Pinoys in Florida

CNA Positions Available at Health Center of Merritt Island

2010-07-22T10:35:00.000-07:00

The Health Center of Merritt Island is looking to hire CNAs to fill their 2pm to 10pm posts. Requirement includes having Current FL CNA license, CPR certificate and other geriatric training certificates would be an advantage. You can Fax resume to 321-453-4035. The facility offers DRUG FREE WORKPLACE. Join their team of excellent caregivers. If you would like to know more information about the facility please visit http://www.healthcentermerrittisland.com/.

The Health Center of Merritt Island is a 180 bed skilled nursing facility centrally located between SR 520 and SR 528 off Courtenay Parkway, across from the Merritt Island Post Office

We can assist patients with :

Post-acute Rehab
Outpatient Rehab
Alzheimer care
Long Term Care
24 hour nursing care
Subacute and skilled nursing

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I have seen this Facility and I'm assuming they are one of the best around the area. If you have any experience working with them, please let us know. Thanks!

an acorn is a chav

ALDI Supermarker is HIRING!!

2010-07-22T08:44:00.000-07:00

Aldi supermarket is holding a hiring event all over Florida. They are looking for Cashiers and Manager trainees and giving pretty higher wages for the posts. If you would like to know more about the job pls visit www.aldifloridajobs.com. There you will see what, when & how for your application. See you there on the hiring event!!

Cashiers earn $10.00 per hour and work 20-40 hours per week with full benefits.
Position Objectives
To support management in achieving the company’s growth objectives by maximizing sales and controlling expenses.
To fulfill his/her responsibilities in accordance with the Company’s principles of leadership and organization, the ALDI Management System.
Job Specifications
Education and Experience

Must be at least 18 years old with a high school diploma or equivalent.

Additional Requirements

Must be able to accommodate the operational schedule of the store, including shifts between 5 AM and 11 PM, seven days a week.
May be required to handle and sell alcoholic beverages, and meet any state and local requirements for handling and selling alcoholic beverages.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Ability to provide prompt and courteous customer service.
Skill of operating a cash register efficiently and accurately.
Ability to stock merchandise from store receiving to shelving; ability to place product, weighing up to 45 pounds, on shelving at various heights.
Ability to operate equipment including electric and manual hand jacks, floor scrubber and cardboard baler.
Ability to perform general cleaning duties to maintain store standards for cleanliness.
Knowledge of and ability to interpret and/or apply ALDI store operating policies and procedures.
Skill of verbal and written communication.
Skill of performing basic arithmetic such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Ability to follow instruction and give attention to detail.
Ability to work both independently and within a team environment.

Benefits

Group major medical and dental program including vision, life, and disability insurance.
Three sick days per year
401k (optional)
Retirement Savings Plan
Vacation time
Holidays

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Manager Trainees earn $20.00 per hour and work 40 hours per week with full benefits.
Position Objectives
To support the Store Manager in achieving the company’s growth objectives by maximizing sales and controlling expenses.
To fulfill his/her responsibilities in accordance with the Company’s principles of leadership and organization, the ALDI Management System.
Job Specifications
Education and Experience

Must be at least 18 years old with a high school diploma or equivalent.

Additional Requirements

Must be able to accommodate the operational schedule of the store, including shifts between 5 AM and 11 PM, seven days a week.
May be required to handle and sell alcoholic beverages, and meet any state and local requirements for handling and selling alcoholic beverages.
Must be able to travel within a 60 mile radius

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Ability to provide prompt and courteous customer service.
Skill of operating a cash register efficiently and accurately.
Ability to stock merchandise from store receiving to shelving; ability to place product, weighing up to 45 pounds, on shelving at various heights.
Ability to operate equipment including electric and manual hand jacks, floor scrubber and cardboard baler.
Ability to perform general cleaning duties to maintain store standards for cleanliness.
Knowledge of and ability to interpret and/or apply ALDI store operating policies and procedures.
Skill of verbal and written communication.
Skill of performing basic administrative duties such as filing, filling out forms, counting and basic arithmetic equations.
Ability to follow instruction and give attention to detail.
Ability to work both independently and within a team environment.
Ability to supervise store personnel by guiding performance to assure quality and completion of work assignments.
Ability to develop rapport, trust and open communication that enhances the growth and job performance of store personnel.
Ability to organize, prioritize and complete activities consistent with one’s personal and organizational needs to maximize the total time available.
Ability to establish and execute plans and goals.
Knowledge of and ability to utilize store computers and related software.

Are You an ONLINE BUYER?

2010-07-21T19:42:00.001-07:00

Are you an online buyer? I am too. I thought that maybe I should share a little readings that i had about shopping online safely, well here it goes:

Have you ever felt a little bit confounded about just how to make a purchase over the Internet — and just who should see your personal information?

The world of online shopping is an ever-evolving one, and it can get confusing sometimes. For instance, if you make online purchases from the likes of eBay, Walgreens, iTunes or Dell, you’ll have the option of opening a PayPal account and making your payment through PayPal. Is that the route you should take?
Here’s another scenario: If you shop on, say, Amazon.com, you can buy from third-party sellers who have nothing to do with Amazon.com. This can be fabulous for you as a consumer, but it also can create the need for you to be hyper-alert about protecting your information.
The following tips can help you navigate the world of online shopping and enjoy minimal hassles at the same time.
1. Understand how PayPal works. When you open a PayPal account, you authorize PayPal to take money out of your bank account or charge online purchases to your credit card. This can be a nice service if you feel uneasy about sharing your credit-card information with a wide variety of online merchants. Merchants never see your personal information; they just receive money from PayPal, an eBay company.
2. Decide how you want to pay. PayPal’s default maneuver is to withdraw money straight from your bank account rather than charge purchases to your credit card. If you want to pay with your credit card, you must remember to adjust the payment setting by clicking the “More Funding Options” link before you pay.
3. It’s better to use your credit card. That way you’ll be able to dispute charges and potentially get them reversed if anything goes awry. Such disputes will be much harder to resolve if the money has already been taken out of your account.
4. Don’t respond to unsolicited e-mails. Did you ever get an e-mail message that appears to be from PayPal or another legitimate-looking outfit, asking you to click on a Web link and update your account information? Never, ever do that! This is one of the biggest online scams around. (Don’t respond to unsolicited phone calls of this nature, either.)
5. Take the initiative. If you’re concerned that PayPal or another institution might really need to reach you, go ahead and contact them directly – but not via the e-mail message you received. Since PayPal’s toll-free number can be hard to find, here it is: 1-800-854-1366. Its non-toll-free customer-service number is (402) 935-2050.
6. Type in Web site addresses yourself. By doing this instead of simply clicking on a link that gets sent to you, you’ll dramatically increase your chances of reaching a legitimate site.
7. Look for signs of security. When you reach the point of payment or of sharing your personal information, the Web site should be secure. The address of a secure site contains an “s” after the “http:”, like so: “https:”. Internet browsers also display an icon such as a gold padlock to verify that the site is secure.

8. Don’t pay outside the system. Fraudulent sellers will ask you to ignore the regular online-shopping-cart method of payment and wire them money instead. Or, they may want you to place money in what will turn out to be a phony escrow account. Never deviate from the regular payment process in this way.
9. Check the seller’s reputation. Whether you’re shopping on eBay, Amazon.com or another site that connects you with independent sellers, opt for a seller who has sold at least 10 items and who has a high satisfaction rating. Also, take a minute to read past customers’ feedback about the seller.
10. Know where to complain. If you feel you have been a victim of fraudulent activity or have received a fraudulent solicitation, report the matter to the retailer or company that’s been “spoofed,” as well as to the Anti-Phishing Working Group and the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

I hope that this little information could put us all at ease on our online shopping!!!

Impossible - Shontelle

2010-07-21T18:53:00.000-07:00

Impossible by Shontelle. Im sharing this in dedication for my ate mai whose heart is broken. I hope you get over your heartache soon.
Thinking about this song, this truly talks for our hearts. I wish I was strong too. I would not have to suffer this broken heart.. for very long time.. and still, im not smart to even notice that what i have wished for is impossible. Yeah.. Impossible..

Walt Disney World @ Orlando, Florida

2010-07-21T16:35:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest reason why you should choose to live in Florida among all the US states setting aside the sunny days on the many beautiful white beaches is the Walt Disney World. Everybody just loves to be at Disney World regularly. From the Kids' stuff to Disney character and animal shows and extremely crazy rides, this is just the place you would want to spend your every vacation days!! They have lots of places to see and you will be amazed of how creative and extravagantly built they are. From shopping to dining. You got it all!! If you are a Mickey & Minnie lovers, for sure you would dream of going to Magic Kingdom and see their own houses:).

Listen by Beyonce

2010-07-21T15:43:00.000-07:00

Listen to the song here in my heart
A melody I start but can't complete
Listen to the sound from deep within
It's only beginning to find release

Oh, the time has come for my dreams to be heard
They will not be pushed aside and turned
Into your own all 'cause you won't
Listen

Listen, I am alone at a crossroads
I'm not at home in my own home
And I've tried and tried to say what's on mind
You should have known

Oh, now I'm done believing you
You don't know what I'm feeling
I'm more than what you made of me
I followed the voice you gave to me
But now I've gotta find my own

You should have listened, there is someone here inside
Someone I thought had died so long ago
Oh, I'm screaming out and my dreams'll be heard
They will not be pushed aside on words
Into your own all 'cause you won't
Listen

Listen, I am alone at a crossroads
I'm not at home in my own home
And I've tried and tried to say what's on mind
You should have known

Oh, now I'm done believing you
You don't know what I'm feeling
I'm more than what you made of me
I followed the voice you gave to me
But now I've gotta find my own

I don't know where I belong
But I'll be moving on
If you don't, if you won't

Listen to the song here in my heart
A melody I start but I will complete

Oh, now I'm done believing you
You don't know what I'm feeling
I'm more than what you made of me
I followed the voice you think you gave to me
But now I've gotta find my own, my own

One fine Sunday just before Dolly flew back to Manila for 2 months of vacation.

2010-07-21T15:17:00.000-07:00

Time goes by really pass. How long has it been since these pictures were taken? 2 months Ago!! yup, just day before our friend Dolly flew back to Manila for a 2 months of vacation. And today, she is back here!! We are so excited for her to comeback since we have so many plans ahead to make up all the days of fun she missed. You sure have things to expect on our little blog:) Welcome back, Dolly and the kids!!!

Miche' laid back wedding with Jane:)

2010-07-21T15:15:00.001-07:00

I thought I could continue writing about the bridal shower but i have stopped and could not make myself to start and continue. But anyway, I have attached a picture of the wedding:).

Alone - Karaoke

2010-07-21T14:54:00.000-07:00

Alone by Heart... one of my favorites. I kind of feel that I can relate very much to the story of the song. Hoping to sing it anytime without having to go on a hassle of googling or youtubing it, i added it on Filipinamafia blog. I hope you enjoy it too:)

I want to know what love is - Karaoke

2010-07-21T14:41:00.000-07:00

Shakira Waka Waka Official Video World Cup South Africa 2010

2010-07-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

Just tell me you love me

2010-07-21T14:36:00.000-07:00

Oriental Food Mart at Merritt Island Where It all Started

2010-07-12T20:24:00.001-07:00

Last September 2009, an Oriental Store is getting set up at Merritt Island Mall in Merritt Island, Florida. I have always thought of what kind of Oriental store it is going to be since the signage looks as if a Korean or a Japanese would probably owns it. A big sign HELP WANTED can be seen on one of the glass windows.I said, whew! Maybe I could try to apply here as soon as they open. I keep coming back to the same store to check up if there is somebody inside or if the owner comes.

One day, I saw a Toyota Car parked on front of the newly set up Oriental Store and I didn't give it a second thought to jump and ask the Ladies who are at the trunk putting some stuffs in as if they are done for the day and they are ready to call it a day. I'm a bit hesitant to talk in Tagalog as one of the ladies look more like a Korean or Japanese. So I spoke as "Excuse me, Are you the owner of this store?". The older lady replied to me "yes". I looked at her and realized, I might have a greater chance of discovering that this Oriental Store might be just my Store!! Filipino Store that I have been looking for to fill all my cravings for my humble beginnings -- Pinoy Home Cooked Food!!! Great, I told my self! Luck is really on my side this time around. The next question I asked was " Do you speak tagalog?" hahahaha.. well, I would definitely not speak English to a Filipino even if they have lived here in United states for 20 years unless they are grown here from when they are baby or just a kid whereby the possibility of forgetting Tagalog spoken language is at high risk since exposure to the language is so little. For me, it would really look dumb if a Filipina would talk to another Filipina in English when both of them can perfectly converse on their own birth tongue. I think it's superficial even if we are in an American Country where they speak English. Anyway, the Owner affirmed that she is a Filipina!! Yehey!! And obviously my next question was if they are looking for someone to hire, since it was going to be my first job in United States, it would be great to start working with people of the same root.

At the end of the day, I gave my application form based on the procedures given to me. I started working at the early October. We are selling Oriental groceries and at the same time cooked Filipino food aiming to serve the Filipinos on the cruise ships. It was a lot of fun until I have to go Istanbul for an urgent call. I have to leave my job after just a month of working. I have met couple of filipinos living here in Florida and have found this great friendship with them. I met Riza, a BCC college student who came to work as my replacement. After 2 weeks of stay in Istanbul, I came back Florida and flew back to Manila in 2 days. When I came back Florida on January 2010, met Jane who came to work part-time with Riza, then met Dolly who eats at the Oriental Store just to see Jane who has become her first friend here in Florida. After having some dates and get together with the girls, I get to meet Grace who lives next to Jane's apartment. Few months later, Jane started working at Wal-Mart and met Michelle who was shopping that time and uncertain to approach Jane since she ain't sure if she is a Filipina or not. That is when your Ms. Congeniality made her dramatic entrance and approached Jane and started talking in Tagalog. After just few seconds I rushed and jumped in the car to get home. Conclusion is, Jane and Michelle exchanged numbers and another pretty lady has joined the club:).

We have started hanging out at Jane's place from then on and spending most of the time cooking, swimming, singing and even going out to bars, beaches and parks. The only thing we are missing to do is to sleep over which probably far to happen since all of us have somebody waiting for us at home:), we started going home from 7pm to 9pm to 10.30 to 12midnight now. Hanging out with friends is one of the greatest thing to do every week, time flies so fast that you would want to stop it a little bit so you could have more fun. We also have ate Medi, ate Mercy, Ate Aylin, Ate Susan and Ate Joji around the area. I have met couple of Filipinos from PSJ but due to distance I could not see them regularly. I wish we could hang out together with the other girls as they are funny and happy people too:) It would be really nice to have a community that all Filipinos can meet and party at the same time every 6 months or so.

Since we have the friendliest of all working at Wal-Mart, Jane met several more Filipinos shopping but could not get contact with them. Would have been more fun if we could all be friends and hang out together. Does not Matter if they are married, single, young or old. As long as you want to enjoy and have fun, we love to see them with us.

My Cape Canaveral experience is changing into the grandest Filipino Mafia experience. Ha ha ha.. Funny but this "MAFIA" thing is not my idea. I just heard from my friend that her neighbors started calling us FILIPINO MAFIA since we all tag along every week on the pool side. I thought, that is not a bad idea. I could even start a blog with that name. At least, we have a place to put up our fun and joy since the happiness and joy our friendships bring to us could not contain merely in just memories. It would be at best if we could share them with the other Filipinos who might have experienced the same like mine last 2006.

Of course, our friendship is not limited to Filipinas only. We are open to meet and be friends with every one. Good night every one:)

You know you're married to a Filipina if.....

2010-07-12T11:33:00.001-07:00

You know you're married to a Filipina if.....
I have had a little chat with an American guy I sat with on a plane while on the way back to Manila. Have spoken to him about things that seemingly happen when one get married to a Filipina. Our conversation reminded me of something that i read over the internet as we came to talk about funky sauces and crazy food that Asian loves. I searched for it all day long in my computer as i saved that blog long time ago to show it to my friends online... and luckily, i found it! Here it goes, Let me know if you are experiencing the same irregularities in your life after getting married to your lovely Filipina Bride:)

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You may be married to a Filipina If... (written by an American guy who loves his Filipina wife in spite of the numerous irregularities):

* Your refrigerator is always full but you cannot find any food that you recognize

* Instead of a dowry, you got the whole bill for the wedding and honeymoon

* You are expected to be able to read her mind just by watching her eyebrows move up and down and by the way her lips are pointed

* The instant you are married you have 3,000 new close relatives that you can't tell apart

* Your house isn't really on fire, you've just got a very charred fish on top of the stove burner

* All the desserts are sticky and all the snacks are salty

* She eats her fruit with giant salt crystals and her fried chicken with ketchup

* Even the ketchup tastes weird...very weird

* You throw a party and everyone is fighting to chop the leathery skin off a dead pig

* You are trying to go to sleep and she keeps asking for the comFORT'r, and you ain't got a clue what she's talking about

* Your phone bills are composed mostly of international and calls that average 3 hours each

* She sweeps with something that witches usually fly around on

* The rice cooker is on 24 hours a day and uses up 50% of your electricity and food budget

* On your first trip to the Philippines, you have 18 giant boxes that weigh 1000 pounds each and your "carry on" luggage requires a small forklift truck

* The same luggage is over filled with things that cost an average of 15 cents each like old magazines and M&Ms -- the worst part is when you get off the plane, the same stuff you've been hauling around half way around the world is available in every store in the airport for half the price!

* The first time she's pregnant you have to go out at 4:00 in the morning looking for some weird type of greasy sausages, green mangoes and bagoong

* You buy a new $500 freezer so she can store 200 pounds of SPAM and CORNED BEEF that was on sale

* Everything in your house was bought on sale, even if you don't need it ... that it was a "bargain" is all that matters

* The only "white meat" she likes is YOU. And that's if you're lucky...

* You were married 5 years before she explained to you that "ARAY!" doesn't mean "ooh, baby!"

* She can eat and talk at the same time; in fact that's her specialty!

* You still don't know the difference between manong and manok

* She and the kids are always saying "Daddy made utot" and you still don't know what it means, but they think it's pretty funny

* Before every holiday and visit, her sisters fax you a 10 page "bilins" list which says "suggestion only"

* All the vegetables she buys at the Filipino store look like they were grown at Chernobyl

* Her home economics course only taught shopping, eating and siesta; cooking, cleaning and sewing were not electives

* You are the only family in a 200 mile radius with 2 Betamaxes, 3 televisions

* She "cleans" her closet by throwing all the crap into your closet

Filipina Life in Florida last 2006

2010-07-12T10:12:00.000-07:00

I first came to Florida last summer of 2006. It was sizzling hot. A place nowhere to go without having to drive a car, it frustrates me considering the place where I came from, Singapore. A country full of people, excellent public transportation, huge varieties of food next to each others, Big shopping centers, Flea Markets, Night Outs, and more. It's a place a would call Tiny City with everything great to offer. Having to visit United States for the first time and landing in a place like Cape Canaveral, It's an absolute change. Some kind of a place I have not dreamt of getting into. Ha ha ha, but I came anyway. Shopping mall is limited, some spots are not filled, very few shoppers, not too many food to choose from, amazingly most of the products are made from China,No huge buildings that you can see and from the look of it, there is NO PLACE for me to work to make my living...well, I could care less about all these but transportation is too great to ignore aside from not being able to find establishments to work to.

The first thing I have to look for is the Asian or Oriental Store, so that I can look for some ingredients I can use for cooking since no food rings a bell for me. I happened to be very choosy and stubborn when it comes to food. I prefer satisfying my tongue rather than the nutritional needs of my body, and since most of the Restaurants here do not use MSG, I don't get to like their food. I do notice that most of their vegetables are something not known to my experience except from cabbage, broccoli, tomato and other salad stuffs. I was looking for more of greens that we can use for cooking like Bokchoy, Petchay, sweet potato leaves, and other vegetables I used to eat in Asia. And I said "Here is when Culture difference strikes me". Asian have various funky smelling sauces that we love to add on our every meal, from fermented fish to shrimp to beans and vegetables into anything you can think about and see on the market, they all really smell very very bad but for Asian taste bud they cant help themselves but love it and eat it, and the people I lived with just could not help but Hate the smell! hahahaha. They have not even smelled the fried dried fish which they call "DEAD MEAT" when i showed it to them, I think they would jump out the building if I cook that.. I don't get to see chicken feet or pork intestine BBQ on the street, I think if a Chinese comes here he would really feel alienated considering that in China, they BBQ almost everything. They even BBQ wheat grass. Ha ha ha. I miss China.

As a first timer, i wanna get a prepaid phone line and a new phone maybe to communicate with my family while I'm out for a vacation, Hey, I need to pay for everything. Even for receiving incoming SMS and call would be charged to me. Amazing. We don't have that in Asia, do we? We have free incoming SMS and calls all day long. We don't even have to pay for IDD charge when we receive IDD incoming call. But why do I have to pay everything here? Communication is just too expensive here.

But Hey! They have great white sand beaches around the area! Entrance is free and you can swim all day you want at your own risk. Hotels are everywhere next to the beach if you wanna stay overnight or McDonald's, Long John Silver's and Taco Bells are next to each other if you wanna eat something when you get grumpy tummy. Thinking about Beaches, in Philippines you will have to pay minimum 3 dollars each person to go swim in a beach.. and that is only for a day!!! Just for a day! You have to rent shades for about 12 dollars or more, and rent a BBQ pit if you wanna grill. While in US, they have camping site which you only have to pay 10 dollars in a year if you are a resident and you can swim, bbq, camp all week you want!! That is one of the greatest thing so far that I have seen here. You can see birds flying and walking on the front yard... without fear of being eaten! hahaha If i think about it, You cant see any single bird in Philippines or they will get fried right away!! Crazy ha ha ha.

Wandering around, I don't get to see too many Asians. And you see one or two but they have totally ignored my beauty. I guess I'm too cute to be noticed. ha ha ha..

So last 2006, I was here in Cape Canaveral, with no food that i like, no friends, no malls to shop from except Wal-Mart or Publix, and NO TRANSPORTATION to go wander around the area on my own.

A totally different vacation experience for me. During that time, i always dreamt of spending vacation at New York City, would be nice to see different face of United States:) After all, US is a place where you can easily pursuit your happiness!!! & I will wait for that time to come:)

Bridal Shower of our dear friend, Miche

2010-07-11T21:55:00.000-07:00

(first time blogger)

One of our Friends is getting married on Thursday, 10AM, her name is Miche. Since every one of us is busy with our own job and personal commitment we have decided to give her a surprise bridal shower – which by the look of it you won’t really think it’s a bridal shower but a regular dinner which we always do once every week depending on the day we all have agreed.

I never really know how bridal shower would feel and would look like in a real life, except from what i have seen on movies or TV shows, which is kind of overboard for me to hold considering the background of my upbringing... yes, its 2010 but i could still consider myself belonging from what they say "From Old School". So I thought little dinner, glass of red wine, and a not so sexy lingerie will serve for the night...

Miche is by far the most conservative of all when it comes to clothing, until she met her fiance, who insists on her wearing short dresses and clothes. So, last Friday, Grace and I bought her a pair of lingerie as the group's silly gift for her, a T-back and a black top showing the beautiful shape of her body.

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