Friday, August 31, 2007

Cooking Classes

I'm thinking of taking up cooking classes. The full courses are just a little expensive. I was looking at some short courses offered by Heny Sison which got me really interested. I'm thinking of joining their chocolate indulgence session for Php1650 on Sept 10. I'm also thinking of joining the South Beach Diet Cooking Series. Joining these sessions would really be a great experience, but I'm still hesitating a bit because of the cost. Maybe I will just research some recipes through the internet and just experiment on myself.

Big and Beautiful

Big and Beautiful

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

I'm scrappin' again!

I just had this urge this afternoon to scrap. It's been such a long time since I last touched my scrapbook materials.

Well, as usual I had quite a difficulty determining what photos to scrap, what patterned papers to use and what embellishments to put. But after around 4 hours, here's what I finished so far:






These are pictures way back in college when we went to Baguio for the IE convention wherein we ended up ditching the symposiums and just went around to visit some tourist spots.

home medical equipment

Do you or any of your loved ones have health problems? Elders from your family might need to monitor their blood pressure or blood sugar. It is really hard when someone in our family gets sick and need special medical care. It is quite expensive to get confined in the hospital and to go back for regular check ups. You might probably want to consider investing on your own equipment. You can check out their site and browse by category, or by brand, or by condition if you're interested to get some home medical equipment. This company claims to be the largest and most technologically advanced retailer for these kinds of equipment. If you or any of your family members need some FreeStyle Diabetes Test Strips and other diabetic supplies , Blood Pressure Monitor, Polar Heart Monitor, Philips HeartStart Home AED Defibrillator, or even a shower chair, you might want to check out their site.

nurture spa

Their wedding is going to be at Nurture Spa, which is a really great choice for a destination wedding. The ambiance is just perfect for these kinds of moments. I'm sure their guests will enjoy their garden reception. It's easy to go to the place, although at some point you might feel that you're getting lost already since it's a bit of a long ride from the main road. If you plan to go there and you're coming from the Rotonda, just turn right after Figaro (near Starbucks, Leslie's, etc). Just go straight (it's a long road) and turn left when you reach a fork. You wouldn't miss it if you follow the signs. Although I suggest they make those signs bigger so it's easier to see. If you're commuting, you can just ride a tricycle which would cost you Php50.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Times are hard

How’s work? Are you enjoying what you’re doing right now? Or would you prefer working some place else. Some place where you can do what you really want to do and where you will be paid what you are really worth. I know that times are hard these days and a lot are really struggling to make ends meet. It’s much harder if you have a family to support, kids to put to school and worse if you have sick loved ones. These days, it’s really hard to get sick since it usually costs a lot. With all these things in mind, people really strive hard to work and earn money. I know some who have double jobs or have extra racket just to drive in extra money. Some would apply for payday loans just to make ends meet in between paydays. A payday loan is also sometimes termed as cash advance loan by some. It is usually just a small amount of money borrowed for just a short term which is acquired to finance other needs in between pay day. A lot takes advantage of this opportunity. It’s actually good that at least you have the options where to get money especially during emergency situations. I guess my only advice is that let’s all work hard to earn money and learn to invest them so that you will always have something during crisis.

Your credit network

In case you plan to get a new credit card, whether it’s your first time or you just want another one, it would really be nice to check it out first. Are you looking for instant approval credit cards despite having bad credit line? Or probably a credit card which gives you all those perks by accumulating points which you can convert to air travel mileage or other gifts? Are you planning on making some major purchases and would need a low interest credit card to help you with it? Or probably you have a big outstanding balance from your previous credit card company and would like to transfer it to another one which has lower interest.

Well, all of us have different needs when it comes to Credit Cards. We have different reasons for getting one. Yourcreditnetwork.com is one of those sites where you can get all those credit card information that you need to help you with your decision. With all the factors to consider it’s really nice to have sites like these to help us out. Some may be disciplined at using it while some are not so wise which ultimately leads them to be buried with huge amounts of debts. They end up just paying the interest monthly which takes them forever to really pay it all off.

Radiux

Whenever we need to find certain information about practically anything under the sun, we mostly rely on search engines to find it for us. We can easily find articles, videos, images, and news in just a few seconds of clicking away through those search engines. They really make our lives so much easier. Well, not entirely though since sometimes we have to exert a little more effort in finding what we really want since not all search engines can immediately point to us what exactly we’re looking for.

Colizer Inc has just announced that this new search engine is now in beta stage. It combines the most used searches on the internet like Google and eBay. It really becomes a one stop search engine. It makes use of GeoIP technology, thus utilizing the user’s IP address to determine what area the request is coming from and tries to localize its search results which makes it more relevant to the user. It’s really like a distance search yellow pages. Cool, isn’t it?

Saturday, August 25, 2007

paid off efforts

I enjoy reminiscing college memories. I can say that I fully enjoyed my entire stay in college. There may be some low points like failing some subjects and getting delayed, but then there are so much more highlights that the low points seemed insignificant already.

I'm really more of the extracurricular type. I love joining organizations and being ambitious enough to head them. I know my academics suffered a bit because of this since I was more focused on organizing events and stuff like that. I guess I feel that sometimes I learn more significant things in life by doing all those than just boring myself inside the classroom.

But of course, I've got my pride and wanted to prove that I've got brains despite failing some subjects and being delayed from graduating on time. I poured all my efforts into our feasibility study. I'm fortunate enough to have group mates who put in equal efforts. It was really a bit challenging. We had a hard time doing our market research and technical research since our feasibility study is about establishing a biomedical waste treatment facility in Davao. Well, thank God all our efforts paid off! We won the best IE Feasibility Study!

Home sweet home

A home is definitely more than just a house. We've been living in our house for more than 20 years already. I practically grew up here and have accumulated a lot of memories. I can remember having playmates over and we'd just play at the front yard. I've also had a lot of sleepovers with my friends and college orgmates. Our house was usually the venue for get-togethers. I love spending Christmas and New Year at our house since most relatives visit us and spends the holidays with us. We're actually a big family. Both my parents have 9 other siblings! There were some relatives who even stayed at our house like some of my aunts and cousins whom my mom sent to school. One of my uncles also stayed at our house but is now fortunate to own an Arizona luxury real estate. They've got their own pool and even a man made waterfalls at their garden. He has his own family there already and making their own home memories.

Giving gifts

Don’t you just love receiving gifts? It makes us feel extra special having the thought that someone went out of their way to buy something for us. It doesn’t really have to be expensive. As what they always say, it’s the thought that counts! Whether it’s for a birthday, or as a Christmas gift or for Valentine’s Day or for whatever occasion, giving gifts is really a nice gesture to show someone you love them.

I usually have a hard time shopping for gifts. I don’t really want to give those kinds that would just accumulate dusts in their shelves. I want to give gifts which they would actually use. I think it’s more practical that way.

There are a lot of ways to package your gift like putting them into gift baskets, which are usually popular during Christmas season. People would put together things following a certain theme. Some would go for groceries, or probably snack foods or chocolates, while some would go for health and beauty products like lotions and scrubs.

I guess whatever gift we come up with, they should come from the heart. This would truly be appreciated by the ones we’re giving it to. Seeing their smiles upon receiving them makes it all worth while.

Personalized Photo Blankets

There are really a lot of great finds that you'll encounter if you browse through the internet. I just recently came across this site which is into Personalized Photo Blankets. I think the idea is just great! I've seen some samples from their site and I must say, I'm impressed with the clarity of the pictures in the fabrics. These are really nice gifts to give out to your loved ones. They have some designs available, but you can personalize it if you want to. You can provide them with pictures up to 16 pieces which they can layout for you. You can have them as blankets or pillows or even beddings for your dogs! For the blankets, the top layer (image side) is a soft & breathable celtic fiber while the bottom layer is 320 Thread Count cotton in either black or white. Oh I would love to sleep into that kind of bedding! The dog bed is made up of heavy knit polyester which comes with a removable pillow inner liner made of polyester stuffing. It is even cedar scented!

Tell me the time

I haven't really worn a watch for quite some time already. I guess I rely more on looking at my cell phone for reference. But lately I've been thinking of wearing one again. It's just unfortunate that all my watches aren't working anymore. Just a word of advice, don't store watches together. They say their magnets get ruined if their stored close to each other. Anyway, I'll probably start looking for one but if they're too expensive, I can just probably have my old ones repaired. I guess another thing why I want to have a new watch is that I want one which is water proof just like some Luminox watches. I need one so that I can still tell time even when I'm swimming in the beach!

Invest in gold

Many would say, if you want to invest money, buy gold. It’s one of the things that don’t depreciate. It’s really a great way to diversify your assets. I remember our tourist guide when we went to Hong Kong. He told us how much his parents are into investing for their future. Every time he had his birthday, his mom would buy him a few grams of gold as a birthday present. He did not get toys as a kid from his mom like any normal kid, but his mom was wise enough to invest in gold! She didn’t really give it to him physically but kept it safe somewhere. He is now more than 30 years now and he said that the value of is his gold is more than twice already. It really was a great investment and he is now reaping what his mother sowed. Probably the few grams his mom invested would be like more than a bullion by now. He was so impressed by what his mother did and vowed that when he has his own kid, he would also invest the same way. Buying gold is really the way to go is what he says.

too complicated

I think men have the easier lives. It's just really no fuss, unlike for women who just has too much to think about! Of course there's the monthly period which I personally don't look forward to. It makes me feel uncomfortable due to abdominal pain and sudden gushes of menstruation. So don't blame us for being cranky whenever we have one since it's really not fun having it.

And then of course, there's all the fuss in wearing clothes. There's just a lot to choose from and fashion just has a fast turn-around. And besides the outer wear, there's even the inner wear to consider. Men can never imagine just how much types of bras are there already. There are push up bras, strapless bras, full coverage, and even open tip bras!

Oh well. I'm no tomboy, but if I were to live in another lifetime, I'd rather be a guy! It's just really a more fuss free life!

How did he do that?

I was at the Mrs Fields event last Tuesday at their 2nd Branch of Cookie Cafe, which is located at UN Avenue. There were a lot of bloggers present since it was also the launch of the Blog and Soul Movement.

It was fun interacting with the other bloggers as well as getting to sample all the goodies Mrs Fields has to offer. But as for me, the highlight of the night was when Marcelle performed some really cool magic right infront of me. He has this fork which he bended, twisted, and broke right infront of my very eyes. Cool, I got to keep the fork as a souvenir!





I really had fun watching him perform his tricks. If you're interested to have him in one of your events, you can just probably leave a message in his blog.

curtains

curtains

Friday, August 24, 2007

Florida

Have you been to Florida? Well, unfortunately I haven’t. But hopefully, at least before I die, I get to visit this wonderful place. Of course the first thing that comes to mind when talking about Florida is the Disney World! Not only kids want to visit Disney World, adults too! Like me! I guess going to these kinds of places releases the kid in all of us. Well, I’ve been to Hong Kong’s Disneyland but they say Florida’s Disney World is so much better! That got me excited even more since I already had a blast at Hong Kong’s Disneyland, what more at Florida’s Disney World? I really do hope I’ll get to visit Florida soon and visit all those theme parks and beaches and stay at those nice Orlando Villas.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Highs and lows

*sigh* It really does get frustrating seeing 3-6 $50 PPP opportunities all in gray (which means I can't take them any more! Hmp! Sometimes I'd chance upon white ones, but by the time I click on them...the dreaded message shows up which says that all opportunities are taken already.

Oh well. I'm just really thankful that there are still other sites which I can rely on with regards to paid blogging. Looks like I'm gonna get a higher net pay this month as compared to my previous corporate job. I've got around 15 pending posts which I hopefully get to finish by tomorrow so they can be converted into cash already.

Books

I thought I’d have more time reading books lately, but surprisingly I don’t. I still got a couple of books lined up to read. I’ve been more on reading short ones like the Little Prince and books by Og Mandino. I have yet to finish Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, but I actually want to start it all over again. I’ve also started reading some books by Malcolm Gladwell like Blink and Tipping Point. They really are interesting books and I’m starting to become a fan. I know Harry Potter has just been released, but despite having an ebook of it, I don’t know why I’m just not too drawn to reading it. Anyway, hopefully I get to cross out some books I’m planning to read. Any other books you can suggest I include in my list?

Mailing list

There is a new method now of advertising your products. Companies are now optimizing the usage of having a Mailing List of their target market. You can get consumer lists, business lists, mortgage lists, specialty lists, ethnicity lists, new homeowners lists, and some specials. Interested to grab one of those? Contact them now and get a free quote. They would be more than welcome to help you get started. They claim that they can make your next campaign a success! When you avail of their services, you also get a free 66 page catalog of their most popular list categories. Their customers love how effective their mailing lists are. And that their customer service is really great even after sales. They even give a 100% guarantee for their list. They will replace the data if it doesn’t meet your expectations.

blinds

blinds

Digicams

One of the things in my list of things to buy is an underwater camera. I think it would really be useful for me especially when I go snorkeling. I love the beach and the underwater world! I’ve been browsing over some internet sites for digital cameras and comparing their features and prices. Hopefully I can avail of the one that I like at a great deal with an installment scheme with 0% interest. I’ve been into photography lately and is also hoping to attend a formal photography class as well. As for now, I’m just experimenting on my camera and having fun with it by going to some nice locations conducive for taking pictures

5-S

I wonder if my previous company already fully implemented the 5-S program (Sort, Straighten, Sweep, Standardize, and Sustain). Before I resigned they were already starting this program but were still having a hard time fully implementing it especially for the Marketing Department since almost all their desks and work space were full of product samples and other materials.

I don’t know if they have consistently observed the limited things you can only put on top of office desks. I can remember seeing desks with lots of picture frames, figurines, and even stuff toys. It is questioned if these things are really appropriate in an office setting. I think they’ve already come up with a list of which are allowed.

VoIP

A lot of businesses nowadays make use of VoIP phone systems. Why? Since you can use it to make unlimited call to anywhere in the world. Just imagine how much you can save just by using this system. It does have a lot of benefits for different kinds of businesses.

Different kinds of new technologies are now being developed. It aims to make our lives easier! We wouldn’t know the next best thing they will come up with! In the olden times they thought it was impossible to reach the moon! I just hope that new technologies would be used wisely for the greater good of everybody and that people with power will not be tempted to abuse it

Investments

My hubby always likes thinking of securing a good future by having diversified investments. They key word there is diversified. There really are different options where you can invest your money. You can put them into mutual funds or buy yourself insurance and probably your kids a child life insurance. It’s really good having that kind of attitude. At least you know that your money isn’t just sleeping in the bank wherein the interest may not even be enough to cover inflation in the long run.

Fashion

I’m not really one you can consider as fashionable. I’m more of the type who chooses comfort over style. I’m not really one of those brand conscious type, not that I have anything against them. I guess it’s just that brands are more or less equated to higher priced apparels, which most likely I couldn’t afford anyways.

I think I’m more of the classic type. Like the white top and jeans kind of girl. But I do love looking at people who can carry those stylish clothes. I admire them for being experimental enough to confidently them. But of course, there is that borderline between stylish and trashy. A borderline some wannabe’s almost always cross which makes them really look nasty.

There are a lot of different kinds of styles and cuts and types of clothe that can be mixed and match to achieve the type of fashion that you want. Some may be into the comfortable cotton types while some may be into velvet clothing. Velvet clothes are probably more appropriate for night time. I just love feeling the smoothness of a nice velvet apparel, but I find it a little warm to wear, which makes it more appropriate to wear during colder times. Cotton is still the way for me since it’s more appropriate for tropical places where it can really get humid at times.

Monday, August 20, 2007

On Relationships

I was just going through my inbox and saw some emails I've been keeping since way back 2003. I chanced upon this one forwarded by a dear friend and I would like to share it with you.

On Relationships
by CD Garcia

Someone I cared about said to me that maybe he just can't handle relationships. And those words broke my heart. It's like hearing someone say he'll be an emotional cripple for the rest of his life because sustaining any kind of relationships be it as a friend or a lover is what makes us human. I don't believe there's "handling" a relationship as much as "building" one, do you? And then I came across these... really good reminders if we want our relationships to stay and for keeps.

God bless everyone!

1. Don't think in terms of forever. Think of now, and forever will take care of itself. Recognize that all relationships cannot be forever. Recognize their temporary quality, but continue to act as if they are permanent.

2. Expect to invest a great deal of time and energy in your relationships. Lasting relationships don't just happen, they are created.

3. Respect the other person's relationships apart from you. If they are important to the one you care about, they should be important to you.

4. Never idealize others. They will never live up to your expectations.

5. Don't be afraid of giving. You can never give too much, if you're giving willingly.

6. Never force anyone to do anything for you "in the name of love." Love is not to be bargained for.

7. Don't allow experience to harden your heart; rather use it to become more aware and sensitive.

8. Don't lose touch with the craziness in you. This, with a large dose of caring, will assure that your relationship will never be boring.

9. Don't brood. Get on with living and loving. You don't have forever.

10. Always start a relationship by asking: Do I have ulterior motives for wanting to relate to this person? Is my caring conditional? Am I trying to escape something? Am I planning to change the person? Do I need this person to help me make up for a deficiency in myself? If your answer to any of these questions is "Yes", leave the person alone. He or she is better off without you.

11. Keep the child in you alive and playing.

12. Divorce, fighting, arguing will never solve your problems; better to try understanding, warmth and flexibility.

13. Stop going through life in self-pity, self-blame and "mea culpa" syndrome. We are not as bad as we think.

14. Write down all the reasons why you love each person you relate with. Then, when the going gets tough, take the list out and reread it. It resolves problems quickly.

15. Don't be afraid of disagreements and arguments, the only people who don't argue are people who don't care or are dead. In fact, don't have short arguments. Make certain they are thoroughly over and done with. After an argument is over, forget it.

16. Watch out for little irritations, they grow into destructive monsters. Verbalize them at once.

17. Let go of pride. It is usually false, creates barriers and prevents closeness.

18. Acknowledge the humanness of the other.

19. Exercise feelings. Feelings have meaning only as they are expressed in action.

20. Be compassionate. It is the sure way to understanding and acceptance.

21. See all criticism as positive for it leads to self-evaluation. You are always free to reject it if it is unfair or does not apply.

22. Expect what is reasonable, NOT what is perfect.

23. Stop playing games. A growing relationship can only be nurtured by GENUINENESS.

24. Even though you are only half of a relationship, you must remain a whole person, apart from the relationship.

25. Remember that moral and spiritual values don't restrict, they PROTECT.

26. What you learn about yourself will infinitely help in trying to understand others.

27. See problems as small MIRACLES which can bring about KNOWLEDGE AND CHANGE.

28. Don't allow your relationships to die of NEGLECT.

SOMEONE SAID: "Love is supposed to be the most wonderful feeling. It should inspire you and give you joy and strength. But sometimes the things that give you joy can also hurt you in the end."

"May you always have smiles in your photographs and laughter in your heart".

singles

singles

Getting better

I've been to the ENT again for my ear check-up last Saturday. I was a bit scared since I still couldn't hear normally and it was almost 2 weeks already. The doctor looked into my ear again. I was actually in suspense because of the long silence while he was inspecting it. And then he blurted out "dumugo tenga mo no?" Which I confirmed since it did have some blood discharge a few days back. Then he said he has good news and bad news. Of course I immediately felt antsy. Well, I guess the panic was a little uncalled for since he only said that the good news is that my ear looks like it's on its way to getting better, but the bad news is that the infection is still there so I still need to continue my medication and go back to him next Saturday again.

Well, as of now my hearing does sound better. A few days back, I couldn't even hold up the telephone on my left ear since I wouldn't be able to hear the other person on the line, but now I already can. Although I can still hear my own voice like I'm in a cave. Well, I'm staying positive and just praying and drinking my medications. Hopefully I'll be back to normal in no time.

Goth

Goth

Free online dating

So what's your love story? How did you meet your boyfriend/ girlfriend/ husband/ wife? Probably in school or at work or in your neighborhood. Maybe they where introduced by a friend or someone you met at a bar. Or maybe you just met them through the internet. Well, does it really matter how you've gotten to know each other? I guess no matter the place or medium of how you met each other I guess what's important is how you've developed your relationship.

More people now are comfortable with the idea of finding love through the internet. It really is one powerful medium since you get the chance to meet a lot of different people. There are a lot of free dating sites you can visit if you're interested with this. Free online dating enables you to get to know other people without actually having to go out. You can already screen those who you're interested with and those who aren't really not your type. A friend loves taking advantage of this site and is really enjoying this free dating. He hasn't really found the perfect match but is definitely enjoying the ride. He says he has found some really interesting people through it who he has actually become good friends with. It's just really like a trial and error for him. He's just really trying to be optimistic that hopefully the next girl she meets would be the one already. Well, I wish him luck!

golf

I've never really been that interested with gold. Somehow I find the sport a little boring. I'm pretty sure that gold enthusiasts would totally disagree. Well, probably because I don't know much about it.

I used to have a boss who was so into the sport. You can tell it's really one of his passions. He has his own Ping Golf set, golfing apparel, golf balls, gloves, grips, range finders, and golfing shoes. He would even go to different provinces just to join competitions.

Oh well. Maybe if I do get to try it out, I just might actually enjoy playing it.

Latina

Latina

Flowers

I've been looking for a flower shop which can cater to one of my client's needs for their wedding. They need a good supplier for their entourage's bouquet and church's flower decorations. The flower arrangements at the reception would be done by their caterer already. The bride wants her own bouquet to be pink tulips which I think would really look nice. And she wants her entourage to have bouquet with mix flowers which would include Gerbera, Carnation, and Roses. She also wants that the church to be filled with white Calla Lilies. At least she already knows what she wants. It's just really a matter of finding a supplier which can cater to her needs at a decent price. It's actually a bit hard to negotiate the price since her wedding would fall on a February which is one of the peak seasons for flower shops. Oh well. I hope we can close the deal soon.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

another FX story

I rode a taxi from Taft after the event at Mrs Fields at the Manila Pavilion. It was around past 10 pm already. I was seating at the back with 2 other guys. I'm really alert when riding an FX, or at least try to even if I'm very sleepy already. I also make it a point to pray that I'll be able to come home safe and won't have any untoward situations.

It was actually a long ride coming from Manila and going back to Quezon City. By the time we reached the Rotunda, we were stopped by some police men. Of course I was a bit alarmed since they don't really stop all vehicles even if they've set up a check point. They opened the driver's door as well as the back door where I was seated. They just said "Pasensya na po, may hinahanap lang po kme." And then they looked at one of the male passengers who was across me and got suspicious with his bag pack which he was hugging. "Patingin ng bag mo!", they ordered and felt his bag. "Ano tong mabigat sa bag mo?", they asked. Of course at that point I was starting to get scared already. But the guy calmly said, "mga tools lang po, sir." *sigh* good thing he was telling the truth and the policemen let us go.

I wonder who the policemen were looking for. It's just really weird since they were just making random checks. If they were looking for something/ somebody, then they should be checking up all vehicles passing by. Oh well. Times like these, you really feel unsafe going out, specially commuting. I guess I just have to trust in God that he will keep me safe wherever I go.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Check up again

*sigh* I'll be off to the EENt again Saturday afternoon for my ear check up. Sadly, my hearing hasn't gotten any better. I dunno what's gonna happen. It's really a bit scary! I just really hope the antibiotics would work its way into healing my eardrum. Oh well. Please include me in your prayers. I can't wait to hear normally again.

On being practical

Sometimes my hubby and I would discuss whether it is wiser to save up for a house instead of planning to have a grand wedding. Imagining spending 250,000-400,000 just for a wedding sometimes really makes me cringe! The practical side of me makes me feel guilty spending such a big amount of money. That would already be enough down payment for a small house or condominium. Sometimes I feel like even settling for a civil wedding and just splurge on the house instead and probably have a grander wedding 10 years after. Well, if we probably get to meet a great realtor who can give us a great deal on buying a house, we just probably might skip the grand wedding.

Accessories

Women definitely have more accessories than men. Usually it depends on what type of get up they have on and what color. They can have varying bracelets, necklaces, rings, anklets, and watches. She can put on different ones for each day of the week if she wants to. It’s just really a matter of mix and matching these items. Well, you won’t normally see this pattern from guys. Usually they just wear watches and probably sunglasses when they’re outdoors. The fashionable ones sometimes wear a bracelet or a necklace, but the no-fuss ones usually don’t.

I know men are hard to give gifts to as compared to women. Men are more into usable stuff rather than cutesy things you just display. Watches and sunglasses are usually nice ones to give to men. My hubby loves the Timex watch I gave him and uses it everyday. I know these stuff can get pretty expensive, but you can try checking out a discount retailer of Nixon Watches, Seiko, Timex, Casio, and G-Shock. They also have Prada and Arnette sunglasses among others.

Friday, August 17, 2007

Friday's Feast (3)

Appetizer
Describe your laundry routine. Do you have a certain day when you do it all, or do you just wash whatever you need for the next day?
- It's usually once a week

Soup
In your opinion, what age will you be when you’ll consider yourself to truly be old?
- 80 yrs old?

Salad
What is one of your goals? Is it short-term, long-term, or both?
- give myself the opportunity to enjoy the things I've always wanted to do...I'm allotting the rest of the year for that!

Main Course
Name something unbelievable you’ve seen or read lately.
- I just saw in the news a feature about this woman who gave birth to 4 identical babies! amazing!

Dessert
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how happy are you today?
- It's probably an 8

Drug rehab

Putting a love one into drug rehab can really be painful. But I guess if you really love someone and they have this problem, then it's just really something that you have to do to save their lives. We used to have a neighbor who was rumored to be an addict and had to undergo rehab. Their son felt so betrayed for being entered into one of those institutions, but the family knows it's for the better. It was definitely really hard for their family. It's a sacrifice they had to make or else it might be a little too late to save him from his addiction

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Smorty

Have you heard of blogging for money? I’m sure you’ve read some of my paid posts. Well, it’s fairly easy. All one has got to do is write up about the site of the advertiser, making sure that the post has a link to the site. It’s as easy as that! And for that, you get paid by advertisers. It’s really cool to get paid for blogging. With these kinds of opportunities, writing has become more fun since you get to earn from it! I know a lot of friends who are into it already. You can try it out yourself. Wouldn’t you want to earn extra income? Well, here’s the answer: get paid to blog! There are a lot who are into blog advertising. Come join the fun! Smorty, which connects advertisers with bloggers, is one cool site you can join if you are interested. Topics will be provided to you with corresponding amount of payment. You can just either accept or reject it. Anyway, if any of you are interested, just give me a buzz and I wouldn’t mind teaching more about this great opportunity

Be healthier

I want to be healthier. I know I have to lose a lot of weight. I’ve been trying to do that for such a long time already. I guess I just need a little more discipline and push myself harder. I’ve read a lot about diets and have tried a couple of them, but I’m just really having a hard time to stick to them. I can’t help it if eating is really one of my passions! But I know I’m not getting any younger. I know I got to step it up. I’ve actually lost a bit of weight, although it doesn’t seem to show yet since I there’s just way too many more pounds to lose. I need to exercise more so I can burn more calories. I would probably try out a free calorie counter which can help me track my food intake. This calorie counter can help me plan out my meal plans, which hopefully I can stick to. I’m just really grateful that my hubby is very supportive and is also on his way to living a healthier life.

shopping cart software

I’ve been contemplating of selling stuff online. It has a lot of perks rather than having an actual shop since you get to save a lot of money. You can do away with rent and just have a website instead where you can post all your merchandise. That’s already a lot of savings. It’s also a bit easier in terms of keeping stocks. You can keep stocks to a minimum and just produce whenever you have orders, unlike when you have your own shop. It’s always pleasing when display is fully stocked up.

I’ve been thinking of putting up a site for my chocolates and for my beads. I can post sample pictures of my products and advertise it to friends and friends of friends. I would just really have to optimize advertisement through the internet.

I guess in keeping this kind of business, especially if you have a lot of products to sell, it is advisable to invest in reliable shopping cart software. Things to consider when finding one are affordability, ease of usage, and technical support and customer service. The ecommerce software must have the features that you want and need and can be customized, according to your preference.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Credit

Do you own a credit card? How many do you have? What made you choose those credit card companies? Is it the fast approval system despite bad credit history? The low interest? Or probably the great rewards system? Well, there really is a lot to consider in determining which credit card company to apply for. Of course you would want to get the Best Credit Cards which you can really optimize. Why get one which offers gas rebates when you don't even own a car? It really is beneficial to compare first what these companies have to offer before choosing. Make sure you get most out of these credit cards depending on your needs. Well, no matter what credit card you have, always use it smartly! You don't want to end up with a huge amount of debt just because you've been swiping your card more than you should!

Pisay

This is such an overdue post! I watched Pisay the movie a couple of weeks back and I must say that the feeling of nostalgia was so overpowering.

I trooped myself to UP Film Center to catch this movie since my plans going to CCP and have a cinemalaya movie marathon didn't push through. The movie was scheduled at 5pm and I got there around 4:45pm to buy some tickets. I was so overwhelmed the moment I stepped out of the IKOT jeep...there was just too many people! And as I walk my way to the ticket booth I could already see from afar: PISAY tickets SOLD OUT! Oh no! This can't be!!! Darn, I should've gone much earlier or probably called in to reserve a ticket.

I actually saw some batchmates: Po, Joana, Vina, Sandra, and Manchester! Well, they all had tickets already. I was contemplating of going home already, when I saw a line for the tickets to be sold "for standing room only". They plan to sell tickets after all those who have one already has entered. Well, since I'm there already and it seems that the movie is worth it, I decided to line up as well. It was just really a good thing that after a few minutes, there's this student who has an extra ticket since his friend wouldn't be watching anymore. Of course I immediately bought his extra and made my way inside the full movie house. It was hard looking for a seat, good thing that they added some monoblocks at the aisles. A few minutes before the movie started, Po saw me and invited me to join our other batch mates...good thing they had an extra seat reserved!

Even only after the first few minutes of the movie, nostalgia already hit me hard! Seeing the front lobby, the corridors, the classrooms, the laboratories... *sigh* Minsan din akong tumapak dun...I think all students of Pisay could relate to the movie. It was really different studying there...where almost all your classmates are valedictorians and salutatorians and champions of this and that quiz shows...Yes, it does add up to ones pride being able to study and finish secondary school in Pisay. We were considered the cream of the crop...creme de la creme. Second year pa lang we already had Chem, Bio, Physics, Algeb, and Geom! It was definitely a tough school! But more than the academic side, we were developed how to interact with different kinds of people. It was just like a mini-UP where we have classmates from as far as Davao and Cagayan.

I love my school! It was just a small community where everybody almost knows everybody. I did have a lot of great high school memories! High School life for me is the best. It was when I found the bestest friends that I have. Here are some memories that instantly ran through my mind:
- playing soccer at the muddy field and taking a bath at the back lobby or at the dorm
- strolling around the campus
- tambay at the front lobby
- the creek
- song trips with some batchmates playing the guitar
- cutting classes
- canteen food
- teachers who I will never forget
- practical tests (chem - identify the element/compound, bio - parts of the frog)
- right minus 1/4 wrong exams
- retreats
- cheating scandal
- high school crushes

Oh I did have a very colorful high school life! It's just really nice to have all these memories and more. But I think the best thing is that I still get to keep my bestest friends! I'm pretty sure to have them until we're all old and grey. =)

Finally!

Patience is really a virtue! Finally this site already has a pagerank! I hope it does bring me more paid opps at PPP, altough I'm not counting on it since they mostly prefer sites under own domain rather than those under blogspot. Well, I just hope I get approved now to other blog monetizing sites.

Oh well. I just really have to get over my procrastinating spell and get around to blogging the stuff I've been wanting to blog. I've also been planning to separate again a photo blog. I used to have one but had a difficulty maintaining it so I put it up together with my food and travel blog. Well, I'm seeing a few downsides to it, like I just can't post any photo I've captured...for example: pictures with frogs, or garbage, or mga gusgusing bata...di magandang isama sa mga post tungkol sa masasarap na food.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Please include me in your prayers

Unfortunately, I'm still hearing muffled sounds from my left ear. I didn't know having colds can cause complications like this. I went to the doctor again last Saturday for a check-up. His examinations showed that my left eardrum was pushed farther that it should be due to build up of mucus and that the discharge was due to the small perforations on my eardrum. He just advised to continue my antibiotics for 7 more days, hopefully by that time my eardrum would heal back into its normal state. Surgery is another option but is not yet being considered at this point. I just got really scared when he said that there is a slim chance that my eardrum would totally rupture and be unrepairable (brutally saying that my left ear might become totally deaf). *sigh* Despite the small probability, it really does scare me!

I've been a little depressed lately due to my state. It's really weird not being able to hear normally. It's like I'm in a cave. I can barely hear someone talking if she's at my left side. And I have just observed that my speech volume is also a bit affected. Since I can't hear myself well, I can't seem to get the right volume of my voice. Like when I feel I'm already talking normally, it turns out my voice is a bit inaudible…like they'd have me repeat what I said since they can't hear me much. It really does get a little frustrating. I just really hope and pray that things will go back to normal pretty soon. Please do include me in your prayers as well.

Pardon for the lack of updates in this site. I do have a couple of draft posts which I hope to post soon. It just feels a little toxic lately being in front of the computer and have been mostly staying in bed or on the couch lately. But I'm starting to miss blogging and surfing so you'll probably feel my presence more for the coming days. I know I gotta get out of my depression and just be positive that my hearing will go back to normal. I'm just really thankful that my right eardrum is still in tact.

Lawyers

Do you know of an individual who is seriously injured or killed as a result of the negligence, carelessness, or recklessness of others? I know how these things can really be painful. Their family might need a personal injury lawyer. Just like a Waco Personal Injury Lawyer, they accept cases which falls around the areas pertaining to Wrongful Death, Trucking Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Drunk Driving Accident Victims, Auto Accidents, Boating Accidents, and Brain Injury. These lawyers can indeed come in handy specially with settling claims with the insurance company. It is good to have a good lawyer who can represent you so you can claim what is rightfully yours. Sometimes you can get robbed of a good settlement amount if you are not represented well. For those who couldn't afford paying high lawyer fees, they can take advantage of the free consultation these lawyers provide. Despite being free of charge, these lawyers would still give you quality service

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

I'm sick

It's been a few days already, but I'm still not feeling well. I've been coughing and sneezing a lot. Solmux has alleviated my feeling a bit, though. And this morning, when I woke up, there was a weird feeling on my left ear, like there's sumthing (like the feeling of water inside)...and it hurts a bit. Oh well. I can't wait to get better.

The other day, I even had allergies. When I woke up, I had all these rashes on my face and chest. I think I'm developing allergies towards chicken. Well, despite the allergies, cough, and colds, I still went to meet up my clients getting married on Sept. Turns out the groom was also a bit sick. I guess uso talaga magkasakit ngayon, so I hope all of you would take care of yourselves.

Too bad, because of my current health situation, we had to forgo the baguio trip. It wasn't really a good idea to push through since its been raining also. Oh well. I can't wait to be in tip top shape!

Friday, August 3, 2007

It's my life

Many may not understand my decision of leaving the corporate world. I don't expect them to. I just want them to respect my decision which I'm not regretting and highly enjoying so far. Probably if I'm married and have a child, then they won't be judging me as much for quiting my corporate job and staying at home.

I've been so stress-free and I can get all the rest that I want. I'm cooking up some travel trips for the coming months which I hope will all push through...(i'll keep you guys updated). I also plan to take up some of those cooking classes. And I'm still brewing up some wedding preps for my clients which I'm really enjoying. I still having second thoughts on pursuing wedding coordination full time, though. I guess I see really just more of a hobby, but I just can't picture out myself yet aggressively finding clients. Anyway, I've also been out for some photo shoot trippings and hope to do more of that. Photography just gives me that sense of high whenever I get to capture nice photos. I've also been visiting some foodie place for my foodie blog which I hope to update more often. I still got a lot of pending stuff to blog so watch out for that.

I'm still sticking to my plan of trying to do all the things I've been wanting to do. And I'm devoting the rest of the year to do just that. Others would find it as a waste of time...I say, I'm living my life just the way I want it!

As for money issues, I'm lucky enough to have all these paid to blog sites to get me through this phase in my life. I was just totaling all my earnings for the month of july and it was almost the same as the net pay I was getting from my last corporate job! Isn't that great? I get to stay at home and do the things I want and still get the same amount of money! Well, I know it's not a stable career...I can't even consider it as one, but so far it pays the bills.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not totally advocating that you all leave your jobs and just rely on this paid-to-blog sites. I, myself, plan to have my own business which can be more stable. We all have different lives...different wants and needs...different callings. I can't say that I already know mine...I'm still in the process of determining it. I hope you find yours as well.

Anyway, here's what I've been doing the past few days:
Thursday - Watched Ratatouille and shopped for some groceries
Saturday - Man the booth of Sentimental Groove at the Bridal Fair in Megamall
Sunday - Quality time with my hunnie who was sick
Tuesday - Went to Faye's couturier, watched Pisay the movie
Wednesday - Midweek quality time with my hunnie
Thursday - Went to the World Food Expo
Friday - Going back to the World Food Expo

Plans for the coming days
Saturday - Quality time with my hunnie
Sunday - Meeting with clients getting married on Sept 29, do ocular at "the Mango Farm"
Monday - Go to Manaoag and Baguio with my hunnie

Car insurance


I admit, I'm scared to drive. I can't imagine myself driving side by side with buses or those motorcycles who carelessly cut you as if they own the road. I feel that I would just end up freaking out and getting stuck in the middle of the road and couldn't start the car again. What if the car overheats or I get a flat tire? Worse, what if I get into an accident? I hope nothing bad will happen when I get my hand behind those wheels. Well, it's still gonna take awhile though, but I'll surely be needing a great auto insurance plan!

I'm not really into cars much less be knowledgeable on these insurance plans. But I guess I would need to read up on it since there's no way I'm gonna drive a car without the assurance that my insurance plan has got me covered! Visit the site and get a quote today for all of your insurance needs. Check it out, you'll probably get better car insurance rates!

I really wonder when I'll really get to drive a car. I just hope I'll be filthy rich so I can have my own driver instead and not freak myself from all those driving fears! Oh well. What wishful thinking...

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Superbad

Superbad

Movies to watch

I've been wanting to watch Die Hard and Harry Potter, but I had to choose Ratatouille the last time I got the chance to watch a movie. Well, I didn't get disappointed! I was so entertained watching it. I know it can be a little icky seeing a real rat in the kitchen, but this one's different. You will really be enamored seeing this little rat cook. I hope you get to watch it. A lot of lessons can be learned by all groups of ages. It's not just a movie for the kids, adults would surely enjoy this one too!

good night sleep

good night sleep