Mixing Opposites

I thought I won't be able to describe what I've been doing the past days, but i just figured out what exactly I was doing. The activities involved were focused on the house and the garden. How it started has really nothing to do with the house because I just wanted a better internet connection and a new router was waiting to be installed. However, there were also cables and computer hardware that were no longer needed so the connections should be cleared from them also. So it took movement of tables and clearing some spaces before the router was installed.

It took days for the whole activity to be completed because it was not as simple as I thought. It was not easy to satisfy my third eye. Until I noticed it would be satisfied only when there was a mix of opposites, like the router on the antique looking console table, which was moved from the space dividing the living room and the dining room.

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In the living room, the hard wood dominated the area since it had a big wooden center table and there were electronic equipments also so the whole area just looked "hard". It needed to be balanced by objects that would suggest softness, like more throw pillows and a carpet, or stuffed toys. So I moved out the big center table creating more space. I placed a wood slab on the floor to create a natural look balancing the electronic equipments in the area, and introduced a carpet and additional throw pillows. It was hard to get an unbudgeted small sized carpet so I practically had no choice, I just thought that the tan color of the design will neutralize the other colors in the area while the red background symbolizes fire, which will balance the presence of too much wood (based on the Five Elements theory in Feng Shui). It was nice to notice our pet cats in the area once in a while because they balance the presence of the animal stuffed toys and figurines.

The activity forced me to take some time out from my highly technical home based job. Through the activity I was enjoying some of my hobbies.

Mixing the opposites is just about balancing - the hard with soft, modern with antique, natural with electronics or synthetic, or a technical job with an artistic hobby. Life is like that, it has to follow the simple law of Yin and Yang, and all will be well.

Once again, God placed me in this awesome situation. Thank you Lord!

Mindful of Feng Shui

Some people would say maybe I was a Chinese in my past life because I am so conscious of Feng Shui and its effects in my life, even others' lives.

They would be surprised with my answer to that, and perhaps wouldn't believe me, because I would say that's because of my strong faith in God.

In describing myself, I've said in my blogs, "My career had been in Information Technology, programming being my first job". I was a computer programmer and a systems analyst, I knew nothing is impossible when finding solutions to problems. You just have to search for the right resources. There are times the right resources couldn't be found, but they will exist when the right time comes.

For me, the best programmer is God. He can bless people with all the resources that could be found in the globe, and that includes Feng Shui. Not to dampen one's faith in Him, but to appreciate his creations and understand that there are positive and negative cycles involved, for the benefit of mankind.

Yet God loves us so much, because he wouldn't allow us to be afflicted too much with the negative occurrences of the cycles. That is why He allows people to practice universal rules governing the environment, and one of them is Feng Shui.

God loves us so much, that even in the midst of inventions of man that ruined the environment, He would allow evolution to take place in the human body so that mankind is still benefited.

My Feng Shui charts for this year advised me not to be too stressed with work or opportunities since I will be preparing for events anyway. There will be big events, someone can get married and there can be big celebrations.

One big accomplishment I'm considering for this year was finally enrolling my special child in school last June. We had a simple celebration of her birthday in school last July, the first kind of celebration I've attended because all the children in the event were blind. This month of August, my eldest daughter got married in church and it was also one-of-a-kind. The next event will be this coming month of October for the induction of officers of PNAAP, which I consider a dream association for the well being of mankind, promoting health and wellness through needleless acupuncture or acupoint therapy. I can be one of the speakers in its 4-day training this month of September, by the way.

The 60th birthday should always be celebrated but we don't have enough financial resources to make my husband's 60th birthday celebration a big one this coming December, but it can still be another one-of-a-kind celebration if well thought of. Or maybe leave it to God like what happened to my special child's celebration in Resources for the Blind, but it should involve efforts from us his family members, even for a totally different plan.

So where is the negative part in my Feng Shui chart? They really did happen, I will be free from it this month of September but I'm scared of October, though the solution or "cure" is easy 'cause all I have to do is sleep in another room just for one month. Our bedroom is in the Southeast part of the house where the 5-yellow star is situated this year, and projected to double its effect in October, possibly afflicting the sign of Snake whose location is also Southeast. Don't get me wrong, I know God will always be there to protect me, but at least I've shown some efforts aside from praying. Feng Shui is only 20% of the total prevention for afflictions, by the way, so prayers are much needed.

"Lee-Woo", our home's Pi Yao

We are not Chinese, but the turn out of unexpected events helped us to own a big "Pi Yao" figurine or "pet". I can only thank the unexpected donor who made it possible for us to own this powerful Feng Shui creature of good fortune, commonly known as a "money catcher".

Hanz, the owner of the Feng Shui store where we bought the Pi Yao said that we can give it a name, so I've researched for a word in Mandarin that is simple and found "Lee-Woo", which means gift or present. I haven't included a photo here since Hanz also said that the Pi Yao should be respected after it is activated, and I'm not sure if publishing its picture can show disrespect.

I just read that the Pi Yao doesn't have an anus, meaning fortune can only go in and never come out. I've also read that many believe that placing lottery tickets under the Pi Yao will bring good luck!

"Besides that, the Chinese adore the Pi Yao because of its very protective, obedient and loyal nature. It is believed that the Pi Yao will always try its best to fulfill its owner's wish and protect its owner from injuries. Because of these capabilities, smaller version of Pi Yao are often worn as an amulet or carried in one’s bag wherever one goes. Many stories have been told where victims of car accidents or robbery assaults surprisingly escaped the ordeal unharmed and found out later that their Pi Yao amulets they were wearing or keeping had mysteriously broken into two or damaged. It is said that their Pi Yao had sacrificed themselves to protect their owner. Treat your Pi Yao like it's a real pet. Talk to them, pat them, rub them... a happy Pi Yao will go the extra mile to grant your wishes!". (Jenny Lin, author of "Feng Shui Products For A Better Life")

A new home for Wendy

My pet green turtle, Wendy, is now more than a year old and has grown as big as the round stone that was already present in her pool since she was a baby and less than half the size of the stone. She obviously deserves a bigger dwelling place, so we got her a bigger aquarium, but I don't intend to fill it with water. The glass all around will simply serve as the fence of her habitat, which consist of a small oval basin for a deep pool, a rectangular tray for a shallow pool, and a short branch of a tree to serve as a bridge, since turtles love crossing bridges. I have to create a practical habitat for her for easier weekly or bi-weekly maintenance.

I can never take Wendy for granted because of a miracle that she has shown us. You'll get my point if you've read one of my earliest post, Miracles Are For Animals Too.

Her space is also very practical because it is next to our kitchen sink and is situated at the northern part of our house where the green turtle symbolizes strength especially when alone, based on Feng Shui.

Lighting references

I’m sure glad to have an addition to my lighting references, thanks to Farreys.com. It offers hundreds of thousands of lighting fixtures, lights, lamps and outdoor lighting in a wide range of styles and at the lowest prices from dozens of top manufacturers including: Ambience, Fine Art Lamps, Flos, Fontana Arte, George Kovacs, Hinkley Lighting, Kichler Lighting, Maxim Lighting, Minka Lavery, Murray Feiss, Quoizel, Sea Gull Lighting and many more.

Maybe it is worth mentioning here a Feng Shui problem in lot shapes that have pointed ends. What’s nice about that is it has a solution, which is as simple as installing a light in that pointed end. I have that kind of lot, its shape is trapezoid. Instead of getting worried about its unfavorable Feng Shui, I’m even excited because I will be forced to install a light, and I’d like a decorative landscape light, if I or any of my children will have a house built there. A Kichler lighting is only one of the many outdoor or landscape lighting to choose from for that purpose.

Speaking of indoor lights or lamps, you’ll surely have a hard time choosing from the breathtaking Maxim lighting or Quoizel lighting among others. Enjoy shopping!

A symbol of strength and excellent Feng Shui

Among all the living things mentioned in this blog, the best “character” that can symbolize strength is Wendy, the green turtle or terrapin. In my post Miracles Are For Animals Too, I’ve shared how she was able to survive after being sick and without taking in any solids for five straight months. Most probably, somehow she has sipped the vitamins and nutrients in her rice washing pool, but I’m not sure of that because she rarely moved at that time. Was it possible that the nutrients were just absorbed by her hard body?


I’m again showing you her photo in that March post where she was already well and energetic. That was only four months ago, but look at her now! I’ve chosen her current photo for my new blog title, if you’ve noticed (though not the whole photo), because as a blogger I want to be influenced by her strength and longevity, and because those are also the qualities I wanted my blog to achieve.

In Feng Shui, the terrapin is a very powerful symbol but should be placed at the North part of the house. According to Lilian Too, “since one is the number of the North location, and the terrapin in feng shui is associated with the North, a single terrapin represents excellent feng shui. Do not worry that the terrapin will feel lonely. This is a creature who is a natural loner and is happiest when alone. If the terrapin you keep dies, simply get another one. This simply means your pet has successfully protected you from a minor disaster.”

Recognition versus Income

This year’s Feng Shui prediction for Snakes like me is “recognition will surpass your income”. The problem is it is quite hard at my age to look for a job so I don’t have an income yet since the start of this year, though there are still 6 months left for this year in the Chinese calendar. I’m seriously thinking now about monetizing this blog to earn some income though of course I know earning big cannot be that soon. I'd like the readers, and even myself, to enjoy the contents of all my posts, including the sponsored ones.

At first I was happy enough about the prediction because recognition cannot be bought. Only very recently, while searching for my name in Yahoo! and Google just to see if this blog will come first, I was surprised to see “Hall of Fame” beside my name in one of the search results. That recognition was from Toastmasters Club and I think it’s about time I pay back this club the good things it has done for me, even through my blogs. It was not really me but the whole Makati Toastmasters Club that was included in Toastmasters Int’l Hall of Fame. The past officers of that club tried very hard for our club to always get the "President's Distinguished" award. Until I became President, and had to do my best for the club to be “President’s Distinguished” again because that was the fifth consecutive year it will get that highest award thus could be included in Toastmasters' Hall of Fame.

I won’t deny that this absence of income is starting to make me very depressed but I was still blessed with this timely discovery of a past recognition because somehow it alleviates this depression.

I almost forgot that I’ve also gained more than enough recognition from this blog, at least through the comments in some posts and I’m really very thankful to the people who are mostly bloggers themselves, who have openly shown their appreciation and support. This world of blogging and bloggers has proven to be another blessing not just for me but to all bloggers so I’m hoping that my mother and brothers who are all writers will join me in this very fulfilling endeavor.

House Painting Turned Into A Hobby

The past days, I just had little free time to be in front of my laptop so I wasn’t able to catch the PayPerPost opportunities where I was qualified. Earlier today, I was out again but I brought my laptop, though I knew I won’t be able to connect to the internet because we’re going to the townhouse unit for some painting retouches. How I wish I am traveling across wireless cities so I can connect to the internet while inside the car!

If people will look at the things that I brought , an artist will say I’m going out to paint, because I brought some brushes and palette knives I use for canvas painting. But the artist will be wondering why I’m not bringing any tube paints and canvas. The artist will be partly right because I’m really going out to paint, but on the walls and stairs (just small portions to be retouched), and not on canvas.

It will probably be hard to believe that house painting has turned into a hobby for me. It is true, but that is because I got used to just one brand of paint which is odorless, lead free and has exciting computerized colors to choose from. I’m talking about ACE paints. This is not a sponsored post, all I want is to share the comforts I’ve experienced while doing a job some people hate to do. I heard there is a Filipino national artist who uses just one shade of ACE paint for the background of his paintings.

If ACE Hardware will hire me to blog about their paints, probably I can come up with endless number of posts. They gave their paint colors beautiful names such as “Cardiff by The Sea” which I used on the wall of our townhouse unit as shown on the first photo. Whenever I talk with the supervisor of the paint section, the people not used to ACE paints will be wondering what we’re talking about because we use the exact commercial name of the color in our discussions. Like two weeks ago, I told the supervisor, can you mix me a quart of “Brown Sugar”?

Unfortunately, I don’t think ACE Hardware will need a blogger for their products because their website is complete. You may check www.acehardware.com and experience a simulation using palettes of colors on a photo that you will select. Get started with the “Projects and Solutions”, go to “Paint Tips” then click on the “Paint Visualizer” which will bring you to “Discover Your Colors” screen that will give you choices for simulation.

By the way,I think I promised a Feng Shui tip for house renovations but this is applicable only during this Year of the Rat. It’s a no-no to renovate the North and South portions of your houses, but don’t worry because there’s a solution again. Start the renovation on the East side and finish your renovation on that side too.

5 Basic Feng Shui Rules

Did you like my last post about the Feng Shui rule on house colors? As I write this, it’s exactly 5:27 in the morning and the real reason why I’m up and opened my laptop is I was inspired to start a post titled “House Painting Turned Into A Hobby”. However, I chanced to check “My Documents” and found this file about Feng Shui. This was one of my first speeches in Toastmasters Club, and though my audience were mostly Filipinos and I used props at that time, I am now thinking and hoping you will like this too because you will learn something.

This is about 5 basic Feng Shui rules that was followed by traditional Chinese for generations. It doesn’t matter if this is the first time you’ve heard about Feng Shui as long as you know what is positive and negative.

The first rule says “Never hang washing outside overnight”. Why? Darkness emits negative energies that will be absorbed by the clothes. Would you like to wear clothes full of negative energies? Of course not!

Second rule: Keep brooms and mops out of sight! Why? Simply because they are ugly sights! That’s what I think. But the reason according to the books is those brooms and mops sweep away the fortunes of the family.

The third rule says something positive about the broom. It says “leave an upturmed broom outside the office door after working hours”! Can you guess why? To drive the burglars away! Because they will think that there’s a janitor inside cleaning the office. Am I right?

Ahh, the fourth rule is interesting: Pointing a finger is bad Feng Shui because it directs bad energy toward a person. Remember that!




You will not like this fifth rule: Mirrors in the bedroom cause problems. Kinda weird, right? Lilian Too’s book further says that:

• Mirrors are often responsible for the entrance of third parties into an otherwise good relationship.
• If you must have a mirror in your bedroom, keep it closed or covered during sleep or place it in an area where it cannot be directly seen at night.
• No mirror on the ceiling please!




That last rule was scary, don’t you think so? But don't worry because there's always a solution to every problem like the mirror shown in the photo which can be rotated and turned into a bookshelf!

It’s nice to know about these Feng Shui rules since I think there are practical reasons behind most of them.

In my next post, I’ll include a Feng Shui tip about house renovation. Have a nice day!

Feng Shui Rule for House Colors

Yesterday and today, I was out of the house the whole day to work at our townhouse unit that was vacated by our last tenant. It is located in Taytay, a town beside Antipolo City, a popular city on the hills in Metro Manila here in the Philippines. Though not as popular as the mountainous Antipolo, Taytay is well known for its wood and clothes industry. At the far background of the second photo are the hills of Antipolo and some parts of Taytay, then the longest road in Taytay better known as "highway", and the Taytay branch of the most popular mall in the Philippines, or SM City Taytay mall, at the right. The mall has two buildings on each side of the highway and an enclosed bridge connects them (where I shot the photo). It is about two kilometers away from our townhouse unit.

We’re selling the townhouse unit now, so my husband and I started to work on some minor repairs that have to be done. I remember when we renovated the house two years ago, to make it easier to decide on the colors of the paints, I followed the rule of Feng Shui. It was not hard since I’ve done that to two other houses, ours and my in-laws’.

At first I just memorized the colors auspicious for every location of the house: green for the eastern part, blue for north, orange for south and yellow for west. Of course that doesn’t have to be strictly followed otherwise it will be hard to imagine how a small house will look like with all those colors.

If there are walls that will divide the locations, a different color after a wall will separate a room from the rest of the house thus making the house look bigger, contrary to what others thought that using just one color for the whole house will make it look bigger.

As an actual example, the photo shown is from our small townhouse unit. I can’t do much with the other structures of the unit, except for the arched doorway and window that I designed. You’ll notice that the walls of the small kitchen which is after the arched doorway is light green because it is at the eastern part of the house. The cupboard at the right before the arched window is light orange because that is where the south is. The color of the larger area now became light blue because it is the color for the north, which has the biggest wall area in the whole unit. I also applied what I learned from my Interior Design classes. Blue is the complimentary color of orange, which is the cupboard’s color, and the blue color also has a tinge of violet that matches with the other secondary colors orange and green. All colors were lightened with white (tints). The design rule for complimentary colors is to use either all tints or all shades (darkened with black), or matching tints with small amounts of bright or dark complimentary colors that serve as accent colors.

Going back to the rule of Feng Shui, I just acquired additional information that can associate the colors to the locations: green for wood, the element for the east; orange for fire, south’s element; blue for water, north’s element; and yellow for metal, the element for the west. How about that?

Endless Love

After almost a month of blogging, another realization is my endless love for computer applications or Information Technology (IT). At first, I told myself, maybe I should stop tinkering with computers and leave computer tasks to the young, but now I don’t think I will always like to do that. Maybe I’ve said that because of my past insecurity of not having an exposure to web-based applications, but look now, I’m blogging. Although I’m now using a blog template, I can rearrange my photos and other elements on my pages by editing the HTML code or the template's program code, which is an easy task for me.

For two years, I’ve tried to operate a coffee and tea business with my husband. According to Feng Shui, we are a great team since he is a “dragon” the doer, and I am a “snake” the thinker, but I don’t think I will like that set-up for a long time. I don’t want to tell my husband what to do every time. I also realize I am more a technical than a business man, and I always want to share to people whatever new lessons I learn as a technical person, of course in layman’s terms.

My advice to my IT colleagues is to stay in your profession no matter how old you are now. Anyway, the WIFI technology will still allow you to go places or just stay at home. If you really want to have your own business, then choose a business that is in line with your profession.