Mauie Flores

I can say that I am not because I want to but I have to. Every weekend, I am obligated to accompany my husband in bringing our son to his MTAP training in Poveda and to his Taekwondo classes in the evening. Near Poveda is Robinson's Galleria so we either stay in coffee shop or in a fastfood restaurant inside the mall while waiting for my son's dismissal. We usually stay there until lunchtime before going to someplace else. In the evening, we go to Sta. Lucia East for my boy's 7 p.m. taekwondo training at Footworx. Since it's already the Christmas season, I spent my time in the mall looking for finds to fill in my Christmas shopping list.

I really am not a mallrat in reality. I dislike going around the mall and just windowshop. I prefer going to the mall with a purpose other than just hanging out. I am not a fan of mall wide sales because of the traffic congestion it creates and the throngs of people in the mall.

I would like to think that most Filipinos are mallrats. Proof of this is the emergence of shopping malls not only in parts of the Metro but in provincial cities as well. We even have the four shopping malls in the list of the World's Largest Shopping Malls! There's a percentage of Filipinos who frequent the mall to shop and there's a percentage who just need a place to hang-out. Of course, there's the percentage of Filipinos who need to be there because of work. Whatever the purpose may be, as far as statistics is concerned, malling has now become a favorite Filipino pasttime.

How about you? Are you a mallrat? If so, in what group do you belong to?

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Here's a cool Christmas gift from fellow blogger, Aerin. The goal of this tag is to increase our Technorati authority, and of course our Page Rank. Tag ends on December 25, 2008. What are you waiting for? Join now!


*Start Copy Here*


You do not have to be tagged to play along. This game is simple and so here are the rules.

1. Copy from "START COPY HERE" to "STOP COPY HERE".

2. Add your site(s) to the list. Just be sure to post the "Techno Christmas 2008" at each site you add.

3. You have a choice to tag or not to tag, however, the more tags you create the longer the list will grow.

4. Let me know your blog’s name and url by leaving a comment HERE, so I can add you to the master list.

5. Come back and copy the master list back to your site, often as you can. This will allow the new comers to achieve equal benefit as the late comers do.

6. Watch your Authority Rise

7. You may want to grab the Techno Christmas Badge


Please follow the rules. Blogs in the list will be subject to removal if their lists are not updated. I will check all of the blogs once a week.


Techno Christmas 2008 Masterlist:

1. Aeirin Collections 2. Biz-N-Honey 3. Life In Pictures 4. Pinay Mommy Online 5. Blessings and Beyond 6. Mommy Earns Money 7. OnlineBiz and Resources 8. Lourdes' Mia 9. Digital Life Scraps 10. Pexlinks Triple Love 11. Pinay Mommies Community 12. Deranged Insanity 13. Traipsey Turvey 14. PierrEzarh 15. Dancing in Midlife Tune 16. Life is What we Make it 17. Picture Clusters 18. My Wanderings 19. Maiylah’s Snippets 20. Moments of Colours 21. MBA On Line 22. Mom of 2 Dancers 23. Wonderful Things In Life 24. The Fountain Of Happiness 25. A message From My Heart 26. My Life's Adventure 27. Photographic Memories 28. Love Is... 29. The Joy Of Life Forever 29.In My Dreams 30. I love nice 31. My Resting Place 32.You In My Heart 33. Life's All About 34 Design By Pieces 35. Gala Tayo! 36. Buhay Pinoy~Making Money 37. Hesitant Wife's Blog 38. PTC100 39. My Little Home 41. All Because Two People Fell in LOVE 42. Come, Let's Talk 43. Three P's in a Pod 44. 3P's In a Pod 45. Ivory Task 46. I Play Mom 47. Site Hopper 48. Health Zap 49. My Life's Journey in Italy 50. Sharing my Thoughts 51. Brown Pinay 52.Webby Contest 53. Life’s Sweets and Spices 54. Little Zoie’s Steps 55. La Bubbly Chica 56. A Stellar Life 57. Best Pinay Mom 58. Happy Healthy Families 59. My Blogging Experience 60. TIKLATON 61. Straight from the Heart 62. Welcome To My World 63. Pheandy's Blog 64. Musiqcentral 65. Day to Day Miracles 66. Lalaine's World 67. DEBORAH KATY´S BLOG 68. Psycha 69. Survivor Mom 70. when Mom talks...no more problem 71. Iris likes... 72. The Ultra Life of Student Nurses 73. Rock Bands Today 74. Inspired Living Quotes 75. My Adventure Times 76. Young Adult Millionaires 76. My Choice Our Music 78. Janmck's Blog Haven 79. Etc-Atbp 80. iCreate+iDeas 81. My Healthy Living Journal 82. Busy Mom Cooks 83. Christian Weekends 84. Bogie's Wonderland 85. Life and Me 86. MommaWannabe 87. Xploring Asia 88. Heap Up 89. iCreate+iDeas 90. My Healthy Living Journal 91. Busy Mom Cooks 92. Christian Weekends 93. Bogie’s Wonderland 94. iCreate+iDeas 95. Contests and Memes 96. Vsk8shop 97. Just the tip of the Iceberg 98. Honeysweet Learning Center 99. VDAY Cagayan de Oro City 100. My Life, My Family 101. Charmdestiny 102. Chez Michelle 103. Students blog 104. Kwentong Pinas 105. Enday 106. Crimson Heavens 107. Jericho 108. Jericho4Kids Blog 109. MY ONLINE JOURNEY 110. The Pinay Blogger 111. Make Friends Online 112. Moolah Generator 113. Domestic Goddess 114. Just About Anything 115. This Blissful Life 116. a woman's blog 117 . your blog next.....

TagTechno Christmas 2008

* STOP COPY HERE *
Today's online resource: fountains

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Lately, I have given quite an attention to this blog of mine. I have started to give more time to blogging, not primarily because I have discovered that it could be monetized but, because I have fun doing that. I gained new friends and insights because of blogging and I think that my internet life has conveniently complemented my inferior personality.

So maintaining my blog has slowly demanded a little more of my time. I needed to make adjustments and optimizations for it to be more reader-friendly. I have spent so much time tweaking my layouts and experimenting with new designs and widget. I believe that website design is very important. Just like making yourself presentable and amiable to the people that you meet, designing a blog also needs to be carefully thought of. The website design creates impact and it influences the way viewers think about your website. If you are familiar with page ranks and unique visits, you would be aiming for a design that would make viewers visit every single day. And if you are a busy body, designing your web site would need the help of experts in the field.

One such expert in this field is Heritage Web Design. The people from this company guarantee to provide a design that is "one-of-a-kind" that fits your business. Website design rates start at $199 and it will cover full custom work by their in-house designers. Heritage Web Design seem like a reliable web design provider since Inc Magazine ranked them 22nd among 20 million privately owned businesses and 3rd overall in the IT services. The company even ranked first in the State of Utah.

What is more impressing about this company is that they do not use templates so you are assured that you are getting the best value for your money. Their designers will sweat it out and deliver a design that is original. They also offer other services other than website designing (Flash, Ecommerce, Databases, Traffic Driver, and much more).

There are so many things to consider in setting up your own website. Aside from design, you also need to worry about content and others. So to lessen your worries and stress, just leave the designing to Heritage Web Design and just focus on your content. Life will be much easier, you'll see.

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I have skipped going to the gym for two weeks now. I had my period in the first week and I had to prepare reviewers for my students last week. I feel bloated, guilty, and bad. I felt worse when I stepped on the scale and read that I gained two pounds! Usually, when I skip working out, I don't gain a pound but just maintain my last recorded weight in pounds. This is the first time in my two years of trying seriously to lose weight that I see the tip of the scale go up. What to do? I'm in a state of panic.

I stopped taking Orlistat a few months ago. I read in the package insert that you can only take the medication for not more than two years. It served me well. I think that it's time to stop and just lose weight the hard way. That's why my husband and I enrolled in the gym. Hopefully, this Christmas vacation and next year when I stop teaching, I will get to have more time to spend working out just like I did two years ago.

For the meantime, I will try the Flat Belly Diet to lose weight especially in the belly area. I watch my waistline closely. I'm glad to say that from 40 inches in 2006, I'm now down to 32 inches. It is still a long way down to 27 inches (which was my waistline before I gave birth to Rap) but the change does make me feel good. Belly fat is closely related to heart diseases that is why I need to make my waist slimmer.

I'm still in the discovery phase of the Flat Belly Diet. Hopefully, my registration gets approved so I can have full access to the diet's details online. The diet was developed by the editor of Prevention Magazine. Basically, it tells you that it is okay to have fats in the diet just as long as it is healthy. Healthy fats are the Monounsaturated Fatty Acids or MUFAs. The good news is, as you can see in the embedded image below, all of my favorite food are in there! Yep, even dark chocolate! According to new research, MUFAs can actually make you lose weight which is the exact opposite of what unhealthy and saturated fats do to the body.

So I will keep you posted once I get my full copy of the diet. You can count on me to share my updates on my new adventures with the Flat Belly Diet.

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The sun was shining brightly this morning then all of a sudden everything became gloomy. Five minutes before I exit my front door for work, heavy rains fall. I get myself all geared up and ready for the wet and cold ride to Pasig. Then after a few minutes, the sun decides to shine brightly again. I reach my place of work and started to teach by one o' clock. Around 2:30 p.m., the rains start falling again couple with thunderstorm and lightning. My student and I watch by the window to see people without umbrellas running for shelter. Some even went inside my place to take cover. The rains probably took them by surprise. A few minutes went past before the sun came out shining again. I was so puzzled with the weather yesterday. My body was a little out of sync, too. I suffered a migraine and had the initial sensations of nausea but I popped a pill in my mouth as soon as I recognized the symptoms.

As I ended up my workday, I called home and was notified that Rap was feverish. My helper told me that my boy was not feeling well and even vomited on the ride home. I think the weather also made him feel that way. I can just imagine how he went out of his airconditioned classroom to the sunny parking lot where his school service is waiting and the rains poured. Even the weather dimy son was not spared from feeling well yesterday.

It got me thinking a lot. What's with the weather? Is the weather telling us something? Is it starting to knock our heads to make us realize the huge mistakes that we have done with the environment? It gives me the shivers thinking about it. What about you?

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Here's a dNeero conversation for all Rob Pattinson and Twilight fans out there. I still have to see the movie which shows here in Manila in.... OMG... three days! Too bad I can't watch the premiere tomorrow. Have fun sharing your thoughts on Rob!


Join me on dNeero, The True Social Network Currency. Post your opinions and see how different people react to them.

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I am a hundred percent sure that toy stores are the biggest earners in the business world come Christmas time! 'Tis the season of gift giving and children are the first in line whether it be on Santa's list or in mine. Honestly, a big chunk of my budget for gift buying is reserved for my son, my young relatives, and godchildren. As early as November, I reserve my weekends to gift buying sprees in the mall. I dread scenes of panic toy shopping and crowded toy stores. I make sure that I give the right gift to the right child. Panic buying doesn't allow me to think wisely on the right toy to buy. This is why I think that online gift buying is very convenient for busy moms like me.

I tried looking for online toy stores here in the Phiippines but to no avail. In my quest to find online toy stores, I came across one that is available for shoppers in the US. How lucky are people in the States to almost find everything online. Toy Overstock has the cool toys at warehouse prices! I just found myself wishing that I can click them all, add them in my cart, pay for them, and just wait for them to be shipped to my place. But that would be too expensive for me as shipping is free only within the continental U.S. So I just did some online windowshopping and sent the link to the site to my cousins in the States. I wish they can buy something special for my little boy and send it with the annual balikbayan box! LOL!

Christmas is just around the corner. Have you already started with your Christmas shopping for the little ones?

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This is a super late post. I should have posted this last week after receiving the badge from Abbie. I'm so glad that I have been tagged with this friendship flower. It's my first. Now, it's my turn to pass it on to my blogger friends.

::: Start copying here:::

Here are the rules for this tag:
1.) Copy the badge and put it on your blog,
2.) Link back who pass you this tag,
3.) Spread this tag to at least 7 or more bloggers who you think you are friend with.

"And lovely are the blossoms
That are tended with great care,
By those who work unselfishly
To make the place more fair.
And, like the garden blossoms,
Friendship’s flower grows more sweet
When watched and tended carefully
By those we know and meet.
And, if the seed of friendship
Is planted deep and true
And watched with understanding,
Friendship’s flower will bloom for you. "

I'm gonna pass it on to:

Doc Joey
Rachel
Ibyang
Edelwieza
MommyBa
Nikki
IMom
Teacher Julie
Toni

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The year was 1990. Actually, it was the whole family's first colored television set. We were the more excited and proud to have it because it came with a remote control! It's almost as old as my youngest brother, who was born in 1989. And hey, it's still fine and serving my mom's passion for watching telenovelas while snuggled inside her bedroom.

Aside from my sister, that Sony Trinitron became my buddy during my adolescence years. The set was not cable ready yet but it was everything for me. That TV set was with me while I was watching all those mushy teeny bopper shows available in the local channels. It provided me an escape from my petty teenage problems. Growing up in a big family, I learned the virtue of sharing the remote control with my other siblings. We were five children in the family. Each day, one of us gets to hold the remote control and have a say on what programs to watch. Nowadays, my mom feels a little bit sad that she has the remote control all to herself. Only two of my siblings are left in the family home with my parents as three of us has gotten married and moved to our own places. Besides, my brothers now watch shows on the Sony Wega set in the living room.

That Trinitron started my love affair with anything Sony. It proved to be a testament to how a consumer can fully trust Sony and its products. For our first camera phones, my husband bought a Sony Ericsson K750i for me, K700i for my son, and K600i for him in 2005. We are still using the phones up to now. Our first DVD video camera is a Sony DCR-710 Handycam. We bought it a year ago so we can record our son's first Recognition Day in Lourdes School Mandaluyong. We also bought him a Sony PSP as a prize for bagging the Silver Medal. This December, we are scouting for a digital camera. Of course, we're eyeing on a Sony Cybershot. Having all our digital gadgets Sony made makes it easier for me to share and transfer files. My SEK750i, my son's PSP, and our Handycam all use Memory Stick Duo.

Add to that, we are also planning to buy an LCD TV that will fit in the small space in the family room that we are planning to build. I don't know what is it with my boys but they are both addicted to the television. Recently, Sony has introduced the Bravia Z450 with Motionflow 240Hz technology that enables the display of precise and smooth fast-moving images resulting to a more comfortable and exceptional motion picture viewing experience. Our village still doesn't have a cable connection so we heavily rely on watching DVDs and VCDs from our collection. Having this Bravia Z450 with Motionflow 240 HZ technology, my boys will surely won't mind watching their favorite action-packed movies over and over again!

The Trinitron and I have come a long way. It definitely gave significance in my life just like the Sony’s World’s First LCD TV with the Motionflow 240Hz technology will in my bonding moments with my own family.

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When I took my week-long vacation last month, I was hoping to get away from stress and just enjoy a work-free, fun, and enjoyable week with relatives. I looked forward to lazy mornings in bed and afternoon siestas in my aunt-in-law's house. Everything was going smoothly as planned until I received a phone call in one of my mobile phones.

I have three mobile phones that I bring to work everyday. The phones run on four networks because one of them is a dual sim phone. I bought that dual sim phone so I can use a prepaid wireless landline sim. My line of work needs me to be connected with clients all the time. Holidays not included. Before taking a vacation, I take so much time to write notes and text sms messages to parents about reminders on when I will not be in Manila and when I'll be back. Of the three mobile phones I have, I regard one as my personal phone. This phone is where I expect personal calls from friends and relatives. Clients can contact me through this number but I don't entertain inquiries from new clients. That is why I was so surprised when I received the call during one of my lazy siesta afternoons in Bicol.

Forgive me for overreacting but I thought there was something wrong back in Manila when I received the call. I got pissed when I learned that the person speaking from the other end of the line was a telemarketer! Don't get me wrong, I don'tusually get mad when telemarketers call me. I entertain their calls in most days because I know they are just doing their jobs and they need to reach a quota. What got me irritated that day was the fact that the same product was being offered to me when I already declined the last time I spoke to a telemarketer weeks before. It just meant that they don't take note of the responses from people they talk to. I'm sorry for the person who called me that day because I spilled my anger on her. I saved the number in my phone just so I can reject the call if ever the same company calls back.

Have you experienced this? I'm lucky because my unwanted callers are just telemarketers. Although I get sms of scams a lot. I also saved these sms texts in my inbox. I heard that these numbers can be reported to the National Telecommunications Commission but only the said agency will get information about the number and not the general public. It is better if we have a Phone Number Reporting service that will also let the public view and know what to expect from these notorious numbers.

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My boys are soup lovers. Soup is a staple in our table especially when our main course is fried food. I, on the other hand, need to have vegetables in every meal. It's my solution to lessen my intake of rice. I need green leafy vegetables make me full so I don't end up eating more than my allowed intake of rice. The best way to combine soup and vegetables in one filling meal is to have Shabu-shabu!

Last Sunday, I was lucky to find a Shabu-shabu package ready for dropping in a hot broth at SM Supermarket in SM City Marikina. The prepared styro pack already has noodles, Chinese cabbage, Taiwanese pechay, corn on a cob, taro root, a tomato, sliced carrots, onions, some squid balls and kikiam, and mushrooms. A pack costs Php 50 ($1)so we got two packs for dinner. I bought around 300g more of Gindara Tofu, Crab Roe Balls, and Squid Cakes to add to our hot pot. A hundred grams costs Php 35.

Back at home, I asked my helper to prepare a pot of boiling water. Once it was boiling, I added two cubes of beef bouillon and the corn and taro root. As soon as the corn and taro root was cooked, I dropped all the ingredients except the leafy greens. I added pepper and a spoonful of fish sauce to taste. I added the pechay and cabbage just before serving. Voila! A warm, filling, and healthy soup on another rainy evening!




finished product

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Yesterday, we were able to finally take time and visit the newly opened SM City Marikina along Marcos Highway. We arrived a couple of minutes before lunch time and Rap was already giving me the signs that he's hungry. We started to scout for a nice and affordable place to have lunch that day and we happened to pass by Burgoo. I'm familiar of Burgoo branches in The Podium and Market, Market! I admit that I was intimidated to visit the place. It just so happened that there's a big menu posted outside the place that made me convinced to try the place. In fairness, the prices are affordable considering that they are serving large portions for sharing. Plus, we were offered a plate of free Chicken Tenders that made Rap's eyes light up and signaled us to get in.

Burgoo is a traditional Kentucy spicy stew made using whatever meats and vegetables available. This may be the reason why the restaurant's tag line is "Anything Goes". We did not dare try their stew yet just because I thought that we can't finish everything up. But I will definitely try it out once we come back as a large group.

I loved Burgoo's ambiance. It is cozy and the lighting was just right to give the warm homey feel. I also liked the big blank sheet of paper that they use as table cover. We're used to restos just giving out small paper place mats and a jar of crayons to kids and I think that's why my husband was so excited to get some crayons and sketched away immediately. I read that the great Malang also sketches while waiting for his food to be served. He is a regular customer and even gives some of his sketches to the restaurant's owner. Our server that day was Josie, a very cute, friendly, and petite lass.


Dadijun sketching

We ordered Seafood Jambalaya, Grilled Porkchops (with corn on the cob and barbecue french fries on the side), and Mozarella Sticks. All of our orders were regular servings only. My husband was glad that the place serves Coca-Cola products. I ordered a Coke Zero while my husband had Iced Tea. Both drinks are bottomless. Rap ordered a glass of Four Seasons. We ordered a bowl of plain rice for Rap who's still not eating anything with tomato sauce. We were also served our free Chicken Tenders. The whole spread only cost Php 1,103 (around $22).


Mozarella Sticks. Rap already ate two before I even got the chance to get a picture.


Rap stretching the mozarella as far as he can! Mozarella's the only cheese that he eats.


my boys enjoying the good food


Grilled Porkchop


Seafood Jambalaya


our free plate of Chicken Tenders

We are so happy with our Burgoo experience. We will definitely go back soon. The staff is friendly and efficient. You won't have to raise your hand to call their attention. They are very attentive to customers' needs and I was even surprised when the restaurant's manager approached our table and offered to cut the corn cob into two. She probably saw how "barok" I was trying to divide the cob with my hands! LOL! The servers also refill the glasses with drinks right away. Not like in other establishments serving bottomless drinks that wait for you to choke first before they refill! Contrary to what we thought, the restaurant is 100% Filipino-owned. Now, that's something to be uber proud of. Who needs TGIF when there's Burgoo?

Burgoo has other branches in Power Plant Mall, Promenade, Gateway Mall, Robinsons Galleria, the Mall of Asia, and The Block at SM City North Edsa.

This is not a sponsored post. Just a well-deserved thumbs-up for the great people of Burgoo, SM City Marikina!

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My first dNeero conversation for charity. The proceeds from impressions made through this post will go to Zoo Atlanta. Who knows? Maybe we can visit this zoo in the future when my husband goes to visit his company's HQ in Atlanta, GA.




Join me on dNeero, The True Social Network Currency. Post your opinions and see how different people react to them.

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My husband and son are movie buffs. The can watch DVDs of movies they love over and over again. My husband loves action, sci-fi, and suspense thrillers. My son is now beyond the cartoons and animations genre and he's now more fascinated with history, religion, and musicals. I go for romantic comedies but I don't watch movies often. I am more of an internet buff than a movie buff.

Below is the dNeero conversation I joined recently about movies stuff.




What about you? How do you feel about movies? Who's your favorite actor? I'd love to read you responses.

Join me on dNeero, The True Social Network Currency. Post your opinions and see how different people react to them.

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