About Sending a Happiness & Joy of Gift-giving: My Birthday's Blog Contest

December is my month. Why I say my month? It's because I'll be celebrating my "nth" birthday-hahaha! Apart from the fact that it is the month of the grandest season of the year - Christmas Season, I like December for its euphoric festivities.

Since it’s my upcoming birthday on the 7^th day of December, I have thought and decided to design a blog contest as my token of appreciation for would-be-greeters and also to thank God for giving me again another year. But  “AMAsorry” hahaha! I won’t give out details of how old I will be on December hahaha  (walang basagan ng trip- kanya kanya lang yan, walang pakialamanan hehehe!). But honestly, I’m in my early 30’s already. Let’s just put it this way, an early 30’s guy who possesses a heart of an early 20’s. Hahaha!

And to further my personal details, I got married last December 13, 2011 at Transfiguration Chapel in Caleruega Church in Nasugbu, Batangas ( yong famous na kinakasalan ng ibang mga celebrities). Nakisali lang hahaha. Now, God gifted us with a soon to be two-months old baby boy (first born) named “Damien Caleb”. FYI, his name is also a product of a blog-contest Suggest A Name Contest: Our Online Search For A Christian Name. My kumpare, Jeo Beloy of Go Figure is the rightful winner of the said blog contest. 

In this blog contest, I will be giving away non-monetary prizes. For those who read my status in Facebook, perhaps you're already aware what it is. Ok, I'll be giving away 'BOOKS'. Yes, you heard it right or shall I say, "you see it right". Since I am a book lover (reader), I've decided to splurge the winners with books. As of this writing, I am planning to scrutinize the book shelves later at Jarir Bookstore (parang National Bookstore lang) here to select the "best and must read" books not to disappoint whoever my winners are. It is also my way of sharing my blessings as we approach the celebration of gift-giving and birth of J.C. And as title reads, it's sending a happiness through book-giving and the joy of gift-sharing this holiday. It touches my heart to see people smiling when you gift them with something especially if it is their favorite thing. 

Before I dig further let's dissect (parang specimen lang sa biology class-haha!) the mechanics of the contest. 

And here it goes:

CONTEST NAME:  "My Birthday's Blog Contest"

PURPOSE OF THE CONTEST:  To send a happiness through book giving and to share my blessings on my birthday

MECHANICS OF THE CONTEST:

1. If you are a Filipino (residing in the Philippines or working/living elsewhere around the world), user of Facebook or Twitter or hosting a blog site -- then  you are  QUALIFIED TO JOIN this contest. 

2.  Required: If you are a Facebook user, go to the Facebook Page of this blog "Thoughts of Journeying Jay" and click the "LIKE" button. If you are a blogger, follow this blog in Google Friend Connect. If you are a twitter user, follow me on twitter @JayRadaRafol and in return I'll follow you back.

3.  For Facebook user, after hitting the "LIKE" button in my Facebook Page, post about this contest on Facebook and share the link to three of your friends and ask them to do the same. This time you need to mention by tagging my name so that I'm sure you did it. For Twitter user, post about this contest and mention three of your twitter-friends plus me too. Your post must be set in public.

(Example: Thoughts of Journeying Jay is giving away 5 (inspirational and/or motivational books) on his birthday and I'd like to be one of the winners. 

5. IMPORTANT: Now, the real challenge is this - send in a photo (it can be your own photo or any photo will do) with message by expressing your message in a very unique and touching way. How you will convey your message is a potent factor. Creativity is a plus and an advantage. Then, I'll will be posting all your "photo message"entries in my blog. Please send in your "photo message" in JPEG format through my email: jayradarafol@gmail.com.

6. This contest will run from November 21 - December 6, 2012. Announcement of winners will be posted on December 8, 2012.

7. Now for winners in the Philippines, I will be bringing your prize when I get home in February and meet you in person to have a photo souvenir with me. For those who cannot meet me due to distance, I'll send your prize via courier, all you need to do is to provide me your complete address details and contact number/s: For winners outside the Philippines or those who are abroad. Please assign a family member and/or relative to claim your prize in the Philippines as the cost of courier abroad is expensive.

CRITERIA for JUDGING: 

"There will be five (5) juries commissioned to help me select the possible winners:

And to give you additional encouragement to join this contest, here are the prizes at stake:

First Place: 

- The first placer will receive the book of Mitch Albom with his world wide best seller book entitled "TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE"

" Tuesdays with Morrie is a touching non-fiction account of Mitch Albom's relationship with his former professor, who was stricken with terminal disease. Albom had promised his professor that he would visit him throughout his life. But he did not make good of that promise until years later when he found out that Morrie was sick. Despite the years between them, he found out that his professor still had much to teach him. And they met for weeks so that he could glean that knowledge. It is truly an inspiring book about how to live life, to value what's important in life and much much more. I have read it for more than five times."

Second Place:

- The second placer will receive the book of one of the famous authors of Chicken Soup for the Soul named Jack Canfield. This book is entitled "HOW TO GET FROM WHERE YOU ARE TO WHERE YOU WANT TO BE"  

"Upon minutes of reading this book you will want ' and be able ' to apply its clear, direct and highly effective principles to your own life. Jack Canfield, author of Chicken Soup for the Soul, built an $80 million business from nothing. Now he shares his key techniques and unique insights so that you too can achieve success in everything you do. If you keep on doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you've always got. Isn't it time you changed for the better? Jack Canfield's extraordinary insights and powerful life tools will enable you to become the happy, successful person you know you are meant to be ' without burning out. Whether you want greater success and fulfillment at work, financially, in your relationships, with your health, in sports or creativity, Canfield will show you how. · Take control of your life ' 100% responsibility, 100% fulfillment · Discover and focus on your core genius ' be better at what you do best; be a huge success at what you enjoy most · Set your goals and achieve them ' transcend other people's limiting opinions." - A must read.

Third Place:

- The third placer will receive the book collectively authored by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen & Amy Newman entitled "CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL: Think Positive"

"Every cloud has a silver lining. And the stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Positive will encourage readers to stay positive, because there is always a bright side. This book continues Chicken Soup for the Soul’s focus on inspiration and hope, reminding us that each day holds something to be thankful for. Like the other two above, this book can uplift a burdened soul and a heavy heart."

Fourth Place:

- The fourth placer will received the book entitled "THE TIPPING POINT" authored by the famous MALCOLM GLADWELL"

"The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. This widely acclaimed bestseller, in which Malcolm Gladwell explores and brilliantly illuminates the tipping point phenomenon, is already changing the way people throughout the world think about selling products and disseminating ideas."

Fifth Place:

- The fifth placer will receive the book of Mitch Albom - It's the newest release and this time it's a pure fiction. "Time Keeper" 

The three stories alternate, developing as separate story lines until they finally intersect. It’s unusual to see paragraph headings in bold in a novel, but most readers will become accustomed to this unique convention and accept it.

In this novel, Albom takes a simple concept and creates a story that shows a new aspect of it to ponder. There’s a bit of sadness, a bit of thoughtfulness, and an ending that changes the common notions of time and how it is spent.

Should you have any queries/questions feel free to send in your FB message, or tweet me, or send it in my email address above. I hope you'll accept the challenge. Looking forward to receive your entries as soon as possible. Good luck to all who will be joining my birthday's blog contest.

Have a nice read everyone!

God bless!