The Bible says...

Do not be a worrywart. There is an old saying, "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift that's why it is called present."

Help the victims of Typhoon Sendong in the Philippines

Photo of a father mourning for the loss of his child circulates the web.

Typhoon Sendong is the "Ondoy" of Mindanao.  It left the Philippine area of responsibility yesterday but it left more than 650 casualties, 800 still missing and more than 2,000 families affected from Cagayan De Oro and Iligan City.

Donations in cash or in kind are needed to help the families affected by the typhoon.

TV5 KAPATID FOUNDATION

Donate in Cash

Bank of the Philippine Islands 

Savings Account No. 1443-05333-2

Donate in Kind

News5 Aksyon Center, TV5 office 

San Bartlolome, Novaliches, Quezon City

News5 Aksyon Center hotline - 938-6393  

SAGIP KAPAMILYA

Donate in Cash

BDO Peso Account

Account name: ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.-Sagip Kapamilya

Account Number: 39301-14199

Swift Code: BNORPHMM

BDO Dollar Account

Account name: ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.-Sagip Kapamilya

Account Number: 39300-81622

Swift Code: BNORPHMM

PNB Peso Account
Account name: ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.-Sagip Kapamilya
Account Number: 419-539-5000-13
Swift Code: PNBMPHMM

BPI Peso Account
Account name: ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.-Sagip Kapamilya
Account Number: 3051-1127-75
Branch: West Triangle, Quezon City
Swift Code: BOPIPHMM

BPI Dollar Account
Account name: ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.-Sagip Kapamilya
Account Number: 3054-0270-35
Branch: West Triangle, Quezon City
Swift Code: BOPIPHMM

Donate in Kind
Sagip Kapamilya
ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. 
Mother Ignacia cor. Eugenio Lopez St.
Diliman, Quezon City

Hotlines
(02) 411-4995
(02) 394-9272
0917-887-4411

THE CIVIL RELATIONS SERVICE, AFP
Donate in Kind
Situation Awareness Center (SAC), 
CRS AFP, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City

Landline: 912-6615
CP Nr. (0917)2471252
Focal Person: LTCOL ROLANDO RODIL, Opns Officer

Good luck, Mr. Gorsky!

Photo from here.

On July 20, 1969, as commander of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module, Neil Armstrong was the first person to set foot on the moon. His first words after stepping on the moon, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," were televised to earth and heard by millions. But just before he reentered the lander, he made the enigmatic remark, "Good luck, Mr. Gorsky!"

Many people at NASA thought it was a casual remark concerning some rival Soviet cosmonaut. However, upon checking, there was no Gorsky in either the Russian or American space programs.

Over the years, many people questioned Armstrong as to what the "Good luck, Mr. Gorsky" statement meant, but Armstrong always just smiled.

On July 5, 1995, in Tampa Bay, Florida, while answering questions following a speech, a reporter brought up the 26-year-old question to Armstrong. This time he finally responded. Mr. Gorsky had died, so Neil Armstrong felt he could answer the question. In 1938 when he was a kid in a small midwest town, he was playing baseball with a friend in the backyard. His friend hit the ball, which landed in his neighbor's backyard by the bedroom windows. His neighbors were Mr. and Mrs. Gorsky. As he leaned down to pick up the ball, young Armstrong heard Mrs. Gorsky shouting at Mr. Gorsky, "Sex! You want sex?! You'll get sex when the kid next door walks on the moon!"

Source: hcomi.com

The Transformers Say...

Photo from Manila Fashion Observer.

Say it over and over in a robotic voice.

Obviously, I still have a Transformers: Dark of the Moon hangover. I am imagining every vehicle that I see to transform into an Autobot or Decepticon. Haha!

The ABC of Superlative Leadership

I just have to re-post this article from Read Bud because I find it useful for business or to anyone who just wants to be at the top of their game.

If you want to make the move from managing to leading, from being a professional to being an inspirer, from being one of the team to being a leader of the team, you need to know the ABC of Superlative Leadership.

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A is for Appreciative Cultures, the end result of a leader's work, when the culture he or she fosters becomes an appreciative value of the company.


B is for rock-solid Belief that your team can move mountains.


C is for Culture, which is the way people behave when you're not looking.


D is for the Drive for Power that makes you want to lead.


E is for Encouragement, like sun after the rain.


F is for Fun, an indication that the right work is happening.


G is for Growing your people. Like Sir Colin Marshall, head of British Airways, who personally attended every one of his customer care programmes, "Putting People First".


H is for Helicopter vision, because you need to see in three time zones: the near, the middle and the far.


I is for leader Identity, the ability to be comfortable in your own shoes.


J is for Joy because leaders rejoice in their own blessings as well as the successes of their team.

K is for Knowing your people, not just by name and number, but by strength and weakness, character and spirit, skills and potential, what makes them sigh and what makes them soar.

L is for Learning, because learning is change and learning is growth.

M is for Mission which leaders live as well as write. Like Bill Gates insisting that his staff at Microsoft, Germany, use the familiar "Du" instead of the formal "Sie".

N is for the Nobel complex, the belief that everything your people do is worthy of a Nobel prize.

 

O is for Opportunity. Like Edmund McIlhenny who returned from the American Civil War to find his sugar plantation and salt works in ruins except for a few hot Mexican peppers that had sown themselves. He used them to produce a sauce that is now known as Tabasco and sold around the world.

P is for Plain-talking because leaders need to be understood.

Q is for Questions, such as "What do you need me to do?" and "How can I help you work better?" and "What should I be doing?"

R is for Respect, the touchstone of every relationship a leader has.

S is for Symbols, the language of leadership. Like the CEO of a candy factory facing financial ruin, whose first symbolic act was to shorten the tails on the sugar mice.

T is for the Traits of courage and determination, patience and perseverance.

U is for Unleashing what's there. Like 3M, who allow their scientists to spend 15% of their time working on projects that interest them.

V is for Values, the guiding principles of the team, or "the Walkmans of the mind".

W is for the Way, the Chinese "tao", the route that leaders take and others follow.

X is for Xtraordinary because leaders get ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Y is for Yes, because there is always a plus to be found even in the worst situation and the toughest setback.

Z is for Zero tolerance of failure, sub-performance and giving up.

 

Learn these simple principles, and there are no limits to where you can lead your team.



Today's Life Quote

The Rules of A Gentleman

I just have to share with you The Rules of A Gentleman that men should consider. And here are some of the rules that aren't that hard to follow.

Finally! Lady Gaga and Maria Aragon Born This Way Duet

Finally! Lady Gaga and Maria Aragon had their duet in Toronto. This video gave me double goosebumps. I am so very proud of this girl. Lady Gaga seems like a really cool big sister. I hope there'll be more of this.

Enjoy watching!

Inspiration

This is Hiroshima, circa 1945, after the atomic bombing.

This is Hiroshima, 64 years later.

No wonder Japan is one of the most powerful countries in the world.

Photo credits from Your Bad Neighbor.

The Irony of Life

Photo from here.

You decided to travel the straight road, change for the better, but then when you get there, here comes a vehicle that leaves you no choice but to move on the side...You wanted to slow down a bit or pullover on the curbs... You saw a sign that confirms everything will turn out fine when you stop but then you see crocodiles slowly coming out of the water.  You are now caught between being hit by a vehicle and being eaten alive by hungry crocodiles.  Which one will you choose?

The irony of life.

The Secret

I am not yet finished reading The Secret by Rhonda Byrne but I think I am starting to become a believer.  The secret is the Law of Attraction.  Think bad things and bad things will happen to you.  Think good things and good things will happen to you.  It is just that simple.  I will get back to reading the book before I proceed with Blogging in Business.

Miss Philippines as 4th Runner-Up in Miss Universe 2010

Another proud moment for the Filipinos worldwide.  Miss Philippines Venus Raj bagged the 4th place in the recently concluded Miss Universe 2010 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Hotel in Las Vegas.

Aside from waiting for the finalists in their swim wear and evening gown, the most anticipated event of the night was the question and answer.  Miss Philippines was (un)lucky to have chosen William Baldwin to ask her this question:  

"What is your biggest mistake in life and what did you do to make it right?"

I was literally biting my nail while waiting for what Miss Philippines has to say.  I was so nervous because I think Miss Australia and Miss Mexico gave the best and smartest answers.  I am still proud that she confidently represented the Philippines although I wasn't fully satisfied with her answer: 

"Thank you so much Sir for that wonderful question.  You know what Sir, in my 22 years of existence, I can say that there is nothing major major, I mean, problem that I have done in my life because I am very confident with my family, with the love that they are giving me.  So, thank you so much that I am here, thank you thank you so much."

I have never heard a more grateful person in my life.

Live Your Life to the Fullest

I received this email from my mom, she never fails to forward me inspirational emails and this one is something that made me stop and think for a while about life.  

What if there isn't anymore?

One day a woman's husband died, and on that clear, cold morning, in the warmth of their bedroom, the wife was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't "anymore". No more hugs, no more special moments to celebrate together, no more phone calls just to chat, no more "just one minute." Sometimes, what we care about the most gets all used up and goes away, never to return before we can say good-bye, say"I love you."

So while we have it, it's best we love it, care for it, fix it when it's broken and heal it when it's sick. This is true for marriage.....And old cars... And children with bad report cards, and dogs with bad hips, and aging parents and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it.

Some things we keep -- like a best friend who moved away or a sister-in-law after divorce. There are just some things that make us happy, no matter what.

Life is important, like people we know who are special.. And so, we keep them close!

I received this from someone who thought I was a 'keeper'! Then I sent it to the people I think of in the same way... Now it's your turn to send this to all those people who are "keepers" in your life, including the person who sent it, if you feel that way. Suppose one morning you never wake up, do all your friends know you love them?

I was thinking...I could die today, tomorrow or next week, and I wondered if I had any wounds needing to be healed, friendships that needed rekindling or three words needing to be said.

Let every one of your friends know you love them. Even if you think they don't love you back, you would be amazed at what those three little words and a smile can do. And just in case I'm gone tomorrow.

This email reminded me of my dream the other night.