29/11/2011

10 Reasons to Love Your Girlfriends


Just a reminder from one of your friendly neighborhood feminists: Make 2012 a memorable year by celebrating the awesome women in our life. :-D

1. As much as your husband/boyfriend/guy pals love you, they don’t want to hear about your period. They don’t understand it. Just let them be. Girlfriends understand and sympathize, and they probably need someone to vent to as much as you do.

2. We’re not in high school anymore! Or hell, even if you are in high school, it’s well past time we all learn that other women are not our competition. There are more than enough human beings on this planet for everyone to find a match, so quit looking at the fun, cute, smart lady next to you as your enemy and make her your friend!

3. The simplest form of feminism is friendship among women.

4. Women are gorgeous, and whether you swing that way or not, there’s no harm in admiring the beauty of your friends.

5. Surrounding yourself with women you admire can bring out the best in you. After all, if these ladies are so great, and they’re friends with you, maybe you’re not so bad, either!

6. Motivation! When you have common goals with your girlfriends, it can lead to some healthy competition, but you can also spur each other on toward bigger and better things.

7. The more you love other people, the more you can understand and love yourself. How many old scars have been healed while trading stories with a girlfriend? Well, speaking for myself, quite a few!

8. Celebrating other’s successes is fun. You can have a great time being happy for your girlfriends. Your fabulous BFF has earned her success, and it’s encouraging to see her hard work pay off. Then, when your turn comes, she’ll be there to celebrate with you. There’s plenty joy to go around, so share it freely!

9. Creative energy abounds – you never know what kinds of things can happen when you get two or three (or twenty) inspired women together. Maybe you’ll put on an art show, launch a blog or start a business. There’s no limit to what friends can accomplish together.

10. Fun! Do we remember fun? What is life if you’re not having fun? And what better source of fun than your girlfriends? So, call up a girlfriend or two to meet for coffee, go shopping, watch a movie, just hang out, and share little tidbits about anything and everything till your cell phone dies, and remember to have fun!

“To be happy with a man you must understand him a lot and love him a little. To be happy with a woman you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all.”


Campeones! Campeones! Oe! Oe! Oe!

Campeones! Campeones! Oe! Oe! Oe!:
by: Moira G Gallaga©




23/11/2011

Thoughts on LOVE


Self love is where all love begins. If we do not love ourselves, then we cannot understand what we have to offer other people. We will also not believe the love that is given back to us.

Love at first sight is possible as well loving people that you have known for your entire life. You can love everyone that you meet, even just a small amount.

If we do not have enough love in our lives, then we will wither away from wanting affection. In a vast ocean of love, we can easily get lost.

It can beat you down and make you feel like crying. It can also pick you up and make you feel alive.



Love is therapy. We can share ourselves with those that we love. We can let them get a glimpse of our true selves for a few hours or many long years.

There is nothing worse than the fear of losing a loved one. That is a misguided concept though. We are not alone. Someone will always love you if you know it or not. That gives you strength. With thoughts on love, you can forgive yourself as well as forgive others. You can slowly fall back under its spell again and again.

13/11/2011

Clash of the Spanish Titans

Clash of the Spanish Titans:
by: Moira G Gallaga©









Roadmaps


AAARRGGHH!! The campaign of our U23 Men’s National Football Team at the 2011 SEA Games is almost over. The loss against Myanmar has left us no route to the semis and we only have a final group stage match against Brunei on Tuesday, 15 November 2011.

We lost 0-5 to Myanmar, and that was painful to watch and experience. Flood of emotions right now. True, Myanmar was the other tough challenge in the group along with group favorites Vietnam, so our team really needed to dig deep within themselves to come out with something from this match. Well, no rabbits out of the hat this time around and we got a painful and emphatic reminder that we still have lots of work to do and a long way to go. I’m not in the mood to dwell on this match, I just want to move on and look ahead. As it is said, there’s no point in crying over spilled milk.

So up next, there’s still a match against Brunei. A win is very much possible here and I hope the boys’ spirits aren’t too crushed. Hopefully, they’ll use the occasion to vent out their frustrations (productively, of course) and show us some more of those glimpses of promise and quality they have exhibited in the last 4 matches. Also, a win would be very helpful indeed as it usually takes a while for my husband to get out of his funk when his teams lose. Got 2 days of crankiness to bear until the Brunei match. Come on Philippines! Lakas Pinas!

For the bigger picture, today’s loss against Myanmar got me thinking about roadmaps. While Myanmar’s roadmap to democracy (Come on, I’m still bitter about the loss, just give me this little opportunity to take a dig at them, hehe) leaves much to be desired, their roadmap for football development is definitely right on track. Their U23 team has 6 players who are also on their senior squad and they’ve have managed to become a serious challenger in the region. While we were underdogs against Vietnam, we usually are considered as being on level terms with Myanmar. From the result of today’s match it looks like Myanmar is pulling ahead of us and we got catching up to do.

The same can be said for Timor Leste, the revelation in the group. Their match against Myanmar is going to be critical as they still have a chance of making it to the semis round. We were expected to win the match against Timor Leste, as we have been historically better than they have been in football. Well, Timor Leste has been hard at work and their roadmap for football development has been effective for them. They (their U23 team at least) are starting to become a force to be reckoned with in the region.

As for the Philippines, we were expecting to make the semis round. So gauging from this expectation and objective, we could say it was a disappointing campaign in general. Now, I will leave it to the experts and the more technically inclined to discuss and debate the issues and lessons learned from this campaign in relation to our own roadmap for football development. I’m sure those in charge know what needs to be done next. They have done so much for Philippine football in the past year, so I trust that they know what they are doing and that they have the Philippine football community’s best interests at heart.

Now, while the campaign may be disappointing in general this doesn’t mean there is no promise or hope. One needs only to recall the team’s dramatic come back against Laos to know and feel that our young group of players has a lot of heart and potential. In the matches they lost they were also able to show glimpses of what they can do if given enough time to prepare, and opportunity to gain enough experience and exposure playing against quality opposition. For me, the future looks bright and let’s continue to support our country’s roadmap for football’s development and growth in the Philippines. WE BELIEVE!! 

Life's a Journey Not a Destination; Veer Off The Path Once in a While

Life's a Journey Not a Destination; Veer Off The Path Once in a While:
by: Moira G Gallaga©







Anticipation or Instant Gratification

Instant gratification isn’t my style
There is no pleasure unless it was earned
I prefer to stop and smell the roses
Can’t play with fire with out getting burned

I have struggled, overcame, and achieved
I have come out from the belly of the beast
To be the person I am today
It was a battle to say the least





The tingling in my stomach
As the anticipation builds inside
I’ll take my time going through this world
The joyful youth  in me has not died

Patience and compromise became my allies
The rush of this fast paced world my only foe
Let this moment linger on forever
Let its delight be all I know


2011 Moira G. Gallaga©


12/11/2011

How Barcelona players made Barcelona unbeatable as a team

How Barcelona players made Barcelona unbeatable as a team:
by: Moira G Gallaga© via Football Speak



Barcelona is a footballing side that can continue to dominate the sport of football for many years to come and with the heights they are hitting right now, they will certainly go down as the best team in history. Their current crop of players and their coach play an attractive and highly effective style of football that is guaranteed to bring them success for many years to come.

Just What the Doctor Ordered

For those whose heads are stuck in the sand, our U23 Men's National Football Team are currently competing in the Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia. They lost their opening match to Vietnam, the group favorites, and then  lost to Timor Leste in their succeeding fixture. The team was expected to defeat Timor Leste but it was evident the Timorese have also been busy themselves improving their quality of play. Boosted by some Timorese-Brazilians,  they took advantage of our poor defense and got the three points. I was too bummed to write about the match against Timor Leste.


So two matches into our campaign we were the only team with no points on the table. Frustration and disappointment among the supporters was understandable. The U23s looked a promising bunch of players and there was reasonable expectation that they would reach the semis. However, things look bleak with the two opening defeats.


The lack of chemistry and fluidity was very evident. A number of the players based in Europe only flew in a day or two before the start of the tournament and were not well acquainted yet with the local based players in the squad. The defense in both matches was very suspect, and it is obvious that this area of their game needs a lot of improvement. The offense leaves much to be desired too though they did score a goal in each match. Still, one would think that if we had a crappy defense then at least have a strong offense so that for every goal scored against us we'd have the ability to score two in return. Well, it doesn't look that way gauging from those two matches.


To be fair to the team, they are a young bunch. More than half the squad will still be eligible for the next edition of this tournament in two years time. Just as long as the management and the training staff keep working on the issues and give these guys plenty of opportunities to get together and play competitive matches as a team, we can be optimistic of the future. These boys clearly need to be give the chance to gain experience and exposure in these types and level of competition. But that's for the future, there are still three matches left in this group stage.


Mathematically our U23s still have a chance, though it will also depend on the group leaders to slip up (though honestly, I find this doubtful). So the next three matches are a must-win for our team as hope always springs eternal, and if not, then at least for pride. Taking into account the big picture, winning the next matches are also what Philippine football needs to maintain the momentum it has obtained in the past year. While a good number of us Filipinos have already come to BELIEVE, there are still a number of skeptics out there who still a need a good reason to fully embrace this belief. Winning is crucial in this effort.


Which brings us to the U23s third match, against Laos. Like our neighbors in the region, Laos hasn't been standing idly by either and have also made comparable efforts to boost their youth squad. They have an Austrian coach and a young promising team. Like us, they are also obviously building for the future.


Our boys go into the match missing a key player, rightback Carli De Murga, due to suspension via yellow card accumulation. The coach maintained the same formation but tweaked with his starting eleven. We get off to a good start, taking the lead on the 7th minute courtesy of a Manny Ott goal. However, as the match wore on in the first half, the Laotians were starting to take control of the match. They were playing much better than we were, and gauging from my husband's body language and a few unprintable stuff coming out of his mouth, it appears our defensive issues were manifesting themselves once more. Sure enough the Laotians equalized on the 38th minute and go into the half even with the Philippines at 1-1.


Just like the match against Timor Leste, our team gives up a goal early in the second half and our team find themselves trailing once more. The Laotians continue to play better than our team and it wasn't that long before one of our players, Henrichsen, gets two yellow cards in the space of 5 minutes and gets sent off. We're down by one goal and now down a man too, bummer! I felt that second yellow card was kind of harsh. No point getting my husband's opinion on that one because in situations such as this I can't rely on him to be objective. 


Well, it wasn't looking that good and it appeared that our team was headed to our third loss and remain at the bottom of the group table. Less than ten minutes to go, I was praying we'd at least salvage a draw. Then, as it so often happens in the game of football, the powers above have decided to remind us why we love this sport so much and with so much passion. The footballing Gods have decided to once again bang it into our heads why this is the beautiful game. Down one player, down a goal and playing with a leaky defense,  our boys go on to win the match scoring a goal right at the end of regulation time to equalize and another to take the lead in added time and win the match. Amazing! We just snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. The Laotians deserved to win that match, they played generally better and got a man advantage in the last 30 minutes of the match, but as they say in Spanish - "Es futbol!"


Just what the doctor ordered! A fantastic victory to restore belief, hope and pride. The team needed a win, we supporters needed a win, and to get a victory in this fashion - oh, it just feels so great.


Okay, chances to get to the semis still look dim, but after a match like that, so what. We have a young team and they just showed us that they got heart and passion. The poor defense and lack of chemistry, they can fix that. They can work on those. Heart and passion, that's something that can't be worked on in the training ground yet it is vital to any team. Well, our boys just showed us that got that vital ingredient. The future looks bright. Just what the doctor ordered indeed.


2011 Moira G Gallaga©





11/11/2011

The Sincerest Form of Flatteries

There are haters around us in many forms. Sometimes we are able to identify them but sometimes we are not. But if we develop the mentality that haters are in fact our admirers, it would cause no harm. ‘Hating is the sincerest form of flattery' says a proverb. There are various reasons to hate a person and at times, haters do not have a reason at all to hate others. They do it just for the sake of hating others. But hating a certain name only gives them fame. Whether a person loves you or hates you, you are in their minds. But haters only hate the things that they can’t get and the people they can’t be. So, it is only an expression of adoration they have for you. In fact, when someone hates you, it gives a sense of motivation to achieve more in life and stand upright in front of them. Therefore, do not hate your haters.



“Hating: the sincerest form of flatteries”
I thought that it was “imitation”
When I think about different categories
Love and hate are sometimes alike
It's the attention you receive
A strange “social rules” kind of psych
In their mind they see negative
For wanting or for dislike
It leaves you to your prerogative
Perhaps it's adoration unexpressed
A reflection of their pain
A problem they have not confessed
So hating is liking one and the same
Sorry if it's too confusing
Some people will play futile games
When someone hates your ideation
Stand upright facing them
And thank them for new motivation.


2011 Moira G Gallaga©





Life's Little Instructions

The most selfish 1 letter word - I - avoid it.

The most satisfying 2 letter word - WE - use it.

The most poisonous 3 letter word - EGO - kill it.

The most used 4 letter word - LOVE - value it.

The most pleasing 5 letter word - SMILE - keep it.

The fastest spreading 6 letter word - RUMOUR - ignore it.

The hardest working 7 letter word - SUCCESS - achieve it.

The most enviable 8 letter word - JEALOUSY - distance it.

The most powerful 9 letter word - KNOWLEDGE - acquire it.

The most essential 10 letter word - CONFIDENCE - trust it. 

May you all have a great weekend - recharge the body and nourish the spirit. For those who practice Yogin Reiki, as you begin your workday give yourself a few minutes to meditate each day. 



10/11/2011

Flow of Life

Experience. Dream. Risk. Close your eyes and jump. Enjoy the freefall. Choose exhilaration over comfort. Choose magic over predictability. Choose potential over safety. Wake up to the magic of everyday life. Make friends with your intuition. Trust your gut. Discover the beauty of uncertainty. Know yourself fully before you make promises to another. Make millions of mistakes so that you will know how to choose what you really need. Know when to hold on and when to let go. Love hard and often and without reservation. Seek knowledge. Open yourself to possibility. Keep your heart open, your head high and your spirit free. Embrace your darkness along with your light. Be wrong every once in a while, and don't be afraid to admit it. Awaken to the brilliance in ordinary moments. Tell the truth about yourself no matter what the cost. Own your reality without apology. Laugh without holding back and cry without any regrets. See goodness in the world. Be Bold. Be Fierce. Be Grateful. Be Wild, Crazy and Gloriously Free. Be You. Go now, and live.

I've realized that life is indeed full of contradictions. Sometimes it's crazy to be sane, you need to fall to fly, people suffer because you care, you have to unlearn to know the lesson, you have to give up because you are strong, you have to be wrong to make things right. Nonetheless, life's complexities are also life's source of beauty. We should cry to laugh again, fall apart to be whole again and get hurt to love again.

Have a super-ultra-fantastic day Folks!♥♫




Ticket details for Azkals v LA Galaxy Unveiled | Soccer Central Philippines

Ticket details for Azkals v LA Galaxy Unveiled | Soccer Central Philippines:



Looks like blogs and forums are on fire regarding the prices for the upcoming friendly match between the Azkals and LA Galaxy. They are quite steep but unfortunately there's not much that can be done about that.

First off, it was quite a feat to pull off to get the LA Galaxy to agree to play against the Azkals here in the Philippines. A high profile football match that involves David Beckham can only be good for Philippine football, especially as there is a strong need to get Filipinos to get behind this sport and support its growth and development. While not as impressive as some of the top European clubs that make their way into out region during the off-season, the LA Galaxy is still a widely recognized brand in the global football community. This event and the publicity it is sure to generate is likely to give Philippine football a shot in the arm.

Back to ticket prices, it is indeed quite high and out of range for a huge number of ardent Philippine football fans and supporters. It would have been ideal if it were a bit more comparable to the prices of the Azkals World Cup qualifying campaign but we have to recognize that this friendly match is on an entirely different level. It has to be understood that it takes a lot of money to organize an event of this significance. Added to this, is the fact that our only decent football stadium can accommodate 13,000 spectators only. Our small stadium capacity in comparison to our ASEAN neighbors who have 80,000 and 35,000 seater stadiums is a major reason for the high ticket prices. More seats available means more tickets can be sold which further means that organizers can afford to lower ticket prices. Sadly, that is not the case here in the Philippines. At least the match will be televised, so all is not lost.

Why Real Madrid don't win

Why Real Madrid don't win:
by: Moira G Gallaga©


Real Madrid is a club who has lot of history and traditions but they will always be second best to the current Barcelona team who can play beautiful attacking football. Real Madrid's current approach is to try to buy trophies by spending lavishly on the transfer market for world-class players and this isn’t always successful. A lot of new faces are signed every year so it becomes difficult to establish a stable team. The management is impatient and sacks any manager who finishes a season trophy less. They have even sacked coaches who even happen to win a trophy. Madrid will just have to be patient to match Barcelona who is on top of the world right now.

09/11/2011

Cristiano Ronaldo Say NO to Jealousy!

Who says Cristiano Ronaldo is simply just a preening ponce? Here is a video of him speaking out against jealousy.  Enjoy! :)


If you are having trouble seeing the English subtitles, click on the arrow on the bottom right corner of the video as it plays, then the red CC button (make sure the Captions in English are selected).

06/11/2011

Actively Listening to Your Child


"Too much love never spoils children. Children become spoiled when we substitute "presents" for "presence." Dr. Anthony Witham

One of the most difficult tasks of parenthood is communicating with your child, making them understand what you are trying to say and giving them a feeling that you also understand what they are saying to you.  To be responsible parents, bridging the communication gap between you and your child is of primary importance.  Remember to give importance to your child’s feelings, likes and dislikes, and communicate with them regularly and openly.

Instead of reacting right away to what your child says or feels, you have to be more patient with your child and respond to him after positively listening and trying to understand his point of view.  Make sure that your child has no apprehensions in sharing anything with you.

Never, never be too proud to say "I'm sorry", to your child when you've made a mistake.
Those who react negatively to their child’s viewpoint give an impression to the child that their thoughts are worthless.  However, those who respond positively not only allow the kid to be open with them but it also encourages the kids to share things going on in their mind, their point of view, and their feelings.  It also enables your kids to make a decision that they could not have taken without your assistance.  Kids really feel happy as you develop this bond and understanding with them.

At important times, you have to give proper attention to your kid no matter what you are busy with.  You should set everything aside and be all ears to your child, looking into their eyes.  Make the kid feel that you are interested in what he or she is saying and try giving a solution at the end. In cases where the concern isn’t really that urgent, at least take a brief moment to explain to your child that you cannot be bothered at the moment and that you get back to him or her as soon as you can.

Children desperately need to know - and to hear in ways they understand and remember - that they're loved and valued by mom and dad. - Paul Smally

At times, your kid could be in a bad mood, irritated or annoyed at something.  In such cases, it is recommended to listen to the kid carefully to understand why your kid is feeling this way.  Suggest some solution at the end of the conversation to make your child relax.  It is considered a bad move if you try to change the feelings of your child without discussing them.

It is highly recommended that we should always respond to our kids rather than react to them.  Kids also have a thinking process like we have and they have feelings that can be easily hurt.  By listening to your kid, you make them comfortable and relaxed, thereby creating a condition where it should make it easier for them to open up to you and share their feelings and thoughts.  This also reinforces to them that you really care for them, accord them respect and reassures them that you will always help and love them.

The Greatest Thing is Love

With every person that we care about
It's about being there when needed
You give because it makes you happy
Their happiness makes it much better

Our parents are there watching over us
We grow up before their mindful eyes
We're thankful for their good teachings
They're thankful for the connections

Friends are the best for shared interest
Laughing and running and playing full
Of course there can be disagreements
The importance is to work things out

Soon we find ourselves drawn hypnotic
To someone and share it all in romance
The hills and valleys of love and pain
But together we bring forth new beings














Then it's our turn be the caring parents
Understanding the role of adults past
Do our best to give the next generation
The wisdom shared with us back then


All our devotion and damage and dust
Transferring back and forth in events
Sometimes takes us from real meaning
So remember:  the greatest thing is love.


Freefalling



Ten thousand feet above the ground
And I am free from all, but sound.
Listening to the wind blow past
I know that freedom is fast.


Hurdling toward the earth
I feel this sensational birth.
Life has come anew,
Nowhere else is this so true.
















I free-fall toward the land;
And in this time, life, I did befriend.
For now where else am I serene,
But in the vastness of the skyline scene.
















Peering across a dream,
A mapped out land of seams
I have conquered this world
As towards it I am hurled.


2011 Moira G Gallaga©

05/11/2011

Let My Love Be Your Home

A promised love has finally come
For which my heart has longed
A tale of two souls merged as one
Finding the place where they belong

Oh, fly into my waiting heart
Let my love be your home
Accept this love as your new start
Where you ne'er again will roam



















Reach down low and lift me high
Your love can give me wings
To where I'll rise beyond the sky
My soul, so hopeful, sings

Together we will recreate
Our lives as one soul mate















Yet will my hopeful cry be heard
Or will I be left waiting
Without what I have always yearned
My dreams ever abating

Will my heart finally learn to fly?
Or will it remain grounded
The echoes of my haunting cry
Through earth and sky resounded













You hear my call, you draw me near
My heart its home will be
Forever more without a fear
Forever you and me

The heart is home, two souls are one
Two lives are merged and new life begun.


2011 Moira G. Gallaga©