Oscar was asking directions to get to the store that sells Marcus nursing scrubs. I told him that instead of asking directions to go to the store, I will give him directions on how he can find the same scrubs online. He said yes and I wrote a note on a piece of paper.

He came back the next day to thank me for the help. He used to ran around the city to complete errands and generally buy at designated stores. But when I told him to shop online, he realized he’s been wasting his time traveling around and being stuck in traffic jams when he can order and pay online and then wait for delivery to arrive.

I was talking to one of my cousins the other day about getting an online college degree. He just finished one year of IT education then he had to drop out due to lack of educational fund to use. My aunt/her mom didn’t have enough money to support another year of college so she told him right away and he made the decision to stop and work for now.

My cousin now wants to go back to school and take up the remaining three years he has on IT education. He might continue or shift to another course. He is still weighing his options.

So Milton was checking out suv bike racks online when my brother saw him. He is into biking. He told my brother that he will be going on his first mountain biking even this coming March so he is preparing for it. He is training and preparing himself physically and mentally for the grueling event.

When my brother told me about it, I was a little bit jealous. I’ve always wanted to learn how to ride a bicycle but we were not allowed when we were younger. Accidents happened to some relatives and my mom got scared of seeing us hurt. Biking could have been a hobby of mine and I could probably go mountain biking as well.

Uncle Fred has a small request from cousin Dee… help in the installation of wall switch plates. It’s a request borne out of Uncle Fred’s frustration from being rheumatic. He couldn’t hold the tools properly anymore so he really needs to ask someone to help him out at home for quick fixes and repairs.

Of course, cousin Dee said yes right away! We all pitch in when possible to subtly help out Uncle Fred. Sometimes his pride prevents him from asking our help out. But most of the time he really asks anyone of his nephews and nieces to help him in a small task at home.

I have a dream. That dream involves a kitchen that resembles one in those architecture digest magazines I read regularly. I want that kind of kitchen! There ought to be a sub zero fridge, sienna sinks stainless steel sinks, an oven, a kitchen island, a functioning faucet, no leaking pipes and complete kitchen supplies!

I want all that and more! I want to be able to learn how to bake. I want to cook more. I want my kitchen to be bright and sunny and filled with the aroma of home-cooked goodies! I want my kitchen heaven and I am hoping I can get that built soon.

I swear I am always so darn tired when I get home! Too many tasks to do and the kids are always yelling over games their voices seem to be a hundred nails being driven by a hundred hammers! I am just thankful that even with little sleep, I function like as if I am powered by a duracell procell aa battery. Yes, I am now a semi-robot! Hahaha!

Don’t get me wrong. I love what I do. I love teaching. Being with kids is a breeze for me. But the noise level sometimes can get into my head and produce one massive headache. And then when I get home I have a couple more tasks to complete before I can rest.

What can I say? I am a busy girl!

Coffee hour at work was interrupted because the coffeemaker had to be brought out for bunn replacement parts. You could hear groans from all around as everyone was expecting coffee to be brewing for them. It is a ritual in the office for people to stand up one by one to get their caffeine fix at three in the afternoon. It is the sacred coffee hour.

Good thing the repair took only a day to finish. The next day, coffee hour’s back on track! You can see people smiling while savoring the aroma of brewing coffee.

Dante is taking up a specialization in the healthcare field. As soon as he gets his certification, he will be looking for Audiologist Jobs. Yes, that’s what he is aiming at. To become an audiologist. It isn’t a very common specialization so Dante is hoping it will be easy for him to get hired.

It took him a while to decide on which area he will specialize. Most of his friends and colleagues are now practicing their specialization and have their own clinics. He is just starting out with his further studies. What he is happy about is the fact that he is very sure with the decision he made.

I love seeing both men and women carrying leather briefcases to work. It’s not too common nowadays but there are still a lot of working individuals who prefer it over any other bag. Briefcases keep documents smooth. No need to worry about important papers getting wrinkled while you are carrying it to work or to any place of appointment.

I remember a former boss of mine who always carried with him a leather briefcase. The women in the office ‘fainted’ every time he passed by. The briefcase with his very formal look made him look like Clark Kent! Swooning and fainting were very common during those times, I tell you.

;)

Dexter’s trucking business is slowly making a name of its own. The company boasts of good drivers as well as an accurate truck gps tracking. Each of Dexter’s trucks also has insurance and each trip it makes is also insured. Those businesses who will partner with his can never go wrong with the move.

What Dexter learned from his dad is to always give quality service so that customers will return for more. And that’s what Dexter’s company is doing. Giving quality service is what he will do from the moment he opened his business until it remains open and operating.

Mang Ed asked me to get some abrasives and to call at least two persons to help out in the shed project at my gramps’ place. We are going to build him a shed and it’s halfway done already. Gramps loves tinkering around and lately he has gotten into the habit of gardening so the shed is perfect for him. Instead of his tools lying around the place where the little cousins can accidentally pick it up, the shed can be his place for every tool he has.

Little things. We do it for the old guy who was our very own ‘clown’ when we were growing up. We wish to finish the shed before this month ends.

Something I’d like to happen in 2012: more travels. I’ve done local traveling only and I can’t wait to go outside the country and explore neighboring countries that I am interested in. I’ll probably start with Hong Kong then Singapore then Malaysia. There’s also Thailand and Japan and China. So many Asian countries I can explore and from there I will go hop to countries across the globe!

For now, I have to content myself with local trips. I still have to get an rv insurance quote because our family is planning a trip post-Christmas outside the city. We will be bringing the rv like we usually do. Cheaper traveling for us since we don’t have to pay for accommodation and we can cook our own food.

I can’t wait for 2012 trips in and out of the country!

I know that my grandpa is taking gardening more seriously these days. I knew when I saw the compost bins that he bought. I knew then that what used to be a hobby has now turned into a serious endeavor for him. Well, with little stuff to do everyday I think it is but normal for him to take a hobby that turned into a big deal now.

Sooner or later he might turn gardening into a business. I know my grandpa and he is an entrepreneur through and through. If he can find a way to convince my grandma to let him go into business again, I think he will pursue it!

;)

I have a list that I make year after year. The list is composed of stuff that I should remember to do before the year officially ends. To date, the one on top of my list is insurance. Wholesale Insurance reminded me of my list right away when I saw it online. I have to tick that off my list by getting quotes for the insurance plans that will expire by January. I will also be renewing my life insurance if I get a favorable rate from my provider.

There are so many things to do. I still need to finish my Christmas shopping. And then there’s work. Thank goodness it’s already Christmas break in our school. If not, I’d be going crazy by now!

I have a handful of friends from way back in high school and college and I still see them from time to time. I love my friends and I love being a friend to them.

Unfortunately these days I don’t have much time to become a friend to anybody but myself. I am really busy with work and not enough budget to spare. I actually feel guilty that I can’t go when friends invite me out but I know that being friends we are mature enough to understand each others’ circumstances in life.

Anyway, I am just a call or text message away ;)

But soon I will find the time to spend with them. I miss them and I know they miss me, too.

An event was held at the local community center last weekend. Several people from out of town came and stayed there overnight. When the event ended, the community center was left with so much trash everywhere! The president of the community decided to get a trash pump to make the work easier for the people delegated to clean up the mess.

The community center is being rented out to local organizers should they need a slightly larger location for their events. The community in turn uses the rental income to provide livelihood to stay-at-home mothers and those who are jobless.

On Tuesday, November 1st, my dad, siblings and I will visit our dearly departed loved ones. We will visit my brother, mom and grandma at the columbary. This is the first time to spend All Saint’s Day in a columbary because before my mom and brother were laid at a cemetery in Bulacan. Our family is relieved that my mom and brother was transferred here in the city last March because some parts of Bulacan are now flooded due to the typhoons. I can’t imagine going to a flooded cemetery. That is just scary for me.

I’m excited to buy flowers and decorate them for our dearly departed. In a way, it’s kind of sad that I’m doing flower decorations for my mom, brother and grandma who is not here anymore. But offering them flowers shows how much we love and misses them. It’s a sad and at the same time a happy event for me when we are visiting our loved ones.