I just called one of my credit card providers because of a debit reflected in my billing statement. It seems that I have enrolled myself in a term life insurance. I called the credit card company. It was easy to go through the main phone trunk line but getting hold of a customer service representative was tedious! I had to listen to a bunch of instructions and punch in the corresponding numbers to finally get hold of a "live" customer service representative. Well, it seems that the credit card company had nothing to do with the error. I was given another number to call, the insurance company's. After a 15-minute call, I was finally able to clear the matter up. The insurance company made the mistake. I was enrolled in another type of insurance and not the one they billed me. Reversal of charges will be done for next month's billing. Meanwhile I have to pay the bill. Crap!

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"Worrying" should be included as one of the best weight loss products of all time. When I am worried, I cannot eat! D3 went to Hong Kong for 2 days and 1 night with some of her fellow dentists. They just went there to get some stuff that they need for their line of work. They were supposed to come home on the 8:00 PM flight but their flight was delayed three times because of the heavy rains both in Manila and in Hong Kong. What made the situation more frightening was the news that a Pakistani airline crashed due to bad weather. I was not able to eat, sleep and think all the time that D3's plane has not landed on Philippine soil. She's home now, thank God.

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I am really worried about Ethan. One morning on the way to school he suddenly said that his tongue is tingling. Kids being kids, and me being me (busy and harass) let that go. I just asked "what do you mean tingling?" I dropped him off at school, went home, got busy and more harassed, then went back to pick him up.

It was reading therapy day so we proceeded to the place. Not five minutes into the lesson, Ethan came out and told me that his tongue is still tingling and it seems like its falling off. What the heck that does mean? How can one feel that his tongue is falling off?!

So I canceled Ethan's session and took him to the ER of the hospital where his mommy works. D1 met us at the ER then took Ethan to the pedia ER. D3 and D4 also dropped by the ER when they heard what happened.

After consult, the two pedias on duty can't seem to find anything wrong with Ethan. I was thinking of something neurological-related but his movements and speech were fine. The doctors said it might be a lack of vitamin B complex. It might be that the one a day vitamin that Ethan's taking does not have the right amount of B complex for him.

D3, D4, Ethan and I went home. We dropped by McDonald's first to eat. Ethan seemed fine. When I asked him if his tongue is still tingling, he said "no" as long as he is eating. I bought a B-complex vitamins for Ethan.

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Since our Coron, Palawan trip, Ethan's papular urticaria (allergic reaction to insect bites) has been off and on. He has been taking an anti-allergy medicine once a day to control the itch or pruritis. The medication can also be used in treating anxiety and as a premed to general anesthesia. Say what?! The medication also causes drowsiness, sedation and somnolence. It does not really make Ethan sleepy for two hours after I give him the meds, he's still wide awake and has no intention whatsoever of going to sleep. It's the morning after that is hard. I can't wake him up and if ever I eventually drag him out from bed, he is so lethargic! I

can't very well stop the medication for when he itches, he scratches!... and each forceful scratch leads to welt which could lead to eczema! What to do? His legs are now peppered with dark spots because of the insect bites. Well, I can always half the dosage as the dermatologist suggested. Half the regular dosage then.

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I am quite worried about D1's and D2's weight. They have gained a lot of weight and in spite of going to the gym. These two were former competitive swimmers who had to do a lot of carbo loading to fuel their swimming workout then. That was eons ago. Funny how some a great number of former swimmers the I know gained a lot of weight too. It would have bee easy to sample fat-burning pills like apidexin but since D1 has had hyperthyroidism and D2 has asthma, they cannot readily take fat burning pills. As I've said, all they need to do is eat less and exercise more. I too am gaining weight. I too need to eat less and exercise more. Sigh....

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My husband's side of the family celebrated my mother-in-law's 81st birthday. It was not a grand party like the one we had last year but we invited some friends and relatives too for an intimate birthday celebration. It was not intimate though. About 100 guests came. Even the mayor of our town came. There was a live band for entertainment and food catered by our favorite caterer. Truth be told, it was a real boring party as there was nothing to do but eat and be subjected to the super loud sound of the band. I looked around and my eyes focused on a group of youngish guests sipping hot coffee with their cigarillos.

Crap! Sometimes a puff or two could take boredom away.

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My mobile phone service provider has been sending me messages on an almost daily basis to "please upgrade your phone's system memory by using the new SIM card we sent." Then the same text message goes on with its almost daily threat that if I don't comply, my old SIM card will not be able to handle the new system upgrade thereby rending my mobile phone "out of action". This means I have to go through the process of transferring my phone's contact to the new SIM and thereafter register it to the mobile phone provider. That is tedious!! Bull!... until D1 lost her mobile phone service for 2 days since like me she was too lazy to do what our mobile phone provider asked us to do. Now, where the heck did I keep that new SIM card?

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Has it been a year since we celebrated my mom-in-law's 80th birthday?! Where did the 365 days go? As my sis-in-law asked, "where the heck are the video and pictures of that 80th bash celebration?"

"Yes" I pondered and nodded, "where are the pictures and video of that event?"

I hired a photographer and a videographer to record MIL's memorable Filipiniana-themed birthday party. No pink ties or blue jeans please as we implored guests to come in their best Filipiniana attire. It was months of planning and rehearsing for the grandkids presented a song and dance tribute for their grandma. What we have now are shots and videos from out digicams but the official pics and videos are not with me.

Think!

Crap!

For the past 363 days, the pictures and videos have been gathering cobwebs in their respective studios! I think I might have to swing by the studios and get the pictures and videos.

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I have been feeling out of sorts lately. I have to many worries that they sometime overwhelm me. I pray everyday not once not twice but as many times as I deem necessary to calm my fears. When my kids were young and small, I enjoyed every moment spent with them but there were times that I was so tired that I cannot wait for them to grow up. Surely my worries and responsibilities will lessen as they grow and come of age. I was wrong. With each passing year comes a different level of problems and challenges. With each passing year comes the realization that being a mother to my children will never cease to be. Sure! My kids can choose to stop being my "kids" but I can never stop being their mother.

As I contemplate on the many twists and turns of my life, the Lord sent me this message through Joel and Victoria Osteen. Read on and let me share God's thoughts for me today.

Finding Strength

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint"
(Isaiah 40:31, NIV).

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Do you need your strength renewed today? The scripture tells us that when we hope in the Lord, that's exactly what will happen—our strength will be renewed. If you've grown weary and tired, overwhelmed by the cares of this world, it's a clear sign that you need to change what you're putting your hope in. Are you putting your hope in your job? The government? The economy? Another person? Those are all things that will change. But when you hope in the Lord, you are investing in the Rock of Ages! He never changes! He is the only solid foundation for your soul.

Today, find strength by simply putting your hope in Him. Start by declaring out loud, "God, I place my hope in You. I trust that You are working behind the scenes in my life. I choose to rest in You." Then, feed your hope and faith by meditating daily on the scriptures. As you renew your mind with the Word of God, you'll find strength, you'll find hope, and you'll find His victory all the days of your life!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, thank You for renewing my strength as I put my hope in You. I declare today that I love You and trust You. I know that You are working behind the scenes in my life. Fill me with Your peace and joy as I wait on You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

- Joel & Victoria Osteen

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Tropical storm Basyang caught us by surprise. It was sunny and clear one moment and then a deluge the next! I didn't even know classes were suspended so I fetched Ethan the usual time and even proceeded to his after-school activity. We reached the house around 5:00 P.M. It started to rain hard that I was worried the garage at the back of the house will be flooded. No real nasty flooding happened but the wind that came with the storm was a real howler. The 45mph wind came from the NW so it hit the car shed and the bedrooms of my four girls. My room being in the SE was spared on the initial onslaught of wind but when the eye of the storm passed by it was time for the counter wind to bring havoc.

I was oblivious to it all, thanks to my medication. The damage was not really devastating. I just needed to rid the yard with debris and hopefully have someone fix the car shed sometime soon... as in now.

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D1 told me that my son asked her information regarding a certain brand of testosterone. What the heck will my son do with that?! I immediately sent him a text message asking him why he has been asking his sister about testosterone. My son laughed and told me that I have nothing to worry about as he was just doing diligent research about the best testosterone booster out in the market today as he is seriously considering taking the supplement.

"Why? Whatever for?" I queried.

"Mom, I've been working out since forever and I still don't have the necessary cuts!"

I told him that he should eat more protein and more meals a day for his muscles to develop. He said he will but he thinks testosterone booster will work. I told him to read up and ask other body builders first before plunging into taking the supplements.

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D3's birthday party was small one. She only invited some of her cousins on her dad's side.Though the guests were less than 20, it seemed like I fed 50! Gosh these kids CAN EAT! I have about 5 types of food plus cake and ice cream not to mention chips and drinks. There were no leftovers except for empty plates and bottles and a disorderly house. I think the guests like that I cooked burger and chicken on the spot and that instead of the usual spaghetti, I served the "fried" variant. Yep! It was cholesterol galore. Our young guests stayed until 3:00 A.M. and that was when I literally shooed them home for they were still so boisterous the neighbors might complain. Not that I really care about my neighbors. I sort of missed out on the "eating" part as I was busy cooking. Next time I have a party I think I'll order Phentermine to suppress their appetites. Caution should be observed when taking this med though.

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D1 has an acne breakout. She has seen a dermatologist but her pimples are still popping out. Her cousin has the same problem and her skin doctor placed her on a high level of tretinoin - a highly effective for adult acne treatment. The thing is someone on tretinoin has to take extra precaution against the sun's harmful UVB and UVA rays. D1 decided not to consider the treatment as aside from being extra careful from the sunlight, the treatment is super expensive! I guess D1 will just have to stick to her present acne treatment.

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Ethan and I went to a mall the other day. I was going to buy some items for D3's birthday party. The first thing we did when we reached the mall was to "eat". Ethan cannot bear to walk along side me in the mall unless I fuel him up with "food". It was almost noon so lunch was really a necessity.

I had to go to the restroom first to wash my hands. What irked me was the mall has such a small restroom. What irked me more than the constrained space was the fact that the water from the faucet has little pressure and that there are is no working hand dryer! Sometimes going to a first class mall is better as customer service is great and restrooms have hand dryers. Good thing I always carry a hanky.

We are lunch then bought the items needed for D3's birthday bash.

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The trellis that opens to the dining area is about ready to fall down. The wood frames were infested by rot because there were hidden parts of the wooden framing that were not painted before being nailed. The trellis is glass roofed thus giving the area a semi-solarium feel. The trellis has to go. As I write it is now being dismantled. The trellis are was witness to numerous boisterous parties and on occasions, quiet heart to heart talk. The trellis will be missed!

Hopefully by next week I'll have a brand new semi-enclosed patio. I want to turn the space into an outdoor extension of the dining room complete with outdoor furniture and outdoor patio cushions. I already ordered 3 whole panels of bronze polycarbonate for the roofing. I'll post pictures once I am done with this little home improvement project of mine.

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I have not gone to the gym since forever. I just don't have the time nor the "energy" to do some serious workout and maybe pump iron. I still jog but it has not been regular because every time I am all set to jog, it rains. Oh well.

My son has been regularly working out. But it looks like he is a hardgainer - a person who can't add bulk no matter what. I guess my son's diet is erratic since I don't cook for him during weekdays. He lives in an apartment with two other guys and only comes home on weekends. I saw him reading an article about meal replacement meals and such last weekend. He even told me that his friend read some noxycut reviews and is seriously considering taking the diet pill with a "difference". It claims to change fat to muscle, just like that! Oh come on!

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The dermatologist's secretary is a good friend of mine. We have not seen each other for almost three years. She said I look fine, complexion included. However she noticed that my eyelids cannot defy gravity at its maximum level (this is one great way if saying I have folds of extra skin on my eyelids) and that there are now traces of "darkness" around my eyes.

Being the secretary of an esteemed dermatologist, my friend feels that she has earned the right to diagnose my "affliction". She said that I have to consider blepharoplasty (eye bag removal and eyelid surgery) for no amount of gravity-defying eye cream and not even the best eye cream for dark circles can do wonders for my about-to-be-droopy eyes. I stared at my friend and that was when I noticed that she dang had the double eyelid surgery.

Well, I think I'll ask D1 about the procedure. I wonder how much it would cost.

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Ethan's allergy is acting up again. It is not your ordinary food or dust mite allergy that commonly leads to asthma. It is a different kind of allergy called papular urticaria. It is a skin disorder where papules develop because of hypersensitivity reaction to insect bites. Ethan has been diagnosed with this dilemma since 2006 and for almost four years the first incidence was not repeated until our Coron, Palawan trip. I have no idea what bit Ethan in Palawan but whatever that was brought about the recurrence of the allergy. The allergy was not evident for some time after mid May but it hit again mid June. It was back to the dermatologist for Ethan and back to that tiring cream application and plastic-wrapping thingy for the bites.

We were at the dermatologist's clinic the other day for Ethan's check up. Seated with us in the waiting room were two teens with faces filled with red and angry acne. Ethan looked at the two and asked them"What bit you?" Was I glad when the doctor called Ethan's name.

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Everything is digital. Stores, schools, health care facilities, organizations and companies are using digital technology for a better and faster processing of whatever it is they want to process.

What irks me though is there are still some grocery stores that insist on punching in the code of each item on a cash register. I was in a hurry to buy some items the other day and was forced to stop by the grocery store near Ethan's school. As luck would have it the 6 cashier counters all had a short line of customers. I looked at the carts of the customers in line and noticed that their carts were not brimming with items. I thought the wait will be short based on the grocery items of the customers in line. I was so wrong. It took forever! The cashiers do not have scanners in their counters. They have to manually do the encoding and fast as they were they would have been faster if only they had even an ls2208 scanner. This type of scanner is less than 7,000 PHP. Surely the owner of the grocery store could afford to buy six of this.

Now I know why few chose to shop at that grocery store.

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I had to rearrange the basement yesterday. I have an architectural job in the offing and there is an urgent need for me to clear the cobwebs that have gathered under my drafting table. It is not that I have not been doing any architectural works of late it's just that the work that I've been doing were interior decorating-related and those kind of job does not entail me going full-time drafting.

The basement is actually clean and in order. The one that is not is my part of the basement where my drafting table is. I unhinged the table and tried to move the drafting surface. It won't budge. It was stuck at about 45 degrees and how the heck can I draft and draw at that angle? I probed under and at the sides of the table and lo and behold, my son's 20 feet vga cables were hooked under the drafting table. I gathered the cables and set it on one side. Little did I know that I accidentally disturbed its connection to the modem. Crap! I don't want to go through the motions of reconnecting the thingy as it would take me forever to run the cables along the baseboard. As far as I know, I am not guilty.

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