Every first weekend of November there's a big sale happening in SAHA Group, Factory Outlet in Pattaya. It has been years that I long to visit that place and experience the hustle and bustle of shopping some surplus items intended for Christmas presents or corporate gifts. Most of the promotional products are branded and of good quality like Naturalizer, Wacoal, Arrow, Mix Self, Adidas, Lacoste, Speedo and a lot more. Offered from 50 to 80% off the original price.
These promotional items has been selling like hotcake each year. I remember my friend saying, once you spot something interesting, grab it and pay in the counter because the minute you let it pass it's gone forever. I know a lot of Filipinos in AIT who use to travel early morning so as to get ahead of the traffic and congestion of buyers. They go there as early as 2 or 3 in the morning. Travel time normally takes 2 hours from Pathumthani to Pattaya.
For now I'm gathering 10 to 12 persons to there so I could book a van for everybody. Another big adventure of the year.
Last Sunday, me and hubby were invited for a dinner at MK restaurant by his college friends from Cebu Institute of Technology. One of our friend’s mom will be leaving for Philippines the following day. So it was sort of a farewell party for her.
Earlier that day we were so busy with the Life in the Spirit Seminar held in CCD Hall of Holy Redeemer parish. With no proper sleep a night before, we thought we could never make it for another instant appointment. In God’s grace everything went well and we’re able to arrive home safely that night.
It has always been my delight to collect different colors of pens and different sizes of purse. I make sure that all my bags have a pen inside. It comes in handy for writing my things to do list, lacking items for my grocery list, signing documents and writing addresses or phone numbers. Custom Pens with the words "Scribble your thoughts with me" is what I want to give this Christmas for friends and colleagues.
In Chiang Mai last year, I went gaga over their purses. Handmade coin purses costs only 10 Baht up. So I bought lots of it for me to be able to give them as presents and birthday gifts. It’s always a joy to share anything to somebody. And it’s the thought that counts.
Many people must have been shocked of a sudden fluctuation on blogsites page ranks, including me =) Thankful to have a point increase but not quite impressed unlike my huband’s techxplore site which was N/A for three months and PR 0 for another three months and now it’s PR 5! How’s that? It must have been the effect of the Google Dance. This shift poses as a tough challenge for me in building a better blog.
At long last we have our own TV at home now. Thanks to my sister who left us some of their belongings before leaving for UK. But I seldom use it though since I prefer to use Youtube to watch my favorite TV show. For the main reason that it's now shown here locally but in US. I only watch the series of Heroes episodes. Other than than I blog till wee hours of the day.
As I have observed the focus of every living room is the televison. And I really appreciate it if the owner of the house chooses the appropriate location for their appliances. One good reason of choosing a plasma or LCD TV it's because they save alot of space. You only have to mount it using a plasma wall bracket or an LCD wall bracket. These are all available in Dekomount.com. There are several designs to choose from like Fixed, Multi Directional Slimline, and Slimline.
My boss requested their researcher to come over to discuss their ongoing project in M-POWER. The researcher came from Hanoi and will be staying for 4 days here in AIT. Before Vi left for Hanoi she treated me and my colleague in a nearby Thai-Vietnamese restaurant inside the campus. It's her first time to dine there and she ordered several menu so she could savor a variety of them.
The one that caught her attention was the Vietnamese Roll. She commented that it's too close to their own but more or less similar to the ones being done in the southern part of Vietnam.
Related link:
Vietnamese Fresh Spring Roll Recipe
P.S. Photo will be added later.
Writing is one of those things that one could not escape when at school or work. The crux of the matter is that not everyone have been gifted in it. Sometimes people are just too busy to sit down and write. At times one needs somebody to polish the idea and present it more effectively. Those are some of the reasons that maybe one might need some assistance. In the work place alone I could see some secretary do some letter, PowerPoint Presentation, data analyses and more for executives. At school students writing for a research proposal or thesis have their work reviewed and edited by someone else.
Everything could not be done on our own and it’s good if someone is readily available to help us out. We could turn to the net for some help like MasterPapers.com which provides writing services. The work are done by experts and professionals that delivers the highest writing standards.
Their services include academic writing, business and career research, copy writing and even web programming. They provide design and development of research plan, guidance on structure and style, proofreading and copy editing and more. Help in writing is always around the corner if you need them.
This video features Nina while she sings Beyonce’s Irreplaceable. My gosh, I get goosebumps hearing her powerful voice once again. I like her so much! It’s been eons that I haven’t heard her on the airwaves.
How I wish I could get an original album of Nina for Christmas. Santa, if you happen to read this. Hope you’ll send it soon. OK? *fingers crossed*
Notice Nina’s face? She looks similar with my sister-in-law Daisy. How bout a word from Marthhh and Caity? Would you agree?
Switzerland is one of those travel destinations on my list. I like traveling a lot but not for work; I like it especially to break the cycle of work. Travel to Switzerland would be different due to the high mountains and deep lakes.
Due to this contour, it would be best to explore Switzerland through sightseeing tours by train. There are many trains depending on the panorama that you would like to see. Jungfrau (Virgin) train is a cog wheeled train going to Jungfraujoch. The route is famous for it passes through two tunnels - through the solid mountains Eiger and Mönch - to get to its destination. On the way you’ll find yourself in an icy glacier world at 3000 meters at Eismeer station. Jungfrau is the third highest peak of the Berner Alps. Another famous train is the Glacier Express which is a swiss fast train. This Switzerland Scenic Train connects two world famous resorts — St. Moritz and Zermatt. You can enjoy the unspoiled nature, mountain forests, tranquil alpine pastures while traveling from the eastern to the western Swiss Alps.
If you crave for more, you can take Bernina Express which connects Switzerland to Italy. Riding the trains is the best way to enjoy the landscape and the scenery of Switzerland. Guaranteed to be a thrilling experience on this different kind of travel adventure.
My wild guess was right =) Dana Davis as Monica is indeed a COPYCAT in Heroes Season 2. I have just finished watching Episode 5 in Youtube and it feels awesome! Do we have the same idea in mind? I think so.
It’s nice to discover new cast of characters and knowing what powers do they have. It’s the same feeling when I get a chance to meet new friends and while communicating with them I get to know what they do and what their skills are. They are Heroes to me. I’ll probably spend some time to get to know them better.
Travelling is one of the joys that I have. The idea of experiencing a new environment, meeting new culture and get to taste new foods. Maui Island is one of the world’s best tourist destinations. Visit Maui’s great golf courses, award winning beaches, convenient shopping, famous restaurants and gorgeous ocean views. Watch for sea turtles, dolphins and whales to swim by as the golden Sun slowly sets into the Pacific Ocean. Those are few of the many reasons why it’s voted "Best Island in the World" for 12 straight years by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine.
Taking a vacation in such a lovely island should be enjoyed fully. A longer stay will let one visit the whole island and not miss anything around. During long stays it’s advisable to go for condo or house rentals; Maui vacation rentals as what they are commonly known offers an affordable stay with comfort. This is much cheaper compared to staying in a hotel for one (1) whole month. You can select condo units that are within walking distance to shops, restaurants, and parks, swimming pool, tennis courts and Gas BBQ grills. Renting a house or condo usually includes fully equipped kitchen. Some amenities include: Queen Bed in Bedroom, Sofa Sleeper in Living Room, Cable TV, DVD Player, Microwave, Washer/Dryer in Unit, Dishwasher, Toaster, Blender, Coffeemaker, Iron/Board, Linens, Towels, Dishes, Utensils, Ceiling Fans and Phone/Answering Machine w/ free local calls. If you are a net addict like me, you will also enjoy high-speed wireless internet access at some units.
An ideal way to enjoy vacation away from the pressures to rush things. Savor the natural beauty of the island at your own pace.
Could mean alot of things.
I just thought of it as I checked my accounts on the net. I am able to save loads of time and effort with simply getting wired.
Photo: I call it, the wired smile =}
Watching news on the net is what I do to have some break. There’s all kind of war around the globe and terrorist threats. Soldiers are normally seen on full military gears doing some check points and patrol on security risk areas. This has become a common site on the news.
My friends are into paint ball war games and at times I would like to experience the thrill too. So, I look for some military and police gears but they are not sold openly. I seldom see this stuff on malls but on the net one could buy those from LA Police Gear’s site.
They have a full line of 5.11 Tactical Series gears which is known to enhance safety, accuracy and performance. You can choose a variety of functionally innovative gear from head to toe and maybe feel like Lara Croft.
I am not a police or military personnel but its cool to have those gears for paint ball war games, for fashion and for fun.
Had a hard time watching Heroes in Youtube last night. I have several attempts opening Season 2, Episode 5, Part 1 to 6. I'll be trying my luck tonight. Hopefully I can get through the line. I'm pretty excited for Maica's cousin who did that incredible stunts last Episode 4. A complete copycat in the making.
Living away from home is not easy. Since we are a close knit family; keeping in touch with our loved ones is a need. We feel home sick if we could not hear their voice. Some people call only during holidays or special occasions but some also do call even on ordinary days. I think one of the biggest chunks of the cost especially when you are not used to being away from a loved one is telephone call cost.
I have friends that just arrived and they keep on calling back home. This is a normal and common case. They don’t really mind the cost but it’s a pity that they spend so much for a call. People often use to buy phone cards from the local shops. Another way is to buy it from internet stores like PhoneCardsAvenue.com where they could get some 3% rebate for every card purchase. You’re not limited to one phone card but can have a selection of wide variety of them depending on your choice.
Don’t limit your choice; have the best value for money calls. Calling home this holiday should not be expensive; it should be one of life’s simple pleasures.
I would like to start early today. The weather is very nice; I could feel the cool breeze of the morning. The sun has just started to rise up and I can hear the lovely songs of the birds and animals. I gaze outside the window and see all the green trees and the open field.
I am very thankful to God for this very wonderful day; blessed to be in this peaceful and calm environment every day. I am far from the pressures and pollution of the City. I consider this remarkable gift from God as one of my life’s simple pleasures.
I love stores that displays this kind of reminders for prospective buyers. It somehow tames the I-Want-It-Now monster in me. Though it doesn’t necessarily tells you to stop using your credit cards, instead they’d be happy to accept your debit cards. Doubtless to say, it is one of my fears to end up with bad credit. So I make sure that I maintain good credit standing all the time.
Surprisingly these days, there are lots of credit and loan companies that accepts loan applications no matter what your credit history is; in just a matter of sixty seconds. Giving credit card users another chance to fix their record is quite helpful.
Bad Credit’s customer resource online shows the comparison among other loans and credit providers. On their site you’ll find several offers to choose from. Credit Repair, Home Loan, Auto Loan, Personal Loans, Credit Report & Score and Credit Cards. Depending on ones importance.
A new site is about to be released soon. It’s expected to be one of the coolest new websites on the net when it goes live. Most of the people now are currently depending on the web to broadcast their messages to friends, colleagues and loved ones. Introducing What’s Open, a web and mobile based search engine.
With high tech mobile phones this days, this is never impossible so as with Internet going outer space. With the explosive growth for the last decade more and more programs are being developed to cater different demands for its users. One of which is what’s open. In the future I’m imagining billions of Internet-based devices to emerge, with items like televisions, fax machines, printers, refrigerators, car alarms, radios and more.
It’s a big help to have this kind of technology specially for people who travel most often and uses the net to delegate or accepts work assignments online. What’s open could also serve as a GPS to tell you where you are right now. Technology has made life more easier. Isn’t it?
The Filipino Association (FILA) of AIT has requested us to spread the word about a newly launched program of the Commission on Filipino Overseas this 2007. It’s a whole new way of preserving our culture through Learn Filipino Program website. The modules are intended for younger generations of overseas Filipinos and non-Filipinos interested in learning the national language.
I’ve noticed that it’s always a struggle for the naturalized citizens or the expat kids to fit themselves naturally on their occasional visits to their parents hometown. Or by the time they go back to the Philippines to continue their studies. The language barrier has always been their weakest link which is not suppose to happen. Considering they have the chances to learn in a multilingual environment. Now the parents have no more reason to leave their children nescient about it.
Gift giving is one of the long standing traditions that we have during special ocassions. We would like to show how much we care for our loved ones. It entails shopping from different stores for the goods. If fine food and drink are on your mind iGourmet.com is a leading provider in the US.
A gift like gourmet imported cheeses and specialty foods would be unique. Prepared gift baskets is common but creating your own to suit the receivers taste would be special. One could also opt to give caviar, smoked fish, imported preserves and fine cheeses as a gift option.
It’s almost impossible to find high quality gourmet foods from shopping stores. Today, everything can now be done online; a few click here and there will get the gifts shipped anywhere in the US. Send those gifts as early as now to avoid the holiday rush.
Earlier we went to one of our community members house to attend the block rosary. Cintuja's family is of Indian origin. They hosted the activity for tonight.
Eating authentic sub-continental food is always an adventure for me; with my south-east Asian preference. Only here in AIT that I'm able to appreciate such strong herbs and spices which is pretty uncommon in the Philippines.
A vegetarian dinner was served right after prayers. I so love their plain unleavened puree/poori matched with potato curry called Chole. Now it makes me crave for a Samosa. SU snackbar here I come!
Going places is one of the things I like to do. If I will have the chance this holiday, I’ll probably visit my friend in UK. I’ve invited her to come over to Thailand for a vacation but it seems that her schedule doesn’t permit. I instead plan to drop by UK.
One on the top of the list of the places to visit is Blackpool. It prides on one of UK’s oldest theme park. Pleasure Beach is Britain’s No. 1 biggest tourist attraction resort Amusement Park. It have some of UK’s and the worlds best rides like Pepsi Max Big One, Europe’s tallest, fastest rollercoaster; Infusion, a suspended looping coaster, soars to amazing heights and takes riders through a whirlwind water experience; Big Dipper, a traditional wooden rollercoaster; all are world famous. If rides is not your turf, you could watch some of the most exciting and powerful live entertainment that you’ll ever witness, from thrilling ice shows, sensational circus musicals to fun-filled on-park live entertainment. If you just would like to relax; Big Blue Hotel at the south end of the park offers luxury accommodation at an affordable price.
The theme park attracts around six (6) million visitors each year. Its mission is to make adults feel like children again. It’s worth taking a visit when in UK.
Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.–Stephen King
Blogging? I just started it lately. Perhaps about a year ago for this site alone. When I registered this blogsite I never thought this as financially rewarding. I used to blog only to de-stress, make life more meaningful and communicate with virtual/long lost friends. Later two of my family members showed me their impressive return with this casual hobby. Indeed with hard work, in no time you can tell that it makes a big difference not just on the financial aspect of life but also social, family, intellectual etc. It’s fun and challenging.
What I did first was to:
1. Register my site/domain name
2. Post blog entries
3. Increase Page Ranks and Alexa Ranks
By way of redirecting [http://redirect.alexa.com/redirect?simplepleasures.i.ph]. Use this when asked for URL in leaving your comments.
4. Apply for electronic banking in your local banks
5. Apply for a Paypal account.
6. Register on advertising sites
Joining a fitness program prompted me to be more health conscious. I’ve been reading stuff about health, nutrition, skin care and the likes. The only dilemma I have is that my skin is prone to irritation when exposed to hot sunny weather which gave me interest to this topic.
I learned the importance of anti-oxidants to ward off a lot of health related problems even to the point of curing cancer. Natural health supplements worked for my friends and I have taken some also. They come in various forms like gels, oils, juice, syrups and tablets. The trend now is to nourish our bodies with the essential nutrients that are insufficient from food supplements. Missing the proper nutrients from our regular diet may leads to health troubles or skin problems.
Fruits like gac, noni, mangosteen and acai to name a few have become a common source of beta-carotene, lycopene and other potent antioxidants. If you can get a grab of this fruits it would be good. This support healthy skin and enhance the body’s own defense mechanisms from free radicals or disease causing elements.
One particular fruit of interest is Gac. A tropical fruit found in Vietnam and other regions of Southeast Asia. Gac does not only contain generous supply of these carotenoids; the fruit also has a fat content which creates high level of absorbability. The local people sometimes refer to it as "fruit from heaven" for they have experienced its ability to promote longevity, vitality, and health. That’s why it become a prime ingredient in newly discovered dietary supplements like R.G. Skin Revitalizer. I am not sure if it’s available on your local health stores. One thing for sure if you go to Vietnam you’ll surely not miss this bright-red fruit that grows as large as a cantaloupe.
Whoever suspected that an oil extract from Red Gâc, when taken as part of one’s daily diet, will support skin health is a genius. Maybe this is one of the secrets of Vietnamese ladies having fair skin.
Thailand was in holiday spree yesterday. In celebration of Chulalongkorn Day, commemorating the death of King Rama V. Students and government officials laid wreaths at the Royal Plaza to pay homage to his memory. He's one of the most significant king as he abolished slavery and did alot of reforms to modernize this country.
I was planning to go to Queen Sirikit National Convention yesterday to see some photography books at the book fair. However, I have another idea in mind to do which was baking. I asked hubby to teach me how to do the pan de sal. Now I have more reasons to stay at home and call my friends to come over and have coffee or tea with me. =)
Photo: taken during my first attempt to bake Pan de Sal (a famous Filipino bread). Notice the imperfections? I still have to master the rolling and folding part of it.
How often do we hear of a big company joining the band of open source community? Here’s one for the record. Barracuda Networks, Inc., the worldwide leader in email and web security appliances joins force with Open Invention Network an intellectual property company that promotes Linux patents for collaborative environment.
This is a strategic move for Barracuda Networks as all of their firewall and anti-spam appliances are based on Linux. Their Spam Filter technology is to be the best there is. A wide array of products like Barracuda Spam Firewall, Barracuda Web Filter, Barracuda IM Firewall and Barracuda Load Balancer are all based on Linux.
Barracuda Networks have huge development investment in Linux and becoming a licensee of Open Invention Network will make their open source intellectual property protected. Actually, Open Invention Network will make it difficult for example Microsoft to lightly sue over Linux intellectual property infringement. In that way this will help ensure the continuous innovation in the Linux environment.
"Barracuda Networks is strongly committed to promoting the use and adoption of open source software," said Dean Drako, president and CEO of Barracuda Networks. "We are proud to support Open Invention Network in its mission."
Barracuda Networks is one of those unsung heroes of open source. It’s an active member of the open source and free software communities, donating hardware, code, funds and other resources to fuel open source technology innovation and collaboration. Barracuda Networks combines its own technology with open source technology to provide affordable, easy-to-use and powerful network security appliances.
Businesses could actually be built around open source; Barracuda Networks is a good example coupled with Open Invention Network for intellectual property protection.
Mariz asked me awhile ago. Why do I bring your camera with you everyday? "Oh this, I’m practicing," I replied. She asked again, practicing what, photography? "Nope," I answered. I practice carrying heavy loads so I could gain muscles and become even more sexy. She then chuckles over my seriousness in answering her question.
Shopping online is one of the most convenient way of buying goods. It has become a trend of the 21st century. Before I was reluctant on shopping online; it must be due to the fact that I don’t really know who am I dealing with on the other end. In the beginning I have second thoughts of using my credit card too; added was that I am not sure whether the things I ordered will arrive on our door steps. I would like to have some assurance on those transactions. It’s good that some web merchants feature live customer support chat which really connects customers like me with a person from the shop. It makes the transaction somewhat real.
People that are seriously marketing products online should add a chat functionality on their websites. I thought before that it’s a difficult thing to integrate to a merchants site; but this task has become simple as adding an HTML line of code to the site. Features like a photo of the customer support or website owner is available also. The owner can monitor useful information about the visitor like geographical location, time on site, referring page and more. Provide logs of all the chat conversation and storing the information through out the sessions for further analysis. This facility will help the merchant have a better understanding of their clients to respond to the needs effectively.
Programs like this varies in rates depending on the features included. If one could avail of a service where there is a balance between feature set and affordability; somewhere in the middle would be best. You can check some providers on the net like LiveHuman for your live support software needs. For online shoppers like me sites that have this live support will definitely have an edge.
It’s not too often that I go to Mc Donald’s anymore. Unlike before with niece and nephews around there’s no other place to go than McDo. I missed being with the kids and I was able to reminisce the times we were together yesterday. After church we dropped-by Mc Donald’s Amarin Plaza to treat Fr. Gerry as requested. It’s my first time to try their Mc Cafe. There I ordered choco cheesecake fudge. I ate together with friends. As we shared our hopes and exchanged speculations about the recent bombing in Glorietta. One thing stands out during the course of our conversation, it’s the longing for peace to reign in our country and not fear. Later to find out that the news was false alarm.
Photo: Desserts/short orders at Mc Cafe.
When my sister left for Finland we’re automatically blessed by so many things. One of those blessing is a Canon Pixma MP160 printer which is three (3) in one. Actually, it’s an all-in-one printer with camera direct printing. It produces quality prints, copies and scans. Though it’s a great printer there’s one thing lacking. The ink was all used up when it’s left with us. Heheheheh. =) Anyway we’re still thankful.
I’ve been searching on the net for the right cartridge; Cartridge Finder was a big help. With Cartridge Finder, I could compare prices from different shops that are nearest to my locality. I now know how much to spare for the ink; it cost around 25$ US or 900 Baht. Not really much to enjoy color printouts for my photo projects.
a life like ours is comparably black & white. That had turned colorful by the richness of experiences and dreams that we uniquely share in our day to day life here in Thailand. Simple living is what we deeply desire and the pleasures we get out of this lifestyle is everything that we fondly reveal. Get to know what interests us...variety of foods, travel, technology, health and lifestyle, photography and a lot more.
for cakes and catering in Cebu 
for flowers and interior design needs 
Stumbled on your site.. and really found it super nice!
BOX
Hello to all! May tanong po ako, saan po ba pwede mag send ng balik bayan from Ching mai (Thailand) to the Philippines???
nice blog site. ok na ok.
anyway share ko lang po. you can watch manny pacquiao video collection here:
http://boxing-tube.tk
or here:
http://mannypacquiao.tk
FUCK to all Online Marketer MAbuhay
masamang huwag bisitahin ang blog ni moy moy may abnoy he he
your blog is pleasure to read
hello! just visiting ur blog. hope u visit mine too.. 
hi there
Happy birthday, Leen! =) *hugs*
Survivor Philippines: Pautakan! Pagalingan! Patatagan! Napadaan lang, Subukan mo ako! Lets exchange link para matatag! Salamat!
hi ark… keep coming =)
Hi, just dropping by. 
thanks for the visits!
Nice blog, according to Alexa.com your blog is the most popular one in i.ph
Have you been to the i.PH forum? It’s at www.i.ph/forum . See you!
care to exchange link just drop by me http://winz.i.ph thanks
hi there..Very nice blog. Take care and see ya around
wow got very delicious posts here, really got me very hungry 
