Finding the Perfect Gift

My Mom is a woman of discriminating taste. Eversince childhood, I always had the repetitive dilemma of looking for the perfect birthday, Mothers’ Day, Christmas and wedding anniversary gift fit for our queen.

Not that she demands an exquisite piece; I’ve just set a certain standard because I believe she simply deserves it.

Her 61st birthday is on January 3 next year, and the following day, January 4, she will be celebrating her 40th wedding anniversary with my Dad. On special occasions one after the other, who wouldn’t have a hard time searching for ideal gifts?

One thing that I know she would appreciate having right now is a new set of prescription glasses. She’s been complaining about not having enough time to squeeze in a trip to the mall to get herself a new pair, due to her busy schedule in Church work.

I have a busy schedule myself, but I could always order online! There are stylish Holiday frames currently available, that I’m sure she would love. I picked a particular design that I believe, fits her personality and taste to a T. The frame detail is perfect!

Should she need an extra pair, I wouldn’t mind getting her another one. The frames are made of good quality and yet surprisingly reasonably priced. I think it would be sweet to get my Dad a matching pair for their anniversary.

Christmas at the Mall

I took the Little Lady with me to the office, the day before Christmas Eve. Generous officemates gave her and one of her BFFs, Marianne, who was also there at the time, cash gifts and goodies.

Though tired after greeting everybody a merry Christmas that day, they both had a great time and a bag of gifts each to bring home!

After office, we went for some last minute shopping at the Powerplant Mall, where I took pictures of the little one (Surprise! Surprise!) with the mall’s Christmas animal display.

And yes, her green shirt says "I HEART MOM (more than Santa)" ^^,

I’ve also included below, other photos of her and another BFF from school, Mikaela, taken earlier at the same mall, after their school Christmas party last December 18.

Can you blame me for NOT missing out on photo opps like these? :)

Related Posts:

Christmas 2008
Birthday Fairy
What Have I Been Up To?

Christmas 2008

After all the stress and excitement, the much awaited day came at last.

This year, the true essence of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ seems to have been clouded again with more commercialism than the previous years. With the innovation of high end and more expensive toys, blings and other material things that we can't seem to get enough of, who will not be consumed with the 'holiday high'?

Yes, we're humans after all. But I still believe that after all the gifts have been given, received and unwrapped, the successful traditional binge on sumptuous food and wine, in our hearts lie the joy of being able to share in many ways this season, no matter how great or small it may be.

We spent our Christmas eve with a simple dinner. The gift giving had been scheduled the following day, when all family members and relatives are expected to be present. On Christmas morning, the Little Lady eagerly woke up early to do the traditional gift giving to kids in our neighborhood.


My Mom, who is one of the most generous and charitable persons I know, started this tradition many years ago. She never fails to remind us the true spirit of the season by giving back a part of what we have as a way of sharing to the Church and the community. This is something that I want to pass on to my little girl - the virtue of generosity.

Some of you may think this is already a late greeting. Well technically, it's still Christmas until the Feast of the Three Kings next year, so we can still greet each other, share and spread the love of this festive season. :)

From our family to yours, a blessed Christmas and a peaceful new year 2009!

Clipper Cutting Videos at its Best

Aside from being a fashion designer, my sister has the innate flair for cutting and styling hair. I, on the other hand could not even cut my Little Lady’s bangs with confidence. I guess some people are just born with it; or maybe I just need a little help to learn the craft.

For people like me who are interested in hairstyling techniques without the hassle of attending training and lessons in a school setting, it is good news that we can now learn straight from the professionals in the comfort of our own homes, through the Professional Clipper Cutting Techniques DVD series from Aesthetic VideoSource.

No less than veteran hairstylist Gary Rallison, will teach step-by-step instructions on how to do traditional and modern techniques through clipper cutting. Learn styles like the fade haircut, taper fade and female clipper cuts among others, plus a lot of tips on working with different kinds of hair, and more!

This great deal can now be yours when your order the Professional Clipper Cutting Techniques I & II DVD series by calling 1-800-414-2434 or visiting www.VideoShelf.com. What's more, get 20% off when you buy the complete set!

Below is a sneak preview of what can be seen in the video:

Hair Cutting Techniques

Fade Haircut | Buzz Cuts

Birthday Fairy

One of the Little Lady's BFF (Best Friends Forever!) turned 7 just recently. She had a Disney Fairies theme birthday at McDonald's and she asked her friends to don fairy costumes for the party.

We don't have a fairy costume, so I just put together Chestene's pixie look by combining the violet turtleneck knit blouse she wore on her 6th birthday party, the pink tutu from her ballet outfit last year, fuchsia pink wrap around organza skirt from her 4th birthday gown, pink leggings, pink metallic shoes from her 7th birthday, pink wings bought last year and butterfly hair clips from a discount store.

Below is the finished look when she fluttered to McDonald's that day. I think she resembles more a modern Bratz fairy. Not bad, huh? :)

Pixie by the tree

Birthday Fairies with Grimace

Related Posts:

Back From My Unannounced Blog Leave - Part 1
Back From My Unannounced Blog Leave - Part 2
Back From My Unannounced Blog Leave - Part 3
Before You Call Me a Tease… (BFMUBL Part 4)
Chestene is Hannah Montana

Family Movie Night Pick: All Roads Lead Home

If only I have the luxury of time I had back then, one thing that I will surely do on a regular basis, is movie night with my family.

My parents are avid home movie watchers. Although both of them are already senior citizens, a status that entitles them to enjoy absolutely free movies in any theater of their choice within our city, still, Mom always makes sure to stock up on DVDs of the latest movies. They love to watch in the comfort of our home, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

When my sister and I were younger, we’d buy chips and popcorn before a scheduled family movie night. Mom, on the other hand, would take out her stock of pistachios and other mixed nuts from the mini grocery shelf in their room. We would gather in the family room and watch the group pick of the night and share our reviews of the movie afterward.

Yes, I miss those times. Now that I have my own Little Lady with me, I try to let her experience tradition by spending time with her in watching wholesome and family-oriented movies that instill the importance of family values.

One movie that I look forward to watching with her is a heartwarming movie inspired by a true story - All Roads Lead Home The Movie. This one is sure to be a family hit as can be seen in the movie trailer. Hit play and see for yourself!

Two Awards from Ria

I know I'm a delinquent 'tagee' and have a long list of pending tags from my blogger friends, but the problem is I lost it! I always try to jot it down as soon as I receive one, but now I can't remember where I placed the list. :( I should have made a soft copy instead, huh?

I'll try to trace your tags and memes through Technorati, but it would be nice if you could leave your links to this post. *wink*

Anyways, Ria gave me 2 beautiful awards that I would like to share with you:

BEAUTIFUL MOM AWARD

MOTHER

This is a truly BEAUTIFUL piece.
Please read this at a slow pace,
digesting every word and in leisure...
Do not hurry....this is a treasure...

For those lucky to still be blessed with your Mom,
this is beautiful.
For those of us who aren't,
this is even more beautiful.
For those who are moms,
you'll love this.

The young mother set her foot
on the path of life.
'Is this the long way?' she asked.
And the guide said: 'Yes,
and the way is hard
And you will be old before
you reach the end of it..
But the end will be better
than the beginning.'

But the young mother was happy,
and she would not believe
that anything could be better
than these years.
So she played with her children,
and gathered flowers for them along the way,
and bathed them in the clear streams;
and the sun shone on them,
and the young Mother cried,
'Nothing will ever be lovelier than this.'

Then the night came,
and the storm, and the path was dark,

and the children shook with fear and cold,
and the mother drew them close
and covered them with her mantle,
and the children said,
'Mother, we are not afraid,
for you are near, and no harm can come.'

And the morning came,
and there was a hill ahead,
and the children climbed and grew weary,
and the mother was weary.
But at all times she said to the children,
'A little patience and we are there.'
So the children climbed,
and when they reached the top they said,
'Mother, we would not have done it without you.'

And the mother, when she lay down at night
looked up at the stars and said,
'This is a better day than the last,
for my children have learned fortitude
in the face of hardness.
Yesterday I gave them courage.
Today, I've given them strength.'

And the next day came strange clouds
which darkened the earth,
clouds of war and hate and evil,
and the children groped and stumbled,
and the mother said: '
Look up. Lift your eyes to the light.'
And the children looked and saw
above the clouds an everlasting glory,
and it guided them beyond the darkness.
And that night the Mother said,
'This is the best day of all,
for I have shown my children God.'

And the days went on,
and the weeks and the months and the years,
and the mother grew old
and she was little and bent.
But her children were tall and strong,
and walked with courage.
And when the way was rough,
they lifted her, for she was as light as a feather;
and at last they came to a hill,
and beyond they could see a shining road
and golden gates flung wide.
And mother said,
'I have reached the end of my journey.
And now I know the end
is better than the beginning,
for my children can walk alone,
and their children after them.'

And the children said,
'You will always walk with us, Mother,
even when you have gone through the gates.'
And they stood and watched her
as she went on alone,
and the gates closed after her.
And they said:
'We cannot see her but she is with us still.
A Mother like ours is more than a memory.
She is a living presence.......'

Your Mother is always with you....
She's the whisper of the leaves
as you walk down the street;
she's the smell of bleach
in your freshly laundered socks;
she's the cool hand on your brow
when you're not well.
Your Mother lives inside your laughter.
And she's crystallized in every tear drop.
She's the place you came from,
your first home;
and she's the map you follow
with every step you take.
She's your first love and your first heartbreak,
and nothing on earth can separate you.

Not time, not space... not even death!

Beautiful Mom Award started by Posh Post.

MARIE ANTOINETTE AWARD

This second award came from Ria's Fashop. Thanks a lot for the awards, girl! :)

Here are the rules for the award:

1. Please put the logo on your blog.
2. Place a link to the person from whom you received the award.
3. Nominate at least 7 or more blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on your blog.
5. Leave a message on their blogs to tell them.

I would like to pass both awards to my beautiful mommy friends: Girlie, Wena, Cielo, Manilenya, Gizelle, Ruby and Yums.

Web Hosting, Anyone?

For newbies like me in the blogging world, one of the issues I had to deal with is getting my own blog domain and webhosting. I never really realized this until after a couple of months of blogging using a free platform.

I learned along the way and have lately succumbed to the need, yearning and pressure of having my own domain. I feel it was a timely shift to give my blog a sense of independence in the blogosphere, yet I remain tied to free hosting. I know eventually I will have to get stable hosting in my journey to ultimate blogging freedom.

Personally, just like shopping for gifts this Christmas, I always look for the best price, value, reliability and great customer support. They say it’s a ‘jungle out there’, and with the bulk of information online, we oftentimes get confused as to which site offers the real deals.

One of the sites I find useful in search for the best web hosts is Web Hosting Geeks. They feature the best web hosting providers in the market today and have reviews, ratings and even awards that will surely help every web hosting shopper to choose the best service provider. It's great that I can select with confidence from a comprehensive list and decide which one best fits my needs.

Shopping is a breeze if you know exactly where to find it, right?

What Have I Been Up To?

Not much.

Some of you may have noticed that I haven’t been doing my Entrecard rounds lately, as I religiously did in the past. Things have gotten busy in the real world, and the search for Christmas gifts has taken over one of the top spots in my priority list. Forgive me if I missed commenting on your new posts, but I try to read as much whenever I can.

After switching to my own domain, my Alexa and Technorati rankings both suffered. I know it’s a phase everyone has to go through when shifting URLs. But I’m glad the former is catching up with the original figures.

I also had a little trouble with my SocialSpark account’s Real Rank due to the URL change, but had no problems with the rest. Until lately, when I had difficulty posting in PayPerPost and keep getting a "404-we-blame-Dan" page, that I realized it's not yet over. So I lost a lot of opportunities along the way, but I’m looking forward to a brand new year where hopefully, things will be better for my blogging endeavors.

This has fairly been a good blogging year. Barefooted Me started in early March with no blogging background whatsoever, grappling in the dark, and before I know it she has already turned 9 months old!

To my wonderful Entrecard supporters and advertisers from Project Wonderful who trust their ad placement in this blog, thank you. Please visit them, they are all truly talented and have great blogs and product offerings.

I’d like to thank everybody who keeps on dropping by here and showing my blog some love. Promise, I’ll catch up with you guys later! :)

Go Personalized this Christmas

Stretching and maximizing our money’s worth nowadays have become a common practice to those who would like to save more while surviving the growing economic crunch.

This season, it’s hard to look for holiday gifts especially if you’re thinking of something really special for more than one person without breaking your piggy bank. It’s great to have gift guides and suggestions to help you choose a unique gift that will surely be appreciated by the receiver.

Moreover, as we get tired of generic gifts that become useless in the long run, we now look for items that will last for a long time. Pexagon will help us do just that, this year. Give personalized holiday gifts that are very useful at 20% off until the end of 2008! Well that’s a good amount of savings!

Choose from a wide range of products like personalized thumb drives, pens, business card flash drives, and wooden USB flash drives that come in different designs, exciting colors and custom laser engraving; plus enjoy fast turnaround times, no setup costs, with no minimum order quantity.

So if your brain is already numb thinking of a not-so-ordinary gift this Christmas, dare to be different and go personalized!

Caffeine Please

Breakfast for me then is having some chocolate drink and buttered toast, or plainly chocolate drink and no solids (I don't eat heavy breakfast; my stomach just can't tolerate too much food in the morning) until I started drinking coffee again.

This beverage has taken a part of my everyday routine and is pretty much becoming an indispensable companion come breakfast time.

Am I becoming addicted? Or is this just a passing thing like my erstwhile craving over Jjampoong spicy noodles for months and then getting tired of it all of a sudden?

Forgive the pettiness of this post. I think I've had too much red wine to drink at Dad's thanksgiving birthday dinner. :)

Ah, I need some coffee.

A Vacuum for Christmas

The Little Lady and I both have allergic rhinitis; we sneeze in the presence of dust, powder, smoke or strong perfume. That’s why it’s always important to keep our room dust-free to prevent undesirable allergic attacks.

Given our condition, I find solace in the company of one of my favorite dust busters - the mighty vacuum cleaner. Ours is already generations old, and it already fails to render optimum performance when needed. The choice is now for me to decide if I will just purchase new parts to have it up and running smoothly again or be worry-free and buy a brand new model.

Either way, I’m glad that over at EZ VACUUM, they have a wide range of selections on affordable vacuum cleaner parts, accessories and brand new units as well. Currently, they are offering 10% Off Coupon EZVAC10 on vacuum cleaners bags belts filters brushrolls machines and on all orders over $20. What’s more, they charge very low shipping charges and even free shipping to US orders over $50!

I checked their Clearance Rack and found a couple of discounted units in cool designs. Now, the dilemma goes back to buying parts or getting the whole thing. Well, maybe I might just end up tossing this to the “gifts for myself” list for Christmas. :)

Celebrating Life!

Today is a special day.

No birthdays or other usual occasions to celebrate, except that today marks the fifth year since my Dad had an operation to save his life from Cancer of the vocal cord.

We are celebrating life!

It has always been said that if a Cancer patient survives the critical five year period after surgery without recurrence of the disease, then he has a better chance of remaining Cancer-free for the rest of his life.

Whether it's true or not, we are just thankful that after five years, Dad is currently in good shape and responding well to treatment for his new condition, which is Congestive Heart Failure.

Memories of that painful chapter will always be kept treasured in our hearts, for it has made both our faith and family ties stronger in a lot of ways.

In a few days time, he will be celebrating his 72nd birthday. More than anything, we look forward to spending longer quality years with him.

Congratulations and cheers to great health and a long life ahead, Dad! We love you very much!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Related Post:

An Officer and a Gentleman

P.S. I made the personalized Time Magazine cover last year for his 71st birthday.

The Gift of Style

I’ve always been an early shopper. I take advantage of sales and stock up on gifts, months before Christmas. But this year, I decided to give gifts that are practical and useful for the intended recipient. Like for kids, in lieu of toys, I will invest on books, clothes or shoes.

On the other hand, choosing gifts for adults can be quite tricky. It’s great that I could always turn online and choose items that fit both my tight budget and preference. Currently, I’m setting my eyes on Holiday Glass Frames From Zenni Optical that would be perfect gifts for my parents and relatives as well.

The popular online eyeglasses shop offers amazing $ 8 Complete Rx Eyeglasses that are both chic and affordable. If you want to give a stylish and functional gift at the same time, their glasses are perfect to place under any Christmas tree, this holiday season.

Birthday Minnie

I haven’t been around for a while.

Basically, I’m trying to achieve some normalcy in my offline life when I took a little leave online. I’ve been an overflowing bag of mixed emotions lately and I’m trying to sort things out one step at a time. Yeah, some last quarter of the year drama, huh.

But let’s not get into that.

Today has been a tiring day. The Little Lady went to Girl Scout Camp in school, so we both woke up early on a Saturday morning. I left her in the school gym at 8:00 am; took breakfast at Wendy’s while waiting for the malls to open; did a little shopping for Christmas presents and art materials for both the Little Lady and I; picked up something at the printing shop; fetched her at 3:00 pm and grabbed some snacks at McDonald’s before finally heading home.

Around the same time last year, I’m almost finished with my Christmas shopping. But this year, my hoarding skills have been put to rest and I wonder why I seemed to have lost the zest for early shopping.

Hard times? Not really. I can always find an expensive looking present for a quarter of the price. It’s a gift that I believe I’m born with. :) So I guess this still points to the last quarter of the year drama. Oh, well...

Apart from whiling my time away at the mall, I was also there to get my pretty little niece, Gia, a gift for her 2nd birthday. It’s her birthday today, but she’ll be having a party tomorrow at Jollibee.

Yesterday, I made her this rush birthday Minnie Mouse tarpaulin that I'd like to share for Scrapbook Saturday (although this is not technically a scrap page, but I already missed 2 Saturdays! Sorry guys!):

Pretty babies Gia and "Ta-te"

Related Posts:

Once Upon a Halloween
Remember this...
My Sweety
Sbarro Baby
Art on My Mind
My Art, Revisited
Framed
Smile Baby, Smile!
Chestene is Hannah Montana
Good Girl in Glitters
One Summer in Subic
My Favorite Babies
Flower Power

An Early Christmas Bonus

Christmas came early to this blog when Mark, the man behind Visual Talking informed me that I was one of the winners in the Run for Impressions contest they held recently at dNeero. He didn’t say which place I got, but I was thankful nevertheless!


Honestly, I never thought I stood a good chance because there were hundreds of participants; but when asked in the survey if I’m going to be one of the bonus recipients, I answered YES without batting an eyelash. Everybody who took part in the survey was given the chance to get the most number of impressions before 1000 hours or until October 20, 2008.

Prizes at stake were the following: ten bonus recipients! ... $1,000 at stake!! ... top impression getter will receive $300, the next nine will get, in order, $250, $150, $100, $75, $50, $30, $20, $15, $10.

I confirmed I won third place when dNeero transferred $167.25 to my PayPal account! I got the $150 bonus plus $17.25 from the past surveys I joined. Payments are automatically sent when a member reaches $20.

Well here's another $1.00 survey! Are you a member of dNeero? If not, join now, earn extra and take advantage of opportunities like this. All you have to do is answer the survey and post it to your blog or any social networking site. Click here to join now!

Sleepless Art

It was difficult for me to sleep lately, due to the bothersome cough that accompanied my aching throat. And during the wee hours in the morning when I can't sleep, I reach for my sketch pad to while the time away until my eyelids finally surrender.

I call this line my Sleepless Art; faces of women drawn from mere imagination on sleepless mornings. I love to draw faces just as much as I love to photograph them up close.

Soon I'll be putting them up for sale. I like the thought of people giving them a place in their homes, rather than keeping them all together in my lonely sketch pad. :)

Related Posts:

Who Am I?: Just a Little Piece of Me
My Art, Revisited
A Couple's Birthday Gift

Once Upon a Halloween

The Little Lady spent her Halloween last year at McDonald's; the very same branch where she spent her two summers as part of the store's kiddie crew program. I couldn't get myself to dress her up in a scary costume, so I opted for the generic princess look that she enjoyed anyways.

The above photo was taken with one of her best buddies and co-kiddie crew member, Marianne.

Sweets and treats, everyone!

Graphic Elements by: FLASHGRAPHICS CREATIONS


Related Posts:

Summer at McDonald's
Remember this...
My Sweety
Sbarro Baby
Art on My Mind
My Art, Revisited
Framed
Smile Baby, Smile!
Chestene is Hannah Montana
Good Girl in Glitters
One Summer in Subic
My Favorite Babies
Flower Power

Clear Black Night Bloggers Party

I just got my invite to the Clear Black Night Bloggers Halloween Party via JRS Express, and I'm around 99% sure I wouldn't be able to attend this event with watery eyes, a runny nose, an aching throat (which is a cross between tonsillitis and pharyngitis) and a big chance to have a fever comeback. Although I'm still leaving a 1% hope (hey, I'm an optimist!) in case some kind of last minute miracle happens. Yeah, right. ^J^

This could have been my first Halloween adult party, but I guess getting sick knows no consideration and right timing. Arrgh.

I still feel sick and sluggish right now. But this is the least I could do to thank our friends over at Unilever who sent the invite plus a bottle of Clear shampoo sample in a pretty box, if I won't be able to join the event tomorrow. I'm a satisfied user of this product, by the way. :)

Anyways, here are the party details and what's in store for those who could make it:

What: Clear Black Night, a Halloween Dance Event
When: October 31, 2008, Friday, 7:00 p.m.
Where: Taste Asia (beside SM Hypermarket, Mall of Asia)
Attire: Come in Sexy Black (no need for costumes!)
What to expect: Just be in party mode and get a chance to win instant prizes! Everything’s going to be Fun! Fun! Fun!

*chance to have a photo opp with Piolo crumbles* * sniff...*

The Childhood Crush and the Billboard Model

Before I went back to work last week, I scheduled myself for a follow-up check up on my eyes. I originally called to meet our EENT doctor-friend, but the secretary suggested that I see the Ophthalmologist instead, which was reasonable, as he is obviously the expert when it comes to eye problems and diseases.

I already spoke with that eye doctor on the phone the day before, but I insisted on seeing a different one because judging by the surname, I had a hunch that he's my long lost childhood crush when I was in Grade 5! Yes, it's been a long time ago, but the thought of speaking to him face to face made me elementary nervous.

Not that we're close or had a thing in the past; we were from different sections. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't remember me at all. I was never a popular girl in school. For 2 years, I was contented to see him at school gatherings like the flag ceremony every morning, P.E. (Physical Education) days, the rosary month where we all pray the rosary all mornings of October, and other school activities. We never even danced at the prom; and I still wonder if dancing with him then would have made a difference.

Well, after all the apprehensions I struggled with on not showing up for that appointment, it turned out that it wasn't 'him', but his brother. At least now I know, that they are both doctors.

I forgot that the last time I heard his name was in our church, during the wedding banns announcement. What was I thinking? That guy is sure to be married by now.

Oh, maybe I was just curious. Deep inside, I just want to see him again to compare how much he's changed over the years. To see if his eyes still disappear when he smiles, or if he still looks like the shorter version of Benicio del Toro.

Then I saw an old souvenir program from my mom's shelf where his family had a half-page ad. I saw my eye doctor there and 'him', still with the Benicio del Toro smiling eyes, yet  pounds and pounds heavier.

Didn't you ever wish you could bump into your childhood crush again?

Fast forward

On my way home that same check-up day, I saw the new giant billboard of Dingdong Dantes along Edsa. He's wearing boxers this time, which I think is better that the previous ad where he came out in briefs.

Don't get me wrong, he looked really good in all his naked glory then, but the public was torn between looking at his muscular body and the briefs that seem to have some more extra space in them to be filled. ^J^

What surprises me is that I wasn't attracted to the guy at all. Sure, he looks like a dream boy. Had I seen this 15 years ago, I would have developed an instant infatuation in a matter of minutes.

Ahh, I must be getting old.

Times have indeed changed. And I realized that as one grows older, preferences also change and mature. Most women my age (I can't speak for men, for they mature in a different pace and dimension) no longer fall for what's trendy or superficial, but what we look for now is resiliency and quality - a person's substance, character and principles.

The thing is, the kind of men who fall in my age bracket are mostly taken, if not, 'suspiciously' single, a bunch of forever bachelors or commitment phobes.

Where have the rest of the good men gone?


Related Posts:

The Red Eye
Red Eye: The Return

Who Wants to Fly?

Hmm... where should I go next year? Oh, This promo is so tempting!

Just recently they had a P200 domestic seat sale (all-in), and I missed it! Go and book your seats now before they run out. :-)

Cebu Pacific offers P500 system-wide seat sale for 2009
More than 500,000 domestic and international seats available

Get ahead and book your 2009 holidays now! Fly to any domestic or international destination for only P500! We're putting more than 500,000 'Go Lite' seats on sale.

Travel light and fly to any of our domestic destinations for only P500 all-in! Choose from any of our 27 domestic destinations.

You can also choose to fly to any of our 13 international destinations for only 500 pesos! Our P500 one-way international ‘Go Lite’ seat sale fare is exclusive of applicable taxes and surcharges. Fuel and insurance surcharge range from USD 25 to 110 per way.

If you choose to bring bags , you only have to add P200 and you’re off to a wonderful holiday with pocket money to spare!

In fact, if you’ve started Christmas shopping already, why not book vacations for friends and family and surprise them on Christmas day! Celebrate the holidays with more holidays!

The sale period STARTS NOW until October 27, 2008 and is valid for travel from January 5 to March 18, 2009. This promo fare is non-refundable.

Start flying monthly and travel beyond your wildest dream for only 500 pesos! Visit www.cebupacificair.com; or your favorite travel agent; or call the customer hotline at (632) 70-20-888 for your bookings.

Online Shopping with an Edge

Christmas is fast approaching, and as far as I'm concerned, I’m already running late in doing some window shopping for potential gifts that I’d be stashing under the Christmas tree for family and friends.

Aside from checking out products at the mall, I always go online for a wider range of choices. The internet, being the ultimate source of virtually anything imaginable today, offers consumers a lot of options. But of course, one has to be prudent in discerning which products are hyped up and which ones are the real deals.

This year, I’d like something really nice for my parents. They love watching movies at home; and what else would make it a more entertaining experience, than through a good home theater system. Sounds expensive, huh? Well, I’m nowhere near a ‘techie’, so I really need to read unbiased reviews on which products offer the best features at the best price.

As I am still lost about the different brands and specifications of Hi Def Televisions, a comprehensive buying guide would surely spare me from both confusion and headache.

Good that I've already found a good resource for that at ShopWiki.com. Now, I'm sure I won't be far from choosing the best that suits my budget and preference in buying the perfect gift, come Christmas time.

Remember this...

This photo was taken around two years ago. At that time, I was already given a glimpse of what my Little Lady would look like when she grows up to be a full-fledged teenager.

It actually gave me the creeps!

Not the photo, but the thought of her being a teenager! I don't know how I would handle that stage in a few years time. *sighs*

Don't grow up too fast, sweety...

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Graphic Elements by: Scrapbookflair.com and Ronna Penner


Related Posts:

My Sweety
Sbarro Baby
Art on My Mind
My Art, Revisited
Framed
Smile Baby, Smile!
Chestene is Hannah Montana
Good Girl in Glitters
One Summer in Subic
My Favorite Babies
Flower Power

The Principle of Emptiness

I originally got this in PowerPoint format and thought I'd share it with you.

A friend once said that prosperity easily comes to those with open hands. You need to have space for it to come into your life. So let go of useless things or feelings you've been holding on to that is keeping you from receiving those blessings.

Think about it, if you have your hands full, how else can you hold more?



Have you got the habit of hoarding useless objects, thinking that one day, who knows when, you may need them?

Have you got the habit of accumulating money, and not spending it because you think that in the future you may be in want of it?

Have you got the habit of storing clothes, shoes, furniture, utensils and other home supplies that you haven’t used already for some time?

And inside yourself... Have you got the habit to keep reproaches, resentment, sadness, fears and more?

Don’t do it! You are going against your prosperity!

It is necessary to make room, to leave an empty space in order to allow new things to arrive to your life.

It is necessary that you get rid of all the useless things that are in you and in your life, in order to prosperity to arrive.

The force of this emptiness is one that will absorb and attract all that you wish.
As long as you are, materially or emotionally, holding old and useless feelings, you won’t have room for new opportunities.

Goods must circulate...
Clean your drawers, the wardrobes, the workshop, the garage...
Give away what you don’t use any longer...
The attitude of keeping a heap of useless stuff ties your life down.
It’s not the objects you keep that stagnate your life...
but rather the attitude of keeping...

When we keep in store, we consider the possibility of wanting, of penury...
We believe that tomorrow it may lack, and that we won’t be able to fulfill those necessities...

With that idea, you are sending two messages to your brain and to your life:
That you don’t trust tomorrow... and you think that the new and the better are not for you.

For this reason you cheer yourself up by storing old and useless stuff.
Get rid of what lost its color and brightness...
Let the new enter your home... and yourself.
May prosperity and peace reach you soon

Amen.

Acknowledgment: Excerpt from Joseph Newton's Principle of Emptiness; inspirational images by Gregory Colbert and music "Where Dreams are Born" by John Williams.

My Sweety

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Graphic Elements by: Shabby Princess


Related Posts:

Sbarro Baby
Art on My Mind
My Art, Revisited
Framed
Smile Baby, Smile!
Chestene is Hannah Montana
Good Girl in Glitters
One Summer in Subic
My Favorite Babies
Flower Power

A New Address and A New Home

I was busy.

Actually, sick and busy. Oh, make that sick and busy with writer’s block. So there.

If you haven’t noticed yet, I’ve finally let go of the beloved ‘blogspot’ extension in my URL. It took me months rationalizing with myself about getting my own domain, and I always end up putting it off.

It was not until a BIG (really big, that I have to type it in all caps) opportunity passed me by recently because I didn’t have my own domain, that I realized I should have done it earlier.

Oh, well...

The Move

After getting a series of errors from Entrecard one night, I got bored and decided to buy a domain without much thinking.

I’ve been reading posts on how easy it is to move from Blogspot to a custom domain, so I went ahead with it. Indeed, they were right because moving was a breeze. In fact, it felt like I did not move at all!

There was no major transfer whatsoever; all I did was to add the CNAME record ‘www’ which points to ghs.google.com in my Total DNS Control Panel, sign in to my Blogger account and go to Settings – Publishing – Advanced Settings to input the new address and tick the redirect option:

After a few minutes, when I tried to type my new URL, it already points to the old address and vice versa. I told you it was easy! You have to remember though, that it’s best to buy your domain from Blogger itself or recommended partners GoDaddy and eNom, so you won’t have to struggle with the configuration.

What Now?

So there goes my Alexa and Technorati ranks *sobs*. Although they are still attached to my old blogspot URL which redirects itself here, still, I need to rebuild them again for this new domain.

Since I’m a member of PayPerPost, Sponsored Reviews, Social Spark, etc., I don’t know how this will affect my current ratings and statistics. This may mean fewer opportunities in the meantime, but I’m positive that the shift will mean greater avenues for income resources.

What else should I look out for? Based on your experience, aside from the decreased rankings, what other effects does a domain change entail? Do share your thoughts.

A Tiny Favor

Given the above, I would like to ask you guys to kindly update my link in your blogrolls to www.barefootedme.com –AND, please add my new baby, 'In My Red Heels'. Yes! After going barefooted for months, I’d like to try blogging three to four inches higher from the ground this time, in red heels no less! ;-P

Please visit my second home and tell me what you think. ^^,

Stylish Prescription Glasses from Zenni

The ‘red eye’ hit me again for the third time this year. Well, I’m not even sure of that because it happens so often that I already lost count.

I noticed that my eyes are becoming increasingly sensitive lately that even an exposure of a couple of hours in front of the computer monitor makes them easily exhausted. I have seriously taken this is a sign that I need to change my eyeglasses.

Given that I’m aware of how expensive it is to have custom made eyeglasses at local optical shops, I turn to online shopping in search for one that has good quality at an affordable price.

I’m lucky to stumble upon ZenniOptical.com; they have an extensive array of stylish prescription eyeglasses online that are unbelievably low priced. They manage to sell them for as low as $8 a pair, because unlike others, they don’t use middlemen. They sell their own manufactured frames directly to the customers, giving them quality products at a price everyone could afford.

Furthermore, Zenni Optical has been getting positive raves from all over. In fact, they were featured over the radio, on Fox News TV, and even garnered a recommendation from the popular U.S. talk radio host of The Clark Howard Show.

Currently, they have new arrivals in various colors and designs with single vision lens, sunsensor (potochromic) lens, tinted sunglasses lens, bifocal lens and progressive lens.

With online offerings like this, it won’t be hard to beat the economic crunch!

Red Eye: The Return

A month ago, I posted about my red eye -- on September 8, to be exact.

Well, it hit me again. :-(

I noticed it yesterday night and thought it was just temporary eye stress. I thought wrong; for just like the previous one, the bloody red pigment covered almost half of my left eye.

Currently, I'm taking Grape Seed supplement and Vitamin C to strengthen my blood vessels and Eye-Mo drops to take out the redness (so far, it hasn't succeeded yet).

When Dad finds out, I'm sure he would lecture me about NOT following his recommendation religiously for this condition. Oh, I could almost hear it.

So I guess I'll be sporting the 'Vampire eye look' again for the whole week, huh. It's tempting to post a photo, but I thought it's still too early for Halloween to scare you now.

Have a great week, everyone! :)


Related Post:

The Red Eye

Gadgets and Useful Consumer Advice

If you’re a non-techie like me, I’m sure you’ve had your moments of confusion and difficulty over having to keep up with the rapidly evolving world of technology today.

Just recently, I needed to search for sensible reviews on which brand of universal remote control would last for many years. After throwing a couple of units in a span of one year, I spent a lot on poor-performing brands due to lack of knowledge on the products that I bought.

In times like this, I find ease and comfort turning to the internet for information, especially on technology news and updates that may not have reached my side of the world just yet.

A technology site like Gadget Advisor is a good resource for computer hardware, software, gadgets and tech news. It presents in-depth reviews on not just any kind of gadget, but rather focuses on the useful and noteworthy products found in the market today; like network media player and online backup services, to name a few. No need to search through a bulk of mediocre news and products; only significant ones are presented.

So before making any kind of purchase, it’s always wise to consider a little bit of research first before parting with your cash. It will surely spare you from both headache and money going down the drain.

Well, I must say I already learned that lesson earlier. :)

Sbarro Baby

My Sbarro Baby

Sbarro is Chestene's favorite pizza restaurant. I remember getting frustrated when I was pregnant with her, because the store runs out of White Pizza I so crave for every single time I'm there.

During the whole pregnancy I didn't get to eat even a single slice of that! No wonder she's making up for it now, BIG TIME. :)

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Graphic Elements by: Ronna Penner


Related Posts:

Art on My Mind
My Art, Revisited
Framed
Smile Baby, Smile!
Chestene is Hannah Montana
Good Girl in Glitters
One Summer in Subic
My Favorite Babies
Flower Power

A Surprise in the Mail!

Guess what just came in for me today?

A shirt from Paraiso Philippines Forum! Thanks Admin and Mitch for this early Christmas treat! This will fit my Dad well. :)

Want to become a PPFnian? Visit and register at Paraiso Philippines Forum now!

Stranger

You hide in a perennial veil;
a veil I try so hard to lift,
for me to touch and discover
the beauty underneath.

Yet all that I see
is the light of your darkness.
Darkness.
Or is it, your true likeness?

I long to unravel the mystery
behind your innocence…
thoughts…
feelings…
dreams…
you…

But you create a distance
that leaves my heart
in doubt.

All that I have
is the sound of your presence,
the warmth that you send
from afar
reaching me cold.

Tell me
just when,
just when can we touch?

~September 1992~