Seven (of the many) lessons from Think Rich Pinoy!

The ultimate purpose of wealth is to help others. -- Bo Sanchez

Let me share with you insights from Larry Gamboa's book, Think Rich Pinoy!

1. Money is NOT the real measure of how rich a country is. In this age, the best asset is knowledge -- or brains. (It's STILL human capital.)

2. (Based on our family experience) Wealth is inversely related to educational attainment.

3. There are four ways to to earn money: work for somebody else (employee), work for yourself (self-employed), go into business (entrepreneur/businessman/businesswoman) and make money work for you (investor). -- author adapted from Kiyosaki's Rich Dad, Poor Dad.

4.People are poor because they CHOSE to be poor. It's starts as an attitude, a mindset. They think there's no road to riches. When they close their minds, they lock all doors of opportunity before them. And they stay poor.

5. The poor stay poor because they pile up liabilities instead of assets. As Kiyosaki's Rich Dad says, "Assets put money in your pocket. Liabilities take money away."

6. Once we believe it is possible, then the adventure begins. We explore the probable. Then act on the doable.

7. The 3 steps to becoming rich are: SEE-DO-GET.

Read more about it. Maybe ask your friends for a copy, who knows?

Cory Aquino: In Her Own Words

Mrs. Cory Aquino may be undergoing treatment for colon cancer but struggling to recover from this illness is, I believe, not different from when she was still president.

To live at a time of great distress, which is Martial Law, Tita Cory, seemed to have made the most out of her political experience. Thrown into the lion's den that is Malacañang, Tita Cory entered politics after the assassination of her husband, Ninoy Aquino. A plain housewife, she endured seven coup attempts and criticisms during her presidency. Listed down are some remarkable quotes from a woman made strong by unquestioned faith in God and the unwavering support of the Filipino people.

“I guess my religious faith sustained me more than anything else. Family is also very important. If I didn't have children, it would have been too difficult. Even if you are strong, you still need people who would support you all the way.”

“I am not embarrassed to tell you that I believe in miracles.”

“I don't have any formula for ousting a dictator or building democracy. All I can suggest is to forget about yourself and just think of your people. It's always the people who make things happen.”

“Reconciliation should be accompanied by justice, otherwise it will not last. While we all hope for peace it shouldn't be peace at any cost but peace based on principle, on justice.”

“Faith is not simply a patience that passively suffers until the storm is past. Rather, it is a spirit that bears things - with resignations, yes, but above all, with blazing, serene hope.”

Tita Cory is by her words, a truly inspiring woman. Read more about her in a new book, Cory Aquino: An Intimate Portrait, edited by Margarita P. Juico.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The latest movie installment of the Harry Potter book series opened here in Sharjah last July 16, 2009. With great enthusiasm, both young and old lined up in cinema counters to get tickets for the 6:30p.m. show. Those who were able to get their tickets earlier saved themselves from the hassle of last-minute rush. Sadly, the movie version was a bit disappointing. Being a book fanatic you can't help but compare the film with the book and provide a checklist of your personal likes and dislikes. Nonetheless, you can't always be pleased with the film adaptation. So I think it's best to simply review the remarkable lines from the book and movie.

Albus Dumbledore: You must be wondering why I brought you here.
Harry Potter: Actually sir, after all these years I just sort of go with it.
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Hermione Granger: You have to realize who you are, Harry.
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Tom Riddle: Who are you?
Albus Dumbledore: Well, I'm like you, Tom. I'm different.
Tom Riddle: Prove it.
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I make mistakes like the next man. In fact, being — forgive me — rather cleverer than most men, my mistakes tend to be correspondingly huger. -- Albus Dumbledore
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Greatness inspires envy, envy engenders spite, spite spawns lies.You must know this Dumbledore.-- Lord Voldemort

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

More of my favorite quotes this time from HP2 book: The Chamber of Secrets

Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself. -- Hermione Granger

Fame is a fickle friend Harry. Celebrity is as celebrity does. Remember that. -- Gilderoy Lockhart (Defense against the Dark Arts teacher)

Voldemort.. is my past, present and future..." - Tom Riddle

Lucius Malfoy: Busy time at the Ministry, Arthur, all those extra raids. I do hope they're paying you overtime. Although judging by the state of this, I'd say not. What's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?
Arthur Weasley: We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy.
Lucius Malfoy: Clearly. Associating with muggles. And I thought your family could sink no lower.

Albus Dumbledore: It is not our abilities that show what we truly are. It is our choices.

The Pursuit of Happyness

I enjoyed watching movies that inspire me to reach for my dreams. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) is one of those movies that showed how a man's passion to reach his dreams enabled him to overcome many obstacles and become successful in the end.

Directed by Gabriel Muccino, it is based on the true story of a self-made millionaire Christopher Gardner. Will Smith, who plays the lead actor in the movie, is a family man making a living as a salesman of bone density scanners. However no one wants to buy it because of its steep price and impracticality. This resulted to his wife leaving him and losing his bank savings. Left to care for his only son (played by Will Smith's real son, Jaden Smith), and make both ends meet, Chris comes upon an opportunity to be a stockbroker. Working and studying very hard, he finally earned the financial success and stability he had longed for.

Here are the quotes that inspired me and my short reflections on them:

Christopher Gardner (talking to his son): Hey. Don't ever let somebody tell you... You can't do something. Not even me. All right? ...You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period.

Two important points to highlight here: One is continue dreaming because it gives your life direction. Dreams give you a sense of purpose and make you passionate about life. Second is do not listen to people who try to put you down because they themselves either have no dreams or have given up on their own dreams. Because dreams are worth pursuing and dreams do come true to those who make them happen.

Christopher Jr. (telling a story to his dad): Hey dad, you wanna hear something funny? There was a man who was drowning, and a boat came, and the man on the boat said "Do you need help?" and the man said "God will save me". Then another boat came and he tried to help him, but he said "God will save me", then he drowned and went to Heaven. Then the man told God, "God, why didn't you save me?" and God said "I sent you two boats, you dummy!"

Truly God's wisdom is spoken through the little ones. I believe that in these lines, when we asked God's help to make our dreams come true, His resources will flow abundantly to our lives. As always and in all ways, God provides. =)

How to Know if Your Dreams Are God's Dreams?

This morning I was reading Bo Sanchez' e-book, "How to Know if Your Dreams are God's Dreams" and it is a wonderful reading material. Each chapter is short but loaded with personal stories and reflections on how to identify soul dreams and passions.

I like to reflect (or daydream) in the sense that I want to be constantly aware that what I am doing are what God wants me to do. Once in a while in a middle of a chore, I would recall the days passed and asked myself, "Lord did you like what I did?", "How can I improve it?".

But to really IDENTIFY what my DREAMS are is something that I am not serious thinking about. Maybe because I've been contented with what I have right now. I have a loving and supportive family in Manila; a wonderful husband (God's gift I often tell myself); a new job (I was recently hired to teach History here in Dubai, even if it is difficult for Filipinos to get hired to teach in non-Filipino schools. Read about it in a related post, In His Perfect Time); friends I can talk to once in a while for source of strength; stable employment for my husband; an affordable private room with attached bathroom (living in Dubai is expensive mind you), among other things.

Reading Br. Bo's e-book made me think hard and start writing down my dreams. Some of these dreams I had them when I was very young while the others are just recent. I'd share my most recent -- a dream me and my husband shares and hopes to fulfill soon.

After maybe some years of working abroad, we want to start a business that would allow us to be our own bosses. A business that would generate a lot of money to finance other businesses but at the same time become a source of fund to help poor but deserving children in our community, or any one who needs help. I believe this is one of my soul dreams. In short, we want to be rich. But we want to be financially and spiritually rich at the same time. Like Br. Bo, we want to be millionaire missionaries. =)

So I urge you to start thinking hard and writing down your dreams. Just write them down. And then read the e-book (just go to bosanchez.ph) and find out how you can identify your soul dreams in your list. And please, do pass this info to your friends. I don't get paid for this you know, I just want to share this with you because I believe to know God's dreams for our lives is what will truly make us happy persons. =)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

I am always cautious about books being adapted for the big screen. The Harry Potter book series is not an exemption. The books are wonderfully written by J.K. Rowling and do receive remarkable reviews. But their movie versions always end up being either highly praised or highly criticized. Nevertheless I think it is nice to be reminded of the great lines from the books that captured our hearts and have made us dream of becoming great witches and wizards at Hogwarts.


"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign . . . to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever." -- Albus Dumbledore

"That's chess! "You've got to make some sacrifices!" -- Ron Weasley "The wand chooses the wizard." -- Mr. Ollivander

"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." - Albus Dumbledore

"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends." - Albus Dumbledore

The Bucket List

One of my favorite movies of 2007. Actually even to this day, when I needed to be reminded how our lives create an impact in other people's lives, The Bucket List has a number of memorable quotes to reflect on.

I like the onscreen chemistry of Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson in this movie. Two old people, hanging on to dear lives, wanted to make the most out of it by setting on a series of adventure none of them I'm sure has every thought of before. Directed by Rob Reiner, the two main characters, Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) and Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) explored the wonderful sites of Egypt, India, Nepal, among others and ventured into extreme sports like sky diving and race car driving as part of completing their bucket list (It pertains to a list of things you want to do before you die).

The movie reminded me of an article by Br. Bo Sanchez, Live like a Dying Man (Read a related blog article about it, Of Dying and Living). When you find out that your earth days are numbered, you want to make the most out of it and that means loving people more than you have ever done in your entire life.

Let me share with you some of my favorite lines from the movie:

Carter Chambers: You measure yourself by the people who measure themselves by you
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Edward Cole: I envy people who have faith, I just can't get my head around it.
Carter Chambers: Maybe because your head's in the way.
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Carter Chambers (reacting after Edward dislikes his attempt to reconcile him with his estranged daughter): Everyone's afraid to die alone.
Edward Cole: I'm not everyone! This was supposed to be fun. That's all it ever was.
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Edward Cole (excerpt from his speech during Carter's memorial service): ...I hope that it doesn't sound selfish of me but... the last months of his life were the best months of mine. He saved my life... And he knew it before I did. I'm deeply proud that this man found it worth his while to know me. In the end, I think it's safe to say that we brought some joy to one another's lives, so one day, when I go to some final resting place, if I happen to wake up next to a certain wall with a gate, I hope that Carter's there to vouch for me and show me the ropes on the other side.
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Carter Chambers (excerpt from his letter to Edward): ...You once said you're not everyone. Well, that's true-you're certainly not everyone, but everyone is everyone. My pastor always says our lives are streams flowing into the same river towards whatever heaven lies in the mist beyond the falls. Find the joy in your life, Edward. My dear friend, close your eyes and let the waters take you home.
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Carter Chambers (narration towards the end of the movie): Even now I cannot understand the measure of a life, but I can tell you this. I know that when he died, his eyes were closed and his heart was open. And I'm pretty sure he was happy with his final resting place, because he was buried on the mountain. And that was against the law.

So my dear friend, find the joy in your life NOW. You do not have to wait until it's all too late. Open your heart. Start by loving the people around you.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

My husband and I went to Sharjah Mega Mall to watch Transformers 2. I do remember watching the TV series with my younger brothers and I must say it's a thrill to watch a better version of it in the big screen (from hand-drawn animation to a computer-generated one). My personal opinion? AWESOME! The neat robot designs, witty remarks and the computer generated audio-visual effects (sound effects, music, fight scenes and transformations) have kept me glued to my seat, literally. I would not mind watching it again.

Watching the movie caught my attention to some interesting lines. Here are my favorites:

Optimus Prime (from the trailer): Fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing.
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Agent Simmons: What you're about to see is top secret. Do not tell my mother.
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Jetfire: My father... why, he was a wheel. The *first* wheel! Do you know what he transformed into?
Agent Simmons: No.
Jetfire: Nothing! But he did so with honor. Dignity, dammit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Starscream (to Megatron towards the end of the movie): Not to call you a coward, master... But, sometimes cowards do survive. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jetfire (in reply to Sam's question about shifting allegiance to the Autobots): It's a choice. It's an intensely personal decision. So much negativity. Who wants to live a life filled with hate? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Agent Simmons: Okay, so a giant robot's out to break apart a pyramid, that'll release a machine that'll eat suns! If that happens, goodbye sun, goodbye earth, goodbye everything!... not on my watch. Not on my watch!
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Optimus Prime: I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message so that our past will always be remembered. For in those memories, we live on.

To view more memorable quotes from this movie try http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1055369/quotes

Also, if you're interested to know more about a comprehensive history of Transformers as well as information about the voice characters and names of other Autobots and Decepticons not included in the movie, read about it at http://movies.ign.com/objects/142/1427854 voice 1.html

Brida by Paulo Coelho

This is the second book I've read from the author of The Alchemist.

It is about a girl named Brida who wanted to learn more about the Tradition of the Moon with the belief that it is her destiny to be a witch. Along the way she met the Magus, a follower of the Tradition of the Sun, and her Soul Mate. As she ventured eagerly to learn more about the tradition of the Moon with the help of Wicca, she also learned about the Tradition of the Sun and the revelation that the Magus is her Soul Mate. In the end, both Brida and Magus went with their separate lives.

Let me share with you some "catchy/romantic" lines from the book (based on my opinion):

"That is what the forest taught me. That you will never be mine and that is why I will never lose you. You were my hope during my days of loneliness, my anxiety during moments of doubt, my certainty during moments of faith...Knowing that you existed was my one reason for continuing to live." -- Magus to Brida

"In life, each person can take one of two attitudes : to build ro to plant. The builders might take years over their tasks, but one day, they finish what they're doing. Then they find they're hemmed in by their own walls. Life loses its meaning when the building stops. Then there are those who plant. They endure stroms and all the many vicissitudes of the seasons, and they rarely rest. But, unlike a building, a garden never stops growing. And while it requires a gardener's constant attention, it also allows life for the gardener to be a great adventure." -- The Author

"The essence of Creation is one and one alone. And that essence is called Love. Love is the force that brings us back together, in order to condense the experience dispersed in many lives and in many parts of the world." -- Wicca to Brida

There are still other lines worthy to quote but that I live it up to you, readers, to add to this list. You may want to visit http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2009/07/01/workshop-brida/ for forums about the book or visit the author's official site at http://www.paulocoelho.com.br/engl/

Happy Reading!

Dubai: The Vulnerability of Success

I love learning about the places I go to. But since my personal budget poses a limitation, I cannot go out to explore as often as I want to. So what better way to get to know a place on a limited budget than to read a book about it. Being new in Dubai I am interested to learn how it manages to create a perfect blend of cosmopolitan, Western outlook with its deeply rich Islamic traditions and beliefs.

When I arrived in Dubai, the very first important thing I bought (aside from food supply) is a book. I am very interested to learn how Dubai emerged from being a small rural town thriving on pearling industries to a rich and progressive port city. The book, Dubai: The Vulnerability of Success by Christopher M. Davidson, answers key questions I have about the city. The content includes topics such as birth of a sheikdom, foundations of a free port, economic and political strategies to attain stability and wealth as well as issues on security, crime and terror. The book provides detailed historical accounts and in-depth studies on the rise of Dubai and the problems it faces in the present.

I definitely suggest this as a basic reading material to any one who wants to know more about the history, politics and economy of Dubai.