Nothing much. Yeah, I don’t really use it a great deal except for the sidebar where I put some gadgets for easy access – local weather, calendar, mini media player and CPU/RAM meter which displays my system resources.
Here’s how it looks like:
A representation of nature on my screen sorts of neutralizes the technological experience working on a computer brings.
This is actually a meme from Aileen of Life's Simple Pleasures. Now I’m tagging Snglguy, Wil, Cai, Lazarus and Rey to put up a screenshot of their desktop too! Here are the instructions to be followed:
[TAG STARTS HERE]
My Desktop Free View Instruction:
A. Upon receiving this tag, immediately perform a screen capture of your desktop. It is best that no icons be deleted before the screen capture so as to add to the element of fun.
You can do a screen capture by:
[1] Going to your desktop and pressing the Print Scrn key (located on the right side of the F12 key).
[2] Open a graphics program (like Picture Manager, Paint, or Photoshop) and do a Paste (CTRL + V).
[3] If you wish, you can “edit” the image, before saving it.
For MAC users: Press [ Apple] [ Ctrl ] [ Shift ] and [ 3 ]
B. Post the picture in your blog. You can also give a short explanation on the look of your desktop just below it if you want. You can explain why you preferred such look or why is it full of icons. Things like that.
C. Tag five of your friends and ask them to give you a Free View of their desktop as well.
Some Pinoy jokes are being circulated among emails about students writing letters to their poor parents in the provinces asking for money for their supposedly school expenses but were actually just wasting it on unnecessary whims. The clueless parents had to sell their carabaos, land and other properties just to send money for their children’s ‘school project expenses’. While stories like these may seem amusing, they subtly indicate a sad fact that providing education for your children entails a lot of sacrifices particularly with finances. Some students are responsible enough to apply for scholarships, grants, enroll as working students or get into part time jobs to help fund their tuition and school related expenses. Some even had to resort to private student loans to keep up with the expenses.
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When stuck in a big bad traffic, what do you do? Me, I just try to entertain myself by observing the other vehicles nearby - drool over some sleek SUVs or brand new cars, count the number of stuffed toys displayed at the back of cars, search for some unique plate numbers or get amused with reading some bumper stickers. These small colorful printouts at the back never fail to make a statement for the owners of the car they’re stuck with. Some are witty (‘I may be slow but you’re still behind me’), some provide information (‘Baby on Board’ or ‘Child on Board’), inspiration or spirituality (‘Think God’), while some car stickers serve as miniature marketing ads with logos of companies and organizations.
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How often have we heard people complain about not having enough time? I am often guilty of this too, wishing I could clone myself many times over, and hoping the hours would stretch more so I can catch up on some unfinished tasks. So how do I manage my time? The answer to this timeless (hah hah) question is crucial to many aspects of life; from balancing an online education to just finding time to learn how to cook. I am not a time management expert but since I answered ‘yes’ to some of InspirationBit’s test questions in her time management group writing project, I am glad to share my three simple time management tips: Prioritize. Delegate. Say no.
1. Prioritize.
Focus on your To Do list or whatever is written in your schedule first before doing other less important activities.
2. Delegate.
Don’t sweat the small stuff. We are not super heroes, we can’t put our hands on everything that claims our attention. Let go of things that can be passed on to others such as phone calls or simple computations. You can also train others to do part of your work so you can focus on the more important things.
3. Say no.
If your schedule is fully loaded, and you have lots of pending tasks that needs your personal attention and they can’t be delegated, learn to refuse additional workload, responsibilities or unnecessary distractions.
My favorite time management guru is Stephen Covey and I learned a lot from the principles he taught in his book ‘First Things First’ about the compass (vision) vs. the clock (schedule) and efficiency vs. effectivity. I’ve learned about centering your goals on a personal mission statement which serves as your inner compass, your reference point on what matters most in your life.
What about situations that do not depend on you, but on external circumstances and other people - how do you manage your time when things don’t turn out according to your schedule? I have written about this dilemma before, you can read about it in ‘Warning! Do not delay!: Lessons in Time Management for goal-driven fanatics’:
“So, it’s absolutely fine to have a goal, BUT when things don’t go according to your timetable, and things are beyond what you can manage, don’t fuss. Stay pretty (or else you’ll age faster and those unwanted wrinkles would start appearing). Keep your cool. You might be in for a pleasant surprise.”
RECOMMENDED LINKS
Related posts:
33 timeless ideas on time management
Warning! Do not delay! : Lessons in time management for goal-driven fanatics
The wisdom of the perfect time
Whether you are walking along some crowded street in China, shopping in a night market in Bangkok, or taking a stroll along the sidewalks of Manila, it is best to be aware of con artists plying around. They’re mostly experts into tricking naïve-looking tourists and newcomers. When travelling to a new place, common sense and going with your instincts during unusual situations is the best way to avoid being conned as explained in an article on how to overcome con artists in Asia. Don’t wear attractive jewelry and keep guard of your pricey camphones or digicams when walking along crowded streets. Otherwise you would look more appealing to snatchers, pickpocketers and con artists who are just around the corner looking for their next prey.
Travelling to Asia promises a unique cultural experience, so stack up on your knowledge about the place you are going to. If you have some friends or relatives, better ask them practical information about the place and its people and if there are any well known scams in the locality. It is best to be aware rather than have unpleasant experiences that would ruin your holiday. Another way is to browse and read up on travel stories in Asia from the Internet. You can even get some ideas on dining, shopping, nightlife, the best beaches in Asia, strange cultural habits in China and other practical and interesting infos you might need for your next Asian holiday.
Getting something on your mailbox is one of life’s simple pleasures. And nope I am not talking about the popular electronic mailbox or e-mail nowadays, but the old-fashioned way of sending and receiving greeting cards and letters via the post office. I just thought about this while browsing over some nice mailboxes over the net like the Bacova Gardens Strongbox (left photo) post mounted mailbox.
Its design is definitely for the ladies though. This is one of the featured mailboxes from the mailboxixchange.com site, where you can browse over lots of residential mailboxes and commercial mailboxes. Some house owners put unique looking mailboxes such as this to lend a different appeal to their front yards. Well, aside from those delightful greeting cards, the monthly delivery of bills and magazine subscriptions never fail to reside in every family’s mailboxes.
Building your dream home sometimes takes time and patience to make it come true especially if you’re on a tight budget. I have seen most newly married couples (except the wealthier ones) start their homes with just the basic architectural wall and floor finishes, electrical and plumbing utilities and adorned with only the necessary furnishings. For instance, here in our area, there’s a newly constructed two-storey house — the external walls are not yet painted and the balcony is unfinished, but every time we pass by, we notice some new home improvements such as newly installed window grills or wall tiles. I know the owners are slowly building their dream home according to their budget and pretty soon their home will be completed just as they imagined it to be.
Home improvement has indeed become more popular these days with its easy accessibility via the proliferation of DIY (Do-It-Yourself) hardware and stores. I myself like to stroll and look around in home improvement stores especially their room showcases where I can get some new design ideas. I also like it when I see some new items or gadgets for the home. Another way to browse for products is through online shopping provided by most home improvement stores such as UK’s Anglian. Their products range from uPVC windows with double glazing (photo above) and doors, rooftrim, driveways, garage doors and kitchens. Those who dream of incorporating nature in their homes can check out their beautiful conservatories such as the Victorian style below.
When embarking on a bigger home improvement project, it is best to consult a professional to discuss your needs. It will not only save you from future headaches, you will also get better ideas for your dream design.
From tropical and sunny Thailand, my big sis’ kids have adapted quite well to their new home in cold Finland. They’re still the same hyperactive bunch with their usual stuff – playing, biking and running around, doing their usual stunts such as hanging on poles (like roasted pigs, hehehe) though in a different playground now.
Writing a term paper is not only challenging, it can be frustrating sometimes especially when you are not that good with expressing your concepts and theories for others to comprehend. I used to do research work and I can attest that it takes more than just putting down into words your ideas, you also need to organize your content among other things.
Some students struggling with this can get assistance from custom term paper experts such as Custom-Writing.org. They have a bevy of professional writers who are experts in their field to help them produce high quality plagiarism-free term paper customized according to the client’s needs. They even have a 24-hour online support and provide service to students worldwide.
I used to ask help on my research too, though not with writing but on some technical theories and computations. I am just thankful to my genius classmates and seniors who were willing to lend a hand. Getting help with your term papers can definitely take a big chunk off your shoulders.
My sister sent us many pictures of her newborn baby C and I find this one the cutest! This is a photo of her sleeping and you may have noticed she is smiling too. I wonder what dreams she is having that made her look so happy. There’s also a popular belief that babies smiling in their sleep are being tickled by their angels.
I am fond of collecting travel guides, brochures, handouts and tickets whenever on a trip. These printed items not only give information about the place, they also serve as part of my travel mementos. I usually bought travel guides on my previous trips, and while they were bulky (and pricey too!), I didn’t mind at all, they added to my sense of confidence even if I’m stuck in an unfamiliar place. I used to flip through the pages enthusiastically for interesting places to visit over the next weekend.
These days, I realize I don’t have to purchase travel guides on my next trip. Having a RealTravel account even gives me more particularly with its free personalized trip planner where I can create travel itineraries, learn from fellow RealTravelers’ blogs about my planned destinations. I can also browse through guides and reviews, view maps, save my trip plan and share it with family and friends. There’s also a travel forum where members can exchange updates on great holiday packages or deals, share ideas on new travel stuff, and experiences about their latest trip adventures. Technology is surely a big help for travelers, and the Internet is a huge source of information on anything related to travel and destinations.
I got myself thinking about the UK again and browsed over at a London’s online community site, Gumtree.com, which features classified ads on houses and rooms for rent, stuff and cars for sale, dating and other community services and events, and I got interested in the Jobs Section. I am not looking for jobs in London though, but I found some interesting, even amusing, jobs posted by would-be employers.
How would you like to be an ASB or anti social behavior officer to manage tenant complaints or disputes? Ugh, such a stressful job, don’t you think so? Another ad looked for friendly outgoing persons to deliver lunch for hungry office workers (now this made me smile). How about face fundraising? You should have good communication skills since you have to be on the streets all day persuading people to raise funds for charity (this made me smile even more).
London jobs are definitely diverse. Well, at least people have many career options aside from the usual accounting, banking, insurance, healthcare, sales, graphic design, teaching and other available job opportunities.
Haven’t we heard of this reminder from our parents when we were still young every time we sat on the table and stuffed ourselves with grilled pork or fried chicken, and snubbed the green colored vegetable dish nearby? My Mom had to encourage us kids with a peso just so we include ampalaya (bitter melon) in our plates. As a grown up, I am thankful to my parents for instilling in us the value of having a balanced diet and including fruits and vegetables in our meals.
Nowadays, there isn’t a need for me to be persuaded with coins to eat a dish of sautéed amplaya with eggs. One of my favorite veggie dish is Utan Bisaya (our local term for the native veggie soup) which consists mostly of locally produced veggies such as alogbate, okra pods, squash, string beans and eggplants. Cold-climate veggies such as cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, lettuce, cabbage and carrots are my favorites too. We also make it a habit to have fresh fruits to end a hearty meal and we usually buy those which are in season. Our family meals are not complete without including veggies and fruits on the dining table. The constant reminders and encouragement from my parents about this are now part of my eating habits.
Doing a bit of research strengthens my resolve to prioritize green food in my diet. I’ve learned that fruits and veggies contain considerable amount of antioxidants which combat the effects of the cell degeneration process and lessen the possible risks of diseases brought about by aging. I am not a vegetarian though, I don’t know if I can fully discipline myself to go all the way with veggies but at least I don’t need some extra persuasion to make me indulge myself in a delicious bowl of mixed vegetables.
One of the many reasons I dream of visiting the UK is its rich history and culture, particularly its interesting architecture as evident by its numerous magnificent castles, towers and fortresses, old buildings as well as the modern ones. Visiting castles will definitely transport tourists visually to the medieval times, and maybe imagine about those characters which they only read about in fairytale books - Sleeping Beauty locked up in a very high tower or Cinderella dancing with the Prince in a royal party within the grandest halls of the King’s castle. These days, castles have either become tourist attractions, museums or administrative buildings nevertheless they provide a sense of history and beauty where they are located.
Famous castles such as the Tower of London, the Edinburgh Castle or the Pembroke Castle are must-see places. As a tourist destination, the UK is also famous for its nightlife and boasts of having one of the best club scenes in the planet. There’s a wide variety of evening activities, from discos, bars and clubbing to operas and ballroom dancing. Tourists have many choices for a comfortable place to stay in the UK, from budget to luxurious London hotels, Edinburgh hotels, Glasgow hotels and other accommodations that would fit their holiday needs.
After chatting with my nephew about updates on school, weather, life and other stuff regarding their new home in Finland (refer to my previous post), Mom and I later had a conversation about going to Europe and our talk drifted on to topics like getting a Schengen visa so we could easily visit them, or travel to France, Germany and Italy which are members of the fifteen Schengen countries.
Mom also mentioned the UK, saying she wants to go to London. I asked her why, and she replied with that famous line, “To visit the Queen!” Hehehe… Well, I know it’s nice to imagine visiting famous London attractions such as the Tower of London, Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace and St. Paul’s Cathedral. I dreamily visualize myself going places with a London Sightseeing Pass which gives free entry to many tourist destinations within London. Of course, we are just dreaming out loud (hey, it’s OK to dream big, right?) and enumerating some places to visit in Europe since my two sisters are living there, though in different countries.
What a pleasant surprise to finally communicate with my big sis’ family on the Internet. Ever since they moved to Finland last month, they had to wait for weeks to have a connection at home so it was great to see my bro-in-law Kuya By’s chat ID online. I immediately initiated a chat and here’s part of our conversation:
carey: hello kuya! (Kuya is a Filipino word used to address an elder brother as a sign of respect)
kuya by: moika auntie carey (Huh, what does that mean and I thought it was my bro-in-law?)
carey: moika?
kuya by: mina olen roland (So it was my nephew R-vin!)
carey: mita kuluu (This is the only Finnish greeting I know which I learned from my classmate from Finland)
kuya by: kitos hyva
carey: what does that mean (Now I feel like I’m talking to an alien!)
kuya by: ante taile
kuya by: fine thank u
kuya by: and u
carey: moika?
kuya by: yksi, kaksi, kolme, nelja, viisi, kuusi, seitseman, kahdeksan, yhdeksan, kymennen (Yikes! Help meeee!)
kuya by: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
kuya by: moika means hi
carey: ok
So it was my nephew R-vin chatting with me, then his other siblings chirped in, also my big sis and Kuya By. Finally we’re updated about what they’re up to.
Travel light, turn off electricity such as hotel lights, use public transport such as trains or buses if possible instead of planes, buy local products — these are just some of the tips for a Lower Carbon Travel as discussed in the website of BizClass travel market. It’s nice to know that this site, which is dedicated to first class and business class flights, not only provides custom search and price comparison, but has also included an environmental awareness campaign. BizClass is an online travel search engine where you can compare travel deals and discounts and find business class flights that would meet your needs. Just provide your travel details (destination and date), and BizClass returns a list of corresponding airlines and travel agents. Clicking on your preferred rates will transport you to the travel agent’s website where you purchase the tickets if you are satisfied with the package.
BizClass also provides information on the environmental impact of the travel details you provided during the search. For instance, a trip from Manila to Seville (with a total of 24038 km. of travel) produces 2.64 tons of carbon dioxide per person with a cost of emission of Php 2141.22 (and that even includes VAT!). Interesting huh? Anyway, reading its Carbon Policy Statement is enlightening and gave me information about the effects of travel to the environment specifically with carbon emissions that contributes to global warming. Awareness about how we affect our environment is a start since we cannot simply stop taking flights to other destinations. With resolve, we can actually offset travel emissions by energy saving measures at home since household energy usage produces approximately 6 tons of carbon dioxide annually. How about you? Are you aware of CO2 emissions brought about by your own air travel activities? Any tips you know that would offset travel emissions?
Inventing words is fun, making up your own words that would make the language experts go nuts! We know the words are not in the dictionary and yet we use them on purpose, to break away from life’s monotony and add craziness to our conversations. We veer a bit from the norm and what’s proper just to be different. So when PrettyTin (hey, that’s an invented word too!) blogged about her ‘wordsy’ words, it was a pleasant surprise to know that somebody is also into this. I was smiling as I was reading her post and thought, “Yeahhh… I do it too!” OK, I know some people do anyway.
I have my own invented words as well: ‘ideasnpink’ which is my blog name (I defined it here), ‘blogless’ (as speechless means having nothing to say, blogless means having nothing to blog about) and my favorite ‘blogsy’ (which means anything related to blogging). My cutie sis and I have this habit of adding the long ‘e’ sound to some words as much as we can. We talk or chat with words like ‘lappy’ (for laptop), ‘fisheee’ (fish), ‘pinkeee’ (for the color pink), she even likes to call herself ‘dazeee’. I guess we got it from my niece Anzel when she was a toddler before, she was fond of adding ‘ee’ to some words. Whenever she asked for milk, she would say, “I want milkyyyyy!” We tried to tell her it’s milk but she won’t listen. Her mom assured us she knows the proper word is milk but she just loved to name it as ‘milky’. It was the child in her determined to be unique even with words.
While most people indulge in text speak (“h r u 2d?” or “k c u l8r!”), my sis and I find fun in playing with words though we don’t normally do it with others around. Inventing words is our way of having child play without the dolls and toys. It makes us giggly as schoolgirls, touching base not just on serious matters but even on nonsensical and trivial things in life. How about you? Care to share some of your invented words too?
Our family business is the sole proprietorship type registered in my name. Sure, this type is easy to setup and didn’t need much of a business capital but the risks are great in terms of legal liabilities and taxes. In the business world, going into single proprietorship or partnership is not advisable if you plan on future business expansion or you want to stay in the business for a long time. Getting incorporated is the way to go.
Well, some business owners start from being single proprietors and later on move to incorporation when the business expands and needs to be more secure in its assets. Accountant guru and bestselling author Stephen L. Nelson has published business kits, specifically Do-it-yourself incorporation kits and Do-it-yourself limited liability kit for Illinois, Alabama, Texas and other US states to help out business owners with this concern. The kit includes easy to follow steps in forming a corporation applicable to that state, as well as valuable information on issues such as benefits, drawbacks, business licensing, getting a federal EIN (Employer Identification Number) and electing corporation status.
How about our business? It’s been put to the back seat for now (the supposed-to-be incorporators are busy and out-of-the-country!) but incorporation is definitely what we aim for in the future.
We were on our way home cruising along the highway on a late evening, when our friend received an urgent phone call. Somebody informed him about something terrible that happened to the World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York. I guess you know what it was. And yes, it’s been 6 years ago today when that unthinkable tragedy happened that ended the lives of 2,974 people – innocent civilians and brave firefighters, police officers and rescuers. Let’s remember them and say a prayer for them today.
Ideas are powerful. A train of thought can make or break, build or destroy. The choice is ours. Our ideas become our future. I believe that life’s meaningful lessons are best learned when shared with others.
