New Discoveries

Blake Shelton-  this man does country and he was recommended to me by Jan a woman I met while playing Farmtown.  Her son works for Shelton and she lives in Nashville.  Country is not new to me.  In fact, I have learned to appreciate Dolly Parton when I was still with my husband.  So, anyway, I checked out Shelton on Youtube and fell in love with his own rendition of Michael Buble’s Home.  Now, I am looking for various ways of buying CDs by Shelton as I am sure they are not available here.

Piolo Pascual-  I have been always a fan of Piolo Pascual’s movies and has admired his dedication in helping the less fortunate through his own Hebreo Foundation.  I was quite amazed with his singing.  His voice is quite easy to the ears.  He is overly pleasing to the eyes already, so listening to him sing ballads and old songs brought back memories of my Mom and the songs my brothers like to sing when they were still living at home.  Comforting.

Music is a way for me to relax.  When I needed to de-stress, I listen to my relax and de-stress playlist.  This comprise of acoustic selections by Boyce Avenue and songs by Piolo Pascual.  When I needed to feel the urge to sing, I put on my Cool Selection and I sing along Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Chris Brown, Taylor Swift,  Kelly Clarkson, Chris Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, Craig David and even Katy Perry.  I have a Disco selection as well when I feel like dancing upbeat tunes with my children.

I bond with my children with music as well.  They love dancing Black Eyed Peas and they sing along with me as well.  There was a time when I had to turn on BBC Classical Radio just to get them all to bed.  When I am down, I like to listen to soothing tunes and just like that, soulful songs lift me up and I am back on track.  Music has always have its healing and uplifting properties, and I continue to re-align my music with my mood and true enough, it does it work most of the times.  When I feel like listening to music in private, I plug in my headphones and I immerse myself to the beat of whatever I am listening.

What about you?  When you are down, what kind of music do you like to listen to?

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I used to play the piano as a child, but I love the guitar the best.  Although certainly no John Mayer nor a Gabe Bondoc or a Marié Digby, but I love the way a guitar sound and has always loved to sing along with an acoustic guitar as an accompaniment.  My love of music stemmed from my growing up with brothers who plays the piano and guitar.  There was always music when I was growing up.

I used to sing duets with my brothers.  We used to sing all those 80′s music, Roxette, Bruce Springsteen, some Barry Manilow’s and even Basia, Whitney Houston and Bon Jovi.  I started with the piano at the age of 6, and the guitar at the age of 14.  I was professionally taught piano-wise, but self taught with the guitar.  I started learning the guitar when I realized that the guitar is way cooler than the piano.  :)

Tomorrow, I am checking out Perfect Pitch to check the prices of acoustic guitars.   I want a black acoustic guitar.  I am also checking out online guitar sites.  Anyone have any suggestion?

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My love for reading began at an early age.  It started when I found an entire shelf of Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys hardbound books at the school library.  No one seemed to bother borrowing them, and although I cannot remember exactly my first Nancy Drew book, I remembered borrowing all the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books in our library.  From then on, I would pester my mom and my brother Joemen to get me books every month from the local bookstore.

My brother encourage my love for reading.  Although my parents did not understand it before, and thought of buying “pocketbooks” a total waste of money, my brother– also a book worm explained the passion and the advantages of reading.  He mentioned something about widening my vocabulary and strengthening my grammar and english skills, reading truly has helped me through school.

Reading think chapters from text books and learning the art of speed reading, this has helped me through high school and college, no doubt about that.  Writing essays and book reports was easy for me and has earned me some recognition in school.  I also became good in spelling and along with the passion of working on crossword puzzles, I have learned to be quick on synonyms of words and learned how to quickly answer crossword puzzles from easy to advance level on one sitting.  There was a time that I was so into it that I even have my own crossword puzzle book in the bathroom.  lol  Some keep magazines or newspapers near their crapper, me, I have my Sudoku and my Dell Crossword Puzzles.

My favorite books range from legal and psychological thrillers.  Kellermen, King, Grisham, Scottoline, Crichton are some of my favorite authors.  I continue to horde books here.  But it has expanded to personal finance, web design and some self help books which I have used with my counselor years ago.

I wanted my love for books to pass onto my children.  At early age, my children are rewarded for good behavior with books.  We have a selection of Dr. Seuss and Nancy Drew Books.  My daughters love books and like me, they are drawn to National Bookstore and BookSale.  I have learned to allocate at least P1,000 for books each month.  Books when taken care of last for several years and can be passed on to others.

Here are some of the benefits of reading:

• Reading helps children become smarter.
• Reading encourages your children to have longer attention span.
• It helps teach your child about relationships, situations, personalities, and what is good and what is bad in the world he lives in. Fantasy books provide material for his imagination and free play. Fairy tales fascinate your kid, and help him distinguish between what is real and what is not.
• Reading helps you prepare your children allay your child’s fears or prepare him for changes in his life. For example, you can choose books about using the potty, going to school, or moving to a new house when he is about to have these new experiences.

The best way to teach children to love reading is to be an example.  Let your children see you reading.  Read stories aloud to your children and let them choose the books they wanted to read.  As soon as you show this love and dedication to learning by reading, your children will love books and learn to take care and handle them with care.

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So here are the laptops that has gotten my attention this time around:

1. HP Envy

After getting a top of the line HP Pavilion work station, I am now impressed with these all in one power heavies. Everything from mouse to monitor to keyboard have this embossed and silver insigna HP which my children and I love. Eye-catching all black with silver trim, the HP Pavilion is hard core as can be. I just ordered a new Pocket Media Drive to go with it from Amazon, and I cannot wait to fix my HDD and move and clean up my HDD.

So when it comes to netbooks, I have my eye on HP Envy and HP Mini. I am more inclined to drool and dream about the Envy because of its technical features:

• 1.6GHz Intel Core2 Duo SL9300 Processor (6MB L2 Cache, 1066 MHz FSB)
• 3 GB DDR3 System Memory (1 Dimm); Expandable to 5GB
• 250GB (5400RPM) SATA Hard Drive; External SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support
• 13.1¿ Diagonal High Definition LED HP Radiance Infinity Widescreen Display (1366×768)
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 Graphics with up to 1757MB total graphics memory with 512 MB dedicated
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit; Up to 16.25 Hours of Battery Life

Not bad.  And its running on Windows 7 already.  Be still my heart!

Cost:  $1,000-  :(

2.  HP Mini

HP carries an array of Minis and I just love the fact that they are MINI!  Man, so small and almost notebook size.  Great for travels and quick internet access and use anywhere.  Almost like my Nokia E72 which I like to use at home for quick email checks and twitter and facebook updates using Gravity.

I am in love with the Vivienne Tam Edition Series.  It is several hundred more expensive than the non-special mini’s but heck, this is dreamworld, so I can dream and drool non-stop.  So, for now, I am taken with the Vivienne Tam Edition Series.  I wonder how many stores in Manila have the VT Series, cause this is not available here in Northern Mindanao.

• An Intel Atom N450 processor for reliable performance
• Simplified daily PC activities with genuine Windows 7 Home Premium
• 2GB of system memory and a 250GB⁴ hard drive
• Three ports for transferring data to/from other devices
• A 10.1″ (diagonal) antiglare display
• A VGA port for connecting a monitor
• Integrated wireless-G for access within range of a hotspot² (Wireless-N and Bluetooth are optional)
• The options of a 320GB hard drive, 2.4GHz wireless mouse in the same design, and external multi-format CD/DVD drive for installing software (the Mini has no internal optical drive)
• ENERGY STAR^® qualification

Cost:  $599-700

3. iPad

Isn’t iPad a portable laptop?  Sort of.  (shrugs)  Despite the fact that I am veering away from Apple products now because of their cost, I am still quite taken with the iPad.  I think all Apple products are great except the fact that they are just too damn expensive and the applications for Mac are NOT free.  :(

Cost:  $499

Anyway, anyone can dream even me.  I have no plans of getting another laptop, but I do have some extra, I would not mind having the Mini or the Envy.

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I am not sure how the surge of these ala-multiply sellers have broken into Facebook.  But the more and the longer most people hang in Facebook, the likelihood that more corporations, sellers, would want a piece of the Facebook pie.  So far, I have bought only 2 items from a seller through Facebook and I got them from a confirmed friend who just happened to be selling electronic items from the US.

Some sellers would tag their wares with your name so those images will end on your Facebook stream, unless you have assigned to filter those out so these items are off your wall.  Anyway, some of these products are interesting enough.  I am happy to see and be aware of the fad and be able to have fun looking at those bags and wondering whether they are fake or real.  I bet Ingrid, the BagHag would be able to tell right away!

I have not bought any expensive leather piece for a long time.  I am not into Gucci or those screamingly expensive bags, but I am more on those bags that I know will last longer and those are kinda expensive but not the range of those designer bags.  So I spotted this bag on Facebook and as soon as I saw it I ran a search using Google for its main site and fell in love with the goodies!  Sigh…

As you can see, I am a utilitarian kind of person who likes using using huge bags so I can carry alot of items:  pens, moleskine notebook, a pouch with medication for asthma for myself and my children, some allergy oitment, lip gloss and a small had sanitizer.  Ofcourse, never forget my double fold wallet and my huge pencil case with pens and coins inside including numerous SIM cards.

Its necessary for me to have a bag with pockets for easy key and mobile access.  Just remember my days when I needed to include a few change diaper and spare plastic bags and bibs into my tote.  As well as wipes and spare shirts and pants.  Those were the days, but I am sort of stuck in the huge bag department, because when I am out of my house, I still tend to carry everything.

So what’s in your bag?  And what kind of bag do you use often?

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So whatever happened to Wolfgang? Well, they seem to have come back.  Unfortunately, since I am no longer in Manila, I have not heard much about them apart from what I get from the Wolfgang’s Official Facebook Page.  I searched Youtube for their video and found something I have never seen nor heard– Wolfgang with the UP Singing Ambassadors.  How cool is that?

To those who crave heavy metal and the dark tunes of Wolfgang, check the video below:

Back when I was still in the university, I wrote the group and received a reply from Manuel Legarda. I was still hanging in UP, particularly at Ilang-Ilang Residence Hall when I got the letter. What amazed me was it was handwritten and I was so ecstatic and I even bragged about it and shown off Manuel’s response. I wish I got to keep the letter. I hardly remember what was on it, but what made the letter important to me during that time was the fact that Manuel took the time to write back. It made me believe that Wolfgang actually take the time to read the letters they receive from fans like me. Not only do they read them, but they actually take the time to write back. No wonder the band is still around! Rock on guys!

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This year’s WordCamp is going to be held at the College of St. Benilde.  I know, I might start kicking myself the moment I get there cause I am not exactly within the 24-29 age category.  I dread someone might think I am a parent of one of the participants.  LOL

So, ok registration is now open.  To those blogging enthusiasts as well as those who intend to network with the local blogging community, this is your chance!  Registration fee is only P700.  If you register before August 15, enjoy a discount of P200 and pay only P500 or $12.

Secure a seat today!  Oh, and did I forget to mention that Matt Mullenweg has confirmed and he is attending the event???

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Overcrowding, squatting and poor urban planning contributes to the floods and destructions of homes every typhoon season.  Philippines would you believe get an average of 6-7 tropical cyclones every year.  Ketsana last year has caused so much destruction in the north which according to Huffington Post, “430,000 people were affected by storm, including some 115,000 people who were brought to about 200 schools, churches and other evacuation shelters.”  Imagine 1 months worth of rain in just 12 hours.

Poor urban planning has long been blamed for the floods and the cause of traffic in the country.  But how do you fix  decades of mistakes?  Is it possible at all to start all over again?  During my travels to Papua New Guinea and Australia, I came to realize years ago how badly our houses here are built.  Its crazy to see European style houses sprouting here and there including the countless of low lying homes by money sucking low cost housing in the urban areas.  These subdivisions does not have proper drainage and sewerage systems that during typhoon season, these were one of the places affected by floods every year.

In Papua New Guinea, houses are built on stilts especially those near the water as some parts of PNG has tasted tsunamis every year.  My husband, continue to groan when he sees our houses here have small roofs, huge bay windows and made of low class cements and poor materials.  Everytime it floods, houses are destroyed over and over again.  Damage of properties is so bad that people struggle to start anew.  Houses in low lying areas built so close to the ground succumbs to  flood water and rain.  It is a mystery why our houses here were never built on stilts.  I have seen houses in rural Batangas on stilts and they make sense. Like look at that house (green-inset), that house was our house in PNG.  Although we lived in the mountains, that house was made to adapt to the climate in the mountains.  To those who has been there, it can become freezing cold during the night, but so humid during the day.  The windows are huge to allow wind to go through and through the walls.  When it rains, it is important to leave the windows open as well.  Although its not made of indigenous materials, the house was designed essentially to adapt to the climate in PNG– Sepik in particular.

The damages caused by the effects of climate change– extreme heat and extreme rains, continue to prove how poor our country was when it comes to disaster preparedness.  Poorly structured homes, poorly planned neighborhoods, ineffective government services are just among the contributing factors to our inability to prepare for catastrophe.

It continues to amaze me how simple solutions can mitigate the effects of climate change.  For us in the Philippines, there are solutions ofcourse that us locals can implement without waiting for the government “solutions” which often are curtailed by politics and dirty lobbying.

My Shelter Foundation is spear-headed by social entrepreneur and architect Illac Diaz said,

“As we go more into the seasons of typhoons, the seemingly evitable will become obviously urgent..”

Image from DaTE.org

My Shelter Foundation, through Extend Yourself hopes to build more schools using sustainable materials and innovative architectural design.  I am amazed with the projects previously launched by Design against The Elements (DaTE) as it shows how great architectural minds in the country and abroad proposed successfully their ideas on innovative and sustainable building.   Projects like this needed funding as you all know, but with some funding from multi-lateral financial institutions, and private corporations, the reliance of projects such as this is indeed possible.

Me as a blogger, I am beginning to believe that as we begin to raise consciousness and more information campaigns using social media, we can help as much by supporting groups like My Shelter Foundation make their projects a reality.  With collective and collaborative efforts there is a chance that when catastrophe strikes we can at least be confident that when the storm has passed, one of the main pillars of our communities — the schools are safe and unharmed and ready to welcome our children back.

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So here is a quick rundown of the Top Blogging Tools that I use here as well as my other sites:

WORDPRESS.  WORDPRESS.  I cannot say it enough but I love WordPress!  And yes, this has little to do with intelligent and handsome Matt, but its because WordPress is probably the best blogging platforms today.  I started blogging with Blogspot almost 10 years ago.  I was unhappy with its hosting limitations so I decided to switch on Moveable Type, which was uber cool 9 years ago.  I can probably launch a site in less than 10 minutes.  I guess the pros can do it for 5 minutes, but since I am plagued with false modesty today, I reckon I can get a WordPress site up and running in 10 minutes.  Another thing that I love about WordPress is its versatility when it comes to customization and there are literally thousands of reliable plugins to make your blogging experience spiffy!

For hosting, I have an account with SwankWebStyle.  And for domain registration, I use local ploghost and GoDaddy.

MacBook and HP Pavilion p6240d.  In order to write and post my articles, I use my reliable Macbook for non work related tasks.  I also use my HP Pavilion to maintain and write my posts for my client’s websites which are running in WordPress.

For my internet connection at home, I use Globe Broadband which is the most reliable service in my area.  Although I had issues with Globe (as if I have not ranted enough already), I have nothing much to complain when it comes to speed.  I have 2 internet connections at home actually so my children’s PC has its own sole connection and I do not have to fight with them when we are sharing connections.  Imagine, we can now do FarmVille and Farm Town simultaneously!

For images, I use a Canon Digital Ixus 30.  This has been one of my recent upgrade since the loss of my reliable GE Digital Camera.  For photo editing, I just use Picasa since uploading in Facebook takes only a few clicks!  I also like carrying a spare micro SD card along with my mini tripod along with my digital camera.

I also use my trusty Nokia E72 to take photos.  Its been very handy and I tend to use the camera as well since it comes up with decent images for my blog.

Blogging has provided me company when the going gets rough.  I would like to believe that I have amused and even helped some people because of this love for blogging.  There is no chance that I will quit writing in the near future, so all of the tools that I have dearly invested in better be worth it!  :)

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