Fellow blogger Era handed me the following awards (Thanks, Era!) :
Got this from Nol. It's a pretty long tag so please bear with me. :)
1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).
3. Pick your month of birth.
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you.
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve done it!
My birth month
MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.
The Twelve Months
JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.
FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.
MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.
APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.
MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.
JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.
JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.
AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.
SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.
OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.
NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.
DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.
Feel free to tag yourself! :)
You'll have to excuse my 'negligence' of this blog for some time. I haven't been getting opportunities in the last couple of days and that has somehow decreased my interest in writing. I can't believe all this paid posting has the capacity to give me the drive to write! It used to be just all about feeling creative. But now, things have changed. And that's not exactly a good thing in my book. :(
With a little kid in the house, you never know when medical emergencies are going to happen. I have been longing to buy some home medical supplies to make our own first aid kit but have not really sat down to do it. I am definitely putting that on my to-do list.
I got reminded of this when I stumbled across AllegroMedical.com. They are online retailers of medical equipment and supplies and they offer products in 50 categories and hundreds of sub-categories. I may just check them out because I might find all the stuff that I need for that kit.
Warning: This is a pretty long post so brace yourself!
Everyone has a personality of a cartoon character. Have you ever asked yourself what cartoon character do you most resemble?
A group of investigators got together and analyzed the personalities of well known and modern cartoon characters. The information that was gathered was made into this test.
Answer all the questions (only 10) with what describes you best, add up all your points (which are next to the answer that you choose) at the end and look for your results.
Do not cheat by looking at the end of this post before you are done. Then ask your friends to answer it. (Make sure to Highlight your answers)
1. Which one of the following describes the perfect date?
.a) Candlelight dinner (4 pts.)
.b) Fun/Theme Park (2 pts.)
.c) Painting in the park (5 pts)
.d) Rock concert (1 pt.)
.e) Going to the movies (3 pts.)
2. What is your favorite type of music?
.a) Rock and Roll (2 pts.)
.b) Alternative (1 pt.)
.c) Soft Rock (4 pts.)
.d) Country (5 pts.)
.e) Pop (3 pts.)
3. What type of movies do you prefer?
.a) Comedy (2 pts.)
.b) Horror (1 pt.)
.c) Musical (3 pts.)
.d) Romance (4 pts.)
.e) Documentary (5 pts.)
4.. Which one of these occupations would you choose if you only could choose one of these?
.a) Waiter (4 pts.)
.b) Professional Sports Player (5 pts.)
.c) Teacher (3 pts.)
.d) Police (2 pts.)
.e) Cashier (1 pt)
5 . What do you do with your spare time?
.a) Exercise (5 pts.)
.b) Read (4 pts.)
.c) Watch television (2 pts.)
.d) Listen to music (1 pt.)
.e) Sleep (3 pts.)
6. Which one of the following colors do you like best?
.a) Yellow (1 pt.)
.b) White (5 pts.)
.c) Sky Blue (3 pts.)
.d) Dark Blue (2 pts.)
.e) Red (4 pts.)
7. What do you prefer to eat?
.a) Snow (3 pts.)
.b) Pizza (2 pts.)
.c) Sushi (1 pt.)
.d) Pasta (4 pts.)
.e) Salad (5 pts.)
8 What is your favorite holiday?
.a) Halloween (1 pt.)
.b) Christmas (3 pts.)
.c) New Year (2 pts.)
.d) Valentine’s Day (4 pts.)
.e) Thanksgiving (5 pts.)
9. If you could go to one of these places which one would it be?
.a) Paris (4 pts)
.b) Spain (5 pts)
.c) Las Vegas (1 pt)
.d) Hawaii (4 pts)
.e) Hollywood (3 pts)
10. With which of the following would you prefer to spend time with?
.a) Someone Smart (5 pts.)
.b) Someone attractive (2 pts.)
.c) Someone who likes to Party (1 pt.)
.d) Someone who always has fun (3 pts.)
.e) Someone very sentimental (4 pts.)
Now add up your points and find out the answer you have been waiting for!
Put your character in the subject line and forward to your friends and back to the person that sent this to you.
Very interesting to see ‘who’ your friends are!
(10-16 points) You are Garfield :
You are very comfortable, easy going, and you definitely know how to have fun but sometimes you take it to an extreme. You always know what you are doing and you are always in control of your life. Others may not see things as you do, but that doesn’t mean that you always have to do what is right. Try to remember, your happy spirit may hurt you or others.
(17-23 points) You are Snoopy:
You are fun, you are very cool and popular. You always know what’s in and you are never are out of style You are good at knowing how to satisfy everyone else. You have probably disappeared for a few days more than once but you always come home with the family values that you learned Being married and having children are important to you, but only after you have had your share of fun times.
(24-28 points) You are Elmo:
You have lots of friends and you are also popular, always willing to give advice and help out a person in need. You are very optimistic and you always see the bright side of things. Some good advice: try not to be too much of a dreamer. Dreaming too big could cause many conflicts in your life.
(29-35 points) You are Sponge Bob Square Pants:
You are the classic person that everyone loves. You are the best friend that anyone could ever have and never wants to lose. You never cause harm to anyone and they would never not understand your feelings. Life is a journey, it’s funny and calm for the most part. Stay away from traitors and jealous people, and you will be stress free.
(36-43 points) You are Charlie Brown:
You are tender, you fall in love quickly but you are also very serious about all relationships. You are a family person. You call your Mom every Sunday. You have many friends and may occasionally forget a few birthdays. Don’t let your passion confuse you with reality.
(44-50 points) You are Dexter:
You are smart and definitely a thinker… Every situation is fronted with a plan. You have a brilliant mind. You demonstrate very strong family principles. You maintain a stable routine but never ignore a bad situation when it comes. Try to do less over thinking every once in a while to spice things up a bit with spontaneity!
... but not quite. Yes, the tree is up, all six feet of it. And I've even managed to put on the fairy lights as well while the little girl watched on.
I must admit it was not all that easy. Probably it's because we chose a tall tree to start with. Anyway, all that's left to be done is to hang baubles on its branches. Oh, and let's not forget the pressies that go underneath it. :)
Have you ever considered investing your finances in gold? It seems that is an option nowadays because gold hardly ever depreciates so you are sure that your money is in safe keeping.
To make things more interesting to you, did you know that a gold coin in the US has a $50 face value? That is a lot considering that we are only talking about one coin here.
So if all that trivia has sparked your interest, then you can consult Monex Deposit Company for all your inquiries regarding this type of investment. You can buy gold and other precious metals from them and can have them delivered immediately to your doorstep. Or if you would rather store your precious metals at a safe place, they also arrange that for you.
Geez, I can't believe there is only a month left until Christmas is here. I guess I've been too busy here at home to notice how fast time has flown. And we have no Christmas tree still to speak of! J promised me to help me put it up tonight. Well, we will see about that! It's make or break, I tell you! :P
I hope this cool weather stays on. Christmas is not christmas with the heat! I just can't marry the two things together as I have always associated the low temperatures with the holiday season.
It is my first Christmas here in Oz. I know it's never going to be the same as it is in our beloved Philippines. But this is our life now. We have just got to embrace it.
Last year, we gave my twin sisters a couple of Ipods for their eighteenth birthday. This year, I am considering of getting them a couple of affordable ipod batteries since they use them a lot and are always out of the house. This way, they are sure that their Ipods won't go dead on them as they always have spare batteries to keep them running.
Thank God for opportunities! :) I started the day with no opps and was not so sure I was going to get any but the good Lord continues to bless me! I opened my inbox first and there was my first opp for the day. The rest just followed. :)
I talked about the pressure I felt with all the work that needed to be done. But at the same time, I feel restless when there's nothing to do. Ironic isn't it? :P
With a new baby in the family, I am thinking of upgrading my life insurance premium with my insurance company back home. I will ask our agent to give us some good life insurance quotes so we can go over them and pick out what is best for my family and me. It is another expense that we have to include in our budget but it is all for the best.
Yes, after days with the sweltering heat, the heavens decided to cool us down and brought us wonderful rain last night. Everybody slept well last night because it was cool. It's still drizzling as of this moment which makes it good 'bed' weather. Sadly, I do not have the time to just laze around in bed as there is work to be done. I wish it would also rain on the weekend so we can all sleep in. :)
The little girl's passport finally arrived today. We have been waiting for for weeks. We were supposed to receive it a fortnight ago but only got notice from the post office yesterday. In fact, it was a final notice that was given to us, which is weird because we never really got any note from them. Anyway, I'm glad it's already here. Should there be a need for us to travel overseas, we can now bring Erin with us anytime. :)
It is never easy having to see a loved one's health slowly deteriorate right before your eyes. My maternal grandmother was in the pink of health before she slipped and broke her hip three years ago. Since that unfortunate event, she has been confined to her bed and wheelchair for two years, which sometimes left her no choice but to also wear protective underwear. Her sudden change in lifestyle totally broke her spirit. Eventually she lost all her zest in life and died in her sleep. *sigh* At that time, I was pregnant with Erin and could not come home for her funeral. I miss her a lot, inspite of her quirky ways. She will always be remembered.
I just learned from Jen that Oprah recently aired her Favorite Things show. For all Oprah fans, it is a must-see. You'll just die of envy because each guest gets to go home with everything that Oprah features on that show. From camcorders to refrigerators, geez, your shopping's done with all of that new stuff. I wonder when I'll have the chance to guest on that show. *wishful thinking*
Recently, Rene Saguisag's wife was laid to rest. She died in a very tragic car accident some weeks ago. Mr. Saguisag though remains to be in the hospital, recovering from massive injuries he got from the said accident. He never got the chance to attend his wife's funeral.
*sigh* It's stories like this that make you want to hug your loved ones right this instant. You never know when you're going to go and how it's going to be. It pays to be always prepared though financially and get yourself whole life insurance. This will somehow lessen the load at a time like this.
The impending trip to the Philippines has got me thinking that we might need to shop for additional luggage sets for the three of us. Sure, we've got a couple of luggages here but with Erin coming with us, I don't think our current set is enough to hold all of her things. This is another thing to jot down on our wishlist for the coming year.
I am nearing my 100th post now. All this hardwork on paid posting sure is paying off. Well, it should be! :)
Anyway, I'd like to share something I stumbled across while surfing the net. Have fun reading! :)
38 Reasons Why It's Great To Be A Woman
1. Free drinks.
2. Free dinners.
3. Free movies (you get the point).
4. You can hug your friend without wondering if she thinks you're gay.
5. You can hug your friend without wondering if YOU'RE gay.
6. You know The Truth about whether size matters.
7. Speeding ticket? What's that?
8. New lipstick gives you a whole new lease on life.
9. You never had to walk down the hall with your binder strategically positioned in high school.
10. If you have sex with someone and don't call them the next day, you're not the devil.
11. Condoms make no significant difference in your enjoyment of sex.
12. If you have to be home in time for Melrose Place, you can say so, out loud.
13. It's possible to live your whole life without ever taking a group shower.
14. Brad Pitt.
15. You don't have to fart to amuse yourself.
16. If you cheat on your spouse, people assume it's because you're being emotionally neglected.
17. You'll never have to decide where to hide your nose-hair clipper.
18. No one passes out when you take off your shoes.
19. If you forget to shave, no one has to know.
20. You can congratulate your teammate without ever touching her butt.
21. If you have a zit, you can conceal it.
22. You never have to reach down every so often to make sure your privates are still there.
23. If you're dumb, some people will find it cute.
24. You don't have to memorize Caddyshack or Fletch to fit in.
25. You have the ability to dress yourself.
26. You have an excuse to be a total bitch at least once a month.
27. You can talk to people of the opposite sex without having to picture them naked.
28. If you're wearing cologne, you don't have to pretend it's aftershave.
29. You'll probably never see someone you know while peeing in an alley.
30. You'll never have to punch a hole through anything with your fist.
31. You can quickly end any fight by crying.
32. There are times when chocolate really Can solve all your problems.
33. You've never had a goatee.
34. Gay waiters don't make you uncomfortable.
35. You'll never regret piercing your ears.
36. You can fully assess a person just by looking at their shoes.
37. You don't have hair on your back.
38. You know which glass was yours by the lipstick mark.
If you are one of those desperately trying to lose weight, you must have explored all your possible options in saying goodbye to those excess pounds and must have stumbled into a few supplements such as hydroxycut.
Well, from what I know there really is no shortcut to getting that ideal body weight. It takes a lot of hard work and will power in order for you to reach your goal. And when you do, you will feel proud of yourself and you have the body to prove it. :)
Just when you thought you weren't going to get any opps for the day, a ray of hope shines on you out of nowhere. That's right. I am keeping the faith and being positive about it. I honestly thought I was already done for the day but when I checked one of my paid posting accounts, there it was -- 5 shining opps staring me in the face! Yipee! Alright, time to get busy! :D
By now, my old classmates are probably planning out for their trip to Florida next year when they attend our college reunion. Since they will be coming in in batches, I think it is more economical for them to rent a vacation home Orlando than to book individually for a hotel room. This way, they can save up on accomodation expenses as this is definitely going to come out cheaper.
It’s Tuesday and it’s time to draw up my list.
1. Erin Chloe - Our miracle baby. Even with my suspected endometriosis, we were still able to conceive a beautiful little baby the natural way. She’s our gift from heaven.
2. J - My DH. He is my rock. Motherhood has not been an easy road for me but J has always been supportive and comforting during times when I needed him the most. He too is heaven-sent!
3. Good friends - You know who you are! I am grateful for all the wonderful friendships I have with these people.
4. Loving families - includes my own and my in-laws. I feel blessed to be part of them.
5. Having enough income to be able to afford the comforts in life - We can eat at least 3 meals a day and have a roof over our head. Not all people are that lucky.
6. Being healthy - We don’t have any major illnesses that are life-threatening or are terminal so thank God for that.
7. Books - They are my escape. I was able to pick up from where I left off (before I gave birth to Erin).
8. My parents could afford to send me to school so that I could earn a degree.
9. The internet - Whoever invented it was a genius, which leads me to the next thing on my list…
10. Paid posting - The extra income is a big help, especially for those stuck at home with lots of unlimited internet access.
Alright, time to count your blessings!
We may be starting our own little company soon and we may seek the services of a executive recruiting firm to help us find some deserving employees to fill in the positions that we may be opening up if this new business venture of ours takes off.
A.E. Feldman Associates, Inc. has had a good reputation in the recruiting field for the past forty years so we might just avail of their services. They can help fill in positions in different levels of management and they also provide human resources consulting, which we will really need because we do not have any knowledge as far as this field is concerned. I am glad we now have options like these to look into should the need arise.
*sigh* All this paid posting can be stressing at times. Don’t get me wrong okay because I am not really complaining. I just hate it sometimes because I buckle under pressure and I get all frantic that I do not know which ones to attend to first. I end up doing nothing, just staring blankly in front of the PC monitor.
I reckon the only solution is NOT to subject myself to so much stress. I guess I feel like opportunities would be wasted if I let them all pass me by. But it can’t be all about the money eh? Time for me to recheck on those priorities.
While accessing Erin’s friendster account, I just realized that we have only 3 months left before the little girl turns a year old. I cannot believe how time has flown so fast! This is another wake-up call for me to start planning for her first birthday party.
We might just go for a birthday party at McDonald’s but with the tons of friends (not Erin’s) to invite, I don’t think we’ll be able to fit in one small room. Renting a hall is an option, much like the one we did for her baptism. But J does not want to clean up afterwards (Yes, the renters clean the place up unfortunately). Plus, we’d need to cook up another storm again. I would want to spare us from all that hassle too.
We’re still stumped. I hope we can decide on something soon so we can book the venue after the holidays. We would want her first party to be very memorable for both our family and everyone else.
I just hate it when there are so many things to do and I only have little time. The pressure is driving me insane. In fact, I am so frantic, I do not know anymore which task to finish or tend to first. Yes, it's obvious that I only need to prioritize everything. I just don't have any idea where to start. Maybe I am just procrastinating. :P
As I was mentioning earlier, my friend and I could go into business one of these days. Since setting up an online store is one our aims, we would probably need consumer lists to increase our chances of getting more customers to the site. Getting the word out through mailing lists and such would be a surefire way to reaching out to potential customers for your business.
At Martin Worldwide, they can provide you with the list that you need. They boast of a rather large database of over 290 million consumers so you are sure to have success in your direct marketing efforts. They have been in the business of database acquisition for a decade now so you are guaranteed results.
With the rise in the aging population in recent years, it is no wonder there has also been an increase in the number of nursing homes. I guess for most people in the western world, the senior members of their family are bound to end up in a care home. It is not an unusual practice anymore.
Consequently, there has also been an increase in demand for healthcare workers in this type of setting. Had I fulfilled my family's dream of me working in the States, I too would have been working for a skilled nursing facility. Most of my colleagues are working in this setting as well.
The downside though for this huge migration of health workers to the West is the brain drain in our country. Based on my observations, there are so many job openings these days for therapists in the Philippines. But with many of us migrating overseas, there are only a handful left to fill the said positions. I guess you cannot have everything.
The heat down here has become quite unbearable at times. It looks like summer is slowly kicking in. We are more concerned of Erin because she gets really irritated and fussy when it gets too hot in the afternoons. Poor baby!
To solution the problem, we drove down to the mall yesterday to purchase another cooler for the house. It's pretty compact and even has a remote control. We're test running it now and so far, it has managed to keep ourselves cool and comfortable. I reckon the bigger challenge would be to test it at the height of summer. It's a good thing it has a one year warranty so just in case, it breaks down on us, we can easily have it replaced. :)
1. Are there any babies in your family or circle of friends?
Yes, apart from Erin, there’s Pablo (her first cousin) and Talia (my friend Lam’s little girl).
2. Are you one of those people who use a high-pitched, sing-song voice when talking to babies and small children?
Actually, I sometimes do. Maybe not so high-pitched, but the sing-song voice yes.
3. If you were standing in line next to a *very* pregnant stranger at the bank or grocery store, what would you say to her?
I’d say nothing. Generally, I am not one to start conversations with strangers.
4. Similarly, what do you say or do near babies in public?
Still nothing. But I have this bad habit though of staring. Haha! If I do find the babies adorable, I’d just say something to J about the baby in Filipino so the parents don’t know that I am talking about them.
5. When walking through a department store, are you the sort of person who can go by the baby clothes without even a glance or do you have to stop to ooh and ahh?
These days, it’s a must for me to drop by the children’s section of a store. I almost always end up buying something for Erin.
We all know the benefits of having your own credit card. But if you are stuck with something that applies very high interest rates on your balance, you might want to do a Credit Card Balance Transfer to a different one which can offer you lower interest rates.
You can explore all your possible options at CreditCardSearchEngine.com because they give you online credit card comparison at a click of a button. You can also choose from a number of leading credit card issuers in the U.S. Once you have found the credit card that you like, you can also submit your application for this on their site. It is a one-stop shop for credit card users.
We were unsuccessful yesterday at trying to shop for christmas decors because we ran out of time. Also, I have still not decided on a color scheme. J insists that it should be colorful but I'm not so keen about that. I might end up with two tones though. Today, we're going back to the mall and I am going to do whatever it takes to bring home some decors. Wish me luck!
1) What’s the brand of your wristwatch? I hardly wear one these days. But if I had to, it's the Citizen watch my mom gave me in 1995.
2) What’s the brand of your bracelet? Don’t wear one
3) What’s the brand of your cell phone? Nokia
4) What’s the brand of your computer? J had it assembled so there's really not one brand. Our LCD monitor is by BenQ, our printer from HP and our webcam by Logitech.
5) What’s the brand of your bags? Marithe Francois Girbaud
6) What’s the brand of your undies? Some local ones from the Philippines. Others by Triumph, Target. I can't remember the rest!
7) What’s the brand of your flip-flops? Freeway
8) What’s the brand of your shoes? Nike, Celine
9) What’s the brand of your wallet? MFG, Something by Rusty Lopez
10) What’s the brand of your shirts? Bench, GAP, Penshoppe, Pink Soda, Miss Shop
11) What’s the brand of your TV? Samsung, Telefunken
12) What’s the brand of your cars? Toyota
13) What’s the brand of your mp3 player? Don't have one :P
14) What’s the brand of your make up? Covergirl, Maybelline and Chapstick
15) What’s the brand of your shampoo and conditioner? Dove
16) What’s the brand of your jeans? Bench, Penshoppe
17) What’s the brand of your laundry soap? Earth and Napisan for Babies
Alright, your turn! :)
I still have to decorate our home for the holidays. We have the tree already, yes, but it has still yet to be assembled by no less than me. J and I are planning to do some serious decor shopping this afternoon. On our list are dozens of baubles, meters of clear fairy lights and probably some cute christmas elves as well for Erin. I'm hoping to put it all together tomorrow. I promise to post some pictures soon.
Appetizer
What was your first “real” job?
My first real job was a summer job my brother R and I had back in the early 90's. We worked in our mom's repacking business doing admin stuff and also doing quality control work. We also stickered some labels. We were paid piece rate. I think I managed to earn Php 3,000 net. :)
Soup
Where would you go if you wanted to spark your creativity?
I usually read up on current events or surf the net. Sometimes just having time alone jumpstarts the thinking process.
Salad
Complete this sentence: I am embarrassed when…
... my mom recalls stupid things I did when I was younger. I'd hate it especially if she told other people about it when I'm around. :(
Main Course
What values did your parents instill in you?
Respect authority or your elders and to always have some pride in yourself. Never be a doormat to anyone.
Dessert
Name 3 fads from your teenage years.
1) Remember Aquanet? Yup, I had made mountains out of molehills of my bangs. :P
2) Hgh-cut rubber shoes. Brands like Reebok and L.A. Gear were very famous for it.
3) Slumbooks or autograph books. Everyone in my class seemed to have one. It got passed around so everyone got to sign it.
Car enthusiasts will surely get a kick out of this. If you are the owner of a Dodge Charger, jazzing it up with some Dodge Charger accessories will surely make it the envy of other hobbyists. My brother R will definitely go ga-ga when he sees this massive assortment of add-ons. He is a car enthusiast himself so keeping his car all pimped up is a necessity for him.
Woohoo! It turns out my last paid post was actually my 100th paid post for this blog alone. I cannot imagine I have already written such a large amount of articles. It's all about the money I reckon that's been motivating me. Well, I am almost there. Two-thirds of the way to be exact. It won't be long now. Laptop, you will soon be mine! Hahaha! ;)
Have you heard the recent news about this pre-teen girl who committed suicide because of extreme poverty? *sigh* J told me about it last night as we were about to settle in bed. My heart broke again into a million little pieces, especially when I knew that beneath her hanged body was found a letter that she was writing for the show "Wish Ko Lang." According to the news, her parents parents have no permanent work and are reportedly earning P200 a week or P40 a day.
To take one's life is such an adult ting to do. But what would trigger a young, innocent girl to go down that path? It is times like this that I feel truly blessed for all that we have. The sad reality is, not all people are lucky to afford to go to school, to buy the things that they want, or even to eat 3 basic meals in a day. *sigh*
To point fingers or not, that is the question. I'd rather they do something to remedy the poverty situation in the Philippines fast before another similar incident takes place.
Related link:
Gov't takes responsibility for girl's suicide
Who has not drooled over a plasma TV? I personally am considering of getting one because not only is it a lovely piece of equipment but it is also a space saver. We can put attach it to one of our walls and we can use the extra space for something else. Believe me, we need all the space that we can get!
When the little girl starts to walk and roam around the house to touch things, installing sony tv wall brackets will help us keep her away from tinkering with the buttons. We all know how expensive those TV sets are and we just can't afford to just let Erin have her way and play with it as if it were one of her toys.
The tilting kind is rather cool because you can watch your favorite show or video from any angle, whether you're lying on the floor or lounging on the couch. You are sure to get the perfect view from your TV screen.
Okidoki, enough drooling. I am going back to work. :)
Can you believe it? This is my three hundred and first post. Yes, mega-poster that I am, it is something that is inevitable. And since we are on the topic of numbers, this also happens to be my seventieth post for November alone. We are only almost two weeks into November and I have almost reached the total number of posts I made last month. I reckon I am going to reach the 100th post mark by the end of this month. Maybe it'll be more. Talk about being a workaholic. How about blogaholic? :P
Everybody knows how terribly difficult it is to plan for a wedding because there are so much details to attend to. Of course, you always want your wedding to be very memorable and special. Making it stress-free and well-organized as much as possible is of utmost importance.
I remember when we were planning for our wedding in the Philippines, I enlisted with a Wedding Website that offered free, interactive planning tools which definitely helped me a lot in organizing most of our wedding details. In this day and age, we are lucky to have these kinds of sites on the internet to make our life less complicated and stress-free.
Over the weekend, my sisters posted some pictures of their recent trip to Cebu. They seemed to have lots of fun. I so envy them!
Anyway, I came across a picture of our maternal grandfather. Up to this day, I am still surprised at how young he still looks. Here's a picture of him. Can you guess what his age is?
He is actually eighty-seven years old. So, did you guess it right? I hope we all inherit his genes. ;)
You'd have to forgive me for not updating this blog over the past weekend. It was a hell-ish past couple of days because we had to entertain some friends of ours. J had to clean up the house just before the guests arrived and I had to whip up something in the kitchen for dinner. Even the little girl was pooped out by the time our friends left. I just gave her a bottle of formula and she drifted into sleep after downing every single drop.
Not only that. I got my period and my hormones have been successful at making me an emotional wreck. I was sooo uninspired to write, or to do actually anything productive for that matter.
But today is a new day! I have the PC all to myself once again and I can go back to blogging to my heart's delight. I also need to make up for all that lost time. Anyway, hope you guys have a good week ahead. :)
Appetizer
Which snack do you like to get when you go to the movies?
Of course, the classic popcorn, with matching soda please! Chips/nachos are also an option. :)
Soup
What year did you start using the internet?
1998. It was when my dad set up an internet cafe business back in the Philippines.
Salad
What is your first name in Pig Latin? (Here’s how to speak it if you don’t already know!)
It's Eahlay. :)
Main Course
Name something you are picky about.
I can sometimes be a picky eater. I can be moody about it and eat only what I crave at the moment. I'm picky about clothes and shoes too. I'm not a fashionista because I alwauys want to go with what's safe to wear. :P
Dessert
Fill in the blanks: I ____ ____ yesterday and I ____ ____ today.
I grabbed so many opportunities yesterday and I am hoping to get even more today. ;)
God knows that Europe is one of my dream destinations. Its rich history is what draws me to it. One of my favorite places that I would love to see is France. I have a few relatives residing there so it would be a nice country to visit. Maybe we can stay at their home for a few days or if not, we can book ourselves at one of those france hotels where it is near the tourist attractions like the Louvre, the famous eiffel tower and the wineries.
We may specifically stay at one of those paris hotels because that is probably where most of the must-see sites to go. Maybe we can watch a Moulin Rouge show or hop on a cruise on the River Seine. Of course, Versailles is not to be missed!
We could also hop to another place and stay at one of those nice hotels. I am not very familiar with Nice but from what I've read, it is found on the southeastern part of France and is the capital of the Riviera. The Musée Matisse, Musée Chagall, and the Promenade des Anglais are recommended tourist destinations.
No doubt, there is so much to see in France. I hope one day, we can visit it in person and not only in our dreams. :)
Not much opportunities today. In fact, I thought I wasn't going to get any. Fortunately I logged into Blogsvertise (which I don't often do) and voila! There was grab bag waiting for me. Thank goodness! I hope more opps will be given out later in the day. I am not used anymore to not writing anything! Besides, I need the cash to save up for something really important. *crossing my fingers*
With all the unhealthy food and lifestyle that most people live in nowadays, it is no wonder that more and more people are getting more obese. Last month, the American Physical Therapy Association celebrated National PT month, focusing on the US' obesity epidemic.
The key to weight loss is to engage oneself in a regular exercise program. But for the morbidly obese, they might also want to undergo a Tampa Lap band procedure, where a gastric band is placed on the upper part of their stomach to create a small stomach pouch. This bypasses the middle part of the stomach and allows food to go directly to lower end, thereby creating a feeling of fullness even if only a small amount of food was taken in. Recovery is fast as this only a keyhole type of surgery. Weight loss is fast and guaranteed. But experts suggest that it should be coupled with proper diet and exercise.
Have you got $25,000 to spare? Well, you might want to splurge it on this.
It's called the "Frrozen Haute Chocolate," which is a blend of 28 cocoas, including 14 of the most expensive and exotic from around the world.
The dessert, spelled with two Rs, is infused with 5 grams of edible 23-karat gold and served in a goblet lined with edible gold. At the base of the goblet is an 18-karat gold bracelet with 1 carat of white diamonds.
The sundae is topped with whipped cream covered with more gold and a side of La Madeline au Truffle from Knipschildt Chocolatier, which sells for $2,600 a pound.
It is eaten with a gold spoon decorated with white and chocolate-colored diamonds, which can also be taken home.
Here's a funny video clip of Anita Renfroe singing to the tune of the William Tell Overture dedicated to all the hardworking mommies in the world. Listen carefully to the lyrics of the song. I'm sure all the mothers out there can relate to this. :)
With the rise in the world's aging population these days, it is no wonder that there is also a resulting high demand for nursing homes specially in western countries. An example of this is our cousin P who has recently decided to convert her own home into a care home. The demand for such must be so high as she saw this need to set up one herself.
Had I proceeded with my plans of working in the US, I, too, would have worked in the same setting as my aunt could help me get a position in the company she worked for. This big demand has encouraged most incoming college students to take up nursing as well to meet the requirements needed in the healthcare industry. It just goes to show that less and less people in the western world are having kids of their own because the seniors now outnumber the youngsters. At some point, it is a good thing because it creates jobs in healthcare. On the other hand, when all the elderly go to finally rest in peace, will the young ones be able to fill that void that the seniors left? Let's have good think about this.
There's been a lot of toy recalls this year. It started with the ones produced by toy giants Mattel and Fisher-Price because of the toxic lead content in the paint that they used for these items. Recently, the Bindeez toy range joined in the ranks. Apparently, the small beads contained a chemical which converts into an illegal fantasy drug when swallowed. So far, three children have already been hospitalised as a result (Source: SMH).
What's happening? When I was a kid, I don't believe there were any similar horror stories concerning children's toys. Maybe it is because kids then tended to go out and play more with their peers. Today, play is such a complex thing, with the gazillions of toys to choose from including computer games. Sometimes, it's best to just stick with the basics.
I am still wishing that I could hop on a plane and attend our college reunion in Florida next year. The States would be an interesting place to visit, as I have never been there yet. More so Florida because of all the wonderful beaches they got there. I am sure we are going to book ourselves a room at one of those orlando hotels, where most of the attractions are nearby.
At Orlando.com, you'll find a comprehensive list of the hotels, car rentals and flights that will come in handy especially if you are planning to go on a holiday in Florida. You can find everything you need on their site with just a click on your mouse. All you need to do really is show up and have an awesome time, which I sure will if I had the luxury of attending the reunion.
J and I got overly excited about coming up with a new blog for us to put up. In our eagerness, we went to our host to reserve the URL and pay for one year hosting without batting an eyelash. After a few minutes, we realized we could just do this on a subdomain of our main website. Ha! Talk about being impulsive! So that's what we eventually did - create a subdomain for no extra charge at. And now J has to write the hosting company to ask for a refund. He says it won't be problem. We'll see about that. :P
Each day, I check out what my level is in the TTLB ecosystem. It is a good indicator of the amount of traffic that is driven to your site daily. On days when I am inactive in posting, you'll find that I can just be a multicellular organism. On good days, I have been a crunchy crustacean. But the best living thing I have been so far was to be a crawly amphibian. And that was yesterday.
Yes, I am slowly evolving to a higher form of organism. Today though, I sunk back to being a flippery fish. I wonder what tomorrow holds for me. How about you? What's your level on the TTLB Ecosystem?
In my search to provide some pieces of evidence for my permanent residency application, we uncovered a couple of pictures of Erin which were taken by our niece C. We haven't seen these photos before so they were a pleasant surprise when we got hold of them recently.
If you are a busy stay-at-home parent (like me) or a full-time employee at the office (like J), but would still want to earn a degree then worry no more. The online courses at capella university are worth looking into. They have a wide variety of course areas to choose from and these are offered in fifty states and fifty-six countries.
Heck, I would because I haven't really worked for two years now and I feel I need to catch up on a lot of things, especially since I belong to the healthcare industry. With the scientific and technological advances now, brushing up on new methods and treatments for our patients is needed. But with Erin around and still too dependent on me, it would have to take a backseat for the moment.
1. What food did you crave when you were pregnant?
Actually, I did not crave for anything during the first trimester because I had morning & afternoon sickness. My appetite went back to normal in the second trimester. I was craving for Filipino food. Lucky for me, we were spending Christmas that year in the Philippines.
2. Did you gain a lot of weight when you were pregnant?
All in all I gained 20 kilos. The weight was all in my belly and breasts.
3. Did you drink milk when you were pregnant?
Yes, and I still do. I drink non/low-fat so that I don't put on extra weight.
4. How long did you stay in the labor room before your delivery?
Not too long. We got to the delivery suite at 1 AM. I delivered Erin at 3:23 AM.
5. Did you have epidural during labor?
Nope! Everything went by so fast I did not have time to ask for it. :P
6. How did you give birth?
The normal way. Fortunately, there were no complications. Erin was very cooperative because she was in the optimal fetal position so she came out easily. It was just a matter of knowing for me how to correctly push her out.
7. What was your first reaction when you heard your baby’s cry and saw him/her for the first time?
I didn't cry! It all felt so surreal to me. One thing I knew though was that I wanted to hold her in my arms instantly. :)
8. Prior to that moment when you first held your baby, did you know how to carry a newborn?
Yes. I was able to take care of three of my four younger siblings so it was not something new to me.
9. Did you take a bath after your delivery?
Yes! I was done with all the stitching at around 5:30 and the midwife told me to get up and take a shower because I had to vacate the room at 6. Talk about speed! :P J had to help me out because I could hardly stand up then.
10. How was your first night with your baby like?
It was a sleepless night for J and I! Erin was roomed in with us soon after the delivery. She kept us awake the entire time. She was hungry because I was not yet producing any breastmilk then.
11. Did you breastfeed your baby?
Yes, even though I was not producing milk at first. I am still breastfeeding Erin up to this moment. She will be eight months old on the 18th.
12. If you were to pick just one moment from the time you gave birth until the moment you were discharged from the hospital, which do you think is the most special moment for you?
For me, it was when I saw her come out and cry for the first time. Then I was able to hold her in my arms. It was very memorable!
If you're a mommy too, you can tag yourself as well. :)
That's it. All my creative juices have run out. I have nothing more to give as far as paid posting is concerned. Besides, the little girl is starting to get cranky, which gets me cranky too by the way . I need to entertain her until her father gets home. At least now, I am assured of the fact that I will have work to do tomorrow. I was just able to grab a few opps only a few minutes ago. What luck! :) Alright, I'm signing out!
Owning a flat screen television these days is such a common thing that every household seems to have one. That is excluding us. We have not joined the LCD TV bandwagon yet as all our sets are in good working condition. But, don't get us wrong. It definitely is on our wishlist as it is such a fine appliance if you ask me! :)
There are lots of brands to choose from like the sharp HDTV that our relative has. I imagine we will have a very difficult time deciding which one to purchase if we ever come to that point. But there is Krillion.com to help us out with that dilemma. I am sure it will make the decision-making easier than expected because their site can recommend products that will suit our needs.
Here's a little passage that was forwarded to me via email. It is written in Filipino and it talks about life in the States (or anywhere overseas for that matter). I'm pretty sure it will pull on your heartstrings. If you beg to differ, then please leave a comment for this post. We'd love to hear your take on this. :)
BUHAY AMERIKA
Akala ng mga tao na nasa Pilipinas kapag nasa America ka...
Akala nila madami ka ng pera. Ang totoo, madami kang utang, dahil credit card lahat ang gamit mo sa pagbili mo ng mga gamit mo. Kailangan mo gumamit ng credit card para magka-credit history ka, kase pag hindi ka umutang o wala kang utang, hindi ka pagkakatiwalaan ng mga kano. Pag wala kang credit card, ibig sabihin wala kang kapasidad magbayad.
Akala nila mayaman ka na kase may kotse ka na. Ang totoo, kapag hindi ka bumili ng kotse sa America maglalakad ka ng milya-milya sa ilalim ng init ng araw o kaya sa snow. Walang jeepney, tricycle o padyak sa America.
Akala nila masarap ang buhay dito sa America. Ang totoo, puro ka trabaho kase pag di ka nagtrabaho, wala kang pangbayad ng bills mo kotse, credit card, ilaw, tubig, insurance, bahay at iba pa. Hindi ka na pwedeng tumambay sa kapitbahay kase busy din sila maghanap buhay pangbayad ng bills nila.
Akala nila masaya ka kase nagpadala ka ng picture mo sa Disney, Seaworld, Six Flags, Universal Studios at iba pang attractions. Ang totoo, kailangan mo ngumiti kase nagbayad ka ng $70+ para makarating ka dun, kailangan mo namnamin ang 10 hours na sweldo mong pinangbayad sa tiket.
Akala nila malaki na ang kinikita mo kase dolyar na sweldo mo. Ang totoo, malaki pagpinalit mo ng peso, pero dolyar din ang gastos mo sa America. Ibig sabihin ang dolyar mong kinita sa pres ong dolyar mo din gagastusin. Ang P15.00 na sardinas sa Pilipinas $1.00 sa America, ang isang pakete ng sigarilyo sa pilipinas P40.00, sa America $5.00, ang upa mo sa bahay na P10,000 sa pilipinas, sa America $1,000.
Akala nila buhay milyonaryo ka na kase ang ganda ng bahay at kotse mo. Ang totoo milyon ang utang mo. Ang bago mong kotse 5 taon mong huhulugan. Ang bahay 30 taon mong huhulugan. Ibig sabihin, alipin ka ng bahay at kotse mo.
Madaming naghahangad na makarating sa America. Lalo na mga nurses, mahirap maging normal na manggagawa sa Pilipinas. Madalas pagod ka sa trabaho. Pag dating ng sweldo mo, kulang pa sa pagkain mo. Pero ganun din sa ibang bansa katulad ng America. Hindi ibig sabihin dolyar na ang sweldo mo, yayaman ka na, kailangan mo ding magbanat ng buto para magsurvive ka sa ibang bansa. Isang malaking sakripisyo ang pag-alis mo sa bansang pinagsilangan at malungkot iwanan ang mga mahal mo sa buhay. Hindi pinupulot ang pera dito. Hindi ako naninira ng pangarap, gusto ko lang buksan ang bintana ng katotohanan.
~Anonymous
That's it! I give up. MC is just too much and he does not know when to stop!
I do not think the script I've installed on AngTherapist is enough anymore to prevent him from copying the articles in full without crediting us as his source. The script does disable right-clicks and highlighting but MC has been still successful in his attempts. I am at wits end to be honest. I wish I can just meet him in person and slap him in the face or say something utterly witty in the egroup so that he could be put to shame. But I do not want to stoop to his level. He is beyond disgusting! Gosh, he does not even deserve the time of day. :(
Let us face it. Not all of us has a big savings account to fall back on. Every now and then, we get to spend on a few things that are not really part of our monthly budget. Sometimes, we get these unexpected expenses that we often find ourselves scratching our heads especially if we are short on cash. In these cases, usually we do not know where to get the extra money to cover the little pitfall.
Well, fear no more. In situations like these where you have got nobody you know who can spare you some extra dollars, there is a thing such as Faxless Payday Loans which is an option that we can run to. You can borrow anywhere from $100 to $1500. Why faxless? It is because you can now apply for those short-term loans online and once approved by a lender, they can wire the money to you through direct deposit to your personal bank account. It is as easy as that!
Remember some posts ago how I was complaining of the heat? Well, nowadays, I just might have to take that back. The past few days it has been raining and pretty cold that it seems like we are back to being in the winter season again. The strong winds and chilly nights are back. I suppose it partly explains the semi-lazy mood I'm in. I thought I was not going to see my sweatshirts and winter woolies anymore but I stand corrected! :(
Yesterday, being Melbourne Cup and all, was a holiday so J did not have to report to work. We did not go out and just stayed in for the entire day.
Notice that I only got to write one paid post. Well, after all the rush and madness last week, looks like the dust has settled and it's been pretty ho-hum yesterday. Besides I wasn't feeling creative so even if there were a few opps out there, I just wasn't keen about working yesterday. I don't think you can call it laziness because I managed to vacuum the entire house and cook lunch and dinner. I guess I just was not into it.
Today is a new day though. There are new (and more interesting opps) to write about too. Now that J's back in the office, I can hog the computer all to myself. Hehe! :P Alright, back to work for me!
Can you believe I am on my 41st post for this month and it is only the 5th day of November? Wow, that's an average of 8 posts per day! The paid posting business sure is keeping this blog busy. :)
I hope those opportunities just keep pouring in. I definitely don't want to be left idle especially at this time of the year. What's more, I am almost halfway towards my goal of purchasing a brand new laptop. I have already set my sights on it and I am very much determined of making it a reality. After all, at the rate I'm going, it doesn't seem such a far off goal. :)
As I have said before, I am no gambler. Nothing in the world can make me one because I honestly feel like I am just burning away my money. But, for those of you who are hooked on it and you love playing those games on the web, then reading online casino reviews is just the perfect way of maximizing your chances of winning in these kinds of games..
Everybody else who is into the same type of games has given their opinion on which websites are the must-see places on the internet so it is worth checking out if you want to be more successful in winning more cash. Online casinos have been ranked based on the following factors: game experience, trust score and bonuses offered by each casino. The player in you will surely be able to get the best experience he can from all these information provided by the online review.
Got this naman from Jean. I know Halloween's over but this proved to be a really fun meme. I just had to post it! :)
You Are a Witch (or Warlock) |
 You are deviously brilliant and a perfect manipulator. You somehow always end up getting what you want - without anyone knowing you're working behind the scenes. Crafty and cunning, you can work your way out of any jam. And it's easy for you to get people to do what you want, whether you're working for good or evil. Your greatest power: Mind control Your greatest weakness: Making people your puppets You play well with: Ghosts |
God knows I am such a sucker for freebies and discounts. So it is no wonder that I am a member of several loyalty programs. I'm sure I am not the only one.
Now, if you are thinking of going into business, it is a good idea to have also the same type of programs to gain the loyalty of your customers. Online marketing services company webloyalty can do that for you. It is great because they generate revenues for their clients by rewarding their customers who buy from them on a regular basis.
It really is something worth looking into because it is a company that has a good track record and has over 2 million subscribers to this date.
Ever since Tarisai Vushe's been voted off Idol, things have been really quite blah on the show. After being called "fake" on live TV, I, too, would have probably been as pissed as Tarisai was in the clip below.
With the Christmas season approaching, J and I are setting our eyes on a few items sold on online shops in the US. As most of these stores do not ship internationally, we are availing the services of VPostAsia. I was a tad worried that the stores will not approve of our purchases because of the different information we had to give. But fortunately enough, all have been approved to be shipped to our US address that VPostAsia has provided us.
Now, it's VpostAsia's turn to prove itself. If all goes well and the shipping cost is just right, then they might win our loyalty. Otherwise, J and I will have to look into another similar forwarder for these types of situations.
My younger brother D is a college senior at the moment and will be graduating next year in April. He is really quite athletic even though he has asthma. His love for sports, especially for basketball, must be so great because he makes it a point to play with his friends inspite of the fact that it could actually trigger an attack.
Anyway, speaking of sports and D, J and I are still trying to brainstorm ideas on what to give him for his graduation and birthday as both occasions fall on the same month. Since D is a basketball fanatic, it's no doubt he will absolutely go ga-ga if I had him a couple of Miami Heat tickets. Probably seats to see a cool rock concert would be good idea also because he loves music too. Well, whatever it is, I'm sure we'll think of something.
Nothing much really except I already received my police check certificate from the AFP last week. Other than that I still have gazillions of certified copies of documents that will support my application. There is also a form that J and I have to fill up. But it's the essay type so I'm not so keen about that just yet. Right now, we're rounding up photos from our friends here in which J and I are seen together in social functions. It's also considered as a form of evidence of our relationship.
Yeesh, I really hate paperwork. But I got to start getting all those documents organized soon because we have only a month left before the due date of submission. The sooner we get it done, the better!
At the party we went to yesterday, the kids were playing Nintendo Wii Sports, which got J quite interested. I was surprised because he is not really into computer games, unlike me. But I think what sparked his interest in this console was the game itself. You had to simulate the actions needed to score in boxing, tennis, golf, bowling and baseball, which in a way really get your muscles working. He even tried it out himself! That was how much interested he was. :)
It looks like that's going down on our wishlist. Got to save up for it though. :P
Not us but our cousin P (from J's side of the family). She has recently gone into the business of nursing homes and has even converted her own house into one. Eventually, when her number of clients increases, she will have to move out and purchase a new one for her own.
We suggested to her to check out the units at W South Beach Condo. The warm weather in South Florida is great and the view is totally awesome as the condominiums are located in front of the beach. Plus, there are lots of other attractions and must-go places around the area. It really is a good investment, if you ask me.
I hope she looks into our suggestion because I am quite certain she will not have any regrets should she choose to purchase some property there.
We went to attend the 12th birthday celebration of the daughter of one of our good family friends here. I thought it was one of the best opportunities of dressing up the little girl so we let her slip into one of the dresses that her grandparents from Florida sent her a month ago. Here's Erin trying to sit up all by her lone self.
As usual, she was the center of attraction at the party because she looked so adorable in her new dress. And for once, she was back to her old self and did not cry unlike in recent occasions. She got passed around quite a lot but did not cry one single tear. We are so proud of her! :)
Yeesh, I just took some pictures of ourselves and unfortunately, I forgot to sit up straight to hide my tummy bulge. The bulge looked really huge in the photo! It was so big I could see my belly button depression.
I really should watch what I eat now. I am not as young as I used to be and my metabolism obviously is not as fast as it was before. And we have proof of that! I don't think I'll be sharing that hideous picture to relatives and friends. It's too bad though because other than that ugly feature, it was a good photo of the three of us. Tough luck!
I wonder what they are planning for the reunion. They will probably come up with a programme of some sort to keep things interesting. It is just so unfortunate that I cannot join them.
Had I had the chance to attend it, I would surely be scouring the net for Orlando Hotel Discounts so that I can save up on accomodations and allocate more for shopping and food expenses. Picking out the right hotel when you are on vacation is key because you also need to relax and feel comfortable in your hotel room to make your stay more enjoyable.
From what I know, there are lots of places to go around in Florida. Plus we have got a number of relatives and friends also based there who we can visit. I think it will be a must-see destination.
Yesterday, the Asian Grocery in Hyperdome officially opened. We were there to check it out for ourselves. And man, was it packed! There were obviously lots of curious potential shoppers inside but only a few could be seen checking out at the counter. There wasn't even a line to speak of! Haha!
Anyway, I almost managed to control myself. Almost I say because I was honestly going gaga over the large variety of items they sell there. I mean, they even sold Eskinol and cuticle remover for God's sake! It was crazy! Good thing, the shopping basket I was holding was getting too heavy for me to carry. It reminded me that it was almost full and that I needed to get out of the store fast. The total amount? I paid AUS$33 for all it. Uh, I better get a grip next time! :P
I got a few updates from our college friends about our upcoming reunion in the States next year. They're doing it in Florida so the rest who based elsewhere cannot attend. Unfair! :(
I would have wanted to catch up with the rest of my classmates. It's been almost ten years and much have changed in our lives. I, for one, am a mommy now so that speaks a lot. I wish they'd also organize one in the Philippines, in time for our holidays, so that I could attend too. I should suggest this to the group! I'll let you know how it goes.
Since I am on a roll here on memes, might as well do this one too! Got this from Joy.
THREE FAVORITE COLORS:
1. Black
2. White
3. Blue
THREE EVENTS YOU’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO:
1. Church Wedding Anniversary
2. Our first Christmas here in Oz
3. Our Birthdays in March (especially Erin's)
LAST THREE PEOPLE IN YOUR INBOX
1. A note from my friend G
2. Blog stats
3. Alert from Facebook
THREE THINGS YOU’LL BE DOING AFTER THIS SURVEY
1. Write some sponsored posts
2. Feed Erin
3. Go to the toilet! :P
THREE OF YOUR FAVOURITE HOBBIES:
1. Blogging
2. Designing templates
3. Collecting bestsellers
THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO FOR HOLIDAY:
1. Philippines!
2. US
3. Europe
THREE MALLS YOU USUALLY GO TO:
1. Hyperdome
2. Westfield Woden
3. Canberra Centre
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE FASTFOOD:
1. Hungry Jack's
2. KFC
3. Yellow Cab
THREE FAVORITE SPORTS (I'm just a spectator!):
1. Tennis
2. Bowling
3. Table Tennis
THREE FAVORITE DRINKS:
1. Coke!
2. Apple Juice
3. Iced coffee with whipped cream
Got tagged by Era on this. Sorry, but I do not have any picture because my bag these days is actually Erin's nappy bag. :P
But if I did need to bring my own bag, the following can be found inside:
Mobile phone
Handkerchief
facial tissues
lip balm
lipstick
compact powder
pen
wallet
a small pad of paper
a comb
a small rosary
my passport
These things I usually cannot do without. Quite a lot eh? :)
Thanks to Jen for recommending this book. :)
It was featured on Oprah's show not too long ago. And based on the pictures they uploaded on their site of some of their recipes, I am definitely considering of getting a copy for our family. I am sure it will not only tempt Erin. Count me in as well! I was actually a tad bit shy from drooling over all those images.
All that food talk made me hungry. I think I'll be having my lunch now. :)
J and I have been talking about taking a trip to the US for a holiday to visit some very famous sites and to catch up with lots of relatives and friends who are based there. But we plan to do this when I am an Australian citizen already so we won't have any problems with our visas. By that time, Erin will already be a big girl and hopefully won't be too difficult to handle on a long trip like this.
Of course, a major destination for all of us, especially Erin would be Disneyland. Getting Disney World Tickets at a discounted rate is a must as I am sure the little girl will be looking forward to having so much fun with all the rides in their theme park. Plus she'll get to meet in person all those Disney characters that she's only been able to see on video. I'm pretty sure she'll have a ball!
I know this is another late feast. But I only got hold of the questions this morning from their site because they were late in posting it too. Anyway, here it goes.
Appetizer
How much money do you plan to spend this upcoming holiday season?
I haven't really given it much thought yet. Maybe around AUS$500? It could be more than that if I'm not careful. I better start drawing up our budget for the holidays.
Soup
What was the last television show you watched, and was it good?
Well, the last TV shoe I really watched and paid attention to was Heroes. It airs every Thursday night here. There were lots of twists and turns in the plot, so, yeah, I could say it was good. :)
Salad
If you had to paint the walls of your living room tomorrow, what color would you choose?
It's funny you should mention that because I am actually growing tired of our white walls. But if I had a choice, I'd probably pick a beige-y color or an earth tone in metallics which was featured in BHG a couple of weeks ago.
Main Course
Name something clever or practical you have thought of that should be invented, but hasn’t yet.
A super housekeeper robot which you can program to do all the household chores for you at the exact scheduled time. That would definitely take a huge load off our backs!
Dessert
List 3 things you would like to receive as gifts this upcoming holiday season.
1. A laptop
2. Some new clothes
3. At least a week's off from all the household duties.
I have been going over my paid posting excel worksheet and boy, have I made some progress. :)
On my first two months, I was making an average of barely $4 per day. I suppose that had a lot to do with my poor page rank then. But in my last month alone, I made an average of almost $8 a day. That's double the opportunities I had on my first two months.
I wonder what this month will hold for me. I'm hoping that with the increased page rank in recent days I'll be able to at least double once again last month's earnings. It ain't all that much, I know, considering I've only been in the paid posting biz in such a short period. But, hey, let's face it. Extra money is still extra money, no matter which way you see it. :)
Well, I am not really a gambler because I am actually not a risk taker when it comes to money. I don't also consider myself a lucky person in situations of chance such as these. But for those of you who are into it, I reckon it must be good news for you that you can now put your bets online as well. It makes sport betting for your favorite team or whatever easy as pie as you can do it in the comforts of your home. No need to go to the clubs or betting stations to do it.
The Melbourne Cup is nearing so that's another thing to look out for all fanatic betters out there. That is on Tuesday next week already so prepare all your hard-earned cash for that event.
Speaking of the Melbourne Cup, it's going to be holiday on that day, even if we are over here in the ACT. I suppose it is a pretty important event that they declared it a holiday also here. Since it falls on a Tuesday, I don't suppose anyone's coming in for work on Monday as well to make it a longer weekend. I hope J doesn't come in for work so that he can have some time off. I'll know soon enough when he gets home. He may have already decided on this earlier than I expected.
1. Are you good at hiding your feelings? Nope! I'm as transparent as can be.
2. How can we tell that you’re already irritated? Well, you can see it on my face. It's that obvious!
3. How do you treat the person that obviously doesn’t like you? I talk about the qualities that I don't like about them. I'm always ranting about them and how irritated I am of them.
4. What usually ruins your mood? I just hate it when things don't go as planned. I hate a messy house, so that contributes as well.
5. Who do you see everyday that you wish you just wouldn’t at all? It's getting to be warm now here so the bugs are appearing nonstop. I wish they'd just go all away!
6. When was the last time that you had a good cry? Let me see, I think it was a month or two ago. That was when Erin was keeping us up all night. I didn't get enough sleep then. Go figure!
7. How often do you shop for clothes? Rarely, at least for me. I'm more into shopping for Erin now.
8. Who’s your long-time crush? Brad Pitt? Need I say more? :P
9. Someone you just had a crush on? Sorry, but there's none at the moment.
10. Do you have something that you wish you just don’t? Probably my suspected endometriosis and my varicose veins. Yeesh!
11. Do you sometimes crave for something that isn’t there? Of course! Sometimes it's food. Other times, it's just a plane ticket back home.
12. Do you wish to live in a faraway land where nobody knows you? Not really. I think that would be so lonely.
13. Have you kissed a total stranger? No.
14. What do you want to do at this moment? Eat my lunch.
15. The worst feeling? Losing someone you love, especially if it's in a tragic way.
16. How about the best? When life is good & being with the people you love most.
17. Ever given your number to someone you dislike? Yeah. I regreted that a lot.
18. What will you say to the one reading this right now? I hope I'm not boring you! Haha!
19. What/Who do you need right now? A long, well-deserved holiday.
20. Happy with your life? For the most part, yes.
I think it is no secret with new mothers that after giving birth to your little bub, especially if it is through the normal way, you are bound to end up with hemorrhoids. It sounds pretty awful I know but I, for one, was not spared. All that pushing and bearing down just made all my veins pop out. That is why it is so difficult to sit down on your bottom after the delivery. And it can go on for weeks! It is just terrible.
Having a little lifesaver on the side, they say, can ease one's discomfort. Unfortunately, at that time, I was not able to purchase one for myself because I did not know it would hurt that much. Well, I should have probably bought some topical creams instead to relieve me of my pain. Tablets or pills would definitely be out of the question because I was (and still am) breastfeeding Erin. Yeah, maybe I should take this into account the next time we have another baby. The big question now is when. Ha! Not anytime soon, that's for sure!
Geez, this guy is hopeless! All my friend's hardwork on a certain topic for our forum in our other site were just copied and pasted relentlessly by MC in our egroup and my friend or the website was not even cited to be acknowledged!
I reckon my friend could not help it anymore and was just furious about the whole thing that she decided to speak up once and for all in our egroup and make known where MC got the information. I wish there was a way of finding out what email address he is using for the forum so we can ban him for all eternity. Unfortunately, he has used a different address to register at the forum so we have no way of knowing who he really is. Very sneaky eh!?
Yes, I am also taking opportunities from bloggerwave. Recently, they reformatted their site. Well, actually reprogrammed is the more appropriate term as they have made it now into PHP. I hope they come out with more opportunities for their bloggers because, in fairness, their ads do pay well (minimum of $10 per post). We will have to look and see though how their new site is going.
Our little girl is getting wiser and wiser each day. You see, we've never really given her a dummy (aka pacifier) when she was little because we did not want her to become overly dependent on it. Besides, at that time when we did try offering it to her, she just spat it out. She did not like it one bit. So, we did not force it anymore on her.
But around a month ago, I was getting tired of having her nurse from me everytime we go to sleep even if she was full. I tried nursing her for a few minutes then when she was a bit drowsy already, I carefully inserted a dummy in place of my breast. Lo and behold, she took it! And since then, we have always used it on her during sleep time. The cute thing now is, when Erin's sleeping and her dummy falls off from her mouth, she somehow manages to put it back into her mouth all by herself! She really knows what it's for. Hehe! That cutie pie of ours is really something! :)
And we have been since its first season. All these supernatural powers sure are cool. I love especially that of the black girl, Micah's cousin (?), who's like a copycat. Everything she sees, she can learn from it at only one glance. That's from learning karate from Bruce Lee on TV to playing classical music on the piano after watching Micah do it. Awesome eh?
Sylar on the other hand is the best antagonist I've seen thus far. He's played by actor Zachary Quinto who gives justice to the role. He is an amazing actor because he makes me want to hate him even more. The perfect contrabida!
Can't wait for the next episode. Each show is getting more interesting and more interesting. :)
J and I have been meaning to purchase a new car for some time now. Our old but still reliable Toyota isn't really in the best of shape these days. Plus, it's also been with J for more than five years and it is a 1994 model. So anytime soon it might just give in and may not be so reliable after all when that unfortunate time comes.
With a growing family like hours, we also might need to look at more than just a regular sedan. Erin's stuff, like her huge car seat and stroller, takes up so much space that we end up short especially after doing the grocery. Seeking the services of an Australian Car Broker could be good idea so we'd know what the best car deals would be for our needs. I'm sure they can help us out a lot with our current situation.
Yes, after days of mulling over the baked spaghetti post of some blogger, I finally made it a reality at dinner tonight. The only modification I did was to replace the ground beef with tuna chunks (which is much healthier anyway) and it came out just fine. In fact, it was more than fine. It was delicious! I think J thought so too because he went for seconds. In the end, we were able to wolf down half of the total amount that I baked. Talk about hungry! :)
I just love how some mood lighting can affect the look of a certain room. It creates such a dramatic change in the room's aura so I really think it is something worth investing in. Chandeliers, lamps and other types of quoizel lighting not only enhance the look of a room physically. But they can also affect the tone and mood at just the switch of a button. I would definitely consider them when it's time for us to decorate our own home. For now, we would just have to settle with what came with the house we're leasing.
Just when I thought everything was running smoothly with our other site, MC decided to strike back once again. MC or Mister Copycat as I "fondly" call him decided to go back to his old ways again and he's done it 3 times already this week.
It's appalling how desperate he still is at posting all those copied articles from our site. He did not even give credit to our site, when he copied paragraphs I've written myself. Instead he placed the links of my sources. Geez! I do not know how his twisted mind works and why he does this. Is it just for the simple reason of irritating us or does he want all the recognition to himself? That guy's really wacko alright! I just pity him. :(
Are you a sweet tooth like me? I am particularly fond of chocolate and I always make it a point to eat some after meals, even if it is just only a little piece. That's why we always make it a point to have a bar of it in our fridge.
If you have the same cravings as me, then going to a bulk candy store would be a sweeth tooth's dream come true. You can buy all your favorite candies in huge quantities and get a discount for your purchases. I reckon I will go bonkers on what items to get because of the large variety of sweets that they offer. And it is not just your ordinary store, mind you. It's an online shop so you can buy all the lollies that you want in the comforts of your own home. What more can you ask for when you're raring to satisfy that old sweet tooth of yours?
Belated Happy Halloween everyone! :)
I would have thought the kids in our area would go around the neighborhood treat or tricking. But, last night was uneventful, just as every night was in our part of town. I had prepared some lollies though, just in case some kid came knocking on our door.
I think the only thing that was spooky was J claiming that I had gone into the guest room to get some clothes for Erin. I said I did not go into that room because I only went to the toilet to pee. Maybe he was just dreaming or something. One thing I could confirm though is that it was definitely not me who went into that room. Creepy!
I've been planning to go back to baking once again. The last time I put something in our oven was around a month ago. Too long ago, I tell you!
I guess the last straw for me was seeing a fellow blogger post about baking cream puffs like it was the easiest thing to do. I'm not just ready yet to delve my amateur hands into fine pastries. What I will do though is bake a simple bread pudding, which was also featured by the same blogger on her site. And while we're still on the subject of baking I just might whip up a little baked spaghetti tonight for dinner. Yum! :9
Gosh, October seemed to pass by in a breeze! It's November already and before you know it, it's December next. Where does the time go? All that opportunity grabbing sure did keep me very busy I hardly noticed how fast the days went.
Anyway, since the Christmas season is fast approaching, J and I decided to buy our first ever Christmas tree at Big W last weekend. It's a six-foot synthetic pine tree and I am so excited to decorate it in the coming weeks. We're still undecided though as to what color scheme we'll follow. J wants it two-tone, while I'm more inclined to go with a monochromatic one. Any suggestions?
