Lavender & Coffee Stains

Dear Me,

I'm just grabbing some ME time in the internet while waiting for dinner to be served. So while waiting, I engaged myself in this:

What Frances Ivy Means

F is for Futuristic R is for Refined A is for Athletic N is for Naughty C is for Captivating E is for Easy S is for Spontaneous I is for Insane V is for Visionary Y is for Yummy

Ehem! Captivating and Yummy???

What Your Handwriting Says About You

You are sometimes a very energetic person but you are sometimes quite lethargic. You're moody, prone to ups and downs and you don't have a lot of endurance. You are very extroverted and outgoing. You are loving, friendly, and supportive. However, you are also manipulative and controlling at times. You are very detail-oriented and meticulous. You are a careful thinker and a true intellectual. You don't a lot of space and you prefer to spend time with others. You are a little nosy and intrusive. You sometimes don't give people enough space. You are a free thinker. You are unique, open minded and artistic. You don't care what other people think. You are a good communicator. You work hard to get your ideas across effectively.

This one totally describes me except for the "careful thinker and a true intellectual" part.

You Have A Type A- Personality

You are one of the most balanced people around. Motivated and focused, you are good at getting what you want. You rule at success but success doesn't rule you. When it's playtime, you really know how to kick back. Whether it's hanging out with friends or doing something you love! You live life to the fullest -- incorporating the best of both worlds.

For me, it has always been: "When it's work, it's work and when it's time to play, it's 101% playtime."

How You Life Your Life

You have a good sense of self-control and hate to show weakness. You're laid back and chill but sometimes you care too much about what others think. You tend to have one best friend you hang with, as opposed to many aquaintances. Some of your past dreams have disappointed you, but you don't let it get you down.

This is so truelaloo!

Dear Me,

This is my 6th time to participate TNChick's Photohunt.


Started by her in March 2006, the Photohunt would present a theme every Saturday. Participants should post a photo that best represents the theme. Photos should come from the participant's personal collection and those not snitched from the web.

Summer is way past the season here in the Philippines but this photo reminded me of a very scorching summer when I opted to frolic in the beach instead of climbing the mountain in the area. =)

Have a great weekend!

To participate in this Photohunt, please get the code.

View more Saturday Photohunters!

Dear Me,

In relation to this entry, I am replying to Kaye's tag. Thanks for tagging me. =)


1. Name one person who made you laugh last night?
- my baby boy. He's been giving me this snobby looks everytime I tease him.


2. What were you doing at 0800?
- breastfeeding my baby boy.


3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
- eating a brazo de mercedes ice cream and a yumburger.


4. What happened to you in 2006?
- For a fact, it was a very hectic year (job-related and personal).


5. What was the last thing you said out loud?
- That's the reason I woke you up!


6. How many beverages did you have today?
- around 9, I guess (water, milk and decaf).


7. What color is your hairbrush?
- I don't like using hairbrush but I got a red comb.


8. What was the last thing you paid for?
- I think it was a dinner for two (2) at Mexicali at MOA.


9. Where were you last night?
- home (at my sister's room with my mom and my baby).


10. What color is your front door?
- rusty red.


11. Where do you keep your change?
- I got a coin purse and if I'm not using it, I place them in the pocket of my bag.


12. What's the weather like today?
- the sun is shining and the next thing you know, it's drizzling.


13. What's the best ice-cream flavor?
- Will I be biased if I say chocolate? =)


14. What excites you?
- Books, bags, chocolate, hopia, among others.


15. Do you want to cut your hair?
- Actually, I am craving for a haircut. I just don't have time.


16. Are you over the age of 25?
- Yep.


17. Do you talk a lot?
- I'm perfectly sure I do.


18. Do you watch the O.C.?
- Is it a crime that at my age I do? Hehehe. I'm not that old.


19. Do you know anyone named Steven?
- Way back in high school, yes.


20. Do you make up your own words?
- Sometimes, I do.


21. Are you a jealous person?
- Not really. Depends if I want to be. Hehehe.


22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter 'A'.
- Aiee


23. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter 'K'.
- Kattleya


24. Who's the first person on your received call list?
- Papi, my hubby.


25. What does the last text message you received say?
- Good Evening.


26. Do you chew on your straw?
- No, I don't.


27. Do you have curly hair?
- Yeah, yeah.


28. Where's the next place you're going to?
- Nowhere but this weekend, I'm planning to go either in Dimasalang or Pasig City to pick up some gifts.


29. Who's the rudest person in your life?
- I cannot think of anyone right now.


30. What was the last thing you ate?
- ice cream and a burger.


31. Will you get married in the future?
- I am already married. Just last May.


32. What's the best movie you've seen in the past 2 weeks?
- None, actually.


33. Is there anyone you like right now?
- My husband? Hehehe.


34. When was the last time you did the dishes?
- Just a few hours ago.


35. Are you currently depressed?
- A little sad...


36. Did you cry today?
- I almost did...


37. Why did you answer and post this?
- To acknowledge Kaye, the person who tagged me with this meme.


38. Tag 5 people who would do this survey.
- Actually, I won't be tagging anyone. Any takers? =)

Dear Me,

I'm not even halfway done yet in reading all the books in my possession and still, I am desiring new books to be added in my collection.

If you're gonna ask me where I found the above-listed books, well, they're either recommended by bookworm friends or discovered in the web (came across while surfing) due to good reviews.

If you feel like being generous to me (the holidays are just around the corner), you can be a good angel by giving any of this to me as a gift. hehehe. =)

MAFIA: The Government's Secret File On Organized Crime by the United States Treasury Department, Bureau of Narcotics

Angelina Jolie's: Notes from My Travels

To-Do List: From Buying Milk To Finding A Soul Mate, What Our Lists Reveal About Us by Sasha Cagen

Dear Me,

This is my 5th time (missed lots) to join TNChick's Photohunt.


Started by her in March 2006, the Photohunt would present a theme every Saturday. Participants should post a photo that best represents the theme. Photos should come from the participant's personal collection and those not snitched from the web.

So what do I love aside from chocolates, french fries, coleslaw? I love buying bags (I love collecting bags in general) like those in the photo. Everytime I travel, I try to buy a new bag as colorful as those. =)

Links to other Saturday Photohunters!
1. Liza
2. Andree
3. Saoirse Daily
4. Tere


To participate in this Photohunt, please get the code.

View more Saturday Photohunters!

Dear Me,

I have been meaning to return the favor to these three people who have thoughtfully shared a space with me in their blogs while I was away for a short while.


First on the list is my gratitude of appreciation to Tere who passed this award to me.

The Egel Nest Blog Award was started by Bradley Egel in his desire to show his thankful recognition of other people's generosity and love.

To dear Tere, thank you for giving me a spot and in return, I am passing this, too. As you said, spread the love around! =)

• Tutubi
  
• Melai, the Manilenya
  
• Midori-X
  
• Patrice
  
• Evi

Dear Me,

It's been a long time. This is just my 2nd time to participate in this meme. Let's see.

{Featured Flickr Feast by hjkaufmann}

Appetizer
What was your first "real" job?
For me, I think it was being hired by a foreign government agency where I was a project coordinator for technical projects.


Soup
Where would you go if you wanted to spark your creativity?
Any place where I can feel the tranquility of my mind and surroundings, where I can bring my pen and paper or laptop, where I will be able to scribble my thoughts, where I can stare over nothing and yet, feel something.


Salad
Complete this sentence: I am embarrassed when...
I am embarrassed when I say something stupid in front of so many people.


Main Course
What values did your parents instill in you?
I think it will be learning how and accepting to persevere in life in order to achieve your dreams in life.


Dessert
Name 3 fads from your teenage years.
pretty stationeries, colorful autograph books and those fluffy dresses.


Links to other Friday's Feast diners!
1. coco
2. natalie
3. tegdirb92
4. laane

Have a great weekend ahead! =)

Dear Me,

I was browsing some blogs and I was visiting Trinity's and reading her backlog entries. I came across her post about friendship and I'm honored to be considered one of her special friends online.

She made a badge to express her gratitude to her friends - for their support, comments, tags, care, prayers, awards and for remembering her humble blog among the thousands of great blogs in this blogsphere.

Thank you dear for giving me this friendship badge. It's a pleasure having you as a friend, too! =)

________________

In return, I'm sharing this friendship badge to these very nice people who have touched my life in a way as well as those people who have accepted me as their friend even though we haven't seen each other for real.

• Jon
  
• Jary
  
• Mariel
  
• Kerwin
  
• LA
  
• Noi
  
• Jovee Lark
  
• Katz
  
• Tita Vicks
  
• Jenn
  
• Nice
  
• Jom

Guys, thanks for the friendship. I surely treasure it. =)

Dear Me,

Trinity has tagged me. My apologies if this has taken so long to be posted. I've been very busy with the baby and the house. *winks*

Anyway, so why do I blog? I blog for the many reasons other people blog. But basically, I blog because:

• I want to stay connected with the outside world (through blogging, I learn and discover stuff I don't know about
  
• I can keep tabs with old friends whom I haven't seen for quite a while due to the hecticness of our own lives
  
• I gain new friends and learn more about them AND
  
• I love to scribble my weird thoughts and musings, rants and raves

Well, there you go. =) Now, I'm tagging five (5) blog friends (in case they haven't done this yet) and share why do they blog.

• Noi
  
• Makoy
  
• Tere
  
• Vessa
  
• Joan

The guidelines for posting is c/o Monday Morning Power.

**Start Copy Here**

We have a voice;
We must be heard;
Therefore we blog;
Now spread the word!

This directory is based on a recent post that was conducted asking the question “Why do you Blog?” and the rewrite “Why do you Blog? - Reworked.” The purpose of this directory is to tell our tales by spreading the reasons that we blog to as many sites as possible. We get to explain ourselves, direct traffic to our site and highlight our most important, most representative or most relevant post in an SEO favorable format. This will be a positive experience for everyone who wants to get involved. This will enable you to create a short advertisement for your site that will be spread across the blogesphere; a growing directory of blogs.

This is an open directory. You do not have to be tagged to join in. All you have to do is follow the rules.

Please let me know when you have added your site by leaving a comment on “Master List” with a link to your post. This will insure an up-to-date list, giving you even greater distribution. You then need to copy the growing list back to your site on a regular bases.

Rules:

1. Copy this post from the very beginning through **End List Directory** and place it in your archives (back date it so that it does not appear on your front page. This list is too long for your front page.) Title this post "Spread The Word" Directory

2. Copy from "**Start Copy Here**" through "**End Copy Here**"

3. Paste into a new post

4. Create an inventive post title

5. Write a brief introduction to the post.

6. Before “**End copy here**”, please add your name, site name (with link), a very brief description (2-3 sentences) of why you blog, and your most important, most representative, or most relevant post (with link.)

7. Create a link from the end of your new post to your archived Directory (Ex. "Click here for complete directory")

8. Tag others to participate. This is a request, not a requirement.

9. Leave a comment and a link to your post on “Master List.” That way I can grab your addition and add it to this growing list.

10. Schedule regular visits to the "Master List" so you can copy/paste into your archive, keeping your list current.

**End Copy Here**

Do call me Ivan and I blog at Dear Me. Why the title? It's like the typical dear diary when I was younger and got ahold of a cute pen and an adorable journal where I love to write my thoughts down.

_______________

PS. I would love to include the box but I don't have much time to copy them with all those links.

Dear Me,

Being the bibliophile that I am, it's no wonder that I have accumulated books faster than I can read them; especially now that I am more pre-occupied in taking care of my baby boy.

In fact, it was only last night that I was able to finish reading Murder In Foggy Bottom by Margaret Truman. It probably took me three (3) weeks to finish it - the longest time I ever held a book to read. Stolen moments as I refer to the time the baby is sleeping and I can afford to take a peek in the pages. =)

Anyway, I'm very active in joining BookMooch. I have accumulated tons of free books from this site. If you are a book lover like moi, I suggest you join. To know more, visit this.

I love a lot of authors but right now, I'm actively collecting books:

• by Sophie Kinsella
  
• as recommended in Oprah's Book Club
  
• selected Chicken Soup series

I'm almost done with Kinsella and still a long way to go to complete the other two (2).

Once everything is settled in the house, I'll have my own mini-library. My book shelves aren't enough to put in all the books I have now. I even tried selling some of them (those that I am willing to give away) but still, I have too many. Anyway, it's ok. I love to be surrounded by books. =)

pile of books to read

Dear Me,

It has been eight (8) months since my youngest sibling, Jepoy, left for Abu Dhabi, UAE in search of greener pastures and carve his own niche in his chosen profession. He is a licensed civil engineer.

It's funny how memories can change one's perspective. I mean, looking back, I realized that our youngest has grown up, already matured. Anyway, he is 25 years old and yet, I still see him as our baby brother.

Attitude-wise, he has really grown up. The way he talks and thinks about stuff that matter, the way he analyzes things that are very significant.

We used to fight a lot when we were younger as typical siblings. He loved picking on us girls (me and my other sister) and gets away with it. He knew that we easily get pissed off and he loved that. Well, times has changed and he grew up.

He become responsible and knows what he really wants out of his life. Anyway, I wish him goodluck.

In six (6) months' time, he'll be back for a vacation together with his girlfriend, Ayin. By the way, Ayin luckily landed a job in the same company as my brother though she left for Abu Dhabi a month after he did.

My mother speculated that the two (2) may probably get hitched sometime next year. Jepoy has been asking stuff about marriage papers. Of course, my mom would prefer that our 2nd sibling be the one to get married next year but dear sister has some issues about her current boyfriend. I told my mom to let go of it and give her blessings to Jepoy instead. There's no need to rush the other in marriage just because she is older than the other.

Communication with Jepoy isn't that hard since every Friday night, we all logged online to chat with him. He doesn't talk much about his work and instead, he asks everything about us here. I think he is enjoying it all the more that he is with someone he loves. I am thankful that Ayin is there with him because she is such a caring girl. I know that he takes care of my brother well.

Jepoy & Ayin

Jepoy & Clint
Ayin's Birthday

Baptism

Dear Me,

It's November already and I miss Starbucks. It is this time of the year that the coffee shop starts its Christmas tradition of "giving away" fab yearly planners. Actually, they are not giving it away. Coffee drinkers should accumulate a number of stickers to avail the said planner.

Well, I got my own planners during 2006 and 2007: For 2006, I completed all the required number of stickers and for 2007, I got it for free (my boss gave me his extra).

This year, I have to forego such pleasure of joining the race to have this Limited Edition Starbucks Coffee 2008 Planner. *sniff* Anyway, there is always a next year.

From what I hear, this year's planner looks better than the previous one. It doesn't look bulky unlike last year's (I stopped using this after the 1st quarter of the year). It also sports a vintage look.

To avail this planner, a coffee drinker should accumulate a total of 24 stickers.

* Starbucks featured Christmas Beverages (12 stickers)
~ Praline Mocha Favorites (hot, iced or Frappuccino (R) Blended)
~ Peppermint Mocha Favorites (hot, iced or Frappuccino (R) Blended)
~ Toffee Nut Favorites (hot, iced or Frappuccino (R) Blended)

* Starbucks beverage of your choice (12 stickers)
(except: bottled beverages, bottled water and fruit juices not included)

It's no big deal if I don't have the 2008 planner so long as I get to taste the Praline Mocha and Toffee Nut Frappuccinos. *mmmm*

Any takers for a coffee date with me? Hehehe.