Avid Thinker

Holiday Greetings 2015: Have the Merriest Christmas!

Radisson Blu Hotel Up Close

Inspiration from Percy Bysshe Shelley

How to Balance a Busy Life: The Importance of Spending Time with Family

Senior Health: Ideas to Help You Overcome Your Physical Activity Challenges

Beware of Camella Real Estate Agents as They May Scam You

Easy-to-Understand Video on How to Get a Free Domain Name

7 Useful Tips for Starting A New Relationship

The Difference Between Wants and Needs

Eat Shop Play Book Set Singapore Launching

Letting Go of Goals for a More Fulfilling Life

The Most Useful Apps for Daily Life

360 Degree Photos for Bouncing Ball Camera

Getting a New Password for SSS e-Membership

Changing SSS Membership Status from a Covered Employee to Voluntary Member

Newton Running Shoes for Men: Breaking Records

A Unique Abs Workout for a Six Pack to Die For!

A Shot at Instagram

Sharing Random Pics

Hong Kong Travel Preparation List

Awesome Cars in 360 Degrees

Where to Get Pro RH Bill Stickers?

Civil Service Commision Exam Requirements

Cebuana Lhullier Rant: Rotten Tomato Award #2&3

PLDT Rant: 1st Rotten Tomato Award

2015-12-28T07:32:00.000+08:00

A lot happened to me in 2015 and here are some of the highlights:

The best thing that happened - BB Soovi!

Her curly hair

Crispy Pata iyang paa :=)

Attending IDEA Global 2015 - Radisson Blu

Seeing start up movers up close

Celebrating Auntie Em's Birthday

Rare family bonding

Rare shot with Lola Urfia

2014-04-01T18:44:00.005+08:00

Kiddie Pool!

Work, work, work!

Relax!

View from the top

Last shot before take off.

2014-04-01T17:55:00.001+08:00

Stand ye calm and resolute,
Like a forest close and mute,
With folded arms and looks which are
Weapons of unvanquished war.

And if then the tyrants dare,
Let them ride among you there,
Slash, and stab, and maim and hew,
What they like, that let them do.

With folded arms and steady eyes,
And little fear, and less surprise
Look upon them as they slay
Till their rage has died away

From the always inspiring Zen Habits

2013-10-01T14:07:00.002+08:00

Little moments you share with your family can be some of the most important ones in your life. Work helps you to put food on the table, and school assists in educating your mind, but without family, you lose an important network of support. Spending time with your family will strengthen five key areas of your life and leave you feeling more confident than ever.

Life's Short

Even if you justify working a lot because you're trying to build a better life for your children, one day you'll wake up and they could be full-grown. In the blink of an eye, your kids will moving off to start their own families, so remember to cherish the precious moments.

Nothing Lasts Forever

Sadly, older generations of the family will pass on, but new generations will be born. As we look back, we begin to long for additional moments and time with loved ones. Put more effort into your relationships now, so you won't be filled with a deep sense of regret and longing later. Cherish your time with family while everyone is still around.

Choose Your Time Wisely

A big raise or the possibility of a promotion looming before your eyes can be very motivating, and you might be convinced, at least for a while, that this is the most important thing out there. However, your company isn't your family. Money, possessions, fancy cars, and brand-name clothing can’t replace the memories you created with your family. Don’t wait until it’s convenient for you to build relationships, it may be too late by then.

Stress-Free Friends

We can get so caught up in our regular tasks that we don’t realize how stressed out we’re actually making ourselves. Moving from job to job and racing from activity to activity takes a ton of energy from us. Spending time with your family can be the breath of fresh air you need. Relaxing around your family allows you to let your guard down and enjoy how cool your family can be.

Knowing Each Other

Even if you feel as though your co-workers have become your family, careers and people may change, but your family stays the same. Making time for family is paramount to maintaining a strong support network in case of relocation or a switch in careers. You’ll always have someone to fall back on and help in any circumstance.

Spending time with your family may be annoying or tedious now, but who knows? Maybe with a few family outings, you’ll find out that you and your relatives have more common interests than you thought. After all, these are the people you grew up with, and the people who’ll continue to nurture you for years to come.

Renee Watson is an army veteran and mother of three who enjoys to write articles about relationships, family, self-help, and the Best Military Colleges.

2013-09-29T11:58:00.002+08:00

Kids seem to have all the energy. They play and run around without managing to lose any ounce of strength. Then we grow up, and our bones and muscles begin to swell and ache. When you enter senior citizenship, you don’t have to live a sedentary life. Many obstacles to moving around are actually quite manageable. Don’t let age get you down. Instead, use these ideas to help overcome the physical challenges that may come with your golden years.

Senior Aerobic Classes

Look at community center, library, senior living centers, and other public posting areas to find classes designed for senior citizens wanting to stay physically active. The leaders of these groups know methods to help you get active without straining and hurting your muscles. You’ll learn better ways to work out that can easily be mastered. You may even be reimbursed for the costs by your insurance company for attending.

Know Your Limits

Especially if you’ve been injured recently, getting back to physical activity can seem daunting. While you definitely don’t want to exert yourself or put yourself in a more intense situation, you shouldn’t be frightened of moving again. Getting back out there and engaging in physical activities is great for your body, and it’ll also help build your mental and spiritual strength.

Do a Little

Just because you’re ready to start participating in more physical activities doesn't mean you’re ready to start racing to the football field. Take as much time as you need getting yourself marathon ready. Get started by going for a walk around the block with a couple of your friends or throw a ball back and forth against the wall. This’ll help you build strength and endurance until you’re ready to try more advanced activities. After some training, you could be climbing mountains or doing other more rigorous activities!

Don't Feel Alone

As noted before, don’t feel like you’re the only one facing these challenges. Look around and you’ll find that family and friends are there to help you overcome any obstacles. You’ll find members of your community in the same place you are, so don’t worry about not being able to run a mile. There are many different levels of fitness. Enroll in classes with your friends to motivate yourself to stick with those classes. All of you’ll start to see changes for the better − together!

Visit The Doctor

No matter your age, it’s highly recommended to consult with your doctor before beginning any sort of exercise regime. You don't want to injure yourself or aggravate any conditions that you may have. This is particularly important for senior citizens, as bodies wear down with time and tend to not be quite as strong as they once were.

As you can see, being a senior citizen doesn't have to limit what you can and can’t physically do. Just be aware of your limits. With these tips you’ll be on your way to a happier, healthier life when you start moving to the beat of an active lifestyle.

Kathy Flute is a resident nurse who works in an assisted living facility. She enjoys writing about mental health, physical fitness, offering advice to expectant mothers, and the 10 Best Online Nursing Masters Degree MSN Programs.

2013-09-03T17:34:00.000+08:00

About February of this year, I transferred to a new boarding house and got to seriously thinking about my future. Do I continue to rent every month and give my hard earned money to a landlord? I decided to scout for homes for rent and those advertised as rent to own. I have a friend who's an agent in Camella so I asked her and she led me to her supervisor who did the rounds of introducing me to the nitty gritty of applying for a house loan. They have 3 options:

1. get a loan through Pag-ibig Fund but the agent said the agency don't usually approve those units that are still in construction
2. get in house financing with skyrocketing interest rates
3. apply for a bank loan (RCBC is at that time, currently the only bank that grants housing loans for Camella applicants)

Will have to continue this post later...but I want to help out those who are still planning to get a Camella unit, beware of what your agents may tell you as they tend to lubricate stories just so you will be convinced that getting a house loan is for you.

2013-06-04T22:16:00.000+08:00

I've been downloading videos and uploading them on a Youtube Channel as part of my work. Since it was my first time, there was a lot of hit and miss for me but at the end of the day, I was able to get all the processes running smoothly. So now I've set a target for myself - 5 videos to download daily and submit through Dropbox. I'm just hoping that the Internet connection cooperates for faster downloading.

Below is a video I have downloaded as a test, it's about how to get free domain and free hosting. Hope this can help you somehow.

2013-05-22T09:39:00.000+08:00

Who doesn't love the beginning of a relationship? Everything is still fresh and alive. No fights have yet to occur, and you're still in that dreamy, romantic, idealistic stage where everything's perfect. However, it's important to consider some useful tips to keep everything going smoothly. Here's what to keep in mind.

Expect Reality
You can't expect your relationship to be rainbows, butterflies and unicorns forever. Any relationship is going to turn into a more mature type of love over time. This can seem scary, boring or disappointing for many, but keep in mind that this is an inevitability, and for every part that you might not be looking forward to, there is a benefit that will come from the commitment you're making.

Keep Your Space
Some people race into spending every last second of the day with each other, but you need to remain who you are and who you always were. Many professionals call this differentiation. It's healthy for the two of you to have separate hobbies and to hang out with your own friends. This doesn't mean you can't grow your relationship - it's just pivotal to remember to be two separate people that grow together.

Know Your Speed
Of course, no matter what you do, there will always be moments where you and your loved one are on different speeds. So, you first need to know what your own speed is. For example, if you really do feel that you are ready to move in with your new boyfriend or girlfriend, then it is fine. However, if you feel rushed or pressured, then the situation will likely not work.

Changing Your Life
When you start dating someone new, you might be tempted to entirely change your life or attitude about life to suit them. In fact, you might even expect the boyfriend/girlfriend to change for you. If this is familiar, the relationship is already off to an unhealthy start. This is another part of differentiation - avoiding these pitfalls helps you avoid further worries, such as possessiveness, jealousy and unrealistic expectations.

fr. wisewisdom

Don't Start Nitpicking
Some people have a really bad habit of nitpicking a loved one's faults as soon as the relationship begins. Remember, you got into the relationship for a reason, and you must remember that no one person is perfect. This doesn't mean that you should settle and risk being truly unhappy, but you need to be reasonable.

Avoid Talk of Marriage
Unless some extenuating circumstances exist, you should never start talking about marriage the second you start going out with someone. In fact, it really shouldn't even be discussed in the first six months. It might seem like nothing can ever go wrong, but things change as relationships progress. There's no way to predict how your feelings will change. Furthermore, even if things are perfect to you, people can quickly be turned off by premature talk about marriage, so keep your feelings on the DL.

Be Sure
If you really don't know that you want to be exclusive with someone, then you shouldn't enter into a commitment. Honestly, it's just not fair to the other individual, and ultimately, it will not be fair to you either.

New relationships can certainly be exciting, but you can't get your head caught up in the clouds. It's important to remember that you are each unique people with flaws and strengths alike. Keeping this in mind will help you stay grounded as things progress.

Benny Gilmore writes about relationships, counseling and self-help. His recent work is about online counseling degrees.

2013-05-20T22:18:00.000+08:00

Today, we tend to find ourselves in an age of materialism. People are buying more than ever, yet the level of reported happiness throughout society is decreasing. We're always surrounded by advertising ploys trying to get us to buy more and more things that we simply don't need. We see billboards selling us vacations and television advertisements telling us that we need the newest fashions, or even toys for our children. This begs the question, what do we truly need? Take a look at this article to help decipher the things you truly need as opposed to those things that you just simply want for pleasure.

Why We Need To Define Wants vs. Needs
It's beneficial to be able to separate wants from needs or many reasons. One reason is that, from a consumer perspective, it can help you save a lot of money. If we get into the habit of only buying things we need, rather than the things that we want, it can save thousands of dollars every year, depending on your current spending habits. It's also beneficial from an internal perspective. Buying everything that we want can make us feel entitled to having those things. It can make us feel that we need them when we really don't. This can lead to a reliance on material things. Simply put, people who buy everything that their heart desires will eventually gain happiness from acquiring things, rather than things that truly matter in life. like spending time with family and friends.

What is a "Need"?
For the purposes of this article, we will discuss needs within the realm of "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs". This is a psychological theory concerning what humans truly need. The five categories of needs in this theory are, in order from most basic to least basic, physiological needs, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. Physiological needs are things like food, water, sleep, and other items that the body physically needs to function. Safety refers to security. Security can mean anything from a secure home that is free of intruders to job security. Love needs are needs that are met with good relationships, whether they be romantic or platonic. Esteem refers to the need to be respected and feel confident. The last type of need, self-actualization, is different for every person and defines who we are. It concerns the need to satisfy one's full potential, whether that be in school, work, home life, or hobbies. Your personality defines which of these areas you feel you need to succeed in to be happy.

How to Fulfill These Needs
Physiological needs can be met by maintaining healthy eating and sleeping habits. These are needs that you should never ignore. Safety needs can be met by making sure you are financially stable, as well as physically protected with a good home and support system. Love needs will be met if you maintain healthy relationships. This means choosing the people whom you want to be in your life carefully. Esteem needs help us to feel confident and respected, and are different for every person, as are self-actualization needs. So, fulfilling them will require some introspection.

The thing to remember about differentiation in this aspect is that most people never even realize the importance of the issue. Simply put, most people are so wrapped up in materialism that it never occurs to them that there's a difference between needs and wants. If you're already of the mind that there's reason to rise above the superficial whims of society, you've taken the first step to attaining not only a more frugal life, but a more rewarding and fulfilling one.

Jaime Torres writes about self-help and self-realization. Her recent work is on the best counseling degrees online.

2013-01-21T14:42:00.000+08:00

Want to enjoy overwhelming discounts and savings from your daily purchases? Watch out for the official launching of the EAT SHOP PLAY Book Set, a resource for discount coupons, vouchers and deals for everyone in Singapore. Whether you are a student, employee or expat, you can take advantage of up to $35,000 worth of rewards and discounts from partner merchants.

Get savings on your next restaurant or grocery bill and spend it on other essentials. To learn more on how you can fully benefit from this great offer, check out the EAT SHOP PLAY website and stay tuned for the launching tomorrow, January 22, 2013.

Congratulations ESP!

2013-01-14T15:19:00.000+08:00

Watch the one-on-one interview with Tim Ferris by Leo Babauta, two of the most successful bloggers and online entrepreneurs today.

Catch them here: Zen Habits

Four Hour Work Week

2013-01-03T16:52:00.002+08:00

The quality of our lives is a big concern today. Everyone is so busy with working and domestic chores at home that we barely find any time to do things for ourselves. With the fast pace of life and technology around us, it is common to feel frustrated every now and then. There is a positive side to this. Technology has helped make life easier, and now we can enjoy a better quality of life with the help of some useful mobile apps. Our mobile devices can do a lot more than just make and receive calls. Today, we can buy gifts, do our banking, make hotel reservations and search for restaurants with mobile apps. Below are some of the most useful apps to help make your life simpler.

Apps for Travel – If you do a lot of traveling, there are probably many things you need to take care of, and tiny mistakes could cost a lot of time. Today, we have mobile travel apps for smart phones that allow us to make hotel reservations, book flights, book a car rental, check map locations and search for restaurants in just minutes. While you are sitting at the airport waiting for your flight, you can use your apps to check and see if your hotel room is ready for check-in and have the car rental waiting.

Social Networking Apps – Your friends may be as busy as you, and none of you seem to have the time to socialize. Social networking mobile apps such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are assessable right from your mobile device. When you have a break at work, log into your account and stay connected to friends and family by socializing a bit. Some of the other social networking apps are UberTwitter, Foursquare, BlackBerry Messenger and Facebook Messenger.

Apps for Productivity – If you are a small business owner, consultant or freelancer, managing your tasks is a priority. Productivity apps such as Astro File Manager, Dropbox, Evernote, Jott Assistant, Instapaper and Remember the Milk can help you increase your productivity and enhance the productivity of the people working for you. With productivity apps, you can keep track of appointments, stay organized with clients and send and receive any files you need to get access too.

Apps for News – Many times, we find ourselves too busy to watch television or read the newspaper to catch up on the news. Today, there are mobile apps that give us the latest news and breaking news updates that come directly to our mobile devices. Some of the applications that offer current updates about top world news stories and weather are NPR News, WolframAlpha, AP Mobile and BerryWeather.

Apps for Entertainment – Everyone needs some downtime for fun in their lives. Add more fun and keep yourself entertained with some of the entertainment apps available. Take time out to play some games with apps such as Angry Birds, Words With Friends, I Love Katamari, Kindle, Doodle Jump and Onion News Network.

With so many wonderful options available with mobile apps, why not take advantage of some of them and see how they will improve and simplify your life?

Author Pam Johnson is a blogger who is always looking to make her life easier with the use of apps for her smartphone. She is a contributing writer for most affordable online business schools.

2012-11-11T23:46:00.001+08:00

Bouncing Ball Camera Could Be Big Help For Emergency Responders (via redOrbit)

Lee Rannals for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online A new, ball-shaped camera will be able to help out emergency responders when needing to enter an area they are not sure is safe. The tennis ball-sized device has six cameras that can instantly send a 360-degree picture to a smartphone. Bounce Imaging…

2012-10-22T01:59:00.001+08:00

...continuation from the preceding post (changing SSS membership status)

Since I still had time, I went to the electronic area of SSS which can be easily distinguished because there's a big sign about electronic processing when taking SSS ID pictures. This department requires a priority number and I was about the 10th from the one who was being entertained at that time. Well, I really don't like waiting so I just decided I'd return my number because I observed that a single transaction from one person takes about 5-10 minutes to process.

As I was leaving though, I asked an official looking lady if I could just change my SSS password by myself at home. She asked why and I told her I'm in a hurry. She then told me to sit down and said she will look into. Wow, the day was turning into one of my luckier days! She asked for my ID number and accessed my e-account almost immediately. She let me change my password into a new one along with my old account details (from the previous company). It took about 5 minutes and I was done. I just listed my new password in case I forget and went out.

But before that, I told her that they should be using Chrome instead of the clunky IE to make the SSS pages load faster. She told me IE is the default explorer of SSS so I thought to myself, maybe it will take another 20 years for that to change. Government offices are so slow to adapt to new technologies, but who am I to complain? I got my new password and I did not even wait so long in line for it! Many thanks to that attendant and to SSS!

When I got home, I logged back in to my SSS e-account and I browsed my payment history, loan history, actual payments and profile. You just have to stay active on the page otherwise, it will automatically log out if you're inactive for about 3-5 minutes, I guess. I'm not sure of the duration really but I was only browsing other pages for some time and I have to log in again when I got back to the SSS page.

Another thing to remember is that you need to change your password every 6 months before it expires. SSS implemented this to keep our accounts secure.

How about you? Do you have any experience in transacting with SSS? Or if you have inquiries, feel free to post them below and I'll help you with answers.

2012-10-22T01:49:00.000+08:00

I've been working as a home based writer and VA for almost 4 months now and I've been planning to continue my SSS contributions. I finally have to change my membership status from a covered employee to a voluntary member so I didn't had a choice any more but to make time for it.

I boarded the jeepney bound for Colon-Jones area and was disoriented on the location of the new building. Well, it was new for me because it was my first time to go there since SSS Cebu transferred to the Osmena Blvd. address from Gorordo. When I got down, I asked the nearest lady where is the SSS building and directly pointed right in front of me. Oh, silly me- it's the biggest building on that side of the street and I didn't notice.

Along I went with the throngs of people coming in. There are already long ques in almost all windows typical of any government Phil. office. I asked the guy from information if a mere inquiry about change of status would need a priority number. He replied no and said that I should just go directly to their Customer Service or Information Desk. I was a bit glad because I thought it would spare me from long lines. The CS desk however, is also full of people waiting for their turn. This means, I just have fall in line without any need for a priority number. The procedure was quick though and after about 10-20 minutes, I'm already facing the info officer.

I asked him what are the requirements to change my membership status from a covered employee to a voluntary member. He explained that it's fairly easy because I only need to tick the right category in the RS-5 payment form on my next contribution and I don't need to file any document any more. This means, SSS will automatically change my membership status once they see that the VM box was ticked on my RS-5 form. Well, this is quite a relief so I just asked for one form from the officer and I went to my next agenda of the day...

(continued on the next post about SSS e-membership)

2012-09-22T08:37:00.002+08:00

Whether running is a necessity or a lifestyle, it is highly important to wear shoes that are comfortable and secure. The makers of Newtown running shoes for men understand this and they have patented the Newton Reaction Action/Reaction Technology to ensure that the runner’s feet get the appropriate protection while on the track. It is equipped with four external actuator lugs that are located in the shoe’s midsole, which absorbs shock. As you propel forward for the next stride, the lugs release absorbed energy from an energetic return from the Action/Reaction Technology.

Other brands have boasted of using gel, foam, plastic or air on their running shoes to optimize functionality, but no other technology has captured the counteraction of a foot’s impact to the ground perfectly like Newton’s Action/Reaction Technology™.

For men who want to break world or personal records, get Newton Running shoes today!

2012-09-15T21:59:00.000+08:00

By Yarixa Ferrao from VOXXI

Six pack abs! This is by far the staple for how much in shape someone is. Every single person that graces the cover of a fitness magazine usually meets one requisite: sexy abs! Whether that means a flat stomach with some defining lines for the girls or the clear cut six pack for the guys, it is the one thing we all admire and that makes us understand how committed that person must have been or is to get those kind of abs. A great abs workout is usually behind this success.

It is sad however when I see people waste their time doing a bunch of crunches. I’ve personally met people who do 1,000 crunches every day as part of their abs workout and confess they have not seen any results and still don’t have a six pack. Gosh, that’s terrible! This is exactly why people get discouraged—they work so hard at something and they barely get any results.

The fantastic news is that it doesn’t have to be this way! In this short video I show you an abs workout with three simple moves using a stability ball that really works your core and gets fantastic abs more effectively, allowing you to achieve not only sexy abs, but also a strong core.

Replace your typical floor crunches with this abs workout, two to three times per week for the amount of sets and reps I tell you in the video. Let me know how it goes!

Watch the video!

Do not forget about the other main component to a super sexy stomach: nutrition. Without this, you can do all the core and ab work you want, but that six pack will remain so hidden under a thick layer of fat, no one (not even you) will know how hard you were actually working. So check out some of my other blogs and videos at VOXXI to learn more about what and when you need to eat in combination with your exercise routine.

2012-09-11T16:24:00.000+08:00

The fact that I just tried Instagram last week may surprise some avid Instagrammers out there who may have used the app for a long time now. So pardon me if my test photos are bad. I just wanted to see how to use the app and I had fun with it! No wonder that a lot of users are hooked with it these days.


@Pandan, Bogo with Jonah

strbxasuseless


Rare shot of my grannant

#floornsandal


specialbeauty

2012-09-05T00:38:00.001+08:00

To break the monotony of my bumhood, I would like to share these equally monotonous pictures not to delight you but, to bore you to death too!

Hope you'll be bored as much as I'm feeling now. (evil grin)

I don't have the eye to take great pictures so, I content myself with these ugly shots.

I don't know how to take good photos today, tomorrow, and I never will be.

*pics courtesy of Avid Thinker. if you find any use of them then go!

2012-08-31T10:59:00.000+08:00

The anticipation and long wait is now really going to happen this coming weekend. The tickets were swiped some months back and the payments were taken care of, albeit in installments. Then last week, we booked the accommodation in Kowloon and tickets for Disneyland. We've also checked Google maps for the distance and time it will take to reach the hotel from the airport and then to Disneyland.

A lot could go wrong when traveling so putting aside my excitement, I plan to make this long awaited HK trip as mishap-proof as possible.We've agreed to be minimalist in packing and a list was drawn to discard unnecessary stuff and bring only the essentials for a 3 day-2 night trip.

Here's what we came up so far:

1. Passports

2. Valid IDs

3. Printed Tickets (Airline, Hotel, Disney)

4. HK Dollars

5. PH Peso

6. Credit Card/s

7. 1 digicam (but I left it in Bogo so maybe we'll make do with mobile phones- to save space as well)

8. Downloaded Google Maps of HK

I want to bring only the most basic so here's my list of necessities:

1. 2 shirts

2. 1 pair of jeans

3. 1 jacket or long sleeves

4. 1 toothbrush

5. 1 cap

6. 1 pair of shades

7. 1 pair of socks and 3 undies

8. 1 pair of shoes

All of these will be put inside a black sling bag similar to that used by high school boys. More update on this trip will be posted soon. Have a happy trip to us, and to everyone!

2012-08-22T17:37:00.000+08:00

Erlend's Porsche Aston Martin Ford Escape

2012-08-07T23:56:00.001+08:00

As I typed the question above, I got the following links from Google:

https://twitter.com/misterbaks/status/75502157083844608

http://tinyurl.com/8baells

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=690573

http://www.likhaan.org/content/pass-rh-bill-graphic-designs-and-posters

But still, I can't find one source that provides Pro RH Bill Stickers. If you or somebody you know have access to these, please do send me a message. The purple RH Bill stickers are too cool to miss. Thanks!

2012-08-04T13:12:00.001+08:00

Being jobless does not necessarily mean unproductive. Although not having regular income worries me, I still look for ways that can increase my value in the future. After all, improving one's self is still a good investment that can reap good harvest later. So now, I'm planning to take the Civil Service Exam and I came across the requirements:

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

1.Fully accomplished Application Form (CS Form No. 100,
Revised 2012). The spaces for “Signature of Applicant” and “Right Thumbmark” on the form should be left blank. These shall be
accomplished in the presence of the CSC processor.

*** Can be downloaded right here: http://excell.csc.gov.ph/FORMS/CSForm100rev2012.pdf

2.Four (4) copies of identical I.D. pictures with specifications, as follows:

a. Philippine Passport size (4.5 cm x 3.5 cm or 1.8 inches x
1.4 inches)
b. Colored, with white background
c. Taken within three (3) months prior to filing of application
d. Printed on good quality photo paper
e. In standard close-up shot (from shoulder level up with the head
and face occupying at least 80% of the picture and with the name
tag positioned at approximately 1 inch or 2.54 cm below the chin)
f. In bare face (with no eyeglasses or any accessories that may
cover the facial features)
g. Showing left and right ears
h. Taken in full-face view directly facing the camera
i. With neutral facial expression, and both eyes open
j. With full and handwritten (not computer-generated) name tag in
the format: First Name, Middle Initial, Last Name, and
Extension Name (if any), and signature over printed name

*** I'm assuming that there's a photo studio near their office who knows how to get this photo specs right.

3. Original and photocopy of any valid ID containing applicant’s clear
picture, date of birth, signature, and signature of the authorized
head of the issuing agency such as Driver’s License, SSS ID,
GSIS ID, Philhealth ID, current Company/Office ID, current
School ID, Postal ID, BIR ID, Barangay ID, Voter’s ID, Valid
Passport, or Police Clearance (Note: Any other ID not included in
the list shall NOT be accepted)

4. Examination fee of Five Hundred Pesos (Php 500.00).

For those wondering about the general qualifications to take the exam:

References to guide you more before applying and taking the Civil Service Exam, please visit these official pages:

http://excell.csc.gov.ph/cscweb/geninfo_cse.html

http://tinyurl.com/dyhx8se

***I will provide more updates on my progress as I deem necessary to guide all others who are going to take the exam.

2012-07-26T23:38:00.000+08:00

I went to a Guadalupe branch this afternoon to claim my first ever pay for my new homebased job. Unfortunately, the sender forgot to include my *other first name so they told me that they can't release the money because of that. I showed them two IDs and explained that I already had the control number and that the sender was from Manila. They suggested that I should tell the sender to go back to the branch she wired the money from and add my other first name. Now, we are working individuals and we surely have more important things to attend to than going back and forth for a Cebuana transaction. Plus, she represents my employer so do I really have to take so much of her time just because my other name was not included as the receiver? A second name is still me!

If this is because of BSP regulations, then won't Cebuana think of a better process not to inconvenience their customers? After all, you are supposedly great in customer service as what your TV commercials are roaring. Maybe you can set a limit to the amount that you will be very strict on identification. You have to understand our circumstances too, and there's no need to be high and mighty of the rules. How about you POST a GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT detailing all your requirements before anybody can claim their hard earned money? This is to show that you are serious in helping the public and not project an image of oppressors to your customers, instead. Or better yet, create a TV commercial that includes this very important detail so that adverts will be very useful to us, for once.

And this is not the start of my frustration for Cebuana Lhullier's money transfer service. An Aunt sent money through Xoom last week and I was used to using only one ID to claim it. But lo and behold, another rule has taken effect: 2 IDs should be presented before you can get hold of your money. How do you think should we know in the first place that this is now the requirement? Is Xoom to blame for this? But you are supposedly partners in providing good service to your clients, I'd say Cebuana should also do its part in informing the public about this.

As it turned out, I have to go back and get another ID. Imagine the extra time and effort that this caused just because we were not informed beforehand! But I gave them due consideration at that time. But now, I will do everything in my power not to transact with Cebuana Lhullier ever again. And this post will hopefully convince my friends, family and colleagues to do the same.

*pics fr photobucket

* Career Service Professional and Sub-professional examinations
are open to applicants regardless of educational attainment.

Applicants for both levels must:

Be Filipino citizens, at least 18 years old, and of good moral character;

Have no criminal record or have not been convicted by final judgment
of an offense or crime involving moral turpitude;

Have not been dishonorably discharged from military service or
dismissed for cause from any civilian position in the government; and

Have not taken the same level of career service examination within
three (3) months from last examination taken.

2012-07-26T12:31:00.002+08:00

A mixture of relief and excitement went through me as the modem and telephone were finally set up in our living room for the WiFi package (P990/month) of PLDT. We tested the WiFi connection and it went well on my netbook. The "installers" though did not ensure if it will run well on my desktop upstairs and to my lack of foresight, I did not make it a big deal because I thought I can make it work myself. When I tried to connect the PC that night, it did not work and I quickly regretted why I didn't let them test it beforehand. So the next day/s, I called 172 for their technical support and asked what could be wrong with my connection, given that it is still newly installed. The technical rep on the other end walked me through the PLDT system which can be accessed even without Internet. He was polite and knows what he is doing though but he should have asked first what level are my computer skills so that we would have an easier time with the process.

So I suggest to the PLDT support team, you can maybe include this as your first spiel: "What level of computer and Internet skills would you rate yourself mam/sir?" From there, the CS rep can then proceed accordingly and will not make his life difficult and that of the customer's as well.

Back to the issue here. After checking my IP address and the WAN, we can't still go through Google and any other sites. The technical guy said it kept reverting to their PLDT IP address and that he will just forward this matter to the persons concerned. I asked him when can I expect a solution and he said he will be calling within the day if it's already fixed. I told him to still inform me even if it's not fixed yet so that I can use SmartBro for the meantime. 24 hours have passed and they still hadn't called me. I tried connecting again, and yes, it did went through. But then, the next time I logged in, there's no connection again. So it was getting clear to me that the PLDT Internet service is not reliable. Then I contemplated on having it disconnected because it is not just worth my hassle. For now, I'm waiting for the month to end so that I can make a final decision.