“Jing Si Aphorisms” or “Still Thoughts” by Master Cheng Yen is a collection of her thoughts on Buddhist’s teachings and life lessons.  Master Cheng Yen received the Philippine Magsaysay Award, the Asian Nobel Prize, in 1991. Living a simple life with only the basic necessities, she has actively pursued her work of helping the poor and educating the rich.

I am a Catholic but I find this book applicable to everyone, whatever their religion may be.  The book, in fact, is translated in English, Chinese, Japanese and Spanish.  Below are some excerpts from this inspiring book.

Lighting

1. Optimize the use of daylight. Strategically place tables and reading desks near windows and put skylights in other working areas.
2. Shift from incandescent lamps to Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs).  CFLs are more expensive than incandescent bulbs but they use less wattage and last 6 to 8 times longer.   When buying a compact fluorescent light bulb, choose a wattage that’s about one-fourth of incandescent bulbs for the same amount of light.
3. Shift from 40-watt fluorescent lamps to 36-watt or 32-watt fluorescent lamps.
4. Reduce number of lamps if area is over illuminated.
5. Turn off lights that are not in use or are not needed.
6. Disconnect ballasts without lamps, as well as flickering and busted lamps, because they still consume electricity.
7. Clean lighting fixtures regularly. Dirt reduces lamp output by as much as 50%.
8. Use light colors on the walls, floors and ceilings to reflect light and decrease lighting needs.

Air conditioner

1. Turn off your air conditioner when you leave a room for a long time. It uses less electricity to bring the temperature down again when you return, than if you left it running.
2. Set the thermostat at the highest comfortable temperature as possible.
3. Turn off unused lights and other appliances that give off heat. This will lessen the load of the air conditioning unit.
4. Check your room for holes or cracks where hot air can enter.
5. Unclutter your room. The more stuffs you have, the more electricity is needed to lower the temperature of your room.
6. Place curtains, blinds, shades or insulation to reduce the entry of heat and direct sunlight.
7. Check the filter at least once a month. When the filters are dirty, the fan has to run longer to move the same amount of air and this uses more electricity.
8. Don’t place lamps or TV sets near your air conditioning thermostat. The heat from these appliances is sensed by the thermostat and could cause the air-conditioner to run longer than necessary.
9. Locate your air conditioner in the coolest side of the room. The best is usually the northern side, away from the morning and afternoon sun.
10. When buying an air conditioner, choose the unit that is appropriate to the size of the room.
11. Choose an air conditioning unit with a high Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). A unit with higher EER has a more efficient motor and consumes less electricity.

Refrigerators and Freezers

1. Set the appropriate thermostat setting.
2. Minimize the opening of door. Frequent opening contributes to ice buildup and causes compressor and motor to work overtime.
3. Always cover liquid containers and wrap foods.
4. Let food cool before placing it in the refrigerator.
5. Do not overload your refrigerator to maintain internal air circulation.
6. Do not place the refrigerator near the stove/oven or any appliances that generate heat. The hot air will increase the electricity consumption of the compressor.
7. Regularly defrost refs and freezers. It’s time to defrost if the ice builds up by more than ¼ inch.
8. Check for leaking gasket/ door seal by closing the door on a peso bill. The seal should be tight so that the peso bill is hard to pull out. If you can easily pull out the bill, you may need to change your door seal to prevent heat leaks into your refrigerator.
9. Choose the right size or capacity of refrigerator suitable to your need.
10. Select a refrigerator with high EER. A unit with higher EER has more efficient motor and consumes less electricity.
11. Replace your refrigerator with a more efficient one if it is already 15 years old or more. It may be costly to buy a new one but you’ll save in the long run. The new energy efficient refrigerators have better insulation and seals, more efficient compressors and more precise controls.

Washing Machine

1. Run the washing machine at full load to maximize its operation. However, do not overload your unit. It will make your machine work harder and inefficiently.
2. Use the right amount of detergent and water level.
3. Pre-soak dirty clothes to lessen washing time.
4. Wash heavy and light weight laundry separately. Heavy laundry requires different setting.
5. Properly place clothes inside the spinner to avoid unnecessary vibrations which can make the spinner work inefficiently.

Flat Iron

1. Schedule your ironing to once or twice a week.
2. If possible, wear wrinkle-free clothes that do not need ironing.
3. Start the thermostat of the flat iron at low and iron light clothes.
4. Use the appropriate setting/ temperature for the type of clothes to avoid scorching and wasting energy.
5. Turn off the flat iron shortly before ironing the last piece. It will stay hot just enough to finish the job.

Philippine jeepney

Motion blur with a panning is a technique where you pan your camera along the direction of your moving subject and end up getting a sharp subject and a blurred background, giving your shot a sense of motion.  This technique produces amazing results but also needs some practice (the photo above was my first “lucky” shot).  So, HOW DO YOU DO IT?

• First, set your camera in Shutter Priority mode or Manual mode. Shutter Priority mode allows you to set your shutter speed while the camera automatically chooses the aperture to ensure that a correct exposure will be made. A slightly slower shutter speed is the key here. If you feel confident setting both the shutter speed and aperture to get a good exposure, then go for the Manual mode.
• The actual shutter speed depends on the speed of the subject. Generally, it will be 1/200 if your subject is really fast such as a race car, and as slow as 1/15 to 1/40 for slower subjects such as cyclists or runners.
• Set the focusing mode in auto-focus mode or continuous focus mode. Continuous focus mode will continuously adjust the focus for as long as you half-press the shutter release, so it can track movement. The camera will take the photograph when you fully press the shutter release.
• Position yourself in a place where you can shot your subject with no obstructions or distracting background. For best results, also stay in a location that is parallel to the path of your subject.
• Swing your camera in the direction of your subject‘s movement as it approaches.  Half-press the shutter while panning to focus the subject. If your camera doesn’t have fast enough auto-focusing, you can pre-focus your camera (half-press shutter button) on the spot that you’ll end up releasing the shutter.
• Release the shutter button fully once the subject is on a spot where you wish to make the composition. Do this gently to avoid camera shake.
• Once you’ve released the shutter, continue panning with the subject. This smooth follow through will ensure that motion blur is smooth from start to finish.
• The trick to a good panning is the smoothness of your pan, so keep your camera secure while doing the panning.

Happy shooting!

Free LRT and MRT ride schedules:
7AM-9AM and 5PM-7PM.

Eveready Libreng Sakay:
* 20 commissioned jeepneys spread throughout Luzon and Visayas
* Refer to the spreadsheet below for schedule (spreadsheet will be updated constantly)

Qty   Area                                      Jeepney Route
3       Makati                                  Pasay Road/MCS
1       Taguig                                  Market Market/bicutan
2       Ortigas                                 SM Mega Mall
2       Mandaluyong                        Star Mall
1       San Juan Greenhills             Greenhills/san juan
2      Pasay                                    Libertad Harrison Plaza/mall of asia
4      Manila                                   Cubao/SM Sta.Mesa
4      Quezon City                         Araneta/Cubao Trinoma/SM West
1       Las Pinas                            SM Las pinas/Alabang
2      Muntinlupa                           Festival Mall/San Pedro
1      Pasig                                     Pasig Crossing
1      Cainta                                  Cainta Corssing
1      Taytay                                  Taytay Crossing

PROVINCIAL AREAS
1      Batangas                             SM Lipa
1      Laguna                                Waltermart
2      Cavite                                  SM Dasmarinas
2      Pampanga                           SM Clark
3      Cebu                                    Ayala Center

Makati will also give free rides to students on June 15 as classes open.

  SLIGHTLY MARRIED       SLIGHTLY WICKED    SLIGHTLY SCANDALOUS    SLIGHTLY TEMPTED       SLIGHTLY SINFUL    SLIGHTLY DANGEROUS

Author: Mary Balogh

Genre:  Historical Romance

Rate:    ***** ,   5 STARS

Review:

Mary Balogh’s warm and emotional style of writing really makes her books interesting to read! Her characters are wonderfully written, with a depth to them that makes a reader want to know more, even after turning the last page.  A compelling saga laced generously with emotionally charged scenes, these six-book series on Bedwyn Family ( Wulfric, Aidan, Ranulf, Freyja, Alleyne and Morgan) will have you crying, laughing and sighing with dreamy delight. “

Mary Balogh begins her new six-book series on the Bedwyn Family with SLIGHTLY MARRIED, a marriage of convenience between Colonel Aidan Bedwyn (second oldest) and Miss Eve Morris.  Eve is strong, courageous, compassionate, intelligent, loyal and honest; she holds her own against the impressive Bedwyn clan while Aidan is a career military man so his exterior is very tough, hard, implacable, and honor-obsessed, but he is also a kind, loving, and thoughtful man; one starts to look forward to each of his humorous comments or almost-smiles with the same excitement that Eve does.

Book 2 of the Bedwyn series is a story between Lord Ranulf Bedwyn (third) and Ms. Judith Law.  SLIGHTLY WICKED tells about two strangers who spend two days of passion together at an inn, both pretending to be someone else. They later cross paths again and both discover who the other really is – Judith is the second eldest daughter of a poor clergyman sent to be basically a servant for her wealthy aunt; Rannulf is the son of a duke, from a powerful family, and is supposed to be courting Judith’s younger cousin.

SLIGHTLY SCANDALOUS, the third book of the Bedwyn saga, is a fascinating tale of two people who find love when they least expect it.  It is a story between bold Freyja Bedwyn (fourth) and the mischievous Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere.  Freyja and Josh are surprising, altogether delightful couple… In many ways, they are complete opposites, but at heart, where it matters most, they are perfectly matched…

The 4^th installment, SLIGHLTLY TEMPTED, is a remarkable and beguiling tale of betrayal and revenge, scandal and intrigue, love and war. Lady Morgan Bedwyn (the youngest) and Gervase Ashford,  Earl of Rosthorn, are likeable, engaging characters, with foibles and dreams, strengths and weaknesses, that make them wonderfully real.  Their road to happily ever after be strewn with obstacles, but the journey, although difficult at times, is a rewarding one for both of them.

In SLIGHTLY SINFUL featuring Lord Alleyne Bedwyn (fifth) and Miss Rachel York.
Alleyne has just started a career as a diplomat and is given a letter to deliver to the Duke of Wellington on the frontlines of the Battle of Waterloo. He is shot in the leg, thrown from his horse, bumped on the head and loses consciousness. Rachel, a young woman with virtually no family who had been working as an elderly lady’s companion, finds him on the battlefield and takes him back to the brothel she has just moved into. It is a story of friendship, love, and family. It’s a tale of second chances, of lonely people finding love and a place to belong, and of the ties of the heart that bind and bond people more firmly than bloodlines

SLIGHLTY DANGEROUS the last of the series featured the head of the family Wulfric Bedwyn, Duke of Bewcastle and widow Mrs. Christine Derrick.  A charming tale of two very different people destined to fall in love. When they put aside their preconceptions and make a few concessions, they find that happily ever after is theirs.  All the Bedwyn siblings, spouses, and children appear in this book.

There are things in this world that we cannot explain, that we cannot find all the reasons why and how it is happening especially when it comes to love…

I don’t regret the fact of being in love and on the track of love no matter how hard, how painstaking a relationship could be, though you feel so happy and so complete inside just by having the person you love beside you, cherish every moment that you are together, all the treasured memories for a life time.

But when it comes to break up, I have nothing not much to say but tears to flow into my eyes and questions lingering in my head. How and why such things have to happen? Then you need to have all the strengths you need, all the things you need to move on and face life. But why is it every time that I would tell myself that I am over with you, I can live without you and actually on the verge of moving on, you suddenly just popped out in my mind from nowhere… Is it just I, or everybody’s undergoing the same thing?

I decided to share what I’m feeling inside not for any purpose but just for release. The moment I decided to commit myself, I took the risk and responsibility of getting hurt and burdened.

I’ve been attracted and feel to a person I thought I would keep for long…that person responded to my proposal with enthusiasm and from then on, life has become light and fun not knowing conflicts may arise soon…

I’m grateful that I’ve met that person, I can’t deny my life has change since then, fool to be called on my part but that’s what love can do. A feeling of satisfaction seeing your loved one is there for you, knowing that at the end of the day, you have somebody to look into.

But guess, there will always come a time that no matter how you want the relationship to work and last, conflicts arise…misunderstanding persists and worst of all, relationship ends…Too bad that I was not able to fight for the relationship, it just ended too soon that I am not prepared for it…It gives me so much pain to think that a dream will never come to life…I have so many plans for both of us. I love that person so much that I would risk my life just for that…We’ll, as fairy tales would end a happy ending, mine would go the other way.

Now, I got nothing to do…but to miss that person. More and more every day…. Each time I feel like the greatest loss of my life. Each time I feel like I had borrowed the greatest happiness of life.

To “miss” is defined as to discover or feel the absence of, to fail to obtain, a failure to attain a desired result. As I look at these definitions, how sad they seem to express this word. With too much time on my hands, I decided to redefine it: to miss someone is to acknowledge the powerlessness of the situation and appreciate the time given to you in the past.

For missing that person is far better than hating him or her for leaving you. To miss someone is to recognize that you are capable of falling in love and letting this love go, even though you’d hurt after doing so because you know what’s right and the two of you is not one of those right things…But be thankful that you had one moment in time that only the two of you shared, in billions and billions of people around the world, it was you. And it was him or her…It was the two of you…and you were happy. It was unchangeable. It is unchangeable…And then you can smile now for the reason and risk were worth it…

- to share experiences, lessons learned, insights and dreams

- to inspire, motivate and tickle one’s imagination

- to make you laugh and cry

- to forget your problems and enjoy life

- to make you want for more

HALO HALO NA!