Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

First, thank you for the overwhelming response on yesterday's blog.  You know who you are ... and I know who you are and where you're from.  Thanks to sitemeter and google analytics -- wonder tools that I use  for cyber research. There's nothing to worry about.  Names don't show, just the location. So I pretty much assume. But if it does(?), your data is safe and well-secured.

If you have not had the chance to read yesterday's blog, feel free to visit and click this LINK.

Second, I have been home alone since yesterday.  J. Bond left for  a business trip, scheduled to return to Manila early morning tomorrow.  Upon arrival, he goes straight to the Pharmacy where he'll find me overseeing and acting like a dentist-wannabe for our Libreng Bunot (free tooth extraction).   This will be the first time the Pharmacy will be doing such activity and this gives me the thrill!  Thanks to my good, good, good dentist-since high school friend, Karl, and her professor-dentist husband, Jun, for extending a helping hand.

Third, When the cat is away, what do I do? ....  No doubt I use BOTH laptops :) One for the Pharmacy and the other for By Beaded Story.

and Fourth, addressed to my brother and aunt who were both briefly mentioned in this BLOG ....

Brother --  you enticed me to replace my jurassic laptop with something newer, modern and lighter.  I did! But I still keep the old one.  I find jurassic more functional.  The monitor is bigger.  haha!.

Tita -- you said over lunch yesterday that I am as "low-tech" as you are. Let's just say that there is a major need for you to already replace your 15-plus years ago computer with a cable-free laptop on which every single part is built into one.  There definitely won't be a ready answer from me for questions pertaining to cables and hook-ups.  Unless brother answers the long list.  But then again he's far far away.  Haha!

HAVE A HAPPY WEEKEND EVERYONE!!!

the BEAUTIFUL EMBRACE of 90

I wrote  in this BLOG that there are days when we have to set things aside.  Especially beads.

Last Sunday, my maternal side of the family  celebrated 90.  Cheers, laughter, bonding and love surrounded us all.  There was an abundance of unseen beauty on such special occasion. 

They say  BEAUTY LIES IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER.    We live by our own definition. We see what others may not see.  White may be pretty, yet BLACK can be beautiful. Smooth is flawless, but MARKED is history.  Smiles give us cheer ... TEARS set us free.

Today, I share with you my definition of Beauty ....

90 beautiful years.  Life at its  fullest --- daughter,  granddaughter, mother, sister, grandmother, friend, teacher ... and Guardian Angel. 

Beauty  is beyond what is seen --  Inner strength  filled with grace and immense compassion.  Dedication and Love for God and Family. Lives each day with utmost humility. 

BEAUTY LIES IN THE HEART - A heart that speaks only of kindness. A heart that  gives without asking.  A heart that serves to inspire.

Their names are Lola Ely, 90 years old, and Lola Renee, 91 years old.

They have been blessed with 90 beautiful years.  Yet, we are MORE blessed for having them in our lives.

As they continue with their journey with the same strength, compassion and love, I know my heart will forever look up to them.  They have inspired me (and every member of the family) in so many ways. They have taught me how life should be.

Someday, I wish I be able to walk their path. I see what they have seen.  I give what they have given. I inspire how they have inspired me.

This is how I define beauty.  

Thank you Lola Renee and Lola Ely for sharing the beautiful embrace of 90.

..... your granddaughter, Trixie

P.S.  Today marks my 92nd blog :)

Spider Nim in Wick Island

I was extremely in the mood to go on an adventure after watching this

and this.

The movie duathlon ended with a zesty energy en route to eruption.  At 11pm, volcanoes, ropes, forests, rocks, shipwrecks, goblins, pirates, swords, griffins, hurricanes, fairies ... literally all of it continued to plague my thoughts.  I became part of the thrill and adventure. I love movies that stir the imagination wild.

Too wild that I began my adventure with digging deep for treasure (once again).  It was close to midnight when I finally found the ONE!  The tangled cords and ash-covered pieces needed to be restored and cleansed since it had long been buried in the grave -- 10 years (?) or even more.     I had fun in the wee hours of the night.

At 3:34 am, I declared THE END.... 

ICE beads

WONDERFUL!!!  The skies are a bit gloomy today.  In fact, I woke up to a soft drizzle.  Refreshing!

It's been this HOT and DRY for the past weeks. 

Just a short weather update:  April 11, 2010 (the birthday of Sister # 3.  Her photo in this blog) was the hottest day declared by the weather bureau. Temperature reached a whopping 36.3 degrees celsius. It was declared in 2009 to reach a maximum level of 32 degrees celsius.  But NO!!!  To think that Summer 2010 just started.  They say the worst is yet to come. 

I have been longing for cooler weather since this EL NINO phenomenon began.  I think longing is an understatement.  Maybe ACHING is more fit to describe my current state --- thirsty and dehydrated.

Even if I prefer the mountains, I am so looking forward to the Pharmacy's swimming summer outing on April 30.  I am excited . . .  so are J. Bond and the team :) 

I am wearing this arrangement on April 30. 

It has a cooling effect especially when you stare long at it. 

Reminds me of ICE :)

I think I'm hallucinating ....

The sun is up!  The gloomy sky is gone!

the DISTANCE and the TRAVELLER

THE DISTANCE from the origin to its destination

THE TRAVELLER

Happy and Confused

I am HAPPY! ... I am CONFUSED!

HAPPY -- I received an email inviting By Beaded Story to join a last Summer hurrah BAZAAR  in June.  Yahoo!!!  A dream come true.   It was late last year when I wrote a mental note of joining THIS  bazaar  while having an alone coffee break in MOHEGAN SUN.....

I was still faced with a huge creative block at that moment. So first step of getting the act together was  jot down mental notes with a cup of coffee while Mom played craps ... while Dad 2 stalked the horse race ...  while  Yaya (our loyal nanny) played the slots ... and while J. Bond was on his way back to Manila. 

KEY LEARNING: an environment filled with "ka-chings" and "jackpots"  is absolutely inspiring and conducive to planning :)  

Here were my notes:

Action 1:  BEAD!

Action 2:  Delete sold out bead photos from multiply site ...

Action 3:  ...and replace with photos of new designs.

Action 4:  Replenish stocks at SONYAS GARDEN.

Action 5:  Look for new consignment opportunities...

Action 6:  ..but must be easy to deal with like Sonyas Garden.

and Action 7:  Join these bazaars -- (Manila) American Women's Bazaar, St. James, Rockwell Tent, Assumption Bazaar, Casa Y Jardin, Karl Edwards. (New York) rent a stall at Bryant Park ... in 10 years time!  Lol!

Actions 1 to 4, accomplished!  5 to 7, work in progress.  7 specifically New York, a LEAP high over the rainbow .... 

I have participated in three out of the six Manila-based bazaars. Thus, I leaped high  with glee when I received an email from the fourth.  And just when I thought that dreams do come true . . .

... I ended CONFUSED -- the rental rates gave me a big shock.  My exact words, "WHAT!!! NO WAY!!!"

For courtesy purposes, I'll keep the  details of the offer in silent mode.  THE WORDS say everything you need to know.   Just makes me wonder if the following factors were taken into account.  I didn't bother to ask.

1.  The event date is an off-peak shopping month. 
2.  More so, the back-to-school month.  Ergo, shopping for pleasure takes a backseat.

3.  Amount of rent is what I pay for my participation in CHRISTMAS bazaars.

Hmm ... my QUESTION (feel free to answer) -- are bazaars still the way to go? 

I admit that I am an avid "bazaarista" defined in 3 ways:  a SHOPPER; a VENDOR; and an ORGANIZER. 

GOT GIFTS Private Christmas Bazaar in 2008

With my mall background, I thought one day why not put this learned skill to use.  I was very much into the bazaar-mania anyway.  Thus, I started organizing and participating in my own initiated-bazaars. A cost-efficient way to blend By Beaded Story with my new-found knack. I have tweaked and added new flavor to the meaning of bazaar so as not to go head-on with strong and long-time players.   Let me talk about this in detail in another blog.

Vendors Brief for Nuvali's Grand Launch and Weekend Market

With experience as basis, I feel that the bazaars I used to know and follow have slowly lost their novelty.  There is a proliferation of bazaars in every nook and corner of the metropolis, yet offers are all the same.    As confirmed by an aunt (who happens to be a pioneer in joining bazaars), traffic count have posted  a significant decline versus previous years.  Please note that I have no actual research data to support this claim.  This was based from observation (and actual sales).

In J. Bond's own terms, he said .... "bazaars have become a hodge podge of everything the same". 

Yet, bazaars have its good points.  It helps create awareness for your product.  You get to know the market and enhances social skills.  It is business and fun rolled into one.  Temporary in nature = less pressure.  And, You EARN(?!)-depends on when, where, who, why and how.

Wood bags from one of my handicraft concessionares

Taking note of the above, I am  happy and confused. 

Happy because of invitations I received for this year's bazaars.  Confused because of my predicaments on rates and changes in shopping behavior.

So, do I stick with  mental note number 7?   I really have no idea. 

I think I need to schedule a second alone coffee moment pretty soon.

Cookout tonight

ME tonight??????

thank you http://www.be-charmed.com/

NAH!!!  This is more like it . . .

thank you http://www.clipartguide.com/

Looking forward to tonight's cookout with J. BOND and B=RAVE DUDE friend.  All set. 

Venue - home.
Time   - sundown.
Grill    - ready!

Drinks (wine, beer, soda) - yup. yup. yup.
Food  - mix match! hodge podge!  no kidding.

ME .....  lazy!!!!

Here's what I'll do.  Let this two do the work :))) 

Thanks in advance J and B!