A new discovery for me

I was not aware that there is a so-called pulse oximeter that can check your heart rate and blood-oxygen saturation levels with a simple device. I understand that this is used by mountain climbers and pilots since they are more prone to changes in temperature and air pressure.

I don't know if the device is available here but I would like to own one since there are asthmatic people around the house. I understand that the device can also help people with breathing problems so that they will be able to monitor the oxygen levels in their body without the need of going to the doctor or emergency room right away. That's really convenient and I heard that it's not that complicated to use.

I'm just happy that there's already a device of this kind. I would need to save up for it though to have one that's reliable.

Swing and Putt

If there's one thing that I miss doing with my best guy friend, Francis, it's going to the driving range to practice swinging and just sweating it all out to learn golf. It has been quite a while since we last got together for a couple of hours of swinging and putting.

Recently, I saw a pretty set of Titleist golf clubs and bags that were on sale at a sports shop. But of course, I was only there to admire its beauty but not the cost. One thing that still keeps me from pursuing the sport is the fact that it is the elite's sport, at least here in the Philippines. One has to invest on good equipment and of course, spend a lot of time on the greens (which I really don't have right now).

I can only sigh about the things I want to do and the time I need to do them. Twenty-four hours really isn't enough sometimes.

Time to read

I recently took out a bunch of books from a storage box that I used when I moved out of our family home. I actually miss reading and I really hope I could find the time to just sit back, relax and finish a good book.

I have the complete set of Harry Potter books but I couldn't brag about it because I haven't even finished reading the first one. I already know the ending of the series because my sisters already finished the 7th installment. And now that has gotten me to think that I'm really slacking when it comes to my reading time.

Anyway, if only I could find the time, I will definitely read these that mostly came out of the storage box:

(1) Flora's Lot by Katie Fforde
(2) A Painted House by John Grisham
(3) Shopgirl by Steve Martin
(4) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows by J.K.Rowling
(5) You Drive Me Crazy by Carole Matthews
(6) and about 20 scrapbooking magazines

And I'm really looking forward to the time when I can clear these out of my list.

Diet?

I have mentioned in an earlier post that I will be starting a weight loss program soon. I am actually excited and nervous at the same time because I would need all the effort and determination I could muster for me to succeed in my endeavor to be healthy.

I know that there are a lot of "easier" ways to lose weight in the form of pills and even surgery. If ever I'll be taking in pills to help lose weight, I guess it won't be bad to try hoodia. But then again, although it may be safe because it's herbal and should be healthy, I still believe that proper diet and physical activity, like exercise, together with taking in some vitamins is the best recipe for losing weight. And I'm sure a lot of people will agree with me.

Home insurance

Papa's a little bit cash-strapped the past weeks and he's quite worried about the insurance of one of their properties because he has not renewed it yet. He has been getting the house's insurance from one company for several years now but he has been telling me that as time goes by, he has been trying to consider other companies to provide the insurance coverage.

It would be nice if we could be given the chance to submit our names to be included in home insurance leads so that we could get quotes from different insurance agents which will give us the power of choice. In this way, Papa will be able to maximize what his budget is for the insurance and still, he will be able to have the desired coverage he wants for the property. I am pretty sure that there will be a proposal or two from an agent that can cover the requirements that Papa needs in order for him to decide on the insurance plan he wants to get for the property. I am also confident that with a lot of experts in the industry, I don't think we can go wrong in going that way.

Mailboxes for you

I am quite particular about my mails because I like my mails to be accessible at any time. Here in the building where I live, mailboxes are in the form of pigeonholes and I provided the lock for it to keep my mails from being stolen. It's a little safety precaution for me to protect my privacy.

In my visit to other countries, I noticed that people do take the time out to make their own mailboxes beautiful and unique. I guess that makes a statement about the house or the owners themselves which I find very attractive. Admittedly, they can beautify a house and turn a simple house into something very elegant and classy just by adding a very cool accessory such as these.

With the advent of online shopping, these home accessories can already be ordered online. There are different designs to choose from and what's more is that if you're really into it, an affiliate program can even start paying you $20.00 just for signing up. Pretty cool, isn't it? Besides, even if we already live in a world where e-mail is an essential part of our day, receiving a card or a handwritten letter from friends or your loved ones can still make us smile and happy.

Precious Photos

Since Rach and Jo have shared their photos from Patricia's 7th birthday party last August 12th at Blue Wave, I guess it's about time for me to do the same too :) It's been a while since I last went to an EB so I was all excited and very eager to attend this one. And I had a grand time to finally come face to face with the people whose blogs I regularly read.

We're gonna meet again this weekend and I am so looking forward to it. Jo and the kids are going back to Canada next week so this will really be a great chance for us to bond before she goes back.

Light up your life

Lighting is essential in making a house cozy and homey to live in. That's why when my Mom started renovating the house that she has, she she considered getting kichler lighting for the lights. When I saw their product listings online, I thought that it was really a good buy for the price and the designs, considering that they are classic and elegant. They carry different types of lighting depending on your needs. One actually has a lot of choices from their list and one might even have a hard time deciding on what to get because they are all so gorgeous and pretty to look at.

In the end, what will matter is that one is able to beautify and light up a home properly and adequately. Having good lighting inside the house is essential to keep good chi from flowing inside.

Car racing

I am quite a car enthusiast and I have dreams of driving an F1 race track on a Ferrari. But since it's a far-fetched dream for now, I decided to just have a little fun playing slot cars with Basti. We bought him a couple of those not just because he likes it but because I also fancied it in a way. I like to see him play with the cars with his Dad. It's an opportunity to bond with my little guy and see him enjoy the perks of being a child. Just like any other boy, I want him to enjoy what it's like to have that kind of toys that my brothers used to enjoy (and are still enjoying every once in a while). It's also a good experience I want him to remember when he's much older.

Truck bed liners

Having a truck bed liner on your favorite truck or SUV would surely be a great way to protect it from a lot of major damage caused by normal wear and tear of everyday use. I don't have a truck myself but some friends of mine who drive one actually set aside a budget for this accessory because they find it a need to have one. Besides, it's affordable and it's not just something to beautify the vehicle without a purpose. I also find it neat and clean to have one on a truck.

Some prefer to order the vehicle with one already installed but others look for stores that specialize in one. It's not hard to find one anyway. For as long as you know where to buy and the store was recommended, I don't think one can go wrong in choosing just the best liner for your hardworking truck.

Etincelle

My workplace is known for having a mixture of all kinds of diversity when it comes to gender, religion, beliefs, etc. So it has become normal for me to be working with a number of gay people. I have nothing against them, in fact, they are the coolest bunch of people I've met in my life. If there's one hesitation, it's the fact that a lot of them are so good looking and I will never have the chance to flirt with them. LOL!

Anyway, Marky introduced me to one of his closest friends and he has been telling me so many good and great things about Datu. His blog was actually an eye-opener for me in a way. He's gay and is very proud to be one. He is Muslim but a modern one at that. And he's been with his partner for the last 4 years and still going strong. His partner's one of the cutest guys I've ever seen and he's so lucky to have him. I admired him for his straightforward talk - no pretensions and very real. It's always a good thing to read a blog that's like talking to the person right in front of your face. That's how I feel when I read through his blog.

But if there's one thing I'd like to highlight about Dats, it's his craft. He makes jewelry. I was very much impressed with his creations and have told Marky that I'd like to buy a set or two from him. I heard that he has been long wanting to join Firma to market his creations. He actually created a new blog for his creations but he has not updated it yet as of this writing.

I just hope he'll continue to aim for that venture with Firma. His works deserve to be in the market. And I am confident that in time, he will be able to reach that dream.

On lighting

When I moved in to rent my own place, I had to decide on a lot of things when it came to furnishing and decorating it because the flat was bare and empty. First thing I had to decide was the kind of lighting I'll need in order for my house to be well-lit. It was not that hard to do because I grew up in a household where fluorescent lighting has been the standard for lighting. A lot of households use it because it eats up less electricity, it is safer to use and it provides perfect lighting for everything.

I was not wrong in making that decision. And with that, I don't think I'll ever change my light bulbs to anything else.

New pics from the Astonians

These were taken last August 10th. This is what we would normally do during breaks. LOL! Have fun viewing!

On dental makeovers

I have been watching a lot of Tyra the past few days and I have had the chance to see dramatic transformations of people who had full makeovers. I am very much amazed as to how these makeovers can totally change the way a person looks. And I wonder how much money it would cost these individuals to give their faces the kind of look that they want.

One episode that got stuck in my head was about the makeovers Tyra did for former crystal meth users. As most of you know, crystal meth can actually damage a great part of your skin and teeth. The show hired a great team of medical professionals who did such fantastic jobs to bring back the faces of the former addicts to an acceptable state. I was very much impressed with how they did it, especially those who needed cosmetic dentistry. After that, these people's lives drastically changed and were able to live a normal life after their crystal meth addiction.

You may say that the best of the best can only do these transformations in Hollywood and I don't agree with that. I have read about a charlotte cosmetic dentist who can also do that kind of work. Wherever you may be, having a beautiful set of teeth is definitely an advantage because the smile that you have is a big part of how you project yourself as a person. If there's a need for one to undergo the knife just to have that perfect smile, go for it. I'm pretty sure it's going to be all worth it.

Amazing Asia

I wasn't really planning on going to MOA last Saturday but I had to because I needed to buy a gift for Patricia. By sheer chance, I got to see Jac who was with a group that was holding an event at that time. I really didn't know what the event was and which character she portrayed. Good thing I visited her new blog address and knew what the event was for.

According to her entry she played the role of RAN Online Shaman. I don't really know what that is so I Googled it up and here's what I found out from the entry found in Wikipedia:

RAN Online is a full 3D MMORPG and it is free to play, with no monthly fees, however upgrades may be purchased. Play is controlled with the keyboard and mouse. Players can choose which school they can be part of. They can initially customize hairstyles and facial features for rheir avatar. In order for the characters to advance faster, players can opt to buy from the Item Mall shop. The shop offers items to increase experience, large quantities of healing potions, accessories to boost healing and other attributes, weapons, armors, costumes and more. Players can buy these items by buying ePoint cards or load. Once they have purchased their items on the Item Mall, the bought items will automatically inserted in their character's item bank and can be used immediately. The first few levels and myriad of quests can be done alone but high level maps and monsters requires players to team up with other players and form parties. Players can also build guilds and participate in Club Wars. While there are only four classes of characters, each class is divided into 3 different builds. For the fighter, archer, and swordman these builds are Dex, Pow, and Int. Dex builds are generally the tank types offering the highest defense and evasion gain and tend to attack the fastest giving them an advantage in disrupting attacks upon them. Pow types are just as the name implies. They offer high physical damage and tend to be slower and not as durable. Int types focus on a variety of magic attacks that tend to attack the most number of enemies. Magic skills never miss making their damage very reliable. However, they are often slower, slow to develop, and weak physically which tends to throw their stats off as they were designed to be physical attackers. Qigong have 3 builds as well but they fall under pow, attack based int, and support based int. Pow types are the same as pow based types of other types though these attack very fast. Attack based int shamans are your mage class; offering the highest magic attacks in the game and focus on disrupting enemies. They have freeze and stun skills. Support based int shamans or ECs are your standard cleric type. They heal and have supported beneficial spells or buffs. The game plays similar to most Korean games where 'leveling up' is the primary objective center of the game. This makes the formation of guilds an important aspect in the game. Parties are always formulated with a healing player or two, a clearer (generally Int based characters), and "lurers" or those that get the monsters to kill. On lower levels those with poor defense skills are often less important to a group making attaining experience more harder to gain. However, later in the game when lurers do less and less damage to as many "mobs", the clearers role is realized and are welcomed to groups. In the item mall "water" had become of high importance as it lets a person play the group popular role but then "water down" or reset skills and stats and allocate them to the desired type.

So that explained the reason why Jac looked so cute in that sort of uniform costume that she donned that day. She also posted a picture of her from the event here.

And now, for my own photos that I took with Hitch, my newest toy:

Finally!

Last Sunday, I got to meet Jo and her family when I attended her daughter's 7th birthday. They are Fil-Canadians who went back here for a much-needed vacation after 5 years of being in Canada. I also got to meet Rachel and her family. Her son, Yohan, is about Basti's age and is just so adorable. Too bad, Basti wasn't able to come with us because he was still recuperating from pneumonia. But he just loved the stuff that he got from Jo as gifts.

Of course, we had photos but for now, these are for private viewing only. Sorry for that inconvenience.

Thank you, Jo, for a wonderful party and for the goodies that you gave Basti. He was just all excited and happy about it. Enjoy the rest of your vacation and here's looking forward to next weekend for our coffee date with Rach :)

Being healthy

Last Sunday, I finally decided to sign up for a health program in the gym that will allow me to do some cardio exercises with the help of a fitness trainer sans the weights (at least for the first couple of months). I actually have 2 free sessions with the trainer. I will decide whether to hire him/her all throughout the program after trying the thing out with them. I actually asked my colleague to help me out with my exercise program because he is more knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the gym program. He gladly obliged and that's really cool. I am a little apprehensive because it's been a while since I got into a fitness program and I failed to live up to my goals. I guess what's good about this is that I have a 12-month contract with them so I'll be compelled to use it so as not to waste precious money for the program. I think that will be a good motivator for me. LOL!

In connection with this, Papa recommended that I take in products to complement the exercise program and well-balanced diet I should be taking to get back to a healthy state. For several years now, Papa has been taking a lot of those natural health supplements that keep him alert and active. Papa doesn't have a regular exercise program but he makes sure that he takes all his supplements every single day, together with his preventive medications for hypertension, to keep him healthy. So far, I cannot really complain. I did buy some of the essential vitamins that I need but the problem is that I don't take them regularly.

I still believe that a healthier life can be achieved by striking a balance between work, play and eating habits. I am slowly working my way towards that because I'd like to achieve that wellness I deserve. As always, MH's eyebrows raised on this idea but what the heck! I'm not doing this for him - I'm doing it for myself and my little guy. Wish me luck!

A long overdue assignment...

First of all, I'd like to thank Francine for dropping by a couple of weeks ago. She's a Filipina living a grandiose life in France (a country I hope to visit in the future). She has a very interesting life topped with a trophy husband who loves her so dearly.

She tagged me in one of her posts. I know I already did a similar thing before but what the heck, this is just all fun to do anyway! So here goes...

Random Facts About Me
Fact 1: I used to be 105 lbs. Oh yeah! I wish I could go back and be that thin but looking back at my photos then, I think I look better now than when I was thinner. I guess I just need to lose a little weight (say, 50 lbs.) to look even better. Hehehe!

Fact 2: I laugh easily. The corniest jokes can make me laugh. Hindi ako mahirap patawanin.

Fact 3: I was one of those who screamed for Ariel Rivera when he first became famous back in 1992. I was in senior high school then. I even called myself "Mrs. Rivera!" LOL! Talk about crazy things that people do when they're young! Hehehe!

Fact 4: I'm a difficult customer to deal with. I always complain but only when I don't get the service I deserve as a paying customer. I only talk to front liners once and if my issue doesn't get resolved at an appropriate and acceptable time frame, I have my calls escalated right away on my next call. I just exercise my consumer rights ALL the time. Despite that, I know how to compliment people WHEN THEY DESERVE IT. I even write letters to do that.

Fact 5: I rarely take photos of myself. I feel disgusted when I see myself in photos. I don't know why but that's just how I am. I'd rather take pictures of other people rather than see myself in those photos.

Fact 6: I always have the tendency to overspend. I'm such an impulse buyer. I'm quite poor in managing my finances. Impulse buying is a trait I have to minimize and managing my finances is something I'd have to improve on. Any tips? I'd love to hear them.

Fact 7: I would love to be on Kapamilya, Deal or No Deal. I bet that would be exciting and heart-pounding at the same time. I even join their text promo every night. Weird, eh?! LOL!

Fact 8: I can cook but not as good as my MIL. I adore her cooking. She's just the best!

Fact 8: Give me cheesecake and I'll love you forever.

Fact 9: People always mistake me to be masungit, mataray or suplada - snobbish. But I'm not really like that.

Fact 10: I love showering the people that I care about or love with gifts and food. I'm just that way. I'm just sad that some people mistake that as being "pa-impress". But in the end, ir really doesn't matter. I just love doing it for them.

Francine, I hope you got to know me a little better with all the facts that I've written down. And of course, this also goes to the people who never fail to drop by and read through my entries. I'm not tagging anyone in particular but you are free to inform me that you did this so I can also get to know you better.

On drugs and rehab

If there's one vice I was not able to try and do, it's drugs. Although I had a lot of opportunity then to do it because of my friends' easy access to these stuff, I chose not to for a lot of reasons - mainly my intense fear of being caught and jailed for using it and of course, I know the damaging effects that this could bring, not only to myself but also to my loved ones.

I know quite a number of people who is into the habit and they're having such a hard time dealing with their addiction. It's just sad that I had to see how these drugs have wasted their promising lives and they are still in denial up to this point in time. Most of them already have kids and yet, they are continuously doing drugs without regard for the future of their children.

With drugs, not just individual using it is affected. Friends and family members are also affected because the relationships are ruined because the user's ability to think and feel are distorted. How many times have we read news about drug-dependent parents abusing their own children, all because they don't think right anymore yet everything else still seems to be normal to them?

Genuine concern and love of family members and friends for these drug-dependent people are essential in order for the drug user to see the path to a better life after the addiction. Drug rehabilitation is still the most effective way to deal with the problem. But the user can only see that if family and friends will intervene and seek help. In the drug rehab, scientific methods are in place to ensure that the drug user will effectively kick the habit and without the worry that he or she will go back to doing it.

Counselling for both the user and the family is also essential in dealing with the problem of drug abuse. These are trying times for everyone in the family and the process of rehabilitation will only be successful if the family is open to helping the user out and each other as well. Family support at this time is crucial and will help the dependent a lot in going back to a life that is promising and fulfilling without the need for the temporary and damaging effects of prohibited drugs.

Thursday Thirteen Week 35

I miss doing the meme. I won't promise anymore that I'll be doing this on a regular basis because of my very erratic schedule but I just want everyone in my TT community to know that I miss them a lot and I'm just glad I'm able to do my 35th edition this week.


Thirteen People/Things I'd Rather Live Without
01. Crazy people - Who would like to live with them anyway?

02. People who drink and drive - Such a deadly combination of irresponsible behavior and sense of adventure.

03. Smoke belching vehicles - Drivers who own vehicles of this kind should not be allowed on the streets anymore. The environment is more precious than them.

04. Intense heat - It gives me the headache.

05. Corruption - Public servants who practice corruption should be put on the firing squad! LOL!

06. Street children - I have a very soft heart for children who beg on the streets. We have lots of those here in the Philippines and my heart just goes out to them. Why can't their parents be responsible enough to take care of them and work their @&&*$ of to fend for them?

07. Poverty - I wish everyone will have a livable and comfortable life.

08. Spam/Junk mail - When will they ever end? Such a waste of time, paper and other resources.

09. Pornographic Websites - Are they really needed? I don't see the logic behind these sites anyway. For me, they're the fastest way to identity theft and to perversion.

10. Lousy customer service - 'nuff said.

11. Traitors - For me, they all deserve to die! LOL! (Pardon me for being so drastic.)

12. Cancer - It just sucks to know that it's in the family history and I just wish this type of illness will be gone forever. We can all do away with it anyway.

13. War - There's always a better way to resolve things without ruining the lives of innocent people. I don't believe that raging a war will resolve things. It's an insane idea to begin with.

Happy Thursday everyone!

A dream job..for some at least...

I have had offers before to become a real estate agent. They say that to become one will make you rich in no time with all the commission and other fees you can earn in selling real estate property. But I don't think the job is for me. And I have 3 reasons why I think so.

Firstly, I feel that I am not "gifted" with that great ability to sell things. Although in the past, I did try to venture in those direct selling stuff and it proved to be very profitable, I still think that I don't have that charisma to actually attract people unknown to me and buy stuff from me. KWIM? I don't want to say I'm shy but it's just so not me to be selling. I'd rather buy than sell in the first place (and this is exactly the reason why I end up buying stuff I don't really need).

Secondly, I am not too good in meeting sales quotas. The pressure will kill me.

Lastly, I don't have the enthusiasm to sell property. I'd rather appreciate the stuff but selling it would be another thing.

But I have high regards for people in this field. They are the most patient and most convincing people I've ever met in my entire life. These traits make them millionaires in their own right. They can rake in more money than a bank CEO earns in a month. They can make everything seem so simple and beautiful. I guess that's a trademark they all share. And I guess I can learn a thing or two from them when it comes to this aspect.

Basti Tales #5

This was a conversation that transpired among Basti, myself and MH a couple of weeks ago while inside the car:

Basti: Dada, ka-meeting ko si Lucio Tan sa SM Hotel. (Dada, I'm having a meeting with Lucio Tan at the SM Hotel.)

MH: Ano naman ang gagawin mo sa SM Hotel at ano naman ang pag-uusapan nyo ni Lucio Tan? (What are you going to do at the SM Hotel and what's your meeting with Lucio Tan all about?)

Basti: With all seriousness and conviction: May business kami. (We have a business.)

MH: So what's your business?

Basti: Gulaman (Gelatin)

At this point, I was just laughing so hard, I couldn't help but cry! LOL! Then MH said this:

MH: Magkano naman ang puhunan mo sa business nyo? (How much will be your capital for the business?)

Basti: Again, with all seriousness and conviction - Two Thousand Pesos!

And I'm just sooooo looking forward to my little businessman's ideas when he's all grown up!

Note: Basti knew about Lucio Tan because he saw him when we stayed at the SM Hotel. Of course, Lucio Tan is one of the Philippines' most successful business tycoons, I guess next to Henry Sy of the SM chain of malls. Mr. Tan owns Allied Bank and Asia Brewery among other businesses. SM Hotel is actually Century Park Hotel in Manila where I stayed for a few days before I got my own place last December. Basti called it SM Hotel because it is located beside SM Harrison Plaza. FYI: Lucio Tan also owns Century Park Hotel.

Oh my!

It's depressing that I haven't been updating my blog for the longest time. Days have passed and people are not hearing from me. Stress has taken over my life again and I realized that I have just gone back to my routine of sleep-wake up-go to work-go home-sleep. This is just plain bad!

As I'm writing this today, there are no more rains drenching the roads but the weather is quite better compared to what we had earlier this week. I actually liked the rainy weather that we had but of course, the damage it brought to a lot of areas was another thing.

I don't have great news about my medical conditions. I had to go on half day for 2 consecutive days for my medical check-up and that wasn't really good on my pay check for the end of the month. My transvaginal ultrasound just showed that I'm still bilaterally polycystic - the main reason why I haven't had my period for the longest time now and the reason why I look pregnant though I'm not. Surgery is not an option for me at this point so I'm just undergoing some medications to induce my period and I'll have to undergo more tests to check on my health. Having PCOD (polycystic ovarian disease) can fast track my way to diabetes, which my Mom has, so I guess there's no way for me but to check that out for now. If I'll have it my way, I'll just take each day as it comes, set it aside and not worry about it anymore.

My brain MRI results were normal. However, I would still need to continue my medicines to prevent future debilitating migraine attacks. I still feel dizzy once in a while so I always have my medicines with me in case it sets in.

The feeling is just weird when you know that you're spending PhP250.00 every single day for your medication. Baka mas mapaaga pa ang buhay ko iniisip ko pa lang ang gastusin ko sa gamot sa araw-araw! LOL!

My little guy was diagnosed to have pneumonia and I'm just glad that he didn't have to be admitted. Instead, he was given oral antibiotics to be administered at home. It has been a struggle to make him drink the medicines. The clever guy that he is, he secretly snuck out the other day and threw out the content of that horrendously-priced bottle of antibiotics he didn't want to drink. Poor me! Good thing my in-laws were there to buy the new bottle. I'm just so lucky to have them helping me out support my son. I love them both!

I had the opportunity to bond with my colleagues the past couple of days. I haven't done that in a while and it was really a breather considering all the stress I've been having lately. It's just nice to stay in a cozy place, eat (read: pig out), and catch up on each other's lives. To Karlyn, Ellaine and Athan, thanks for sharing those wonderful hours with me. Kelangan maulit ito - pwamis!!!

I really have a lot of catching up to do this weekend: (1) blog, (2) scrap, (3) arrange photos, (4) paid posts, (5) bloghop, (6) sleep, etc. So many things to do yet so little time. Pwede bang maging 36 hours ang 24 hours?

Your own news

Since I don't have much time to read broadsheets that we can buy in stores, I rely a lot on getting my share of the latest news online so that I won't be left behind when it comes to current events. It's the way to go for me because I prefer to do things online anyway.

I get a lot of my personalized news from different websites. But I particularly care about sites where I can just read news that I want to read and are relevant to my interests. Thoof is actually one of those sites. It was a breather for me to read through their stories because a lot of them are light and are actually entertaining. At this time when a lot of depressing news are just saturating the papers and airwaves, I'd rather go for stories with more human touch and with more humor. I was also able to watch a couple of interesting videos like that of an incessantly giggling baby which was just totally cute and hilarious.

News doesn't really need to be serious all the time. As for me, I'd like my own dose of news to be balanced - I like that I'm in the know of what's happening around me and at the same time, I would also like to be entertained. Getting the news that you want when and where you want is just within your fingertips.

Blank Sunday

A lot of things have been happening lately that I have lost track of them too. I have a lot of things to share but there's so little time. But as always, I hope to be able to share with all of you what I can remember from the 2 weeks or so that I've been on hiatus.

I went back to work on Thursday. The 3 days that I was away from work will create a big chunk out of my next pay by the end of the month so I have tighten my belt a little to make ends meet. I hope it won't be too tight for me to have difficulty breathing. LOL!

Friday, I went out and enjoyed "pigging out" at Krocodile Grille in Greenbelt with some of my colleagues. It was fun bonding with them. It's a good breather to get to know more about them on a more personal level. We blurted out our first impressions about each other but of course, based on personal experience, these first impressions are not meant to last. These people are some of the best people I've ever met and if not for their value to me, I would have already left the company for a better-paying job. I guess, I'll stay longer with Chase - not because I love the pay but the job is good and I love the people I work with everyday.

I underwent the brain MRI yesterday morning. That chamber gave me the creeps to some extent though I'm no claustrophobic. Now I know how my father would have felt if he underwent the same 2 years ago. No wonder he opted to have an open MRI instead of the traditional one. It can get kinda creepy in there with all the different kinds of noise you'll hear and the feeling that you are alone and enclosed. The results were already available yesterday afternoon but since I had to do some errands, I opted to just get it on Tuesday before my date with the doctor the same day.

I consulted my OB-Gyne yesterday because my stomach has begun to bloat and I don't like the feeling it gives me. I have been without my monthly period for the past 8 months or so and although I look pregnant, it's just sad that I'm not. I have to undergo another transvaginal ultrasound and have been given another round of medication to induce my period. I actually hate that "I'm-popping-one-pill-after-the-other-every-single-day-again" feeling but I guess I have no choice for now until I completely subject myself to a complete physical check-up (that I don't want to do). My breast ultrasound from January came out normal but I might have to undergo another one on my next visit to the OB.

I am now seriously considering a weight loss management program not for aesthetic purposes but for me to seriously get back on a healthier physical state. I'm quite worried about my reproductive system screwing up on me and I don't want to end up having another surgery to remedy the problem again. I just have to see how I'm doing financially and I'll give my final say on this, say, in a month or 2.

Before I forget, it's my guy best friend's birthday today. Happy birthday to my "other" boy friend - Francis! Love you so much bes!!! Sa birthday na lang ni Dex ang birthday treat ko for you!

I guess that's it for now. I still have so much to say but I'll just save it for another time. 'Til the next entry!

August has come

I'm sorry if I haven't updated my blog for almost 2 weeks. Allow me to thank PLDT for the 10 days that I was without internet and phone line. They have always been very timely in answering my calls for repair that it took them 9 days before they were able to respond. They were able to fix my phone line 2 days after I called but my DSL service was brought back to life only yesterday. Again, many thanks to PLDT for their crappy service.

I'm on my 3rd day of my unpaid sick leave. Oh yes, you read it right. I'm sick again. This time, I had a major migraine and vertigo attack that debilitated me since Saturday night. I guess that's because of the extreme weather changes and stress. I'm thankful that I can now go online and just sit. But other than sitting upright and lying down, that's the best I can do for now. I went to the doctor yesterday and was seen by another neurologist who can attend to my needs. I am scheduled for a brain MRI on Saturday. I'm dreading that day but I guess I really need it since it's been 6 years since my last tests were made. Siguro nga kelangan ko na magpapayat para mabuhay pa 'ko ng matagal-tagal. I'm hoping for the best, as always.

I may or may not go to work yet tomorrow but it will all depend on how I'm feeling today. The dizziness is still there and I'm not sure whether I can handle it at work. But I hope to come back tomorrow as I know that I have tons of work to do. We're on the morning shift now so I just hope this will do me good.

Papa has expressed his concern about my being sickly lately. He has been asking me to find work that won't entail me to go on shifting schedules anymore. I told him that I can't afford to lose a job that can at least meet 85% of my bills. I almost told him that the reason why I can't let go of this job is because my husband is a bum and does not have the drive to work. It's not the time for him to know - not yet, at least.

I have so many things to blog about but I'll do it slowly as I don't want to bore you with the details in just one very long entry. I owe some people so please bear with me. I'll get to my assignments later. I actually can't wait to blog hop again so expect me to come and leave a trace in your homes very soon.

August is here. Don't you feel that Christmas is just around the corner?