journal of rj's mama

my mind is blank

2012-05-25T19:53:00.001-07:00

I have been staring at the screen for a long time, writing and rewriting a few lines but none seems to be right. Happy that I was given lots of tasks but I can’t think of anything to write right now.

I’ll just redesign my other websites first. Just to clear my mind. Hopefully I’ll be able to finish all my pending jobs later.

God is watching us

2012-05-17T01:22:00.001-07:00

There are days when I feel depressed. I usually can’t pinpoint the cause of the said depression in most days. Two days ago I was feeling so down and felt like crying without any known reason. I was doing my hardest to feel happy so I was just thinking happy thoughts and not allowing myself to have a “free time”.

I was helping my sister prepare the malunggay leaves for lunch. Look what I found…

… a heart shaped malunggay leaf. This I know is from God telling me that I shouldn’t fear anything because he loves me. That I should always be happy.

And because of that leaf, I felt better.

summer activities

2012-05-17T00:26:00.001-07:00

I try to squeeze in as much fun activity on RJ’s daily schedule this summer break. He has guitar lessons and he’s also learning how to ride a bike. Because of too much pollution in Manila, it’s much better for him to do it, learn how to bike, while were here in the province. Air is more clean here.

If he can have his way, he’d rather play computer all day long. But because I’m worried he might destroy his eyes and wear progressive glasses this early, I have to look for more activities that he can do in lieu of sitting all day long in front of the computer.

I ask him to help me do the laundry. He paints and draw when he’s in the mood. I also let him use my camera, with a clear warning not to drop and put scratches on it, so he can learn photography. We take pictures of birds and leaves and spiders and caterpillars.

A mom has to be creative but I’m running out of ideas. Help!

BPI’s My e-Prepaid MasterCard

2012-05-14T23:48:00.001-07:00

I’m not a fan of credit cards. In my 35 years of existence on this planet, I only had one credit card in my possession. Never renewed it again. By the way Citibank, you still owe me a few pesos since I overpaid.

I first heard of BPI’s My e-Prepaid MasterCard on twitter. Last week, I received an email from BPI with a link to the card application page. Of course I had to check the card fees first. The Php500 processing fee is not that heavy-on-the-pocket since the card is valid for 2 years. Unionbank’s EON Visa Debit Card charges an annual fee of Php 350.

So how does My ePrepaid MasterCard differ from a debit or a credit card?

Unlike a credit card where you will be billed for your purchases after a certain period, you will need to load your My ePrepaid MasterCard with funds first before you can use it to pay for purchases. A debit card is linked to your savings account, every time you pay using your debit card, your savings account balance will automatically be deducted with the amount of your purchase. Since prepaid cards are not linked to your savings account, your purchases won’t affect your savings.

In case you’re wondering why I’m comparing it to Unionbank’s EON card, it’s because you can verify your Paypal account using a My ePrepaid card. Paypal questions, please read on below.

Can I use My ePrepaid in PayPal? Yes. You can link your My ePrepaid Card to your PayPal.
Can I withdraw my funds from PayPal transferring funds to my card? No. You can only use your My ePrepaid Card to fund your PayPal account for purchases, but not to withdraw PayPal funds.
How do I link my card to my PayPal account? When linking your My ePrepaid MasterCard to PayPal, please make sure your card has at least Php 150 load. PayPal charges $1 to link your card to your PayPal account, and Php 100 when you confirm your card. After successfully confirming your card, PayPal will return the Php 100 to your PayPal account in the form of PayPal credits.

I applied for a card because it can be used to purchase airline tickets from PAL. Although the card has a maximum allowable amount of P10,000 load, it’s already good with 1 or 2 local airline ticket purchases.

Click on the link to find out how to get one for yourself: BPI Prepaid Cards Application Page

It's More Hot in the Philippines

2012-05-08T21:04:00.001-07:00

Some people loves to bask under the heat of the sun. Not me. And I'm not loving this summer heat we're experiencing right now. The humidity level has also increased tremendously since the start of the summer season. I have to take a bath 10 times every day! I can't wait for the rainy days.

Swimming pool owners must be the happiest, not to say more rich, these days. They get to save on electricity since they don't need to turn on their pool heat pumps. Aside from that, resorts are always fully booked these days so their cash registers are always full-to-the-brim-with-cash as well.

But I'm not a resort owner, I don't get as rich as them during summer months, so I'm not the happiest during summer season. I already said it and I'm saying it again, I can hardly wait for the rainy season.

Are you cheap or frugal

2012-05-08T20:54:00.001-07:00

I'm a frugal person and I'm proud to be one. I value the quality of everything that I buy because money doesn't grow on trees, right? I make sure that I set aside a portion of what I earn every month. Sometimes I put it in my savings account and sometimes add it to my stock market investment.

Every time I go grocery shopping, I bring a list of things that I need and don't just grab anything that I fancy from the shelves. I compare the price and quality of different brands. I don't exactly buy the cheapest and not the most expensive either. Expensive doesn't necessarily mean the best and cheap doesn't necessarily mean the best value.

So I'm frugal but I'm not cheap. Like for clothes, appliances or furnitures, I don't go for the brand but I go for the quality. If for example I buy audio racks, I won't buy the cheapest if it looks like it's made of low quality material. If it's the most expensive but looks like it's worth the price, that's what I'll buy. I prefer buying expensive clothes because it lasts longer than cheap clothes made with cheap material.

My Maid Invests in the Stock Market

2012-04-30T20:30:00.001-07:00

I just read Bo Sanchez's My Maid Invests in the Stock Market and I cannot help but agree on everything, well almost everything, he said in the book. It's very hard indeed to say "no, sorry, I don't have spare cash", when someone we know needs monetary help. And that's the last we see of our hard-earned money because they either don't have any plans of paying it or worse they get angry when we tell them we need the money already.

We don't all own a very successful business, like a yoyo factory which is so in demand this summer. So if you want to learn one way of protecting your hard-earned money and have more funds for your retirement, grab a copy of the book mentioned above. A free ebook version is available at citiseconline.com.

What is your favorite summer fruit

2012-04-30T20:23:00.001-07:00

It's summer once again and fruits, like RJ's favorite mango, are in abundance. We used to have a mango tree in our yard when I was growing up. I remember getting woken up in the middle of the night each time a ripe mango fall on the roof.

The tree had to go when our house got renovated. I miss that tree. Now I have to buy if I want to eat green mangoes. A kilo is 25php during summer and it goes up to around 60php during non-summer days.

wifi enabled devices tracker

2012-04-22T21:03:00.001-07:00

I've read about vehicle tracking devices but smartphone tracker I've read today for the first time. Whatever happened to privacy? Isn't it against the law to track an individual without that person's consent?

According to the news that I've read online, Navizon can easily track smartphones, laptops and other wifi enabled devices in or even out of a building. Although one doesn't get tracked when the wifi is turned off, sadly that doesn't hold true when the wifi is on.

Invest for the Future

2012-04-22T21:00:00.001-07:00

I'm not comfortable with the thought of not being able to buy the things that I want to have, eat the food that I'm craving for and travel to new places that I want to visit in the future. So this early, I don't use everything that I earn. I try to put most of it in savings and investments. I don't buy gold coins but I do buy shares of stocks. I also have some savings account.

I teach my son to save for his future also. He has savings accounts from different banks and he has investments in equities as well. And he's only 10 years old. It's never too early to plan for your future. The best time to start is today.

Organizing the cabinets

2012-04-22T20:58:00.001-07:00

Our house is a one bedroom condominium unit so there's really no space for a walk-in closet. My cabinet is actually a mess right now because I dumped everything there the last time I got the clean clothes from the laundromat.

I actually am on the lookout for things that can help in maximizing the closet space, and the whole house as well. Last week, I found this slack hanger that can hold up to four slacks, jeans, shorts or skirts, I bought two. There were actually a lot of other stuffs there, like wall mount coat racks, towel organizer, mops and broom rack, and I'm going back to buy those that I need for organizing the closet and the house.

Great Taste Coffee

2012-04-22T20:55:00.001-07:00

My new coffee favorite is Great Taste coffee, especially their 3-in-1. I have been using Nescafe for a long time but their 3-in-1 mix is too sweet for me. I’m always running out of time so the 3-in-1 flavor is perfect for me. All I have to do is put everything in a cup, pour hot water and I have instant coffee to wake me up.

One problem though is my new favorite coffee mix is always out-of-stock so I always end up using Nescafe. URC, please make more stocks of your Great Taste premium coffee!

Volunteering

2012-04-14T01:49:00.000-07:00

This guest post from Lewis Beck

One of my absolute favorite parts of living in Texas is that it seems like everywhere you look there is somewhere to volunteer. Maybe it’s like that everywhere and I just don’t know as a native Texan, but I feel like Texans have some of the biggest hearts of anyone. My husband and I, for instance, are very involved in a ministry at our church that helps people struggling financially get back on their feet. It’s incredibly rewarding. We help them catch up on their bills, or we help them create a workable budget for their family, or sometimes help locate more affordable housing for them, etc. It’s amazing how little investment it takes to reap such a huge reward for some of these people. One of the greatest things I’ve been able to help many of them do is save money on their energy bills. We all obviously spend a lot of money in that area, and we are fortunate living in Texas to be able to select energy providers based on who can give us the cheapest rate. We guide the people we help to check out Texas Electricity Rates and select the best provider for them based on their rates, and it makes a huge difference.

packing for vacation

2012-04-03T20:56:00.001-07:00

I am a very forgetful person. To make sure I don't forget anything when we go on vacation, I list everything that we need weeks ahead. I always have a notebook inside my bag, in fact I have notebooks all over the house, so I can jot down reminders even when I am doing some errands. Even when I'm out of the house and I remember something that I need to bring on our vacation, I can update my list right then and there.

So thanks to my notebook, packing for vacation is a always a breeze. From my son's nebulizer to my moisturizer, camera and the hdmi cable (what is hdmi? high-definition multimedia interface), clothes, and everything thata we need is in that luggage.

Sharon Cuneta and her twitter followers

2012-03-21T10:17:00.001-07:00

As I was browsing the latest tweets today, I found my way to Sharon Cuneta’s twitter account. I feel intrigued with her tweets but I also feel sorry for her.

Intrigued because her tweets were about KC, Piolo and Bakla.

Feel sorry for her because she should have known better than to answer the tweets. She is a smart person, why read those tweets in the first place? I’m not her but when I read the tweets hurled at her left and right, by Piolo fans?, I feel disgusted. The tweets were clearly made by uneducated people.

She should block those people if she can’t control herself from reading the tweets and answering back.

Farewell, Harry Potter!

2012-03-21T09:59:00.001-07:00

So I’m down to my last few chapters of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the last book. I might read The Hunger Games next or the Percy Jackson books, but I’m 100% sure that I’m going to read Harry Potter again, for the third time!, though not in the coming months. I have to let my brain forget the story first before reading it again.

I’ve also watched the Harry Potter movies, not the 8th though since I’m not yet done with the book, and I feel like tweeting or posting a status on my facebook, of my disappointment, everytime a scene that’s totally different from the book is shown. Cho didn’t tell Umbridge about Dumbledore’s Army. And Harry wasn’t “Harry” when he attended Bill and Fleur’s wedding, he drank polyjuice potion to disguise as another boy. And Neville didn’t give the gilliweed to Harry, during the Tri-Wizard Competition, it was Dobby. Good thing the movie never showed Harry pulling medicine carts everywhere he go, for pain on his scar everytime You-Know-Who invades his mind - that would have been the last straw!

I love the book more than the movie. Although it helped put a face on the character of the books. I was disappointed though when I found out that Robert Pattinson played the part of Cedric Diggory. Cedric was described as probably the most handsome character in the book and I don’t think the actor who played Edward in the Twilight series is handsome, not at all.

SM Advantage Card Deals

2012-03-10T18:28:00.000-08:00

There's another deal site that everyone will surely like to join. You don't have to wait for SM Mall's monthly sale just to get hold of their awesome discounts. Sign up at smacdeals.com and enjoy their products at eye-popping discounted prices.

All you need to have is an SM Advantage card number. Sign up using your SMAC/Prestige/BDO Rewards Card. Choose from an extensive line of offerings featured on the website. Then print the vouchers. No american steel buildings available on the deals site though. Try other deal sites.

Motorcycle Lane

2012-03-10T18:12:00.000-08:00

Just this morning, I witnessed 2 Jollibee delivery motorcycles racing each other. So irresponsible. And that even happened in front of my son's school. Good thing it was not dismissal time yet, students are still inde the classroom.

The government should look more into the growing problem of irresponsible motorcycle riders. Government officials can't make an excuse that they have to learn more about the problem because it can be seen on the road everywhere. Even minor roads ought to have motorcycle lanes to secure the safety of everyone, motorists and pedestrians alike.

A motorcycle is supposed to be treated as one vehicle. It shouldn't behave like its an invisible vehicle that can just pass through between two vehicles or use the sidewalk when it wants to avoid traffic.

A law about the proper, safe behavior of motorcycle riders should be implemented. If there is one already, then what's keeping them from reprimanding the law breakers?

Can someone please invent a pollution repellant

2012-03-09T07:20:00.001-08:00

Metro Manila is such a polluted city and I am not a happy camper. I've talked about this on previous posts (probably a million and one times already) and inhaling pollution each time I go out of the house is not something that I'll ever get used to. And yes, I'm worried that my son has been inhaling such unclean air for the past 10 years of his young life.

The country has produced a lot of intelligent brains but why hasn't anyone thought of something that will help prevent the body from taking in polluted air. Pollution can't really be eradicated with the huge population (most are irresponsible citizens who contribute a lot in worsening the pollution problem).

A mask like Darth Vader's won't look fashionable at all even in pink. A mailing tube-like mask will certainly look funny if everyone is wearing it. Can someone please invent something that can help repel pollution from entering the body or at least one that will make the air, we inhale in, clean as soon as it enters the nose? I think it’s possible, really.

Basic Guitar Lessons

2012-02-25T07:12:00.001-08:00

I want to learn how to play the guitar. Well, my mom did enroll me in a guitar class when I was in grade school. But when I was done with the lessons, I didn't practice and then I just completely forgot everything that I learned in that class.

Now I'm trying to learn it on my own. My son's guitar is a bit small so I'm planning to buy a Gretsch guitar for myself. I downloaded apps on my iPod but it wasn't good enough. I searched on youtube and was able to find some useful tutorials. Here is a video series of learning the basics on how to play the guitar.

Harvard Graduate

2012-02-25T07:07:00.001-08:00

I was browsing the updates on my Pulse News app when I saw the news about Tyra Banks apparently graduating from Harvard. Wow! Another feather in her cap.

But I wasn’t that impressed anymore when I got to the part that says it was a two-week program and it took her one year to finish it. Or should I still be impressed because it’s Harvard, the Harvard? Nah.

At What Age Should Kids Have Their Own Cellular Phone

2012-02-25T06:50:00.001-08:00

My son asked for his own mobile phone when he was in first grade. We bought the cheapest Nokia phone and although it doesn't include the best headphones for him to listen to his favorite songs, my son was happy with it for a few months. Since he's not allowed to bring a mobile phone to school, he didn't use it for more or less two years.

Now he's in 4th grade and is asking for a new phone. I told him to use his old mobile phone. Although the casing looks old, it's still working perfectly fine. I won't spend money on something that he doesn't really need anyway.

How old is old enough to use a mobile phone anyway?

The Best Exercise

2012-02-25T06:41:00.001-08:00

So I found a way to exercise on my free time, without getting a gym membership or buying an exercise machine. As soon as the bus service picks up my son for school at around 620 in the morning, I climb the stairs (in our condominium building) all the way to the 20th floor, the pool area. I can do 40 to 60 flights of stairs for 40 minutes. So far, I lost a little bit of weight during the 3 weeks that I've been doing that.

Last night I tried exercising on the stairs around 7pm. The pool area was full of cigarette smoke and I saw someone smoking Rocky Patel cigars. Next time, I'll stick to climbing to the pool area in the morning so I can inhale unpolluted air.

Driving lessons

2012-02-25T06:29:00.001-08:00

I got behind the wheel again today. This time the car I used was automatic. Last time I drove a car was about more than 5 years ago during my driving lessons. I drove a manual car then, that's the reason why I didn't try driving again after I'm done with my driving lessons. Driving a manual car was so hard.

But this time, I really need to get a car and a license. My son has not been training with his schools swim team for 2 years already. And that's because no school service would like to make a special trip to bring him home after swim practice. So next school year, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll have the courage to drive him to and from school, at least.

Friends with Benefit

2012-02-11T07:32:00.001-08:00

I have a lot of acquaintances but I can count on one hand the number of people who I can call true friends, really true friends. There are those who fall in the category "friends with benefits". These are the people who only remember to call or text, or that I even exist, when they need to ask something from me. Like the mom of my son's classmate, she calls when she needs to ask questions about a school project or ask if her son copied some words right, like roller shades.

Well, that would have been okay. I'm not selfish. But after getting the information that she wants she'll add, "We haven't seen each other for a long time! We should meet up one of these days. I miss you, friend!" Yup, friends with benefits.