HAFA ADAI

Hi Everyone!!! I am still here... I used to update my blog daily, but I have no camera right now!
Actually, I have two of these:
It is a Sony Mavica, but I do not have the line to upload the photo's to my camera, so I don't even bother. I did go out on Sunday and went shopping for a camera, but I did not find something that I liked... I think I am being too picky..

Anyway, I am also super busy at work!! I have been doing alot of baking lately, from tart's, pies, cakes, rosketi, cookies, etc. Everytime I plate something up, I think about taking a picture, and it is killing me to not show you, my delicious creations... Soon, though, very soon.

Now for the homefront, and stuff that has been bothering me lately. I work for the CNMI Government, we used to have a booming economy back in the day (oh, how we all miss those days!LOL). Tourism and Garment Manufacturing were the main hubs of the economy. Now, all the factories have closed down and the tourism market isn't that hot either. So, with a reduction in revenue comes some cost cutting measures. Last week we were told there was a good news and bad news, the good news is that you get a day off every Friday, and the bad news is that it was unpaid! Oh my, 416 hours less on my paycheck per year! not sure I can afford that with all my student loans, my kids in private school, my kids private lessons (Japanese, Piano, Guitar, Drums, Violin). Oh my, not sure I can afford all those and afford to have food on the table. What would I sacrifice? definetly not any of my kids lessons. My son is only 12 and he can read Japanese, my daughter is following right behind him. My daughter played the piano at the 10pm Christmas mass so that made me super proud. I thought to myself, I can't do that, I can't take them out of their lesson's, I just can't. I would rather give up my car and continue to pay all their tuitions and ride in rusty 'ol junk car that does not belong to the bank.. I can't do that.

What do we do? not sure.. perhaps this is where part time jobs start sounding more like a possibility. I have been called to work for NMC part time, like to teach every Saturday, but I turned it down, because of my day job. But hey, looks like my day job won't earn me enough money anymore, so I better check on other options...

WoW, I never thought that Saipan would be in such a bad shape! I mean, the poor economy reflected on everyone this past Christmas. You see, I am a catholic, and for about 11 years now, we have been bringing around the Baby Jesus house to house in the villages of Dandan and San Vicente. Some people would offer light snacks for the kids that follow the nino house to house, but this year, I would say there were only about 5 houses that did this. It was not the big fancy houses, the houses with the lexus parked in front, it was more of the small houses that try to make everything work.. you can see that they have a neatly manicured lawn, but you can also see that there house is so empty of material things but full of LOVE and LIFE. They were so giving, despite what they had or the hard times they were also going through. Amazing huh, amazing how different scenarios of everyday life can just send your mind in a whirlwind of thoughts. I also noticed that alot of the trashcans were empty, not overfilling with torn up gift wraps or gift boxes. There weren't that many parties around the island either, and there definately weren't that many fireworks.

So, this post of just an update is now turning to a long write up. I guess I had alot to think about this weekend, just too many things going on. Perhaps there will be hope... Perhaps something will change... Perhaps...