Summaries

And Life Goes on for a Filipino Mom
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386 Words : Posted 01.08.09

Daughter # 2 is in full swing again. The school where she teaches requires each grade school and high school graduating batches to do term papers as one of the prerequisite of graduation. Each student is tasked to choose one unique research paper topic to be approved by their thesis adviser. One time she complained that most graders do not write well - no composition, wrong grammar, no development. She observed that if these errors are not corrected early on, the students may well go into high school and college still committing the same mistakes. This shortcoming will definitely affect their work in doing research papers. College is all about doing research papers. It can be rightly said that one may do one research paper for each class that one takes. How or where is it possible to seek assistance in writing research papers?


High technology is under our finger tips. There are online help for writing papers nowadays. Once such website is http://researchpaper-blog.com. The site boosts of professional writers who care highly qualified to help you with just about anything regarding your school writing requirements and custom research paper. It offers help in professional essays, research and term papers, theses and dissertations. The site also offers help in editing and proof reading. Every writer or student have encountered or will encounter a mental block when writing. Even professional writers suffer mental block. When it happens it's best to peruse some sample research paper just to refresh the mind and maybe get some new ideas. The site also offers tips on how to go about writing essays, job resumes, research topics and more. I browsed the site and there are various samples for download. There were topics for essays, research papers, theses, coursework, case analyses, thesis proposals, review literature, dissertation and even college admission essay.

It is better, of course, to do your own work. It will hone your skills and prepare you better in the future. Mastering your grammar and syntax will do you good. Reading books would also open your eyes and mind to various writing styles. Reading books would also stimulate your imagination. However, there are times that help is a necessity for you to pass your studies. A little tutorial along the way will not hurt. Check the site out.


146 Words : Posted 01.08.09

Chuck, our 7-month-old choco lab is super hyper. He usually stays in the kitchen but lately was banished to the house terrace outside. He is so hyper that everything he sees, he eats. I tried to take away all chewable things near him in the kitchen but what do you know? He chewed on the paint walls! The other day, he chewed on the water dispenser. Last week, he chewed on the range knobs. Everyday, he chews on any slippers left within his reach. I swear that if Chuck was a human kid, he'd be diagnosed with ADHD. He's contented to stay at the terrace. He's comfortable there. However if he hears anyone inside the house, he immediately goes by the window and begs to be let in. Here he is begging his "mommy" to let him in. The momny did, of course.

198 Words : Posted 01.08.09

My computer is loaded with different browser-based games that my son downloads. The games are pretty much all about war and killing. I sometimes think these types of games put an unconscious urge for players to be violent. Ergo, I do not let 6 year old Ethan play these types of games. There is, however, a new virtual online game catering to kids ages 6-14. ActionAllStars.com is offering a free to play, browser based sports-themed virtual game in conjunction with NBA and MLB to feature players, teams and jerseys. The games are basketball, football, baseball, and more. By more, I meant the games have some additional fun tweaks like dribbling with the music in the rhythm game. I love the diner game best.

Create your own Avatar. The games are unisex and anyone can play. The animated graphics and simple games are targeting kids 14 and below. But hey! Age does not matter. Anyone can enjoy playing the games as I did. I think even my 18 year old son would love to play these games. It's so easy to join. Sign up for free and start playing. The games are pretty much safe to play.





158 Words : Posted 01.08.09

Remember the two maids who left in hanging when they decided to leave my household without prior notice? Well, one of them texted me asking me to "please take me back". I called her up then. She said she made a grave mistake in leaving and that she's willing to do anything just so I would take her back. I asked her where she is and she answered that she's somewhere in Quezon city. I though she said she went home to her province. I told her that If I do take her back she'll be delegated to do the laundry. She said yes so I agreed to take her back. In the course of our conversation she said two things that irritated me. First, she wanted me to fetch her from her present employer. Oh alright.Second, I have to pay the 6,000 Php she owes her employer. I hung up the phone.

212 Words : Posted 01.08.09

I have not been in top form these past few days. Too much eating during the holidays brought havoc to my stomach. I have been experiencing upset stomach almost daily. My tummy complains by grumbling. I thought the grumbling were hunger pangs, but I have it even right after meals. Acidic. My stomach is secreting a lot of gastric juices contributing to its acidity. It's not painful as in "ouch!, it's painful" but rather irritating and uncomfortable. Three days ago I started to take a medication to block production of excess gastric juice. The grumbling has lessen but I think what I need is colon cleansing, a form of Body Detox. From what I read a colon cleanse eliminates the toxins which have built up in the digestive system.The detoxification processes of a colon cleanser treatment are so important to maintaining a healthy balance in your body that many doctors consider it essential to personal wellness. The detoxification process helps decrease gas or bloating, have more radiant skin and hair, and an overall trimmer appearance. Dual Action Cleanse is the top brand for a thorough detoxification. It eliminates mucous and other undigested materials in the stomach that can build up in the colon. Umm... better I better try this.



144 Words : Posted 01.08.09

Christmas came and went. Believe it or not, I did not buy a thing for myself. Well, not really. What I mean is I did not buy any luxury item for myself. I have a long wish list. In the list is a Ralph Lauren vintage doctor's bag. It's not a "doctor" bag per se. It's just called as one. I have been wanting this bag for the longest time. Oh there are imitations that I can get for a few measly hundreds but! I do not want one a fake one. I want the real authentic one. Since daughter #4 is in the business of selling designer's bags now, what better time to get an RL bag? So, to kill two birds with one stone, I bought the vintage RL doctor's bag from daughter #4. I love it!

267 Words : Posted 01.07.09

Back in the 60's my father had a scooter. It was compact and had a space in front where my brother and I could stand while papa drives. I thought the scooter was weird for it's not like the regular motorcycle bike being driven about by others in our town. Years later, I learned that that weird scooter was a Vespa! The scooter was gone by then. The weird scooter was traded for a big great 400 CC motorcycle by my papa. It was the mid 70's by this time and the first gas shortage ever was ongoing. To save on gas, papa used to fetch me from school in his big bad bike. When it rained, woe on me. I had to endure wearing raincoat similar to the one used by Biyo, the neighborhood's friendly tricycle man. When I got married, I thought my love affair with a motorbike would be over. Wrong.

My husband bought himself not one, but two great motorbikes of 700 cc and 900 cc respectively. Along with the bikes is a collection of helmets, jackets and of course Motorcycle Boots. Copshoes.com has a wide variety of motorcycle boots: oiled, leather, wellington, high-cut, mid-cut, zippered, shoe-laced - name it, they have it. Hubby's been browsing the site and even asked if I want one. 'Ah... do they have one in my size?' Yup! The site has styles for ladies too. Check it out or call customer service manned by people available to answer you questions over the phone Monday -Friday 8:30 - 5:00 CST.


161 Words : Posted 01.07.09

is not to make a list of resolutions...

A lot of bloggers are writing about their New Year's resolutions in their blogs. Some are pretty serious about their list and there are those who are just goofing. I am not so keen on resolutions. When I was decades younger I imitated my friends who wrote down their resolutions in the belief that I, too, can do my resolutions. I did not. I could not. The resolutions were all written down but were not done. Years of experience taught me that for a resolution to be done, a sense of commitment is a must. There is no need to write it down or tell everyone about it.But that's just me. Others might feel comfortable and highly motivated if their resolutions are known to their peers. I have a few things that need some changing. I need to be firm and tenacious for me to succeed. Good luck to me.

242 Words : Posted 01.06.09

I just received news that a nephew got engaged. His proposal was well documented with pictures. He even had the foresight to take photos of the 0.7 carat diamond engagement ring prior to its being made into a ring. Nephew set up a date in a plush hotel. With the help of a timed digi-cam set among the bushes, he was able to take pictures of his proposal in action. Sweet. Plans are ongoing for a wedding in November. Of course, our side of the family would also plan on giving the fiancee a bridal shower. Tentatively, the shower's theme is bedroom. It does not matter what kind of stuff one may bring to the shower - as long as it can be used in the bedroom. Furniture? Bedsheets? Books? Nah! Too un-sexy!

What about if I give her babydolls? These are cute but definitely sexy-looking nighties famous in the 50's and 60's. They are short and flimsy, flirty and sexy! I'd like to have one myself for believe it or not, this type of lingerie is comfortable to sleep in too. I actually have a few babydolls still serviceable pieces with me . No, I did not have them in the 50's and 60's! There's an online shop that I could browse for this item. I better check it out now so I can place my order before the bridal shower looms near.Nice!


271 Words : Posted 01.06.09

I have the utmost respect for lawyers. My side of the family has about six lawyers so I know that lawyers are smart and glib and sometimes make booboos too!These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place.


ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken?
WITNESS: Would you repeat the question?

ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?
WITNESS: By death.
ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?

ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?
WITNESS: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.

ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on
him!

ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.


more next time

255 Words : Posted 01.06.09

Daughter # 4 is so hyped up with her new business - selling branded bags. She was still up and about at 12:30 A.M. because of the many messages she was getting regarding her wares. She said she'll be adding some branded watches in her for sale items too. "Real watches" she said "not the plastic-colorful ones". Oh, I was never partial to the itsy-bitsy-cutesy watches. I want "real watches" too!

My first ever "real" watch was a a citizen watch. In the 70's, owning one was a great deal for the brand was one synonymous with class, precision and quality. The watch company was established in 1924. The rationale behind the name is its affinity to the common people. The founding fathers thought that the name "citizen" would mean "close to the hearts of people everywhere". The company is now 85 years old and in the last 25 years or so has become the world's largest watchmaker. Citizen watch's technology has brought us the slimmest LCD watches, a voice recognition watch and the world's first professional dive watch with an electronic sensor. Wow! Whatever will the company think of next? An eco-friendly watch? Yup! The collection named Eco-Drive are watches powered by plain old light. Light-powered watches much like the technology behind the light-powered calculator. With models ranging from dress to sports to dive watches, the watches can run on any kind of light - artificial or natural - for a lifetime. I need to get one. Now!

110 Words : Posted 01.06.09

Daughter #4's Christmas money was spent on a digi-cam. Now, everyone in the house has a digi-cam except me and hubby. I prefer my SLR but it has no D so it's not a DSLR but an old camera that requires good old film. Anyway, daughter #4 claims her camera is a smile-sensor. Smile and the camera will automatically take your picture. We tried. And tried. And tried some more. Finally, we were able to figure out how to smile so the sensor can pick it up. Smile this way please.




In fairness to the camera, it was set in low sensor perception or whatever you call it.

157 Words : Posted 01.06.09

Daughter # 4 is officially a bum! She is done with university study having just finished her BS Economics and BS MFI degrees... no BS! Anyway, she will be graduating with honors in February 07,09. She said she'll just take it easy for a month or so before she applies for a job. Meantime, since she has no school that equates to no allowance from her dad. The dad is old school and believes that as long as there's no school then Yum has no need for money. On the contrary! So! Please help Yum earn some moolah. She has partnered with a very credible wholesaler of designer bags and I kid you not when I say the bags are the real deal. Not tiangge, 168 or Greenhills.

Please click on the link to view daughter # 4's wares. HERE.
She said she'll ship anywhere as long as you pay for the mailing fees.

216 Words : Posted 01.06.09

There is nothing more irritating than a leaky or wet basement. Ideally, since basements are constructed at least a few feet below natural grade, basement walls are of solid concrete mix. This type of wall is highly expensive that if budget is constrained, concrete hollow blocks with plaster finish are used instead. However, even in the most well-constructed homes, basement leakages happen. There are many causes of leakages but the most common is clogged drains. The clogged drains may cause water to seep through small cracks in walls specially in the seem between the wall and floor. These cracks will eventually get bigger and in the end pool of puddles may be seen on your basement flooring. What to do?

Simple. You need good basement waterproofing materials to prevent moisture and eventually water pooling. A company has perfected a basement waterproofing technique called the B-Dry® Basement Drainage System. Basically the B-dry drainage and sump pump systems are installed inside the basement below the surface of the concrete floor, to reduce hydrostatic pressure that causes water leakage. A sump pump can then expel any water drained from underneath your floor slab. These systems help prevent future flooding. The onset of winter and the subsequent spring may well bring havoc to un-waterproofed basements. Check out the site now.

206 Words : Posted 01.06.09

I am a huge fan of John Travolta. Back in college, I used to hurry home after school to catch the sitcom Welcome Back Kotter where he played the yummy role of Vinnie Barbarino. I loved him in Saturday Night Fever but my reel love affair with him really took off from that little known movie titled Boy in the Plastic Bubble. True, he had a string of movie flops but! I was ever his loyal-unwavering fan.

When at 6:30 a.m. on January 4 my friend mistakenly texted me that John Travolta died of a heart attack, I thought I'd have one too. No! It can't be. Vinnie Barbarino is invincible! I hurriedly turned on my computer to search for the truth. I was relieved that John was not dead but I was saddened that it was his son Jett who passed away. Speculations abound as to the who the "real" Jett was. Autistic? Afflicted with KS? Prone to seizure? I guess these do not matter anymore. Jett Travolta is gone and has left his parents and sister inconsolable with grief.

To the Travoltas, may you find peace and comfort in your grief.
picture from his movie Boy in a Plastic Bubble

233 Words : Posted 01.06.09

Water is essential to life. There will be no life on earth if there is no water. All forms of life known to men need water for sustenance and for daily living. A person can go for weeks without food. But without water, an average person will die of dehydration in four to five days.

The human body mass is approximately 72% water. An average person doing average daily tasks needs from one to seven liters of water everyday. The more active one is, the more water one needs to avoid dehydration. Men need water for daily tasks such as cooking, bathing, washing. Water is also needed to run industries such as power plants, in running steam turbine engines to generate electricity, and as coolant in metal works and related industries.

Water fit for human consumption is called potable or drinking water. Globally, there is a need for more potable water. Gone are the days when one can safely drink water from streams and wells. Untreated water can bring in a myriad of communicable diseases that can even cause death. Good thing there is Water Restoration 911 that does Black Mold Removal. The company does a 24/7 Emergency with National reach, has a fully equipped fleet for Extraction, Drying, and Dehumidifying of Flood, Water, Sewage, Mold. With a track experience of over 12 years you can't go wrong with this company.


71 Words : Posted 01.05.09

What the heck is wrong with my computer or server or internet connection? I can't login to Social Spark and Yahoo Mail! There are sites in EC that just won't load. I've run my multiple anti-whatever softwares and cleared my cache and deleted temporary internet files BUT! I still can't browse smoothly. I can't even drop ECs! Is it only me?! Anyone having the same problem?

240 Words : Posted 01.05.09

The family van's plate number ends in "1". That means renewal of registration and insurance policy this month. I dropped by the vehicle registration office yesterday but I immediately left. After a long holiday break, the place was overflowing with people and "cars" with unfinished businesses. I'd just come back next week when it might be a little less hectic. Meantime, I have to decide where to get my van's insurance.

There are a lot of insurance companies available online. One leading U.K. company is actually an insurance broker - meaning, the company handles different insurance companies to better suit their client's needs. Autonet Insurance Group has great and invaluable relations with leading U.K. insurance companies. It offers the best and lowest priced policies custom-made for each client. What's great about the site is the easy online quote and application. Just type in www.autonetinsurance.co.uk, click on the sidebar the type of insurance you plan to get a quote. The site is currently offering a 70% off on van insurance. On top of that, the company has a 24-hour claims line for smooth transactions making its clients stress-free. Quotes are based on the current prices of the 40 top U.K. insurance companies and are updated on a daily basis. Check out the site and have your quote. The company promises a refund if their insurance policy is not the cheapest.



159 Words : Posted 01.05.09

I got home real late last night. I took my son to his new apartment. Yes! My son's apartment mates and he decided to end their contract with the old apartment because the place was too small for them. Small as in they always had to watch their step so as not to bump the ceiling going up and down the stairs. The new apartment is just a few houses down the road of their old apartment. It's a one-storey-two-bedroom affair. It's more airy and spacious. It's greatest asset though is the old couple who rents out the place. It was fun reading the contract lovingly and painstakingly written by grandma. No inflammable materials inside the house translate to no smoking inside the house. Keep the house in good order means clean the house especially the bathroom. The grandpa and grandma live next door and they sure'll do as nannies to the four boys.

253 Words : Posted 01.05.09

The Season being over, it was back to work and for some, back to school yesterday. Ethan and I still have a day to go before we plunge into the daily grind. So! I took down the Christmas tree and other decors yesterday. How come unpacking trees and decors seem more fun than packing? I also tried to figure out where to store the new toys and stuff Ethan got for Christmas. Oh the toys are just unbelievable. Looking at them took me back to my toy-playing-days.

I played with a lot of "walking" dolls when I was young. These dolls were mostly 2-3 feet tall and had teeth. I used to emulate my mom (a dentist) when playing with my teethed-dolls that I pulled out their teeth with tweezers. I also love the cuddly-pull-string Bugs Bunny that says "take me with you" and "what's up doc?". My favorite, however, was a construction set made up of square plastics and sliding rails. Building toys are my favorite kind of toys. Construction sets have a gone a long way. There's this fairly new magnetic construction set which would let a child (and you!) build faster and bigger pieces . MagNext has been redesigned to prevent the accidental swallowing of magnets attached to the toy. The magnets are now molded into the plastics. Magnext has been named SMart Toy of the Year 2008 by the Science Museum as part of the third annual SMart Toy Awards. Cool toy. I should get one for Ethan.



202 Words : Posted 01.05.09

Where did one year go? What have I accomplished in 2008? What were the highlights of 2008 relating to my life? What were the experiences that I had that made me grow in maturity the last year? What were the problems that I was able to handle if not totally solve? Was 2008 a happy year? Fruitful year? Financially rewarding year?

I am like an automaton most time. I just do what I have to do and not what I want to do. Now, what would I want to do? Plenty. Give me a moment to think about them. There are times that I spend hours being silent - no one to talk to. There are times that I want silence even if it's quiet around me. What do I mean? My mind never rests. It has a life and psyche of its own. I say "quiet,my brain" but it refuses to oblige. Am I babbling? I guess so. If truth be told, I feel that 2008 was not a good year for me. I'm not sure. I look old. I am old! Give me time to muse over the fact.





photo taken by benjo with an "in-your-face-lens"
desperateblogger

211 Words : Posted 01.05.09

It's January. Time to renew expired business permits, car insurances, professional licenses and more. My friend, a contractor, called me up last night with some concerns. She is a licensed class C contractor and that worked fine for a while. However, class C is still class C - meaning there is a ceiling or a limit to the type and magnitude of construction that you can bid on. My friend wants to go big time this year. She's aiming for class A. I told her that it takes years of experience and numerous finished constructions to qualify for class A. She would also some basic equipments like: concrete mixer, pavers, excavators, cranes, lifts, dozers, trucks, graders and more.

I advised her to start out slowly but surely by buying equipments one at a time. I told her that if she plans on buying a gantry crane, it's best to get the RTG - Rubber Tired Gantry Crane. The Shuttlelift Company may well be the best in line of gantry cranes. Founded over 20 years ago, the company has a long list of satisfied customers whose "lifting" problems were solved by its bank of innovative and talented engineers. Shuttlelift Gantry Cranes has been trusted for the past two decades.


197 Words : Posted 01.04.09

After a less than usual New Year's Eve in terms of spent money on firecrackers and fireworks, we once again decided to troop to my hometown the following day. We all slept late, around 2:00 a.m., but that was not unusual. We all are late sleepers. We like to feel sleep deprived and irritable the next day. Kidding.(or not!)

Potluck as usual. We were late  so everyone was already eating when we arrived. The food was unbelievable! They were all my favorite native dishes. We ate with gusto and again, overstuffed ourselves. With pants and shorts unzipped, we decided to play a game to prevent us from falling into an after-stuffing-yourself-stupor. I don't know what the game was called. It has to do with passing a thick package around and whoever gets in when the music stops gets to unwrap a layer of the package and either gets money to keep or a consequence to do. With my kind of luck (wacky-funny) I got a consequence. I was to stand in the middle of the busy street, stop traffic and shout I LOVE TAYTAY! Did I do it? Piece of cake. 


240 Words : Posted 01.03.09

A year ago, Ethan suddenly started showing some real nasty rashes on his arms and legs. I thought they were caused by some ailment. As I looked closely at the rashes I realized they were not rashes at all but bites! What bit Ethan? I took him to a doctor and it was diagnosed that the rashes were indeed insect bites. Nasty insects - bedbugs! But my house is bedbugs free, or so I thought. It seems that bedbugs can get into your house by clinging to ones clothes. They can also crawl into luggage when traveling and then get carried back into your home. I'd settle for the later. My son traveled to a remote area days before and the "culprit" luggage was sitting in my bedroom.It so happened that Ethan was highly allergic to the bites that it took more than month and a lot of medications for his bites to clear.

Bedbugs are nasty. It is better to check your house for signs of bedbugs. What are the signs? First and foremost, bites! If you have unexplained bites once you get up from bed, then there's reason to suspect. Bedbugs are good at hiding and they prefer nooks and crannies of furniture and beds. They can even hide out in curtains and linens. Check out www.bedbugsguide.com for bed bug control guide and information. Regarding my bedbug infested bed, I threw it out!


116 Words : Posted 01.02.09

We have gone sparkly for the past ten years or so to greet the New Year. We (actually, my hubby) had stopped buying firecrackers because they are unsafe. Years and years ago, it was customary in this third world town to fire guns like AR-7 and M-16 instead of firecrackers. Every other house in the neighborhood had guns then and everyone joined in the shooting revelry at New Year's eve. Indeed.Truly. Guilty. Now don't go judging me. My backyard had a short span shooting range and that was were we empty shells. I know! I was young and insipid then. Now, I'm old and insipid. Anyway, here was how we greeted 2009.