♔Queen of Hearts♔

My proud accomplishments for 2012

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 23:58:00 +0800

Early last year (2012), I wrote a resolution titled “Cheers to 24 years and onwards.” I just still couldn’t believe my eyes after reviewing my list of “to-do” list, I have accomplished so many things in a very short time!

Let me set a review:

1. EARN MY FIRST MILLION

2. SAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY MY OWN HOUSE AND LOT

3. SAVE MONEY FOR MY DREAM CAR.(MUSTANG GTR)

4. SEND MYSELF TO SCHOOL WITH MY OWN MONEY STARTING WITH MAN, THEN PH.D AND LASTLY WOULD BE M.D.

5. LEARN TO BAKE A CAKE - #done#

My friend, Gizelle was kind enough to teach it to me her specialty. The Black Sambo. althou I am still confused whether it is a cake, a gellatin or both?

6. LEARN TO USE A GUN

7. FLY IN A HOT AIR BALLOON

8. PUT UP MY OWN PHOTO EXCIBIT

9. GO ON A CRUISE - #DONE#

How Many Cruise have I went to? can’t remember. but this is my fave:

10. RUN FOR A CAUSE

11. VISIT MY DERMATOLOGIST RELIGOUSLY

12. LEARN GRANDMA’S OLD FASHIONED SUMAN - #DONE#

13. GO ON A SILENT RETREAT

14. FINISH MY MANILA ESCAPE

15. CHECK IN A 5-STAR HOTEL - #DONE#

16. MAKE NEW FRIENDS EVERYDAY. - #DONE#

17. CLIMB A MOUNTAIN

18. VOLUNTEER FOR THE HOME OF THE AGED/CHILDREN-#DONE#

Volunteered for Project Pearls to help the Poorest Children in the Philippines.

19. ATTEND LEADERSHIP TRAININGS

20. SPONSOR A SPECIAL CHILD’S EDUCATION

21. FINISH A COMPUTER GAME

22. PAINT A PICTURE ON A CANVAS- #DONE#

A painting for PAGCOR and Hyatt Hotel

23. WIN A RACE

24. LEARN TO PLAY CARDS

25. FLY A KITE

26. REDECORATE MY ROOM

27. COLLECT ANDREW MATTHEW’S BOOKS

28. WRITE A NOVEL- #DONE#

Wrote 2 Children’s Novels

29. CREATE A NEW WARDROBE

30. TAKE VOICE LESSONS

31. TRAVEL ABROAD, 1 COUNTRY PER YEAR

32. TRAVEL AROUND THE PHILLIPPINES - #DONE# BOHOL, SIQUIJOR, DUMAGUETE, CEBU, BANTAYAN ISLAND, CALIBO, CATIKLAN, BORACAY FOR 2012 :D

Looking forward for Capiz, Anilao, Ilocos Norte, Puerto Galera, Palawan and Bagiuo this 2013!

33. ATTEND REUNIONS!!

A family that always re-unites :) even the smallest of occasions.

34. TRY NEW THINGS -#DONE#

Tried this as my extreme adventure with my bestfriend, Raymond!

35. GROW SUNFLOWERS. - #DONE# unfortunately, hindi sya naggrow. :))

36. WATCH A HORROR MOVIE IN THE CINEMA, ALONE!

37. COMPETE IN A NATIONAL COMPETITION - #DONE#

The novels I wrote above is for the National Children’s Book writing competition.

38. DONATE BLOOD

39. LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE

40. MAKE SOMEONE LAUGH THEIR HEART OUT. -#DONE# Laugh trip with mom

41. EAT EXOTIC FOOD

42. FLY FIRST CLASS

43. BE PART OF A WORLD RECORD - #DONE#

I am proud to be part of the New Guiness World Record. I am model #1987 out of 2255 models to walk on the World’s Biggest Fashion Show.

44. BUNGEE JUMPING.

45. SEE A MUSICAL PLAY OR THEATER

46. JOIN THE CHOIR IN CHURCH

47. ORGANIZE A PICNIC, A PARTY AND AN OUTING! -#DONE#

Organized a Pool Party for the Family

48. CREATE A TRAVEL OR A FOOD BLOG!

49. RIDE THE FIERCEST ROLLER COASTER!

50. TRY ON A SURVIVAL ADVENTURE.

51. LEARN A NEW MARTIAL ART.

52. CREATE MY OWN MUSIC VIDEO

53. PARTICIPATE IN EARTH HOUR EVERY YEAR. -DONE

54. LEARN TO SURF THE WAVES.

55. BRING HOME A ONE-OF-A-KIND PET.

56. COMPLETE MY BEACH-BOUND ADVENTURE!

57. VOLUNTEER FOR WILDLIFE AND RAIN FOREST FOUNDATIONS

58. SWIM WITH THE DOLPHINS.

59. FINISH MY KIDS’ DIGITAL ALBUMS

60. DANCE ON ICE- #DONE#

61. LEARN A NEW MUSICAL INSTRUMENT

62. TRY A NEW SPORT.

63. CELEBRATE EVERY ACHIEVEMENT WITH A DANCE!- DONE!

64. SWIM ONCE A WEEK AND JOG EVERYDAY.

65. CREATE AWSOME MEMORIES AND BE THE MOST AWSOME MOM EVER!-#DONE#

Too many pictures to attach and this is my fave.

66. CREATE A 100 DAYS PHOTO CHALLENGE!-almost done!

67. BE AN INSPIRATION TO SOMEONE.-#DONE#

68. FALL IN LOVE TO THE RIGHT MAN ON THE RIGHT TIME AND IN GOD’S WILL.

I just did. The “best” man that has won my heart. At ang taong inaantay ko na magmamahal saken ng tapat at totoo :)

69. MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

Looking forward for a blastful 2013! Thank You Lord for all your blessings in my life. And despite all the challenges and downfall, You never left my side.

Hi ate nainspire ako doon sa blog mo na journey as a single mom , parehas kasi tayo single mom din ako at bata din ng mabuntis ako , hehe natuwa lang ako sa kwento mo ate :DD

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 20:55:23 +0800

Hi Kiel. I am so happy to inspire you and I am so sorry for the late reply. I have been very busy chasing my dreams :) More power!

"Never love anyone who treats you like you’re ordinary."

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 10:14:13 +0800

“Never love anyone who treats you like you’re ordinary.”

- Oscar Wilde

I am so happy to inspire the people who are most valuable to me...

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 09:35:00 +0800

I am so happy to inspire the people who are most valuable to me with my blog…my family. Xoxo Clara Hart

Translation: Because of your inspiring blog, I put your page on my home screen so I can easily read it…Love you cousin! Xoxo -Joana

"Never have sex with a man for the wrong reasons. Don’t sleep with him to try to keep him from..."

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 03:29:20 +0800

““Never have sex with a man for the wrong reasons. Don’t sleep with
him to try to keep him from losing interest or leaving (it never
works) and don’t use sex as a strategy to get what you want from a
man. In either scenario you are showing complete disrespect for
yourself by treating your body like it is some sort of commodity to
be traded in exchange for love and security. You deserve far better
than that… but you must demand it for yourself before you expect
anyone else will offer it to you.””

- Page Parker, The Author or Dating without Drama

Goodbye Drama!

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 17:37:00 +0800

Throughout our lives, we’re told a lot of lies about love.

For example:

“Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”

“Love is blind.”

And my personal pet peeve…

“You complete me.”

(As if another human being can actually make an unfulfilled person

become whole. Ridiculous.)

Whether they come in the form of song lyrics, movie lines, or

cliche phrases passed down from generation to generation, these

myths distort our thinking and cause us to develop unrealistic

expectations of love.

And unrealistic expectations is one of the biggest causes of

dating drama.

Why?

Because it sets you up for major disappointment, which prevents you

from developing - and enjoying - a real, healthy relationship.

Xoxo

Clara

Blinding Desire

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 23:59:28 +0800

When a situation is extremely important to us, we have a tendency to go blank on our instincts and to overthink the situation. When there is a powerful emotional component, and when there is something in the situation that we fear as well as something we desire, these things can clog our ability to hear our inner wisdom or understand our gut instincts. That is why when you are talking with friends about their situations you may have excellent instincts and a feeling that you know what is going on and how it will play out. But when you are trying to get a sense of clarity with a romance of your own, you may be inadvertently blocking your core knowing because of fear, desire, and a personal investment in the outcome.

When we deal with romance, sometimes wishful thinking, small resentments, desperation and loneliness, or even a false feeling of worthlessness easily confuse us. This may ignite an urge to try to fool someone into loving us, or cause us to feel like an imposter. Both men and women feel the stakes are high, our feelings are hooked, and it is easy to feel we must captivate and conceal our “flaws” in order to be loved. Of course, these thoughts are illusions, but when we deal with fear and desire, we tend to drift away from that core of brilliant sanity and forget not only what we really want but also who we really are. When we abandon the core self, for whatever reason, we also detach from our intuition and our truth-detector.

If you have been hurt by love (and who hasn’t?), you may search for a partner, but all the while be tracing your scars and probing old wounds. When you meet new people, the matchmaker in your heart may feel a flutter of hope while the district attorney in your mind is ready to indict them for crimes they could never have committed. I know people who strap on their bitterness when they go out to meet someone new, like a western gunslinger buckling his gun belt, and then wait, hand poised over their weapon, for a person to make one false move so they can gun him down. It is understandable that even the most resilient among us is wary and bruised, and that in the search for companionship we alternate between romantic fantasies and flinty-eyed cynicism.

Despite these tendencies to approach the topic of love with divided concerns, your instinct for happiness is still intact, and your ability to know what is real and to do the right thing for yourself is alive and well. The brilliance at your core is always speaking to you through your dreams and your subtle intuitions. If you slow down and listen, you will often find that you already know what is true about a situation and that you already know how you really feel about someone.

With Love, Clara Hart.

Do you agree?

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 09:22:07 +0800

Do you agree?

This is the best cake EVER! Happy 25th Birthday to me! Finally,...

Sat, 11 Aug 2012 19:37:01 +0800

This is the best cake EVER! Happy 25th Birthday to me! Finally, I’m a year wiser! :))

Ten Things I want to do Before I die.

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:57:00 +0800

1. Sky diving!

2. Celebrate 1 new year in New York City.

3. Fly a plane.

4. Walk the great wall of China.

5. Visit the Holy Land.

6. Play the Canon in D Major in Piano.

7. Discover a star and name it after me.

8. See at least of the seven wonders.

9. Behold the highest educational attainment.

10. Marry the man I love and loves me more ;)

With Love, Clara Hart.

Home of Two Faiths.

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 00:59:00 +0800

I was reading an old magazine while cleaning the stock room and I saw an issue of Smart Parenting where the cover was Ruffa Gutierez-Bektas. Beneath this celebrity mom’s skin, actress, beauty titlist, savi shopper, high-profile wife…to daughters Lorin and Venice, though, she’s nowhere near superstar status ‘til she’s memorized the barney song!

After reading her story, I never knew that there’s one in a million people who shares the same passion for “different, but happy” like I do. Falling in love and keeping the love and getting the “happily-ever-after” with a guy of exactly the opposite of me to define everything different from head to toe, from beliefs to cultural backgrounds, was like impossible! Well, I thought it was not until I met “The One” who made me believe that with love, everything is possible.

The question about faith inevitably pops up and Ruffa takes it in stride. She and Yilmaz bring 2 beliefs- Christianity and Islam- to the household. It is only today that I knew Yilmaz was a Muslim because Ruffa had such a grand wedding, a Christian like wedding. So I guess, my dream wedding is possible after all.

Like Ruffa, I was an embodiment of multicultural upbringing, having grown up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (a country well known for cultural diversity). I have friends from Muslims, Hindhoos, Buddhists to Christians alike. Each and everyone lived in harmony, in a non-bias way, in peace and have high respect for one another. The best part in Malaysia, everybody celebrates everybody’s celebration! I had Muslim friends celebrating the moon cake festival with me along with my Buddhist friends! When Depavali would arrive, we would help my Hindhoo friends create beautiful arts on the floor with colored rice. And when Hari Raya Aidil Fitri comes, we would help my Muslim friends make those rice cakes in woven banana leaves! While I, as a Filipino blooded, non-citizen of the Philippines thou, was able to teach them how to make puto for Christmas! Haha. It was amazing. I had the privilege to complete my primary education in a Muslim school! I know I’m not Muslim but I was a scholar, got accelerated for a year and I graduated as 3^rd honorable mention.

One of the greatest accomplishments in primary school, I was able to finish reading the Quran (Well, I wouldn’t be 3^rd honorable mention if I didn’t know anything about Islam when I’m studying in a Muslim school, huh?). It was fascinating and it starts from the back like reading backwards.

I’ve also read the book of Pali Canon. I guess I was inspired by my Buddhist ex to embrace and appreciate someone you love wholly is through learning more of what they believe. While the only book I’ve read about Hindhooism was the Kama Sutra (*giggle*). And ofcourse, my classic favorite, the Bible. So I think, the more knowledge you have for something is better. What’s important is your personal relationship with God and how you apply His teachings through your actions.

“I don’t think it’s gonna be a problem,” Ruffa says, “because, in all honesty, there’s only one God.” “The fact that the girls are growing up in a household of 2 faiths is I think more of an advantage because they’ll grow up exposed to more cultures,” she adds.

True to this dual-faith life style, is one in a million and it takes all the guts, a lot of courage, respect, trust and love to build something beautifully impossible to make it a dream come true.

With Love, Clara Hart.

P.S. I wrote this last year, 2011

Think like a genius!

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:56:01 +0800

Genius is made, not born. At least that’s the premise of Michael Gelb’s book entitled, How to think like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Everyday. Extrapolating from Da Vinci’s notebooks, inventions and legendary work of art, Gelb introduces seven Da Vincian principles, which he considered the essential elements of genius.

I’m a little skeptical about ever achieving genius staus, but I would certainly settle for more than just a tablespoonful of improvement in my ability to solve problems, think more creatively, express myself with clarity and beauty, and get my mind and body working harmoniously. The ability to exel in these things, says Gelb, is exactly what constitutes a genius.

In identifying the seven Da Vincian principles, Gelb uses an Italian phrase to capture the essence of each. Behold, the seven Da Vincian principles:

1 Curiosita – an insatiably curious approach to life and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning.

2. Dimostrazione – a commitment to test knowledge through experience, persistence and a willingness to learn from mistakes.

3. Sensazione – the continual refinement of the senses especially sight, as the means to enliven the experience.

4. Sfumato – (literally means, “going up in smoke”) a willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox and uncertainty.

5. Arte/Scienza – the development of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination; “Whole-brain” thinking and not just Right or Left brain only.

6. Corporalita –the cultivation of grace, ambidexterity, fitness and poise (capitalizing the mind-body connection)

7. Connessione – a recognition of and appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things, systems thinking.

It was Leonardo Da Vinci who said:

“The love of anything is the fruit of our knowledge of it, and grows as our knowledge deepens.”

· “Patience protects from insult as clothes protect from the cold.”

· “He walks straight seldom falls.”

· “Ask advice of him who governs himself well.”

I’ve never been to Milan but the moment I saw a picture of II Duomo, from my ex boyfriend as a graduation gift in high school, that magnificent cathedral designed and initially built by Da Vinci, I can’t help but be amazed at his genius and inventiveness. Plus the fact that the picture had a message for me. It says, “Balang araw, pangarap ko’ng pakasalan ka ditto.” (Someday, I dreamed to marry you here). Good old days.

We need creativity in our approaches to solving problems. Gelb accomplishes his goal of helping us believe that we too, can become something of the Renaissance man or woman. But becoming a genius? Sounds like a long way for me to go, but I’m sure I would benefit a lot by challenging myself to be more creative in my approach to problem solving.

Think out of the box. Look at an issue from different perspectives. Ask counsel and read a lot of books. Don’t forget to throw in a lot of hard work, too. Take risks and ask for God’s wisdom in dealing with a problem. For after all, it is still God who created the geniuses we know - and yes, that includes Leonardo Da Vinci too.

Say yes to “Are you ready for this?” You’re ready when you start with opening yourself up to the trustworthy truth that “In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success.” (Proverbs 3:6)

With Love, Clara Hart.

It’s complicated.

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 00:51:10 +0800

I watched a movie today that somewhat added up the courage in me to move forward…in a sense to forget the past and look to a better future ahead. The title is It’s complicated.

Most of the 500 GB memory of my laptop is composed of downloaded movies by my ex-fiancé. This laptop was actually his gift for my graduation last 2010 and he uploaded everything he thinks I needed to entertain me while he’s away. It’s actually a pretty awesome laptop, good enough for a movie-lover like me. It’s equipped with the largest screen I’ve ever seen with surround sound system, battery life lasts 4 movies straight and the interesting part is it’s 3D and you don’t have to put goggles on! It’s one of a kind. I haven’t seen one like this yet in the Philippines. It almost broke when someone threw it on the floor. I thought it broke but it didn’t. Talk about high-quality. No wonder this laptop costs almost two hundred thousand pesos. So, connecting the dots here, he uploaded too many videos in this laptop for me to watch that for 2 years of having this little-movie-machine, I’m not done watching all the movies yet. And I saw this movie, which I thought was boring, but it happened to have the same story of my life that I can very well relate to. Well, almost…

I really do not feel like “narrating” the story. I’ll just probably suggest you to download it through the net. This movie is actually very suitable for those whose status is “it’s complicated”, or divorced or just got single after a looong relationship. It gives hope to those whose hearts were broken. It gives hope to the idea that God do have better plans and moving on may seemed to be the hardest thing to do yet it’s still possible if you chose to. There would be some point in life that we hold on to the fact of what we thought was real and what went wrong and the “what-if’s” but doing that just sabotage us from being happy. My mom used to tell me that if you really want to have what’s right in your life, you’ve got to let go of what’s wrong.

It is in fact easier to start a new relationship with the right person than keeping the old relationship with the wrong one, don’t you think? With the movie, I’m now a believer that if you really want to find Prince Charming, you do have to kiss a handful of frogs! *giggle* And settling for a frog who pretends to be a prince is not how happy endings “begin”…It’s how your happy life ends. Scary but hey, life is too short to be miserable! Happiness is genuinely a choice. You just got to chose it and act on it like what I’m doing right now and I can genuinely say that I’m happy being single right now, from completely letting go of the past.

With Love, Clara Hart.

"Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the..."

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 20:21:40 +0800

“Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you. You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot. Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth. And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends, if you deserve to have one..”

Romantically Hopeless.

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 23:59:07 +0800

It is difficult knowing who is right for you and who is wasting your time, who is trustworthy and who is unstable, unscrupulous, or even dangerous. We try to apply logic to the situation, and that helps. But most of us in the dating world find that we are perfectly capable of making terrible mistakes and of caring quite deeply about someone who has few redeeming features or who just isn’t a good fit for us.

Friends can tell you what they believe about the situation and what they find is true for them; a therapist can tell you guidelines about relationships in general. Family members can tell you what they hope you will find in life.

What you need, though, is someone who knows your secrets, your emotional nature, your history of sabotage, your fear of intimacy, and your fear of winding up alone. You need someone who is absolutely and unreservedly on your side, who agrees that a solid, loving relationship is worth the quest.

In the pursuit of finding and nourishing love, you should take advantage of all the advocates, advisers, and supporters you can find, but the one resource you absolutely must take advantage of is your deeper mind. This part of your psyche takes in volumes of information, even subtle or subliminal clues; it recognizes patterns sometimes in an instant; and it knows and understands your personality without judgment and the ways your quirks and your strengths impact your style of relating and your approach to love.

The bottom line is that the deeper mind is one of your most accurate and potent advisers, and it tends to speak to you through your dreams and your intuition.

With Love, Clara Hart.

Adolescents: Dodecagon of Beta Rivals

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 22:12:08 +0800

Adolescents: Dodecagon of Beta Rivals:

Today is indeed my lucky day! Lucky because I have someone like you… Thank you a million more times for this beautiful blog. It touched my heart so deep like freshly baked mammon pinched by the baker.

Clara Hart

rexmulholland:

I really don’t know how to begin this because honestly, this is my first ever blog to be uploaded online so no more long intro’s. I’m at work and I have to finish this before my boss caught me. :D

My title is a bit something. I know you’re confused so I’m gonna explain it to you why I call this…

A portrait of myself given by a very special friend, Rex...

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 15:42:07 +0800

A portrait of myself given by a very special friend, Rex Mulholland :)

her royal highness...: Serendipitous Friendship

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 12:04:00 +0800

her royal highness...: Serendipitous Friendship:

I have never reblogged a post in my blogspot, let this be the first! More power to come, couz! You just made me cry! I’m just so glad “he” left me YOU. I’m glad I met you…:) There’s nothing more that I could ever ask for :) You are indeed someone I’ll cherish for the rest of my life :’)

And remember, God’s better plan is yet to come. Let’s wait patiently for it :)

Clara Hart

xeezhiah:

Just taking a little time off from work to share some appreciation for someone whom i never thought would be one of my closest friends now.

It is just weird that the person whom you used to wish you could curse would be that friend you’ll ever have in times of your extreme sadness and happiness….

Wanting the Best.

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:58:18 +0800

Most parents would agree that the most important thing they want for their children is happiness. But what brings happiness? Different people will have very different ideas about this. Many will see happiness as something you feel as a result of some other desirable situation.

Therefore, when parents are asked the question, What do you want for your children as they grow up? They are more likely to answer, “to do well, not to want for anything or to have plenty of toys to play with.” When asked about the longer term, when their children have become independent adults, the answer will be along the lines of “Success,” “to have plenty of money, to get married and have children and to have and interesting life,” and so on.

We tend to think partly in terms of things that would bring us as individuals a sense of achievement, assuming that achievement in itself brings happiness; and partly in terms of activities that would make us, as parents, feel proud of our children. Parents also commonly, have ambitions for their children that avoid the mistakes they feel they have made in their own lives. They want their children to “better themselves” or “not to do as I did.” By encouraging their children to achieve, in whatever terms they define, they think they are fulfilling their duty to deliver happiness. But are they? Is happiness something that parents have within their power to give to their children?

True happiness, it has been said, is not a place of arrival; it is a manner of traveling. If happiness is seen as something that you have to go out and find or buy, and can arrive at, by the same token it can also disappear. The kind of acquired happiness certainly exists but it is, by definition, external, transient and fragile. It is a deeper-rooted, more permanent happiness to be experienced that is internal. Whether or not you have it depends upon how comfortable you are with yourself. This is self-esteem. “Happiness is Self-Contentedness” write the Greek philosopher Aristotle some three hundred years before the birth of Christ. (How I love Philosophy. It was my favorite subject during my FEU days).

Parents can and do have a major influence over whatever their children possess or experience self-contentedness. Doing the best for their children means helping them to experience good feelings about themselves: feelings of self-worth and feelings of competence through the development of self-confidence and self-reliance.

With Love, Clara Hart.

How I adore weddings in any cultures. This is a Muslim wedding...

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 08:41:40 +0800

How I adore weddings in any cultures. This is a Muslim wedding of a Prince and a Princess in Malaysia.