In Best Thing(s)

I do not know if we can be faulted with regard to the way we spend our earnings for the family. Most of us indulge in buying appliances, jewelries, toys, etc. as much as we can afford and treat our own families extravagantly when we are on vacation. One reason is that we would like to compensate for our long absence and our way of expressing our love for them within a short period of time as we know that at a certain date we will again leave them to work again abroad. Another thing is that we want our kids to taste or experience those things which we did not have when we are growing up. This cycle continues over the years and now we have realized that we should have read the books of these people very much earlier. Some of our colleagues here are almost nearing retirement but they said all is not too late.

Now, I am planning to have these books:

“Wealth Within Our Reach” by Francisco Colayco
"Pwede Na! The Complete Pinoy Guide to Personal Finance" by Efren Ll. Cruz.
“Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki

One of the most important things discussed in their books is the importance of achieving “Financial Literacy”. Most of us do not really know how to handle money. I also read something like (and I should have known this) after you have received your earnings it is important that you have to “pay yourself first” which is simply just what we called as “savings”. I am not saying that we have not saved before or we are we not saving something for the future. What we are not aware is that there is a better way to handle and make the most out of our savings.

Quoting Colayco he says "Achieving financial independence isn't an option, it's an obligation," he says. "Wealth generation is a lifelong process. It is something that is built over time. It is planned for, periodically adjusted and executed with a firm hand. It needs clarity of thought and vision. It needs you to be financially literate." But I am not really aiming of becoming wealthy or having too much. I would just like to have a stable source of income and be with my family, the sooner the better.

As for other things, I realized that it is also very important to invest in good health and good relationships as with family and friends. Do I need to say where I can get these information?

Slow "Fast"

Maybe tomorrow (Thursday) or Friday is the start of Ramadan here, the period where Muslims fulfill one of their obligations to do fasting for a whole month. That is no food nor drinks from the break of dawn till sunset. During this month, most of the stores open later at night till the early morning before dawn.

I have been thinking that I might as well try fasting myself. Since I came here, it is either I was gone on vacation during this period or we non-Muslims have to hide when we feel like eating or drinking. I have read some articles on the benefits of fasting but I do not want to discuss it here as I might lead you to wrong information since I am not an expert on this. May I just invite the likes of Dr. Emer or Ting-Aling if they can share something on this. They said that the intentions and benefits could be both physical and spiritual.

I have experienced being hungry for a long period but not intentionally as undergoing fasting. Out of curiousity I intend to experiment on myself how far can I go. I will be doing the same thing as I did when I tried to quit smoking.

(Not) Too Late to Learn the Guitar

I am trying to learn the guitar again. Actually, before I left the Philippines to work here, I already know some simple chords but still cannot play a decent tune or music. Now that a friend of mine who went home for good gave me his old guitar I have decided to have it a try again.

During one of my vacations, I bought some chordbook and I also found some instructional manuals on how to play the guitar. At least what I am aiming for is for me to play something which I can appreciate not really to become a good musician. Some sort of a challenge where I will have to struggle in a field I know I am not good at. But as a consolation, my singing and knowledge in playing the guitar goes together, in other words they are both bad--out of tune, bad timing, etc.

I am just wondering why there are those who really excel and perform well in this field. There are also those who are (though I am not sure of the proper term and spelling) "mawido" - one who is capable of learning things in an instant. You just have to show him how and he can easily manage to learn it all by himself. A natural talent as they say and as if they are just waiting for the moment and it will just comes out. And since they are playing it from their heart, they can get the audience feel what they want to feel.

Well I just have to accept that there are really those who are born to perform and play the music well and I belong to those who are born just to appreciate them. But still I have to try, learn, play and appreciate it in my own way.