Monday Pride!

Hello folks! Another beautiful Monday has come...hope you are all feeling good and beautiful! Because I am!!!

On a side note, before I do my traditional Monday Fever, let me say this out loud -

One of the most important part of making love is that...it allows you, from time to time, to fall in love again...IT Guy and I are damn lucky to get to do it for 5 years now!

Monday Fever means...Monday is about FUN...more than MANIC and should be full of MUSIC! So, I will do them all here...as usual!

This week's Fun Monday host is Lisa, and her fun task is -

A quirk is defined as a peculiarity of action, behavior, or personality; mannerism. We are all unique individuals, having quirks that help make us who we are. I would like to know what your quirks are. Confess to one, confess to ten, you decide. Just come back Monday ready to spill the beans, the rest of the world may look at you like you are from Mars, but you‘re among friends here. We won’t laugh, in fact that eccentricity just may endear you to us more.

About weeks ago, I did a more or less similar post...as I was tagged by Grey, that was my Quirky Quirks...but for fun, let me do it again here and let me add some to that list.

Here are some of Mariposa's quirks...

(1) I always have my coffee with orange juice (or any fruit juice!).
(2) Milk should always be cold...and that's the only way for my system to tolerate it.
(3) I'm a slave to massage...and if you are allergic to giving massages, please stay away from me! LOL I ask IT Guy to massage my hand...foot...shoulder while watching TV...and that's true to all the people in the house and my friends... And on the top of that...I get a real, regular massage always and often (read as at least twice a week!).
(4) I remember things by associating them with events (actions). Like for instance, in college, studying works best for me if I do it while watching TV or listening to music, because I get to relate it with some particular scenes/ lyrics. And it always works for me!
(5) I love garlic bread (especially the stick bread) but I only eat it with banana.
(6) And finally, I think my biggest quirk is buying neck ties! Yup, I keep buying neck ties...every time I go shopping and I pass by a nice tie, I buy it. I just keep them all, and as soon as I meet someone...or see someone with a shirt which I think would go best in one of those ties, I give it to them. And I've been doing it since college...of course IT Guy got most it! LOL

So much for the things I imagine to be only me doing...please check the other FUN quirks at Lisa's Chaos!

Now...for Manic Monday, Mo's theme for the week is PRIDE. Once again...I beg for your indulgence, but I so miss Japan right now for whatever reason and I just want to be united with that part of me so, I'm posting this song, my Music Monday entry as well...with lyrics you can read but can't understand! LOL I really love this song...so much that I can't move my fingers to type its translations... I'm just too overwhelmed to translate it...

This is song is PRIDE by Imai Miki. She is a good singer and I love her songs...and this is one my favorite of hers!

KB...you can sing with me...and maybe you can give more justice in translating this song than me...I'm sharing this song with you. :)

Watashi wa ima, Minami no
Hitotsu boshi wo, Miagete Chikatta
Don'na toki mo, Hohoemi wo tayasazu ni
Aruite Yukou to, Anata wo omou to
Tada Setsunakute, Namida wo
Nagashite wa, Hoshi ni negai wo
Tsuki ni inori wo, Sasageru tamedake ni
Ikite kita, Dakedo ima wa
Anata e no ai koso ga, Watashi no puraido
Yasashisa towa, Yurushiau koto wo shiru
Saigo no shinjitsu, Wagamama sae
Itoshiku omoeta nara, Hontou ni Shiawase
Anata wa watashi ni, Jiyuu to kodoku wo
Oshiete kureta hito, Yoru ga kuru tabi ni
Mukuchi ni natte, Furueru kata wo
Dakishimete ita, Dakedo ima wa
Anatawa e no ai koso ga, watashi no puraido
Itsuka watashi mo, Sora wo toberu hazu
Zutto shinjite ita, Tsubasa ga attara
Tonde yuku noni, Anata no mune ni
Ima sugu ni demo, Miagete mite
Minami no hitotsu, Hoshi wo
Suteki na sora deshou, Watashi wa ima
Anata e no ai dake ni, Waratte naiteru

To see more QUIRKS...PRIDES...and MUSIC...please check the following wonderful hosts...

Mo for Manic Monday...

SMID for Music Monday...

Lisa for Fun Monday...

I'm Back!

without internet

for a week is horrific

saying it mildly

lousy ISP,

with CRAPtacular service,

is so much fun - NOT!

after a week of

ranting...yelling and begging

my internet's back!

and now that im back

i just dont know what to say

except, that i'm back!

For more Haiku, please visit A Mommy Story!

Put them in it's own place, please!

Don't litter...

...and the world will be better!

For Friday's 40-or-less Photo Challenge this week, we're asked to share our response to this photo.

Does it make you think pollution?
Needing to find a bathroom after drinking mass quantities of liquid?
Can you see a spiritual correlation?
Does a snappy caption come to mind?
Are you challenged to step up your environmental stewardship?
And, I dare anyone to wax poetic over TRASH!

Join us at Robin's Place!

The Kaizen Way

So many things to thank God for...

I'd like to thank all the people who prayed for me and wish me well...Mariposa is now better! Praise God for giving me wonderful friends and for having them around when I need them most...in life and in here!

I'm also thankful for the coming back of a friend, Jan of Dream Weaver's Web! Jan is one of the first people here whom I've made friends with...and she inspires me in her own special way. She is a very gentle, loving, thoughtful, intelligent woman...and my heart is just so filled with joy to see her back! Please...let me beg for your indulgence once again...and allow me to promote her site here! If you could visit here and just give her a warm hello so she feels she is very welcome...I'd take it as a great favor...and I can do all your Memes if you want! Ha!

Today, I just turned 2-years with my Company. Two years of hard fought battle to get what I believe will help the organization drive success...two years of joys...pains...rantings...wtf moments... It was an interesting journey...and for the most part...a humbling experience.

I'd like to thank God for the gift of wisdom and health to enable me to do my job. I'm thankful for the opportunity to work with a wonderful boss...very loving, caring and understanding! I'm thanking for meeting alot of wonderful people...and for the gift of friendships.

I'm thankful for Nico...the only person who made me stay when I wanted to quit a week after I got the job...and for his patience in taking my calls and listening to my rants. He always throw the challenge back at me every time I'm ready give it all up...

I'm also thankful for finding another best friend! KB...of all people...I never thought we would click together... Thank you for reaching out...and the day I decided to say "hello" to you the second despite our first meeting is one of the best decision I've done in my life...for I have found a wonderful friendship with you. Very unique...very true...very inspiring...

But what does Mariposa do?! Mariposa is a Process Improvement Evangelist...that is how I call myself...and for the most part...I'm very much thankful to God for guiding me in the creation of the company's own Management System Standards complying several other industry standard such ISO and COPC.

So allow me to share with you 13 of my favorite quotes on Kaizen or the way to continuous improvement, not only at work...but in life!

(1) "The most important choice you make is what you choose to make important." -Michael Neill

(2) "You must BE the change you want to see in the world." -Mahatma Gandhi

(3) "If we improved any single process in our business by just 1%, or even 0.1%, but we did that every single day - what do you think the effects would be in a month? In a year? In five years?" -Unknown Author

(4) "From now on, if you're part of this team you have two jobs: Doing your job and Improving your job." -Unknown Author

(5) "Continuous Improvement is not a one-off project or 'flavour of the month'... it is a constant and never-ending commitment backed up by action. " -Author Unknown

(6) "The essence of Kaizen is gradual (even tiny) but continuous improvement that over the long-term sculpts a masterpiece!" -Unknown Author

(7) "If you see a snake, just kill it - don't appoint a committee on snakes."

(8) “Where there is no Standard there can be no Kaizen” - Taiichi Ohno

(9) "Wisdom is knowing what to do next, skill is knowing how to do it, and virtue is doing it." David Starr Jordan

(10) “Why not make the work easier and more interesting so that people do not have to sweat? The Toyota style is not to create results by working hard. It is a system that says there is no limit to people’s creativity. People don’t go to Toyota to ‘work’ they go there to ‘think’” - Taiichi Ohno

(11) "What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly." -Richard Bach

(12) “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but habit.” -Aristotle

(13) "Never, Never, Never Quit."




Please check Thankful Thursday
and together let us celebrate
all the things we should
be grateful for!





For other 13 wonderful things....please visit Thursday Thirteen!

I'm Flying With No Wings

Please scroll down for my Wordless Wednesday entry!

I'm still struggling with my health right now...and had missed work since the start of the week. I have not had asthma for years now, well, at least not this kind! They say nature has a special way of reminding us our limits and I guess, I have been ignoring my body and it's payback time...

I have been pushing myself to the edge the past weeks...I've been skipping vitamins...stopped some medications...and missed sleep. And now I'm sick!

What seems to be an ordinary allergic rhinitis...turned into asthma...and body malaise. Though these are not new to me, but to have them all at once...is something!

My doctors are beginning to worry...their main concern is, we do not want to go back to that medication routine we did years back. Yes, I do not want to go back to it. That phase is supposed to be over...and I made it! That is what I want to believe...

I went to bed last night with so many thoughts in my head...and if I am to write them down, it will a list of things, with myself on the bottom. It was then I realized that what's stressing are the many thoughts that get to my head not allowing me to rest at all!

I am so overly worried...concerned...hopeful...excited...glad...happy...pissed...sad...hurt...for a lot of things... all at once! Mariposa live in extremes....! I'm not loving it...yet, I don't hate it, I'm just trying to live with it...and not feel it intervene with my life! That affects my life...but that does not define my life...and how I live. Remember my 3Bs?!

To get here is not easy though, but God carried me through it! He allowed to fly even in times when I have broken my wings...in times when I have no wings at all! He blessed me with a wonderful family...and friends...in life and in here!

So, for Word Filled Wednesday, I'd like to share with you following verse, with the hope that you whoever needs it, gets the strength to trust and deliver all to Him..and may this verse inspires us all as we live life one day at a time.

If you have read this far and you are here for Wordless Wednesday, please scroll down...Thanks!

To see more Word Filled Wednesday, please visit 160 Acre Woods!

Waiting...

waiting for you is
like waiting the sun to come
after a long rain

waiting for you is
like waiting for the summer
when it's rainy days

faraway i look
to see if you are coming
but the rain comes - CLICK!

now all i'm left with
are mem'ries of the summer
we had together

holding them gently
locking them in my heart, as
the rain pours again

Happy (not so) Wordless Wednesday!

Quirky Quirks!

Grey tagged me ...and since I'm sucker to Memes...here goes!

Rule:

1. Link the person(s) who tagged you. - Grey
2. Mention these rules on your blog.
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
4. Tag 6 people by linking them.
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged.

I'm not really sure how quirky...and which fact(s) about me would fall into that category...anyway...I will try...

(1) I always have my coffee with orange juice (or any fruit juice!).

(2) I'm a slave to massage and I get them every other day, if not everyday!

(3) I cannot take hot milk...the only for anyone to let me drink milk is when it's very cold!

(4) One of my favorite snacks is banana with garlic bread sticks!

(5) I can't ride a bike!

(6) I'm not allowed to close the bathroom's door when I take my shower because the water (too much of it I guess!) used to suffocate me...and I have asthma and heart problem. (I guess this has something to do with my childhood...being under the shower with too much pressure from the water caused me to run out of air...) Slowly...I'm trying to change this though but they still panic when I forget to leave the door open...

So I guess those were the 6 quirks I can think of right now...anyone who wants to try this feel free!

Monday's Will and Wall...

I've been absent the past Mondays here, and I'm just so determined to do my usual Monday Fever (Manic, Fun and Music) today, despite all odds! :)

I mentioned in my previous post that I'm back to yoga...and it's just amazing, yet, the amazing feeling is not enough to stop me from getting sick...yup, I'm not well...again! Mariposa's asthma strikes again...and I was in bed with my nebulizer yesterday...what an awful way to spend a Sunday! But, I'm a bit better now...and here I am!

There is something about today's Monday Fever...it's on Ws...WILL and WALL!

Let me start with the WILL as Mo's themed for this week's Manic Monday. So I sing Chicago's Will You Still Love Me? It's Music Monday too you know?!

I really love this song...so I beg for your indulgence, I just have to post the lyrics of the song here...I promise, the trip to the bottom will be worth it!

Take me as I am
Put your hand in mine
Now and forever
Darling here I stand
Stand before you now
Deep inside I always knew

It was you
You and me
Two hearts drawn together
Bound by destiny

It was you
And you for me
Every road leads to your door
Every step I take
Forever more

Just say you'll love me for the rest of your life
I gotta lot of love and I don't want to let go
Will you still love me for the rest of my life?
'cause I can't go on
No, I can't go on
I can't go on
If I'm on my own

Take me as I am
Put your heart in mine
Stay with me forever
'Cause I am just a man
Who never understood
I never had a thing to prove

'Till there was you
You and me
Then it all came clear so suddenly
How close to you that I wanna be

Just say you'll love me for the rest of your life
I gotta lot of love and I don't want to let go
Will you still love me for the rest of my life?
'Cause I can't go on
No, I can't go on
I can't go on
If I'm on my own

Do you believe a love could run so stong?
Do you believe a love could pass you by?
There was no special one for me
I was the lovely one, you see
But then my heart lost all control
Now you're all that I know

Just say you'll love me for the rest of your life
I gotta lot of love and I don't want to let go
Will you still love me for the rest of my life?
'Cause I can't go on (I can't go on)
No, I can't go on
I can't go on
If I'm on my own

I can't go on (I can't go on)
No, I can't go on

'Cause I can't go on (Will you still love me?)
No, I can't go on (Just say you love me)
Can't go on
Without somebody I can call my own

'Cause I can't go on (Will you still love me?)
No, I can't go on (Just say you love me)
(Stay around) Can't go on

'Cause I can't go on (Will you still love me?)
No, I can't go on (Just say you love me)
Can't go on
If you could say your love

'Cause I can't go on (Will you still love me?)
No, I can't go on (Just say you love me)
(Stay around) Can't go on
You'll never be alone

And now...for the most awaited Fun Monday entry!!!

The host for this week is no other than Jan of The Prytz Family! She set the following theme -

"The subject is walls. We all have walls of some sort. What I want to hear about and see, if you're going to show off your amazing photo skills, is what is on your walls, what color are your walls, what is special about them, what is your favorite or least favorite, is it inside or outside. You get the idea, let's show and tell about walls."

I don't have energy to show ALL my walls...but I did promise it's worth scrolling down right? So, here is my new bedroom WALL! I always find blik cool...so finally have it in my wall!

Then, this the WALL of my bathroom...thanks for Kohler of course!

To see more WALLS...WILLS...and MUSIC...please check the following wonderful hosts...

Mo for Manic Monday...

SMID for Music Monday...

Jan for Fun Monday...

He Drives Me Crazy...

Photohunt: Emotion(s)


CLICK to know why...

This is my nephew Sean Hendrik driving with the IT Guy...LOL IT Guy hopes to pass the obligation of driving me to work. I hope IT Guy figures out soon how to get Sean's license to drive...so far, he can only drive his Aunt to some crazy laughter!!!

See more emotions, visit PhotoHunt's HQ!

I Go Back to Doing

YOGA!

For more Singular Saturday, please visit Jenn in Holland!

Finding My Wings...

i'm devoid of thoughts
lately i'm all nonsense talks glad you bear with me

just one of those days
it happens once in awhile it's just a cycle

it'll end, i'll be back
hope you'll all still be aroundwhen i flutter by!

For more Haiku, please visit A Mommy Story!

I May Say Them Differently

...yet I only mean one thing thing!


1. Gua Ai Di (Mandarin, Cantonese)

2. Ana Behibak/Ana Behibek (Arabic)

3. Yo Te Amo (Spanish)

4. Ich liebe dich (German)

5. Je T'aime (French)

6. Mai tumse Pyar karta/karti hoon (Hindi)

7. Kocham Cie (Polish)

8. Aku Sayang Enkow (Malay/ Indonesian)

10. Tangsinul Sarang Ha Yo (Korean)

11. Kimi O Ai Shiteru (Japanese)

12. Mahal Kita (Filipino)

13. I love You!!!

Today and the past days have been good...it afforded me the rest I needed. I am doing Thursday Thirteen and Thankful Thursday in one post. I have here 13 ways of saying the thing matters most me...and I'm so grateful for the many opportunities that allow me to express them...and feel it! For that I feel so blessed! It is always through God's mercy that we feel loved...and becomes capable of loving...and right now, I just feel so loved!




Please check Thankful Thursday
and together let us celebrate
all the things we should
be grateful for!





For other 13 wonderful things....please visit Thursday Thirteen!

Tree of Life

The Fruit of the righteous is a tree of life;

and he who wins souls is wise.
Proverbs 11:30

Happy not so Word(Less) Filled Wednesday!

Please visit other participants at the following links -

Word Filled Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

He Got Me...

As some of your knows, I usually jog/ walk every Sunday morning with the IT Guy. THAT's true most especially last year...then early this year, I've been ranting about not being able to follow that regimen strictly...and me blaming it all to my need to get a new pair of sport shoes.

Today, I got up so early...at around 5AM, called the IT Guy if he wants to jog...he always jog...so it was an obvious YES! Then, I got ready and then...realized my shoes could not be salvaged anymore...so IT Guy got to my place with a greeting...hey, I can't jog because I have no shoes!!!

Now, I've been ranting about it...and I've bought several pair of high heels and other sandals...and I did not bother to check for sport shoes...so my fault! BUT I want to run...jog...walk...gosh, I feel so bloated...so fat! There finally I've said it!

So IT Guy...got upset because I woke him up for nothing....!!!

So we just went to McDonald's, had breakfast...then buy groceries...then off we go to buy shoes!

Yup...yup...yup, he got me one! LOL

So here is my new sport...shoes!!!

Man...it's so light!!! And I just love the color!!!

So that's all for today...now for my Unconscious Mutterings...

1. Rambling :: blogs!
   
2. Magnetic :: ...field!
   
3. Again! :: ...every time IT Guy forgets his car keys!!!
   
4. Acoustic :: ...guitar!
   
5. Mahogany :: Furniture!
   
6. Promises :: ...hopefully to be fulfilled and not to be broken.
   
7. Ill fitting :: ...unbecoming!
   
8. Sublime :: ...with greatness!
   
9. Poop :: scoop on poop?!
   
10. Disoriented :: Mariposa when she is cranky!
    

My Sunday is about to end...but I know for some...it's still to begin...so Happy Sunday everyone!

Fun Monday on a Friday!

Wow...I just can't believe I've been gone for a week!

I'm sending my apologies to Karisma for missing her Fun Monday this week. My schedule just got crazy...and my body is telling me to slow down...so I've been catching up with my sleep the past days.

I promised Karina to make a late post...because I just love her theme - I Made It Myself!

Mariposa flutters anywhere...with anything...anytime!

So, here are some of the anything that gets to Mariposa's hand...

Mariposa can do balloon arrangement, please check what I did in our Christmas Party last year.

Mariposa can also cook...do table settings...and scented candles as evident in our last Easter Celebration this year!

I believed I have mentioned in my past post that I have a butterfly garden, and that some people buy butterflies from for weddings. Yes, we have butterfly release here too. I sell them only if it the release is done outdoors.

This week, we got an order...for 100 butterflies! So today, I had to make the cage for the butterflies. It was kind of a challenge because this is the first wedding I've handled that has umm...an unusual color motiff. I know some would go for multiple colors...but usually they're pastel colors...or the rainbow shade...but this one?! Ha! It has the following color motiff - fuschia pink, torquise blue, celadon green, tangerine orange and sunflower yellow! Can somebody tell me if this is a "thing" for 2008?! I have not read anything that says so...

Anyway...I had to make it. So here I am making the cage...

Finally, I've managed to combine the other 3 colors here...

And here is the cage...less the butterflies!

I'd like to thank my official photographer...no other than the IT Guy! LOL Yup, yup, he is that crazy over me...when he can't bother me because I'm doing something...he either stares at me...or take pictures of me. These photos were taken from my cellphone! ;)

I've been up since yesterday...so I need to go to bed soon...will be back for other post!

Participants of
Friday's 40 Photo Challenge my entry will be up later today.