tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82580377957837668862023-11-16T03:20:34.590-08:00miss independenta single lady can do things on her ownmiss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-38723401579296580522020-05-31T00:58:00.002-07:002020-05-31T01:06:15.264-07:00Some essential wonders for sore throat, burns, and sticker residueI’ve been an Oiler for 9 months now and this has sparked my intense fascination with natural lifestyle. Day by day I get to have an appreciation of God’s amazing creations through the properties of essential oils. I would have wanted the oils to work for my Bell’s palsy, which I have been enduring for exactly one year already, but admittedly, I haven’t really been consistently using it for some months for that purpose, so maybe that’s why it hasn’t significantly improved my condition. Even though it hasn’t done much for my Bell’s palsy and my other issues, I would say that I have seen for myself the power of these oils in other ways:<br />
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1) <b>Healing sore throat</b><br />
One morning I just woke up with a very sore throat like there was a wound inside. I let it pass for a day thinking that it will resolve itself, but it just got worse the following day, so I thought of consulting a doctor to rule out any major health issue. I used MyPocketDoctor and within an hour or so, I was connected to a GP who prescribed me with an antibiotic (Co-Amoxiclav) and a throat spray (Kamillosan). I was not thrilled about taking antibiotics so, since the diagnosis was just tonsillitis, I thought, maybe I could just heal myself with my essential oil stash.<br />
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I took my Thieves mouthwash and created a throat spray which I used about 3-4 times a day. All I used were:<br />
1 cap of Thieves mouthwash<br />
1 drop of Clove essential oil<br />
1 drop of Peppermint essential oil<br />
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Good thing I already had a sore throat issue earlier in 2019 so I got myself a handy throat spray I bought from Shopee. Apart from using the throat spray, I also gargled with the Thieves mouthwash every night after brushing my teeth. In just 1 week, my super painful sore throat was completely healed!<br />
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2) <b>Healing burns</b></div>
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I was cooking one time and hot oil splattered on my left index finger which caused some first degree burns. I immediately reached out for my bottle of Lavender essential oil and put a drop onto the affected area. After putting lavender, it did not become worse like having the usual bubble that happens after the skin gets red immediately after the burn incident. I applied lavender consistently thrice during the day and twice the following days, and voila, in just about a week, it seemed like nothing happened. Would you have even guessed that I had a burn on this finger?</div>
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3) <b>Removing sticky residue</b></div>
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I have been reusing a lot of my old bottles to create my essential oil concoctions to save and to also be a little bit kinder to the environment. I have used a lot of The Ordinary products in the past which have a dropper bottle packaging so they are perfect for my essential oil recipes. Since these bottles are wrapped with a sturdy sticker label, some residue still remain after peeling them off and washing them. Surprisingly, after a drop of lemon essential oil, the residue was easily removed and was gone in a jiffy! I don’t need those chemical laden residue remove at all!</div>
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miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-40969778522334436372020-05-23T05:22:00.001-07:002020-05-23T05:22:15.265-07:00Things we won't be doing anytime soonThe COVID-19 pandemic has definitely changed the way we're living today and in the foreseeable future. The highly contagious silent killer has already affected millions worldwide and left hundreds of thousands dead. Since my immune system has been weak which triggered my Bell's palsy a year ago, I have not gone out for more than 2 months now. My sister has been the "tribute" in our household and I just feel sorry for her that she's forced to do the errands and take care of my sick aunt at the same time, all while also working from home.<br />
<br />
Anyway, just a random thought crossed my mind about the communal activities in the Philippines that we won't be doing anytime soon given the cesspool of germs you'd probably get:<br />
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(1) <b>Boodle Fight</b><br />
I probably only did this twice in my life, the most recent one was probably 8 years ago, after our house-building CSR activity in partnership with Gawad Kalinga. Though it was fun and initially nice to look at before the eating begins, it's undeniable that bacteria and viruses are just brimming on this spread. People are eating with their hands, putting them in their mouths, and their saliva and droplets could be easily transferred from their mouths to their hands down to the food shared with other people. Yikes.<br />
<img alt="Boodle fight - Wikipedia" height="213" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/Boodle_fight.jpg/1200px-Boodle_fight.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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(2) <b>"Tagay" Drinking Session</b><br />
I used to do this when I was younger. You know, those years of being "young, wild and free" as my former life anthem goes. I have to admit, drinking from a single shot glass with my friends was quite fun, and in a way, you develop a certain bond sharing saliva while being inebriated. Then when you get sober, you'd be grossed out with what you did, thinking about sharing a glass with your friend who has halitosis. Ewww...<br />
<img alt="Tagay ka din muna pre - Photos | Facebook" height="320" 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" width="320" /><br />
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(3) <b>"Lawayan kapag nausog" </b><br />
This is a Philippine superstition wherein a stranger will be asked to put their saliva on the forehead of someone, typically a baby. It is believed that the stranger's "evil eye" may cause bad effects to the other person, like stomach ache, convulsion, headache, or fever. So, better spare your baby from getting that "usog"!<br />
<img alt="Usog: Totoo Nga Ba Ang Pamahiin Na Ito Kapag Nababati Ang Baby ..." height="158" src="https://asianparent-assets-ph.dexecure.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2019/06/Untitled-1.png" width="320" /><br />
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(4) <b>"Trip to Jerusalem" game</b><br />
Also called "Musical Chairs", "Trip to Jerusalem" is a common "parlor game" during children's birthday parties in the Philippines. Obviously, the fun comes in the not very socially-distanced set-up which could even come to a point where players sit on each other's lap if the game gets quite intense.<br />
<img alt="Trip to Jerusalem game - YouTube" height="180" src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_6FE140X2Bk/maxresdefault.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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(5)<b> "Suck and Blow" game</b><br />
This was a popular game in the '90s, I don't know if this is still being played until now though. Its popularity was hyped by the movie, "Clueless" (1995) and I remember there was even a TV commercial about it. I only did this once when I was in grade school and I was kinda traumatized because the card fell and I kinda kissed my classmate. Ehrmmm... The idea seemed exhilarating knowing the possibility of kissing someone, which would not have been a possibility if not for the game.<br />
<img alt="Clueless 1995 - Suck And Blow - YouTube" height="180" src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YWYkpbqYTG4/maxresdefault.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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It's good to reminisce the old times, but looking at this list, I would say that I'm really not going to miss any of them. These things are simply not part of my lifestyle and beliefs anymore.<br />
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Image credits:<br />
(1) https://images.app.goo.gl/sPtmjjo9xFq4fd3Y8<br />
(2) https://images.app.goo.gl/zgFdrXovAQHYZ6Da9<br />
(3) <a href="https://ph.theasianparent.com/usog">https://ph.theasianparent.com/usog</a><br />
(4) <a aria-role="button" class="c1AlVc" href="https://images.app.goo.gl/YM7uUrBj89Gm96ot7" jsname="RYUcpc" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; overflow: hidden; text-decoration-line: none; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank">https://images.app.goo.gl/YM7uUrBj89Gm96ot7</a><br />
(5) https://images.app.goo.gl/XLyHiTCgGZkFRd8j9<br />
<br />miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-42358962040315377882020-05-22T09:25:00.000-07:002020-05-22T09:25:00.344-07:00Not getting any betterLife has not been great the past days. It has been a complete 180 from the time I was quite hopeful and optimistic about the future just about 2 weeks ago. I had this glimmer of hope that my breakthroughs in life will already start to unravel. I already have the crystals I could possibly need to transform my life, so I just have to pray that these treasures from God will already help me get out of this very depressing and deep rut that I’ve been into for a long time now. But it doesn’t really seem like it for the past week. I don’t know if it’s going to get any better soon.<br />
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In just a week, my aunt has been reduced to skin and bones, and I just get chills down my spine seeing her in that condition. She has become quite dependent on my sister that even if I ask her what she needs, she doesn’t answer me, but looks for my sister instead. Honestly, if I could just die instead of her, I’ll take that. I just feel worthless and hopeless. I have gone through so many frustrations in my life that I just feel tired of fighting my way through. I have not been happy for a long time. Especially since I got back to the Philippines in 2018. It has been a terrible 29 months in virtually all aspects of my life. Maybe the only thing that has improved in my life is my faith. Though with my thoughts recently, I just feel like I’m dishonoring God. But I just really couldn’t help it. I’m so sick and tired of this life.<br />
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I kept on hearing about practicing gratitude everyday to embody positivity and drastically change your life situation. But what am I supposed to write in that gratitude journal? That I’m still alive? Well I’ve already been praying for a long time that I want to die. I am just in a state where it seems that I have more issues than things to be grateful for. It’s actually an entry I’ve been thinking about so we’ll see if I could write about it soon.miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-19862022503493114832020-05-18T08:55:00.002-07:002020-05-22T08:52:15.725-07:00Starting the week on the wrong footI just want to do a catharsis of my thoughts, hopefully, to get rid of all the bad juju in my head and in my surroundings. I have to say I was very optimistic a few days ago, around that time when I just received all the crystals for prosperity and positive vibes. Surprisingly, just a few days after receiving the crystals, one of my items in Carousell (a marketplace like eBay to sell mostly used stuff) which I posted over a year ago and was taking a lot of space in my room, was sold. It was a Naipo massager which I bought when I was in France, and I was selling it for Php 4,500. The buyer haggled for Php 3,000 which I would normally decline, but since it has been over a year since I posted the item, I conceded. He told me right there and then that he would come to our house to pick up the item but it was already past 4pm when he messaged and I was worried he might be caught due to the curfew being implemented during the ECQ. He told me that he's a frontliner though, so he's exempted (later I found out he's in the army). So yay! I got money!<br />
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And then when I learned that my aunt is not getting any better from the medicine I got her, the bad juju started to creep in my head. The stress at work also did not help, which further amplified the bad juju. I don't know, I'm just so down like I am not motivated to do anything. If I have the chance to die right now, I would take it. That's how bad the juju is. I've been trying to meditate every day with my crystals and my essential oils. I even downloaded the app, Tiny Decisions, which is a digital roulette I use so that the universe will point me to the crystal and essential oil I need at that very moment. Yes, I would feel relieved, hopeful, and motivated, but only for a few minutes. After a while, the positive effects would wear off and I would be back to my black hole. I just feel empty in my heart and my head is just so full of negative thoughts, confusion, lack of self-worth, hopelessness, etc.<br />
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What only brings me joy is when I create and see new things, that's why I'm so obsessed with anything that has to do with essential oils because I like creating. I'm also getting satisfaction from buying online, which has also a bad after-effect on me because it amps my expenses. Especially now that I'm really keeping track of every peso that goes out of my bank account or getting charged from my credit card. I'm using this app called Money Manager, where I religiously log in every transaction I do. Unfortunately, it makes me really feel bad about myself every time I see an expense, which I think worsens my already bad mental state.<br />
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I don't really know what would help me at this point. I bought a new set of crystals though, a selenite slab for charging and cleansing the bad energy, and a couple of tumble stones for prosperity. We'll see how they could help in the coming days.miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-14644371372725055522020-05-17T00:17:00.002-07:002020-05-22T08:54:44.864-07:00Break the Cycle!I normally prefer to write on my blog at the end of the day, but this time, I’m just really bothered that I felt compelled to pour out my thoughts right this very moment.<br />
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I grew up in a low middle class family, a one-income household where my self-employed father sometimes had a job, sometimes didn’t. I was fortunate that I was able get scholarships during my high school and college years that my parents only had to think about funding my basic necessities and other miscellaneous school expenses. As a child, I didn’t experience a lot of things most middle class kids enjoyed—taking a piano or ballet class, getting involved in sports clinics, and traveling abroad. I honestly regret not being able to experience these because I am really disappointed that I have no talent in sports, or music.<br />
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It appeared to me that as a family, we were just merely surviving—when my dad had a job, we could eat, when he didn’t, we had to sleep off the hunger or borrow money if something was urgent. Same goes with our other relatives, saving seemed like an alien concept. Why didn’t they save money for the rainy day? Is it because the income is so low that there’s nothing to set aside? Is it because of the feeling that they deserve to spend their money once it comes? Is it because of the knowledge that family and relatives are there to support them when needed?<br />
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Now that my aunt is sick, in some way, I couldn’t help but think about the financial burden such kinds of events bring to us children who are now the income earners in the family. So far, my sister had already spent more than Php 20,000 for my aunt’s hospitalization (half of which I will have to shoulder of course). There’s high likelihood that this figure will only get bigger in the coming days since my aunt’s condition has not been improving and she’s now asking to be admitted to the hospital, which will potentially cost us Php3,000-Php5,000 for the room per day plus the procedures and professional fees (the hospital is even asking us to pay Php45,000 upfront as a deposit!). Of course it is our moral responsibility to do everything we can to make sure that she would get the proper treatment and improve her chances of complete recovery, but at the same time, I just feel sad that we had to take all the financial burden.<br />
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I am not a greedy, extravagant, and self-indulgent person, but I also want to enjoy my hard-earned income. I am not saying that I don’t want to help my family and relatives at all, definitely, I have the heart to help them in times of need, but I just feel like it should have not been left entirely up to us to shoulder everything. If only I had the chance to not work and still survive and be content, I would definitely take that chance, because I am just so tired of dealing with the stress I am facing in the office each day! This mental stress has even manifested into a physical disability, as I still have Bell’s palsy for almost a year now, despite doing what I can to stay healthy like eating a balanced diet, taking vitamins, and exercising. I have been trying to be resilient, because I just could not afford to not earn money so I could live the life I want and also support my family.<br />
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I have been saving money for some time now, supposedly for my life goals, but with the things happening now and the possible health emergencies of the elderlies in our family, I don’t know if I would have to take those goals in the back seat AGAIN. I have been patient for a looooong time, I am already about to turn 34 years old now, too old to still be living with my family inside this shoebox-house filled with trashy looking stuff, withstanding the extremely warm weather in Manila. Is this the kind of life I am bound to live for the rest of my life? I am just tired, to be honest. I wonder if I could just request to have my life ended right here, right now, so I won’t have to suffer any longer and live with a lot of regrets and crushed dreams.miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-47358238326730520952020-05-15T12:09:00.003-07:002020-05-15T12:10:53.890-07:00Tita had a stroke Last Wednesday morning, (May 13, 2020), while my 72-year old aunt, Tita Lina, was sweeping at the backyard, she suddenly felt dizzy that she could not balance herself to walk upright. As usual, I was working from home and locked inside my bedroom so I was only informed about her condition when my sister sent me a Facebook message. I would not have thought that it could be stroke because when I checked up on her, she didn’t have the usual stroke symptoms so we surmised that she could have just felt dizzy due to the extreme heat the past few days. Aside from being dizzy and not being able to walk properly, she also complained about the pain in her stomach and legs, so I took out the Young Living essential oils that could possibly help her: Panaway and Copaiba for her headache and leg pain, and Digize for her stomach ache. I put these oils neat on the affected areas and prayed that these oils might help her. After putting them on her twice, she reported the next day that her condition didn’t seem to have improved much so she asked us to let her be checked by a doctor.<br />
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Since she’s a senior citizen and has multiple co-morbidities, we were cautious about bringing her to the hospital given the risk of acquiring COVID-19. I thought that it would be best that we had her checked via telemedicine so she could be prescribed with a medication for her condition. I used MyPocketDoctor as my company has a partnership with them, but apparently, my account is only limited to my personal use and I had to create my aunt’s own account. I had to pay Php450 for her consultation since she did not have any health coverage affiliated with this platform. After about 15 minutes from lodging the request for consultation through the app, I got a call from a nurse who asked further questions about her symptoms, her existing conditions, and the medications that my aunt has been taking. Then about 30 minutes later, the doctor called and talked to my aunt. Since dizziness seemed to be the primary complaint of my aunt, the doctor prescribed her with Cinnarizine 25 mg (Stugeron), which seemed to be a medication for vertigo, motion sickness, etc. I booked Mr. Speedy to buy her medicine, good thing the driver has an email address through which I sent the e-prescription. I was surprised that the medicine was expensive at Php47/tablet so I had to pay Php555 to the driver including the Php 85 delivery fee. To express my gratitude for his service and risking to work despite the pandemic, I just gave him Php600.<br />
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Upon receiving the medicine, I was quite hopeful that my aunt’s condition would be better and she would be back to her usual self in no time since her condition didn’t really seem very critical. Maybe it was just vertigo and she needed to just rest and hydrate. She took the medication thrice until the following day but she still didn’t feel any better, so she asked my sister to already bring her to the hospital. A little after lunch, my dad and my sister brought my aunt to the ER of UniHealth Medical Center in Parañaque. She had undergone several diagnostic tests like CT Scan, CBC, Urinalysis, and ECG, which revealed that she suffered a heart attack due to high troponin levels (17x the normal range) and a stroke since there was a damage on her brain. Unfortunately, my aunt does not have a health insurance coverage so my sister had to pay more than Php20k out-of-pocket for the hospital services and my aunt’s medicines. Of course, I also have the responsibility to share the burden of the cost so I have to pay my sister next month.<br />
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<i>My aunt while in the triage area of the hospital</i></div>
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I just really hope and pray that my aunt will completely recover from this as it is also very challenging for us physically, mentally, and financially. Being a widow with no children, she </div>
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has no one else to rely on but us. Lord, the Divine Healer, I am begging you to help my aunt recover completely from her condition, by your grace and mercy, in Jesus’ name. Amen. </div>
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<i>“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”</i></div>
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<i>Isaiah 53:5 NKJV</i></div>
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<br />miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-53358389191338661612020-05-09T22:45:00.002-07:002020-05-09T22:46:38.030-07:00ECQ thoughts on Day 56Today marks 56 days since the Philippine government announced the order to put the capital under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). Since the first case reported in January 30, 2020, the Philippines didn't have any further cases for some time, apart from the 3 Chinese nationals, whose cases were eventually closed with 2 of them recovering completely and the other one succumbing to the disease. I was feeling at ease then because we could say that our country was "COVID-free". I was even frequenting Makati Medical Center at least 4 times a week for my physical therapy and perineural injections. I also went to see my favorite drag queens in their show at the Araneta Center on February 29. But of course, despite being "COVID-free" then, I was still cautious most of the time and was wearing a face mask whenever I was outside, you'd never know who might have the disease and unknowingly spreads it.<br />
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By early March, the situation started to become alarming as we were already hearing about new COVID-19 cases sprouting up in the country. Given the Filipinos' love for traveling, some people might have contracted the disease abroad and did not take the necessary precautions, which eventually led to the exponential rise in cases in the following days. Some inconsiderate people were even lying about their travel history, so the unsuspecting doctors got the disease as well.<br />
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Despite the growing number of cases, a lockdown was only announced on March 16. Naturally, I was in the office that day and almost everyone was anxious about what would happen next as there were already speculations about the possibility of a lockdown. At lunchtime, I headed straight to the pharmacy to buy medicines for my aunt as well as alcohol (limited to 2 per person). When I returned to the office, our bosses were already telling us to leave earlier so we would not be stuck on our way home. I tried not to panic, but the thought of not being able to go out for at least a month was terrifying and I also was not able to do a big batch of grocery shopping then so our pantry supplies were only good for at least 3 days. As soon as I got dropped off at the mall stop, I headed to the supermarket and bought as much as my basket could handle. The supermarket was already filled with people that I could not even get a basket with wheels when I got there.<br />
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When I got home, there was even more anxiety in the air as I learned that my dad was suffering from severe stomach pain and was vomiting blood. I was just distraught thinking about the possibility that he could have colon cancer since he had been bringing up about the blood in his stool in the past. Since I didn't really know how to drive, we had to wait for someone to drive him to the hospital. My sister accompanied my dad when the man arrived at around 11pm. The following day, we were a bit relieved to know that my dad didn't have colon cancer, but rather, a deep ulcer in his stomach. Praise God, for ulcer is definitely easier to cure than cancer.<br />
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Since my dad got out of the hospital on March 19, I haven't really gone outside of the house because I might have a compromised immune system due to Bell's palsy. Good thing my sister is responsible enough to take care of our family's needs during this time as she's the one going out of the house to buy fresh produce. I was trying to buy groceries online but all those that I've tried did not have available schedules. Recently, Lazada opened its LazMart online grocery so thankfully, I got some supplies for the family, at last.<br />
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At the onset of the lockdown, I was really very anxious to the point that my mind was racing almost all the time and found it hard to sleep. I was also feeling weary and hopeless because of the uncertainty about the future. I was supposed to go abroad in May to take my post-graduate degree but given the situation, I was not sure how I would go about it. Later in March, I received an email from the school addressed to people like me who were supposed to start classes in May. We were given 3 options: (1) push through with the classes in May but in an online format, (2) defer the start to September, and (3) refund all tuition fee payments. Of course, (3) is not an option because it has been my lifelong dream to have at least a Master's degree and I simply would not give that up. I was torn between options (1) and (2) but I was already inclined towards option (2) because I was really not comfortable about taking classes online. I also consulted my trusted friends and they all agreed with my choice, so I emailed the school that I would be deferring the start of my program to September instead.<br />
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However, just recently, I got another email from the school, saying that all classes will have to be taken online until December 31. Upon reading it, I was really devastated. How is it possible that everything bad that could happen actually transpired in this plan to study abroad? I really can't believe that the challenges still won't stop. My anxiety reared its ugly head once again. I don't know how much strength I still have to continue facing all the challenges thrown at me. It's been almost 3 years in the making and I have been doing everything in my power to make it happen, but it just doesn't materialize until now.<br />
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This morning, I watched the online preaching in Victory delivered by Pastor Ariel. It was about how Moses' mother, Jochebed, exhibited great faith by saving Moses from the hand of the king who ordered Hebrew children to be killed. The story is found in Exodus 2:1-10, where she put Moses in a papyrus basket and let him float by the River Nile so that he could be eventually adopted by the Egyptian princess. She trusted God completely to look after her son despite the risks posed by placing Moses in just a basket while in the river. Using this story, Pastor Ariel drove home the point that "it takes tremendous courage and faith to put in God’s hands what we value the most; we need to let go and put it in the hands of God so He can take care of things". I couldn't help but be in tears as I was taking note of this statement. This really hit me hard as I have been feeling really hopeless about the situation. As I've said, I've done everything in my power, and I can only do so much, so it's really just up to God at this point. Trust that God has the best plan for each of our lives.<br />
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<img alt="Jochebed was the daughter of Levi and... - Museum of the Bible ..." height="356" 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" width="400" /><br />
<i>An artist's depiction of Jochebed, Miriam and Moses</i><br />
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miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-89673212217801981782020-05-09T09:44:00.003-07:002020-05-22T09:31:53.971-07:00Crystal BeginningsI just received the crystals I purchased from 5Dhealingcrystals.com this afternoon, so I thought of creating an entry about crystals before I end the day. I started with crystals a long way back. I remember, more than a decade ago, I purchased a charm bracelet supposedly for improved wisdom and intelligence, which I wore during my blockmate’s party in a bar. I was excited to wear it for the first time because it would be a great opportunity to show off my wit as I talked to new people I would be meeting there. However, to my disappointment, the bracelet actually had an opposite effect on me. For some reason, I was not my usual self because I could not carry any good conversation at all. I was stuttering, forgetful and looking stupid like I didn’t know anything. Mind you, I haven’t even started drinking yet! Ugh, it was really a terrible night. The day after, I vowed not to wear that bracelet ever again. From then on, I really veered away from having anything to do with charms and crystals.<br />
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A few years later, my good friend, Nescy, went to China and purchased a rose quartz bracelet. She has been using it everyday since then and at some point, she got to meet the guy who eventually became her husband a couple of years later. At the start of their relationship, she offered to pass on the luck to me since I’ve never had a boyfriend then. I was open to the idea so she gave it to me one night while we were on our way to Republiq, a defunct night club in Resorts World Manila. I wore it with excitement even though the bracelet was totally not jiving with my outfit. A good hour since we ordered our drinks, no one still seemed to notice us so I thought it would be a “failed mission”. The night got more interesting when a fine looking Caucasian gentleman suddenly approached us. The three of us were talking a lot and we were dancing a bit, but I had the impression that his eyes were more glued to Nescy. It was already early in the morning and he had excused himself as he would be heading to an event in a few hours so he wanted to catch a bit of sleep. But before he left, I was surprised that he wanted to get my number and he asked me to add him in Facebook by giving his business card. I swooned as soon as I saw that he was actually a diplomat. OMG, an all-in-one package, how lucky could I get! I eventually left the club smiling from ear to ear, knowing that it was a “mission accomplished” and I had a good feeling that the rose quartz might have contributed to make that fateful encounter happen. I ended up falling head over heels over the guy because he was my first love, and we were together for about 9 months so I was quite devastated for 2 years since we broke up. After parting ways in early 2012, I stopped wearing the bracelet too so it had been gathering dust since then. (But surprisingly, I found it again 6 years later; I thought I already lost it, along with my feelings for the diplomat. LOL)<br />
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Fast forward to 2020, Young Living had a promo in April where an Essential Rewards order with at least 350 PV would get a free kit with Northern Lights Black Spruce essential oil (not yet available locally and a well-loved oil) and a Fluorite crystal. They promoted about it heavily through videos, infographics and online classes so it really piqued my curiosity and I thought of getting one for myself. I spent more than Php 20,000 for my order and got the crystal later that month. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed that the crystal I got was not similar to what was advertised and what other people got. The other fluorite crystals had streaks of purple, light blue/white and green, but mine was just mainly dark purple and had no trace of green. I tried to not feel bad about it because as they say, “crystals find you” so there must be a good reason why I got this kind of rainbow fluorite crystal. I wasn’t really thinking about buying another crystal, until one day, I came across Heart Evangelista’s picture of her crystal collection. I thought this girl is living a good life and maybe crystals are also helping her attract positive energy, so I checked out the crystal seller she tagged on her post.<br />
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I was surprised to see that the fluorite crystal I got was actually relatively inexpensive. If I had known earlier, I didn’t actually need to spend Php 20k on my YL order just to get my hands on this crystal. But anyway, i already paid for it so I just have to love my fluorite and explore other crystals that could help me in other aspects of my life. Since my fluorite is tower-shaped, I was drawn towards crystals with a similar shape so that was the collection I mainly explored. After reading the descriptions, I ended up buying Sunset Sodalite, Obsidian, Phantom Quartz, and Citrine. Since the All-in-One bracelet was on sale for just Php230, I also put it in the bag. Since writing this post took a bit longer than I expected, I will just have to write about each crystal next time and just leave you with a photo of my current crystal collection. By the way, I also bought another set of crystals earlier today: Herkimer Diamond bracelet with Moldavite, Black Tourmaline bracelet, Amethyst, Green Aventurine, Clear Quartz, and Lapis Lazuli. All in all, I spent Php 10,164 for all the crystals I purchased this week, so no more additional luxuries for me for the rest of the month. Haha!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7J626m2ywc0TbT4VuD1lJ9YFHyg-pHBObjycW8r1TNw86l4MVDa2DrvFAb4nq91C5CwHc7t0u2Q6xVf89Ye0M7X0I1WV3a2br1XYww8OWsVFJ5sRhJEQPPO-S-EVeo3xMln1TNobgwVi/s1600/8B031001-C55B-49BC-8F5D-1770CCFF366A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7J626m2ywc0TbT4VuD1lJ9YFHyg-pHBObjycW8r1TNw86l4MVDa2DrvFAb4nq91C5CwHc7t0u2Q6xVf89Ye0M7X0I1WV3a2br1XYww8OWsVFJ5sRhJEQPPO-S-EVeo3xMln1TNobgwVi/s320/8B031001-C55B-49BC-8F5D-1770CCFF366A.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>My crystal tower collection (L to R: Phantom Quartz, Citrine, Fluorite, Sunset Sodalite, Obsidian)</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeICTdffWcOmc9Fe7oC9JIzRU1b-5Ne80CCZY0YL9f56gxG7InikiKhrbCdysG_JS0gt8vD_hXL-StXadxCoeLK83VQEVnaBOmI6BlntHdC-7oG6YXsupMmNXsYyreBDLMI4dA6sbaVIwx/s1600/30715609-C3CD-4377-AE89-7B16FCC774DF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeICTdffWcOmc9Fe7oC9JIzRU1b-5Ne80CCZY0YL9f56gxG7InikiKhrbCdysG_JS0gt8vD_hXL-StXadxCoeLK83VQEVnaBOmI6BlntHdC-7oG6YXsupMmNXsYyreBDLMI4dA6sbaVIwx/s320/30715609-C3CD-4377-AE89-7B16FCC774DF.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>My crystal bracelet collection (Clockwise from left: All-in-One bracelet, Eye of Protection bracelet with Tibetan Agate, Black Onyx, Hematite, and Clear Quartz, Rose Quartz bracelet, and 7 Chakra Diffuser bracelet)</i></div>
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<br />miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-82802957753658030722015-04-25T17:51:00.001-07:002015-04-25T22:16:11.672-07:00 36 Questions: SET 2Here's the continuation to my answers to the famous 36 Questions:
<p><b>SET 2</b></p>
<p>13. <b>If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future or anything else, what would you want to know?</b></p>
<p>I want to know what would happen to me in 3 years time because I'm quite anxious about my future. I just have a lot of options now and I am not sure which one I should pursue to achieve my life goals.</p>
<p>14. <b>Is there something that you’ve dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you done it?</b></p>
<p>I have a strong desire to travel the world for the rest of my life! The haven't done it because I still haven't found the opportunity to get that kind of work. Some years ago, I have been aspiring to become a diplomat or an international NGO worker, but things happened so those aspirations had to take a backseat.</p>
<p>My priority has always been to help my family so I have been stuck in the corporate world for 8 years now. If I can do anything now without thinking of the consequences, I'd quit my job and just travel. If I go that route, I would only be able to earn just enough to sustain myself and my expeditions.</p>
<p>15. <b>What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?</b></p>
<p>I'd say that graduating college with a Cum Laude distinction is one of my greatest accomplishments because it opened up opportunities for me and I gain respect of people when they know about it.</p>
<p>16.<b>What do you value most in a friendship?</b></p>
<p>Loyalty is one thing that's very important for me when it comes to friendships. I've lost friends because they were not there during the times that I needed them most.</p>
<p>17. <b>What is your most treasured memory?</b></p>
<p>One of my most treasured memories is when I had my first love. Yes, it's cheesy but it's true. It took me more than two years to get close to moving on. It's been more than 3 years and I still think about it from time to time.</p>
<p>I never thought that I'd treat a person differently from how I usually treat people around me. I was just so enamored that everything about him was perfect for me despite all his quirks. I was more patient and more forgiving. I just wanted to be with him as often as possible. He was my top priority and I was ready to be his ally in anything. Too bad I only realized it when his desire for me has already waned.</p>
<p>18. <b>What is your most terrible memory?</b></p>
<p>I have my share of bad experiences these past few years. But one of the most terrible memories I have is when I was not allowed to enter HK due to the error made by a Cambodian immigration officer on my passport. It was very traumatic and I definitely didn't deserve to be treated as if I were a criminal.</p>
<p>19. <b>If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living? Why?</b></p>
<p>Perhaps I will just be more vocal about appreciating the people around me. I will tell my family that I love them and I am grateful for everything that they have done for me.</p>
<p>20. <b>What does friendship mean to you?</b></p>
<p>Friendship should be a lasting relationship founded on trust and loyalty. Friends should accept me for who I am and be there for me in my successes and during trying times.</p>
<p>21. <b>What roles do love and affection play in your life?</b></p>
<p>I am not romantically involved at the moment so the kind of love I am relying on is from my family. Though they may not be expressive and there are several times when we they show otherwise, their love is what keeps me going.</p>
<p>22. <b>Alternate sharing something you consider a positive characteristic of your partner. Share a total of five items.</b></p>
<p>Not applicable.</p>
<p>23. <b>How close and warm is your family? Do you feel your childhood was happier than most other people’s?</b></p>
<p>As I've mentioned, my family is not expressive in conveying love and gratitude toward me. But it's not a big deal. I would still think that my childhood is relatively happier than others', though it could have been better.</p>
<p>24. <b>How do you feel about your relationship with your mother?</b></p>
<p>My mother has erratic mood swings which sometimes cause misunderstandings between us. Regardless, I still love her and I aspire to give her the best life I can afford. </p>
miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-13805662303660973152015-03-31T06:57:00.001-07:002015-04-25T17:26:28.688-07:0036 Questions: SET 1<p>I came across an article about accelerating intimacy between strangers by simply asking 36 Questions. This works on the premise of mutual vulnerability as each person lets off his/her guard and reveals his/her beliefs, experiences, and even dreams to the other.</p>
<p>I've never used these with someone and I don't have plans to in the near future, but just for the sake of it, I'm taking a shot at answering these personal questions:</p>
<p><b>Set 1:</b></p>
<p>1. <b>Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?</b></p>
<p>I've always been fascinated by Malala Yousafzai. I admire her for her courage to stand up for what she believes in, whatever the odds may be. She is a real inspiration and I would like to know where her passion comes from at such a young age.</p>
<p>2. <b>Would you like to be famous? In what way?</b></p>
<p>If being famous means having a celebrity status or to that extent, then I don't like to be famous because I don't want to be subject to people's scrutiny all the time. It would feel like I couldn't be stupid or be silly because people would criticize me for sure. I can be quite sensitive when it comes to negative feedback so I think I'd feel really bad reading comments from bashers about me and my work.</p>
<p>The kind of fame that I like is just within a small community, wherein I would be known for the good that I've done and would always be remembered even when I'm gone.</p>
<p>3. <b>Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? Why?</b></p>
<p>Not really. I just make sure that I have a definite purpose for making the call.</p>
<p>4. <b>What would constitute a “perfect” day for you?</b></p>
<p>A perfect day is being with the people I love and we're just carefree and enjoying each other's company regardless of where we are or what we're doing.</p>
<p>5. <b>When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else?</b></p>
<p>I always bring my phone and play music in the bathroom so I can sing and dance inside! To someone else? Never. But I would want to.</p>
<p>6.<b> If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year-old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?</b></p>
<p>I would prefer the body of a 30-year-old because I still want to do a lot of things and I would need the youthful energy for it.</p>
<p>7. <b>Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?</p></b>
<p>I think I will die from a severe illness, specifically cancer. If I get diagnosed, I wouldn't bother getting treated anymore because it would only be a waste of money trying to prolong my life when my chances of survival is bleak. Other people could have better use for that money I would have spent for treatment.</p>
<p>8. <b>Name three things you and your partner appear to have in common.</p></b>
<p>Not applicable</p>
<p>9. <b>For what in your life do you feel most grateful?</b></p>
<p>I feel grateful for being relatively healthy, having a normal life, and enjoying some comforts. What I have now is still far from what I aspire but I hope I'd get there soon.</p>
<p>10. <b>If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?</b></p>
<p>My parents raised me well by instilling the right values, but it would have been much better if they explored my potential in arts or sports when I was younger.</p>
<p>11. <b>Take four minutes and tell your partner your life story in as much detail as possible.</b></p>
<p>I have really fun memories of my childhood. I grew up in a small, tight-knit community where everyone was part of one big family. All the other kids were my playmates and we would go out and play almost every day. We would play Chinese garter, compete in a 'beauty contest', dance in the rain, eat the nectar of santan flowers, climb trees, or pretend like we were adults in a game of 'bahay-bahayan'. Since I started school, my parents have always had great expectations on me when it comes to excelling academically. We would get some good spanking if we ever turned up a poorly scored exam. My dad would make us write the entire multiplication table on the mirror and if we made a mistake, we'd get a taste of the belt. The reward and punishment system worked well for me though because it made me realize that all my actions have consequences, whether good or bad, and of course, I only want good outcomes that's why until now, I'm trying to live my life accordingly.</p>
<p>Growing up, I didn't have a lot of luxuries compared to my other colleagues. My family's only breadwinner then was my father and there were times when he didn't have a project so we had to be satisfied with the little that we have. With this, I have learned to become more resilient and more patient.</p>
<p>Fortunately, I got scholarships for my secondary and tertiary education, so I was able to study in reputable schools despite our lack of resources. After graduating, I was given an opportunity to work for an insurance company as a management trainee. Now, I've already been in the business for 8 years and still learning along the way. I hope to see myself progress in this field, but if there is a chance for me to work in an international aid organisation, I wouldn't think twice about taking it because it is something I really want to do.</p>
<p>12. <b>If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?</b></p>
<p>I want the ability to read minds because with this, I won't have to experience misunderstandings with anyone.</p>miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-72921302421366365912012-12-31T23:45:00.001-08:002015-04-25T17:29:30.881-07:002012: Mishaps and Lessons2012, I must say, was one of the most difficult years I have experienced so far. There were a lot of mishaps along the way, which inevitably gave me some life lessons that I should keep.
<p>Here are some of the things that I have learned, usually, the hard way:<p>
1) <b>Don't be afraid to say what you want. </b>People do not have accurate mind-reading capabilities to always know what you want from them.
You don't have to demand though. Just ask nicely and let the person decide whether they will fulfill your request, compromise, or turn it down.
<p>Don't be afraid to say what you feel. They may say that actions speak louder than words but verbally expressing how you feel towards someone or a situation minimizes misunderstanding and presumptions.</p>
<p>2) <b>Level your expectations</b> whether it is with someone or an outcome that you are waiting for. When you don't expect much, more often than not, a good outcome seems to bring greater joy than something that is already expected. Also, when the odds are not in your favor, the disappointment is somehow not as big.</p>
<p>3) <b>Always be grateful.</b> Being appreciated is one of man's basic emotional needs. May it be through a simple "Thank you" or giving a heartfelt note, telling someone that you appreciate what he has done for you will definitely make him feel good about himself. Knowing that he has made someone happy can inspire him to continue doing good.</p>
<p>4) <b>Live in the moment.</b> It is really difficult to enjoy what you have in the present if you are haunted by ghosts of the past and too worried about the future. This tendency to think about things outside the present moment results to lack of focus and unnecessary anxiety.</p>
<p>5) <b>Haste results to waste.</b> Things which will require you to invest a great deal of time or money will have to be thought about carefully and it always pays to seek help from family and friends. The online scamming incident has really taught me well.</p>
<p>Many things in life won't usually go in our favor but what's important is we learn to cope with these challenges and be able to apply these life lessons in our future endeavors.</p>miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-22190477024599528372012-12-16T05:01:00.002-08:002012-12-16T05:22:04.156-08:00Why did I stop blogging for a long while?<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It occurred to me to check my blog again, and I have just noticed that it had been more than a year since my last post in 2011 and my more recent one in July of this year. Definitely, a lot has happened in between. Perhaps the highlight of the previous year was that the self-proclaimed Ms Independent had a beautiful distraction. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes, it was a beautiful but somewhat short distraction called love. For the first time in my life (and very unexpectedly), I have succumbed to such discombobulating and bittersweet endeavor. Until now, I can still vividly reminisce the first time I saw such lovely creature and immediately felt at ease with his presence. I was indeed attracted at first glance but I didn't have an expectation that it will lead to something more. Perhaps on his part, he also did not see me like that too since it took a long while and a few unintentional nudges from me before we had our first date. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have to admit that I am still stuck. Crying every now and then because of pleasant memories and realization that we will never be together again. It has been almost 9 months since I last saw him. I don't know when I can completely move on and just smile or laugh about it. I hope soon.
</span>miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-58105055914328463802012-07-22T08:25:00.003-07:002012-12-16T05:08:47.429-08:00It's been so long!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thanks to the blog, "Solo Date Nights", my interest in blogging has been rekindled as I was forced to log in to my Blogger account to make a comment. Since my last post in February 2011, a lot have definitely transpired--places I've been, people I met, and love I lost. I'd definitely have a cathartic release in this blog soon. (Hope I won't be lazy!)</span>miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-71342775453836998922011-02-06T04:17:00.000-08:002011-02-06T04:20:04.591-08:00I Super Love Weekends!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Who does not love weekends? After 5 days of toiling in the office - finishing projects, meeting co-workers, and replying to endless e-mails - diligent employees like us truly deserve a break! So my super friend, Nescy and I, always see to it that we make our weekends superb! We are adventurous and fun-loving gals so we try a lot of super exciting stuff together - partying at the club, chilling out in a cozy bar, trekking and spelunking, running in a marathon, practicing yoga, going to the beach, and the list goes on! In fact, this coming weekend, we will hike to Mt Pulag! So excited! I'm looking forward to more adventures with my super gal pal! </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWzY_XXLZ-mmesFD61Z-K_ZmM9M0ujscLpEUXCD4s6WP_Tzrf3Ob6R2NQOXRXQ0gaJUmGskLhK-zdbwcp46os7oxSSsmESu4vZ3juKYeFotwtDrfKRgaVIngKt_1aGWcoCu-6xj6VJ3CP/s1600/35822_458576691040_665491040_6440269_7031535_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWzY_XXLZ-mmesFD61Z-K_ZmM9M0ujscLpEUXCD4s6WP_Tzrf3Ob6R2NQOXRXQ0gaJUmGskLhK-zdbwcp46os7oxSSsmESu4vZ3juKYeFotwtDrfKRgaVIngKt_1aGWcoCu-6xj6VJ3CP/s320/35822_458576691040_665491040_6440269_7031535_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ziplining in Bukidnon</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NWQOT8-4akQf8En72W5jtkuV4axd11JxXhpeua5XtvOABA1gM881PLLVERjrEtfdG9OuOUfpYI5LeqzY3L-5qboznQujwLMbs8foSuN9IEsRJN5TCDzfFw7nOSwji2XCs3R7Fvs5lzCs/s1600/61693_489109976040_665491040_7252248_6734823_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NWQOT8-4akQf8En72W5jtkuV4axd11JxXhpeua5XtvOABA1gM881PLLVERjrEtfdG9OuOUfpYI5LeqzY3L-5qboznQujwLMbs8foSuN9IEsRJN5TCDzfFw7nOSwji2XCs3R7Fvs5lzCs/s320/61693_489109976040_665491040_7252248_6734823_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Celebrating birthdays at a friend's house</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGy5y3CPaFKMrB2ImTk5kSnayR6dy8aO1qd19h_k_UTieWVzykpcMk1uFPuE9pBUfX_9cGSup4SMCbYHNyQ6wRplabTrKaATT2_5qlox3mRaIHSgwQKVuX1qOmsN0ryKul_jVTPyEmH-8/s1600/65381_10150267687945573_562960572_15054717_4228571_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGy5y3CPaFKMrB2ImTk5kSnayR6dy8aO1qd19h_k_UTieWVzykpcMk1uFPuE9pBUfX_9cGSup4SMCbYHNyQ6wRplabTrKaATT2_5qlox3mRaIHSgwQKVuX1qOmsN0ryKul_jVTPyEmH-8/s320/65381_10150267687945573_562960572_15054717_4228571_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Singing our hearts out in a videoke place</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hope you'll choose us! :)</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span>miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-57762923307487292312010-05-20T07:23:00.000-07:002012-12-16T05:07:28.244-08:00could this be the end of my drinking career?<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last February, my dermatologist has prescribed me Isotretinoin for my skin problem. I took it for 6 months, once a day. Since this drug is very potent, I was advised not to get pregnant since this is teratogenic (as if this is applicable!), reduce my consumption of fatty foods, and worst of all, not to drink alcohol. Afraid of the possible consequences, I complied (not quite faithfully though) with the doctor's orders (I still drank alcohol once a month but with my doctor's permission).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After 6 excruciating months, I got so excited to finally go back to my old drinking habits that I didn't think twice in chipping in for a bottle of Cuervo in Bureau that cost us P2,400! Alas, after downing a shot, I immediately got buzzed. My friends and I took our second shot a couple of minutes later, and alas, my world already started to spin, my knees got weak that I can't stand, and I just felt so dehydrated (water in Bureau is not free!). I was so disappointed with how I fared during that drinking session, and all I could blame is that frickin' drug I took for 6 months. Because of not drinking alcohol regularly for quite a long time, my alcohol tolerance has hit rock bottom that I could not even think straight after one shot. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thinking that my alcohol tolerance might have already improved, I tried drinking beer, vodka, and tequila last Friday. However, to my disappointment, I spitted out the tequila and in a matter of seconds, also puked all over my lap. Gee, I bet my friends were totally grossed out seeing and smelling my vomit. It was my first time to throw up in public! Totally embarrassing!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hence, after giving some thought, I have decided to love my liver more and minimize my alcohol intake per occasion. I have gotten myself into trouble and embarrassment for a lot of times because of my unmindful drinking.</span>miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-38572229467839348652010-02-03T06:50:00.000-08:002010-02-03T07:10:32.725-08:00if i were a boy...<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I've seen a lot of pretty girls today and it made me realize how fortunate it is to be a man. The world is just full of nice and gorgeous women that a man can only take his pick who to approach. With good sense of humor and wit, I bet any guy can already snag a good-looking lady! Lucky bastards! Girls, on the other hand, no matter how brainy or funny they may be, only have a slim chance to be pursued by a guy if they look like plain Janes. We need to prove a lot or make extra effort to primp ourselves just to be noticed. Hmpf!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFT6we_RV9bjGx6mJTPcN3rTxDgyOAL0aMfB_f9uCjoy-TP5vH3Ui0Io1J7Rm2nW-qtm_oIUCighYeMOZmiXHRTiuLm-ZialCW_7ix5Y97SRedgCxrcxNYt90U3HGCYRTMtfQQWoyiK6Uz/s1600-h/Chanel+Paris+Fashion+Week+Haute+Couture+W+dfzb01VeHCLl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFT6we_RV9bjGx6mJTPcN3rTxDgyOAL0aMfB_f9uCjoy-TP5vH3Ui0Io1J7Rm2nW-qtm_oIUCighYeMOZmiXHRTiuLm-ZialCW_7ix5Y97SRedgCxrcxNYt90U3HGCYRTMtfQQWoyiK6Uz/s320/Chanel+Paris+Fashion+Week+Haute+Couture+W+dfzb01VeHCLl.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A guy can dress trashy, do gross stuff, act stupid, look unkempt, be messy, have blemishes, and be ill-mannered, but girls will still find them attractive. Sadly, if a girl has those attributes, more often than not, she'll be bound to Singlesville. I am not implying that ALL single ladies are like that, of course, I also have the same status and I definitely won't describe myself like that. Some just chose to be single, some became single out of certain circumstances, while a portion of the female population [and I'd like to think only a very few] are still single because they're unattractive - this does not necessarily mean physically but in other aspects as well [I'd say I belong to this category not because I think I'm ugly but there's probably some vibe in me that wards the guys off]. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Really, given a choice, I'd rather be a man. There are lots of adorable girls out there who can be worthy of the love I could give. BUT reality bites. I am a girl. Sadly, I haven't seen the fortunate guy yet. And I don't care. I am single and fabulous.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </div>miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-89924214178227687912010-01-04T08:10:00.000-08:002010-01-06T19:48:34.641-08:00hair in manila contest: win kerastase minis!<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">One of my greatest frustrations is my hair. It has been unruly ever since it began to "mutate" from stick straight to wavy back when I was in Grade 3. As the years went by, it has become curlier and frizzier that some rude classmates were even calling me "kulot salot." When rebonding came to the Philippine shores, my HS classmates and even teachers urged me to have that treatment because apparently, they were quite bothered by my ugly hair. However, the rebonding treatment only left me with more damaged hair. But despite the damage it causes, I just can't help myself from not getting the treatment since I really don't want to go back to my ugly curly hair, especially now that I am already working.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I've been longing to treat my hair with Kerastase but due to its prohibitive price, I've been postponing such luxury. At last, good souls from <a href="http://hairinmanila.com/">Hair in Manila</a> are generous enough to give away a set of Kerastase minis:</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zv2IlIPVo5XuT-lmGkuJXdCt2ktlLsNjhgJO5uwRr_EYZ3CMxCYHQ95B4yxsGiS480EBOFkY-mLsMpdXDlqI9WCvabR2j3fzOLwXTuPmgcuaoIFGl1tGA2NY2ikORh0jMWLz9Dc1z1bb/s1600-h/img_6466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zv2IlIPVo5XuT-lmGkuJXdCt2ktlLsNjhgJO5uwRr_EYZ3CMxCYHQ95B4yxsGiS480EBOFkY-mLsMpdXDlqI9WCvabR2j3fzOLwXTuPmgcuaoIFGl1tGA2NY2ikORh0jMWLz9Dc1z1bb/s320/img_6466.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Just click this<a href="http://hairinmanila.com/2009/12/30/new-year-contest-win-a-complete-kerastase-minis-set/"> link</a> to know the contest mechanics.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Good luck to us!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I badly need this. :o <br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span>miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-32091114637575199332010-01-01T05:32:00.000-08:002010-01-01T05:32:58.536-08:00where to buy cheap alcohol<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 14" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 14" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CDing%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="address" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="Street" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CDing%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CDing%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">My workplace is located in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Manila</st1:place></st1:city> so this gives me the chance to visit various places accessible by LRT Line 1. One of those places is Cash & Carry located along Filmore st. which can be accessed through <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Gil Puyat Avenue</st1:address></st1:street> (Buendia). <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">At first, I thought that it was just a haven for imported merchandise (e.g. perfumes, snacks, vitamins, and other toiletries), but through my good friend and co-worker, I learned that this is also a place for cheap wine and alcohol!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Let me share the price list of some of our favorites (rounded up):<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">El Hombre Tequila – Php223<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Absolut Vodka – Php464<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="DE" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Flavored Absolut Vodka (e.g. Kurant, Peach, Mandarin) – Php507<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="DE" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Vodka Cruiser – Php65<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Gilbey’s Premium Gin with Green Tea extract – Php39<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Bacardi Rum – P373<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Jagermeister – Php518<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Jose Cuervo – (500 ml) Php 495; (1L) Php605<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Patron Tequila – Php2,616<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Kahlua – Php589<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Martini – Php415<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Cabernet Sauvignon – Php250/Php520<o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Margarita – Php540/Php648</span></li>
</ul><br />
miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-25086366983665231882010-01-01T04:48:00.000-08:002010-01-01T04:48:36.591-08:00not really a beer fan<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Although beer is a staple in many get-togethers that I attend, sad to say, I am not a huge fan. There are plenty of reasons that I can think of:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">• Beer makes me feel bloated and gassy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">• It takes time to finish a bottle of beer. Hard drinks, on the other hand, only take a gulp.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">• You won’t feel the “happy buzz” (as my friend termed it) that you’re looking for after downing just one bottle of beer. Hence, you need to drink more. Consequently, you’ll feel even more bloated.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">• You can’t mix anything with beer. You drink it as it is. At least with hard drinks, you can tweak them according to your preference. Since I am only an occasional drinker, I just prefer cocktails because the bitter taste is masked by the fruity or caramel taste. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">• I love the heat I get every time I down a shot of a hard drink. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpWKKAQF4sNXlBATpdg8HngLgsng3kVVQjCjEyI41CCm1vJHGbzd2nGqrpM1tT2g7cHsVqSAN8Z9K8aXNGUq_JfRIrq0CD_6Wq3h22JKQf_31o6F9QtpKi3F4yNX3V6KFnOGVPajJ_V3_/s1600-h/san-miguel-beer-bottles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpWKKAQF4sNXlBATpdg8HngLgsng3kVVQjCjEyI41CCm1vJHGbzd2nGqrpM1tT2g7cHsVqSAN8Z9K8aXNGUq_JfRIrq0CD_6Wq3h22JKQf_31o6F9QtpKi3F4yNX3V6KFnOGVPajJ_V3_/s320/san-miguel-beer-bottles.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">But don’t get me wrong, I also choose to drink beer on certain occasions – when I don’t want to get too drunk, when all my companions are drinking beer, when there’s a new variety of beer available (I love to try out new stuff!), and when there is no other option. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span>miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-39575875272981002862009-12-31T09:16:00.000-08:002009-12-31T09:39:50.743-08:00my resolutions for 2010<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 14" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 14" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CDing%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CDing%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CDing%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">First off, happy new year to everyone! It's now 2010 - we have another year to rock out and just be our fantabulous selves! As usual, since today marks the start of a new year, everyone's into making their resolutions so I'm joining the bandwagon! Haha!<br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> <br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I had no plans to go out during the Christmas break so most of my time was spent online - checking my Facebook account, going through my favorite forums and researching about not-so-important stuff. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">While looking for stuff to do in Facebook, I chanced upon an application from <a href="http://apps.facebook.com/zeroresolutions/">Coke Zero</a> where you would post your resolutions for the coming year and if yours was chosen to be the one of the best, you might even win an exclusive iPod Nano especially designed for Coke plus a Nike + iPod Kit. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I didn’t join for the prize since as mentioned in my earlier <a href="http://i-love-miss-independent.blogspot.com/2009/12/gadget-find-goodbye-creative-hello-ipod.html">post</a>, I already have these babies. I just thought that this is a good exercise for me to really ponder on the things I need to do for my personal improvement. The first five resolutions on this list are the ones I shared through the Coke Zero application (Hence, it is more formally written):<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I shall not dilly-dally and start working on what I have to do as soon as possible.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I shall do what I can to help save the environment. The small things such as bringing a shopping tote, segregating trash, and reusing the old stuff can already do wonders.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I shall not perceive singlehood as a curse, but rather a blessing to pursue to pursue the things I want and be the best person I can be. Live life to the fullest! <br />
</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Finish 1 book per quarter to enhance my vocabulary and reading comprehension.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Learn how to drive so I won't have to rely on my dad to pick me up after late-night gimmicks.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Learn how to jump rope since this is a good form of exercise. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Write in my blog regularly, at least 1 entry per week, to keep this space updated and practice my writing skills.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Short-term (i.e. must be accomplished by January): Finish the remaining 9 sessions of boxing at Elorde<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Join at least 2 10-km runs to test my endurance and running skills.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Cook for my family at least once a month to develop my cooking skills<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Lose fats on my midsection, arms, and hips – buy a set of dumbbells, do the 2-minute ab workout every morning and before sleeping<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">And last but not the least…<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Have a boyfriend so I can win the bet with my co-worker [Well, I ain’t got a problem if I don’t achieve this, it’s okay to give them a more expensive gift for their wedding.]<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">So there you have it. I guess this list of things to do will already keep me busy for the whole year that I won’t really feel the need for a partner. Yey!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><br />
miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-44233229125047440562009-12-30T04:54:00.000-08:002010-01-27T06:44:18.391-08:00food find: christmas dilly bar is love!<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">After going to the dentist for my root canal (which is not yet done, btw; I still have to go back on Monday) and Baclaran to get some Chinese meds, I headed to Gateway for a meet-up with the person who bought my PDA. On my way back to the train station, I happened to pass by a DQ stall in Farmer's Plaza. A small poster of their new product caught my eye but I didn't give much attention until I realized that there's a phrase "mint chocolate" in it. Since I'm such a sucker for mint chocolates (Kendi Mint was my cheap comfort food.), I took a few steps back and bought myself one.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpGVY_C44p63bHnXhmrlrzchKn8JcKPBiaWc2SidV2rMa6tAwciDH91xLbWzKKlqv9Y7YUMhyphenhyphenNl2Lv5nyXeUeZPAaHLQQI_JBhIxEEkC-GxeG3ok_QGxsrpUXmJ8PRGPfrx1Tmtw8RXpu/s1600-h/xmas-dilly-bar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpGVY_C44p63bHnXhmrlrzchKn8JcKPBiaWc2SidV2rMa6tAwciDH91xLbWzKKlqv9Y7YUMhyphenhyphenNl2Lv5nyXeUeZPAaHLQQI_JBhIxEEkC-GxeG3ok_QGxsrpUXmJ8PRGPfrx1Tmtw8RXpu/s320/xmas-dilly-bar.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">For just Php35 a pop, who can resist this lovely treat? As soon as I took my first bite, I instantly felt bliss. I walked around the mall while munching on my sweet find. Happiness indeed. <br />
</div>miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-65884847119539827962009-12-26T08:56:00.000-08:002010-01-28T07:07:17.749-08:00gadget find: goodbye creative, hello ipod!<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I had long been a user of Creative because it offers a lot of features as compared to its more popular rival, the iPod, which only functions as an mp3/mp4 player (then).<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My first Creative was the Zen Stone Plus which was very handy and stylish since I used to wear it around my neck making it look like a pendant.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ349xF9LATEcmpfMqZ6EuckC88py4B0QEX9P9AXpoS3tjZnSFG_LJ-3ZcZFDAI93pY0PVWS73qGhKQyCzz7J4CdQ9zT0R-0oFitNpl7WlfddiXzkDIgptTrH0BCILE8VrexOVNxjtux_z/s1600-h/CRZSP2GBKSP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ349xF9LATEcmpfMqZ6EuckC88py4B0QEX9P9AXpoS3tjZnSFG_LJ-3ZcZFDAI93pY0PVWS73qGhKQyCzz7J4CdQ9zT0R-0oFitNpl7WlfddiXzkDIgptTrH0BCILE8VrexOVNxjtux_z/s320/CRZSP2GBKSP.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">For a size that small, I was really amazed that it already has a voice recorder, an FM radio, and stopwatch among its other features. However, it just stopped working one fateful day. I didn't anticipate its death to be so soon because I only had it for 2 years and it was still playing perfectly a day before that.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Since I really can't bear not listening to music while commuting, I finally decided to get a replacement. I did a lot of research prior to my purchase and found my perfect match in Creative Zen X-Fi:<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2YRrgVTbTTiKqiBji-6z5M-D11yvMlaKOFwCDclzPdc6UWhcBBG3A2bUi8r48w7gy3IM9bZP8Sg2UkeyMwrc8CoCn4fCqU6i0vIMizZ6RKyrOEuDkAZuIzPR9YSjgBTgCf0pFf3MDnLk/s1600-h/creative_zen_x-fi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2YRrgVTbTTiKqiBji-6z5M-D11yvMlaKOFwCDclzPdc6UWhcBBG3A2bUi8r48w7gy3IM9bZP8Sg2UkeyMwrc8CoCn4fCqU6i0vIMizZ6RKyrOEuDkAZuIzPR9YSjgBTgCf0pFf3MDnLk/s320/creative_zen_x-fi.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This baby is packed with lots of features: a video player, photo viewer, voice recorder, FM radio, calendar, SD card slot, speaker and of course, the X-Fi technology which claims to enhance your listening experience. My thoughts on this technology? Well it makes a difference in the sound quality but if your mp3 is a bad copy to begin with, then the only effect you'll have is that it makes the sound louder than usual. <br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Here's my take on this mp4 player which has been with me for 6 months:<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The GOOD:<br />
</div><ul style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><li>Remarkable sound quality. I appreciated the X-Fi Technology more whenever I listened to Chillout/Bar Lounge music since even the most minor of sound details can be heard clearly.</li>
<li>Size is perfect for watching movie. It's also small enough making it really portable.</li>
<li>You can expand the memory through its memory card slot. Since I only bought the 8GB version, I bought a 16GB SD card to store my videos and other photos.</li>
<li>It's plug and play! Unlike the ipod, you won't need iTunes to transfer your music files from your PC to your player.</li>
<li>Really clear voice recording!</li>
<li>The loudspeaker was also very useful and the sound quality is not compromised.<br />
</li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The BAD:<br />
</div><ul style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><li>It got busted 3 months after using it so I had to return it to Villman to have it repaired. After 1 month of waiting, I finally got a replacement. Then I've lost interest in it so I sold it instead.</li>
<li>There are some useless buttons.</li>
<li>If you're playing music/video from an SD card, it will stop when you navigate to other menus.</li>
<li>You had to convert the video to a certain format before you can play it. The video converter found in the CD was virtually useless so I had to download another media encoder.</li>
<li>The earphones that came with the unit was substandard since I only got to use it for 3 months. Yikes!</li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I would have kept the unit if it didn't get busted. But it was also blessing in disguise because it gave me a reason to buy the new iPod 5th Gen!<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilnN96YWAc-bpDcdSmPED6JDRaewiugmeBumXEU3aGt-dvPwrDSUxzE0G62vnUQTPo9LsSpBuHTXSZ4HNeWsC0H1bR6xyJX-nJw5U_pJ-Chq2VHVgENja6wdGxdwiKJDH_DrToWrJMJER5/s1600-h/20461_1253274793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilnN96YWAc-bpDcdSmPED6JDRaewiugmeBumXEU3aGt-dvPwrDSUxzE0G62vnUQTPo9LsSpBuHTXSZ4HNeWsC0H1bR6xyJX-nJw5U_pJ-Chq2VHVgENja6wdGxdwiKJDH_DrToWrJMJER5/s320/20461_1253274793.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Finally, Apple has come out with everything that I've been looking for in an mp4 player! It even has a pedometer and video recorder to boot! Now I ain't got a reason not to buy that, eh?<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My iPod has been with me for less than a month and until now, I still find it such a hassle to sync my music files through iTunes. Really a bummer since I've been used to Creative's plug and play. But aside from that, my MAJOR gripe is the loudspeaker! Ugh, it really pains my ears that I wanted to throw the thing away! I don't know why it has such bad loudspeaker since the sound quality is good whenever it's attached to earphones or a portable speaker. My PDA or even cellphone speaker sounds better than this! Yikes!<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">But I super love the Nike+iPod kit. Keeps me motivated to run more! Yey!<br />
</div>miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-29535981783436462222009-12-19T22:23:00.000-08:002009-12-25T23:26:07.647-08:00food find: wicked treats from wicked kitchen<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Christmas is in the air once again! Of course, the block can't miss having a Christmas party. Initially, my blockmates were considering Banapple in Il Terrazzo, however, when I called them up, I was informed that they don't offer reservations. So as I was chatting with my friend Karen via Facebook to finalize the plans, I was also searching for other restaurants in Timog or Tomas Morato area since Karen's place is along Mother Ignacia.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Thanks to Google, I chanced upon this restaurant called "Wicked Kitchen" and their spunky name has definitely called my attention. I did further research and my curiosity for the place grew even further as I read lots of positive reviews. Since none from the block offered other suggestions, I asked my two colleagues if they already agree with Wicked Kitchen, fortunately, they conceded so we updated everyone about the change in our dinner venue.<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The place was kinda small but good thing all 14 of us fit comfortably in the dining area. Good thing we also made a reservation since the place might already be too crowded if we just walked in.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZTJSTMLFScTwGN1d_dYzyleCbzIqJWhA691k6QkIDkyZiG-v-mtnN33I_PMlUC93ECxYO0giyJ5MEclaX0_yn8FYAZ_efr0Pohe4GUO-bdJNwrORUbycy99yqU2xOIC57ENSbjq3a8in/s1600-h/16155_256931091040_665491040_4788766_689980_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZTJSTMLFScTwGN1d_dYzyleCbzIqJWhA691k6QkIDkyZiG-v-mtnN33I_PMlUC93ECxYO0giyJ5MEclaX0_yn8FYAZ_efr0Pohe4GUO-bdJNwrORUbycy99yqU2xOIC57ENSbjq3a8in/s320/16155_256931091040_665491040_4788766_689980_n.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i>Pa-cute with the menu</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;">Bloggers have been raving about their best-sellers: Fish and Chips, Ex's Lasagna, Firestarters and the famous Beef and Beer Pie. Since I wanted to try out something different, I opted for Mushroom Chicken Pie. Besides, chicken was also a healthier option and I also like to have a puffed pastry to replace rice. Some of my friends who were also not familiar with the place asked for my recommendations and I gave the above-mentioned dishes based on my limited knowledge. Others ordered Beef Salpicao, Sisig Rice, and Chicken Teriyaki, and I was glad that they loved their meals! Wee!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjZxs7JUEhbkJJ-kNHBLtyt_JvM-ntl3EvoB4EfaEXQHVej7_KS6oC1McmXO_hE0vRsOgqjH1FbaoxFXz9t6V3Fl1SMsRicKC9DGt69vJ11MuL_mOrLSXnfnG8U-bfw8rm7nSYQOXIZ6B/s1600-h/Image176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjZxs7JUEhbkJJ-kNHBLtyt_JvM-ntl3EvoB4EfaEXQHVej7_KS6oC1McmXO_hE0vRsOgqjH1FbaoxFXz9t6V3Fl1SMsRicKC9DGt69vJ11MuL_mOrLSXnfnG8U-bfw8rm7nSYQOXIZ6B/s320/Image176.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i>Mushroom Chicken Pie (P172)</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;">I must say that this dish is really comforting. This reminds me of Chicken a la King because of the carrots and rich white cheesy sauce. It was also served really hot so I believe this is perfect for the rainy days. Although I just thought that the fries that came along with it was not enough, probably they could add more. :)<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKyBs7VX1nsXmA7VnJQo5AU0Npa2EOlomW39qUtQGPZy65hPPbo6MyJB2g7aB0RbwPtacGfE-wja00bu4ucNQrVjCwqPxMJsVmiKslONDAY4-cos_UerkWmTXWr0DRF1Yx4svmnCFAEcG/s1600-h/16155_256931161040_665491040_4788775_5654493_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKyBs7VX1nsXmA7VnJQo5AU0Npa2EOlomW39qUtQGPZy65hPPbo6MyJB2g7aB0RbwPtacGfE-wja00bu4ucNQrVjCwqPxMJsVmiKslONDAY4-cos_UerkWmTXWr0DRF1Yx4svmnCFAEcG/s320/16155_256931161040_665491040_4788775_5654493_n.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i> Gluttony (P135)</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;">Of course, I wouldn't leave Wicked Kitchen without trying out their famous Gluttony dessert! We just ordered the single serving since my colleagues are not fond of sweets. We had to wait for around 20 minutes though since they still had to bake it. But when it came, wow, it was huge! Definitely, not just for one person! Good thing I shared it with another friend.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;">When I took the first bite, the best word to describe it is heavenly! The cookie was crusty on the outside but inside was really chewy and the chocolatey goodness just seeps out as you chew on it. Mmmm... The whipped cream and mantecado ice cream complemented the chocolate cookie very well since they toned down the richness of the chocolate and the contrasting temperature (hot from the cookie and cold from the ice cream) was really soothing to the palate.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;">The GOOD:<br />
</div><ul style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><li>Really delicious food! I was glad that my friends were satisfied too.</li>
<li>Drinks are not that expensive!</li>
<li>Nice ambiance. I love color black and red plus the soft yellow lighting. <br />
</li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The BAD:<br />
</div><ul style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><li> A little expensive. Definitely not for students' budget. </li>
<li>There's still a 5% service charge.<br />
</li>
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</div>miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-72582967395993580452009-12-01T21:37:00.000-08:002009-12-25T20:51:37.188-08:00shopping find: giordano brights for world vision<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;">After visiting the dentist to finish the procedure on my tooth, I decided to go with my sister who was supposed to buy me a vitamin C serum for my recently lasered facial skin. When we got to the mall, we immediately headed to Healthy Options for <a href="http://www.avalonorganics.com/?id=86&pid=380">Avalon C Vitality serum</a>. Since I've also read from Girltalk that Zinc helps in healing the skin and preventing breakouts, I also bought a bottle of Zinc Picolinate.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;">As we were heading to a resto for our merienda, I saw this poster displayed in a Watch Republic store:<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnSUsYIJ7YR_5EskZZ_05WyXRs_3s06rabIPFVBifkKihxQHOLokHfFCHtPi-S0-Xi6BTNVBrkaWbNoikg2oTREhjt_mgVJemKEvaJQz0TPjdiaNEd_cZ5naRgMcDqa9ixA9OYTWFUKtyZ/s1600/gbrights+promo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnSUsYIJ7YR_5EskZZ_05WyXRs_3s06rabIPFVBifkKihxQHOLokHfFCHtPi-S0-Xi6BTNVBrkaWbNoikg2oTREhjt_mgVJemKEvaJQz0TPjdiaNEd_cZ5naRgMcDqa9ixA9OYTWFUKtyZ/s640/gbrights+promo.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The cute watch design plus the affordable price caught my eye so I asked my sister if she was also interested to get one. Since I could sense that she also liked it but was only hesitant since she didn't have the budget for it, I offered to pay for it first through my credit card. We went inside the store to ask if these babies were still available but unfortunately, we were told that it was already sold out. Since I knew that Watch Republic also holds a concession inside the department store, I decided to try our luck if these were available there.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Fortunately, there were still 4 designs available at the department store! Wee! Actually, while we were on our way there, my sister and I have already been discussing which ones we're getting. I told her I wanted to get red since it's my favorite color but she asked if she could get it instead since her school uniform is already blue and she wanted the color of her watch to be different. Being the selfless sister (ahem!), I conceded and opted to have the blue one instead. Since we have already decided which ones to get, it was already easy for us to choose the watches we wanted to try on.<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I was pleased with how the blue watch looked on my wrist so I didn't have any hard feelings toward my sister for not getting the red one which I originally wanted. My sister too was very happy with her new watch since it looked different and attention-grabbing. [While we were strolling inside the mall, wearing our watches, she told me that she could see some people staring at her watch. :)]<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6AcLV1bmmiaqeI5ak3rI7HU0xZ8ocDTvo38uvISStGUcZSxu9R-yAK-vnfD-IXgTBZa2JYSvoYAkxIdCf1nvfpxeX26WXlBEFuqrtChW1kRb17AG399h3LqHm34ha8UKiWHjsAA_qr6qf/s1600/IMG_4976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6AcLV1bmmiaqeI5ak3rI7HU0xZ8ocDTvo38uvISStGUcZSxu9R-yAK-vnfD-IXgTBZa2JYSvoYAkxIdCf1nvfpxeX26WXlBEFuqrtChW1kRb17AG399h3LqHm34ha8UKiWHjsAA_qr6qf/s320/IMG_4976.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;">When we got home, I told my sister to check the Toywatch website to check how the design was very similar to the former. I've been telling her that I've been longing to have a Toywatch since I first saw it in Oprah [since it was one of her favorite things] but it was too expensive for my budget so it just remained a longing ever since. Good thing, we have found this cheaper alternative from a reputable brand, Giordano. Yey!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;">Check the design of this original Toywatch:<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtjDdhKD-qfM-Y2xHeIxL073gAwrOXMEG2pgSJ8p9wGwh-xkHQ8vWtuEoH4CcfO9ilBgiBNpBea9NZA-kxiCqJPLdCuED2b2WukDQTY_WnCbWwqcF0MPb6UKKVZSyUNQ6mF8lVeLa62Ng/s1600/41O7g5-AqpL._SL375_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtjDdhKD-qfM-Y2xHeIxL073gAwrOXMEG2pgSJ8p9wGwh-xkHQ8vWtuEoH4CcfO9ilBgiBNpBea9NZA-kxiCqJPLdCuED2b2WukDQTY_WnCbWwqcF0MPb6UKKVZSyUNQ6mF8lVeLa62Ng/s320/41O7g5-AqpL._SL375_.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;">Very similar, eh? Thank you for coming out with a Toywatch dupe! :)<br />
</div>miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258037795783766886.post-33396424287241344092009-11-30T19:09:00.001-08:002009-11-30T19:18:46.864-08:00Win Laser Hair Removal and TCA Peel Treatments!<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Great news!<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My fellow girltalker, <a href="http://herroyalbleakness.blogspot.com/">herroyalbleakness</a> is currently having a contest! I'm really hoping to be one of the lucky winners of the Laser Hair Removal treatment so I can finally raise my arms high confidently!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqY4ooUxBaahel-etjZU1IvedUSTI2I_2sv0FTXp4ogQixgjcma-q9e3WHiTiio-6k4OyS3ABwfl_eAq36f76q2_zQ_yeS-dIPthHbLwVAxOiLpmfX7CJbyVAj73HWvKL5bAGC8eLnoYAw/s1600/contestbanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqY4ooUxBaahel-etjZU1IvedUSTI2I_2sv0FTXp4ogQixgjcma-q9e3WHiTiio-6k4OyS3ABwfl_eAq36f76q2_zQ_yeS-dIPthHbLwVAxOiLpmfX7CJbyVAj73HWvKL5bAGC8eLnoYAw/s400/contestbanner.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Just click this link to join this contest: <a href="http://herroyalbleakness.blogspot.com/2009/11/win-laser-hair-removal-and-tca-peel.html?showComment=1259510103514">The Beauty Bin contest</a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Good luck to all of us! <br />
</div>miss independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696351766643877828noreply@blogger.com1