Pros and Cons of Being The Eldest

PRO: You can be assured that your clothes are new (not hand-me downs)! Yey!!! 

CON: You have to share your food to your siblings. Grrr... As the eldest, you need to give up the last piece of cake for your wailing baby brother!

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PRO: Your parents trust you the most. As early as highschool, you can attend sleepovers and school events that usually last until midnight.

CON: It seems your parents doesn't care at you at all! Yes, they ask of your whereabouts but unlike your pampered baby sister who needs to be fetched from parties because the parents are too scared for her safety. Lol!

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PRO: Once you do good. As in you've set the bar high, be prepared of your parent's usual speech to your younger siblings which says, "Be like your ate. She did good in school. Look at her now, she has a job and can afford to buy the things she wants." Haha!

CON: Once your siblings did something terrible, you're responsible for it! Hello! You were the one who committed the crime! Ok you were not the one who broke the vase! But why is the blame on you? Because you should have done your job of keeping an eye on your playful brother! Haha!

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PRO: One of my favorite perks - you have the authority to ask your siblings to do something for you. Haha! "Get me this. Do this!" *evil laugh*

CON: In the absence of your parents, you need to do stuffs for them like enrolling for them, making sure they have eaten already, giving their allowance, teaching their assignment... *sigh*

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PRO: Being called "ate." It gives you some kind of power. Haha! Kidding aside, it's endearing to hear them  call you "ate." Right?

CON: Being called "ate" are abused at times. When there's a problem in the house, who's to call after the parents??? It's "ate!" It's ate's role to ask the waiter for a service waiter, to ask the saleslady for their shoe size, to check if there's a ghost outside the bedroom, blah, blah...haha!!!

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..and the list goes on... To tell you the truth I think the Pros outnumber the Cons. No matter how many times I complain of being the eldest, I do love being one. I won't trade it for anything. Naks! Really. Because I've learned a lot from this role. I believe that I wouldn't be resilient (I think I am) and responsible if I was not the eldest. Besides, even though my siblings were kinda crazy when they still younger, they have grown into decent and respectful young adults. I love them so much. 

Here is a blog I've written in my Multiply account last July 2007:

way back 2006.

"being an ATE is such a huge responsibility but at the same time it's fulfilling...

it's a huge responsibility in the sense that there are some sacrifices (like d pwde lumakat kay wry bilin balay or bisan bc kelangan umatend dd and may errands...etc...ehehe) and i have to be GOOD 24/7 (like be a model ate... ehehe)...

sometimes i wonder nalang... im still human... am i not entitled to make mistakes? am i not entitled to be wrong sometimes? *sigh* i know...i know... i just have to be careful in every action i take and be responsible in everything that i do coz i have younger siblings that look up to me... and i don't want to be a bad example to them...

but hey being an ate is also fulfilling... (just being called ate is a wonderful feeling =) especially when I know i'm doing my job right.... =)"

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Addicted: Are You Guilty?

The pictures below were taken from this site:
How to take INCREDIBLE photos of your friends - The Oatmeal
While the comments are on me. Need to be more careful already if I don't want to waste my 12 years in jail. Haha! 

I have no idea if the writer of The Oatmeal is a Pinoy but he/she seems like one. Haha!!! The "steps" below are common for all Filipinos and I'm curious if some nationalities are like us as well.

Well, reading this made me realize how shallow I am at times. Guilty as charged but I'm having fun doing these! Haha!

Bringing a "real camera" everyday is inconvenient. It's bulky unlike our (camera) phones which we can just put in our pocket. Aside from that, after taking the picture we can upload it right away at Instagram or Facebook. Don't you just love technology? It has made sharing faster. So you can upload on the spot what you're doing, what you're eating, or where you are. It may annoy some people (including me) but it's their life right? We have a choice either to delete them in our friends' list or simply ignore them. Haha!

Sino nga ba nagpa uso na basta may camera mag smile? Di ba pwede na candid? Haha! 

We want a "perfect" picture that's why even if it will take up to nth times to capture the perfect moment, we will endure the smile and pose for God-knows-when! Haha! 

Hey I still count and say cheese. Don't you? :)

I can't relate to this. Really. 

Flash can definitely makes our face bright. Though it is useful in some scenes. :)

Who doesn't want to be included in the picture? Not me! I definitely don't want to be left out. Haha!!! You won't be tagged daw! Lol!

People are just brutal right? I hate it when they tag me of pics wherein I look awkward or awful. Grrr...  

But I'm also guilty of this! Haha. Sorry friends! Rest assured that the next time I tag you, at least you will like it..hehe..

Yes, we can be shallow at times. But may the last statement above make us change our perception (and dependence) on social networks. Facebook, Instagram, etc...are there to help us have a faster and simpler communication with people especially those that are miles apart from us. But we must always remember that social networks cannot replace the physical bond we share with the ones we care about. Being together is a more wonderful experience, right?  Go out and see the world! Have a really amazing experience outside of social networks. Don't please other people because it can be tiring. Do things because you enjoy it...because you're with your family and friends. Because at the end of the day, the number of "likes" we got from posting our pics won't really matter... What will really matter is the memory and experience we had behind the pictures. 

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What's Your Take On Love?

“What is love? What are your views on love?” (or something like it)

This has been asked by Boy Abunda to his three guests, Luis Manzano, Toni Gonzaga, and Vice Ganda, yesterday in The Buzz. 

Luis Manzano answered that “Love is compromise.” No two people are alike and no one is perfect so there will come a point that you have to compromise in order to meet halfway.

According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, compromise is a settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions.

Luis has a point but I don’t like the word “compromise” for love. When we love, things may get blurry at times. But that doesn’t mean that we have to compromise our values and principles for love. I mean, if it’s for the better then good! But usually we compromise our good values for the sake of love. We compromise our goals and dreams for love. We tend to compromise ourselves that we end up losing ourselves in the process. Tsk, tsk, tsk...

I won’t forget what Jennifer Aniston said years ago in a PDI column (when she was still very much in love with Brad Pitt) that a relationship should be a collaboration instead of compromise.

Collaboration is synonymous with cooperation, partnership, relationship, union and alliance (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

Since then, it remained in my heart and mind (naks!) that love is collaboration. A relationship should be about collaboration. Yes, men are from Mars and women are from Venus but that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to have a great relationship! If only the two people in a relationship actually communicate (talk openly and listen patiently) then a beautiful union can happen. But collaboration shouldn’t end with communication. The couple should help each other out and know how it is to give-and-take.

Toni Gonzaga answered that “Love is about sacrifices.” Whew! Such a deep and sad word. But yes, it happens especially when it comes to families. Our parents may opt to work in a foreign country to be able to give us a more comfortable life. Children may decide to take over the family business instead of following their dreams.

But personally, I believe that a deed won’t feel like a sacrifice if you do it whole-heartedly. Right? I do hope that a happy ending is bound to happen after the sacrifices J

Meanwhile, Vice Ganda said that “Love knows no gender.” Indeed! J Everyone is entitled to love and be loved .

On the other hand, Boy Abunda said that “Love is about forgiveness.” I believe it is. When one doesn’t know how to forgive, then he doesn’t know how to love. We all make mistakes and it is very humbling to ask for forgiveness. And to forgive someone is a brave thing to do. But I must say that if the same mistake keeps happening over and over again then a tough love must be given. If tough love still doesn’t work out then I guess it would be better to give up especially if you are not yet binded by God. Haha! Di ba?

*sigh* Love, love, love. It would never be overrated. This is the reason why our lives are much more colourful worth waking up to. Without love in our lives, what are we? Who are we?

The bible says it all on what love is all about.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 - Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

If you ask me what love is...hmm...I'll answer that soon!

How about you? What is your view on love? J

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Bye September, Hello October!

I had a blast this September!!! Not only because it was my birthday last September 8 but I had fun going out with friends, meeting with classmates, preparing for the upcoming debut of my sister, client call, practice singing for our chorale competition this December, making my research paper...etc, etc, etc!

Still, there's so much to do for the last remaining months of the year! I have yet to comply my Research and Strat papers! I also need to study already for the Compre next year! Grrrr... Gosh! Of course, I also NEED to be more productive and efficient at WORK! I should stop being complacent if I want to make it big, haha! Seriously, I should stop being a mediocre and start pushing myself to be better and right! The Darleen I used to know is competitive (at least to myself). Where is she? I miss her!!! During my college days, I always strive to do good because my scholarship was at stake. Maybe I'm lacking motivation now. *stopped typing for five minutes and thinks what my motivation is* 

*after five minutes* My dreams! I dream to be successful in my career, to have a nice house and car, and a happy family. They will never be realized if I won't start doing good today. Not just good but doing my BEST. The foundations of my dream starts TODAY! That's my motivation! During college my motivation was to graduate (on time) and eventually land a good job. Now that I have a good job (a better one is yet to come, haha!) I should be motivated to work hard because I have dreams to realize! Naks!!!

Just recently also I had a conversation with my boyfriend. I'll make it short by saying that he ended up lecturing me about my credit card! I always get irritated when he lectures me because I know he's right. My pride is hurt! Huhu!!! I was quiet for a moment but I know that he only meant good for me. I already had plans on settling things but after the talk with him I know that I should take things more seriously and start acting like a grown up. God help me!!!!

Yes, my September was not only fun but also full of realizations. I believe that adding up one year on my age has allowed me to wake up and assess my life all over again. This time I should not just be evaluating myself but I should also need to MAKE ACTION STEPS towards recovery...errr...GROWTH (yeah growth! hehe!) God has blessed me so much and it would be sad to put my life into waste, right??? Cliche it may sound but I should live my life to the fullest!

Let me end my post by sharing to you something I read in Good Housekeeping (June 2012 edition).

I totally agree with everything that Ms. Gelli has said especially this line, "I am conscious of the fact that my husband should not complete me, but should enhance the person that I am." When we are so in love we tend to make our partners our life and world that in the end we lose the person that we used to be. We feel that we are nothing or incomplete without them. Then our whole world will crumble when they're gone. Don't get me wrong. My point is... our partners are meant to help us grow. They are there to support us and believe in us when no one else do. I'm so lucky to have a boyfriend who believes in me no matter how cheesy my dreams may seem. That's what relationships are for - to help bring out the best in each other.

 "One of the best way to make yourself happy is to make other people happy; one of the best way to make other people is to be happy yourself."

Let us spread love and happiness not just during holidays and special occasions but all year round! :))

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10 Things I Realized After My 26th

1. I shouldn't pressure myself on things that are beyond my control. Instead, I should  lift everything to God and be the best person that I can be.
2. I should put love in everything I do. I believe that LOVE is the secret to success. If you love what you're doing, then you'll be HAPPY doing it, eventually you'll be good at it and without noticing you're already on top. (if only that's how life works...haha! come on people be optimistic!)
3. SELF MANAGEMENT is as important, if not more important, than TIME MANAGEMENT. I'm quite aware that I'm no Superwoman but that doesn't mean that I can't do "grace under pressure." I should know what and how to prioritize in order to make the most of my time.
4. Patience is, indeed, a virtue. Unanswered prayers may mean that something better is yet to come or it's not meant for me or it's not yet my time have it. 
5. It won't hurt to be a little nicer to ALL people. It won 't hurt either to SMILE 'coz it can make a difference ^_~
6. Never judge people 'coz you may never know what they're going through.
7. Social networking are meant for communicating people NOT stalking people. Real relationships should be built on conversations, going out, and being there for the other person (physically, spiritually, or emotionally) NOT just on liking pics, commenting on status, etc.
8. I should value my family, boyfriend, and friends more. I should never take them for granted because they are the ones that complete my life.
9. I should not be scared of taking risks because it's one way of growing up. I'll never know what I'm capable of if I'll be coward my whole life.
10. I shouldn't compare my life to others because the tendency is for me to be proud or envious. "I live a free and fabulous life and I'm so blessed!!!" That's what I will tell myself everyday and that's how I will live my life!

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