Today - August 1, 2005

I did many attempts to write a sensible blog... but was always interrupted...

Today - July 31, 2005

It's a Sunday! My hubby wasnt home for the weekend but i am excited today coz our new living room tables are going to be delivered. I can't wait to see them.

Two weeks ago, my hubby Skip and I were shopping for stuff and furniture. We went from Roomstore to Rooms to go to Ashley furniture. We were trying to look for an asian looking set of tables for our living room coz we were renovating our living room downstairs and our theme was "Asian Look." I nearly got tired of looking into so many places and not really seeing what I wanted. Then when we were about to leave Ashley furniture, I saw from the corner of my eyes an interesting piece of table. So we went to check it out. It was something that I felt would really be good for our living room. Skip also feel in love with it. We talked to a sales person and we were shock at the price. For four tables, it was $1,800. Whew! It was more than we could afford. We really had our heart set on the furniture. My husband said, he was going to come back the next day and offer the guy 1,400 for all of it. I told Skip to wait. That we just need to look for more, since we were also looking for a bed for Danaea a futon bed.

We also caught an eye of a very pretty breakfast table at Rooms To Go and we were told it was out of stock and would be ordered and be available in two months time. Not great... so we decided to go to another Rooms To Go place and check it out. To our disappointment, the store didnt carry that kind of furniture design. So we ended up planning to go back to the Mesquite area Rooms To Go to finalize the deal. Meanwhile, we still went searching for the futon bed. And I told Skip about the furniture places near my office in Addison. So we drove and stop at the Furniture World. From the outside it didnt look much, but we still tried our luck. We got in, we were not impress, it look more like an office with little bitty furnitures. Then the manager came out and ask if he could help us. My hubby Skip said, we are looking for a futon bed. And the manager said, we have it, please step inside. To our amazement it was a big big area full of furniture. And they were very reasonable prices, it was just hot inside coz it was more like a storehouse. We found Danaea's futon bed and bought it. And while paying for it, my hubby Skip and the manager talked about our adventure today and happened to mentioned about the furniture we saw at Ashley. The manager then said, if you guys can tell me what it looks like online then I might be able to give you a good price. He said Millenium the manufacturer for Ashley is also their distributor. And so, I went online and look for it and saw it and he gave us a price. It was $1,200 for four tables. Skip and I was smiling. That was a great deal! We lock up the price and had it sked to be delivered on July 31st. So now you all understand the anticipation that I have in waiting if they got the right product and if it was as beautiful as we saw it.

An indeed it was more prettier than I remembered. Two guys delivered it and I ask them to assembly the tables for me and they told me I could give them a $5 to $10 tip. It wasnt really a hard thing to assemble, but I was so excited to see it. So I agreed. In the end, the pitied the guys and I just gave them $20. They were very decent in asking a low price, and I was so happy to see our beautiful table, so I paid them more.... hehehehe

My friends Marilou Kordy (Stein Mart) and Marilu Orchard and her daughter came over for lunch. I didnt have time to cook since I was waiting for the tables, so I ordered lunch from Wild over Wings. They too admired the table. They said it was something they never saw before. It had a unique style and they said it was pretty, but the price was just too high. I told them, it was cheaper than what we originally saw it for. The girls and I went upstairs to watch the Total Filipino Channel... and chatted. Then Marilou Kordy borrowed my DVDs (Collateral Damage, Tomb Raider, Bourne Supremacy, Anger Management and Rundown and the Filipino Divas CD) and Marilu Orchard borrowed the 2 filipino movies.

As soon as I get the photos, I will post it here.

Today - July 30, 2005

I am having problems with my car. It is making a whinning sound. I will have it check in a nearby Repair Shop.

Got my car fixed for three hours and it cost me $230. They said my power steering was broke and needed a replacement. I just walked around the nearby stores and went shopping for little bitty items. I got two pajamas from two different stores. They were comfy and I was planning to wear them on my vacation to the Philippines.

Danaea and I also went to a late movie "Sky High," at the AMC 16 (Valley View Mall). It was a neat show and we really had fun. Everyone who is a child in their heart would love it.


The word for today would be power steering. The diagram below shows how it works in a car. (Source: Howstuffworks)

Today - July 29, 2005

It's my flex day, no work for me!

I had a lot of stuff in line to do for the weekend and might as well start Friday. I know I still wouldnt be able to finish it up. At least I tried.

Yesterday, I sent another package (Balikbayan Box) to the Philippines thru my friends Sancha and Toto Pascual. I was their first customer. From Dallas to Mindanao(where I'm from), it cost $95. It was cheaper than last week, which cost me $115 with New Manila.

Balikbayan box is a box where we place all the goodies or what have you and send it to the Philippines. From Dallas, it takes about 45 days to 60 days to reach Mindanao destination.

I had to open a lot of boxes and look for stuff to send, and so our house was a mess with everything everywhere. It looked like a tornado passed by it. So today (Friday), I had to start putting it back to its places.

The word for today is Balikbayan Boxes... click to see the link about Balikbayan and Balikbayan boxes and the comparison of the prices in sending or mailing stuff to the Philippines.

Today - July 28, 2005

I never drove a car in the Philippines to work. My exhubby Ric had a car, my foster mom Mama Nene had a jeep, but I never driven any car... although I was able to do some practice driving. I remember when my exhubby Ric asked me if we should by a car or a motorcycle (since the thing then was motorcycles). I told him I would rather have a motorcycle since it would make us more flexible in doing our thing. If I need to go to the grocery, I dont need to wait on him. I could easily go there by myself.

Cars are expensive in the Philippines and we couldnt afford two cars... but two bikes was more manageable. So I got me a three wheeled motorcycle... those big fat wheels... I forgot what it was called... but they were really cool! I was the first woman in our city to be riding that bike... and naturally people were amazed. They already saw women or younger ladies riding bikes... small bikes... but not a three wheels like mine.

I would wear my uniform (dress) and ride my bike. I would even raise with the jeepney drivers. What was funny was I was never scared that any of the big jeeps or trucks would hit me... I just rolled my way to work.

I had to wear a helmet and it was so hot inside the helmet. It would make my hair look funny when I take it off. And if I dont wear one, the dust would get to my eyes even with a sunglass, or the dust in the wind would slap my face and it wasnt a nice feeling. Tt felt like someone scrub my face with dirt. It always felt yacky and my hair would be blown in a weird way. Like someone style it and make it look stiff and fluffy. Maybe it was the fashion years and years ago, but during the time I was using my bike. it was way out of fashion. :)

Anyways, I got sidetracked again... what I was trying to talk about is that - I learn to really drive a car to work in the US. My friends back home (Philippines) are amazed by it. They thought I am pretty well off coz I could afford a car. I told them, a car in the US is a necessity. In order to get a good job, you must have a reliable transportation. Employers would like to be assured that you have a way of getting to the office everyday. So a car, is a must! The bus would eat up all your time, and time is gold!

I still don't know much about cars, but I was so happy and thankful for my hubby Skip. He help me get a good car. It was a black 2000 Z28 Chevy Camarro with T-top. It was a hot car according to some of my friends and the young men and girls would always like to ride with me. It had a fast engine... so for awhile I behaved or rather misbehaved a few times and roared on the freeway... I really didnt go faster than 100... but for a small town gal... My speed was already too fast for my own good! I am not a race car driver! I am just an office worker. And there were times when people who have a semi-race car... would roar their engine to me and challenge me for a race... but I would never follow suit... I just misbehave when someone beeps on me... Then the small highway would be a racing field coz I am going to chase the person that beeped on me... hehehehe... I become a maniac! Very uncharacteristic of me... I just don't know why... but something in the beeping that really makes me mad and wild! Thanked God I grew fat and I was having a hard time driving my car which was low... It was becoming difficult to breath... My asthma was acting up too... We finally gave up that cool car after leasing it for 4 years...

And here's what they say about the Z28
The Mustang is the behemoth of street-racing, reaching 0-60 in 5.5 seconds in stock form. No other import car in its price range can even breath next to that number. In fact, the only two cars that can beat the Mustang in a drag race are the Firebird Formula and the Camarro Z28.

Now, I have an old car a 1995 Cadillac STS Seville. It is old, but it is an awesome ride. It is so comfortable. I could just imagine how the Cadillac owners are feeling right now with their brand new cars. I have a 1995 and it is already so comfy. It has a lot of accessories on it that other cars built during 1995 didn't have. They said my car was the top of the line during its time. It is old now, but it surely feels so good inside that I didnt mind at all. I had my share of "hot stuff." I can be "old stuff" now. As long as I have one that takes me comfortably to work and home, I am happy with it.

Today - July 27, 2005

I got a call from my nephew Randy Lagumbay and he is coming over August 3 - 8, 2005. He is my first cousin's son... so it should make him my second degree cousin... right? We will talk about degrees in cousins in the later days...

Randy is a Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering of the University of Colorado. He had his masters in Sydney, Australia. He is a very good kid, and is still very available. So you ladies, if you want "the man" he is it! He is also a filipino, and is on a student visa here in the US.

Randy had been to visit us in Texas twice (2001 and 2002). We had been inviting him again over, but everytime he plans for it, his sister Cheryl would always be sent to the US (California) for technical training. Hence, he has to go and visit her instead. Cheryl like Randy is also another eligible young woman. Amongst the top contenders of their company (Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.), she would always top them all and be selected to come for the training. She too is single and very available and a very good kid like his brother. So I am busy looking for suitable partners for them... In short I am playing cupid!!! Any takers??

The word for today is Ph. D.

According to Wikipedia, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), an abbreviation for the Latin "Philosophiæ Doctor" (or alternatively Doctor philosophiæ, Dr. phil.) was originally a degree granted by a university to a learned individual who had achieved the approval of his peers and who had demonstrated a long and productive career in the field of philosophy. The appellation of "Doctor" (from Latin: teacher) was usually awarded only when the individual was in middle age. It indicated a life dedicated to learning, to knowledge, and to the spread of knowledge.

Today - July 26, 2005

There are so many things to talk about that I can't make myself write anything... :)

Let me just pick a word for today and let Wikipedia tell you something about it...

Immigration and Immigrant...

Immigration is the act of moving to or settling in another country or region, temporarily or permanently. An immigrant is someone who intends to reside permanently, and not a casual visitor or traveler. Immigration means "in-migration" into a country, and is the reverse of emigration, or "out-migration." The long term and/or permanent movement of human population in general, whether into, out of, or within countries (or before the existence of recognised countries) is regarded as migration.

I was an immigrant and is now a citizen of the United States of America. Isn't that awesome??

Citizenship according to Wikipedia is...

Citizenship is membership in a political community (originally a city but now usually a state), and carries with it rights to political participation; a person having such membership is a citizen. It is largely coterminous with nationality, although it is possible to have a nationality without being a citizen (i.e. be legally subject to a state and entitled to its protection without having rights of political participation in it); it is also possible to have political rights without being a national of a state - for example a citizen of a Commonwealth country resident in the United Kingdom is entitled to full political rights.

Growing up in the Philippines, it never dawn on me that I would become an immigrant and citizen of the United States of America. It was more of a fantasy dream. I thought, there was no way it was ever going to be possible under any circumstances. But look at where I am today?? I am here in my dreamland... in my fairy land! Dreams do come true... So keep on dreaming and do something about that dream... You will be surprise on where it would land you!

Am I even making sense? :) See, if I start talking about something... another idea crops up and I shift to another story... :)Aarrggghhh!

Today - July 25, 2005

It's a Monday!!! Back to work!!! Is everyone excited for Monday??

I am! Coz this is the last monday of July and it will then be August! My oath taking ceremony will be in August 3, and I am just so antsy about it.

The word for today is antsy

According to Maven's Word of the Day -

Antsy, means 'restless; uneasy; impatient; anxious; fidgety.

Today - July 24, 2005

We had a great time with the Smiths. Not Angelina Jolie and Brat Pitt! But our good friends Nemia, David, sons JC and Chris. It was a big break for Skip coz he was able to rest and not do anything for the weekend, except talk and hang around with our friends. He always have a hectic sked and he needed this short vacation. He slept early Saturday night and was able to recharge fully.

We were all so relax that we slept like a log and woke up late! We were supposed to live early, but it was so much fun being with the Smiths, it was hard to cut the happy visit short. Nemia gave me leche flan, cheese stick and a dried squid...We finally left at 11:30 AM for Dallas... and the drive was faster... just about 2 hours and 15 minutes.

We talked and talked on the way back home that we didnt noticed the time... We stop at Braums to get some lunch... and I was in for a surprise... I ordered a limeade... thinking it was better than coke or anything else... and whew! was I wrong... it was so sour that you had to make a face after a sip. My honey looked at me and thought... she must be overly reacting to that drink... and took it away from me and zip some... and whala! he had to make a face too... and we both blurted out laughing... he said he thought I was being dramatic in trying to skip coke and drink limeade instead... but he found out himself... that it really wasnt something that you drink and smile... hehehehe... it makes you do a funny face... hehehehe... And so we made Danaea try... and the same thing happened... she was making that same face and said... Man, that is nasty! hehehehehe... So much for the new limeade deal. So if you ever wanna try it... just remember I said it was too strong or too sour for our taste... so beware! Dont say I didnt warn you!

Anyways, I then brought Skip to the airport and as usual his flight was delayed in leaving Dallas... It really sucks... but we have no other option but take them... since we are hoping to get free tickets...

I then went home and watered the yard... and I got bitten by a wasp in my pointer finger... and boy does it sting! I tried to press and push on the bite mark so the venom would get out and that my finger wouldnt swell... it hurt so much... but with my attempt to squeeze it out... I was only feeling the hurt I was doing to it... So I was able to manage a sniffle... I put on some vicks and some hot liquid... I guess, the venom did got out... coz it didnt swell as much... The lesson for me is... to look at the things around me before I start to pick up anything or do something... The wasp was resting in the water sprinkle and I didnt look at it... I just picked it up and was just surprised when I felt the wasp bit me... Had I known... I would have thrown something to make it go away first... before I started bending picking it up with the wasp on it... hehehehe...

The word for today would be wasp... Wikipedia says,

A wasp is any insect of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita that is not a bee, sawfly, or an ant.

Today - July 23, 2005

I forgot to mention... that last night Danaea was invited to a slumber birthday party of Bailey (friend and classmate)...

Today, we were to go and visit my friend Nemia Suarez-Smith and her family in Killeen, Texas. So we went to pick up Danaea who was still sleepy and had her sleep in the back seat... while I drove to Killeen. The drive took about 2 hours and 45 minutes...

We had a great time in Killeen. We went to see Fort Knox and bought some goodies in their PX stores which were low in prices and tax free. They even have a six month lay away plan... Now who could beat that?

Nemia and hubby David and sons JC and Chris, me, Skip and Danaea all had dinner at the Asian Buffet restaurant. It was all yummy! And what was more awesome was it was free... hehehehehe... David and Nemia took care of the bill! hehehehe...

I just want to tell everyone that Nemia and David are one of the great friends we ever knew. Not because they bought us lunch or anything... but because they are very good and kind and generous people. They are real good people, and we are so proud and happy to be their friends.

To Nemia and David, and JC and Chris, Thank you so much for your hospitality and kindness! We appreciate so much your friendship and company, we hope you feel likewise.

The word for today is Ft. Knox.

Fort Hood, also known as the "Great Place", is the largest active duty armored post in the United States Armed Services, supporting two full armored divisions. Fort Hood also meets the training and support requirements for many smaller units and organizations, thus maintaining a vital defense force for the United States of America.

Fort Hood rests in the beautiful 'hill and lake' country of Central Texas between Killeen and Copperas Cove and is approximately 60 miles north of the capital city of Austin, 50 miles south of Waco, 160 miles south of Dallas, and 150 miles north of San Antonio.

Today - July 22, 2005

TGIF! My honey is coming! I am so excited and I just can't hide it!

As usual, his flight was delayed, so I went shopping! And guess what? I got me a new bag! I also bought my honey a new shirt, and my brother Adonis a new shirt that says "It's 5:00 O'clock somewhere." Are you familiar with that song? It's an excuse to drink anytime of the day coz its 5:00 O'clock somewhere in the world!

I also wanted to share and awesome drive I had in picking up Skip in Dallas Love Field. I called SWA and asked them what time my hubby was expected to arrive in Love Field Airport and when they told me it was delayed... I tried to take a different route and just be adventurous and see what the other streets look like. I took the 635 E, then the 75 South... and tried exiting at Lovers Lane. To my amazement, Lovers Lane was an awesome street to be driving. The houses were big and pretty... the streets were calm. They had a speed limit of 30 miles per hour.... and guess what? Everyone was following it. I never saw anyone near my tail and trying to hurry me up. Eveyone just took their time in driving. I felt so good. I never drove in a street to pick up my honey without having to move to another lane or go faster, coz there was always one driver who would like to run over me... They almost always maniac driver when they are heading for the airport. But going thru Lovers Lane was a surprisingly different experience. I really love that street. There was a sense of security that I felt while I was driving there and taking my time to pick up my honey.

Once I had Skip with me in the car, I told him about that wonderful drive I had at Lovers Lane and told him, I want to go there again and show him how awesome it was. He said he has been to so many streets before, but he never was in that particular neighborhood. He said it was the Highland Park... where the old rich and well mannered and educated people live. No wonder... they drive that way too! :)

The word for today is Highland Park. And Wikipedia says...

Highland Park is a town located in central Dallas County, Texas. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 8,842. Located on Texas Highway 289 and U.S. Highway 75, four miles north of downtown Dallas, it is bordered on the south, east, and west by Dallas, and on the north by University Park. Highland Park and University Park together comprise the Park Cities, which share many joint services such as police and schools. Known in the area as having a high concentration of the wealthy and elite social classes, Highland Park is also home to the Highland Park Village shopping center...

Highland Park is a town of rather considerable wealth, especially when contrasted with the poverty of some of the surrounding areas of Dallas. Perhaps for this reason, the Highland Park Police Force has one of the fastest response times of any police force in the country, a matter of some pride to residents.

Today - July 19, 2005

What a way to start the day! I was late for two hours... I was so embarrassed! And the word for today is embarrass - "To cause to feel self-conscious or ill at ease; disconcert " according to Answer.com

My hubby Skip always calls and wakes me up everyday... And today, he had so much in his mind... He only got to remember to call me after he got his computer problem fixed... He apologized for calling late... but we both never really realized how late it was until I called the office and I told them i will be in late. April Craven our receptionist ask, "What time will you be in?" and I then look at the clock and I was shocked! It was 9AM... My God!!! I was so embarrassed to go to office that late! I said to myself, tomorrow I should be able to get up early and not wait for my hubby to call, in case he would have his hands full again... Skip on the other hand placed a sticky on his computer to remind him to always call me ahead of time... And as the day started... it continued to be a mess! I too had computer problems like my hubby. I was having difficulty in converting word to pdf... or rather... it was not converting it at all...

Now, I better go to sleep so i will not embarrassed myself again.

Today - July 18, 2005

It's Monday again!

Just 15 more days and I will have my oath taking for my citizenship in the Dallas Convention Center on August 3. I am so excited! My husband has promised to give me a party to celebrate this big event in our life. Come August 7, we will have a get together with friends and family to celebrate the blessings we got from God! My citizenship, Wendy's passing the Bar Exam and Greg's MBA graduation! It will be a grand party! I hope to order some "lechon" or roast pig.

The word for today is LECHON... Lechon is a whole pig being roasted - outdoors on a stick... Click on both links for photos of lechon.

Today, my stepdaughter Christi came up with her first blog. Hep Hep Hurrah for Christi! I am proud of you! Keep up the blog, I love it!!! Thanks for the acknowledgment and I am proud to be an inspiration once in a while.

Today - July 17, 2005

The new word for today is futon bed... Wikipedia says

A futon (布団) is a type of mattress that makes up a Japanese bed.

Japanese futons are flat, about 5cm thick with a fabric exterior stuffed with cotton or synthetic batting. They are often sold in sets which include the futon mattress (shikibuton), a comforter (kakebuton) and pillow (makura). Pillows are generally filled with beans, buckwheat chaff or plastic beads. Futons are designed to be placed on tatami flooring, and are traditionally folded away and stored in a closet during the day to allow the tatami to breathe and to allow for flexibility in the use of the room. Futons should be aired in sunlight regularly, especially if not put away during the day.

Western futons are different from Japanese futons in several ways. They are usually filled with a combination of foam and batting, and are almost always much thicker and larger than Japanese futons, resembling a traditional mattress in size. They are usually placed on a configurable frame for dual-use as a bed and a couch and are a cheap alternative to a bed or other furniture. Such futons are often sold in sets that include the mattress and frame.

Our daughter Danaea loved the idea of having a futon bed instead of the whole bedroom suite that she got... So we got her one yesterday from Furniture World,and it was delivered today and this is how it looks...
















In turn, we will have her bedroom suite and we will be selling ours... Anyone interested? This is how it looks....

Today - July 16, 2005

My husband Skip and I had a long day! We went shopping! Yes, we shopped 'til we dropped. I thought women were crazy shoppers... you just wait and see when you go with my hubby... coz he is worst! :) To my honey Skip, just kidding! You know, I love to kid you and see you flustered. :) I love you so too, and you know that!

We are in the process of doing some renovations in the house. Renovation according to Wikipedia is the process of restoring or improving a structure.

Our first project is our kitchen. We painted it butter yellow ourselves and ordered some knobs to make it look presentable. Bought new dinnerwares and curtains to go along and ordered a new dining table which will take about six weeks (Rooms To Go) to arrive. Skip also plans to put some mouldings on the sides to enhance it.

Here's some photo of the newly painted kitchen.

Today - July 15, 2005

Payday! Pei Wei Day!

I wanted to join my office buddy for lunch in Pei Wei but I had to go home earlier today. Our storm door is scheduled to be installed at 2PM - 3PM. We got it at Home Depot and they told us that they would install the door at our convenience. And so far, the experience hasnt been a convenient one. Just getting the schedule from the installers (Wagner) was a hurdle.

We were supposed to have the door installed last week and we were waiting for the schedulers to call us what time they would be coming over. I got a call from them at 7:39 Friday evening... unfortunately I missed it. The message said to call them back. AndI did! It was a voicemail box saying "Please leave your number, name, and message, and we will call you back as soon as we can, and one message will suffice." So I called back and left a message that Friday.

Then come Saturday, we still haven't heard from them, so I called them again and left the message. Still not hearing from them, I got aggravated. I wanted our door installed coz we had other plans to do the next weekend. We called Home Depot and they informed us that the scheduling team don't work on weekends. So, I had to calm down and waited for Monday.

The days passed by quickly and by Monday evening, I still got no phone call from the Wagner group. Tuesday, I waited, and still no calls. After lunch, I decided to call them, and as usual it was a voicemail. I left the message again. My husband called Home Depot and told them about the many calls I made and there was nobody to answer it. I on the other hand, was really irritated at how a business that was supposed to give services already sucks and there was still no service rendered.

The process of just getting the service was already a big, big disappointment! We had to get mad at Home Depot and the Wagner group to get an action done. Home Depot finally called the Wagner group and did a conference call for us, so we could make the arrangement. Now how simple was that? I even had to leave work early just so I could have my doors installed that weekend, coz it might take another week if I say I can't be there on Friday afternoon between 2PM-3PM.

Why did Home Depot made us go through the aggravation of calling back and leaving messages if they could do, just what they did? Why did they told us we will have the door installed at our convenience... when it is the other way around. It is really in the convenience of the installers!!!

And why does Wagner have a business deal with Home Depot, when they can't even give a good service in scheduling an installation? Why do we have to pay so much money for this kind of service???

You can make up your own conclusion! I just wanna share to you all the aggravation we had to go through to get our storm door installed. Be aware and be prepared when you get through this kind of deals. It might just sound too good to be true.

Note: Friday (July 15, 2005)
At exactly 2PM, I was in the house waiting for Wagner installers. At 4:40PM Wagner representative or it could have been the man himself showed up the door to install the door. Shortly at about 30 minutes, the storm outside was starting. What a irony! It is indeed a storm door, since it was installed when the surroundings was starting to storm. You could see flashes of lightning and hear the thunder. Installation was done after an hour, too late for me to go buy a phonecard to call the Philippines. It just blew all my schedules to do down the toilet... since again, they came in late. The finished job looked ok... but the services of scheduling and arriving on time sucked. All in all, I will not pay for their services again. I had to work extra hours Thursday just so I could leave early the next day to accommodate them. Had I known, I could have gone home the usual time (4PM) and still be on time - since they showed up two hours late.

Today - July 14, 2005

Today I just added a new feature in my blog, a hit counter.

Wikipedia says... A web counter or hit counter is a computer software program that indicates the number of visitors, or hits, a particular webpage has received. Once set up, these counters will be incremented by one every time the web page is accessed in a web browser.

My buddy Chris Brown (CB) showed me how to place a counter so I would know if anyone ever bothered to visit or read it at all... Like I care! (giggles)

It is really awesome, and its free too! What more can you ask??

Let me give you a short and brief info about it, since CB just walked me on how to do it (not feeling sharp today).

First go to their website http://www.statecounter.com , register yourself, they ask you for a user name and password and whala - You're in! Then you can start reading the steps on how to do it(smiles). That's the shortest, briefest way I could give?

Today - July 12, 2005

Advertising

According to Wikipedia, advertising is "the promotion of goods, services, companies and ideas, most often through paid messages. Marketers see advertising as part of an overall promotional strategy. Other components of the promotional mix include publicity, public relations, personal selling, and sales promotion."

Today, I will be advertising for free. So go check out these awesome blogs of my buddies and sites!

• cblounge
- Chris Brown

• Suburban Jesus
- Luke Miller

• Neobes
- Bobby White

• Top Five by Laura
- Laura Brown (Chris sister)

Filipino Connection

• Iligan City Website
- Official website of Iligan City

• Mayor Lawrence Cruz in California
Mayor Lawrence Cruz visit to California during the Mindanao Day - June 25, 2005

• Mayor Lawrence Cruz in New York
- Lunch party in honor of Mayor Lawrence Cruz and First Lady Gina in New York - July 4, 2005

• IW
Iliganons of the World

• COM Xmas Party 2004
Communications Department Christmas Party 2004

• Philippine Tourism Advertisement
Tourism Ad for the Philippines

• FFATI
Filipino Folk Arts Theater Inc.

• Pinoys in Texas
Pinoys Updates in Texas

• Vilma Benitez-Rice
An Iliganon awesome entertainer!

• Pinoys in Albuquerque
Pinoys Updates in Albuquerque, New Mexico

• DFA
Department of Foreign Affairs

• SKCAFI
Sining Kambayoka

I also would like to give SPECIAL THANKS to the people who acknowledge me in their blogs in becoming an american citizen - Luke and Chris, Dionne & Wendy (Amigosmates) who gave me a beautiful card. Thank you again, you guys rock! I do appreciate it much!

Today - July 11, 2005

Boy am I sleepy... It's 11:40PM and I feel bad that the day would end again and I cant write even a single paragraph for my blog. So here I am sleepy typing my blog for today.

Today, I visited my stepdaughter Christi and she showed me a bunch of beautiful cloths to be sewn as curtains for her new house. They were all fabulous! I couldn't wait for the finished products. She and her hubby Greg just sold her third house in less than a week and she bought a new one which is still in the first phase of construction... Like anyone who is undergoing the construction of a new house, she took photos of every new additions or constructions that the builders were doing.

I remember when we signed up for a new house, we visited the place almost everyday and took pictures every visit... It was so exciting! But unlike hers, ours turned into a nightmare! The house was sold to somebody else. What with all the photos I took and the visits we made... it just broke our hearts.

The lady who was in charge in the Pulte Homes, assured us we could close the house deal if we are able to place a $500 deposit to lock it in that day. They had a promotional thing going on (waiving off the big downpayment), we just need to give an additional sum by the time we sign up with them. We told the lady that if the big downpayment wasnt waived, we wouldnt be able to get the house by the deadline they set up for us. We were floating on air with excitement coz we really loved the design of the house in and out.

After a month or so, we got a call from the main office of Pulte asking us to pay the big downpayment. My husband told them it was waived, and they told us they didnt get the paperworks that said so. We would have been able to demand for it, but I lost the paper... I was so stupid and clumsy. I felt so bad! See, after we signed up for the house, we only had a week to give notice to our apartment to continue our contract or not. And since we signed up, we naturally told them we were moving out. So we had to stay ask my mother-in-law Betty Jean if we could stay in her house while they were finishing our house. So some of our stuff was in a storage place and others were with my mother in law... and if you guys have ever experienced in trying to camp out in another place... You would know what I mean, your stuff is everywhere and you can't hardly find it. It was a total mess! I can't find the paper. Isn't that a lousy situation to be in? So the deal became a dude. From high heavens, it was a heavy landing on the ground. We had to tell my mother-in-law that we might be a bit longer than expected.

We needed a house badly, coz we have encrouched on my mother-in-laws space too much than what we originally anticipated... And hence, we got the house we are in now... out of desperation. The design inside and outside was not what we hoped to get... but we were pressed... so this was better than nothing. Pulte on the other hand called and apologized for the mishap or confusion, they said they already sold it to another individual, but they are willing to give us another house and we didnt need to place any downpayment. But after that fiasco, we never wanted to deal with them anymore... they were kinda like a bad taste to our mouth.

Maybe what happened was a blessing in disguise too, since the new house was just a mile away from mother-in-law. We then signed up the contract with Choice Homes and moved as soon as the paperworks was done on November 30, 2001... Danaea's 10th birthday!

Geeee... I lost track of time... this is supposedly my blog for July 11... but now its July 12, 12:20 midnight... I got carried away again... I just can't stop myself when I start typing my thoughts... hehehe... I think I can pretty well write a novel if I wanted to... hehehehe... better get rested then... I have to be at work at 7:30 AM...I need my sleep. Goodnight or good day! I promise to write a blog for July 12 too!

Today - July 10, 2005

Sunday is not a day I look forward too... not because its a working day the next day( chuckle)... but because on Sunday's my honey Skip flies back to Albuquerque, New Mexico to work. It has been so lonesome without him in the house - what with my daughter Danaea so enveloped in her own world, I find myself alone. Skip started this Albuquerque job last day of October 2004 and he projected that he might be home by July , and promised to come home every weekend to be with us. As things turn out, he had to extend for a month or so (a bomber!), but since I too am a worker, I understand his predicament. His boss told him, he needs to help the other guys to finish up with their jobs. His boss expressed his fear that the project might flop if he was to come home when he finishes his part of the job. He is way, way, way ahead than everybody else. My honey Skip, is a very well experience man in the construction world and is very disciplined, dedicated and hard working. A real treasure for any company to have. There are six storey to draw, and I believe he has done all but one floor and the rest of the peole are still on the basement or first floor... hehehe... isnt that a sloppy work or what?? Well, Skip just works so fast and he knows how to simplify his task... the others... well, your guess is as good as mine. Anyhow, let us not dwell on that topic...

We have been experiencing problems with our internet, and so yesterday my hubby Skip bought a new LINKSYS wireless router at MicroCenter (one of his favorite store). He installed it this morning so we could print his boarding pass and get an A pass, and so far, so good... we never had any bad signal or anything. This is really awesome! Finally, we have a good connection, after months of aggrevation. Now, I have no excuse of not being able to update my blog daily. Danaea's computer which got sapped by the past storm is being repaired by a friend (Tim). Hopefully, he gets it running so I can finally dominate my computer... hehehehe...

Today - July 8, 2005

I'm trying to be good at this blogventure of mine... but I got sick yesterday and our computer at home was used by my teenage daughter... yeah, you read it correctly... teenager... hehehehe... and I rather she gets online that have her run around with friends. I just cautioned her once in awhile about the internet - chat rooms. Although she is into role playing chat and they pretend to be a different character.

My asthma was acting up yesterday and I had one puff left (Advair). To those who dont know what asthma is... according to Wikipedia... Asthma...is an immunological disease which causes difficulty in breathing. A lot of factors causes asthma. For me, these are the factors that trigger them: too much heat and cold, fatigue, depression, a particular dust, too much excitement and once I get cough and colds. I havent had it for quite sometime... until lately.

Anyways, I got sidetracked... Today, is a TGIF! Thank God Its Friday!!! My hubby Skip will be arriving tonight from Albuquerque, New Mexico (as he usually does every weekend). He takes the Southwest Airlines, even if they always, almost always, have delays in their sked. At least they get here safe and sound... hehehehe... That's all I care for, that they bring my honey home to me safe and sound, I can live with their delays. I need some cuddling from him... hehehehe...

I've got to add these new updates... my good friend Martha Weaks just bought me lunch to celebrate my US Citizenship, and my stepdaughter Christi, hubby Greg, and the love of their life Brooke, just sent me a beautiful bouquet of white and red roses... isnt that so sweet? Praise God for friends and families like them... makes life more sweeter than it is!

Today - July 6, 2005

Things just flew so fast and its time to go home... I still havent written anything on my blog.

Well, I got to say... I got a lot of emails from old friends and relatives all over the world. One from Canada, Kuwait, New York, California, Philippines, Texas area, Saudi Arabia and Colorado, they all Congratulated me on my US citizenship. I also forwarded a bunch of photo albums to all those friends and relatives...

Got news from my husband's Uncle Gary that he sold his house in Tyler this afternoon.

Mailed a Global Priority package for my brother Adonis and cousin Jocelyn "Langga" Enopia.

And I will then head for Stein Mart in Preston coz my friend Marilou Kordy has been asking me for months to go get my present from San Diego in her house... she said it was a beautiful purse or hand bag... and she even asked to buy me Halo-halo at D' Kusina. Halo-halo is a filipino delicacy... its like a smoothie, but it has sweet beans, corn, jackfruit, and other fruit preserves...top with an ice cream... hmmm sounds delicious to you? I will have to take a picture so you all get the idea...
(update on the handbag - it was indeed pretty and she gave one for my daughter too... I am so pleased at how it turned out to be.)

Til tomorrow...

Hello Everyone!

This is my first time to make a blog... so bear with me. I'm still learning...

Today, I want to talk about what happened last Friday, July 1st.

It was a big day for me and my family. Today (Jul 1), was my interview for my US Citizenship. It has been 5 years and 2 weeks since I came to the United States of America, and whatever happens today will decide my families future. We had so many activities lined up that I was nervous that I might not passed the interview with a lot of things to think of. Early morning, my husband Skip and I was supposed to drive to visit MIINC, but he looked at me so peacefully laying in the bed that he decided to do the visit himself. That very morning, I also had the TFC (The Filipino Channel) connected to our house by Mr. Marlo and Bona Macabare. I told them the previous day that we will be out of the house and they can start doing the outside connection while we were gone. The Macabare left a phone message to inform me they were outside the house and doing the connection, not knowing that I and my daughter Danaea were fast asleep inside. About 10AM, my husband Skip arrived and greeted the Macabare's. Skip told them I was still asleep... embarrassing isnt it? Skip then woke me up to get ready for the interview and to met the Macabare's outside.

Marlo and Bona were nice couple. They encouraged me not to be nervous for my big day, coz it wasnt really scary nor nerve wrecking at all... it was just a test of my knowledge of the US history and current politics. They said they have never heard of any filipino failing the interview except for the 80 something year old lady whom they knew. They wished me good luck. Before I continue about my big day... let me just give you an idea of what a TFC is... Its like a cable connection... but with filipino channels... directly from the Philippines. There were four filipino channels to be exact and some other asian countries which I have no idea what it was since I could not understand a single word they said... hehehe... I was only interested in the Philippine channel... since I am so homesick, I want to see and hear what is happening back there. The TFC was having a sale, and it cost me 146.25 dollars for the equipment, connection and labor. A monthly bill of about 25 dollars for two years and an extra one time 25 dollars for a two year equipment and service warranty. Not bad at all... considering we paid Circuit City Advantage Plan more than 300 dollars for just a two year tv warranty.

I had to hug and kiss my sleepy daughter Danaea goodbye and wished me luck too before we left for the U.S. Immigration office in Stemmons Freeway. The traffic as usual was bad... but we left early and so we had a lot of time to spare.

There were only a few people in the immigration office. It was an uncommon site. Usually when I come and visit the office, I would see a lot of people lining up. Skip and I had to wait for it to be 30 minutes before my sked coz it was specifically written that we should not be 30 minutes earlier than sked. So we waited in the car for a few minutes, we talked about the interview and we prayed too! Then it was time and he escorted me to the building. Filipino friends told me that my husband cant come in and he has to wait outside the building. But when we were approached by the security personnel, they told my husband he can come inside with me, but he cant come to the interview room. We had to leave our cellphones in the car... so he went back to the car and left the phones... We had to take off our watches and place it inside our bags for whatever reason... we didnt ask. We just wanted to get in and finish it all.

We passed thru the security measures without a problem. I then slipped in my appointment paper in the door where a slit was provided and waited to be called. It was one of the longest wait I had to do... I felt like it was back in the Philippine Embassy, when I had to wait for my number or turn to be interviewed. Nerve wrecking it was for me back then...

We saw a couple of secret service guys with badges and guns and they were the detention and removal officers of the immigration office. They just look exactly the way they were shown on TV shows. Time was ticking we knew... but we didnt know how long the wait was... then my name was called and my stomach started to feel funny... But I didnt show it outside, I still walked composed behind the interviewer... She made me raised my right hand and swore to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. I noticed that if I was so nervous and edgy, I might not have passed the test. Instead I remained calm and kept on praying to God to give me strength and good memory... She asked me something about my papers, and she asked me a couple of the test questions. She asked me again something about the paperworks and then asked me two more of the questions. She was quick to ask those questions too. It felt like she was throwing the questions, rather than asking them the usual way the teachers in school do a quiz (where they ask the question slowly). She was trying to see if I really knew the answers or not. And, I said to myself, oh, I better be careful coz she is good. I could be made to answer the wrong one if I dont think first before giving my answer. So when she asked me the quick questions, I answer her in a slow but sure way, taking time to pronounce each word correctly, giving me enough time to double check in my mind if that answer was correct. Then after the ten questions was asked in intervals of personnel questions in the application form. She put down the paper she was holding and placed a check mark on each of the questions and said... 10 over t10 and then made me write in English a sentence she made. Then she went back again to the paperworks or application document that I had and marked it and placed her initial and gave me a paper saying I passed the test... then after a few minutes gave me the notice of oath taking which will be on August 3 at the Dallas Convention Center. She told me the place was going to be packed and I need to eat a heavy breakfast coz it would take quite long. And that was it! I finally got my citizenship!!! Praise the Lord!!! I was so elated and so was my hubby and we came our of the office with a big smile on our faces. We then headed for Joe's Crab Shack for a late lunch, and I started calling friends and relatives about the good news! Then we headed to AMC 16 and watch "War of the Worlds" starred by Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning and directed by Steven Spielberg. Earned some points with my AMC card and got a free popcorn and discount on our snacks. And boy was the movie and popcorn good! We had fun! It was one of my great happy days in life!!!