Thankful Thursday 3

Thankful Thurday: What CHRIXEAN is thankful for this week 1. I am thankful to my Lord God, for blessing Allan, Nicky and I with the good news that we will be having a new addition to our family :-D 2. I am thankful for EVERYONE (and you know who you are!) who sent me their well-wishes (and still are!) upon reading my announcement --> post and comments may be viewed here. 3. I am thankful for all the new projects that has come into My Left Hand -- i can be assured of busy days ahead to keep me occupied for the next nine months! 4. I am thankful for the fact that I have still not experienced "morning sickness" or any form of nausea. Apart from mild stomach cramps and hunger pangs in weird hours of the day, I think I am still blessed in so many ways :-) 5. I am thankful for the love and pampering I have been receiving from my loving hubby. In my weepy, whiny and "hormonal" moments, he is ready and willing to do anything just to make me smile. 6. I am thankful for airconditioning! Pregnant women, you know what I mean! Links to other Thankful Thursdays (If you participate, leave your link in the comments and I'll post it below; or, you can post in the comments) Uzi's Musings Momma's Life True Blue Semi-Crunchy Mama LadyBug Crossing Yellow Rose's Garden

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While there's life, there's a meme... and this is Bozette's second time to tag me! I am not one to say no to a tag, so here are my "interesting" THREE's:


3 Names You Answer To
1. Peach
2. Mommy
3. Hon

3 Parts of Your Heritage
1. British
2. Japanese
3. Filipino

3 Things That Scare You
1. Spiders
2. Failure
3. Leaving this world unprepared

3 Everyday Essentials
1. Hugs, kisses and I Love You's from hubby and Nicky
2. Text on my cellphone
3. Use the internet

3 Things You’re Wearing
1. Blue shorts
2. Tank top
3. Brown Havaianas flipflops

3 Favorite Songs (I am choosing my favorite listens today-- for people who have been following my blog, you know why the top two are my choices now that I'm preggy :-D)
1. Just Feel Better - Santana featuring Steven Tyler
2. Pretty Vegas - INXS
3. When I'm Good and Ready - Sybil

3 Things About the Opposite Sex that Appeals to You
1. Wit
2. Humor
3. Thoughtfulness

3 Things You Want in a Relationship
1. Patience
2. Friendship
3. Honesty

3 Favorite Hobbies
1. Design
2. Read
3. Shop

3 Things to Do Before You Die
1. Tour the world
2. Bring all the people I love to know the Lord more intimately
3. Make sure Nicky (and baby) have a great future ahead

3 Ways You’re Stereotypically Female
1. I wear a bra
2. I whine and vent a lot
3. I get pregnant!

2 Truths & 1 Lie (in no particular order -- I think I'd like you to guess which is the lie in the list! If you know the answer, leave a comment!)
1. I adored Leif Garrett when I was 4 years old
2. I was kidnapped when I was 9 years old
3. I love papayas and mangos

I'm really supposed to be tagging 3 people again, but I'm not in the mood to do that now (must be the hormones!). So if you feel like tagging yourself, then you're it! :-)

Wishing For A Warm Welcome

Oh my, y' all! Thank you, thank you and thank you for the absolutely overwhelming outpouring of well-wishes! I never imagined this much great responses to my announcement. It feels so good to know that as early as now my baby is welcomed so warmly by so many people!

I only wish Nicky would feel the same way...

Right now, we still haven't broken the news to Nicky, who will be turning 7 in March. We slowly tried to create "make-believe" scenarios for him to digest the mere possibility of a sibling. Sadly, even in a hypothetical setting, Nicky became very upset. Maybe the age gap was too big, or maybe we gave him so much attention for so long that the idea of a "threat to the throne" is just too much for him to handle, or maybe he doesn't understand the whole sibling idea just yet.

The conversation with him went us such:

Me (sitting on the orange beanbag in his room): Hey, Nicky, i need to ask you something.

Nicky (sits on my lap): Yes, mommy?

Me: Wouldn't it be a great idea if we asked Papa God to send you a baby brother or sister to play with this year?

Nicky (looks at me with total shock): Uh... no!

Me (just as shocked): Why not? Don't you want a playmate? It will be so much fun for you! (notice i'm stressing on the baby as being for HIS benefit)

Nicky (looks away): Nope. I'm fine. I don't need a playmate. I have my classmates and friends in school. I have playmates in Ligaya (our community group).

Me: Yes, i know you do. But you play with their brothers and sisters too! Remember Rafa and Luigi? They're both brothers and you love playing with them. They have lots of fun together, right? Just like Martin and Miguel?

Nicky: Nope. I'm ok being alone.

Me: But why wouldn't you want to have a brother and sister at all?

Nicky: Because, mommy, if there's a new baby, nobody would love me anymore!

By this time, my heart broke. I, myself, am an only child, and the idea of having a sibling is something I could never quite fathom. I looked back at when i was a child and wondered if I would have felt and thought the same thing had my parents given me brothers or sisters. Of course, after Nicky said this, I went on to explain to him that that would never happen. That the love we had for him would remain intact, and would grow even more through the passing of time. That the coming of a new baby didn't mean that the love we have for him will not be SHARED but will be given to each one of them separately and WHOLLY.

But how do you explain these things to a 6 year old, who from the moment he was born was built to be the sweet, sensitive and emotional boy that he is. His lips quivered and his eyes grew teary as he slowly absorbed the fact that our "hypothetical" baby may just become a reality.

So right now, every chance we have, we try to show him siblings laughing and playing at a mall or in a church yard. Or we tell him that "if" papa God decides to give him a sibling, that he will teach the baby all these neat stuff about dinosaurs, and trains, and tractors. Anything, just to get him to warm up to the idea. At least for now.

What about you moms out there who have more than one child -- what can you suggest to me as the best way to break the news to Nicky in the most gentlest way possible? What did you do in the past? I'm open to any help you're willing to send my away :-)

A FAST-BREAKING NEWS STORY!

I'd like to share this latest development with all my blogging buddies in blogosphere...

I'M PREGNANT!

5 weeks, to be exact. Due date is October 2, 2006.

Ok, now back to our regular program...

BLIND CONTOUR FRIDAY 26 and IN MY STABLES: LIFE MY WAY PART II

(To all those who are visiting the first time and are not familiar with Blind Contour Friday -- it is a series of fun drawing activities participated in by several illustrators, which will require members to post blind contour illustrations on a weekly basis. The last time I did something similar to this was back in college when my Compos1 (Art Composition) professor would make us draw subjects placed in front of us while our hands and sketchpad were hidden under a giant "bib" (read: Manila paper with our heads poked through).

After swearing I'd commit to my BCF weekly posting, I missed last Friday's post! Great. I prepared my drawing a few days before. Then Friday came and passed, and I totally forgot about it! Smart...

Well, here's this week's BCD contribution for me -- it's a lovely statuette of Archangel St. Jhudiel. My family is Catholic and it's no surprise to have sprinklings of statues of angels and saints here and there around the house. This particular guardian angel is said to be the "bearer of God's Merciful Love" and is the Archangel of all those born on a Friday. Perfect for a BC Friday drawing, don't you think?

It started out REALLY bad, with the eyes, nose and mouth falling off the angel's chin. And the arms were huge! But with the addition of color, i think it came out, well somewhat, decent still... Lord have mercy on me and my drawing!

To check out the drawings of other Blind Contour Friday participants, please visit Inkfinger and look up the list on their BCF26 sidebar! They've got really neat stuff. Promise!

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Folks, I know I've featured Bozette here before. But there isn't any rule against welcoming back old tenants, right? :-) I'm so sorry for all those who tried to bid for the space. It really is difficult to make these decisions on a weekly basis. But the great thing is that we always get a chance to try again next week!

Bozette has been a really cool blogbuddy and I love her posts and her stories about her themed weekly Ladies' Night Outs (this woman sure knows how to enjoy her life!). And of course, I can never get enough of her beautifully-crafted handmade pens, which she says she will soon be selling on Ebay. So watch out for those, and make sure you get yourselves a whole bunch of them! So without further adieu, let me welcome back, dear Bozette and her blogsite LIFE MY WAY! APPLAUSE! APPLAUSE!

Now, you know what to do. Trot over to my stables (over there at my right sidebar) and tell her that Chrixean is whispering her name to you...

Thankful Thursday 2 and Blog Olympics Fever!

Thankful Thurday: What CHRIXEAN is thankful for this week 1. I am thankful for my bloglord and my favorite blogpal Karen Rani for allowing me to rent her space for this week. I absolutely enjoy reading her posts and seeing her wonderful web graphics (she's a designer too, folks, so if you want a blog make-over, look no further! Her designs are top-notch!). As a thank you to her, please visit her blog at TROLL BABY 2. I am thankful for my client UPHS for giving our company a really great print advertorial project which my friend Jennie and I are working on for their 30th year anniversary. I'm quite excited about this because the ad will be coming out in two of our major dailies here in Manila on February 5 and 6! 3. I am thankful for good memories that my primary and secondary school life brought me. I brought my son Nicky over to take an entrance exam at my alma mater's, and in the process got to meet up with my old preparatory and highschool teachers. They were ao happy to see me after decades, and it just felt so good to have received such a warm welcome in the school where you spent 16 years of your life at. As I sat in the school cafeteria waiting for Nicky to finish his exams, I stared at all the kids in uniforms that walked pass me and reminisced on the days when I was their age. Very nice memories. 4. I am thankful for all my friends who came over last Monday to pray over a good family friend, Lucy, who is with cancer and is scheduled for surgery tomorrow. Their presence, their sharings and their prayers allowed Lucy to draw the strength and confidence that she needed to face the challenges that beset her. 5. I am thankful for the fun and refreshing retreat Allan and I attended. The theme was focused on how to strengthen your marriage. The various talks and activities which touched on marital communication problems (which I think is the major source of conflict for a lot of couples) were very helpful to all of us who, due to the busyness of everyday life, tend to forget how to speak to their spouses. It was really cool because at the end of the retreat, a priest was present to give each of us an opportunity to renew our wedding vows! Sweet :-) Links to other Thankful Thursdays (If you participate, leave your link in the comments and I'll post it below; or, you can post in the comments)

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Logo courtesy of Cze-Johnson Fever

The Blog Olympics is so on! Thanks to Barbara of Trying To Catch Up for giving all of us bloggers a chance to prove our blogging worth and reap the rewards of our blogging efforts for the past years! I, for one, am thankful to even just make it to the game rounds! (due to differences in time, I always end up posting right after Barbara has closed the day's game! tsk..tsk...). But now that I have my clock synchronized on my sidebar, I'm pretty sure I'd make the succeeding rounds. I made silver on my first attempt (whoopee!!), and I'm looking forward to what today's round has in store!

Congratulations to Running2ks and PureMood for making Gold for the last round, and to Friday's Child and CrazyMomcat who also made silver!

Time to warm up and stretch for Round 4. Fight! :-D

27 Things (Or Why It Is Better To Answer A Tag Than To Do Actual Work)

And the tagging continues ... this time by Petite Queen.

I'm actually not bored -- in fact, I am buried (6 feet deep) in work -- but blogging (like shopping and eating) is my escape from stress. So I will gladly oblige to the tag game (which just asks a bunch of questions -- 27 to be exact -- about you in general) and post my answers below:

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what did you think?
You've got to be kidding...
2. How much cash do you have on you?
Right now? Not much. I'd say about $4. Hehe.
3. What's a word that rhymes with "TEST"?
*@#%! Pest!
4. Favorite planet?
Definitely Venus.
5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?
My client who thought I was late for the meeting.
6. What is your favorite ring on your phone?
My true tone "Pick Up The Phone"
7. What shirt are you wearing?
Of course, my very own Bubblewrap shirt
8. Do you "label" yourself?
Er, sure ... you mean like, "gorgeous", "sexy" and "hot momma?"
9. Name the brand of shoes you're currently wearing now:
Unisa
10. Bright or Dark Room?:
Definitely bright. I need to see my work!
11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you?
Not sure... but i'm hoping she's nice.
12. What were you doing at midnight last night?
Praying
13. What did your last text message you received on your cell say?
"ok". It was from my mom.
14. Where is your nearest 7-11?
Corner of our village
15. What's a saying(s) that you say a lot?
"Can I share?"
16.Who told you they loved you last?
My son
17. Last furry thing you touched?
The stuffed puppy in my son's room
18. How many days of school did you miss this week
Pass... no longer in school
19. How many rolls of film do you need to get developed?:
Goodness, who still has rolls of film to be developed?
20. Favorite age you have been so far?:
24 years old
21. Your worst enemy?
Worry
22. What is your current desktop picture:
Picture of my family
23. What was the last thing you said to someone?:
Happy birthday! (It's my mother-in-law's birthday)
24. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly, which would you choose?:
Why on earth would anyone choose flying over a million dollars? I mean really?
25. Do you like someone?
If I didn't, I don't deserve to live.
26. The last song you listened to?
INXS' Pretty Vegas
27. Carmen Electra or Pam Anderson?:
Carmen Electra because I think Dave Navarro's hot!

Do I want to spare anyone from the agony of being tagged? Definitely not! Hehe.

So I'm tagging:
1. The White Rabbit
2. Bozette
3. PureMood
4. Karen Rani
5. Running2K

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Just need to greet my friend, Ribbiticus a HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Please trot on over to her site -- POND PERSPECTIVE -- and greet her a "hoppy" birthday! :D

In My Stables: HAUNTED HOUSE DRESSING

I am so sorry for this late announcement. My weekdays have been really crazy! But it's never too late to give a warm welcome to my newest stable tenant, Jeremy Shipp! APPLAUSE! APPLAUSE!

Jeremy Shipp's blog is called Haunted House Dressing, and I must say I was quite surprised and amused by the variety of interesting content found on this guy's site. And I mean this in a good way, most definitely. Jeremy is a writer, and here is how he describes his site:

"This is a place where toasters run free and hippos climb trees. Read what you want. Ignore what you don't. Laugh, cry, and tickle some nuns while you're at it. They won't mind. Throw a stinky old sock in the stinky old well, and all your dreams might come true (depending upon the humidity level). Beware of the garden gnomes lurking in (almost) every shadow. They're waiting for their chance to climb on your head and do a jig. All in all, it behooves you to have some weird fun, and think some weird thoughts. If you don't, the ground will open and an army of polka dot penguins will spew forth and eat up all the fish. And then they'll die of mercury poisoning, and then you'll feel guilty. Oh so guilty."

I love a lot of things about this site, particularly his Recycled Photo Comic Series which you definitely have to see! Very unique and very, very funny. Poems? Art features? Thoughts spoken out loud? You can find them all here! So go over to his site thumbnail (found on my riight sidebar), give it a click please, and tell him that Chrixean whispered his name to you.... :-)

Thankful Thursday 1

This is my first time to participate in the Thankful Thursday weekly post, and below is a list of things I am thankful for this week :-)

Thankful Thurday: What CHRIXEAN is thankful for this week 1. I am thankful for my bloglord, Martijn Vreudge, for allowing me to rent space on his blog. Because he is a fellow graphic designer I gave it no further thought to bid for his space, and luckily he chose me over the other renters! Please do visit his site and check out his amazing photographs and designs: http://martijnvreugde.blogspot.com/ 2. I am thankful for my husband Allan, for being so patient in tutoring Nicky for this week's quarter examinations (especially with Math and Science)! I was not gifted with patience in teaching anybody anything, so if Allan weren't around to do this, Nicky would probably be seeking a shrink for emotional counselling by now. 3. I am thankful for Nicky and his drive to want to excel in school. I can see just how determined he is to make good in his grades (I know this will not last long especially as he gets older, so I'll be thankful all i want now...). 4. I am thankful for the work that has been POURING into my advertising company, My Left Hand. Just when I thought that January would be a slow start for the team, clients have been calling every single day to have their design and advertising work handled by us! Thank you, Lord! 5. I am thankful for valuable life lessons I've learned this week with regards to handling financial matters and on being a better steward of the blessing bestowed upon us. I continue to learn more about this very delicate subject mater on a daily basis, and it has helped me see financial blessings from a different perspective. 6. I am thankful for friends who are visible in my life on a weekly basis. Their presence strengthens me throughout a gruelling and stressful week, and reminds me that I am not alone and that i could call on them at anytime to just be there. 7. I am thankful for my upcoming spiritual retreat (this Saturday and Sunday). It is providing me with the spiritual nourishment and strength I will need to equip me for the stress and fatigue of coming weeks (I have SEVEN deadlines coming up, and I am in denial of this fact right now...). 8. I am thankful for old clients -- PHILIPS, Sam's Pizza, Calayan Surgicenter, F&L Asia and University of Perpetual Help -- who have stayed loyal to our company and who continues to trust our services and the quality of our work. 9. I am thankful for new clients -- Diego Cera Organbuilders, Ferrotech, Hua Yang -- who have entrusted their requirements to us out of trust and the value they see in the work we do. 10. I am thankful for my Christian community, Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon, for keeping me in touch with life as it should be and not how i perceive it to be through guidance, prayer and friendship. 11. I am thankful for my COMPUTER and the INTERNET, and most especially to the BLOGSPHERE in which I am a part of. It keeps me sane when the work becomes too overwhelming to deal with. Thank you people of the blogging world! Mwah! Mwah! Links to other Thankful Thursdays (If you participate, leave your link in the comments and I'll post it below; or, you can post in the comments)

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Mondays...and Mondays Always Get Me Down

The silicon chip inside her head
Gets switched to overload.
And nobody's gonna go to school today,
She's going to make them stay at home.
And daddy doesn't understand it,
He always said she was as good as gold.
And he can see no reason
'Cause there are no reasons
What reason do you need to be shown?

Tell me why?
I don't like Mondays.
Tell me why?
I don't like Mondays.
Tell me why?
I don't like Mondays.
I want to shoot
The whole day down.
-Excerpt to Boomtown Rats' "I Don't Like Mondays"
from the album "Fine Art of Surfacing" (1979)

It's a Monday. Again.

It is my least favorite M word. As far back as gradeschool years, Monday has been a cause of much stress and anxiety. Obviously much of the reason is psychological. But much of my unhappiness in a week is really caused by the dread of what to and what not to expect on a Monday morning. As a kid, I remember staring at the late afternoon Sunday sky, watching the colors turn from a bright blue to a reddish orange, then to a deep purple. As the colors changed my heart sank deeper and deeper by the realization that the day was drawing to a close and within the next hours it would once again be a Monday. So I'd fight it as much as I could by trying to stay awake most of the night, trying to lengthen the Sunday hours. Of course, this made no sense because when I did manage to fall asleep, I'd wake up feeling more tired and worse than ever on a Monday morning.

Been contemplating on why I feel this way about Mondays and so far here's what I came up with:
1. I didn't have enough of Saturday or Sunday. Most likely I was bugged by a client over the weekend to do some last minute work and I am in denial that Monday is just around the bend.
2. I had too much of Saturday and Sunday and I want more of it.
3. The fear of the unknown.
4. It reminds me that I have 4 more days to endure to get to Saturday.
5. If not carefully spent well, a Monday may make or break my week.
6. Simply put, Mondays = Work = Stress = Pissed = Unhappy.

I know a lot of people who feel the exact same way, so I know I'm nobody special. Garfield alone has grumbled "I Hate Mondays!" once to many times in his comic strips. And the ever sweetie Ziggy has grace in several Hallmarks cards with a cloudy balloon over his head reading "I Hate Mondays" on it. Made me wonder what made Monday-bashing an international issue. Surprisingly I came across a few articles that talked about why people all over the world dislike Mondays:

FROM FREE PUBLIC.COM


I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS (It's Official: Monday Mornings Can Kill You)
Monday January 31, 2005
Posted on 02/07/2005 6:32:48 AM PST by presidio9

It's not just your imagination - Monday mornings can really kill you!

Scientists have discovered that people's blood pressure is higher on the first day of the week than on any other day.

New research may explain why the number of people suffering heart attacks and strokes rises on a Monday.

Hypertension - or high blood pressure - puts strain on the heart so leads to life-threatening illnesses in some patients.

Researchers in Japan measured the blood pressure of 175 volunteers throughout a week and the results suggest that after a relatively relaxing weekend people's blood pressure shoots up on a Monday morning.

Dr Shuogo Murakami, who led the research, said: "Most people are free of the mental and physical burdens of work on a Sunday and eperience a more stressful change from weekend leisure activities to work activities on a Monday.

"There was a distinct peak on Mondays in the study."

People with hypertension are usually treated with medication but can also be helped by changing diet and exercise.

Yet heart disease remains the UK's biggest cause of death - 270,000 people suffer a heart attack each year.

When blood pressure rises the lining of the coronary arteries are likely to be put under stress and this may lead to clogging with fatty deposits causing a narrowing in places.

FROM THE AGE.COM.AU

WHY WE REALLY DON'T LIKE MONDAYS
June 27, 2005

Monday is the day people are most likely to be injured at work, a report shows.

CGU Insurance has found workplace injuries are 20 per cent more common on Mondays than on Fridays.

The research showed that after Monday, the risk of being injured decreased and Friday was the safest working day.

The study revealed:

· The rate of workplace injuries dropped steadily throughout the working week.

· Sprains and strains were the most common workplace injuries.

· The lower back was the most common body part to be injured.

· Workplace injuries are 20 per cent more common on Mondays than on Fridays.

A safety spokeswoman for CGU in Melbourne, Kristine Haseldine, said Monday was often regarded as the least favourite day, possibly because it was the day when most accidents happened.

"This research suggests that many people find it difficult to make the transition from the relaxation and enjoyment of their weekends to starting the working week," she said.

"Lack of sleep over the weekend and the effects of alcohol and other drugs may be contributing factors to the increased incidence of workplace accidents on Mondays."

Ms Haseldine said many people started new jobs on Mondays and might not be familiar with the work environment.

"And given that the majority of public holidays occur on a Monday, if all things were equal Monday should have fewer workplace injuries than other days of the week. Instead, the rate is 20 per cent higher," she said.

Ms Haseldine said workers should identify hazards and put risk controls in place to prevent injuries.

"Employers have a legal obligation to ensure the health and safety of their employees and they should make sure new employees are aware of hazards involved in the job," she said.

"Immediate induction for employees, especially those using machinery, tools or involved in physical activity, is crucial to workplace safety."

- AAP

After reading these I realized that there has to be a break between a Sunday and a Monday! The abrupt change from a day being extremely relaxed and happy to being stressed and tired can be dangerous to one's emotional and physical health. There has to be a transition from happy to bored and restless to wanting to go back to work! It should be seamless, gradual and subtle. If this were thought of carefully by people who decided that Sunday is a rest / leisure day and Monday is work day, then there would be fewer unhappy working people in the world!

JUST THINK ABOUT IT! Then Mondays wouldn't be that bad after all.

Ok, it's lunchtime. Time to give this crazy lady a break.

Blind Is Back! BLIND CONTOUR FRIDAY 24

Man, oh man! What's been going on? I've totally missed out on weeks of Blind Contour Fridays! And now I've been taken off the list because they probably thought I'm no longer interested. *Sigh*. But anyway, hopefully I'll be back on it soon. I should have added to my 2006 Wishlist --> make BCF a deadly habit!

Anyway, no point in crying over spilt milk... I am now making my first BCF post for the year. My mom's swinging clown! It's a small doll that hangs on the wall right beside the computer. It was an interesting decor that I won 2 Christmases ago in an exchange gift game. It was this, or a lavender plastic desk clock. I fought for this cutie instead. It is one of the few clown decors I've seen that doesn't freak me out. Looking at my Blind Contour version of it is :-P

To see more Blind Contour drawings, visit Inkfinger now! Now!

It's National De-Lurking Week!

Yup, it is!

The idea is that whenever you see a site that has the National De-Lurking Week button up, you will HAVE TO leave a comment. It encourages all lurkers of blogsites to stop lurking and starting dropping a line to say hello! It's time to get out of the closet and speak up! Why? It's the rule, and we hate breaking the rules, don't we? :-P

So stop by, read, then say hello! :-)

In My Stables: A MAMA'S RANT

Hey guys! It's that time of the week again when I say goodbye to my previous renter and welcome a new tenant into my stables. Well, I am proud to present to you all my new tenant, Anne-Marie of A Mama's Rant! APPLAUSE! APPLAUSE!

You definitely cannot go wrong with visiting a site like Anne-Marie's. It's absolutely FULL of all things fun and interesting -- stories of mommyhood, opinions on politics and how they affect mommyhood, book reviews, articles she's written and published, and even exciting contents for you to join (and actually win great prizes!). And this lady doesn't just write for pleasure, she is in fact a professional! Here's a glimpse of what Anne-Marie is/was involved in:

• a marketing copywriter and web content writer
• a freelance writer with writing samples at www.amnichols.com
• president of the board of directors and WebMom for the Carbon Valley Academy, a public charter school in Frederick, Colorado
• produces Tri-Town MOMS Club newsletter and manages their website
• writes the newsletter for MOTHERS (MothersOughtToHaveEqualRights.org) and is the WebMOTHER for the MOTHERS Book Bag, a book group blog
• manages two blogs -- This Mama Cooks! about food and cooking (which she won third place for at last the Best Of Blogs Awards last year!), and A Mama's Rant
• sells Usborne books, and you may read more about what she's written about them at this site: www.usbornebookmama.com.

Phew! Did I get your attention now? Well then, what are you waiting for? Go trot over to Anne-Marie's site right now, (she's at my right side bar) and tell her that Chrixean whispered her name to you! :-)

Losing It

NOTE: TO EVERYONE WHO TRIED TO VOTE, BUT COULDN'T GET THEIR VOTES IN BECAUSE MY EARLIER POLL WAS MADE OF CRAP, I'M SORRY. I'VE CHANGED THE POLL BOOTH AND IT'S WORKING FINE NOW. HOPE YOU COULD SEND YOUR VOTES IN AGAIN! :-)

Arrgh! I have to lose weight BADLY. I desperately need to shed off the holiday pounds so I could wear the clothes I excitedly bought (and received as gifts) before the celebrations began! The much coveted pairs of jeans I prayed for are finally in my possession -- and I can't wear a single one of them! It doesn't help that the super wonderful 7 For All Mankind pairs that were given to me are low-rise, slim fitting and in white and pastel shades! It's an absolute nightmare to look at (and get into!) when you've got thunder thighs and belly fat spilling out! Ugh...

But the question that has haunted every living female on this planet is now hanging over my head -- how do I lose it? Ok, fine, exercise is a given (Ugh...it's simply too tiring!). So what else is left? I need to go on a diet. Because diets DO work for me, assuming I had a cook dedicated to just making these meals for me all day. Yeah, right.

The South Beach Diet worked when I patiently followed the meal plans for Phase 1 and cooked the meals according to the book's recipes. I lost tons of belly fat! Thing is, I can't cook for myself everyday, 3 times a day! I have to work and do other stuff, too! And because I am the only one on the diet, I usually end up with a lot of excess food that eventually gets spoiled. Ordering is definitely not an option. It's just way too expensive (you're right, the price of beauty is not cheap at all...). I've heard that the Atkin's Diet has been declared detrimental to people's health (and it doesn't help that Dr. Atkin died of a heart ailment!). So what else is there? What do I need to consider in choosing a diet? I want inch loss, I want weight loss, yet I want to be sure that what I eat and don't eat will not cause permanent organ damage, too! Is there such a thing? Is there a diet where I can eat anything I want and end up looking like Paris Hilton?

I need your help guys! Answer this poll and let me know what you think is the diet that worked best for you (assuming you did go on a diet. And if you haven't, you must be God's freak of nature!).

The results are viewable below, so you could check back in from time to time to see which was voted the most effective diet.

What is the most effective diet you've tried?
	South Beach Diet
	Atkins Diet
	After 6 Diet
	Blood Type Diet
	Glycemic Index Diet
	Macrobiotics Diet
	3 Day Diet
	I don't diet
Free polls from Pollhost.com

MEME ME?

Another meme, folks! This is my first this 2006, and I was tagged by dear Bozette.

I am posting the rules / procedures verbatim:
The first player of this game starts with the topic "five weird habits of yourself," and people who get tagged need to write an entry about their five weird habits as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose the next five people to be tagged and link to their web journals (I can see the faces of the not-so-happy people I'll be tagging -- but what the heck! haha!). Don't forget to leave a comment in their blog or journal that says "You are tagged" (assuming they take comments) and tell them to read yours.

Ok, here are my answers to my five weird habits:

1) I don't eat nuts or raisins when they're mixed into ice cream or cake or cookies or whatever kind of food. I love nuts and raisins if eaten ALONE. When mixed in stuff, i have to spend gruelling minutes spitting them out.

2) Bathrooms with wet floors freak me out. Bathrooms with wet floors and that don't have toilet paper in the dispensers make me want to burn down the building.

3) I don't eat any kind of fruit other than bananas. I may decide to eat peaches and strawberries, but only if they're soaked in cream, condensed milk and chocolate syrup.

The next two things are weird things that i do when I'm pregnant:
4) I don't listen to love songs or ballad music when I'm pregnant and riding a car. I get sick. To counter the nauseated feeling, I have to play rock music. Aerosmith, Guns n' Roses and Metallica were my preferences then.

5) I don't like fluorescent lamps turned on when I'm pregnant. They make me sick too. I feel like my eyes are absorbing too much white light, thus making me nauseated as well. So I only stay in rooms that have incandescent lighting.

Ha! Now, is that weird or what? Haha! Think you can top that? Well, go do it! And when you decide to answer the tag, leave me a comment so I'll know and I could check out your list too! :-)

I'm tagging:
--> Friday's Child
--> Viamarie
--> Ribbiticus
--> Trinity13
--> JustSue

His Name Was Charlie

Today is the death anniversary of my beloved grandfather, Charles McCann.

I would like to take this time to remember such a great, wonderful and loving man who I now believe is resting in the arms of our Lord in heaven.

There are not enough words (and not enough space) for me to pay tribute to my papa Charlie. He is just the kindest, most patient and loving man I've ever met, and it would be selfish if I didn't share just a bit of who he was with all of you. So instead, i am posting links to entries that refer to my papa in hopes that it forms a picture in your mind of who he was to me and my family.

Click to read about my papa:

WHERE IT ALL BEGUN

A TRIBUTE TO A WONDERFUL DAD

MY 2006 WISHLIST

Remember I told you guys before in an earlier post that Allan and I each have our own wishlists that we put together every year? Well, I am tweaking the list a bit to accomodate not just my material wishes, but my personal resolutions as well. I don't have a target on how many I plan to put on the list, so this could end abruptly, or go on and on. I'll just let the thoughts flow freely into the keyboard....

MY 2006 WISHLIST

1. Bring in at least 5 new clients a month for My Left Hand (our advertising / graphic design company) and bag at least one major client (or turn one of our existing ones) to be the company's cash cow.
2. Formally launch Bubblewrap (our newest apparel business) by 2nd quarter of the year into a full-blown corporation with a store to sell our growing product line.
3. Move into a newer and bigger office to house both companies.
4. Be blessed with good clients. Good meaning kind, compassionate, understanding people who see value in the work that you do for them and stay loyal to the business relationship you have established with them.
5. Learn to say NO. Because I am in a service-oriented business, I have great difficulty saying no to people. And this has spilled over to how I am with other people as well. My tendency to please is driving me and my hubby crazy. I over-extend my time and my capabilities just so I don't lose out on a potential project. Even if it compromises my beliefs, my time for myself and with my family. My dream moment? To walk out of a dull, pointless meeting where the client just cares about making money and shows no interest or value in your work. As in -- just get up and walk out. Sigh.
6. Find inner peace. I probably still have a lot of excess baggage hidden somewhere in a nook inside my heart. I myself can't find it to acknowledge what exactly is hidden there. But whatever it is, it still disrupts my peace. I need to find it, acknowledge it, forgive myself or others for it. Then move on.
7. Work out. Seriously. If only I exercised as much as I shouls each day I spend eating, I would probably be a size 2 by now. But reality bites...
8. Stick to a healthy eating plan. No white rice (must say 10X), no cream-based pasta (must say 30X!! grrr...), no fat-filled desserts (must be put under hypnosis now...).
9. Read more. I used to spend 50% of my waking hours reading books -- fiction or non-fiction novels. Now i spend more time surfing the internet and browsing through design and fashion magazines.
10. Pay all my credit card bills. What more can I say?
11. Buy a new car. My trusty Lancer GLXi is still running as good as ever, but it has it's occasional chokes. It needs a break. And a new Mazda 3 can keep it company (are we still drooling over this car?).
12. Save money for a new house. I really want one. Really. I want my own kitchen, bathroom and garden to decorate. I want the Marasigan stamp to be on every little detail of the house. I want a den / library / gameroom. I want a prayer / meditation room. I want all of those. And Allan deserves that too. He needs to be the man of the house.
13. Have a new baby. A girl would be sweet :-)
14. To enroll Nicky in a good school. I can't be too specific with this because I still believe in the Lord's intervention in these things. I am aiming for De La Salle. But Lord may have other plans...
15. To have P20,000 ($380) excess money a month for pure shopping. To others this may not be a lot, to some it may sound outrageous. Whatever you think, it's my wish list. So this is what i'm putting.
16. Go to Hong Kong Disneyland with my family. I don't just wish for money for travel. I wish for the time I can spare to leave my job and just go on a vacation.
17. Visit my brother-in-law and his family in Michigan. Same as above.
18. Save a half-year's salary. Wow!
19. Give more than 10% to the LNP community and to give more to our supported orphanage, Concordia Children's Services.
20. Spend at least 15 minutes each morning in praise and worship. It helps me stay sane throughout the day. This, coupled with reading Scriptures more, and praying for other people's needs.
21. Stop worrying. About everything. And anything. Let go of control totally. Surrender the reigns of my life to the One who is in control.
22. Live more, relax more, have more fun. Having true fun seems unreal for someone like me. I always seem to be haunted by thoughts of work that i need to get done, work that I forgot to do, work that will be coming soon. I need to loosen up and just suck the life out of LIFE!
23. Buy something that I really want and not feel guilty.
24. I don't get sick. At all. Not even a cold.
25. And that Allan and Nicky don't get sick also. I've managed to remain in a healthier state compared to my hubby and son. I wish this year they'd stay stronger and more resistant to sickness.
26. Finish everything I set out to do. Like finish a painting for once!
27. Reconcile with people I had a falling out with. I don't necessarily need them to be my friends again. I just need to learn to forgive and receive forgiveness from people of the past.
28. To not care about what anybody thinks. To make other people's thoughts their own business and to not bother feeling bad if somebody sees things differently.
29. Take better care of my hair and skin. i have been neglecting my body a lot this past year. My time has been so consumed with work and worries of work that i failed to take better care of myself.
30. Have our portrait taken and turn it into a wall mural. No big reason. I just think it would be cool :-)

I probably could get to 100 with the list. But I guess this is it for now. I will put up another list when I feel the urge to continue with this. Do you have your New Year Wishlists / Resolutions up yet? If you do, send me your link so i can view them too! Would be fun to give each other a RAH! RAH! for the goals we've set out to do.

In My Stables: BEN.RUN

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

This is my first post for 2006, and I feel it fitting to start the year right by welcoming my new stable tenant, Ben! APPLAUSE! APPLAUSE!

Ben's blog is called Ben.Run. Why? Well, because that's what Ben loves to do. Run. A lot.

Ben, a resident of Wellington, New Zealand writes: "I write this blog to document my running, and also other random things from my life". And that's exactly what he has in store for you in his nook in cyberspace -- stories of his running (races he's joined, races he's warming up to join..), books he fancies, photos he's taken and other cool stuff he's taken an interest in. It's great that he has all these categories of posts indicated on each entry -- it helps the readers zoom into the topics that best interest them, and allows them to decide on which posts they want to linger at.

Why don't you guys trot over to Ben right now (he's in my right side bar) and tell him that Chrixean whispered his name to you! :-)

Heard Any Bells Ringing Lately?

My post has nothing to do with sounds you hear a day after downing a bottle of Cuervo or any other alcoholic beverage you may have readied for the New Year's Eve celebration. It is also not related to my friend Jennie's recent blogpost (I realized that her wedding post is similarly titled! Just a coincidence, folks, hehe) And no, I am not going crazy and have not been hearing voices, or whispers, or any other audibles (although these past weeks' toxicity is enough to drive anyone insane!)

It has to do with a letter, or article if you would call it, my Auntie Minerva wrote one morning this Christmas out of impulse. To give you an idea of who my Auntie is, she's an 82-year old sweet, soft spoken and joyful woman who out of pure love and generosity just loves to give to others and finds pure joy in doing so. She has 10 children, all successful in their respective fields, and now lives with her youngest daughter's family blessed with everything and anything an old lady could ever need -- family, friends, good health and material comforts. I got the chance to visit her today to drop off some long-overdue Christmas presents, and in return was blessed with an outpouring of her love and affection through endless hugs and kisses. She shared with me this write-up, and in the process she gave me a piece of her heart. I would like to now share this with all of you, in hopes that it would bless you, inspire you, touch you, or maybe just to simply bring a smile to your face. We all need to be reminded time and time and again just what the spirit of the season is all about.

THE BELLS IN HEAVEN ARE RINGING

Do you have bells ringing for you in heaven? If you are not sure, start this year by doing something nice for a poor and needy family. If you do not strive to do good this year, you may never get a chance to do so. What is the reason for our existence on this earth? Just to live? Therefore, is it ok to be selfish, uncaring and deaf to the cries of those who are needy and near you?

We should have the unconditional love of God in our hearts. God is forever helping us with no strings attached. Do we ever stop to say "thank you"? Why is it that we only remember the Lord when we need something? Yes, at times people can be so ungrateful.

There was a time when I visited a friend. I saw her lying on the floor with a baby by her side. She was so haggard. Unfortunately, I only had P100 ($2), and I had to pay for the fare downtown. So what little money I had left, I bought a small can of milk which was about P20 ($.38) and P5 ($.09) worth of sugar. I talked to somebody who owned a small store and asked a favor to boil water so I can mix the two. When the milk was ready, I picked up my friend and held her in my arms. She drank the milk as if it were her first time to be fed! I told my mother about it and she said "child, don't you know that the bells in heaven are ringing for your good deed?". I was overflowing with joy for what my mother said! I promised then to let the bells in heaven ring for me a lot of times as long as I lived on this earth.

Now, I do have children who let the bells of heaven ring most of the time, and I do hope the bells would not be destroyed. I am so proud of all of them for they have understood the true meaning of "unconditional love". I owe this good trait to my parents, and I believe I have passed on this trait to my children, as they will hopefully pass it on to their children.

So let the bells of heaven be ringing for you also forever!

- Minerva Chavez

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!

May the New Year be a year of giving, not just of material possessions, but of sharing one's self to be a blessing to others!

Warm (More Like Hot) Wishes This Holiday Season

I am pooped. I've been yawning every half a minute. December has been the most hectic month for me this year (and I don't mean involving just work). Starting a project a client recently signed on for me to do has never been this hard to begin, that I am now looking forward to New Year's eve celebrations.

But as promised, I'm posting photos of our recent holiday vacation at the beach of Cebu's Maribago Bluewaters Resort in Mactan Island. For all those out there who are neck-deep in snow, sick and tired of seeing white, wet and cold fluff, and silently wishing to see the bright, yellow sunlight hit a clear blue sea... these are for you! :-)

Nicky and I waiting to be checked in at the resort's reception / front desk. I played around with Nicky's hair and made them all stand up. Heehee.

In front of our unit...

Having breakfast with my in-laws

View from the 2nd floor of the apartelle. The pool is right outside our door.

Allan on a jetski with niece Neobi

Nicky, enjoying the sun (and for the first time ever, actually enjoying the beach!)

Father and son in front of the Seven Dolphins fountain.

Posing at the beach...with no one around to laugh at us. Hehe.
T'was a great four days :-)

In My Stables: LIFE MY WAY

Hi y'all!!! I'm back from my 4-day vacation in Cebu! Man, it was the BEST vacation I had this year -- I was more relaxed, I had more fun this time being around Allan's family (seriously...I had fun with my in-laws!.... Seriously!), and best of all, it was all expense-paid! By my in-laws! (but no connection to why I had fun with them... seriously! :D) Ate almost 5 times a day, went swimming, sun-bathing, jet-skiing, boating and island-hopping, shopping and did more eating! I'll be posting vacation pics soon (have to charge my camera first so i could upload the files), so hope you come back to check them out :-)

Anyways, my reason for logging on and blogging on Christmas Eve (Man, i'm all fired up! No Christmas holiday keeps me from checking my blog!), is to welcome my newest blog tenant -- Bozette! APPLAUSE! APPLAUSE!

Bozette's blog is called MY WAY, a personal diary which shares with her readers her day-to-day accomplishments and her interests. She's been married for 26 years and has a pretty big family. She makes all these WONDERFUL wooden crafts and pens! I was so amazed to see how creative this woman is and how lovely her products turned out. Check out samples of her Christmas wooden ornaments and wooden pens!

If you're curious to know more about her, why don't you trot over to that stable space on my right side bar, and tell her that Chrixean whispered her name to you. :-)

MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL!!!! GOD BLESS!

A Merry Messy Christmas

I am so tired. I have absolutely exhausted the number of hours in my day, and I still have so much to do! To name a few:

1) I need to submit two CDs of Final Artworks to 2 clients today. Sent one over just now thru my staff. One more to go. Halfway through that.

2) I need to wrap my Christmas gifts. Have I told any of you before just how much I LOATHE wrapping presents? I really, really do. Really. Really.

3) I need to buy presents. Realized I can't wrap anything I don't have. Am still not done with shopping! Darn it. Was selling our newly launched shirts at the Christmas bazaar over the weekend, in between attending Christmas parties here and there, that buying gifts didn't seem like a priority. Till now. Shoot...

4) I need to DELIVER the dang gifts. Realized also that these things don't just mail themselves. Darn it.

5) Pack my bags. Here's the upside to it all. We will be leaving for Cebu to spend four days at the beach. YES. The beach. All the way till Christmas eve I will make sure that I shake off every bit of stress I had put on for the past two weeks and just enjoy lying on the sand and getting burned crisp (that is, if it doesn't rain..)

So whole of today (my flight is tomorrow), I still have to do all of the above. Why the heck am i still blogging? Need to vent, that's why. So sue me!

I'm outta here!

In My Stables: JANE LOVES TARZAN

I'd like everyone to welcome my new stable tenant, Jane! APPLAUSE! APPLAUSE!

Jane's blog is called Jane Loves Tarzan, and has probably been called insane by known friends at one time or another (Who hasn't, really?), but instead says "Sanity is the playground of the unimaginative. I'm not insane; I'm bipolar." I think I'm her perfect landlady, if this is the case... Jane loves camping, cooking, reading, and enjoys listening to all types of music, except country.

Why don't you guys give Jane a visit right now (she's in my right side bar) and tell her that her name was whispered by Chrixean :-)

My Best Friend's Wedding

The day finally came… Jennie and Rein tied the knot and vowed to love and cherish each other, for all eternity.

It was a lovely, touching and meaningful celebration. Allan and I were so blessed to have been a big part in the preparation of this event, and felt overjoyed that the wedding affair turned out to be a great success. Jennie was truly a “goddess” that day, a beautiful blushing bride, indeed. It was the simplicity and elegance of all things that made this particular wedding memorable -- the thought that went into the details of the church wedding and reception, the garden layout which set the mood and ambience, the beautiful music – all tied into the calming turquoise and elegant butterfly concept that held it all together.

Here are some scenes from that enchanted evening...


Jennie's gorgeous hairdo adorned with various crystals that got people staring in awe.


Pretty maids all in a row.


The blushing bride


The wedding cast.


Allan and I in our evening threads.


Presenting Reinier and Jennifer Tatlonghari!

To the happy couple, welcome to our world! God bless your new and exciting life together :-)

We love you! Mwah!

Listening in the Loo

Overheard while in the ladies room (water closet, loo, bathroom, comfort room, powder room, or whatever room you want to call it)....


Girl approaches an old lady who is in line to pee at one of the toilet stalls.
GIRL: Hi tita!
OLD LADY: Oh hi! I remember you! You're looking great! I haven't seen you in quite awhile...
GIRL: (smiles) Thanks, tita. I've been busy lang po.
OLD LADY: (Trying to recall girl's name, she looks at her intently..) I remember you e. You're....you're... Nipple, right?

Awkward pause. All eyes turn to girl.

GIRL: (blushing) Tita, it's Dimple po.
OLD LADY: Oh.....

Remembering John Winston Ono Lennon

Watching The Wheels

People say I'm crazy doing what I'm doing,

Well they give me all kinds of warnings to save me from ruin,

When I say that I'm o.k. they look at me kind of strange,

Surely your not happy now you no longer play the game.

People say I'm lazy dreaming my life away,

Well they give me all kinds of advice designed to enlighten me,

When I tell that I'm doing fine watching shadows on the wall,

Don't you miss the big time boy you're no longer on the ball?

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round,

I really love to watch them roll,

No longer riding on the merry-go-round,

I just had to let it go...

People asking questions lost in confusion,

Well I tell them there's no problem,

Only solutions,

Well they shake their heads and they look at me as if I've lost my mind,

I tell them there's no hurry...I'm just sitting here doing time.

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round,

I really love to watch them roll,

No longer riding on the merry-go-round,

I just had to let it go...

I just had to let it go...