magic - here, there, everywhere

harry potter and the half blood prince is now showing! though i haven't completed the book, i am a fan of the movie and the story. i just love it. i love magic. (but i can't really say i'm fond of watching magicians) it brings me to a different world where endless possibilities can happen. as a kid, i enjoyed watching "okay ka, fairy ko". don't you just love ina magenta whenever she criticized the "tagalupa"?

it's happening

i AM gaining weight. i feel it. no thanks to the rice i eat in the evening, the sweets i indulge in for dessert, the in-between snacks i thought were harmless. actually, i don't mind gaining a bit. i don't want to get overboard with adding a few pounds so i SHOULD slow down. else, i wouldn't fit in my clothes, again. hahaha i recalled before, after a few months of staying here in hk, i got really bloated. as in! hahaha i gained 20lbs! whatda?!?! i know.. right?!?! my friends were surprised, i should say. mama, however, said it looks good on me. mothers! haha seriously, it came to a point that i get tired easily and my feet couldn't carry me for long walks. but most of all, my clothes just won't fit right. hahaha

what worked for me

when i finally realized how big i got, i decided to cut down my carbo intake. i ate banana and a cup of oatmeal for dinner. i jogged around Victoria park a few times. i even enrolled in fitness first. it wan't a drastic weight loss. i went through phases. i would receive comments from friends and family that 'Oh, that's already enough', or 'lose a bit more', etc. but ultimately, i know that the satisfaction of how i look, feel should come from me. what matters is being happy with oneself inspite of what others think.

if only the 'harry potter' magic can do wonders for this kind of dilemma.

at work: as caution to H1N1

in the office, we have some precautions to prevent the spread of the swine flu:

• check body temperature everyday upon coming in to work.  there's a designated person to check our temp.  those above the normal temp will have to go home.
  
• there's a mask handy in our first aid kit for people with respiratory problems.
  
• self-quarantine oneself if you've travelled to infected countries.  
  
• if you're sick, DON'T report to work.  go home and have yourself treated by a doctor.
  

OA?  i think, just better safe than sorry.   with the rising number of cases in hongkong, the government thinks it's just a matter of time when the disease will be contracted locally.  i believe that the precautions done in the airport for incoming travelers are enough.  however, due to the common symptoms and incubation period, it's hard to track down all the people an infected person comes in contact with.  imagine if he went to a mall, boarded a public transport, walked along the crowded streets... that would mean, A LOT!  for now, we just have to do our part to take care of ourselves in any way we can.  avoid crowded places when not needed.  

adobe photoshop for maxxie

i installed photoshop for maxxie.  i got excited with the idea of playing around with photos, and decided to explore my creative side (if there's any).  bro mentioned some tutorial sites BUT, i have yet to complete my masterpiece.. yeah right!  after browsing thru the site, looking for simple, quick and easy designs, i realized that those pieces of artwork which we think are just so-so, take a LOT of time to create.  the video tutorials last for almost 1 hr!  and of course, i was looking for a touch and go type... sumthin like magic and wallah!  hahaha much to my frustration also, i should know FIRST my tools before actually using them hahaha so much for wanting to impress you guys immediately.  i know it's a loooooong way to go before i can show you anything... know this, im currently in step 4 of 30!  beat that! LOLZ.  

how to clean a fish

sinigang is my comfort food.  i wanted to do away with pork muna so i thought of fish sinigang - simple, easy to cook. i usually buy it from the market nearby. just point to the fish and they will clean it for you, pay for it and go. no more talkie talk as we won't understand each other anyways. so i went home to prepare ... and to my dismay.. the insides of the fish are still there! so much for service. so i was forced to remove everything that i feel should NOT be there. i wanted to google "how to clean a fish" and check some videos but my hands are too stinky for maxxie. hahaha i removed this yellow mass, uhm is that the waste??? and this inflated plastic balloon-size part. (pardon my ignorance) and washed it VERY well in running water. after i was satisfied, i cut in two and off it goes into the boiling mix. *sigh of relief*

financial happiness

ano ba ito??? euphemism for "im so damn rich, more than you can ever imagine"? well, for what it's worth, i know i have financial obligations. blame it on culture and of course, out of the goodness of my heart (haha) i TRY to regularly remit money back home... yeah, yeah, thanks to the remittances of OFWs GMA is saying the economy is gaining ground. right, right. when i think of ways to achieve financial contentment, the only that comes to mind is saving. this is a LONG way to go since bank interests are less than the other charges or taxes imposed on your account.

recently, im trying to think of ways to invest. business is one option, maybe buy and sell? buy here and sell in pinas? i buy here and sis, bro can sell.. kaso seems they got no interest. so i opted to read more about ways to invest - bonds, funds, maybe? stocks - for me seems a lot of work. im not too keen on watching every move of the market and do trading once tragedy strikes. what im looking for is stability, low maintenance and of course, high return (less other charges, etc). easy management is very important, if it can be done securely online, better. i dont know yet what will come of this endeavor. i hope to talk to a mentor/consultant, discuss my goals and create a financial plan.

how about you, done any investing already?

household help: fridge won't cool

*sigh* another household dilemma for me. all of a sudden, the ref just won't cool. i tried to unplug, plug it again. but to no avail. i searched the internet hoping for some easy do-it-yourself fix. i found some troubleshooting guide, simple checklist on how to check why the fridge won't cool but ultimately, it would say "call a professional". summer is fast approaching and this is one appliance that will help me "keep things cool." i already threw away the spoiled food - marinated chicken, 3 cappuccino flavored ice cream, and some veggies. soon.. maybe even more. *sad face* i havent consulted a professional yet since i find it more hassle than buying a new one. why? coz i have to ask around if they know any repair guy... next, most likely he doesnt speak english. next, i heard it may be expensive too. this is already an old, 2nd hand ref so im not sure how long a repair could last. maybe a few more months?

i checked out fortress, a big appliance store here in hk, and found a ref that fits the bill (size, price). BUT it's out of stock and won't be shipping until end of may! just my luck. i know i have other alternatives... BUT im bent on this already. whether my patience in waiting, or my need to get a fridge will win. we'll see.

the undomestic goddess

just when i thought im slowly coming to terms with my domesticity, this one hurdle dampened my spirits. it's not just learning to cook, washing the dishes, cleaning the room. but more.

HOW DO I STOP A LEAK IN THE TOILET BOWL?

you see, the water keeps on flowing inside the bowl and i dont know how to STOP the water from pouring inside the tank. it doesnt stop by just "sealing" in the water. the problem is there's abundance of water that it overflows inside the tube. i know there should be some gadget to determine that there's enough water in the tanks, ergo, water SHOULD STOP coming in. this went on for months already, causing my other flatmates to ask why our water bill was expensive. and wallah, they saw my meter way higher than them! overridden with guilt, i immediately sought the help of a plumber. i asked around hoping for an english-speaking plumber but to no avail. after seeing him fix my toilet tank problem, i know it's right calling for help than putting myself into (more) trouble.

lesson learned: thou shalt NOT procrastinate the repair of water leaks (nor any domestic, meaning flat-related, problem at that) beyond the cost of water and plumbing services, i was more concerned for the wasted water due to my unmindful behavior.

how to configure: revolution for DS

waaaa my first rant about my new toy: i cant configure the R4. *SO sad face* i was scouring through the stalls of 188 center in wanchai and found a cheap R4 + memory card, well 30hkd cheaper. i immediately grabbed it, got my DS from my bag, placed it on the counter expecting the guy to install, configure it for me. but instead, he coldly pushed the R4 and memory card boxes to me. i asked him what do i put where.. and he just pointed this to that. eh?!!! i didnt bother to ask more coz i feel un-welcome enough. maybe because i didnt purchase the entire DS from them and they only sold 'cheap' stuff from me. coz my fwends bought theirs in the area too, the complete package with some freebies pa. and then, when i bought a screen protector, i thought mounting it on the screen is some sort of service.. yeah, right! with a service fee! 20hkd. huwatt?! the next thing left to try is the adaptor.