Yes Philippines Digital

I am such a showbiz chismis lover! And of course it has been ages since I've indulged in unadulterated showbiz scoop... so last month I subscribed to Yes Philippine Digital - through Philippine Entertainment Portal's website! The last time I subscribed was back in 2009. Oh simple pleasures in life. I guess it makes me forget reality for a little while and focus on the various articles available. My favourite reads are about featured celebrity homes. Taking a peek into the private lives of the celebrities can give one an insight to what they are like in real life - their taste, their personality and their guilty indulgences!

When I subscribed they didn't have the half price promotion (through Zinio) so I paid full price at $24.99. I wish I waited a little bit longer! But oh well, maybe next time I will catch a promo offer when I renew my subscription.

Off to read the goss now! December issue of YES is up!

 

Thanks to all sticker companies!

I must be on vacation ... 3 blog posts in one day! Let alone one morning! :) I am taking the half day off from work.

The little girl is dismantling stickers from her sticker book.. and sticking them.. on my leg !! Well, it keeps her entertained and busy. Lately, it's been all about stickers. I never realised these sticky things had magic! The size or shape does not matter (for now).

I can attest to their powers. Stickers kept the little girl busy --
... on our 7 1/2 hour day flight. She stuck them onto the airplane walls.
... hourly sunday mass.
... doctor visit, while waiting in clinics.
... while waiting for our food at restos.
... on the trolley cart while I do the grocery run - she would stick and unstick those brand stickers on fruits!
... pretty much anywhere.

Most of the time she un-sticks them and hands them over to me. For me to stick back onto the wall/chair/fruit/etc.

I now have added a pad of sticker in my bag :) In case of emergency.

Simple joy! :)

Sunday Stealing

1. When is your birthday? I'm a Valentina
2. Where were you born? Manila, Manila, Manila..
3. Where do you live now? Sydney down under.
4. What is your heritage? I'm a mongrel.. Filipino/Russian/Irish/Chinese
5. Tell us about a weakness. Overnight stays at luxury hotels.
6. What's a goal that you'd like to achieve? Start my own business. Soon. Hopefully.
7. What is the most overused internet phrase? Is BTW counted??
8. What was your first thought this morning? I'm late! I didn't get to cook rice for hubby. Bread nalang sha. Hahaha.
9. When do you usually go to bed? Sometime before midnight.
10. Do you smoke? If not, did you ever? I used to.
11. Do you like your current relationship status? Yes, yes.
12. Do you (or did you) get along with your parents? Most of the time yes, except on a few topics where we just cannot agree on. At all.
13. How often do you drink alcohol? It's been a very long while since the last alcoholic drop! Umm, 8++ months ago!!
14. Have you ever tried drugs (that weren't prescribed)? Never. And I intend to keep it that way.
15. Have you ever gone skinny dipping? If yes, do tell. Nope. Not yet. Hihi.
16. If given the choice, how would you like to die? Peacefully when I'm old.
17. What did you want to be when you grew up? Flightie or Lawyer.
18. Have you ever been dumped? Yes. Twice too many times. They both regretted it, and tried to ask me back years after!! So, in the end, I won!! :D
19. What's on your pizza? Italian sausage, mozarella, anchovies, etc...
20. Have you ever shoplifted? Never.

Guess the baby's gender!?

To find out? Or not?

A month ago hubby and I went for my 19 week scan (ultrasound), and it is normally at that time in the pregnancy that one can find out the gender of the baby.

At work, people were volunteering their opinion about whether to find out the gender or not. Some of them were really old school and have said that for the first baby in the family, it is best to keep it a SURPRISE! I know two of the ladies who recently gave birth left the gender unknown until delivery day. It is pretty exciting I suppose. If you can stand to wait that long and not find out!!

A few other people have been asking me about the gender of our baby. Especially my Filipino friends :) I know in Manila, almost everyone finds out the gender as soon as it is possible! I don't think I know anyone who's opted to keep it a surprise.

Anyway, as of the moment, it is 50-50 still. Possibly a baby ballerina girl, or maybe a soccer playing boy. Months before the 19-week scan I was partial in wanting to find out baby's gender. Part of me wanted to go old school and not find out (hubby was fine whatever I decided on)... And then on the day of the scan, at the very last minute I asked the U/S technician. She said she thinks baby is a girl. As she couldn't see anything in between the legs. But then again, she did not want to confirm. She went on and said it could be a boy, and that she was unsure. SO there. Still 50-50. Unless the technician was really just playing safe.

Now, now, now... we still don't know really. Soon, we have to start baby shopping seriously and we will have to stick with the neutral colours... whites, yellows, light greens, baby blues. Honestly, I am not that fussed now to find out. I don't know when the next scan is. I might ask again if baby is in a better angle. Or, I might not ask. We'll see. Either way, hubby and I will be happy for as long as baby is healthy and normal.

Would you go old school and not find out baby's gender?

House or Baby

Okay, maybe too much information. But, just wanted to ramble on. This week, my sister in law gave birth to a bouncing cute baby girl! This made us think double time to revv up our plans. We aren't getting any younger. And you know the fact that as one gets older, the harder it is to actually get pregnant. But then again, we were thinking whether it is better to buy a house first, and then have a baby. I know at the end of the day it boils down to priorities, and blessings. Baby will come when God wills. But, then it is always best to be prepared, I suppose.

Hubby was telling me how happy he is for his sister's new bub, and he kept on looking at the new baby's photos! (As in, I saw him curled in bed this morning looking through his mobile phone!). He also was dropping hints about maybe going to the Doc for a check up to see if I am okay to get pregnant (don't know if there's such a consultation for this).

I was telling him though, that I am thinking (if ever) to give birth in Manila. It would not be a bad idea to give birth in Sydney, but then we've been hearing a few disturbing things about some hospital practices here, and besides we don't know which hospital is better, which doctor, etc. I would also love to be surrounded by family at that time (We have no family at all here). Further on, we were thinking that maybe we could have an extended three month vacation in Manila as well. Since we've been wanting to do this for a while now. Just reconnect with people, live in Manila for a while again, etc. Oh wellll... Enough ramblings. At the end of the day, things will fall into place I know.

(Photo from RobFitch.com)

A very long way

Come to think of it, I've been through quite a lot of stages in my life. Of course, this comes with age. The fact that I've been around for three decades now, is pretty much revealing the wrinkles of my existence.

I remember being a young athlete and music-lover. Countless summers spent in front of the keyboard, or strumming guitar strings, exercising my vocal chords, or doing laps in the pool, chasing after tennis balls or prancing around with my badminton racket on hand, practicing my pirouettes and run, run, run jumps. I remember switching from my ballerina shoes to my tennis runners, and in between stealing glimpses at my cute young swimming coach. The joys of youth. So much energy, so much time at hand.

I remember being a young traveler, doing summer exchange programs all over the Philippines and around Europe, witnessing to other youths and sharing culture and faith. That was my life for a good 10 years. Until, I moved to Sydney, and my then social life suddenly shrunk to a few or handful good friends. What used to be weekends giving inspiring 'talks' amidst a good hundred people, turned to one saturday night one-on-one wine talks with one good friend. They are both nonetheless, quality time spent, they just belong on opposite ends of the spectrum and quite incomparable. Time can do that to a person, pleasure in number, 100 or 1.

I remember being a student at university, three times over. 30 years, 10 schools, thousands of acquaintances, dozens of subjects, handful of confidants, a few heartaches, and neverending learning.

Body buddy

At work, I know two ladies who are considering having a few things done to their body surgically. They are both young and interested in enhancing the way the look through surgery. They were asking me if I knew any good surgeon, and what side effects were and all that. I told them I was not sure and that maybe they could check out some Cosmetic Surgery Forum to ask other people's opinion and experiences on this topic. I am thinking if I would ever resort to this thing. Although I know I would never, because I am not very fond of medical visits, medicines, etc.What more have a knife cut through my body! But, who knows? I can change my mind!

High School

I remember in High School, when my batch mates and I used to come up with our batch logo for the school's cheering competition. We used to brainstorm as a batch, and then had the different class presidents come up with logo shirts that we would all wear for that three day event. I reminisce and enjoy looking at photos of those high school days. Ah, how simple life was back then. The only thing that mattered then were friends, homeworks, weekend shopping, etc. I guess most people really have fond memories of growing up. If only we could go back in time, and re-live those experiences again!