Symbolism in a Christian Wedding

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN: Symbolism in  a Christian Wedding

  Podge and Joyce with Pastor Joey Rafael

     One of my friends in the Worship Ministry of our church invited me to the wedding of her only son, Podge, to his fiancee, Joyce, last Saturday, August 14, in San Pedro, Laguna. Since last year, the couple have been planning this wedding and it turned out great. This goes to show that you can have a proper and decent wedding on a budget if you plan ahead and know where to look. 

Photos above: table bouquet, the string   

quartet, the seated bridesmaids, the

wedding cake, the couple with the 

groom's parents

Photos this level: Of course, me and

my friends plus Luisa, the mother of the groom. Right photo, my friends with pastors from Nigeria and their friends.

    
     The wedding took place in a garden restaurant which truly caters for weddings and events. The set-up was great, even the table bouquets and the seating arrangements were in the table as you enter. Our associate pastor, Ptr. Joey Rafael officiated the wedding covenant and as he spoke, it reminded me to share the many symbolisms that we have in a Christian wedding--the exchange of rings, the unity candle, the Bible, the veil, the chord, and the coins. As I have posted this already many times past, a marriage is not a contract. It is a covenant between the unified couple and God. So, with this in mind, here are the symbolic meaning of the things that we use in a Christian wedding:

     1) The Bible  -- represents the Word of God which is Jesus, the manual of life which the couple should put their faith on to live their life as a family.

     2) The Unity Candle -- symbolizes the union of husband and wife as they chose to live together and grow together in Christ, who is the light of the world leading their way.

      3) The Veil -- placed on the groom's should and on the bride's head. This symbolizes the responsibility of this unity is place on the man's shoulder and the woman's submission to the leadership of her husband as Christ is the leader of the church.

     4) The Chords -- placed around the veiled groom and bride. This symbolizes, again, that the husband and wife are now one.

     5) The Coins -- a symbol of prosperity.

     6) The Exchanging of the Rings -- symbolizes eternal or unending love for one another. 

     One thing Ptr. Joey reminded Podge which I really like: "Remember, that your wife's place is beside you, not under your feet".

    

"What It Means to Be Poor", by Usuario?

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN: "What It Means to be Poor", by Usuario?

Photo of a farm courtesy of Photobucket

     My brother, Paul, who is a resident of Singapore e-mailed me a slide show  titled "What It Means to be Poor" and I can't find the original page of this in the internet. The power point presentation says that the author is Usuario. If it was really you who authored this story, it is a great lesson to be learned and I applaud you for it. I found the same story in a web page with the same title (http://www.naute.com/thinkery/poor.phtml) and here goes:

What It Means To Be Poor...

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country
with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people can be. They spent
a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very
poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"
"It was great, Dad." "Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked.
"Oh Yeah" said the son. "So what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.

The son answered, "I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a
pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no
end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.
Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a
small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We
have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they
grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends
to protect them."

With this the boy's father was speechless. Then his son added, "Thanks dad
for showing me how poor we are."

Too many times we forget what we have and concentrate on what we don't have.
What is one person's worthless object is another's prize possession. It is all
based on one's perspective. Makes you wonder what would happen if we all
gave thanks for all the bounty we have, instead of worrying about wanting more.
Take joy in all you have, especially your friends. Pass this message on.

Author Unknown

     Isn't this a great lesson learned? How ironic for a parent to teach his child, when he should learn first. Well, the photo slide sent to me is really so much better, and here's the link:  

https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AaTnLlVfYHjlZGhmd3Q0azhfMWhwNWNnZGY3&hl=en

"Dance Now" by Planetshakers--Dancing to Praise the Lord

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN: "Dance Now" by Planetshakers--Dancing to Praise the Lord

     When we praise God, we sing hymns of praise and worship Him through music. Praise is an expression of one's faith in Him. As a Christian, one cannot help but dance when we sing praises to Him because "in His presence, there is fullness of joy". 

     I've already posted a song by Planetshakers, but let me first give you a brief background on who this Christian band is. According to Wikipedia, Planetshakers first started in 1997 as a Christian youth movement that begun its annual conference in Adelaide, Australia, but grew into an international ministry. Born out of Paradise Community Church in Adelaide with its Pastor Russel Evans, it expanded and moved to Melbourne in 2004 into what was known as the Melbourne City Church but later named the Planetshakers City Church with a mission--"to empower a generation to win a generation". The Planetshakers worship team or band's music is contemporary style of praise and worship tempered with mainstream rock and pop which catered to the youth conference. 

     "Dance Now" from the Planetshakers' "One" album is a fast paced praise music with words that encourages the worshiper to get up and dance for the Lord, expressing the freedom that we have in Christ Jesus and our faith in Him.

"DANCE NOW"                                                                   

I'm not holding back
I've got to give You praise
With every part of me I'm breakin' out                      
I've got to let You know
That You're my everything
With every part of me I'll praise you now

And I will dance and sing
You know I'm gonna shout it out
To You my King
'Cause You are all I need now

                           It's time to get up and dance
                           'Cause we're free now
                           It's time to lift up your praise
                           And shout it out now
                           It's time to break off the chains
                           'Cause it's a brand new day
                           And everything is ok
                           Let's dance!

                           Dance now
                           Everybody shout now
                           Liftin' up our praise now 
                           Dancing in this freedom we know   

Fashion Do's and Don'ts

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN: Fashion Do's and Don'ts

     I'm no fashion expert but I think it's time to discuss this. I found a great  video web page  (http://www.videojug.com/interview/fashion-fundamentals-3 ) that gives us simple fashion tips that are practical for us, everyday women. The video is an interview with Ms. Jess Zaino, a style expert. 

     So many fashion trends, so many fads, so many rules, sometimes we can't catch up if we want to be trendy. However, fashion trends keep coming back but combined with simple modern flair. For example, the mini's, the Audrey Hepburn look styled into evening wears, the bell-bottom pants, the flats, etc. But according to Ms. Zaino, timeless fashion do's include great fits, meaning the fit is important as the style itself. Several fashion do's or must-haves, she says, include a great suit, great pants, a v-neck cashmere sweater, great tee shirts that are fitted wonderfully to your body in the basic colors like navy, white, gray and black, a great pair of shoes and a signature accessory. My own fashion do's include, yes, tee shirts, but also great jeans, summer dresses, cool blouses and pants, and the basic evening dress which may or may not be black--all for the hot Philippine weather. Ms. Zaino further adds that we should stick to what's classic and simple and you'll be chic forever. 

     Now, for the biggest fashion don'ts, Ms. Zaino said: Don't go out of the house looking sloppy; Don't wear sweat pants (unless you're exercising); Don't wear things that are ill-fitting; Don't wear things that show-off too much information, like a thong in a low-rise jeans or very low neckline showing off your great chest. 

     Here's what's more interesting. The following are various terminologies that the fashion world are now using which are no-no's to fashion:

     "Wedgie" --this means that the material of your clothes rides up the person's behind (gluteus maximus) or when your underwear goes up your behind.

     "Muffin-top" -- When a woman wears way-below-the-hips that the fat tends to roll up the tight jeans and lodge over the ope to create an illusion of a muffin top. He, he. When I wear my low-rise jeans, I have that, but I hide it with long blouse. Shhh...

     "Behind cleavage" -- You know what I mean because I can't write the "b...tt "word here. This behind cleavage is seen when a woman sits with her low-rise jeans showing off her thongs in between her behind. 

     "Wardrobe malfunction" --this word was coined by Janet Jackson when she inadvertently flashed the half side of her chest at the Super Bowl a few years ago. Therefore, check your wardrobe before wearing them so you won't have any accidents such as this showing off inner parts to the world.

     "Mono B...b" --Sometimes, we wear too tight bras that the bra pushes our frontal parts in the middle of the shirt creating a single chest component. 

     "Back B...b" --This one comes out when a woman wears too tight bra that the extra fat at the back kind-a spills creating a roll at the back.

    

     These words basically describe fashion conditions which we don't want to be in. However, some of us do, yet there are ways which we can style our clothes to hide these imperfections. The problem is, sometimes, women tend to go for the fashion trend rather than for a great look. Sometimes, they know they have a problem, in certain areas yet they still insist on wearing those clothes that are too tight and too low that they tend to show the parts that should not be shown.

    

One Sunday with Ricardo Sanchez

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN: One Sunday with Ricardo Sanchez

 Ricardo Sanchez signing cd's and posing with one of the sisters in our church. Photo courtesy of my friend, Dave Perico

     July 11, 2010 was an especially hectic but blessed Sunday because our church, Alabang New Life Christian Center, was privileged to have Ricardo Sanchez as our worship leader for the day. Our services became primarily a praise and worship service with a few messages here and there coming from the pastors. I sang with the choir in the morning, two services, and was really exhausted but very much blessed by the great presence of God that filled the place as we sang. 

     So who is Ricardo Sanchez? He is a worship leader and Christian recording artist of the songs which have become so familiar to us--"The Power of the Cross", "I Call Your Name", "Moving Forward", "Broken the Chains", and lots more. He hails from Atlanta, Georgia and recently joined Pastor Jentezen Franklin's church, Free Chapel Worship Center, in Gainsville, Georgia. He partnered with an array of famous worship recording artists like Israel and New Breed, Darlene Zschech, Mac Powell, and others. The youngest son among 6 kids, Ricardo's love for music has been evident since he was 5 years old when he sang in his family's band at that age. But his love for God also became evident since his grade school days as he, being raised a Catholic, walked from his house to their church to hear mass everyday. 

    "I just felt the presence of God in my life but I didn't know what it was", he said. 

     In his junior year in high-school, he was invited and attended a Young Life weekend retreat where he learned more about what the Gospel says, about sin and how Christ died to pay for our sin and this changed his life completely, surrendering his life to Jesus completely. He began to see clearly the connection between his love for music and his love for God. These are what he had to say:

    "Often people get wrapped up in the idea of religion but lack a real saving knowledge of who Jesus is truly--just as I had been. I hope to carry the message of truth that Christ is more than mere religion and encourage people towards a deep personal relationship with Him."

     Here are some videos of our services:

This is in the morning service when I sang with the choir. Sorry, the shoot was too far.

"What Faith Can Do" by Kutless

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN: "What Faith Can Do" by Kutless

     Are you in pain? Do you have so much burden on your shoulders right now? Do you feel hopeless, frustrated, disappointed? Are you at a loss? Rise up and declare your faith, faith in God. The Bible says "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God". So we all need God's Word to build up our faith for without it "we cannot please God", also according to the Bible. Hope looks to the future but faith is now--today. Today there is an answer to your problem or situation. 

   "What Faith Can Do" is an inspiring Christian song by Kutless, a Christian alternative band specializing in melodic hard rock. It comes from their album "It Is Well" released in 2009.The lyrics of the song encourages and gives us hope that no matter what we're going through, we need to declare our faith in God that He will deliver us and save us from whatever situation we're in. I saw the music video of this song in my friends', Jason and Toni Asprec who live in Melbourne, Australia, Facebook page and I asked permission to also share it with you.

     Hey, you can also buy "It Is Well" album from Amazon.com. 

Joining The "Give-Aways from Las Vegas" Contest

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN: Joining the "Give-Aways from Las Vegas" Contest

      Wow! This is the first time I'm joining a contest in the blogging world. It's that simple note that my friend Dhemz posted in my comment box that touched my heart, so here I am. 
     Well, Dhemz (of My Life's Perceptions and Inspirations) and family just got back from Las Vegas and amassed wonderful give-aways for this contest. It's also her first time to host a give-away contest. The contest is open to all bloggers worldwide, so she can send you the prize any where you are. So what are you waiting for. Join NOW!!

    Up for grabs + a surprise gift are:
(1) Las Vegas T-shirt (size: L)
(1) Las Vegas Hat
(3) Las Vegas Key Holder
(2) Las Vegas Pen
(1) Las Vegas Nail Buffer
  
     Contest ends July 10. So hurry, click on the badge to join and know the rules.

Costume Fashion Jewelry: Adds Style and Income to Women

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN: Costume Fashion Jewelry--Adds Style and Income to Women

     As promised, this topic is a follow-through to our previous topic regarding jewelry as investment. This time, we are discussing about costume fashion jewelries which many women love to wear to add style to their get-ups and as a means to additional income, also to many housewives and women. 


     In the Philippines and, I guess, in other third world countries, women cannot just wear their gold and silver jewelries, with or without precious or semi-precious stones, in the streets for fear of mugging. So the wise thing to wear is costume fashion jewelry made of various non-precious materials--shells, wood, coco, raffia, stone, bone, resin, etc. and non-precious metals. No matter how chunky or huge your costume jewelry is, you can flaunt it where ever you are without the fear of snatching and mugging. Because they are cheap, many women buy different colors and styles matching their clothes and moods. There are also some costume jewelries made of swarovski crystals which adds glitters as "bling-blings" to your evening attire. 



     There are many women all over the world who have made costume jewelry making as an added income. It usually starts as a hobby which they perfect by attending workshops. In the Philippines, costume jewelry making is a cottage industry--a small scale business which is usually done at home or in a common place in the community by neighborhood housewives in their spare time. Today, the Philippines is the largest exporter of fashion accessories and costume body jewelry in Asia. In the world, I see lots of women selling their great designs through the internet and they are selling like hot potato. I believe, that this industry will never cease and many more women will continue to benefit from it.
    For a comprehensive workshop on costume jewelry making in the Philippines, I found this website: http://ph.88db.com/Lessons-Instructions/Arts-Crafts/ad-153082/

Reflections of Praise

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN: Reflections of Praise

  

MY LORD, MY GOD
by me, Carmen A.

   

How in awe I am at Your greatness,

How grateful I am of Your goodness

How blessed I am with Your loving kindness

My Lord, my God, my Lord!

In Your image You have created me,

And then You said, "I will die for thee",

Indeed, You have and forever will be

My Savior, my Jesus, my Lord!

Every season of life You see me through

Every burden I have, I cast upon You

Everything that's in my heart, You knew 

My Healer, my Provider, my Lord!

As You continuously give, I give You my praise

As Your love is great, nothing can erase

I give you back my love, my hands to You I raise

My Lord, my God, my Lord.

"His Glory Appears", a Song of Worship by Hillsong

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN: "His Glory Appears", a Song of Worship by Hillsong

     
     This is a song which stirs the emotions, as well as our hope in our Lord. It is slow and mellow but has powerful expressions of praise and of faith in our God, who is holy and forever good, through its lyrics and music. "His Glory Appears" is written by Marty Sampson and Darlene Zschech and sung by Brooke Fraser from the 2009 Hillsong album "Faith, Hope, Love".

    Sing and worship the Lord through this video; embrace the music and lyrics of the song and feel God's embrace back to you.

Investing in Jewelry

Everything Under the Sun: Investing In Jewelry

     
     "Bling-blings", "Sparkles", "Rocks"-- these are some of the slang-y terms they use for  precious jewelries (gold or silver) with (precious or semi-precious) stones. Many women love them for their enhancing effect on their femininity, and some men use them to make a statement that they belong to the music and entertainment industry, or in the urban parts of the U.S., that they belong to a gang with the impression that they are drug pushers, or that, in the Philippines, they are from the Bureau of Customs. He, he.

     Well, jewelries are not only for aesthetic or impression purposes, they are also good investments. When my husband and I didn't have jobs and our business had gone bankrupt, we sold our jewelries and signature watches and we profited big from them. It made me realize that it's better to buy gold jewelries than investing in the bank which profits soooo very little.  In fact, with the just-previous stock market plummet in the U.S. and elsewhere, people started to invest in gold because when the dollar goes down, gold increases. Since 2004, gold values have been going up even until now. Gold stays steady, if not on the rise, and has been proven to be a good investment because if ever gold dropped, which is very rare, the companies that produce it will simply stop production so that the demand would grow which is almost instantly. It has been noted that the larger the carat, the more gold, and therefore, 24-carat gold (99.99%) is the safest investment, if you're not wearing it. But if you want to wear your investment, 14-carat gold is good because it contains more alloy, therefore, harder and much sturdier. An 18-carat gold jewelry has 75% gold and therefore, also a good investment and can also be worn. 

     
     The "ooohs" and the "aaaahs" usually come when a woman shows off her diamond ring or necklace or earrings. Well, these "blings" are really eye-poppers especially when they're big. However, not all "big" stones are valuable because the stones' values are also dependent on cut, clarity and color by which they are graded or rated. However, to me, even how small your diamond is attached to your gold, it creates an added value to your jewelry. Diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires, and some pearls, are considered "precious" stones, while the rest are called "semi-precious" ones.  

     Ah, but these days, especially in Manila, women couldn't wear their gold jewelries in the streets for fear of muggers and snatchers. So, they rely on the fancy costume jewelries that some of them make themselves to add elegance to their style, but devoid of fear of being mugged because they are really cheap. These costume jewelries have also provided income to many housewives and business-minded women and because of these, I will discuss this topic next time. For now, wear your precious jewels where it is safe because they, truly, are investments.

Sources:  http://goldprice.org/gold-jewelry/2006/12/gold-jewelry-investment.html
              http://hubpages.com/hub/Gold-Jewelry-Investing

Designer Items--For Your Classy Pleasure

Everything Under the Sun: 

Designer Items--For Your Classy Pleasure 

     Most women are familiar with these designer logos or brands--Prada, Gucci, Giorgio Armani, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Chanel. These are brands to "die for" or "with" according to women who make it their ambition or goal to buy even one or two items from these brands. Why? Because they are really expensive. One new Prada handbag costs around US $1,500 to $3,000 or more; a Gucci fabric handbag costs around US $1,300 or more and a leather one costs around $2,500 or more. In the Philippines, these bags cost from Php80,000 to more than Php100,000. From shoes, to handbags, to jewelries and shades, even to clothes, the intricate details of the designs and the quality of craftsmanship and materials used make these items really expensive and regarded as a work of art. That is why when a woman wears or carries one designer item, it's like she's saying to the world, "I own a work of art" (and "Hey, it's really expensive!"). Really, people look at the designer item and critique it, whether it's authentic or a fake, because there are many imitation designer items out there in the market; sometimes, you can't even tell whether it's fake or not, to the dilemma of the designers. Most of these imitation designer items are made in South Korea, in Bangkok, and other parts of the world.

     So why do women, and men, drool over these designer items? Most probably because of the "ambiance" it brings to your personality, that people will regard you as person with  a "taste" for good quality, that you are "classy". Well, to me, it is simply because they really look good. As a flight attendant before, I used get 20% discount in many duty-free shops  which allowed me to be able to afford to buy some. But with the recession and all, is it really wise to buy designer items? If you will not eat for a month to save your salary, I guess not. But if you are able to save wisely, why not? Do you know that there are lots of second-hand designer bag stores nowadays where you can buy used items for much, much less than the original price? So you can also sell your used designer bags and perhaps buy another. 

     On the practical side, why should you bog your head into buying a designer item? There are other things that matter most in life. Sometime, I ask myself, "So, what's in a signature ("tatak" in Filipino), when I can just buy a "tatak-bo" (my slang for non-Signature item)?" He, he. But if you have more than enough to spare, why not?

     

Everything Under the Sun: "Surrender", a Great Worship Song by Planetshakers

"Surrender", a Great Worship Song by Planetshakers

     When we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, He comes and dwells within us through the Holy Spirit. Although we can never be perfect as Jesus, through His Word He is able to change us from glory to glory. Although, upon receiving Him, our problems do not go away in an instant, but now we can cast our burdens upon Him and He will give us rest. Whatever we need Jesus already shed his blood for so we can have the blessings of God in our life in this life time. All we need to do is surrender our life to Him, surrender all to Him, and all will be well with us. 

     Find inspiration to surrender all to Jesus through this worship song, "Surrender" by Planetshakers, from their album, "All For Love". We sing this song in our church and I sing it as well whenever I have my personal time of prayer and worship. What great love, indeed, that Jesus, has for us that He was willing to die for us so we can have all the blessings that the Father intended for us to have a perfect life. I always remember this and it always reminds me to give Him praise. I praise You, Jesus. 

Everything Under the Sun: Online Bargain Hunting

Online Bargain Hunting

     With the recent and on-going recession everywhere, many housewives, even men and women, are resorting to bargain hunting to stretch their budgets. One way to do this without ever using your feet to walk and go to the stores, is by online shopping. In the comfort of your own home or office, you can go surf for the things you want and even find great bargains that online shops offer. 

    I got inspired to write about this by the article in Family Circle magazine, December 2009, titled "Browsing for Bargains". Even Americans are fond of bargains and more and more shoppers buy from the web than in stores because it's hassle-free and its where you can find the great deals. There's no argument that Amazon.com is the biggest e-retailer, but there are so many online retailers to choose from that competition is so stiff, they'd have to offer the best price for their products. According to the article, an e-shopper's best friend would be the price-comparison search engines but you need to be specific when typing what you're looking for--color, size, etc. plus type the best price or cheapest price. Voila, the list pops up and you can now surf through which ones offer the best price and the best delivery service. When you've found one that offers the best price, see if the web site is listed and go to the product web to see more options you can take or perhaps you can find more items there that you may want to add. 

     I'm also amazed at how people get hooked on E-bay. But the article says that things in E-bay aren't quite the same because you only rely on photos and most of the time the product itself is different from the photo in E-bay. Also, more and more people are buying fixed price products because of the hassle of back-and-forth bidding and most of the time, the bid price seem not so worth the product. Amazon.com offers vast inventories of fixed-price products as well as offers volume pricing for a new club of larger merchant called Diamond Power Sellers.

     TIPS from the article: Keep an eye out for auctions that end late night Pacific time which are likely to attract fewer bidders since people in the Midwest and on the East Coast will be asleep. For us here in the Philippines, you can bid at daytime because people in the U.S. are asleep. Read the fine prints--product description, color, condition, style and check the seller's return policy so you won't get stuck with a poor product. Haggle through e-mail if you can, if you find the shipping fee high. The seller might bite to your price. Don't succumb to "gotta-get-it" fever; set price limits.

     On thing that the article wrote in fine red prints--be careful with your credit card information because hackers have devised a software that can steal private data when you're entering it in your computer. One solution, it said, is the SmartSwipe credit card reader, a device which you can plug into your USB port, load up your online shopping card, then swipe your credit card like any other cashier. The device instantly encrypts data from any major credit card, leaving nothing for the hackers to steal or lift since you will not have to type anything. Well, I just hope this device is available here in the Philippines as well.

Everthing Under the Sun: 'Iron Man 2', A Family Action Movie

'Iron Man 2', A Family Action Movie

     Last Sunday, my husband and I queued for 20 minutes just to watch 'Iron Man 2'. Never mind; it was worth it. Inside the theater, it was wonderful to see families, lots of kids, moving around and shouting, "Iron Man!!" I love action movies and there are only a few action movies which are rated GP (General Patronage). Such is 'Iron Man', the movie because the story came from Marvel comics, makers of comics super-heroes.

     To give you a short summary of this sequel, the film began with the dying Russian physicist, Anton Vanko, who first collaborated with Stark's father, Howard, in creating the first arc reactor--the one which keeps billionaire Tony Stark's (Robert Downey, Jr.) heart ticking. Watching his father die, Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), took his father's things together with the blueprint of the arc reactor. Then the second scene was the opening of Stark Expo, envisioned by Howard Stark, showcasing all the latest inventions that will benefit the world, where Toni Stark dressed as Iron Man made exhibitions of his armor suit. The world knows that he is Iron Man by this time which was revealed at the end of the first movie. Although he managed to bring peace throughout the world through his armor suit, U.S. Senator Stern (Gary Shandling) demanded he turn over his armor to the military , to the delight of his competitor Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) who tried to recreate the technology but failed. Of course, Stark refused. Racing in Monaco, he was attacked by Ivan Vanko who constructed a miniaturized arc reactor of his own and lashed at him with whip-like attachments, but he was able to subdue him and get the reactor, thus Vanko was imprisoned. Discovering that the palladium in his arc reactor has begun to poison his body, Stark makes his girlfriend Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) CEO of his company who provided him with an assistant, Natalie Rushman (Scarlett Johansson), an undercover agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. After a drinking binge which led to a bout with his friend, Lt. Col. James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) who wore one of his armor suits, Stark was found by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) of S.H.I.E.L.D. who gave him a chest that belonged to his father, Howard, to find clues to the cure for his palladium poisoning. This led him to the 1974 diorama of Stark Expo which is a disguised diagram for a new atomic element. Stark synthesized this element which gave him a new triangular chest arc that cured his poisoning. Meanwhile, Ivan Vanko was broken out of prison by Justin Hammer who made him work for him to create Iron Drones which Hammer exhibits in the Stark Expo to avenge his reputation. However, Vanko was in complete control over the drones through a remote computer and as Stark and his friend, Rhodes, were in their suits, the drones were controlled to battle with them, wreaking havoc in the Expo site. While Natalie looked Vanko's control room, Vanko suited himself with his own armor and fought with Iron Man and his friend. Of course, in the end, Vanko dies and Stark and Rhodes were given the medal for bravery by Sen. Stern. But in the post-credits, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent goes to  a New Mexico crater and informing Fury, "They've found it", the crater is shown to contain the hammer of Thor which signals a sequel--Iron Man 3.  

     The movie is action-packed, with lots of flying by Iron Man which the kids loved. It is a great entertainment for the whole family. You can get the DVD of 'Iron Man', the first movie, at Amazon.com.  Here's the link:

Everthing Under the Sun: The Wisdom in Ukay-Ukay Shopping

The Wisdom in Ukay-Ukay Shopping

     Have you ever worn a 'hand-me-down'? I never did but my sisters did because I was the eldest among six children. In the Philippines, it is a common practice of parents, and really a practical one, to make the younger children wear the used clothes of their older kids when they've outgrown them. But, would you wear used clothes of people you don't know? 

     I have a friend in church who belong to the choir just like me. Every month we are given a scheduled color of tops to wear every week (as we are required to wear black or dark-colored pants only)--one Sunday, blue, another Sunday, yellow, and so on. This friend of ours would wear really elegant and nice blouses which look expensive until she revealed her source--Ukay-ukay. She said those blouses only cost her Php40 each and as a widow who relies on her small beauty parlor, she cannot afford to buy expensive clothes in department stores. We were all intrigued by this and eventually asked her to buy for us. But I was intrigued much more than they, so I researched about it further.

   This photo is in an Ukay-ukay store in Baguio City courtesy of Photobucket.

    In a paper written by Ma. Rina Locsin titled "Fashioning a Culture Through Baguio City's Ukay-ukay" published by ACSIS (Advanced Cultural Studies Institute of Sweden) in June 2007 and posted in the web, she said that the term "ukay-ukay" is derived from the Filipino term "hukay" which means to dig up. This term also describes this thriving imported secondhand clothing industry. In her paper, Ms. Locsin has also written about the evolution of the Ukay-ukay industry which I will discuss in my other blog "Awesome Pinoys: Disciples of Philippine Progress" (http://awesomepinoys.blogspot.com/). 

     I went to Bambang in Manila which is called the 'used clothing district' and I found out that these used clothes are classified into Class A, B, C and cram-packed into 250 to 300-pc. bundles sold by wholesalers from Php5,000 to Php10,000 depending on the quality. They also have used signature clothes, unused quality control-reject denims and clothes, shoes and bags. Many entrepreneurs or retailers go there and negotiate with the wholesalers  to buy these bundles which they sell retail in various parts of the country. If you're business-minded, you can do the math, you would learn even from this blog that you can earn from selling Ukay-ukay. The paper by Ms. Locsin also mentioned that the reason why there are more Ukay-ukay shops in Baguio City is because a small group of female Baguio City traders forged an international linkage with the HongKong suppliers in order to assume control of the trade.

     In retail Ukay-ukay stores, the products are classified and displayed in hangers and racks. But there are some which still put them in boxes, which is the original Ukay-ukay style, and shoppers just dig in to find what they like. Many of these clothes are still in good quality and some are signature items with brand names such as DKNY, Zara, H & M, etc. The only thing is, you need to know how to wash them properly. Many are priced from Php35 to Php50, some even give you 3 pcs. for Php100 and Php200 for a signature item. Many a lady's eyes have popped because of great finds in these shops for such a small price to pay compared to the ones you buy in the department stores for the same amount of money. 

    Remember the commercial of a detergent aired in our local television? A 'lavandera' or laundry woman can afford to buy a party dress in Ukay-ukay for her daughter who conveniently told her friend that it was from U.K. Funny, but this is one of the benefits of this industry--making fashion available to everyone including those who can't afford.  

    

Everything Under the Sun: Holy Week-end Get-Away

Holy Week-end Get-Away

      We didn't plan on going somewhere this Holy Week-end holiday. But because of the intense summer heat, we decided to join my brother and sister-in-law in her villa in Puerto Azul in Ternate, Cavite. We left Thursday morning and went home Friday after lunch. Although it was a very short vacation, we still enjoyed the rest and relaxation, the "kwentuhan" (telling stories), the eating, and the swimming. The photo above shows the view from the unit where we stayed at Ocean Villas.

     Wow! It was a miracle for us because there was no traffic in SLEX going to Cavite that Thursday morning. Perhaps everyone went to the North or everyone left Wednesday. Anyway, it was great favor for us.

 

    The entrance to the much un-maintained Puerto Azul.

     This is the beach at Ocean Villas. It wasn't good for swimming because it had so much sea weeds and trash in the sand, plus many jelly fish, the kind that don't sting. The beach smells fishy, as well. The view was okay, though.

 

    This Korean or Japanese seem to enjoy flying his kite, instead of swimming.

This is the beach in the country club. It is well-maintained. Although the sand looks black, it's better than the one in near the Ocean Villas. But we had to pay Php200 per head to enter and enjoy both the beach and the pool.

 

    The pool was clean and invitingly cool. When you enter, you get free usage of those open huts with tables and chairs. There's also a restaurant inside where you can buy drinks and stuff but the price of one bottled water is Php50.

     

    Hey, you can also jet-ski here but I don't know if you can rent one. Well, others just enjoy the shades those trees provide while watching the jet skiers or, simply, enjoying the sites.

     Well, that's all, folks. It was short but it was worth it taking all these pictures to share with you.

Everything Under the Sun: Shopping at Amazon.com

Shopping at Amazon.com

      I've recently joined the Amazon Associates program, as many bloggers have, recently, I suppose. After joining the program, I browsed into the various departments that Amazon.com offers and I found out that they have almost everything that you may ever need. Their departments include Books; Movies, Music and Games; Digital Downloads; Kindle, Amazon's wireless reading device; Computers and Office; Home and Garden; Grocery, Health and Beauty; Toys, Kids and Baby; Clothing, Shoes, and Jewelry; Sports and Outdoors;  and Tools, Auto and Industrial. Below these departments are sub-departments. Here's one department you may be interested in, Home and Garden. Under Home and Garden, they have Kitchen and Dining; Furniture and Decor; Bedding and Bath; Home Appliances; Vacuum and Storage; Home Improvement; Patio, Lawn and Garden; Pet Supplies; and Sewing, Craft and Hobby. In the Kitchen and Dining sub-department, you find small appliances, cookwares, dinnerwares, tablewares, kitchen tools and gadgets, kitchen furniture, kitchen and table linens, etc. You can just imagine what's more in store under those other departments. Amazon.com is truly an online department store.


     What interests me now is the Kindle department. This is actually the first time I've heard of wireless reading device and that is what Kindle is. It is very light and thin and holds up to 1,500 books which you download after purchasing it from the Kindle book library of Amazon.com. Books are delivered to you wirelessly in about 60 seconds. You don't need wi-fi or any connections because Kindle has 3G wireless coverage using GSM technology. What's more? You can use the Kindle wireless reading device here in the Philippines as well.

     So, what are you waiting for. Shop now!!