Catching Up

I just saw my pile of books the other day, which reminded me of the amount of catching up I need to do in my reading. All my work on the internet has kept me quite busy lately. This explains why I still have not finished the current book that I am reading. There was a time though that I got my reading groove back. But now, all that is gone. I really must get it back somehow. I guess this just calls for some proper time management so that I can fit it into my busy schedule.

Anything Goes

Well, our lease expired as of yesterday and the real estate agent paid us a visit today to check on the garden once again. This time, she was satisfied. Finally! But she also disclosed to us that the owner said that her garden was "immaculate." Maybe that was how she last recalled it but when we took over the house after the last tenant, it was nowhere near immaculate. Not only that, she still has not confirmed whether she is coming back to live here or not. This only gives us more reason to look for another place. We're tired of the uncertainty and it is only best that we find a better place to live.

We're currently scouting the area for possible properties to transfer to. As to renting or buying our own, we still have not decided as we still have to determine if we can afford the monthly repayments. Anyway, I'll keep you posted.

The Eyes Have It

Lately, J has been complaining of headaches and dizziness. He's also noticed that he can't see clearly words when they are far from him. I told him that maybe he needs to wear prescription glasses already. It's a good thing I found a Great Discovery: Zenni Optical. Why great, you ask? Well, they have offers like Zenni Optical $8 Rx Glasses. Now, that's a good deal for a pair of glasses since most optical shops sell them for more than that price. I honestly think it's a steal and these days, with the high cost of living, we must be practical. It really is the Best Thing Found: Zenni Optical.

Big Day

Tomorrow is going to be a another big day for us. The real estate agent has scheduled another inspection of the house. This time though, I think she will be checking more on the garden. J and his brother-in-law had a very busy time today cleaning it up. It looks really better now that it's tidier. If the agent is still not satisfied with the job that we have done, then I don't know what will. I think she expects too much from the garden when it really had nothing much to start with. In fact, it looks even better now than when we first moved in. I hope she'll be more objective this time. It's all wait and see for now.

Closing The Door

Well, for now, that is. And I am talking about having more kids. Having a kid is no joke. Once you enter the world of parenthood, you've got lots of responsibilities on your shoulder. I suppose Erin won't be expecting any little brother or sister in the near future yet. I guess a physical attestment of that is returning the maternity clothes I borrowed from a couple of our friends here. But having said that, it does not mean we don't want Erin to have a younger sibling. We'd definitely want at least one more kid. J and I both come from big families so there's no doubt we'd want to continue the tradition, for as long as we can afford it. :)

Freebies Australia

Here's another one of my shameless plugs. :) I am just reposting this entry I wrote in my other blog.

If you are based in Oz and are a sucker for freebies, then visit FREEBIES AUSTRALIA. It's a new blog I've put up, where I compile all my daily finds of freebies found on the world wide web. I requested for samples of these freebies and I am hoping to get them any day soon in the mail. I will definitely post some pictures once I receive them so you know what to expect if you've signed up for yours. I hope you can take the time to visit this new site of mine. If you do, make sure to leave a comment or two at the site so I know you've been there. :)

Retirement Plans

I know it's a bit early to be talking about retiring, but the topic does come up every once in a while in one of my conversations with J. Without question, we will definitely be spending our senior living years in the Philippines. It is still uncertain though if we will go back to our provinces and live a rural life or if we will just stay in the city. One thing worth looking forward to is our future grandchildren. I hope the little girl and our other future kid(s) have tons of them! Oh, just the thought of it excites me. I can't wait! :)

Back at last!

Thank God my laptop has finally come home! It was delivered by the courier this morning and I am so happy it is finally in working order. That is, it can now detect wifi in our area. The report that came with it said that the service center replaced its wireless card. It makes me wonder now what could have caused the damage. Oh well, I am just glad it is finally here so I can use it.

Dreaming of Italy

There is something about Europe that intrigues me so much. And because of that, it still remains to be a dream destination to me. One of the top European countries that is a must-see for me is Italy. All that history and architecture is so amazing that I really do need to see it with my very own eyes to appreciate it more.

Maybe someday we will be able to take that wonderful trip to this very romantic country. I am sure we will be booking a room in a hotel in every major city so Hotels Italiano is the best booking site to consult about a Roma hotel, a Firenze hotel, a Milano hotel, and a Venezia hotel. Hotel hopping is also a fave of J so that will be exciting as well. We better save up for that trip so that we can visit Italy soon. :)

Thinking of Moving

J is thinking of moving our family to Melbourne. He is tempted to try living there for a change since housing is cheaper and it is a really nice city. The only thing I guess that is keeping us from making the big move is the possibility of him getting a good job there since the ACT is more like the IT capital. He says though that he will first polish up his programming skills by learning more programming languages so that there will be more job opportunities for him. Maybe he can get himself one of those used cisco so he can learn from it too. Well, it is wait and see from hereon.

Potential White Elephant

The courier dropped by earlier this week to pick up my brand new laptop. So far, we have not received any word from the support people who said that they were going to look into our computer. Maybe they too are puzzled by its networking problem.

Well, I wish they can solve the problem some time soon. And the sooner it gets delivered back to us, the better. I am hoping all the money I spent for that piece of technology doesn't go to waste.

Time to Upgrade

I just received my catalog from a well-known furniture company a couple of days ago. I must say, they really got some lovely furniture featured in their magazine. But unfortunately, they don't sell them online. It's a shame because their merchandise are not too expensive and you are sure that they are of a good quality. I wish they did have an online shop so we can upgrade and get ourselves some modern furniture for the house. Our home could use a little bit of a makeover.

Feast 176

Time for another feast once again. Better late than never. :)

Appetizer
What is your favorite beverage?
Coke zero? I've got apple juice on my list too. Lately, I've been missing iced cafe mocha with whipped cream on top. Yum!

Soup
Name 3 things that are on your computer desk at home or work.
A pen, a pad of paper to write things on, and my mobile phone.

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how honest do you think you are?
I try to be honest as much as possible. Hehehe... Maybe I am an 8. :P

Main Course
If you could change the name of one city in the world, what would you rename it and why?
This is a difficult one. It's not a city but it's a district here in the ACT -- Tuggeranong. I had a hard time pronouncing it the way they do it here when I just moved in. Maybe they should rename it to something simpler like Banks. :) Gosh, I really suck at this. :P

Dessert
What stresses you out? What calms you down?
I can't handle too many things at one time, and yet I try to multitask. I cannot be your bestfriend when I am rushing for a deadline. I need to be alone to concentrate. Some 'me' time helps me calm down. Surfing on the internet does too. Crying to let all your frustrations out can be quite cathartic for me.

Business Plans

Gosh, I have got so many plans for our other website but they have yet to come true. I am planning to meet up with my good friend G who is currently helping me update our website regularly. She is a practicing therapist so she is in the know of current practice trends and the needs of our colleagues back home in the Philippines.

At this time, my plan is to integrate an ecommerce software into the website to distribute several items online. The shopping cart software by Ashop seems like a good supplier for that since they can help set us up in only a few easy steps. Plus you can customize its look so that it still carries the theme that the website is currently sporting.

Putting a shopping cart on your online store will definitely make it more convenient for both customer and store owner during transactions. What's more, you are sure that all of these transactions are done in a safe and secure environment.

Ah yes, these are all just plans right now. They're all up in the air. I do hope they will come into fruition one of these days.

Party Planning Galore

One of these days, our printer ink may run out. I am planning to print out the little girl's birthday invitation some time soon so I need cheap ink cartridges for back up. I don't want to be caught in the middle of my invitation printing and suddenly find out that I am all out of ink.

Anyway, I hope I can find myself discount printer ink because I will be printing out a massive number of invites. I hope to find some at one of the computer shops here which also sell cheap toner. Gosh, the requirement is so big that I wish I could just send people emails. But it's the little girl's first birthday celebration and I want it to be extra special. Oh well...

Out of Commission

As I have mentioned in one of my earlier posts before, my brand new laptop is out of commission at the moment. J had done his best in trying to find out what was wrong with it, but to no avail. He has already called the support center and even they were not able to help us out. In fact, after all their conversations, they just told J to return the laptop to its box and they will have a courier pick it up so that they can look at the darned thing themselves. We're still waiting for somebody to get it. Hopefully, when it is returned to us, it will be smooth sailing from thereon.

Let's barbie!

When I think of summer, one of several things that come to mind is having a barbecue in your backyard, on the beach, or in a picnic. Yes, Aussies love their barbies. In fact, a gas grill is usually a must-have appliance in most homes here in Oz.

We don't have a gas grill of our own at the moment. But I'd certainly love to own of them that's top of the line. If only it weren't for the flies here, I would probably have a regular barbie every weekend. Cooking on a gas grill outside will definitely attract all those bothersome creatures, which is the reason why I am not so keen about barbecues. I wish there was a foolproof way of keeping the flies away while you're having a grand time cooking and eating outside.

Forecast for 2008

Let's see what the year holds for our family. Yes, we are all Pisceans. :)

Pisces Horoscope 2008 brings only good news, success and better luck in all phases of life for people born under this sun sign. The best period of the year would be the time after the month of July. Before that, small hurdles or problems may occur for the Pisces people. As per the horoscope, commitment is the main theme of the year for the Pisces people. The horoscope 2008 advices Pisces people to avoid any kind of distraction in life, as these may lead to unnecessary problems and hurdles.

The year 2008 would witness a steady rise in income for the entire period. As for the career, the stars have only positive to say about this aspect. The Pisces people are said to not only have a stable but also an upward moving career.

If Pisces people want success in their professional front then it is advisable for them to just go for their goals. Leave your comfort zone and move forward with all the energy.

Try to avoid any kind of unnecessary issues as they will only result in misunderstandings and problems in your life. The horoscope 2008 talks of opportunities for being more commitments in the love life for the Pisces people. Those who are single and don’t want to remain so anymore can be sure of finding that perfect one with little of efforts. Moreover, the horoscope advices people born under this sign to keep no secrets in their love life, as it will create only problems for them.

Source: 123 New Year

Not Well (again!)

Oh dear, I think I am going to be sick again. The past few nights haven't been easy, being quite uncomfortably hot which makes it very difficult for the little girl to sleep peacefully. Of course, that translates to me having to wake up every time she wakes up and complain of her discomfort.

The dry, itchy & sore throat is somewhat back. I was starting to feel it last night and it is still here today. Plus, I've been sniffing since yesterday. Argh! We really do need to get a decent cooler if that's the only way we can all sleep. Otherwise, I won't be able to get off this yo-yo of illnesses until the weather improves.

Moderation is the key.

We have a friend who was once a regular at the pokies. I think she went out to gamble every day of the week. It is a good thing that she has now gotten over her addiction. Otherwise, it could have left her bankrupt, even if their business was doing quite well.

I have nothing against gambling per se. It can really be a form of entertainment. They may take up different forms like the popular online casino that we have these days. What is important is to always keep in mind that in everything, moderation is the key. You will surely never go wrong if you practice this philosophy, whether it be drinking, eating, gambling, etc.

Packing Away

Our (Christmas) tree still technically up. Well, it is up but without the decors and lights. I removed the ornaments a couple of days ago and the lights were taken off yesterday. Today I was supposed to take down the tree but laziness got the best of me so I have postponed the task to tomorrow. I reckon it's much easier putting everything back in their respective boxes than putting them up probably because removing the trinkets are a mindless task, while decorating takes a bit of creativity on your part too. Well, that's that. Until next December...

Me the Suburban Girl

I am not a city girl by heart. You see, I have lived in the suburbs for most of my life. Don't get me wrong though. I like the city. It is just that I don't see myself living in a unit in one of those metal buildings or steel buildings. I still would like to wake up with the birds chirping.

Besides, I think the city is too busy for me. I don't think I can keep up with the lifestyles that city people live. Plus, there are too many people there. Sometimes I feel it can get very crowded and it is so hard to find carports where you can park your vehicle. It can be very frustrating! Well, that's city life for you. It's not all glamor if you ask me.

Still an angel!

You Are 28% Evil

A bit of evil lurks in your heart, but you hide it well. In some ways, you are the most dangerous kind of evil.

How Evil Are You?

Nice! And I thought I was such a bad girl. :P I stand corrected! :)

(One of) the worst is over

Remember how I was complaining of a sore throat and how the little girl got the bug as well? Yes, those were tough times because both of us girls were down and it was up to J to take care of us. Fortunately for us, J was on vacation leave so he was home the whole time to tend to our needs, most especially the little girl's.

I think it was a hard time for us mainly because our baby had the colds. At one point, we had watched her all runny-nosed. By the end of the week, the mucous has dried up a bit but has left her a stuffy nose, making it difficult for her to breathe especially during bottle feeding. I am glad we had a contraption that was similar to a vicks humidifier. The menthol vapors helped a lot in easing the little girl's breathing. I think all parents with very young children should have a humidifier. They're absolute life savers so don't hesitate to get a humidifier yourself.

Top Daily Earner (again!)

Teehee! There you go. As of 4:49 PM today or (12:49 AM in Florida, USA), I am PPP's second top daily earner. My quota of 3 is filled for the day so I won't be able to grab any more opps until 4PM tomorrow (Australian time).

Too bad, because like I said before the opps are a-flooding at the moment and there's nothing much I can do but wait while the clock ticks away. Let's just hope the opportunities are still there tomorrow.

Not so good news

I just got word from my mom. After having my grandfather undergone a battery of medical exams last week, the results show that my dear lolo has an enlarged heart and for the first time in his life, his blood sugar levels are high. I guess most of it is due to old age. He is, after all, turning 88 in May. But still, we are very much concerned about his health, especially since he lives alone in our provincial home in Cebu.

In a way, I am glad that they had found about this as early as now so that my family can take care of him better and monitor his health even closer. Let's hope that it is not a sign of bad times to come.

Be an affiliate

Speaking of poker players, do you know that you can earn cash by recruiting people to play in one of those online casinos? Well, now that is a reality. You just have to join the online casino affiliate program offered by C-Planet.

You can also earn commission by promoting their brands, like sending traffic to their website or promoting them through CDs or flyers. There is no need to pay for a registration fee to be a member.They offer in-depth and accurate statistics of traffic so you are sure that they are tracking the activity you generate when you bring in people to their site. Now that's another online paying opportunity again for you.

Thinking of Dad

It just occured to me that it is my father's birthday today. He is 56. We haven't seen each other in a long time, with me being based in Oz and he working overseas. According to my siblings, who have seen him recently in the Philippines, he has aged quite a bit. Maybe all that flying under the African sun isn't good for our Asian skin.

He hasn't met our little girl in person either. Then again, nobody in my family (except my mom) has met her. But that will end soon. When we come home in May, I am sure people back home will be all over her. I'm not sure about my dad though. I'm not even certain if he will ever see her in his lifetime. It remains a mystery to me.

Friend Award

Chat recently handed me this 'Friend Award.' Muchos gracias, C! :)

Resource Site for Poker Players

There are lots of things you can do over the internet these days. The big convenience it offers is that you can do quite a lot in the comforts of your home. Take for example, playing games on the internet. If you are into online poker, you can play the game anytime with a big select group of people from around the world.

Now if you're not very familiar with the game but are still interested in playing it, compokers.com is the site to visit. They try to provide the most comprehensive online resource on poker so everything you need to know about it (rules, history, etc.) can be found there.

Laptop Backlog

Geez, and I thought things were going to easier with a new laptop in the house. It turns out that we can't get it to connect to the internet. J says the wireless adapter was defective.

I find it really weird because when we got it hooked up to our wireless connection last Saturday, it was fine. The following day, an icon appeared on its desktop, informing us that it was not connected to the internet. Nothing ensued between the time that I shut it down to the time I turned it on the following morning, which makes us wonder what really caused it. J has even reformatted the laptop but still we get the same result.

I hope it works out soon. Otherwise, we would have to call their support team to help us on this.

I'm a classic!

Your Fashion Style is Classic

You like what's stood the test of time... Simple, well styled clothes that don't scream trendy. You stay updated and modern, but your clothes stay in style for a while. You wouldn't be caught in animal prints, fake fur, or super bright colors.

What Kind of Fashionable Woman Are You?

Baking Mood

I was in the 'baking' mood yesterday and asked J to watch over Erin while I whipped up a batch of banana bread muffins. I got the recipe from Chef Reggie Aspiras' book, which was a compilation of her articles in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. It was a going-away gift given to me by my mom before I left the Philippines in 2006.

The recipe was quick and easy, which was why I decided to do it. Anything more complicated than that would have made me looking in a different direction instantly.


I did not have any loaf pans, which was why we had muffins instead. There weren't any walnuts in our pantry, so it was nut-free. I baked it for 50 minutes (180 degrees C) to achieve that golden brown color. It was not as moist though as I'd hoped it to be. But since the recipe called for Banana Bread and not Banana Cake, I think that answers our question. Having said that though, it turned out to be real yummy for a bread. :)

Here's the original recipe:

Banana Bread

5 Tbsp sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 c softened butter
1 c sugar
3 eggs
1 c mashed ripe bananas
2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

In a mixer, cream butter and sugar in a large bowl for about 10 minutes. Beat in eggs, bananas, sour cream, and baking soda. Add in sifted flour and baking powder. Fold in nuts.

Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Reminiscing

Were you lucky enough to have lockers in high school? Well, I was. Having steel lockers in our school came on a first-come, first-served basis as these school lockers were only few in numbers. I think everyone who could afford it, scrambled for one during enrolment time.

It is no wonder that people had to have it because it is so convenient. You can just store your books and other stuff there, not having to take home all your things each and every day of the week. As a result, bringing a smaller school bag was a bonus! Ah yes, those were the days. :)

Just Another Meme

1. Name one thing you do everyday.
Take care of the little girl. And that includes feeding & bathing her, changing her nappies and playing with her as well.

2. Name two things you wish you could learn.
Drive in Australia (meaning, being able to drive on the left side of the road using a manual car).
Cook a variety of dishes.

3. Name three things that remind you of your childhood.
Riding my bicycle.
Patintero.
The beaches of Cebu.

4. Name four things you love to eat but rarely do.
Green mango and bagoong
Kinilaw (using tangigue, jackfruit, puso ng saging)
Sisig!
Jollibee's value meals

5. Name five things that make you feel good.
Blogging
Watching my little girl grow up
Going to the mall
Shopping
having a little bit of 'ME' time

Feel free to tag yourself on this. :)

The Year That Was

I got this tag from Jean. Here are my reflections for 2007. Feel free to tag yourself on this. :)

1.) WHAT DID YOU DO IN 2007 THAT YOU’D NEVER DONE BEFORE?

Become a mother to our daughter, Erin Chloe. And joined the paid posting bandwagon. :D

2.) DID YOU KEEP YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS AND WILL YOU MAKE MORE FOR NEXT YEAR?

I didn't make any new year's resolution then. Maybe this year I will. Need to work on a lot of things.

3.) DID ANYONE CLOSE TO YOU GIVE BIRTH?

Yes! My good friend Lam, my brother-in-law's wife R, and our kumare J.

4.) DID ANYONE CLOSE TO YOU DIE?

Not really close to me, but more like close to our family. He was the brother-in-law of my maternal grandfather.

5.) WHAT COUNTRIES AND CITIES DID YOU VISIT?

Oh dear, not much! It's just Manila and Sydney. After giving birth to Erin in March last year, we've pretty much been stuck in the ACT.

6.) WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE IN 2008 THAT YOU LACKED IN 2007?

Since we are going home to the Philippines in May, definitely more time with our families, especially now that we have Erin. Also, hopefully more travelling too with the little girl in tow. And yes, more time for J and myself.

7.) WHAT DATE FROM 2007 WILL REMAIN ETCHED IN YOUR MEMORY AND WHY?

The 18th of March -- the day Erin was born.

8.) WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT OF THE YEAR?

Giving birth to Erin normally without any meds, all in a span of 5 hours (including labor).

9.) BIGGEST FAILURE?

Sometimes losing patience in caring for the little girl. It can be frustrating at times as mood swings have been quite extreme.

10.) DID YOU SUFFER ILLNESS OR INJURY?

Yes! I had gastroenteritis in early spring. Had the cough and colds in the last week of December.

11.) BEST THING YOU BOUGHT?

My laptop! :D

12.) WHERE DID MOST OF YOUR MONEY GO?

My laptop. Everything I earned from paid posting was used to purchase it. Had also a change of wardrobe because of the weight I gained post-pregnancy.

13.) WHAT DID YOU GET REALLY REALLY EXCITED ABOUT?

Having our very first child, being parents and witnessing the changes in Erin every single day.

14.) WHAT SONG WILL ALWAYS REMIND YOU OF 2007?

I haven't been listening to music that much. So I'm passing on this one.

15.) WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU’D DONE MORE OF?

Sleep! :P

16.) WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU’D DONE LESS OF?

Worrying too much.

17.) DID YOU FALL IN LOVE IN 2007?

Yes, with a little human being named Erin Chloe. :D

18.) WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TV PROGRAM?

Oh, lots! But recently, we are so hooked on Ramsay's Kitchen Disaster's.

19.) DID YOU HATE ANYONE NOW THAT YOU DID NOT HATE IN THE LAST YEAR?

You bet!

20.) BEST BOOK READ?

I haven't read much this year because I've been really busy with Erin. The last one I enjoyed reading so much was David Sedaris' Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim.

21.) GREATEST MUSICAL DISCOVERY

I'm not much of music fan of late. So none.

22.) WHAT DID YOU WANT AND GET?

A child of our own and a laptop.

23.) WHAT DID YOU WANT AND NOT GET?

Time off from the busy home life and a driver's license. And maybe one of those HDMI switches too.

24.) FAVORITE FILM OF THE YEAR?

I haven't been to the cinemas in ages! I'm passing on this one too. :(

25.) WHAT DID YOU DO ON YOUR BIRTHDAY? HOW OLD WERE YOU?

We ate dinner in a quiet Thai restaurant. I was nine months pregnant then.

26.) WHAT ONE THING WOULD HAVE MADE YOUR YEAR IMMEASURABLY MORE SATISFYING?

It would have been great had we spent our Christmas vacation in the Philippines with our families.

27.) HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL FASHION CONCEPT IN 2007?

I changed wardrobes several times -- from maternity wear to post-pregnancy clothes. As to style, I am still as conservative as ever.

28.) WHAT KEPT YOU SANE?

J, television, and the internet.

29.) DID YOU MEET NEW FRIENDS?

Yes, quite a bit.

30.) QUOTE A SONG LYRIC THAT SUMS UP YOUR YEAR:

In my daughter's eyes I can see the future
A reflection of who I am and what will be
Though she'll grow and someday leave
Maybe raise a family
When I'm gone I hope you see how happy she made me
For I'll be there
In my daughter's eyes