where the moon shines

The 30-day challenge over at Crystal Wilkerson’s blog starts today, February15th. If I were normal, or if I decided to commit to this last week, I should have started this morning (or last night, as my day really starts at nighttime). But since work schedule is in EST anyway, I’ll be taking the challenge on an EST calendar as well

What is it you ask?

Why is this important to me?

This challenge is important to me because I need it badly. I have never been known to be punctual. I show up. But most times, I’m late. Sometimes I am early or on time, but it isn’t most times. And that’s not something I am proud of. I’ve actually come to accept that about me, but it isn’t a good trait so I want to change. And I need help to change, this might be it. When I die, I don’t want ‘the late…’ to be the biggest joke of all.

I know that the challenge isn’t about being punctual, but a good reason why I’m late for most things is because I don’t heed my own wake up call all the time. I’m in a love affair with the snooze button. An abusive love affair. So though the challenge may not make me punctual for every appointment I make, it will at least help set the tone for my day, and that’s good enough for me.

Also, one of my resolutions (trying to do a happiness project too, hehe) is ‘to have a bedtime’ and to ‘wake up early.’ Two resolutions. So this challenge will actually help me achieve at least three things: get to work on time, all the time, follow a bedtime schedule, and wake up early.

Why should I take the time?

Anything important is worth making time for. I will consider this an investment in time and effort, and the payoff will be big. Hopefully, I won’t even have to wait too long for the ROI.

Why now and not later?

Now is good a time as any. Besides, my word for the year is Start.

Why will this help me?

This will help me in so many different levels, I can’t even begin to list them. But finding balance before my actual day starts is an exciting prospect. Most of the time, I am a zombie as I get ready to leave home, and while I drive to work. I get to my desk, I sit, and it takes me at least 15-20 minutes to warm up and get things in proper perspective. This challenge, for me, promises a new way to start the day. If successful, I can hit the ground running as soon as I arrive in the office.

Why should I not give up?

In some form or another, I have done a similar challenge and I stick to it for awhile but not see it through the end. I have had enough of that. I shouldn’t give up because life is too short. I will think of Papa, and take on this challenge as a tribute to him who always gets up early.

Are you in on the challenge?

This post has also gone up on The Newbie Photographer and Between the Covers. One more post won’t hurt right?

This has got to be the biggest Christmas giveaway this season! Even if it took me awhile to do the required tasks (mostly Liking and Following), the prizes at stake got me going on. hehe

Check out the massive Prize List:

The Prizes

One Winner of $100 Paypal Credits
One Winner of $50 Paypal Credits
Three Winners of $25 Paypal Credits
Five Winners of $10 Paypal Credits
Twelve Winners of $5 Paypal Credits
Three blog makeovers – special prize for bloggers who do the optional task only

And it wouldn’t be possible without the amazing support from sponsors:

Major Sponsors of GEORYL’s Christmas Giveaway

GEORYL | Techie She | Chika Bits | Dens Online | Stay at Home Wife and Mother | Work at Home Wife and Mother | Travel Yums | The Food, The Place and the Bad Trips | Mitigating Life’s Uncertainties | Blogger’s Notebook | Zowanderer | The Packrat Wifey | Enairrah’s Travel Thoughts | Enairrah’s Notes and Rumblings | A Wife’s Online Abode | Tinkerputt’s Turf | Simple Happiness | Impulsive Shopper | Momsdrive Online Finds | Nanay Blogs | Make Money Online | Samu’t Sari | The Traveler’s Journey | Khakiness | Walk With Me

Contest ends on December 23, and announcement of winners will be done on Christmas Day, December 25. Winners must have valid Paypal accounts to receive the prizes.

Congratulations Sheryl, for yet another successful project

Just as Typhoons Ondoy and Peping wreaked havoc in the Philippines two years ago, Pedring and Quiel came one after the other last week to do another round of damage.

Unlike Ondoy though, our place wasn’t heavily affected. Yes, we had floods, but not as bad as that nightmare of 2009. A few days after leaving the country though, Pedring still continues to make lives of countless Pinoys a living hell.

Many areas are still flooded. Hundreds of families have no safe and dry homes to go to. They are cold, wet, and hungry. Hundreds of babies are in need of milk. Some communities are cut off from aid because bridges have been destroyed or roads blocked by landslides. There’s not enough rubber boats to get to where the people are.

Although Ondoy left us with lessons and perhaps we already are somehow better prepared for disasters, it is once again proven that we haven’t truly mastered disaster preparedness. What’s worse, this lack in direction for what to do with babies in evacuation centers needing milk just show how government has yet to prioritize the special needs of children in times of disasters. I understand, hindi naman talaga inaasahan. Who knew that the land was so saturated with water that it can hold no more? Who knew the floods would be that bad? But the whole point of disaster preparedness is preparing for the worst.

Hindi man tayo maging handa kaagad-agad, sana man lang mas mabilis na natin na-momobilize ang resources at tulong pag nandyan na ang sakuna.

Watching the news the other day, Dad and I couldn’t help but exchange comments on how disgusted we were about the inefficiency and inadequacy of service. Hay. The death toll during the actual typhoon wasn’t much, hihintayin pa bang madagdagan in the aftermath?

But whining won’t do anyone any good. So to re-channel my energies, here’s some info on where you could send help for the victims of September’s latest pasabog:

• The Philippine Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org.ph/donatenow
• The Angel Brigade: http://www.facebook.com/groups/145564996085/ (if you don’t have the money to donate, but have the time to help packing, then join the Angel Brigade)
• ABS-CBN Foundation’s Sagip Kapamilya – they are accepting donations at the Pinoy Big Brother Concert Hall. You may reach them at (02) 411-4995 for necessary arrangements

I’m sure there are many more groups accepting donations, these are just a few I would trust with whatever little I can donate. If the Angel Brigade still needs helping hands this weekend, I’m hoping the boyfriend and I can go get involved.

Lastly, I just really wanted to take a minute to thank the Universe for sparing my family from any harm this season. I don’t always verbally say thanks for every little blessing, but I am always grateful and appreciative.

I started stalking Phoebe’s blog due to last year’s Sweet November giveaway. When the giveaway was done and I didn’t win any of her fab packages, I stayed subscribed because I was interested in her product reviews. She’s a beauty blogger and sometimes I wish I was as savvy with taking care of my skin and face as she is.

For her birthday this year, she’s hosting another giveaway and there are 3 stashes up for grabs!

Each stash looks so full and a lot of beauty essentials in there too. Joining is easy, and if you have a suggestion for Phoebe’s new do, then you’ll have an edge over other entrants. So head on over to Phoebeann.Com and learn more about this fantabulous giveaway!

I got a couple of things bugging me since last night, and that’s not good when you’re driving (believe me!). I’ll write about them too, unless other things takeover. So here’s a non-beauty related mini-rant: A little annoyed that my work PC wasn’t moved over the weekend. Maybe they can repair one of the unused pedestals there and replace the casters so I have some place to store my bag and papers instead of crashing in on other people’s workstations. Better yet, have the thing repaired so two of my TLs can share it (after waiting in line for over a year!).

Too much!

There was a time when I’d be online in Facebook for hours on end. I’d read updates, and go back as far as I can go if I ever miss out on logging in for a day or two. When I got my Blackberry, getting connected in Facebook became even easier. I was virtually online 24/7.

Facebook satisfies the tsismosa in me. Not that I look for or start rumors ha. I just mean that it satisfies my interest in my friends’ lives. Pareho lang ba yun? But the novelty of that soon wore off. Now I don’t care if I miss out on your latest status update. And I don’t view half of the videos that have been shared on your walls. I do check out photos. And I leave comments where they are welcome.

But it’s the game apps that really got me hooked in the first place.

There was Restaurant City. Then Farmville. Café World. Baking Life came next. And now CityVille.

Good thing though is I’m weaning myself slowly from all those. I only really actively play CityVille now, but even that I am slowly giving up. It’s just too time consuming. Hahaha.

Okay. Enough of this. I’m going to logon to FB now.

This is an entry to this week’s BC Bloggers Meme.

Checkout last week’s participants to the meme:

Blogaholic Mom
Riza Written
Momma Helps
Single Mother on the Go
Hot Fun Stuffs
Earn Online with Miss C
Here Comes April
Digital Catharsis
Mum Writes
Blogger’s Nook
My Sassy Chef
Sassy Promotions
El Oweini’s Life
Life Ascending
Consumer Mom Talks
Kharen’s Corner
I live to Eat
Chris Chronicles
JeanBeltran.info
The Way I See It
Two4Luv
Travel Sites and Scenes
Little Nars
The GreenHorn Thoughts
Celebrity Lifes
gene + experiments
Virtual Tralala…
My Thoughts in Letters
RJ’s Mama
Piece of Mine

If you’re joining us this week, link up with Mommy Diary.