Incredible is the word to describe on how this blog came into being two years ago. Everything at that time was not in its proper place (e.g. confused environment, dwindling resources) but all these didn't bar her from moving on. The blogging world, My Useful Tips, the “sweet laughter" of the readers and visitors enabled her to withstand rising temperatures encountered in a vacuum, so to speak. Cool!
Spirituality, Community Development, Featured Articles, and Politics and Opinions took a big slice of the blog's pie and no doubt likewise elicited comments from both sincere friends and mischievous kibitzers. It is always great to see you all coming back and being a part of this blog. Thank you!
Singing occupies her spare time, though how hard it is for her. The first time she learned to play the acoustic guitar on her own was on this particular song, “Killing Me Softly", her first full blown guitar lessons. As such, for this year's blog anniversary of My Useful Tips, she would like to share with you her raw version of the song. I hope you will try to listen, sit back, relax and let me know your thoughts. Have a great day!
This is another bold move and crucial milestone of My Useful Tips! A happy and meaningful 2nd year Anniversary to you all!!!
Who would imagine that a stiff hard fiber sourced from an “abaca” plant and/or banana plant could be used as an alternative to conventional raw materials for avant-garde clothing and other fashion accessories? This is actually true and possible! In fact the said raw materials have been in existence and useful in some areas of the globe and in various ways even before the outbreak of World War 1!
Originating from a tropical country, I have known “Abaca” plant and its utilization but regrettably I haven't seen the tree itself with my naked eye as of yet. I understand the abaca tree can be likened to a non- fruit bearing “banana plant” and that is the reason why the said plant is considered to be part of the “banana family”. Among the significant distinguishing marks between the two are on their leaves and fruits. Abaca leaves are generally dark green, narrow and pointed as opposed to the banana plant whose leaves have light green color and wider in shape. Abaca's fruits are smaller and not as tasteful as that of the real banana tree. Believe it or not, the family roots of the abaca plant can be traced back all the way to the Philippines. This type of hard variety of abaca is different from the “Manila Hemp” (English translation) which can be found in other tropical countries. Hence, this is one of the indigenous plants and raw materials being regulated by the Philippine Government.
As a backgrounder, there are artists and fashion gurus advocating e-fashion over the years who have been able to thrive in a changing technology in fashion business. Fashion icons and budding fashion entrepreneurs continue to support and use indigenous materials (abaca fiber is just one of them) for a cause for some of their clothing lines despite the e-fashion industry's weaknesses, e.g. mass production, pricing and marketability, among others. We cannot discount the fact that e-fashion products are quite pricey vis-a-vis the regular garments being traded in the retail market. These eco-friendly clothing lines are categorized in the business as “haute couture” where accurate attention handcrafted details are pretty astounding. Because of its high quality, e-fashion products are most of the times being marketed in expensive boutiques and designer labels, thus not everyone can afford to wear one. If you may recall, a blog article was posted in this website a year ago relative to “Buying and Using Eco-Friendly Products”, wherein it was mentioned that a certain non-profit organization manufacturing and selling high end sustainable fashion products for a cause had a tag price for one of its products, a bermuda shorts at $275.00!( Note that a regular dollar earner can find a bermuda short at Old Navy for only 10 bucks or even less.)
With the foregoing being said, there is no argument that a fashion designer advocating e-friendly garments, particularly enhancing one's cultural heritage locally and abroad is truly laudable. There are actually fashion organizations which have continued and have been supportive of this cause. The National Association of Sustainable Fashion Designers is one of the bigger organizations which promotes so called sustainable fashion. In the same manner, there are fashion designers on their own initiative who have advocated the use and production of fashion wears and accessories out of indigenous materials.
A Filipino fashion designer who has been successful in her craft and an active supporter of a clean environment is Dita Sandico-Ong. Dita Ong took the opportunity of utilizing the fibers sourced from banana and/or abaca plant/pina in the Philippines, combining her artistic prowess in clothing designs and other variants of fashion lines. She has been promoting the said product not only in her home country but also in other fashion capital of the world such as Milan, Rome, and New York, one of the many ways of contributing to her country's economic growth.
In collaboration with the Philippine Consulate General in New York, Dita Ong set the stage by hitting the catwalk showcasing her spring and summer unique and contemporary creations ("Czarist Charms: Filipiniana Flirting with the Unorthodox") not only to the true blue New York fashionistas but also to high ranking officials and art connoisseurs who were invited to grace the said event. Her attention to detail and exquisite hand crafted fabrics made her collections more relevant to sustainable fashion.
The fashion models wore the colorful and beautiful clothing lines to a "T". It consists of mostly multi-purpose wraps and can be used either as skirts, blouses, coats, headdresses or capes and depending on the occasion and the wearer's styles and preferences. See some of the photos below taken during the fashion show for your scrutiny. (Note: photos are property of and exclusively for www.myusefultips.com's use. Not for reproduction, please).
Those in attendance were the Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations, Libran Cabactulan and his wife, Fe Cabactulan, Consul General/Ambassador Mario de Leon, Jr. and his wife, Eleanor de Leon and Deputy Consul General Tess de Vega (in their beautiful abaca/pina dresses) with other foreign dignitaries and spouses.
It was a site to behold with the exotic indigenous abaca/pina fibers taking the center stage in New York City! Clap! clap! clap!
Many of us rarely get to spend quality time with our loved ones and friends due to fact that we are so preoccupied with either the more important or non-essential things in life. This is also true in certain organizations where members come from different places, seldom see each other, and with respective professions to attend to. However, there are various ways on how to get people out of their shells, apart from the regular monthly or quarterly meetings, simply to unwind, make them happy and enjoy life. For some groups, one way of getting together is to organize an event and it could either be a celebration of an officer or a colleague's birthday or any important occasion.
One recent event which was organized by the Himig At Alay, in collaboration with its supporters and friends, was to honor and congratulate the newly installed Diocesan Coordinator of the Filipino Apostolate, Rev. Fr. Patrick Longalong who is concurrently serving as a parochial vicar at Our Lady of the Snow parish church in Floral Park, New York. Fr. Patrick is relatively young in his profession, he was ordained as priest in 2008 after obtaining his high school and college degree in New York. (Note: photos shown below are not for reproduction, hence not for public consumption. Exclusively for use of myusefultips.com).
For those who are not familiar of Diocesan Apostolates, these are sub-groups under the Migration Office of the Diocese of Brookyln (which includes the Queens borough) whose duty among others, is to serve and/or assist immigrants of all faiths in various issues such as education, housing, unemployment, immigration, including pastoral services, taking into account their respective cultures and traditions (please read previous blog article, entitled "40 Years of Welcoming the Stranger" under Spirituality category for more info). As such for each member country, there is a coordinator assigned to initially oversee the operations and that a priest originating from a particular country is normally designated to undertake the said task.
The said event turned out to be successful even if it was a simple one. Decorations were basic yet unique, program was uncomplicated yet entertaining and even the speeches were brief yet informative. It was a potluck informal dinner where the organizers and friends were generous enough to bring food and beverages. Guests were a mix of old and new officers of the Filipino Diocesan Apostolate (FDA), friends of the celebrant and it was great to see them hand in hand.
While the guest of honor might have been aware that a party was in relation to his additional responsibility as FDA coordinator, he had no inkling that the organizers were combing two events into one party. Incidentally, it was also the guest of honor's birthday on that day. As a matter of fact, majority of the guests didn't have any idea about it. So, it was a surprise party not only to him but also to everyone around!
Certainly, parties and gatherings could form part of our favorite things and it is a fun way to snap lots of photos, relax, and share tidbits with friends and new acquaintances. In my case, it was also an opportunity to meet new acquaintances as I've chanced upon a new friend in the said gathering, she's a virtuoso in music especially in exquisite musical instrument such as piano, harp, and violin.
For the organizers, particularly the head of Himig at Alay, it was another opportunity for them to make the day a milestone and share the joy with the guests.
But for Fr. Patrick, that day was truly a moment for him...... probably a moment to thank God for all the blessings!
What happened on the 21st of January even off my frustration last December. I was expecting a white christmas celebration but no snowfall came. Last Saturday, however, I woke up with snowfalls gently knocking on my door! It was beautiful to see the roads all covered with fine crystals of snow. Being a snow buff, I went out straightaway to enjoy the snowfalls even if they were starting to fade away. I simply revelled in the winter beauty of the earth and the said snowfalls perfectly made my day!
It's just amazing how nature make us happy! Right guys? What d'ya think?
(photos are not for reproduction. please let myusefultips.com know if you wish to use it. Thanks!)
"...but as long as you love me so, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow"!
Ordinarily, when students go back to school in January after the winter or Christmas break , they would be asked by their teachers to list down their New Year's Resolutions. Based on experience, it is much easier to encourage middle school kids to formulate their resolutions than those in high school and college.
New Year's resolutions can be similar to formulation of short, medium or long-term plans and programs in a corporate or business settings. The need to review the past year's performance and make assessments on which areas or operations should be stopped or would require improvements are deemed important. The same is true for all of us, we make appraisals and judgments of ourselves as basis to do good and perform better next time around.
Encouraging the kids at an early stage to undertake New Year's resolutions by their parents or teachers is an effective tool in raising them to be focused and diligent in their studies and making them realize more what life is all about. As much as possible kids resolutions should be uncomplicated, doable and achievable to avoid failures and hitches along the way. Said resolutions should be foreseen as a positive realization at the end of the day. Some of these could involve household chores, study habits, play time and their relationship with family and friends. We often hear kids tell their parents and teachers specific things to undertake such as: a) I will do my homework and sleep in time, b) I'll be a good friend, stop bullying my classmates, c) I'll limit my use of computer and get away from video games and spend more time in studies, and so on and so forth.
Regardless of their beliefs, some kids surprisingly start their resolutions thanking God for the blessings received, others wished for good grades in class, and most of them included certain changes in their relationship with family especially with their Moms and siblings. Here are samples of the resolutions done by the kids in class:
“I just wanted to thank God for giving me life, food and shelter. My New Year's resolution is to know more about God, do my chores and respect my parents. Thank you for protecting my family, giving my parents money to buy food for the family and giving me an education.” - Zeina
“My New Year's Resolution is to be healthy, also try my best to do good in school, get good grades and also to behave in class”. - Tiffany
“For 2012, I want to help my sister and my Mom to learn English.” - Amy
“My New Year's Resolution is to read more than 100 books. My second resolution is to eat more healthy food and eat fruit and vegetables.” My third resolution is to get better grade in school. My fourth resolution is to help my Mom to do something with my brother. I hope my New Year's resolution comes true.” - Karen
“My New Year's resolution is to help my Mom do chores, help my grandma clean up the house, and help my brother clean up too.” - Isabela
“My New Year resolution is to wash the dishes more and help my Mom clean up more. ...I also want to stop being shy.' - Kaitlyn
In a classroom with a ratio of 10/15 girls to boys, it has been observed that the boys were hesitant to write down their resolutions and were not as expressive as the girls. In fact, one boy even posed a query if it was possible to write a “No New Year's Resolution”. Of course, his wish was not granted, he was convinced to put his resolution in writing. Here's what he wrote:
“ I want to be cool and awesome”! - Jeffrey
Parents and teachers play a vital role in assisting the kids achieve their goals, no matter how simple their wishes are. Who knows it could be the first step in our quest to mold future better men and women and leaders in this world. Yes, it could be the first out of the long and winding steps! But this one step could definitely have a positive impact on one child's wish to the very least!
Are friends in deed, indeed! Some would say, you're a “real” friend when you're around in good and most particularly in bad times. That's why we are truly blessed when we are endowed with friends who are there when we needed them the most, minus vested interests. The lack of material things, monetary and non-monetary, is definitely not a hindrance to comfort a friend in need. Our presence and some other form of assistance are more than enough to express our love and concern for a friend who's experiencing life's uncertainties and problems.
The tropical storm “Sendong” or “Washi” which hit certain major cities (Cagayan de Oro and Iligan) in the southern part of the Philippines last December turned out to be shocking, painful and tragic to affected residents. The said storm which resulted in heavy rainfall and flash floods took the people by surprise while they were sleeping, some of them unfortunately were unable to escape from the rushing waters and mud accompanied by large logs and other debris coming from the nearby river and mountain. Unfortunately, for some of them, it was like a thief in the middle of the night ransacking their lives and properties.
The World Bank data of the calamity aftermath revealed that about 1,260 lives perished and 730,000 families affected with 4,620 people injured. The said disaster ravaged the two cities, washing away some houses, personal and business related properties, and even worse government utilities such as water and power have been severely damaged. As such, there is currently an urgent need to provide assistance concerning temporary shelters and potable drinking water. People need clothing and bedding materials, towels, food, medicines, and other basic household items such as cooking utensils and the like.
Two of our colleagues, who have migrated to NYC are presently sacrificing themselves to be away from home to earn a living. They have family members and relatives who are still based in the said cities and were directly affected by the said deluge. Fortunately, their children and siblings were able to flee the areas before the floods rushed in. However, the family victims failed to bring anything with them, not a single belonging, it was a matter of life and death! Their houses were badly destroyed and until now mud's all over the places, with no water to be used to clean up the mess.
Immediately a day or so after the deluge and even without our new friends asking for help, the initiative of gathering donations (cash and in kind) from generous individuals, and asking for used clothing and other items, primarily for the respective families of our colleagues was taken. Fortunately, the local community leadership was supportive in this endeavor. Other groups followed suit to solicit funds with the end view of remitting the donation proceeds and sending various basic items either to a reputable institution or directly to the affected family members. In our community's case, the donated items were remitted directly to the affected family themselves.
As much as possible, we don't want to encounter any turbulence in life. But, things like this happen., they're beyond our control. We just have to have the willingness to help, if we have the time to spare, especially to colleagues and friends. This is also an opportunity for some of us to give back and lend a hand to friends who have been there to share their talents and treasures as well.
Shown below are some of the items which have been donated to the said family victims. Special thanks to the Women of Hope of the St. Mary Gates of Heaven who have donated two large bags of brand new clothing materials (sleep wears, etc.) for young and adults and to the local community leaders and members of the Holy Child Jesus Filipino Apostolate who have always been supportive. Thank you to Fr. Richard Magararu who have been instrumental in this undertaking.
(sorting and packing the donated items were done by generous volunteers, Felix and Aline)
p.s.
Almost a month after the said calamity, the residents of the said cities are still in dire need of help. Donations from interested parties are greatly welcomed and appreciated. For cash donations, you may send it directly to the Filipino Diocesan Apostolate of the Diocese of Brooklyn (c/o Fr. Patrick Longalong, FDA Coordinator), proceeds of which will be remitted to the Bishop's local diocese in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro cities. On the other hand, the Philippine Consulate, through the Consul General, Ambassador Mario de Leon's office, is also accepting donations in kind (beddings, towels, cooking utensils, etc.). If you have extra and unused belongings at home, business import and export overruns, old inventory stocked up in warehouses, your kind heart and helping hand would be greatly appreciated. The said usable household items can be dropped off at the office of the Philippine Consulate located at 556, Fifth Avenue, NYC.
For my useful tips readers and visitors not based in NYC and who are well-off to share, please coordinate with any international or local credible charitable organizations in your area, if and when there are plans to make donations or please contact admin of this blog site for some assistance and directions.
This is merely to shout out to the whole world that there are some people in need in this particular part of the globe. A BIG THANKS!
The following hit song about friendship can actually perk up a day's friend. A portion of the lyrics goes like this: " keep smilin', keep shinin', knowin' you can always count on me for sure, that's what friends are for" The video (courtesy of you tube) shown below maybe dated but very remarkable!
While Tangerines and Oranges are in demand these days because of the nutrients (e.g. Vitamin C) they feed our bodily systems, boosting our stamina and immunity particularly during winter season, their beautiful color is likewise the latest craze in town, particularly in fashion and design!
Officially recognized as the company to select the Color of the Year , Pantone Color Institute has chosen “Tangerine Tango” as the 2012 color of the year. As described by Pantone, Tangerine Tango is something deep orange or what they specifically call “spirited reddish-orange”.
Preferably, I go for subdued pastel colors, girly-lady like type thing, but I can be fearless enough to try bolder colors such as orange. Actually, I like orange color per se, as it gives shine and brightness to the surroundings. Even in food, if I see something of the same color range, I am attracted to it!
My fondness for orange color is actually evident in myusefultips.com slide banner from fashion, sports and other categories (which by the way I noticed this only now!). Did you guys observe it as well? The use of such color was never planned, probably it was my subconscious mind leading the team and working at that time!
For fun's sake, I checked if I do actually have some things with orange color in my belongings. Voila! I found a red-orange (what Tangerine Tango is all about) silk pleated haltered JAIPUR blouse dress which I got last year from Burlington Factory, a Laura Rowe necklace with matching earrings and bracelet, a winter knitted hat, an Asian wooden/rubber back massager, a bath sponge, headband, crayons and marker, and a plastic cosmetic case from Clinique. Wow! Do I have all these?
I know most of us wouldn't dare to wear orange in this winter time of year. We normally see people in subways, streets and work places, wearing clothes in black, gray, or blue shades of color. Maybe, we can set these colors aside for now. How about making a bolder statement for the sake of recognizing orange as the color of the year! Let's do it by showing something with orange color like an orange scarf, a bonnet or hat , belt, tie, or any accessories. It only would not add color to our lives, but it would also give us a shot of vigor and push to what we want to accomplish!
Come on guys, I dare you now! Let's flaunt the orange hue!
“Persons are gifts.....they come all wrapped so differently, some so loosely, others so tightly, but wrappings are not the gifts”...., and so the song goes. A nun taught us this beautiful song in our teens and its simple lyrics struck me more than its melody which is pleasing to the ears as well. I'd like to thank her for this, wherever she's now.
We've met interesting people in our lives and we're just grateful for the opportunity to have encountered them, right? There are some of us who have remained faithful despite the distance and the absence of visibility (if there's such a thing) and keep the friendship open, but others would simply disappear without leaving a word. Friends make us happy, they put smile to our faces, frowns and wrinkle lines as well when they start to be nasty once in a while. Generally, however, they are gifts to us by God.
The past few holidays (Christmas and New Year's Day) were the appropriate times for us to express and send warm greetings to our friends, old and new, either via electronic mail or other means of communications. Greetings that would make them feel that they are treasured and remembered particularly during the said important occasions.
Aside from sending greetings, one of my favorite things to do is wrapping gifts. It's part of the fun of gift giving and I enjoy doing it even if the gift is not as expensive as the rich and famous would give out to their family and friends. In these austere times, there are also inexpensive wrapping materials available in any store. We just have to be creative and resourceful. In my case, I found some of my leftover wrapping papers, including my favored japanese paper and the colorful glittering strings which give a “pop” to the gift.
Take a look!
Would you believe that some of these wrapped gifts have not been sent out yet? Hmmm....busy body huh?
It would be good if we give without expecting something in return. That's a nobler and genuine way of giving. However, we feel glad when we receive something too. Just like kids, we are also excited to open our gifts and see what's inside. We all would love to receive gifts regardless of what it is. And we should be grateful for whatever is given us.
Don't mind the wrappings and the gifts....it's the THOUGHT that counts anyway. The givers, the people behind it so to speak are the true gifts to us by God, indeed!
By the way, the song ends like this: "...We are all persons, we are all gifts, so let's have a grand exchange of gifts".
p.s.
To satiate your curiosity, some of the humble gifts received by me were: two-toned (violet/black) one shoulder DKNY dress, Abercombie & Fitch summer tube dress, high-heeled brown snake skin Naturalizer shoes, Vera Wang printed scarf, Kenneth Cole white cardigan, Gap striped shirt blouse, Hollister white blouse shirt, evening sequined bag, 2 shawls, pin, candles, semi-precious stone pink bracelet, stainless utensils, a mirror, fashion biggie ring, Nine West bootie, U.S. Polo Assoc. shirt, chocolates and nuts (Almond Thins with cranberry dried fruit), Eddie Bauer socks, and a host of Bath and Body works and Victoria Secret beauty stuffs.
Wow! What can I say....
To my dear family and friends, thank you so much for the thoughtfulness!
It's now the first day and the first week of 2012! Wow! This is something to brag about! It's the 2nd time for my useful tip's blog site to welcome the New Year!
Performance wise, Year 2011 was far better than the previous year in terms of traffic figures: dedicated readers, frequent visitors, passers-by, even onlookers (or "lurkers") from all corners of the globe. While blog posts were lower by 25% primarily due to changes in plans and stricter rules, the write-ups however were made to be relevant with current trends and issues.
Hopefully 2012 will be a better year for my useful tips. Being a clever and an active Piscean (blog was established in February last year), it will strive to pursue its dreams. Based on astrologers projections for 2012, Pisces will encounter exciting and challenging events, and this is something for all of you out there to look forward to.
On behalf of myusefultips.com, I would like to greet you all a Happy New Year and a fun-filled days, weeks, months ahead of us! I hope you too will be there to support any charitable projects to be undertaken by myusefultips.com in the future. Sincerely and Cheers!
Lance, a 7- year old cute smart kid is currently enrolled in a private school in the heart of Manhattan. He just came from Singapore as his Mom's work (an expat) requires him to transfer from one place to another. Just like normal kids, he loves to play any kind of games, from high tech stuffs to simple paper planes and rubber band games. Some high end games which I would say he's an expert at it would include those which are found in his iPad , Nintendo 3Ds, plus his collections of pokemon cards. Don't dare to pretend to know this card game and you'll surely be corrected. He knows the game by heart including the characters and their respective position titles and powers. Once in a while, he chanced to show his prowess to his older play mates in board games, such as chess and checkers. Of course, he wins most of the times, but there's a hidden secret behind it!
(Note: Photos below are exclusively for use of www.myusefultips.com, hence not for reproduction and consumption of anyone)
I had the chance to meet Lance through kins last week and I was amazed of the boy's smartness and talents. He is not only well versed in kids' games but also in his academic subjects. When asked about his performance in school, particularly in Math and Science subjects, he was confident to respond that he normally gets straight A's. In fact, he proudly told the audience around that he can do his assignment in Science within five minutes. Ask me what was the assignment all about! It was a memorization of about 10 or more terminologies, such as water vapor, precipitation, hail, sleet, and the like. The assignment was for the kids to memorize the definition of the said terms and it involves not just 1 or 2 words but the full meaning of it. I was tempted to test his learning skills. After browsing the pages of his Science book and reading the definition of the words silently for about 5 minutes, he handed over the book to me. Acting like his teacher, I started asking him the definitions randomly, not using the sequence as written and arranged in the book. Surprisingly, he quoted the definitions most of the times verbatim, and others in his own words, but correctly defined. He's good in Language too, particularly in Spelling.
The said experience was astonishing, which I said to myself, wow! I have some encounters with kids in school who are in their Grades 3 to 5's, and it is frustrating to note that some, if not majority, of them couldn't spell out and pronounce the words correctly. They are very good in conversational English, no doubt about it, but when it comes to lessons in class, they hardly catch up. Surely, there are various factors behind it, but since this is not about them, let's leave it to the Language teachers and their parents to thresh it out.
Going back to Lance, there was one time he showed me a piece of paper with his writings on it. It was a short story and I thought it was a writing exercise in school. His Mom told me, it was his own composition to which he nodded. Apparently, he sometimes scribbles notes when he's alone. I asked Lance' permission if I could take a photo of it and publish the same in myusefultips.com blogsite. He looked at me with pure innocence and said, “Are you really going to publish it? as in everyone can see it?” When I said, yes, I could see happiness in his face, some excitement and he was really looking forward to seeing it posted and so he could check it on his iPad. The short story was written in a white bond paper with his own penmanship. Awesome!.
Absolutely, my cam did not do justice to the story. I could have scanned it instead to have a better view, unfortunately the scanner just gave me headaches, so I have to plainly re-write it here for your sake. I would like to say my apologies to my dear Lance as this post came later as expected.
Shown below is the full unedited script of the story:
“The Revenge of the Lost Viking"
"Once upon a time a little boy discovered about a weird looking fossil. The little boy got it and bring it to the science center then the scientist told the boy it is about the lost viking. The scientist said the vikings have a war but one viking ran away so who claim that fossil the vikings will come to you and destroy your hometown said the scientist. The boy feel tricked and lied from the scientist so he took the fossil home then the vikings arrived to destroy his hometown. The boy realized that he make a mistake about the story of the lost viking. So he tried to ask the scientist what their weakness is. The scientist told the boy their weakness, it is killing them with your heart. The boy said, “how to do that”? The scientist said to the boy to apologize to people if you are mean to them. So the boy keep on apologizing to people quickly then the vikings are disappearing but one viking left. The boy realized something to apologize he must apologize to everyone causing this big trouble. He apologize everyone for this trouble. There is no more vikings. The boy saved the day for the trouble he made. The boy said his name is Richard. So Richard return the fossil to where it supposed to be. Richard's mother is proud so she tell the President to give him a reward. The President give Richard a trophy. Richard is proud. His father was relaxed for Richard. Richard smile in tears. Richard and his family feel good about it. And everything is back to normal. And they live happily ever after. The End.”
Below is the photo of the story (clearer version), as written by Lance.
The lighter version but complete:
Bet you, it's uncommon for a 7-year old kid to be able to write like this. The smart thought that comes from an innocent and unpolluted young mind, particularly the moral lesson behind the said simple story is most essential.
I would have wanted him to explain the said story on video but I felt it was no longer necessary. The story alone proved how the young boy thinks and how profound the message it brings to young boys and girls.
I just hope Lance will grow to be a loving and kindhearted person and stays away from the lures and influences of evil doers. Very good job Lance! Keep it up!
Being a snow buff, I went out straightaway to enjoy the snowfalls even if they were starting to fade away. I simply revelled in the winter beauty of the earth and the said snowfalls perfectly made my day!
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