Shainne Hostalero

Photo from web It's been quite sometime since I shared a good read. I've been busy with a lot lately - family, motherhood, pregnancy, work, cooking, and studies. I'm currently finishing Crazy Rich Asians though which I'd like to share to you very very soon. Or perhaps share a new read that will benefit all of us. Talking Crazy: How to Deal with the Irrational and Impossible People in Your Life (2015) by Mark Goulston is a very timely read today. We experience a lot of encounters towards irrational and impossible people that sometimes we cannot seem to quit because... 1.) they are our workmates/classmates/colleagues, 2.) they are family and/or acquaintance, and 3.) they simply exist for all valid reasons even though they are a bit off sometimes (or most of the time?) Sometimes, we are the ones who are irrational and impossible. I think we all have our 'days.' We are not always okay to be with. Yet, we (personally, I) strive to be okay which makes a lot of...

Dollars and Sex: How Economics Influences Sex and Love by Dr. Marina Adshade Reading through the contents of the book Dollars and Sex: How Economics Influences Sex and Love by Dr. Marina Adshade brings me a realistic point of view on how the majority are perceiving relationships these days. As a marketing professional who have been exposed to economics and had the chance to teach it too, I agree with the points of the book, objectively. But on the touch points, there are subjective fields to consider as well and thus, I know it varies from one person to another. Herein below are the points of the author and my views as we go along: In many societies, liberal views on female sexuality have led to more freedom. Philippines, I think, is starting to be one of those societies. Our values are conservative and female are expected to be homemakers. But as we rise and go around industrialization and adopting how other society does it, we become more open and accepting on how female ...

By Emma Seppala, PhD The Happiness Track Photo from Web Most people, when asked what do they want in life would answer:  success, love, money, and happiness . Not all successes in life can coincide to happiness; yet, doing everything th at makes us happy - no matter how small - can bring success. In the book The Happiness Track by Emma Seppala, PhD, she discussed great things that will help us go around our happiness and success - absorbing the moment, reducing our stress, and teaching us how to live a life (or getting a 'life' in case we don't have one). We focus too much on the future, but we can train ourselves to remain in the present moment. Focusing on the future reduces your attention in the present moment, making you more likely to miss significant things that are happening now.  Have you ever tied yourself to work thinking about all the things you planned and the person you want to be five years from now? I have. I was quite a workaholic - having...

1897  Mayo  1 Mahal kong Oryang, Andres Bonifacio at Gregoria de Jesus photo from the web Mali ka. Hindi kita nakasalubong upang sa dulo ng kalsada, ako ay liliko sa kanan at ikaw sa kaliwa. Sapagkat saan man tayo dalhin ng ating pakikibaka, ikaw lang ang aking itatangi at makailang ulit na ihaharap sa pulang bandila. Hindi tayo nagpalitan ng kwento upang sa pinakahuling tuldok ng pangungusap, ang karugtong ay alingawngaw ng katahimikan. Walang pagod kitang aawitan ng imnong pambayan, Oryang. Hindi kailanman ako mauubusan ng salita upang maialay sa iyo bilang mga tula. Maging ang bulong at buntung-hininga'y magpapahayag ng pagsinta sa tulad mong umiibig din sa bansa. Hindi tayo sabay na tumawa, nagkatinginan, at tumawa pa nang mas malakas, upang sa paghupa ng halakhak ay may butil ng luha na mamimintana sa ating mga mata. Loobin man ng Maykapal na pansamantala tayong magkawalay, tandaan mong ang halakhak at sigaw ng ating mga kasamahan ay sa akin rin. Hindi ka dapat m...

The Good Read:             For One More Day by Mitch Albom In this life, how often would regret things that you have done before? How often would you think stuff that occurred, circumstances that you thought would turn out nice but it didn't, situations that would have gone better if you just made the right decisions? At times, we have thought about these and just like any given times, we have wished to make these right, though it wouldn't be possible; then we wished to make up for it. Photo from the web Charles Benetto is the same. He had no idea how his life went on. What remained clear was his willingness and eagerness to end his life after all the turmoil in his career, personal life and his family. He couldn't take back things but he was able to go back. Not to change anything but to realize what had happened to his life, the things he missed and how people around him went on while he remained stuck in the moment wanting to be dead. Like man...

The Good Read:               Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert Photo from the web Yes, you are right! This book is really familiar because it is a hit and it is now a major motion picture (2010). I know all of you guys know that this book was about finding one's happiness, surviving the loneliness and understanding things that came after a certain relationship (or life, in general) turmoil. I, myself, came from countless of it too; and like many of you, I have experienced loneliness and the deepest of it in all possible ways it can be felt. It was indeed hard and finding happiness is kind of subtle but one thing I have learned was - happiness is a choice and though there are times you want to surrender and give up everything because it is just too heavy, there will always a part of you wanting to survive. Simply because you want to experience that certain happiness again and you want to see the bright side. There are no permanent things in...

The Good Read:                        The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell A gloomy Sunday approached some good read. While I was searching for things to read, I came across this one chapter of The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell, by which, it discussed Appearance and Reality as one of the distinctions that cause most trouble in Philosophy. According to Bertrand Russell (which I thought of and agreed upon as well), "As soon as we try to be more precise, our troubles begin." There was a huge point there and we all can see it, it was obvious. Most of the time, we react based on what we see and what we think we believed in. And I guess, there is an enormous influence of the mind if and when we are going to believe something. Sometimes, even we see and we feel that those things are true and certain, we try to cross the point that there is still something strange about it; and we make ourselves believe t...

I finally got a new book to read and explore, this Natural Causes book is all about death, lies and politics in America's Vitamin and Herbal Supplement Industry which I think could also help us, especially now that we, Filipinos are having a great deal to those herbal medicines, which we thought could really help. This book discusses those stories behind different herbal medicines but not really informing or persuading (just what i have reflected) everybody to stop using those, of course, on a majority basis it's advantageous, cheaper and more natural. Well, it's up to us if we will continue having those supplements. It's really interesting and a wow. And yeah right, nowadays we are so concern about health, that's why most of us are being so conscious about everything, we even patronize ready-to-drink tea instead of drinking softdrinks, herbal powders and medicines, natural way of curing and many other forms. To gain more knowledge and information, this Natura...

I'm starting to like the book "The Cinderella Rules" by Donna Kauffman (author of The Big Bad Wolf Tells All). The book is actually right that there's really a little bit of Cinderella in every woman except for Darby Landon (the lead character in the book), I think we have a lot of things in common, that would make us not a really Cinderella at all. More comfortable in jeans than designer gowns, wearing sneakers than stilettos, and so on. I'm so concern about girl's state of affairs. That in fact, I really don't like the idea that a guy is jerking a girl or thoughts like guys are just like morons screwing girls and will leave them in just a snap of their fingers. A part in the book is a Cinderella checklist, I think it can help girls to decide what should be done to be happy and feel like real princess and to have a Prince Charming who'd still see them gorgeous even they are not wearing any make up on. A Cinderella Checklist Do ... dress the p...