Chasing My Passion Again

Hello! It's been quite a while since my last post and here I am, back after a long break. It is not because I lost my interest in writing. On the contrary, I do miss it. I miss putting my thoughts together and translate them into words. The fact is, this year has been a very busy one for me. Here's what I had been up to:

. Getting back to playing golf again. Three years ago, I decided to give up playing golf in exchanged
  for something I thought was more important in life than my passion for this game. I sold my clubs and
  tried to forget golf for two years! If you've known me or had played with me in the
  past, you'd think I was out of my mind. But yes, I had that moment. The year 2013 has been an
  awesome year for me as far as golf and I are concerned. I even got the chance to play for the
  Wounded Warrior Project golf tournament. Although my team didn't win in the tournament, it's good
  to know that we played for a good cause. I am happy to be back playing the game I so love. I will
  never ever give it up again for anything.

. Europe Trip. Yes, last September I went on a two weeks vacation to Italy, Austria and Germany. I    had the best times of my life. I'm currently in the process of finalizing my draft and

  have been working on the pictures I took from this trip so I can post it here soon.

Marriott hotel lobby- Rome, Italy

fellow tourists and eventually became friends

gondola ride in Venice

Hallstatt, Austria

Salzburg, Austria

Munich, Germany

King Ludwig's palace-Munich, Germany

. Work, Work and more Work! Don't get me wrong. I love my job. It's one of the reasons I wake up

  feeling refreshed every morning. Every day is different from the other. The interactions I have with

  fellow employees and the experiences of talking to different people from all sorts of backgrounds 

  is always such an awesome experience. 

Life may seem like a boat ride on an enraged sea amidst raging waves at times but still, interlaced with snippets of calmness brought by the sight of a sandy shore. My passion for life, the resilience of my spirit and the love of my family and friends will make this journey truly exciting.

I will end this post with this quote from one of my all time favorite movies. "The saddest people I've ever met in life are the ones who don't care deeply about anything at all. Passion and satisfaction go hand in hand, and without them, any happiness is only temporary, because there's nothing to make it last." --from the movie "Dear John"

Fabulous Fifty!

Today is my 50th birthday. This is one of those days I always tease others about and it's hard to believe I would reach it myself. Every birthday to me is a blessing. I am blessed to be 50 years old and still in such a good health. In my life, I can say that I have been to both sides of the world. I have gone through times of adversity as well as times of success. I have faced trials and travails of life and I triumphed in most of them. I have known about being betrayed and being loved. I had moments of sadness and loneliness and times of joy and laughter. Through it all I have a lot of reasons to thank the Lord for. The fact that I am celebrating my 50th birthday is a miracle.

As I step into the threshold of another chapter in my life, I look at the past with gratitude. I have the present and even if it is not perfect I am so blessed to be where I am. I still have the future to look forward to. I may not have another 50 years left, but there is so much to be excited about it.

Today is a very special day for me. I will celebrate it with thanksgiving to God for the gift of life. I feel the love and care of family and friends as greetings, message of prayers and love are pouring from them from all corners of the world. I am fifty, I am healthy and I am loved!

Cheers and thank you very much to all of you who have touched my life in one way or another!

50 Years At A Glance

I am turning 50 in a couple of days. So I thought I'd take the opportunity here to list 50 things that have impacted my life and made a mark in my heart. They changed me, inspired me and sometimes haunts me:

1.  LOVED SOMEONE MORE THAN I EVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE
2.  witnessed a total solar eclipse
3.  Shot a gun
4.  Gone on a blind date
6.  Skipped school -
7.  Watched someone die.
8.  Watched someone be born.
9.  Been to five Asian countries
10. Been to Florida
11. Been on a plane
12. Been on a cruise ship
13. Been Lost
14. Been on the opposite side of the country
15. Been in a car accident twice within a year
16. Swam in the ocean
17. Cried myself to sleep
18. made prank phone calls
19. Slept while driving

20. Recently colored with crayons

21. Sang Karaoke
22. Paid for a meal with coins only
23. Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of my nose
24. Caught a snowflake on my tongue
25. Danced in the rain
26. Written a letter to Santa Claus
27. Been kissed under the mistletoe
28. Watched the sunrise with someone
29. Blown bubbles
30. Camped out under the stars
31. Seen something so beautiful that it took my breath away
32. been Married
33. Been divorced
34. Children
35. Had a Pet
36. Been skinny dipping outdoors
37. Been scuba diving
38. Been fishing
39. Been boating
40. Been water skiing
41. Been hiking
42. Been camping
43. Gone horse-back riding
44.  Flown in a small 4-seater airplane
45. Been bungee-jumping
46. Driven a race car
47. Done something that could have killed me
48.Been to Hollywood
49. Played 54 holes of golf in one day
50. Dated a millionaire

Getting Out Of The Well

This is very nice, I just want to share this with you.

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well.  The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.  Finally, he decided the animal was old, and since the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth the effort it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him.  They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. The donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly at first.  Then, to everyone's amazement he soon quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well.  He was astonished at what he saw.  With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

The farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, and he would continue shake it off and take a step up.  Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt.  The trick is to remember to shake it off and take a step up just like getting out of the well.  Each of our troubles can be a stepping stone. We can get out of any situation, even the deepest well, just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1.  Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.

2.  Free your mind from worries - Most never happen.

3.  Live simply and appreciate what you have.

4.  Be willing to give more.

5.  And always remember to expect less from others than yourself.