student and Senior Citizen discount.
• Limited Seats only. Terms and Conditions Apply. 

Click here to buy!

Antonio Banderas Struggles to Win Back Melanie Griffith

"Remember, an ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness."

Antonio Banderas is allegedly desperate to keep his marriage with Melanie Griffith intact after reports of his infidelity took their toll. A number of recent reports have claimed that Banderas has been unfaithful to his wife of 15 years. Amongst other incidents, the actor was allegedly spotted kissing another woman while vacationing in Cancun. Melanie Griffith's initial response was "BoyfriEND, girlfriEND, friEND, everything has an end, except for family," the star posted online, according to Celeb Dirty Laundry.

"Antonio has been desperately trying to win Melanie's trust back," a source reported to RadarOnline on Tuesday. "He has been doing everything in his power to revive the romance -- flowers, sweet-talking on the phone, and extravagant gifts -- because he realizes that she is close to her breaking point." Proof of her breaking point came last week when the star was photographed out and about in town without wearing her wedding ring.

Men should behave and should be a one man-woman so their marriage would never be in danger.

A descent woman should never enter into a relationship with a married man.

A boy can learn a lot from a dog: obedience, loyalty, and the importance of turning around three times before lying down. -Robert Benchley

NRCE 2012:Taking Customer Experience to New Heights

What: 21st National Retail Conference 

When: August 9, 10, 2012

Where: SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City

Oh, la la! Good News to all entrepreneurs! The Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) highlights why shopping is more fun in the Philippines during its 21st National Retail Conference (NRCE) and Stores Asia Expo.

This 2-day conference and exhibit is usually attended by over 800 retail owners, suppliers, CEOs, and top level executives.

For this year, NRCE invites experts from the retail industry and other related sectors to cover relevant aspects of retailing.

NRCE, the country's biggest retail industry event, joined forces with the government's  It's More Fun in the Philippines campaign, as it invites tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez to speak on the campaign's synergy with retail industry growth and more fun shopping experience.

Adding to the prestige of the event is Coca Cola’s President and CEO William Schultz who will be the keynote speaker on the opening day of the conference. Coca Cola, which celebrates its centennial year this year is among the well-loved brands in the Philippines. Coca Cola’s participation in this year’s NRCE is expected to further elevate the “fun” aspect of the conference as the brand celebrates “100 Year of Happiness”.

This year’s NRCE highlights are strategies for driving growth and customer engagement.

How to register:

To register simply download and fill up the form here!

Note:
To avail of the Early Bird Rate, check payment should be SENT to the PRA office (Unit 2610 Jollibee Plaza, Emerald Ave., Pasig City) OR DEPOSITED to PRA Acct.: Banco de Oro – SM Mega B Branch. S/A No. 2800-373-09 ( pls. Fax Deposit Slip w/ your Company Name to PRA). We regret that we cannot pick up checks.

PLS. make checks payable to PHILIPPINE RETAILERS ASSOCIATION INC.

YOUR LEARNING INVESTMENT: (includes meals and kit bags, handouts)

	PRA MEMBER	NON-MEMBER	FOREIGN DELEGATES
EARLY BIRD (paid on or before July 15)	P 5,995.00	P 6,995.00	USD 170.00
REGULAR RATE (after July 15)	P 6,995.00	P 7,995.00	USD 200.00
ON-SITE	P 7.995.00	P 8, 995.00	USD 250.00

*School facutly (with meals)- Php 4,000
*Students (no meal)- Php 2,000
20 students registered per school- Free 1 faculty

• Additional 5% discount for 5 or more participants from the same company
• Cancellations received in writing at least 2 weeks before the event will be subject to 50% refund
• Replacements are welcome but must be advised to the Secretariat at least 1 week before the conference
• *Must provide copy of valid school id and faculty id upon registration to avail the special rate

The topic that interest me the most in this upcoming NRCE 2012 Conference Program is Harnessing the Power of Digital Marketing and Online Commerce for Retail Growth. As everyone knows we are in the Digital Age. Most of my peers don't buy newspaper or watch TV anymore.  My friends read the news online and watch you tube instead. They always sign in and read news feeds from their Facebook walls. 

This could only mean one thing. Establishments in order to keep up with the times must put up an online presence.

Nowadays, it is common to find establishments with a fan page at Facebook. You are not "in" if you don't have fan page or a domain which will make your store's online presence stronger.

There's plenty of room for improvements in the retail sector in the Philippines. In the future, I would be thrilled to see and use the innovative NFC( Near-Field Communication) card to pay for food and transportation purchases. I like how fast and easy the retail transaction using NFC cards like the card that was introduced to the market by a fast food chain, very similar to Hong Kong's Octopus Card, and the Top Up Card of Singapore. A customer just need to tap their cards and voila, the transaction was done already.


So don't be left behind! Harness the power of Digital Media today!