Only the Good Stuff

Do you push the speed limit?

When I was a younger driver back home in the Philippines, I’ve done so many, many times. I like the adrenalin rush of driving really fast (and yes beyond the speed limit) especially along the highway.

But when I got older and started driving in Singapore and now here in Sydney, I lost my “fearless” attitude toward driving. All the more now that I have a passenger, my daughter.

[source: That's My Answer]

I remember the controversial 14 yr old model, Monika Jagaciak, who was banned from the catwalk during Australia’s fashion week. No doubt that is beautiful but she is so young. It is not like she is modeling teen clothes but those really sexy, ‘adult’ outfits. Isn’t she being exploited somehow?

Even if she lost the opportunity, there is still a lot more she could count on in the future. She has the potential to be a very popular model and become the next Tyra Banks or Jennifer Hawkins. She could even join beauty contests like http://www.lookoftheyear.com.

This news made it big here and the UK but despite that, the Australian Fashion Week was a big success.

I have been signing up with different paid blogging sites this week. It is to my surprise that an approval came this week from Bloggerwave. Yey! It wasn’t expected as I am still in the process of setting up this blog.

I hope that this signals a good start of my “rebirth” in the paid blogging scene. So far, the opportunities available are good and will there be more to come? We will see.

This really is a good way to use my spare time and make money at the same time.

(This was taken at the backyard of my parents’ house in the Philippines, New Year’s 2008. Looking at this made me reminisce about the fun times we had during our vacation. I am so looking forward to our next trip home!}

Ito ay kuha ko sa likod bahay ng pamilya ko sa Pilipinas, Bagong Taon 2008. Pag tinitingnan ko ang litratong ito ay naaalala ko ang mga masasayang oras namin nung aming bakasyon. Inaasam ko ang susunod naming pag-uwi!

My daughter Amelie.

Visit Wordless Wednesday for more participants.

I have been browsing photography websites for days in search of the ‘perfect’ lens. But of course, there is no such thing.  And if budget is a non-issue, I would want to get this beauty:

Canon 24-70mm f2.8

But the price is so steep! Not a practical buy for a noob like me. I have read many good reviews and I was so tempted to touch my savings! But I won’t. Not just yet. So I am settling with this for now:

CANON 28-135mm

This should compliment what I have just fine: 55-200mm 4.5-5.6 II USM, 18-55mm 3.5-5.6 and my favorite to date 50mm 1.8. I can’t wait to get my hands on this baby!

Someday, I’d also like to have a wide angle lens:

CANON 28mm f/1.8 USM

Someday, I will. Someday.

Thanks to Teacher Julie for sending this meme my way..

Copy from Start Copying Here until you reach Stop Copying Here and follow the instructions.

–START COPYING HERE–

Here are the rules:
1. Copy from “START COPYING HERE” to “STOP COPYING HERE”.
2. Add your site(s) to the list. Just be sure to post the “StumbleWorthy List” at each site you add.
3. Let your blog and url be known by leaving a comment HERE so that you will be added to the master list.
4. Come back and copy the master list back to your site, often. This will allow the new comers to achieve equal benefit as the late comers do.
5. Register in StumbleUpon and install the toolbar.
6. Go to the sites found on the list and give them a thumb up.

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD! TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE LIST. OR CLICK HERE TO GET A BANNER THAT YOU CAN PUT ON YOUR BLOG. THE MORE PARTICIPANTS, THE GREATER INCREASE IN TRAFFIC!

~StumbleWorthy List~

1. Hit-or-Miss 2. Mommy’s Little Corner 3. A Simple Life 4. moms….. check nyo 5. The Journey 6. Sigh 7. Photo Hook 8. Say Cheese 9.Make Every Day Your Lucky Day 10. Blessed Sanctuary 11. Hailey’s Beats and Bits 12. GreenBucks.2 13. TeacherJulie 14. GreenBucks.1 15. Brown Foot 16. Lucky Charms 17. Homeschooling 18. Marikit 19. Strawberrygurl

–STOP COPYING HERE–

I am tagging Em, Roselle and Mel.

I felt good after consolidating my two ‘working’ sites. It is tempting to have more than one blog as it increases the chances to get more ad assignments but I don’t want to be greedy. I still want to do paid blogging for fun and if time comes that it has become a chore, I’ll definitely quit.

For the second time, I have signed up with Payperpost. While I am not expecting the ad opportunities to come as yet, maybe when Google becomes kind enough to add some numbers on my PR ranking, it is good to sign-up and get everything organized first.

The best thing I like about Payperpost is that they approve blogs which meet the minimum requirements. See, even if my blog is new, I still got an approval. What I need to do now is to continue updating my blog and hopefully drive traffic. I don’t know what will happen in the next Google update, others predict it to happen in the next two months but given that I can only hope of a good outcome.

Like my friend has said, paid blogging opportunities will always be there. So for me, there is no rush.

Sunday’s church service was devoted to celebrate Mother’s Day. The program was made special by the kids who did a funny skit, a very cute AVP of the kids that was prepared by the church’s youth group, the ‘cuppa’ (or cup of tea, tea time/tea break) was prepared inside the church instead of the hall and the flowers that were given to each of the mom present.

These two pretty flowers in photo almost didn’t make it home when in the car, my daughter’s pram pressed on the petals. Hee hee. I still had to take a photo of it as a memento of my first Mother’s Day celebration here in Australia.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

View More Weekend Snapshot Participants

(This photo was taken using my phonecam in Singapore, October 2007. My mother came to help us in our move from Singapore to Sydney. It was a very busy time for all of us and on our last day there, we went to Delifrance with my husband and baby to take a quick break.

This is just one of the major events in my life where my mother played a big role. I don’t think we’d manage to achieve a smooth transition if not for her.)

You’re never gonna’ catch me ____________________.

…doing something malicious!

~ my entry for That’s My Answer!

New York, 2005

Visit Wordless Wednesday for more participants.

Have you gotten your mom a Mother’s Day gift yet? Care to share what it is?

I made orders for two bouquets from Filgifts, for the greatest mothers in the world, my mother and sister. Here’s how they look:

For my mother-in-law, since she is in Philly right now, we requested my sister-in-law to get us a gift for her.

Care to share your gifts for your special moms?

~ my entry for That’s My Answer!

Would you rather be on Survivor or Big Brother? (and no, you cannot say neither, that’s not fair, pick one)

I’d rather be in Big Brother (Philippines version — Pinoy Big Brother). The PBB version is more conservative (for me) rather than the one they have here in Australia. I heard from the news that the previous season showed couples bathing and doing the deed — that’s too much for me to be aired on TV.

~ my entry for That’s My Answer!

What is your favorite day of the year?

Mine is Christmas Day! How about you?

~ my entry for That’s My Answer!

Here are the rules:

Post a photo of your baby with her first ever favorite/comfort toy. Write some details of your fondest memory of your baby and her toy (like what I did below). This will make a good memento when your baby grows up!

Lastly, before you pass this on to six (or more) mommies, don’t forget to add the link to your website/s at the end of the page. I’m sure many moms would love to see your sites, too!

Amelie at 3 months.

Amelie got this as a gift during her baptism in Manila. Because of the striking red color, Amelie loved to stare at Elmo but was a bit scared when we pressed its tummy to sing (maybe it was too loud for her then). Growing up, she got more Elmo toys like the Tickle Me Elmo and Hokey Pokey Elmo. Now at almost 18 months, she enjoys watching Sesame Street and (more) Elmo DVDs.

Love links:

Amelie’s Mom, Your site here

I am tagging Roselle, Meeya, Iris, Jo A, Evi and Em, Pinky , Julie and Weng!

(This is my daughter Amelie. She was heavily teething at the time I took the pic. I also have an entry in my personal blog using this photo. She was really sad and irritated at the time. No amount of teething gel or teethers helped.)

What is your top economic woe? What have you put off doing, or stopped buying because of the economy?

My husband was surfing news sites last night and he showed me an article about USA Today’s Survey: USA in Recession. And that for me is my top economic woe. Just thinking of the spillover effect of that globally scares and saddens me. More people will lose jobs, more people will go hungry, more people will do bad things in order to survive.

And so, we remain practical spenders in terms of our household expenses. We buy what we really need and rewarding ourselves once in a while. We have decided to cut down on our travel plans this year just leaving a major holiday trip to Manila in December. There are so many things we can do to save money and I’m still learning a few tips and tricks here and there.

~ my entry for That’s My Answer!

It has been a while since I last updated my IPOD playlist. Like most things here in Sydney, CDs and DVDs are expensive! Good thing there are many ways of buying music and videos over the internet. Just like www.MP3rocket.com, which allows free music downloads! And for a minimal fee, you get more services like unlimited downloads and you can even burn them on CDs. How cool is that?

Depending on your usage, the basic set-up will give you the minimal functions but if you want to maximize MP3rocket’s features, then upgrading to a PRO account is a must. This is ideal if you want to get access to more movies and music and enjoy them in the comforts of your home. The user panel is so easy to use it’s a matter of clicking a few buttons to download. I will tinker with my basic account more and see if I should upgrade. Ah, the wonders of technology.

Buh bye April. HELLO MAY! What will you not miss about April? And what are you looking forward to in May?

I can’t think of anything that I will not miss in April. It was a good month. I am looking forward to cooler weather (it’s our first autumn and winter..) and the launch of a blog project!

~ my entry for That’s My Answer!