Author Archives: Brown Pinay

Living One Day At A Time

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Brown Pinay| Leave a comment

Our economy is not catching up with the fast phase of price increase of the basic commodities. They continue to raise despite the fact that the salaries remain the same. There are government mandated adjustment for minimum wage earner covered under DOLE Wage Order No. 16 (eCOLA for Minimum Wage Earner). However, there is really no big impact to those who are already above minimum wage earner. There is no ruling to impact a certain increase in the salary of the employees, the salary increase specially in the private sector remains at the discretion of the management.

With this, it is of upmost important to have other means of earning (raket in other words) to make both ends meet. I am into buy and sell and online earnings. It is just sad that at my age instead of looking for the best annuity rates for my retirement, I am still stuck in these race called life. Stuck in the situation where we need to live day by day. But as a Pamilyang OFW, I make sure that a portion of our earnings go to savings, not necessarily for retirement but to start a conventional business enough to start a business in case my OFW husband decides to come home here in the Philippines for good.

How about you how are you able to get by? Are you still able to save? Or are you also living one day at a time

Posted in Pamilyang OFW

Symptoms of Cervical Spondylosis and How I Discovered That I Have It

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Brown Pinay| Leave a comment

For the longest time I have been complaining that I had this recurrent neck and back pain which I regarded as just stiff neck. I vividly remember that I have this pain ever since I am in 4th year high school. But being young, I was able to tolerate the pain and just disregard it thinking that it was just mere stiff neck. But I develop the habit of stretching my neck and tilting it side-to-side just to ease the pain, that at times my elders would scold me for this what they called “mannerism”. I just cannot explain to them that tilting my neck side to side ease my pain.

For many years, I was able to survive and tolerate the pain. But then along with that pain, I also suffered from frequent head ache which I just disregarded thinking that it was just mere migraine. Since headache will be gone after a good sleep, I did not bother to consult the doctor then.

But when I become a Mom, this is where the frequency of the neck pain and headache becomes intolerable. I have countless sleepless nights; I become insomniac because of the pain. My work even becomes affected because of frequent absences (Sick leaves). I am not fond of going to the doctor, perhaps I am afraid to face the truth. I am afraid of being sick, who would have not? But this time, I have to go seek doctors advice since even the nurse and the pharmacist in our office clinic would not give me pain relievers anymore since they told me that have hit the maximum number of medicine request for pain reliever.

Our office doctor gave me a referral to a specialist, he referred me to an orthopedic. I was already instructed to wear a short neck brace called cervical collar. Wearing this neck brace eases the pain temporarily since it gives my neck support. cervical collar to restrict neck movements and reduce pain.

But the orthopedic doctor told me that I have to undergo MRI to be able to diagnose the source of my discomfort and to know my condition. {My MRI experience will be another story to share}.

My MRI results shows that I have Cervical Spondylosis, a condition similar to former President Gloria Arroyo.

As per Wikipedia

“Spondylosis is a term referring to degenerative osteoarthritis of the joints between the centra of thespinal vertebrae and/or neural foraminae. If this condition occurs in the zygapophysial joints, it can be considered facet syndrome. If severe, it may cause pressure on nerve roots with subsequent sensoryand/or motor disturbances, such as pain, paresthesia, or muscle weakness in the limbs.”

To make it short, sweet and simple, in layman’s term it is arthritis of the neck. The bones in the neck (cervical spine) slowly degenerate as we age. This frequently results in arthritis. At times it may be crippling, it cannot also be treated but at least there are ways to ease the pain and solve the discomfort temporarily.

So if I were you, consult the doctor while it is not yet late. I am lucky that my condition is still not for surgery, I just underwent physical therapy and will still undergo as needed. No surgery for me as of the moment and I hope that it will not come to that point. The pain still haunts me until now but at least it is not that often as before.

Posted in Cervical Spondylosis, Health

Life after College

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Brown Pinay| 1 Comment

After finishing college, it is really hard for the newly graduate to adapt to the “real world”. You had been practically been to school almost majority of your life and facing a new world is a real challenge in itself. The transition from being a student and being a corporate professional is a big shoe to fill in.

Some had grown disappointment since they are expecting more, but there are times that most of the task given in the office as a newbie are clerical. You will realize that the derivatives, integral, logic controls etc, that you learned from college are not actually used in the real world. Experiencing culture shock is just but normal. The “real world” is more on the practical aspect, but you cannot disregard what you learned from school since it is a foundation of your chosen field.

Job hunting also requires charm and luck. You may have good academic records but it will not translate into being hired if you do not know how to sell yourself. In this reality, I have seen classmates and schoolmates before who are not academically impressive yet they have a good position in the corporate world now because of their wit, determination and good PR. But of course a good academic standing is a really, really good tool to arm you in your job hunting.

The hard work you put in school sometimes does not translate to a good work after college. This is reality, but this should not stop you from working hard and showing your superiors why you deserve to be hired.

My little advice to you peeps, always be prepared for the challenge. Your expectations may not be met at times but always be positive no matter how negative a situation may be . College may not always prepare you entirely in the corporate world, you have to learn on your own. There is a jungle out there, be brave but do not be eaten by the system.

Good Luck and have a good life after college.

Posted in Tips

My Cervical Spondylosis Series

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Brown Pinay| Leave a comment

Perhaps you might be wondering why I had been out of sync for a while and I am posting occasionally only. I had issues with my health so I opt to rest for a while. My blogging mojo has also declined. I want to blog more often but my mind and body is declining.

There are lots of topics worth sharing but I am taking everything in stride right now. Now that my mojo is slowly cooperating, I would like to share to you what I had gone through. Those who had been diagnosed with Cervical Spondylosis will surely be interested in my post. Cervical Spondylosis is a condition similar to former President Gloria M. Arroyo.

Last February 29, 2012, I had blogged that I have Cervical Spondylosis. The series of blog post that I will share to you will be about my battle with it and how I am coping right now.

To keep I inspired and my thought organized with this series of post; let me outline what I would have to share to you peeps:

I Have Cervical Spondylosis = Done
Symptoms of Cervical Spondylosis and How I Discovered That I Have It = Done
My MRI Experience
My Physical Therapy and Rehab Experience
Continuing Life with Cervical Spondylosis.

That will be a handful of blog topics to keep me inspired to blog again. Actually, I am writing this to keep my blogging mojo back. If you are a blogger like me you can totally relate about “blogger’s block”. But I am sure that you may also agree that once a blogger always a blogger.

Posted in Cervical Spondylosis, Health

OFW Plans and Goals – a MUST

Posted on April 14, 2012 by Brown Pinay| 10 Comments

During chat time with my OFW hubby, there are times that we would just turn emotional. Just like any other family we love to be together but there are things that should happen for a reason. My husband was not that lucky in terms of employment here in the Philippines, so he worked abroad where there is a greener pasture.

To counter the sadness and emotions, we would be talking about our kids and their future – It makes us inspire to work hard even more. We would chat about our plans, dreams and even retirement. As a Pamilyang OFW, it is always a must to have that “PLAN / GOAL” and focus on its fulfillment.

Just like any parents, we love to give our kids a bright future by giving them the best life has to offer if we can afford it. Actually they are the major reason why my husband opted to work abroad.

However, as an OFW, you should also think about your life after abroad. Working abroad is not life time; you must have back up plans and think about life after being an OFW. We also have our own OFW Plans and Goals that I would love to share to you.

Our OFW Plans and Goals:
My husband has been an OFW now for nearly 7 years, in that span we are able to buy our own house and lot and a car. The house and lot that we purchased is located along the major main road of the subdivision making it very conducive for business. It will be hard for us have all of this is not for the “Katas ng Saudi” as my husband literally puts it. Now this time we are already thinking about our future and sustainability. We are now preparing for our life and my husband’s life after being an OFW.

At this early my husband and I are already thinking on putting up a business. Businesses that can help us sustain a comfortable lifestyle although he is no longer an OFW. Economics is not that enticing here in the Philippines, so we are really studying the business where would invest my husband’s hard earned money. We are now in the stage of soliciting advices from friends and studying the market. A former OFW friend told us that his barn wood furniture business is really doing well, since he is fond of carpentry. So from there we picked up that we must also have the passion on the business that we would be establishing. We already have short listed our business ideas which I would be sharing to you once everything has been set and finalized.

Well yes, there are still lots of things to be considered before we can start our business. But for now that we still have no tangible plans on the business just yet – the keyword is to SAVE – SAVE – and SAVE.

For our fellow Pamilyang OFW what are your Plans and Goals? If you still haven’t drafted your own then now is the time to have one.

As a general rule in life: In order to be successful in life, one has to have a goal, in order to reach that goal once must have a plan to achieve it.