Sweet Wordless Wednesday

Meme Monday "Uber" Award

One of the best things about blogging is the spirit of friendship and appreciation:) I love reading blogs, I laugh at their (bloggers) jokes, I learn from their experiences and I cry at their success and sweetest joys in life. Thanks to Jade of MommaWannabe for this super-duper amazing award:)

Uber (synonym to Super) Amazing Blog Award is a blog award given to sites who:
~ inspires you
~ makes you smile and laugh
~ or maybe gives amazing information
~ a great read
~ has an amazing design
~ and any other reasons you can think of that makes them uber amazing!

The rules of this award are:
* Put the logo on your blog or post.
* Nominate at least 5 blogs (can be more) that for you are Uber Amazing!
* Let them know that they have received this Uber Amazing award by commenting on their blog.
* Share the love and link to this post and to the person you received your award from.

So I'm giving this award to the following bloggers who have shared their talents, joys and journeys to the world-wide-web. The Uber Amazing awardees: Atenean101, JaeJae, Dong Ho's, BlogNow101 and GrandMasterson.

A Call for Privacy

It is definitely annoying when you get phone calls from telemarketers. I remembered my very first month here in the US where I enrolled in an online school. I didn’t officially enroll myself; I just sign up and look for some guidelines. Without preconditions, I put all the information including my husband’s cell phone number since I don’t have one at that time. After an hour, he got a lot of phone calls from different colleges- looking for me. So, he turned off his phone and the next day, he got lots of messages. That was so annoying and worse; I got ample of junk emails and even snail mails. It was incredibly annoying and I was so sorry to have done that to my husband’s privacy. I have no idea at all. If only I could turn back the time but it was too late. His cell phone number had been sold to some other companies as well as my email to some companies that purchase marketing lists. Well, I’m glad to have found this website- Privacy Council that takes back our personal privacy. Thanks to their enormous mission of putting an end to unwanted junk mail, SPAM and phone calls. Their expert privacy team will personally file the appropriate paperwork to get you off (and keep you off) the following marketing lists. Their special personalized removal and monthly monitoring service includes:
Ongoing submission of your phone number to the National Do Not Call List, which takes you off most telemarketing lists.
Removal from the Direct Marketing Association's List, which takes your name off of most catalog lists.
Removal from the Advo, PennySaver, The Flyer, and ValPak direct mail lists.
Opt-out of most Catalogs, Mail Order, and Magazine Lists.
Removal from Pre-approved Credit Card Offers mailing list.
Removal from Reverse Phone Directories.
Removal from Sweepstakes Lists.
Removal from the National Political Do Not Contact Registry.
I think this is a great way to help people and so if you’re interested, Privacy Council is always seeking more marketers to join their team and be a part of this movement to reduce unwanted solicitations and their impact on privacy and the environment. Help end SPAM, junk mail and unsolicited phone calls and keep individual privacy safe.

Photo Hunt "Scary"

Every once in a while we go to this place near the YMCA building at nights. Jake just loved chasing the bunnies- he’s leashed though coz we’re too scared he might get lost in the dark woods up in the hill. Most of the time the place is quiet and all you would hear are the kids screaming down the hill in the soccer field.

This time around though, it’s crowded. There are lots of cars and kids around the building. There’s a Halloween party!

We saw this guy so lonely on the other side of the gate and wondered maybe he scared all the other kids away, hahaha! I'm glad he looked at me when we pulled the car in front of him, lol! I don't have my cyber-shot then and so just bear with the blurry shots from my iPhone:) Happy Scary Photo Hunting, guys!

We're Moving on Monday!

We have been extremely busy these past few weeks from looking for the right building to move, closing the deal, setting up the racks in the warehouse, cleaning, moving things around and shopping for furnitures. It’s a big advantage to buy these days since there’s just a lot of foreclosures and bargains everywhere online. We had bought a pretty good forklift for 3grand and its real value could be around 10grand. We had bought nice set of office furnitures (desk, conference table with chairs and long drawer) for only $1,100. Isn’t that sweet? See this:

I’m a little bit excited now even though that would mean more driving everyday. Spoiled me, eh? I don’t drive much; in fact, my car is over 6 month-old but only had 1,400miles on it, lol! It’s pretty much just small errands from market, post office, bank or staples.

Anyway, I’m hoping I can still do my blogging chores everyday. I would be stuck with laptop at home which I really don't like, it's too inconvenient for me, haha! Well, I just love blogging as my hobby. In fact, earning from it ( I’ve earned more than a thousand since late April from this blog alone) is just an icing on the cake. Having said that, thanks to my buddy- Atenean101 for another award. This is amazing! Cheers!

Wordless Wednesday

It was a fine afternoon and we’re driving down the hill (few blocks from home) when we saw these 3 deers. They probably had lived the area long before the houses were built and it’s very amazing to see them around- meaning, the place still offers them no harm at all.

Freedom

Every Friday night is a movie night for us. I’m not a big TV fan and I only watch news on CNN and get some updates in The Filipino Channel every Sunday or listen to some insights from one of my favorite Fr. Groeschel of EWTN.

Last Friday, we watched the movie, Religulous. According to “Rotten Tomatoes” the movie Religulous is funny and offensive in equal measure, and aims less to change hearts and minds than to inspire conversation.

I admit, it was funny and Jim was laughing all throughout the movie as he can relate to Bill Maher than anybody else. He had the same problems, questions and ample of doubts about God’s existence. Both his parents were Catholic and I would say, they are people who live beyond the label of being religious. They started a foundation and had lived their entire lives according to truth, honesty, integrity, kindness and gentleness. The most confusing part though is nobody in the 5 kids believed in God.

Well, religion is a personal view of the world which means everybody is different. The movie is not at all offensive to me nor informative. However, it serves the purpose of making fun of people who consider themselves religious. In the end, I felt sad for him.

I just like to share this passage from Kahlil Gibran on The Prophet:
You shall be free indeed when your days are not without a care nor your nights without a want and a grief,
But rather when these things girdle your life and yet you rise above them naked and unbound.
And how shall you rise beyond your days and nights unless you break the chains which you at the dawn of your understanding have fastened around your noon hour?
In truth that which you call freedom is the strongest of these chains, though its links glitter in the sun and dazzle the eyes.
And what is it but fragments of your own self you would discard that you may become free?
If it is an unjust law you would abolish, that law was written with your own hand upon your own forehead.
You cannot erase it by burning your law books nor by washing the foreheads of your judges, though you pour the sea upon them.
And if it is a despot you would dethrone, see first that his throne erected within you is destroyed.
For how can a tyrant rule the free and the proud, but for a tyranny in their own freedom and a shame in their own pride?
And if it is a care you would cast off, that care has been chosen by you rather than imposed upon you.
And if it is a fear you would dispel, the seat of that fear is in your heart and not in the hand of the feared.
Verily all things move within your being in constant half embrace, the desired and the dreaded, the repugnant and the cherished, the pursued and that which you would escape.
These things move within you as lights and shadows in pairs that cling.
And when the shadow fades and is no more, the light that lingers becomes a shadow to another light.
And thus your freedom when it loses its fetters becomes itself the fetter of a greater freedom.

Photo Hunt "Family"

Meet my family. It’s not really a recent picture; this was taken 9 years ago on what used to be a family day. Most Sunday afternoons, we hang out at the beach; have some barbeque and kinilaw/sushi. My Uncles and cousins (boys) would go fishing and we’ll just cook bananas and so when they arrive we have some fresh, sweet, raw fish to eat with vinegar and chili, of course. Ah, I missed those days!

Celebration of Life

One of my favorite Bible verses is from Psalm 56:13 that says: “For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.” No matter how triumphant one is, or how prominent, there comes a time when he passes on. He's like a ship going through the ocean. The ship makes a little ripple, and when it has passed through, the ocean closes in. Isn't that what life is all about, each of us passing through? Why grieve over the things you wanted and never got? Why mourn over what could have been when it is all momentary? Right now, you are not the person you were a half hour ago. We are one half hour closer to the journey's end. For some this is a distressing thought. Why is it that we find death so heart-breaking? We can envision everyone dying except ourselves. Have we lost sight of this world being a pilgrimage? It's a journey and you're not home yet. A Christian must never lose sight of this passing reality of life; and it should be faced with peace, not constant astonishment. I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to attend the first annual Theatre Church Conference in Silver Spring, Maryland this coming October 22-23, 2008. Find out more about the first-ever Theatre Church Conference hosted by CineMeetings & Events, a division of National CineMedia.Find out more of this wonderful event which will bring together respected though leaders, pastors and church leaders from the country’s most ground-breaking and growing churches to discuss the future of theatre worship. Find out more on how you can make your faith a living faith.

Faith and Its Fruit

Faith is a gift given to us at baptism that enables us to accept invisible realities. For instance if someone says, "How do you know there is a heaven? Do you know anyone who has been there?" Well, you can't answer that. So you say "I believe." There is something within you that gives you that certainty, that assurance. It's a gift.

Today, many think that faith is something within their power. It sends me up a wall when people say, "If you had more faith you could be healed," What is this faith business in their minds? Some kind of magic formula? How do you get more faith? Not by presumption. You're dealing with God. Our petulant demands are not faith, and we are not omnipotent. Making demands on God is not faith, that's a subtle kind of pride, God is not your personal slot machine! Faith breeds a humility that is willing to accept the truth that the Father has revealed to us through His Son Jesus, knowledge that Christ is the Lord, and a deep realization that within the soul dwells the Spirit. When you believe these things about Jesus and know that it comes from His Father, it must bear the fruit of faith. Most people possess the gift of faith, but they don't bear the fruit of that faith. The fruit of faith is to change your life. If you believe Jesus came to save you and give you an example of how to live, then you must live like Him. That's the fruit of faith.

Excerpt from Mother Angelica’s Book “Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality”.

Wordless Wednesday

We were on our way to go window shopping for more furniture in the dining area when finally Jim saw Payam’s garage is open. He’s a neighbor who happened to be our Dentist. He’s such a busy guy who travels a lot to give speeches about Invisalign and Laser technology and owned 2 clinics (1 in San Diego). It’s just hard to catch this guy and so when Jim talked with him in the garage, he saw this costume for his wife’s (Shadie’s) baby shower. He thought he was being funny and showed it to me while waiting inside the car and yap, there you have it- the camera girl is always ready, hahaha!

Wildfire

The wind is blowing like crazy today. Oh, it started Sunday and the famous Santa Ana wind had visited once again, sending-off other people to evacuation due to wildfire. I remembered last year was really worse. The clouds were so dark, smelled like cooking, mess everywhere even inside the house and that went on for over 2 weeks. It was all so filthy and when you go down the hill, you can see a blaze of fire from afar. Geeeee, it was unbelievably real then.
This afternoon, the dead tree in the neighborhood had generously spread its dry leaves to all corners in the backyard. The association refused to trim it as requested by the homeowner lived near that tree. I wonder if they poisoned that tree coz it's dead now, hmmm....bad me, eh? Anyway, it was all so messy:( My car which I just cleaned last Sunday is all so dirty now. Oh well, at least the gardener will be here tomorrow.

No Man Is an Island

As I go through opening up myself to the possibilities of being heard and understood by a close friend, sometimes it left me frustrated to realize nobody ever really can understand the whole of me just as my friend’s disappointment of her telling me about all her frustrations of not being completely understood. It’s just so aggravating sometimes that you’re looking for sympathy but your friend see it in a different way and she’s just so calm to tell you- it’s no big deal and vice- versa. Well, here’s a real enlightenment for that from one of my favorite author, a Trappist Monk- Thomas Merton “No Man Is an Island”.

Charity must teach us that friendship is a holy thing, and that it is neither charitable nor holy to base our friendship on falsehood. We can be, in some sense, friends to all men because there is no man on earth with whom we do not have something in common. But it would be false to treat too many men as intimate friends. It is not possible to be intimate with more than very few, because there are only very few in the world with whom we have practically everything in common.

Love, then, must be true to the ones we love and to ourselves, and also to its own laws. I cannot be true to myself if I pretend to have more in common than I actually have with someone whom I may like for a selfish and unworthy reason.

There is, however, one universal basis for friendship with all men: we are all loved by God, and I should desire them all to love Him with all their power. But the fact remains that I cannot, on this earth, enter deeply into the mystery of their love for Him and of His love for them.

Photo Hunt "Lazy"

Isn’t he such a spoiled brat? Lol! Nope, he’s just waiting for the mailman to drop by. He just loved barking at anybody. Guess, he thought we’re all boring companion. Nobody plays with him especially in the morning. Everybody’s so busy and when I go to Jim’s office and snuggle sometimes, oh boy, he’ll just bark like crazy. He’s not just a lazy guy but a jealous guy too, lol!

Dance With My Mom

( me&myMom@Disney,CA)

Today is my Mom’s birthday. I just missed her and I’m just so grateful to have a Mom like her. She may not be perfect but her unselfishness had humbled me and she’s just larger than life. I just love this song and thought it’s profoundly beautiful. For my Mom:

Back when I was a child
Before life removed all the innocence
My father would lift me high
And dance with my mother and me and then

Spin me around till I fell asleep
Then up the stairs he would carry me
And I knew for sure
I was loved

If I could get another chance
Another walk, another dance with him
I’d play a song that would never, ever end
How I’d love, love, love to dance with my father again

Ooh, ooh

When I and my mother would disagree
To get my way I would run from her to him
He’d make me laugh just to comfort me, yeah, yeah
Then finally make me do just what my mama said

Later that night when I was asleep
He left a dollar under my sheet
Never dreamed that he would be gone from me

If I could steal one final glance
One final step, one final dance with him
I’d play a song that would never, ever end
‘Cause I’d love, love, love to dance with my father again

Sometimes I’d listen outside her door
And I’d hear her, mama cryin’ for him
I pray for her even more than me
I pray for her even more than me.

Another Dentist Story

Wow! I was all so exhausted yesterday. I went to the Dentist around 11:30 in the morning and I came home around 3PM. Oh boy, I wished I never had to go through all those stuff. I felt like it’s a torture. My old crown was removed and that’s just the left side. In the next two weeks, I gotta go back for the right side (crown) to be removed, (sigh). I’m such a baby when it comes to physical pain. Poor me:(

Running Aground

Jim is pretty much excited for the new building. Yep, we’re moving before the month ends to an office. Since we already rented 3 small warehouses (including his Mom's building); Jim thought it’s time for us to move to look more professional. He owned a building in Irvine but it’s just too big for us and we can’t afford it yet. We’re just so grateful that the Chinese who rented it did renew their rentals for another 3 years. It could have been a headache if they didn’t renew it as the real state is so bad. The money can help us deal with the mortgage and pay the rest to the new building’s expenses.

I’m not that excited though. I’m thinking of waking up so early, driving to work, etc. It’s always nice to work sometimes with your pajamas on, lol! Well, it’s nice to have the house more private since Blaine and Debbie work here. We can turn the office back to a bedroom.

We’re just so very grateful the business is doing great but a big headache for my husband as we might pay 300grand for the taxes. Geeee… sometimes, you wished it weren’t that profitable. Actually, we don’t even have that big amount of money for the tax. It will take up all the cash in the bank and maybe take more from his retirement of which has also been down by 25grand due to the economic meltdown. That would even prevent him from developing new products. Bummer! He kept saying it’s not fair for him whose been working his ass off just to make the business growing. He never even played that real estate game, he continued.

I don’t really blame him for not voting Obama. He will greatly affect him personally. Everybody in the neighborhood had the same problem. It’s gonna cost them more if Obama will win. A friend told me that her parents went into this meeting/fundraising for McCain- composed of wealthy people and that night alone, they were able to raise 4Million. Now, I know why. Well, the fact is- I just can’t take McCain and Palin’s dirty politics. That’s all. I always thought McCain seemed to be the insecure politician in the race with in fact, he’s got more experience than Obama, he’s way older and should have been wiser but acted too immature and Sarah Palin is like an echo that’s just so busy attacking without even laying her plans. Ah, self-righteous, pro life Christians.

Wordless Wednesday

A lot of you maybe browsing eyebrows on this picture- I don’t have any other intentions but just for the fun of it:) Taking pictures can be silly sometimes, lol! Summer fun is over and here’s one last shot for the summer at Huntington Beach:)

Simple Musings

Oh, the economy is so bad right now. I’m kind of tired hearing all those dirty punches in the political arena. Isn’t it nice when these things will be over? Ah, I wonder what the media would be talking about by then. I mean, after the election. Hmmm, it could be digging another Paris Hilton or Britney Spears stories, haha!

Anyways, I have been awarded once again by another blogger friend, Atenean101. Thanks for this award:)

Some Exposures

I’m glad we never attended the trade show in Chicago this year. The retailers are hurting these days due to the economic crisis and it might not be a good idea to spend a bunch of money for that. We’re just so grateful that we’re picking up big orders from chain stores. But it’s really a great thing to attend conventions. I was able to meet some sales reps, customers, big distributors from other part of the world of whom I’m only familiar with when they place an order.

I admit, I never thought I could experience such a great exposure in business. I never have been so interested in business at all. Things are so different now, I guess.

Just For the Fun Of It

The whole idea of mocking politicians or religious figures is so strange to my Filipina background. It’s not really common in the society where I grow up with- perhaps because most people take it in a very different way. Yes, we’re way behind and any act like those are some sort of ignorant and disrespectful. Jim and Blaine just love watching the Jerry Springer show on lunchtime. I thought that was the weirdest show that I’ve ever seen. Jim asked how Filipinos gonna deal with those kind of show. I’m not sure what to say. We don’t have those on TV but we do have those in real life. I’ve witnessed some real drama of a jealous wife having a real fight with her husband’s mistress or watching Moms picking up the fights of their kids or Moms screaming at each other at their front yards just because of some accusations and gossips. Ah, small town’s real life drama, haha! I don’t even like that Tom Leykis radio show. Jim thought it’s for fun just like the Springer Show. Maybe I don’t get it yet. Oh well, things were different to where I came from. I don’t know but one thing for sure- it’s just the same world. Things were just handled in a different way. Okay, let’s have more fun then. Watch this:

Photo Hunt "SAD"

This was taken after we decorated the Christmas tree last year. Jim was resting after putting all the lights in the front yard when Jake came and sit on his lap. Just for the fun of it, I put the Santa’s hat on them and took this picture. They both looked cute and as always Jake wear his SAD face. I bet he’s happy, lol!

Be The Gift

In one way or another we are each other’s gifts,
We are a special gift to someone- nicely or unlovely wrapped.

What does a special person means?
A Special Person is someone who has the capacity to reach out -
And share his life with others,
He is sincere and compassionate;
He always makes sure that love is part of everything.

A Special Person is someone who knows how to listen and forgives easily;
He is not afraid to stand up and help others with the changes that come along their way.

A Special Person is someone who enjoys the moment of being selfless,
He is proud of he is and believes in His uniqueness.
He permits himself to be close to others-
He cares about their peace and happiness.

A Special Person is someone who has come to understand that LOVE is what makes the difference in life. He is someone who truly makes life so wonderful!

The Infamous Debate

I was praying that Sarah Palin won’t make any mistakes during the debate. It’s not because I don’t like her. I mean, personally I always thought she’s not qualified. It is the tremendous pressure that was put onto her and from the mistakes she had with the previous interviews that I just felt bad for her. It seemed as though no matter how much you’ll shake her, that’s all she can give. The fact that she put herself in that position is more confusing to me though. I wonder if she realized how big the responsibilities would be and how she’s going to handle all the diverse opinions and issues in the big league.

Well, it turned out to be a good try. Hmmm, better luck next time? I doubt that. I think she will be more effective in a small town or being a Governor. She came out to be very structured all throughout the debate. Obviously, she did her best and studied her lessons very well. Period. As what Republican strategist Mike Murphy, on MSNBC, said the debate "became a bit of a nothing-burger."

Fall is Around the Corner

After a few days of being drugged, literally from the pain killers and antibiotic that I have been taking for the tooth problems; finally I was able to get back to some junks that have been filed on my desk. I’m not quiet done yet but at least, it’s that much anymore. I hate clutters and I really hope I can get this done by the weekend. Have a wonderful weekend ahead, everyone! There’s not much special for us to do this weekend though. Fall is around the corner. It’s getting cold going on a bike ride along the Pacific Coast.