How’s life lately? I have been very busy with work (from home) lately. I don’t really get the chance to go out for leisure activities. The only reason why I go out for the past months is only to run important errands, that’s on top of my list. We do groceries at least twice a month and go to drugstore to buy DH’s maintenance medicines and also bring our baby pet dog Aimee to her vet for check ups and scheduled grooming session every 3 months. Also some quick visit to my son’s school for meeting. The only leisure thing I do on the side is a quick mall shopping. Haha! Most of my purchases are made online!
Since Pandemic happened 2 years ago, most of activities we have are online! work and shopping 😉 School for the kids were online too! But they are now back to face to face classes and I can vouch how they have missed going out and interacting back again with their classmates and friends!
As for me, I have remained working from home (which I am so thankful) and glad I no longer have to face traffic, no more braving the rain and floodwater. I can sulk at home and enjoy the rain while drinking a cup of coffee. No more walking sweaty under the heat of the sun when going home from work.
The only thing that I need to adjust to is getting a lot of physical activity even when I am just at home. I make sure to walk around the house, spend some time on stationary bike and go out once in awhile a walk and buy at a near store. Surprisingly, I am not bored even I stay most of the time at home. I guess that’s the introvert me speaking here. Haha!
Since holiday is just around, our work is getting a bit of a stress lately dealing with lots of emails and chats enquiries! Going overtime at some point to keep up with customers demand. So how do I destress and break free from getting burnout? I do play online games after work and free time since I no longer enjoy going out much lately!
I am not so into mobile legends and the like type of online gamer. I just want to play feel good simple online games! I have came across this site Mortgage Calculator gaming section that offers free online games for kids, online, business, finance, etc. I enjoyed playing most of the games as they offer different kinds that are easy to play and won’t add up stress while you play. Just keeping you cool. A great online pastime game indeed.
I enjoyed this Office Hurdles game. But I kept stumbling down and cannot calculate the spacing better. Hahaha
Here’s how to play
Left click to jump over wet spots on the floor.
You score points based on how far you run.
Time your jump perfectly to score 10 bonus points. Make multiple perfect jumps in a row and activate a score multiplier where the second jump is worth 20, the third is worth 30, and so on.
First time trying and didn’t realise you have the option to change player as a man and woman. The aim is to not jump on those hurdles.
I am not good at focusing and calculating when to jump up. Haha! But I get to have 85 for my best scores before I totally passed out over there.
Another game I enjoyed is the Coffee Shop, is a one-month simulation game where players adjust game settings to earn as much as they can from running a coffee shop. I like that you get to really feel running and managing your own coffee business virtually!
You get to manage the stocks, inventory, pricing, etc.
Very nice for the kids and young at heart to get a good grasp of how a business works like you being the boss and runs your own coffee shop!
Simple things like paying online games definitely helps out to ease those boredom and I get to feel sane again as I get to enjoy playing these virtual games and gives me a break from working online seriously.
Hi there! It’s been awhile since I had personal updates. But I’m still thankful for those who keep checking every once in a while. Despite the MIA, this blog Life in this Wonderful World was selected by Feedspot as one of the Top 100 Philippines Lifestyle Blogs on the web.
It’s been quite a journey since my first ever post in January 2008. I couldn’t imagine I am able to maintain and keep this personal space of mine in this online world for 14 years! I built this blog when I was still a regular employee for a small company that caters computer products. My motivation back then was to earn online on the side, I did research on how to make money online while working with a regular day job and it all led me to blogging!
This blog has been my comfort zone and sound board for all my musings! I promise to keep this for as long as I am alive. haha! I used to manage 6 websites and this is the only one left and keeping this with or without sponsored posts. I may not be able be as consistent as before in posting an update but am sure to keep you posted every once in awhile for an update with what’s happening around. So much happened for the past 2 years during the pandemic and I hope to share what happened and things we experienced during and after surviving the new normal.
I finally had the chance to give a personal update here… I don’t know, I just don’t find that ‘spark’ I used to have whenever something happens to me and so always excited to blog about it. But I was actually doing some sort of microblogging via Instagram, you can follow me @Dezruol if you want. The last personal update here was way back October last year. It was about my My First BPO Experience and quitting after 3 years. I decided to switch jobs as a Data and Admin Representative. No more taking in calls and paying a lot more than talking. Haha!
So many things happened then in between, it was a smooth and less stressful time…or so I thought. Until the year 2020 came.
January 1, 2020 Last photo taken with my mom (far left), also the last time I was able to talk to her.
January 12, 2020. The Taal Volcano erupted and spewed ashes across Calabarzon, Metro Manila, and some parts of Central Luzon. I was able to take a snap of the Ash fall in our terrace the next day. Classes and work were suspended and most are advised to wear a mask.
Ashfall have reached NCR and all were advised to wear masks.
The shortage of masks started upon the Taal Volcano eruption, I was able to buy one online with the help of my co-worker for a washable mask with filter. little did we know that it will be part of our ‘new normal’ now.
Come January 15, dear daughter is having an on-off high fever so we decided to rush her to the ER and was admitted due to a cellulitis in her elbow. She had to stay for about 3 days.
And on January 22, 2020 I had to urgently seek help on where to get blood for my mom who had to undergo toe amputation. So grateful to my FB friends who helped out and to the immediate action of Philippine Red Cross.
They immediately got the details of the blood we needed and contacted the nearest blood bank.
January 25,2020. We had our annual childhood friends reunion and asked some long ‘lost friends’ to join and were happy they came… Only to miss Joseph here in this group… Was it a sort of premonition?!
Annual Childhood friends reunion
It was January 26, when rumours of a suspected Covid19 ( Coronavirus) case spread over the internet. A Male Chinese was rushed to a Manila based (Binondo) hospital with suspected coronavirus symptoms.
February 9, 2020. I received a call from my niece crying and said ‘wala na si Nanay’. I was so surprised because as per their last update, the operation for toe amputation was successful. She was just out of the hospital in less than a week and then the phone call… My niece said Nanay has not eaten a lot the past few days and is supposed to go back for a follow up check up… which did not happen anymore…
February 11,2020. One of the saddest birthday I ever had. As I’ve said, how can you celebrate your birthday when the life of the person who gave birth to you just lost hers? How ironic life is really… Mom were finally laid to her rest on the 15 of February 2020.
February 18, 2020. We were able to push through with our Davao trip that was booked late last year. DH and I with his nephew and sisters with their husbands. See photo below with the captions. These photos were uploaded and taken on my Facebook timeline..
Maayong Buntag Davao! First order of the day, buy a Loperamide ? and an early morning walk around the city.
Love the complimentary cake and comfy bed. Staff were all polite and helpful
Day3. Overview Bukidnon. Bemwa Farm. Stopover at Reel Place to have breakfast. We didn’t make it to Hillsview Sea of clouds due to rough road but the Overview Bukidnon is also a sight to behold. Thank you Davao for the wonderful opportunity to see your beauty! #davao#overviewbukidnon#bemwafarm @ Overview Nature and Culture Park – Kipolot, Palacapao, Quezon, Bukidnon
A quick meet up with Davao based blogger friends Tere & Chikai! Thank you for your time Ladies!
It was just a 3 days short trip but was enough for me to recharge and really feels good to connect with nature. We would really love to go back. So grateful we had this trip. Little did we know it would be our last travel before the pandemic. So I thought everything will now turn back to normal after getting the much needed break from all the chaos. OR so it seems. When I came back to work and did the usual routine until the news about the virus was getting extreme already. On the second week of March, there are rumours going around of the lockdown in certain areas. Panic buying started and a lot of people were frightened of course. The President announced the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) to take effect on March 16, 2020.
Our client was compassionate enough to let us work from home. However, after a few days, we were advised that the company can no longer cope up due to the Pandemic and they need to terminate our service as data and admin representative. We were given a chance to work until the 3rd week of April. The company is no longer generating any sales/ income as there are also restrictions imposed in their country. It was really saddening.
How did we cope up during the Quarantine period? Prayers, keeping ourselves busy, me still working online, DH does the cooking, bake goodies and fed us with delightful dishes. The kids just stayed home ( they were not able to finish the last term in school as the government also decided to suspend classes until further notice. Kids keep them busy with phones, games, etc. Play with our Aimee.
Both of our kids had their Birthday in Quarantine edition
Nicco’s Bday in May
Gabby celebrated her birthday in April
One of the things that keeps me sane was doing urban gardening and potted plants. Feels good seeing how you were able to nurture these babies and watch them grow under your care.
From Enhanced Community Quarantine, it was lifted to a more relaxed restriction ofGeneral Community Quarantine last 1st June 2020. This is where the movement of all persons shall be limited to accessing essential goods and services, and for work in the offices or industries permitted to operate. Movement for leisure is not allowed. You can read here the ECQ and GCQ Guidelines. From this day, I felt the effect of being in quarantine for months. When people around us are getting back on track, I have felt being left out as I lost my job during the quarantine and no more work to go back to. With a zero income and a lot of bills that piled up during the lockdown period, I got scared and a bit depressed on how to move on from everything.
With millions of people who lost their jobs and businesses, finding one was really hard. I have to fully utilise time and resources to find one. I have revisited my online job hunting accounts and sent numerous applications. Working from home of course is the best option in this case as working onsite is still very risky in catching the virtus.
The very first thing I did upon the lift of the ECQ is to accomplish paperworks in securing the unemployment benefits and filing of calamity loan (which was done via online). So i have funds to use to cope up with the many bills (electricity, water, postpaid plans , etc) including daily essentials expenses that piled up.
I was also able to find a part time job online doing data admin tasks. We were able to set up a new PC for my kids online learning system as part of the ‘new normal” because going back to school ‘physically’ is on hold for as long as there is no cure or vaccine as per the government. So our 2 kids need to have their own PC for themselves as sharing I believe is not possible if they have the same class schedule and I need to have one for myself for my online work.
Setting up my kids online learning nook. Hopefully I can set up my own workstation too.
I am using the new PC set for now since their online class will begin by last week of August next month.
Finally landing a work frome online job
I was finally offered a full time job. I started part-time during training and then my client finally decided to offer it full time for me. The job itself is very easy although quite overwhelming when there’s a huge upload feed but still manageable enough for me. The good thing is that I can still have another work contract as long as I meet the deliverables on them.
I started this blogpost on the 5th June and it is already 26th July today and decided to have this published. It ook more that a month to finish this off as there are a lot of offline activities that caught me in between. We are still under the GCQ and there are still rising cases of Covid19. Total cases as of 24 July 2020 is 76,444.
It is still a long journey ahead to fight the Covid19 and Christmas is fast approaching. Despite all the challenge, I am still grateful and thankful for a lot of things… safety, good health, food to eat, a roof under our head. Most important of all. The gift of LIFE and we are still ALIVE amidst the chaos and pandemic. We all hope to survive and keeping our Faith!
So here’s my mandatory blog post to start the year 2018. Haha! Kidding! The year 2017 has taught us all lessons that we learned from. Carry on to this year, we all just wanted to start anew. Good vibes and positivity only!
DH and I minus the kids. You all know how hard it is to keep the kids sit still to capture that perfect family picture right?! Hahaha!
I started the year right ahead. Went to work early! (Yes, I have shift today!) Even though there was no PUV’s (Public Utility Vehicles)available, DH was kind enough to take the risk to send/ drive (motorcycle) me off to work. Spend only 5 hours to work, the rest is already allotted for PTOs’ (paid time off). Not bad for a start this year for work as I only got less than 10 calls and mostly are only emails to work on. Oh well, good luck tomorrow for the queuing! Haha.
I can only wish a good health and may we be able to surpass again whatever challenges we might encounter along as the year 2018 rolls. Of course, we are so looking forward to another year full of hope, good memories to last and cherish again and a fruitful one to enjoy.
It’s been awhile since I made updates of our weekend happenings. I filed a 2 days PTO (Paid Time Off) at work in two separate days last week, that was Tuesday and then Friday. Last Friday, I was able to go to a salon nearby our house to have my long overdue pedicure done. Haha!
Ian and I went to buy a new conditioner for our room. We have replaced our old Koppel 2 HP with an LG 1 HP Aircon. Our old one is really energy consuming and is costing too much off our budget. So we’ll see how it goes for the brand new one.
LG Aircon (1 HP)
After lunch, we went to Manila to do some errand and we were stranded due to the heavy rains at around 5 pm. We were able to reach home at around 8 in the evening. We had our lunch to one of Binondo’s best fastfood restaurant Wai Ying, too bad as we weren’t able to take a snap of the foods that we ordered as Ian phone’s battery is already drained. I had milk tea and Rice Toppings (Minced Beef) Ian had pork something that I forgot and black gulaman. We also ordered chicken feet, Hakaw and Bean curd roll which tastes like kikiam for me. Haha!
Saturday, off we went to Megamall to meet a client and I was able to buy a new lipstick and new wireless mouse for our notebook and blanket and towel.
Genius Wireless Mouse
Vice Ganda Lipstick in the shade of ‘Kavouge’
Fleece blanket and Towel at SM Department Store
Sunday was spent at home while I do the laundry and Ian takes charge to look after the ongoing renovations for Gabby’s room. Can’t wait to see the outcome as we have already spent quite a lot of our budget for it. I am planning to put up a little office corner there. So we really need o save up again. That’s it for now… time to sleep!
Or should I say a new second hand notebook. haha! Finally, after two years when our personal computer (desktop) died. We did even tried to revive it a year ago by spending about $75 to buy a memory and motherboard, but it still didn’t able to make it. We gave up.
I had to gave up on blogging for quite awhile. I also did let go of My Online World website. I almost lost this website but thanks to my blogger friends who did lend me some PayPal funds to recover this blog. I just really can’t let this go. This is my online haven and it would really break my heart if I’ll lose My Life in this Wonderful World.
If you can still remember when I resigned from work almost three years ago and did try to venture in the food business with DH at home. Then stopped when he got sickly and started my journey on finding a new work and ventured into the BPO industry.
It was quite a struggle on the first few months or for quite a year I must say. A mixed of many things that happen in between my job, family and personal thing. But were so glad we were able to surpass it all.
So much for the side story. Hee! DH and I went this morning to look around to buy a notebook. As much as I want to buy a brand new, funds were not enough. Good thing, we were able to find this.
Lenovo Ideapad 110 14IBR Laptop
Processor
Up to Intel® Celeron® N31600 Processor (1.60GHz 2MB)
Operating System
Windows 10 Home
Graphics
Up to Intel® HD Graphics 405
Webcam / Microphone
0.3MP with Microphone
Memory
Up to 4GB DDR3 1600 MHz (Onboard)
Storage
Up to 1TB 5400 RPM
Audio
Stereo Speakers with Dolby Audio™
Battery
24WHr; Up to 3 Hours Video Playback
Display
14″ HD Glossy (1366 x 768) with integrated camera
Dimensions (W x D x H)
(inches) : 13.38″ x 9.64″ x 0.9″
(mm) : 340 x 245 x 22.9
Weight
Starting at 4.4 lbs (2 kg)
Colors
Ebony Black
Optical Drive
Built-in DVD Recordable Drive
WiFi
WiFi 802.11 a/c
LAN
10/100M
Bluetooth®
Bluetooth® 4.0 Combo with WiFi Card
Ports
1 x USB 3.0
1 x USB 2.0
3.5 mm Combo Audio Jack
1 x HDMI™
1 x RJ45 Ethernet
4-in-1 Card Reader (SD, SDHC, SDXC, MMC)
More specs and information about the product from Lenovowebsite .
We were able to get this for almost half of the price yet the unit is in very smooth condition. Really fits in for my browsing and blogging needs. Kids can even play simple games. I can say that I should be back on track with blogging moving forward. I have a long list of things and updates to share.
I woke up around 1 am this morning to the hurling winds outside. I was quite nervous as we’ve been all reading a lot about this super typhoon to hit the Central and Northern Luzon this Sunday Morning.
As of this time, we are under Storm Signal No.2. Good thing it was a Sunday as there’s no classes. It just feels like yesterday when we had the Ondoy Experience six years ago. We will never be getting used to having typhoons even if we get a lot of them year round.
As for personal updates, it was like we are still struggling and dealing from a so “typhoon” in our lives. It was exhausting and painful. Mentally, physically, emotionally and even our Faith is being put to test. We are drained financially. Our kitchen is closed, bills are piling up, we can’t keep up with our daily expenses as we don’t have any income. We are broke!
But, good thing I still get to earn a little from freelance work. Direct advertisers would pop me a message every once in awhile just when I needed them most. Hahaha! But there’s a downside, our PC broke down ( see how timely?!) I would work around using my phone and borrow my SIL’s netbook. Thank goodness for the free WIFI 😀
Yes, I just have to take note of the little things to be grateful for because I know that God’s still on our side despite all theses things happening. We’re a survivor, we will overcome this. ( I just hope and pray soon)
I am planning of going back to find a regular day job and Ian to continue on running our eatery. I guess, we just have to be more patient and wary of all the lessons the we got from this situation.
Hoping to get back on the right track, so please help us again dear Lord!
I will also be updating on products that I received again from some local generous company. Still waiting for the others to arrive. I guess this blog would be some sort of a beauty blog for the meantime. Haha!
Since we were just nakiki-Wi-Fi with our SIL, they almost had a month long internet connection problems with Globe (intermittent WLAN connection) and finally resolved this week by getting a new line and modem, we were also greatly affected. Haha! There were times that I had to check out emails on a not so nearby computer shop rentals, which I wonder why are they no longer in an air-conditioned area and not to mention the screaming DOTA players. Hehe. Not really suitable for me who sometimes need to rush out on some writing assignments.
I also felt sad that I had to let go of another blog which was given by a dear blogger friend. I really have no choice because I don’t have the funds to keep it up. 🙁 Another thing, I need to fix some problems offline. I even have to turn down a very good offer (job) from a friend for some reasons. Haay! It’s a blow by blow conflicts that are really taking a toll on our lives. We’re still struggling and still coping up. Time and again, I know things will get better in the end. My mom got hospitalized late last week due to high blood sugar level and we were not able to visit her 🙁 Just received a call late yesterday from my sister that she was finally discharged (Thank God!) and taking insulin shot were no longer recommended by her new doctor. Ian and I were so looking forward to visit her soon in their new home somewhere in south.
Kids are doing ok in their new school ( First Periodical Test are up by early next month). I have a lot of catching to do with regards to their milestones. Still keeping up with taking pictures of them every now and then, only I don’t get to share them lately on FB nor Instagram. Another thing, I hope to get some freelancing jobs again.
Catch up soon again… I hope to have some happy and cheery posts next time 🙂
I was suppose to continue from where I left off with my last post, but I totally forgot due to stress (caused by I don’t know if it’s the connection or the PC itself). 😀 I even made a note of my upcoming posts only to be dismay because I lost all the pictures I needed for it. It was about all the sample products (freebies) that I received from EverydayMe. I remember registering in their site late last year and received the Ariel Powder soap and Downy Fabric Conditioner along with the membership card and a few discount coupons.
Next came were diapers ( I forgot the brand), then the Pantene 3 Minute Miracle Conditioner, Whisper Cottony X-Long, Downy Parfum Timeless Collection Scent Switcher. Those were really all good products as I have really tried and tested and gain favorable results with it.
Oh well, I really need a good “smart phone” for myself for my blogging needs. Tehee. Anyway, last Friday, since we could not open the kitchen due to flood in our street ( due to the DPWH project that is taking more than 49 years already!) Ian told me that he’ll teach me how to make an Egg Pie! and since I am not really a fan of cooking nor baking, I didn’t get excited with the idea! Hahaha!
But hey, I was wrong, when I finally was able to make my very own crust and get to taste the fruit of my labor, I think I fell in love with baking?!
We didn’t get the perfect color of the topping because we omitted doing the egg white foam?! Oh, but it really taste good!!! We were able to fill 2 pie dish and about 16 slices all in all. Happy tummy is what we really had that day!
Today is my son’s birthday. He got all his gifts as early as last month so for today, DH cooked pasta Carbonara. While the birthday celebrant and his big sister is out to attend their playmate’s 7th birthday, which they said had big pig (Lechon!), unlimited dirty ice cream, cakes, spaghetti, clowns, lots of food and plenty of games. They indeed enjoyed the day. Whew! Seems like the little forgot that it was his birthday eh. Haha!
This month is about to end this week. I am so looking forward to a fruitful and productive week ahead. I hope that I may be able to continue to update this blog more often like this. I missed blogging. Also, May God grant our wish for the kids soon. I hope you are enjoying the last days for the summer vacation! Have a great week ahead everyone!
… Gabby, celebrated her 11th Birthday on April 27th. 🙂 Nothing grand, DH cooked pasta carbonara and we bought her Mango cake from Red Ribbon. She invited a couple of friends and treated them merienda. Prior to that ( about first week of April I think), she posted over at her FB account that she wanted to have Hamsters as a gift.
But… both died a day after Gabby’s birthday 🙁 Nicco even captured them on video that morning, they were so cute being so playful and active. I think they died due to heat stroke because I left them at the terrace around 10 a.m and forgot to bring them inside the room. I only remember when I went out and saw them around 2 p.m. and It was freakin’ hot! I immediately took them inside the room and noticed they hardly move. They didn’t make it that day. The kids buried them the next day in our garden. They even offered them prayers that they both go to Pet Heaven. DH wanted to buy the kids another pair but I asked him not too soon. We had to let the summer end first because they might not be able to survive the weather.
Nicco on the other hand, got himself a Penny Board and a Vans rubber shoes as his early birthday gift.
School is about to start early next month so I am really hoping to fix our problem soon. I am also looking forward to find a job that will augment our family’s income. The kitchen does not operate on a regular straight 6 days per week so the income t generates cannot really cover all of our needs.
** To be continued (Internet is really getting crappy and PC hangs every five minutes) tomorrow.
But… both died a day after Gabby’s birthday 🙁 Nicco even captured them on video that morning, they were so cute being so playful and active. I think they died due to heat stroke because I left them at the terrace around 10 a.m and forgot to bring them inside the room. I only remember when I went out and saw them around 2 p.m. and It was freakin’ hot! I immediately took them inside the room and noticed they hardly move. They didn’t make it that day. The kids buried them the next day in our garden. They even offered them prayers that they both go to Pet Heaven. DH wanted to buy the kids another pair but I asked him not too soon. We had to let the summer end first because they might not be able to survive the weather.