Amazing Arts by JNBM: Adding color to your home!

It was a hot, boring day.  Andee, Diego and I decided to go malling at Robinson's Metro East to cool off. We first visited National Bookstore because Andee wanted to check out some pocketbooks.  After that, we saw Amazing Arts.

I've been seeing this 'kiosk' (?) smack in the middle of the hall with tables and chairs, and never really got the chance to try it out.  Nakakatuwa because it's as if we three could read each other's minds.  It was unanimous, yes, even Diego agreed.

Amazing Arts is a unique crafts store that specializes in clay paper art. Read about the company overview and paper art benefits here. It took a while to choose a design kit as there were lots! Kits vary in sizes, from the simplest designs to bigger, complicated ones. We decide to get a 200php kit instead of the smaller 100php one so that we could work together.

Shelves of different paper art kits.

Andee and Diego 'claiming their territory' and working on it.

Half done! We ended up continuing this at home after spending almost 8 hours at Amazing Arts!

This was one activity that all of us enjoyed doing.  I was pleasantly surprised that Andee and Diego wanted to go back.  And going back we will :-)

Animoto videos

During training, we were task to create a short video presentation about real estate using Animoto, and this has been the most entertaining part of the module.  Although the free option will only give you 30-seconds worth of video, it is really worth the time making this. Let me share a 30-second video I made for the kiddos:

I am now contemplating of getting full version.  This will be great for birthday videos! :-)

One Tortilla Dinner Sunday

It's one of those family Sundays.

There are some weekends where we just decide to cook something extra-ordinary when we don't have a scheduled family brunch with my brothers and their families. Got started with going to the grocery to get ingredients for home-made tortilla.

The recipe I followed for basic tortilla:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder
1 T shortening (we used canola oil)
1/2 cup water

Mix dry ingredients in a stainless bowl followed by your shortening, then slowly add water. We tripled the recipe and sa totoo lang, didn't keep track of the oil and water that we used heheh. After mixing, we left it covered in the bowl for about 15 minutes, before we emptied a wine bottle (yup, my rolling pin decided to hide himself), that we used for rolling.  Andee helped in dusting the table with flour and rolling the tortilla dough before I 'cooked' it in a heated frying pan.  We made about 22 pieces of tortilla.

I cooked the ground beef as usual, parang pang-spaghetti lang, Although I also added Chili con Carne mix (McCormick's ata yun).  Sometimes I use Taco Mix, other wise, you can season it with cumin, basil and Italian seasoning (Italian seasoning?!? so much for mexican flair).  And as usual, iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, white onions and grated cheese.  We can't find sour cream, and we even forgot to make do with mayonnaise with garlic.  Ok pa rin.  Swak na swak!

It's a TVI World

September 1, 2012.

Today I'm going back to the hospital for a follow-up and (at last) get my 'fit to'work' from my doctor. More than 2 weeks ago, I was sent home from the office due to conjunctivitis. Four days later, I was confined, diagnosed with systemic viral infection.  To make the long story short, 2 1/2 weeks out of work is such a burden for someone like me: a solo parent of 10 years, with a 14 year old daughter, now 2nd year high school,  and a 10 year old son, who now stays at home and is out of school.

 I was getting ready at 8am to go to the hospital when I overheard Nanay talking about travelling and discounts at hotel and resorts.

With the new 'It's more fun in the Philippines' DOT campaign, nakaka-enganyo talagang magtravel and go visit and experience other places locally.  Being a bit of a wanderlust, having to join a travel club at my former work, enjoying team building activities and trips, as well as having to go on road trips with the bf,  the idea of getting discounts struck me.

"Uy, ano yan, Nanay?"
"Ah.  ito yung dinala ako ni Tita Sandy mo last night sa Mcdo dyan sa highway."
"Ano yung discounts?"
"Travel club siya na pag member ka, may mga discounts ka sa hotels and resorts dito pati abroad.  And saya nga ng orientation eh.  Ngayon lang ako naka-attend ng ganong klase na masaya."
"Talaga? May membership fee?"
"Oo, 16k ata yun. Pero lifetime na."
"Lifetime? parang nag Palawan lang ako ng 3D/2N ah?!? Gusto ko yan.  Kelan ulit seminar?"
"Meron ata mamayang hapon sa Masinag 2:30pm."
"Sige, sige.  Gusto ko yan! Samahan mo ako, Nanay, ha? Ha? Ha? Hintaying mo ko pag ko uwi galing hospital."

And that was it.

The bf fetched me from the hospital and I asked him if we could attend this seminar with Nanay. He, being very skeptical in things like memberships, or sales, or networking, had no other choice but to tag along.

The speaker who talked about TVI at that time was (I'm so sorry, I forgot his name) a Commissary Manager from Jolibee.  With his explanation about the membership and the bonus vacations, solve na ako.  Then came Pam Apostol, who talked about the business side.  I was totally dumb-founded. Was this too good to be true? Oyen Redondo came next and talked about her experience.  Wow.  Yun lang a ng masasabi ko. WOW.

"Sali tayo."
Huh? I was surprised when the bf whispered suddenly. "Sali tayo." Talaga? Mr. Skeptical wants to join? This must mean something!

Yup! It's going to be more fun in the Philippines. Gorabels TVI!

Visit My TVI World by Andriego as I document my journey with TVI.

Systemic Viral Infection

Many viruses cause systemic infections. A systemic infection is one which may involves multiple systems (organs) in the body.For example the virus may enter the body through the respiratory tract and initially cause some minor upper respiratory symptoms but then it may enter the bloodstream and travel to other parts of the body.

I am unable to locate an appropriate definition to this culprit that had me confined for 4 days -- after being sent home from work on a Thursday, four Emergency Room visits and five blood tests.

It started out with conjunctivitis and I was sent home half-day. That was Emergency Room visit #1.  Emergency Room visit #2 came a few hours into the same evening when rashes began to appear everywhere-- arms, face, torso, legs.  My right ankle began to swell too. Blood test #1.  No fever, but a little tired and a feeling of getting the flu. Sent home afterwards, gave me something for the itch.  The doctor asked me to come back if I get the flu.  Diagnosis was Non-Specific Viral Exanthem.

That was Thursday, the 16th.

My 3rd Emergency Room visit was Saturday, the 18th.  My right leg is swollen from the ankle up to just above the knees.  It is painful to the touch, parang may pasa ang sakit paghinawakan. Parang minamanas, pero siksik siya.  Bloodtest #2.  They said that they will check for Rhematoid Arthritis.  Gave me Celebrex and advised me to visit my doctor on Monday.

Monday came, the 20th.  A holiday.  No Out Patient Department, and the HMO office is closed.  Went to the Emergency Room for my visit #4.  The doctor there remembers me.  My right leg is still swollen, and so is my left.  Both arms are now numb and my hands are swollen. Oops, so it's not arthritis after all! There goes blood test #3.  Guess they found nothing because I made room for blood test #4 on my other arm.  Nothing.  No fever.  Potassium okay.  Tests came out negative.  Had my liver checked, thyroid... still none.  They decided to admit me instead.  Okay.

We opted for a 4-bedroom ward, deciding not to wait for a private room.  This was a tiring day.  It's a good thing that my bed is on the farthest part of the room.

The next day, I was attended to by my doctor around lunch time.  After that, I said hello to blood test #5.

I can't remember what tests I've been through as there were a bunch of letters, like CBC, SRA, TFT, ESR etc., etc. Anyways, on the 3rd day, I was given Prednisone.  The swelling lessened almost immediately, though I began to experience headaches.--- side effect.

I was then discharged last Thursday, the 23rd, and advised to visit for a follow-up on Saturday the 25th.  Finally I was given a 'fit to work' for Monday.

Monday morning, the 27th. yesterday.  Woke up with an extreme headache with half of my face swollen. So much for 'fit to work'.