I've Been Sick With Flu! Hatcchoo!!!

Photo credits go here.

I wasn't able to post anything yesterday because as I have feared, I had caught flu. When I woke up yesterday, my whole body felt weak that I cannot get up from bed. I supposedly had MORAL THEOLOGY classes, but since I am physically weak, I did not attend. I kept on sneezing all day, so I knew I'm gonna catch some serious case of colds and cough as well. I tried to do some online activities, but my illness took over my physical being. Instead of making it worse, I stayed away from my computer for 24 hours and took a rest the whole day. I went online today b'coz I got some deadline tonight. It was only one opportunity, so I thought I could get away with this for one or couple hours.

I'm a little better now but I still feel a bit dizzy every time I go up. I know this was the result of not taking care of myself - sleeping very late at night due to online activities that keep me busy all the time and not eating healthy foods on time. Although I've been taking multivitamins daily, my routine of late did not help in any way.Luckily, there are some medications available that you can take to prevent flu from seriously aggravating you. In addition to these medications, I also take 1000mg ascorbic acid daily to give strong defenses to my body against the viruses. Now, at least I feel that I'm on my way to recovery. I know I'd better be since midterm examinations are only a few days away. I can't afford to lose this most important exam week since most parts of the grades are taken from midterm grade results.

Guys, please steer away from this sickness. Influenza, or commonly called as flu, can get worse than you can imagine. It could go from 1 - 2 weeks of you bedridden. It is a kind of virus that spreads easily, so you might want to get away from individuals you know have flu. You might want to protect yourself as well by taking some multivitamins daily, plus at least 500mg of ascorbic acid or vitamin c. And more importantly, eat healthy foods well and get 6-8 hours of sleep. And never make it a habit to sleep very late at night! It brings your defenses against viruses quickly down.

So, there's my little advice! I'm off to my bed now. Goodnight everyone!

Join The Overwhelming Number Of Individuals Who Have Benefited From iLASIK

Lasik has come to be popular to individuals with vision problems not only because its effective but is a painless and fast treatment as well. But the problem is, many don't regard it as the most affordable treatment available in the industry. Due to soaring prices of gas and other commodities, people have become more vigilant when it comes to expenses. However, if you would have to think about the long-term (or perhaps, lifetime) effect of Lasik, it can be considered as the most practical treatment nowadays. Come to think of it, with Lasik, you get the results of 20/20 vision without having to use contacts or eyeglasses ever again. Now, think how much you spend on those spectacles ever since you've become dependent on them. The thing is, they don't correct your vision. They only give you temporary relief from the difficulty of seeing things but never correct the root of the problem.

That is the reason why NASA and the US Military have resorted to the benefits that the modern Lasik has given to the many civilians for more than five years. Having the goal of increasing their mission-critical personnel performance, the NASA and Department of Defense tapped the all-laser LASIK to improve vision of their personnel who are constantly facing physicall demanding conditions. A retired US Navy captain, Steven Schallhorn, lead the DOD's clinical research and studies regarding the potentials of using LASIK for the improvement of their performance. According to him, both NASA and DOD validated the fact that the modern LASIK has exceeded established standards of safety and effectiveness. So, apparently, these people do not just believed of what LASIK has claimed to be but researched and studied for they cannot capitalize on something that they do not particularly taken a hands-on.

The modern LASIK is now known as the iLASIK. Unlike the older procedure, iLASIK uses two lasers instead of just one. During the first stage of iLASIK procedure, a wave-front technology is used to map the unique characteristics of one's eyes. An ultrafast, computer-guided laser then creates a corneal flap, after which the wave-front mapping data starts to guide a second laser for the correction of the vision of one's eyes. The laser used to create corneal flap is no longer the handheld microkeratone used in older LASIK procedure. Instead, it makes the whole procedure exceptionally safe, so there is no need to worry over health risks. Most healthy adults can be candidates for the LASIK technology. It is virtually painless and finishes unbelievably faster than any other eye correction treatment is there available. Currently, there are over 12 million Americans who have undergone the procedure and so far have achieved the right vision they need. If you are worried over the cost, you may want to seek LASIK information before getting an appointment for yourself.

Friends Are Gems I Treasure The Most

After finally dragging myself up from bed, I fixed my morning coffee then went online. First thing I always do when I'm online is check my gmail to see any updates from any of my online activities (blogging, freelance writing, etc). There was nothing special in my email this morning, so I proceeded to the next list - check this blog and see who visited me from the past night/hours.

Again, I didn't see anything special, so I went on to check some paid blogging sites, like socialspark. No new opportunities for me to take. I noticed it has become hard to earn $$ from blogging these days. *sigh* Anyway, forget about that. There're so many things to do than get worried about that. Before I went off for another to-do-list - which is to take care of my freelance writing samples - I went on to check blogs that aren't on my link list. That's when I stumbled into the blog of Demcy.

I found this blog at SocialSpark because she's listed as currently owning the best post to date for one of the opps. I checked her post; however, what caught my attention was another one that tells how Demcy found $500 dollars when she was one day cleaning their closet. 5 $100 bills?? Gee, that's a lot of money! I can use that for a lot of stuff and tuition needs. Demcy says, she could use that money for her bills.

Now, isn't that pure luck? I would say, that's a blessing from Above. It's one of the little yet most rewarding things that happen to us. Accidentally finding some good amount of bucks at a time when we need money most? It happened to me several times at a time when I thought I was totally broke - finding like Php500 in my jeans' pockets when I was already thinking to ask money from Papa because I don't have anymore in my wallet for my allowance and payday is like a good 5 days away. I swear, the feeling was just awesome after finding my hand fiddling at the bill.

So, while I'm already into reading her posts, I continued and came across this friendship tag. Friends are one of my treasured gems. True friends are there for you because they love you for no reason. They become true friends for you because they accept you for who you are, no matter how you become so crazy at times. They love you without questions. And they are there when you need them most. So, I am putting this meme on this blog because I want to send out my love for all my friends who stuck with me through the years and friends who plan to stick with me through the coming years.

Here it is:

We need friends for many reasons,

all throughout the season.
We need friends to comfort us
when we are sad,
and to have fun with us when we are glad.

We need friends to give us good advice,
We need someone we can count on,
and treat us nice.

We need friends to remember us
one we have passed
sharing memories that will always last.

If you are one of the friends that I'm telling about, feel free to copy this friendship tag and post it on your blog as well. To all my loyal readers who always find time to visit my site, you are also welcome to grab this meme. And to all others who feel like they can be better off befriending me, get this tag, will ya?

So there, I'm ending this post now and I'll be back later after taking care of other to-do things. Have a nice, productive day ahead for all of us!

Charter Is Giving Laptop A Day For 30 Days!

If you haven't got your internet connection at home yet, get it now and don't let your life be out of the circulation. If you want options, try to use Charter High-Speed Internet. They got some real, neat packages available for you. I'll talk about that later because right now, I'm too excited to announce the catch when you buy or apply service from them. Here it is:

Charter Laptop A Day Giveaway

Yes, it's true. And that's going to happen for 30 days. Meaning, 30 laptops are at stake! The only requirement is to buy one of the services online packages to set at your home. Right after your purchase, you already got a chance to win of those New HP Presario C770US Notebooks. The laptops to be given are loaded with excellent specifications, like it's going to be available with Intel Pentium dual core processor, 2gb ram (now, that's fast!), and 160gb hard drive.

Then, it's not only the chance of owning one of the Presario laptops. You are also given Free, take note:Free Shell gas gift card upon purchase. Isn't that an amazing deal? I bet, you are feeling excited right now, too. So, if I were you, check out the following services below and get one that suits your needs:

• Charter High-Speed Internet - $19.99/month for 6 months
• Charter Cable TV Expanded Basic - $39.99/month for 6 months
• Charter Digital Home and Charter High-Speed Internet - $69.98/month for 6 months
• Charter Digital Home and Charter High-Speed Internet + Charter Telephone - $99.97/month for 12 months

Grab this great back-to-school deal and please hurry because promo is ending on September 22, 2008.

We Love Our Miming!

This is our Miming, the so much-loved pet cat in the household. All of us here love this adorable, cute little cat. It was always a source of joy for all of us, including papa and mama. Even if you don't want it, you would be surprised to find this cat climbing its way up on your lap. When it finds the right spot, it'd contentedly sleep on your lap as if it is its bed. Sometimes, when we are watching tv, it'd lay beside us and sleep peacefully. Miming just loves our company, and it seems it is contented by it. It's so sweet and playful. And if you notice it, it unconsciously loves posing before the camera:P
Our youngest sibling, Tito Jay (that's him babying Miming in his lap at the photo below), takes care of this bundle of cat-joy. He makes sure it is fed well and is clean by washing/bathing it with soap and water. He always makes sure this cat is loved at all times by constantly playing and talking with it. He simply loves pets. All of us do. And oh! It's not only Tito Jay who talks to Miming. All of us here talk to this cat as if it's a human being. Did I forget to tell you that this cat is also a friend of our pet dog, Simon Peter, aka Wardog? ;) Yes, it is. They get along very well, not so much like the other dog-cat relationship. Wardog wasn't around when we took this photos of Miming, so he's not included here in this post. But I sure will once I got time to take pics of Wardog.

Texas Gulf Shrimp!Yum!

It's 1:38PM and it's well past lunch time, but I haven't taken my lunch yet due to some work deadline. So, when I happened to enter the site with photos of American dishes sprawled out before my very eyes, it isn't surprising that I feel even hungrier than ever. I mean, look at these great cook off dishes. They all look great and palatable enough to literally starve your eyes and stomach. In fact, I am almost drooling now. It's a shame though that I can't have any of these cook-off dishes right now. But just thinking of these seafood dishes made me decide not to forget to tell Papa to buy big shrimps from the wet market before he goes home. I'll try to create some delicious shrimp dish, although I'm not so sure how since I don't cook.lol!

At first, I can't decide which to pick as my favorite since all cook-off dishes are served with great seafood. But since I am a BIG, BIG fan of huge shrimps, lobster, and crabs, I am picking up Texas Gulf Shrimp as my favorite now. As you know, domestic seafood is a great, sustainable dish since it has lots of nutrition you can get out of it. It is fresh and will remain fresh-tasting when cooked. It is a lot different to those packaged, canned, and processed ones.
Going back to my recipe pick, the Texas Gulf Shrimp was created by Chef Mark Holley from Texas, and knowing the guy comes from a great place, I knew the recipe is going to just yield an uber sumptuous, name-forgetting dish. If I could only fly to where Cher Holley is located right now, I would and I'd ask him to create one for me. I am imagining the JUMBO SHRIMPS with heirloom tomato relish, prickly pear gastrique, black beans, hominy arepas (oh, I love this with the big shrimps!) all assembled into one plate served in front of me. YUMINESS! Oh geez! I can't bear the thought! I must be off now and fix myself some lunch food. I am really hungry now and my saliva won't just stay put.

But before I go, let me tell you that you must visit the www.GreatAmericanSeafoodCookOff.com and check out other recipes too. And if you want to win a trip to New Orleans prize package, why not choose and vote for your favorite seafood recipe too? Try it now!

Reminder: Sleep 8 Hours

The left part of my head is throbbing, but I got some freelance writing to finish before midnight. This is yet another series of head pain attack. I know I have been careless for the past weeks, not remembering my neurologist's advice to get rest for not less or more than, but 8 hours of sleep everyday to avoid incurring the same illness that plagued me many months ago. But, I just can't help it. There's just so many things to do online. I know I am suffering my health a bit now, but, I just need to finish this freelance gig. After this one, I may be back to retiring early at night, just as what my doctor told me to do. And that means, I should be doing online stuffs at the daytime, or at early night time... but NOT at late night like at this hour. Now, that's something to talk about time management once again, one thing that I'm not so skillfull about. *sigh* Anyway, in the meantime, I'm going back to work to finish the remaining topics to write. Nyt, everyone!

At Least We Had A Consolation From Wing Wang's Wushu Gold Medal...

Tonight has concluded 17-days long China Olympics. As expected, closing ceremony was as spectacular as ever, just like the opening ceremony.

It was sad to think that the Philippine team hadn't had tiny wee bit of luck to bring with them into the Olympics game; thus, ending up with not even a single bronze medal to carry home. But, to all who got saddened by this devastating turnout, there is one thing to cheer about - Wing Wang won in the Wushu demonstration event at the Olympics Sports Center held on Friday.

Wing Wang, though the name sounds foreign, is a Filipino who made us a little proud by winning and bringing home a gold medal; albeit the Wushu demonstration wasn't officially included in the list of Olympics game and therefore will not reflect in the 2008 Olympic Games' official medal tally. At least, we found consolation in Wang for the loss of PI team. And I knew that feat wouldn't go unnoticed by the Filipino people, and the government, for that matter, when the team finally gets back home. I'm even betting he'd be declared hero of the Philippine Olympics Team.

For more information, Wang bagged the gold medal, beating 20 other competitors at the men's nangun and nanquan event. Two other Filipino wushu competitors, namely, Benjie Rivera and Mary Jane Estimar, did us proud by grabbing bronze medals after besting their respective opponents in the opening round.

So, cheers for these athletes!

Been Feeling Rejected Lately? Read here...

If you've been feeling always rejected lately, read and try to internalize what this article has to say. It's from Today's Thought, a Christian devotional site from which I am a subscriber. At some points of our life, it is inevitable that we encounter people who will love us at first but will reject us in the end. Or, there are circumstances when we meet someone and we feel rejected even without them trying to know us. If you don't want rejection to affect you, read the following:

Hand Delivered Bouquets

Posted: 24 Aug 2008 03:01 AM CDT

by Max Lucado

Through Christ, God has accepted you. Think about what this means. You cannot keep people from rejecting you. But you can keep rejections from enraging you.

Rejections are like speed bumps on the road. They come with the journey. You’re going to get cut, dished, dropped, and kicked around. You cannot keep people from rejecting you. But you can keep rejections from enraging you. How? By letting his acceptance compensate for their rejection.

Think of it this way. Suppose you dwell in a high-rise apartment. On the window sill of your room is a solitary daisy. This morning you picked the daisy and pinned it on your lapel. Since you have only one plant, this is a big event and a special daisy.

But as soon as you’re out the door, people start picking petals off your daisy. Someone snags your subway seat. Petal picked. You’re blamed for the bad report of a coworker. Three petals. The promotion is given to someone with less experience but USC water polo looks. More petals. By the end of the day, you’re down to one. Woe be to the soul who dares to draw near it. You’re only one petal-snatching away from a blowup.

What if the scenario was altered slightly? Let’s add one character. The kind man in the apartment next door runs a flower shop on the corner. Every night on the way home he stops at your place with a fresh, undeserved, yet irresistible bouquet. These are not leftover flowers. They are top-of-the-line arrangements. You don’t know why he thinks so highly of you, but you aren’t complaining. Because of him, your apartment has a sweet fragrance, and your step has a happy bounce. Let someone mess with your flower, and you’ve got a basketful to replace it!

The difference is huge. And the interpretation is obvious.

God will load your world with flowers. He hand-delivers a bouquet to your door every day. Open it! Take them! Then, when rejections come, you won’t be left short-petaled.

God can help you get rid of your anger. He made galaxies no one has ever seen and dug canyons we have yet to find. “The LORD … heals all your diseases” (Psalms 103:2–3 NIV). Do you think among those diseases might be the affliction of anger?

Do you think God could heal your angry heart?

Do you want him to? This is not a trick question. He asks the same question of you that he asked of the invalid: “Do you want to be well?” (John 5:6). Not everyone does. You may be addicted to anger. You may be a rage junkie. Anger may be part of your identity. But if you want him to, he can change your identity. Do you want him to do so?

Do you have a better option? Like moving to a rejection-free zone? If so, enjoy your life on your desert island.

Take the flowers. Receive from him so you can love or at least put up with others.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2008/08/24/ml_bouquets/

Here, take your bouquet of flowers:

The Only Thing That Keeps Me Going... YAD

I don't feel well today. I'm feeling very, very bored with my life lately, especially about going to school. It's not about my classmates being very much younger than me. It's not about the way my instructors handle our class discussion. Or, it's not even about because I don't find a regular companion at school. It's about the thought that had I been a little more responsible in the past, I wouldn't be in the phase that my life is currently existing with. I could have been in another stage, a much more productive and mature one. My life is no longer in order. Since I chose the other pattern of life many years ago, I had difficulty putting my life back in order again.

I thought I had it put back together two years ago, but I was wrong. It turned out it was only one of the hindrances which were about to test my patience and faith. Now, it's trying to pull me down and I'm having a difficulty fighting back its stubbornness. I'm terribly fighting the hidden drama of my life... the loneliness, the emptiness inside, the danger of losing of my sanity, the anger, the disappointments over certain aspects of my life, the frustrations, and the depression. They are all trying to put my life in chaos, instead of getting back in order again. I should have known this would all come along, in one way or another. But, still, I had let my weaknesses take over.

The only thing that keeps me from completely giving up is... Yad. He is what makes my life going, even with all these things trying to ruin me. He is the thing that keeps my sanity intact, even in the midst of crazy things. He is my source of strength, even after a series of failures I've recently suffered from.

Don't worry, Yad! I will continue going on with my journey. If only for you, I would keep on fighting the sadness of this all. Mommy will be strong for you... Or I'll try hard to be. AJA!

I Broke A Test Tube At The Laboratory...

Now, I did it! I accidentally dropped and broke a test tube (just like what I've imagined at the very first day of our classes:b) during our Chemistry laboratory all because of fear that the chemical mixture inside will explode on us! Now, I really am convinced that I'm not cut out to be part of any field where there are laboratory experiments or examinations going on. The world will be better off without me mixing chemicals or solutions. Enough said about hating laboratory experiments. Good thing, the assistant at the laboratory room did not charge me for the broken test tube. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to claim my meager lab fee refund at the end of the semester. Whew, quite a day for me!

Coffee Party and New Ash Gray Wall Paint At Julian's Place!

Just got back from, again, coffee party held at Julian's place. I was there with Yona, Peachy, and Jho. Too bad Talie wasn't there. Told us she's bedridden due to colds. Poor her! All my wishes to get well for you, Talie!

Back to coffee party at Julian's place. As usual, we raided the house as if Julian wasn't there to care if we were messing up with his things. lol! We brought food and a box of gourmet Nescafe coffee 3-in-1. By the way, the viva vanila gourmet Nescafe 3-in-1 is delicious. Just the right pinch of sugar added to yield that balanced taste of sweetness, creaminess, and "coffeeness."

While downing our coffee, we updated on each other's lives. We talked a lot. And as usual, Yona has something to say and supposedly that was the reason why she asked us out. I missed these guys, so when she asked me out to have coffee over at La Mia Tazza, I didn't think twice and answered yes. But I suggested to go over at Julian's place instead, so we can be more at ease without thinking of the time.

Talking about Julian's place, the wall in the living room cum kitchen is newly-painted. It's a great color pick (or mix?) and one that suits Julian's personality. They called the paint color bluish white, but according to my eyes, it's more like ash gray to me. Whatever it is, the new wall paint exuded a soft yet masculine touch to the place, just the kind that Julian needs. The color is calming to the eyes. Overall, it looked great with the apartment so we applauded Julian for such a great pick.

Till next coffee party, guys! Cheers!

**Paging Miss Yona, can you give me some photos of the apartment you took with your new Sony Ericsson 5MP cellular phone, so I can post them here too?:P).

Why Do I Miss You So Much?

I miss him...so much. If only I could hug and feel his love right now, I will. It's been a long time. And it's not easy. I wish we're together right now. But it's impossible. The only thing I could do is wait. That's it. Nothing more. What do you do when you terribly miss someone? Cry? Go out with friends? Write? Anything to keep you busy? I tried those, and it helped for a while. I buried myself into blogging and pretty kept my nose up at school. For a while, I forgot the pain. But the terrible longing and emptiness still reside with persistency. They'd grip my heart so hard that I feel like it is wringing with pain. How long will we be like this? Tuesday morning and nothing I feel but pain and loneliness... Just like what I felt for many months now :-(

Looking For A Gift? Surprise Them With A Personalized Wine Label

It is normal for us to give gifts especially during important occasions. This is true when one is celebrating their birthday, a couple is having their anniversary, a company or corporation has just went a year older, a college student has graduated, and a lot, lot more things worthy to be celebrated. During these celebrations,what are the stuff that you usually buy to give to your loved one, friend, or to your boss?

There are many choices out there, right? Sometimes it gets hard to choose what's best or what will be appreciated by the recipient of the gift. Whatever it is that you've chosen, make sure you make it special. And to make it even more heartfelt, why not personalize it? Speaking of personalized gift, I have a suggestion for you. This I'm sure will be perfect whether you want to give it as a corporate package or a personal gift to a loved one or a friend.

PERSONALIZED WINE GIFT!

Giving wine is a traditional gesture that makes the occasion more festive. But if you personalize it, you are bestowing your sincerest heartfelt wishes to the celebrant, with a sentiment that is certain to touch the recipient's appreciative being.

Now, where to find personalized wine labels?

Where else but PlazaWine.com!

Here at PlazaWine.com, you will find a variety of custom wine labels, which are available in:

• traditional red wines
• white wines

In addition to that, there is an exciting selection of:

• rose wines
• champagne and sparkling wines;
• regional wines
• kosher and organic wines
• liquors and spirits
• wine clubs

You can have most of these wines custom-touched with a designer label of your choice. To echo the sentiments put on the personalized wine bottle, a personalized gift card is also available. And while you are being very extra-ordinarily sentimental here, why not complete the package? You can choose from the following:

• wine glasses
• glassware
• wine accessories, and even
  
• gourmet food

So, whether you are looking for corporate gift packages for your valued clients, single personalized wine for a friend or loved one, make this gift extra special so they never forget you. Visit PlazaWine.com to find a host of personalized wines, which were manufactured from an award-winning winery that ensures you have the most delicious drink on earth.

With these wines attractively packed with handcrafted rustic wooden boxes, what better gift is there available to surprise the celebrator?

My Second Time To Join Blog Contest! At Stake, $25+2000EC

I have no opportunities/reviews to write about for several days now, so I am finding myself any other means to keep me busy. Since I was already convinced how blog contests can tremendously affect/help bloggers, in one way or another, I am doing this post to join for the second time a blog contest, this time being run by Jeflin's Investment Blog. By the way, you can visit this site to get tips/information on investment topics, like on mortgage, stocks, and a lot more money issues.

Yes, you read it right. I am taking up a career on this blog contest thing. lol! Nothing to lose anyway. Will take up minutes of your time. Mechanics are very, very simple. If you feel lazy now and is not up to posting about it yet, you can start joining by simply putting a comment on the author's Win $25 Cash Money! post. Then, subscribe to his feed. I've done these things already, so I already got chances to win the prizes. I am doing this post because I want to increase my chances.

So, here! If you want to get chances of winning $25 and 2000 Entrecard credits too, simply follow these rules:

1. Subscribe to Jeflin's RSS Feed.

2. Write a post spreading word of this contest. Just what I have done, it must contain a link back to the blog contest's post.

3. Leave a comment in his post and the link which you have written the contest for Jeflin to verify.

and;

4. If you win, announce it in your blog so they will know that it's for real.

Alright, hit it, guys!

What do you think? Am I winning on this one? I certainly hope so! $25 is not a grand money, but it can buy stuff for me and my kid. Or, it can add up to my savings for my upcoming tuition fee. Don't just I love that!

Yad's First Time To Fly! Part II

I've gone off-topic on that one LOL!.

Let's go back to Yad.

When we we're first boarding for our flight departure to Manila, he showed to me like he was used to riding a plane. Like, he would climb up the stairs up the plane as if he knows the way. He would look for our seat numbers like he's been in the plane for a number of times already. And, he would even point my seatbelt and tell me to wear it. I was a bit surprised, because it was not what I expected from him.

I thought, he's gonna be the shy boy not to anticipate and just wait for me to instruct him what to do on those things But on a second thought, Yad has always acted like the confident little man whenever he's with me. When we were at NAIA terminal 3, he acted the same. When he wants to go and use the restroom, he would not ask me to accompany him. He'd instead go and look for it himself. When he wants to eat, he'd only ask money from me and go to the snack bars and buy his food. The same thing when it was finally our time to board the plane going back to Legazpi airport, he went up without waiting for me and proceeded like he was a frequent flyer.

However, there's one thing that he can't hide the truth of him being still a kid. The true Yad surfaced when he has all this kind of curiosity on many things inside the plane. Yad, fyi, is a kid you'll want to prepare with tons of right information because he's always gonna bombard you with questions, sometimes with out-of-this-world ones, and follow-up questions. So, as expected, he asked me about all these stuffs he saw in the plane, and wondered loudly why did our voices become very tiny when we we're up there? :P I almost went a little fed up with his unending questions, but you know, being, the mommy of this little man, I'm used to it.

So, there! That was my "little" experience with this first travel together with my little man.

By the way, here's a photo he took himself while we were stranded at the waiting area:
He's good at angling, don't you just agree? :-)

Yad's First Time To Fly! Part I

Yad posing before the Cebu Pacific aircraft model on the day we were supposed to depart at 11:55 AM but instead flew back home at around 3:55 PM, and landed at Legazpi Airport at almost 5:00PM. Yes, the flight was delayed for four hours. Actually, it was not only our flight but all other Cebu Pacific flights, including those that came from abroad, like Hongkong (supposedly arriving at around 6:00 AM at NAIA terminal 3 but came at 10:00 AM instead). Imagine the hassle it brought to us passengers. Yad and I missed our classes on that day due to that four-hour long delay, but that's nothing a hassle compared to other passengers.

This post, however, is not a blabber for that technical glitch, resulted from Cebu Pacific's improper organization, or according to the pilot of our flight, NAIA terminal 3's lack of proper management, lack of terminal/airport employees (as in, whatever!). Instead, I am posting these photos of Yad because it was his first ever to ride a plane. (By the way, NAIA terminal 3 opened business only on the 1st of August, so it was also our first there. The place is spectacular, one that you can compare to other international airports, I believe). I know he was so excited at the thought of flying, but he was good at hiding it.

Which led me thinking, Yad is really a man to contain his excitement and to never show his true feelings. I mean, showing enthusiasm is, most of the time, a girlie thing, right girls? Boys seldom allow us to know it, but we know deep inside they are more excited than us when something triggers their enthusiasm or interest. For them, it's like a kind of ego thing to act excited like girls. They would keep it to themselves, or act just "manly." And, that's the same reason why I arrived to the idea that Yad is no doubt a man himself. Mommy talking proud of his baby here. Wink!

Get To Know You Tag

Lately, I've been having fun doing memes. It fills in the gap when I have nothing to work on my blog. At least, with meme or tag, my blog is always updated lol!

Once again, Rizza, a co-blogger, tagged me with this one. Thanks, sis!

Here are the rules:

1. List these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.

7 Facts you should know about me... Jirl

1 - WORK: I enjoyed my previous job as a web content/copy writer for years but came to a point when work seemed like it was suffocating and dragging me just to report to the office for five days a week.

2 - EDUCATION: Was supposedly a graduate some few years back, but due to circumstances, did not. So, I'm back to school now to finish the degree of BSCS. Still thinking if I'd take a double course after.

3 - FRIENDSHIP: I got a few true friends from work, a handful or more of super true friends from college, a couple or three super best friends since primary and high school, and a super trusted cousin/friend.

4 - RELATIONSHIPS: In a serious commitment now but we're supposedly on a "suspended state."

5 - WWW: The daily companion I can never live without.

6 - FITNESS: Fitness...hhmmm...When will I ever start going to the gym to tone my body?

7 - DREAMS: To have my own-bought home, a car, a dog, a cat, and a bowl/aquarium with my pet fish. I'd also want to settle with a happy, contented, comfortable life with my hubby and children.

Now, it's time to pass this tag. KR, Mayan, Lyn, Yona, Peach, Sally, Ryan.

I Hope I Win $50.00 From This Contest!

I was checking my Entrecard a few hours ago to see who dropped on my site so I can drop on their ECs too when my attention caught the site of dablogger because of a contest that says a very simple mechanism but with prizes you can win to as much as $50. I happened to stumble one post from this site, entitled "Use Contests To Make Money Online", which what would be the reason to convince me to join.

Guys, let me tell you how I previously treated those sites which invited me to join their contests. Every time I was sent an email/notification to join a certain site's contest by simply doing this and that, I don't give it a long thought whether I should accept or pass the invitation, perhaps because I never took these contests seriously. I always ignore it, or sometimes, I would consider for a brief moment but always ended procrastinating instead thinking I could do it a little later. But what will happen was it will be forever shoved at the farthest back of my mind and never remembered doing it at all.

But after reading that post from dablogger.com, I was automatically convinced by the author. Indeed, how else would you want to earn money than using blog contests? I mean, there may be other sources to earn income online, but they aren't always available. Now, you have it, now you don't. I know, most of you experience this dilemma, right? It's sometimes that hard, especially to bloggers who aren't resourceful enough to find means. So, adding a little effort to make money won't hurt, would it?

So, right! By entering or joining a certain blog contest, you are at least opening yourself to a potential of winning; thus, earning money, or let's say, in kind (like EC credits, a banner to their site, etc). What's good about this stuff is that, they don't demand too much from you to join the contest. Normally, they would only ask you to give comment/s for the post, subscribe to their feeds, and as an option and to earn more points, write a post with a link.

Prizes aren't always grand, but hey! $50 can buy you stuffs, right? Besides, if you want to join the contest but do not want further time taken away from you, you can always simply put comment or subscribe to the site, and that's it! Could take couple of minutes, or even less, but you've earned yourself points and a chance to win any of the prizes.

Now, as you can see, this post is done to tell my readers why you should try joining blog contests as well. But, on top of that, am joining "Win $50.00 Paypal for Commenting" contest. This is my first time to ever enter a blog contest, and I really am so excited! Let's see if this first time will give me another first time of winning $50.00. Of course, I'll update you, guys! So, stay tuned and help me pray I win this, alright?

Wen Told Me To Beat Irresponsible and Slothful Ways...

I feel bad today. I didn't attend all classes for this day. It was not my intention, but this morning, I didn't notice time was clicking quite fast. I woke up at 7:45AM, one and a half hours before my first class of the day. But before I went out my room to prepare, I went online to work on a post thinking I could finish it for like 10 minutes and still have enough time not to be late. I was so engrossed with it that I didn't even bother looking at the clock. When I finished, darn, it's almost 9 in the morning. Since I knew I'm gonna be late for the class, I decided not to attend. Instead, continued working with my blog and thought of attending my second class, which is at 1:00 in the afternoon. Two hours before the time, I got up from my desktop to take a bath, eat lunch, and get dressed. I was able to finish at ten minutes before 1:00PM. I was on my way out to take the ride to school, but lazy me strikes again! I didn't even reach a quarter of the distance from our house to the rides' location as I went back home because I can't bear the temperature. It's so hot, I almost wanted to cry because of the discomfort. So, again, I did not attend the second class and decided I will with the third one, which is at 4:00PM. But at exactly 4:17PM, I'm still here in my front of my desktop. Obviously, I've no desire to get up and go to school. I'm feeling really low because of my irresponsible and slothful ways:( I want to finish my degree this school year, but I've been committing absences lately. I remember Wen, a close friend and former officemate, now. She used to tell me to fight these attitudes of mine, because in the end, it is only me who's gonna decide what to do with my life. I miss you, Wen! How I wish we could meet one of these days.

Let's All Be Nutty for Once In A While!

Most of the time, I'm a serious person. Meaning, I treat everything that happens around me as a serious matter to be considered at. It doesn't mean, however, that I am what you would call a kill joy individual. Though, I always have this tendency to explain things in a rational way, I have some weird, or what RD would call, quirky things about me. First, I cry easily and that is the reason why it has always been hard for me to engage in a heated argument, as even before I can lay down all my arguments/points I’m already sobbing hard. Second, I laugh easily, even on small, corny jokes. Sometimes, I become the easiest person to laugh on things.

I had my silly or stupid moments as well. Did it happen on you when you were saying the wrong things (wrong things include wrong grammar, silly lines, etc) in front of all people and you just wish you'd shrink in the ground where you were standing because of extreme embarrassment? I did! It was one Christmas event with co-workers at a company I used to work with.

I was selected as one of the 10 best-dressed/costumed participants. When it was my turn to say a few lines about my costume/character, my heart was already beating fast even before I could talk so that all that I’ve been blabbering about were not only inappropriate things, but matched with wrong grammar. I was aware of it, you know. It’s just that I couldn't talk further to correct my words because I was already shaking due to nervousness. Until now, I can’t imagine this most embarrassing moment happened to me. Me, the Jirlie who likes everyone to see her as the neat, serious, and coherent woman was seen/heard with such quirky stuff?

But, yes! No one’s perfect! We all had our share of embarrassing moments, in one way or another. I know we almost wanted to kill ourselves during those times, but what the heck! What's important is to always remember that no matter how stupid we may think we look or feel, people are busy with their own stuff it’s most likely they never paid attention. I got other weird things about me, but I think, that's enough for my embarrassment. Now, table's on you! You got nutty side in you, I'm certain, yes? Why don’t you share it at Reader's Digest? Are You Normal or Nuts? You want to read stuff about nuttiness, quirkiness, and even stupidity? Right! There is a section called Are You Normal or Nuts? in Reader's Digest Laughs. C'mon now! Let's all be nutty for once in a while!

A Belated Happy 1st Birthday To Baby Zyv!

Mommy Burns holding Baby Zyv as he blows his very first birthday candle.

A late post it is, but as they say, better late than never. Hehehe!

A BIG, BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY ZYV! Kuya Yad and I love you very much! Hope you grow into a fine young man, just like your Kuya Yad:). As what Jollibee had wished for you, we also want to give our birthday wish for you of good health, good heart, intelligence, and good looks! Hope Papa God gives you a gift of many birthdays to come and celebrate.
Mommy Burns and Baby Zyv posing with Jollibee before the camera. Tita Ninang Jirl at the back:)

Why Opt For Expensive Ones, When You Can Have Stylish Presciption Glasses at ZenniOptical?

wIf you want stylish, prescription glasses without the high costs, look for $ 8 Zenni Optical Rx Eyeglasses. ZenniOptical.com offers them in a wide range. Aside from that, here, you will find different kinds of stylish prescription eyeglasses. There are huge selections of frames. Whether you are looking for a pair of single vision lens, bifocal lens, progressive lens, or sunsensor lens, you will find them here in this website. And to those who love wearing and protecting their eyes against the damaging rays of the sun, there are tinted sunglasses lens available as well. These glasses are all made fashionably stylish similar to those available from different famous, signature brands. However, you don't need to buy expensive items if you want to look great. With the eyeglasses and sunglasses from ZenniOptical, you'll look great without necessarily burning a hole in your pocket.

A pair of $ 8 Zenni Optical Rx Eyeglasses is not only a practical but great choice for fashionistas as well. As far as I know, Zenni has already made its name as famous as other brands. So, it isn't the question of what's more famous or not. The question is whether you could look great with a pair of affordable glasses or not. If you do, then certainly, why opt for a stylish yet exaggeratingly expensive eyeglasses when you can have the same from Zenni Optical? I, personally, would like to start looking at the website to check eyeglasses (maybe to replace my old pair) and sunglasses (I'm a great fan of sunglasses) for myself. In an era when gas prices are constantly going up, it sure is a practical thing to look for things that are affordable yet were not sacrificed with aesthetic element. I'm sure you'd love avoiding wasting extra dollars also, so why don't you do the same?

PhiLOPSophy - By Olops

Finally, after many months of prodding to create his own blog, and a few months of asking to "release" it to the circulation, Olops, a former officemate, has it now:

PhiLOPSophy - Reason, Law, Love, Faith, Life!

Yes, he had started it some few months ago (and I wasn't aware it was on April, he's good at hiding fyi), but it was only recently when he officially sent this site available for viewing by the public.

Although there were no ribbon cutting ceremony, exhibit, and the effects lol, "The Grand Launching," which took place yesterday, was quite a much-awaited event:D And was I so glad to finally able to learn that he is, after all, working hard and serious in getting himself involved in the blogosphere. Just looking at the layout of the site, and the blog title itself (I mean, literally), you could already tell that the owner is a man. Moreso after reading the posts, there is no doubt, it is Olops.

So, to all our former officemates and friends, here is your chance to look deeper into Olops' essence ;) Visit the site and find it out in his posts. And, of course, help him make his site work better its way up in the blogosphere by linking this url: http://philopsophy.blogspot.com/ to your site.

A big WELCOME for you, phiLOPSophy!

Get That Magical Feeling With Victory Hair

I wouldn't have thought playing in this little fun heart game, called, Extreme Style by VO5 Ultimate Flirting Championship can be so much fun had I not tried it. I tried it several times, and I'll tell you, it is really, really fun. If you are someone who looks into flirting as fun and an art, then this game is also intended for you. It is called as such as it is designed to individuals who want to learn what kind of flirting would have turned on the opposite sex. You know what is Victory Hair, right? If you don't, it's the magical moment when you and the other attractive opposite sex both wear stylish and pretty hairstyle. You both got attracted to each other and in the process your hair got entangled with each other, creating that magical feeling in between the two of you. I would have love that to happen with me. Say, maybe when we're in a dinner and I asked permission to go the ladies room to freshen up. And then, the same thing happens. Woossh! Romantic, magical air swooshes and suddenly his eyes are magneted on me, then he stands and reaches out to look at my eyes. Oh my! I could imagine how great that feeling would be. You want that wonderful feeling? Then get this widget on your site, or go to the website of this Ultimate Flirting Championship and get tips how you can flirt with style. Check below:

Describe my day tag... how's yours?

I got this tag from my fellow blogger, called, Rizza. Thanks for this, sis!

Here we are:

Rules
1. List 6 things that describe yourself today or yesterday.
2. Add your blog to the list. Feel free to add all your other blogs.
3. Tag other online friends you know.

I would like to describe what happened to me yesterday, here it goes:

1. We have no classes because it was the feast of St. Dominic De Guzman.

2. Was just in front of my desktop all day. Turned it off for a while to rest. Come evening, at around 7:00PM, turned it on again.

3. As usual, online all night to update all my online accounts, sites, and some social network sites.

4. Got two opp yesterday to post on my blog. Not much, but enough to add to my Paypal fund.

5. Played computer games until my eyes and hands got really, really tired.

6. Did not stop playing until past 1:ooAM. Got classes the following morning at 9:00AM, so you could say I was a little groggy this morning from last night's lack of sleep.

I know, there's nothing much significant that happened yesterday, instead, it was just one of my lazy, bumming days.

So, now, I would like to tag some of my closest blogger friends – Bem, Lyn, Maidz, Celebritycarwatcher, Flo, Ry, Mayan.

I'm Gonna Check Out Smart Glove Before Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Hits Me

As former employees who were always in front of the computer typing and finishing articles, we used to worry about contracting the disease, called, carpal tunnel syndrome, which is not a far possibility since our wrists and fingers weren't protected from the constant stress and pressure. We were one day forced to look how it is when someone's stricken with such illness when another sent us a group email warning us about it. Complete with a drawing of a hand, with too gross details describing what happens after the syndrome hits you and one that I've no stomach to look at for long, we got a little afraid because we we're using our hands and fingers to move the computer mouse and type words 9 hours a day, 5 days a week without any sort of protection.

Some, including me, even work on their computers way longer than 9 hours everyday and at weekends because of freelance jobs. We didn't know yet what treatment is possible for the syndrome, so was I so relieved when I got the chance to write about Smart Glove by Imak. The glove was a spectacular innovation made to protect our hands from the pain of working on our keyboards for a longer time. When worn, it helps curb the pain eliminating the possibility of having carpal tunnel syndrome. Aside from the Smart Glove meant for carpal tunnel relief, there are other comfortable orthopedic products that Imak offers to the buying public. Whether you are suffering a minor wrist pain, tendinitis, neck, back and knees pain, sinus pain, arthritis, and even migraine, the orthopedic products are a pain reliever that helps avoid repetitive occurence of these illnesses.

Now that I've found this pain relief product, I am eased with worries. I don't want to suffer from all pains associated with continuously using my wrists and fingers on the keyboard and mouse, so you bet that am going to check Smart Glove by Imak. To my friends who are involved in freelance jobs, it is a must that you check that out too. We don't want to see our hands physically deteriorating and becoming useless because of carpal tunnel syndrome, do we? It's our means to earn income, after all, right?

No Classes! Yipee!

Feast of St. Dominic De Guzman. Meaning, no school at Aquinas University, or maybe other Dominican schools/colleges/universities as well. As a student, I always feel good during no-classes days. It means, I'll have the day all by myself, and I gotta do some things, which I can never do when I'm full with schedule.

I actually no other important plans to day, so I am gonna post the picture of Burn's gift for me. She gave it to me when Yad and I went to Manila to celebrate with his son, Baby Zyv's birthday. On the day that we went to Divisoria, she gave me this Old Navy flip flops:
Again, thanks, Burns, for this pair of slippers! See you again this or early next month! I miss Baby Zyv! :-)

I Want that Delicious K-Cup Coffee!

I am very excited about this AlpineValleyCoffee.com, the leading distributor of Keurig K-Cup coffee. As you all know, I can't live without two cups of coffee in a day. It is my addiction that I can never get out of my system. So, upon knowing the site of this coffee distributor, I excitedly opened it to check what are in its store. I found out that they have not just your ordinary, everyday coffee. They have varieties, such as:

K-Cups

In less than a minute, you can have your choice of coffee, tea, hot cocoa. The cups are the resul;t of Keurig's single-serve brewing technology. It is a plastic container that has coffee filter inside, with specially-designed brewer that punctures the lid and bottom to force pressurized hot water.

Keurig K-Cups

There are over 150 varieties available for this one. Keurig K-Cups change the traditional or modern way of brewing coffee. They eliminate messy clean-ups or wasted unused coffee in the pot. Checkout their Timothy's World Coffee, or Celestial Seasonings. Or better yet, check all the others!

Keurig Coffee and K-Cup Brewers

You'd also enjoy the wide range of roasts, models, and flavors that AlpineValley.com has in its stock. You can check this out by visiting the website. You can also check their best-selling K-Cup Coffees and K-Cup Teas.

With the multitude of coffee, tea, and hot choco flavors available, there sure is a choice for our very picky tounge-taste.

I am so excited with all these caffeine beverage! Millions of North Americans were enjoying cups of Caribou, Tully's, Bellaccino, Timothy's, Coffee People, Green Mountain's, Gloria Jeans, and Diedrich. I just wish these brands reach our place very, very soon, or my kinds bring me these coffee varieties because I am almost drooling now. lol!

St. Dominic Week Celebration

I didn't know we we're celebrating the St. Dominic Week today at school. I've not attended my classes since tuesday last week because of the 2-day road strike and because of my trip to Manila from Saturday to Tuesday. I went to school yesterday, and that was the only time that I've learned of this celebration. There are many activities still in line for the rest of the week and that includes Acquaintance Party for tonight. I'm not too keen on attending on this one, but I might drop by to see how school parties are being held in this generation. It makes me feel nostalgic about the days when my college buddies were always around and on the go to attend parties and getaways. Sigh! I am just feeling excited now because I knew tomorrow is a no-classes day and I hope this afternoon too. Everyone needs to prepare for the night party, after all, and they need lots of time for that because I heard it is gonna be a costume party. Hooray for all Aquinians!

A Great Coin Supplies Site! Check It Out Too!

My father is in the business of buying and selling local and foreign antique, collector coins, in addition to silver, gold, and platinum jewelry (both scrap and whole). One thing that I notice about him is that he doesn't have any safe to put his collection. He just keeps it in a plastic or small handcarry bag, a not-so safe keep. That is the reason why I decided to look for a nice, safe keep for him through ebay. There are coin boxes available, so I might consider getting one as my gift for him. I would also refer to him the site of Wizard Coin Supply as not only coin boxes are offered but other coin collecting supplies as well. The site is a leading supplier of various coin supplies and accessories brands. It is great for coin collectors like my father because it is here where you will find complete supplies such as coin certificates, coin books, coin albums, coin holders, coin chemicals, coin cases, coin tools, and a lot, lot more. And one thing that makes this site an excellent pick is its resident coin collecting wizard, who helps customers find what they exactly need without hassles. In addition, the site features series of articles, where you will find various information and education for coins.

An Update To My Missing Metrobank Funds

This is an update to my Metrobank account's supposedly missing funds. Thank God, the funds were still there. According to Metrobank, it may be a case of technical glitch on the Bancnet ATM. In the case of my Paypal transfer, the fund was reflected in my bank account 4days after. What happened was that I panicked because according to the account history, the fund transfer was completed. I thought that would mean, the amount will automatically reflect on my bank account. But with further "delving" into Paypal website, I found out that it isn't always the case. Paypal may have transferred the withdrawn amount, but the bank to which it would be deposited may take 5-7 days before it can be completely processed. So there, just a minor case of ATM technical glitch and a little case of irresponsibility in my case. Irresponsibility because, it was my responsibility to read all rules and regulations of Paypal the moment I signed up with them; but then, I didn't. :-) Anyway, to Razhiel and Maids, and to all others who left a message and prayed with me, thank you, guys!

Non-Verbal Flirting Is More Effective...Right, Girls?

I don't always realize it, but my friends would always tell me that I flirt with my eyes only doing the works. According to them, I do it on purpose that is why I always get these men approaching and asking for my cellphone number. But believe me, I'm too shy a person to even contemplate on flirting with men. Until now, when there is a chance for a get-together, they would always remind me of that which, at some point, would lead me wondering: Do my eyes have that skill? If that is indeed true, then I would say, non-verbal flirting is better than verbal flirting. Why? It's because, with verbal flirting, there is always the tendency that you'll get embarrassed because the other party does not show interest with your "agenda." Or, sometimes, there's a risk of you saying the wrong things - further increasing the probability of your embarrassment. If you couple your working eyes with tossing your hair, I tell you, flirting would be as much natural as women were supposedly born with this "skill." I am talking about flirting because Extreme Style by VO5 Ultimate Flirting Championship has launched this fun game, which lets you create your own sexy character and then play to outflirt opponents and win Victory Hair. Or, you could be the judge, and ask the players five questions so they could answer you in a fun and sexy manner. C'mon, do it now guys! Install the widget on your site too, so you could have more fun with it!

Finally, I Got My Own Internet Connection

After four days of being offline, I'm back to the Universe of the blogosphere. And this time, I am more excited since I got my own internet connection now via DCTV+PLDT provider. It feels good to have your own internet connection. The convenience will always be there. I can visit and post on my blog anytime I want it. I can browse any website I want and I need. I can download music and movie files if I want to without anyone telling me what is allowed or what is not. And more importantly, I can have better opportunities in terms of earning online, since I am my own boss now. I got this installed on saturday, when Yad and I were leaving for Manila. Because I had to leave on that day, I wasn't the first to test-run the speed of the internet connection. I was back only yesterday, so that was the time that I got my hands on my web-connected desktop. So far, the speed of 128kbps is not bad. I can open more than five websites at a time. Loading is also fast. Overall, I am satisfied. But satisfaction over DCTV internet connection still remains to be seen. After all, this is the only second time that I got to use their services. Hope, this speed will be consistent though.

Guys, No Silly Pickup Lines, Please!

From my experience, the worst pickup line ever thrown at me was: "Of all the girls I've known, you're the one I picked to be my girl!" The moment I heard this line from this overly-conceited guy, I threw him a little, awkward laugh, enough to send him of my message, turn my back at him, and walk off. I was like, "Ugh, were you always like that conceited and always feeling handsome to think that all women are running after you?" We hate this pickup line, don't we, girls? You could have been the straightforward, honest guy who throws me a simple line of: "Can I ask you for a date tonight? If you're free, I'd gladly take you to the fanciest restaurant available in town and have a talk." That's it! As simple as that!

Guys, next time you got your eyes fixated on that lovely girl across you, be smart and don't just throw lines that would completely send her heels turning away. Do you know this Victory Hair? I'm darn sure, you'd like this better when you learn that this is what happens when an attraction forms between you and a good-looking girl and you feel like it's the sexy hairstyle you both wear that led to that great feeling, then they suddenly got messed up. Indeed, the magical feeling is a lot better than the weird one when you're always giving silly pickup lines, right? Now, want more fun? Try this Ultimate Flirting Championship and I'm pretty sure you'll get helluva fun from there! This is a game from Extreme Style by VO5.

Mommy Burns and Baby Zyv, Here We Come!

Yad and I are leaving tomorrow for Manila. We're gonna celebrate Baby Zyv's 1st birthday. This is the first time that Yad will be coming with me in Manila, so I'm uber excited. I'm sure he is too. We'll be there till Tuesday, so we'll have more bonding times for ourselves. My college friends will be there too, so I knew it's gonna be like a get-together party for us. How I just wish everybody will attend, but we knew that's impossible. Some are working abroad, while others are too busy with their commitments. It's a good thing that I am a plain college student now; otherwise, it might be difficult for me to take the time off just for this occasion.

On another story, I will be expecting DCTV people in the morning before we leave for our flight to install my internet and cable connection. This has been long-overdue, so I am personally attending to the installation to make sure everything will be alright before we fly to Manila. Finally, after many months of looking forward to getting this cable internet connection done, I was able to have my personal computer fixed (reformatted and upgraded) so everything is ready now for the installation.