Making the Write Impression

December 2010

December is a time for greeting cards, handwritten letters, and for those in a rush, quick emails wishing friends, family, and coworkers some holiday cheer. The art of the written word can easily be forgotten these days; and resurrecting the importance of a heartfelt note and a well-meaning letter is a gesture that goes easily with the spirit of Christmas.

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You don’t have to be a literary genius to compose a sincere letter—all you need is to show your personality and write as though you are naturally conversing with your note’s recipient.

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Keep It Casual. Just because you are setting things down on paper, does not mean you need to resort to formal language. Write as if you are speaking—your note will come off as genuine if you write the way you speak. Instead of saying “I cannot wait to see you,” go for the lighter-to-the-ear alternative by saying, “I can’t wait to see you!”.

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Name Drop. Casually pepper your letter with the recipient’s name every now and then. It adds familiarity and even affection. Occasionally mentioning the person’s name will make him feel like you really are thinking about him as you write, and are not using a template.

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Explore Exclamations.

To drive a point, use underlines, exclamation points, and dashes to give your sentiments more oomph and emphasis. Don’t overdo the smiley faces, however—a line must be drawn between emphatic letters and those that are too childish.

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Never Ramble.

Nobody wants to read a long-winded letter that seems to have no end. Keep things short, sweet, and always to the point.

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Holiday Greetings. Hang some cheer in your home by putting your favorite cards on display.

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Write It Down. Putting your thoughts on paper is a heartfelt way of expressing heartfelt wishes.

The Blue Leaf is a great place to host parties, whether you're looking to entertain corporate clients or throw a get-together for friends and family. We can help you forge new bonds and make new memories, no matter what the occasion. For inquiries, call The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion at 898-BLUE or visit http://www.theblueleaf.com.ph/ for more information.

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The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion • 632 8872175 • 632 8875687 • inquiries@theblueleaf.com.ph

100 Park Avenue, McKinley Hill Village,Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Help At Home

November 2010

Filipino households are wont to have help on board, whether to take care of the children, help with running errands and chores, or oversee the kitchen. Some employees are hired on a live-in basis while others visit homes once a week for a light clean up—no matter what your arrangement with your help is, it is important to maintain a set of rules to keep your relationship professional and to maintain a sense of order in the home.

Keep things Private.
Make your boundaries clear: when training your help, let them know which areas are off-limits and which may be touched up and cleaned. The same goes for your help’s quarters—it is important to give them their own space. If possible, give them room keys so they can keep their privacy as well.

Make Cleanliness the Standard.
Emphasize that even if your help has their own private areas, you would like them to maintain the same level of orderliness throughout the entire home, whether in your public areas (living room, dining room, kitchen, etc.) or their own quarters.

Keep an Open Kitchen.
House help should also benefit from at least three meals a day (for live-in employees) or snacks (for those who come in on a per-day basis). Relegate some storage in your pantry or refrigerator for the help’s food, or dedicate a shelf stacked with their own supply.

Give them Time Off.
Make specific arrangements for days off. If the help is expecting a visitor, ask them to inform you beforehand. Allowing them some time away from work assures a good relationship between you and your employee and will help her turn in better work in the long run.

Clean House. Keeping your house help happy equals a cleaner, more efficiently kept home.

Big Benefits. Going beyond the paycheck and keeping a good relationship with the household help can greatly improve your situation at home.

The Blue Leaf is a great place to host parties, whether you're looking to entertain corporate clients or throw a get-together for friends and family. We can help you forge new bonds and make new memories, no matter what the occasion. For inquiries, call The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion at 898-BLUE or visit http://www.theblueleaf.com.ph/ for more information

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The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion • 632 8872175 • 632 8875687 • inquiries@theblueleaf.com.ph
100 Park Avenue, McKinley Hill Village,Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Everyday Don'ts

October 2010

It’s easy to take everyday actions for granted. What becomes habitual to most of us can slip our minds, leading us to forget how certain patterns or actions that have become routine to us can actually be offensive to others. It’s important to continually keep ourselves in check to make sure that social graces are respected 24/7.

Chuck the Chewing. While there is nothing technically wrong with popping some gum, it is considered something that should be done in privacy or with familiar friends. Resist the urge to chew while in conversation with someone, or during formal settings such as a classroom, church or at the office. Regardless of the company you keep, it is important to be discreet, quiet, and to always dispose of your gum properly.

Rid yourself of Rudeness. Being discourteous covers a lot of ground—from playing loud music that prevents others from continuing with their days peacefully to whispering or giggling behind someone’s back. Being a mature, respectful individual means rising above these childish tendencies and always keeping others’ feelings in mind.

Stay Sanitary. Crude behavior such as spitting is not just crass—it’s also highly unsanitary. Though some cultures may accept this type of behavior and while it might be commonplace even in the streets you live, the act of spitting is usually regarded as uncouth and incredibly ill mannered.

Smoke Out. Cigarette smoking is a highly personal decision. If you do decide to smoke, however, it is important to confine your smoking outdoors, avoiding the act inside someone’s house or even in a car. Secondhand smoke is only one issue—another is keeping clean since cigarette butts and ashes can clutter anyone’s space.

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Take your cigarette break to the outdoors and keep everyone out of secondhand smoke’s way.

Snapping and popping are definite don’ts when it comes to chewing gum.

The Blue Leaf is a great place to host parties, whether you're looking to entertain corporate clients or throw a get-together for friends and family. We can help you forge new bonds and make new memories, no matter what the occasion. For inquiries, call The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion at 898-BLUE or visit http://www.theblueleaf.com.ph/ for more information.

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The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion • 632 8872175 • 632 8875687 • inquiries@theblueleaf.com.ph

100 Park Avenue, McKinley Hill Village,Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

At The Table

October 2010

Tiny accidents sometimes can’t be helped, whether you’re dining at home, at a restaurant or even at a formal function. These unexpected circumstances, however, don’t mean table manners should be forgotten. Etiquette rules even in the trickiest situations—all you need is to stay calm, be alert and always remember that a sense of humor can make even the most embarrassing wrongs a little bit better.

Sorry for the Spill.
Don’t make a big deal of toppling over a glass—simply put it up quickly and apologize to everyone else at the table, while using an available piece of cloth to pick up the liquid. With food spills, pick up the morsels with your knife’s blade or a clean spoon, and dab at the stained tablecloth with the edge of your napkin, dipped in water (water from your glass should work just fine).

Too Hot to Handle.
If you bite into your order and find it too hot to deal with, immediately take a swig of water to help bring down the heat. If that still does not work, subtly spit your food onto your fork and resist the urge to hide it in your napkin. Instead, just lay it onto the edge of your plate. The same goes for any food that’s spoiled.

Table manners should never fall by the wayside even during the most delicate dining dilemmas.

Something Stuck.
To prevent any food from getting stuck between your teeth, remember to run your tongue over your teeth every so often. Never attempt to remove food at the table itself—just discreetly excuse yourself from the table and head to the restroom. If someone at your table has the misfortune of having food stuck between their teeth, just let them know about it by giving a hand signal.

The Blue Leaf is a great place to host parties, whether you're looking to entertain corporate clients or throw a get-together for friends and family. We can help you forge new bonds and make new memories, no matter what the occasion. For inquiries, call The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion at 898-BLUE or visit http://www.theblueleaf.com.ph/ for more information

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The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion • 632 8872175 • 632 8875687 • inquiries@theblueleaf.com.ph
100 Park Avenue, McKinley Hill Village,Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Simple Changes

August 2010

Even the quickest, most straightforward changes can help transform your life and make it better—no matter what facet you want to improve on. Taking just 10 minutes out of your day and to make that extra effort can create a huge difference. It’s just a little reminder that the biggest changes start from the smallest intentions set into action.

Start your Mornings Right. Mornings typically involve a mad scramble to head out to work, bring the kids to school, and get things done right away. A few extra minutes at the breakfast table, however, can help everyone settle into their routines minus the stress. Instead of eating a quick bite standing up, spend some time enjoying a healthy meal over some conversation with the family, or get some much-needed Me Time with a hot cup of coffee. It’ll keep you on track, relaxed and energized for the rest of the day.

Reconnect. There are so many ways to stay connected with people these days—mobile phones, email and social networking all play a big part in keeping us linked to the world. These avenues are also perfect ways to rekindle friendships and reconnect with friends from far away. Taking just a little more time to shoot a short email, find an old friend on Facebook or reach out to someone you haven’t talked to in a while can vastly improve your relationships and enrich your life.

Make Plans. Many times, we become overrun by what we have to do from day to day that we forget how important it is to look forward to the future, dream big and dare to take bigger leaps. Giving yourself time at the end of each day to go over what you would like to accomplish, no matter how farfetched is a great way to get in touch with yourself and reflect on your goals. Setting your long term aims on paper can help you visualize your dreams and break them down into smaller parts you can achieve, step by step, over time.

Take the time to dream big, create your very own bucket list and expand your horizons.

Spending a few extra minutes to thoroughly enjoy the start of each morning can keep you in a good mood for the rest of the day.

The Blue Leaf is a great place to host parties, whether you're looking to entertain corporate clients or throw a get-together for friends and family. We can help you forge new bonds and make new memories, no matter what the occasion. For inquiries, call The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion at 898-BLUE or visit http://www.theblueleaf.com.ph/ for more information.

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The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion • 632 8872175 • 632 8875687 • inquiries@theblueleaf.com.ph 100 Park Avenue, McKinley Hill Village,Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

A New Philippines

July 2010

With the passing of a peaceful and successful automated election process, and the inauguration of a new president now under our belt, Filipinos from north to south are looking forward to positive changes in government and in the country. The new administration will have to face many challenges in the months and years to come, but the spirit of optimism and transformation is giving many people hope.

Change, however, is not confined to just the higher ups. Each Filipino citizen plays a part in creating a new and better Philippines.

Surrender Apathy.
Before any positive changes can come into effect, people should start caring about their country. Dishing out complaints and criticism is easy enough, but caring enough to simply be aware of what is happening shows an interest in helping improve the nation.

Know your Rights.
Being a good citizen may mean respecting authority and following the law; but it also means not following leaders blindly, but reading the fine print so that you and others are not taken advantage of. Whether it’s knowing the constitution or simply knowing your rights as a driver or pedestrian, having a good grasp of what is just and right will help prevent anyone from having their rights violated.

Start with Yourself.
One major issue brought up often during the campaign period was corruption, and how presidentiables wanted to rid the nation of it. Both politicians and ordinary citizens have to deal with bribery and fraud on a daily basis. Demanding that the government breaks free of the corruption cycle also means saying no to it personally—whether it’s in conducting business or dealing with authorities at the barangay level, change can only come into fruition if individuals all learn how to never give in to corruption.

With a new president now taking the helm,the nation hopes for a better Philippines.

Filipinos are invited to wear the colors of their flag proudly, by being upright and responsible citizens.

The Blue Leaf is a great place to host parties, whether you're looking to entertain corporate clients or throw a get-together for friends and family. We can help you forge new bonds and make new memories, no matter what the occasion. For inquiries, call The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion at 898-BLUE or visit http://www.theblueleaf.com.ph/ for more information.

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The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion • 632 8872175 • 632 8875687 • inquiries@theblueleaf.com.ph
100 Park Avenue, McKinley Hill Village,Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Energy Efficient

June 2010

With this summer’s heat wave keeping everyone on their toes, many have begun to focus on the serious effects of global warming. And while environmental issues may seem overly broad, they impact our day-to-day lives in many ways—rising electricity bills and unexpected price hikes have affected most everyone over the last few months.

It's possible to maximize the energy you expend while minimizing your bills -- all it takes is a few adjustments to stay energy efficient.

Make the Switch.
Incandescent bulbs for the past few years are slowly being phased out for more cost-effective light sources, like compact fluorescent lights and LED bulbs. Not only do CFLs and LEDs help reduce greenhouse emissions, they also help bring bills down.

Watch the Temperature.
Instead of constantly turning on and shutting down the AC, keep the air temperature comfortable by alternately lowering the thermostat to keep things snug indoors. Try using low cool or fan settings to maintain a constant temperature all day, instead of going in for extremely cool conditions off the bad, and having to turn the AC on and off repeatedly. If your air conditioner has a timer option, set it to shut down after a few hours.

Work in Bulk.
Washing machines, dryers and even clothes irons can use a lot of electricity. Instead of doing your wash in small batches every few days, work with larger, less frequent loads, enabling you to use your machines more sparingly.

Go Unplugged.
Those gadgets and appliances that are constantly plugged in do use up electricity even when they aren't turned on. Phone chargers, computers, and other small appliances consume power and can cause a substantial increase in your bill. It may be an extra step, but consider unplugging all devices that aren't in use to avoid leaking electricity. Use power strips for your chargers, so that unplugging can be done for several items all at the same time.

Trade in your old bulbs for inexpensive,lower energy options.

Don’t leave your gadgets plugged in all day, to keep them from using up standby power.

The Blue Leaf is a great place to host parties, whether you're looking to entertain corporate clients or throw a get-together for friends and family. We can help you forge new bonds and make new memories, no matter what the occasion. For inquiries, call The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion at 898-BLUE or visit http://www.theblueleaf.com.ph/ for more information

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The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion • 632 8872175 • 632 8875687 • inquiries@theblueleaf.com.ph
100 Park Avenue, McKinley Hill Village,Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

The Blue Leaf thanks you on its third year anniversary!

The Blue Leaf Celebrates its 3rd Year Anniversary at Boracay

Celebrate the last leg of summer at Boracay Island with us on our 3rd Year Anniversary. Enjoy the afternoon sun, relax, listen to music provided by Roman Mojica, and have a cocktail...on us!

Cocktail Party begins at 3 till 7 p.m.

A Valuable Vote

A Valuable Vote

this month marks an important milestone in our country's history, as every citizen is once again given the opportunity to effect true change. With the May elections fast approaching, Filipinos the world over can once again experience the power of democracy, where every voice...

Read more at www.theblueleafevents.multiply.com

Trip Tips

Trip Tips

The summer season is the perfect time to discover the joys of travel. Whether you are taking the kids on a jaunt to the family beach house or flying off to an exotic destination with your husband or wife, taking a trip is a wonderful way to broaden...

Read more at www.theblueleafevents.multiply.com

Easter at the Farm

Easter at the Farm

Celebrate Easter Sunday with your family at the Blue Leaf as we transform our pavilions into a farm! Enjoy the day with your kids and participate in our Easter Egg Hunt, Animal Exhibit, Petting Zoo, Dog Trick shows, and many more activities!

For more details, visit www.theblueleafevents.multiply.com

The Gift of Kindness

The Gift of Kindness

Treating yourself with the occasional splurge and spending spree is important, but should also be balanced with an awareness of others. After all, not everyone has the same capacity to pamper himself or herself, or keep up with the basic comforts of living on a day-to-day basis....

Read more at www.theblueleafevents.multiply.com

A Fresh Start

A Fresh Start

The beginning of a new year and a new decade opens all of us up to new opportunities. It gives us the chance to turn a new leaf -- say goodbye to old habits and start afresh with a brand new perspective. While we can give our lives a makeover...

Read more at http://www.theblueleafevents.multiply.com/

Single Hearts

Lets have fun this Valentine's weekend!

Featuring Single Hearts, the 2nd Speed Dating event with a twist! Enjoy free booze, music mixed by live DJ, loot bags, games, special awards, and many more!

Visit http://www.ice.com.ph/ for more details.