QCinema2018: Hintayan Ng Langit - A Must-See Movie

Have you seen the trailers? Lots of good movies we all shouldn't miss and I think we all need more films like this. What do you think? Share your thoughts by hitting the comment section below.

#QCinema2018  celebrates 100 years of Philippine Cinema.

See you from October 21 - 30, 2018 at Gateway Mall (Cineplex 10); Robinsons Galleria (Robinsons Movieworld); and Ayala Malls Cinema in Trinoma and U.P. Town Center!  Over 40 films will be showcased, ranging from award-winning films to fresh stories.

QCinema Circle Competition and DocQC grantees will also have its screenings from October 24 - 30 at SM City North Edsa; SM Megamall; SM Manila; and SM Mall of Asia.

For more information, visit qcinema.ph

ABS-CBN Ball 2018: You Should NOT Miss This Viral FB Post

Jodi Sta. Maria strikes a beautiful pose, thanks to her radiant face, smile, and simple yet very elegant dress.

Share your thoughts, hit the comment below. Which among these photos made you "happier"? 

Japanese Rice Is Actually A Good Alternative To Most Commercial Rice

Have  you heard of Japanese Rice?

We used to buy sinandomeng, super angelica, isabela, jollibee, boy kanin, long grain, etc. rice varieties with prices ranging from 52-59 pesos per kilo. Until we saw and got curious about this so-called Japanese Rice a.k.a Sakura Rice. 

We were surprised to see that it only costs 48 pesos per kilo. We decided to buy two kilos just so we could give it a try. 

Its grains are like "kisses" the scented ones we used to play, put on cotton pads, and take good care of when we were kids. (At naniniwala tayo na nanganganak sila!) hahaha

And so we did. Lo and behold, it's actually good. And when our little one loved its taste and texture, we finally switched to Japanese Rice. We cook it in our rice cooker, add a tablespoon of vinegar, and throw in some pandan leaves.

Try it now and see for yourself. Rush to the nearest market now. Share your Japanese Rice experience with us. Let us know in the comments.  :)

WATCH THIS VIDEO.

In case you want to cook your Japanese rice in a pot in a more traditional way, try this:

*Photo credits go to the owners.

Marriage Tips Every Wife Needs To Master To Make The Relationship Work

No one said married life is going to be easy nor there are secret passages or shortcuts to make each journey totally easy and convenient. In my effort to grow more in love and still hold on to our vows (despite this and that), I've come across this beautiful blog post which I intend to share with you all. 

Thank God, am still holding on and praise Him everyday for always blessing me and my spouse the strength, love, and most of all, faith that we need to cherish our "I do's".

1. Respect your husband.

Notice how it doesn't say "Respect your husband if he has earned it." A man's greatest need in this world is to be respected, and the person he desires that respect from the most is his wife. The trap that we've all been ensnared by is that they only deserve our respect when they earn it. Yes, we want our husbands to make decisions that will ultimately garner our respect, but the truth is that your husband is a human being. A human being who makes mistakes. This is the man that YOU have chosen to walk alongside you for the rest of your life, and to lead your family and he needs to be respected for that quality alone.

2. Guard your heart.

The grass is not greener on the other side. Do not believe the lie that with a slimmer figure, a higher salary, a faster car, or a bigger house, you will be a happier woman. The world is full of things and people that will serve as reminders that you don't have the best of the best, but it's simply not true. Live the life you've been blessed with, and BE THANKFUL. I get that we all have struggles, and there are even times when I would love 1,000 more square feet of house to live in, but square feet is not fulfilling – relationships are. Guard your heart from things and people that will try to convince you that your life or your husband is not good enough. There will always be bigger, faster, stronger, or shinier – but you'll never be satisfied with more until you're fulfilled with what you have now.

3. God, husband, kids … in that order.

I know this isn't a popular philosophy, especially among mothers, but hear me out. It's no secret that my faith is of utmost importance, so God comes first in my life no matter what. But regardless of your belief system, your husband should come before your kids. Now unless you're married to someone who is abusive (in which case, I urge you to seek help beyond what my article can give you), no man in his right mind would ask you to put your kids aside to serve his every need while neglecting them. That's not what this means.

4. Forgive.

No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. If you make forgiveness a habit – for everything from major mistakes to little annoyances (every day, I have to forgive my husband for leaving the wet towel on the bathroom counter) – you will keep resentment from growing.

5. Over-communicate.

I used to have a bad habit of not speaking my feelings. I played the standard "You should know why I'm mad" game, and that's just downright unfair. Men are not wired like women, and they DON'T always know that they've been insensitive. I'm still growing in this area, and there are often times when my husband has to pry something out of me, but I'm trying to remember that I need to just communicate how I feel.

6. Schedule a regular date night.

This one isn't new, but it's very important. Never stop dating your spouse. Even if you can't afford dinner and a movie (which we seldom can), spending some regular one-on-one time with your spouse is essential. Don't talk about bills, or schedules, or the kids. Frankie and I often daydream about our future, or plan our dream vacation. We connect emotionally and often learn something new about each other – even after four years.

7. Never say the "I'd quit, it's over!"

If you're gonna say it, you better mean it. Plain and simple, threatening separation or annulment is not fighting fair. I did this a lot in my previous marriages. I'm not proud of it, but I learned better. I was hurting deeply, and I wanted to hurt back, but it never helped me feel better.

8. Learn his love language.

Everyone has a love language. The way you perceive love is often different from the way your spouse perceives love. Does he like words of affirmation, or does he respond better when you give him gifts? Whatever his love language is – learn it and USE IT.

9. Never talk negatively about him.

I learned this lesson the hard way too. If you're going through a difficult time in your marriage and you need advice, see a counselor. Family counseling is a great tool, but try to remember that your family members and friends are not the most objective people to give advice. The argument they are hearing is one-sided and they often build up negative feelings toward your spouse, which usually doesn't subside once you and your husband have gotten past it. Protect his image with those that you're close with and seek help from those that can actually be objective. News flash, ladies – your mother cannot be objective!

10. Choose to love.

There are times in a marriage that you may wake up and not feel in love anymore. Choose to love anyway. There are times when you may not be attracted to your husband anymore. Choose to love anyway. Marriage is a commitment. In sickness and health, in good times and in bad. Those vows are sacred. They don't say "if you have bad times." They say "in good times AND in bad," implying that there WILL be bad times. It's inevitable. So choose to love anyway. He's worth it.

This article was originally published on Karen Lodato's blog, Eighth Rising. Cheers, Ms Karen!

Karen Lodato has experienced a second chance at 'happily ever after' after recovering from divorce. She writes about her faith, experiences in a new blended family, and navigating remarriage on her blog.

People Management Tips You Should Try To Be An Awesome Leader

Being a good leader and an effective manager requires the right knowledge, skills, competence, and passion. 

After all, people management is an art and there are amazing ways to do it right. Here are some of them:

Accept that management is an inherently complex and difficult job - Don't fight it.  Don't waste time and valuable mental energy wishing it weren't so.  

Recognize that frustrations and difficult situations go with the territory of management.  That's why you're being compensated more than if you weren't in management.  Approach delicate employee "issues" positively, like an intriguing puzzle to solve.


Know the value of teamwork.
No battle has been won alone and no success achieved is a single man’s handiwork. At the end of the day even a man has to share the credit of his success with the woman who has been a driving force in his life. Thus team work is extremely important, for you cannot have individual aloof islands working to earn their livelihood.


You need to know your team as a whole as well as individuals. You need to be aware of each and everyone’s capabilities and talent in order to balance the productivity of your team. 

Putting the jigsaw puzzle right always looks pretty, so consider each member of your team as a part of the whole and that would lead to better output results and loyalty from your employees. People with complimentary set skills need to be teamed together to ensure faster output and coherence.

Try to see things through the eyes of others - Easier said than done, I know.  But there may be reasons why a certain person is hard to manage.  

If you can look at a problematic situation holistically and gain insights into why someone is acting the way he or she is, that can lead you to a constructive solution.


Get help when you need to - This is an easy step, but often neglected.   If you work in an organization of any size, help is everywhere.  Get perspective on a difficult employee from someone whose judgment you trust.   

This could be anyone: a Human Resources contact, a mentor, your own manager, a colleague.  During my years in management I went to all of these people at different times to seek opinions when employee issues arose.   It isn't a sign of weakness.  It's sensible judgment.  

Striving for greatness as a manager should top every manager's goal list. The difference that a great manager can make in the work lives of employees is inestimable. 

Helping employees feel rewarded, recognized, and thanked is also key to performing effectively as a manager. So yeah, bring it on and keep inspiring! You're doing a great job!

These Are the Things Wives Need To Know, Hear And Feel

Appreciation In Marriages

One of the greatest sources of discord in the early days of marriage is associated with lack of what the wife calls "appreciation" in the husband.

The average man is a busy person with his share of life's responsibilities and demands upon his time. If he has married the girl he loves and is not of the analytical and hypercritical type, he is generally perfectly satisfied with his life-partner. Perhaps he omits to tell her so at regular periodic intervals, as if he meant it, and it takes a very clever woman to be satisfied with quiet appreciation without demanding verbal expression of her husband's feelings.

Most wives, especially most young wives, delude themselves with the idea that it is the man who talks most about his affection who is the most desirable husband.

The Secret of Married Happiness

They want what they call "appreciation," and the man who gives this to his wife easily, gracefully, and in abundance is wise (and probably admired and dreamed of) in his generation. The converse is also true. It is the appreciative wife who keeps her husband's affection when her hair is turning gray and her figure has lost for all time its girlish outline. It is the wife who can judiciously convey the impression that she appreciates a husband's best qualities who brings out the best in a man.

In one sense, appreciation is the secret of married happiness, because behind this quality lies an immense amount of tact, understanding, and unselfishness. There is no doubt that human nature tends to depreciate what it has already gained, to get accustomed to the possession of what has at one time seemed ideal.

The greatest joy of the newly engaged girl lies in the fact that she is keenly, enthusiastically, and sensitively "appreciated." The man who is honestly in love discerns qualities in a girl which the rest of the World may not perceive, but which are there all the same.

The Divine Spark



Deep down in every one of us there are possibilities, latent qualities for great deeds and high thoughts of which the world has no conception. Love sometimes brings them out, and the commonplace man displays unexpected capacity in consequence. In the same way, the woman who is capable of an absorbing and unselfish love has the best in her brought out at that time.

The divine spark that is in everyone burns brightly for the time being at least. She receives for the first time appreciation from the one person in the world who counts. This appreciation is like a stimulant, an incentive. Alas! so long as human nature is what it is, it does not endure, and if a woman's sense of humor and understanding fails at this juncture, disillusionment will probably result.

It is the wife who is exacting when the ardent lover emerges into the everyday man, who nags her husband into ill-humor. The woman who has a sense of perspective knows only too well that the first ecstasy and ardor of love inevitably settles down into everyday affection, comradeship, and domestic love.

By useless brooding and resentment over the inevitable, discord will arise, and the barque of matrimony will sail into troubled seas. Tact and unselfishness are the only qualities which will steer it safely beyond the rocks, and these include the quality of appreciation.

The Power of Appreciation

The wise wife cultivates the power of appreciating the good qualities her husband possesses and lets him realize that she does. It is the weak woman who nags a man when the first ecstasy of love begins to subside into quiet acceptance and renewed interest in work and everyday affairs.

At the same time, the Woman who has studied the art of appreciation can do almost anything she likes with her life-partner. If he is punctual, orderly, and reliable, she will cultivate the same qualities, and thus save the inevitable jars that the unpunctual woman prepares for herself when she is invariably five minutes too late. She will not ask the impossible from him, and will see that the busy man absorbed in working for her cannot be expected to remember to tell her that his affection is unchanged perhaps three times a day.

The man who is apparently not affectionate by nature may hide a capacity for strong love under his silence and undemonstrativeness.

There are men, and these are not invariably the best of their sex, who have the art of pleasing women in little things. Small courtesies, little kindnesses, and thoughtfulness may mean much to the woman who has no absorbing interest to take up her thoughts. She will forgive a great deal in the husband who remembers to inquire for her headache, who plans a treat for Saturday, and brings an occasional bunch of white roses home in the evening.

But there are many types of men, and the wife who has married the undemonstrative type is only making unhappiness in the home when she expects him to display the qualities which are not part of his nature. He may have far deeper and better traits. He may be more faithful, more trustworthy, although he is not naturally sympathetic in trifles and incapable of realizing a woman's point of view.

The great need of most women's lives is affection, and the husband who can give the wife the small tokens of affection, the signs of appreciation, makes life's journey smoother for himself in consequence.

Flattery is not Appreciation

Everybody loves appreciation. Those who realize this fact can get almost anything out of people that they wish. Appreciation is not flattery, which is a less powerful weapon because it is insincere and false in so many instances. Appreciation simply means the power of realizing the good, the kindness, the ability, and capacity in others.

We all know that we work far more for those who appreciate what we do for them. Appreciation brings out better service, finer work from the individual who gets it. Tempered with judicious criticism, it is the most educative factor in daily life. The wife who knows how to appreciate the good qualities can afford gently to criticize and point out where there is room for improvement.

But appreciation requires verbal expression in most instances. The majority of husbands know very well that their wives are unselfish and thoughtful on their behalf. Most wives realize that the average husband is a good-hearted, hard-working individual, anxious to do his best for his wife and their family.

Married Happiness

The woman who wishes to be happy must never allow selfish, depressing thoughts to absorb her. She must cultivate the power of appreciating the good qualities of other people and especially of her nearest and dearest. Petty criticism and resentment of qualities she dislikes brings out not the best but the worst in the husband. In this world we get what we give. If we give kindness and appreciation to others, they somehow come back to us. Particularly, this is also true in married life.

The wise women, the clever women especially, if they have a sense of humor, make the best of their husbands and their marriage. They realize that a little disillusionment comes to every one of us, and that very often it is due to some fault in ourselves. Too many women let themselves drift into a morass of discontent and disappointment simply because they do not appreciate the great amount of good that is in their lives and turn it to account.

Every woman can be happy if she likes, especially if she has a husband and child to work and think for. Happiness, like all the other good things of this life, has to be cultivated and earned. Mutual appreciation is an important factor, and if husbands also would realize what an enormous difference to the happiness of the wife appreciation and small attentions make, a condition of affairs somewhat approaching the ideal would result.

After the first mysterious glamor has worn off, marriage must inevitably descend from the realms of glorified idealism to those of prosaic common-sense; it is merely a change of state. That change of state, however, for always may remain ideal, as ideal as it was when first contracted, but it will not do so if left unaided.

Mankind is frail and mortal, fretful and petty, and these, his characteristic traits, are the bitterest foes of married happiness. But the gift of mutual appreciation is a force - perhaps it is the only force - strong enough to grapple with and overcome these enemies.

Acknowledgment: Chest of Books Dot Com - Thanks to this Post! =)

Mai: Yes, daddy! I know you perfectly love me. But I still need to hear it sometimes. Let us talk about "us" - reminiscing happy and sweet moments, rekindling wedding vows. I love you.

Though I am so thankful that we're taking it one step at a time - thanks for that sweet date last Sunday. It's a good start, I should know. =)
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♥♥♥ Mommy Mai ♥♥♥

JUST IN: A Must-Try Buffet For Only PhP 199 in Marilao, Bulacan

Buffet PhP199.00/pax; PhP99.00/kid below 4ft.

(all-you-can-eat) ideal for family gatherings, birthday&anniversary celebrations, and also perfect for some random food trips of your barkada... Tara na, kulayan na ang drawing, bes!

Now, what makes your visit to Apolita Restaurant and Bar soooo SULIT?

➽Good food (Filipino Cuisine) (Kudos, chef and Miss Apol)

➽Quality service (courteous and accommodating management and staff)

➽Great music, nice entertainment 

👌➽Kid-friendly (food choices, dessert bar)

➽Accessible, just along NLEx Marilao exit

Apolita's Buffet 199 is currently being offered every Saturday, 6-9 pm. For reservations, call/message them @ 0966-1363320 or 0943-4544211. Enjoy, folks! 
#BulacanBuffet 
#KainanSaMarilao

Note: This is not a sponsored post. We paid for our food. We were there yesterday, May 1. And I must say that my Mayo Uno, spent with my husband, our unico hijo, and a handful of BFFs, was a fun-filled, satisfying dining experience. :) Try it now! 

Slimming Tricks: What You Need To Know And Understand

You know the drill when it comes to losing weight: take in fewer calories, burn more calories. But you also know that most diets and quick weight-loss plans don't work as promised. If you're trying to drop a few pounds fast, these trusted expert tips will make it easy for you to lose the weight quickly.

Diet Doctor identifies the following 18 weight loss tips and tricks:

Start at the top of the list (most important) and go down as far as you need. 

Choose a low-carb diet
Eat when hungry
Eat real food
Eat only when hungry
Measure your progress wisely
Be persistent
Avoid fruit
Avoid beer
Avoid artificial sweeteners
Review any medications
Stress less, sleep more
Eat less of dairy products and nuts
Supplement vitamins and minerals
Use intermittent fasting
Exercise wisely
Achieve optimal ketosis
Get your hormones checked
Stay healthy and fit at all cost

Remember to tweak your lifestyle.

It's a familiar story: You pledge to honor a daily elliptical routine and count every last calorie. But soon, you're eating cupcakes at the office and grabbing happy hour mojitos, thinking, Oops, diet over.

There is a better way: Swap the all-or-nothing approach for one or two healthy switch-ups in your daily routine. "Doing this can lead to more weight loss than you ever imagined," says Marissa Lippert, RD, author of The Cheater's Diet.

LOOK: These Children's Letters to God Made Me Smile, Laugh, and Cry

I came across these letters from innocent kids over the web and got excited to read them one by one. Gotta read them too, stunning!

Awww, that's so sweet, Elliot!

Oh Charles' honesty is really admirable.

Her gratitude is awesome! Love you, Joyce!

Let's be like Ruth, very appreciative.

Larry got a point, right?

All for Eiea: I Want a Second Child - a Beautiful, Bouncing Baby Girl

In my strong desire to have a second child (specifically a daughter), I am trying my best to naturally conceive, fight PCOS and  infertility, and of course, have another miracle. 

Aside from praying so hard and seeing my fertility and high risk pregnancy (OB-GYN) doctor, I pursued alternative treatment. I decided to engage in acupuncture to help me normalize and balance my hormones, eventually have my periods, ovulate, and produce healthy eggs. 

➤Here's what I find in some of my internet researches:

Food a MOM should eat to conceive a baby girl:

Calcium food categories: milk, cheese, vegetable, ice-cream, and any other products made from milk without salt

Magnesium food categories: beans, sesame, soybean

Acidic foods to conceive a girl categories: yogurt, fruits with vitamin C like apple, orange, pear, pineapple, tangerines, apricot

Suggested spices include onion, garlic

Yolks and products made from eggs

They also added tips moms-to-be should follow, a month before conception:

Food to use directly: cereals (less than 100 grams of potato per day)Food to use spontaneously: vegetable, eggs. Food to use as much as possible: milk, cheese, and any other dairy foods. Food to use as less as possible: fresh fruits less than 100 grams per day (stay away from coconut, graviola), meat and fish less than 120 grams per day.

Drink products made from milk, but coffee, tea, beer, coconut.If needed, you can follow your doctor's advice to supplement calcium and magnesium to raise your chance to have a girl.

Meanwhile, a healthy website in Australia seems to agree that food and conception of baby girls have a clear correlation. Belly Belly said couples should follow their basic tips to conceive a baby girl, and the following items are related to food and diet:

1.      Veg Out - According to one study, eating more fruit and vegetables can improve your chances of conceiving a girl. Some people believe a vegetarian diet can help you to conceive a girl, especially if you eat foods such as spinach, nuts and broccoli. Foods naturally high in calcium and magnesium, such as leafy greens, fruits, and rice, are also said to be good for conceiving girls.

2.     Acid House -  Another food-related tip, is to eat acidic foods in the days leading up to ovulation. Male sperm is less able to survive in acidic environments, and eating acidic foods can actually alter the pH of your vagina. However, bear in mind that it's actually unhealthy for your body to be in an acidic state. If you still want to try, stock up on soda, vinegar, and chocolate. Some people believe you should also avoid eating alkaline foods such as apples, almonds, cucumbers and avocado (all very important foods nutritionally) in the run up to ovulation. Having a healthy baby and enough folate in your body to avoid neural tube defects should be more important.

3.      Low Salt -  A low salt diet, as well as being healthier, is also said to improve your chances of conceiving a girl. Try cutting out salted meats, olives, blue cheeses and processed food while you are trying to conceive. You should also restrict the amount of salt used during cooking, a skill that will be useful during pregnancy too.

Whether these are effective or not, there's nothing wrong in trying and believing especially if you and your partner have always dreamt of having a lovely baby girl.

What You Might Have Been Doing as a Wife Is Totally Wrong

From now on, I will keep these things in mind.