June 13 2011

• You really have to deal with the big stuff first.
• You have to be okay and be ready to move on from the fact that not all plans work out the way you intend them to.
• Sometimes, bad things happen to good people.
• I spend so many of my days just trying to get over myself. Why?
• No matter how good you think you are, it never hurts to network.
• Balance is the key to everything.
• I am afraid of everything and because of that, I end up doing nothing on a daily basis.

June 14 2011

• You shouldn't be afraid to say what's on your mind.
• Contacts are currency in the world.
• Real friends never make you feel bad about yourself.
• Sometimes, the best thing to do is to admit defeat and find a way to learn and move on from it.
• Maybe not everything is about you. Learn to be more perceptive.

June 15 2011

• Explore every option, don't write off things right away.
• You have to give yourself time to write.
• Prioritize.
• If you really want to give or be gracious, find a way to do so without being self-righteous.
• Always begin conversations from a place of thoughtfulness and love.

June 16 2011

• Never make decisions based on fear. Always make them based on love.
• Champions run towards their fears.
• No matter how badly you've screwed up, hope lifts and gives you purpose.

June 17 2011

• If you really want to help, do so without needing to make others feel indebted to you.
• Family is the one thing you can't change.
• Don't buy postcards from Fully Booked, they will cost you three times as much as they would in National for the same damned postcard.

June 18 2011

• The human body is capable of being flatulent for hours after death.

June 19 2011

• Occasions are worth celebrating, even if just with small gestures.

June 20 2011

• Maybe lazy days are meant to be spent lazing around.
• Sometimes words save me so much more than people ever do.

June 21 2011

• Money is never as important as time is.
• It is such a disservice to yourself to not be doing what you love.

June 22 2011

• Great things happen when you believe in yourself.
• Be open to the possibility that you are indeed talented.

June 24 2011

• If you're going to give, do it well.
• Rainy days can be happy days.

June 25 2011

• It's important to show up in support of your friend's and family's passions.
• Life in itself is a reason to celebrate.
• It's not a good feeling to be left up in the air.

June 26 2011

• Know that it's okay to not be on a path at all times, as long as you know who you are and you love what you are doing.
• Sometimes, even people you just met can be the warmest people you'll encounter.
• Life is too short to not be doing what you love to do.

June 27 2011

• Bellicose means war-like nature or temperament.
• Maginot means an ineffective line of defense that is relied upon with undue confidence, after Andre Maginot, a French Minister of war who proposed a line of defense along the France's border with Germany. It turned out to be useless since Germany attacked through the Belgian border.
• When you really love something, then it loves you back, in whatever way it has to love.

June 28 2011

• It hurts, but you'll live. Then you'll deal with it and move on.
• A friend is someone who asks you how you are and actually waits for an answer.
• Sometimes a vision is enough to sustain you.
• Maybe, if you build it, the train will come.
• There are few things more liberating in this life than having your worst fear realized.
• It is our failure to become our perceived ideal that ultimately defines us and makes us unique. It’s not easy, but if you accept your misfortune and handle it right, your perceived failure can be a catalyst for profound re-invention.
• Whether you fear it or not, disappointment will come. The beauty is that through disappointment you will gain clarity, and with clarity comes conviction and true originality.
• Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen.

June 29 2011

• The only person you can trust to be interested in your life is you.
• Only you have your best interests at heart.
• Sometimes it's good to take a step back and spend a day in the company of a friend. But also, don't let other people see you as always expendable at their disposal.

June 30 2011

• I'm not above the small things.
• You can get things done without having to pay people off.
• Knowledge is power.

July 1 2011

• Music really does get you through tough times.
• Sometimes you just have to make the best of a really bad situation.

July 2 2011

• Inner peace can only be achieved if you have come to accept the most difficult parts of your life.
• I am beautiful in my own way.

July 3 2011

• It's good to take a step back and just be sometimes.
• Leading a small life can be meaningful, sometimes even more meaningful than a big one.
• Watching Top Chef does give me joy.

July 4 2011

• Don't let anyone else be your yardstick. That's taking power away from yourself in a big way <-- can't believe this came from Donald Trump!
• If I really wanted to, I could get things done.
• When you say yes to others, make sure you are not saying no to yourself.
• Be careful not to lose a diamond while you're busy collecting stones.
• Give yourself a break, but also remember that if you're not careful, your laziness will be your undoing.

July 5 2011

• In the oceans of opportunity, only the swift flourish.
• Good friendships sustain you and make you feel shiny.
• There are so many inspiring people out there.

July 6 2011

• If you don’t figure out what you want to become, someone else will define it for you.
• There are so many inspiring people out there.
• Cool people are cool because they are genuine to the core.

July 7 2011

• Waiting for the perfect conditions will mean inactivity. Be proactive or you will become inactive.

July 8 2011

• Whether you think you can or you can't, you are right.
• Most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones.
• I like it best when there are no airs about people.

July 9 2011

• Sometimes being pleasant is the best thing you can do.
• I can still be good company, and it feels good to know that.
• Oftentimes, the doubts are all in my head.

July 10 2011

• Simple things give me so much pleasure.
• There are times when my folks aren't as narg as I think.
• I sometimes question if I want a simple, small life or a fast-paced but stressful one.

July 11 2011

• Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.

July 12 2011

• When all things seem uncertain, all things are possible.
• Art makes you sensitive to the world around you.
• Eugenics is the "applied science or the bio-social movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population", usually referring to human populations.
• Brinkmanship is the practice of pushing dangerous events to the verge of disaster in order to achieve the most advantageous outcome.
  • *This maneuver of pushing a situation with the opponent to the brink succeeds by forcing the opponent to back down and make concessions. This might be achieved through diplomatic maneuvers by creating the impression that one is willing to use extreme methods rather than concede. During the Cold War, the threat of nuclear force was often used as such an escalating measure. Adolf Hitler also used brinkmanship conspicuously during his rise to power.
• Ubiquitous: u·biq·ui·tous (y -b k w -t s). adj. Being or seeming to be everywhere at the same time

July 13 2011

• Reticence means reluctance.
• Learned about the West Bank, Israeli settlements and why they are so contentious
• A Demagogue is a leader who obtains power by means of impassioned appeals to the emotions and prejudices of the populace.
• Moribund means on the verge of becoming obsolete, about to die.
• To feel connected and inspired, you can’t stand on the sidelines. In community, as in any aspect of life, you get out of it what you put in. Passive lurking or anonymous posting is just not as rewarding as immersing yourself and forming relationships.
• In history, identity was defined by religion and race. Now, in the age of behavior, it’s defined by ideas and narratives” ~ Maajid Nawaz
• What’s missing is not for Palestinians to start adopting nonviolence but for us to start paying attention to those who already are.” ~ Julia Bacha

July 14 2011

• A person who takes no chances has to take whatever is left when others are through choosing.
• Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle -- Plato

July 15 2011

• There comes a point in your life when you realize that you musn't apologize for who you are.
• Real friendships sustain and uplift you.

July 16 2011

• I can cook when I want.
• Yellow is a color of mourning in ancient Egypt.
• In ancient France, doors of criminals were painted yellow.

July 17 2011

• Sometimes I give my parents less credit than they deserve.
• Real friends understand who you are.
• I have to be better than this.
• It is wiser to pick your battles. Not every one needs to be won, and not every issue deserves to be fought out.

July 18 2011

• Listen more than you speak, you'll learn more.
• Don't interrupt when people are speaking.

July 19 2011

• “Always be a first rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of somebody else.”
• In life, you get what you put in.
• Concentrate on less, but give it your best. – Slow down. Pay close attention to what you’re doing. Don’t waste time juggling forgettable tasks.
• Great memories are the product of interesting life experiences. So turn off the television (or the computer) and get outdoors.
• Feelings are effortless, they come and go like clouds drifting across the sky. - M. Scott Peck

July 20 2011

• Life is not easy. It's hard work that brings "luck".
• You will fail sometimes. Deal with it and move on.
• There may not be a tomorrow.
• Information is not true knowledge. – Knowledge comes from experience. You can discuss a task a hundred times, but these discussions will only give you a philosophical understanding. You must experience a task firsthand to truly know it.
• You can’t be successful without providing value. – Don’t waste your time trying to be successful, spend your time creating value. When you’re valuable to the world around you, you will be successful.
• Someone else will always have more than you. – Whether it’s money, friends or magic beans that you’re collecting, there will always be someone who has more than you. But remember, it’s not how many you have, it’s how passionate you are about collecting them. It’s all about the journey.
• You can’t change the past. – As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”
• The only person who can make you happy is you. – The root of your happiness comes from your relationship with yourself.
• There will always be people who don’t like you. – You can’t be everything to everyone. No matter what you do, there will always be someone who thinks differently. So concentrate on doing what you know in your heart is right. What others think and say about you isn’t all that important. What is important is how you feel about yourself.
• Doing the same exact thing every day hinders self growth. – If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting. Growth happens when you change things – when you try new things – when you stretch beyond your comfort zone.
• You will never feel 100% ready for something new. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises. Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means you won’t feel totally comfortable or ready for it.

July 21 2011

• Anna is one of your truest friends. Hold on to her.
• You have a tendency to let other people walk all over you. Fix that.

July 22 2011

• Procrastination will get you every time.

July 23 2011

• I should know the limits of my angst.
• I should find situations for me to be a better person, they aren't always going to come to me.
• Waiting for perfect conditions will mean inactivity and could lead to your doom.

July 24 2011

• The attitude you have during times of testing will determine how long you stay there.
• Say yes with joy, say no without fear.
• You may not be a Picasso or Mozart but you don’t have to be. Just create to create. Create to remind yourself you’re still alive. Make stuff to inspire others to make something too. Create to learn a bit more about yourself.” - Frederick Terral
• The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. - Albert Einstein
• Pretending you know what you’re doing is almost the same as knowing what you are doing, so just accept that you know what you’re doing even if you don’t and do it.” - Bre Pettis
• This is your life. Do what you love, and do it often. If you don’t like something, change it. If you don’t like your job, quit. If you don’t have enough time, stop watching TV. If you are looking for the love of your life, stop; they will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love.” - Holstee
• Empower yourself and realise the importance of contributing to the world by living your talent. Work on what you love. You are responsible for the talent that has been entrusted to you.”
• You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. - Eleanor Roosevelt

July 25 2011

• If you are brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.

July 26 2011

• If you want to dream, be fully awake.

July 27 2011

• It's never too late to be what you might have been.

July 28 2011

• Even the most seemingly perfect lives have chips in them.
• Friendship is so important. In happy times, it makes people shine; and in the direst of circumstances it elevates us.

July 29 2011

• You can learn great things from mistakes when you aren't busy denying them.
• When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you.
• When other people treat you poorly, keep being you. Don’t ever let someone else’s bitterness change the person you are.
• You have to accept that some things will never be yours, and learn to appreciate the things that are only yours.
• Don’t be afraid to move out of your comfort zone. Some of your best life experiences and opportunities will transpire only after you dare to lose.
• There will always be small issues that irritate us; the secret is to be able to give them the miniscule level of importance they deserve.
• Giving up doesn’t always mean you’re weak, sometimes it means you are strong enough and smart enough to let go.
• Ask yourself whether each of your relationships drags you down or lifts you up. Surrounding yourself with positive, loving people is half the battle of living a happy, successful life.
• No matter how cautiously you choose your words, someone will always twist them around and misinterpret what you say. So just say what you need to say.

July 30 2011

• If you understand something in only one way, then you don't really understand it at all. The secret of what anything means to us depends on how we've connected it to all other things we know.
• Smart people learn through connections.
• A metaphor is a connection between two ideas that aren’t actually related.
• Memory works better storing pictures and places than facts and figures. By translating those abstract details into vivid mental pictures, you’re leveraging your brain’s strengths.

July 31 2011

• I am brave enough to question if my refusal to attend uncomfortable family events is empowering or not.
• Often I use tv shows to postpone myself from having to think about important and scary things.
• I must ask myself if this is the life I want to be living.

August 1 2011

• We need time for ourselves and conversations with our family.
• Even the simplest things can give us pleasure.
• Maybe it's enough to aspire to be good, and not necessarily to be noble.

August 2 2011

• Do the work first.
• You have to be in control of your own faculties.
• Keep your thoughts quiet and listen to what your mind is trying to say.

August 3 2011

• Prayer is a good way to start the morning.
• You get to decide how you face the day.

August 4 2011

• Forming an opinion on something is empowering - it reveals your true self to you.
• With every activity you do, decide if it is worth the time you spend on it.

August 5 2011

• At least, my dad makes an effort to be a good parent even in the worst circumstances.
• Petrifaction, petrification or silicification is the process by which organic material is converted into stone by impregnation with silica. It is a rare form of fossilization. Petrified wood is the most well known result of this process, but all organisms from bacteria to vertebrates can be petrified.
• You have to fight for the life you want.
• Nobody gets it easy. You can't afford to be lazy anymore.

August 6 2011

• I do enjoy weekend reading.
• I find that I am liking the comedic stylings and even the seriousness of Jon Stewart.
• Realize though that even funny takes a lot of work.

August 7 2011

• I do enjoy alone time at home.
• You have to work at friendship.

August 8 2011

• For friendship to stand the test of time, you have to decide which are worth the effort you put into them.
• I am unlikely to draw a line that I can't cross when it comes to friendship.
• Learned how to bake a chicken successfully!

August 9 2011

• "The size of your audience doesn't matter. What's important is that your audience is listening." -- Randy Pausch

August 10 2011

• Frisson means a moment of intense excitement or shiver, chill, quiver, shudder, thrill, tingle an almost pleasurable sensation of fright.

August 11 2011

• The poor work for money, the rich make money work for them.

August 12 2011

• An asset is something that puts money in your pocket. A liability is something that takes from it. Our society's views on assets and liabilities is wrong.

August 13 2011

• Taxes punish the poor and the middle class the most. The rich react to this by creating corporations to work around the taxing power.
• You won't know until you try.

August 14 2011

• Remember that your time is valuable.

August 15 2011

• No one will value your time if you yourself don't value it.

August 16 2011

• Followers of the Free Masons or Society of Friends value silence. They only talk when they have something to say.

August 17 2011

• Good friends are priceless.
• There are times when I miss moments because I focus on the unimportant details.

August 18 2011

• When life isn't the way you like, like it the way it is.

August 19 2011

• The survival skill most needed in the 21st century is the ability to adapt to change.

August 20 2011

• I am the problem and I am the solution.

August 21 2011

• Appreciating things paves the way for more good to come - be it experiences, conversations, moments.
• Simple gestures can bring great happiness.

August 22 2011

• Cirrus is latin for wisps
• Stratos is latin for layers
• Cumulus is latin for heaps
• Luke Howard is a real person who named and classified clouds

August 23 2011

• Lesson that bears repeating: you have to earn your place by the little things that you do every day.

August 24 2011

• As writers, nothing is ever wasted. Every word we put down gets us somewhere we couldn’t be without it. - I hope this is true.
• Also, I have to be very careful about my life choices from now on. Being a writer and publishing work does seem daunting. Am I ready?

August 25 2011

• Every time we speak, we find the same three fundamental auditory constituents in speech: plosives (hit-sounds like t, d and p), fricatives (slide-sounds like f, v and sh), and sonorants (ring-sounds like a, u, w, r and y)
• Our brain’s tight fit to writing and speech is not because we evolved by natural selection to read or comprehend speech, but, rather, because the structure of writing and speech culturally evolved to fit our brain…by looking and sounding like nature, just what our brains can brilliantly process. I call this nature-harnessing — that’s the secret sauce.” ~ Mark Changizi
  • *This is my question: If we did not evolve from our primate ancestors and instead harnessed nature to allow us to read and speak, why can't all primates do this? Isn't evolution of some and not all the answer?

August 26 2011

• Do things even if they scare you. Strive to stay outside of your comfort zone.
• You have to pay for quality. That Tan Tan Men Ramen was awesome.

August 27 2011

• There are memories to be had in simple things.
• I love it when it rains and we eat goto with tokwa't baboy.

August 28 2011

• Sometimes days just work out. Love how Sunday was. Impromptu girly brunch, metrowalk shopping, silent art film with live music, mallratting, dinner at charlie's then saw something borrowed at home.
• Just because someone doesn't agree with you doesn't mean they are out to get you.
• Just humbly accept others' opinion to be that - a different opinion. Doesn't make you right or wrong.

August 29 2011

• Humility makes everything better.
• Conversation can be such a healer.
• It's a treat to devote your full attention to someone.
• Cocoa dusted french fries are full of win.

August 30 2011

• When we consider we are ready, it is already too late -- Paulo Coelho

August 31 2011

• You have to acknowledge that it serves you nothing when you feed your pride. It just takes up time and energy that could have been expended on something more useful, more practical.

September 1 2011

• Sometimes its better to just listen than be heard.
• Real friendships do take work.
• Anything that we can do to give someone a little bit of hope is worth doing.

September 2 2011

• I should really try my best to not waste my time being idle. I tend to get lost in the motions a lot.
• Everyday, everything is a choice you make.

September 3 2011

• You can be pitiful or powerful, but you can't be both.
• "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."— Anaïs Nin

September 4 2011

• Life is meant to be lived.
• You have to have the drive to fight for your dreams and the willingness to do the work.

September 5 2011

• I was amused to learn that there are some tests that are enjoyable. I wonder if it was my mindset or my aptitude for the subject that hindered me when I was in law school?
• There are good service people everywhere, and they deserve to be commended.

September 6 2011

• Dreams are good, sometime after dreaming them you have to wake up and do the work if you want to see them come true.

September 7 2011

• Clutter means anything that stands between you and the vision you have for your best life—it’s so much more than just the stuff. — Peter Walsh
• Ang kalayaan ay nasa utak.

September 8 2011

• Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so too. - Voltaire
• bivouac means a temporary encampment with few facilities, as used by soldiers, mountaineers, etc (verb bivouacking)
• miasma means a noxious atmosphere or influence, or a poisonous atmosphere formerly thought to rise from swamps and putrid matter and cause disease, a thick vaporous atmosphere or emanation, pollution in the atmosphere, esp noxious vapours from decomposing organic matter
• There is no guarantee that one will reach any of one's goals in this life. But not to struggle toward those goals is to guarantee that they won't be attained. - Reginald Shepherd

September 9 2011

• Inenarrable means indescribable, incapable of being narrated.
• We meed to stop losing our joy over other people's bad choices.

September 10 2011

• Some people really have no problem with taking everything for themselves. Sometimes confrontation really is needed.

September 11 2011

• Confluence is the coming together of two streams. I find this wording so beautiful. So ironic that I used it to refer to the coming together of so many problems.
• An abscess is a pus-filled sore, usually caused by a bacterial infection. The pus is comprised of both living and dead organisms. It also contains destroyed tissue due to the action of white blood cells that were carried to the area to fight the infection.

September 12 2011

• You can be quite productive if you want to.

September 13 2011

• Judge people not by their actions, but by their words.

September 14 2011

• Convoluted means twisted, bent, coiled, difficult to comprehend
• Cache means storage for future use

September 15 2011

• What this visa application thing has taught me is that I should never give up in the face of the endless little inanities.
• Waiting in line pays off.
• It is possible to fall in love at first sight. Staying in it is a different matter. I thought I fell in love with him last night.

September 16 2011

• Not all choices are equal.
• That being productive does not necessarily lead to being fulfilled.

September 17, 2011

• That I should make decisions based not on fear, but on love for myself.
• Indolence means freedom from that which pains; A situation or state of ease, comfort, or pleasure; the lap of luxury; Delightful idleness.
• To call someone a lotus-eater is to call them an idle dreamer
• The lotus-eaters or lotophagi are a mythical people found in Homer’s Odyssey. Odysseus discovers them in a state of dreamy forgetfulness and contentment induced by their consumption of the legendary lotus fruit. Having lost all desire to return to their homelands, they want only to remain in Lotus-land living a life of idle luxury.
• Hypertrophy: Enlargement or overgrowth of an organ or part of the body due to the increased size of the constituent cells. < used by Stephane Audeguy to refer to sexual organs of the African race
• Precocious means manifesting or characterized by unusually early development or maturity, especially in mental aptitude
• In botany precocious means relating to or having flowers that blossom before the leaves emerge
• Scrupulous means conscientious and exact; painstaking
• Piety means dutiful devotion to God and observance of religious principles
• Idiosyncracy means a structural or behavioral characteristic peculiar to an individual or group; a physiological or temperamental peculiarity; an unusual individual reaction to food or a drug.

September 18 2011

• If you're not conscious about how you spend your time, you will have spent most of it waiting for stupid inconsequential things.

September 19 2011

• Always make the choice that is the most beautiful.
• A life is made up of the decision to do certain things, everyday.
• Our experience of the world is shaped by our interpretations of it, the stories we tell ourselves, and these stories can often become so distorted and destructive that they completely hinder our ability to live balanced, purposeful, happy lives, so the key to personal transformation is story transformation. - From Maria Popova's Brainpickings
  • Yet, in one domain of life or another, we find ourselves stuck in thought patterns and behavioral cycles we lack the tools to escape.
  • We could solve a lot of problems if we could get people to redirect their interpretations in healthier directions.
• Smell is the only human sense that brings floating molecules from our environment into direct contact with our neurons.

September 20 2011

• That people are just waiting for a chance to be kind. Most times, you need only ask.

September 21 2011

• Sometimes, things just work out.
• Going off the schedule and off the profile can be a good thing sometimes.
• That I must write with a fiery pen and edit with a cold heart.

September 22 2011

• Maybe some things are worth doing on your own, even if it means more of an outlay for you. Believe you can make it work.

September 23 2011

• Sometimes, you should just let things fall as they do. Being open to just doing things can lead to the most interesting experiences.
• Talking to beautiful people isn't as scary as I thought it would be.

September 24 2011

• Just be open to the moment. You never know what experiences are coming your way.
• Papa John's is meh.

September 25 2011

• Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.

September 26 2011

• The car alternator is responsible for converting energy from the gas into electricity that makes your car battery work. Initial stopgap actions involve turning off unnecessary car accessories such as radios, ACs, headlights, etc.
• If a person wants to be a part of your life they will make an obvious effort to do so. Don’t bother reserving a space in your heart for people who do not make an effort to stay.
• If you want to fly, you have to give up the things that weigh you down.
• Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing.
• Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success. You don’t fail by falling down. You fail by never getting back up. Sometimes you just have to forget how you feel, remember what you deserve, and keep pushing forward.
• Everyone basically wants the same things. They want validation, love, happiness, fulfillment and hopes for a better future. The way they pursue these desires is where things branch off, but the fundamentals are the same. You can relate to almost everyone everywhere if you look past the superficial facades that divide us.
• Finding a companion or a friend isn’t about trying to transform yourself into the perfect image of what you think they want. It’s about being exactly who you are and then finding someone who appreciates that.
• Relationships must be chosen wisely. It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company. There’s no need to rush. If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason.
• Making a thousand friends is not a miracle. A miracle is making one friend who will stand by your side when thousands are against you.
• Someone will always be better looking. Someone will always be smarter. Someone will always be more charismatic. But they will never be you – with your exact ideas, knowledge and skills.
• Making progress involves risk. Period. You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.
• Every morning you are faced with two choices: You can aimlessly stumble through the day not knowing what’s going to happen and simply react to events at a moment’s notice, or you can go through the day directing your own life and making your own decisions and destiny.
• Everyone makes mistakes. If you can’t forgive others, don’t expect others to forgive you. To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you.
• It’s okay to fall apart for a little while. You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well. You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears. The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.
• We sometimes do things that are permanently foolish just because we are temporarily upset. A lot of heartache can be avoided if you learn to control your emotions.
• You can’t take things too personally. Rarely do people do things because of you. They do things because of them.
• A smile is a choice, not a miracle. True happiness comes from within. Don’t make the mistake of waiting on someone or something to come along and make you happy.
• When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you.
• One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you like everyone else.

September 27 2011

• There are some things you really can't get out of doing. Just take the hit and do it.
• Rainy days can be quite pleasant.

September 28 2011

• Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.

September 29 2011

• When faced with sexism, or ageism, or lookism, or even really aggressive Buddhism, ask yourself the following question: ‘Is this person in between me and what I want to do?’ If the answer is no, ignore it and move on. Your energy is better used doing your work and outpacing people that way. Then, when you’re in charge, don’t hire the people who were jerky to you.” –Tina Fey
• When you’re doing the work you’re meant to do, it feels right and every day is a bonus, regardless of what you’re getting paid. –Oprah Winfrey
• You have to be open-minded when those early opportunities present themselves; take advantage of them whether they’re going to make you a lot of money or not. –Rachael Ray
• You have to ask for what you deserve, and not feel guilty about it. Do not put yourself on sale. —Suze Orman
• Some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all—in which case, you fail by default. –JK Rowling
• A key component of wisdom is fearlessness, which is not the absence of fear, but rather not letting our fears get in the way. –Arianna Huffington
• Being a housewife and a mother is the biggest job in the world, but if it doesn’t interest you, don’t do it. I would have made a terrible mother. –Katharine Hepburn
• The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it. –Roseanne Barr
• My agent said, ‘You aren’t good enough for movies.’ I said, ‘You’re fired.’ –Sally Field
• If the career you have chosen has some unexpected inconvenience, console yourself by reflecting that no career is without them.” –Jane Fonda

September 30 2011

• You should never be ashamed of who you are.

October 1 2011

• Don't fuss. Just do.

October 2 2011

• When you feel tired, acknowledge it and give yourself the time to rest.
• There are times when you will encounter unpleasant situations. All you can do is acknowledge and move on. Accept that you cannot control how other people will react, and consider if whatever action you are planning to take will do anything to improve the situation. If not, distill the lesson and let go. Holding on to it won't help.

October 3 2011

• You have to be proud of the fact that at the very least, you're still standing. That you decided to wake up and get up and fight again.

October 4 2011

• Don’t let the opinions of others stand in your way. What they think and say about you isn’t important. What is important is how you feel about yourself.
• “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice, heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” - Steve Jobs
• No matter how much progress you make there will always be the people who insist that whatever you’re trying to do is impossible. Or they may incessantly suggest that the idea or dream as a whole is utterly ridiculous because nobody really cares. When you come across these people, don’t try to reason with them. Instead, forget that they exist. They will only waste your time and energy.
• Whenever somebody discredits you and tells you that you can’t do something, keep in mind that they are speaking from within the boundaries of their own limitations. Ignore them and press on.
• The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists. It rewards people who get things done. And the only way to get things done is to be imperfect 99% of the time. Only by wading through years of practice and imperfection can we begin to achieve momentary glimpses of the perfection.
• There are few absolute ‘rights’ and ‘wrongs’ in the world. What’s right for you may be wrong for me, and vise versa. People need to live their lives their way – the way that’s right for them.
• Mistakes teach you important lessons. The biggest mistake you can make is doing nothing because you’re too scared to make a mistake. So don’t hesitate – don’t doubt yourself. In life, it’s rarely about getting a chance; it’s about taking a chance. You’ll never be 100% sure it will work, but you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work.
• The smartest thing you can do to compensate for the things you can’t control is adjusting your attitude.
• “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way

to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking, and don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.“~ Steve Jobs

• Starting something from nothing and watching it grow is deeply rewarding.
• The ‘wanting’ alone will not get us there.
• “Forget about the fast lane. If you want to fly, just harness your power to your passion. Honor your calling. Everybody has one. Trust your heart and success will come to you.“~ Oprah
• “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”

~Lao Tzu

October 5 2011

• You cannot fake the feeling of being loved. I still remember you, Dada.

October 6 2011

• “Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.” - Steve Jobs, 1955-2011

October 7 2011

• Magallanes is a better route to Terminal 3 of the airport.
• Good friends are there for each other.

October 8 2011

• Don't procrastinate.

October 9 2011

• When you set your mind to it, you can work really fast.

October 10 2011

• When you're tired, rest.

October 11 - 17 2011

• Travel brings out the best version of yourself.
• People around the world, though different, are kind for the most part.
• Every place has something beautiful in it.
• When you let go of perceived notions is when you really begin to see the world.
• Old friends are the best.
• You can push yourself when you are willing to let go of self-imposed boundaries.
• I should treat my time at home the way I do when I travel. I should recognize it as finite and precious and not to be wasted on stupid and trivial things.
• Things are more lovely when you choose to see the good. It is a conscious decision to be happier.
• I am so lucky to be able to travel the world for not much.
• You have to speak up to get what you want, no one will give it to you unless you do.
• Do what you want to do, just be ready to accept whatever consequences they create.
• Doing something is almost always better than not doing.
• There is no shame in not wanting to experience things, if you think they will not serve a purpose or benefit you in any way.

October 18 2011

• Unlucky people tend to be creatures of habit. They take the same route to and from work every single day, talk to the same types of people at social functions, and live out the same routine day in and day out.
• Lucky people tend to see the positive side of their ill fortune. They imagine how things could have been so much worse.
• Don’t waste your life fulfilling someone else’s dreams and desires. You must follow your intuition. Good luck and true wealth come naturally to those who are passionate about their work.
• Help others out when you’re able.
• Taking a risk can be calculated – you weigh your options, know what you can afford to lose, and go for it. If it doesn’t work out, you go for it again when you can afford to lose a little more.
• Unlucky people often dwell on mistakes from the past, obsessing about the bad luck that put them in their present unlucky situation, or they concern themselves too much with future ideals. Lucky people, on the other hand, concentrate on the present moment.
• Everything is a life lesson. Everyone you meet, everything you encounter, etc. They’re all part of the learning experience we call ‘life.’
• Work toward your goals every day without fail.
• Opportunities are often disguised as work, so most people don’t recognize them.
• The Chinese character for the word ‘crisis’ literally means ‘danger and opportunity.’
• Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small pieces. -Henry Ford
• Learn from the past, but don’t dwell in the past. In other words, don’t abuse the precious ‘now’ by not being in it.
• Big results come when you narrow your focus. Concentrate your efforts on smaller and smaller areas. When your efforts are diffused over a wide area they won’t have much of an impact. So focus on smaller areas and your efforts will be felt more fully. It could take time for change to happen, but keep that focus narrow.
• Manage your time. Your situation and environment is ever changing, so be careful not to confuse things that are urgent with things that are important.
• There is ENLIGHTENMENT to be gained from the ability to live in the moment, but if you don’t have a time management system, or an event control system, you are at a significant disadvantage in achieving goals.
• Put your uncertainty and fears aside for a second and ask yourself this: “If I try and I don’t get it right the first time, what will I have lost and what will I have gained?” The answer is: You will have lost nothing but a little bit of your time while gaining an important lesson that will help you get it right the second or third time. People rarely get it right the first time. In fact, usually the only people who ever get it right are those who continue going for it even when they’ve come up short numerous times before.
• We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.

October 19 2011

• Travel is so enriching because when you travel, you're more conscious of how you spend your time. You don't want to waste a single second, the way you would when you're home. But you should live like that wherever you are.
• If you can't help but succumb to it, just stay away.
• Sharing good news with friends is always great.
• It's quality of friendships and not quantity that matters.

October 20 2011

• Everything has a work component to it, this is why you must choose the work you love, or choose to love your work. Either way, it is a choice. - SNL
• Little things, like an inside family joke, can make your day.

October 21 2011

• “All blame is a waste of time. No matter how much fault you find with another, and regardless of how much you blame him, it will not change you. The only thing blame does is to keep the focus off you when you are looking for external reasons to explain your unhappiness or frustration. You may succeed in making another feel guilty about something by blaming him, but you won't succeed in changing whatever it is about you that is making you unhappy.” -Wayne Dyer

October 22 2011

• Really good friends, really true friends. That's all you really need.
• Being invited out is such a great pleasure.
• How you react really can spell the difference between disaster and success.

October 23 2011

• It's okay not to go out sometimes. There are some things that aren't worth the effort.

October 24 2011

• If you can stand after an attack, you are stronger than you think.
• If you can contain your hurt and still have something to smile about, you are stronger than you think.
• Simple things with really good ingredients can be delicious.
• Hanging out with good friends is awesome.

October 25 2011

• My time is my most important asset. I should learn to spend it more wisely.
• There is no key to happiness. The door has always been open.

October 26 2011

• Everything in your life is unfolding as it should be. This seems to be the message of the day. You were meant to go through what you have. The question is, were you able to learn what you were supposed to?

October 27 2011

• If you have one good friend in the world, be grateful.
• There is dignity not in being superior to others, but in being superior to the person whom you once were.
• Don't let others' misery take away your joy.
• Do what you want. Do it for yourself.

October 28 2011

• Don't put off work that must be done.
• Try to be solace for someone, somehow.

October 29 2011

• You have the power to do what you want, it's just a matter of deciding if you're willing to face the consequences of your choices.

October 30 2011

• I like myself well enough to enjoy even when I'm all alone.
• Treating the family is nice, even if you don't get the thanks you hope. Treat anyway.

October 31 2011

• You shouldn't be afraid to show your true self with friends.

November 1 2011

• You can survive uncomfortable family situations by simply staying out of them.
• Don't let the drama get to you.

November 2 2011

• Sometimes, the things you want are really just within your reach.
• When you have time for friends, take it.

November 3 2011

• Be kind to others.
• Having character, even a crazy one, is precious.
• Be confident and never let them smell your fear.
• Believe that others want you to succeed.

November 4 2011

• Success is determined by the decisions you make.
• Sometimes, you have to choose the less fun option because it will be the right one.

November 5 2011

• Choose the people whom you're with. You have the power to let yourself feel or not feel the effect of their actions.

November 6 2011

• Giving in to cravings can be pure bliss sometimes.
• I sincerely believe that life is meant for joy.

November 7 2011

• There's much to be said about standing up for yourself, but for the little things, it's not worth the drama of going into conflict. Peaceful co-existence and the joy of just getting along is much more satisfying.

November 8 2011

• Finish the work you set out to do; it will take out the joy from your breaks if you don't.

November 9 2011

• Go to class, no excuses. Always better than not going to class.
• Be prepared to face the consequences of your actions, and face them bravely.

November 10 2011

• It's such a treat to always have some friend to be with, some place to go.
• Books are always worth the time and cost.

November 11 2011

• There is value in what I do, and there are people willing to invest in it, even when I am unsure.
• I can be good if only I am willing to do the work.
• It's good going out of your comfort zone sometimes.

November 12 2011

• Giving your time to other people's passions is so rewarding.
• Making new friends is an amazing feeling.
• Working for a cause always feels worth it.
• People's bodies may age, but the souls remain the same.
• Most people are nicer than you think.

November 13 2011

• Being able to kick back and relax is awesome.
• I need to have a healthier diet.

November 14 2011

• You have to not be comfortable with where you are. Don't be afraid to have that chip on your shoulder. It will haunt you and compel you to do your best work.

November 15 2011

• It shouldn't be a shame that I enjoy reading and studying literature. The point of life is to be happy. Now if I can only learn to be productive while doing it...

November 16 2011

• You can do the unimaginable, let get to school at 6:40 am for a 7 am class.
• Every minute is a series of choices.
• You shouldn't be afraid of embracing your dark.

November 17 2011

• You must welcome negative comments and criticisms. Instead of being upset, see what you can learn from them or if not them, from the experience.

November 18 2011

• How well you imagine is how well you know. How well you know is how well you imagine.
• You are here, most of all, to learn.

November 19 2011

• Most of the time, people are just waiting for a chance to be nice. Don't let them down. Go out of your shell. Talk, say hello, interact.

November 20 2011

• It's good to let yourself be taken away by the moment. Today I went with a friend on an unexpected trip to the heart of Manila, and we had the randomest, best time ever.

November 21 2011

• Not everything you want is worth buying. But be mindful of how you spend the money you save too!

November 22 2011

• Believe in yourself with all your heart, and the universe will sit up and take notice.

November 23 2011

• Writing is subjective. You must find a person whom you trust and can listen to whole-heartedly.
• Learned about dramatic irony and writing interesting stories by going against the grain of your original idea.

November 24 2011

• Habits are a deadener. Sometimes going through the motions of routine saps so much of our time. But what does time and doing something to pass (or take advantage) of the time really mean?

November 25 2011

• You must not be afraid to say No. Put yourself on the priority list.

November 26 2011

• You always regret not doing the things you didn't do than the doing of the things you wish you hadn't.

November 27 2011

• Do the work first. It will make for a good rest of the day.

November 28 2011

• Don't be too disheartened if you don't meet your goals. Use it as a motivator to work harder.

November 29 2011

• Gifts can mean more than what they cost.

November 30 2011

• Whole days can be wasted if your plan is to wait until the conditions are perfect. They often never are.

December 1 2011

• It is good to admit a problem, because from there you can begin to move on.

December 2 2011

• Remember that you have been given a privilege. Strive to earn your place. Strive to work with what you have.
• Good friends are just awesome.

December 3 2011

• Laid back weekends, when spent with good friends are just marvelous.

December 4 2011

• When it won't cost anything and won't hurt anyone, hell yes - do what you want!
• Not doing anything is worse than failure.

December 5 2011

• Don't dwell too much on your dysfunction. You're more normal than you think.
• Don't take good things for granted.

December 6 2011

• When arranging schedules, remind yourself that not all things are equally important.

December 7 2011

• I should own my age and celebrate it.
• Be open to spontaneity! It makes for wonderful memories.

December 8 2011

• Don't allow yourself to procrastinate! It will end up costing you more, all the time.

December 9 2011

• Finish your work first, so that you can enjoy your playtime to the fullest.
• Sometimes, you just need to relax and assess if that battle really needs to be fought.

December 10 2011

• Not everyone is talking about you all of the time. And even if some of them actually are, they are the ones whose thoughts don't matter. Do what you want to do. Own your journey.

December 11 2011

• You shouldn't be afraid to love and to hurt from love. It is normal to feel.
• Don't care too much about what other people are thinking. Enjoy the moment with the company you do have.

December 12 2011

• You are not a manang. You are not forgettable.
• Hold yourself up. Your life is not a joke. But you have to believe it first for it to be true for you.

December 13 2011

• All of life is ambiguous. It is up to us to decide how we are going to interpret the context of the circumstances we find ourselves in.

December 14 2011

• Our lives only improve when we take chances.

December 15 2011

• Music really is awesome when live.
• Sometimes, music will be the only thing that binds you to someone, and that's not really a bad thing.
• Musicians are people too. They're normal and they're awesome.
• Do what you want to do.
• There will be days when friends won't be as cool as you remember them, but it is in these moments that you have to be there the most.

December 16 2011

• Cherish the good friends that you have, the ones that show up when they say they will and that tell you what you need to hear.

December 17 2011

• Staying at home can be lovely.
• You are lovely when you care enough to love yourself.

December 18 2011

• Again and again and again - do the work first!
• You must help when you can.

December 19 2011

• All this work and reading is paying off. You're becoming a better writer already.

December 20 2011

• You can't choose your family, but you can choose your friends.

December 21 2011

• Surprised that there are still parts of me that believes in love and believes that I will find it.

December 22 2011

• “Things may come to those who wait… but only the things left by those who hustle.”
• We don’t know when our breakthrough will come. So don’t guarantee your failure by quitting. You can adapt, change, and evolve, but never, never, never quit.
• The greatest tragedy in life is wasted talent ~ A Bronx Tale

December 23 2011

• You do have the power to make your days go the way you want them to.

December 24 2011

• Looking good for yourself should always be a priority.
• I am proud of myself and the style I have crafted for myself.
• Simple things can be really beautiful. Holidays can be pleasant if you don't pressure yourself with expectations.

December 25 2011

• I should have spent time with my grandmother, but I still can now.
• Family is important.

December 26 2011

• Our experience of the world is shaped by our interpretations of it, the stories we tell ourselves, and these stories can often become so distorted and destructive that they completely hinder our ability to live balanced, purposeful, happy lives, so the key to personal transformation is story transformation.
• Don't find yourself. CREATE YOURSELF.

December 27 2011

• It is very interesting how infuriating and heart-warming family can make you feel.

December 28 2011

• Sometimes small gestures can mean more than big ones. Found myself warming up to estranged family over a virtual monopoly game. Strange but true.

December 29 2011

• Even if you fail at your goal, you must continue. You really can't not.

December 30, 2011

• It pays more to like yourself. Makes for a better day and produces better work.

December 31, 2011

• It doesn't hurt to care about your looks, even just a little.
• You can be the bigger person. You'll make someone happy, and make yourself feel better.
• Do what you want. You have the power to achieve your goals, to do as you please.