New Year's Superstition

The old folks have so much influence when it comes to superstition. The Philippines has many superstitions pertaining to the New Year. Most Filipino superstitions derive in hopes for blessings, particularly the abundance of food and money. Looking back, they make me laugh. As far as I remember even my mom has been doing some of those creeds since I was a kid. Though I don't really think those certitudes will affect the kind of life you'll have in the coming year, I still respect the idea being passed from one generation to the next. It just so happened that I was born in a new era otherwise I will continue such beliefs and maybe influence my American husband as well. Hahahaha...

1. Filipinos believe that at New Year's eve, the doors and windows should be open for blessings to come into the house. The logic behind this is that if the windows and doors are open, it will invite good luck to flow into the house.

2. Wearing polka dots on New Year's eve will bring lots of money throughout the year. This superstition derived from the belief that polka dots are a symbol of money, particularly coins. Round fruit is also a representation of money. Putting twelve different kinds in the table means more financial blessings in the coming year.

3. If someone were to put money in their pocket on New Year's eve, he or she will have money for the rest of the year.

4. When I was a kid, the moment the clock struck twelve, I and my siblings were asked to jump as high as we can. The act is supposed to make us tall.

5. During December 31, mom is very specific in having the whole house spotlessly clean. This is supposed to make our home clean the whole year round.

6. Also, all the containers at our house are filled to the brim - coffee, milk, sugar and creamer containers and even our rice dispensers so the whole year, we have an abundance of such.

New Look For the New Year

My friend and I had our hair cut today. We really did not plan of getting one but while strolling around the mall window shopping, we saw this big banner in a salon. They are having promo for the rest of the week. A simple hair cut costs only $13.00. Not that bad huh? It is rare for this kind of promo considering the very low price. We did take advantage of it. It is very cheap compared to other salon which I have inquired near our area. Most salon have the same price range of $40-$70, excluding the tip. So we decided to have our hair cut and have a new look for the new year.

My Virgin Friends

Finally, my two dearest friends are married and settled. They are my close former colleagues who are very conservative, the prim and proper type of girls, and they are certified virgins. Well, I'm happy for both of them. I'm sure after saving themselves for marriage and for the right person, they are now tasting the pleasure of sex. Hahaha... I guess, it's worth the wait for the two of them. What is so funny about this whole thing is they got sick after the first night. Maybe they were not able to managed it? Or shall I say practice makes perfect. And honeymoon isn't over yet.

Emails from Supervisors

I was very much surprised when I opened my yahoo account and saw two emails from my two previous supervisors. The company that I've applied with a week ago really wanted to check my work performance on my recent employment. I gave them my last company's phone numbers but it's too impossible to reach my former bosses because of the time zone difference. They are 13 hours ahead of us here in the US. Thank God, my bosses are so cooperative and supportive and I'm glad they don't mind putting them as one of my character references in my job applications. I know they are quiet busy in the office and the evaluation attachment took them time to fill up. The forms consisted of three copies and concerns on my strengths & weaknesses, attendance, punctuality, interpersonal skills, communication skills, quality of work, and my overall attitude and performance. With the help of my previous supervisors, I really hope I will land a great job soon.

I Really Miss The Beach

I am a certified beach bum! Never mind the swimming skills because unfortunately I don't have them. But the thought of just spending time in a resort for days, relaxing and hearing the sound of the seawaves is nothing compared to traveling in a new place or city. I really love the beach and now I miss it. My hubby sometimes called me an island girl. Hehehe. You see, I came from the Philippines which consists of 7, 107 islands. If Hawaii has seven islands, we have thousands in my country. I have been here for months and there is no beach here in Maryland as calm and as nice as my hometown's. Well, we have the ocean city but the waves are so scary just like when we had our trip to Atlantic City, New Jersey. I am not a swimmer and big waves frighten me to death! I guess, I just have to be contented with bubble bath for now.

I Miss Riding In A Jeepney

The jeepney is one of the Filipinos means of transportation. Aside from bus, taxis, minicab, the common people and the public ride on these jeepneys going to places, to work, malls, churches, market and even to long distance travel destinations. Some people (middle class and those who can afford the rising cost of gasoline) own cars and SUV's but for more practical reasons, jeepneys could be a substitute especially for short distances. The last time I took a jeepney about a year ago cost me less than ten pesos (Philippine currency) which equates to
$0.25. With that amount, you can already go to places.

The first few months was so hard for me because I do not have the state license to drive. They have busses here but they have schedules what time to arrive and leave at a certain destination. And now that I am driving, I still miss riding in a jeepney. Sometimes when I am stuck in traffic in the highway or gets tired driving in a freeway or interstate, I remember our jeepneys back home. Being a passenger, you do not have to worry about maneuvering the steering wheels nor get nervous every time there is a police car behind you. A jeepney can accommodate 16 passengers and it's fun because you will meet other people also. If you are close to your destination, do not forget your fare so you will never hear a complain or a scream from the driver. LoL. I really miss it, the stress-free ride.

Merry Christmas!

Santa delivered lots of gifts today! We exchanged presents after having a sumptuous lunch in my mother-in-law's house. I was quiet astonished of the numerous stuffs I got from them. It's different here when it comes to gift giving. I was totally shocked and very much surprised when I had four gifts from hubby's brother and five from my mom-in-law and they were individually wrapped. I'm glad mom loved my gift plus the greeting cards with check. We really did have a great Christmas this year.

Out of Town for Christmas

It's been a long day. We woke up early for my job interview at 9:00 am. My ever supported hubby drove me to the location and patiently waited in the parking lot for almost two hours. I took a series of tests (data entry & customer service case scenarios in a call center setting) after the quick interview by the staffing supervisor. I guess I did well because she mentioned calling me in a week. A good sign though but I won't expect that much. It was so weird because of the many offices in that huge building, seemed like they were the only suite open. After leaving the establishment we bought a card for my mom-in-law and headed back home and arranged our gifts. We were on the interstate hi-way late in the afternoon going to hubby's hometown where we intend to spend a night for the following Christmas day celebration. I got so busy helping with food preparation and making of my favorite desserts (chocolate and cheesecake). We had them all ready for tomorrow plus turkey, ham, mashed & sweet potato, bread rolls, mixed vegetables and sweet corn. I was happy to call my family back home in the Philippines and greeted my sisters & some close relatives. They were very much grateful of the package I sent two months ago. Deep inside, I felt joyful as well, knowing that I made a lot of people happy with my gifts. I had been shopping for them since April. I know it's worth it. Anyway, it was the first time my mother and hubby's mom was able to talked on the phone. I hope someday they'll meet in person. I'm sure it would be a perfect out of town Christmas to celebrate.

Last Minute Shopping

It was an extensive day shopping for presents. As always, I had a great time with Yvonnie. Hubby dropped me in her apartment around 8:30am. I met her friend Cecilia who is a Biology teacher in Baltimore. Together with Yvonnie's family and Cecilia, we attended the 9:00 mass inside the military base in Fort Meade. The Catholic chapel is gigantic and I was quiet surprise only few people were there, very much different to a typical Sunday mass in the Philippines. Majority of the Filipinos are Catholic, and religion is an important part of every individual. After the mass we ate Philly's cheesesteak and went shopping for sale sweaters at PX (base shopping center). I purchased four long sleeves shirts for myself and two blouses for my mother-in-law. Wanna guess the price? It's $2 each. Unbelievable right? Hehehe. The things that we bought were not enough so we headed to Arundel Mills. I don't really care how crowded the mall is as long as I have the right company. I bought dress coat which was sold for 50% off, got Victoria Secret thongs (hubby's favorite), sweatshirts for my sweetie and brother-in-law, slippers and Hanes T-shirts at Wal-Mart where hubby picked me up. Actually, this is my very first Christmas in the US and I have to take note when is the right time to shop. Everything is on sale or discounts. Last minute shopping during Christmas really pays off.

Canon G9

What a surprise from my hubby! A new digicam! I really love it! It's 12.1 mega pixels (the highest in the camera market today), with 3 inches LCD screen. It's a very advanced camera. Couldn't ask for anything more as a christmas gift. Well, he's always been like that, full of surprises. I'm just so lucky. Ever since, luck is always with me.

Nephew's Birthday Bash

It's my adorable nephew's 2nd birthday today! How I missed him. He was still very little when I left but his recent pictures suprised me a lot. He is now a big boy. How I wish I'm there to celebrate with him this special day. I'm glad my gift, which I ordered online arrived just in time, exactly on his birthday. I got him a red remote controlled car and winnie the pooh bubble maker. He will surely love those toys. It's quiet sad though not seeing his growing up years, play with him, and answer his silly questions as what most kids do. He's very much loved by everybody. He is the first grandchild of both sides. I hope he wont grow up to be a spoiled brat. That's all I'm wishing for on his big day.

Hmmmm... Yummy!

The long wait is over! This is one of the desserts that I've been craving. I planned to make Leche Flan a month ago after I got the ingredients. I thought I had all the necessary ingredients until I found out I didn't have the vanilla. I'm getting forgetful these days. Hehehe... We had grocery last Saturday and I really made sure vanilla was on top of my list of things to buy.

I found simple and easy to follow recipe on the net. It's really delicious.


PHILIPPINE'S LECHE FLAN

Caramel:
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water

Custard:
12 egg yolks
2 cans (13 oz.) evaporated and condensed sweetened milk
1 tbsp. vanilla

1. In a large bowl, combine all custard ingredients. Stir lightly when mixing to prevent bubbles or foam from forming. Strain slowly while pouring caramel lined flan mold.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
3. Cover mold with tin foil. Put molds into a bigger tray filled with water.

4. Bake in oven for one hour or until mixture is firm. cool before unmolding on a platter.

For Caramel

Put sugar and water in a saucepan. Caramelize in medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour into flan molds or custard cups, tilting the mold to make sure the whole surface (about less than 1 cm) is covered. The more caramel you pour into the molds the sweeter the leche flan.

Put molds in a bigger tray/ baking pan filled with water.
Bake in oven for one hour or until mixture is firm. Cool before unmolding on a platter.

The Essence of Giving

Finally, my box has arrived in the Philippines. It took 47 days of shipping. You might be wondering what box I'm talking about here. Actually, it's what we commonly called "Balikbayan Box", which contains any kinds of gifts. We Filipinos are the majority box senders around the world. We love to send almost everything from canned goods, toys, apparel, shoes, etc. Simply because we are very family-oriented people. Anyway, when I got the message from my sister they received the box already I felt so happy. Ironic, isn't it? Though I'm the one sending and giving something, the feelings I had was unexplainable. I guess, it's true. As the saying goes, "It's better to give than to receive", especially this Christmas season. I feel so lucky that I am able to share my blessings and made lots of people smile this time of year.

Lost Soul

CONFUSION... It's never easy. I'm wondering how long would it take me to deal with this. It concerns about my career. I'm planning to take a 360 degrees shift. I don't know where to start nor certain if this is the right path to take. I have a Business Administration degree in another country. I feel like they(employers & recruiters) never recognize it here. Do I need to start from scratch? I can do that but the thing is until now, don't have any luck yet in my job search. I'm a firm believer that there's a reason for everything. I'm just clueless right now.

Then Nursing course came to mind. Yesterday, I got a call from the Assistant Administrator of South University (based in Georgia). She explained about the subjet courses, how long will it take and the tuition/application fees as well. We all know that nursing is a noble profession. It's a rewarding career because you can help and care for lots of people. In addition, the salary is relatively high compared to other average employees. Plus the shortage of nurses these days and the years to come make it more inviting for me to take the course. Now I'm really confused. I feel like I'm a lost soul in this world.

Another Favorite

A must see movie! Hubby and I just love it. Last Friday, we were so excited to see this movie and made sure to buy the ticket in advance online. We really didn't mind the long line at the automatic ticket machine and the long wait outside the movie house. It's worth it. One realization after watching it? As the saying goes "No man is an island". Guess, it's true.

Dream Vacation

Nothing really beats Carribean! Someday, we'll visit this place. The place is like a paradise.

Scammer... Beware!

I've been expecting a delivery of comforter set which I ordered online two weeks ago. While talking to my mom upstairs I saw the UPS driver heading to our porch. Surprisingly, what I got was a check containing my name as the payee with the amount of $1,970. I really don't have any idea why I got this money. Then I checked my email and found a detailed instructions on what to do with it. They offered 10% commission by simply encashing it and send the money to London thru money wire transfer. The message explained where the company got my info since I've been applying jobs online. Oh my gosh! I knew it right away I would be in real trouble if I would do business transaction with them. These days we have to be aware of scammer. With the latest technology and internet usage by the majority, they are taking advantage of people by their quick money scam online. Or in my case this is just another of the Advance Fee Frauds, a counterfeit check cashing scam. They'll mail fake checks to you, you deposit them in your bank account and then send them a money gram BEFORE the checks clear the bank. The bank will cash them and then hold you responsible when the fake is discovered weeks later. There is no legitimate company in the world (with ANY sense) that would use a free Yahoo email account as their contact email. Anyone can get a free email account like that.

As an advice NEVER GIVE OUT FINANCIAL INFORMATION (bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal info, etc.) online. Beware if scammers, there's a lot out there.

Tests & Interviews

It took me two hours and a half to get out of the establishment where I had my tests and interview. I was scheduled for 10am interview but when I got there I had to fill out papers (applicant's info sheet, contract & agreement for background check & W-4, for 30 minutes. To my surprise, the lady receptionist brought me to the skills testing room and I took three different exams and they were time pressured (data entry, financial, and excel). I should have known about these tests I should have studied. Then came the most awaited part, the interview by three Staffing Managers. The first American guy briefly asked me about my resume and he gave me the result of my tests. I did well on financial and data entry (90% and 92% respectively) but the excel part was worst. As far as I remembered, I always copy my seatmates file when we have practical exams in Excel way back in college hahahaha! I only know the basic MS Excel and that's it. Other commands and menu functions are not really my forte. He explained to me I got the passing score anyway. The second interviewer is a young black woman and she discussed my minimum salary rate and my job preferences. The third one is an American woman on her thirties and she's very nice. She was impressed of the financial scores I got and wondered how come I knew all those. Wow, I was so flattered but I remained humble. The interview was brief and very direct. It was so different with the interviews I had in the Philippines (which really takes a while like 30 minutes or longer).

Now, all I need to do is wait for a job offer from them. Hmmm, sounds it's gonna be a great Christmas present to look forward to.

Super Crowded Mall

I always love shopping. It's fun for me. Aside from the walking exercise I get while strolling around, I get to see lots of people from all walks of life. There's black, white, Chinese, Mexican, Asian and Indian, young or old. Well, I did't really have so much fun this afternoon because the mall was super crowded. People were buying gifts for the coming Christmas. I hate to shop when I there are many shoppers around plus the long line in the cashier. It only gives me headache. I had no choice today but to buy stuffs for my interview tomorrow. I need to impress the interviewer so I have to dress professionally. After four long hours I had bought everything I needed. I hope the long hours in the super crowded mall is worth it.

Favorite Sites

Here's a list of my most visited site. It's like everyday without a miss. Check this out guys!

1. www.youtube.com - you can find lots of videos here broadcast by ordinary people

2. www.friendster.com - best site to connect family and friends all over the world

3. www.videojug.com - everything here is worth learning, life explained in all areas

4. www.imeem.com - find all types of music with lyrics, from oldies to modern songs

5. www.realtor.com - this inspire mes to work hard, save and invest in the future

First Touch of Snow

Finally, I experienced the chilling temperature outside. It's -8 degrees F today. I was super excited when I heard the weather news report last night on the snow forecast. Wow, it's unbelievable and I love it! Feels like heaven outside. Everything covered with snow-white. I enjoyed gazing the trees from our bedroom, the white covered roofs, the road, the grass which turned into a thick pile of ice. I even took many pictures in our basement. From there I had infinite poses with snow on the background because of our glass sliding door. Thank God I didn't have to go outside just for pictorial purposes. While I busied myself with my camera, a friend of mine from Florida called. She was thrilled of my snow experience because she will never see it there. :-)

Maja

It's been five days since I made the mango float but it was still in the refrigerator almost untouched. I thought hubby will like it but I was wrong. I was the only one eating it until I decided to get rid of it. I made maja (Filipino dessert). I really miss those famous desserts in my country. I got the recipe in a pinay forum and the outcome of the recipe was perfect. I love it! I really do. Anyway, we had a great time watching TILA. We always look forward every Tuesday night because of the reality TV show TILA TEQUILA. It's about a bisexual girl who wants to settle down but confused on her sexual preference. She has bunch of lesbians and guys to choose from. It's always fun watching the dogfights and the catfights of the hopeless romantic lesbians and gorgeous guys.

Super Windy Day

Oh my God, the humming of the wind from the outside was very strong. It ceaselessly woke me up a couple of times while I was having a copious sleep. I got scared the strong wind might break the skyline glass window in the master bedroom so I transferred to the adjacent room. It's the same typical day for me but it was super cold outside when I checked some mails. I was freezing to death! I can manage cold but it's the wind that really annoyed me. Have to walk fast coz it blew my face like 50 mph. If only we can choose a tropical state and move right away. I'm sure life would be better, don't have to deal with super windy days.

Beauty and the Geek

Me and hubby had a great time watching our favorite reality show. We have seen season 1 and 2. My favorite part of the show is the transformation period and the complete makeover which the geeky guys have gone through. It really makes a huge deference when those nerdy guys in glasses waxed their hairy body, wear contacts instead of those thick glasses and cut their hair with a new look. We spent the whole afternoon cuddling and tickling in the couch during commercial break. I had enough of it but he makes it a habit of tickling me everyday. Seems like he has nothing much to do, no stories to tell or no jokes to crack or maybe he has ADD now? Oh my God! Does hubby need more attention? Am I not giving him enough? Hahaha... I have to ask him about that.

Craving for Milkfish

I've been craving for Bangus (as what we commonly call in the Philippines). I asked my friend here if she knew where could I possibly get those. She gave me the address of the Filipino Store nearby and right after I looked at the address in the map, we went there immediately and bought two packs of marinated milkfish. I was so happy and I can't wait to cook them on Monday. You might be wondering why not today or tomorrow? Well, for the very plain reason that hubby can't take the smell of the fried fish. He doesn't eat fish and no matter how much persuading I would do, he will never try it. Anyway, I saw some pinay there in the store. One pinay was accompanied by her husband. While I busied myself looking for the fish in the freezer, hubby noticed the husband is too old for the girl hahahaha. I felt the pinay was kind of embarrassed or shy, I didn't really know why she did not even said hello. I didn't seem to care at all. She's a bit snob. But there's was one pinay on her forties who said "hi" and I supposed she's the store owner. On the way home, I did familiarize the road landmarks and directions. From now on, there will be frequent buying of milkfish, my favorite fish in the worl!

Mango Float

I made one of my favorite desserts today, which is Mango Float. This is very distinguished in my country (Philippines). It's consistently present in any occasion. It's been seven months and I kind of miss it already. That is why the last time we had the grocery two weeks ago, I bought the ingredients. I had to delay the making of the recipe because the refrigerator is still full of sweets from Thanksgiving. I assume my hubby will like it. If not, then at least appreciate it. Hahaha... Really need some appreciation here. After all those experimental recipes which usually are failures. Im sure this time Mango Float is totally different from the rest. Fingers crossed...

A Quiet Afternoon

I was enjoying the new dance exercise DVD when the power went out. Grrrrr! I hate it. With nothing much to do, I decided to indulge myself in a hot bubble bath and read a good book (Bloodline by Sidney Sheldon). It was a very quiet afternoon. I could hear people walking on the street, talking, kids playing on the basketball court, some yelling, the sound of the car, etc. It took four hours before the power went back. Thank God, I still managed to watch my favorite afternoon Divorce Court shows.

Laughing Out Loud

We had a blast talking on the phone! A friend of mine called me three times today. She is such a joker, full of humor. I really don't mind her calling me everyday, sometimes we just talk on the very shallow stuffs which are kind of nonsense. But I love it every time we have this long conversation on the phone. She lifts up my spirit and really makes me laugh out loud (at least, helps me combat my homesickness). I always believe on the saying "Laughter is the best medicine". Well, I got my dosage today.

Not so Lucky Girl

Woke up very early this morning (5:30am) and hubby drove me to the offices where I have schedule for interview. After taking down notes of landmarks and getting familiar with the roads, we parted at the train station where I dropped him to work. Got so nervous! Gosh it was my first time in the hi-way all by myself. From the Dorsey train station, I headed to Arberton Drive and had my 9am job interview for admin support position. It was so disappointing because the pay is very low ($8 per hour) and there are no benefits like life and health insurance, 401k, and paid vacation is only one week and have to work my ass off to get that after a year.

Got a call at 3pm from the HR personnel for an admin assistant I applied online. I told her my concern of the work location. It will take me approximately one hour excluding the traffic and it's only a part time position though.

I was supposed to have another interview at Kohl's as cashier (part time position) but I changed my mind. They want me as back up and work will mostly be midnight and until January only. It's not worth it.

Before I left the house to pick up my hubby at Dorsey, got the 4th interview from a recruiter. He said he found my resume at WorkBaltimore.com. Unfortunately the only position available is sales. I hate sales!

Very tough day but I guess my luck is yet to come.

Job Interviews

I got three job interviews in my email. What a surprise! After how many days of waiting and applying, searching and clicking the mouse for jobs online, finally I got three interviews scheduled on the following day. I really hope, I will be lucky tomorrow. I guess I'm always lucky. We'll see.

My "To Do List"

I have many things to do but I don't know why I can't accomplish those ASAP. Being impatient really never helps. Yes, I am one. And sometimes I hate myself because I want to get things done right there and then. Or might be because of boredom? Staying in the house with nothing much to do, no friendly neighbors to talk to, it's quiet difficult. I get frustrated once in a while especially when it comes to applying jobs online. I click over 20 applications everday whenever I feel I'm qualified to do the job but until now I don't get a serious job offer. Well, I get phone calls and emails from recruiters but that's it, no interviews. And finding a job is on top of my "to do list". I think I need to extend my patience more and more. As they say, it is a virtue anyway.

Movies & Books

My hubby accompanied me to the library and I got some books and DVD's. I want to take advantage borrowing them for free! Wow, guess I have to go there often knowing I could just grab any book I want or movies to watch. It will save a lot of money compared to buying new ones. I have the list below of the stuffs I got and have to returned them after five days for movies and after three weeks for books. Isn't that great? I really love the idea of getting them for free!!! Nothing beats that.

DVD's
1. "The Pearl" Based on a classic novel, it's the story of an impoverished diver whose life is changed forever when he discovers "the pearl of the world."

2. "The Shell Seekers" It's all about a woman's unforgetable odyssey to find her dreams and a last chance for happines.

3. "The Secret Life of Mrs. Beeton" Traces a woman's transformation from young wife, to magazine journalist, to publishing phenomenon.

4. "Therese" The true story of Saint Therese of Lisieux

5. "Sliding Doors" Funny and touching movie.

Books
1. "Bloodline" by Sidney Sheldon
2. "Vanished" by Danielle Steel

Bubble Bath

I spent two hours in jacuzzi with bubble bath after dinner. Well, thanks to my husband he loves bubble bath also. It was so relaxing after doing some household chores during the day. Now I miss having spa and body massage. I don't want to have it here because it's just so expensive and impractical. But it's ok bubble bath in jacuzzi still makes me feel pampered and that's all that matters.

Happy Thanksgiving!

It took us almost two hours to get to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania to celebrate Thanksgiving with my husband's family. I met Motini (my mother-in-law's older brother) and his two sons, Troy and Travis. I called them the T family because their names all starts with letter T. They are all nice and warm to me and thank God I have great in-laws. I helped hubby's mom prepare some foods before serving time took place at 1pm because we got there early. I really had a great time and got to bond with my hubby's family and relatives. We took pictures and I hope I'll get some copies of them soon. I want to send some to my family in the Philippines so they will see how they celebrate Thanksgiving here. Looks like the biggest event of the year where family get together and share updates on each other's lives. We left the house around 8pm and we brought lots of food. I don't know how we are going to eat all of those. We have turkey, sliced ham, sweet potato, mashed potato, sweet corn, pumpkin pie and my favorite cheesecake. And there's more... Chocolate cake which mom baked especially for me coz she knows I love chocolates!

The Notebook

One of my favorite romantic movies is "The Notebook". I got a book version of it while shopping for clothes yesterday. Though I've seen the movie already like three times, I never think twice to get the book version. You know why? Coz it's sold for $25 cents hehehe... Aside from that I want to read the complete details of the story. I know I feel short-changed watching the story in a movie than reading the book.

I can't wait for the holiday tomorrow. It will be my first time celebrating it with my husband's family. I'm just so excited to meet some of his relatives and I want to see how big really Thanksgiving here in the U.S.

My Newly Discovered Store

Had a great day shopping for long hours in a thrift store. I love it there! Yvonne picked me up and we had lunch at a Japanese buffet restaurant with her son Patrick. Like those sushi! Afterwhich, she brought me to this store which sells super cheap second hand/used clothes items. We originally planned to go malling after lunch but then we got stuck there for hours. We forgot the time because of the huge selection of jeans, sweaters, blouses. Well, it's worth spending time there because I got five sweaters, a pair of jeans, and two pajamas. I only paid $40.00. Plus, to my surprise Yvonne gave me 5 sweaters which her sister previously owned and she have so much stuffs in her closet so she decided to share some with me. Feel so lucky today!

Pinay Friends

Today is my friend's special day(her wedding). I met Nel when I attended the CFO Seminar, which is a pre-departure requirement for fiancee visa holder. I really like her because she's a Bisaya and from Cebu also. Everytime we talk on the phone we share almost everything and she really makes me laugh so hard (nothing compares). My concern is her adjustment of status and getting a green card (permanent residency). She got married with expired I-94 and that is a serious immigration issue. I hope she and her husband can provide a reasonable excuse why such delay and out of the 90 day window period. With US immigration so strict these days because of these illegal aliens coming in the country, I really hope and pray they will not be so harsh to her case and might give a little consideration.

Got a call from Maricela in the afternoon while she was babysitting four kids including her two year old daughter, Kaithlyn. She is a pinay also and been here for two years. Thank God I found some friends whom I can talk to especially these times when family and friends are miles away from home.

My favortie maple on Sunday

Great breakfast today because I had a maple bacon (my favorite) and boileg eggs (hubby's favorite to match bacon). I had a long distance conversation with my mom in the Philippines and it always makes me feel at ease and happy every time she tells me they're all doing ok (except the sore eyes that they have to deal with hehehe). I will keep myself busy searching for jobs online the rest of the afternoon. I hope I will get a reply soon because I really wanna work, getting bored here you know staying in the house whole day while waiting for my hubby from work. Maybe I will cook steak for dinner later but I'm not so sure about it, still very full while I'm writing this. I guess have to blame it on maple bacon!

Very interesting site to see

Wow! Can't believe I've been sitting for 3 hours looking at this particular website (http://www.videojug.com/) A friend of mine gave me this link and it's worth spending my Saturday aftenoon just browsing this very informative site while my hubby was watching his favorite football game on TV. The site has almost everything, whatever topic you want. My three hours were spent watching videos of many delicious recipes. I was even taking notes of 3 desserts (Classic Chocolate Mouse, American Cheesecake, Creme Caramel) that I want to try one of theses days. They look so yummy and seem very easy to make. I will surely get some ingredients in the grocery tonight. No reason not to make those recipes. Hehehe...



Here's a sample of dessert demo:

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-creme-caramel

What I love about Friday...

Thank God it's Friday! Yehey!!! Being a housewife with nothing to do in the house whole day, Friday nightout completes my week. It's the time where my husband and I go out and have special dinner in our favorite restaurant. And then there's movie after dinner. I really wanna treasure every moment that my husband and I share especially now that we don't have kids yet. We get to enjoy each other's company more and more. That's why every moment counts and that's what I love about Friday nights!

I Miss my hometown Cebu

It's been seven months and until now I can't believe I'm already here in the US. Life is different compared to the life I had way back in the Philippines. There are things that I'm still adjusting like the weather, getting colder everyday. Cebu, which happens to be my hometown is very tropical and lots of white sand beaches. Can't wait to go back and have a long vacation, spend time with family and friends, go malling, out of town overnights, food trip, etc.. Well, now at least I have something to look forward to and that is going back home year 2009...