I want to study again, do something productive for me and me alone. But I really cannot go out and take 4-8 hours from home since there will be no one left for the kids. The husband needs to work. Thankfully, the internet has been very kind to me. I find money, friends and amusement there. I am trying to make the internet work to get me to study again as well. So I have been researching for any course I’d like to take.

There is an online Masters of Science in Information Security course available that has flexible schedules and affordable rates. I’m not really sure though if it will be in my line of work. I guess I can take the Managerial aspect of the course at the Lewis University. It focuses on the impact of information security on individual lives and personal privacy, the growing information security risks facing business and government, strategies for securing information, and the influence of laws and public policy on how information is secured.

Matthew wrote this when I asked him Im doing it for my album
(Notice the “IF” – me condition ang kanyang pag-love sa akin LOL)

1. If she lets me play the computer.

2. If she lets me hug her.

3. If she lets me buy and eat chips.

4. If she gives me money to buy something.

5. If she is angry with Martha.

6. If she lets my buy lunch ticket.

7. If she lets me do everything I want to do.

8. If she lets me watch TV.

9. If she sleeps (HAHAHAHAHA!)

10. If she jokes me.

11. If she doesnt make me toothbrush when I will go to sleep.

12. If she makes me dessert

13. If she sacrifices for me.

14. If she lets Martha go to sleep.

15. If she is always with me.

16. If she finds my things for me.

17. If she teaches me.

18. If she let me, Martha and her go to the Shrine

19. If let me have activities like this one.

20. If she prays for me.

I have been doing pretty good with regards to scrapping goals. I have such a life that scrapping is taking too much center of my attention LOL. It keeps me sane and entertained and not bored. Plus, it keeps my mind working. Argh. I cant even start to think how dull my brain is already from staying at home. I need to do something about that soon. That and losing another 10lbs before December 25 rolls in – best diet pill anyone?

End of year months always get me into introspection. I always realize how much I have done and how much time I have wasted. Sometimes I feel good, sometimes I get depressed. Mood swings are going to be the death of me I swear.

So to control my mood swings:

• I have been lying low on my “job”. Im sure Id regret this after a time but Im really nearing a HUGE burn out so I let it be. Screw expenses for a change. We’d survive.
• With lying low on the job, it means Im not online 100% of the time. I have spent it reading (again) and watching movies. And sorting piles of junk.
• I have watched Evan Almighty, the Pursuit of Happyness and Sex and the City.
• I bawled like a baby and my heart hurt while watching SATC.
• Im downloading mp3s like there is no tomorrow. It is rivalling my downloading slash hoarding of scrap kits from SSD (Getting ready for the downtime of the shop come next week. I plan to scrap like crazy)
• Ive been praying and trying to come up with plans for next year. I want change (as if this year wasnt mindblowing no. Im a sucker for torture).
• Im looking for a sitter for Martha this week. Im taking Matthew out on a date. I want to watch High School Musical 3 on the big screen. Provided Martha LOVES HSM, I wont risk her ruining the movie for me by saying she wants to watch Dora instead
• I want to take the week off and do nothing.

Wish me luck. I’m doing room number 1 and tackling the roomful of DVDs and toys first. Then I move onto clothes and then rearranging the kitchen. I need to see if there are kitchen sinks that are cheap. I want to install another one near the cooking area.

This week I plan to accomplish:
1. My Coke Detox. My tummy hurts and I know this is from too much sugar. I like to think I can last without it for at least three days.

2. Our Summer 2008 Album. Very simple. The summer of 2008 has been a very memorable and life-changing one. It deserves its own post.

3. Cover Matthew’s new books with plastic cover. I’m sure it needs some added protection from wear and tear.

4. Research more on a project I’d like to do for Christmas (think magnets and shirts). Find out if it’s cheap.

1. Lose 20 lbs. I CAN DO THIS!!!!
2. Have Shutterfly books (these are personalized books) printed – I have a goal of five – and guess what? I have only finished one
3. Have a nice, calm, not rushing Christmas season. December 1 all must be done! I need to mail Christmas cards by November too
4. Save 10% of earnings starting November. That way we can at least have savings for 2009. LOL!
5. Secret. You will find out by January next year,.

Here is mine for the week, well, actually for the next three days. Let us see if I can actually cross them all off.

1. Update PayPal tracker (September 2008).
2. Do round-up for July-September on Mommy Blog.
3. Slack days – Monday and Tuesday.
4. Blog walk, comment, promote AWK and ask for votes 
    Wacom Pen Scrappers Contest.

5. Clear backlog on creative team duties     (scrapbooking).

These are all online tasks. I have a much (much) longer list for my real life

Being in your house makes everything in sync. Too bad we need to go back to my parents because Id be accompanying my Mom who is alone for 9 days as my Dad went to Jerusalem for a pilgrimage.

Martha is still sleeping so I MAY sneak a few scrap pages.
So better go.

Laters – or tomorrow

Granted I was there to do some groceries, at least I was alone. I can stroll leisurely, look at stores I want and for once, not eat at Jollibee or McDo. LOL.

So what did I do?
Well, I managed to get all my to-do’s done. (Ngayun wala na akong pera). Grabe, I spent 5 digits yesterday, half of them paying groceries.

I spent two hours browsing shoes for the kids! My kids have feet the size of dinosaurs! I bought one pair of each of their crocs and I always get the same reaction everytime I take it out to measure the styles I like.

Martha’s feet is no longer for the toddlers. I was about to buy her the Florsheim Sandals Ive been eyeing but the biggest size was too small for her. She belongs to the kids’ section already which made me so frustrated – BAKIT LAHAT NG SAPATOS NG BATA ME TAKONG?!?!? Aber? Or those sexy sandals. Di pwede sa anak ko yan, ang lapad ng paa eh LOL. Buti na lang meron ako nakita kahit paano.

I also got her some nice hair clips since she wants to wear them a lot lately, thank God. Here she is with her new shoes (taken last night, click to make it larger):

I also got new school shoes for Matthew. Kasi bumuka na ang shoes nya. (Ang mga paa ng anak ko devastator sa shoes!).

Then I went grocery shopping – I think I spent more because I also got one week’s worth of meals there plus Martha’s milk for two weeks and ALL toiletries, laundry, cooking condiments etc etc. (Ubos agad ang pera! LOL).

The highlight of my day?
Eating at Wendys! (Ang babaw ko na talaga).
I think the last time I ate there was way back in college (10 years ago).
It was so nice eating at my own pace. Promise

Day-off kahit half day well spent
(I need to do this more often)