Whatever Comes To My Mind

Time to Save

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:48:00 +0000

We recently purchased a tube TV that is so heavy from a local charity store for $9.00. It was so funny how Ryan and I had to get in the house. Yes, it was that heavy but we couldn’t pass the deal. What I have initially in mind was to save my money and get Ryan a Samsung HDTV and put it in the living room. Knowing Ryan, I am sure he will like the idea but he doesn’t want me spending my money for him. I figure, he helped us so much for my sister and that is the least I could do. As I was getting close to my goal, we found that TV and thought, hey why not? But, I have told Ryan that once we move to our new house whenever that would be, I will definitely get him an HDTV for the living room, so that gives me a lot of time to save.

Who Knows?

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:41:00 +0000

It is so easy to forget about the responsibilities we have to ourselves and to the people we love. Have you ever stop and ask yourself if your family will be ok if something happens to you? I recently purchased a term life insurance with a purpose of protecting Ryan and Frankie if something happens to me. The future is so uncertain that we can’t do anything about it but be proactive. Now, Ryan and I have two life insurances. One we got through our different jobs and the other was what we got for ourselves. Because, we’ll never know!

Sets

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:29:00 +0000

Can you believe we are going to be setting the boots next week, and less than a week after that is the St. Nick set which is for Christmas? Time by fly fast that is for sure. I remember it like yesterday that we are all excited to go home to the Philippines last March and now it is already September. I guess I like it this way rather than waiting for the time to finally get here. School, work and Frankie is making me so busy and also keep me sane.

I have a boot set next week, and I still do not know what to bring. I will probably bring the usual depending on the time we have. I am off on Monday for Labor Day, and I gave my hours away for Tuesday because it is Frankie's first day and on Wednesday I am working overnight. I hope to accomplish a lot of things next week. I have been goofing off and not studying the way I should be studying. I just need to focus and concentrate. I guess there is a lot that I get confuse what to do first, but I will be alright.

Someday

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:26:00 +0000

I have never been to Disney, and I have only seen pictures of it. Visiting Disney is one of my childhood dreams after growing up watching those Disney classics. Of course, who doesn’t want to meet the princesses and their princes? I would! Frankie is learning different Disney characters too. Who knows in the new future we could take one of those Disney vacations and see the beautiful Disney by ourselves. Well, it may have to wait a little longer because we have our priorities, and it is in the bottom of the list. I am sure we will go there someday.

Gone

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:18:00 +0000

Our gazebo and hot tub in the backyard are completely gone. It was starting to become a sore in the backyard since we never used it. Thankfully, my father in law was willing to take it. Ryan and I have decided to just get rid of it to gain our backyard space back. My father-in-law just needs to get a new hot tub cover because what we had in the hot tub is a little outdated. It was colored brown and little worn out through the years of usage. It was actually the previous owner of the house who got the hot tub and the gazebo. If we could have live out in the country, it wouldn’t be a problem, but here the houses are too close to each other that we could not enjoy privacy. I am just thankful that it is out of our hands now.

My Tutor is Awesome

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:59:00 +0000

I have always been an in-charge person when it comes to my school. I hate depending on other people because I have experiences before where they do not follow through and I end up trying to do it by myself at the last minute. However, this semester is a different story. I have a tutor and he is the most patient person. You see, I have to take Math this semester and the next semester to graduate. I don't want to put it off because the more I put it off the longer I graduate. That is why, I have four classes this semester. I am sure my GPA will surely go down if I get a B, but I just want to get done with it. Besides, the minumum grade that allows me to transfer into a university is a B.

Math has always been my issue even in high school and college. I have always been a B student when it comes to Math. I am only in my second week of class, and I am already having a problem with it. It's been years and years from the last Math class I took. Although it may look so simple to some, I am absolutely having a problem with it. We are doing problem solving right now, and I am not understanding them at all. While he is discussing, it just so foggy with me. I don't get it, and I hated it so much that I don't get it. They put in some tricky questions and I am lost. We had our first quiz last Wednesday and I don't think I did really well. The night before, Ryan and I spent 4 hours in the university library just to talk about my Spanish and Math. He is really good at those two, and I am not. He is so excited that I am taking Spanish, so we could converse in Spanish. I am no where close to that and I have a bunch of assignments to do. He did a really good job in explaining the problem to me. I am so happy that he is very patient too with me. I wish I am good with Math. *sigh*

Here to Stay

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:49:00 +0000

In my education major class, our professor asked us why we want to teach when there are a lot of teachers being laid off recently. My question to myself was, is there something out there for me? I already have a bachelor’s degree and it would be a waste of time, money, and effort if I have to start all over again. Plus, I just hate the sight of blood. It makes me sick that is why the medical field will never be for me.

I wish it was the other way around though because there are a lot of health care jobs available. Like my friend Jenny, she is in school and still managed to get a part time job caring for the elderly. She is currently working for her nursing degree, and at the same time, she does home health to those who are unable to take care of themselves. There sure are a lot of health care jobs available and it is here to stay.

Outdoor facelift

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:10:00 +0000

There was so much nice weather this season - even if it was a little too hot for my taste - that I took advantage of it and did a lot of home improvement that I had been putting off for a while. I wrangled my 13-year-old son into helping me out too. One of the main things that I wanted to get done to our house's exterior was repainting the shutters.

I realize now and should have realized then that taking the shutters off the house before painting them would have been the best thing to do, but I decided it would be easy enough. Well, my son ended up dripping black paint all over our white siding. Instead of get mad at him I decided that we would just get some new siding while we were at it. We might as well do all these home updates at once while we were no a roll anyway. So I got sears vinyl siding indianapolis to come out and do the work.

Our siding was little a little worn anyway and I think that the difference in the shutters wouldn't have been obvious if we hadn't gotten the siding replaced.

Thanks for this post Burt Wood

Only Kid

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 04:47:00 +0000

Frankie is the only kid who enrolled for the traditional preschool at St. Liborius. Apparently, with the economy being bad (this was according to the principal) nobody else enrolled, so Frankie will be joining the non-traditional preschool who are there for the whole day. She explained that the learning would still be the same. The only difference is Frankie will be with the 4 years old and a couple of 3 year old. My mother-in-law thinks that it would good for Frankie because he will learning off from the 4 years old who is a little mature. Ryan and I are just glad that they did not shut him off from the opportunity of being able to go to school because he will be by himself. I hope the rest of the kids will be nice to him especially that they are older. I know he will be ok. He can take care of himself.

Moving to North Carolina

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 04:22:00 +0000

More and more people these days are selling their house and moving into an apartment. My friend and her husband did exactly the same. They could not afford to keep their house anymore, so they decided to get rid of it and move into an apartment. She said it was a leap of faith, but thankful that they did it because it was the best decision they ever made. They are no longer worried every month if they have the money to pay for their mortgage or not. What is even better is they were able to save a little money now because they are not paying as much for the rent compared to the mortgage.

Economy has surely affected a lot of families. I am just thankful that Ryan’s company bounced back, or else we could have been in the same situation. Well, moving into an apartment is not that bad after all. It is less the hassle of owning the house, but it doesn’t mean you will just get just about any apartment. There are luxury apartments that you can get too. In fact, if you are around Durham North Carolina, it has never been so easy to find and move to an apartment. You can start by going to nc-apartments.com, for they have a list of luxury apartments around the Durham area.

If you are moving from another state and not familiar with the place, the list of Apartment in Durham, NC will be a good start. You can browse through the website, plan ahead and pre-apply to see if you qualify. It has never been so easy to start fresh with the Apartments in North Carolina.

Scrubs

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 03:37:00 +0000

When I was pregnant with Frankie, it was very convenient and nice to know that there were a lot of Filipinos in the hospital where I was going to deliver him. Some of them I met, every time I have my ultrasound. I really love going to that hospital because everyone seem to be very friendly and accommodating. I was never a fan of hospitals but that one in Indiana made me feel very comfortable with hospitals.

One of the things I really like about hospitals is the nurses and their hospital uniform. They looked so neat and professional. I used to work in a retail store before, and a lot of people that are in the medical field used to ask me if we sell scrub sets. Unfortunately, I don’t know where to get them. Had I known about blueskyscrubs.com, I would have let them about it. They have a wide variety of scrubs to choose from.

In fact, they sell discounted scrubs at a very affordable price. I also like the different simple, custom, traditional, and designer scrubs that they offer. You also have the option to buy the scrub in a set or separate. They have scrubs for both men and women including scrub hats, lab coats and more. I wish I am a nurse right now, but I don’t do well with needles and blood.

Preschool

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 02:05:00 +0000

We finally got the letter and everything that we need to get Frankie started with preschool. We need to get him a pair of new shoes again that he could leave in his cubby at school. I got him a pair of skechers, but it was still a little bigger for him. I am thinking of the jumping beans but I wonder if a 10T will fit him since they run small and Frankie already wears a 10. I am sure I will find some good deals when I go back to work on Monday.

Anyways, he will start on the 7th of September right after Labor Day. On that day, I am supposed to be working overnight, so I did not request that day as my day off. I forgot that I asked them to change it for me on Wednesday night instead because it would be rough for me since I have a Math class on Wednesday morning. After they changed it and all is good, they scheduled me to work at 7:00 a.m. -3:30 p.m. for that Tuesday. I was excited because I get off early then I realized that it is Frankie's first day. I need to be there because I have to introduce Papa to the teacher since he will be picking him up most of the time. Ryan is not sure if he will take off, but he is thinking about it. I am hoping I could give my hours away, so I can have that day off. I got so messed up with the schedule and dates that I completely forgot the most important event of my son's life, his first day of school.

Gold Coins

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:05:00 +0000

There are different investments that most Americans invest their money in. For beginners, the most popular is the 401K where most people can get through their jobs. It is a savings program where it gets deducted from the salary and put side. This is in preparation for retirement or for the future. Other people also choose to get a life insurance. Although it is not as big of an investment, but it is still to protect the family in case something happens. The common goal of getting an investment is for future use.

Another investment that will also benefit you in the long run is buying gold coins. Acquiring gold coins are not hard to find anymore. In fact, you can get one with the United States Gold Bureau for immediate delivery or storage. You don’t have to know a lot about investing to be able to get one. All you have to do is contact them, and you will have your gold coins in no time.

Good Luck to Me

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 03:49:00 +0000

I just got home from my major education class and so far so good. I really liked the teacher, and I liked how he doesn't take bs. One of the down side of this class is, there are a lot of writings and readings but mostly writings. Next week, I have two things to read and write. Then I also need to have 15 hours of observation and the evaluation. We also have 3 major essays besides other things. As I was listening to him say all of these, my head hurt all of the sudden. I know it is going to be really a lot this fall, and I can't goof around. I am just happy that Frankie will be going to pre-school, so that will keep him busy. I also asked Ryan to get a table and chairs for Frankie's room, so we could study together. I have one class that is a late start, so I won't have to worry about it till a month from now. Math is another story, and Spanish. That started this week too. I will get there somehow. I will just have to take it easy and not beat myself too much. If I get a B, that is ok as long as I tried my best.

Planning a Birthday Party Online

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 02:43:00 +0000

Thank you for the post Angelo Cooper.

As a mother of three children, planning birthday parties can sometimes be difficult. I tend to run out of ideas for food and decorations. This is when I scour the Internet looking for unique ideas

I like to start with Google and search for the party theme and decorations. I like to look at image results for cute display ideas. Searching just blogs can also get you great ideas. I also like to search for food ideas and anything else to fit my selected theme.

Flickr.com is another great source for birthday party ideas. Flickr.com is just for photos, but sometimes the photos have descriptions. Searching through the photos can give you great ideas for cakes and other food. I usually find some great decorating ideas full of things I can make for the party.

With my hughes net internet service, I can quickly and easily get online to help plan these important parties. Without being able to get online I'm afraid I would have run out of ideas for food and birthday party decorating many years ago.

Chicago the Beautiful

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 02:21:00 +0000

We were in downtown Chicago two weeks ago, and Frankie had a wonderful time. It was Frankie first train ride. I mean he has been to Chicago when he was a little baby, but this is the first time that he is conscious, and he really loved it. I snapped a few pictures of downtown Chicago and here they are below.

Owning a Home

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:35:00 +0000

Acquiring one’s own home is an American dream regardless if you are a native of this country or an immigrant from another country. But there are times when life gets to us, that reaching for that American dream of owning a home could be impossible.

Ryan and I lived with my father-in-law for two years before getting our own house. Although Ryan’s credit was near perfect, I have not established any credit just yet because I just got here then from the Philippines. Before we finally decided to move out, Ryan and I researched on what we could possibly do and where to start. It was overwhelming to read a lot of information for first time buyers, but we were determined to do what we have to do. After three months of going through different houses and finally deciding what to get, we were able to close the deal and got the key of our first house on the fourth month.

Not all people are as lucky as us. Our credit was good. Some home buyers thought that if you have bad credit, it will be harder to get a loan. It could be if you don’t know where to find it. It could also be very stressful, but looking for the best mortgage loan entails a lot of research. So, if you are planning to get started in looking for a house, check your credit score first to see what your standing is. Then proceed with learning about finance options within your scope. Owning a house could be a lot of responsibility, but it is worth it,

Out in the Country

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 03:49:00 +0000

When I moved here in the US, I never felt so isolated in my entire life. I go out occasionally with my co-workers and friends back home, and even if we were unable to drive, there were public transportation that could take us places. I never felt stuck in one place, but it was a different story here in the US. I didn’t know how to drive, and I had to wait for my husband or my father-in-law or someone to take me places.

Ryan and I lived with my father-in-law for two years. It was out in the country, and the city was fifteen miles away. I felt so trapped being there all the time with nothing to do. I cross stitched, but that did not stay long because my eyesight was getting bad. I watched TV occasionally, but there were only a few local channels to choose from. I was told that since we lived out in the middle of nowhere, cable could not get to the location that we were in. I did not know anything about Direct TV by DirectSatTV then because I just got here. If I had known about it, I would have told my husband and father-in-law that regardless of our location, we could still get a satellite dish for TV service loaded with different shows to choose from.

It is amazing how much stuff they have to offer. I browsed through Direct TV packages by DirectSatTV, and they have awesome offers for new customers. I like the flexibility of having to choose my own specification. They have the premier package, choice ultimate, choice xtra, choice, and lastly the family package. These are a lot of choices depending on one’s budget, but before anything else, one has to make sure to check the government dish rules. We may have to get one for ourselves.

Eclipse: A Bad Omen?

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 05:42:00 +0000

“From 2000 BC through AD 3000, there are 7,718 eclipses of the Moon including both partial and total eclipses” and counting (Eclipse in Spanish Fork). The occurrence of a solar eclipse happens when the Moon lies exactly between the Earth and the Sun while the lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth’s shadow. Among the two eclipses, it has been the total eclipse during a solar eclipse that is interpreted in various ways.

Eclipses have been a known and normal acts of nature that could be explain astronomically; however, other cultures see and react to them differently and to some defiantly. This paper will explore different cultures and how they reacted to an eclipse, and scientifically explain the occurrences on each phenomenon questioned.

Eclipses have been perceived in many different ways. Everyday before a total eclipse is about to happen, people in the Philippines are notified to stay indoors especially pregnant women. It was believed that the Sun’s invisible rays will harm and even kill the unborn child. In the same way, pregnant women in India were advised to stay indoors, confined themselves to a curtained room even in regions that is not affected by eclipse.

Like the Philippines, the Indians are afraid that the invisible rays of the Sun will harm the fetus, and the baby will be born with disfiguration, birthmarks, or a congenital defect. Sonya Chadha, a New Delhi Accountant who is seven months pregnant, stated that “I have been told to lie straight on the bed with my eyes open and to chant prayers and verses from the Hindu holy texts during the eclipse.” She also added that, “if even a tiny silver of light falls on me, it could harm my child” (Mail Online). Pregnant women are refrained from sewing, using knives, or getting close to any sharp objects to keep their child from having unwanted wounds or birth defects. “Bathing in holy rivers is also highly recommended to cleanse the body from the impurity of the air as the result of the eclipse” (Kaur). It is also another reason for pregnant women to stay indoors.

Furthermore, China, believed that young couples are not to tie the knot during an eclipse as it is considered bad luck. Most Chinese are encouraged to stay home to avoid breathing the “bad energy” released during the eclipse. If only pregnant women are advised to stay indoors in the Philippines and in India, in China everyone are to stay indoors.

Every culture believed that something had done something to the Sun. Children in the Philippines are encouraged to fill a bucket with water, so they could watch as the Sun disappears through the reflection on the bucket of water. It was believed as the safest way to witness the eclipse without harming their eyes. Older folks in the Philippines thought that a huge big serpent swallowed the Sun, and the only way to bring it back is to make noise. They make noise from the time the Moon starts covering the Sun until the Moon completely uncovers the Sun. They make noises using kitchen utensils, pans, pots, drums, and by banging wood together to scare the serpent away.

To a tribe in the Southern Mindanao of the Philippines called T’boli, an “eclipse is considered their worst fear” (Jones). They stored extra food and water to last them for days in case the Sun does not come back. Every night before the eclipse, an elderly story teller sang parts of a long and sacred T’boli epic about mythical hero, Todbulol. They believed that Todbulol prevented his sister from using an eclipse to destroy the Earth after she saw the people living in misery. Jones stated that during the eclipse, T’boli people “hid their babies indoors, locked up chickens, and struck brass gongs.” They are afraid that something will happen during the course of the eclipse that is why they locked their prized possessions. While the mothers are in the house with the babies, other T’Boli are out dancing, playing flutes, bamboo zithers, jew’s harps, brass gongs, and drums. It was their way of driving the serpent away and for the Sun to come back.

Similarly, China “believed that the sight of the Sun disappearing behind the Moon was interpreted as the work of a hungry dragon that was eating it and people would shout, bang pans, and let off fireworks to create enough noise to scare the beast away” (Smith). In the same way in India, they believed that the sun was swallowed by a dragon-demon based on their superstitions and fables on Hindu Mythology. Birokar stated that to the Indians, “an eclipse is looked upon as unholy and inauspicious.” During this occurrence, people follow quaint practices like immersing images of Gods in pitcher full of water, observing fast, conducting Yagna (fire sacrifice), and holding special prayers to enable the eclipse to pass.

Another belief that is common among these cultures is they believed that an eclipse is the start of chaos, or the end of the world. As the darkness falls, Filipinos believed that it is the end of the world if the Sun will not reappear. They think that an eclipse is a reminder from God to keep away from sins and to reunite with Him. In fact, during totality, one could hear the cry of several spectators asking for the forgiveness of their sins while some of them yelling making a bargain that if the serpent will give back the Sun, they will start doing good deeds. Other cultures such as of the Chinese alleged that the eclipse is an ill omen that could do harm to people. To the Indians, an eclipse is considered catastrophic that could be eliminated with intense prayers.

Even with the advancement of technology, some of these beliefs still stand the same. However every claim presented has its own scientific explanation. For example, with the belief that the invisible rays of the Sun will harm the baby, there have been no reported cases of babies born disfigured or with congenial defects as a result of the exposure to the Sun’s invisible rays during an eclipse. The Sun and its rays during an eclipse could do no harm to a pregnant woman not unless if she watches the Sun without appropriate protection which could cause serious and permanent eye damage.

In the three cultures presented, they all have a common belief that something had eaten, devoured, or swallowed the Sun. Actually, “the way the Earth’s shadow gradually falls over the Moon’s surface in an eclipse had led many observers over the centuries to believe that the Moon was being eaten” (Champkin). This explains why the Philippines, China, and India thought that something devoured the Sun. It is the disappearance of the Sun, covered with “something black” up in the sky, followed by complete darkness is what makes these cultures wonder. “When the orbital planes intersect and the distances align favorably, the new Moon can appear to completely blot out the disk of the Sun” (Rao). This is when the Moon is casting its dark, slender cone of shadow known as the umbra upon the Earth’s surface hence giving off a total solar eclipse that people witness on Earth.

Another interesting theory that the people from the Philippines thought of an eclipse is it is the end of the world because of the ghostly scene it brings to the spectators. Actually, the “Moon turns dark orange or red” during a lunar eclipse adding the eeriness to the scene (Schneider, Arny 66). It is very eerie that sometimes they thought that they are witnessing divine intervention. During an eclipse, the Moon takes on a reddish color which is explained as when Earth gets between the Moon and the Sun. The Earth’s atmosphere bends the Sun’s light filtered blue out that only red remains. So, while the Moon is in the darkness of the Earth’s shadow, some red light is still being deflected round the Earth on to it- and most of that bent light is red.

The disorientation of the animals, as a result, is also associated as the end of the world. The birds and bees are sensitive to these changes that as soon as the Moon completely covers the Sun, they would take darkness as nightfall. Some animals also panic when they notice a sudden change.

The Chinese and the Indians believed that an eclipse marks the beginning of chaos, fall of empires and even death. As Champkin stated, “the lunar eclipse in the year 3 BC was quickly followed by the death of King Herod.” When an eclipse happens, people have the tendency to tie every death to the eclipse and blame this act of nature as the culprit. The Athenians were defeated on their battle with the Syracusans because the Athenians took eclipse seriously and refused to set off for battle in August 113 BC. Their enemy however, was less superstitious and attacked all the same and won.

Eclipse is a happy act of nature that gathered millions and millions of fans across the globe. Most of them considered an eclipse as a special opportunity to witness an out of this world phenomenon. It is not a miracle or a punishment of some sort. It is a way of explaining how the orders of things work here on Earth and beyond. No matter how differently cultures see or interpret an eclipse, it is here to stay.

Bibliography:

“A Rational Expectation.” Manila Standard. 23 Jul. 2009. Web. 20 Jul. 2010.

Birodkar, Sudheer. “Surya Grahana (Solar Eclipse).” Hindubook.org. n.d. Web. 15 Jul.
2010.

“Century’s Longest Solar Eclipse will Plunge, Millions in Asia into Darkness
Tomorrow.” Mail Online. 22 Jul. 2009. Web. 26 Jun. 2010.

Champkin, Julian. “See the Eclipse Tonight.” Mail Online. n.d. Web. 18 Jul. 2010.

“Eclipse in Spanish Fork.” Daily Herald. 29 Aug. 2007. Web. 15 Jul. 2010.

Jones, Clayton. “Eclipse Highlights Fading Philippine Tribal Culture.” Christian Science
Monitor. 21 Mar. 1988. Web. 15 Jul. 2010.

Kaur, Minderjeet. “Many Offer Prayers To ward off Ill Effects.” New Straits Times
(Malaysia). 23 Jul, 2009. Web. 15 Jul. 2010.

Rao, Joe. “Shades of Glory.” Natural History 117.8 (2008): 36-41. Academic Search
Complete. EBSCO. Web. 22 June 2010.

Schneider, Stephen and Arny, Thomas. “Pathways to Astronomy.” Mc Graw-Hill
Companies, Inc., New York. 2009. Print.

Smith, Lewis. “Total Eclipse is no Ill Omen but It Will Bring a New Spectator to
the Beijing Olympics.” The Times (London). 31 Jul. 2008. Web. 15 July 2010.

Home Security

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 20:11:00 +0000

One of the many regrets that we have when we bought this house is we should have investigated about the area a little better. Ryan lived most of his life out in the country, and I was not familiar of the places here just yet. We didn’t even bother looking into the school district to find out if it was good for our future children. We were newly weds and having children was the least of our priority then let alone looking into the school district.

When we finally moved into our new house, we decided not to get any security system. We thought the neighborhood was safe, but we were wrong. Just a few months from moving in, someone attempted to get into our neighbor’s house. They probably knew that the owners were on vacation because of the newspapers scattered in front of their house. Thankfully, they have a security system, and as the thief broke in the window, the alarm went off and alerted the police.

The safety of our family is our number one priority. That is why I find Fort Worth, PD’s home security check list very important. From the curb, to the landscaping of the house, outdoor lightings, external doors, windows, and garage doors, it could help maintain the safety of your family and belongings against any potential thief.

Take for example the landscaping of the house. If the shrubs are covering most of your house especially the windows, it could be very inviting for thieves to break into the house since no one could see them because of the overgrown shrubs. Outdoor lighting is also very significant to have because potential thief would not risk being seen. Good locks are also a must in each of the doors in the house.

I can’t begin to imagine the importance of getting our house ready in case something happens. That is why I like reading the police security tips in their website. It offers wonderful insights about burglaries and how to prep your house, but most of all, getting a home security through homesecurityteam.com will also give you the peace of mind that your house, your valuables, and your family are protected even when you are not at home.

House

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 04:57:00 +0000

It was tough looking for a house when Ryan and I decided to buy one. I don’t know how many houses we have checked before finding the house we are in today. This house is really nothing special, we just liked it because it is mechanically sound. We also liked how the air conditioner and the heater are new.

Our neighbors have address plagues in front of their houses, and they looked so attractive. Unfortunately, the previous owner of this house did not have one, so it looks bare in front it. We don’t even have one of those address signs.

I have been telling Ryan that we need to get an address plague for our house. We went to a local store only to find that they do not have it. Thankfully, I came across Mailboxandbeyond.com while I was surfing the internet and they carry a lot of stuff.They have house address plagues, birdbaths, bird feeders, solid brass doorbell, and a lot more. What is even better is it is free shipping on plagues within the United States.

I really find it attractive when I see houses with address plagues. I think it adds beauty and worth to the house itself. I can’t wait to get one for our house, so it won’t look bare anymore.

Nanay's Birthday Gift

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 04:45:00 +0000

When mama's birthday was approaching, papa and I are trying to plan on what to give her. We sent her a little money to she could spend for her birthday, but we wanted to do something special. Papa and I practiced a song that mama liked, but whenever I am home from work it is already so late to record. Frankie however had been practicing some songs for his nanay and although he doesn't know the lyrics, he really tried. He recorded these for his nanay's birthday.

When you tell me that you love me

Of course, his nanay was so happy for her gift and couldn't stop laughing.

What If?

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 04:27:00 +0000

Ryan and I took Frankie to the park yesterday to meet up with his friend Kyle. The park is just a few steps away from Kyle’s house, so Frankie is always there if one of us is available to take him. As we were approaching the park, I saw a man with his son. His son was in the swing while the father was trying to push the swing. As we settled down and let the kids play, I started talking to the father of the boy. From a distance, he looked like he was limping and had a hard time swinging his right arm. I thought it was just the way he moved, but he told us that he had a heart attack at 41.

Right there, I realized how in an instant your life could be taken from you. He also added that because he thought he was healthy, he was very arrogant to admit that something might happen to him and to his family. He was in the corporate ladder and was doing really well financially but did not get an accident and illness insurance, and after his heart attack, he lost everything. He ended up moving to his mother’s house with his wife and four boys and still paying for his hospital bills.

I can’t begin to imagine how important it is to have insurance. When I first got here, Ryan wanted to get me an affordable life insurance. It was just perfect for our budget since we just got married. For some strange reasons, I got upset because I felt like he wanted me dead or something. I came from a country where insurance is non-existence to the poor. He explained how important it is to have a life insurance in case something happens to either of us.

Now that I understood the importance of having insurance, I am even very interested in looking for cheap funeral insurance online. Whether we like it or not, our life will end and having funeral insurance will help ease the burden of any remaining expenses because life is unpredictable.

POS

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 05:14:00 +0000

Every time I use the POS at work, I can’t help but be thankful for having it in the store. I can’t believe how it has made the life of the cashiers and the customers so much easier. It is not all the time that the customers has cash handy, and the POS as made the payment of the credit card so easy. We call the registers POS at work which means point of sale.

Back in the Philippines, store owners has to rely on basic arithmetic and the use of calculator to conduct business. They have to make sure that they have precise change in every transaction. It is not that bad if they only have one or two customers in line, but what if they have more? Then it posts a problem. It is not making it easier for the customers and chances are they might not want to come back.

The use of POS has made so many businesses prosper. POS systems could be used in retail stores, supermarkets, rental places, and just about any place that involves transactions. Restaurants also could use Restaurant POS Systems to make ordering, payment, and delivering efficient. The POS Geeks provides that one stop shop on POS systems solutions for any businesses.

The next time I go up as a back up cashier, I will always be grateful to places like POS Geeks for making the customer's experience and the cashier's job so much better.

Mohon, Cebu vs. Park Forest, IL

noreply@blogger.com (Merydith) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:34:00 +0000

I lived most of my life in the Philippines. I was born and raised in Lawaan, Talisay, Cebu; however, I spent most of my teenage and adult years in Mohon, Talisay, Cebu. When I turned 24, I got married and moved to Park Forest, IL. Mohon and Park Forest were both cities in which I have resided. They both are great places to live and are so much alike, but they also differed in a number of aspects. First, they were both residential cities. Second, they both relied on transportation, and third, the sizes of the streets affected the safety of the people who lived in Mohon and Park Forest.

There are several similarities between Mohon and Park Forest. One is they are both residential cities with houses next to each other; however, the proximity of the houses affected the relationship of the people within Mohon. You see, most of the residents in Mohon lived very close to each other especially to their relatives. Because of this, everyone knew every person’s business. For example, everyone knew who was dating whom. If the rest of the relatives or neighbors didn’t approve of the person, then the couple couldn’t continue dating. Furthermore, if the neighbors or relatives wishes weren’t followed, they would hear about the disapproval for the rest of their lives.

On the other hand, living right next to each other wasn’t that bad all the time. Because they knew each other, they constantly helped each other too. For instance, everyone was always willing to watch the kids when the mother needed to go to the market to get something. They didn’t have to pay the babysitter.

In Park Forest, conversely, houses might be close, but everyone lived their own lives. Occasionally, I would see our neighbors cleaning their yards, and I usually went up to them and said “hi.” The conversations were limited to polite topics like the weather or work. Most of the questions were answerable with a yes or no and the topic of the discussion was nothing personal. For this reason, I felt that my neighbors didn’t care about my private life, and I had privacy. I could do whatever I liked to do without worrying about being controlled, rejected, or objected to in every decision I made even if our houses were right next to each other.

Another interesting similarity that Mohon and Park Forest had was they both relied on transportation to get to places; however, Mohon relied more on public transportation while Park Forest relied on private transportation. Most residents in Mohon didn’t own a car, so they relied on a tricycle, a form of public transportation which could take people on short distances such as to the market or nearby cities. The tricycle had three wheels with two seats in the front, two in the back, two behind the driver, and a roof made of plastic that kept the passengers from getting too hot during the summer season and getting wet during the rainy season. It could carry seven people including the driver. Because it didn’t have any seatbelts, the tricycle wasn’t the safest form of transportation, but most people depended on it to take them places. Furthermore, the driver only charged a few cents, so it was more affordable than paying hundreds and hundreds of pesos if one used a taxicab. On long distances trips, however, they had jeepneys that could take more or less 20 people and buses for two to three days trips to the province that carried over 50 passengers.

On the contrary, most households in Park Forest owned at least one car. Because I didn’t have to wait to catch the bus to go places, I considered this very convenient. Although there were people that relied on the bus to take them places, they were not heavily dependent with public transportation unlike in Mohon. The busses in Park Forest followed a daily strict schedule, whereas, one could catch tricycles, jeepneys or buses at any time of the day in Mohon.

The last similarity that Mohon and Park Forest had was they both haD streets, but they were different in sizes. Mohon had very narrow side streets that were only good for people. Most people didn’t own a car, so it was understandable that side streets were only accessible by people. In the same way, the major streets were narrow with only one lane each way. There were no walk or bike paths on the side of the streets for pedestrians and bikers; consequently, I think that was why there were so many accidents over there. It was because of the carelessness of the drivers who wanted to pass another driver on the right. On the very narrow streets they would often hit a bystander. So, it was very dangerous for pedestrians or bikers to be on the road among tricycles, jeepneys and buses. Also, Mohon didn’t have any road signs, most especially the big huge stop sign, but they had stoplights of course.

In contrast, Park Forest roads had one or two lanes on the side streets and two to three lanes on the main streets. The streets were spacious making it easier to pass if one had to. The right lanes were for the slow moving cars, while the middle and left lanes were for fast moving cars. The right lanes were also considered as the turning lane. There were a lot of road signs in Park Forest including the stop sign, yield sign and other road signs. The pedestrians and the bikers had their own paths, so it helped eliminate road accidents involving pedestrians and bikers. Since the streets were spacious and signed accordingly, it helped make both the driver and the pedestrians aware of the street they were on.

Mohon and Park Forest were places that will always be a part of my life. Both places had their positive and negative aspects which helped me appreciate the differences and variety that occurs in life. After all these experiences, living in Mohon and Park Forest made me realize that wherever I would live in the future, I would always learn to adopt, adjust, and appreciate the things that were around me.