The Most Important Question You Should Ask Yourself

Forget the money. If money is the most important thing, you’ll be spending your life wasting your time, doing things you completely hate doing, spending money on things you don’t like, in order to go on doing things you don’t like doing, which is stupid. Better to have a short life doing what it is that you love doing rather than a long life spent in a miserable way. 

It doesn’t matter what it is that you love doing, eventually you can become a master at it. The only way to become a master at something is if you really go with it. But it’s absolutely stupid doing things you don’t like, in order to go on spending on things you don’t like in order to teach your children to do the same.

What would you like to do if money were no object? How would you really enjoy spending your life?

Alan Watts

Alan Watts, philosopher

You'll Get Sick To Your Stomach When You Read This

Every year, about 10,000 dogs and cats are mercilessly butchered for the traditional “Dog Meat Festival,” which will be held on June 21st in the city of Yulin, China. Animal rights activists have criticized and denounced this one-day event because of the unsafe and inhumane treatment of these helpless animals.

Residents of Yulin in Guangxi province cherish their city’s dog-meat eating culture. They consider dog meat as a much sought after delicacy during winter time. Even their doctors prescribe dog meat as a treatment for impotence and poor circulation.

However, animal rights groups, such as Together for Animals in China (TACN), are pushing everyone to sign a petition imploring the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region government to cancel the upcoming dog-meat festival. You can participate in signing the petition by clicking this link here.

To further illustrate how these helpless animals are being inhumanely treated, you can see some images posted below. But be warned, these images are very graphic and disturbing.

Image via Ricky Gervais/Facebook

Image via Ricky Gervais/Facebook

Let’s all band together and end this atrocity being done towards helpless animals once and for all. You can send out a tweet using #StopYuLin2015 to get your voice heard.

Stop cruelty. Do not eat dogs and cats.

“Animals are my friends... and I don't eat my friends.” ― George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright and co-founder of the London School of Economics.

I’d like to thank my colleague, Pierre Angela Cruz, who is an avid pet owner, for bringing this news to my attention.

Credit: Pierre Angela Cruz

10 Free Things In Life That Can Make You Truly Rich

Amassing immense wealth is the end-all be-all for some people. But there are 10 free things you can attain in life that can make you feel truly rich.

1. Time. Depending on how much or how little free time you have, it can actually determine how satisfied you are with your personal life. Most folks are too busy working hard doing a job they hate just to make ends meet. But sometimes, they often miss their children’s first baseball game or piano recital. You can always earn money, but time is something you can never get back once it passes you by.

2. Wisdom. This should not be confused with most of the useless stuff you learned in school. There are many valuable lessons one can learn outside of the classroom. Wisdom is something you can attain with the experiences you have, be it good or bad, and the learning you can take away from them.

3. Acceptance. There are so many things in life that are beyond our control. Learning to accept the good along with the bad can make our current predicament more bearable. Being able to live in the present and appreciating the blessings that come our way is easily one of the most important things we need to learn in life.

4. Love. Sure, having lots of money can buy you love or at least a veneer of it. But when the chips are down, your loving trophy wife will abandon you in a heartbeat when your deep pockets run dry. One thing you should consider is that real love is something that grows over time. Consider yourself lucky if you find someone who will stand by you, no matter what your circumstances are. That is something money will never be able to buy.

5. The Truth. You can use your wealth to influence people or try to distort some facts that you disagree with. You can even be successful at burying the truth for a long time. But there will always be someone who cannot be bought or intimidated to speak the truth. People with integrity will always be honest whether the truth hurts you or not.

6. Peace of mind. I’ve always kept this adage in mind that goes like this, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” You may be the one who is calling the shots at work and bossing people around. But those who are in a position of authority are often the ones who lie awake in bed at night because they have tremendous expectations and pressures to meet and live up to. I would never trade being able to sleep soundly for all the fame and money in the world.

7. Inherent talent. Either you have it or you don’t. Not everyone is lucky enough to be the next Steve Jobs or born with the sheer genius of Stephen Hawking. You can use money to join classes or workshops, sure, but it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll have that unbeatable singing voice or musical talent that will launch you to greatness and superstardom. It takes a lot of hard work and determination to achieve that.

8. Health. We’re not just talking about physical health here, but overall mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness as well. There are so many advancements in the field of medicine and science that can make anyone virtually immortal, given you have sufficient resources. However, you can achieve general well-being without having a lot of money by getting enough exercise, eating the right food, and simply being happy with your personal life.

9. Class. We’re not talking about multi-million dollar mansions, designer labels or luxury sports cars here. You can be the richest person in the room but being gracious and well-mannered to other people is something money can’t easily buy. You can enroll yourself in a finishing school perhaps but sometimes, being cultured and refined is something that just can’t be taught.

10. Real Friends. No, not your Facebook friends or your followers on Twitter or Instagram who just want to gawk at your photos or put their nose in your personal affairs. Good friends are hard to come by and if the ones you have only stick around because of the money you throw away, then it’s high time for you to look for some new and genuine friends.

Check Out These Marvel Action Figures!

Here is a collection of Marvel action figures for all the fans and enthusiasts out there. All figures are sealed and in pristine condition. Feel free to leave your comments below. Enjoy browsing.

Hawkeye

Hulk

Hulkbuster

Iron man Mark V

Iron Patriot

Red Skull

Spider-man

Superior Spider-man

Thanos and Adam Warlock

Thor

War Machine

Whiplash

Captain America

If you like what you see, just send me an email at myneckoftheweb@yahoo.com

Happy hunting!

Want To Date A Pretty Girl? She is Likely Overrated.

Have you ever been discouraged by people to date a woman who is “too attractive” for you? Well, they are probably wrong. Here is what you should know.

If you are looking for a meaningful and lasting relationship, you should avoid placing too much importance on looks alone. Most people are hard-wired to focus on physical attributes because it is what their base instinct dictates in finding a suitable mate.

That is understandable. But the reality is, good looks are overrated. There is nothing wrong with wanting to look beautiful. However, the insatiable need in our society to value physical attractiveness above everything else has misguided many impressionable youths.

Credit: Flickr/hulagal87

Physical beauty is, indeed, skin deep and will fade away eventually. Being in a relationship solely based on good looks is inadequate and a complete waste of time. So, you should seriously ask yourself, “What really makes a woman beautiful?”

Here are 10 essential traits that can make any woman perpetually beautiful.

1. She knows how to recognize and appreciate the beauty in others.

2. She is not jealous of what others may have, nor does she secretly desire them.

3. She is not insecure of what others may think or say about her.

4. She is a genuine person who does not pretend to be someone else, just for the sake of being accepted.

5. She is immensely passionate about life, her work, her craft, and worthy causes.

6. She does not use her charm or beauty to manipulate or take advantage of others.

7. She understands the importance of mutual respect and generosity.

8. She knows how to hold engaging conversations and freely shares her sensible ideas.

9. She is interested in the betterment of the world around her and wants to make a positive impact.

10. She is a unique woman with substance that cannot be easily replaced by another pretty face.

A woman who relies solely on her good looks is only good for a night or two. But you will eventually become bored with her and look for someone else.

A woman who is kind, passionate, and unique can not only get your attention, but also keep you interested in her for a lifetime. 

Remember, life is too short to waste on empty and meaningless relationships. The choice is yours, my friend.

Discover Why Your "Friend" Blocked You On Facebook

Did you recently end a relationship with someone? Are you still “friends” with this person on Facebook? If not, this is where things get a bit complicated.

Before you two got together, you were casually getting to know each other on Facebook. You’ve browsed each others’ status updates, stuff that you like, as well as those near-countless uploaded selfies.

Unfortunately, when your relationship doesn’t work out in the end, feelings get hurt, and you may find your sorry ass getting unfriended on Facebook. Ouch!

Sure, you can keep telling yourself that this is no big deal. But getting unfriended is the other person’s way of dumping you online as well. It’s the proverbial middle finger salute to you one last time in the virtual realm.

You may be wondering why your ex no longer wants to be even friends with you on Facebook. Is it really the end? Well, here are several reasons why your former squeeze unfriended you.

Your ex doesn’t want to have anything to do with you anymore. There may be some instances when he or she may be tempted to send you a message or like something you post, especially when your ex feels lonely or drunk. Because you’re not Facebook friends anymore, your ex can no longer do that, even if he or she wants to.

Your ex is trying to avoid violent reactions when others find out you’ve broken up. There are a select few who simply cannot resist sharing too much information about their personal lives. Hence, your ex may be afraid of seeing that angry status update you post out of bitterness or spite. It’s no different from airing out one’s dirty laundry for everyone to see. Pretty scary, isn’t it? The lesson here is, don’t share too much. Leave some mystery or suffer the consequences.

Your ex might be hiding something. It can be another lover he or she has been hiding from you all this time. Some people aren’t good at keeping their deep, dark secrets from social media. If you take a look at his or her Facebook profile close enough, you may find photographic evidence buried somewhere in his or her timeline. Your ex can be easily tagged by their former or current lover at any given time.

Your ex just wants to hurt you emotionally. Social media is a fertile ground to nurture a budding relationship. So, when someone unfriends you on Facebook, it’s an apparent way of saying your ex is severing all ties with you. Even though it seems childish, you can still feel emotionally hurt when they unfriend you.

It also hurts your ex when he or she still sees you on their newsfeed. This move can be part of their healing process because they want to move on with their lives without you being part of it. Your ex may do whatever it takes to gradually forget about you, your relationship, and every experience that you went through together. For some, cutting all lines of communication is what they really need to get their ex out of their system.

What you can learn from this.

• Your ex may feel scared about many different things related to you and your past relations.

• Your ex doesn’t want to communicate with you anymore or doesn’t want to have anything to do with you.

• This course of action may be your ex’s way of saying f*ck you one last time before they move on with their lives.

Not Sure If You Like Taylor Swift? This Will Help You Decide!

If you’ve been living under a rock or have gone off the grid for the past ten years, then let me help you get up to speed with this lovely, young lady named Taylor Swift.

Credit: Pinterest

She’s already achieved so much than most of us ever will in our lifetime. Yet, she still finds the time in her crazy-hectic schedule to give back to her loyal and long-time fans.

Last year, Taylor invited some fans over to her crib and hosted an exclusive listening party for her latest album, "1989."

Credit: Twitter/Shelby Hartness

She also visits sick children in hospitals and spends time with them by playing music. Last August, Taylor visited the Boston Children’s Hospital to cheer up some kids with cancer.

One of the patients had a piano in his room. So, when Taylor dropped by, the two played a touching cover of Adele’s “Someone Like You.” Check out the heart-warming video below.

Taylor sent personalized gifts to some of her most devoted fans. It’s refreshing to see a highly successful celebrity who knows how to give back to those who have continuously supported her career over the years. Watch how her fans go completely bat-shit crazy when Taylor showed up at their front door to personally deliver the gifts.

Recently, she also helped one fan named Rebekah to pay off her student loans. She also received a necklace from Taylor, a painting made by her, and a Polaroid evidence of Taylor working on the painting.

Credit: Tumblr/Rebekah

Taylor knows have to fun and doesn’t take herself too seriously—a true sign of a down-to-earth person. Here is a hilarious video clip of Taylor when she appeared as a guest on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

Even at a young age, you can see how Taylor is innately talented when she performed the national anthem at a Philadelphia 76ers basketball game back in 2002. She was only 12 years old at the time. Watch the clip below.

Isn't she just adorable? You can already tell that this young lady is going places.

So, how about you? Do you like Taylor? If you do, why don’t you share some of your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

These 8 Simple Hacks Will Make You Feel Happier Today

Choose to be happy. Nobody cares if you're sad anyway. To celebrate the International Day of Happiness, here are 8 tips you can do to feel happier today.

Credit: South Park

1. Love what you do. Whatever job you have, learn to appreciate and enjoy it. Take pride in your work each day. People who are only motivated by money are lazy, inept, and don’t care about producing sterling results. Strive to be the best and deliver more than what is expected. Love your job and it will love you back.

2. Think positive. Sure, that’s easier said than done, right? But having an optimistic outlook will not only help you look and feel good, it can also improve your health and lengthen your lifespan, according to a research published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

3. Learn to love yourself. The late great singer and Grammy Award winner Whitney Houston comes to mind because of her monster hit song, “Greatest Love of All.” She had it all figured out long before researchers at the University of Hertfordshire opined that self-acceptance is the secret to having a happier life. You just need to look in the mirror and tell yourself, “Hey, you’re pretty awesome!”

4. Listen to music. Thanks to modern mobile devices and the Internet, anyone can easily download their favorite songs and enjoy listening to them anytime, anywhere. A recent study suggests that listening to music can have a positive effect on your mood. It’s no surprise you can see many people in public with earphones glued to their ears. Well, I do have Happiness Is A Warm Gun looped on my iPod every Thursday. So there.

5. Put a smile on that face. And have a good laugh as well. Since you’re already pretending to be busy at your workstation, try watching some funny videos of cats doing funny cat stuff or check out some hilarious memes and gifs on 9gag. This is just one of the many fun things you can do to uplift your mood. Just try to avoid getting caught by your supervisor while you’re at it.

6. Talk to your crush. Come on, try growing a pair! Don’t be afraid to approach him or her and show off your impressive conversational skills. You’ll never know what lies ahead if you don’t take a chance. Who knows? You might be pleasantly surprised that you share the same interests or activities. If by chance he or she doesn’t like talking to you, so what? This valuable life experience will help you overcome your fear of rejection.

7. Read a book. You’ve been spending way too much time playing Clash of Clans on your antiquated iPhone 4. That’s even the first thing you do when you arrive at the office. Read something substantial that will inspire you to do some real thinking. A good book can help broaden your vocabulary, open your mind to a bigger world, and induce creativity.

8. Have lots of sex. Do it every chance you get. Having sex has numerous positive health benefits. It’s a great form of exercise. It can relieve stress and help you sleep easier. It lowers your blood pressure and the risk of having heart attacks. And it’s sex! SEX! Need I say more? Just don’t forget to be safe always, all right? Yes? Good.

So, whenever you're feeling down, always remember that happiness is a choice. Sometimes, all we need is a little nudge in the right direction to attain joy and inner peace.

Way Back Into Rock 2015: A Rocking Successful Event!

The fourth installment of Way Back Into Rock concert series held last February 15, 2015 at Bar-Ko MOhd Resto Bar in Marilao, Bulacan concluded successfully. Organizers of the event donated 100 percent of its ticket sales to the following beneficiaries:

• Caritas Manila

• GMA Kapuso Foundation

• Brothers of Mercy of Saint John of God

• Gary Ignacio, former lead singer of the band, Alamid

• Fallen 44 c/o DSWD – Armed Conflict Mamasapano Maguindanao

Here are the images of the bank receipts, courtesy of Leynard Dionisio, lead vocalist of Yolah:

Brothers of Mercy

Caritas Manila

Fallen 44

GMA Kapuso Foundation

Gary Ignacio c/o his relative

The organizers of Way Back Into Rock 2015 would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to everyone who attended the charity concert, the management and staff of Bar-Ko MOhd Resto Bar, as well as the bands and performers who offered their musical talents free of charge.

Packed house!

Yolah

Eskalera

Fantastic 4

Freelax

Phylium

Rev Mendosa

Until next time, spread the love and keep on rocking!

Check out this awesome clip of Yolah’s smooth rendition of “Your Love” originally performed by Alamid.

Pre-Valentine’s Dinner Date at Cups and Cones

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Love is in the air. Have a romantic dinner date with your special someone.

About a week ago, my wife told me about this place she wanted us to visit called Cups and Cones located in Gen. Luna Street, Malabon, Philippines.

We don’t get to go out on dates as often as we would like to because of our hectic work schedules. Luckily, we were able to go there tonight and I thought it would be nice to share our dining experience.

We were welcomed by this cute and huggable teddy bear strategically placed at the entrance.

Cups & Cones has a cozy, local mom and pop store vibe going for them. I think it was a slow Friday night as the place wasn’t very crowded. We sat at the corner of the cafe, which is a perfect spot for couples.

As we perused the menu, we found that they offer a good selection of appetizers, salads, coffee, frappes, desserts, beverages, and rice meals.

So, this is what we chose to have for our dinner date:

Nachos for appetizer...

Baked mac and cheese...

Fish salad for healthy eating...

Blueberry cheesecake for dessert...

...and this citrus drink served in ginormous glass jars!

Overall, the food was delightful and reasonably priced. I particularly enjoyed the fish salad and blueberry cheesecake. They have prompt customer service and a pleasant ambiance. We would definitely dine here again and recommend this place to friends and family.

Hope you have a splendid time with your loved ones this Valentine's Day.

Yolah to headline Way Back Into Rock 2015

Alternative pop rock band Yolah is one of the major acts featured in the highly anticipated concert series, Way Back Into Rock, to be held on February 15, 2015 at Bar-Ko MOhd Resto Bar in Marilao, Bulacan. The post-Valentine's Day show starts at 7:00 p.m., Sunday.

Credit: Yolah/Facebook

This year's fantastic lineup of bands and performers include:

• Eskalera
• Fantastic 4
• Fecal Matter
• Freelax
• Hatankaru
• Rev
• Sacrilegion

Tickets are available at the venue. Admission price is 50 pesos only. Proceeds will be donated to charity. To get more information and updates, visit the official Way Back Into Rock page on Facebook.

Enjoy a night of great music with your friends and have a rocking good time! See you there!