Have you ever lose someone you love and realized you have not told him/her, and no matter what, you will never have the chance for death took him/her away? Have you ever made a plan to do things with a friend, family or lover but never managed to do it and will unlikely have the chance for that person is no longer able? Have you ever found yourself alone with your thoughts, looked back and realized you missed so many opportunities, because you chose to be idle, you preferred not to take risk and played it safe instead?
Without a doubt, many of you would have answered yes, and no one could blame you. But as life had taught me, unlike seasons where we could expect when to take our warm clothes out and keep the lighter ones in, our existence is unknown. One minute you are out with your family enjoying the day, or driving your way home, or snuggling under the covers with your loved ones savoring the bliss of intimacy and the next, you are gone. Not coming back, never to be heard from again.
Live life, now. That should be our mantra from now on. Do what we can while we still can, hug someone as if there is no tomorrow and love… love like mad as if no one else exist.
This month, The Guild would like to remember and reminisce our dear and loved and painfully missed friend, mentor and “mother”, the late Ms. Linda L. Layosa. A woman who had sown the likes of me and our very own Annabelle Libao among others. I humbly ask everyone to help us carry on what she lived for — writing, mentoring, inspiring people, especially domestic helpers like us. Let us all take a moment to say a little prayer for her. Those lucky enough to have crossed her path… think of happy thoughts with her in it. Never mind that such thought will fill your heart with ache and longing to the point where you could hardly breathe. With tears racing down your cheeks, embrace her, in your thoughts.
Don’t forget to write to us, share with us your thought on anything and everything. I also would like to apologize, I am still in London and have been very busy, but I promise, the 50-word writing contest result will continue next month. Meanwhile, just keep on writing. Below is a story.
“My Christmas”
The early morning wind hit me with surprise as I opened the door to let the dogs out. “Hay, malaria an naming nag simony nag hanging, parating na is Santa Clause, kailangan an naming mag shop till I drop ako nito,” I uttered to myself as I went back in to get a cardigan to guard myself from the cold.
As I prepared myself to start another day at work, I… Continue it for me, in English or Tagalog and send it to us at: theguild825@yahoo.com” or The Writers’ Guild Story-Telling G.P.O. Box 867, Central, Hong Kong. Deadline is on November 30, 2008 and will be published on your True friends newsmag in December.
Author: Cathy Montano, President, TWG
*Published in True Friends Newsmag (October 2008 issue)
We face it, people gossip and we enjoy rumors that we are hearing especially when we are bored. Rumor and gossip are slightly different. A “rumor” is unclear information that we heard from unknown source but we have no proof whether that piece of story is true or false. A “gossip” is an idle talk, usually a “private and delicate thing” that people don’t talk openly about but revealed by someone and spread it out from one person to another behind the person’s back. That is gossip. Rumor on the other side is just an occasional story which might be true, partially true –- partially made up, or maybe totally made up but also passed on from one person to another. The receiver usually don’t care if the story is true or not and how it is delivered to another person.
Here, is one example of how rumor changes:
1) Maria: “Hoy Kulasa iyong manok namin nangitlog ng labindalawa, pero nakakapagtaka, kasi iyong anim na itlog parang itlog ng itik. Iniisip ko, baka napagawi ang isa sa alagang itik nang kapitbahay namin na nagkataong doon nangitlog mismo sa “nest” nong manok ko? Di kaya?
2) Kulasa: Hoy Petra alam mo ba yung manok ni Maria nangitlog ng itik, may duda daw siya sa itik nong kapitbayhay niya … sus, pwede palang mangyari yon?
3) Petra: Hoy, Pedro nabalitaan mo ba na iyong manok ni Maria at itik nong kapitbahay nila ay may relasyon pala? Ayun… nangitlog tuloy ng itik iyong manok ni Maria at nangitlog naman ng manok yung itik ng kapitbahay niya!
This may be an exaggerated example, but one piece of story can really change seriously if the listener heard it incorrectly and inadvertently delivered the story with slight changes. Even if these slight changes were made unintentionally, a new version of the story is born and the story becomes more exaggerated as people passed it on. Sometimes, the result….” the new version” maybe hurting to both you (as the victim), and the people close to you. When rumors already spread like virus, it becomes difficult to defend yourself. Some keep quiet, sat on it until rumor dies. For some, they reacted but as they do it, the more they got trapped. It’s like a nail that you hammered deeply into a wood, even if you pull it out again, the hole remains. So whatever you do, once you are the victim, you lose. It’s nice if you have friends around consoling you, but if nobody… just try to console yourself, ha ha ha. What else can you do? Ang mahalaga, you do not harm anybody and you have tried to be friendly with others. Pero sabi nga, you can’t please everybody. Hindi pwede talaga lahat ay matuwa sa iyo! Basta isipin mo na lang, for friends who really loves you, they don’t care about the rumor they heard. Rumour is another thing and the truth on your friendships is a separate matter. How to protect your friendship against rumor? SIMPLE – Be deft against rumor. Whether a rumor is true, false, partially true, decorated, or made up…. ignore it. Measure your closeness with your friends and think of the good old days. All people make mistakes but rumors worsen it. If your friend become a victim of this, ask yourself, do I care for my friend or I care for the carrier of this rumor? If you allow yourself to be influenced by this, you are extending a big favor to the rumor-maker. In short, protect your friend first by not making the “rumor-maker” happy!
Author: Rose Cruto Ho, TF Newsmag
*Published in True Friends Newsmag (October 2008 issue)
Dito sa Hong Kong, karamihan sa atin ay dito nakikilala ang mga kaibigan. Dito na tayo nagkakaroon ng mga new friends, bestfriend or circle of friends.
Nagtitiwala na tayo agad-agad sa mga taong nakilala natin. Kasi naman unang araw pa lang nagpapakita na sa atin ng kabaitan. Nililibre ka na niya agad ng lunch or dinner kasi kesyo wala ka pang sahod kasi baguhan ka pa lang. Ikaw naman na bago pa lang akala mo totoo siya sa ginagawa niya at maluwag sa kalooban niya na bigyan ka. Hindi mo alam na hinuhuli lang pala niya ang iyong loob, na oras na mag-tiwala ka sa kanya BINGO na siya sa iyo. Mag sisimula na yan magsasabi ng mga financial problems niya. Hindi masama ang tumulong pero dapat may limit tayo, kasi naman may kapwa tayo OFW diyan na sa tagal ng pamamasukan niya wala pa ring ipon, puro utang na lang. Pag hindi pa nag-kasya ang inuutang, aba pati mga bagong salta na kababayan bibiktimahin. Mag-mamakaawa na i-pangutang sila sa bangko kahit konti lang, sila daw ang bahala sa monthly fee pero huwag ka, hanggang umpisa lang yan, pag naka dalawang hulog na iyan mag-tatago na at hindi mo na mahahagilap. Pag tinakot mo naman sila pa ang nag-mamalaki. Sila na ang tinulungan sila pa ang may ganang magalit.
Sa mga kababayan natin na bagong dating lang. Hindi masama ang makipag-kaibigan pero dapat maging mautak ka rin hindi iyong ikaw ang uutakan. Kayo naman diyan na nang-raraket ng mga kapwa, makonsensya naman kayo. Pare-pareho tayo na naghihirap sa pag-tatrabaho; pare-pareho tayong dayuhan dito dapat tayo ‘yung nag-kakaisa, nag- tutulungan at nag-mamalasakitan sa isa’t-isa. Masaya ka ba sa ginagawa mo na panloloko sa kapwa mo? Nakakatulog ka pa ba sa masamang gawain mo? Nagka-pera ka nga pero galing naman sa masamang paraan. Kaibigan ito ang iyong tandaan, ang pera na hindi mo pinaghirapan wala iyang patutunguhan, hindi gaya ng pera na pinagsikapan mo, galing sa hirap at pawis mo malayo ang mararating mo kabayan.
Ang mga iba naman diyan na mautak din, nag-papautang pero grabe naman ang taas ng mga interest talo pa ang bangko dito.Tutulong ka nga ‘di mo pa lubusang tulungan ang ating kaibigan. Business nga lang naman walang masama pero hindi mo ba iniisip na sa halip na makatulong ka lalo mo pang pinabagsak ‘yung pinautang mo dahil sa taas mong magpatong. Nag-hihirap na nga ‘yung umuutang sa’yo, mas lalo mo pang pinahirapan. Ang kayamanan natin dito sa ibabaw ng mundo ay hindi natin ‘yan madadala sa kabilang buhay.
Whoever puts God first in his life will be the first in His kingdom but whoever puts God last in his life will be the LAST in GOD’s KINGDOM. Thank you sa lahat ng mga readers na nag-send ng comments, sama-sama uli tayo next month sa November issue.
Author: Ed Roquel, TF Newsmag
*Published in True Friends Newsmag (October 2008 issue)
Computer literacy is no doubt a must-have nowadays; we should know at least the difference between CPU (Central Processing Unit) and computer memory (RAM). We should at least know various mouse techniques – clicking, pressing, right-clicking, left-clicking, double-clicking, and triple-clicking. Not only should we know how to turn on the computer system (hardware, software, and firmware) but at least we should know the proper positioning of fingers on the keys at the PC keyboard. If you think you are an expert in Internet, then you should know these things – WWW, ISP, URL, LAN, Netscape! Well if you know what I am talking about, then you can consider yourself passing the novice stage of computer literacy, then if you know system analysis, system design, and you know what computer programming is, then you are without doubt not only computer literate but you are considered computer knowledgeable person and nearing computer expertise. But if the things mentioned above seems alien to you then I suggest you start learning by studying with the guidance of an expert in the field of computer. As they say, learn it from the master/s and you won’t be lost in the game of information technology (IT). Everyone picks up bits, bytes and pieces of information while using and working around computers. This can leave some pretty big gaps in your information landscape. The operating system is the master program that runs the computer behind the scenes while you work. It translates your instructions into actions by the machine. It also heads off conflicts between one part of the machine and another, making them all take turns. The most common operating systems are Windows, MacOS, and Unix. DOS is an older system that is now a small part of Windows.
The User Interface is what you see on the screen at the beginning. You can come back to this screen anytime you need it. Sometimes a part of it is always visible. The simplest user interface is a Command Line. The line is shown by a Prompt, some symbols that tell you where to type your commands (e.g. C:\windows> …); this is not so common today, but it is easy to use — if you remember the Commands. Since most people can’t remember a lot of commands or don’t want to be bothered, the alternative is a GUI, graphical user interface: a pretty set of little pictures called ‘icons’ with printed labels on them that appear on the screen to remind you of the commands. The Mouse is used to ‘click’ on an icon or label to issue a command. The most common commands are the ones to start new programs. The programs then give you more choices of specialized commands to edit text, draw pictures, access the internet, etc.
The Most Important Types of Application Programs are:
Word Processor — creates, reads, edits text files; sometimes can add pictures or tables Paint or Draw — creates, shows, and changes pictures and images; usually in color
Database — stores and organizes information, helps locate needed information
Spreadsheet — does simple math calculations, especially for businesses
Communications — helps connect to other computers by modem and telephone
Browser — connects to the Internet to show web pages
Email — write, read, send, receive, store, and organize electronic mail messages
Let’s have a basic computer test: Can you differentiate between RAM and ROM? How about CRT and LCD? Hmmm, how about desktop and tower system? Or notebook and book PC? What are the parts of file name? Do you know how to create your own folder on a Windows Operating System desktop? If it sounds alien to you, then come and study with us at TonisArt Graphics Computer Tutorial, not only will you learn but rather we will tutor you; just visit us at Room 401, 4/F Sunny House, 10-14 Li Yuen St West, Central, HK and call us at 2868-1106 or 9601-5995. We are waiting for your suggestion of a topic to be discussed. Even our readers from the jail are welcome to propose a subject related to ICT (Information and Communication Technology).
Author: Dennis Madlangbayan, TF Newsmag
*Published in True Friends Newsmag (October 2008 issue)
