What's on Lai's Mind?

DADDY'S GIRL

2009-07-27T18:02:00.003+04:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BOYS

2009-07-26T23:46:00.006+04:00

Yeah, I know it's already late, but it's better late than never. Last Wednesday, my hubby celebrated his 29th birthday and my father celebrated his 58th last Friday. My two most important men celebrating their birthdays on the same month. I really think that they have something in common. They are both quiet and, shall I say, submissive?!

As I am away from home, I was only able to greet my father on the phone. I also sent him stuff from Red Ribbon. Yes, you can order from Red Ribbon online and have it delivered where you want to. The price is quite affordable compared to this site, even with 10% processing fee per item ordered. You also get to pick the date and the time you want it to be delivered. For my father, I ordered his favorite ube cake, carbonara and empanada. The variety for their platters-to-go is not that wide, because not all of Red Ribbon's items are available on the website. However, they have a wide variety of cakes and pastries to choose from.

For my Papi, I gave him Bvlgari Aqva for his birthday. The scent is sweet, yet still masculine. I got this for a bargain. He told me that he wanted a perfume for his birthday, but he did not tell me the particular brand that he wanted. I decided to give him Issey Miyake, but it was not available in the shop. Then there was Polo, Hugo and Perry Ellis. However, it was Bvlgari Aqva that caught my attention and pleased my olfaction.

So last Friday, I decided to cook kabsa as a post dinner celebration for their birthdays.

I wish I could have given them both a birthday bash. Anyway, the fact that both of them were happy on their special day is enough for me.

MY LATEST DIGISCRAP LAYOUTS

2009-07-20T20:18:00.006+04:00

These are my latest digiscrap layouts with, of course, my favorite model.

BRACELETS, BRACELETS, AND MORE BRACELETS

2009-07-16T19:15:00.004+04:00

My compulsion for buying these crystal accessories has not stopped yet. These are my latest buys.

This bracelet is made of jade which has the following properties:

Atracts love.
Attracts money.
Strengthens mental faculties and assists in clear reasoning.
Guards against accidents and misfortune.
Helpful for kidney, heart and stomach complaints.

This one is a Sodalite bracelet. This stone is said to have the following properties:

Brings inner peace and harmony.
Stimulates endurance.
Harmonizes the inner being or the conscious and subconscious mind.
Helps with thyroid problems.
Helps in communications and gives confidence in speaking.

Small as it may seem, this is my bracelet and not my child's. I must admit I have really small wrists. Its properties includes:

Helpful to people having a hard time with forgiveness, and in dealing with letting go of bitterness and resentment especially in relationships.
Relieves stress.
Encourages strength.
Gives courage.
Helpful in starting new friendships.

This is my baby's green agate bracelet.

This one, oh, I forgot the name of this stone, but don't you just love the color?

Since I started wearing these stones, I must admit that it has been somehow working for me. I think I should buy more of those jade ones...

ON MY JOPPA GRAB BAG PART 2

2009-07-16T18:05:00.007+04:00

After my lunch break, I saw this on my desk. Whooa! It's my Joppa grabbie. It has only been eight days to be exact since I placed my order. When not on sale, Joppa's grab bag costs around $20 plus the shipping fee. I bought this while they were having a sale, and I only paid around $12 including the shipping fee which, to my surprise, was $6. Come to think of it, I only paid $6 for this. Cheapers, ei?!

My grab bag includes Toffee foundie with puffer (5 g) Cranapple blusher (5 g baggie), Bahama Bronze foundie (1.4 g), Cool Copper foundie (1.4 g), Wintergreen eyeshadow (0.57 g), Frost eyeshadow (0.57 g), Promise eyeshadow/liner (0.57 g), Green tea and tea tree lotion sample, Lip Twist in Rhapsody, and glycolic cleanser.

They've also included this Hasassah eyeshadow freebie.

I also took the opportunity to order their 6-piece sampler which includes two blushers (Blushing Bride, Spice Berry), one concealer (Medium) and three foundations in jars (Bronzed Sienna, Tweed, and Buff). This samplers are for free, but you're only allowed to order one set per transaction.

I am really satisfied with my grab bag. Joppa really never ever failed me with their products. With their foundies, my face never becomes oily whenever I use it.

By the way, for those of you who want to avail of Joppa's grabbies, click here. I think the grab bags are still on sale at $18. It's really worth a try, believe me.

MY GOD'S GIFT

2009-07-14T01:18:00.003+04:00

MY FIRST DIGISCRAP PROJECT

2009-07-11T22:24:00.003+04:00

I had always been wanting to start this hobby for the longest time, but I couldn't afford it because of I lack the time firstly. Secondly, I still do not have my external hard drive to store all those sets that I will be using for this craft. I don't want my laptop to crash because I of system overload, hehehe...

Nonetheless, I still downloaded one set of template and tried out making one using PS Elements. I do not have any knowledge about Photoshop, etc. I just watched some videos in Youtube to be able to know its basic function...and taaa daaaa....this is the finish product of my first experiment.

There will be more to come as soon as I have my external drive.

ON JOPPA AND AWG GRAB BAGGIES

2009-07-10T11:34:00.003+04:00

I told my self that I will stop ordering online like a couple of weeks ago. Well, guess what? I wasn't able to keep my word for it and just gave in. I ordered another mystery grab bag from Joppa because I just couldn't resist their tempting offer. Imagine from $20 down to $12.80 plus free shipping, which they have stopped offering lately.

So I told myself to get this grabbie just now. I must admit, I should be proud of myself too because I have been able to stick to my no-buy mode for like three weeks, hahaha!

I paid a visit to Joppa's website just this morning and hey, the grab bag is now $18 and you have to shoulder the shipping fee. I guess, it's a good decision after all.

When I was browsing one of my regularly visit sites, Femalenetwork.com, I found out that Adorned With Grace is also having their 4th of July Clearance Sale. I checked out their site and took a look. The items that are (because there are still some left as we speak) on sale are those that they called the Ooopsies... meaning these are the colors that were discontinued or colors that were formulated but did not make their final line of colors.

As one will be getting like 20 sample baggies for only $3.00 or less, I decided to purchase like four grab baggies.

I've already received a notice from both Joppa and AWG that they have already shipped my orders last Wednesday. I can't wait to have them all.

I'M ADDICTED TO FACEBOOK

2009-06-30T00:55:00.003+04:00

Yes, I have to admit it. I am addicted to Facebook; not to Facebook itself, but to its applications such as Farm Town, Pet Society and Restaurant City. I just can't fight the urge of achieving a higher level and improving my site. I hate it, just hate it. It kills most of my time after work. Arrgggh!!!!

But what can I do? Instead of me studying, I am always glued to my laptop. Hate it, absolutely hate it! I think this is ludacris.

I think I should start resisting the temptation that Facebook offers.

This is what they call, "will power."

ON FATHER'S DAY

2009-06-21T07:45:00.004+04:00

Dear Papa,

I want you to know that I will always be your little girl, though I already have my own little one. I still remember those times when you would come home for vacation from the ship that you were working with. Those were the times that I wasn't able to recognize that you are my father. I guess it's because you've been away for quite some time. Now I realized how painful my reaction towards you was and I want to say sorry for that.

I used to be so envious of my friends who always had their fathers with them, especially on special occasions because you were not. I didn't even know how hard was it for you to leave your family behind and be onshore for almost a year just to provide for our needs. Never did I say thank you for that.

Then came the time when you decided that you want to stop working. I didn't know why you had to stop where in fact I was still studying college and would be having more expenses for my studies than before. Afterwards, you suffered a heart attack, not once, not twice, but thrice, all in the same year, and we were thankful to God that you survived all those. Then we knew why you had to stop.

Papa, I want to thank you for being the wonderful person that you are, for being the best father and a good provider. I want to say sorry for all the shorcomings that I had and will have and for all the selfish acts I had shown.

Pa, there's always a special place for you in my heart, and each day that passes I am more grateful and proud just to call you my father. Thank you Papa for listening, caring, giving and sharing but most of all for loving us and being just the humble you.

I love you Papa and Happy Father's Day.

DEAR MCXENE

2009-06-11T21:10:00.003+04:00

Dear Mcxene,

Hi baby.

I'm writing today to thank you, for giving me the best two years I've ever had in my life.

Today marks the second year when I went under the knife, felt the pain while being incised, transfered from one bed to another without any help 30 minutes postoperatively, and first saw my bundle of joy, Mcxene Leigh. She was just a tiny angel then weighing 3.5 kg and 55 cm in length.

I was full of fear before I gave birth to you, thinking if I would be worthy enough to be called a mother because I did not know anything about being one. But when you came along, my motherly instincts just came out naturally. I didn't know why, didn't know how... it just did. Two years of sleepless nights and restless days just to give you all the attention that you need and deserve and those two years that you have been with me have been the most wonderful. You have taught me how to appreciate those simple joys of life, to be thankful for everyday and have given me the strength to face each and every challenge especially when it concerns your welfare.
Those two years made me realize the reason why I was born, and that's to give birth to an angel, and that angel is you.

I love you my daughter.

Love,

Mommy

ON REMINISCING SAUDI ARABIA

2009-06-03T00:40:00.005+04:00

During our breaktime, my colleague and I are talking about our experiences when we were still working in Saudi Arabia.

It was funny because our experiences were almost the same.

We both know that we have the vegetable of life in Saudi Arabia, and it's the ordinary lettuce. We call this as such because in Saudi, we have very limited ingredients whenever we cook something. We do not have kangkong, pechay, ampalaya leaves, or even the chow-chow (chayote) there. So be it sinigang, nilaga, monggo, tinolo, whatever dish you have in mind that you have to put some veggies on, I am 100% sure that lettuce will be a one of the ingredients.

Love life, oh yes. We all have one don't we? Both of us were in a relationship when we left the Philippines to Saudi Arabia. It's not just a simple relationship because both were already counting the years. Yet when we arrived in Saudi, both of our partners betrayed us and dated someone else. Typical ain't it?

And as we were both young back then, after the breakup along came other suitors. I really don't understand why old people in Saudi (particularly our Kabayans) are very judgmental when it comes to relationship. If they will see you going out will someone, they will brand you as a flirt, malandi, or BI! It's as if you're not allowed to date someone because they won't like it. I don't if they were envious because you still have a life while they don't, or is it because they didn't want to see someone else happy? What's worse is that you'll be the talk of the town for the next couple of months if you're seeing someone.

Last but not the least, we talked about the simplicity of Saudi life. Saudi, as we all know, is a conservative country. Even the facilities are very limited especially if you are living in the province, like we did. Weekends in Saudi are simple. Friends will usually go to a park (of course with a married couple so that it'll be safe for men and women to mingle) and have a picnic and that's it. We also talked about the never-ending birthday and maasalama parties that we have to attend even if we didn't know the celebrant.

We shared a good life talking about this and realized that we almost had the same experiences in Saudi Arabia; some were good and some were not, but one thing is for sure, and that is the lessons that we have learned from our experience there that helped us to be what we are right now.

ON MY EVERYDAY MINERALS HAUL 2

2009-05-28T02:25:00.008+04:00

I got my second EDM haul yesterday. Compared to my last order, their shipping was quite fast this time. And the package, well I was surprised to see that it was in a box rather than their regular brown envelopes.

Drooling to try all of these...

The Sandcastle collection.

My sample kit.

The different shades and colors that I got from EDM.

Stacking them up.

Yey! Can't wait to try them on. Oh wait, sadly there's no gift from EDM this time. Too bad for me. Well.

I just noticed that I have been posting pictures about my recent purchases, but I am not posting any pix of me with my makeup on. I guess I am too shy for that. I'll try my best to post one...soon.

ON MY BABY'S AMETHYST BRACELET

2009-05-27T10:14:00.005+04:00

Yesterday, I have purchased another amethyst bracelet for my baby. It was so cute and irresistable that I bought it immediately even if I only have like AED50 in my wallet. Of course when I got home, my daughter was so happy when she saw the bracelet (not me, hmp!) and put it on immediately. She really loved her bracelet so much that she even went to sleep with the bracelet on.

Of course, I surfed the net and look for details about the properties of amethyst.

It is used as a dream stone and to help insomnia.
It has been worn as protection from self-deception, as well as a protection against witchcraft.
The amethyst symbolizes piety, humility, sincerity and spiritual wisdom.
Amethyst is used for problems in the blood and in breathing problems.
Amethyst clusters, points or several tumbled Amethysts placed in a window that receives sun most of the day are very beneficial to use in healing and to heal negativity in the home.
Amethyst helps overcome fears and cravings.
It also helps relieve headaches.

Interesting. I just hope that these crystals really work.

ON MY LAURESS HAUL

2009-05-27T08:31:00.003+04:00

This arrived yesterday:

My Lauress loot! Yeeyy! I took advantage of the fact that their eyeshadows are on sale now. Instead of paying $1.50 per jar, it is now down to $1.10. Their shipping is also fast because I received my loot in less than a week compared to EDM which takes ages to arrive.

Nice packaging!

But I guess, the content is too little. Compared to the sample jars of EDM, EDM contains almost thrice as much as the ones I got from Lauress. I only ordered 11 eyeshadows, but they gave me one extra for free!

The colors are rich and vibrant, but I haven't tried it yet. And that kid below will soon become an MMU addict just like me.

ON BEING A MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONIST

2009-05-25T07:35:00.004+04:00

Until now when people ask me about my job and I tell them that I am a Medical Transcriptionist, people are still clueless about it.

By definition, a Medical Transcriptionist is an individual who transcribes and interprets dictated reports by physicians into a typewritten format. In contrary, a Medical Transcriber is the equipment used by the Transcriptionist for this purpose.

The process is quite simple, yet complicated. This starts when the doctor dictates his reports through the telephone, either a land line or a mobile phone. Then the dictation will go to the Dictation Server which will then go into the Medical Transcriptionist's computer. After the voice file is loaded into the MT's computer, the MT can now start transcribing the report. The MT uses a foot pedal which controls the play rate of the dictation. It is the equipment which the MT steps at to play, forward and rewind the dictation. At the same time, the MT will type the report with the highest level of speed and accuracy that she can.

There are many challenges when it comes to transcribing reports. The doctor's accent for me is most challenging. Based on my personal experience, I find it really difficult transcribing reports from doctors who come from France, Belgium and Germany. Correcting the grammar is another thing that is of utmost importance (especially to my boss). In addition, the medical equipment and terminologies that these doctors use also gives the MT an extra challenge.

This industry started in the Philippines in the late 1990s as the medical reports from the US were outsourced to the Philippines and India because it is more cost efficient. The prominent companies before were IDSI in Alabang, JL Business Solutions in Ortigas and OTPI in Makati. OTPI was the company where I got my training and skills from. Later, the industry started to pop out like mushrooms. Now you can see different MT companies everywhere in the Philippines. You can even do transcription from your very own home.

The importance of MTs in a hospital is often overlooked by many. People only see MTs as individuals who sit and type the whole day, but mind you guys sitting, typing, listening and staring at the computer for eight hours straight is not simple. It is eye straining, gives one low back pain or tendinitis and a very mentally challenging job. In addition the reports that we MTs produce is also important because it is where the doctors usually base the continuity of care, in addition to the report being a legal document for medicolegal purposes.

There have been reports and hearsays that Voice Recognition (technology wherein the computer will automatically transcribe the dictation) will soon be used here in the UAE, but it does not mean that MTs will not be needed anymore. The technology is promising but not reassuring. I do not think that the computer alone can create reports as accurate as MTs do. If this happens, however, MTs will take the role of Editors or Quality Assurance personnels to further furnish the report.

For more readings about Medical Transcriptionists, please click on the link below:
Medical Transcription

ON KRIS ALLEN

2009-05-22T14:58:00.003+04:00

Kris Allen is the newest American Idol with a whooping 38 million votes over who was thought to be the "best" for the season - Adam Lambert. However, there have been a couple of negative reactions as to how and why Kris won.

Some were saying that it was because supporters of Gokey voted for Kris because both are church goers, so they supported someone of the same faith.

Others were saying that it was because of Kris' good looks why people chose to vote for him instead of Adam. To add to this, some are saying that Adam has "demonic" looks so they opted for the angelic Kris.

The worse that I have read so far was that AT&T provided phones at Kris Allen's voting parties in Arkansas and showed the participants how to "power text" by sending 10 or more text votes at the push of a single button.

Having heard and read all of these, I feel so sorry for Kris because even though he got the title, with these intrigues around him, I know that he is not happy. I mean, come on guys, the guy also has a talent, although not the best (even for me) in the batch. But we have to face the fact that the show is decided by the people and whoever is the most charming (not the most talented) to the public will win.

I so love Adam, but what can I do, Kris won already. I know that Adam still has a career that's waiting for him though he was not the big winner, and that's for sure. And for Kris, let's give him a chance to prove his worth.

ON MY CRYSTALS AND CHARMS

2009-05-21T21:47:00.004+04:00

I really do not have any interest about these crystals and stones turned into jewelry until one day Andre, a colleague in the hospital, brought some jewelries which, I must admit, are really eye catching.

This was just her hobby at first, but when most of the people are noticing her beautiful charms she turned it into a business. She brought some samples to our department and I decided to give it a shot. They said that these stones have certain properties that can attract good vibes to the person who is wearing it.

This is the bracelet which my friend, Jane, gave me. This is made up of rose quartz and Swarovski crystals. Rose quartz as they say is The stone of Unconditional Love. It has a translucent or opaque soft pink sheen.

It is said to have the following properties:

Gently dissolves blockages to love.
Teaches how to love oneself and others.
Encourages forgiveness and acceptance.
Calms and reassures, bringing about deep inner healing.
Helps releasing of blockages from unexpressed emotions.
Opens heart chakra.
Soothes wounded heart and internalized pain.
Aids self-trust and self-worth.
Attracts love.
Said to increase fertility.

I should have worn a bracelet made of this when I was single and still looking for love, because right now I have too much love around me, hahaha! OMG, the fertility thing! Not now because I am still enjoying my time with my daughter.

This is the bracelet that I bought for myself. It is made up of citrine and Swarovski crystals. Citrine has a golden yellow ray which is rich , warming and beautiful. It is like a physical representation of the sun. Metaphysically, Citrine is considered as the "Stone of Prosperity," and now you know why I bought this stone.

Its properties include:

Attracts wealth and success.
Brings happiness and generosity.
Energizes and invigorates.
Increases motivation and physical energy.
Activates creativity.
Dissipates negative energy.
Promotes inner calm.
Balances yin and yang.
Activates navel and solar plexus chakras.
Also believed to enhance digestive problems, thyroid imbalance and circulatory problems.
The ultimate Good Luck Stone.

Of couse, I also bought a small one for my daughter, which she wears almost all of the time. This is made of Rose Quartz and Swarovski crystals too. I am not worried about that fertility thing though, because she is only 2 years old.

I asked Andre to make two more bracelets for my daughter made up of agate and amethyst stones.

Let's see if these crystals really do work.

ON MERCURY DRUGSTORE ONLINE

2009-05-14T00:19:00.004+04:00

As one of my friends will be going home within the next two weeks, my father asked me if I could send some of their medications through my friend. As I am now SO into online shopping, I checked out if Mercury Drugstore has a website and if I could order online. To my surprise, they do have an online store.

I immediately checked out if they have my parents' medicine available in their site and yes, they have it. However, you cannot check out the price of the drugs. It's like you have to order first and give all the information about the sender, receiver, credit card details and the amount of medicine that you want to order. After filling up all of those things, the price will still not be shown. Instead you either have to confirm immediately or ask for the price first before processing your order.

So, I chose to check out the price first. When I clicked the "SUBMIT" button, the window was immediately redirected to a new one saying "Thank you for your order, etc.." There was no confirmation sent by the website that they have received my order because it was in the 2 in the morning when I sent my order. So I have to wait for Monday to come for their confirmation.

Then Monday came. I immediately checked my email to see if there is any confirmation from Mercury Drugstore. What a relief! The confirmation is there and they were asking if I want to proceed with my order or not. I made some amendments to my order and asked them to send me the changes first before proceeding with my order, and they did just that. They were also prompt in answering any queries that you might have.

Here comes the best part. I haven't told my old folks back home that they just need to collect their medicines from Mercury Drugstore yet, though it was already available since Tuesday. When I called them yesterday to give them the details, I was surprised to know that they have already collected their medicines because it was Mercury Drugstore who called them.

So for those of you guys who are out of the country or even those who live far from your old folks, try ordering online from Mercury Drugstore. Check out their site here.

This definitely will not be the last time that I will order from them.

Till next post.

Nighty night!

ON MY COASTAL SCENTS LOOT

2009-05-12T21:43:00.004+04:00

Yesterday this arrived:

Yey! It's my brushes from Coastal Scents.

I thought I ordered the synthetic ones, but I got the ones from the goat fur! Eeeewww! I hate the smell of it! I am thinking of caldereta every time I smell it.

And these are my scoops which I am now using to transfer my samples to my jars! Yey!

And of course, my freebies. Mind you the golden one is more than 1.4 g! Yipee!

Of course I haven't tried any of these yet because I don't have the time. Reviews later! My brushes are still on the line after I have washed it with my daughter's shampoo!

Nighty night...

ON JULIETA FONTANILLA

2009-05-10T15:18:00.007+04:00

She's less than 5 feet tall, nearlly 60 years old, morena, simple compared to all other mommies there who would still want to look as fresh as possible and very outspoken. She is not the "sosyal" type of mother who would still apply tons and tons of foundation and makeup to her face, but instead she would rather go out wearing her own natural beauty which I must admit is still there even with those wrinkles on her face.

She was the one who spent sleepless nights just watching over me and who did everything in her capacity just to make sure that I will be able to finish my studies.

She's the one who unselfishly prioritized my well being first before herself or anything else in the world.

Her name is Julieta Manalo Fontanilla.

She is my mother.

...And I love her so much!

Happy mother's day, Ma!

ON LE BLOGGER FRIENDSHIP AWARD

2009-05-10T11:42:00.002+04:00

This is the first time that I've received something like this, and I want to thank Ida for passing this award to me. So, let's give this a try:

The rules are:
1. Take your award here.
2. Put the logo on your post.
3. Link the person who awarded you.
4. Nominate at least 7 other bloggers.
5. Add the links of those bloggers on yours.
6. Leave a message for your nominees.

My nominees are:

ON MY EVERYDAY MINERALS HAUL

2009-05-09T18:50:00.005+04:00

I received a call from the PO today telling me that my haul from Everyday Minerals has arrived! I immediately rush to the PO with my daughter and hubby to pick it up.

The package was sent on 25 March 2009 and it only arrived today. I really don't know if this is the normal delivery period for EDM because it was really long....

Anyway, after receiving the package and after an hour or two in the mall, we went home and opened my package. This is what I got:

Taaa daaaa:

This is the Spring Collection consisting of three eyeshadows, one blush and one eye shadow brush. In their website, it says that there should be one Postcards eyeliner, but it's missing.

This is the Lavender Collection with four eyeshadows and one eye kabuki brush.

This is In the Garden eyeshadow that I really felt in love with in their website, so I ordered one.

My medium bronzer finishing powder.

The 5-piece sampler with three foundations, one blush, and one concealer. This is worth $12.50 if you're going to buy it, but this set is definitely FREE.

And of course my freebies worth $4 each.

I'll give my review after I have tried them on. Still thinking if i'll purchase their Sandcastle collection especially now that they are running a promo. Let's see...

Nighty night...

ON MY FIRST JOPPA GRAB BAG

2009-05-06T00:59:00.003+04:00

I received my first Joppa grab bag yesterday along with my 3-piece sampler kit. Iwas so excited when I saw it on my desk and opened the package right away without even putting my bag down.

And these are the things that I got:

Tada...

This is my grab bag and this consists of the following:

FS Olive leaf E/S 1.4 g

FS Majestic E/S 1.4 g

FS Eggnog E/S 1.4 g

FS Dusk E/S 1.4 g

Sample of Buttercream E/S 1/8 tsp in a baggie

FS Dewdrop Blush powder 1.4 g

FS Savannah Blush powder 1.4 g

FS Toffee Simple Radiance 1.4 g

Joppa Gracie

Berry Bliss soap bar

Sugar Plum Lippie

Cotton Candy Lippie

Lip Twist Bare

I ordered a 3-piece sampler kit from Joppa which, to my surprise, turned out to be a 6-piece sampler kit! I don't how it happened or why it happened, but the thing is, I am quite happy that it happened, hehehe.

These are the lippies that are included in the shipment. I am not sure if they are included in the grab bag because they were wrapped separately from the grab bag itself, but hey who cares?

For only $18, I think this is more than what my money's worth.

Till next haul, nighty night!

WALTER AND ANGELA

2009-05-01T22:37:00.006+04:00

FRIDAY'S 10 - THINGS THAT I REALIZED WHILE WORKING ABROAD

2009-05-01T12:14:00.004+04:00

I have been working abroad since I was 23 years old. Now I am already 30 and I must say that I have learned and realized things from my seven years of stay here in the Middle East.

1. When you are here in the Middle East, your salary will depend on your passport and not on your expertise. If you are holding a Western passport, then that will be your ticket to a higher salary compared to your Far Eastern counterparts, even if FEs are more qualified than the Westerns.

2. Sticking out your middle finger to a local can be your one way ticket home plus 25 days of imprisonment. Yeah, I know that for us, it's just a normal every day thing that we seen on the streets. Here, it's different. It's one of the highest forms of insult to a local here so be careful on how you act towards locals even though there are times that you really want to stick that finger out, it's better to keep it for your self.

3. Stability, that's one word that is not in their dictionary. Even if you are working hard and has been serving the same institution for a decade, if they want you to go, then you're gone. No buts, no whys, no hows.

4. All meat here are halal, meaning they were slaughtered after the butchers have given some prayers first. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think it's illegal to sell meat that is not halal.

5. There is no personal mailing address here in the Middle East. Also, all your correspondences should be forwarded to your company PO Box. So, if you are planning to order something online, make sure that the address you give is your PO Box address and not your home address, or else everything will screw up!

6. A life insurance will come handy here because you'll never know what will happen next especially there are many crazy drivers around.

7. People literally live by their credit cards and will not be able to survive without them.

8. You should never ever speak fluent English if you want to be understood by many.

9. Even if you are a professional, people will still brand you as a housemaid because they think that Filipinos here are either a nurse or a nanny.

10. Obtaining a driver's license here is more expensive than buying a second-hand car and more difficult than taking the bar examination for lawyers. Even those who really are driving from their home country for years still fail the driving test not because that they don't know how to drive properly but because officers here are too strict. However, after all the hardships of obtaining your driver's license, there are still more undisciplined drivers around than the good ones.

MY FIRST PAID PHOTOSHOOT

2009-04-25T15:27:00.005+04:00

Last Friday, my family and friends were watching the Red Bull Airshow in Abu Dhabi Corniche under the heat of the blazing sun. So we decided not to finish the show and just go home because I was afraid that my daughter might get sick because of the sun.

My hubby went back to finish the show and a Western lady approached and asked him if he was a photographer. My hubby said yes and the lady was asking if he can cover her wedding the week after. My hubby told her that he will just refer her to our other groupmates who have more experience in wedding photography. However, the lady still insisted that she would like my hubby to cover the wedding, but my hubby didn't say yes because he might have to go to work on that day.

So, my hubby immediately gave this lady the phone number of our other fellow photographers, but no one was available. To add to that, my hubby was also free on that day, so he decided to shoot that wedding and asked me to be his backup.

As I have work on that day, I was only able to help him during the reception.

I must admit that I really had a hard time shooting this event because of several reasons.

Firstly, they are a western couple and their culture and tradition are different from ours. The poses that we were asking them to do are quite absurd for them. We are more on the experimental side, but they want to stick to the basics.

Secondly, we don't have a sophisticated unit to use. What we have is a flash unit from Metz which takes ages to reload.

Nevertheless, we still managed to give it our best shot and were able to shoot the event properly. We are still in the process of post-processing the pictures. I will post them as soon as we finish it.

ON MY FIRST MINERAL MAKEUP'S ARRIVAL

2009-04-25T15:08:00.003+04:00

Yup! They've finally arrived.

My hubby broke the news to me on a lovely Thursday afternoon and told me that Emirates Post contacted him and informed him that some of my purchases already arrived.

To my surprise, the ones that arrived first were the ones that I least expect.

My sifter jars arrived along with my mineral makeup from Earthen Glow Cosmetics. I was so excited to see them that I would really love to rush out from my office and go straight home to try and test my MMUs! Wow!

When my hubby fetched me from work, I forgot to kiss him first, but instead I asked for my MMUs! I was opening the parcel inside the car and was not able to wait to reach home first.

When I tried it on, it's really worth the wait...

I only put a few amount on the jar cover and applied onto my face, but it's really wonderful. My hubby even noticed the difference between regular makeups and my new MMUs.

Today, I received an email from Joppa telling me that the shipment they sent me was returned to them. Now at least I know that it will reach me (I don't care if it'll take long) because now I have given them my correct address.

I will definitely be ordering some more soon...

ON ANSWERING QUESTIONS

2009-04-22T21:35:00.003+04:00

Wouldn’t the world be simpler if people are getting the right response to the questions they ask?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Lai – Hello, I am awaiting a shipment from the US. It’s first class express mail service from USPS weighing less than 0.5 kg, so it’s just a regular mail. I would like to know if the parcel is delivered right into the recipient’s doorstep or it would have to be picked up?

Call center agent – Can I get the tracking number please?

Lai – Oh, I don’t have it right now. Anyway, I am just asking a general question and I know that the shipment is not yet here since I ordered it about three days ago.

Call center agent – Ma'am, I need to know the tracking number.

Lai – But I don’t have it and I am only inquiring about deliveries if it is to be delivered to the recipient’s doorstep or if it’s for pick up.

Call center agent – I’m sorry Ma'am, I need to have the tracking number because if I don’t have it, I cannot give you any information.

Was my question answered?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Lai – Hi, I would like to ask you regarding our company’s health benefits. My daughter is my legal dependent here in the hospital, but her visa is not under my sponsorship. As per the new policy, dependents who are not under the employee’s sponsorship will not receive the health card from the insurance company and will not receive medical benefits also. I would like to know if I still have to renew her existing dependent card that the hospital issued her last year because it’s expiring in May. Also, will she not be able to receive any medical benefit even from the hospital itself without using the insurance like before?

HR officer – Hi Lai, as per policy, she will not have the insurance card because she is not under your sponsorship, so she cannot avail of the hospital insurance.

Was my question answered?

FRIDAY'S 10 - THINGS IN THE PHILIPPINES THAT I MISS THE MOST

2009-04-17T16:54:00.005+04:00

Since I have been living abroad for almost seven years now, there are things in the Philippines that I really miss and wish that we have here in the Middle East.

1. Fishballs, squid balls, kikiam
Before going home, I always make it a point to drop by my suking fishball vendor near the tricycle station in our subdivision. "Manong" (how we Filipinos call our elderly men) seems to have the tastiest sauce that goes along with the crispy fishballs, squid balls and kikiam, not to mention ththe sago't gulaman that will quench your thirst after a hefty snack.

2. Zagu Pearlshakes
This is really worth missing because of the intense heat here in the Middle East. Yes, there are smoothies here and there, but nothing beats the taste of Zagu pearlshakes. Ooh, I can just imagine the taste of those pearls. Very refreshing indeed.

3. Isaw and Balat
Isaw is the Tagalog term for chicken intestine. Balat is skin in English, and in the Philippines, balat is the term for pork skin when it comes to street food. Both the isaw and balat will be boiled first with special ingredients then it's ready for barbecue. After it has been barbecued, it will then be dipped into two different sauces depending on what you like. First is the vinegar with lots and lots of onions and chili. The other one is a thick sauce, which, I believe, is made from soy sauce, catsup, chili, sugar and salt.

4. Siomai
Although not a native Filipino food, i definitely miss this one because of the unique taste that siomais in the Philippines have. Aside from the traditional siomai, there is also the Japanese siomai, which is better than the tradiotional one.

5. Lots'a Pizza
Pizza definitely is all over here in the UAE, but Lots'a Pizza is a standout among all of these pizzas, be it Dominos, Little Caesar's or even Pizza Hut. It's not too sweet and it's not too sour. The crust is just perfect. The amount of cheese is just right. In short, it's fantastic.

6. Mini Stop
A 24-hour convenient store that has almost everything that you are looking for even in the late hours of the night. In addition, they also have a snack bar where you can eat to your satisfaction, be it you're craving for something heavy such as a full meal or even a light snack.

7. Flee Markets
Flee markets are almost everywhere in the Philippines. With these markets, the prices are way much much cheaper than those in the regular malls. Also, there are many things that you can buy here. From food to clothes, to accessories, to electronics. Name it, they have it. Just be a little more patient when it comes to bargaining because I know that they will give in in the end.

8. Ukay-ukay
Surplus or ukay-ukay shops have bloomed in the Philippines like mushrooms. This is the place where tens and thousands of used clothes, shoes, bags, etc., are on sale in give-away prices. Just imagine purchasing an Esprit top for only P100 or $2.50! Isn't that a bargain. However, you must be very patient because it will consume most of your time searching and literally digging into huge piles of clothing.

9. Taho
This drink is made from soy beans with tapioca pearls (sago) and sugar syrup. Every morning, this used to be my breakfast. It also evolved into diferent flavors such as pandan and ube. For me, the original is still the best.

10. Christmas in the Philippines
The Philippines seems to have the longest Christmas celebration in the world. The celebration starts during the month of September where we Filipinos usually have this Christmas countdown. Then comes Misa de Galio or the Christmas eve mass which starts on the 16th of December and ends on the 24th. There is a belief that if you are able to complete the whole nine days of Misa de Galio, which, by the way, is conducted at 4:00 a.m., your wish will come true. Then comes the Noche Buena on the 24th of December, then Christmas day on the 25th for gift giving, then Media Noche on the 31st of December, followed by the New Year on 01 January and ends with the Feast of the Three Kings.

With all of what I have mentioned above, there's really no place like home.

ON MONTHLY PERIODS AND SANITARY NAPKINS

2009-04-17T10:13:00.003+04:00

When my monthly period is about to come, I eat a lot, and I mean it. Lately, I noticed that my waist line and my tummy is getting bigger and bigger every day. I was thinking that it's just related to me having a period in a few days, but naaahhh.... I really was eating a lot even during my period. I must do something about it though or I will end up as a couch.

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I usually walk from the hospital back home because aside from doing some exercise (just imagine walking 3 km under the heat of the sun), I can also save some money by not having to hire a taxi which will cost around 8AED or P100.

This week I decided not to walk because I have my period and I might faint because of the heat.

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When I have my monthly thingy, I really get too moody.

Last night my hubby got a piece of my mind. It's good that his temper is not as bad as mine and he understands that it's that time of the month again.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

In the office, we received a memo from our boss.

Guess what it was all about: Yeah, it's all about our monthly period. My boss and two others are already past that stage and what she wanted was for us to use another bin for our "particulars" during that special time of the month. But hey, as if we Filipinos are careless when disposing our particulars. We even wrap it before disposing it. Don't tell me that it's because of the smell of blood. I'd rather smell blood than see their poops left in the bowl without even bothering to clean it first!

Geesh!

ON A WINDY DAY

2009-04-15T22:32:00.003+04:00

Yesterday morning when I was about to go to work, the wind was blowing heavily. I was struggling to walk and exerting all my effort because if I did not, I will be blown away by the wind (literally)!

It is really unusual here in the UAE to have this kind of weather especially this time of the year, April. Usually, April is the start of the summer months (and I mean months) here in the UAE. Maybe it's because of the global warming (WTF?) that's why the weather pattern is changing. So I'd better prepare for a long and hot summer, wheeew!

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Windang, a gay lingo, was derived from the word windy which means perplexed, confused, near insanity. When I reached home there were quite a few things that really made me windang to the highest level.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I received my FCCPT Type 1 evaluation report from Kenneth Harrington (pangalan pa lang malinamnam na). He was too kind to even give me a refund for the payment I gave them for another copy of my evaluation. He also sent me information about the PLAN program of FCCPT for foreign-educated physios like me who are lacking professional units. Of course, I will not apply to this PLAN program because it will cost me another $350. To make the long story short, I am lacking 4 professional units from the 90 units required by CAPTE. I need to take additional courses to make up for my deficiency.

My friend found one school on-line offering courses for foreign-educated physios. The admission fee is $75 and the cost per unit is $343 which in my case is $1372 because I am lacking 4. $1372 is a big amount of money. I am really into thinking now if I should pursue with my State Board exam because even after finishing my additional course, I still have to pay FCCPT $350 for re-evaluation. It's good that I already have an employer to shoulder the expenses registering to the State and FSBPT. If I will not pursue with this one, then I would have just been wasting money as well because I paid $660 for FCCPT accreditation, $180 for TOEFL and $500 for my employer. Reaching your dreams is really expensive.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

To buy or not to buy a condo/house? This is the other thing that has been going on my mind now for weeks.

When we went for vacation to the Philippines last month, I saw how beautiful my sister's house is. I was a little bit envy (yeah I admit) but not on the positive side.

I already have a house in Cavite, but this house needs a lot of repairs. So I need to have those repaired first before purchasing a new one. This will cost me around P100,000 and will take me around two to three months to save this much. I am so thankful that I have my father back home who will be looking after my house repairs there.

Anyway, I have been browsing through some websites offering condominium units. I have been into deep thinking whether I shall be purchasing one or not. I have found one 2-B/R unit located in Paranaque City, just in front of SM Sucat with Ayala Land as its developer. It costs around P2.5M. The terms will be 20% down payment which is payable in one year plus P120K for processing, documentation, etc., that I have to pay to Ayala. So, this means I have to pay roughly P51K a month for one year and then pay the outstanding balance which is P2M through bank loan at around P25K a month for ten years. The turnover will be the first quarter of 2010. After the turnover, I have to pay around P3K a month for the monthly dues for the garbage, maintenance, security, etc., thus giving me a total of P28K a month. And what was supposed to be P2.5M will now be P3.6M after all the bank interest, etc., for a 44 m² floor area. It might be too expensive as it may seem, but buying a condo will give me a faster ROI (return of investment) compared to a house and lot. Why? Because I can have the condo rented for 20 – 30K a month. This is the main reason why I really want to have my condo unit. However, I still have to pay an additional P500K if I want to have my own parking space.

Buying a house and lot is much cheaper compared to a condo. In our subdivision in Las Pinas, where lots of townhouses are being built, I have found one 2-storey house and lot, 65 m² lot area and 80 m² floor area, with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, service area, parking space, fenced, and your own tank. If you are the first to buy, you will have the option as well to choose the color of the paint and the tiles that will be used in the house. The terms of payment will be 20% deposit which is P500K, payable in one year, but will only be P450K if I pay in cash. Then, the monthly amortization will be P26K a month for ten years. Here the monthly dues will only be around P200 a month for the garbage collection. One advantage here is that I will have my own lot and this is more spacious compared to the condo. However, if I am going to have this place rented, the highest that it can go will only be up to P10K a month compared to P20-30K a month in a condo.

But as we all know, the value of real estate is never depreciating in the Philippines, it only has one way to go and that is upwards.

Up to now, I still do not really know which one to buy.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

To cancel or not to cancel Mcxene’s visa.

The recent policy from our hospital really gave my mind a 360° turn. Before, even though Mcxene’s visa is not under my sponsorship, she is receiving medical and educational benefits from the company. Now, as per the new policy, only those dependents who are under the employee’s visa will receive the medical benefits which means Mcxene does not have medical benefits anymore.

I have two options:

One is to apply for a Daman Insurance out of my own pocket for Mcxene. This will cost around 1500 AED a year. With this, we only have to pay 20% of the total cost of the consultation and medicines that will be given to Mcxene on SEHA-accredited facilities.

The second option is to transfer Mcxene’s visa under my sponsorship. However, this is no easy task. Here in the UAE, if the father of the child is here as well, then it is a must that the child be sponsored by the father especially if the father’s salary meets the salary bracket required. Since my hubby is here and meets the salary requirement, they will question me as to why I want to transfer my child’s visa under my sponsorship. If I tell them that my hubby will resign from his work (which is just an excuse), they might ask for proof that my hubby really is resigning from work, which I cannot provide. If they do agree to transfer my daughter’s visa under my sponsorship, then we have to give a bond worth 5000 AED (P665K) which is refundable after my daughter leaves the country.

This place is really becoming unfriendly to families. I am now into thinking if we should be staying here for long.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I really have lots of things going on my mind now, thus the term WINDANG is very much applicable to my mental state as of the moment.

How I wish that every thing would be much simpler and less complicated.

How I wish that the wind would be gentler…

PHILIPPINE SKY

2009-04-10T15:46:00.008+04:00

I have never seen Abu Dhabi sky as beautiful as the one we have in the Philippines. So while we were there, I grabbed the opportunity to take some shots of the lovely sky.

FRIDAY'S 10 - OCCUPATIONS I WISH I HAD

2009-04-10T09:31:00.005+04:00

This will be the first time I will post my top 10 on Friday. I know it's usually on a Tuesday for other bloggers, but I want mine to be on a Friday.

Anyway, these are the top 10 occupations I was dreaming of before:

1. Teacher.
Yes, believe it or not, I really would love to be a teacher. There was a time when I was playing "teacher-teacher-an" when I was small. I was the teacher and my students were my younger cousins. It's not that I wanted to teach but the fact that I wanted to write on those class records, write on the blackboard and give obnoxious grades, wehehehe...

2. Doctor.
I guess everybody wanted to be a doctor when we were young. I was one of them, too but not because I wanted to treat those people who are sick, but because I know they earn so much and that most doctors have a car of their own.

3. Lawyer.
I dreamed of becoming one before because I find lawyers so cool with their suits and that they always have something to argue about. During that time I was kinda argumentative unlike now, I will just listen and usually will not voice out what I have in mind.

4. Interior Designer.
Designing homes is also one of my dreams. It seems that there will always be a creative juice in your mind that will just continue flowing. Of course, it's really fulfilling to see the work of art that you have created.

5. Archeologist.
It's always been my interest to learn and know things about our past. I was really into this course before, but I know that we cannot afford this so I opted for another one. I also came into thinking, what job will I have after I finished college as the opportunity is very limited for archeologists and the likes in the Philippines.

6. Journalist.
I really want to be one before because I know that they are really paid high aside from the fact that they really have a very interesting and exciting jobs. Also, they also get to travel while working. How about that, huh? Then I told myself, I am not pretty enough so I may not get a job in the journalism field compared to those pretty girls. So, I crossed this out on my list.

7. Chef.
Cooking has always been my passion, but during those times, chefs were not yet in demand. Thinking practically, I was looking in the classified ads and was not able to see any demand for chefs. So, another cross for this one. If I would have known earlier that chefs will be in demand nowadays, then I think I would have pursued this because the tuition fee before for this course was not really that high unlike now.

8. Market vendor.
Laugh if you want to, but yes, I dreamed to be one before. When I was a kid, my mother used to bring me to market and I find those vendors really entertaining to look at. I also used to think that they were really rich because even if the buyers were asking them to lower the price, they were still giving their goods to them. So, I was thinking that they must have been really rich because they can afford those discounts that they were giving the buyers. What logic did I have during that time? Geeesshhh!

9. Actress.
The nerve! Yes, my mother used to bring me to auditions whenever there is a search for potential artists. I remember during the time when ABS-CBN 2 was holding their auditions for the teleserye, "AnnaLuna," my mother brought me to Mother Ignacia for that. Hahaha.... I know for my self that I really did not know how to act. So when it was already my turn, the staff asked me to cry and not even one drop fell from my eye. It was really embarassing, but at least I get a taste of showbusiness even for a second, hahaha.

10. Flight attendant.
How about traveling every now and then to almost all parts of the world? We all know for a fact that this is the occupation that I will never ever have. Why? I stand 4 feet 11 inches only. When I myself am traveling, I cannot even reach the plane's compartment. Too much said for that.

Any hoo, my profession and the course that I took up were not included in this list. WTF? Too much dreams and not even one fulfilled! Oh well, at least I am earning from my job and able to support my family with that.

Until next Friday...

ON MOOD SWINGS, COURTESY AND PARTEY

2009-04-10T01:26:00.004+04:00

Kanina pag dating ng amo ko sa work, ayun bigla ba namang - "Good morning, Lailani," with matching modulation ng voice at jus mio parang hanggang sa kabilang mundo eh rinig na rinig ang boses nya. Di pa dito natapos ang topak ng amo ko, niyakap pa si Weng na para bang close na close sila. Come to think of it, naboljak lang ako ng isang araw dahil lang sa nagtanong ako sa HR ng bagong policy sa insurance namin. Gusto nya kasi secretary ang gagawa nun, eh haller sanay ako na ako ang umaayos sa problema ko at ako ang gagawa ng paraan para makakuha ng impormasyon, hmp!

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Pabalik na ako galing sa lunch, bigla ba naman akong tinawag ng amo ko sa opis nya. Syempre akala ko boboljakin na naman ako. Yun lang naman kasi yun eh. Once na tinawag ka nya, ihanda mo na sarili mo, boljak na kasunod nito. Nagulat ako kasi nga, hindi naman ako naboljak. Nagbigay lang ng reminders with chika on the side. Aba, aba, aba..... na-chorva siguro to kagabi at maganda ang mood... hmmm.... teka muna.....

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Buong araw halos puro Medical Evaluations ang ginagawa ko na usually sa puti lang nya binibigay. Ewan ko madami naman kami bakit sa akin binibigay, siguro sinusubukan ako. Eh di subukan nya, care ko naman! At dahil nga wala naman syang magawa at ginagawa, ayun nagbasa ng mga reports na tapos na. Nung wala naman syang nakitang mali, nagdagdag-bawas ng articles, "a. an, the." Nagwe-wear off na yung mood nya na masaya.

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Ending, natapos naman ang araw ng matiwasay. Yun nga lang, mejo mabagal ang processing ng utak ko kanina. Late ko na nare-realize na mali pala ang ginawa ko at pwede ko palang gawin ng mas maayos ang isang bagay kaso di ko naisip.

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Habang naghihintay ako ng taxi pauwi, nakita ko na marami ang naghihintay, iba't ibang lahi. Well, hindi naman ako mainipin so mega naghintay talaga ako. May dumating na Pinay, mejo may edad na, may dalang karton, nginitian pa ako, eh di syempre smile back naman ang lola mo baka sabihin suplada ako. Ayun bwisit na bwisit sya sa mga ibang lahi dahil inuunahan sya sa taxi, eh haller mas nauna naman yun. Di nya yata napansin kasi feeling nya sya ang nauna sa lahat ng tao na maghintay ng taxi, ultimo ako na nginitian nya at kabayan nya eh inunahan nya. Kung di lang to matanda, nakutusan ko na to eh!

Buti na lang dumating si Mama Lai at dala nya si Pangcar (Honda Civic nila) at sinakay ako pauwi. Kakakuha lang nya ng lisensya about one week ago. First time kong sumakay sa kanya and I must say, mejo umiral ang pagkainggitera ko at wish ko nagda-drive din ako. Eh sa gusto kong mainggit eh, bakit ba?

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Before the day ended, pumunta kami sa haus ni Mai at naki-partey sa birthday ni Lance. Cutie Lance, dinedma naman si Mcxene. Di bale, dinedma rin naman sya ni Mcxene, hehehe...

Nandun din ang mga bruha kong sis. Syempre kwentuhan to the max at kahit late na, lafang pa rin at lafang. In pernes, ang ganda ng muffin cake ni Mai! At ang mga bruha kong sis, nakipag-agawan pa sa loot bag na bigay ni Mai!

At ako eto, 1:43 na ng madaling araw, blog pa ng blog.

Nighty night!

SAM AND EM

2009-04-09T06:30:00.009+04:00

Sam and Em, my hubby's friends, asked us to have their prenuptial photos taken and we gladly obliged. These photos were taken in Picnic Groove, Tagaytay during our vacation in the Philippines last month. Mind you guys, this was the only photoshoot that we had during our whole month's vacation in the Philippines.

BOUGAINVILLA

2009-04-08T00:52:00.004+04:00

These photos were taken without a tripod, so the images are not that sharp.

ON BEING STUPID

2009-04-08T00:35:00.005+04:00

Sometimes, I can be stupid even without knowing it. I just realized today that the UAE doesn't have a system to deliver mails directly to one's home. It's all in the PO Box unless shipped through Aramex, Fed-Ex, etc.

Two weeks ago, I went on panic buying mineral makeup from the net. All of those orders were addressed here in my house because when I ordered a book online last time, it was delivered right at my doorstep through Fed-Ex. Thinking that everything will be like that, I ordered online without hesitation and have it delivered here. How I wish that it will come through. Two weeks have passed already and I am keeping my fingers crossed that those shipments will arrive.

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Stupid.

Oo. Yan ang ultimate na description ng mga lokal na utaw dito. Oo nag-Tagalog ako, baka mamaya kasi may makabasang lokal, yari ako.

Bakit ko nasabi to? Bweno, isi-share ko lang ang istorya ko.

Nagpunta ako kanina sa Immigration Department para mag-inquire kung ano ang mga requirements para ma-transfer ko ang visa ng anak ko sa sponsorship ko. Ang sabi sa akin nung mokong na mamang taga-Immigration na walang kaabog-abog at walang kurap -> hindi pwede kasi hindi ka nars, titser o engineer. Jus mio naman, eh anong konek? Isa pa, ang dami na kaya nilang ni-approve na transfer of sponsorship from male to female na hindi rin naman yung tatlong propesyon na yun ang trabaho ng mga babaeng yun. To make the long story short, hindi sila consistent sa mga sinasabi nila at sa mga laws nila. Saka parang may presidential pardon pa, sabi ba naman, bumalik daw ako kinabukasan at kausapin ko yung pinuno nila baka daw pumayag. Eh haler naman di ba? Kung meron talaga kayong rules na sinusunod, dapat walang exemption to the rule. Patupad sa lahat, hindi yang iba-iba ang sinasabi ninyo, depende pa kung kanino ka natapat.

Hay, pasensya na pero you have to be here to know what I am trying to say.

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And then we come to the last part of my stupidity run.

I applied for an FCCPT type 1 credentialing a couple of months ago. They are only sending the results online, but I did not seem to receive the result from my email. I have a feeling that I had accidentally deleted the mail since I was in the Philippines during the time that they sent it and I didn't have the time to scan my mails one by one.

Now, I have to apply for another copy and pay $90 for that.

So all in all, $90 plus almost $100 for the online orders that might not arrive (I hope not) equals $190 dollars just because of stupidity.

Oh well.....

Nighty night!

ON BLOGGING

2009-04-08T00:30:00.002+04:00

I have always wanted to keep one, but has not been able to. I don't know. There are times that I really want to blog, but time restricts me to do it. I will do my best, however, to keep this one. As it is really hard for me to keep just one blog, this will be a mixed blog, photoblog, digiscraps, and everything that my mind wants to shout out.