Thursday Thirteen

Thursday Thirteen #15 – 13 things I’d rather do than go to work

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And I’m not just talking about a simple reluctance to get up everything and go to work. No, this isn’t just because I am lazy (because I am lazy). And it isn’t because I hate my job, boss or co-workers either – because I don’t. I enjoy my job too, it’s just that, I’d really rather prefer to stay at home where there are a million and one ways I can be more productive.

Funny how I used to think that I wasn’t that kind of girl. For Twilight fans, you know how Bella thinks she’s not the kind of small town girl to get married right out of highschool? I had thoughts like that too – about not being the kind to stay home while the hubby went out to bring home the bacon. And it’s not just about earning money for the family – it was more of the idea of really doing something that I was passionate about. For a time I fantasized about being a communist rebel (not exactly a glamorous career); then I also dreamed of working in a top corporation and making it big. When my life revolved around working with children’s NGOs, I knew that was my place in the sun.

But as I grew older, things changed and my perceptions changed along with it. I know now that when it came time build my own family, when it was time to have babies, I would not be able to keep myself away from home on a regular basis. Not even for an eight hour shift.

Lately, this idea of just staying at home has been occupying my mind and it isn’t just for when I had babies anymore. Why should I have to wait? Why can’t I just start now?

Thus the theme for this week’s 13: things I’d rather do than go to work.

+ Blog about so many other things that matter to me and the world (sheesh I’m still not done with the Bohol posts) and bloghop like crazy.

+ Watch DVDs

+ Read (I’m down to 11 books from last week’s list, but really there are several more that didn’t go up there)

+ Workout. Swim. Learn Tennis again.

+ Finish my digital Scrapbook project for the girls. Start scrapping our Bohol vacation.

+ Find online freelance article writing opportunities.

+ Fulfill Truffles orders

+ Bake (for family, and also to sell) and/or go to baking school.

+ Spoil my dog (so he would look more to me as his owner/mommy, than to my mom and dad)

+ Spend time with my nephews (read them books, for one, but there are so many other things we’d be happy to get busy with after school)

+ Learn other things – design stuff, like digital signage or even cards or whatever. I’d love to learn the ins and outs of Photoshop (if only that course I wanted to sign up for wasn’t out of my budget range).

+ Get involved with Sunday School at Church.

+ Find part time involvement with the NGOs I worked with in the past – I’d love to setup a new website for Asia ACTs or write stuff for them. And I’d love to facilitate workshops for ECPAT and the young people.

This seems a merry mix of things and I’m aware it all sounds like stuff I already can do while still working a regular job. The thing is, these are all distractions for me at work and I don’t want to be like that. When I’m at work, I want to be focused. That’s the only way I can be really productive. When I’m at home doing any or all these things – you won’t believe how focused I could get. Hehe.

Or, I really am just lazy. Haha 😉

As always, checkout my previous TT’s here and here. Also don’t forget to sign Mr Linky, and leave a comment so I can go visit you too. 🙂

Thursday Thirteen #14 – Books!

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For this edition of my Thursday Thirteen, I list the books on my current to-read pile.

to-read pile!

to-read pile!

There are plenty of other books in the house that I haven’t read and would love to read too. It just so happens that I bought the ones on this pile myself – mostly second-hand.

  1. New Moon – Book 2 of the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer. I just finished reading Twilight for the second time and I’ll probably start this one in a day or two. I gotta post about the recent two books I finished reading before I start another though.
  2. Eclipse – Book 3 of the Twilight Saga. Okay, it’s obvious that I already own all four books in the series. I figured I’d buy them at once while Fully Booked at Gateway still had paperback stocks. I actually had to reserve these via email. The first three books were picked up for me by my friend Vanette, while Breaking Dawn in paperback was restocked only last weekend. The CS peeps over at Fully Booked were kind enough to inform me that it was already available so I picked it up on Monday.
  3. Breaking Dawn – Book 4. Alfred is interested in reading the saga and I am encouraging him because it is rare that he shows interests in books. I’m not sure how he’d react to the cheesy stuff though.
  4. My Friend Leonard – James Frey. I had read A Million Little Pieces and was moved, sometimes disturbed, by the story. I don’t care if he embellished and if it wasn’t 100% truthful, he had very powerful words and he painted pictures that people should see. I am looking forward to this one, and I am assuming it will revolve around the same Leonard that was part of the first book. While I was at the bookstore, I found out about a third novel that Frey wrote. If I still like this one, I’d most probably be getting that too.
  5. Lirael – by Garth Nix. Book 2 of the Abhorsen series. It’s been years since I read the first of the trilogy: Sabriel. It’s a Young Adult Fantasy and I love it!  The main character in the first book is a young girl. Lirael will continue on with what had happened after the events in the first book took place. I’m hoping I can dig out the first book so I could jog my memory a bit before I start on Lirael.
  6. Les Miserables – Victor Hugo. I’ve seen the concert, loved the songs and even sang them, but I’ve never read the book. I must admit it’s thickness is quite intimidating, but I think I can handle it  🙂
  7. Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey. You gotta take one when you take the other right? Haha. I wonder if I’ll understand much of what is written in these two books?
  8. Anna Karenin by Leo Tolstoy.
  9. PS I Love You by Cecilia Ahern – Loved the movie, I’m sure I will love the book even more.
  10. The Nanny Diaries by Emma Mclaughlin, Nicola Kraus. Here’s another title whose movie adaptation I enjoyed watching.
  11. The Year of Pleasures by Elizabeth Berg – I had read two or three of her novels before and I truly enjoyed them. So full of heart. I’ve already forgotten what this one is about, but I’m sure I will like it.
  12. The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella – I have missed her writing and woulld love to just sitback and enjoy some light reading again 🙂
  13. The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger – Can you believe that I didn’t see the movie? I’ll read this, and then watch.

There are at least two more titles upstairs that should be on this pile, including Scottoline’s Daddy’s Girl. I’d love to skip work and just spend entire days reading and then blogging about them (and maybe even giving them away if I could figure out the logistics for that). Then I’d have visits to the bookshops to look forward to again. I really love walking into bookshops and letting titles draw me in. I have not tried book shopping online because I know I’d be addicted.  Maybe it’s a blessing that Amazon books don’t deliver to the Philippines. 😉

Checkout my previous TT’s here and here. Also don’t forget to sign Mr Linky, and leave a comment so I can go visit you too. :)

Thursday Thirteen #13 – What’s in my bag?

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Wow, it’s been two months since I last did a thirteen! The thirteenth edition shows you what I carry around with me everyday. I didn’t take a shot of my bag because, well, for no reason. I just forgot. I do know that I intentionally did not take a shot of all of these things while they were actually sitting in my bag because you would see how disorganized my stuff was. Haha!

Nah, seriously. The reason why I attempted to fuse plastic was because I wanted to make a bag organizer from that material. I already had one but I could use another of different dimensions; plus the other one is made of thicker material.

Anyway, without further ado, here are thirteen (or more) things found inside my bag (in the order in which I snapped them using my camera phone):

Inside the pill box are my FitRight capsules.

1) Pink pill box - Inside are my FitRight capsules.

2) My purse - with several other things inside.

2) My purse - with several other things inside.

3) Lip gloss - These are my current favorites but there are actually more in there!

3) Lip gloss - These are my current favorites but there are actually more in there!

4) Wipes - wet and dry tissue. You'll never know when you'll need them

4) Wipes - wet and dry tissue. You'll never know when you'll need these.

5) Chocolates and mints - For your needed sugar fix.

5) Chocolates and mints - For your needed sugar fix.

6) Comb - This is what replaced the ancient but very reliable Hair Doctor I recently broke.

6) Comb - This is what replaced the ancient but very reliable Hair Doctor I recently broke.

7) More kikay stuff - brush, pressed powder, concealer, oil blotter, and 8) some shimmer lotion

7) More kikay stuff - brush, pressed powder, concealer, oil blotter, and 8 ) some shimmer lotion

9) Scent - Nothing like White Musk to lift my spirits!

9) Scent - Nothing like White Musk to lift my spirits!

10) Set of keys

10) Set of keys

11) Pens - Do I really have four of them in there?

11) Pens - Do I really have four of them in there?

12) My Sony-Ericsson earphone to match my phone!

12) My Sony-Ericsson earphone to match my phone!

13) My tiny notepad that I made myself. From scraps of paper left over from the journals I gave away for Christmas; with covers I put together myself from scrap kits.

13) My tiny notepad that I made myself. From scraps of paper left over from the journals I gave away for Christmas; with covers I put together myself from scrap kits.

So there you go, thirteen things found inside my bag. That makes for quite a big bag. Oh!!! I remember what’s missing here – my reusable bag! I had it washed and so it’s not back in my bag at the time of this post. Oh well. 🙂


 If you haven’t seen them yet, visit my previous TT’s here and here. Also don’t forget to sign Mr Linky, and leave a comment so I can go visit you too. 🙂

Return to Divisoria – Thursday Thirteen – #12

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Though I did not get much sleep, I am so happy with how we spent our day. Alfred finally took me for some retail therapy where all the bargain hunters go – Divisoria! (Check other posts about Divi – the place to be! – here, here and here.

So this edition of Thursday Thirteen is all about my July 2 2008 trip to Divi!

  • This was the earliest I’ve ever been to Divi – we were there before 9am. I got off work at around 730 and we went there right after breakfast. We were able to beat the traffic because we passed through North rather than traverse the length of Quezon Avenue and España. Early is the best time at Divi!
  • We hopped on a jeepney from Divi to Morayta on our way home. Why is this worth mentioning? Because I do not commute (public transport) on a daily basis. I take a cab to and from work not because I’m rich or maarte but because it’s the fastest, and actually the most practical way for me. If I were to go by public transport, it would take 2 rides and about 4 blocks on foot to get to work. I do take the jeepney if I only have to go somewhere “near.” The ride reminded me that I should commute more often – ditch the cabs!
  • We set out to find these, and we did! All I need is magnets and can turn them into those. They were so cheap!

  • We also got two pairs of pants for myself with some embroidered embellishments on the pockets (not too attention grabbing, don’t worry). (PhP 250 each)
  • I also grabbed a pair for my mom!
  • There are 2 shirts for dad too! (at PhP 250 for both!)
  • A black jacket for Alfred which really made his shoulders look broader than usual (I likey). This would hopefully curb his craving for an Adidas jacket. 🙂
  • Anime DVDs! (for Alfred too)
  • It rained so we had to purchase two big umbrellas (for 90 pesos or 2 US dollars each)
  • We used only 50% of plastic bags than we would normally have because I had my funky Envirosax tote!
  • Oh, and I got cheap fabrics for a project I’ll be making this weekend. I’m not sure but I got the feeling that these were scraps or rejects or something. But the prints are awesome. No pictures for now because I’d rather post the finished product.
  • I got a muumuu for myself, and one for Alfred’s mom. Okay, we don’t call them muumuus here, we refer to them as dusters but that’s the closest English equivalent I could find. And these ‘dresses’ I got are house-dresses, not what one would normally wear when going out. 🙂
  • Aside from the assault we did on Divisoria Mall itself, we were only able to look around the two streets leading to DM but there are so many other shops and sidewalk stalls in that area that we will have to scour next time we’re there. If things go the way I want them to in terms of projects, we’d probably go there at least once every month. Yay!

Read my past TTs here and here.

Oh, Thank you for taking me there Babe!

My Cooking Master Boy and Thursday Thirteen #11

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Cooking Master Boy – that is Alfred’s favorite anime. I enjoyed watching it too when it was on ABS-CBN but for Alfred, it’s like a how-to guide for cooking. Seriously. He’s been watching the series again, but this time through Youtube.com or Crunchyroll.com or some other video site that carry the any or all 52 episodes of the toon.

He’s been wanting to cook the perfect Yangchow fried rice, or even just to simply perfect the art of adding egg to rice. The other day, after watching an episode of Cooking Master Boy, he claimed to know the trick to get it done. For breakfast yesterday morning, he got up and tried his newly learned trick. In fairness, he didn’t disappoint. So breakfast was a big, fun event yesterday. 🙂

A couple of hours later, while we were at the mall looking for a chopper/food processor to make crushing Oreos an easier task for me, he still couldn’t forget about his wonderfully cooked fried rice. He was disappointed at not having taken a photo; I said we’ll capture it on film next time – if he can recreate it. 🙂

Today, I am bummed about NOT being able to post a decent TT in the past 3 or 4 weeks. Really, I had several ideas and posts written out in my mind but I never reached the keyboard to get them all out. Does that happen to you too? I think it happens to many of us – we actually think about stuff that’s happening around us and react to them, and then later think what a great post that would turn out to be – and then not get to post.

So here’s my thirteen posts I have yet to write.

  1. A post for or about my Mom and our relationship. Of course with Mother’s Day last Sunday, I thought about how we didn’t grow up as ‘good friends’ but having an ok relationship nonetheless. Instead of posting those thoughts right away, I stopped to look for her pictures that I can scrap and include in the post.
  2. My top freebie hunts for digital scrapbooking. I have long wanted to feature maybe two designer blogs at a time, as my little way of thanking them for all the wonderful designs they give away to cheap-o’s like me who grab every freebie that comes their way. 🙂 When I get to do this, the first one I would write about would be Susan of Raspberry Road.
  3. My follow up post about our day at the beach waves of Club Manila East. I have not finished my layouts of our pictures. And I MUST talk about the indestructible paper bracelet.
  4. Ramble about what I’m going to do for social change. As a young girl I was involved in many activities that contribute to society. I really was a child rights advocate and not just one who would talk about it. Now, I don’t really do anything in that front and I wish I could change that.
  5. My thoughts on being a non-active Church member who does not attend Sunday mass (or any mass for that matter). I specifically want to dig through my thoughts and feelings about what I can do to be part of either the Youth movement or Sunday School. I know I have something to contribute, I’m just not making time.
  6. Our third anniversary in the company. On the 23rd, Vanette, Edsel, Bea, Joey and I would be celebrating our 3rd year at NCO. We’re down to 3 from the original 24 (am I correct?) who started training as L2 TSRs. We were the special class that spent one week at Camelot Hotel. We were the class with a lot of potential.
  7. I wanted to share an inspirational video that I watched while I was at work the other day. It’s about how our attitude towards events and things in our everyday lives could be key to what becomes of us . At least that’s what I remember about it. I will watch it again and get the link up here someday.
  8. Ramble about friends and why I am not like others who spend so much time with friends. This is something I think about very often.
  9. Budgeting and saving money; making money. I really would love to travel and go on trips but don’t have the resources for it. I’ve been earning three times as much as I did three years ago and yet my bank account doesn’t have much. I know I can be thrifty if I wanted to, so why am I not so? I also make a little money through my blog over at http://verabear.bravejournal.com but I’d also like to explore how else I can earn online.
  10. Marriage/Wedding plans. Okay, there are no concrete plans yet
  11. I have not added Steve Berry’s The Third Secret to my bookcase. I read this weeks ago.
  12. How my luck is turning and my team is performing well at work now. I wanted to write about each team member to go with the pictures of our videoke night. That’s another item on my “to-scrap” list.
  13. The baking courses and schools and I read about online and why I want to sign up. Last month, I had plans to sign up for baking courses (which would have started in May).

I will post about these things SOON. If not, well, at least they’re on this list already. Hahaha!

Read my past TTs here and here.


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