Skip to content

February 2007

Credit Cards

credit cardsFinancial institutions seem to be very liquid these days. They are giving out credit cards as if it is a bank brochure. The other day, BPI Express Credit sent me two [tag]credit cards[/tag]. I don’t understand why they have to send me a credit card when I already have a BPI Express Credit card since 1989. *snip* *snip* The lady at the Express Phone protested when I told her that I had no need for additional credit cards. A few weeks ago, Banco de Oro (BDO) also sent us credit cards. *snip* *snip* I believe in having a credit card but two are enough, thank you. I used to have a VISA card but I snipped that a year ago . It’s just so much easier to balance my budget. My husband has three credit cards and he plans to snip one card as soon as he pays off a “zero lite” plan.

Why would anyone need so many credit cards? It causes anyone to go into debt much faster, thinking of the additional cards as a standby.

The first credit card I ever had was Diner’s Club in the early 80’s. During those days, credit cards were very limited in the Philippines and often offered to businessmen or the “rich”. As a struggling career woman, I didn’t qualify for a credit card. Anyway, I got mine as supplementary card from my dad. After a few years of wise use, it paved the way for me to get a credit card on my own. Then credit cards became an “in thing” in the late eighties that more bank started on credit card operations.

Through the years, the advantages of credit cards outweighed the disadvantages.

Read More »Credit Cards

Thursday Thirteen:Number 1


Thirteen Things about Me

Naturally the first thirteen things should be about me, so here goes:

1. My mom got my name from the Biblical name, Naomi

2. My husband calls me “Noyt” because of our then toddler , Lauren who couldn’t pronounce “noem”.

3. I am the second among 7 siblings.

4. I became interested in computers in 1980.

5. I cannot drive without pop music playing inside the car.

Read More »Thursday Thirteen:Number 1

Home Furniture and Furnishings Conflict

home magazinesIn 26 days, we are moving to our new home. It’s quite exciting as we plan to replace 50 to 80% of our [tag]furniture[/tag] and furnishings. For the past year or so, my husband judiciously read up on home magazines, carefully marking the ones that he liked. My hubby is the artist in our family so I just let him do his homework. Hiring an interior decorator that charges 1,000 pesos per square meter is out of the question. With a limited budget, we will try to furnish our simple abode in the following months. My husband and I agreed on clean , simple and contemporary lines like the Ikea furnitures.

Now he insists on two awful furniture pieces which totally ruins my idea of clean and simple lines. Take a look at this 8 seater dinner table. I agree that antique furniture is wonderful to have if it’s beautiful and functional.

But lion carvings at the foot of the table?!?!?!

IMG_4325.jpg

Read More »Home Furniture and Furnishings Conflict

Anna Nicole Smith’s Death

anna nicole smithMy heart goes out to Anna Nicole Smith. In death, she is still in the spotlight. [tag]Anna Nicole Smith[/tag]’s Death remains a mystery as of press time. The medical examiner says her death was “sudden, unexpected and unexplained. Upon hearing of [tag]Anna Nicole Smith’s death[/tag], the first thing that entered my mind was her grief over the loss of her son, Danny five months ago. The reality of child loss is devastating to a mother. There are overwhelming feelings of guilt, inadequacy, and most often feelings of failure. These feelings can overwhelm a mother for several months following the death of a child, and it can be quite difficult to build a support system to carry a mother through this roller coaster of emotions.

I have known bereaved parents who numb their pain through alcohol or drugs. So the second thing that entered my mind was did she die from drug overdose, alcohol or both?

Though Anna Nicole monopolized the gaudy, gossipy celebrity stage in life and in death, I can truly relate to her pain.

I don’t drink alcohol but during the early months of my grief, I just wanted to numb the pain. My doctor recommended anxiety pills but I refused. All I could think of is ” Stop my heart from hurting, please. ”

Read More »Anna Nicole Smith’s Death

Fellow Pinoy Blogger Legal Fund Drive

justiceFellow blogger Abe is in a legal mess. After reading J Angelo’s entry on Help Out a Fellow Pinoy Blogger, I knew I had to do my share. I am aware on how much Abe has spent already in the quest to clear his innocence from a [tag]libel suit[/tag] filed against him (for case details, read this). I know he is not even responsible for posts made in that forum. Why doesn’t the complainant demand the original poster? Why does it have to be the web host?

J Angelo and Blog Herald are finding ways to start a legal fund:

In line with this, some regular readers of the Herald suggested that we help out Abe with his expenses by setting up a legal fund. After all, this is a case where online publications are involved. And this could happen to any blogger (I’ve heard of bloggers in other countries being sued because of comments that readers have posted).

Read More »Fellow Pinoy Blogger Legal Fund Drive

Deal or No Deal?

deal.jpgMy husband’s text message cracked me up:

The buyer offered ______ pesos for the land. Is it a deal or no deal?

Haha, we were deciding on whether to accept a buyer’s offer on my husband’s property in Baguio. The proceeds will be used as equity to our new home.

Almost every night when my husband is home, we tune in to entertainment shows to just free our minds from a hard day’s work. Mindless shows like the lucky game show “Deal or No deal?” with Kris Aquino lightens my husband’s mood. While the game show is progressing, my husband and I decide if it’s a deal or no deal. Oftentimes, my husband place the banker role. Most often I take the conservative role and scream “DEAL!” or “How stupid!”.

Back to that text message “Deal or no deal?”

Read More »Deal or No Deal?

Pinoy Moms Network

Pinoy Moms Network
On a lazy sunday night (February 4, 2007), I surfed to Connie’s blog and saw her mommy links. I thought about the wonderful moms on my own blogroll and wondered if these mom blogs garnered adequate exposure to the blogosphere. I knew I could just link them in my blogroll but I thought linkages did not cut it enough. Last Monday, Connie talked to me via Google Talk about the possibility on ““pinoy mommy blogs to go high profile”.

Read More »Pinoy Moms Network

Inspiration from a Working Mom Magazine

working momI was 42 years old and reading the “Working Mom” magazine. I wanted to get back to the corporate world or do research work like I used to do or so I thought. Armed with an MBA, it shouldn’t be a problem, right? Reality sank in that Filipino employers never or rarely hire women past thirty five years old. Look at the classified ads…”not more than 30 years old”…or “not more than 40 years old” as if age diminishes our mental faculties. The problem was I quit the workforce at the age of 30 years old to devote the full time homemaker role to my three children. Those lost years deprived my exposure to business trends and development. I had a part time job though. During those 10 years, I devoted my brains to my husband’s family properties as he could not attend to it. He was a budding lawyer tied down to a law firm. He literally dropped his property management role to me. I had no choice but support his wishes as we derived substantial income from it too.

To add to my credentials, I acquired a license in real estate brokerage in 1989. Things didn’t work out in the end because of misunderstandings which I’d rather not explain further. I resigned in 1998 much to the disappointment of my father-in-law.

I knew I needed something else. A job?

I could get a job through network of friends but what was my specialty? The past years saw me dabbling with the internet and web site development. I was out of the loop in the corporate world.

On that fateful day , I read this article about moms who quit their jobs and went into business. There were 3 women who started a business because they were tired of working

So that was it! Start a business. But what kind of business?

Read More »Inspiration from a Working Mom Magazine

What Blogging brought me

Sorry Annamanila for the delay of this meme. Reason is that this meme is similar to my talk on Personal Blogging Experience which I gave at Digital Filipino’s Blogging and Social Networking Forum last January. And I didn’t feel like blogging about a similar topic just yet.

I started this blog almost a year ago and Blogging has brought me so much, more than I ever imagined it to be. I feel that writing about it might look like bragging . Yet I believed I just had to share it so you will continue to blog. Who knows what blogging can give you?

The Good things

1. It became a platform for my advocacy

-It inspired bereaved family members to start a blog , a memorial site or read The Compassionate Friends website
-It also inspired women or mothers to start blogging ( I was told)

2. Expanded social and business network.

My main purpose for the blog is my advocacy and not to plug my webhosting business. I mention my business in passing at my ABOUT ME page. Somehow, readers discover and order hosting plans. Business is quite good that I had to close down a fast selling plan. Because of blogging, my social network now encompass new bloggers/friends that share my love for the internet, technology information and blogging. I have very few “offline” friends (save for my siblings) that share my passion for the internet.

3. It brought an Award (I’ve never received an award before) and Magazine , Radio Newspaper and TV interviews.

Thanks to Google and my search engine optimized titles, my blog is often ranked high for certain keywords. Somehow I ‘m contacted for resources on recovery, health, grief, internet related topics.

4. Pride that even if I am not a creative writer, I continue to hone my writing skills through blogging.

Writing is a work in progress for me. I am still learning.

5. It started my [tag]problogging[/tag] career.

Based on the criteria of this blog entry on Top Pinoy Probloggers, I am listed in the Top 10. (and 3rd as an independent blogger)

Read More »What Blogging brought me