Pru Life UK welcomes every future & every new year with PRU Love!

With a strengthened commitment to providing better financial protection for every Filipino, Pru Life UK celebrates the start of the Year of the Wood Dragon. Over 200 Pru Life UK leaders, agents, clients, and employees joined and wished everyone PRU Love during the festivities held at the heart of its Escolta branch in Binondo Manila.

PRU Life UK ushers in good luck through its annual traditional Lion Dance
at its China Jade office located in the historic street of Escolta.

The leading insurer maintains its top position in New Business Annual Premium Equivalent & total Premium Income from Variable Life Insurance products according to the Insurance Commission’s Life Insurance Sector Quarterly Statistics for Q3 2023. Read the recent NBAPEreport.

Pru Life UK’s products are made accessible through its over 42,000 digitally-empowered agency workforce and like-minded partners.

Leading life insurer PRU Life UK kicks off the Year of the Wood Dragon in the bustling streets of Binondo, the oldest Chinatown in the world.

The Company recently launched PRULove for Life – an affordable, limited-pay, whole-life participating plan for as low as Php 87 per day* with lifetime coverage up to age 100 and flexible payment terms of 5, 10, 15, or 20 years to pay. To know more about PRULove for Life, talk to your Pru Life UK agent today or visit Pru Life UK's website.

Pru Life UK is also committed to driving up financial awareness, literacy, and inclusion in the country by leading industry discussions and programs for the community. Its PRUBabies campaign seeks to protect 175,000 newborns with free insurance coverage against select infectious diseases such as Dengue, Typhoid, Measles, and Malaria.

*Payment amount calculated for a 10-year plan for a 20-year-old customer

My Aspirations for the New Year 2023.

Happy New Year!

We're almost halfway through the first month of 2023, yay! Although this may seem like too late for a new year blog post (I was out of town with the family last week, more about this in a separate blog post), I wanted to write one anyway, just so my friends and readers know that I'm still writing, my neurons are still working, and I'm still alive (and kicking) in the blogosphere.

In the past, I would usually write a yearend recap slash appreciation post; this time, I'd like to share my aspirations for the new year. I wouldn't want to call them as resolutions, since resolutions tend to be broken anyway. The word 'aspiration' has a kinder, brighter ring to it, which makes the process of turning them into reality more fun, more inspiring, and definitely more positive.

Here's what I aspire to do this year:

Blog more often, with passion.

I had been in a writing slump the past two years, and I won't deny it. This pandemic affected me so much - physically, mentally, and emotionally. Being cooped up at home for months, losing my grandmother to COVID, being away from my husband because of travel restrictions, having to undergo quarantine twice because of a COVID scare in our neighborhood... these were just some of the dispiriting things that I had to deal with, and eventually contributed to my writing slump. I was uninspired and unmotivated for the most part, and even if I did manage to produce a few blog posts here and there, my writing felt and sounded very contrived and strained.

Dining out with my siblings and cousins.

Now that things are starting to go back to normal, I'm slowly easing back to life by going out in public more often and attending small gatherings with friends and family. By starting to reclaim my social life, I feel that my writing spark has been reignited, and hopefully, I will be able to write as often and as naturally as I did pre-pandemic.

Fix my sleep schedule.

My body clock has been out of whack for years now. This unhealthy habit is something that I urgently need to work on, more so now that Yue has resumed in person classes and I have to be up before 6am to make him breakfast and prepare his packed lunch. 

Photo credit: Pexels.

For starters, I have cut back on my caffeine intake, limiting myself to one cup in the morning and another in the early afternoon (no more coffee at night). Naps are now also a no-no, and whenever the urge to nap comes, I would keep myself preoccupied by taking a walk outside or playing Just Dance.

Save more money.

This resolution is almost always on top of everybody's list, each and every year. However, saving money can be a bit of a challenge for must of us this time around, with the rising inflation and skyrocketing cost of living. 

Photo credit: Pexels.

That being said, my husband and I have been looking into other ways to save money, aside from the usual budgeting and setting aside a fraction of our household income. We're leaning towards investments, and after much consideration and computation, mutual funds is the best choice. To give us an idea of how much we can possibly save and earn, we used this Investment Return Calculator. 

Make healthier food choices.

Instead of just saying that I will go on a diet to lose weight (and end up gaining all that weight back after a few cheat days or so), I will start with something more doable and realistic, like eating more "whole" food and cutting back on sugar intake.

Photo credit: Vanessa Loring on Pexels.

Losing weight has been a struggle for me since 2017 when I started taking corticosteroids for my asthma (doctor's orders, of course), and crash diets no longer work on me the way they did when I was in my 20s (I feel so old, haha). Perhaps by changing my perspective and mindset on dieting, like having better eating habits instead of not eating at all, will be more beneficial for me in the long run.

Be a coach, and no longer a controller.

So many things have changed since the pandemic, and that includes my son growing up. Now that Yue is fourteen years old, I am slowly coming to terms with the fact that he's no longer the little boy that needs to be taught everything and given instructions every single time. He is now a teenager with a mind of his own, and should be given wings so that later on, he'll be able to take flight with confidence and follow his own path to success. 

Yes, Yue is now this tall.

If you've been following this blog over the years, then you probably have an idea of how involved I am in Yue's life, particularly in his academics. Now that he's older, it's time for him to spread his wings a little bit and start figuring things out on his own. I'll still be in the sidelines, of course, coaching and cheering him on, but no longer nitpicking at every single detail. Well, I'll probably nag him from time to time, especially in the mornings when he refuses to get up even if he's about to be late for school. 

2019 | My Roller Coaster Ride of a Year.

Hello everyone! I've been extremely busy lately (so many things to do at home!) that I hardly have the time to sit down in front of my laptop, and update my blog. But because this has become a tradition of sorts, I definitely wouldn't miss the chance to do a year-end blog post.

2019, for me, was a roller coaster ride of ups and downs. This year has been quite good to my family despite Yue's hospital confinement because of pneumonia.  Husband is doing well in his job (and still with his same old employer), my boy is doing great in both academics and sports (three karate tournaments this year with good results, still with high honors in his class), and as for me, as you can see, my blog is still alive and kicking. I've worked with some really awesome brands this year, and even became a Beauty Ambassador for BeautyMNL.

However, unlike the previous years, we weren't able to travel to Korea for the holidays, or anywhere outside the country for that matter. We had planned to cut back on (travel) expenses this year as we're saving up for something big (ergo, our own home), and thankfully, with the help of my dear parents-in-law, we're almost reaching our goal.

It would have been awesome if my best friend could see this dream of mine finally come to life; unfortunately, 2019 also gave me the biggest heartbreak. My best friend passed away all of a sudden last August, and it took me awhile to come to terms with the fact that he's gone. I miss him terribly, and I break down in tears whenever I think of him - which I still do very often.

"The best is yet to come" so goes the Frank Sinatra song, and I do hope that the new decade will bring better, brighter, and happier things for all of us. Welcome 2020! Happy New Year! :)

Thank you, 2019!

2018 | Goodbye with a Grateful Heart.

And just like that, we're down to the last few hours of 2018.
It seems like it was only yesterday that I was writing about the ups and down of 2017, and now here I am, wrapping up the past 365 days with yet another year-end post.

If I were to rate 2018, I'd say it was a 7 out of 10.
Health-wise, it was not the most fantastic year for my boys - Yue had pneumonia early this year and was hospitalized for almost a week, he had the stomach flu while we were in Korea last spring/summer, and just last week, both of us caught the flu. As for my husband, he had to go through several dental procedures this year, and oh my goodness, dental treatments abroad don't come cheap. (Pain was the least of his worries, lol.)

Thankfully, we had our bases covered. He's back with his old employer, and work - for the most part - is good. As for me, I had the opportunity to work with some very generous advertisers this year, not to mention the PR agencies that collaborate continuously with this blog. Thank you again and again! :)

A few more things that I'm grateful for this year:
- Ten years of marriage, and finally being able to celebrate our anniversary together.

Sun-date with my boys. (Seoul, June 2018).

- The opportunity to travel, and being able to spend time with family and friends abroad.

Coffee with Unni! (Seoul, June 2018).

- My family abroad coming home for a vacation.

Coffee with sibs and cousins. (Laguna, August 2018).

Mum is home for the holidays!

All the Ocampo grandkids, complete!

- Meeting new friends and reuniting with the old.

With Ela and Maan. (Seoul, June 2018).

- Friends that inspire you to dream big and work harder.

My forever friends, my UPRHS barkada!

- My son's achievements and his continued pursuit for excellence.

Another medal for my little man. :)

- Being part of Althea's Beauty Ambassador Community, and all the K-beauty awesomeness that comes with it.

I'm an Althea Angel! :)

- My readers and followers and their unwavering support for this blog! Thank you for the visits, the comments, and all the kind words that you've sent me this year and in the previous years!

Thank you for the likes! :)

Happy New Year, everyone!
May 2019 bring us good health, good fortune, success, and happiness! Ever onward! :)

Goodbye and Thank You, 2017!

There's only a few hours left to 2017, and boy, I have never been more excited to welcome the New Year!

Truth be told, 2017 had been quite challenging for us. I got sick early this year, and had to be admitted to the hospital for pneumonia. Whilst there, I was also diagnosed with pre-hypertension, so now I'm taking maintenance medicine for high blood pressure - and from the looks of it, I'll be doing this for life.

Yue had his own share of sick days, too. Thankfully, none of those instances warranted a stay at the hospital. He did, however, got sick while we were in Korea last spring and we had to see a (Korean) pediatrician because the only way we could buy medicine for his high-grade fever was to consult a doctor and get a prescription.

But perhaps our biggest stumbling block this year was my husband's employment status. It may not seem like it, but the South Korean economy is still in limbo, despite the change in presidency. Small businesses are the ones taking the hit, and my husband's previous employer was among them. He eventually lost his job, and it took him awhile to find a new one.

Now this is where this blog came to the rescue.
This blog, which I created six years ago just for the love of writing and the need to 'channel my creative juices', sustained us during our crisis. It may be chump change compared to the influencers who rake in a six-figure income by just posting a photo on Instagram, but then again, I love what I'm doing and I love that I'm earning while doing something that I love.

And with that, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to all the brands that I have worked with this year, and even in the previous years; to the advertisers and PR agencies who have collaborated with this blog; to the blog support groups that I am part of, and the wonderful people that I have met through blogging; and most of all, to you, my dear readers and followers who take the time to visit this blog and actually read my sporadic blog posts. Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Happy New Year from my boys and I!

Happy New Year!
Hoping 2018 will be a better, more awesome year for all of us! Ever onward! :)

Foodie Goodie | Chicken and Pepper Egg Rolls.

It's that time of the year again - when your fridge will be filled with leftover food from the New Year. I know, because I still have leftover ham and chicken from two days ago. Haha! Now if you're stuck in the same rut as I am, here's what you can do with the leftover chicken. 

Chicken and Pepper Egg Rolls

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
2 large bell peppers (any color) cut into thin strips
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
12 egg roll wrappers
cooking oil for frying

Procedure:
1. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil.  Saute pepper and onion for at least five minutes.
2. Add the chicken strips to the pan. Saute for another five minutes.
3. Add soy sauce, garlic and ginger and stir well. Cook until most liquid has evaporated.
4. Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes. Adding hot ingredients to the egg roll wrappers will cause them to break down and leak, so make sure the filling has been cooled properly.
5. Once cooled, lay several strips of chicken, onion and peppers in the center of an egg roll wrapper that has been laid on a surface with one point toward you. Fold the right point over and under the filling. Fold the top and bottom points down and roll from right to left, securing the left point with a touch of water.
6. Repeat with all wrappers and filling. Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry egg rolls, turning over once during cooking, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.

Eating healthy? Try baking them in the oven at 350° F for 10-12 minutes instead.

As seen on Spoonful. Shared with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday.

Wordless Wednesday #65 | Happy New Year!

It's officially 2014! Happy New Year everyone!

Cheers to a #Wonderful2014! :)

#Wonderful2014 | Looking Back and Moving Forward.

So, I have been challenged to do a blog post about the 'what ifs' and 'could have beens' from 2013. I could devote an entire day just writing about all sorts of trials and tribulations, but I'll spare you all from the drama. I don't want to spoil the festive mood of New Year's Eve. Haha!

Instead, let me share with you some nuggets of wisdom from my hero and icon - Bruce Lee. This pretty much sums up the story of my life this 2013.

I hope the past year had been good to all of you. Let's all welcome the New Year with a bang (not literally though), and look forward to an even more #Wonderful2014! Cheers! :)

Foodie Goodie | Confetti Cake.

Christmas may be over and done with, but the festivities aren't because we still have the New Year (and New Year's Eve parties) to look forward to! And if you're that kind of party host who likes preparing everything from scratch - from appetizers to entrees to dessert, here's a cake recipe that's sure to ring in the New Year with a bang!

Confetti Cake

Ingredients:

Cake 

1 1-pound box angel food cake mix 

1/4 cup colored candy sprinkles 

Frosting 

2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin 

8 teaspoons cold water 

2 cups whipping cream (unwhipped) 

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Colored sprinkles 

Decorations 

2 decorative cake sprays (available at party stores) 

Wire star garland (available at party stores) 

1 sheet of shiny or metallic colored paper (for year star) 

Marker Tape

Procedure:
1. Follow the directions on the cake mix box, but just before pouring the batter into the tube pan, add the sprinkles.
2. Mix them quickly and gently with as few strokes as possible and pour the batter into the pan immediately. If you mix and pour too slowly, the colors may bleed and color the surrounding batter.
3. Make the frosting right before you plan to apply it so that it doesn't set. For best results, apply the frosting, sprinkles, and decoration no more than an hour before serving.
4. Combine the gelatin and water in a small saucepan. Let it stand until thick.
5. Set the pan over low heat, stirring constantly until the gelatin dissolves. Don't let it boil, as that would reduce the gelling power of the gelatin.
6. Remove the gelatin from the heat. While it cools a bit, combine the cream, sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl and whip them with an electric mixer until the mixture thickens slightly.
7. Gradually pour the liquid gelatin (don't let it set) into the whipped cream mixture and continue to beat at slow speed until blended. Then whip it at high speed until it's stiff and peaks form when you lift the beaters. 8. Frost the completely cooled cake with a generous, fluffy layer, making swirls and peaks as you go.
9. Add confetti (colored sprinkles) and the sparkly year decoration. (Tip: Apply the sprinkles to the sides of the cake by lightly tossing them against the frosting. After sticking the store-bought metallic sprays entwined with a star garland into the cake, cut a 2-inch star out of paper, write the year numerals on it, and tape it to the sprays.) 
10. Store the cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

As seen on Spoonful. Shared with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday.

Happy baking folks, and Happy New Year! :)

The Road to Recovery.

The New Year is a harbinger of all good things. At least that's how I see it whenever we bid the old year adieu. And as we usher in the new year, we can also look forward to all these - a fresh start, new beginnings, good vibes, and a glimmer of hope.

How I perceive the New Year is pretty synonymous to the role of Morningside Recovery for individuals who are chemically dependent, or for those who are suffering from mental health or recurring disorders.

Armed with a staff of caring, competent, and qualified professionals, clinical offices with updated facilities in a safe setting, and housing facilities that provide security, serenity, and comfort, Morningside makes sure that the individual's road to recovery is as painless and smooth-sailing as possible.

The journey to wellness isn't always easy, especially when the individual refuses to accept treatment. It is even more difficult when the family is also in a state of denial with regards to the situation. This is where intervention services come in, and Morningside Recovery has a pool of highly-trained and skilled professionals who can facilitate the intervention.

Clients are treated individually using the 'philosophy and treatment approach'. This method allows the growth of the individual as he or she goes through phases of treatment. With proper care, appropriate treatment, and the love and support of the people around him, the client will have a sense of emotional and behavioral security which is the most important factor in his or her road to wellness. 

Morningside Recovery believes that 'with the right help, each person can enjoy the fulfilling and wonderful life they were meant to live.' Now that's a great way to start the year right.

Foodie Goodie | Fettuccine Alfredo with Ham.

After bombarding you for the past few Fridays with chocolate desserts and peanut butter recipes, I decided to do something different for my first Foodie Goodie post for the year. Not dessert this time, because I know everyone (including me) is complaining of eating too much during the holidays and gaining weight in the process. Don't we all, haha.

Now I bet most of you served ham during your Christmas and New Year's Eve dinner. Ham, after all, is the star of the Noche Buena (and Media Noche) - at least that's how it goes for the typical Filipino family. Anyhow, if you have leftover honey-glazed ham from the holidays, you'll be glad you did. Those left-overs are great for omelettes, soups, casseroles, and sandwiches, and they will come in handy for the recipe I'm sharing below.

Fettucine Alfredo with Ham

Ingredients:

1 lb fettuccine, cooked according to package instructions
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Romano cheese, shredded
6 egg yolks
1 medium-sized red or green bell pepper, cut into squares
1 cup ham, cut into squares
Salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. Cook the fettuccine according to package instructions.
2. Heat a saucepan or cooking pot. Pour in the milk and bring it to a boil.
3. Add the heavy whipping cream. Stir, and bring the mixture to a boil.
4. Add the Parmesan and Romano cheeses, then bring the heat down to the lowest possible on your stove. 5. Stir continuously until the cheese melts and the texture of the mixture becomes fine.
6. Whisk the egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Add about 5 tablespoons of the milk-cheese mixture, and continue whisking until the ingredients have completely blended together.
7. Add the egg yolk mixture in the saucepan/cooking pot with continuous stirring until the texture becomes thick.
8. Add the cooked fettuccine and toss until the noodles are well covered with sauce.
9. Add the chopped ham and bell pepper and mix with the noodles and the sauce.
10. Add salt and pepper to taste.
11. Plate, serve, enjoy!

If you have dishes you would like to see or recipes you would like to learn, let me know! It might be something that I (or my husband) know how to cook, or I could look it up on Mum's recipe book. Just leave me a comment, send me a message, or tweet me for recipe requests. I'd be more than glad to help!

Happy weekend eating! :)

Sharing with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday.

Cheers to 2013!

2012 was a crazy beautiful year for me. 

Here's hoping that 2013 would be even more wonderful.

Happy New Year, folks!

Ever onward to 2013!

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, 

and let each new year find you a better man.

- Benjamin Franklin

Timeless Tradition | New Years Eve in NYC!

Amazing how time flies by so fast. Still feels like yesterday when we welcomed 2012, and now look - we're halfway through December and just a week away from Christmas Day. It's only a matter of time before the year ends and we finally bid 2012 adieu.

Surely there'll be parties and celebrations left and right, here and there as we usher in the New Year. But I'm sure no other celebration is as fun and exciting as Times Square New Years Eve.

With revelers filling the streets, Hollywood personalities gracing the center stage, performances from world-renowned bands and artists, and an hourly countdown to keep everyone on their toes - it's a party like no other come the 31st in this part of New York City. And then there's the famous Ball Drop - a tradition that dates back to 1907 - the highlight, and the most important part of this celebration.

From a height of 70 feet, the lighted Ball descends within sixty seconds. As the Ball drops to the ground exactly at the stroke of midnight, its lights go off and the numerals of the New Year (for the coming year it's 2013) come to life and shine high above Times Square.

This event is something you have to experience first-hand at least once in your life. The Times Square New Years Eve party is something my friends and I have long been wanting to go to, and I can't wait for the day when I'll finally be crossing it off the bucket list.