Where Did September Go?

The month of September seem to pass me by with a blur. So many things happened this month that I almost lost track of time. I went back to teaching English in a conversation school here and I also received some projects on transcription and translation. My blog also got approved for some paid blogging services allowing me to earn a few extra cash. My mother and brother turned a year older this month. My baby Sam turned 7 months just a few days ago and I was able to update this blog on an almost daily basis. Whew! So many things happening for me, eh?

But before I say goodbye to September, allow me to thank all of you for visiting my blog and for commenting on my posts. Special thanks go to my top 10 droppers and commenters. As a token, here's some linky love. I hope to see you all in the coming months.

Top Droppers




Top Commenters
Maiylah of Maiylah's Snippets
Zriz of Traipsey Turvey
Gunther Sunshine of Immobilien-katalog.eu
Ces of spiCes
G_mirage of Kitchenmaus
Julie of GreenBucks
Putradi of I.Do.Blog
Mousey of Say Cheese

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Don't Worry, Be Happy

How are you today? Are you worried? Are you grumpy? Are you sad? Or are you glad? If your answer is any of the first three, chances are you are among those people who worry too much. These days, there is so much going on that causes us to be concerned, even alarmed. Wherever we may be, problems and trials seem to find us.

All of us, in one way or another, face financial difficulties, and some emotional and social problems. The financial crisis in the US seem to have affected everybody from around the world. But should we embrace the gray and the glum that these circumstances bring? Definitely not!

Because really, life is not just about finances and economics. While the whole world may be talking and worrying about the US financial crisis, life is not and should not be limited there.

Life is also about being able to have enjoyment and fun. So while "they" are haggling and negotiating out there, why not grab your favorite CD or a copy of your favorite book? Or go out with your friends and catch that movie you were dying to see on the big screen? Or better yet, cook something simple or fancy for your loved ones. You never know just what will make you smile unless you do it.

So try to keep those heads cool and smile. Try to have a kool time doing the things that you enjoy. It is not that hard. You wouldn't want to have wrinkles all over your face worrying too much.

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Seven Months

Sigh! How time flies... Sam just turned seven months yesterday. And I am amazed at how much she has grown.I can tell that she is smart because she knows how to behave when she is in public. She would sit quietly in her stroller or be contented to be held when we go to church to attend mass. She also loves to pose in front of the camera. And she has just discovered that driving can be fun!

Last night, I was waiting for them to fetch me at the train station. It was cold yesterday and was drizzling slightly so I told hubby to make Sam wear her jacket. She just looked so cute in her jacket that I can't pass up the chance of taking her photograph.

I hope you will all indulge me as I post some of her photos.

Sam, sporting her favorite jacket. Blue also looks good on her.

All messy after taking her vitamins.

Wanna go for a ride with me? I can drive!

Come, let's have dinner!

Want some rice biscuits?

I am really one proud mom. I can already imagine myself being a stage mom. With a pretty, adorable little baby girl like her, who wouldn't?

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Photo Hunt: View

View from up there. Canibad Beach in the Island Garden City of Samal, Mindanao, Philippines.

This is the unspoiled Canibad beach. Hidden behind coconut trees, this secluded beach in the Island Garden City of Samal is a beauty to behold. To get there, we had to make a descent down a very small trail with slippery slopes. The walk was worth it once you behold the breathtaking view of the Davao Gulf and the vast ocean beyond. Truly, this photo did not fully capture that moment of awe and wonder but I can't help taking one. I just had to take pictures since these are the only ones I can bring back home with me. And of course, there are the good memories and the great bonding I had with my cousins before I flew here in Japan.

From afar: A view of Disney Castle in Tokyo Disneyland.Â

We went to Tokyo Disneyland about four months ago and was able to capture the grandeur of Disney Castle while on board Mark Twain's Boat. Disney Castle looked very small here... and this would give you an idea how huge Tokyo Disneyland is. One day just isn't enough to enjoy all the rides and the sights. I would love to share with you our adventures in Disneyland... but I guess that is another story.

Wanna join this meme? Click here for more details.

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Food Friday: Nilagang Spare Ribs

It is Friday once again. Today, I would like to treat you all for a Filipino dish that is so easy to prepare and so easy on the budget. No special culinary talent is needed to cook up this one! Just a longer simmer to get that soft meat and flavorful soup stock.

Every once in a while, I cook "nilagang" spare ribs - especially on occassions when the weather is cold. And on those days when I do decide to cook this dish, it's as if I have read my husband's mind. He would be surprised to come home and find out that I actually cooked what he wanted to eat even without calling me beforehand. So I guess, that's 5000 points for me, eh? Hehe!

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BROKE(n Hearts) No More

I was searching through some blogs and came across the blog title Broken Hearts. Hmmm... I wonder why the author named it that way. Did something tragic happen to his/her heart? Is he/she broken and hurt because of a failed relationship? And in my heart of hearts, I wondered if indeed he/she is broken hearted, how does he/she cope? Is he/she bitter? Or he/she doing well? Too many questions that needed answers right away.

So to satisfy my curiosity, I visited the site. Then to my surprise, I found out that the blogger Lois, is pretty young - sixteen at that! And NO, she is not broken hearted. She just writes about what's going on in her life, her thoughts and some good finds on the world wide web. Yes, she is already one of those creative teens who speak their mind. And another YES - she does Make Money online!

So I guess she is broke no more because she is earning from her blog - she was even able to buy herself a new pair of converse! Way to go Lois. If you want to earn just like she does, why not pay Broken-hearts.net a visit? You will never know what you will discover in a personal blog like hers unless you actually have been there!

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Windy Alternative

With the cost of crude oil rising every single day, it is a smart idea to think of other energy sources. One alternative energy source that is expected to double in production worldwide is wind energy. Many are eyeing this because the technology is readily available. So what do you think about wind energy?

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Run for the Impressions

Visual Talking anyone? This time, visual talking is taking the next big step by giving away some $1000 total for the blogger with the most impressions received in their blog. Please help me win, dearest friends from the blogosphere! Your clicking the conversation below will help a lot! Happy VT!

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Unlock Your Dreams

As a child, I often dream of fairies and pirates and princesses and prince charmings! I find myself so amazed by the kingdom of far, far away and the once upon a time stories that my mother used to tell me that I would read, listen, and watch any Disney animation everytime the opportunity presents itself.

As I grew older, these tales never ceased to fill me with awe and wonder. I saw to it that I get to watch them Disney movies over and over again so that I will never forget their stories. I even memorized the songs that moved me while I watch an animation. Who would forget Cinderella's "Someday my Prince Will Come" or Mulan's "Reflections" or The High School Musical's "We're All In This Together"? These songs have stayed with me, and will stay with me throughout the years.

And because I am a BIG Disney fan, I am sharing to all of you my 15 All Time Favorites:

1. Lilo And Stitch
2. Mulan
3. Cinderella
4: Beauty and the Beast
5. Monsters Inc.
6. The Princess Diaries
7. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
8. Finding Nemo
9. Fantasia
10. Pirates of the Caribbean
11. High School Musical
12. Brother Bear
13. The Little Mermaid
14. Peter Pan
15. The Chronicles of Narnia

How about you? What's your favorite Disney movie? Please tell me all about them.

And did you know about this amazing DVD game from ScreenLife Game? They call it the Disney Bingo DVD game. Unlock your dreams and see your favorite Disney characters come to life in this very exciting bingo game. Be sure to grab a copy from Amazon.com or Durgstore.com. Come play and make your dreams of playing with your favorite character come true! Enjoy the video and the new game!

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On Her Stomach, On Her Knees

This morning, I woke up to find our dearest little one snoring softly... and on her stomach. This was the first time when I found her sleeping in this position and it worried me... so much a tiny, little bit. Being a first time mom and all, who wouldn't? She might suffocate or worse... God forbid! But I read that SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) in babies at six months old and higher is no longer a threat. Whew! What a relief.

Since she has learned how to turn over, she has discovered that sleeping in this position is quite comfortable. And just look at her baby bed... all messed up probably from moving too much. She doesn't like blankets, too. Whenever I would put one on her, she would kick it until it is out her way.

And look at what the little girl is up to this time! She is now learning to use her legs to support herself. She is still on her toes, though. I caught her trying to reach for the place mat on the table. She has already grabbed the glass coaster... She was grinning mischievously at me, knowing that I don't want her hands to hold just anything. But I guess, I must let her be sometimes. After all, she is still a baby. And I must allow her to be one.

One smile. One grin. One giggle. That's all it takes for me to allow Sam to enjoy what she likes doing best: grabbing anything that her hands can reach. Alas!

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Grammatically Incorrect

I remember way back in college when me and my dear friend, Vixen, would talk in crooked, "carabao" English just for fun. It was a language that we have developed as good friends and some people found it hard to learn to say it the right way, as if there is a "right" way of speaking grammatically incorrect English. It was of course, deliberately done - with obvious grammar errors in the way words were used.

Then last Sunday, I had a chat with another good friend, Ate Shal, who told me that she tried teaching it to some of her students who also are her friends. She said that it was indeed hard for the students to learn it knowing fully well their English language. But just for the fun of it, we chatted in that crooked language of ours and I totally had fun. I was going to post what our chat was but since it was about personal matters, I decided not to.

Warning: Some funny stuffs are heading your way!

I am just to be written it in my blog post about it to be sharing to all of you... And I am to be writing it in the crooked way of it just like as it is I am done right now! Lol! :D

And here's more:

ana k pera: good morning! how are you to be today? i am to be asking about the siargao linking because I am to be lost my copy of it. i am to be writing of it on my blog in the next day. thanking you!

ragadag: halu ka! sorry for the late response in it. i am to be sending a video i am make about the business itself. for the facebook link u are just going to the group there. we are freindships to be there right...

ana k pera: rightness you are correcting yourself. so i am just to be heading myself to the facebook of it, right?

Some of you may react violently but hey, it was just between me and my friends. And yes, it was just for the FUN of it!

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Today Is Autumnal Equinox Day

Today is September 23rd and it is a national holiday here in Japan. The autumnal equinox day or "Shuubun no hi" marks the beginning of autumn, where the heat of summer begins to subside to give way to the cool, crisp air of autumn. This is also the day when the Japanese pay respects to their deceased family members.

I have mentioned in one of my previous posts about the Obon, a time when the dead ancestors of the Japanese come to visit them. Today, it is the living's turn to pay their respects to the dead. This would mean that they would visit their family graves and clean the tombstones, offer flowers and food, burn incense sticks and pray as part of their Buddhist tradition. This is just like in the Philippines where we pay respects to our dead on the 1st or 2nd of November.

Since we have no dead here in Japan, we just lit a candle this morning to pray for our dear departed's souls. And because dad has to report for work (not a holiday in their company calendar), Sam and I will just be staying home. And maybe, dad can bring home some of those ohagi, a traditional Japanese sweet made of glutinous rice covered with azuki (red bean) paste or soybean flour. While this sweet is usually offered to the dead, it is also a very good treat for everyone.

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Fall 2008 Prime Time TV

The Fall 2008 TV series are now up. Which show would you watch and which ones would you record for later? Find our here:

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Want 70,000 EC's?

Calling all competitive Entrecarders! If you want to win big, this is the contest for you! The Freebie Reporter celebrates it's new look with a big blast by giving away more than 70,000 EC credits and other amazing prizes. If this is not convincing enough, then check out the prizes below:

1st Prize:
30,000EC from Freebie Reporter
125×125 ad for a month from The Asian Economist
125×125 ad for a month from Free Famous Quotes
1 VIP membership to CreateBanner.com
1 Entrecard banner design from A Phone Sex Life

2nd Prize:
20,000EC from Freebie Reporter
1 VIP membership to CreateBanner.com
125—125 banner ad for a month from Journal Of Journey
125—125 banner ad for a month from Charcotrip.com
1 month blogroll link from A Phone Sex Life

3rd Prize
2000EC from SimpleBrowser
2000EC from Debit vs Credit
1500EC from Positive Thinking
2000EC from Realm of Prosperity
1500ECÂ from NickThrolson
1000EC from Fantasy Baseball
125—125 ad for 3 months from Cash Advance Blog
1 VIP membership to CreateBanner.com

Other Prizes:

EC Credits:
13 Lucky winners will get 1000 credits from one of our fabulous sponsors:
1000EC from Michael Aulia
1000EC from Øblog
1000EC from Better Inspirational Communication
1000EC from Random Detox
1000EC from Multiply Themes
1000EC from Momawannabe
1000EC from Singaporean In London
1000EC from Abhishek
1000EC from SEMscoop.com
1000EC from A Second Cup
1000EC from Kutsara at Tinidor
1000EC from Ohio Real Estate
1000EC from MonkeyChapps

Advertising:
4 Lucky winners will get premium advertising spots from the following bloggers:
125—125 ad for a month from Positive Thinking
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1 month blogroll link from Freebie Reporter
125—125 ad for a month from Freebie Reporter

That's a total of 20 prizes that will be distributed between the people who participate in the contest. All the winners will be picked by using the random list generator at random.org .

It is so very easy to join. All you have to do is write a post about this contest, subscribe to FreebieReporter.com, and leave a comment. For more contest details, click here.

So if you are in it for the prize or just for the fun of joining contests, get those fingers clicking before its too late. Contest runs until October 10th. Good luck everyone!

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Photo Hunt: Road

It was Spring of 2008 when we went on a road trip to Yamanashi Ken, the home of Mt. Fuji and the famous four lakes. We stopped by one of the camp sites for some refreshments and my hubby took this photo of me by the road side. The road was lined with sakura trees (Japanese cherry blossoms) and it was almost the end of spring so that there wasn't much sakura blossoms left. Still, it was a beauty to behold.

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To Be A Woman

I remember the question of the judge to then Miss Universe 1994 Sushmita Sen during the finals: "What is the essence of being a woman?" To which she replied, "Just being a woman is God's gift. The origin of a child is a mother, a woman. Woman is sharing she shows a man what sharing, caring, and loving is all about. That is the essence of a woman."

Being a woman is all these and more. Of course, there have been many great women in history who have made their mark on earth. They will all be remembered for teh difference they have made in this world. Take for example Mother Theresa of Calcutta or Joan of Arc or Queen ELizabeth? These are great women in their own rights. What do they have in common? Their strength, their endurance, and their great capacity to love.

But there is more to being a woman. It is more than just "sugar and spice and all things nice."

To be a woman means loving somebody without losing your individuality. To be a woman means being able to speak with confidence and act with strength. To be a woman means living in the here and now, capturing the right here, right now. To be a woman means to seek progress and not perfection. To be a woman means learning when to stand on your own two feet and when to ask for help. To be a woman means being able to celebrate beauty without getting caught up in other peoples' ideals. To be a woman means being able to continually educate herself to get a better understanding of things - where she is now, how to get going, where she is headed.

To be a woman is all these and more. So, how about you? What is a woman for you?

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Food Friday: Custard Cake With A Kiss Of Lemon

This yummy custard cake with a kiss of lemon is from Fujiya, a famous patisserie here that has been operating for more than twenty years now. If you want quality cakes, look for the "F". Enjoy your cake!

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I Do Blog! Do You?

Blogging has become a very popular past time or hobby for most of us who have all the time in our hands. Well, who wouldn't? Aside from being a great venue where we can showcase our interests, writing skills and talents to the world, it also allows us to monetize our blog and meet great new people from all over the globe.

For computer geek enthusiast Putradi of i.do.blog, blogging has seem to become a part of his daily routine. He writes mostly about blogging, how to make money online, and creates buzz for a variety of products from free webhosting services to security systems to financial services. He also loves recommending blogs, which I think is very helpful in terms of backlinks and all that. And here's another interesting thing: he loves to blog hop on women-authored blogs. Will Putradi find the woman of his dreams in the blogosphere? Hmm.. let's just wait and see.

And if you want to earn $7.50, you might want to visit i.do.blog to find out how.

So, do you blog? I do... For those of you who don't, it's about time you do!

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On Patience

Patience, they say, is a virtue. If there would be a living testimony that it indeed is, that would be me. I have always thought myself as being patient. I guess I have developed being one through the experiences that I have had while growing up.

As a child, I never really got to experience what they call "the good life". Budget was very slim and we made do with what was served on the table and with what we had. Toys, and sometimes even clothes, were hand-me-downs from well-off cousins. But I was not bitter nor envious because I had three siblings to play with the whole afternoon. We would go on that hill at the back of our house and get some fallen palms from the coconut trees and slide our way downhill or we would fly kites that we made ourselves or the ones that we got in exchange for many empty boxtops of our favorite milk brand.

When I got older, I was taught that if I wanted to have something, I would have to work hard for it before I got it. So I learned to be patient and became persevering to reach my goal. I used to be a hard-headed person in my younger years - I had the tendency to do things my way but I realized that this is not always the case in the real world. So I had to make some adjustments - or what others would say, compromise. And I guess it worked.

My long-distance relationship with my first boyfriend, who is now my husband, made it quite a challenge for us. We have been physically separated for more than six years since he had to study here in Japan. And it was difficult for both of us, I tell you. But those long years have taught me to patiently wait and be more understanding with our situation. And so now, we are here - happily living our lives together with our baby daughter.

Patience has also been my constant companion during my jobhunting days. It became even more helpful when I started out in the corporate world and I had to deal with a number of unreasonable colleagues who seem to want to do things their way. And thanks to patience, I was able to endure and still maintain a healthy working relationship with my colleagues.

Patience, if you give it a little more time to grow within you, will be one of your best assets. Indeed, it will take you a long way... Just look where it got me!

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Spice Up Your Home

I have always been looking for fresh, unique and fun ideas for the home and I just found this blog that is really very interesting. If you are looking for great new ideas for your home or just get some cool and practical tips about housekeeping, decorating, home organizing, then HomeY Treats is the one for you.

The author, Cahprisl writes about fresh and cool finds for just about any place in your home -Â may it be the bathroom, bedroom, living room, dining room, kitchen... and yes, she writes about food, too and some practical tips for moving into a new place. What I like about this blog is that the author makes the product more interesting that you would be inspired to get this and that yourself.

If you want to know what I am talking about, then head over to HomeY Treats and have a sample or two of the nice home ideas that she features in her blog.

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Cebu Pacific Flies To Japan

Here's some good news. Cebu Pacific, the world's 4th fastest growing airline in the world, will soon fly to Japan. Now every Juan can afford to travel anywhere in Asia with their growing number of overseas flights. Apart from Osaka, Cebu Pacific also now has flights to the following areas: Bangkok, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, Kota Kinabali, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Shanghai, Singapore and Taipei. Isn't that cool?

To kick off this new additional flight to Osaka,

CEB is offering a one-way introductory fare of P1,999 on the Manila-Osaka route, a price cut of 70% from the current fares offered by other airlines. The seat sale will run from September 16 to 30, 2008 and is good for travel from November 20 to December 18, 2008. Fare is non-refundable and exclusive of applicable surcharges and government taxes.

After the seat sale, the lowest year-round fare is P3,999, still a price cut of 40% from the current fares offered by other airlines for this route.

CEB explained that passengers who avail of their ˜Go Lite fares can get P200 off of their fares. Bookings can be made via cebupacificair.com, CEBU's call centers, sales offices or travel agents.

Not a bad deal, huh? So if you are from the Philippines and would want to visit Japan, grab this very great opportunity now. Too bad they haven't got a flight for Tokyo yet. But let's just wait and see.

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My Apologies

It has been a while since my last post... four days to be exact. And my apologies go to my fellow entrecarders who have taken the time to drop by my blog. I am sorry if I wasn't able to reciprocate those blogs. Rest assured, I will drop on your cards later.

The reason for my absence? You might recall in a previous post that I mentioned that I want to go back to teaching English part time. So, I was accepted and had my training from Friday to Sunday and then an On-The-Job Certification (OJC) yesterday. So there really wasn't much time to write posts.

But now I am back and be assured of more posts from me.

Again, my sincere apologies!

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Top Five Music

Do you love to listen to the latest hits? How about MTV? Below are the top 5 music from different music genres. Find out if your favorite song made it to the top five.

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Movies 2008

I just love movies. The first half of the year 2008 offered some of the great movies of all time including the stellar performance of the late Heath Ledger as Joker in the movie Dark Night and the return of Aslan, that beloved leader of Narnia, in Prince Caspian.

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It's TV Time 2008

What? It's TV Time 2008? Yes, there will be some new shows that will be go on air this year. And American Idol will is adding a fourth judge. Who could that be?

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dNeero-ites want to know!

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Photo Hunt: Wild

Thought of posting these wild animals from the different forests of the globe. But they are not so wild now... because they are caged. They must miss their natural habitat.

Happy weekend everyone!

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