July 2014 - Life in Manila

July 31, 2014

Triple Celebration

We had a triple celebration last night. It was for the following occasions: my mom’s birthday (July 30th), my PILs wedding anniversary (July 31st) and my MIL’s birthday (August 7th). We wanted to celebrate together and due to differences in schedule, we decided to celebrate everything in one go. (It was also economical that way.) And so, we had dinner last night at Shakey’s SM Manila, one of our fave restaurants and the most convenient venue for all of us.

The hubby’s side of the family has only four members while mine has a total of six. My SIL Albie couldn’t make it for the dinner because of work (the month-end period at a bank’s headquarters can be very toxic I heard!). We were still a group of 10 though because my cousin Celeste was there. (She came back from Taiwan last Monday, dropped by our house to stay for a few days and will be leaving for Cebu tonight to continue her short vacation with her family there.)

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July 28, 2014

Weekend Story: Slow Saturday, Crafty Sunday

I love weekends. Whenever it’s a weekend, I feel like I’m on vacation. I actually like how flexible weekends can be. You can do just about everything without following any list, order or schedule. Like last weekend, for instance, when I just kind of slowed down and rested a lot.

On Saturday, I was at my siblings’ place and spent the whole afternoon with my family. Everybody was there except for my sister Nyam who has work on Saturdays (poor her!). My family and I never run out of stories to share with one another. Whenever I visit them, I feel like a celebrity because they would fight for my attention. I’m the only one married (yet) among my siblings so they don’t see me that often and that’s why they miss me all the time. Haha.

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July 23, 2014

Investing in the Stock Market, Finally!

Some people choose to invest in the bank. Some people choose to invest in real estate. Some people choose to invest in life insurance. Some people choose not to invest in anything. Last Monday, I chose to invest in the stock market. It took me a year before doing so but now that I finally did, I only have high hopes and aspirations.

I decided to invest in the stock market directly through COL Financial (www.colfinancial.com), an online broker. This way, I get to have more control over my money and less fees to pay as compared to when I invest in the stock market indirectly through mutual funds. Just to be clear, I have nothing against people who invest in mutual funds. I even think they have an edge because their money is managed by financial experts. I just prefer an online broker over a traditional broker, that’s all. Plus, I like the accessibility and convenience it gives me.

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July 22, 2014

Weekend Story: Starbucks Tambays and Meralco S.O.S.

Last weekend was kind of fun and sad at the same time. Fun because the hubby and I got to stay at our marital home in Bacoor for the weekend and bond over simple activities. Sad because there was still no power in our house due to the fallen electric post in our street. There are only four houses affected (which means the rest of the village has power already!) and unfortunately, ours is one of them.

the source of our little agony at present

We also went to Starbucks twice (thus, the title of this post) because the hubby was studying for a school report. He said he wanted a quiet place to study and thought Starbucks was the perfect choice. When did Starbucks become a quiet place? And to think it’s a mall branch that we visited and people there were all over the place. Oh well, he’s crazy like that. Haha.

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July 19, 2014

On Keeping a Routine

Do you follow a certain routine? I do. And I just realized having one has helped me become more productive and organized over the years. But it doesn’t mean I don’t get lazy sometimes because I do. More often than not, though, I get to do my tasks and finished most of them even ahead of time. I used to do a lot of cramming during my college days but I’m a changed woman now. Or so I believe. Haha.

I have a certain routine that I follow during weekdays, which involves many tasks from my current job. I also have a different routine on weekends when I’m a wife more than anything else. Anyway, below are what I think are the benefits of keeping a routine:

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July 18, 2014

Investing in Education for a Better Future

Last May, the hubby finally enrolled in graduate school. He’s currently in his first semester taking up Master of Technology (MT) at a state university here in Manila. It was a decision he had been considering for a long time but didn’t make immediately because he still had to prepare himself. When he became fully prepared, both financially and emotionally, he finally did it. And I was so glad he did. He has my full support on this one!

Actually, he needs continuing education to get the promotion he’s long been wanting to get. He already has the approval of the boss, the only thing that keeps him away from it is a master’s degree which is one of the qualifications required for the higher position he’s been eyeing.

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