Goal for 2010

In spite of the financial pressures that I went through last year, I still would like to report in my journal that 2009 was a good year for me. Well first, I was able to acquire my own domain. Second, my first nephew was born. Third, my total annual income is higher compared with the previous years although the expenses still exceeded the earnings.  And then I also met a few nice friends and I have a good feeling they are for keeps.

Of course, I’ve also had some disappointments. Like not being able to meet my target blogging income and not being able to find a new job. But I’m not losing heart. In fact, these disappointments are just pushing me to work doubly hard so that 2010 will be better than 2009 In no particular order, here are my goals:

• make time for my blogging activities. I really intend to update my posts at least twice a week.
• get a new job – the kind that I really love doing. I’ve already gotten tired of being a QA.
• try my luck in freelance writing – I’m not sure if I have the talent but there’s no harm in trying, right?
• go back to school or at least get a TEFL certificate – this one’s a bit complicated as it will require time and money, lots of money.
• learn how to swim – only optional. Maybe if things get too boring, I might enroll in an inexpensive  swimming class.

Something about swimsuits

My best friend thinks I’m weird and funny (but she told me that it’s also the same reason why she chose me to be her best friend). One time, we went to a beach resort where women are required to wear proper swimming attire such as one-piece, tankinis or bikinis. The trouble with me is that I didn’t want to wear a bathing suit because I was too conscious of my body and I worried that people will only make fun of me. She told me that the other girls will not laugh because they are also wearing swimsuits and that they don’t even know us so they’d probably won’t notice our presence. I remember she was laughing really hard while explaining those things to me.

Honestly, I really like sexy string bikinis (but not the T-back type). I find them beautiful and very feminine especially when worn at white beaches during summer. I sometimes wish I had the body of Adriana Lima, the famous Brazilian model, so that maybe I’d feel comfortable wearing the black bikini which I’ve kept hidden for a very long time. My best friend is asking me “when are you going to wear that? when you turn 50? Haha!” I’m not really updated when it comes to summer fashion trends but of course I know that it’s so passé to wear shorts and t-shirt in the beach. I love swimsuits but I still need to gather more guts.

Just a few reminders

Blogtoprofit: I need to re-submit sterndal dot com. Apparently, my blog was rejected due to “copying contents from other sites” which is totally silly! I sent an e-mail to the admin explaining a few things and luckily, I got a reply from them telling me that they are willing to re-evaluate my blog Weeh!

ATM: I’m already running out of cash (just 120 pesos in my wallet!), have to withdraw asap! I also need to drop by the supermarket to buy diapers and other baby supplies, then go to Meralco to settle our electricity bill. I’m just thankful that I already paid Mrs. Money-Eater in full last payday so I don’t have to see her face tomorrow and hopefully forever. Never again will I allow myself to be treated like a common criminal. No sir, no ma’am! (mimicking a character from one of VC Andrews’ novels).

NSO/SSS:  Having trouble with my membership in social security systems. The clerk said my SSS number/ID is just temporary because I haven’t submitted my birth certificate yet. HUH?! But I already gave it to them four and a half years ago! GRRR! I was told that if I want to apply for a salary loan, I have to give them my NSO certified birth certificate. So okay fine. But I’ve already lost my copy so now I need to request for a new one.

Passport: I can feel it! My dreams of working abroad are starting to realize. It was not that impossible as I have first imagined. When the angel told me about it, I honestly thought it was too good to be true. But, you know, opportunities come unexpected and in cluster. First, there is a chance of working in Korea (initially as a TNT but my friend’s friend’s friend promised to help me find a tutorial job as soon as I get there). Then, there came another one which is not sure yet but the mere fact that the angel considered me for this opportunity is enough to keep me joyful for the past few days I think it means she considers me as a friend! Anyway, I’m getting a passport, just in case any of the two will push through.

Dental We’re already two months late for our cleaning and check-up. I need to phone my dentist’s secretary to ask for an appointment not only because Mom is already freaking out but I’m also paying a small fortune for my and my mother’s medicard. I don’t really want to use our health insurance because that might mean being terribly sick, but dental is different, doesn’t necessarily mean we have cancer.

Page Rank 1 is not so bad

The four long months of waiting is finally over. My other blogs got PR too. All PR1 but I’m fine with that considering that I’m not exactly deserving even for page rank 1. I didn’t work much. I was too lazy to write new posts and although I was able to get a list of high ranking directories from a friend, I didn’t find the luxury of time to manually submit all my four blogs. Thing is, I’ll have to register and confirm the submission through e-mail one by one and unfortunately, I can only stay online for less than an hour everyday. I got other important things to attend to. I also asked a number of bloggers to exchange links with me but either they ignore me or they’d add me only to delete me after a few days or so. I have no idea what went wrong. I made sure their links were visible in my sidebar. So, there, I was discouraged to fill up my Blogroll. Good thing, Miss Vienna, Miss Ruthi and Kaye offered to exchange links with me. Makes me wonder why it was a lot easier back then to ask for exlinks? It only took me a few days to get 80 exlinks for my first blog. Now it’s taking me forever to get 20! Mmmm. I have an idea. I have a bad record. Haha! I used to talk to a lot of bloggers, telling them “exlinks please” and most often than not, I got a shining, shimmering, splendid “Yes, sure” in my chatbox. But, you know, I easily forget about a lot of things. Like awards, tags, memes. Nobody really complained, but I have a bad feeling I wasn’t able to add them all. Could it be that they don’t want to add me now because they think I don’t keep my word? I hope not. Anyway, PR1isn’t that bad, I can always wait for the next PR update.

Bad english! Go to your room!

Everytime I have the chance to read my recent posts, I couldn’t help but laugh at my english. Thing is, I know the basic grammar rules but I still find it hard to converse or write in english. Like now, I was just reading my previous post and caught myself frowning at how I construct my sentences. It’s embarassing

I remember when I was in elementary, my teacher once gave us a take home exam. It was a 2-page essay about our most unforgettable experience (why do teachers always ask students to write about their most unforgettable experience?). Since, I couldn’t even fill the first page with words, I wrote my essay in Filipino and then asked my Dad to traslate it for me. But my father had a degree in Political Science and B.S. English and he was also a speech writer of a congressman (I’m so proud of my Dad!!), so I only got disappointed when he handed me the translation. Not because his grammar was a disaster, but it was too good for a 9 nine year old girl! Nobody would believe that I wrote that essay. I ended up locking myself in our room (me and my sister used to share room) for more than 4 hours just so I could accomplish that 2-page essay. My teacher had a lot of corrections in my work but at least, I was the one who wrote it. I was fine with that.

Now, I still do that. I mean, I still lock myself in my tiny room (my sister already got married) to write for my blogs. And believe me, I’ve wasted a lot of yellow papers for constantly erasing words and re-writing sentences! I can’t seem to get contented with my articles. I think I need to buy a mechanical pencil, a big eraser and nice notebook.