Archive for July 13, 2007

Unluckier Friday

Friday, July 13, 2007 · Filed under TGIF

I may not notice that today is Friday the 13th if not for Grace (see how she played a great part of my day?).  

Friday the 13th – Unluckier Friday

Number 13 and sixth day of the week has bad reputations on ancient times. Some won’t go for work on this day, not eat in restaurants and not even set a wedding on this date. Why? Here are some information I took from David Emery of Urban Legends and Folklore.

13: The Devil’s Dozen

“It is said: If 13 people sit down to dinner together, all will die within the year. The Turks so disliked the number 13 that it was practically expunged from their vocabulary (Brewer, 1894). Many cities do not have a 13th Street or a 13th Avenue. Many buildings don’t have a 13th floor. If you have 13 letters in your name, you will have the devil’s luck (Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy and Albert De Salvo all have 13 letters in their names). There are 13 witches in a coven.”

Bad Friday

“It is said: Never change your bed on Friday; it will bring bad dreams. Don’t start a trip on Friday or you will have misfortune. If you cut your nails on Friday, you cut them for sorrow. Ships that set sail on a Friday will have bad luck – as in the tale of H.M.S. Friday … One hundred years ago, the British government sought to quell once and for all the widespread superstition among seamen that setting sail on Fridays was unlucky. A special ship was commissioned, named “H.M.S. Friday.” They laid her keel on a Friday, launched her on a Friday, selected her crew on a Friday and hired a man named Jim Friday to be her captain. To top it off, H.M.S. Friday embarked on her maiden voyage on a Friday, and was never seen or heard from again.” 

Friday is named after Frigg (goddess of marriage and fertility) or Freya (goddess of sex and fertility). Frigg/Freya corresponded to Venus, goddess of love, and the sixth day of the week was named in honor of her, “dies Veneris”. 

They said u will be unlucky today if you break a mirror, walks under a ladder, and spills the salt, or a black cat crossing your path. These were beliefs of year “nineteen kupong-kupong”, now in our modern year, are these beliefs still exist?

As a living Christian, I live by His word in Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand.” 

Today is just another busy day for me…

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Introducing Malaysia

Friday, July 13, 2007 · Filed under Malaysia

Since I am here, i will be glad to let you know a bit of Malaysia… 

   MY Twin Tower        Malaysian Flag  

Location:        Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam.

Background:  During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore and the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo joined the Federation. The first several years of the country’s history were marred by Indonesian efforts to control Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore’s secession from the Federation in 1965. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw materials, to expansion in manufacturing, services, and tourism. 

Climate:         Tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons. 

Natural resources:   Tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite   

Natural hazards:   Flooding, landslides, forest fires    

Population:    24,821,286 (July 2007 est.)   

Ethnic groups:   Malay 50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, indigenous 11%, Indian 7.1%, others 7.8% (2004 est.) 

Religions:   Muslim 60.4%, Buddhist 19.2%, Christian 9.1%, Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 2.6%, other or unknown 1.5%, none 0.8% (2000 census) 

 Languages:   Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai

 Note: in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan .

Next will be the place where we reside, Kondo Mutiara, Bandar Perda…situated in Bukit Mertajam, Penang Malaysia.

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Some things about me…

Friday, July 13, 2007 · Filed under About Me

I got this from Grace of Sandier Pastures, the lone person urging me to blog, thinking that this piece is the perfect one to start, so here I am now trying my luck.

1. Were you named after anyone?     Not anyone but from the word Love…because I was born on the 14th of February. Lucky me I was not named Valentina (lol).

2. When was the last time you cried?      Last June 20 after knowing that a friend from college died 4 days after giving birth and a friend’s son died 3 days after birth due to congenital heart problem. So sad.

3. Do you like your handwriting?    When I am not in a rush, yes!

4. What is your favorite lunch meat?     Anything will do…

5. Do you have kids?    I have 3, two boys and 1 girl.

6. If you were another person, would you be friends with you?    Of course I will!

7. Do you use sarcasm a lot?    Nah! I don’t want to hurt others as much as I don’t want others to hurt me.

8. Do you still have your tonsils?    Still in the place where it should be.

9. Would you bungee jump?     Maybe not maybe yes…depends in my mood. I have fear on heights.

10. What is your favorite cereal?      Koko Crunch! My kids love it too!

11. Do you untie your shoes when u take them  off?      Nope, I wear sandals!

12. Do you think you are strong?     I am! Physically and emotionally because God is with me.

13. What is your favorite ice cream?      Anything with chocolate on it. And yes with almonds too.

14. What is the first thing you notice about people?     Their smile.

15. Red or pink?     Pink…though I was born on the month and day where lots of people wear red, sorry but I hate red.

16. What is the least favorite thing about yourself?     Huhuhu, my weight.

17. Who do you miss the most?     My son…i really miss his hugs and kisses.

18. What color pants and shoes are you wearing?     Brown shorts and bedroom slippers.

19. What was the last thing you ate?     My pau…I am proud to say that i have made it myself.

20. What are you listening to right now?     Christian songs and two snoring kids.

21. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?     Baby blue

22. Favorite smells?     My children and the sweat of my hubby. Weird, but i really like the smell of it.

23. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?     My dear hubby, telling he can’t come home early, lots of works to be done so need to overtime.

24. Favorite sport to watch?     Love to watch basketball and cheer to the max!

25. Hair color[s]?    Pure color

26. Eye color?    Brown

27. Do you wear contacts?    No.

28. Favorite food?    Anything can but probably not a curry flavor…i hate the smell.

29. Scary movies or happy endings?  Happy endings though i would go also for scary movies.

30. Last movie you watched?   Spiderman II, i was still pregnant that time with my second child…meaning i haven’t watch movies for almost three years.

31. What color shirt are you wearing?     White with Batman print…free from Globe Telecom.

32. Summer or winter?     I would love to experience winter.

33. Hugs or kisses?      I love both from my love and my kids!

34. Favorite dessert?    Cakes

35. What book are you reading now?    Now? I am learning Visual Basic that’s why I am reading “Visual Basic III”.

36. What is on your mouse pad?    Don’t have one.

37. What did you watch on T.V. last night?     Not TV but DVD, Barney and Open Season (again and again)

38. Favorite sound[s]?     Laughter of my children.

39. Rolling Stones or Beatles?     Beatles, I love their songs.

40. What is the farthest you have been from home?     Malaysia

41. Do you have a special talent?     I have lots of talent, don’t know which one is special! hahaha

42. Where were you born?     Panabo, Davao del Norte, Philippines

Big thanks to Grace, your blog inspires me a lot.

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