Blogging For Money

I told my mother that I would like to teach her friend, Jay, how to make money blogging for profit. I wouldn't say that I am an expert but I believe my experience would help her.

I kind of pity her, you see. Her husband is uneducated and yet would like to find a "good" job. This means that he could never hold a job for long and is unemployed most of the time. She could go out and work but has to take care of an ailing mother, which could not be taken care of by her househusband.

They have a son, who is already eight years old and since he started compulsory schooling, he has incurred extra expenses that the family finds difficult to meet.

I am going to tell her that blogging for profit would not make them rich, definitely not, but it certainly could help them pull through the tough times, like how it has helped my family and I in times of need, especially when Snoopy and Dino needed emergency medical care. I dare say that both my dogs are supported by money made from blogging.

I may not be able to teach her exactly how to earn from blogs but I believe that once I give her the head start, she could move forward from there. There are many articles on the web, especially on make money online blogs with tips to help her too!

Hello From Bali

I received a text message from my friend, S, from Bali. He actually planned this trip back in April and asked if I wanted to join him, his girlfriend and three other couples. If I had joined his group, there would be nine people. I wanted to buy back then, Snoopy was already not that fit so I opted out. If I had signed on, I would have to cancel seeing how Snoopy is right now. SIGH.

S wanted to send me MMS of pictures of Bali which he said is very picturesque but I told him not to bother. Why waste money when he could upload all the photos on Facebook and not only share them with me but also everyone on his contact list? Besides, it's not like I have space in my mobile phone.

I don't remember already when he will return but I expect he will be looking for me to show off photos of his trip. SIGH! Do I even have time to entertain him?

Memorable Family Vacation

How envious! Our family friends have just returned from a most memorable family vacation where they met their daughter after a lapse of ten years, met their son-in-law for the first time and as a bonus, two beautiful grandchildren for the first time too!

The daughter told us that she took the opportunity to celebrate her father's birthday as well as Father's Day during the vacation. It really has been a long time since they get-together as they are living abroad. They took a lot of photos and promised to share them with us once they have developed the film. Yes, the elderly couple is still using film camera!

After listening to them, I would like to take my parents to a vacation as well. It has been such a long time for us as well!

Mafia Wars [Facebook Game]

I have been playing Mafia Wars non-stop for the past week, or perhaps slightly longer. Yes, I have NO life whatsoever. SIGH! What else could I do, taking care of Snoopy? I tell you, my concentration is gone.

I remember after Dino left us a year ago, I was depressed for a couple of weeks and let everything go. I didn't work; I slept really early and didn't bother with anything. I had more time on my hands then, having to take care of one less thing (Dino) but still, I didn't have the mind to do anything.

It's the same now, except that I am not sleeping early and neither do I not want to do anything. I want to get my work completed except that I can't focus on whatever that's on hand. Snoopy keeps making noises in the background and it distracts and irritates.

That's why I keep Mafia Wars running on the PC and guess what? After one week, I am already at Level 48! That's crazy, isn't it? It's not even like I play it 24/7! LOL

Looking At Death In The Face

I am having a really awful time at home right now, caring for an ailing pet. I know it sounds stupid to some while some friends compare me to Marley & Me. I don't know how that movie ends though I do know that it's a dog movie. Well, Snoopy & Me are real and I am living it.

Taking care of Snoopy, I am looking at death in the face. Looking at him, I see my parents growing old and I fear that I may have to care for them the same way like I am doing for the dog. I actually feel like life is passing me by.

At the same time, what I am more fearful of is if I should leave the world before them, who would take care of them? If they were to be placed in homes for senior citizens, who would pay the bills?

I really should stop dragging my feet getting term life insurance quotes and comparing policies. I may not have left the house for the past 1.5 months since Snoopy became bedridden but luckily, I could obtain insurance quotes online and compare insurers at the comfort of home. I wouldn’t have to go around insurance companies, even if I could!

Unproductive

It's the end of the month already. Time flies so fast, half the year is gone and I just realized it! It has been an unproductive month for me. I wouldn't say it moved slow. In fact, I don't know where my time has gone. I just know that I am forced to care for Snoopy and I also know that amazingly, I did not step out of the house except to take Snoopy to the vet.

Also, if I thought that my life was topsy turvy back then, it is worst since Snoopy fell ill. This morning, I woke up at 4.30am to put in some work otherwise I could never get anything done! Luckily Snoopy was asleep too.

I haven't tallied how much I earned this month. I know it is way off target but still should be able to meet the bills and Snoopy's medical expenses and food. However, I really should reconsider how much I am going to give my parents their monthly allowance this month. RM2000 per month seems too much now that I am not earning!

Cultivating Creativity

I got to know that my cousin's young son has no interest in school. I think it's a pity because he is bright but since he lost his mother a few years ago at a young age, he has lost interest in a lot of things.

I managed to speak to him on the phone a couple of days ago and found out that he has a creative streak. I think that shouldn't go to waste. Having no academic qualification is not a huge loss if we cultivate his other interests.

This boy told me that he would like to be a hair stylist. It's not too bad. Think Vidal Sassoon and closer to home, Winnie Loo! I would prefer to have him take up hair stylist jobs only after he has graduated from a recognised hair and beauty school. Then he doesn't have to start from the bottom!

I am going to have a talk with his father and see what he can do about it.

Letting Go

Many friends have asked me to "let go" of Snoopy. It's really not a question of whether I want to let go or to keep him. They think that I am letting him suffer and that if I can not cope, putting him down is the best way. But for whom?

Right now, there is no question of keeping him. Sure I am very frustrated and I swear every minute especially when I am kept awake or when I am unable to work, at all!

But you know, I think that to have him dead or alive is really out of my hands. It's not like he is in chronic pain or suffering from a terminal disease. The problem is that he is fine except that he is trapped in a body with weak hind legs. He just can't walk.

Whether Snoopy stays and for how long, if he leaves and by what way, as a Buddhist, I leave it up to God. I hope that it will never come to the point where I play God!

Useful Online Blogging Tools

I bumped into an old friend a couple of days ago. What surprised me was that I thought that she has relocated but apparently, she hasn't! How many wasted years! I told her that I am an almost full time blogger and she is interested to be one as well. It is not only a way to express oneself; it is also enriching and could make a decent income, especially for people who are trying to make money from home.

My friend, Jay, doesn't have a blog yet so I have to guide her from scratch but I don't mind. I remember when I first started to blog, I wasted a lot of time reading and going by trial and error. Thankfully, there are articles like Useful Online Tools for a Blogger to guide me.

I told my friend that since she is new to blogging, she might as well start on the right footing. When I first started, I made some mistakes and wasted time and energy correcting them. My friend is lucky that she does not have to go through the same rocky path since she could now learn from my experience.

The first thing to do to set up a blog is to come up with a domain name and registering it. This is not as simple as it sounds, you know!

10 Year Changes

A friend invited me to take a quiz whereby I have to answer a slew of questions to see how much I have changed from ten years ago. I know I didn't change much except for the fact that obviously, I'm ten years older. The quiz says that I only changed 25% which is very little for a span of ten years. This friend changed by 60%, in comparison. Well, she's married with children now!

Compared to my old school friends, I seem to be living in a time capsule. While everyone has moved on, judging from their new lives, me, I remember doing exactly the same things right now as I did ten years ago. Well, if not ten years then at least eight. Don't tell me there is something wrong with my memory, instead?

Ten years from now, I hope that my life has made a 360 degree turn. It has to! While I don't regret "wasting" this past ten years, I definitely have lots of catching up to do in every aspect of life!

Digital Camera or Digital Camcorder

I just realized that it has been almost three years that I have been using my friend's digital camera. He didn't ask it back, luckily, but still, I feel quite bad. I had intended to purchase a digital camera then but now, I have changed my mind. I would like to upgrade to a digital video camera so that I could shoot videos and upload them to YouTube to share with friends and family.

Unfortunately, I have no knowledge of digital camcorders and would have to spend time doing a research online as well as make a price comparison and right now, I am so busy I don't even have time to surf the web for information, let alone go around camera stores to see how the various models of camcorders feel in my hands. I guess like everything else, this has to take a back seat for now.

Rest In Peace: Michael Jackson & Farrah Fawcett

I woke up this morning at 5+ am only to be met by news of the death of Michael Jackson and Charlie's Angel, Farrah Fawcett. I didn't even have to read the news because everyone was talking about it on Facebook already.

Michael Jackson's death was sudden but Farrah Fawcett's was kind of expected due to anal cancer, though I suspect that MJ was already ill, just that he did not reveal it to the world. Otherwise, why would he attempt to embark on a "Final Tour"? It would have saved him from his debts.

Like many people my generation, I grew up listening to Michael Jackson since his Jackson 5 days, from his Beat it and Billie Jean days and I even have a copy of his HIStory album, though I think I didn't listen to it more than a couple of times though the same could be said for all my other CDs since listening to mp3 on my computer is way more convenient.

Although the news came unexpectedly, I am no longer shocked by such news. I have learned that people come, people go and there will always be a certain fashion that people will leave this world. I wouldn't say that I am a fan of Michael Jackson or Farrah Fawcett but I hope that these two amazing individuals who have carved a name for themselves around the world have finally found peace.

Overloaded With Online Games

I was chatting with a friend last night who also plays Mafia Wars and I asked him why he keeps announcing that he plays Mafia Wars day and night. He said that's because it is the truth. LOL He said that even playing Mafia Wars alone, he feels addicted to it and he knows that he is spending way more time than he should playing games.

I am playing three games on Facebook and yeah I also feel as if I am playing games all the time though in reality, I just keep them running in the background while I do other things. I asked a friend to join me in Mafia Wars and he was surprised that I am playing online games now when I have said that it's a waste of time to do so.

I didn't say that it's a waste of time but games do take up a lot of time, time which I could not afford previously. Now, with Snoopy ill and I am caring for him, I actually am not able to put in any time on my work and even if I do have time, I am unable to concentrate as I seem to have lost focus.

I know that I am not actually addicted to these games or mobile games and when things improve on the home front, I will spend less time on games and be more productive. I MUST be more productive in order to cover lost ground!

Highly Stressed

I once read a survey results that one of the highly stressful factors is the death of a pet. I used to think so too especially when the pet has been with us for a long time and is already a part of the family.

With Snoopy, it is way more stressful to deal with a dying pet than the death of a pet. While it has been swift with Dino's demise, it took about 7 hours from the time he lapsed into cluster seizures to the time he took his last breath, and I was unprepared, it is way more painful seeing how Snoopy is suffering.

It drives me crazy having to deal with the noise he makes and I get absolutely short tempered with him especially when I did not get any rest at all, like last night, but then I think that this is probably the final week or month he is going to be with us and I can't stay angry for long.

I know Snoopy is only like this because he is unwell but then it really is difficult to deal with him and I dread to think that when his time is finally up, I would actually rejoice to be free from this situation.

My friend sent me a couple of text messages yesterday which I did not reply. He finally asked if everything was all right and I told him that I am highly stressed, to stay away because I bite. Please don't bother me!

3kg

My father went for his monthly check up and told me that within one month, he lost 3kg of weight. Snoopy has already been bedridden for a month tomorrow and since the day he fell ill, none of us has had a good night's rest because of Snoopy's incessant crying and whining, barking and banging although Snoopy hasn't made any noise for the past few days and that's not a good sign and more worrisome

I remember three years ago, when Snoopy and Dino fell ill one after another, and also when Dino was invalid as well for two months back then, within four months, I lost 5kg. This time, taking care of Snoopy around the clock as the primary caregiver, I am not even sure how much weight I lost, though I know I surely lost some weight even though I am eating normally. Just that I am not sleeping. Luckily, I have some reserves. LOL

Anyway, I hope this ordeal will be over for all of us soon, including Snoopy himself.

Starting A Family

My sister told me that she is planning to start a family. She is not getting any younger and she has delayed long enough. She said that she has been selfish so far in the sense that by not wanting to have children, she is depriving her husband of having kids too.

I asked her if she would be able to cope with the extra expenses. You know how expensive it is to bring up a child, especially in this economic scenario. It's not just a matter of raising kids but parents have to ensure that their education is taken care of and this is getting more and more expensive by the year. Also, parents need term life insurance to ensure that the financial welfare of the children are taken care of should anything unfortunate happen to them.

My sister said that no matter the economy, life goes on. She has some savings now for her baby project and she has already bought term life insurance when she bought the house. That was almost two years ago. How time flies. I think it is compulsory for new home owners to be insured with life insurance as a means for the lender to cover their loan if the homeowner dies and defaults repayment.

2 Hours

If you have been following my blog all these while, you'd know that I haven't got a good night's rest for years now. You may think that I spend the night watching TV dramas and movies but I stay up for a reason and entertainment keeps me awake.

Last night, I achieved a new low with only 2 hours of sleep, way less than Dame Margaret Thatcher's famed 4 hours of sleep nightly. It's freaky and I know it's bad for my health but what can I do? I'm still nursing Snoopy and to care for an invalid, at least three people are required but I only have myself and sometimes, my father would come so that I could take my meals or a bath. That's it. As for my mother, she couldn't care less. The same goes for my brother.

Anyway, the other day, a guy asked me to go climb Kledang Range with him. If you are familiar with Ipoh, you'd know that this Kledang Range is very popular. Still, I've never been there. I'm just not a morning person. LOL

So this guy asked me to with him at 5am and reach the top just in time to view the beautiful sunrise and I was aghast. I told him that 5am is the time I go to bed. Ridiculously, he suggested that I not go to bed but go climb the range and then only catch my sleep. He wants me dead or what????

I Said Goodbye To Snoopy In A Dream

I had a really weird dream this morning, between 2.30am - 3.30am, when I fell asleep amidst the din that Snoopy was making.

In the dream, I was hugging Snoopy really closely and I was lying down in the bed and crying. I was thinking that Snoopy was rather heavy and even in my dream, I felt that something heavy was pressing down against me. Somehow, I was waiting for "the end".

And then Snoopy started to breathe really heavily and I quickly woke up my family so that they could say goodbye to him.

Then Snoopy took his last breath but none of us cried. My sister, strange that she was around, said to me, something like, "You're happy aren't you, now that Snoopy is dead?!"

I was like, "OMG how could you accuse me of something like that? I don't WANT Snoopy dead but I did pray that he is released from his sufferings and if death is the only way, then so be it."

In reality, Snoopy cries for such long hours throughout the day and night, banging himself against the ground, I really cannot tell if it's because of pain or out of frustration or both. But obviously, being invalid, he must be suffering some degree of pain.

Actually, this is the second time that I dreamt that Snoopy died since he fell so ill on 19th May, 2009. But at the same time, I also dreamt that Snoopy was able to walk once. I hope Snoopy walks again.

Hydro Therapy For Dogs

I had a chat with my vet this morning and asked if he has any patients who are also invalid like Snoopy. He said there are two cases; one Rottweiler and one Pekingese.

According to the vet, the owner of the Rottweiler, who was middle aged then and suffered from hip dysplasia, was very dedicated in helping his dog walk again. He set up a pool for the dog to paddle in water daily to avoid muscle dystrophy. After much hydro therapy, the Rottie was able to walk but still required help in being lifted from the back after lying down.

I too had thought of providing Snoopy with hydro therapy but for his case, it is one thing that he has lost his ability to walk. It's another that he has also lost his sense of balance. Till now, the vet is reluctant to pinpoint the cause of it or confirm that this was caused definitely by tick parasite, until and unless further tests are done.

Unfortunately, there are no facilities to run MRIs on dogs here in Ipoh. I wonder if there's any in larger cities like Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Even if this is available, it wouldn't be cheap judging from the charges pet owners in America pay.

Climbing The Wall In Frustration

My friend sent me a text message asking me how Snoopy is doing. I didn't reply because I was busy trying to calm Snoopy down after hours and hours of nonstop crying. My friend was concerned when I did not respond and asked if everything was all right. I replied that I was climbing the wall in frustration.

You know, ever so often we read in the papers where maids or even mothers and fathers abusing their young children or sometimes even to the point of death, I fully understand how that could happen and I sympathize. With Snoopy crying nonstop and throwing tantrums one round after another, I feel myself at the end of my tether as well and sometimes just want to give him a hard whack to silence him. Of course I didn't. Thankfully, I could still control my anger.

I also fully understand now when a friend told me that her mother-in-law gave away a geriatric dog. I thought she was awful to do that but if I find it tough to care for an ill dog, it is many times more difficult for an elderly lady to do so. I have resolved never to keep any pet anymore.

I Need A New Hairdo

My hair is so long now I look like a witch. Well, that's what my mother told me, anyway. LOL Yes, she really doesn't mince her words, huh? Previously, she would say that I am wasting water and shampoo washing such long hair but now that the bills are my responsibility, that doesn't work anymore.

Anyway, I KNOW I need a new hairdo but I can't go anywhere with Snoopy hanging on like this. Last evening, my friend sent me a text message asking me when was the last time I went shopping. Well, it was way before Snoopy fell ill on 19th May, 2009.

Well, the next time I go for a new hair style, I would have to decide if I wanted to get a perm or iron my hair. I've been keeping straight hair for far too long but am afraid that a perm would make me look even older than I already look no thanks to the lifestyle that I am keeping.

So how? Which would it be? Iron or perm? Ironing isn’t cheap too, you know!

Snoopy Moves In

I've shifted Snoopy to my room finally, moving him from my brother's room. At least now, I am able to do some work even though I may need to break a thousand times to attend to Snoopy. It's an improvement from sitting on a low stool next to Snoopy. I prefer this arrangement though Snoopy cried his eyes out and the house down last night as he misses his favourite spot.

Silly Snoopy has forgotten that Dino and him spent their early months here in this room as my sister and I bottle fed them. Well, hopefully he will get used to this arrangement soon since this is the only way I could care for him and work a little. We really can't tell when, if at all, Snoopy will walk again. This reminds me of the nightmare when Dino was not able to walk for two months last time.

Mobile Blogging & Mobile Games

There's really nothing much I could do sitting here on a low stool in my brother's room keeping Snoopy company, trying to calm him down when he has his bouts of tantrums due to frustrations of not being able to walk.

I could bring my laptop over but my hands wouldn't be free and I wouldn't be able to concentrate on my work anyway. I have been mobile blogging a lot. Did you know that I could send my posts directly from my mobile phone to Blogger to be published?

Another thing that I have been doing is play mobile games. What other thing could I do? I play games to release stress and boy, you can be sure I am all stressed up. I would love to sleep but then my bed is not here. SIGH.

I Forgot To Play Pet Society Yesterday

My goodness, how could I forget playing a game that I have been playing daily for the past THREE months? I guess I am that exhausted that by the time I return to my room after staying with Snoopy for long long hours in my brother's room, my head just hits my pillow and I am fast asleep.

I just logged into the game this morning to grab the daily lottery bonus and am trying as fast as possible to visit all my pet friends to gain the 20 coins from visiting them and also paw points from feeding them. This is a huge task with more than 30 friends on my list.

And then I have ten hurdles race to compete in for the maximum potential of 300 gold coins though I have NEVER won all ten races in a day (I think it's a computerized cheat!). Also I find that if your computer lags, or the server lags unfortunately, you would lose your races even if you did not fall.

Also, I would have to visit the nine pets who are sitting at the Cafe. I feed them apples, bathe and brush all of them for paw points. I also have to go and knock those trees for about ten gold coins per round and lastly, I have to go to the food shop to top up my 99 apples. Yes, I always buy the maximum available. LOL

With so many tasks to do, would I be able to complete them before a new day dawns for Playfish? This is why I need a netbook to play my flash games. I can't do this with my Nokia or iPhone!

Heartache

Although it irritates me that Snoopy cries incessantly for hours on end daily because it frustrates him that he cannot walk, STILL cannot walk for more than two weeks now, it pains my heart as well that my beloved Snoopy is reduced to an invalid.

I came across some of Snoopy's photos that I shot a year ago on my iPhone, a few days after Dino died because I was afraid that I won't have any "nice" photos of Snoopy to keep, just like how I lost some of Dino's photos when my computer hard disk crashed and was not backed up, and Snoopy was still able to stand and walk quite well, even though then, a year ago, his hind legs were already weak.

I hope to see Snoopy walking again. I hope the very expensive Synoquin that I am feeding twice a day will help! Please help pray for Snoopy’s recovery!

Pink Baby Gifts

How time flies. It was as if just a couple of months when my friend gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. It fact, it is going to be a year already! I didn't even realize until I received an invitation from my friend to attend her daughter's 1st birthday party. I am pretty excited about it as I have never attended birthday parties for children this young. My friend told me that it will be her first time organizing one too!

I already have in mind what to buy for the birthday girl. It's pretty easy with children. I have always wanted to buy personalized baby gifts and this is a good chance! And of course, pink will be the color of choice because it is for a girl and besides, it is one of my favorite colors as well!

My concern now would be how much budget to allocate for this gift. If I could afford it, of course I would love to buy a huge gift but then I have been spending so much on Snoopy for the past two weeks and I reckon there will be more bills coming my way!

S-Tris 2 & Bejeweled

I have been playing too much S-Tris 2 and Bejeweled lately while sitting with Snoopy and trying to calm him down. He throws tantrums for hours because he is frustrated that he can't walk and I am afraid that he would injure himself. So what could I do but to play games on my mobile phones?

I have S-Tris 2 installed on my Nokia E61i since I bought it and now, it sure comes in handy. It's actually a game of Tetris where we have to arrange blocks row by row and not let them pile up to the top. I used to play something similar called Bricks on my old computer system when I was still on dial up internet.

As for Bejeweled, I play it on my iPhone. I would have loved to be able to play Pet Society on my iPhone but my iPhone doesn't support flash and the game wouldn't load. Anyway, Bejeweled on iPhone requires internet connection. Then access the game through the website of PopCap Games on iPhone's Safari browser.

Roger Kwok In The Threshold of a Persona

I don't have time for entertainment at all for the past couple of months so I haven't been following any TVB drama and I definitely miss Korean dramas and movies. I think even if I were to follow then and watch episode after episode in one sitting, I wouldn't even be able to keep my eyes open. Yes, I am exhausted, I tell you!

Anyway, I am glad to see Roger Kwok with a leading role in The Threshold of a Persona. i haven't bothered to read what this drama is all about since I am not watching it yet but it's about life in a uniform body.

I remember watching Roger Kwok a long time ago, when I was still in school. Roger Kwok, though he also has looks and style and in fact I think he is better looking than many leading TVB actors, Bowie Lam comes to mind, is really a late bloomer. Back then, he had all the minor roles but I am happy for him to be able to finally get noticed and offered leading roles. In The Threshold of a Persona, Roger Kwok stars opposite Yoyo Mung.

An Option To Upgrade Myself

It looks like the only way for me to continue my studies is through the internet since I do spend a lot of time online. The good thing is that it is more common to gain a degree online nowadays and it is not as expensive as it used to be, when I enquired as soon as I completed my high school. LOL Yes, I already wanted to study online back then!

My uncle, who is in this business, told me that there are many people, mostly working adults or stay at home moms, taking this route and since I have no problems using the computer, it should be easy for me. I really need to seriously think about this. I figure I would have a little more time and one less commitment once Snoopy is no longer around.

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Everything Takes A Back Seat

Snoopy is taking a lot longer to recover and the damage left behind by this bout of tick parasite infection is really nothing to laugh about. Right now, he is still bedridden and it has been over two weeks already.

I keep thinking that if Snoopy doesn't get well, then let him die. At least he would be free from his suffering body. Death isn't something to be afraid of; the pain comes from dying and not death itself. It pains me to see him like this. Each time I get frustrated with him, for having to care for him and not being able to do this and that, I try to think that these are Snoopy's final days, which could be a week, a month or even several months.

I have decided to put everything aside, including non essential work so as to lessen my own frustrations. There's no point giving myself extra pressure in trying to earn enough money for the month plus cover Snoopy's mounting medical expenses and special diet and supplements. If necessary, I would have to dig my savings though I loathe doing so but I believe that I could make up for this monetary loss later when Snoopy finally leaves me. In view of this, I have also decided to put buying a car on hold. After all, it's not like I need it right now. I can't even go anywhere taking care of Snoopy around the clock.

Susan Boyle Admitted To Mental Clinic

I read that Susan Boyle, the star attraction in Britain's Got Talent, has been admitted to a mental clinic. I could imagine the kind of pressure she faced trying to live up to the expectation that almost the whole of Britain had on her.

Unfortunately, just having the voice isn't enough. One needs showmanship too which admittedly, Susan lacked. However, I guess we have to give it up to her for her guts.

During the Susan Boyle week, my friend asked me what I think of her and I said she is like a freak show. Mind you, I do not mean that Susan Boyle is a freak but I meant the fascination of people wanting to see what she is all about, the kind of sensation that she has created but you do know that the producers think of her as a cash cow and make use of this public attention to gain more viewership, ratings and advertising dollars for the program.

It happens every season and it is just too bad that this year it happened to Susan Boyle. Hopefully, she can make something for herself from the experience and media attention that she has gained through her participation in Britain's Got Talent.

Buying Costume Jewelry As Gifts

My sister was surprised to find me shopping for costume jewelry because she knows that I am such a no-frills person, unlike her! What a contrast! Well, I only buy them as gifts and not for personal use.

You see, I don't like buying gifts at the last minute and would normally keep a look out on special deals or sale and buy these gift items and keep them until a gift giving occasion arises, unfortunately MANY times over the course of the year.

With online shopping, it is a little easier to keep tabs of what's on sale and when. I normally check my favorite shopping sites about once every couple of weeks, just to see new products available. Sometimes, new items are sold at promotional prices too.

Fake Concern

The other day I was chatting with an online buddy and he asked me how Snoopy is doing. I said I am going crazy taking care of him and he laughed. He then continued by saying that it's none of his business and it's not his burden. He also said that he couldn't help.

That pissed me off because in the first place, he was the one who pretended to show concern. Of course this isn't his business and not his burden because he is nobody to me but one of my chat friends and you know, these people come and go.

Also, when did I ever ask him for help? In fact, I never asked anyone for help at all. Even with what I am sharing on my blog, I am just telling stuff as they are. Sure this is my problem and it is also our choice not to end Snoopy's life because we are not going to meddle with God's will.

All along, I never did like this chat friend because of some old issues. Now, I have more reason not to like him.

Clothes Drying Area

I have been viewing property auction sites a lot lately. No, not because I have the money to buy real estate right now, but just to see how bad the economy is. LOL Yes, one could tell by the huge number of houses, apartments and commercial properties looking for new owners.

One thing I noticed that many houses, no matter how large they are, seem to lack a drying area. For my own house, even though it's not large, we have a private drying area at the back of the house that no one could see unless that come into the house and walk to the back. I would definitely hate having to sun my clothes at the front of the lawn for all to see.

I know, many households are already using electrical clothes dryer but I have to admit that I wouldn't be satisfied if my clothes aren't dried with sunshine! I'm not sure about others, though!

Paintball Lovers

I have a group of friends who would get together every weekend to play paintball. They asked me to join them but I haven't. I am afraid of getting injured and be in pain for a week and the torture starts all over again the following week. LOL I have watched them play, though, and it looks kind of fun. Maybe when I have time, and could afford the body ache, I would join them.

One of the guys told me that he is eyeing the planet eclipse paintball gun and is hoping that he would get it from his mother for his birthday. Surprisingly, his mother supports his hobby but his dad thinks that he should be involved in some other more macho sports like rugby.

I've been thinking, if his mother isn't getting him the paintball gun, perhaps I could get our friends together and buy it for him. I know how difficult it is to long for something. No, it is not that expensive and he probably could afford it himself if he didn't already spend all his savings on some other paintball equipment and accessories!

Manohara Claims She Was Treated Like Animal

I read a report published on Malaysiakini yesterday that Indonesian teen model Manohara Odelia Pinot, claimed that she was treated worse than animal by her husband, a Kelantanese Prince.

Well, we've got two sides of the story now but isn't it strange that she would be allowed to marry her rapist since reportedly, this prince raped her when she was 15 years old? Would someone buy an animal a spanking new BMW for its 18th birthday and this animal would be so happy to receive the gift?

This union is wrong from the onset already yet in a marriage like this or other similar high profiled and high powered ones, I believe there will always be trade offs. One can't expect the marriage to be taken off the pages of a romance novel. There will always be sacrifices on the part of the spouse, husband or wife, who is less affluent or powerful or of lower social standing. What do you think?

Preventic

I think I mentioned already that Snoopy is down with tick parasite for the second time. The first time was about 2.5 years ago, both times with very different symptoms since tick parasites attack the whole body, joints and immune system.

Although this time, the tick parasites have cleared, at least the vet could not see any traces of them in Snoopy's blood under microscope anymore, Snoopy is still on tick parasite medication until at least mid-June.

For further protection against ticks, I have just bought an anti-tick and flea collar for Snoopy. It's called Preventic and is said to be effective for four months. I got mine from my vet at RM23. Apparently, ticks will crawl away from Snoopy's body and die but then I don't think they will die. Instead, I will have to do the killing.

I was just wondering, if a dog was wearing Preventic and contracts tick parasite, would the dog and owner be able to claim warranty?

Gold Bullion

I received an email recently with an offer to purchase gold bullion. I get a lot of unsolicited email and would occasionally read them especially when they land in my inbox. In the email, I was informed of all the advantages of investing in gold bullion and how this is one of the best ways to protect wealth.

Yes, actually I do know that if we have spare cash, gold bullion is a very good investment option. However, I also know that I should always purchase my bullions from an authorized precious metal dealer that would not only sell me bullions but advise me on building up my precious metal investment portfolio.

Right now, with Snoopy so ill and his medical bills piling up, I dare not move any of my funds yet until I could start earning and saving again. Only then could I think of investments.

14 Days

It's hard to believe that it has already been fourteen days since Snoopy last walked. Yes, he has not walked for two weeks now and it looks like it is going to be a little while longer before he could, IF he could. We did help him to try walking but he just keeps swaying to his right side and we have to put him back down. I am afraid that the longer he doesn't use his limb muscles, the weaker his limbs will become and then that is a new problem for him.

The vet says that I have to give him physiotherapy daily. Oh my God, on top of everything else, I now have a new task on my hands so much so that I don't even have time to do my own work. You know, I have been up at 5am today just taking care of him until he fell asleep at 2pm, and by that time, I am knocked out myself.

I pray Snoopy will walk soon. I really cannot remember anymore how it was when Snoopy was healthy, when he could walk, run, bark and was cheeky. In fact, I can no longer remember the joy of keeping a dog, of having a fun pet as part of the family.