iVillage Career Personality Test

It says to me...

You would most enjoy a career that allows you to meet new people. You would also be happiest in a career that allows you to be free and flexible, and allows you to be extremely creative. Some careers that would be perfect for you are:

* Stockbroker
* Secretary
* Receptionist
* Director
* Recruitment Consultant
* Politician
* Marketing
* Human Resources Manager
* Religious Minister
* Teacher
* Lawyer
* Advertising
* Consultant
* Financial Adviser
* Financial Planner
* GP
* Physical Therapy
* Occupational Therapy
* Public Relations
* Estate Agent
* Travel Agent
* Restauranteur
* Hotel Manager
* Events Organiser

You are a great leader. You genuinely enjoy being around other people. Your relationships with others are very important to you. You love talking and meeting new people. You are very enthusiastic about work and about all that you do and have in your life. You love being the focus of attention. You enjoy a fast pace. You are very socially oriented. Therefore, you are much happier being with others than you are alone. You crave interaction with others.

You are very spontaneous and often act before you think. You are always quick to answer when you are asked a question, even if you aren't sure of the answer. It is easier for you to improvise as you go along. You enjoy thinking out loud, and are most creative when brainstorming with friends or colleagues. You enjoy being involved in many activities.

You are very easy to read, and often wear your heart on your sleeve. You are never afraid to tell people what you think. You are very empathetic and genuine. You can sometimes be seen as over-emotional or too involved by others. But that is only because you tend to get so involved in the things you do that they become personal. You want to be adored, loved and appreciated. You like to please others and to make sure people are happy.

You trust your gut instincts. You are easily inspired and trust that inspiration. You are very innovative. You analyse things by looking at the big picture. You are concerned about how what you do affects others. You worry about your actions and the future. You tend to use a lot of metaphors and are very descriptive and colourful in your choice of language.

You are very creative, and get bored easily if you don't get to express yourself. You like to learn new things. You don't like the same old routine. You like to leave your options open.

How true is this of me? Opinions will be very ... very very appreciated! :)

Test can be taken here.

Congratulations...

... to one of my dearest friend, Jefrey and Octa, for their impending engagement in May and the wedding plan for sometime between March - May next year!!! ^.^ Hopefully I'll get to attend it!

And of course, to Yennie (Pankie), who's also planning her wedding for next year!

Mmmm - almost (but didn't) forget - to Jessy and Hansen who's getting married later this year!!! Can't wait to see their pre-wed pictures! :)Taken from Seattle Weddings and Wedding Cruises With Argosy Cruises
Yippeee... :)))

Happy Birthday Li'l Sis and Softies Central (Aduh.. Lucunya!)

Taken from Coolest Birthday Cake Ideas - Web's Largest Homemade Birthday Cake Photo Gallery.
Happy Birthday to my Cutest, Prettiest, Coolest, Bestest, Nicest, and Most Awesome Li'l Sis (Shelwin) who turned 21 today!!! Yippeeeeeyyyy!
Mmm.. Yeah.. I only have one sis :P

Now, look at these super duper cute softies!!!


They are the finalists to the 2nd Annual Softies Awards presented by Softies Central. More finalists available here! Definitely worth checking out! :)

My dream home...

Inspired by Apartment Therapy's Small Cool 2008 and How my house would look like…. I wish. « Kwento ng buhay, Kuru-kuro @ Iba pa.

The Cosy Window Seat (with translucent light cream curtains)
Where I would have my lazy lie down with a good book and a cup of skinny-but-creamy-hot-chocolate, accompanied by Boris, Mino and Divina... Preferably in my bedroom... Something like this (with better coloring... :P)Taken from Apartment Therapy San Francisco | Odd Space Solution: Stephanie's DIY Bay Windows.
Mmmm actually, something like this is more like it!Taken from Danielle Trippett - Interior Design
With this kind of curtains...
Taken from Danielle Trippett - Interior Design.

Mannequin
Who'll wear the pretty dress/skirt/wrap that I was given a while ago and love but - can't quite decide how and when to wear...
*can't find a picture yet!* In the mean time ,(Mmmm.. I've said this phrase a lot of times, but it feels like this is the first time I typed it cause I didn't quite know which "mean" word is used to the point that I have to Google it to make sure I'm using the right word :P, check out Lori Trager's bedroom (from Kyle XY) for the mannequin sample!
Maybe.. something like this :)
Taken from StyleHive.

King Size Bed Prettily Made Up with Extremely Fluffy Quilt plus Annoyingly-Lots-of-Pretty-Pillows
Where I'll lie around on a lazy Sunday winter morning, snuggling under the fluffy quilt, just daydreaming, not doing anything, nothing at all... :PTaken from Apartment Therapy Chicago | Midwest #23: Stephanie's Life of Pie.

Spacious Walk in Robe
Where all my pretty clothes (after I throw away all my ugly ones :P) will be visible, within reach, and don't get wrinkly cause they're crushed against each other... Preferably, the one that has proper door, so that my clothes don't collect dust :P
Taken from asselle UK site.

An Inviting Bath Tub
Where I would relax after a long week at work or I could even wallow... :PTaken from Studio Bagno - Celine Bath Tub.

Rain Shower plus 2 Sink/Mirror Sets
Mmm... who can resist a shower like this?Taken from The Luxury Rain Shower :: Zucchetti Rubinetteria | Vagablond.Taken from Howstuffworks "Selecting Bathroom Fixtures".
and a towel radiator, please...Taken from Trade Plumbing UK.

Ideal Living Room
Where I'd watch re-runs of Veronica Mars, or more of Kyle XY, or Grey's Anatomy... I could also sing along to my SingStar PS2 game or jump up and down like crazy playing Wii - Sport Tennis game.Taken from Apartment Therapy New York | International #1: Aad's Compact Dwelling (Suitable for Laziness).
Or maybe something like this would do too.. (the rug definitely works for me!)Taken from Apartment Therapy San Francisco | Northwest #20: Debbie's Beach Chic.
and wouldn't mind this kind of TV...Taken from Apartment Therapy Chicago | Midwest #20: Rob's Loft

Plush Couch (also with lots of cute and fluffy pillows)
This living room looks soooo pretty and stylish!!! Plus the couch is inviting! I might put a little bit of soft colour-ed pillows in though plus some baby blue throw (to warm me up when I'm watching stuffs).. :PTaken from Apartment Therapy New York | International #10: Marcus & Mel's Charming Flat.

Book Shelves
Which will hold all my house and interior magazines, my cute coloured books, my photo frames... and the cute pastel marshmallow sandwich that Shanon brought back from France. Something like this would be nice...Taken from Apartment Therapy New York | East #26: Ed+Ev's Studio of Great Ideas.

Two Storeys
For some reasons that I can't quite pinned down, I can't resist two storeys. Maybe, it's the idea of having privacy of the bedrooms upstairs, separate to other things.
This picture shows a very intriguing two storey setting.Taken from Apartment Therapy New York | International #8: Nicolas' Mini Loft.
Or maybe, I just like stairs...Taken from Apartment Therapy Los Angeles | International #7: Danielle & Lakshans Urban Cottage.

iMac
Where I could blog away my crazy random thoughts...Taken from Apple - iMac site.

Study / Workspace
Where the iMac would sit and I would surf the net, or do my finances, or just typing away emails to my best friends...Taken from Apartment Therapy New York | Room & Board Presents: A Workspace that Actually Works.

Kitchen & Dining
Where I can attempt to bake, cook and clean. Mmmm.. I want one that is spacious yet not cold (have a live in feel to it) with classy fridge, oven, dishwasher, big wide sink and massive pantry that will hide my small appliances. :P
This one is quite comfortable and pretty I think, though might be a little too colourful for me.Taken from Apartment Therapy Los Angeles | Southwest #28: Kim's Treetop Nest.
Or maybe this one here... Taken from Apartment Therapy Los Angeles | LA House Tour: Glen's Living Large In a Small Space.
Though again - I prefer a less orangey coloured kitchen... Mmm I like this colour...Taken from What Kind of Kitchen Are You? « KitchAnn Style.
Here's a very very very nice one! Absolutely love it!Taken from Danielle Trippett - Interior Design.

Flooring
* Light Plush Carpets in the Bedrooms and Study.
* Floorboard and Thick Soft Rugs for Living Room and Hallway.
* Tiles or granites for Bathroom and Kitchen.

Coloring
Well - this is something that I'm not so certain yet...
I like soft and light beige and white colour combination. But I also like white and light blue. Also, like white and dark brown. Or, all white... Might leave this one to the other person in the house seeing that I'm a little lack of colour coordination :P
I think this studio has a very nice colour splash. Love it!Taken from Apartment Therapy New York | East #20: Uma's Minimal Chic Studio.
Or, this pretty page might help me decide... Domino Paint Palette

Updated on the 28th April 2008:
Double Storey High Ceilings Gap
Another plus point from Two Storeys place is that I can have a room with double storey high ceilings.. I find them very very attractive and classy.Taken from Interior at 154 Montevista, Dollard-des-Ormeaux.Something like the above setting is nice - but this house is a bit too big for my liking.. :)
End of Update

Updated on the 29th April 2008:
Balcony
I can't believe I forgot this part! Seriously! :) I would love to have a balcony please.. Just a small one where I can lie around and look at the sky after a long day at work or even better, with sunset view.. :) Please!!! Mmmm... Taken from Apartment Therapy New York | Balconies & Terraces The New York Times 4.27.08.This one is probably too crowded for my liking, but the view is great..
End of Update

Mmmmm... When can I move in? *Dreamy Look*

PS: Domino has very pretty Dining and Living Room images gallery..

More Recent Thoughts on Expectation

“The best things in life are unexpected - because there were no expectations.”
-- Eli Khamarov

These past few days I've had a lot of time to think and properly observe things that are going around me. Well, that and a few episodes of Kyle XY also make me see through this new life lesson (new to me anyway).

Expectations can be very dangerous. As per the words of Elliot Larson of, "Anger always comes from frustrated expectations."

It's one thing to expect something out of yourself, it's another to expect from someone else. You're bound to be less happy for expecting something (from someone else). See, if you don't get what you expected, it commonly resulted in anger. Then, if you get something great that you expect, it becomes less great (than when it is unexpected - referring to Eli Khamarov's quote at the beginning of this post). Well, why rob yourself of the best thing in life?

Take Kyle for example, the first few episodes saw him living as a happy innocent child with no expectations of others. As he progresses through days, this changes. The Jodi Picoult book that I'm currently reading -see this post- (Nineteen Minutes) is touching on this topic quite a bit too. The parents' expectations of the child. The children's expectations of the parents. The friends' expectations of another. The girlfriend expectations of a boyfriend. The list goes on and on.

“I do my thing and you do yours. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are not in this world to live up to mine. You are you and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, then it is beautiful. If not, it can't be helped.”
-- Frederick Perls (Gestalt prayer)

The above quote would sound very selfish to me a few days ago. But, that was the naive me. The silly me who thinks that I should be able to expect from my closed ones (my family, my best friends, my partner) and that they should be able to expect from me. I've been observing some people for a while, wondering why does bad things seem to hurt them less and good things seem to make them happy for longer. I've also been wondering, why is it sometimes it seems that our relationship with acquaintances are so much simpler. Or, more strangely, why does a stranger's smile makes me happy? (see my recent post on happiness). What I've been looking for, has now become crystal clear to me.

“Happiness equals reality minus expectations”
-- Tom Magliozzi

The more I think about it, the more certain I am that it's best to strive to "Do not expect, just appreciate!" (Even more so with the loved ones closest to you).

Giving & Unconditional Love

"The ability to share and to give yield greater pleasure than to receive."

"Giving is an act that comes naturally from the heart and goes in harmony with your heart; just like a heartbeat. When you are truly giving, the thought of compensation never comes into the picture.
However, the universe works in a magical way; the more you give without the thought of compensation, the more you receive from the universe.", says Boon Kiat Chua

“Blessed are those that can give without remembering and take without forgetting.”
-— Liz Bebesco

“A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”
-— Erin Majors

An extract from Peter Granger's article, "Unconditional Love - A Vital Aspect Of Successful Relationships":

"Think about all the conditions you have set yourself for happiness - make a list of them. Notice how we can spend our whole life waiting for these things to be fulfilled. Even if we fulfil one, we then create a new one! All of these conditions have one thing in common, and ironically it is a flaw that prevents us ever finding lasting happiness. Each of these conditions is about bringing something from the outside, to make us happy. Each of these conditions is designed to meet a need - to fill an emptiness we have inside. These conditions fail because ultimately we cannot ask anybody else or any situation to heal our insecurities and sense of lack - we must do that ourselves.

...

To be able to love somebody unconditionally we need to be able to see through the surface behaviour to the beautiful, innocent, perfect person underneath. If you find this hard to do today - think back to the time you fell in love with them. Those amazing feelings came about because you were loving them unconditionally - faults and all! It was only later those faults became more obvious as you settled down to a longer-term relationship. So think back to those heady times and visualise yourselves back in that situation of falling in love. Re-live those feelings and then take a long, compassionate look at your partner - see their beauty and grace and imagine yourself melting into them. Forgive them for failing your conditions and forgive yourself for doing the same. If you can, tell them how much you appreciate and love them and remind them of those original wonderful times together - those feelings are still available as soon as you stop judging them and placing conditions on your love.

Conditional love is a viscous circle because if we withdraw our love as a form of punishment, our partner does exactly the same to us. Unconditional love has the opposite effect - it reinforces itself because the forgiveness and acceptance is felt as pure love by our partners and they then naturally return it. Practice unconditional love at every opportunity with your partners, family, friends and colleagues - it is the key to sustained happiness."

Last but not least, this following "Forgiveness: Acceptance And Letting Go" - by Margaret Paul article, really does speak to me... I was going to extract pieces from it, but it seems inappropriate to rob you off the chance to read through it yourself. It begins with ...
"Have you ever noticed the difference in people who are able to easily let go of resentment and forgive, and those who stay in anger and blame?"

Taken from various articles in Articles Garage to remind myself of the importance of giving and unconditional love, in case I forgot in the future :P.

Apartment Therapy

Love the colour, the arrangement and the shot!!!Taken from http://gallery.apartmenttherapy.com/photo/041808VanessasVenice/mirrow_venice

Scientifically speaking...

My discussion with Shanon a few days ago makes me curious...

The Question: What percentage of our brain do we use?
Answer here...

Do We Use Only 10% of Our Brains?
Find out here!

The Vicious Diet Cycle, which totally relatable and makes sense to me... (Shanon's text book has a better version -with the psychological side too- will try to find that one if I can!)

Also, found this Biological Human Clock image from Wikipedia. Very interesting.

This article below, by the ever so wise Dumb Little Man is about Sleep Adjustment, it says to be able to help you gain 10 days per year. Hopefully this can help for my darling.

And I thought this Wikipedia article about Circadian Rhythm might comes in handy too.

My Flickr Thumbnails (19th April 2008)

Kyle XY

If you like Kyle XY - check out this site, Kyle XY.net - Your Complete Source For Everything Kyle XY. They even have transcripts, which works extremely well with me. It's kewl.
Just finished watching the 4th episode. Really really liked it, especially the following words:

"Well, of course it is. So let’s handle him like we handle Josh and Lori. The reason they’re well adjusted is because we treat them with respect. We let ‘em go out there and make their mistakes, and they know we’re here when they need us. We need to give Kyle the same chance."
-- Stephen

"Life is a puzzle. Every piece fits together to create who we are, what we do, how we feel. Every experience shapes us into who we will eventually become.
I began as a blank slate. Maybe my hidden memories tell a different story. Maybe I hold the key to a mystery even greater than that of my past.
I’d been so eager to remember, to grow up and experience life, like Lori and Josh. But in that one moment, I wish I could go back to that blank slate...
... when life was easier."
-- Kyle

I can't help but think about my lack of patience with things in my life..
It felt like Kyle was talking to me when he said in the second episode, "So you can never really escape time. You can never just be."
Why do I find it so difficult to just be, just enjoy what I have at the moment?
Why do I feel that I have to get somewhere?