Keep going

It's past the monthly weigh in date. But I won't post the result for now ;) Rest assured I am still on my weight loss project. Still challenged but dedicated to losing the unwanted pounds. I will post my weight on December. I may be getting the bag after all come Christmas because, I am slowly losing weight. How much weight have I lost? It's a secret for now. Hehehe. I am actually feeling good. I feel lighter, happier and still full energy after a tiring day of blogging. Hahaha. Kidding. Seriously though I think the vitamin supplement I am taking has helped a lot in making me feel active and less depressed. Thus it's not making me crave food. If that makes sense to you. It also helps that I have a "thinspiration". Meaning I have an inspiration to be thin. It's a friend who has lost a lot of weight. If she did it, I could do it too! However I don't think I can survive with a salad diet for months. It would make me crazy. I'll just follow my own diet. It's working so far. Hopefully, I'll be svelte come Christmas. I have been eyeing a gorgeous dress to wear on the holiday.

Update on my dizziness

I still haven't been to an opthalmologist but all is well now. I don't have dizziness spells anymore. I am feeling great again. I think I have to credit it to the medicines that I took.

But I will still visit the eye doctor soon. Actually I am planning to have a wellness check up or an executive check up. Prevention is always better than cure.

Since both my parents have diabetes, I might also have it sooner than later if I don't watch what I eat now.

Having been sick wasn't that bad. I realize I really need to be healthy now. Being unhealthy and sickly can be expensive. I can't afford it. And besides I want to be able to enjoy my life to the fullest.

Health is wealth and happiness too.

Project on hold

I was ready to launch my pet project last week. But until now, I still couldn't finish it.

The rush and the thrill of making my own business website was overwhelming. I was so ecstatic I thought I could do without the expertise of web designers and developers. I thought it was easy from there on. I was wrong. I am still technically-challenged as before and there are so many things I want to put in the site but I dont know how. The mind boggling html's and css are just too much for me.

So what's next? I am putting it on hold temporarily. Either I have to cancel my subscription or have it transferred. I am paying just around $29/month only. Not much, but if I am not going to get money out of it, it would be a waste of money.

I am thinking of getting a professional to do it. I know it would cost a lot but I know I would get the desired result I want. The only question is, when?

Coincidentally, the world economy is not in a good shape. Although it is crawling slowly back to its feet, still I don't think people would be spending a lot of money to travel. And that's my problem right there. You see, my pet project is a home-based travel agency targeting a niche market. I can only hope people will still travel despite the economic gloom.

My main dilemna right now is whether to push it, wait a while or shelve it for future plans? Getting a professional web designer to make my site would cost me around P30,000 to P50,000. That's a lot of money for me.

So I think I would have to put my project on hold for the mean time until I can find a better alternative.

Christmas in two countries

We have finally decided where to spend Christmas!

And we're going to spend it in two countries: Malaysia and Thailand. We'll be here in KL during the Christmas eve and we'll be flying to Bangkok on the morning.

Since we will be here in KL on Christmas eve, I thought I'd prepare something for us to feast on, just like this Christmas dinner recipes and some Filipino food. For me Christmas is not the same without the customary Noche Buena. I grew up looking forward to this yearly event in my family. It was always a joyous ocassion, eating at midnight, laughing and playing around with the whole family and some extended family as well.

Now that I have a family of my own, I want to have the same tradition wherever we are in the world.

Silly ideas

Last week, I went to have another body massage hoping it would help clear my blocked nose and make me feel better. But it was a big mistake.

I chose a two-hour massage with two types of massage. One is herbal massage using a ball of cloth and the other one is a traditional aromatherapy massage.

It started out pretty good with the ear candle treatment. I was lying sideways then. The therapist massaged half of my back and my ear while holding the candle over my ear. It was actually relaxing.

But when I started to lie face down, that's where the problem started. I couldn't breathe so I had to use my mouth. I didn't want to stop the massage because it was expensive. I endured about an hour of blocked nose just to finish the whole session. It was ridiculous.

After the two-hour massage, I had a headache and still had a stuffy nose. Hahaha. The only thing I did enjoy was the ear candle treatment. It was such a waste of time and money. I should have just slept early.

Tip: Do not have a massage with a runny nose or a cold. It won't get better.

Baby fun

We were supposed to go to the park yesterday but the weather was not cooperating. So we decided to just stay in the mall. What else to do in a city, lah? :)

As we were in the baby section for my son's usual dose of retail therapy, I passed by a group of strollers. And this Bugaboo stroller caught my eye.

I don't know why I didn't see this kind when we were looking for my son's stroller back then. What we bought was one big bulky stroller. While it was sturdy, I cannot say it was a beauty.

But this one is sooo cute! I want to have another baby just so I can buy this. Hahaha! Just kidding. But if I've seen this during our stroller hunt before, I am sure I would have bought this one. It looks easy to maneuver and not too bulky. But the feature I like best is that the seat is reversible. When you have a small baby you'd know why it is nice to have a reversible seat.

I pointed this to hubby and he said, "we'll have something like that next time." Next time? Let's see :)

Hate being sick

I finaly decided to see a doctor regarding my dizziness. Having a flu made it worse. While it wasn't like the merry-go-round-kind of dizziness, it was still enough to make me feel uncomfortable. My head would feel heavy and I feel like I would fall anytime soon.

So after lunch today we headed to the clinic just inside the Berjaya Times Square. I remember seeing it near the exit signs on the fifth floor.

I was glad the doctor was very nice and listened to my woes. But at first he asked me if I were pregnant. He said the dizziness can be a sign of pregnancy. I told him I did a test already and it was negative.

He listened and asked questions but he couldn't pinpoint the problem. He checked my blood pressure and it was normal. He also checked my sugar level and it was fine. He asked me if I have palpitations and I said yes sometimes. He said it's called the anxiety attack. It may have something to do with it but he couldn't be too sure. He prescribed me some medicines but advised me to see a neurologist or an opthalmologist if I still feel dizzy again. It's either my brains are acting up or just my eyes needing a higher grade eyeglasses.

When he said neurologist, I got scared. It's for brains right? I hope it's just about my eyes. In fact, I know it's just about my eyes :)

I am taking the medicines now and it's helping. I don't have that heavy feeling in the head most of the time. I just notice that if I stay longer in my laptop, that's when I get those dizziness.

I am going to an opthalmologist next week. Hopefully everything will be alright again. I hate to be sick.

In a world of job titles

Since I became a SAHM I feel at loss and insecure every time I have to fill out forms where I am asked for my current job, job title and job descriptions. Most of the time, I leave it blank or sometime just for kicks, I write movie star as my job title.

But lately, I started writing SAHM on the blank space. I am sure a lot of people still don't know what it stands for. I don't care to explain anymore. They can always google it or look it up in wiki :)

I have long accepted the fact that people do not think highly of SAHMs. They think SAHMs are a bunch of uneducated and lazy people. It's hard to explain to other people how SAHMs are the most creative, multi-tasking, and hard-working people I know unless they are SAHMs themselves.

I thought if I don't feel pride in what I am and what I do then people will also feel that way.

I am a SAHM and proud of it too.

A new haircut for me

Two years ago, after a hair treatment gone bad I decided to chop my long hair. I actually liked it because it was a no-frill, easy to maintain hair style. Some people didn't like it. Oh well.

Now my hair is long. And I am wanting to cut it short again. I had it rebonded seven months ago and it was shiny and so straight but now it is just a mess.

So I am thinking I'd like to have my idol's haircut :) So what if it doesn't suit me? I can grow it back again. Katie Holmes looks so chic with this haircut.

Photo from: Fashionising.com

I wonder if I'd look the same? LOL.

Visit to a doctor is in order

Dizzy? Check. Feels like throwing up? Check. Feels tired? Check.

But before you reach a conclusion, no, I am not pregnant. Thank you very much :)

However I don't know what is wrong with me either. It's been three days now and it's much worse during the morning. At first I thought it was my astigmatism. But I ruled that out because my eyes are perfectly normal. Usually if it's my astigmatism, I would have had the worst headache and my eyes would have felt like they were ready to pop out.

I am not even on a crazy diet or any diet for that matter. So what could it be?

If I still feel the same way tomorrow, I definitely would have to go to a doctor. I am too young to leave this world yet. Hehehe

Mornings are best with coffee

I didn't know web designing can be so addicting. Of course I am not a pro but I have come to like tinkering with new layouts, templates, HTMLs, etc. It's challenging my technically-challenged mind..hahaha.

Just so you know, that's my new project I am working on. I am making my own "business" website. I am still not halfway done but I am sure I will get there.

I woke up today very early at 6AM and it was still very dark outside. I immediately logged in and started redoing what I did last night. It's now 30 minutes past 7 and I have just finished with my header. I didn't know I spent that long already. Now I am itching for some honest to goodness coffee.

I wish I have a coffeemaker or some fancy machines. Life would certainly be easy with it around. I don't have to go out of the house to buy my coffees.

Now I have to go and boil my water. Instant coffee is waiting :D

Investment options

In my other blog I mentioned of ways on how to deal with crisis. Mostly it is about spending less and saving more. I guess this is the average person's idea of dealing with crisis. Nothing bad about it. But I heard that the rich people have another way of dealing with crisis. They invest more. Now, of course I am not rich but I am curious what kind of investments these rich invest in?

I know what a mutual fund is and we have made an investment already. However an agent has invited me to open an account with futures trading. The term she used sounded all too alien for me but it sounded interesting as well. Note to self: google it first.

In times of crisis and being middle-middle class, is it wise to spend money on investments? Or is it better to be safe and keep the money in some secure banks?

I think I better read more of Robert Kiyosaki's Guide to Investing.

Should I?

My mother has undergone four major operations already, the recent one was just a week ago. It was succesful, thank god.

And now it has made me think of getting a health insurance for myself. My mother's family has a history of cancer and I know cancer can be genetic so it is not far-fetched that I also inherit their bad genes. With the rising cost of medical bills (well almost everything actually), I think it is a good idea to get an insurance now. Who knows how much would it cost in the future for surgeries and such.

I haven't seen any insurance in Philippines just like the North Carolina health insurance. Or I am not looking hard.

I believe in being equipped and well prepared. I might or I might not be able to use it but the security of knowing that we have something to use in case the worse happens is priceless.

Will have to look harder though.

More to learn

I am still awake at 3AM. There are so many ideas running through my mind. I feel like a woman on a mission. It is exhilarating!

I have a current "baby" or a project of sorts. It's getting me really excited. For a long time, I haven't felt this kind of rush. It's a little scary..hehe.

Even if this project will not succeed (pessimist!), I have already learned a lot. Experience is invaluable, in every aspect.

~~~

I am also currently reading Guide to Investing by Robert Kiyosaki. He's also the author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad which I have read also. I got this book on loan from my brother. I guess it's a subtle way of saying, "do something for yourself!" Hahaha.

~~~

I think I have to crash now. I'm getting a little dizzy already.

Back to hardwork

I am back to KL. I am confident that I haven't gained weight during the 5-day holiday in Manila. Sure, I did indulge in some food but I think I have burned it all through walking. Wherever we go, we walked a lot. I even climbed stairs when we were in Tagaytay. I will only know if I did gain weight on my next weigh in which will be about 16 days from now. But I am not planning to slack off again. I will hit the gym tonight and plan to stay at the treadmill every night for 45 minutes. Operative word is "plan". Hahaha. Let's see what happens on weigh in #3.

Rain ruins the mood

I had a great time yesterday at Tagaytay eventhough I had to wake up at 5AM. We wanted to have an early start so we decided to hit the road early.

On our picnic, we decided to cook our food. So we went to Mahogany Market to buy fresh beef, vegetables and fruits. I tell you, it was a lot of fun.

But the ride back to Manila was no fun at all. It started to drizzle and I already anticipated the heavy traffic ahead. But still, I was irritated to be stuck in the traffic. I am so not used to traffic anymore.

Some streets in Manila were flooded. I saw a pet supplies store getting flooded as well. Not having lived in Manila for almost four years, I thought they have at least fixed the roads and these floods. I guess the politicians have other priorities.

The day started out pretty great but ended up quite exhausting. Oh well, that's the reality of life in Manila.

Where am I?

I am here in Manila for a quick holiday with my family. Well, it's not purely holiday. We'll be processing some papers too.

We're staying in my brother's condo here in Pasig. This condo is actually for rent or for sale, whichever comes first. I just couldn't believe that the rent comes with a free use of a laptop with free internet. Wow!

Well, the unit itself is very cute. It has tasteful furnitures and decors. I am even crushing on their laundry hamper. Hehehe.

We'll be back to KL by Sunday. Hopefully not an extra pound added to my body :))