#1

It's my first entry on my new blog.  I just realized that I have a total of six in blogspot alone (although i mainly just post in soleil.  the rest are more akin to fossils of an ancient past, but i like to keep them anyway, just to remind myself of all the kookiness that was my adolescence.)  I don't know if it's because of Julie & Julia but, a few days ago, i figured it's high time i started a new one.   I'm not extremely talented or intelligent or anything, and my other blog was read by an insignificant number of people! why start a new one?

Life is about sharing your talents, right?  Well, i'm not extremely talented or intelligent, but I can say that if i am gifted in one thing, it's in being chintzy.  In other words, kuripot ako!  So, i figured, why not start a resource on how to be kuripot in Manila, but still live a fulfilling life? 

Honestly, i am quite appalled at all the fashion and lifestyle blogs of Manila socialites, with the wealthy buying luxury items and being completely ignorant of the fact that 1.4 billion people in the world live on $1.25 or less on a day (World Bank, 2008).  Earlier this week, i read of how all the Hermes bags in Greenbelt were snatched up immediately, including an P8.9 M one.  Now, what people do with their own money is up to them.  However, it breaks my heart to know that there are more people who choose to choke their arteries in their riches then spend the rest in unclogging them, as opposed to helping alleviate the poverty in this country.  I'm not talking about them just handing out wads of cash to a bunch of lazy hobos, but i do wish more people would invest in social enterprises rather than a diamond-studded croc bag.  

Whatever happened to the good ol' days when kids played bahay-bahayan to be happy?  Whatever happened to the days when you didn't have to worry about your purse or phone being stolen, your children being kidnapped?  Everybody's so materialistic now (i'm not immune either).  And that's the cause of the recession, of all this crime and corruption, of poverty and oppression.

I'm not gonna be all bitchy and preachy about this anymore (not most of the time, anyway), but will instead take a more proactive and positive role in this issue.  This is my response to the increasingly carnal mindset of society.   i will share my experiences on this blog  as i try to live and love prudence.  now i realize that's a very wide coverage right there.  i'll try to cover what's salient to the public in general like food, fashion, work, savings, leisure activities, philanthropy, environment, etc.  this is US saying that it is possible to truly live and give at the same time.   (check out this article about Gisele Bundchen--it's inspiring!)  there is hope!!  and yes, there is something that every one can do--we can all start with ourselves.