: Kids have so much energies :

After their 1 week vacation in Ilocos and Vigan my nephews and nieces are constantly looking for ways to entertain and pre-occupy themselves. After playing outside in the yard today playing basketball, their energies are not yet over bec. they still want to play games at their PS 2 gaming device. My bro bought another game the other day and they were so excited to finally play on it.

And can you believe this? They still have time to play games on the pc, and sometimes I already scold them for doing such. Ahhhh kids... they have so much energies to do many things. Oh well, I know when summer is over and when they are back in school this June, they will not be permitted by their parents anymore to play games everyday. I reckon they are just enjoying themselves while they are at break.

: No receipt issued :

Before I can get my EON card at Union bank next week i need to have 3 IDs to present them. I already have a passport and SSS ID so i need another one. So I went to post office this morning to get a postal ID. I signed up the application form and I read that it only costs P175.00.

When I gave the form and I handed P200, the lady told me that it was P285... what???? I didn't utter a word and didn't even bothered to asked why? I gave 300 and she has no change for me so I will get the P15 next week but she noted it on my form.

I was waiting for a receipt but she gave me nothing and just told me to come back on Monday to get the card and my change. No receipt issued on a government office??? Yay, I should have asked but i was left speechless.

: I miss you Gordon Ramsey ! :

While vacationing at my sister Joy's house in Sydney, I had the chance to watch quite a lot of good reality shows that are not shown back here in Pinas. Some of them ate Chopping Block, Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares and F Word, etc. But my most favorite is that of Gordon Ramsey's show Kitchen Nightmares, where critics food, in house chef and how the owner manages their business.

Gordon is a world class British chef who runs fine dining restaurants in the UK and US and is well known esp. to those that love cooking and aspiring chefs. He maybe too rough and quite intimidating by the way he speaks and acts, (he swears a lot mind you !!) but he is good at what he is doing and teaching. He is funny at times too.

I miss watching him and I wish his shows will be aired here also in the Phils. bec. I'll be the 1st one to tune in and watch it.! Have you watched any of his shows?

: The Great European Dream :

I am just lucky enough to travel overseas and it was in Australia that I have been to for 3x already since 2005 and that is the only country outside the Phils. I have been so far. I can’t count Hongkong bec. I only been there for a 3 hour stop over for a connecting flight. Traveling is always been fun even though it is stressful at times but the places, the culture and the people that I have seen and known are just priceless.

Every time someone asks me where my dream vacation is then the answer that I have over and over again is in Paris. I would really love to see the Eiffel Tower and to see more great places there. My interest grew more when a saw a travelogue on TV and I reckon it would be magical and interesting to just explore this popular place. I hope this will not stay only as my dream. For those that are planning a vacation in Paris, it is but best to find affordable Paris Hotels bec. as we all know taking a vacation needs a budget.

Traveling to Europe has always been a dream to most of us who wants to travel and enjoy different cultures. Cities like Paris, Venice, Rome and Amsterdam are just some of the cities many tourists put in their iterinary. Paris boasts of the Eiffel Tower, Gondolas in Venice, Rome’s and Amsterdam great architectural pieces and more. Should you be planning your great European tour then you’ll never go wrong with those cities. But first you need to plan your trip way ahead and look for some Venice Hotels, Hotels Rome or Amsterdam Hotels that are cheap and affordable bec. in that way you have extra money for leisure tripping and shopping. Happy travelling !

Litratong Pinoy: #6 Mahal na Ina

It's Thursday once again and this week's theme at Litratong Pinoy is Beloved Mother. This is my mom while blowing her candle when she celebrated her 75th b-day last Oct. 2007. We are very happy and we thank the Lord bec. she is still strong and energetic for her age. Eventhough we are not complete that day (2 of my sis in overseas) we had fun, emotional and it was memorable for her.

(Huwebes na naman at ang tema ngayong linggong ito ay Mahal na Ina. Eto ang aking ina habang siya ay hinihipan nya ang kandila noong nag celebrate sya ng ika 75 nyang kaarawan noon OCt. 2007. Kaming lahat ay masaya at nagpapasalamat sa Diyos dahil sya ay malakas pa. kahit hindi kami kumpleto noong araw na yon (2 sa kapatid ko ay nasa iabgn bansa) ay masaya kami, emosyonal at memorable ito para sa kanya.)

: Delete me and I will delete you too :

Sigh........, i just noticed lately that there are bloggers whom I have ex-linked long time ago have deleted me already from their blogroll. I jusr found it out when I went blog hoppin' when I was still in Sydney and just lately when I am back here in Pinas. Saw around 3 or 4 bloggers who have erased me from their list. I think this is not a nice thing to do. So what I did was to erase them also from my list and would even bother to go at their blogs anymore. Such a shame for them to do that and it is but unfair, isn't it? Booooo.....

I can’t stop my Coke addiction

Oh my, oh my this summer heat is surely making me sweat and thirsty. I should be drinking lots of water to replenish the lost fluids in my body but I can’t resist not to drink Coke instead. Bad I know as it will only bloat me and put not much needed sugar in my body and I am definitely losing my battle to eliminate it from my diet. Aside from softdrinks, I have been eating quite a lot and not doing any exercise and that makes me gain more flab in my waist, which is so unsightly to see.

I just hate seeing my bilbil (extra fat on my waist) and to know that I don’t fit on some of my jeans. I will hate to see one day that I will grow bigger and stressing my self how to loose weight and reading those diet pill reviews available online. Argghhh, I gotta have discipline or else..yay!

: My Nifty Fifty :

Finally, i already bought my 50 mm f1.8 II lens yahooo and I am loving it!! It is light weight, sharp, affordable and i just love the aperture. It is great for portraits but it is good also as a walkaround lens and good for low light conditions. It's a fix lens so there is no zoom, your zoom is your feet, lol. Even so I love it !!, Am i saying goodbye to my kit lens now? I think so

My niece and I bought it at INFO MAX at cyberzone 4flr. in Megamall just yesterday (Sunday). Actually, I went to Canon branch 1st at megamall but it is out of stock and it costs more that what i got from Infomax. I know it is much more cheaper in Hidalgo but I have no time to go there anymore.

Have you got your own, Canonians get one now as it is a must!! My next project is either 28-135 mm IS or telephoto 70-200mm IS lenses. Yay expensive hobby!

Here are my test shots from my new 50 mm f1.8 lens

Our apple mango at my mom's mini garden

:Have fun in Europe :

Bonding with your family is a wonderful experience and one way of doing so is taking a vacation. There are many affordable cruises or tours nowadays that you can find online and I would always love to tour Europe. Why not? There are many places and things to do there. I have distant relative who is working in Spain for many years now and we can go there if money and time permits. She can accommodate us but if not there are many Hotels in Barcelona that I can always turn into.

If Rome and Amsterdam are your chosen places to visit, then there are Hotels in Rome and Hotels Amsterdam that you can afford to stay while you are there. Just don’t forget to take lots of pictures while there, memories are preserved through photos. Many tourists flocked each year in Europe so there’s no doubt that Hotels London accommodation are always fully booked. Booking early will save you from hassle.

: Pet Sitter for a week :

My family were away for a vacation up north and they just came back today from Ilocos Norte and Vigan tours. I have lots of stories and they seemed to have enjoyed it so much esp. the kids who all got tanned after swimming at the beach endlessly.

While they are away I am at home pet-sitting JACK JACk (hamster) and MAYA (fish) of my nephew and niece. I feed them in the mornign and night and clean their house too. Now that they are back I will no longer do that but i reckon it's also nice to have a pet once in a while.

: Making a good impression :

So what big companies do to make their company stand out far from the rest? Aside from the spending money fro the advertisements in print or commercials etc, they make it a point to create a unique logo that can represent them. Have you notice when you see a particular logo anywhere, in just one click you already know what company or store is behind that? That is amazing isn’t it? A logo design must be picked chosen carefully as it will represent you and your company, doing so will make a good impression about you.

I’m not saying that only big companies like Coca Cola , Mac or whatever can make a good logo, small businesses can also make their own especially if they have little budget to shell out. If you need some logo for your company, an online logo maker Logoyes.com can create you a quality, professional and affordable logos. Just browse from their vast collection of Logo Design Examples and that they have or you can have it customize for a fee in juts a matter of 3 days.

You can even make your own business cards for free, just follow the instructions and you can make your own now. Here is my logo design that I made using their simple 6 step process at their website, you can too try their award winning biz maker.

: Photohunt:: Time :

The theme for this week at Photohunt is TIME.

These pictures are taken while I'm on vacation in Sydney early this year and and I had a great-great time spending it with my sis and family. I've been there for 3x already but the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge never fail to amaze me and other tourists.

If you have the chance to travel, never fail to visit this wonderful city and you'll never be disappointed. There are lots of places to go to while you are there and spend some bonding time with your family.

Oh BTW, i have a different entry on my other blog, VIEW IT HERE.

: My Dream Gadgets :

I have reading and reading different digital photography forums and websites since yesterday to know what kind of lens will I buy next time and I have come with the decision that i will buy these next time.

These are my next pet project:

1. Canon EFS 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS (Image Stabilizer) (around $300+-)
   
2. Canon 50 mm f1.8 (around $85+-)
   
3. UV filter and (around $17+-)
   
4. lens hood (around $30+-)
   

Hopefully this year I can be able to get all of them. Can you remember my not satisfied post about my 400dcam? I know now that it's NOT the camera but the kit lens that is not sharp. So i will stick to my Canon Rebel 400d Xti and i will just replace the kit lens. OMG, this is an expensive hobby!!

YOU'RE ALL BE MINE soon !! bwahhhhhh!!! (lol)

Canon EFS 55-250mm f 4-5.6 IS (Image Stabilizer)
Canon 50 mm f1.8, UV filter and lens hood

~~Photos grabbed at Amazon.com and Dpreview.com~~

And instead of buying a new cellphone or cell phone repeater and it’s accessories, I just want to buy these camera accessories for I intend to study more things about photography.

: I'm going shopping tomorrow :

My niece Kath accompanied me at home last night since my family are not back home yet from their vacation up North. They just called and sent us text messages to let us know where they are and they said they will be coming home on Tuesday. Wow, I guess they have enjoyed it so much there that they have extended their stay bec. they were suppose to be home on Sunday.

Anyway, I am planning to go to the mall tomorrow probably at Megamall this time since there is a Canon showroom there. I am itching to buy a new 50 mm f1.8 lens and a lens hood so hopefully they have a stock there. If not, I will just go to Hidalgo next time. I reckon it is a lot of fun to spend some for my new hobby (digital photography) once in a while since I deserve it. Those people who are also bored with their 9 to 5 jobs doing market research or other paper works must also have time to go shopping and splurge a bit. Life will not be fun if you don't enjoy what you earn. Am i right? Oh I can’t wait to shop hehehehe.

: My See-saw PR :

Alright the buzz is again here as Google made another update, just found out that this blog of mine became zero again. Originally it was PR3 >>Pr0 then PR2> then 0 again, wow it's a see-saw. Oh well i will have to wait for another update after 3months and hopefully Google can give my PR back.

My other blog SIMPLY JEN became PR2 after being 0 for a long time and my other blogs remain at 0. Hahaha. Anyway, i don't want to focus on my PR anymore, i will just continue to post good and informative articles here.

I am happy and sad at the same time, what about you any changes in your PR's lately?

:Typing Jobs etc. :

Been typing some works for a customer since this morning, I am typing some resumes for clients and they wanted me to edit it for them. Geez, it’s an added task for me but I am glad that there are resume templates available so all I need to do is to type their data there. It’d save me time so I have more chance of blog hopping and updating this blog hehe.

It’s a bit gloomy right now, looks like the rain will fall any minute. Labor Day, national holiday, rally there & rally there..

Yikes, it’s hot outside!

: Litratong Pinoy: #5 Malungkot (SAD)

This is my niece Micah, sad and so bored when we went to Wollongong City (Australia) last Feb. to see what the place has to offer for us and it was a beautiful city indeed. My sis, her family and I were all walking around and taking pictures here and there while she just sits in the bench alone sad and thinking deeply. Maybe she's having her PMS that time hahaha!

(Eto ang pamankin ko na si Micah, malungkot at bagot na bagot noong pumunta kami sa Wollongong City (Australia) noong Pebrero para makita kung ano ang meron doon, napakagandang siyudad ito. Ang kapatid ko, ang kanyang pamilyaat ako ay nag lilitrato dito at doon samantalang siya naman ay nakaupo lang habang malungkot at nag-iisip. Siguro may PMS sya noong araw na yon hahaha!)

Join us at Litratong Pinoy.

: WW: Fun Vacation

~ Breathtaking view on top of the Tacking Point Light House
From my recent trip at Port Mac Quarie, Australia in January 2008~

I have a different Wordless Wednesday entry at my other blog CLICK HERE

: Are “plastic money” evil?

In my opinion not at all as long as you know how to handle that lil’ “plastic money” in your wallet. The credit card is not the one to blame if they mishandled it but the one who uses it bec. you’ll not end up with a bad credit unless you don’t pay. Interest will sure go high if you don’t pay on time. Credit cards are only for those that know how to work on their finances and have control over their spending. It’s not for a shopper freak and for those irresponsible ones. Enough said.

Bu those people who have bad credits, fear not, bec. right now you can avail bad credit loans online at badcreditoffers.com and they can also guide to have a good credit standing. Just read all the valuable information and articles on their site and you are on your way to a new credit loans. Just keep in mind: Be responsible and take control of your finances!

: My To Do List :

Credits: paper and staple by Tracy Collins

I have many things to accomplish this week and next week and I hope I can do all of them. here's my list:

1. Mail the pasalubong that I have for Zanne this week sana hehe (sorry Zanne)
2. Have my over 1,000 digi photos printed from my recent trip to Sydney
3. Get my EON card at Union Bank next week
4. Canvas prices of Canon 50mm f1.8 and EFS 28-105mm lenses
   
5. Upgrade my HP desktop memory from 2.5 MB to 3GB
6. Visit my dentist for my regular teeth cleaning
7. Go to the salon for a hair spa, my hair is already dry bec. we have been on the beach and sun all the time when I was in Australia

I know you have your To Do List too, so I wanted to know them. I think this is fun so I am starting this tag. Have fun !!!. Let me know if you are done already, ok.?

I am tagging :
JoyD (my sister), Race (my best friend), Chikai, Tere, JennyR
Amore, Lutchi, Girlie, Francine, Shabem , Zanne , Alpha and Diane