Today, the crescent moon, Venus and Jupiter are picturesquely-set in the sky together (so bad, I didn't see it!). In Saudi, the wind is getting colder now which ushers in the winter season. In the Philippines, everyone's getting ready for Christmas and New Year, the most festive of the holidays. There's no holding back, in a month, 2008 will be over.

I've had Christmases and New Year in Saudi. Although Christmas is not publicly celebrated here, Filipinos manage to gather together and celebrate the season, cladestinely. During the past years, a few of us friends gather together to exchange gifts among ourselves and to non-alcoholically, sans the fireworks celebrate the coming year.

I'd be having a personal 'a year in review' of my 2008 -- ponder on the many goals that I missed and the few that I achieved. Thank God for all the blessings and continually, unashamedly, undeservingly ask for more.

I'd be making my 2009 goals once again -- sort of my personal road map to help me survive the year.

I'd be generating a new budget plan for the year just so I know where my earnings are going.

What will become of us in 2009? I don't know; I don't have my crystal ball (and turban). But by the look of things (economically), I'd say 2009 will be an extra difficult year for us Filipinos.

The coming year should, therefore, see us becoming more practical about our expenses, lesser of a spendthrift and more learned about the ways to make both ends meet. (Nothing new about that really. I said the same things to myself last year and the year before).

According recent POEA statistics, there were around 97,000 Filipinos new hires in Saudi Arabia in 2007, an increase of 7% from 2006 figure. To date, there are now more than 230,000 Filipinos working in Saudi Arabia.

Preferred

Employers in Saudi prefer Filipinos because we excel in our work. Given a task, we always complete it on time. We are sort of a low maintenance, high yield investment.

This is how I think Pinoys differ from the rest of other Eastern expatriates in Saudi.

• When given a work assignment, we deliver promptly making full use of all the resources we have. We may find difficulties along the way but we always manage to find solutions. Other nationalities would stop as soon as they face a problem. While their mantra is it cannot be done, ours is yes, it can...we can.
• We have a positive attitude towards work. We are always smiling, always hospitable, always ready to serve. I know a lot of Saudi households who prefer Filipino women as help. They would rather entrust their children to a Filipino nanny than to others. Why? Because we know how to take care of our siblings. We are good at it. I also know a lot of managers who would prefer Filipino assistants? Why? Because we can be trusted.
• We are well-educated. Our universities in the Philippines offer a high standard of education. We speak English well which remains to be one of our main advantage (China, I understand, has now included an English curriculum in their education).

Although I believe Filipinos will remain to be preferred employees in Saudi, we really can't remain laxed about it. Filipinos need to be more competitive, more well-trained, more ready to face threat from other nationals in terms of expertise.

Changing trend in salaries

When I started in Saudi, one Saudi Riyal was equivalent to PHP7 (I think). Now it's PHP13 per Saudi Riyal. Sadly , salaries follow an inverse trend. Instead of getting higher, the current salary levels for first timers are now getting lower.

Competition. That's why.

• We are pressured by a high volume of expat workers from Nepal, China, India who could do a similar job with lesser costs.

• We are pressured by a huge number of unemployment in the Philippines.

• We are pressured by the incessant rising cost of living in the Philippines.

And because we are pressured, Filipinos are forced to level with the lowering salary standard abroad. We are faced with a threatening fact that if we don't accept a job, other nationals would be more than willing to take it away from us.

It's not downhill from here

The worsening world economy will see more Filipinos going abroad and Saudi will remain a popular destination for most Filipinos. Sadly, I do not see any development in the lower salary offers for first time Filipinos in Saudi. However, Saudi still offers a huge advantage to Filipinos.

Saudi as a springboard

As before, Saudi will remain as a springboard for most Filipinos in venturing other locations worldwide. Nurses, for example, work in Saudi Arabia for an average of three years and then later on apply in New Zealand, UK and Canada where better opportunities await them. So are IT-related workers (web designers, animators, programmers) and technicians (machinist technicians, cartographers, etc).

Saudi as a good training ground for life

Like in a line from New York, New York song, if a Filipino makes it in Saudi, I believe he'll 'make it anywhere'.

That was somewhere in the movie ah...hmm...let see...I forgot now. I just thought it would be a nice post title because this article is about being nice and about the niceties of life.

Gary Greenfield of Performance Alliance Blog posted this question: When you leave this life, will you just slip away in a blur of gray or will the way you have enjoyed the niceties in your life allow you to go out in a blaze of color?

Hmm...profound. Sort of a question in beauty contests. That sort which will likely be answered vaguely.

Vague, then, I go.

When I leave this life, I wanted it to be as peaceful as possible. I hope it to be on a bright sunny day, the white curtains open and silently swaying as the cold wind passes through it, the avocado tree leaves rustling outside, as memories of childhood flash before my eyes in a fast-forward-motion. A deep breath and then it's over.

How do I achieve that parting? I don't know. No one's certain how we're going to leave this earth (unless a doctor says to us: you only have one day to live. Even then, he could be wrong).

However, we can always be certain on the lives we live. I guess the life we lead is our cue on how we'll leave this world.

Why can't I be nice: A prayer

I'm so imperfect, Lord, in so many ways. My evil becomes more evident when I'm angry. Why can't I be nice? Why can't I control myself when I'm angered? Today, I heard a nasty remark from someone and I retorted with a nastier reply. Which made me feel sorrier because I saw how I hurt the person.

Teach me, Lord, to tame my emotions. Teach me, Lord, to be more understanding.

I am a soul in peace. I am peace.

Was working on something in my pc but sometimes, I would crane my neck towards the tv to see what's going on as the Al Jazeera newscaster talks about the world economy. There was an interview about how another millions of dollars were injected to the US banking systems, whatever it means.

This is how one interviewee explained it: In an emergency, doctors normally revive the patient first and then check the other health problems later. That's what the US and the IMF are doing. It's trying to revive the economy and when it's recovered, then they will deal with the other problems later.

Downer: It's the after-effect of this fear of recession is what I'm afraid of.

:-{

I saw Shark on tv and the episode was about a trial of a serial killer who opted to represent himself in court. As a defendant lawyer-cum-accused, the serial killer was legally allowed to phone the lone witness (his surviving victim). The woman caved in to the serial killer's psychological harassments, committed suicide and Sebastian Stark (played by James Woods) lost his witness. No witness, no case. Resultantly, the jury pronounced a not guilty verdict. The serial killer was freed. Downer.

:-(

My mother has been ill and bedridden for a week now and today, she was confined to a hospital. I kidded her and said: You ARE going out of that hole, right? She said: Of course, I will!

Half-downer. Deep inside, I feared because she's old. My father keeps prodding her to fight the illness off. I hope my father's bravery would rub off to my mother. I pray that she fights the illness and gets well soon.

:-/

Ibrahim, a Saudi officemate lost his premature baby. Downer.

He also lost a baby last year -- also prematurely born. Double-downer.

What surprises me is that I never saw in Ibrahim's face the pangs of loss. Maybe it was inside. My other Saudi officemate said some Saudis are not that emotional about death. They regard it as a fact of life (which it really is). They're so unlike us -- we die inwardly when we lose someone we love.

:-+

I don't know if you've read it and if you haven't, visit the site. It is a good read and well, informative. There were items that made me grunt uhum (in agreement), hmp? (doubtful), aha! (newfind) and haha! (funny find).

Uhum

• People blog for self expression (and sharing expertise). The prime reason why I blog is because I'm a die-hard of Anne Tyler and Isabel Allende and literally envious of their writings. Owning a novel is too far fetched for me but by blogging, I am able to realize a part of my dream. That is, to be read (even if only by a few).
• Personal satisfaction is by far the most popular measure of success (as well as having a decent) number of subscribers or comments. I am usually content after writing a decent post and more fulfilled if readers comment about it. (Admittedly, I also feel a little guiltier after writing a haphazard musing and a bit saddened if my post is ignored. Sore.)

Hmp!

• Bloggers invest a significant amount of time blogging, i.e. between 3 to 10 hours. I thought it was longer than that! There was a period when my whole weekend was spent in blogging!
• Blogs with higher authority are typically updated more frequently than blogs with lower authority. Even if my Technocrati authority is (a very low) 4 and I'm 24 millionth in Alexa, I don't intend to stop posting my thoughts, desperations and hopes about my life. I am resolved in writing more frequently regardless of my rank and authority.

Aha!

• Half of bloggers believe that blogs will be a primary source for news and entertainment in the next five years. I tend to agree with this. I used to read Philippine Daily Inquirer online everyday. Now, I click on my favorite blogs first before I wade through PDI's news. There are days when I don't even read the news anymore.
• Blogging created circle of friends, brought them closer, or has gotten them more engaged in their hobbies. That's true. Since I started blogging, I've met a lot of fellow bloggers from around the globe and became buddies with them. I think what makes bloggers closer to one another is because we're reading each others' personal thoughts -- those musings that we normally would write only in our diaries.

Finally, the haha

• Asian bloggers tend to be more motivational and confessional. I guess it's true. Admittedly, when I write I tend to be confessional about my pains, worries, anxieties, etc. I notice it too in some of Pinoy blogs I visit. The Technocrati report said that this is more evident for bloggers under the age of 34. (Hmm...maybe there's something wrong about my birth certificate...maybe I'm only 33. Haha).

Love is patient and kind;
it is not jealous or conceited or proud;
love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable;
loves does not keep a record of wrongs;
love is not happy with evil,
but is happy with the truth.
Love never gives up,
and its faith, hope and patience never fail.

I may be able to speak the language of men and even of angels,
but if I have no love, my speech is no more than
a noisy gong or a clanging bell.

I may have the gift of inspired preaching;
I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets;
I may have all the faith needed to move mountains --
but if I have no love, I am nothing.

I may give away everything I have,
and even give up my body to be burned --
but if I have no love, this does me no good.

Reflection: Look at how a mother loves. Then we will find a love that is true and deep and biblical.

What I know of Saudi before I came here was primarily limited to what I've read, heard about it from others, or seen on television. I was 24 when I first came to Saudi and the first question I asked was: are we allowed to take a bath in Saudi (based of course on Filipino’s penchance of taking a bath everyday regardless of the weather)? Back then, all I know of Saudi is that it’s a huge desert – lifeless, unbreathing and backward.

It was New Year's eve when I landed in Saudi. My feelings were a mixture of fear and melancholy. I had my share of ill treatment from fellow Filipinos who saw me as a threat. I was also coerced by a fellow Asian who thought me -- a young, unmustached Filipino -- as a bed object.

I wrote home almost every week. My family also sent me voice tapes which didn't help in alleviating my sadness because their voice made me cry the more.

And it’s been more than ten years now and Saudi has been, well, a home away from home. I hate Saudi because I’m going to miss it when I finally leave; because it’s been so good to me. Yes, there are difficult Saudis but there are also difficult Filipinos, right? My mother used to say: it’s not really the country, it’s the individual.

A friend once told me that he had a flat tire along the highway and forgot to load a spare tire. Of all the cars that passed by, only an old Saudi badooh stopped and helped him. You see in Saudi, people are always misled by urban legends about Saudi badoohs. As in the rest of the world, we always identify white with good and black with evil. And so a dark-skinned man with yellow-tainted teeth is a crook while a clear-skinned man in decent clothes will always do good. Assumption, as in one movie said, is the mother of all f---ups!

I like, no, I love – and I’m grateful of -- Saudi, the country. It employs me. It showed me my strengths and my limitations. It taught me to appreciate life at its barest essential (the best things in life are, quite simply, the simplest).

A friend once told me that in order to widen our horizon and change our perspectives about life and people, one has to travel. Thank God, I did!

The scenes are in Arabic depicting how cruelly a female maid is treated in an Arab household. Another scene shows a man being shouted at by his Arab boss because the man is complaining about a delayed salary. In all of these scenes, there's a part showing the anguish on the workers' faces as they ruminate about their sad fate.

These scenes are part of a series of touching tv ads about the plight of migrant workers in the Arab world. The adverts are currently being shown over Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC) channels.

(Because my knowledge of the Arabic language is almost nil, I can only watch and conjur my own interpretation of the scenes.)

Today, I read an article about it in an article written by Hassna'a Mokhtar for Arab News.

The article reads: The campaign, entitled Rahma, is part of Full Stop Advertising’s corporate social responsibility drive.

Rahma means 'mercy' in Arabic.

Says Kaswara Al-Khatib, managing director of Full Stop Advertising: “We wanted to give people something to think and talk about. Workers are fragile people, and in Islam we must treat them with mercy and compassion."

Mideast Youth also wrote a beautiful article about the ads and it was from this site where I found the Youtube videos below. The English translations for the two ads were also from Mideast Youth website; one ad was loosely translated for me by an office mate.


Translation:
“Put it. Don’t you understand me? Put the rice! DAMNIT! Go, get out of my face.”
“What’s wrong with her, doesn’t she understand?”
“She’s imbicile.”


Loose translations (made by a Saudi officemate):

First scene:
"Rahma, Rahma! Come here! What is this! Do you see this?! (shows the ironed guthra to the female household).
Do you call this ironed?! It's like your face!

Second scene:
"Baba (Arabic term of respect for an old man), why is there no salary yet? We haven't had our salaries for two months now?"
"I don't have money! What can I do?! Some people are not salaried for four months! You didn't get yours for two months, and you're already complaining!"

Third scene:
"Get out of the road, stupid!

Fourth scene:
"Abdulrahman, I wish to ask your permission to visit my daughter in the hospital."
"During office hours?! Work. Work! Go visit your daughter after you finished your work here! Am I responsible to your family's problem?!"


Translation:
“You’re not done yet?! You’re not sleeping until the house is crystal clean, understood?”

At the end of each advert, there's this line in Arabic: "If you show no mery, no mercy shall be given to you by God."

Touching!

I've lined up a couple of items to write about but I can't seem to continue because my mind goes blank as soon as I get to the next paragraph.

I wanted to write about my classmates in high school entitled 'Iveedashone'. I said:

We call ourselves Iveedashone because the group was formed when we were in fourth year high school. Our section was 1 (which indicated that we were the...aah...brightest in the class). Hence our ID's bear the number IV-1 which my classmates coyingly read as Ay-Vee-Dash-One. There were other words that my classmates coined for themselves: Trulymac (from Lionel Richie's Truly which was a hit during that time); Strawberrymac (because someone went to Baguio during that time and brought to school a boxful of strawberries. I think); Cherrymac (because of something I can't recall now). Now that I know that 'Mac' and 'Mc' are English equivalent of 'the son of' (similar to Saudi Arabia's 'Al' and 'bin'), I wonder whether the groups' names were right after all. Someone even wanted to use 'cudgel' after our group's name because he saw in the dictionary that cudgel meant 'club'. Later, we realized that 'club' in cudgel meant hit hard with a blow, not 'club' as a group...(and then blank. Totally.).

My second subject was about dying. I said:

Let's go morbid. If God tells you that you're dying tomorrow at 6pm, what will you tell Him?...(and then -- again! -- I can't seem to find the next sentence after this).

Follow up post to Himala competes for CNN's Asian movie of all time dated 19 October.

But...

Why do I get this feeling of guilt when I should be happy?

Is it because, deep inside, I thought there were at least two films which will win over Himala? (Although I voted for and did secretly hope for Himala, I was totally expecting Japan's Seven Samurai to win).

Did we, once again, prove to the world how united Filipinos are, especially in online voting?

I remember the American Idol 3, circa-Jasmine Trias. When La Toya London was booted out of the 4th spot, Jasmine (who placed 3rd) was more shocked than happy. Reportedly, Hawaii logged more than 5 million calls the previous night, all for Jasmine. 'Voting block' they call it.

And when Ramiele Malubay needed the 'voting block' from Filipinos in the US to keep her afloat in AI7, she received lesser support and placed 9th among the top 12.

(In whisper: I thought Malubay is a better singer/artist than Trias. What do I know about singing?).

Proudly Pinoy

I'm still a prouder Pinoy today because of Himala. I would still vote for it as my favorite film. I would continually loving it for its story, for the acting of Nora and Gigi Dueñas and the rest of the cast, for Ishmael Bernal's direction. For everything.

I'm a die-hard Noranian, you see.

Congrats, Himala! Congrats to Philippine's film industry! Congrats Pinoy!

Nose bleed is the expression used to indicate that you don't understand what is being said. Dr Mariclare F of Chronicles from the middle of nowhere said: It is often used in the context of someone trying to conduct a conversation in straight English and struggling mightily with it. (If someone comments in my blog, you give me a nosebleed, I'll say, if symptoms persist, consult your doctor). Just kidding.

Uber is a German word for 'above' or 'over' and is now being used in English (or even Tagalog) as substitute for 'really' or 'very'.

Emo is a genre of music that originated from hardcore punk, according to Tabatha, but if am not mistaken, it's being used by bloggers to connote over reacted emotions (usually of sadness?). I think it's from the English word 'emote'.

To bleg is to write a blog entry or comment for the sole purpose of asking for something. I think rooted from the word 'beg'.

To blog stalk is to religiously check a blog for any new content, usually multiple times per day. Stalk my blog! Stalk my blog! Please.

A blogfriend is someone you know and consider a friend solely through reading and interacting with his (or her) blog. Example: Madjik, Ever and Blogusvox are some of my blogfriends.

Someone who leaves comments on blogs solely to antagonize the author is termed a troll.

A meme is a type of online chain letter where bloggers answer questions or participate in a quiz designed to give a quick overview of the author’s personality. Once the author completes the meme, it is customary to tag other bloggers to participate. (I thought meme pertains to a blog that is written boringly that it makes you want to sleep).

Blogorrhea is a large number of blog entries or an entire blog comprised of substandard quality or overly verbose content.

More blog terms are found in the following sources:
Blogossary
Tips from the Blogging Queen

Apparently, this is a true story and real recording from the WordPerfect Helpline.

-------------------------

Ridge Hall, computer assistance; may I help you?
Yes, well, I'm having trouble with WordPerfect.
What sort of trouble??
Well, I was just typing along, and all of a sudden the words went away.
Went away?
They disappeared.
Hmm. So what does your screen look like now?'
Nothing.
Nothing??
It's blank; it won't accept anything when I type.
Are you still in WordPerfect, or did you get out?
How do I tell?
Can you see the 'C: prompt' on the screen?
What's a sea-prompt?
Never mind, can you move your cursor around the screen?
There isn't any cursor; I told you, it won't accept anything I type.
Does your monitor have a power indicator??
What's a monitor?
It's the thing with the screen on it that looks like a TV. Does it have a little light that tells you when it's on?
I don't know.
Well, then look on the back of the monitor and find where the power cord goes into it. Can you see that??
Yes, I think so.
Great. Follow the cord to the plug, and tell me if it's plugged into the wall.
Yes, it is.
When you were behind the monitor, did you notice that there were two cables plugged into the back of it, not just one?
No.
Well, there are. I need you to look back there again and find the other cable.
Okay, here it is.
Follow it for me, and tell me if it's plugged securely into the back of your computer.
I can't reach.
OK. Well, can you see if it is?
No.
Even if you maybe put your knee on something and lean way over?
Well, it's not because I don't have the right angle -- it's because it's dark.
Dark?
Yes - the office light is off, and the only light I have is coming in from the window.
Well, turn on the office light then.
I can't.
No? Why not?
Because there's a power failure.
A power...a power failure? Aha. Okay, we've got it licked now. Do you still have the boxes and manuals and packing stuff that your computer came in?
Well, yes, I keep them in the closet.
Good. Go get them, and unplug your system and pack it up just like it was when you got it. Then take it back to the store you bought it from.
Really? Is it that bad?
Yes, I'm afraid it is.
Well, all right then, I suppose. What do I tell them?
Tell them you're too stupid to own a computer!

-------------------------

The Help Desk employee was apparently fired; however, he is reportedly suing the WordPerfect organization for 'Termination without Cause.'

The above story may not be true but I think it's lesson is truer than fiction.

It's not love at first byte, usually

Once upon a time, I dreaded the sight of a computer. In writing my school reports, I remember using an Olivetti typewriter. My sister and I would take turns in typing lengthy reports for our school assignments (she'll take the first shift of 6pm to 9pm and I'll take the midnight shift of 9mn to 12am).

You see, when I was in college, around late 80's, computers were just starting to be introduced in schools. I think it was in 1986 when PUP started offering a course in computer data management and programming. It was a new thing then and because I didn't know anything about computers, I didn't take the course. I said it's only for people with brains.

When I started working in early 90's, that's when I was introduced to Wordstar. I learned it quickly and loved it. It was also my first introduction to html codings. Then came Apple but didn't use it much because I can't seem to handle the mouse properly.

When I came to Saudi, I had my first taste of WordPerfect and Lotus. After some years, they were all replaced by Microsoft Word and Excel.

It's not entirely eeeewww-learning

The unknown is always fearful. It's normal to say eeewww (the sound I make when disdained) but once I learn it, everything becomes a breeze.

With years of computer use, I now know the basics (and I only mastered a fraction of it because of constant use).

In the office, my personal mantra is that if a report is 60% numbers and 40% words, use Excel. If it's all words, use MS Word. I know of some people who would make a balance sheet report using MS Word. Oh, I hate that! Excel is a very good tool at automatic calculations and its wonder (as a program) is incredible. I did use it to automate our salary slips but for some reason, our accountant failed to follow the instructions and therefore screwed all his numbers. He blamed me for it. He also blamed Excel.

People stop learning because they chose to.

IT's interesting

There are programs that interest me but I'm easily dissuaded once they become too complicated for me to learn.

Last night, at home, I ventured the Macromedia Flash hoping to be able to create a movie file for my quotes (see that huge comma on the right column of this post? I want that to appear and disappear and reappear one at a time. And it has be clickable so readers will be taken to the post where the quotes were from). I stopped as soon as I failed to generate the same result as that of the instructions, no matter how diligently I followed it to the letter.

But I'm sure one of these days, I'll return to it until I get the knack of it.

No one's too old to learn IT

My father at 75 is very keen in learning how to use the computer and would sometimes cajole her grandkids to teaching him how to play computer games. Meanwhile, my mother has chosen to be oblivious to anything electronic. She does not even use a cellphone.

I think however that even in old age, we shouldn't stop learning. At an old age, it's all the more important that we learn new things. I believe when the time comes that we stop learning, then that's the time we become literally old and gray.

IT's therapeutic

In an Alzheimer literature I found online, I highlighted the following interesting points about computer learning:

• Mental exercises are not only a powerful preventative measure, they can slow down, halt or even help to reverse the disease. The good news is you're never too old to start boosting your brainpower.
• The brain is like muscles in your body in that if you exercise it you can make it stronger, but if you don't it will get weaker. Studies have shown that staying mentally active can slash the chance of getting Alzheimer's disease by half!
• Fun mental games for the brain: Bridge card game, solitaire, Sudoku, crossword puzzles, scrabbles.
• Blogging is a good mental work for old people. (No, they didn't say that. But they said learn to build your own websites. I think it's almost the same thing. Ah...and I also added the word 'for old people').

Note: This is an updated reposting from a deleted blog.

My choice of music is very limited. My choice of favorite singers is even lesser: Alanis Morisette, Sting, Enya, Tuck and Patty, Tracy Chapman, Grace Nono, South Border, Joey Ayala.

They've been introduced to me by various colorful people.

I firt heard Tracy Chapman through Gina Evangelista, an officemate at Tanghalang Pilipino -- a most colorful character in my past. She introduced me to yoga, past life reading and taught me on how to be detached from this world, etc. Whenever we watch a tear-jerker, she always tells me: the director is just manipulating you...don't cry!

Alanis was introduced to me by an officemate in Haradh. Sting was from Gina too I think.

Enya was from Madeleine Nicolas (the most organized person I ever met).

Grace Nono and South Border were a love at first hearing.

Not only do I love these music, I am also equally enamored by the lyrics: poetic, magical, thought-provoking. Read on.

So don't be tempted by the shiny apple / Don't you eat of a bitter fruit / Hunger only for a taste of justice / Hunger only for a world of truth / 'Cause all that you have is your soul (Chapman's All That You Have is Your Soul)

If not now then when / If not today then why make your promises / A love declared for days to come / Is as good as none (Chapman's If Not Now)

Tomorrow's rain will wash the stains away / But something in our minds will always stay (Sting's Fragile)

How I envy the cup that knows your lips, let it be me...and the table that feels your fingertips, let it be me... (Tuck and Patty's Cantador - Like a Lover).

I feel in love with Grace Nono and Joey Ayala because of their haunting music especially Nono's 'Pag-iisang Dibdib' (which is my personal choice if ever I wed) and Ayala's 'Buwan' and 'Walang Hanggang Paalam'.

Ang pag-ibig natin ay / walang hanggang paalam / at habang magkalayo / papalapit pa rin ang puso / kahit na magkahiwalay / tayo ay magkasama / sa magkabilang dulo ng mundo...

While updating this post, I chanced upon some readings on the psychology of music. Here are some of the interesting points I found:

• Plants seemed to “like” Bach and North Indian sitar and tabla music. They are unreceptive to country music and would die if exposed to hard rock. (Based on the 1973 study of Dorothy Retallack).
• There's a higher suicidal rate for people who listen to old country music. (Based on the study of James Gundlach).
• Music has the charms to sooth the savage beast. (Quoted from William Congreve).

Norman M. Weinberger, a professor of neurobiology and behavior at the University of California at Irvine, on the role of music in brain function, says:

Henceforth, I intend to pursue learning to play the guitar.

The world economies are now in downturn. Frankly, I don't know anything about economics except my proven truth that I spend what I earn and the more I earn, the more I spend, the lesser I save. I think I have to mend my ways.

Economic literatures state that if the following trends continue for six consecutive months, then the economy is considered in recession.

• people buying less stuff
• decreased production
• unemployment growth
• slump in personal income
• unhealthy stock market

How stuff works offer a graphic explanation of the economic ups and downs.





I'll just leave it with the economic techy to debate whether we're really in recession now or it's just a temporary economic slump.

One thing is certain, though. World market is on a plunge and one question we have to ask is: What can we, OFW's, do?

Buy, don't sell

Let's buy cheap during recession; sell high after. This is based on a premise that those who stretch to buy all they can when the market is cheap will make big money! Those words were from Jack Miller of Seeking Alpha. He conducted seminars during the 1982 and 1991. He said: "those who responded made a lot of money in the bull markets that followed".

I think this is the best time to purchase investments, if we have money to spend. If we don't, then this is the best time to cut on spendings and save some money.

What can we buy?

Stocks. As per Philippine Stocks Exchange website, Ayala Corporation has recently offered their stocks for PHP500 per share (at a minimum subscription of 100 shares). Check PSE websites for other stocks information.

Dollars. Foreign currencies are on the rise. One dollar was equal to PHP45 two weeks ago. Now, it's PHP48. Last year in December, the rate was PHP42 per dollar. This year, some foresee a further reduction of peso to PHP50 by December 2008. See graph below about the peso performance against dollar.



I don't know anything about mutual funds or treasury bills but I heard they are also good long-term investments.

Re-assess your finances

If we haven't done so, this is the time to build an emergency fund (six months equivalent of our total spendings). This is also the best time to re-think of our spendings (let's limit it to the essentials). More importantly, this is the time to rethink of the benefits of long term investments (if we have money to spare for investments).

It's not downhill from here. Last night, I heard a bad news that US, UK and Japan will see further recession in 2009. Surely, it will have an effect on us all. The good news is that sooner or later, the economy will pick itself up as it always does in the past.

Saudi Arabia is my life for more than ten years now. With current economic conditions in the Philippines, I think I'd be here for another ten years (or until the company grows tired of me).

Recently, my emotions about my work have been in constant see-saw: Bored...funny...fulfilling...frustrating...tiring...!

Bored and frustrating at times...

Office work can be a bit boring especially if it involves routine. Such as my work now. I see more than fifty emailed job applications everyday and I've to respond to them one by one: you're qualified, you're not qualified, you're over-qualified, blah, blah.

It is tiring because I've been doing this for more than one year now.

It is more tiring because I don't see the fruit of my labor. I have more than three thousand CV's in my databank, more than a hundred vacancies and my success rate in matching them is close to nil.

Sometimes, bwa-ha-ha funny...

Well, this morning, I did have a laugh. As I was going through the usual routine, I saw one job notification for an office assistant. It reads:

My mom's eldest sister was buried today. She was 70-something. Her name is Leonara and we fondly called her Auntie Orang.

I wanted to lovingly kid my mother that, being the oldest of her living sisters, she's maybe next but I held my tongue. She's too old to take my humour.

Auntie Orang's death made me re-realize how short life is; how ephemeral everything is.

I dug an old post I made on 13 July 2008 about death and I'm reposting it here.

--13 July 2008 Post--

A first cousin died today due to breast cancer. She was only in her mid-40's. She died poorly and suffering.

This morning when someone texted me about it, I realized that my family members (the maternal part) are dying a slow, long-suffering death.

My maternal grandmother had an injury at the age of 80-something and she was bedridden for more than one year before she succumbed to death. I know for a fact that she suffered.

The eldest of my mother's sisters died of a breast cancer too. Because she was well-off, she managed to last for two years electing to have her two breasts taken off her body. She, too, suffered, I know.

My closest cousin (whom I regard as my sister) had a stroke but managed to recover (although not that well). Her speech was garbled, she walked limply and spent her remaining days joining a religious group. She died poor and suffering, I know.

My other aunt (whom I regard as my second mother) died of cancer. She too suffered because of poverty. I was still fresh out of college that time and was just starting to earn money. Her death made me realize the difficulty of dying poor. I wailed when she died because I was hoping I could give her a decent life that she deserved. She failed to wait for me. What saddened me most is that I failed to give her a decent burial because I lack money. A year after, I went to Saudi. She really should have waited.

This is scary. All the people that I love and care for (especially the women) died in similar manner: long, suffering, painful. I barely know my roots to make me conclude that my family's past is haunting our future.

Here's a welcoming thought: I shouldn't fear pain in death because, as Christians, it's my own family's share of God's sufferings on the cross. This I believe: God waits for us in heaven.

Sub-title: Finding a heartwarming quill, a scary short story and a great song

And thank you forever Ever for letting me find the following:

Great blogs and a sad music

From Roel Pagoto's heartwarming Chook-minder's Quill, I found Abe Mulong Caracas' witty naksnaman with an article about Peryodiko's Sa Magkabilang Dulo, which I found in YouTube and (almost) instantly loved. (Too, if you visit nicely-laid Bananachoked, you'll hear the song on the background).

I just don't know why but while listening to Peryodiko's song and reading Roel Pagoto's blog, I can't help but feel melancholic. I think it's the Magkabilang Dulo's lyrics! So simple yet so true.

Or maybe it's the song's video on YouTube...that Filipina marrying that foreigner!

Or maybe it's the pain of being far away from home! Aahhh...the misery of an OFW!

Be scared...be really scared!

From Chook-minder's Quill, I found Roneiluke's On the Coffin Rock (The Chronicles of the Lost Mind) who wrote a quite scary story about a girl who just visited a wake and, on walking home, found herself being scared by the dead's ghost. There's an eerie sound on the background but I muted it because I'm alone in the house (and, damn, it's still Dia delas Muertos today!).

I wonder how I'd sleep soundly tonight.

Oh, yes. I'd be playing Peryodiko's Sa Magkabilang Dulo over and over until sleep finds me. There are days when I have to be blue in Saudi. This is that day, I guess.



If you have a Multiply account, you can visit and listen to Peryodiko here.