The New Me

It seemed that my past life was on playback as I scanned through my old pictures taken when I was in 4th year high school. They brought back those memories when I care less on my physical appearance. Back then, vanity was the least of my priority.

Five years ago, I used to look like this, my hair short, thick and wavy. It’s as if I am one of the boys if it not had been through our school uniform. Haha

(Click to enlarge)

My classmates used to tease me that I am a “tomboy”. I was like, “Who cares?, I’m not really one.” My look made me had the feeling of inferiority complex. I do not mingle that much with my classmates and I shy away from school activities. The dilemma was on me. I know it does not make me less of a person but, a part of me says I should do something. So, I asked myself…

My answer? Yes, definitely. I need a makeover to prepare for college.

After graduation, I decided to grow my hair long. I have never had my hair long enough to touch my shoulder since I was a kid hehe. Growing it was a challenge I feared. With my wavy hair, it would be unmanageable. I was lucky, by that same year, hair straightening boomed in salons. Straight hair became the trend. I went with the flow, gave hair relax a shot and I was happy with the result. Having something new and different in me made me excited.


My nearly shoulder length hair grew longer through my college years then I tried hair rebond. The outcome was remarkable. Since then, I realized I can still improve myself. I became conscious of my face. I visit the facial salon once in a while, pluck my eyebrows, consult the orthodontist to correct my teeth and use some beauty products. These did not only made me look better, instead made me feel better, better than ever. I am pleased with the "new me".

(Click to enlarge)

Rightly or wrongly, we tend to form an impression by what we see. Though beauty is only skin deep, it builds confidence. It’s not the question of how beautiful you are, instead, it’s simply a question of appreciating yourself, highlighting your natural beauty to project your own self-image, and let it shine through. I've been there, done that. =) Thanks to beauty products like Glutamax for they enhance our natural beauty .

(Click to enlarge)

Math problem is not a problem

Mathematics is one of my dreaded subjects way back my high school days. I used to consult my friends for Algebra help. I was lucky enough that they taught me the computation processes. The Internet does not exist by then so the books in the library were the last resort. I was lazy to scan Algebra 2 help. The result? My math grades were usually my lowest.

As I entered, I encountered math algebra word problems and math word problems again. But the encounter was different. Its smoother and better. With math problems and math answers available online. I was able to learn it by mind and heart. The best thing was, I was even exempted twice on our Algebra exams. Then, I realized, with the tutorials online, math problems are not always a problem.

The Fun TV Experience

The news of the exciting 3d television created a buzz among boob tube fanatics. Though it is limited only to some countries, there is something we can now have which is as thrilling and this is direct tv. You can catch all your favorite shows in clear and crisp connection. Why settle for the better if you can have the best?

DirectTV Packages are aplenty when you browse the web. You may assess their DirectTV Deals to determine which suits you. Check if your favorite TV shows are included in their DirectTV Offers. Surely, you don’t want to miss even a single episode of your most desired tv series and be left out with your colleagues talking about the episode you missed.

Get everything through DirectTV , the best reason to stay at home!

Lamps, anyone?

Lamps come in numerous designs, colors, dimensions and shapes. Not only they light up a room but, also enhance the décor and atmosphere of the house. They are the best way to bring personal tastes into a home especially when combined with furniture, window or other accessories.

Whether you are looking for a desk lamp or a crystal lamp, it should be functional as well as affordable, but should also make a statement. With the varieties of lamps out at the market today, chances are that you will be able to find exactly what you need when you look at the right place. It is advisable to take time and think over which lamp is perfect in relation to one’s personal taste and to the available budget.

Assess your lighting needs, decide for a budget and look for the right lamp that will always make your relaxing or reading experience an unforgettable one.

Pet Society Fishes Released and Bait List Part III (August 6, 2009)

• Spotted Bass: Grapes, Broccoli, Watermelon Slice, Strawberry, Cheese, Apple, Rare Steak
• Golden Butterflyfish: Strawberry, Grapes, Cheese, Lemon, Pizza Slice, Melon, Watermelon Slice, Banana, Rotten Vegetable
• Schooling Bannerfish: Pink Donut, Lemon, Rare Steak, Apple, Grapes, Strawberry, Watermelon Slice
• Clown Loach: Lemon, Grapes, Cheese, Chocolate Donut, Watermelon Slice, Pink Donut, Broccoli, Rare Steak, Strawberry
• Orange Fish: Homegrown Orange
• Cupcake Fish: Homegrown Cupcake
• Lovefish: Strawberry, Cheese, Broccoli, Grapes, Melon, Lemon, Pink Donut, Watermelon Slice, Courgette, Chocolate Donut
• Sheepfish: Carrot, Lemon, Strawberry, Banana, Chocolate, Apple, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Chocolate Donut, Grapes, Leek, Rotten Vegetable, Watermelon Slice
• Chocolate Fish: Chocolate Heart (this bait costs 250 coins from the food store)
  
• Chocolate Donutfish: Chocolate Donut

Pet Society Fishes Released and Bait List Part II

Octopus: Ice Blended Coffee, Strawberry, Homegrown Cupcake, Homegrown Apple, Homegrown Orange, Homegrown Banana, Cheesecake, Ice Blended Juice, Apple, Cheese, Coconut, Pink Donut

Green Discus: Pink Donut, Blueberry Cupcake, Carrot, Lemon, Strawberry

Dog Fish: Pink Donut, Carrot, Bone, Cheese, Apple, Banana, Lemon

Banana Fish: Homegrown Banana, Banana (store bought)

Blow Fish: Rare Steak, Apple, Pink Donut, Banana, Cheese, Bone, Lemon, Strawberry

Blue Ram Fish: Strawberry, Carrot, Pink Donut, Rare Steak

Lemon Fish: Lemon

Cheese Fish: Cheese

Strawberry Fish: Strawberry

Piranha: Rare Steak

Home Decorating

Home decorating is as much as challenging as it is fun and exciting. Shopping for home decors is never an easy task. Budget along with the design of the home, the style of the person are some of the contributing factors that makes creating the perfect home a great adventure.

I had been playing Pet Society for the past few weeks. It’s like practicing on how to decorate a house, design a garden, create an entertainment room, and choose the right furniture and home accessories. Truly, home decorating is not just a walk in the park. It takes a great deal of effort and time to purchase everything and anything essential to beautify the home.

Though having a family is far yet to come, I have imagined how I would want my home to look like. I looked for home decors that would complement my favorite colors and styles. Its crucial and fascinating that I can choose what stuffs I want from housewares to garden accents. I just can not wait to have my own house with all the home essentials in this one-stop shop.

Pet Society Fishes Released and Bait List

• Altum Angel Fish.......Apple Pie, Cheese, Chocolate-Donut, Corn, Croissant, Grapes, Lemon, Milk, Onion, Orange Sorbet*, Popcorn, Pork, Rotten Veggie, Strawberry Donut, Strawberry Milk

• Apple Fish...............Apple
• Arowana.................Cauliflower, Grape

• Bike Wheel...............Apple, Biscuit, Cauliflower, Cheese, Cheeseburger, Cheesecake, Chocolate Poo*, Coconut Half, Corn, Lemon, Loaf of Bread, Popcorn, Pumpkin, Strawberry Donut

• Bluegill....................Apple, Biscuit, Bone, Blueberry Cupcake, Carrot, Cauliflower, Hotdog, Maple Syrup, Melon, Strawberry, Watermelon Slice

• Broken Pot...............Apple, Biscuit, Carrot, Corn, Grapes, Lemon, Onion, Pizza Slice, Pumpkin, Rotten Vegetable, Salami, Strawberry

• Carp.......................Apple, Baby Milk*, Cauliflower, Corn, Ice Blended Juice, Leek, Onion, Pink Donut, Melon

• Clownfish.................Apple, Broccoli, Chocolate Donut, Corn, Grapes, Maple Syrup, Onion, Strawberry, Straw. Soft Serve, Pink Donut, Watermelon

• Coconutfish..............Homegrown Coconut

• Conch Shell..............Apple, Baguette*, Biscuit, Brocolli, Coconut Half, Corn, Leek, Lemon, Loaf of Bread, Melon, Pineapple, Pizza (any), Pork, Pumpkin, Rotten Vegetable, Strawberry

• Coral.......................Apple, Biscuit, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Chocolate Soft Serve, Corn, Courgette, Leek, Pumpkin, Shamrock Lolly*, Onion, Pear, Watermelon Slice

• Crab.......................Apple, Biscuit, Cauliflower, Chocolate Donut, Coconut Half, Loaf of Bread, Onion, Strawberry-Donut, Tiramisu

• Empty Bottle.............Apple, Banana, Biscotti, Biscuit, Blueberry Muffin, Cheeseburger, Courgette, Grapes, Loaf of Bread, Rotten Vegetable, Strawberry, Strawberry Milk, Pink-Donut, Onion, Watermelon Slice

• Fish Bones................Apple, Banana, Carrot, Cauliflower, Corn, Leek, Lemon, Loaf of Bread, Onion, Pineapple, Salami, Strawberry Soft Serve, Melon

• Flounder...................Apple, Cauliflower, Chocolate-Donut, Chocolate Milk, Corn, Courgette, Grapes, Loaf of Bread, Meatball, Melon, Popcorn

• Frontosa...................Apple, Bread, Cauliflower, Coconut Juice, Corn, Cupcakes (all instore), Grapes, Lemon, Onion, Pineapple

• Loveroot Fish.............Homegrown Sweetheart

• Message in a Bottle....Apple, Baby Milk*, Biscuit, Cauliflower, Cheese, Chocolate Soft Server, Coconut Half, Hotdog, Loaf of Bread, Melon, Onion, Orange Juice, Pineapple, Pumpkin, Strawberry, Strawberry Soft Serve

• Old Boot...................Apple, Baguette*, Carrot, Cauliflower, Corn, Crepe*, Grapes, Onion, Pear, Pineapple, Pumpkin, Melon, Strawberry, Strawberry Milk

• Paddlefish................Apple, Cheese, Coconut Half, Courgette, Grapes, Ice Blended Coffee, Meatball, Melon, Orange Sorbet, Pineapple, Pumpkin, Rare Steak

• Puppyfish.................Bone

• Sardine....................Apple, Biscotti, Cheese, Choc. Bunny*, Chocolate-Donut, Corn, Courgette, Grapes, Loaf of Bread, Meatball, Melon, Pear, Pineapple, Pink Donut

• Seahorse..................Carrot

• Sea Star Baby Doll.....Apple, Biscuit, Loaf of Bread, Carrot, Cauliflower, Chocolate Poo*, Choc. Soft Serve, Coconut Half, Corn, Courgette, Grapes, Love Heart Lolly*, Meatball, Onion, Pear, Salami, Shamrock Lolly*, Strawberry, Melon

• Sea Urchin................Apple, Banana, Biscotti, Broccoli, Carrot, Cauliflower, Cheesecake, Choc. Bunny*, Coconut Half, Coconut Juice, Corn, Courgette, Grapes, Lemon, Onion, Rotten Vegetable, Strawberry

• Seaweed..................Apple, Biscuit, Biscotti, Cauliflower, Coconut Half, Corn, Grapes, Loaf of Bread, Meatball, Melon, Onion, Strawberry,

• Shrimp.....................Apple, Baguette*, Cauliflower, Corn, Courgette, Lemon, Onion, Pear, Pink Donut, Pumpkin

• Silver Arowana..........Apple, Cheese, Corn, Grapes, Hamburger, Lemon, Melon, New Potatoes*, Pear, Pink Donut, Rare Steak, Strawberry

• Soda Can.................Apple, Biscuit, Carrot, Cauliflower, Grape, Leek, Love Heart Lolly*, Meatball, Onion, Pear, Pineapple, Rare Steak, Strawberry, Sweetcorn, Tortilla Chip*,

• Squid.......................Apple, Biscuit, Beetroot, Cauliflower, Cheesecake, Coconut Half, Corn, Grapes, Homegrown Apple/Banana/Beetroot/Cupcake/Orange, Ice Cream Paradise, Leek, Orange Juice, Pasteis De Belem, Pear, Turnip, Whole Pizza

• Starfish {purple}........Apple, Biscuit, Birthday Cake, Bone, Choc. Soft Serve, Coconut Juice, Courgette, Cucumber, Homegrown Apple/Banana/Cabbage/Carrot/Coconut/Cupcake/Orange/Sweetheart/Turnip, Loaf of Bread, Pink-Donut, Melon, Sorbet Paradise, Whole Pizza

• Strawberry Donutfish...Pink Donut
• Watermelon Fish.........Melon

*- This is a TWS item. Best not use that since it's going to be rare soon. Try to use other food choices.

:Notes:
-Pink donut may also refer to Strawberry donut.
-Apples are apples. If they're homegrown, it will be stated.
-Strawberry/Chocolate Ice Cream may also be called Soft Serve if you want.
-(Water)melon is the whole piece. If I say slice, then Watermelon slice.
-Pink Donut and Strawberry Donut are the same. Doughnut and Donut are the same.
-Popcorn and (Sweet)Corn are different things! But Sweetcorn and corn are the same. (We just added sweet in it)
-Choc. means Chocolate.
-Straw. means Strawberry.
-Ice Blended Juice is the Strawberry Flavored coffee in the Coffee Shop.

Source: Playfish Forum
Here is another link.

Fabulous Awards

I've always been thankful to those people who include my humble blog in giving away awards. This time I received these awards from Abie and Lainy. Thank you! Sorry if it took me some time to post this. I have not been active here in the blogosphere lately. Thanks again! =)



The rules for these awards are:

1) To accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his/her blog link.

2) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve discovered and think are great! Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Im passing these two awards to these lovely and best bloggers:

• Kcat
• Ate Mystique
• Ate Allena
• Mara
• Liz
• Uncle Che
• Caloy
• DorothyL
• Austenfan
• Kcee
• Kevin
• Gagay
  
• Ms. Recipe
  
• Polly
  
• Mommy Cherry

Facebook fan

Today in our world in which taps on the keyboard and clicks on the mouse has been a way of life, social networking sites boomed like mushrooms, Friendster, Myspace, Hi5, Tagged and the list goes on. One site that stands out among the rest is Facebook.

They say Facebook is addictive. Some of my friends invited me to join hence, I gave in and tried what the fuss is all about. I am surprised to see a lot of my friends signed up already. Suddenly, I felt left out hehe. (Though I have Friendster account to keep me posted, I rarely open it.) I started using applications like Pet Society and Restaurant City. It kept me coming back to check my online barn and restaurant, which is one thing I got hooked aside from the updates of my friends. I agree, indeed, Facebook is addicting. It affected my blogging habits haha. It’s far different from the rest. Facebook chat enables users to chat with their friends online. The quizzes, games, events, virtual gifts are among their winning features that caught the interest of Internet users.

Personally, I love their games. They are cute and user friendly unlike MMORPG which requires more complex understanding of the characters’ built and the utilization of varied items in the game. In addition to the know-how needed, money is also involved to speed up leveling.

I remember encouraging my sister to use applications in Facebook particularly Restaurant City and Barn Buddy. She told me once that she can not comprehend and not so interested about it. But now, when she started, she’s always online and on play. She even beat up my restaurant statistics.

Now I believe when one starts using Facebook, it is unlikely to stop. Spending time with Facebook is acceptable as long as you can balance your time online and offline. When you spend more time online than off, that’s the moment to reassess and plan your habits properly. Hmmm, I think I’m close to that point of reassessment =).

Starbucks Frappe in a Bottle

I was surprised not because of a Genie in a bottle instead, my favorite mocha frappe in the grocery store! I don’t know how when was it made available in the supermarket.

I was in SM Hypermarket last Sunday when I was surprised to see the bottled Frappuccino beverages adjacent to other coffee products. Curiosity kicked in, I grabbed a bottle. There were three varieties I saw, Mocha, Vanilla and Caramel. But I learned from Starbucks’ site, there were actually six varieties including Mocha Lite, Coffee and Dark Chocolate Mocha. The price is 100 pesos which is cheaper compare to their standard mocha frappe available in their chain outlets. Why? I guess because it comes without the refreshing ice chill and thick whipped cream.

The taste? It’s a funny thing. I bought it, I got a picture of it and I blogged about it, but I haven’t tasted it yet. Haha I hid it under the pile of clothes in my closet. Unfortunately, I forgot to retrieve it when I packed my things and went back to my aunt’s house. I texted my brother to consume it and I told myself to buy another. I was unlucky, I got nothing from Landmark. Well, selfishness really is a bad attitude haha.

One Liter of Tears

Out of all the television dramas only few of them touches my heart. One of which was One Liter of Tears. Never did I miss a single episode of this inspiring story. I am thankful that it has been aired in Philippine television. Tonight will be its last episode, I suppose, the saddest of all. But I am sure, it will remain forever in the hearts of its viewers.

One Liter of Tears is an adaptation of the diary of a Japanese girl named Aya Kitō, who suffered from spinocerebellar ataxia. She began keeping a diary at the suggestion of her doctor, and continued to write until she could no longer hold a pen. The diary, titled 1 rittoru no namida, was published shortly before her death. Although some of the characters and situations are fictionalized in this television version, the dialogue frequently draws directly from Aya Kitô's own words. Moreover, each episode concludes with a narrated diary excerpt, framed with photographs from various stages in Kitô's life, before and after her diagnosis. The screenplay thus attempts to balance between faithfully working with actual text from the book, 1 rittoru no namida, while also inventing situational contexts so as to portray the struggles of the book's characters in dramatic scenarios. The character Haruto Asô, for example, does not exist in the original diary; however, as a fictional character created for this series, he provides an important mechanism through which Aya's inner feelings, the diary's language on a page, can become more fully actualized as part of a day-to-day narrative. (from Wiki)

This Japanese drama really lived up to its title. I can’t help but be encumbered by gravity of the story that I burst into tears in several heart pounding scenes. I admired Aya for her courage despite her sickness. Though her future was unpromising for her, she still managed to smile, continued to live and settled on what was left in her life – writing. She was able to accept her fate amidst her inevitable nearing death.


Indeed true. Everyday, we take for granted that we are alive, we breathe, we are able to run, walk and speak everytime we want to. And yet we complain for small unnecessary things and fail to appreciate the goodness in our lives.

Let us all continue to live like Aya, take one step at a time, lived with optimism and courage regardless of the setbacks we are bound to encounter. May Aya’s story continually touch ,inspire and change our lives. Life is a gift, let’s treasure it.

St Luke's Medical Center Extension Clinic

The other day, we went to St. Luke’s Medical Center Extension Clinic for our medical examinations needed to apply for student visa. SLEC is the accredited medical facility for Canadian, US and Australian Embassies. It is located at 1177 J Bocobo St, Ermita Manila.

We arrived at by 9:30 a.m. at the clinic and were done by 3:00 p.m. Though there was definitely long line of people waiting for their turn, their process is very systematic which eases the different tasks. Here is their working flowchart.

Wanted: Webdesigner

It is very evident that I have lesser posts in my blog compare to what I usually have. Wondering why? Well, I have a new baby! It’s another blog I am avidly occupied these days. Photoshop is my best friend during dreary days so I opted to create another blog to compile all my Photoshop works. I made several icons already that were patronized by my nieces hehe. They posted them in their Friendster profiles through the code I provided. I felt a tinge of pride hehe. Though the graphics are not so pro, I am still learning new ways to make them better. I intend to do some more and take it to another level – a graphics website.


As of now, here’s my blog,

Bear with me its not so presentable yet because of the inappropriate layout. The monumental hindrance I am facing now is finding the appropriate web design. I do not know how to have the gallery/categorized type or whatever-they-call-it design used in websites to organize graphics into different categories. I am referring to how the graphics were arranged like that of Glitter Graphics. I doubt if it could be achieved using Blogger as the platform. Wordpress is the option but my know-how on codes is very limited especially with CSS. Posting is the only thing I am good at using Wordpress hehe. Do you know some body who can help me with the layout? Or it could be you? Please leave a comment or reach me at alei_0408@yahoo.com. Thanks!

Make your own Havaianas 2009; Put some local soul into your step!

A billboard caught my eye as I am riding the MRT on my way to Ayala. I do not know if its located at Buendia or Guadalupe. What matters the most is the information it presents every Havaianatic would love to see. =)

Havaianas ends the summer season with the much-awaited and biggest wave of the season -- Make Your Own Havaianas 2009.

Since 2006, Havaianaticos have squeezed their creative juices and played with their imagination by customizing their own Havaianas. By mixing and matching different colors of straps and soles, and adding different embellishments, every pair from Make Your Own Havaianas is a masterpiece as unique as its owner.

Visit Rockwell Tent from May 28 to June 1, 2009 during mall hours and you can create your own work of contemporary art by customizing a pair of stylish Havaianas.

With nearly all the hues of the covetable Havaianas collection available as your palette, there are hundreds of possible combinations of soles and straps for Men and Women, in the popular Top and Slim styles.

Also available are different pins for embellishing your pair, from sleek Swarovskis so you can unleash your inner chic to Lifestyle Pins so you can show off your inner soul.

This year, Make Your Own Havaianas will also be offering an artistic treat for Havaianaticos by allowing them to parade their Filipino pride with Culture Pins featuring symbols of their colorful heritage, such as wide-eyed Tarsiers, vibrant vintas and much more!

Styles, colors, sizes and embellishments are available until supplies last, so be the first to flip-flop your way to Make Your Own Havaianas 2009! See you there Havaianaticos!

My blog's anniversary

I almost forgot this day. Yes, literally, I was not aware that exactly a year ago, I created this blog. It was only when I rummaged my first post and saw the calendar that I realized its my blog's anniversary today.Its so surprising how time blew so fast. It was like only yesterday that I had a hard time starting to learn the basics of blogging. And yet now, my blog is still up and running. Though at times, I was lazy to write, it did not stop me from blogging. I guess almost all bloggers feel the same odd way at times hehe.

I thought of nothing special to celebrate this day since I' not prepared for it. Maybe at the end of the day, I'll come up with one. Have a nice day everyone!

Pussycat Dolls live in Manila; A Clear Doll Domination

The most anticipated and hottest girl group around the globe will be performing live here in Manila come June 11, 2009 at the Mall of Asia Concert Grounds. The Pussycat Dolls were behind the chart topping hits such as Beep, Buttons, Don't Cha etc.

In 1995, the Pussycat Dolls started out as an all-female burlesque flavored revue that gave young Hollywood starlets a chance to be in pin-up costumes dancing to ’50s pop standards. Ten years after, the group morphed into full-fledged pop icons that everyone wants to be. Its most prominent and most popular member is Nicole Scherzinger who is half-Filipino. The group’s new album is titled Doll Domination, released in the Philippines by MCA Music. Nicole was recently seen all over Philippine TV as Clear’s newest global endorser.

A Clear Doll Domination: The Pussycat Dolls Live in Manila is co-presented by Smart Buddy, SM Mall of Asia and SM Supermalls. Official residence is Sofitel Philippine Plaza. Special thanks to ARMVET Printing Company, Inc., Music Management International and Universal MCA Music Inc. Official radio partners are Love Radio 90.7, Mellow 94.7, NU 107, RX 93.1, UR 105.9, Wrock 96.3, Yes FM 101.1 and Y101 Cebu. Official media partners are The Philippine STAR, Business Mirror, Business World, Manila Bulletin and PDI.

Get up to 50% off on your tickets through Clear's Early Bird Promo. For more information visit Clear.

Blogging, Frustrations and a Hope

Time is gold, an adage I have took for granted before I knew blogging. I have been obsessed to online games. From crack of dawn until midnight, I played along with my siblings who share the same addiction. We have a shop that made it effortless for us to go online. From then and there, I have graduated and unemployed due to my uneagerness to work. I continued bumming around, played every chance I get. Little did I know, I was unconsciously wasting not only time, in addition, money. The latter can be earned again but time frittered cannot be brought back. I grew complacent living within the bounds of the virtual world not realizing how much resources I have piddled away.

In my search for a better and more productive, I recalled my high school friend Nick, of Pinoydreamer.com. I became his silent reader and soon decided to have my own blog. Doubtful and afraid that I may not express myself very well and that I may be criticized by readers,I still pursued it. I gave blogging a shot. To use my time wisely was my primary reason to blog. Why would I play when I can hone my English reading and writing posts through blogging? That was my motivation to start another journey online.

Having my own blog is similar to having my own room. I have my own realm of thoughts, my own rules applied. I can freely express my feelings. It is through this blog that I can immortalize my experiences, memories I would like to cherish as the years would pass.

Frustrations

My life after school is monotony, until now. I am left hanging on my own indecisiveness. Frustrations encumber me whenever I assess my career. A year and a month passed in a blur with me still slack. If only I followed my heart’s desire, I won’t feel this loss. I know I could have done better and bigger if only I settled for the right decision upon entering college. My greatest mistake, my choice of career path. Fear of failure along with limited financial resources incapacitated me to study the course that would attach a three-letter abbreviation after my name. I avoided failure unfortunately I stumbled with loss. What a fate. However, I still believe everything has a reason. Thus, I won't falter dreaming and acting to pursue it.

The hope

I have mentioned already in my previous posts my plan of studying and working abroad. My hope is heavily dependent on my IELTS exam result. The band scores will determine if I can make or break into the admission of the university. What somehow soothed my frustration and painted my Holy Week rainbow was the arrival of my IELTS results. Though it arrived few days late from the date it should have been delivered, my mood shifted immediately from pissed off to euphoric. I passed the university band score requirements. That was my first take. Was it beginner's luck? I remember Paolo Coehlo saying that when you're really close to what God sent you to be here, you are going to experience beginner's luck. I can't tell if I'm close already, its only He who knows. How I wish I am..

I was doodling this the night before the exam outcomes were released. I was really anxious on how it would come out. Law of Attraction and positivity were all I thought of then. I am so much glad for the good news. It was a good start though I still have several steps to walk through.

My blogging hobby was more helpful than I gave it credit for. I owe my band scores to this online activity. Through this, I read and write a lot enough for me to exercise and improve my rusting English. The only irony was, I got the lowest band score in writing. hehe I am well aware I was not able to complete the number of words required. Surely, it was the reason my score was penalized. Nevertheless, what really matters now is that I passed, I did it! Hopefully, the next few steps required to my ultimate goal will work conveniently.

(This was supposed to be my entry for Ate Lainy's contest. Due to my ever failing Internet connection during the Holy Week, I wasn't able to post it before the deadline.)

Penmanship Tag

I have a lot of tags lined up. Promise I'll get to them some time. =) For now, here's Penmanship Tag from Abie.


Instructions for this:

1. Write down who tagged you.

2. Answer these:
- your name / username / pseudo
- right-handed or left-handed?
- your favorite letters to write?
- your least favorite letters to write?

Write “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”

3. Tag five persons.

Grab your pens and papers now!=)

Bored and back

I am online again after being dormant for roughly a couple of weeks. The last two weeks were stressing owing to the preparations I made for IELTS, the pressure the pending exam caused and the mayhem with my small business, which was another tale to tell. Thanks to heaven I was done with both, the reviews and the exam itself. I’ll be posting soon regarding how the exam had been as soon I felt positive about it. I am getting apprehensive because the results will be released by the end of this week. I am praying and hoping that it will turn out well. There will be four separate band scores for each of the exams namely, listening, reading, writing and speaking. Over-all band score will also be computed. An over-all band score of 6 and not lower than 5.5 for the each of the four exams are needed for the school admission. What dreads me the most is the result of my writing exam. I was unable to complete the 150 words and 250 words required for the two essays. I am doubtful if the examiner will give enough consideration. I am lifting my hopes up on Him. I am trying to pacify myself until the judgment day which is on Friday.

Business is back again after all computers were reformatted due to a self-replicating worm virus, Almanahe, that wiped out all the programs. It was toilsome installing new games and programs again. Luckily, I have backed up my personal and important files. One of them was this header I made for Abie. As far as I could remember, I did this last February. It was only now that I have rummaged through my usb that I found it. Though its simple, hope you'll like it Abie. =)

Quick Post; The heat is on

Summer is here, the hottest and yet the most enjoyable season any city dweller can tell. It’s the best time to have a holiday vacation at the beach, flaunt your lovely swimsuits and get that perfect tone and tan of your body. It’s the time to sit back and relax by a palm-fringed beach while eating the most wanted refreshment, our native halo-halo.

I am so much excited this summer. I am looking forward for adventures trips with my family and friends. Instead of ranting and being grumpy with the heat, why not enjoy the outdoors? Summer is all about fun under the sun. Take a break, enjoy summer!

Busy as a bee

I have been busy during the last few weeks. Evidently, I failed to update my blog. Throughout my absence, I completed my passport requirements, applied for it, went out to DFA for my personal appearance, inquired at IDP for IELTS examination and finally, I submitted my IELTS application.

What is IELTS?

IELTS is the International English Language Testing System. It measures ability to communicate in English across all four language skills – listening, reading, writing and speaking – for people who intend to study or work where English is the language of communication.

I and Adrian planned of studying in Australia. Although I have finished a degree already, I would like to study again and work at the same time. I haven’t applied for a job since I graduated. I had a small business that gave my bumming around a justice. Even so, I still wanted to give my career a clearer direction and if given the chance, this is going to be the second one.

We are scheduled for the said exam on March 21. That will be barely two weeks from now. Just the thought of it makes me uneasy. I want to pass, definitely. We answered several IELTS reviewers to give us a glimpse of what to expect during the test. We also decided to attend an IELTS workshop scheduled on March 19. The application itself is pricey so we will be bracing ourselves for that very day. Please include us in your prayers.

I will not be in attendance again online to make way for some preparations. Thank you those persistent droppers who find time to visit my blog . Sorry guys if I neglect to drop back. Still, I will make an effort for my dropping chores. Til next time!

photo from busybee

Just an update

It’s nice to be back haha. My Internet connection is blameworthy of my absence during the last few days. I lost connection without knowing what really the problem is. I phoned the operators to resolve it but to my dismay, they were of no help. They answered the same old scripted lines I grew tired of hearing every time my connection is interrupted. Sigh. Though they have plenty of subscribers, their service haven't improved yet.

Instead of ranting all day, I made use of my time. =) Out of boredom, I made buttons linked to the blogs I usually visit through Photoshop. Originally, I got the idea from Tack. I asked her if I can imitate them. It wasn't a big deal for her and she told me I should not have asked. hehe Blogrolling has been down for quite a long time now so I settled for the option.

I am not yet done with all the buttons. Just tell me if you want one. The links can be seen at the sidebar in random order. How do you like them?=)

New Template (Again?)

Have you thought you arrived at the wrong blog? Oooops. That’s a big NO. =) Of course you didn’t. If you are a constant visitor of my blog, you may have notice the change. I got my blog a new template last night. I love tweaking and changing templates because I easily get bored of seeing the same colors every time. I had my previous template running for more than a couple months so I decided to have another.

What motivated me more to change my template is the fact that I cannot incorporate the leaderboard and large rectangle ads of Nuffnang on my previous template. I have tried a quite few number of templates but none of them fitted. With a deep sense of gratification, I found this template. Yey! Finally I was able to put three Nuffnang ad units. =)

I modified some of this template’s original codes, changed its background and made my own header through Photoshop (which is just temporary because I will be soon replacing it with a gif header). I also put a back-to-top icon at the bottom. =) I am getting used to these html codes stuff. I am loving my new template. It may not be the grandest in the blogosphere but I am a tad proud I customized it.

Thank you Pastilan and Lainy for welcoming my blog’s new look. It just shows you have been visiting my blog often enough to notice the difference.

How was your Valentines Day?

Mine was uneventful. I stayed at home the whole day. Adrian came from school and dropped by the house. He surprised me with a bouquet of flowers and a “Confessions of a Shopaholic book.” I was just as happy even I expected that he has something to give because he compensates for not texting during the morning.hehe I already knew he was up to something. He’s waiting for me to storm off and at the end of the day, flatter me through his surprise.

We did not go out for a date. Malls will surely be packed with couples celebrating the love day. We decided to push through ours some other time since we have enough time.

For now I’ll start reading my new book. I hope you all had a great Valentines!

My Shopaholic Confession

Hi! My name is Riel and I'm a shopaholic!

What could be the best way to alleviate stress and reward efforts? Nothing beats shopping as the greatest therapy and treat. Way back college, I and my friends were constant mall hoppers finding the latest fashion trends and breaking free from toilsome school work. We kept ourselves updated with every mall-wide sales. A week never passes without a single addition to our closets.

Back then, as a student, I have no enough money to spare. I also have no credit card to swipe my bills on. I have limited resources to satisfy the craving shopaholic in me. Without the means, I would just tell myself that there is always the “next time” to buy the clothes I am fascinated of. I tried to hoard a certain portion of my allowance to afford the price but I always end up buying the not-much-of-my-type outfit because what I have settled for was bought already. With my just-enough-for-food-and-project-allowance, saving took me almost forever. I came from a middle-class family so I never dared to ask a higher allowance. My simple technique, save, save and save more until mall price-off events to cater to my shopping needs.

A month before our college graduation, I was given a refund. It was half of the amount I paid in my tuition for three semesters. I was qualified as a Dean’s Lister. What a reward! I thought our school administrators were shopping gods who answered my prayers. Armed with the unexpected moola I got, I rushed to the mall excitedly and had my ultimate shopping experience. I raided the boutiques for fashion goodies. I bought myself a digicam for my advance graduation gift. I am not that techie but I needed it to capture my graduation moments. I also bought few blouses and jeans for my wardrobe. I also bought Adrian his PSP for his late Christmas gift. Retail therapy has never been that easy considering that I was a student. It was very rewarding experience indeed, having almost anything I wanted. If shopping were a crime, I might have been behind bars then. I went home with a handful of shopping bags, my feet aching, my stash almost drained but it was incomparable to the different swell of fulfillment I felt.=)

The must-see movie for every shopaholic, "Confessions of a Shopaholic will be hitting the theaters soon. Catch “Confessions of a Shopaholic” in Cinemas on February 18, 2009!

A terrible day!

Why the heck do certain practices still exist in our government today?

I am still infuriated until now. My day was really terrible. Sigh. I’ll try to calm down. Here’s the story.

I and Adrian went to apply for NBI clearance this morning. We were told that it starts 8:00 a.m. so we decided to get into the place as early as 7:30. Only a couple municipal employees were in the entrance by then. They told us to come back by 8 a.m. We ate and killed time until 8am. Thirty minutes was not long enough to wait. When we returned, we were given f0rms to fill up. We saw a group of applicants waiting outside. We sat beside them as we waited. Time ticked.
8:30
9
9:30
10
10:30

Applicants arrived by batches. The number of people lined up for the application was larger. The pile of application forms was thicker. I was getting impatient by then. Imagine, two hours of waiting. Does it really have to take that long to submit an application? What instantly fueled my burning intolerance was that, I saw this guy, oh, he’s a gay, shuffling the neatly piled application forms on the table. He was rearranging it in the manner that it favors those people who came late. I saw him eyeing the men seated beside us. He was reasoning that he was reordering it for those who came early. Oh crap! Obviously, he said nothing but an alibi. In the first place, we came earlier than them and when we arrived, he, that gay jerk, was not even in the office yet. Disgusting! It was getting in to my nerves. He kept on insisting to rearrange the stack of forms while asking the names of those individuals near to him.
With difficulty making her way through the crowd, the NBI representative finally came. Oh Filipino time. Her presence did not pacify me. She started calling the names of those on top of the pile. As expected, those who arrived late were entertained first. What an irony. Irate as I was with that stupid faced, I approached the municipal employee in front of me. Though I was fuming with rage, I tried to ask politely and calmly,

“Tita, may palakasan ba dito?” (Do you tolerate backer's system here?) I know my voice was shaking. I can’t perfectly control the burst of emotions. I wanted to cry, I wanted to yell at her for her apathy.

She said “Wala naman. Bakit?” (No we don't. Why?)

I said, “Kanina pa kami 7:30 dumating pero nauna pa sila sa min. " (We were here as early as 7:30 am but then they were attended first than us.

She replied “Mag intay n lng kayo” (Just wait for your turn)

“Kanina pa po kami naghihintay. Dapat po kse sinunod na lang ung number d2 s form", (We have waited long enough. The numbers here in the form should have been used to make the process systematic) then I pointed a blank form on the table.

She answered "Di naman kse yan sunod sunod eh, umupo n lang kayo diyan at maghintay na lang." (Those forms are not in order. Just sit there and wait for your turn.)

She was annoyed with my query. I felt helpless and turned back to my seat. What a system, unorganized, unsystematic. Aren’t she not supposed to do anything? I loathed them. I have never been that assertive in my whole life. But, who’s to blame? If she was in my shoes she would definitely be heated with that kind of unfairness. I won’t settle for anything less than what I deserve and what I know is right. I even saw her colleague talked to that gay to arrange the pile again for her friend seated beside me, who, obviously, just came in. Dang! So where was that no "backer’s system" she was talking about?

Adrian was also irate. He was about to call Kuya Edwin when the man in blue, who gave us the forms this morning, drew near to us. He was surprised when he saw us. He asked why we were still waiting for our turn when he was well aware that we came ahead of time this morning. I and Adrian both spoke of our resentment. We told him that the latecomers cut into the line and they did nothing but tolerate it. Another man who came backed up and claimed that he saw our early arrival. He said he already left and came and yet we were still in queue. How could that be? The uproar started. The man in blue, shouted to tell those involved to assist us. He yelled tirades to that irresponsible gay and accused him of being biased. Well, he obviously, he was. He called Adrian to look after our forms from the pile and put it on top. The employee I talked to helped in sorting out our forms. What happened to her lack of concern? Did she realized how unjust she was?

I was thankful to the Good Samaritans. I am glad they still exists in our modern today. I was half relieved until my turn. I don’t care how the crowd thinks about me. I don’t give a damn on what that gay might say about me. I fought for what is right. I played fair and wanted to be treated fair in return. Was that too much to ask though? When we departed, we thanked the man in blue. I was pleased I won’t see that gay’s face for now, because I will be returning next week to claim our clearance.

My afternoon was already wretched. I and Adrian were still out of mood. We chilled out at the mall. Good thing I have a blog to express my angst on. I also shared my aunt of the terrible event. The morale I learned, never be hesitant and afraid to stand up for what is right and what is due.

Sorry for this post. I just can't let this awful experience pass.

photo from istockphoto

Girls' night out

I was so exultant I got the chance to meet my friends They were my college buddies, my partners in crime especially in school haha.. I miss them so much. . I miss the times when we just hang out in school chit chatting or gadabout the mall for shopping. After graduation, we barely had the time to see each other. I can not remember how many plans we had put of due to unavoidable factors like schedule and location. I do not have a problem with both since I am just bumming around at home.

It was nearly a weekend when my friend, Jen, told me that she had set a meet up with Khaye and Kat. I said yes and agreed to meet them at 4:30 that coming Saturday.I tagged along Adrian and Janus at Trinoma. I was a little late. Both of them came from school which was an easy ride to the mall compare to where I came from which was here in Bulacan. We went for a stroll as we wait for my girls. I know from the get-go that they will be late. These girls never arrived in time hehe. Jen arrived at 6 p.m. along with her bf, Allen. I was hungry by then. We ate and chatted at Krokodile Grill while waiting for Khaye. She was supposed to be out from work by past 6 so she decided to meet us up at Tomas Morato. We were full already when we went at Friday’s Tomas Morato. Khaye and Cathy were already there having drinks. Kat, who was working there, was surprised to see us. She wasn’t informed that we were dropping by to visit her. She looked for Rai and Jill who, unfortunately, didn’t make it. It was long since our last reunion and it was the perfect time to catch up with our lives. We agreed to party some other time. =)

Our get together will not be complete without these pictures:Jen and Riel
Allen, Jen, me, Adrian, Janus

Khaye, Jen, Kat, me

Khaye and Jen with Allen's hand hehe

Cathy, Khaye, Jen and me

Adrian, Riel, Cathy, Khaye, Kat, Jen and Allen

(Good thing they don't know my blog exists, they might kill me for posting their pics haha)

Wish Granted: Starbucks Planner 2009

Adrian handed me a black box. I wasn’t surprised, it was pretty obvious, I already know what is inside.

And when I opened it…. dan- da – dan!

Now I finally lay off my hands to my own Starbucks Planner. Yeah. Enough of those Google searching just to see how it looked like this year, I have my own planner to flip and scribble through.

It is nearly the end of January and the Planners are still available in Multiply and e-bay which was good for me. I have no time to fill promo cards so I decided to buy from online sellers. I looked for the cheapest one available, gave the number to Adrian to deal with the transaction. It was offered for 850 pesos but Adrian bought it through meet up for 800 pesos only. He saved 50 which were good enough because he did not haggle for that final price. The bonus? It was black. The color I wanted my planner to be. I was quite pessimistic about it because of the “running out of stocks” thingy. Well, that black is really for me hehe. Thanks to Ms. Joy from Sulit.com. =)

Not much of the market was captivated by this year’s planner unlike the previous years. But I just can’t let that this month pass without having it. Take a peek.

My awards!

One time, big time! I have several awards shared to me by Ate Lainy of Our Journey to Forever and Ate Mystique of Mystique's Moments.


I always appreciate being awarded and tagged. I feel special and remembered . Out of so many bloggers here in the blogosphere, they thought of me. Thanks pretty ladies Ate Lainy and Ate Mystique for the awards. I may not be active for the past few days but you still shared these lovely awards to me. =)

Now I am sharing these awards to these deserving bloggers:
Beth of Everything Under the Sun
Kcat of I am Kcat
Wendy of Nurturing Nigel
Abie of The Sweet Life
Cherry of Tales of Pinay Single Mom