Inspired by Mordsith’s recent post on one happy magical day with her grandmother (lola).
Of the many grandkids that my grandparents have, I am their favorite. I don’t really know why. Maybe it’s because my dad was their youngest and also their favorite. Or maybe because I was the bibo kid who would sing, dance, and act, the kind that parents and even grandparents show off to their friends. Or maybe because I was just too darn cute. 
My lola had a small store in front of their house. And whenever she needs to get new supplies, she would always take me with her to the market. And like all lolas, she would introduce me to the vendors and ask me to sing and/or dance, and I would happily do my thing. I can always see her beaming and being so proud. Plus, I always get free candy.
When she passed away, I was too young to really understand what it is, or where she went and if she would ever come back. But I do remember going to her store many, many times, which had been closed, and sitting in the dark, just waiting for my lola to open her little store.
The only senior person that I ever get to talk with now is my wife’s grandfather (lolo). For a while now, he’s been staying at my in-laws. And I kinda remember this one time when we went to Tagaytay with lolo and my FIL.
We visited Tagaytay Highlands and explored the clubhouse. After that, we decided to have a snack at Cafe Breton, Cliffhouse, before we went back to Manila.
Last Sunday, our pastor reminded us to call (not text) or even better visit and spend time with family. People seem to have their lives spinning so fast that they forget what truly matters. They forget to visit and talk to their lolos and lolas. Sometimes people even forget to call their brothers and sisters. I know I have.
It had been a busy and tiring week. People don’t seem to mind the economic crisis as they all head to major malls that are on sale and to bazaars that have sprouted in every corner. Add to that the construction on some roads, and it’s traffic, traffic, traffic. So the plan last Sunday was to go home and rest after going to church and having a quick bite at McDonald’s. But like all good plans, this one took a turn for the worse, and I was tasked to drive us all to far, far away Fairview for Tita Nene’s birthday.
Little did I know that my wife was fully aware of the plans. Before I could sulk in the corner, or maybe bang my head on the wall (I figured an overnight stay at the hospital wouldn’t be so bad, and it sure beats driving), my wife told me that she brought a change of clothes so I can be comfy and the book that I’m currently reading. Like I could be bought with that! Hah! It’s not like a new notebook that everybody’s wanting to have. (I hear it’s a steal considering the price and the specs.) Anyway, all that big talk went nowhere and I caved. So off we go.
My wife’s grandfather (lolo) from General Santos was also there. So lolo got to play with Yuan, who was surprisingly in such a good mood. Of course the food was unbelievable. An excellent spread! The prawns were huge and really good, along with this steamed fish (top leftmost photo) that’s called maya-mayang aswang (I think). Tiring, yes, but I got my prawn fix, so it’s all good.
Happy Birthday again Tita Nene!
One of the ways to get out of debt is to use the assets or abilities that we have, as I posted here. While my wife bakes, I blog. I never really thought I could earn blogging. I started this blog just to try what the fuss was all about. Then, a long-time blogger told me that I could earn from doing this. I was like “who would want to hire me with my mediocre writing,” and “nobody ever reads this pathetic use of space in the Internet.” But it never hurts to try right. And I’ve been rewarded. Greatly. Much more than I thought.
Two days ago, I came across this site called Pepperjam Network that offers website owners (publishers) the capability to partner with advertisers on a pay-per-performance basis. I’m relatively new to blogging and how to monetize my blog, so I’m trying very hard to get a grasp of things. So how does this work? Well, basically (from what I can understand), it’s an affiliate marketing type of service. Publishers will display merchants or advertisements on their site, and when a visitor purchases items through their site they get a percentage of the sale. The site has this Pepperjam Store Builder that helps publishers build storefronts on their site. Apart from that, publishers can earn from text links, banners, and other forms of media that they can feature in their site. Here’s a screenshot of the Pepperjam Network’s advertisers.
Not too shabby right? So I signed up, and I’m currently waiting if my application gets approved. I just hope this doesn’t need installing some tricky blog interface or widget. I will provide an update though if this works me.
Because my wife’s family is into the tuna/seafood export business, we usually get tuna, salmon, dory fish, prawns, crabs, etc., for free. Here’s a little secret. I actually married my wife because of all the free fish, prawns, and crabs. Kidding! hehe So one time, Mai Recommends (a section in Mai da Paypay’s blog) featured a pan-fried salmon with caramelized garlic. It just looked so good that my wife bought a few slices of salmon. We never really knew that salmon was so pricey. It came down to more than a hundred pesos a slice. Ouch! Anyway, it was worth it. Ok, it’s not, but only because we can get it for free.
Recently, Mai posted a recipe for salmon in basil cream sauce. And since my wife absolutely loves basil (amoy mayaman), and because we still have some salmon left, we had the salmon in basil cream sauce for dinner last night. And let me tell you. It was so much better. Really! Sweet and creamy. What’s not to like? 
The sauce will also be quite good for pairing up with some good old friend chicken or breaded pork chop. Drop by Mai’s blog for more awesome goodies. And since we weren’t able to take some actual photos (it was devoured in seconds, it’s that good), here are the photos from Mai’s blog.
So I guess I’m really IT right? I’ve been tagged by Mai da Paypay, and I have to post seven random facts about me. Let’s see if I’m interesting enough to fill all seven. Here we go.
1. Here’s a shocker to kick things off. I hate beef. Given the chance to be the President of the World (because the Philippines won’t just cut it), I’d ban eating beef. Of course, I’ll be needing Mai’s telepathic abilities to do this.
2. I’m allergic to sayote (chayote) and eggplant. I get all red and hot, and not that kind you pervs. I get this rash all over that’s very hot and itchy.
3. I can go four days not taking a shower. That’s my record so far. And I’m pretty damn proud of it. Hey! Here’s an idea. Let’s make a contest out of this. Excellent! Any takers?
4. I don’t wear jeans. In the last five or six years, I think I’ve only worn jeans three times. I only have one pair. I usually wear wool slacks on “regular’ days and khakis on “dress-down” days. I just think jeans are too heavy and somehow stunt my growth. See number 5 for details.
5. I still believe that I’m growing, physically I mean. I long for the day when I reach 5′10′’. Much like I believe that there is a Santa Claus and that I’m not adopted. I jest of course.
6. I like cheese. Which probably explains my fondness for cheese ice cream (my current favorite is that from Amici de Don Bosco); cheesecake, specifically baked cheesecake please, pure and unadulterated (my wife makes one mean cheesecake); and cheese hopia (from Sonya’s Secret Garden, Tagaytay).
7. When I was younger, I never wanted to get married (I have my trusty electric blanket to keep me warm, so who needs a wife). But what do I know right? My wife comes along, knocks me senseless (literally, because she’s freakishly stronger than I am), and BAM! I’m an excellent, not to mention very good looking, thank you very much, husband in the making.
Ok! That didn’t seem so hard. Now I guess it’s time to tag somebody. Hmm…to whom shall I bestow the honor. I choose you Mordsith and Kumareng Grace.
Thousands (ok, there were just a couple) have asked me for money advice, how to get out of debt, and how to manage Bad Credit Credit Card. It really is frustrating, not to mention embarrassing, when you get those calls from collection agents. I am no financial expert here, but we are on our way to getting out of debt, which in a large part in because of my wife. She’s very good with money.
In my search for articles that might help manage one’s finances, I came across a site called gettingacreditcard.com that helps people with credit card applications. That might not sound so mind blowing right? But here’s the kicker. It also helps people with bad credit apply for a credit card. So I guess you’re probably thinking, “Aren’t credit cards bad?” Well, not exactly. Aren’t credit cards made to help us better deal with money and to provide convenience. When getting one, we have to really compare credit cards and pick the right one for us. I think it’s high time we take advantage of credit card offers. Some cards offer fraud protection, and some give discounts on shops and gas. Some of the popular ones have a point system that you can redeem for other items. Knowing which type can really help us. The site also has a lot of articles related to credit and credit cards, like myths and rewards of credit cards, how to waive late payment fees, etc. Very useful and informative.
Our credit cards actually helped us a lot when we were starting out. We were able to buy new stuff at a 0% monthly installment. So you see, our financial troubles aren’t because of the instant approval credit cards. We are the ones who spent that money. We just have to really take care and keep track of our purchases. That is our responsibility.
Here are three practical tips I learned from our church pastor. If you liked this, you may want to visit the Cathedral of Praise (COP) website and download the sermons there. It has really great stuff that might help you.
1. We must learn to live prudent lives. Big investment corporations are falling. A lot of income opportunities may come our way. Carefully plan and scrutinize all details. We don’t want to invest in something that we have no real knowledge and that might possibly be another headache. Know what you are really putting yourself into. Research. Research. Research.
2. We must learn to be investors and not consumers. Stop consumption for unnecessary things as much as possible. That way, when opportunities to buy rice lands in the province are available, we can easily invest. That’s better than spending on the hippest bar for your snazzy birthday party, a Louis Vuitton bag, or a pair of Manolos. Remember that the most valuable things and the most precious are sold last, at the depth of the crisis. This means that an item originally priced at Php 200,000 can now be bought for just Php 20,000.
3. We must learn not to live dependent lives. When one is able, its existence should not depend on its parents, brothers, sisters, or relatives. Get up. Work. We need to grow and change. That person you are depending on is never going to prosper because he/she has too many parasites attached. Now, more than ever, every member of the family needs to work.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s quite alright to treat yourself with some things, like having that dream wedding at the best banquet facilities in San Diego California. Because for me, having a proper wedding is an important experience that a couple must have. With all the stress, planning, and budgeting it generates, couples get to know their partners, e.g., like how they handle stress and money. I got to really know my wife when we were planning for our wedding.
What I would like to stress out is that the entire economic system is about to freeze up. We don’t know if this will pass away or settle, and greatly affect our lives. Let us all be prudent.
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