Last Call for Giveaway Entries!

Hi, everyone! You have until 11:59 p.m. to join my blog anniversary giveaway. You have a chance to win one of three Cocomo swimsuits! Good luck!:)

I'm on StyleBible!

It was Fire Drill Day, and while most people from our floor snuck out for coffee to avoid having to go down seven flights of stairs, I stayed behind. We were ferried to a vacant lot by what was supposedly the burning building. While waiting, the Real Living girls and I were making jokes about how StyleBible was going around snapping pics of Fire Drill Chic. The next thing I knew, they were asking me to pose!

Fire Drill Fashion: Sheer top by Essenxa, shorts from Jellybean, belt from Bangkok, sandals from Celine, hobo bag from Landmark

So it's just a regular getup, but I guess the Preview girls didn't participate in the drill, so there wasn't anything more thrilling to shoot. Har.

Thank goodness I wore flats that day. The stairs would've been killer in heels!

Buy or Rent?

Do you want to own a house one day? At what cost?

My husband and I always thought that "investing" in a house was the smart thing to do. Until a few months ago when I talked to M, who had been thinking about the merits of renting vs. buying. M's a smart guy. He's done the math. Paying for rent doesn't quite add up to the hefty amount it takes to pay for a mortgage. "Unless I could pay off, like, 50 percent up front, I don't think it makes sense for me to buy," he said. And apparently, this guy agrees with him.

It seems to make sense. I know homeowners (or, more accurately, would-be owners) who pay about six times what we're paying on rent every month, and just the thought of all that money makes me dizzy. (And I've also seen the amount of stress it puts on them, on top of earning money to send kids to school, put food on the table, etc. etc.) I know a couple who pays about four hundred grand a month for their brand-spankin' new home. I can't even imagine all the hustlin' I would have to do to come up with that much moolah month after month.

What I can imagine is what I could do with the money that goes into hypothetical amortization payments: I could invest. I could travel with my husband (at P400,000 a month, we could go to Europe all the frickin' time!). I could buy stuff I would normally have second thoughts about buying because I've got over a hundred Gs to pay each month. I could be liquid. And then I won't have to worry about fire or earthquakes or whataver 2012-esque disasters damaging my house because, well, it's not really my house.

Some will argue that having a home gives you very important stuff like peace of mind and a sense of ownership. I get it, I totally get it. I do want to buy a house,* but only when I'm good and ready, financially. For now, I'd rather have the peace of mind that comes with being liquid. I'd rather have the freedom to travel because my money's not tied down to a house. I won't get land with the relatively small amount I'm funneling towards rent each month, but I still get a very decent roof over my head. So, until the day when we can comfortably afford to buy a house--meaning we can pay off a significant amount upfront and not have to stress over the monthly payments and still have a good life all around--we'll willingly, happily rent.

I may be totally misguided, of course. Do you think buying is so much better than renting? Share your thoughts!:)


*As opposed to a condo.

Have You Joined My Giveaway Yet?

In case you haven't heard, I'm giving away three swimsuits courtesy of Cocomo! You have until 11:59 p.m. of March 27 to join! To borrow lyrics from my song-of-the-moment, hurry, hurry, hurry now quick, quick, quick!

My, See How We've Grown

Pretty amazing that, at the recently concluded New Year League, there were over 30 teams!

Video posted by Ian

I've been playing competitive disc for over three years now, and it amazes me how things have changed since I began. Our team itself has had its share of changes...

Warriors then... (I think this was our first league)


...and now

It's weird that only six people (including myself) remain from that first photo. People have moved away, gotten married, had kids, moved onto other things. We've experienced everything from being in Pool C and being happy just scoring a single point, to becoming Pool B champions. I've said goodbye to people, welcomed new--not necessarily young (hullo to those above 30!:D)--teammates, tasted the sweetest of victories and the most bitter of defeats. I have played and partied with the Warriors, both in and out of Manila. And while during the odd league or provincial tourney, I may play for the Roaches or the Lolas, I keep going back to the Warriors, again and again. It's my family; it's home. It's where I was born as a disc player, and it's where I'll retire.

But not just yet. As long as my knees, my clumsy ankle, and freckled skin allow, I'll be out on that field. If my body permits, I'll be playing until I'm a true Lola!

Anniversary Giveaway: Cocomo Swimsuits!

Yup, you read right--swimsuits, plural! Cocomo is sponsoring Here, Tishie Tishie's anniversary giveaway and you have the chance to win one of three swimsuits!!! I so want to join my own giveaway! If all the exclamation points haven't made it obvious, I am a fan of Cocomo (I have two suits which you can see here and here), and am thrilled that a brand I love wants to share some goodies with my readers!

Swimsuit 1: Love Story (available in small, medium, and large. Check Cocomo's site for size chart). It's a fun and flirty bikini with a reversible top and bottom! It's padded, and the top ties at the neck and back.

Swimsuit 2: Vienna (available in small, medium, and large. Check Cocomo's site for size chart). This fully lined tankini has removable pads. The vertical stripes aren't only cute and playful--they're also slimming!

Swimsuit 3: Black Savannah (available in small, medium, and large. Check Cocomo's site for size chart). This ultra-chic one-piece has adjustable gold loops and removable pads, and is fully lined.

Now for the mechanics.

Rules

*Open to Philippine residents who are public followers of heretishietishie.blogspot.com. (And yes, it's open to men!) By public follower, I mean you have to be visible in that little box on the side labeled "Followers."

*Open until 11:59 PM (Manila time) of March 27, 2011.

*Each entry will be assigned a number, and I will be drawing a number at random using an online generator. First number to be drawn will win swimsuit 1, second number will win swimsuit 2, third number will win swimsuit 3.

*Winner will be announced at 12:00 PM on March 28, 2011 (Happy birthday, Here, Tishie Tishie! And to my BFF, Mads!).
*Winner will have 72 hours to claim the prize after announcement.

How to enter

1. Again, you MUST be a public follower of Here, Tishie Tishie. If you aren't, then step one is to start following!

2. Leave one comment (let me reiterate: just one comment) filling in the blank: "I want to win a Cocomo swimsuit because _______________." This counts as one entry. (E.g., "I want to win a Cocomo swimsuit because it would be perfect for my Boracay trip in April." Now, if only I were really going to Boracay in April! Sigh.)

3. Bonus! For one additional entry, post a link to this entry on your blog, then include a link to that blog post in your comment.

Please please follow the rules, otherwise your entry won't be counted. Good luck, everyone!:)

Giveaway Alert!

Here, Tishie Tishie is celebrating its first anniversary on the 28th of March (which also happens to be my BFF's birthday!)! To mark this little milestone, I'll be hosting another giveaway. I'm still working on the prize but it's 1) perfect for summer, 2) something I want for myself!

Who wants to win?:)