Halo-Halong Kalamay

Mabuhay!   How was your weekend?  How about your Monday?  I hope all is well and I wish us all a richly blessed week.

First, a shoutout to all the lovely wives behind WifeSpeaks….happy 3rd anniversary, ladies!   May we have many more years of chikahan.  This also marks my 1st year with WS, so,  happy 1st anniversary to me!  Hahaha!  There’s some kinda “parlor game” going on at the WS site this week and we’re inviting all  wifeys to join in the fun.  Please do visit the WS site and check out what it’s all about.

oOo

Second, I’m very pleased with myself today.   Before 10am, dishes have been washed, lunch cooked, and a bit (oo, a bit lang!) of clutter in the living room and Abby’s play area have been picked up.  And best of all, I just conquered my fear of the bank’s drive thru!  Yipee!  Hahaha!   It happened on our way home after I picked Abby up from school.  I normally leave the trips to the bank to hubby, but since he’s been going on business trips more frequently these days, I have no choice but to do some bank errands myself.  But I always preferred to do transactions over the counter.  I’ve always been fascinated by the drive-thru though, which hubby just loves making use of.  You can’t really blame me, you know.  It’s my inner promdi.  Hee hee!  It’s just I feared making a complete f-o-o-l of myself.  What if I dropped the canister where I’m supposed to put the checks, atm card, etc.?  Things like that.  Now that I’ve gotten over it, it looks like I’ll be making more use of the drive thru now…and to make deposits hopefully!  

oOo 

The other night, I spent a great deal of time fishing out tags that I received before I ever learned to use the “keep new” option on Bloglines.  Promdi talaga!  Hahaha!  Anyway, big thanks to Technorati and the incoming links section of my WS stat area!  I really don’t mind being tagged.  In fact, they are a welcome diversion.    Let’s see how many I can tick off my tag list.  As always, first in, first out…

Tag #1:  Year-End Tag (I do realize we’re almost halfway through with the first quarter of 2008.)

Tagged by Nell on 29 December 2007.

Here’s how it works:

Use the first letter of your name to answer each question. Must be places or names…Nothing made up. Can’t use own name for boy/girl’s name question. If you can’t answer, skip to next one.

Famous Singer:  Rod Stewart

Four Letter Word:  R-I-C-H and R-O-C-K

Street:  Rodeo Drive

Colour:  Red

Gifts/Present:  Ruby (necklace, bracelet, ring, earrings…the works! It’s my birthstone.) 

Vehicle:  Rolls Royce

Things in Souvenir Shop:  Rain Poncho (sold in Sea World, for example) 

Boy Name:  Raymund (hubby’s)

Girl Name:  Reese (my friend…the actress!  hahaha! )  

Movie title:  Rain Man 

Drink:  Rootbeer

Occupation:  Robotics Engineer (nyahahaha!)…how about Royal Guard?

Celebrity:  Richard Gere

Magazine:  Red Book

City:  Round Rock

Sports:  Raquetball

Fruit:  Raspberries

Reason for Being Late to work: 

Something you throw away:  Rotten food

Something you shout:

oOo

Tag #2:  The New Year Tag

Tagged by Nell on   08 January 08

(Warning:  This is a linky love tag, so if you’re allergic to it and you don’t really give a hoot about New Year’s resolutions anyway, just skip to Tag #3 which you may find more interesting. )

When it comes to New Year’s Resolutions we seem to fall into four categories:
1) quite serious about them,
2) flippant about them,
3) do it because we feel pressured to, or
4) do not do them.

Some years I’m flippant about them.  Some years I simply don’t bother.  This year, I’m still kinda under #2 (flippant) but I’m determined to make it to #1 (serious).

So, the purpose of this little game is to let us know which category you are in. Copy and paste this post, then tell us who you are, your site(s) (with link) and your New Year’s Resolution, or not. Then tag as many others as you like, from one to your entire blogroll, your choice. If you like, create an intro paragraph to your post that also acknowledges who tagged you.

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS:

Juliana – Juliana’s Site – My New Year’s resolutions are looking for a part time job, keep blogging, and learn to cook and bake.

Michelle – Rusin Roundup – 1. Learn to be happier and accept myself for who I am, 2. Is to lose about 25 lbs., and 3. Is to stop smoking.

Karen – Grow Rich Along With Me – My resolution for next year is to achieve $3K per month passive income by the end of 2008.

Mel – Attitude, the Ultimate Power & Complain Complain Complain - “I don’t need no stinking resolutions.” I never hold to them anyway so why frustrate myself by starting them now.

Sandee – Comedy Plus – I don’t need no stinking resolutions either. Years and years ago I did them because everyone else did, but not once did I follow through. Why set yourself up for failure?

Lynda – lynda’s loft – My resolution is to see resolve to that which needs resolution. Like Mel and Sandee, I feel that resolutions give us more stress, however, being a person who sets goals each year, isn’t that the same thing as a resolution??? Goals vs. resolutions? Goals are more general and allow for more time to complete them, a resolution requires a mind-set and immediate action, which is not always feasible… Well, that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it…

Amelia – Amel’s Realm – This is a list of my New Year’s Resolution: 1. Health: Continue exercising twice a week, eat enough veggies and fruit, have enough rest, take vitamin C regularly and women’s multivitamin during my period. 2. Spiritual: Improve my Daily Bread reading routine and my prayer life and learn more from God’s Word. 3. Financial: Continue to make money online (my goal is getting €100 per month at least), be more creative in writing posts, and save most of the money. 4. General Life: Continue to learn Finnish AND practice it as best and often as I can, try out more baking and cooking recipes, continue to maintain and share positive thoughts, continue to learn to control my thoughts, continue to learn to catch myself before I start complaining and count my blessings instead, continue to stop and cherish all the little moments in life that oftentimes go unnoticed, and continue to feed my inner child and last but not least, continue to ENJOY my life thoroughly.

Max – MAX – My New Year’s resolutions are to dedicate more time to my friends; to finally be able to read “Der Spiegel” in German; to be calm when organizing my marriage; to go one last time to my favourite club and dance the night away; and continue to be happy!

Eric – Speedcat Hollydale – I love chicken. Problem is that I really never get to have enough chicken! My New Year’s resolution is to enact “Chicken Tuesday”. On this day I will eat only chicken, blog about chicken, and promote chickens all over the world. (hormone free) Join me, won’t you?

Marzie – Mariuca & Mariuca’s Perfume Gallery – My resolution for 2008 is to enjoy a healthier lifestyle and to expand my Perfume Collection.

Sindi- Life Is A Roller Coaster – My resolution is to complain less, pray more and be a little more thankful for what I have.

Judy – Sugar Queen’s Dream – My New Year’s resolution is: To take better care of my health. To eat better, well at least 3 meals a day, I’m lucky these days if I stop for one meal a day…. To help make the world a better place to live, I love the human race, but think there’s always room for change. To be generous until it hurts. To live each day as if it’s my last. To make a book of our personal family recipes and traditions for each of my 3 my children, so that the traditions and family cooking can be passed on in my family line long after I’m gone and finally……. To help more with the local Human society, Animals like little kids can not fend for themselves so it’s up to each of us to take care of our pets and to step in and care for all animals….. I hope that through me I can encourage my Children to be better adults and in turn to raise the Children they have or will have, to be good people with good, sound & solid values…. Peace!

Adrian – First Time Dad – My New Year’s Resolution for 2008 is to be a better father…now I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions because I never keep them but this one I better keep! Happy New Year to one and all!

Colin – Life – New Years Resolution? No way…Better to achieve more throughout the year rather than pander to the whims of a one day ‘wishful thought’

Mauro – 1 Million Love Messages – My resolution for next year are: 1. Change my job (maybe work online). I’m really unhappy in the actual one. 2. Dedicate more time to my family and girlfriend… maybe start to get ready for our wedding 3. Work hard in 1 Million Love Messages and reach 2500 Love messages (or more) in the end of 2008.

MidgetManOfSteel – Mental Poo – To get out of dealing with people who I have no desire in helping at the job I’m doing…catch the eye of someone who can see that I can write and be funny…and get my own ticket to happiness from my humor….and a Ferrari. While I’m doing this, I resolve to get a Ferrari.

Stacy – My Thoughts – My New Year’s Resolution for 2008 – Is to be more understanding to my children and to other people, Not to curse at others while I am driving, try to eat right and exercise, try to volunteer in my community, and to believe more in my spiritual side.

Jason – DatCurious.com & DatMoney.com – Although, I normally don’t do New Year’s Resolutions (because I find it as an excuse to actually do something I should’ve already been doing), this year I will plan on giving back to the blogging community, especially my audience. I’m not sure how I will do it yet, but I definitely will.

Kesa – Little Aussie Cynic – My New Years Resolution is the standard….. to finally get off the smokes and to loose 8kg…. both which are possible just difficult…..Happy New Year to you and yours….Aussie

Ann – A Nice Place in the Sun – “To let the rest of my life begin as soon as possible.”

Sandy – Writing in Faith – I don’t make special resolutions at New Year’s. I’m good with reminding myself to breathe, go easy, and be at peace with everyone who touches my life (even the rotters). It’s enough.

GBex -reachingOut- My new year’s resolution is to be more secured and be a better person and gain more friends on the other side of the world.

Idealpinkrose – Idealpinkrose and Allinkorea – I don’t make New Year’s Resolution. But this year, i’ll just want to do what is pleasing to God and want to be a blessing to the people around me.

Thesserie – Photoblog & Dagboek & Eetsmakelijk – To be able to accomplish things that I need to do and not to complicate life, it’s already hard as it is.

Sardonic Nell – Tales of A Melodramatic Moron – This year I’ve decided to focus on my spirital growth, as I think that it’s one of my handicaps.

Meeya – CODPG & Working It & MyPurse. Finds. A Home – For this year, my new year’s resolution is simply to have/live a healthier lifestyle

Weng – Munchkin Mommy & Cafe Munchkin & Mapped Memories – This year, I simply want to be a better and much improved version of myself.

I won’t even dare tag anyone for this as it is way too late.  Well, it’s really never too late to change or improve.  Meeya?  Have you done this yet?  Hee hee!

oOo

Tag #3:  Five Things You Want Your Child/ren to Know Before they Grow Up

Tagged by Jen on 27 January 08

My answers:

1)  God: There is a God and He is good all the time.  Never forget to thank Him for the blessings you receive and no matter how small or big you think your problems are, always surrender them to Him.  Prayers of thanksgiving are some of the most powerful and most beautiful prayers you can pray.  So count your blessings everyday and give thanks for them everyday and just you wait and see, you’ll receive many more of the same blessings…bigger and brighter ones even!

2)  Family:  Mommy and Daddy love you very much, but you know that already.  The love we have for you comes with great responsibility and that includes the not so fun side of loving and parenting, such us taking appropriate measures for whatever inappropriate actions and behaviors may arise  and not giving in to your every whim.   One thing we can promise you though is that we will move heaven and earth to provide you with everything you NEED and more…the best our financial blessings can buy…a loving home, excellent education, nice clothes, etc.  Other than Mommy and Daddy, you also have the lover and support of our family back home:  Mimi, Wowo and Wiwa (hubby’s parents), Ninong Edward & Ninang Claire and your cousins, and Ninong Chad & Tita Jacq and Wakee.  Friends may come and go but your family, you will always have no matter what.

3)  Education:  Education is important and I can’t emphasize that enough.  You can’t go through life armed with just street smarts and your basic reading, writing and counting skills.  You should not look at education simply as a means to land a job after college.  Look at it as an exciting (coming from a nerd, of course!) process to develop your mind.  It can actually be a lot of fun!  Yes, there have been some who were lucky or blessed enough to have succeeded in life sans a college diploma, but they are very few.  More than simply landing a job, education will lead you to the career you will hopefully be passionate about, a career you will enjoy and love.  But I don’t want you to think you have to work for someone else when you grow up.  You can be your own boss and education may lead you to the business of your dreams, again, something you can be passionate about and something you will enjoy and love. 

4)  Heritage/Roots:  You are a Filipino and the Philippines will always be our home.  It is a privelege..a blessing…that you are in the US, and never should it cross your mind that you are better than the people back home.  You may have acquired the twang and taste for everything first world, but these don’t change who you really are.  Daddy and I will do our best that you grow up with the best of Philippine values: love, respect, compassion, kindness, hospitality, etc.  We hope to be able to give you plenty of chance to personally get to know our home country by frequent visits in addition to what Daddy and Mommy will teach you in the comforts of our home here in the US.

5)  Life in General:  There are two Hannah Montana songs you know very well.  One that goes: “Life’s what you make it, so let’s make it rock!” and another one with the title ”The Best of Both Worlds”.  Life can’t be truer than the words of these songs.  Life is too short so make the most out of it…too short to be spent sweating out the small stuff, regretting and daydreaming about what-could haves and what ifs.  Your life can be your best world and you have every power to make it so.  I only recently learned about how powerful our minds can be…how thoughts, good or bad, can actually become things, and how you yourself can actually get what you want and desire.  But it’s not that easy.  More than positive thinking, you should also have only the best thoughts about everyone around you.  The good things you wish to have for yourself you should also wish upon everyone.  I know I’m starting to sound weird on you now.  But you’re only 3 and I have plenty of time to teach you.  And it’s going to be one heck of an exciting ride!

oOo

Yey, 3 tags down…about a thousand more to go.  Kidding.  

God bless y’all!