What a Contrast!

In the US, you can have a cheap car lease and have a car to use that could be cheaper than buying one and owning it.

Here in the Philippines, if you choose to lease a car even for long term use, it would cost an arm and a leg. Let's say at P2,000/day, that would be P60,000 a month plus insurance and of course, gas. Wow! That is about the monthly amortization for a cheap car for a five-year installment plan.

And in Singapore, the older your car gets, the higher its insurance rates because of the danger that it can pose to motorists. They believe that the older the car, it should better be insured so most people there dispose of their cars on the 4th or 5th year. Here in the Philippines, the older the car, the cheaper the insurance, that is why it is no wonder that we almost like the carriages of Rome still running the streets! LOL

Muffler Problems

Ooopss...it seems our car is having muffler problems again. We had the muffler done several months ago but we were told that was just the major damage. There is still a minor damage that needs to be done.

But now, it seems that it wants to be repaired, too. Oh no, I hope it can hold up for the longest time! We just had the aircon fixed this month and paid some money for it, so if possible, no more car expense please...

Last time, I saw a car that needed windshield replacement and I was like, oh my gosh! That is major repair...

I guess that is just part of life.

New Stuff in the House

It seems that whenever we go home to my parents' house in Tangub, there is always something new. *chuckle* I guess that is what happens when two retirees live in the same house and they already have an empty nest, all they do is go out, go shopping and do something to the house. They always have something to do, something to remodel.

It is either they do it themselves or hire other people, but they do the planning. They do not hire people from professional companies like Chicago remodeling otherwise my brother would have a fit paying their bills! LOL

We do contribute but it is not that much. It is my desire that we would be able to give more to my parents. Well, someday, if we have more money....

Apartment Living

I have friends who live in apartments and it has worked well for them. There are pretty good spaces for rent anywhere and everywhere in city, such as those in apartments odessa, and you can choose the vicinity based on your preferences and also the proximity to your workplace.

But I never really lived in an apartment my whole life. I just think, the money I will be paying as rent for an apartment, I would rather just spend it on monthly amortization even for just a small house. At least, after several years, the house would be mine. No offense to those who live in apartments, that is my choice.

Anyhow, my husband has his parents' home and my parents have their own home with a spacious lot that I can still build another house there and it would not be crowded yet. I just think it is impractical for us to buy another house. Besides, we cannot afford it yet.

So for now, we are happy where we are.

Studying in Other Countries

I wonder why it seems I have been burned with going to school. I never liked the idea of taking a masters degree or worse, a PhD. They do not seem enticing for me.

I am very lazy when it comes to schoolwork and studying and it might be a wonder that I graduated with honors in college.

But if there is anything that I want to do and that is to study culinary arts. We already have a good school here in Bacolod but of course, that would mean money. And I cannot just do that because I have a child to take care of and her needs are more important. Maybe someday, I can pursue it.

I also would like to study another language. While Chinese is being spoken at home, I am not forced to learn it because my family talks to me in the local language. But I would really like to learn Spanish. My grandfather is Spanish and I would like to learn his language by going to one of the Spanish Schools in Barcelona.

I read in a magazine that actress Cindy Kurletto is studying Spanish in Peru and I am like, wow! She is there as a student! If only I could afford to do that.

Well, I am already married with different priorities so these dreams will take a back seat for the moment. But I hope that in the future I will get to do these things.

Two Nights Without TV

My family and I just got back from from a two-day, two-night vacation in Tangub. Yeah, we went home to my parents' house for the weekend so that we can rest and also that Dindin could have a change of atmosphere.

We have been cooped up in our third floor home for quite some time and we just thought that bringing her somewhere else would do her good. And instead of just one night, we spent two nights. Thankfully, we had some extra clothes with us.

And besides, it was a joy for my parents to have us around. They really want to spend some time with our kid. After all, Dindin is their only granddaughter. And she also loves them as much because they really take good care of her. I just wish we can go there as often. But then of course, that would mean leaving our jobs and not doing anything else. So it is good to be doing that from time to time but not always. Otherwise, we would not be earning and just spending. LOL

Well because we were there, that meant no TV for two nights! We usually watch TV at night, even just a short while to watch our favorite shows. Although my parents also had cable, we never really did get a chance to watch. We just talked and talked for hours. haha Yeah, I guess we did have a lot of catching up. So that means, no Sepak Bola for us either. Tsk tsk. But it's okay. No worries.

Having a Farm

One the things that I have imagined myself in is in a farm.

Yep! I would like to have a farm of my own, with an orchard, a vegetable garden, and some animals like cows, goats, chickens, and pigs. I am such a country person more than a corporate person living in a condo and working in a high-rise building.

I dunno, the lure of the fresh green farm air is more enticing for me. That is why I really enjoyed my trips to the farms in the past when I had to interview breeders. For me that is a refreshing site.

But I did not know that having a farm needs to have insurance like the State Farm Insurance Seattle. hehe Do I really need that? Why?

Anyhow, my husband and I are due for a date. But we don't have the time and the budget for it. Maybe next week, we will have income to spare for a quiet night out. :-D

Tidying Up the Room

I really believe that if you want to have a tidy room or house, you just have to follow after everything. I mean, if you open something, close it. If you take something out, put it back where you got it as soon as your done because before you know it, everything is just piling up and you have so much stuff to store.

I just just managed to arrange one area of the room but there is just so much stuff to keep and even throw away. If only I do throw away stuff and immediately clean surfaces...but that would mean that I will not be doing other things.

You see, I don't have help and I do the cleaning, taking care of the baby, and also I have a freelance job that knows no hours. Sometimes I am just to tired to clean then I will get doing the chores when there is just so much in front of me that I could no longer think.

There is just so much paper, postcards from Postcard Fusion, plastics, etc....Things that could have very well been thrown away. Gee, we are such clutterbugs. hehe

Well, we are all busy so tidying up the room is one of our lesser priorities. I just wish I can do more. buhuhuhu

Having TV in the Bedroom

My husband and I have agreed that we will not have a television set in the bedroom because of the temptations that it brings.

One such temptation is to stay glued on the TV without remembering the time because of the nice show. Then you forget that you both have not talked about the day's events and when this continues, you will realize that the TV has been the third party in your relationship as a married couple.

Also, I don't want TV so much but if it is on, I have the tendency to just keep on watching for the entire day. And that means less time for work and other things, like chores.

But because we needed a medium to show our baby's educational videos, we had no choice but to buy an LCD TV out of a meager budget.

It is actually nice having a TV with a cable connection. Just as I had thought, we got glued to it. We later found out that we no longer read with Dindin after dinner, as the TV was just on and we kept watching what was being shown.

Then one day, I just decided that we will no longer watch TV at night after dinner because that is our only time that we can spend together as a family. If the TV gets in the way, then we are depriving Dindin of her family time. If we decide to watch a movie on DVD, we let Dindin go to sleep first and then we watch. Sometimes, it is already very late but these are the sacrifices that we have to make for our family.

TV and other things are good, but we just gotta have discipline. These things should not rule our lives because if we let them, they really can.

Back to Work

My family enjoyed a 5-day vacation in Manila. We attended a cousin's wedding and stayed behind a bit to visit some places.

We did not really plan for this trip but since there was a promo fare with Cebu Pacific, we decided to go. For Dennis, myself, and Dindin, the fare was only P1,000 roundtrip. So it was a great opportunity.

Although I got sick for a day last Monday, that did not stop us from having a good time the following day. I just took the time to rest. It was just too bad though that Cebu Pacific moved our return flight earlier. Otherwise, we still would have gone around the Newport Mall at Resorts World. It was just across the airport but it seemed so far away.

Well, I guess there will be a next time.

Anyway, I am thinking of buying some art supplies uk for Dindin. I am looking through their windsor and newton to see if I can order and how much I would be paying for shipping. They have a lot of stuff that are not available locally.

Gee, I so wish...

Marketing Plan

I would really like to know more about Postcard Fusion. I think it is a great venue for advertising.

I can use it for marketing purposes for our family's business. It is going to be a great advertising tool for people to know the products and services we offer. Sending postcards is better than giving out flyers because people do not usually like getting and reading fliers.

But at least with postcards, these are thick and usually come in color so they are interesting. All I need to do then is to find a way how to get my hands on those addresses! hehe

Concerns

People have a lot of daily concerns. And the daily grind sometimes get to us.

Today, I woke up with a groggy disposition because I battled with migraine yesterday. It was so bad. It started before lunch and I tried to sleep after lunch. When I woke up in the afternoon, I could hardly lift my head. I was nauseated and almost vomited. I asked for Ponstan 500 (Mefenamic Acid) but it was not available so I took two capsules of 250mg each. Then I slept again. I woke up several times after that because my daughter is also in the room and kept bawling, which contributed to the throbbing pain in my head.

She slept around 6pm and I also lied down with her. At around 8pm, I took two more Ponstan capsules and I slept again. I woke up around 10pm and I felt much better but there are still remnants of the headache.

This morning I got so irate over my daughter who just wants to fuss and fuss with no apparent reason. And her crying is already getting to my nerves! During these times, I just want to lie down and sleep. But I couldn't. I am very busy trying to finish chores before we make our trip soon. I am panicking for this vacation. I need to lie down and relax.

Thankfully, I would not need a Personal Injury lawyer Portland. Oh, God forbid it!

Text Messages

You know what?

I sometimes get irritated when I get so many text messages throughout the day, one after the other, and all these are because of celphone marketing. It is because sometimes I am too busy and then I have to stand up and check my celphone because it might be an important message.

And then it will just turn out to be from networks and these are just mobile marketing messages. It really irks me.

Sometimes though some of the messages are also useful, such as credit card announcement about promos. These get to us ahead of the fliers that come with our billing. So at least we are updated with the latest. What I don't like is the messages about ring tones.

Oh well, I guess it is something that I have to live with because I have cellphone subscription.

Marriage Made in Heaven

I wish I can say that all marriages are made in heaven. Who wouldn't want a worry free marriage, with no money problems, no parenting problems, no differences--nothing at all. You just breeze through each day, getting what you want, becoming successful, the husband coming home to a beautiful and sexy wife who has already prepared a sumptuous meal. Then after dinner, you go out, take a stroll, then prepare for the night and then the next day you start all over again.

I pretty much remember the movie, The Truman Show, starring Jim Carrey where everything is just all rosy.

Anyway, it is just that our lives and of course, our marriages, are not perfect. Whenever we talk to friends, they would pour out to us their problems and with much prayer, we try to give out relationship advice based on our own experiences and also on the experiences of others who have come before us.

I can just sometimes cry at the gravity of the situation that one friend is experiencing and sometimes I have no words to say and the only thing I can do is reach out my arms and give a hug.

Anyway, I believe that these problems that come our way are there to strengthen our faith and for God to reveal His glory through us. How we learn from it is dependent on us.

So even if times are hard, let us hang in there and let God do His work in us.

My Smart Subscription

I continue to be thankful that I have a subscription plan for my mobile phone with Smart. My bill is auto debited from my credit card so I don't have to go to the Smart business center every month to pay my bill.

My text and call charges are really low and I get a new cell phone unit every one year and a half.

But because I have a subscription plan, my number is listed and I get mobile announcements for promos. My problem is, I get too many of them in a day. A lot of times, I have to hurry to my celphone and drop what I am doing because I am waiting for an important text message only to find out that I got several messages from the network and then I would have to delete them. For a busy person like me, that is tedious already.

Oh well, maybe that is really something that I have to live with. I have to live with the trends in mobile marketing that the networks shove in our throats.

A Nice Feeling

When I was working with a cable company in the past where I had stayed for six years, I would often get postcards from our suppliers-the cable channels. They send us postcards for occasions like Christmas, New Year, Chinese New Year, and others.

Although you know that these are impersonal, corporate postcards, still it gives a warm feeling when you get a postcard from the mail that has your name on it. And besides, I like the designs of their postcards and I used it to decorate my corkboard as well as one side of my cubicle. Yep, I tape the postcards there so that my walls become colorful.

I bet what they do is something like Postcard Fusion, where you get so many postcards at a discounted rate and then you can mass mail them to all your contacts. Some of these may get lost in the mail or your contact is no longer in the address provided, but the cost is minimal and most people get them anyway. hehe

I have not yet received a marketing postcard. This I gotta see.

Working in Harmony

I am very blessed and very happy that I get to work with my husband in the sticker business that his family has established long before we got married.

My strengths are in design and layout and these have pretty much helped my husband with some clients. And I am just glad that we have something that we can do together. We work pretty well together.

I have had existing clients ever since I worked freelance about nine years ago and I introduced them to the services and products of the store. But since these are my clients for a long time, they are so used to paying me directly either in cash or in check. So the checks are paid directly to my name. Although I bill them using the store's delivery receipt and checks should be made payable to the store, they still issue them to my name. hehe

But that is okay. I just deposit these company checks to my account and then I would issue another check for the store. I can just withdraw in cash but sometimes, it is nice to issue a check so that there is a paper trail for the payments.

Anyway, my husband share duties in the business, like design, layout, brainstorming on concepts, introducing new products, billing, collection, and even installation of projects from time to time. And we are very happy to be working together on something that we both love to do. :-D

Sad News

Last time, I read over the newspaper that a husband was killed by hired men here in Bacolod City. And after police investigation, it was learned that the primary suspect as the mastermind of his death was his wife.

It turns out that the husband has an affair. I am not sure how bad the affair was and its complications because I believe that no woman would reach the point of wanting to have her husband killed for the reason of adultery. Most Filipina wives would rather endure their husband's philandering, if only for the hope that someday they will change and come back to them. But this was a big case that warranted a lot of media attention.

This family is involved in forex currency trading and they already have so many assets. The issue may have been because of their investments because of the story that it was the wife who has really built their business to make one of the biggest forex traders in the city.

I dunno the real story. I am just saddened that the husband got killed and the wife was imprisoned because of it. I mean, it could be someone else who got the husband killed and not the wife. But what is sad is that this family was broken. That is the saddest part.

Some Longings

My husband really likes gadgets and he likes to play games. I would sometimes look for my Nokia E63 phone and I would catch him playing with it. I think he is only playing with solitaire there, but I guess that is already his "nothing mode" -- his nothing moment when he doesn't need to think so much and just keep himself occupied. That is also his cure for boredom.

Last time, I heard him mentioning that he would really like an iTouch if given the chance. Or better yet an iPad. Hehe But he is not insistent because now we cannot afford it yet, and even if we do, we still have some things to settle. But if we have the extra money, why not? I would love for my husband to have what his heart desires. And I would also give him an iTunes Gift Card so that he can download some songs for his new gadget.

Well, sweetie, let us pray that you will get this thing that you like. May God grant you this desire for we both know how God provides for even our whimsiest dreams. Sweet Lord…

When You Get Hurt

Yes, we all get hurt. This life is full of heartaches, intentional or otherwise. Lovers quarrel, marriages fall apart, parents and children have spats. These are quantified because you cannot really measure emotional hurts.

But what if a physical injury was inflicted upon you, your loved one, or a friend by another party, whether accidental or intentional or because of anger? Shouldn't there be proper compensation?

There are really people who can inflict pain and injury to another person. When that happens, professional legal advice should really be sought. Lawyers like the Sacramento Personal Injury Attorney should be consulted because they have specialized in the field of injuries so they are well versed with the laws that cover such area. They also know the strings to pull just in case there are problems that will arise because they operate in that field.

There are physical personal injuries that we can let pass. There are those that we cannot. And there will be times when a lawyer is needed to settle things in or out of court.