i left work early last friday because i had a fever and a running nose that won't quit. i left work as soon as i finished uploading all the new program information for this week. hopefully nothing crashes and all is ok, as being the only one running the department, i'm the only one to blame is something does crash!
we went to meet manong lebe at the LAX at 12:55 AM saturday morning. he flew in from new york for a business trip here in LA. he's my husband's first cousin on his mother's side. he looked a bit like my husband, only taller and lankier. my husband got his father's nose and shape of face, but his good looks obviously came from his mother's side of the family hehehe.
manong lebe was traveling with a coleague who had arranged transportation and so after a few words with my husband we let them go on their way. the next day we fetched him at a filipino's home where he was demonstrating for his business and took him to our home to spend a few minutes with my mother-in-law who was extremely fond of him.
we took him to his next appointment and then had a very late dinner at the house of pies in downtown LA. they talked about times gone by, and i got another peek at how chaotic my husband's family is. from links to the underworld to no-fear cousins who fought with cops over gambling or women-- their world seemed so different from mine.
my father did not smoke or drink, did not gamble or have unfaithful affairs. i have no brothers and my male cousins grew up here in long beach-- grew up without vices either from the looks of it.
but my husband and his cousin had long since reformed their evil ways. they now lead non-chaotic, non-troublesome lives, which i am thankful for.
my husband is the most patient, kind-hearted and generous person i know. no matter how bad his past was, all i know is he has found God and is trying his very best to live as God wants him to live. as is this man from new york, who talks about bad times yet lives a reformed and blessed life.
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Thursday, January 20, 2005
the fire dragon's reflections
i read about the chinese zodiac from the link in sarah's blog. i learned that people born between january 31, 1976 to february 17, 1977 were born under the sign of the fire dragon. it states that the fire dragon is especially feared because he wreaks more havoc than the dragons of other elements.
"The Dragon person is magnanimous and full of vitality and strength. To him, life is a blaze of colors and he is constantly on the go. Egotistical, eccentric, dogmatic, whimsical or terribly demanding and unreasonable, he is still never without a band of admirers. Proud, aristocratic and very direct, the Dragon-born establishes his ideals early in life and demands the same high standards and perfection from others that he has for himself...
The Dragon lady is the Grand Dame of the cycle. She will be a suffragette, a believer of equal rights for women. Double standards and discrimination will arouse her wildest passions. What a man can do, she can probably do better. Don't ever underestimate her. She is going to beat you at your own game--or die trying. She'll never stand idly by and accept her fate. She is the stuff empires are built on, the matriarch of old. Cross her and the sky will fall.
To tell the truth, the Dragon female is strictly a no-nonsense person. She will show this by the way she dresses. Practical and functional clothes appeal to her most. No frills, flimsy laces, buttons and bows, but a minimum of complications. Clothes that go on and off easily and provide her with maximum movement will be her top choice. She hates restrictions and limitations. Actually, she may even secretly prefer a uniform if she has military or institutional inclinations. This way, starched, crisp and superbly efficient, she can pop off to work every day without the bother of having to decide what to wear.
The Dragon girl seldom, if ever, over-decorates herself. Her brilliance is in her mind and this will shine forth, without any trimmings. Self-esteem rates very high with all Dragons, so the Dragon female will be no exception. She doesn't expect to be treated like divinity though she does have her airs. She just wants your respect and she will do everything in her power to get it.
The lady Dragon is totally emancipated, so strong-arm tactics will get you nowhere. You might as well resign yourself--she will have the last word.
Despite his faults being as numerous as his virtues, the luster of the Dragon shines on everyone. He is not petty, nor is he begrudging with favors. He may grumble a lot, but he cannot resist helping the needy or coming to the rescue when you are in trouble. This may not be because he feels real compassion or genuine concern; more often than not, the Dragon helps because he has a profound sense of duty to all.
The Dragon will somehow always have a notable contribution to make. You can count on his support, for he will not let you down if he can help it. The Dragon will exhaust all his resources before he admits failure. An extrovert and lover of nature, this person will be an active sportsman, a travel bug and an excellent talker. He has the makings of a super-salesman and he and his band of loyal followers will always be promoting something."
it's funny how they're right on the dot-- except for the active sportsman part. i like the part where the dragon lady is the stuff empires are built on:) a profound sense of duty to all, yup, i always feel bad when i do not have the means to help others-- maybe that's why i am rushing my husband to get his foundation together quickly.
and the particular trait my boss likes: "will exhaust all his resources before he admits failure." yup, i'm as stubborn as dragons come! nothing is impossible! (uh-oh, must stop being dr. schuller-ish...)
"For a sign that never accepts defeat, the Dragon provides his own worst opposition. He will dash headlong into a disastrous situation when he is convinced he is right. Pompous and self-destructive, you say? No, not really. It is just that this person must follow his plans through--irregardless of the consequences. After all, he was put on earth to raise standards to superlative heights and the more you try to change his course of action or steer him away from trouble, the more headstrong he becomes. He lives up to his reputation for taking the lead even when it becomes most unpleasant." --> note to self, check brakes before dashing headlong into disastrous situations tsk tsk tsk...
"Whatever else, the Dragon will be an open person--you can read him like a book. It is difficult for him to pretend emotions he does not feel. He rarely even bothers to try. He is not secretive either, and cannot keep a confidence for too long. Even when he swears not to breathe a word of it, you can be sure he will blurt it out when he gets angry and the sparks begin to fly. You say he promised to keep it a secret? What secret? How can you bother him with such a trivial thing at a time like this?"--> yup, i cannot play poker!
"His feelings are genuine and always straight from his heart. When he declares he loves you, you can be absolutely sure he is sincere.
Should he belong to the rougher variety of Dragons, he could be too abrasive. His direct, brusque manners and callousness could well antagonize people. But generally speaking, he will inspire action. He should personally attend to things he wants done immediately instead of writing or dealing over the phone. His presence and magnetism will swing people over to his way of thinking. He motivates everyone he comes into contact with. He himself needs no motivation, as he is more than capable of generating his own momentum.
It will never be hard to place your confidence in the truthful Dragon. He seldom wavers, cowers or shifts responsibility. He possesses little or no self-doubt. With his natural pioneering spirit, his attempts will be stupendous successes or unbelievable exercises in futility. He must drive right to the very edge of the precipice and take a look for himself. Just hold your breath, keep your fingers crossed and pray that he has good brakes.
I guess Frank Sinatra, who is a Dragon, and his song "My Way" concisely sum up how the Dragon ticks.
Of all the animal signs, the Dragon will be attracted most to the irresistible Monkey. The Monkey will similarly be drawn to the Dragon's majesty and they will make an unbeatable team. A Dragon-Rat union will be an equally winning combination as the Rat is crafty where the Dragon is strong. They could do great things together. The Dragon will likewise make a good match with the cool and venerable Snake, whose wisdom could check the Dragon's excessiveness.
Tiger, Rooster, Horse, Sheep, Rabbit and boar will all seek the Dragon out for his beauty and his strength. Two Dragons will get along pretty well but the Dragon's relationship with the Ox may be a bit strained by the Ox's similar authoritativeness. Of all the animal signs, perhaps only the Dog will make a miserable partner for the Dragon. The Dragon will come under the close scrutiny of the Dog and the Dog will be too cynical to fall under his spell.
Above all, it is worth remembering that although the Dragon is dazzling, he is not deep. Only when he can harness his legendary powers can he perform miracles. He needs people to believe in him!"--> ha! this is why i got married:) hehehe...
hope you enjoyed this as much as i did:)
"The Dragon person is magnanimous and full of vitality and strength. To him, life is a blaze of colors and he is constantly on the go. Egotistical, eccentric, dogmatic, whimsical or terribly demanding and unreasonable, he is still never without a band of admirers. Proud, aristocratic and very direct, the Dragon-born establishes his ideals early in life and demands the same high standards and perfection from others that he has for himself...
The Dragon lady is the Grand Dame of the cycle. She will be a suffragette, a believer of equal rights for women. Double standards and discrimination will arouse her wildest passions. What a man can do, she can probably do better. Don't ever underestimate her. She is going to beat you at your own game--or die trying. She'll never stand idly by and accept her fate. She is the stuff empires are built on, the matriarch of old. Cross her and the sky will fall.
To tell the truth, the Dragon female is strictly a no-nonsense person. She will show this by the way she dresses. Practical and functional clothes appeal to her most. No frills, flimsy laces, buttons and bows, but a minimum of complications. Clothes that go on and off easily and provide her with maximum movement will be her top choice. She hates restrictions and limitations. Actually, she may even secretly prefer a uniform if she has military or institutional inclinations. This way, starched, crisp and superbly efficient, she can pop off to work every day without the bother of having to decide what to wear.
The Dragon girl seldom, if ever, over-decorates herself. Her brilliance is in her mind and this will shine forth, without any trimmings. Self-esteem rates very high with all Dragons, so the Dragon female will be no exception. She doesn't expect to be treated like divinity though she does have her airs. She just wants your respect and she will do everything in her power to get it.
The lady Dragon is totally emancipated, so strong-arm tactics will get you nowhere. You might as well resign yourself--she will have the last word.
Despite his faults being as numerous as his virtues, the luster of the Dragon shines on everyone. He is not petty, nor is he begrudging with favors. He may grumble a lot, but he cannot resist helping the needy or coming to the rescue when you are in trouble. This may not be because he feels real compassion or genuine concern; more often than not, the Dragon helps because he has a profound sense of duty to all.
The Dragon will somehow always have a notable contribution to make. You can count on his support, for he will not let you down if he can help it. The Dragon will exhaust all his resources before he admits failure. An extrovert and lover of nature, this person will be an active sportsman, a travel bug and an excellent talker. He has the makings of a super-salesman and he and his band of loyal followers will always be promoting something."
it's funny how they're right on the dot-- except for the active sportsman part. i like the part where the dragon lady is the stuff empires are built on:) a profound sense of duty to all, yup, i always feel bad when i do not have the means to help others-- maybe that's why i am rushing my husband to get his foundation together quickly.
and the particular trait my boss likes: "will exhaust all his resources before he admits failure." yup, i'm as stubborn as dragons come! nothing is impossible! (uh-oh, must stop being dr. schuller-ish...)
"For a sign that never accepts defeat, the Dragon provides his own worst opposition. He will dash headlong into a disastrous situation when he is convinced he is right. Pompous and self-destructive, you say? No, not really. It is just that this person must follow his plans through--irregardless of the consequences. After all, he was put on earth to raise standards to superlative heights and the more you try to change his course of action or steer him away from trouble, the more headstrong he becomes. He lives up to his reputation for taking the lead even when it becomes most unpleasant." --> note to self, check brakes before dashing headlong into disastrous situations tsk tsk tsk...
"Whatever else, the Dragon will be an open person--you can read him like a book. It is difficult for him to pretend emotions he does not feel. He rarely even bothers to try. He is not secretive either, and cannot keep a confidence for too long. Even when he swears not to breathe a word of it, you can be sure he will blurt it out when he gets angry and the sparks begin to fly. You say he promised to keep it a secret? What secret? How can you bother him with such a trivial thing at a time like this?"--> yup, i cannot play poker!
"His feelings are genuine and always straight from his heart. When he declares he loves you, you can be absolutely sure he is sincere.
Should he belong to the rougher variety of Dragons, he could be too abrasive. His direct, brusque manners and callousness could well antagonize people. But generally speaking, he will inspire action. He should personally attend to things he wants done immediately instead of writing or dealing over the phone. His presence and magnetism will swing people over to his way of thinking. He motivates everyone he comes into contact with. He himself needs no motivation, as he is more than capable of generating his own momentum.
It will never be hard to place your confidence in the truthful Dragon. He seldom wavers, cowers or shifts responsibility. He possesses little or no self-doubt. With his natural pioneering spirit, his attempts will be stupendous successes or unbelievable exercises in futility. He must drive right to the very edge of the precipice and take a look for himself. Just hold your breath, keep your fingers crossed and pray that he has good brakes.
I guess Frank Sinatra, who is a Dragon, and his song "My Way" concisely sum up how the Dragon ticks.
Of all the animal signs, the Dragon will be attracted most to the irresistible Monkey. The Monkey will similarly be drawn to the Dragon's majesty and they will make an unbeatable team. A Dragon-Rat union will be an equally winning combination as the Rat is crafty where the Dragon is strong. They could do great things together. The Dragon will likewise make a good match with the cool and venerable Snake, whose wisdom could check the Dragon's excessiveness.
Tiger, Rooster, Horse, Sheep, Rabbit and boar will all seek the Dragon out for his beauty and his strength. Two Dragons will get along pretty well but the Dragon's relationship with the Ox may be a bit strained by the Ox's similar authoritativeness. Of all the animal signs, perhaps only the Dog will make a miserable partner for the Dragon. The Dragon will come under the close scrutiny of the Dog and the Dog will be too cynical to fall under his spell.
Above all, it is worth remembering that although the Dragon is dazzling, he is not deep. Only when he can harness his legendary powers can he perform miracles. He needs people to believe in him!"--> ha! this is why i got married:) hehehe...
hope you enjoyed this as much as i did:)
Sunday, January 09, 2005
"baby" pics
our new nissan frontier, standing in the gloomy rain...
ok, this is the best front view i could get without standing in the rain! hehehe:)
Saturday, January 08, 2005
our new "baby"
i fondly call our old car "baby". she's old and needed a lot of fixing up, but she got us through my first 3 months of going to work in orange country and our miss asia california startup-- and a lot more! we plan to keep her for as long as we could-- or for as long as she runs.
we had an appointment with foothill nissan this afternoon. i had filled up an online form last weekend to see if i can get approved for financing-- and i was pre-approved and a representative set up an appointment with me today.
our agent was very nice. and unlike the stereotyped agents who schemed and scammed to pressure sell you a vehicle, he was surprisingly upfront. he arranged a great financing for us and luckily there was a nissan frontier with the specifications we wanted in their lot.
we negotiated and re-negotiated. but in the end we (the agent, my husband and i) were all happy. and we drove back home in our new sand-colored four-door mid-size truck:)
isn't it funny how when you're trying to save and you have no incentive, you end up just not saving. but when you consider what you want to acquire and are obligated to save to pay the monthly for it... you see just how possible it all is? hmmm...
dr. robert h. schuller has been preaching possibility thinking at the crystal cathedral for 50 years... right now, i feel like i'm starting to really live it!
we had an appointment with foothill nissan this afternoon. i had filled up an online form last weekend to see if i can get approved for financing-- and i was pre-approved and a representative set up an appointment with me today.
our agent was very nice. and unlike the stereotyped agents who schemed and scammed to pressure sell you a vehicle, he was surprisingly upfront. he arranged a great financing for us and luckily there was a nissan frontier with the specifications we wanted in their lot.
we negotiated and re-negotiated. but in the end we (the agent, my husband and i) were all happy. and we drove back home in our new sand-colored four-door mid-size truck:)
isn't it funny how when you're trying to save and you have no incentive, you end up just not saving. but when you consider what you want to acquire and are obligated to save to pay the monthly for it... you see just how possible it all is? hmmm...
dr. robert h. schuller has been preaching possibility thinking at the crystal cathedral for 50 years... right now, i feel like i'm starting to really live it!
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
going back to normal...
yesterday my husband and i went to see Dr. Kathy Walker for a gynecological exam. she confirmed that i am not pregnant and ordered a battery of blood tests to know why i am not having my regular periods. she thinks it's probably all the stress of the holidays and my being overweight-- aha! another excuse to go on a diet! hehehe.
she still ordered a pregnancy test on my blood exams, but she said it was highly unlikely that i am pregnant.
and so we stopped assuming that i am pregnant and went on with our new year. we opened a small business account at our bank for miss asia california. we are continuing the negotiations for our venue sponsor and i am continuing the deliberation on how to launch the pageant website.
everything happened so fast. we were able to visit a friend in a convalescent home in sunland. we were able to get a pre-approval with a nissan dealer for the frontier we're planning on getting. we're on track and planning ahead on our businesses...
and because my bestfriend from highschool sent me her beautiful wedding pics, which i want to post here but will ask her permission first... i am now leaning towards a wedding late in the year 2005 or early 2006, but of course this is an impulsive plan that i have not consulted my husband about yet hehehe. we will see, maybe we can have the wedding on our 2nd year anniversary:)
our bank (where our personal account is) even offered to introduce us to their home purchasing plans when we opened our small business account. wow! i really feel like everything i want is just within reach now-- and maybe late this year or early next year we can plan on having our first baby-- after i lose all this excess weight that is not really healthy for pregnancy.
and on a sad note: please pray for my officemate who has complications in her pregnancy and is currently in the hospital delivering her baby prematurely... i would appreciate it very much if you offered prayers for her. thank you in advance!
she still ordered a pregnancy test on my blood exams, but she said it was highly unlikely that i am pregnant.
and so we stopped assuming that i am pregnant and went on with our new year. we opened a small business account at our bank for miss asia california. we are continuing the negotiations for our venue sponsor and i am continuing the deliberation on how to launch the pageant website.
everything happened so fast. we were able to visit a friend in a convalescent home in sunland. we were able to get a pre-approval with a nissan dealer for the frontier we're planning on getting. we're on track and planning ahead on our businesses...
and because my bestfriend from highschool sent me her beautiful wedding pics, which i want to post here but will ask her permission first... i am now leaning towards a wedding late in the year 2005 or early 2006, but of course this is an impulsive plan that i have not consulted my husband about yet hehehe. we will see, maybe we can have the wedding on our 2nd year anniversary:)
our bank (where our personal account is) even offered to introduce us to their home purchasing plans when we opened our small business account. wow! i really feel like everything i want is just within reach now-- and maybe late this year or early next year we can plan on having our first baby-- after i lose all this excess weight that is not really healthy for pregnancy.
and on a sad note: please pray for my officemate who has complications in her pregnancy and is currently in the hospital delivering her baby prematurely... i would appreciate it very much if you offered prayers for her. thank you in advance!
Sunday, January 02, 2005
first year milestones
my husband and i were married on january 2, 2004. we're celebrating our first anniversary today.
and after one year, we learned:
happy new year everyone! may the year bring you all the blessings your heart desires and may God be in your hearts through each new year that comes!
and after one year, we learned:
- we don't need to go anywhere for our occasions to be special as long as we are together, it will be!
- we are both very messy people (and my mother-in-law is more so), it takes great effort to organize our home and keep it like so.
- having a lot of family in the US is not always an advantage.
- having a lot of people who call you friend does not mean that there will be someone to help you if you are in trouble, but we will always have each other!
- you can only help a person if he decides to help himself.
- sometimes each of us needs a gentle push in the right direction to accomplish something we've never done so before.
- when you want something done, take the initiative and it will get done!
- when something goes wrong, instead of blaming each other, find a way to make it right!
- avoid making decisions for both of you without consulting the other
- each of us have relatives who get under our skin, we cannot choose our relatives but we can choose how we deal with their irritating behaviors.
- draw the line, and tell your partner where it is.
- be kind and love each other always through disappointments and setbacks-- remember, there is no such thing as a failure until you stop trying!
happy new year everyone! may the year bring you all the blessings your heart desires and may God be in your hearts through each new year that comes!
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