Australia offers 'best job in world' on paradise island

SYDNEY (AFP) – An Australian state is offering internationally what it calls "the best job in the world" -- earning a top salary for lazing around a beautiful tropical island for six months.

The job pays 150,000 Australian dollars (105,000 US dollars) and includes free airfares from the winner's home country to Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland's state government announced on Tuesday.

In return, the "island caretaker" will be expected to stroll the white sands, snorkel the reef, take care of "a few minor tasks" -- and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates.

The successful applicant, who will stay rent-free in a three-bedroom beach home complete with plunge pool and golf buggy, must be a good swimmer, excellent communicator and be able to speak and write English.

"They'll also have to talk to media from time to time about what they're doing so they can't be too shy and they'll have to love the sea, the sun, the outdoors," said acting state Premier Paul Lucas.

"The fact that they will be paid to explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, swim, snorkel and generally live the Queensland lifestyle makes this undoubtedly the best job in the world."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090113/od_afp/lifestyleaustraliatourismoffbeat_20090113032028

Breaking a habit starts with courage and ends with...

I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest asset or heaviest burden.
I will push you up to success or down to disappointment.
I am at your command.
Half the things you do might just as well be turned over to me,
For I can do them quickly, correctly, and profitably.
I am easily managed, just be firm with me.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not a machine, though I work with the precision of a
machine and the intelligence of a person.
You can run me for profit, or you can run me for ruin.
Show me how you want it done. Educate me. Train me.
Lead me. Reward me.
And I will then...do it automatically.
I am your servant.
Who am I?
I am a habit.

The author of the above is unknown, but the words are right on target. If you make good habits, they in turn will make you. But like the weeds in the garden, bad habits can take over your life. Make a decision today to pull those weeds.

I also need to start a new one today, and finish off a couple

GOSH! 28th na ako :D

I really enjoyed my day even though I thought that it won’t. Anyway, my brother cooked carbonara for me & my mother-in-law prepared her potato salad, which was specially requested by my sissy.

I started my day by going to church with Coco & Twins, and this is a weekly thing not just because it’s my birthday. Anyway, Math & Marc loves going to Sunday School. At this time a couple of people greeted me already including my mom, of which I’m so thrilled I could cry for joy, because were not in good terms a few days before that. Then, we headed straight to SM Marikina to buy the ingredients and meet-up with my bro and his wife from work.

When we got home that’s when I realized that I left my bag at the baggage counter and before that I had a petty argument with Ninay (my lola-were okay now J), this is the point where I thought my day is going to be ruined.

So instead of taking the rest that afternoon Coco & I had to go back to SM City just to get my bag. After that he started to make me feel good by telling me that we can stop by the Department Store and check out stuffs that I might like which will be his gift to me, he really knows my weakness, hehehe. Anyhow, we ended up buying shoes for my twins instead but its okay.

Then the rest of the day was spent with our friends that we grew up with in the village. It was a crazy drinking spree but still sober since most of us have families of our own already. I also shared the celebration with my brother-in-law since we have the same birthdate.

Then, on the 15^th I never really expected this but my team, The Thunderbolts, gave me a real surprise. They got me a cake, pancit, & a gift – it was a nice, spacious, brown bag – and I love it! Plus, I got a card from the Medix, the messages we’re really sweet, made me feel really good about myself, this is on top of the slice of cake that they gave me during the Medix Christmas Party.

With all that things that happened, I just realized now that the first person who greeted me was my ever thoughtful boss, GRACIE, she even sent flowers since she’s been out on maternity leave for almost 2 months now, she’s a supah sweet friend but strict boss, hehehe.

Thanks to everyone who remembered me, y’all just don’t know how much I appreciate the surprises & preparation that y’all took to make my day-s special.

GOSH! 28th na ako :D

I really enjoyed my day even though I thought that it won’t. Anyway, my brother cooked carbonara for me & my mother-in-law prepared her potato salad, which was specially requested by my sissy.

I started my day by going to church with Coco & Twins, and this is a weekly thing not just because it’s my birthday. Anyway, Math & Marc loves going to Sunday School. At this time a couple of people greeted me already including my mom, of which I’m so thrilled I could cry for joy, because were not in good terms a few days before that. Then, we headed straight to SM Marikina to buy the ingredients and meet-up with my bro and his wife from work.

When we got home that’s when I realized that I left my bag at the baggage counter and before that I had a petty argument with Ninay (my lola-were okay now J), this is the point where I thought my day is going to be ruined.

So instead of taking the rest that afternoon Coco & I had to go back to SM City just to get my bag. After that he started to make me feel good by telling me that we can stop by the Department Store and check out stuffs that I might like which will be his gift to me, he really knows my weakness, hehehe. Anyhow, we ended up buying shoes for my twins instead but its okay.

Then the rest of the day was spent with our friends that we grew up with in the village. It was a crazy drinking spree but still sober since most of us have families of our own already. I also shared the celebration with my brother-in-law since we have the same birthdate.

Then, on the 15^th I never really expected this but my team, The Thunderbolts, gave me a real surprise. They got me a cake, pancit, & a gift – it was a nice, spacious, brown bag – and I love it! Plus, I got a card from the Medix, the messages we’re really sweet, made me feel really good about myself, this is on top of the slice of cake that they gave me during the Medix Christmas Party.

With all that things that happened, I just realized now that the first person who greeted me was my ever thoughtful boss, GRACIE, she even sent flowers since she’s been out on maternity leave for almost 2 months now, she’s a supah sweet friend but strict boss, hehehe.

Thanks to everyone who remembered me, y’all just don’t know how much I appreciate the surprises & preparation that y’all took to make my day-s special.

Sa lahat ng wasak ang puso...

---

From: Gladys Dumandan
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 12:36 PM
To: Samantha Puzon; Brad Sanchez; Angel Kiat; Bruce Ganzon; Shelly Gundran; Janice Martinez; Simone Ngo; Louie Santos; Daphne Ragonton; Jake de la Cruz; Marianne Alonso; Sharina Angeles; Ninia Lechuga; Mary Nejadgholami; Khamila Dimaporo; Edisen Emaas; Angelo Morales
Subject: common sense :)

Ayon kay Bob Ong:

1. "Kung hindi mo mahal ang isang tao, wag ka nang magpakita ng motibo para mahalin ka nya.."

2. "Huwag mong bitawan ang bagay na hindi mo kayang makitang hawak ng iba."

3. "Huwag mong hawakan kung alam mong bibitawan mo lang."

4. "Huwag na huwag ka hahawak kapag alam mong may hawak ka na."

5. "Parang elevator lang yan eh, bakit mo pagsisiksikan ung sarili mo kung walang pwesto para sayo. Eh meron naman hagdan, ayaw mo lang pansinin."

6. "Kung maghihintay ka nang lalandi sayo, walang mangyayari sa buhay mo.. Dapat lumandi ka din."

7. "Pag may mahal ka at ayaw sayo, hayaan mo. Malay mo sa mga susunod na araw ayaw mo na din sa kanya, naunahan ka lang."

8. "Hiwalayan na kung di ka na masaya. Walang gamot sa tanga kundi pagkukusa."

9. "Pag hindi ka mahal ng mahal mo wag ka magreklamo. Kasi may mga tao rin na di mo mahal pero mahal ka.. Kaya quits lang."

10. "Kung dalawa ang mahal mo, piliin mo yung pangalawa. Kasi hindi ka naman magmamahal ng iba kung mahal mo talaga yung una." – wag na wag mong susubukan!

11. "Hindi porke't madalas mong ka-chat, kausap sa telepono, kasama sa mga lakad o ka-text ng wantusawa eh may gusto sayo at magkakatuluyan kayo. Meron lang talagang mga taong sadyang friendly, sweet, flirt, malandi, pa-fall o paasa."

12. "Huwag magmadali sa babae o lalaki. Tatlo, lima, sampung taon, mag-iiba ang pamantayan mo at maiisip mong hindi pala tamang pumili ng kapareha dahil lang maganda o nakakalibog ito. Totong mas mahalaga ang kalooban ng tao higit sa anuman. Sa paglipas ng panahon, maging ang mga crush ng bayan nagmumukha ding pandesal, maniwala ka."

13. "Minsan kahit ikaw ang nakaschedule, kailangan mo pa rin maghintay, kasi hindi ikaw ang priority."

14. "Mahirap pumapel sa buhay ng tao. Lalo na kung hindi ikaw yung bida sa script na pinili nya."

15. "Alam mo ba kung gaano kalayo ang pagitan ng dalawang tao pag nagtalikuran na sila? Kailangan mong libutin ang buong mundo para lang makaharap ulit ang taong tinalikuran mo."

16. "Mas mabuting mabigo sa paggawa ng isang bagay kesa magtagumpay sa paggawa ng wala"

17. "Hindi lahat ng kaya mong intindihin ay katotohan, at hindi lahat ng hindi mo kayang intindihin ay kasinungalingan"

18. "Kung nagmahal ka ng taong di dapat at nasaktan ka, wag mong sisihin ang puso mo. Tumitibok lng yan para mag-supply ng dugo sa katawan mo. Ngayon, kung magaling ka sa anatomy at ang sisisihin mo naman ay ang hypothalamus mo na kumokontrol ng emotions mo, mali ka pa rin! Bakit? Utang na loob! Wag mong isisi sa body organs mo ang mga sama ng loob mo sa buhay! Tandaan mo: magiging masaya ka lang kung matututo kang tanggapin na hindi ang puso, utak, atay o bituka mo ang may kasalanan sa lahat ng nangyari sayo, kundi IKAW mismo!"

19. "Pakawalan mo yung mga bagay na nakakasakit sa iyo kahit na pinasasaya ka nito. Wag mong hintayin ang araw na sakit na lang ang nararamdaman mo at iniwan ka na ng kasiyahan mo."

20. "Gamitin ang puso para alagaan ang mga taong malalapit sa iyo. Gamitin ang utak para alagaan ang sarili mo."

21. "Ang pag-ibig parang imburnal...nakakatakot mahulog...at kapag nahulog ka, it's either by accident or talagang tanga ka.."

Do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not

Why are some people more successful than others? Why do some people make more money, live happier lives and accomplish much more in the same number of years than the great majority?

I started out in life with few advantages. I did not graduate from high school. I worked at menial jobs. I had limited education, limited skills and a limited future.

And then I began asking, "Why are some people more successful than others?" This question changed my life.

Over the years, I have read thousands of books and articles on the subjects of success and achievement. It seems that the reasons for these accomplishments have been discussed and written about for more than two thousand years, in every conceivable way. One quality that most philosophers, teachers and experts agree on is the importance of self-discipline. As Al Tomsik summarized it years ago, "Success is tons of discipline."
Some years ago, I attended a conference in Washington. It was the lunch break and I was eating at a nearby food fair. The area was crowded and I sat down at the last open table by myself, even though it was a table for four.

A few minutes later, an older gentleman and a younger woman who was his assistant came along carrying trays of food, obviously looking for a place to sit.

With plenty of room at my table, I immediately arose and invited the older gentleman to join me. He was hesitant, but I insisted. Finally, thanking me as he sat down, we began to chat over lunch.

It turned out that his name was Kop Kopmeyer. As it happened, I immediately knew who he was. He was a legend in the field of success and achievement. Kop Kopmeyer had written four large books, each of which contained 250 success principles that he had derived from more than fifty years of research and study. I had read all four books from cover to cover, more than once.

After we had chatted for awhile, I asked him the question that many people in this situation would ask, "Of all the one thousand success principles that you have discovered, which do you think is the most important?"

He smiled at me with a twinkle in his eye, as if he had been asked this question many times, and replied, without hesitating, "The most important success principle of all was stated by Thomas Huxley many years ago. He said, 'Do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not.'"

He went on to say, "There are 999 other success principles that I have found in my reading and experience, but without self-discipline, none of them work."

Self-discipline is the key to personal greatness. It is the magic quality that opens all doors for you, and makes everything else possible. With self-discipline, the average person can rise as far and as fast as his talents and intelligence can take him. But without self-discipline, a person with every blessing of background, education and opportunity will seldom rise above mediocrity.

"No stream or gas drives anything until it is confined. No Niagara is ever turned into light and power until it is tunneled. No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated and disciplined." ~Harry E. Fosdick

An excerpt from the book, "Power of Discipline" by Brian Tracy

You are only on choice away from changing your life...

Think about that. One choice, just one, can change your life forever. Simply put, your life today is what your choices have made it, but with new choices, you can change directions this very moment. For me, that idea alone is highly motivational because it offers tremendous hope, regardless of circumstances, for a better tomorrow.

Your life-changing choice may be to switch careers, to leave an abusive relationship, to go back to school, to stop drinking, to adopt a child, to start a business, to lose weight, to start a charity...to name a few. If you have the courage to do so, you could make any one of those choices, or others, today. And you would change your life.

Sometimes it's a different kind of choice. It can be to not quit, to not give up in the face of adversity. We've all been there.

Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen received 77 rejections for their idea Chicken Soup for the Soul. They had to make a decision each time...should they throw in the towel and say enough is enough, or should they keep trying to pursue their dreams? You know the rest of the story. The 78th publisher said Yes and they went on to sell over 100 million books.

So never forget that you are only one choice away from changing your life. Do you have the courage to make it?