Day 1: Happy Hanukkah

Actually the title is misleading because this post is about the first day of my 30-day weight loss goal and has nothing to do with today’s occasion. Really! But Happy Hanukkah anyway.

Today’s post is all about me. (Of course all or most of my posts were/are about me!)

I woke up with a positive attitude (literaly with a smile) and ate a strawberry banana yogurt. I skipped coffee. Fried rice and hot dogs and scrambled eggs. I skipped coffee too. I told myself it’s going to be a great day. Then I headed to a car dealer for scheduled car maintenance and everything went down the hill.

The rest of my day went like this:

·         Service agent told me to wait inside while my car was being serviced for basic tune up. Should take about 30-minutes and they will provide recommendations and concerns if any. I said sure. He said they have a variety of bagels and cakes and hot coffee. I said I’m fine and thanked him. So I went inside the waiting room and of course as I had expected there were free breakfast foods and I meant delicious looking cakes in different flavors. I also smelled coffee and quickly walked the other way. Black coffee would have been fine but I had this problem of putting too much creamier and sugar that I’d rather not have the coffee at all.

·         I sat on a chair in an empty row with the wall right behind me. Then a woman with a kid sat right next to me. The kid must have been about 4-years old.  He was eating a chocolate. My kind of chocolate. The most favorite chocolate in my life. I resisted the temptation and watched TV. The morning news highlighted the looming fiscal cliff of 2013 and how it can shrink our paychecks. Half-way through it I headed back closer to the entrance door. Closer to the breakfast foods. I could really smell the aroma of a coffee wafting through the air.

·         Then service agent called my name and asked me to step outside. He was all that professional and nice I had to give him my sweetest smile. We performed the basic service, which cost $54.95, he said. I knew that as advertised on their website. I kept my smile glued on my face. We noticed the drive belt needed replacement, he said. I peeked on the paper he was holding and spotted the amount of $200.68. I swallowed a little and had to blink twice, but I was still smiling. We also noticed the oil pan gasket leaking and needed to reseal the gasket, he said. I dared not looked at the paper again. We also recommend the 4x4 service, he added.  What’s that mean? I asked. I noted in my head how pathetic I may have sounded after hearing the voice of a boy for so many times, asking “What’s that mean?” at the ad at the end of every episode of Fox’s TV show “Bones”. So anyway he explained what the service was about and I politely declined and he said he can postpone it until the next maintenance. Sure, I said while the smile completely vanished from my face after he told me the total amount of about $600 something. It’ll take another two hours, he said and reminded me of the free breakfast inside. Or maybe I just made that up, I didn’t know anymore because at that time I made up my mind of trying out the cakes.

·         This time I went straight to get a cup of coffee with lots and lots of creamier and lots and lots of sugar. Then I plunged toward the serving table, took a plate, and forked a piece of cake and a muffin. It was like a fiesta after all in an early Saturday morning.

·         I came home with little dignity as I shambled my first day of going easy on foods and focusing on self-control.

·         For lunch, I had a bowl of “pancit bihon” (Asian noodles) garnished with shrimps and different kinds of vegetables and strips of chicken. My mother made it the day before and I couldn’t resist the temptation.

·         I was so disappointed in how my day went by so I took vengeance and made a real nice green smoothie (apple, banana, baby spinach, and Olivia’s organic spring mix in a container).

So there, I ended the day with a big bang! Moving on to tomorrow…

Day 0: Back with a goal

I used to wear petite clothes and size 0 pants. I've tried with size 2 jeans and had to use a belt. I was never comfortable wearing belts. I hated the feeling of a belt wrapped around my waist. I was malnourished in front of my coworkers. Embarrassed and concerned, I made sure to eat plenty of foods. Twelve years later I gained about 35 lbs. and had to switch to larger sizes of clothing.  I became addicted to Starbucks drinks and junk foods and sweets and everything else available for me to eat. The mirror and photos of me were my enemies. I struggled to avoid the temptations many times and failed. Then my friend asked me to be the maid of honor of her wedding this coming January. Maid of honor. Less than 2-months from now. Maid-of-honor wearing God knows what. Yey!

The Goal: I came back to the Blogosphere with a goal in mind and that is to lose at least ten lbs. for the next 30 days and blog about it.

The Plan: Starting tomorrow I plan to control the foods I eat. It will not be a serious diet following serious instructions, but more toward building self-control and setting priorities to start a healthy and a better life.

The Back-up: Nothing

Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb

In the latest from the #1 New York Times bestselling phenomenon, Eve Dallas tracks down those who break the law-including the ones sworn to uphold it.

Detective Eve Dallas and her partner, Peabody, are following up on a senseless crime-an elderly grocery owner killed by three stoned punks for nothing more than kicks and snacks. This is Peabody's first case as primary detective-good thing she learned from the master.

But Peabody soon stumbles upon a trickier situation. After a hard workout, she's all alone in the locker room when the gym door clatters open; and-while hiding inside a shower stall trying not to make a sound-she overhears two fellow officers, Garnet and Oberman, arguing. It doesn't take long to realize they're both crooked-guilty not just of corruption but of murder. Now Peabody, Eve, and Eve's husband, Roarke, are trying to get the hard evidence they need to bring the dirty cops down-knowing all the while that the two are willing to kill to keep their secret. [SOURCE]

Robb's latest book in the In Death series did not dissappoint me. I was hooked from the beginning even if I already knew the guilty party. I was curious on how Eve and her team would stop the bad guys. Peabody made me proud for doing the right thing and Eve for backing her up. The story focused more on Police procedural and less on the relationship between Eve and Roarke, but remained a captivating one. I can't wait for the next book.

1/2

A view from Verona Park (Essex County)

Ditching the thought of coffee and bagel I headed for a run. At 7 in the morning the sun was beaming right in front of my face. Runners and hikers alike, dog walkers, two grannies like love birds probably in their 70's, some kids with their parents, and few lonely hearts all mingled around the Verona park. I particularly enjoyed the serenity brought by the muted lake slightly populated by geese and birds. I ran a little and gulped some air, pushed my way to the top of the curve, around the lake and in to the tree-shaded area. I felt the morning breeze brushing against my damp skin as I trudged back to where I started.

It was an ideal Saturday morning after all.

Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb

In the latest novel from #1 New York Times-bestselling author J.D. Robb, it is game over for the criminals pursued by NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas.

Bart Minnock, founder of the computer-gaming giant U-Play, enters his private playroom, and eagerly can't wait to lose himself in an imaginary world, to play the role of a sword-wielding warrior king, in his company's latest top-secret project, Fantastical.

The next morning, he is found in the same locked room, in a pool of blood, his head separated from his body. It is the most puzzling case Eve Dallas has ever faced, and it is not a game. . . .

NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas is having as much trouble figuring out how Bart Minnock was murdered as who did the murdering. The victim's girlfriend seems sincerely grief-stricken, and his quirky-but-brilliant partners at U-Play appear equally shocked. No one seemed to have a prob­lem with the enthusiastic, high-spirited millionaire. Of course, success can attract jealousy, and gaming, like any business, has its fierce rivalries and dirty tricks-as Eve's husband, Roarke, one of U- Play's competitors, knows well. But Minnock was not naive, and quite capable of fighting back in the real world as well as the virtual one.

Eve and her team are about to enter the next level of police work, in a world where fantasy is the ultimate seduction-and the price of defeat is death. . . .

SUMMARY SOURCE: GoodReads

A story where fantasy meets reality, of believing what is real and what is not. This is not my favorite book in the series, but there were several sections I laughed between Eve and Peabody, felt emotions between Roarke and Eve. The technicalities relating to the gaming world was too deep for my small brain, though the ending remained a satisfaction. There were good actions toward the end that got me excited, enough for me to continue reading the next book in the series.

Source: Audiobook

 1/2

I am a sucker for romantic words

He gave me this card on my b-day. I know it's just a piece of card bought from the store, but the knowing part that it came from him melt my heart away... in a good way of course. I think adding another candle to blow makes me all that emotional. It's ruining my cold cold image. My ice is melting :;-)

What Makes Work Comfy

My slippers. I like the warm textile rubbing against my skin. So soft and warm and cozy. It makes the not so bright day goes by quick, sometimes unnoticed. The mixed colors in stripe add contrast to a dull carpet, often vacuumed but remained as is -- dull. Good thing my slippers keep me company. Oh my slippers... (eyes batting, mouth curving to a smile, i'm getting all fuzzy but warm). My slippers...mine!

A view from the top

The first to come to work and the last to leave - yup that's me! Call it dedication or love or plain obsession but for me it's more a necessity. Too many deadlines to chase, not enough time to waste. But if there is one thing that keeps my sanity intact, I give the view from my office window a huge credit. My office is located at the 5th floor, the highest I could get in the building. The view changes in the fall and winter, but the green trees are hard to ignore. They're very eye friendly && stress reliever.

A view of NY from NJ

Yesterday EJ and I went for a walk in Weehawken overlooking the city on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. It was an unplanned move in EJ's part while navigating from a lovely dinner at West Orange. I for one a sucker of surprises agreed wearing stilettos in heels. But the heel pain or the so called plantar fasciitis I experienced later on was compensated by a simple massage and cozy movie night from the living room couch.

In Death Series Marathon + June is Audiobook Month

Recently I fell in love with the novels of J.D. Robb, all over again. I managed to listen to few chapters on my way to and from work (a total of almost 2-hours drive along GSP). I've listened to other audioboks and read few paperbacks from different authors then and there, but this series felt different. It felt like keeping in touch with family and friends everyday.

Eve, Roarke, Summerset, Peabody, McNabb, Feeney...they are my family now.

To celebrate June as audiobook month, I intend to continue listening to the remaining books in the series.
Here's a snapshot of my recent marathon:

15. Seduction in Death - April 2011 (in Audiobook)
16. Reunion in Death - April 2011 (in Audiobook)
17. Purity in Death - April 2011 (in Audiobook)
18. Portrait in Death - April 2011 (in Audiobook)

19. Imitation in Death - May 2011 (in Audiobook)
20. Remember When - May 2011 (in Audiobook)
21. Divided in Death - May 2011 (in Audiobook)
22. Visions in Death - May 2011 (in Audiobook)
23. Survivor in Death - May 2011 (in Audiobook)
24. Origin in Death - May 2011 (in Audiobook)
25. Memory In Death - May 2011 (in Audiobook)
26. "Haunted in Death" (in the Bump in the Night anthology or the Three in Death anthology) - May 2011 (in Audiobook)
27. Born In Death - May 2011 (in Audiobook)

28. Innocent in Death - Listening Now , June 2011 (in Audiobook)

I am addicted to...

Audiobooks.


Due to long commute to work (at least 1.85 hours a day) and the endless tasks I’ve been joggling lately I finally signed up with Audible, just to keep up with the novels I could not part too easily. Plus I had been away from Christine’s In Death Series Reading Challenge since the end of the 3rd Quarter last year – I needed to get back on track or “the dead” will continue to haunt me.

In parallel I also attempted to borrow audiobooks from the library but the joy I reaped wasn’t as great as I hoped for. Because they’re in CD format I could only play them in my car (unless I buy a portable cd player and carry several cd) and could not easily store in my phone without going through hours of copying them to my computer in mp3 format. I just don’t have the time and patience at the moment so I just have to deal with my bills later… And to make me feel better I really tried to look for my favorite author (Nora Roberts/ J.D. Robb) and my local library didn’t have her books in audio.

My audible membership started on April 3 -- just about a month ago and I had bought and listened to several books that earned me 5 of 15 badges. I don’t know yet what this badges from the badge collection really meant to me, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out. I currently owned 28 titles in my library (that’s a lot for a slow reader like me in just a month!). I am currently in AppNovice on iPhone Listening Level. I needed about 372 hours to go! to reach the AppProfessional… (Wink…wink). My first month with audible is a bit troubling to my pocket – well I think it definitely managed to entertain my credit card in a rather unexpected way since I have never anticipated the urges of clicking the BUY button. Nevertheless, the digital copies are now mine and safely stored in Amazon’s online library so I say it’s a collection worth keeping. But I opted for the greatest plan upgrade (Platinum) I could get after going through my purchase history. Recently, I’ve bought and listened to a few of Robert's/Robb's novels (or will listen soon):


 

Other audiobooks not shown here were from authors of different genre and few were selected out of curiousity.

I may have professed my addiction to audiobooks lately, but in reality I am a NR fan within.

Kiss of Ian

Sleeping like a Zombie

These past few nights (four nights to be exact) I’ve been having difficulty sleeping. Gone were the restful nights of peace and eagerness to sleep. In my mind there was only one thing to blame for such misery, my workloads. But of course in most circumstances it wasn’t work the biggest culprit here. I have no one and nothing to blame for but myself. I created all the qualms of my life because I imprinted high standards. Now I am drowning.


So at 5 A.M. I decided to take a walk with my iPod and the new earphones I bought from Target. I originally planned of buying Bose’s IE2 headphones with mic, which was perfect for the iPhone. The price however was ridiculously high that I ended up getting a $15 headphones made by a cheap brand. It sounded good and turned out to be a keeper.

The neighborhood was asleep and here I was soaking at the opposite of the entire population. It was a bit cold today and I stupidly left my jacket at home. Right around the block I dragged myself back home, snatched my car keys and pocketbook, and took a drive instead.

It was stuffy inside the SUV. There were marks of spilled coffee around the cup holder and visible white dusts decorated the dashboard. I made a mental note to get a car wash and call the dealer for a service appointment when the maintenance light blinked. Then it stayed on. I rolled the windows down and cold breeze slapped my face and blew my hair away. I had to spit few strands of hair after I rolled the windows back up while waiting for the green light at a neighboring intersection. No one was on the road and the traffic light above swayed along the direction of the wind. I gathered my tangled hair up and tied it with a chocolate-brown rubber band dangling around my wrist, puffed my bangs sticking on my forehead.

Crossing along the quiet residential roads next town was something I haven’t done for a while now. Weekends were spent lately at home working on anything I could think of besides left over projects --from my job. Few minutes went by and giant houses with two and three car garages came in to view.

Wow – the only word came out of my mouth. How can these people afford to pay such high maintenance and a land screaming for higher tax payments? Here I was struggling for monthly utility bills, high mortgage payments, car related bills, credit bills, and more of those crappy bills, and then there they were in a spitting image of wealthy lifestyle. What have I done wrong? It was hard for me to digest the luxury presented before my eyes. There were also new constructions nearby, some were in early stages and few were in their final phases before completion. Luxury cars would soon be parked next to them.

Jealousy may not be the exact word to describe such feeling I went through at that moment. No, it can’t be that word – I prefer pity. Self-pity to be exact! People living in those houses must have nothing much to worry in life. They have everything, or at least almost everything they owned.

The road curved and the scenery flipped a bit differently. There were more trees and the lanes became wider. Aha! More houses – bigger than the previous town I drove by. I sighed and stretched my neck gawking at the height of some of the West Orange mansions. They were almost the same height of the trees. I parked the car next to the entrance of a public park and ogled the surrounding area. I rolled the windows down to smell the rich air from the wealth of the town. Who knows maybe their lifestyle would rub on me and turned me in to…

I suddenly overheard voices. Across the street, I saw a woman wearing pink sweatshirt and sweatpants, a somewhat two or three year old little girl clutched to her side. They were walking fast toward a black car parked in front of the house. A man followed behind wearing a black suit that covered a white shirt inside and a black tie hanging in front, black pants and black business shoes. They were talking – no – they were yelling at each other. I contemplated to roll my windows back up and in the end gave in to my shameless curiosity. I kept the windows wide open.

The man (I assumed to be the husband) grabbed the woman’s arm, but she quickly pushed him away while the kid started to cry. “Let me go, let me go,” she said. The man kept his distance. I wondered if he realized how many of the word “please” came out of his mouth. “Stop following us,” was the last phrase I heard from the woman (the wife, maybe?) before the car screeched out of the drive way leaving the man in a black suite, alone. He balled his fingers to a fist, pounded them against his forehead, merely stood there for a good four minutes, maybe five. Then his eyes switched to my direction. Shh-i-i--!

I quickly turned on the engine and left. I stopped by at the Starbucks to calm down, bought a Grande white chocolate mocha and headed home.

At that very moment, I knew my life wasn’t that bad after all.



~

Drinking Naked while Listening to the Sound of Silence

I was working last night and woke up late this morning. I opened my eyes and realized for the first time I didn’t know what to do on a bright Saturday morning. I dragged myself out of bed, went down stairs, and grabbed the first thing I saw from the fridge – a bottle of green machine called Naked, a blended juice smoothie. I squinted against the light shining bright from my kitchen window. It seemed lovely outside, I thought.


Then without a set of direction I headed to the living room and slumped down the couch. I was never a huge living room type of person because I was more of a bedroom person. I did all my work and leisure time in the privacy of my own room.


The smoothie tasted more like a juice to me, mixed with apples, banana, pineapple, and mango flavors and coupled with a hint of vegetables, I didn’t recognize the specifics. I peaked at the list of ingredients and it elaborated about ten different green vegetables. Some of them I didn’t even know. The expiration date reads Mar 08 11. Good enough for me and I took another gulp from the plastic bottle.


What am I doing here? I should go back upstairs and finish my requirements and test plans for my upcoming project. I shouldn’t be wasting time. But then I stayed unmoved and sucked in a deep breath. I told myself that work will just gonna have to wait.


I really liked the feel of the pillows smooched against my back, eyes closed and breathing controlled. Quiet, I thought at first. But then I started hearing different sounds I never paid much attention in my eight years of residency in this house. The tick-tock-tick-tock sound of the wall clock my cousins gave us last Christmas annoyed me at first. Then I heard the momentary screeching of the tires and the motorbike across the street boomed and roared like a drum intro of a heavy metal song. Another car passed by and this time it felt like the tires just slowly rolled on the asphalt, I couldn’t describe the sound but to me it felt like light strums on a bass guitar. Was the car keeping under speed limit? I didn’t hear any music but the cadence of the venetian blind tapping against the glass window and the once in a while click-clack of the kitchen’s exhaust captured my senses. Once or twice I heard a sound of a plane high above me, like a thunder passing in slow motion. The fan of my computer slightly hummed. Combining these sounds made me feel like someone conducting an orchestra; the rhythmic sound playing in my ear swayed me and moved me to a place I’ve never been before.


Then out of the blue everything else muted except the ringing tone of my phone suddenly k-e-r-r-e-n-g-e-d next to me. Encore, maybe? I forced my eyes to open up so I could check the Caller ID. The incoming call showing an 8YY number was just a disturbance of my peace – Telemarketer!


I better get back to work…

Movie Night with At First Sight

I just finished watching the movie “At First Sight” played by Val Kilmer. The movie was very touching and intimate at times. I suddenly wanted to capture every moments, the sequence of events that happened, the mixed emotions I felt and I wanted to write them all down here before I forget.


I remembered I once saw this movie back when I was younger, I don’t really know how long ago that was but I still remember bits and pieces of it. So tonight when I found the movie title from Cinemax on my On Demand channel, I decided to give it a try after eating dinner.

And you know what? It made me cry and it made me feel bad for the blind man only to realize in the end that I shouldn’t feel bad for him at all.

The story was a bout this blind masseur in Pinecrest. Anyway this one woman named Amy (she was an architect) needed to take a vacation to relax and unwind. So when she arrived in town and checked in to a spa, she requested for something relaxing that didn’t include exercise – she was recommended for a massage. She met a man named Virgil where she had her first massage. At first she didn’t even know Virgil was blind and then when she came after him next to a school bus that was when she found out he couldn’t see. They got to know each other and fell in love. Then one day Amy brought up an opportunity for Virgil to be able to see by meeting a doctor she found from an article, but when she told Virgil about it he became mad. The following day when Amy came to say goodbye to him, Virgil told Amy about the number of steps he needed to walk toward a tree. And if he slowed down or didn’t pay attention that he’ll miss the count and end up bumping into a tree. It was an analogy that made Amy stay for the night with him and when Virgil woke up in the middle of the night he looked worried not having Amy next to him. In the morning Virgil decided to go to NY and see the eye doctor where he agreed for an operation. The result was positive at first, allowing him to see. He had a problem with perception and was dependent mostly with his sense of touch.

I liked the part where he wanted to see Amy – all of her. It was very intimate and very romantic. I also liked when Virgil saw Amy kissed her ex-husband and I felt what Virgil felt. He was jealous and then he was frustrated with people dancing at the party and realized he didn’t belong to the crowd. He just wanted to come home. Then black outs started and when he went to see the doctor he was told that he’s going blind again. Just having that realization broke my heart knowing that soon Virgil will never see daylight again. Virgil went to see his father who had left him and his sister when they were younger. Virgil then asked him why he left them. I saw the tears in Virgil’s eyes and the tears that trickled down his cheeks. I saw the tears formed on his father’s eyes and it squeezed my heart to see them hurting. Virgil didn’t tell Amy right away and instead asked Amy to go watch a hockey game with him. Then Virgil saw the cotton candy. He had a childhood memory with his father where the last thing he saw was something fluffy.

Virgil decided to come back home to his hometown, alone where he left Amy in NY. I understood that he did this to himself because he knew there was nothing left for him and Amy together in the future. He’s going blind and Amy expected more from him, something he could never give to her anymore. He left Amy who was in tears. I thought Amy would stop him but she just stayed sitting on the floor, crying. I cried with her because I knew how much she loved him and I knew she only wanted the best for him.

Then another tear-jerker moment was when Virgil told his sister that she didn’t need to take care of him anymore. That she was beautiful and that she had done so many great things for him and that it’s about time she start to think for herself. It was his way of reaching out, he said. The way he told her how thankful he was to her and how much he loved her was very emotional, I couldn’t help myself but go with the flow of tears.

Then Virgil ended up working at the school for the blind when he came back to New York. That’s right, I never thought he’d come back to New York, but he did. And he embraced his disability and at the end when he was sitting on a bench with his new dog, Amy came to see him and apologized for moving too fast that led to their problems together. When she looked at him I knew she still had feelings for him and I knew right then and there that they’ll get back together. Well, the movie ended and left me wanting for more. The credits had mentioned that the movie was inspired by a true life story and that the real characters got back together and they got married and moved to Atlanta. [Maybe not exactly the way it happened, but I chose to believe that was what happened.]

Not that many movies out there that could make me cry as much as it did for me tonight for this movie. I cried because somehow I felt like I could relate to the characters, to their emotions, their love, and their struggles in life.

The story also made me realize how lucky I am for just being me – to be able to see everything. I looked around my own bedroom tonight and realized I didn’t have that much of a space to begin with, but I loved the look and feel of it and I am happy just to live a simple life.

Morning Glory by Diana Peterfreund

Image Source

BREAKING NEWS: Ambitious young TV producer Becky Fuller is fired from a local morning show in New Jersey, and her career begins to look as bleak as her hapless love life.



Desperately in need of a job, yet still full of boundless optimism, Becky vows to land on her feet and stumbles into an opportunity at Daybreak, a floundering network morning news program in New York City. Abysmal ratings are only the tip of the iceberg: Executive producers seldom survive beyond the next commercial break, and the outdated cameras belong in the Smithsonian.

Promising the head of the network that she can reverse the downward spiral, Becky makes legendary newscaster Mike Pomeroy an offer he can’t contractually refuse. She successfully adds Pomeroy to the team, but he refuses to participate in any Daybreak fluff pieces and morning show staples like celebrity gossip, weather, fashion, and crafts. What’s more, he takes an instant dislike to his equally difficult co-anchor, Colleen Peck, a former beauty queen. The only bright spot in Becky’s career is Adam Bennett, a gorgeous fellow producer, but Daybreak’s dysfunction spells trouble for their blossoming relationship. As Mike and Colleen’s on-air chemistry proves more explosive every day, Becky must scramble to save her love life, her reputation, her job, and, ultimately, Daybreak itself.

*     *     *     *     *

I first noticed this novel at Costco but ignored to even read it after finding out the book was based on a movie script. I thought I’d go straight to the theater and watch. Then I saw it again at the Starbucks Café in the hands of a middle aged woman reading while enjoying a cup of coffee. Finally I flipped through the first few pages of the trade paperback edition while at Barnes and Noble. The first chapter was short and entertaining – about 10 pages. I liked the voice of the narrator/leading character. I fell in love with the author’s prose and carried it through checkout.

The story was a perfect break for me from work and from reading too many mystery novels I failed to blog out here. It was a fast lighthearted but enjoyable read that made me laugh in several scenes.

Becky Fuller was likable. There weren’t enough descriptions about her appearance, or other supporting characters, but it didn’t matter because I kept picturing Rachel McAdams. I thought that was the plus side of meeting the character as a Hollywood icon, first and foremost.

I was satisfied of the ending and thought it was worth the money and time.

Author's Official Website

Bisdak in Technology Reminders #1: Power Button

Power button icon from
Mysitemyway ETC Network

Remember the magic power of the power button?

Recently I purchased a HP Wireless printer and went through the excitement of going through all the steps of the installation. Well, I thought I did all I'm supposed to do. Much to my chagrin, I was stuck in configuring the wireless network part. The installation in my computer failed because it could not detect the printer. I re-installed the HP software that came with the box, went back and forth from the computer to the printer to enter the encryption code, checked the router's settings, reboot my computer. Nothing. I made sure I had the wireless light on and that I had enough signal strength and rebooted the printer again. Nothing. What went wrong?

I failed to read the HP Guide.

Basic troubleshooting #3 according to HP's guide is to Restart components of the wireless network. Although I restarted the printer and the computer, I failed to restart the router.

Here is what HP provided in clear details:
Turn off the router and the HP device, and then turn them back on in this order: router first, and then the HP device. If you still are unable to connect, turn off the router, HP device, and your computer, and then turn them back on in this order: router first, then the HP device, and finally the computer. Sometimes, turning off the power and then turn it back on will recover a network communication issue.

Great Memories from an Ugly LG Phone (Part 1)

I decided to go through the photos I took over the years from my cell phone and wondered how much crap I've accumulated. LOL. But there were some great memories I just couldn't erase...

1. Here is a picture of Ian, my nephew. One of the very first pictures I took from my phone almost two years ago. He was only 4-hours old @ at the hospital when I called his name (Ian...Ian...) and he started smiling. Lucky enough I had my phone in my hands where I took a quick shot.

Then he tried to open his eyes to trace the voices he heard came from. He lifted his hands and smiled once more before he went back to his baby sleep.

2. Almost two years later (about a month before he turned two years old), Ian still impresses me in his own quirky ways. I told him to sit and he did. Smile and he did. Show me your hunk look and funny thing is he posed with his left arm below is right arm and tapped his left shoulder -- as if he was preparing for his debut shooting -- like he wanted to make his Tita very happy -- as if he knew I'd post his picture here in my blog one day!

3. He loved Yo Gabba Gabba show and when he's hooked in front of the Television, don't you dare bother him or he would make you pay for it. How? Well how do kids usually manipulate their parents?

Cry out loud.
Roll on the floor.
Throw away toys.
Cry some more.

I'm beginning to doubt if I'll ever survive being a parent someday.

4. Now his mommy (my sister) is very very  preggy!

5. We got this halloween decorations last year (for free). My Aunt didn't want the hassle of putting them together at their front yard, so I took it without a fuss. I love free stuff. Really.

For this year, I may put it out again just for the heck of it.

It sure glow at night and made me think of pumpkins. With a bat smile?

6. Which made me think of the hash brown photo I took during my breakfast yesterday at work.

7. My neighbor's cat got so lonely because her masters were away for vacation. I took this picture during my first day of cat-feeding. I wasn't used to cats and thought I'd go crazy with my allergies.

It turned out to be fun and relaxing. Purr...purr.

8. My favorite store. Ever.

I do wonder from time to time what would happen to BN's store when we all merge to digitals? They'd end up selling Nook and Nook accessories and no more of these books and magazines and you wouldn't be able to touch those crispy pages and no more of that new print smell? -- Hey I love my nook okay. I was just wondering...




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Welcome Home Mr. Finn -- my new love

Mr. Finn is a blue crowntail betta fish with a single ray extensions fin type. They say he is a fighter fish but when I saw him inside that small cup in the store, I thought of him more of the friendly side.

His dominating blue color with a shade of black around his upturned mouth, his sky blue pectoral fin that nicely flaps when he moves, a bright red pelvic fin, a light shade of pink on his scales and partly on his tail when widely spread are what attracted my attention the first time I saw him.

On his first day he went around the acquarium as if looking for some familiarity and kept on circling around the decorations. The first time I fed him with tropical flakes, he just stared at them, ignored them, then moved on, like he really enjoyed showing off his smooth aquatic abilites. It wasn't easy to take a picture of him too!

I placed a statue of a lady and few figurines behind the aquarium for fun with hopes to entertain Mr. Finn. Look, he couldn't help himself necking that lady!

I am still observing his every moves and praying that he would survive under his new owner (hey, that's me). I plan to make him a baseball fan -- a Yankee fan he is.

So stay tuned for more pictures and notes about Mr. Finn @ my bisdak notes blog.

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