Wanna Swim.

We’re supposed to go swimming yesterday as per Paul’s request. He was so inching to have a dip in the pool because of the scorching heat and for the reason that he hasn’t swam yet this summer. Then my college best buds messaged me last Friday if we can join their Tagaytay weekend gimik. Until late evening of Friday, we couldn’t decide. I clocked out late in the office, ate our KFC dinner late and we endured about an hour-long drive from makati to qc. We were dead tired and exhausted upon reaching home. Obviously, since no definite plans were made, hubby and I woke up late yesterday and found ourselves bored the whole day. It’s a good thing that somehow we have this computer shop to man and got ourselves a bit busy with. And of course, I have this blog to work on for some dollar opportunities. It was not bad, after all.

Anyway, since I would also love to go wading, I will just repost this photo montage I made before. Here are the pics of some of our swimming getaways in Boracay and Laiya, San Juan, Batangas.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Online Masteral Degree.

One of my long term goals and aspirations is to earn a post-graduate degree preferably in line with Business Administration to augment the Bachelor’s Degree I earned from UST. Although, we also have universities in the city offering good quality of higher education, I am aspiring to acquire a post graduate from a US university. Actually, I need not go to US to fulfill this since there are accredited online universities that I can enroll with.

One of my options is the Capella University which is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (CA). Its headquarters is located in Minneapolis, MN. Capella University has been offering uncompromising quality education for years through its bachelor’s, masteral and doctoral degree programs. With their advanced and cutting-edge higher education online, they are providing even more unique opportunities and high caliber academic excellence to aspiring students worldwide. The online university currently serves more than 17,900 students across US and 56 other countries.

I further browsed their site and my attention was caught with a book that was co-authored by one of the faculty member of Capella University, Sara Orem, PhD. The book is entitled Appreciative Coaching: A Positive Process For Change. This book is ideal for individual coaches of managers and executives who influences and create change in their organizations. This book uses guide questions and tools to acknowledge the strengths and of every individual that consequently effect and cause change.

Right now, I’m still saving up for this higher education aspirations of mine. I know in the future and somehow, this will be realized.

**This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.

Bye-bye Desktop.

The desktop at home (Makati) has been conking for months already. Paul has exhausted all means testing what could’ve the culprit been for its frenziedly auto-shut downs while in the midst of surfing or gaming. We even bought a new power supply and a brand new memory but to no avail, the problem was not resolved. Since Paul has 10 PC’s in the shop, he also even tried mixing-and-matching the parts like memories and video cards. He also tried and made use of the Windows Service Packs to repair and reformatted for several times but perhaps, the PC is “terminally-ill” and wishing to retire soon. After all, we’ve been using this for years already and I recall that my Feasibility (thesis) is still stored here so that makes it running for more than four years already!

So that’s it, we don’t have an option but replace it with a new set. We need to have this up soon since my stepmom will also be coming home next weekend from Saudi and being the chat addict that she is, I’m sure she’ll be frantic if we won’t be able to resolve this. Besides, my little bro has been nagging that this have to must be repaired/replaced for him to play and satisfy his obsession with DOTA.

At one point, this makes me feel blessed since I have this notebook to fulfill my blogging and digiscrapping pursuits. Hehe! But at any rate, for them to stop irking, we’ll be buying a complete set from Rsun on Tuesday. We figured buying this set (excluding monitor) will be cheaper than having the parts bought individually.

On Break-ups.

One of my best buds just recently split-up with her boyfriend. At one point, I felt relieved that she finally had the courage to dump him. Let’s just say he doesn’t deserve the love and attention that my friend has given him. But then, in as much as I’m appeased with my friend’s realization, I know she was deeply hurt to come up with that decision.

Surviving a breakup is never an easy ordeal. Although, I have had a couple in the past prior meeting the man of my dreams, the impact was not that hard and difficult for me; probably because those two relationships were short-lived and therefore, not much love and dedication were invested yet. Nevertheless, breaking up is still a struggle. It takes time to heal wounds and thousand folds of support from families and friends is necessary for the healing process to begin and eventually, move on. But before anything else, help must come from the brokenhearted person himself/herself. I don’t want to sound like Dr. Love here so might as well head on to this romance website where I found helpful steps in overcoming and outlasting painful break-ups.

For my dearest friend, Cathy, I just hope she can hang on and remember that she will always be loved by many and that there are greater blessings that she should be thankful for. It’s not the end of the world and I’m sure she’ll meet the right guy in God's perfect time who will truly love her.

ABC Tagged!

I've got tagged by Caryl and here's my take:

A - Available/single or taken: Married for 1 yr and 4 months
B - Best friend: my husband, my 2 sisters and my colleague, Joy.
C - Cake or pie: hmmm…both!
D - Drink of choice: Just water and cranberry juice. I’m not allowed to drink softdrinks, iced tea, coffee, milk, chocolate, acidic fruit juices – hmm see I’ve got no choice.
E - Essential item you use everyday: my laptop, cellphone
F - Favorite color: purple, blue and yellow
G - Gummy bears or worms: gummy bears
H - Hometown: I was born in San Mateo, Isabela but grew up in Makati City
I – Indulgence: on foods: ice cream, pastas, street foods (hehe) other: digiscrapping
J - January or February: January (it’s the start of the year!)
K - Kids & names: none yet..we’re still trying. :)
L - Life is incomplete without? God, Paul, family, friends
M - Marriage date: December 17, 2005
N - Number of siblings: 3 (2 sisters and 1 bro)
O - Oranges or apples: apples
P - Phobias or fears: ghosts and rats
Q - Fave quote: “Carpe Diem”
R - Reason to smile: a blessed and happy life with loving husband, family and friends
S - Season: summer
T - Tag 5 people: Andrea, Bebe, Yen, Tin, Cherry Rose
U - Unknown fact about me: I’m a sleepyhead
V- Vegetable you don’t like: labanos and ampalaya
W - Worst habit: I sometimes sleep for about 12 hours long
X - Xrays you've had: I think twice for pre-employment med examinations and once when I had an IVP (to check presence of kidney stones)
Y - Your fave foods: KFC chicken, California maki, Chef D’ Angelo Sampler 1, Aveneto’s Oil and Garlic Pasta Special, ice cream, squid balls, tukneneng and kwek-kwek, footlong sandwich and Dunkin Donuts’ Boston Cream
Z - Zodiac sign: Pisces

Phone For Less.

I have a US-based friend who was raving lately about her so-called VOIP phone serviced by Vonage. Curious of what it is like and what difference it has with that of a regular phone line, I searched the web and found this: Vonage VOIP Forum site where informative and helpful news, reviews and discussions about Vonage VOIP phone service are elaborated and talked about.

For the benefit of those who are clueless about VOIP phones, it is simply defined as a means or tool for making telephone calls over the internet. But as Vonage tags it, it’s a “better way to phone for less”.

Through the forum, I’ve learned the following advantages of Vonage VOIP phone service:
1. cheaper rates compared to land line service providers especially for long distance calls (For as low as 1 cent per minute for international calls and even unlimited long distance calls to anywhere in US, Canada and some part of Europe)
2. area code selection and call forwarding/transfer– example: you can have your Toronto VOIP local number routed to your Vancouver local number.
3. added features at no extra cost such as voicemail, 3-way calling, call waiting, call forwarding, 911 dialing, caller id, etc.

No wonder my friend went gaga over this thing. Should you need more information, go ahead and scour the various site sections of Vonage VOIP Forum for FAQs, Reviews, News, Press Releases, Sign Up Info and many more. All you need to know is in there. If you have questions and would like to post on the forum, you will need to take a minute and register. Further, you might want also to take advantage of Vonage’s Sign Up Promotion where a FREE month of service and a free adapter await you.

NSD Mania.

National Scrapbook Day (NSD) is just around the corner. Right now, I am holding off myself from purchasing any digiscrapping products that interest me since I know; I can have them on this special day at very huge and irresistible discounts.

In preparation for this shopping spree of mine, I’ve been busy site-hopping, scouring cute goodies and stashing them onto my shopping cart. I’m just getting ready so that when weekend comes and NSD officially starts, I can simply and readily checkout without wasting too much time.

Take Me To This Place Please...

Cancun consists of medium-sized coastal city and a long, thin island to the mainland of easternmost state of Mexico through bridges at its north and south ends. It boasts of world-class hotels, resorts, clubs and malls. The turquoise waters of Caribbean Sea surround the gorgeous white sand beaches of Cancun. Best way to explore the beautiful Carribean Sea is through various water activities such as scuba diving, jet skiing, parasailing, diving, snorkeling, boating, fishing, wildlife watching through the Interactive Aquarium and submarine tours. Cancun nightlife spells outrageous fun and entertainment as well. Several lively and colorful discos dominate the party mood at night. There is so much variety as well when taste buds must be pleased. From gourmet cuisines to authentic dishes, Cancun surely makes a memorable dining experience. As they say, Cancun offers something for everyone, from an all-day fun party beach to an isolated, serene island.


If I got you wanting also to get there, head on to Vacations.net for a irresistible Cancun all inclusive travel experience offer. The site was just launched with a new cutting edge feature and functionality. This newly redesigned site even gives you a treat of up to 50% savings from their regular rates. I find the site so easy to navigate with all their added features such as dramatic images, specified and detailed information on culture, activities, customs, history which let the traveler feel an outright experience even through just an online navigation of the destination. The website also allows you to view precise room availability through its intuitive customized booking engine. It even helps you decide among the various package options since the hotels and resorts are rated in accordance to travelers’ recommendations in terms of hotel service, condition, room cleanliness, and comfort. Interestingly, you can even view the hotel on a map so you can see where it is exactly located or learn about its proximity to the beach. Vacations.net is also your one-stop travel center…from choosing your vacation getaway, to planning your activities, to arranging your flights and hotel reservations and even to car rentals. It’s all in here. So go ahead, start planning your vacation and see for yourself that paradise is just a click away.

CRM Evolved.

I first encountered the term “Customer Relationship Management” in my first job as a banker. All of us were required to attend a CRM seminar where we got familiarized and was oriented with a new CRM software that would then be introduced and used in our banking system. We were told that a CRM software is essential in addressing the needs of the Marketing, Sales and Distribution, and Customer Service and Support aspects of the business – all of which are important factors for the bank to outlast the challenges met in the industry.

CRM is essential in all types of customer-geared businesses. Wikipedia defines it as a broad term that covers concepts used by organizations to manage their relationships with customers, including collecting, storing and analyzing customer information. With the recent breakthroughs, effective CRM strategies involve the use of software applications that automates marketing, sales and support divisions instantly. Its purpose is to manage the customer through the entire “life cycle” like discovering potential customers, to tapping and maintaining them.

Though CRM softwares typically appears confusing and complex, AIMPromote addresses this difficulty with their so called Evolved CRM which allows you to streamline the sales process and automates only the features that fits and beneficial to the organization. Unnecessary and confusing options may be eliminated with just click of a button by the key administrator. Through this, their software makes the team focus more on making sales instead of investing time understanding and managing the software. You can get to know more about this by availing their 14-day free trial and experience how Aimpromote puts your business on a competitive advantage.

Friday Feast: 141

Before I totally miss this episode of Friday Feast, here’s my take for this week:

Appetizer
How fast can you type?
55 wpm as per an online typing speed test that I took.

Soup
What is your favorite online game?
I got to hooked several online games before but the most I got addicted with was Rakion and Yahoo’s Mystery Files.

Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 as highest), how intelligent do you think you are?
Hmm…probably 7?

Main Course
Name three of your best teachers from your school years.
From grade school – our sixth grade adviser and Religion teacher, Mrs. Peralta. From High School – my World History teacher, Ms. Manapat. From College, my Business Feasibility Studies professor, Sir Lopez. I definitely learned a lot from them. I wonder how they are all now.

Dessert
What are your plans for this upcoming weekend.
We were supposed to go swimming today but since we were dead tired last night, we opted to rest this weekend. Also, Paul will be repairing 2 PCs and probably, I will just blog, watch TV and pig out.

Bid With a Twist.

I have participated in an online wedding auction once and luckily, I was able to outbid for an elegant hairpiece that I used for our wedding.


I love the excitement when I join online auctions. But do you know that there’s a new online auction site that works differently and with a fun twist? Bid4prizes is a unique site that allows you to bid on cool products but the catch is the lowest bidder wins the auction!

Interesting, isn’t it? All you have to do is become a member (either as a premium member or you can register for free), select your favorite prize, place your bid through SMS or online and when your bid is the lowest when auction ends, you win the prize. Probably you’ll ask how much you pay when you win the prize. Actually, you do not pay anything other than the shipping costs for the delivery and any taxes that may be due to the IRS. Right now on the site, up for auction are the following: an Apple iPhone, a Samsung 50” Plasma TV and a cool Scion XB!


Even if you don’t win the lowest bid, you can earn points for every bid you place. You can exchange these earned points for any cool prizes in the Rewards Store like toys, gags, purses, backpacks and more. So everyone is a winner, right?

If I were to win a prize, I would love to have a portable basketball hoop. Next month will be my dear hubby’s birthday and this is what he’s wishing for.

TGIF!

What a strenuous week! So plenty of tasks but got so little time.

But what the heck..thank goodness it’s Friday! Weekend’s here and it spells:

r-e-l-a-x-a-t-i-o-n

...and I’ll definitely make the most out of it.

Speedy Provider.

Paul’s computer shop is doing well recently. Since it is vacation time, the shop is often packed with kids playing their favorite online games, teens who religiously update their friendster profiles and those who are avid youtube watchers. All of these would require a good, steady and fast internet bandwidth, thus, Paul invested on a good broadband internet provider.

I’ve stumbled upon Eclipse Internet on the web and I was amazed with their business broadband deals. Imagine, you get ultra fast downloads up to 8 Mbps (we only have about 1 Mbps) and fast upload speeds. Further, they offer unlimited downloads for a fixed price, free telephone calls, reliable support teams, free and easy switching from other broadband providers, a referral scheme, extra flexibility with the option of one-month contracts and free setup and hardware. Depending on the business size, they have flexible packages that suit your needs and requirements.

How I wish we also get to have such broadband deals in the country. I’m sure Paul’s customers will be happier and more satisfied. If that would be our download speed, I will also be one of the happiest here as I get to download lots of digiscrapping kits with just a blink of an eye. Lolz. 

Small Blessings.

More often than not, most of us are caught up pressured amidst life’s hustle and bustle. In reality, there comes a point when we are so engulfed with our wishes and desires that we tend to disregard and overlook what we have. There are times when we tend to take for granted and lose track the blessings that come our way. Regardless of our situation, we always have to be thankful no matter how little the blessings seem to be.

For today, these are the little things that I’m thankful for:

1. For the palatable adobo I had for lunch at our pantry. My colleagues and I very seldom dine and eat our concessionaire’s food in our pantry. I’ve been disappointed with their seemingly half-cooked and recycled cuisines. Since Joy is in scrimping mode and we were so lazy to dine out, we settled at the pantry today and luckily, I was not disappointed. At least, I also got to save a bit as my lunch only cost me Php 45.

2. Finally, my new email at work is now configured and up. I will no longer use my yahoo mail at work which has been quite “effortful” still, even with the Yahoo Mail Beta.

3. For the 30-minute-trafficless-safe drive from Makati to my in-laws’ abode in Frisco. Today is Thursday and weekend is nearing so that means, we have to be here and I'm just glad that the drive was comfortable and fast.

4. Miggy, Paul’s 4-yr old nephew, made mano to me when we got home. Usually and especially if he’s glued to the TV, we’re often unnoticed and ignored when we arrive. Tonight, he was in a good mood and even played with us for a while.

5. For the polite Citibank Customer Service Rep I talked with tonight when I clarified Paul’s billing statement. Paul is being charged with a late penalty fee of Php 300 for not paying the unpaid balance of Php 2.81 last month. The CSR was flexible and helpful naman unlike the other one whom Paul talked with this afternoon. She was a bit rude daw and was stiff in asking to pay the penalty charge.

6. For the little tiramisu that was left on the fridge. My voracious bro was kind enough to leave me some for dessert.

Small blessings…. I am thankful today for all these small blessings.

Online Registrations.

When we were preparing for our wedding, Paul and I would respond and attend to almost all bridal fair invitations that were sent to my email. Although, getting inside the venue was relatively easy for most of the fairs I attended because of their online registration, some still use the traditional and very tedious manual registration.

For big events as these, they must simplify their registration through an online system where participants just have to fill out quick online registration forms.

RegOnline is one of the largest online registration systems having processed over 3,714,613 registrations for more than 50,239 events worldwide. They offer simple and easy and user-friendly registration process at a very great deal. Their integration with SalesForce CRM Software recently aids even more the event professionals in achieving greater success with marketing and event follow-up.

New Site.

..And running.

http://www.mdanganan.info

Yes, I decided to add a new blog for my digiscrapping pursuit and named it "The Scrapaholic Me". I’ll be posting my newest layouts, buzz and all other digiscrapping stuffs there.

As you notice, I also bought a new domain and it’s good for one year. I wanted to have a .com domain but it’s quite pricey that’s why I settled with a .info for the mean time. (Actually, “.info” domains are on sale at $0.99/year). When I earn enough from my blogging rakets, I can probably get this blog its own .com domain, too.

Shop-Til-Ya-Drop.

If I were given a chance for a shop-til-ya-drop experience, I will fill my shopping carts with these:

1. A camera. I’ve been meaning to buy a new camera, not just a point and shoot but a Digital SLR. Canon EOS 400D is out of the picture since it is way beyond my budget although it would really be nice to have it. I’ll probably get the Canon Powershot S3IS, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 or the Fujifilm Finepix S9600.
2. Nintendo Wii Console
3. An extra battery for my laptop
4. A Wacom tablet for my digital scrapbooking needs
5. Nice pairs of jeans
6. Summer Beach Dresses
7. Mango tops
8. Classic Bermuda shorts
9. A brand new laserjet printer for my layouts
10. A portable basketball hoop set for hubby

Things seem all set but the only thing lacking right now is some moolah powers. Perhaps, I still have to wait for several pay days and bonuses before I can checkout all these stuffs.
Actually, I just got a little excited when I stumbled upon this UK shopping search engine; thus, I came up with a shopping wish list. This cool shopping search engine uses a proprietary crawl technology to aggregate merchant offers. Already available in France, UK, Spain, and Italy, Twenga is still in its beta version but it nevertheless, offers a fun shopping experience. It offers wide array of selections: computers, furniture, household appliances, sports, jewelries, gadgets, cars and motorbikes, fashion apparels and a whole lot more at best and lowest prices guaranteed. It also has instant price alerts - discounts, promotions, reductions, clearance and private sales, and limited-time offers from among Twenga’s about 2500 merchants.

So the next time you go shopping, try out Twenga..the next generation shopping search engine. Search by product, brand, or just browse their catalog and you might just find an irresistible great deal.

Back Again.

I finally reported for duty today after four days of sickly break. As soon as I stepped near my workstation, I almost retreated and backed out from working again. There were heaps and piles of invoices and AP vouchers waiting for me on top of my desk. But reality sank so I relaxingly started my routines. One at a time. Keeping “stress” aside. Of course, I do remember and must live by my doctor’s reminder: MANAGE STRESS APPROPRIATELY. And that’s what I did on my first day back at work. I did extend a bit but hubby and I nevertheless, went home early.

My Dream Chandelier.

I’ve always been fascinated with sparkling crystal chandeliers. But since our house doesn’t have high ceilings and wide interiors, perhaps, I will just keep dreaming for my ideal chandelier for the mean time. When hubby and I get to build our own dream house, I will make sure that we’ll be having this hanging on our living room.

Simply gorgeous, isn’t it? Actually, this is sold at Dlegne.com and is offered at the lowest possible and imaginable price directly to their buyers. No outrageous markups unlike those offered by luxury lighting stores. Modern styling, exquisite hand polished crystals, state-of-the-art design, superb artistry and more..that’s what Dlegne offers for your chandelier needs.

Tagged!

I've been tagged by Andrea! (Just a backgrounder: Andrea & Ramil were my husband’s classmates way back elementary years. I met Andrea online through the Weddingsatwork e-groups at the time when we were engaged with our own wedding preparations and incidentally, we have the same 12.17.05 wedding date.)

Four jobs I've had
1. bank teller
2. accounts payable associate
3. cash officer
4. purchasing associate

Four movies I have watched over and over
1. Con Air
2. Titanic
3. Pearl Harbor
4. Armageddon

Four places I have lived in
1. Cauayan, Isabela
2. Sampaloc, Manila
3. Olympia, Makati City
4. Frisco, Quezon City

Four TV shows I like to watch
1. Amazing Race
2. Pinoy Big Brother
3. Game Ka Na Ba (because of Edu..he’s so funny)
4. TV Patrol News

Four places I have been on vacation
1. Boracay
2. Puerto Galera
3. Baguio
4. Isabela

Four of my favorite foods
1. KFC
2. Oil & Garlic Special Pasta at Aveneto
3. Seafoods at Dampa/Seaside
4. Tukneneng & Kwek-kwek (hehe!)

Four places I would rather be right now
1. Baguio
2. Hong Kong
3. Bora
4. US

Four people who will answer this meme
1. Lei
2. Dianne
3. Wella
4. Litzie

..And I Was Knocked-Out.

I blogged last weekend how Manny Pacquiao finished a bout with a TKO.

Ironically, I experienced my own dose of TKO these past few days. Thus, I was MIA (missing in action) this week. It all started with some abdominal pain and found out that my UTI has recurred again for the nth time. I had my daily check-ups and series of tests at Patient First last Monday to Wednesday. They had me undergo Ultrasound and thank God my kidneys, gall bladder and all those organs are just normal. The urinalysis results yielded the answer that I indeed have a bad case of UTI causing the abdominal pain.

I know I’m also partly to be blamed here. I’ve worked and abused my body these past weeks by working long and late OTs at work. My body has definitely taken its toll on me. I developed fever on Wednesday night and continued until I woke up on Thursday morning. I texted my bosses that I won’t be able to report for work for me to rest the whole day.

Friday morning, I woke up without a fever anymore but still felt weak and sluggish so I decided to extend my sick leave. A few hours later, my agony started again as I just puked whatever I drank or ate. I experienced terrible headaches whenever I lie down or just sit. I felt so weak and unable to move.

Worrying of dehydration and some other things, hubby and I rushed to Makati Medical Center last night. After enduring a couple of needle pricks for some meds injection and blood collection and after undergoing urinalysis routine, the doctor informed me that I was having gastritis due to the antibiotics I’m taking in for my UTI. Gastritis is an irritation of the stomach often caused by medications, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, spicy or acidic food, skipping of meals and emotional stress. He gave me several meds to counteract hyperacidity as well as neutralize the antibiotics to prevent myself from vomiting. Further, I was reminded to avoid soft drinks, alcohol, acidic fruit juices, spicy foods, chocolates, coffee, tea, milk, and milk products; not to skip meals; and manage stress appropriately. With that, I guess I have to strictly watch my diet in the next few days and of course, do away with working late at work for the mean time.

I’m feeling better today and hopefully, this will already lead to a full and even faster recovery.

PHP Training.

Are you a software programmer or an IT enthusiast and interested to learn more about PHP and MySQL databases? Check out the PHP training solutions that Open Technology Group (OTG) provides. Not only are the training courses flexible and affordable but they are wholly reliable as they are taught by Zend Certified PHP MySQL training instructors.

You simply get the best value of your money when you sign up on the courses offered at OTG. They provide structured & well-developed course guides that are built using industry recognized materials and their own course guides—all at competitive prices.

They can conduct on-site training at your location or if you want to attend one of their public enrollment courses at Morrisville, NC, check out their competitive packages which already include hotel and roundtrip airfare.

Be a PHP expert with OTG.

Another TKO.

Once again, the nation rejoices as Manny Pacquiao did it again. Hubby and I just watched the bout and witnessed how he knocked down Jorge Solis in the 8th round with a powerful right hand. Despite struggling with a cut caused by a head butt, he managed to prove once again that he really is The Mightiest on the ring.

Truly a Pinoy pride.

Mortgage Calculators.

Having trouble computing your loan payments or do you get confused deriving mortgage rates and other variables using the old compound interest rate tables? Worry no more. You don’t need to go over your mathematics of investment as there’s this so-called mortgage calculator from personalhomeloanmortgages.com. A mortgage calculator is an automated tool that allows the user to swiftly and accurately determine the financial implications of changes in one or more variables in a mortgage financing arrangement. Through this tool, a buyer can determine how much he can afford to borrow to purchase a piece of real estate. It also compares the costs and interest rates from among several types of mortgage loans as well as enables the buyer to adjust the length of the mortgage loans with a given variable.

This is just one of the mortgage resources & useful information that PersonalHomeLoanMortgages.com provides. If you’d like to know more about Nevada Mortgages, Washington Mortgages,or any other location, better check out this site and be aided in finding the best lending products and services that suit your needs.

Dropping by and Drooping.

Just dropping by with a quick note…I’m drooping right now and my eyes are half-closed while typing this entry. This is what you get when you work for 15 hours straight; get home in the wee hours of the morning then be awakened with a mobile call after a mere 6-hour shuteye. I’m so exhausted right now that I just want to sleep the whole day..but then, weekends are the only time when I can freely digiscrap, surf, blog lengthily and do some dollar opps. Those are my ways of loosening up and unwinding from a grueling-strenous-loaded-week. But I don’t want to deprive my body with a much needed relaxation. So excuse me for a while and will just doze off for an hour or two. I will be back and start this blog in a buzzing mode again this weekend.

ZZzzzzzz....

Discount Window Blinds.

Hubby and I did some general cleaning of our room last week. It’s been a while since we did this and we realized that it’s about time to redesign and scheme a new layout of our room. We are planning to have our room a new look by moving out some junks to add space and incorporate new effects to make our room cozier.

One of the things we’re planning to do is to retire the old-fashioned window curtain style that we have ever since. We want to change it with a modern look that’s why; we’re browsing on the web for a nice Window Blinds that will suit our room. Luckily, I stumbled upon Terrysfabrics.co.uk, where there’s a comprehensive range of window blinds. From the traditional to the modern types, they have it all here at very reasonable prices.

What I like best are the Roman Blinds. Elegantly styled, they are pleated into neat horizontal folds giving a very simple yet functional look. Not to mention, it’s also economical on fabric. The coolest thing about it this is that they also offer a DIY Roman Blind Kit where you can make your own roman blinds given with pre-corded headrail, bars, weighted bottom bar, velocro and roman blind tape. The choice of fabric is yours so you have the control which color scheme will look best in the room. Terry's Fabric also carries other different styles of blinds from Roller blinds to venetian, vertical and wooden blinds. This is the site to shop to get that perfect interior finish.

Goodies Alert.

I wandered and checked over some of my fave digiscrapping sites and I'd just like to share the goodies I found.  Don't forget to respect their TOUs and leave them some love if you snag them.

Check out SSD's Shawna Clingerman's quickpage freebie and discount coupon here.

Misty Cato's free About A Boy Sampler here.

Amy Bleser's It's a Spring Thing Flowers here.

Lindsay Jane's Star Threads here.

Scroll down Fafbr's blog and you will find these cute flower doodles.

Learn Good Money Habits.

I’m sure everyone will agree that managing our finances is one of the biggest difficulties we are hurdling in a world bound by changing economic factors. For some, they address this by finding extra jobs or sidelines as they do not solely depend on their regular wages. For some, especially those who are flat broke, they resort to borrowing loans. However, these loans are sometimes more of detriments as they further plunge you to indebtedness due to soaring interests.

There are other ways in dealing with this challenge. If you want to get a Debt Relief, check out the helpful articles and columns at debtconsolidationlowdown.com. They provide reviews, guides, and helpful tips for a better finance management. You will discover that it’s not solely the economic factors that make us fall off, but it’s all up to us..our ways, perspective and attitude towards spending and money handling that will make us augment our living or get drowned towards bankruptcy.

I especially like their article about common sense spending tips. I made a lot of practical realizations like creating and sticking strictly to a monthly budget, eating at home or bagging my lunch instead of dining at fastfoods, carpooling definitely saves a lot of money and the environment, using generic goods instead of branded ones and a lot more. Head on to their site and learn more of good money habits to stay on top of your finances.

Nearing Battery Empty.

Last night, I went home from work at 9:30 pm; then tonight at 11:00 pm.

Arrggh!

I'm still swamped with work albeit the extra OT hours I've been rendering since last week. I can't seem to catch up with the piles of work with my new post. I wish I can get the hang of it and get used to it asap. I'm almost already drained and in need of a break.

I wonder what time will I clock out tomorrow. I just hope tomorrow is not as overloaded as today and yesterday.

Bid For Linking.

Got a business to advertise on the web? There’s this new online directory called Big Web Links Directory that offers a unique setup where listings are sorted by bid amount. This is an effective advertising tool where you can bid for position, meaning you get to be exposed just enough or commensurate on the bid amount you offered. The bigger bid amount is placed, the higher on the listings and more prominent will your links be placed. You are assured that your website has the higher chances of being visited and eventually, more business will come in.

If you want to have the marketing power that spell business progress, make that move now..place a bid and you are guaranteed million visits from linking to bigweblinks.com.

Petition for a Loooong Break.

Where did the five-day vacation go? Arrgggh, I can't get over this vacation mood yet. Not yet. Am still not looking forward to face the heaps of work I left in the office. Can i request for a bit longer break?

Simone's Invites.

I was probably sprinkled with some creative juices today; that’s why I’m back with some finished digiscrapping layouts. Yay! I’m not yet through organizing my kits but I need to have some done today so I can already seek Jacque’s approval on the design prior printing. She asked me to do some LOs for the invites of her daughter’s Dedication this month end.

Simone is such a charming princess. I enjoyed scrapping her photos and designing her invites. For her security (and to prevent gatecrashers lol!), I intentionally covered up some of her dedication details.

Credits:
Easter Sweets Paper by Lisa Whitney
Boho Chic Stitch by Michelle COleman
Cardboard Paper by Katie the Scrapbooklady
Loving Spring Add-on by Jan Hosford
Antiquated Swirls by Michelle Coleman
Folded Ribbon by Faith True
Fonts: Eras Demi, English


Credits:
Neopolitan Summer Paper - Amber Clegg
Homecoming paper - Sandra Boddington
Ribbon - Ksharonk
Bent photo template - Nancy Comelab
Ribbon - Manda Bean & Eve Recinella
Lil Something Photo Corner - Bren Boone
Posh Petals Tab - Eve Recinella
Flower - Jamie Rouselle
Swirls - Rhonna Farrer

Credits:
Sassafrass Paper - Bren Boone
Flower - Carrie Stephens
Neutral Reds Paper - Katie the Scrapbooklady
Flowers - Robin Carlton


Credits:
One Pink Paper - Angela Barton
Sassafrass Papers -Bren Boone
Flowers by Anna

Sales Management Software.

While it’s true that businesses must focus on cost-reduction and revenue growth areas, an effective sales lead management must also be primarily addressed and prioritized to help capture and increase market share.

For an effective lead management of sales, turn to Aimpromote’s most feature-rich lead management solution. Aimpromote is the fastest growing lead management and website analytics software provider on the market. Their enterprise-level features provide all the valuable tools that you would need to boost your business sales. From automatic lead delegation, visitor & campaign tracking, revenue tracking, website integration, to ROI reporting. You’ve got all the solutions that you need. Their business process is far more practical and complete compared to other management softwares out there.

Another thing commendable about Aimpromote is their ever-reliable friendly and knowledgeable support staff that will expertly and readily assist you with your concerns. So sign up now and for a full featured 14-day free trial and see for yourself how effective and helpful this software could be to your business.

Perfect Sailing Vacation.

My idea of a perfect summer getaway with hubby is to enjoy a unique sailing tropical vacation: a week long cruise aboard a catamaran vessel sailing the waters of US Virgin Islands, romantic sunset and dinner cruises, enjoying a cool swim, scuba diving, snorkeling to see the dazzling underwater world, eat up good and sumptuous food, fishing, kayaking, sitting and tanning on white pristine secluded beach and just lounging around together enjoying the cool sea breeze.

All of these can be enjoyed by taking a st thomas sailing charter cruise courtesy of Scubadu, a premier catamaran sailing company specializing in private sailing getaways in the US Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands. Aside from the wide array of activities lined up for your trip, the package inclusions are: a licensed captain, chef/1st mate, gourmet lunch especially prepared by chef Joe, sunset and dinner cruises, an open bar for beer, wine, softdrinks and cocktails, snorkel and kayak gears, swim mats, towels and fresh water showers. The vessel has a large shaded cockpit space for lounging and dining, nice interiors with wood finish and leather upholstery and two full bathrooms with showers. Payments can be made in cash, travelers checks, visa and mastercard.


There’s really a lot to look forward to with this one of a kind experience. We’ll definitely save up for this extraordinary vacation and hopefully, we get to spend our second honeymoon with this perfect getaway.

Howdy Sunday?

So how was my day today?

1.) Hubby and I attended the Easter mass this morning.
2.) I did some dollar opps.
3.) Continued categorizing digiscrapping stuffs. I’m done with the full kits and papers, just the elements this time.
4.) Tried to have a siesta but could not because of the sweltering heat. Paul managed to zonk out, though while I blogged and digiscrapped.
5.) We went to the hospital for Paul’s second run of SCA.
6.) We had a Jollibee Amazing Aloha burger meal for snacks.
7.) Did some countdown. Arggh! Just one day left before the long vacation ends. Come Tuesday, reality’s back and I have to deal with hefty workload ahead in the office. Anyway, there’s still tomorrow and I have to make the most out of it. I will blog, surf, digiscrap, sleep, watch TV, cuddle hubby and idle madly while there’s time. Can I request for a break extension???

Dental Insurance.

It was just last year that I learned about my wisdom teeth (yes, as in 2 of them) being impacted. At first, I was feeling a bit of discomfort but I just ignored it, thinking that the pain will eventually subside. It did for quite some time. A few months later, I experienced excruciating pain with my molars thereby affecting my chewing ways and of course my appetite. It was only that time that prompted me to pay my dentist a visit and I was told that an oral surgery is needed to be done right away, as soon as the pus inside the swelling gums clears up.


The term "surgery" rang an alarming bell in my thoughts..a heavy unexpected expense! The extraction of 2 impacted wisdom teeth cost me about Php 6,000 (about $120) and it was quite hefty off my Christmas savings. If only my enrollment was approved that time, I could’ve availed the Dental Insurance benefit provided by Paul’s HMO extended to their dependents. Or if only, we have such dental insurance as that of SecureInsuranceQuotes.com, then it would also have been a lot easier.

A good dental insurance policy from SecureInsuranceQuotes.com can save you thousands of bucks for dentist fees as well as for preventive care and maintenance which includes cleanings and x-rays. It also secures you from major dental works costs like oral surgeries, root canals and other dental procedures which can really be pocket draining.

SecureInsurancequotes.com also offers a Travel Insurance as well as other additional insurance type for Florida and Massachusetts: the Florida Business Insurance and Massachusetts Title Insurance which are tailored to secure protection for both individuals and businesses.

Easter Reflections.

"Now let the heavens be joyful,
Let earth her song begin:
Let the round world keep triumph,
And all that is therein;
Invisible and visible,
Their notes let all things blend,
For Christ the Lord is risen
Our joy that hath no end."

Paul and I attended the Easter Mass this morning. The Church was quite filled that there weren’t enough seats to squeeze in when we arrived. At any rate, the homily was really good and helped me reconfirm my faith; and taught me to be thankful of the gift of Easter which, quoting Archbishop Angel’s reflection on his blog, is: “ … to see Jesus again, to remember what He taught and did, to live and celebrate our resurrection in Jesus.”

Happy Easter everyone!

Experience Orlando.

One of my goals in life is to travel around the world. One of my must-visit sites in the US will definitely be Orlando. Orlando is tagged as the Family Entertainment Capital of the World. This is so because of the main attractions enticing lots of tourists and made Orlando so popular.

If you are planning to take your family to a vacation in Orlando, be sure to experience the magical world of Disney with “Disney Magic Your Way” Tickets exclusively offered by Orlandofuntickets.com. These tickets are available for many different days and options from one to ten days at guaranteed lowest prices. Walt Disney World Resort is the largest theme park in the world containing four theme parks, two water parks, six golf courses, a sports complex, an auto race track, twenty resort hotels, plenty of shopping, dining and entertainment venues and even houses its own fire department.


Also available from Orlandofuntickets.com are Discount Universal Studios Tickets which will let you go behind the scenes and let you jump into the action of your favorite movies and TV shows. Some of the featured attractions are Shrek 4-D, Jaws, Terminator 2, Revenge of the Mummy, Fear Factor Live, Men in Black, E.T. Adventure and a whole lot more. Its sister theme park, Islands of the Adventures is also a must see where it lets you experience the thrill of the Jurassic Park River Adventure as well as other features such as Toon Lagoon, The Lost Continent and Marvel Super Hero Island Adventures.

Other Florida attractions include dinner shows such as the Arabian Nights, the Kennedy Space Center, the Orlando Magic Basketball Games, the Cypress Gardens and many more. There really is so much to experience at Orlando so just be sure to avail of the guaranteed lowest discount prices at Orlandofuntickets.com for a whole lot more exciting experience.

The Unblocker.

Are there websites restricted or blocked in your office and school? I’m sharing you a secret. I’ve discovered this new Myspace Unblocker which is a proxy site that can let you browse restricted websites for free. This also works with and allows you to bypass other restricted sites such as Friendster, Bebo, Facebook, Youtube and many more.

Sweet Shoppe Blog 2 Mine.

For this week, the Blog prompt from Sweet Shoppe is this "hot and spicy" online quiz. I get some Sweet Rewards Points just for playing along with this prompt which I can exchange for discount deals from the shop towards the month end.

Your Spicy Score: Mild

You may not make the hottest first impression.. But you're definitely the type of girl that sticks in a guy's mind. You prefer to play things cool. You know that good things come to those who wait. And the amazing thing about you is that you get hotter over time!

How Spicy Are You?

So there..I'm off to SSD. I have to check out the other challenges so I can earn more Sweet Rewards. There's this gorgeous kit sitting on my shopping cart for weeks already..just waiting for a nice discount coupon to be used upon.

Fantasy Games.

Paul has been a sports enthusiast ever since. He would always narrate to me the sports he played when he was a kid up to his teenage years. Even during our High School years, I recall that he’d always join the basketball and volleyball teams of our class. He also played chess with our classmates during our breaks. Up to now that we’re already working, he has joined various basketball leagues and tournaments sponsored by their company.

With the breakthroughs introduced by the internet in terms of online gaming, Paul also has his interest with these online fantasy games being the techie and savvy person that he is: fantasy football, fantasy basketball and fantasy baseball. He likes playing and portraying as a team owner: drafting and trading players, determining team rosters, monitoring scores and records, etc. Aside from the enjoyment of strategizing and winning, another thing he’s looking forward to about these fantasy games is the chance to win huge prizes in cash.

AFFL.com is simply the coolest online fantasy football game on the web. You get to experience great features such as real time fantasy scoring and playing stats, head-to-head regular season with points based playoffs, 12 team leagues to choose your players from, organized and secured online draft provided by Mock Draft Central and easy online sign-up by credit card or check. If you want to have a feel of real football game online, join in and see for yourself how this game rocks.

Digi-shopping.

Lookie here what I stuffed my shopping cart with at SSD:




Thanks to Yen for the $10 SSD Gift Certificate that I won by just leaving a message on her blog. She had this random drawing on her blog last week to celebrate her being the Treat of the Month at SSD (yebah! Go bebots!). Luckily, SSD has released just this noon their Mystery Easter Basket and a few other things that are on 20% sale and probably, I’m one of those early shoppers. I was astounded when I saw all the contents of the Easter Basket and it’s definitely a good deal at $4 only. If they are to be bought individually, perhaps, it’ll total to more or less $30.

On another note, I’m almost through organizing and categorizing my digi stuffs. I am targeting to finish it by tomorrow so I still have Monday to start digiscrapping again. I already have lots of photos readied and lined up to be scrapped. I just need to be fueled up a bit to get me started.

Wanting A New Mobile Phone.

I’m thinking of changing my mobile phone unit one of these days. I have been using a SE K700i for two years (and have had two different cell phones prior that) and although it is still functional, I’d like to change it and try a new one with a slim, clamshell-shaped, flip style and more advanced multimedia features like the Motorola RAZR V3m. It got all the features I want such as a built-in Music Player, Bluetooth, 1.3 Megapixels 4x Digital Zoom Digital Camera that takes high print-quality stills or video clips, streaming multimedia support and a removable and expandable memory up to 1GB which eliminates the concern of running out of space. Further, the sleek design is just gorgeous.

I found this unit on the web and it’s cool to know that the Motorola RAZR V3m Charcoal (back in its original color) is free with a new Verizon Wireless account. It also got a Motorola H3 Black Bluetooth Headset valued at $70 for free along with a free 2-day delivery via Fedex. Isn’t it an enticing offer? How I wish our local service providers also endow us with such amazing promos.
My cousin from San Diego is also planning to apply a new T-Mobile account because he’s lured with the free Blackberry Pearl with myFaves offer. He wants this unit because of its on-the-go email solution complete with Word, Excel and Powerpoint attachment viewing so he can check his email easily wherever he is. This unit also includes a good camera with a flash up to 5x digital zoom, built-in music player and Bluetooth technology. What’s even more tempting is that, my cousin will get a $50 Mail-in Rebate if he activates an Individual Rate Plan on a new T-Mobile line service. This is indeed a really good offer that he should not miss.

There is indeed a LOT of great deals on new cell phones offered by Wirefly with every new subscription from providers such as AT&T, Cingular and Sprint. You get lots of perks such as discounted service plans, free mobile phone units, rebates, free accessories, etc. Their deals and promos change almost everyday so better check them out. They just have the best cell phone deals among the rest.

Digi-Easter Egg Hunt

I’m still up pretty late tonight as I’m hooked with an Easter Egg Hunting Contest at A Cherry On Top. I invite my fellow digiscrappers to try this out and earn ACOT points for every egg found. The top rabbit of the weekend will get an incredible prize package so go and join the fun.

Date..Anyone?

There are several ways of finding new friends on the web nowadays. Online dating sites such as the Blackscene.com exist that allows you to meet new friends and even your soul mate.

Blackscene.com is the premier ebony dating community. This is one of the most visited sites of people who are into black dating and those that are searching for black personals on the web. You can browse through the profiles of Black Singles in any area for free. Joining only takes a minute as they get your info for better matching with the other members.

So if you want to meet a Black hunk or the most gorgeous black lady online, better start browsing through their profiles now.

Friday Feast: 138

Appetizer
When you travel, which mode of transportation do you prefer?
I’m more used to traveling by car for shorter distances and although I seldom travel by air, I feel more relaxed and comfortable with plane rides than ferry or ship rides.

Soup
Have you ever met a blogging friend in person?
Yes, and I’ve already met a lot of them. Basing on my blogroll links, I’ve met the following in person already: Aggie, Wella, Con, Joven, Geri, Jacque, Karla, Maricel, Mec, Meng, Mhay, Tin, and Yna.

Salad
When was the last time you were really, really tired?
Just a few hours ago after hubby and I did a general cleaning of our room which includes waxing the floor and dusting all of the things we have in this room.

Main Course
If you could have dinner with any one fictional character from a book or movie, who would it be?
Archie! Why? I just want to know what’s in him that Betty and Veronica are drop dead in love with.

Dessert
Fill in the blank: One day, I hope to see the Eiffel Tower.

Discovering Music Icons.

Are you also one of those who were so into Pinoy Dream Academy (PDA) a few months ago? Personally, I appreciate the idea and objective of this reality tv show since they are uncovering fresh talents and turning them into amazing music icons after rigorous trainings and guidance done with schooling-style where they were given grades, underwent improvement monitoring and graduations and all sorts of that. This was produced by Endemol that has been broadcasted in over 50 countries having the same format but with slight variations and styles. It is a pop music talent contest with viewer voting and reality show elements.

On their subsequent seasons, it would be better if they would also include wide variety of music genres and not just concentrate with pop music. There are a lot of Progressive Artists out there like Rock bands, Hip Hop bands and Grunge Bands, etc. waiting to be discovered and would also love to shine with their outrageous talents.  It would be better if they are also given the opportunity.

Scrappa News.

Hmm.. I think the old-digiscrapaholic-me totally rested like for ages already. While it’s true that I did a couple last weekend just to showcase our teambuilding pictures, I don’t think my mojos are totally back. Well for one, I can’t really scrap with incomplete and unorganized kits since STILL, I’m not yet finished categorizing all 15GB digiscrapping stuffs and goodies with ACDSEE into this laptop. And why am still not finished? Hmm let’s just say, aside from work, a lot of moolah opportunities are taking much of my time lately. Why not, if these earnings will also be used to satisfy my digiscrapping “needs” in the future.

At any rate and albeit my mojos are still somewhere, I’m very proud to say that I managed to get away from all those tempting goodies and sales recently. I intended not to scour stores lately to avoid purchases but there will always be exceptions, right? Thus, this one ended up in my shopping cart and ultimately, in my external hard disk:


This is one of the latest releases from Scrapbookbytes.com for this week.  I just totally love these cutie charms.

Love Moves "in Techie" Ways.

Calling all Christian Singles out there, do you want to meet new Christian friends from anywhere in the world? There’s this new online dating site where you can meet your ideal and perfect match. Looking at the testimonials of those successful searchers, I can’t help but marvel how internet paved way to find their soul mates. Who would’ve thought that a simple online “search” that led to online dating and relationship will ultimately lead to marriage? As they say, nowadays: love moves in mysterious and “techie” ways.

Holy Thursday.

I’m quite surprised with the way Catholics observe the Lenten Season nowadays. Way back my childhood years, I can still remember we were not allowed to play and go merrymaking specifically on Holy Thursdays and Good Fridays. We were even strictly hushed to muteness because as they say, Jesus is already suffering. Back then, businesses were closed, no regular TV and radio programming and shown were religious flicks and Lenten mass celebrations. On the roads were faithfuls doing the Bisita Iglesia.

Things seem different now. I turned on the TV this morning and saw that Tagalog flicks were shown. As I currently type now, they’re even showing a live stream of Pinoy Big Brother Season 2. On our way home to Frisco this noon, I noticed that there are some food chains with banners “Open during Holy Week”. FM radio stations seem to be on their normal programming, too.

Even though things may have changed, I just hope that we, Catholics, never forget the true meaning of Lent. That, amidst, our busy lives, may we take time to reflect on how we have been living and may we also acknowledge how Christ has sacrificed and suffered for us.

MOLDing a Healthy Life.

I opened the fridge this morning and saw that the oranges I bought a few days ago are festered with molds.

Molds, mildew and fungi in our homes are frequently unnoticed or if they are sighted, we often ignore them not knowing the harmful effects it may cause to our health. They are potential causes of many health problems such asthma, sinusitis and various infections and allergies.

Before you fall prey to these stubborn molds, better hunt and get rid of them. In US, there’s this New Jersey Mold Inspector, offering full service indoor air quality assessment specializing in mold inspections, mold remediation and mold testing. Have your homes inspected to start a better path to healthy living.

2nd Summer Hirit.

It’s not even the peak of summer and yet, I already had two swimming gimiks last March. One was our teambuilding and summer outing with my colleagues last 22nd at Tanza, Cavite and the other with my college barkada just last Saturday.

It’s been a while since we last saw each other as everyone is busy with work and this getaway was just in time for us to catch up. We drove to 8 Waves Waterpark in San Rafael, Bulacan and arrived at about 9 am. We waded in the pool until lunch time, ate at Pancake House where I feasted on a Smoked Tinapa meal for lunch, then continued swimming and pool-hopping (there are 8 pools all in all including its infamous Wave Pool) until 6 pm.

I know you’d rather see the pics of our bonding moments so here they are:

Wii Hunting.

..For my dear hubby.

He’ll be celebrating his birthday next month so as early as now; I’m thinking & planning what to get him for his special day. I’m aware how fascinated he is and anxious to own this one:


Wii is Nintendo’s latest home video game console competing with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s Playstation 3. We’ve heard good raves about this and the coolest things about Wii is the wireless controller that utilizes motion sensor control allowing players to be a part of the game through natural and intuitive movement. Simply put, it’s just like gaming while losing pounds huh?  How cool is that?!!?

I really would love to get one for my hubby but the problem is this is not yet widely available in our local stores. Further, price is freaking expensive here at Php 30,000 or USD 600! What I’m thinking of is to have a US-based friend buy there for us (where it’s cheaper) and have it shipped to us or; another option is to search for online coupons and purchase it on the web availing Walmart deals.

Hmm.. let’s see. I will think about this over and hopefully I will really get to have him one on his birthday.

Brand New Monday.

Today's officially and technically my first day with a brand new position title and brand new additional responsibilities. I'll still be handling my old tasks alongside with these new workload. We'll be starting with the turnover this morning and I'm bracing myself. Just like what I told my boss, I know it won't be easy but I'm giving it a try. I know I can do this!

Voice Over What?

My husband is a licensed Electronics and Communications Engineer. Way back our college years, I would often hear him narrate and relate their thesis project about this certain thing, VoIP. I’m a bit internet savvy also as I would love to chat then but I was least concerned and attentive about that certain topic. All I know is that it stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. Years later, I learned that I’ve been unknowingly enjoying this new breakthrough all this time. Simply put, Wikipedia defines it as routing of voice conversations over the Internet or through any other IP-based network.

Nowadays, instead of spending much for an overseas call, my Dad and I would just turn on our PCs, log on to Yahoo Messenger and do a voice conference. With this new technology, at least we could just chat any time inexpensively. He has been an overseas worker for so many years and we could have saved a lot if this has been invented decades back when airmails and phone calls were the only way to catch up.

I can’t help but marvel with this breakthrough along with other technology solutions such as wifi and video conferencing. Perhaps, in the next years to come, more advanced applications beyond our imagination will be introduced.

March Round-up.

We're through with March and it's time once again to wrap it up with Katie the Scrapbook Lady's Monthly Round-up Prompts. Don’t forget to grab her April Amazing Month of Memories Class for limitless and wonderful digiscrapping ideas. Go and grab it at ACOT.

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?
-Digital Scrapbooking Magazine April/May 2007 issue
- Game Magazine March issue
- Yummy Magazine (debut issue)
- I-Mag Photography Magazine

What movies and/or tv shows did I watch this month?
- didn't watch any movies on the big tube for this month
- religiously anticipated and watched Amazing Race All- Star Edition, Pinoy Big Brother Season 2, Sana Maulit Muli and Maging Sino Ka Man

What special days did I celebrate and how?
- My Birthday! More of it here.

What gifts did I give and/or receive?
- For my birthday, I received a new laptop from hubby, spa package courtesy of Bel and Joy, dinner treat at Seaside - Macapagal, a Theobroma chocolate birthday cake and a stuffed toy given by my colleagues & spicy seafood carbonara cooked by my sister.

What illnesses or health concerns did I have?
- nothing serious illnesses except for a migraine towards the end of the month.

What new foods, recipes or restaurants did I try this month?
- Ate at Kusina sa Balanghay in Seaside Macapagal Blvd thrice this month. Tried their spicy crabs, buttered shrimps, ensaladang mangga and a lot more.

What special or unusual purchases did I make?
- my first ever digiscrapping idea mag..Digital Scrapbooking Mag Apr/May 2007
- a new pair of native slip ons

What were this month's disappointments?
- DSL at home (Makati) STILL not installed..arrgh!
- Contract as a project employee ended at work
- hmm..as of this moment..no confirmed pregnancy yet
- No new digiscrapping layouts done

What were my accomplishments this month?
- Signed-up and got approved at 4 programs related to earning-while-blogging opportunities.
- Went to Pangasinan for a pilgrimage at Our Lady of Manaoag

Anything else noteworthy to record?
- Teambuilding and Summer Outing Activity with colleagues at Mount Sea Resorts

Securing Your Future.

Some people are adamant whenever they are being offered an insurance plan. Some even intentionally and automatically shut off their doors whenever an agent approaches without even hearing them first. Admittedly, I was like that before. My thoughts were like: "I'm way too young to get an insurance. Besides, there are other urgent, more important expenses I need to prioritize."

Insurance is not limited to a life plan only. You can also apply for a home insurance and an auto insurance. With all these insurance plans, one can have a peace of mind, armed and ready..whatever the future may bring.

Mount Sea.

As promised, here are the pictures of our summer outing and teambuilding activity last March 22-23, 2007 at Mount Sea Resorts in Tanza, Cavite.  Looking at the pictures alone, you'll already know how fun it was with all the activities that we did: formal business discussion, games such as obstacle course & group sack race, basketball, trampoline, all-night videoke galore, non-stop chit chats, swimming, camwhoring and of course, eating! Actually, those are the 2 weaknesses of our group...food and camera. :)





Credits:
Visual Stories Floating Frames & Squared by Katie the Scrapbooklady
Mix N Match Basics Papers (Blues) by Katie the Scrapbooklady
Digital Dates by Meryl Bartho
Flower by Carrie Stephens
Flower vine by Christy Lyle
VHF Arrows by VickieHF