WifeSpeaks

Day Off Si Inday

2008-10-13T09:52:00.002+08:00

Where is WifeSpeaks going?

Time off lang po. As you can see, we have been quite busy of late so the site has been on involuntary hiatus. But, don't worry, we won't be entirely gone.

Magbibihis lang ng konti and, before you know it, we'll be back.

In the meantime, please feel free to browse through our Archives. When we return, we promise to bring you new topics, more opinions, a new platform, (hopefully) a revitalized presence, a better way for you, our Readers, to Speak, and of course more chika!

Thanks for your ever continuing support, we appreciate it a lot! Hopefully, kitakita ulit tayo when we come back.

So, mga beloved amigas (and amigos), see you soon!

Mga Misis ng WifeSpeaks

[CHIKAHAN: WHICH WOULD YOU PREFER AN INTELLECTUALLY STIMULATING JOB, OR A HIGHER PAYING JOB?]

2008-07-28T11:00:00.000+08:00

There's the adage that goes you can't have everything, and more often than not, that line holds true for some people's career paths. Occasionally, people in the workforce come at a crossroad between holding a high-paying job (which usually comes with high work demands and major stress-level) with nothing much to be said for personal satisfaction, OR having an intellectually-stimulating job albeit a meager salary.

Let's face it, not everyone is fortunate enough to absolutely love what they do for a living and be highly compensated (monetarily) for it. And with today's economy, we are often faced with very little choice that will fully satisfy both our professional intellectual desires and financial needs.

In this case, priorities have to be taken into consideration. Share with us, which do you prefer, an intellectually stimulating job, or a higher paying job?

High Paying Job, Of Course!

2008-07-28T02:00:00.000+08:00

I guess it all boils down to what we want out of life, how easily we are pleased and what we are willing to sacrifice. It might be safe to say that we want to have the best things that life can offer, at least, whatever it makes available to us at the price level we can afford. Life, after all, is one big compromise.

I want pretty much what MrsPartyGirl wants for her family and I'm betting there are many more wifeys out there who want the same things: a house, a car - ok maybe 2 cars!-, quality education for my daughter (and future children, God willing) and fabulous vacations. I want to be able to splurge every now and then and still be "ok". I want a life where we don't have to watch what we spend upto the last penny. I want a comfortable life. Hubby and I want a comfortable life, period.

I'm a stay-at-home-mom and heaven forbid Hubby decides he wants his intellect stimulated at the expense of a better paying job! And in spite of the fact that we're a single income family, we nevertheless find a way to get what we want. No, we're not filthy rich...not yet. Hee hee. But it's funny how we are able to milk the best out of life...the best that our money can buy.

So if both Hubby and I wanted an intellectually stimulating job, I'm sure we'll manage to still have the best life possible. But we have a very clear idea of what we want and we know for a fact that an intellectual stimulating job which doesn't pay much won't deliver these wants. You and I know that a lot of the best things in life are NOT free. They can be really costly!

And because we want a Honda Civic instead of a Honda Fit, a 3-4 bedroom house with backyard and front lawn instead of an apartment, Seattle's Best Coffee instead of McDonald's Premiun Coffee, and so on and so forth, the obvious choice, for now, is high paying job. Intellectual stimulation can wait...materialistic as that may sound.

Stimulated By The Paycheck

2008-07-28T01:00:00.001+08:00

The time for yearning for an intellectually stimulating job is over for me. As a mommy, my priority has become my family so career growth or advancement, and even mental stimulation, doesn't hold as much interest to me as it did before. Besides, dealing with mommy stuff is enough stimulation for me on a daily basis, hehe.

Also, I do have lofty dreams for my family - that we'll be able to afford a mortgage on our own home someday, send my kids to the best schools even if they be private, be able to afford to pay for vacations and adventures for our family, among others - which is why there is a huge incentive, as it were, for me to choose the higher paying job.

Before this, I've never really understood the decision of other people, particularly our OFW kababayans, who leave their low-paying work in Pinas in order to undertake any kind work overseas that would pay them higher despite being overqualified. Now I do. I can now empathize with their chosen career move. If ever, we would have the same motivation - to earn more for our family. The only difference is, I'm fortunate enough to have a decision in this matter - that I can do this because I want to, not because I need to - and they don't.

So anyway, for me, its all about being practical. Besides, I've already had the opportunity to do the kind of work that stimulated me intellectually before. Sure, I miss those days but I do not regret leaving any of it behind.

Bring on the moolah. :)

[CHIKAHAN: DO YOU HAVE A COLLECTION?]

2008-06-24T23:59:00.000+08:00

Some people get fascinated with certain things depending on their interests. Then, these fascinations would oftentimes lead to collections.

Women would often collect bags and shoes. For the men, it would be action figures or diecast cars.

How about you? Care to share your collection?

If you haven't one, what would be something you would like to collect?

The Pasyal Collection

2008-06-24T02:00:00.001+08:00

I recently wrote about one of my collections HERE, it is actually my and my husband's ref magnet collection.

We have started collecting these magnets since 2004 when we moved here to the US and started traveling to various places of interest. These are our souvenirs for all (or most) of the places we have visited here in the US.

Another thing we collect from our travels, which I can say is our dearest collection, are our Postcards for Ninna.

Everytime we go to a new place, hubby and I make it a point to write a postcard, addressed to Ninna, giving her a summary of what we did, who we were with, and how much she loved her experiences.

We then mail the postcard while we are still in that particular area so that when it reaches our home, the card is postmarked - proof that we've really been there, hehe. :) This is also the main reason why I always keep stamps in my wallet - that's because you'll never know where our restless feet takes us next.

Hopefully, she will get to read these when she's much older and appreciate the adventures we have set out with and for her.

nope it is not what you think it is!

2008-06-24T01:00:00.000+08:00

You might all be thinking by now that my collection is Make-up. No Siree! I have them in plenty of colors and shades but I don't consider them my collection. You know what I'm fond of buying and collecting that I barely touch nor use? Notebooks in all sizes and kinds. As in! I used to be a frequent notebook buyer of PowerBooks in Manila and here, I have been frequenting Borders!!! I wish I have a photo of my notebooks and notepads. Someday, I'll blog about it.

Although, if given enough funds, I would love to collect LV bags no doubt!

[CHIKAHAN: WHAT CAN'T YOU LIVE WITHOUT?]

2008-06-09T23:59:00.000+08:00

Ken Lee… uhmm, Can't Live If Living Is Without You

We all know that as wives and mothers, we will always say that we can not live without our husbands and our children. We can even add our parents and siblings to the lot. That is a given.

But what material object can't we live without? Is it the air-conditioning in our homes that helps us relax in cool comfort? Is it the cellphone that keeps us in touch with family and friends? The laptop that gives us access to information on the world wide web?

Come on, share with us at least 2 things you can not live without.

6 Cs

2008-06-09T03:00:00.000+08:00

Food, shelter and clothing are a given. :) Here are the rest, in no particular order:

computer and internet connection - I blog. A lot. Not only that, I get in touch with my loved ones back home via YM. How's that for free chika with webcam pa. I can forego the tv and dvr because I can watch video streaming of most shows over the internet. :D

cellphone - I don't use it a lot anymore but I gotta have one specially because I drive.

camera - There's no telling when a photo opp will present itself. I join a lot of photo memes and I have to take photos of my daughter...ALL THE TIME. :)

car - Walang jeep dito sa Texas. It's impossible to get anywhere without a car. :D

coffeemaker - I love coffee. And my coffee has to be brewed. :D Hubby and I only started using a coffeemaker when we moved to the US. Since then, we haven't had instant coffee. :)

I realized only now that all the things I can't live without start with the letter C. I've listed 5 so far. To seal this post, here's a 6th C....cash! Hee hee. Kitts is right. We have to have cash...a never-ending supply preferably! Hahaha!

These are pretty much it. ;) I guess I'm needy, too. Hee hee.

More Than Just Two

2008-06-09T02:00:00.000+08:00

air and water. internet and cellphone. my bags and an atm card. (nowadays) my camera and wii. washing machine and dryer. playhouse disney and dr. seuss. moisturizer and lip gloss. santoku knife and a toaster oven. baby wipes and hand sanitizer. rice and adobo.

what can i say, i'm pretty needy, haha!

All I need

2008-06-09T01:00:00.000+08:00

In our material world, it is essential that I have a house and some form of cash. Obviously with cash, I can buy more material stuffs *wink* and should I ran out of cash I can always seek refuge in my house.

Now for something more specific. I can't live without my bed and pillows as they help a great deal whenever I sleep and recharge. I am painfully torn with choosing either my DSLR over our laptop (online please) as both are very much part of me. You can take away everything else but I beg of you, leave me these for me to survive this thing we call, life.

[CHICKAHAN: CAN YOU KEEP A PROMISE? A SECRET?]

2008-06-02T08:00:00.000+08:00

They say promises are made to be broken but at one point in our lives, we give our word to someone and we vow to keep this promise.

What if somebody told you their secret and asked you to promise not to tell anyone? It doesn't matter what their secret is.

Would you keep that promise?

Secret! :P

2008-06-02T03:00:00.000+08:00

I've been privy to some secrets and I can say that I've guarded them pretty well. When I make a promise, I do try my very best to keep it, which is why I'm very careful with making promises. On the question of someone telling me their secret and making me promise to keep it, I have to say that like MrsPartyGirl, depende sa secret.

There are good secrets and there are bad secrets. Good secrets are the ones that fall under wonderful surprises that are just waiting for a special moment before they can be revealed. These I can say, I can very well be trusted with. :)

In the case of "bad" secrets, people share it with one or two other people for a reason, foremost of which is that they probably can't bear keeping it all to themselves for fear that they will explode, figuratively speaking, or the secret will drive them to insanity. Secrets of this nature are a burden and sharing it with someone is like letting somebody else carry a part of that burden. It's practically sharing the guilt with another person. If it's a secret that will lead to whatever kind of wrong happening to someone, least of all my loved ones and me, then I'm not bound to keep my promise. In the first place, I will probably not make the mistake of promising to keep it. We can sense if the secret somebody wants to tell us will merit a promise of keeping it, from the tone of voice alone when the person says, "Huy, may sasabihin ako sa 'yo. Promise, huwag mong sasabihin kahit kanino ha." I'm sure you know what I mean. :D

There are two people I can't keep secrets from though...hubby and my Mom. It's very hard for me to keep anything from them. They will always most likely now. :D Fair enough? ;)

Sikretong Malupit

2008-06-02T01:00:00.000+08:00

Depende sa promise at sa secret, hehe!

I usually pride myself in being a trustworthy friend. I never divulge something that was told to me in confidence, especially if I see how important that piece of information is to my friend. However, tao lang po. Sometimes, when a secret is far too important and stressful (or too funny), I usually tell an equally trustworthy person about the issue (in an anonymous way, if needed) just to get another point of view (or have someone to laugh it off with). Hubby, for example, is my super best confidant. Besides, I could never keep a secret from my husband, he knows me only too well, hehe.

Of course, and common sense na rin, there are some secrets that even I cannot tell my best confidant. Those secrets I know I would keep until death.

I try to keep all my promises - one way or another. However, I also know that if that secret is revealed in any way, I know I have to take responsibility for blabbing about it. You won't find me denying something I knew I did. And if my friend will endeavor to wring my neck about it, then the least I can do is offer my carotid for violating her trust. Ganun lang. :)

[CHIKAHAN: WHAT WILL YOU DO IF YOU'RE A WITNESS TO A BRUTAL MURDER?]

2008-05-19T23:59:00.000+08:00

It was 2am. You can't sleep. "Why did I ever indulge on those 2 cups of coffee this afternoon?", you asked yourself. While your husband was on lala land, snoring, you got up, opened the window of the bedroom and got some fresh air. You stayed there, admiring your great yard, illuminated by the porch lights. You started to yawn. ahhhh, finally.

Suddenly, you heard some cries. "Was that my neighbor begging for their lives?", you thought to yourself. But you can barely hear the arguments. Then, you saw a man. You remembered that her husband is in Iraq, so you wondered who could that be. He's now dragging her with their two year old in tow in that room, directly across your bedroom. You gasped, and froze. Everything went so fast. After stabbing your neighbors to death, you suddenly didn't know what to do. The man then opened the window. You know him! You've been introduced to him once. "Shhhh", he then said, then closed the window, called his bodyguards, and left as if nothing happened.

You woke your husband and explained everything in a panic-stricken voice. "Should I call 911?! Sh*t! What am I gonna do?! He knows us! He's not just anyone. He has influence and lots of connections! If I call the police, we could be next! Oh my God. Help us!".

So, what will you do as the sole witness to this brutal murder?

Ipagdadasal na lamang.

2008-05-19T13:00:00.000+08:00

Madali sabihin na dapat gawin ang nararapat. Ang isumbong ang mga may sala.

Ngunit kung buhay mo na nga ang nakataya, parang ang hirap na gawin.
Lalo na pa kung madadamay ang mga mahal mo sa buhay.

Siguro ang magagawa ko na lang ay ang ipag-dasal na mahuli sila sa paraan na hindi ako damay.

Or kung hindi man sila maparusahan sa buhay na ito, masisiguro ko naman na sila ay may parusang nakalaan sa kabilang buhay.

Family First

2008-05-19T02:00:00.000+08:00

If I was witness to a brutal muder. I would definitely freak out.

Before I do anything, I will weigh the consequnces of my decision. I do not only fear for my life but my family's safety as well. I do not think I can live with the knowledge that I could bring justice to the victims, but at the same time, I do not want to risk my family's life.

At the end of the day, my family is my priority. I will not risk there life with by playing hero. Call me selfish but family comes first.

Some Kind of Golden Rule

2008-05-19T01:00:00.000+08:00

For me, I believe that the right thing to do is to tell the authorities. Of course, to do that is harder than it is, especially if it will endanger you or your family.

However, I also keep thinking: what if the crime happened to me and someone was a witness to it? I would very much like that person to have the courage to tell the authorities about what he/she has seen so that justice will be done to me or my loved ones.

On TV, we always see victims of violent crimes implore those watching to please tell the authorities if they have seen or heard or know anything about the crime. Some crimes, sadly, aren't stopped or resolved simply because people who know something do not do anything.

Of course, I will have to cross that bridge if we get there but, for now, I firmly believe in doing unto others what you want others to do unto you.

[CHIKAHAN: WHAT TYPE OF PERSONS DO YOU ENJOY HANGING OUT WITH?]

2008-05-12T23:59:00.001+08:00

Show me your friends and I’ll show you who you are.

Indeed, judgement of character can be a tricky path. It takes a long and crazy journey, even an entire lifetime, to get to know a person. However, a tried and tested (and sometimes, unfair) shortcut is getting to know that person's friends--their common traits, tastes, likes and dislikes. More often than not, we hang out with people who have the same views and habits as our own.

We'd love to get to know you better, dear readers. Tell us about your friends to ultimately tell us who you are.

BUHAY MANG-OOKRAY

2008-05-12T02:00:00.000+08:00

I am maver. And I am an okray-aholic.

I am a self-confessed comic, cynic, pessimist and nitpicker rolled into one. I love finding wit and humor in situations and in other people's lives, even if those situations involve my own.

Do not get me wrong.

There is more than an ounce of happiness left in me. Fact is, I am brimming with joviality and positivism, that I would rather find ridicule in problems, than frown upon, or drown in them. I feel that life is too short to sweat the small stuff. I would rather sit back and enjoy the journey--mishaps and roadblocks included.

It is quite amusing, that with my acid-tongue and wry humor, I was able to attact a mate who is uber sensitive and earnest in his dealings with people. Opposites do attact. However, that does not to mean that I deal with people sans the respect and sincerity. On the contrary, I deal with people with utmost honesty, that I would prefer to tell the hurtful truth than treat my peers with well-meaning duplicity.

I am blessed too that I have attracted my fair share of friends who have the same "positivism-cum-okrayism". They are the reason of my okray being. They feed my need for speed and spite. They are the mirrors of my soul.

Care to be my friend? :)

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

My Circle and Beyond

2008-05-12T01:00:00.004+08:00

I count myself lucky that I have attracted the right kind of friends - or I guess the kind of friends that I think are right for me. :)

When I was in grade school, I somehow automatically belonged to this group of girls who were considered the coolest, smartest, and prettiest (ahem!) in the entire class. Having them as friends helped me increase my confidence in myself, as well as develop a kind of healthy competition when it comes to academics (as well as boyletship, haha!), which I carried on through to high school.

During high school, the sense of popularity I had in grade school was tempered when I began to hang out with a group of people, who like me, were in the "middle". We were neither as smart as the star section peeps, nor as "rebellious" or athletic or hip as the other sections, but we held our own and we were popular in a way that we were comfortable with. Our gimmicks were well-rounded and wholesome, and I guess I probably enjoyed my high school life to the max because we didn't have the added pressure of doing well with acads or having to succumb to negative peer pressure.

My college friends are the ones whom I can probably say I grew most with - intellectually and socially. I mean, what would you expect when you are stuck in a block with possibly the most well-spoken, most competitive, most confident, not to mention smartest kids from various high schools, each with their own agenda for growing up? Everything I learned from my sheltered Catholic education, drowned in the free-spirit of UP education and a sea of Red Horse. :) In the end, I'm proud to have this solid friendship with an amazing group of people who never fail to awe and inspire me with their achievements. It's a pressure-filled circle to be in, no doubt, but I love the energy that emanates from them - it makes me want to do more for myself, because they make me feel that I can.

Over the years following college, I've made a hodgepodge of more friends - from our office messengers, to the researchers, and tellers, and grad school classmates, to fellow OFW sahmmies, to the bakery lady, to my boss' CEO friends, to friends of friends - as you can see, I'm basically not snob. Huwag niyo lang akong uutangan, hehe.

However, one of the most surprising friendships I've made recently are those I've met online - my egroups and blogging friends. Whoever said that you couldn't make real friends over the internet is wrong. Yes, you can indeed make good and lasting friendships with people you meet along the cyber-highway. It's all just a matter of sifting meticulously through the tangled mass of connections in order to ascertain a person's true intentions. Once you make those real connections, it's all a matter of trust - much like in real life, di ba?

So if you do ask me to show you who my friends are, get ready for a (very) long recitation. Friendship is something that I hold very sacred, so once you become my friend, I'll hold you in my circle forever.

[CHIKAHAN: HUBBY VS. YOUR FASHION SENSE]

2008-05-05T23:59:00.000+08:00

I have this pair of cropped cargo pants that I've had for ages. The only time I was never able to wear them was when I was pregnant, and even then I wore them until the very last moment possible. Now, I still wear those pants, sometimes immediately straight from the dryer. Whenever my hubby sees me slipping them on... you can see his eyebrows literally forming a question mark.

I know that wearing my fave khaki cropped cargo pants raises my hubby's hackles a few notches, especially since the style doesn't really "flatter" my body. I'm short and I have big hips so you can just imagine how those look on me, hehe! Worse, whenever I see a pair of cropped cargo pants on sale, I snap them up without thinking. I think I may have eight pairs now. All of them in khaki, hehe!

Anyway, I feel comfy in those, they're very versatile, and I see myself keeping them forever. But, although I know he doesn't say anything straight to my face, I know my hubby thinks they're uber ugly. One of these days, when I see a bonfire raging in the distance, I'll probably know exactly what was used for kindling.

Misis, do you have any fashion staple, style, belief, or addiction that your husband disapproves of or disagrees with? How do you work it out? :)

Peace Yo!

2008-05-05T03:00:00.000+08:00

Baliktad kami ni MrsPartyGirl. Asawa ko naman kasi ang may cropped pants na basta rin lang maaraw at weekend e iyon ang isusuot niya...yun at ang kaniyang leather flipflops! Naku, huwag akong isusumbong ha! :D Nadagdagan na nga yun, kasi may favorite na rin siyang khaki shorts ngayon bukod sa khaki cropped pants niya. Pero bagay naman sa kaniya! Hahaha, bumawi pa daw! :D

Now that I've given it some thought, my husband hasn't quite called my attention yet because my fashion sense somehow annoyed him. Well, baka mabait at sensitive lang talaga ang asawa ko. :P If anything, he always tells me to get something for myself when we go out....new tops or shoes. Baka yun na nga ang sign niya ano? Kaya niya ako pinapabili ng damit kasi ayaw niya pala ang mga damit ko! hahaha!

Between my husband and me, it is really he who is more pihikan when it comes to fashion. Nakakainip samahan mamili! Take buying a pair of pants for example...ok ba ang bagsak?...sa shoes...puwede kaya ito sa shorts? sa jeans? Ako naman, I have a tendency to buy something kasi sale. And I refuse to buy anything at full price! Yup, super kurips talaga. :P At heto pa, check ko muna kung may kakasya sa akin sa pambata...yung XL nila. Hahaha!

Hindi rin naman ako mahilig makisabay sa uso, so check...walang problema in that regard. I like shopping for my daughter more than shopping for myself. And that's the honest to goodness truth. Sa jewelry, it is only now that I'm really learning to appreciate good pieces. Still, I WILL NOT BUY. Hahaha! Pero, ibang usapang ang regalo. Yun puwede! Hahaha!

Sa madaling salita, peace si hubby at ang aking fashion sense. ;)

Fashion (In)Sensitive

2008-05-05T02:00:00.003+08:00

I have already mentioned my penchant for liking cropped pants. That's one.

And, like Maver (see her post below), my hubby and I have also agreed to disagree on my (unhealthy) interest in handbags. He can't get why women need to have more than one handbag. That's two.

The third one is my hilig to wear heels and/or wedges. I know this must sound perfectly normal to you (and to me!) but he doesn't think it's appropriate to wear those especially when I'm out with Ninna. He thinks that it would be more comfortable and safe for me to wear sneakers or flats. In truth, a good pair of shoes, whether heeled or not, can be really comfortable. Besides, if I wear really flat shoes for walking, after three hours I'll have back pains na. Most of the time naman, payag ako. Pero if I can get away with an inch or two, I would.

Fourth, he prefers that I wear more nice jewelry, because right now my only accessories are my wedding rings and a pair of earrings, sometimes a wristwatch. I'm not a jewelry person kasi talaga. Isn't he supposed to be relieved by that knowledge?? :D I guess, I was so used to not wearing any jewelry from having been victimized many times by the snatchers in Quiapo and Recto, haha! Anyway, I guess I can make an exception for this... :D

Fifth, hubby doesn't approve that I mostly follow fads, haha! Cargo pants, capri pants, canvas shoes, flare jeans, baby tees, jean jackets... etc etc. His line is, "just because it's uso, it doesn't mean it will fit you!", haha! Agree naman ako minsan, pero it doesn't hurt to be fashionable once in a while, right? :P Edi pag hindi maganda, isoli! :D

Anyway, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Marami pa but I'm not about to disclose the rest, lest you get the idea na that I'm a helpless baduy person. Plus, it would unduly hurt my reputation.

Basta, hubby and I have come to an agreement that unless what we wear is really too ugly for words and would definitely cause embarrassment for either of us, we'll just desensitize our fashion senses and let each other be his or her own fashion victim muna, hehe.

MY (AND HUBBY's) STYLE FILE

2008-05-05T01:00:00.000+08:00

Having a regular fashion debate is as natural as breathing for hubby and me. Totoo nga ang sabi nila, "Women are from Venus, Men are from Mars."

Haligi can never see any sense in my fascination and/or addiction to handbags and shoes. I'm sure most, if not all of you, will agree with me that a woman can never have too many shoes nor bags. Kung sino dyan ang nagmamalinis, sya ang unang mambato ng bag! Hehehe!

To Haligi, A bag, ONE bag, is enough to serve both fashion and functionality concerns. Sa mata nya, a bag...is a bag..is a bag. Pare-pareho lang sila. In fairness to him, he has agreed to fan the fires of my addiction via occasional bag or shoe purchases for me. Most of the time though, I have to understate the value of my shopping sprees for his (and my) peace of mind.

Another thing that gets to Haligi is when I buy several colors of the same shoe style, which I do out of practicality (hahaha, yeah right!). This habit has worked well for me as I get to buy the style I like, in the colors that I prefer, at the fraction of time and effort. He, on the other hand, thinks it is pure rubbish.

Arguments have been thrown back and forth. Resolutions, never arrived at. But that's the fun of it. It's called spice. It's also called acceptance. And at this point, we have just agreed to disagree :)

EKS-OH-EKS-OH

[CHIKAHAN: AMONGST THE SUPERHEROES, WHO HAS THE BEST COSTUME?]

2008-05-03T13:06:00.000+08:00

As wifeys and mummies, we often multi-task a lot of things that at one point in our wifey lives, we wish for a certain superhero-superpower! But, we are not going to talk about superpowers we all want to have. This week's topic is about the best superhero costume we dreamt of wearing or we want our kids to wear on their next birthday or halloween parties.

Who wouldn't want to sport the flashy red costume of Elastigirl a.k.a. Mrs. Incredible that gives every whoa-man an instant 23-inch waistline, tight Jennifer Lopez-ass and the vavavoom legs! On the other hand, why does Superman wears his brief on top of his pants? Wifeys, bring out your costume fetish and share the best superhero costume on your mind.

Supermuah

2008-04-29T13:09:00.000+08:00

Gusto ko ang costume ni Supergirl. Pero hindi naman ung suot ni Helen Slater nuong 1984. Syempre dapat, sabay sa uso. Dapat modern version na. Tulad ng mga ito.

Tipong mam-babarag ng mga masasamang loob, pero super sexy pa rin!
Syempre, mangangarap na lang ako e di papangarapin ko ng super sexy ako. hehehe

[CHIKAHAN: MEN'S FASHION THAT TURN YOU OFF]

2008-04-26T04:15:00.002+08:00

Let's face it, not everyone of the fine male specimen (or at least those we love to look at) has the least bit of fashion sense. There are those who still wear shorts with (gasp!) knee high socks and white rubber shoes - in other words, basketball attire ca. 80s! While others squeeze their bodies in an all-too restricting muscle shirt. Yung iba naman, member ng high waist gang!

I'm sure we've all encountered a sore for the roving fashion eye at some point. So 'fess up, wifeys! Any particular Men's Fashion that turn you off? :)

"Pauso!"

2008-04-22T19:54:00.000+08:00

though most of us would like to be in-style all the time, not everything that's "USO" will suit our image, our physique, etc. to name a few, here are some of the eyesore on men's fashion nowadays (this is just in addition to what these misis have already mentioned):

1. skinny pants! ... so what if you're well-endowed?! i see this sexy and nice for ladies, but for men... scratch that! there's also this style for the youngsters (and i hate it, young or old!) wherein the pants are too tight and "lawlaw", showing off their CK boxers or what-have-you! can you imagine how hard it was for them to wear these?! much more for ladies to look at! :)

2. bling, bling! ... phuleeez! nakakasilaw! i see women wearing bling-blings nicely to accent their clothes, but pls, not for MEN!.

3. piercings! ... i just don't like seeing men with ear piercings. i still believe that earrings are for women. and if i don't like seeing earrings for men, i don't want to see any of their body parts pierced. ie, navel, kilay, tongue. katakot diba?!

4. too much tattoos!... don't they know it's permanent and looks dirty! call me old-fashioned, but i really see men who has lots of tattoos dirty and "mabaho".

5. long haired ... not all men have nice locks to flaunt! if you don't have them and long hair doesn't like you, go and have a clean-cut! if you still want them long hair, please, the least you can do is shampoo and condition them everyday, para di ka amoy lupa or araw, hahah. i still am fond of the clean boy-next-door image. :) ... on the other hand, if you want to go bald or sport a super super short hair, just to make "pauso", please make sure you're blessed with a nice head shape and that you don't have any "poknat".

6. japeyks! ... though not all of us could wear signature clothing just because it's not affordable, just please do not wear "fake" clothes. aside from the issue of "piracy", there are other clothes and accessories out there anyway that aren't branded but would best suit your style. plus, you can help support the country's economy by buying local products like these!

that's all i can think of adding.... but to end, there's just one last thing that i wanted to mention...

if you are attending mass or you're in a place of worship, please make sure that you're dressed well. if you're meeting your country's president or any other important person, you won't be wearing just some casual clothes, most specially not your "pambahay" or "pangexercise", right? much more so if you're celebrating the mass with God and being in His presence diba? i won't get into details, guidelines and proper dressing at church anymore coz i'm pretty sure that you know what i mean ;)

My Men's Fashion Pet Peeves

2008-04-22T11:36:00.001+08:00

Dagdag na lang ito sa nasabi na ni MrsPartyGirl and AbbyG...

1) I don't like seeing men in "sandos" or sleeveless shirts except when they're at the gym, at home or at a swim thing. I think ito ang kapatid ng muscle tees. Those who are not quite content with a short-sleeved muscle tee, nagsusuot na lang ng sleeveless shirts para mas in-your face ang toned arms nila. Bleh! I don't know how some men can go to the mall wearing what is otherwise considered pambahay. *sigh*

2) Another pet peeve of mine when it comes to men's fashion is the barong tagalog worn with light colored pants. Please, it's like sacrilege! The barong tagalog should be worn with dark pants, preferrably black...pero pwede rin ang dark brown. And wear the appropriate undershirt for the barong that you're wearing.

And speaking of the barong, this is rather off topic, let us be considerate of the delicate material/s that is used to make this very popular formal attire and not make ninongs, abays and the like wear buttonaires (did I spell it correctly?) with their barong. Baka masira ang pinya fabric! It is more appropriate for coat and tie ensembles. Plus, medyo masagwa tignan diba kasi very ornate ang barong tapos dadagdagan pa ng fresh flowers, parang nagcaclash na, diba? Huwag sanang masaktan ang mga misis na nagbabasa na nagpasuot ng bulaklak sa mga ninong nila. Hee hee! :D Remember, bawal ang pikon dito. ;)

3) Ayaw ko din yung naka tuck-in tapos wala namang belt. May dahilan kaya may belt loops ang mga pantalon. :D Kung walang belt, sorry, tuck-out na lang.

4) Too much jewelry is also a major turn off. Huwag namang ipangalandakan na maraming kinita sa Saudi. :D

I guess that's it. Nasabi na yung iba. Enjoy the rest of the week!

Boy, Oh Boy

2008-04-22T03:56:00.000+08:00

I don't care much for guys' fashion hoohah except when they start to parade in front of me. Here are my men's fashion pet peeves:

1. Ultra low slung, baggy jeans. Especially on older men. - Sheesh. It's bad enough that some guys wear a pair of pants that are at least 10x bigger than their regular/loose fit jeans, it's worse when they're older. Grow up before you trip over them. Please.

2. Casual shorts with trouser socks and leather shoes. - I once had a co-worker who wore this in the summer. OMG. It takes every ounce of self-restraint for me not to burst in laughter when he walks by me. Kung wala kayong ite-terno sa casual shorts kung hindi ang formal leather shoes, scrap the idea.

3. Muscle Tshirts. - Not everyone wants to view your bulging biceps and nipples. There are more discreet places for those things. Beefcakes are so not my thing.

4. Unfolded Polo Shirt Collars - Tama na. Sobra na. Itiklop na.

*Ang pikon talo! :D

Oh Man!

2008-04-22T01:00:00.004+08:00

Fashion is subjective, I know. So perhaps I'm not the best person to judge knowing my very bare, very unremarkable fashion sense. However, yes, I do raise my eyebrows towards high-waisted, plaid-clad, muscle-shirted, be-socked and sandaled, front-pleated trousered, camouflage-clad (non-military) guys.

But then again, I can turn a blind eye towards these sometimes. After all, (and except for the muscle shirt) I can see my own husband maybe, MAYBE, wearing such an ensemble. MAYBE. Though, god forbid, hopefully he will NOT sport these ALL at the same time.

However, there are some men's looks that just gets my goat. If my hubby decides to do any of these, he's going to expect divorce papers.

Here they are:

No to Low. Whenever I see a grown guy with his pants riding so low, I just have this huge urge to go over and yank the darn pants up. Or just pull it down completely.

Sorry Flava. One tasteful bling (rolex watch?) is nice but, ever heard of the term, less is more? And the gold teeth are the worst! Ewww. Imagine all the saliva pooling within those grills. Ewww!

You can't touch this. Please. Tapered pants look good on models only. Or maybe not.

What's worse than a muscle shirt? A fishnet muscle shirt. Aaaahhk.

Imagine running your fingers through his shiny, black, pathetic combover. *Shivers*

Men in tight little speedos. Why oh why?

Lastly, guys, please lay off the Brut, the Old Spice, the Aramis, and the Axe. Only one scent or aftershave (AT A TIME!) will do.

Agree?

[CHIKAHAN: GOOD SAMARITAN]

2008-04-12T01:10:00.002+08:00

Probably, most of us have encountered or experienced helping strangers or, the other way around, strangers helping us (and in some cases, yung pang mga taong hindi natin kilala ang much willing tumulong sa atin).

Mga misis kwentuhan tayo, what was the best thing that you have done for a stranger? And by a stranger to you?

A Gift from a Stranger

2008-04-08T03:00:00.000+08:00

In 2001, I travelled alone for the first time. I was 22 at that time, and honestly, I looked younger than my age considering that even though I was a business traveller, I wore jeans and sneakers on my first trip abroad.

On the plane, I met a very nice Filipina lady, who chatted with me during the last hour of the trip. She was asking me why I was on my way to the US and how old I was. She thought I was a teenager going on my first trip without my parents.

During the course of our conversation, she asked me if LA was my final destination. I told her about my 5 hour layover in LAX while waiting for my plane to Sacramento. She pulls out her wallet, gives me a $20 and tells me to spend the money during my stay at the airport. When I refused, she held my hand and put the $20 there. Told me that it was the best thing she can do to entertain me during my 5 hour wait time.

And in that whole hour that we were talking, she didn't even ask for my name. And she didn't give me hers. I always remember that as being the highlight of my first ever trip abroad.

Si Fafang Samaritan

2008-04-08T02:00:00.000+08:00

background chuvaness muna para ma gets ever

i was 18 (naman! lol ) and it was my first time to go to australia para bisitahin naynay ko and my naynay's relations na based sa Townsvile, Queensland. I couldnt get a direct flight kasi fully-booked na so since i got my visa early plus excited na rin ako to be with my naynay, go na ako sa cathay pacific kahit madaming stop over (swear hindi na ako kukuha ng hindi direct flight na ticket unless walang choice!). heres my flight itinerary: so from manila, need to change planes sa hk, then hk to brisbane, from there stop over ulit then to cairns, then change na ako ng local plane to townsville. so in short madali lang ang byahe ko hahaha. if hindi nyo parin gets ang flight yan sa baba oh! ;-p

manila-hongkong-brisbane-cairns then local townsville

Hong Kong - need to change plane at mega hanap ulit ng new gate and at that time, ang international airport nila sobrang liit pa na walang waiting area ang mga gates. so ang mga tao kanya-kanyang pwesto sa sahig, haha. at diba nga sinabi ko na 18 ako that time so busy po ang aking eyes sa kakatingin ng mga fafalicious here there and everywhere! so may namataan agad akong ala antonio banderas. swear mga sisters, kahit plastic eyes ko alam ko he's really gwapo! so wala, nakatingin lang ako sa kanya and my gosh same plane pala kami. ok go! chika na...pero sa kasawiang palad ay ang layo ng seat nya sa seat ko. so no choice at watch nalang ako ng movie para aliwin sarili ko. naalala ko pa tinapay lang kinain ko kasi ewan ko ba, that time, kadiri talaga ang smell ng pagkain. ewan, hindi ko ma-take kainin or nanibago lang ako. so in short walang laman masyado tyan ko and plus nahihilo pa, so itinulog ko nalang.

Brisbane - change plane ulit. ginoo kung hindi ka ba naman mahilo sa kaka-change! but anyways nagulat ako na same plane ulit kami ni pogi, and take note, nasa likod ko sya. tapos biglang tinanong akesh "where are you headin?" sabi ko naman cairns then townsville. aba biglang nagpaalam sa flight attendant na kung pweds ba daw sya tumabi sakin since dami namang vacant seats! naks si fafa tatabi na, so kinabahan na akesh. pero alam nyo siguro sa pagod at hilo ko, idagdag mo na excitement makita naynay ko, chika siya ng chika about england, australia at kung ano ano pa, hindi na ako interesado. basta gusto ko lang nakahiga ang position yung tipong anytime masusuka na ako. hay naku naman kung kelan nasa tabi ko na eh! so yes and no and why lang naging sagot ko sa kanya. sobrang daldal eh. btw he's from england daw. naks ubos english ko nito. kaya lang since parang nakita na nya na i wasn't interested at all, binigyan na lang nya ako ng business card. so bye bye na kami nung nag landing na si plane.

Cairns - so andito na nga at need ko pumunta sa local airport nila for my last trip. then bigla nya akong hinabol sabi nya "wait!" aren't you gonna take a cab? sabi ko naman huh? "how far is it?" tapos sabi nya dont worry ill drop you off. ayun at kumuha nga sya ng taxi but kinakabahan ako since paano kung itakas ako nito? kidnapping? pero naisip ko, eh taxi naman eh so may driver, at pagod na ako kaya go na rin! so yun nung nasa local na kami sabi ko kailangan ko i-pick up ang ticket ko sa quantas. tapos sabi nya "thats ok ill go with you". nagtataka ako, praning ata itong tao na to, laging nakabuntot! pero sus mio, sya pala ang magiging MALAKING TULONG sa akin. so eto na ako naka pila na sa customer service: "hi, i'm here to pick up my ticket" blah blah. abah sabi ng babae "im sorry maam you're are not in our list". in short hindi daw ako naka-book! my gawd para akong hinulugan ng buko! sabi ko, "what do you mean that im not booked? can you pls check it again?". so ayun check ulit pero wala daw. eh imposible kasi binayaran na yan ng naynay ko 2 weeks before! so tinawagan ko agad si naynay telling her na bakit wala akong ticket dito? so in short nagtataka kami, even so nag-reklamo na mom ko sa mismong quantas customer service sa cairns wala din silang magagawa since wala talaga name ko. then my mom recommended me to stay kung san ako at ita-try nilang kunin ako kaya lang, 4 hrs drive yun! so 8 hrs return. hirit agad ng naynay, "anak, wag kang iinom if may mag-oofer sa iyo ng drinks or food or kung ano ano so doon". sinabi ko nga na may lalaki buntot ng buntot sakin. sabi ng nay ko, "naku wag kang sumama dyan ha! dyan ka lang sa airport. we'll think kung anong best way, wag ka aalis".

after hanging up napansin na ako ni MAC (yan pala name nya), na hindi na ako mapakali so he asked what's wrong so yun kwento ko na nakabayad na kami ng ticket for pick up but wala ang record ko. ito pa ang nakaka-praning, yang flight na naka-book ako is the last flight heading to townsville, the next flight is monday pa! eh saturday 3 pm that time. so since wala nga name ko buy nalang ako ng ticket but i only had $150 left at that time, kasi naman namili pa ako sa duty free souvenir shop! eh ang ticket ay worth $200, patay na! so sabi nya "ill just pay for your ticket". hala! kakahiya! so buy nya ang ticket and, kandamalas naman, chance passenger pa ako! wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! kasi fully booked, kaya kahit na may pambayad sa ticket, if walang magka-cancel, hindi pa rin ako makakasakay. pambihirang malas, grabe. so tinawagan ko nalang naynay ko not to worry. akala nila naayos na ang ticket. isip ko kasi, laking hirap sa kanya mag drive at baka makakuha nga ako ng flight. saka ko nalang iisipin kung anong susunod na gagawin, if hindi ako makasakay. we waited for 30 mins para sa flight ko and, salamat naman, two of the passengers cancelled. so it means makakasakay ako! mega thank you ako sa kanya plus syempre need kong sabihin na babayaran ko sya agad pagdating ko so yun! keep in touch kuno, charing!

Townsville - at last, so yun mega kwento ako sa aking pamilyanes. then lunes na lunes, sumugod na aking naynay sa quantas airways office at doon namin nalaman na yung mismong staff nila nakalimutang e forward ang booking details ko sa cairns office, now hindi ba naman katangahan! that time, sabi ng mga kaibigan ng mom ko na pwede nyong i-sue ang quantas pero happy na lang yung family ko na dumating ako ng maayos. at, binayaran namin si mac that day too. tapos pinakita ko sa step dad ko ang business card ni mac plus nagulat kami na owner pala sya ng isang malaking establishment sa cairns!

so yun na, dont judge a person lalo na if the person is not a book!

[CHIKAHAN: WHEN GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN]

2008-04-05T01:19:00.002+08:00

Since becoming wifeys and having our own household, we have more than once hosted family and friends (some invited, others not always...) and it usually turns into a family affair of three or more generations. With the hubby, we plan barbecues and picnics and buffets and the standard sight-seeing tour, very "general patronage" activities for the out-of-towners.

But what if you find out that your bestest girlfriends are all coming to party in your town, and it's time to rock it? If you want to show your BFFs what's "hot" in your city, where will you take them? How will you plan it - will it be shopping and spas, museums and tea, or high-heels and martinis? Is it going to be naughty or nice?

Tell me misis, how will you paint your town red when the girls want to have fun?

Bienvenido A Miami, Chicas!

2008-04-01T01:00:00.005+08:00

I'm lucky to live in South Florida because taking my girls out to party would require very little effort - this is party central, after all. What with the great weather and myriad of things to do, I'm sure my gals would never want to leave, hehe. :)

First Stop:
South Beach in Miami. There are miles and miles of beaches here, but since this will not be a family affair (read: PG18), our beach of choice will have to be South Beach. I'll take my girls out to the beach in the morning, when the sun is not yet so harsh, as well as when we're not yet so bloated and will still look good in our bikinis (this tip, I learned from Abby, haha!). Starting the day off with a tan, how cool is that? :)

Brunch:
I would give my girls two choices. Choice #1 is at Balans over at Lincoln Road. Lincoln Road itself is a long expanse of shops and restaurants and is an area very much suited to people watching. Paired with Balans' Eggs Benedict, Salmon Royale, or Terriyaki Calamari and Scallops Salad, it's a feast for the tummy and for the eyes.

Choice #2 would be the Le Sandwicherie over at 14th Street, just because I love the gourmet sandwiches they serve there - probably even the best I've had in the area - and I've only had the tuna so far, haha! Not much for ambience but the french accent of the owner more than makes up for it. :D

Shopping:
Two choices again. First, the Bal Harbour Shops. This mall is ranked "the #1 most productive shopping center in the U.S." by Women’s Wear Daily, productive because even if this mall is smaller than most malls in the US, its lineup of high-end stores (and high-end shoppers) give it the highest per square foot earnings in all the US. It's also a huge fix for window shopping retail masochists like me, haha! This pain, I'd like to share with my equally masochistic girlfriends, hehe.

The other choice, Sawgrass Mills Outlet Mall at Sunrise. Sawgrass Mills is Florida's largest retail & entertainment outlet center, featuring more than 350 name-brand stores and outlets. However, its about an hour's drive from the Miami area so travel time pa lang, lugi na. Anyway, although it's a haven for bargain shoppers, knowing my girlfriends, I'm sure Bal Harbor would be the unanimous choice. I mean, it's very rare that we are without our conscience (ie. significant others) breathing down our necks as we sallivate over designer bags, shoes, clothes, and accessories, hehe.

The rest of the afternoon:
I'm sure, after all that (window) shopping some pampering should be in order. The rest of the afternoon, I'd love to take my girls to the new Asian-inpsired spa hotel Setai. I haven't been there yet - you know, mommy duties and all - but I've heard so many great reviews and I think this place will be perfect for my girls and I to try together.

Just looking at the pictures of the Spa already makes me feel so tranquil, what more to share the actual experience with my homies? Pikit mata na lang muna sa presyo, hehe.

Dinner at Setai's The Grill or The Pool and Beach Bar would be a convenient and casual way to cap of the experience.

Evening:
A night of Puccini please girls? I've been wanting to go to the Opera for the longest time, but never had the chance to - again, mommyhood limitations, hehe. A great excuse to don some classy evening wear as well, I hope the girls will indulge me on this.

Otherwise, I could also take the girls to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino at Hollywood. Aside from gambling, the girls and I surely won't run out of things to do here. Seminole Paradise, the entertainment area outside the hotel boasts of great dining, shopping, bars, live shows, bistros, and even clubbing. :) In fact, now, everytime we have visitors over, we always make it a point to bring them here for some getting-lucky action. :)

Late Evening:
I have to admit that I feel I'm too old to go clubbing. But, if my girls are up for it (fountain of youth? haha!) then its off to the Mansion with us. Of the three nightclubs owned by The Opium Group, the Mansion, which is located at Miami's Art Deco area, takes the top spot among the local and foreign clubbing connoisseurs in the Miami scene.

For me, though, the best way to slow the evening off would be with a cup of Capuccino Demetrio and a Chocolate Mousse out on the patio of Cafe Demetrio at Coral Gables. Chika galore ito until midnight, for sure. At wala pang cover charge, hehe!

Anyway, this is but a small peek into what my area has to offer, and there is so much more! Who knows, if my girls would stay longer, a road trip to Key West or a day-cruise to the Carribean could also be arranged. :)

[CHIKAHAN: BEAUTY OR BRAINS?]

2008-03-29T12:00:00.002+08:00

Wifeys! It's time for a new round of chika-chika! Game? Game!

"We can't have everything." This is a line we've heard one too many times and a lot of people actually believe it, but not without valid reasons if I might add. Case in point, physical appearance and intellectual prowess. Some are blessed to have both, while for some, it's an obvious case of "one or the other". We flinch when we ask, "Maganda?" referring to someone and the answer we get is "Matalino!" or "Ah, mabait!" And what about when we ask if someone is "matalino" and the answer we get is "maganda!"? Either way, we can 't help but feel even the teeniest bit of panghihinayang.

So mga misis, given the choice, what would you rather have, beauty or brains? And please, "world peace" is not an option. I, thank you.

50/50

2008-03-25T05:41:00.000+08:00

Kung sa edad na anim na taong gulang ako tinanong nito, malamang sasabihin ko sana maganda na lang ako. E pano naman, ganito lagi usapan sa aming magpipinsan...

Eto si C-----, ang cute ano!
Eto si S-----, ang ganda ano!
Eto si simplymuah, matalino yan!

Waaahhhh! bakit sila cute at maganda pag dating sa akin biglang brains ang sukatan. Tama ba un! (Api! Api! Api!)

**Hindi po ako katalinuhan ha, ayun e kung ang sukatan e sa amin lang tatlong magpi-pinsan.**

Nung ako naman ay sumabak na sa masalimuot na mundo ng katotohanan, napagtanto ko na swerte ang may taglay na ganda pero nauubos ang swerte. At pag tapos na ang swerte, kailangan mo na mag-isip at dun na kinakailangan ang utak ng isang tao.

Ngayon ako nagpa-pasalamat na buti na lang, 50/50 ako. Me onting ganda, at me onting talino. Enough ganda para mapansin ako, at enough na talino para mapag-patuloy ko ang anumang swerteng darating sa buhay ko. (Wehehe, sabi nga ni munchkin mommy, bawal ang pikon sa Wifespeaks!)

Pero teka, pinapipili nga...

Para sa akin, talino ang pipiliin ko. Dahil mas madali magpa-face lift kesa magpa-brain transplant! :p

Deeper Than Skin Deep

2008-03-25T02:00:00.001+08:00

Pwede bang beauty? Kasi brainy na ako eh. Hahaha!

Just kidding. :)

Seriously, if I could ask for only one, I'd rather choose "Brains". Being physically beautiful can only get you so far. Yes, you may be able to catch the attention of people. And yes, being beautiful on a physical level can get you into movies or modelling or can snag you a rich husband (that is, if you're willing to be a trophy wife). But, physical beauty fades. And it fades even faster when you have nothing interesting to say, or are tactless, or are vain, or are shallow.

Whereas, smart women gain beauty over time. They are like plain, old jewelry cases that reveal sparkling gems of intelligence and personality once you take the time to open them. I say, it's better to be pleasantly surprised than unpleasantly disappointed, yes? :)

To embrace whatever beauty is given to us and then to enhance it, not with more beauty or plastic surgery but, with knowledge and wisdom (and a good heart, too!) - that's what really attracts, what really matters. :)

Gimme a Beautiful Brain, er, Mind! :)

2008-03-25T01:00:00.000+08:00

I'd like a hefty serving of (working!) brains please! Oh, don't think that was easy for me to say because anyway, I'm beautiful and brainy. Nyahahaha! Kidding, ok? Erase, erase, erase.

Seriously, in the last couple of years, the words "Wala nang pangit ngayon!" has become a popular line among men and women alike. That could only mean one of two things. One, that we have finally learned to rise above giving too much importance on physical beauty. Or two, that with the advances in science and technology, there's no longer an excuse not to be, well, beautiful or at least to be as beautiful as science and technology can and will permit. Sadly, I have yet to hear about a drug or medical procedure that will get subjects and verbs to agree with each other. :D I'm sooo tempted to say it. May I? Can I? Nagkalat pa rin ang mga...never mind. But really, people with barely passable smarts and intellect are all over the place...in government, on tv, in beauty pageants (ehem, ehem), which I guess probably makes them brainy after all. Not!

Why am I choosing brains over beauty? Because physical beauty fades whereas intelligence, not quite. Intelligence, for one, is beyond adeptness in academic subjects. It is the capacity to absorb and retain information and be able to put that information to good use when the need presents itself. And when one is better informed, she (or he) is less likely to fall prey to a good number (not all) of trickeries and evil schemes.

Smart and intelligent but less attractive people, if they carry themselves well, have an aura of beauty about them. Ang matalino at may sapat na kaalaman ay nagmumukha na ring maganda sa mata ng marami. ;) On the other hand, the beautiful but unintelligent can only do so much to bluff their way to seem intelligent. How long can one just keep smiling and not talk? E pag kaharap mo pa si Paolo Bediones? Naloko na! Hindi naman puwedeng puro aura lang! Beauty and confidence just aren't enough to cut it, whether you're only 17, 27, or 77. ;) Yes, the not so intellectually gifted but beautiful may actually run away with a prize at a contest or something, but people can be very unforgiving and will not forget slip-ups that could have very well been avoided.

Intelligent opinion has more weight than, uhm, "beautiful" opinion, if an opinion can be formulated at all. And that doesn't need further explanation. Well, isn't it true?

I don't need to be a Mensa-qualifying genius. Ok, maybe I'd like it but I don't really need it. Hehehe! I'd be happy with just about the right amount of smarts and brain fuel so I won't be a miserable mess in front of people and be able to say the right things at the right time. Huwag naman sablay! I sure wouldn't want to end up in YouTube and for all the wrong reasons at that. *shivers*

Having said all that, I'd now probably be mistaken as smart and intelligent but unattractive. Not! Hahaha! Kidding. :P But so what, ugly daw is the new beautiful.

ps: Bawal ang pikon sa WifeSpeaks! ;)

[WIFESPEAKS TURNS THREE]

2008-03-15T01:32:00.006+08:00

Yes, our blog is officially a toddler! :)

Dear Readers, thank you very much for helping us reach another milestone. Indeed, it has been a busy past year - saying goodbye and adding more members, our contributing mommies having babies, our families moving from one place to another, us pursuing not-so-hidden interests and talents, as well as giving birth to new personal blogs! Nevertheless, we extremely enjoyed coming up with more topics here at WifeSpeaks, as well as sharing our two cents on them.

As we usher in another year of endless chikahan, for sure, there will be a lot more lessons, opinions, and ideas shared on this site. We hope you'll enjoy them, as much as we are enjoying our mommyhood to - this - our growing little baby of a blog.

Thank you for continuing to drop by, for sharing your ideas and opinions, for subscribing to our feeds, and for adding us up in your blogroll. We truly appreciate your support. :)

Cheers!

Love, Mga Misis ng WifeSpeaks

~~~

As we celebrate our anniversary, how about a Parlor Game? :)

Here are the rules:

1. This game is a modified form of the classic "Bring Me" game.

2. Everyone can join. We'd love to get to know you, our readers!

3. Leave a link (via our Mister Linky Widget) about ANY ENTRY IN YOUR PERSONAL BLOG THAT RELATES TO THE NUMBER "THREE". And then, don't forget to leave a comment (via ReaderSpeaks) to tell us why you chose that particular entry.

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Game? :)

[TOPIC: I WANT THIS JOB]

2008-03-08T08:32:00.002+08:00

When I was in Grade School, I wanted to be a Doctor or a Lawyer, just like my dad. When I was in High School, I wanted to be an Accountant or a Computer Engineer. When I was already working, I remember telling my cousin that whenever I got married, I prefer to be a housewife and eventually a stay at home mom. My wish was granted but then I realized I can't be forever like this. I miss working but tired of doing the same things. Thus, a question occurred to me: if given a chance, which job or whose job would you like to have or try? Mga misis, what are your hidden desire jobs?

Feed the World

2008-03-04T13:34:00.002+08:00

In grade school, I dreamt of becoming an astronaut. Except my mum told me there's no way they can afford to send me to the US to train so I switched my career goal to something more achievable. Like being a policewoman. Yep. Not even a police general.

Anyway, my mother swooned so I decided to change careers again - and she always said she wished that one or both of her children would be either a lawyer or a doctor. I thought I might have a shot at being a lawyer and was sure I would be one until the day I received the LAE result and I failed to make it to UP Law. Suddenly a whole world of alternative careers opened up to me.

I have had since then a chequered career, and I need a professional writer to make sense of my resume. Nowadays, I am role-playing as an MBA student focusing on building a profitable regional (maybe even global?) business although I have never, ever in my entire life thought I am at all entrepreneurial. When opportunities knock at your door, you put on your bling and your smile and you answer it like a mama-san in a Patpong bar - eager to do whatever is required for the right price (I am a sell out).

Yet, the one "dream" career I want is in international policy. I want to be able to work in one of the priority areas of the Millennium Development Goals, like fighting extreme poverty. I wish I can head - or at a high, high executive level work in - FAO or WFP or UNDP. I want to push for a plan that will support small-scale community-based farmers along the self-sufficiency plan of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej to generate income at the grass-root level while ensuring affordable food for all. I know it's not original, but there could be so many facets to explore on that general theme. After all, who doesn't want to feed the world?

My Dream Job...Noon at Ngayon

2008-03-04T01:00:00.000+08:00

First, a little backgrounder....I grew up thinking I was going to be a doctor. I wanted to be a cardiologist with no plans of going to the US whatsoever because I believed that my country needed me. ;) Up until the last quarter of my senior year in high school, I was going to be a doctor. But guess where my high school credentials ended up at the end of the schoolyear? UST's College of Architecture and Fine Arts! Ang layo ano?! But then, we were in the furniture business that time and "we" (my Mom and I) thought it might be good for the business if I took up something that was related to it. :D

In college, I dreamt of that so-called corner office with a view. I did become a licensed architect and worked for a multi-national architectural firm for a full year, doing 40-hour work weeks plus an additional 40-hour over time....per week! That's 80 hours a week! Whew!

And then my Mom asked me to just help her with the family business. By then we were already into exports. I didn't have to wake up at 5:30am and be out of the house by 6:30am just to be sure I'll be in Makati by 8am! My work clothes were mostly jeans and shirt except when I have to attend trade fairs, meetings and seminars. I got to travel...a lot! My Mom and I can escape to the mall, have our haircuts and our nails done on not so busy days. And I had the ultimate satisfaction of having my own designs brought to life and sold to different companies the world over...the US, Germany, Switzerland, France, etc. I couldn't ask for anything more. :D For almost 8 years, this was THE dream job for me.

Then came our big move to the US last year. From a jet-setting designer, I am now a full time stay-at-home mom and being one was never part of the plan I've mapped out for myself. And the thing is, I see that I'm liking it! I guess it's because I've conditioned myself well enough to the life I were to have in the US months before we left. I do miss my old "job" as COO, that is, child-of-the-owner, specially the travelling and the interacting with buyers part. But what I have now is a big blessing.

Yes, I'd love to contribute to our household's income, too. But, I'm a little rusty on "employee-ing". Hee hee! It's been a while since I've worked for a "boss" who isn't my Mom. And I don't want to leave my daughter in day care. At the top of my priority list now is my family, because here, it's only the three of us watching out for one another. The dream job for me then is one that I would really enjoy and love doing, one that I can do at home, and at my on time. DREAM as in dream talaga! Hahaha!

[TOPIC: I WANT THESE COSMETICS]

2008-02-23T14:35:00.000+08:00

So, you got that makeover you've been longing for. A perfect hair and luscious skin, all maintained by your stylist and skincare products. But, what happens when you have to attend some important events in your wifey lives, you can't always go to a salon and have your face made up by a professional make-up artist, do you? Wifeys are required to know a little knowledge on applying make-up and you need some basic make-up kit to use for this kind of events. We all want THE cosmetic brands that are truly reliable, wouldn't leave you with skin allergies, would last long, and easy to apply. Care to share your cosmetics wants wifespeakers???

Slightly Kikay

2008-02-19T02:00:00.001+08:00

I'm not really a cosmetics person. Even when I was still partying during my single years, I was a only a powder, mascara, and gloss girl. Even now, I only have the basics in my kikay kit, I keep them handy just in case I need to spruce up at a moment's notice. Sadly, there's this tendency for my cosmetics to expire on me from totally lack of use. There was also a time when I really tried to get into it and even asked make-up expert WS misis Em for some tips. But, being a sahmmy, the occasions and opportunities for me to doll myself up are very few and far between.

However, this doesn't mean that I don't get a kick out of browsing through Sephora (or Beauty Bar, if I'm in Pinas). I have some cosmetic cravings, for sure, but since the ones that I like aren't really budget friendly I buy them quite sparingly. But, if I were given a shopping spree to hoard all of the make-up in my wishlist, these would make the cut:

I am super intrigued by SKII’s Air Touch Foundation, so I want to give it a try.

In terms of powder, I would like the Benefit Get Even Pressed Powder and/or the Laura Mercier Mineral Loose Powder.

I am a Shu Uemura eye makeup fan, so I would like to have the Golden Summer Pressed Eye Shadow Palette, the SU Eyelash Curler, and SU Mascara Length & Waterproof.

For blush, I'd like the NARS Blush in Orgasm.

Lastly, for lips, I am a fan of Stila so I'd like the Lip (and Cheek) Tint, and like Sexy Momma I'm all for the Dior Addict Ultra Gloss, and lastly an ever dependable Chanel Hydrabase Creme Lipstick for vamping.

Now, I can start dreaming about a totally fab makeup bag to house all of these in. :)

MAC and Dior

2008-02-19T01:00:00.000+08:00

I’m a MAC addict and studio fix is the best foundation for me so far (aside from max factor). It blends well with my complexion and looks natural. I’m picky when it comes to foundations, lipsticks and blush but not so much with eye shadows coz im always applying one shade just for my daily (usual) make up. But, when I have a chance to party, then I get to blend some shades. And so these are my make up must have for this month. Mac N collections, Dior flower bloosom and Dior addict ultra gloss reflect.

[TOPIC: I WANT THIS DREAM VALENTINE'S DATE]

2008-02-16T14:59:00.000+08:00

Feb 14. Valentine's day is fast approaching. What would be your ideal Valentine's date with your husband (of course!)?

Candlelight dinner?
A night out of town just the two of you?
A romantic movie?
A whole day of shopping?
A picnic in the park?

Wifeys share your ideal Valentine's day so our readers may have an idea on what to ask (or demand) from hubby.

Or better yet, if you can share your most memorable Valentine date, it would be better so as to give our readers a more concrete plan of action.

Just for Two

2008-02-12T01:00:00.000+08:00

I only have one kind of dream valentine's date. I love my daughter to bits and on regular days we love going out together - all three of us. But, since Valentine's Day is a special date day, it would really be a treat if Ninna had a babysitter! If so, I don't really care if we eat out at McDo or Pizza Hut or the corner grocery, as long as hubby and I are on a nice date together, I'm happy!

That's why, mga mister and wifeys, if you have the luxury of having a baby sitter for your kids, don't take it for granted. Go out and have a sweet, fabulous, intimate date with your lovey. Do this for the rest of us who can only dream of this kind of a chance. Take one for the team, ok? :)

A Valentine's date may be corny to some but, in truth, it gives all of us the license to be corny at least once in a year.

Happy Hearts Day, everyone! Enjoy your date. :)

[TOPIC: I WANT THIS JEWELRY]

2008-02-09T07:49:00.000+08:00

Mga wifeys do you believe in the saying goes that diamonds are a girl's bestfriend (and guy's worst enemy)? Have you dreamt of having a complete set of diamond, platinum, pearl, yellow/white/rose gold, or just an ordinary silver accesory, or are you one of those girls who changes her watch depending on the outfits/bag/shoes? Whatever you have in mind, there's no harm in wishing. Who knows, we might get this for valentines day ;-).

Advanced Happy Valentines day to all!

Drooling over Teslar

2008-02-05T10:59:00.000+08:00

Si mama mee ang may sala. *grins*

When I got pregnant in 2006, Mama Mee introduced me to this watch. She knows that I am operating/surrounded by machines (photocopier and computers) before I even got pregnant. She said that it will help me reduce the "bad elements" around me. But I think the cheapest goes around $650 which around that time is about half of my total bill in the hospital when I gave birth. hehe. I hope I can save money in the (near) future for this one since I know hamey would rather buy me a new laptop than buy me a watch that's almost worth a one unit core 2 duo machine. Pwede na rin :D

diamonds and a watch

2008-02-05T02:00:00.000+08:00

I am such a sucker for white gold and diamonds. Hubby knows that, knows lang di niya bibilhin haha. We have more important priorities and so I just have to air out my diamond dreams here and a watch I've been dying to have. Malay mo umiba ang ihip ng hangin. As if! Here are my eye candies:

1 CT. T.W. Diamond Solitaire Twist Stud Earrings

Charriol Flamme Blanche Bracelet

Omega Women's Constellation Stainless Steel Watch

Les Must

2008-02-05T01:00:00.000+08:00

Next to food, bling is one of my bad habits... I can wear Shoemart-couture and bakya, but I need my B-Zero triple band rose gold ring on my fat fingers while I hail down that jeepney.

This is what I really want - an emerald cut 10-carat Brazilian pink diamond set on rose pink gold.... (insert Homer-drool here):

But this is all I am going ask for:

Cartier The Trinity Ring in yellow, white and rose gold

Sobrang simple, and sobrang significant - I think the hubby will not be surprised at my choice. It has been copied so much since it was introduced in 1924, but there's nothing like owning a piece of affordable cult history. As the famous luxury house demands, les must de Cartier.

[TOPIC: I WANT THIS MAKEOVER (HOME EDITION)]

2008-02-02T00:27:00.000+08:00

In the great tradition of Makeovers, this time, why not a dream makeover for our home?:)

Want to update the kitchen? Change the tiles in the bathroom? Itching to declutter and turn the attic into usable space? Is the garage screaming for a new roof? Want a country-inspired living room? Yearning for a more luxurious master suite?

What room/space in your home needs some TLC?

We Need Furniture!

2008-01-29T02:00:00.000+08:00

I'm very happy with the townhouse we're living in right now. I won't change a thing. And besides, according to the contract, we can't change a thing! Hahaha! We're living in a rented townhouse, you see. ;)

What I would really love though is to have new furniture in the living and dining room and the bedrooms. When we moved to Texas, we weren't sure how long we were going to stay so we didn't invest in big ticket furniture items. Ikea became our best friend. ;) And besides, if we were to move, we didn't want the trouble of hauling bulky, not to mention heavy, pieces of furniture!

But it looks like we'll be staying longer....a good thing, really. ;) So now, part of our coming lotto winnings will be wisely spent on furniture, which will make our current home (or eventual homes at that!) warm and homey.

Brown would be a nice color so spills wouldn't be very obvious. Hee hee!
But I'd like wooden center and side tables instead of glass.

It would be nice to have cushioned dining chairs...for a change. ;)
And it has to be able to seat six...comfortably!

For the master bedroom, I'd like a king sized sleighbed.

For my daughter's bedroom, it would be nice to have something that will grow with her.
At a minimum, it should be a full-sized bed...with a pull-out bed because house guests
usually sleep in my daughter's room. Hee hee!

I guess that's it. Buti na lang at libre ang mangarap! :D

Extreme Talaga!

2008-01-29T01:00:00.000+08:00

For our home, what we're really wishing to renovate is the kitchen. It's almost the deal-breaker, prior to our move-in almost a year ago. If you must know, yung wall paper ng kitchen namin, parang sinapian ni Jimi Hendrix and Austin Powers, because it's adorned with loud pyschedelic colors, not to mention flower-power! Nakaka-high! :D We've given up on the linoleum tiles, because no matter what mopping we attempt to do, hindi kinakayang maalis ang stains.

We're not looking to do drastic and overly expensive renovations, just enough to make the Kitchen look a little more homey and more... "us", and not a real-life That 70s Show Kitchen. Perhaps new cabinetry, ceramic tiles, well-placed appliances and a sizeable dining table for our growing family, considering how much we spend most of our waking hours cooking up memories in this particular room.

No (own) home to renovate

2008-01-28T14:39:00.000+08:00

Given a chance, I'd like to change our kitchen. I'm trying to cook now and I really like to have a big space and equip it with good quality items. For starters, I want a new oven and other small equipments/tools in cooking. Sarap lalung mag luto pag kumpleto ang gamit. Anyway, since we're living in my parent's place, I can't do anything about it but to accept the kitchen space we have. Bawi na lang ako sa mga kagamitan. But if I'll have the chance to build our own house, it will definitely have a big kitchen.

[TOPIC : I WANT THIS MAKEOVER]

2008-01-26T08:36:00.000+08:00

When was the last time you felt overwhemingly good about yourself, physically? For this year, have you considered having a makeover? Are you the type who already knows what exactly you wanted changed or would you prefer an expert's advise? Will you be willing to go under the knife or a simple (but most often than not expensive) visit from your favorite stylist will suffice?

I believe that it helps to feel good when we look good. I hope you've set a target date for that much-wanted makeover.

Pearly Whites

2008-01-22T13:03:00.000+08:00

I have a lot of, ahem, overdue overhauls - lose weight, get my skin treated, get my boobs and thighs done... grow four more inches (vertically hopefully, as I've done way too much horizontal growth!) but there's only one thing I would like to get done fairly soon: my pearly whites - because they are more like ecru really.

I was supposed to get dental braces when I was 14, but I didn't want to make my already awkward teen-age years any more painful. Then I was supposed to get them done under my company's medical plan in my 20s but I thought that would impinge on my dating life. Now I dread being a 30-something with braces, but I dread more having to get them done when my yet-to-be-conceived children are also having theirs!

So I decided to bite the bullet so to speak and just let the dentist tell me what needs to be done - I hope it's only something cosmetic, like da Vinci veneers. Now that would be money well spent....

My Simple List

2008-01-22T11:02:00.000+08:00

Here's mine:

1. Shiatsu or oil massage basta masahe hehe and a facial.

2. Manicure/Pedicure - pero sa pinas kasi ang pangit nila maglinis ng kuko dito since wala sila paki sa ingrown mo haha.

3. Spa or Onsen (hot spring) - Gusto kong maglublub dito hehe

4. New hair style- nakakasawa na yung laging layered hair ko ma try nga ang may perm sa edges kunti hehe gaya nito.

Made over with love....

2008-01-22T02:00:00.000+08:00

Photo taken by my beloved husband. Ang galing nya ano, napaganda nya ako. nyahahaha.

After a very ugly pagbubuntis, nadurog ang aking confidence. Pero dahil sa pinagsamang galing ng canon, photoshop at talento ng aking asawa ayan ako ay mukang na make over. hehehe.

Hair and make-up by yours truly. :p

Elapot's Extreme Makeover Wishlist

2008-01-22T01:00:00.000+08:00

I really don't think that any of us feels ugly that we need a total extreme makeover. but i'm pretty sure we all want little improvements and "kakikayan" here and there. For me though, things that wouldn't require a knife and a suture, are bearable. Things like these:

1. Spa services and treatments
- facial treatments: para flawless
- full body peel: just to get dead skin cells out and feel young and soft
- tanning/whitening, whatever it takes to make my color even (i think i prefer whitening)
- foot spa with pedicure (and manicure as well)
- parafin waxing
- laser hair removal (i don't want to shave anymore)
- frequent full body massage

2. New 'do for that new look: i'm so tired of wearing my long straight hair. i don't like a gradual change for my hair. but i need an expert stylist who knows how to make my hair stylish and how to make me prettier. he can perm or add/change the color if that'll work best.

3. Makeup on proper occasion: really, even on days of work, i want to wear the right makeup. i want to look naturally prettier when i wear makeup (and i don't want comments like "you're more beautiful without makeup").

4. New sets of clothes: again, proper for any occasion that's not too revealing but still stylish and proper for my age. i want the right colors and the perfect clothes for my shape, the style of the season, etc.

5. Lipo?! - the one that doesn't make you bleed. there's mesolipo (i don't even know if this is the right term for that) right? i'd target my tummy, arms and thighs. eheheh. if money isn't the problem, and the husband would approve, i probably would try this.

6. Dental work: i will have my lower set of teeth straightened out and all my teeth whitened :)

7. Regular derma visits/treatments: to make my skin always free of pimples diba?! and if there's a treatment that would remove scars and blemishes, i'd do that too!

Alrighty! those were my head-to-toe wishlist!... yeah, i know, it seems that i like a lot for myself huh?!

[TOPIC: I WANT THIS CAR]

2008-01-19T00:00:00.000+08:00

Are you planning to get a car? Will you opt to buy a new one or used? Would you rather lease? With the high price of gas, are you considering buying a hybrid? Or are you planning to junk your car and just use public transportation, a bicycle or walk?

Or maybe it's not a particular car, but a particular feature of a car. What upgrades would you want on your current vehicle?

They say the car is the husband's territory, but I'm sure there are some wives out there who have their own preferences on their vehicle.

Vroom Vroom

2008-01-15T02:00:00.001+08:00

I don't like fast cars and I'm the worst backseat driver ever (pero sa harap ako nakaupo, hehe, kidding), which is probably why since we got married I always ride shotgun. I don't care much for cars, as long as we're coasting down the highway without a hitch, I'll be fine.

Don't shoot me for wanting this, I'm pretty sure it's a gas-guzzler, but I like the sleek, industrialized yet modern, pogi design of Mercedes' G class.

Tweet-tweeew! I know I can't afford this, so wishful thinking na lang! :D

Pick Me Up

2008-01-15T02:00:00.000+08:00

I've always wanted to drive a pick up or any four wheel drive. Its comfy and can be driven anywhere. I'll go for Toyota Hilux or any Ford pick up. Now, since we're talking about cars, I really miss driving....haven't driven for almost 4 yrs and to think I was already driving since I was 15 hehe. Well its gonna be hard since Japan has right hand drive, so I need to learn from scratch again, not to mention taking exams etc. Besides, taking exams and learning how to drive will cost me 300,000 to 400,000 yen ouch! Oh well I'll just stick to my wonder bike nalang! hahaha!

or if i may have a chance to purchase a car, i wanted one of this...

License to Drive

2008-01-15T01:00:00.000+08:00

I am one of those people who know nothing about cars. Nada. Zilch. Wala. One time I left my bag in a cab and I had to report the incident at the police and when it was time to describe the cab, it went something like this: "Anong clase ng taxi?" "White po." "Hindi, anong klase yung kotse." "Ah, bago po." Yep, I wouldn't even know what make it is, and unless it's a Merck or a Beemer, I probably won't be able to tell you what brand a car is.

And don't get me started on the things inside! The only thing that makes a "nice" car for me is that the air-con is powerful and it rides smoothly. I wouldn't know anything else about interiors, although I do like light coloured leather seats ....

I remember a scene in Pretty Woman when Richard Gere's character says that his first car is a limousine. I have never owned a car, so don't mind if my first car is a Maybach but I really don't think that would help with the road conditions in my current city. Again, let me say I know nothing about cars, and all I am basing my choice on is legroom, the luxurious interior (read leather), and the solid brand. I just know I don't want a gas-guzzler.

Here's my choice:

Lexus GS 450h (hybrid sedan)

[ TOPIC: I WANT THIS TRIP/HOLIDAY ]

2008-01-12T06:07:00.000+08:00

Seldom do people give the gift of travel but for sure, this is one present we would love to take. Everybody, deserves a holiday. Wouldn't we love to discover that it is a small world after all?

Presents come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Some come in nicely wrapped boxes with pretty ribbons, others are in a handy practical envelope which could either mean money, gift certificates, or a ticket to travel. Via air, land, or sea, it doesn't really matter. Getting there is already half the journey.

If you were given an air ticket with an open destination? Where would you go and what kind of holiday or trip would you do?

Pasyal Tayo

2008-01-08T02:00:00.000+08:00

Eversince I read "1000 Places To See Before You Die", I've always fantasized about setting out to go and see each place before my inevitable personal expiration date. Unfortunately, I haven't won the lotto yet so, at most, I could probably cross out only a max of 10-15 from the list (partida, I've been to 2 places in the Philippines na! So 998 to go, haha!).

Unless the Discovery Channel pays for everything like they did on the show for Albin and Melanie Ulle, realistically, I can see hubby and I saving up for any one (or sana two) of these major trips that I have been dreaming to take.

1. I would like to go to a nice warm tropical island, with pristine beaches, that is wonderfully private, has exceptional spa services, and serves yummy, fresh seafood. Off the top of my head, I can name St. Maarten, Seychelles or Maldives, or even Hawaii.

2. I would like to go to Europe, because I've never been. Seriously, I'd want to do the whole Schengen shebang and get my fill of history, art, architecture, and yummy gourmet food. And shopping for "French" handbags would be great too. *wink*

3. I would like to do the turista route and go around my Pilipinas. A road trip from Batanes to Jolo would be, for me, truly a blast. There's so much to see, eat, do and learn from getting more intimate with our beloved country. Besides, with our tropical beaches and European-influenced culture, it would almost be like hitting two of my dream trips above with one stone. :)

Now, if only I could start really sculpting and toning this bikini body of mine...

Trip Lang

2008-01-08T01:00:00.000+08:00

Hubby and I have been wanting to take a trip to Tahiti or Barbados but long-haul trips are off the calendar for health reasons.

What I have been obsessing over lately is to have a two-week holiday in Maldives, just because it's relatively near. There is no cheap way to do that, and with the plethora of luxury resorts (yes, I have been looking!) it was difficult to choose but I have decided on Huvafen Fushi for the ultimate in overwater villa suite. The ultimate luxury on an ultimate trip. Lobster, caviars and champagne on a low table right on the glistening white sands with plush pillows and flickering flame around you. All you have to do is breathe, and enjoy.

If lounging around gets too much, we can go for a cruise over the atolls, for fishing and snorkelling. Then a picnic in one of the many white-sand islands with a chef preparing our meal while we swim in the shallows.

And when we get tired of being on the water, soaking in the sun and sights, then it's time to get under. The resort has the ultimate underwater spa! Talk about water therapy - imagine walking into a cool room with the water reflected on the white walls and then you see it - the corals and marine life right in front of as you lay down for your massage. How decadent is that.

There's another way to get under - dinner at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island's underwater restaurant, the first in the world. Can seafood get any fresher?

[TOPIC: NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION FOR HUBBY]

2008-01-05T00:00:00.000+08:00

Happy New Year!

It's the time of year (again) when we usually come up with our New Year's resolutions. We either stick to our list or find some excuse not to follow through.

So for a change (and so we won't break any promises/resolutions), let's make New Year's resolutions for others instead -- particularly for our hubbies.

Yes we married them for who they are. But for sure, there are some (little) things we would want them to change/do.

If you were to list down some New Year's resolutions for your hubby, what would they be?

Health is Wealth

2008-01-01T01:00:00.000+08:00

I have to say that my husband is a very resolute person. For instance, at one point, he made a promise to quit smoking - and he did! Our home has been smoke-free for close to four years now. :) That's how he is when he sets a goal for himself, which is why I have full faith in him when he makes promises - he ultimately follows through on them, whatever it takes.

I wish I were more like him when it comes to these things.

But, since we're not talking about me or my resolutions that would most likely be broken within the next two weeks (hehe), there is one huge thing that I hope hubby will be able to fulfill this coming year. I only wish that he would make it his New Year's Resolution to take better care of his health.

Three things:

1. Hubby should resolve to eat healthier food and to stay away from fatty, fast food as much as he can.

2. Hubby should resolve to go the gym and exercise more. And,

3. Hubby should resolve to go see the doctor when I tell him to.

Easier listed than done, no? Especially since I need to do the same, hehe. Lord knows we really really need a healthier lifestyle. Hopefully, this year will usher it in. :)

Happy New and Prosperous 2008 Mga Misis!

[TOPIC: I WANT THIS WISH FOR OTHERS]

2007-12-29T23:01:00.000+08:00

'Tis the Season of Giving

We've wrapped the last present to put under the tree, and we've made our wish list. Our Christmas day feast has been laid out, and we've put on out Sunday best. Yet, our celebration doesn't seem complete until we have given more to and shared more with our loved ones and friends.

Giving is an oft repeated theme of the season, but to most, that giving ends at the company party's kris kringle. Some of us may not have the means, but all of us have that seed of generosity within.

For this season, what is your wish list for others? Wish lang naman, so let's get generous!

A blessed Christmas to all!

Pax Et Bonum

2007-12-23T01:00:00.000+08:00

For my family, I wish them good health and happiness.

For my friends, may all their goals and dreams come true.

For my WS amigas, a happier homelife and a flourishing career.

For my enemies, a white flag.

For the Philippines, may a new leaf turn so that every bulok na systema would be scrapped forever.

For America, not tolerance but understanding, not humility but acceptance, not excuses but integrity.

For hubby, a healthy blood pressure, a new DSLR, and a salary increase. :)

For Ninna, a wonderful school, more playmates, a better appetite, a baby brother.

~~~

This Christmas, trite as it may seem, and though many a beauty queens have reiterated it, my wish for everyone on earth is simply: Peace.

Although its been said many times, many ways: Merry Christmas to all of you! :)

[TOPIC: I WANT THIS NOCHE BUENA FEAST]

2007-12-22T23:18:00.000+08:00

Great meals are windows to great lives. They are a measure of love and care poured into every morsel. They are mirrors of abundance and cheer. They are perfect opportunities to share stories with those we hold dear.

This holiday season, the Christmas feast takes centerstage once again. What takes the spotlight in yours? We'd love to hear your Yuletide meal wish list.

Hamon at Queso

2007-12-18T07:43:00.000+08:00

Noche buena in our family has always been fairly simple with only my Mom, my brother's party of 6 and my party of 3 present. That's 10 people and half are kids who try their darnest best to stay awake through midnight. :) The family reunions are held on Christmas Day itself...lunch for my Mom's side of the family, and dinner for hubby's mom's side of the family.

For as long as I can remember, our noche buena menu always consisted of the following: Adelina's ham, quezo de bola (Marca Pina or Pato), hot pandesal, hot cocoa and assorted fresh fruits.

I never really had a special preference for Chinese ham. My simple taste would rather have the Purefoods fiesta ham...diba it's the star of the noche buena feast? Hee hee hee! So along side the more expensive Chinese ham is a lowly Purefoods ham The kids love it as well! Hahaha! In recent years, we've added a few dishes to the usual ham and queso...pasta now makes a regular appearance on the noche buena table and some kakanin (like cassava!) and our favorite Filipino dessert: leche flan! We would also have salads: chicken potato, macaroni and/or fruit.

This year, noche buena will be very different as it's our first away from home. Most likely, it's only going to be hubby and me having this midnight snack as I'm betting our 3-year old daughter will already be asleep by then. But nothing will stop as from going through with this time-honored tradition. :)

I'd love to keep our noche buena as close to what we've always been used to as possible. :) We'll buy ham from a deli (or the deli section of the supermarket)...parma, prosciutto or serrano would be really nice...with sweet melon or honeydew slices on the side. We'll have edam cheese as well or whatever looks nice from the cheese section of the supermarket (definitely not the pre-packaged ones!). And of course, bread and hot cocoa! We have bottles of wine waiting to be openned and we might do one of these bottles a favor.

For dessert, leche flan, of course! I may bake one other dessert. We'll see. :D

On Christmas Day, we'll have friends over for dinner and I honestly haven't thought of a menu yet. That needs a little more careful planning than the noche buena menu. I'm giving myself until tomorrow to come up with a list so I can buy the necessary ingredients on Sunday. :)

Have a hearty noche buena feast, y'all! God bless and Merry Christmas! :)

Puddings and Pies

2007-12-18T02:00:00.000+08:00

Whilst I grew up with an extended clan who knows how to layout a feast (a "small" gathering can have as much as 30 people), Christmas dinner in the last few years have been intimate - just the hubby and me.

This year the handaan will again just be for two, but for some reason, my husband has been exceptionally homesick for the traditional feasts of the isles. I had to call upon the spirits of Nigella and Floyd (who is now based in Phuket!) for this year's attempt - and it has to be better than mom's....

Thankfully, our new adopted home city has quite a large expat community so it's easy to find traditional ingredients at the gourmet market. I will also be able to cheat on a couple of items - like the Christmas pudding - so that I can spend time working on the other dishes, some of which I have never done before.

Starters: No more whisky and stout ever, so I guess I do have to serve him proper food. I will be making mini-cheese toasts and pancakes with smoked salmon and horseradish crème fraîche.

Main: Roasted turkey with either bread sauce or Cumberland sauce and traditional pan-gravy; glazed ham; sausage and sage stuffing; goose-fat roasted potatoes, buttered carrots, turnip gratin, steamed green peas, and Nigella's brussels sprouts with chestnuts, pancetta and parsley which is really for me not him.

Desserts: Christmas pudding which will have to be store-bought but I will use Nigella's vodka technique to flambé it before serving. Since I don't have to make that, I will instead make my all-time favourite bread and butter pudding with custard on the side.

Too bad we can't enjoy a bubbly together.

Pasko (and hopefully no) Paksiw

2007-12-18T01:00:00.000+08:00

Living overseas, I really miss the festive flavor always associated with the Filipino Christmas. I have to admit, recreating the Christmases my family and I have always had will not be easy. I know hubby can "simulate" my lighting-expert Mom, my imitation-Santa Dad, and my hic-hic-hic(ing)-expert Uncles, and Ninna can be taught the techniques of my caroling-expert siblings and cousins. However, I doubt that I can measure up to my cooking-expert Aunts to bring on the Noche Buena spread that everyone will be talking about until New Year's. It won't hurt to try, though, so I will! :)

For this year's feast of three (kami-kami ulit, unless hubby's vacation gets approved, i wish), I and my very helpful elves (hubby and Ninna) hope to whip up this simple yet festive menu for Christmas Eve.

[Some recipes courtesy of Pinay foodies online.] :)

Pica-pica:
Ham and Cheese Mini Sandwiches.
Because Pinoy Christmas won't be complete without the traditional hamon and queso de bola combi, and because there's no way on earth I could possibly get my hands on Hamon Excelente (in Quiapo) or on a Marca Pina queso de bola, we will settle for Ham from Honeybaked and Edam from Redwood Cheezly as palaman with our favorite Sister Schubert yeast rolls.

Castanas
That is, if I could find some.

Soup:
Chicken Mami.
Because we all need a little pampainit this winter season.

Main Courses:
Pancit Malabon.
For long life.

Crispy Pata or Lechon Kawali.
To balance out the long life, hehe.

Bangus Relleno
My aunts make the best version of this dish. Will remember to ask for the recipe. :)

Seafood Paella
We traditionally also have Biringhi/Bringhe on our Noche Buena table. But because I don't think I could do justice to it the way my Aunts do it, I will probably settle for the (relatively) easier Spanish (Epicurious') version. Anyway, I saw a mix of seafoods from Sam's Club so kanin na lang (and a little saffron) ulam na, hehe.

Kaldereta ala Tito Noel.
Our friend, Noel, makes the best kaldereta this side of the eastern seaboard. I have to ask him for the recipe (again!) because I keep forgetting/losing it. Thinking about it just makes me crrrrrave.

Dessert:
Bibingka.
Pakso eh, what else, di ba? Though I hope to make two versions, the (traditional) Rice Bibingka and the Cassava Bibingka.

Bread Pudding Ala Giada
I saw her do this on one of their Holiday specials. I'm itching to experiment, hehe. Anyway, hubby can always defer to my bibingka if he doesn't like how it turns out, hehe.

Christmas Cookies.
Will probably just get the ready-to-bake ones from the supermarket, hehe.

Yoo-hoo, there goes my menu! :) Bisita na lang ang kulang. :)

~~~

From my family to yours, may you all have a very merry, meaningful, and blessed Holiday season! And a very busog one, too. :)

[TOPIC: I WANT THIS KITCHEN GADGET]

2007-12-15T01:00:00.000+08:00

With the proliferation of Cooking Reality Shows and Food Network's boom, it's easier now more than ever to be a food and/or cooking enthusiast. Whether your experience in the kitchen rivals the Iron Chef or can make your 5-year old be a genius in her play kitchen, I'm pretty sure as a wife (and as a woman!) you have your ultimate Dream Kitchen plan all figured out in your mind.

If the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, we should start mapping our way to get to it, right? Wifeys, go ahead and dream a little, share with us your most coveted Kitchen gadgets!

kitchen wishlist

2007-12-11T10:14:00.000+08:00

Since we got most of our kitchen wishlist from wedding gifts and after my meticulous husband invested on some of it, what I really really want now are these kitchen gadgets which would make my baking and cooking life really easy.

A Kitchen Aid Professional 600 series stand mixer in RED CAYENNE, I swear this is the best gadget for baking. I have tried using this from my mom's kitchen (which she has about 4 of this as she needed it in her baking business), this is the best for making that perfect sponge, chiffon and mocha cake, well practically almost all of the pastries and cakes you want to create to perfection.

and these collection from Oneida where else:

6-pc Tool set

Aluminum Roaster

5 pc Bakeware Setand Oneida's Cook n Pour Stainless Steel and Non-Stick Saute and Fry Pan IN ALL SIZES!!!

i wish i wish!

My Kusina Tech Toys

2007-12-11T04:00:00.000+08:00

I used to dread cooking, let alone hardly knew how. However, having been a domesticated partygirl for the last few years, I just found myself lured, pans and all, into the mental and aerobic exercise that is cooking. :)

And I also found out that having the right kitchen gadgets make preparing meals an easier, more fun, less stressful, and more motivating experience. Nowadays, I can't leave a mall unless I make a quick stop (to browse!!) at Sur Le Table or Williams-Sonoma or until I go home with at least a sandok from Ikea.

Here's my list of wanna-haves.

SANTOKU KNIVES BY FURI

GLOBAL HOLLOW GROUND USUBA

Before I break out into song about Knives (cuts like a knife), I have to agree that having a precise and balanced knife is the best favor a cook/chef can do for her/himself. Right now, I am using the walmart-version of the santoku and it already works well-enough for me. What more if I had the top of the line, specially-fitted just-for-me one??? Di ba, di ba??

Right now, I am leaning towards the Global knife (same knife my fave Giada uses) because its part chef's knife and part cleaver - very versatile! And though it may be a hundred bucks a pop, I won't probably need any more knives for as long as I live.

LE CREUSET 12-PC COOKWARE

From oven to table. Ganda no? I had the chance to cook with these at a friend's house and I have to say, I'm a fan. It's the best for slow-cooking savory meals, it's made out of cast iron so it has great heat-retention, plus it's dishwasher-safe!! Gotta love that.

RUFFONI COPPER 10-PC COOKWARE

Or why not copper-pans? Cute kasi orange, hehe. Seriously, I want copper cookware, too. As if naman its great heat-conduction quality will be of any help to my cooking, hehe!

CALPHALON STAINLESS 13-PC COOKWARE

From stove-top to oven to broiler! Dishwasher-safe! I'd like the roaster, too (sold separately).

Ooops. Will probably need new cupboards to store all of my new cookware, hehe. Perhaps add na rin some additional countertops for these:

CUISINART STAINLESS FOOD PROCESSOR

Because of Ina Garten, I have a newfound respect for food processors. Not to demote or complain about my personal manual chopper, slicer, shredder, and mixer (i.e hubby), I think this processor will get more work done and faster (and with less reklamo, hehe!).

KITCHENAID PRO 500 STAND MIXER

I'm currently using those el cheapo hand-mixers now and, if I could total all of the hand-mixers I've destroyed (or how may times I've made utos to hubby to rush to wal-mart to get a me another mixer because my cheap one broke in the middle of whipping butter!), nakabili na sana ako nitong Kitchenaid. And with all of those beautiful attachments... they just make my heart beat faster, hehe.

CUISINART CONVECTION BREADMAKER

Aside from the joy of making my own bread, its a wonderful, natural, savory, kitchen air-fresherner! Imagine hubby coming home to the smell of newly-baked (perfect, un-burned) bread? As big sandwich fans, we'd love this!

CUISINART ICE CREAM MAKER

Homemade ice-cream or gelato or sorbet in less than 20 minutes (plus freezing time, kasi this one doesn't have a built-in compressor). Nevertheless, it will definitely serve its purpose, probably more than a few times sa amin, hehe.

IMARFLEX TURBO BROILER

Pwera biro, if I could only hand-carry one of these from home, I would! They're just so darn expensive here! I grew up eating turbo chicken, didn't you? I just love how the chicken comes out almost-fat-free, moist, and perfect every time.

Pramis, if I win the lotto and finally get all of these, you're definitely invited to my dinner party. Just imagine how much better my Tinola Pot Pie would taste like cooked with these? :D

Perhaps, I may even be able to serve your food on these pretty things:

VIETRI DINNERWARE IN CUCINA FRESCA

Ahhh, fabulous!

O siya, allez mangarap! :)

Kitchen (Not) Confidential

2007-12-11T03:00:00.000+08:00

I love cooking as much as I love, well, eating so to me, preparing a meal doesn’t always seem like it’s a daunting task. I’ve had several kitchen mishaps, and cooking arroz caldo is still something of a mystery to me but these “sheer accidents” do not stop me from trying and learning new and fun ways to make cooking an adventure.

Here are some of the items on my Kitchen Gadget wish list:

Built-In Oven – I currently have this really small oven, and like meldita, it can only fit a small tray of whatever. I’d love to have a bigger one, preferably built-in, so it’s more space-efficient.

Refrigerator – Same reason as the oven, I’d love to have a bigger fridge for more storage.

Viking 8-Piece Pots and Pans – According to Anthony Bourdain, a serious cook must have at least a good set of stainless cookware. Strong enough to whack someone’s head apparently, as these babies are made to withstand all kitchen shenanigans. Ideally I’d love to have this Viking set, which expectedly costs an arm and a leg, but I’m pretty sure it can outlast even my lifetime.

Cuisinart Griddler –I’d love to have this for those quick skillet meals. Works great on table tops.

Cannoli Form Set – we went to J’s holiday party last Friday, and among other things, a bevy of dessert was laid out. I don’t normally go crazy over desserts, but when I had a bite of the pistachio cannolis, goodness. Suffice it to say, I loved every bite of one. and another. and another. So I’d love to take a crack at making this Italian goody.

Me, cooking?!

2007-12-11T02:00:00.000+08:00

I'm really not into cooking. I have a fear of cooking. Well, cooking main dishes that is. I'm afraid that I'd fail, which happens a lot! But I like/love to cook pasta and sauces, desserts and baking.

I want a big kitchen, with A/C (if here in the Philippines). That's one reason why I don't like cooking, it's hot! Anyway, if I'll ever have my big kitchen, I'd love to have:

a big oven. since i like to bake, I'd like to have one of this. Ours is just a small one and baking cupcakes or cookies is somehow expensive since I can only make about 12 cupcakes at a time.

Since I like baking cake/cookies/cupcakes, I'd like to have some tools for decorating. I want the Wilton 52 pc. Master Tip Set. Hay! I should have bought this one from Joann since we were just few steps away from the store when we were still in Saginaw. Sayang!

I love spices. I put some in my pasta sauces. So to make the long story short, I like to have one Professional Select-a-Spice Satin Spice Rack. Astig o! As if I cook a lot!

Mi Cocina y Su Cocina

2007-12-11T01:00:00.000+08:00

I looooove cooking. It's not a chore to me, it's actually a stress-buster . I love thinking about what dishes I will cook tonight, tomorrow, some day. I can imagine the ingredients, the flavours, the plating! So to make a list of kitchen stuff I want is an epic in the making.

I am so inspired by Southern Europe/ Mediterranean (to Northern Africa) so it's not surprising that I am dreaming of a Tuscan kitchen and a Moorish dinner setting.

For the kitchen:

Mario Batalli's enamel and cast iron cookware collection in persimmon - the colour and the look just makes you think of pizza and pasta! To complement, there's nothing like top of the line, Le Creuset stoneware in flame or cherry - I especially would like to get the tagine and wok!

I fancy having a hanging rack filled with Mauviel copper cookware over an African marble-top central island fitted with a Viking electric hob and a wine cellar under the counter.

For dining, I would like to have this Italian-made, Provençal style dinnerware matched with these mother of pearl flatware matched with coloured glassware.

[TOPIC: I WANT THIS "BATH, BODY & THE WORKS" SHOWCASE!]

2007-12-08T12:00:00.000+08:00

Wifeys, not to smell good is never (read: NEVER) an option! Whether you're a full time homemaker tied to the kitchen half the time you're awake, an architect inspecting construction sites under the sweltering heat of the sun, an executive making your way up the corporate ladder (if you're not at the top already!), whoever you are and whatever you do, there's just no excuse not to smell fresh and pleasant.

Smelling good need not be expensive. There are so many products available today that every wifey is sure to find one that suits the budget. From hair care (shampoo, conditioner, styling products), bath products (soap, body wash, shower gel, bubble bath) body care (lotions, moisturizers, body butters), body mists, colognes, eau de toilettes and perfumes, one can smell good from head to toe the moment you step into the shower. Toiletries are in fact, some of the more popular gifts to give.

That said, what's on your "bath, body and the works" wish list? ;)

Smell me

2007-12-04T22:13:00.000+08:00

This product trully makes me happy :D I was supposed to include here the moonflower bath and body works set of The Body Shop but I guess the product retired already. There's a variety of new products I recently saw from their site so maybe I can try them out next week and see which one will replace Moonflower on my list.

Mmmmmm, Smells Good! ;)

2007-12-04T03:00:00.000+08:00

It was my Mom who introduced me to the wonderful world of "scents". She often goes on business trips and in my late teens, I usually got a bottle of "eau de toilette" until I had quite a number of them in various attractive bottles by different brands. So many new lines have come and gone but I still find myself drawn to the ones I first in love with so many years ago. :D I'd be thrilled to receive any of the following:

Estee Lauder's "Beautiful" - I'd be happy with the bottle of edt but if it came in a gift set, I'd be doubly thrilled! ;)

"Wings" by Giorgio Beverly Hills

"Fleu Deau" by Rochas

"Pleasures" by Estee Lauder

Miracle" by Lancome

"Light Blue" by Dolce & Gabbana

Dami 'no? Hee hee! Meron pa! For everyday use, I'd love these treats from Victoria's Secret's "Secret Garden Collection":

"Romantice Wish" - the works: shower gel, body mist, lotion, etc.

"Pure Seduction"

body butter ;) (Romantic Wish & Pure Seduction)

Meron pa, pero tama na. Hehehe! :D My apologies to Bath and Body Works dahil hindi ko sila naisama. :D

ps: So sorry kung sabog-sabog lumabas ang entry. Hee hee! I'm not very used to uploading images in blogger. :D

Olfactory Overload

2007-12-04T02:00:00.000+08:00

I have to admit, I am not kikay when it comes to body and bath products. I can actually do with any store bought shampoo, conditioner, or soap. Even hotel toiletries, as long as they can cause a lather, are ok with me.

Pero syempre, like the true inner girly-girl, if allowed to splurge on some products, these would be on my list.

PHILOSOPHY HOPE IN A JAR MOISTURIZER
For those of us who could never get moisturized enough, yes, there is hope. :D

OBAGI SKIN CARE LINE
I've heard so many raves about this product that I am so interested to try it.

AVEDA RITUAL OF RELIEF FOR HANDS AND FEET
Lord knows, with all the housework I do, my hands and feet need them! I'm choosing Aveda products simply because their products are earth-friendly and all-natural. The world needs a ritual of relief, too. :)

PHYTOJOBA SHAMPOO AND PHYTOJOBA MASK
Apparently, it's the best product out there to combat dry hair (my dry hair, in fact). Either this or the Phytopanama one would be much appreciated, hehe.

KERASTASE NUTRITIVE MASQUINTESE
I am a certified believer of this deep conditioning product. I don't know why its so hard to get this here in the US (unless you buy it online, of course), which is why everytime someone goes home to pinas, I ask them to get this for me. *nagpaparinig*

PAUL LABRECQUE DAILY CONDITIONER
This product has marine sea mud, minerals, seaweed, and natural herb extracts. Something my hair needs everyday, hehe.

CRABTREE AND EVELYN LAVENDER FRENCH TRIPLE-MILLED SOAP
Wala lang. It just looks so luxurious. And I love lavender, too.

CHANEL NO5 SENSUAL ELIXIR
Will it really drive my man wild? :D

Well, this list really brought out the kikay in me, didn't it? Hopefully, after I use all of this altogether, mabango ang kalalabasan, hehe.

Jar-red

2007-12-04T01:00:00.000+08:00

Bath and beauty products make up the most of my impulse buying. Not that it helps me - I still have one of the worse skin conditions around (I blame it on my hormones). On my birthdays and at Christmas, it's safe to get a gift set from Crabtree & Evelyn - even Boots! - and I will most likely love it. I say you can't have too many jars of moisturisers and bath salts!

Bath: I am into the whole Mediterranean thing right now as it always make me feel like I am on holiday. I have been wanting to try Acqua di Parma's bath set and cologne. I even want their robes!

Body: I am such a fan of La Mer - if only I have a trust-fund to sustain my habit. I really, really want their Body Collection and Lip Balm. I would be so happy if I could get those two (as one of my 12 Gifts of Christmas). If that's too much then my back up is Dior's HydrAction Corps Body Sorbet Emulsion. While he's at the Dior counter, he might as well pick-up a bottle of Midnight Poison to complete my Dior Poison collection.

Beyond: Ultimate luxury is Giorgio Armani's Crema Nera there is no way I would spend that much for gook on my face. But the hubby should, so it tops my list. Otherwise, it's Crème de la Mer.

[TOPIC: I WANT THIS TECH TOY!]

2007-12-01T07:56:00.000+08:00

Who says that techie stuff are only for the big boys?! Nah, we wifeys don't need to be a part of the geek squad to want that hi-tech cellphone which has gps navigation on it and would enable us to check our emails and be online anytime and anywhere we want?! and who wouldn't want those gadgets that would make our life easier, safer, and much cooler!

So go ahead wifeys! Make that list of tech toys that you want this Christmas and show it to your husbands... or better yet, never stop singing the commercial jingle until he gets and gives you what you want! ;)

I likey likey...

2007-11-27T18:00:00.000+08:00

No beating around the bush. Here's my wish list in no particular order... ;)

1. a new laptop - The one I'm using right now is one of two company-issued laptops that hubby no longer uses. I just want something that's all mine. Hee hee. A Macbook would be nice. But
like every one else, I'm also a little scared of having to learn how to use it. I was in 2nd year college the last time I used a Mac. Those days, the Mac was but a teeny weeny box. :D

Since a Mac isn't exactly cheep, and since madali naman akong kausap, my second choice would be a red Dell Inspiron or Dell XPS...out of loyalt y because Dell is hubby's client and indirectly, it's the company that brought us to the US. ;)

2. a new camera - I'm ready to move up from the pocket-sized point and shoot thingies but not so far up the camera ladder. I'd like to be the proud owner of any one of these three...

Kodak EasyShare Z712

Fujifilm FinePix S700BK

Panasonic Lumix DMC - FZ8S

After I become a much improved photographer, only then will I move up to the DSLRs. ;)

3. videocam - Dahil kami na lang yata ang walang videocam. Hahaha! Seriously, I think this would be an invaluable tool to my stagemommying. ;) I really couldn't care less about the brand. But a Sony may be nice. Basta DVD format. ;)

Here are other not so urgent "I wants"...

-a TiVo
-a Wii dancemat plus the Dancing with the Stars game
-a dvd recorder

Now, if somebody could please point my hubby to this entry. Hahaha! May your wishes come true, wifeys and mommies everywhere! :D

isang hirit pa

2007-11-27T13:00:00.000+08:00

This yr i had enough with the gadgets muna, hay naku mga tao dito next sa food is GADGET importante sa kanila kaloka! so ako medyo na hihilig na din pero hindi naman sya next sa food noh! ;-)

so for my isang hirit mababaw lang hehe, i want a new ipod nano in 4gb na red!. gusto ko palitan ang old ipod nano ko mas maganda to kasi may video na rin plus need ko kasi pag mag commute sa train para hindi ma bored kuno and if nasa office na din pag naiingayan na sa mga co staff ko na mga japanese haha.

actually gusto ko sana iphone para all in one na kaya lang hindi pa or baka hindi na ma irelease dito sa japan ;-(

When you wish upon a star...

2007-11-27T03:00:00.001+08:00

I am an engineer. Being an engineer makes me a techie by heart. Everytime I see something in the web that cathes my fancy, my first response is, "That's cool. Should I save up for it?". But of course this is also true for shoes. Hehe.

I'm narrowing down my Techie wants into 3.

1. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle

It was my husband who wanted to get this initially. But because I have been addicted to the Wii these past couple of months, I wanted something new. This is perfect since I can get to play out my fantasies of being a Rockstar.

2. Asus EEE PC

It's small, it's lightweight, it's Linux, it's uber sexy. Plus the fact that the price tag is not that high, this makes for a realistic gift. Consider this if you already have a PC at home but would like to have a secondary PC to just lug around. This doesn't have much hard disk space (it's meant to be mobile after all), so it will just complement an existing PC.

3. Sony Ericsson K850i

As most people know, I like things cute. I almost always don't look at the features. Features are secondary, if it's not good looking, I won't bother to take a second look (kinda like choosing your mate, but then that's another story). So when I first saw this, I liked what I see. It may not be as sexy as the Chocolate brown K810i, but the colors are nice enough to warrant a look-see into the features. Of course, the 5-megapixel cybershot camera is really the cherry on top of the ice cream. :D

Yadda Yadda Yadda

2007-11-27T03:00:00.000+08:00

I can't think of anything I distinctly like in the gadget department. Perhaps a Blackberry would be nice, but I don't like the fact that it's another reason to be wired, and as it is, J thinks I'm adik to the internet already.

So, I thought it'd be nice to have the Seinfeld Complete Series. I know it isn't a gadget-techie item, but media all the same. That way, I don't have to watch the random re-runs on Fox 5 every 7pm and 11pm at night. I would've given this to J for christmas (hitting two birds in one stone ba :) ), but two years ago I gifted him with a boxed Friends episode, so medyo redundant na. I hope he gets the picture. :D

in my dreams...

2007-11-27T02:00:00.000+08:00

Diretsyahan na!

I want a new laptop that is fast. Nagsasawa na ko sa kaka format nitong laptop ko. Sa kaka format ko, ang dami ko ng deleting booboos. So, I want the VAIO SZ SERIES NOTEBOOK (model: VGN-SZ691N/X). hay, in my dreams.

I also want to have my own portable hard drive, wala lang... ang laki laki kasi ng external hard drive namin, nakakatamad bitbitin. (Model: Western Digital Passport 160GB USB 2.0 Portable 2.5" External Hard Drive)

Lastly, I also want to have this Genius G-Pen 4500. Since I often use Photoshop for Digital Scrapping, feeling ko this will make it easier for me. Feeling graphic artist! hahaha!!!

Pixels and Bytes

2007-11-27T01:00:00.000+08:00

I am not a real tech-geek, but next to my technologically-challenged husband, I look like a Silicon Valley exec. Considering that my "Santa" wouldn't know an N72 from an N82, I better get graphic with my list:

Phone - My sister has put Nokia behind her and recently switched to Sony Ericsson and my dad has a video call-capable phone too and I want in! I have my heart set on a P1i, but I am tempted with the N82. Knowing Nokia though, I will wait for the next generation or at least the 8GB version.

Camera - Although I fancy buying Sony's pink Cybershot point-and-shoot (with an eye to adding Swarovski crystals to it), I think I am over that and would really like to get a serious camera so I can digitally document my travels, my food, my life. So could I please, please, please have a silver case Canon Rebel Xti kit with a couple of photography classes. Throw in an underwater case too, if you can.

Notebook - For a couple of years I have been thinking of switching to a MAC and I quite fancy a 15.4in MacBook Pro. And maybe the 80GB iPod. Whatever.

[TOPIC: I WANT THIS BAG/SHOES!]

2007-11-24T08:01:00.000+08:00

Malamig ang simoy ng hangin. And with the change in weather comes the Christmas Season! What a better way to prepare for the season than to prepare your husband with an a list of things that you would want stuffed in your Christmas stockings right? We call this round, the I WANT THIS round. So let the materialistic mayhem begin!

No outfit is ever complete without a great bag and lovable shoes to complement it. Do you have a pair of shoes that you are lusting over? Or a bag that you are going completely gaga on? Tell us about it!

Clueless...

2007-11-20T14:41:00.000+08:00

I'm really clueless when it comes to bags. I'm more of the sling-type-bag user. Ayaw ko kasi ng bag na kinakaray karay sa kamay ko. I want to shop freely, yung hindi ko iisipin na baka madukutan ako, hehehe!

Anyway, my mom's the one who loves bags. It was my first time to shop for bags with her last May 2007 and dang, I fell in love with the Coach Patchwork Tote that was only 10% off! (bwiset, bagong labas kasi e). Sorry I can't find a picture but as I remember it, it's composed of pastel colors. Hay, ang mahal! I also saw a friend carrying a Liz Claiborne bag similar to the Patchwork, pastel din kaso I never found it in the stores. Sayang. If given a chance (naks, given o), I think I am a tote bag person, I'll have the LV Neverfull. Tote nga ba ang tawag dito? (Sabi ko sa inyo clueless ako sa bags)

I really want to have a Lacoste shoes before i get old for this kind of shoes, parang ang sarap sarap sa paa ng sapatos nila. I haven't tried it. I don't even bother going inside their shop (in Pinas) since I know I'm not going to buy it. Nanghihinayang ako! Labo! Kaya, I'm just going to wait for somebody to give it to me. *grins*

I Want I Want

2007-11-20T03:00:00.000+08:00

Wala nang paligoy-ligoy, let's go! :D

I am a self-confessed purse-luvver, which is why out of all the footwear out there, this is the only one I have set my eyes on. It a Tory Burch Patent Wedge. Pero knowing my personal Santa (i.e. hubby) he prefers flats for me and, since I'm not too mapili, I could do with a Tory Burch flat instead, hehe.

And now for the pursessss. :D

I want this, the Matrioska Media Shopper, Fendi's version of the LV Neverfull, hehe. As a mom, I appreciate big put-all-of-them-in-there purses. Bago pa malaspag ang Neverfull, dapat may ka-relyebo, di ba?

Like AbbyG and TheDivineMissM, I am pining for a Balenciaga, too. (Wow, may Balenciaga fans club pala dito!) Pero mine is for the purple (mala-eggplant) version of the Twiggy. Pero, as I said, ok na rin ako kahit Black, Olive Green, White...

And finally, from the House of Monograms. I want THESE...

LV Mini Lin Croissette Marina (Blue).

Or the Speedy version (Blue din, or pwede na rin Red).

LV Neo Cabby (Black or pwede na rin Blue Denim)

LV Mahina XL (Black)

Just to name a few. Meron pang iba kaya lang I don't want to push it, hehe.

Di bale, good girl naman ako this entire year di ba? Naku sana manalo na sa lotto si Santa. :D

Exchange Gifts

2007-11-20T02:00:00.001+08:00

Of course I am dying for a Birkin or a Kelly but unless my husband wins in the Lotería de Navidad, that's not gonna happen. In fact, that's what I'll get him for Christmas, a couple of lotería tickets!

For this Christmas I want, I want, I want a Balenciaga City bag with the matching wallet and cosmetic bag thingy that - get this - have been bought in Spain (in time for the loteria). Just as with my tourist junk, and my pencil collection, I want each one of my (nice) bags to come from their country of origin. I might even get a VAT refund, who knows.

I also want the Bottega Veneta's signature Intrecciato leather shopper ... ooohhh, but that can wait for Valentine's ;-). I would just go for the Intrecciato leather wallet with gold chain detail to go with the Balenciaga bag

(honey, please put some Euros inside, for luck). And with a pair of BV's leather flats, who cares if I am wearing 2XL sweatshop couture from Tesco, jajaja.

For shoes, I have been dreaming of a pair of red-soled patent leather pumps peep toes, and they don't have to come from Paris!