Window of my life

What's up world!

2010-07-23T15:31:00.002-04:00

Yeah, I have been really missing in action. Could not even remember my password for my blogger account. Not even sure if I should keep my blog. Oh well, we will see. I have been extremely busy and lazy. Busy with work at work and house work at home. What can I say?
I will try my best to pop in once in awhile and probably jot a thing or two here next time.
It's FRIDAY.... :). Thank God it's Friday!
My son is on a long school vacation and is extremely bored at home. We just got back from South Carolina for a week vacation at Myrtle beach. It was awesome but it was also super hot. The heat index in SC, never goes down below 88F...but it was worst in Indiana...it's always in the high 90's. Gosh, I am ready for autumn or spring. Winter and Summer are the worst time of the year.

Oh well, that's my short current happenings right now. Will add more soon. See ya........

MIA

2009-12-13T07:01:00.003-05:00

Yeah, I know it has been months that I have not been updating my blog. I have been busy with my new job and with such undesirable hours I hardly have much time for anything at all except for the daily necessities that needs to be taken care of. The house is in shambles and the regular dusting and scrubbing are always a week behind :(. I am sure those working moms do agree with me that being a working mom with young kid/s and a house to take care of is hard work...especially those having to go thru' night shifts like me. I used to enjoy those 8+ hours of sleep while being a stay at-home mom but now it would be a miracle if I can even get 5 hours! Oh well, this tough economic downturn is making it harder for everyone but I think I am the lucky ones with a 'not too' bad paying job which I kinda enjoy at times :). I will definitely be back here checking and updating important happenings and wishing everyone a VERY HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.

2009-09-14T10:57:00.004-04:00

May this HARI RAYA be a special one for all of you....
And may it bring you many happy moments
to cherish forever!

SELAMAT HARI RAYA

Selamat Berpuasa to all my friends

2009-08-21T09:40:00.003-04:00

Wishing everyone a very blessed and prosperous happy ramadan. May Allah bring happiness, peace, reward and joy to all of you and your families and to all of humanity

In this blessed month of Ramadan
May Allah the Almighty shower his choicest Blessings on all of us
May HE make our Iman stronger
May HE forgive all of our sins, shortcomings and mistakes
May HE fulfill our desires
May HE safeguard us from all calamities and troubles

AMINNN

Supersize deep spa/hot tub

2009-08-11T14:37:00.003-04:00

My in-laws recently bought a beautiful hot tub. For those who have no idea what a hot tub is, it's a manufactured tub or small pool full of heated water used for soaking, relaxation, massage, or hydrotherapy. In most cases they have jets for massage purposes. Hot tubs are usually located outdoors and are often sheltered for privacy purposes. I told my mother in-law that I would prefer to use the hot tub in the winter. Her hot tub is extremely beautiful with 4 zone multi color lighting system you can individually control. Last week, Ramzi and my dear husband had a chance to try the hot tub. Here are some pictures.

My aunt died :(

2009-08-11T08:02:00.004-04:00

It was quite an unusual time for my sister to leave me a message that says, 'call me back ASAP'. I knew deep in my heart that something was amiss and when I was able to get a hold of her, she told me, 'jangan kau terkejut, Cik Aji Enon dah ninggal'! (don't be shocked, our Aunt, Aji Enon has passed away!). I just could not believed what she had told me, because it was only a few days ago that we had a family gathering lunch buffet at another aunt's house and she had made pumpkin pie, chicken pie and some other delicacies and that very evening, she visited me at my mom's house and we were having tea in my mom's kitchen where she stayed until almost 8.30 pm. She handed me a big pack of Baba's curry powder and told me that she have nothing much for me to carry back home. She prepared all those pies thinking that my dear husband would enjoy eating american's favorite delicacies, which I felt is just so thoughtful of her. She will be greatly missed. AL FATIHAH.....

Back in the USA!

2009-08-11T07:51:00.003-04:00

We are home! Yes, we are home, but we are not really healthy yet. Ramzi and I, we have been sickly ever since we arrived in Evansville. We had fever, cough and of course jet-lag. Ramzi is almost back on his normal sleep pattern and enjoying life back home, but still missing his cousins and friends in Miri. Tomorrow, Ramzi will be going back to school after a long summer vacation and he will be in 1st grade... :). How exciting is that? lol. Last weekend, we went shopping for his school stuff at Wal-Mart, and this evening we will be meeting his teacher and inspect his new classroom. As for mommy, I will be busy scouting for a job! Hopefully, I will find something out there.........

Oakland City Golf Club

2009-06-30T08:45:00.005-04:00

My father in-law drove us to Oakland City Golf Club to watch fireworks, and unfortunately most of the fireworks picture that I took were really blurry and was not that good. During the early part of the evening, I took some pictures while we were waiting for the show to start.

Ramzi & Pawpaw went to get the golf cart

All happy because he got to mess around with the golf cart!

One beautiful lake at the golf course

Buck and Connie came to watch the fireworks too.

The King is dead!

2009-06-26T08:31:00.004-04:00

Article extracted from: http://www.drudgereport.com/default.htm?sc=0.27787402483681694

Michael Jackson 1958-2009, Thursday, June 25, 2009

What killed Michael Jackson? He was just weeks away from his 'London Comeback Concert'

Michael Jackson, an incomparable figure in music, dance and culture whose ever-changing face graced the covers of albums that sold more than half a billion copies, died Thursday, shortly after going into cardiac arrest at his rented Holmby Hills mansion. He was 50. He spent much of his life as one of the most famous people on the planet, and to many, his untimely death felt both unthinkable and, oddly, inevitable.

Paramedics found Jackson in cardiac arrest when they arrived at his home shortly before 12:30 p.m., three minutes and 17 seconds after receiving a 911 call. His personal physician was already in the house performing CPR. Jackson was not breathing, and it appears he never regained consciousness. Paramedics treated Jackson at the house for 42 minutes, and he was declared dead at 2:26 p.m. at UCLA Medical Center, about two miles from his home above Sunset Boulevard."I got to kiss him and tell him goodbye," said Frank DiLeo, Jackson's manager and friend of 30 years, who was at the hospital. "I lost a very dear friend, someone who I admired, someone who was the greatest talent I ever met or worked with."Los Angeles police said detectives would launch a thorough investigation of the death. They cautioned, however, that they did not believe Jackson was the victim of foul play and that the investigation was standard after the death of a person with his level of fame. Authorities said they would examine whether Jackson had been taking medications that contributed to his death; an autopsy is expected to be performed today.Jackson's death was confirmed outside the hospital by his brother Jermaine, who once performed alongside Michael as a member of the Jackson 5, a family act that began in the steel mill town of Gary, Ind., before making it big in the music industry.
Jackson -- who most famously lived in Santa Barbara County at his Neverland Ranch, named for the island where Peter Pan and the Lost Boys were in no danger of growing up -- had taken up residence in a seven-bedroom estate in Holmby Hills, which he was renting for $100,000 a month.He had come to Los Angeles to rehearse for 50 sold-out concerts at London's O2 Arena, a run of shows that was scheduled to kick off July 13 and had been dubbed "This Is It." The concerts were to have been the start of an ambitious career revival designed to begin wiping out Jackson's staggering debt -- he owed at least $400 million and would have earned $1 million a night -- and return the singer to cultural relevancy.Jackson's backers envisioned the London appearances as an audition of sorts for a reboot that would go on to include a world tour, movies, a Graceland-like museum, new music and revues in Macau and Las Vegas.Those close to Jackson have said he had been working diligently to get in shape for his comeback. A year ago, he was gaunt and used a wheelchair, but recently he'd been exercising with a trainer in addition to daylong rehearsals with dancers half his age.Kenny Ortega, the force behind "High School Musical" and "Dirty Dancing," was brought on as the concerts' director. Jackson was consumed with the project, Ortega said, personally approving every costume and every bit of choreography. Jackson was also thrilled by the notion of keeping the details of the tour secret."He was so in love with this project," Ortega said. "When I looked into his eyes, they looked great. . . . Michael was sincerely happy."Rehearsals were to wrap up early next week. Ortega was leading one of the final rehearsals Thursday afternoon when he received a phone call confirming Jackson's death, which he then revealed to the tour performers."People fell to their knees," he said.Johnny Caswell, a principal at Centerstaging, the Burbank soundstage where Jackson had been rehearsing, watched many of the run-throughs and said he was "absolutely shocked" by the performer's death. Jackson, he said, was "very frail" but approached the rehearsals -- including one the night before his death that witnesses at Staples Center called triumphant -- with boundless energy. "He was working hard," Caswell said.In order for promoters to get insurance for the London shows, Jackson underwent a four-hour physical with an independent doctor this spring. Randy Phillips, the chief executive of AEG Live, the promoter, said the medical screening uncovered "no issues whatsoever."Word of Jackson's death ricocheted around the nation. In Gary, Ind., outside his modest childhood home, fans formed a prayer circle. In New York, fans moonwalked outside the legendary Apollo Theater, where Jackson performed when he was 9. According to the Associated Press, so many people tried to verify Jackson's death that Google's computers interpreted the simultaneous searches for "Michael Jackson" as an automated attack.As the night wore on Thursday, authorities pleaded with fans and onlookers to avoid UCLA Medical Center, to no avail. A large crowd, including some people wearing costumes similar to Jackson's performance outfits, gathered. Across the street, the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house blasted Jackson's music. A group of young girls sobbed, blocking an emergency room driveway until police ushered them aside.The crowd continued to swell as authorities flew Jackson's body from the hospital to the nearby coroner's office by helicopter -- an event that was televised live."Michael lived a tortured life," said Tommy Mottola, who oversaw Jackson's career for 16 years as head of Sony Music. "With his successes came all the pressures. . . . Imagine living with that stress on a minute-to-minute, day-by-day basis. And that's going on in life from the age of 5 or 6 to 50. It's almost shocking he made it through this long."Jackson's comeback, Mottola said, represented "a very important platform for him to bridge the old and new." But Jackson also needed the comeback to reverse the damage done by years of excessive spending and little work. He has not toured since 1997 or released a new album since 2001, but he has continued to live like a megastar.

"For the first time, he had a big financial base behind him," said Tohme R. Tohme, an orthopedic surgeon-turned-businessman who was once Jackson's spokesman and confidant.Mottola suggested that the demands of preparing for the tour might have been too much.

It's not just another big act going out on the road," he said. "Michael always had to surpass, always wanted to top what he'd done last."AEG Live billed the sold-out "This Is It" concert series as the most expensive and technologically advanced arena show ever. AEG had invested more than $20 million to mount a production that was to have included up to 22 sets, elaborate light shows and high-wire acts.The company, which owns Staples Center and other venues, had also set aside 50 nights at the O2 Arena, its European showplace.

With Jackson's death, AEG will have to refund the $85 million worth of tickets that were sold. Gone are the company's expected profits -- an estimated $115 million, according to Billboard -- as well as plans for a global three-year tour that the company had predicted would gross $450 million."They are taking a big hit," said Gary Bongiovanni, editor of concert-tracking publication Pollstar.Among the company's priorities, he said, will be trying to find other acts to fill the O2, a 20,000-seat arena that does not rely on resident sports teams to fill its seats. Jackson's concerts were scheduled to run through March."They will be able to re-book some of those shows. But those in July, the building will probably be dark. You have an empty building, and that's going to have an impact on their London operations, certainly," Bongiovanni said.AEG struggled to get affordable insurance for the shows, given Jackson's history of canceling tours and his 12-year hiatus from performing.Phillips vowed to self-insure the shows if carriers wouldn't, and ultimately the company secured coverage for what Phillips called "the first $23 million."Mary Craig Calkins, a Los Angeles lawyer who specializes in insurance issues, said many entertainment companies get several kinds of policies before a big tour, including one that specifically covers the health of the star or "key man.""Usually, they would put in place a package that would have multiple aspects to it. If you are headlining Michael Jackson, you have to have Michael Jackson at the show, so we would expect they would have a policy that would cover if he got laryngitis or had a minor traffic accident or died," she said.AEG officials declined to comment."We're dealing with a tragedy. We have no comment on that," a spokesman said.In an interview last month, Phillips said that when the company announced the Jackson comeback, he was derided by colleagues in the industry."Everyone was very unsupportive. . . . You know, 'He'll never do it. You're fooling yourself.' All of that," he said.Phillips said he persevered, convinced by the physical exam showing Jackson was in good health, a contract that bound the singer to show up and a conviction that "in this business, if you don't take risks you don't achieve greatness."AEG had produced other "concert residencies" for singers, including Celine Dion and Prince, but Phillips had hoped Jackson's performances would cement the company's reputation among artists.AEG Live is a unit of Anschutz Entertainment Group, which is owned by Colorado billionaire Philip Anschutz.Those close to Jackson said they could only hope that his troubles would not overshadow the import of his musical career."It's a tragic end to someone who contributed so much and touched us all, hopefully someone whose final years will be remembered for more than his legal woes," said Scott Ross, an investigator on Jackson's legal defense team.

"MAY HE REST IN PEACE"

The King of Pop, who will be forever immortalized for his world-famous, trademark dance moves and chart-topping success, was arguably one of the most popular recording artists of all time, his success peaking during the 1980s.

A busy Saturday

2009-06-08T13:12:00.006-04:00

We had a busy saturday last week. We managed to have breakfast with Jamal and Dussti and after having breakfast at White Castle, we went to Lowes to look at some plants etc. We stayed for about 1/2 hour at Jamal's house watching Ramzi and Jamal jammin' on Guitar Hero. Around 1 pm we went to the Evansville home show nd managed to see some beautiful houses in a prestigious subdivision in Newburgh. Here are some pictures.

Selamat Hari Gawai

2009-05-31T15:11:00.001-04:00

Selamat Hari Gawai to all my native friends

2009-05-20T13:58:00.007-04:00

I am just so upset after viewing my PIN (Performance Improvement Notices). I am a work-at-home mom and some days I will work and some days I don't. I was casually browsing my performance for last week and I went to my PIN column and was kinda shock to see that I have a PIN history. This is what is printed in small green prints...

I have read the above and understand what is expected of me in the future and acknowledge that further continuance of this or any other type of misconduct may result in employment termination. My signature is not to be construed as an admission or denial of the observation documented above. Refusal to sign this form does not release me from further disciplinary/correction action if failure to meet the required expectations results. I understand that I have the right to submit written comments of my own regarding this matter to Employee Relations. An employee issued a Step III probationary PIN will not be eligible for promotion or transfer until the probationary time has elapsed. The receipt of a PIN does not alter the at-will relationship between employer and employee and does not create a contract of employment for a definite period of time that the PIN is active.

Right below it gives the Project Name, Issue Date, Occur Date, Step Level, Sign Date and Status. I immediately called up PAL (Performance Assessment Liaison), and that poor guy was stammering hard and I was not able to understand him much, but I did hear him say to go to FAQ and I should be able to find an answer to my question, which I of course did not see it any where, as usual! I tried explaining to this PAL that I did not work on the 17th and my last working day was on the 14th. I may have connections problem that day, but I contacted PAL on live-chat and also over the phone while I was working, but I told him it is not my fault if PAL did not take note of me calling or talking to them over the phone or over live chat. I did find an address and I started typing furiously and put it in an envelope. Unfortunately the mail man had gone and I have to wait until tomorrow to mail it out. I am an extremely ethical person where work is concerned. I usually give 120% while working in brick and mortar office style and there is no difference when I am working at home. I have heard so much about the inefficiency of some work-at-home Co's but have never encountered any problem until today. Mannnnn it's making me maaaaaaad! I have to release my frustrations here. Sorry guys!!

An evening at Nafeez's

2009-05-11T16:08:00.005-04:00

My great friend Nafeez recently invited us to have dinner at her house. She's a super great cook and I've always enjoyed her chicken or lamb beriani. The kids were also having a great time in the backyard. Here are some pictures.

Mother's day gift

2009-05-11T12:55:00.006-04:00

My son made his very own mother's day gift and a card and he is extremely proud of his accomplishment.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T09:22:00.002-04:00

As I Look Back...

As I look back on my life

I find myself wondering...

Did I remember to thank you

for all that you have done for me?

For all of the times you were by my side

to help me celebrate my successes

and accept my defeats?

Or for teaching me the value of hard work,

good judgement, courage, and honesty?

I wonder if I've ever thanked you

for the simple things...

The laughter, smiles, and quiet times we've shared?

If I have forgotten to express my gratitude

For any of these things,

I am thanking you now...

and I am hoping that you've known all along,

how very much you are loved and appreciated.

Author Unknown

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE MOM'S OUT THERE

New gig

2009-04-30T16:27:00.004-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I got hired by Citi to work online. I did my training and for the past couple of weeks I have been taking calls for citi customers. Most of the calls are regarding refinancing or customers wanting to get a second loan on their property, or wanting to know about Government Assisted Programs etc. It's an easy job and I really really am having fun working with West. My 1st gig with them did not last as long as I had expected it to be, because there were no available hours on spectrum. After waiting for a couple of weeks, I handed in my resignation and now they've given me a new skill, which is with Citi Group. With the current economic downturn and the low interest rates on mortgages, people are calling in all the time, so they can refinance their property. Most calls are easy to handle because it's all scripted. If nothing fits the needs of the callers, an agent can transfer them to Citi 1-800 xxx and pick their options from there. Some days an agent can get 1 or 2 callers who may have got up from the wrong side of their bed, and the only way to handle this kind of call is to apologize profusely or if it doesn't work that way, we do have Supervisors who can be contacted online. Most time, I would try to resolve any issues myself.

Guitar Hero

2009-04-20T12:21:00.007-04:00

Anyone heard of guitar hero?Guitar Hero is a series of music video games first published in 2005 by Redoctane and distributed by Activision in which players use a guitar-shaped peripheral to simulate the playing of lead and bass guitar across numerous rock music songs. It was a mid-friday morning that we (my husband and I) went to Jamal's house to deliver our computer hard drive that had crashed. Jamal is a computer geek who ALWAYS helps us with our computer issues. Like all of you out there, we (my husband, our son and I), goes on the computer every day, and with one computer down, all 3 of us have to fight over one lap-top, and it's bad!! Anyway, when we arrived at Jamal's house, he was busy doing electrical rewiring in the basement. It was supposed to be a short stop at his house, but Jamal and my dear husband starts jammin' to Metallica with Jamal on the drums and unfortunately my dear husband was struggling with his guitar, but managed to give it a second try and did fairly well. I got bored watching them play, and so was Jamal's cat. As you can see from the pictures below, the cat was totally unimpressed by their loud music. The cat even sat on a stool, looking bored to death!! hahaha.

April showers bring, Well you know!

2009-04-14T10:54:00.004-04:00

They say April 's showers bring May flowers... but not so...

Thank God, Friday was a snow day replacement day instead of Good Friday holiday for Ramzi. We have been having soaking rain storm and tornado warnings throughout the week. As for high water, I do not expect more than some nuisance street flooding as storm culverts back up in the heavier downpours. Looks like gusty winds will accompany especially the nighttime rains, so it will take a sturdy umbrella to combat the rains. The soaking rains will taper to lighter showers, though a brisk wind will assure a cool and damp start to the day. By the way, the pattern is set for the whole of this week. A healthy rain storm every 2 or 3 days so I expect April rains to be above normal. April brides beware of outdoor receptions though May weddings will feature breathtaking floral bouquets thanks to all the rain!! The next rain storm is due in by the weekend with scattered thunderstorms with probably some winds and hail will be possible. TOO SOON TO PINPOINT. The great thing about all this is that, it's starting to warm up.

MagMyPic

2009-04-02T12:28:00.001-04:00

Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com

Road bully

2009-03-30T10:15:00.009-04:00

The weather was pretty nasty when we left for Bloomington, Indiana. It was raining with slight flurries, otherwise it was a normal car ride to Bloomington. We had with us, Wanda, her son, her mom and her sister riding with us to Bloomington and Ramzi was just so happy to have Axel (Wanda's son), so both of them were pretty occupied with their DS game. Upon arrival, we shopped at the 10th St. International grocery store. Since everyone was so hungry after a long ride, we got our gps out so we can do a search on international restaurants in the area. We found a few and decided on a Siamese restaurant. Wanda and Lena ordered all kinds of food and some that I know off hand were Tom yum, noodles, fried rice and a platter of vegy condiments. Not sure what it's called, but it sure was super spicy!!! The kids loved the Mannequins deco in the restaurant, and were having a hard time taking their hands off it! Poor grandma (Wanda's mom) was afraid that they might damage the deco's. We left the restaurant with our bellies full and fortunately the drive back was not as bad because the rain was gone but the cold temperature was still there. Upon reaching Washington, that's where our trouble begins. We came upon a dark colored vehicle and it was probably driving 30+ mph on a 55 mph road. We were behind this car for many many miles until there was an opportunity that we were able to pass it. My dear husband put the car in gear and put his signal on so we could overtake this car, but when he wanted to do just that, the other car instead of letting us pass, he or she put their car in full gear too, so we either have to back down behind him or have a head-on collision with an on-coming car. My husband was not aggressive when wanting to pass this car, it was just a normal thing that drivers do when wanting to pass another car, and unfortunately when he wanted to do just that, and we were just side by side the other car, we all can see that the driver and the passengers of the other car were laughing their hearts out because we were not able to pass them. We were all in shock at this behavior They thought it's a game! When we were behind them, they drove real slow again. To maintain our safety, we backed off from this aggressive group of youngsters and my husband took out his cell phone and dialed 911. It is clear to us that this bully is putting himself and us in danger. We reported that individual’s license plate and other identifying details to the police. Aggressive drivers who drive dangerously do not belong on the roads. 3 -4 minutes after my husband made that call, a police car came out from the right junction got in front of us, and less than a mile after that, the police car turned on his light and got behind this bully and amazingly got them to stop, and that's when we passed them. Now, we can see that they are no longer laughing! I saluted the effectiveness and promptness of the law in taking care of this situation.

A tribute to an ex-colleague & dear friend

2009-03-30T10:06:00.003-04:00

The late Marlon Dinglasan and his wife emailed by Gerlie. (I could not believe how much weight he've lost and I am forever grateful and thankful that I was able to 'communicate' with Marlon through his sister-inlaw, Gerlie via email before his death).

On January 24, 2009, I received an email from my ex-colleague in Shell about a friend of ours who is dying from stage 4 lung cancer. A couple of days ago, I received an email from Marlon's sister in-law, Gerlie, that Marlon, her brother in-law has joined his creator on March 28, 2009 at 2:40pm Philippine time. He will be cremated on Wednesday, April 1,2009. For that, I am dedicating this part of my blog to my dear friend, the late Marlon S Dinglasan.
Marlon had lived an amazing life even though it was rather short. Marlon was a great friend; he was the kind of friend that stands by you when you need somebody to be there. As a colleague and a dear friend, he was always helpful. Yes, it was probably in 1991 or in 1992 that I first met Marlon and a group of other Filipino engineers when they joined Shell MDS. The thing I remember clearly when I think of Marlon is his sense of humor, his politeness and his unique soft baritone voice.He was the kind of person that would make everyone laugh so hard. He was so out there when he starts those jokes. That is what I will truly miss about Marlon. He could make anyone laugh when they are really sad. He always cheered his colleagues when he knew they were having a bad day. That’s the trademark of Marlon. He always wanted to make people happy. Marlon’s death was sudden to me, but in reality he knew of his cancer long before I heard of it. I remember when I heard the news I simply could not believe it. Marlon was too young but as it slowly occurred to me I have realized that Marlon indeed lived his life wonderfully. Marlon was well-liked and he had done so many things on earth and I’m sure he’ll do much more in heaven. I will forever be grateful to have known Marlon. I will forever be grateful for spending 7+ years of my life as a colleague with a friend like him. All the memories I have shared with him will forever be cherished and remembered. This is not the time for us to grieve his death but it’s our time to celebrate his life. I am sure he never wanted to see people cry, he wanted to make everyone happy. I am thankful that I was given the chance to have known a man named Marlon. He will forever be missed.

American idol & their judges

2009-03-04T10:30:00.008-05:00

This week on American idol is visits the Michael Jackson songbook, and unfortunately, it did not go so well for some of the contestants. Others like Danny Gokey and Adam Lambert, while they've been overhyped by the judges, it's hard to deny their talents. Lil Rounds and a teen with that weird hairdo like Allison are also extremely talented, and another cutie, Anoop Desai, who in reality does not have the most flawless vocal, but he was definitely among the most exciting and energetic contestant. Definitely needs to concentrate on hitting all his notes, but there's no denying his swagger, appeal, and stage presence make Anoop a serious threat, even if he had to rely on the judges to get him to the top, which I think will end after tonight. His 'beat it' was a total mess and even Paula have no positive feedback for him, unfortunately! The suspense builds!

Being an asian living in the US, I find the ebonic language or slang used by one of the Judges, Randy Jackson on American Idol pretty hilarious and at times I was lost, not being able to understand what he was saying! To me it's those kind of slang used by thugs, gangsta wanna-be's, kids and ghetto-dwellers, ebonics and ghetto lingo like "phat," "hood," "bounce," dawg" "SUP" and "hoe" (sp.)? Other words and expressions that became widespread in the '80s like "word up," "chillin'," "home slice," "homie," "homeboy" and "fly"? Last week on American Idol Randy was using word ending in 'WHAT'! I have noticed that he have used it a few times to compliment some contestants and it is probably his new ebonic slang of the night! As for Simon Cowell's, personally I think he is notorious for his bluntness and controversial criticisms about contestants and their singing abilities. I am sure the contestants would appreciate his feedbacks to get them through the top 3.

Octomom and the media octopus

2009-02-27T11:59:00.007-05:00

Octomom, Nadya Suleman, is a jobless, single mother of 6 children, and had recently gave birth to the 2nd only set of octuplets recorded in the US. The birth had the media going cuckoo for weeks. The question in everyones mind is, 'how will she care for 14 babies'? To me, this story should not be followed at all. If she is looking for attention, the media certainly is fulfilling that for her. If she is truly having a mental issue, then it is cruel for us to be pestering her and her family. She is undergoing a challenging time being hounded by the media, after giving birth to octuplets. We all have to deal with the consequences of our actions like making bad choices and she is no different. Hopefully the media should concentrate on real issues that are facing the country. People should leave her alone, get a life!

Anyone wanting to know more about who I am talking about here, please click on this wiki. link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadya_Suleman

http://www.thenadyasulemanfamily.com/

5 things you never knew your cell phone could do

2009-02-26T11:05:00.003-05:00

For all the folks with cell phones. (This should be printed and kept in your car, purse, and wallet. Good information to have with you.)

There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies.
Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival. Check out the things that you can do with it:
FIRST Emergency
The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find
Yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile network and there is an
Emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to
Establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly, this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.
SECOND Have you locked your keys in the car?
Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy
someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If you lock your keys
In the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on
their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot
From your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock
button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will
unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other 'remote' for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).
Editor's Note: It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked
Our car over a cell phone!'
THIRD Hidden Battery Power
Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the
keys *3370#. Your cell phone will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell phone next time.
FOURTH How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?
To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following
Digits on your phone: *#06#. A 15-digit code will appear on the
screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it
somewhere safe. When your phone get stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.

And Finally....

FIFTH Free Directory Service for Cells
Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for
411 information calls when they don't have to. Most of us do not
carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation
even more of a problem. When you need to use the 411 information
option, simply dial: (800)FREE411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all. Program this into your cell phone now.

Aluminum Foil

2009-02-21T08:06:00.002-05:00

Was this something we were supposed to learn from our Mom's?????I can't believe it's been there all this time. I had to go into the kitchen and check this out for myself. Whoever looks at the end of your aluminum foil box? You know when you try to pull some foil out and the roll comes out of the box. Then you have to put the roll back in the box and start over. The darn roll always comes out at the wrong time.Well, I would like to share this with you. Yesterday I went to throw out an empty Reynolds foil box and for some reason I turned it, and looked at the end of the box. And written on the end it said, Press here to lock end. Right there on the end of the box is a tab to lock the roll in place. How long has this little locking tab been there? I then looked at a generic brand of aluminum foil and it had one, too. I then looked at a box of Saran wrap and it had one too! I can't count the number of times the Saran wrap roll has jumped out, when I was trying to cover something up.I'm sharing this with my friends. I hope I'm not the only person that didn't know about this .