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Page One Engine – My Insightful Take

By | July 9, 2015

A Must Read While You Can !

Best SEO Tool

Product: Page One Engine

Creators: Dori Friends (An SEO Expert)

Price: $1,997 (All inclusive with no upsells)

Rankings: 98%  (Recommended)

Product Overview

I have not meet with Dori Friends face to face yet but I have attended couple of her recent webinars and I must say she is such a wonderful person with great spirit that can inspire even the dullest of minds to do positive things with their life .

I have read her ebook (Where The Big Dogs Roams) and I must say it is full of great values and inspirations. I was inspired not only by her work but also by her desire and effort to impact positive change in other people’s life both financially and otherwise via her skills and experiences.

She is an expert in SEO’s with years of successful experience under her arm and she has worked with Google which means she knows her onions.

Page One Engine is her first project. On One of her webinar, she put Page One Engine Tool to the test life in front of hundreds of attendees and ranked some amazon products and some very old websites to Google front page in no time with zero cost on advertising.

I am sure you understands that Front page of Google means huge pure and organic targeted traffics every day for free.

The Page One Engine software also comes with a Private Blog Network( secret source of SEO) to all members.

What Is Page One Engine?

what is pageone

From what I saw on the webinar, I can tell it is an in-depth SEO course that is complete with software and trainings which also includes real life case studies and proof.

I also noticed that it can as well be an answer to the mysterious question of how? – when it comes to successful SEO skill pursuit. You can find answers to such questions like :

  • What is SEO?
  • How to set up profitable SEO?
  • How does it work? (SEO)
  • What is the time frame in setting up profitable SEO?
  • What are your chances of making money with your SEO set ups?
  • How do you get to Google front page with Page One Engine Tool?
  • Plus many other 21 questions I am sure you need answered when you get your hand on it.

What Are Your Chances of Making Money With  Page One Engine?

Page One Engine has the potential to help you make money online in multiple ways.

These includes:

#1 SEOs

#2 Reputation management

#3 Launch Jacking

#4 List Building

#5 Local Business SEO Consulting

#6 Social Media Traffic

#7 Affiliate Marketing

Who Is Page One Engine For?

From what I deduced from the webinar, Page One Engine training module break down is basically meant for 3 kinds of people. But when you look at it closely, you can see it is clearly meant for anyone who really want to take advantage of free targeted organic traffic to increase their sales online and make good money

. These people includes:-

#1, Beginners – As a beginner in SEO world, you will be able to learn what an SEO professionals does from the scratch, on and off page SEO, back-linking, how to find competing sites, hosting, beginners guide step by step video series plus instant access to an SEO Glossary to all popularly used terms in SEO.

#2 Intermediates – This is if you are already in the internet marketing world or you been doing online business for some times but has not really made any reasonable money online. In that case, the intermediate video series will help you. And that includes top value information on hosting your PBN and building it, finding aged domain-scrapping and selection, selecting the right keywords, social media profiling, intense on and off page SEO and many more.

#3 Advanced Marketers – This I believe is where it starts getting more exciting because this is where the big dogs roams. At this point you are looking at instant access to Page One Engine link building tool, analytic tools, press release, link density building, POE PBN networks, and many more high value stuffs I am not sure I ‘ve got the correct SEO grammatical terminologies to put it here for you. So please look inside when you get in.

Main Features of Page One Engine  Software Are:

  • Assorted SEO tools
  • PBN Management tools
  • And you get a 500 site link networks you can instantly use and build out your own immediately.

There are 8 Modules of Page One Engine Training Courses.  Each individual module represent an opportunity or a different way to make money. It is up to you to choose which one you fill confident with and pursue it with intent.

These 8 modules includes the following:

 Module 1 – You Can Start Earning Quick Buck With Reputation Management

reputation to keep If 84% of the online marketers thought that reputation management is the key to the tomorrow success and it has been known that many business has closed down and gone under the waters due to bad reputation. Wouldn’t you like to make lets say $600 to $8000 a month helping them clean up their reputation mess?

Module 2- Launch Jacking

launch jack This module gives you the skill and the ability to profit from any new product launch out there today. It is all about fast profit and you can rinse and repeat the process for even bigger pay day.

You can apply this module for your short term profit or even better for a long term online business strategy and make a living out if it.

============> GET STARTED HERE <==================

Module 3 – Rank On YouTube

youtube ranking One of the most fastest way to start increasing traffic is video ranking on Google. YouTube is very good with that if you have the skill to set up and rank videos.  The good news is you don’t even have to create these videos yourself.

You can go to and get a professional looking video you can rank fast to get an avalanche of traffics to your site. This module teaches you all you need.

Module 4 – Site Leasing

site leasing The key benefit of this module is that it is easy to get started with and quick to scale and make even more profit. It is a simple process of ranking your own site and then leasing it out to clients. This opportunity is perfect for local business.

With one client you can get good quality recommendations that can help get you new clients and that means steady recurring income.

Module 5 – Drive Traffic With Social Media

social media The two best key benefit of this module are massive instant visitors from social media and it helps with your SEO, branding and authority. We all know that second best thing after SEO is social media traffic.

It may not convert like SEO traffic but the visitor are more engaging which can boost your brand and recognition. This module will give you all you need. Imagine when you can combine both skills?

MODULE 6 – Local SEO

local seo This method has been around for ages and yet still very profitable to go into all because the demand for local SEO is still very high. The top two benefits are that you can get started immediately and it is very profitable.

=============> GET STARTED HERE <================

Module 7 – Email/List Building

list building

One of the greatest advantages of SEO is the ability to help grow your mailing list for free. We all know as the say “money is in the list”! Well it can be true if you are building a highly targeted and actionable list.

Not just freebies list. This module clear the big different between paid traffic and free quality and targeted organic traffic. And both CPA and SEO free traffic requires equal amount of work to set up. So you tell me!

Module 8 – Affiliate Marketing

Promoting other people’s product can be very lucrative especially when commissions are ranging from 5% to 10% on tangible product and about 50% to 75% commissions on information products (i.e digital products) online these days.

The competition among vendors are riff and digital product owners are all constantly out there hunting for an army of affiliates that will help push their products to a larger audience.

Top 2 benefits of this module are long term profits and the ability to create and rank more sites using the same method. Good example of affiliate program that has recurring income online for life is Wealthy Affiliates.

My Verdict:

I will like to say this is a great product to invest in. From what I have seen from the life webinar it is indeed a one stop solution to all SEO needs which can help you get tons of organic free traffic.

It is definitely not a push button formula to 6 figures a month from online business.

You will definitely need to put in some work and time.

For a one time stop cost of $1,997 for the complete access to Page One Engine, I should think that all your work would be completely cut out for you especially as all the tools and training you needed comes with the software.

Let me know your own take about Page One Engine by dropping me a comment or question in the box provided below. I will respond back to you immediately. I always do.

Also would you mind sharing the heck out of this post for me on your social media network if you found this post useful in any way? Thanks.

– Richard

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Low Calorie Recipes – What Should You Add to Your Diet Plan

Low Calorie Recipes – What Should You Add to Your Diet Plan

The moment your body feels starvation, you try to find delicious and spicy food to fill up your stomach. Eating high calorie foods make you feel full that also add fat to your body and muscles. To prevent yourself from getting those unwanted fats, you may intend to indulge yourself with low calorie recipes in the web. Of course your body has to possess a wonderfully shaped figure as well as a healthy system to improve your life. What should you add to your healthy diet plan so that you can get a desired shaped body?

Fiber: The diet conscious people usually eat oats and fruits which are rich in fiber. Fiber helps to make you feel full, assists in digestion, cleanses the colon as well as helpful for more efficient bowel movement. Overall this gives you an easier access to a much slimmer body.

Soup: To obtain great low calorie foods, soups are excellent choices. Healthier soups are tasty as compared to other ones. You can also prepare these at home, but you must be mindful of the fat and calories it contains per serving. Get online recipes and keep the nutrients added to your diet in check.

Shakes: Breakfast shakes are better than preparing hearty meal. It gives you proper nutrients and calories. So opt for banana shake in the morning.

White meat: As compared to red meat, white meat is much healthier. Cooking recipes with these kinds of ingredients is easier, you can search for the cooking way online.

Eating healthy keeps you energetic and healthy. Meri Rasoi offers you exciting services to fulfill your desires to cook numerous types of dishes!

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Barker Hastings Brown

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Open Session

Becoming a better parent through open discussion of parenting issues

Gift Giving January 1, 2012

Filed under: Blogging,Christmas,Family — aprilgrant @ 5:39 pm

I meant to get this out before today, now that we’re on a new leaf.

So, what do you think about gifts with strings attached? Have you received them? What did you do with them?

As an example, my mother’s gift to me and everyone in the family was a daily devotional. A devotional is a book of prayers meant to be read on a regul

Christmas Day December 26, 2011

Filed under: Christmas,Family,General — aprilgrant @ 2:31 pm

Such a wonderful day. My son’s eyes open with merriment and excitement. My sister (the same age as my son) is happily opening similar gifts. Because of their age proximity, they receive a lot of the same things.

The tree, that has been on for almost everyday since we put lights on, shines in the background. I wish it was cold. Although we are in So Cal, we can have cold Christmases. This year, not so lucky. A lukewarm 65 degrees on Christmas morning.

It was delayed because my mother went to second service, and didn’t return home until 11. Then it was rushed because my sister’s father had called to meet to give his daughter her Christmas present. Unwrapping took about 30 minutes, then everyone left for a couple of hours.

My son and husband played catch in the backyard with brand new gloves and a ball. I relaxed because, let’s be honest, I did just have a baby and still on pain meds. My head spins sometimes from lightheadedness. It was nice to have a quick evacuation of the house. I could spend time with my own family, just for a little bit.

Upon their return (mom, sisters and brother who all left to go eat breakfast), my mom and the little kids made a rice Krispies igloo. Sugar-filled and overly sweet.

My mother broke a dish. Then something happened that never did before. She apologized and showed me the dish she broke. Now this is something obvious in most families. It’s not normal in mine. Over the years, my mother specifically has used my things up, broken them, given them away, an when asked, completely denies she knows what happened to them. She would deny until she saw that I didn’t give up on asking, then say something like ‘oh, that broke long time ago’. As if that would make me feel better. It may have, if I didn’t spend a week or two trying to find it and think that I was going crazy when I couldn’t find it. So this was HUGE! She may have really changed.

She actually seemed semi-remorseful. I love the dish, but there’s nothing I can do after the fact. The apology was enough.

Then my uncle had a family dinner. I couldn’t get a clear answer on how many others would be there or who would be there, and normally I don’t care, but with a brand new newborn, I didn’t want to have too many people around or be running upstairs to tend to the baby every few seconds. So we didn’t go. My sister, who was planning on grabbing a plate then leaving, stayed until late for many hours.

She sent me a text around 5 and said I should come, but that would’ve required a shower and hair done. A good hour or two to get ready, then a half an hour drive, just didn’t seem worth it.

So, hubby and I finished up the night watching Tree of Life, Hall Pass and the last installment of Pirates. It was a great day!

Christmas Morning December 25, 2011

Filed under: Christmas,Family,Holidays — aprilgrant @ 9:04 am

This is a rambling post. Lots of thoughts are going through my head.

As I sit here feeding my Christmas gift, in the bedroom, waiting for my husband to return from church, I think about the last few days.

My mother has changed. My family has come together for the first time in years. I enjoyed myself.

We haven’t opened presents yet. My son patiently watches television.

I am happy, but wondering what will happen next.

My mother wanted us to discuss the reason for the season, what we would give the Lord, followed by recognizing and being thankful for the blessings in our life My husband led the evening as ‘the man of the house’ and the Christian man that he is. We went around the room sharing our thoughts and feelings.

The part that was the most troubling was that my sister openly said that she was thankful for her now ex-boyfriend’s mother and her education, with no mention of my mother (or the family for that matter).

As mich flak as I get for not making my mother feel ‘motherly’ or that I don’t call or give her enough attention, I think it’s very confusing that her words of not being thankful for anyone in our family ( all ok for me, because I know I haven’t been there), seem cutting. How do you sit next to your mom and not thank you or consider a blessing. Maybe its just me.

What do you think? Is it harsher to make it known that you’re not a fan if someone, or wait until a touching moment and basically act as though they don’t exist?

Hanging my Stockings for Christmas December 9, 2011

Filed under: Christmas,Family — aprilgrant @ 7:15 pm

When we picked out our Christmas tree at Home Depot, I checked out their Decorations section. Over the last few years, I have missed hanging our stockings. As a renter, putting nails in the banister for a once-a-year event, especially since we had typically put up our tree about a week before Christmas. I didn’t realize until this year that we didn’t even have stockings!

At Home Depot (which seems like one of the few places that carry stocking hangers, including online), they were $10 each. I knew they were a bit expensive, especially for the limited use. Of course, my husband solidified the decision by basically declaring ‘Hell No’ in the middle of the store. He was mildly considering it when he thought about purchasing three – him, me, son. Then, I reminded him of our newborn to come. He laughed, shook his head, said his peace and walked out. So a cheaper version has to be born.

I can be creative, but my style is extremely unique. I typically don’t copy what I see or try to replicate it. So, instead of $10 each, my stocking hangers ended up being less than $3. I can’t give an actual amount because I repurposed some of the pieces, to cut down on cost.

Piece of slate: $0.38 each. I chose slate because it had some weight to a small size.
Hook: $0.85 each
Metal/concrete epoxy: $4.00
Ornament: free (already had; repurposed)
Ribbon: $0.99
Glue gun and stick: free (already had)

First, I bonded the hook to the concrete using the Metal-Concrete Epoxy. This epoxy is made especially to bond these two materials together. It took eight minutes to set, but recommended 24 hours to fully bond. I waited the full 24 hours. I don’t want any gifts to be too heavy and tear the hook off.

Next, I glued the ornament to the top of the concrete.

Then, I made bows out of the ribbons and glued them to the hooks.

And voila! Stocking hangers! All for under $3 each.


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So…. Suicide Squad: A Review

My mental post processing took shorter than expected and so I’m finally coherent enough to write out my thoughts on one of the year’s most anticipated films: Suicide Squad.

Before seeing the film I didn’t indulge in listening to the singles from the movie, and found myself pleasantly surprised upon watching. Ayer does a great job of fusing some unlikely artists into a very in sync playlist. Queen, Kanye, Eminem and the Bee Gees  come together to bring some of the movie’s more enjoyable moments to life– scenes that range from Deadshot slaying at target practice to the Suicide Squad coming to life through their costume change montage.

My big issue with the music though is how off the timing is– that awesome Deadshot scene makes kickass use of Kanye’s “Black Skinhead” but the abrupt cut of the song just seems so… awkward. I was also pretty bummed about how “Bohemian Rhapsody” made its way into the movie as it was used quite nicely in one of the movie’s overhyped trailers.

Favorite Songs from the Film:

“Bohemian Rhapsody”- a Freddie high note and forever rock classic

“Without Me”- a naughty, playful diss track that just brings fun, fun, fun

“Black Skinhead”- a song I’ve been obsessed with since I heard it in a Guinness commercial in one of my advertising classes

… or lack thereof. I have to admit I came into the theatre expecting the worst after bad reviews of this movie became a news item in itself. And I have to say that for this particular aspect, the critics were right.

Whoever thought that having witch-possessed Cara Delevigne going mad in a city would make for the perfect opening salvo to the Suicide Squad series? WHO??? Also, did anyone notice the shear lack in a sense of urgency that these characters have? Or the lack of a proper, exciting buildup to a climactic end scene? All of those elements just weren’t there!

I’m not too familiar with David Ayer’s work but did anyone tell him about the idea of ‘show not tell’?? the exposition was practically the concept of ‘tell’ come to life, and the poor font choices didn’t help at all. Other movies (not Marvel ones) have done this introductory montage in a quicker, more coherent, less corny way that still gave audiences sufficient info to go on as the film progresses further.

At the start of the film I was willing to accept the ‘these characters are delusional therefore this film will be kinda off’ excuse but it just didn’t cut it towards the middle. A part of me still wants to use the ‘off’ excuse but the rest of me is just annoyed with how the movie was constructed as a whole.

Before seeing the movie, I had already grown quite attached to the cast after seeing them together. You can see from their social media accounts and interviews that they seem to really like each other in real life, and clearly bonded throughout production. That natural chemistry thankfully makes its way into the movie.

To be honest, the real heroes of Suicide Squad (one of them at least) has to be the casting directors behind the film. The combination of actors seems right in its own ‘wrong’ way, which is exactly what the point of Suicide Squad is.

Will Smith is clearly positioned as the star of the movie here, yet he’s paired with some formidable names that manage to outshine him almost entirely. Some (obvious) favorites include Margot Robbie, who brings the Harley whimsy to life in a very unique way, Killer Croc, and the adorable ( in real life) Karen Fukuhara as Katana. Unfortunately despite my favoritism for now-notable Aussie Jai Courtney, his forced Aussie enunciation just seemed annoying considering that he is Australian in REAL LIFE. Jay Hernandez (El Diablo) is another ‘in-real-life’ fav who just seemed empty onscreen, which was a big blow considering the significant role he has in advancing the plot.

Some reviews I’ve read of the film place the divine Viola Davis as the one of the minor saving graces of Suicide Squad and I have to agree with that. She’s badass, she emanates her signature strong personality and she just seems more menacing than her small screen counterpart Cynthia Addai Robinson. Manic pixie brow queen Cara Delevigne is definitely a magnetic public figure in the fashion world but  seems like she isn’t exuding her full magnetism in this movie. She just comes off as a bit of an ‘ehh’ playing the big baddie. The buildup of her relationship with Rick Flagg (Joel Kinnaman) felt like one of the victims of the movie’s rumored major post production cuts. I get how Kinnaman’s character is supposed to be a soldier but his emotional moments just didn’t make me feel for his character at all. Would’ve loved to have seen more of an explanation behind the Flagg- Dr. June relationship as it could have made audiences really connect to the two characters.

I can’t do a review of this movie without sharing my thoughts on Jared Leto’s take on the Joker. To be honest, it confused me a lot– especially coming from Heath Ledger’s Joker who came off as a dark, remorseless, deranged madman. Is there a possibility he was going for fun crazy instead of crazy crazy Joker because that’s the only thing that could make me understand how he did it. And lastly: where was the ‘method acting’ at?

SIDENOTE: On Joker x Harley

I’m not a full fledged comic book fan but have somewhat sufficient knowledge on Batman lore (thanks mainly in part to watching my siblings play Arkham Asylum, watching earlier Batman movies, exploring wikipedia and a whole lot of comic wikia sites), and I honestly DO NOT understand how some viewers seemed to think the Joker and Harley thing was even a good relationship.

You don’t need to even know anything about Batman and company to watch the film and realize how demented and disturbing this all is. She’s obviously hypnotized by his aura and does a lot of stupid things just to stay in his good graces, including becoming a bit deranged herself. It’s not a good thing, and is a pretty obvious mirror of what an unrequited, abusive relationship looks like. Are we that hurt, and that desensitized these days?

Overall, I don’t like it, but I don’t hate it either. Suicide Squad is a mix of good and bad elements, exciting and not-so exciting elements, and stupid and not-so stupid elements. Biased critics might dismiss those off as the new pattern of DC movies but it would be unfair to say that the manic Marvel universe hasn’t made its own share of blunders in the past.  This film has its saving graces: good music, incredible actor chemistry (even the Avengers pale in comparison in my opinion), and a flow that is characteristic of the movie’s disjointed protagonists.

Unfortunately, the bad aspects outweigh the good here and that is enough to make people talk, talk (and keep talking). I’d have to agree with one thing that keeps coming up regarding the film– which was the decision to make it PG. This is a movie about dark, disturbed, deranged individuals and cleaning it up for a young audience just seems like a travesty in itself.

Hopefully this series gets a second chance, an epic extended version, and the opportunity to bring out optimum darkness for maximum effect. That seems like the only way Suicide Squad can truly redeem itself.

Warming up to the idea of Batfleck is taking much longer than expected since Batman versus Superman. We’ve only seen bits and pieces of Ezra Miller’s turn as Barry Allen so there isn’t enough material to judge on– I can’t say I’m a big fan of that suit, though. One good thing about Miller is that he exudes the same good boy vibe that makes Grant Gustin work on the small screen. Still keeping up high hopes despite the continual disappointments!!

On The Death of Tolerance & Respect

In my earlier post I talked about how social media has become a very toxic environment in the wake of the election season. In this post, I’d like to further elaborate on my sentiments about this issue and bring out more points of discussion.

Let me begin by saying that I’m sick. I’m sick, tired and completely jaded. Facebook used to seem like a less hostile place but now it has become a war zone in itself, and a place filled with sentiments from people you’d never expect to have those kind of sentiments. Some experiences have scared me, and changed my perception about the people I’ve chosen to friend but I choose not to unfriend them– disturbing as their stances may be as compared to my own. Elections aside these people are still my acquaintances, and have done nothing besides express their opinions.. just as I am doing as I type this post right now.

But it has not been easy to sit back and practice tolerance and respect, most especially online. I’m sorry but I must mention one candidate in particular here: Duterte (read earlier post to see sentiments on this guy) I have no choice. Based on the experience I have had on my timeline, besides Mar, Duterte supporters are the only group that seem to be singled out when it comes to election propaganda. Never have we heard the same for the supporters of Poe, Miriam or Binay. (or have we?)

I have come to believe that there exists a rational group of people who have chosen Duterte for a valid, civil reason– one that they can probably explain without the need for insulting language and harsh remarks (a possible one: this government sucked, sucks and I need  real change). But the problem is, rational Duterte fans aside there exists the rabid Duterte fans. Those that have come under fire for threatening rape and murder upon those who dare to speak against the Davao mayor, and that is obviously NOT OKAY.

They are, unfortunately, the most visible example of how rabid fans turned netizens display no level of respect or tolerance toward the supporters of other candidates. These are the people who practice the ‘you’re-stupid/wrong-coz-u-don’t-support-my-candidate’ mentality. Am I saying they’re the only ones? Nope. Am I saying that they’re the loudest? Yep. Unfortunately for Mayor Duterte (or not).

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again for the sake of those who don’t know how to read properly: they’re NOT the only rabid supporters out there. Duterte’s front runner status has made him the prime target of not just netizens but local news networks whose visible bias against the mayor is questionable. Memes and images exist of the prolific mayor as well, and he has been the subject of many a status message because of his remarks towards women (some of whom I’d like to agree were valid points raised against him by some very civil people, mind you).

Yet at the end of the day this isn’t about the candidates. This is about the voters– this is about the people.

Why is it so hard to say ‘okay’ when someone prefers a candidate other than your own? Why is it so hard to not express disgust or disdain upon the person of your friend because of their presidential preference? Isn’t this ‘freedom’ the whole point of democracy? Free, open, inclusive and non-discriminatory conversation about our country’s future sure doesn’t seem like a bad idea– then why don’t we give it a try?

Forget the insults– forget ‘dutetard’ or ‘martard’ or whatever nickname exists out there and talk like civil human beings. Engage social media like civil human beings. Is it really THAT hard to resist a brash display of bravado in the name of shear spite or pride?

Probably not.

Candid8, Candih8: VP Edition

(It’s only fair to get this done. Chz.)  BIAS WARNING.

Alan Peter Cayetano

Thoughts: You used to seem like one of the more reasonable legislators until you decided it was okay to say that six months was enough to suppress crime. You’re brave and consistent and those are genuine plusses. But… naaaaaaah.

Prescribed course of action: Skip the tandem game and stand on your own two feet.

Bongbong Marcos

Thoughts: Can one really fault detractors of this guy when he shares so much physical similarities with his father? Pangalan palang, mata palang–nandyan na lahat. Listen to the video that proclaims Martial Law and listen to him speak in the VP Debates. Feel chills up your spine. Remember though.. to detach, because it is true that the son is not the father. But the son is part of the family.

And the family is behind ill gotten wealth– and lost lives– and torture methods that would come to scar and traumatize thousands of families. And that alone is cause for apology. Unfortunately for us, despite his education Bong doesn’t seem to realize that– and chooses to remain a remorseful, unapologetic prick.

But Martial Law aside, what has Bongbong even done in the senate besides the BBL? Does he have laws passed or filed that will make a true dent on the ills of this country? Well, if such exists then where is the proof of his productivity? Why isn’t he  trumpeting that instead?

You’re a lucky fool as it seems as though your daddy’s bffs in the sects of the Philippines might just win you the Vice Presidency. And the world will see. And the world will remember us as the most forgiving country. The one that decided.. yeah it’s okay to wait 20 years: let’s elect the kid of that same guy who declared Martial Law and screwed the country up for a few years.

Oh well, notebook papel.

Prescribed course of action: It may be too late, but say some ‘sorries’ and things may change for you.

Gringo Honasan

Thoughts: The soldier turned senator turned VP wannabe. It seems as though he hasn’t made much of a dent in the VP race. Hmm. Hmm. Hmmmmm.

Prescribed course of action: Somebody tell me what he’s been up to!

Chiz Escudero

Thoughts: Robot voice aside, this guy used to lead the vice presidential race. He hasn’t been a social media whipping boy but has been hounded with his share of controversy in the campaign period. I trusted him as an up and coming senator but feel as though he hasn’t quite convinced me so I’m iffy.

Although he seems to do the tandem bit a bit better than Cayetano, I’ll give him that.

Prescribed course of action: Voice coach!!! (CHZ.)

Leni Robredo

Thoughts: Grace and Leni are similar in the sense that they both do not have the taint of public office on their hands. They are neophytes, yes, and they bring to the government a mindset free from the jaded-ness of problematic political systems. I apologize deeply to Leni fans, as I horribly underestimated her (believing her to be a bit reminiscent of Cory). But it turns out I was wrong, and I couldn’t be prouder to call this woman my candidate for VP.

It’s pretty noticeable in the media how other candidates seem to have more mud than usual to throw at each other, but such is not the case for Leni, as her biggest ‘taint’ is her choice to run under LP. Savage social media users dare to post photos that decry Robredo’s alleged high election commercial spending. But this is the same woman who doesn’t drive but commutes home on a bus like everyone of us. Suck on that, internet trolls.

Prescribed course of action: Vote for this woman.

Antonio Trillianes

Thoughts: Whatever happened to the Bad Boy of Oakwood? Well, he spent time in jail, became a senator, and chose to pull the most desperate pre-election moves in recent history. It’s hard not to see his actions as such because of the timing and his placement in the surveys. Productivity wise though, Trillianes has done substantial work as a legislator, and, if he chose to keep his head down for a few more years, could probably try for the big leagues again. For now he seems to be better placed in the legislative branch.

Prescribed course of action: Keep at your senatorial work pls.

CandiD8, CandiH8 aka the Post that Might Get Me Death Threats

(Still on it AKA continuing series on election related commentary)
For this post, I’m putting on a brave face and doing a per candidate verdict section– based on everything from controversial news to debate performance to shear personal preference.
Jejomar Binay
Thoughts: There’s nothing worse than a politician accused of corruption. There’s nothing much worse than a politician who refuses to deny nor admit to corruption. What’s the worst? A politician loud and proud of one of this government’s biggest social ills: the political dynasty.
Let’s not make this about his skin color or his daughter– I am no fan of Jejomar Binay and his politicking. I may not be a big fan of this administration but to see how he summarily resigned from his position in the cabinet and began to play the blame game on the administration he HAPPENS to be a part of just seems so… ludicrous. He doesn’t even bother mentioning what he has done during his term as vice president and seems to think that the logic of ‘if-i-can-do-this-in-a-small-city-i-can-do-it-for-a-million-other-people’ makes perfect sense.
Well guess what? It doesn’t.
Prescribed course of action: Honesty is the best policy.
Rodrigo Duterte
Thoughts: Here’s another big fan of the ‘if-i-can-do-this-in-a-small-city-i-can-do-it-for-a-million-other-people,’ logic, among other things.
I won’t mince words here. At first I actually saw you as a beacon of hope, Mayor– especially in the early stages of the race when it seemed like you would actually run. And then you said you didn’t… and then you said you would.. and then you didn’t reach the COC deadline. And then.. you ran. The rest, they say, is history.
Duterte supporters can say all they want about the media bias faced by this front runner but even they have to admit that he’s no angel– even he’ll say that I’m sure. But what he doesn’t seem to get is how when you’re a public figure words mean something. Words are actions and he seems to only have the worst kind of words coming out of his mouth.
His upbringing is no excuse for such behavior, nor are his audacious promises and tendency to flip flop. Let’s sit back and recall the last time a politician flip flopped on a publicly made promise– oh yeah. Remember GMA? Remember when she said she wasn’t gonna run but did… and won?
Unless things change and dayaan (or the grace of an unknown higher being) prevails I’m at that point where I’ve come to.. albeit begrudgingly, accept a Duterte presidency. I’m not willing to set aside his words from the campaign season but I will… out of my love for this country… give this man the benefit of the doubt. Think about this, though: Cayetano says that ‘best practices’ are but a google search away. But what’s the point of standing in front of a broken faucet, google search solution in hand, without the resources to make change possible? What’s the point when external issues make things impossible? The true leader knows not just what should be done but knows how to adapt in case things don’t work out. In case external circumstances make things impossible for the solution to become a reality. Is Duterte this kind of leader?
Prescribed course of action: You better not screw up—for the sake of all of us.

Grace Poe
Thoughts: Neophyte, underdog, surprise top notch senator—you almost had me, Grace, you almost did. Your research impressed me, your irrational battle with citizenship based legitimacy endeared me…. I was this close to forgetting that you haven’t been in public office for long.
But now I don’t know anymore. You’ve said things… you’ve succumbed to things I’m not for and I’m not quite sure about you just yet*sighs*. But one thing I’ll keep about you, Grace, is that we need people like you in office. People not tainted by a political last name and a corrupt upbringing. But your feet is barely wet and now you’re heading for the ocean? Are you sure?

Prescribed course of action: Build your way up, do your job, and things will change in 2022.

Mar Roxas
Thoughts: In another life… if you weren’t in LP….. if Cory didn’t die and you didn’t give way for Noynooyyy……
I feel like life would not have been this hard for Mr. Roxas had he not chosen to be part of LP, because it’s not like he hasn’t done anything during his time in government—especially for someone whose entrance into public office was born not out of willingness but of circumstance.
My timeline is filled with individuals who support both Roxas and Robredo but I cannot bring myself to support Roxas because of the time he has spent being accepting of what are glaring administrative errors. Had he chosen to promise correcting the mistakes of the past at an earlier time maybe things would change. Had he chosen to distance himself from issues and accepted his mistakes maybe things would have been different. Pero wala eh. But one cannot help but pity Mar. With the weight of blame he receives for the most audacious of administration mistakes he would probably have been dead by now. I’m supposing he probably doesn’t log on to social media because almost ¾ of the posts online seem to enjoy bashing him. Let’s be honest. He probably won’t win but at the end of the day behind the yellow shirt and the gwapo son is a human being—one, I hope should be spared of the cyberbullying once the election fire dies down.
Prescribed course of action: Serve, serve, serve & let the people know about it. Nicely. Also, stop the admin whipping boy task you’ve given up enough for Noynoy.
Miriam Defensor Santiago
Thoughts: The KWEEN with her coif! I’m not afraid to say that she’s got my vote, and I believe there are enough reasons why. This woman possesses the intellect of all these foreign educated candidates and the tapang of Duterte—so why isn’t she leading? Why has she become the last choice?
One word: cancer.
It’s a crippling hindrance and a horrible excuse to place in front of a woman whose experience and capabilities paint her as the perfect individual to reign in a problematic nation. In another life, this woman wouldn’t be sick. Perhaps in one of the feasible worlds God made she would even be president (NAAAAKS USING DAT PHILO 103). But we have our world and this is the Miriam we get.
The biggest mistake she made during this campaign period was choosing Bongbong as a running mate—this, from the woman who claims to be the candidate of the youth. But then, there’s the part of the youth painfully aware of Martial Law, and then, there’s the other half, the one that seems to think it okay to forget the mistakes of the past.
Least we can do is put her where she belongs—the presidency.
Prescribed course of action: Take your meds, beh. Disown Bongbong. And V O T E for her!

Journalism on Trial: On Social Media and the Comment Section

(Continuing series on election related commentary)

 Social Media Savagery

As if social media hasn’t been toxic enough for us, the brouhaha of election season has turned it into what can only be described as a battlefield of bravado. People hide behind their screen names and obscure Facebook pages and their senseless pseudonyms in the comment sections of publications both local and abroad, and dare to post the most audacious election propaganda. Everything from rape accusations to doctored photographs to source-free quotations have made their way through social media, and, as elections draw near, they have begun to get worse. Most of these allegations have actually been proven false by counter posts, but, some are actually quite true and have had their share of repercussions for certain candidates.

But that isn’t even the worst of it. On the bright side, social media has shown us that we can be a politically aware nation. That we have things to say and that we’re open to demanding what our leaders should be giving us. We know what’s wrong, we know what we want, and we’re not afraid to say so. (NOTE: Whether you like it or not we have post Martial Law to thank for this).

Social media has become a venue to educate people– on Martial Law, on senatorial candidates, and on the things we probably should look out for come election day.

On the dark side, social media has shown us that people can be extremely close minded. That what’s wrong can be right when done by the right candidate. That if you don’t agree with someone, they’re automatically wrong. That it’s okay to wish someone get killed, or raped, or murdered because they bravely voiced out opposition to your chosen candidate.

Respect has become but a pipe dream in the toxic world of Facebook, and there’s no one else to blame but ourselves.

At this moment, we are at a stage of uncertainty. Although surveys may seem to predict our president and VP, the elections haven’t happened yet– so we never really know. But what really scares me is how things will be after the elections.

Will broken friendships be repaired? will news sites not be filled with the most rabid internet trolls anymore? Will we even have this freedom post election season? It’s both a nerve wracking and a somewhat exciting prospect– perhaps there’s nothing left to do but hope for the best.

Judging Journ

Things were not this rabid six years ago. Nor were journalists being judged this much. But, there it goes. Social media strikes again and the internet is filled with ‘netizens’ that have come to chastise the country’s most experienced broadcasters for what can only be described as conspiracy theories (not saying this for ABS as a network, though).

Nicole Curato and Patricia Evangelista, two of Rappler’s best authored a series of profiles on the presidential candidates which were met with nothing but judgement, trolling and threats made out of shear bravado. But unlike other networks, these writers dealt in fact and did not even skew their work. I have to admit that I can’t say the same for other networks, though.

Maybe it’s good or maybe it’s bad for the journalistic profession, but one thing is for sure: the elections have had an impact on the way people view their news networks and the people behind these groups. My question is: now lang?

It’s sad how we aren’t like that on regular days. How our rabid fanaticism, and our critical eyes are only reserved for episodes of cognitive dissonance. This is closely intertwined with the previous issue, as some journalists and networks as a whole have received a myriad of  threats in the previous weeks. (Needless to say, they’ve had some snarky replies. Check Facebook for some of the best examples).

Because a Say is a Say no matter what you Say

In previous posts preceding the elections, I’ve talked about the need to educate fellow voters and to go out and exercise democratic rights. Well, guess what? that time has finally come. It used to be months away, but elections are now less than a week away. And needless to say, the political landscape is at its messiest.

Social media has become a toxic place filled with accusations of professional news networks showing visible bias toward certain candidates, sloppily made ‘graphics’ about audacious allegations, and endless threads of disappointed individuals voicing out their extreme pessimism about the election race as a whole. People have actually ended friendships and had fights over their beliefs and become more opinionated than they have ever been online.

I’m at that point where I’m nothing but sick of what I see on the internet, as it seems like the elections has turned a lot of people into the worst versions of themselves all in the quest of expressing an extreme level of support for their chosen candidate. Is it really THAT hard to accept dissenting opinions? Must we really resort to belittling those whose thoughts are contrary to ours?

I have to admit that I’ve developed a deeper connection with this particular election because it will be my first one as a registered voter, and needless to say the bullshit has not helped my decision at all. Let this serve as an introductory entry to a series of posts meant to assess and opinionate on how this race has gone so far. From COMELEC hos and woes to candidate centric issue posts, join me (as I have time hahaha) to get talking.

Weekends are for Worthwhile Blog Posts: A Slice of Life Comeback Special

I promised a blog post in my not-so dainty comment on that notorious Lourd de Veyra photo, and here it is.

The elections are closer than ever before, and needless to say things have become as chaotic as expected. The televised presidential and vice presidential debates have made things a thousand times more exciting, as has our good ‘ol friend, social media.

This entry will focus on a series of popularized election related news bits– I start by presenting a brief summary of what happened, and conclude with my two cents on each selected topic.

1. “Ang elite, para sa elite.”

The Situation: Lourd de Veyra was the recipient of Atenean (and even non Atenean) ire when he posted a photo of the mock election results held at the school with the telling caption, ‘ang elite, para sa elite’.

I can spend all day arguing with the netizens of the Philippines about how not all Ateneans are like this– how some of us actually commute and bring baon because we need to save our money. How some of us don’t have our own cars and don’t live the high life. But I feel as though we won’t truly be able to prove anything to these people as long as they don’t see things the way we do from the get go.

But, despite my belief in its futility– here I go.

Mr. De Veyra, Not all of us are the way you think we are. We may be staunchly against Martial Law, but that doesn’t equate to us being #TeamYellow all the way. Some of us have views that go against the majority in the same way that some of us are not as elitista as you think. What they say about the Ignatian education is real– we’re fortunate to be immersed in social realities for each and every subject we have, and that doesn’t at all equate to students who are as self centered and apathetic as you may assume.

2. PBB or VPD? The ABS CBN Vice Presidential Debate

The Situation: ABS CBN held its own Vice Presidential Debate which was not sanctioned by the COMELEC last Sunday. Not all candidates made an appearance– both Bongbong Marcos and Gringo Honasan did not appear at the fiesta/ forum mashup.

Cons: The event felt more like a fiesta than a serious affair.

The disappearance of podiums and having the candidates sit down seemed rather off.

The emergence of beauty queen questions about superpowers.

Those self activating podiums.

Lack of offensive banter

Pros: Lists of actual planned initiatives from the candidates.

We heard about health and education!

Online queries from “netizens” <- still hating on this term

How the male candidates stood up when Leni reached the stage as a sign of respect #gentlemen

3. Brouhahahaha: the Election World and Social Media

(As it it wasn’t this way before) The coming elections have turned social media into a very bitter place– one mixed with everything from hastily made infographics to shared status messages to downright bitter rant posts.

Verdict: Friends, readers, family– social media is a toxic place to be. The longer you’re on it, the longer you feel embittered, pessimistic and simply horrible. My personal brush with SM led to an overwhelming desire to simply give up on this country and find my way out of it. But I stepped back, slept, and came up with these helpful tips for traversing your timelines in the days (and weeks) to come.

a. Verify your infographics. It’s fairly easy to go on Word to paste unverified quotes and tables on photos and circulate them online, accompanied by a ranty, angry caption. This is why one should take extra precaution when it comes to sharing a photo containing incriminating information on your timelines. In case you want to make an infographic of your own– do thorough research and copy past the links to your sources. Present all the data and caption accordingly. This tip also goes for news articles and short video clips.

 b. Give Peace a Chance. As much as it may please you to satisfy the urge to fight an overzealous internet fanboy/girl, don’t. In the spirit of democracy, try your hardest to remain respectful of this person and their opinions. But if you want to take them on, why not?

In case you do, remember: it’s not worth it. One of the major downsides of the internet age is how it has bred a group of people called Wifi Douches– those who are gutsy and bitchy on the internet but do not have the power to replicate their bravado in person.

Now, in case you do have the good fortune of finding someone willing to have proper dialogue with you– remember to argue with factual data. Provide links to support your arguments. Be nice, and agree when things make sense to you. Most of the time conversations like this end up with the seemingly decent netizen fighting you not with facts, but with thin air. If it reaches that point, stop the conversation, leave your timeline and smell the roses. Trust me, it will do much good.

 c. Don’t Break What Wasn’t Broken. A popular photo circulating online in the wake of the elections is one that reminds people to be careful with their words and the way they manage their relationships with the people in their life. This makes much sense these days, especially when one encounters a close friend or family member that suddenly expresses undue support to a candidate that is not to our liking.

If this is the case– respect their views. Ask them why they’ve chosen to support this person. Don’t belittle them for their decision and turn your conversation to platforms and more relevant issues. If you’re in a convincing mood, why not sell your candidate (in a civil, fact based, organized manner). You never know, you might just get lucky!

d. Take a Break. Continuous hours spent reading through comment sections and twitter feeds will leave one feeling dejected and just plain angry at the world. This is why it pays to take a break of at least an hour (minimum) to clear one’s head, relax, and dive in all over again.

Suggested activities: eating, sleeping and smelling the flowers.

4. Rape Comment Controversy

Rodrigo Duterte gained the ire of several sectoral groups, candidates and netizens alike when a video of him making a ‘humorous’ comment about slain Australian missionary Jacqueline Hamill, who was raped and murdered by inmates during a Davao city hostage taking more than twenty years ago.

Rape is no joke. It’s not funny. It’s not even in the sphere of funny because comedians sure don’t bring it up. I cannot even begin to imagine what it feels like to be a rape victim and to hear of someone who trivializes it in that manner. It’s sure to make one feel their blood boil in a fit of shear rage.

On the apology: His party supposedly issued a statement that clarified his apology, although he has not acknowledged that he authorized the statement and still refuses to apologize for the joke. NO GENUINE APOLOGY.

On the logic people use to support him still: Some provide critical reasons for staying on the DU 30 camp– one of which is what my POS prof has come to define as the character one needs to take concrete action on  government problems. Although I find this as a sensible answer, I personally feel that the remarks were very much offensive to women and merited a more sincere apology directly from the mayor.

There was no need for him to make even more excuses about it being a normalcy for him to talk that way. ‘Gutter talk?’, ‘Ganyan talaga ang mga lalaki?’ these arguments in particular irked me further because they seem like the same points old men would use to justify the patriarchy. They’re also an insult to the men who aren’t exactly born with a silver spoon but choose NOT to talk in such an indecent manner. I honestly don’t understand how he can’t get it through his head that there are some ‘jokes’ that just aren’t justifiable– there are some things you can’t talk in jest about and not expect people to react to.

People have their own thoughts about the actions speak louder argument– and here are my two cents:

Your words are actions, Mr. Duterte. You’ve agreed (albeit reluctantly, as you say) to allow yourself to become a public figure, and not just any public figure but one running for the position of the highest leader in the land. Now before you naysayers go and say that image is something we shouldn’t care about, well, guess what we should! If we take our international relations for granted than we can say goodbye to the possibility of inclusive growth because we might as well end up not having any economic growth at all! There wouldn’t be ambassadors and diplomats if international relations was something that didn’t matter because they do matter.

Case in point: Australia’s reactions to Duterte’s words and his subsequent response to them.

Postscript: On My Vote

Less than a month left to the elections and I have yet to choose my candidates. There is just so much happening both in society and in my personal life that I haven’t had the time to sit down and think things through. This is why I’m particularly appreciative of news agencies and even outside orgs that come up with helpful infographics on the specific stands of each candidate.

For VP: Based on the debates and back story, I’m leaning towards Leni Robredo as my vote. Earlier on, I made the mistake of dismissing her off as someone who seemed to be very Cory-like (i.e. the dead husband legacy). But I did my research and watched some interviews (and the debates), and she’s looking to be someone who, despite lack of experience in public office, seems even more capable than Grace Poe. I’m also particularly enamored with how she seems to live a genuinely simple life. The photos of her waiting for a bus home to Bicol seem real to me, and not like the shots of Kris Aquino’s MRT ride.

What I don’t understand is how Bongbong is still making a dent (and supposedly leading) the VP surveys. How do people not understand just how wrong Martial Law was? Have they even checked Bongbong’s legislative track record? Has he even been doing anything? He sure doesn’t trumpet any bills passed??? It’s hard not to speak about him without a bias because of his attitude toward Martial Law. Had he been more remorseful about what happened then perhaps it would make sense to me to give him a chance. But he’s not, and that’s why it’s so hard to even fathom why he’s doing so well in the VP race.

I initially had an okay regard of Alan Cayetano as he seemed to be doing his work well in the senate. Even now I have to admire him for really sticking to his partnership with Duterte and the promise of eradicating crime in 3-6 months. But I’m afraid that’s it.

(Yeah I think I may have made my decision here so the biases are quite obvious).

On President: Is there an abstain button that I can shade? Because here’s my assessment of the current candidates:

Binay: Corrupt, keeps trumpeting Makati, hated on the administration when he was part of it, doesn’t seem to realize how running a whole country is different from running a city, political dynasty

Grace Poe: Inexperienced in politics, her family members are American citizens, is supported by questionable business people

Miriam: Experienced, talented, highly intelligent, worked her ass off in public office BUT could be dead in a few years

Duterte: ‘Man of action’ indeed but what we don’t seem to realize is that doing something before thinking about it is easily comparable to a seeing a headless chicken run around (and literally run our country). A plan of action is much better than an action without a plan.

Roxas: Possesses a disconnect with the everyday Filipino (read: elitista according to external haters), failed at being DILG secretary, failed Yolanda, and, according to his haters.. simply failed.

One need not be a rocket scientist to realize that all these candidates are inherently flawed– most of them with imperfections that are so glaring one can only hope and pray that we survive the next six years with whoever wins the presidency.

I guess the next best thing there is to do is to pick the rose with the least thorns and hope to God things turn out well for the country. But even I’m not willing to leave the fate of our country to chance.


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Seraphim (Romantsov)

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Elder Seraphim (Romantsov), known in the world as Ivan Romanovich Romantsov, was a Schema-Archimandrite, a Russian elder who lived in the Glinsk monastery and in Sukhumi (Abkhazia). He was glorified by the Holy Synod of the Church of Ukraine on March 25, 2009 with other Glinsk elders: Schema-Archimandrite Andronik (Lukash) (1880–1974) and Schema-Metropolitan Seraphim (Mazhuga) (1896–1985).

Ivan was born on June 28, 1885, in a village of Voronok of the Krupetsk volost of the Kursk province into family of peasants. Little information is available about his early life, since the elder did not say anything due to his modesty. After his graduation from the parish school and the repose of his parents, Ivan entered the Glinsk monastery.

In 1914-1916, he took part in World War I where he was wounded. Then he was taken to the hospital. Archbishop Micah (Kharkharov) of Yaroslavl (1921-2005), who later became a spiritual son of Fr. Seraphim, writes that at the same time there was a hypnotist in the hospital among the injured. He could hypnotize almost all other patients but could not do this with Ivan, because he always recited the Jesus prayer. And no matter how much the hypnotist tried to hypnotize, nothing worked. At that time, as Archbishop Micah writes, Ivan got to know from personal experience the power of the Jesus prayer and that hypnosis is not just an experiment with the hidden powers in man but is the work of the demons.

Following his recovery Ivan returned to the monastery. In 1919, Ivan took monastic vows with the name Juvenalis. His elder, hieromonk Aristoklis (Veter), taught him a wholehearted daily confession of thoughts and attention to all the movements of the heart. Later, Juvenalis believed that the inner doing is very important for spiritual growth and salvation.

In 1919, Juvenalis was ordained hierodeacon and, in 1926, when he moved to Sukhumi after the closure of the Glinsk monastery, he was ordained hieromonk and tonsured into the Great Schema with the name of Seraphim. In 1931, Seraphim was arrested and sent to the White Sea Canal construction.

From 1934 to 1946, Fr. Seraphim lived an ascetic life in Kirghizia where he was hidden by a pious family. In 1946-1947 he lived in Tashkent as a confessor at the Cathedral. In 1948, after his return to the reopened Glinsk monastery, he was appointed a spiritual father by Archimandrite Seraphim (Amelin).

Most of all, Fr. Seraphim wanted to bring his spiritual children to humility, about which he wrote: "Everything that you need for salvation is a true humility, inner conviction that you are the worst of sinners; this is the greatest gift of God, and it is gained by many works and sweats. Then the man feels in his heart such calmness that is inexplicable in human words. Day and night, look for this precious jewel. One who is truly humble, if he has any gifts from God - prayer or tears, or fasting, or something else, all of them he carefully conceals, for the human praise, like a moth, spoils everything." In his letters and instructions, Fr. Seraphim constantly warned against conviction of others.

In 1961, after the second closure of the Glinsk monastery, Fr. Seraphim moved to Sukhumi (Abkhazia). Never before was the church at Sukhumi crowded as when Fr. Seraphim was living there. He ministered to the spiritual needs of people, hearing their confessions and sending out many letters, responding to the questions from his spiritual children. According to Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin), the true reason why Fr. Seraphim settled in Sukhumi, was the pastoral care of the hermits from the nearby mountains.

Fr. Seraphim himself was experienced in the Jesus Prayer. He considered obedience to be absolutely necessary to practice the Prayer. He said that if a person with hard work achieved the skill to recite the Jesus Prayer, but did not healed the soul through obedience, if he will not renounce his own will, then the prayer, uttered out of habit, would not be that true inner unceasing prayer of which the ascetics wrote, but it whoud remain only the words, because a proud mind could not unite with the name of Jesus Christ - this incomprehensible Humility.

Fr. Seraphim knew from his own experience what the unceasing prayer of the heart is. A well-known elder John (Krestiankin), who was tonsured a monk by Fr. Seraphim in 1966 in Sukhumi, writes in one letter to some person about the way the Lord gives His gifts and takes them away: "In the youth my spiritual father received the gift of unceasing Jesus prayer and the fullness of joy in it, and then the Lord took this gift away, and all his life Fr. Seraphim looked for the lost coin – he worked humbly and patiently – the gift was returned to him by the Lord a few days before his death - as a witness that the Lord had accepted his tears for the whole life".

On December 18, 1975, during the vigil, Fr. Seraphim felt ill. He went to his bed. All the time the elder recited the Jesus Prayer aloud, and when he became tired, he asked the others to continue reciting it. For two weeks, he partook of Holy Communion daily. Being fully conscious, the Elder was honored to see many of his brethren in the spirit, who, according to him, were singing the sticheron "Pre-eternal Council" ("Βουλὴν προαιώνιον", sticheron of Annunciation of the Mother of God). And then the elder in a weak voice sang: "O taste and see that the Lord is good. Alleluia." After the vision, he said, "What I have prayed all my life and what I was searching for, it is opened now in my heart, my soul is filled with grace, so that I can not even hold it." After this he said, "Now I'm going to die". On December 31 he closed his eyes for the last time and the next day, on January 1, 1976, the elder reposed.


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Latest Tweets

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At Art Market San Francisco until Sunday 30th April
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Gary Hume at White Cube São Paulo

August 18, 2014 by Jess

Gary Hume — Lions and Unicorns is an exhibition of new paintings, collage and sculpture by Gary Hume. This will be Hume’s first major solo presentation in Brazil since he represented Britain at the XXIII Bienal de São Paulo (1996).

Ends 23rd August 2014

For more information visit the White Cube website.

Photo: Eduardo Ortega


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Prime Rib Dinner at the Elks!

Can You Say YUM!?

The Ouray Elks Lodge #492 will have another Prime Rib dinner on March 23rd Dinner is at 6:00 pm and is only $20.00 for prime rib, baked potato and salad.  All prepared by local favorite chef Rein Hein.  There will be live entertainment, a silent auction and open KARAOKE!  Procedes from the auction will benefit the charity fund.   Limited UNRESERVED seating so please RSVP to Jim Pettengill at 970.626.42392.


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From the [Horse] Husband’s Mouth

My oh-so-wonderful husband has agreed to experiment with a possible monthly blog post for House on a Hill! To get the series started here are 10 questions answered from a horse-husband’s point of view!

What was your first experience with horses?
I was on a trip in Costa Rica when I was 14, and we decided to do some trail riding one day.  I had never been on a horse, but I expected them to be quite big.  These Costa Rican horses seemed tiny compared to what I had imagined: shorter, thinner, and not very energetic.  Afterward, I mostly just felt bad for the horses.

Do you have any interest in riding horses yourself? Why or why not?
I do not.  I think that having one member of our marriage with a very expensive hobby is enough, but I will always be supportive of her at shows and while filming lessons.  I have learned enough about horses up to this point to be of help whenever Britt has to travel for competitions so I guess I can vicariously take part in her riding.  However, one rider in this family will do.

The early days- dressage shows with Ivan

The early days- dressage shows with Ivan

Let’s pretend like you ride competitively on your own horse. What would his/her show name be?
I have racked my brain trying to come up with something either witty and funny or  obscure and legally related (Britt: Tyler’s a lawyer by trade!), but I have reached the point of over-thinking the question.  Therefore, I must resort to my ‘go-to’ name that I know I will eventually assign to something: Bob.

It should be noted that Jackson almost became a Bob, too.

It should be noted that Jackson almost became a Bob, too.

If you could change one thing about Foster, what would it be?
If there was a way to eliminate his occasional need to avoid capture in the pasture, that would definitely be one thing I would change.  Not that I have ever personally had to chase him, but I can tell how frustrating it is whenever Britt tells the story later in the evening.

In the House on the Hill you deal with horses, dogs, and cats. What do you relate to best?
The cats – I am one of the few guys that is a cat person.  They’re chill, like to lounge, and you do not want to get on their bad side.  It is also funny when the two cats “fight” – they’re declawed so they mostly just smack each other on the head and yell at each other which is always entertaining.

Family Christmas Photo

Family Christmas Photo

In 3 words, how would you describe horse people?
Competitive, Focused, Crazy – horses are tall and I do not like heights so y’all are crazy to get up there.

Husband and the dog

Husband and the dog

Are there any benefits of being married to a horsewoman? Cons?
Benefits: makes for very interesting conversations with friends and co-workers who have no interaction with horses; it is therapeutic for her, and I like to see how much satisfaction she gets out of riding; all the ribbons she wins helps out at Christmas time when we are severely lacking ornaments for the tree; her green jumping vest makes her look like a ninja turtle – one of my favorites growing up; go-pro videos are cool to watch when she gets home.

Cons: some days we do not see each other as much as we would like – long practices in the evenings or overnight weekend shows/events; horse smell (although I have really gotten used to it so not really a con any more); cross country always makes me nervous.

PC: Robyn Van Dyke Photography

Describe your role at a typical horse show/event.
I wear several hats at a typical horse event: help load the horse on the trailer with a treat in hand as encouragement whenever he is being difficult to load; shoveling horse crap after arriving; holding him whenever Britt is unloading all her gear; filming when possible and trying to zoom in and out correctly – harder than it sounds; trying to provide verbal encouragement to Britt before each phase of the event

Riding in competition often requires outfits that are, let’s say, a little outside common fashion trends. What piece of equipment (horse or human) caught you most off guard?
Human: the pants.  I had no idea you needed a special type of pants to ride.
Horse: the weird ear covering hat – there is no way the horse likes that thing.

PC: Robyn Van Dyke Photography

PC: Robyn Van Dyke Photography

If you were to describe eventing to a non-horseperson, like a co-worker, how would you describe it?
I explain it to my co-workers all the time as a triathlon on a horse: dressage (choreographed riding like you see in the Olympics), show-jumping over poles mostly, and cross-country jumping (multiple mile course with jumps over trees and other immovable barriers throughout)

I hope you guys enjoyed hearing from the husband’s point of view! Look out for another post next month!

20 thoughts on “From the [Horse] Husband’s Mouth

  1. Aw this is great! A lot of his answers sound like my husband’s. Tell Tyler, he’s not alone. My husband is also a cat-guy, only he can only ever have barn cats due to my extreme cat allergy. (One more thing I’ve used to convince him we need to own a small farm someday…)

  2. aw this is so funny and nice!! i love that he counts an xc vest making you look like a ninja turtle as a ‘pro’ haha. he sounds super grounded and cool about it all too – like an asset to have around a show lol. can’t wait to read more!

  3. Pingback: From the [Horse] Husband’s Mouth: Wealthy is as Wealthy does? | A House on a Hill

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Ana Cloche Hat Style - Luxury Faux Fur in Silver Stratus

THE ANA, handmade in Seattle, WA, USA, is a charming 1920’s cloche style, bias cut hat. This hat is shown in Silver Stratus Luxury Faux Fur with Black Velvet and a black/white ostrich feather trim (F15-01). The rolled brim is 3 1/2″ at center front and 1 1/2″ at center back. The crown height is folded into 4″ with a crown diameter of 8″. The brim folds over a ruched panel of velvet. Hat without trim is $77. Prices are as shown. These hats are custom made and all sales are final.

Available in Medium 22-1/2″ and Large 23-1/2″ with custom sizing available.

Brim and Top Crown – 100% Polyester Faux Fur
Side Crown – Silk/Rayon Velvet (available in specialty fabrics upon request)
Lining – Poly/ Acetate
Dry clean only, remove any trims as needed.

Color matching is close but not exact, dye lots may change throughout the season, please call for swatches if matching.

Related Items


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PanSuriya Art Post

Parties resume 7 January
23 December 2013, 12:36
Filed under: info

The Pansodan Tuesday parties will be suspended for the 24th and 31st, as Pansodan staff take the chance to go to somebody else’s parties. The gallery will remain open every day 10:00–6:00 as usual. See you all on the 7 January, if you are not partied out.

Did you win an Alex Mackenzie painting? (Update)
17 December 2013, 12:45
Filed under: exhibit | Tags: ,
Alex Mackenzie Thanakha

Alex Mackenzie: Thanakha

For any blog readers in Yangon, tonight at midnight at Pansodan Gallery is the drawing to see who will win one of Alex Mackenzie’s paintings.

UPDATE: Winning number was 236

Tickets are 500 kyat, and are sold at Pansodan Gallery, 286 Pansodan Street, and Pansodan Scene, 144 Pansodan.

The winner chooses the painting, any piece up to $275, to be chosen on Thursday.

The exhibition is on now, and ends on Thursday 19 December, and is at Pansodan Scene, Second Floor, 144 Pansodan, corner of Pansodan and Maha Bandoola.

Alex Mackenzie : On Now at Pansodan Scene
9 December 2013, 19:19
Filed under: exhibit | Tags:

Alex Mackenzie is an award-winning artist whose art works are in museum collections in Spain, Argentina, Honduras, and Venezuela. She has a exhibition at Pansodan Scene, with a reception on 13 December, and paintings on show until 19 December. Recently she spoke with Pansodan’s Nance Cunningham about her life and art.

Inlay lake sunrise

Alex Mackenzie Inlay Lake Sunrise

How many countries have you lived in?

Myanmar is my seventh, after Italy, Spain, Venezuela, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka (not including UK where I was born and studied).

How long have you lived here?

About 15 months.

Have you been able to travel around the country?

We have been lucky enough to travel to Kyaikhtiyo, Mawlamyaing, Hpa-an, Bagan, Mandalay, Inlay Lake, Kalaw, Taungoo, Bago and Ngapali.

As an artist, what is the most striking thing about this country?

Well, every time we move it takes a while to find out what I’m going to work on. A year ago I started on the massive, ancient trees, which I used to draw in Rome a lot, then I drew inside pagodas and there people started creeping in to my sketches. In Rome I didn’t focus on people at all, though before that I worked on live dance for years, so I have obviously missed figure drawing. Here, of course, we have the wonderful and unique thanakha, which is like a paint and an art form in itself. I am fascinated by it and can’t stop trying to capture the smeared and worn away effect.

Now and again I’ll have a go at architecture, because that is a good discipline to keep the drawing skills alive, but what I am attracted to is the mouldy surfaces and plant life growing in the cracks, then there are the pipes and wires, over hanging and winding their way through branches. But overall the people of Myanmar are my favourite subject. I am trying to make portraits of the every day people we see, who often look back at me, so I hope to capture the feeling that we are both looking at each other in this quickly changing environment, with interest, curiosity and warmth.

Alex Mackenzie: Woman and Rangoon 2

Alex Mackenzie: Woman and Rangoon 2

Sometimes you teach. What do you learn by teaching?

I get pleasure out of creating a learning environment and asking myself ‘How can this, or that, help these people learn? What needs to change?’ So each class is like research, asking myself questions and observing. I am learning that what people do in a class is more important than what a teacher says, people learn in different ways and they have to use their English or Art in order to progress.

Do you have a favourite painter? Who and why?

I don’t have a favourite, no, but there are famous and not famous artists that I admire. I like to look at websites with contemporary artists just to see what people are doing. Art goes in waves of fashion, just like clothes and music so you see changes and people copying others. But in galleries you can’t beat getting up close to the work and seeing the textures and trying to work out the techniques.

Alex Mackenzie: Crouching man

Alex Mackenzie: Crouching man

I would say that I am interested in any artist who is trying to develop themselves in some way, where you can see a journey or exploration and experimentation with materials or ideas. The (mostly) dead and famous artists I return to in books are Renaissance and Roman sculptures, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Matisse, Paul Gauguin, Egon Schiele, Marisol, Jesus Soto, Lucien Freud, Paula Rego, Pierre Bonnard, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Bill Woodrow (probably showing my 1980s art education there!). I also like Chinese ink drawings and there are plenty of Myanmar artists I am discovering. In the end the artist’s intent has to communicate itself, in some form, to the viewer. If the goal was to copy another and make money I think it shows!

You have been in contact with many artist communities in different places. What is unusual about the artist community of Yangon?

Well, there seem to be many well established organised groups of photographers, filmmakers, poets, painters, dancers and musicians, but it appears to me that artists from the different groups don’t seem to know each other very much. In Venezuela, for example, the artists were friendly with the musicians, in Spain the dancers knew painters and musicians. But I am not immersed in Myanmar life enough to really know. Here we have been welcomed by everybody we meet and there is a thriving arts community which is much more accessible than in other places. In some countries the artist groups might be more élitist and competitive, for example.

Alex Mackenzie: Kneeling looking away

Alex Mackenzie: Kneeling looking away

I would like to add something [Pansodan Gallery’s] Aung Aung [Aung Soe Min] relayed to me when we met in my early days here. He mentioned that when he asked an artist friend which one of his own works he liked best, the answer was ‘The next one!’ And I totally appreciate that.

We are always thinking of the next piece, and so never satisfied with the finished pieces. I keep about ten pieces which mean something to me for one reason or another, otherwise they are all stepping stones towards the next and better effort.

See more of Alex Mackenzie’s work on her websitePictures from the opening are here.

 Alex Mackenzie’s exhibition at Pansodan Scene will run from 14–19 December 2013, open 10–6.

There will be a prize draw for a painting. Buy a ticket for 500 kyat, and get a chance to take home a painting of your choice on 19 December.

The winning ticket will be drawn at midnight on Tuesday 17 December, at Pansodan Gallery,  First Floor, 286 Pansodan Street, Yangon.


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Emily Dickinson’s recovered photograph

Emily dickinson: Amhurst College Archives

A photograph believed to be an extremely rare image of Emily Dickinson has surfaced in her home town of Amherst, Massachusetts, showing a young woman in old-fashioned clothes, a tiny smile on her lips and a hand extended solicitously towards her friend.
There is, currently, only one authenticated photograph of Dickinson in existence – the well-known image of the poet as a teenager in 1847. But Amherst College believes an 1859 daguerreotype may well also be an image of the reclusive, beloved poet, by now in her mid-20s and sitting with her recently widowed friend, Kate Scott Turner. If so, it will shed new light on the poet who, by the late 1850s, was withdrawing further and further from the world.

The college’s archives and special collections department has subjected the 1859 daguerreotype, owned by a New England collector, to multiple tests, including an ophthalmological report, and says that all of the current evidence is in favour of the woman on the left of the image being Dickinson.

Comparing the 1859 picture with the 1847 photograph known to be of Dickinson, Professor Susan Pepin of Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Centre measured eyelid and facial features of both women. “The two women have the same eye opening size with the right eye opening being slightly larger than the left. The left lower lid in both women sits lower than the right lower lid,” she wrote in a report. “Other similar facial features are evident between the women in the daguerreotypes. The right earlobe is higher on both women. The inferonasal corneal light reflex suggests corneal curvature similarity, allowing us to speculate about similar astigmatism in the two women. Both women have a central hair cowlick. Finally, both women have a more prominent left nasolabial fold.”

Pepin concluded that “after a thorough examination of both of these women’s facial features as viewed from the 1847 and 1859 daguerreotypes, I believe strongly that these are the same people”.

Amherst has also searched the Emily Dickinson Museum’s textile collection and has found at least one fabric sample in a blue check it believes is a candidate for the dress the woman supposed to be Dickinson is wearing in the image. It is planning further work by a textile expert to determine whether the two are the same. The woman on the right, thought to be Kate Turner, is wearing widow’s black, “as would have been appropriate following the May, 1857 death of her young husband, Campbell Ladd Turner”, it said.

Amherst does admit that the dress worn in the photograph by “Dickinson” does seem to be out-of-date for the late 1850s, but it believes that “may be of less significance when one considers the 23-year-old Dickinson’s comment to friend Abiah Root in 1854, ‘I’m so old fashioned, Darling, that all your friends would stare'”.

The college has released the image to the public in the hope that anyone with further information about the photograph will come forward, whether or not it is favourable to the college’s proposed identification of the two women as Dickinson and Turner.

If the daguerreotype is eventually proved to be Dickinson, Amherst believes it will “change our idea” of the poet, showing her “as a mature woman showing striking presence, strength, and serenity”, rather than as a teenager.

“She (whoever she is) seems to be the one in charge here, the one who decided that on a certain day in a certain year, she and her friend would have their likenesses preserved. In fact, even if this photograph is not of Dickinson and Turner, it has still been of use in forcing us to imagine Dickinson as an adult, past the age of the ethereal-looking 16-year-old we have known for so many years,” the college added.

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