Musings « Kutitots

Musings

Awakening of the hibernating book worm

5 September 2012 • Be the first to comment

I was around 7 years old when I first learned to read. I wasn’t exactly the quickest learner — my classmates in the first grade were long into reading more complex sentences before I could even string two words together. But my late grandma was patient, she taught me to read diligently. It wasn’t long before I fell in love with reading.

As embarrassing as it is for me to admit, I got addicted to the Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley series. Love Stories. Nancy Drew. Christopher Pike. A few classics like Tess of the D’Urbervilles, The Little Prince, When Worlds Collide, The Joy Luck Club, Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and my all-time favorite: To Kill a Mockingbird.

I probably amassed quite a collection of books back then, but lost most when we moved. I didn’t read much when I started working (at a call center for 6 months, then eventually to having my own home business), until I got hooked on Harry Potter. I probably bought only a few other books besides that series for the past five years, but the need to keep sane from the all the work deadlines lured me back to reading. I was starting to amass another book collection when my husband Marc finally got fed up seeing my books everywhere, and got me my own book cabinet :) Read more

How’s your spending?

28 April 2012 • Be the first to comment

Daily Dose

Well, mine sucks.

My husband Marc recently brought me along to a meeting with our accountant who handles the accounting of both our business and personal finances. As it turns out, our business books are ok — although our accountant suggested we should price our services a bit higher. But the personal? Ha. Bottom line, we “seemed” to spend a lot.

The sad thing about it is that we technically don’t. And when I say “technically,” I mean that me and Marc usually just spend on basic needs and utilities with the occasional movie date or two. I don’t spend on clothes (as I’m rarely out of the home office anyway), and Marc, being a typical guy, doesn’t as well. We don’t buy gadgets that we don’t need for work. So why the awful finances?

Two words: CREDIT CARD.

I’m really, really starting to hate those words. Seriously. Read more

For AJ

9 September 2011 • 6 Comments

Daily Dose

I was planning to write a long memorial for my blogger friend, AJ Matela, but I couldn’t. One post just couldn’t do it justice.

Thank you for all the memories, badet. I will never forget you, and how you always gave me stomach gas from all the laughter and bitch moments we shared. I will miss you, but I’m also glad you’re at peace and free of pain. I’m sure you’re now teaching those angels up there how to party, and chasing unicorns so you can finally have one of your own.

From now on, every time I see a rainbow, I’ll think of it as you checking up on us (pwede ba namang mahuli ang badet sa chismax?!). You are now my Rainbow Brite. Farewell, my friend.

** AJ’s family needs assistance. Please visit 1000 Volunteers for AJ to find out how you can help.

Little miracles, everyday heroes

1 March 2011 • Be the first to comment

Daily Dose

Another hiatus… I didn’t even get to wish you all a happy New Year. Sorry about that. Aside from being perpetually busy, I have a lot in my mind.

Times have changed so much that sometimes I can’t help but wonder if any “traditional Filipino value” is still alive. Being born and raised in the city, it’s hard not to wonder. Just tune in to the evening news and you’ll see what I mean. So many have changed that I’ve learned not to expect much from anybody anymore.

I’ve always wanted to believe the best in people, giving them the benefit of the doubt… But unfortunately, there really are those who would take advantage of that. There are also very few people I know who’d do things for others just because they wanted to help, not asking for anything in return.

We’re in trying times, that’s true, and I fully understand that people are just looking out for their selves. But sometimes, we still hear reports of regular people turned heroes — people who placed another person’s welfare above his own. Little miracles like that gives hope — that maybe, it’s not so bad to still believe in the best of people.

I’d like to start off 2011 in this blog with two of my own stories to tell, of the heroes I’ve met in just a span of two months. Read more

Web design “cross-training”

29 October 2010 • 1 Comment

Daily Dose Tech Things

For the past month, client projects and training for my first marathon have been keeping me busy. These have been preoccupying me so much that I can’t help but use one as analogy for the other :P

So what’s “cross-training?” Wikipedia defines it as:

Cross-training (also known as conditioning) refers to training in different ways to improve overall performance. It takes advantage of the particular effectiveness of each training method, while at the same time attempting to neglect the shortcomings of that method by combining it with other methods that address its weaknesses.

According to coaches assisting me as part of the marathon program I’m in… Whenever you run, you basically exercise a specific muscle group. To avoid injury, burnout, and train strategically, it’s recommended to give that muscle group time to rest. But instead of lying around doing nothing, it’s best to exercise muscle groups that aren’t used in running. Like rowing perhaps. Or swimming, for those who can (definitely not me, I can’t swim :P).

So what does this have to do with my job? Read more