By manilenya - Last updated: Thursday, May 29, 2008

I assumed you have noticed some bloggers who visits your sites and telling you how they like your blog and would want to exchange links with you. I have many of them in my tag board. First, they will drop a line, usually hi! Hello! How are you? (lol! They aren’t that concern, don’t believe me.)After a few days, they will come back and tell you how much they like your post, and if you want to exchange link.

Some of them write comments in my post, and I tell you, they are making my ears clap. As a result, I am going to visit their sites and tell them how I appreciate their nice comment, and I would gladly have them in my link, which I actually do. I, more often than not, add these people in my link. EVEN WITHOUT THEM ADDING ME! (I hope these people read this out loud) Well, anyway, I don’t really mind these bloggers, unless they post good contents.

Now I suppose, I need to stop ranting. Instead of adding them in my blogroll, I am going to put a HTML code in my sidebar, which I saw in 23Blogs.com - FREE Blog Roll TEXT Link Exchange.(1:10).

This code will display 10 other different blogs titles on this blog, and I will earn 10x impressions after I put the CODE on my blog. In addition to that , I will get 1:1 click exchange, meaning when my visitors click the ad box , I will credit 1 click and the system will PAY back 1 click to me.

Cool diba?

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By manilenya - Last updated: Wednesday, May 28, 2008

I’ve seen this product before; I remember from a well known cosmetic product, my sister decided to shift to Murad to get rid of her pimples. I was just laughing with the brand name because it sounds like the name of somebody I know from the past. No, not a boyfriend lol! Murat is from Turkey, so I assumed Murad is from there too.

It is so funny that I didn’t focus on the product; I was actually obtaining information about Dr. Howard Murad that time because I thought, I wouldn’t need anti-acne products. My thinking that time was, I’ll be forever with a smooth skin. It is as if I won’t get old or won’t be affected with my sleeping habits or food that I eat.

Acne and I we’re not friends before. But after a few years of staying up late every night, we became BFF. Cool! Acne can’t live without me lol! But I swear I can live without her, so I asked my sister if Murad works for her, I want to hear a firsthand experience on products before I buy.

She told me, she used the Acne Solution for four weeks only and her skin problem just fade away. She assured me also that it works with different types of skin so If I want to try that, I won’t get any problem. And she actually volunteered that she’ll pay for it if I want to buy. Owwss?? Why not, why not! Lol!

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By manilenya - Last updated: Tuesday, May 27, 2008

I said I don’t want to make meme anymore, but I have three reasons why I can’t turn down this meme. Firstly, it’s from Ate Liza, and if it’s from Ate Liza it must be good (Seiko!). Secondly, it’s about me and my daughter. I don’t post about my daughter that much, but my online friends knows how passionate I am when I blog about “my baby” who told me yesterday morning when I called her that she already has boobs (her term). I swear I can’t stop laughing. I find her so open to her femininity which I wasn’t when I was her age. In fact, I remember myself crying when my uncle used to sing me “bata pa si sabel (sabel is still a kid)” or “dalaga na si sabel (sabel is now a lady)” (which ever that is, I can’t recall any more). Well, it’s good because it shows that she’s confident with herself and she’s starting to discover womanhood, which means……I AM GETTING OLD!!! Shucks! I can’t believe I’m getting old lol!

And lastly, I thought I was pretty in this photo. :p

You and your children meme

~ Begin Copy ~

Rules :

1. Start Copy from “Begin Copy” until “End Copy“.

2. Choose the photo(s) of you and your child(ren) that you would like to share in your blog, with a small story/explanation about when and where the photo(s) was/were taken.

3. Add your blog name and url blog, then leave your url post in here. And I’ll add you to the Master List.

4. Please help spread this tag by tagging your friends as much as you can.

5. Please come back again to copy the update of the master list, often. This process will help new participants to get the same gains as the first participants.

This was taken in 2006, almost 2 years after I left to Singapore. I stay with my sister and took care of my niece and Aya (my daughter) was left to my parent’s care. She has her own nanny (my cousin), since my parents were both busy. Funny right?

Master List :

1. Juliana’s Site 2. 2. Moms…..check nyo 3. Pinay WAHM 4. Residual Matters  5. My So Called World 6. So Cute 7. Pinaymama’s Diary 8. Beauty of Life 9. Point of View 10. The Callalily Space 11. Nyumix 12. Aeirin Collections 13. 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires 14. Twerlermz’s Blog 15. My Virtual Journal . your site URL here
~ End Copy ~

I am tagging Karen, c. gonzales and Alex.

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By manilenya - Last updated: Monday, May 26, 2008

“Can I get a house like that?” I was pointing at the house down at the Highway 89. The house is along the highway, and yet a big farm surrounded it where cows, ponies and big horses usually loiter around.

In front of the big house is a wide space, some trees are standing and there are areas where you can plant different flowers or veggies if you like.

“That is expensive.” My aunt said.

“Oh well, I don’t need the farm. But I really like the house…and the yard.”

Take a look at this place.

We used to live there. I was born and grew up in this place, besides this narrow street is a place called Paraiso, but I don’t think you would want to call it Paraiso or Paradise in English. I spent my entire life here until I decided to work abroad, and it was just recently that my parents made up their mind and move to another place. And yet, we still call it home.

My father loves to plant some vegetables in a big pot and placed it in the neighbor’s roof, adjacent to our terrace. It’s a good thing that the neighbor is a relative so we are allowed to do that. He loves to pets different animals too. Pets like big birds which food is fish liver, I remember he had rabbit too, dogs and hogs.

I guess my father will be going to like the house I always see when I pass the highway.

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By manilenya - Last updated: Sunday, May 25, 2008

My friend and I were actually planning things to break off our boredom during weekends or is it me that is so insistent (?) because she can kill time by watching old Filipino movies that my aunt’s borrowed from her relatives. And I am not.

She said she usually went out with friends, whenever she feels liked it back in the Philippines and so did I. One time we really want to go out and rush to a bar or a dance as they called it, but my uncle who was supposed to drive us, had to change his mind. We both need a time off and be merry even for a night, but that’s the glitch of being new to one country and positioned to a town that has no buses, cab to another town is so expensive. The people who we assume can go with us and have a free drive prefer to sit in front of playing cards instead of joining us. In the end, my friend will go to play with them, and I am left out in front of my computer…my ever loving laptop that have no choice but to embrace me every time a situation has to isolate me.

This weekend, she has decided not to stay with me in my uncle’s place due to financial constraint and the idea maybe add up to her boredom or, to say it all, lonesomeness, that she asked me to have a coffee with her when my employer dropped me off.

There is this cafe in downtown Alliston features arts and gourmet eats and treats and live entertainment. We don’t need to ask somebody to drive us both as it is just a walking distance away.

We always see what’s happening in the cafe every Thursday where they are having an “Open mic” in our weekly paper, and this is the nearest “refuge” for the “dead-beat” soul like the two of us, and so off we went to there.

The cakes were pretty good, the coffee was splendid (any kind of coffee is very good for me), the staff were so friendly that you would like to hang-out there every day and to top it all, there was this lady who plays wonderful jazz music with her guitar. I find her impressive especially when she performs The Rolling Stones Goodbye Ruby Tuesday which we thought was Rod Stewart’s Stairway to Heaven when we heard the intro of her guitar.

It was the first time that I heard that song actually, and I thought it was a very nice song. Too bad we need to leave the lady still performing for I don’t want to walk on home on the dark street.

So I guess I had an interesting weekend…..that is sweet!

Before I forget, I still have to mutters…..

Continue Reading »

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By manilenya - Last updated: Saturday, May 24, 2008

My life should be interesting today….I saw this line in Book Calendar and reading that line, I felt a bit of jealousy to this blogger. I never used the phrase in my post ever since I started blogging, and I swear I never said it in my entire life.

If somebody asks how my day was or how was my weekend, I usually say fine or “good,” which means to me, okay I survived my day, and I guess I will be going to survive the next day.

Or the uninspiring response “same old, same old”, I got that from my boss, and it seems like it becomes my favorite response, every time he asks “what happened to you this weekend?”

Isn’t it is sweet if I say “Oh my life should be interesting today?” If anyone asks me, and I follow, “I learned my very first song in my guitar lessons today, or I signed up in a gym, or I stray in the heart of Toronto’s most exciting streets with a map in my one hand and my camera on the other hand….my camera? Oh yeah, I forgot it appears that I lose my camera. I haven’t seen it for some time. Sigh!

I was all but loaded with miserable antics, then again, last Wednesday night (or is it Thursday morning?) when I slept at 4:30 in the morning and at 7 AM, I needed to start to work that I realized I am so unkind to myself. Depriving myself of a good or long hour (or enough) sleep is appalling. No wonder I always feel so shattered.

And no wonder, because I am talking about “I”, that I made a resolution. I said, I want to be free from “residual matters”, I want to feel better, no, I want to be happy and I want to make, if not every day, at least my days out of work interesting. I should start with my sleeping habit.

In two nights, prior tonight, I slept earlier than my usual sleeping time. A toast for me. I can excuse myself tonight, since I have no work the next day.

I will see if my tomorrow will be interesting. I just hope so.

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By manilenya - Last updated: Wednesday, May 21, 2008

If you know children with cleft lip (no age limit) or palate (till 12 y/o), send them to SOFITEL HOTEL to pre-register for a free surgery. Contact CAROL TAMPUS at 551-5555 at HRD for pre-screening on May 22, 2008. Free surgery is sponsored by CARITAS and OPERATION SMILE. Actual operation is on May 28-30, 2008. Kindly inform others. Thank you..

I just got this from my Yahoo offline messages.  Hope somebody will reach this short notice.  It’s almost 4:30 am and I have to work at 7 am….I need to rest sigh!

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By manilenya - Last updated: Wednesday, May 21, 2008

I was in my fifth grade when I first appreciate the comeliness of my school library. I started spending my afternoon there instead of my usual play on the raucous narrow street in my community. I don’t care if I miss the grouchy voice of the old lady who lives beside our home and loves to yell on us, due to the loud voices of my playmates (okay, including mine). I don’t mind them at all because I found a serene place where SILENCE becomes music to my ears.

I became familiar with the three school librarian; the arts teacher who I found out later, also a resident of my neighborhood, his office was located upstairs. inside the library and some male students (including my cousin) who actively participate in arts club.

Going over the mass of canvas, posters and streamers hanging around the arts club, and of course pictures of the previous leaders of my beloved country and historical places, I must say that our library was the very first museum I’ve been too.

But silly me, I don’t recall myself reading inside my then favorite hang-out. However, I do remember me browsing books from Filipiniana Section, I leaf through the pages of history and social studies books and wasn’t aware that eight years from that time, I am going to be socially aware and be active in the real sociology sense of the word.

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By manilenya - Last updated: Monday, May 19, 2008

I don’t know what comes to me when I signed up to Mariposa’s invitation on FUN MONDAY’s assignment, she hosted today’s topic which is collection.

I don’t collect anything to tell you honestly. Once I considered of collecting Bratz dolls because my daughter wants to have those, I’m sure everything that I will buy will stay with me for a while, since we’re miles apart. I also bought some protagonists miniature of one movie that I really liked which is THE MATRIX. I saw them on sales, and I can’t help buying them. But I haven’t bought any after that.

Every time, I go on shopping, there’s always a thing or two that I want to buy and collect but my sister who always with me disagreed each time she sees me glancing with some stuff with all hearts in it. She said, it such a waste of money.

But this one, I can’t really refrain from buying no matter what the people I am with blabbering.

I also have one box of kiddie books which my employer gave me when I told her that I am planning to collect books for Filipino children whose family cannot afford to buy one for them. I got the idea when I saw my uncle stashing my cousin’s book shelves and throw books that he thought the kids don’t browse anymore.

There goes my collection. I don’t have so many like C Gonzales books, I am starting collecting though and I have more which I left in the Philippines.

Go visit the other Fun Monday participants… start a collection of collections…..

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By manilenya - Last updated: Monday, May 19, 2008

There are a lot of reasons why I love reading Eat Love and Pray, in fact I can’t help to repeat every chapter (she called it beads) especially if I forgot what page I last stop. I want to buy a bookmark for me at first, but I am having fun re-reading the past pages again and again and again.

This is the story about a woman who is searching for everything across Italy, India and Indonesia. All three countries which name start with letter “I”. That I guess makes her realize that what she really looking was herself to which she forgot during the last year of her marriage. Oh I love this book, and I swear I can relate to it.

Elizabeth Gilbert started her memoir with the beads she saw the Indians wearing in one of her journey to Ashram in India.

Apparently, the beads also had helped me (or so I thought) and became significant in my life journey which started almost two years ago.

The beads that I didn’t bother to touch anymore because, I can’t see the use of touching 59 pieces of them and reciting a prayer repetitively which I realized is nothing more than a chant to me, especially when I know I can communicate with (looking up)…Oh well, my friend here is giving a side comment.

“Since when you became religious?”

I told my friend the book once tackled about her being a Christian, because she was born to a Christian family, but the book itself doesn’t embark on religion.

In fact, she even wrote that she wants to make sex with every Italian guy she saw in every street of Italy. To which she said that Italian Male is as pretty as French women. But please don’t misunderstand the author, you’ve got to read the book just so, you understand her.

I would gladly post about this book pinch by pinch in my next entries.

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By manilenya - Last updated: Sunday, May 18, 2008

1. Concentration :: point of concentration (A term I learned in one of acting workshop I participated in college.)
2. Relocated :: move
3. Clot :: lump
4. Joints :: accounts
5. Satellite :: communication satellite
6. Money back :: guarantee
7. Kittens :: Nana and Oreo (the two cats in the house)
8. Shady :: smell fishy
9. Drain :: load
10. Stroke :: breast

Earlier, I was thinking of posting about this new online activity that I am planning to pursue. I want to start it with the question “Am I ready to vent myself in a bigger opportunity inside and out of internet marketing?”

“Or am I ready to another breakthrough in my life?”

For three years of having a personal blog, I am considering of crossing another line which involves training. Though I read a lot of tips of how to earn money online, I feel the need to go through a substantial coaching. I don’t know if this coaching is the same with Marcus recent post about Mentoring, if it’s the same, I would be willing to take it with open arms. Who wouldn’t want to make $13,692.59 in a month? That’s a way way far from my monthly take home pay as a Live-In Caregiver.

I am already in the field where you can earn while having fun doing it. The catch is I have to spend bucks in order to make it like Marcus and the rest. Am I willing to spare some money, try my luck? Gamble? Oh, this is not so big for some of you guys. This meant business.

The guy from the network told me about “Money Back Guarantee” - that’s alluring - and that assurance, you can see in all businesses.But I have to ask my inner self first if we’re both ready for that.

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By manilenya - Last updated: Saturday, May 17, 2008

When my employer and I met the for the first time, that was after we both agreed to meet so that we can talk and get to know each other a little, she had mentioned about planning as part of a caregiver / nanny job.

Although I know already that house cleaning and some household chores are part of the job, I was unsure about planning. I know I am going to follow order, but planning? Of course I know it is house matters, so I have to leave that to the couple I am going to be employed with.

After three days of trial, she decided to get me full time and be a “part of the family”. During the working hours, she has to ask me about grocery lists and some stuff that we need for the house necessities.

Stuff for cooking obviously, is one of them. That, now I know is planning. Planning a grocery list and planning what to cook at least for a week. That also made me worries because we have a different kind of cuisine. We Filipinos, can eat their food, but them to eat ours? I doubt it.

However, they amazed me when they like my sea food fried rice, pancit (fried noodles to them), sotanghon (noodle soup) – and I tell you, they share the news to their friends that I can cook a delicious sotanghon. I even cooked chicken tocino, menudo, mechado – which they called beef stew, chopsuey and different kinds of shanghai rolls. I don’t know if they love those but at least they eat it. Or they don’t have a choice?

Needless to say, I get to learn some of their dishes too, and I am glad that my employer also told me that I can learn some recipes too (she has a lot of recipes in the kitchen), and even search some recipes from the Internet for me.

Planning for supper which is Canada’s big meal for the day is definitely a task for me. Since I am not really a good cook, I need a recipe book for a help. But I am not a recipe book reader; I’d rather leaf through my fiction/non-fiction books than a digest full of cooking elements. Yet, I can browse through the net for recipes.

I am glad that there’s a lot of blogs that caters into this topic and I am so happy that I saw the DayRecipe to which they update their blog daily with their favourite recipes that I can try cooking.

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By manilenya - Last updated: Saturday, May 17, 2008

Enough of the drama. I told the dramatic actress in me to go to her room. I gave her the time-out that she deserves.

After reading my post, a friend said to me, that I sound like a woman to him. Of course I need to lift my pride; I told him that I’m not a woman. I’m gay. Uh-oh, of course, I was just blabbering and good thanks, the conversation happened in my Entrecards inbox not in person or in the phone, or else he might hear me doing speak of tongue.

I know that he wouldn’t like it if I do. And I bet that if I do, he will be going to lay his hands on my head and drive out the bad spirit that resides in my body.

Also, the bad spirit that covers my heart so that it won’t feel anything other than being solitary would not like that either. Who wants to depart from my sexy body (bwahahahaha!)? Not him!

The bad spirit wants me, he wants me to feel sad so I’ll hang to my solitariness and keep on blabbering inside – talking to my inner me- and the three of us will live happily ever after. Now, how come solitude will live happily ever after?

Clarification, I’m a woman. If I am not, I should be called Manilenyo. Also I’m gay, gay with so much drama which makes me a real woman.

(Photo source:   http://www.dragon.uml.edu)

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By manilenya - Last updated: Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Stop Insanity!

I saw this book while cleaning the computer nook this afternoon and it interest me. Susan Powter, the author of Stop Insanity just smacked me. The book is about weight-loss guide stuffed, not that I need to lose weight but the title itself tapped my brain a little. The two words had roused something confrontational inside me and my inner self.

“Hey! Have you seen the book?” my inner self said to me.

I didn’t reply, instead, I put the book on the dining table where the rest of the books I gathered from the computer nook lie.

“Have you read the title of the book?” my inner self asked me again, she doesn’t want to let go of me. She had made me stand still in front of the pile of books. And the Stop Insanity seems like shouting out loud at me. How I cannot read the title? Oh, I don’t read the title. I heard the title and I keep on hearing him (I just assume it’s a he. I have a lot of she in my life, I have two sisters and no brother, my father is the only male species around the house where I spent all of my life, so this time I want a he)

And he, the book, is shouting at me. Barking at me (or is it Rocky my employer’s dog is barking?) STOP INSANITY! STOP YOUR INSANITY!)

“Oh my GOD! Yeah, so?” I yelled my inner self. I want her to know that I am mad. I want her to go away.

“You’ve been whining a lot.” My inner self uttered a statement, she wasn’t asking at this time. “You’re working, but still whining. I can hear your sob. They are so low but little by little, you’re not noticing the dirge. It all came from your mouth. I saw you a few times going inside the wash room. And there, you were crying. You can’t stop the whining until you cry.”

Stopping. Thank GOD my inner self stopped.

“You’re not insane, are you?” my inner self asked me again.

(Photo source: http://www.bendiciones.com)

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By manilenya - Last updated: Monday, May 12, 2008

How many times I told myself not to read other blogs or just visiting other sites, and I want to add dropping EC before I do my business (which is blog posting)?

I realized by doing those stuff before mine is a cruel thing to do for my blog. I honestly cannot post anything, and I totally put Residual Matters in limbo. First, too much reading of considerable topics on blogosphere drains my mind.

Second, I was affected by the recent email I received from PPP. For the nth time, they rejected me. I took it ruefully that I made this blog a photoblog (for the meantime) without thinking. I must say that I was hurt, especially when I saw this line, “Accepted blogs must contain posts which are written clearly and are easy to understand. Your blog contains a high number of grammatical errors.”

It’s killing me.

It’s over-reacting if I say I am lamenting, but yes I am. You see I am trying hard to do the thing that I am not good at. I know I can write in my native language excellently (yes, I am boasting), but I want to prove that I can write other languages too. Yes, languages because you might see me writing in French, Italian, Korean, or it depends if what language I want to learn. Now I am dreaming.

Continue Reading »

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