Two months before I resigned from my last work, I made sure that I get all the ID cards I need since I will be surrendering my company ID. This means I arranged everything from my SSS (replacement), TIN, Postal ID, etc. These are some of the IDs needed for bank and other important transactions. Aside from these ID cards, I also continued my PhilHealth, Pag-ibig and SSS contributions without fail, so when I get sick, the health insurance can take care of a part of the hospital bill, and when I reach retirement age or die, I get a little something out from SSS (Social Security System).

I was happy with the online inquiry service of SSS until I experienced what seems to be an endless problem with their website. It was down, if not too slow, most of the time. Then they had this new procedure where one should register first and create an account before he can do online contribution inquiry, etc.

Personally, I like the old thing more – type your last name, your birthday and your SSS number, press ‘submit’ then tada! All the information you need to know and see with regards to your membership are there.

That was the old process. The new one is, well, I can’t say if it’s better or what. I have registered and tried accessing my account successfully. To register, you need to fill up the online form and wait for the email with your password from them (you create your own username and they give you the PW which you can change afterwards). Once logged in, you need to log in again to access your membership account. In other words, you need to log in to log in. Funny, right?

After successfully fooling myself logging in and trying the not really impressive service, I tried registering my husband. He received the email that says,

‘We are sorry to inform you that you have not successfully registered in the SSS Website. Please call the SSS Hotline at (632) 920-6446 to 55 for assistance.’

A month later, we tried registering again – filled up the form and waited for their email. We received the same response!

So I decided to call those numbers to inquire but all of them are either busy or your call just can’t get through (I hear a fast busy tone). I tried calling the trunkline (9206401), but the lady kept insisting that I call those other numbers even I told her how hard it is to get through. And I’ve been dialing since yesterday!

Aaaarrrgghhh! How I hate SSS! Their web service sucks, and their phone service sucks more. Maybe that’s why it’s called the SSS Hotline. Your head will get hot when you call their line.  I just hope they find a website hosting service that works, and a bunch of people that works better.

I am going out today to check the costume stores for anything Greek. I’m looking for a Greece traditional/national costume for Jeff. He is representing Greece in the UN celebration the school is holding on Oct24. We already bought the clothes he will wear for the photo shoot tomorrow for the casual wear. After the truck load of school projects, this is next. Plus the rehearsal on Saturday, which happens to be my laundry day. Plus the field trip on Oct18 – another Saturday, another laundry day. Plus the exams the week after that. Then the UN. Oh! And there’s also the baptismal of a friend’s baby on the 26th where I am going to be the oddparent godparent. Aaarrrggghh! What an October! I can’t wait for the sem break on the last week of this month.

Anyway, I have to get going now because I promised Jeff to bring him his lunch to school today. We agreed that I will just wait for him at the lobby to hand over his lunch box then I’m off to the costume shops. No, there’s no need for eyeglasses. Just hoping to find something today. Good luck to me! Bye for now, people!

And speaking of eyeglasses, here’s a great find from Zenni Optical.  They have a huge selection of prescription eyeglasses for as low as $8.  Cool, isn’t it?  I found this one at their ‘New Arrivals’ section.  And there are more new frame designs available.  Go see for yourself!

And while I’m out, you may want to check this one out

For some months now, I’ve been ‘checking’ our son for any underarm and facial hair, in a funny manner. I would say something like, ‘You were out of my sight for 2 minutes. Let me see if you have grown some hair’, ‘Oh, you’re sleepy! Let me see if some hair makes you sleepy’, ‘I haven’t looked at those underarms for a day. I have to check it again’. Every time I say things like these, he voluntarily raises his hands and laughs.

Jeff is ten years old now, turning 11 on January. At school, they already have discussed about puberty, reproduction and sex – topics that I am not yet ready to talk about with him. Before, when he asks the ‘difficult questions’, I would quickly change the topic by asking him to get something for me or by pretending to be busy and about to loose my temper. But now, I am left with no other choice but answer all his questions.

Once, he asked, ‘Ma, ano ibig sabihin ng sex?’ (‘Ma, what does ‘sex’ mean?’). My answer was, ‘Ibig sabihin nun is ‘gender’. Pag sinabing ‘gender’, lalake or babae. Tulad sa mga forms na pini-fill up-an natin sa school, may nakalagay na ‘sex’. Dun mo isusulat kung male or female ka’ (It means ‘gender’. By ‘gender’, it means male or female. Like the forms we fill up at school, you’ll find a section there where ‘sex’ is written. That is where you write if you’re a male or a female’. That scholarly answer that may have given me a standing ovation in a Mrs. Universe pageant was bought, until few months later when I picked him up at school . . . . .

‘Mama, alam ko na kung paano nagbubuntis ang babae!’ (Ma, I now know how a woman gets pregnant!’. Shocked, I just nodded my head without looking at him. Then he proceeded, ‘Tawag po dun is sex!’ (It’s called sex!). Nodding my head and looking at the different direction, he continued, ‘Bakit ka po nagsinungaling sa’kin?’ (‘Why did you lie to me?’).

Embarrassed, I answered, ‘Anak, hindi ako nagsinungaling sa’yo. Totoo na ‘gender’ din ang meaning ng sex’ (Son, I did not lie to you. It is also true that ‘sex’ means ‘gender’). ‘E bakit hindi mo po sinabi sa’kin?’ (‘Why didn’t you tell me so?’). ‘Kasi, anak, may mga bagay na dapat nalalaman lang sa tamang panahon. Tulad nung nagsimula kang mag-aral. Diba ang turo lang sa inyo noon was colors, shapes, alphabets and numbers? Tignan mo ngayon. Meron na kayong fractions, decimal points, kinds of sentences, kinds of letters, history, etc.’ (It’s because there are things that have to be discussed at the right time. Like when you started schooling. You were only taught about colors, shapes, alphabets and numbers, right? But now, you already have fractions, decimal points, kinds of sentences, kinds of letters, history, etc.’). He stopped. ‘Good’, I said to myself with a sigh of relief.

Or not . . . . .

Because as soon as we got home, what I thought was a closed issue, wasn’t closed at all! ‘Mama, nagse-sex po ba kayo ni Papa?’ (‘Mama, do you and Papa have sex?’). I felt my tongue slipped down to my stomach for a few seconds before I was able to say, ‘Yes, so you can have a baby brother or sister’. His answer? A very loud, ‘Yes!’, then went out and played.

I suddenly remember one time when we were at the mall and he saw Kids at Work (a playground for kids) and announced that he will not play there anymore because he’s grown already. Instead, he’ll play at Puberty at Work because he’s at his puberty stage now, then asked ‘Is there such, Ma?’

Our son is no longer a baby. As he always says, ‘I am a TEN-ager already because I am 10 years old!’ Soon, the body and the facial hairs that are not visible yet will be there. For so many times he told me, even his other hairs grow, he will still love me and his dad forever . . . . .

Do you have similar, though not as hairy, story about your kids?

And speaking of hair, if you’re a woman and you or someone you know have unwanted facial hair, you are sure to find some help, don’t you? Check out and learn more about Trienelle’s Reductase-5 and see how this latest and natural approach to women’s unwanted facial hair, which is also recommended by some women’s health professionals, may help you.

Late last year, when I decided to get my own domain, it wasn’t easy for me to decide which webhosting service to get. I spent months googling and bloghopping just to find which ones really offer good service. This is because I don’t want to end up purchasing a domain name and a webhosting package and end up scratching my head while saying ‘Now what?’

I started blogging using the free Blogger and WordPress services for both my old blogs. I knew little of the codes and how to make some things work, and I must admit that until now, there are a lot to be learned. And I’m so happy I found the excellent service I just so badly need with my webhost, which I’ve been mentioning to you on my previous posts, and also which I would highly recommend if you are interested. But for now, let me send you over to this webhosting review site if you want to see many choices. And for some tips for choosing a domain, too! Enjoy browsing!

1. my own website (done on Feb02)

2. digital camera (I’m crossing this one out now because my husband and I agreed that we will buy this next year)

3. new pair of pants (at least 2) (done on June11)

4. a pair of sandals/shoes

5. pairs of shorts (at least 2)

6. skirt (done on Feb01)

7. TV rack (done on Apr30)

8. office table (to replace our PC table) (I don’t think I’ll be needing this for now; we already had an alternative)

9. computer monitor (to replace the one I am using now which is having near death experience)

I’m a bit sad that I have to cross out #2 today, but as I always say, that can wait and there is time for every thing. And the vacation we’ve been planning also had to be re-scheduled some other time. There are some things (and expenses) that came up and we needed to set our priorities. Who knows, the simple family vacation we want will turn out to be as grand as luxury skiing holidays to be spent in a Courchevel chalet in Courchevel, France! Or luxury ski chalet in Meribel, France or St Anton, Austria. Hmmmm . . . . . Now I’m thinking . . . . .

Only in Silence has just celebrated its 5^th month this 2^nd of July. While my two other blogs are both more than a year old, my heart is in here. I bought this domain as a gift to myself on my 31^st birthday last February. And this, I consider, is one of the greatest accomplishments I had.

Being a stay-at-home mom, this is where I ‘hang out’. I get to meet wonderful people, learn new things while I bloghop, and most of all, I am able to put up some codes and widgets that are not allowed in the free-hosted blogs I had and have so much fun doing all these. Aaaahhh! The freedom I always wanted. Sometimes it makes me wonder – while some finally decided to move their blogs to a new domain, there are still a lot of great bloggers out there who got more than a handful of readers and subscribers but are still using the free service. So if you are looking for a web hosting service, I suggest that you find a plan that suits your needs and budget.  As for me, I found the best service ever!