Weekend Snapshot

A visit in the park one fine Saturday afternoon. There were lots of kids playing football, some families on picnic, others were there to take their kids to play at the playground just like us.

Weekend is always time to relax and unwind with the family.

Check out more WS here.

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2 & 5

It is recommended to eat fruit and veggies to maintain good health. An adult needs to eat at least 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of veggies. Do you eat all these everyday?

I always have a question in my mind what serves mean. I sometimes put it this way, I can eat two types of vegetables made into 5 serves and one fruit with two serves.

Well, that's just me.

But as it is put, serves are the different types of veggies and fruit with the exact amount of a serve. So, I need to have 5 different veggies and two different fruit.

As much as possible, we follow this rule but at times, it could just be 4 veggies. We usually only have veggies for dinner as lunch would be sandwiches with veggies sometimes and breakfast is bread or cereal. And for a small portion eater like me, 5 serves of veggies in one meal would be too much. But 2 serves of fruit is easy to do. I guess you can substitue fruit with fruit juices but is not always recommended.

Eating fresh fruit and veggies contributes to a good health and keeps us away from sickness.

So, have you had your fruit and veggies today?

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Shopping Talk

I love freebies. When there are products in the supermarket that I always use which has a promotional offer, I would buy more of it. Just like the nappy that Jens is using, each packet has a "dollar" that you can collect and be exchanged to some toys or kiddie stuff. We bought the biggest pack that has more "dollars" in it than two or more packets with equivalent number of nappies that has less "dollars".

When shopping online, I would always check what are the products that have free shipping and of course discounted. Even if I don't need it at the moment but will eventually use or need it, I would buy it. I think, I would buy anything on the net as long as there are freebies and discounts except shoes which I really need to fit before I can buy a pair.

Also, a fellow blogger introduced me to freebies or sample products on the net. From then on, I have been a loyal visitor of some freebies websites. Some of them don't just offer sample products but also coupons and vouchers. Plus, those discount coupons or vouchers were not just for the usual stuff that a woman buys over the net but also covers the unconventional stuff like discount codes for rental car.

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Computer Stuff

The guy that does our computer stuff here is a friend. And eversince he started doing them and fixing some computer problems, he has become the BIG guy in that department. He's not just the technician but the supplier as well. Not that we don't know where to buy stuff but he is a retailer of a reliable store in Down Under, and the store markets reliable brands.

I learned that the CPUs that the store are selling are already assembled by the manufacturer which is in Astralasia. Not like the supplier we had in my last job where they buy barebones computer and assemble them.

Anyway, so far we didn't lost any file yet even with the reformatting of all the hard drives that had been done not like with the geek that Mcj used to contact everytime he had computer problems. It pays when you're working with a person who is very professional in conducting his work.

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Some Thoughts

I should be going to sleep now as we have an errand to do tomorrow but here I am blogging away. Oh not really until this post. I've been checking up updates on my friends in friendster among other things.

I've been sleeping late for a week now. But at least I get to sleep-in in the morning. Well, that depends if Jens is also sleeping-in. :)

Mcj is on my right playing online poker. And we're munching on something to keep us awake. Him, icecream and me, some biscuits. Wanna have some?

~~~

I remember my mother telling me stories when I was back in RP about our relies who sold their pension of two years for a lump sum of money, sort of like cash for structured settlements. They would do this if they need huge cash for some major household expenses.

This type of factoring transaction (like cash for annuities and lawsuit settlements) is helpful in its own way especially if you need a big amount of money but you're income comes at a staggering phase.

~~~

Tonight, Jens went to sleep early without much trouble. He has been teething again and for some couple of days past, I've been giving him teething gel and paracetamol before going to sleep - they were just to settle him down.

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Max It!

I've used the internet soo much to my/our advantage. Sometimes, I feel I'm lost without it. I don't think at all sometimes because I know internet will do the job for me and much better. I know I am not alone in this train of thought.

That's what technology do to us.

When I was in college and even now, I am very dependent to calculator. I don't think deeply and hard even for simple and basic maths. Just bring up the calculator in the computer. We don't own calculator now, but I bet my mother does.

Anyway, another thing that I love in the internet is shopping. Not literally buying stuff but window shopping also. I've fully utilized the net for stuff that I am thinking of buying like searching and reading reviews of that product, checking all the product features, and looking up colours or style available. I also do shopping comparison. This is one of the advantages of internet shopping that I like.

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2nd Scrap

I am not familiar with the functions of the photoshop elements for scrapping yet especially where there are pre-made layouts. So I just did a drag and drop approach and I enjoyed it, AGAIN.

I might try another scrapping software which Mcj reckons is the easiest ever. Let's see if I will have the same impression. I have yet to setup it.

Thanks to Marie for the lo, papers and embellishments.

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Musically Challenged :D

Tagged by Mitch. I find this hard to make as I might love music but I am not a loyal fan of any band or artist. I have many favorites but I don't follow their album or single releases. But here's my pick.

Instructions: Choose one band/artist and use the titles of their songs to answer the questions.

Here are the questions:

Artist: John Lennon
Are you a boy or a girl? Aint She Sweet?
How old are you? Life Begins at 40 (thats for Mcj)
Describe yourself. Yes I'm Your Angel
How’s life? Fortunately
Where do you live? New York City
What’s your favorite song? Imagine
Describe your love life. Kiss Kiss Kiss
What are you? Every Man Has A Woman Who Loves Him
What kind of music do you like? Mind Games (I Promise)
How are you feeling? Well Well Well
A few words of wisdom. Give Peace A Chance

Love this tag? Go ahead and tag yourself. Have fun!

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Job Hunting

I once talked with my friend in Adelaide and discussed if she is allowed to work Down Under. I asked Mcj because I am not really aware of the rules as I am not working myself. She's holding a temporary resident visa and Mcj said as long as there's no condition saying that she's not allowed to work, she can do so.

Well, she found out she can work and started looking up in the net for jobs just around Adelaide or in their area (not jobs in San Diego or jobs in Denver). There were some that emailed her, and actually one was a bogus job.

I'm not sure though if she had found a job already. She had been busy this month for her wedding. It was more important than looking for a job.

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My First Try

My first try to digi-scrap and I'm quite happy with the result. I am not as creative as I am here, just want to prove that I know how to.

It's addictive I might say. I want to do more but it's already 2.20am. :D

Thanks to Marie for the lo, papers and embellishments.

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Wordless Wednesday

More ww here.

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So, what do you do?

credits

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Weekend Snapshots

I threw out some food scraps on the back lawn last night. Not long after, this little fella showed up to munch on it.

Mcj and I watched him and he was sooo close to us. He was not scared. Mcj reckoned, she's young - not aware what danger means. Not from us, but from our cat, Lucky.

Check out fore more WS here.

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Improve Your Technorati Authority

Tagged by Mitch, thanks sis.

I have randomly selected 5 of you below to be tagged and I hope that you will similarly publish this post in your blog. You have to tag 5 other bloggers and just keep adding on to the list. (Do not replace, just keep on adding! Yes let’s hope a long list!) It’s real easy! Tag others and see your Technorati Authority increase exponentially!

The benefits of Viral Linking:

One of the fastest ways to see your Technorati Authority explode!
Increase your Google PageRank fast
Attract large volume of new traffic to your site
Build your community
Make new friends!

And these are the people who already took part on this tag:Blognation, Pinoytek, Reyna, Bluep, Kotsengkuba, Buraot, Iris, Banco De Reyna, Mitch, Tatapilla, HappyMum, [next please]

I'm tagging Leah, ZJ, Idealpinkrose, Mich, Liza and Lutchi.

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What My Egg Says About Me?

Snagged this one Carol. I was curious.

What Your Easter Egg Says About You

You are truly optimistic, open, and hopeful. And your optimism gives you the courage to live life adventurously. You love new experiences, ideas, and challenges. You see life as a fluid, growing process.

The Easter Egg Personality Test

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Etc, etc, etc...

The Dad is sick since yesterday. It got worse today. He was mostly tied-up in bed, cuddling a hot water bottle.

Jens is in wonder, what's happening why Daddy is not playing with him. He played up last night wanting to stay awake and be near with Mcj. He can hear every noise his Dad was making.

It's no cook dinner tonight. I had meat pies but I made Mcj omelette. He hasn't eaten it yet. He had his Ibuprofen and I think trying to go to sleep. I just put Jens to sleep.

When one is sick in the household, seems everything is down as well. Hopefully, tomorrow things will get brighter for us.

~~~

Not all things are down with us though. Mcj found the documents for the web hosting that he had been looking since last year. He wanted to change host for the nursery's website but the provider won't release it unless he can provide the original password which he had forgotten. We could save money in this "could be" new host. The provider is a local and had become a friend. He'll give us good offer (big storage space and he could modify the current website) for a price way less than what we currently is paying.

~~~

I've seen the movie, The King and I today. It was quite fun but I don't particularly like the ending. It's just me, I always lik fairy tale ending.

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Wabbit Food

Today, I've been good healthwise. I didn't eat much processed food. And I had carrot fingers for nibblies the whole afternoon. I normally would have potato chips or some chocolate lollies (candies).

I was like a rabbit chewing almost all the time but I didn't feel hungry until about dinner time. I want to make this a habit if I possible can. Though veggies are always part of our meals.

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Recycle

Have you felt global warming in your side of the world? We have. Drought had been in Down Under for more than a couple of years then just recently, it started to rain pretty hard that some of the places were flooded. Water rose to a level more than you could imagine. Then, this year's summer didn't feel like summer at all. There has been more rainy than sunny days. And it was cold at night as well.

And could you imagine that all these erratic weathers were brought to us by our own acts? Yes, by us habitats of our planet. Things change swiftly from man hunting for food into man eating food straight from the shops or micro-waving it. Gone were the days when man has to drink straight from the well. It is now drinking spring water straight from the plastic container.

The degrading climate condition is just one of the downside of the fast changing technology. But we also embrace technology as if our lives depended on it. Well, we can at least help lessen our impact in the environment by recycling those recyclable products like Scrap HDPE from plastics.

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Nasty Little Thing

When I was walking around the house one day (a few months ago), I noticed that there is a small crack as big as a string around the house. It is sooo close to the brick wall. I asked Mcj about it and he said, it is for the termites treatment a long time ago. Alright, that explains why I haven't spotted any at all. In the house at least. Because the car port is now unusable because of them nasty little thing. The original beams of the carport was elevated off the ground using steel but a pine wood was used as beams in the extension. The termite infested the pine wood and travel through the other beams and up to the roof. Now, there are two temporary steel beams that support the roof so it won't fall off.

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When He Grow Up

As a mum, I get excited just to think what Jens would be when he grow up. And of course, I am making plans. He has big feet so Poppy and Nanny said he could be a swimmer. He has good muscles, he could be a sumo wrestler. Just kidding. :)

I am already preparing myself for the hustle and bustle of having a kinder student. I might be busy every afternoon to take him to swimming lesson. He might be interested in playing guitar.

I once said to Mcj that we can get Jens interested in playing piano by having one at the house. He said, "how much do you think a piano will cost?". I didn't knew that it could be that expensive here, but it is. I haven't check in the internet though but I take Mcj's word for it. Well, we could always look up how much a used baby grand pianos would cost.

Having the interest to play piano is one thing and having one at home to practice is another. Also, one should consider the quality of instrument that he got.

Lucky for people in Boston, there's one shop that has been established in 1993 which has a user friendly website. It is always nice to know that you got your materials from a realiable source. It could give you peace of mind.

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Retire and Enjoy!

My BIL is a retired airforce but he is still young, I reckon. He doesn't have that re-tired look yet. I guess that was the reason why he is still working part-time.

Isn't it nice that you can still work even if you've retired. I mean, working not because you have to but because you're able to. Well, that is if you retired young and that is Mcj's and my dream. Retire early and enjoy life.

Being retired isn't always means fun and lax life. That is just the case if you're living in a quiant and lovely cottage in the middle of a lake close the golf course or pub or to your friends. There always come a time when you get bored. Sure you can always have a holiday to resort with complete amenities but there's the question of money. Oh well, you can't always have the best of both worlds, can you?

Being bored you might want to consider going back to work again. In some places, there are establishments that accept seniors. Or there might be company especially put up for jobs retirement. We should be thankful for that, I reckon.

Working doesn't always mean earning money but having fun especially if you happen to have a job that you love, working with the people you like and having an enjoyable job.

I just hope that when it's my time to join the populace that enjoy lounging on the pool or playing golf whenever I want to, I would still be able to work at least part-time. Well, if I am able to do those activities, then physically I could still work. Let's just wish there are companies that accepts seniors as employees whereever I might be settled in. Or better yet, I would be the owner of a company who employs seniors. How good is that? It's nice to dream and wish sometimes.

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Brown Bunny

We just bought Jens a chocolate bunny, thanks to Mummy. NOT!

This morning, Jens was all smile looking at the eggs and bunny so we decided to open them up and let him have his brown.

He already loves chocolate and having one this big excited him but he was more interested with the foil packaging. :)

But still, he loves his brown bunny!

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Friends Is Still On

Mcj woke up very early this morning and tried to look up the net if there will be a suitable TV program for Easter. He found out that there's only one, The Passion of the Christ shown at 10.30 tonight.

Most of the daily TV programs were not aired this week because of the Easter season and of course, one could only expect that there would be programs with theme related to the season.

I'm not that disappointed though because Friends is still on.

~~~

Remember when Monica bet their apartment to a game against Chandler and Joey and they (she and Rachel) lost it? Good thing though their apartment are just facing each other, they don't have to hire New York Moving Company to transfer their stuff. But the hassle was not about it, it was cleaning the then Chandler and Joey's apartment. Neat freak Monica hasn't slept for two days.

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Shops

The shopping complex where we usually go to shop for food and other grocery items are not that big. There is only one level. The biggest area are only those of the supermarkets. But did you know that there are more than five real estate brokerage? I can't really count and name them but there are just too many for a small complex and suburb. There is always one or two in every block.

This just proves that real estate is a very lucrative business and very costly as well. I wonder if this is just in our side of the world. It might be the same in the side of the world where Branson real estate is found.

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Technical Ignorance

When it comes to electric, mechanical or technical stuff or terms, I am very hopeless it's not funny. That's the person who once dreamed of taking up mechanical engineering in college. I should be thankful I was diverted to other program lest I would have flanked the most basic subject.

I know that most women also are not familiar with these thingie or terms but if you rank me, I would take the lowest tier. The most that I've handled before was pliers and screw driver but I haven't tried using them.

It annoys the heck out of Mcj when he would ask me a very common item and I would ask him, what it looks like. Just like yesterday, he asked if I saw a double adaptor. I readily answered, what does it looks like? Whew! I've seen it but I am not really aware that it is call that. Bwahaha!

I am exposed to these terms and items more so now than before but I just doesn't have the interest to learn them or have taken the time to. I reckon, I won't be seeing them in the future or there's no need to try and acquiant myself. But I was wrong because the idea would be very handy. Who knows, I may be stuck in a situation that there's nobody to turn to on these aspect. Oh well...

Today, I asked Mcj what is motorcraft automotive connectors or the like and he told me a very general answer. I have to look up the internet to have a little understanding about it. I've read a lot about it but what stays in my mind is that they are a device for joining circuits. Simple but I still can't figure out how it works. Lol. Anyway, I also found out that these items could be readily available when you need it at a reasonable price over the net.

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Abstain and Pig-out!

I'm getting forgetful. Is it a sign that I'm old? Or my mind was just pretty occupied?

I was thinking of fasting from meat today since Monday. I've been eating meat every single day since I got here and I reckon, skipping it just for a day won't hurt. Absolutely not, as a matter of fact, it will be good.

The shops are close today. I forgot to buy some salad last night when we went to the shop. Grrrr. I could cook spaghetti with tuna but I haven't got any. I couldn't survive with just raw veggie salad for a day. Maybe, if I will to, I could.

The fish and chips shops might be open today and I'm thinking of having that tonight.

After abstaining from meat today, pig out on chocolates for the next few days. I need to help Jens eat his chocolate bunny. Good thing, I didn't buy the chocolate eggs. But I'm sure, however I pig-out I won't be needing Fenphedra. Just a morning walk and push of the pram will help.

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Phones and Call

I have a friend in Adelaide who also stays at home for now. We used to chat when I am always online and she at the same time but now that I am busy with Jens and blogging, we seldom do. When there are urgent matters that need to be discussed like tsismis,I would ring her or the other way around. But that form of communication comes with a high cost, well on my end at least. They got ip phones. Hers was just purchased recently so she can get intouch with her friends especially in the Philippines cheaply. I think the first time we talked using the same phone for almost an hour, it just cost him less than two dollars. How economical was that? If we haven't got an existing line for the mobile phone and the landline, maybe I would convince Mcj to get the same phone so I can ring my family and friends for less.

~~~

Mcj received a three unit mobile phones system two days ago. It was a promotional offer (for free) for switching from one provider to the other. So now we have two phone units in the house. We needed two because you can't ring locally to the old one as Mummy stuffed it up by dialling using her foot. Plus you can't pick up a hold call from that unit. Now, Mcj can ring me using the mobile intercom.

~~~

I need to call my parents in RP today. I rang my sister up the other day and no one answered the phone then I received an sms the next day asking if I can ring them that moment. Sadly, I read the sms in the afternoon and I tried to ring again but as usual, I can't reach them. It seems like I have to book an appointment to ring them lest the call won't be picked-up. Grrr..

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Question and Answer

When I send out email like greetings or forwarded messages to friends, I would often get a reply asking if how's life as a wife and Mum. Most of them that ask are working so I guess, they just wanna know how is it to be a stay at home mum and wife generally and being that in the part of the world where we live, wherein for a couple like us getting a nanny or a stay-in house helper are luxuries with too high a price.

I would say though that doing household chores and taking care of a child is not a difficult job. With the mod cons, there's not really much to do aside from the daily chores of cooking and a bit of cleaning.

Given all that, my always reply to those questions would be, just fine, happy and no dull moments especially now that we have a lovely bundle of joy. I would sometimes add that I miss working.

Yes, I miss working. Somebody remarked that I once was a workaholic. Partly true though those were the days.

Anyway, looking back on my working years, I might haven't been employed by the best company then, but I was satisfied in my career. One could say that I might not have aspired for more but I was happy. I got friends and we still remain that after I've left. The work atmosphere was ideal. The term boss and staff only came to work when the former has told the latter of something to do, outside that, we are all friends. The 360 degree communication was encouraged as well as transparency.

Lots of media were introduced such as the intranet, forum, meeting, etc. One only needed courage to voice out inorder to be heard or a two way communication to be inplaced. But I thought, back then we have the excellent media of office communication. Not until I found out that there could be an effective and funny way for the employer or boss to communicate with the staff. Just like an effective advertising strategy, it could be a funny face so a message is retained especially if coding is introduced. It is sort of like an inbound customer service, using a tool like that.

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From the Bunny

To all my friends...

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Easter Notes

I had a bit exciting day. I got my own computer to use now - currently using it. It's not really new as this is Mcj's computer that crashed down almost all the time because of the fan problem. He got a new one when this broke down and this had been restored and all. This has also been available for almost a month or two but needs new keyboard and mouse. I got them today. Rechargeable wireless mouse and ergo keyboard. I'm sort of like getting acquianted to the keyboard as the key placement is wee different from the usual. But it is very soft and quiet.

~~~

We went to the shop this evening mainly to buy Jens some easter eggs and bunny but we felt dismayed when we get to the confectionary sections as the stuff that we want to buy were not available anymore.

We were planning to buy Jens a bunny toy with egg chocolates and for Mcj a kilo of egg chocolates. Both were sold-out. Instead we got Jens a chocolate bunny and supposedly milk chocolate eggs but I mis-understood Mcj and didn't put the packet on our shopping trolley. Mcj got himself two packets of different flavour chocs to make up a kilo. How piggy can he get. lol. He said, it's his treat as he has been foregoing is usual chocolate coated nuts for almost a year now. Okay... (will post photos of the eggs and bunny soon).

~~~

I know this is not the most apt time to talk about debts but for my own reason I want to post about it. I mean, Easter is a time to change - to repent. My point is, if you're in deep financial trouble now, it might be time to contemplate and re-consider your choices in life. You might be able to realize that you have to change lifestyle starting this Easter. The word is fasting and hopefully stay that way until you are out of trouble.

Mcj would always share to me the most clever advice he got from his previous accountant when he asked him what would be the best investment. That is to pay-off debt. Yeah, it would be nice to know that you've got a cash investment or extra cash sitting in the bank but I'm sure you are well aware that the interest you pay for your debt is always much higher than the interest you earn from your investment given equal amounts.

But if you find yourself in neck high of financial dilemna, sometimes bankruptcy is not really the last option. I know somebody who's business is in deep sh*t and lost everything that he owns but hang on until he was out of it because of his belief that somebody he will be able to revive the business plus, he can't afford to have a bad business record. For some, declaring bankruptcy seems to be a very easy option but there is a fallback to this. In our side of the world, you can't put up another business for the next three years after you have declared bankruptcy.

What I really want to share is, as what Easter reminds us, Jesus was risen from the dead so there is always light at the end of a tunnel. There are many options like Debt Management and maybe, refinancing your assets if there are any. I'm just making a metaphor here, and I hope you get my drift. :)

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Laundry Day

I've been putting off doing the laundry since Monday. The weather had not been that good then. The sun would just come out around 10 in the morning and by then I would be too lazy to put the dirty clothes on the machine. Plus, I need to soak some clothes for an hour, so I reckoned it was really very late.

Well, at last today I found my good bone and did the laundry though it is gloomy. I did two loads. And I managed to soak the last load for an hour.

I realize that I don't have the time to go online in the morning when I do the laundry. And today, I have to make Jens' food so it's taking up some time. Anyway...

I am feeling my hands now and thankful that I used gloves (not exam gloves) when I soak and dissolve the washing soap as they're not that dry now though some lotion did some help too.

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Jens' Favorite TV Shows

It is inherent for kids to love watching cartoons, kids shows, play school, etc. But our Jens is not your ordinary baby. True that colorful characters, particularly red, attract him, it is the sound or the noise (the fast tempo) in the show that catches his attention more than anything else.

This is because, maybe, when he was very young we would play music with fast tempo then dance while holding him. Then sometimes, I would play Ricky Martin's MTV of Livin' La Vida Loca, Cup of Life and Maria when he's around. Plus, I just let him watch telly when he was past 4 months old.

It is difficult to get him to look at the telly during shows like Teletubbies, Sesame Street, Bananas in Pajamas, Elmo, Thomas, etc. - unless there is a music or they are talking lively or there is a colorful object. Or I have to stand infront of the tube to direct him.

But he would look at the tube during M*A*S*H, Friends and Two-and-a-half Men because of the jingle and sound track. Not because he knows that it is funny.

I sometimes flicked through an MTV show and watched a couple of new songs, I found him watching it.

We haven't got DVD of nursery rhymes yet. I realize that we need to buy some for Jens. We've just been buying books and toys because I reckon he can watch telly for rhymes. But that's not the case now. Hummmm.

~~~

Speaking of shows and songs, I miss the music that I played when I was working. I had a huge collection. We also got a huge collection of songs now but mostly they're Mcj's favorite, which slowly I'm beginning to like.

Thanks to the internet and generous people though, as we can stream online. And not just listen. For some who really loves , breaths and lives with music, there are websites that specially cater to a type of music that you want plus you can convene with your fellow fanatics - like the rap forum of rapartist.com. I visited the site and found out that joining in the club is free.

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Nice Classic Home

Queensland (the state where we live), is known for many things - tourist destinations, theme parks, beaches, toads, banana, etc. It is known as the sunshine state - except this year that we received more rain than sun in summer.

There are many things that this place is known for.. and many things that are symbolic for this place - like the classic Queenslader homes.

This style is idyllic in a country life. Some designs have veranda which is very good if you live in a farm. The are several houses of this style in our street. We've been to a suburb where there was a beautiful Queenslander home situated on the highest area of the suburb. I wanted to take a snap but I was reluctant as the owner might say I was prying. There's also a real estate office (might be a residential or commercial real estate) with a classic Queenslander home building style. It is just a small house but very quaint built in the middle of two main roads.

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Linky Love Tag

A tag from Happy. Thanks, sis!



Copy and paste the following starting here (for bloggers paste on the "compose" not the "edit html" part in posting blogs so it will be linked automatically).I have randomly selected other bloggers below to be tagged and I hope that you will similarly publish this post in your blog. You will have to add your link in the end of the list and tag other bloggers and just keep adding on to the list. (Do not replace, just keep on addingTag others and see your Technorati Authority increase exponentially!The benefits of Viral Linking:- One of the fastest ways to see your technorati authority explode!- Increase your Google PageRank fast- Attract large volume of new traffic to your site- Build your community- Make new friends!

Abie - Journey to Life
Abie - MyPlanetPurple
Farah - changing lanes
Bela
Kaptyurd by HowellAggie
Apols
Apple
Thea
Jacqui
Jane
Jody
Joy
Kelly
Leah
Mich
Pat
Peachy
Vien
Vick
Anna
Happy
HappyMum
Tatapilla

I'm passing on this tag to Cielo, Liza and Lutchi.

~~~

This link tag is doing good for our blogs, I reckon. In a way, it has and will increase our traffic and eventually our PR. Lucky for our blogs, they have meet lots of people and see places that the author have never been (no need to book accomodation in places like Las Vegas hotel). Do you think, I wish I am a blog? Hehehe!

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Feel Good Movie

I had no idea whatsoever on the movie Someone Like you. I just took what the ad said - something about romance, and I recorded it last night.

It turned out, my decision to record it was good. I like the movie and I can see myself watching it over and over again. I finished watching it late last night, err, early morning and I watched it again today - not finished though because I'm taking the opportunity to go online while Jens is asleep.

I don't particularly like Hugh Jackman or Ashley Judd but after watching the movie, I think I would watch out for any romance movie that they're in.

My record of the movie is absolutely part of my collection now.

~~~

I was watching a program the other night where the papparazi talked why stars should not complain why they're chased by the former. He said, stars breath and act to be popular and media give them that, so any photos snapped help. I reckon though, at some point they're entitled to some privacy especially if it concerns their health and credibility (like issue of an alcohol rehab). They want people to remember them for their excellent job, just like most of us.

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Angels Around Us

Got this little angel from Leah. Thanks!

I'm sharing this to Idealpinkrose, ZJ, Petra, Chelle and Sexymom.

~~~

Talking of angel, my little one is awake now (was asleep when I came online). But he's playing so I'm not worried. I wonder if I left some toys on his cot. I make it a rule not to leave any toys on his bed when he is asleep because he usually roll over and when he see something, he'll get up right away and play. But I'm thankful for the toys, they keep him company and amuse him. Todays toy is a best buy.

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My Little Girl, errr.. Boy

I reaped a few fruit today for my PR3 from PPP. It's my lucky day, I guess.

But it took me a while to finish all the opss that I reserved - after Jens was put to bed. And these days, it took him longer to settle at night. Might be teething again - for the top.

I'm leaving you all his photo as a little girl. lol. He was wearing a longsleeve body suit the other day and it was hot around noon, so I took the sleeves off his arms and tied them on his back. The suit looked like a tube. And it was funny as he really looked like a girl.

~

I just had a cuppa with my favourite choc chip cookies. And with a very slow computer that I'm using, I finished my coffee quickly than I used to while waiting for the snail to move. :)

~

A good movie is on now, Someone Like You. I watched a few minutes of the start and I'm recording it right now so I can watch it later. I'm building up a collection of good feel-good movies - just a home record. This saves me money for not buying them in the shops.

~

Talking of movies, I was surprised to see that Eric Bana played Henry VIII in The Other Boleyn Girl. I've read the book. I don't like historical novel but since it was on discount, I bought it and I eventually liked it. It just took me forever to finish though. In fairness, it is a thick book.

After reading it, I got sooo interested with the history of monarchy and England that I wanted to buy some of the reference books that Philippa Gregory used to write The Other Boleyn Girl. The story was soo intriguing that my naive mind couldn't have imagine that those things have actually happened in reality. But sadly, they did happened.

The book was a big read but it is one of the novel that won't bore you. Oh well, it's just me talking. I didn't get bored, I was excited a little but "being emotionally mature that always reads the ending first me", I didn't hastily finished it. I savor each and every word, every scene and action. I enjoyed it to the bones. lol. I can say that it is a light reading material. I might read it again in the future so I will re-ignite the curiousity of seeking the knowledge of the history of England that had died down a week after I finished reading the book. Such fickle-minded me.

Credit and kudos to the author for a simple and interesting book.

I don't know if I want to watch the movie even if Eric Bana is the lead. As of now, I am expecting too much from it and it might let me down. :)

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On Credit Card

I didn't get my first credit card until Mcj made me his additional card holder. That's not because I am not qualified or I have bad credit records but because I didn't try to apply for one. I didn't like the hassle of lengthy paper work.

But for some people, they don't have a credit card or have any line of credit because their credit rating has been tarnished. I can only imagine that these people need all the help they can get to cut through the endless mountain of prospective lenders to a short list of lenders specializing in products compatible to their specific needs. Lucky for them, a company like badcreditoffers.com can find a list of suitable lenders in a few clicks of the mouse. It's one of the sites that help people find companies that offer credit card for bad credit rating. They sort of like giving people with bad credit rating a second chance to build a good rating.

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Car First Before the Skill To Drive

I don't know how to drive and this has a very big downside. I can't get out of our place and go somewhere (especially to the shops) unless I walk. I am very dependent to Mcj on this department.

I want to learn to drive. But! We don't have a small car that would be suitable for me. I've tried to practice once on the ride-on mower but that particular mower broke down. Our current mower has joysticks now and it is very far from the wheel manuevered one. I haven't tried on it yet.

Every time we go out, I'm on the look for smaller cars. We haven't went shopping on cars yet. It's not on the budget and in the priority list. I just earmarked those that I see will be suitable for me. I have found what I like though so, it's just a matter of money now. :)

I'm not looking for a BMW, that's for sure. It's just too posh for me. Hahaha! Not if it is offered for free. I'll accept it with all my might. :)

By the way, did you know that you can buy BMW parts online - like of BMW Grilles? There is a special store where you can buy all parts and it carries the largest selection. Plus, it also offers parts of other car brands and 24 hour seven days support. And you thought you can only buy shoes and clothes in the internet. :) This site is good those who's car parts are not locally available.

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Love and Marriage

My friend just got married in Adelaide. She told me if I want to come over, I would love to but with Jens in consideration, I won't. If it's just me, I could have convinced Mcj to let me. Anyway, by the looks of their photos, they have a lovely wedding with her friends and S's family. Her family is in the RP. She told me (in email) that her friends there had really helped her through - the decorations, preparation of food, etc. I'm happy that she has friends like them.

We've been sharing and comparing notes about our lovelife, romance and the like. It's funny sometimes that we have similar experience but some greatly differ. I think, it's comforting to both of us who left our family and the comfort zone to be with the love of our life, to have each other - to share happy and wonderful stories and sad sometimes. We share inputs, yeah inputs.. as if we're both experienced in the field of marriage.

I hope and pray that she'll have a blissful married life. And to have a baby soon. In our circle of friends, she's the only who hasn't got a little bundle of joy.

~~~

On the side note, I want to share a mushy-mush that Mcj and I have. In the start of our relationship, we said I love you to each other but eventually, Mcj invented our own way of saying it. We now say, You Love Me towards each other.

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On Racing

I love watching racing, may it be car, motorcyle, F1, horse, etc. Mcj introduced me to it. If the V8 Supercars is on, we would have a lazy weekend. If it is Melbourne Cup, he would go and bet.

This last weekend was F1 championship in Melbourne. It was said in the news that the event would remain there as there was a big crowd that turned up. Good. I didn't see the entire event though. One of Aussie drivers was out early.

~~~

Mcj used to run a horse betting business. I wasn't here when he did, but he said it was fun and sort of lucrative business. He didn't last long on it though as he didn't have that much investment to put on it.

~~~

On my last trip back here from RP, there was a group of men (with their wives and kids) talking about horses. As I overheard, they're goingto attend an event, more of like a horse racing. It was interesting listening to them how much trouble they have to went through to buy a horse from New Zealand or Australia and transport it to RP. And then, reaping the fruit of their labor, when the horse win the racing there.

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In The Playground

It was council election last Sunday, so we decided to go with Mcj to the voting hall. There was a playground at the back, we took Jens there. It was his first time. I was more excited than him I think because there were lots of kids.

There are lots of rides (are they called that?) and he was put first in the wriggley rabbit. He was alright for a few minutes because there were kids playing around but he slipped off and that's when he started to whinge. He was also a bit tired so we took him off there and headed for the swing.

There was a swing fit for (a king, ek) babies, so he was put there. He cried. Really, as if he was hurt - well, I guess normal for babies because he was new to it. We gave him big cuddles to settle him down. When he was in a play mood again, we tried to put him and he was alright. We showed him that we can swing too and he liked it.

If we have time, we might make it a weekend escapade to go there.

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Talk on Interest and Mortgage

It has been in the news almost everyday that the working class who pays Mortgage on their house are experiencing difficulty. The interest rate is rising up due to inflation (more of the sub-prime interest rate). It was said that it could get worse before it gets better. And so the mortgage payer have to let go some luxuries if they have any and sacrifice a little to cope the increasing mortgage payments - maybe escaping holidays this year until the coast is clearer.

The rising interest rate is good for those who have cash investments though.

I know somebody who had been paying big mortage every month - I tell you, they're just paying the interest and it was huge. Well, the principal was also huge so what can you expect? Anyway, they sold the property and has now something sitting in the bank that earns interest everyday.

So if before they're praying for the interest to go down, now they're praying for the interest to go up, they're on the other side of the boat now. But no, they're not really praying because the prices of the commodities have also gone up. It's a catch 22 situation for them. But at least, paying high mortgage is not taking toll on them now.

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Weekend Snapshots

It was Council Election yesterday and Jens and I went with Mcj to the voting hall. There is a playground at the back. After voting, we took Jens there.

The first time Mcj put Jens to the swing, he cried so I showed him that it's alright by taking him with me while swinging. Eventually, he felt alright to be left alone. There were lots of kids there - some playing footies on the field and some on the playground.

More WS here.

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Missing

When I left my job almost two years ago, I took with me lots of files - important hard copies and all softcopy including my lotus notes mails, temporary internet files, photos, etc. I was suppose to use usb flash drives but I reckon with the files that I need to put, the space of the drives that I am willing to buy might not be enough so I opted for CD's. I used lots and I took them all with me here in Australia.

The first that I transferred to the computer were those labeled photos, for blogging purposes. And to my dismay I couldn't find the folder where all our wedding photos were. I've checked the CD's unless I miss one. I reckon I might have misplaced it but I've looked at possible places where I could have left it and there was none. Grrrrrr. The saddest thing is, MCJ's copy of the photos were all gone when some geek reformated the computer without backing up all the files. The only consolation is I have printed copy of them but the album is in the Philippines. That's one of the things that I'm going to put in our bag and bring here when we go back to RP.

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It's Raining...

Looks like it's been raining cats and dogs for online casino opps these days. :)

Anyway, I don't really play online but MCJ does when he's not busy and he wants it with sound especially if he's playing games other than poker. And it irritates me.

Okay, with everything available over the net, I was not surprised that online casinolist sites would evolve eventually. Sites like these make it easy for player to choose which online casino to play with as they provide ratings from players' votes, bonuses, etc. Though if you happen to check other similar type of sites, you would notice that they almost have the same layout and review the same online casino sites. The difference is the ratings. Nonetheless, these sites help as players don't have to search for each and every casino there is to check who offers the best of everything in online games.

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Get Ready to G-amble :D

Love playing online games? Well, in our family it’s MCJ that you can count on this. It’s not just games but gambling. Oh I'm not worried because he’s just using play money.

When Mcj downloaded and registered to online gambling site, it was just straightforward. Went to the site and go! But I reckon, should he know sites that offer online casino reviews, he would have checked them out first so he can choose what games he can download rather than those what his current site provides. Just like in this online casino review site, it list down the casinos and provided ratings of players' votes, those with best bonuses and most voted online. If you're considering of seriously spending some money online, I think you might consider looking up for the best gaming site (there is) in websites like this. At least there are opinions of your fellow players that you can take before plunging deep.

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Me, Me, Me

Tagged by Mitch. Thanks, sistah!

I AM… sleepy but my mind is busy that I can't sleep.

I WANT… a new hairdo!

I HAVE… to make lunch soon.

I WISH… for a laptop with wireless internet connection so I can blog where ever I am. :)

I HATE… and detest maggots. They gave me goosebumps.

I FEAR… unknown.

I SEARCH… I Yahoo! Do you?

I WONDER… for how long can I stay online until my little one wakes up.

I REGRET… that I regret sometimes. :D

I LOVE… my one-and-a-half men!

I ALWAYS… go for quality, comfort and style.

I AM NOT… mad, just explaining (nagpapaliwanag lang).

I DANCE… to make Jens laugh.

I SING… at the top of my lungs when I want to annoy MCJ.

I CRY… when I'm angry!

I WRITE… my shopping list as things that we need came up to my mind.

I WON… nothing yet as I haven't joined any contest until today for this year.

I AM CONFUSED… if what color of nail polish looks good on my toe nails.

I NEED… you and I couldn't live a day without you! *singing*

I SHOULD… be really making lunch now.

THE LAST THOUGHT YOU GO TO SLEEP WITH IS… I want to go to sleep. :)


I'm passing this funny tag to BlogGirl, Thet and Butchay.

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Domain Registration

Well, after reading Leah's post about getting a private domain and then using the blogger's feature of free hosting, I hastily did the same. But looking for domain registrar that will fit my requirements isn't easy. For one, I can only pay through paypal and my account isn't verified nor I have supplied any credit card details. I am still reluctant to provide my credit card details over the net so pardon me, guys.

We know somebody who can offer us a domain registration so I opted there. But I encountered problems. First, the online help or staff can't help me on DNS hosting problem so I can access my blog through bloggers. Eventually, I was able to with the help of this local guy. But another problem arose. I can view my blog with the private domain but when I visited other links, it will take me there but the url is still my domain. What can I do?

Well, I love researching.. so I search and search for a free dns hosting and eventually found one and got my blog running - free hosting from blogger. Horay!

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My Oh My...

See that? My PR is 3! I'm really excited that I have to post it here. That was 0 this morning and I was fooling around the net and out of the blue.. blah! Well, I don't really know what I did or somebody did. lol.

There you go... back to work. :)

Update: It was just for a couple of minutes then back to zero again. Nagkamali lang ata ang google. lol.

~~~~~

On the side note, credit line grants work like problogging and PR. If you have bad credit history, it is most likely that you won't get approved if you apply for a loan or credit card. But wait! There are companies that give bad credit credit cards like BadCreditOffers.com. In this consumers can apply for the offer that's right for them, and by making payments on time they can start down the road toward rebuilding their credit and, perhaps, their financial future. It is sort of like making a brand new start when it comes to your credit standing or credibility.

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Wordless Wednesday

Check out more WW participants here.

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Plugging

I am building up the links and blogroll of my other blog, http://blog.tatapilla.com/ - blog dedicated for my little one. Anybody who wants to exchange links, please leave a message and I'll be happy to add your url there.

Thanks heaps!

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Weekend Snapshots 9

Jens and I went for a walk to the mainroad one Sunday morning. There wasn't much to see, just signs along the road and our neighbors' houses.

Check out more WS here.

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Message in a Bottle

This is one of the tags that I love doing. Thanks, Tracy.

The Rules:

Leave a message in the sand or on the bottle. Write anything you wish. Be a pirate or a poet. Serious or silly. Anonymous or not. What message would you like to send out to the universe?

1. Compose a message to place in your virtual bottle.

2. Right click and SAVE the blank graphic below

3. Use a graphics program of your choice to place the message on the picture.

4. Post the Message In a Bottle meme and your creation on your blog along with these rules.

5. Tag a minimum of 5 bloggers - or your entire blogroll - to do the same. Notify them of the tag.

Your virtual bottle will remain afloat in the blogosphere ocean for all blogernity (That’s a Mimism for blog + eternity?)

I'm tagging Arlene, Mich, Sexymom, Shiela and Retche. Have fun sisters!

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I Rate...

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	8
Mind:	7.8
Body:	9.1
Spirit:	8
Friends/Family:	8.3
Love:	7.3
Finance:	5.8
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

Your Life Analysis:

Life: Your life rating is a score of the sum total of your life, and accounts for how satisfied, successful, balanced, capable, valuable, and happy you are. The quiz attempts to put a number on the summation of all of these things, based on your answers. Your life score is reasonably high. This means that you are on a good path. Continue doing what is working and set about to improve in areas which continue to lag. Do this starting today and you will begin to reap the benefits immediately. (Read more on improving your life)

Mind: Your mind rating is a score of your mind's clarity, ability, and health. Higher scores indicate an advancement in knowledge, clear and capable thinking, high mental health, and pure thought free of interference. Your mind score is within a healthy zone. This means you have achieved a level of mental balance and harmony consistent with living a healthy, happy life. Continue doing what works, and keep your focus. In our fast-paced world, mental clutter is all too common. Be vigilant in maintaining healthy mental function. Read advice from other quiz-takers on improving the mind.

Body: Your body rating measures your body's health, fitness, and general wellness. A healthy body contributes to a happy life, however many of us are lacking in this area. You have an excellent body score, which means you are incredibly focused on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Continue in that focus, and your body will remain healthy and strong. Read advice from other quiz-takers on improving the body.

Spirit: Your spirit rating seeks to capture in a number that elusive quality which is found in your faith, your attitude, and your philosophy on life. A higher score indicates a greater sense of inner peace and balance. Your spirit score is relatively high, which means you are rewarded by your beliefs. Spirituality is clearly important to do. Never let it slip, and continue to learn and grow. Read advice from other quiz-takers on improving the spirit.

Friends/Family: Your friends and family rating measures your relationships with those around you, and is based on how large, healthy, and dependable your social network is. Your friends and family score is quite healthy. You have a social network you can depend upon. Count your blessings, but never forget that these bonds need to be maintained. Keep your friends and family close.Love: Your love rating is a measure of your current romantic situation. Sharing your heart with another person is one of life's most glorious, terrifying, rewarding experiences. Your love score is in good shape, meaning that things are going well. Do all you can to maintain it, and continue to grow and move ahead. Read advice from other quiz-takers on finding and maintaining love.

Finance: Your finance rating is a score that rates your current financial health and stability. Your finances are somewhat in the middle, neither bad or exceptional. Keep doing what works for you, and improve what doesn't. Focus on long-term financial stability as your goal. Read advice from other quiz-takers on improving your finances.

~~

On the side note, I planned on bloghopping and editing Jens' blog but he's awake now. I can hear him over the intercom. Good thing I put the intercom on before I left the room lest I won't be able to monitor him. I can't ring the room from here as I did something silly on the phone before. We need a technician to fix it (sort of like unlocked phone).

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