crosswordbebop

While browsing the website of Reader's Digest Asia yesterday, i got interested in an online contest wherein you write in brief about your best travel adventure and you might just win a free 3 days 2 nights stay in Beijing ! (exclusive of airfare) Sleepy as i was, i decided to join the contest. I needed a break and got nothing to lose. I racked my brain for memories of my travels and the most notable that came to my mind was the trip to Paris three years ago with my girlfriends. So here goes my impromptu entry which was sent to my email: Tell us in brief your best travel adventure: I always dreamt of going to Paris one day and in 2008, that dream came true. Together with three of my friends, we booked a flight to Paris for 3 days and 2 nights. We were working in Dublin then and Paris was just 2 to 3 hours away. On the day of the flight itself, i was in panic mode! I couldn't remember where I put my passport. After causing much mayhem, I finally found it in the backpocket of my ...

I started running around a month ago, mainly to join and support hubby in his endeavor to have a healthier body. I'm fairly new to it and can barely keep up with hubby during our runs. I was not quite prepared for it. I used my current rubber shoes, not checking if it's for running or not. I also used my old shirts and shorts. Hubby always tracks his distance covered and calories burned. I hardly cared. The only goal for me is to be with hubby while we finish the running session and i breathe a sigh of relief when it's over. At times, i only walk and jog and let hubby do his thing. Running has become just another one of those things i'm dispassionate about. I admit though that i feel lighter after each run. I also feel proud of myself and hubby for the newfound discipline to make time for and care about our health. Instead of going to the movies and spending on tickets and food once a week for our date night, we decided to divert to the less costly and healthier alterna...

Looking out of the fx window on a long commute with the rain pouring hard outside, i mutter a silent longing... that i win the 6 55 grand lotto jackpot! I was thinking what a great relief that would be, no longer having to work for money but for my passion and interests. I don't normally bet on lotto. I've been interested lately only because the jackpot prize has reached almost P300m and there's a lotto outlet in the mrt station i get off from everyday. I've already won P300 for getting 3 out of 6 numbers twice. Not bad. That would be such a nice surprise right? Winning such huge amount of money at your disposal. It would surely change one's life drastically (in a good way). Oh, wishful thinking on a rainy day.

First stop on my quest for inspiration is to read again. As a child, i grew up reading reader's digest which my mama subscribed to. I believe reading and answering the vocabulary quizzes helped enhance my english skills. Whenever i took a vacation in one of my aunt's home, i used to lock myself in the basement, drowning myself in their collection of adarna books for children, liwayway magazine and even Bannawag. In my teens, i loved reading Sweet dreams, Love stories, Tagalog novels, comics, and what-not. I remember how we, together with a sibling and my papa, would walk to a neighboring "lease" stand for novels and comics and how happy and excited we were to read our new finds. In school, i would borrow Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Bobbsey Twins series. In high school and college, i graduated to reading Danielle Steel, John Grisham and Harlequin Romance novels. I would say i blame all those romance novels for the hopeless romantic in me but it is from reading that i di...

When i was in my youth, i used to look up to women like Gloria Arroyo and Loren Legarda. But as i grew older, i got disillusioned, critical and at times cynical. I thought they were perfect but they turned out not to be and so for a long time now, i have not truly admired somebody. I have become dispassionate and at times indifferent but if i am to grow as a person, i recognize the need to have a role model, an inspiration. I made two uncoventional choices - Kris aquino and Oprah. Kris aquino because she is flawed and made a lot of mistakes but isn't ashamed of who she is and embraces her being. Oprah because eventhough she had a traumatic childhood, she outgrew that and has gone on to touch the lives of many. They both earn lots of money doing the things they want, fulfilling their destiny and they now have the option to give back and they choose to.

I am supposed to be a successful and career-driven woman. Afterall, I graduated with honors, passed the board exams and have had a good career head start. And then suddenly, I was lost. I don't know what I want anymore and I don't have the drive to aim for more. I want to do something else. I want to write. I want to design. I want to edit photos and make invites. I want to blog. I need help and counseling. I need a mentor. I need someone to look up to. And I also need money, lots of them. I am okay. I mean, I am happy that i have my hubby and son and that we are blessed to have more than enough for our needs and wants. But as I get older and wiser (I hope), I begin to question myself, is this it? Is life just supposed to be about me and my family and friends. Aren't we supposed to have a purpose, a deeper meaning, to touch lives and all that? This then brings me to my next endeavour - to obtain financial freedom so that I can do what I want in my own time. I can also start...

Our assumptions are that no one cares more about your financial future than you. So if you need and/or want help in making wise financial decisions, who can you trust with your money and your financial welfare? Most of us pick a financial advisor by asking a friend or relative. We might also stop in our bank, talk to our insurance agent, or hear about financial advisors that advertise in print, radio, television, or social networks. Many financial advisors will have letters behind their name to signify a specialty or that they have passed specific test and accreditation. Here is just a sample of the most common certifications you will see associated with financial advisors: AEP - Accredited Estate Planner CDFA - Certified Divorce Financial Analyst CFA - Chartered Financial Analyst CFP - Certified Financial Planner ChFC - Chartered Financial Consultant CLU - Chartered Life Underwriter CMFC - Certified Mutual Fund Counselor CPA - Certified Public Accountant CRC - Certified Retir...