Happy Wife, Happy Life

It’s November again, the time of the year when Leo and I would attend the yearly marriage seminar sponsored by our church, Victory Dasmarinas.  This year’s marriage seminar is entitled “Happy Wife, Happy Life” – and that is because our speaker was none other than Chinkee Tan, the wealth and life coach.

Even though both Leo and I were dead tired the night before (I just came back from official work travel to Cagayan de Oro and my patient husband fetch me from NAIA after 2 hours flight delayed), we were all set to attend.  We were a bit late but my parents saved both of us a seat.

Chinkee Tan generously gave us advice regarding marriage.  He tackled all about the myths of marriage, the dos and donts, and a lot more.  The seminar was set for 3 hours only (very bitin).  But with all the points Chinkee discussed about marriage, all I remembered are the three points he focused on as the reasons why marriage fails.

Lack of Communication – At the beginning of the seminar, Chinkee asked the audience on what they can say as the perfect marriage.  Most of the participants answered: a perfect marriage is one with a lot of good communication.  Men and women are created differently.  The only way we can meet halfway is by communicating.

Lack of Intimacy – Intimacy equals to S-E-X.  Yes, this is a very vital part of any marriage.  And I don’t think it needs any more explanation.

Lack of Money – More than 50% of failed marriages are due to lack of money.  

Our marriage isn’t perfect – far from it, actually.  We fight and we argue because we are not perfect individuals and because we were brought up differently.  But putting God in the center of our marriage has not only helped us, but became the binding force of our marriage.  Attending marriage seminars yearly also helps us understand each other more and reminds us how we may not be perfect individuals but are perfect for each other.

Colorum Hulihan Diaries

If you live in Cavite area, more or less (or maybe daily) you have already ridden a colorum vehicle – either bus, jeepney, or vans.  No matter how good a Filipino citizen we want to become and not patronize illegal (because colorums are illegal) there will be a time you will because of a lot of reasons – convenience is one of them.

Now, I admit to be commuting to work most of the time, lately through a colorum vehicle.   And there are a lot of times that these colorum vehicles will have their own unlucky day and be caught by authorities (LTO, LTFRB, TMO, etc.).  Let me recount to you the times I was unlucky enough to be riding in one of those vehicles.

Hindi pa nakakadalawang ikot ang gulong.

Isa ako sa pinakaunang pasahero ng van at dahil hindi aandar ang van ng hindi puno, nagantay ako ng 20-30 minutes.  Nang mapuno ang van at ready ng umalis, hindi pa nakakadalawang ikot ang gulong ng colorum na van, hinarang na ng LTO.  Inutusan kaming mga pasaherong bumaba ng van.  Nang tanungin kung san kami sasakay na, patay malisya si kuyang LTO personnel.  Ang Ending: Hinuli si kuyang driver at kinuha ang lisensya nya.

Ang suhulan

Habang binabaybay ang kalsada, pinara ang colorum na van ni kuyang TMO.  Konting usap, konting daldal, para hindi na daw maabala ang lahat, natapos sa Php3oo na suhulan.  (Palagi itong nangyayari sa king sinasakyan).  Ang Ending:  tuloy sa byahe minus lang ng Php3oo sa kita.

Ang Sermon

Habang binabaybay ang kalsada, pinara ang colorum na van ni kuyang TMO.  Hiningi ang lisensya ni kuyang driver ng colorum na van.  Walang maibigay na lisensya si kuyang driver dahil nahuli na sya at traffic violation ticket na lang ang meron sya.  Tinawag ni kuyang TMO ang head office nila.  Si kuyang Head Officer ng TMO nag simulang magsermon kay kuyang driver.  Nagsimula ang sermon sa tamang hangaring makapaghatid ng pasehero sa lugar na pupuntahan pero maling pamamaraan napagitnaan ng sermon sa mga aksidenteng hindi sinasagot ng insurance dahil colorum at natapos ang sermon sa pagpapaubaya at hindi paghuli pero sa susunod  na mahuli ay iimpound na.  Ang parting words ni kuyang Head Officer ng TMO:  matigas ako magsalita dahil Batangueno ako, pero pusong mamon talaga ako.  Ang Ending:  pinaalis kami ni kuyang TMO para ihatid ang pasahero sa dapat puntahan pero dapat gumarahe na pagkatapos.

The Chase

Gamit ang two-way radio, nabalaan na si kuyang driver ng colorum na van na may operasyon ang lto o ltfrb sa Macapagal Blvd.  Pagdating ng Macapagal Blvd, pinara ng LTFRB personnel ang colorum na van, hindi naisip ni kuyang driver na tumigil, kundi pinabilisan ang takbo, zumigzag sa mga posteng ginagawa para sa NAIA flyover, nagcounterflow, umikot pabalik ng Coastal-Cavitex at naabutan ng humahabol at nagwawangwang na LTFRB mobile sa may traffic light.  Hindi ko na nalaman ang ending dahil bumaba na ako sa inis kay kuyang driver – malamang maimpound ang colorum na van at makasuhan si kuyang driver sa dami ng traffic violations nya.

The Legal Franchise

Habang binabaybay ang kalsada, pinara ng TMO ang van.  Hiningi ang papeles ng UV Express.  Binigay ni kuyang driver.  Chineck ni kuyang TMO – kompleto at malinis ang papeles.  Ang Ending:  viola!  Tuloy ang byahe.

The moral of all my stories and experiences is to ride only on vehicles that are not colorum and has complete and clean franchise – if that kind of vehicle is available. 

A Creative Afternoon at Monster Art

Monster Art Creative Learning Playground is a drop-in art and craft play space located at SM Dasmarinas.  It’s a place where children can have fun while they create art.  This wonderful art place was founded by Meely Wang, a Malaysian Chinese.  

Neo and I were invited to try this art place last week.  Because SM Dasmarinas is where I normally go and do my grocery shopping, I dropped by Monster Art by myself.  Diane, Monster Art’s supervisor, greeted me and introduced their products. 

Currently, they have two main products that kids and kids-at-heart can try: the sand art and the scratch art.  Both arts are very easy to do, and kids will definitely enjoy doing it.  Sand Art is done by three easy steps: peeling the sticky area -> pouring colored sand in the sticky area -> repeating the process until done.  The Scratch art is done by one easy step too: Tracing the coated surface by scratching. 

They offer different art products too, like desk calendars you can design your own, sand art clocks, etc.  You can also buy do-it-yourself sand arts so you can do it at home.  Products are surprisingly cheap and easy to do.  They also offer packages for parties (so kids get artistic and busy).

And since I want Neo to try the arts, I brought him the next day.  He was asked to choose the design he wanted to do.  The little boy was very eager at first to try the sand art and scratch art, but he was too besotted by the colored sand that in the end, it was Mama who finished his sand art. 

Good thing, he did the scratch art all by himself.

It was a fun afternoon and I wanted Neo to do this with his Papa (because it’s a very nice bonding activity) that we bought him a sand art to try at home.  J

Monster Art Creative Learning Playground

Lower Ground Floor, SM City Dasmarinas

Facebook: MonsterArt.PH

09177298315

Blogapalooza 2015

Blogapalooza is an annual event focused on helping brands and bloggers to get to know each other.  This is an event where as many as 5oo registered bloggers unite and get to be familiar with different brands.  This is my 3^rd time to attend Blogapalooza that happened last October 25, Sunday at One Esplanade.  You can read my first and second experience here and here, respectively.

And since this is my third year in a row, I already had an idea what to expect and what not to.  What I expected was to get to know different brands and mingle with different bloggers I know online. 

So what can I say about Blogapalooza 2015?

·         Venue:  Blogapalooza 2015 is more different than the Blogapalooza 2013 and 2014 as both were held at SM Aura SMX.  As for Blogapalooza 2015, it was held at One Esplanade, a slightly smaller venue than SM Aura SMX.  Though the place is not crowded, you can really feel the difference on both venues.

·         Theme:  Blogapalooza 2015 is now a themed event  and thus, the brands are more creative with their booths.  The two previous Blogapalooza I attended don’t have a theme and the brands’ booths are just lined up like in the bazaars. 

“Seasons” is this year’s theme.

·         Brands:  Blogapalooza 2015 has fewer brands compared to Blogapalooza 2014 (which by far has the most number of brands participating, in my opnion).  But I felt all the same interactions: only few (I can count by both hand) brand representatives are willing to explain and let bloggers be acquainted to their products.  Most of the brand representatives just let bloggers register and give us tokens in the form of ballpens, pins, etc.  Some would let bloggers play the games they prepared without even explaining the product/brand they have.  They took time explaining the games, not the brands L  Sana they focused on their brands.

I won a game by Victoria Court, one of the brands present at the event.

·         Bloggers:  According to Blogapalooza’s website, more than 600 bloggers registered.  Higher than the past Blogapaloozas I attended.  But the venue was not really crowded, even though it was small.  It must be because the brands are few so some bloggers, like me, didn’t stay too long.

Ace Water Spa was one of the brands who gave out generous freebies. 

·         Food: Blogapalooza 2013 had a catered food, thanks to Congo Grille and Karate Kid who sponsored the lunch.  Overflowing coffee was also served.  For Blogapalooza 2014, Yellow Cab was very generous in sponsoring pizzas.  I was so stuffed fvrom morning to evening because Yellow Cab didn’t run out of pizzas for everyone.  Krispy Kreme was there too to give donuts.  But for Blogapalooza 2015, I wasn’t able to grab a bite (even a small one).  I think there’s a booth that offers free taste of lechon for bloggers but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to taste it. L

That’s my takeaway on Blogapalooza 2015; which is like a comparison of the previous Blogapaloozas I attended.  It’s not the best Blogapalooza, but I’ll surely be going to the next year pa din J

MBP Spooky Circus Halloween

Last October 17, MommyBloggers’ Philippines celebrated MBP Spooky Circus Halloween.  This is the 2^nd year in a row that the online community for mommy bloggers, which I am a member of, celebrated the Halloween event.

The Halloween event was held at Sky Ranch Tagaytay, who was generous enough to provide the events venue, Ride-all-you-can tickets for Mommy Bloggers, their kids, and companion, as well as food for the event.

It was a gloomy day due to Typhoon Lando, but it didn’t stop us to attend the Halloween event mainly because of the little boy.  We know he will have so much fun, and fun he had.

The event started with all kids lining up in the stage for the costume contest. 

My little ghost was shouting for me to go to the stage too.  Eh hindi naman ako kasali sa costume contest.

There were games and prizes.  Neo’s group won one of the games.

Mr. Poch Albiso hosted the event and he entertained us all.  He brought his puppet, Mr. P with him.  He also did a lot of magic tricks, balloon twisting, and dancing.

We planned to use the ride-all-you-can incentive given by Sky Ranch, but due to the weather (and since there’s also a field trip coinciding the date we were there = lots of queue in line), we just rode the Sky Eye.  It was a fun and memorable Halloween Party.  Thanks, MBP!

Foggy view. 

Here’s the list of sponsors that made the event possible: Sky Ranch, , Nido 3+, Krispy Kreme , Araneta Center, Summit Media, URC, Yeah! Shoot Photobooth, Lock and Lock, First Vita, Jardine Distribution, and Jollibee.

Until next year! J