I'm Just Sayin...

Fake Phones

2011-12-26T12:51:00.000+04:00

I just saw a news clip in one of the Arabianbusiness alerts that I receive that both Etisalat and Du will block services of people who uses fake phones (look here and here).

This (in my honest opinion) be good and bad for their business. I guess bad in the sense that people will find it difficult to make use of their super shiny fake phones and now have to buy the legit ones. For the telecommunication and mobile phone companies, this is good because they get to sell their products as per the price they wanted and the other bundle products that they have on offer.

To be honest, there is really no point in buying fake items. If you cannot afford to do straight payments, retail stores tied up with credit card companies and started offering customers with their installment plans. In this, you get to have the phone that you want in staggered payments that you can extend for 3, 6, 9 or 12 months if possible.

I mean what can cheap fake phones benefit the user? Aside from not knowing when will it bog down, there is no guarantee that you get the value of the money you have paid - this does not only apply to phones but for other items as well such as bags, watches and more.

I just don't understand people who sells fake items. I know this is good business especially for people who like to keep up with the Joneses but isn't this like misleading people too?

I hope the fake stuff be put into halt and small businesses with authentic items to promote will make it for next year.

Phones can be a good start to combat other fake items right? :)

Happy holidays!

Switched Off but not intentionally !

2011-12-25T19:56:00.000+04:00

Hi again.... wow what a hiatus but this one is not my fault.

We have (again) just moved into another place and was not able to have internet for almost 2 weeks but before that I was not able to blog because we were busy looking for another place to live!

So, I am switching my thinking button and at the same time checking out possible online opportunities so that I can add up on my 'rainy days' savings!

I have not reached a $100 but this is my fault because I was so busy dealing with my emotions about other people that I neglect the other things - like my writing :(

Hopefully that ends now as I am in a different path and scheme!

====

Whilst looking for possible online opportunities, I just noticed that I keep seeing ads or job posts saying that they will pay writers for $1 / 500 words??! Seriously?! I think the dollar fits about 200 to 250 words max but for 500 words? Why?

I know a lot of people do this for a living and some of them need a starting ground (like me) but not for the dollar!

I think people who posts these kind of work should at least consider a few things like time and research. I mean, if you want a decent article, you also need to be realistic that people will be investing time and effort.

I guess just a bit frustrated in the sense that employers kind of overlooked the fact that people do this for a living since times are tough these days.

===
Rambling thoughts again... I guess this is also because of the fact that I just got out of being super duper sick to being moderately sick (and hungry too!). I am just waiting for hubby to come home so that we can eat dinner.

Oh! It still is the day - Merry Christmas! Ho! Ho! Ho!

R

Photos online...

2011-11-09T19:00:00.004+04:00

If you would notice in this blog, some of my photos are missing. This is because instead of saving the photo itself, what I do is I just copy the link of the photo and paste it in the blog - to save space for the blog.

Due to this, I guess, if some of the websites will put down the images so does the link or if they change the code of the link, it does not link it back to my blog.

This is the reason why I sometimes do not post photos anymore because I do not like the hassle of re-linking the photo or sometimes trying to look for it (or worse, search for a substitute!).

However, I also read last night about the ways to get your blog noticed and one of the things highlighted was to have more visual - meaning more photos.

At time, people tend to see the aesthetics first before reading the content of the webpage or blog. I need to make my blog more appealing to my viewers and also so that I can gain more positive responses on my freelance working as well!

I had a Photobucket account which I used before but that seems to fail me as well (boo!)... I just saw the post from Sharon's website (Get Paid to Write) about working environments and saw that she was using Flickr. This made me think about my Photobucket account.

Should I just switch to Flickr instead?

I am unsure if this will resolve the issue about posting photos in my blog(s) - yes, I have this dilemma on all of them!! Probably, I need to investigate more on what I should use and see if this actually fits my purpose of what do I need / want to do with the photos.

or

Maybe you have any ideas for me? :)

Busy!

2011-11-09T00:49:00.000+04:00

I have been a bit busy lately because I recently had the chance to work online :)

My client is very patient with me. We are currently starting off with 2 hours for the week (note: he just recently extended my services from 2 to 4 hours a week! Sweet!).

I am hoping that I can maximise my time doing the tasks.

Work at the office is a bit hectic too as we have just been awarded a few new projects. Because of this, we had to procure a few things that needs to be used by the project. Hopefully, we were able to fulfill their requirements *fingers crossed*

For now, I leave you with this flash mob at Dubai International Airport. :)

Dance!

Imagine That...

2011-09-24T20:33:00.000+04:00

And I thought I was just blabbing without an audience but it turns out, I have some! :)

Thanks to you all who have been reading my blog - intentionally or unintentionally.

This is now giving me the inspiration to write more and be more vocal about my adventures and misadventures of searching for online writing opportunities.

Of course aside from that, I will also include here pieces / articles that I will be writing related to certain issues that are worth discussing. Please feel free to put your comments in - you can agree or disagree. This is where a forum starts right?

I'm getting giddy and excited about this! :)

Thanks again readers! :)

Still unsuccessful...

2011-09-24T01:18:00.001+04:00

Still no luck in finding an online stint or maybe I am just not looking hard enough.

I guess it can be because I am so engrossed with the games in my iPhone that I am not focusing on what I should be doing - looking for opportunities online. I am a member of various online writing organisations - Helium, Triond, oDesk, Elance and the list goes on.

I have not got the chance to really sit down and go through each and every website - to look for possible opportunities for me. A friend once said that since I have a full-time job, the requirement for having an online presence is becoming a bit slim. One of the reasons she has highlighted is the fact that I need to focus on my bread and butter - my current job.

She is right but at the same time, there is something inside me that is saying that I also need to build my portfolio. I cannot just rely on what I have written in the past or on my blogs because I cannot consider that as my latest works.

I thought maintaining an online blog with my opinions and news features would be a plus (and I think it is) has not really materialised!

I think all I need is a plan. I need to have something in place so that I don't end up feeling sorry for myself. I will try and see if I can feature something in this blog at least once a month - something like a magazine would do. Come up with stories that I can write about here.

If you dropped by this blog and have seen this entry - feel free to write about an idea or maybe a topic that we should discuss (hmmm... I think I only have one follower! Hopefully, I can do something about that too!).

That it for now! Ta!

*am now working on my next feature for this blog. Hopefully, before the month ends!*

Neglect... PTCs... and more

2011-09-17T00:29:00.001+04:00

Hey everybody! :) How's it going?

After my last post in June, I have been in hiatus once again. I guess you can say that my writing stint has taken a back seat at the moment. Not that I do not want to but it is because a lot of things have been piling up... work, our house renovation and more.

I guess I am more into that at the moment though I have not neglected my online presence...The only thing is, I am devoting it more to doing Paid to Click sites or also known as PTCs.

===
I think PTCs have been there for a long time already (probably 4 years already?). I once joined Clixsense thinking I could earn more dollars but it turns out -- it was pennies rather than a dollar! I decided to quit only to now join Neobux a few years later.

Neobux allows you to earn your first dollar in three months or so (I think). I have not been very active with this to be honest (I mean, how can my excitement build up when I earn $0.01 for every click! I have done the Math for it and I think it will take me three months or more to earn my first dollar!).

Though I decided not to give up on it because this is the first PTC site that I have seen that allows you to earn your first dollar and then the second dollar until it reaches 10 dollars - which will eventually be the minimum cash out in the future. Yes, I know it will take time but I thought of taking a chance for now since I am pretty much preoccupied with a few things and writing an article is something that I cannot do at the moment.

I still try to land a job in oDesk for transcribing or research.These tasks do not allow me to think that much. However, I still am not able to get any jobs. I think I need to take some tests to show them that I am fit to do the work.

Hmmm... Let me find time to do that... probably next week (again?!)...

Ta!

Going mobile

2011-06-30T18:35:00.001+04:00

I have been usin my iPhone for close to a year now and I can say that I have been attached to it a lot that I ended up using it more than my lappy (sorry!)

So finally I had the chance to stunble upon this cool app -- blog booster that allows me to blog from my phone! How cool is that?! Now I shoukd not have an excuse for not being able to blog more often!

Though I have to warn you right now that since I am using a touchscreen type of phone ( touchscreen phone users you know you are guilty with this as well), my grammar or spelling will be horrible. I know I should proofread before posting but I also know that when I get excited, I hit publish immediately! So pardon me for that!

Hopefully with this app in my phone, I can blog more and let out my thoughts!

Another Re-post: Dressing yourself up in GOLD

2011-06-12T23:03:00.000+04:00

Girls and boys love accessorizing.

It could be a fancy cap, a necklace, a mobile phone or any item that can make you stand out of your group and be noticed.

Usually, our accessories can vary - it can be very high end (which can be for long term use) or a bargain (since fashion does change over the season and at times, just months, we just 'go with the flow').

As for me, I love jewelry (necklaces, earrings and bracelets). I do have to admit that my knees go weak for G-O-L-D!! My husband and I would always pass by the jewelry shops in the mall to check if there's anything I might fancy or if they have new collections out.

We go to the shops so often that we have been friends with the shop attendants (hint: doing so, they can give you good! good! discounts being a 'regular').

While browsing through the internet, I saw these pictures that designers and people do to incorporate Gold in their things!

Vivienne Tam's Design for HP

Blackberry withGivodori Via Veneto

Sony Ericsson's Mocha Gold

Michelle Yeoh's design for Vertu

More pictures can be seen on this link.

Now isn't that something? =/

*images from Arabianbusiness.com

Re-post: Real Women, Real Bodies

2011-06-12T23:01:00.000+04:00

I have pulled this out from an old blog that I have maintained. I have written this piece September 2009

How comfortable are you about your body?

I know I'm not --- but I try (",)

Image by Art Comments via Flickr

Why?

I guess it's because of those size-zero models who sashay along the runaway, showing off their neck and rib bones, slipping into those uber beautiful dresses which makes you think how can a dress like that fit an 'average girl' like me?

However I stumbled into this article while browsing through Facebook:

and saw her picture:-

Lizzie Miller

The model's name is Lizzie Miller. According to the article, Lizzie was considered big that she cannot even model plus-size lines! Imagine that!

This photo made me realise that we all have the same problem... love handles, big thighs, flabby tummy, stretch marks and the list can go on... but like what they say, 'Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder'.

Hope to see more of this!!!

Do you want to read the article? click here!

*photos courtesy of Flickr and Dailymail

Odesk: Helping companies get their work done and freelancers be paid for a job well done!

2011-02-19T22:28:00.001+04:00

The internet has been one of the major and successful invention by mankind. It has served its purpose and more. The internet was initially used for research until it has now evolved into this social communication tool that allows you to connect with your friends and loved ones all over the world, be informed about the current situation of countries that are a thousand miles away from where you are and a lot more.

The internet has also been a means of creating income for people by freelancing over the web or by monetizing on their blogs.

Odesk was founded in 2003 by Odysseas Tsatalos and Stratis Karamanlakis.

Look and Feel

Being a part of Odesk myself, the user interface of the website is very straightforward. It tells you the notifications or messages you receive from potential employers or from Odesk itself. It also shows you the pending transactions you might have, the teams you are in if you are currently doing a project.

It is easy to browse through the available projects as it is sorted depending on the categories they fall in.

If you feel like you are missing out on something in Odesk, you can always go on the right hand side of the page where they offer assistance in case you have questions about the website, the terms of payment, the work diary, etc.

Protection for Jobseekers

It is a mandate for all freelancing websites to make sure that their contractors are legit and will pay the jobseekers proper compensation. Of course, this is sometimes being waived when the applicant agrees to the 'one-time payment' clause which prompts jobseekers when the project is not on an hourly basis.

Apart from this clause, Odesk (I believe) investigates the validity of the project by setting criterias on considering projects to be posted on their website. Even if you have already submitted your bid on the project, they send notifications that the project is cancelled because it did not meet Odesk's requirements (Internet Police huh!).

Over-all, Odesk continues to be a tool bridging contractors and online freelancers.

images courtesy of:-

http://www.clipartof.com

http://stealwp.com

Change is good

2011-02-12T00:14:00.000+04:00

I have just seen the latest news flash about President Mubarak stepping down and handing over his duties to the military.

After almost 20 days of protests, the Egyptians have gotten what they wanted - for their President to step down. As I read through the tweets in Twitter, you can sense the jubilation for Egyptians and other nationalities that the unrest is now over. The people were heard (finally) and the country now faces a new chapter, a new beginning.

We all like new beginnings, a fresh start which is why I guess we always look forward for the New Year because it gives us a clean slate.

Now that the people of Egypt have proven that they can be united for one purpose, I hope they also use the same 'urge' to rebuild their country. In an economist's point of view, the country has lost a lot in terms of its financial standing however this can work on their advantage or disadvantage - it depends on how foreign and local investors would see how things will go in the coming days.

I am positive that Egypt can rise up and be one as a nation - they were able to join forces regardless of background, financial standing, etc what more in re-building their nation?

(image from Best Picture Gallery)

Updates! Updates! Updates!

2011-01-15T23:41:00.000+04:00

A lot has happen when the year was about to end and when it started!

First off, we have moved houses which is why I was not able to dish out or post about anything for the past few weeks... Come to think of it, this is something new because for the first time, it's not my fault! (Aha!)

We just had the internet connection hooked up and is actually still on the trial phase because unfortunately, there would still be days when the connection would be very slow (I was told we have an 8 mpbs connection -- so why is it still slow???) ... though there would times that it will be very fast (very weird actually).

Second, people in Dubai or you can say the whole of UAE are still in a gloomy mood. Though reports were made that the country has already shrugged off the dust made by the previous recession, there are still a lot of work to be done which could mean companies going for mergers to save themselves or the worst part? closing down the business completely.

This is very sad because a lot of people have not seen this coming hence they were not able to save anything for the rainy days... a lot of people have either fled the country looking for work opportunities in another country or they stay with a 50% cut back from their previous salary.

Third, I could not believe when I say this photo and article about Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Well, I didn't know that Ryan and Scarjo have seperated ways?! I am not sure why I did not picked that up... (was I busy shopping for post-Christmas gift presents that's why I did not know about this?!).

According to this article, after two years of being together, Scarjo have decided to end their marriage. I am not sure if Ryan agreed to this set up but it seems he went to Sandra (his co-star in the Proposal) for some moral support.

Ryan and Sandra (photo taken from wonderwall)

Eventually the moral support became something else... or could it be just the reporters trying to sensationalise a beautiful friendship?

Well, I do hope that Ryan gets to heal his wounds by himself and not by dating another woman!

That's it for now!!

Ta!

Christmas in the UAE

2010-12-24T23:57:00.000+04:00

This is my 6th year of spending Christmas in the UAE.

I always have this vision in my head that spending Christmas back home will definitely make me feel homesick and I will eventually find it hard to bring myself back here in the UAE to work. So to avoid that feeling, I always end up deciding not to go home.

It is not so bad really.

I mean, the malls now have Christmas trees, Santa Claus (even the elves!) and the whole shebang. I guess this is a way to thank the expatriates who have made their country where it is now. A nice gesture indeed... I am not sure if they were the first Gulf country to do it but to welcome other people's beliefs and traditions (especially) can be a big step.

The government and the leaders in this country are trying to make the tourists including the expatriates feel 'at home'. Indeed, for some (like me), the UAE has become our second home - a country hopeful that big things come in small packages :)

Merry Christmas everybody!!

What the NBI can learn from watching CSI TV Shows

2010-12-17T00:31:00.000+04:00

This week have been mixed emotions for the people in the Philippines who have supported either the Webbs or the Vizcondes.

Last Tuesday, Hubert Webb and 6 others were acquitted for the murder of the Vizconde family. I first saw the breaking news in my Twitter account and had to stop for a while. The news actually brought chills in me.

This murder trial has caused a lot of anguish to all the parties involved.

Hubert Webb, Antonio “Tony Boy” Lejano, Michael Gatchalian, Miguel Rodriguez, Peter Estrada and Pyke Fernandez were robbed of the chance to chase their dreams. They were just starting to get to know the real world when they have been convicted.

The families of the accused, most especially the parents, were shattered because instead of seeing their sons climb the corporate ladder or serve the people, they have to endure the visiting hours in prison so they can get a glimpse of them, talk to them and hold them.

For Mr. Lauro Vizconde who lost his chance to see his daughters earn their degree, get married and have kids. To hold his wife for the longest time and spend the rest of their lives together.

With the latest development on the case, the accused were freed. Tears were exchanged - some because of bitterness on the way things have turned out and for others, joy because for the first time in 10 years, they will get to spend Christmas and New Year with their family member.

***

I feel sorry for Mr. Vizconde because probably as he was picking up the pieces again in his life with the support of his extended family and then someone suddenly breaks the pieced mirror when he learned that the accused are now free men and him? Still without a family.

***

According to reports, since the evidence is already tampered and the star witness has gone hiding, chances on retrieving information that could lead to the real killers will be futile. I really hope that the NBI tries to at least get some ideas on how the CSI tv shows do their crime lab investigation. True enough, we do not have the equipment because probably, we do not have the budget but that is no excuse. We should at least try and be at par with investigative equipment that can aid us in solving a crime.

In Philstar's news report, Vizconde suspects can still be charged in 6 months however once the case reached its 20th year, reopening of the case cannot be done as per the law.

***

For Hubert and the rest of the 6 acquitted, I hope that they will be able to return to their normal life or at least adapt to our fast-paced world.

A lot of things have changed.

Internet was not a popular commodity during that time and so is the iPad and the rest of the Apple family.

***

I just cannot believe!

2010-12-11T00:43:00.000+04:00

How busy I was?

I have not updated my blog for the longest time! Imagine about two holidays have already passed and I still have the Eid Mubarak post as my welcome blog! Eeekkk!!

A lot of things have happened over the past few months.

The Blackberry RIM service was not suspended which was a relief to all BB users
The iPhone 4 was a hit when it was launched with Etisalat and Du going gaga over the sales (which eventually led to the acceptable price of the gadget... hint: some retailers would really go out of their way to mark the price up for almost 100%)
Seeing that the Blackberry is still in demand through the young and old alike, Etisalat has made a special offer for their BB-wannabes. More selling happened.
Eid Al Adha was a hit. A lot of people were so happy that it fell on a weekend.
Because of the much-needed break provided during Eid Al Adha, people forgot that there was still another reason to celebrate - Islamic New Year. Another nice long weekend happening here in the UAE though not everybody was given the opportunity to do so but a break is always welcomed.

On other news...

The Philippines have been busy pestering the President with his love life that he is now love-less (Thanks to the Press)
James Yap and Kris Aquino are now friends
The Morong 43 are now freed (as per the president but then again, the judge handling the case has the final say)
Wikileaks founder is now in Europe waiting... because they do not know what to charge him but as per the latest update there was a sexual case against the Wikileaks founder
The unexpected engagement between Kate Middleton and Prince William
More news about what Kate will wear on the wedding

I don't think I have covered it all but I am pretty sure I was able to highlight the important stuff that has happened over the past months (I still cannot believe I have not blogged - what happen to me?!)

from http://www.sgfl.org.uk/englishandliteracy/primary/guidedwriting

Eid Mubarak to you all!!

2010-09-10T15:09:00.000+04:00

Distractions

2010-09-10T00:14:00.000+04:00

Writing can be hard sometimes most especially when you need to focus on what you need to write. I mean I’m pretty sure writers / novelists and the like do have these moments when they know what they need / can write but gets distracted.

Here are just some of the Top 3 distractions:-

1) Facebook

This social network site has been around for more than four years and I have a feeling that i

t is here to stay. Previously, it was just a website where people can comment on each other’s status, give each other gifts (either a care bear hug or a starbucks coffee) and post quotable quotes from famous movies or television series (e.g. Sex and the City, Friends, etc). Now, this site has transformed the idea of social networking. It has incorporated games so that friends can now interact via their kitchens, farms, etc.

Image via Wikipedia

It has gone a long way and is most important objective is for people not to leave the site and kind of use it day and night!

2) Twitter

Another social network site that makes you stay in front the computer all day and night. As you read statuses from people you follow – it can be your friends, movie stars, love gurus, etc. A never ending banter of words can take place in this site which can also lead to interaction with other people whom you can consider to be your new friends – virtually.

Image via CrunchBase

3) Games

Aside from the games you play in the social networking sites, you, at times, engage into either a downloaded game or an online game. These types of games can be addictive and will definitely consume most of your time, if taken lightly.

There you have it my friends, the distractions that can break you from writing a paragraph or even a sentence. I guess, the solution (in case you want to work without distractions) is to pull the plug of your internet connection. Try collecting all your thoughts and have a draft in place. Knowing us writers, we always need to do a little research on the piece that we are writing about. By doing this, you will be one step away from completing your article.

Image by Rennett Stowe via Flickr

Blackberry -- The Comeback

2010-08-19T00:06:00.000+04:00

I guess, October 11 will be considered the 'Death of Blackberry Messaging or commonly known as BBM' or maybe not.

A lot of people were worried about what will happen after October 11. Some had to vent their anger and post frustrated statuses on their Facebook and Twitter, the popular social networking sites to date.

According to Yahoo's Maktoob Business, UAE ambassadors had a positive meeting with Research in Motion (RIM) team.

Maktoob Business

Prior to this news, the team has allowed Saudi Arabia to monitor the activity of BBM users in the country.

I guess with a further meeting to take place, RIM team and UAE's ambassadors will come up with the best solution on how to tackle this problem. Being the Gulf's largest mobile phone user, I am sure that RIM team and Blackberry will not allow to lose this country on their top-ranking users.

This is a relief that we, as humans, still have a right to dictate when we think technology is dominating our lives. A few years back, no one was THAT glued to the internet to check daily feeds about their friend's whereabouts or feed their virtual pets or playing video games for that matter.

Blackberry being suspended due to security threat

2010-08-13T17:41:00.000+04:00

It caused a lot of boos in the mobile world - most especially to those people who are so attached to their Blackberry phones that the UAE is officially banning the BBM or Blackberry Messenger from operating in the UAE.

After the declaration, a few countries followed the lead - Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and India to name a few.

click on this link to read more about this article

In our office, we do have a few BBM fanatics and were sad. They have used BBM to keep in touch with friends who are also users of the ever-popular Blackberry phones. As I am now part of the tech department in our office, speculations were made about why they are banning the service.

Mentions of national security being threatened, BB users exchanging information that could and potentially harm a country (hence the national security threat), a person (not being able to follow a lead in case a murder / rape was planned via BBM) or culture (the Y generation having more freedom in expressing their thoughts without their relatives having a chance to intervene).

Though the national security part is the most important issue at the moment because the only keeper of the BBM encryption can be found in the United States.

I think control is important in order for each one of us to function accordingly. Let's use our companies as an example. In our companies, we have a set of rules and regulations to follow.We need to have these set of rules so that people are aware of the boundaries. Not doing this at all will cause chaos.

This is also one of the main reasons we have rulers / presidents in each of our countries where they implement laws and decrees for people to follow.

I guess this goes the same with BB phones.

I believe that this will be resolved soon - depending on how the BB manufacturers will cooperate with the country's demands.

For now, we can only wait and see.

*Image courtesy of Yahoo! Maktoob Business (clicking on the link can also give you a history of news regarding the BBB (Blackberry Ban)

You got a Friend

2010-07-28T22:56:00.000+04:00

When the going gets tough and you feel like you want to give up, a friend or friends will always be there to lend a hand.

Help can come in many ways and forms - a pat on the back, a hug of sympathy, a kiss of confidence and a touch that let's you feel that everything is going to be alright.

It was reported a month back that Dick Israel, one of the most sought after villains in Philippine cinema, had a stroke while doing a TV series.

Dick Israel

The family had to use their savings to ensure that the head of the family gets the best care however due to expensive treatments and chemotherapy, the savings the family once had were all gone. Dick's wife had to seek assistance from his fellow movie actors and maybe from fans via a radio station.

Friends / Acquaintances Unite!
One of the listeners of that radio program was Richard Merk, actor / singer / restaurateur. From previous reports, Merk's bar is always used a platform to help out fellow actors and musicians. Fund raising and charity functions are being held here to show support to their colleagues.

I have always admired Richard Merk in allowing this to happen and I guess that is also one of the main reasons why his bar is still being packed with people - all days of the week.

Merk's Bar Bistro Webpage

Having a Good Time
The benefit has turned out to be a reunion for some of the artists while others enjoyed the music played. For the benefit done for Dick Israel, it was a night full of Eagles and Eric Clapton's songs - Dick's all-time favorite.

With this kind of ensemble and help from your friends, would you still think you are all alone in dealing with your problem?

I hope not.

**Read this article from Inquirer.net

Weddings

2010-07-24T17:46:00.000+04:00

from http://www.fineprints.ca/

is a favorite topic by ladies and well.... not so much by men.

With this in the conversation, women, friends or not, can unite and talk about how theirs went and how they want their children (or sometimes) and grandchildren should have their weddings done.

When I got married, there was no major fuss. First because my marriage was only in a judge's office and second, I just wanted my family to be there and share the moment with us.

I guess time has changed differently now as a lot of brides and grooms-to-be want to have a last hurrah before they actually tie the knot.

According to this news article from Maktoob Business, a lot of hen and stag parties are being held in Las Vegas, Mexico and the Bahamas. Though some opt to do it where they plan to have their wedding - so if it's a beach wedding, the couples including their entourage hops into one airplane and when they reach the land of promise, they go their separate ways and party like there's no tomorrow.

I guess this is a good idea so that you do not end up like the movie, The Hangover, where the bachelor's friends lost their groom-to-be that they tried to look for him all over Las Vegas.

Another convenience about this type of trip is that the wedding planners of the event do not have to worry about bringing / monitoring the bride and groom together because they will all just be in one area.

I guess this is another way for the travel coordinators, wedding planners and hotelier's scheme of having business in their sleeves which is a good thing - that they can still come up with good sales pitches for their customers despite and in spite of the recession period.

The Heat is ON!

2010-07-21T22:14:00.000+04:00

Summer is now here in Dubai... and did Summer make a very fine entrance!

It has been hot!hot! for the past few days. People here try to strategize how they will beat the heat when they are walking, cooking or even at times, when they laze in their house.

Summer usually lasts for two months - July & August.

Emails have been sent all throughout the region that the days will definitely get hotter. I am not sure if that's even true because they send these type of scam emails... usually this time of the year.

I guess we just have to wait and see.

Forbes' 15 Richest Royals

2010-07-10T22:14:00.000+04:00

If you were given one billion dollars to spend what would you do with it?

Probably, I will buy a three-bedroom house complete with backyard and swimming pool. After that, I will buy my husband a car or maybe a van whatever he likes which we can use for the food / internet cafe business that we will be putting up.

The rest will be saved in the bank or will be invested in stock bonds or another business venture but I want to make sure that we keep enough money for the family - for the kid's education.

How do you think these royals spend their money? Forbes has recently named 15 of the richest royals in the whole world.

Starting it off with Thailand's King Bhuminol Adulyadej.

Abu Dhabi's ruler came fourth and Sheikh Mohammed came sixth.

It seems like even with the recession happening all over the world, these royals still have enough billions in their sleeves.

I sometimes wish I'm just like them but when I think about the riches that I have - not the material ones. It makes me smile and think that I will not trade that for anything in the world.

**to see the full list of richest royals here>

and I have changed it again...

2010-05-16T17:35:00.000+04:00

I know... for the nth time... I have changed the layout and design of my blog.

I just can't help it... I keep tweaking this blog because I want my readers (if I do have any) to see that this is indeed a 'live' blog and not just 'one of those'.

Another thing is tweaking the design / layout of my blogs give me the inspiration to write more. :)

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I hope that you will continue to pray for the Philippines. The counting of the ballots is not yet completed for the presidential and the VP race. Comelec has already announced the first 7 senators last week. As mentioned by Inquirer, one of the leading newspapers in the Philippines, most of the winners were re-electionists and returnees. I just hope that these senators will not waste their time in office. I really and truly hope that they will be able to do something about the humongous debt that the Philippines have incurred through the years.

I hope.