A Matter of Perspective

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Car Fanatic
2008-05-26 17:24:00
My brother R is a car fanatic. He loves all things about cars, which is obvious with how he takes care about his own automobile. He's always on the look out for new ways to improve his car. So it is no wonder if he starts talking about car parts (like Ford grills) and trends every now and then. I reckon he talks about cars as much as I do about blogging. :)

What My Fridge Says About Me
2008-05-26 17:02:00
What Your Fridge Says About YouYou like to be surrounded by things you love. You aren't exactly greedy, but you can be materialistic at times.You tend to be a fairly thrifty person. You splurge occasionally, but you're mostly a saver.You don't tend to be a very adventurous person, but you do surprise everyone now and then. You have a bit of a wild side.You try to be responsible, but you don't always succeed. Your heart is in the right place though.You are likely married, possibly with kids.What Do the Contents of Your Refrigerator Say About You?Fairly accurate! :)

Watchamacallit
2008-05-26 16:12:00
One of the things that I love about the Philippines are its malls. Yes, you can never have enough of them. And it is part of a Filipino's culture, I reckon, this idea of malling. Of course, shopping is most ideal because you get value for your money especially if you are earning in dollars and spending in peso.A perfect example was when we visited the nearby mall this afternoon. J wanted to have the straps of his watches fixed as they had come undone. While he was attending to his watches, my mom wandered over to the new pocket watches section. He joined us a few minutes late. We were expecting that he would be charged a couple hundred pesos but to our pleasant surprise, he was only billed 25 pesos. I suppose he was only charged for labor but still it costed only less than a dollar if converted to foreign currency. Cheap-o! Now, that's money truly well spent! :)

Mini Makeovers
2008-05-26 05:29:00
The house is ours! Yes, the exchange of contracts transpired a week ago and we are just now waiting for settlement. When we get back, we can go full blast on doing any modifications that our home needs. Apart from the curtains that I honestly abhor, we may consider getting exterior shutters to provide extra protection and insulation. I actually am excited because there are a thousand and one projects that we can think of to make our house really our own.
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Getting the Groove Back
2008-05-26 05:06:00
Travelling 11 hours on the plane and trying to settle in has certainly taken a toll on my online work. I've only been able to update things and check emails and more work, but have not really seriously gotten down to accomplishing them all just yet. It's hard to get back into the swing of things, especially if you're on holidays and you've still work to get done whether or not you are on vacation. But I am getting there.
More About: Back , Groove

Movie Magic
2008-05-25 16:24:00
Earlier today, my brother R showed off his new speakers. They were a small pair, which stood beside the TV, with one on either side. Truly I underestimated these two because when we watched the movie Transformers on DVD, the room was filled with crystal clear sound. We were surrounded by it and it was just like watching the movie in the cinema. The only thing that was missing were the comfy home theater chairs, which would have made our experience complete.
More About: Movie , Magic

Quality Time
2008-05-25 05:28:00
Well, we are here now in Manila. The trip back home was a pretty long one, but I am glad that is over and we are finally here with our family. As usual, we engage in long conversations, trying to catch up on everything we can think of, including possible business ventures and doing market research as a couple of the family members are pretty business-minded. Family quality time is certainly best in times like these.
More About: Time , Quality

Time Constraints
2008-05-22 17:31:00
So many things to do, yet so little time! Would you believe I have not yet started packing our stuff. I have been sidetracked from my packing duties as I had to clean and make the house neat before we fly to Manila. I have the entire afternoon tomorrow to pack. But knowing it is just a short amount of time, I hope I won't forget anything. That's why I always have a list of the stuff that I need to pack. It helps me be organized, especially at a time when everything is in a rush.
More About: Time

Reflection
2008-05-16 16:51:00
I was looking at myself in the mirror and was not exactly pleased with what I saw. After bearing a child, pregnancy and breastfeeding sure has taken a toll on my once slim body. Now that I've got the mommy figure, I realise how much difficult it is this time to lose the excess weight. Leptovox may be a quick fix solution but I want a program that I can take seriously and hopefully make a good habit out of it.
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Going Home Soon
2008-05-16 16:06:00
I just realised that there is only one more week left until we fly back home to the Philippines. We could have picked a different destination and booked a reservation with Outer Banks rentals, but there is just no place like home. What's more our family in the Philippines can't wait to see the little girl in person. Everyone is so excited to meet her already. There's just one thing I am not keen about. It's the plane ride home. We're crossing our fingers that she'll be cooperative and won't make a fuss. I think that is everybody's wish, including the other passengers on the plane.
More About: Home

Home Improvements
2008-05-16 09:41:00
Now that the house is almost ours, I am excited over shopping for new things to add to our new home. There is a lot actually I have in mind as I would want so much to make all of our furniture match. In fact, I am having a brainstorm at this very moment. The curtains definitely needs changing. The garden needs to be cleaned up. A lovely pergola with matching outdoor furniture would be nice. And a carport is also one of our projects. I could go on and on about what needs to be done. But of course, that will all come into fruition once we have the budget for it. For now, we'll have to do with what we have right now.
More About: Home , Home Improvements

Charice Pempengco on Oprah
2008-05-16 09:32:00
Gosh, where will this lady show up next? Her manager is really good because she's been on so many international shows, even more than any of the great singers back home. Well, I hope she does the Filipinos even prouder. She certainly has what it takes to make it to the top.
More About: Oprah

More Great News
2008-05-16 06:13:00
Well, it looks like we are going to do some celebrating this weekend. We've received another piece of good news. This time, it is from our broker. He informed us that our application for a home loan has finally been approved. It is awesome news, isn't it? We are beside ourselves right now and absolutely cannot believe our luck. The only problem I guess we have right now is deciding where to celebrate this weekend.Maybe J needs a massage chair for the wonderful effort he's done to get the job offer. Or maybe a nice dinner in the city would also be a nice idea. Well, whatever it is, you'll know about it soon. :)
More About: News , Great

The Male Dress Code
2008-05-16 03:34:00
I was watching Trinny and Susannah's show last night and was pleasantly surprised that they finally did a show for all the men. Well, it is true that guys really are clueless as to what works for them when it comes to men's fashion. So this leaflet, which the duo came up with, will surely be a great help for all those who need to work on their looks and for all the women who would want to give their man a great makeover.
More About: Dress , Code , Male

Feast 191
2008-05-16 02:56:00
It is the start of the weekend (yey!) and it looks like it is off to a good start. J has been informed today that he was accepted for a job position he applied for some months ago. He's pretty ecstatic about it as he was dancing about our lounge area when he read the letter from his new employer. We are all happy for him. :)Alright, on to this week's feast...AppetizerWhat is the nearest big city to your home?Nearest to the ACT is of course Sydney. It's just a three-hour drive away, whereas Melbourne is 8 hours away if you're planning to take a road trip.SoupOn a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how well do you keep secrets?I think I am an 8. I am a fairly good keeper of secrets. ;)SaladDescribe your hair (color, texture, length).It is black and never been colored in a long while, dry (from the weather and desperately in need of hot oil treatment) and grazes just below the shoulder.Main CourseWhat kind of driver are you? Courteous? Aggressive? Slow?I can be aggressive if I...
More About: Feast

My Quest for White Stockings
2008-05-16 02:00:00
Well, they are not for me. Let's make that very clear. They are actually for my sisters who are nursing students back in the Philippines. I don't know how nursing students dress up in other countries, but back home they still are required to put on their starch white uniforms and stockings and keep their hair neatly in a bun. On other occasions they will be in their scrub suits at the OR with their exam gloves on.I've seen some students here in Oz but they dress up in just plain slacks and blouses. Hence, the need for white stockings is close to nil. My sisters have been requesting me though to find them a good brand of this type of hosiery as the brands they get in Philippines are not of good quality. I found my first pair of white stockings in Melbourne, a whole different state from where I reside. Fortunately enough, when I browsed through DJ earlier this week, I found a couple of pairs in their size. But they were the last ones on display. That's the best I can do. I reckon ...
More About: White , Stockings , Quest

Pinoy Parenting Blog Carnival
2008-05-16 01:39:00
Are you a Filipino parent and a blogger at the same time? Would you want to meet other parents who are Pinoy and bloggers as well? Are you also in need of more traffic to your site? If your answer is a big YES to all of the above questions, then be a regular participant of the Pinoy Parenting Blog Carnival .It is fairly new, with the first edition being posted only last Wednesday. There is a call now for entries to the second edition, which revolves around the topic of education. If you are interested to be part of this event, head over to Joey's blog who plays host to this month's 2 editions.
More About: Blog Carnival

Weight Issues
2008-05-15 02:51:00
Can someone please give me the lowdown on how to lose weight? I've not really taken seriously my plans yet as everything here on the homefront has been busy and frantic. Plus the cool weather is not helping. It just makes me want to curl up under the sheets. So basically I am stuck at home. Time to really get off my butt and work up a sweat. Time is of the essence.
More About: Weight , Issues

Locked In
2008-05-15 02:32:00
Well, the contract has been signed. I guess that basically means we are into this whatever happens.I am talking about buying our own house. Yes, this is the little secret I was keeping for some time. But now that things are looking more definite, I am spilling the beans. We are decided on getting this house we are currently leasing. It suits us fine plus the location is good. I reckon we won't be looking at Wilmington real estate properties anymore as we are perfectly happy with this one. The greatest thing about is that we have test run the house as tenants which makes it very ideal for us as buyers. It is a very unique position indeed.
More About: Locked

Career Shift
2008-05-14 01:47:00
I think the time has come. The baby girl isn't so little anymore so I am seriously thinking of going back to work. I've been in touch with several key persons and they've all given me positive news. To start with, I have been given the go signal to work immediately as an Occupational Therapist as our state does not require registration. In other words, I don't have to go through all that Practice Audit hoopla. Second, I can take the US certification exam once again as retake candidates have been given an extension to pass the exam until end of this year. Of these two, I plan to focus on the latter as work can wait until next year. I must pass this exam. I have basically 6 months to study in order to do that with flying colors. The career shift is almost coming into fruition -- from stay-at-home mom to working mom. I reckon the change will be refreshing.
More About: Career , Shift

Time of the Month
2008-05-13 13:12:00
It is that time of the month again. Certainly, not a favorite of mine as I become very moody and totally unpredictable. This makes me not the best person to be around with. Well, it is all due to the hormones, not to mention the annoying cramps and possible appearance of zits. This month, I've fortunately spared from the pimples so no need for any natural acne treatment for me. Unfortunately, the mood swings are regular so it's best not to mess around with me. In other words, keep away!
More About: Time , Month

Great Weekend
2008-05-12 01:50:00
So how did your weekend go? Ours was great as we celebrated Mother's Day on Saturday and Sunday. Since we had lunch with relatives and friends on Sunday, we thought it was a good idea to celebrate it as a family by going out on Saturday. We had lovely lunch at one of our favorite Chinese restaurants, then went window shopping. I was looking for a nice pair of Merrell shoes for winter but couldn't find one. I bought a pair from another maker instead. This was J's present for me. :)Sunday started with a greeting card from my little girl (c/o her Daddy of course) and the rest of the day was spent with our relatives. Food was abundant and gifts were exchanged. The little girl was, as usual, the center of attention. She was so well behaved, we were so proud of her! Relieved may be the appropriate word as she did not pull the same stint that she did on the plane some fortnight ago.
More About: Great , Weekend

Mother's Day
2008-05-11 01:44:00
Here is something for all the moms out there:Hope you all had a great one. :)

Phones and Driving Don't Mix
2008-05-06 06:14:00
It's hard driving around and getting calls on your mobile phone. To answer your phone would be a dangerous thing to do, not only for you but also for the other drivers on the road. If you really must attend to your phone calls, do yourself a favor a get yourself a Bluetooth headset so you can keep your hands on the wheel. But still, I maintain, just let the phone ring out and concentrate on driving. You can always call back whoever was trying to reach you, but you can never get back the life you may lose if you figure yourself in an accident because you picked up your phone.
More About: Phones , Driving

Small-town Girl
2008-05-05 06:08:00
You Should Live in a Small Town You prefer a close knit community to the bustle of the city. You like locally owned businesses, local flavor, and friendly neighbors. There's nothing boring about a small town!Where Should You Live?After experiencing Melbourne's high-paced life, I had come to conclusion that it really is not the thing for me. I have become a small-town lady, and this quiz result certainly hit the nail on the head. :)
More About: Girl , Small Town

Counting Down
2008-03-06 16:05:00
I can't believe that we are already well into the month of March. It is officially autumn in this part of the world and it has been cooler on some days. This only reminds me of the fact that our much-awaited vacation is also drawing near! Ooh, we are so excited (and I just can't hide it! LOL).As such, I am also reminded to make a checklist of the stuff that we need to bring. Since the little girl will be with us on this trip, we need to allocate more baggage space for her things alone. I am not sure if our present luggages will be enough for the three of us. Maybe we need another one from Briggs and Riley. Bigger is better though, rather than having numerous bags to lug around. We'll see.But before I do any estimations, there are more pressing matters that need our attention at the moment as our sweet little girl's first birthday party is going to be held in a couple of weeks from now. Ack! I really do need to do some serious planning ASAP.
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Course on Blogging
2008-03-06 05:13:00
I am not quite sure what this is all about but, hey, what the heck?I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.It covers:The best blogging techniques.How to get traffic to your blog.How to turn your blog into money.I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.
More About: Blogging

On Signal Boosters
2008-03-03 16:11:00
Don't you just hate it when you are in dire need to call someone on your mobile phone and you find out that there is no network signal in your area? That would absolutely be one of the worst things that could happen to you, especially if it was an emergency situation.Well, if you often find yourself in places with no network signals, then a universal cell phone booster is what you need! Signal boosters from Powerful Signal are a god-send especially if you are on the road a lot. They are easy to set up and is portable so you won't have to worry about lugging around any heavy equipment while trying to place a call.Another problem that one may encounter in a poor network signal area is the frequent disconnection and drop outs while one makes a call. I know how terribly frustrating it can be because I have been in several similar scenarios myself. The chances of you experiencing any of that are slim especially if you have a universal cell phone booster with you.I suppose it really is ...

List of Sponsored Blogging Networks
2008-02-26 03:29:00
WARNING: Very long post! I've come up with a list of popular blogging programs out there in the web, which I am all a member of. I've collated all relevant information from their websites. I will be updating this list from time to time. If you know of a program that has not yet been mentioned in this entry, feel free to post about it here. Just post the details in the same format as I have previously done (requirements, payment schedule and if they have an affiliate program). I hope this information will help all those who are interested to join the paid blogging bandwagon.1. PAYPERPOST.COMRequirements:Bloggers participating in the PayPerPost Marketplace must clearly disclose on their blogs the relationship between themselves and the Advertisers in connection with Opportunity-related posts. Blogs Only. PayPerPost only accepts blogs, and not websites, message boards, e-mails, IM or other similar services. English Only Blogs. The blog and all posts relating to PayPerPost Opportuniti...
More About: Networks , Blogging , Sponsored , List

How To Get Started on Paid Blogging
2008-02-25 03:01:00
A lot of people have been sending me messages lately asking about paid blogging and how to get into it. I've outlined the steps below for everyone who's interested in it.1) Create a blog. If you already have a blog, you can proceed to step 2. If not, get yourself one. For new bloggers, I'd recommend getting those free ones first, like those at Blogger.com and Wordpress.com. Post entries in your blog regularly (at least 3 times a week).2) Once you got your blog running, enrol it at several blog directories like Blogarama, Bloggernity, BlogCatalog, etc. so that it gets listed in the web. Also, bloghop and connect with other bloggers by exchanging links. This attracts visitors to your blog which increases traffic.3) If you have a blog that's been at least 2 months old, with at least 10 posts per month, then you can enrol yourself in all those paid blogging websites (will post about this later). Make sure that you have a Paypal account first as this is the usual mode of payment for ...
More About: Blogging , Paid