Lavender & Coffee Stains

Dear Me,

It's Monday. Another new day and a new week ahead. :)

Here's another Plugging of interesting activities:



Summer Programs in UK, Oxford, Spain and Japan

If anyone would be interested to enroll in a High School Exchange Program, Sembreak 2008 Program in Barcelona Spain or summer program in either UK, Oxford, Spain or Japan, visit the Institute for Foreign Study, Inc.

Website at http://www.ifsphil.net or
email inquiry at info@ifsphil.net.




32nd Nikon Photo Contest International

One of the world's most renowned photo contests, entries to the 32nd Nikon Photo Contest International will be accepted from September 1 to November 30, 2008.

The Nikon Photo Contest International has been held by Nikon Corporation since 1969 to provide an opportunity for photographers around the world to communicate and to enrich photographic culture for professionals and amateurs alike. Renowned among photo enthusiasts worldwide, the contest has so far attracted more than 1,270,000 images from a total of 306,000 photographers. In fact, so popular has the contest become among photographers that a total of over 47,000 images were received from more than 16,000 entrants in 135 different countries for the 31st contest alone.

This year's theme: "At the heart of the image"

"At the heart of the image" is not only the brand statement of Nikon Imaging Company, but it is also the theme of the 32nd contest. We have carefully selected categories as stated below and we look forward to receiving images expressing the emotions that are true to your heart.

This year's categories:
A. Free subject: Express yourself freely, as it moves you.
B. My Planet: Express your world, whether that involves the environment, scenes from your daily life, or the people and things that stir your passions.

With these categories, Nikon welcomes and embraces photographic creativity and encourages images of human happiness from all over the world.

Entry period:
Entries are accepted from September 1st to November 30th, 2008. Entries sent by conventional mail should be received either on or before November 30th, 2008. Entries sent via the Internet will be accepted until 24:00, November 30th, 2008, Japan time.

For more details: visit this site.

Dear Me,

When I was younger (meaning 10-15 years ago), my mom imposed a general cleaning schedule in the house. Usually, my sister and I were ordered to help. Most of the time, we found ourselves loathing doing the chore because that meant less or no time at all for our own leisure pursuits.

But as we grew up and learned to discern what responsibilities we have for ourselves, whether inside or outside the four walls of our house, somehow we had forgone this task that had been part of our childhood.

And the result (hehehe...):

wonder who owns this clutter?

the other side of her room

Well, the mess is from my sister's room. Hehehe. Sorry sis! :)

She is a busy girl who works late and doesn't seem to have much time because of other work-related stuff. Besides, she doesn't have a penchant for house or room cleaning for that matter. Sometimes, I wonder how she can sleep in that room of hers. Hehehe.

And when my mom pops in her room, they usually end up having a petty quarrel because my mother orders her to sort her stuff and my sister will make a thousand and one excuses.

Despite that, I have seen my sister take the initiative to clean her room in more than one occasion. For that, I let her be.

On the other hand, I am the type of person who loathe seeing a state of disorder anyplace in the house; that is, areas where I pass by, sleep, eat, rest. Ultimately, it is a crime for me to have our bedroom in complete chaos.

fresh laundry
That was the heap of clean clothes I was folding while Miguel was busy playing on the other side of the bed. Usually, I always end up re-folding them whenever he decides to wrestle with the pile of folded clothes. Hehehe.

my own space of clutter
There is a nook in our room where I typically dump my stuff (for sorting) in the floor. Like photo above, I pile my current bills, receipts, books for reading, recently received parcels and the main-stay in that corner: my mini-shredder, where I shred unwanted yet confidential papers.

So, how do you deal with clutter in your own homes? :)

Dear Me,

I have previously mentioned before how I go loco over brownies from Brownies Unlimited.

yum yum
Who wouldn't? Once you take a bite, you'll experience a different kind of sensation. Hehehe.

mmmmmmmmmm....
Am I exaggerating? Maybe. Maybe not. It's just that their brownies are way softer in the mouth than those I have tasted before. I totally forget anything I have in mind once I take a bite and feel the bursting yumminess in my mouth. :)

totally love my 1st bite!
It's not my birthday but I will be more than pleased to receive this from anyone. :)

will you be my angel? *winks*

Dear Me,

I got this a few months back when I participated in the Ultimate Blog Party last March.

girlie freebie
It's a little butterfly hair clip from Jennifer of Little Piddles. She gave away this cute girlie clip as a party favor. It comes in light pink, hot pink, purple and white colors. I got the light pink one. :)

Jennifer has a store named Little Piddles. It is an online shop born out of her desire "to offer stylish and functional products to other parents who are looking for items that she had a hard time finding." Basically, it's a fine children's boutique. In general, the products cater to babies, boy and girls, moms and dads and even something for the house. The site has some awesome products anyone would like to covet so do come by and take a peek! It may also be wonderful if you would purchase something from her store. :)

Along with the pink hair clip are some business cards and a mini-refrigerator magnet. To Jennifer, thank you for sending this to me. :)

PS. Also visit her blog for future giveaways.

Dear Me,

I met them way back year 2000. We were hired months away from each other. I was the first one to be hired by the organization, followed by TJ then by Jho.

TJ & Jho
TJ and I had the same nature of work. Ours is project-based and that meant travelling a lot. During our first 2-3 years, mine entailed aggressive out-of-town opportunities.

Honestly, I wasn't close to them for I didn't had the chance. Besides, I had this grown attitude of distancing myself from people because I had issues with trust.

Through the years that passed after that, I got jealous of their closeness. Other colleagues came into the picture and they all seemed to be a happy, tight bunch. I never got in.

I was in my normal sometimes civil, sometimes wacky self during work hours. But when I felt so out of place in the group, I managed to totally avoid them during the happy hours (meaning, the lunch-outs or the after office-hour gimmicks).

I didn't feel missed out in the happy hours because it was at this point in my independent life that every night, I was out hooking up with other friends and having the party of my life.

Time came when I had outgrown the bad attitude and began joining them. We had lunch-outs, dinner dates with other common friends, fun at the Time Zone, hitting the malls, etc. Actually, I had fun during those times.

But I still felt not close to them. It was like there was this wall between me and them.

Anyway, a lot of things had passed and we all left and treaded our own separate ways.

during happy times
Now, we are not that very close as I would have imagined but we still keep in touch. They are good friends despite that.

Somehow to keep the bond, I chose them as my firstborn's godmoms. :)

She Says, He Says
The idea is that any of these: a question, fill in the blank, multiple choices, photo or a writing prompt will be posted here. Express your thoughts in your blog and feel free to leave a link to your blog with your answers when you're done. Anyone can hop in and join the fun every Tuesday! =)

Do grab the button and host it up in your own photo hosting site. :)



Are you done with schooling? If yes, do you miss going to school?
I've been a college graduate for *toot* years now. :)

While watching I-Witness, I felt overwhelmed for I remembered the same feeling those freshmen felt when they first entered UP. I was one with them with the culture shock, the ideals, the hopes, the excitement, the future experiences, the freedom.

I've been yakking years before how much I missed school. The show just reminded me once again about my sentiments.

Just wandering around the Sunken Garden alone reminded me how exciting and gratifying it was to be free! :)


********


Hope you can share your answers in your blog and leave your links here. See yah!

Dear Me,

Since I delve into a lot of activities and interests such as travelling, mountaineering, photography, poetry and literature, books stuff, food and exhibitions, films, events and other sports, I am thinking of doing regular postings so as to keep track of these things in my calendar. Other postings will include family, parenting and baby-related stuff.

And in case anyone bumped on this, check them out.




High Chair Poetry Reading

The reading will be highlighted by poems from "Parang" by Mesandel Virtusio Arguelles and "elsewhere held and lingered" by Conchitina Cruz, both forthcoming collections, and "How Sound Becomes A Name" by Marc Gaba.

When: 27 June 2008, Friday at 6:00 p.m
Where: Libros Filipinos Bookshop of the Filipinas Heritage Library at Makati Avenue, Makati City.
Remarks: Limited seating. For inquiries, please call 892-1801, look for Ciela.




Discover Scuba Diving

One-Day Trip Only

* Give it a try, diving can change your life
* World's most popular introduction to scuba diving
* Discover Scuba Diving skills may be credited toward the PADI Open Water Diver certification
* Average dive depth is 6 metres/20 feet (12 metres/40 feet is the maximum depth)
* Most Discover Scuba Diving experiences take just 30 mins
* No equipment necessary - everything's provided except you supply the smiles

PADI Certified Instructors:
Brett S. Garcia PADI# 474406
Dale S. Garcia PADI# 474405

When: July 05, 2008
Where: Dive7000 Resort in Anilao, Batangas
Remarks: Day Trip Budget: PhP2,550.00 (inclusive of: DSD Fee, Air, Tank Rental, Resort Fee, Transportation). For further information: sheygutierrez@yahoo.com / shergutierrez@gmail.com, 09209676744 / 09163632238




Calling All Bloggers From UP

If you are a UP student or alumni and you want your blog to be listed in our blog directory, just post a comment with your full name, course and year of graduation and the URL of your blog.

We hope to list at least 100 alumni and 100 student bloggers in time for the UP Centennial. :)

Visit this link and get listed: UPALUMNI.NET

Dear Me,

Now that I'm a mom, I can now relate to this.


POSITION:
Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop


JOB DESCRIPTION:

• Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment.
  
  
• Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.
  
  
• Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities! Travel expenses not reimbursed.
  
  
• Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• The rest of your life.
  
  
• Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs money.
  
  
• Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
  
  
• Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule.
  
  
• Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers.
  
  
• Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
  
  
• Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
  
  
• Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.
  
  
• Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
  
  
• Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.
  
  
• Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION:

• None.
  
  
• Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:

• None required unfortunately.
  
• On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION:

• Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses.
  
  
• A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent.
  
  
• When you die, you give them whatever is left.
  
  
• The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS:
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

... AND A FOOTNOTE?

THERE IS NO RETIREMENT -- EVER!


When I gave birth to Miguel, a lot of things flashed into mind. I remembered the things my parents had told me about parenting. I know it will be such a difficult path to tread on but I also know the joys of being called a mom and being one. =)

Dear Me,

Finally, the sun's up after sabotaging the entire weekend with strong wind and rain. I just hope this day will be a shining day. Hmm.



Are you a talker or a listener? Is it ever possible to really be both?
~~ To be honest, I'm more of a talker than a listener. But if I need to be a listener especially to a friend in need, I can be one. I believe that it's possible to be both. Sometimes, there are people who can balance both. :)


Do you think God has a sense of humor?
~~ In my heart, I believe so. I don't think God can be all serious. He is the Omnipotent.

I'm sure He'll find Himself laughing with all the bloopers His charges have put themselves (including yours truly) into! Hehehe.


Do you believe in love at first sight? Have you ever experienced it?
~~ I don't. Admiration at first sight, yes. And no, I haven't experienced that one.


Join the fun here.

Have a pleasant week!

Dear Me,

I didn't catch a good night sleep last night for I wake up almost every hour. Strong winds was howling beginning 12 midnight till 3:00 in the morning. Then the heavens cried, incessantly pouring and hitting hard the window panes. I kept on getting up from the bed and checking things out, especially the doors for I was paranoid about thieves breaking into the night. My parents left home and stayed in Cavite for the night.

By 4:00 in the morning, the lights played with me while I was at the stairs en route to inspect the living room area. I had to pause many times for the lights kept switching on and off. I thought of preparing the candles and the box of matches for I had the gut feeling that power would go off soon. I wasn't mistaken.

At 5:00 in the morning, the lights together with the air-con died on me as I lay my head on my pillow. I tried to sleep but my baby boy awoke with a cry. He was perspiring despite the cool atmosphere in the room.

Anyway, Miguel finally fell asleep again and so did I. I woke up my hubby to constantly check Miguel's back while I snooze.

At 10:00 in the morning, we all woke up. We had milk and bread for breakfast. After that, I prepared lunch - cooked rice, sauteed veggies, noodles and beef steak! :)

As I was prepping the table, I checked the lights and I screamed (hehehe) because power was up!

While having breakfast, hubby, Miguel and my sister watched Kung Fu Panda in the sala while I checked online news about the weather forecast.

I am typing this as we are all watching the pilot episode of Fringe. I think I'm gonna love this series.

Have a happy Sunday despite the gloomy weather!

---

50 Random Things That I Like

1. Hershey's chocolate
   
2. reading and books in general
   
3. functional bags
   
4. coleslaw from KFC
   
5. The Dawn
   
6. sweet chili sauce
   
7. stationeries
   
8. hues of purple
   
9. Andy Garcia
   
10. buttered scallops
    
11. Johnson's baby cologne
    
12. travelling places
    
13. mountaineering
    
14. Body Shop's raspberry lip balm
    
15. pizza with thick crust and lotsa cheese and bacon
    
16. Pringles sour cream & onion
    
17. Kamiseta blouse
    
18. avocado
    
19. Cosmopolitan and Good HouseKeeping magazines
    
20. loose powder
    
21. museums
    
22. taho
    
23. mocha & caramel frappuccino
    
24. big, green mangoes
    
25. Egypt
    
26. Gmail
    
27. my Sony Ericsson P1i
    
28. blogging
    
29. mountains
    
30. Cher
    
31. Chinese movies
    
32. Jon Bon Jovi
    
33. sunrise
    
34. sunset
    
35. ripe mango shake
    
36. Cebu
    
37. Pancake House's Pork Vienna
    
38. steaming cups of brewed coffee
    
39. takoyaki
    
40. Jet Li
    
41. huggable puppies
    
42. Angelina Jolie
    
43. meeting good friends and chatting over coffee
    
44. taking shots of nature
    
45. Jason Statham
    
46. playing bowling and billiards
    
47. Baguio City
    
48. Wendy's shrimp sandwich and biggie iced tea
    
49. hubby Dex
    
50. baby Miguel

So, what do you like? :)

Dear Me,

I thought I could tell if a smile was sincere or not. I guessed I wasn't that good. I took this Spot The Fake Smile (based on research by Professor Paul Ekman, a psychologist at the University of California) care of BBC.

The results: I got 13 out of 20 correct answers.

To take the test, click the above-mentioned link and tick off your outlook in life and confidence in spotting a real smile from not.

For 10 minutes, there are 20 video clips of individuals smiling for you. :) Check which do you think is the corresponding answer to each clips.

Most people are surprisingly bad at spotting fake smiles. One possible explanation for this is that it may be easier for people to get along if they don't always know what others are really feeling.

Although fake smiles often look very similar to genuine smiles, they are actually slightly different, because they are brought about by different muscles, which are controlled by different parts of the brain.

Fake smiles can be performed at will, because the brain signals that create them come from the conscious part of the brain and prompt the zygomaticus major muscles in the cheeks to contract. These are the muscles that pull the corners of the mouth outwards.

Genuine smiles, on the other hand, are generated by the unconscious brain, so are automatic. When people feel pleasure, signals pass through the part of the brain that processes emotion. As well as making the mouth muscles move, the muscles that raise the cheeks – the orbicularis oculi and the pars orbitalis - also contract, making the eyes crease up, and the eyebrows dip slightly.

Lines around the eyes do sometimes appear in intense fake smiles, and the cheeks may bunch up, making it look as if the eyes are contracting and the smile is genuine. But there are a few key signs that distinguish these smiles from real ones. For example, when a smile is genuine, the eye cover fold - the fleshy part of the eye between the eyebrow and the eyelid - moves downwards and the end of the eyebrows dip slightly.

Scientists distinguish between genuine and fake smiles by using a coding system called the Facial Action Coding System (FACS), which was devised by Professor Paul Ekman of the University of California and Dr Wallace V. Friesen of the University of Kentucky.

Dear Me,

I'm here on and off. But today is Saturday and I'm enjoying my leisure time in front of my laptop.


Here are my WATER themes for today: from the hydroelectric power plants.

taken while in a tree-planting activity with the MFPI


This is water from the Angat Hydroelectric Power Plant supplying potable water and energy to Metro Manila and nearby areas.

taken during a sidetrip while on business travel to Iligan


This one is the Agus 6 Hydroelectric Plant also known as the Maria Cristina Falls Hydroelectric Power Plant, named after the famous scenic waterfalls. 90% of its water is utilized in producing energy to supply 80% of the entire Mindanao island.

Want to join the Saturday fun? Participate and grab the code here!

View more Saturday Photohunters!

Dear Me,

I was reading Oprah's and bumped into this article.

Cheating in a relationship? I think most married women would say in their hearts that they know that their husbands won't tangle themselves in forbidden affairs. I, for one, would say aye to that.

Reading this article made me realize that certain things can and may happen and somehow, I opened my mind to this. I trust my husband that he won't stray while he is in his right mind.

In this article, the Red Flag indicates the warning lights that your partner may tread the forbidden path if left unattended. On the other hand, there's the Marriage Saving Solution addressing those problems.

Don't be paranoid if you chanced upon similar actions from your partner. It doesn't necessarily mean he/she is up to something fishy. Don't pick a fight over nothing.

Of course, be cautious as well. Listen and see the signs for they may actually save a relationship.


************************


Nip Infidelity in the Bud
By Denise Mann
WebMD Feature Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
on June 19, 2006

Think cheating is something that can never happen to your relationship?

Think again.

Statistics from the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy suggest that 15 percent of wives and 25 percent of husbands have had sex outside of their marriage. When emotional affairs or sexual intimacies without intercourse are included, the number jumps by 20 percent.

But straying is not inevitable, no matter how many soap operas you watch, says Frances Cohen Praver, PhD, a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst in Locust Valley, NewYork, and the author of Daring Wives: Insight into Women's Desires for Extramarital Affairs.

"For the most part, people don't just go out and cheat. There are warnings," she tells WebMD. The good news is that knowing the common signs and addressing them head-on can save your relationship from infidelity.


Red Flag #1: Crying Out for Help
"The most common warning is when a partner tells you something is amiss and you don't believe it," Praver says. "He or she may say, 'This marriage isn't working,' or 'I am not happy.'"

Marriage Saving Solution: Taking the Bait
"This is akin to being hit over the head with a 2 x 4," Praver says. "If your partner is reaching out, take the bait," she says. "First open up a dialogue, and if you can't get anywhere, consider couples therapy."


Red Flag #2: Sudden Change—or Interest—in Appearance
Is your husband talking about getting Botox to eliminate his frown lines? Did your wife recently start coloring her hair and scrapping her jeans for a low-cut black dress? If so, this may indicate he or she is on the prowl, experts say.

Marriage Saving Solution: If You Can't Beat Them, Join Them
"This can make you bitter or better," says John Van Epp, PhD, a therapist in Medina, Ohio, and author of How to Avoid Marrying a Jerk: The Foolproof Way to Follow Your Heart Without Losing Your Mind.


Red Flag #3: Unconstructive Criticism
"If your partner says, 'You need to see a psychiatrist,' 'You need help,' 'Get a job,' 'Lose weight,' or 'Go to the gym,' and is constantly critical, it's all part of the same theme—which is that there is something wrong with you," points out Elizabeth Landers of Gross Pointe, Michigan, co-author of THE SCRIPT: The 100% Absolutely Predictable Things Men Do When They Cheat.

"Unconsciously, they are setting it up to say their partner was nuts and wouldn't even go for help." Another tip-off is when he or she starts picking fights about something you are good at, so you fight back and then he or she calls you argumentative," she says. "These things happen 100 percent of the time."

Marriage Saving Solution: Listen and Learn
"If a man says 'I have grown and you haven't,' the natural reaction is that he is being critical and insulting. But talking about feelings is good," she says. "Encourage him to talk more because he will feel that you understand him," Landers says. Use a counterintuitive approach, she advises. "If a man says to his wife, 'Those two women are attractive', her natural reaction is to say, 'I don't want to hear it,' but encourage him so he will feel that he can talk to you about anything and that can keep him to words—not action."


Red Flag #4: the Tony Soprano-Style Guilt Gift
On HBO's The Sopranos, mobster Tony Soprano often presents his doting wife with lavish jewels so she will look the other way about his extramarital activities. "Sometimes it's a guilty, look-the-other-way gift or a see-I-am-really-a-good guy-even-if-I-leave-you gift," Landers says. "It could be a diamond bracelet, a cashmere sweater, a new car. Or if you are former President Bill Clinton, it could be the state of New York," she says, referring to Clinton's now notorious philandering and his wife Hillary Clinton's ascension to New York's senator. "It may seem normal to think, 'He's obviously not cheating; he just gave me this gorgeous bracelet'—but don't be fooled," she says.

Marriage Saving Solution: Nip It in the Bud
Don't turn the other cheek, she says. "It can be so frightful if it's true that it is difficult to accept [potential infidelity], but addressing it early, even with no concrete evidence, can help save the marriage," she says. "Speak up early because if you think something's wrong, it probably is," she says. "Trust your instincts. You will be much more likely to be successful in saving the relationship if you catch potential problems early."


Red Flag #5: Snubbed at the Company Party
"If you get the cold shoulder at your husband's company holiday party where everyone used to be friendly, it's a sign," Landers says. "His colleagues either know about the affair and figure you are on the way out, so why be nice? Or your partner has been making critical comments about you so they think you are no good."

Marriage Saving Solution: Address It Head-On
"Don't make excuses," she says. "Bring it up and open the lines of communication as soon as you notice anything unusual," she says. "When your doctor prescribes pain medication, he or she will tell you to take it before the pain gets really bad because then it is more likely to be effective," she says. The same holds for marital problems.


Red Flag #6: Sneaking
"One of the red flags is when a partner is sneaking around a bit," Praver says. Maybe he or she takes secret cell phone calls on the porch instead of using the phone by the bed, or maybe he is out on weeknights whereas he used to be home watching television, she says. "If you see that a person is not around that much and is gone on different nights, something may be up," she says.

Marriage Saving Solution: Confrontation
"Obviously you have to confront a person and say, 'What's going on here?'" she says. "Once a person has been found out, they must 'fess up and that can be the first step in rebuilding trust," she says. While not necessarily advising it, Praver says people can check call logs on cell phones to see if there really is fire where there is smoke.


Red Flag #7: History Repeats Itself
"Sometimes people with a background of these types of things may be more likely to repeat them," Van Epp says. "There are exceptions and people can change patterns in their life, but if we are talking about red flags, history is a red flag."

Marriage Saving Solution: Set Boundaries
"It may be more up to the individual to set strong boundaries in these cases," he says. "You can't necessarily protect your spouse from having an affair, but you can come to an agreement about how far you will go in relationships outside of the marriage," he says. For example, pre-emptively discuss how much you will open up to people outside of the relationship as a way to safeguard against affairs down the road, he suggests.

But remember that nothing is fail-safe, Van Epp says. Many people who stray do so from a relatively good relationship.

Praver adds that affairs don't necessarily mean a marriage is over. "An affair can bring about change," she says. "A partner may need more companionship; they often don't have affairs just for sex."

Dear Me,

Aside from the daily routine of taking care of Miguel and in-between chores, I would like to do the following:

• organize and sort out my files in my new laptop
  
  
• change to a new blog template
  
  
• draft a TBR pile list with a neatly-stacked bookshelves
  
  
• manage my remaining savings

I hope to accomplish them before the month of July ends. *sigh*

Dear Me,

The day that marked the reality that I'm already old was just around the corner. A year back, I promised myself and told friends that I would be throwing a party to celebrate it. A few weeks before that, I was truly determined to have a blast. But things weren't going my way and I sacked it off. Deep inside, I really wanted to push it through so I could hook-up with a few good friends of mine (the real ones).

---

Hubby and I discovered another bookshop at SM Tayuman. It's Buy-The-Book! It's a second-hand bookshop under the flagship of Powerbooks (if I'm not mistaken). Hubby bought me four (4) hardcover books (3 books by Michael Connelly and 1 book by Janet Evanovich). Thanks Papi!


While there, I saw a copy and only copy of a wishlisted book: The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. I really wanted to buy it but the book was sort of unacceptable to me due to its appearance. It has some soiled markings on the dust jacket. I simply let it go. *sigh*

---

I've been using IE for the longest time but now, Mozilla Firefox rocks for me. I'm beginning to love it.


Here at home, hubby utilizes Mozilla and I was adamant at first. Later on, I got the hang of it. I'm still exploring, though.

So, do you use IE or Mozilla? :)

---

*sigh* This is not unheard of. Can you believe these people from our country? It is so shameful to have this incident happen to Farah Deen's father.

Hoy mga corrupt na mga pulis! Mahiya naman kayo. Sarili nyo lang iniisip nyo. Para nga kayong mga aso. Sa totoo lang, mukha kayong eng-eng!

---

Want original copies of Journey's new album Revelation? I bumped into Gibbs Cadiz' blog and posted that his friend, Mitz, is giving away 12 original copies of Journey's new CD/DVD album Revelation to Pinoy bloggers.

As quoted:

I am a Filipino Journey Fan and I am putting my money where my mouth is. So, I am giving away 2 Revelation Albums every month starting June 30, 2008 until December 30, 2008 or while supplies last in support of Arnel Pineda's unparalleled journey with Journey through lottery drawing every 15th and 30th of the month.

To qualify, you must be a certified blogger and your site should be current.

You can also add yourself to the newest Arnel Pineda & Journey Fan Group in Multiply, REVELATION if you want to but it's not necessary to avail of the prize. Non-Multiply users can visit Bill Blahs and Unchanged Melodies for more details. No strings attached, free shipping worldwide.

You can email me your name or pseudoname together with the URL of your site at journey.rocks@yahoo.com or journey(dot)rocks@yahoo.com or just to ask questions.

Winners will be posted on this site, half an hour after the contest ends. If you win, you can contact me at the same email add for your postal address.

The first drawing will be on June 30, 2008 8 pm EST.

So, what are you waiting for? :)

Dear Me,

I owed this tag from Yen. I'm not really chasing blog traffic but sometimes, I love to bump some new friendly blogs. :) So, here goes:


:Start Copy Here:

Rules:

• Copy from :Start Copy Here: through :End Copy Here:.

• Add your blog to the list. Feel free to add all your other blogs. Just make sure to post this to each of the blog you added in the list.

• Tag other online friends you know.You don't need to be tagged in order to join. If you want to join, just post this one in your blog.

• Let me know your blog's name and url by leaving me a comment HERE. I will add you to the master list.That way, everyone is happy and can meet new friends too!

• Come back once in a while to get the master list! Let’s see how this makes our Technorati and PR goes up!

• DO NOT REMOVE THIS: scrap page made by Yen. Using alphas and tapes from Kate H., flowers from Ida, paper by Catrine.

1. Me and Mine 2.Creative In Me 3.Little Peanut 4. Pea in a Pod 5. Sugar Magnolias 6.Because Life Is Fun 7. Piece o’Kaje 8. Mon a Bric 9. Celebrate Life 10.My Journey11. Deeply In Love 12. Pink and Brown Diaries 13. Happyheart 14. Wilstop 15. Fun|Fierce|Fab 16. Nita’s Random Thoughts 17. Nita’s Corner 18. Thomas Web Links 19. Thomas Travel Tales 20. Make Money Online 21. Great Finds and Deals 22. PRC Board Exam Results 24. My Wandering Thoughts 25. Nita’s Ramblings 26. Just Me.. Eds 27. Etc Atbp 28. When Silence Speaks 29. Juliana’s Lair 30. Juliana’s World 31. Juliana’s Library 32. Blessed Chic 33. Can of Thoughts 34. Hailey’s Domain 35. Hailey’s Beats and Bits 36. ISL family 37. Arbitrary Thoughts 38. D’ Cooking Mudra 39. My Big Picture 40. Dancing in Midlife Tune 41. Blessings In Life 42. My Colorful World 43. Dare to Blog 44. Life Realities 45. WebGeek Journal DotNet 46. WebGeek Journal 47. Let’s Travel Philippines 49. MY DAILY THOUGHTS AND MOODS 50. A Sweet Taste Of Life 51. My Life in this Wonderful World! 52. Denz Techtronics 53. Denz Recreational 54. Surviving Deplyoment 55. Ester’s Raptured Dreams 56. Nipa Hut 57.Picture Clusters 58. My Wanderings 59.Maiylah’s Snippets 60. EuLehKulit 61. Life Quest 61.Being a wife. Being a Mom. 62. MoMie SPace 63.Woman Xplore 64. PinayWAHM 65. Agring’s Simply Digital 66. Agring’s Home & Garden 67. Agring’s Homecooking & Baking 68. Agring’s Electronics & Entertainments 69. Scrap Addict Sundays 70. Mommy Talks 71. Aggie Scraps 72.Teacher’s Corner 73. My Drift 74. lancernews 75. My so called Life 76. See Me for what You Will… 77. kathycot.com 78. buhaymisis.com 79. All about Mye life 80. Everything has a Reason 81. Life’s Impression 82. Some Thoughts I have 83. Life’s Lessons 84. Just Let Go 85. Pieces Of Me 86. Winding Creek Circle 87. BOTH SIDES NOW 88. Happy Life 89. Blessed Sanctuary 90.Confessions of an Army Life 91. moms….. check nyo 92. Mommy’s Little Corner 93. Wanna Be SuperModel 94. Gandacious 95. Jo-Jo’s Place 96.My Quiet Zone 97. Proud PINAY 98. Simply Jen 99. Jenny Said So 100. A Slice of Life 101. My Blog 102. TIP OF AN ICEBERG 103. Coffee Cup Princess 104. Deranged Insanity 105. Just Another Day 106. Stev & Emz Journey 107.Runaway THoughts of Emz 108. Heart of Rachel 109. Nora’s Notes 110. In the Life Of Mne 111. In my Kitchen 112. Nyumix’s Blog 113. Everything’s Here 114.Out of Nowhere 115. My Simple World 116. Seek Health. Feel Great 117. Smile Puppies 118. Almanacqueen 119. The Life of an Outback Pinay 120. Dancing With Butterflies 121. My Treasures 122. Everything Green 123. 124. Memoirs of a Filipina 125. The Pit Gadgetry! 126. My Daily Life Experience 127. Married and Happy About It 128. My Discoveries 129. iCreate+iDeas 130. My Healthy Living Journal 131. Busy Moms Cook 132. Christian Weekends 133. Reflexes 134. Caramel Corn 135. Sunny Side Up Foodie 136. A Mothers Horizon 137. Bits and Pieces 138. Whats Up! 139. Simply Me 140. Life and Me 141. A Handful of Surprises 142. Anything and Everything in Between 143. from here and beyond 144. The Nameless Blog 145. Exploring Asia 146. Malaya 147. Swan Portraits 148. BUSYNESSWORLD 149. Sprawt 150. Thinking Consciously? 151. BLOGSILOG 152. Cherry’s Comfort Zone 153. DigiScrapz: Captured Memories 154. Buzzy Me 155. Thinking Out Loud 156. Wishing and Hoping 157. Jobs for Davao 158. Jobs for Cebu 159. Filipino Jobs Abroad 160. PRC Board Exam Results 161. Nakedminds 162. Personal 163. Interesting 164. squeeshies 165. Shenzee’s World 166. Geekyology 167. Swanportraits 168. Rumination Under the Clouds 169. In My Home by Ria aka Msculit 170. It’s my Party (and I’ll cry if I want to…) by Ria aka Msculit 171. Malaya 172. Cheese: Jherson84 173. Beans: Jherson 174. EP Treasures 175. Republic of A 176. Nora’s Family Treasures 177. Points of View (Discussion Blog) 178. Gala Tayo! 179. Lucky Peso 180. Buhay Pinoy 181. Pinay Mommy’s Love Blog 182. MOMEMO 183. OnlineBiz and Resources 184. Lourdes’ Mia 185. Pinay Mommy’s DigiScrap and Musings in Life 186. Pinay Mommy Online 187. ‘nna 188. My Sweet Escape 189. The Next Chapter 190. Painted Life 191. Petty Ramblings of a Petty Queen 192. The Real Deal 193. My Beautiful Life 194. Berry Blog 195. A Tsinay Blog 196. A Celebration of Life 197. My love.mylife.my everything. 198. Gamay and Dako Adventures 199. Ester’s Daily Thoughts 200. Choc Mint Girl 201. I AM KCAT 202. RanZ-Goodies 203. RanZ-Famous 204. A Time to Weep and a Time to Laugh 205. Surviving the Circus of Life 206. The Nook207. Allen’Wifey 208. Fern’s Backyard 209. Amor’s Blog - My Place in Cyberspace 210. The Other Side of Me 211. Stylishbabe111407 212. The Inner Shopper 213. TheGeneralInfoBlog 214. my angels world 215. Pinoy Raket Online 216. My Life 217. BloggingInMyPyjamas 218. Baby Shern 219. Mariel 220. So Real 221. Okay, I am Arms and this is my blog 222.Lucid Creativity 223. Read my Mind 224.A Simple Life 225. My debt blog 226.1stopmom’s blog 227.Mommy Gamer 228. My First One Million Pesos 229. Mindless Thought 230. MommyandMe Boutique 231. My Life’s Labyrinth 232. 100% Kelly 233. Of Colors And Styles 234. KadusMama 235. The Maven 08 235. Rainbows 236. My freehand 237. Sentiments of a Effed-Up Man 238. Princess Vien 239. My freehand 240. Confessions of an Enchanting Princess 241. Marites-Pinay Heart Wanderings and Musings 242. Me, the Islands and the World243. Leaf In Deforest 244. MAX 245. Lhedy 246. Making sense..(somehow) 247. Our Life Together 248. The Chic Shopaholic 249. In Depth 250. That Blog 4 Me 251. A Nice Thought 252. Live it Up! 253. Chronicles and Tales Unlimited (RED) 254. Momhood Moments 256. It’s a woman’s world! 257. Forgotten 258. Esophoria 259. Pixel Dust 260. GladyGirl 261. Uncomplicated 262. Gentle And Compassionate 263. Kwentong Kengkay 264. Mind Juice In Full Throttle 265. Jo’s Precious Thoughts 266. Hobbies and Such 267.Jenny’s Wandering Thoughts 268. A Window to Our World 269. Let Them Eat Cake! 270. Live Love Life 271.Theif’s Stolen Collections 272. Panda’s Multiply 273. Kitty’s haven 274. lancerlord 275. The YTB Celebs Blog 276. Welcome To Earth David 278. Pinaymama’s Diary 279. Pinay Mom in Czech Republic 280. Ally And Allies” 281. Beauty of Life 282. Creations 283. Watchamacallit! 284. Nellypie’s Chatterbox 285. The Daily Matters 289. Bread & Butter 290. tazdogz blog 291. my 3 boys and i 292. Dabawenyako 293. Icelog 294. Days of Our Life 295. Precious Moments 296. Crissy’s Haven 297. Baby Jhari 298. The Maven ‘08 299. Our Growing Family 300. Confessions Reborn 301. SEWDELISH 302. Live from Waterloo 303. The So-Called Me 304. EP DESIGNS 305. Toni-Marie.net Excelling in Excess since 1988… 306. The Monotonous Life 307. Hit-or-Miss 308. Crazylicio.uS 309. Latina On Travel 310. MoneyGirls Blogging On the Internet 311. MsMoneyGirl Stock Magazine 312. Top College List 313. Free Personality Test 314. A Piece of Idea 315. Dear Me by Ivan Girl 316. YOUR BLOG!

:End Copy Here:

Please NOTE that you are not allowed to change the “HERE” in number 4 to your own blog url. Yen made this so that everyone could enjoy the benefit of higher technorati rank and who knows, more PR! And being the author of this one, she’d appreciate if you would respect that.

Like her, I'm tagging everyone in my blogroll! :)

Dear Me,

Can you even think of living this life with only 100 things in your possession? Do you think it's possible to exist in this complicated, materialistic world with only 100 items in your name?

Well, Dave Bruno is having The 100 Thing Challenge to de-clutter his family home in San Diego.

By my thirty-seventh birthday on November 12, 2008 I will have only 100 personal items. I will live for at least one year (God willing) maintaining an inventory of only 100 personal things. This challenge will help me "put stuff in its place" and also explore my belief that "stuff can be good when it serves a purpose greater than possession alone."

I would love to subscribe to his goal of de-cluttering stuff but purging them to only 100 is absolutely impossible for me. How can I do that if I have a baby in the house, a hobby collection of books, bags, postcards and letters, my hubby's penchant for keeping CDs and DVDs, toys?

What everyone usually do to eliminate unwanted and unnecessary belongings is to throw, donate or sell them. I deposit stuff that I haven't use in 3-5 years in the trash can. If I don't like an item anymore but it's still usable, I donate it. I sell it if I think it's too valuable to let go.

Honestly, I find a great satisfying emotion thinking and seeing that I had somehow eliminated the unwanted stuff at home. De-cluttering also brings me joy plus a smile over fond memories when I bumped into old reminders of the past. :)