Personal Update

How creative can I get, uh? Boring title I know. Anyway...

...Last week was spent mostly at home. Ane was down with flu so we didn't have any choice but to stay put. He was supposed to bring me on a date on Friday night (we didn't have Rot meeting), but ended up staying at Yellow Cab in Timog while waiting for my li'l bro (some party at a bar). He was feeling a bit better that night (he was just resting for two days, amd missed work on Wednesday).

...We were also able to watch Beowulf at the Gateway Mall on Saturday just before I went to work. Loved the movie. The graphics are simply awesome I wish I was the artist! Angelina Jolie had a moment of frontal nudity (but a CGI of course! heheh), and that body is to die for. Beowulf is one proud hero but weak, too. I plan to buy the book. Basta ang ganda!

...We had to endure a very long line before we could get our Beowulf tickets. Why? People were "clamoring" for the Lloydy-Bea movie. The ticket girl said it's a nice movie, not the usual local stuff. Even li'l bro's friends said we should catch it too. But Ane gave me the look...he won't go with me obviously. Calling my galpals, yooohooooo! Or maybe I'll drag my brothers on Friday. I also wanna watch Enchanted (now showing as well), maybe Ane will concede heheh. And then I found out today that the Bee Movie shall be shown here early January. Tagal! Sigh.

...I'm aching all over I wanna quit going to the gym hahaha. Less than to weeks and it's taking a toll on me. But I think I lost another pound. We also started eating salad from Goolai, yum yum. I've been staying away from rice, and it's helping I guess.

...My scrap mojo is back but there's an album I badly need to work on. I know this project has been dragging me for months but I'm glad I'm getting somewhere, at least. Twenty more pages to go!

...We have, yet again, evacuated from our home and are currently in QC. The river near us overflowed and it's been flooded for two days now. Doesn't help that the tide is also high. I miss our bed but we don't have much choice.

...Lastly, countdown started on the 24th and it's gonna be the longest two weeks of my life...

This has been a very disorganized entry, but a personal entry nonetheless. :) Long weekend up ahead, yahooooo!

Party

Yesterday, I paid for the contribution intended for the subdvision (where the brothers' apartment is located) Christmas party on the 8th. The letter also asks that we confirm whether anyone is attending or not so the committee can allot the food. We are going to miss the gathering altogether. This is the second year that we are not attending since we moved in (which reminds me how everything was a blur since we needed to move out due to some unexpected circumstances, and how I wish we had a service like that of a New York Moving Company...our move could have been done more swiftly..and yes, am blabbing now...). It's not that we are being anti-social, but the second weekend of December, from experience, is usually busy for us. Besides, since we are only renting, we can't tell for how long we are gonna stay and I for one, suffers from separation anxiety that I cannot be too close with anyone.

Did this post make any sense at all? Sigh, I need to focus.

A lot of times, they don't get it...

See, I just talked to the part-timer girl and told her that starting next cut-off, she will be regularized (nice performance for the last three months). She accepted the offer and we said that she will still be supervised because she has to learn more...and she needs to learn stuff asap. We told her the new pay rate and that she should also inform the officer to fix the schedule with her doing an 8-hour duty. Am not sure though if my announcement made her happy.

And then I called the officer in so I could inform him and instruct him. He left and returned in a huff because of one concern.

He said that, even if the crew was informed that their pay rate is confidential, they won't stop asking each other and comparing. Sigh. And the officer is afraid that the others will feel "ripped-off" when they found out our offer to this new regularized girl. That should be the least of our problems, ayt? As if we can tape their lips sealed and never let them talk. I'm just sad that they question our decisions. Even sadder that they would feel we are treating them unfairly. And yet they don't know that we are actually preparing a new scheme for the old-timers. I don't owe them any explanation and I'm standing firm. I just had to share it coz I suddenly felt stressed.

It's that time again!

EOM - as in end of the month. Ugh. At this time, am busy thinking of bills to pay, checks to fund and payroll to disburse (and I have other deadlines, too!!!).

I've said it and I am going to say it again -- running a business is not easy-peasy. When I was still a part of the so-called workforce, I used to complain a lot about salary deductions -- taxes, contributions, premiums as well as other payables (mobile phone, credit card and gimmick expenses, etc). Back then, I was with a big company that we considered ourselves leaning on a wall because of its stability. Even a payday loan is easily approved through the cooperative. Those were the days when I would complain and never realize that it's easier to wait for payday to come rather than thinking about whether the cash on hand would be enough for everything and everyone.

But we get by, gladly. And because really, running a business has it's long term benefits. I just have to wait and be patient :)

Irony

We are a third world country (okaaayyyyyy, to be politically correct, we are a developing country). I checked the NEDA website and as of December 1, 2005, the population is almost 76.5M, average income per family as of 2003 is less than P150K while expenditure is almost P125K, and almost 25% of families are within the poverty incidence (30.40% of population). Can we consider this country to be poor?

If a lot of people are suffering from poverty, then why oh why can at least one government agency (the red plate says it all!) afford to have a Black Lincoln Town Car, and worse find it cruising along Ortigas Avenue ON A SATURDAY?

This a first-hand account and I wish I had the camera to capture it. :(

The ground shook on this part of the world

We just had lunch at around 1225 and I was standing, more like leaning on a chair at the dining table, when I felt the earth moving. I looked at my brother, and decided that, yeah, there was an earthquake. I grabbed my bags and we went out of the house immediately. All the neighbors were somehow oblivious. We were the only ones outside! It lasted only for a few seconds and immediately afterwards, I received a call from Ane and said they felt it too (their office is at the 28th floor), it was kinda scary.

At the moment, while I go over a term life insurance quote, I'm searching the net for some more information and realized that the quake was relatively mild (at 4.2 magnitude with epicenter somewhere up north, and about intensity 2-3 in Metro Manila) that major effects are fatfetched. There's no more update on the net. Maybe I should just wait for the news later tonight. :)

Don't forget to check out...

...my layout share here. I'd like to hear from you! :)

Saturday's Tourney

You must be wondering what happened last Saturday to my partner, Mami C and I? Hehehe. First, I'd like to thank Patrick for capturing that shot :) And secondly, I'm not that proud of my form, coz according to my Bro G, it isn't at all proper (look at that left hand, ang arte! hihi).

The thing is, we lost all four games. Yup, we were not able to contribute a single point to our team, which landed second runner up. Go Black Scorpions!!!). But we sure did our best. It just so happened that we weren't the strongest team there is (We played in group5, lowest level hehe at wala na yatang ibang bababa pa sa level namin ni pard, heheh kidding!). And we had so much fun. Our first game was against the team we were so afraid of. Our friends were so nice to cheer for us (go, tili girls!) that everybody thought we were faring pretty well. Again, the we didn't allow the pressure to sink in and we didn't allow the fun element to be gone :) It would have been better if I won any of the raffle prizes, hihi.

Anyway, I learned so much from this tourney. I got a lot of tips from hubby, who trains with no less than Coach Martin M. His tips helped me get us points and also made me realize that I badly need to practice on my drop-shots. If I were able to make all the drop-shots I tried to return, then we could have won at least one game. I also learned that in every tournament, not just in badminton, there will always be sore losers (no need to elaborate!!! and that's not us huh!) and those who will put you down no matter what. I got annoyed at some point but that didn't ruin the entire day for me. :) Plus, I'm happy I didn't get cramps!!!! :)

Kudos to the organizers. It was worth my entry fee (although I could have just saved it for another havs, hahaha!). And I'm happy for the orange shirt's debut :) Til next tourney!

Dreaming of our future house again.

I took a short break from composing entries and decided to surf a bit. I can't stop thinking about how our future house will look like so I net-hopped for some home furnishings. Currently, we have bar at home that is hardly used (we are not drinkers and I'd rather convert that small area into a mini library). And if ever hubby will insist on putting one in our future home (for the guests!) I'd want to have ceiling lighting like this:

Ain't that a wonderful set-up? I'll show this to my parents, they'd probably like the same for our restaurant bar :)

**image from www.lightingshowplace.com

In 1978

I actually have a book of 1978, listing a lot (if not all) of important events in the world that happened that year, but this is probably a nice rundown of some events :) Got the link from Chikai. The most significant for me probably is the installation of Pope John Paul II. And it made me giggle that Ashton is the same age as me. Hehe. Babaw ko noh?

In 1978 (the year you were born)

Jimmy Carter is president of the US US Senate votes to turn over the Panama Canal to Panama on December 31, 1999 Israel and Egypt reach a peace settlement at the Camp David Accords The US and mainland China announce that they will restore full diplomatic relations Members of Jim Jones' People's Temple commit mass suicide in Guyana Pope John Paul II becomes the first non-Italian pope in centuries Ted Bundy is captured in Florida The first computer bulletin board system is created Garfield debuts in newspapers Ashton Kutcher, Kobe Bryant, Usher, Clay Aiken, and Nelly Furtado are born New York Yankees win the World Series Dallas Cowboys win Superbowl XII Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup Saturday Night Fever and Grease are the top grossing films "Night Fever" by the Bee Gees spends the most time at the top of the US charts Diff'rent Strokes and Mork & Mindy premiere

What Happened the Year You Were Born?

They're on tour!

Have you heard about the Van Halen tour happening soon? I read the website and it says, they are a band from the late 70's and became pretty popular in the 80's. But I honestly cannot remember any of their songs. But to be fair, I was not a music-lover ever since. I mean, I listen to songs and I love the New Wave era but I am not a big music fan compared to my brothers. So there. If you are in North America, and you know them, this post is a heads up. :)

He is so smart!

Of course I'm talking about Joaquin again. They were on their way home the other day when my sister noticed the half-moon. So:

She: Look Joaquin, the alien ate the moon!

Him: Mommy (in the exasperated tone), this is a safe planet. This is not monster earth. It's just a crescent! (with that as-a-matter-of-fact-look)

Where does he get this stuff, eh? He's four and he surprises us with talk like this. And finally, I was able to finish a layout (about how smart he can get), and find it here. Lemme know how I did :)

Backtrack

MJ tagged me to review my past entries....I just realized that all the long worthy ones (except current ones) are in my old Xanga blog. So I'm sure my links here are either too recent or about ads. Hehe. But I'm trying...

*** INSTRUCTIONS: *** 1. Post 5 links to 5 of your previously written posts. The posts have to relate to the 5 key words given below. 2. Tag 5 other friends to do this meme. Try to tag at least 2 new acquaintances (if not, your current blog buddies will do) so that you get to know them each a little bit better. 3. Don’t forget to read the archived post and leave comments.

Link 1 must be about FAMILY "Where did time go?" (January 25, 2007)
Link 2 must be about FRIEND "Mini-Reunion" (May 28, 2007)
Link 3 must be about YOURSELF "Certified" (April 24, 2007)

Link 4 must be about YOUR LOVE "Insensitive" (November 2, 2007)

Link 5 can be ANYTHING YOU LIKE... "Lesson learned the hard way" (April 26, 2006) -- may I add that I was never able to recover my Zen and it died. Hmp.

Snag this if you like it :) Filler-alert! :)

Doing a survey?

During our feasibility study days in college, we were tasked to do some surveys to "feel" our market. We learned that part of doing it is sampling and actually reaching the sample or target group. And we had to do it manually. I remember, we had to go to some villages and knock on doors, hoping to get a ten-minute audience in every household. These days, it is a lot easier to peruse Mailing Lists that are available with companies such as martinworldwide. But this is of course for the bigger companies who have budget for Research. For a fee, the company can provide those who need it with a compilation of consumers that will eventually lead to higher sales (because the client gets to target the correct group at first try). This is efficiency and leads to lesser costs, don't you think?

Sweat it out :)

I did it!

I went back to the gym! I actually started on Monday, hoping to meet up with my new Personal trainer (PT). But he wasn't around coz I had to change my schedule the last minute. Just talked to the consultant and she also offered options for my bro. Yup! We're doing this together. On Monday, I just did some cardio and lotsa crunches (have an event on Saturday, and I badly need to fit in my dress!!). Today was my Fitness Test. I had to do it again coz I stopped going to the gym for a long time, remember? I'm still aching in the middle...did more crunches today! I was told today that I still have 35 PT sessions left, yay! So I'm gonna be working my a*s off in the next few weeks. I just hope I can keep going back for my sessions. I start officially on Friday.

The OB said I should lose at least 15lbs. The Consultant says 20! Oh my! Extra effort! On a happier note, I already lost 2lbs (and keeping it that way), just by watching my calorie intake (for the last two weeks). I get hungry all the time but it's good that I can stop myself from eating too much.

Will update you every now and then about thie "battle". Wish me luck! :)

Flood...

in this blog. I have assigments to finish and there's no other time to do it but now. I was supposed do everything last night but the internet connection conked out just when I had the groove to think. Sheesh. And besides, I could not stay up to late coz I know I'll be in the gym today. I didn't plan on passing out while on the treadmill, hehe. Plus, tonight is the schedule for the album layout...haven't finished it yet, I know. The list of pictures to include in the album was sent only the other day. Need to finish it badly before I start with another project.

There, I was blabbing again.

Gold

The Peso is getting stronger while the dollar becomes weak, at least for this country's economy. This happens every time the Holidays arrive since a lot of remittances are sent during this season. But there are days that it becomes otherwise, and the increase in the cost of basic commodities is unavoidable. This leads us to the fact that money is not very stable, investment-wise. A better alternative therefore is gold since it is a more tangible investment and free from depreciation. A small bar can go a long way in terms of purchases and it is also a safer alternative to keep. Click the link to learn more about this.

Scam Alert

A couple of weeks ago, I got this SMS, a classic spam:

Sender: +639277904022
Message: NOTICE: Ur mobile phone # had won 500,000.00 frm PCSO "PAMILYANG PANGKABUHAYAN" CALL NOW I'm TINA R. LOPEZ per dtincr permit#3082 series of 2007. (CONGRATULATIONS).

And when I exit from the message, it says, the sender requests for a reply. Of course I did not reply nor call. I know for a fact that I did not join any raffle or contest. Heck, I haven't even played the lotto for a while now and I'm not aware of any raffle by PCSO. If there's one, I would have probably caught an ad on tv. And, the sender is not the usual 290, 2966, 2343 etc. This Tina Lopez probably "got" my number by random, hoping to get a reply or a call. The MO is that, she would tell me to deposit an amount to a certain bank before she can give me the "actual" winnings, claiming that it's for tax purposes and/or fees.

The NTC is well aware of things like these and they (together with the organizations and companies used like PCSO, GMA7 etc) have been working to disseminate information around so the number of victims will be minimized. But the fact that I still receive messages like this, means that some people haven't learned their lesson and still fall victims to these scams. Hmmmm

I had something in mind....

before starting this post but I lost track of my thoughts! Maybe because it's almost 2am and am still awake (normal for me but...). I've been having long days for the past few days and busy is such an understatement. I have so much to share but my mind stopped working at midnight. Hehe. I blogged tonight to finish some opps and the tags (don't want to keep the ladies waiting). Gotta catch some zzzzzz's and wish me luck for tomorrow's tournament! Our first game is at 230pm but Ane is dragging me there early coz theirs is at 930am! I'm bringing Ivy so I can work on something--I can't tell you about it yet--while I wait for our time :) buh-bye for now! :)

Blogging Me

Tagged by Chikai, thanks sis! I was actually writing down a draft (yup, on paper!!!) while sitting in a meeting a while ago. Hehe.

1. How long have you been blogging?

More than three years. I started blogging in April of 2004 at Xanga without knowing what I was doing! Hehe. Brother said it's an online journal as well as a network building site like Friendster. Didn't know it was called "blogging" :) This blog, on the other hand, originally started as a photo-blog in October 2004. When I got tired of X because of it's limitations (had to pay for premium account), I created another blogspot site until in August2006 I made this blog my all-around blog coz I realized I can't maintain two anymore. Oh, and there's another blog I created as a wedding blog and I plan to revive it ;) In June of this year, I won a domain name and webhosting from Amor, and that became my (un)Creative Playground. :)

2. What inspired you to start a blog and who are your mentors?

I just thought I needed a medium to "showcase" my writing skills...or lack thereof. Hahaha. Kidding aside, I thought blogging is a perfect way to express my ideas and feelings and share just about anything. I was literally clueless and didn't what I was doing. Hubby's friends, DEP and MEG taught me some basic codes and I also learned by searching tutorials online ;)

3. Are you trying to make money online, or just doing it for fun?

Used to do it just for fun and basically to just note memories. But I recently started blogging for money, so I don't have to ask hubby my "extra" expenses :)

4. Tell me 3 things you LOVE about being online.

> I'm amazed by how much I learn everyday while online.

> Easy correspondence with my sister, BIL and of course darling J :)

> I met MY FOREVER online hihi...

5. Tell me 3 things you STRUGGLE within the online world.

> Keeping myself away from it when I need to.

> Spam! But I don't get that much.

> Scammers! Not that I've been a victim of one but I'm weary all the time. I guess it's the paranoia within, hehe.

Dunno who to tag anymore, I've seen this around. If you haven't done this yet, share!!!! :)

I miss my kitchen

I don't claim to be a kitchen goddess, but I can make a mean Sinigang (anything with tamarind soup). My cooking abilities are limited but my husband is surprised that I know what I'm doing. When we moved in, hubby agreed to buy stuff for the kitchen (except for the oven, haha!). My kitchen is almost complete, well at least with the basic stuff. I used to spend most of my time there during the first few months into getting married, so much so that hubby even agreed to put his old tv in the kitchen so I can get entertained. The space is small though that we had to attach it on the wall using a tv mount. Anyway, the past few months (well at least since we got back) were spent either outside or at the brothers' apartment. Or if we're here, we only sleep (late!), then wake up early the next day and leave again. Our time at home is just a small fraction of our weekly schedule. Oh well, the point is I miss my kitchen and I miss cooking stuff and I miss our dinners at home.

Brand Curious

MJ tagged me and would like to know the Brand of my:

1) wristwatch? A purple Timex and two brandless ones I got from Target.
2) bracelet? Do beads count? As for real jewelry, I lost my precious pieces to thieves.
3) cell phone? A free Sony Ericsson S500i from my mobile service provider. I'm a big SE fan!
4) computer? Desktop: generic chopchop assembled by hubby. Laptop: Ivy, my ThinkPad.
5) bags? Lacoste, Guess, RL, Nine West and lots of unknown ones.
6) undies? Victoria's Secret and some local brands.
7) flip-flops? Havaianas (my splurge!) and generic ones.
8) shoes? Nike, Keds, Aerosoles, Nine West, Baddeo, SM Shoes! :)
9) wallet? Nine West
10) shirts? Lacoste, Burberry, Old Navy and lotsa unbranded ones.
11) TV? LG and Sony

12) cars? Technically we don't own one, we just borrow whichever is available - Isuzu, Toyota or Mitsubishi

13) mp3 player? I share an IPod 30gb Video with Hubby but I only use it while driving (transmitted) coz earphones are bad for my ears, really.

14) make up? Bare Escentuals
15) shampoo and conditioner? Head & Shoulders and CreamSilk respectively.
16) jeans? brandless
17) laundry soap? Pride
18) lotion? Lubriderm Pink, Cetaphil, Jergens
19) toothpaste? Colgate
20) ballpen? a black Reynolds, at the moment.

Thanks for the tag girl!

One is enough.

At this age when there are a lot of appliances (ie. PS3, cable box, video player) that need a display unit, one television seems not enough. Or at least, it's a hassle to connect and disconnect cables every now and then. But these HDMI switches save the day, as they say. And it has an infrared remote control to boot, perfect for the lazy butts. One day, we'll buy a switch. But first, we have to worry about the high definition television. Hehe.

Weekend recap

Hehe, it's Tuesday and my weekend recap is late. Anyway,

We practically stayed in the apartment, sleeping, on Saturday. We brought li'l brother to a school function in AFP Theater (El Fili play) just after lunch and picked him up around 5pm. The traffic was terrible that by the time we got back, I had to rush and ready myself for a dinner with my college galpals at Shang Mall. It was actually a welcome-back-dinner-get-together for R & R. The couple got there earlier and I joked that they've become 'americanized' since they usually come late. Hehe. Dinner was at Krocodile and we had coffee afterwards at Starbucks. I missed the girls! And the little girls, too! Waiting for Ris to upload to pics, and I will share some here. :)

Sunday, brothers & I picked some boxes in another WB branch, met with a crew member in Caloocan, had late lunch in Tiendesitas (discovered peeled Suha! Yum!), then later coffee at Kopi Roti in Katipunan, while waiting for D and B. We scheduled to visit the wake of Mommy C's dad in Lagro in faraway Fairview, hehe. Later, D & B dropped me off at SM North where I tasted an Almond Milk Tea from Bubble Tea (more yummy than CK's nan chai). And then I closed the store.

Weekend was long, this entry did not justify how tiring it was. Hehe. I was asleep the whole morning yesterday coz I felt so restless!

Reminiscin' part 2 (and an Award yihee!)

Hi ya'all! Am back with the rest of my Childhood memories. At least one person promised to come and read the rest of the thirteen , heheh. Hi Chikai! And she gave me an award too! :) Here's the remaining 6:

1. I remember out little nipa hut, our dear little play house where we "cook", "spend the night", "teach the kids", etc.;
2. Waiting for an uncle at the compound gate to drive-by when he throws at us one peso each;
3. Apples during Christmas! (back then, the fruit is too expensive for us that we only get to eat them during Holidays);
4. Singing the Batibot theme (Pagmulat ng mata, laging nakatawa...);
5. Almost chopping my finger into two (I still have the scar) just to share a ChickenJoy with brother; and
6. Sitting outside my Lola's house, waiting for a banana, and falling asleep in the process (sandalog ako eh, until now! hehe).

There you go! And the award from Chikai, I am a:

Thank you sis!

Sunbathing in Mexico

Is something I would like to do in the future. Don't get me wrong, I love the beaches here (Boracay! Palawan!) but vacationing in another country is another thing, right? While daydreaming and surfing the net (a.k.a. hunting), I came across Riviera Maya resorts. I was looking at the page of El Dorado Seaside Suites, and what can I say? How about, Hunny, let's go there for another honeymoon? Yeah! It is located in a secluded area, smoke-free (a big plus!) and best of all, the hotel is for adults only. How's that for some action, huh? Hihi. And who would want to leave that bed? (picture from the site). I guess we will need at least a week to sunbathe AND do other things, huh?

Chasing dreams

I saw myself standing inside the commissary's office in Laguna. I was waiting for the girls to turn-over our stocks order but I was ignored. I didn't remember how I got there. I didn't even remember me paying the toll at SLEX and surrendering my ID at the village guard.

In a snap, I was around a group of people and they were talking about how I never made it to Laguna because I met an accident. I was dead.

Scary, huh. I tried to go back to sleep and chase more dreams, pleasant dreams but I half-opened my eyes and saw that it was already lunchtime. I sent Hun a message and he said I'm probably just thinking about the accident a former Senator met, where his wife died. :(

Freaky funny

Scenario: The parents together somewhere up north. My Li'l bro in the apartment in QC. Other brother in the garden but in the office. Me sitting in the garden at the guest area. Time was around 8pm on Thursday.

I suddenly received a text message from my dad (who never sends text, replies to texts by calling) as: "I luv all" -- notice how "you" was omitted and the message seemed like he typed it with some kinda urgency. Now our dad is never expressive and hardly says "I love you" to us. I was surprised, of course, and was waiting for my brother to come out from the office to ask if he received the same message. He stayed inside. My imagination started to run. What exactly was my dad's message? Was he in trouble? Were they fighting? What was going on? I waited for a few minutes before I replied, "I luv u too".

Brother came out as if nothing is wrong. I asked if he received the same message and he said yes. Apparently, li'l bro called the landline and asked why dad was sending that kind of message saying, "Freaky eh!". And the time my brother came out, he already replied that we all love him and even asked, Why po?

A few minutes passed and he couldn't stop the urge and called my mom, who was laughing at the other line, as if everything was just d*rn funny. Dad was sending the message because, as per mom...

HE WAS JUST PRACTICING THE "SEND ALL" FUNCTION!!!!!!!! (Dad got a new phone last week). Hay buhay. Hehe.

Employee cash advances

Managing a business is a hard task. There are times that I think about the days when all I had to worry about is to be able to budget my salary for until the next payday. Now, we have employees who have no one else to run to but us. Days come when some of them need emergency money...when their salary is still a few days away. When this happen, I would not deny that our own budget gets affected too. Too bad, we do not have some kind of Faxless Payday Loans made available here, like in the States. Our employees really just depend on their bosses. In the US, paydayloanquotes.com offers easy payday loans and cash advances without credit checking, not to mention possible approval within minutes. Loans are payable in two weeks (just in time for the payday!) but may be longer. Sometimes I wonder when this kind of service is to be made available here. It would truly help with unexpected bills. I do not, however, encourage our employees to advance their salaries all the time, because debts are debts are debts. Right?

Reminiscin'

Yen's Thursday Thirteen today inspired me to do this post. It's all about random memories from childhood (not sure I can fill up the 13 slots though) ;)

1. My sister and I are eleven months apart so we got used to be mistaken as twins! Didn't help that we wore similar clothes and haircut :)
2. I remember mom and dad bringing us to Fiesta Carnival in Cubao and riding the carousel
3. Riding a "katig-less" banca, scary haha
4. My brother R hit me with a small bowl even if I was sick (I must be that annoying, uh!)
5. I joined a declamation contest (Oh Captai, my Captain) in Grade One because my teacher said I had a powerful voice and good diction. I was the only girl competing and I lost.
6. My mom's BIL was playing with me, threw me up the air, missed me for a second, and finally caught me by the ankles..and I was upside down, hanging behind him!
7. I fell in a canal behind my lola's house and got this scar on the forehead.

I'll come back for more. This got me thinking eh :) But I gotta close the store first...hehehe

Responsible parenthood equals perfect kids?

How can parents be assured that their kids will still take care of them when they get old? How will they know that the youngsters will not bring them to a nursing home (or in the case of this country, a home for the aged) later on in life? Nursing homes are a part of the culture in other countries while here, the idea is being frowned upon.

One church organization here apostolates on a family of seven. The oldest four of the five kids are mentally retarded and their life is hard-up (the father's income cannot sustain their daily needs). The mom, when asked why they had to continue conceiving one problematic child after the other, said that they were hoping the next kid would be normal. And that they expected the normal kid to help them take care of the not so normal ones in the future. Is that fair at all, in the case of the youngest child? How can this couple expect the youngest kid to be responsible for her siblings when her future is hardly bright? Stories like this make me sad. Children are supposed to be the hope of tomorrow. But today is the foundation that molds them.

Shopping, shopping!

Today is Ane's day-off and we scheduled to have the truck serviced today for maintenance. We decided to go to the mall while Espee is being serviced. Anyway, yesterday I received an anonymous text saying that all SM Advantage and Prestige members (am one of them) gets 10% off on ALL items all day, for today only. I was hesitant to believe it since the text didn't come from those 4-digit numbers (ie. 2977, 2640 etc.) but I forwarded it to Ane just the same. I instantly knew, when he replied (even if he didn't say so) that he smelled he's in trouble! ::Wink::

We left Espee in Isuzu and got to the mall. It was true after all that we can get 10% discount for all purchases in the department store! So while having lunch at Kenny Roger's (which I didn't enjoy, I forgot to tell the cashier I wanted the breast part!) I listed what I needed to buy (and wanted! hehe). We got gifts for my godchildren who I will on saturday, stuff for Joaquin (a pair of jeans, 2 pairs of shorts, a polo shirt, a polo, a shirt and pairs of briefs), cargo pants for Ane, I got some underwear too, a make-up bag plus vanity mirror, and some socks. Yay! I wasn't done looking around but we needed to go already. I dropped by the bookstore to get some office supplies, too.

I wanted to shop for clothes but I'll do that next time. Husbands can get pretty impatient while the wives shop, I tell yah! :) My brother picked us up from the mall, dropped Ane at the service center, and then off to the garden. :)

On December 20, 2004...

I wrote this in my old blog:

"i'd say that the worst feeling in the world, besides indifference, is neither hatred nor angst. for some (usually the paranoid, ), it is but the feeling that some other people ceased to NEED them. i will not elaborate anymore. because for me, just the thought that someone (could be a loved one, a family member, an old friend, a new friend) does not need me anymore makes me quite sad."

I do not remember anymore what triggered this entry. I said I might elaborate, but I never did. Hehe. I slept on it as DEP suggested. But then, I still feel the same until now. Nope, no one is ignoring me at the moment. I just mean that one of my greatest fears, really, is getting to a point when no one else would need me anymore. I am a possessive sucker like that. Hehe. Maybe I need a shrink, kaching! :) Mwehehe.

Trip to Orlando

I've always been vocal about my desire to visit Orlando, Florida someday. I'd like to visit the theme parks (what else?!?), especially that the Harry Potter theme park will open in 2009 (I am a Potterhead!). Of course, I would choose to go there with my entire family and probably some friends. Since we are now considered a big family, we can probably avail of group hotel bookings so we can save a bit. I also heard Orlando.com can arrange vacations in the area and they can even suggest the perfect itinerary so we can make the most of our time. I just can't wait to feel like a kid again!

Mosquitoes, ack!

I am currently a sorry victim of mosquito bites, uh-oh. Mosquitoes love me too much that Off has become my bestfriend. I always apply the repellant and we periodically spray insecticides to get rid of the insects. I dunno what happened but maybe it has something to do with the changing weathers and usually wet days, ugh. The attacks started over the weekend. Was in a skirt going to places, the courts and in the open bar so I got bites on the legs and thighs (forgot to bring the lotion!), and then I got bites on my arms too, from the garden. So you can just imagine how itchy I still feel. Sigh. :( I'll apply katinko later to ease the itch a bit.

Quiapo Adventure and Slashing stories

My brother R, cousin Ana, staff Ricky and G's driver Zaldy went on a Quiapo trip yesterday. We met Ana and Ricky at SM Manila and then we were off to C. Palanca to find the parking space near the famed Ills de Tulle. Ry felt secured enough to leave Tisay in the paid parking area, since it was guarded, that he allowed Zaldy to go with us. We initially asked him to stay and guard the car coz we never know what might happen. Our agenda was to buy a new DVD Videoke for the bar since our old one got busted and our guests have become restless without it. We checked some stores near where we parked but decided to go with the original plan of canvassing in Raon. We walked and we got there, the place is truly a cheap electronics haven! The machine we chose has about 10,500 songs (new ones) and comes with a pair of microphones. It was so cheap we decided to get another DVD player for the concert videos. In total we spent only less than P6,000 (about $135), and even if our loot was cheap, Zaldy was able to haggle it down a bit more. Good thing we got him to tag along! We had lunch at ChowKing while waiting for the long microphone cords we also purchased. And then before we finally left the area, we shopped for some dibides for only 3 for P100. Yay!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A friendly reminder to those who commute: Beware of snatchers and slashers! Since Christmas is nearing, like in previous years, the crime rate related to stealing is rising. The other day, I was talking to a previous colleague and said she got her bag slashed on her way to work. And then yesterday, while Zaldy is waiting for a bus, his pants' back pocket got slashed. Good thing he caught the culprit just before the man was able to take his wallet. Anyone who've seen our driver will know that he is too big for thieves to even try stealing from him. But these criminals are well-trained that way (or maybe they thought Zakdy is just too heavy he won't be able to run anyway?!? heheh). Zaldy was able to kick the man and the man was soon calling for back-up that Zaldy had to rush and get in any bus before he gets into further trouble. Take care all of you! ;)

Effective appliance search online

When my sister and her husband finally decide to buy themselves a new home, most definitely they will have to buy new furniture and appliances. The house they're renting at the moment is semi furnished so they didn't need to worry about stuff anymore. When they finally move out, my sister is likely to find, for instance models of KitchenAid Dishwashers, online. And when she does, I'll probably recommend krillion.com because this website seems effective in pointing to consumers where exactly an outlet is located. This system saves time and effort on the part of the buyer, because everything is neatly categorized. The internet is really a powerful tool, aint it?

Strike!

Look at how expressive this little boy is. This shot was taken by Ane after J and his mom hit a strike in a bowling game (not fair though, coz they had blockers on each side! Hehe). We were celebrating his 4th birthday at that time, in June. Oh well, he's trained to show his real emotions, and that's precisely the reason he can easily make us go insane. Hehe.

Anyway, Ane entered this in their company's Photo of the Month contest (for October), the theme of which is "Emotions". Ane texted me this morning that he won 1st runner up, yayayayyyy!!! He's getting a certificate for 50 4R prints plus p1k worth of photo accessories. We didn't expect him to win at all, because we saw all the other entries and a lot are better than this shot. He entered this in a beginner's level, by the way.

Participants voted on who should win, and Ane got enough votes to land second. It must be J's expression that can be felt just by looking at him, don't you think so too? Oh, I should remember to scrap this one! :)

Random feelings and questions

Got this from Mich :)

1.Are you good at hiding your feelings? I don't think so.
2. How can we tell that you’re already irritated? I get sarcastic.
3. How do you treat the person that obviously doesn’t like you? Civilly.
4. What usually ruins your mood? Hunger, hehe.
5. Who do you see everyday that you wish you just wouldn’t at all? No one.
6. When was the last time that you had a good cry? November 1.
7. How often do you shop for clothes? Depends on the mood, need and budget mwehehe. I'm not really a fashionista.
8. Who’s your long-time crush? Dennis Trillo hahah
9. Someone you just had a crush on? Someone from the badminton courts, Smashroom, heheh.
10 . Do you have something that you wish you just don’t?
11. Do you sometimes crave for something that isn’t there? Always!
12 . Do you wish to live in a faraway land where nobody knows you? Yeah, always felt I wanted to move away. To where, no idea, hehe.
13. Have you kissed a total stranger? Too chicken for that!
14. What do you want to do at this moment? Scrap!
15. The worst feeling? That nobody needs me anymore.
16. How about the best? When am able to do something good for others.
17. Ever given your number to someone you dislike? Yep, a number to a dead SIM haha.
18. What will you say to the one reading this right now? Oh well thanks for getting this far.
19. What/Who do you need right now? Organize our closet, man!
20 . Happy with your life? 50/50, I guess.

A lot to share

The title is so true, I dunno where to start :) I actually ran out of opps to write. I know I should be calling mojo back and digiscrap again but I have a lot in my mind lately, hehe.

Okay, so we were finally able to catch Balls of Fury on Sunday at The Gateway mall (image swiped from ballsoffury.com). It didn't disappoint and had me in tears from too much laughing. I'm just glad I had a really good laugh after having been so down the past week. It's really a no non-sense movie, the plot doesn't need viewers to think much and it is where losers literally experienced "sudden death"...just the same it was something I needed to see :) Master Wong was the funniest of them all, I tell you. The funny parts, however, are all in the first half of the movie that towards the end, it became kinda bleh (sorry for not having the better term, hehe)...a mood that a 12oz. DQ Blizzard cannot NOT change. So yeah, we had some ice cream aftwerwards, and it was all good. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Monday, I was at the NAIA to meet up with my sister's MIL (before their connecting flight to Iloilo) to get my brother's Coheed CDs and this pair:

Yeah, I succumbed again! It's a white limited edition Cia.Maritima Jaguariti US, and isn't it a darling? My BIL is just nice to get it for me, had it shipped to LA to his mom and I it fresh from the airplane :) And now I owe him big time, haha! I already have 11 pairs in total: Silver 2006 Christmas Limited Edition, Lavender Flowers, Pink Sunny, Cafe Slim Season, Cafe Summer, Black Baroque, Blue Pois, Olive Green Camou Butterfly, Black Alert, and Silver Top Crystal...and counting :) mwehehehe.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'll be playing in a badminton tournament on the 17th! I don't remember the last time I joined one. My partner and I are obviously playing in the lowest level for ladies, there's no doubt about that. And we need to practice! It seems like our schedules don't match and I dunno when we'll be able to practice. Good luck to us! Hehe.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jessica Hagedorn will be in Manila to grace the opening of the play based on her book, Dogeaters. That will be on the 16th. Oh, how I wish I can drag Ane to watch it. I own three of her four books and I heard she will be signing books on that day. But I won't be allowed to have all three books signed unless I buy the other one at Powerbooks. They put a limit on the number of books to be signed (if one already owns her books, no need to purchase but is limited to one). But if I buy Charlie Chan is Dead, that would mean I can have three books signed when I'll have all four, by then. Oh, and the 16th happens to be a Friday, and I have meetings on Fridays in Bulacan so I can't possibly be in RCBC at that time. Sigh. Care to save me from this dilemma?!?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I love watching Marimar and I love it everytime they play this Tagalog song. The lyrics just get to me and I dedicate this song to my one and only Ane (heheh magdedicate daw bah?!?):

Mahal Kita

Kung Nasaan Ka

Sana Ay Naroon Ako

Ang Mahalin Ka,

Yun Ang Ligaya Ko

Sa Aking Puso

May Munting Paraiso

Naghahari Pagmamahal

At Ang Pag-Ibig Mo

Mahal Kita Walang

Hanggang Iibigin Ka

Ikaw Lamang Itatangi Ko

Magpakailanman

Hinding-Hindi Ka Iiwan,

Mahal Kita Asahan Mo

Ang Puso Ko'y Tanging Sayo

Sa Aking Pangako

Sana'y Umasa Ka

Mahal Kita Mahal Kita

Wala Ng Iba...

Kung Nasan Ka,

Naroon Din Ang Langit Ko,

Lahat Ng Araw

Nagdiriwang Ako Dito

Sa Aking Puso

Ang Ating Paraiso

Ang Tahanan Ng Pagibig

Na Di Magbabago

Mahal Kita Walang

Iibigin Ka Ikaw Lamang

Itatangi Ko Magpakailanman

Hinding-Hindi Ka Iiwan,

Mahal Kita Asahan Mo

Ang Puso Ko'y Tanging Sayo

Sa Aking Pangako

Sana'y Umasa Ka

Mahal Kita Mahal Kita

Wala Ng Iba...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's it for now! :) Gotta rest!

I won!

I'm $10 richer mweheheheehhe. Yen announced that she picked me with two others, for the baby name suggestions for her Little Peanut. These were my entries:

for a girl:

Amira Jericha

Albertine Jannina

Allyson Jalena

for a boy:

Antonio Joaquin

Alastair Japeth (handsome defender of men)

Asher Jiro (happy second male)

She said she could not decide yet but she became partial with the winning entries. We still don't know yet what eventually she will choose as she hasn't announced if Little Peanut is a he or a she :) I had fun searching for names. Thanks Yen, for your generosity!

Small town big timer.

I grew up in a very small town where almost everybody knows everyone. Everyone must know the back story of every inhabitant (which sucks, if you ask me). My friend once said the house that is being built beside the school is his cousin's. It's a pretty big house that one can hardly miss it. It's actually a mansion for the lady who married a "big fish". We've seen how the foundation is built (at the beginning of this year) and it is unfinished at this time. I wonder why it is taking so long? Anyway, even though the grand staircase is visible from the gate, the structure of the house is not exactly my type. I wonder if the interior furnishings are as grand as the house seems. The architecture is old for my taste so I wonder if, the bathroom vanities for instance, are contemporary or not. Or whether everything else is as "vintage" as the facade exudes. I'll wait until it's finished and we'll see...might be able to take notes on what NOT to do with our dream house, hehe.

Long day.

November 3, I woke up at 9am. Readied myself and drove for about an hour. Went for lunch to a party we catered in Marilao (stayed for about 4hours). Drove for about an hour again. Met with church friends at around 4pm for some videoke fun in Timog. Drove. Got to Greenhills at 8pm hoping to find my partner so we could practice (she wasn't there). Ended up just chitchatting with the E's. Waited for Ane to play four games. Left the courts at past 11pm (almost midnight actually). Met with some E's at 4xforce for a (very!) late dinner. Got home at 2am. Blogging now before sleeping at a little past 3am on November 4.

No naps in between! If that ain't a long day, I don't know what is. This is an abused body.

Online Casino reviews

My husband and his High School buddies used to frequent Casinos in Metro Manila. See, they are not a bunch that goes to girly bars and get drunk but they enjoy betting in casinos. May I add though that they are not that addicted to gambling, in fact, they know when to stop shelling out money. So they mostly go just to have a little fun. Anyway, since most of them are now married and a lot are busy with their respective businesses, their boys' out became less. If they're itching to bet and there's no one to tag along, maybe they can try betting online perhaps? There's this website that offers online casino reviews for free, where most featured sites are US approved ones. So the legitimacy is ensured. Pro360 lists the best online casinos and a player can start gambling with little fuss...as Pro360 puts it "less trouble, more excitement!"

Balls of Fury, etc.

My brother R texted me asking if we would like to watch this movie tonight. I checked Promenade's schedule and the last full show for Balls of Fury is at 1035pm. I was off from work at 10pm and coming from Bulacan, we can't possibly catch the LFS. Rockwell's sched is earlier at 1020pm. Sigh. We've been waiting for this no-nonsense comedy film to be shown here ever since we've seen the trailer in the US. Oh, and we're also waiting for The Game Plan, that's gonna be out on the 7th. And last night, while looking over Ane's shoulder as he checks a forum (!), "we" watched the trailer of Meet the Spartans. It's a parody of 300 and pretty hilarious we'll surely wait for it! Go and find the trailer on youtube :)

Thinking of Summer

We missed a big part of summertime this year since we went away. We weren't able to go to the beach. I would have loved to go again to Boracay or Palawan or just Subic. Or maybe we could have tried Puerto Galera, Pagudpud, or Cebu. Just before we left, our badminton buddies suggested we go to Kota Kinabalu. That would have been nice too, eh? We are a big group and a beach house rental,  seemed perfect. The holiday season is fast approaching, so maybe a beach trip will have to wait.

Insensitive.

In a previous post, I shared about how I stayed home all day and how sad I've become yesterday. I didn't eat anything. I didn't talk to anyone. Last night, when Ane arrived from the cemetery, I asked him if he was hungry. He said he wasn't and he didn't wanna eat too. Oh well, I was thinking of the Kare-kare my MIL gave us and thought it will be wasted if Ane won't eat (it still sits in the refrigerator, mind you). And then it struck me. I was being too insensitive! I know very well that my husband hates it when I cry and when I get depressed. Considering that what bothered me is a journey I was going through with him, he was affected too. And because I was being a selfish brat, it never occured to me earlier that he could be as upset as I was. I am annoying that way.

A few weeks ago, a badminton buddy asked me a question: In your marriage, who loves the other more? I was taken aback and never knew what to answer. And today, it finally hit me.

MY HUSBAND LOVES ME MORE...too much I'd say that I don't know what good I did to deserve him. Thank you Hunny for loving me like you do.

Another vacation?

The other day, my sister was hoping to see us again this Christmas. I would love to go and be away again for some time, while my Little brother's permit to leave without the parents is still valid with me as the guardian (and I simply miss the nephew). But we can't. One, we cannot possibly leave again without the other brother, and two, we need to save up. The last time we were there, we missed going to a lot of places because my sister's time was very limited (and the resources, too! hehe). Hubby and I were supposed to take a bus ride going to Reno (probably the next thing after Las Vegas) with my Globe friends but we ran out of time. Sigh, I just wanna go away and be anywhere but here.

Kaje-ology

Got this from Tanya's, maybe you should do it, too! :) Let others know a little more about yourself, repost "(your name)OLOGY"

What is your salad dressing of choice? Asian :)

What is your favorite fast food restaurant? McDonalds (sorry Mitch!), love their float. I like Wendy's too ;)

What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? Ayayayay! No faves, as I love eating out just about anywhere :)

On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant? About 10% is there is no service charge, 5% if they do charge SC.
What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of it? Fried Tilapia (honestly!)

What are your pizza toppings of choice? Bacon and Cheese!
What do you like to put on your toast? Condensed Milk hehe.

TECHNOLOGY

What is your wallpaper on your computer? October freebie calendar that has pictures of me, hubby and J. Oh I need to change it!

How many televisions are in your house? Two and hardly used.

BIOLOGY

Are you right-handed or left-handed? Right

Have you ever had anything removed from your body? A benign cyst on the foot.

What was the last heavy item you lifted? Groceries.

Have you ever been knocked unconscious? Almost, while lifting weights in the gym eons ago!

BULLCRAPOLOGY

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? Yes so I can make the most out of the time left.

If you could change your name, what would you change it to? Clare :)

What color do you think looks best on you? Red.

Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake? Atis seed.

Have you ever saved someones life? Does donating blood for a friend's father count even if he didn't make it in the end?

Has someone ever saved yours? Yes.

DAREOLOGY

Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100? If it's just a smack, I guess hehe

Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000? Why would I?
Would you never blog again for $50,000? Sure!
Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000? Hahaha that's one of my fantasies, ask my husband!

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1,000? I can try :)
Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human's life for $1,000,000? I am not the giver of life to take it away.

DUMBOLOGY

What is in your left pocket? Nothing.
Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie? Haven't seen it.

Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house? Neither.

Do you sit or stand in the shower? Stand.

How many pairs of flip flops do you own? More than ten and counting!

Last time you had a run-in with the cops? Never.

What do you want to be when you grow up? I still don't know hahaha!

Who is number 1 on your top 8? My loving husband.

LASTOLOGY

Friend you talked to? Daday
Last person who called you? Mom
Person you hugged? Ane

FAVORITOLOGY

Number? One

Season? Christmas

CURRENTOLOGY

Missing someone? Joaquin.

Mood? Blank.

Listening to? None

Watching? None.
Worrying about? How I'm gonna squeeze every activity tomorrow.

RANDOMOLOGY

First place you went this morning? In-law's Kitchen before leaving.

What can you not wait to do? Call my OB when the long weekend is over.

Do you smile often? Yup, even if I'm alone (nyay!)
Are you a friendly person? I have my moments hehehe.

A some kinda embarrassing topic :)

How would you know if you have a hemorrhoids problem? What exactly is it? The link I posted discusses two kinds: internal and external. Generally, it is a condition where the veins are swollen in the rectal area (see, I said this is kinda embarrassing hehehe). The internal kind is the one that is not physically seen or touched. Symptoms are manifested during bowel movement. I'm not gonna dwell too much on that. External Hemorrhoids, on the other hand, can cause severe pains. And when irritated, may cause the area to itch and bleed (eeeww). Hemorrhoids may be caused by constipation, diarrhea, lifting heavy objects, standing for long periods of time, obesity and pregnancy among others. The best thing about most health problems is that they can be prevented. To prevent hemorrhoids, the site recommends eating high fiber food (increase intake of fibrous fruits and vegetables), drinking the required daily liquid intake (or more!), considering taking fiber and dietary supplements, exercising, and not putting too much pressure while passing bowel.

Sheesh!

I went to PPP to check on opps, found some, reserved one, and wrote an entry. But when I tried to submit it, an error returned saying that I did not put the correct link and anchor text. I just copied it and tried again but I still get the same message. I checked the forum and read that others have had the same problem too, for a week now. I guess I'll have to give it up and hope that I don't get a ban for not submitting/finishing a reserved opportunity. Sigh.

Indisposed.

What am I doing blogging at 3am, you ask? I was asleep for almost eighteen hours and right now, am having a headache for having too much shut-eye. Something arrived at 630am and I just could not bring myself to stand up from bed. Sadness became me. I didn't feel hungry or thirsty at all. I texted my Mom and told her I am staying home because I felt less sociable. I knew she expected Hubby and I to be there, November 1 being a family holiday, but I also know she understands what I was going through.

Just to make this entry clearer: the red flag is up and it is pretty disappointing. :(

Addicted to Marimar

That's us, my husband and I. If he has work, I gotta watch it and we talk about the episode when he gets home. On his days-off, we actually work our schedule around the primetime tv schedule. Last night, we went out for dinner with my family and we were worried we'd miss the episode. See, the story is getting exciting everyday and we can't afford to miss anything. So we were in Seaside in Julia Vargas when, while the 'rents are going around he market, we saw a small tv set with Marimar on it (before we went up to the airconditioned dining area where I "coerced" the waitress to change the channel, hehe). Bella and Sergio almost kissed again, haha, and later Sergio saw Corazon with Cruzita. So yeah, we were watching while we enjoyed some Chili Crabs, Prawns, Lapu-lapu, Squid, seaweeds and green mangoes :)

Tonight's episode was equally exciting. Sergio went back to Villa Santibanez to see his father Renato who is currently drugged to insanity by no other than the evil wife Angelika. But Nicandro told him the father is away. I wonder if Sergio finds out about his father's predicament, will he be nice and send him to a drug rehabilitation facility? Bella and Angelika have also gone face to face but the drama continues tomorrow. I doubt the social-climbing Angelika will ever win the friendship of Bella (also Marimar), because the latter knows better. I cannot wait for the next episode. Hehe.