so...

i know that everyone has been wondering what has happened and why have i decided to stop blogging for a while. i don't know if you can still remember the story about my boys, The Franciscan Quartet, going to Hollywood for that competition. well, here's an update --- they are NOT going anymore! aaaaaaaw.. i know how this could be disappointing but nobody else could be more disappointed than us, their moms. WHY AREN'T WE GOING? well, simply because we weren't able to pass the Visa interview. and we, the moms, were all refused of this visa for no known reason (i guess).. the officer who conducted our interview was an Asian guy who, i think, doesn't really know what he was doing right at that moment. he was asking the officer (an American guy) regarding our papers and what to do about it. and then he just said, "would you still allow your son to go without you?" i answered "yes, BUT!.." then he cut me right there and said "okay, you are being refused an American visa and you may now proceed to the courier service right at the pavilion." and i was like 0_0 "duh?" yes! yes! yes! it went just like that and then nothing! (pfffft!)

now, what was that?!

okay.. before we all went for the interview, i told myself that no matter what will happen, passed or not, i wouldn't mind. i'm kinda half-hearted about this whole thing because i know that i can't really afford to go... talk about the airfare and the hotel accommodation expenses and such?... i just can't afford it. the sponsors didn't really help a lot because of the election that took place last month. and most of our contacts were politicians who were just throwing off some of their wealth to win the election. and some of them even told us that if ever they have extra money to spend - well, they won't be spending it on us. :( well, that's life.

i don't hold any grudges for anybody... actually, i was kinda relieved. although i wanted so much to call that Asian officer in the embassy a name, like "inconsiderate asshole" but naaah! that wouldn't help either... and if we did passed, how are we going to handle everything?

now that the Hollywood dream is over, i can move on to the next step. it's almost school time here and my youngest daughter, hasn't enrolled yet. i haven't shopped for their school needs. and it's all because i'm short of funds. my online shop has to stop for a while because i am too busy processing our papers. and now i'm bringing back everything in order... it's barely 2 weeks but i'm keeping my fingers crossed.. i had to earn some more money so i can send my youngest one to school. all of my savings were spent to our passport and other necessary papers for the trip. it ain't easy! i'm left with nothing but empty pocket, little money in the bank and debts. all because of that trip. :(

all i can think of right now is to keep moving forward. it's useless to rant about them. i can't afford to waste my precious blog space, time and effort. but i'll tell you a story some other time about my adventures with the foreign affairs here. i just need a little more contemplating before i could write them all down. :) har har har!

i'll see you around again... very soon. ^___^ i missed everyone out here!

there and back again...

whoa! i'm here again! it felt like home sweet home! :)

okay... i know i have a lot of explaining to do but let me breathe first... i would be more than willing to tell you what happened and why i was MIA for like 2 months and 1 week. see?

so please... just bear with me and let me share where i've been and i've gone through. and everything else!

let me just take a shower... BRB! ^____^

leaving?

it's been a long time since i last blogged here... oh please! don't think that i have left my blogger acct.. yes, i'm in tumblr lately, enjoying the fun of micro-blogging.. but that doesn't mean that i'm leaving you, guys. especially you, Mr. G.A.G.! lol! :)

i admit that i've gotten a bit lazy and most of the time, i'm out with the boys, looking for sponsors for the July trip... what else? uhm, we are preparing for their fund raising concert this coming Saturday. not really a big one but we're expecting it to be. :) of course, we have to take care of ticket selling, preparation of the venue, guest list, costumes, that "F" visa application, training, and my shop. ugh!

i am really having a hard time choosing what i should do first and what i can leave for now then come back for it later... the shop badly needs my attention, but what can i do? my cam's battery died a long time ago! its replacement hasn't arrived yet... :(

April 24th, hubby and i celebrated our birthday (yes, we do have the same birth date!). few guests have arrived and most stayed up until 5 in the morning. all drunk and happy! :) while i... i got tons of dishes to wash after the party! huhuhu :(

i do hope you can bare with me... perhaps i'd be able to go back to my old self after all these activities. i have so much to share but i couldn't find the time and the urge to write them all down here... maybe that "F" niche thing made me feel lazy about this whole blogging thing! it is really sickening... why can't i just have a blog where i can put down everything? happy, sad, angry, mad, rants, reviews... whatever! i don't intend to make money out of this, anyway. i tried, but it's very complicated and i don't like it! those badges on the right will prove it, but i was never active in any of those things! one day, i will clean up all these and make this space so personal and filled only with the things i love. just wait and see!

btw, i would like to congratulate my sister, C! she was able get her own domain! yay! please visit her site! xD and to you, my very dear Wilmy... i missed you soo much! you have no idea! :)

~HUGZ x Zillion!~

gaaah! where have i been?

yes, yes, yes! i know i've been MIA! and i really feel bad about it... :( actually, i and my friend were soo busy for an upcoming event this weekend. we had to double up our production so we can send them out to that event. one of my OL friends asked me to consign items for her shop. oh my! :) we're both excited and anxious.  ^_^

so much for that rant! i'm here (really) to tell you who have won my GA! yaaay! :)

the following bloggers have joined and with no questions asked, shared our video/s on their blogs. it's just fair for them to get what each of them deserve.

i decided to give out a surprise 'prize' because i also liked the entry that she made...
the special prize goes to:
ceemee
the second, to:
emjay
and of course, (she got the best answer and post) the first will go to:
liz

to the above mentioned bloggers, thank you soo much not only for joining my GA but most especially for sharing the video/s. somehow, your own followers and readers have learned about these boys. :) and of course, CONGRATULATIONS!!! :D

i have sent out notifications to your blogs and i'll have to wait for your email, so i can send out the prizes. thank you, once again! ^_^

medals

i'm okay and i'm not feeling bad anymore... thanks to some good friends of mine for comforting me. :) and thanks to my son who have just received 6 awards last Thursday! ^_^ i don't have much photos to share because i wasn't able to bring my cam with me and besides, the school officials won't allow it. they have their own official photographers and that'll make my cam useless and my purse heavy, which i hate if it'll happen... it was a very looong event and while i was there, i grumbled quietly about my aching feet. and that night, i wasn't able to sleep well due to pain. that's ouch multiplied by 10!!!

~cell phone shot~

2 bronze, 3 silver and one gold. after a whole school year of hard work, those medals were his reward. (those aren't academic awards, btw) he earned them either from sports competition or from speech chorale or dance competition. how ironic! he is a cultural scholar in their school because of his participation in their singing group. but this year, he refused to join any competition related to singing except for that WCOPA one. he said he can't sing like he used to, he can't hit the notes like he used to and he's not as confident like he used to. hmmm... that's him. 0_0 i don't know anymore what kind of motivation he needs but i'm hoping that my encouragements are well enough to keep him going. BUT it isn't bad, after all. 6 medals from different fields. 6 hard earned medals. they made him want to work harder next year to get some more!

~the culprit~

i was so proud of his achievements. i was thrilled that i had to go up the stage with him despite the aching feet and a bad pair of shoes. i'm proud that i am his mother. someday, he will remember (and most probably laugh) how i struggled to find something decent to wear for that night.
he sang too, with the rest of the Quartet, and approached me and handed something. it's a certificate of appreciation for the parents of the awardees present that night. it made my eyes teary but i held them back. i can't cry. na-ah! it'll ruin my makeup! lol!

"in everything, always give thanks."

and i do... :) ~HUGZ!~

but wait! there's more!

you might want to read this post. it is clear that i've been battling with the "niche" thing since i've started getting followers and traffic.

but i thought... why should i bother? they followed me without asking me that big Q. and the list is still growing! OMG! 0_0

once again,

specially to the people who have become my friend in this very tiny space.

~HUGZ!~

niche?

after a hundred post, i am still being asked the same old question that many bloggers have failed to answer...

what is your niche in blogging?

honestly, I STILL DON'T KNOW!

i'd like to say that my blog tackles motherhood or my artistic/crafty side or, or my life as a stay at home wife... gaaah! everything that i am is in this blog! no, wait! ALMOST! (my closest blogging friends know that!) isn't it obvious that my blog is all about my randomness?

yes, i am a mother. but should i just stop there?
yes, i love crafts. but should i just stop there?
yes, i love fashion. but should i just stop there?

i am many things, my dear friends! how about you? isn't it boring if you'll just post about the latest trend or your self worshiping or technical stuff? wouldn't it be much nicer to write about the things you love and the awesome things you see everyday even if it's just about a goat giving birth and how his kid looks like? see? i'm so full of randomness. so what?!

just like parenting. we want perfection, right? BUT there's really no such thing as perfect parenting. whatever you do, no matter how hard you work, there'll come a time that they won't listen to you.

life isn't perfect. and so is blogging!

i own this blog. i will write about the things i want to write. if you don't like me -- fine! go away! if you do, you can stay. just don't touch things, ok? you might break them. it's my life that you're reading. so if you find it not interesting, just click that "x" button.

just please spare me from your ill judgment... you are not perfect either!

***this is just my opinion. if in case you feel bad about this post, i'm sorry. i'm just having a bad day like most normal people do.***