Something And Nothing At All

2012

2012-01-02T20:52:00.002+08:00

I hope everyone had a great time spending New Year's Eve. I prepared and cooked a lot of food, but when I was watching the fireworks with my kids and Henry, I couldn't help but cry. I really, really miss my dad. :(

When I was younger, my dad was in charge of the fireworks, being the only man in our house and in my aunt's whom we shared the same compound with (one lot with two different houses on it). He'd light up fountains, 'trumpillios,' and when we were kids we'd light up 'lusis' (not even sure how to spell it, lol). We'd be screaming and shouting as the clock striked 12, as old people said you'd grow tall if you jumped, lol. I'm proof this tradition is so not true.

Well, things will be different now whether I like it or not, and there's nothing I can do about it. I called my mom and my sister after the fireworks were over so we could hear each other over the phone, and all I could say was New Year, since we all were lonely.

I made this cake out of Nestle cream, condensed milk, butter, and graham cookies with pieces of fruit on top as garnish. This isn't my first time to make this cake - I've made it twice before and all turned out disastrous. If there's anything good during New Year, it was this cake as I finally made the darn thing right.

Enteng ng Ina Mo

2011-12-27T18:40:00.001+08:00

We just got home from watching Enteng ng Ina Mo at The Cabanas here in Malolos. It was a very funny movie, and almost all of us in the cinema was laughing. It was a good movie, it made me laugh for a while. But now that I'm back home and mulling over things, I can't help but feel sad again.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T08:05:00.000+08:00

I sincerely wish everyone a very merry Christmas, although I know mine will not be merry, nor will the next years. We spent today in the cemetery with my kids, my mom, my sister, and Henry. I was surprised that there were also a lot of other people in the cemetery, not just us. So I guess we weren't alone in being lonely this holiday season.

So This Is What Lonely Feels Like

2011-12-17T10:14:00.002+08:00

Since the 25th, I haven't been in the mood to do anything. I just wake up and do whatever it is that needs to be done for the day and that's it. I've just been feeling so depressed and sad about Papa that whenever I remember, I can't help but go into another round of crying.

The other day, I snapped at Henry. I knew he was just joking, but I wasn't in the mood. I felt even more bad afterwards, as I know he was just trying to cheer me up, but it wasn't just working. Ugh, when I remember how I walked out of the room and raised my voice at Henry, it makes my stomach do flips.

I didn't bother putting up a single Christmas decoration in the house either, except for one Mama gave. I'm just not in the mood to do anything. :( It's a very sad feeling, and I'm sorry for being such a bummer for my kids. Today's their Christmas party and I didn't attend. Henry's there anyway, and Keisha doesn't need company, only Nicole does. I feel really sorry for them, but I also feel sorry for myself. Eventually I know we - my mom, my sister, and I - will get over this. We will be sad still, but not gloomy anymore.

Very Difficult is an Understatement

2011-12-10T07:38:00.001+08:00

Moving on after Papa passed away is very difficult to say the least. I really, really miss my dad and there's nothing in the world I wouldn't give for just another day with him. To see him smile, have him spend time with his grandkids, laugh, and a ton of other things I'd like to do.

Whenever Henry and I would talk about Papa retiring from work, I was looking forward to having him as company whenever the kids had any programs in school where they'd dance or sing. He could watch my kids in school personally, instead of waiting for the pictures and videos I uploaded on Facebook.

Sometimes I wonder if moving to the province was actually a good idea, since I made the distance between his grandkids and him quite far. We would visit him and they'd visit us every now and then, and I wish I had made it more often rather than every now and then.

I wake up every morning and I cry, since I have to deal with another day knowing he's not going to pick up the phone when I call them, and that I won't be seeing him anymore. I cry at night before going to bed, praying with all my heart that tomorrow would be different, that I'd wake up to find out everything was just a nightmare and that everything is back to normal. But it's not, and I know it.

Every picture I took during the wake broke my heart; it was like every moment cemented itself, like a slap to my face that Papa's not going to be with us anymore. I know I'm not waking up from this nightmare, and that this isn't a nightmare, it's real. Part of me still is having a hard time accepting that.

My mom and my sister aren't doing too well either. But whenever I see them, I smile, crack jokes, and pretend that I'm OK when I'm not. I don't want them to worry about me too, especially since it's just the two of them at home.

During the wake and the actual funeral, I bottled up all my emotions until I got home, or until I got in my car. One more person crying isn't going to help, especially since we had a ton of things to take care of. I wanted to keep myself busy, since if I'm not doing anything, and whenever I find myself alone in the room, I just can't help but be overwhelmed by a feeling of sadness and grief.

A lot of people keep saying that Papa's passing was untimely, since it's Christmas just a few days away; I have to disagree. No passing is ever timely, and we'd mourn all the same whether it was Christmas or not. I keep playing a song in my head, "Christmas won't be the same without you," but it's not just Christmas. It's every waking morning and every night when I sleep that's changed.

One of the elder people commented that since Papa was buried at exactly 12 noon, they said that was very lucky. I disagreed again; there's no luck and there's nothing lucky about anything that's happened. In my opinion, it would have been lucky if Papa stood up and we all just went home and pretended nothing happened. I know that's not reality, but what the heck, so is luck.

I have a ton of pictures to look at, pictures not only from the wake, but pictures when I was still young and whenever Papa would visit us here, and spend time with my kids. It just breaks my heart that he's gone. I will most likely never stop crying. It's a very sad feeling, like a hole's been dug in your heart and that hole aches all the time.

I Miss My Dad

2011-12-04T09:39:00.001+08:00

I really miss my dad.

Part of me is hoping this is all just a bad dream I will wake up from, but I know it's not, and I have to deal with the loneliness. It's hardest for my mom, so I'm trying to do everything I can to keep her occupied, and also to check on her every now and then.

My dad loved all of us despite our shortcomings. He had the patience to move mountains, was rarely angry, and made a lot of practical jokes on us and his officemates. During the wake, floods of people came. I hope somewhere out there, my dad is watching and he can see how he was loved by a ton of people. As his officemates said, he was a great boss.

I just wish he had told us about how he felt. He shouldn't have kept his health issues to himself - he worked in a hospital for crying out loud, and he can get medical treatment anytime. But my father was the type of person who didn't want to be a burden to anyone. He probably didn't want my mother to worry, so he just kept everything to himself. It breaks my heart to think about how he must have felt, and his choice to not share these feelings with anyone.

Every picture I took during the wake and the funeral cemented each event into my heart. It was like a slap, since I knew I wasn't waking up from this nightmare anymore. I just wish he was still around.

I knew he was going to retire early, and live here in the province with me, and take my mom and my eldest sister. His plans of having a house built in the piece of land he inherited from his family, live quietly, maybe take morning walks and take care of animals. I was very excited, since he could come with me to watch the kids whenever they had any school programs, come with us whenever we drove the kids to and from the school, teach my youngest how to write properly (he has the best handwriting ever), go to cockfights with us, and a ton of other things we could do together. But sadly, everything ended on November 25, 2011 when he had a heart attack. He will be forever missed.

Go Henry!!!

2011-10-08T09:39:00.002+08:00

Yesterday, Henry and I were at the kids' school for their respective Feast Days. During Nicole's program, all the dads were called to play a game similar to what the kids' played, and they were funny and great at the same time. Henry's group won, yay!

Too Young or What?

2011-10-06T20:58:00.001+08:00

My eldest daughter Keisha is turning 8 on the 29th, and she wants one of two things: an iPad2, or a laptop that's pink in color. I'm wondering if she's too young to have such gadgets, but I know for a fact that she won't have a hard time using them. She already operates the desktop computer we have and this laptop I'm using like she's been using one for a very, very long time.

I'm just worried that she may be too young to have such things, not to mention the fact that they're quite pricey. She even agreed to not have a birthday party with her classmates just to have an iPad2 or a laptop. So my husband Henry and I are still undecided, although it will mostly be her grandmother who will be buying her the said present. I wish we can decide sooner as it's just 23 days away and it will be her birthday soon.

Untitled...Words Get in the Way. :)

2011-10-02T14:12:00.003+08:00

Just Like Yesterday

2011-08-24T05:44:00.000+08:00

Today is starting to be just like yesterday. While I wait for my eldest daughter Keisha who takes forever to eat breakfast, I sit on my computer and check my emails, log into Facebook as well, and do some other stuff while I enjoy a hot cup of coffee. She's eating Koko Krunch, the same as always, her favorite breakfast meal with fresh milk. I just wish she could start eating it faster so that it doesn't take us a whole hour just to prepare for school.

An All Time Low

2011-08-17T07:29:00.002+08:00

I don't think I've ever been this depressed before. Being told by your own husband that you're fat certainly leaves a mark. :(

Oh yeah, belated happy (it wasn't even happy) birthday to me too.

Getting into the DIY Spirit

2011-05-12T01:48:00.002+08:00

I have to admit, life has not been the easiest recently. Finances have been tight, and life in general has been more of a challenge than it ever has been. Thankfully, my husband and I are on the same page when it comes to keeping our expenses down. One of the things we have found useful and beneficial for both of us is doing things ourselves. We are no electricians, carpenters, plumbers, or anything of that sort. But recently, we found out that the things we usually pay for to get fixed are things we can actually fix ourselves.

One of the things I am very proud to say is that my husband and I managed to fix our Maytag washer without having to call for a repairman nor buying a whole new washer. Thanks to the website called PartSelect, we were able to diagnose what was wrong with our washer, order the part that needed to be replaced, and got everything up and running in no time.

I thought of going online and searching for what could have possibly happened when my washer just refused to turn on. I mean, I couldn't be all alone in this world with a Maytag washer that wouldn't turn on, right? After I've checked that it was properly plugged in and that everything was as it should be, I looked for repair websites that would help me. PartSelect not only helped me, but also lists all possible problems with this particular washer. To top everything off, PartSelect also sells the items that you need to replace, and even shows you an installation video! This is especially great if you are not into reading diagrams and manuals that much and prefer to actually see how things are done, like my husband is.

One of the things you will need in order to search for what could be wrong with your home appliances is its model number. I had no idea where to find mine, but the little guy on the bottom right hand corner of the screen when you visit the website of PartSelect showed me exactly where to look. Thanks to this website, all my appliances that do not work the way they should are given a second chance before they are completely replaced, helping us save money in the process.

Auto Repair

2011-01-16T14:22:00.000+08:00

Having bought a second hand car, my husband and I have been experiencing several issues with it. Well, since we didn't know the first owner, we weren't sure how the car was treated and all, although its body seems to be in good condition. But well, since the reality is that we currently cannot and do not want to finance a new one, we stuck with a second hand one.

My cousin who lives in Texas is fortunate to have spent only several hundred dollars in a Dallas auto repair shop. He purchased a Chevrolet Silverado but I'm not 100% sure what year/make it was. After assessing the car's condition, they did some minor repairs on it plus a brake job. Now, the car is running as smooth as ever.

So all in all, this got me thinking. Buying a second hand car isn't as bad as some people would think. It really depends on choosing the right one, and then taking it to a trusted repair shop to get anything that might need fixing to be fixed.

Excited about House

2011-01-10T15:52:00.000+08:00

I can't wait until my favorite TV series House resumes airing new episodes. The Christmas/New Year break they took did not do anything to help my eagerness to watch their episodes, lol. I guess there's something about nursing scrubs and doctors in lab gowns which I really like.

In part, I guess it is because I dreamed of becoming a doctor once upon a time. Well, this dream wasn't going to be a reality since I knew I couldn't afford medical school, but it was OK and I didn't mind at all. Besides, scrubs clothing looked extremely comfy, and since doctors and nurses worked round the clock, I felt those weren't going to help me keep myself awake. :)

So I'm eagerly awaiting the next House episode and I'm really excited. I can't wait to see my favorite TV actors and actresses in scrub clothing again.

Windows Live Writer

2011-01-06T08:47:00.001+08:00

Just now I finished downloading Windows Live Writer, and this post is made with it. I’m just giving it a shot to see what it looks and feels like, although of course I know what it will look like since this is, after all, my blog, lol!

Anyway, I just wanted to get an idea of how things worked. If this would give me the capability to write posts and upload them when I have time, that would be great. I don’t have a lot of time right now for blogging, although it is something I seriously admit I miss. But my responsibilities and online commitments come first. So until then, I’ll have to put blogging either on hold or until I can work out a schedule for myself.

Happy New Year!!!

2011-01-01T08:50:00.000+08:00

Happy New Year everybody! It’s a whole new year again, time for us to get things right!!!

Tonsillitis

2010-12-27T20:17:00.000+08:00

So after all the Christmas celebration is over (at least for me it is), I'm now down with tonsillitis. The left side of my throat hurts a lot, especially when I swallow anything. Well, that hasn't stopped me from eating a lot, hahaha!

I hope everybody had a great Christmas celebration like I did with my family!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T16:06:00.002+08:00

Merry Christmas everyone!

Need Help with your Home Appliances?

2010-12-16T21:55:00.001+08:00

It was that day of the week again where I need to do laundry, an activity I do every week. I have a Maytag washer with a model number of LAT9206BAE, and it’s been with me for several years already. So, with everything set, I turn it on and guess what? My washer won’t start. So what’s wrong with my washer?

I’ve seriously considered getting a new one, especially since I’ve been using this washer for like 5 years already, and that’s saying a lot. But with the holidays just around the corner, I was a bit hesitant in spending money for a new washer. Besides, what will I do with the one I currently have? I’ve never had any problems with it before until today, so I was really confused.

Since I knew my washer’s model number, I headed to my trusty laptop to check the internet. I was thinking, I couldn’t possibly be all alone in the world with this same problem, right? That’s when I came across this website, Partselect.com. It’s a pretty cool website which allows you to buy parts for various home appliances.

But it doesn’t stop there. Partselect.com not only allows you to buy parts from them with same-day shipping (a big plus especially if you’re in a hurry to get something fixed like I am), they also help you diagnose what could be wrong with your appliance and presents you with possible solutions to fix it.

For my washer, after I entered the model number (if you don’t know what your model number is or where to find it, all you need to do is to click on the little guy at the bottom right corner of the screen and he’ll help), the website gave me a list of the problems other people were having with my exact same washer. And guess what? There were other people whose washer’s wouldn’t start either, so I clicked on that to get some help.

Turns out, all I need to replace with my washer is the Lid Switch Assembly, a part that costs $21.10. Partselect states that replacing this part fixes the problem 100% of the time (of course I checked if the washer was plugged into the outlet). And since I’m not a technical type of person but I wanted to save as much as I can, I was pleased to find out that there were plenty of detailed installation instructions to help. All the tools I would need in getting it done was also listed, so I prepared in advance. I also showed my husband the diagrams and he read the instructions (a lot of them said it would take less than 15 minutes to get everything done). They were right! Hubby was done replacing our Lid Switch Assembly around 6 minutes tops.

Thank you Partselect.com! You saved me $$$ by showing me how to repair my washer and now it’s up and running again! Now, off to do some laundry…

Home for the Holidays

2010-12-08T03:10:00.000+08:00

My relatives from Canada are arriving in the Philippines to spend the holidays here. My aunt is already here, someone I haven't seen since I was born (and I'm 27 for crying out loud!). Her son is coming over too, I think on the 20th.

Henry, the kids, plus 2 puppies I guess are coming with us tomorrow to visit her. This will be the first time I'll get to see her, although I've already seen her pictures. Well, I guess there's always a first time for everything.

I'm also excited to see my eldest sister Elena. Even though we always talk on the phone, I'm always excited to see her. We always rant on each other, but that's the way we talk. I'm also excited for them to see my kids, since my mom hasn't seen my kids for several weeks already. I just hope we can stay up to the afternoon so my dad can see the kids as well when he gets home from work around 5PM I think.

No Christmas Tree This Year

2010-11-30T21:15:00.000+08:00

I've decided not to put up our Christmas Tree this year, 2010. There are actually a number of reasons why I am not going to put up our tree, aside from the obvious that I have waaaay to many things to do and I am just so beat up from my daily grind that I can't seem to find the time to put it up.

First of all, all our 5 shih tzu puppies are still with us. Putting up a tree when we only had 2 adult dogs was a mess - they always chewed on the decorations and jumped up the tree, so imagine the house with a total of 7 dogs - ugh.

Then, we're also planning on moving to the province towards the end of the school year, so digging up the tree from storage and then putting it back in its box when we move just doesn't seem right, so I might as well leave it as it is.

Third, I don't have a househelp anymore compared to last year who helped me put up the tree. I don't think I can do this all alone. :(

So there, I'm not being lazy, I just think it's unreasonable to put up the tree this year, although I know next year when we've already moved to a bigger house things will be a whole lot different.

Happy 7th Birthday Keisha

2010-10-29T08:06:00.006+08:00

Happy 7th Birthday Keisha! Hope you like your McDonald's party at school today!

Caught Off Guard

2010-10-10T23:46:00.000+08:00

I have known for a fact that earning online is something that isn't permanent, and I always tell that to myself. This weekend while at the mall with my kids, I bought my laptop with me to show my mom in law the playground where we take our kids at. Unfortunately, the email that I first read was the one where an assignment of mine which paid $10/hr had ended suddenly, without warning. Ugh.

I'd like to think that in a way, this is a reality check for me that I shouldn't be too complacent about how much I earn and I should strive to have every amount I can save be put in the bank. However, I can't help but feel sad about the bad timing this news came about - with my eldest kid's 7th birthday a few weeks away plus Christmas just around the corner. Oh well, this is freelancing. :)

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

2010-09-22T21:48:00.000+08:00

The Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese people are all celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival. Cheers to our Asian brothers and sisters!

2010-09-19T01:33:00.000+08:00

All I can say is w-o-w!

Henry purchased this for me this evening, and although I didn't really want to replace my first netbook, having this Acer e-machines D730 is really a treat for me.

Henry also gave me another gift just this weekend, an elliptical machine! He's been every supportive after we both found out I lost around 12 pounds already, so he bought me this so we both can use it here at home.

This day has really been a great and memorable day for me, and this will surely go down in the history books.

What to Do in Shenzhen

2010-09-13T03:55:00.001+08:00

A lot of travelers find themselves headed to Shenzhen for different reasons. Some are in the city for work, while others are wondering what to do in Shenzhen because they are there just for fun or maybe on a leisurely trip.

I've come across some good reviews of Suzy's Lounge Bar in Shenzhen, China and from what I've read, there are quite a lot of foreigners hanging out in this bar. This is probably because of the fact that all the female staff of the bar speak English, some are good but all of them can certainly carry a decent English conversation.

Aside from the staff, what sets Suzy's Lounge Bar apart from all the other Shenzhen bars is the reason that they offer a lot of drinks. From imported beer to the local drinks, Suzy's Lounge Bar in Shenzhen has all of them. You can check out their drinks list here. And just in case your favorite drink is not in that list, you can tell the bartender and they'll try to make that drink available on your next visit.

So, if you're thinking of what to do in Shenzhen, stop by Suzy's Lounge Bar. I forgot to mention - new customers get their second drink free, too!

An Unhappy Ending

2010-09-09T20:57:00.000+08:00

I've been keeping a blog daily for weddings for a client of mine, and today my services were effectively terminated. Somehow, I am "relieved" to know that our contract has been ended.

I am sad in a way because because of the length of time I've been writing for her, I have learned to see her as a friend. Both she and I shared our experiences when our mothers got sick, shared stories about our kids, and other experiences as well.

Because of that friendship, I have learned to ignore and look past the fact that she was constantly late on sending payments. I have had to constantly remind her that the payment was due every month, and she was always late for like a week or even more. I did not mind as a friend, because what was important is the fact that I actually got paid, even though it was late.

What upsets me most is the fact that today, I finally receive my payment for the posts written for August, and it says in the note that my services are terminated immediately. But before this, I have been emailing my client and sending her IMs which I did not receive responses to. Well, so much for a friendship! Or maybe it was only me who thought that I had actually made a friend. Maybe I imagined the whole stuff up. I wish she had the decency to reply to my emails or at least inform me if she did not have money yet to pay me with - I don't mind waiting and her being late, but a heads up would be nice. I'm in for the work because of the money, and reliable payments mean a lot to me. But since I have other clients who do pay me on time, I don't mind her being late, but letting me know beforehand that the payment I am waiting for isn't going to arrive on time is the decent way to do business. The professional way would be to not be late at all.

So, I am unpleasantly relieved to be released from this contract. Good thing I did not make more posts for September had I known this was going to happen. Besides, what writer in their right mind would want to continue writing for the current month if the whole previous month you wrote for was unpaid? I have not been inactive, I was just using my common sense.

Our New Puppies

2010-08-30T04:51:00.003+08:00

Our pet Princess gave birth a few days ago to 5 beautiful puppies, 3 boys and 2 girls. The pups are all doing well, and are feeding from Princess without any problems. My husband and I take turns in watching over the pups to make sure each of them get their fair share of milk, as some of the bigger ones literally "box out" the smaller ones during feeding time.

Since the birth of the puppies, we've been receiving inquiries about how much we intended to sell the pups, and whenever we say that we don't have any plans of selling any one of them, we get a bewildered look. Is it so strange to hear that someone would like to take on the responsibility and challenge of taking care of 7 shih tzus all in all? I think not.

My husband and I mutually agreed not to sell any of the puppies, even before Princess was in heat. We already imagined this day would come as it would, and way back then our minds were already made up. I couldn't bear to imagine selling them to someone who did not know how to properly care for a pet, someone who would hit them whenever the puppies peed or pooped where they shouldn't have, or leave them at home all alone, hungry, and with plenty of knots and mats in their coat.

One who will remain anonymous even told my husband that we would be on the losing side in terms of finances if we keep all the pups, as there are more males than females. Food, vaccines, maintenance, trips to the grooming salon, cages, etc. I wanted to tell that person that I never purchased Ron and Princess in the first place to make money - they are just my pets. I also do not have any intentions of making money through their puppies. How my pet Princess cried while giving birth and how she is sleepless while taking care and feeding her kids is not a joke to me. How she wakes up in between her naps when one of her pups makes noises. And how she looks at me and my husband whenever we touch her puppies and how she seems to count them when she enters their cage means a lot to me, too. How in the world could I separate her from her puppies? More importantly, how could I let go of the puppies I love, too? Our pets are not just pets - they are part of the family for me, so I guess that's mainly the reason why other people have difficulty in understanding me and my husband. Because for some people, dogs are just pets. But for me, they're part of my family.

About Shenzhen Bars

2010-08-19T20:38:00.000+08:00

A couple of days ago I wrote about Suzy's Lounge Bar, one of the bars in Shenzhen which open around the evenings and stay open up to the wee hours of the morning. I've been doing some research and found out that Shenzhen is really a great place to have fun whether you're a local or a foreigner, as the nightlife in Shenzhen is very much alive and upbeat.

I envy the locals though, because after a whole day of hard work, they can easily just drop by one of the bars in Shenzhen along their way and enjoy a few drinks or two to calm their nerves and soothe their tired minds and bodies. The city itself is brimming with life and beautiful lights at night, and bars in Shenzhen abound.

What I like best about Suzy's Lounge Bar though is that the place is fun and beautiful yet it is cozy and comfy at the same time. It's really a great place to hang out and unwind, yet is still a great place to have fun at the same time. You can enjoy great drinks, play pool, mingle with the other guests and staff, and just hang out. Also, new customers get their second drink for free, and that just adds to the fun.

Happy Birthday Ate Elena!

2010-08-07T10:09:00.001+08:00

When my eldest sister and I were younger, I recall many, many instances where we would pull at each other's hair by the roots (sabunutan), fist fights, slapping (sampalan) sessions, and other numerous fighting episodes. But now, as we grew older and the years passed by, a lot of things have changed between us.

One thing I would like to say is that having my kids really changed me. I began to appreciate my parents more and even began to understand them (I know, but back then I couldn't understand why I got my butt black and blue or red because I got spanked but then they would explain they did that because they loved me). And with my second daughter, I began to appreciate my sister a whole lot more.

When Keisha became an older sister, I saw how hard it is for her with everything we expect her to do and be - have an endless patience towards her sister Nicole, always share everything, and restrain herself to not fight back because she's the older one, etc. That got me thinking, "it must have been this hard for Ate Elena too when we were growing up."

If I had the chance to relive everything again, I still would not change anything. All the fighting and the tears, the misunderstandings, and slamming doors at each other's faces were well worth it. Of course, if I knew we would turn out like this eventually, I would have gone easier on my sister - just easier, not totally lenient, lol! Happy birthday Ate Elena, you're the best eldest sister there is.

About Bars in Shenzhen

2010-08-03T10:53:00.001+08:00

I'm trying to promote Suzy's Lounge Bar. It's a comfy lounge bar located in Shenzhen, China and is a few steps away from the Kempinski Hotel, so it isn't hard to find at all. Suzy's Lounge Bar is made up of friendly female staff who all speak English, some really fluent but some not, but all of them can carry a conversation in English.

I hope you will take the time to visit and like their FaceBook page, follow them on Twitter, and visit their official website. If you also have time, why not drop by for a visit? Suzy's Lounge Bar is offering the second drink free for every new customer who visits.

Call or text them on 13590213422

Get in touch with them via email at info@suzy.nu and suzysloungebar@gmail.com

Drop by for a visit at:

120 Coastal City, East Block

Wenxin 6th Road (off Haide 3rd Ave)

Nanshan, Shenzhen

(next to the Kempinski Hotel)

Sad

2010-08-02T07:22:00.000+08:00

I really felt bad last night, because Keisha got scolded by her dad. Her scores on her mid quarter exam were quite low, and what made her dad all the more upset was the fact that her dad reviewed all of the questions with her. I was very sad because I hated seeing Henry mad, and of course Keisha was crying because she was afraid of her dad. I grew up being spanked by my parents, and I never understood why as a child how I could learn from it, but when I grew up I knew it was to make sure we didn't forget our mistake and not do it again. I also realized I associated my pain with the mistakes I made, so if I didn't want another sore butt, I better not do what I did the other day. But I still didn't like seeing the people I love mad, angry or hurt. Yesterday wasn't a good day, I guess.

On Casino Gambling Index

2010-07-23T22:50:00.000+08:00

Casino games online are very popular nowadays, mainly for the reason that you can play casino games wherever you are, in the comfort of your own home and at any time you choose to. Compared to going to a regular casino, you would likely have to spend on transportation in getting to the casino, make reservations for a place to stay in especially if it is far from home, and also spend money on food. But if you choose online casino games, you can just focus on the game itself and nothing more.

Naturally, people look for the best online casinos for US players. If you do your research, you will find casinos that give joining bonuses and other incentives to get you to play on the site. Of course, you should also look into the kind of customer service the site provides just in case you run into problems. You can find thousands of other players on Yahoo casino games and get to know the mechanics of the game first and play for fun. Once you're more comfortable with playing online casino games for free, you can move onto other online casino game sites where you can play for real money against other competitors.

Follow Up on Leisure 18

2010-07-12T15:06:00.000+08:00

I received an email asking about how I was doing and losing weight with Leisure 18, a slimming coffee my sister and I have been drinking since May. Two months after I've been drinking the coffee, I've lost a total of 21 pounds. Not exactly a big surprise, compared to other diet products like Bangkok Pills wherein some users have said they lost the pounds I lost in only a month. In any case, I am extremely happy where I am now.

My sister and I have been comparing any effects we've experienced, but so far, none of us have reported feeling dizzy, sleepless, or anything like that. We both feel fine and normal, although the weight loss is not drastic. I can attribute the slow weight loss with my style of life, especially since I've read a lot of other Leisure 18 reviews wherein people have lost weight faster than I have.

Just to give you guys an idea, I'm a mom to 2 kids aged 7 and 3, I work at home all day sitting in front of a laptop, and I only go out to the mall or somewhere else on Sundays. Other than that, it's just me, my laptop, and my chair. No physical activity for me. :(

I don't eat a lot of vegetables, although I know and admit it is something I should do. I like crispy liempo (yum), pizza, pasta, and a whole lot of other fattening food, but since I've been taking Leisure 18, I still get to eat and feel hungry, but I easily get full. Compared to other slimming products where users have reported not feeling hungry all day, it's not the same for me with Leisure 18 and I think this is a good thing. We need to eat to live, and I like the fact that I feel hungry and appreciate eating, but what I like the best is that with Leisure 18, I can't overeat, just the right amount.

There was a whole week where my sister and I ran out of Leisure 18 and since we both couldn't go out to buy from our supplier, we waited for the weekend when we were both available. During that whole week, we both noticed that we had a hard time moving our bowels. The thing is, ever since I was young and before I started taking Leisure 18, I really don't move my bowels daily. I know it's not healthy, but that's just how I've been since I was young. But when I started taking Leisure 18, I would take trips to the bathroom daily, even 3x a day especially if I ate a lot the day before. That is just another one of the reasons why I like taking Leisure 18.

Although the weight loss is not drastic, I'm still losing weight even though at a slow pace, and I'm still eating and enjoying food. I'm guessing if partnered with exercise and a healthy diet, I would have lost a lot of weight. But hey, I'm not entering a beauty contest or anything, so there's no need for me to hurry.

An Early End to a Busy Night

2010-07-07T21:15:00.000+08:00

I've been extremely busy juggling several clients with my online work, and it's something I am not complaining about. Although every day I feel exhausted, it's a different exhaustion - mental exhaustion. I feel like I'm taking College Algebra again (a subject I had to take twice, hahaha!).

Even though I am always tired and always sitting in front of the PC, I feel that this job is the most rewarding I've had so far. I get to use my brain, research, and speak, read, and write English. Compared to working in a call center where I have to memorize a script and not think outside of the box, here I am learning, working, and earning online at the same time.

Me and Ate Elena

2010-07-05T22:05:00.000+08:00

My eldest sister Elena scanned this picture of me and her when we were really young, and uploaded it on Facebook. Looking at old pictures really puts a smile on my face.

Some Lessons Are Learned Best the Hard Way

2010-06-25T07:13:00.001+08:00

I always say that some lessons are learned best the hard way, and I've proven this time and again. The other day, this hard truth smacked me hard in the face again.

My eldest daughter Keisha was asking which club she should join for school, as they are required to join one for the whole school year. Her choices were the Art Club, Math Club, Star Scout, and the Young Readers Club. I wanted for her to join either the Art Club so she could be more adept with arts and drawing, and also the Young Readers Club so that her pronunciation skills could be made even better. Henry wanted her to join the Math Club so that she could become even better at Math (something I am admittedly not), but we both disagreed on the Star Scout Club.

A lot of Keisha's classmates were signing up for the Star Scout, but I seriously did not want her to join that club. I felt that she would only become excessively tired if she did, and I was also worried about the strenuous physical activities they might do. Keisha's really not that athletic, and I guess it's partly our fault because everybody treated her like a baby. She was the first grandchild, and both my parents and Henry's mom was crazy about her.

After explaining to Keisha what each club was about, we all three mutually agreed on the Young Readers Club. Keisha does like reading stories, and she agreed to join the club after learning that they would mostly be doing a lot of reading. I signed her notebook with the corresponding club of our choice using a pencil, as I couldn't find a pen at the time.

Keisha went home from school the following day and told me she erased the check mark on the club we chose and checked the Star Scout because a lot of her classmates were joining there. I was upset not because joined the club we didn't want her to join the most, but because she went behind our back and erased my signature.

I was very mad and hurt for what Keisha did, and although we got everything resolved by night time, I was left with a shocking truth - what Keisha did was very minor compared to the heartaches I caused my parents. I had a hard time imagining how hurt they must have been when I got pregnant and married early. And as I always say, some lessons are learned best the hard way.

We're Going to Have Puppies! (hopefully)

2010-06-22T09:58:00.002+08:00

Yesterday, we took our shih tzu pets to the vet to help them in the process of making babies (lol). Our female is already in heat, but our male shih tzu won't do it with her. I read a couple of articles on the internet wherein if the dogs grew up together and they feel like they're already siblings even though they're not really related, they just won't mate with each other. But the vet said it could also be because of Ron, our male shih tzu dog's age. He's just a year old and it could be that mating isn't really his thing yet.

We still have two more stud sessions left, and those are really just to be sure. If Princess, our female shih tzu does not become pregnant during this time, we get the next stud session free the next time she goes in heat. But the vet said that he was positive yesterday was Princess' fertile day, after they conducted the vaginal smear on her. I'm praying that when she does have puppies, she won't have a hard time, and that all of her puppies make it alive.

The picture on the left is our dogs. The female one, Princess, is the black and white one, and she's doing the humping in this pic (lol!). Our male one Ron is the mahogany and white with streaks of black one. Ron is actually a standard size shih tzu, while Princess is a bit smaller than the standard size.

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T02:08:00.000+08:00

Keisha's First Day in First Grade

2010-06-16T20:39:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, June 15, was Keisha's first day in school as a first grader. Her schedule is really early and long - her classes start at 6:45AM and ends at 12:15PM. I was worried about how she would adjust to staying that long in school as her previous schedules only took about 3 hours at the most.

On her very first day, Keisha came home with a star on her hand and another one today. She said today's star was for finishing what her teacher asked her to write the fastest, and her star for today was for behaving really well.

I'm glad Keisha's adjusting to being in the first grade really well, and I'm looking forward to more stories about the new teachers she will meet in the coming days.

It's June!

2010-06-01T13:52:00.000+08:00

June marks two very important events for me. First, in a few days or weeks, my eldest child Keisha is now in first grade! Yipee! I'm very proud of her, not to mention the fact that I seriously can't help but feel like I'm getting a whole lot older, hahaha!

Second, my second daughter Nicole will be having her third birthday, and I'm really looking forward to it. Time truly flies so fast, and my youngest daughter is growing up so fast. I wonder if our planned trip to Tagaytay will push through, or if we should just go to the mall and watch a movie or something.

Shrek Forever After in 3D at the Mall of Asia

2010-05-30T22:36:00.000+08:00

I just got home from watching Shrek Forever and After at the Mall of Asia. This is actually my first time ever to watch in an IMAX theather (pity me, lol!), and a first for the kids as well - but not Henry though! I remember old 3D glasses, the red and blue ones...hahaha! But the glasses at IMAX were amazing and the 3D effects made you feel you were really in the movie and that bits of fire, smoke, and other falling stuff in the movie were really going to touch you.

I really enjoyed the movie, as at one point in life I did feel like how Shrek was feeling - that he just needed time off for himself and that he wanted a break. Having 3 kids can be quite stressful, and Shrek is in a life he wasn't used to. Loving Fiona made him change his previous ogre ways and although it was for the better, there was this part of him that missed his old life.

Although there are times that I feel I need a break, I do know for a fact that I am more than blessed. I know I'm lucky to have a great husband, and equally great kids who may drive me nuts and not give me a moment's peace while they're awake, but it's something I wouldn't exchange for anything else. I guess Shrek just needed to figure that out for himself too, and I just love the romantic lines he said to Fiona when he only had a few more minutes of existence - he didn't care what would happen to him at that point, he just wanted to make sure Fiona was safe. This movie made me want to watch all the Shrek movies again. :)

Guest Post - Savings Guide for Parents

2010-05-29T10:35:00.000+08:00

Savings Guide for Parents

photo: alancleaver

One of the toughest jobs parents have to face is the responsibility of saving up for the family. It can be a difficult lifestyle to adapt into especially for first-parents. There’s also the misconception that savings is only for the kids’ college education when in reality, you can apply this into so many things.

You and the family no longer have to skip another fun summer getaway if you have a travel savings on hand. Every once in a while you and your spouse can splurge on couples’ time if you have savings for dates. Your kids no longer have to experience the usual hand-me-downs if you have savings for their other necessities such as clothes and school supplies.

Log Your Monthly Expenses

Before you begin creating your savings project, it’s important to set realistic goals first. Make it a point to log down every expense you’ve had for the previous month until the present. Distinguish them between bills and personal expenses. From this list, you can begin trimming off those which you can actually do without.

You can also make some adjustments on some of the expenses you have like travel. If you think you spend too much for gas then if possible, take some days off from using the car and just take public transportation to work. If the kids get too much allowance because you allow them to buy food in the cafeteria, then give them home-made meals on some days.

Just remember that these changes do not have to be implemented right away. If other family members will be involved and are likely to get affected, then make the changes slowly and gradually. Also, let them know why such changes are to be done.

Include Yourself in the Expenses

Most parents forget this when planning for a savings. This does not mean splurging on the first pair of shoes that catches your eye nor finally buying that SUV you’ve been eyeing all these years. What this means is that you also give yourself some practical amount of expense every month so you don’t end up feeling deprived and at the most unprecedented time suddenly feel the urge to splurge.

You should also include here starting your own savings fund such as a retirement package or saving up for health insurance. Aside from you, your spouse and your kids will also benefit from these life-savings programs.

Always Pay Your Debt on Time

Do not miss out on monthly debts especially if they are charged to your credit. Most people end up being drowned in debt because of the interest that builds up from it. Another way to counter this problem is to use your credits wisely. If it helps, leave the credit cards someplace safe and uneasy to reach so you would not get tempted to use them.

As you create your monthly expense log, most of these debts would fall under the bills section. Keep in mind that the bills are equally important with the personal expenses, if not somewhat more important. If you can’t pay for the month, make sure you track the interest rates or find a way to make even staggered payments just so you can avoid tarnishing your credit history.

Savings Guide for Parents
was originally posted on the SaveBrite.com blog

A lot of Gifts from Henry

2010-05-15T21:13:00.000+08:00

Today I got 3 presents from Henry, all of which I was pleasantly surprised. He got me a weighing scale (to motivate me in my quest to lose weight and keep it off), an Ab Rocket and a Body Slender machine. I feel like we're going to start a small gym in the near future, lol!

Since I started taking Leisure 18 and my appetite has dramatically decreased, I thought it would be a good thing to get moving and exercise as well, since in that way I'd be able to see results faster. My husband was totally supportive of the idea so today he went out with my youngest kid to the mall and after a few hours, came back with all these stuff.

Being a stay at home mom and working full time on the computer surely has its setbacks for me, since the most physical activity I get is typing with my fingers. I don't go out to walk, commute, and my days are spent pretty much sitting in this computer chair I'm in right now. These exercise machines will surely help me in breaking a sweat and in my quest to firm and tone my body. Thanks again Henry...you just made my day. :)

Leisure 18 - A Review

2010-05-11T12:46:00.000+08:00

My sister and I have been drinking Leisure 18 slimming coffee for almost a week now. In the first and second day alone, I already lost my cravings for junk food, something even my husband was very surprised in. I am a certified junk food addict, and honestly prefer it over fruits. Now, I can go a whole day without eating any.

My appetite has also dramatically decreased, and I only eat a few spoonfulls of rice and I'm done with it. Before, when I used to eat a plateful of anything, I easily feel full and I don't want to eat anymore.

Another thing I noticed is that my throat is always dry. As a result, I've been drinking more water and urinating more frequently. My urine used to be really yellowish since I don't consume the recommended 8 glasses daily, now I drink bottles of water almost every time (plus the fact that it's really hot here) and my urine is much clearer and doesn't smell as bad anymore. Plus, I know for a fact that drinking water has plenty of great effects not only for your body, but for your skin as well.

So far, I've been eating a whole lot less, I'm moving bowels regularly, I'm drinking a lot of water, and I know that with the rate I'm eating I am bound to lose a lot of weight. I've been seriously thinking about buying a treadmill or a stepper, so that I can achieve my desired weight faster. I haven't experienced anything different at all - I still sleep and wake up the same time as I do. No headaches, palpitations, or anything different. If I had experienced any of those, I would've stopped taking it already and so far, my sister has not complained about anything as well.

To take Leisure 18, all you need to do is to mix it with your morning coffee, and make sure it is the very first thing you do. You should take your coffee with an empty stomach, and make sure to eat something, even just one piece of bread, 30 minutes after. I noticed that this makes it more effective compared to not eating anything after drinking it. I'm not a breakfast kind of person, but this has also changed that. I'm really excited to see how my clothes will fit after 18 days. ^_^

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T15:15:00.002+08:00

Featured on Loqal.ph

2010-05-08T00:37:00.000+08:00

Recently, I was featured on Loqal on their article about freelancers and freelancing. I cannot say anything else except for the fact that I am extremely flattered with the mention. I've been making a couple of posts on my blog about oDesk and how much I earn from it, but I never seriously thought other people would come to recognize it.

One thing I would like to point out though is the fact that oDesk is not a get-rich-quick-scheme. It entails lots of honest and hard work, and I think you should have a profitable skill even before venturing in the site, like writing, translation, etc.

Sure, I made Php71,000 last month on oDesk, but it wasn't an easy feat. I was almost always short of sleep, and I think I only got out of the house twice in that entire month for grocery shopping. I admit that time management is one thing I have to learn, since I really suck at it, lol! I feel like I'm always rushing through deadlines.

I have also been blessed with extremely great clients who for reasons of non disclosure I can't mention, not only have ongoing projects which I've had for months (some years), are a dream to work with. I know I've been lucky in that part, as some of my other friends get clients but after the project's over, they have to go through the entire process of searching and applying for jobs.

So for anyone who would like to take the gamble of working from home, I sincerely recommend keeping your existing job or whatever source of income you have before you decide to become a full time freelancer. Tread the waters first and make your decision from there. As the saying goes, don't take the plunge blindfolded.

Twitter Followers

2010-04-29T13:59:00.001+08:00

Wow.

I'm suddenly getting a lot of Twitter followers! I rarely log onto the site, but now I guess I have more reasons to as there are a lot of people checking out what I write. ^_^

I'm very happy and flattered. Thanks guys!

House Season 6 Blogger Episode - Private Lives

2010-04-27T12:52:00.000+08:00

The night before yesterday Henry and I spent our evenings up to the wee early hours watching the torrents of House season 6. I was fascinated about the episode where House and his team treated a blogger who documented everything about her life, she and her partner's arguments, and even the doctors and the treatment being done to her.

Well,the episode did not make any mention of the patient having like a Twitter account or Facebook for instance, but the episode did imply that she was pretty popular online. When her kidneys were failing and she blogged about it, a few hours later a reader of hers from a different country called Princeton Plainsborough Teaching Hospital and was asking how hard it would be to donate. Cool, huh?

I recall one point in my blogging in this particular blog how Henry asked why I even blogged about something, although I can't remember what it was. I also don't remember if I took the post down or not, and I think I most probably did. For me, like House's patient, this is where I can share anything I want to. It is easy to be honest to people you don't see, but that can also be misconstrued into being easier to lie to people you don't know. This is where I can say what I want to without being rejected because hey, if you don't like what I'm saying you can easily stop reading and close your browser, right?

I also really liked in this particular episode how an old film of Wilson was used by his college roommate and turned it into a porn movie. Posters were everywhere and Wilson set out to find something he could use against House. He did find a book of sermons House was reading secretly, not because he was changing spiritually, but because his biological father wrote it.

I seriously love this TV show, and if anyone can point me to where I can download a torrent of the episode entitled Knight Fall, I will forever be grateful. ^_^

A Trip to Bulacan

2010-04-14T19:32:00.000+08:00

Henry and I took the kids to Bulacan as we visited his aunt who came home to the Philippines for a 2 week visit. She's actually a US Citizen and if I'm not mistaken, she lives in California.

I really like visits to the province, especially in Bulacan as my dad is also from that province. We went there last Monday, as that is the only day of the week where I am not too busy with my online writing stuff. I really liked the break, the fresh air, and how my kids got to meet the kids of Henry's cousins.

Along with Henry's aunt, his cousin also came home for a visit. This particular cousin of his is one of his cousins whom he grew up with. I'm glad they got together and bonded again after 10 years of not seeing each other. We weren't able to take a lot of pictures though, but I say the trip went fairly well.

Awake for 25 Hours and Counting

2010-03-22T13:19:00.001+08:00

I've been awake since a little before noon yesterday and now I am still awake typing away on my laptop. I am so darn sleepy but I want to finish a project of mine so that it will be paid out this Friday. If I am able to do so, I might just have enough cash as a down payment for a second hand car, which will also be my very first one.

My mother in law might be in the states earning a considerable amount of money when converted into my currency, but I do not want to be dependent on her for the things I want, need, and want to give my kids and my family. So here I am, even though I am just a stay at home mom, I manage to earn a couple of hundred of dollars a week, but I already look like the guy in this picture from this site I stumbled upon. Oh well, I guess I can keep my eyes open for a few more hours if it means that I can get one of my goals done.

What do you think of the new dNeero homepage?

2010-03-19T15:18:00.000+08:00

I haven't been to dNeero lately, although I have like $5 as a balance from previous conversations I've joined. I was glad to receive an email from them about this new conversation, and it's focused on the opinion of users on how we like the new site design. It still has the familiar look and feel of the old site, but the new design is great. Good job guys!

Another Blast from the Past Picture

2010-03-18T17:30:00.000+08:00

That's me standing with the green shoulder bag...I honestly did not recognize myself but I recognized that Lacoste bag of mine. Sob, I guess it's time I accepted how much weight I put on after 2 cesarian sections plus staying at home in front of the PC all day. I wonder how my friends managed to keep all of these old pictures with them when I don't even have a single one?

A Blast from the Past

2010-03-17T09:55:00.000+08:00

A college friend of mine posted this in FaceBook...and all I can say is OMG! I was so thin back then...and that shirt does not fit me anymore!!! I think it would fit my eldest daughter though...so I was that freaking thin back then? Whoa!

Should I....

2010-03-08T23:17:00.000+08:00

My husband Henry asked me if I wanted to trade in my netbook for a dual core Asus laptop that comes with a 12 inch screen. I'm not sure of the model yet, but the person whom we bought my current Neo Vivid netbook does offer trade ins for a reasonable price. I've always wanted a bigger netbook with bigger keys, not to mention something that came in black since this one I'm using never fails to give out signs of daily use.

What I'm concerned about is how I'm so used to everything with this netbook I currently have, and getting a new one would be like getting to know a whole new person. I know the guy we bought this from can transfer everything that I have on this netbook to the new one I'll buy, but I'm not sure...so should I or should I not?

Rehab 101

2010-03-02T13:34:00.000+08:00

Helping someone who doesn't want to be helped or thinks that there is nothing wrong with him or her is a very hard thing to accomplish, especially if the case is addiction. Fortunately, there are plenty of drug rehab in Ohio you can seek help for your friends and family members.

The Ohio Drug Rehabilitation can help your loved one in so many ways. Aside from drug addiction, this facility can also help your friends and loved ones get over other addictions such as alcoholism. Addiction is often caused by pain from a past trauma that a person tries to hide or numb with the use of substances. We all know that you can't hide the pain forever, and using such substances is bad for anyone's health. Having a family member who is addicted to such substances also affects everyone in the family, not just the addicted person.

The Ohio Drug Rehab has different ways in approaching treatment for addiction, including long term treatment. Your loved ones will be receiving a combination of cognitive therapy and medical treatment. More often than not, detox doesn't always do the trick since some patients tend to jump right back into their addiction after they get out of rehab. Finding out what the root cause is and working from there while treating the addiction medically is the best way to go.

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-14T06:18:00.000+08:00

Happy Valentines Day to everybody!

Worried About My Mom

2010-02-13T19:31:00.000+08:00

I'm really worried about my mom. She's like 60 years old and she started urinating blood a couple of days ago. When she was urinating blood, she felt a plop and saw a stone on the toilet bowl. I'm worried since we live in a different house, I can't take care of her as much as I would want to.

I Need Time

2010-02-09T11:24:00.000+08:00

I am dying to have some time for myself...like time to just sit back without having to think about anything like the online work I'm currently swamped with or anything else. I want to relax for a change, and not have to worry about deadlines, whether my kids have taken a bath, they've eaten their lunch or taken their vitamins. Don't get me wrong - I love my family and my kids more than life itself, but I just want to sit back and take a break for a while. Am I bad?

Oishi's Vegetarian Chicharon

2010-02-06T18:05:00.000+08:00

I am so addicted to Oishi's vegetarian chicharon! I like how it's made from green peas and a bunch of other vegetables and spices but tastes so much like the real thing. I prefer this flavor, Salt and Vinegar, over the plain salted one that's colored blue. They both taste great and I love munching on it every time!

Deadlines 101

2010-02-04T12:20:00.000+08:00

oDesk has proved to be really profitable for me. What I thought was impossible is now packing me with deadlines to meet, and plenty of online earnings. When I first started on oDesk, I thought landing my first job would be impossible, now things are very easy for me I guess in part of the feedback I have built up.

Over at my other blog Rant and Rave, I've been posting several tips on how to make money on oDesk and how to earn a lot from it. I may not be able to post tips daily or even every other day, I will however exert every effort to post at least twice a week - that's how busy I am with hourly and fixed price jobs over there.

A Cool Software Upgrade for my Nokia 5800

2010-01-27T09:04:00.001+08:00

I am loving my Nokia 5800 as time goes by. Instead of me wanting to get a new phone, the software updates that Nokia comes up with keeps my phone abreast with the newest models they release. Plus, with WiFi, Bluetooth, USB, and downloadable songs and games, I really can't ask for anything more when it comes to the features of this phone. My newest phone update today was version 40.0.005.

What changed is the fact that my contacts bar is now not limited to only 4 entries, but I am still not sure as to how many entries I can exactly store. Plus, it now has the ability to scroll left and right, unlike before when it was just stuck at the front of the screen. The icons for the contacts bar are also a lot bigger, allowing me to see the thumbnail photo of my contact a lot better.

The contacts bar also comes with a shortcuts bar at the bottom where you can easily access frequently used applications of your choice. I have my music player, Bounce (the game Nicole loves to play on my phone), gallery for quick and easy viewing of images, and the communities icon wherein it allows me access to FaceBook and Twitter easily on my phone.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T01:00:00.002+08:00

Very Proud of Henry

2009-12-28T22:08:00.000+08:00

My online earnings came a few hours ago, and I asked Henry to withdraw some money for me. Unionbank, the bank I have tied up to my PayPal account, has an ATM located a few blocks from our house and Henry took his motorcycle to go there. When he came home, he had the money, lechon kawali from Andok's, and a story to tell.

When he walked towards the ATM after parking his motorcycle, he saw a really drunk guy walking outside the ATM door. He even sat down on the area where disabled people go up with their wheelchair to the bank, and unzipped his pants and went for a pee for everyone to see. Since the guy was smaller than Henry and heavily drunk, Henry ignored him and proceeded inside the ATM machine.

Henry already had my Eon card out of his wallet when he saw the machine asking if he wanted another transaction. It was then he realized that there was an ATM card still inside the machine. Out of curiosity, my husband pressed YES and proceeded to make a balance inquiry. He saw that the ATM had Php 52,000 in it. My good husband then went out and tapped the drunk guy outside who had his private part still publicly out after peeing and told him, "Your ATM card and Php 52,000 is still inside the machine." The guy suddenly snapped back to life and said so many words of thanks and drove away in his Pajero that was parked on the bank's parking area.

I thought to myself that if I was the one who had been in that situation, I would have done otherwise. Which is why I am really very proud of my husband for doing the right thing. I know that since he did the right thing, good karma will certainly reward him with much more than Php 52,000.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T07:02:00.001+08:00

May peace, love, joy, and prosperity grace our homes as we celebrate Christmas with our loved ones. Since this is the season for giving, let us not forget our less fortunate brethren who are homeless, hungry, and those far away from their loved ones. Let us also take some time to pause and reflect over the good and bad things we have done the past year and vow to make a change for the better.

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a prosperous new year! Cheers!

Dazzled About Bidazzled

2009-12-23T18:21:00.002+08:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Bidazzled. All opinions are 100% mine.

I just came across a site called Bidazzled that is really a new change when it comes to online auction websites. There are a lot of websites wherein you can bid on certain items and the winner of the bidding wins the said item, but with Bidazzled, it is totally different. this site offers savings to customers of over 90% on branded name and items and at the same time, funding a charity. So you actually not only get the item you won on bidding, but you also help a charity at the same time. Doesn't that sound great?

The charity that Bidazzled helps is actually a lung cancer charity and on this site, nobody loses, even if you lose on the item you bid on. If you lose, you get 50 bonus bids and if you win the item, Bidazzled either buys the item back from you by paying you through PayPal or check, bonus bids, and other great items like a Nintendo Wii.

If you are interested, you can join Bidazzled and get an additional 15 free bids if you use the code BBP1202A until January 15. They also have a referral program wherein the more friends you refer, you get more bonus bids.

Who Do You Love?

2009-12-20T16:31:00.009+08:00

I came across a nice meme idea for today, and the question to be answered was who do you love? For me, these three people - Henry, Keisha, and Nicole - are the three people that mean the whole world to me. Henry has been my inspiration for almost 10 years now, and he effortlessly makes me strive to be a better person. Keisha has been lighting my life since she was born, and Nicole simply puts a smile to my face every single day with her kind heart and generosity towards everybody.

Of course, I also love my parents and my sister Elena, but ever since I had a family of my own, I have learned to prioritize them above anything else.

Going Sentimental

2009-12-16T16:20:00.010+08:00

Christmas is really just around the corner and in my side of the globe, nights are becoming very, very cold already. There are times that I wish I had tons and tons of cash to give every single kid who came knocking at our door singing Christmas carols more than just the loose change I had in my wallet. I wish for a better place for all of us, no more pollution and climate change, that every homeless person had a roof above their heads, and those who are hungry have a plateful of food to eat every time their stomachs rumble from hunger.

I know a lot of people wish the same wish as I do, but sadly, this wish is not going to be reality anytime soon. If anyone is going to ask me what my wish for this holiday season will be, this has to be it.

Happy 59th Birthday Mama!

2009-12-12T21:50:00.000+08:00

My sister Elena and I conspired in throwing a surprise party for our mom, similar to what we did last year. This time, I ordered 2 Christmas Bucket Meals from KFC and my sister ordered the Family Feast from Pizza Hut. There was too much food to go around while there were only 4 adults (my mom, my dad, my sister, and me) and my 2 kids - Keisha and Nicole. We had a great time, and I will be uploading pictures of the pasta we ordered - YUM!

Really Happy

2009-12-04T22:35:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, I had a really great time with my family. Henry did not have to go to work on that day, and since one of my aunts came home from Canada, I took it as the time to drop by to my mom's place.

The kids were really happy to see their grandparents, plus the fact that we carried our pet shih tzu Ron with us. My mom wanted to see him, so we brought him along. Although he ended up peeing on my parent's bed and pooping upstairs, my mom was really happy to see him.

When the kids fell asleep in the afternoon (we came before lunch), Henry and I took off to a nearby mall to shop for clothes for the kids. We shopped for a lot of PJ's, shirts, and a couple of shorts the kids could wear at home. They've grown so fast it's amazing.

But what I loved best about our little trip was the fact that we got to eat at McDonald's together. I missed having time just for the two of us, and I think it's been months (if not a year yet) before we actually had time for each other.

As a thank you to my parents and my eldest sister for watching the kids while we were gone, we bought home a box of pizza for them. My dad drove us home and after a few hours, put the kids to bed.

While we were at the mall, Henry kept asking me what I wanted to buy for myself. I hope he got my message when I said that I didn't want to buy anything, I just wanted to spend time with him.

It's December Tomorrow!

2009-11-30T09:05:00.000+08:00

I cannot believe that it's really December1st tomorrow! This means that it's only a couple of days away before Christmas, and a new year is also right around the corner. I am also very excited because in a few days, we will be buying Baby Alive dolls for my kids courtesy of their grandmother. Holidays always perk me up no matter how busy, tired, or upset I may be. When we go to Toy Kingdom on the 5th to buy Baby Alive dolls, I need to check out the prices of the toys I plan to give the kids as Christmas presents - I am so excited!

A New Look

2009-11-26T07:30:00.002+08:00

It's been a while since I've had the three column dots template installed on this blog, and I decided to give it a new look. Of all the sites that feature free three column blogger templates, I was very lucky to have come across Deluxe Templates. This website features amazing blogger templates for free. The templates are very, very artistic and all are widget-friendly, which comes in handy especially for people who are not HTML-knowledgeable like me! Lol!

I really like the look and feel of this template, and I bet this is one of those templates that I've had which will stay for a while. :-)

For my husband Henry

2009-11-21T15:21:00.003+08:00

I have always felt that these three words were often abused, and I will have to be, admittedly, one of the guilty parties in abusing it. Let me start by saying I love you again, and look back as we started.

We may have met in the most uncommon and ungodly of places and time, but I never regret any minute of it, even as I look back. There were times that I wish we had put up a savings account first, or that we made better decisions, but now I understand that these mistakes were the ones that taught us the best lessons in life, and made us who we are now.

I'd like to think we are able to afford certain luxuries now more than before (this laptop that never ceases to make clacking sounds, the two door fridge, playground sessions with the kids almost every week, my phone, your motorcycle, etc.) and I know for a fact that this is all because of our hard work. I can still remember how frightened I was to discover I was pregnant, with only a semester to finish in college, and you in your current field of work. How in the world were we ever going to get through things? I used to wonder about that, but we did.

My parents did not take things well, something I have learned to accept over the years, despite the fact that hateful words were sent through every form of communication imaginable. When I decided to move in with you almost a year after we were secretly married, my only thoughts then were for our eldest daughter. She needed a father growing up, and that was something I was not going to deprive her of, even if I had to learn to live away from the comfort and luxury of the place I used to call home. We started out slowly, and things were hard to say the least. I remember what my mom told me, "Gumapang sana kayo sa hirap parang mga ahas" (May you crawl in hardships as snakes do), and we did. I remember how our menu was made up of instant noodles and rice for so many months, and canned goods were considered a treat during payday. But we went through that all, we didn't mind eating that kind of food as long as we were able to buy our eldest daughter's brand of milk and diapers all the time.

When it was the both of us working together, things made a change for the better. And with the help of your mother in law to watch over our daughter as we turned nights into day and days into nights, we slowly but surely did make it through.

I often ask you why you love me, and why of all the other women in the world you chose to be with me. I ask you this not because I have any doubts on the love we share, but I want to know what good deed I have done in this world for me to deserve a husband as loving as you are. You always tell me I'm being unreasonable when I demand you be near me all the time - can I help it if I miss you the instant my eyes don't see you? We may have our disagreements every now and then (partly from my being childish and ultra-sensitive and your being hardheaded and unreasonable), but we make it through all of those with ease.

May 2010 will mark 10 years of being together as boyfriend-girlfriend, husband-wife, best friends, soulmates, lovers, and partners in crime, and I eagerly look forward to many more years of my life with you. I love you, and I will never get tired of saying so, and I hope you will not get tired of hearing it as well.

I Want to Watch New Moon!

2009-11-20T12:30:00.000+08:00

I am so wanting to watch New Moon!

But I don't think I will be able to watch it in the big screen any time soon...Next week is my eldest daughter's mid-quarter exams, so I need to thoroughly review her for all her subjects. Plus, Henry's schedule is pretty much eating up our weekends and weekdays, so I am totally unsure how and when I will be able to watch this movie.

I've read all the books, but seeing them in big screen is different. I am crossing my fingers that a miracle happens and I am able to watch New Moon. Keep your fingers crossed for me, too!

Envious?

2009-11-17T17:39:00.002+08:00

I really wanted to watch Manny Pacquiao's fight last Sunday, and I am glad Henry got to watch it live via satellite in a nearby school. He had to pay Php100 I think, and I wanted to go, too. But of course, I had to think of the kids.

Being a parent sometimes has its setbacks, but these are nothing compared to the joy I get whenever I see them smile. Not to mention the fact when they give me a big kiss.

I just wanted to share that I was a bit disappointed that I wasn't even asked, although I know what I would have answered even if I was invited to watch anyway -no. I'm glad I have a lot of time with the kids now, but I guess I just miss the time when I can have my husband just to myself.

In time, I know when the kids are older, I can have more time with Henry, just the two of us. Which is also why I am thinking of not having any more kids - 2 girls is more than enough for me. Lol!

TextMagic - Send SMS Anywhere from your PC

2009-11-12T16:48:00.003+08:00

I came across a site called TextMagic and I have to say, I am very pleased. It is a great way for you to save on their mobile phone costs, especially when you're on the minimum plan your mobile phone provider has to offer.

TextMagic allows users to send SMS from your PC anytime, anywhere. I highly encourage you to compare how much international messages cost from TextMagic and your mobile phone provider. If you have relatives who live in a different part of the globe, this will be the perfect opportunity for you to stay in touch with them without costing too much.

Another great feature of TextMagic is the fact that it is very accessible. In case you forget to charge your mobile phone, you left your mobile phone (or worse, lost it), you can easily get on any computer with internet access and send those very important messages.

So what are you waiting for? Compare the costs of SMS from your mobile phone with what TextMagic has to offer so that you can start to send SMS from your PC!

Happy Birthday to my Mother in Law

2009-11-09T07:54:00.000+08:00

Happy birthday to my mother in law!!!

This will be the first birthday we will spend apart since I married your son, and I surely miss you. But of course, I am happy for you that you're in Hawaii. I hope you have fun celebrating your birthday there!

I Am Exhausted

2009-11-06T21:24:00.003+08:00

I never thought being a full time writer could also be exhausting. Whew!

I've always had a passion for writing, something that I never hid and I always dreamed of practicing eventually. I never thought though, that it would be my career and that I could seriously earn from it in the comfort of my home.

But now as I spend days, nights, and even weekends laboriously in front of my laptop, I cannot help but sometimes feel exhausted about everything. Writing is not physically exhausting since only your fingers work as you type away the words, but mentally exhausting.

There are times when I just want to sit back and close my laptop and not look at it at all. But then again, there are bills to pay and things I want to buy for my kids, Henry, and myself that I just can't help but sigh and open my laptop again.

There are also times that I am glad I got myself into this career, as I am always at home at do not have the need to be away from my kids. But then again, when I am chasing deadlines, I become a figurine sitting in my living room as the kids play around me.

I just finished another whole day in front of my laptop, interrupted by meal time and bathing time for my kids. I finished quite a lot of hourly and fixed price jobs today, bound to get me a lot of good feedback and payments, but enough to leave me drained for the whole day.

Tomorrow is another day of online writing.

Tired and Happy

2009-11-03T11:07:00.002+08:00

I just came home from giving away Jollibee meals to Keisha's classmates. Henry and Nicole went with me, and today is actually an extension of Keisha's birthday which unfortunately was on the same date as their second quarter exams.

Although things did not go exactly as we planned, I'm glad everything went smoothly as we gave away the food and as Keisha's classmates sang her the happy birthday song. I am also glad that Keisha's birthday this year, her 6th birthday, is very memorable.

Happy 6th Birthday Keisha!

2009-10-29T09:57:00.000+08:00

Happy 6th Birthday Keisha! I love you sweetie!

Arts and Crafts for Kids

2009-10-23T08:31:00.002+08:00

It is quite usual for parents to provide the best books, toys and games for their children. However, there are other fun and educational activities that parents can add to their schedule such as arts and crafts sessions. These activities are important tools that can help a child’s general development.

Arts and crafts allow youngsters to be in touch with their creative side and give confidence them to discover how things are made up and look for ways to make things work. They learn how to become creative and resourceful.

As parents, we have to take an interest in their art in order to encourage them to take interest in arts and crafts. They will have arts and crafts projects in school and when they present them to us, we need to show them that the results of their efforts are important to us. Otherwise, we will be sending the wrong message that the results of their efforts are not at all important and worthless. We have to show them we care about their efforts.

Helping them appreciate the value of arts and crafts as kids can lead to a better appreciation of other artworks and other types of arts. We also want to them to love literature for example. We can do this by reading to them from the book or accompany them to watch a well made movie based on that book. We can also let them listen to an audio version of the book. These are effective alternative ways to introduce and let children develop a liking for other forms of arts and crafts.

Arts and crafts also teach kids other important values such as determination – they learn to how to focus at a particular task and do it until they have completed it. They also learn to develop concentration – children learn how to sit and stay put and complete their assignment even while in the midst of many distractions.

By providing an area and schedule for arts and crafts for our children, we can help them understand that there are times that they need to wait to get the results of their efforts evident. It is during this time that they learn how to be patient and be more reasonable.

Arts and crafts activities can help children to develop their confidence in their own skills and abilities. We praise them for the tasks they finish and they learn to take pride in what they can do through their own hard work.

OwnADayCare.com gives you all the information you need to start your own daycare business and also has a listing of day care center nationwide.

This is a guest post from Anne Stephanie Cruz of Own A Day Care. Thanks!

Thoughts on Web Hosting

2009-10-20T03:55:00.002+08:00

I have given serious thought over having my own domain, my own dot com where I can host this blog as well as the others. Since I am really not knowledgeable when it comes to HTMLs or other codes for that matter, I am worried and afraid as to what will happen should I encounter any problems with my blog. Also, since I am already very much used to the interface that my current blogs already use, which is pretty much just drag and drop, I don't think I can get used to another that would require me to do more than that.

With these things in mind, I tried to look for a web site hosting that would give me all of the features I mentioned above. Easy to use, quick customer service, and an affordable price are my priorities. Since I really don't know much about web hosting, it really pays to know as much as I can about it before I take the plunge.

I also came across an article about cheap hosting. Factors to consider like downtime, bandwidth, and support, were tackled in the article I read. It made me realize that just because it's cheap doesn't mean a web host is good or bad. It is really just a matter of evaluating the things that matter and things that you need in terms of keeping your online presence. It's not impossible to find a web host that's affordable, but also works as hard as you do in keeping your site up.

Happy blogging!

Awake at 3AM

2009-10-20T03:40:00.002+08:00

It's a little over 3AM where I am at and I am awake at this ungodly hour because I saw Henry off to work. Sometimes I wish we just ran a business or something so that I could see more of him each day. I only get to spend Sundays with him, and usually Mondays as well, but sometimes, he still gets called off to work during Mondays.

What I dislike about his job is the fact that he leaves really, really early and comes home late in the evening. Sure, there are times he does come home early, but that happens like twice or thrice in a month. He spends over 16 hours at work, and gets paid like Php1,000 (or sometimes more) every field trip.

Somehow, there is a little part of me that would like him to just look for a regular day job, but the other part of me wants to let him continue with this line of work as I can obviously see that he enjoys what he does, not to mention the fact that he gets to travel all over the country at no expense because of his work.

He asked me last night why I sigh whenever he tells me what shirt he needs to wear when he goes on a tour. I simply said, "I can't help it if I miss you all the time."

Preparing for Keisha's 6th Birthday

2009-10-18T02:02:00.003+08:00

For today, I planned on going to Jollibee to inquire about their birthday party packages for Keisha's 6th birthday on the 29th. Inspired by one of her classmates that had the party on their school complete with a character/mascot appearance, I wanted to do the same thing for Keisha and I knew that was what she wanted as well.

I got the kids and myself dressed up and we were going to leave Ron Weasley to our neighbor who also happens to be Henry's aunt. As we were saying our goodbyes to Ron, Henry came home. I knew he was going to come home early, but he is the best when it comes to timing. So we waited for him to change clothes and we all went to the nearest Jollibee.

The Jollibee that is just a few blocks from our house that sank in Typhoon Ondoy (and by sank I mean only the roof was visible and the service crew awaited for rescue and the waters to subside on the roof) was currently not accepting birthday parties as they did not have the materials for it at the moment.

We proceeded to SM Valenzuela and went to the Jollibee there. Sadly, the manager informed me that they no longer accept take out birthday parties beginning this year. Keisha was obviously sad, but there was really nothing we could do. I decided to ask at McDonald's.

Since I am a big fan of McDonald's french fries, we asked about their birthday party packages. We got all the info we needed, and the price including all the invitations, loot bags, thank you cards, party hats, and all of that were included. The only problem is, since the mall opened at 10AM, that would be the time they can accomodate the take out party. Keisha's classes end at 10:30AM, so from 10AM including travel time to their school, there really won't be much time for her party.

As of right now, Henry and I are still thinking about what we can do so that her party at school will be successful. I guess we'll just have food delivered to her school, but having games and prizes would make it extra special for her.

Catching Up!

2009-10-14T13:48:00.003+08:00

Whew!

I totally have some serious catching up to do on my blogs. With everything that's been going on in my life right now, this is one of the things that I have neglected so far.

For starters, there have been so many changes in my life recently. One of them is the fact that my mother in law has already migrated to Hawaii last October 3. She will be able to vacation here after 2 years though.

Since my mother in law has already migrated, I am now officially a full time mom and housewife to my two kids. Being hands-on to them also means I have to be hands off on some things, and obviously my blog is one of them. I also had to let go of some clients that I have for my online writing jobs. I honestly prefer not to work for them anymore instead of me always missing deadlines.

My daily routine at home is pretty much mapped out. On weekdays, I wake up extremely early (and by extremely I mean 6AM) so that I have enough time to make Keisha's breakfast and heat her water for her bath, see her off to school, then clean the house while she's gone and feed and comb our new pet shih tzu Ron Weasley. When Nicole wakes up a few hours later, I attend to her until Keisha comes home.

When Keisha comes home from school, Nicole doesn't fret too much anymore as she already has a playmate with her. Together they play with the puppy as I make our lunch. After feeding them and giving them their vitamins, I give Nicole a nap and we all take our afternoon nap. Sometimes I don't want to sleep in the afternoon but taking care of two kids and a puppy can be really exhausting, so I sleep with them.

When we wake up, we play around with each other and the puppy until it's time for me to cook dinner, wait for their dad to come home, clean them up for bedtime, and then tuck them in. My routine is broken by trips to the mall or a day out with the entire family.

I love taking care of them, but I guess until I learn to properly manage my time, I will have to keep my online career to a minimum.

A Happy-Sad Goodbye

2009-10-04T02:15:00.002+08:00

Yesterday, we said our happy and sad goodbyes to my mom in law as she flew to Hawaii aboard Hawaiian Airlines. She needs to stay there for 2 years before she can come back to the Philippines for a vacation.

I asked my dad to drive us to the airport so we could use our van. Henry, the kids, me, my sister Elena, my mom in law and her brother plus my dad all came to bid her goodbye. She had been crying the night before and was having second thoughts on leaving.

Today, I already got to chat with her on Skype and she's still crying, especially when she sees the kids. I know in time, she will get used to it. But on the other hand, I am glad that she's seeing how beautiful Hawaii is and how clean it is plus how good the air smells and all of that stuff. In time, especially when she begins to work, I know she'll do just fine.

Here Comes the -ber Months!

2009-09-09T10:17:00.002+08:00

I can hardly believe that Christmas is really just around the corner. September, the first of the -ber months is here and it's like a little over 100 days before Christmas.

October will mark Keisha's 6th birthday, and November will also be Henry and mine's 6th year wedding anniversary. November will also be my mom in law's birthday.

December is also my mom's birthday, and not to mention Christmas, the big day. Since everything's all OK with my mom in law's visa, this will be the first Christmas we'll spend without her. I will surely miss having her around, but I will not be the one who will hold her back from her dream of going to the US.

My Sister and oDesk

2009-08-31T02:58:00.003+08:00

I'm sad that my eldest sister Elena walked out of her job today. But it's something I can't question why she did, because she has always been the level headed and rational one amongst us sisters. Since she will be jobless, I suggested that she start making money online too. She was very open to the suggestion and I did not have a hard time bringing up the opportunity to her.

First of all, she is a darn good English speaker and she writes very, very well. By the writing jobs that are available in oDesk, I am already certain she is going to make a lot of money. If she were to apply for customer service jobs, I'm sure her neutral accent would be to her advantage as well.

I just hope that everything turns out well for her. This will be her first time to try something new, and I did not sugar coat things that my online money making process was easy to begin with. It didn't get any easier now either, as I am always up and on the computer. But something's gotta be better than nothing and I hope she does stick through writing, and I will be here to help her in any way possible.

My Mom in Law's Visa Interview

2009-08-22T05:37:00.002+08:00

First of all, I'd like to thank the many well-wishers who greeted me and my mom in law on the 19th, both here and in FaceBook.

I am happy to say that her visa was not denied, but it has not been given yet either. This is because the consular officer noticed that her son's (my huband's) last name is different from that of hers. Since she is under a different immigrant category and in all of the forms she submitted she wrote that she was single, she was asked to present a CENOMAR.

A CENOMAR is a document from the National Statistics Office here in the Philippines which is the abbreviation for Certificate of No Marriage. It's just to establish her singleness. I understand why the embassy would want this document after noticing that my husband's last name was different. Any misinformation that was submitted in any of the forms would constitute a permanent denial of her US Visa.

So there, we already had her CENOMAR delivered and it would take approximately 3-5 working days. After we get it, we can go back to the US Embassy from 1PM-2Pm and she needs to submit the said document to a certain window number and then wait for her Visa to be mailed by Air 21.

So that's it! Thank you for all of your kind words, they were very highly appreciated.

Tomorrow is D-Day for my Mom in Law

2009-08-18T23:57:00.002+08:00

Tomorrow is the scheduled Visa interview for my mom in law. We need to be there before 8:30AM tomorrow, and since it is already midnight, I may need to get some sleep myself. I am both excited and nervous for her, but I am diverting my energies into making sure that we have everything we need for tomorrow.

Wish us the best of luck, but I am sure that with God's help, everything will work out fine tomorrow.

Keisha and Nicole

2009-08-17T16:10:00.001+08:00

I wanted to share my netbook's current wallpaper. Looking at this picture makes me realize just how big my kids are.

What I Want for my Birthday

2009-08-12T21:52:00.003+08:00

*Sigh*

It's my 26th birthday tomorrow, August 13. I am excited in a normal way, but I am also sad because earlier today was the burial of my dad's eldest brother. He passed away because of a heart attack on August 10 and today was his burial.

I don't really know if my relatives would be in the mood for a birthday celebration any time soon, something I totally understand. But on the brighter side, I am glad because the people I love the most are right here with me.

Here's to wishing myself a happy birthday!

A New Neo Vivid 1190 Netbook

2009-08-01T17:30:00.006+08:00

Yesterday, we bought a new netbook. It's a Neo Vivid 1190 netbook that pretty much had all the specs we were looking for in a laptop and for a very affordable price.

For the specs, it has 160GB of hard disk space, 1 GB of RAM, and an Intel Atom N270 1.60 GHz as its processor. We bought the color white, not because its the color I liked, but because it was the only color available and was also the last piece the seller had.

The netbook also uses LED lights in its LCD screen, meaning that the colors are brighter and it also consumes a lot less electricity. The Neo Vivid 1190 netbook I bought comes with a 10 inch screen, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, built in microphone and speakers, and also comes with original Windows XP Home Edition.

The nice guy we bought the netbook from was kind enough to install Yahoo! Messenger, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, an anti virus software, and other useful applications. We bought the netbook for only Php 16,500. I know other websites and even the malls we went to sell them for like Php 17,000 - Php 22,000 so I know we got a good bargain.

This netbook is brand new, and also came with a 2GB flash drive, and 2 little round things that you stick to the bottom which elevates the netbook so that it doesn't heat up. If you're interested in buying this netbook for a friend or family member, I can hook you up with the guy I bought it from. He is also a computer technician that does a lot of buying and selling computers and its parts. If you buy the netbook from him, he provides a one year warranty.

A Movie Fasting

2009-07-27T09:54:00.002+08:00

Henry and I finally got to watch another movie after so many months of not watching movies on the big screen. It was nice, especially since we also got to share the experience with my sister Elena and Keisha.

We watched Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince in SM Valenzuela and we were there a few minutes after the mall opened. We were able to catch the first screening, which was what we wanted. We wanted the movie house not crowded, and since we were the first people there, the movie house was also very clean.

I'm glad I got to share the experience with all the people I loved. If only Nicole was bigger, everything would have been complete.

Resigning Soon

2009-07-24T22:16:00.002+08:00

I will be resigning from my job at VXI which I've had since January of 2008 soon. My mom in law's visa interview is set for August 19, and I'm sure that it will be approved, no doubt. I just want to spend as much time with her as I can because she won' t be able to come home for a period of 2 years.

I am just wondering when I should file my resignation and ho the entire process works. I know I'll have to get clearances signed, and then I'll have to go back for my back pay. I wonder how much my back pay will be, lol! And of course, a pro-rated 13th month pay will also be included.

In a way, I am both happy and sad. I am happy because I'll have lots of time with my kids and my mom in law until she leaves, but I am also sad because I'll miss the friends I've made at work. But having more time with the kids and Henry makes me think that everything will be all worth it.

Vietnam Super Sale!

2009-07-22T12:52:00.002+08:00

Accor Hotels is currently having a Vietnam Hotel Super sale from July 7 - July 13, and from July 17 to September 30, 2009.

Hotel rates start as low as $45 for stays in between the dates I mentioned above. Some of these hotels that offer hotel stay rates at $45 are Novotel Dalat with the address of 7 Tran Phu Street, Dalat, Vietnam and can be reached at tel : (84-63)3825 777, Novotel Ha Long Bay with the address of Ha Long Road, Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam and can be reached at tel : (84-33) 3848 108, Novotel Nha Trang with the address of 50 Tran Phu Street, Nha Trang, Vietnam and can be reached at tel : (84-58) 3685 6921, and the Novotel Phan Thiet Ocean Dunes & Golf Resort with the address of 1 Ton Duc Thang Street, Phan Thiet
Vietnam and can be reached at tel : (84-62)3822 393.

There are also two hotels that offer stay rates starting at $75, and these are the Grand Mercure La Veranda Phu Quoc with the address of Ward 1, Duong Dong Beach, Tran Hung Dao Street, Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam and can be reached at tel : (84-77)3398 2988, and the La Residence Hotel & Spa - Hue with the address of 5 Le Loi Street, Hue, Vietnam and can be reached at tel: (84-54)3837 475.

There are also two hotels that will be opening in August and September. The hotel opening on August 1st is called the Mercure Hanoi La Gare with the address of 94 Ly Thuong Kiet Street,
Hoan Kiem District Hanoi, Vietnam and can be reached at tel : (84-4)3944 7766. The hotel opening on Spetember 1st is called the Mercure Hue Gerbera with the address of 38 Le Loi Street, Hue City, Vietnam and can be reached at tel : (84-54)394 6688. Both of these hotels offer stays starting at $45 only.

Busy to the Max!

2009-07-22T12:25:00.002+08:00

A couple of weeks back when I got diagnosed with pneumonia, I was able to stay home and do tons and tons of online writing jobs. Most of those online jobs were thanks to oDesk, and I am really glad I came across that site.

Now that I've been back to work, I am really having a hard time managing my time with the deadlines I have for the online writing jobs and my own day job. I barely have time to sleep and I always exhausted. Not physically exhausted, but mentally exhausted.

I don't want to give up on online writing because when my mom in law finally flies off to Hawaii around September, I'll be quitting my day job and I'll just stay at home with the kids. I'll be writing more stuff online then, which is why I don't want to lose the job providers I already have now.

I guess I really just have to learn more about managing my time because from now up to the day when I resign from my office, I'll be busy to the max!

Off to Hawaii!

2009-07-15T00:16:00.000+08:00

My mom in law received an email from the National Visa Center regarding her petition. We have been waiting for several months already and now, she already has a schedule for her visa interview! Her interview is scheduled at 8:30AM on August 19.

I am going to accompany her sometime after the 23rd of July for her medical exam at St. Luke's. She's very excited and nervous at the same time. I am glad that finally, her dream of migrating to the US is very, very close to reality.

I will miss her, though. But I think it's OK. She has a life of her own and it's just natural that she live her life.

Scrubsmag - A Review

2009-07-12T17:38:00.002+08:00

I recently came across a site called Scrubsmag, and as one can guess, the site features a whole lot about the life of a nurse. From Scrubs to diets to work tips from veteran nurses, there's a lot of information that can be found on this site.

Being a nurse can be a stressful job, and nurses often neglect to take care of themselves because they're too busy taking care of other people. We've heard of the horror stories where nurses end up spending 16 hours or more on double shift. And with so many things to do like visiting patients, running errands, and giving patients their medicines, looking good can be last on a nurse's mind.

On the web site, I found this really helpful article for nurses especially during the hot summer season. The article I found is entitled Wake Up Looking Younger and it has a lot of useful tips on taking care of one's self, especially one's face. Here are these tips as itemized in the article:

1. Get clean.
It's a simple rule but its something we often don't do either because we're really tired from a hard day's work or we're simply too lazy. Just make sure you don't sleep with makeup on.

2. Moisturize.
With the hot summer seasons stripping off our skin's natural moisture, don't forget to moisturize. No one wants to end up looking like a prune.

3. Sleep right.
One's sleeping position affects one's disposition when waking up. Sleep on your back to avoid any body aches in the morning.

4. Be kissable.
Give your lips a little exfoliation. While brushing your teeth, give your lips a little brush and see what it does.

5. Tame stray hairs.
Don't forget those eyebrows! Always keep stray hairs tame.

A New Job at oDesk

2009-07-12T13:35:00.002+08:00

I just wanted to share how things at oDesk are turning out for me.

A couple of days ago I landed a job as a writer. The job provider asked me to write 5 travel articles with the places she provided. The payout is $10, $5 upfront and $5 after the job was completed. I submitted the completed work and waited for payment.

But more than a payment arrived to me today. The job provider did send the remaining $5 payment and also sent another job. This time, the topics are about health and the payout is also the same. She also left me a great feedback on my oDesk provider profile which everyone will see.

I'm really happy things are turning out great at oDesk, and now I'll have a lot of earnings for this month, hopefully I'll surpass my blog earnings in June.

Something And Nothing At All

2012

Enteng ng Ina Mo

Merry Christmas!

So This Is What Lonely Feels Like

Very Difficult is an Understatement

I Miss My Dad

Go Henry!!!

Too Young or What?

Untitled...Words Get in the Way. :)

Just Like Yesterday

An All Time Low

Getting into the DIY Spirit

Auto Repair

Excited about House

Windows Live Writer

Happy New Year!!!

Tonsillitis

Merry Christmas!

Need Help with your Home Appliances?

Home for the Holidays

No Christmas Tree This Year

Happy 7th Birthday Keisha

Caught Off Guard

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

What to Do in Shenzhen

An Unhappy Ending

Our New Puppies

About Shenzhen Bars

Happy Birthday Ate Elena!

About Bars in Shenzhen

Sad

On Casino Gambling Index

Follow Up on Leisure 18

An Early End to a Busy Night

Me and Ate Elena

Some Lessons Are Learned Best the Hard Way

We're Going to Have Puppies! (hopefully)

Happy Father's Day!

Keisha's First Day in First Grade

It's June!

Shrek Forever After in 3D at the Mall of Asia

Guest Post - Savings Guide for Parents

Savings Guide for Parents

Log Your Monthly Expenses

Include Yourself in the Expenses

Always Pay Your Debt on Time

Savings Guide for Parents was originally posted on the SaveBrite.com blog

A lot of Gifts from Henry

Leisure 18 - A Review

Happy Mother's Day!

Featured on Loqal.ph

Twitter Followers

House Season 6 Blogger Episode - Private Lives

A Trip to Bulacan

Awake for 25 Hours and Counting

What do you think of the new dNeero homepage?

Another Blast from the Past Picture

A Blast from the Past

Should I....

Rehab 101

Happy Valentines Day!

Worried About My Mom

I Need Time

Oishi's Vegetarian Chicharon

Deadlines 101

A Cool Software Upgrade for my Nokia 5800

Happy New Year!

Very Proud of Henry

Merry Christmas!

Dazzled About Bidazzled

Who Do You Love?

Going Sentimental

Happy 59th Birthday Mama!

Really Happy

It's December Tomorrow!

A New Look

For my husband Henry

I Want to Watch New Moon!

Envious?

Savings Guide for Parents
was originally posted on the SaveBrite.com blog