Timothy Spencer asked:


So someone gave you a gift wrapped in sassy purple-and-gold paper with a fancy ribbon to top it all off. Just looking at it makes you feel all itchy and excited to find out what’s inside! Of course, you don’t want to act like a greedy kid on Christmas morning while everyone is watching you, so you just smile and say thanks as gracefully as possible while holding all the anticipation in. You wait while everyone is away—you hold the package in your hands—your lower lip might even tremble a bit while thinking about the goody inside—you tear the fancy wrap off…and a cheap picture frame you can buy at any department store for P80 pesos greets your eyes. Talk about a major letdown huh?

We’ve all had an experience like this at least once in our lives. We love getting gifts since they make us feel special, but sometimes gift-receiving tends to get pretty ugly. How? Well, the gift may be generic and useless. We know that the person is well-meaning but admit it, we want to scratch the person’s eye out for wasting money on something we can’t help but resent as decent human beings. Good intentions are cool, but there are such things as misled good intentions.

They say it’s the thought that counts in giving gifts, but if there is no thought in the first place, if there is just a mindless, automatic reaction to the occasion, then the gift would count for zilch. We **** receiving useless, generic gifts. Naturally, we shouldn’t give such gifts to other people. The idea behind giving gifts is to make the recipient feel special, not annoyed or resentful. That is why we should give practical gifts that the person can appreciate. The gift should be appropriate not only to the occasion but to the personality of the recipient as well. It need not be expensive, so long as it’s thoughtful and practical with the person’s needs in mind.

For example, if your friend loves to watch movies, giving a copy of his favorite film or something that he or she would like to watch is a good idea. If your friend tends to get stressed at work too much, a gift certificate to a spa is just perfect (plus it’s not that expensive! ). If your friend is particular, a pretty scarf or a flattering shade of lipstick may get you a lot of hugs.

For occasions such as wedding anniversaries or Valentine’s, a bunch of flowers never fail to do the trick. The keyword for such occasions is “romance” and nothing spells it better than a bouquet of fresh, high-quality flowers specially handpicked for the occasion. There are several shops that sell flowers both online and on the streets, wherein they offer delivery to your loved ones. Delivery is usually efficient and hassle-free, so you might want to try the delivery service of your chosen flower shop.

Remember, pour effort into giving gifts to the people you love. Make sure that the gift is thoughtful and practical, and who knows, the people around you may stop giving you picture frames on your birthday.

Peter Lisdorf asked:


r friend just headed home from a trip to Manila, Philippines and he said he met his Filipina life partner there. Maybe you have read some articles stating how fantastic a Philippine lover is and how she will make sure to satisfy you in every manner possible. Or maybe your co-worker in the business office got married to a Philippine lady and he always has tasty lunches. May be you specifically like the taste of that Chicken “Apretada” he once let you get a taste. In any case, you are really certain that the best wife in this world for you is a Philippine woman.

But problem is, you have absolutely no idea how to dating a quality Filipina woman. It’s in reality quite easy to meet a nice Filipina lady. Getting her to go out with you and getting her to like you is an entirely different issue, so long as you avoid the following three mistakes.

Mistake Number 1: Lurching the night bars for Filipina women

Nightspots may be the central point of the single scene in the US but if you are looking for a possible wife or someone who you want to have a long lasting relationship with, then it’s wise to skip the Philippine night bars. Ladies who visit these bars are usually young people that just desire to have a whale of a time and if they will give you their number, they are most likely looking for casual encounters. That is not to say that any Filipina ladies who frequent bars are bad news, however, it’s more often than not. Philippine girls know that night clubs are just spots to amuse in, they are truly not places where you are able to find true love.

Mistake Number 2: Ignoring special Filipina dating sites

This may be your gravest mistake ever. The most successful way to get in contact with quality Filipina women is by trying out Internet dating sites. In this manner you are able to communicate with them, you are able to chat them up and ask them about themselves without having to fly off to another continent. Besides, dating online sites are not sites for “Mail Order Brides”. Reliable online dating sites will give you the chance to get in contact and mingle with thousands of real Filipina ladies looking for the same thing as you are. You will be surprised how many beautiful Filipina ladies searching for western men you are able to contact after signing up.

Mistake Number 3: Not to remember the time difference.

Remember, you live in another part of the world. The difference between Philippines and Eastern Standard Time is eight hours. In any case, if you are arranging an “online meeting” with a possible Filipina girl who fits the profile you are seeking, it is a good idea to set a time that is good for her. This will let her know that you like her and you appreciate her hours of sleeping over yours.

These are just several advice to help you get in contact with a nice Philippine girl. To improve your dating experience, try to learn their language and learning up on the Filipino culture so you are able to get in contact with your Philippine dream partner easier.