Butt Out, You Rash!

This post brought to you by Boudreaux's Butt Paste. All opinions are 100% mine.

When you have a kid at home, chances are, you have fretted over diaper rash one time or another. I know I did, although I am hugely thankful that my daughter Svet is not that much prone to it. Her skin is not as sensitive as some babies, and coupled with choosing the right brand for her as well as thorough washing after diaper removal, we hardly have to worry over diaper rash. However, that is not to say that we did not have a difficult time figuring out how to make her feel better when she suffered her first rash from diapers.

We were lucky enough to have an aunt who sent Boudreaux's Butt Paste to us through a balikbayan box. It was heaven sent, I tell you. Unlike other creams that we've tried, this paste seemed to take almost immediate effect on relieving our baby's rash. Also, it wipes off rather easily compared to another brand we've tried. To anyone who's ever had problems with their kid's diaper rash, trust me on this one. In fact, a lot of reviews online will back up my claims on it being the most effective cream for diaper rash care.

If you're in the US, you can even get a free sample of Boudreaux's Butt Paste on their official website to try before you decide to buy and recommend to everyone! If it means finding relief for our little ones, then it never hurts to try, right?

FB Shopping

When I discovered how powerful Facebook can be when it comes to connecting people, I also discovered a lot of people in there selling everything under the sun. At first I was merely interested, and would browse some of the sellers' pages and look at the pictures of their wares. But yesterday morning, I took courage and talked to a local Baguio seller on FB because I saw a pair of black boots to die for that she sells:

Isn't it a love? When I first saw it I know I must have it, so I went ahead and paid the down payment even though it will be the last week of January before I lay my hands on this beauty. And that's not the end of it. Last night I was talking to another FB seller and we are set to meet this afternoon so I can get the boleros I ordered from her. It's been a while since I bought something for myself and while I still feel guilty about it, everyone in this house says I deserve presents for myself. So maybe I do. And I can't wait to wear them!

Where Are You Spending The Holidays?

People have different preferences when it comes to spending the holidays, what they will do and where they will spend it. Most people would like to spend it with their family, either right at their own home or out of the country booked for Hoseasons european holidays, especially those that like to travel a lot and can afford the expenses. Some prefer to spend it alone, whatever reason they may have during that time. Some like to party with friends, or even strangers. Some like a quiet dinner celebration with close friends and/or loved ones.

Me and my family are close-knit, and have never thought of spending the holidays anywhere other than our home. And like last Christmas and New Year and all the years before that, it's what we're doing this year. I guess that's why I will never understand the reason of other people, why they would choose to spend the holidays amidst strangers. But in the end, no matter how and where people choose to spend their holidays, there are only two reasons for the season: the birth of Jesus Christ and welcoming the start of a brand new year.

How about you? Where are you spending the holidays this year? No matter where, or what you are doing, or with whom, I hope we all have a great time this holiday season.

Not A Baby Anymore

My daughter Svet is two years and seven months old now. I still cannot get over how fast time flies. It seems like yesterday when I am still struggling to wake up at nights just to feed her, and was still very afraid that I might break her bones from holding her because she seems so delicate. Now she can speak clearly, and can communicate with us what she wants. Just this afternoon she said a full, proper sentence without stuttering (she was telling her Tito Lloyd that her dad is going to bring home pizza). Every morning she never fails to greet everyone with an energetic "Good morning!", and those two words alone can jump start all our days.

There goes my little girl...

She insists on the clothes that she wants to wear for the day now. She likes to play with mommy's computer, and other stuff that only grownups are supposed to touch (like my make-up). She knows what she wants to watch on TV (Dora The Explorer, most of the time), she absolutely refuses to eat eggs (no matter how they are cooked) and is almost fully potty-trained. In two years she was able to develop from a helpless little infant to a very hyper tot. I don't know if I will be pleased or sad that she is growing up so fast. My Svet is not baby anymore.


 

Last Minute Shopping

This post brought to you by Pier 1 Imports. All opinions are 100% mine.

Have you finished shopping for the holidays yet? I bet some of you haven't, what with everything else in life that needs to be done before the holiday break really starts. Gift-giving has been the spirit of this season since who knows when, so last minute shopping for holiday gifts are a common sight on shops around the world. More and more people, however, are preferring to shop online in the comforts of their own home to avoid the holiday rush on the outside world.

What better sites to go than gift shop sites like Pier 1 where everything you need for gifts is in one place? Not only do they have gifts for all ages and sexes, they also have items for every type of budget. You can find on the $10 and under section some great gift ideas for loved ones. I myself would be thrilled to receive this pink purse and shoe mug (ahem) from the site, as I have been meaning to get a new mug anyway.

Not only that, you can also help for a good cause because during November and December, Pier 1 accepts unwrapped toy and/or cash donation as a support to Toys for Tots. Also, by liking Pier 1 on Facebook, you will be helping kids as Pier 1 will donate $1 to Toys for Tots for every new fan they get. Do your shopping for gifts and help kids along the way. Isn't giving to others what this season is all about?

Facebook Addict?

W hen Facebook first came out, I was hooked on Friendster and relied on it solely for my social networking needs. Being so young, I thought Facebook was too formal (as it did not allow for any customizations on profile layouts) and too boring. I barely knew anyone who was on Facebook that time, so I decided to still hang around Friendster for a while. I did make an account for the site, though, and added my then officemates (who for some weird reason [at least in my mind] preferred Facebook more than Friendster). It was only when I became a WAHM that I really took notice of Facebook. And it was only this year that I fully used it to track down old friends and try to reach out to them.


After experiencing the power of said social network, and after realizing that profile layout customizations on Friendster are tacky, I decided to leave Friendster for good. Now I find that I use Facebook more and more each day, and I take joy in being able to connect with my old and new buddies very easily by using the site. It's great that a lot of people seemed to have made the same realization that I did, so now I can find my friends on Facebook easier. Everybody seems to have a Facebook account nowadays. Gone are the days when Friendster is the go to place to socialize on the web. I'm glad for how things turned out with Facebook. I really believe in its ability to connect people from all parts of the globe, strangers and loved ones alike.


Am I a Facebook addict already? I don't think so. I can still live my daily life without thinking about my Facebook account every three seconds, so I think it's safe to say I am not dependent on the site. It can be pretty addicting, I have to admit. But I don't think I will be spending more time than is necessary on the site. I think I know better than to be addicted to anything online by now. Except for work of course.

 

Adgitize4Business©

I haven't been to Adgitize for the longest time but a month back, I decided it's high time to advertise with them again. I wanted to advertise my portfolio page at WAHMaholic Designs like I did last time, but I was surprised when I received an email from Ken saying that they do not allow such type of site anymore on the system. Although I was disappointed, I know that there would come a time when Adgitize would make a defining line between blogs and business sites.

Ken explained to me that they will be rolling out the Adgitize4Business© platform on January 2011, as also stated on their blog post on the Adgitize site about it (read about it HERE). It's different from the system that I was used to, but it's still familiar since it's kind of like Google Adwords but without all the complex functions. I hope that next month I will be able to advertise my portfolio already, and I also hope that their separate system for business works as promised for business site owners, and those sites that do not belong to the "blog" category.

Pre-Made Blogger Templates For Sale

I decided to try my hand at making premade templates, and that's what's been keeping me busy during my days off (well, aside from watching Princess Hours with Paulie. Yes, that Korean series. Hee hee). I currently have six premades which you can check out HERE. Each premade costs $30, and consists of about $80-$90 worth of design and add-ons. What do my premades come with, you ask?

 
I haven't been doing anything to promote my premades, so the only way you'll ever find out about them is through my blog posts and by visiting my portfolio page at WAHMaholic Designs. If you find something you like in the premade section but would like to ask me a question first, do not hesitate to shoot me a message first using the contact form at the site. I have drafted several mockups already so please expect new premades before the end of the year (at least a couple). Next year I vow to produce more of them as I organize my design schedule better. See you in my portfolio page!

Cold Cold Nights Are Here

A sure sign that Christmas and the New Year is coming. I rarely work nights now, not only because I've decided that I am more productive when I work in the mornings, but also because it can get uncomfortably cold at night nowadays and my hands feel like they would freeze off my arm while typing. Of course that means I have more time to spend on TV marathon with Paulie and get to accompany Svet until she goes off to dreamland. This year isn't as cold as last year or the year before that. I guess the weather is really screwed up big time. But of course it's still colder than the rest of the country, so I am not complaining.


We won't be spending Christmas or New Year at my in-laws in Bulacan. We will just stay here in Baguio to celebrate the season together with my sister Ayie and her family. Last year we spent the holidays in Bulacan, so we're staying at our city this time around. The first year that we were here, my cousins (a LOT of them) came over to celebrate with us, but I don't think that's happening this year (unless they have a plan that we don't know about). It won't be a quite Christmas and New Year still, I mean, we still have Svet and Elijah with us. And those two alone is worth a battalion of kids, believe me.

This Blog Is Moving!

I have finally decided. This blog will be moving to WordPress before the year ends (or very early next year, depending on my schedule) and will be redirecting to its own domain. It's really been lonely in here for the last three or four months and I realized that the only way I am going to revive this blog's life is to breathe WordPress air into it and buy it its own domain name. This is my very first baby, see, and I just can't let it go like that. I am not saying goodbye to Blogspot for good. This is, after all, where I first learned how to blog. I will be keeping in touch with this platform as I still design for it, and truth be told, I am still hoping that it will evolve as time pass into something that WordPress has already managed to achieve.

Of course I will still be blogging for this blog, but under a different domain name (please don't ask me what yet, I am still deciding on that. LOL)  and on a different platform. I've had good memories of this blog, and I will carry all of them to a new chapter of this blog's life. Stay tuned for updates! I still have design work to do for at least another two weeks before I can finally sit down and arrange for this blog's transfer. I will be sad to leave the Blogspot platform for my blogging needs, but I will forever be a Blogger girl at heart and continue to make blog designs for this platform and hope to at least make it a more lively place to visit for everyone.


 

It's Silent In Here

I haven't blogged in here for more than two months. *sigh* My time is becoming more and more occupied by blog theme designs and writing on my blogs has taken a back seat. Which is sad, since I love writing. When I'm not writing I feel like I can live without it. But when I am typing away my thoughts on any of my blogs, I feel as if I can't stop, like I just want to write all day long. Weird. Well, that's me. I don't have any definite plans for this blog, but one very desirable avenue is to transfer all my content here to a .com domain. At least I will feel obliged to write here by then, since I will be thinking about domain fees and stuff. LOL.

I don't know yet. Let's see what happens. Life's too hectic at the moment to think about a lot of things besides the really essential ones. But hey, I'm still around. I still have my other blogs which I write on semi-continuously. And I truly appreciate those who still read them and this blog even if my heart's not 100% into writing anymore. Well, see you around my dearies.

Fedhz' Polvoron

This is the second time that my marce Fedhz gave in to my whims and sent me a batch of her delicious polvoron that's already well-known in and around the blogosphere. The first time Paulie and Svet didn't even give me a chance to take a picture. I looked away for a second and it was gone. Yep. That's how we crave for Fedhz' polvoron. And that says a lot about how good it tastes. I wonder what's her secret? I guess it's because it's made with love. Naks. What. You don't believe me? Read the story behind this famous polvoron HERE ON HER BLOG.

Heaven in small plastics

 Om nom nom nom!

 One more Tita Fedhz!

Isn't it obvious that they liked it so much? You know what that means Fedhz. We want another batch! LOL! And no, this is not a paid post :P

A Bigger Bathroom? Yes Please.

Some of you may know that we have moved to a much smaller (albeit more accessible) house last month, and while it's been quite easy to clean because of it's size, I miss the extra space that a bigger house affords. The bathroom, for one, could use more space. I would've liked to place our washing machine there if it fits, but unfortunately it doesn't, so Paulie washes our clothes outside in the common washing area. Common, but right now we're the only ones using it. Now I have more reason to drool over the bathroom suites over at Better Bathrooms, they have tons of to-die-for furniture and accessories for that part of the house we all love to use but hate to clean. LOL.

There's a stock clearance going on at the site (up to 55% off RRP) which I would gladly take advantage of had we transferred to a bigger house with a bigger bathroom. A vanity unit with a black worktop would be a dream come true, but as things stand, even a washstand (which, by the way, Better Bathrooms both offer) would make it impossible to move around. The floor tiles on the site I can't resist. The tiles offered at Better Bathrooms make me want to order, though. The black Compass Polar is something I would want to step on inside our bathroom, as compared to the pink ones we have now.

Whew. The site is really heaven to look at for "bathroom enthusiasts" (if there are such a group of people). The navigability of the Better Bathrooms store front also leaves no room for confusion, and their delivery options as well as the ability to track orders makes it all the more convenient for customers. The number of customer reviews on the site indicates satisfied customers, but in case you aren't one of them, Better Bathrooms offers a 7 day money back guarantee if you're not happy with the quality of the item received. Good business sense, if I may say so. Overall, a reputable seller a homeowner can deal with without hesitation, so if you happen to be renovating or building your house right now, Better Bathrooms is the place to go for your bathrooms furniture and accessories needs.

Stats! Finally!

You may have noticed that I am spending less and less time here on my Blogger blog lately (and I've kinda been thinking of finally redirecting this to a domain, but that's another post altogether), so when I logged in to check for comments I was surprised at the new tab called Stats on the dashboard. I knew of the Stats feature a while back because I log in to Blogger drafts once in a while to check out Blogger improvements, but I didn't know it has come out of the uh, beta state until today.

It's not as comprehensive as what WordPress offers, but good enough for your basic statistics needs. What I liked most was I already know what my top posts are (or at least, the posts that get the highest number of views). I also found out a couple of interesting traffic sources which I should take more advantage of, and I didn't realize that I get so much traffic from those sites until Blogger Stats showed up in the dashboard. Pretty useful for bloggers who get paid to post, as well, because I have noticed some pay to post companies ask for monthly page views and such other statistics from us. It was possible before through the use of third-party data collectors, but now that it's a built-in feature, it makes it all the more convenient to place blog stats. More accurate too, methinks.

Money Matters

I've never been big on spending (except on food), so I know credit repair is the farthest thing I need when it comes to my finances. But I know a lot of people who spend more than their monthly income, and while that may not be an ideal situation for anyone, it is not a hopeless case to be in. In fact, having credit is as normal as taking a shower these days, what with how the economy has taken shape the past several years. Credit became an inevitable part of everyone's lives, one that one has to learn how to control or, if worse comes to worst, find a remedy for a damaged credit line.


Credit restoration is not everyone's forte. In fact, few people are able to manage their money as well as someone who was specifically educated and trained to handle finances. Like reputation, one's credit score is something that we have to take extra care of, since once tarnished, it will be difficult to get back to the way it used to be. However, when credit repair services like what the Lexington law firm offers came into the scene, a sigh of relief can be heard from anyone who's ever had a problem with negative items on their credit score. After all, these services can be all that it takes to get that score back in good shape again.



 

Thoughts On Blog Distributor

I have taken several writing opportunities from them for my two domains, since I trusted them enough in the start to actually write something for them. The system seems pretty well-thought out, and I was impressed in the beginning. But lately, I've been thinking twice. I had the initial perception that they pay monthly, based on what I read from their FAQ when I first signed up. But when I went back to read it again (prompted by Mys' comment on my post here) , it seems that that's not the case anymore.


More disturbing is the fact that the statement made regarding the date of pay is conflicting on two different parts of the FAQ. One part says:

How often do I get paid?
You get paid once a month.

Further in the the FAQ it stated that:

You will be paid once a month for approved postings from the previous 30 day period.

Yet immediately after the above statement, it said:

The monthly payment for your work in the form of a wire transfer or automatic deposit or check will be sent out to you within five days of the anniversary of the day that your original blog was certified by Blog Distributor.

Errrr, confusing much? When is it, really? I sent an email for clarification but I haven't heard from them yet, and it's been almost a week. Uh-oh. Another red flag. Tell me, has anyone ever been paid by them yet? Any payment proof from Blog Distributor? I would not like to gamble on writing ten to fifteen articles for a company who is not clear on their rules, and does not even bother to reply to bloggers' emails. So here's hoping someone out there knows the answer to my question.

Food Blog Name

So. I'm over the to buy or not to buy stage and have decided a couple of days back that I will buy a food blog of my own. Now I'm in the stage of deciding what domain name to purchase, and if you know me, you know that it usually takes me up to a week to finally settle on a good domain name. I already have several choices, all of which I showed Fedhz. She picked a couple from the list, two of which I am more partial to as well, but I am not closing the list yet, as I feel I could think of more catchy domain names than what I already have.


Of course you'll hear from me when I settle on that one perfect domain name for my food blog. I'll be launching it, after all. I just hope I can think of a good one sooner than later, so that I can start blogging on it and earn from it a couple of months from now. Wish me luck! ^^

Member's Mark Is On The Mark

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Member's Mark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Anyone who knows me thoroughly will know that I prefer store-brand products over other major brands, especially if in my experience, the standards of the cheaper alternatives are at par with (or sometimes even higher) the more expensive choice. Being the breadwinner in the family opened my eyes to such realities, and I'm glad there are store brands like Member's Mark which offer complete nutrition for baby’s health and development at a lower price.

Speaking of which, Member's Mark has come out with an exciting new packaging for the benefit of its patrons. Every can now comes with an easier-to-read product type, age and benefit indicators, compared to the previous packaging version. This is good news for parents, especially those like me who sometimes fails to read the label correctly and end up buying something other than the intended purchase. It must be noted though that the content is still the same and the formula didn't change, as well as the price points. If anything, Member's Mark is even lower price on some items.

Since Member's Mark continues to meet all strict FDA guidelines, parents can be rest assured that they are still getting the same nutrition that they have come to know of the store brand. It still has DHA and ARA to help support brain and eye development of your child, and is still available at Sam's Club. All that's changed is the product packaging, which they improved in hopes of better consumer information and easier accessibility.

Do You Eat What You Can't Spell/ Pronounce?

This was a fun discussion I had in myLot, so I thought I'd bring it up here. I read of this golfer who says that he prefers to eat only the things that he can spell (name is Boo Weekley, for the curious). Which got me to thinking, I would definitely hem and haw before ordering a serving of Bouillabaisse, or telling the girl at the supermarket that I want half a kilo of gewurztraminer grapes, or asking for the waiter to get me a fondue Bourguignonne, or a plate of tteokbokgi, or a bottle of viognier because I'm really thirsty, or a meal consisting of Carpaccio de Boeuf, Soupe a l'Orignon and Avocat et Oeufs a la Mousse de Crabe.

Excuse my French. I mean really, excuse my French. LOL.

It's a good thing I can already use the copy paste function, since I honestly CANNOT spell those food I just mentioned! Haha! Do you think they make it hard to spell and pronounce just so they can sell it more expensively? Tee hee.

To Buy Or Not To Buy

Another domain, that is. I'm more partial to buying, right now, what with the earning potential of a domain. I am still thinking of what niche to write on, though. I already have a beauty/fashion blog, and although I am no expert on the subject, I find that I can easily relate to the materials that is expected of such type of blog, which makes it easier for me to compose articles for it.

A health blog might be possible, although I prefer a food blog over that niche. I must be the only blogger in the world left without a food blog to call my very own. I like to visit other food blogs and stare at food pictures (making myself hungry in the process. LOL), but I don't know if I got what it takes to be the author of one. Sure I love to eat, but methinks I at least have to know how to cook something other than fried and boiled food. LOL. Would make adding content to it so much easier.


I should decide soon, no? The more time I waste, the larger income I would lose from such dilly-dallying. Plus, knowing me, it takes me an awful amount of time to decide on a domain name. Sheesh.


 

Birthday Gift From 2007

It's that time of the year again. LOL. Gosh, I can't believe I'm a year older already. Anyways, I was browsing through my old, old blog and thought I'd post here a poem a former officemate (Hi Caesar!) made for me on my birthday which I posted there. Tee hee. Not everyday that someone makes a poem especially for me (I am was usually the one to make something for others when the inspiration strikes), so 2007 was a special year for me.

I know somebody
this person is not a nobody,
she is a young lady
that gets along with everybody.

People should treat her well
if you don’t want to rot in hell,
she is not your average woman
she’s only perfect for her current man.

This person can kick someone’s ass
with much fervor and class,
but this person has a soft side
there are times she just sit back and join life’s ride.

So come one and all
don’t make me do the roll calling,
Let’s celebrate this special date
it only comes once a year for MK.

New Blogger Features!

I just received a newsletter from Blogger formally announcing the handful of their recently released features. Although we have been able to see them in our Blogger dashboard and/or or Blogger In Drafts account for some time now, it's still great to see Blogger summarizing everything they have improved on since last update. I, myself, rarely log in on my Blogger In Draft account, so some of the features I am still unaware of. Anyways, here's part of the newsletter that I received, in case you haven't gotten yours in the mail already, or chose not to:

Template Designer

If you haven’t had a chance to check out our brand-new Template Designer, you’re really missing out. We laid out the full laundry list of new design features in a recent Buzz post, but we think the best way to find out what’s possible is to get your hands dirty and play around right now.

So go ahead and freshen up your template; your blog will thank you.

Blogger Stats

We’re very excited about the most recent creation from Blogger in Draft, Blogger Stats. Blogger stats makes it easier than ever to get all sorts of real-time traffic data for your blog, right from the comfort of your Blogger dashboard.

Accurate Post Preview

We understand how important it is for your blog posts to display exactly as you expect when published, so we’ve put a lot of time into improving our current preview page. The end result is an entirely revamped post preview, which now displays your drafts exactly as they will appear when published live on your blog.

New Sharing Buttons

We’re always thinking about ways to help you better promote and share your blog content with the world, and the new sharing buttons we’ve just released are great tools to help you get the word out. The buttons—which support sharing via email, Blogger, Google Buzz, Twitter, and Facebook — can be placed under each blog post where your readers will easily see them.

You can turn on the new sharing buttons right now by editing the Blog Posts widget and enabling Show Share Buttons in the Design | Page Elements tab.

Zemanta Post Gadget

Zemanta has been a partner with Blogger for over a year now, providing a browser plugin service that helps you easily add related content to your blog posts. We’ve seen so much positive feedback about the service that we recently released a gadget version of the service that easily integrates directly in your post editor.

Google Affiliate Network

With Google Affiliate Network you can access affiliate ads for top retailers. If the ad or text link you post on your blog results in a sale, you earn a commission.

Google Affiliate Network is featured in the Monetization tab in your Blogger account. You’ll need an AdSense ID to join, and once you have access to Google Affiliate Network you can apply to advertiser programs, promote ads, search for links to specific products, sign up to access product feeds, and utilize Link Subscriptions that deliver the latest links and promotions directly to you each day.

Quite a lot, huh? I'm excited to see future enhancements to Blogger as they are seriously lagging behind WordPress in terms of features. Don't get me wrong though. I still love Blogger for the simplicity that it offers to new bloggers! What do you think of the new improvements?

Happy 59th!

I was supposed to post this on the 12th but for some reason (I think that reason being I am such an amnesiac. LOL), I forgot to post this poem I made for Paulie several years back, on the day of our first anniversary. His smile was one of the reasons I fell in love with him, which inspired this poem:

Your smile…

It’s the quiet after a heavy storm

The first sun ray that touches the earth everyday

It’s the stillness of pristine forests

The soothing sound of running water

It’s the sensation of rain streaming down my face

My foothold at sanity, my saving grace

Smile for me always

It’s what my life is made of

It’s what completes my being

It’s what makes this life worth enduring.


And yes. He knows I make poems for him back then, so he's kinda braggy about the fact. Don't make the mistake of mentioning it to him, or he'll launch into one of his "how-she-wooed-me" spiels. LOL.

Five Years Already?

Next month on the twelfth, Paulie and I will be celebrating our fifth year anniversary as partners. Time flies so fast when you enjoy the company of someone, don't you think? Looking back, I cannot believe we've survived everything we've been through the way we did, and it makes me all the more appreciative of what we have now. Not a lot of people I met in the blogosphere know that Paulie and I used to keep this notebook, sort of like a shared diary. Might sound cheesy now, but during that time we were the envy of other couples, to the extent that they, too, decided to keep a shared diary. LOL.

How did that work? We would trade the notebook between ourselves every other day. We do not see each other sometimes, so it helped continue the connection between us even though we're apart. While the notebook is in my safekeeping, I would jot down my thoughts in it, everything that happened to me during the day. He will do the same when the journal is with him, and we will fill the pages until every page of the notebook is used, and then we will buy another one (same brand, same number of pages). We filled three 100-page notebooks doing that. Wow. Three hundred pages of what went on during the early stages of our relationship.


It is one of our vows that we will read all those pages when we reach ten years. How cute it would be to have a trip down the memory lane reading those notebooks. I hope it'll be ten years already, as I am very excited to read those with him.

The Perfect Mosquito Catcher

Would b e my computer monitor. Seriously. I mostly work at nights, when all the lights save for that coming from my monitor are off. Naturally, the mosquitoes are drawn to the bright light of the monitor, so they come to my computer while I'm working. And while they are being lured, I annihilate them all. Which is partly why my screen almost always has traces of the body parts of a mosquito. And sometimes, even small spots of blood, when the bloodsuckers already have fulfilled their mission in life. Oops. Did I just gross you out? I should have warned you not to read this while eating, especially on a very weak stomach. LOL.

It's hard, especially on an LCD screen. I'm afraid to wreck the LCD because of my mosquito-hunting activities.On an old model monitor, I could smack as hard as I can so that the pesky sucker won't have a chance to get away, or smack as many times as needed when the mosquito is quite quick on his wings. But on an LCD I have to be extra careful. Or I might end up with a screen like my cousins', with a big half moon on the dead center of their LCD.


How about you? What's your perfect mosquito catcher?

 

Combatting Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress means putting your body's antioxidant off-balance, which results to decline in optimum body functions. Oxis (whose official website is located at http://www.oxis.com), a company who develops Ergothioneine and other therapeutic compounds in the plans of selling beauty products which contains such, is driven to counteract the harmful effects of said stress. Their target market is huge, I mean, who would not be interested in their products, especially if the products are anti aging? It is human nature to not want to grow any older than one can prevent by using beauty products or subjecting oneself under the knife, and this is especially true of celebrities, whose main asset are their physical features.



Glutathione, for one, is all the rage nowadays because of its apparent effectiveness when it comes to neutralizing penny stocks & free radicals. This beauty product is especially marketable in Asia, where most women are brown-skinned, since one of the effects of the product is that it whitens the skin. The progress of Oxis as a company will mean a lot to the nutraceutiecal, cosmecuetical and therapeutics industry, as the development of their compounds will have a significant effect on the potential ingredients used on beauty products, which can only make those products more effective.

Anyone Excited For Eclipse?

Well I am. I never thought I'd get this vampire fever, because in the start I think I cannot simply like vampire love stories. But I have to give it to Meyer. She is a great writer, to say at the very least. You wanna know how good she writes? So much so that I already think Robert Pattinson is kind of cute. I really, really thought the first time I laid my eyes on him in the movie that they could have casted a more gorgeous male specie. But after reading the saga and imagining him while I'm reading, I am swayed by Meyer's description of Edward's character in the book. Not exactly swooning over Pattinson yet, I'm far from being his biggest fan, but he plays the role well, and he has already owned it.

I have read the four books during my vacation (yes, I can't believe I just did it, and I think I am the last one of my book lover friends to read), and I'm already looking forward to the third installation of the movie (which shows tomorrow here in our country). I've been hounding for a torrent to download, but so far I come up empty. I cannot watch it in the movie house, for one because I don't have anyone to watch it with (sucks to live in Baguio during these times. I hate you Peh and Fedhz) and I don't want to leave Svet (I doubt if she can sit through the entire movie so there's no question about not bringing her).

I Melt With You

Yes you, people of the lowland. If I was literally melting, I'd be half my original form by now. The heat is as harsh as my Business Mathematics professor in college, but even the horrible teacher sometimes gives us a break. The heat doesn't let up, day in and day out. If not for our second meet tomorrow at Peh's and Paulie's as well as my nephew Hendrix's birthday next week, we'd have been on board a bus to Baguio a few days ago. I mean seriously. It's affecting my ability to function at work (which is the main reason why I've done little to none at all ever since we got here), heck when it comes to that, my ability to think clearly. And I easily get irritated over little things. Paulie and I had exactly nine rows ever since I got here a week ago, which is a record already, considering that we haven't had a fight in several months prior to our going here. And I blame the heat for that. Seriously, this heat is turning me mad, like I could just rip off the spoiler off a passing car and hurl it at whoever is unfortunate enough to cross me. Oh dear. Six days more.


 

What Will I Do If I Will Win $100

This is my official entry to Noel and Levy's Thanksgiving Contest. You can join too! Just click the link, follow the requirements and you're set!




What will I do if I win $100? Firstly, I will do a cartwheel. LOL. Joking. I can't even properly bend my back. Seriously though, I've been planning for the longest time to buy a bigger computer table. My desk right now is the standard size and I can't even find a place to put my coffee Chocquick cup in without accidentally brushing against it. I've been eating in front of my computer too, lately, what with the amount of work that I have to finish before I take a two-week semi-break. With a bigger desk, I can move freely about doing what I have to do, and being a WAHM, that's essential.

So why haven't I bought one for myself if it's important to my job? If you know me, you'd know that my last priority is myself. I'd rather spend what money I have for the family, rather than on something for myself. But if ever I win, I will make it a point to set the prize aside to buy me a bigger work table. Here's my table now (devoid of clutter for publicity purposes. LOL):

See? I hardly have any place to put my stuff. And here's my dream table.

Much bigger and more presentable right? This actually costs around $225 online, but I know a neighbor who's a carpenter who can do the same design for me for less. So there. I am crossing my fingers and I hope I win this one in time for my birthday! Woot!


 

Noel & Levy's Thanksgiving Contest

Levy of Living Life to the Fullest is giving away a total of $200 in cash and prizes as part of their thanksgiving contest. Here's the list of their contest sponsors:


Designer's Depot
Mga Kwentong Maalamat
Hearts content of a Mama
LuckyZoan
My Thoughts, My Heart, My Turf

Pensive Thoughts
Spread the Word!
Pinkville- Pink and Magic Convergence Zone
Make more Money
BHO: Blogurdian Hellsite Overcrashed
Earn Money Online with Red
My Red Hot Reviews
The Adventurous Little Prince
A Woman Remembers
My Journey to Life
All About Life

Anything Baguio
My Random Best
Tricks of Magician
Mom Fashionista
Travel Junkie Mommy
Reviews Inc.
Sexy Blogging
Novice on Blogging
Camera Sexy
At Home Here
Make or Break
Dishes by Pehpot
Lifestyle Magazine for Moms
Bloggityboop- The Magic of Mommyhood
Mommy's Infodose
Baterya.Com
Kitchen Trips

Llamas Journal - Ad space
Sharing My Thoughts- Ad space
Something to Live By- Ad space
Wonderful World of Peachy- Ad space
Sweet Thoughts and Wonderful Life- Ad space

Spring Cleaning

It's not spring, but we're cleaning anyways. Why? My mom is coming in a few days! She's really particular about cleanliness, and more often than not, the house condition as she left it is considerably worse when she gets home. No matter how hard and long we clean the house prior to her expected arrival, she still finds something to fret about. This time I just know it would be the state of the "royal garden", as we fondly call our house front where we have lots of plants. I don't think the power of all the Mountfield mowers in the world can immediately fix the garden before mom comes home. I tell you, the overgrowth will seriously send Mountfield lawnmowers in hiding for fear of breakdown because of the cleaning that the garden needs.


It is worse now that Paulie is not here. He is the only one in the house who is patient enough to trim the plants once in a while to make the house look like it has been daily taken care of with Mountfield petrol lawnmowers, and now that he's went ahead to Bulacan with Svet, neither me nor my sister dare touch the plants. Besides having zero knowledge in taking care of plants (you should see the tomatoes, they are literally drooping), we are afraid some insect or another will come crawling up our legs or arms (or worse, our faces) while working outside. We are so dead when mom comes. She will throw a fit, I'm positive of that. And yet we cannot do anything about it. Save for calling someone who knows his Mountfield. Question is, where will we find that person. Hmmm..


 

Me, Me, Me, Me, Me

Igot tagged by Marose a while back and I'm sorry dear for posting this just now. I was am crazily occupied. But hey, better late than never right? Thanks girl! Mwah! So here's the tag, and don't be surprised if (to the tune of Bratz' It's All About Me) it's all about me, me, me, me, me:

1. What time did you get up this morning?

6:20

2. How do you like your steak?

i'm all for well done. Else, I won't eat it.

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?

don't dare laugh. Jeepers Creepers 2. with someone I don't even like now.

4. What is your favorite TV show?

Spongebob, Oh My Momay
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

London
6. What did you have for breakfast?

rice, munggo and fried fish.
7. What is your favorite cuisine?

Filipino

8. What foods do you dislike?

okra

9. Favorite place to eat?

Jack's

10. Favorite dressing?

none
11. What kind of vehicle do you drive?

none

12. What are your favorite clothes?

torn shirt and pajamas

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance?

France
14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full?

1/2 full
15. Where would you want to retire?

here in Baguio

16. Favorite time of day?

early morning

17. Where were you born?

Bulacan

18. What is your favorite sport to watch?

none.

19. Who do you think will not tag you back?

errr..

20. Person you expect to tag you back first?

ummm...

21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this?

everyone
22. Birdwatcher?

yes. and butterflies and insects, too.

23. Are you a morning person or a night person?

morning. now.

24. Do you have any pets?

3 dogs, 4 chicks, 3 chickens

25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share?

i won in a raffle contest! LOL. that's exciting. for me at least.
26. What did you want to be when you were little?

a cashier. LOL. seriously.
27. What is your best childhood memory?

running along a fish pond dike with my dad, with the sun brightly shining.
28. Are you a cat or dog person?

dog person
29. Are you married?

no
30. Always wear your seat belt?

if the driver makes me wear them

31. Been in a car accident?

never

32. Any pet peeves?

wet toilet seat. grrr..
33. Favorite Pizza Toppings?

meat toppings
34. Favorite Flower?

sunflower

35. Favorite ice cream?

no particular flavor. i LURVE them all!

36. Favorite fast food restaurant?

chowking
37. How many times did you fail your driver's test?

haven't taken it
38. From whom did you get your last email?

marce jade, with more articles. LOL.
39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?

i don't have a credit card
40. Do anything spontaneous lately?

yes, i uninstalled some fonts. LOL
41. Like your job?

YES!
42. Broccoli?

sure
43. What was your favorite vacation?

errr.. every one of them

44. Last person you went out to dinner with?

Paulie. With Svet
45. What are you listening to right now?

Empire State of Mind, Alicia Keys

46. What is your favorite color?

pink. and green. and brown

47. How many tattoos do you have?

none

48. How many are you tagging for this quiz?

everyone!

49. What time did you finish this quiz?

12:30 pm

50. Coffee drinker?

sometimes. i just started drinking coffee again.

Beware Of Baguio Thieves

I wasn't able to share with you this immediately because it was preceded by the issue of my sites' downtime and my mind was in a mess those days. Anyways, I might as well tell our story now. And this is not to discourage you from going to the city. This is just to warn you that Baguio is not as thief-free as compared to other cities like it used to be. Me and my sister, together with our children, were walking down Session Road on the way to Tiong-San Harrison when we were kind of stalled in front of McDonald's (in lower Session Road) because of a lot of people were crossing the pedestrian lane and I was kind of distracted by the black smoke coming out of a car exhaust. We have a hunch that's when the thieving happened because moments later, a group of students called my attention and pointed to my open bag.

We immediately looked inside and were shocked to find that my cellphone is missing! Okay, don't hyperventilate yet. It wasn't a big deal to me because it wasn't even an expensive phone. My sister, who uses it (I don't use that cellphone anymore. Haven't for months now.) was the more affected one (she's a text addict). What infuriates me is that I used to feel so safe going to town. We hardly hear of any pickpockets or thieves lurking the roads of Session. Up to that day when we were the victims ourselves. Thinking back, I wish we could have reported it to the police. But we were seriously shell-shocked that day. That was the first time we have been robbed of anything, see. Oh dear.


So when you go here, just please be careful. Especially in that area. The thieves may be operating there regularly, I don't know.

Am I Getting Lucky Finally?

Remember when I wrote in here a while back (during our blogversary contest) about me being very, very unlucky when it comes to raffle contests? Well, it seems that Rota Fortunae (wheel of fortune) has turned for me. It's barely halfway through the year and I've already won two blog contests whose winners were determined by raffle! LOL! I know that may not sound much to some of you who are lucky in this kind of stuff but for me that's an achievement of a lifetime! Because you gotta believe me when I tell you, I haven't ever won (except maybe for that one time in an office Christmas party when I won a Php200 gift certificate for Penshoppe. But I was pregnant then. I was supposed to be lucky, so that doesn't count) anything in my life by chance. I know. Sad, right? So what two contests am I talking about? The one by Bambie from her blogversary and the recently ended blogversary contest by marce Chris. I didn't even win the top prizes from those two contests I'm I feel like I've won top prize. LOL. Are raffle contests finally being friendly to me? Hee hee. And oh. Congrats to my fellow winners :)

The Key To Quality Transportation

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

NMEDA is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing disabled people the kind of mobility equipment that let them move freely, particularly those that can be found on vehicles. The importance of the freedom of movement among the disabled is an idea that is sometimes lost on most of us, since people usually take for granted what we already have. But the NMEDA group came together in order to work for the improvement of the transportation options of people with disabilities. The organization itself does not sell anything, but the dealers (members) do.

Of course, all NMEDA members adhere to the strict safety standards of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and with that in mind, one can be assured of the highest quality mobility equipment that they offer. This is good news not only for the disabled people themselves, but also for their families who make sure that their loved ones are able to move as freely as possible despite their physical condition. Their website offers a dealers locator feature which enables to see if there is a local dealer near you, just by typing your zip code. I've found none near me, since I live in another country, but if you live in the US or Canada, you will probably find a dealer within your vicinity.