After reading my cousin Ann’s blog, I was inspired to write my own 2007 year-end report. Unlike hers, this will be short (I hope), hehe.

It has been a great year for me regarding work. I’ve been talking about work all the time, because it has been my life when I started living here in the States . It may sound pathetic, but in a way it taught me so many things. Being independent and deciding things for myself was a huge transformation for me. Back in the Philippines, aside from work, I partied all the time, night-outs with friends, overnights here, ovenights there. I don’t know if i’m still adjusting here or not..but it’s different! I might just be exagerating, I still manage to have fun every now and then. Maybe I just miss my friends back home. I have grown to really love my work now, even though its far different from the work that i used to. Unlike on my previous job, where I sit infront of my computer all the time,designing, drafting, editing, print here, print there..and the only time I get to see the outside world was during site visits…were I guess…alright. But I wanted some more…I wanted to communicate more, to serve more and to “move” more. So when I had the chance to land this job, I embraced it and at the same time praying that this will give me insights on what I really want to do. It’s different..it was a total shock for me…it’s energy consuming, time consuming. But I like it…I really like it alot. 2007 was roller coaster ride for me, I was promoted, became an empolyee of the month (again), was awarded an employee of the year (for the past year), travelled, met important people…made more friends.

2007: the year of shopping…dot…com
I think I have shopped more online than in an actual store in 2007 (well except for the groceries). I was cleaning up my desk and found this stack of receipts from mailed packages…and thought…”my gosh, I think i did alot of shopping this year…online shopping!” Bought my cds and dvds online (from my favorites music store yesasia.com). Bought lotion, sanitizers and other beauty products online (from, where else…my fave…bathandbodyworks.com). Bought stuff for my computer online, softwares and hardwares (from circuitcity.com and corel.com). Bought magazines, perfumes, watch tool and other knick-knacks online (from ebay.com). Bought shoes online (from zappos.com –>my place of nirvana, hehe). Bought my ipod and ipod accessories online (from apple.com). Purchased songs for my ipod online (i-tunes store). Bought feng shui items online (from fengshuiweb.co.uk). Upgraded to a better plan from my web host (the best web host ever–>site5.com)..etc .etc.! But I think the best purchase that i did in 2007, was my ipod…Oh, my ipod how can I live without you! LOL. At first I was really hesitant to buy one, but through the convincing powers of my bestfriend Edc, I finally did it with no regrets at all! I use it all the time, not just for music but for other entertainment as well. Plus, it’s a good tool if you want to isolate yourself from the annoying public, hehe. As of this moment I have 948 songs, 100 videos and 10 podcasts.

2007: the year of lost and found
Well, I really didn’t lose anything important that year. But I finally found the person, that i’ve been searching for a long long time. Fely was my closest friend way back in highschool, we’ve lost communication for more than 10 years. Through the power of the internet and the world wide web, I found her again, and I’m so happy. We have alot of catching up to do…unfortunately we have to do it online. I was extra happy that my bestfriend Edc have finally met her in person giving the opportunity to represent me, I felt like i was there meeting her again. Edc is like the other half of me…oh he’s the best!
Met new friends in 2007, and I mean a diversity of friends…Japanese, Italian, African-American, Latinas, Turkish, Russian. I love making new friends from all over the globe. Learning their language and culture excites me alot. Hmmm, did I use the word ‘excite’? lol. It’s fun to learn a new language! I have started studying the japanese, spanish, italian languages years ago (and still in the learning process), but now i’m into russian. What a beautiful language, but it’s a tongue-twister for me…zdrastv-oo-tye! (hmmm, not sure about the spelling though, hehe)

2007: the year of web designs…and graphics
You all know by now, that web design is one of my passions. I’m not a proffesional nor an expert on this part, but I learned it through self-study. And I’m hooked!. I did alot of web designing that year, not just for my own homepage but for others as well. It’s a natural high for me when someone wants my ’services’ to make their own webpage. Aside from my ccastardust site, I made some designs for Edc, the AFLS group, the 750 connection group, the seasoned writer Sabine etc. etc! But the best thing that happened to me in 2007 is when I won the logo design contest for this organization in Texas. I was extremely overjoyed when they have chosen my design.

2007: their nine-lives are over
Isis and Gertrude past away. First, it was Gertrude, she had some sort of illness or something and then the adorable Isis, my fave. They were really old cats and I guess their nine-lives are over. I miss them alot.

2007: the year of ‘goody bags’
I think I have received more gifts in 2007. Thanks to my family and friends. I especially love the gifts from Edc and Richie, most of them were unexpected ’surprises’. These guys are good! They can really make this girl happy and excited, hehe..and now this girl is craving for more, LOL..you guys started it, hehe. It’s not just me who got goody bags but them as well. I think it has become our (the three of us) tradition to do this every year…excites ourselves with the exchange gifts of goody bags. Some are ‘expected’ but the best part are the hidden surpises in the bags. You’ll never know what you’re gonna get!

2007: the year of the comeback ‘Kit’
He finally did it this time! Kit is back in the motorcross racing again. It was an exciting feeling for me as well, coz it’s the first time that i’ve seen him racing, not just in photographs. I admit it, I had mixed feelings about this, I wanted him to go back to racing, but at the same time scared, because it’s kinna dangerous…accidents might happen you know. But thank God he finished with no broken bones or something…only missing bolts from Hodie, hehe. It’s so exciting to watch these guys race their bikes, and i’m thinking of joing them in the future, but I need my own bike first.

I think I have written enough, whew!…did I say, it’s gonna be short? LOL. But I know there are more stuff to write, i just don’t wanna bore you guys.

2007 is a good year for me and I hope 2008 will be the same as well, even better. 2008, is the year of the rat (in chinese astrology) will it bite?

I’ve just recently added a new theme for my website called: “V.29 Simply Refreshing”. I’m not sure what made me inspired of using lighter colors. I just think it’s about time to make my website a little brighter. So what do you think? Is it better than those darker shades of my previous designs? Again, if you’re still viewing an older version, look for the “theme switcher” located on the sidebar, pull down the menu and click: v29 simply refreshing for a better view of my latest theme. I have to give credit to Nick La of ndesign-studio.com for the icons I used. I also based my theme design on Nick’s WP theme ‘Glossy Blue’. I just love it’s simplicity! You also might wanna check out my Interact-ive page, I also have added several stuff there.

Aside from my website, I was also busy designing others’. Two of them were already finished. They’re both Multiply themes. The first one was a fansite of Ms. Lea Salonga called AFLS. I’m just so happy that the group liked my design. The second one was my multiply site, Scooterista Crossing. Visit the sites if you have time.

All my design collections are kept here: Studio CCA

That’s the title of my new theme. Don’t ask why, because while I was designing it I couldn’t think of what to name it, LOL. All I know is, I liked the picture, that’s all, hehe.

Yes folks another new theme has been added to the ccastardust hall of fame. The current theme is now v.28. And if you’re not viewing it right now (or if you’re still using the old versions), look on your left for the ‘theme switcher’, click the dropdown menu and choose ‘v28-right here waiting’..and voila! the new theme has been loaded. Magic, isn’t it? LOL

And now for the next part…I need your comments,suggestions or maybe some violent reactions(?) LOL. I want to improve this site, I know it needs something new.

Big thanks to Jeff for the comments and compliments…and for his recipe contributions. You can view his recipes on my other site stardust cafe. Like Jeff, you can also be a member (it’s free! LOL) and share your recipes.

And lastly…My ’shoutbox’ is unavailable for the meantime. Their main server is always down, so I took it out from my system, it just slows everything down. So for the meantime, use my commenting system for your messages :-)

Happy Saturday!

This is just a small notice for all of my visitors. I just recently upgraded my browser to IE 7 and just realized that my design looked different…kinna distorted on the upgraded version. So what I did days ago, was re-design the look again. It looks fine now on my browser. So, if you wanna upgrade, go ahead, it has more features and securities to protect you on the web, while browsing. Here’s the link: Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 . If you’re still using IE6, please tell me if my site looks distorted and I will try to correct it, but i hope you guys will upgrade too, hehe.

Talking about new ’stuff’, soon i’ll be adding a new page on this site. It’s be about the Philippines, the country where I was born and raised. Alot of my friends here in the States are kinna wondering where the Philippines is and what our language, traditions and all of those stuff. So watch for it :-)

Another newbie will be added to the Stardust Cafe site…It’s about ‘cooking for two’. That category will be added to my recipe collections. I cook everyday…well almost everyday, hehe, and I only cook for my husband and me. It’s hard to find recipes that can serve for only two people, and that’s what i’m trying to achieve in my everyday cooking to save resources and expenses.

And lastly, If you haven’t noticed it yet, on Stardust cafe I added a subscription form for visitors who wanna be updated for new recipe that was just posted. It’s very handy for people who visits my site regularly.

Thanks Jeff for all the compliments :-) I will be adding more recipes soon.

For my Stardust Cafe visitors, you can share your recipes too, you have the options of registering to my site so you can post your recipes by yourselves or use the contact form and I will add it with credits to your name :-)

Happy browsing!

At last, a new addition to the ever growing ‘version’ collections of the ccastardust website.

LOL

Presenting version 23: UFH – Unidentified Flying Hodakas. (If you’re on the site now and still viewing the older version, look on the sidebar that says ‘theme switcher’, click the dropdown menu and choose v23!)

 

 

I was in a web designing frenzy mood this weekend and thought that now is the right time to have a new version. It took me several hours to finish the design. Searching on the web on what pictures to use. I finally found what i’ve been looking for, credits to Kelly M. of the picture of Tommy Croft on his Hodaka. You can view the original picture here,I had to blend it on my design. And another credit given to Siege, coz I used his Hodaka Saucers. You can view the orginal picture here, it’s a portion of his shirt design, I had to crop it and blend it on my design.

Version 23 is dedicated to the passing of the great Jim Pomeroy…“The First American”

Talking about versions, a new version was also added to the 750 Connection site. It’s now on it’s version 15: ‘Sea Of Tranquility’ (Again, if you’re on the site and viewing the older version because of your cookies, look on the sidebar that says ‘theme switcher’, click the dropdown menu and choose v15! and voila! a new theme has been loaded.)

 

I’m on a roll! CCA Stardust Cafe is now up and running again! I’ve just transferred my subdomain to my new host, ‘Site 5‘. You can now view my collection of recipes and even share yours!

 

 

Whew! enough of that, now I have to stay calm and relax.Comments and suggestions are always appreciated :-)