Rant and Rave!

It's 2012!!!

2012-01-02T20:11:00.001+08:00

I better practice typing 2012 more often. It's going to take a little getting used to, lol. May this year be a better year for me and my family, and for everyone.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T08:03:00.000+08:00

Facebook Timeline

2011-12-17T10:20:00.002+08:00

So I updated to Facebook Timeline yesterday, and I soooo want to go back to the old one. I know eventually I will get used to this new layout, and having the layout now gives me a heads up over others as Facebook isn't rolling this out yet.

As with anything new, I can't seem to find a lot of my stuff, just like when Gmail updated to a new look. :/ Oh well, since I didn't create an app to get the Timeline, I don't think there's a way for me to revert to the old look.

Choose from 5 different variants of #MUJIShampooandConditioner

2011-11-10T18:16:00.000+08:00

Choose from 5 different variants of #MUJIShampooandConditioner

Embrace the convenience of shopping online brought to you by the Beauty Bar online store! #BeautyBarPH

2011-11-10T18:15:00.000+08:00

Embrace the convenience of shopping online brought to you by the Beauty Bar online store! #BeautyBarPH

Excited to Visit PSPCA

2011-10-22T21:03:00.005+08:00

I am very excited to visit the PSPCA, short for Philippine Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It's a dog shelter here in the Philippines which is home to both cats and dogs. It will be mu first time to visit a shelter for animals, something I've always wanted to do. I've always loved dogs and it will be my pleasure to help out those doggies in need.

In case you're reading this and you'd like to help, dog vitamins and medicines are most welcome donations. You can check out PSPCA's page on Facebook to know more about them and what they do for our furry friends.

If you'd like to be part of our shelter visit on the 30th of this month, you can email me to find out how you can help.

RIP Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T21:01:00.002+08:00

My New Pages

2011-10-02T13:46:00.002+08:00

I finally got around to taking some time to write and create pages here in Blogger, lol. It took me almost forever to do so. :) Thankfully the template I'm currently using has a convenient way for me to display the pages I just made. I only made like 3 pages, and the content is just a couple of sentences long, lol. Should inspiration and time permit, I'll try to come up with something new.

Pages in Blogger

2011-08-24T05:58:00.000+08:00

I'm very pleased to know that Blogger now allows its users to create pages. It's a feature I've been wishing that Blogger would have for a long time, and now it's here! I guess I'll be spending my weekend creating pages and making sure they show up on the home page. :) Thanks Blogger!

S-T-R-E-S-S

2011-08-23T07:37:00.000+08:00

As you should have obviously guessed right now, I'm stressed to say the least. If you've been reading this blog, you should have a fair idea of what kind of lifestyle I lead. Being a mom of 2 daughters, taking care of 7 dogs, plus a whole house to run sure isn't easy. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I love everything as it is, it's just that since I'm not a robot, I get tired too. :( And I really wish I could just get a day or two off from being so tired all the time.

A Surprising Page Rank

2011-05-12T01:10:00.000+08:00

I have not been able to update my blogs lately (and I plan on doing so), as a lot of things have happened in our lives recently. Some good, some bad, but basically the bad things didn't kill us so it only made us stronger, lol! So out of curiosity, I decided to look up the current page ranks of all of my blogs. I used a site called Check Page Rank and was pleasantly surprised to find that this blog had a PR2. Yay!

All I can say is that I will try as hard as I can to squeeze in even just a half hour to making one post a day for each week on this blog.

Better Luck Next Time

2011-01-10T15:37:00.001+08:00

Oh well, I didn't win the UnionBank Tweet to Win Promo last Christmas. :(

I would have liked to have that Sony bloggie camera, I think it's absolutely cute. I know, I have a camera in my iPod, a digital camera, and a camera in my Nokia 5800, but this one seems super convenient in terms of uploading what you've captured on it. Since it has a USB connector in it, all you have to do is to plug it into the USB slot of your computer. You can also directly upload to YouTube and other popular sites.

I guess if time and finances permit, I should try to scout this camera out. Or, I can just save up for a DSLR. Or better yet, I should just use the gadgets I already have. :P

Happy New Year!!!

2011-01-01T08:50:00.000+08:00

Excited about UnionBank's Tweet to Win Promo!

2010-12-27T20:13:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow will be the announcement of the winner for UnionBank's Tweet to Win Promo. I submitted an entry a few days ago, and I am hoping against hope that I will get picked. I've always wanted a video camera, and I've wanted it now more than ever.

You see, a lot of my relatives did come home for the holidays this year, except for my favorite uncle who's also my godfather. He just started a new job in Canada and can't afford to take a break as of yet. I haven't seen him since I was in high school when he last came home to the country when my grandfather (his father) passed away.

Since my aunt is here, I was planning on making several videos for him which I can transfer to a flash drive, and then he can watch it when my aunt comes back to Canada. I think a couple of videos would be a lot better than a greeting card. :) So that bloggie video camera prize will be really great.

Home for the Holidays

2010-12-25T17:19:00.000+08:00

A lot of my relatives have been coming home from different parts of the world, mostly in the US. My favorite cousin from California came home, and she works as a nurse there. So while we were chatting with how her life and work is in a foreign country, she had a lot of stories to tell about her life in scrubs, as she calls it.

Since I'm not a nurse and my college degree isn't in any way related to medicine, I asked her what that meant. She explained that scrubs are actually medical nursing uniforms that they wear whenever they're at work. This kind of reminded me of being in school where everybody wore the same clothing as our uniform while in school, so I imagined this would be kind of the same for her.

But then, she explained this wasn't the case because you can purchase scrub sets of different colors, and some with different patterns as well. I guess that really helps in breaking the monotony of everybody wearing the same thing all the time.

My cousin then said she enjoys life in California, but nothing compares to being home for the holidays. :)

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T16:05:00.000+08:00

Here's to wishing everyone a very merry Christmas!

Home Appliances – Read This Before Buying A New One!

2010-12-09T15:25:00.000+08:00

Our home appliances go through a lot of use and abuse, especially the ones we use on a regular basis. I’m sure at one point, you’ve experienced that when you’re going to use one of your home appliances, like your washer for instance, something (or nothing) happens. It won’t start. It leaks. It won’t stop filling water. It keeps shaking. The list goes on…So is it time to throw in the towel and get a new one? The answer is a big NO.

What all of us forget is that our appliances are made of PARTS, and sometimes all it takes to get your home appliance up and running again is to change one small part that stopped working or has simply gotten worn out because of continuous use. Naturally, the cost of purchasing a new part compared to replacing one whole appliance is enormous, so it’s well worth finding out what part has gone bad before heading to the store to buy a new one.

Let’s take for instance the Maytag washer, model number LAT9206BAE. Over time with regular use, issues like the washer won’t drain, won’t start, or the timer won’t move may arise. These issues don’t mean you should buy a new one – there’s a website called Partselect.com which offers solutions to common problems with household appliances.

This website lists possible issues with household appliances, and presents possible solutions to repairing it. Not only that, you can even purchase the parts you need from them AND watch a video on how to install that particular part yourself! There are also a lot of tips shared by other people about what they did to fix a certain problem with their appliance, or how they installed the part they bought. The site also lists all of the tools you will need to install the part, the level of difficulty involved, and how long it will take you to get it done.

For instance, let’s go back to our Maytag washer with model number LAT9206BAE. If you notice that your washer has become a lot noisier than usual, it’s worth checking out the drive belt. Partselect.com will help you locate where your drive belt is (especially useful if you’re a newbie at this), you can watch the installation video and purchase the belt from them as well. You can search other appliances and your particular model number on the website to view possible issues with your household appliances and possible solutions to it.

So there you have it! The next time you have a household appliance that doesn’t seem to be working properly, find out what the problem is and discover possible solutions over at Partselect.com!

XBox Kinect - I Will Own You!!!

2010-12-08T03:58:00.000+08:00

I have a Nintendo Wii already, but when I saw the XBox Kinect, I really have to have it! It would definitely be cool to play a game with no controllers - no buttons to confuse you on which ones to press. Just you and the game. :D

Can't Wait for Our iPod iTouch!

2010-11-30T21:29:00.002+08:00

I am buying an iPod iTouch from ebuystore, the place where I purchased my Nokia 5800 almost 2 years ago.

First of all, it has 2 cameras, one at the front and one at the back. The one on the back supports video recording in HD - pretty cool, huh! The one on the front is mostly for video calls and is only in a VGA resolution, something I really don't mind.

I was initially thinking of buying an iPhone 4G like my mom in law has in Hawaii with AT&T for the main purpose of making video calls to her via Yahoo! Messenger. So, whenever we're at the mall and I want to show her the kids in the playground, I can do so. But I wasn't 100% ready to say goodbye to my Nokia 5800 - it's been through a lot. My kids have tossed it around, poured water over it, and it has also toppled down from the stairs and is still working absolutely fine except for the scratches on the screen. Other than that, I have no complaints so I'm hesitant in changing it.

However, since I found out that with the iPhone iTouch 4th Generation which has WiFi, I can actually install Yahoo! Messenger in it and call my mom in law for just the fraction of the cost of an iPhone 4G! Besides, Skype doesn't have the technology yet to support video calls either on my phone on a Symbian OS and on the iPhone as well, so I guess I'm holding off of it for now. I'm crossing my fingers that I'm getting my hands on this really cool gadget this Saturday! Yipee!

Check out the full specs:

Capacity	32GB flash drive
Battery life	Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery Playback time Music playback time: Up to 40 hours when fully charged Video playback time: Up to 7 hours when fully charged Charging times: Fast charge in about 2 hours (80% capacity), full charge in about 4 hours.
Colors	Colors available: polished aluminum

Wireless	802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz only) Bluetooth® 2.1 + EDR Maps-location based service Nike + iPod support built in
Display	3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display 960-by-640-pixel resolution at 326 pixels per inch
Includes	earphones, dock connector to USB cable, Quick Start guide
Size	4.4 x 2.3 x 0.28 inches (111 x 58.9 x 7.2 mm)
Weight	3.56 ounces (101 grams)
Charge Time	About 4 hours (2-hour fast charge to 80%)
Sensors	Three-axis gyro Accelerometer Ambient light sensor
Cameras, photos, and video	Video recording, HD (720p) up to 30 frames per second with audio; still photos (960 x 720) with back camera VGA-quality photos and video up to 30 frames per second with the front camera Tap to control exposure for video or stills Photo and video geo tagging over Wi-Fi

I Love My Acer eMachines D730!

2010-11-17T10:13:00.014+08:00

I love this laptop Henry bought for me. I traded in my old Neo Vivid netbook and added cash to get this one since we bought it from the same seller. I really like how it's bigger and in black, a color of my preference because since I use it daily, it doesn't show daily dirt unlike my Neo Vivid one which came in white. Plus, since it's features are more advanced compared to my old netbook, I can do a lot of other things with it that my netbook couldn't. Thanks Henry!

I Love KFC's Double Down Sandwich!

2010-11-16T08:05:00.000+08:00

Last Sunday Henry and I had the chance to try out the Double Down sandwich from KFC. It's priced Php 110, and you need to order at least Php200 worth of food to be delivered to your home.

Basically, this sandwich is made up of two pieces of chicken fillet as the "bread" of the sandwich, and in between are strips of bacon and semi-melted cheese. At first bite, the combination of flavors and taste will explode in your mouth. Henry loves it and I do too, but I think it is TOO good. What do you think?

November's Online Earnings

2010-11-15T18:05:00.000+08:00

Hi guys,

Well, this month will be a little different. Instead of me posting how much I made online, I decided not to and will no longer do so in the coming months. It's nothing personal, I am just having a hard time explaining to people how I do it, and the explaining part already takes up a lot of my time.

To be honest, patience is definitely not one of my virtues, and I hate how people think that making money online is easy. It's WORK, and you really have to put time, effort, and patience in it. It's not just a matter of setting up a website and waiting for money to come pouring in without doing anything. Well for me, that's not how I do it. I literally work. I do customer service, a lot of article and blog writing tasks, and I work almost all day, like more than 12 hours. So if you ask me if making money online is possible, YES and I can prove it. But if you ask me if it's easy, it's not.

Happy 7th Birthday Keisha

2010-10-29T08:24:00.000+08:00

Happy 7th birthday Keisha! Me, daddy and Nicole love you very much. :) Hope you liked your party at school! Too bad I wasn't in this picture but hey, someone had to take it! :P

Wise Investment

2010-10-26T12:04:00.000+08:00

Are you looking for a way to invest your money in something that will yield great returns? If so, you should consider investing in gold bars. The US Gold Bureau is the best place to invest in precious metals because aside from their unparalleled reputation, you can also arrange for delivery of your purchases into a depository box or safe.

Gold, silver, and other precious metals do not depreciate in value. This makes them one of the best investment options out there in the market today. So if you are looking for a great way to preserve your hard earned money, then look no further than investing in these precious metals.

Things Did Not Go As Planned

2010-10-25T18:01:00.000+08:00

My house hunting adventure with my mom, dad, plus Henry and the kids did not go exactly as we planned. We were disappointed with how things went yesterday. Apparently, what we thought was an affordable house turned out to be more than what we can afford, not to mention the fact that it wasn't worth it at all.

Of course, the model houses looked great, but when it came to what was actually being offered to us, things looked kinda different. Oh well, it is still a couple of months away until the school year ends and we have to move, so we still have plenty of time. We can look at another subdivision when we have time.

Since the subdivision we checked out was in the province, we were all very exhausted from the long trip. Good thing we had a vehicle provided by the company so we all seated comfortably and we didn't have to worry about catching the bus and all.

Excited About Tomorrow

2010-10-23T21:53:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow is going to be an eventful day once again. Me, Henry plus the kids, my mom, and my eldest sister Elena are going to Grand Royale Subdivision to check out the location and the houses and hopefully, seal the deal and start paying for a house we can move into once the school year is over.

OK, the picture on the right isn't the house I'm going to buy, but this is one of the model houses of the subdivision. We are actually aiming for just a bungalow house since my husband and I both feel that we don't need a super big house at the moment, and the construction of a bigger house would be easier once we have the actual lot to build on. So wish us luck tomorrow!

US Gold Bureau

2010-10-23T21:42:00.000+08:00

With the United States Gold Bureau, you can buy bullion in both gold and silver. This is truly a great investment if you think about it, because these precious metals never depreciate in value and become even more valuable as time goes by.

What makes investing in gold and silver even better is the fact that the demand for these previous metals is more than the world's annual production of these metals, so you are assured that the money you investment will truly be yielding profit for you. If you purchase these previous metals from the US Gold Bureau, you can even arrange their safe storage.

Trading Hole is Ours!!!

2010-10-23T21:37:00.000+08:00

Today's Club Wars in Ran Online just finished, and I am happy to say that the Trading Hole map belongs to us, the United SG guild. Well technically speaking, the map was verified by my husband's character DeadlyKarinyoso (don't ask me where he got the name because I don't know too) and he made his own guild as a "blocker." I controlled the shaman Keisha and with the help of everybody, tonight was a really good game. See you guys on Wednesday!

A Very Tiring Day

2010-10-23T21:33:00.000+08:00

Today is Sto. Rosario Montessori's 25th Foundation Day, and this is the school where my eldest daughter Keisha goes to as a first grader. She, Nicole, Henry, plus me all went to the Valenzuela Astrodome where the roads where unfortunately flooded. We also had to wake up at 5AM to apply make-up on Keisha since she was dancing as part of the celebration.

I asked my husband to buy 2 AA batteries to power up our digicam but unfortunately, he forgot that the newly opened Mini Stop was open 24hrs. So we took a few shots from my phone which unfortunately, was already low on batteries so we didn't take that much pictures at all. But all in all, even with Nicole's tantrums plus the traffic jam we were stuck in, we still had a good time.

Hip Replacement

2010-10-23T21:24:00.001+08:00

Getting a hip replacement sounds painful, but what's even more painful is having to undergo a second hip replacement surgery. A lot of people reported experiencing pain and even swelling and as a result, a second surgery was in order. There were also 93,000 hip replacement systems by DePuy Hip Implants recalled, which were owned by Johnson & Johnson.

The pain and swelling you are experiencing now may not be your fault - in fact, it could be due to a defective implant, especially if your hip implant was by DePuy. Do get in touch with a depuy hip recall attorney, the O'Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath to help you with your liability claims.

O’Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath – Personal Injury Lawyers – 808 West Avenue, Austin, TX. 78701 – 512-494-9949

Free Online Word Count Tool

2010-10-22T13:09:00.000+08:00

I wanted to share to all bloggers and pretty much everyone else out there who needs help with counting the number of words in their post or article this link: http://www.wordcounttool.com/

This website is free, very easy to use, and is also very reliable. All you need to do is to paste the article you want to count the number of words on, and then press the big Sumbit button at the bottom - it's that simple! I've been using this tool for a really long time and have been very pleased with it. In fact, now that I think about it, I've never had any problems with Word Count Tool!

Excited About October 29

2010-10-22T13:06:00.000+08:00

I am really excited about October 29 - that date marks my eldest daughter's 7th birthday!!!

My child decided that she wanted her birthday party to be held at school, and since it was her birthday after all, we decided to go with what she wanted. We went to McDonald's and we're going to have a take-out party - her dad needs to pick up the crew, the mascot, and the food will be delivered to her school instead.

I'm excited how everything will turn out but I already know it will be a blast!

Invest in Gold Coins Today!

2010-10-22T13:01:00.000+08:00

If you have some extra cash to buy gold coins, there has never been a better time to do so. With how hard the economy is, gold is one of the commodities that never depreciates in value. You will be assured that your investment will remain as is and will even earn you more in the long run.

The United States Gold Bureau is the best place for you to buy gold coins - you can make the necessary arrangements for immediate personal delivery as well as storage of your precious metals easily and effortlessly. You can even choose if you want to invest in gold ingots or coins - the decision is ultimately up to you.

September Online Earnings

2010-10-10T21:50:00.000+08:00

I am so late in making this post...like 10 days late! Ugh. Here's my online earnings for September, amounting to Php 94,998.61, besting all my personal bests for the previous months. Unfortunately, this also comes with a price - I won't be making this much in the coming weeks because one of my assignments ended recently and worse, without notice. The client was very apologetic and said it wasn't my fault and in fact, he ended all contracts with the providers he was working with. I'm hoping he will keep his word about hiring me again when he has the chance.

What is a Lounge Bar?

2010-09-22T21:06:00.000+08:00

A lounge bar is quite different from a regular bar or club. In a lounge bar, sandwiches, light snacks, as well as a wide choice of beverages are served to the guests or customers. A lounge bar is more quiet compared to regular, noisy bars, and is the ideal place to hang out and have fun while enjoying a few drinks without the noise and the crowds.

Most adults especially those who work in an office prefer to hang out in a lounge bar rather than the noisy pubs, because in such places they can sit back and relax while enjoying their drink. Most lounge bars also offer plenty of amusement options, like TV's, live music, a pool table, and many others.

In Shenzhen, Suzy's Late Night Lounge Bar has to be my favorite lounge bar. It incorporates all of the points stated above, and is additionally a place where those who want to spend a relaxing evening coming from a hard day's work prefer to go to. This bar in Shenzhen is also very easy to find, as it is near the Kempinski Hotel. If you are interested to find out more about this bar, you can find more information here:

120 Coastal City

East Block

Wenxin 6th Road (off Haide 3rd Ave)

Nanshan, Shenzhen

(next to the Kempinski Hotel)

Follow them on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shenzhen-China/Suzys-Lounge-Bar/107604769294636

Follow them on Twitter @Suzys_LoungeBar

More on Suzy's Lounge Bar in Shenzhen, China

2010-09-13T02:30:00.000+08:00

I am so raving about Suzy's Lounge Bar in Shenzhen! They are giving away the second drink free for any new customer who stops by for a visit! If you don't know where it is, here's a map to help you find your way:

View Larger Map

Finding Suzy's Lounge Bar in Shenzhen shouldn't be hard though. The bar is near the Kempinski Hotel as you can see on the map. So if you're looking for a bar in Shenzhen to enjoy and experience the Shenzhen nightlife in, stop by Suzy's Lounge Bar. And, if this is your first time to visit, you get your second drink free! Cheers!

Suzy’s Late Night Lounge Bar

120 Coastal City East Block, Wexin 6^th Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen

Tel. No.: 0755-86290169

Mobile No.: 13590213422

Email: info@suzy.nu; suzysloungebar@gmail.com

Website: www.suzy.nu

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Suzys-Lounge-Bar/107604769294636

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Suzys_LoungeBar

Why A Lot of People Don't Succeed in oDesk

2010-09-06T04:27:00.000+08:00

I was reading the comments on oDesk's FaceBook page, and I got really disheartened by some of them. I am sad to hear that there are a lot of providers/contractors out there having a hard time landing jobs, and because of that a lot of them resort to calling oDesk a scam. Believe me, oDesk has been my main income source, and a good one at that. My whole month's salary from working in a call center doesn't even come close to the amount I earn in a week's full of work.

One of the things I noticed is the fact that they complained about something similar - how hard it was to start. Well, nothing's easy at the beginning and I clearly recall how I almost gave up on oDesk myself last year, because all of the jobs I applied for got declined. I knew I couldn't beat other people who had great feedback and built their reputation already, so the only edge I had while I applied for article writing jobs was to make great examples of my work to submit to clients during my application. True enough, one buyer liked my sample and hired me. I gave my best on that first job and eagerly awaited my first feedback, which was 5 out of 5 stars. From then on, she kept re-hiring me for other projects of hers and I built my feedback from there and applied to other jobs too. Now, with over 1,000 oDesk hours and over 40 assignments, I am turning offers down because they do not fit my current work schedule. Plus, I have also retained clients whom I've been working with close to a year now.

Another thing I read which was one of their complaints was the pay. I know there are a lot of providers who charge even less than a dollar per hour, and it is but natural for any client to want to save as much as they can when paying wages. When I started out, I accepted articles of 500 words in length for $1. I saw this as a way for me to prove my writing skills and to build feedback which will help me in the long run, and it did. Now, I get paid $1/100 words, and that's not so bad. Think of oDesk like any other job in the office - you have to start somewhere, and you're not automatically the next CEO upon joining. As you prove your worth to your clients, you can ask for a raise or even bonuses along the way. One of my clients gave me a whopping $500 as a birthday bonus, and even gave me the day off, too!

A blank profile will not get you anywhere. One of the things clients do when going over their list of applicants is to check out your profile. If all that's in there is your name, your hourly rate, and maybe a picture of you, then that's not going to get you anywhere. Take as many oDesk tests you can (don't forget the oDesk Readiness Test so you can apply to 20 jobs a week), and attach relevant samples of your work to your profile. Fill it up with as many pertinent information as you can and when applying, include samples of your work even if the client doesn't ask for it.

One thing I can say is that oDesk is definitely not a place for the lazy. If you really want to succeed, then you have to make sure you apply for jobs which are relevant to your skill, have patience and perseverance, and see the declined applications as a challenge. It isn't easy but it does get a whole lot better with time and hard work. Trust me, I know. I make 5 figures in a week.

BidZinga - Is it a scam?

2010-09-01T03:13:00.000+08:00

While on FaceBook, I came across an auction site called BidZinga and since I really did not have any intentions of bidding on items seriously and I just wanted to see and check the site out, I created an account with them. The usuals are included - your name, email address, shipping address, etc. etc. no credit card information was taken (I don't have one anyway, lol!). So after looking around at the items for auction and how cheap they were, I tried to Google for reviews and other information I could about the site. Surprisingly, there wasn't anything I could pull up that wasn't from the website itself.

Funny thing is, there's also a Testimonials tab in there, but it's currently empty. So I used the free bids I got when I created my account and bid on some products but got outbid in them. For the reason that I cannot find anyone who says they received the product they ordered from this website my question still remains - is BidZinga a scam?

Safety Gear at a Discount

2010-08-31T02:58:00.000+08:00

Construction is often seen as a very high risk job, but the risks associated with any job can be minimized with the utilization of the correct safety gear, like safety glasses for example.

Our eyes are very sensitive and require appropriate care, especially when being exposed to bright lights, dust, and small particles flying around which are usually present in construction sites.

Fortunately, there are plenty of protective glasses to choose from, like Starlite Safety Glasses and Jackson Safety Glasses. These glasses combine the safety and protection our eyes need, while coming in stylish designs and attractive colors to choose from. Protective eyeglasses does not have to be the boring, unfashionable ones. With so many styles, designs, and colors to choose from, you can combine looking good with the full functionality of protective eyeglasses in one.

Choosing protective eye wear with side protection is a good choice, especially for people who are often exposed to small debris and dust around their workplace, such as construction sites. This ensures that your eyes are protected from all possible angles and that debris and dirt will not get to your eyes at all while you are wearing your protective eye wear properly. Any amount of dust or debris can be harmful for our eyes, and if you are not wearing protective eye wear, you are putting yourself in a very risky situation.

There is a good eye wear that will protect your eyes no matter what line of work you are involved in. For people who work with chemicals and other similar substances, there is also a different type of protective eye wear available which has ventilation in it so that air can still pass through but without any of the harmful fumes or gases in it.

Identifying the type of protective eye wear to have and wear while on duty is the first step in ensuring a healthy workplace, and in protecting yourself from any accidents that might happen. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure, so always make sure that you are wearing the appropriate eye wear which is right for the job or environment you are working in.

August's Online Earnings

2010-08-29T00:51:00.002+08:00

For this month, I've decided to post not only a screenshot of my PayPal account, but also a screenshot of the local bank in the Philippines where I withdraw my online earnings, Unionbank. For me, it's the best bank to use with PayPal as I've never had any problems with it. This month, I made a total of Php88,638.89 ($1,898.09 but the exchange rate varies on the days I made the withdrawals from PayPal to Unionbank). Yey! I also had a blast with my 27th birthday. This has been a really great month for me. :)

A New Paid to Post Site

2010-08-21T16:15:00.000+08:00

I've been writing paid posts as part of making money online, and the other day I came across this site called Link From Blog. I've read in several websites and forums, as well as from other bloggers that this site truly pays, and pays instantly via PayPal at that. Since I heard and read about it, I thought I would give it a shot.

I am still in the process of registering and activating my blog, and I know it might take a few days or maybe even to a week before I get anything started. But with several happy bloggers with this site, it is definitely worth the time and the investment. So for advertisers who want to advertise on blogs and bloggers who want to make money blogging, this is a new paid to post site you should definitely try out if you haven't.

Suzy's Lounge Bar in Shenzhen, China

2010-08-19T21:07:00.000+08:00

I was looking at the pictures of the interior of Suzy's Lounge Bar in Shenzhen, China, and I just have to say that the bar looks great. I often wonder if all the bars in Shenzhen look this great. Even in the pictures, the cozy ambiance and retro-chic look that this lounge bar in Shenzhen has can easily be seen.

Since Suzy's Lounge Bar is right in the heart of the city and is just a short distance away from the Kempinski Hotel, you simply just can't miss it. It opens at 5 in the afternoon, just around the time when people from offices get off from their work and head on home. Stopping by to get a few drinks with friends or co-workers after a hard day's work is really a great way to unwind. Or, why not text or call your friends and ask them to meet you there? I heard Suzy's Lounge Bar is having a promotion wherein new customers get their second drink free just by mentioning they saw an online advertisement that says so.

Everything about the bar looks great - the seats, the lights, the pool table, and even the restroom conveniently located inside the bar looks great. The friendly female staff is also another plus factor for this bar in Shenzhen. There's absolutely no pressure - you can choose to have them sit beside you and keep you company, or just leave you alone and just serve your drinks and snacks. Suzy's Lounge Bar is one of the bars in Shenzhen you have to visit anytime you're in the city.

Happy Birthday to my Eldest Sister Elena!

2010-08-07T09:19:00.000+08:00

It's my eldest sister Elena's birthday today. Happy birthday sis! I love you. ^_^

Suzy's Lounge Bar in Shenzhen, China

2010-08-03T10:40:00.000+08:00

I came across a really cool lounge bar in Shenzhen, China. The place is called Suzy's Lounge Bar, and it is very easy to find because it is very near the Kempinski Hotel. The bar has a retro-chic look and feel to it, and is composed of friendly female staff who are very helpful. You can have the staff sit with you and keep you company, or you can choose to be by yourself and just have them serve your drinks and snacks.

If you are looking for bars in Shenzhen to hang out in, then Suzy's Lounge Bar is the place to be. You can play pool, watch TV, and enjoy a few drinks in the cozy atmosphere. Suzy's Lounge Bar is one of the popular bars in Shenzhen, China because of its comfy ambiance and the wide variety of drinks to choose from. Suzy's Lounge Bar offers both local and imported drinks, and you can even request to the bartender a drink of your choice if they don't have it.

Please take the time to like their FaceBook page, visit their official website, and follow them on Twitter to keep yourself updated of the bar's promotions, like getting your second drink absolutely free. Thanks!

July's Online Earnings

2010-08-02T06:39:00.000+08:00

Well, July wasn't really a good month for my online earnings for this year. I only made a total of Php48,543.11 which is a whole lot lower compared to the amounts I made the previous months. Half of me was distracted with the fact that it was my eldest daughter Keisha's mid quarter exams at school, so I wasn't able to concentrate as much as I wanted to with work. I also got sick for a few days, so I wasn't able to work my usual hours at the time. In any case, I have a feeling August will be a totally different story. ^_^

The Last Airbender Movie Sucks!!!

2010-07-23T23:19:00.000+08:00

Ugh! I cannot believe how disappointed I am about The Last Airbender movie. The original, cartoon version is a whole lot better than the movie one. I of course understand that the whole Book 1: Water is too long to fit in one movie and it is natural that some scenes and parts be removed, but to CHANGE some of the parts is another thing.

One, let's start with when Katara and Sokka find Aang in the iceberg. In the cartoon version, Katara is still learning water bending and pretty much sucks at it. She and Sokka are having an argument, and while Katara is really mad at Sokka, while gesturing with her hands and arms at Sokka, she is unintentionally water bending and manages to destroy one whole iceberg, leaving the sphere where Aang is inside. Katara uses Sokka's boomerang to open the sphere, and they find Aang. This part of the cartoon shows that Katara has the potential of becoming a great water bender, as she has the strength but not the skills yet as she never received any formal training.

In the movie version, Katara and Sokka are out hunting for food, and they notice something odd in the ice. Sokka cracks the ice, sending them running, then the sphere where Aang is shows up. Katara uses the boomerang to free Aang from the iceberg, and Gran-Gran explains what the spirit world is, knows that Aang is the Avatar, and encourages the siblings to set out on a journey with Aang.

From this part, I already hated what they did to Katara. She becomes just another character, because the spunk in her is lost, not to mention the fact that Sokka is not at all funny in the movie and is even more serious than the cartoon version of Katara. Don't get me into explaining what happened in the Fire Nation prison where earth benders were held prisoner - that will be for another post, as well as for who teaches Aang and Katara water bending.

In the movie version, Aang said he ran away because he was upset when he was told that since he was the Avatar, he can't have a family of his own. Then, how will the battle between good and evil in Prince Zuko's heart be explained, especially since he is actually the great grandson of Avatar Rokku if avatar's aren't allowed to marry and have families of their own? The real reason why Aang did run away was because he was going to be sent away all over the world to learn the different elements, and he did not want to be separated from his mentor monk whom he sees as a father. It was also because of the fact that the identity of the avatar is not to be revealed until he/she is 16, but Aang knew he was the avatar since he was 10, hence he was still childish and impulsive.

Uncle Iroh is not fat, and Gran-Gran's love story with the water bending master from the North Tribe will be gone, and Katara's heart-filled speeches about how the earth benders should stand up and fight is gone too.

One thing I did notice about the movie is that the fire benders had bonfires everywhere and used those to bend fire. Unlike in the cartoons, they can just make fire appear like it was air, in the movie, it wasn't the case. In all fairness, I wondered about that while watching the cartoons, because Katara needed to bring water with her wherever she went so she could bend, and even resorted to using her own sweat for water bending, as well as getting the water from plants. But how could the other fire benders just shoot fire from out of nowhere? I guess the movie tried to justify that part, but they sucked everywhere else. They couldn't even pronounce Aang right. >.<

New oDesk Terms to Learn

2010-07-07T21:26:00.003+08:00

I've been with oDesk since May 2009, and recently they've made some changes not only to the site layout (which was something they also did recently), they changed some of the most commonly used terms.

For example, providers like me who get hired and do the work are now called contractors, and the buyers or the people who provide the jobs and pay providers are now called employers. I think calling buyers as employers pretty much clears everything up and makes that particular term a whole lot easier to understand. The assignment you are working on or the project you are currently hired and part of are now called contracts.

For a full list of the old and new terms, check out this link here. And don't forget to check out my oDesk contractor profile here. Plus, the video below is something you should really watch if you want to know more about oDesk.

June's Online Earnings

2010-07-01T20:25:00.000+08:00

June wasn't a pretty bad month for me and my online earnings. When I thought my online earnings for April was the highest, in June I earned Php 79,779.07. I earned Php 8,652.60 more for this month. Hopefully with more hard work, I can earn even more.

The Last Airbender - I Cannot Wait!!!

2010-07-01T20:01:00.001+08:00

I cannot wait for this movie to be shown! I'll watch this in 3D for sure!

Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time

2010-06-25T07:28:00.000+08:00

Henry and I finally watched Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time. I've never liked Jake Gyllenhaal, but in this movie I do. There was one scene in the movie which reminded me of a PSP game my husband played where he jumps from a very high roof.

The movie starts with Dastan's childhood as an orphan, and how at an early age he was very adept with getting away from people who were chasing after him. The king saw something in him, and took him as his son. He grew up with the two other princes, and he had absolutely no envy or untoward feelings for any of his brothers - he loved the king so much and considered him and the other princes as his family.

Misguided by the king's brother, the princes overthrow a city for their uncle's own interest, a dagger which apparently has the time to rewind time. Dastan is mistaken as the one who killed the king, his brothers die, and Dastan and the princess, the guardian of the dagger are sent into an incredible journey to keep the dagger safe. I won't go into more details to not spoil the movie, but what I can say is that the action scenes were splendid.

The movie also shows that envy is a terrible disease to have, and that brothers should be brothers until the end. There's a reason why the movie is entitled The Sands of Time, and if you watch the movie, you'll find out why.

Toy Story 3

2010-06-22T08:42:00.000+08:00

Last Sunday, my husband and kids planned on watching Toy Story 3 in 3D over at IMAX. However, our plans changed at the last minute and we ended up taking the kids to Active Fun instead and just doing the groceries while the kids were in the playground.

I really wanted to see this movie in 3D, as I had watched the first two parts of the movie. Plus, after I watched Shrek in 3D, I was looking forward to seeing this one in 3D too. But since my youngest kid had a cough and wasn't feeling well, after we ate brunch we just headed on to the playground as she requested.

Maybe next week, we can watch Toy Story in 3D. I did read the synopsis of the movie online and that made me want to watch the movie even more. Hopefully, when we go grocery shopping for the food I'll be cooking for my youngest daughter's birthday, we can take a few hours off to watch it.

Looking for a Good Investment?

2010-06-22T08:34:00.000+08:00

If you are one of the many people who are looking for a good way to invest their hard earned money, then you should definitely buy silver bullion as your investment. The demand for silver is more than the annual production, and this precious metal is truly a wise investment choice.

For people who are interested in buying silver, gold, and other precious metals, look no further than the United States Gold Bureau. You can make arrangements for safe delivery, or even choose to have them stored at a safe or an independent bank. These precious metals are a great investment which will be good for a lifetime, as the value of these precious metals do not depreciate.

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T02:02:00.000+08:00

Happy father's day to my husband Henry and my dad Ed. You guys are the best dads anyone could have.

Today's Breakfast Experience

2010-06-19T13:56:00.000+08:00

Since my eldest daughter is back to school, we've all been waking up really early and even though it's a Saturday today, we ended up waking around the time we normally would if my daughter had classes. Since we didn't have anything else to do that early in the morning, we decided to drop by a nearby fast food chain for breakfast.

We all hopped into the car with our PJs on as we were going for drive through anyway. My husband got the car running, but I wondered what the strange sound we were all hearing was. Turns out, the left tire at the back of our car was literally flat. We knew there were nearby wheels and tires shops, but what we weren't sure of is if they would be open that early in the morning, not forgetting the fact that it's a weekend.

As expected, the first shop we went to was closed, but the second one we visited was just in the process of opening. My husband had the car running very slowly and the hazard lights on, as he didn't want to force the already flat tire. It was funny how people kept waving at us on the road and signaling our tire was flat. But all in all, this is definitely one breakfast we'll never forget.

oDesk and PayPal are Back to Normal

2010-06-16T20:55:00.000+08:00

A few days ago, an oDesk friend of mine asked me if I was aware of the issue PayPal and oDesk had, an issue I was unaware of (thanks Jasmine!). oDesk providers could not withdraw their earnings to PayPal, and a lot of users complained about this being the only withdrawal method they use. Like me, I rely solely on PayPal to withdraw my oDesk earnings, especially since my oDesk Payoneer card never arrived in the mail.

I am happy to say that oDesk and PayPal are now back to normal, and I was able to withdraw my earnings with no problems at all. I had about 2 weeks worth of earnings stuck while I waited for the issue to be resolved, and I am very thankful it is. With bills to pay and a whole new school year to start for my kid, this news bit was something I was very relieved to hear.

My First Ever Donator

2010-06-04T23:10:00.001+08:00

I just wanted to share that today I received my first ever donation in the almost three years of this blog's existence in the amount of $20 (the amount in the picture is different though, because of the PayPal fee).

When I put the PayPal donate button on my blogs, I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would ever get one, although I did hope for it in the back of my mind. My thanks go out to Robin Durham, a friend I made at oDesk. I will always remember my first ever donator and will always be thankful for her kind heart and generosity. Thanks again!

RAN Online Item Mixer

2010-06-04T00:10:00.000+08:00

My husband and I really like playing RAN Online, although I don't always have the opportunity of literally playing my character as I have my husband and one of our pilots to do that for me. Today after the server patch, RAN Online Philippines released new NPCs, new quests, and a new item - the Item Mixer.

With the RAN Online Item Mixer, you can combine different items and come up with a totally new one. For example, if you combine one piece of bread with one piece of the distilled water that Jack the NPC sells, you can get a potion which restores your character's HP. However, until we figure out what else can be combined and with the right formula, the rest is a mystery.

A lot of players can be seen in the Marketplace now and crowding over Jack, hoping to come up with things to combine. As soon as I get more information about the RAN Online Item Mixer, I'll be updating this post.

A Review of Shrek Forever and After - Ugh.

2010-06-01T13:20:00.002+08:00

I was searching in Google about the lines Shrek said to Fiona as he was about to disappear because his 24 hours were up, then I came across a review of Shrek Forever After by Cinefantastique. Since I couldn't comment on the post, I'll just make a post myself.

Here's a part of the review I so totally disagree with:

The script for SHREK FOREVER AFTER is marred by inconsistencies: although Shrek is the one who was never born in this new reality, it is Fiona’s royal parents who wink out of existence, and Rumplestiltskin manages to claim their kingdom without fulfilling his half of the bargain (which was to save Fiona). Does it matter? Probably not – at least, not if the jokes fly fast and funny enough to make us forget the details.

First of all, Rumpelstiltskin is a con man, and he tricked Fiona's parents into signing a contract that would make "all of their problems go away" if they were to hand him the kingdom of Far Far Away. Rumpelstiltskin did exactly just that - by making Fiona's parents disappear, all of their problems disappeared as well (get it?). In the real world, they were about to sign the contract but Shrek had already saved Fiona (shown in the first part of the movie). In the alternate universe where Shrek wasn't born, naturally the contract signing between Fiona's parents and Rumpelstiltskin did push through, making them poof out of existence.

If the movie is marred by inconsistencies, where are the others? There's only one mentioned in this review. If I was the one to point out an inconsistency, I would like to ask where Artie went. He didn't make any appearances in the real world (and of course since Shrek wasn't born in the alternate world, I don't expect to see him there at all because no one would have taken him from his high school to Far Far Away), as well as Prince Charming and his mother.

Oh well, all I can say is I really liked the movie. Plus the fact that I am just expressing my opinion, and that I'll miss seeing the green big ogre on the big screen.

Rob Thomas - Her Diamonds

2010-05-29T10:40:00.002+08:00

I like a lot of songs from Matchbox 20 and Rob Thomas, but this has to be my favorite of all. :)

May's Online Earnings

2010-05-26T22:55:00.001+08:00

Including the bank transfer from PayPal I just made earlier today, I made a total of Php 62,145.81. It's a bit lower than the 71k I made last month, but it's a pretty good amount for someone who just sits in front of a laptop and works from home. :-)

Disaster Turned Success

2010-05-23T14:06:00.000+08:00

I was supposed to cook pork adobo today, but since I was really, really short of sleep and I wasn't in the highest of spirits when I woke up, I accidentally cooked the beef we had in the fridge instead of the pork. I only realized until later that it was beef I was actually cooking when I had the pot boiling and I was throwing away garlic cloves and the wrappers. The bag read - beef cut ups and I was like, oh no.

I've been thinking about expanding our menu since I always end up cooking the same meals, and I've been browsing the internet for dinner ideas. I didn't think my new menu would happen today, lol!

For the beef adobo I ended up making, I used half a kilo of cut beef, garlic, pepper, soy sauce and vinegar. You need to take equal parts of soy sauce and vinegar, and then some pepper. Combine this and the beef in a bowl and marinade for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Then, take out the beef (but don't throw away the sauce where you marinated it) and saute it with finely chopped garlic and cooking oil. Once all sides of the beef is brown, pour over the soy sauce with vinegar combination you used to marinade the beef with and that's it! Serve it hot.

I honestly did not know beef adobo tasted really good. After I tasted the meal, I was surprised that it actually tasted great and then I decided to search the internet if this recipe was even possible, or if someone has already made it. I know chicken can also be made into adobo, and I was pleased when I found the same recipe for beef. What I thought would be a disaster ended up in a successful meal for my family.

Telesales with Base Pay of 15k over Skype? I don't think so.

2010-05-15T21:48:00.000+08:00

The other day I declined a job interview over at oDesk, not because I was too busy or because the buyer was new, but because the pay as I estimated it was too low and that I felt that if I got hired, this would become a problem.

Here's what the guy offered: a base pay of Php 15k monthly, work is from 8am - 4pm with a 1 hour lunch break, fast PC and internet for Skype calls, and "up to" Php 15k commissions. Anyway, for those who have an oDesk account and would like to see this job opening, you can read more about it by clicking this link.

Now, the major reason why I declined is the fact that this job was posted as an hourly job, which means to log in and count your hours, you would need to log into the oDesk time tracking tool. What I was concerned about is the fact that my hourly rate is $8/hour, and if I was to work for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week as in the job description, I would make a whole lot more than the Php 15k budget the buyer had. Now my question is, how would they hire me without paying me my real hourly rate and logging into the oDesk time tracking tool? I somehow had this bad feeling about the job wherein either my hours will not be logged properly, or they won't get paid at all. I don't know about you guys, but a second opinion wouldn't hurt.

Thank You SocialSpark

2010-05-13T22:21:00.000+08:00

I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to the guys over at SocialSpark. For those of you who aren't familiar with the site, it's one of the get paid to write websites out there. Now, why am I thanking them?

Well, since I started focusing my career over at oDesk, I admittedly neglected posting on my blogs as well as grabbing paid post opportunities. There were weeks when my blogs would go without any updates, and I wasn't even aware that they changed the payout rate from $20 to $50. For several months already, I had a balance of $12 and some change, and I wasn't getting any further opps from them. I think it has been half a year since I got an assignment from them, and I seriously did not think I could get other opps to make it to the payout amount.

So I decided the other day to send customer support an email to request for an early payout and the closure of my account. Today, when I woke up and checked my email, the PayPal payment was already there with an email from them that my request was processed and that my account would no longer be accessible.

I didn't even have half of the minimum payout amount, but they still fulfilled my request. And for that, I will always be thankful for SocialSpark and what they did. Thanks again, you guys will always be one of my favorite get paid to write sites.

Historical Philippine Elections 2010

2010-05-11T12:07:00.000+08:00

Yesterday was the first ever automated elections in the Philippines, and it is literally history for the country. When before votes were manually counted, this is the first time that technology was used, making the entire process relatively easier. Results in most major cities were announced and winners were already proclaimed in some, but there are some of the 'troubled' places like Mindanao where some teachers were harassed, and results have not been transmitted yet.

I am personally not a registered voter of the country, as I was pregnant with my eldest child when I fell in line to register. Unfortunately, the line was absolutely long, and no one bothered to let me go first despite my bulging belly and the scorching heat of the sun. So after a few hours of waiting, I decided to go home and I wasn't able to register.

If I had been given the chance, I would have voted for either Dick Gordon or Gibo Teodoro, as these two have already contributed to the country in major and favorable ways. But what saddens me about this year's elections is the fact that previously impeached president Erap Estrada made it to #2, which is a frightening fact. Did we Filipinos not learn anything about the previous EDSA revolutions?

On a side note, I've been thinking that Erap's candidacy could have been planned, as majority of the poor people of the country would have voted for Manny Villar, a rags to riches presidential candidate. If Erap had not ran for office, majority of his votes would have gone to Manny Villar instead. Villar on the other hand, already conceded to Nonoy Aquino, the current leading presidential candidate (and definitely not my personal choice).

Noynoy Aquino is another presidential candidate I would not vote for, not even in my nightmares. He's been in the senate for years already, and has not passed even a single bill during his term. How can someone who sat in office and did nothing have the guts to run for president when he hasn't done anything even though he was already in the position to do so? But then again, Filipinos are known to be an emotional type of people, and his campaign ads have all been directed towards the hearts and emotions of people, not to mention the fact that he is the son of a former president and another senator who is viewed as a hero.

Democracy certainly has its price, and we all have to live with the choice of the majority. All I can say to those who complained about how long they fell in line just to vote and the process took only 5 minutes or less, waiting hours in line to vote is better than waiting for another 6 years for change.

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T15:24:00.000+08:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

Writing a Cover Letter for oDesk

2010-05-08T14:43:00.001+08:00

When applying for jobs at oDesk, you will be required to write a cover letter together with your application and your bid for the job. A lot of people who know I work at oDesk ask me what they should write in the cover letter, and here's my response:

Express your interest for the position. You should write in your cover letter that you are interested in the job, like a line or two that states your interest and willingness to perform the job at hand.
State any relevant experience for the opening. If you are applying for a customer service job, an article rewriting position, or perhaps a web content writer, state what experience you have in this field. In this way, the potential buyer will become aware that you know what the job at hand entails.
Recommend that the buyer review your profile. You can do this by making sure that your profile has samples of your work attached to it, or provide the links to them. If you already have feedback built on the site, ask them to review it as well so that the buyers are aware that you deliver quality work.
Set a time frame for the completion of the project. This is particularly true for fixed price jobs. If you can complete it within a week or less than a month, state it in the cover letter as this information will be very useful for buyers who need a certain project completed as soon as possible.
Don't forget to thank the buyer. At the conclusion of your cover letter, do not forget to thank the potential buyer for the time they spent reviewing your application. This not only goes to show that you are interested in the opening, you also have good manners.

These are just some of the things I do include in my cover letters, but if you would like to add anything else to it, feel free to do so.

Why I Don't Recommend Data Entry Jobs

2010-05-08T00:16:00.000+08:00

A lot of my former officemates in the call center I used to work for as well as old college and high school friends I get reconnected with over at Facebook have been asking me what I do to make money online.

Writing is the main thing I do over at oDesk, and I make a considerable amount out of it. However, I really feel awkward when telling someone what I do when I know that they do not speak/write English very well, which is perfectly understandable since it's not our first language.

One of our neighbors popped by and asked me if I knew of anything she could do online to make money (my mother in law and my husband had their fair share of telling the neighbors what I did and why the only time I go out of the house is to buy an energy drink from the store). I asked her to rate her English skills honestly as the work I did entailed a lot of writing, and I would have been more than happy to have her write some of the articles I needed done. Unfortunately, her self-assessed English skilled were, let's say not so well, and she asked me about data entry.

I've seen a lot of openings for data entry jobs over at oDesk, but this is definitely a path I will not tread. The pay is extremely low (like a couple of cents for an hour's work) and it's a no-brainer job. I have always viewed work as something you enjoy and learn from at the same time, and if it's not any of the two I mentioned above, then it's not worth it.

Sure, data entry jobs are easy, but come on! Who wants to spend all day clicking CTRL + C and CTRL +V? It's a hilariously redundant job, and there's no challenge and fulfillment in it.

One of the things why I love writing online is the fact that I get to learn and research when writing articles. Before we bought this netbook I'm using, I wrote an article about LED lights, and I of course became aware of the many benefits of LED lights, particularly energy-efficiency. When the guy we bought my netbook from informed me that the screen was made up of LED lights, I told him I was taking it while my husband gave me a puzzled look. I then explained what LED lights were (and the sales guy was pretty impressed) which made my husband nod in agreement.

There are many other things when the topics I've researched and written about came to be of use in real life, like when we chose an LCD TV to buy, mobile phone applications, and even digital cameras. I like how I can learn and earn at the same time, which is why I really do not recommend data entry jobs. These are just the type of jobs you won't learn anything from.

I got featured on loqal.ph!

2010-05-04T13:45:00.000+08:00

Alexander Villafania of the website loqal interviewed me yesterday about my freelance work, and a few minutes after the interview, the interview was live on the site. I'm really flattered about it. Thanks!

oDesk April Earnings

2010-05-01T09:47:00.000+08:00

I'm back again for another post on how much I made online on April 2010. This month is by far my best month for the year 2010 as I made a total of Php 71,126.47. I'm making these posts not to brag or show off that I'm doing well online, but to prove and inspire others that this can be done. Making money online is not all a scam, especially if you have a skill like writing. There are plenty of other things you can do online, like translation for example. There's a lot of things you can do online to supplement your income, and perhaps like me, focus on working full time online so that you can spend time with your family and kids like I do.

oDesk March Earnings

2010-04-30T09:24:00.003+08:00

Here's a screenshot of my online earnings for the month of March 2010. I am actually posting this to prove to those who are doubtful that people can actually earn online, especially for those who think earning online is one big scam. This is something I wish I had done sooner so that I didn't have to spend days and nights away from my kids when I could actually earn three to four times more than my call center job. For this month, I made a total of Php 56,285.19.

oDesk February Earnings

2010-04-29T09:00:00.001+08:00

As promised, here's the screenshot of my oDesk earnings for February. For this month, I made a total of Php 31,020.17, a bit more than last month's earnings.

I'll be posting March's earnings tomorrow.

oDesk January Earnings

2010-04-28T20:59:00.001+08:00

I've decided to post a screenshot of my oDesk earnings for January 2010. The month was kinda slow for me, but I managed to earn a total of Php 28,295.55. Here's the screenshot.

I'll be posting the rest of my earnings up to April in the succeeding posts. If you want to sign up for oDesk, click the banner below.

House Season 6

2010-04-27T12:27:00.000+08:00

I really, really like the TV show House, and I'm enjoying it even more because my husband shares the same fascination as I do with the show. This is definitely one of the shows we watch on TV where he doesn't doze off. He normally starts sleeping after the first few minutes of anything he sees on TV, but with House, it's a different thing.

I already downloaded torrents of Season 6, up to the episode entitled Lockdown. I hope that someone uploads the next episode entitled Knight Fall, but I feel I will need to wait for a couple of more weeks as this episode was aired just last week I think.

A friend of mine posted on his Facebook account though that House was being considered by the network that airs it to be ended already. My husband was devastated when he heard the news - but it is just being considered, something I do hope doesn't materialize.

On Buying Gold Coins

2010-04-20T18:03:00.000+08:00

For those who are looking for a good investment that will surely yield high profits, why not buy gold coins? Gold is definitely one of the things in this world that does not depreciate or lose its value. Also, the prices of gold have been on the rise for many weeks already, and a lot of experts and analysts do not foresee its value going down anytime soon.

The price of gold against the dollar works in an inverse way, and since the dollar is weak, the prices of gold are going up. This is also because of the fact that even though currencies may rise and fall, gold has a stability to it that no currency can match.

So if you are looking for a great investment to place your money in, you should definitely consider buying gold. As the saying goes, you should strike when the iron is hot.

Active Fun or Star City?

2010-04-20T17:57:00.000+08:00

Henry and I are planning on going out this evening with the kids. The thing is, we've decided that we're going out, but now we can't decide where we want to go. Whenever we ask Keisha, she wants to go to Active Fun and go down the slide, swim in a pool full of soft balls, and pretty much just roll around the place.

Nicole wants to go where her sister wants to - but she also does want to go to Star City because of the rides. There's a lot of kiddie rides there that kids will surely enjoy, especially Nicole and Keisha. Plus, we can also do some light shopping in the many boutiques there.

As for me, I'm just going where they want to. I like both places, so anywhere they choose works just fine for me.

Stealth

2010-04-20T17:53:00.000+08:00

My husband and I started watching Stealth a few nights ago, a DVD we've had for quite some time now but never got around to watching until then.

Unfortunately, the kids seemed to have gotten ahead of us and already made scratches on the whole back on the DVD. I only got to watch from the first part to the part where EDI came with them during a mission.

I guess I need to download a torrent file for the movie and then watch it when I have the chance.

A Cosmetology School in Indiana

2010-04-20T17:35:00.000+08:00

For people who are looking for a cosmetology school in Indiana or for those who want to pursue cosmetology as a career and would like to find a good school in Indiana, the search is over as Regency is definitely the school to go to.

Regency has been founded more than 50 years ago, and is considered as one of the fastest growing beauty schools in the country. Back in 2002, Regency only had 2 campuses in Minnesota but now, there are already 30 campuses spread in 9 different states. Not only that, Regency still has plans of continued growth and expansion.

Once you decide to learn about cosmetology through Regency, you are in for a treat as graduates of this beauty school get jobs not only in salons but also in runways, cruise ships, and almost anywhere where a cosmetologist is needed.

Addicted to Mafia Wars

2010-04-14T19:11:00.000+08:00

I am soooo addicted to Mafia Wars on Facebook! I constantly log into Facebook so I can play this game. :)

An Invitation to Rent a Coder

2010-03-19T17:12:00.002+08:00

I was logged in on one of my hourly jobs over at oDesk when I received an email from Nicole from Rent A Coder. It's a site similar to oDesk and other freelancing sites, and there were certain points raised by Nicole which makes their site "better" than oDesk. Before you start reading the rest of this entry, I suggest you visit my post entitled oDesk February Earnings where the comment was left (which also reminds me that I need to post a screenshot of my earnings for March!). For reading purposes, here's what her comment was as it appears on the post I stated above:

Hi, this is Nicole from Rent a Coder. I'd like to congratulate your success as a virtual worker. I’d also like to invite you to try Rent a Coder because there are some important differences between our service and Odesk that could save you money and better guarantee your paychecks.” Rentacoder provides access to programming, writing, illustration, even data entry jobs. You can get a sense of the broad scope of work available here:

http://www.rentacoder.com/RentACoder/SoftwareCoders/BrowseWork.asp

First, oDesk requires workers to move their mouse/keyboard every minute or two, or they don't guarantee to pay you. This can be very difficult (or impossible), when you're doing things like planning, design or other mental work. To protect yourself, you have to try to remember to constantly jiggle your mouse (which can be like "trying to talk and chew bubble gum at the same time"), or choose to forego the guarantee. Rent a Coder pays you for this sort of work without requiring you to do this. In addition, Odesk only guarantees to pay you for the first eight hours in a day. If you're working hard on a project for a buyer and have to go over that time, you do it at your own risk. At Rentacoder, every hour is guaranteed.

Second, as chubskulit suggested, workers on Odesk cannot place more than 2 bids a month unless they take certain Odesk tests, or receive feedback on a certain number of projects. Experience tells us that it takes many bids to land just one job. With limited opportunities, you may not be successful with a service that limits your ability to bid. That's why Rent a Coder offers free and unlimited bidding so that you could earn even more than what you're earning now.

Third, on pay-for-deliverables projects, Rent a coder requires the buyer to escrow 100% of the funds upfront and protects your money with arbitration (and will force a malicious buyer to pay you). We will even go so far as to test the deliverables if necessary to prove you met the contract. But Odesk doesn't do any of these things. So you can do all the work and end up not getting paid a cent.

One more thing you should note is how our services differ in the way we handle arbitration. In short, oDesk's limited arbitration could prevent you from getting rightfully paid for the work you do. And they won't test your work to make sure it meets contract requirements. At Rentacoder, We offer arbitration on all projects free of charge. We also prevent abusive buyers from stalling the start of arbitration. As a result, 45% of our arbitrations are completed under a day. 75% under a week. We additionally publicize the detailed rules of how our arbitrators make their decisions.

There are other differences as well. I invite you and everyone to compare the 7 major services through this link to learn even more:

http://www.rentacoder.com/RentACoder/DotNet/misc/CompetitorInformation/WhyRentACoder_ForSellers.aspx

If you have any questions, please let me know. You can also call in to talk to a facilitator 7 days a week, or email us.
(see http://www.rentacoder.com/RentACoder/misc/Feedback.asp).

Nicole

www.rentacoder.com

So that's her comment about working with oDesk versus working with Rent A Coder. I started working with oDesk back in May 2009, and I can say that I know the site fairly well including the many policies as I have been victim of bogus buyers as well as buyers who violate policies. Plus, since I spend more than half of my entire day with oDesk and often chatting with Customer Support for some questions I might have, I can say I already know a lot. Plus, as the saying goes, experience is the best teacher which is why I would like to point out some clarifications on Nicole's comment.

First, oDesk requires workers to move their mouse/keyboard every minute or two, or they don't guarantee to pay you. This can be very difficult (or impossible), when you're doing things like planning, design or other mental work. To protect yourself, you have to try to remember to constantly jiggle your mouse (which can be like "trying to talk and chew bubble gum at the same time"), or choose to forego the guarantee. Rent a Coder pays you for this sort of work without requiring you to do this. In addition, Odesk only guarantees to pay you for the first eight hours in a day. If you're working hard on a project for a buyer and have to go over that time, you do it at your own risk. At Rentacoder, every hour is guaranteed.

This I would have to disagree on. When you are logged into an hourly job on oDesk, you do not have to click your mouse or hit the spacebar or any other keys on your keyboard constantly just for that hour to be billed. oDesk measures the activity level of your keyboard and mouse in an hour for it to be considered billable. I've been working on hourly jobs for a long time now and I do not spend an hour for mental work not touching my PC or my mouse. Even if I research, I am still bound to press keys on my keyboard and on my mouse when reading, so that's still an activity and that gets paid. Plus, I work more than 12 hours a day and all my hours are paid for, so I am not sure where you got the idea that oDesk only guarantees payment for the first 8 hours in a day.

Now, there is a thing that allows buyers to set weekly limits, especially if the buyer is on a budget to follow. The buyer can set a weekly limit for the project, like 5 hours a week for example. If you go over 5 hours a week, that's overtime and the buyer won't be billed for it. The oDesk time tracking tool constantly reminds you if you are over your weekly limit and if you need to log out - you can't miss it as this reminder is quite annoying and doesn't go away unless you close it yourself, making it impossible to miss. Common sense would guide you to stop logging time if you are over the weekly limit, or ask the buyer first if he/she would want the work done ASAP or if it can wait next week for the weekly limit to reset. At that point, you can request a bonus payment from the buyer or just wait until Monday when the weekly limit is reset.

Second, as chubskulit suggested, workers on Odesk cannot place more than 2 bids a month unless they take certain Odesk tests, or receive feedback on a certain number of projects. Experience tells us that it takes many bids to land just one job. With limited opportunities, you may not be successful with a service that limits your ability to bid. That's why Rent a Coder offers free and unlimited bidding so that you could earn even more than what you're earning now.

Before you can even bid and get hired on projects, you will need to pass the oDesk Readiness Test. I am at 20 bids a week which is more than enough, as I can imagine how hard it would be to meet deadlines if you got hired for all of the 20 jobs you placed bids for. This limit is actually in favor of the providers in my opinion, so that you don't bite off more than what you can chew and get swamped with more work than you can handle. Bids for projects at oDesk are free, as well as keeping and maintaining a profile. I noticed in Rent A Coder you guys charge $2 for every PayPal withdrawal...oDesk only charges $1.

Third, on pay-for-deliverables projects, Rent a coder requires the buyer to escrow 100% of the funds upfront and protects your money with arbitration (and will force a malicious buyer to pay you). We will even go so far as to test the deliverables if necessary to prove you met the contract. But Odesk doesn't do any of these things. So you can do all the work and end up not getting paid a cent.

Again I would have to disagree. oDesk might not have an escrow system, but it does offer an option for upfront payments wherein you can request for full or half of the payment or any other amount even before you begin working. I did experience a bogus buyer before, but that was my mistake, to not ask for anything upfront. However, if you ask for an upfront payment for $1 or more and the buyer doesn't pay, you can end the assignment yourself and leave the worst possible feedback for the buyer that everybody who views their profile will see. You can curse all you want and other people will be able to read it and will definitely think twice about working with that buyer. Even though oDesk does not mediate in fixed price projects, there are ways you can protect yourself as a provider.

For arbitration, I don't think there's a need to when it comes to hourly jobs. You get paid for every single hour you worked for following oDesk's payment schedule. For fixed price jobs, oDesk sends out reminders to both the buyer and the provider if the assignment is still active beyond the agreed time frame. Again, you always have the option to end the assignment yourself and leave the worst possible feedback whenever a buyer suddenly doesn't communicate with you, especially for fixed price jobs.

I might take a deeper look into Rent A Coder, but not in 2-3 months. I am very, very busy as it is and I am very happy with how much I am earning. I feel I am earning what I deserve already. But thanks anyway.

What do you think of the new dNeero homepage?

2010-03-19T15:21:00.000+08:00

Was I surprised to receive an email from dNeero about a new conversation! I haven't visited the site for a while especially since I hadn't had new conversations to join in on anyway. Apparently, the site got a whole new design which looks great. I hope this also means more conversations for us, lol!

Why Wedding Rings are Worn on the Fourth Finger

2010-03-18T17:37:00.000+08:00

This is very interesting!

Time Really Flies so Fast!

2010-03-17T09:34:00.000+08:00

The school year is almost over and my eldest daughter will be graduating on the 25th of this month from preschool...I still clearly recall how nervous I was during her first day of school and how worried I was that she might cry when she didn't see me peeking behind her classroom door...now she's already headed for grade school! Whenever I look back at everything that's transpired in my life, I can't help but feel that time really flies so fast.

About Rehabilitation

2010-03-02T14:02:00.000+08:00

I have always seen people who are addicted to controlled substances or have a vice as people who need help. Fortunately, drug rehab in Michigan is something that we don't have to worry about, as there are plenty of facilities and treatment centers available in this area.

Michigan drug rehabilitation is literally just a phone call away. You can get help for yourself, friends and family members, and other people whom you feel need this service in a discreet manner. Your friend or loved one might not think that they need it, but they will eventually thank you once everything is over.

The addicted individual will find Michigan drug rehab a life changing experience. Studies have shown that addiction is often the result of people who've experienced a traumatic happening in their life that is too painful and they were not able to get over it. They use substances and alcohol to mask the pain. Once they get into rehab, they will be able to receive both emotional and medical treatment. This is truly one of the best ways to approach such a patient since they will need help in order to get over the addiction medically, and not bounce back or be on the rebound once they are out of the rehabilitation facility.

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-14T06:20:00.000+08:00

Happy Valentiines Day to everyone, especially to my family!

oDesk Tips - Getting Started

2010-02-09T10:33:00.005+08:00

I received an inquiry from a blogger friend of mine about getting started on oDesk. In this series of posts, I forgot to start it off by saying that after you create your oDesk account and your profile, you need to pass the oDesk Readiness Test before you can apply and get hired for jobs.

Don't worry, no math or complex calculations are involved. Once you familiarize yourself with the system, you'll find the exam a piece of cake to ace. You can also use the website itself on another window or tab for research while you have the exam open on another - but do it as quick as you can since there is a time limit to the exam. You can also retake the exam as many times as you need to until you get it right. Retaking the exam does not affect your profile and your chances of getting hired in any way.

The questions on the oDesk Readiness Test are all searchable and answerable within the site. As much as I would like to share the answers, I won't, since the exam prepares you for navigating the site, especially useful when you already landed your first job. Plus, the exam also gives you ideas on what you can and can't do during and after your assignments, disputes on pay, and other important stuff. But in case you do need help, I'm always around.

I'll post more tips on how to get hired easier, as well as the difference between fixed price and hourly jobs in the coming days.

oDesk February Earnings

2010-02-06T17:52:00.001+08:00

I wanted to make this post to give people an idea of why I spend so much time on oDesk and why I really encourage people to try it out, especially if they have a passion for writing, can commit to deadlines, and are results oriented. Today's just February 6, and for this month I already earned $331.66. My other ongoing projects are not yet complete so they haven't been paid, but for 6 days this amount is not bad. My last withdrawal was back in January 31 for a couple of dollars short of a hundred - I used that for groceries, hahaha!

If you want to give oDesk a shot, just click on the banner below and you'll be directed to the sign up page. I'll be more than happy to help you out, and don't forget to check out my posts about oDesk tips!

Pink's Performance of Glitter in the Air at the 2010 Grammys

2010-02-05T08:46:00.000+08:00

Pink has always been one of my favorite pop-rock singers, it's just too bad I missed her performance. This is downright amazing!

An Invitation to Contribute

2010-02-04T12:00:00.000+08:00

I got an email today from Alex Layton, an administrator from the site called Rant Rave (sounds a lot like this blog, lol!). e's inviting me to be a contributor to his site, and what I can do is pretty much copy my posts here over there. I can even insert my Google Adsense codes over there and I'd get 100% of all the earnings.

I'm flattered that this blog that initially started as an experiment which turned out to be a money making activity, and is now gaining popularity. However, I would need to think about it as I am literally swamped with so many assignments from oDesk that I might not be able to constantly contribute to the site.

I guess I need to organize my activities first and then see from there. I would not want to commit to something only to disappoint in the end. But I am really flattered with the offer though. :-)

oDesk Tips: Building Your Profile

2010-01-27T09:40:00.000+08:00

As I stated in a previous post, here's the beginning of a series of posts that will discuss some tips and tricks I have learned over the months when it comes to earning as much as you can on oDesk.

For beginners, the first thing you need to do is to invest time and effort into your provider profile. Here's my provider profile on oDesk as a reference. You will need to think of your own header, as mine is listed as Freelancer/QA/Experienced Customer Service Rep/Blogger for Hire! I know it's a lot, but the ones I listed are the qualities that best describe me. You should think of something similar for yourself, and focus on the qualities you are good at.

It is also a good idea to add a professional-looking picture of yours, not really that professional, more on presentable. I don't know why, but before I had a picture on my profile, I really had a hard time getting accepted for jobs. I guess buyers (clients) like associating a face to the resume they see.

Don't forget to answer every field in your profile. Should clients have any questions about your skills or experience, they will look for it in your provider profile, and this saves you and your client a lot of time in asking each other questions and sending messages. Some clients who are in a rush for finding providers may just disregard your application.

Lastly, take the oDesk readiness test so that you can apply and get hired for jobs. I'll discuss that test in more detail on another post.

Thinking of...

2010-01-22T10:19:00.000+08:00

Since I have a lot of friends who ask me about how I make money online, I was thinking about adding posts to this blog that will discuss tips and advice on how to earn online. It's a good thing I have plenty of payment proof from my PayPal account plus my personal bank account to show friends whenever they ask me if what I tell them is true.

I was thinking for starters, I would write posts that discuss what oDesk is about and what you should do to make money from it. Then I would share some tips to get hired, writing a cover letter, and some do's and don'ts to avoid getting scammed. How to get good feedback will definitely be discussed in one of my posts.

Here's my provider profile on oDesk for you guys to see the feedback I've received, how many hours and fixed price jobs I've had and are currently working on, and of course, how much each project pays! I hope this will inspire and motivate people out there who need help on oDesk and who are wondering if it really works - for me, it does wonders.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T01:00:00.000+08:00

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T07:05:00.000+08:00

The Haunting of Molly Hartley - Crap

2009-12-01T08:49:00.001+08:00

For starters, let me just say that please do not make the same mistake as I did, which is watching this crap disguising itself as a movie.

I had the unfortunate opportunity to watch this movie with my husband and the kids. It tells the story of a girl whose 18th birthday is a few days away, and a lot of strange things are happening to her. Her own mother tries to kill her by stabbing a pair of scissors to her chest, and one of her classmates also tries to drown her in the church.

This movie unfortunately does not have any redeeming parts, as it was totally not scary, and the plot is pathetic. The lead actress, Haley Bennett, is really pretty but other than that, everything else sucks.

The cause of all the trouble is the fact that Molly Hartley was born dead, but a lady who appears out of nowhere gives her parents a choice. Molly then begins to cry and live. The condition is that once Molly turns 18, the lady who appeared will take her back. So there, just figure things out for yourself. She begins to be something like the female version of Damien in the Omen movies, starting on her 18th birthday.

2012 - OK for Me

2009-11-30T08:43:00.001+08:00

My husband and I watched 2012 a few weeks back and like most movies I've watched, it's about the destruction of the earth. With all the pollution and other damages that we are causing the earth, humans have created an imbalance and our world is reacting to it by unexplainable weather changes and land shifts.

John Cusack has the lead role in this movie, who also happens to be a favorite actor of mine. I watched 1408 and I thought he was amazing in that movie. He tries to save his family from the disaster as he discovers "a way" (I will not disclose in case there are readers who haven't seen it yet) to be saved from the destruction. He does everything in his powers to save his family, which is made even possible by the help of a Chinese monk.

Good points of the movie include amazing effects and great actors, but for me, it is not a really awesome movie I would drool over for, like Knowing for instance. For me, it was just like a sci-fi high-tech Noah's Ark. Oh well, I guess I gave the movie away. :-)

A New Template

2009-11-26T11:57:00.000+08:00

I've had the three column dots dark template for quite some time, and when I came across Deluxe Templates and this particular template named City Sleeps, I just had to have it in one of my blogs.

Because I've inserted a lot of HTML codes before the tag, I had to tediously copy every single one of them. I also had to copy widgets of mine on a notepad so that I wouldn't lose any of the widgets I have come to get used to and love.

I've also admittedly been slacking off on blogging, especially since I have a lot of online work on my hands right now, but these new templates I've installed make me want to blog all day! If you notice though, there are spaces between the posts, enough to fit another post in it. I left a comment on Deluxe Templates about this, and I hope they respond. I hate seeing that empty space as the OC in me is dying to fix it but I don't know how.

Goodbye Johnny Delgado

2009-11-25T13:35:00.003+08:00

I did not know the Philippine actor Johnny Delgado had passed away last November 19 due to cancer. He has always been one of my favorite actors in the Philippine industry, particularly because he had class in acting and was really good in his craft.

It is sad when someone passes away, even if you did not personally know the said person.

I Love Queen Torrent!

2009-11-22T16:52:00.002+08:00

I am quite new when it comes to downloading torrents, all thanks to this laptop that I'm using. It came with a torrent downloader application, and I had to spend some time figuring things out. One of the things I needed to figure out was finding a website I could download tv torrents and other torrent files as well.

It was then when I came across Queen Torrent. I just love how the site is so easy to use, it's practically foolproof! I also appreciate how the seeds are already listed along with the torrent file, so that you don't have to search for which torrents have the most seeds. I really like this site, and I'm actually busy downloading several files at the moment, and I still have a lot on queue!

Congratulations Manny!

2009-11-17T17:39:00.002+08:00

Congratulations Manny Pacquiao for defeating Manuel Cotto!
You rock!

Happy 6th Wedding Anniversary

2009-11-10T04:24:00.000+08:00

Happy 6th wedding anniversary to me and my husband Henry. It's been 6 years of married life plus 4 years of being together as boyfriend and girlfriend. Our love for each other has given us 2 beautiful daughters and a life I couldn't ask for anything anymore. Looking forward to spending many more years of my life with you.

You Gotta See This!

2009-11-07T16:42:00.005+08:00

I recently came across the iLASIK Video Contest launched by AMO or Abbott Medical Optics Inc., a recognized global leader in laser vision correction. The contest encourages people to submit videos that display how improved and better eyesight have made an impact on their lives. To date, users have already submitted original MTVs, boxing and swimming videos, and other videos which display how better vision is making an impact on their daily lives.

What's even better is that people can actually win $5,000 as grand prize. There are also other prizes available, like an HDTV and an HD camcorder valued at over hundreds of dollars. All you need to do is to submit a video which can fall under the following categories:

"My contacts are getting in the way of my good time."
"My favorite sport or activity would be so much cooler with better vision."
"You should see life after the iLasik Procedure."

After you've submitted a video, you can ask your friends to vote for your video for a chance to win the prizes mentioned above. Your friend's votes actually play a major part in determining who wins the cool prizes mentioned above.

So put your thinking caps on and be creative! Get your video recorder and come up with a video that shows how much your life would be better and more fun if you had better vision.