Erm… What a new improvement the city hall has….
Do other state rating the food premises' toilet in this way too?
Or they didn’t even bother to know??
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Rating?
This is the food premises toilet star rating issued by the Kota Kinabalu City Hall…
Erm… What a new improvement the city hall has….
Do other state rating the food premises' toilet in this way too?
Or they didn’t even bother to know??
Erm… What a new improvement the city hall has….
Do other state rating the food premises' toilet in this way too?
Or they didn’t even bother to know??
Silly Girls!
LILLIAN AND ALEXA HAVING FUN!
Great News!! Lillian went potty on the potty chair for the first time this morning!! Yay Lillian!
She doesn't like putting her butt over the little hole of her potty chair (she must not like the feeling or something), so she just sits on the edge. Needless to say, everything ended up on the floor, BUT the concept was there.
Target; Walgreens; Donating Stuff
Well, after I learned my lesson from my last grocery store trips, I waited to do my major coupon shopping until Caleb was in preschool. Shopping with only one kiddo is infinitely easier.
So today I went to Target and spent $66.26. A big chunk of that was some summer clothes for Isaac and Caleb--I bought 5 pairs of cute shorts at $4 each (good deal!). I also splurged on some new cups for Caleb, since he's chewed on the tops of his other cups (that he's had for a couple of years), and he still needs sippies for his preschool lunches, car trips, etc. But here are the highlights of the other things I got:
******************
I also stopped by Walgreens today for my first foray into couponing there. It was actually a bit intimidating! You have to really know what you are looking for. I ended up getting only one item: Skintimate shaving cream. I paid $2.49 and I got $3 in Register Rewards, which I can use as a credit on my next purchase. The plan is to keep using those Register Rewards to buy more stuff, get more Register Rewards, etc. In the end, Walgreens should be paying me to shop there. We'll see. I'm starting small!
******************
Now, some of the stuff that I get from couponing is stuff that I don't normally use. My plan with couponing is to use it as a tool to not only help my budget, but to help others as well. I took the boys with me a couple of weeks ago to donate some food to our city's Family Services Center. I expected to just drop off some stuff and go, but I actually had a man strike up a conversation with me while I was there. He wanted to thank me for donating items, and he told me his story of how he got there. Just a few months ago, he was employed and making over $80K per year. But then he got laid off--out of the blue--and he didn't have much savings to fall back on. So now he's gone from living comfortably to depending on the generosity of others to make it. He has two children.
This really made an impact on me. All I had donated that day was some baby food jars that we'd had left from Caleb (that stuff has a really long shelf life!!), some disposable diapers that Isaac was too big to wear, and some other miscellaneous stuff like that. Nothing huge. And I thought, "How can I do more?"
So while I research all this couponing stuff, I keep that man in my mind. Every time I see a coupon for something that I don't think I'll use, I think, "Could the food bank use that product?" If the answer is yes, then I go ahead and clip the coupon. If I come across a deal where I can get it for free or dirt cheap, I'll pick it up so I can donate it.
Yes, it takes extra time. Yes, it actually ends up costing me a little money (although I do get tax benefits from the donations). But I feel that it's the right thing for me to do.
All that said, if you see weird stuff on my shopping trip posts and start wondering why I would buy that, more than likely it's because I'm going to donate it.
And yes, this hits on another subject that is dear to me: the environment. I always feel a tinge of guilt when I buy things that are in small packages just to get a deal, or when I buy cleaning supplies at a great price when normally I wouldn't allow them in my home (many of those cleaning supplies are just toxic, and we try to use all natural stuff here). But ultimately I had to decide that people come first, and if I can help people, then I will do that before I help the environment. That's just my conviction right now. Of course, I do try to limit my purchases of those types of things anyway.
I'm just a walking conundrum, I know. But who isn't?
So today I went to Target and spent $66.26. A big chunk of that was some summer clothes for Isaac and Caleb--I bought 5 pairs of cute shorts at $4 each (good deal!). I also splurged on some new cups for Caleb, since he's chewed on the tops of his other cups (that he's had for a couple of years), and he still needs sippies for his preschool lunches, car trips, etc. But here are the highlights of the other things I got:
- Mega pack (184 count) of Huggies wipes--$.49
- 8 Johnson's Buddies soaps--FREE
- Pledge multi-surface spray--$.74
- Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner--$1.75
- 2 Barilla Whole Grain pasta--$.74 each
- 2 Musselman applesauce 4-packs--$1.00 each
- Jello pudding 6-pack--$1.44
- Diet Dr. Pepper 2-liter--FREE
- 2 Steamfresh Veggies--$.65 each
******************
I also stopped by Walgreens today for my first foray into couponing there. It was actually a bit intimidating! You have to really know what you are looking for. I ended up getting only one item: Skintimate shaving cream. I paid $2.49 and I got $3 in Register Rewards, which I can use as a credit on my next purchase. The plan is to keep using those Register Rewards to buy more stuff, get more Register Rewards, etc. In the end, Walgreens should be paying me to shop there. We'll see. I'm starting small!
******************
Now, some of the stuff that I get from couponing is stuff that I don't normally use. My plan with couponing is to use it as a tool to not only help my budget, but to help others as well. I took the boys with me a couple of weeks ago to donate some food to our city's Family Services Center. I expected to just drop off some stuff and go, but I actually had a man strike up a conversation with me while I was there. He wanted to thank me for donating items, and he told me his story of how he got there. Just a few months ago, he was employed and making over $80K per year. But then he got laid off--out of the blue--and he didn't have much savings to fall back on. So now he's gone from living comfortably to depending on the generosity of others to make it. He has two children.
This really made an impact on me. All I had donated that day was some baby food jars that we'd had left from Caleb (that stuff has a really long shelf life!!), some disposable diapers that Isaac was too big to wear, and some other miscellaneous stuff like that. Nothing huge. And I thought, "How can I do more?"
So while I research all this couponing stuff, I keep that man in my mind. Every time I see a coupon for something that I don't think I'll use, I think, "Could the food bank use that product?" If the answer is yes, then I go ahead and clip the coupon. If I come across a deal where I can get it for free or dirt cheap, I'll pick it up so I can donate it.
Yes, it takes extra time. Yes, it actually ends up costing me a little money (although I do get tax benefits from the donations). But I feel that it's the right thing for me to do.
All that said, if you see weird stuff on my shopping trip posts and start wondering why I would buy that, more than likely it's because I'm going to donate it.
And yes, this hits on another subject that is dear to me: the environment. I always feel a tinge of guilt when I buy things that are in small packages just to get a deal, or when I buy cleaning supplies at a great price when normally I wouldn't allow them in my home (many of those cleaning supplies are just toxic, and we try to use all natural stuff here). But ultimately I had to decide that people come first, and if I can help people, then I will do that before I help the environment. That's just my conviction right now. Of course, I do try to limit my purchases of those types of things anyway.
I'm just a walking conundrum, I know. But who isn't?
Weekend..
(I forgot to "post" this yesterday...Sorry)
We had such a great weekend. One of those weekends that I prayed all winterfor and never really got. It was so relaxing and quiet. Adam made me my favorite meal, shrimp enchiladas with rice, Friday night for dinner. Instead of making enchiladas for the girls, Adam always makes them a quesadilla, because they don't like the enchilada sauce. Well, we quickly found out, that doesn't make our littlest Mexican very happy. Lillian flung her plate across the table and demanded the enchiladas off my plate. I gave in and shared with her (minus the shrimp, of course), but had Adam make me another one. I don't get them very often, so I had to take advantage. Yum!
Since the girls ate so well, literally everything on their plates, we treated them to ice cream at McDonalds and some time in the play place. We bundled up and walked over there, all hand in hand. The girls enjoyed themselves and Alexa even made a few friends. Needless to say, they were ready for bed as soon as we got home. Adam had picked us up a movie while at McDonalds, so we popped that in as soon as thegirls were sleeping. I fell asleep mid movie, but was awakened by a phone call from my brother Ben. He called to tell me how much fun he was having in California. I was half sleeping still, but could tell he was having a blast and was doing well, which is all I cared about.
Saturday we got up and ready for a trip to Anoka or Coon Rapids, whereverthe Riverdale Center is. I think we went to Anoka and then back to CoonRapids? All I know is that it was a pretty drive up 169. Adam and I had never been up that way before, so it was a new adventure. The girls were excellent riders, snacking on fruit snacks.
We met Wendy (Crista's Mom) at Target to pick up the clothes from Emma (Crista's niece). She so kindly gives all her very nice hand-me-downs to Alexa. Just so you all know, I don't shop at The Children's Place or Gymboree or anything like that, so when you see my kids wearing clothing with a name brand, it's most likely from the wonderful little red-headed Emma!! We are so grateful for her generosity. Alexa calls them her "Emma Clothes". We ran into Target to pick up a Birthday present for Alexa's friend Kaitlyn,whose party is on Thursday. She apparently likes My Little Ponies, so we went with that and some super cool sidewalk chalk.
It was when we were in Target that I discovered that Lillian is at the stage of her independence where she doesn't want to be carried anymore. She'll only sit in a cart if Alexa sits in the cart, too. She likes to dart down each aisle and "hide",and those tiny little legs of hers are quick. So, now we practice "holding hands".
Alexa gave us a beautiful fashion show of all of her new "Emma Clothes" when we got home. She tried on each outfit in the heaping garbage bag. She was thrilled at all the really "cool" clothes from Emma. There was even a swimsuit, a couple dance leotards and some shoes.
At 3:30 we met Vic and his wife Sara at the house we have an offer in on. We heard from the bank on Friday that they are sending another agent in to look at the house and give their best BPO (Brokers Price Opinion). If their estimate matches, or is close to the seller's agents BPO, then the house is OURS! The only way they would decline is if their agent feels that the house is worth more. We're praying that they come in close and they accept. Please continue to cross your fingers. We are remaining hopeful!
We fell in love with the house all over again Saturday. It was even more exciting for us because we had the girls with, seeing the house for the first time. They were so happy. They were running all over the place. There is a corner shower in the lower level and there is this little light in there that they thought was so cool. They were going in and out of the shower, laughing and giggling. There is so much open space in that house, it must have felt huge to them. They ran all over the back yard and up and down the front steps. It was great. I can't wait to be able to tell them that this is where we are going to live. The homeowners, George (Jay) and April, had left us a note, addressed to us on the table. It said they were so happy that we had chosen their house and wanted to assist us in any way they could. They were going to seed and fertilize the lawn this spring, and till the garden. They welcomed us to come early and plant, if we wanted. They were going to fix or replace a couple of the lights along the front sidewalk and asked Adam if he would like to meet him sometime to go over some things in the garage. The letter made us feel even more confident in everything, but the bottom line is it comes down to the bank, not the homeowners. They want to sell the house just as much, if not more, than we want to buy it. So again, we sit and wait. And again, I'll keep you posted.
We stopped for groceries on the way home. We made a quick grilled cheese sandwich and soup dinner so we could watch Washburn's boys basketball teamtake on Mankato East, or West (I really wasn't paying much attention,obviously)? A couple of the teens Adam works with played for Washburn, so it was fun to see them. They won, too!
Our Sunday was even more relaxing. We woke up and started to clean the house. I know, doesn't sound very relaxing, but it was! Alexa was in one of those "helper" modes, so she did a fantastic job of cleaning up her things. I was so proud of how well she listened and didn't whine. We areworking so hard on only having to tell her to do something "once". She's getting there. We did (okay Adam did) one of those thorough cleans, where he actually moved the couch to vacuum the floor underneath and vacuumedunder the cushions. He even vacuumed down the stairs. I did the laundryand the girls helped me put their clothes away. The cleaning chores are so much more fun when everybody helps.
Alexa then wanted to do some "homework". She got out an addition and subtraction workbook and started doing some math. I was so impressed with her addition (we didn't get to the subtraction part). She did about 6 pages and wanted to keep going, but I needed a break.
While Lillian took her nap, Adam and I went thru all of our paperwork for the house and put it in a binder for safe keeping and Alexa made a little tunnel out of this kit thing we bought her last year. She wanted to surprise Lillian when she woke up. Lillian was a little hesitant to go in it right away. She had to check it out and make sure it was all right before going in. Adam and I went in there to show her it was safe, so then she warmed up to it a little more. Alexa was so anxious for Lillian to get in and play with her, she tried pulling her, which scared her even more.
They opted to play puppies instead. Lillian and I were the puppy teachers and Alexa was the mommy of the puppies, who she named Horton, Teeney and Rootin. She would drop them off with Lillian and I and then return from"work" to pick them up and see how their days went. Lillian and I would tell her they either had a good day, or that one of them was biting, hitting or not listening to the teachers. We pretended that Rootin was having some problems with hitting and biting, so our reports to her were that he had lots of "time outs". After a few of these reports, she put her hands to her heart and said "My heart is just freaking out right now", to which I responded, "Why?" and she said "because my puppies are just having so many problems here at school and I just don't know what to do?" Adam and I had a good laugh!
Adam made us a delicious meal of chicken, stuffing and baked potatoes for dinner. The girls again ate very well. It's been awhile since Alexa hasn't cleared her plate. The girls took a bath, I braided Alexa's hair so she could have curly hair today and then off to bed. Adam and I watched Desperate Housewives and then went to bed ourselves. Weboth commented how great it felt to get a good nine hours of sleep.
We had such a great weekend. One of those weekends that I prayed all winterfor and never really got. It was so relaxing and quiet. Adam made me my favorite meal, shrimp enchiladas with rice, Friday night for dinner. Instead of making enchiladas for the girls, Adam always makes them a quesadilla, because they don't like the enchilada sauce. Well, we quickly found out, that doesn't make our littlest Mexican very happy. Lillian flung her plate across the table and demanded the enchiladas off my plate. I gave in and shared with her (minus the shrimp, of course), but had Adam make me another one. I don't get them very often, so I had to take advantage. Yum!
Since the girls ate so well, literally everything on their plates, we treated them to ice cream at McDonalds and some time in the play place. We bundled up and walked over there, all hand in hand. The girls enjoyed themselves and Alexa even made a few friends. Needless to say, they were ready for bed as soon as we got home. Adam had picked us up a movie while at McDonalds, so we popped that in as soon as thegirls were sleeping. I fell asleep mid movie, but was awakened by a phone call from my brother Ben. He called to tell me how much fun he was having in California. I was half sleeping still, but could tell he was having a blast and was doing well, which is all I cared about.
Saturday we got up and ready for a trip to Anoka or Coon Rapids, whereverthe Riverdale Center is. I think we went to Anoka and then back to CoonRapids? All I know is that it was a pretty drive up 169. Adam and I had never been up that way before, so it was a new adventure. The girls were excellent riders, snacking on fruit snacks.
We met Wendy (Crista's Mom) at Target to pick up the clothes from Emma (Crista's niece). She so kindly gives all her very nice hand-me-downs to Alexa. Just so you all know, I don't shop at The Children's Place or Gymboree or anything like that, so when you see my kids wearing clothing with a name brand, it's most likely from the wonderful little red-headed Emma!! We are so grateful for her generosity. Alexa calls them her "Emma Clothes". We ran into Target to pick up a Birthday present for Alexa's friend Kaitlyn,whose party is on Thursday. She apparently likes My Little Ponies, so we went with that and some super cool sidewalk chalk.
It was when we were in Target that I discovered that Lillian is at the stage of her independence where she doesn't want to be carried anymore. She'll only sit in a cart if Alexa sits in the cart, too. She likes to dart down each aisle and "hide",and those tiny little legs of hers are quick. So, now we practice "holding hands".
Alexa gave us a beautiful fashion show of all of her new "Emma Clothes" when we got home. She tried on each outfit in the heaping garbage bag. She was thrilled at all the really "cool" clothes from Emma. There was even a swimsuit, a couple dance leotards and some shoes.
At 3:30 we met Vic and his wife Sara at the house we have an offer in on. We heard from the bank on Friday that they are sending another agent in to look at the house and give their best BPO (Brokers Price Opinion). If their estimate matches, or is close to the seller's agents BPO, then the house is OURS! The only way they would decline is if their agent feels that the house is worth more. We're praying that they come in close and they accept. Please continue to cross your fingers. We are remaining hopeful!
We fell in love with the house all over again Saturday. It was even more exciting for us because we had the girls with, seeing the house for the first time. They were so happy. They were running all over the place. There is a corner shower in the lower level and there is this little light in there that they thought was so cool. They were going in and out of the shower, laughing and giggling. There is so much open space in that house, it must have felt huge to them. They ran all over the back yard and up and down the front steps. It was great. I can't wait to be able to tell them that this is where we are going to live. The homeowners, George (Jay) and April, had left us a note, addressed to us on the table. It said they were so happy that we had chosen their house and wanted to assist us in any way they could. They were going to seed and fertilize the lawn this spring, and till the garden. They welcomed us to come early and plant, if we wanted. They were going to fix or replace a couple of the lights along the front sidewalk and asked Adam if he would like to meet him sometime to go over some things in the garage. The letter made us feel even more confident in everything, but the bottom line is it comes down to the bank, not the homeowners. They want to sell the house just as much, if not more, than we want to buy it. So again, we sit and wait. And again, I'll keep you posted.
We stopped for groceries on the way home. We made a quick grilled cheese sandwich and soup dinner so we could watch Washburn's boys basketball teamtake on Mankato East, or West (I really wasn't paying much attention,obviously)? A couple of the teens Adam works with played for Washburn, so it was fun to see them. They won, too!
Our Sunday was even more relaxing. We woke up and started to clean the house. I know, doesn't sound very relaxing, but it was! Alexa was in one of those "helper" modes, so she did a fantastic job of cleaning up her things. I was so proud of how well she listened and didn't whine. We areworking so hard on only having to tell her to do something "once". She's getting there. We did (okay Adam did) one of those thorough cleans, where he actually moved the couch to vacuum the floor underneath and vacuumedunder the cushions. He even vacuumed down the stairs. I did the laundryand the girls helped me put their clothes away. The cleaning chores are so much more fun when everybody helps.
Alexa then wanted to do some "homework". She got out an addition and subtraction workbook and started doing some math. I was so impressed with her addition (we didn't get to the subtraction part). She did about 6 pages and wanted to keep going, but I needed a break.
While Lillian took her nap, Adam and I went thru all of our paperwork for the house and put it in a binder for safe keeping and Alexa made a little tunnel out of this kit thing we bought her last year. She wanted to surprise Lillian when she woke up. Lillian was a little hesitant to go in it right away. She had to check it out and make sure it was all right before going in. Adam and I went in there to show her it was safe, so then she warmed up to it a little more. Alexa was so anxious for Lillian to get in and play with her, she tried pulling her, which scared her even more.
They opted to play puppies instead. Lillian and I were the puppy teachers and Alexa was the mommy of the puppies, who she named Horton, Teeney and Rootin. She would drop them off with Lillian and I and then return from"work" to pick them up and see how their days went. Lillian and I would tell her they either had a good day, or that one of them was biting, hitting or not listening to the teachers. We pretended that Rootin was having some problems with hitting and biting, so our reports to her were that he had lots of "time outs". After a few of these reports, she put her hands to her heart and said "My heart is just freaking out right now", to which I responded, "Why?" and she said "because my puppies are just having so many problems here at school and I just don't know what to do?" Adam and I had a good laugh!
Adam made us a delicious meal of chicken, stuffing and baked potatoes for dinner. The girls again ate very well. It's been awhile since Alexa hasn't cleared her plate. The girls took a bath, I braided Alexa's hair so she could have curly hair today and then off to bed. Adam and I watched Desperate Housewives and then went to bed ourselves. Weboth commented how great it felt to get a good nine hours of sleep.
THE HAND BEHIND THE LETTERS
I have been tagged (again, and thanks!) by my good friend, Ron of In My Own Words, one of my favorite blogs.
They call this tag, “The Handwriting Tag”.
Honestly, I am not fond of “graphology”. I don’t believe in it. Besides, it scares me to find out what my penmanship will reveal about me. In short, I just write because I need to as it is required to communicate with others. That’s all!
Well, many have commented that my handwriting looks like a lady’s. Frankly, I noticed that, too. I do not know if that is a positive or negative comment. But what can I do?
The rules of this tag:
Write down who tagged you in white paper and your answer in numbers 2 and 3. Take a photo of it and upload the photo on your blog to show us what your handwriting looks like.
Answer these:
- your name/user name/pseudo
- right handed or left handed?
- Your favorite letters to write?
- Your least favorite letters to write?
- Write “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”
Tag five people.
I would like to victimize and see the handwriting of the following great bloggers:
1) Joel Lumen of The Daily Grind
2) KCee of Barefooted Me
3) Irish of Irish on Bizz
4) Xprosaic’s World
5) J. B. Masigan of ULTRAELECTROMAGNETICBLOG
They call this tag, “The Handwriting Tag”.
Honestly, I am not fond of “graphology”. I don’t believe in it. Besides, it scares me to find out what my penmanship will reveal about me. In short, I just write because I need to as it is required to communicate with others. That’s all!
Well, many have commented that my handwriting looks like a lady’s. Frankly, I noticed that, too. I do not know if that is a positive or negative comment. But what can I do?
The rules of this tag:
Write down who tagged you in white paper and your answer in numbers 2 and 3. Take a photo of it and upload the photo on your blog to show us what your handwriting looks like.
Answer these:
- your name/user name/pseudo
- right handed or left handed?
- Your favorite letters to write?
- Your least favorite letters to write?
- Write “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”
Tag five people.
I would like to victimize and see the handwriting of the following great bloggers:
1) Joel Lumen of The Daily Grind
2) KCee of Barefooted Me
3) Irish of Irish on Bizz
4) Xprosaic’s World
5) J. B. Masigan of ULTRAELECTROMAGNETICBLOG
LE. LOOK Oooo how I love thee....
Well I noticed today thanks to a little information from a gorgeous person that I had not included LE.LOOK! on my list of sites/blogs to visit. I was honestly shocked and quickly loaded up my page to see that they were correct, and much to my horror they were. How could I miss listing that.... I blame the amount of chocolate I have been eating lately. I don't know how that has anything to do with it, but that is my story and I am sticking to it.I quickly headed over to the LE.LOOK! SIM to do some shopping and to gather some information about this one stop shopping destination. LE.LOOK! takes pride in choosing the right designers for their unique fashion district. They have an abundance of choice, with over 70 male and female fashion labels for you to create your ultimate style. Boasting some of the biggest names in SecondLife, LE.LOOK! is the right choice for any budding fashionista. They really do have everything possible you could want to complete or enhance your look.
TP TO LE.LOOK! Fashion District!
They are very proud to have the following designers on the team:
Maitreya
Akeyo
AMG Boudoir | HAIR | SKIN
Aoharu
Aphrodite Creations
Atelier AM
Atomic Crush
AuMa
AW Design
Baiastice
Bax Coen
Beauty Avatar Couture
Belleza | MALE | FEMALE
BP OPEN
Calypso Giano
Candy Nail
Creamshop
Courtisane
Creamshop OPEN
Decoy
Den-Dou
dEVOL
Digit Darkes
DP*Serendipity
D-Skin
Dutch Touch
EarthStones
Enkythings
Fascino
Find Ash
Hot Dive
House of Heart
ICoN
Indyra Originals
Insolence
Issigonis
Kalnins
KoumB
Digital Dream
League
LeeZu!
LeLutka
LOTTA
MADesigns
Magika
mai
Redgrave
Marinesta
Meriken
MRM
Natura Designs
Nicky Ree
NoLabel
Philotic Energy OPEN
red Queen
Riviera Couture
S**t Luck
SG
Skin Within
Source
Subaru
UncleWeb Studio | MALE | FEMALE
Vanity Body
Vista
WMD
Yabusaka
Petit Ange
G Field
yumyum
Zaara
zullaydesigns
Beauty Avatar Couture
Belleza | MALE | FEMALE
BP OPEN
Calypso Giano
Candy Nail
Creamshop
Courtisane
Creamshop OPEN
Decoy
Den-Dou
dEVOL
Digit Darkes
DP*Serendipity
D-Skin
Dutch Touch
EarthStones
Enkythings
Fascino
Find Ash
Hot Dive
House of Heart
ICoN
Indyra Originals
Insolence
Issigonis
Kalnins
KoumB
Digital Dream
League
LeeZu!
LeLutka
LOTTA
MADesigns
Magika
mai
Redgrave
Marinesta
Meriken
MRM
Natura Designs
Nicky Ree
NoLabel
Philotic Energy OPEN
red Queen
Riviera Couture
S**t Luck
SG
Skin Within
Source
Subaru
UncleWeb Studio | MALE | FEMALE
Vanity Body
Vista
WMD
Yabusaka
Petit Ange
G Field
yumyum
Zaara
zullaydesigns
The LE.LOOK! worldpress site has an abundance of information on it, and is a great site to stop and have a look at. The site contains information about LE.LOOK! and how it came about, how to join the LE.LOOK! Group, LE.LOOK! Exclusives, LE.LOOK! Fashion & Style and even a LE.LOOK! Gallery. There is so much stuff to look at on this baby, you will have to go back over and over again!
http://lelooksl.wordpress.com/
One major thing that I love about LE.LOOK! is their Stylist Search! While I was at the LE.LOOK! Sim I grabbed an entry form, but realized I was to late for this month, so hopefully they will do it again next month so I can enter LOL. I thought I would post some information about it here now so you can get an idea about the stylist search and you might want to think about entering next month as well. It's a fantastic opportunity to work with some of the best in SL!
( From the application picked up from the LE.LOOK! Sim)LE.LOOK! is excited to announce a competition where your style is appreciated! We are asking you to be creative, fun and enthusiastic, bringing new concepts of fashion into view! This is your time to be LE.LOOK!
ABOUT
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Show us 2 different outfits from the stores at LE.LOOK! mixing and matching articles of clothing, accessories and skins available at LE.LOOK! A complete look is advisable but not necessary.
This competition is an opportunity for all Second Life stylists to,
- be imaginative
- get inspired by LE.LOOK! designers
- inspire others
We will choose two female and two male who will become the LE.LOOK! Stylists for April 2009.
COMPETITION RULES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) The competition will be decided upon by a panel of judges ONLY. This is not a voting competition.
2) The dates set for the competition are absolute and binding. The final date for entry is March 30th, 2009 at 12pm SLT.
3) You are expected to complete and submit the LE.LOOK! Stylist Search entry form.
4) You must be a LE.LOOK! group member.
5) You must have LE.LOOK! in your picks.
6) X-rated pictures will NOT be accepted.
7) You have to put 2 different outfits all presenting mix and matches from items available at LE.LOOK! including skins, hair, clothing and accessories. This is an advantage.
8) One full body shot of each of the 2 outfits is required. Photos can be modified. They do not have to be snapshots.
9) Photos ideally to be taken at the LE.LOOK! sim.
COMPETITION OPPORTUNITIES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- showcasing your personal style and skills
- exposure through LE.LOOK! Media Outlooks, such as: LE.LOOK! Catalogue (for the specific month), Group, Blog, FlickR and Poster
- editorial pictures taken by the talented Jordan Giant and James Schwarz
- all items used in your editorial outfits may be kept
IF YOU WIN - WHATS EXPECTED
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- You will work with Jula Carrnell once the winner is announced to put together outfits from LE.LOOK! These will appear on the blog and group notices
- You will have pictures taken to showcase your new LE.LOOK! Style.
- Be available weekly for editorial shoots with Jordan Giant and James Schwarz.
COMPETITION SELECTION
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prospects may be asked to visit with the judges for a meet and greet. You may be asked to wear one of the outfits from the entry. This is where your personality shines! We at LE.LOOK! have quality and fashion in mind and we need your fresh face and ideas to help us identify with all kinds of fashion in LE.LOOK!
The competition winners will be announced on Wednesday 1st.
We look forward to seeing your concepts come to life!
Check out LE.LOOK! BLOG: http://lelooksl.wordpress.com/
Have fun and best of luck to you all!
So make sure you head over there and have a look. They really do have everything and everything is of the best quality you can find on Second Life. Actually I think I am going to go back and have another look now, there was this certain pair of shoes I had my eyes on.
Take care,
Jennaa xoxo
Monday, March 30, 2009
FICO Deal Ending Tuesday
Knowing your FICO score is important if you are looking to get a new home, apartment, job, car, etc. We are looking to refinance in the near future, so we wanted to check our scores.
I had never heard of a sale on FICO scores before, but sure enough, there's one going on now! The problem is that it ends on March 31. So if you don't know your FICO score and think you might need it, I suggest you take advantage of the deal now!
Just go to www.myfico.com and you'll see instructions at the top of the screen on how to get 30% off any product there. This is the official site for FICO scores, so don't worry about scams.
You can get free credit reports each year from the three major credit bureaus by going to www.annualcreditreport.com. Everyone should take advantage of this yearly so you can make sure there are no mistakes on your credit. Please note that this site does not give you free FICO scores--just the credit reports.
I had never heard of a sale on FICO scores before, but sure enough, there's one going on now! The problem is that it ends on March 31. So if you don't know your FICO score and think you might need it, I suggest you take advantage of the deal now!
Just go to www.myfico.com and you'll see instructions at the top of the screen on how to get 30% off any product there. This is the official site for FICO scores, so don't worry about scams.
You can get free credit reports each year from the three major credit bureaus by going to www.annualcreditreport.com. Everyone should take advantage of this yearly so you can make sure there are no mistakes on your credit. Please note that this site does not give you free FICO scores--just the credit reports.
Homemade Bread Recipe
I have started making this wheat bread about 2 times per week. It's been a few weeks since I've bought any bread from the store! When I started reading the ingredients on the 100% whole wheat bread that I normally buy, I decided that I could do it at home and make it healthier and yummier.
I based my recipe on this one, with only a couple of changes. You can use oil in place of the applesauce if you don't have any, but I always keep unsweetened, natural applesauce on hand for baking. I never use oil in baked goods if I can help it--applesauce is healthier and tastes better! You can also experiment with different additives--in today's loaf I'm adding some wheat germ to help balance out the white flour!
Ingredients
I based my recipe on this one, with only a couple of changes. You can use oil in place of the applesauce if you don't have any, but I always keep unsweetened, natural applesauce on hand for baking. I never use oil in baked goods if I can help it--applesauce is healthier and tastes better! You can also experiment with different additives--in today's loaf I'm adding some wheat germ to help balance out the white flour!
Ingredients
1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F.)
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons applesauce
4 tablespoons honey (local, if possible)
1 teaspoon (kosher) salt
2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons ground flax meal (optional)
1 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
Directions
1. Put all the ingredients in the bread machine in the order listed. Before adding the yeast, make a little "well" in the flour to put the yeast in. Yeast shouldn't touch the wet ingredients.
2. Set on dough cycle (takes about 90 minutes).
3. When the dough cycle is finished, take it out and press it into a very lightly greased loaf pan (I use a little Pam olive oil or canola oil spray).
4. Cover the pan and let the dough rise in a warm place for 20-45 minutes (until it has doubled in size).
5. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Friendship
Friendship:
/ˈfrɛndʃɪp/ [frend-ship]
–noun
1.
the state of being a friend; association as friends: to value a person's friendship.
2.
a friendly relation or intimacy.
3.
friendly feeling or disposition.
Friendship is one of the most wonderful gifts we can ever be given. Friendships come naturally with your family members, some friendships become what they are because we share common interests with people, many people make friends as children and form friendships that last a lifetime. I will be sending this card to one of my childhood friends who is having a tough time right now.
This card was created for the Mojo Monday 76 challenge. The base cardstock is a very light aqua blue shimmer. De-lish! The print paper is from the SEI Brigeport collection. The sentiment stamp is from Stampendous and the butterfly is from Northwoods. The ribbon is from Amuse and the bling is from my stash. If you see something you like/need, you can get it here.
Happy Monday,
Esplanade @ Singapore
This is another post from Singapore....
Took by Ms Wang too..... In Esplanade....
So, not only Malaysians but Singaporeans do like to put their tissue ON the dustbin ya...
Took by Ms Wang too..... In Esplanade....
So, not only Malaysians but Singaporeans do like to put their tissue ON the dustbin ya... 
Velocity in Singapore
After Vivocity.. Let’s go to Velocity….
The photos below are contributed by Ms Wang too….
Let’s look at the photo and judge it…
The photos below are contributed by Ms Wang too….
Let’s look at the photo and judge it…
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Vivo City in Singapore....
I will be posting toilets in Singapore from now….
A total of 3 posts..
Credits to Ms Wang…
All the photos actually provided by her when she went to Singapore…
Well, I am not there and cannot comment much on that…
Whoever who went to Vivo City before please comment on their toilet…
Seems like quite clean from the photo ya...
Erm.. so many basin.. I think they are providing a place for the small male kids too....
Well.... You need not queue tooo long.....
A total of 3 posts..
Credits to Ms Wang…
All the photos actually provided by her when she went to Singapore…
Well, I am not there and cannot comment much on that…
Whoever who went to Vivo City before please comment on their toilet…
Seems like quite clean from the photo ya... 
Erm.. so many basin.. I think they are providing a place for the small male kids too....
Well.... You need not queue tooo long.....
Saturday, March 28, 2009
"UBER AMAZING BLOG AWARD"
Another award for A Friend Named Goddy!
Thank you, Ron Centeno of In My Own Words! This award will further motivate me to post ‘quality entries’ in my blog.
Uber (synonym for Super) Amazing Blog Award is a blog award given to sites that:
a) Inspire you
b) Make you smile and laugh
c) Or maybe give amazing information
d) A great read
e) Have amazing designs
f) And any other reasons you can think of that make them uber amazing
I would like to pass this award to 5 “Uber Amazing” blogs:
1) Joel Lumen of the The Daily Grind
2) RhonB of Pin(k)oy
3) Czel of Vanity’s Child
4) Irish of Irish on Bizz
5) J. B. Masigan of ULTRAELECTROMAGNETICBLOG
Thank you, Ron Centeno of In My Own Words! This award will further motivate me to post ‘quality entries’ in my blog.
Uber (synonym for Super) Amazing Blog Award is a blog award given to sites that:
a) Inspire you
b) Make you smile and laugh
c) Or maybe give amazing information
d) A great read
e) Have amazing designs
f) And any other reasons you can think of that make them uber amazing
I would like to pass this award to 5 “Uber Amazing” blogs:
1) Joel Lumen of the The Daily Grind
2) RhonB of Pin(k)oy
3) Czel of Vanity’s Child
4) Irish of Irish on Bizz
5) J. B. Masigan of ULTRAELECTROMAGNETICBLOG
Crazy Parents
Last year, our city had a huge Easter egg hunt. It was the biggest hunt in North Texas, actually. We were so excited to take Caleb, who was two and half, and join in the festivities. We got Caleb and Isaac (just a few months old at the time) loaded into the car and headed toward the site. We were about a mile away when we got stopped in traffic. Uh oh. We ended up parking several hundred yards away from the hunt and hiking over to the fields. We were almost there when we heard the horn go off to announce the beginning of the egg hunt. Aaaah!! By the time we hustled to the field, there were no eggs left. Caleb didn't care very much, since he didn't really get what was going on anyway, but Scott and I vowed then and there that next year, we'd be on time!
Well, we kept that determination. This morning was the city's Easter egg hunt. It was now being touted as the largest in all of Texas! We were going to be there--on time--this year. Now, the weather here in Texas has been a little...unpredictable (which is actually predictable). A few days ago is was high 70's, but by this morning it was 37 degrees. But hey, the city hadn't postponed the egg hunt, so we still planned on being there.
We got there early this year, just like we'd planned. But that meant that we stood outside for 30 minutes in the cold. And it wasn't just cold...it was windy. Very windy. I took Isaac to the 2 and under field, and Scott took Caleb to the 3-and4-year-old field.
Here's Caleb before the hunt:
Poor little Isaac. He was so cold. I had him wrapped up in his jacket, inside my jacket, and under a blanket, but he was still miserable. I kept telling him that we were having fun. :) I was looking around at all the other parents who were trying to keep their kids warm, and I know we were all thinking the same thing--"What are we doing here? We are all crazy!"
One thing that keeps Isaac occupied is to take pictures of him and show them to him on the digital camera. So we did a lot of that.
Finally, after waiting for 30 minutes for the hunt to start, the announcement came and we were off. On the 2 and under field, they didn't have eggs--just boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios, animal crackers, and Goldfish (none of which I allow Isaac to have, but that's beside the point!).
The wind was actually so strong that Isaac had a hard time walking, and he fell down a lot.
He started getting into it, though, and was sad when I scooped him up after about 3 minutes and led him off the field. It was just too cold to stick around. We found Caleb and Scott, who had also called it quits, and headed to the car. At that point, Isaac just lost it. He was miserable. Here are the thawing children in their car seats:
Isaac fell asleep about 5 minutes later.
Here's hoping for better weather next year!
There was a bunch of junkie stuff (mostly tatoos!) in the eggs that Caleb got, so we took all of that out. But the kids had a wonderful time at home hiding the eggs in the house. We must have hidden those eggs about 20 times! Isaac would walk around and call out, "Ball!" with his palms up, searching for the eggs. So cute.
Well, we kept that determination. This morning was the city's Easter egg hunt. It was now being touted as the largest in all of Texas! We were going to be there--on time--this year. Now, the weather here in Texas has been a little...unpredictable (which is actually predictable). A few days ago is was high 70's, but by this morning it was 37 degrees. But hey, the city hadn't postponed the egg hunt, so we still planned on being there.
We got there early this year, just like we'd planned. But that meant that we stood outside for 30 minutes in the cold. And it wasn't just cold...it was windy. Very windy. I took Isaac to the 2 and under field, and Scott took Caleb to the 3-and4-year-old field.
Here's Caleb before the hunt:
Poor little Isaac. He was so cold. I had him wrapped up in his jacket, inside my jacket, and under a blanket, but he was still miserable. I kept telling him that we were having fun. :) I was looking around at all the other parents who were trying to keep their kids warm, and I know we were all thinking the same thing--"What are we doing here? We are all crazy!"
One thing that keeps Isaac occupied is to take pictures of him and show them to him on the digital camera. So we did a lot of that.
Finally, after waiting for 30 minutes for the hunt to start, the announcement came and we were off. On the 2 and under field, they didn't have eggs--just boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios, animal crackers, and Goldfish (none of which I allow Isaac to have, but that's beside the point!).
The wind was actually so strong that Isaac had a hard time walking, and he fell down a lot.
He started getting into it, though, and was sad when I scooped him up after about 3 minutes and led him off the field. It was just too cold to stick around. We found Caleb and Scott, who had also called it quits, and headed to the car. At that point, Isaac just lost it. He was miserable. Here are the thawing children in their car seats:
Isaac fell asleep about 5 minutes later.
Here's hoping for better weather next year!
There was a bunch of junkie stuff (mostly tatoos!) in the eggs that Caleb got, so we took all of that out. But the kids had a wonderful time at home hiding the eggs in the house. We must have hidden those eggs about 20 times! Isaac would walk around and call out, "Ball!" with his palms up, searching for the eggs. So cute.
EFA Graduation & One Amazing Photographer!
It's been a busy couple of days since I posted last and I really wanted to do this post before I got caught up with another frantic week tomorrow, and before I head off to do a little um shopping now LOL. EFA had their graduation show today for the March model, so lets start with that.
EWING GRADUATION:
Congratulations to the graduates of the Ewing Elite Model Training Class of March 2009.The graduates were welcomed to the SL fashion industry at 3.00pm SLT as they showed us their styles on the runway. They all were fabulous and I know we are going to be seeing alot more of them. I took some snapshots at the show of them walking, granted they are not the best due to my settings being set to low. Take a look though and their outfit descriptions are posted below.
Emmerald Clarity: Above is the outfit Emmerald chose to wear for her lingerie look. The description was written by her and was read out at the graduation while she walked. Congratulations again Emmerald, you were amazing!
Only the most confident of Ladies can pull off a Blacklace outfit like this! Admire the way the sheer stockings and long satin gloves hide just the right amount of skin. The soft black fabric of the corset, accented with embroidered white flowers is exquisite and the delightful accent of a bow at the back would be enough to make any woman feel sexy! Add a touch of black stone jewelery from Earthstones to complete the outfit!
Only the most confident of Ladies can pull off a Blacklace outfit like this! Admire the way the sheer stockings and long satin gloves hide just the right amount of skin. The soft black fabric of the corset, accented with embroidered white flowers is exquisite and the delightful accent of a bow at the back would be enough to make any woman feel sexy! Add a touch of black stone jewelery from Earthstones to complete the outfit!
MandyLeigh Sweetwater: Above is the gown MandyLeigh chose to wear for her formal look. The description was written by her and was read out at the graduation while she walked. Congratulations again Mandy, you rocked it!
Those around will be green with envy as you enter in the room in the Grecian Maxi dress from Casa del Shai. Along with the Bare Audrey by Stiletto Moody and Virginia Gardens Pearl Drop earrings from JCNY there is no doubt that heads will turn. Elegance and style are what this outfit is about.
Those around will be green with envy as you enter in the room in the Grecian Maxi dress from Casa del Shai. Along with the Bare Audrey by Stiletto Moody and Virginia Gardens Pearl Drop earrings from JCNY there is no doubt that heads will turn. Elegance and style are what this outfit is about.
Sabine Blackburn: Above is the outfit Sabine chose to wear for her smart business look. The description was written by her and was read out at the graduation while she walked. Congratulations again Sabine you were fantastic!
Sabine's smart business look is the "Bella Camicetta-white" from Pink Outfitters and the HighSkirt-Rosebud from Maitreya. The Jewelery is from YS-Roundie Set in Gold. The shoes are from a swiss designer called Joseph Gaus - the Gaus Shoes "Lady-Silver". The skin Sabine wears is Beauty Avatar-Ziva-Natural. Her hair is Lelutka-Ribbon-Platinum and eyes Redgrave-Christina Amber.
Sabine's smart business look is the "Bella Camicetta-white" from Pink Outfitters and the HighSkirt-Rosebud from Maitreya. The Jewelery is from YS-Roundie Set in Gold. The shoes are from a swiss designer called Joseph Gaus - the Gaus Shoes "Lady-Silver". The skin Sabine wears is Beauty Avatar-Ziva-Natural. Her hair is Lelutka-Ribbon-Platinum and eyes Redgrave-Christina Amber.
Congratulations again ladies!
ANGELAH TOKYO PHOTOS:
I was lucky enough the other day to book an appointment to have some photos taken by Angelah Tokyo. I was so thrilled to actually book a shoot with her as I was sure she would be booked up for weeks. So when we organized a time to meet up and take some photos I was sooooo excited.
I first came across Angelah's photo stream on flickr on one of my searching sprees. Which I do quiet alot, as I love seeing what all these creative geniuses come up with. You will always find something inspirational, creative or laugh worthy on flickr. I madly fell in love with Angelah's work and was amazed by the amount of detail that she puts into it let alone feeling. So I thought I would pose the photos here for you to see and judge for yourself. Or, you can always head over to Angelah's flickr and check out her mind blowing work.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/angelahtokyo/
I forgot to mention you can look Angelah up in world and she has all the information you need about her rates and how to contact her in her profile. She is a really lovely person and is always a real pleasure to talk to. So look her up and get some awesome photos done :)
I first came across Angelah's photo stream on flickr on one of my searching sprees. Which I do quiet alot, as I love seeing what all these creative geniuses come up with. You will always find something inspirational, creative or laugh worthy on flickr. I madly fell in love with Angelah's work and was amazed by the amount of detail that she puts into it let alone feeling. So I thought I would pose the photos here for you to see and judge for yourself. Or, you can always head over to Angelah's flickr and check out her mind blowing work.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/angelahtokyo/
I forgot to mention you can look Angelah up in world and she has all the information you need about her rates and how to contact her in her profile. She is a really lovely person and is always a real pleasure to talk to. So look her up and get some awesome photos done :)
Take care everyone
Jennaa xoxo
Jennaa xoxo
Unity Inspiration Blog Hop
Today I'm participating in Unity's Inspirational Blog Hop. View the Inspirational Blog Hop by starting at Unity's Blog.
Whenever my dad had to travel out of town, my mom would hide love notes in his luggage. I have continued the tradition and also leave little notes or at least a card in my husband's luggage. I made this card for one of his upcoming business trips.
Supplies:Unity Stamps -- Crazy for You from the Be My Valentine Kit and a Small Bracket (sorry I don't know which kit that's from...I got it in the recent grab bag). Papers & Ribbon -- Paper Studio, Silver Rhinestones -- Michael's, Flowers -- Prima, Brad -- Bazzill, Stickles, Ink -- Colorbox.
My favorite quote:
Your next stop on your blog hop adventure is to the very talented Michelle. Enjoy!!
Whenever my dad had to travel out of town, my mom would hide love notes in his luggage. I have continued the tradition and also leave little notes or at least a card in my husband's luggage. I made this card for one of his upcoming business trips.
Supplies:Unity Stamps -- Crazy for You from the Be My Valentine Kit and a Small Bracket (sorry I don't know which kit that's from...I got it in the recent grab bag). Papers & Ribbon -- Paper Studio, Silver Rhinestones -- Michael's, Flowers -- Prima, Brad -- Bazzill, Stickles, Ink -- Colorbox.
My favorite quote:
If you'll do after you're married,
what you did before you were married
in order to get married,
you'll stay married.
~~Donald Worch
what you did before you were married
in order to get married,
you'll stay married.
~~Donald Worch
Your next stop on your blog hop adventure is to the very talented Michelle. Enjoy!!
Earth Hour
Earth hour…
Are you supporting earth hour??
Did you turn off your lights at 2030-2130??
Well, USM wants to be the abnormal one….
They want us to off our lights at 2100-2200…
What are they planning to do??
Off half an hour later and turn on the lights half an hour later??
Well, no idea…
Anyways, I off the lights in my room, the corridor one, the staircase one and I am now blogging in the dark…. Lol….
I went out and have a look… I found that, my neighbour, the one opposite my room actually didn’t off their table light…. Erm… bad…
Others got off la.. Good gal.. haha…
Anyways, is this really works?
I am not sure.. But, I am sure on something.. That is, everyone is doing the same thing in the same time….
This is the only moment that we are uniting together….
I am posting up this one in both my personal and public blog….
Cheers… Clap for yourself if you are part of the event….
Are you supporting earth hour??
Did you turn off your lights at 2030-2130??
Well, USM wants to be the abnormal one….
They want us to off our lights at 2100-2200…
What are they planning to do??
Off half an hour later and turn on the lights half an hour later??
Well, no idea…
Anyways, I off the lights in my room, the corridor one, the staircase one and I am now blogging in the dark…. Lol….
I went out and have a look… I found that, my neighbour, the one opposite my room actually didn’t off their table light…. Erm… bad…
Others got off la.. Good gal.. haha…
Anyways, is this really works?
I am not sure.. But, I am sure on something.. That is, everyone is doing the same thing in the same time….
This is the only moment that we are uniting together….
I am posting up this one in both my personal and public blog….
Cheers… Clap for yourself if you are part of the event….
Friday, March 27, 2009
Free Asthma Book for Children with Asthma
Thanks to Bargain Briana for sharing this! Go here to receive your free copy of Breathless Bethany Buttercup. While there, you can also sign up to receive information from the Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics.
As a mom of a child with allergy induced asthma, I can tell you that I am 100% behind research that helps give my child a chance to breathe without complications and I'm pleased to see a book out there to help children and parents deal with this issue!
As a mom of a child with allergy induced asthma, I can tell you that I am 100% behind research that helps give my child a chance to breathe without complications and I'm pleased to see a book out there to help children and parents deal with this issue!
Gift Set
I wanted to share a gift set I made for a friend of our daughter. I got the idea from Georgina Hefferman in an article she wrote for Scrapjazz. You can read Georgina's article here.
I used papers I'd received in a swap (so I don't have a brand for them) and a Studio G stamp. Our daughter's friend likes to write letters and loves funky colors so we thought this would be perfect for her.
The outside:
The inside:
I used papers I'd received in a swap (so I don't have a brand for them) and a Studio G stamp. Our daughter's friend likes to write letters and loves funky colors so we thought this would be perfect for her.
The outside:
The inside:
SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT - 4
CURRENT ISSUES ON NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
(Note: In 2001, somebody requested me to do this ‘take home’ final exam for him. Thus, ‘current issues’ here refer to those in 2001.)
QUESTION 1:
Development per se is Human Development. Government policies and resources are all geared towards the attainment of such goal but still 70% of the total populace is within the poverty threshold that hinders development. Give an honest critic/analysis WHY President Aquino, President Ramos, and President Estrada (30 mos.) FAILED to alleviate the standard of living of their constituents. Explain briefly.
ANSWER:
Development has always been the thrust of any government or administration. Laws are enacted, policies are formulated, and government resources are utilized for the achievement of such goal. The Aquino, Ramos, and Estrada administrations each had its own program geared towards the attainment of goals on national development designed to alleviate the economic woes of the people. Despite their efforts, however, a great percentage of the total population still lives within poverty level. And poverty has always been a deterrent to growth and development. Why did Presidents Aquino, Ramos, and Estrada fail to ease the people’s economic burdens? Where did they go wrong?
President Aquino
President Aquino’s ascension to power was very popular and a rather dramatic one. Her term, owing to the previous oppressive conjugal dictatorship, was characterized by monstrous problems, yet both the poor and the oppressed saw it as a ray of hope that will liberate them from social injustices. The economy was in shambles; there was a huge foreign debt it inherited from the previous regime; the military was divided; there was a series of coup attempts that scared the investors away; and with the coming of “Kamag-anak, Inc.,” the nation’s economic problems were perceived to linger on. Still, and very unfortunately, forces beyond government and human control—that series of natural catastrophes: Mount Pinatubo eruption, earthquakes, typhoons, and floods that were so devastating—contributed much to the misery of the people.
Another giant factor why the Aquino administration wasn’t successful in easing the people’s economic troubles was the case of ill-gotten wealth the Marcoses reportedly stashed abroad. The amount according to reports was in tens of billions of dollars. That huge amount could have been used to pay the country’s foreign loans or to finance income-generating projects that will provide employment for the masses.
With these almost insurmountable problems enumerated above, government projects and programs did not materialize as planned to uplift the lives of the people. The Aquino Administration, being a transition government, therefore, did not accomplish much especially economic-wise. Its greatest achievement, so far, was the restoration of democracy.
President Ramos
President Fidel V. Ramos started his term right. The transfer of power from President Corazon C. Aquino was so peaceful it became the envy of the rest of the world. It thus gained the confidence of foreign investors to invest in the country. The Ramos’ presidency had for its goal the making of the Philippines as the “new economic tiger of Asia.” With his government’s efforts to restore peace in Mindanao, it was easy for the nation to gain the title of New Industrialized Country. And having continued the previous administration’s programs and projects, President Ramos had uplifted the Filipinos’ standard of living. The advent of globalization, however, probably affected the country’s economic climate negatively such that some of its economic gains were left unnoticed.
President Estrada
President Joseph Estrada’s administration was characterized by political turmoil that (as reported by the media and as, obviously, judged by the Filipino people) had its roots from widespread graft and corruption, cronyism, economic plunder, and a lack of moral ascendancy to govern. With just barely two years in office, the Filipinos became disgruntled with the administration. Accused of so many charges, Estrada became the first Philippine president to be impeached. As the impeachment trial went, the nation turned politically unstable. The peso plunged to an all-time low. And as pro-administration senators sitting as judges in the impeachment trial made some sort of maneuverings, people flocked to EDSA and staged a giant indignation rally which turned out to be People Power II. With all these uncertainties that characterized the Estrada administration, it is apparently easy to perceive why his administration failed to alleviate the standard of living of his constituents.
QUESTION 2:
People Power succeeded again with all those so many reasons/issues/charges that ousted President Estrada. You are a master’s degree holder in Public Administration hired as Consultant on Local Government. WHAT will you do to attain Rural Development? Explain briefly.
ANSWER:
Economic activities sustain and develop citizens as well as localities, both urban and rural alike. In urban areas, agriculture is not a means of livelihood but industries that provide employment to the people and income to the local government. Urbanites are engaged in these economic activities the whole year through. In the rural areas, however, the main source of people’s livelihood is agriculture. Unlike in urban areas where people work continuously the whole year through, in rural areas, people are engaged in farming during planting season which usually leaves them idle and unproductive after planting.
As a Consultant on Local Government, I will suggest the creation of more economic activities for the inhabitants especially when the planting season is over. I will introduce to them various livelihood programs where people can be productive and earn more. Naturally, the community where they live will also benefit from their toils. Such livelihood programs as furniture-making, slipper-making, hog raising, poultry raising, etc. will be introduced. For those who lack capital, the local government should extend assistance to them by lending them money to be paid in due time and at minimal interest rates. And for them to further benefit from their labor, I will suggest the tying up or linking of their livelihood activities to export entities. This will make them as well as the community where they belong even far more productive and developed.
(Note: In 2001, somebody requested me to do this ‘take home’ final exam for him. Thus, ‘current issues’ here refer to those in 2001.)
QUESTION 1:
Development per se is Human Development. Government policies and resources are all geared towards the attainment of such goal but still 70% of the total populace is within the poverty threshold that hinders development. Give an honest critic/analysis WHY President Aquino, President Ramos, and President Estrada (30 mos.) FAILED to alleviate the standard of living of their constituents. Explain briefly.
ANSWER:
Development has always been the thrust of any government or administration. Laws are enacted, policies are formulated, and government resources are utilized for the achievement of such goal. The Aquino, Ramos, and Estrada administrations each had its own program geared towards the attainment of goals on national development designed to alleviate the economic woes of the people. Despite their efforts, however, a great percentage of the total population still lives within poverty level. And poverty has always been a deterrent to growth and development. Why did Presidents Aquino, Ramos, and Estrada fail to ease the people’s economic burdens? Where did they go wrong?
President Aquino
President Aquino’s ascension to power was very popular and a rather dramatic one. Her term, owing to the previous oppressive conjugal dictatorship, was characterized by monstrous problems, yet both the poor and the oppressed saw it as a ray of hope that will liberate them from social injustices. The economy was in shambles; there was a huge foreign debt it inherited from the previous regime; the military was divided; there was a series of coup attempts that scared the investors away; and with the coming of “Kamag-anak, Inc.,” the nation’s economic problems were perceived to linger on. Still, and very unfortunately, forces beyond government and human control—that series of natural catastrophes: Mount Pinatubo eruption, earthquakes, typhoons, and floods that were so devastating—contributed much to the misery of the people.
Another giant factor why the Aquino administration wasn’t successful in easing the people’s economic troubles was the case of ill-gotten wealth the Marcoses reportedly stashed abroad. The amount according to reports was in tens of billions of dollars. That huge amount could have been used to pay the country’s foreign loans or to finance income-generating projects that will provide employment for the masses.
With these almost insurmountable problems enumerated above, government projects and programs did not materialize as planned to uplift the lives of the people. The Aquino Administration, being a transition government, therefore, did not accomplish much especially economic-wise. Its greatest achievement, so far, was the restoration of democracy.
President Ramos
President Fidel V. Ramos started his term right. The transfer of power from President Corazon C. Aquino was so peaceful it became the envy of the rest of the world. It thus gained the confidence of foreign investors to invest in the country. The Ramos’ presidency had for its goal the making of the Philippines as the “new economic tiger of Asia.” With his government’s efforts to restore peace in Mindanao, it was easy for the nation to gain the title of New Industrialized Country. And having continued the previous administration’s programs and projects, President Ramos had uplifted the Filipinos’ standard of living. The advent of globalization, however, probably affected the country’s economic climate negatively such that some of its economic gains were left unnoticed.
President Estrada
President Joseph Estrada’s administration was characterized by political turmoil that (as reported by the media and as, obviously, judged by the Filipino people) had its roots from widespread graft and corruption, cronyism, economic plunder, and a lack of moral ascendancy to govern. With just barely two years in office, the Filipinos became disgruntled with the administration. Accused of so many charges, Estrada became the first Philippine president to be impeached. As the impeachment trial went, the nation turned politically unstable. The peso plunged to an all-time low. And as pro-administration senators sitting as judges in the impeachment trial made some sort of maneuverings, people flocked to EDSA and staged a giant indignation rally which turned out to be People Power II. With all these uncertainties that characterized the Estrada administration, it is apparently easy to perceive why his administration failed to alleviate the standard of living of his constituents.
QUESTION 2:
People Power succeeded again with all those so many reasons/issues/charges that ousted President Estrada. You are a master’s degree holder in Public Administration hired as Consultant on Local Government. WHAT will you do to attain Rural Development? Explain briefly.
ANSWER:
Economic activities sustain and develop citizens as well as localities, both urban and rural alike. In urban areas, agriculture is not a means of livelihood but industries that provide employment to the people and income to the local government. Urbanites are engaged in these economic activities the whole year through. In the rural areas, however, the main source of people’s livelihood is agriculture. Unlike in urban areas where people work continuously the whole year through, in rural areas, people are engaged in farming during planting season which usually leaves them idle and unproductive after planting.
As a Consultant on Local Government, I will suggest the creation of more economic activities for the inhabitants especially when the planting season is over. I will introduce to them various livelihood programs where people can be productive and earn more. Naturally, the community where they live will also benefit from their toils. Such livelihood programs as furniture-making, slipper-making, hog raising, poultry raising, etc. will be introduced. For those who lack capital, the local government should extend assistance to them by lending them money to be paid in due time and at minimal interest rates. And for them to further benefit from their labor, I will suggest the tying up or linking of their livelihood activities to export entities. This will make them as well as the community where they belong even far more productive and developed.
Sunshine!!??!!??
The SUN is SHINING!! I actually feel like writing again. I've been in a cloudy, rainy gray slump all week. This weather has been unbelievable. It's extremely cold for this time of year, only a high of 30 today. Need I remind you that it is almost APRIL!
It's been raining and even snowing a little bit all week, so the sunshine today is such a nice surprise. It really makes a difference in a person's mood, that's for sure.
My boss came in this morning and said, "Let's make it a good day today, darn it. I'm sick of all the sad faces out there." Then we immediately start in on a conversation about the flooding up in Fargo. How can you get more depressing than that? The Red River is expected to crest tomorrow at a record 43 ft. Now, they are talking 5-8 inches of snow for Sunday, so it could even get up to nearly 44 ft. We just heard yesterday that my brother, his wife and 2 kids are very close to a code red zone where people are to be ready to evacuate at any moment. They live on the left side of Hwy 75 and the people on the right side are in the code red zone. Even though, they are safe right now, it's just a "little too close to home". Nevertheless, we are ready and prepared to drive up there and sandbag their house, if need be. We pray it doesn't get to that point.
My little brother Tiny has been sandbagging between 7 and 10 hours every day this week. They are building dikes, bagging sand, hauling sand, loading sand, everything you can imagine. All colleges and schools are closed up that way. They are evacuating Concordia College and even the Merit Care Hospital and Clinic. My nephew AJ's school has been closed "until further notice". It's bad up there and it's getting worse. With the river expected to crest tomorrow and to crest for a week and then to add more snow on top of that, it's very scary. People are losing their homes and all their belongings.
We just continue to pray that things don't get as bad as they say and that people still have the ambition to help sandbag and then clean up afterwards. Every little bit helps!!
Ok, now back to that sun shiny weather....
We had a play date with Mackenzie last night. They brought a Papa Murphy's Pizza, which was really yummy. The girls ate well and played well together which gave Nicole and I a nice chance to visit. The girls played in their room and made a huge mess, but they were having a blast so it was worth having to clean up later. I'm just glad we are able to get together with Mackenzie at least once a week. Alexa likes getting together and seeing her friends from her old school, too. They get along very well, for the most part, so it's fun. And they even include Lillian, so all the better.
We still haven't heard anything regarding our house. We still wait patiently. Our realtor contacted us on Tuesday and said the listing agent of the house guessed we'd hear within the next 2-4 weeks. It's been a long wait already, but we pray that in the end it will all be worth it and we will be moving in on June 3rd. It's such a hard situation. It's hard to get excited, but yet it's hard not to. We think and talk about all the different things we'd like to do with the house such as painting and adding on some day and building a new deck, ect. but at the same time we have to look at other houses, just incase this one falls thru. Well, how can you compare and get excited at looking at another house, when your heart is set on the other one. But, we try to stay optimistic and hope that we'll be having a huge BBQ in the back yard with all of you there with us, celebrating. Keep your fingers crossed with us!
The girls have been fabulous. Alexa is still a little overly whiney, as she has been lately. I don't know if she wants attention, or she is just getting sick of being cooped up in the house and is anxious to get outside with some nice weather, like the rest of us. I'm guessing the latter, only for the fact that I've been feeling a little whiney lately, too. I WANT GREEN GRASS, is that too much to ask???
Lillian has been so adorable, she has gone from wanting to give kisses with her mouth wide open to actually puckering her tiny little lips now. It's just way too cute. I want to kiss her lips all day long, they are so delicious, I want to suck and lick on them. Mmm yummy!! Before you judge me, try it some time.
Adam has been great, too. He thinks things could get ugly this summer, especially in the metro due to the economy. Statements like that only make me worry about sending him to work even more. I'm so proud of him for all the work he has done in the communities he works in, but I can't help but want to keep him home cradled in my arms, safe and sound.
I'm so thankful it's Friday today. We plan to head up to Anoka tomorrow morning to the Riverdale Mall to meet my friend Crista's mom Wendy, to pick up some clothes Crista's niece Emma, is so graciously handing down to Alexa. Alexa always gets so excited to get a new "Emma Wardrobe". We also need to do some Birthday shopping for Alexa's friend Kaitlyn. She's having a Chuck-E-Cheese birthday party on Thursday. (Bless her parents hearts).
HAVE A GOOD ONE!!
It's been raining and even snowing a little bit all week, so the sunshine today is such a nice surprise. It really makes a difference in a person's mood, that's for sure.
My boss came in this morning and said, "Let's make it a good day today, darn it. I'm sick of all the sad faces out there." Then we immediately start in on a conversation about the flooding up in Fargo. How can you get more depressing than that? The Red River is expected to crest tomorrow at a record 43 ft. Now, they are talking 5-8 inches of snow for Sunday, so it could even get up to nearly 44 ft. We just heard yesterday that my brother, his wife and 2 kids are very close to a code red zone where people are to be ready to evacuate at any moment. They live on the left side of Hwy 75 and the people on the right side are in the code red zone. Even though, they are safe right now, it's just a "little too close to home". Nevertheless, we are ready and prepared to drive up there and sandbag their house, if need be. We pray it doesn't get to that point.
My little brother Tiny has been sandbagging between 7 and 10 hours every day this week. They are building dikes, bagging sand, hauling sand, loading sand, everything you can imagine. All colleges and schools are closed up that way. They are evacuating Concordia College and even the Merit Care Hospital and Clinic. My nephew AJ's school has been closed "until further notice". It's bad up there and it's getting worse. With the river expected to crest tomorrow and to crest for a week and then to add more snow on top of that, it's very scary. People are losing their homes and all their belongings.
We just continue to pray that things don't get as bad as they say and that people still have the ambition to help sandbag and then clean up afterwards. Every little bit helps!!
Ok, now back to that sun shiny weather....
We had a play date with Mackenzie last night. They brought a Papa Murphy's Pizza, which was really yummy. The girls ate well and played well together which gave Nicole and I a nice chance to visit. The girls played in their room and made a huge mess, but they were having a blast so it was worth having to clean up later. I'm just glad we are able to get together with Mackenzie at least once a week. Alexa likes getting together and seeing her friends from her old school, too. They get along very well, for the most part, so it's fun. And they even include Lillian, so all the better.
We still haven't heard anything regarding our house. We still wait patiently. Our realtor contacted us on Tuesday and said the listing agent of the house guessed we'd hear within the next 2-4 weeks. It's been a long wait already, but we pray that in the end it will all be worth it and we will be moving in on June 3rd. It's such a hard situation. It's hard to get excited, but yet it's hard not to. We think and talk about all the different things we'd like to do with the house such as painting and adding on some day and building a new deck, ect. but at the same time we have to look at other houses, just incase this one falls thru. Well, how can you compare and get excited at looking at another house, when your heart is set on the other one. But, we try to stay optimistic and hope that we'll be having a huge BBQ in the back yard with all of you there with us, celebrating. Keep your fingers crossed with us!
The girls have been fabulous. Alexa is still a little overly whiney, as she has been lately. I don't know if she wants attention, or she is just getting sick of being cooped up in the house and is anxious to get outside with some nice weather, like the rest of us. I'm guessing the latter, only for the fact that I've been feeling a little whiney lately, too. I WANT GREEN GRASS, is that too much to ask???
Lillian has been so adorable, she has gone from wanting to give kisses with her mouth wide open to actually puckering her tiny little lips now. It's just way too cute. I want to kiss her lips all day long, they are so delicious, I want to suck and lick on them. Mmm yummy!! Before you judge me, try it some time.
Adam has been great, too. He thinks things could get ugly this summer, especially in the metro due to the economy. Statements like that only make me worry about sending him to work even more. I'm so proud of him for all the work he has done in the communities he works in, but I can't help but want to keep him home cradled in my arms, safe and sound.
I'm so thankful it's Friday today. We plan to head up to Anoka tomorrow morning to the Riverdale Mall to meet my friend Crista's mom Wendy, to pick up some clothes Crista's niece Emma, is so graciously handing down to Alexa. Alexa always gets so excited to get a new "Emma Wardrobe". We also need to do some Birthday shopping for Alexa's friend Kaitlyn. She's having a Chuck-E-Cheese birthday party on Thursday. (Bless her parents hearts).
HAVE A GOOD ONE!!
Mums Card for Mothers Day..
Made this for my Mum, I received the flower fairy CD just in time to make this. I just loved the image but I couldn't decide which colour fairy to use, so I thought I'd use two colours.
Then I didn't have any backing paper that matched and as I didn't want to use any from the CD I inked up some embossed card, which I matted on to Mirri card. I used 2 A4 cards joined together to get the size right. Then I decided I wanted to use the flowers inside the card too so I had to put the words on the back of the card. Cut the greeting with Robo. By the time I'd added all the mats and layers it weighed a ton, it was a good job I didn't have to post it.
Mum thought it was lovely. Shame about the photo's will have to take the again at a better angle.
Would love to know what you think...
Then I didn't have any backing paper that matched and as I didn't want to use any from the CD I inked up some embossed card, which I matted on to Mirri card. I used 2 A4 cards joined together to get the size right. Then I decided I wanted to use the flowers inside the card too so I had to put the words on the back of the card. Cut the greeting with Robo. By the time I'd added all the mats and layers it weighed a ton, it was a good job I didn't have to post it.
Mum thought it was lovely. Shame about the photo's will have to take the again at a better angle.
Would love to know what you think...
Vote Earth! Switch Off Your Lights For Earth
Vote Earth! Switch Off Your Lights For Earth Hour by Shepard Fairey
Originally uploaded by Earth Hour Global
Don't forget! From 8:30 - 9:30 pm on March 28th turn off your lights and spend the hour doing something fun. If we all do this, we can make a huge impact.
I will spend the hour relaxing with a glass of wine and reading by candlelight. What will you be doing? I would love to know.
For more information, you can go here.
Hugs,
Been Busy.. and thanks ladies
Haven't had much time to keep up with blogging lately, I need to catch up on all the lovely blogs I follow and post some new cards, which hopefully I'll be able to do over the weekend.
Can you imagine my surprise to find that I've been given two lovely awards.
The Uber award was given to me by Louise Emma, thanks Lou,
Now I've got to pass this on....it states that
Uber (synonym to Super) Amazing Blog Award is a blog award given to sites who:~ inspire you~ make you smile and laugh~ or maybe gives amazing information~ a great read~ has an amazing design~ and any other reasons you can think of that makes them uber amazing!
The rules of this award are:
Copy the badge and put the logo on your blog sidebar or post.
Nominate at least 5 blogs (can be more) that for you are Uber Amazing!
Let them know that they have received this Uber Amazing award by commenting on their blog. Share the love and link to this post and to the person you received your award from.
Come back and comment here so that your link could be added to the masterlist of awardees.
Well I'd like to give this to all the blogs I follow, how can I choose just 5.... very difficult..I know that some of the blogs I'd pass it onto have it already, so I'll try not to double up this time....anyway here goes....
I'm passing it onto
Joanne Crafting Joanne
Nicola Nicola's Creations
Joanie Joanies Corner
Karen KJ's Sumer Wine Corner
Carol Paperplay
All these ladies blogs fit the criteria perfectly & I love visiting them, so why not pop along and checkout how... Amazingly Uber... they are.....
Can you imagine my surprise to find that I've been given two lovely awards.
Lisa from the Ruberstampinzone, sent me this award, isn't it pretty. Thank you Lisa, I really appreciate it, go and check out Lisa's blog, I'm sure you will enjoy it as much as I do.
Anyway this is hard but I'm going to pass it on toLouise Emma The Lou-natic Asylum
Shell Shells Cards & Things
Joanne Crafting Joanne
and to Everyone else that takes the time to visit my blog, bloggers and non bloggers, please take it, it's for you too.
Well the award says it all....really.. Thank you all..
The Uber award was given to me by Louise Emma, thanks Lou,
Now I've got to pass this on....it states that
Uber (synonym to Super) Amazing Blog Award is a blog award given to sites who:~ inspire you~ make you smile and laugh~ or maybe gives amazing information~ a great read~ has an amazing design~ and any other reasons you can think of that makes them uber amazing!
The rules of this award are:
Copy the badge and put the logo on your blog sidebar or post.
Nominate at least 5 blogs (can be more) that for you are Uber Amazing!
Let them know that they have received this Uber Amazing award by commenting on their blog. Share the love and link to this post and to the person you received your award from.
Come back and comment here so that your link could be added to the masterlist of awardees.
Well I'd like to give this to all the blogs I follow, how can I choose just 5.... very difficult..I know that some of the blogs I'd pass it onto have it already, so I'll try not to double up this time....anyway here goes....
I'm passing it onto
Joanne Crafting Joanne
Nicola Nicola's Creations
Joanie Joanies Corner
Karen KJ's Sumer Wine Corner
Carol Paperplay
All these ladies blogs fit the criteria perfectly & I love visiting them, so why not pop along and checkout how... Amazingly Uber... they are.....
Lari pagi
Kmrn pas libur tba2 kpikiran bwt lari pagi brg c krisna. hhe. Kn ntn udah biasa tuh, main udah sering juga gw, main ps di rumah dy, lomba2 dgn taruhan gx jlas, main d game centre.. blajar? udah pernah juga. So we wanted for another1. Lari pagi. hha. Gw bgnin c krisna jam 4 pagi, penuh perjuangan bgt. gw telp gx diangkat2, bner2 kebo tu anak. udah kesel gtu gw, utg kpikiran smsnya yg blg "bun, bgnin aq yg niat yah, smp bgn". akirnya bgn juga deh. hhe. gw pikir y pasti rada lama dtgnya berhub krisna ngaret, ditambah lagi dng jarak rumah gw 14 km. hha. tpi twnya dy nyampe jam stenga 5 n gw blm siket gigi. cepet bgt. hha. jadi y gw siap2 dulu, nyari2 susu kotak lah, sket gigi, dll. setelah lelah menunggu akirnya gw dtg juga. langitnya masi glap bgt, gw juga bru bgn itu klo ari biasa skolah. ktanya gw kya maw k taman bermain, soalnya pake clana monyet. wkwk. qta pun brangkat ke senayan, ke stadion utama gelora bung karno setelah minum susu kotak coklat. hhe.
masi rada sepi di senayan. jalan2 d, trus lari2, sm foto2. hhe. seru sih, kan beda dr yg lain. mana ada sih yg ngedate lari pagi, biasa kan tgg nikah dulu tuh. hha. ud kringetan2 gtu gw lupa bawa bju ganti, c krisna bawa. sial. gw gx rela. gw gx blhin ada yg ganti baju. hha. hwah. kringetan d, qta blik skitar jam 8 lwat klo gx salah. c krisna pengennya lari mulu, cape gw. yaialah ya dy bleep test 8an gw kan 4an. minta lariii mulu. sana lari sndiri ampun, gw maw jalan. abis deh gw keseret disuru lari. ktanya masi kurang keringet, hha. overall we do have a lot of fun, mau lagiii! hhe. lain kali bwa raket, biar bisa main bultang di sana. sipp.
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