journal of rj's mama

Extended Physical Education Classes

2013-05-22T05:32:00.001-07:00

To address the growing problem of child obesity in the country, the Department of Health (DOH) has made a suggestion to the Department of Education (DepEd) to lengthen physical education classes in schools all over the country. DepEd should do this or think of other ways to teach our younger generation to live a healthier lifestyle.

There are some instances where kids don’t enjoy their PE class. Not everyone likes basketball, some have two left-feet so they screw up their dancing class even with the accompaniment of lively music. DepEd should have the option of letting kids choose the PE class that they want to attend to make them enjoy, and not hate, the PE class extensions.

How to Deal With Unintentional Parent Abuse

2013-05-22T03:59:00.001-07:00

I read this interesting article on NY Times about UPA (Unintentional Parent Abuse).

According to emergency room physicians, pediatricians and other experts, U.P.A. is no laughing matter. With unpredictable infants and toddlers, meals, bath time or even cuddles can go terribly wrong. Though statistics for injuries caused by young children are difficult to find, parents routinely suffer concussions, chipped teeth, corneal abrasions, nasal fractures, cut lips and torn earlobes, among other injuries. ~nytimes.com

How do we avoid kid’s unintentional abuse to us, their parents? Here are some tips from the experts:

Trim their fingernails – You don’t want that pretty face scarred for a few weeks, or worse for life.
Don’t wear things that’s attention grabbing – Babies tend to be curious with anything and everything especially with glasses and earrings. So if you don’t want to get poked or lose an ear, you should stop wearing “interesting” things while taking care of your baby.
Safe toys only – It’s better to give them educational toys instead of play guns, bow and arrows. Unless you want
Sleep well - “A well-rested parent will be more alert and more physically able to dodge the kick,” according to Debra S. Holtzman, author of The Safe Baby: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Home Safety and Healthy Living.

Martin Late at Night is Back!

2013-05-17T09:28:00.001-07:00

I was a big fan of Martin Late at Nite and was probably the saddest fan when it aired its last show in 2003. But now it’s back on ABS-CBN! Martin Late @ Night airs every Friday nights at 11:30 pm – 12:15 am after the news show Bandila.

I’ve been hearing of its comeback for months already but only had the chance to watch tonight. Tonight’s guest is Lea Salonga. Lea taught Martin how to play this video game. I forgot the name, sorry. Like me, Martin is not a “gamer” so he doesn’t know how to use the controls.

It was a very fun episode, Martin and Lea are both very witty and talkative. Jet Mandela had a brief appearance at the end of the show.

I won’t miss the next Friday night episodes. Hopefully, this show will last for years.

Welcome back Martin!

Can Hardly Wait for Samsung Galaxy S4

2013-03-04T16:52:00.001-08:00

Last night, I saw from a blogger's facebook status that Samsung Galaxy S4 will soon be in store shelves here in the Philippines. I can hardly wait to see it. I had sleepless nights last year whether to buy an iPhone 4s or a Samsung Galaxy S3. Ok, a bit exaggerated on "sleepless nights" but I did visit the mall 4 times to check the specks of the two leading smart phones.

Although I decided to not buy at that time, Samsung Galaxy S3 would have been my choice if I did buy one.

Now that Samsung Galaxy S4 will soon be unboxed, I would again have sleepless nights whether to buy an iPhone 5 or Samsung Galaxy S4! Expensive maybe, but I have to replace my 4 year old Nokia phone already anyway.

Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival 2013

2013-02-19T16:24:00.001-08:00

The Bonnaroo Festival is a four-day music festival held every year at Great Stage Park in Manchester, Tennessee, USA. The festival's main attraction are live music performances from diverse kind of artists.

And the lineup was finally revealed. Here's the official Bonnaroo festival's 2013 lineup:

• Paul McCartney
• Mumford & Sons
• Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
• Björk
• Wilco
• Pretty Lights
• R. Kelly
• Wu-Tang Clan
• Daniel Tosh
• The National
• The Lumineers
• David Byrne & St. Vincent
• Passion Pit
• The xx
• Kendrick Lamar
• Grizzly Bear
• Animal Collective
• Of Monsters and Men
• Nas
• ZZ Top
• Beach House
• Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
• Cat Power
• Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes
• A$AP Rocky
• Jim James
• "Weird Al" Yankovic
• Tame Impala
• Soul SuperJam featuring Jim James with John Oates, Zigaboo Modeliste (of The Meters) and Preservation Hall Jazz Band
• Ed Helms Bluegrass Situation Superjam with special guests
• Boys Noize
• Glen Hansard
• Gov't Mule
• Gaslight Anthem
• Portugal. The Man
• Wolfgang Gartner
• Billy Idol
• Sam Bush & Del McCoury
• Dwight Yoakam
• Foals
• Porter Robinson
• Local Natives
• Matt & Kim
• Dirty Projectors
• Trombone Shorty
• John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension
• Noam Pikelny & Friends
• Amadou & Mariam
• Alt-J
• Father John Misty
• Baroness
• The Tallest Man On Earth
• Walk the Moon
• Preservation Hall Jazz Band
• A-Trak
• The Vaccines
• Earl Sweatshirt
• Paper Diamond
• Holy Ghost!
• Divine Fits
• Mike Birbiglia
• Purity Ring
• Swans
• Frank Turner
• Big K.R.I.T.
• Allen Stone
• Cults
• Lee Fields & The Expressions
• Fatoumata Diawara
• Two Gallants
• The Sheepdogs
• Four Tet
• Calexico
• Japandroids
• Death Grips
• Conspirator
• Wild Nothing
• AraabMUZIK
• John Fullbright
• Django Django
• Haim
• Killer Mike
• Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
• Action Bronson
• Clockwork
• twenty | one | pilots
• Reptar
• DIIV
• Milo Greene
• Lord Huron
• Futurebirds
• Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit
• Charli XCX
• JEFF the Brotherhood
• Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors
• Sea Wolf
• JD McPherson
• Trixie Whitley
• Deap Vally
• Patrick Watson
• Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers
• The Stepkids
• Aoife O'Donovan
• Bombino
• Bernhoft
• Matthew E. White

Blogging Plans for 2013

2013-01-26T00:16:00.001-08:00

I was getting fed up with blogging for quite some time now. It wasn't just a bad case of writer's block, I totally lost interest with blogging.

I have declined a lot of earning opportunities for my blogs this month. I don't really understand how some advertisers would like to advertise ads about Goggles on my food blog. Really. Don't they know that readers on that blog are probably there because of one thing only? Food. Not goggles.

But since listening to a podcast about passive income, seo and adsense from "blogging gurus", I'm now ready to blog again this 2013. I have yet to start formulating my blogging plans for 2013 though.

Check Who Pinned Your Website Images on Pinterest

2013-01-14T16:30:00.001-08:00

Happy Tuesday! Feeling sad today? Paste a fake smile on your face and in 1, 2, 3 your brain will cooperate with that smile!

I was browsing my free entrepreneur issue and an article I've read has reminded me that I have a pinterest account and I have been neglecting it, and blogging too, for months already.

Anyway, the article was saying that there's a way to check who has pinned your website images on pinterest even if you're not on pinterest. Just go to marketmesuite.com/pinme, enter your website URL and a query result will show who has pinned your images.

Great tool to see if this is the right time to create a Pinterest account and take advantage of the third largest social networking site. I have to head on over there now and check whether any of my sites are becoming viral on Pinterest.

First Official Portrait of Kate Middleton, Yay or Nay

2013-01-13T07:11:00.001-08:00

Have you seen Kate Middleton's, the Duchess of Cambridge, first ever official portrait? She apparently studied it for 10 minutes and finds it "Amazing". But art critics have mixed feelings about it.

Some say that Paul Emsley, didn't do justice to the Duchess's first ever portrait which is now on display at London's National Portrait Gallery. Most are blunt in saying that she looks old and drab in the portrait.

What's your opinion on this very important matter? Is Kate Middleton's first official Duchess of Cambridge portrait a yay or a nay?

When to Start Saving for Your Retirement

2012-12-11T01:18:00.001-08:00

The best time to start saving for your retirement fund is now. Seriously. As soon as you start making your own money, and not depend on mom or dad for allowance anymore, start saving for your retirement fund.

Don't start saving for your retirement when you're already renting knee walkers. That's already too late. Start now for you to have "enough" to enjoy your retirement years.

Inspirational Poem: I Wish You Enough

2012-11-27T17:54:00.001-08:00

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.

I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess./p>

I wish you enough “Hello’s” to get you through the final “Goodbye.”

credit to the original author

On top of my to-do list

2012-11-27T02:10:00.001-08:00

A few hours ago, I tweeted that I'm overwhelmed with so much things to do. I was on the boundary of getting crazily-stressed, that to me is a notch higher than stressed, on what I should put on top of my to-do list.

I wasn't able to do a single thing early this morning. Well I was able to go online, pay the bills, update some windows application, and that's about it. That's what I was able to do in 3hours. But those were not even included on the list of things-that's-stressing-me-out.

I went to sleep after that because I only had a total of 4hours of sleep the previous night.

I got woken up by a text message from the school bus operator. The bus got into an accident, good thing it happened 4hours after they dropped off my son in school. The driver died and the school bus mother is in the hospital.

This incident opened my eyes that I shouldn't sweat the small stuff. I should put the "100 blogpost backlogs" on my "small stuffs" list, do 1 or 2 important posts everyday and discard those blogpost backlogs that are not really that important.

To enjoy life is more important. I should therefore do the things that I enjoy doing or at least try (or force myself - mind over matter) to enjoy doing the important things that I should be doing.

So if you've been planning for years to learn how to play a mandolin, go ahead, put that on your to-do list now. Remember, important things should be on top of your list.

EyeSee Mannequins, Creepy or not?

2012-11-23T18:57:00.001-08:00

There apparently are some retail stores, in the US and Europe, who use EyeSee mannequins to check the kind of shoppers they have. The mannequin has a camera embedded in one eye. It sends the gathered data in a facial recognition software which logs the age, gender and race of the person it sees.

This technology was first used in airports to identify criminals. But it has been a big help to retail stores, who use the technology, improve their day to day operation.

Next time you inspect a mannequin on a stores display window, don't forget to put on your best smile. You'll never know if a mannequin is "spying" on you.

What to do when bored

2012-11-22T08:04:00.001-08:00

I haven't experienced boredom these past few months. I've been pretty busy and I must admit I miss being bored. I haven't even had the time to do what I usually do to kill time.

Let me reminisce and share some tips on what I usually do when bored:

1. Read a book - Not all can relate with this, not everyone loves reading. Go on then, proceed to the next suggestion.
2. Listen to music
3. Watch television.
4. Go to the nearest cinema and watch a not-boring movie.
5. Exercise - This will help your brain function well and you'll be able to think clearly enough to find things to do to kill your boredom.

Feel free to add more to the list!

How to Turn-off Blog Visitors

2012-11-22T07:47:00.001-08:00

I've been doing a lot of tweaking lately, to make sure that my loyal blog visitors will remain loyal and first time visitors will become repeat visitors.

I'm trying to pull up my site stats so I've been busy "cleaning up" my sites as well as visiting other blogs. I have my list of favorite sites to visit and sites that I will never, ever visit again.

Here's the surest ways to turn-off your blog visitors - slow loading site.

What to do to fix that problem:

1. You don't have to put social sharing buttons at the top and bottom of your blogpost as well as on the right and left side of your site.
2. 4 small-sized box ads on your sidebar is enough to monetize your site. If for example you already have a box ad, don't allow another box ad pointing at the same site, to make room for other advertisers who want to place an ad on your site.
3. Calendar, Weather info? Remove that from your sidebar please.
4. Your personal info as well as your pictures? It should have its own page, the About page. Don't put it on your sidebar.
5. Limit 4 blog posts at the most on your homepage.

Have you noticed what other common factors slow loading sites have? Do share in the comment section below.

DSWD's Save the Street Kids

2012-11-21T15:41:00.001-08:00

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has recently launched Save the Street Kids. Very timely for the Christmas season, the time of the year when street kids are used by bad groups to generate money. These groups order the kids to steal or beg for money on the streets.

Through DSWD's Save the Street Kids, we can make the lives of these kids better by returning them to their families or housing them in a DSWD center. When you see a street child on the street, here's what you should do:

1. Ask where her mother or father is.
2. Secretary Jinkee Soliman said that a child who can't say where his/her parents are or runs away when asked is an obvious sign that the child is working for a bad syndicate group.
3. Tweet the following to @savestreetkids: complete address/ nearest intersection or landmark where child was seen/ time of sighting.

After receiving your tweet, the @savestreetkids admin will send an acknowledgement reply and deploy a reach out person/team to the address that you've tweeted. We need to be patient since the program is fairly new and there are a lot of street kids that needs to be reached out to in the streets of Metro Manila.

FYI: Available in Metro Manila only, for now.

Is being a young, single mother a sin?

2012-11-12T03:13:00.001-08:00

I'm confused with this Andi Eigenmann and son-of-Erap boyfriend's reason for breaking up. Because she has a child already? Didn't he know that she was pregnant with someone else's child when they became a couple? Late reaction much?

I wonder why his parents don't approve of her. I actually think it doesn't have anything to do with her being a single mother. It’s not a sin to be a young, single mom. She didn’t abort or put her baby up for adoption and most probably she learned from her mistakes.

Maybe there's some truth to the rumor that she’s a prima donna? Whatever’s the reason for their break up, if he can’t fights for her, she should just let him go.

She should be proud that she’s raising her daughter all by herself and doesn’t need any man to help her do that.

Video Tape Transfer to CD format

2012-11-05T04:59:00.001-08:00

I still have a few video tapes that needs to be transferred to any compact disk format. I have been trying to find a cd copying service company that can safely do the transfer. I don’t want to just give the video tapes to just anyone and then find out in the end that they’ve erased the videos.

Some are videos of RJ when he was still a baby. One is during his 1st birthday party. He hasn’t seen those videos yet because our video recorder is already broken.

As I’ve said, I’ve been searching online but still hasn’t found a company that can do the transfer for me.

Help please!

Bill Gates’s Foundation Funds Research for the “Rice of the Future”

2012-11-05T04:24:00.001-08:00

Just read an article on Business Mirror that "the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the British government and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have allocated $14 million to fund the second phase of research for C4 rice over the next three years".

C4 rice is called “the rice of the future” because it supposedly has “improved photosynthesis capacity”. It has a built-in fuel injector that can make 50 percent higher grain production while using less water and nutrients.

The big question is, will C4 benefit our country’s agriculture? Why does our country still import rice from our Asian neighbors? IRRI is housed under our roof, shouldn’t we benefit from their research findings as well?

I don’t exactly know the agreement between our government and IRRI, but our agriculture sector will definitely benefit from IRRI’s research findings.

Overlooked Additions for Your Bath

2012-10-29T03:20:00.001-07:00

Planning on remodeling or redecorating your bathroom? Of course, you have thought of the basics, such as which style you want and which paint colors you like. However, some often overlooked additions can make or break your bathroom's look and feel. Items, such as shower curtain hooks and vanities, are key components in your bathroom's overall appearance and can add an extra punch of style to your room.

Add a touch of personality and flair by choosing details, such as shower curtain liners and hooks that reflect your individual taste. For example, if you love a relaxing, beach-type feel to your bath, choose a liner with a seashell or tropical fish motif. There are many materials and prints available to suit your style. Shower curtain clips and hooks also come in all shapes and sizes and can coordinate with any look you choose. Adding one of the many styles of mirrored vanities available is another way to complete your bathroom's decor. These pieces are designed to provide both function and beauty to your room and are available in single or double-sink styles. Choose a piece that can coordinate with many different accessories, and you can easily change the look of your room by switching towel colors or decorative accents. By keeping your focus on these types of details, you are sure to see your room come together perfectly.

Redecorating your bathroom offers you a chance to create a relaxing oasis for you and your guests. Do not forget to add the extra details that let your personality shine through and can make your room look and feel complete.

All I Want for Christmas

2012-10-25T23:55:00.000-07:00

If I have to list down everything that I want to receive this Christmas, I would fill up a page or two of a regular-sized paper. On top of that list is a new computer. My HP netbook has been slowing down my work pace for the past months already. It’s very slow in loading up web pages. Even booting and rebooting it takes up a lot of time!

I should listen to my sister when she gives me her “this is how to speed up your computer" lecture. But I have a lot of things to “study” and learn lately, a brand new computer is my solution to my computer problem.

So yes, I want a new computer this Christmas. Any takers?

4 Awesome Gifts for Seniors

2012-10-20T22:07:00.000-07:00

Our senior citizen parents very much deserve to receive awesome gifts during christmas or their birthday. But it doesn't have to be just any gift that we can grab at the last minute. It should be something that would make their eyes sparkle with excitement once they receive it. They gave us all the happiness and love they're capable of giving so it's also right that we give them something in return.

Here are some gift suggestions:

Scapbook

They love to go down memory lane. When my grandmother turned 90 years old, I thought of giving her a picture scrapbook. I got my sister's help, we looked for pictures of everyone in the family and made picture collage. We also included her travel pictures and a dedication page where everyone in the family wrote a short love letter for grandma.

Exercise Machine

They're not as strong as they used to but they still need to exercise regularly albeit shorter and not as rigorous as when they were younger. A threadmill or a stationary bike are the most appropriate machine that they can use at home. Although their eyes might not light up with excitement when they see your gift, I'm positively sure they will thank you later on.

Gardening Tools and Books

Most seniors believe they have a green thumb. So why not buy them the most high-tech gardening tools and newest books that you can find. It's ok to splurge, you might get lucky, they might volunteer to do your garden next.

Tablet

Some older people I know are online 24/7. They have their own accounts on facebook, twitter, google plus and some other social networking sites. Aside from chatting with relatives in other countries, who are also their age, they're especially a big fan of facebook and online games. They will love you even more with this gift. Just don't input your credit card information on that tablet.

Goal: To Stay Young Looking Always, Hopefully

2012-10-14T05:46:00.001-07:00

There's no denying the fact that getting old is inevitable. I don't look old, yet, and I feel younger than my age. But that doesn't mean that I should neglect taking care of myself. I take care of my inner body by eating the right amount of food, exercising and being happy. I take care of my outer body by keeping it clean, healthy and young looking.

How do I keep it clean?

Mild or Hypoallergenic Soap - This type of soaps are mild and doesn’t contain strong chemicals that can harm a sensitive skin.
Mild or Hypoallergenic Cleanser - This usually has no fragrances, artificial preservatives or coloring agents thus very appropriate for delicate skin.
Exfoliant - Exfoliating removes dead skin cells on the skin’s outer layer. It is very important to do this at least twice a week to make skin clean and healthy.
Toner - This is a very important product that cleans the dirt that wasn’t removed by using soap and cleanser. It also reduces the size and appearance of pores.

How do I keep it healthy?

Facial Serum - Serum gives added moisture and nutrients to the deeper layers of the skin that a moisturizer can’t penetrate. This should be applied before moisturizer application.
Moisturizer - This gives hydration and moisture to the skin.
Lotion - This product re-hydrates, soften and makes the skin smoother.
Face Mask - There are different types of face mask (e.g. Anti-aging, hydrating, Whitening). Each type has its own active ingredient that helps keep the face healthy.

How do I keep it young looking?

I don't need cheek augmentation because I was gifted with high cheek bones. I don’t have sagging skin yet and hopefully won’t have in the next 50 more years. But I do need a few help for non-invasive treatments from a certified dermatologist once in a while. A good starting point, if you haven’t done it yet but thinks that now is the right time to do it, is do research first. The Victorian Cosmetic Institute’s website is a very good website that has complete information on procedures that can help you stay young looking. The site is very easy to navigate, even a newbie in computer and internet use won’t have a problem navigating it.

Here are a few procedures that I’ve done and planning to do in the future.

Chemical Peels - This procedure regenerates and resurfaces the skin.
Microdermabrasion - This removes dirt that wasn’t removed by regular exfoliation. It actually deeply exfoliates the skin.

If you have been doing nothing to make your outer body clean, healthy and young looking, it’s not too late, you can start right about now.

Checklist for Finding the Best Automotive Service Provider

2012-10-14T04:46:00.001-07:00

Finding the best automotive service provider that can help maintain your car in good condition or repair when broken is not something that you should take lightly. You didn't just buy any car that took your fancy, you compared the pros and cons of different car manufacturers and models. That's what you should also do when looking for the best automotive service company for your car repair and maintenance needs. Here's a checklist of things to consider when comparing car service companies in your area.

Accessibility - Check car service companies near your home and/or workplace. If you travel to neighboring cities, it's also best if your car service company has nationwide branches.
Great Deals - Some companies offer year-round promos and discounts that can help their clients save on car services. Jax Quickfit Tyres Melbourne has these offers for this month:
     - discounted rates for seniors
     - $129 seasonal vehicle service offer
     - Michelin $50 gift card offer
     - American Express cardholder offer
     - interest fee financing
     - tyre deals

Customer Service - When you encounter a car problem, they are the first people you talk to. Good customer service is very important especially in diagnosing car problems while on the road.

Online Presence - A "complete" company website works hand-in-hand with customer service. Complete in the sense that everything about the company and the services they offer can easily be seen on the front page of the site. Jax Quckfit's website is also mobile ready. When browsing it on mobile, the page is uncluttered and very easy to navigate.

Good Quality Service - Ask around, from friends and families, who their car service provider is. Their good experience will help you narrow your search for the best car service companies around the area where you live.

Goodluck in finding the best service provider for your car maintenance and car repair needs.

How to Avoid Motorcycle Accidents

2012-10-10T10:05:00.001-07:00

I've noticed that motorcycles in Manila has increased tremendously this year. And motorcycle riders drive so recklessly without any thought of how they're endangering their lives, not to mention those of other people.

Here are some observations, which motorcycle riders should take note of, to keep themselves and other people safe on the street.

Don't Use The Sidewalk - Only stup*d drivers do this. And there are a lot of them in Manila. Who cares if you're already late for work or an appointment? Leave early next time so you don't endanger those walking on the sidewalk. They have every right to use the sidewalk and you riding your motorcycle don't!

Helmet - If you're using one that the , then you're bound to crack that skull of yours if you fell of that bike, hopefully not, accidentally.

Overtaking Is Bad - I feel horrified everytime I see a motorcycle zooming, zygzagging and overtaking other vehicles on the street. I only see stunt people do that in the movies. In real life, no director will shout "Cut!", so drive safely on the road.

Most Expensive Nail Polish, I want!

2012-10-10T09:51:00.001-07:00

So Kelly Osbourne showed up on the Emmy's red carpet with her nails studded in diamonds! But J.Lo was the first person/celebrity in the world to have her nails painted with the most expensive nail polish ever produced. I wonder who'll be next!

The said nail polish is not selling like hotcakes because of its $250k per bottle price tag. But it will surely make anyone famous, if not yet, once caught with the black diamonds on their finger nails.

I personally think it didn't make Kelly or J.Lo look amazing in pictures. But I'm sure they feel they're the most fashionable and richest girl at the moment they were wearing the expensive nail blings.