Take Me As I Am: November 2009

Never Too Late

At 36, and with 4 young kids, I'm learning a new skill ... ice skating.

Really. Took me that long.

Well, I couldn't have learned it in the Philippines as a young adult coz it was costly. I couldn't have learned it in Canada as a wife coz I was busy having babies one after another. And I couldn't have learned it here in US as a visitor coz it's not within the budget.

But then again, when you're into the LOA (Law of Attraction), there's really no excuse for not doing the things you would like to do and try even for the first time. There is really no excuse for not dreaming anymore.

Try reading "The Secret to Attracting Money" by Dr. Joe Vitale, "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life" by Dr. Wayne Dyer or "The Power of Now" by Echart Tolle, or reading "Ask And It Is Given" by Abraham-Esther Hicks, or watching "The Secret", "The Shift", "You Can Heal Your Life" or "There's a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem", and see if they will not compel you to get out of your comfort zone and try something new.

So, I decided that our budget won't hinder me from checking off this item on my Bucket List. I scouted for Black Friday deals on Ice Skates. I figured it would be best to just buy our own skates rather than rent everytime we wanna practice. Bryant Park has "The Pond" and it offers free admission but the rental is $12, multiply that by 3 (well, I couldn't leave out my hubby and daughter while I go fulfilling my dream, could I? I mean, they haven't tried Ice skating, too, you know)

And let me tell you, once you make your decision, the Universe will just take over.

First, it led me to Timeoutkids NY where I read that City Ice Pavillion was gonna have its Grand Opening on Nov. 21. There was gonna be a party with FREE skating, rentals and refreshments. FREE? How cool is that?

Then, on the day itself, while we were looking for the venue, guess what we found?

A Goodwill Outlet! You betcha, I rushed to the skates section immediately. And as if by some miracle, all our sizes were available. No kidding. I got mine brand new, by the way, but heck if I care if it was overly-used? I'm just saying, I got lucky it was brand new. Take a look (this was taken after I've used it a couple of times):

I'd say it's pretty chic for $2 bucks, don't you think? What can I say? The universe can be so grand.

P.S. I also found this gem for $1. Talk about becoming a money magnet. This is priceless!

My Bucket List

Get a degree - check (1992 and 1999)

Climb the Eiffel Tower - check (1997)
Visit the White House    - check (2008)
Go Kayaking                  - check (2009)
Learn Ice Skating           - check (2009)
Join a Pilgrimage
Visit the Pyramids
Go Bungee-Jumping
Ride on Hot-Air Balloon

I'm hoping to check off all the items on my Bucket List before I reach 40.

Plan your adventures and make them a reality here:

I Love Lucy (Liu)

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This blog's title should have been "Charlie's Angels":

We've been here in NY for 4 months but it was only today that I came face to face with a Hollywood celebrity. I bet there are a number of them roaming around NY, I just wasn't paying close attention. But today, we purposely went to Louis Vuitton on 5th Ave. where Lucy Liu headed the lighting of the UNICEF Snowflake.

I've admired Lucy Liu since her Ally McBeal days. And seeing her up close and personal was just an awesome experience.

Check out the video of the Snowflake lighting and some of the pics we've taken.

Wanna Get Rich? Be A Chef!

That's our 8 yr-old son, JJ, with one of his teachers. JJ's a dreamer, and one of his dreams is to become a Chef.

I've told you about the Thrillionaires Club, right? Well, I let JJ join it (coz anyways, it's FREE), but what's so great about the site is it encourages JJ to make plans on how to achieve his adventure goals.

On one of the items on his list (to become a Chef), JJ wrote this entry:

"I want to be a chef because I will serve food xxx

and you know when you buy food, you will have to pay,

and I like money!"

You, too can encourage your own kids to plan for their future here:

The Nutcracker

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Here in NY, you gotta be resourceful enough to enjoy everything it has to offer without draining your bank account. From on and off-broadway plays to fine dining, city tours, and other activities for kids and adult alike, there are ways to enjoy these events for less, such as joining email lists, taking advantage of the coupons, becoming a fan of their facebook pages, etc.

Well, there's one event that got us really excited. New York Theatre Ballet's production of "The Nutcracker" will have performances in WFC Winter Garden on Tuesday, December 1 (12:30 and 6:00pm) for FREE!

Yes!

I know the regular performance usually costs $30, so yahoo! coz that's yet another savings for us.

A Great Love Story

If every FATHER on earth is like Dick Hoyt, this place would be paradise.

I have watched most of their videos before, and it still gets me everytime.

Warning: Your dam will break so grab some tissue before watching the clip.

Thrillionaire Of The Week

JOIN Thrillionaires Club NOW!

Does your father love you like Dick Hoyt loves his son? I honestly wish mine did.

Pacquiao vs. Cotto Videos

I will just be putting up here Round 3, 4 and 12 videos. I was trying to upload each and every round, but it's just taking forever coz the files are too big. For other videos, go to the next post "Pacquiao WON". If the videos don't make my site go slower, then I promise to upload all the rounds there.

Anyways, I personally think these were the most exciting parts of the game - Rounds 3 and 4 where Manny Pacquiao sent Cotto down and of course, Round 12 when the referee stopped the fight.

This is my tribute to my kababayan Manny Pacquaio who made us all very, very proud!

Round 12

Round 4

Round 3

Pacquiao WON, Pacquiao WON, Pacquiao WON!!!!

[SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS]

Manny Pacquiao is the new WBO Welterweight Champion! Hip hip, Hurray!!!!

The fight between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto has long been over even before Referee Kenny Bayless stepped into end the fight in the 12th round.

Pacquiao sent Cotto to the floor in the third round with a two-punch combination. And in the fourth, Pacquiao gave him multiple combinations that sent Cotto to the floor again. We knew then that Pacquiao will get the title. There was no doubt.

But Cotto was a great fighter, too. I mean, hats off to him for finishing the fight. At least the people who went to see them fight live were not disappointed coz they got their money's worth. Although I'd been secretly hoping that Cotto would already back down after the 6th round (as you could hear on the video recordings), I was still glad that they reached Round 12.

The Pacquiao-Cotto fight was so exciting I was shaking the whole time I was recording the boxing game. I was alternating our Canon camera and my Palm Treo phone in recording the fight, then uploading the same on FB so I could share it to my kababayans asap.

Watch the Pacquiao vs. Cotto match here (but forgive me for my constant screaming coz I really couldn't help it if I got soooo excited).

Manny Pacquiao, you make all Filipinos proud! Thank you!! We love you!

Mabuhay MANNY PACQUIAO!!!!! You're the BEST!!!!!

Post Fight INTERVIEWS

ROUND 12 (Part 2)

ROUND 12 (Part 1)

Round 11

Round 10

Personality Test

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The Dalai Lama said read it to see if it works for you.

Very interesting. Just 4 questions and the answers will surprise you.
Do not cheat by looking up the answers.
The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is opened.
This is fun to do, but you have to follow the instructions very closely.
Do not cheat.

MAKE A WISH BEFORE BEGINNING THE TEST!!

A Warning! Answer the questions as you go along.

There are only four questions and if you see them all before finishing,
you will not have honest results.
Go down slowly and do each exercise as you scroll down.
Don't look ahead. Get pencil and paper to write your answers as you go along.
You will need it at the end.
This is an honest questionnaire which will tell you a lot about your true self.
Give an answer for each item.

READY? Let's begin:

Put the following 5 animals in the order of your preference.

Cow

Tiger

Sheep

Horse

Pig

Write one word that describes each one of the following:

Dog

Cat

Rat

Coffee

Sea

Think of someone (who also knows you and is important to you)
that you can relate them to the following colours
(do not repeat your answer twice. Name just one person for each colour.)

Yellow

Orange

Red

White

Green

Finally, write down your favourite number and your favourite day of the week....

Finished? Please be sure that your answers are what you REALLY WANT.

Ready for the interpretations?
(but first before continuing, repeat your wish.)

Click here for the answers.

How To Tell If Your Friend Is Gay

Disclaimer: I love "badings". I've got lots of gay friends. That being said, the only reason I'm sharing the video is to spread the laughter. Enjoy!

If this video made you laugh, then this one below will surely inspire you:

I Found $20 On The Street!

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One big advice for tourists in NY is to ALWAYS bring with you some cash. Because you never know when you will find a street fair. And it is during street fairs that you get to find real bargains, and of course, the yummy $1 Japanese and Thai foods.

After hearing mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, we went out the back way and found that there was a street fair going on at Madison’s. And as we don’t usually bring cash with us, we were only able to devour 2 sticks of chicken BBQ. Of course, it wasn’t enough (trust me, these $1 BBQs are so scrumptious you’d want to order the whole thing and have some beer or cocktail on the side as well).

So, naturally, we had to search for the nearest ATM.

"Hey! What does that sign read? Lemme take a closer look":

"Seriously? You’d give me $20 bucks if I agree to have my face painted? Why, sure! Sign me up!"

P.S. Big thanks to Dr. Joe Vitale for helping us turn on our money magnets!

YANKEES Ticker-Tape Parade

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The Parade was a blast!!! Intense, thrilling, exciting, and all the good super-ings words in Wikipedia. It's simply indescribable.

But I'm super exhausted, so perhaps I will blog about the experience tomorrow.

Just want to share some photos I've taken (and "stolen"). Have fun looking!

2009 World Series Champions

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Best thing I love NY is the sense of absolute freedom.

Just go to Times Square and you’ll see people (mostly tourists, like myself) acting like total lunatics …. and yet no one bothers …. it’s perfectly alright. It IS so d#$^* good liberating!

And yesterday was no different. You should see the madness and the pandemonium going on in every Sports Store (or any store for that matter) that sells Yankees stuffs. It’s outrageously insane! People were scrambling to get hold of Yankees ‘world series’ gears and stuff.

Banners, flags, stickers, pens, magnets, clothing, accessories … you name it, it was all there ...

... but not for long. The shirts particularly (from sizes Small to Extra Large) were gone in a flash. (Just a tip to those who are joining this Friday’s parade: If you already see a shirt that you like and it has your size, don’t let go of it or you’ll be sorry. I’m telling you, some Yankees fans are like pinranha). As I stood there .... I wanted to sing "It feels like home to me, feels like home to me...". I'm pretty sure my daughter was totally NOT enjoying this.