Morning Sniffles

Getting wiser

2008-07-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

Making sure that you investment on something that has a sure return is imperative before dishing some serious amount of money. Like me, you must be apprehensive in dealing with investments for the fear that your hard-earned money might just be flushed and get vanished.
When being sure is the thing that could make you do the first move, you have to be sure first that you have got the right tools. If you’re thinking of stocks investment you might want to check out PowerOptions that gives you options express related to the bits and pieces that you need to know about stocks investments. It takes pride in giving investors SmartSearchXL®, a patented decision support technology that identifies the highest return option trades.
Go for their 14-day free trial to get a grasp of sure stocks investments.

Getting the hype

2008-07-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

The unending rise of oil price has taken and will continue taking its toll.

The minimum jeepney fare as expected has increased yet again from P8.00 to P8.5o. Even the trike far is taking a slice of the cake.

Counter measure, do the walkathon. Good for the heart and for the pocket.

Say goodbye to taxicabs because the flagdown metered rate has also jacked up.

I am not complaining because it is inevitable. For a fact, I am proud of myself because I have learned how to tighten my belt and I have lost my impulse on buying unimportant stuff.

The fear of being alone

2008-07-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

I have not heard of these conjoined twins until I have seen them on you tube seeing The Fear of Being Alone.

It just touched my heart thinking that why we all feel so incomplete or alone when we can see things in a different light.

Please check out Lori and George Schapell.

The old school meets the new school

2008-07-24T06:48:00.000-07:00

When it comes to quality of service, we always have reservations for the old school, but with the current dynamic demands, it is unavoidable to welcome the new school. Wouldn’t it be great to have the best of both worlds?
I know one who has successfully hitched the old and new school in terms of Car Radiator and cooling services.
From the very humble beginning of operating in and serving Northern California with three hardworking people, Radiator.com has rolled into 45 radiator experts to meet the growing demands of quality service of the entire America.
While adapting the current technology demand with the use of computers, this bunch of experts has preserved the excellence of providing your radiator requirements the old fashioned way.

A lemon

2008-07-24T06:43:00.000-07:00

Almost a month ago, I wrote about how ecstatic I was getting my new laptop. I got it through my officemate whose aunt lives in the US and has got some gadgets business.

I have waited for it arrival for more than 3 months. It was held in Customs (Philippines) for a month.

A few days after I started using the unit, I noticed that it's kind of noisy. I thought that it was natural until I asked around particularly those who got the same unit from the same person. It turned out that it's just me whose unit has got that unusual sound.

since it has it's one-year international arranty, I brought it to the service center, only to find out that they only do service and repairs. They diagnosed that the hard drive is problematic. They would just replace the hard drive and I have to wait for a minimu.m of 3 weeks.

I asked if I could have it replaced, they said I have to ask for it from the store where I bought it. Darn! So I told my officemate about it.

Now I have three options and unfortunately getting my money back is not one of them:

1. Return the unit to my officemate so she could send it to her aunt to get a replacement. Shipping to and fro the US would mean a waiting time of 2 months minimum. Within the waiting period, I have nothing to use. Oh, there is, the flickering and nearly flatlined desktop.

2. Settle for an HP which her aunt could readily send and while me waiting for it (minimum of one month), I could use this laptop. My officemate is yet to get the specs of the HP laptop so I could weigh options.

3. Since I am really okay with this laptop and I really love the huge screen, I could just settle for the hard drive replacement. And yeah, this would make the the L to the OSER.

Doomed but not mad.

The Dark Knight

2008-07-24T06:41:00.000-07:00

I have vowed to make delayed gratification until my most-awaited "Body Shots" competition is over.

I have mentioned about me watching The Dark Knight which has started to be shown here since July 17th. I heard that it has surpassed the box office record of Spiderman 3 and it has been confirmed that it has reached over $200 million (jeez I can't even write to figure correctly) in ticket sales in just 5 days of being shown in the US alone.

Wow!

I am really excited. Maybe by the time the competition is over, I will be in the moviehouse alone watching this flick. As if it were a special screening.

Haha!

Kudos Heath!

Do I smell an Oscar?

Academic excellence online

2008-07-23T07:43:00.000-07:00

In the era where online business, education and activities are in, it is always a relief to know that some institution still upholds the integrity of quality service while being at par in offering new means of service delivery.
There are so many online colleges out there but there is one that has a commitment to providing high-caliber academic excellence. Capella University started to offer bachelor’s degree and graduate programs online in 1993. Adding to their milestone is the Online Writing Center that features multi-media modules aimed at graduate level students studying in a variety of disciplines.
This particularly interested me since I am into writing the online education on business and technical writing and grammar classes would definitely benefit me.
With its
This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.

I am alive but I am away

2008-07-23T07:40:00.000-07:00

I am in hibernation mode for the couple of weeks already and it shall continue until early next month.

I just want my existence felt .harhar

To all my virtual friends, hope that you are still there when I come back. You could leave your comments and I'll get back to you in August.

Miss y'all!

xoxo

Safe practice in your pocket

2008-07-23T07:19:00.000-07:00

Everyone agrees the medicine hit-or-miss science. With so many medical information to memorize, it is really hard to perfect this science but as the medical field progresses, chances of being on the “miss” side of the field are becoming slim.
In view of this progression, getting online medical reference is as easy as pocketing your PDA because it can now be stored in every PDA and BlackBerry. Thanks to Epocrates who made this medical prescription and practice in general way lot easier and safer with just a few taps in your handheld device.
This way, our McDreamies or McSteamies could focus on attending to their patients with utmost competence.

This announcement was paid for by Epocrates

Branding BIG

2008-07-16T06:27:00.000-07:00

A business without a sign is a sign of business. We all have heard about it a thousand of times. And if you are taking it to the next level, you would know that this does not just lie on the name per se but the whole business package. Branding has just evolved from just a mere catchy business name into something that encompasses creation of impact and its staying power creating a perpetual image in the minds of your target market.
The Brand Identity Guru or BIG is the next big thing when it comes to these concepts. As a marketing communications company, its focal point is to brew media that will unleash your company’s full flavor making its lingering aroma tickle the olfactory nerves of anyone who would smell it and give them something to crave for.
BIG will concoct corporate and brand identity programs, logo, website and print ad designs up to the promotional support vehicle that will get your company soar up to its full potential.
With BIG brother having your back, you know that your business will not just be a name. You can be assured that all your company’s marketing needs served.
Create a brand now and leave an indelible mark.

Tech Talk

2008-07-16T06:04:00.000-07:00

Every business nowadays requires experts in terms of Information Technology or what we commonly know as the IT. IT Helpdesk lines can be considered as the lifeline of every company so it is imperative to invest on it but with the current economic trend, it is impractical to slash a huge block of your budget building your own IT department especially if you are in the small or medium size entrepreneurship.
You could consider getting the best of NY IT Services to ensure that your IT needs are met without compromising your monetary allocation.
You don’t need to be a techy person to understand how IT works because this company offers the best IT services in New York like the IT consulting and the network support. Making all your IT requirements work for you has never been this easy.
With these in the bag, you could relax and focus on managing your business because you can be assured that your IT needs is placed on a strong foundation. Now, you could only think of a company that you run as profitable, productive, and competitive
What are you waiting for? Grab the telephone and dial toll free 888.642.6484. That is not an IP address, it’s a telephone number.

Wicked!

2008-07-03T08:45:00.001-07:00

This is the latest and I think the last film of Heath Ledger.

This first 5 minutes of The Dark Knight made my heart race.

I am not a movie house person and I am really running against time fulfilling my deliverables but I must watch this reel. For the the love of both me and Heath!

It's showing here July 17th.

Can't wait.

If the shoe fits

2008-07-03T08:02:00.000-07:00

I just noticed that beauty industry is getting the spotlight not just from Hollywood junkies but from average Joe and Janes. I am talking about the beauty industry that encompasses salon, spa and cosmetology. While these “beauty essentials” can be found in every corner of the town, we have to be certain that the services that we get are from the hands of high breed ones.
The demand of hair salon jobs are relatively high and if you are a salon owner, you have to be sure that the one you will be getting has this “magic touch” and for the beauty stylist, it is imperative that he or she would land a job that is rewarding. Getting the right combination would definitely raise the bar of the beauty industry
I found out that BeautyJobs has launched a beauty industry job placement website. This is the perfect answer to the challenging beauty industry demand as it sets its goal to making a popular online destination for forums that will fuel the rise and sustenance of promising and top caliber beauty professionals.

Hurray!

2008-06-27T05:58:00.000-07:00

I am actually rejoicing for several good reasons:
1. I got a clearance from our house doctor that I am no longer contgious and already fit to work.
Oh well, I always feel better the whole time I was sick. I am so thankful that my shingles was not that bad and it did not give me a rough time. Although I was really paranoid of spreading the virus to my family so during the day that I was on sick leave, I was out. I was attending classes. I knew that nurses there are immune to nosocomial infections (hospital acquired diseases). heehee
2. I got my new laptop. It's not the Macbook Air that everyone is getting crazy about about but it's a sure better replcament to my dying desktop that by the way became flat line yesterday (as in literally the screen became flatline as if it was zapped by a nuclear explosion.
I always knew that my broadband connection is fast but due to my dysfunctional desktop, connection was just a bit above the dial up connection. Now I am really enjoyingthe fast connection.
I am just adjusting to the following:
a. softer keyboard. I need to type gently
b. getting used to scroll pad (is that what you call it?)
c. typing numbers (there are no calculator type digits y'know)

3. Someone has cleaned my room today and changed my linens

I am feeling a bit happy now. Maybe being away from the office for a while is a good stress buster. I did not even feel bad at all losing the chance of becoming part time trainer in the office.
I am brewing something and I hope that good vibes will continue to stick with me for the rest of the year.
I know that it's immature to tell yet, but 2008 will be one of the best years of my life.

Invest or save?

2008-06-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned here once that our company has launched a financial stewardship campaign in order to assist the employees not just in saving but also in investing.Apart from the franchising, I have learned that one of the most brilliant ideas is gold investing not just in pieces of jewelry but the real gold in bullions, ingots and coins.You could actually have American Eagle gold coins which are legal tender in the USA having a $50 value. These coins weigh 10 ounces and are available for personally delivery only so you could be assured that they will be handed to you safely.
Investments in precious metals will surely hype up your savings as time goes by.

I am contagious

2008-06-19T07:38:00.000-07:00

Yeah you read it right. My short-lived elation has vanished.

I have shingles.

I first consulted our house doctor on Tuesday. I noticed these clustered vesicles on my left lower back and my anterior left thigh last Saturday and I suspected shingles already. There was no clinic on weekends and I was on leave last Monday ergo, I had the chance to consult on Tuesday. The physician gave me antiviral agents good until I could report back for work on Friday (Tuesday and Wednesdays are my restdays for the week) and consult the specialist who’ll be on duty then.

Also on Tuesday, I got a ~~very~~ short notice from my team leader that I was tapped to be an on call trainer for our program and that on Wednesday I, along with the lot of team leaders in our program and a few agents will be making a demo before the company trainers. The trainers will be choosing only nine out of I dunno.

In short I was also in the office on Wednesday.

I thought that the presentation just went well but I did not impress the trainers so I went home right after and then went straight to the church.

When I got home, I got a gazillion missed calls and a text from my team leader that I got into the program and my training will start Thursday, which is also my restday.

I was in the office before 9:00 a.m. and I was able to join the training but there’s something in me that told me to check if the dermatologist was in. So I went to the clinic after lunch and she was there. She sent me home immediately giving me a 7-day sick leave.

I told the trainer about my condition and the doctor’s order.

In short, I am already cut off the program. I know they felt bad but honestly, I just felt a little bad. For one, I went on with the demo just to get it over with because this was my second time I was recommended to other departments. The first one I declined. But for the record, I felt good that I was considered in the Train the Trainer program.

So seven good days of being free from office work. I don’t have to call in sick because my schedule for the next seven days has been blocked. I am free! Physically, I don’t feel bad although there are occasional discomforts caused by the affected nerve pathways. But generally I am A-ok.

Thing is I can’t stay at home. I have a niece who has not gotten a chicken pox vaccine yet and my sister is pregnant. Although she’s in the latter part of her pregnancy past the organogenesis (vital organ forming stage) the virus might still cross the placental barrier and who knows what might be the effect.

In short again, I need to be out of the house during the day.

Wordless

2008-06-17T08:37:00.001-07:00

Digitally accurate

2008-06-17T08:27:00.000-07:00

Imagine… instant access to essential diagnosis and treatment information using just one integrated application. This translates to more than 3,300 drugs, more than 1,200 diseases and hundreds of diagnostic tests. And all these will lead to prescribing safe and effective medications with just a few clicks on your PDA loaded with the PDA medical software . With this, medicine can now be a whole lot of fun because clinicians have easy access to information concerning drug safe and effective drug combinations even at patient’s bedside. Since accurate references are already compiled in software, rummaging in pile of books or search through a thousand of references online is now a thing of the past.

Digitally accurate. Digitally on the go.

This announcement was paid for by Epocrates

The Good Life

2008-06-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

I joined my officemate (as her guest) in the gym today.
We went straight ahead to a gym in ABS CBN after office. Actually, it was my third time already to be there, as a guest. Seriously, I enjoy the workout, the facilities and amenities but I am not willing to shell out a hefty amount just to get physically fit.
Anyway, I was interviewed first by the receptionist and she tried persuading me to get a passport membership. I politely declined saying that I have to think about it first. Which I already have done a gazillion times.
After warming up and dong some mid-body workouts, we joined the body combat group exercise. It's like sparring with choreography. It was fun but sadly I had to stop after 15 minutes because my heart is pounding really fast.
Mind you, there were nearly-senior citizens in group exercise and they have lasted all through out the session. I was thinking, it might be they really have good stamina that n I have or they just want to show off or convince themselves that they can still do it.
Oh good luck with that! I don't know if they've got clearance from their physicians to do strenuous workouts. As for me, I don't want to push myself to the limit, I have mitral valve prolapse and i still want to live a little longer.
I just sat in the lounge and waited for my officemate to get done. I felt nauseous. Good thing soda is free flowing.
When she's done we just changed into casual clothes. Yeah, we did not hit the shower. I did not bring towel because I was thinking it will be provided for since the monthly gym fee is ceiling high. Well I was wrong. I just forgot that they were not really providing towels for the people there.
I was not able to talk my officemate into getting a body spa so I just went on alone. It was outside the gym.
The masseuse was very good although she did not talk much during the one hour session. She focused on my stress points especially on my back.
All the pain and some discomfort that I have been feeling since my last spa treatment in September last year just vanished.
It's really good to treat yourself once in a while and feel guiltless about it.

PhotoHunt - Emotion

2008-06-14T05:25:00.000-07:00

Meet the poor man's Gollum.
Everyone who has seen him perform thought that he successfully channeled Gollum's emotions of greed, hatred and evilness in LOTR. He even volunteered to have his head shaved just to pullout Smigol's devious emotions for our play.
Are you feeling it yet?
He was full of emotions on stage and in photo ops.
Oh yeah, he had his 15 minutes of fame.

Being COOKiefied

2008-06-12T07:56:00.000-07:00

Is it me or is it him?
There's a strangeness on the way DC delivered his lines on VH1's Best Week Ever. Unless it was intentional, I would say that he reminded me of Carson Kressley and again unless he's trying to channel him. I can completely say that he totally pulled it off!

I noticed something different the way he swayed his hips performing Shout to the Lord (the night before Idol Gives Back).
Confused.
Whatever.

A worthwhile hibernation

2008-06-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

I was supposed to post this article prior to joining a meme after my week-long hiatus but I have to wait for all the pictures and videos to be shared in the office.Last week was our General Assembly (GA). It’s kind of big time and required presentation of the 7 programs in our department. It was a contest by the way. A huge contest with our group running on a tight budget.
Last year, our program came in second. I was not among the dancers then. Yey!
I don’t know if it was good or bad, but right after I joined our department’s song and dance group for the December 2007 company wide contest, my team leader kept on volunteering me to join any dance-ish activity.
First was the cheering squad. Okay, I stood them up there because I can’t bear the thought of wearing a short skirt in front of a huge crowd. I heart Bring it on and cheer dance competitions but I cannot pullout a Britney Allen or Claire Bennett.

Second and the latest was this magical dance presentation. Cheesy!
After a series of pep talks, I finally caved in with the condition that I won’t be showing my face while doing the majority of the dance stuff. I turned down the elven role and went for the dark knight instead. Suits my personality eh?
And beside that, I joined not because of my team leader, good thing she does not read this but because of my friend who headed the project.
Rehearsals were so disorganized which kinda ticked me off because I was trying to stay late in the office after my duty and skipped class just to be with the group.
The pressure rose even higher when the team leaders and program manager saw us rehearse and we could sense dissatisfaction. The pack was not in sync up to the dry run a few hours before the contest.
We did not get the chance to rehearse even the blocking as scheduled early morning on the contest day because the teams ahead of us went over the allocated time. And to make things worst, the other group ganged up on us not letting us in of our supposedly shared dressing room.
I kept my cool, I told the team to just let it go because blessed are those who are oppressed. Huhuhuhu.
We were the last to perform and based on what we saw in other groups’ performances, our theme, LOTR is at par if and only if we would move in harmony.

A few minutes before our performance, our point persons told me and the other dark knight who would come from the audience to exaggerate our movements and scare the judges. D’ oh! I was assigned on the side were my friends from the other programs were sitting.
So when I walked by awaiting my cue, they were yelling and calling my name, by the way, I was wearing all black, a bonnet and a black cloak. Maybe they just sensed that there’s a piece of black cloth floating.
I did not mind them because the moment that I made an affirmation that it was me, the more that I would become more conscious.
On the other tables we I am closer, the mean guys from the other program are mocking me making stupid comments. So before they got into my nerve, I decided to walk a few tables away from them.
And my cue came, I moved as if no one was watching. Making exaggerated movements and when I finally reached the judges’ table, I am pretty sure I scared the hell out of them.
Right after the performance, everyone in our program especially the team leaders congratulated us because we delivered. And they were surprised about the instant change in our mood on stage as if we were possessed. We moved in unison, almost.
Everyone, I knew, did their part. The stunts became real. Gollum really jumped into Frodo, I slashed the sword on Sam’s back and it was a mistake because I can’t see rapid movements in a bonnet under a hood. Thankfully it was not sharp.
I felt good even if Sam kicked me on my lumbar really hard. I had bruises and I felt sore for a couple of days. I slipped because I was not able to remove the cloak in the happy song.
I felt inspired by Gollum watching him on stage (while waiting for my cue). He really gave justice to the role and he nailed it down. He did not have qualms wearing boxers and body paints. He even had his head shaved for the role. No one asked him to do it. He was the only team member who had a perfect attendance in our rehearsals. In fact, he memorized all the members’ routines.
He earned to be the instant celebrity that night having countless photo ops with other attendees even from other programs.
Did I mention we won? Yeah we did, and this meant I had to be kicked by Sam again since we had to show the audience again our winning form.

Sorry for the lengthy blab.
I just wanna share.

All natural all the time

2008-06-11T07:53:00.000-07:00

Whenever I am craving for protein bars (I rarely eat animal meat), I have to swing by a grocery store near our office. I need to energize my body. Well, we do have a canteen and a vending machine but all they sell are unhealthy and junk foods.

I am into munching natural healthy snack and having organic choices would be a heaven, not only in office settings but more importantly in schools. Yeah, it’s back to school and children are often tempted to sink their teeth into sweets or other junk foods. Parents and guardians though prepare snacks for their kids they are still unsure if their kids are free from snack-swapping sprees.

I would say that it is about time that school and office administration consider putting up natural vending machine or organic vending machine. There should always be quick bites of good nutrition and a handful of alternative snacks for people who are always on the go.
It just dawned on me, since our department has launched a wellness program dubbed as iCONLites, I think it would be great if they will also include new healthy vending program that will offer healthy choices and provide good nutrition for everyone.

Wordless

2008-06-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

Hectic week and DC's playlist

2008-06-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

I might not join any meme this week.
I am swamped with so many work this week but I just want to share this.
I am obsessed. So what?
I stumbled upon David Cook on Nightline and this is his playlist:
1. One Sweet Day - Mariah Carey (I'll give him that thinking of Boyz II Men and DC's rendition)
2. The Thunder Rolls - Garth Brooks (I like contemporary country. I still have to check on this one)
3. Close - Nine Inch Nails (this too I have to research)
4. Innocent - Our Lady Peace (One of my favorites. The message just hits me)
5. The World I know - Collective Soul (Watching him sing this makes me want to cry. Full of emotion)
And finally, he chooses Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap. I love IH. They have a couple of songs in The OC soundtracks which I all have.
I really want to kiss the cook!

Ciao for now!