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 Monday, September 13, 2010

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 Thursday, September 09, 2010

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 Monday, August 30, 2010

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.