Friday, April 30, 2010

mommy moments

The theme for this week’s Mommy Moments is “Blue,” pictures of our kids with anything blue. Here are pictures of my son wearing blue and some of his blue toys, too.


At Globe Center, Robinsons Galleria



In his blue raincoat



Wearing blue Chinese costume



Riding his blue pony



Another blue toy: Thomas the Tank Engine

Click on the badge above to see more blue kiddie stuff.

Even if our desktop is already slow and old, I’m still not discarding it because I use it as backup, that is, if something happens to our laptop, I can still work using our 6-year-old unbranded desktop. Do you think a branded desktop, like HP desktop computers, would last longer than 6 years? That’s something I would like to know.


Thursday, April 29, 2010

Nanay was discharged from the Philippine Heart Center today. The cardiologist who performed her coronary angiogram advised us to lessen Nanay’s physical activities as her heart is already weak. The doctor also asked us when we would like to schedule Nanay’s bypass surgery, but we said we don’t have the resources yet. While he offered a special medical package for the procedure, the amount is beyond all of us siblings can afford. That's because we all live paycheck to paycheck, and each has his/her own family obligations. Times like these make me wish I were rich.


I’m not really a fan of skinny jeans because I find them too restricting. I prefer flare jeans because they are comfortable to wear and they are quite stylish, too. If I have money to spare right now, I would buy a few pairs of Hudson jeans, but I don’t, so I will have to make do with what I have.


Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Nanay’s coronary angiogram was done at 9am today. She was brought back to her room at 11am, still groggy from the anesthesia. There was pressure dressing in her right groin where the catheter was inserted. A sandbag was also placed above the catheter insertion site for added pressure to prevent hematoma and/or bleeding. When her cardiologist arrived 2 hours later, he asked us if we’d like to have the results discussed in Nanay’s room or somewhere else. My sister and I chose to talk to the doctor in another room.

The prognosis is not good. Eighty to ninety percent of Nanay’s heart is blocked. Three coronary arteries are affected. The cardiologist said the problem cannot be solved by angioplasty. He is not too keen on bypass surgery either, although he said he’d consult with the heart surgeon about this option. As I was writing this post, the cardiologist texted me the heart surgeon’s opinion on the matter. He said bypass surgery might work. That gave us a glimmer of hope, but the cost of the surgery is something we can’t afford. He said we’ll be needing Php400,000.00 to Php450,000.00 for the entire surgical procedure.

We’re at a stalemate here. We’re not sure what to do next. We really don’t know if the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) can help. If there’s anybody out there who knows, please be kind enough to inform us. Your help will be greatly appreciated.


Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Nanay (my mother) was admitted at the Philippine Heart Center today. Her cardiologist/angiographer who arranged a room reservation for her admission advised us last Saturday to call the hospital’s Admitting Department at 12noon today. That’s to prevent long waiting time for the patient. I’ve been calling the hospital non-stop from 10am to 1pm, but I couldn’t get through. The line was always busy, so we decided to just go to the hospital and wait when a room would become available for Nanay.

We arrived at the hospital at 2:30pm. We didn’t know that kids below 7 years old aren’t allowed inside the hospital. Ergo, Justin and his Ate April had to wait outside. There was a good enough waiting area inside the hospital compound, which served as Justin’s temporary playground. We should have heeded the good doctor’s advice to go to the hospital only if we know for sure that there’s already a room available for Nanay because we waited for 4 hours at the hospital lobby. Only when we informed the admitting clerk that Nanay is already tired and needed to rest did a hospital staff escorted us to her room. The nurse on duty told us that the room was just recently vacated, which explained the long wait.

Because the room is quite small, only one person is allowed to stay with the patient after visiting hours. That has to be Tatay (my father). Before we left, we made sure to talk with the doctor who was making rounds at that time.. Nanay’s coronary angiogram is scheduled at 9am tomorrow, so my sister and I had to be at the hospital early. We’re all hoping for the best. Please help us pray that Nanay’s heart condition would not require surgery.


If you have recently moved to California to settle down with your life partner, chances are you’ll be needing an ideal place to start a family. Things are much easier if you already have a love nest waiting for you. All that you have to do now is to accessorize your home to make it conducive to family life.

First things first, you need to equip your home with the necessary furniture. Make sure you have a sturdy bed frame and a comfortable mattress in your bedroom, as well as side tables and bedside lamps. A few wonderful pieces of La Jolla furniture can help you achieve the look you want for your bedroom.

Next, you’ll need a couch, a coffee table, a console table, chairs, and side and end tables in your living room. Try decorating your living room with elegant pieces of Del Mar furniture for a change. You can also add style and sophistication to your bathroom with stylish Escondido furniture.

What’s great about looking for furniture in various shops is you get to see a wide selection of items, which means you’ll have a lot to choose from, and you can also compare prices to find what’s best for your needs.


Monday, April 26, 2010

Finally, Pensive Thoughts has a new look! After almost two years of active blogging, my website received a wonderful makeover courtesy of Kaye, the blog designer extraordinaire! This new template has been ready for installation since last week, but a family emergency came up, and I’ve been sidetracked.

Just a brief backgrounder, I wanted my blog to look cool, clean, and organized. This new template definitely achieved those objectives, and I couldn’t be happier! I also think the girl in my header, who looks like me, captures the essence of “Pensive Thoughts,” which is reflective (not sad) thinking. I’m so loving my new button and siggy, too!

I needed something to make me smile today because my Nanay will be admitted to the Philippine Heart Center tomorrow for a coronary angiogram. Seeing my lovely customized template really boosts me up. Thanks so much, Kaye!



This is my official entry to the “Humor Me Makoy Contest.” I have been following Makoy’s blog, and I consider his “Funny Corned Beef Story” post the funniest because it shows that it’s better to keep your food to yourself than be generous when you’re living on a tight budget or you’ll starve! Wahahaha! This post is also filled with wits. On the kids’ part, it shows how the flesh is stronger than the spirit. Because they like Purefoods corned beef so much, they simply couldn’t resist the urge to get their fill of your delicious fare to the point where you’re left with almost nothing. It’s a good thing that you’re not really hungry at that time. LOL! That post also articulates the point that it’s human nature to crave for what others have. The kids already have chicken, but it’s your corned beef that they want. Finally and most importantly, your post shows how Filipinos, no matter where they are in the world, are certified corned beef lovers.

And this is my own funny story: This incident happened last December 2009. At 3 years and 5 months old, our son Justin was already adept at using both our desktop and laptop in playing online games, watching his favorite YouTube videos, etc. He prefers using the laptop, though, because he says everything is so much faster there. That’s because our poor desktop has been with us for 5 years already and was running on very low memory.

At exactly 5pm from Mondays to Fridays, Justin takes over mommy’s place in front of our laptop. There are days, however, when he would insist that it’s his turn to use our laptop already when I wasn't done with work yet, such as what transpired on this particular work day when he woke up from his afternoon nap crying.

Justin: Mommy, I want to use the laptop.

Mommy: You can’t, baby, mommy’s still working.

This conversation went on for a few more minutes until I got fed up with his whining and decided to use our desktop to give way to my overly demanding son.

Mommy: Justin, that’s mommy and daddy’s laptop. It’s not yours!

Justin: You buy your own laptop, mommy!

I was flabbergasted to hear my preschooler utter those words.


I made a mental note a few days ago to see my cardiologist because I’m alarmed by what I’ve been experiencing lately. It’s not really palpitation, but it’s something unusual. Several times during the day, I would have an odd heartbeat, usually two rapid heartbeats after a normal heartbeat, and I get scared every time that happens. I really don’t know if this is just stress brought about by my mom’s forthcoming coronary angiogram or if it has something to do with my recent weight gain. Now, I’m really serious about shedding off a few pounds, and I’m now being careful with my diet. I’m hesitant to try diet supplements, though. Can you tell me if weight loss drinks are any good?


Sunday, April 25, 2010

Yesterday, we went to the Philippine Heart Center to seek the medical advice of a cardiologist/angiographer if Nanay (my mom) really needs to undergo coronary angiogram. We didn’t bring Nanay along because she didn’t know about this yet. According to the doctor, based on Nanay’s 2D echo result and the other diagnostic tests performed on her that my father presented, Nanay really needs to have this diagnostic procedure done.

According to the doctor, Nanay has coronary artery disease. This means that her heart arteries are blocked. Coronary arteries supply blood to the heart. Blocked coronary arteries may result to a heart attack. The coronary angiogram will show what percentage of Nanay’s heart arteries is blocked.

The doctor said 50% blockage can still be treated with medication, but not if it reaches 70%. When the condition is that bad, the patient needs to undergo angioplasty, the procedure to open narrowed or blocked heart arteries. That is something that our family can’t afford, and we’re all praying that her coronary angiogram will bear good results.


I’ve often heard about the special relationship between men and their cars. There are men who love their cars so much they shower them with tender loving care as if they’re humans. It comes as no surprise then that the ladyloves of these men become jealous of these cars sometimes. Come to think of it, can a woman really compete with his man’s car, especially when it’s a very expensive one? I’m sure a man who owns a Ferrari spends more for his car than he does for his girlfriend or wife. Can you imagine how much Ferrari parts and accessories would cost?


Saturday, April 24, 2010

The other day before Justin went to summer class, he asked me this question.

Justin: Mommy, what is a “bruha”?

Mommy: “Bruha” is the Tagalog word for “witch.” When Mommy is mad, she becomes a “bruha.”

Later that night when I was giving him a shower and I was getting short-tempered because of his delaying tactics, he looked at my face and asked.

Justin: Are you going to be a “bruha,” Mommy?

Mommy: (Laughing now). Yes, so you better hurry!


Friday, April 23, 2010

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of PBM Products. All opinions are 100% mine.


Although there are indications that the United States is on its way to economic recovery, it is not a commonly held perception among supermarket shoppers. According to a nationwide survey of almost 800 grocery shoppers conducted by GfK Custom Research North America for the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA), 8 out of 10 grocery shoppers believe that the U.S. economy is not improving, and 40% say it has actually deteriorated.

Because most shoppers surmise that things have gotten worse, they are always on the lookout for ways to stretch their hard-earned money. In fact, 62% of consumers prefer buying store brand products, like Parent’s Choice, over national brands. Frequent buyers of store brands also increased from 55% a year ago to 57%. Also, 43% of shoppers have given up national brands in favor of store brands.

What’s even more interesting is that 97% of shoppers who switched to store brands are happy with their new preference. Of those surveyed, 49% say their new store brand choices compare “very favorably” with their previous national brand selections, whereas in June 2009, only 26% reported that. All of these key findings are presented in the PLMA Consumer Research Report entitled “Recession, Recovery & Store Brands.”

Visit my sponsor: Recession, Recovery & Store Brands



Thursday, April 22, 2010

mommy moments

For this week’s Mommy Moments, the theme is “Red,” a picture of our kids with anything red. I managed to find a few good red stuff of my son this time. Most of the red toys he has were gifts from his Daddy and his godparents.


Justin wearing red sweatshirt at Gabbie’s birthday party at Kids at Work, Robinsons Galleria last November 2009



Justin wearing another red shirt with Tito O. at our Christmas family get-together last December 2009



Justin’s red toys

Click on the badge above to see more red kiddie stuff.


Wednesday, April 21, 2010

A total of 45 BC Bloggers have joined the BC Bloggers' Party per Paula's invitation. Here's a list of the certified party people:

Paula - A certified BC blogger - wife, mother, employee, blogger all rolled into one.

AC - A proud work-at-home mom and wife.

Bambie --- Living a blissful and simple life in a fast paced city of tokyo with her Love and lil bundle of joy, Azumi. Loves anything kawaii and fabulous things.

Bambie/Sunshine - blogging to let you take a sneak peak into a world that is MINE. This is me, the real me. No hesitations, no presumptions, no holding back. I'm sharing my heart to you, no-holds barred.

Beng - A busy working mom of 2 handsome boys, Financial Analyst by profession.

Cacai M. - a Stay-At-Home-Wife and blogging is my passion. I am happy when people are happy. I view blogging as my open or public diary of random thoughts wherein I can express and share my views, reviews, thoughts, happiness, adventures, and experiences." ~hugs&kisses~

Carmz - Newest Blogger on the Blogosphere! Workaholic, Fun and Crazy Girl of Makati District

Chin chin - Christian stay at home mom blogger blessed with 5 children - Thanks be to God's grace and strength to live the everyday life.

Chris - A follower of Christ who loves being a wife and a stay at home mom.

debrajills diary - A Diary of a Mom and her Journal through Life as a wife, daughter and a mother.

eikcaj - God's extra-ordinary girl....

Fedhz - I have a Kris Aquino mouth and a Judy Ann heart. Yes, I’m very sentimental and talkative and I guess that’s the very reason why I found myself blogging for more than 7 years now.

ferr'zWILL - I am just a simple jolly girl, sweet and heedful lady I love to depict unto others how I feel towards them.

Jade - A certified BC Blogger. Blogaholic, Workaholic but will soon be taking it slow...

Kaye - Blog designer extraordinaire. Not. Just blog designer. And writer, if you could consider my inane blog entries as “writing”. A WAHM from the beautiful city of Baguio, Philippines.

Inigo - Probably the youngest blogger at 21 months old. Posts were as early as fetal age.

Irish - A Christian family woman who's trying to juggle her blogging duties, her full time work, taking care of a 2 year old daughter and being the best wife ever to her hubby.

Just Simple Thoughts - loving wife; loving daughter; loyal friend; wants everything to be fair and just...

Laane - Usually I describe myself as a mom of 6. The oldest 4 are boys, all with an autism spectrum disorder. The youngest is dealing with classic autism. The other 2 are girls. Twins. One is dyslectic, like one of the boys. I'm always busy arranging things for them, solving problems or guiding. Dealing with the problems other people caused is one of the main issues.

Liezl - the frustrated chemist but now a passionate blogger and an aspiring psychologist. Proud Batangeña living all alone in Manila, deeply in-love, spontaneous and witty. A good conversationalist, fearless enough to tackle love, sex and politics.

Lizeewong - I'm a girly girl, mommy and wife. My world is quite simple. It revolves around my babies who amuse me, my husband who completes me and my blog which pleasures me.

Mommy Bonz - Certified BC Blogger. A simple mom and wife with lots of hopes and dreams for her family. Finding time with everything, being a full time mom, wife and an employee and now a part-time blogger.

Mommy Rubz - a simple stay at home mom who takes care of three kids and 40 plus domains.

Nelson - A Surgical Nurse who blogs down his experiences, both clinical and personal. Happily married and now living in the UAE.

Niko - Happy Mom and Wife, Full time office slave and Part time BLOGGER :)

Nicquee - A corporate slave wanting to be WAHM for her kids and husband through blogging

Nuts - Blogging with my family as source of my inspiration..

Peachkins - babaeng bakla. foodie.mahilig magluto.coffee addict.froyo junkie. loves photos.dating call girl[call center agent].loves peanutbutter.NCIS LA & CSI fan. nanonood ng BITAG tuwing sabado ng gabi.....frustrated cop.

Pehpot - is a stay at home mom of four kids. A part time blogger of 8 blogs (and soon to be 10). A novice blogger who always share her new found tips and techniques (through NOOB) and your slave if the price is right.

Red is Marose - simple pero rock, a working mom, a wife, a daughter, a sister and a friend, hoping to be a work at home. A forum addict and now a trying hard blogger.

Ria - Wife, and a mother of one lovely daughter, likes to read books and collect just anything. A person of unpredictable characteristics, stubborn yet soft hearted, active yet demure.

Rossel - Maybe an addict blogger but very proud to say that she is a loving and caring queen of their home.

Rosette - Mysterious gal who finds happiness and contentment in her son and partner.

Sam - Adik na WAHMmy (Work At Home Mommy). Former call girl, este call center agent.

Sarah - A mother of two wonderful smart and active kids. A wife, enjoys singing, playing the piano, and a friend in need...

Shamrocks and Shenanigans - I'm a Wife, Mom, short order cook, driver, maid, gopher....My life is perfect. I am happily married...unless he takes the remote from me. I love food and I love to cook.

Sherry Rambling; Blogger: Live, Love, Laugh

Shydub - stay at home Mom, full time wife and started blogging since 2008 as pastime and moolah maker.

Tetcha – A WAHM chronicling her experience as a mother and wife and everything else in between.

Valerie/Surreal Princess - travel enthusiast, half –vampire, half-human, multi-tasking extraordinaire. Backpacker, Blogger, budding photographer, housewife and work at home
diva.

Verabear - I’ve been blogging here and there for about four or five years. I write for myself mainly, but I am happy whenever I get visits from both friends and strangers (*hint* I love getting comments!).

Vernz - A mother of three who loves free, budding potter, frustrated painter, trying hard blogger, dedicated teacher and a devoted mother.

Yami - Owns three blogs and work full time as work-at-home mom. I write just about anything that caught my interest and earn at the same time.

Yuuki - the drama queen, otaku, junkie collector, shopaholic, book worm, traveler, scientist, blogger, entrepreneur, lover, friend, fighter, survivor – complexity to the max!

Zoan - the single-mom blogger from Bukidnon.

Kerslyn - A work-at-home wife, hubby's cook, chef wannabe, and shutter button addict. Half Ilocana and half Bisaya with a Chinese taste buds.

Josie - Mother of three grown-ups, work at home mom, managing a home-based business,workaholic, busy as a bee but still trying my hand on blogging.

Gracia - A savvy chick with a big heart for fashion.

Kayce - I'm a stay at home mom, a businesswoman who manages our own business, an ebay seller, a singer-musician, a Christian and a servant of the Lord.

Charmie - I'm a frustrated career woman, a responsible, loving daughter and a sister.

ferry'zPROFESSION - A happy fulltime employee who loves to snip some of my time to blog, being a multi task is my game.

Mommy Liz - I am a wife and a mother to my 4 wonderful children and to 2 more, so we have 6 beautiful kids. I am a Stay at home mom and I am proud of it.

Maritz - A Civil Engineer by profession but work full time as a church admin officer. A fulfilled wife to a loving and God fearing husband and a mother of two wonderful children.


Not being able to fit easily into my pre-pregnancy pants, which used to be a breeze, I know I’ve gained a few inches around the waist, which means I’ve gotten heavier, too. Losing weight doesn’t seem to be a problem when I was in my 20s, but not now. At 38, I feel my metabolism is slowing down, that is, I’m not burning as much calories now compared to when I was younger. It doesn’t help that my work requires me to sit down in front of the computer for 8 hours each day. Getting older and living a sedentary life is not a very good combination, so I’m looking for ways to live healthier. First, I need to find an ideal workout for work-at-home moms like me. Then, I need to cut down my daily rice, red meat, and sugar intake. Finally, I have to look for weight loss supplements to help me trim down.


Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Because I wasn’t feeling well (emotionally, that is), last Saturday, having just underwent MRI of the brain that morning and because I had a tiff with my husband the previous night, I badly needed to boost my deflated ego by buying something nice for myself. I really had no idea what to buy until I saw Happy Feet Sandals’ Buy 1 Take 1 promo.

Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t buy a pair of these wooden sandals because of the price. Anything above Php1,000.00 for personal stuff is already costly for me. But, hey, I was getting two for the price of one! So that means I was just going to pay Php750.00 for each pair. I got two pairs of the same style but different colors (aqua blue and fuchsia). Aren’t they lovely?

Because these wooden sandals are quite popular here in the Philippines, I also did my research to find out what the hype is all about. I went to Happy Feet Sandals’ website (happyfeetsandals.com), and here’s what I discovered.

History of Happy Feet Sandals
A young Filipino banker who was living in Germany in the late 60s and his wife took one of their daughters to an orthopedic surgeon to have her pigeon toes and knocked knees checked. The doctor recommended she wore wooden orthopedic sandals and hard plastic sole inserts. In less than a year, her pigeon toes and knocked knees were corrected. The daughter also said that the wooden sandals were comfortable to walk in.

This gave the Filipino banker an idea. After he returned to the Philippines in mid-70s and with the help of his friends, he founded Happy Feet. Happy Feet wooden sandals became a hit among college students because of their unisex style, amazing comfort, and interchangeable straps. Happy Feet sandals were re-launched in 2002 to cater to a whole new generation of Filipinos.

Benefits of Using Happy Feet Sandals after Sports
1. They massage tired foot muscles for faster recovery.
2. They support arch, ball, and heel to take pressure off these vital parts.
3. They alternately stretch and relax sole and calf muscles while walking to cool down muscles.

So, what do you think, is Happy Feet a good buy?


If you want to get rid of toxins in your colon that could lead to various diseases, then you should consider colon cleansing. What you need is an effective and reliable colon cleanser to start with this detoxification process. Colonix is one of the most popular colon cleansers in the market today. Now, I’m not an expert on this subject, but I think it would be wise to read various Colonix reviews first before trying this product.


Sunday, April 18, 2010

I had my annual MRI of the brain done yesterday morning at Makati Medical Center. This time around, my son and his new yaya, Ate April, went with me. Because the whole procedure takes more than 1 hour, I had to find a way to keep my mind preoccupied with something else. Although I’ve been having MRI for the past 6 years, lying down with the MRI machine very close to my head still gives me the creeps. As a matter of fact, in all those years, not once did I attempt to open my eyes. I might be claustrophobic for all I know.

This time around, I concentrated on the different sounds that I heard while having my MRI done. It wasn’t the most relaxing thing on earth, but hey, what’s a girl to do? I tried sleeping, but I couldn’t. In no particular order, I listened to what sounded like a knocking on my skull, a drilling sound, the sound made when using a plunger into the toilet bowl, the sound of an electronic gun, the sound of a machine gun firing, and the sound of a sewing machine. I might have missed a few here since I’m writing from memory, and this gal’s memory is getting rusty. LOL!

I realized I got agitated when my mind goes blank. My mouth quivered several times, and so did my eyes, and my head moved a few times, too. Good thing, the radiology technician didn’t ask to redo the entire procedure since he still got a clear reading. I went into the MRI room at 9am and went out 15 minutes past 10am, totally relieved that my MRI for this year was over and done with. Because my latest prolactin test result 3 months ago was normal, I’m positive I’ll have a good MRI result, too. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.


Friday, April 16, 2010

Photobucket

When new acquaintances ask my name, I usually get a follow-up question. “Betcha who?” to which I nicely respond: “It’s Tetcha, not Betcha.” I think “Tetcha” is not really a popular name, but I like it because it’s unique. A classmate and a dear friend in college gifted me that nickname. She said something to this effect: “Teresa is a very common name; why don’t I give you something not so ordinary?” The nickname has stuck with me since then; the year was 1988. I’ve been called Tetcha for 22 years now. Whew! Has it been that long since my college days?


Mommy and Justin at Canyon Cove Residential Beach Resort last weekend

I graduated cum laude from UST with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Arts. I’ve worked mostly for outsourcing companies, first in a litigation coding firm, then medical abstracting/indexing firm, then medical transcription and legal transcription company, and now in an online tutorial company. I head a small group of online writing tutors, and I’m one of the online instructors as well. I used to work in the office, but decided to work from home because I wanted to be there for my son all the time. I don’t want to miss out on what’s happening in his life, so yes, you can call me a protective, paranoid, and doting mom.


My husband in China last December 2009

I’ve been married for 13 years (going 14 years in August) to a very responsible man and a loyal partner who has borne my stubbornness all these years. He’s hardheaded, too, so there are times we really clash, but those are the things that make our marriage more interesting. If there’s one thing we have in common, that’s the love of food and eating out. But since we realized we’re not getting any younger, we agreed to reduce our food intake inside and outside the house.

Our son is turning four this July. Most of my colleagues’ kids are in elementary or high school, but my son is only a preschooler. That’s because it took me nine years to conceive. That’s due to a medical condition known as pituitary adenoma, a tumor in my pituitary gland that suppressed my fertility. When part of the tumor was removed in 2004 and the remaining part was treated by oral medication thereafter, everything went back to normal, and so our miracle baby was born.

I didn’t intend to be a blogger. I didn’t even know what that word meant when I started writing online. LOL! All I wanted was to write down my thoughts (mostly about my son) for posterity’s sake. I never realized how wide an audience I have in the blogosphere, but hey, I’m here now, I started this, I’m loving what I do, I’m meeting new friends, I’m earning a little, too, so why should I stop doing something that makes me happy?

So there, that’s my life story in a nutshell. I hope I didn’t bore you too much.


Thursday, April 15, 2010

mommy moments

This week’s Mommy Moments’ theme is “Yellow,” a picture of our kids with anything yellow. I realized after rummaging through my son’s closet and toy box that he only has a few yellow possessions. I should buy him more yellow shirts because yellow looks good on him. It’s one of his lucky colors, too; that’s according to a friend who consulted a feng shui expert.


My sunburned son wearing yellow shirt and yellow baseball cap with his yellow stuffed toys



The rest of Justin’s yellow toys

Click on the badge above to see more yellow stuff.


Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Because I was left in the dark about my Page Rank (PR) drop from 3 to 2 last week, I did my own research on what causes sudden loss of PR value and PR drops. Let me thank all of those who commented on my “What Happened to My Page Rank?” post for all your input. I became a more enlightened blogger/website owner after reading all of your helpful comments.

Here’s what I found out about Google Page Rank. I hope you’ll find these data useful, too.

What Is Google Page Rank?
Google Page Rank or PR is Google’s evaluation of a website’s importance and popularity based on the quality and number of inbound links from other websites in the Web.

What Causes Sudden Loss of Page Rank and Page Rank Drops?
In the recent months, Google has raised the standards in relation to PR values. According to Google’s new ranking algorithm, in order for a website owner to maintain the same PR value, he/she has to have more quality backlinks. A “quality backlink” is a one-way link from a similar-themed site with a high PR value. The highest quality backlinks are no longer those found in a website’s Blogroll or Blog List, but those embedded into the articles or blog posts of a relevant theme.

Sudden loss of page rank, from PR4 to PR0, for example, may be due to a Google penalty or a significant reduction in the quality and quantity of inbound links. Drops in PR value may be due to the removal of quality one-way links to your site. You may contact the website owners or webmasters of those sites to recover the lost backlinks. “There is usually no immediate change in ranking” when PR value is reduced by one point (e.g., from PR4 to PR3). Do I have a reason to celebrate now?

Should Website Owners Worry about Drops in PR Value of Their Sites?
Not really. Despite lower Page Rank values, website owners can still have better Google ranking than higher-ranked sites if they have good content relating to their site’s niche and if they have more links to similar-themed sites.

Source:
http://www.ksl-consulting.co.uk/google_page_rank.html


Tuesday, April 13, 2010

I couldn’t help but notice that my son Justin hasn’t had colds or cough for almost two months now. That’s new. As far as I can remember, Justin always has colds or cough each month ever since he became a preschooler. Perhaps, that’s because he’s exposed to a lot of kids in school and to pollutants going to and from school.

I think the hot weather is agreeing with him. The last quarter of 2009, the cold months, was when he started having prolonged cough, which was just allergic cough, by the way. He was prescribed Montelukast and Seretide then until this month to help prevent recurrent cough and asthma.

Also, sometime in October or November last year when he had severe cough, his pediatrician noted that he was wheezing, which is indicative of asthma. That only happened once, so up to now I still refuse to accept that he has asthma, and I’m doing all I can to prevent him from suffering another attack.

I also believe that the Broncho-Vaxom that his pediatrician gave made him less susceptible to cough and colds. Justin had to take 1 capsule daily during 10 consecutive days for 3 months, preferably on an empty stomach. The content of the capsule may be poured into a drink if the child has difficulty swallowing it. In Justin’s case, I mixed the content of the capsule into his vitamins. Broncho-Vaxom comes in two forms: one for children and one for adults. The drug helps prevent respiratory tract infections.

I hope this streak (of not having cough and colds) continues. Nothing makes me happier as a mom than seeing my little boy happy, strong and healthy.


Do you have a history of smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke or environmental/occupational pollutants? Do you have a family history of chronic lung disease? Do you have symptoms of coughing, wheezing, and/or shortness of breath? If you answered yes to all three questions, then you are a candidate for spirometry testing.

Spirometry is a test that can help diagnose various lung conditions, such as asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema. The test is performed using a handheld device known as a spirometer, which measures the volume of air inspired and expired by the lungs. There are two types of spirometers, namely: (1) the volume displacement spirometers (the earlier version) and (2) the flow-sensing spirometers (the modern version).


Related Posts Widget for Blogs by LinkWithin