A Great Place to Get Wholesale Electronics

Even during these economically challenged times, technology continues to improve and new products or updated models are consistently launched. Many continue to patronize them too. There are those who have to always get the latest editions because of their line of work. There are those who are plain aficionados of hi-tech gadgetry. Then there are those who simply believe that you have to move with the times and if technology is moving at this pace, you have to keep step with it. Otherwise, you end up using something obsolete and that can bring problems. There is no denying, however, that the economy has affected the numbers. People are more cautious about hunting down the best deal. To make merchandise more accessible in retail, businesses have shaved off the usual profit margin. While this is good for the consumer, it does not bring such great returns for the business. For business owners who need to beef up their profit margin again, knowing a great place to get wholesale electronics makes a big difference. Businesses that get wholesale electronics can get products such as iPods, phones, digital cameras, HDTVs, etc. in bulk at incredibly low prices and sell them in turn at competitive prices without sacrificing their profit margin.

Both Talking and Grunting

Some recent quotes from Marguerite:

- Let's go dancing! (No, she didn't want a night out. She just wanted to dance to the music that was playing.)
- Catch it, Mom! Yay, you caught it! (Tenses? She's doing tenses?)
- Oh man! I drop(ped) it. Sorry.
- I wanna watch YouTube. Signing Time Silly Pizza Song. No, not that! That one! (two versions of the Silly Pizza Song - she wanted the one with peas.)
- Where is it? Oh, there it is.

So much more, actually. She's already very chatty. She has intonation, diction, accent... like a real talker. She just talks to everything, both animate and inanimate. She's also a great one for solitary play. With all this verbal explosion, she still sometimes grunts and points in baby/cavegirl mode. Oh and she still signs. It's a real blessing to be able to witness all this.

Now That I've Aged

When I was younger, I used to say that I would never undergo cosmetic surgery. I felt that you were supposed to look, well, how you actually looked. If you were more advanced in years, then there was no shame in looking your age. I was young, what did I know? I did not have to deal with wrinkles, slower metabolism, and all the other ravages of time (not to mention pregnancy and the rest of motherhood). I am not saying that I am actually going to go under the knife; I am just saying that I would not be too quick to say that I would not. That was just a very rash declaration, largely attributed to youth and immaturity. I mean, what if you were in an accident? Cosmetic surgery is not just about vanity. Many of these procedures involve health matters. A breast reduction can eradicate back problems, for instance. Admittedly, for many, it’s more about boosting their morale and maintaining an image that’s necessary for their line of work. If you do decide to go for cosmetic surgery, it’s best that you choose an established and reputable center like MYA Cosmetic Surgery even if you have to travel to another country for the procedure. MYA has the most competent and experienced surgeons in the world. You can even go for a free and discreet consultation via their hotline.

Our Church Anniversary

Our church celebrated its 16th year anniversary yesterday. How time flies! I can remember how it started. Our old church had split up, the majority going with my dad, the pastor. It was right before classes started too. I was a 16-yr-old, angst-ridden girl, who wanted nothing more than to launch war against that family of traitors, hypocrites, and liars (other than a few mild episodes, I didn't really get to. God didn't allow me to disgrace my father any further, lol). The source of the real trouble was the land where the chapel stood on. A deceased member had given the piece of land to the church (she was still alive when the chapel was built) and her brother, years later, wanted to get the land to build apartment units on. My dad wouldn't have any of it, so they did all they could to get my dad to leave the church. My dad was in the US a lot during those times, so every time he was gone, they would try to brainwash church members' against my dad. The weak and those who were impressed by this family's money were easily swayed and signed some stupid petition, but when everything came out in the open, the family was exposed for all their malice and greed. They were left with the land and our chapel and they knocked about in that hollow structure until they finally tore it down and built the apartments they were panting to have in the first place. Does it sound like I may still have some issues? Oh well, child that I was, I didn't figure out that my so-called friends were plotting against my own dad, so you can imagine my wrath when I finally found out. lol All in the past, all in the past! God has healed these wounds, no use picking at them now. Anyway, we have a wonderful church now. It has its share of problems. It's certainly not perfect, but I still find it inspiring. We worship, we learn, we fellowship, and we serve. Anyway, yesterday's celebration was a lot of fun. The daughter churches were well represented and the event overall was a great blessing. My cousin Jaymee took most of the pictures since Husband had to play the guitar. Yeah, they were mostly out of focus. Way to go, Jaym!!! :)

Sometimes I Don't Get How I'm Not 14 Anymore

I was recently watching a talk show and the host and her guests started discussing RPattz (Robert Pattinson). They said they didn't get the appeal. One woman said something like, "I can't relate, but that's basically because I'm still in love with Scott Baio." The other woman says, "I know. I'm still into Corey Haim and Corey Feldman." Remember the Coreys? Ah, the '80s! FYI, my first ever crush was John Travolta in Grease, but that was mostly my mother's influence. I think I was about 4 years old. My first real crush was Scott Baio, thanks to teenage uncles who let me watch the Zapped movies with them. So this is what it feels like to age. Up until he pulled a bunch of screwups, Mel Gibson had always been my hunk of choice (Brad Pitt or Leo diCaprio never rocked my world). If you ask me who I think is the best teen actor out there, I'll probably say River Phoenix. Johnny Depp is the hot guy in 21 Jumpstreet (what pirate movie?), but would you believe I favored Doug Penhall (Peter deLuise?) over him at one point, and no I never got into Booker. I love Johnny Depp for so many reasons, mainly because he's hot, but also because he still sports all the coolness of grunge. Yesterday I was reading an article about stars from my youth and whatever happened to them. I tell you, many things are hard to accept - like River's death. I'm still expecting somebody to admit that he or she started that rumor (hang on, is Phoebe Cates really dead?). Sometimes you feel like you have to catch up with time. Most of the time, I'm still lagging in the '90s. No, 90210 still has 32-yr-old Gabrielle Carteris a high school junior and what? Yes, let's chant Donna Martin Graduates! I think I already admitted my NKOTB mania here and I'm not getting into that again. The babes of Baywatch are Erika Eleniak and Jill!!! (what's her name? she was killed by a shark)... Okay, fave TV shows: Saved by the Bell, Growing Pains, Valerie's Family (I think I had a crush on Jeremy Licht too), Life Goes On, Who's the Boss, Parker Lewis (Synchronize Swatches!), California Dreams, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Boy Meets World (I think I also already mentioned my crush on Will Freidl - what? he was cute!), Fullhouse, Funhouse (honestly, when you listen to The Biggest Loser's narration, do you still see JD Roth all fresh and mulleted?), In Living Color, My Two Dads, Blossom, Step by Step, etc. etc. Let's not even mention Murder She Wrote and some other cop shows I loved like Silk Stalkings, Tropical Heat (anyway the wind blows, it blows right back to me), etc. Oh, hey, there was Father Dowling's Mysteries. Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place! Do they still show episodes of Twilight Zone? Remember when Steve Kmetko was the Ryan Seacrest? Did I spend my entire youth in front of the TV? Whatever. I miss the good ol' days.

Your Home Should Be Your Haven

Most people are cautious when buying a house, but I do think people with children tend to be extra cautious. When Marguerite was still a baby, I kept on getting newsletters from various parenting websites I had signed up with and many of them warned against the possible presence of radon in our home. Since radon is not something you can detect with your senses, it’s really better for your peace of mind to have your house tested for levels of radon in it. Another thing that is possible cause for concern is the presence of asbestos in the structure of your home. For those like me who love old houses, from the really old to ‘50s-‘70s vintage, it’s better if you spot a home that catches your fancy to test it for asbestos too. Let’s not even talk about plain old mold. Since I have asthma, I can sense mold by way of my lungs. Honestly, any house could look perfect but have secret killers lurking in it Home inspection is the way to go if you want to be safe instead of sorry. In Denver, Washburn Inc provides affordable inspection, offers rebates to further lessen costs, and throws in a free elevation survey. This Denver Home Inspection company will help you choose the right home for you.

A Trip to the Dentist without Tears

Yesterday, Husband took the day off to get his teeth fixed (fillings galore and a root canal, yikes). Marguerite and I, plus MIL went along. We were also supposed to pick up my article checks, but, durr, I forgot it was Manila Day yesterday. It was nice to drive by the coast anyway. Because it was raining, Marguerite kept on saying, "It's raining outside. I can't go out." Anyway, she has no problems with other people being attended to by a dentist. She thought her daddy funny sitting in the dental chair. I guess she didn't connect it with her own experiences. Btw, we're still waiting for that typhoon they said would arrive full force at 8 last night. We were on the road then and if I'm not mistaken, things were pretty dry. You know, it's not always like this. Sometimes, their predictions do come true, lol.

Fun Reading Not Just for Nurses

Nursing is a big thing around here. Many people see it as their ticket to working abroad and earning a lot, but there are also those who think of it as a calling. Kudos to all those who became or are studying to become nurses because they genuinely want to help people. I have several relatives who are nurses and, in fact, the aunt I’m closest to is a nurse in Fresno. That’s where she ended up settling when she and her husband started their family, but before that she was able to work in other places as well. She has been in some of the best cities to be a nurse, in fact. As somebody whose work is more involved with the arts than with healthcare, I used to think of nursing as something very technical, clinical, and impersonal. Nurses put on their scrubs and just perform their tasks with high efficiency. Their getup is all about being sanitary and comfortable. It was a real surprise for me to see really chic scrubs in a nursing magazine. In fact, the contents of the scrubs magazine are so fascinating that even though the articles are essentially about nursing, they still draw your attention and make entertaining reading.

An Author Meme

Found this somewhere. Decided to do it.

The way this works, you cross out authors not appearing on your bookshelf and add new ones as needed.

:: ::
G. K. Chesterton C.S. Lewis Cordwainer Smith Fannie Flagg
Terry Pratchett Tom Clancy Henry Kuttner
J.R.R. Tolkien
Kurt Vonnegut
Octavia Butler Robert Nozick John C Wright Sue Grafton
Dorothy Sayers Milan Kundera Erich Maria Remarque
Richard Dawkins Søren Kierkegaard Cyril Kornbluth Robert Ludlum
Jaroslav Pelikan F.A. von Hayek Rudyard Kipling
Neal Stephenson Robert A. Heinlein Sara Paretsky
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Ayn Rand

What I Would Put on My Walls

I have always loved art. I even considered minoring in Art Studies when I was in college. However, my passion for languages won out and I ended up choosing French as my minor instead. I do a little painting myself, but have yet to take formal lessons. I have a couple of how-to books, but lessons would undoubtedly be more beneficial. I don’t fancy myself as somebody with real potential though. It’s just nice to be creative. I usually need inspiration to spur me into creativity and that’s why I really try to expose myself to beautiful things. If I had the money, I would fill my home with original artworks. Since I don’t, I have to settle for prints, which are also nice and still do the trick anyway. I love whimsy so I really like fairy art by Margaret Tarrant and illustrations by Tasha Tudor. I also have many Van Gogh prints and find myself quite taken by Gustav Klimt’s swirls. When it comes to contemporary artists, I really enjoy looking at Cao Yong’s works. I particularly love his paintings of European scenes, such as those in the Paris series and the Venice series. However, if I were to buy any of his originals, I would probably pick “Lovers under the Rain”, “Age of Innocence”, or “Girl with Musician”.

Nissan Exalta STA 2000 for Sale

Husband is selling another car. It's a Nissan Exalta STA 2000.

Here are the specs:
Black - Original Paint
All Power
Electronic Sunroof
A/T (Automatic Transmission) w/ overdrive
Dual Airbag
ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System)
Wood panel
Leather interior

You can see pictures and other details here.

Give Your Home a Face Lift

If I were to remodel the place where we live now, I would start with the walls. I would tear out those ugly faux wood panels, keep the walls bare, except perhaps a portion in the middle that I would wall paper or paint with an interesting design. I would tear out the tiles and go for hardwood floors instead. I’ll completely redo the bathroom, replace the windows with something fancier, install window seats, and really jazz up the balcony into a delightful little pocket garden. The kitchen, like the bathroom, will have to be scrapped altogether. The ceiling will make sense (it just does not right now) and be adorned with quaint light fixtures. The sprinkler system will definitely be better disguised. From the sounds of it, the place had better just be razed to ground and rebuilt, lol. Of course, before any of these things are carried out, we’ll hopefully have moved into a more permanent home. Anyway, remodeling is a serious undertaking. As much as I love DIY, there are things that are just not only better, but more practically done by the pros. If I were to choose a contractor, I’d definitely go for one that already has a reputation for being skilled, affordable, and dependable. RNR Construction, for instance, is a guaranteed good choice for a Minneapolis Remodeling Contractor. For any remodeling project somebody from Minneapolis may need, he or she can count on this company to provide quality work.

Complete the Sentence Meme

Except for one. Got this from Maggie.

I've come to realize the last person who held my hand... is Marguerite, while saying, "Come, sit down."

I am listening to... Fire, Fire, Fire (Dappled Cities).

I am wearing... tank top and shorts.

My best friend... is beautiful.

Is someone thinking of you right now? ... probably (husband, daughter, mother, sister?)

I woke up this morning... not at all rested.

Before I go to bed at night... I go through a long ritual of getting a gazillion things ready for the rest of the night (it's insane... I just want to sleep!).

Right now I am thinking about... the rain and if power will go out, in which case I better publish the next paid post.

Babies are... preshus!!!

Today... the apartment is not the disaster area it usually is.

Tonight I will... hopefully get some quality shut-eye.

Tomorrow I will... hopefully go get my article checks and get out of the house.

I really want... to get closer to the life I had envisioned for us.

Accor Hotels City Super Sale Makes Travel Dreams Real

When I mentioned the Accor Hotels City Super Sale in another post, I said that I would love to stay in Sofitel Sydney Wentworth. It’s at the city center and that works fine for me. It would be nice to stay near the beach too, but I love the Sofitel hotels so Sofitel Sydney Wentworth it is. Honestly, I know exactly what I would want to do in Sydney. I’ll do the usual touristy things such as see the Opera House and explore the historic North Head area, but I'll go for some quirky activities too. Some suggest taking a midnight picnic in Middle Head, going for the Roar and Snore sleepover at Taronga Zoo, and taking a ghost tour through the Quarantine Station. If I find myself in Sydney on August 22, I’ll definitely be at the Metro Theatre, catching a Dappled Cities performance live. Hopefully, I won’t be the only mother there screaming for “B is for Banjo” or “D is for Drum”, lol. Anyway, we also have friends and family living in Sydney so it would be awesome to get together with them. This is why the City Super Sale is such a godsend. Amazing low rates can save you up to 60% of normal travel expenses. The sale is only for a limited time though, so don’t take a long time deciding on this.

Update on a WAHM Issue, Potty-training, and Hyperthyroidism

Some news:

1. As you can see I'm not using Google Adsense anymore. I'm using Adgitize now and I think it's more fun. It actually drives traffic to your site, you can click on your own ads, you get points for publishing posts, and the best part: minimum payout is lower ($10 as opposed to $100) and can go to your PayPal if you choose it to.

2. I think Marguerite is finally (finally!!!) potty-trained. She tells me now that she has to use the potty. Thank you, Lord!!! I still wouldn't count out accidents, but at least, it's a great improvement from me just timing and guessing things when it comes to bringing her to the potty.

3. My sister's hyperthyroid(ism) is gone. Now, we're just working on getting her back to her normal weight and getting her old strength back. We still ask for prayers for her complete recovery.

In conclusion, God is really good. He answers prayers and he also opens other doors(S!) when one closes.

Super Low Asia Pacific Hotel Rates

Okay, this opportunity truly has me all excited. Accor Hotels City Super Sale is one heck of a deal. As somebody who would choose travel over stuff (trembling with excitement, with legions of bells on), this is the kind of deal I won’t have any second thoughts over. If I were to stay in Manila, Sofitel is a hotel I would be very ecstatic to stay in. It’s elegant, comfy, has a great location, and a great view of the Manila Bay. However, with the option of travel, I would definitely go for Sydney or Auckland, but since I’m currently gaga over a Sydney-based band, Sydney it is! Sydney has so many things I want to see and experience too, thanks to my undying devotion to the Travel Channel, I learned about most of them (which only fueled the desire to go there even more). Since Sofitel has made an impression on me, I’d probably want to stay in its Sydney hotel. Go ahead and check out the sale rates from Accor. They’re crazy low. You have to be quick about taking advantage too as this Super Sale is up for a limited time only. There are 10 countries and 27 cities in the Asia Pacific involved so your options are wide and diverse. Book online between June 23 t0 29 and you can save up to 60% for stays between July 10 and September 30 (rates start as low as $25!!!). This sale, btw, also coincides with the low season when it comes to air fares in the Asia Pacific region. Is this exciting or what?

The Eyes Have It

Marguerite just emerged from the bedroom with pajamas riding low, bun from last night turned to bed hair, eyes still half shut, binky-mouthed, and... clutching the latest issue of Buy & Sell. She just lay herself down on the mat and started perusing the B&S. It's really very cute. She's probably gonna fall asleep again, but that's fine. Her oatmeal is still cooling.
Anyway, I woke up in the middle of last night with right eye feeling all weird. This is reminiscent of a few eye episodes I had growing up. I've never had conjunctivitis. It was that other disease besides chicken pox which I never seemed to catch. Of course, now that I've been vanquished by chicken pox, conjunctivitis is a very real threat. I don't think it's pink eye though. It's the same problem that I used to have. I think our EENT at that time called it allergic sore eyes. One eye would get very red and kind of puffy (I guess the membrane thing does). It's not the usual pink eye since the eye doesn't have crusties. It usually just needs washing with plain water and resting (which I'm obviously not doing) and everything subsides back to normal in a matter of hours. I suppose the usual eye drop would also help, but ours still hasn't been replace since it has been doused all over the bed by a certain toddler (the parents' fault for leaving it somewhere within reach). Anyway, I'm pretty confident that a cold or warm compress will do the trick.

The Things I Find Electrifying

Modesty aside, I am pretty good at languages. I know a few and I am usually quite particular about grammar. I am also a history buff and have quite a penchant for retaining details that make me win at games like Trivial Pursuit, Cranium, and Jeopardy. I think I have a pretty good vocabulary too (which means I am the defending champion at Boggle/Word Factory at my church). There is my aptitude right there. When it comes to mechanical things, I am a total spazz. Electricity is an unexplored concept for me. I use it and probably cannot live without it, but I do not understand it. I remember learning about conductors and there was that demonstration about the battery and the wires and the light bulb and there was that ubiquitous question about birds on power lines not getting electrocuted… I got good grades in Science too. This is actually one of the factors that led to my decision to homeschool. Imagine a great (and expensive!) school + good grades= no working understanding of practical concepts. Anyway, I’m the type who would be paranoid about hiring electricians because they could be yanking my chain and I won’t be able to pinpoint how, especially if they talk technical stuff. I’m the type to go for a trusted company, who has its reputation for being qualified, affordable, and dependable to protect. If I lived in Virginia and needed a Richmond Electrician, Blue Star Electric Inc is a company that I could feel confident about taking care of my electrical troubles.

Pour Moi?

First, this:

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all the dads out there, but especially to my dad and my husband. :)

Next, thanks to Mela for this:

The Rules of this Award are:

1. Take your award and put the logo on your post.
2. Link the person who awarded you. Remember each recipient of the award should acknowledge the person who honored them and go to Mom's Special Diary to copy and paste the award.
3. Put your own blog title and link.
4. Nominate at least five deserving moms.


I'm passing the award to the moms at All That Is Good, Echolage, Echanted Gypsy, Hits and Mrs, and Twelve.

Get Around Boston in a Limo

One time when we were driving from Fresno to San Diego, we got so bored that we played the “Limo Game”. It is just the usual car game wherein you tag (pinch, tweak the ear, punch… ) your driving companions whenever you see a certain make of car. At that time, we did limos. It actually started with my young cousin feeling the need to point out limos that were in our vicinity. I suppose limos are exciting to spot. They are beautiful, glamorous, and well, long. They have you wondering who could be inside them. For the ordinary folks, there are but a few occasions to ride limos in - the prom, your own wedding, etc. For others, limos are a daily need. If you’re an executive in, say, Boston where driving a car isn’t very practical, then it’s smart to hook up with this Boston Limousine Service . It is reliable with clean, professional drivers who are punctual and knowledgeable of Boston roads and traffic. These Boston Limousines are all DTE certified and are well-bonded and insured. Think of these Boston Limos whenever you find yourself in the Boston area and want to get to places in style and comfort.

Spinning Lovely Days' Top Ten

Only, they're not current, except for Thug Story... Hey, here's a music meme. Just list 10 songs you are into right now.

My Top 10:

"Who Am I?" - Casting Crowns

"Roni, Roni Bat Zion" - Paul Wilbur

"Hine Ma Tov" - Paul Wilbur

"Can't Stop Loving You" - Van Halen

"In Between" - Collective Soul

"Sleeps with Butterflies" - Tori Amos

"Power of Two" - Indigo Girls

"Vision Bell" - Dappled Cities

"Ciega Sordomuda" - Shakira

"Thug Story" - T- Swift and T-Pain (more of watching the video on YouTube"

Is that an eclectic list or what? I tag you. Let me know if you did it. I'd love to read your list.

Washington Homes

Everybody dreams of having his own home. Even when he is far from scraping together enough money to start building it, he already has ideas of what he wants to put in it. He has an idea of what it would look like, the elements it would have, etc. However, when it gets to the point that he actually has to start turning the dream into a reality, the rosy glow of the dream vanishes and he is faced with very real issues that need to be addressed to stop his dream home from turning into a nightmare. It all boils down to getting the most value for his money. If he lives in an area that has rain as a regular feature like the state of Washington, the future home owner has to take this into account. It is better to trust somebody who has had decades of construction experience to build the home that he’s investing probably his life’s work on. In Everett, Washington, Les White Construction, has built a great reputation for itself. For an Everett General Contractor, it is more than qualified. It has more than 40 years of experience behind it and it specializes in home design, additions, inspections, repairs, etc.

Of Perry Mason, Colette, and NVM Gonzalez

I don't know why, but recently I've been regretting the fact that I never got NVM Gonzalez's autograph when I had the chance to. I think I must have read something online that reminded me of my encounters with the national artist, so now I'm kicking myself for not having been brash enough to have had my picture taken with him or even just to have asked for an autograph. This was more than a decade ago. He would drop by my professor's office (we had our classes there; this was before the construction of the CAL building; anyway, there were only 3 or 4 of us) and invite her to lunch. He'd notice us and quiz us on our knowledge of good literature. One time, he lamented the fact that young people didn't read anymore. He gestured at me with his cane (made in Bavaria, he said), "What was the last book you read?" It didn't occur to me to fib, so I answered, "Perry Mason." Our professor had just given us a few of her old Spanish novels and I had ended up with a Perry Mason one. NVM Gonzalez scoffed, "Perry Mason! That's not literature!" My professor attempted to explain about the Perry Mason, but he was already brandishing a book he was carrying at the girl next to me. "Do you recognize any of the writers featured here?" My classmate unfortunately had to shake her head. NVM moved on to me. Thankfully, I recognized a few names, but I zeroed in on Colette. I kind of crowed, "I read Colette!" Dubiously, he regarded me, the confessed reader of Perry Mason, "Can you name her works?" I did. I think I got to mention La Vagabonde and Gigi, but that was enough. I had redeemed myself. NVM Gonzalez's face broke into a happy grin and he offered to shake my hand. I was triumphant. I had just proven that not everybody from my generation was hopelessly unread. More importantly, I had just proven that I was not unread. More than ten years later, I was still cherishing that shining moment, lol. He never got my name, but he would recognize me whenever I encountered him (usually at the FC). One time, I think that was after a charla on flamenco music, he tried to convince me to learn to play the flamenco guitar. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I couldn't even learn to play "Leaving on a Jet Plane" on the guitar. He went on to discourse on the virtues of the flamenco guitar. I think he said it had 14 strings. Or was it frets? Obviously, I was a very unwise person not to have hung on to every word. Anyway, yeah, I had several chances (I had some of his works too, but, of course, I never knew beforehand that I would bump into him, so I wouldn't have had them with me) but I never got his autograph. It's obviously one of my life's regrets. :)

Snoopy On Her Booboo

Marguerite has a pretty bad booboo on her right knee. She tripped while we were walking down the path by the sea wall at the San Miguel by the Bay. For some reason, the cement had gaps in them. Many have probably dropped little items into those cracks. I really don't get why they made it that way. Anyway, typical of Marguerite, she didn't cry. It looked like it really hurt too. One of the guards came over with a first aid kit (I had already washed off the wound because I have Marguerite's water bottle in my purse - everything else was in the car), so we were able to dab some Betadine on it. I carried her around for a little while. That's when the fireworks started and pretty soon she was running around again, thankfully, mostly on the grassy parts. She doesn't seem to mind her booboo much. That's why I've been using bandaids on them. She forgets about the wound sometimes and just bashes her knee against stuff while playing. We have both ordinary and character bandaids. She naturally prefers the Peanuts ones.

For a Flawless Paint Job

I know how important it is to get painters who are not only qualified, but who have a reputation for having good work ethics. Our nightmare experience involved this house painter that my grandmother siced on my mom when she and my dad built a house. The man was supposedly her laundress’ husband. It was really annoying because my mom had not even asked my grandmother to commission a painter for her. She had merely asked if my grandmother knew a painter. It was a very casual question, but that’s my grandmother for you. Anyway, this man was not only sloppy, it also took him forever to finish. It is not really any wonder that he would be slow at his work since he was paid with a daily rate. This is why there are cases when going with an established firm is cheaper than getting an independent worker. A mucked up paint job is not something you can easily disguise. I mean, you could, but it means paying again for somebody to do it over. It’s also important for your painter to be skilled in techniques you require. In New Mexico, for any of your Albuquerque Painting needs, you can count on one company to be Above the Rest. They specialize in interior and exterior painting, staining, lacquering, pressure washing, etc.

Saturday by the Bay

On Saturday, Marguerite and I tagged along Husband when he shot Tikoy and Car's prenups. Tikoy happens to be the mutual friend who introduced Husband and myself back in 1996. They were high school friends, while Tikoy and I were both member of the UP Le Club Français. They actually started the shoot in Intramuros, then they picked Marguerite and myself up and moved on to San Miguel by the Bay.

Not the perfect Manila Bay sunset shot, but still lovely


The wind overcomes braids and ponytails.


French braid girl


That pretty peninsula of lights that's actually an unattractive industrial area during the day


Fireworks

My Hodgepodge Home

I like to think of myself as artsy-fartsy, in a boho, hippie way. However, you’ll probably never find an abstract painting on my wall (unless you give me one and then I’ll put it up because it’s a gift), even if it will probably fit fine, my taste being eclectic. I do love country cottage type furniture with lots of vintage items. You can definitely expect some pieces of rustic furniture. It’s a fair assumption that I won’t have any of those sleek, modern things. I can appreciate them and think they look attractive, but I won’t get them for myself. They’re just not me.

New/Old Dress

Remember this dress from this post?

From SPINNING LOVELY DAYS

From SPINNING LOVELY DAYS

Well, my first encounter with a nanny (ah, the many virtues of that Lalaine) left that dress mangled. The dress was a birthday gift from Chloe. Her mom bought it in London. We had to wait a year before Marguerite could fit into it. She wore it that one time before Lalaine happened. Oh and she also spun some lie to explain away the tears in the net-cloth-tulle-thing on the sleeves and skirt, lovable girl. The second nanny wasn't any better. The circumstances would have to be really drastic before I get myself another helper. Thankfully, I was able to salvage what was left of the dress and turned it into this:

From SPINNING LOVELY DAYS

Plus Size Beauty

My sister is much taller than me and for a time during her youth, she had a little problem with her weight. Since she was tall, the extra pounds suited her just fine. She was just a little chubby to look at and I personally thought she carried it off well. She was very active and athletic. She danced gracefully and participated in cheering squads. Of course, she did not end up at the top of the pyramid, but she was way more active than I, the couch potato, ever was. Probably because she appreciated how these women had to deal with the same body issues as she had, my sister seemed to really like famous plus-size models such as Melissa Aronson (E!’s Emme), Kimora Lee, and Mia Tyler. These women are all fine example of big beautiful women. I think it is important for people to realize that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. Now, I think it’s a safe assumption that most of us women have something we may feel insecure or inferior about. For women who may be battling or settling comfortably with their extra pounds, who better than other women in the same boat can understand their concerns better? They can meet each other in big beautiful women chat rooms and start sharing. Registration is free.

Happy Birthday, Antonella

Yesterday was my goddaughter Antonella's birthday. She's now two years old. How time flies! Anyway, here are some pictures from the party. You have to forgive our church members; they're very camera-shy.

It's Antonella's birthday. Ignore the balloon that says Happy Birthday, Jaymee. That's just Jaymee being a goon.

These people have to come out of their shells. Don't be shy, you guys.

Check out my second chin.

The mascot guy probably quit his job after this abuse.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANTONELLA!

In the Event of Pestilence

It’s so uncanny how Austin seems to always come up in my discussions and general orbit lately. First, there was this person I know who went to the University of Texas in Austin. Then, I was watching Samantha Brown’s show “Passport to Great Weekends” on the Travel Channel and she featured Austin there. There was also this Australian band that I am currently obsessing over. I’ve been googling them and most of their interviews mentioned their stay in Austin. I also naturally have been watching their performances on YouTube and a lot of them were in the Austin music scene. Is this a sign that I should move to Austin? Lol In any case, I’ll know which company to contact in the event that I buy a house there and I want to guarantee that it is pest-free. I’d love to live in a wooden house and you know how a lot of insects have an appetite for wood. Some houses look great on the outside, but the walls are already literally devoured by termites. Also, I would want to make sure that I won’t be cohabitating with cockroaches since I hate them with the passion of a thousand cancer-causing suns. Anyway, for Austin Pest Control services, Ashley is an honest, family-owned company that you can rely on.

Happy Independence Day to All Filipinos

I think I've already mentioned here that as an undergrad majoring in Spanish I fell in love with the patriotic soldier and poet José Palma. Anyway, behold the beauty of his poem which became the words to the Philippine national anthem. I personally prefer the original version although the Filipino version is also good. However, some nuances are always lost in translation, so nothing beats the original. I'm sorry to say though that the English translation is awful. I don't know if it's because the Spanish language can just verbalize ardor and passion better or the efforts of the translator were just not up to par. Anyway, I've always had this theory that mush and cheese aren't as bad if uttered in Spanish, lol. Like I'd be listening to a Spanish song, unconsciously translating the words to English, and I'd realize that the sentiments just don't sound right in English. Take for instance Alex Ubago's "Sin Miedo a Nada" (a song I'm embarrassed to say I really like - he sang this with Amaya Montero of Oreja de Van Gogh, a band I love), there's a line there that says "besarnos hasta desgastamos nuestros labios", which translated to English is "kiss each other until we wear out our lips"... It was okay in Spanish, but when you think about it in English, it's kind of gross, lol. Okay, whatever. I obviously don't know what I'm talking about. Anyway, let's go back to my discussion of the Philippine National Anthem. Here are the words. You be the judge.

FILIPINAS - letras por José Palma *heart*

Tierra adorada
Hija del sol de Oriente,
Su fuego ardiente
en ti latiendo está.

¡Tierra de amores!
Del heroísmo cuna,
Los invasores
No te hollarán jamás.

En tu azul cielo, en tus auras,
En tus montes y en tu mar
Esplende y late el poema
De tu amada libertad.

Tu pabellón, que en las lides
La victoria iluminó,
No verá nunca apagados
Sus estrellas y su sol.

Tierra de dichas, del sol y de amores,
En tu regazo dulce es vivir.
Es una gloria para tus hijos,
Cuando te ofenden, por ti morir.


LUPANG HINIRANG

Bayang Magiliw
Perlas ng Silanganan,
Alab ng puso
Sa dibdib mo'y buhay.

Lupang hinirang,
Duyan ka ng magiting,
Sa manlulupig,
'Di ka pasisiil.

Sa dagat at bundok,
Sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw,
May dilag ang tula at awit
Sa paglayang minamahal.

Ang kislap ng watawat mo'y
Tagumpay na nagniningning,
Ang bituin at araw niya
Kailan pa ma'y 'di magdidilim.

Lupa ng araw, ng luwalhati't pagsinta,
Buhay ay langit sa piling mo;
Aming ligaya, na 'pag may mang-aapi
Ang mamatay nang dahil sa 'yo.

ENGLISH VERSION (I don't even know the proper title)

Beloved Country,
Pearl of the Orient,
The heart's fervor
In your bosom is ever alive.

Chosen land,
You are the cradle of the brave.
To the conquerors
You shall never surrender.

Through the seas and mountains,
Through the air and your azure skies,
There is splendor in the poem
And song for dear freedom.

The sparkle of your flag
Is shining victory.
Its stars and sun
Forever will never dim.

Land of the morning, of glory, of our affection,
Life is heaven in your arms;
When someone oppresses you, it is our pleasure
To die for you.

For those who don't understand Filipino or Spanish, believe me, the words and composition are really beautiful...

For Great Rhode Island Roofs

My friend Cara recently moved from Vermont to Providence, Rhode Island. She was offered work there. I believe it’s for a bank, but I’m not sure what her position would be. Her work has something to do with finance and economics. Being somebody who compulsively avoids thoughts of mathematics, I really don’t know more about it. The move really interested me though since I have never been to Rhode Island and have always been intrigued by the place. Now, I have an excuse to go there (should finances ever permit the travel) and see the place. I am not sure if Cara will be purchasing a home, but if she does, it will be really lovely if she gets one of those quaint New England homes. I know they are usually really old, but she can always get things fixed up. Should she ever have a need to replace her roof, she can easily find a qualified and reliable person to do it by looking up Providence Roofing. Getting your roof replaced is always expensive. After all, it is not simply the materials you are paying for, but essentially the labor and skill of the workers. It is important that you get trustworthy roofers who will guarantee to put in quality materials as well as the work you require and nothing less.

Marguerite Does Blair Fashion

This picture was taken using my phone during Marguerite's Sunday School class. And no, she doesn't keep still. She likes to give special numbers (usually Incy Wincy Spider or Happy Birthday) while her Nannie (my mom) is trying to teach. She also likes to bug older kids who are intent on being good pupils. She also likes to run back and forth from the children's Sunday School area to the Sunday Worship area. I honestly don't think I've had a restful service in a long time (not that I should be resting). Anyway, Marguerite's Tita Donna gave her this pair of cute pink, white and gray argyle socks, which inspired the outfit above (you can't see the details on the socks in that pic cuz like I said, I used my phone). Anyway, as soon as my sister saw her, she said, "Are you my Gossip Girl?". I guess the outfit is a little Blair Waldorf, lol. I really wouldn't know since I don't watch the show (LIAR!).

Hava Nagila

I would love to take up Jewish Studies. Having grown up attending Sunday School, I have been exposed to part of the history of the Jewish people from reading the Bible. I know I love listening and learning to sing Jewish songs. Just yesterday, my daughter and I watched performances of different Jewish songs on YouTube. We started with “Roni, Roni Bat Zion” and ended with the popular “Hava Nagila”. As a student of languages, I would really love to learn Hebrew, Aramaic, or Yiddish. I would really just love to learn about the entire culture. I would love to learn more about their celebrations, rituals, practices… not to mention, their food. Kosher has always been something that intrigued me and sadly I use the word without really knowing much about it. The history is also very rich with many poignant details. I think it must be amazing to belong to a race that can trace its history, name key characters all the way to the creation (of course, I also happen to know that I come from Adam). The Jewish people certainly share something really special among them. No matter where they are and what they are, they have this identity of being part of God’s chosen people. Those who are interested in meeting fellow Jews can go online for free jewish chat . This is a great site for Jewish people to get together and chat about everything from things to which only they can relate to just about anything under the sun.

Please Pray for Xylee

Here is a very valid reason why the DepEd (Gosh, when will it stop being DECS to me? Is it true that Lourdes Quisumbing is no longer Education Secretary? lol) should be more decisive (well, quicker to decide anyway) about suspension of classes due to rain. Xylee, a pretty 3rd grader whose family attends our church, was hit by a Starex van as she was walking home after they had been sent home from school. Her house is just a couple of blocks from the school and since she probably thought that her mother didn't know that classes had been suspended, she thought her recourse was to just go home by herself. The road from the school to their house isn't a main thoroughfare but it does have a steady flow of traffic. The thing is, her mother had, in fact, known about the suspension and had gone to the school to pick her up, but they unfortunately missed each other. Anyway, Xylee was sideswiped by the van and as far as I know, has so far had an operation on her leg since a vein was broken. I'm not sure but I think a chunk of flesh had also been dislodged so you can see the leg bone. The driver who hit her is paying for her hospitalization, but still I would like to ask you to pray for Xylee's healing and complete recovery. I don't know much about these things, but I do pray that there is no lasting damage on her leg and her ability to walk.

A Place of Diversity

I once saw a Discovery or National Geographic show explaining why race does not actually exist. I remember it gave examples of how you cannot define race accurately since there is always something that would not fall within the description or some exception that would outright negate it. If the term is being used loosely though and we were not to get all scientific and technical, race, as we understand the term, is actually still something that we deal with. It is much nicer now that people of different races can mingle and build relationships without thinking twice about it. Now is a time when black and white chat and befriend each other without fear. It is definitely a better setup now than it used to be. This presents a better condition for sharing and learning. Different cultures are fascinating to learn about and as one knows more about other people, he or she is also able to understand himself or herself better. Amidst all the differences is a strong sense of similarity. There is always something one can identify with or relate to. Diversity is a great thing on so many levels. If you are interested in meeting people of different ethnicities and cultures online, an interracial chat room would be a good place to start. Registration is free.

Indoor (In-mall) Playgrounds

Since we were already in Megamall, we decided to spend the rest of the day there. I hadn't been there in quite a while, so it was nice (and tiring) to walk around and check out old and new stuff. We went to the basement, which had a lot of traps for children. We ended up letting Marguerite play in one of the playgrounds. We thought she'd be up and down the slides, but she immediately cottoned to the play kitchen. After this, we thought we'd go over to the pet shop to say hello to the animals, but like I said, there were traps galore. We did check out the puppies and other animals, but not until Marguerite had ridden some of those token-fed contraptions.

Finding a Philadelphia Landscaper

When were living up in the mountains, I used to enjoy taking long morning walks in our neighborhood. We lived in one of the residential sections of an old US naval base and when it comes to houses, there was not a whole lot variety to enjoy. They basically came in two designs, the bungalow or the two-storey. You cannot purchase property on base, but you can rent for a really long time (and the money involved would be tantamount to an actual purchase and more - I suppose they can argue that it is a very special and exclusive place). Those who have opted for decades of lease do not mind investing in the renovation of their units and they have, in fact, managed to transform their share of identical housing to something really fabulous. Taking walks up and down the hill, I could see beautifully manicured lawns with gazebos, patios that have been spruced up to hold cocktail parties and barbecues, little hillocks with pocket gardens and whatnot… Seeing these things, I cannot help but think that landscaping must be really fascinating and fulfilling work. Picking an exceptional landscaper is important if you want your dream grounds translated correctly into reality. If you live in PA, you can easily find an excellent Philadelphia Landscaper in Starwood Design and Construction, Inc. It specializes in masonry, landscape, large trees, inground swimming pools, and spas.

Trading Our Recyclables for Money

It was really pouring last Saturday when we arrived at the SM Megamall parking lot to drop off our recyclables for the monthly SM Trash to Cash weekend. We had bags and bags of plastic and glass containers, a box of mixed paper, the box our refrigerator came in, several rusty pots and pans, our broken DVD player, and some other bits of odds and ends. I had wanted Marguerite to be involved with the activity, but like I said, it was raining and Marguerite was peacefully sleeping in her carseat besides. Anyway, she was involved in the sorting process at home. After I had segregated everything, she rooted through the mixed paper and rescued a Hello Kitty paper bag, a small pink shoe box (the one her dress shoes came in), and a few sheets of paper. What could I do? She was so cute playing with them and if you think about it, that's still recycling. Btw, we earned about Php60 for our load. It's not a lot, but it was junk we would have just thrown away with nothing in return and, besides that, the burden of looking for a recycling center was taken off of us.

That's Husband with the blue umbrella.

To Those in Austin Who Have Carpets

I personally prefer hardwood floors (right now, our place has tiles), but I have experienced dealing with wall to wall carpeting. This was back in the mountains. My classroom had it and even better, I could tell that the carpet dates back to the sixties or seventies, lol. My first apartment had it too. I tell you, if you are not a neatnik, it could present some health problems. If you are wondering, it never actually got to that point, lol. I have asthma though and wall to wall carpeting in the tropics is hardly genius. The humidity and the dust produce a nice combination of mildew and crud. Anyway, my classroom carpet was taken care of by the school custodians, so it was regularly vacuumed and shampooed, no problem. My apartment, however, was a different story. I think the place only received a proper cleaning and airing whenever my mother came over for a visit, which happily enough was pretty often at that time. On other days, I desperately hoped for a carpet cleaning service, which the city didn’t have. Those who live in Austin, Texas (a place, btw, that interests me in so many aspects, the music scene being the foremost) have no such problem since Austin Carpet Cleaning services are easily accessible.

Hope the Rain Will Let Up Some

It's raining pretty hard (not that that's surprising). I don't know if it's an actual typhoon. Husband's not going to his Sysco class since this is the kind of weather that will get you stranded somewhere and flood the interior of your car. That's not to say that we're not going to brave the rain and simply stay quietly indoors. Today is the last day of this month's SM Trash to Cash and we're hauling our latest accumulated junk to the nearest SM mall. We'll probably do our groceries too. I feel proud of myself. I didn't ask Husband even once to stop at the store this week (I usually do for little items such as eggs and bread). Our supplies are nearly out, but I did manage to stretch them until the next official trip to the store.

Getting to Faro

When I was in Spain, I constantly thought about crossing over to Portugal. I blame Megan McCormick for this. I had seen her travels to Portugal on Globe Trekker and she got me really interested in seeing the Azores, Porto, Faro and many other places in the country. I imagine Faro, for one, to be a lot like the Andalucian locales with its own unique offerings of course. I definitely want to see the Ria Formosa lagoon. Since I love bird watching, a good time to go would probably be in spring or autumn so I could catch sight of migratory birds that make their pit stop there. The architecture would also be part of the appeal as well as places like the university and the beaches. Portugal, being part of the Iberian Peninsula, has various seaside offerings, all of them fascinating and special. If you are into motorcycles, then you might want to your visit coincide with the Faro International Motorcycle Rally. I myself would probably go for the students’ festival. The Faro airport is not far from the city proper. You can go for a faro airport car hire so you don’t have to worry about getting to your hotel or lugging your bags while you look for a hotel.

M is for Meme

10 things you love that start with the letter M:

* Marguerite (not a thing, lol)
* Mark (ditto)
(I'll have you know, I drew a blank after these two.)
* Maroons (as in the UP Maroons - gosh, this is harder than I thought)
* mysteries (oh, that's a good one)
* Madrid (although I really prefer Santander)
* Mary Engelbreit
* magazines
* A Midsummer Night's Dream
* the moon!
* Marikina!

Oh man! Now, I actually have several more. Anyway, I tag you.

Rural Life and Shopping Online

You know, a new thought has crept in my mind these past weeks. I’m imagining what it would be like to live in a completely rural area (much more hardcore than what living in the mountains had been like for us) and have so many things I’m used to (including church and family) not easily accessible to me. Of course, there is the promise of fresh air, nature in all its splendor literally at your doorstep, and the joy of living a simpler life. It would be neat to live off the earth. I don’t imagine the stores in the area would have the usual selection a city store would have anyway, but shopping online has been the answer to this predicament for many years now.

Shopping for children is actually more fun done online. The range of choices is broader, especially if you go to ShopWiki. Unlike other shopping sites, which only have items that have been paid for to be featured, it functions like Google and includes everything that its searches have generated. Anything from furniture to books can be found in the site.

Update on the Fresh Air Fund

I previously posted about the Fresh Air Fund here. It is a program that helps city kids get some fresh air in the country or suburb during the summer break. They recently received a tremendous offer by some very generous donors. From now until June 30th, any gift given will be matched dollar for dollar. To learn more about the program, click the banner below:

Some Episodes with Locksmiths

Did you know that up until I started living on my own, I never had to carry a house key with me? No wonder I had some crazy episodes with my keys when I finally did have them. I never knew where they were (apparently, inside the fridge that one time) and yes, the experience would not have been complete if I had not locked myself out at one point (Thanks, Jenn, for putting me up that night). Don't even ask if I had ever lost a key. Anyway, keys and locks never figured with me until that time. When I was still living at home, somebody would always be there to open the door for you (and if it’s late, my mother would surely be hovering at the door fretting). That’s all in the past though. Locks, keys, and consequently, also locksmiths are stuff I pay attention to now. Let’s not even talk about that time my aunt locked us out of the car at the 99 Ranch parking lot. For sure, locksmiths rock! If you’re somewhere in the Dallas area, you can call Mayday Lock and Key for your lock and key troubles. Dallas Locks have been in good hands with this company offering high quality at low prices for two decades now.

Wet Months Ahead

Alas, the wet part of the year is officially here. Goodbye weekend afternoons at the park. Also, hello to power interruptions and other rainy season nuisances. Ah, the grandeur of the monsoon with calamity and devastation trailing in its wake. Yesterday, the wind howling between our building and its twin sounded positively creepy. In the right frame of mind, it can feel romantic, like being in a gothic novel. Since I had been working on a paid post and the power went out, I didn't feel inclined to romanticize the weather. I did light a few nice-smelling candles around which Marguerite and I sat singing "Happy Birthday" (she didn't want to sing anything else) until the light came back on (only to go out again a few seconds later, upon which Marguerite and I just moved to the bedroom and cuddled up in bed reading Beatrix Potter and Tasha Tudor together). Anyway, I can be down with the rain, but not rain that is a regular feature for months and months. I know a rainy day can feel cozy, but only if you're safely home and not feeling penned up. Also, living in the tropics, there's no point in griping about it. I can always move if I want to, and believe it or not, I do love living here.

I know I wrote an article about fun things to do with your kids on a rainy day back when I was single and had no business, but was still brazenly peddling parenting articles to various magazines. It's in my room at my parents' house so I can't consult my own advice. I did find the following online:

Things to Do on a Rainy Day
Rainy Day Activities
Rainy Day Crafts and Games
Rainy Day Fun and Boredom Busters for Kids

I Can Talk about Tattoos

I remember a story about tattoos from one of Louis Sachar’s (one of my favorite children’s book authors) Wayside School books. Anyway, for a birthday present one of the children (in 3rd grade, I think) was going to get a tattoo. Naturally all of his classmates had suggestions for him on what to get. The birthday boy remained undecided until dismissal time. The following day, everybody was eager to see what he had gotten and was baffled to see a tattoo of a potato. Most of the other kids thought that it was a dumb choice, but the tattooed boy did not expect them to understand because they never had the chance to get their own tattoo. Anyway, while anybody is qualified to engage in tattoo chat (registration is free), only the tattooed can know what having a tattoo is like. I myself don’t have a tattoo, but I can talk about certain people’s tattoos. If you ask me about Rob Thomas’ or John Rzeznik’s tattoos, I will probably be able to tell you something, having obsessed over them at several points in my life. That’s right. It’s a case of the recurring crush - if anybody’s interested, right now isn’t one of those points.

Growing with Signs

Lately Marguerite and I have been reviewing our signs. I always said that signing is something I want Marguerite to continue doing as she gets older. Marguerite speaks pretty clearly now and actually sounds a lot like me (pronunciation, intonation, accent...). I know baby signers tend to lose the signs they know as they learn to talk, so I'm trying to prevent this from happening. Anyway, I try to remember to sign while talking to keep Marguerite exposed to sign language. The thing is, I don't force Marguerite to sign (sometimes I ask her to), but when she's trying to tell me something and I don't understand or just wasn't paying attention, she repeats what she has been saying in a louder voice and signs. Also I noticed that there are signs that she can do correctly now, like "play" and "water", folding the correct fingers and making her hand land on the correct spots. I also try to regularly add to our vocab, but I keep it subtle so we won't feel overwhelmed. Mostly, we watch a lot of Signing Time. Anyway, here is one of Marguerite's favorite Signing Time songs:

Learn about Asbestos as Best as We Can

We have all read or heard about how asbestos can cause cancer. We know asbestos is evil, but do we even know what asbestos looks like? Knowing the simple fact is one thing, but do we know enough to be able to take an active stance to prevent asbestos exposure? One time while I was still working as a schoolteacher, I had monitoring duty at lunch time and I noticed that the children were breaking off pieces of the gym wall panels (this was shortly before it was renovated) and throwing them at each other or just simply crumbling them with their hands. I knew that the building dated back to the sixties, so I immediately thought of asbestos and ordered them to stop. I tried to tell them about asbestos, but just ended up confusing them and myself. I realized that I didn’t know enough. Upon researching on the topic though, I learned about Mesothelioma and how not just people at the site of an asbestos-laden structure are at risk. Being airborne, asbestos can get on a person and that person can bring it elsewhere. Imagine a father with traces of asbestos on his clothing hugging his little kids as he got home. There is a law about asbestos and in the event of sickness, people can call a Mesothelioma Lawyer to litigate responsible parties.

Meming Once Again

Time for another meme.

1. IF YOU COULD BUILD A SECOND HOUSE ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD IT BE?
Santander, Spain

2. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE ARTICLES OF CLOTHING?
tank tops?

3. THE LAST CDs YOU BOUGHT?
Acoustic Night Live 2 (Husband and his band had two songs in it)

4. WHAT TIME DO YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING?
between 5 to 7, depending on what time I went to bed the previous night

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE KITCHEN APPLIANCE?
an oven?

6. IF YOU COULD PLAY AN INSTRUMENT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
violin (I never took lessons for this one)

7. FAVORITE COLOR?
red

8. WHICH VEHICLE DO YOU PREFER, SPORTS CAR, MOTORCYCLE, OR SUV?
a plain car will do, preferably fuel efficient

9. DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE AFTERLIFE?
Well, I believe in life after physical death.

10. FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOK?
Madeline's Rescue

11. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEASON?
Autumn

12. IF YOU HAVE A TATTOO, WHAT IS IT?
N/A

13. IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SUPERPOWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Super strength

14. CAN YOU JUGGLE?
Learning to

15. ONE PERSON/PEOPLE FROM YOUR PAST YOU WISH YOU COULD GO BACK AND TALK TO?
Peaches Ochoa (we were really close and then college happened)

16. WHAT IS UNDER YOUR BED?
dust bunnies, magazines, books, toys...

17. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DAY?
Saturday

18. WHICH DO YOU PREFER, SUSHI OR HAMBURGER?
Sushi

19. FROM THE PEOPLE WHO NORMALLY READ YOUR BLOG, WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?
I don't normally tag people.

20. ON WHICH BLOG DID YOU FIND THIS MEME?
I forget. It's in my space filler file.

21. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER?
marguerites, first, and then lilies

23. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEAL?
dinner

24. DESCRIBE YOUR PJS.
tank top and boxer shorts/ nightie

25. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BREAKFAST?
something prepared by somebody else, lol

26. DO YOU LIKE YOUR JOB?
love it

27. WHAT IS YOUR DREAM JOB?
being a SAHM is my dream job, I just wish it were better paying, lol

28. WHAT AGE DO YOU PLAN TO RETIRE?
It's not the kind of job I can retire from.

29. WHERE DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE OR SIGNIFICANT OTHER?
UP Diliman (Thanks, Tikoy)

30. SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT YOU HAVE NEVER DONE BEFORE.
go truffling