My sister and I have been planning to start small ventures this year. We’ve taken the inital step by putting in our meager resources together and selling soaps. Yep, we’re selling soaps. They’re not just any soap, mind you. They are emu oil-based soaps and they are the best products I’ve used on my face. I’ll blog more about the products in the next few days for those who are interested.

Also, we have been talking about joining bazaars this coming holiday season. We all know how bazaars are everywhere once the holiday gift shopping starts. We hope to cash in on it by joining one. There’s a night bazaar every year near our area which we are targeting.

It’s great that my sister and I get to spend a lot of time together ever since she moved in with us. We get to plan, talk, and bond a lot. We talk about anything – life plans, work, even term life insurance quotes. We’re even planning our joint ob-gyne appointment soon because we’re both looking for a doctor in our area.

Hopefully, we push through with all our plans and our small business ventures become successful enough. Who knows, we might be venturing into big businesses soon.

I woke up early today to do many of the things in my to-do list. I have a midterm exam to finish, articles to write and proofread, and a house to clean. I was also planning to clean the bathroom which needs some repairs. Some of its tiles have fallen off the wall and I would love to buy some Moen faucets too. As I was about to start on my list, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that MJ’s memorial service is being shown live on GMA. So I’ve just finished watching it. I couldn’t help but cry a little while watching. Although I’m not really an MJ fanatic, I idolize him for his great talent. I grew up hearing MJ’s songs and I love his songs until now. Watchin his memorial service is overwhelming. The Staples Center was overflowing with people and it was a really good celebration of his life. He was such a great artist and I am amazed with how he has contributed to music. He is an icon and a legend.

The question now is… what have I crossed off my list? Nothing but I don’t mind, I have just joined millions of people around the world in sending off one of the greatest artists that ever lived, the king of pop. Good bye MJ, the world will miss you.

Today, Ramil and I are celebrating our 112 months of being a couple or 9 years and 4 months. We don’t really go out anymore to celebrate our monthsaries though we’d greet each other whenever we’d remember. There are times when we’ll make extra effort to have some couple time like maybe a short coffee date in starbucks.

Of course, it would be so great if we can have a romantic vacation riviera maya. The last time we’ve been on a ‘vacation’ on our own (without Mateo) was on our second year wedding anniversary in Tagaytay. We’ll be celebrating our fourth year as a married couple this December and a few days on the white sand beaches of Riviera Maya would be perfect. I’ve been reading up on the different resorts there like the Hidden Beach Resort and the Azul Beach Hotel, and immersing myself in it. I’m all ready for a great vacation. Now if only I could find some a lot of extra money for it.

I’ve been swamped with work these past few weeks: teaching work, writing work, proofreading work, house work, and mateo work. Haha! I am so grateful that there are lots of work coming my way because for my writing and proofreading works, the more work, the more pay! My work is output-based so I am eager to have many, many outputs

With my teaching work, it does not pay much especially since I’m on a part-time basis. If I spend the time I spend teaching and preparing for writing and proofreading, I’d definitely be earning more. However, teaching is so much an integral part of me and although I still want more time to prepare for my lessons, I am enjoying it. Every time I teach part-time, that’s when teaching stops becoming work for me. I am able to enjoy being with kids and sharing what I know instead being burdened with the stress of a full-time teacher.

Working from home also has its share of difficulties. My productivity would be at its lowest when I have FB open or reading some showbiz tsismis site. hahaha! It’s also daunting to work because I would regularly be interrupted by Mateo, by our golden retriever Aria, or by other chores around the house.

This week is my busiest since April. With the enormous amount of work and the rate I am finishing each one, this week is also my lowest in terms of productivity. How I often wish I can make copies of myself so that I can do several things at once.

For the longest time now, my dad has been looking for investment opportunities. He has been working abroad for many years while me and my siblings were growing up. Now that we’re all grown up and earning for ourselves, he can finally stay here for good with our mom. Since he won’t be working abroad anymore, he wants to put his money into several investments.

During one of his trips abroad, he brought home some us gold coins and he’s wondering whether they would make good investments. He thinks it might be good to buy more from companies like Monex Deposit Company. Even if he invests in silver, it might still be a good idea. Many finance analysts have the opinion that silver and gold are excellent investment opportunities.

My dad is still thinking of which investment to take on. My only wish is that he becomes successful in whatever choice he makes.

This year started with feelings of excitement. I knew that this year would mean a lot of things for our small family. We wanted another baby and I was hoping we can start trying this year. We wanted a house of our own and we were hoping we could find a place we could divert our monthly rent to. We wanted a newer car, not necessarily brand new, and although, we weren’t too hopeful on this aspect we still kept on looking at postings of cars for sale.

They say that the secret to getting what you want is to entertain thought of nothing else but getting what you want. I’ve tried doing that and I think for a short time, I was too preoccupied with all the things that I want for this year. Well, I haven’t exactly read ‘The Secret’ but one of the most important things that I’ve learned these past few months is to let go and have faith.

House. Ramil and I attended the Pag-ibig housing loan seminar because we wanted to avail of it so we that the money we’ll be paying every month will go to a house that will be our own eventually. We’ve scouted lots in our area and we found one that we really, really, really like. We pass by it everyday on our way home and not a day passes by when I don’t think to myself that we’re home once we’re in front of the lot. It’s also a huge bonus that the lot is being sold lower than the market price in the area. Unfortunately, when we contacted the seller, she wasn’t so keen on waiting for a Pag-ibig cheque. I’ve called her several times after our first conversation and I’ve managed to ask her to reconsider it. We’re just waiting for news from her. I was too bent on acquiring the property that it took all the strength I have not to regularly text her for any news. Then I realized that if this lot is for us then it shouldn’t be too much of a struggle. It’s enough that we’re doing something to get it. If it’s for us then she’ll relent and contact us. There are many, many more things going on with us with regards to our desire to have our own house. We’ve talked to our ninong, who’s an architect, and we also have explored several options with regards to the most affordable way to build our own house. We’ve browsed through numerous websites, contacted several contractors, researched and considered prefabricated building systems, considered utilizing container vans, and many more. There was some kind of urgency in me because I don’t want another year of monthly rent to go by. We’ve even asked the owners of the house we are presently renting if they would be willing to sell it to us but they have no plans of doing so yet. In the end, I gave in and let go. However, I hold the thought that it will come. It would be such an awesome thing if it comes this year.

Baby. There are many times when I would wonder if just having Mateo would be better for us especially with how our finances are. Still, I hold the desire to have another one. Actually, there’s an even more extravagant desire to have at least two more. However, we’re keeping the maximum to two right now. There’s so much hesitation for Ramil and me to go for another baby. I’m so scared of going through everything again knowing that it will be so much more difficult financially. Still, I know that Mateo needs a sibling and a wise man told me… ‘lahat ng ipinapanganak na bata may kasamang lunchbox’. So I am letting go. When the right time comes, we’ll know it.

Car. The only progress we’ve made with this one is to sell our old one. It’s not much progress though because the main reason for selling it is because of the increasingly huge maintenance it has been needing lately. For a long time now, we’ve found ourselves dipping into our meager savings for untimely repairs for our red car. It has become a liability. It was a great thing that Ramil’s parents gave him a motorcycle so he goes to school using it. We commute every time we go out which is often just on weekends. With the maintenance costs of the red car and the rising gasoline prices, it’s a good to confirm our opinion that it’s cheaper to ditch the red car. It doesn’t mean that we haven’t been terribly missing our old car because we have. Embarrasingly, both Ramil and me have shed tears for it for all the years it has served us. We’re still hoping for another, newer car in the future. One that will not be such a pain in the pockets becasue of all the repairs it needs every month.

It’s so easy to forget the basic things in life once you’re focused on some things. If only one can also buy memory for the brain then it would all be easy. We’ve just recently watched the movie ‘Up’ and I was so touched by the story. It made me realize the fragility of life and that whatever things we want right now it doesn’t really matter whether we have them or not. Because Ramil and I are at the prime of our lives. Life is at its most exciting for us not just because of this year. Decades from now, I’m sure that our unforgettable memories will not be of a new house or a new car (well, a new baby will be unforgettable).

So half-way into the year and I have nothing to show for our start-of-year plans except for lessons learned on patience. Everything in God’s time.