12.11.2014
Random Life Thought
Growing up is not as easy as we want to be. We get disappointed that the world is not perfect and can be very unfriendly. Things are not as easy as when we were kids, and we are not shielded from hurt or failures. Just because things do get bad does not mean you should give up on being happy. Because a lot of times, happy is right here as long as you want it to enter your life. Whether you’re singing your heart out in the shower with that imaginary sound control for live performances that the bathroom walls provide or having a movie marathon, happy is how you make it.
12.09.2014
Getting Pregnant Isn't Always Easy
I never had trouble conceiving. That is why I tend to tease friends who are trying to start a family, but just can’t get pregnant.
Until a friend broke down and cried. For her, I was being annoying. She has to put up with well-meaning relatives and friends endlessly asking her when she and hubby are going to have a baby. Not that they are trying. They have seen doctors and have undergone medical tests. She is having trouble conceiving and my teasing only made her emotionally distressed.
Getting pregnant isn’t always easy, but seeking fertility treatments isn’t easy either. Fertility treatments can be extremely expensive, as well as invasive and time consuming. So, many couples are looking for ways to boost their fertility and increase their chances of getting pregnant without having to undergo fertility treatments.
Luckily, according to our friends at PregnancyTips, there are plenty of things that you can do. One of the most important things you can do to boost your fertility and improve your chances of getting pregnant is to stop smoking if you are a smoker. Drinking and illegal drug use can also damage your fertility, so make sure to quit those as well. Maintaining a healthy weight, eating a well-balanced diet, and getting plenty of exercise are simple things that can go a long way towards boosting fertility as well. Reducing stress and getting enough sleep are also important things that should not be overlooked. As long as you use common sense, you can see that there are plenty of easy things you can do to boost your fertility. 
12.08.2014
When the clueless teen barely says hello when you stop by…
Go easy on him. He must be going through a temporary age-related manners lapse and is more interested in band accessories. It’s up to his parents to sit down with him later and remind him of the right way to welcome visitors. In the meantime, your role is to rise above it. Greet him happily and give him a hug.
10.21.2014
Moody and Sick
Call it tradition, call it coincidence, but like clockwork, I ended up sick again, with an upper respiratory tract infection in October, weeks before my birthday. It sucks to be sick…I know, the chance to stay at home is heaven (since my mind always resisted going to work anyway), but being sick makes me feel so down. I am actually less “down” than when I got sick around July. Back then, I was like, it is not October yet! I can’t be sick! and I ended up crying in self-pity as I found it unfair that when the “mom” gets sick, no one takes care of her. Of course, I was over-acting, but I did cry. Now, I am actually relishing the time off. Although my ear ache like crazy (and it has been this way for two days now – man, I need to go to the doctor), I actually attempted to play with Nicole’s musical instruments (she has a guitar, ukulele and keyboard in her room). The ukulele, which we got after hearing rave reviews from older relatives, especially my uncle who claims it was their choice of music instrument post World War II, is an interesting musical instrument. It is easier to play than the guitar, and there are a lot of tutorials online.
Who knows? I may be going back to work with a new repertoire.
10.16.2014
Keep Happy Thoughts
One of my anik-aniks:
I tend to worry and get bothered about a lot of things, like a blogger commenting on a post I made about expanding your means instead of living within your means. I knew she was entitled to her own opinion, although I did notice that she tend to dish out her opinion all over. But it does not bother me anymore. And why should I be? I am reminded about a story T. Harv Ecker of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind shared. A finance guy was asking about his financial statements. T. Harv Ecker was like, “you give me your financial statements” because he sure wouldn’t like somebody with messed-up financial statements to take care of his finances. So my take is I shouldn’t be bothered by her, because I understand finance, I breathe finance, I could interpret numbers and tell if a business is losing or not. I could tell if she is really earning or not, t00. So there.
So one bad thought chucked out . I am now pointing my mood compass to happiness as my mind theater is currently playing with me and my girls fiddling with our Squier Stratocasters.
And I realized one thing: POSITIVITY starts with ME!
10.13.2014
The Four Best Android Phones of 2014
The Android marketplace is constantly evolving, with phones becoming more powerful and feature-packed every year. 2014 is no exception: outstanding new models are being released by all major manufacturers throughout the year. It has become impossible to pick a single best Android smartphone, given that every model offers similar performance in a unique package. However, with that said, here are four of the most impressive and anticipated Android smartphones of 2014.
Samsung Galaxy S5
The S5 is the latest installment in Samsung's insanely popular Galaxy series. Not surprisingly, the Galaxy S5 improves on virtually everything users loved about the S4, including upgraded internal hardware and a slew of unique new features.
With the Galaxy S5, Samsung continues its innovative use of Super AMOLED screen technology. Compared to LCD screens, Super AMOLED offers lower power consumption while also sporting brighter, more saturated colors. This compliments Samsung's TouchWiz UI quite well with its intricate graphics and cartoony appearance. The S5's 5.1-inch screen also offers sturdy Gorilla Glass 3 construction and full HD resolution at a pixel density of 432 ppi. Beneath those pixels is a lightning-fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 CPU clocked at 2.5 GHz along with an Adreno 330 GPU and 2 GB of RAM.
Taking inspiration from Apple's iPhone 5S, Samsung has included a fingerprint scanner on the S5's home button, allowing users to unlock the phone at the swipe of a finger. Another interesting new feature is the rear heartbeat sensor, which allows users to check their pulse on the go while integrating the information into Samsung's custom fitness applications. Fitness-minded users will be happy to hear that the S5 is dust- and water-resistant with a certified IP67 rating. Other features include a 16-megapixel rear camera, a removable battery, up to 32 GB of internal storage and Micro-SIM card support.
Galaxy S5 16 GB White Smartphone - Sprint (2.5 GHz Quad-Core Processor, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB Internal Storage, Android 4.4, 4G, 16 MP Camera) - $699.99, Free shipping - Available at Amazon.com
LG G3
The G3 is LG's latest upgrade to their cult-favorite G2 smartphone from 2013. Just like the G2, the G3 features cutting-edge hardware specs as well as the smallest bezel-to-screen ratio of any Android smartphone currently available. With its tiny front bezels, the G3 is able to fit a huge 5.5-inch Gorilla Glass 3 screen into a body that is hardly bigger than most 5-inch phones on the market.
The screen's resolution is equally as impressive as its size: at 1,440 x 2,560 pixels, it's the first quad HD phone ever released, sporting an unmatched pixel density of 534 ppi. Powering all of those pixels is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 CPU clocked at 2.5 GHz, as well as an Adreno 330 GPU and 3 GB of RAM. To offset the increased power usage of quad HD, LG has managed to stuff a huge 3,000 mAh battery into the G3's tiny frame, so battery life is equally as impressive as it was with the G2.
On the back of the G3 you'll find LG's trademarked rear-button layout, which is done to minimize the size of the side bezels. Above the volume and power buttons is a centered 13-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization, making it one of the most capable smartphone cameras on the market. The G3 also features 16 GB of internal storage and Micro-SIM card support.
32gb Lg Google Nexus 5 Black D820 Factory Unlocked 2013 Lte 4g 3g (2g & 3g 800/850/900/(1700/2100)/1900/2100 & 4g Lte - $483.01, 4.99 shipping - Available at Amazon.com Marketplace
HTC One
The HTC One M7 of 2013 won numerous design awards, being the first Android smartphone to feature premium aluminum construction that rivaled Apple's renowned build quality. For 2014, HTC has taken this design philosophy a step further: the One M8's body is now composed of 90-percent aluminum, featuring a sleek curved back that offers the most premium feel of any Android phone on the market.
Like most 2014 Android phones the One M8 has increased in size, now featuring a 5-inch Super LCD3 screen. Protected by sturdy Gorilla Glass 3, the One M8's display offers some of the most realistic color reproduction on the market, sporting a pixel density of 441 ppi. Behind the screen is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.3 GHz as well as an Adreno 300 GPU and 2 GB of RAM.
Setting the One M8 apart from other Android offerings is its unmatched sound quality: dual front-facing HTC Boomsound speakers provide loud, crisp audio that rivals even some laptop computers. The other most notable feature of the One M8 is its innovative Duo Ultrapixel camera. Though it's capable of only 4 megapixels, the 2-micrometer size of each pixel allows them to absorb up to twice as much light as competitor's cameras, making the One M8 exceptional in low-light photography.
The Duo camera also features two separate sensors: the primary Ultrapixel sensor works in conjunction with a depth sensor that allows users to refocus images after they are taken. Other features of the One M8 include up to 32 GB of internal storage, Micro-SIM card support, and an integrated IR blaster for controlling television sets and other peripherals.
One Silver 32 GB Smartphone - Unlocked (1.7 GHz Quad-Core Processor, 2 GB RAM, 32 GB Internal Storage, microSD Slot, Android 4.1, 4G, 4 MP Camera) - $504.94, Free shipping - Available at Amazon.com
Xperia Z Series
Following their unprecedented six-month release cycle, Sony has upgraded their well-reviewed Xperia Z1 smartphone with an even more impressive offering, the Z2. With its aluminum frame and sturdy glass-back construction, the Z2 offers one of best build qualities of the Android marketplace. And under its beautiful exterior, the Z2 is packed with cutting-edge features and hardware.
The Xperia Z2 sports a large 5.2-inch IPS LCD screen with a pixel density of 424 ppi. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 CPU clocked at 2.3 GHz, an Adreno 330 GPU and 3 GB of RAM, the Z2 is one of the snappiest smartphones on the market. Internal storage is limited to 16 GB, but Micro-SIM support offers expandability up to 128 GB.
The Z2 is one of the most weather-proof phones available: with IP58 certification, it is both dust-proof and water-resistant for up to 30 minutes. The Z2 also features one of the most impressive cameras in the Android marketplace with its 20.7-megapixel shooter capable of recording 4K video. With its dual front-facing speakers, the Z2 is second only to the HTC One M8 in sound quality, making it the perfect device for quality media consumption.
Xperia ZL Red Smartphone - Unlocked (1.5 GHz Quad-Core Processor, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB Internal Storage, microSD Slot, Android 4.1, 4G, 13 MP Camera) - $373.99, Free shipping - Available at Amazon.com
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links provided by Postpresso.
9.18.2014
Want a healthy heart?
Do you want a healthy heart?
Love yourself!
Loving and believing in yourself boosts your confidence. Studies also show that a small boost of confidence can lower your heart rate, putting less pressure on your heart.
Keep good company. Friends and family who love and care for you is one of the best ways to increase your sense of self-worth.
Do things that stress you less. Instead of hitting the mall during the crowded weekdays, try shopping online and make sure shipping overseas is offered.
9.03.2014
Be Head- and Heart-Smart
Let me tell you something but promise not to judge, okay? I have this total thing for smart guys. Back in high school, it was always the smart guy who caught my eye. In college, my brother caught me talking to myself about this guy complete with dreamy eyes and staring at the mirror thing. Being caught by your brother talking to yourself about a guy – complete with “those” looney eyes is bad enough, but when that guy is not exactly that good looking (and your brother knows him!), it is kind of embarrassing.
I was raised with the idea that smart meant having good grades and making it to the honor’s or dean’s list. It was all about hitting the books, getting my idea of life from the books and trying to live my life based on the books.
After college, it was such a jolt to find out that life is not based on those books I read. Life’s biggest choices, such as pursuing your passion or choosing the guy to give your heart or giving prescription ped meds to your sick pet couldn’t be made just by being book-smart. You need to be life-smart as well.
A life-smart girl uses her head and her heart. and do take note, you use your heart and your head together. All the time. It’s not like using your heart today then your head tomorrow. The power in you comes when you mix the two in equal amounts.
If you do something you’re truly passionate about, whether it’s baking those cupcakes your friends love or writing a truly earth-shaking blog post or creating that perfect bracelet, you will notice that you have a clear picture of what you are trying to do, and when you do get stumped, you’re more than willing to learn how.That’s the head and heart working together, right there!
Taking your time to figure out what makes you happy, what makes you fulfilled and content and putting in extra time to learn more makes you achieve anything you want. Your heart and your head will work together to fuel your passion.
Coming from a fellow self-proclaimed smart girl, smart girls rule the world!
8.07.2014
A Beautiful Wedding
The past year has been tough for me and my family. It was a year of letting go of people we hold near and dear. A little less than a year before my dad passed away, my mother in law and one of my dad’s brother passed away.
But, one happy event capped that sad year. My cousin and his lovely bride walked down the aisle on the last Sunday of June and the entire family were united to witness the happy event. Beautiful music was played. I bet the band gets their stuff from Musiciansfriend.Com.
Here comes the Bride!!!
7.02.2014
Miriam Santiago and the Big C and thoughts on mortality
It has been ages since I wrote a very personal post and let me tell you why.
For the past few months, I have been confronted with mortality.
My mom-in-law and uncle died two weeks apart and on the day of my dad's first death anniversary, Toxie, my dog, died.
I know. I am at an age where people my parents' age are dying one by one. I know one day, someday, I will be seeing friends in the obituary, and that makes me feel scared.
Fearful of what will happen if I unexpectedly go...
Paano na ang blogs ko?
Just kidding. But my cousin is right ha. She is an anesthesiologist with those words of wisdom na sapul na sapul like the line na "we are more than half of our life span" which makes me fearful. Come on, I want to take care of my grandchildren. I look forward to growing old with the Vince. I look forward to witnessing my Adrian discovering a serum to stop cancer cells from growing! I want to be a part of the biggest French resto operated by Nicole. I want to see Paula be a doctor!
Kaya nga if these kids say I wanna die, hayy, I wanna kick them silly.
But wait, this is supposed to be about Miriam and her cancer, right?
I like her approach. If I were in her place, I would be bawling my heart out and lashing at all the people feeling sorry for me.
But you know what, it is scary when death is so real. I feel so sorry for Adrian for having to go to wakes because older relatives are going one by one.
I have a co-worker, Ate N., who is such a healthy, happy person, who turned out to have Stage 4 Lung Cancer. I cannot imagine the pain her children is going through.
I am taken back to the day I found my mom was sick and won't be getting any better.
You know when people leave the hospital so cheerful and happy because the patient is well?
With my mom, I left the hospital with dread.
She was diagnosed a day after Christmas of having falx meningioma, a big tumor on top of her head. Now this tumor grows soo slow, affects women at around age 40, and usually has no symptoms. With my mom, she probably had it in her head for around 20 years, and it only affected her when it became too big that it put a pressure on her head.
When I found out she had brain tumor and it will affect her mobility,sight and cognition, I cried.
I dreaded the day when she will not recognize me...
So every single day, I asked her if she knows me.
and every day, she tells me my name...
It was difficult watching her. The doctor said she will have five years, wherein her sight and mobility will be affected unless she will be operated on.
But she was frail. My dad won't have her operated even if I wanted to. The doctor said there will come a time when the cancer will try to take over the body and this may be the time.
So I see her standing up, leaning against the table and closing her eyes, because maybe, her brain failed to signal her muscles to sit down.
I see her bloated from the steroids, sleepy in the morning when she used to be up.
I see her being a shell of her former self.
And I take to crying.
And a month after she was diagnosed, she went.
It has been seven years and there is no single day that I don't think of her.
I look at my son who is now nine and feel bad that Lola has not seen him grow up. \
She must be really proud of Paula, who insisted that she slept beside mom even if she was sick na.
She would love Nicole and her voice. They used to vocalize with that Juanita Banana thing when Nicole was around three or four.
I would have asked her how her childhood was, her family history, stuff I failed to ask her because she was busy.
I would have told her I love her every single hour...
Teka lang, I was supposed to write about Miriam and the Big C! On the next post na lang.
6.25.2014
How to Deal With Difficult People
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| freedigitalphotos |
3.18.2014
Tuesday Thoughts
Adrian will be MOVING UP to Grade 3 on Thursday! Woohoo! He has been spending half-days in school practicing for his class' Moving Up. At his school, every Moving Up is a major musical production. Last year, the entire school did a grand production of The Emperor's New Clothes, as the teachers (literally the play's directors) cleverly showcased and integrated every class in the entire production. Everyone was given a chance to shine as they sang and danced to the beat from the dbx amp.
I wonder what the presentation will be on Thursday? Adrian said it is a surprise.
3.12.2014
John Lloyd's Version 2.0 and hoping for my new version soon
I have sort of changed my workout routine, just because I missed running so much na.
So I had to say goodbye to Jillian (although I am planning to still do her Yoga Meltdown, just because I got hooked.), and do some running (err, more like walking?) on the treadmill for 4K at least five times a week. I started last March, and I still have no transformation to show, except very achy legs. I know I have a lot to change in my diet. You should see my Kindle - it has so many diet books on it. South Beach Diet, 17 Day Diet, Jillian's books (there are two and I can't remember the titles right now. Which means I have not read them yet hehe), One Day Diet of Jen Jolan, the latest one I have is on Paleo.
I am hoping I can make headway soon.
Self-Esteem and You
3.04.2014
Will The Philippines Have a Lemon Law?
newyorkstatelaw.org
3.01.2014
Moving Up March
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| The Vince and the Young Man |
2.26.2014
I am a Multi-Tasker Mom
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| freedigitalphotos |
2.01.2014
T.L.I. Mom
1.31.2014
Things That Happen When You've Been Married Literally Forever
1.27.2014
New and Improved You!
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| FreeDigitalPhotos |
1.17.2014
Lawrencing!
Jennifer can pull off anything.
Even this which a clueless mermaid wore:
I would love for her clothes to be on fire though, like in Catching Fire. I truly enjoyed the movie and I am so looking forward to her take on the final book. I loved her in The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, which means I am willing to forget that she wore this Christian Dior Couture bed sheet.
1.11.2014
Cold Weather and Rose Blight
1.10.2014
Lettuce Survive Our Diet
Ha. Ha. I actually have lettuce in the ref.
Bought two weeks ago.
I dunno.
It must be breeding, generating new life right now.
Via that host. The lettuce!
Which makes me not want to check it out.
It is romaine.
I hope I can say I love romaine lettuce, because I always ask Sister, the nun who manages the organic store over at the Baguio Cathedral, if she has Romaine.
Of course, I didn't tell her that aside from the Romaine lettuce being greener and much healthier than the iceberg (and some varieties are bitter ! Of course, I haven't told you yet how you cannot make me eat ampalaya), it also lasts longer. It can last more than a week in the ref crisper.
Oh, I love lettuce and cucumber and bell peppers with my favorite salad dressings.
Like the strawberry and french dressings from Iggy's Place!
But it has been so cold lately that eating fresh veggies and cucumber don't fail to give my tummy a jolt.
It is like brain freeze, except that it is in the tummy area.
O.K. It is tummy freeze.
And when my tummy gets a jolt like that, it would long for something warm.
Like coffee?
Preferable with something sweet - like cake?
With loads of icing that I so love?
Oh, dear.
Oh, by the way, a year ago in a detox post in my mommy blog, I mentioned about not even knowing what is kale.
Meron pala sa Baguio ang kale!
From Sister's organic store again.
And it actually tastes good.
I can also mix it in soups.
Which will lessen my coffee and cake visions.
1.03.2014
After-Holiday Body Blues
Seriously, though, I was over at a Mercury Drug Store branch the other night to buy some artificial tear drops for my eyes (The cold weather is making everything dry including my eyes!), when I overheard this guy buying Dulcolax, a laxative.
"Sorry po, sir, but it is out of stock. We ran out of it just a few minutes ago."
It was the night after New Year and I can just imagine how many people need to seriously poop because the guy was insisting, actually sort of begging, that a suppository or any alternative will do after the pharmacist claimed the drug is out of stock.