1. I was struck by lighting June 13th, 1997. (Yes... Friday the 13th!) We had a really bad thunderstorm in Philadelphia. We lived in a 3 story row home that wasn't grounded. When the lightning struck the house it came through all the power lines in our house blowing out electronics, starting a fire in an outlet in my parents room. I was sleeping in a bunk bed and woke up to what I thought was the light bulb exploding. I slept with a metal locket on, I sat up trying to get out of bed and felt a jolt go through me. The locket acted as a conduct-er. My left arm had nerve damage and I needed physical therapy for a little while. The worst thing was going to the emergency room and having everyone ask, "Did you hair stand on end?!" To this day if I visit a new doctor and they check my reflexes they always say, "Hmmm, do you know your left side is weaker than your right?" And then I have to tell the story!

Image Credit

2. I'm left handed.

3. I can't write in cursive. It never stuck with me as a kid. I can sign my name and that's about it. Everyone always comments on my signature!


4. When I was 13, I won a grand prize trip for 4 to Los Angeles California and I got to co-host a kid's radio show called The Fox Kid's Countdown. I was even in their Fox Kid's magazine, lol.


5. We got to tour Warner Brother Studio's while in L.A.


6. My brother and I only wanted to go, because we were obsessed with the Animaniacs and thought they really lived in the water tower there, lol! We even dressed up as them one Halloween!



7. I will not set foot inside a McDonald's. I'm anti McDonald's for some reason. Maybe I went there too much as a kid, I don't really know.


8.That doesn't stop me from going to another fast food place... Wendy's! I ♥ Wendy's!


9. I've been to the Philippines, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo. The last 3 were just the airports I've been too... but when you have to use different currency in the airport to buy items like this gatorade, I think it counts!


10. I met my husband online on a Lindsay Lohan fan forum in 2004. :-p We were just friends at first. We had a long distance relationship for 5 years, and we were married in the Philippines, December 19th, 2009.

11. As a kid I was terrified of the one that yells in Dr. Suess', One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. I would skip the page, or hide the book.


12. I have 3 tattoos. My name on my left ankle, pink stars on my right ankle and a rat tat on my right wrist.


13. I have 7 piercings in my ears, but I only wear earrings in my 2 cartilage piercings now.

14. I have owned 41 pet rats since October 2007. (Not all at the same time of course!) Pet rats have a lifespan of 1-3 years. (Updated: 11/14/13)

15. I currently have nine pet rats. 4 boys, 5 girls! (Updated: 11/14/13)

16. My rat Sugar was in the Philadelphia Metro Newspaper back in June 2009. I had come into work late that day, and all my coworkers kept coming up to me all day saying I was famous, lol.


17. I wanted to BE Laura Ingalls when I was a kid, I was obsessed.


18. The boys next door to us when I was a kid in the 80's, thought I was Punky Brewster, lol.


19. When I was a kid, I used to keep pieces of gold Crayola crayons in this Easter egg locket, I guess I thought it was treasure!


20. I taught myself how to play acoustic guitar in my teens, I used to even write and compose songs. I haven't played since 2004. I think I forget how to now...

21. I was home schooled from 6th grade until I graduated high school.

22. I took acting classes in my teens. They were pretty expensive, my grandparents were nice enough to pay for them. The owner of the classes, Rodney Robb, even gave me a scholarship for some of the classes.


23. I had a cat named Popcorn for almost 15 years. I used to dress her up when I was a kid, poor cat!


24. I never took public transportation until I was 28 years old. Now I have to commute on the train to work. I've been driving since I was 16.

25. I always eat cereal or soup out a cup or mug, because it's easier. I never use a bowl.

So I'm starting a new meme!

Rules: Choose 5 of your favorite blogs and share what you think you have in common or how/why you connect with that blog/blogger. (Similar interests, hobbies, etc.)

1. Keeping up with Me

Jacki is Filipina, I am American. She was married in the USA and I was married in the Philippines. She and her husband worked through immigration and F.B. and I are currently working on immigration. That definitely set the foundation for our friendship. I love reading about Jacki's experiences now living in the USA and how my husband will experience the same some day soon.

2. NYC Girl at Heart

Patty and I both share a love and passion for our cities. For her, New York and for me, Philadelphia. We love our cities, we love sharing about them! We are both East Coast girls! We also love Philippa Gregory's books. And our pets are our babies. (Her dog Max & my rats!)

3. Misguided Mommy

Shannon's husband is Filipino, which is something we have in common. We've always been able to laugh or joke about the little odd quirks or terms our husband's have or use. Like how my husband calls sneakers, "Rubber Shoes", or how her husband puts ketchup on everything & calls flip flips, "slippers". She also loves cooking, which is something I love to do too.

4. Chronicles of an Exhausted Mom

Stephanie and I connected over Tudor history at first. We both love reading about the Tudor's and are fascinated by that era. She also has gone through the immigration experience with her husband as well.

5. Berto and Kwala

I really enjoy Karen's blog posts about the Philippines. And the fact she lives pretty close to where my husband lives is something we have in common. I've driven through her city many many times, even though we've never met yet! She's posted about places I have been before, malls F.B. & I have been too. I like that we share that in common. She also loves to write, which is something I love doing too!


There are many other reasons why I love these blogs as well. The blogging world is a great place as it opens your eyes to other's experiences through life, other places, other cultures. As you follow along, you become connected to that blogger, laugh when they do, cry when they cry, share in their happiness and joy and make some new friends along the way.

Time for a blogging meme! (Stolen from BPD in OKC).

1. How long have you been blogging?
I started this blog March 2008. Before I started this blog I used to have an online journal on Xanga.

2. What made you start?
I wanted a place where I could share & document my long distance relationship's story.

3. Who inspired you?
The idea started from reading other blogs out there, I wanted to tell my story too.

4. About how many hours a week would you estimate you spend on your blog?
I'm usually logged into my blogger dashboard reading blogs every day for 1-2 hours. When it comes to my own blog, I may spend 3-4 hours a week writing blogs.

5. What kind of experience or background do you have with writing?
I used to write stories & poetry and songs a lot when I was younger.

6. Talk about how you come up with blog topics. Where do you get your ideas?
I blog mostly about my daily life, my long distance relationship, our immigration process, pets, photography, my trips to the Philippines. I try to keep my topics interesting & unique. Sometimes I like to do features on different places, products, foods, etc.

7. What or who inspires you and your blog?
Life, my husband, the future.

8. Where and/or how do your brainstorming for your blog?
I post a lot of pictures on my blog, so most of the time the stories write themselves from my pictures. Sometimes when I'm out and something interesting is happening, I'll say, "This is blog worthy!"

9. Do you have any blogging rules or guidelines you follow?
I try to link and cross reference posts, so people reading can either back track in my blog or click a link for something I'm talking about to get a better understanding.

10. Is there anything you will not blog about?
I don't blog about work in depth or co-workers.

11. Do you have any sort of a publishing schedule in terms of day of week or topic?
I go with the flow and whenever I'm inspired I blog. When I'm blogging from the Philippines, I try to update at least once a week.

And now in honor of blogging it's time for another giveaway!

I picked up this gorgeous freshwater pearl bracelet & key chain from Kultura in the Philippines. The pearls on the bracelet are an iridescenct burgundy color. (Kind of reddish/purple.) The chain is silver. It's stunning in person, the picture doesn't do it justice! The rubber keychain says, 'Manila, Philippines'.

I'm also including 4 packs of San Mig 3-in-1 instant coffee in: Original & Mild. (best instant coffee ever! I always stock up when I'm in the Phil!) and 2 packs of Close Up Lemon Mint Twist Toothpaste! Both Philippines Products!

To enter the giveaway leave me a comment telling me how you found my blog & why you enjoy reading it.

(Remember anyone can comment, you don't have to be registered on blogger!)

This giveaway is not restricted to the United States, so my international readers can enter! Family & friends are not excluded from the giveaway. I will use a random number generator to determine the winner!

The deadline to enter this giveaway will be: February 22nd, 2010.

(This entry will have a future date until the giveaway is over!)