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Only in the Philippines do we experience this. At the strike of 12 midnight on New Year’s Eve, firework displays and loud firecrackers are a sight to behold all over! not just in one open arena or park or some special televised show but e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e! i somehow miss that. it has been 5 holidays since we last spent it in Manila…crazy, dirty but fun…it feels very much like HOME. right about this minute, as i type the boy is in front of the television in the living room playing Starwars Wii while the dad is supposedly playing with him after lighting up the logs in the fireplace and the daughty is in her bedroom watching tv…and it is almost 10 pm! my way of saying..i’ll get back to you later as i need to prepare ’something’ to make this our first New Year’s Eve celebration in Massachusetts a bit meaningful, with just the 4 of us…that is before the clock strikes 12!

Today is another day one would say is a very pretty one with all our surroundings powdered in white blanket. There is no denying about that. It is such a beautiful scenario indeed. For now at least, but I am starting to dread tomorrow as this powder turns into muddy slush then a disastrous ice the next especially if the snow doesn’t stop any minute now, followed by rainfall. Now that is what I call…it’s-time-to-pack-my-bags-up and move-to-the-sun-city or anywhere else that doesn’t see even a glimpse of snow. Say California, and speaking of which it would be best to consult brokers and agents when scouting for a new place such as these San Jose Realtors who are duly licensed in the state.  These are members of a local Board of Realtors in the area wherein which they do business to be a Clicksmart Certified San Jose Realtor who can help you manage your finances while making the right decision in purchasing a house or even a smaller condominium.

..this is another over due post. i have meant to blog about this delicious APPLE CRUMBLE PIE that my neighbor Stel once served when i dropped by her house. understatement again here…dropped by, meaning stayed for the whole morning, sometimes even until lunch time! lol! this is how lucky i can be sometimes…there was a slice of this perfectly tart with just the right amount of sweetness waiting for me. and yes… with matching tea, mind you.  if only i can find a place nearer her house…mwahahaha! like, a house or two away wouldn’t be so bad, right?

Are you a business owner? Do you think your enterprise still belongs in the age old way of managing time sheets? Look no further, as there is a new project management software in the market that will tackle this problem. It is a web-based software which encompasses integrated time sheets for a quick and updated log of your resource investment and status reports in each and every project. This gives you as the manager, a snap shot of all reports for all your projects in an instant, view account information with a summary of information for all projects, workload, user activity and completion status of the projects. In keeping track of your projects and managing task assignments, this is by far a simple solution to track your employees and their performance against estimate and time off, resource availability, roles and rates, monitor due dates and available hours per employee to maximize resource utilization.
As a project manager, this software gives you summarized statistic for each project in a convenient one-page format providing you with all the details that you need to follow, keep track of for the success of a specific project and as a team member, this is very helpful because it is a convenient way of getting instructions for your tasks by simply logging in and opening all projects they are assigned to.

…can be good and fun. with a little igloo building by my neighbors…

…it can also be disastrous, with all the scratches and bumps one get getting out on the icy roads, not to mention a crack on my windshield! *!!!*

…an entry to

We’ve had so much of good and bad times, me and my laptop and of course the disguised laptop bag for well over a year now. This is an understatement considering that I have spent almost every single day at Panera Bread with my laptop bag in tow and need I say it has come in handy during those times, even when we take a long driving trip out of state. But all these must have taken it’s toll on me and I find it now very inconvenient since this is how it always goes. I place the lappy inside this protective sleeve, durable yes but a bit of a hassle when zipping and unzipping. Then I stash it inside my tote bag and squeeze in the charging cord and a black book and pen with it. Sometimes even a bottle of water and some snacks goes in it too. Needless to say, all these stuffs are stacked like sardines inside the limp bag. What I really need is a decent, well structured and more professional looking one, those laptop bags that shout style, durability and quality. Spire bags simply resonate these characteristics in a laptop bag with its stylish all-weather design.  So I am getting one soon!

…to Litratong Pinoy and the wonderful friends I have met most especially to the brain child a.k.a. Ms. Admin of this weekly photography meme, Pinoy style…here’s cheering you with a bubbly glass of champagne for another year of exciting and magnificent photo sharing!!! it has been a great year interacting with all you guys! thanks and Have a happy, safe and fruitful NEW YEAR!!!
[maraming salamat at Manigong Bagong Taon sa inyong lahat...aking mga butihing ka-litratista!]

..to kick off the New Year, this is an entry for with a FREESTYLE theme!

It must have been more than a year now since our last air travel to another state. We have been in and out of Massachusetts on long driving but we somehow miss riding the plane for a special holiday or vacation, most especially my little boy. He said he wants to go on a plane ride again. If I remember it right, it was our trip to Washington DC that had us flying last and it was a well worth it trip…business and vacation at the same time. What makes these vacations more special is the ’staying-in-a-hotel-ordering-room-service’ idea. This is what the kids mostly remember and wish for right now. I’m crossing my fingers right now while typing? lol!] that the next one will come soon! Hopefully this wish will come into being and we are considering different places and one of them would be at the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel situated in Missouri. This is another state that we’d love to visit especially since we also have some friends who live there and we’ve heard so much about the beauty of the place. With exclusive holiday packages from the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing like the It’s a Wonderful Life Package, Santa’s Coming to Town Package or the New Years’ Eve Package with luxurious spa treatments, delicious family style dinners and even whimsical visits from Santa and Mrs. Claus, this could be just the perfect setting for the holidays and our next dream trip.

CHEERS to you all and wishing you a very happy, safe and fruitful 2009! Back in the Philippines, I know by this time all fireworks and fire crackers is already slowly dying down and the air must be filled with nasty smoke. check out your noses! haha! But up here, most of us are just about to start prepping up for our own media noche’s, parties or in our case, a simple and quiet New Year’s eve dinner perhaps…i really haven’t decided yet. i am supposed to be out buying stuffs but this snowy weather is keeping me from stepping out with the kids! it is going to be a white New Year’s eve for us, just the perfect scenario for Christmas…o’right! HAPPY NEW YEAR to all once again!!!

Every Christmas season, I try my best to give a little something to all those who matter to me, even if it’s just a simple no nonsense thing. What is more important for me is the idea of gift giving in itself and the smile that we get when we hand it over to that someone special. That per se is priceless. I may have missed out a few more people on my list only because, they aren’t very accessible now, if you know what I mean. But it is never too late right? There is still ample time to do some shopping and give last minute gifts from Kmart, where everything can be ordered online and shipped without the hassle of going to and waiting for a long line at your local post office.  The store has over 25,000 gift ideas priced at $25 or less which should be very ideal for presents to anybody like toys, housewares, kitchen stuffs, clothing and so much more.  What I am really interested in is that very special gift that I did not receive myself from Santa yet.  That would be my all time wish to have my own KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 quart stand mixer and now I have the best solution on forcing santa to send it my way.  How you might ask?  Through Kmart’s Lay-away program!  All I need to do is be a little more patient and in a few weeks it will be mine, mine mine! Good luck to me!