Cool Dude!

Our office assistant is in school for massage therapy. She starts clinic soon, and you know what that means! 1 hour full body massage for $30. Hope she's good!

Keeping In Touch

I've been so busy this past few days and will continue to be busy. I'll try to find some time to relax and put up a post here and there, but in case you don't hear from me for a while...you'll know why. (I'm SO overdue for a spa day!)

In the meantime, here's my funny pic of the week:

Sunny day...Sweeping The Clouds Away!

Okay, sorry for the bad Sesame Street reference. I thought it fitting, because this morning it was dark, rainy and cloudy. I was scheduled to take my Life/Health/Variable Annuities State exam today and I PASSSSSSED! And now the sun is shining. Ah....

Now it's time to: Celebrate good times, come on!

(That was a reference to a not so HSB who sang this karaoke w/ a cracking voice. Ha ha ha!)

It's Vain & Unecessary...I Know

Summer is here, and especially where I'm at - you really feel it. The sun can be brutal, so I find myself hiding out indoors. I will make it a point to keep sunblock in the car, because I actually got a sunburn a couple weeks ago and I'm shedding like a snake. I hate it.

The hotter it is, the less you wear and although tanks, shorts & summer dresses are all fun and beachy - you have to constantly keep up with shaving. I am so sick of it.

So whenever I hear those ads about laser hair removal...I am SO tempted. Those days of being 13 and loving shaving (because of feeling grown-up, ha ha) are OVER!

Where My Girls At?

"Girls cause too much drama, that's why I only have guy friends."

"Women have wronged me in the past, that's why I don't get close to anyone."

"Girls are too catty, I don't like being around them."

How many times have I heard these statements? Maybe a good handful of people have said that to me. I have never understood it. Because as I do acknowledge some females can be catty, I see it as immaturity, or having low-self esteem, and in life what you could do is simply choose your friends wisely. Plus...sometimes I may have my moments too. RRrrow!

Personally for me, the most fulfilling times, are those "girls night out" evenings. Where we eat, laugh, act silly, even tearfully share something personal - but always leave happy. We women have to go through a lot nowadays, but knowing that someone has been there, done that and can share helpful insights to help you get through a hard time? Priceless. I love hearing experiences of older women, because some of them went through hardships that I can't even imagine. It even makes you respect them more. And in life, we are sometimes so short-sighted, that we can't see the whole picture. It helps when you have someone there to remind you of that. Having an older friend can also make you more patient, and I know I've learned not to react to things as quickly as I did before! It's not always the end of the world!

Sometimes, there are no major issues to talk about. Spending a light-hearted time with women is just as fun. Sometimes you didn't know you had something in common with someone else. They can even help you avoid mistakes they've made in the past. Even if someone else is a mother, and you are in a totally different stage in your life, you may gain a lot of insights from just being around them. And one day, you may be in the same boat! With younger women, you may be able to help them with what they're going through. And just because you are a bit older, doesn't mean you have nothing in common. Pay it forward, give advice that has helped you.

So here's my two cents:

• Never isolate yourself, because you are never alone.
• Appreciate the insights you can gain from women.
• Always make time for older and younger women.
• Shed the "image" and be vulnerable. None of us are perfect!
• Draw strength from sisterly support

And LASTLY:

• Think positive. Instead of thinking of something critical, train your mind to think of something positive and complement her on it. You'll feel 100 times better than internally dissing her outfit and you'll lose the catty trait you hate so much.

My Pic Of The Day

Quack!

Quack!

It's been a while, and Gata's recent post inspired me to post as well and get back to the swing of things. First of all, I've been busy. I took a 5 day Insurance course to get my agent's license. I passed the exit exam, but I still need to take the State one. Last week I was sidetracked by a certain visitor - just kidding. I had a blast with my bro' Ja-Shawn, a.k.a. Jason. We did an Everglades Airboat tour, as well as wreak havoc in the neighborhood. I'm taking a short break from studying. Yes, in about 2 weeks or less I will be working for a duck. Ha! Why did I choose this? Well...I stumbled upon the opportunity and it sounded like something I could be good at so I decided to give it a try.

Will let you know how it goes....

Orlando/Miami/Everglades Pics

These pics are of my cousin Ralph and his father Melvin's first visit to the USA. We went to Orlando (Universal and Sea World), he bowled for the first time, we went to Miami Beach and lastly we hit the Everglades to see some gators! It was a packed week, but we all enjoyed it. We have video footage too - my aunt Bernie was going crazy as usual...she really had a good time.

There are two sets of photos, click on each thumbnail below:

Marie's Orlando - Bowling - Miami - Everglades Pics - April 2007

Click here for Ralph's Florida Pics Way better than my pics

Gwen Stefani Live - "Cool"

Created by Marie

You Sure Have Changed Since Yesterday...

Are you listening, Gwen?

Yesterday I went to the Gwen Stefani concert. The cool thing was, for a couple of songs which were hip-hopish...she would end in a hard-rock way...the drummer was banging the drums and the guitars were going...and even Anthony had to say that she should really be with her band. It's just not the same with these no-names (who she introduces by the way). And she stole the trumpeters from ND. I remember meeting one of them in New York when he was using a PAY PHONE. Lol. How long ago was that?

And even the songs that were slightly techno/dancy - when they played live with guitars they made sound a MILLION times better and I'm not just saying that because I like rock. I listen to about 5 songs on her album tops, the others are kind of brainless...it just KILLS me when I know she could be with No Doubt and make quality records where people will actually take her music seriously.

You should see the audience...all they know is her pop stuff and when she sings a song she feels deeply about...people don't know the words and they sort of just stand and stare. It stinks for her, because she's singing something personal that means something to her...and they're just blank.

I KNOW she can tell the difference between ND concerts and her own. She kept asking people to sing along! In a No Doubt concert, we sing ALL the words and know ALL the songs. Gwen, if you're listening...you're cute and talented on your own, but please GO back to No Doubt!

Fat America

I was taking a picture of a roller coaster in Sea World, and saw this not-so-little girl in the background. Sad, isn't it?

Marie's Hot/Not List - April 2007

I like reading about things that are "hot" or "in the moment" in magazines and I decided to write up my own little hot/not list...sharing the things that are time saving and useful to me. Don't go crazy and buy all the things I talk about!

Burning scented oil at home.....HOT. Invest in an inexpensive oil burner that uses tea lights. (Mine is a pretty carved soapstone one...$4.95 at Walmart). They fill the room instantly with warm inviting fragrance. Not hot? Aerosol sprays. They don't last long and they smell pretty lame.

Herbal Essences - "None of Your Frizziness" shampoo and conditioner. HOT! I like to wear my hair wavy or straight, so I can't bring myself to clutter my bathroom with a shampoo/conditioner for curls and a shampoo/conditioner for straight hair. This way whatever the style, my hair is smooth. Not hot? Shampoos for "normal hair" - what is normal anyway? Our locks deserve more specialized attention.

DVR for TV - HOT!!!! I record shows to watch at my convenience and skip all the commercials. Not hot? Recording on VHS tapes...sorry guys.

Shaving razors that eliminate your need for shaving cream - HOT!!!! Excellent for travel, and excellent in general for everyday use. Ever run out of shaving cream when you need to shave? I've been in this scenario more than once. Instead of grabbing the nearest bottle of conditioner, these razors have it all...and they work great. Not hot? Disposables - ouch!

Photo Project

I have years of photos that I need to frame and display. One project I started on, is getting a bunch of framed photos and displaying them up a staircase. Seems simple enough...yet it's daunting for me. I want it to be family, friends...a collection of photographs that go together as well as give visitors a sense of warmth. My home needs a sense of identity. Whenever I visit someones house or apartment, seeing pictures on their wall remind me that the people I'm visiting have a life, history, love. So far I framed two pictures, and have yet to hang them once I get more frames. In this digital age, I've gotten used to dumping photos on my hard drive but never really printing them anymore, so I need to get some shots printed. What I think I'm going to do is, buy frames, plan their arrangement, hang them w/o prints and it will give me motivation to get those empty frames filled. Besides, I do have the photographs.

Selected Philippines Pics (Finally!)

Philippines Pics!

I made an online album of selected pictures from my memorable trip to the Philippines. Two regrets: I wish I had at least one more week there instead of just two, and I wish I didn't get sick from the climate changes. I made the best of it, but some days I was walking around with a cloud around my head. There was much more to see, but I guess it leaves some for next time. I kept thinking to myself, why the heck did I not go sooner? It was great to meet family for the first time, I enjoyed spending time with my cousins...and I am forever changed after spending the day at the local spa and having a $4 dollar deep tissue massage! (I don't think I can dish out the money for getting massages in the USA anymore). Some of the sights were out of this world, literally - especially the "Enchanted River" which I enjoyed as well as the touristy Boracay island. After this trip, I got the travel bug. After all, I survived the long plane ride, right? The world is a beautiful place and there's so much to see. So what's next? Spain, Italy, the Grand Canyon? Who knows. I just know I can't wait until I get there.

Technical Difficulties

I made a draft of the pics I was going to post, and I was about to add more pictures to that draft today, when I looked and saw that only the first 4 pictures show up and the other pics don't show up...like they are invalid or something. I think when you publish from Picasa, you're supposed to publish right away because they may have a limit on how long pictures stay saved as a draft. This really stinks because I took my time choosing those pics...I have to figure out a way...I'm going to try to create an online album and just put a link to that. Oh well.

Pics Of The Philippines

I have a draft that I'm working on, with selected images from over 600 photos taken on my trip. So please be patient, I'll be working on getting some pics up for you to enjoy.

I'm still getting over the jet lag...and I'm still not quite right. I have the tendency to stay awake and alert at night...even though I try to wake at a reasonable time. My body is probably just exhausted from all the traveling...

Anyway...stay tuned!

Here's Some Pics From The Last Few Days....

My cousin Ralph

My cousin Gaelle

We all ate at Chow King, this 24 hour place late at night.

This was at the mall, I had to take this pic for Gata.

Another pic that I had to take for Gata, the Mc Rice Burger! If you get to travel to any other country, you will see the menu is slightly adjusted. Remember the Mc Donalds bean burger in London?

This is where we are staying in Iloilo. My cousin's apartment close to their college.

We went to this little zoo....

I have to take more street pictures. I video taped. You see lots of kids walking by themselves on the road, and lots of people on one motorcycle. It's funny.

I'm In The Philippines....

I'm in a town called: Iloilo (Pronounced: Ee-loo-ee-loo)

I took 4 planes to get here...it was grueling.

My flights were:

NJ to Seattle
Seattle to Taipei
Taipei to Manila
Manila to Iloilo

I slept a lot on the planes, and once in the airport when we had a long layover. So when I arrived, I was alert and awake. I slept the first night and thought that I had a smooth transition into the time zone. But today I messed things up. Today we drove around and went to the mall. Upon our return, my grandmother was tired, so we all lay down for a while and were talking. Well, we all fell asleep and stayed asleep for over 7 hours. Basically we slept the night in US time, but the entire afternoon and evening in Philippine time. When I woke up I was so mad. Now, it's past 4am and everyone is sleeping. I am wide awake. I have to sleep somehow, otherwise tomorrow I'm going to be dead.

Other than this fiasco, I'm enjoying myself! I finally met my two other cousins, Gaelle and Ralph whom I haven't met ever. That's exciting. I'm enjoying feeding the wild cats outside our leftovers...they are our garbage disposals. I tried to grab one orange kitten, but to no avail. I'm too lazy to connect my camera to post pictures right now, but I will put some pictures up in the next day or two. As long as I'm at my cousin's house, I'll have Internet access so I better take advantage.

Anyway, that's it for now! Goodnight/afternoon-whatever!

Oh My....

I have two days left to pack. First for NYC, then for the Philippines trip. Agggghh! Procrastination! I did get somethings done, I shopped for the necessary items: Shampoo, comfortable pj's, a travel neck pillow...okay, maybe they are not so necessary. But it's fun to shop whatever the reason.

I'll be gone for a while so I have to make sure my bills are paid. I will bring my laptop and whenever I'm at my cousin's house, I'll have Internet (yea!) so I'll be able to update my blog and keep you updated with pictures and stories. It's not like the old days where we go away and completely drop off the map. Oh, and I got DVDs for my video camera. Should be fun. A real culture shock!

Good Book, Just Ignore Martha Stewart

Just got this book from Costco: Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home

It has EVERYTHING you need to know about everyday practical things. I especially appreciate the cleaning checklists, the refrigerator life for foods, average make up life (good to know) and answers to those annoying problems like how to fold fitted sheets. It has great organizing tips, tips for upkeep of general appliances, proper cleaning instructions, and even how to do some small fixing jobs around the house. Really good to have whether you own a house or live in an apartment.