The Last Monday of May

Yesterday marked another year of America's celebration remembering those men and women that died who have served the US Armed Forces. Historically, this was called the 'Decoration Day' in the early years of the American Civil War  to commemorate the Union soldiers. Eventually this was extended to all Americans who died in all wars.

I salute the bravery of those people who have courageously endured the wars in order to redeem the freedom that this country is enjoying. And to all the people of countries around the world who have fought bravely for the freedoms that we are benefiting now.



Today, hundreds of American soldiers continue to uphold the same philosophy of protecting this nation's independence and maintaining peace.  Hats off to these heroes who continuously sacrifice many things in the service of the people.

As this day is celebrated with big sales in the malls, good food and drinks in the backyard while enjoying the sun, most of these men and women  in uniform are overseas and are at risk of their lives (again).

It will be great to see these soldiers go home and guard this freedom on the walls of this nation.

The memorial day is a tribute to those who have died in serving and protecting the country from within. I am hoping that today will also be the same.

*******

Tweet

The Job You Thought Is Yours

I had a very interesting talk with my superior today and for some reason, that 15 minute chat was like a guiding light on some paths that are dark to walk through. Thinking about where I am now, made it even easier to understand my dilemma.

Though the IT department and the Social Sciences are literally two opposing sides and to even see them come to together is just unthinkable,  I found out that there are still a lot of people who have chosen to excel in fields they never where academically trained. To even make it amazing is to see that these people actually succeed more in that field.  But of course this is not to convince myself that I will definitely be a successful software tester holding this social sciences degree.

I just wanted to assure myself that no matter which background we came from the world holds a promise for each one of us our own accomplished careers. Although sometimes it gets a little long  of a wait the secret is not to stop finding that job we always have dreamt of.

It's a tough market of diverse competitors and the more that road to the perfect jobs is so elusive to the ordinary seekers waiting time gets longer and longer and longer.

I hope my wait is just a few minutes from now....and that as soon as I exit this page and open another one, that page will have my life a 360 degree turn. c")

Tweet

Raw Talent On SALE

The results of that much awaited finale of the American Idol did not quite project some good vibes to most of the Pinoy audience and many Americans who have been supporters of Jessica. But ofcourse this was a normal reaction to something unwanted. Losers will always feel bitter. That is a fact.

But then the question now is, What made Phil Phillips stole that throne as the Idol? Was it that husky blues-country-like genre of song selection that pretty much poked millions of girls out there caused his triumph? Or maybe his humbling gesture of tears while seeing hundreds of thousands of people going gaga over his parade and on stage before delivering his piece?  If you think about all these, Jessica could pass too with flying colors. What was so different with Phil that America believed in more than what Jessica's outrageous belting, and teenybopper "pacute" mannerisms have?  Was it because of our gender population? That America has more females and gays that will definitely vote for this cute, not-so-hottie-but-very-raw type of a guy-next-door?  What could be an objective basis of this winning?

I mean, come on...Jessica was technically the singer. That was an obvious fact and if no one saw it then I guess everybody's blind. Phil was a performer and was not that bad.

Apparently, no matter how we try to constructively bring up comparisons we will never reach a point where we would agree because at the tip of every strand then we will be reverted  back to the fact that these two artists are coming from two different genre and to even compare them won't make sense. So then, where do we base our judgment?

That is my huge huge question? Where does America base these millions of votes to reign Phil as our Idol? I wanna know. I guess an IDOL is not talent by itself but charisma, connection and that 1 % of appeal to the public, which I must say Jessica could have fallen short of.  Well, it's not ALL about talent anyway but the whole package and I think Phil got it all RAW, which was indeed a bonus!

But hey, Jessica was not a total loser if you may...99% of the time, the not-so-best option becomes the world's greatest! c")

Tweet

College for Your Toddler

Last night I had this proverbial light that seemed to have glared on me and pat my back really hard. Few weeks from now our little princess is turning three and we have yet a concrete plan of how we will and can save for her college education. I have this thought in my head even before I got pregrant (about 10 years before I got married); that my children's education will NEVER be compromised. It will never be bargained for anything. It should be treated like a utility bill. It will not be an OPTION. So then, I suppose my guardian angel had to remind me that indeed I have prolonged this procrastination and that I should do something before it will be too late.

So here's the thing...the earlier we start to save and plan for our kids' college the better for us to destress ourselves 10 years from now on how to get them to finish or even enter a school and work on their degrees.  Food, health and education should not be options that we can give our children. These are pre-requisites that all parents should maintain before even thinking of having one. I know that funds will always be a challenge. But it should never be an excuse.

All I'm saying is that,  food and health are not the only criteria to pass good parenting. I strongly believe that education too is as important as those two and it is our reponsibility to provide them such without any compromises. Starting up early will make a huge difference. You wouldn't want your child buried in debt by the time he graduates and work. You will want your toddler graduate with nothing in mind but a good start of career search.

I think that's how we as parents should ALWAYS think. Don't you think?

Tweet

Weaning and Winning: A Mom's Lottery Jackpot Price

         Some months ago I posted in facebook how proud I was that my little two-year old actually did potty in the toilet bowl. It was a moment of ecstacy that I couldn't even help myself jumped for joy. I know every mom will agree that that moment I had with my Jaida was just an indescribable feel of bliss. I can only imagine how my own mom felt when I used the toilet bowl and did away with diapers (back then, those were cloth diapers).

         But, that was a one-time big-time event that we feasted on.  She went back on diapers with accidents after accidents during the week of the testing process. It was frustrating. And yes, I admit...it was my fault. I had her gone back to diapers. So several months and just a few weeks ago I went back to train her again with a fear that she will never ever want to use the toilet. But with hopes that more patience and perseverance would actually make this huge huge step happen. So my husband and I did. One day, I woke up and decided to not put a diaper on her. I just kept on telling her that she is a big girl now and that she needs to use the potty and not her diaper. As expected, the first day was troubled. The second and third day then, it was smooth. As I remember it, one day (this was about 2 weeks ago) she literally asked for potty; and I was like..."huh? whoa?? let's goooo!!!!!"

....that was her first and her last diaper. Since then, she would not wear a diaper the whole morning. She would ask to go to the bathroom if she needed to pee or poop.  During night though I still would allow her to wear her pull-ups but a few days ago I noticed that she is always dry when she wakes up. That is from about 9 - 11 hours of sleep. (woot! woot! woot!) She will ask me to go to the bathroom when she wakes up.

But ofcourse it's not bliss everyday. She still has some accidents but this time fewer than before.


A few days ago, she dropped that statement again and I truly was very proud at her..."mommy, want to go to school?"  (This is her way of asking me if she can go to school). Which just melts my heart. I am just so proud that she is so ready to go to school.

It's still a mystery how months ago I was almost devastated to see that my daughter wouldn't ever wanna go potty and now, it just happened without us expecting it.

I guess our toddlers indeed are very intelligent beings and they truly know when and where they will evolve. I believe though that nurturing imparts a huge huge influence in their development but with the experiences I had with Jaida, I can say that nature is stronger. But that could be a relative statement. After all, kids are different.

I believe that there are still alot of moms out there who are challenged with this stage of their toddlers. Here I am attesting to all of you that time is a great deal of a factor. Let it flow naturally and in no time you'll be surprised how your toddler will respond quicker than what you would have expected.

Weaning her from that good old diaper is such a huge challenge on this early years of childhood development. Winning their trust that they can certainly do it on their own without that diaper is even a greater deal. 

My husband and I are just the proudest to be winners on this weaning process! c")
       

Tweet

The Fruit and Pane Saga

             Lately I have been indulging on knowing some reasonable differences between the Macintosh and PC . I guess  this is to satisfy that curiosity on why this fruit seems to be outright expensive than the long-standing product of Microsoft's PC. Thanks to wikipedia for an easy access to brief histories (this should pass I guess for general information),  I learned that Macintosh was actually the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a graphical user interface (that system we see in our computers today) rather than a command-based user interface (MS-DOS or a system using some commands so the program will function). Not until in 1995 when Microsoft bloomed its now the most used PCs, Macintosh temporarily exited the limelight.

          So, all the while I thought computers were all about Microsoft and its Windows, etc but apparently, there's this product that has been existent even before I was born.  I guess Microsoft had very good marketing strategies that kept them in place for so many years. Even in this age when Apple is rising up and all its products are becoming a popular culture, Microsoft stays in the market with huge production and sales. Not to mention the fact that a larger part of the world uses their systems. I went to school for roughly more than a decade and not once have I tried to touch or even booted up a Mac (this was between 1990 - 2004).  That was a sad part. There was that culture infested on most computer-illiterate customers that Microsoft is the ONLY 'best' computer a regular low-mid/mid class household can have. This was ofcourse how sales agents would sell it at that time. We fell on this trap because we DID NOT know anything. So, with a relatively affordable amount we bought our very first personal computer desktop. Mac then was emerging at that time too but because we belong to the financially constraint group, the price of that very cute colored computer (orange was a click) was never even in a tip of our reach. So since then, my knowledge of a good computer fell short of  1. cheap = AFFORDABLE    2. the bandwagon - majority consumes it.

         But  I'm not regretting anything about the use of PC if I may,  because  for the whole part of our school and career lives the past 10 years, Microsoft has fulfilled its purpose and we were and are still very satisfied.

          I guess my dilemma now is the risk (I'm not even sure if that's the right term) of trying something new.  See, Windows have been every household's bestfriend and it's like a religion that has became an opium to most of us (admit it please..lol) trying this new system is just something so difficult to fathom. But not in the world of pop culture I guess, now that smartphones equate to IPhone and IPad alone,  Apple Inc elevates more in capturing a consumer's need and I think that the most important character is the accessibility options that this sleak system offers. Yes, it's true and I can attest  to that even if I don't use Mac on a daily basis except for software testing at work. The issue of accessibility targets the heart of every end-user;  and I guess this is why a new wave gears towards the use of Macintosh nowadays.

          Is it even worth trying?  There could be a million reasons a PC/MSWindows user will have to maintain its loyalty from using Mac, but I can only think of one (most applicable to myself) why it restrains me to even attempt to have one. It's PRICE. If I can get a Toshiba laptop for less than $800 and I know for a fact that it will last for the next 5 or so years with a quality slightly rusted (which literally is a FACT since our laptop is perfectly working to this date from its purchase in 2007), why will I buy the same form for more than a $1000 bucks when I know that they will work the same? (This is ofcourse in the context of an average computer user everday). Why should I try to use Mac instead of PC?
        
          I know that there are millions of reasons out there as well that can definitely defend consumption of this product but because I am just a regular user earning the minimum paycheck, every single cent that I spend should equate to the value of whatever this item provides. See, that is my paycheck right there so I wanna make sure that it's worthily spent.

           Help me build up my list as I begin my first steps on this journey to a Mac.

           I want Mac because:
           1. It's browser is fast.
           2. It's not so prone to virus.
           3. It has a very pretty design
           4.  
           5. 
         
Help me out decide....c")

Tweet

The Battle of Puebla (Cinco de Mayo)

The Battle of Puebla

As a nice treat for my brain tonight and save my promise its words  I decided to share little facts of what I found out about one of America's well celebrated date.

This historical event of Mexico's  triumph over the French occupation has become one of America's most celebrated days of the year.  Mexico's commemoration of their heritage and pride is now translated  into good food and great tequila shots over friends and family togetherness.   It is such of great flattery (I would have thought) they might have in learning that this historical victory has then become an American national observation.

The battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862 is just another battle that every country may have had fought for in the context of gaining independence.  But what makes this day so intriguing to me is the fact that this celebration has become so popular that even on every local television commercials today,  Cinco de Mayo's humor elevates. What is so special about it? Why is the fifth of May regarded as a cool national event?

I guess this boggle has nothing to do with what history unfolds, because if we read the books there lies the facts. It is not really a question of what happened or what was the day about but more on the reason why we co-celebrate this with such rapport and enthusiasm. Do we actually celebrate it the way Mexicans really want this event celebrated?

Just a thought...

Tweet

The Famous Dragon

It seemed to have been my normal midweek. I went to work my usual 8-hour software testing routine and went home after. I rushed to get home for a very important thing to do; and of course I want to give credit to those motorists that were not so cooperative today I had the fastest 15-minute drive from work to home, which on a normal (the right speed vs. the discretionary one) scale would be around 20-25 minutes.

I parked and got in the house. She was asleep so I decided to just go straight to our room and turn this laptop on (which by the way, was a bit irritating on my part since I was just working a whole day with its world). Nonetheless, I had to.

As my little angel woke up I carried her and immediately felt the high temperature. She was feverishly ill. If there's anything I am scared of...it will be to see our daughter get sick. I can never be more scared than that; and since the fear wouldn't obviously go away the stressors  around me were just so enthused by the fact that they have won my weakest point and that any moment from when the fear commenced I shall collapse. But ofcourse with all these said, I had no choice but to deal with it and face it ultimately.

She has never gotten any fever of some sort for almost a year now so it became a first grader situation for me again to deal with a toddler who is not feeling so well. I knew it was strep throat when she complained of her (mouth) as she drank water. She wouldn't eat so we  brought her to the Urgent Care Clinic. Roughly about 15 minutes we reached the place and we began to fill in forms as new patients. Our little princess was asked to step on the weighing scale, which she did without any questions. So into the room, we waited for the on-duty pediatrician. Dr Morgan was cool and the first 2 minutes of her talk dealt with my braces which she has the same apparently.

So she began the test. As Jaida sat on that medical bed (I have no idea what it's called) which was reclined in a 45 degree angle, the doctor asked her.."would you like to be a doctor?"  "yes!" as what our little Jaida spoke with such conviction you won't even think she's sick. "okey...so i want you to use this and look at my ears okey?"  "okey!!!" as Jaida answered. "now jaida...what did you see?" she was quiet so the doctor proceeded and asked about her throat. She holds the little flash light and as the doctor asked..."now what do you see on my throat?

Jaida spoke "DRAGON"


...and we all laughed so hard our tummies where painful.


Her dragon must have sprinkled some magic for her to see it anywhere she pleases. The 104.8 temperature never had showed at all.

Our dear little princess just has the toughest spirit. Get well soon anak! Mommy's beginning to get so much stressed on it. :-(

Tweet

A Good Try

Today I officially re-signed up to blog.

I decided to recreate my journal and this time I'd like to share the most of my bests and worsts. That may sound a little too much of a starter but the idea is to feature significant pieces each day to capture a journey way beyond the ordinary; now that is a goal.

Today, since it's day 1 of my planning and development...allow me to begin this adventure by saying...

"Welcome to my split route and I do hope that you will enjoy the journey with me compiling my daily adventures and destinations with life, love, anger and everything in between. "

Tweet