What's that word again?

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I hate it when I'm writing an article and a word that I want to use is at the tip of my tongue. I know the meaning and how to use it but I can't, for the life of me, remember the word!

I feel like shouting, sometimes I end up asking someone to help me out. And most of the time, that someone is my son. Imagine how silly it must have looked (to him) when he was just 7 years old. He must be thinking, I thought my mom is smart!

I had to act out the word, explain what it means, give an example of a situation where that word can be used. It's like playing Pictionary. But totally different because I don't feel so good about myself when my son finally suggests a very simple word and I say, "Oh yeah, that's the word".

But he always makes me smile in the end because he pinch my cheek and gives me a kiss while saying, "You're getting so forgetful, Mama".

Have you ever been in this situation?

traffic on a saturday afternoon

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I'm right now caught in traffic, in the Greenhills area, running very late in picking up my son from school. Yes, they have school this Saturday to make-up for the more than a week without classes last month due to typhoons.

I don’t know if La Salle has school also. So I'm right now at the edge of my seat, very stressed, worrying the school bus might leave without us. I just hope the delivery van in front of us go faster than the turtle-speed that it's doing right now.

I thought there won’t be any traffic here during weekends. I will never use this way again, even on a Saturday.

Pag-IBIG Fund’s Calamity Loan

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I ride a taxi everyday, usually before 3pm, to pick up my son from school. Most taxis at this time listen to Raffy Tulfo's radio show Sumbong at Aksyon.

Since the Habagat last August, the show has been airing an advertisement for Pag-IBIG Calamity Loan. But today is the only time that I've really listened to it. If you have been badly hit by Habagat or last week's flooding, you most probably need to have your house renovated or need to replace the refrigerator that got broken because of flood water.

Here's new information from Pag-IBIG on how to apply for a Calamity Loan.

LOAN PURPOSE
The program provides financial assistance to Pag-IBIG member-victims in calamity-stricken areas.

BORROWER ELIGIBILITY
Member must have made at least 24 monthly contributions.

Member is actively paying contributions at the time he applies for a loan, and commits to continuously remit contributions for the term of the loan. A resident of the area which is declared calamity-stricken.

LOAN AMOUNT
The member is entitled to borrow up to 80% of the Total Accumulated Value (TAV) of his savings with yearly interest rate of 5.95 percent (previous rate before August 2012 was 10.75 percent).

For members with existing MPLs, the outstanding loan balance shall be deducted from the proceeds of the calamity loan.

LOAN PERIOD/RENEWAL
The loan shall be amortized over a period of 24 months with a grace period of 5 months.

Should another calamity occur in the same area, a borrower may renew his calamity loan any time. The outstanding balance of his existing loan, together with any accrued interests, penalties and charges, shall be deducted from the proceeds of the new loan.

AVAILMENT PERIOD
The Pag-IBIG member-victim must avail himself of the Pag-IBIG Calamity Loan within a period of 90 days from the occurrence of the calamity.

PAG-IBIG HOTLINE NO: 724-4244

Save on Electricity Cost with CFL Lights

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I was browsing the different early morning news on TV and a news report about the energy department giving away free CFL lights caught my attention. I googled it but can’t find a news about it though.

I have not used incandescent bulbs for years because it apparently consume so much energy. CFL lights, although more expensive, lasts longer than traditional bulbs. Using CFL lights also lowers down a households electrical consumption. I wonder why manufacturers don't just discontinue the production of yellow lights to help solve the problem of using too much electricity. They should just develop CFL lights that costs as much as the cheap incandescent bulbs that a lot of people still use. 

But there apparently is a downside to using CFL according to a July 2011 study:

Once broken, a compact fluorescent light bulb continuously releases mercury vapor into the air for weeks to months, and the total amount can exceed safe human exposure levels in a poorly ventilated room, according to study results reported in Environmental Engineering Science, a peer-reviewed online only journal published monthly by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. ~greenwashinglamps.wordpress.com/2012/09/02/defra-cfl-faq/

Good thing I’ve never broken a CFL bulb in the house. And based on the study, the mercury exposure is not safe for humans only if the bulb gets broken in a poorly ventilated room. Still, safe material handling should always be main priority when changing and disposing a CFL bulb. The study may or may not be wrong but it’s still better to be safe than sorry.

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

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Kim Kardashian will never be my definition of sexy. Guys may love her curves but I think her "behind" is so huge it doesn't look normal for a human being to have! Nor will she ever be part of my Loveliest Locks list, even if her hairdresser use the most expensive and high-tech texturizing shears.

Angelina's lips is envied by women, but not me. Same sentiments I have with Kim K's behind, too huge. But I do envy her toned body on Tomb Raider.

But no matter what I say here, these two ladies will always be the loveliest in the eyes of Kanye West and Brad Pitt so I rest my case.

Best Moisturizing Lotion

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When I was younger, and didn't have much to do, I used to put lotion all over my body after every bath. But I don't have the time to do that anymore, around once a year maybe but not more than that, because I have my hands full with housework and my online job as well.

I also can't find a lotion that can help nourish my skin and not sticky at the same time. Those that I've tried so far are sticky + still leaves my skin dry or nourishes my skin + sticky.

In this hot, humid weather that we have in this country, I can't handle a sticky feel all over my skin every time I sweat.

So I'm still on the lookout for that perfect moisturizing lotion. Care to share what you use and why you love it?

keeping your mind sharp

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We exercise to keep our body strong and healthy. But it’s not only our body that needs our attention. Our brain also needs “exercise” to keep it alert. As early as now, I’m 35 turning 36 in exactly 3 days, I try to give my brain the exercise that it needs.

Here are some of the things that I do to hopefully keep my brain healthy and alert.

1. Board Games - I do this with my son every night. It’s our bonding time before going to sleep and aside from helping me get the “brain exercise” that I need, it helps my son use his “thinking cap” as well.

2. Books - I like espionage books, it makes my brain “excited”. Thriller and science fiction also does the same thing. When I read these books, my mind works overtime, ahead of what I’m actually reading.

3. Puzzle - I used to buy these huge puzzles -floor and building puzzles. But our condo is quite small so we don’t have a space for that now. I'm thinking of buying money puzzles, me and my son can use this in lieu of our before-bedtime chess game once in a while.

4. Facebook Games - I play Bejeweled Blitz and Diamond Dash to keep my mind sharp. Other 3-in-a-row games will also do the trick.

Do you take care of your brain? What do you do to make it sharp, healthy and make sure that it’s still useful when you reach the “prime of your life”?