Great Looking Eyeglasses at Lower Prices

Despite the recent spate of bad news about the world economy, the holidays remain to be a bright spot for many. Albeit on a more limited budget. And, wonders of wonders, even eyeglass frames reflect that spirit!

Eyeglasses, which were long despised as making a person look nerdy and ugly, now are a great fashion accessory. Sarah Palin, while she was running for Vice President, actually raised demand for rimless eyeglasses similar to what she wore. But the reality of tightened belts mean, for many, that they could not spend as much for themselves, so they would just have to choose between practicality and style...And style just has to suffer. But with a good eye for bargains, you can actually have BOTH.

Holiday frames from Zenni Optical, are both stylish and practical, not to mention in time for the holiday merrymakers. They satisfy your need for better vision, your craving for better, more fashion forward accessories at a price that you would not balk at -- just right for these hard times.

Just look at these frames! They'd look good when you're out till midnight tonight, welcoming 2009 with a big bang! And with clear vision, you'd enjoy the New Year countdown spectacle even more! They'd still look good while you're still out afterwards, partying!

I'm Looking Forward To....

The Year 2008 is almost over. While it has its ups and downs, I am grateful that, personally, it does not have any small personal tragedies, unlike, in the previous years, and for that I am happy.

I am looking forward to the following....

• The birth of my second child!
• Trying to expand my online business (how-I'm still trying to figure out)
  
• Letting Ethan apply to big schools (jitters!)
• Expanding our practice? ( I certainly hope so...)
• Investing while the economy is down (I hope we have the extra funds to do so....)

Here's hoping that 2009 will be a better year!

Anime?

My husband's eighteen year old niece is a big anime fan. While I do like some of the animes being shown, I do admit that not all of them are to my taste.

What is anime, anyway? Well, for those not already in the know, it's simply "Japanese animation". The characters generally have similar characteristics of big eyes and multicolored hair, although some artists have veered away from this formula. This class of animation is very much different from the usual Western style animation.

When I was younger, there was Voltes V, Mazinger Z et al on the boob tube before Marcos cancelled all of those shows, claiming that these shows were too violent for their target audiences. They were later replaced by tamer Japanese cartoons like Candy Candy, Ron Ron the Flower Angel, Nobody's Child etc. I'm not sure if the former robot shows were also classified as anime, but the replacements definitely were, although we didn't know it at the time. We only knew that they made for entertaining television fare just before the news came on and and we were supposed to work on our homework.

I've learned that there's actually a big following of anime. There's even an Anime Chat online for such fans. Maybe I should tell my husband's niece about this. I'm sure she'll enjoy herself with such like-minded individuals.

The Wrapping Paper Test

I know I've been remiss in updating this blog and my other blogs. I've been quite busy (not to mention often dizzy with my first trimester blues). I'll probably be more participative after the holidays are over. For now, let me just share with you the results of the quiz I took.

You Are Peaceful and Appreciative

You approach the holidays with harmony and thoughtfulness. You realize the holidays can be a hard time for some people, and you're there to lend your support. Not only do you enjoy giving during the holidays, you enjoy receiving greetings, love, and gifts. You graciously appreciate every holiday gesture made in your honor. Of all the types, you are the most likely to give a gift that's meaningful for you and the recipient. You're also the most likely to hand deliver as many of your gifts as possible.

The Wrapping Paper Test

To Get Or Not To Get Another Nanny

Now that I'm having another baby, I'm contemplating on whether I should get another yaya (nanny) for my newborn this coming June. I'm lucky that it's relatively easy and inexpensive to hire a nanny here in the Philippines. I'm in awe of mothers who can juggle a demanding career and still be able to care for their kids! For a working mom like me, having a nanny makes life much easier, as my 3 year old demands a lot of attention that I may not be able to give him while I'm working.

Another nanny might be able to help me with my newborn, but then maybe the one nanny that I have right now may be adequate already. She's not perfect, but then nobody is. At least she takes good care of my kid, is patient with him, does not ask for cash loans too often, and does not take too many days off. I'll be on maternity leave for at least 2 months anyway, so the first month is probably not that crucial, as I'll be home most of the time. I'll be doing most of the work anyway, the feeding (since I will breastfeed again, so no bottles to clean in the meantime), the bathing, the diaper changing and all.

The problem is when I have to go back to work. Good thing it's also class opening by then, so my eldest will be in school for the morning.

Guess I'll have to play it by ear and see how it goes.

Holiday Money Musings...

For a self-employed private practitioner like me, December is a time when cash is tight compared to the rest of the year. You see, we don't have regular salaries like the employees. Our income is dependent upon how many patients we see. At this time of the year, our census is usually the lowest in the year. I'm thankful that it's a bit better this year compared to the previous years, though. We also do not get 13th month pay (since we don't have an employer) unlike employees who enjoy that cash windfall at this time of the year (and if they're lucky and their company is extra generous, they even get 14th and 15th month pays! Also the spending is high, since we have to pay our staff (both office and household) their 13th month pay, buy gifts for family, inaanaks (godchildren) and our clinic staff.

But, I've always counted my blessings. So far, our earning have been enough for our needs, mainly because we have always not spent beyond our means. For emergencies, we have people to turn to, like our parents, who would not hesitate to lend us money we need. If all else fails, there are fast cash payday loans which we may be able to avail of in times of extreme emergency.

Nothing to complain about, really. As long as we're doing our best for ourselves, our kids, our family, our patients, we'll be fine. :)

Rock and Roll Survey

I love the 80's music because it was "my time" -- meaning I was in high school and college during that decade. As I grew older I also found that a liking for the music of the older generations -- the standards that are often used in weddings, the 50s, 60s and 70s music. I have to confess that I just do not "get" today's music at all, except for a few select ones. I must be getting old. :P

Coffee Break 1.46

Another coffee break question from Jan:



A lot of little things make me smile, most of it (not all though) revolving around my little family :). See, I'm smiling already!

• My child's laughter -- That's why we love tickling him. It's music to our ears.
• The way my child says "mommy"...
• My child's kisses, especially his good night kisses on my cheeks on my tummy (for Baby Inside)
• Seeing my little boy nestled up with my husband
• Looking at my son's pictures
• Looking at my baby's pictures
• Looking at my wedding pictures
  
• Looking at MY pictures from babyhood to childhood to school
• Seeing a grateful patient
• Late night dates with the hubby -- which are actually DVD marathons while the baby is asleep. (Can't do that lately coz I'm always sleepy)
• Seeing my little boy with his grandmas.

There are lots, lots more. I am very happy that I do not need material things to make me happy and my family gives me all the reasons in the world to smile.

About You -- A Dneero Survey

Getting to know me....

A Twilight Survey

I've seen the trailer, and I have the e-book (which I haven't gotten around to reading yet). Everybody's talking about the movie, and apparently it has made big stars out of its lead stars. While the role Rob Pattinson has is not exactly the usual loverboy type, he has certainly made a lot of female fans, especially teens, swooning.

About Metal

I wonder what life would have been if we haven't discovered the use for metals. Almost everything in modern life has some sort of metal, be it as simple as household utensils like forks and spoons, to the big industrial machines, to the tiny circuit boards found in computers, and yes, even cars and buildings.

Metal has been a ubiquitous part of modern life, and man has continuously found new uses for the different types of metal. There are now machines that could actually make more useful things out of metal like the hydraulic deep draw press! The metalworking industry is continually evolving and improving, and that means that we'll probably get to see more of these useful items in more of our everyday lives.

Coffee Break 1,45 And A Christmas Survey

Christmas is in the air!

For us Filipinos, Christmas is probably the most important holiday of the year. We start thinking Christmas after all soul's day has gone. We buy gifts for almost everyone we know. We attend parties. We eat to our heart's content! We decorate our homes.

In line with this, Jan asks in this week's coffee break:

My reply:

• My budget - If I don't have extra money to burn, I'll have to go with less expensive gifts, or give less people
  
• Age and gender of the recipient
  
• My relationship with the recipient - Of course, the closer the person is to me, the more likely he or she will be on my Christmas list.
  
• My situation at the time - Chinese custom dictates that mourning families should not give gifts and other people should understand about it. The year my dad died, we didn't give any gifts because, although we were following tradition, the truth is that nobody was in the mood for Christmas shopping.
  

I've made another post on my other blog about my tips for people who have a long Christmas list.

In line with Christmas, Dneero also has a survey on this. Here goes:

Yes, I Will Breastfeed Again!

I've had a very pleasant breastfeeding experience with my firstborn. I was able to nurse for 1 year and 10 months. It would have been a bit longer if only I hadn't gotten sick with Hydatidiform mole and had to undergo chemotherapy.

Because of this very positive experience, I am definitely going to breastfeed my new baby! We're quite lucky in that there are now a lot of breastfeeding clothes and paraphernalia like breast pumps. I know that an essential accessory to successful nursing is a good nursing bra. I love the Beautiful Nursing Bras by Condessa because they don't just look utilitarian, they actually look beautiful and comfortable! They can also be paired with matching bikini panties or minimizing briefs for a more alluring figure for new moms who need just that extra boost of confidence.

Flowers For Me! :)

I got this from Mauie and Pat. Thank you so much! I haven't done tags for quite awhile...

::: Start copying here:::

Here are the rules for this tag:
1.) Copy the badge and put it on your blog,
2.) Link back who pass you this tag,
3.) Spread this tag to at least 7 or more bloggers who you think you are friend with.

"And lovely are the blossoms
That are tended with great care,
By those who work unselfishly
To make the place more fair.
And, like the garden blossoms,
Friendship’s flower grows more sweet
When watched and tended carefully
By those we know and meet.
And, if the seed of friendship
Is planted deep and true
And watched with understanding,
Friendship’s flower will bloom for you. "

Outsource For Your IT Needs

We have to admit that not all of us are techie people. Not all of us know the nuances of the IT profession, and it's foolish for us to pretend to know everything. It's best to hire the right professionals for the job. However, sometimes the particular job that you have to have somebody is either very short term or on an as-need basis. In such cases, it may be more prudent and practical to make use of IT Outsourcing so that you do not always have to maintain your own IT staff. In fact, some companies opt to do that instead of having a full time IT staff, because they find it more practical.

coffee break ver. 1.44

This is another coffee break question by Jan:

My faves are the following:

1. Amazing Race
I love the excitement of this race, the search and the deciphering of the clues, the tasks and the fact that the partners really should work with each other. And, that there's really no judging...whoever comes first at the end wins.

2. American Idol
I am a frustrated singer myself, and I love seeing if my choices would jibe with the judges and/or the text voter's choices. I love the fact that it seems to be getting better and better. And some of the auditions are really very funny! The Philippine version just does not have the same appeal for me, but perhaps it's because it's still pretty new.

3. I had to think long and hard for this. But finally I think I like Pinoy Big Brother also. You can see how the people in bahay ni kiua interact with each other, although I would wonder how much of it is true. And I like the fact that the power of the housemates in eliminating the other members is only limited to nominating people, not outright eliminating it (which is done by the text votes).

It's a pity I do not get to watch these as often as I'd like to. Nowadays my "reality show" is watching my son grow before my very eyes.

Do You Need A Web Host?

It's no longer something just for techies and big companies. With more affordable web hosting packages, even individuals can afford to have their own website, whether it's a blog, an online resume or whatever. Many people have also found a better alternative source of income by having a web presence, whether through advertising or other means.

While there is not perfect web hosting solution, it would be best if we look at reviews prior to choosing the right host for our needs. What the right host is different depends on whether it's for business or personal use, the amount of available budget and many other factors.

I've actually gotten hosting for one of my blogs. I'm still a relative neophyte in all this, therefore I rely on reviews on the net and advices of my friends who have used web hosting far longer than I have and who should know more. I have to admit that for now, budget played a big part in choosing my host. I'm glad it's working out pretty well so far. However, I am still figuring out which is the best host for my future online ventures (not necessarily blogs). I am doing my research right now and hoping that eventually I will find the right one.

Sports Clothing - Where? When?

A more sporty, casual approach to clothing is permeating our lives ... remember when athletic shoes, were for, well, athletics? ... did you ever wear Chick Taylor's outside of the gym ... then came the sports shoe craze ... is high-performance fitness/sports clothing going to follow? Seems to be making some inroads.



While I believe that high perforamnce sportswear would work for very active individuals, I am afraid I believe that I do not belong in this category. A pair of shorts, a T shirt and running shoes would be fine enough for me. Especially since I'm not very fashion conscious as well.

Hard To Feed!

My son is a VERY hard to feed child. One of the times I'm thankful for having a yaya is so that she will be the one to feed him.

Why it's difficult to feed him:

• He takes his time to eat. Each meal takes almost 1-2 hours.
• He chews VERY slowly. Sometimes you will see that his cheeks are full already from food but he still won't swallow.
• He does not have a favorite food. Arggghhhh! Nothing to bribe him with.
  
• He may like a certain food but then will tire of it easily.
• He does not even like the usual kiddie faves like jollibee spaghetti.
• He does not like junk food (I guess this is a good thing! :) ).
• He refuses to have breakfast. He only grudgingly accepts milk.
  

My mom likes to remind me that she had the same difficulties when I was a that age (3 years old). So, is it hereditary?

I'd be at my wits' end except that he has basically remained healthy and his weight gain has been constant despite everything. Sometimes I do wonder if we pressure him too much. His weight is very normal but the elders insist that he's payatot (thin). Maybe he's just not hungry during the times that we deem mealtimes. When it takes too long between meals, he's pretty fast naman.

Oh well, as long as he's healthy. In the meantime, I'm glad yaya is there to feed him because honestly, a working mom does not have an extra 4 hours to feed a child. I'd never get things done!

If anybody has any suggestions on how to improve his appetite, I'd be glad to listen!
---------------
This is my entry to PPBC 10th Edition: Picky Eaters hosted by Jenny. :)

Barack Obama IS The New US President

The U.S. Presidential Election is over ... he did it ... Barack Obama won! What did editorials across the world say, imply, question, disparage, hope, ...?



When I was asked who my choice was, I always said that it doesn't matter, I am not a US citizen and I won't vote anyway? But any changes in the US has always meant a global change. So, I'm hoping that now that Obama has won, there would be positive changes around the world, not only in the United States.

Another survey (updated 1/20/2008)

Starting My Christmas Shopping

Christmas is just around the corner! It's the happiest time of the year for many Filipinos, who have the longest Christmas celebration in the world. It's also the time when people give and receive gifts.

I have started some shopping for toys for the children in my gift list. My shopping is however, far from over. There are still a number of people (adults!) who I want to give gifts to, but I'm just not sure what to get them. It's great that we can now browse and buy stuff on the net.

My mom loves to fix up the home once in a while. I believe that she would be happy with anything from here.

I think my mother would be happy with anything for her garden. She's very happy puttering around, making things grow. Unfortunately, I do not have her inclination and her talent, so I have to rely on online reviews in order to get what would be the best choice for her.

My husband would love tools since he loves tinkering around with mechanical stuff. Hmmm, maybe I should let him browse here so that I'll know what he really wants.

Well, still browsing and still looking for the perfect gift. Hope I will finish my shopping before December!

I Always Look Pregnant...Even If I Was Not

I have never lost my post baby tummy. People have always remarked about my "pregnancy" and I have always politely stated that "No, I'm not pregnant, I'm just fat around my middle" and they'd be all apologetic. It's getting to be irritating, sometimes.

Well, this time I'm actually pregnant, and although I shouldn't be showing yet at this stage, it does give me an excuse to have a big tummy! I know I should be trying to lose that tummy (I never had a problem with my weight, just my fat distribution) after I give birth this time. I also know that no matter I still need cardio exercises in order to lose the fat enough to shape my tummy. I used to go to a gym for treadmill exercises, but I never had the chance anymore to go, since I still work and I try to be as hands on as possible to my firstborn. More so now that I will be expecting our second child. Maybe I should consider getting one of those folding treadmills in order to maintain an exercise regimen at home.

Pumpkin Latte?

You Are a Pumpkin Latte

You are always up for a celebration. You are a very festive person. You look forward to every holiday, and you are nostalgic for good times after they're over. You appreciate the small things that make life special. You love little treats. You often look at the world with childlike wonder. There's so much to enjoy!

What Flavor Latte Are You?

Being Employed is Not Bad At All

In the eye center where I'm working, I'm considered a consultant and not an employee, so I don't get wages and other employee incentives. I actually pay a certain rent in order to have the right to hold my clinic there. The staff there, on the other hand, enjoy some employee incentive programs like an all expense paid vacation for everybody in the company, a health program, and seminars paid for by the Eye Center. I did get a chance to avail of a Corporate Incentive Travel to a midyear convention paid for by one sponsor because I was lecturing regarding their machine, but otherwise, I don't get a lot of perks as what other people believe we do.

This year, the members of the staff were able to go to Catanduanes for the mid-year convention, all paid for by the Eye Center, of course. They went on a side trip to Sorsogon in order to see the butandings (whale sharks). However, something went wrong: The driver didn't know his way. As a consequence, they were able to arrive at Sorsogon mid day already, when the butandings can no longer be sighted since they dive to deeper depths when the sun is already high up in the sky. Everybody got a little disappointed because of this. This could have been better handled by a Incentive Travel Companies rather than if they had just arranged everything themselves.

But hey, at least they got to go there. I would have spent my own money if I had gone since I'm not considered an employee.

The Zoo Survey

In addition to their status as tourist attractions and recreational facilities, modern zoos may engage in captive breeding programs, conservation study, and educational outreach.



I remember going to the zoo as a young child. I went several times to the now ancient Manila Zoo. I believe there were more animals then. I've heard that some of the animals have died and they didn't get to replace them anymore.

My 3 year old has never been to the zoo. His school is thinking of bringing the kids to the Ark of Avilon. I hope it will push through and that I could accompany him.

Not Too Prepared

Back in 1991, my family and I went on my first ever USA trip. Since it was a momentous occasion, we decided to visit as many points of interests as we can. Imagine, in the course of about three weeks, we were able to go to 4 national parks (if my memory serves me right) in 6 states on the west coast, enjoy Disneyland and Universal Studios as well as watch a show in Las Vegas!

One particular place that sticks out in my mind is visiting Yellowstone Park. It was snowing when we arrived. We weren't able to go through the whole park since some places were closed because of bad weather. My father drove around, but somewhere along the way, we got a little lost. Hungry and cold (I was not wearing proper Outdoor Womens Clothing but just whatever warm clothes I could find in my mostly tropical outfits), we were getting a little scared. We then came upon a small convenience store, where thankfully, food is available! Soup from the convenience store never tasted this good!

This is certainly a lesson for us. The next time we go to say, hike up a mountain, we should have the proper Mountain Climbing Gear. Men should also be prepared with their Outdoor Mens Clothing . It may not be so easily found back in the Philippines in 1991 but now it's so conveniently available online, so there is really no excuse not to be prepared.

I Hope I Win!

I put in my 500 pesos in the hope of winning a bigger prize! Who knows, I just might be one lucky buntis (pregnant woman)! There are so many things I need (and want) to spend on, but with the current belt tightening, it's been harder and harder to make ends meet.

I'm keeping my fingers (and toes) crossed that somehow, the fates will smile at me. :)

About Eyeglasses

I know of several people who refuse to wear eyeglasses because they are in denial about their refractive error and would prefer to tolerate blurred vision just so they won't need to wear spectacles and thus "look old". This should not be the case, because there are a now a variety of eyeglasses which don't look "old" at all and can actually be stylish additions to one's wardrobe.

Now, if your concern is cost, rest assured that a lot of optical shops, including online ones like ZenniOptical, now offer affordable spectacles. Would you believe that this pair costs only 8 dollars?
Seriously, a lot of people think that wearing glasses are an admission that there's something "broken" or "damaged" with their eyes. Contrary to that popular belief, error of refraction is simply because of the image not falling directly on the retina, causing the image to look blurred. This is due to either the size or shape of the eyeball, or the power of the lens, or the combination of the above. For older people, the reason why reading seems to become more difficult is because the eyes no longer "accommodate" very well for near distances, hence the problem with reading.

Another popular misconception is that wearing of eyeglasses somehow "improve" your condition over time. Another one, which directly clashes with the former statement, admonishes people not to always wear their glasses since their problem would worsen. Neither of these statements are true. The size and shape of our eyes change through time. These changes are not influenced by spectacle wearing or non-wearing.

The Big News!

We're having another baby!

This is an exciting time for us! Our firstborn is now 3 years old (he'll be almost 4 by the time the baby is born). After a heartbreaking episode last year, we're hoping that this time things will be much much better!

Oh, we already had the results for quite some time but we wanted to wait till we see the heartbeat on the transvaginal ultrasound. And, we got what we prayed for yesterday! :D

Thank you, Lord!

Survey on Movies

Personalized Number Plates

License plate numbers could be a little less boring and a little more meaningful if we can have some Personalised Number Plates which reflect what we are. I'd love to have plates that let the officers know that I'm a doctor so that they will give me due consideration in an emergency without having to resort to posting "doctor on call" signs which they might miss. Or maybe put our last name so that it will be easier for us to remember our own plate number. It's available on http://www.northumbrianumbers.com but unfortunately I don't think the LTO here in the Philippines are going to accept them. I wish they have a similar service.

Power dNeero-ites -- 100+ convos

If you have been a Dneero-ite for quite some time and you have had joined more than 00 conversations, then you are entitled to answer this survey. This survey is launched by Dneero itself in a attempt to get feedback on how it's faring so far and get some suggestions regarding improving the site itself.

If you haven't joined Dneero yet, I suggest you check it out. It's not difficult at all, it's free to join, and you get some rewards (mostly cash) for joining the conversations!

For Ontario residents

My uncle and his family lives in Toronto. I don't know if they've already heard of the ontario phone book where you can look up any unknown phone number. I'd better tell him all about this if he doesn't already know. This is a great service since you would be able to screen any potential prank callers and telemarketers, who are real nuisances if you ask me.

Trick or Treat!

Ethan went trick or treating yesterday. Here is his costume:
He's the little boy in the angel costume. The photo was taken from his school halloween party. (Click on image to get a bigger view).

Lookit all the loot he got! (Again, please click on image for a bigger view)
The orange bag was the prize he got for being in the 10 cutest costumes. Not bad, noh, considering that there are more than 500 participants. :) Other categories were 10 scariest, 10 best United Nations costumes and 10 best Disney costumes.

It was fun, and all we had to do was provide some goodies for kids who pass by our house!

Cool Eye Protection

I've always been an advocate of sunglasses since I know for a fact that our eyes need UV protection all year round. Damage from UV has been blamed to be one of the chief causes of age related macular degeneration and of cataracts. Although the cause of pterygium is not yet that clear, sun exposure is also known to be one of the factors.

The great thing about sunglasses is that they are not only functional, they also do a lot in spicing up your outfit. There are cool men's sunglasses in different styles, some great for using for sportier outfits and some which will look good even with suits. I know some men who do not think much of other men who wear sunglasses, but they not only look great, they also protect your eyes.

There are also great looking women's sunglasses which may become key designer pieces in your wardrobe, especially since they are pretty affordable and lasts long compared to designer clothes. You can use these not only for protection, but also to protect your eyes.

The other great news is that these designer sunglasses are now available online at affordable prices. Think I'll have one for myself.

Yoiks, I lost my files!

Ye, it can happen ... and our first reaction is a blank stare that says "What do I do now?" ... and then, we kick ourselves "Why didn't I backup my files?"

For very important files, I usually back them up somewhere. We have an external hard drive that we use occasionally, especially for pictures. We also make digital albums on CDs and don't erase the images on the SD cards.

For other important files, I also email myself.

Web Hosting Reviews

Among the numerous web hosting companies out there, which one truly gives you the best value for money? Short of actually experiencing each of them, wasting time and money, it's best to get the opinions of other people who have actually tried out the various services.

Web Hosting Rating actually gives the strengths of each web hosting company. They have ranked each according to which one is the best for the business, which one is the cheapest or most affordable, which one is the best for blogs, etc. etc.

Be prudent and review each hosting company before sinking in your money into one. In a way, it's like marrying somebody. It's difficult to leave when you're there, so make the wiser choice at the beginning.

Still On the US Elections

On the on The Chris Matthews Show, October 19th topics were: Can McCain rescue his campaign as the economy sinks? Who benefits as McCain and Obama question each other's character?


On The Chris Matthews Show, October 26th Chris Matthews leads with: "A different country. America changes. It did in 1932 with the coming of New Deal and in 1980 with the Reagan era. Will the election of 2008 bring an American epoch of Obama? Frustrated by a fitful war. Shaken by a financial free fall. Is the country turning to something truly new?"
The panelists:
-- Anne Kornblut is covering the campaigns for The Washington Post.
-- Clarence Page is a columnist for the Chicago Tribune.
-- Andrea Mitchell covers the race for NBC News.
-- John Heilemann covers politics for New York Magazine, which has his latest story on the cover this week.


Politics here in the Philippines ain't a lot different. Come to think of it, there's hardly any election that could be classified as truly fair and truly clean. Who survives after all the mud has been slung is going to be the winner.

-- updated 10-26-2008

Heart Repair

The mitral valve is one important component of the heart. In some cases of congenital anomalies, this may have some problems, either being too slow to move (too stiff) or too loose. This also happens in some cases of acquired heart conditions especially in elderly patients.

One option for these cases is to do a mitral valve repair. This is an open heart procedure and should be done by cardiothoracic surgeons who are especially trained to do such advanced, delicate procedures.

Sometimes the damage is simply too great that the only other option is to do a mitral valve replacement.

It's always prudent to look for the right doctor for the job, but more than that, we should always remember that we, as patients, should be proactive in looking after our health, observing the proper diet and the proper habits, so that we could have a better quality of life.

Ethan Turned Three! -- Part I

Ethan had his birthday a little over a month ago. We had not one , but 3 celebrations to mark the day! One in school, one in my mom's home, and one with my in-laws on the Sunday after his actual birthday.

First up, we had a small party for him at his toddler school. It was a lot easier than the McDo party we had when he turned one, since there are fewer "guests" and they are all there in school, and it was very short, only about 30 minutes. Yup, short and sweet. Just the way I like it. Theme-less too, so easier to get generic stuff.

We didn't have any invitations made. I didn't think that would be necessary, because my memories of school parties just consisted of bringing the cake and ice cream and balloons to school. Anyway, I reasoned that the little guests would already by there anyway. I did inform the teacher, not only so that he will know about the upcoming activity, but also so that he would be able to advise me on what is allowable or not in school.

We only had finger food. This was on the advise of Teacher Randy. He told us that classic fare like spaghetti and fried chicken would require the help of the yayas and/or teacher aides. Finger foods are easier for little hands to handle by themselves. Not only that, the servings are smaller, perfect for small tummies. We just bought cheese sticks, cocktail hotdogs (no sticks -- I'm an ophthalmologist and I'm paranoid about barbecue stick injuries), and chicken popcorn. I had it cooked at home and brought to school. We just HAD to include birthday misua, though, because it's traditional for us Chinese. Instead of providing paper plates, we bought small plastic microwaveable containers so that the kids can bring their food home if they cannot finish it.

Instead of getting a big cake, we got mini cuppies (not regular sized ones) from Quintbelles. I think that was a good idea! Toddlers don't really get to finish the regular sized cupcakes anyway. We just arranged it so that it spells out Happy 3rd birthday Ethan (see picture). Thank you so much Elaine! We loved how it looked! The children loved licking on the icing too!

We prepared some theme-less loot bags.
They're actually small pencil cases. We put bubbles, small jellos, lollipops, a small ball, a small toy watch and another small toy inside. Simple lang. I bought mugs for the teachers and the aides and filled them with candies and decorative paper clips -- it's a pity we forgot to take pics). For the tags, I printed out pictures of Ethan and the recipient (or of the whole class if I can't find any with just the two of them).

Balloons were provided by the school. We didn't really have a set program, but the teacher incorporated the lesson about age and birthdays in that day's class. I think that was better, actually. :)

And Ethan actually blew out the candle on his birthday cupcake for the very first time in his life!

It's just a pity that Ethan was not feeling well during his birthday (he had the beginnings of viral bronchiectasis) but he was such a trooper! I believe he would have enjoyed it even more if he were not feeling under the weather.

Will have a Part II. Watch out for it.

In the meantime, I hope that these tips for birthday celebrations on a very tight budget would help you. Enjoy!

Consider This

If you are living in the United States, you really should consider using the services of www.nationwidephonelookup.com especially if you have doubts about a certain telephone number. If I were there, I would have utilized those services because I know that there are so many of those unidentified callers out there who may turn out to be people you'd want to avoid. I hope they will soon expand their services to include the rest of the world, including the Philippines.

Coffee Break 1.41

Here's another coffee break question by Jan:



Being a little older means I have different groups of friends from different stages in my life. In general, we reminisce about the time that we had together, the people we knew, people/events/places during that stage of our lives.

For example, I was in high school in the eightees, so, baduy as it seems, we sometimes reminisce about the Bagets movies, Top Gun (with a young Tom Cruise), new wave music, and Madonna when she was young. We chuckle about some pranks pulled by our classmates. We remember some of the teachers, for both good reasons and otherwise.

But mostly, we update ourselves on what's going on in our lives. We trade stories of our jobs and our families. We wonder about our friends who have been MIA for quite a while. It doesn't really matter which group of friends it is, as long as we meet again, it's like we have so much to talk about.

The New Dating Scene

The dating game has become high tech too, since the introduction of the internet. If you are a man looking for a woman for dating or otherwise, there are now more options to meet women via online women personals. Of course, it goes without saying that you should be careful too, because some people may still out to be not quite what you're expecting. Still it's a long way from just waiting for your parents to choose your mate for you.

The Crying Game

My little boy is starting to try getting his way by hitting us where it hurts most -- emotionally. Most of time, he cries because he did not get his way. But he's pretty selective to when to turn on the waterworks. I think we the parents are more subject to these emotional displays because he thinks we're more gullible.

He's actually a good and obedient boy, most of the time. I guess he's trying to test his limits. They don't call it the terrible threes for nothing. The important thing is that we know when to give in and when not to.

Annoying Phone Calls

I get a lot of annoying people from people I really do not know. It's such a waste of time and energy, and sometimes they do not take no for an answer. With a caller ID, internet connection and this website which allows people to Report Phone Numbers, maybe I would be able to identify those annoying callers and avoid them at all costs.

It's Starting....

The nights are a bit longer. Stores are putting up Christmas displays (oddly, next to Halloween displays), and people are flocking to Divisoria and the malls. And, people are planning their vacations.

Here's why:

Christmas Countdowns & MySpace Layouts

Better Way To Keep Memories

Ever since the advent of digital cameras, more and more photos are left in hard drives or SD cards. I'm one of those moms who are guilty of not having a physical photo album in which my son's photographs are showcased. My mother-in-law has been convincing me to have them printed, since for her, looking at pictures on the computer screen is not the same as looking at actual photographs. I actually agree with her. I am bothered, though, about the amount of loose pictures we had from childhood which remained unbound or have fallen off old photo albums. Time really does not guarantee that precious pictures will be kept forever, and photo albums are sadly not as durable as they used to be.

I did make an album of sorts back when my son turned 1. I printed out images on photo papers and had them ring bound by an office supply store near our home. Now, looking at it, it looks very rough, but I was proud of it. It also served as a guest book during my son's birthday as the guests signed up on the white pages. Too bad not too many guests signed, because they took a long time, as they were busy looking at the pictures!

We have already compiled quite a pile of pictures. However, I probably would not do it the way I did before, printed it out myself and had it ring bound. I would like better prints, better layout and of course better book binding for those precious photos. I came across coverbinddirect.com, which offers machines especially for this purpose. I'm thinking that this will not only be great for my family's albums, but will also make a great business. There's an ongoing contest and I'm trying my luck. Who knows, I might just be making beautiful photobooks in no time at all!

The Other Boleyn Girl

Just watched "The Other Boleyn Girl" last night. I was struck by how easy it is for a monarch to dictate the lives of the people under him, even his queen/s. The only reason why King Henry VIII married Anne in the first place is because she would not allow him to be intimate with her unless they get married and she becomes queen. He therefore cut ties with the Catholic church and set up his own Church of England so that he could have his marriage to Catherine, his first wife, annulled, since the Pope did not want to grant him an annulment. Anne got pregnant soon after her pregnancy but gave birth to a daughter rather to the son that the kind desperately wanted. King Henry's roving eye was already seeking other women by then. Eventually, Queen Anne Boleyn was beheaded on charges of adultery, treason and incest, even if no concrete proof was given.

The narration is supposedly by Mary Boleyn, Anne's sister, who became Henry's mistress way before he married Anne.

I do not know how much artistic license was applied in this case, or if this story is historicall accurate, but it certainly was an entertaining movie. Maybe I should read the book.

Mailbox Talk

I don't know why it's so difficult to find really nice mailboxes here in the Philippines. The ones I see in home improvement and hardware shops look almost the same to me. I know, mailboxes are just places where the postman leaves your mail, but it should also have a bit of aesthetic value, don't you think? After all, it does occupy a prominent place outside your home. I've seen some around the village which look like personalized Whitehall maiboxes.

I do love the look of the Whitehall maiboxes, especially the wall mounted types. I think the "kartero" here do not really notice the mailboxes unless they're right on or beside the door. What we have at home is a floor mounted custom maibox located little to the side of the gate. Guess what, they still put our mail in between the gate openings. So, now, our mailbox is not serving its actual function of receiving and protecting things we get from the mail. So, I'm guessing the wall mounted one near the front door will be a better option, one I will probably get if and when we have our new home.

Not a Cry Baby...

My son can be pretty manipulative at times. I think he may be trying to get his way with crying. How would you explain the fact that he does not cry when he falls or bangs his head but cries loudly when he doesn't get to watch his favorite DVD? How do you explain why he cries because it's bedtime and he still wants to play? How do you explain the fact that he cries more when my husband and I are around? Arte no?

Definitely time to hold our ground and be firm about rules.

Can't Be Too Careful

I don't know if people really are becoming more sexually depraved or the media just reports it more often, but everyday, you hear some news of how a little child has been raped or abused by a much older adult, sometimes even related to the child. I wish we had a way of doing a local Sexual Predator Search online so that we can at least be aware and make some precautions so our children won't be the next victim.

Coffee break ver. 1.40

Another Coffee Break question from Jan:


I've always loved talking with my cousin Garvin. He was what my husband would consider an old soul. He was always startling us with surprisingly adult conversations even when he was less than 10 years old. He was so mature for his age.

One Christmas (I don't know how old he was), my mom brought him to National Bookstore to buy him a present. She gave him a 500 peso bill to spend in whatever way he chose.

Garvin: You don't have to give me a gift, A-ko (aunt).
My mom: But I want to. Here's the money, buy anything you want and use it up.
Garvin: OK

After a while....

My mom: Haven't you picked anything yet?
Garvin: Nothing yet. Everything's so expensive. Sayang pera

After a while, he finally chose a book worth much less than 500 pesos, paid for it, and gave the change to my mother.
My mom: O, that's it? You still have some money to spend.
Garvin: This is okay na, A-ko. Thank you very much! I like this and it's enough for my Christmas gift.

My mom was so proud of him! I was too! It goes to show how good a child he really was, and what a fine adult he would have turned out to be.

I miss him a lot! He would have loved playing (young) uncle to my son. Oh well, I guess God has other plans for him.

Something's A-Brewin'

I do not know if you are aware that I actually have another self-hosted blog over at http://www.joeymd.com . This one is more of a blog about my life as a doctor. I didn't really get a big company to do the hosting for me since it was a shot in the dark and I was not really sure about what I want to do. Instead, I got a small startup with a one man team. It's main advantage is that it's cheap. It's main disadvantage is that when my webhost is offline for an extended period of time, I can't contact him. Overall, I'm happy with the hosting and I feel that it is adequate for my blog.

I am thinking of cooking up something else, though. And for this project, I would likely look for a bigger company, since I am guessing that this is going to be a lot more complicated than a simple blog. I am going through web hosting ratings and feedbacks from people who have used their services before. Since I am going to spend quite a bit more money than I did with my blog, I really have to make sure that I would get my money's worth. Companies who have already won some web hosting awards definitely have the edge, but I would not discount others who don't. Another consideration is budget. Mine is tight, so expensive deals are off.

I'm also looking at some very informative web hosting tutorials. I'm not really an internet expert so this is all very educational for me. I may eventually need someone with more IT knowledge to help me in the long run, but for now, I can only rely on myself. That's why I want to arm myself with more knowledge so that I would be able to achieve what I set out to do.

What is it, anyway? I'll just inform you guys when it's up, coz I don't know yet if this will work. I'm crossing my fingers, though, that this will.

Tell Me Something I Don't Know

October 12th, on The Chris Matthews Show, Chris asks his roundtable to "Tell Me Something I Don't Know" ... this weeks roundtable: Gloria Borger of CNN, Howard Fineman of Newsweek, Cynthia Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, David Ignatius of The Washington Post

The Other Side

As I've mentioned before, Chinese women are not usually placed in their families' "family book". I am hoping, though, that the free genealogy service that I have found online would make it easier for me to search the females up the line of my family tree. Who knows, we might actually be related to some important person but we just don't know it.

I'm On Plurk!

If you notice my website, there is a new widget. It's Plurk, and it's pretty addicting. I post comments, my friends get to see them, and they can respond to my comments. Pretty cool way to get in touch online.

In case you're interested, join us with our tsismisan online. My plurk page is here, just click to join!

Website Reviews by Actual Users

Sometimes, it's a little more difficult than we think to look for good and reliable websites. Everybody promotes his or her own website as the best ones. But which ones are, really? It's best to depend on User Website Reviews by actual visitors of the different websites so that you would have a more objective assessment of which are the best websites for your needs.

The Way Students Nowadays Do Research

I've always thought that students nowadays have an easier time with doing their researches since information was so widely available and so easy to obtain using a simple click of the mouse. Search engines like Google have definitely made researching easier for all of us.

What we have to watch out for is misinformation. It does not mean that if the information is out there, it's all bound to be true. When researching, we still have to use our very own "computer", our brains, to filter out which are true and which are not.

Area Code Help

The telephone system in the United States is so much more sophisticated than ours since you can actually pinpoint the place where the phone is located. It's pretty complicated to Find Area Codes without some online help, though, given that there are so many states and so many cities (Some states are even bigger than the whole Philippines!) But with the advent of technology, it can actually be done quite easily.

Age 79

You Will Die at Age 79

You're pretty average when it comes to how you live... And how you'll die as well.

What Age Will You Die?

Pretty good, I guess. Considering that I don't practice as much "healthy living" tips as I'd like to. They say that life expectancy is more or less dependent upon the distaff side. I believe the women in my family had lived past 80, so 79 is pretty close.

Looking Young

I'm already 38. People say I look younger than my real age, but I know that I cannot stop the damages my advancing age will do on my skin. I'm starting late on my age-defying ritual of nightly creams. I've been told, though, that resurgence is a much better option.

Being curious, I decided to check out the resurgence informercial available online. If I could be as beautiful as those featured women, I'd be one happy woman! Nevertheless, if what they claim is true, then I guess I should consider getting a murad resurgence therapy to keep me looking young for as long as possible.

It's a sad fact of life that women are often judged according to how good they look, whether or not they have other abilities or talents. But on the flip side, we should also think of looking good, not because of how others perceive us, but because we want to feel good about ourselves. And that means that, aside from appearances, a woman should always strive to be the best in her field.

My Ideal Pet?

I'm not really fond of pets, but just for fun, I tried to see what kind of pet would suit my personality.

Your Ideal Pet is a Cat

You're both aloof, introverted, and moody. And your friends secretly wish that you were declawed!

What's Your Ideal Pet?

Frankly speaking, I am a bit surprised. I've never been that fond of cats. I like dogs more. But then, I'm not really a pet person at all. I'd admire other people's pets but I do not really have the inclination to look after pets of my own.

Tracing Your Roots?

Have you ever tried tracing your family tree? So far, I haven't, but I'm guessing I trace it from the males in the family. You see, Chinese families generally keep a book of genealogy in their hometowns, but only the males are included. Daughters are considered unimportant and are married off anyway, so they do not have a place in the family genealogy book. Instead, they are included as a wife in their husband's family's genealogy book, if at all. At least that's how my grandfather used to explain it. I don't know if that's the case with all families, or just with ours. But that just makes it difficult to trace the maternal line.

Fall 2008 TV: another survey

I'm more of a reader than a TV watcher. When I'm alone that is. Lately though, I do not have the budget and the space for new books. But surfing the net also has a way of eating up my time...in a good way. :)

My husband and I like to have DVD marathons of CSI, House, Scrubs, etc. We call it our date. When the little one is asleep, we pop in a disc, get out the drinks and chips and watch until we feel sleepy already.

Lately, though, it seems that we don't even have time for that! Sigh....

In the News

The impending pardon of Claudio Teehankee Jr. as well other well-placed, high profile convicted criminals have cast doubt on the justice system here in the Philippines. It was claimed that the victim's family had known about the impending pardon, but they don't seem to and are mourning the lack of justice in allowing a convicted double murderer to be released after only 13 years in prison.

It's nuts. I don't know if we even have a good way to check on the records of the inmates that we have now (something like the kentucky inmate search) so that the ones in power can truly decide who are those criminals that deserve to be granted pardon and those who should rot in jail.

How's Your Attitude?

Your Attitude is Better than 60% of the Population

You have a good attitude. While a realist, you do see the positive side of most things. People love to be around you.

How's Your Attitude?

Where Is He?

I have an uncle who we haven't heard from for a long time. He was estranged from the family but he unexpectedly showed up at my father's wake 8 years ago. He said that it was a coincidence that he happened to see an obituary with my dad's death. He promised to keep in touch and left an address where we could reach him. A few months later, my grandmother (his mother) passed away. My mom sent someone to locate him at the address that he had given us, but he could no longer be located. We heard rumors that he had gotten sick and passed away, but we can't confirm if this was indeed true. We don't even know where he was at that time, because apparently he had moved out of the address he gave us before we looked for him. I wish we could have an easy way of searching through death records so that we can find out for ourselves if what the rumors stated were true. I wish it were not, because he's still family and we dream of being reunited somehow.

Are You In Love?

Your Love Score Is: 75

It's truly love. You have an amazing partner and a wonderful relationship. Your relationship isn't perfect, but you know how to work with each other to make it better. You both listen to one another, give freely, and do your best to make things work. While you have ups and downs like any other couple, you're good at getting through the bad times together. And although you find it easy to love your partner, you understand that lasting love doesn't come easily. You are both willing to give this relationship everything you have. And luckily, that's all it takes to make it work.

Are You in Love?

Perfect For Nursing Moms

One problem that new moms face is to find an appropriate outfit to be able to initiate breastfeeding. Most available hospital gowns do not have an opening aside from the single one that exposes more than what patients would want to. Not only that, most of those gowns are very thin, virtually see-through and does not provide warmth at all. New mommies are forced to bring their own alternatives, like their own nursing nightgowns or jammies, but these garments are not perfect too. If the mom had a Cesarian, in all probability she has an IV and a urinary catheter, which may be difficult for these types of garments since they are not really designed for hospital use.

I came across a site which features versatile hospital gowns which are a cut above the rest. These gowns provide adequate coverage, are made of comfortable soft, skin sensitive microfibers, and have several discreet openings which may be exposed as needed. These are perfect for mommies who would want to initiate breastfeeding as they only have to expose a small portion of the chest. And, of course, they also look a lot better and a lot more stylish than the usual hospital gowns. Say bye-bye to having to choose between function and style, because these gowns provide both and more!

There are several designs and several colors to choose from. They also have matching hospital pants. I'll repeat: They are stylish! So you can just buy your own and continue using them while on your maternity leave so that you're both more comfortable and better looking too.

Not only are these gowns great for nursing mommies, they are also great for other patients with other diseases and other procedures. These are great for people who have to undergo radiation therapy, for instance, and also for people who need to undergo some sort of rehabilitation on a certain portion of the body only.

Coffee break ver. 1.39

Another coffeebreak question from Jan:



My short answer is: NO! A double MURDER? Absolutely not. 3 years is not enough time for him to pay off his crime.

I admit I was still willing to give PGMA a little bit of slack. I actually pitied her sometimes for having so many detractors because I believe that SOME of her decisions have some basis, one way or another.

But for her to actually give pardon to SEVERAL big name criminals who are neither old, sick nor inform...This is way too much! Sure, she CAN give pardon, but she must have used that power wisely. This certainly lowers my opinion of her several notches. The people who advised her to do this are themselves criminals.

Need IT Help

As I have mentioned before, I am seriously contemplating on making a better website for my micro business. Unfortunately, I do not have the advanced IT knowhow, so I'm doing the next best thing-- looking for experts in the IT field who can handle my needs. I must confess that so green in such matters that terms like Active Directory and Exchange Tool are beyond my comprehension yet. That's why the company or individual that I eventually choose to build and maintain my website should be able to do the Active Directory Management, because, frankly, I can't.

I am quite proud of teaching myself a lot of things about working on the computer. Most of the things I learned and I now know are through self discovery. I have the sinking suspicion, though, that setting up an impressive website is probably not one of those things that I can discover for myself.

About Books!

I got this from the n@w mailing list:

1. Two books that you can read over and over again
Doctors by Erich Segal
Tomorrow Never Dies by Sidney Sheldon

2. Top 3 fave books
Doctors by Erich Segal
Tomorrow Never Dies by Sidney Sheldon
Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Kiyosaki

3. Book that you started to read,but can't finish reading
Lord of the Rings -- I skip chapters on this. I actually prefer the movie.

4. Book that makes you sleepy
Textbooks!

5. First book that you bought with your own money (not bought by parents)
I can't remember which. But I guess it has to be one of my "leisure" pocketbooks. My parents didn't buy me any, as far as I can remember. What they bought me were textbooks and "serious" books, and some storybooks when I was younger.

6. Most expensive book you bought
I can't remember. Maybe the "dummies" books I have? For my leisure books, I seldom spend more than 400 pesos unless I really, really want it! I'm fine with second hand books.

7. Book given to you as a gift
The Bridge Across Forever by Richard Bach
Love Strong by Green

8. Favorite author
Plenty! I have no particular favorite, but I love the works of Sidney Sheldon, John Grisham, Judith McNaught, Erich Segal and many many more.

Chic and Cheap Glasses

Lots of people I know hate wearing eyeglasses but cannot live without them. It's because they think that (1) eyeglasses are ugly and unfashionable and (2) eyeglasses are expensive.

That's not always the case. As attested by The Clark Howard Show, you can actually get attractive spectacles without breaking the bank! In fact you can get one pair for the low price of 8 dollars, all in!

I particularly like this pair:


Don't you think they look like Sarah Palin's glasses, which have become very fashionable of late, ever since she became the Republican bet for vice president? :)

People have realized that eyeglasses, when chosen properly, can actually complement your total look and give extra points for fashion and attractiveness. I know somebody who actually wears spectacles even if she does not need it (she uses plano -- no grade -- lenses). I do agree that it does make a face look a little bit more dignified, somehow. That's very important for "serious" jobs like lawyers, accountants, doctors, etc. where a person is oftentimes judged based on "business" look. However, there are already some glasses which offer a more "quirky" and casual style if you're not that stiff. And believe me, they all look good!

Would You Be a Good Wife or Husband?

I've always wondered if I am, in fact, a good wife. As everybody knows, when you get married, both of you should start thinking in terms of "we" rather than "I". You no longer decide things just for yourself but also in terms of how it will affect your spouse and your children, if you have any. I've always wondered if I've been a good enough wife (I'm realistic enough to know that there is no such thing as perfect). OK, so here goes....

You Would Be a Good Spouse 85% of the Time

You have what it takes to be an amazing wife or husband. You are caring, patient, giving, and romantic. You are willing to work for a marriage. More than anything, you're not about to let your ego ruin a relationship. You are humble and unselfish. And that's the key to being a good spouse.

Would You Be a Good Wife or Husband?

Massage for Expectant Moms

Pregnant moms need pampering, but some people (both patients and masseurs/masseuses alike) are hesitant about massage because of the perceived delicate nature of pregnant women. While it is true that you should not treat a pregnant woman the same as an ordinary person wanting/needing massage, there are actually pregnancy massage techniques which are not only safe, they also help in ensuring that preggy moms get all the relaxation, pampering and other health benefits that they need at this time.

The next time I get pregnant (which I hope is soon!), I would consider buying a pregnancy massage DVD and try to convince or cajole hubby to giving me a pregnancy massage himself. You think he'd agree? After all, we're in this together!

Another massage that I think would benefit a lot is the lactation massage. I had a wonderful breastfeeding experience with my firstborn that I hope I would be able to duplicate with my second. But I'm also aware that if ever we do get our longed for second child, it would be a little more stressful since we have to give attention to both kids, unlike with one who has our full, undivided attention. I know that stress could affect milk supply too. With all the melamine scare around, it's still going to point out that mother's milk is still the best.

College Education from Home

I'm currently enrolled in a distance education course in the University of the Philippines Open University. However, the course I am currently enrolled in, Masters in Hospital Administration is not a pure distance learning, because we have a monthly face to face encounter with our professor and our classmates. Nevertheless, this model is pretty useful for busy working individuals like me who do not have the time and the resources to be full time students. I am glad though, that I could pursue this course because I have a great childcare support system consisting of my mother and the nanny who could take care of my kid whenever I have to go to class.

If I didn't have that support system, I would have to forego my degree or go for a totally online one like what they now offer in Nouveau University, with a conditional license to grant degrees from the Arizona State Board for Private Post Secondary Education. Of course, having a degree in a US based school like Nouveau University has its advantages and disadvantages. We have to admit that college and graduate education here in the Philippines is still very inexpensive compared to other countries, especially if you're talking about University of the Philippines. This is still the case even if there have been a few tuition increases already and some students are in fact protesting over perceived "high" school fees. But I'm going off topic here.

I guess the biggest attraction of a degree obtained from a US based institution like the Nouveau University is the prestige of being educated abroad. You know how much that counts for over here. And since it's distance learning, you can actually save on travel, room and lodging fees, and of course, you can still work to pay your tution.

I do not know the whole process of getting into one of their programs if you attended high school over here, but you can just contact them for more information.

Try Your Luck!

If you're a Pinay blogger like me, you should join pinaybloggers.com , the online forum for Pinay bloggers, started by a Pinay blogger. It's free to join, and you get to meet and interact with your fellow Pinays online. Now there's more reason to join since there's a cool contest ongoing right now! Want to know more about it? Click here!

Extra Sleeping Space

My husband and I have been thinking of getting mattresses for quite a while now, since our bed is not enough for the three of us (we co-sleep), but we really did not have enough space in our small room. We thought getting air mattresses would be a better option, but my mom told us that they bought several during a summer activity in her temple and the mattresses didn't last until the next activity. I guess they're not all created equal. We ended up just buying ordinary foam mattresses for our daily use but I'm still considering air mattresses for unexpected sleepover guests because they are easier to store, but I'll have to check for review to see which the best brand is before I actually go out and buy.

Yaya's Day Off

Yaya C. told me a few weeks before that she's taking today off so that she can spend time with her parents. I agreed. I didn't expect to be doing anything productive while the little tyke is awake. With his cousin Kuya G., it was virtually impossible for these 2 rambunctious (but fun!) boys to have any sleep! He finally crashed when he was having dinner (even had some food in his mouth pa), but it turned out to be a short nap. He woke up at around 8:30pm. My hubby and I fell asleep before he did, and when I woke up at around 11:00 pm, he was still awake, probably very bored (he was just lying in bed playing by himself in the darkened room), and smiling at me when he saw that I was already awake.

Haynaku! :)

Make Soy Candles

A few year ago, candle making was all the rage by "crafty" men and women. You can see beautifully crafted candles everywhere -- as wedding and birthday giveaways, inexpensive housewarming gifts, birthday and Christmas gifts. Though the trend has since waned a bit since then, several people still love those beautifully crafted, beautifully scented candles.

My son's pediatrician and my kumare introduced me to soy candles. These are organic, clean burning (no soot), beautifully scented, long lasting candles. I'm planning to buy a few as gifts for the coming Christmas season. I would have loved to learn how to make these candles, but, well, I simply do not have the time to do so. But for moms who would be interested to make their own soy candles, I've actually found a site which specializes in candle making supplies. Sure, you can find fragrance oils and containers locally, but I do not know of any local shop selling soy wax.

I hope that this site will be as informative for you as it is for me. Enjoy making your Christmas gifts!

This is my 500th post!

I can't believe that I have so many posts already! It seems just like yesterday when I decided to blog regularly. Now I have other blogs already aside from this one!

In case you haven't heard, I am holding a 100th post anniversary contest at my other blog, http://www.practicaltipsandmore. It's running until October 25, 2008 . I'm giving away a spa set (room and linen spray, massage oil and essence burner oil). Why don't you go check it out here?

As for this blog, the second anniversary is coming! I'm thinking of ways to celebrate my blog's birthday! Any suggestions?

Professional Insurance?

The days when the doctors and dentists were looked on with unquestioned respect is over. That was the time when medical malpractice was hardly heard of. But patients have since become more discerning and have started questioning some practices of health professionals. Though it's true that most health professionals are decent human beings who never intended for any mistakes or accidents to happen, the truth is that they do, even with the best intentions. Health professionals are, after all, human, and humans are far from perfect. But we all strive to be.

Nevertheless, we do have to stand by our decisions. Patients may not understand why complications may occur, but they certain would not hesitate to question and demand for professional liability so we might as well be prepared for such eventualities. I would hate for the Philippines to turn into a litiginous society like some countries where McDonald's is sued for getting people obese, for scalding people because hot coffee wasn't labeled as such, and a burglar actually sued the homeowners because he had an accident while trying to enter their house! That would be such a scary thought! But it appears that we don't have a choice, because people are already heading in that direction of thinking. Preparing ourselves for the possibility that we may get charged eventually, even with the noblest of intentions and the most unexpected of results, is the best thing that we can do. I do not really relish the thought of having to take on an insurance hedge against malpractice. Having said that, I believe that a patient will only sue his doctor or dentist if there is a lapse in communication and things don't go according to plan. Patients then question the doctor or dentist for doing whatever was done. I believe that with proper priming and communication with the patient and his family, possible side effects and complications would have been discussed at length so that there would be few surprises and even fewer disappointments and lawsuits.

Fall TV Season Has Begun

Another survey for TV addicts! I'm not really an addict but I do enjoy some TV shows. But I do not have time to regularly follow the shows that I want. I sometimes just buy the DVDs later for the season that I have missed so that hubby and I still get to watch them. We call DVD marathons our "dates". :)

We're roughly two weeks in to the new Fall TV Season. What have we seen? What do we like?

Popular Wedding Gifts -- Oven Toasters

Whenever a wedding comes along, one of the more popular gifts are oven toasters. They are actually useful gifts as you can use them from toasting bread, heating food (although it's not as efficient as the microwave oven) and bake a small loaf of bread or cake or a small batch of cookies. We have one but it's still in storage since we have still have an old but working one. We know of others who receive six! Just goes to show how popular these are as wedding gifts. How many DID you get?

If you want to know which ones are the better ones, given that there are so many brands in the market, you can look up www.toasterovensguide.com .

Managing Time Management

Have some problems re: time management lately, so I found a little comic relief here. I have so many things to blog about, and so little time! I even have a blog carnival that I'm supposed to make the roundup but I really haven't got the time to! Oh well...That's the curse of multitasking :).

Improving My Business Website

I've been thinking a lot lately of going a little more full time with my online microbusiness at Ethan's Store. Do come and visit us at http://www.ethansstore.com . We sell mostly unique personal care products, a lot of which are organic and virgin coconut oil based. Our prices are very competitive and our products WORK! My bestseller is the Coco Cabana Natural Insect Repellant which is virgin coconut oil based and contains essential oils of citronella, lavender and lemongrass. I've been using it on my son ever since he was a few months old and it has really kept mosquitoes away from him!

As you can see, I've gotten my own domain for it but it's still I still use a blogger template. I admit I'm a neophyte at building and maintaining a website, most especially an e-commerce site.

I've seen a lot of people having great, professional looking designs. I'm thinking that it might be worth it to have a professionally done Website Design. It can't be denied that image counts for a lot, especially in business. It's different from a personal website or blog, which can look "unprofessional" but still look nice, as it is somehow an expression of a person's individuality. In business, however, I think there should be a more polished, corporate look, especially for a "serious" business.

I'm looking at some web hosting companies which would help me put up my dream business website. One of those which I've come across and which I'm adding to my shortlist is Heritage Web Solutions. This company has a client base of over 30,000 websites. They must be doing something right for so many people to trust them. I've looked at their portfolio and the webdesigns look great! They claim that all their designs are unique and ultimately, that's what I want, not some copy of another website.

Are they the right people to make Ethan's Store come "alive" on the net? What do YOU think? Is my search over?