I was in first grade when I started to get hooked on books and filled up several library cards every school year from constant borrowing. In high school, I once received an anonymous note (still tucked somewhere inside a box in my childhood home) that said, "You irritate me because you're always reading!" In my mind, I simply answered, "Whoever you are, I wouldn't expect ignorant people like you to understand why I love to read!"



Honestly, I was surprised to find out that famous author, Anna Quindlen, had a similar experience during her childhood. Somehow, it feels nice to know that I wasn't alone in being "persecuted" for having that insatiable urge to read. 

Although I have been a fan of her work for years, I only recently got my hands on "How Reading Changed My Life," which my son kindly borrowed for me from his school's library. Thankfully, their online catalog makes it easy to check what titles are available. 

Unfortunately, I had to leave all my books in the Philippines when we moved to California a few months ago and I am still unable to build my personal library here due to space constraints. In the meantime, I have to be content reading borrowed titles and writing down passages that deeply resonated with me instead of highlighting them on the pages of tomes that I own.



Here's preserving in this blog post the quotes I liked most in the book so I would be able to come back to them more easily any time I'd want to. I hope that fellow bookworms and writers reading this would also appreciate the following lovely thoughts and messages ...

"Experience, emotion, landscape. The world is as layered as the earth, life cumulative with books. The eyewitnesses die, the written word lives forever."

"We read in bed because reading is halfway between life and dreaming, our own consciousness in someone else's mind."

"All of reading is really only finding ways to name ourselves and, perhaps, to name the others around us so that they will no longer seem like strangers ... I am not alone. I am surrounded by words that tell me who I am, why I feel what I feel." 



my second son, who's now 22, already had numerous articles  published in newspapers and magazines since he was 13

"We are writers. We danced with the words, as children, in what became familiar patterns. The words became our friends and our companions, and without saying it aloud, a thought danced with them. I can do this. This is who I am."

"Perhaps it is true at base we readers are dissatisfied people, yearning to be elsewhere, to live vicariously through words in a way we cannot live directly through life. Perhaps we are the world's greatest nomads, if only in our minds."

"This is what I like about traveling: the time on airplanes spent reading, solitary, happy. It turns out that when my younger self thought of taking wing, she wanted only to let her spirit soar. Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination and the journey. They are home."

"In books I have traveled, not only to other worlds, but into my own. I learned who I was and who I wanted to be, what I might aspire to, and what I might dare to dream about my world and myself."

books as exchange gifts with fellow writers during our 2016 Christmas party

"There was waking, and there was sleeping. And then there were books, a kind of parallel universe in which anything might happen and frequently did, a universe in which I might be a newcomer but never really a stranger."

Deeply beautiful stuff, huh? What I love most about Anna Quindlen's writings is her ability to clearly express what she wants to say in finely crafted sentences that are a delight to read. If you like what you've read here, I suggest you look for "How Reading Changed My Life" and her other titles. Although I like her novels, I love her nonfiction works more -- "Loud and Clear," "Thinking Out Loud," "Living Out Loud," "A Short Guide to a Happy Life," and "Being Perfect" -- and miss my personal copies very much.

If you're also an Anna Quindlen fan, do share in the comments section which of her works touched your heart the most. I'd love to read your stories, too!

The millennial consumer market is a huge one. It's no wonder brands often align their marketing strategies to appeal to this younger generation of spenders. While it's good that young people nowadays seem to have better purchasing power, they also need to be educated on how to properly manage their hard-earned salaries. This is so they can also enjoy the fruits of their labor when they get much older.

FWD Life, the country's fastest growing insurance company (read about their Philippine launch in 2014, here), partnered with Wattpad, the global multiplatform entertainment company for original stories, to revolutionize financial education via the Piso Tales advocacy campaign.

Piso Tales, a one-of-a-kind initiative that aims to bring financial literacy closer to the Philippines' rapidly expanding millennial market, is geared towards changing the way people learn and share financial stories. FWD passionately worked with three Filipino Wattpad authors in coming up with stories showcasing how millennials can succeed financially in life.

Chris Stefanyk, Wattpad Business Operations and Strategy Lead, expressed, "FWD Life's Piso Tales Campaign will empower a new generation of Filipinos to take control of their finances to prepare for their and their loved ones' future."

During an intimate gathering for the media and several Wattpad fans held at Fully Booked in Bonifacio High Street recently, Wattpad subscribers were encouraged to read the following stories:

Did you know? Every month, Filipinos spend 500 million minutes engaged in stories about the things they love! With a total monthly audience of six million, Wattpad is a good channel to spread and make financial literacy relevant and entertaining for millions of Filipino millennials. According to Adspark Business Director Miki Yuhiko, "Through this, I hope we make financial literacy easier and more digestible for our target market."

"At FWD, Piso Tales is truly close to our heart. As a company which aims to encourage Filipinos to live life without hesitation, we are delighted to breathe life to the Piso Tales campaign," illustrated Roche Vandenberghe, FWD Life Philippines' Head of Marketing. 

She said that they recognize the potential of the country's millennial market and that, "Through this advocacy, we are reaching out to a huge segment that has been, thus far, quite underserved in terms of financial education."

"Our partnership with Wattpad is premised on the idea that financial literacy need not be boring," added Vandenberghe who pointed out that Piso Tales is entirely aligned with their vision to change the way people feel about insurance.

Just a few hours after the upload of the last chapters on Wattpad last December 16, the stories already garnered 35,000 readers / views proving how effective this way is in reaching Piso Tales' intended audience. "Let this be a new way of sharing money talks!" concluded Vandenberghe. 

  

Parents, I believe, are the best teachers who should guide our children towards a successful future. Unfortunately, many of us are not equipped to transfer adequate knowledge about personal finance. 

my son, at age 9, already learned that small things add up over time

That's one of my frustrations, actually -- my generation's lack of education on properly handling money. Filipinos are fortunate these days though because so many resources are available to those who are willing to learn. 

As part of my personal advocacy to help improve fellow Filipinos' financial literacy, I am giving away a set of two personal finance books each to two of my readers, courtesy of CSM Publishing, a publisher of many helpful and inspiring books.  

two sets of books for two winners!

Manila's much awaited yearly book fair is happening this September and Church Strengthening Ministry (CSM) Publishing will once again offer big discounts, book signings, and a large selection of good reads. 

The 36th Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) is a great avenue for publishers and authors to meet the community of Filipino readers. CSM Publishing, a pioneer of the P100 Book Craze, has set the benchmark of promoting the Filipino talents through its homegrown pool of authors. The sale, offering titles at low prices, provides book lovers an early Christmas shopping experience where they can find good gifts for their loved ones.

This 2015, CSM is launching a solid all-Filipino book lineup from different generations with quality content good for people of all ages. Here are some offerings to look out for:

Readers of Precious Hearts Romances usually only know book authors by their pseudonyms or pen names. Most of the time, fans of a certain book series don't even know what their favorite author looks like. That is, until they attend a Grand Fans Day organized by Precious Pages Corporation, publisher of the popular Tagalog romance pocketbooks.

Recently, a lively crowd of PHR readers gathered at SM North Edsa to catch a glimpse of their favorite authors and join in celebrating Precious Pages' 25th Anniversary. The grand fans day coincided with the launching of 25 Most Precious -- a coffee table book featuring the top bestselling, most prolific, and most pioneering Tagalog romance writers of the last two and a half decades in a 160-page hardbound, premium limited edition.  

25 Most Precious is not only recommended to be a must-read and must-have for fans and readers of PHR, but also for aspiring writers who would like to follow in the footsteps of the popular authors featured there. The stories expound on the 25 writers' lives and the inspiring stories behind the women who have captured the hearts of millions of Filipino readers here and abroad. 

Underprivileged Filipino kids have seen happier and brighter Christmases for the past 19 years thanks to Jollibee's Maaga ang Pasko annual toy and book drive. For those who still don't know, this campaign had its roots from celebrity Aga Muhlach's simple desire to share his blessings by bringing happiness to a few children during the Yuletide season through gifts of toys. "I was doing Oki Doki Dok at the time and I was really attached to kids."

During the Maaga ang Pasko launch in Jollibee Canlubang, Aga shared how he held a show in the old Delta Theater in Quezon City two decades ago and asked people to bring toys as entrance fees instead of selling tickets. Thus, he was thrilled to find the perfect partner in Jollibee which helped make the advocacy even better. 

Aga attributes the growth of the campaign to the popular Filipino brand. "I knew if I wanted [the advocacy] to go nationwide … kung ako lang, ilan lang ang mararating ko at kaya kong puntahan … so sabi ko, Jollibee is the right venue for this, and hindi ako nagkamali. Umabot na s'ya ng 20 years at lumaki ng ganito kalaki because of Jollibee talaga."

I've been a voracious reader since I was three or four years old and I've raised my kids to love books as well. For me, it doesn't matter what kind of wholesome reading materials they'd like to buy (comics, paperback, magazines, etc.) as long as they read. I'm glad though that through the years, many of the locally-printed books we have accumulated, mostly by Filipino authors, come from OMF Literature, Inc.

Son #4's children's storybooks collection started with a Mga Kwento ni Tito Dok volume published by Hiyas (also under OMF Lit) and written by Dr. Luis Gatmaitan. It was soon followed with more Hiyas books and then books for teens that are also carried by OMF Lit.

For the past few years we've been getting to meet our well-loved Hiyas authors like Doc Luis, Ms. Jojie Wong, and Ms. Grace Chong who pens the Oh! Mateo series that my youngest also loves to read. Needless to say, my not-so-little-one-anymore was thrilled to see them in the flesh.

Me? I also have lots of books by OMF Lit and many of them continue to be sources of encouragement and inspiration. 

Grace, Marlene, Malu, Yay, and Nelson photo borrowed from Ate Marlene's FB photo album

Two days ago, OMF held it's very first event for bloggers where they introduced some of their authors. I was glad to see Ate Grace again as well as my other writer-friends Yay Padua-Olmedo and Marlene Legaspi-Munar. 

Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Dy

I also got to meet Sir Nelson Dy and his lovely wife for the first time although I've already interviewed him once for a magazine article via email three years ago.

Also present were Malu Tiongson-Ortiz, Ronald Molmisa, and Robert Magnuson. It was a fun night because we played games, met new friends, and got to take home new books. 

Now, OMF Lit has titles that are also available digitally! If you prefer reading on your electronic device  instead of carrying a book or two around all the time, this format is for you. On it's 55th year, OMF Lit is initially offering 55 eBooks that aim to inspire their readers. Find out more at http://www.omflit.com/.

Launching a book for kids is not complete without fun activities. I accompanied my son to Powerbooks Greenbelt 4 yesterday so he can attend the launch of Foldabots Toy Book 5 created by Jomike Tejido.

The activity area was already quite full when we arrived. Lots of boys and girls were seated on the provided table and were already at work drawing their versions of the robots featured in the book. My son joined them and came up with a pretty good version of Saurotron despite the tight time sked (we were late!).

Next, the jovial host, who's wearing a foldabot costume no less, facilitated a trivia game about foldabots which several boys joined. I had no idea what they were talking about most of the time (LOL!) but it's impressive how many of the kids know the answers.

Later, all participants were given materials with which to create their own foldabot robots with. I could see many of the kids concentrating really hard so they could cut the pieces perfectly so these, in turn, could be made into a perfect robot.

The host also called out a different set of kids to join another game using cups. Yey, a girl won! 

Before everyone went home, Jomike Tejido, creator of Foldabots, signed the kids' books and gamely had his photo taken with them. 

I like the concept of Foldabots because it not only exercises a child's fine motor skills (when doing the cut-outs and assembling the robots), it also encourages imagination and creativity. Parents would also love the Filipino touch because the robots have names like Kalasag, Barena, Sungay, Pangil, etc. I hope this would pique the kids' curiosity enough to find out what the words mean because I'm sure very few of them do. 

Jomike Tejido's Foldabots Toy Book 5 features all new diadrones. The volume, which sells for P195, contains materials for building 16 robots and 4 combiners. They are like the Pinoy versions of Transformers because each cardboard robot can also be made into another form like an animal or a vehicle. 

So, if you have creative kids who are good with their hands, have them try assembling their own foldabots! Who knows, they might be the next Jomike Tejido several years from now :)

* If your kid joined this event, check out if I was able to take his/her picture. You can view more photos of this book launch here.

The Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Eco-region (SSME) spans the bountiful seas of the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. It is considered the global center for marine diversity that includes the Coral Triangle. This area spans a million square kilometers of land and sea. About 40 million people depend on its biodiversity for their livelihood.

Carla M. Pacis, the collection's author, is a professor at De La Salle University where she teaches art, literature and creative writing. She won a PBBY-Salanga Writer’s Prize in 1998 and a Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Award in 1995.

A Sea of Stories includes: 

The original illustrations were exhibited and were up for sale during the book launch last February 8 at the Manila Polo Club in Makati, while the author and artists took time out to sign books.

For more information, please contact Bookmark at +02.895.8061-65, email: bookmark@globelines.com.ph or visit the website www.bookmarkthefilipinobookstore.com.

Every Filipino knows Goldilocks, not only as the storybook character, but as the bakeshop that sells cakes for all occasions. In fact, even balikbayans, like my relatives, would always buy pasalubong from Goldilocks for their friends and loved ones abroad every time they leave the Philippines.

All these years, Goldilocks' signature bakeshop favorites have been part of Filipino families' celebrations. A lot of us are probably very familiar with the taste of the fluffy mamon, cheesy ensaymada, ever-soft chiffon cake slices, the classic polvoron, mocha roll, chewy brownies, and more.

Yesterday, I finally got to hear the story how Goldilocks began. The first store was put up along Pasong Tamo, Makati in May 1966 by sisters Milagros and Clarita along with their sister-in-law Doris. All three shared a passion for baking, cake-decorating, and cooking. They developed each recipe and built the company to what it is today.

The book features a collection of 108 recipes. It took seven years in the making, endless kitchen-testing, along with the efforts of a dedicated team that aimed to pass on a priceless legacy to loyal Goldilocks customers.

This fitting tribute to Mrs. Milagros Yee and Mrs. Clarito Go was envisioned by Freddie Go, Sr., Goldilocks' Chairman of the Board. The two ladies are the ones who tirelessly pursued to perfect each Goldilocks product.

Discover recipes from every page of the Goldilocks Bakebook to create sweet treats for your family and create lasting memories of your own.

If you are a book lover like me, I am sure you also wait annually for the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) to be held once again. This year, the MIBF will run from September 14-18 at the SMX Convention Center and OMF Lit Bookshop wants to share the love of reading with everyone through exciting big discounts, exciting new homegrown and licensed titles, plus fun activities and events for readers (and aspiring readers too!) of all ages.

All books at the OMF Lit Bookshop booths at Aisle D will be slashed 20% off. But if you show an I Read Postcard there, you can avail of selected titles at 30% off! You can get the postcards for free at any OMF Lit Bookshop in the Metro Manila area. It includes a free entrance ticket to the fair itself.

Moreover, avid readers can look forward to the launch of new titles from both Filipino and international authors:

• Hula, Multo, Faith Healing Atbp by Pastor Hiram Pangilinan explains the different occult practices in the Philippines and how people can break free from them

• Pass or Fail by Ronald Molmisa, a practical and relevant book that teaches young people how to be the best student ever (in Taglish format)

• Solo Flight by Grace Chong and Francie Castaneda-Lacanilao, a guide to single women and how they can make the most of their lives

• The Last Man Dancing: The Nestor de Villa Story by Gicky Soriano, a biography of Mr. De Villa and his faith journey, written by his son

• Oh Mateo 14: Tree for All by Grace Chong which teaches kids good stewardship and taking care of the environment

• The Great Crocodile and Duck Race by Robert Magnuson which teaches kids to get along while at play

• Bee Safe by Joyce Piap Go, a practical and informative book that teaches kids how to be safe in their environment

• Dopple Ganger Chronicles Vol 2: The Secret of Indigo Moon by G.P Taylor, a graphic novella featuring more adventures from twins Sadie and Saskia and their friend Eric

• Cupidity by Hayley and Michael DiMarco talks about 50 stupid things people do for love and how you can avoid them

• Making Room for Leadership by MaryKate Morse, a practical study on the gift of power of servant-leadership

• Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married by Gary Chapman, a practical little book, packed with wisdom and tips that will help many develop the loving, supportive and mutually beneficial marriage men and women long for

• Think by John Piper brings together the life of the mind and the love of God

• What Women Don't Know (and Men Don't Tell You) by Michelle McKinney Hammond and Joel A. Brooks Jr features the unspoken rules of finding lasting love

• Workplace Grace by William Carr Peel and Walt Larrimore which deals with becoming a spiritual influence at work

Get a chance to meet and greet these home-grown authors on the following dates:

o Joyce Piap Go - September 14

o Francie Castaneda-Lacanilao - September 14

o Grace Chong - September 14

o Hiram Pangilinan - September 16

o Gicky Soriano - September 16

o Ronald Molmisa - September 17

To find out more about all the activities and happenings at the OMF Lit booth, log on to www.omflit.com, like them on Facebook or follow @omflit on Twitter.

BOOK GIVEAWAY:  Notice the book titles above that are highlighted in RED? You can win one of those! Here's how:

1. Like the OMF Lit and  Write, Breathe, Live pages on Facebook.

2. Attach the link of this blog post (http://mommywrites.blogspot.com/2011/09/omf-lit-brings-inspiration-instruction.html) on your status message then write, “I’d like to win (name of book) from OMF Lit (tagged) via Write, Breathe, Live (tagged)!”

3. Make sure that your status message is set to be viewed by “Everyone” and not just “Friends Only” or “Friends of Friends”. Your post must appear in OMF Lit's and WBL’s walls to qualify.

4. Deadline for posting of status messages will be at 12mn on Thursday (Sept. 15). One winner will receive Solo Flight and another winner will receive Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Got Married via electronic raffle using Random.Org.

Winners can claim their book from the OMF Lit booth at the MIBF on Sept. 16, 17, or 18. I will PM you more details after the announcement of winners on the morning of the 16th. 

For more information, call OMF Literature at 531.6635 or visit OMFLit.com. 

Edit: Sept. 16, 2:45 AM - Congratulations to Richard Bragais Boqueo for winning Solo Flight and to Jamaica Puertos Satana for winning Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married. I will PM you in a while on how you can claim your books at the MIBF. Thanks so much for joining :)

Last month, I posted a press release in my other blog about CSM’s (Church Strengthening Ministry) “Ito ang Pinoy” promo for the MIBF (Manila International Book Fair) happening this Sept. 14-18 at SMX Mall of Asia. They will be selling books at only 100 bucks each! More details about it here.

Drop by their booth (numbers 40-42) to check out lots of book titles that may help change your life for the better. Look for these two titles in particular: 

The Promised Child – This book has 46 easy-to-read Bible stories that kids would not find hard to understand. This can be used by Sunday School teachers in church or by mom and dad during family devotions. 

There is a discussion guide section that parents can read to help them fully maximize the book’s purpose. There’s also an Overview Chart that includes story titles, Bible truths for each story, applications or lessons to be learned, memory verses, Gospel connection, and a song list. 

Each story is about a page long. Right after that is a list of guide questions you can ask kids to find out if they understood the story. The Application part challenges readers how they can apply what they learned in their own lives. Aside from a Memory Verse, there’s also a specific prayer concern indicated in the Prayer Time section. 

The book includes a CD of songs. There are certain songs recommended for certain stories. In addition, an Optional Activity encourages kids’ creativity through arts and crafts they could make to reinforce the recent story’s lessons.

The Heart of the Economic Crisis – This handy book was written by trainer and speaker Rene Resurreccion, bestselling author of Called to Excel. Here, he discusses that the Bible teaches a pattern of thought and behavior for people who will thrive and succeed in the midst of crisis. 

As a contributing writer for a finance magazine, it is also my personal advocacy to help people understand the importance of savings and investments to ensure a good future. Thus, I believe that this book would help enlighten readers who, up to now, haven’t realized why they can’t seem to get out of debt and other avoidable financial obligations. 

This small but information-packed book is not only filled with Biblical and modern day stories that readers would be able to relate to but also contains statistics on the economy to show people why and how it is possible to get out of a life filled with debts to a life that follows a cycle of blessings that will continue even if the country, or the world, is faced with another economic crisis.

Head on to Church Strengthening Ministry's Pre-Inventory Sale happening this June 13-24 at the CSM Bldg. in Pascor Drive, Sto. Nino Paranaque City.

Featured books include those authored by: John Maxwell, Francis Kong, Maloi Salumbides, Ken Blanchard, Chinkee Tan, Bill Hybels, Eric Maliwat, Henry Blackaby, Beth Moore, Rene Resurreccion, Bob Sjogren, Joey Umali, Gary Chapman, Patrick Morley, and more.

You'll also get a free mug for every P500 purchase :) For more details, please visit CSM's website, email
csmmarketing@gmail.com or go to their Facebook fan page.

In my eyes, black and/or white clothes look the most elegant. When I saw Freeway's newest National Artist Collectors' Series, I knew I'd love to own one. My fascination not just stemmed from the stylishly beautiful designs, but also from the wonderful prints that feature quotes from the writings of living Philippine National Artist Francisco Sionil Jose. As someone who has been writing essays since my elementary school days, I find that very cool, indeed.

Freeway's tribute was held last May 31 at The Row, Glorietta 5. The intimate gathering celebrated the life and works of F. Sionil Jose. It was attended by members of traditional and online media, other special guests, and friends and family of Mr. Jose. Prima Ballerina. Ballet Manila's Artistic Director, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde hosted the event.

We watched a video presentation of F. Sionil Jose's life then listened to excerpts from his works which were read by dramatic actress Cherie Gil and musician/poet/journalist/artist Lourd De Veyra. The readings were accompanied by live classical guitar played by Ferdie Medina, a UP College of Music instructor who happens to be a colleague and good friend of my brother, who's also a UP CMu faculty member.

Ms. Cherie read from "The Pretenders" and the famous "Ermita", while Lourd read from "Tree" and "The God Stealer". Both interpretations made the words come more alive from the printed pages of literature. The excerpts were carefully chosen by Philippine Inquirer Editor Lito Zulueta.

The whole collection was showcased for the first time that night and will be available in all stores by the first of June. Freeway features some of F. Sionil Jose's well-known works in graphic tees, modern tailored woven tops, dresses, and accessories. All items come with a printed seal, a bio-swing tag, and packaged in the signature National Artist Collectors Series envelope.

This Fall 2011 Collection is the 5th in the National Artists Collectors' Series. In the past, Freeway has also paid homage to National Artists Nick Joaquin (Literature), Ang Kiukok (Visual Arts), Jose Garcia Villa (Literature) and Ramon Valera (Fashion Design).

Each guest was given a personalized autographed copy of F. Sionil Jose's book To the Young Writer and Other Essays. I super appreciate this unexpected and very valuable gift. Thanks a bunch Freeway!

To know more about the collection, visit www.freeway.net.ph. Get fresher updates at their Facebook Fan Page and Twitter

Edit June 11: Dropped by Freeway Glorietta 5 earlier with the intention to buy one item from the collection.  I had such a hard time choosing, I came out of the store with three :p

OMF Literature, one of my favorite bookstores, is having another awesome R.O.B. (Raid Our Bookshop) Ultimate Sale!

Over 200 books will be sold at 40% off! Click here to see the list of titles you can get at great prices Get "forty-fied" until May 31, 2011.

My highly recommended choices: Gifts of Grace books 1, 2, 3 by Ms. Grace Chong. I love all three books! The stories are very inspiring and you'll really have a lot of food for thought after reading each story.

One of the signs that let me know I really have a lot of things on my plate is that I barely have time anymore to read for pleasure :( Nowadays, I read books and articles for research purposes which do not bring the same satisfaction.

I love reading and I enjoy poring over the pages of the many books and magazines I have at home. Unfortunately, as my workload became heavier and heavier in recent months, I found myself yearning for those times I could snuggle in bed with a good book and finish one within a few hours.

A few weeks ago, I chanced upon a pack of eight cassette tapes in Booksale. It's the audio version of a book I have entitled Emma's Secret, the fourth in the highly acclaimed A Woman of Substance series by Barbara Taylor Bradford. I figured, I could make use of an old Walkman we have at home and hear the story being read by someone else. Thanks to rechargeable batteries, I won't have to spend a lot on powering the gadget up like what we usually did ten or so years ago.

Joy of joys, I was able to listen to the first two tapes while I was folding clothes the other night. "So that's how audio books work!" I thought wonderingly having had no time to even download free audio books in mp3 format which, I've been told, are already available in many websites.

It was nice revisiting the story via another medium. I found that  it's easy to "read" by ear while I do what I call mindless chores (ironing clothes, sweeping the floor, washing the dishes, etc.). When I visit Booksale again,  I'll be sure to look for more audio books in cassette and CD formats for the meantime because I don't think I'll have the patience, or the time, to download audio books online yet.

Reposting from http://isangbata.blogspot.com/

ISANG BATA sends out a call for books to build a library for elementary school children. Donations will go to Cabasagan Elementary School in Lanao del Norte. The books will be turned over on April 26, 2011. The school doesn't have a library, doesn't have one decent book. It's a run-down school damaged during conflict in 2008. Cabasagan is a remote barangay in Lanao.

Please consider donating. Getting some help to the children there is a RARE opportunity.

If you need more details, please email my friend, Ime at blubitel@yahoo.com or text her through 09179378617.

Edit March 31: OMF Lit just featured this blog post in their blog! Check out the re-post here. Thanks OMF! :)

Joining the workforce for the first time after graduating from college can be overwhelming. I remember feeling lost the first time I worked in an office. At the time, I didn't know much about office protocols and how best to make a mark in the corporate world. All I instinctively knew was that I had to do the tasks I was told to do with no questions asked.

I wished there was a book back then that I could have read to give me better guidance on the right things to say, what to do, how to make the right choices, etc. etc. inside a working environment.

New graduates are given that chance now. Grab a copy of Going Up? Making Right Choices at Work by Yay Padua-Olmedo. It is something you should read even before you apply for a job or start at one. It is also a good read for those who have been working for a long time and who'd like to have a refresher on office etiquette. With this, you can gain new insights which you can apply in everyday work scenarios.

My copy of the book is filled with highlighted passages that really spoke to and inspired me. Here's sharing some of them:

On putting value to a first job - "The working man has value, no matter how far down on the organizational ladder he is ... All of us are learners, and work attitude is more important that a job title."

On taking risks - "Whether or not you consider yourself in the league of extraordinary inventors when it comes to creativity, you can believe you are an inveterate problem-solver, because it has been hard-wired into your psyche."

On being proactive - "But see, bosses can take things for granted. They may assume that you know. By all means ... ask for the guidelines that will enable you to do the job well."

On professionalism -"Your reputation for dependability grows a little every time you commit to do something and fulfill your promise ... Your trust rating goes up or down depending on how you fulfill your superiors' expectations."

There are more nuggets of wisdom to be learned in this little, but fully-packed, book. Discover them for yourself and use them to your advantage whether you are just starting on a new job or have already been working for quite some time. You may also want to give it as a gift to a young friend or relative who will soon be transitioning from university life into the corporate world.

This book is published by OMF Literature and is available in all their branches.