It’s difficult to mix work and holiday together so I didn’t even try. And the good thing was that, my employers at Odesk didn’t give me tasks to do during the Christmas week. So from the 20^th to the 26^th of December, I didn’t really work except for an hour and that is only for finishing one last entry before I shut down work to enjoy Christmas.

I did have a merry Christmas and I hope that you all did too. My Christmas was nothing glamorous. It was simple and solemn but nonetheless, happy in its own way. I spent it with my husband and my in-laws.  The whole day was filled with eating activities (hehe) and videoke showdown. In the evening, we shared what my mother-in-law prepared for our special Christmas dinner—it was really good. Then after that, we opened our gifts!  I got some really nice and thoughtful gifts like baby books, yoga mat, preggy pillow, chocolates (plenty of them), some kitchen stuff, and  €€€ (hehe).  After that, we hang out a bit longer to share drinks and play some games.

And because of Christmas I only earned 8$ from Odesk.

By the way, the other employer who was paying me 10$/hr, the one I mentioned in my last post, is no longer my employer. She dropped me right before the Christmas week because she postponed the launching of the site and therefore, does not need my immediate services anymore. She said she’ll contact me in the future. I honestly think that I am just too expensive for the kind of work she would like me to do though. I mean, I believe that when I think, I work. So when she asked me about my opinion on this and that, I logged them as work hours and that didn’t make her happy. She wants free ideas and input from me and that’s simply a no-no for me.

In other news, my other employer gave me a task this week and he said that he’ll be giving me more next week so I’ll be working for him like 12-15hrs/week starting next week. That will be around 90-105$/week and I am so happy about that.  I am quite happy with this employer. He is fair and very professional. I hope to get another employer like him so I can complete a 250$/week target. That’s ambitious (hehe) but there’s no harm in ambitioning (my first time to use this word).

In yet another news, I am thinking of changing all my blog themes to the new Thesis Theme. I know it looks boring but I think it will help my blogs rank better since I know too little about SEO. I am hoping Thesis Theme will do the SEO part for me. I will just have to try and personalized it a bit so even if it looks plain, I can still add my personal touch to it.

One last news, I think I will own a MAC soon (big smile). With all the Christmas money I got plus a little saving from me and some help from my husband, I could perhaps get one Apple laptop by the end of January 2011. I am not 100% sure yet but I am crossing my fingers.  I hope, I hope, I hope…. =))

I watched them jumping out of the deep wavy waters as they try to maneuver their escape from their much bigger predator. Because of their natural shiny silver, they gleam like tiny mirrors against the sun while their number makes them appear like hundreds of glimmering droplets of water—a wonderful contrast against the deep blue ocean.

Rolling waters to my feet
Oh please stop! Don’t be a tease.
Romance the sand, woo the land
But don’t seduce me, d’you understand?

I know you are so clear so blue
A real treasure to anyone’s view.
But though you are all these and more,
The sun is not, he gives me sore.

He only not darkens my skin,
He also burns it and make it sting.
So alluring Waves, now you know
Why I can only watch you come and go.

Vienna Lopez
18.03.09
Banana Island

I planned to pack at least three boxes a day so today I should have nine boxes done already because I started two days ago but obviously I am four boxes behind.

Aside from packing, there are other things I have to do like book our flights (for our last tropical holiday for this year) and hotels, buy some more cheap stuff here so we don’t have to buy the same stuff in Europe for 10 times the (China) price. I also have to worry about the receipts and invoices showing that we spend all the “8K Euro moving money”. I don’t exactly know how they call that but that’s what I call it. This money is given to expats for their house/moving expenses but at the end of the year/contract, expats should be able to show evidence that they spend this money on their house expenses otherwise they will have to pay taxes for this money.

So anyway…. I am swamped!

That upcoming tropical holiday better be good.