GreenBucks

In other countries, the Bermuda Triangle of Holidays is said to start at Thanksgiving, then Christmas and ends at New Year.

Since we live in a country where there is no Thanksgiving, our own Bermuda Triangle of Holidays starts with Christmas, New Year and probably ends with Valentine’s Day. During this time, singles, particularly those whose biological clocks are ticking, indulge in lavish gifting for their favorite loved ones like their nephews and nieces or maybe their parents and of course, their most favorite person: themselves. In spite these things they do, their happiness seem fleeting and they go back to feeling the holiday blues.

I know of one who shops for her nephew as early as September for gifts to be given during Christmas AND New Year. I am not sure though if she looks at the offical ProFlowers Facebook page for flowers to be given to  her mom on Valentine’s Day but I am sure she gives her mom and her nephew gifts during this time too.

Shopping is one of their “therapies” to not feel depressed during these holidays. Yes, they feel sad, even if they are surrounded by laughter, gifts and lavish celebrations because they feel they are missing out on something because they are single.

How do I know? I try to read between the lines of FB and Twitter status messages of my single friends 😀 I hope they won’t hide these from me.

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The third Thursday of December is said to be the National Regifting Day. I missed it! 😀

Two Christmases ago, my friends and I had a regifting exchange gift. Errr… or should I say we exchanged gifts that we haven’t used but think can be of use to others. I got two towels and liquid bath soaps. Yes, we’re still using the towels.

The idea of regifting is good (for me at least) IF and ONLY IF these few guidelines are observed:

• the gift itself has not been used
• the gifts don’t have torns and molds
• the gifts are put in an entirely new package (don’t ever give a present wrapped in Christmas wrappers during Valentine’s Day! No, no, no!)
• the gifts suit the giftee (give the urinary incontinence products to a grandaunt and not to the young niece or maybe a rap CD for an nephew and not for the uncle)
• the gifts are clean (or clean it yourself if it has been left to gather dust)
• the gift did not come from a manufacturer that has long ago closed it’s books (errr… outdated things like these scream regifts!!)

So, in this penny-pinching hard times, regifting is not really tacky, just do it with class and your gifts are as good as new 🙂

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So many nursing schools and so many nurses without jobs.

I once saw a former student’s mom who is a nursing instructor in one of the universities in the metro. She told me that she is sad a lot of nurses are “hanging up their nursing scrubs for good” in search for a more lucrative work overseas.

She said something about a cap on nurses being recruited abroad. I could be wrong with what I heard though.

The country has “produced” so many Nursing graduates but either they don’t have a job right now and are in a different work OR has taken a different turn in another profession.

I heard many are geared towards teaching special education.

No comment.

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I have a secret wish list. This wish list is known to my husband and children though.

In it are the things I think I (ok WE) need.

In the list are mostly tangible things that I wish to have because I need them to make life and living easier. The items in the list are possible to have IF ONLY… or AFTER WE SETTLE THIS AND THAT RESPONSIBILITY…

I guess I am a patient person since most of the items in my wish list can be had IF I insist but still I wait for a better opportunity AND I wait until I am sure there is no other responsibility that will be forgotten.

I’m sure the children understand because they are patient too, waiting for us until we are ready to fulfill their wishes too.

I also make sure I don’t get these items in the wish list when I know some are out of reach or even out of sight.

I know we have to work harder in order to see that the things in my wish list are granted.

For how long? Until we can manage to make do without these. Continue Reading »

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I am “listening” (meaning webTV is on) to Dateline and got interested in the story about Emery Kauanui Jr who got killed tragically by a group called Bird Rock Bandits. The supposedly safe place they live in had hidden violence, it seems.

There are those whose sons and daughters got caught up in situations like these. I have blogged about my concerns in our neighborhood a few times already. I really hope and pray that nothing like this happens to us. As my daughter said a few times, “bayaan mo sila magkagulo sa labas basta wag nila tayo idamay” “Let them have trouble among themselves, just leave us out of it.”

If only it is as easy as that. Not when I hear heckling from a group of young men walking outside or a young couple berate each other and beat each other physically on the street. In front of our gate. Sigh…

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Are you one of those 1.7M people who got iPhone 4s?

I sure hope you also got iphone insurance because you would never know if you iPhone is safe from those who have other thoughts when they see you using it.

Here in our country, mobile phones can disappear from your hands faster than you can say 1-2-3. No kidding.  Stores even sell these. So if you are going to buy “second hand” mobile phones without a box, manual, CD and other stuff, it is most likely what is called a GSM or “galing sa magnanakaw” which also means stolen cellphone.

Anyway, I myself want to have a unit. My online-generated stash says I can afford one but not when I buy these here since the price will get tripled. You know, taxes and everything. By the time this iPhone 4 gets here by September, I need to pay the tuition and it gives me excuse to NOT indulge.

But still, I want one!!! 😀

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