The Traveler's Memoir

Photography in Dallas

2009-08-04T19:52:00.000-07:00

Mark Oristano Photography provides dallas headshots for actors and performers, as well as business executives and professionals in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. This dallas photographer will travel to your company office to provide shots of all employees, or see you at the studio to create professional and dramatic headshots for use in business ads and profile photos. It is important to have a great photograph when advertising your business, or presenting your portfolio. This premier headshot photographer in dallas has an on-staff stylist and the latest lighting and digital photography equipment. And with Photoshop touch-ups, you'll know that you've never taken a better picture. Since this is a digital photography studio, you can leave with your portrait CD and your photo in your hand for a reasonable cost. Their in studio price structure keeps everything simple and inexpensive. There are additional costs if the photographer travels to your site, however this is reasonable as well. They offer quick service, a professional quallity headshot which is taken and retouched in a short amount of time. It is perfectly ready for use on the internet or in print.

La Jolla Indian Reserve

2009-08-02T21:23:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend my husband and I and a friend of mine had fun camping up in Palomar mountain in La Jolla Indian Reserve. Though it was not really what I expected because the place is a total chaos. This place shows that it's a party camp. People are playing loud music and screaming and yelling. Maybe once in a while is fine but all day long and night time is totally ridiculous. The campsite have rules and so many rules but all of their list of rules are not reinforce and people are doing the opposite.

Found Something Special

2009-07-22T23:45:00.000-07:00

Since I couldn't sleep, I continue my office clean-up. I have to trash/recycle tons of papers that I don't need. While I was digging all these papers and pictures and segregating them I found this Venetian welcome booklet. Wow! This is the our room number when we first visited Vegas on our wedding day. Yes we did get married in Nevada, but not in Las Vegas. We got married in Valley of Fire, Nevada out in the dessert with the most beautiful scenery of red rocks, you can see miles and miles of open space and it's just very gorgeous. Anyway, our suite number at the Venetian is VE 22-115, we checked-in on April 18, 2003 and we checked-out on April 20, 2003. Definitely keeping this paper and will be put on either the scrap book or in the album.

Finishing up some stuff and going to bed pretty soon....

Kitchen Clean-Up

2009-07-20T22:13:00.000-07:00

Since it's garbage day tomorrow, I have to remove a lot of crap in my refrigerator. Cleaning is what my ref really needed. Remove all the scums, dispose all the expired sauce and make if smell fresh again. It looks a lot better if it's always organize and I can easily find everything because it is no longer messy anymore. Scrub my kitchen sinks and wipes all the counter tops. Hubby put all the dishes into the dishwasher, vacuum and mop the floor afterwards. It was a good team clean. Now my kitchen is cleared up. And life feel a lot better if the house is not messy. Isn't it?

Web Advertising

2009-07-15T23:53:00.000-07:00

Two of the most popular forms of web advertising are web directories and blog advertising. But, there are differences between these forms of adverstising that the article "Blog Advertising versus Web Directories" defines very clearly. This article relates Web Directories to using the yellow pages in the phone book. It relates blog advertising to product placement in movies or on television. Then it explores which is the better form of advertising. The author's take on this point is that it depends on the nature of your business, with which I agree. However, it is then stated that if your business is more commodity based a web directory is better, and if your business is more service based or contains more of a 'human' element, then placement in a respectable blog is better. I might even agree with that to some extent. What I do not agree with is that finding a lawyer, for example, would be best suited to blog advertising. Web directories work best for those who have already decided to make a purchase. These folks are just looking for the appropriate company from which to purchase the item or service. Aren't there people out there actually looking for lawyers? I mean, when you need legal counsel do you just wait until someone's company name pops up in a blog and then think, "Oh! I should definitely give them a call. I need a lawyer!" Personally, I wouldn't wait. I thought that was a bad example. Sorry. No offense intended.
I definitely agree that a combination of utilizing web directories as well as blog advertisments would be the ultimate key to product awareness. These forms of advertising are definitely complementary and can work together to draw more consumers to your product or service.

Chinese Food and 1 Bottle of Wheat Beer

2009-07-11T21:29:00.000-07:00

After our massage at Massage Envy we stopped by at Vons to buy some grocery. Fruits and some vegetables and a few sweets. I had some craving for chocolate cake and cookies with pecans so I also grab a slice of cake and a box of cookies. I wish they have just 1 piece of cookie but unfortunately they don't so I have to buy the $3/box.

Anyhow, they have panda express in the store and it's been almost 3 months I haven't have any Chinese food I think as far as I can remember. So I bought 2-meal combo with split rice and noodles, Kung Pao Chicken and Hot and Sour soup. This is what I had for dinner Chinese food and 1 beer. What a satisfying dinner especially for someone like me who didn't have any lunch.

What's in My Mind Right Now?

2009-07-09T20:27:00.000-07:00

I have to list the things that I need to be done before I forget them. Here are the lists of things that needs to be done:

*call the vet to set up an appointment to spay my kitty.
*search for a better doctor so we can have a primary care physician.
*set-up dental appointment for me and hubby.
*clean and organize my house. I'll see if I can apply my interior design class in my house *wink
*test the paint color in my guest bedroom. Hopefully green tea looks good.
*bath my kitties this weekend.
*go fishing with my minahal in Oceanside pier. Quality time outdoor
*Meet this lady from Ormoc, she lives in Chula Vista -not confirmed yet
* Take more computer classes? I think or maybe cooking? or maybe Accounting?

4th of July Celebration

2009-07-05T09:43:00.000-07:00

I was celebrating my very first 4th of July as a citizen of the United States with hubby and friends by the beach. We drove all the way to San Pedro since the host live nearby the area. We arrived around 12:30pm and oh boy.... the place is packed with people probably around 20,000 people in the state beach. Good thing is they don't allow alcohol. Filipino food was great, we had variety of delicious food in the table. Had fun meeting the people that I know again and counting new friends. My husband and I set-up our canopy in the sand and he was relaxing and reading under our canopy. Thanks God even the windy is about 30-40mph our canopy survived. The sun was up because of the wind it feels a bit cold when you're in the shade. Laughter and dancing and we all are having fun and of course including all the husbands. We had games and I am on the blue team and going strong *wink. We won the sack race and beat the pink team, yeah! I had a bad feeling that I am going to have body ache when I get home because of the activities going on in the afternoon. I remember my teen years again, spending time outdoor with friends, playing games and having fun.

Early evening a few hours before the fireworks, good thing we dropped off our stuff in the car first and came back to the beach to watch the fireworks. Took a few pictures with friends to remember the fun we had during 4th of July. Fireworks starts at 9pm so we still have a lot of time to eat, talk, laugh, dance and more pictures taking.... Though soon we gonna have laugh lines at least this shows that we are happy, right?

Fireworks were amazing and beautiful. We sat on the bench watching the flakes of fire dancing in the sky and listening to the loud sound of celebration. The fireworks ran around 20-30 minutes after that people are starting to get moving because of the crazy traffic they don't want to be stuck for hours and so do we. Say goodbye to friends with a hug.

It was another successful 4th of July celebration.

Happy Birthday America!!!

Taking Chances

2009-06-26T20:25:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we are so unsure if the road we are taking is the right one. We are all taking chances with a lot of decisions we make and hope for the best. One of the most stressful stage in life that many people are facing either changing jobs or moving to a new place for some this may not apply but a lot of people do feel the pressure. As we look at the economy right now and the unemployment rate across United States, so many people lost their jobs and some are forced to move to another location hoping that they can find a job.

The job where am at right now is not really the one I pictured myself working for many years but as bad the economy is and I want to have experience to set my feet in the doors of opportunity I have to take whatever I think is decent and that I learn something out of it. For the first few months it's challenging but when I started to have the rhythm of my daily routine at work everything is starting to become plane unless there's something new that keeps me going to resolve an issue. Even right now I am still unsure if I am going to last in this very small company that I am working with. Right now I feel like I am in the limbo and feel so unsecured if the company is going to keep me longer or letting me go. Though I feel like I did an excellent job with my responsibilities also according to my controller's monthly reviews, but still the gray area is still very obvious because the company's financial status is not very strong.

So many uncertainty in life and it's so hard to find answers right away. We always take our chances and for every little decisions we make that could make a big impact in our life including the life of the people you love.

Michael Jackson's Death

2009-06-25T20:58:00.000-07:00

Its all over the news today the death of King of Pop "Michael Jackson". The cause of his death is cardiac arrest. As soon as I heard the news I told my officemates the major news of the day. My supervisor said, " You have got to be kidding! Seriously?" That was his first expression. Another officemate of mine said, "Seriously?" We all stop what we were doing and went on-line to see what's up with the major news today.

I was surprise myself because he was pretty young, died at the age of 50? He doesn't even look like having a heart problem. You just never know when you time is right? I texted some of my friends and actually a good friend of mine who received my text told me that she's crying. I guess if you are really a big fan of the singer you really going to feel very sad.

He is indeed created one of many best music that also influenced many. I would say that even he had ups and downs while he was still alive. His music stays more in the heart of many people.

RIP. Michael Jackson. Your fans are going to miss you but you left music that will keep you alive to many people.

US Beat #1 Soccer Team in the World

2009-06-24T21:48:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how fun the soccer game was. I bet many people are stunned when Spain the number one soccer team in the world was beat by USA which in #14 standing. USA snaps Spain's 35 game unbeaten streak, now US advances to Confederations Cup Final. USA team had the great team work ever. Spain did a great job keeping the ball but USA did better by stopping the ball to get in the goal. Howard the goalie is so great! Go team USA, team Howard! Team USA really showed how much effort they give into the game they stretch every single nerve of their being to stop Spain. I felt so bad for Donovan Bailey though.. I wish he's staying in the game but he got the red flag.

I am so looking forward to watch the final... I am not a super big fan of many sports but I think am starting to like watching.

Laptop in Heat

2009-06-23T18:55:00.000-07:00

I don't know what's wrong with my laptop lately. Even leaving it on for at least 30 minutes or an hour it gets very hot. I should probably take this to a computer repair shop to get this check up. I probably been using this computer too much? Maybe before when I wasn't working a few months back then. Well right now I use this baby at night when I came home and play this addictive facebook game Farm Town. I have got to control myself overplaying this game but sometimes it's just too addictive that I couldn't get enough of it.

Where are you google?

2009-03-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

I still can't believe that I have this url for quite sometime now yet google haven't recognize it. I don't know if google can find this blog or not. But didn't really get any PR at all =). So far haven't receive any generousity yet. Hopefully one of these days.

Actor in the Neighborhood

2009-03-11T05:19:00.000-07:00

I heard that this actor Richard Dreyfuss bought a house in Rancho Santa Fe by Olivenhain. I was thinking to check him out to see him in person. His house is about a mile and a quarter from from house.

I was gonna drive by in the neighborhood yesterday yet I rather go to the grocery store and buy my food than driving around. I can have some other time to drive by where he live.

Easy Money Solutions

2009-03-03T22:19:00.001-08:00

Extremely low on cash again? On occasion pay day can be very long anticipated as infinity. We usually check our closest friends so that we can loan to for some quick cash. Familiar situation?

Payday Loan is the ANSWER. When you absolutely need some quick cash that as easy as 1, 2, 3. They offer payday loan with the fast and easy processing. They are the industries fastest in term of processing, for as fast as three minutes you can process your application with the ease mind, and there’s more, you may worry with your credit history but past credit doesn’t matter to Payday loans. In fact they don’t ask about it! How great is that?

The easy part is that you just have to comply with some simple requirements so they can grant you with the said loans. Payday loans believe that the customer deserves not only fast and easy processing but also deserve courteous service. That’s why we develop an online processing that will surely make your life easier and amazingly speedy. It is our aim to provide you with no hassles and waiting.

DON'T Shop at Sears!!!

2009-02-16T16:15:00.000-08:00

I encourage everyone not to shop at sears!! The have the worse service EVER! I thought I was getting a bargain purchasing my home appliance at their store. They offer you rebate for their delivery which sounds very good for a lot of people. This Sears I went to didn't provide me enough information about the delivery rebate and the expiration which causing me to lose my $65 mail-in-rebate. The only information that was provided to me was the rebate address, there was no rebate form either or even a contact number for me to call. I called the rebate center and try to explain to them the situation but these people are ridiculously unhelpful.

I asked the Manager, "Are you willing to lose good business with your customer you cannot help them redeem their rebate which first of all not your customer fault because there was no enough information provided about the rebate during purchase." Can you guess what she just told me? I thought she is going to say 'NO' but what she said was 'YES because she couldn't help their customer about their $65 mail-in-rebate. I told her, if that's the case you just lost my business. I was planning to do some purchase equipments and other house appliances for my house but because of a very low customer service they have they just lost my business.

I don't encourage you to buy anything at Sears unless you have no other store options to go to. If ever you want to purchase in the store make sure everything was clear. Every single details matters specially if you are dealing with low quality customer service people that they hire. Which I think they don't even give training and just let them assist customers who spent good purchase money in the store

Today's Event

2009-02-02T20:23:00.000-08:00

This morning I felt like I only have very little things that I finished. I have been extremely busy all morning until before I left for work. Even for a part-time work I enjoy being busy and have a lot of things to occupy my mind instead of thinking negative thoughts that end me up into frustrations. Like my job hunting. I wish economy is going to get better soon. So many people lost their job and these people are going to be first in line to be pick for job offer since they have long years of experience compare for people who are just starting (entry level). I am just glad that despite of keep searching the right job opportunity for me, I enjoy having a part-time work as a tax preparer. I never thought that I enjoy preparing taxes and learn different things about taxation. I only had one tax class when I was at school and it felt like for a semester the time is not enough to learn different areas of taxation. Since I just started my part-time of course I have a few errors here and there but working hard to get everything error free and double every single line of the tax form to make sure everything is right. This is a very important document for other people that I cannot afford to have single error. Good thing is since I just started my work my employer is checking my work before the final process to submit the tax.

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2009-01-14T22:08:00.001-08:00

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Steak Hunting

2009-01-10T21:06:00.000-08:00

After about 30 minutes I arrived home I was hearing some weird noise of plastic or paper bag underneath the bed. I thought one of my kitties were just playing I waited for a few minutes 'til I decided to look underneath my bed. My abbysinian girl 'Quennie Pie' drag the thawed New York steak in the zip lock bag all the way up stairs. I just couldn't believed it that she managed to drag that steak since she only weigh less than 5 lbs. I thought it was pretty funny, my husband and I just couldn't believe it. After I took the steak away from her and before I event go back to the kitchen Queenie Pie already decided to go downstairs and drag the other steak as well. I am guessing that she realy want to eat some steak. We always give her wet food and dry food is always available whenever she want.

She always have something on her mind.

PET inside VONS Grocery Store

2009-01-05T21:23:00.000-08:00

I don't have anything against pets. I do have pets on my own but people bringing pets at the grocery store is a big NO NO. Don't you agree with me? I was at the grocery store today doing some grocery shopping in VONS Grocery store this is one Safeway Sister company. Anyway, while I was next in line in the cash register there was one woman carrying her puppy with her. Most people that go to the grocery store usually buy food. Right? Some may just be checking prices and it's so rare for people to go to the grocery store just for fun. I myself did bought some vegges and other food to eat for dinner. Back to this woman who brought her puppy at the grocery store. Okay. The cashier was petting the puppy!!!! I was thinking this cashier is petting the puppy and is going to touch my food?! I don't want to think overboard but I am almost there. I don't hate animals/pets just to make this clear. Okay? Since the cashier is not washing her hand nor use a sanitizer then touching my food that I bought at the store I felt that I have all my rights to asked her questions. I don't want to sound rude nor mean to her, I just want some answer. So, I asked her, "Isn't it against the US Health Code to bring pets in the store that sells food unless the it's a service animal?" You may wonder what she responded to me. She said. When we asked questions about the animal that was brought in the store we get in trouble. I have a few minutes of conversations with the cashier just to asked a few questions. She mentioned to me that there's really a fine line for people bringing their pets in the store and there's no very clear answer. I was about to tell her. HELLO does the management check the goverment website at all or see the brouchure in their office about the Health and Safety of people who buy food in the store? But I decided not to. She said that they don't want to ask question at all because they get into trouble. There's some management issue in this store. This is the second time I saw pets in the store in VONS. I was thinking just for fun I should try to bring my kitty in the store and see how these people react.

Some of you who read this post may not like what I said or may agree with me. But what I am saying is that it's really not sanitary for people who buy food in the store and pets is all over in the grocery store then cashier's are petting them and then touching your food. Who knows what kind of disease these other pets carry you know or someone might be allergic with pet's hair. Or I don't want any pet hair on my produce. I have pet on my own but as a courtesy to other people I don't bring them into the store that sells food. This is just not sanitary.

First Sunday of the Year

2009-01-04T21:25:00.000-08:00

First Sunday of the year my husband and I attended Sunday mass at 10:30AM at Saint John Catholic Church. I like the church and had a good feeling to it. After the mass we drove by Quail Garden and looked at some homes around the area. We also stopped by and hang around a little bit in park by the beach. We gave some food to the seagull since it's very windy out it was fun to watch this bird just floating in the air because it's hard for them to really fly since the strong wind kept blowing them. After the beach we went to the Farmer's Market by Leucadia. I bought a pre-grown sweet white onion, we had some snack grilled artichokes and it was yummy. We tasted a few samples: cheese, cracker and dips, smoked fish and fruits. We bought some smoked fish tuna, sword fish and wahu (Buy 2 Get 1 Free), we e also bought some avocado 6 for $5.00.

Dating 101: Seven Things No One Tells You About Marriage

2009-01-01T22:04:00.000-08:00

I found this article interesting and helpful. This is a very good read for couples who are still keep trying to work a lot of things out because of disagreements and misunderstanding. Even your very serious relationship just began or been together for many years there's always something to disagree that sometimes or most of the times end up into an argument.

Dating 101: Seven Things No One Tells You About Marriage

The surprising, enlightening, and sometimes hard truths married folks all face -- and how they teach us about what love really means. By Ylonda Gault Caviness for Redbook Photo: ©iStockphoto.com/TriggerPhoto Updated: Dec 22, 2008

You're smart. You know life is no storybook. But admit it: Somewhere deep in your subconscious lurk romantic visions of Cinderella, or maybe Julia Roberts. The images may be sketchy and a little outdated, but you can still make out the silhouette of the bride and Prince Charming riding off into the sunset.

In real life, sometimes your Disney fairy tale ends up feeling more like a Wes Craven horror flick -- and you're the chick who keeps falling down and screaming for her life. I've been there. Let's face it, marriage is not for the faint of heart. You want to believe your pure love for each other will pull you through. And it does. But it ain't always pretty.

That may sound grim. But here's a secret: Sometimes it's the least romantic parts of marriage that have the most to teach you about yourself, your partner, and the nature of love. Read on for some simple truths that will unlock the surprising treasures and pleasures in your imperfect, unstorybook, real-life love.

1. You will look at the person lying next to you and wonder, Is this it? Forever?

When you get married, you think that as long as you pick the right guy -- your soul mate -- you'll be happy together until death do you part. Then you wake up one day and realize that no matter how great he is, he doesn't make you happy every moment of every day. In fact, some days you might wonder why you were in such a hurry to get married in the first place. You think to yourself, "This is so not what I signed up for."

Actually, it is. You just didn't realize it the day you and your guy were cramming wedding cake into each other's faces, clinking champagne glasses, and dancing the Electric Slide. Back then you had no idea that "for better and for worse" doesn't kick in only when life hands you a tragedy. Your relationship mettle is, in fact, most tested on a daily basis, when the utter sameness of day-in/day-out togetherness can sometimes make you want to run for the hills. That's when the disappointment sneaks in, and maybe even a palpable sense of loneliness and grief. It's not him. It's just you, letting go of that sugarcoated fantasy of marriage that danced in your eyes the day you and your beloved posed in all those soft-focus wedding photos. You're learning that marriage isn't a destination; it's a journey filled with equal parts excitement and tedium.

Waking up from a good dream to face the harsh morning daylight may not seem like a reason to celebrate. But trust me, it is. Because once you let go of all the hokey stories of eternal bliss, you find that the reality of marriage is far richer and more rewarding than you ever could have guessed. Hard, yes. Frustrating, yes. But full of its own powerful, quiet enchantments just the same, and that's better than any fairy tale.

2. You'll work harder than you ever imagined.

Early on, when people say, "Marriage takes work," you assume "work" means being patient when he forgets to put down the toilet seat. In your naivete, you think that you will struggle to accommodate some annoying habit, like persistent knuckle cracking or flatulence.

If only it were that easy. Human beings, you may have noticed, are not simple creatures. Your man has mysterious, unplumbed depths -- and from where he sits, you're pretty complicated, too. You have to learn each other the same way that you once learned earth science or world geography. And getting married doesn't mean you're done -- it just means you've advanced to graduate-level studies. That's because every time you think you've mastered the material, he'll change a bit. And so will you. As two people grow and evolve, the real work of marriage is finding a way to relate to and nurture each other in the process.

"It's like losing weight," says Andrea Harden, 45, of Buffalo, NY. "You want it to be a one-time deal. You lost it, now just live. But then you learn it's a lifestyle. That's marriage. The effort is a forever thing." So don't be too hard on yourself -- or him -- on those days when you feel like you're struggling through remedial math.

3. You will sometimes go to bed mad (and maybe even wake up madder).

Whoever decided to tell newlyweds "Never go to bed angry" doesn't know what it's like inside a bedroom where tears and accusations fly as one spouse talks the other into a woozy stupor until night meets the dawn. If this scenario sounds familiar, I've got three words for you: Sleep on it.

You need to calm down. You need to gain perspective. You need to just give it a rest. I've found that an argument of any quality, like a fine wine, needs to breathe. A break in the action will help you figure out whether you're angry, hurt, or both, and then pinpoint the exact source. Maybe the fight that seemed to erupt over the overflowing garbage can is really about feeling underappreciated. Could be you're both stressed out at work and just needed to unload on someone. Taking a break will help you see that, and let go. Or maybe you really do have a legitimate disagreement to work out. Without a time-out, sometimes a perfectly good argument can turn into an endless round of silly back-and-forth, rehashing old and irrelevant transgressions as you get more and more wound up.

Even when you do manage to stay focused and on topic, there are some fights that stubbornly refuse to die by bedtime. And if you stifle your real feelings just to meet some arbitrary deadline, your marriage will surely be the worse for it. "This was a huge lesson for me," says Andrea. "As women we've been trained to make nice. But the whole kiss-and-make-up thing just to keep the peace was eating me up inside. I'd let things build up inside me until I just exploded. Now I wait a while to get hold of myself -- let the emotions settle a bit -- and state my position. Even if that means reopening the fight the next day."

4. Getting your way is usually not as important as finding a way to work together.

I can be a bit of a know-it-all. There, I said it. It's really not my intention to be hurtful or brash with people I love. It's just that a lifetime of experience has taught me that in most areas, at most times, I am right about most things. What shocked me several years into my marriage, though, was the realization that the more "right" I was, the more discontented my husband and I were as a couple. See, oddly enough, throughout his life Genoveso has been under the misguided impression that he's right most of the time (go figure!). So we'd lock horns -- often. That is, until I learned a few things.

Namely, that when it comes to certain disagreements, there is no right or wrong -- there is simply your way of looking at things and your husband's. "I used to be very black-and-white earlier in our marriage," says Lindy Vincent, 38, who lives in Minneapolis. "Now I see that I'm not all right and my husband is not all wrong. There's more gray in life than I thought, and that's taught me patience and the value of compromise."

5. A great marriage doesn't mean no conflict; it simply means a couple keeps trying to get it right.

Maybe you think that because of my newfound wisdom, Genoveso and I never fight anymore. Ha! As important as it is to strike a balance, it's also important to have a big, fat fight every now and then. Because when you fight, you don't just raise your voices; you raise real -- sometimes buried -- issues that challenge you to come to a clearer understanding of you, your man, and your relationship. I wouldn't give up our fights for anything in the world, because I know in the end they won't break us; they'll only make us stronger.

6. You'll realize that you can only change yourself.

Ever seen the '80s sci-fi cult classic "Making Mr. Right?" When the stylish heroine, played by Ann Magnuson, is hired to teach a robot how to act like a human, she seizes the chance to create a perfect guy. A hotshot commercial whiz, she uses her marketing prowess to shape John Malkovich's android character into her personal version of the ideal man -- sensitive, eager to please, and willing to listen.

There is a bit of that makeover fantasy in all of us -- something that makes us believe we can change the person we love, make him just a little bit closer to perfect. We may use support and empathy or shouts and ultimatums, but with dogged conviction we take on this huge responsibility, convinced we're doing the right thing.

Whatever our motives, the effort is exhausting. Transforming a full-grown man -- stripping him of decades-old habits, beliefs, and idiosyncrasies -- is truly an impossible task. And you will come to realize, sooner than later if you're lucky, that it is far easier to change the way you respond to him.

7. As you face your fears and insecurities, you will find out what you're really made of.

There were clues when Genoveso and I were dating, especially with the trust thing. Early on, I was supersuspicious of him. He used to say things like, "I'll call you at 8." Then, just to try to trip me up, he'd call at 8. I knew he was up to something, I just couldn't figure out what. The same kinds of experiences followed after the wedding. Except occasionally he would actually mess up. And I had no sense of scale when it came to rating his offenses; everything was a major violation. Whether he teased me about a new haircut or came home late, I seethed for days and even let thoughts of divorce creep into my head. I figured, if he loved me -- really and truly -- this stuff wouldn't happen.

I'd like to be able to say that this irrational behavior lasted only a few months and I eventually worked it out. Kind of, sort of, is closer to the truth. After years of looking deeply into my soul and talking to good friends and the best sister a girl could ever have, I've come to recognize certain things about myself. Not to get all Dr. Phil about it, but I've had to examine my history with an emotionally distant dad and a strong-willed mom and face up to all the ways, both good and bad, that those relationships have affected how I approach my marriage.

That's the strange beauty of marriage: It's full of hard times and hard lessons that no one can ever prepare you for. But in the end, those are the things that give richness to your life together -- and make your love even deeper and stronger than when it began.

Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.

Christmas Holiday Getaway

2008-12-17T19:47:00.000-08:00

A week before Christmas my husband and I planned to spend our holiday in Las Vegas. Good thing we found a good price ticket in one of the hotel's website. The hotel is located in the north strip. They lower the price probably because they don't have that many visitors during Christmas day. They have different packages depends on how many nights you stayed in the hotel.
I thought this is a good time to go to Vegas since it's not going to be very busy. I am hoping that it's not too busy because it's hard to get around Las Vegas with too many people walking up and down the strip with their own different purpose.

UFC Season Finally

2008-12-13T21:03:00.000-08:00

Ultimate Fighter finally. I am very anxious to see who gets the contract especially that a fellow Filipino is fighting 'Phillipe Nover' from New York. He has a very high potential to win the fight and he is a good well rounded fighter. But I thought he needs more training but I have high hopes that he is going to beat down Efrain.

Another interesting fighter that really improved is Junie Browning. On the show he is just a crazy angry person that luckily stayed in the show. He really did take his training seriously after the show because of a very impressive improvement he showed on the fight.

Okay, back to Nover-Escudero fight. I feel so disappointed that Escudero is indeed very good and Nover just couldn't get enough of a grip give him a submission I thought he had a few chance but Escudero was really good in defending himself.

I just feel so disappointed right now that Nover didn't win the fight. Oh well there's more fights to come and hopefully he will be ready for the next one.

Update for today

2008-12-12T21:56:00.000-08:00

My desktop is acting crazy today so I decided when I restarted my computer I have to do a system recovery. Of course there's a risk and most of my installed programs is not going to work anymore and I have to reinstall them. Well not all of them since I don't even use all of those programs anyhow. Another expected situation is going to happen is all files stored in My Documents will be wiped out. Good thing a lot of my files are backed up into an external hard drive. Also, some of my files are stored directly in drive C under Data folder and this data will not go away when I run my system recovery. Since I had my interview with another recruiting agency this afternoon I couldn't finish fixin' some programs in desktop. My desktop of course is up and running it's just a lot of the programs needs to be reinstalled. This is not really a very high priority right now so I have to schedule some of my time over the weekend to run through the programs that are not working and will be be reinstalled and will be permanently deleted.