Business Venture

I love learning, I love studying. That is the very reason why I enrolled in graduate school. I am always thirsty for knowledge and I have always loved sharing the learning I gained through the years. I always look forward to seminars and short courses our company offers to senior managers.
One thing I am yearning to learn about is computers, both software and hardware. I want to understand their language, their system. Way before blogging was included in my life, I have already been interested in computers. My husband do a lot of things with computers. His communication with his business contacts are often done through web conference and through emails. We do transactions mostly through the internet - banking, shopping online, school account, etcetera. It is almost the same thing with the rest of my family. We may not really be high tech compared to those really in-the-know about computers but we know the benefits we can get with proper use. It saves a great deal of time and money.

Also one of the ventures my husband and I plan to go to is internet gaming and computer repair service. There will come a time, in a few years perhaps, that all households will have at least one computer. We see this as a very good opportunity. We were offered a space in one of the buildings near our place which was vacated by a church mate. Her husband went abroad and there was no one to oversee their computer repair shop. She said in two months' time, they already have their ROI (return of investment). This got me very interested. What we need now is a good computer technician.

I asked another church mate who works at the IT department of this international bank if he knows someone. He mentioned a few names but he said he is interested in partnering with us. He can very well help in the technical side as a consultant. He was off to New York then for a training sponsored by his company. Wow. This boy, in his early twenties, is doing good in his chosen career. I commended him for what seems to be a job well done. Maybe a Cisco certification will all the more increase his market value. If and when our computer business will pursue, I believe it will be in good hands.

Cupcakes

I have not met anyone yet who does not like cupcakes especially if they are so good like what I have here. This is one of the reasons why I love going to Serendra. I do crave for Cupcakes by Sonja. I can only consume one though. One is enough, it's really creamy, really rich in toppings. A Sunday afternoon snack is perfect with my favorite cupcakes.

My other entry for WS is at The Mommy Zone, Liver Spread Spaghetti. :)

Red Onions

This is my entry in today's photo hunt with the theme "hanging". This was taken in one of the stores along the road in Isabela going back to Manila. Onions and garlic are hanging on the the stores' frontage.

Please visit my other entry at The Mommy Zone. Thanks. :)

Another Home Improvement

One of my goals this year is to have the toilet and baths remodeled. The last time we had a bathroom remodel for the master's bedroom was about six years ago. And the one near the kitchen and upstairs was when we moved in here which was more than a decade ago. That long. I clearly remember how my then four year old daughter looked at the videotape while doing some funny lines with all the remodeling inside the house then. She acted like she was a host or something of a television show. We were also remodeling our kitchen at the same time with the bathroom. Half of the house was a mess but it was worth it after all the works were finished.

At four years young, my daughter just picks up everything she can while construction was going on. I have to follow her every time. Imagine that. My husband and I delegated our work. I was in charge of my daughter, keeping her off wherever there is construction going on. My husband who knows more about bath tub refinishing than I do oversee the work being done. I just want it glossy, that's it. I do not care
about the nitty gritty of it actually.

She just turned ten years old and still loves taking a video of herself while singing or dancing or acting like she is in television. But I highly doubt if she will act in front of the camera while the house (or at least the bathrooms) are being remodeled. Yes, we are on to another bath tub refinishing project. I guess we have to do this every year or two to preserve their new look. I do not want the slippery of course but I want them glossy like they are newly purchased.

Looking Back

Ours is a closely knit clan. You can say we are your typical Filipino family. We normally do things together. We love celebrations, we love giving gifts to each other no matter what the occasion is. Needless to say we comfort each other in times of needs and challenging situations.

Like how it was when both my grandparents were hospitalized at the same time. I do not know if it was some stroke of faith or a mere coincidence. But the hardest part here was that they were in different places.

My grandmother on my mother's side was in the country so it was easier to look after her. We can monitor her regularly. Anytime we want we can call her doctor and ask how she was progressing. We can go to the hospital where she was confined anytime we want. Us, her grandchildren took turns looking after her.

It was a different story with my grandmother living in the U.S. then. Only my father and my aunt were able to visit her. We were constantly on the phone asking about how she was doing. We were really worried since my father mentioned that all sorts of medical equipment were attached to her body to help her breathe properly. She had pneumonia. Even so we anticipate good news every time the phone rings. My father and my aunt update us so we all know what is going on with our grandmother.

My grandmother from my mother's side went well in a couple of weeks, five days of which she spent in the hospital. She had severe arthritis so she had to be on a power wheelchair which cost quite a sum but the family pitched in so she can be comfortable during her therapy. We just wanted her to be well in no time. Used medical equipment in the U.S. are no problem but it was quite hard to find one here. Refurbished medical equipment are often a good choice since quality is assured at a lower cost. Anyway, true enough, her therapy was quick at only a month and she was back on track.

My father stayed in the U.S. for two months to be with my grandmother. She was released from the hospital after two weeks. What's good was she did not need any therapy but it was as if she did not get pneumonia when she stepped out of the hospital. I fondly recalled she wanted to play tennis right away after that. But of course she needed a lot of rest and my father was there to look after her.

Both my grandmothers are in heaven now but as a family, it's always a heart warming recollection whenever we reminisce how it was with our loving grandmothers.

Kanluran (West)

Ang larawan sa ibaba ay ang aking lahok para sa linggong ito para sa temang "Kanluran" ng Litratong Pinoy. Ito ay kuha sa isang resort, Dos Palmas, Palawan.)

(The picture below is my entry for the week's "West" theme of Litratong Pinoy. This was taken in a resort, Dos Palmas, Palawan.)

Para sa iba pang larawan, maaaring bisitahin ang Litratong Pinoy. May isa pa rin akong entry sa The Mommy Zone kung inyong ibig makita ang isa pang "kanluran". :)

(For other entries, you may visit Litratong Pinoy. I have another entry for West at The Mommy Zone.)

Band in a Mall

One weekend at Mall of Asia, the biggest mall in the Philippines and the third in the world, a band strutted their way while mall goers watch and took pictures of them. There's a marching band to make the atmosphere more festive I supposed.


Please take a peek at my other WS entry at The Mommy Zone. Thanks so much! :)

Rainy Monday

Today's a Monday but not really manic. It's quite slow actually what with the rain. It's been raining all day but I love it.

What do you do when you are feeling very sad or depressed?
I pray. I cry it out, alone, to release whatever sadness I feel. I write my thoughts down sometimes. And then I start feeling better. I have always been an optimistic person.

Who was your first crush?
I can't remember. I think he's a neighbor of mine, older than I am by three years. He's funny that's why. I was nine I think.

If given a chance to skip work for a day (without repercussions), how would you spend the entire day?
Spend the whole day with my daughter doing whatever we feel like doing at the moment. Bliss.

Thousand Cranes

The weather is just so weird. It rains then the sun shines. It rains while the sun is shining. It rains but it's so humid. What's next? Sun shines but it's cold? Harhar.

My mutterings here. I am not sure if the weather has any effect with what I thought reading the given words below.

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Intimidated :: Scared
2. Brush :: 100 strokes (It was once thought that one has to brush one's hair a hundred times before going to sleep to make it shiny. But now they say it will just reduce the needed oil from your scalp.)
3. Masquerade :: Party (Because our New Year's party was a masquerade.)
4. Procedure :: Due process (Maybe because there are a number of employee cases at the office which requires investigation which is a part of the due process.)
5. Tattoos :: Prison Break (Scofield, my hero, has tattoos all over his body.)
6. Square :: Madison Square
7. Tuck :: Nip Tuck
8. Boyfriend :: Hubby (Haha!)
9. Badass:: Chuck Bass (The bad boy from Gossip Girl.)
10. Thousand :: Thousand Cranes (Best of Hiroshima, one of my husband's favorite CD.)

Note: The first set says "intimidated", the second set says "intimated". I copy pasted the first set so there. :)

Spectacles

How long have I been wearing eyeglasses? I think about sixteen years already. That long. I change glasses every year and I usually have at least three kinds. Women, it's to complete the look.

It is time for me to purchase another one. Incredible stylish new frames from Zenni can be a good source for my new eyeglasses. Talk about good exposure. Zenni Optical was on FOX news!

I want something a little colorful to go with some of my top. But of course I don't want it too expensive, something like Zenni Optical $8 Rx eyeglasses will do. It's affordable. So, ta-ta for now. And let me browse on what good finds I can have.

Dance

The picture below was one of the intermission numbers in our program for the ceremonies in honor of the franchisees. See one of the performers on top of the two other dancers? He has some good support there from colleagues else he could have landed on the floor. That's major ouch.

Today's photo hunt is all about support. See more of them here.

And for my other support entry, please visit The Mommy Zone. Thank you. :)

Donuts

Hubby went out this afternoon for some errand and have the car cleaned. I was wondering why it took him a little longer than usual. Well, he dropped by Trinoma and got me and our daughter these.


I like donuts especially the honey glazed but I can only consume one. It takes me a few more hours for the next serving. They are just too sweet for me. But I appreciate the sweet gesture.

Hope your weekend is just as sweet. :)

My other weekend snapshot is at The Mommy Zone. Hope you check it also. Thanks! :) Happy WS!

Lizard

I missed the name but this is a kind of lizard at Island Cove where my daughter had her field trip last February. I'm sharing this as part of Photo Hunt's pointed theme for the week. Look at the those long, pointed phalanges.

My other pointed entry is at The Mommy Zone. :)

Surprise!

This year I can say I am quite successful in my goal to remember special occasions - birthdays, anniversaries, or just about any occasion special for my family and friends. I am not amiss in greeting them and sending gifts I personally
chose for them. I love it when they say their than yous and how much they appreciate what I did. It feels really good having to make my family and friends happy with a simple gesture.

As early as the third quarter I am already thinking of the best gifts I can send to my family. They live in another country and as we know, shipping packages need to be early if you want them to arrive on time. I'm thinking of what could be perfect
holiday gifts for them.

My daughter and I particularly give so much thought for Frankie. She is my niece, her cousin, my brother's only daughter. She will be almost two by December and can
appreciate the holiday festivities more unlike last year when she was just observing while seated in her high chair.

We were browsing on her pictures the other day and we saw a picture of Frankie with my brother and Santa Claus. It was actually taken in a mall. It gave me an idea of what I can send her this holiday season. Letter from Santa is a good addition from the usual stuffed toys and clothes. This would be her first letter ever!

I believe children are generally thrilled to be receiving letters from Santa. Why not? This generous, big-bellied man is a part of a child's life. Millions of letters to north pole are sent year after year intended for Santa. It would be nice to receive a response directly from the man himself.

Santa letters would make a good keepsake from a child's early years. And who knows, even adults would get to appreciate such thoughtfulness and creativity. :)

Lagoon

My entry for Wordless Wednesday. Who can tell there is such a serene place amidst the hustle and bustle of the city? This was taken at La Mesa Eco Park about two months ago when I joined the picnic of the Mommy Bloggers. It was fun!

Taking a Break Part 1

It's almost eleven in the evening and I'm still up. I'm finishing something I want to present tomorrow. I don't want to postpone them anymore as I want to discuss my performance review of my managers already.

But I need a break. So I'm doing the Monday Meme even if it's already Tuesday night here.

What sound or noise do you love?
I love my daughter's giggles. It's so cute. It's a habit to call her when I'm at the office to ask how her school was, how she's doing. I love hearing her voice especially when stress is starting to creep into my system.

I also love the listening to Apologize by Timbaland the past days.

What sound or noise do you hate?
I don't like it if our dog keeps on barking and barking.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
I'd like to have a career in Human Resource as an Organization Development practitioner. Or I'd like to write for a magazine type of show.

What profession would you not like to do?
Anything that's quite dangerous for my taste.