My Life

Is this real?  Is this true?  Am I just dreaming or what? Is it really Deion’s picture inside Baby Magazine’s August issue?…..

Well, enough of this drama!  Thank you, thank you Baby Magazine!!!!  Now I know how it feels to see your son in (print) media (Naks!). Though this is not an ad, and though I was the one who requested it, I still feel proud and ecstatic! ( Just imagine the feeling of those parents whose babies/kids are seen in advertisements, be it in TV or print…..)

Alex and I were so happy to see Deion featured twice in Baby Mag! 

Last June, I emailed them and requested to include Deion’s picture in their "Baby Gallery" section.  And to my surprise, when I bought the August issue, I saw his picture twice!  So that’s also double the happiness and satisfaction I felt when I saw my message with Deion’s pic in their "Feedback" section.

I’ll buy another copy and I’ll include the pages with Deion on it in his scrapbook.  I’m sure, when he grows old, he’ll treasure this and he’ll remember how proud his Mommy and Daddy are of him….

Will I see him soon on Baby Mag’s cover?  Nah!  I won’t go that far.  I’m already contented with what I requested.  And besides, I think those on the cover are babies less than one year old. ; )  Like the chubby cutey baby in this month’s cover.  She’s just 7 months old.

Ok, I wont’ take long.  Here it is.  But I didn’t include the Baby Gallery section anymore.  To the proud Ninangs and Ninongs, you might want to grab a copy of the magazine.  Its available in National Bookstore. : )

Tagged again by Abby!  Well, I’m answering this as a sign of my gratitude to her because she answered the first tag game. : )

Three names you go by:
1. russelle
2. selle
3. russ

Three screen names you have had:
1. darts
2. prettyruss
3. chicmomma

Three physical things you like about yourself:
1. fair complexion
2. hands
3. eyes

Three physical things you don’t like about yourself:
1. hair
2. varicose veins in my legs!
3. hips

Three parts of your heritage:
1. spanish
2. chinese
3. filipino

Three things that scare you:
1. death of a loved one
2. fire
3. book of revelations

Three of your everyday essentials:
1. my mobile phone
2. kikay kit
3. hugs and kisses from alex and deion

Three of your favorite musical artists:
1. mariah carey
2. black eyed peas
3. mymp

Three of your favorite songs (nos. 2 & 3 are "currently" my fave songs):
1. rainbow (by south border)
2. don’t phunk with my heart (by bep)
3. eternal flame (version of mymp)

Three things you want in a relationship:
1. love
2. trust
3. faithfulness

Three lies and truths in no particular order:

Lies: 1. i don’t want to go on a vacation  2.  i don’t want to get a salary increase  3.  i hate my job

Truths:  1.  i love my family  2.  i love my life  3.  i sleep peacefully at night

Three things about the opposite sex that appeal to you:
1. very manly not effeminate
2. has a good sense of humor
3. smart

Three of your favorite hobbies:
1. listening to music
2. reading magazines
3. shopping

Three things you want to really do badly now:
1. have a hair cut
2. re-decorate our bedroom
3. spend more time with my son

Three careers you’re considering/you’ve considered:
1. psychologist
2. events coordinator
3. sales/marketing

Three places you want to go on vacation:
1. boracay
2. pagudpod
3. paris

Three kids’ names you like:
1. deion
2. christopher
3. dominiq

Three things you want to do before you die:
1. buy our own house
2. travel to europe
3. be the best mom for deion

Three ways that you are stereotypically a boy:

Gosh! I really find this very hard to answer!  I can’t find even a single "boyish" bone in me…. Duh?

Three ways that you are stereotypically a girl:
1. i gave birth
2. i easily cry
3. i spend long hours of casting a spell to reflect a "lo and behold beauty" in the mirror before heading off to my office

Three people I would like to see take this quiz:
1. peachy (hihi… it’s my turn to tag you)
2. whoever wants to answer this just for the fun of it
3. whoever wishes to answer this because s/he wants to

I was tagged by Peachy!

Anyway, personal questions/surveys like these are rampant in the Internet these days!  You’ll see this in bulletin boards, chatrooms and blogs.  Well, come to think of it, when you want to slow down a bit, answering these simple questions about yourself is kinda fun!  Plus, the people who read this are able to know you even more.  I promise, I’ll be straightforward in my answers.  Here it goes. . .

1. What are the things you enjoy doing even when there’s no one around you?

• Blogging, checking emails and surfing the Net
• Scrapbooking
• Watching CSI, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and reality TV shows
• Listening to good Pop and R&B music
• Reading personal development and religious books
• Reading magazines such as Cosmopolitan Philippines, Good Housekeeping, Baby Magazine and Entrepreneur

2. What lowers your stress/ blood pressure/ anxiety level?

• Solemnly conversing with the Lord
• A relaxing body massage and foot spa
• A nice, warm, "scentsational" and soapy bath   
• Shopping! Err..  impulse buying?
• Dining out with hubby
• Having a nice hair cut at Piandre
• Drinking frap while puffing West Ice and chit-chatting with Alex or my close friends (Sigh!  I really miss Ayleen! When she was still here, we’d do this often. Sob….)

3.  Tag five friends and ask them to post this on their blogs.

• Abby A., Leah, Arybba, Shopaholic Del and Sheila J. - You’re next!

Just last month, my eldest brother, Kuya Mon, had a heart attack!  He’s just in his early 40’s and yet he was struck by this illness like a thief!  I can say that the Lord is really great because he gave my brother another chance to live.  They said that people who had a heart attack at an early age don’t usually make it.

And you know what was the cause according to the doctors? — It was because of his SMOKING!  Admittedly, my Kuya is a chain-smoker.  And now that he had just undergone Angioplasty, this was the exact words that he said to me yesterday when I visited him after his operation, "Atche, I will not smoke even in my 300th lifetime!".  With teary eyes I told him "You really shouldn’t! And you have to change your lifestyle! Kuya, I’m just glad that you’re ok now".  Then I squeezed his right hand to let him know how thankful I am that he’s alive! I didn’t want to see my brother in that condition but there’s nothing I can do.  I just did what I thought was right:  offer prayers and be by his side to support him in his agony.

Because of this, Alex and I realized that we should start thinking about tomorrow, clean up ourselves and live a healthy life.  We already have a child who depend on us and thus we would like to be a good example to him.

As early as now, we should all think of living a healthly life.  Not just for ourselves, but for the people we love.  Anyway, here are some tips on how to control the risk of Heart Disease:

• Stop Smoking!
• Get Active
• Limit Alcohol Consumption
• Watch What You Eat
• Maintain adequate dietary potassium, calcium and magnesium intake.
• Reduce saturated fats and cholesterol to stay away from heart disease.

X’cess:  To all the people who offered special masses and loving prayers for my Kuya Mon, my sincerest thanks to you!!  Your support is greatly appreciated!