Picture Clusters: January 2011

Spider

Spider. Ugh. Am all praises to my SIL who held this spider. :P

I'm not as brave.

Maybe

Hubby's the type of person that has just got to have his massage therapy at least twice a month. He told me, though, that if I'm willing, I'll do the massage for him. Well, sad to say, I don't know how that goes. I think I'd better check out one of those massage therapy program online, huh?! Hehehe.

He says that getting a massage is therapeutic and relaxes him. I haven't tried one of those spas yet (and I have no plans, as far as I'm concerned). But I'm not sure; I mean, I could get forced to go into one. LOL. I guess I'm just not comfortable with the idea that a stranger is touching me. Eeeewwwww.

But who knows? That might change. Soon...

Not Rain

Not rain. Just a fountain.

New Car

Our neighbor just got herself a new car (yeheyyy for her!), a Hyundai i10. I think it's basically a city car (it's small and convenient), but of course it all depends on how you use it and the maintenance that goes with it. I wonder, though, if she got one of those cheap auto insurance which she told me about. I know she was torn between two, but didn't find out which one she got.

Still, am sure she's having a grand time with her new toy: they spent the whole day yesterday at Tagaytay, Cavite (Philippines).

Everybody's Fine, they say

Watched yesterday on cable, "Everybody's Fine". Robert De Niro and Drew Barrymore were the more familiar faces there, for a non movie-goer like me. It made me cry buckets, in all honesty. In that movie nobody was actually fine (lol), but it was what made the movie give it it's character. But really, I think it was sort of missing something. Lacking that certain 'umph' that would elevate it higher.

Still, it was a feel-good movie for me. Wouldn't want to watch it again, but am glad I got the chance to watch it the first time. :)

A few decades back

I used to write lots of reports on my previous job, and honestly, I wasn't too keen about it. I'd really much rather be going out on the field and do the 'dirty jobs' that my work needed. Dirty, meaning get my hands bloodied or plastered with dung. I know, doesn't sound appealing to most out there, but I liked it. What I just didn't like are the casualties. But it's a way of life, I always tell myself. Just seems sad, somehow.

Oh, yeah. I used to work as a farm veterinarian/manager a few decades back. :P

Food Friday

My favorite at Subway: Veggie Delight
...on a side note, I don't think this is actually healthy...i shouldn't have let them add the dressing (and opted for an olive oil drizzle instead, if they have that)...but what the heck. It tastes good (and I get my fiber dose)! LOL :D

post for:

Food Friday Players:

Madz (Getting A Wee Bit Audacious With Greenwich)
Lani (Honey and Blueberry Whole Wheat Bread)
Luna Miranda (Anything with water chestnuts)
Luna Miranda (Sinigang na Tanguigue)
Julie (Shakey's Bunch of Lunch)
Julie (Almond-Crusted Cream Dory Fillet Pasta)
Oggi (Easy Crispy Fries)
Halie Santos - Dayo (North Park - Manila Ocean Park Branch)
Halie Santos - Dayo (Nilagang Baboy - Pork in Simple Broth)
Jenn (Original Biscocho Haus 4 of 4)
Gizelle (Pesto alla genovese)
girlichef (Fried Nutella "Ravioli")
Jay (Pizza and Spaghetti)
Anya (Noodle House)
Arlene (Squash Delight)

ps. should have done this EONS ago: adding a backlink to those who played as my way of saying thanks for linking back. :)

*I don't think my other blog will be 'operational' real soon...and I don't think I have the time to make another blog, so Food Friday is here to stay. For now. I think. Many many thanks to those who have kept on playing! :)

Mantis

This creature was about to fix it's eyes on me...hence the reason why it's head is blurry.

They are fascinating. But a bit scary, for me. One time one of the small ones tried to 'claw' at my camera's lens! They don't scare easy, I tell you. :)

Just Once A Day

If given a choice, I want one of those "one a day vitamins". Why? Because that way I'm assured that I take my vitamins instead of having to take another pill after two (or more) meals during the day. I do sometimes forget to take my daily vitamins (yeah, I've got several), but I make sure my sons don't forget theirs. More taxing taking care of fretful and sick children, so I make sure that they take their daily dose of vitamins, all the time. Which sometimes make me forget mine. LOL

Hence, the reason why I want those 'once a day' tabs/capsules. What I normally don't foget to take, though, is my tea. I take that usually more than once per day. ;)

Just a shot

Taken at Paradizoo. Second time we've visited, but was sorely disappointed. The first time was wonderful. The second a big disappointment.

I wonder if we'll go back there again...maybe. But we're not in a hurry.

Maybe...

We've used dslr for years now, but we still haven't used it's video cables. Yup, our dslr can also take videos, but somehow sometimes we forget it. Personally, I'd rather take pictures than shoot videos, though. But hubby likes taking videos, so he's the one who usually opts for the video feature. Though not so much these days. Or maybe our memory card isn't fit for taking videos (slower speed). Or maybe because there just doesn't seem to be an opportunity for it. Or maybe we're just lazy and keeps forgetting our dslr also has a video function! Yes, that must be it. LOL

I wonder when will I get to use the camera's video feature. Maybe next time... :)

Flower Power

This flower looks like it's got an attitude all it's own. ;)

Too sexy...? LOL

I remember a few years back, when a niece wanted to buy one of those prom dresses. Her mom and I accompanied her to one of the malls here in the city, and believe me, it wasn't half as fun as we hoped it would be! Well, it was a bit fun, but what sucked really was the designs. The prom dresses being offered that time were mostly too sexy for a teenager! Or were we just being a bit of a prude? hehehe. My niece found one that she liked, but we had to decline since it was backless...and imagine her grandfather's words when he sees her in THAT dress! If my sister and I were 'prudes', well...our parents are much much more!

What happened in the end was that she still chose one of the sexy gowns, but we urged her to use an accessory that could help 'cover' her up. Good thing, she agreed. :)

Me, in a House

Yup, one of the reflections there is me...while the other one is hubby. :)

Experience...

When I was still in college, we were exposed to a lot of situations, and one of them was at a race track and it's stables. Of course, our main concern were the horses, so we had to be there during and after the races. Your eyes had to be fast to check the horse for any lameness or swelling, even while it's racing. Usually the jockey can also tell if the horse isn't well, so the veterinarian will also be informed if he/she failed to check it out.

Everything is now a bit blurry for me, but what really stuck to my mind was when we were at a Polo Club. The people there were the ones that could afford to maintain their horses as well as the fees that go with it (including the clothing, of course, like their equestrian helmets which I find kind of cute, hehehe). I had no idea who the people were at that match, but they looked nice and 'well-behaved'. No exorbitant dresses (too bad, lol), but no shabby-clothed persons, either!

Hmmmm...would I want to go back there again? Yup, I would love to. But not as a veterinarian (though I could help, of course), but as a photographer. :)

My Boys

i just love this shot of my two boys.... :)

taken last January 1st of this year (2011)

Haywire

Every time I look at the mirror I can't help but be reminded of the pimples I once had...and the ones I'm still having until now! hahaha. I think i should check out acnescarremoval.org and see if they can do something to my face, huh?! I really have no idea why acne has plagued me when I'm already at this age, and never bothered me while I was in high school, or college. I used to wonder how come some teenagers were sensitive about their face when it has pimples, and now it's my turn (though am no longer a teenager, lol)... I KNOW! :P

This is a hormonal thing, they say. My hormones must be going haywire, then.

Bwahahahahaha! That's a feeble attempt of an evil laugh... ;D

German Shepherd

Unfortunately, that's not my dog. But I wish it was... :)

That's a neighbor's dog; he just reminded me so much of my own German Shepherd.

Earlier today

We just came from the grocery store earlier today (yup, hubby had to go to work late) and our youngest was fascinated by the barcode scanner being utilized by the sales clerk. It kept beeping (which was normal, to indicate that the product was successfully scanned) every time a product was placed in front of it, so our young boy's attention was captured. He asked if somebody was inside doing all the beeping; I couldn't help but laugh. ;)

Know what I did? I told him all that I know about how it could have made that beeping sound. No baby talk/explanations. Of course, in simpler terms, of course. No heavy techie stuffs. He seemed to understand (or got bored, lol) with my explanation, since he kept quiet after that and just watched.

A young child's mind is so precious.

Photoscape

I recently downloaded a free photo editor, Photoscape. It was a bit similar to Picasa, but had lots more editing stuffs (which takes some getting used to, lol). It reminded me of Gimp (another free photo editor), but less complicated. Till now am still getting the hang of it.

But honestly, I prefer photoshop. I know, it's because I have used that for ages and so am comfortable with it. Still, it's a good thing to learn something different every now and then. :)

Eat Not

Does anybody out there knows where one can get the best diet pills? I think I need one, hehehe. After all the binging that I've been doing for the past few weeks, I feel like I've gained so much pounds; am afraid to step on to the weighing scale!

I know I should be watching and limiting what I eat, but it feels so good to eat! Well, not the actual munching of the food, but the taste! Whenever I eat something that I like I just want to eat and eat...not good, I know. I should limit my food intake. And think about the long-term effects.

Sigh. So easy to say, but difficult to do...

Food Friday

One of my fave kakanins/snacks!

Palitaw, a sweet snack made up of ground sticky rice...which is then mixed with water to obtain a sticky dough-like consistency and shaped into flattened balls. The balls are then dropped in boiling water. Once cooked, it floats to the surface and is then dipped in freshly grated coconut, sugar (in this case brown sugar was used), and toasted sesame seeds.

Hubby's family cooks a similar version, which they call Palutang. They cook it during New Year's Day. :)

post for:

Food Friday Players:

Gizelle (Ramen)
Julie (Cheesecake is Love)
Julie (Tropical Hut Clubhouse Sandwich)
Halie Santos - Dayo (It just got Old)
Lani (Sauteed Crab Legs Tea Noodles)
Halie Santos - Dayo (Vegetable and Tofu Curry)
Luna Miranda (Entrée at Cyma)
Luna Miranda (Baked Scallops)
Peachkins (Gising-Gising)
blankPixels (Strawberry Pork Sinigang Recipe)
Jenn (Original Biscocho Haus 3 of 4)
Race (Fiesta Ham)
Madz (Brother's Burger Brunch)
Jay (2nd Anniversary Cake)

ps. should have done this EONS ago: adding a backlink to those who played as my way of saying thanks for linking back. :)

*I don't think my other blog will be 'operational' real soon...and I don't think I have the time to make another blog, so Food Friday is here to stay. For now. I think. Many many thanks to those who have kept on playing! :)

Would you like a flower, mommy?

Would you like a flower, mommy? ;)

*actually, that shot was orchestrated. lol. i wanted my two-year old to slow down from running around a bit, so i asked him to hold the fallen flower for me. he complied, though only for about fifteen seconds (i only managed to take two shots and this was the best. hahaha)!!!

Basketball

My eldest son loves playing basketball when he's at school. So we bought him a ball so that he can play here at home. Most of the time there's no space, though (he uses the garage), so the ball was 'set aside'. Now am not even sure where that ball went...maybe to ball heaven? Hehehe. I do know, though, that their school has some basketball trophies displayed on their hall, but I haven't really looked at the details. Maybe I will, when I get the chance to visit their school again (gosh, it has been more than two years since I last set foot on their school).

I hope my son will continue to play basketball...even if it's just for fun, and not to win any contest, or anything. It's good exercise. :)

Walk along the Dirt Road

Too much of a hurry to compose this shot...my two-year old demanded my attention. Oh well, there's always a next time! :)

Regimen

Like what I mentioned in my previous post, I know I've gained weight. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Not (and never!) a good thing. I know, I should exercise (something which I seldom ever do! ugh. my bad!), and eat in moderation. Avoiding fatty foods would do wonders, too, I know. Or maybe I should try out one of those hoodia diet pills. It's supposed to curb your appetite for food and water (just don't forget to drink water even if you don't feel like you're thirsty). Much better a combination of all of the things mentioned above, huh?!

Now, I wonder when I'll start on that regimen... ;)
Soon, I hope.

Not an empty plate

Sign of a satisfied eater. I think. :P

My Weight

I once read that if you want to seriously lose weight fast, then thermogenic fat burners could help. It's supposed to help you lose weight by increasing your metabolism, thus allowing you to loose a greater number of calories. I don't know anybody who's taking this (or maybe they just want to keep mum about it, hahaha), but if it's proven to be safe then there's no harm in trying, is there?

I know I've gained weight these past few months...specially after all those Christmas binging! Maybe I need one of those....! :D

Upload

Nothing to say, really.
Just wanted to upload this...

Today

Internet connection seems to be sluggish this evening...or is it just my computer? Tried changing this blog's template twice today...and everything got screwed up! I suddenly found two blog posts of every post I did (yeah, I don't know how that came about) and another "header" on my sidebar! Hahaha, how crazy is that, huh?! Or maybe I need a custom laptop? ;)

I was pressed for time since my two-year old wanted to go up and sleep already, so after removing the double blog posts and the header on the sidebar, we went up. Instead of sleeping, I read. My two-year old slept finally after playing for almost an hour.

Funny thing when he's ready to actually sleep...he first starts 'singing' then suddenly keeps quiet. After checking, he's usually already in dream land! Hehehe. Kids...♥♥♥

Wish

Wish we can go back...again. :)

Food Friday

Definitely nothing fancy about the food being served above...
But that's soul food for me. :)

post for:

Food Friday Players:

Lani (Tuna and Brown Rice)
Luna Miranda (Arroz a la Valenciana)
Luna Miranda (Garlic Squid)
Halie Santos - Dayo (The Banana Leaf at the Podium)
Oggi (Got Sauce?)
Gizelle (Ikura sushi)
Peachkins (Carnation GOOD EATS Blogger's Night)
Julie (Leche Flan)
Jenn (Original Biscocho Haus [2 of 4])
Anya (Yang Chow)
Race (Black Forest Cake)
Girlichef (Winter Pantry Cooking - Eggs in Purgatory)
Jay (Sausage and Egg Pandesal)
Anya (Greenwich)
Arlene (Savory Beef Rice Toppings)

ps. should have done this EONS ago: adding a backlink to those who played as my way of saying thanks for linking back. :)

*I don't think my other blog will be 'operational' real soon...and I don't think I have the time to make another blog, so Food Friday is here to stay. For now. I think. Many many thanks to those who have kept on playing! :)

Crochet

This used to be a familiar scene at home... :)

Yup, I used to do that crocheting thing, but have since forgotten how it's done. Or maybe I can 'relearn' it again. Just give me time, please... ;)

*Shot taken at SIL's place.

Next school year

Last week we received a notification from our son's school about next year's tuition fees. I wasn't really shocked, but still I couldn't help but be 'amused' since it has risen again. Five years ago we were paying only around Php50T, but now it's already Php70T...sigh. That doesn't include the textbooks, PE uniform, field trip, and other miscellaneous costs yet. Really expensive. But I guess that's what you must expect if you want quality education.

Oh well. We want what's best for our kids, so...need to scrimp, save, and work harder! :P

Food Friday

Last weekend, together with an aunt and some relatives, we took a day tour (costs Php550 per person) at Balay Indang (Cavite)...which consisted of lunch and the use of their swimming pool. I believe that you can also stay there overnight (it is a B&B inn, after all), but of course we didn't, since hubby's family lives just nearby.

The place was quite big and we had plenty of space to run around. Literally. We all loved it. There were other people there, too, but believe it or not, we didn't encounter most of them while we were touring the area. Below are some of the food that was served to us...you can get seconds, or thirds...if your favorite dish is all gone. Yup, eat-all-you-can! :)

My favorite dish there was the shrimp (I think I ate a whole plate of shrimps! hahaha) and the sotanghon (looks plain enough but really tasty). Everything tasted good. Personally, nothing spectacular, but good. :)

post for:

Food Friday Players:

Madz (BFF Date at Pizza Hut Bistro)
Lynn (My Favorite New Year's Eve Delights)
Luna Miranda (Mango Crepe)
Luna Miranda (Vegetable Medley)
Gizelle (Almond Chicken)
Peachkins (Waldorf Salad)
Jenn (Original Biscocho Haus 1 of 4)
Lani (Peppered Roast Beef)
Arlene (Sweetened Rice [Biko])
Race (My Birthday)
Halie Santos - Dayo (Soaring Hight with the Pig That Flies)
Halie Santos - Dayo (Thai Sakoo with Sweetened Coconut Milk)
Anya (Tokyo Tokyo)
Gengen (Food Friday #1)
Jay (Moist Chocolate Cake)
Anya (Ham in Cheesy Cream Sauce)

ps. should have done this EONS ago: adding a backlink to those who played as my way of saying thanks for linking back. :)

*I don't think my other blog will be 'operational' real soon...and I don't think I have the time to make another blog, so Food Friday is here to stay. For now. I think. Many many thanks to those who have kept on playing! :)

50mm

I just love using this lens (Canon 50mm f/1.8 II)...almost the same as my 100mm macro lens.
Why? Because it's cheap (hehehe) and it takes wonderful shots even during low light situations. I just wish I'd have more time to take pictures, though...good thing, am slowly getting there. ;)

Consideration...

It's no surprise that most people love to sing...so the person who invented the karaoke machine has hit the jackpot! I just learned/read that it was a Filipino who patented the machine (but it was called minus-one then...oh, I do remember those days! lol) but a Japanese who actually started it all. Too bad the latter didn't think of having his invention patented first...he could have been one of the richest in the world!

I am not actually a fan of sing-a-long outings (I believe that it's sort of similar to the KTV bars all around)...I think it's noisy, specially if a neighbor loves belting out one of those "...and now, the end is near..." songs late at night. hehehe. It's their thing, and I have nothing against it; I just wish that they'd consider letting their neighbors sleep during Friday nights. ;)

Used to...

I used to have difficulty taking pictures like this when I first got the dslr...(that's a tiny weed flower..no idea what it's called, but it's quite common in Indang, Cavite). Now it's a breeze, thanks to the 100mm! :)

Nikon

I know that Nikon makes great cameras, but I didn't know that there are also Nikon rifle scopes. I guess that it's possible since their lenses are also one of the best out there. I know, I stated before that I am partial to Canon (in fact, I own Canon cameras and lenses), but some shots taken by some friends who use Nikon cameras are also quite amazing. Having good and well-trusted gears puts you above the rest, but knowing how to use it and having the ability to produce great results will definitely put you "up" there. But of course,it's art. :)

Drop

Imagine a house contained in a single drop...:)

Not a very good shot, I know, but I had difficulty getting this. It was quite dark from where I was and I didn't use a tripod (lazy me, as usual). Been toying with this kind of shot but hasn't uploaded it to my computer, yet. Hubby downloaded it at the desktop, though...
If I get the chance, I'll post at least one shot from that 'session'...

Old television...

Our television is so outdated. But it's still working fine, except for the audio and video cables that needs adjusting every once in a while (our youngest played with it and somehow it has come loose). It's just that it is quite bulky (as old models usually are) and takes a lot of space in our small house. It used to be fine in our old house, but right now we're quite cramped already. Hubby has been suggesting we buy one of those super thin television models that we place on the wall (to conserve space), but am hesitant. It is not a priority, after all...specially now that we have to think of tuition fees!

But if there's a sale out there...well, let's just see. :D

Wishful thinking, indeed!

What to get: computer, new camera (body only), or new lens? Honestly, at the rate that we're spending right now, I don't think I'm even going to get one! hahaha... It's just that it was Christmas and we liked going out to eat; sometimes it turns out as a treat, though, and we end up paying for everything. LOL. Thus the extra spending...

Still, am hopeful. Maybe scratch that new lens on my list. I just got one last month. ;P

Jobs

When I was younger I wanted to become a nun. Hey, don't laugh (even if I am, LOL). Blame it all on the nuns running the school, then. But when I got older I wanted to become a veterinarian because of our ailing pet dog. My father told me it was a "man's job" ( I know, soooo yesterday!) but I was adamant. I got what I wished for, but only practiced for a couple of years...Now, the thought of people getting those technology jobs is quite interesting. Not that I want to get into one, but...still interesting for me.

For now, I already have lots of jobs; a wife, mother, friend, sister... ;P

Christmas plant

I just love this plant during Christmas time...it turns all white! Forgot what it's called; though I call it the Christmas plant.
That's my finger...hehehe. Just trying to show how small those flowers are...and they are pretty small. They emit this interesting fragrance, too...

Just so nice...and they'll be gone soon.

Photo Friend

I knew a friend from a photo site who decided to become a truck driver. Yup, he did! I wasn't shocked, as he was kind of the burly type, but he did take good pictures and he knows how to manipulate them! Funny shots he made, too! I hope that wherever he is right now he's doing fine...he stopped posting pictures regularly when he started working. I wonder if he's familiar with any Texas truck accident lawyer; or maybe not. He does seem to be the kind who's careful and mindful of others.

I pray that wherever he is right now, well, he's doing fine and still taking pictures! :)

ps. I stopped posting at that site...just doesn't have the time to take shots daily these days.

Bee

I guess those stripes mean serious business! :)
I have always wanted to take pictures of insects..even of the ones that scare me, like this bee, the usual spiders, and other creepy crawlies. lol. They do fascinate me... :)

Wish...

A close friend has been married for more than a decade now, and still he and his wife doesn't have a child. I know that they wanted one so bad, and his wife did get pregnant once, but it was an ectopic pregnancy. Imagine their sadness when she miscarried...I felt their loss. Am not sure if he can take medicines (he is asthmatic), but maybe he should check out those testoripped reviews; or maybe something similar. Of course, it has to be with his doctor's consent, too. They have thought of adoption, but still hasn't acted on it. I guess that they are hoping still. :)

I hope that they will get their wish someday...

New template...for now.

New template... wonder how long this will last. ;)

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