Missed Out

Sadly with all issues relating to the Laptop (see previous post here), I have missed out on a lot of online giveaways / contests starting out with Nuffnang's various online promotions. I feel sad that I was not able to join the Merry SM Christmas this year and also their Fern-C contest :(

I have not been using the Laptop unless there is something that I really, really need to do which cannot be done on my phone or the tablet.

However, not all the 'dead' time with the Laptop was put to waste. In fact, the times that we are not together, I got a breather from recording our expenses (whew! Yes, I have chilled a bit about this) and also got the chance to spend time with R.

Had the time to put up the Christmas tree 

We also bought our first ever selfie stick!

We went for a night out!

At the middle of the long weekend, we had a spur of the moment idea to visit the house that we have been building down south. We know we have to start thinking on how we should design the house that will suit our lifestyle.

Also, I had more time with the babies (aka my doggies) and gave them the attention they need so… I guess you can say I might have missed out on my online life but was definitely very active on the physical aspect of life (if I may say).

Unfortunately, we do not have any decent photos to document this (probably next time, we should).

It felt good and different especially if you got used to being 'more present' online than the real world (weird isn't it, I know).

So, here's to the balance in my life ;)

The Laptop and Me

After months of complaining and tinkering the Laptop, I have decided to do a clean install and bring it back to its original Operating System, the Mountain Lion. I made the decision to do this because the Laptop is not making me be productive as I want to be.

I searched the internet on how to do a clean install for the Laptop and found this link. It was easy to follow however impatient me kept creeping out during this clean install that I actually almost thought I broke the Laptop.

Eventually, I found another link giving me an assurance that I have not made a complete booboo of the clean install. Rather than staring out on the world icon to keep on turning, I decided to pester the husband instead (fortunately, he was in a good mood that we kind of goofed around).

I think overall, it took most of my afternoon for the entire process to be completed and most of the mornings the next day because it has asked me to update some components.

Overall, right now, I am a bit satisfied of the outcome of this clean install though I am still a bit irritated that the "ever-persistent" pinwheel still creeps up from time to time. Though I am intrigued if this related to the speed of the internet we currently have (note: I think 3mbps is like 512kbps now, sad). So apart from the clean install, I have also placed myself / my working area close to where our router is located.

Right now, I am typing up this blog here at our dining table and I seem to be doing well (nope, not irritated).

I hope this will continue so that I can again resume looking for online opportunities these coming days.

Have you been SCAMMED?

There are different types of scammers in the whole world. I cannot enumerate them all but it's really frustrating when you encounter one.

I am always vocal about wanting to find work online, which is why I use Elance and oDesk (now merged and turned into Upwork). There are times (most of the time for me, unfortunately) when you cannot find a decent work from their job feed or if you do find one, expect hundreds of applicants vying for the same job!

source: http://www.upwork-help.com

I know this is also the case for the 'real world' but it is more annoying when you encounter a website that promises to deliver / pay up just as long as you follow their instructions.

I did that with Vacant Survey.

Screenshot of their website

Since this is something new to me, I did research and see if there were any reports of online scams from this website, they don't have one. Though I did see people posting blogs or reviews saying that they are still waiting for their payout to be released so I was really hopeful that the website is legit.

Days went by and I would always try to log on to the website and browse through their surveys and make sure that I answer it as truthfully as I can. Also, I am motivated that I am close to the payout amount ($1500).

The day came when I requested for my payout. I was so excited to the point that I have even influenced one of my friends to try it out (however he declined and said he will wait for the payout to be processed to know that I have not wasted my time).

My request for payout was close to the date as to when they release their funds to their users so I actually said to myself that mine might not happen that month of August but most probably September.

I waited. No payout.

September came but still no payout. So I guess this means that I have been p*nked, scammed, or whatever you want to call it.

My friend did warn me about it saying that no one gives out $1500 for answering surveys but who was I to know? Their website keeps updating the payment that they have processed for their users so why won't I believe it?

Oh well... another lesson learned for me. Thankfully, I did not have to shell out money for any kind of membership.

Back to Blogging (I Hope)

Remember when I wrote about this a few weeks ago?

Well, aside from the fact that we were out of connection for four days (good thing SkyBroadband assured me that I will get an adjustment kundi major rant ito :p) due to some maintenance issues, I was only able to download and update my Operating System.

After all the tinkering and playing around, I can safely say that it seems to be working its magic on this laptop but I also had to remove some files in my computer because it might be "feeling heavy" (like a Facebook feeling noh?!) from all those photos that I have stored over the years.

So, we are still on that 'honeymoon' stage but we seem to be getting along well. I am just so happy that I get to read what I type rather than wait for it to appear. It feels good :)

Though I got a quick question, where do you usually store your photos? Is it on a hard drive or do you do half-half like store the recent ones in your laptop's hard drive and then the 'younger' days are left to rot in your external drive LOL!

Hope I can see some comments about this to guide me or at least give me suggestions on what needs to be done because I am still contemplating on investing / buying a new external drive (I currently have the following: 2 1TB drives that houses my TV series and movies and 1 500GB that has my books, magazines and other stuff that I have yet to delete / read, etc).

See you in the next few weeks because I will definitely be bugging the online world again.

:D

Slow Machine

means no blog post from me.

I have tried to make do with the slowness of my laptop but it has taken its toll on my writing. I find it difficult to write about my thoughts or blog about something when it actually takes about three to four minutes before the actually words will appear on the screen.

I have mastered the art of "typing ahead" (meaning I type even if I don't see if my spelling is right or not. I end up doing my proofreading later on when I have all the thoughts typed up). Doing this also means, I wait for the words to appear and then if I want to change or alter a phrase, I have to wait for a few minutes for it to be done.

Not only that attaching photos or posting links are becoming a pain too that at times I end up not posting photos because it takes a helluva time before it gets uploaded.

I am not sure if this is the laptop or the internet or a ghost playing around my device that is causing havoc to me, wanting to write about what's in my head.

So, now you know why I am not writing that often these days (and you thought it was the weather!! Wrong! :p)... Hopefully with the release of the new software next week, my problems will be solved but for now, I am negotiating for this laptop to stay well so that I can post this!

If this gets posted, it means we have made a deal (for now).

All Day Breakfast with Early Bird

Friends know that my husband and I love to eat out. I guess it is a giveaway because when we were still living in Dubai, I would always post our eat out in Instagram and hubby will always check-in via Facebook.

So when we have finally set foot here in the Philippines for good, friends and family have been giving us names of restaurants that we should try and Early Bird Breakfast Club always comes up. I have also seen it in my Instagram feed and I have to say their food presentation is A-class.

Hubby and I decided to give it a try and headed down to their restaurant.

I am inlove with their Italian Almond Tea. I think I will be consuming more of this and switching my cafe lattes for this drink. Their Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup was divine.

Of course, Instagram worthy foods need to be delicious or else they will only look sumptuous in pictures. I can guarantee you that the Early Bird menu is good that I want to try out different meals until I eat them all!

I actually have to thank OpenSnap for all those drool-worthy pictures I saw that I had to waste no time and ask the hubby to get the car for us to look and try out this restaurant!

For more restaurants and food finds, download OpenSnap app from App Store or Google Play.

Do you...

use your blog to gain revenue?

I do... or I think it's better to say that I try.

Yeap, I have linked my blog to generate revenue via Google Adsense and Nuffnang. It must be me... because when I have checked both accounts, I do not have enough to celebrate with a Mcdo meal (yes, even with the cheapest one or the kiddie meal).

Another reason can probably be because I am not that familiar with SEO writing. Yes, I should read more about it but I haven't done that yet - why? I don't know... (saying that makes me feel I am not really that productive)... wait! I know!! It's because I am being called by my oven to bake! I will try and post my products soon!

So, it's my fault.

I hope... I hope I can turn things around ;-)

I was suppose to

be blogging about toilets and show you the different bathtubs that caught my fancy however, in an abrupt change of weather (yeah, it was manageable at first then it became to sticky), it has taken over my mind and now, it has taken over this blog.

I just cannot wait and move to this new place where the air is fresher and less sticky.

Now, my mind cannot function properly.

I just want to document this.

*signing off* 

From Paper to Computer

I read a Poynter.org news feed from my inbox about the New Republic.

You can read the article here.

I have to warn you that it's a bit of a long read but it just made me realise how people behind newspapers, magazines and other forms of print media are trying their best to cope with new journalism which I believe is what we now call online journalism.

I remember when I was still in university, our professor asked us to create a magazine that will represent our group. We were given a month or probably less than that to come up with the magazine.

My groupmates and I argued, debated and brainstormed of what can be the main feature of the magazine and what will the other issues to be discussed as well. However before that we also needed to agree on what audience are we catering to.

It was torture because we then thought that the time was not enough because you have to book interviews, layout your magazine, get your facts and story right, blah, blah, blah.

With what I have been reading from Poynter.org and all the other news sites now, it is as if everything needs to be released in a matter of seconds (okay, well hours hahha!). If a news item is hot, there should be tidbits regarding the matter or issue until the writer and editor assigned to it feel confident to release the story -- online.

I think we cannot wait for stories to be written in print anymore. I remember how people waited for their newspapers to be delivered at their doorstep or their suking tindahan (convenience stores) so that they can read about the news (in depth or just plain reporting). Now, with just a swipe of a finger or pen (if you have a tablet), you can get your news.

It is a good thing I know because now, even news from Timbuktu (as long as their is internet) can be reported or read online.

Though I also wonder the struggles being made by traditional journalism and the journalists as well. This is what I have read or at least what was implied by the article. The previous person in charge left the New Republic because of the changes being made to the magazine.

This lead me to a conclusion that though it is cliche, it is true - the only thing constant in this world is change and this is what has happened to this publication.

According to Vivian Schiller, the New Republic seems to be going on the right direction and she looks forward to see them after a year if they were able to survive the game.

As for me, I may be a part of the milennial group (no age information to be divulged hahaha!) but I still am struggling to cope with the internet. At times, I also try to resist it (because you also need to filter what you read right --- now this thought grants another blogpost don't you think?!) and rely on what has been printed on newspapers but when news about a plane crash or an event has taken place and you really, really want to get information about it - you end up chewing up all the news the internet has to offer (admit it! You are nodding with me).

Makes me wonder if in the next few years, are we going to see the decline of printed materials being published? or will it survive and emerge as a winner after all?

Time will only tell.

One Liners

This is just what I can type right now.

The weather is really getting into me.

I need air.

It's so hot even with the rain.

I need to get out of the fan now.

See yah later.

Corazon at the New Shangri-la Wing

Note: This is already a late post because we have visited the restaurant last June, Father's Day. 

My sister and I decided to look for a new restaurant to try in the new wing of Shangri-la Mall. To be quite honest, there were a lot of choices to choose from.

We wandered around since lunch time is still a few hours away and we want to work on our appetite so off we go to discover this new wing.

Eventually, we ended up choosing Corazon.

Pardon the hair 

According to thespoiledmommy blog, Chef Florabel owns this establishment including other restaurants like Elias and Crisostomo to name a few (note: I tried opening Chef Florabel's website but I think it's undergoing some maintenance issues). A couple of years back, the family ate at Elias in Robinson's Magnolia for Mom's birthday and we enjoyed our meal there so I am hopeful that Corazon pleases us as well.

I think they only have limited seating inside the restaurant itself because we were guided to seat outside. I actually like the home-y feel of the place and what better way to entice me more? Seat me next to the desserts area!

I could not help myself but to keep eye of the Chocnut chocolate cake that was tempting me to have it even before the main meal is served.

This is love <3!

However, I was able to keep my composure and we ordered. The dishes that stood out for me was the Kilawin with Liempo (aka Toledo) and their Paella.

From L-R: Kilawin, Crispy Hito and Paella

We also ordered the crispy hito (aka Huelva). It was also good but I like the Thai version of this (the name of the restaurant escapes me at this time).

And because we were close to the dessert area, my sister and I drooled and had 3 different cakes (with a bonus received from the restaurant for a booboo that happened).

We got the Dulce de Leche Cheesecake, the Chocnut cake (I think it was torte), another chocolate-y cake and the complimentary cake.

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake and Chocolate-y cake 

I have to say the Chocnut cake / torte is perfect with coffee. The chocnut blended well and the cake was not too sweet though I feel it should have more chocnuts but oh well. The Dulce de Leche cheesecake ranked #2 for me because of the sweet and salty combination of the cake. Most probably similar to a New York cheesecake but better.

Over-all, the dishes were good but it is the desserts that really hit the mark for me.

My dad enjoyed the meal but would want bigger portions to fill him up (oops!).

Happy Father's Day Pops! 

paid this meal ourselves :) 

A family of two

I have been observing the blogging / online world for a few months now and I realized that most of the launch that I have seen are for moms - be it first-time moms, moms of twins, super mom, second mom, work-at-home moms and more.

I admire the launches that I have seen because now, I feel that mothers are being properly celebrated for raising their children, making sure that their needs are met. There is even an online group of mommies who support one another, by giving out suggestions from what they read or based on their experience - if what they are doing is good for their child or not.

However, I notice, there isn't any blog or group that celebrates women who are just wives for now - no children as of yet. I do not know if this group falls under being a career woman?

I mean have you read an article or a blog about a wife being praised for a good meal? Or any advise being given to a newly married woman about what are the do's and don'ts when you do the laundry or when you go to the wet market?

Probably there is that unspoken rule wherein married couples need to jump to the next step almost immediately - to have a baby.

This can be a rant for some people who knows me but to be honest, I thought of writing this blog as my way of just "thinking out loud" and I guess wanting to know if there is someone or anyone from the other side of the world who agrees with me about this.

I know a family of two is only a stage of beginnings (when you are just starting out a family) and on the near endings (when the kids have all moved out and have their own lives to live) but while the transition takes place, I wonder if women in this stage (like me) needs or wants to have a group to be there for them - to hold their hand when the first steak they have cooked was as hard as a rock or when they thought they were pregnant but it was a false alarm and so many life stages that will be experienced while in the family of two.

The answer can be that the other hand that holds you is your husband but is an outside support / perspective also valid in this instance?

I wonder.

City Living

When we were still in Dubai, I like the city - the hustle and bustle, the lights that you see when you pass by buildings, children playing in a small community park near our area. There was a lot of open space that you don't really feel congested even if literally Dubai's population has doubled or maybe more since 20_ _ (can't really reveal how long we stayed there but it was looooong).

Before you read my rant about Manila, please note that I want to re-discover it however frankly for now, I am still trying to get used to how the routine life is. I guess it is safe to say that this was not the city that I have known when I left. The streets were not overcrowded, you can still maintain a personal space when you walk inside the malls (the only time you lose this space is when SM is having their midnight madness sale!), you can find an empty seat in the foodcourt, MRT or bus (it will be there even if you walk as if you were carrying the Ms. Universe crown). I can go on and on of how I left the city but I can never get it back.

Everything and I think everybody is cramming here - them and their families.

A few days back, I saw this article from Huffington Post about how city living may be harmful to your mental health. I was reading the article and find myself nodding to some points. How the city makes you feel stressed and sad.

One of the suggestions the writer made was to take a hike. I paused and asked myself, where can I actually do that here in the city? When we were driving about last week, I did see one or two people jogging or walking on the sidewalk of a very busy street. I don't think I am going to do that. I then realized that we do not have enough parks or a piece of property that you can just walk around and enjoy the peace and quiet of just being on your own.

Then I realized, I miss the parks in Dubai.

photo from Zabeel Park, one of the many Christmas parties held

Zabeel Park, this park is in the center of the city as you can see the metro train just outside the park 

Still in Zabeel Park, just want to show you how vast the park is 

I commend places like Capitol Commons in Pasig, Greenfield District in Shaw and the Fort development for thinking of having a green patch of land where people can sit and relax... be one with nature. Going back to that article from Huffington Post, they have mentioned that people need to disconnect from the tech world and be one with the natural world. I agree or if you cannot really contain the pressure of the hustle and bustle, you can always move to a much quieter area?

And with this, I say, that is our current plan now. There is something on the works for us to move about and see what is out there on that location. I am not saying we are giving up on the city life but it does feel great to disconnect once in a while right?

I hope that this move will also be a good start (imagine, doing two major moves consecutively - I know, crazy right?!). Well, I guess if both of you are up for it and are more than willing to take the plunge, why not right? ;-) as long as there is a lot of greenery and the air is crisper and better.

I just needed to

BLOG about these past few days!

It has been the best because it was raining and there was a cold breeze circulating the house (finally)!!!

Yes, I have to put in that much of exclamation points to give you an idea of how hot it is in our house. I am not sure if it is just ours or all of us here in Manila experienced the humidity and the hot air floating around.

Okay, excitement aside, I know this is not something to be joyous about most especially since this weather has again claimed lives of people who were traveling or they were just at home but were very near to the coastal area.

You can find news clips here.

I am just torn because with this cool weather, I am able to start organizing our files that needs attention. Also, I had the chance to cook again (background: I haven't been cooking for the past few days because of my cough and cold. I sweat a lot when I move around so R decided to man the kitchen and take charge whilst I nurse myself back to health. Though I have to say, R and I take turns in cooking).

I was able to whip up pretty decent dishes I have to say though I think I failed in cooking a T-Bone Steak the right way for lunch but I will get my revenge back because I will be doing it again soon until I get the right texture for it.

Unfortunately no pictures on this post because I just really want to document that yes, the rainy season has started and I am so luvin' the cold breeze! :)

So how do you transition?

This tech world has people cramming into getting devices that they 'think' they need - yep! I raise my hand because I am guilty of this too.
I have a smartphone, a tablet and a laptop.

When I am on my smartphone, I browse through pictures most of the time (via Instagram) because it does not strain my eyes, read tweets and scan through email (if there's anything that I need to answer, etc).

Once I start getting in depth with my emails or my tweet readings, I switch to my tablet simply because it has a bigger screen and the size of the text does not make my eyes go tired easily. However when I want to respond to an email or browse through websites that I want to read, I transition to the laptop.

I think this is because I type faster when I am in front of a keyboard and can also easily maneuver Safari or Opera better when I have an actual mouse pad and keyboard to use.

At the end of the day, I don't get anything done (unless it's super super important) because of this transitions that I do. I wonder how to sort this out so that we can have a scheme. I end up having half-baked attempts on things to do and then end up transferring a file to another (I know the 'cloud' device was invented but I am still trying to avoid using it by going through a 3rd party which in the tech world is called an app).

How about you? How do you transition or do you let each device specifically do a task for you?

The Sickly Me has just made a comeback

Yes and it really made sure it's presence was felt :/

My cold and cough started last week when I had my monthly flow. I was not sure if it contributed to what I have now but I felt really weak that time and the weather was not cooperating either.

It was soooo HOT (include all the exclamation point you want)!!!

R, being the sweet husband that he is, immediately bought me medicine and calamansi (so that he can make me a local version of the hot lemonade with honey). Good thing that the last time we went to Tagaytay, we finally bought a bottle of honey (I think we got it for Php 120 - cheap! Compared to what you buy from the supermarket).

I have been nursing this cold and cough combo for a few days now. R's sister recommended taking Fern-C (it's a Vitamin C supplement) but when we went to Mercury Drug, they do not have that supplement and instead referred me to buying BeWell-C. It's as effective as Fern-C according to the pharmacist so I will take her word for it (note: so far, I am on Day4 now and I seem to be doing pretty well. The cough is still here but I seem to be losing the cold already).

Before going back here in the Philippines, a friend has already warned me about the weather here and that my body will need to adjust (including the lifestyle! This is self-imposed, unlike the weather). He suggested taking Vitamin C to boost my immunity since I was also sickly when I was in Dubai most especially when the weather changes.

I took that on board and I have to say, this is my first official sick record here in the Philippines. I am kind of happy because usually what happens is when we come home for vacation, I always (and I mean always) go back sick.

I just hope that this will not be as frequent as before because that also means I need to have myself checked as to why my immune system is poor.

Right now, I enjoy being a princess being served hot calamansi with honey ;=)

Went for a trip to Silang, Cavite to experience a change  of weather 

Gostoso Deliciosio?

I always believe that great conversations happen when you have good and delicious food in front of you. It is as if food is the driving force for everyone to produce great topics in dinners or functions. This happened to us when R and I met up with my sister after her shift at Capitol Commons.

Whenever my sister and I would chat over Viber, she would always tell me to try out the restaurants along Kapitolyo or the restaurants near her work place because there are a whole range of cuisines to choose from.

R and I decided to give one of the restos a try since my sister was with us. After searching for a place where there is parking and a space for us to eat, we end up going to Gostoso.

The place had an industrial kind of design with pipes exposed, rough brick walls (I do notice that this seems to be the trend these days for restaurant designs) and wooden furniture. The place was a bit packed when we came in and were lucky because one of the groups were about to leave.

I was told that the restaurant specializes in the peri-peri kind of chicken (the first resto that came to mind was Nando's in Dubai). We browsed through the menu and ordered their Piri Fries for our starters and their Have it All combo which showcases all the meat in their other combo items in the menu - chicken, pork and shrimp with rice and your choice of sides.

The place is not too noisy and you can still hear the person you are talking to and at the same time, tap your fingers with the sound beat that is being played.

Our orders came and visually it was okay. I was thinking since it was a platter for sharing, I was again expecting for portions to be humongous. However I think I have downplayed the portions because we did get full!

Our Have it All platter with the side dishes (see small shrimps) 

I think more than the food, their main attraction were their sauces. They have 3 variants - the garlic butter, the marinara sauce kind and their spicy sauce (I asked R if it was indeed spicy and he said yes).

The trio in their full glory

Parking can be an issue because they can only accommodate 3 cars in the front of the restaurant though they have (I think) hired people to guide and watch over your car in case the spot is full.

Overall, we collectively like the vibe of the restaurant, the food was delicious though I am expecting bigger portions and the staff are courteous and attentive (very important).

How to motivate yourself

This is what I always ask myself.

When I was still working, I would always tell myself that I will read later or write later which would mean nothing will be accomplished.

Now that I have a lot of this free time in my hands, I still ask the same question - how do I motivate myself?

to go back reading?

I see a lot of articles, news features or books that I really want to start reading but for some reason, I always get held up by other things -- the best word to sum this all up --- distraction.

Yes, I get distracted or get lured easily to either browse on new website finds or I get stuck with sorting out my emails (yes, six months of being idle and I still have tons of emails to read and delete).

It was only last week when I started reading an ebook. It was good. The words seem to surround me with happiness that I cannot explain. However, after my initial read, I have not gone back :-(

to start writing my book?

It was just recently when I had a chance to reconnect with my friend, Rob . After our usual Hi and Hellos, he asked me what's keeping me busy (to be quite honest, this is the reason I do not want to meet up because I do not have anything else to tell them except for the fact that I have been busy being a dog mother to my puppies).

Dead air... and lots of dead air... Rob asked me if I was still there so I took a deep breath and told him what I was doing. I can sense his disappointment and I kind of felt it too.

Back when we were still working on the same company, we have talked about what I really wanted to do and I told him that I want to write a book. I have always set myself as a novelist even when I was still a kid. He asked me what's stopping me from realizing this dream and I pointed out the pile of paperwork at my desk.

Now that I have all the time in my hands, he again urged me to write. Rob said the time is now or else I will never be able to do it anymore.

I know that he is right but I am not sure what is keeping me from doing it.

Is it the weather?
Is it the distractions?
Is it the slowness of my laptop?
Is it me just being lazy?

I, too, cannot figure it out or I just won't admit it.

Summer House

You know what? The weather is really the favorite topic in any conversation. I think it's the ultimate ice breaker. As for me, from the time that we have arrived and summer has really kicked in, I think I have blogged about it for four times (whaaat?!).
I just had a thought awhile ago (in the shower) if the weather was also one of the reasons why Americans have summer homes. Was it to beat the cold weather from where they were based? I have noticed in some American movies that I have seen, they have two houses - they have their own house and then they have the "summer" house where all the summer activities take place. Initially I thought that it seems to be a waste of money having two houses aside from the kitchen gadgets and furniture that you had to buy to make both houses 'homey'.

However, now that we are experiencing this much of heat (today, the heat index might reach up to 40 degrees C according to TV Patrol, ABS-CBN), I am really thinking hard if we should get a house as a summer escape from this terrible heat that we are experiencing.

Yes, people do go to the beach or stay in Baguio for a few days but that's it - the perks of being a working individual. I guess the idea of staying somewhere for a month or two is really just for people who owns their time - entrepreneurs, work-from-home individuals or OFWs (these are the only group of people that I can think of right now).

If you dream with me, I have seen a few summer homes on the internet (thanks to Google!).

photo grabbed from elysium.in of Elysium Properties 

I like this summer house. It's near the lake wherein you can take a quick dip if the weather gets really hot and then explore your surroundings or just be one with nature.

photo grabbed from realadventures.com

I like that this house is surrounded by a lot of greenery (something that we lack here in Mandaluyong and to be honest all over Metro Manila). It can be a bit smaller since it's just a summer house. Usually with these houses, it is better off to not equip it with wifi or cable. Yes, of course a television is still necessary but if you can get local channels only, I think that should be fine (as long as you can get the news). If I live here, I would want to get another cooker because I have a feeling that I can bake and make excellent dishes (yes, I think I can do so especially if I am  not feeling all sweaty :/)

I have to stop or else, I might convince R that we need a summer house. I just had another thought... Maybe instead of creating a home in the city, we can do that in the suburbs and then invest on a condo unit in Manila? Hmm... very tricky but far from happening.

Oh well, I just need to endure the heat for now because rainy days are coming very, very soon (I really hope it's sooner!).

Rib Rubbin' Good at Rub Makati

My friends can attest to the fact that my family loves to eat. We are always on the hunt for the next best thing or the latest food restaurant to open. Okay, we are not literally going there when they open. We actually try to give them time. Read reviews from sites like Zomato, Booky or also based on our friend's recommendations.
I am still trying to learn the ropes on how you'll know where the people go for food so I kind of rely on my sissy to lead where we should go especially when I have the whole family with me. First, my dad is a big eater. He loves his rice and will not hesitate to have more than two cups depending on the main dish that was delivered to our table. Also, we go for the size of portions.

R and I were accustomed to the portions in Dubai that when they say it's for sharing - they meant it. Here in the Philippines, it's not the case. When they say for sharing, it actually means two girls with size 26 as their waistline.

The sister said that there seems to be a lot of buzz for Rub, a restaurant at Poblacion Makati that she said we should try. You see the main purpose of the get together was also a despidida for my mom when she left for Canada.

As told, I immediately searched Zomato and checked what their usual commenters said about the resto and at the same time, I checked the prices.

It seems to fit the bill so off we went.

BBQ Ribs Super Duo 

Grilled Fish (was a bit soggy) 

Unsure if this is their chicken buffalo wings or chicken tenders 

For a group of four, this was actually enough. We also ordered a few sides. 

The ribs were great. We initially thought that it was just half a slab so imagine our surprise when there was another slab hidden! Hahaha! We don't have anything but good words for the ribs. It was tender and juicy. 

The grilled fish would have been good too I think but it was soggy. We think it is because of the lemon butter sauce. It would have been better if it was just put to the side or maybe brushed to the fish. Of course, that is just a suggestion. 

The chicken was good too but I prefer a different dip. Maybe they can offer other dips to complement with the chicken. 

Overall, it was worth the price and the wait (yep, there was a bit of waiting however it moved fast probably because people were already seated and having their food when we came). 

I guess on hours where there are not a lot of people, it would be nice to just chill there. I wanted to catch my breath from all the eating that we did however looking at the line of people outside, you will feel guilty if you do. 

I might ask R to come back next time when they are off-peak. I wonder when will that be? Maybe we can try their branch here at Pasig. 

**This review was made by the blogger alone and not with any sponsorship from the store.  

What's in your News Feed?

Whenever someone will ask me about this, I feel funny. Well, first being a Journalism graduate, I have this idea that I need to always have a newspaper in hand. Be the one to report about the news and so on.
But I am not.

I think it's safe to say that my dad reads more of the hardcopy version than I do.

I don't read the newspaper but I am super engrossed in getting short tweets via Twitter, news alerts via Facebook (yes, I know they are kind of reliable for me) and compressed news feeds via email.

When I was in Dubai, I subscribed to Arabianbusiness.com, would surf the major dailies like GulfNews and The National. This is to keep me informed of what is happening in the country and if there are any upcoming events that I may want to visit or try. Their news is different from how we handle reporting here in the Philippines. They do not disclose the names of the people involved in a crime scene even if convicted or arrested. They will mask it and identify the person via his initials. Fortunately or unfortunately, you will know about that person if you are associated with him or her.

However, I can say that from over time, some dailies have changed the way they report the news. The only thing is, there is really not a lot of juicy stuff to report about. I guess the crime rate there is contained and there's not a lot of natural disasters that take place (not that we want that to happen).

Now that we are back here in the Philippines, I am currently subscribed to Philippine Star and the Philippine Daily Inquirer. The thing with our news companies is that they report news by the minute or by the hour because true enough a lot of events do happen in this country of ours. May it be big or small, every information counts because we Filipinos are emphatic and some do like the drama (you have to admit).

Though when I get too tired about the ever-fluctuating crime rate, I resort to reading the Opinion section of these news feeds or their Lifestyle section but still online.

I don't know if it's because it's easier to maneuver through our gadgets.

What about you? What do you prefer as a medium?

Being Married

I know it is already pretty obvious that I am married :) to the most patient, understanding and supportive husband in the world.

We got married and stayed out of the Philippines as we decided to settle in Dubai whilst we have commitments and debts to pay.

While I was cooking dinner, I realized that I already have.... 

That was the start of this draft when I wrote it September 2013. Two years have passed and I guess when you reach a certain age, you forget what the next line will be (Yeap! That's what happened to me right now).

I did try adding something to the sentence but I just cannot remember so maybe the best way is to start fresh but still use the same blog title - Being Married.

R and I have been married for seven years now going to our eighth this year. Like what all married couples would say, being married and staying married is difficult if you do not have the respect and love for one another. I am not going to delve into the details but our road to marriage was not your normal "love story".

Yes, boy and girl felt an attraction, decided to act on that feeling, realized that they love one another and then get married. The general concept is the same but ours had a lot of twists and turns. The road was bumpy but I think where we are now in our relationship is because of those bumps. Those hiccups made us stronger and stand for one another.

I like the fact that we now consider each other a friend. I know they say that you should be friends first before you become lovers? For us, we went from being lovers and then have that friendship. We may not be the best of friends but I know that I can count on him and vice versa.

Of course, there would still be days when you are frenemies (hahaha) but that is because of your individuality and I like that (Yes, I am weird). Why? Because it shows that we are still two different people with different tastes and ideals. I think you need that in your relationship to avoid being monotonous.

This is all just me and my opinion (to each his own, ika nga).

I love being married and I am so glad that it is R that I married. Even with the hurdles, I know we are a perfect fit.

Being the man that he is, he might contest what I have just written. Fortunately, he does not like reading my mushy blog because he prefers I say it or 'show' it :) 

1 Peter 4:8 
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 

Another role added: Mother Doggie/ Dog Breeder Wannabe

I might have hinted already or you might have seen it in my posts (like the previous blog post) that we have puppies in the house. Actually, I bought Sugar (our lovable shih tzu) back in 2009. I think she was about four months old then. I did not have any intention to buy here then but the look on her face captured my heart (oh yes and I thought boys can only do that to you).

Sugar dressed for her pups' check-up

Since we were OFWs, my mom presented herself to be Sugar's caretaker until we decide it's time to settle back here in the Philippines. Every year or every chance I get to go home for vacation, I will always make sure that I will visit Sugar (well I have to since she lives with my mom, right?!).

Last February, my mom got her Canadian tourist visa to visit my brother and his family. To make the long story short, Sugar is now with us... only thing, she was also pregnant (background: since we were thinking of different ways and means to earn, we thought of getting Sugar pregnant and try out our hand in dog breeding).

I have to salute dog breeders out there who are totally hands-on because it is really difficult. R and I had to make a few sacrifices like losing sleep, waking up in the middle of the night (a lot of times) and more. I feel so overwhelmed with how R handled taking care of these puppies. Of course, he would complain from time to time but he adores them a lot (and actually has a favorite between the two pups).

Spice and Herb - 1 day old 

I also have some good and bad days with them but seeing them being their cheerful self is worth my time. To be honest, a day passes by without me noticing that it's already the afternoon especially if we are playing with them. I felt really proud of them especially during those days when they were trying to walk around their cage and then the house (now, we find it hard to locate where they are though most of the time, they are underneath the sofa... always).

These puppies are like our babies for now until the real one comes along. Initially, we thought of selling these puppies but right now, we have decided to keep them. Who would have thought that you can really get attached with them? These cuties makes us really excited to come down the stairs because we know they will be at the end, waiting for us.

Writing Seminars and Literary Festivals

You may or may not be aware but I'm a Journalism graduate from the Royal Pontifical University however I was only able to make use of the techniques and methods for only 7 to 8 months of 2003.

The reason? 

Well, it was to be with the love of my life (I have told the story countless times and I even won a Valentine's day contest for this story but I just never get tired of it). Back then, Dubai was not really open for other nationals to penetrate the Arab world of journalism. After a few years, more and more British nationals opened up magazines to suit the locals and the expats desire of being informed about the latest gadget, fashion and food available within the country but most importantly, outside of the UAE.

Though I have witnessed how the country opened its doors for expats to be part of their TV shows or newspapers, I was not able to give it a try. I guess it was more of me wanting to look after my parents than chase my dream (the love chasing was enough). However, I still try to make sure that I keep my writing skills in practice by maintaining a blog. I had a few blogs then... I was not really sure why I thought of having a lot that in the end, I abandoned them all.

Aside from blogging, I have also tried doing some online work which were successful only problem is my 'actual' work got a bit loaded that I had to let my writing take a backseat (again!).

Now that I am free to chase my lifelong dream - that is to write and hopefully become a novelist, I thought of attending writing seminars here in the Philippines.

When I was in Dubai, I got exposed to the literary festival there. The group would invite different writers in different fields or genre to talk about how to write well, how they come up with these brilliant masterpieces and so much more.

I am hoping to see this in the Philippines too though I think National Bookstore has already started the first ever Philippine Literary Festival last year because there was a talk conducted by Inquirer's Pam Pastor . Unfortunately, I was not able to get a lot of details about it (It could be because we were still trying to move things around the house).

Aside from that, I would want to still attend writing seminars and reading this entry from about.com as to why trainings or seminars are good for online writers (ahem, yes I kind of consider myself to be one).

I need this and I hope to find one that is not too pricey or if it is, it should be worth it for the price.

So, while I wait for that, I will just check bookstores like National or Powerbooks and possibly some online references too. I hope someone gets to read my blog and let me know of any upcoming events :)

image courtesy of wikipedia.org 

Summer Heat

For the past few days, the heat has cranked up a notch and the temperature rises day after day (and at times hour after hour)! Since we have the puppies to look after, R and I cannot just go out and spend our day in the mall (yes, we have grown soooo attached with these cuties) even if we really wanted to so that we can have a taste of the "free aircon" the malls are providing.

Our doggies namely Herb, Spice and their mom, Sugar

I am pretty sure you are also having a hard time dealing with the heat and is actually itching to switch the aircon and worry about the electric bill later (I pray Meralco will not have another increase).

In order to beat the heat, here are some handy tips on how we have handled the heat:- 

Fans for air circulation.
We have two fans open here in the living /dining area. This is so that the air in this part of the room will circulate.

Low lighting
Since the sun is out most of the time, the house do have some natural light coming in. Fortunately for us, a slice of the light comes in but not enough to add more heat inside (one of the perks of being in the middle of two houses). Also, R says it's a good idea to use low lights so that the glare of the lights will not contribute to the heat that we are feeling. 

Drink lots of water 
We have also been consuming tons and tons of ice cold water all throughout the day. This is important to keep you hydrated. It does not necessarily have to be cold but you know enough to keep the fluids from circulating.

Another tip that I may add is to take a quick shower.This will definitely freshen you up and make the rest afternoon bearable.

Hope this tips will help you out one way or another.

Though if you have friends who have vacation homes in cooler places like Tagaytay or Silang, Cavite, now is the time to think of organizing a mini-get together :)

Mobile-Friendly

A few weeks back (I think), I got an email from Google to check if my site is mobile-friendly. It seems a lot of people now are opting to own a smartphone rather than a laptop. With almost everyone wanting to be on the go, a smartphone is your best fit.

Like always, I tend to forget this kind of alert (yeah, I am super busy right now being a mom to two puppies and one dog takes much of my time these days) and it is only now that I got prompted to check if my blog is mobile-friendly by taking their test.

yehey! would that mean more readers for this blog?

And I passed (yey!).

So, if you are constantly reading my blog, I am pleased to let you know that it is mobile-friendly! :) No hassles of not getting to read my blog properly. However, if in case this is not true, please let me know so that I can at least inform Google (naks!) about it and let them have a look.

Another role added: ONLINE SELLER

This is an overly late post because I have actually sold all my items last February :)

Yes, I am an online seller.

I was seeing a particular item on my Facebook feed last November / December 2014 and since we are still trying to figure out what to do next, I thought this can be something that I can do to test the waters.

Introducing the product... tada!

Yema Spread from Quezon

I was intrigued by the taste so I also had a try and then at the same time asked around about it. A friend of mine said that the composition of the yema spread is the same as Estrel's caramel icing on their cakes. 

Even more intrigued because my Facebook newsfeed is being flooded by the yema spread so I took the plunge. My good friend, Meena managed to hook me up with 24 bottles.

As soon as they arrived, I got excited and decided to post it online (",). Since most of my Facebook friends were in Dubai, it is but normal that they were the ones to take notice. I did think that I can ship it to them using the usual route however I failed because I need to produce a lot of documents relating to the package. However since my Dubai friends were very persistent about it, a friend was able to pull some strings and I was able to send them about 6 bottles of this heavenly yema spread.

I think my stash got depleted close to a month. It was a bit difficult at first because I am not that familiar on how to send the bottles across. It was really a good thing that my friend, Raine was able to help me understand the basics of shipping stuff to people.

Though in some instances, R and I delivered the package because we do have time in our hands at the same time, it served as a date night for us too.

Us taking a selfie after making a delivery of the Yema Spread at the Landmark

 I am still hopeful that the online selling business will push through. I have not placed another order for the yema spread as of yet because I do not have enough buyers for this as of now (I think my patrons have not finished their spreads yet - come on people!).

Apart from the spread, I am hoping to expand my re-selling and dip our hands into other products.

I hope this will push through and we can progress further.

*fingers crossed*

Now, if I got you interested with this post and would want to buy some, email me so that I can send you a bottle (after you've paid of course hehehe).

Feeling the Heat!

Summer is really here!!!

I can feel it heck I have been sweating like crazy. I mean we have already turned on the AC at night and I still sweat (what is wrong with me?!).

After x years of being out of the Philippines, this will be my second time to experience what summer is really like here because of global warming and all. I remember a friend of mine has warned me that I will constantly be in the mall so that we get to experience the free AC. Thankfully, we have not resorted to that just yet.

I know that being in the Middle East should have made me accustom to it. The dry months is even hotter in Dubai (it's not ideal to have a stroll because you can die of heat stroke in 30 minutes to an hour depending on how hydrated you are before you started walking). Though it's hot there, the airconditioner can easily be switched on without having to worry about your electric bill because the cost is bearable if you compare it to the Meralco costs here (and to add insult to injury, I have watched in the news that Meralco will have a price increase this April. Boohoo!).

this was a photo of R travelling to our Desert Safari destination

Now that I am a housewife (well, I am a freelancer as well but more of the former), I have become more conscious on how and where should we spend our money --- in other words, expenses. It was different then because we were both earning enough to splurge a little bit but now, we are mindful of how things are being spent that R thinks I am a grinch or Super S (meaning Super Stingy).

I guess you can say that I am still adjusting to our new lifestyle (yeah! still even if it's already 6 months) but I think I'm slowly getting a hang of it.

Though at times, there really are days when reasoning just wants me to let go of my pseudo accounting skills and jump into how my body will be cooled down by the breeze coming from the airconditioner (hahaha!).

Hopefully the sun won't be as harsh as my friend said it would be. 

Thoughts on Marriage

We have been married for x number of years and add to that the x number of years that we were together as boyfriend and girlfriend equals to a lot (teehee). However, I feel that we should have started our family earlier than we have done.

I don't know maybe earlier like 3-4 years? Maybe we could have started a family that soon though knowing me, I would have been the culprit because I know I would want to make sure that my family be secured first.

I guess even if we got married with the time frame that I have wanted, it would still be the same, there will still be a waiting period because of the game plan that I have in mind though to be quite honest, I think what we did suited the current state that we are in - no mortgage to pay and still have enough to maintain a convenient life.

The reason for this line of thinking? This couple that was married for 56 years! Click on this link to view the write-up about it (http://theshrug.net/theyve-been-married-for-56-years-but-its-the-first-time-theyve-answered-this-question/). After watching their video, I am moved which is why this post and all those thoughts came about. The way that they have described their love for one another and how each have become a part of their body. In other words, they have become ONE. By the way, thanks to Facebook and my friend, Owie dela Cruz that I had the chance to see this video.

 

I love his smile! He's so cute! :) 

Even if we are just about 1/16 of the number of years that they have spent together, I think R and I have also established how we value one another in this marriage (or else we won't be together this long). All the more now that we both are in each other's side 24/7!

I have to admit, I see more of how he is and I guess the same for me. I can say he is the most caring person - makes sure he attends to me first before anything else... the affection that he shows to me and our adopted puppies (hehehe) are surreal. Of course not everybody is perfect so you know we also have our crankiness (believe me, I declare myself the drama queen!) and it's something that we still try to adjust even if we are already past the honeymoon years.

Now, we are on that stage wherein we are ready to accept another human in the family (we have already adjusted to having canines and I have to admit, we passed with flying colors!!) and I hope that this little toddler will come soon (in my belly only to come out again hahaha).

 

Sugar and her 2 kids 

I believe everything happens in God's perfect time... :)

Hallmark seems to be behind this video (as a Valentine's day promo probably). I love Hallmark. I remember when I was a teen and there are special occasions that you need to get someone a card. I end up buying a Hallmark card (love their slogan too - when you care enough to send the very best). The content of their cards are meaningful and heartfelt. Come on! Isn't the video enough to stand as a testimony :) 

Now that we have all gone digital (well most of us have), I think what Hallmark did makes it all the more special but still maintains their content - meaningful and heartfelt.

Aside from Bob and Kim's love story, there are 6 more couples of have put their heart out for their special person - their husbands and wives. You can go ahead and check out Hallmark's channel (I have conveniently posted the link - https://www.youtube.com/user/hallmarkcards/videos).

This is not just for Valentine's Day but it's for all days when you just want to express your love and make your husband or wife feel special. 

Can't seem to fit

You may or may not be aware but I have been trying to work online for the past few months. I actually did have a successful stint over the holiday period which was perfect timing because I was still at that stage where my body was craving for work (I think this happens post-resignation).

I was always on my blog (like what I am now) and at the same time, busied myself looking for work after posting.

Because I was slouched to our bed most of the time while I finished my article writing assignment, R decided it has got to stop and said, we need to buy a table.

We searched for desk tables online and offline for a perfect match to what I need at the same time, with what little space we have.

Since I am a proud member of SnR store (seperate blog - I promise!), we were able to also scout the tables that they have.

It was love at first sight.

 

My table from S&R (photo grabbed from madeinchina.com)

The set up was working at first with the table in our bedroom. Unfortunately, I still need a chair which we are still sourcing (I am looking for a chair that is foldable and with holes on the ass side so that my butt won't get sweaty!). The other thing also is I want to have a permanent location for my working table.

I want to have a permanent space for it somewhere around the living room.

This is something that I need to discuss with R.

What is happening right now? I squat at our living room and dining area alternately.  Yeah... not an ideal set up which is why, my attention gets diverted.

When in the living room, I get distracted by the TV and when I'm in our dining area, I get distracted with the food or I feel like I'm hungry! hahahaha!

Writing about it now makes me realise that we need to discuss about this a.s.a.p!

Our Taco Bell experience

I have mentioned in my previous blog post that my mom and I's Taco Bell experience is worth having a seperate blog post so here it goes.

One fine day, my mom asked me to accompany her to check out prices for her ticket to Canada. I have already searched online for her but she is still convinced that a travel agency can work its magic and make the price of her plane ticket cheaper. Since I have got nothing to do (background: my mom just retired from her work as an Account Executive for a food distribution company and as for me, well, I am still waiting for the next big thing), I said yes to her plea and off we went to Gateway Mall.

After checking her flights and making a temporary booking, my mom wanted to have merienda (or what some would call afternoon snack or afternoon tea for some). I said okay but since I did not have that much cash with me, I told her that we need to pick where to eat because we will either pay by credit card or the cash that I have which is less than Php 500 (I know right?!).

My mom and I searched (well, we really wanted Army Navy but Booky Manila has failed to give us information that there is an Army Navy branch within the area) where we can eat however our eyes got glued to this Taco Bell promo (2 wraps for I think Php 80). We both looked at one another and said, that seems to be a good deal! We immediately lined up to the counter and was giddy with our discovery.

We were so excited to have a bite and when my name was called... we got this...

 

This is one of the two wraps that we got 

 
I have to admit, I was dismayed but my mom and I could not contain ourselves that we just have to laugh out this moment!

In the end, my mom made a side comment to me saying, Yan ang nagagawa ng sobrang tipid (that's what you get for being stingy!).

Lesson learned indeed!