Kan anan sa Balsa, Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur

Last December 29, going home to Iligan from Zamboanga City the husband decided that we take our lunch at a place highly recommended by the brother-in-law, Kan anan sa Balsa in Kumalarang, Zambuanga del Sur. It is a mountainous 4th class municipality with around 25,000 people. So it was actually a surprised that when we got there, we could not get a table because others have reserved way ahead of time. Judging also from the kind and quantity of parked cars, it has become a destination of choice for eating out considering that it is in a remote, mountainous municipality.

Although it is not the first time that we passed this place on our way to Zamboanga, we always make it a point to stopped by Pagadian City for our meals but apparently, Kan anan sa Balsa has gained popularity over the years. I can't tell you anything about the cooked food though since we were not able to have our lunch there since they were also having their christmas party by 1 pm so they had to close. But i can tell you though that the food is really fresh. I can understand the attraction that the place has to offer since the tables are in canopied rafts anchored at the sides of the large fish pond, and you get to see you meal being hooked right in front of your eyes. Also, it's the only one of it's kind outside of Pagadian City.

I'd post later some of the photos i took. It was raining and the kids were hungering for Jollibee so we had to get on our way. By the way, there really are some nice photos on the web about Kan anan sa Balsa but I can't link to them. I'll make a post on this again when we have a chance to eat there.

Happy Digital Christmas

Have you ever wondered what would the turn of events be had Jesus been born in these times?
Wonder no more, watch this cool video :

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A simple love letter

Let me share with you a love letter i receive from my 6 years old Alyssa:

I put this inside my wallet.  If you must know, my children speaks fluent Cebuano. Since relocating here, they have been learning to speak Tagalog although they still retain the accent that identifies most Bisaya.  But whatever language they may want to write to me, I feel the love.  And did i tell you, she writes to me almost everyday? I have a folder at home intended for letters and cards such as these.  Even Abby scribbles unintelligently, colors it and gives it to me.

Alyssa like most girls, watches disney's fairytales. And so she wants me to be a Queen loved by her King. In her young heart, she knows that happiness at its core really means knowing you are loved.  And I know that I am loved. And I am happy.

Paskohan Village at Meralco Compound

Last Sunday, we were able to roam around town because we sprayed our place with insecticide.  Yup, cockroaches and mosquitoes now abound in our abode. So enough of that icky update, i would rather share with you some of the photos we have taken during our visit to Meralco's Paskohan Village.

Above is the giant christmas tree made of copper wire. Actually most of the displays are made of copper wire. Kudos to the sculptor!

On display also is a train complete with the tracks, i just don't know if it actually runs since it was just stationary when we where there.

The husband carried Maggie whose baby eyes seemed to grow bigger with every display of lights that came to sight.  Christmas really is such a wonderful time for kids!

My girls still full of energy even when it's already nearing midnight.

This photo is a panoramic shot feature of my newly bought digital underwater camera. More on my GECam on the next posts.

HSBC's low home loan rate

These past two weekends we mostly spend on the road checking out houses from as far as Las Pinas to the south and Marikina to the north. I've also combed the net and actually found a house which seems to fit right into our budget and also right in the heart of the city of Makati.  So now that we have found a suitable place to purchase, we were already thinking of how to go about acquiring our dream home.  We don't have a stashful of cash hidden so bank financing is a must. 

First on our list is HSBC. Why, because according to leaflets they are inserting into my monthly credit card statements, they are offering a home loan rate at 5.99% for 1 year re-pricing! Also, i had high hopes that my inquiry would be met with enthusiasm after all, by my standards I have a pretty good credit rating, by way of paying on time even before due dates.  That's not limited to credit card debts by the way, I am also diligent with my other obligations in other financial institutions. So anyway, I called up their hotline and got entertain by a customer representative who initially told me that the 5.99% was monthly rate! Yup, i had to ask him again and again but he still firm on the 5.99% as monthly rate.  Regardless, he told me that a home loan specialist will contact me in 2-3 business days to answer about my particular concern.

The following day, friday I again called up their hotline and inquired about their home loan rate if it's really monthly or annual.  The CS this time told me that it's annual and that she told me that she put my request on express mode to signify the urgency so that whoever the home loan specialist they assigned to me will find ways to talk to me earlier. That was friday. Monday came, then tuesday and then wednesday still there was no call.  By the way, I also filled up their online request form to talk to a home loan specialist but nobody got back to me.  I suppose, they had bigger clients to attend to.  

But I've always thought of HSBC as really up there in customer service. Contrast that with Union Bank and UCPB. When i emailed UCPB for an inquiry about home loan rate, not even a minute after sending that email my phone was already ringing and a bank representative was already calling me ready to answer all my queries.  When I also called up Union Bank-Wackwack branch, I was also immediately entertained by their business manager.  But then again Union bank and UCPB offers 9.75% as against 5.99%.  So I am giving HSBC the benefit of the doubt here.  Maybe they are just swamped with home loan applications that they didn't bother getting back to me?

Megaclinic, Medical Services in a Mall

Yesterday, I had my pulmonary function test and ecg done at SM megamall's megaclinic.  I had my check-up friday evening after work because i have been having periods of dizziness which starts in the morning when i get up. There are times when it lasted all throughout the day although it's not at the point where I can no longer go through my daily function. And then, i also have periods of shortness of breath and discomforts in my chests.  Must admit, that all of these coincided with the fact that i might be loooking for a new employer soon and that the husband and I are looking into buying our own house and lot. House hunting is a joyful experience until you inquire for the price and it's way beyond your means.  It is stressful, I tell you.  And  was once diagnose with PSTD not so long ago in my past but it's another post.

Anyway, megaclinic's services has so far proved to be oustanding, starting from reception until you get what you came there for.  I haven't tried all their laboratory procedures and Heaven forbid that I would, I'd like to stay healthy for a very long time. The staff are nice and courteous enough.  The only thing which would probably make you wait is when you are an HMO cardholder because they will have to call up your HMO for approval.  Other than that everything is smoothsailing. Of course, it is a given that you have to wait for the doctors and lab procedures where there is just too many patients.  Even then, the concept of medical services in a mall where you can bring in the whole family, for them to enjoy the mall's entertainment while you have your medical tests done is outstanding especially today where family time is so eroded with traffic, work and other activities. Another outstanding concept is that you need not go there to get your lab results, you just go to healthonline.com, they already gave you an ID you just ask them what and type in your password. 

Anyway, I really would have wanted if someone was with me when i had my pft and ecg.  It's not a scary procedure, the pft i mean but it did scare me off a bit especially so since you can see the graphical representation of your lung function and whether or not it is functioning at the normal level.  They will give you a mouthpiece connected to a machine where you blow and inhale with force, 3 times to check. Afterwards, you will be instructed to use a nebulizer with ventolin, rest for 15 minutes and do the exhale and inhale test again. I waited a bit longer for the ecg because the technician was still doing a stress test on another patient.  The ecg is very quick, she just told me to unhook my bra, lie on my back, wipe the sites where the leads( not sure with the term) are to be with cotton with alcohol.  I think they put a total of 4 leads on my chest, 1 on each wrist and 1 on each feet.  It is a simple enough procedure but still it is disconcerting that it is a test to somehow determine if your heart is ok. Yeah, it would have been nice to have someone hold your hand after the tests. And yes,  waiting for the results is kinda stressful too.

Pembo, Makati

We checked out a house and lot at Pembo, Makati.  It's a big place but the house is in a bad state of disrepair, from what we saw there was no sign of a caretaker living there.  It is near a creek or a small river not sure which is which. Although from what i've read from mapcarta , Pembo has an average elevation of 19 meters above sea level.  Not sure if it's a comfort though since at the time of Typhoon Ondoy, the water was said to be at knee level. 

Going to the place, we passed by a market place  which really is just a walk away. The houses around the area are of the concrete shanty types although there are several big houses with high fences.  If we get that place, it will be much nearer to the husband's place of work, but way way far from mine. The nearest mall is Market Market.  Right now, i think the husband favors that place more than the others we have seen so far.  The house is a total write off, and i think we have to spend so much on fillings so that the house will be a level higher than the street and we also need to spend on pest control particularly anay. At this point we have not even talked to the owner yet just the niece and we haven't been contacted by a home loan specialist from the bank. Oh well, a step at the time.

Nokia Holiday Rush Sale Up to 70% Off

The web is abuzz with Nokia's holiday rush sale of up to 70% off happening on december 4, 2010 at these nokia stores :

The units up for grabs are the following:

Hurry, stores open at 10am and it's on a first come,first serve basis!

House hunting...

The husband has finally realized what i have been saying before, it is much better to get our own place rather than rent out since in the end, the amortization is actually capitalizable while rent expense is not.  It's not as easy as buying a car though since our apartment is really in the center of everything and I really like our place and the community and as i said it's near to mine and husband's work, it's near the kid's school, churches, etc. It is really difficult to give up a place like that but now that he has seen the light after almost two years of living in our apartment, we might really be moving into our own place(if we can find one  that suits our budget and preference).

We went house hunting in BF Resort in Las Pinas, Marikina heights, DMCI's Mahogany residences in Taguig as well as in San Juan.  If i win the grand lotto, I will chose the one in San Juan but  the husband is partial to the one in Taguig. Realistically speaking, I am gonna browse on the foreclosed properties muna.  I always admire the husband's resolve, he did not make a face when the prices where mentioned.  I should perhaps just follow his example and believe that we can.  In the meantime, goodluck to us.  And because, I do believe in God's providence than in simple luck, I already prayed about it so it has a greater chance of being granted. It's the optimist prime in me(term borrowed from Chico Garcia)...

Love, love,love,love

There are days when it is just so hard to be peaceful, and then there are days when peace of mind comes naturally without effort on your part.  The same problem exists, it's just that somehow it just doesn't affect you that much.  Now adays,  I prefer going straight home rather than window shopping at the mall or even indulging in a little pampering at a spa.  I find I actually look forward to seeing Maggie's face brighten up upon seeing me and hearing her gurgling laugh.  I also find it heartbreakingly sweet that Alyssa gives me loveletters every day from school which really means that I am always on her mind. And even though Abby tires me up with her constant chatter, she's always the one who is also constantly embracing me whether coming home or going to work , and especially sleeping.  So you see, I am loved like that.

So I am gonna treasure these moments now while their world still revolves around me. Some years into the future, they will find another person to love, whose opinion will matter more than mine, seek other arms to embrace, other homes to come home to. But right now, I am the most important person to them and I am just grateful for that love, and so much thankful to God. 

I also love you, husband. And yes, I am sentimental like that.

Buy Nothing on November 27...

Last Saturday, I was literally exhausted.  What with my Netbook going toast, a friend in Houston needing help with his roaming services(It didn't help that Smart Customer Service takes an average of 30 minutes before being entertained!), and I promised the kids to go swimming at the Condo.(which i was able to do , thank God!)  I went to Greenhills to have my Neo repaired thinking it only involved a re-installation of OS or at the most re-formatting. Alas, after two hours of waiting and having bought Globe Tattoo, my anticipation turned into a big disappointment. The harddrive needed to be replaced but I didn't believe the tech so i went to the Neo service center aalong shaw only to be told the same thing.

I was actually tempted to buy an IPAD due to the Zero percent payment scheme.  It's a good thing, sanity prevailed.  Heck, I succumbed to a little madness, i bought summer dresses for the little kids, a dress that i thought will fit me and the Globe Tattoo which will remain unused in the coming days.  Or just until, I'll be able to buy that mobile hard disk for my Neo which i left at the Service Center along Shaw.  I suspect, I'll already be able to test my Tattoo this week since I already reserved a hard disk at R Sun Computers.  They actually have a good website for online shopping and much more cheaper than the shops found at SM Megamall. Oh, and earlier that weekend mornings,  i woke earlier than usual to go traipsing to Kalentong Market for fresh produce.  Normally, buying something is therapeutic for me but at the rate I am going these days, I seem to be spending much more than I am earning. So I guess, I'm gonna follow Tea with Dee's example and observe the "Buy Nothing for a Day".

Here, maybe I can also influence you to do the same thing.

As in trigger-happy, this post here is logo-happy

This is the new DOT slogan which replaces "Wow Philippines".

Some of you may have been aware already of the controversy that the DOT is currently embroiled in due to it's latest Slogan "Pilipinas Kay Ganda" replacing the 8th-year familiar "Wow Philippines". Personally, i liked the colors and the simplicity but what do I know compared to the other well-meaning critics who are much more knowledgeable than me right? But it stinks that we seem to have copied this one from Poland's Campaign. What's more, it does seem like it is promoting the women as opposed to country-branding. But hey, you've researched it so defend it. Just don't get mad if we tweak it a little bit to personalize it, ok?

Just riding the current wave of philippine internet topic here(He he he). If you want one like this click here.

However which way

A palindrome is a word, phrase, number or other sequence of units that can be read the same way in either direction (the adjustment of punctuation and spaces between words is generally permitted). Composing literature in palindromes is an example of constrained writing. The word "palindrome" was coined from Greek roots palin (πάλιν; "again") and dromos (δρóμος; "way, direction") by English writer Ben Jonson in the 17th century. The actual Greek phrase to describe the phenomenon is karkinikê epigrafê (καρκινική επιγραφή; crab inscription), or simply karkiniêoi (καρκινιήοι; crabs), alluding to the backward movement of crabs, like an inscription that can be read backwards(Source: Wiki).

You ask why suddenly I am talking about Palindrome.  Today, i got an email linking me to a video on youtube about this certain palindrome. If you're like me, meaning the type to read everything and anything, even the paper used to wrap the "bulad", you will come to see the truth hidden in the poem any which way you will read it.  I personally liked the message when read backwards, it's more optimistic that way.  We all know, we need every bit of sunshine that comes our way.

The Price Margarito has to Pay..

To those of us watching, Margarito's face just seemed like a bloated piece of facial muscle. But to those who understand muscle injury, that was actually equivalent to being in a car crash with your face colliding to a hard object with so much force.  I'm not a trauma expert but i did see my mother's face becoming like that(actually much worse), when we had that car accident back in 2006.

For those of us who watched the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Margarito for the World Boxing Council's Super Welterweight Crown, the image of Margarito's heavily battered face will come to mind as the greatest testament to Pacman's power.  It seems that Margarito was proud to have lasted all 12 rounds and indeed it is something to be proud of to have withstand Manny's punches but that it came with a heavy price.

Antonio Margarito is set to undergo an operation to repair his fractured eye socket.  Check this link for more details.

*images courtesy of larrybrownsports.com and donavictorina.blogspot.com

The Stuff of Fairytales...

I'm gonna wear my sapphires the remainder of this month in celebration of the engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton. ha ha

Seriously, this is the stuff fairytales are made of. My daughters who are avid fun of the animated happy-ever-afters would love this one, a real prince asking the girl he love to marry him. My daughters love prince and princesses and weddings. To be married to them is to be in gowns, celebrating and couples kissing and loving each other forever and ever.

In my own heart, I wish for each of my daughters to find their own princes. But more than that, i wish for their princes to be kind men. Men who will continue to love and provide for them even when their looks have faded, when wrinkles have replaced suppleness, men who will remain by their sides faithfully even when younger and prettier girls abound. I suppose this sentiment is true for all mothers.

So yeah, i wish all the newly engaged couples all over the world the stuff of dreams..the happy ever after.


*photo courtesy of Paul Hackett/Reuters

If i win the 450M grand lotto...

They say money does not solve everything. True, but money can solve some things.  When you have lots of money, people will think twice, no, make it several times to give you crap.  You can help meaningfully, not just emphatize but really do something.  Lots of instant millionaires from winning become poor again 2 years after their win.  I don't want to go through the anatomy of why.  Here, I just wanna lay out my plans when lady luck gives it to me.  Here's what i will do if i am the lucky winner:



1.   I'll give 10M each to my 2 sisters, my parents and aunt.
2.   I'll give a million each to in-laws, and set-up a trust fund for all my nephews and nieces whether by blood or marriage.
3.   I'll set-up a trustfund of 25M each to my three daughters
4.   I'll buy a townhouse in San Juan/ Mandaluyong
5.   I'll build an apartment complex in Iligan.
6.   I'll buy a several hectares of land in Zamboanga Sibugay for rubber plantation
7.   I'll sponsor a church who will give feeding and sheltering programs for the poor for 5 years.  Hopefully, by then the church and the community will be able to find a way to continue it on the basis of what they have learned by the initial project.
8.   I'll support a foundation for battered women who will be taught to be self-sufficient, confident and financially independent by providing them with know-how and capital.
9.   I will start buying and selling real estate.
10. I will go on a bonding trip with the husband and the kids, my parents, aunt and my in-laws to Europe.
11.  I will open a Petron Bulilit station in Lila , Bohol.
12.  I'll get a list of relatives whose sons and daughters have difficulty going school and sponsor a scholarship for each of them.
13.I'll buy a brand new honda crv for me and the children to use.
14.  I will sponsor the seminar and trainings of a 100 marine personnel who wants to work as a seafarer regardless of sex and inclination.
15.  I will sponsor the renovation of the church in Lila.
16.  And when the husband wants it, i'll buy him his new dream SUV whether he deserves it or not.
17.  I'll make a friend debt-free and give her fresh funds to start on a new life without depending on her married friend.
18.  I will round-up the children selling plastics at Iligan Supermarket, dress them, send them to school.
19.  I will give a million each to Bro Bo Sanchez' charities.
20.  I will buy the apartment we are living now for a premium just so we will continue to live there.

So wish me luck and include prayers because when and if God favors my plea , I will surely do these things.  And I mean them.

*photo courtesy of lifeaftercubes.com

10 that makes me happy..

I feel crappy today. My eyes are swollen from crying. Other than that, i think i look great.  I mean, there are others more beautiful than me and people may not even see me as beautiful. In fact to a certain someone, I am the ugliest woman he had ever had relationship with.  I've been told too many times by two people that i am not beautiful. Even i don't think of myself as beautiful, not even pretty.  But for the sake of being positive and healthy and successful, I need to have confidence in myself.  If i don't do that, I will spiral down to depression.

Right now, I am gonna think happy thoughts. I am gonna push myself to be the most sunshiny person, think the most happy thoughts because crying is not so me.  I am done crying.  I am done grieving over my loss.  I am done trying to fix my relationship with someone because it is not healthy to be in a one-sided relationship.  It is not good for me or for my children to be cowered over by someone and be labeled so many things just because he never did love me.  I am done loving that person.

So I am listing my top ten things that makes me happy, and do these things over and over again until i finally get it right:

1.   Cuddling with my children
2.   Having lots of money( Seriously, as in the 450M  lotto price)
3.   Looking good
4.   Feeling sexy
5.   Reading
6.   Going to the beach more often
7.   Being a self-confident person
8.   Being with someone who values me
9.   Doing a job well done
10. Having a job that pays well and allows me to be with my children most of the time.

Club Ultima's Crown Regency Certificate

Somebody supposedly from Club Ultima called me up and informed me that I won a 4days 3 nights hotel accomodation at any Crown Regency Hotel whether local or international. They said that i need not bring any money or credit card when i come to claim it only that i bring my husband with me and that we stay for a 90 minute presentation on their other hotels.

Initially, i was quite elated(thinking we will be able to experience already the 1st edge coaster in the Philippines) but when they said that i need to bring my husband with me and that we had to listen to a 90 minute presentation, what the heck? It's just another marketing scam just like the one where i supposedly won a free trip to Boracay only that i need to do the same claiming procedure as described above.


Can you just give the certificates without any fuss? Maybe you'll get business that way if having redeemed the certificates we are satisfied. You're just giving club ultima a bad name with this supposedly "great" promo.

Heres a more detailed description of the scam experienced by another blogger.

UnionBank Foreclosed Properties For Auction

If you're interested in real properties like me, Union Bank has released a list of foreclosed properties for public bidding on November 27, 2010.  It will be held at the Conference Room No. 3, 28/f, Union Bank Plaza, Meralco Avenue cor Onyx Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City. 

Please visit Foreclosure Philippines for more details.

Health is wealth

Yesterday, I was so stressed-out because of something involving a family member. Infact, it started saturday evening and although i have managed not to think about it overnight, i must have carried it in my subconscious thus affecting my health in a bad way.  I say bad because early sunday afternoon, i had labored breathing and i felt tired.  It had been a long time since i felt like that like maybe 2007,2008 when i was diagnosed that i had mitral valve prolapse.  It was a scary time in my life since i really thought that i am close to dying and leaving my kids mommy-less.  It would be mightly unusual for a month for me without a visit to my cardiologist.  I remember also that i had daily monitoring of my blood pressure and heart rate.  I was so stressed with my condition in fact that i had hormonal imbalance and headaches from one of the medicines i was prescribed with.

And i felt it again. And somehow, faced with that kind of situation i realized that the things i wanted recently no longer mattered as much as my concern to be fully healthy now.  It brings to mind my resolve not to be overwhelm by stressors left and right.  I have to re-adjust my perspective again, to value health and to take steps to live a healthier mind and body. 

New Gadgets on my Wishlist

2010 is coming to an end yet there is no end to the bevy of gadgets being offered to us consumers.  I'm sure there are lots out there that are equally fantastic but as i am fiscally-challenged right now(optimistic that I am going to be filthy rich in the future!) I only have 3 toys on my want-list as opposed to my must-haves.  Since i'm not techie, i won't go into the specs but rather only mention why i am chosing this particular gadget.

1.  Samsung Galaxy S

My existing phone is a Samsung S7330 and so far I am most satisfied with it not to mention that it has withstood countless falls, and playtimes from my 6 and 4 year olds. Plus, since I already have an iTouch and there are several glitches being reported on the new iPhone, I'd rather want to try the new Samsung Galaxy S whose technology is said to be comparable if not surpasses that of the iPhone.



2.  Xbox360 Kinect

I am not really a serious gamer, not even  a gamer(but i could try badminton and tennis and marathon?). But, I do love the fact that the Xbox 360 Kinect can be used as my exercise machine without getting all tangled up in wires.  Yep, it's totally under your control meaning it responds your body and even your voice. Yep, no other controller required. How cool is that huh?
 


3.  MacBook Air

If only for it's sheer beauty, I'm gonna love having this one although reviews said it doesn't really have anything new to boast inside.  I guess if you are this beautiful, i could overlook what it lacks in computing power huh? Morag kanang ganahan sa ubang lalaki ba bahalag wala kaayo sulod and ulo basta ba gwapa ug sexy. What? Dili man ko power user so ok lang.

What about you?

Honing an Entrepreneurial Spirit

If you have been an employee for so long and you suddenly find yourself out-of-work because of the economy downturns, you will suddenly be weighing your options, like what i am doing now.  I still have work by the way and my company still exists but financial results somehow foretell what will eventually happen. Been considering lot of things lately and foremost in my mind is to be a work-at-home-mom and an entrepreneur.  But however, much i think about it, i haven't had the experience nor the inclination to be one, to be an entrepreneur that is.  There's this business endeavor that's showing me a good plan to achieve financial success by having an automated income opportunity but somehow the capital outlay makes me hesitates.  It excites me at the same time though.  Venturing outside my comfort zone and achieving monetary success of that propertion somehow titillates me to the point that i even dream about it at night.  And yet when daylight comes, i return again to my indecision.

However, upon seeing the demographics common to entrepreneurs as found in the Daily Infographic website, I am a little bit embolden.  Everything seems to point to that way, and so i am sticking my feet into the entrepreneurial water, ug bahala na si batman.  Here's the infographic(courtesy of the dailyinfographic website)..

Manny Pacquiao vs. Will Ferrel at Jimmy Kimmel Live

It pays to be great about your passions because then time will come when you will be able to do your other passions even when you are not so great about it.  Who would have thought Manny Pacquiao will be able to have tv guestings, sing duets with famous stars? This is Manny Pacquaio singing with Will Ferrell at Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Everything in Perspective...

Is there a study on how many couples stay married albeit unhappy for whatever reasons? I found none. Instead, my search led me to a catholic education website which lists in details why marriage is good for you. That article instead provided the latest data on the percentage of unhappy marriages that remained unhappy even after sticking it out. Accordingly, data show that within five years, just 12 percent of very unhappily married couples who stick it out are still unhappy; 70 percent of the unhappiest couples now describe their marriage as "very" or "quite" happy. Is this something to hope for?

Sometimes i think that it's indeed true that we have been raised with unrealistic expectations with regards to relationships in general and marriage in particular.  If in our growing up years, we didn't know anything about princesses that needed rescuing, knights in shining whatever, and happy-ever-after endings we would fare better as adults.  We would see our partners as faulty individuals who have minds and wants and needs of their own different from ours.  That it's okay for couples to have differences and fight about those differences.  And hopefully make up without lingering resentments.

Really, i'm at a loss here. I don't know what to do.  But does someone ever really knows? When confronted with situations that could potentially change you and children's future and emotional states? Does it ever gets any easier. I am full of questions and I sure could use some wisdom here.  Do not even mention love.  It get's messier.  If love is absent, it should not be this painful right? I suppose, it is much harder when you are at the crossroads. If one has taken the leap, then all one has to do is worry about the next bend not anymore of what's left behind.

But then, i should really view things from every perspective.  I should constantly remind myself of the happy times when the unhappy moments come visiting. I should patiently look and appreciate the minutest of effort he expends for us to stay together. Employ selective amnesia on the heated words exchange in moments of anger, otherwise there is no chance for peaceful coexistence and love to grow.  Patience is a virtue, I know. It seems, both of us could benefit from patience. I am mumbling. What's clear though is that i have become my own therapist.  Whether i can do it or not , either way I am right.  And not too long ago, I have already decided that I am in this for the long haul.  The ball is on the other court now.  If and when this family breaks, it will not be my call.

So much for dark thoughts, here's Maggie Gallagher's Top Ten Reasons Why Marriage is Good For You (click this link for a more exhaustive explanation):

10.  It's safer

9.    It can save your life.

8.    It can save your kid's life.

7.    You will earn more money.

6.   You'll get much richer

5.    You'll tame his cheatin' heart(hers too)

4.    You won't go bonkers

3.    It will make you happy

2.    Your kids will love you more

1.    You'll have better sex, more often.

Don't wanna end this article on a bad note so i'll qoute Maggie Gallager's parting shot.  She said "Just as good marriages go bad, bad marriages go good. And they have a better chance of doing so in a society that recognizes the value of marriage than one that sings the statistically dubious joys of divorce."

So work it...work on it...

*photos taken from holy kaw website

From my Inbox ..

It is Madness...

to hate all roses
because you got scratched with one thorn...

to give up on your dreams
because one didn't come true...

to lose faith in prayers
because one was not answered...

to give up on your efforts
because one of them failed...

to condemn all your friends
because one betrayed you..

not to believe in love
because someone was unfaithful or didn't love you back..

to throw away all your chances to be happy
because you did not succeed on the first attempt...

Don't give in to madness

====

thanks tonette for forwarding this.

New Toys

Am not normally the type to indulge on technology purchase right there and then. For one, gadgets usually are expensive and they need to be budgetted first unless there's a zero percent interest offer through credit cards. But this time, i have been influenced by my techie officemates that these babies give value for money.

Going out of towns on weekends is a luxury we can only indulge every once in a while.  Being a family of seven including the two yayas, it is mighty expensive for us to do it on a weekly basis however much we want to. Heck, even just going to the mall with the kids and the yaya in tow is already a drain for us.  So in buying these gadgets, i was really able to save at the same time make use of the internet to download high quality movies  so that we need not leave the house on weekends.

This is an hdmi cable.  I am not geeky so i won't be able to give you technical specifications.  Suffice it to say that when you watch high definition movies, this one will really make it worth your while.  Normally when you watch animations or movies not design for the big screen, the images become pixelated, meaning you will see the squares on the images.  With this hdmi cable, you won't see them.  You will be able to watch nemo in all his orange unpixelated glory!

This red baby is a 500 gb external drive which costs around 3.5k.  The girls are having a ball watching all the barbie movies, disney and pixar animations i was able to download because everything fits in here with lotsa space for the tv series that i am watching at the moment as well as the hd quality adult movies.

This one is the thing that allows every type of media to be played directly straight from being downloaded from the internet without need of having to convert. It is a media player by western digital. All in all, this purchase sets me back for about 10k.

Together with your lcd tv, who needs the big screen when you can watch picture perfect movies in the confines of your home right? All we've got to do is load up on snacks and save up for that next out-of-town vacation!

Momentous Occassion

When i went home yesterday around 830 pm, the husband was already home.  According to the yaya, he was home already before 6pm.  A momentous occasion indeed! Here's wishing, he will be home earlier now than his usual. I'm crossing my fingers...

Men like it hot!

I don't get this. We raise our daughters to be modest and yet men prefer the sexy ones, those that show off more skin than what is modest by filipino standards and label them hot.  Apparently, our bachelor president is the same.  No offense meant to all sexy ladies ha, i do think that every woman wants to be sexy.  I just don't get it perhaps because I am not a man.

 Is this Barbie Palagos who was supposedly the President's date?

While it maybe true that he has the pick of the litter since he is still single, he should have been more considerate towards the feelings of her former girlfriend and her family.  As it is right now, to be seen in public to dating supposedly one Barbie Palagos is such a public renunciation of her relationship with the beautiful  and smart Shalani Soledad.  He could just invite Barbie Palagos for dinner at malacanang, then maybe after a period of time when everybody has accepted her break up with Shalani then that will be the time that he can parade his new conquest in public.  If Noynoy is used to the scandals caused by his sister Kris Aquino, then he should have spared Shalani's who seems to be a very nice and private person.  I can just imagine what Shalani goes through during council meetings.  Everybody will be whispering, giving her pitying looks.  It is such an unkind act for President Noy and for once, i regretted having endorsed him.  Not that my single vote would matter.  But there may be others who are feeling the same way that i do. Truly.  I figured if you can't spare your ex-girlfriend with kindness, you would probably be not my kind of president. I think he will have a backlash of public opinion especially coming from the women population.

He is an old bachelor who does not seem able to hold on to a relationship although there were many women linked to him in the past like korina sanchez, bernadette sembrano, diana zubiri, barbara milano.  Even now certain names have risen linking him to Patricia Ann Roque and Liz Uy who is said to be personally liked by Kris Aquino. But some of these are just conjectures.  Really,  I guess without Cory Aquino telling him, he probably was just excited to date once again and discarded Shalani.  Me thinks, he no longer had feelings for Shalani even before the election but it would not help him win if he breaks up with Shalani who seemed to be favored and loved by the public.

Oh well, to each his own.

My phone is starting to give up on me..

Just last sunday evening, i found out that my phone's speaker doesn't work anymore and so does the camera.  I can still use it to call and be called if it is attached to the headset so it really is still usable but i have no camera to capture those bloggable moments.

It's a pity because i really like my phone, the samsung s7330.  It takes clear enough pictures and i have had no complaints so far with regards to reception and internet connection.  In fact, it's my main tool for taking photos and updating my social network accounts and so it really is more than a phone to me.  I am thinking of having it repaired.  However, if it's beyond repair i already have mobile prospects in mind. Or i can choose to stick with it and just buy  a cheaper digital camera that works underwater.  Which do you think is a better option?

 Hubby has a blackberry courtesy of his employer and hsbc has a 0% installment plan for it but I am not so inclined to get one.  If i get this prepaid, it costs less than P 14,000. Ouch!

This beauty from my!phone is dual sim and costs only PhP 5,990 and is feature-packed.  Infact it claims to do what blackberry does in a cheaper manner.  I like this one better if only it comes in red. It boasts of a 3.2 megapixel camera, bluetooth connectivity, and wifi.  What else would you need? 

But really i have been itching to buy an underwater camera for sometime.  Not that, i have any plans of scuba diving soon.  My children are mermaids.  Abby particularly, sometimes wears her pink necklace, touches it and says " I want to be human." During our ferry boat rides from liloan ,leyte to lipata, surigao city when we were sailing beneath the stars and i told them to make a wish because i saw a shooting star, they wished that they become mermaids.  And i told them to shut up( He he).  Good parenting huh?! Seriously, they take to water like ducks. If it were upto me, i would spend every other weekend near a body of water just so they would really swim and play to their hearts content.  So an underwater camera would really be a dream right?

According to Kyle Schurman of About.com, the G5WP includes 12.2 megapixels of resolution, a 4X optical zoom lens, a 2.7-inch LCD, and the ability to shoot video at a limited resolution. The G5WP measures only 0.8 inches in thickness, and its lens does not extend outside the camera body. With an expected price of about $180, which is about the same price shown in SM Appliance cemter, the G5WP is one of the least expensive waterproof point and shoot cameras you'll find. The G5WP is available in three stylish colors: Graphite gray, ocean blue, and raspberry red.

Of Yayas..

Ever since I gave birth to my eldest child AJ, there have been nine yayas in our household excluding the two that we currently have now.

This is michelle montenegro, she has been with us for more than a year and she is very capable, kind, intelligent and doesn't need much supervision.  But she left abruptly with Yaya Merlyn who has been with us for only 3 months.  I suppose, they do not like to be saddled with an additional baby to watch over.  I can understand that. But to leave us with unkind words? Ha, i am not such a good judge of character.

Yaya Grethel is liked by Abby but hated by AJ.  Abby likes those who conforms to all her whims.  AJ dislikes her because she can't watch her favorite shows on cartoon network and disney because Yaya Grethel likes to watch willie's wowowee.  And she has a tendency to spank AJ even when i already told her not to lay a hand on the kids and leave the disciplining to me.

They go with us whereever we go, they sleep in hotel rooms and in proper hotel beds whenever we go out of towns.  They eat what we eat. We send them to the dentists and OB-Gyne when they complaint of pain, free because that is what we are.  We treat them with kindness, hoping that they would also treat the kids and us kindly and faithfully and because that is the Christian thing to do.  And yet...

These are the yaya's who left without honoring the verbal condition that they give us one-month notice when they no longer want to work with us.  Regardless of the plance fare, i spent for them coming to Manila.  I think, I am a generous employer and understanding too. And they seem happy too, and yet one wonders.

This is Yaya Jhoanne Teopiz.  I am reserving my assessment of her. She's a more open person, a bit loud but i think what she lacks in knowledge she makes up for in kindness. Hopefully. No one is perfect after all.

I do understand that these kind of jobs are merely transitory considering the meager salary that they are receiving compared to the responsibility that goes with the job and the emotional investments on both our sides.  So when any of them tells us that they want to leave already, there really is nothing we can do except to ask them to respect our agreement that they give us one-month notice in advance.  They leave for different reasons, some pregnant, or going to school, or they had saved enough for business.  It's commendable for them to aspire for a better life and i encouraged them in that direction.  We never hold on to them, not that we can.  Most leave with kind words for us, but there are those who just leave and invent stories regardless of the kindness we have extended to them. I don't waste my time anymore with that kind of people. So yeah, they are important to me but i can also managed without them.