TCP#4: Two Weeks Notice

Welcome to the 4th edition of Tuesday Couch Potatoes, where we post about a movie each week. Today's theme is Sandra Bullock Movies. If you are among the many who enjoys watching her movies, then come join us this week!

Had enough of your job already and want to quit? Sandra Bullock shows you how...

In the 2002 Romantic Comedy Two Weeks Notice, Sandra Bullock plays a brilliant but detail-obsessed attorney opposite Hugh Grant as her charming and undeniably self-absorbed millionaire boss. This movie has never failed to make me laugh! It is heartwarming, filled with humor, and there is a Chemistry in the Bullock-Grant tandem! One of the scenes in the movie which I found particularly unforgettable was when Lucy had too much too eat and she has to go to the bathroom while they are stuck on a bridge in New York City. The music used in the film was ingenious too!

Here's a Synopsis:

Millionaire George Wade doesn't make a move without Lucy Kelson, his multi-tasking Chief Counsel at the Wade Corporation. A brilliant attorney with a strategic mind, she also has an ulcer and doesn't get much sleep.

It's not the job that's getting to her. It's George. Smart, charming and undeniably self-abosrbed, he treats her more like a nanny than a Harvard-trained lawyer - and can barely choose a tie without her help. Now, after five years of calling the shots, on everything from his clothes to divorce settlements, Lucy Kelson is calling it quits.

Although George makes it difficult for Lucy to leave the Wade Corporation, he finally agrees to let her go - but only if she finds her own replacement. After a challenging search, she hires an ambitious young lawyer (ALICIA WITT) with an obvious eye on her wealthy boss.

Confronted with the fact that Lucy is literally sailing out of his life, George faces a decision on his own: is it ever too late to say "I love you"?

Haven't seen the movie yet? Here's a preview:

Two Weeks Notice Trailer
Hochgeladen von DaniloBatista. -

That's it for this week! Do join us next week, for we will feature a SUSPENSE-THRILLER, something that you have seen that really gave you goosebumps and kept you awake!

If you are joining us this week, don't forget to add your link in the MckLinky below:

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My Virtual Farm!

When I started playing Farm Town some two months ago, I was enjoying it so much and became addicted to it. From an Adept Farmer, I made my way up the ranks and have expanded it to the biggest lot available. It was a lot of hard work, I tell you. It took up a big chunk of my free time. Hehehe!

While playing I learned lots too. Like you could earn more for your crops if you hire somebody else to do it for you. And watering your neighbors' flowers can earn you coins too! And hiring other Farm Town players or your neighbors to plow for you saves you coins by 25% and 50% respectively, with both parties earning experience points. I also learned that harvesting and plowing for others can earn you lots of coins and xp points too! To earn coins, I contracted my neighbors firsthand to contact me if their crops are ready for harvest so I can harvest it for them! And that is how it happened that I moved up from Level 6 to Level 26 in two months' time. It could have been higher but I am happy with how things are going.

And this is how my Farm looks like today:

All the crops and trees are now ready for harvest. Wanna help with the plowing and harvesting?

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Yellow Monday: The Landshuter Hochzeit

The town's medieval square with medieval and baroque-style buildings lined on both ends

This Yellow Monday, let us go to Landshut, a town in the State of Bavaria, Germany where we journey back to the Middle Ages to celebrate the lavish wedding parade that took place there hundreds of years ago, in 1475 to be exact. The Landshuter Hochzeit is a festival that happens only every 4th summer, the next one will be in 2013. It was indeed a journey back in time, with people dressed in their best Middle Aged attire to re-enact the wedding feast of Georg, son of Duke Ludwig the Rich and Polish Princess Jadwiga.

The wedding parade. It was colorful and of course, filled with YELLOW!

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Got Old Electronic Gadgets?

I am lucky to live in this generation. Life has afforded so many conveniences and comforts because of the development of Science and Technology. With these development came globalization. And with globalization came the Techie gadgets!

I think the first small, portable electronic gadget that I owned was a Walkman. Then cellular phones were developed and the others followed suit: digital cameras, mp3 players, hand-held PDA's and the like. I got hold of my very first cellular phone when I was in college. And since then, I lost track of how many mobile phones I have acquired throghout the years. There was also a hand-held PDA which I never got to use because the charger got lost and it was not available locally. Then there was a broken laptop, which was very useful and just broke down one day.

I have stowed them all away in boxes, taking up space in our closet and accumulating dust too! I am just too sentimental to throw them away because each item told a special story. And besides, these electronic devices need to be disposed of properly so I thought, well, maybe later!

And good thing I waited because now I can sell them at the best value! Ever heard of SellingBin? They help you get the best quote from buyers looking for the type of device you are selling. It's quite easy how it works. You just complete an online form appropriate for your item, then SellingBin.com sends this data to its network of buyers for quotation. The quotes are then emailed directly to you within 48hours! You then choose the best quote and you're good to go! Easy, right?

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What's In Her Name?

As you may all very well know, we named our firstborn Samantha Ysabelle.

The Samantha is of English origin and is a combination of two names: from the Hebrew name Samuel, which means "God has heard" and also the Greek word -"antha" which means "flower". We consider our daughter a prayer heard and answered thus, Samantha.

The second name Ysabelle is of French origin and is a variant of the Hebrew name Elizabeth and means "God's promise". We believe in our hearts that our daughter will grow up to be a good daughter and Christian and that she will always have us as her guide. And because she is God's gift to us, we as parents are committed to be her role models. Just as God will protect her from all harm and evil, so will we protect her from all forms of harm and evil too.

How about you Mommy? What's in your child's name? Share it with us at Mommy Moments!

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To My Future Self

Dear Kikamz of the Future,

I hope all is well. I wonder how you look like as you read this. Are you already gray and old and bald? Nah, I don't think getting bald is in your genes. But I do hope you lost those extra pounds that you have been dying to shed. So how are the kids? There are 3 of them already right? Are they well and in college? I hope they are going to school and are doing well in their chosen courses. And while they are raised in a foreign environment, I hope they still practice the "Mano Po" each time they see their elders. They just warm my heart each time they do it you know.

And how is business? Did you manage to open that Hobby shop that you and Ate Shal have been raving about? I sure hope you did, or if not, I hope you have found a way to make the most out of your time and honed one of your special skills. And how is the Hubby? Is he teaching at the University as he always dreamed he would when he retires? Please do take care of him. He is a very good and loving man. He is for keeps, you know.

And I hope you have done all the scrapbooking that you have planned out in your head. And that you have travelled the world and your own country. I know, you should just take things one at a time, but I hope that by the time you read this, you are one happy old seasoned traveller and in the company of your loving Hubby.



This is my first entry to Letters That I'll Never Send, a Thursday meme. It was fun and I enjoyed it. Sorry Mys if it took a while to post this.

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F is for Freudenstadt, Germany

The FOUNTAIN in FREUDENSTADT, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany.
This is Freudenstadt, a town in the Northern part of the famous Black FOREST in Germany. It was one FINE Sunday when the FAMILY decided to go for a drive through the Black FOREST and then stop by FREUDENSTADT for lunch and a little sightseeing at the Marktplatz, FREUDENSTADT's central feature which is surrounded by arcaded houses. It is one of the largest market squares in Germany with an area of around 11 acres.


The Stadtkirche (Town Church) at the South corner of Marktplatz was built in 1601-08 and restored in 1951 after WWII. It consists of two naves at right angles to one another, one for men and the other for women. It also has a lectern of 1140, borne by figures of the four Evangelists, and an 11th-12th century font.


And with a spacious green FIELD, our little one really had lots of FUN frolicking about!
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Comments Not Coming Through

I observe that my comments to blogs on Blogger.com having their comment forms embedded below their blog posts do not show any sign of coming through at all! So my apologies to my dear blogger friends especially Mommy Pehpot, Mommy Jacris and others if you don't seem to be receiving any comments from me. I have attempted countless times to no avail. It frustrates me really, knowing that my comments will not come through and you won't be able to read them. I am still trying to find out what's wrong! I promise to come back to your sites to comment again! And if the comments still won't come, know that I came by for a visit and tried my hardest to leave one.

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A Crown for Every Achievement

Are you familiar with the tag line "A crown for every achievement"? This is what Rolex watches are made for. For every great achievement in your life, a Rolex watch is worth giving or buying for. But sadly for me, they are way too expensive to give away, right? And no matter how beautiful or timeless they are, there is just no way that I would buy one! At least, not until www.bestoftime.com came along! They have made Rolex watches so affordable that perhaps, I might be able to save up and buy one!

I do love watches, especially Swiss made ones. The word SWISS-Watch for me equates to quality. And there is just the glory of being able to wear an authentic and genuine Rolex watch, making it more attractive and desirable to own one. I have also been longing to present my parents with a set of their own in gratitude for everything that they have done for me and my siblings. I know that they would just be the perfect gifts!

If you are dying to get your very own authentic Rolex at an absolutely LOW price, go check out www.bestoftime.com. They have been in the watch retail business for over a decade now and you can trust that they sell only genuine Rolex watches. These are NOT replica watches, but rather pre-owned or like-new Rolex watches that comes in new genuine Rolex boxes. Each watch comes with a certificate of authenticity, free shipping and a full three-year warranty too!

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Back to School

Yes, I am going back to school! To language school I mean... I know I have been ranting about not being understood because I cannot communicate using the German language. So now I am finally DOING something about it. I should congratulate myself, right? While I was browsing the net, I chanced upon this language school that offers evening lessons. I had my free trial lesson yesterday and liked the instructor's style, plus there were only four students in the group so it everybody had the chance to talk. So last night, after the trial lesson, I decided I'd register. This time it is for real.

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Managing Wastes

As a chemical engineer, I learned that waste management is one tough, complex aspect in any industry or business entity. With lots of environmental rules that are being implemented, it is very important that they are strictly followed, otherwise it would mean SHUTDOWN or closure for the company. This is especially true for industries who have a high volume of waste generated each day. I think that the Skip Bin Hire Software will indeed be a very helpful tool for these industries' waste management partners in terms of timely collection of wastes. No more delays, no more bins lost.

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TCP#3: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Welcome to the 3rd edition of Tuesday Couch Potatoes, where we post about a movie each week. Today's theme is 3D Animated Science-Fiction Movies. Let's see what our other participants have cooked up this week!

I have always been a lover of sci-fi movies. And when 3D animated films became popular, I have always been one of those first in line to see it, no matter what genre it is. The 2001 computer animated sci-fi film from Director Hironobu Sakaguchi Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is one of favorites. Although it was a box office bomb, I still liked the plot, the characters, the setting. It is based on the popular RPG game, Final Fantasy but lacks most of the characters and aspects in the game, making it distinct and different.

Set on an alien-infested Earth in the year 2065, the story follows scientists Aki Ross and Doctor Sid in their efforts to free Earth from a mysterious and deadly alien race known as the Phantoms, which has driven surviving humanity into "barrier cities". They must compete against General Hein, who wishes to attack the aliens with the Zeus space cannon to end the conflict. -Source-

What I love about the film was the photorealistic 3d rendering of the characters. I also love the character of Aki, who was infected by a Phantom in one of their encounters with them but succesfully trapping it inside her. She and Dr. Sid were steadfast in their search for the eight spirits that will save the Earth from the Phantoms. This film is a story of self-sacrifice, of good conquering evil, and it is also has a pro-environment attitude.

Here's a theatrical trailer of the movie:



Next week, we will feature a Sandra Bullock movie. Hope to see you again next week!

Don't forget to add your linky in the McLinky below! Thanks for joining!

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Reposted: The Baby Factory

This is a repost from Random Posts, when I was blog hopping today. I was really out for words when I read the article. It was heart-wrenching and I count myself very blessed for what I have. I hope reposting this will reach more people and will hopefully raise funds for the Fabella Hospital.

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Dear Friends,

For some time now, Ingrid and I have been talking about raising money for Fabella Hospital. My goal is to buy a hospital-grade breastpump, while Ingrid was talking about buying baby bassinets, since currently there is a serious bassinet shortage in there.
I first learned about its existence when my friend Jun-Jun sent me this link where I found these photos by Jorem and Sheila Catilo. They are heart-wrenching, but please take time out to view them. The photos tell a story and that is, these people need our help.



About the photos
By SHEILA JUAN-CATILO

I've always loved photographing children. It's such a joy to be able to capture them whether they're in their most innocent or most mischievous moments. But this experience was different, and definitely one I would never forget.

Last Tuesday, Jorem and I went to the Dr. Jose Fabella Hospital with Rea Gomez-Harrow to shoot some pictures to post on the Moms for Moms site. It was probably the hardest shoot I've ever been through in all my years of being a photographer.

"Are you ready?" She asked, as we walked across the entrance of the ER right after a woman was brought out of the ambulance in a stretcher, her legs stained with blood, ready to give birth. There were pregnant women everywhere - in the hallways, sitting on the steps, walking around just waiting for their turn. I knew I had to brace myself for this.

The scent was familiar. It's only been 6 months since I got out of the hospital after giving birth to our first baby. Had I been there a couple of years ago, it would have been different. But as we walk into what was 4 rooms full of maybe a hundred bassinets or more, I felt my knees weaken and my heart crumble. I look through the viewfinder and get ready to shoot, but all I see is a blur as tears start to well up. My heart was pounding to the rhythm of infants crying in chorus. I turn my head, three babies are sharing one bassinet while the other had two. One baby's face is already pushed against the other's knee. Can he still breathe? I look the other way and one baby's arm is as thin as my finger. There are tubes and needles, bottles of fluids running through their tiny bodies. Due to the lack of linens, three newly delivered babies share what looked like an old hand towel to keep them warm. Each was labeled with a medicine box cutout attached to their wrists with a string like a piece of evidence. It was hard to believe all of it was real. I knew there were going to be a lot of babies, but not like this. It was beyond what I expected. To say it was heartbreaking would be an understatement.

I've never seen so many babies all in one place at the same time, and seeing them in this condition just didn't feel right. But this is how it's always been in Fabella. Everyday, mothers flock to this place to give birth because it's the only place they can go to. Due to the sheer volume of women giving birth each day, some have to go home a few hours after delivery while others who can't share a tandem bed with 2-3 others to be able to rest. According to a social worker we talked to, some of them don't even want to leave. To them, it's a roof over their heads, a soft bed and regular meals. For their children, it's a far better environment to survive in for their first few days of life.

It's a sad reality to face, but it's real nonetheless. So if these images move you to help, please do with what you can, in any way you can. Feel free to repost, link or contact us about it. Help us help Fabella.



"Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital is a Maternal and Newborn Tertiary Hospital in Santa Cruz, Manila.
It started as a six-bed capacity clinic called the 'Maternity House' on November 9, 1920 and was founded by then Chairman of Public Welfare Board, Dr. Jose Fabella...To date, it has an authorized bed capacity of 700.
The hospital is considered a 'baby factory' as 20 percent of all babies in Metro Manila are born here. As of 2003, it had an average of 88 daily live births." Wiki

To raise money for the hospital, Ingrid has started an auction of one of her prized Hermes bags.
The Victoria bag is worth Php 200,000, and while Ingrid opened the bid at Php 100, the bid is now over Php 20,000.

Since Ingrid and I started talking about this, I have already raised Php 35,000 which will be added to the Fabella fund. (*gulp*) (Waahhhh!!! I'm not allowed to spend it!!) I have not been to Fabella Hospital but I promised Ingrid I will go with her when she makes the donation.

If you should be so moved to make a donation in any amount, please click on the Paypal button below.
I shall keep you posted on the outcome.
Ingrid and I have a goal of Php 100,000, so we're not too far from it.

Please feel free to repost this in your personal sites.

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If you want to help, you can donate or repost this in your blogs or personal sites. Thanks!

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Food (Trip) Friday: Kiwi

One of my favorite fruits is kiwi. It has loads of antioxidants and very refreshing too! I just love it's sweet-sour taste!

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Increase Your Link Part 2!

This is the second time that this blog has been given this linky tag! Thanks Mommy Rache of Recaptured Moments for sending this my way! I appreciate the thought!

Try to make a post just like this one and mention this process.

-From the list of blog sites below remove the number 1 and move the rest in the list 1 step higher (i. e number 2 becomes number 1, and so on). Add your blog name in the 5th position. Don’t forget to copy the links. (Here’s my list-my site added in the end)

1. Simple Happy Life
2. Sweet Nothings
3. FickleMinded
4. Recaptured Moments
5. Just About Anything
   

-List five of your friend’s blog title here with the link and inform them of this post and ask them to do the same.

Sharing the love to:

Kizuna
Girls Rule!
Inspirational Insights
Seiko's Diary
Online Trends Now!

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Mommy Moments: The Rains Cometh!

Time for Mommy Moments again! Time sure does fly quick! At first I thought I wouldn't be able to join this week's theme since my Samantha is still too young to be out in the rain, but then I remembered some instances when we were still in Japan that we did take her out despite the rain. So I browsed through my Photo archives to look for them. I had a hard time finding these photos, with the thousands that I had stored up in my external drive. Hehehe! Sorry it took a while to post these, Ate Chris!

I do enjoy the rain. I love how the earth cools and brings along with it a cool breeze. I also love to hear it falling on the roof. And my little Sam doesn't mind when it rains, either. For as long as there is no deafening roar of thunder, she is okay with it. Plus, we love to snuggle in bed when it rains! I would love to see her in her rain gear though: raincoats, boots, umbrellas and all, and see her frolicking in the rain. But alas, she is still too young for that!

She is all wrapped up from head to toe here. I think we were heading out to Tokyo here. It's gonna be an hour or so's drive and the weather was not cooperating, so bundle up!

Just got home here from buying the groceries. We never thought it would rain then. Glad I brought along her jacket so she wouldn't feel so cold. I guess she was happy I did too!

It was raining one Sunday but she didn't mind being so wrapped up. She was sleeping soundly while the Sunday mass was going on.

How about you Mommy? Does your little one enjoy being out in the rain?

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