Anyway, I am looking at a travel directory that I got in Singapore several years back when I stayed there for some time. I really appreciate the fact that every nook and cranny of this small country is labeled and can be found in the map. It is so easy to go around there. Only a few hours after I set foot in this lovely country, I was already on my own, traveling by commuter train and bus, and just having a guide in one hand. Ahhh…this country is so literate.

Oh well, it has been some time since I have travelled. We are looking forward to go to Mindanao later this year. We really are praying that finances will be more than enough to finance this trip. I believe it would be fun to take my daughter by that time. I am already getting excited with this prospect!

But we still worry. And I too, worry. Sometimes I even worry a lot and then I would just ask for forgiveness because I know that I have disobeyed the Lord. But why is problem a really big concern for many of us? It is not because money is the root of all evil. No, money is amoral. It is neither good nor bad. Whatever it becomes is because of how we use it.

Anyway, we worry about money because in this day and age, very seldom can you find something that is truly and absolutely free. You have to buy food. And even those who grow their own food will need money to maintain their agricultural operations. So that is why I am talking about sometimes we worry about money.

The misuse of money though is a different thing. Some people lose control over their finances and get caught in debt. While others, when given the opportunity, can redeem themselves and pay off their debts, others find themselves with bad credit personal loans. Now that is the bad and sad part–when people get buried in debt.

I am not saying that I don’t have debts. I do, but these are not bad debts. They are continually getting paid and no interests are being charged. But I still would want to be free of long standing debts and just be able to spend for our daily needs.

Anyway, my daughter celebrated her first birthday and we decided to have the registry primarily because we learned that we can get discount cards. If the guests will not buy the gifts, then we can still buy the items at discounted rates.

So we went around the store for almost 2 hours (this is normal for us as we like to browse around their aisles and just let our daughter take in the sights). Then a guy listed the items that we wanted. There were two items that were the last stock, so I told the guy to reserve them for us, as we will buy them immediately after the party if nobody gets them. We were told that our information and discount cards may be picked up after a week and they will just call us when they are already available.

Exactly 7 days after our first visit, I did not get a call. So I called them up. I was transferred to different people until finally, they said they could not find the form that we filled up. What the?!? I told them to find it because we spend nearly 2 hours choosing the items. They said they would call me back. No call after 2 hours and so I called them again. This time, I was transferred to another person who said she found the form and our cards may be picked up the next day. Fine.

The next day, thankfully the cards were ready and we picked them up. But when I looked for the item on reserve to check if it is still there, the staff could not find it. What the?!? How could our guests buy the items when the staff could not find it? Sigh…I got really exhausted with this birthday registry thing.

Then came my daughter’s birthday party. We did not know that a lot of our guests did not understand what a birthday registry was and only 5 people bought gifts from Toys R Us. It was okay. The problem was, from the almost 20 items that we chose and only 5 people buying from the registry, we still got a duplicate item! Imagine that.

So anyway, we had to go back there the day after my daughter’s birthday to have it exchanged. Thankfully it was done with ease.

I just wish that they would have better service after that.

I remember when I was a kid, we lived near the beach. We did have to take a ride, but it was a short ride and so almost every week during summer, we were in the beach. One of the things that interested me were hermit crabs. These were small crabs that I usually see walking on the shore especially during low tide. But what is interesting about them is that they come in different shells.

It is because hermit crabs do not really have their own shells so they just live in empty shells that are available on the shore. If they outgrow one, they just simply move on the to the next. Anyway, I just thought that these sea creatures just live on the wile. Little did I know that there are some entities who grow them, or culture them.

And so, because of the need, there is also an online reading material or resource on Mating Hermit Crabs. Gee, I never thought of that. Though I would not really want to get into growing hermit crabs, there may be many people who want to do it. So this is an online resource to visit.

Updated, March 15, 2010:

Sorry for the delay. I got really busy and did not have time to write.

So well anyway, this is really an update of the Pacquiao-Clottey fight story that I started last Sunday. Manny Pacquaio, the Filipino boxing champ, toppled Joshua Clottey in 12 rounds. I have not completely watched the whole fight, but it doesn’t matter. All I want is the results. It seems that I always know that it is still Manny who will dominate the fight. The important thing for me is that he won. And I am happy.

No I am not gambling, which means betting for Manny or anything like that. As a fellow Filipino, however, I am rooting for him.

Hooray Manny! God bless you more!

But wouldn’t it be wonderful if Music Search was made easier? Like there was a search engine that is specifically designed for music search? Hmmm…I think that would be a great idea.

Then again. I saw one–mp3hunting.com. Cool huh? I am still trying out their features and services.

Anyway, back to Ezra Band. My husband can’t help but laugh at the fact that I have become a fanatic of theirs. lol What can I do? They are just so good and they helped bring back memories of my college days–soft music, booze, and brain emptiness. lol

I do hope that Ezra Band will become the Pilipinas Got Talent first champion. Of couse, I know that there are other talents, and I have not seen the contenders, but I am rooting for them. And who knows? Maybe for them, this time, I will send in some text votes to support them. For now, I am hunting for their live videos on You Tube.

Just watch this.

Take the case of Ruffa and Kris. It was said that Kris gave some snide remarks against Ruffa, although Kris, it was just some sort of lambing. We all know that Kris is the pambansang taklesa, so we can really expect it from her. Ruffa is taklesa as well, so why not? But then the stage mama Annabelle Rama came in and told Ruffa to walk out, as she wasn ot being treated nicely. Duh, as if the guys in her life treated her nicely.

Annabelle is such a pa-papel. Oh whatever, just because they are dressed luxuriously and are glittering with jewelry, they have every right to do what they want. And when Annabelle campaigned for people not to vote for Noynoy, I think that is too much. That is like saying, don’t want Richard’s movies because his sister walked out of The Buzz. I am not for Noynoy, but I think that the attack is too personal.

Hay ewan…bahala na nga kayo diyan.

While the rest have really nothing to lose, as all of them are already winners and enjoying careers that became after they were discovered in the show Talentadong Pinoy, but I really would have wanted another winner. He was not even in my Top 3 list. I would have wanted either Wan Lu, Makatatawanan, or the Tribal Dancers. Oh well, but I am not the judge.

Anyway, here are the contenders:

1. The Tribal Dancers
2. Far East Acrobats: The Gutierrez Family
3. Wan Lu the Puppeteer
4. Joshua Yoyo Trickster
5. Singer Leah Patricio
6. Omar the Ladder Balancer
7. Ferdinand Clemente a.k.a. Makatatawanan
8. Wild card, JacquelineExcept for Jacqueline the blind young singer, everyone hurdled five weeks of fierce competitions. As for my husband, he said he was okay with anyone winning except for Leah Patricio.

I heard that the area alone is 400 square meters of blissful space, well designed and arranged to give the utmost relaxation experience in the city. By the way, it is located along Lacson Street, in the new building called San Antonio Park Square, beside the Convergys building in Mandalagan, Bacolod City. From what I gathered, the place is going to have its soft opening anytime this month.

This is the newest spa to open in the city. Many spas have opened last year, like the Grand Royal Spa at the East area and Cataliya Spa (now called Calla Lily Spa), Live Well Spa and a host of other smaller spas.

I love relaxing in the spa and the more of them the merrier, right? Well, I will really watch out for the opening of Spa Natura and check out their services. Will update you.

I remember that in the past, I would have pocket calendars of politicians, Chow King, Prudential Guarantee, The Blade Spa, and Bench. I would really ask for them because aside from my wallet, one can find pocket calendars on my desk, my cork board and even my bag. This is because I want to be able to see a calendar whenever I need to know the date. I do not like looking around too much just to find the date that I need because I get dizzy.

Pocket calendars are just the right size. Too bad though that some people with eye problems do not appreciate these minute calendars because of the font size. But as long as your vision is okay, I believe many people like having pocket calendars, too. That is why companies still continue to have them printed and given out by December every year. Yup! It has to be during December so that people can use them by January, the start of the new year. And you have to be the one to give out so that you get to be the first one on the wallet. hehe

Anyway, I have three pocket calendars now and I love them all!

We have always watched Talentadong Pinoy every Saturday. I even blogged about it one time that they really should give a bigger prize to the Hall of Famer because it is not easy to win for five consecutive weeks. And I am thankful that the seven talents who made it to the Hall of Fame will be able to compete for the Ultimate Talentadong Pinoy title next Saturday for the Talentadong Pinoy Battle of the Champions to be held at the Araneta Coliseum. Up until tonight, they are still looking for the wild card who will join the battle.

Anyway, last week we decided to check Pilipinas Got Talent. I can only describe it in one word–BORING. Talentadong Pinoy is more interesting. I dunno, it is the show itself. Unlike America’s Got Talent or Britain’s Got Talent where the show is already entertaining in itself, I got bored like the judges themselves. I would really like to see Kris as her taray and taklesa self, as it will really make the show more interesting, but I am sure she will not do that and risk losing votes for brother Noynoy Aquino who is running for President. Really, I find the show boring. So sorry, but Pilipinas Got Talent did not tickle our fancy and so after a few minutes, we went back to watching Talentadong Pinoy. We just love this show, the hosts, and the talent scouts.

Additionally, what is with the Pilipinas Got More Talent? At first I did not understand what the show was about. Then I thought it was the auditions, until I got to see that the auditions were hosted by Luis Manzano and Billy Joe Crawford, who, I should say are really good together as hosts. They can really host a show, but sadly, even their hosting prowess could not make me stay glued to the show. Okay, going back to Pilipinas Got More Talent. I hate to say this, but what is this show for? And Mark Abaya? He is OA. He is just overdoing the wacky bit and he is not effective. He is not a funny man and he is just trying to be one. Sorry, I don’t like him at all. Both the show and the host are not effective. Erk! I would rather much have that funny guy on Showtime who is actually a band member? I forgot his name or the name of the band, but I cannot forget the face of that funny guy. Now, I think he should have been host of Pilipinas Got More Talent.

Oh well whatever, I just won’t watch these shows.

By the way, for the Ultimate Talentadong Pinoy, my bets are either Wan Lu, Makatatawanan or the Tribal Fire Dancers. We will see.