masterchef? not me!

After the successful launch of Pinoy Junior Master Chef, ABS-CBN is now holding auditions for Master Chef (Philippines) Pinoy edition.

The qualifications are

• 18 to 50 years old
• no culinary degree or diploma
• no cooking experience in a fine or casual dining restaurant
• no teaching experience in a cooking class or demo

I’m qualified! I better look for used restaurant equipment for sale, so I can practice my culinary skills. But I’m no cooking expert like my sister D. I should encourage her to audition since she loves cooking, next to her daughter, so much!

She should show her talent to the whole world. Just like what I always tell my son, you’re very lucky for your God-given talent and the least that one can do to show their gratitude to God is to improve their talents and use it for good.

internet provider

My internet connection is very sloooow today. This has been going on for quite a few weeks already. And there are days when I’m in the middle of uploading something or posting a new blog post when the connection suddenly goes poof!

My Destiny cable internet, way faster than DSL? Not!

They already visited our house and fixed the cable, wiring or whatever it is that they said they fixed - twice already- but I still get  an on and off internet connection.

So I’m looking for a new internet provider. Any suggestions? Are you happy with yours?

medicine or nursing

More and more people in this country seek for jobs elsewhere. And that includes people who work in the medical field. The number of doctors in Philippine hospitals decline every year. There are two main reasons why: one, they find a better paying job out of the country; two: because there are more jobs for nurses than Family or General Practitioner Jobs out of the country, more and more doctors enroll in nursing school.

My son wants to be a scientist so it’s very probable that he one day decides to pursue a career in the medical field. I just hope that the economy is better at that time. I don’t want him to take up an expensive medicine course and go back to school to take up nursing just so he has a better chance of grabbing a job abroad.

iPod Touch features

I’m planning to buy a new gadget that loads faster than my almost two year old netbook. A gadget that I can bring anywhere, lighter than my netbook  and can fit even in a small handbag. I wanted to buy a Samsung Galaxy tab but had a change of heart when I get to try my sister’s iPod Touch.

The iPod Touch features, I love! Everything that I need, iPod Touch can deliver. I can browse online, I can play my favorite music, I can read ebooks, I can watch movies, I can take pictures, I can record HD videos and my son can also download and play games.

One thing I need to check out though is if blogging is doable in a very small screen. I have to try it out next time I visit an Apple store.

Next on my to-do list: enroll in business school

It was never a difficult decision to become a stay-at-home mom. Taking care of my baby, instead of focusing on my career, became my top priority when I first laid eyes on him. I was planning on going back to work when he's a few months older. But he started having asthma attacks when he turned one, so my career was further put on hold.

When my son was in preschool, I tutored a few students in our house. It was a fun and fulfilling way to spend my ME time. Not to say that I was also well compensated. I began selling airline tickets and tour packages to family, friends and friends of friends at that time also.

My small business ventures took a back seat when my son got accepted in his school's varsity team.  But at the back of my head, I now know what to do. I want to go back to school. Hopefully, I can squeeze in business school, in my hectic mommy schedule, next year.

There are lots of other business ideas on my head aside from those, the two mentioned earlier, that I’ve already tried out. I want to learn what to do with all the awesome ideas. I want to make my ideas into a reality.

My sacrifice to become a stay-at-home mom is the best decision that I’ve done in my whole life. I was able to take care of my son and was also able to find out a better career path for me.

This post is sponsored by colorado business school. Please note that all views and opinions are my own.

MMT #14 - Mom-ME Time, 28 August 2011

My me-time this week was watching My Binondo Girl. This new television series of ABS-CBN is about a Filipina-Chinese named Jade, played by actress Kim Chiu, who pretends to be a boy for her Chinese father to accept her.

The primary setting of the television series is in Binondo, Philippines and some scenes are shot in Hongkong, China. Binondo in Manila, Philippines is the oldest Chinatown in the world, established in 1594, and is primarily populated by ethnic Chinese families.

Although I didn’t stood-up-clap-while-shouting-bravo yet, I enjoyed it because I get to unwind after a long day mommy time.

How was your me-time this week?

<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.my-blogbook.com/2011/05/moms-me-time-meme.html"><img alt="sunday blog meme" height="100" width="100" border="0" j8="true" src="http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g404/rjb2001/blogfiles/mommy_time.jpg" /></a></div>

paying bills online

Standing in line for hours, to pay the electric, water and phone bill, is what I don't look forward to every end of the month. Even with the help of payday advances, just the thought of waiting in a long queue is enough to ruin my day.

 

 

I'm so glad that those days over. I now pay my bills online. With just a few clicks of the mouse, all my bills are paid in minutes. No need to wait in line, no need to dress up and drive to different places to pay the different bills. I can pay in my pajamas, in my own living room.

 

So if you're still paying your bills "the old way", please don't punish yourself. Pay your bills online like I do.

MMT #13 - Mom-ME Time, 21 August 2011

How was your weekend ladies? Mine was same as the other weekends I always have.

Moving on to today. I exercised for a few minutes, yes a few minutes - I don’t want to too much strain on my uhm…muscles first day of workout, don’t want muscle pains later, so 30 minutes is good enough for today.

Belly dance, some leg lifts and dumbbell lifts for the biceps and triceps.

It worked for me before, especially the belly dance videos of Neena and Veena, so hopefully it won’t fail me this time. If you want to try it out, just look for their videos on YouTube.

I read from sports websites and even online psychology classes that one can get the most benefit from an exercise routine for two weeks at the most. I therefore try to change my exercise routine every two weeks. I would one day try out the programs offered by elite sports management colleges.

<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.my-blogbook.com/2011/05/moms-me-time-meme.html"><img alt="sunday blog meme" height="100" width="100" border="0" j8="true" src="http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g404/rjb2001/blogfiles/mommy_time.jpg" /></a></div>

My birthday wish

My birthday is on September 11 and I'm turning 35. Yup, not ashamed of my age. Hopefully I'll still feel that way when I reach the big 5-O.

I want a DSLR camera for my birthday this year. I began comparing slr cameras when my Nikon point and shoot camera suddenly shut-down on me. I so wanted to this Canon EOS 1100D... 

...but ended up buying this gorgeous pink one instead

Hot pink healthy juice

I wanted to try Juju Cleanse but decided not to when I found out that a 1-day cleansing is worth Php2,500. I also can’t find Red Juice, endorsed by Cory Quirino, in a Mercury drugstore near our place.

So I decided to make my own cleansing juice.

It’s a mixture of 15 fruits and vegetables. It has bitter melon, garlic, onions and ginger but it was still sweet because of the sweet fruits like mangoes, apples and oranges. Will explain more about this weird but healthy mixture on my health blog.

Do you reward your child for a job well done

When my son was in preschool, he get stars and happy grams. I was confident that it’s not the star that’s motivating him to do well in class. He’s very smart and has lots of ideas that he wants to share and inquire about. The star, that he gets everyday, is just an added bonus. 

I don’t believe in giving material things as a reward whenever my son does something good.  I don’t want him to do his responsibilities just because he’ll get something that he cannot keep forever anyway. I don’t want him to tell me one day, “ Mama, buy me an ATV with extra polaris ranger parts so that I’ll be a caring and responsible person.” 

Whenever he does well in school, I just say “You’re really very smart, I’m so proud of you.”  When he obey our house rule, I give him a hug and a kiss. Those rewards will stay in his heart forever.

What about you, do you reward your child with material things or with loving praises?

MMT #12 - Mom-ME Time, 14 August 2011

Happy Sunday everyone!

I had a very stressful weekend. Why? I had to help my son review for his quarterly exams scheduled this coming Tuesday to Friday. But before the “stressful” weekend, I had my alone time Friday afternoon while my son was with his Chinese tutor.

My ME-time was doing a week’s pile of laundry. My companion while doing the laundry - my IPod shuffle. I bought this IPod shuffle with the purpose of distracting myself from getting tired while running. No, not during a fun run - that’s dangerous. Running in a track oval. I haven’t been running lately but it’s been put to good use by distracting me from getting mad while scrubbing RJ’s dirty school uniform.

Now I enjoy doing the laundry because of my Ipod shuffle. I now consider laundry day as a fun way to have my ME-time.

<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.my-blogbook.com/2011/05/moms-me-time-meme.html"><img alt="sunday blog meme" height="100" width="100" border="0" j8="true" src="http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g404/rjb2001/blogfiles/mommy_time.jpg" /></a></div>

What’s your favorite word?

I don’t really have a favorite word, but since I have to choose one right now I would go for “want”.

WANT is defined, by the Accurate and Reliable Dictionary website, as the state of not having; the condition of being without anything; absence or scarcity of what is needed or desired; deficiency; lack; as, a want of power or knowledge for any purpose; want of food and clothing.

Even if it’s not Christmas yet, I’m sure you want, desire or wish for something at this very moment. I pity you if you don’t feel the need for something right now, you may have to check if you’re really a human being or if you’re still alive.

I want to eat right now but I’m trying not to put food in my mouth before dinner. I need to have more cabinets installed in the house for our ever growing collection of books and clothes. My laptop needs its own computer cabinet also. I wish for mall sale everyday. I pray that my son will always be obedient. I need a nice hairdo and I badly need a foot spa also. This list will continue on and on and on so I better stop right now. And that’s the “wants” that I can think of right this very minute.

What about you, what do you want right now?