~ "C"
I was thinking about it on my way to work.

This holiday season isn’t really as stressful and nerve-wracking as it had been for me the past recent years. Is it really less stressful? Or is it…as my dad told me once, that whenever I find myself treating every little difficult thing with ease, it’s not life getting easier, it is me that’s changing, evolving to a higher form and finally adapting. Because anything is possible, so he says, especially when it comes to cruising through and learning how to cope with the intricacies of life. Usually, it is one’s frame of mind that makes things difficult. When you open yourself up to the challenge and tackle it upclose, you master its weakness and then you emerge victorious. Maybe that’s the reason why this holiday rush is so easy peasy lemon squeezy for me this year. I think so.Compared to so many things that transpired this year, I tell you, the holiday rush is NOTHING. 2009: I've seen fire and I've seen rain (as the song goes). I’ve seen crazy, I’ve seen grief. I’ve seen disastrous, I’ve seen bleak. I’ve seen malevolent symphonies of figures dishing out more mental anguish than one could ever handle gracefully —and leaving you bald patches from a syndrome induced by your own understandable inability to tolerate some people’s IQ and EQ — or extreme lack thereof.

“Quod me non necat me fortiorem facit.”

That which does not kill me makes me stronger.

And that which doesn’t stress me out, makes EVERYONE happy! A-huh-ha, huh-ha!!! I just remembered two posts I wrote last year. From “Out of Whack” to “Whoosh!” if I can only find time to dig the individual links for these. The feelings are so different!!! I don’t see me writing about something “Out of Whack” anymore and I’m definitely trekking on cruise speed on the Un-whoosh!

Suffice it to say, I’m on top of things this year. I just got a final word that Christmas Eve dinner will be in our house, and instead of being rattled, we will be whistling through getting the China out (though I hope hubby washes them first), our simple but elegant stainless steel flatware and the rest of Community Stainless (har!har!), and putting the menu together. Hubby and I are always over the moon everytime his or my family gathers in our humble home. I hope to be able to fit everyone in our house since we are getting bigger in number — and individual sizes too?

What to serve? What to serve?

I’ll keep you posted!



~ "C"
I'm not surprised that I just saw on a talk show that there are a lot of people hooked in online casino and online gambling now. Why are there people addicted to the games of chance? During these hard times, they bank on sudden and big online casino gambling winnings to pull them up from hardship. The deeper one gets, the more money they spend. And then the deeper one gets. It's a vicious cycle, isn't it?

I hope there's a game where no one loses, and everybody wins.

Or the lotto perhaps. I hope to win the lotto.

But first, I have to buy the tickets.




~ "C"
It's funny because having ten sites (blogs, websites, galleries) make some people think that I know a lot of stuff about web hosting. Like I know my way around this complex labyrinth made of web jargon in every nook and cranny.

My sister who is currently putting up her blogsite (it has been a project for over a year now) has tasked me to refer the best web hosting option for her. But the truth is, I'm really still wet behind the ears too. I need to study as much web hosting guides as she does.

I do want to help her though. I love her insights. I wish she can finally get into the rhythm of things. It is actually one way for me to be in touch with her, since she's a world traveler, moving most of the time, and so many miles away.

I miss my sister.


~ "C"
Can't sleep.

I'm hooked on watching "Criminal Minds" on A&E while hubby's dancing with the fairies in dreamland. I'm online because I need to wait for TUMS to take effect and forget about my tummy discomfort from too much eating today. Went to an All-Fil buffet for lunch, and Hawaiian dishes for dinner. Chocolates in between. The worse I've done so far in a few months. The fact that I have one chewable TUMS tablet in the bottle is making me panic right now. Ergo, the diversions!

I also logged on hubby's online stuff to see if I can play some games (for lack of anything else I could think of doing) and I found that my buddy from college is also still up playing poker with poker buddies online all over the world. I wonder what his wife is saying. He asked me one time about us online casinos list for usa players and this usa casinos dmoz list, like he's turning it into a career or something...

I think that TUMS is finally doing its job. So I'll take advantage of it and try to have a good night's sleep, at least whatever's left of it.

Good night. Good morning.






~ "C"
It wasn't until my blogfriend Kaye of Wahmaholic wrote about our online store and me ("she has a host of blogs in different platforms") that I realized the many blogs and sites I own!!! And I'm proud and happy!

How do I divide my time? Honestly? I don't know. First of all, I'm blessed to have a fulltime job that allows me to do this on the side, schedule-wise. And I'm really just a very expressive and spontaneous soul who's blessed with so much to share (thoughts, art and what nots) and doesn't care what others will say. Good comments or bad, let's put it this way, I'm not out there to pretty up a reputation, bask in praises alone nor please everyone or at least appear like I do. What solely drives me is the prospect of resting with the thought at the end of each day that I have said what I needed to and hopefully touched someone's life with my own experiences. Sometimes, some people just really need someone else to hit it home for them. But I'm no perfect guru either. Just a peer who truly cares which direction one's life goes.

I now have TEN sites to maintain, eight of which are active and getting my attention regularly (like the octomom hahaha), though sometimes not evenly but I'm still able to stretch myself so it's all good. I'm thinking, should I purge my web presence? And zoom in to what is essential? If you were to ask me, I want to be out there more. Have more places, get another web hosting or vps hosting (read: checking out webhostinggeeks.com for dedicated server, domain needs and all). Another domain...like what? Something with the word "SUBLIME", after all, that's one of my pegs in life. Perhaps a mission? A calling? *LOL*

My iPhone has one app page dedicated to all the thumbnails of my sites. I'm glad that each site has finally grown to have their own identities, shaping up as I go along.

When do you say enough is enough? Whatever floats my boat, right? Whatever floats yours too!

And as long as you're there to keep talking to, dear follower or accidental reader, (or maybe even long after you've left), I'll keep sharing all of me.



~ "C"
I just celebrated my birthday. Here's a photo from my birthday dinner with hubby:


Almost a decade ago, I promised myself that I'll be 28 in my heart forever (a decade ago, *hint* *hint*) and I've been able to sail with it for a long time. Somehow, this year, as I evaluate my life, 28 just doesn't cut it anymore. Physically, I've noticed that I've become way older in the past couple of years. Is it my busy life that did it, or is it really just the biological clock hitting me on the face? I see the beginning traces of crow's feet, darker circles around my eyes, cellulite build-up here and there that screams sono bello services, hands which are....just not the hands I used to know. Throw in the intermittent health issues I've faced. Suddenly, I feel like I'm 37!

And it's because I am.

But with all the physical changes, I must say, comes the wisdom from experience. I wouldn't exchange that for anything. I'd like to believe that my soul has grown too. And I'm proud of that aspect of the maturity process.

Do I want to feel 28 (with that fresh outlook and youthful exuberance) in my heart still? Yes. A wise, seasoned, with a soul-beyond-her-years 28-year old. I'll wait til I'm 50. Then I'll refreeze at 35. Then at 70, I'll be 55. As long as I can act...and look the part.




~ "C"
Plugging my new post at my Gratitude Journal.

http://marieclarisse.tumblr.com

I really need a cute button for it.



~ "C"
..is up and running.

You can visit it at http://marieclarisse.tumblr.com/ You can also view it by clicking the feed on the side bar, right underneath the slideshow.

I'm on Day 4. It isn't much yet. But it’s amazing how by having a Gratitude Journal, you wake up in the morning and start your day already expecting good things to happen.

It’s like you’re launched into the day with a mission to spot and recognize what’s good, no matter how stressful some days could be.

Please come and snoop around this journey of my life when you have nothing else to do. And I hope to inspire you to create a Gratitude Journal of your own!

PEACE!

~ "C"
Hubby and I have started an online t-shirts and gift items biz. I hope you can support us.

We have "concentrated" (read: haven't had time for other things yet) on messages springing from the quirks of the Filipino culture.

Don't worry, we will eventually expand our horizons and carry a lot more stuff. My head is swimming with design concepts and bursting to its seams with ideas. I am just waiting for Santa Claus to give me the new design software in my wishlist, hahahaha.

Please come and check out our store:
http://www.cafepress.com/onebahaykubo

or click on Mr. Adobo right here:

I have also placed a link with his picture on the rightmost side bar of this site so it's easy for you to visit the store everytime you come back here.

And if it isn't too much to ask, please spread the word. Hubby and I are working our tooshiz off to pay bills (*here comes an appeal to pity* LOL) so I can't pay people to advertise (yet) hahaha.

If you're feeling generous because it's Christmas, just spread the word around about our little online store called:

"ONE BAHAY KUBO"


Or buy something. Yeah, why don't yah?!?

We promise you more colors, designs, products and more interesting messages to follow!



~ "C"
Testing 123 making sure my tumblr account doesn't get the rss feed.

I did silly things last night that messed some things up.

Senior moment! LOL
~ "C"
You can call me a late bloomer but I am just discovering the joys of BlogPress which is an iPhone app that allows me to publish posts directly from my phone! This is my first post and I hope it works! I can be writing from the comforts of my own bathroom and you will never know it!

Writing is therapy for me. I'm not the best in the world but I usually have a lot of things to say, and it helps me express what boils within me -- usually things that make sense but sometimes just little unimportant matters in the quest for meaning in the end through an exercise of words. It helps to be able to blog anytime and anywhere with my phone! It makes a great boredom buster too, like when I'm waiting at Starbucks for that cup of latte. Oops I forgot, I don't drink coffee anymore.

Goodnight world! Spread some love!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

~ "C"
Hubby and I celebrated our anniversary.
Just sharing our Wedding Poem and some photos of parallel points in our lives.  Trippy!

3mos_clarisse_3 3mos_aldred
On our seaters...(L:Me , R:hubby)

I carried a picture of you,
Chair_clarisse Chair_aldred

eversince I was young and believed in fairy tales.

Beach_clarisse   Beach_aldred
Beach pic...(L:Me at the center ; R:hubby on the left)

Car_clarisse_2 Car_aldred
Posing by our dad's cars (L:Me , R:hubby)


Sunny_clarisse Sunny_aldred
Sunny day (L:Me , R:hubby)

Face_clarisse Face_aldred

Serious playtime photos (L:Me , R:hubby)

I carried a picture of you,
as I learned more about the world.
Wedding_flowergirl Wedding_ring_bearer

(Flowergirl: me, Ringbearer: hubby)

Pose_clarisse Pose_aldred
Signature Pose! (L:Me , R:hubby)

School_clarisse School_aldred
School Photo (L:Me , R:hubby) --check out the hair!

Teenager_clarisse Teenager_aldred
Awkward teen years (L:Me , R:hubby)

View_clarisse View_aldred

I carried a picture of you,
through all the times love let me down.

Legs_aldred Legs_clarisse

Tequila_aldred Tequila_clarisse

I carried a picture of you,
through all the times I thought I would never meet you in this life.
Bridge_aldred  Bridge_clarisse_1

Formal2_aldred Formal2_clarisse

I carried a picture of you
Formal_aldred Formal_clarisse

not in my pocket, but in my heart.

Id Id2

I didn’t know what you would look like…

but I knew what it would feel like,

 Slide_34
to finally know you

Slide_36
and be with you.
Slide_83


So loved…

Slide_54
safe and protected…

Slide_43
respected and accepted.

Wedding1
Like I’d finally found HOME.