...Teacher Anna...

Pocketful of Kids , the very first toy village in the Philippines is opening on October 25, 2008. The toy store carries only top-of-the-line developmental toys from reputable American and European brands.

Learning Resources, Educational Insights (Hot Dots pens, Playfoam and GeoSafari), Alex, Tatiri,

Melissa & Doug (Number One in wooden educational toys in the US)

Pocketful of Kids allows children to try out and experience the featured branded toys; there are also books (from Fully Booked), health food section, and playground with a “Know It All Tree” (a lighted talking tree).

From 0 to 99 years old, from simple colorful blocks to complex puzzles, Pocketful of Kids would have something for you! Pocketful of Kids toys can enhance a child to be :

Word Smart , People Smart, Music Smart, Nature Smart, Picture Smart, Number Smart, Body Smart

POCKETFUL OF KIDS encourages children to wonder, discover and learn through play.
POCKETFUL OF KIDS PLAYING AND LEARNING PUT TOGETHER!
Visit 15th Floor Strata 2000, Emerald Avenue, Ortigas
Tel # (02) 634-7888 or (02) 634-2888.

Store Hours: 10:00 AM - 7 :00 pm
email : pocketfulofkids@yahoo.com

Notes on Play:

Play, often described as “ the work of children”… is any voluntary activity engaged in for the purpose of enjoyment… it is not something a child does when he or she has nothing else to do , it is something the child has to do.
-Adele Pillitteri, PhD, RN, PNP
Author of the Maternal and Child Health Nursing

From being an infant, toddler, preschooler and school-age children, play is as an integral part of their life. Even if one reached adulthood, we want to play, we always feel at ease after we play. How can one forget his or her first toy? I will always remember my first “walking doll” given to me by my “lola”. Up to this time I would always recall how I played with it, how I used to change her dresses, combed her curly hair etc.

I enjoyed being a passenger in any automobile, it feels like a cradle at times, especially when the aircon is so cold and music is relaxing. When we were kids, my uncle would always tagged as along and have a have a “joy ride” in his car along Dewey Boulevard now Roxas Boulevard.

Nowadays, as I passenger, I’m a bit bored along the road . I passed the stretch of Edsa 4x a week from Edsa Extension to Monumento, either by MRT, taxi, or private car. To kill boredom, I used to memorize all the billboards along every intersection. 4 years ago, Kris Aquino was the Queen of EDSA, from Monumento to Magallanes, she used to have a billboard advertisement in every intersection. I do not know who are the queen and King of EDsa Billboards; it is a toss between Actress Judy Ann Santos , Dawn Zulueta and Actor Richard Gutierrez. However, nobody can beat Kris Aquino then.

I’m excited about the Manila Outdoor Gallery Art Route a project of the Outdoor Advertising Association of the Philippines (OAAP). It aims to display artworks from 10 of the most promising Filipino artists along key locations across the metro, in support of the ongoing international movement rallying for nature conservation. Painting and photographs depicting varied interest will be placed along South Luzon Expressway , North Luzon Expressway and EDSA.

Here’s a glimpse of the biggest outdoor gallery in Asia.

Unending thanks to the people who organized the Pantene bloggers night at Taste Asia , SM Hypermart last night October 17, 2008.

It was a mixture of fun, entertainment and “showbiz flavor” for bloggers with Ms Judy Ann Santos as the very special celebrity guest. The event introduces Pantene 3 minute miracle treatment with actual demonstration of how it works in 3 minutes.

If only Pantene was there during my college days, which I really have split ends problems due to frequent cold wave procedure (“kulot”, the hair trend during the 80’s))done in parlors.

The rest of the night even got me hooked to watch the performance of Ministix band. Why? Because they sang songs with gusto and songs of the 80’s was sound of the night ( the likes of Earth Wind and Fire, Hotdog, VST and Co.).

MAKING HAIR Miracles Happen- Pantene’s 3- minute Miracle Treatment.
Experience it and reverse 3 months of damage in just 3 minutes

I had a chance to watch an ABS CBN show “Walang Iwanan” which featured the rich and famous in Philippine business. One of those featured was Socorro C. Ramos, the woman behind the success of National Bookstore. Before the advent of Fully Booked and Powerbooks, National Bookstore was the in place for booklovers. I used to spend most of my free time in high school and college browsing books at National Bookstore Super branch in Cubao, Quezon City.

Pocket book bestsellers (usually Bantam books) would cost thirty-five pesos and I would read it for about three to five days. Nowadays I still go to National Bookstore for school supplies, which I think, have the most varied and complete resources for our school needs.

For now, National Bookstore, has formed its own foundation and the focus of their projects is to help build libraries for public schools. “Buklat Aklat” aims to promote literacy and readership among Filipino children. You can help by simply dropping coins in coin banks located in their cashier booth.

From the words of Mrs Socorro C. Ramos, Read more, Know more and Earn More.
Hard work and diligence …. KEY TO SUCCESS !

I love reading and my  dad did influence me a lot. The Philippine Readers Book Three is one of the first books that I have read. I have kept this copy for quite some time. This is a collection of short stories and one good feature of the book is a little dictionary at the back.

As we were traversing EDSA . ads posted along MRT were billboards announcing first ever Global Handwashing Day on October 15, 2008. The celebration hopes to mobilize millions of people to wash their hands with soap.

The surface of our skin contains over 2 million microbes per square inch (that’s according to my microbiology lessons way back). WOW that’s really a lot! Since our elementary years, we were taught on the importance of hand washing before and after eating and after using the toilet.

How long does one wash his hands? As I would teach younger children, I always tell them that the average time would be the length of time when you sing the “Happy Birthday Song” . As you are doing your hand washing, try to sing the birthday song. And when it’s done, your hands are clean.

Lets us support the first ever-Global Handwashing Day on October 15, 2008. Promote hand washing and prevent infection!

For more information visit the WHO website:
http://www.who.int/gpsc/events/2008/15_10_08/en/index.html
www.globalhandwashing.org

I have noticed several coin banks for Caritas Manila in most establishments at Farmers Plaza Cubao. I got curious, read the tin can, and look for their website. This I found out, that Caritas Manila will mark its 55th anniversary on October 11, 2008 with a fund-raising campaign dubbed “Giving Circles: 55 at 55” which aims to raise P55 million to help the urban poor. It’s a two week celebration for showcasing new programs for urban poor development.

Our family has supported the Pondong Pinoy project of Cardinal Rosales, and this again is another worthwhile project to support. Some of the programs of Caritas Manila that will be benefit the poor are education, livelihood and employment, crisis management, restorative justice and housing.

**CARITAS means love in its perfection

How you can help Caritas Manila ?
http://caritasmanila.org.ph/get-involved/index.htm
http://www.caritasmanila.org.ph/

For inquiries and donations, call 5639311 or text 0906 CARITAS.

My kids and I had a chance to experience RED BOX, a World Class Leisure and Recreation Haven, located in Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center Makati City. Its main feature is a karaoke room with big screen TV, cozy sofas, ambient lights, suited room temperature and polite service crew. The place is chic and classy, ideal for the young and old who want to shun away from places with irritating sounds.

An added feature of the place is Nintendo Wii consoles where karaoke lovers can alternate between the microphone and nunchuck controllers. One can also play a game of pool or poker or simply lounged in the comfy sofa to feel lazy and just enjoy the night with the “barkada” or someone who is so special.

From Wikipedia

Whether playing a game of pool, battling it out on the poker table or simply lounging in the karaoke bar’s comfy sofa, Red Box makes sure that nobody is left out of the fun.

Hey Dad and Mom, why not celebrate an important occasion at RED BOX with your kids (specially if they are in their adolescent years) , its clean fun , and I m sure it will make you a “cool mom and dad”! I did have a grand time with my kids.

Here we are, Jeric, Dianne and me after enjoying our night out at RED BOX, will surely go back there again. Thank you RED BOX, it was FUN!

Experience a different level of karaoke high. Red Box has branches in Greenbelt 3 and Trinoma. For more information and inquiries, please call 757-6188 or visit www.redbox.com.ph.

A blood donation project was held successfully at Arellano University Pasay Jose Abad Santos Campus last October 3, 2008. The blood donation program is an annual activity organized by Level II Student council officers with the objective to encourage every AU student the benefit of voluntary blood donation.

The project was also made possible with the backing of Red Cross Pasay Chapter, Mr August Manzon, Ms Jen Mesde both AU faculty and under the guidance of Ms Ditas Hernandez, Level II coordinator and Arlene Blaise Cortez, Dean of the College of Nursing.

The project, dubbed as “Alay Mong Dugo, Karugtong ng Buhay Ko” was held at the AU Pasay Lobby, wherein 122 blood bags were collected from volunteer AU Pasay nursing students and then deposited at the Philippine National Red Cross.

For more information on how to donate blood visit:
http://www.redcross.org.ph/Site/NBC/donateblood.aspx
http://www.redcross.org.ph/Site/NBC/FAQs.aspx

I had a chance to attend San Miguel Beer Octoberfest 120 bloggers night, last September 24, 2008 at Taste Asia, SM Mall of Asia . Though I don’t drink, it’s nice to get along with friends who would always savor our world famous beer.

What are parties, get- together or simply plain conversations among men without San Miguel beer? Nowadays, even women settle for San Mig light during parties and “gimmicks”. San Miguel TV print and TV ads do have women partying and having beer.

During the 80’s it was only the men, the likes of Fernando Poe Jr, drinking beer with the ad concept of having friends and building camaraderie among friends. San Miguel basketball team then was winning PBA championship every now and then. Then came the SMB ad concept of “Sama Sama Ang Barkada”, which still convey to us about keeping friendship and meeting new friends.

TO ME THE SAN MIGUEL BEER OCTOBERFEST 120, YEAR 2008
MEANS A CELEBRATION OF FRIENDSHIP.

“Happiness is time spent with a friend
and looking forward to sharing time with them again.”
- Lee Wilkinson