Pixiechronicle - Lifestyle and Entertainment

3 Months of Spotify Premium for P129

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Dec 2017 09:59:00 +0000

If you are a music enthusiast (or even if you are not), you probably heard of Spotify.

Spotify is a digital music service that lets people access to million of songs. They also let you create your own playlist, and discover music related to what you always listen to using their services.

When I tried their service for the first time in 2016, I immediately fell in love with this android app and has become one of my favorite things in the world. Spotify previously offered 3 months of Spotify Premium for P9 for new users in March 2016 which I purchased immediately. It was an amazing deal, and I was hooked with listening and discovering new songs that I kept the subscription for another 6 months.

With Spotify, you can search songs and save them on your own playlist. Their list of songs is humongous and they even have tracks from local and indie artists I have been looking for. Ofcourse, it would depend on the track you are looking for. But for my list, they got most of it.

Spotify X Musicxmatch

I partner Spotify with another app called Musicxmatch which plays the lyrics of the songs being played with. The good thing about this app is that it's not only compatible with Spotify but also with any other music player you have.

Spotify Premium is now being offered again. If you're a music enthusiast who wants to utilize the full capabilities of Spotify (like saving songs offline), then this promo is right for you.

Have fun discovering new songs!

Spanish Learning Course: Duolingo and Tinycards

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 07:30:00 +0000

While waiting for my big break, I decided to do something productive. I am trying to learn Spanish!

If you have been following me on my twitter, I usually post about different hobbies and activities that keeps me busy while waiting for 2017 to end. They are mostly random, and sometimes, creative--like me creating friendship bracelet slash keychain and keeping a bullet journal. However, the most underrated thing in my social media is my quest to learning Spanish.

Learning Spanish

Becoming bilingual is not easy. Wait... it's not the right term. This will be my third language apart from Tagalog (Philippine language) and English. Trilingual? Is that even a term. *laughs*

Learning another language is tricky.

It's not easy. I'll rather use the term challenging.

But it's definitely fun.

I sometimes speak Spanish words out loud when I'm talking to other people inside the house. Or when I am doing Spanish activities (which I do religiously).

I am far from being fluent but I am working on it with a little help from different Spanish learning resources.

Yo habla un poco espanol. I can speak a little Spanish.

More of Spanish Learning

There are two applications I find very helpful right now.

Duolingo

This mobile language application is an easy and fun way to learn different language. I first used this in hope to learn Japanese, but it was not yet available in their system yet. And so, I decided to learn Spanish through Duolingo instead.

I use this almost everyday. You earn points and gain experience when you finish certain tasks. They slice the learning process through different lessons, and you need to finish certain lessons first before you can move on to the next ones. What I like about it is that you get to choose the level of how you want to practice everyday. Finishing one lesson a day feels like so much accomplishment already. The psych of it!

You can also join clubs and compete rankings with other user. Cheers for competitive people out there.

Tinycards

I found this app through recommended apps for those using Duolingo. It's like an app you can consecutively use for your Duolingo app to recall certain vocabularies. This works like self-study flashcards you use to check whether you have memorized certain list or definitions when you were in school.

I think, my journey towards learning Spanish is progress. After all, getting progress is better than getting perfect. (I just heard that a lot from watching Marie Forleo).

Have you used Duolingo and Tinycards? Share us your experience.

Discover Music and Convert them Offline

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 03:43:00 +0000

Listening to music is one of my favorite things next to reading when I want to calm my senses. When I wake up, I would try to discover new songs and beat to cool tunes. Or when I’m feeling down, I have my “Fight Songs” playlist already in hand to cheer me up. I dance to “Midnight Fun” playlist or when I just want to chill, I have my “Senti” songlist playing already.

In my quest to music discovery, I find Youtube and Spotify as good venue. I mostly depend on Youtube though in discovering local and international indie singers. I find their song renditions amazing and let’s face it, these are hidden gems yet to be discovered by the whole world. And I think they are more precious discoveries.

Discover Singers

My current favorite is Renee Dominique. She is a Filipino music artist who plays with her guitar or ukulele while singing on her videos. Her voice is angelic and I’m sure you’ll be amazed with her talent as well.

I love playing her ukulele playlist because the tune is just so amazing and goes great with the instrument. Now my interest for ukulele just started. I was trying to search her renditions in Spotify but they are not present.

Fret not though, I found the best way to listen with music offline.

Media Offline

Wondershare Video Converter is amazing software that lets you convert media files into different types. It would be a wonderful tool if I have discovered it during my study when we had to do a lot of videos and editing for projects with specific file type for submission (e.g. AVI only or MP4 only).

One function I love about this application is that you can download videos directly from URL. It’s very easy to download Youtube videos through this app and what more, convert them to MP3 file like what I did for Renee’s videos. Learn how to converter MPEG to MP4.

It's a huge leap in managing media files. Many files can't be played by standard music and video player. I remember having to convert videos before I can play them in my phone. Android is more resilient now though but knowing that you have a trusty application you can always depend on. You may download Wondershare Video Converter Here.

If you love the song and the music artist, buy the album to support them. But if you're with me and you love listening to music from these soulful artist, then having their music offline and play them wherever and whenever can make all the difference.

Learning Spanish Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 Oct 2017 09:14:00 +0000

A few months ago, I have decided to do something new. I tried to learn a new language--Spanish.

Why this language you say? I just thought that learning this would be easier than other languages because some of the words used in the Tagalog language were derived from Spanish.

However, teaching yourself something you have no knowledge about is not easy. But if you have resources to help you, then it can serve as a guideline to help you learn Spanish.

My plan months ago to learn the language did not have a lot of progress until last month when I started gaining a lot of free time. Today, I am trying to increase my vocabulary and hopefully someday, become fluent in Spanish.

For starters, here are some good resources to help you learn Spanish language:

Duolingo

Duolingo is a mobile language application which introduces language learning in a fun and exciting way. Play while learning Spanish by translating words, and multiple choice statements. Learning is divided in bite size lessons and you earn prize or lose life through the process.

The process is pretty simple and easy to understand. This is a great tool to learn new vocabulary and some Spanish basics however, it can be challenging to learn grammar through this platform. You can download this mobile app for Android, iOS phone, and Windows phone.

Butterfly Spanish

Learn the basic of Spanish language and a whole lot more for free from Ana, a.k.a. the Butterfly Spanish of Youtube. Watching her videos as she teaches Spanish really feels like you are a student in a classroom with her as your teacher.

She teaches Spanish in a way so practical that it's easier to understand. I have some questions from Duolingo regarding grammar which were answered when I watched Butterfly Spanish lessons. I highly recommend you watch her video for introductory lessons in Spanish language.

The Mixxer

Another good way to learn Spanish is by finding a language partner who you can converse with and talk in the language you are learning. The Mixxer is a non-profit website hosted by Dickinson College to help students find a native language speaker of their study. The users from this site are varied so I guess someone can find a language partner of different kinds through this platform.

I am still on the process of learning Spanish with two companions I met from the site who wanted to enhance their English language in exchange. We haven't started out yet, but I know it will be a good foundation for my education.

My Spanish is beyond good yet but it is getting better. I think practice will be my key if I continue with this. I hope these sites will help you just like they are helping me.

Share with us:
What language do you want to learn / or are learning?
Are you familiar with the things I mentioned above?
Have you had a language partner before?

2017 with a New Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 10 Jan 2017 03:59:00 +0000

When people welcome the New Year, a list of resolutions file up in my feed. I will do this... I will do that... I will become a new person. But I started feeling that it's not really that. New Year's resolutions are just things to cheat ourselves to think that we will change.

Hey, that is one pessimistic line! I know, maybe I could be more optimistic. Maybe there is a better way to write this down.

Live the Dream

January marks the start of new beginnings. There's already a few things in my list that I am eyeing to do. That mostly includes soul searching and dream catching.

The Year to Travel

In a few months, I will be graduating in college. I can't wait. I am excited. I used to loath the moment because I will be separating ways with my circle of friends, but after redeeming myself before the year ended, I just stopped having bad thoughts about it. It's not that I stopped loving my friends, but I've come in terms with the facts that one way or another, we will be separating our ways in the future. Depressing thoughts alert my mind right now. I love you friends.

I am thinking that this time, I might be spending it more with my family or with some of my other friends. Ate Reg, my former dormmate is actually asking me to go backpacking with her on a beach or somewhere. I'm quite excited because we are planning to do this together with Ate Rose (another former dormmate). It feels like were some independent women.

I am not sure though that would happen any soon now. I have to focus on studies until I graduate this March 2017, review for board until July, and finally take the board by August. I have too much to do by then but I know one way or another I'll be able to squeeze some time for travel.

A Year to Love Myself Better

A few days before the year has ended, I've started to come in terms with my worth as a person. A person I love passed away and it was disheartening. It just triggered anxiety in me. Things just seemed to pile up one by one and I became so sensitive emotionally to the people close to me. Things they said, things they did. As much as I try not to admit it because I don't want people thinking I'm forcing myself to them, I'm hurt because I care for them. And feeling like they don't for me is really sad.

This year, I started embracing myself more. Spending time reading books, studying, and eating alone has made me feel more comfortable. I stopped procrastinating over it but sometimes, I can still find myself thinking about it.

This time, this year, I declare that this would be the year to start loving myself more. Distance myself from people and things who makes me feel anything less. This is the year to love myself better. And it's quite working. It's quite weird being able to make others happy but feel otherwise yourself.

A Year to Try Something New

I could proudly tell anyone that I am the kind to try something just for the sake of experience. But ofcourse, there's a limit from the bad stuffs that without a thought should never be tried. I am looking forward trying a new hobby or learning a unique skill.

I've started trying to learn Spanish using the Duolingo app and I've been watching, otherwise listening to Youtubers. I actually like Youtube a lot because I find it interesting seeing regular people sharing their life and videos. It's also a weird way for me to learn and practice my English. I might share my favorite Yotubers soon. They're totally awesome.

This year, I'm trying to make it everything about myself. I'm trying to practice self-care and instead of procrastinating over what others feel (because I care for them a lot), I will be focusing more on my feelings.

What about you, how do you see 2017?

Installing a Subway Tile Backsplash

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 04:03:00 +0000

If you want a really great way to add style, design, and personality to a kitchen, it doesn’t involve paint or new floor tiles. It involves a new backsplash. Are backsplash tiles beneficial in terms of cooking? Well of course. They keep food and other debris off of the wall. But, over the years more and more people are also adding backsplash tiles to their walls because it's trendy, stylish, can add color and texture to the walls and it looks amazing. Now, if you want to install a really great tile, and have really good kitchen backsplash ideas in your mind, subway tile is a good one to look at. Visit www.tilemarkets.com and see what options you can go through. This is a big material trend this year and will be for the next few years. You could also have a look at schluter.com. Here is a quick summary of how to install subway tile backsplash.

Materials Needed:

Tiles for the walls
Tile Adhesive like mastic or thinset
Spacers
Trowel
A nipper for your tiles or a tile saw
Grouting
Sponges
Grout Sealer
Colored Caulk to Match the Grouting

First Thing’s First

Always clean your walls before painting, wallpapering, or back splashing. Just do this quickly with a warm sponge that has been dampened with some water. Let it dry before you begin the next steps.

Second Step

Wipe a layer of mastic, thin-set, or adhesive on the wall. This tends to be a thick white substance. This really just helps your tiles stick to the wall. After you spread out your mastic, you want to make sure that all the mastic is smooth i.e. if there are any grooves or scoop lines, smooth them out. It's best to work row by row rather than slap this all on the wall – it will dry.

Aligning The Tiles

Assuming you are using individual tiles, take your first tile, bottom right-hand side, and make it flush with the wall as well as the counter. This is going to be the first puzzle piece in a much larger puzzle. Make sure that you press the tile into the mastic. Next, place a spacer between that tile and the next and repeat and rinse until you have an entire row done. Next, on that first tile you laid down, place a spacer on the top so that when you start the new row, you know where to go, add spacers after each tile is placed down, again rinse and repeat. This is very easy, just a tad tedious.

Clear Out The Mastic

Make sure that as you are doing your rows, you are clearing out any mastic that got on the tiles and any mastic that is between the tiles. If you don’t do this now it's going to be very hard in the near future. You have to remember, this stuff gets like dried cement.

Using Your Snippers

Not every subway tile is going to fit perfectly. I know, I’m sorry. I wish it did. But, what you can do is use snippers or a tile cutter to cut the tile into the shape and size you need. Elephantjournal.com provides you good reads on almost everything. So instead fiddling around, have a look at the site for some ideas. Or, simply use a tape measure to measure the size you need, then use a pencil and a ruler to make the lines where they need to go. Then use your tile cutter. A lot of people like snippers, it almost looks like a very small thick pen. It has a blade that comes out that “scores” the line and allows you to literally crack the piece in half right on the line to create the perfect size you need. This will need to be done around weird angles, outlets, switch plates, etc.

Visual Aspects

At this point you should look at your wall and see an entire wall of subway tiles – 4 inches to 8 inches up your wall, 8 inches to 12 inches, or the entire wall – all three options have their own benefits and looks. Between each tile on its bottom, top, left and right side (depending on the area of the tile) you should see your spacers. Good? Okay, awesome.

Wait To Dry and Then Grout

Your mastic will most likely take about 24 hours to dry. Check the label to make sure. Once it's done drying you get to do the fun part. Take all of your spacers out. This is messy and at first, you might feel like you screwed up somewhere along the way, but just go with it. Take your grout and mix it up. Then, take your trowel and place that wet grout all over the wall, spreading it out evenly and pushing it into the spaces (where the spacers used to be) of the wall tiles. Again, it's probably going to look messy, but it’ll work out.

Once you’ve applied grout to all the tiles and gotten it all inside of the spaces, you need to take a sponge, dampened with warm water, and then wipe the wall down. This is going to get rid of the grout from the tiles. This will need to be done several times over.

Make sure that you keep the grout where it belongs, in the spaces. Next, use your grout sealer and place that all over the grout lines. If it gets on the tile, get it off asap because once it dries, it's really hard to get off and it will show up on the tiles.

Lastly, take your caulk, the color choice is yours, and place that on the line right above the counter space. And pretty much any other place you need to. The caulk does not go in grout lines. That’s a whole other project.

Now, you will be looking at a beautiful and flawless end result. Because, it adds color, style, and function. Can't ask for anything much easier than that.

2016: An Eagle's View

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Jan 2017 14:12:00 +0000

Today, I reflected about how 2016 went. It was challenging. I worked hard twice. I cried some tears. I laughed a whole lot. But yesterday, it marked the start of the New Year. New me. New you. New us.

2016 may have ended but the memories and experience I had will never cease in my mind. I have a lot of things I have to be thankful and wept for. It would be a very long list if I have to enumerate them all so I had to compress them into few specific categories.

Travel

Would you believe that 2016 have been the most productive year I had for travel? Yes, it is. Just imagine going to different places. After the school started, we became a whole lot busier, but that didn't stopped us.

Here's a rundown of the areas I have been to.

Mt. Pamitinan in Rodriguez, Rizal - The first mountain I climbed. I went here with my circle and it was really fun. I wrote a post about my first mountain climbing experience at Mt. Pamitinan a while back.
Binan, Laguna - This was where I had my on-the-job training together with Joy, Mark, and Win. It was quite the two months of my life. I also experienced long distance friendship and quite enjoyed it. Stories were twice entertaining. (Say 'hi' Erin)
Calauan, Laguna - Part of my OJT gave us the priviledge to visit some of the site location being handled by the company we were at. I was quite disheartened with the situation in the area we visited. That's why my conviction for my program became stronger after this visit.
Baguio City (May, December) - I went to Baguio City for the first time in May to attend a convention. it was exciting and I was able to bring home the bacon on the contest I participated. Too bad I only stayed there for one night, and a day, then went home the following night to make it in time for the Pahiyas Festival in Lucban. Fortunately, I was able to come back this time with my family last December.
Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon - Imagine an 8 hour drive from Baguio City to Cubao, then another 5 hours to Lucban. It was not cool. And I had to walk for like 2-3 hours because the traffic to Lucban was the worst during that time. But hey, it was an awesome experience.
Mt. Binacayan in Rodriguez, Rizal - Our second hike. It was awesome. I realized something during this hike which I hope to bury deep down in a pit somewhere. But yeah, awesome. I got over that.
Mt. Hapunang Banoi in Rodriguez, Rizal - Our third hike. Remember that second hike was never the same as the third hike. And it was worth knowing.

That was the gist of my most important travel experience. I hope to share more about them but it's kind of a mess right now to do so.

Friendship

I had the best circle in the college for crying out loud!

Let me be more specific and detailed about it briefly. We are six (6) in the group. Joy, Erin, Mark, Win, Lyn, and I. We were always together. As in most of the time in school. We did most overnights together for our projects or random stuffs. Celebrated many events together. And traveled through heights together.

Like any other friendship, we had differences. Well, we're not really the same. We do not have the same hobbies, likes and dislikes but we met each other and we clique sometime around. And so, our friendship started. We had a few bumps last semester, but we became closer somewhere.

Four of us are graduating this semester (Lyn, Win, Mark and I). I hope we would all stay connected after this. I love these guys a lot. I do think my love for them have grown unconditionally.

Academics

Yey! I'm doing better in study. After laying low for many semesters, I think I'm going back. It's a rough transition especially that I am handling an organization and graduating this semester.

But yes, I had to say, it was a really challenging year. I wept. I cried. I have to say I learned that I hate Plumbing and doing drafts. I had to endure sleepless nights mostly because of it. It was cruel. Out of all the areas in my program, I have to say I know one--I don't like Plumbing the most.

Relationships

I am trying to become a stronger person, and yes, I think I achieved it. But apart from all the things I acquired, there are still times when I felt vulnerable.

I met a lot of awesome people, and learned to love my inner self more. But truth is, I started to loath the idea that one of these days, these people will not going to be with me anymore. And I feel sad just thinking about it. I can sometimes cry for it.

This is one of the reason why I preferred having no label in relationship. Like I can be your friend but I can not be called your best friend. I don't have that kind of relationship with anyone. I only have closer friends. And these guys I have right now, they're the closest I have. I hate to see them all disperse at one point.

The most important thing though is, 2016 has been the best so far. By growing old, I learned a lot of things. A year older. A year wiser. I can never trade it for anything. I do hope 2017 will be better. Fingers crossed!

Three Health Strategies That Can Help You Feel Your Best

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 08:40:00 +0000

In today's world, more and more people are realizing that great health is the key to optimizing mood and enhancing productivity in one's personal or professional life. If you're ready to jump on the health bandwagon, now is the perfect time to start implementing wellness techniques that will help you begin feeling your best. Here are three of the most effective tips to get you started:

1. Locate The Right Doctor.

One great way to ensure that you get on the road to great health is by locating the right doctor. This step will help ensure that you attain the preventive care necessary to fight disease and detect existing conditions early so they can be eliminated with skill and speed. When you start looking for the right medical professional, be sure to consider Dr. Bryant MD. Dr. Bryant offers a wide range of health-optimizing services that help clients optimize their level of physical and mental well-being. Additionally, Dr Bryant offers the detail-oriented, results-driven cellulite reduction Los Angeles citizens need and deserve.

2. Join Your Local Gym.

Another health strategy you should consider implementing to start feeling your best is joining your local gym. This is the step that can really take your level of well-being from good to great by optimizing your physiological system. Some of the health benefits people attain from engaging in regular exercise include:

better sleep
enhanced immunity
clearer thinking
better memory
weight management
improved metabolism
better posture
enhanced digestion

3. Optimize Your Eating Habits.

Many health experts agree that the single most important factor that contributes to or detracts from wellness is the food one eats. As such, it's a good idea to focus in on optimizing your eating habits if you're serious about feeling your best. There are many ways that you can get this process underway, and one of them includes utilizing free online resources like www.cronometer.com. This resource enables you to document the food you consume each day. You can then go in and analyze your food intake based on factors like how many calories you've consumed and what your fat/carb/protein ratios were.

Don't Delay: Get Healthy Today!

If you're serious about feeling your best so you can lead an extraordinary life, you can begin the process of health optimization immediately. Use some or all of the techniques listed above to ensure that you begin moving forward today!

Why Reading a Book Can Help Develop Your Fullest Potential

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 01:38:00 +0000

When time and money won't permit taking a vacation, one of the best alternatives is the type of imaginary travel that ignores both time and a budget. Books offer that type of get-a-way. You can leave your home and travel to the furthest corners of the world on the wings of a good book.

Many Windows of Opportunity...

Perhaps one of the best things we can teach our children to do is to learn how to read. Aside from the obvious benefits of developing literacy, reading opens up whole new worlds of your own choosing. Regardless of the genre, books allow you to go wherever you want, stay as long as you like, and do whatever you want to do. If you are reading that thriller that focuses on a character named Craig on Twitter, the plot can carry your emotions all the way up to the shocking conclusion, if the book holds our attention enough. The expansiveness of reading often stimulates creativity which can resurface in your actual life in terms of learning how to think outside the box and to use truly authentic ways to solve your own problems.

Unlimited Mental Stimulation...

If you've ever wanted to engage in an activity that allows you to be consistently stimulated, reading is that activity. It has the ability to keep the mind stimulated and active, unlocking wells of peace and positive feelings. Books also help to ease the ravages of a racing mind, and soothe a worrisome spirit: they also have a funny way of doing the heavy lifting of entertainment for us. As our eyes scan the pages of a book, we become the remote control, rewinding, fast-forwarding, and pausing as we see fit. These magical hard or soft bodied objects filled with paper and ink become like gardens of mystery, allowing us to linger, observe, and peruse the grounds of our own imagination till our hearts are content. Reading is one of the single most economical activities that we can allow our minds to actively engage in.

Our children are taught to develop this precious skill as soon as possible, which is a true treasure because reading opens many doors and allows us to accomplish many things, for business, personal, and professional purposes. At the very least, it's a wonderful guilt-free way to keep us entertained for hours, and at the very most, our ability to read can solve mysteries and give us both insight and instructions on everything from how to slay our own dragons and change the oil in our car's.

Road to Graduation

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 14:25:00 +0000

This has been the craziest semester of my life. That is how I could sum the 1st semester of this school year (2016-2017). Crazy indeed but one of the best, memorable, and fun one. It centers mostly (really most of it) on academics, and friendship which I would never trade for something slacker that this.

The Beginning: It was Chill

The semester ticked off with us chilling out. It was one of those relaxed moments when we had nothing to do but relax and find things to do.

The first few weeks was spent at Mark's house. He lives a few blocks away from the campus and we literally went there everyday. We watched movies, told stories, had fun, sung songs and many other random things that only our circle would find interesting--Joy, Erin, Win, Lyndel and Mark. Those were the happiest moments.

I can still remember a conversation from Mark and some of our friends. They can't believe that being a 5th year would be so--chill. The only thing which they found to be quite the work would be the baby thesis paper we have to write for our Air Pollution Fundamentals course.

A few more months passed by and we had to deal with problems within our circle. It was a clash of minds and heart and a mixture of both. There were revelations and things I never expected to know and hear, and realize, and happen.

We lay low for many weeks, and I can't help but miss our moments together. And then, there came our projects.

When you say Prelims, here are some of the most absurd and good things which happened.

I spent a whole week pulling an all-nighter. This was the longest preparation for a project I made myself do. For almost a week, I pulled an all-nighter just to work with my project which involves rewriting 400+ solved problems. (-_-)
I slept for only 30 minutes. Apart from my project above, I have to work with another one, which took the toll out of me. I had only 30 minutes of sleep the day we had to pass those projects. I was not alone. Our whole class were guessing which one of us slept and which one chilled the previous night. And guess like we all pulled a night shift.
I slept right after I passed my Prelim exam paper to my professor. When I woke up, there were a handful of students in the room. It was the first time I did that. I won;t be able to forget how I felt that time. I told myself this won't happen again--I mean, pulling all the nigh shifts just to finish my projects. But it happened again. But the sleeping-right-after-exam didn't. Thankfully!
I watched Nick Vujicic live! I don't really like spending so much on one-time events but this got me good, and I don't regret doing so. In fact, it's one of the highlights of this term. Moreover, I crossed one part of my bucketlist--attend an event in Araneta Center. It was my first time there and it was worth every dime. (My dormmate Ana was there too. Had different seats though.)

Midterms: It was the Start

Midterm was about the same time we had to went through a lot of internal problems within our circle. It was a real big challenge. Someone's been keeping some secrets but I guess that's part of the challenge.

For my midterm stories, here's a good list.

Had to go on a mountain trail for a college project. Literally! Not much of hiking but it was like that. We had to cross a small river and went up steep trails. But it was definitely exciting! O, the effort we had to put.
Another sleepless night. This time, I went through the experience with Joy. She stayed in our unit and we pulled an all-nighter to finish our Plumbing project for a 2-storey house. Had 1 hour of sleep.
We surprised Mark on his 21st birthday. Okay, so I never had fully planned a surprise party before with friends, but yes, we were able to pull this off. And I did a lot of things I would never do again (like bringing two bags of fully-loaded groceries for miles away). We spent the night on their apartment.
My friends surprised me on my 21st birthday. I was kind of expecting it, but at the same time, I was kind of surprised to have this one given the circumstances. We spent the night on Yellow Cab with baloons and pizzas, and whatmore, cakes and laughters. This was the first time I experienced being surprised like this so I can't be more thankful for them.

Finals: The Finale

A lot had happened and the finals approached. It was literally hell for us. Imagine spending days of overnights and another sleepless nights for projects and deadlines. We were blessed enough that most of these deadlines were extended a number of times.

Spent three nights pulling overnights at Mark's house. Three straight days. The first day, we had to finish our Plumbing plan for a 7-storey building. The whole circle stayed at Mark's. The second, we had to finish our research paper for the Activated Charcoal we have been experimenting on. The third night, we did our best to work and furnish our Plumbing project.
An unexpected overnight. We spent the third day celebrating for the sleepless night. Though we still had to work with the projects again because they were again extended. Right after having a dinner outside, we went back at Mark's to get our things, but lo and behold. I was too sleepy at the diner alone, that I took a nap the moment I stepped into their apartment. When I woke up, it was already past 12am and everybody, except Joy, was asleep on the living room.
We didn't review for our Final exam. It means what it says. Could sound not true, but it was. It was crazy to think we didn't review for our Finals but our time was too tight and with all the overnights, from Wednesday to Sunday, we were only able to review while walking from Mark's to the campus, and on similar occasion. We literally used our stocked knowledge! I feel so blessed some lessons were retained.
All our professors went berserk. It was a exaggerated word but yes, we made all our professors mad on us. Not that out group was directly involved, well, on one prof, Win was. Nadamay lang kami. Unfortunately.
I passed all my courses! I am so glad I passed all my subjects this semester. I won't admit it as much I'd like to because some of my friends failed in their other subjects. But I am really happy with the end result. I lost focus from the middle 'til the end of the game and I kind of regret that, but I am still proud with what I achieved. I received flat 1.00 in one of my courses which was quite an achievement for a 5th year engineering student. I did not made the cut as my GWA was 1.92 but I am still happy. Thank you Lord! All for your glory.

There were more to these stories than that but I am thinking of editing them later to include all details. Apparently, I still see my blog as my diary.

One thing I love about this semester is that, I am graduating this coming one. :) After all the challenges and struggles, I've finally come to this point. And know what?

I am a regular 5th year graduating engineering student this coming semester.

I know, what's there to cheer about being a regular? But hey, I transferred and I shifted course. All my units was a mess until today. This is my first time being a regular student in my college and what more, this happened on my last semester. I can't be any happier. :)

I know, there are more challenges ahead of me this coming semester but my mantra is solid, "I will graduate and march this March 2017".

I will graduate and march this March 2017.

Essential Home Office Items

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Jul 2016 00:33:00 +0000

Being a blog writer, everyone assumes that I must know all the answers out there. Part of having a website and running a blog is doing my homework. So, while it may be true that I know a lot about what’s out there, it’s only because I have done my homework to figure out quite a few things. One thing that I’m constantly working on is how to furnish my home office for cheap.

When you are a blog writer, you need to furnish your home office with things like a desk, chair, perhaps even a standing desk or one to sit fold-legged at as well. It’s good to have a variety of options. The last thing you want to do is stay in the same position all day. While it is great to have a chair that is comfortable and provides great support, make sure to set up two, three, or even four different stations that you can use throughout the work day.

Besides just having a work station, though, you need to keep it well stocked. This involves not only having things like pens and pencils, but having organizers to keep everything nice and tidy, as well as desk lamps so that you can see everything you will need to see.

All of these things cost money of course, and if you are just starting out with your home business, you likely are not in a great position to invest a lot of money on your home office. If you need to set up a home office on a shoestring, there is one surefire way to ensure you get some great, useful items that will not drain your bank account.

Check out Groupon’s latest partnership with Quill to see some of the latest deals available. Groupon and Quill are offering fantastic discounts, such as $25 off technology products and 10% off furniture orders. If you don’t see something you like today, just check back in a day or two – one of the best parts about the new partnership between Groupon and Quill is that the discounts are updated regularly.

Once you’ve settled on what items your home office needs, take some time to invest wisely and get the stuff you need for less.

How To Find The Best Local Golf Course

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 04 Jul 2016 06:49:00 +0000

If you want to take advantage of the great weather for some great golfing, then we’re way ahead of you! We’ll tell you how to find the best golf course for you, whether you want to warm up or play a full round.

1. Pro Shop and Clubhouse

When arrive to the golf course, the clubhouse is your first point of contact. This is central point for everything you’ll need during your visit, including picking up your golf cart, signing in to your tee time, and going to the locker rooms, pro shop, and restaurant.

The pro shop should have everything you need golf-wise, whether big or small. It should offer everything from the best golf clubs for different skill levels to last minute must-haves like ball markers and tees. Some shops even offer special services like golf club fittings and private lessons.

image by Krzysztof Urbanowicz

2. Quality of Golf Course and Surroundings

Different characteristics make a course unique and pleasant to play on, which might include ocean views, green hillsides, or wide open greens. Not only are these pleasant features, but they can also impact your game. Playing on a new course offers a unique theme while adding variety to each hole.
You’ll also want to have a look at the golf cart paths, as some are in better condition than others. Rough paths can be hard on your golf cart shocks, since you’ll not only be driving from hole to hole but also going in search of your ball.

3. Amenities

Most golf courses include a driving range, chipping area, and a putting green. These areas are best for warm ups and spending time working on swing repetitions. Some courses have the unique feature of guest cottages, which can make for a unique weekend golfing experience. Consider what you’re looking for when taking note of these features.

4. Price and Tee Time

Much of the time, the thing that determines which golf course you go with is the price and availability. There are multiple ways to book your tee time. Sites like GolfNow and TeeOff are good for researching the nearest golf courses. These two websites have a listing of tee times for golf courses the world over. They also provide discount rates at times. If you have a course in mind, just go to the course’s website to check it out, or call them up.

Kindle Paperwhite Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 21:12:00 +0000

Being the reader I am, reading in all forms pose no problem. I understand that some novels were published only in ebook or in physical copies. For a good chance, and by all means, here is a giveaway where you could win a Kindle and read that favorite digital book you love.

Welcome to the Kindle Paperwhite Giveaway Event - This is a fun big event, just because!

Hosted by: Lil' Blog and More, Life, Naturally, & Your Strong Tower.

and Co-hosted by: Utah Explore, and Deliciously Savvy.

Good Luck everyone!

The Giveaway!

1 lucky winner will receive a Kindle Paperwhite. Open to Worldwide entries. Ends 7/2. Enter using the GiveawayTools form, below:

Entry -Form

Disclosure:
The bloggers involved in this giveaway were not compensated, and are
not responsible for prize fulfillment. Lil' Blog and More will be sending the
prize out. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter this giveaway.
This giveaway starts June 10th, 2016, and will end on July 2nd, 2016 at
11:59 pm. The winner will be emailed, and have 48 hours to respond, or a
new winner will be chosen. Once a winner is drawn and confirmed, the
name will be announced on the GiveawayTools form.

Blogger Opp: Kindle Paperwhite Giveaway (Sign Ups Close 6/6)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 05:47:00 +0000

Hey bloggers! Here is a great new blogger opportunity (Hosted by Lil' Blog and More)

This will be a fun event, that will gain a big turn out, so be sure to join in (There are lots of
options available!)

If you sign up tell them PIXIECHRONICLE sent you.

Prize for the event: Kindle Paperwhite

Actual Giveaway Dates: 6/10 - 7/2

This is a great way to gain a lot more followers on your social media channels! There are completely FREE options, sharing options (for additional entries on the form.) and paid options, available!

Last day to sign up for this event: 6/6

You can sign up HERE

Going Beyond: DNA and Tissue Samples

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 May 2016 04:56:00 +0000

DNA and tissue samples are needed in many different areas of the research and medical fields. They are often used for the development of new drugs to fight various diseases. However, obtaining quality samples is not something that is very easy to do. There are certainly many facilities that advertise the fact that they have a large number of samples in stock to be used for the development of drugs, genotyping services and various other tasks. However, the quality of these samples is often not at the level that is needed in order to perform the most accurate research possible. Here are a few ways you can go about finding a company that provides DNA and tissue samples.

1. How have the samples been collected?

This is a very critical question to have answered before you decide to do business with a particular facility. You need to be certain that all of the DNA and tissue samples have been collected in the correct manner so the viability of each specimen is not compromised in any way. Keep in mind that you are paying money for the highest quality samples to be used in your various research projects. Therefore, you would be wise to make sure that you are getting the most bang for your buck. Unfortunately, there are some dishonest companies that will try to sell low quality specimens and still charge top dollar for them. It is essential that you know exactly what you will be getting before any money changes hands.

2. Who are some of the facility's other clients?

You can learn a great deal about the DNA and tissue sample provider's reputation in the industry based on who some of their previous clients have been. There is a good chance the facility you are looking into is legit if it has regularly done business with some of the top laboratories and medical research facilities in the country. These top facilities would not risk jeopardizing their reputation by procuring their research samples from a company that is not completely reputable.

3. Will they refund any unused samples?

It is common in many research fields for samples to go unused for various reasons. For example, a project might lose its funding and the research comes to an end. It is important to know that you will be able to get your money back if you run into a similar situation with your own research.

Creating Cooking Videos with the Movavi Video Editor

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 02:40:00 +0000

Do you fancy yourself somewhat of a chef and have some unique ideas or dishes that you’d like to share? Nowadays cooking videos are extremely popular on video sharing websites, and you could create your very own that guides people through the recipe and different stages of cooking.

To create a cooking video is actually quite easy and all you need to do is record the footage that you need showing the ingredients, preparation, and process involved in cooking the recipe itself. Of course if you want to ensure your video looks great then you’re going to want to edit it – which is where the Movavi Video Editor will come in handy.

Improving and Polishing a Cooking Video

With the extensive features of the Movavi Video Editor, you’ll be able to improve your video in numerous ways. From small tweaks and edits to enhance and fix various issues, to larger and more comprehensive changes – the software will give you a range of options that you can use to edit video to your liking.

When you want to edit your cooking video, some of the features that you should consider using include:

Cutting and combining video segments in order to remove any unnecessary footage from your cooking video and merge clips together in the sequence required.
Enhancing the overall quality of the video automatically or manually, and correcting any common issues such as shaky, blurry or pixelated video segments.
Adding audio tracks to include voiceovers and background music using audio files or by capturing the audio directly via a microphone or some other device.
Inserting customizable text to create unique-looking subtitles, captions, watermarks or titles.
Applying stylish filters and special effects to alter the visual appearance of the video.

Armed with these features you’ll have no shortage of options to improve your cooking video and get it looking just right. Needless to say adding a voiceover that guides people through the process is a must, and adding subtitles or creating captions with a list of ingredients and steps might not be a bad idea either.

Frankly speaking the sky is the limit when you use the Movavi Video Editor – and with a bit of experimentation you’ll find that its potential is nearly endless. Because it is so intuitive and user-friendly you should have no problem putting these features to use and coming up with a professional and polished video.

When you’re done, the Movavi Video Editor will even provide you with hundreds of presets to help you optimize your video for any device or platform. Assuming you’d like to upload it to YouTube or some other video sharing platform, you simply have to select that preset and let the software handle the rest.

Brainstorming Ideas for Making Your House Look Better

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 10:59:00 +0000

Your home is full of possibilities when it comes to making it look and feel better. If you want to give your home a total makeover, you may need help coming up with ideas and even other tasks like figuring out how to budget for the renovations or find contractors near you today that can assist in the work. When you want to give your remodeling efforts your full attention, you can simplify the preliminary basics by going online to the website today. The site is full of suggestions, ideas, and guidelines that can make your renovations successful and also help you stay within budget.

Getting Ideas for Possible Projects

You may not even realize what kind of work can be carried out in the typical work. Sometimes the most successful renovations are those that are seemingly the most common sense and obvious. For example, if you have a small bathroom and want to make it look and feel bigger, you can go on the website today and check out suggestions like using a corner bathtub instead of a large one in the center of the room. A corner tub or even a simple shower stall can be all it takes to make your small bathroom look bigger.

Likewise, you may want to make your home's exterior look better. When your home looks like it needs a fresh coat of paint, you may save time and money by putting up vinyl siding instead. You can consider these and other options by exploring the full list of possibilities on the website today.

Vetting Bids

Once you have an idea of what kind of work you want done, you can then move onto getting bids from local tradesmen and contractors. Rather than call these businesses yourself, you can use the website as a middle man and vet the bids through the site.

This process keeps you safer and also lets you know which contractors are legitimate and which ones should be avoided. The company can guide you in your vetting process if you need help.

Your home has a wide range of possibilities to make it look and feel more comfortable. Renovating your home can also add value to its appraisal price. You can find ideas and get help with the remodeling every step of the way when you go to the website now.

Three Techniques That Can Take Your Bottom Line From Average To Awesome

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 06:57:00 +0000

At some point, many business owners take a look at their bottom line and realize that it is lackluster. Whether the numbers are disappointing because they've stayed the same or you didn't hit a goal, it's important to acknowledge that there are strategies you can use to start seeing the mind-blowing conversion rates you want. Get the conversion optimization process underway right now by utilizing the following techniques:

1. Keep Your Equipment In Excellent Shape.

If you're really determined to optimize your company's bottom line, it's time to recognize the importance of updating your commercial machines and devices. When you continue to use outdated equipment, you slow down your company's ability to complete the daily tasks which contribute to making sales and winning new customers. As such, it's important for you to make the systematic update and optimization of your equipment a must. If your company makes regular use of broadband services, you can obtain a new hybrid coupler and related devices from retailers such as Werlatone, Inc.

2. Enhance Customer Engagement.

These days, more and more marketing experts are recognizing the role that engagement can play in optimizing a business owner's bottom line. Although defined diversely, the term "engagement" basically references the degree to which the business owner keeps the prospective client involved with the brand in a meaningful way. Engagement is important because it enhances the brand recognition process, builds trust in the integrity of the business owner, and increases the likelihood of conversion. There are hundreds of ways that you can enhance your level of customer engagement, including the distribution of e-newsletters and communication with the target market through social channels like Facebook and Twitter.

3. Optimize Your Health.

Unfortunately, many business owners do not make the connection between their level of health and their ability to perform on the job. Don't commit this oversight. When you experience signs of declining health like energy lags and unstable moods, your ability to complete job-related tasks quickly and correctly is seriously impaired. As such, it's important for you to do all that you can to enhance your health right now. Here are just a few wellness techniques you can employ to make it happen:

meditation
massage
relaxation techniques (aromatherapy, sauna, etc.)
green juice

Conclusion

If you want your company to consistently earn an impressive bottom line, you need to implement strategies that will make it happen. Three of the techniques that can work wonders for your conversion rates include keeping your equipment in excellent shape, enhancing customer engagement, and optimizing your health!

Era Organics Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 02 Apr 2016 06:00:00 +0000

Hosted By

Amy & Aron's Real Life Reviews

Sponsored By: Era Organics

You can find Era Organics on social media

Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumbler, and on the blog.

1 Awesome Winner will receive

1 Bottle of Era Organics Cleanse Body & Face Wash, 1 Jar of Era Organics Dead Sea Mud Therapy, and 1 Bottle of Era Organics Honeybuns Baby Body Wash

A special shout out to my awesome Co-Hosts

Deliciously Savvy

&

IMHO Views, Reviews, & Giveaways

Thank you to all of the bloggers promoting this giveaway. All of our giveaways are so much fun when we do it all together.

Now for the fun stuff. This giveaway is open to US. It's okay to share it with your family and friends, they'll want to enter to win too!!

I can't ask you to "Like" our pages but, if you see something you like, let us know so we can bring you more of it.
We LOVE it when you "LIKE" our pages.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

None of the Bloggers promoting this giveaway are responsible for shipping the prizes or compensated for promotion. If you have any questions about this giveaway or the prizes please feel free to email Amy & Aron's Real Life Reviews at grovesamy81@gmail.com

Beginner's Hike: Planning our First Hike at Montalban, Rizal

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 02:42:00 +0000

One of the sguadgoals of my circle of friends in college was to travel together. We already had our first adventure when we went to Enchanted Kingdom and Sun City Resort in Pansol, Laguna last October 2015 (which I was not able to blog about). We were five then. One had to go home earlier when we arrived at Sun City Resort later that evening.

To make the long story short, our next goal was to hike together.

Montalban Hike

It was one of those days when we were just talking about our next adventure. Hiking came into focus. Montalban is just 1-2 hour ride from Quezon City with mountain climbing opportunities and easy but challenging hiking trails so we took our shot. It is after San Mateo from Marikina City, and after Litex coming from Commonwealth area.

Montalban is called Rodriguez today. Don't confused them for different area. I once heard a passenger arguing with the terminal guide and insisting that they were going to Rodriguez and the terminal guide was nodding and saying that indeed, the FX was going to Montalban.

The name Montalban is indeed, still widely used by jeepneys, and public transportation.

image by paulriveraphotography

Planning the Hike

Unfortunately, the planning stage was really difficult for us given that most of us are incoming 5th year students. Aside from that, planning for the hike at this time of the year, we have to expect unexpected schedule for planning and seminars for our OJT this summer.

The hike was originally scheduled March 28. I already contacted a tour guide to help us out with the hiking trails in the area.

March 23, Therese called me and told me we should resched this March 26. The earlier and the more unexpected, the more people would be able to come. Our Laguna trip was planned the night before our trip then so I didn't had doubts.

March 25. We were texting each other whether we were going to push through. Our plan originally had the 5 of us going hiking that day. Therese, Win, Mark, Joy and I. Joy replied that she was not sure yet because of financial reasons. Trip comes with the burden of paying for it so I understand.

We resched back to March 28.

March 27. We were deliberating. Therese was able to invite two other friends, Dyn and Riz. Later that afternoon, I learned that Win will not be able to join because he was going to process his OJT in the company he was eyeing. We're down to five. Though we were positive we would be able to push through it.

The night before the hike, Win sent me a message in Facebook. If we could move the hike next week so he could come and at the same time, have enough funds for this. I think he also talked with the other people who would be joining the hiking trails and had it cancelled.

I would really love everyone to come. I do. What would be hiking without friends whom you could share those moments and experience with. I just hope we would be able to push through this. I already bought hand gloves because I heard the terrain in Mt. Pamitinan is rocky. I actually prepared my backpack already prior to them cancelling it.

Fingers crossed

I am just hoping for the best. Let's see this April. Maybe April 4 or 5. We are hoping to do a twinhike in the hiking trails in Mt. Pamitinan and Mt. Binacayan at Montalban. I want to see the sea of clouds the hikers have been screaming about.

Let's see. We will see.

End of Semester Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 27 Mar 2016 07:19:00 +0000

Summer has already started. In my case, it started last March 24. It should have started the day before it but I had to finish another one examination in one of my major subjects.

All of my subjects this semester turned out to be unexpected. I'm not sure what my grades would be, but I believe I would pass all of them.

So far, with my 2016 resolutions, they are going fine--I believe. Here are some teaser.

Zero Waste is in progress

I had already expressed my interest in starting a sustainable lifestyle a lot of times in my blog. My zero waste efforts are still on the beginning stage yet I believe I am making the right progress.

I am having a hard time though to find some resources in my country for my zero waste endeavours. I am trying to find mesh bags and cotton bags around but I can't find it anywhere. I've been through different stores and home living shops but to no avail. I am considering shopping for them online from other countries but I might lose my willingness to find them locally if I do this.

For mason jars, I already started collecting glass bottles in my place. I've utilized Nescafe, and Lady's Choice containers. I think they're good alternatives.

I also bought a bamboo toothbrush. I found only one brand that sells them here in the country. Again, this bamboo toothbrush is made from locally available materials.

I am far from being a full-pledge zero waste advocate but I am going there.

I stopped buying new books

My efforts to read more books was a challenge because of our finals week was demanding, but I had already bought some stocks.

I decided to start buying second hand books. I was really enlightened with zero waste initiative and I realized that one way of promoting it was through buying second hands. I don't want to think that I am not supporting book authors by not buying new copy of their books but rather, it is within my perspective that I believe we should make full use of those books rather than stock them on the shelves which no one else in our house would read.

After reading these book, I decided that I will sell them so someone else could read them. A cheaper and historic version.

I am thinking of starting a online shop for second hand books but I worry that I might not be able to handle it well.

Being organized with technology is easier

Using apps and gadgets is definitely encouraging me to be come more organized. My Business Calendar was really used well along with my Google Keep. However, my Moneywise app is in a good shape.

I have high hopes that I can balance everything perfectly in the future though.

How about you, how's your New Year's resoilution going?

3 Essential Resolutions For Me as a Blogger

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 14:32:00 +0000

I was looking through my posts in January and realized I was not able to make a list of my New Year's resolution for 2016. There are thousands of realizations I had in 2015 that changed part of my perspective in life.

The first week of February has almost ended but I think, curating my list today won't be any problem.

Start a Zero Waste Lifestyle

Please hold you opinions about zero waste lifestyle and how impossible it is. I have been living more than enough to know that using plastics is almost unavoidable and creating trash is just as common.

The goal of zero waste lifestyle is to produce no trash at all. But hey, the idea remains that it hopes to lessen the trash we are creating and raise awareness about our daily consumption. By rethinking my lifestyle with zero waste in mind, I realized that I have been producing A LOT and mean, A LOT of unnecessary trash and been using my money on things I don't need. This is a real mind opener if you care to think beyond the line.

Having your actions to align with the values you believe in is important to me. I think starting with this lifestyle is a good move forward.

Read a New Book Every Month

Reading novels has been part of my life. Reading books has every advantage that I can think of. It can help in developing your imagination (which I really enjoy), and it helps me enhance my vocabulary in every way I can think of. When I start reading books especially on summer break, I can finish 6 books in a row. But that's a different story when we have classes. I tend to not read any books at all.

Upon realizing this, I decided that part of my new year's resolution should be about reading atleast 1 new book every month. This is a small figure but it's a start. The first book I finished this year is Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson which is related to my resolution of living a zero waste lifestyle. I hope to continue this vibe and finish my pledge of reading 20 books this 2016 in my Goodreads account.

Organize My Life

As a blogger, I can't really stress out how important it is to post in my blog. But again, real life will always coincide with it one way or another. That is why organizing my life is essential to make this goal a reality.

I have been using more functions of Goodreads to track my reading progress and list, while I use Google Keep and Business Calendar to keep track or my appointments and to-do list. Meanwhile, Moneywise is going great with tracking my financial expenses. I skipped with keeping a planner as part of my zero waste goal because I realized that after the year, these organizers just rot away in a corner.

So far, I have been making progress in committing to these resolutions. I do hope that I can continue with this for the whole year.

How about you? What resolutions are you sticking with this year?

Movie Madness Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 00:43:00 +0000

2016 is like the year of movies. Imagine being able to watch Captain America: Civil War, X-Men: Apocalypse, Doctor Strange, Kung Fu Panda 3, and a lot more. For a movie enthusiast like me, this feels like heaven. For the meantime, while waiting here's a good opportunity to win some prizes and earn freebies.

Welcome to the Movie Madness Giveaway Event!

Hosted by: Your Strong Tower & Lil' Blog and More

And co-hosted by: Coupons and Freebies Mom, The Social Commerce Mom, Michigan Saving and More, and The Posh Chick

It's time for the Movie Madness Giveaway Event! With so many amazing movies out right now - We couldn't pick a better prize! This giveaway will offer 2 great gift card prizes.

The Giveaway!

The first winner chosen will receive a $25 AMC gift card, and the second winner chosen will receive a $15 Fandango gift card. Entering to win this giveaway is very easy, with the GiveawayTools form, below:

Entry -Form

Disclosure: The bloggers involved in this giveaway were not compensated, and are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Your Strong Tower will be sending the prize out. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter this giveaway. This giveaway starts February 1st, 2016, and will end on February 25th, 2016 at 11:59 pm. The winner will be emailed, and have 48 hours to respond, or a new winner will be chosen. Once a winner is drawn and confirmed, the name will be announced on the GiveawayTools form. Open to US residents only.

I Pledged to Read Books and How I Plan to Keep on Reading

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 06:22:00 +0000

I pledged to read 20 books this year 2016. That is according to my Goodreads account which I constantly update today. I find it motivating to keep track of my reading progress as time passes. 20 books might seem small to some bibliophile, but I think this is a good number to start especially when I also want to keep on reading my textbooks in my major.

But pledging to do read is harder to put in action. For the past few years, I find myself losing track of my goals when it comes to reading that sometimes, I succumbed to not reading at all for three months. An unfortunate but very true story.

To counter my reading procrastination and to keep track of my goal, I plan to the following steps which I have already started doing this month.

Update my Reading Progress

By reading progress, I meant updating my account on Goodreads (@pixiespell). I have been a member this popular book community since 2010 but I haven't really used most of its function yet.

Updating your book status page or percent read is one way I find effective to motivate me to continue and finish a book. I also find it interesting that I can share my thoughts about a certain page through this function.

Keep a List of Books I Want to Read

I have been constantly finding new books to read today. I used to only read young adult books but today, I have started to love reading self-help books on productivity and environmental living. Knowing that I have this list on hand keeps me thinking about the good possibilities I could learn by reading them.

Read Audiobooks

Books come in all forms today. When I received my Samsung tab, I started reading digital copies of books which I found really convenient. Reading ebooks today is generally accepted as a form of reading.

However, there are times when I still feel that my time would be spent better reading than listening to music. An example of these cases includes when I am walking to my next classes or when I jog in the morning. Hence, I started to consider listening to audiobooks.

I had a good chance of trying out an audiobook which I listened to when I am travelling to school and doing miscellaneous activities. I thought it was really productive.

Create Book Reviews

This part I hope I could achieve well. Creating book reviews is challenging but a good way of sharing my opinions and promoting a book. As a blogger, crafting a blog post about a book I love is the best way to keep myself blogging and reading books alike.

Have you pledge in the reading challenge? How many books do you plan to read?

Movie Madness Giveaway Event Blogger Sign-ups

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 04:49:00 +0000

This 2016, I pledged to read 20 books. Apart from that I am also pledging to become active in blogging again. I am crafting another blog which would be primarily about my advocacy but that would be crafted in another post.

As part of my being active to blogging again, I am going to be joining several Blogger sign-ups this year. Ofourse, sign-ups I would be joining would be always related to what my blog is about.

Today, I found a blogger sign-up meant for movies which holds a very special place in my heart. If you would like to join then feel free to do so. I am looking forward doing different and challenging blogger matters in the future and this might be a good place to start.

Movie Madness Sign-Ups

New FREE to join, Blogger event, hosted by:

Prize details:

2 winners
First winner will receive a $25 AMC gift card
Second winner will receive a $15 Fandango gift card.

This event will movie themed to celebrate new movies coming out this year. This giveaway, however will be open to US residents only.

This giveaway will run from February 1, 2016 to February 25, 2016.

You can sign up for this event until 1/28/2015.

You may SIGN UP here. You may opt to put my name, Mary Z., as your referral.

Happy blogging, 2016.