If I suddenly get a windfall…
I would be investing in more commercial real estate here in Tanauan more than residential ones. I’ve been looking in my hometown and I’ve noticed that since we’ve become a city, prices for commercial establishments have skyrocketed. The more prominent areas doesn’t suffer vacancies. In fact, after one business leaves, another takes its place immediately which makes me think that it would be the best investment I can do with any windfall I might win one of these days. Lots located near the highway is also getting expensive each year. I’m a bit interested in one that has a vacant house in it. I can always get a small store built in the front to make it easier for me once we start baking commercially.
Hopefully things around here start picking up so we can go ahead with our plans. 
Popularity: 7% [?]
What does it take to get something you want?
My life is was messed up. It has been since that very first LOA I took when I was in second year college. You see my course in DLSU is just a 3 year and 2 terms course which meant I should’ve graduated around 2005. It’s now 2008 and I still haven’t graduated. I know I made a lot of mistakes in addition to me getting sick and having to take an extended leave which somehow never ended and I got lost in a never ending plight to get back to school and finish my course already. I had everything planned out for my life. I had planned that I will graduate on time, get a great job, start my own business, start a family and then live happily ever after. Imagine my despair and self-loathing after everything didn’t turn out the way I planned it. My fairy-tale dream had been shattered and for the first time in my life, I felt so worthless and vulnerable to everything.
I was lost and I have lost hope. No matter what I did, it always played back to having to leave school, get a leave and feel even more worthless, if that is even possible. You see like many people out there, I had pride. I was good in school back then and since life can give you so many things that will distract you from Him, I gave in and went along the flow. I thought I had nothing to lose. I did have everything I wanted and it seemed everything was going as planned. Then it happened. You know those scenes on television or in the movies where the sound of sinister doom suddenly starts playing? Where each second that passes by gives you that eerie and uncomfortable feeling that somethings gonna happen, and its gonna happen soon, in fact its just behind your back waiting for you to feel it and turn around to confirm that fact. Everything fell apart. I knew nothing would be the same and somehow I’m thankful it happened.
You see, if that hadn’t happened to me, I wouldn’t have met Jesus again. I wouldn’t be here posting about this at all because I would feel too ashamed of the mistakes that had happened in my life. When I finally lost everything and I didn’t have anywhere to run, that’s when I realized I still have one place to go. One place that was always there, waiting for me but the one place I had forgotten because I had gotten to caught up with everything about me. I have so many questions and I know there was only one place I can go and be able to cry my heart out and get the answers to what I was asking. The comfort I was looking for had always been in Jesus. I needed Him back in my life, in my heart and in my mind. Only then did I find the peace I was looking for. I am learning each day not to question why, I am learning to accept His will and I’ve found since then that I was making the wrong choices simply because it was not what was best for me, and it wasn’t what makes me really happy in my heart.
I’ve been blessed by God because I have finally realized that my heart is not in what I was taking. My heart has always been and will always be in cooking. I have failed to realize that all the years I’ve spent in the kitchen preparing meals for our family, taking charge of the Christmas and New Year menu, even cooking for all the birthday celebrations for each family member has been the best times in my life. My heart is set in the kitchen and in the dining room. Seeing each of my loved ones happy as we shared the meals I prepared and hearing the laughter and merriment brought upon this sharing, I realized I’ve had what I wanted in front of me all this time and I still failed to see it. I’m very thankful that now I finally understand why I never seem to finish what I had started in DLSU. My heart grew tired of what I had been taking because my heart wasn’t in it.
I have always wanted an oven. I asked Dad a couple of years ago to buy one for our home but he said he can’t. I understood, he had so many bills to pay and an oven can’t fit in the budget. A month ago, I started to feel how badly I wanted an oven because I knew I wanted to start baking. I told Him what I wanted and said to Him that I couldn’t ask Dad to buy one for me because he has so many things on his mind already with all the tuition fees for my younger siblings. During Mother’s Day we went around SM Appliance Center and I saw an electric oven that would be a little easier to get than a whole range one. I asked Him to help me get it if it was His will. I didn’t have enough cash on hand to get one but I suddenly had the urge to go shop for baking supplies and materials every now and then. Little by little my supplies stocked up and soon after I was able to buy an oven for cash, and I paid for it using the money I earned from several online games I was playing before. I was ecstatic. I couldn’t believe my eyes when we got the oven home. It took some time before it finally dawned on me that I really had an oven.
After getting the oven, I have learned little by little how to make my own pizzas, cakes, cookies, cupcakes and bread. I read through baking magazines, online recipe archives as well as other baking blogs. When I finally save up enough funds to attend a formal culinary school. I always wanted to be a pastry chef, and I think I’m finally starting to realize this dream by taking this first step of learning. You can’t really learn baking if you don’t get your hands on the dough. I finally took the first dip and I know I’m ready to take the plunge. 
I know I still have a long way to go but I’m not really scared anymore. I know that He’s always there for me and everything has its own place and time. I’m not in a rush now and I’m trying to enjoy each baking session I do. Although I love cooking meals for the family, I love baking just as much. Our home now always have some cake, bread or cookie prepared to the point that they get tired of it. We don’t even order cake and pizza when we eat out because as my Mom puts it, “We’ve been having too much cake and pizza this past month. I can’t stand another cake or pizza even if its given to us for free.” So we pretty much send some of my baked goodies out to our neighbors so I can get more feedback on what to improve with regards to its taste and texture. Who knows, maybe I can bake for other people soon.
So what does it take to get something you want? Trust and faith in Him. At least for me.
Popularity: 7% [?]
WPThemeDesigner.com - Hip and Hoppin’ WP Designs
I found out about WPThemeDesigner.com through Wordpress Pinoys because its owner, ChiQ Montes, is a member of the forums. Some people might mistake her as SP (Small Potato) who used to own WPDesigner.com, but she is a different person. She’s been handing out several free Wordpress Themes already (of which Blog Rebel rocks my socks :P) and her latest activity includes a contest where she is giving out around 30 free premium wordpress themes. Her blog’s current theme is very clean and refreshing that I don’t tire checking it out whenever I’m online.
I’m not sure if she’s offering custom premium wordpress themes already but I know I’d get a quote for a design or two that would meet my budget when she starts to. So go check out her blog and learn a thing or two on the way.
Popularity: 8% [?]
Fast Cash to the rescue.
There are instances when you run out of funds on hand just when you need it. Unfortunately these days its not easy borrowing from people you know like your family, relatives and friends especially since they are all having their own problems in getting extra cash since in the US, summer has started and here in the Philippines, school has just started. It would be great if there were facilities here in our country that provide fast cash payday loans like they do in the US. I’d think our parent’s would appreciate it a lot since tuition fees, allowances plus other daily expenses for the family can easily deplete our cash resources. I do hope these services would be introduced to us soon since it can be a source of help for those needing some cash to get by before the next payday comes.
Popularity: 7% [?]
MAFBEX 2008 - I came, I saw, I conquered.
In my previous post, I think I’ve shown how badly I wanted to go attend the MAFBEX 2008 (Manila Food and Beverage Expo) which started on June 18th and lasted until yesterday (though I do not know if many people went there yesterday because storm signal number three named Frank was pretty worked up) and I was seriously set on going to it no matter what. So last Saturday, I finally dragged my Mom to go see the expo even if it was raining hard. Armed with an umbrella, a large shoulder bag and an old battered ATM, we commuted from our home in Batangas towards Buendia/LRT. The bus was so cold because it was raining heavily outside, and the movie that was being aired didn’t help the cranky passengers at all. Imagine watching Final Destination 2 inside a bus on a cold wet day, with a huge bus traveling over a slippery highway filled with lots of other vehicles going to Manila. Final Destination 2 is not a great movie to watch en route to Manila or any place that requires traveling on highways or expressways or any long roads for that matter. Period.
Getting back to my story, I was only carrying P500 in cash when we rode the bus so when we arrived in Buendia, I only had P300 left in my poor wallet. Can you believe how expensive bus fares are now? Before the recent increase, I only paid P84 from Tanauan to Buendia (single trip) which was still kind to a commuting student’s measly budget. Now it costs P98.50 per person for a single trip. I’d have to go get a dorm when I go back to school since it would be cheaper that way. Since that freaky movie, freezing AC and painful rise in the bus fare, I felt a bit famished. I told Mom it would be better if we grab a bit of lunch before we looked for an ATM machine and head to World Trade Center (WTC). We stopped by the nearest fast food chain we can find after getting off the bus because it was raining again, so we ended up eating in Chowking. After grabbing some rice, soup and dumplings, we were ready to take the tiresome trek towards the ATM machine on the other side of the road. After finally getting a few cash on hand, we hailed a cab and got to WTC.
We paid P100 (P50 for mom and another P50 for me) for our entrance ticket and we entered the expo. I was like a kid in a candy store. I’ve just started baking, so baking supplies and ingredients is what makes my skirt go up these days not that I wear skirts or anything resembling one. So I made a decent game plan telling Mom we should go start from the one corner then work our way to the other end of the room and so on. I seriously scolded myself for not withdrawing all of the cash I had in my ATM before going there. There was really no ATM near WTC so I couldn’t get more dough to splurge on all the baking stuff I wanted. I rarely splurge but when were talking about baking stuff, I just can’t resist. If I had known there were so many things I’d love in the expo (and if I had a job, haha) I would’ve seriously availed of a cash advance from these people just so I can satiate my baking desires. That’s how much I’m into baking right now. I wondered in awe at all those baking pans, trays, moulds and shelves. Those silicone supplies, cake decorating supplies and other baking paraphernalia (somehow paraphernalia sounds too much like drugs for me, haha). The mouth watering almonds, chocolates (fondue..yummy), pastries and a whole lot of goodies. If I just had withdrawn enough cash…ugh.
So after going around in circles I finally managed to squeeze in my successfully bought list:
These are the stuff I had been having a hard time finding here in SM and Robinsons. So I was really grateful I finally got them. At least I can do some baking until I run out of the again which would mean I’ll be off to Unimart (since Peotraco said they had their complete line there) to get a lot of my baking supplies. I was bummed that I forgot to get the cooling rack I found earlier since I didn’t have one still. I guess I’d have to look for one next time I go to MOA since the malls here in Lipa provide inadequate baking stuff for anyone needing them. I was also bummed that I had to limit my pastry sheet and muffin pan to one each because I ran out of cash. I was actually planning on getting a cab to MOA (leaving Mom in WTC to chek out something there and withdraw from my ATM too) but it was raining outside and I didn’t feel like getting wet. I get sick easily when I get rained upon. Good thing the people looking after the baking pan booth that we stayed in told us that there would be another expo this coming August that would be showing more of baking materials and other food industry equipments. So I can still save up for that one and get all the other stuff I missed out on this expo. Wheeeee!
I’ll try to post the photos I was able to take here when I get more time. I need some shuteye since its still raining here.
Popularity: 8% [?]
Harley in Tanauan? Haha.
When we went to Pahiyas before, we saw some men driving these big Harleys and I was like, “Cool…” and everyone else who saw them. I don’t see much people in Tanauan riding Harleys, even used Harleys because I don’t think we have an authorized dealer here in our place. All I see is Motorlandia, Motortrade and the likes. Hah, I wonder how it would look if a Harley was used for a tricycle here. That one might get a lot of passengers who simply want to get their pictures taken. It would be quite a cool experience. Lol.
Popularity: 3% [?]
I just hate plagiarists.
Okay, I was checking out my incoming links and I chanced upon one that was titled, “Pinay Scandals: Making Big Bucks?” and it eerily sounded like my own title for the Pinay Scandal campaign. I checked my entry and mine was entitled, “Pinay Scandals: Earning Big Bucks?” so I decided to check out their post. Not surprisingly, their entry was copied from my entry with one sentence added in the beginning and then some changes in the order of the sentences. Look at the screenshot below (click it for the larger image) and see for yourself. I’m not going to link to the said plagiarist because that would really make his day. He might dance for joy because he would get a free link just because he plagiarized me. Duh, I’m not that stupid yet.
I’m just a bit miffed. Are people really that desperate to have blog posts that they simply copy other people’s work? Its not like simply changing the order of the sentences makes it a whole new post. I don’t mind if they use auto-blogging software that utilize free articles given out by people in article sites because its given away for free for linking purposes. I am annoyed because the things I wrote in my blog are mine. They were not meant as a free article to be copied and pasted around your spammy blogs.
Actually splogs are so much better because at least they have the decency to simply use a bit of my RSS feeds and then add a short link back to my own article. You were different and a bit lesser than them since you literally took a copy of my article, added a sentence then changed its order. That’s it. I only found you because you included the Pinay scandal list which off course would send me a ping because I am in that list. Duh.
Is it really to hard to go sit in front of your computer and actually write something that came from your own thoughts? We all have brains and we were given it so we can use it. I seriously hope its not such a hard thing to come up with a 50-100 word entry that talks about your points of view on the on-going Pinay Scandal campaign or the stereotyping being done to Filipinas, or even just a simple and short reflection on the Pinay Scandal campaign entries that you read. If you would rather sit and copy-paste all the time just to fill your sorry blog so you can earn a few measly bucks off Google Adsense then you won’t get far in life really. Your just letting your brain rot.
If you want to earn through blogging, learn to write. Don’t expect money to fall in your lap (or in your Paypal account for that matter) by blogging if you aren’t willing to write. I would really have thought that writing is one of the easiest things to do in this world, since all you need is a brain, your computer and your internet connection. Or if you prefer doing it the old way, getting a quill and an old parchment paper and start writing in that. You can also go grab a typewriter and start clicking those keys. Let that voice inside your head talk if you don’t have anything to say yourself. Don’t tell me you don’t have that? Or am I the only one who talks to that voice in my head because I’m crazy?
Sheesh, I just hate plagiarists. Online and offline. I wish I can get good tactical gear against plagiarists sadly we can only do so much to stop them from copying our work blatantly. -sigh-
P.S. This is already a 600+ word entry and I was just ranting. Now why don’t you try it? Its really very easy. Just give that brain a little exercise.
Popularity: 8% [?]
I’m sick and I want to go see MAFBEX 2008.
Ugh. I thought I’ve escaped the “cold” wave our village has been having. I got a little bit sick a week ago and I actually thought I was better already. However, I got sick again yesterday morning. So I’ve been nursing a bad cold. My nose is runny and extremely irritated that I cry buckets, my head is throbbing like its about to explode (which gets worse each time I need to sneeze -which then suddenly stops making my nose more itchy and my head more painful-), my muscles feel like they’ve been beaten with large wooden planks, and to make matters worse, I look like a hermit and my hair has been at its all-time low.
Rainy season has officially started here with the storm which Pagasa named Frank. We’ve been having extremely rough winds and its been raining on and off here. I can’t get out much because I’m a wee bit sensitive when it comes to getting drenched in rain especially if its sunny then rainy then sunny. I don’t do well in sudden changes to the weather because I have bad headaches (and when I say bad, its seriously bad, you know the kind wherein you try to bang your head on the wall because doing so actually stops the pain a little while before you have to be up at it again) which according to my neurologist before was triggered by sudden shifts in my environment as well as stress and pollution.
I’m even more miffed by the fact that I wasn’t able to go with my bestfriend, Les, yesterday to Manila. She was going to pick up her ID at the PRC and before that we were supposed to go and take a look at the MAFBEX 2008 being held in World Trade Center. I wanted to go there badly because I’m interested to see if there are any suppliers that carry baking supplies and ingredients that I’ve been having a hard time finding here in our province. Ugh. Hopefully tomorrow I wouldn’t feel so sick so I can go drag Mom to see it. I’m hoping to see if they have any books related to Amazon books that I’m interested in. I’m hoping it doesn’t rain so we can go.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Need to go back. Ugh.
I’ve really been behind my gym attendance. I know I should get back really soon but I am not motivated at all at the moment. Hopefully I get my mojo back soon. I’ve been a little bit depressed these days. I should get one of these ellipticals when I get enough funds so I can do my exercise at home. I don’t feel so comfortable in going out these days. I feel too bloated. Ick.
Popularity: 3% [?]
Maternity gifts?
One of my friends is giving birth soon and I was thinking of what stuff to give her as a gift. I wanted to give her something that she can use for the baby. Searching online for gift ideas, I found these sets of crib bedding and I found them really cute. I do think they ship internationally, but I am just not sure if it would arrive on time for me. Since I already have an idea for what to give her, I’ll go ask Mom if she can accompany me sometime in SM or Robinson’s to see what crib bedding they have. If they have good ones too, I can settle for that.
Popularity: 2% [?]
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