new horizons

The training project I’ve blogged about last month didn’t push through. I was not really that disappointed about it since it was scheduled for mid-December when all of my siblings will be here. The family’s been doing a lot of preparation to accommodate many guests, they’re actually my brothers and sisters and their families who will be here for Christmas.

Regarding the proposed training, it might be next year, though I am not that enthusiastic about it. The participants wanted a different module and according to my contact, they really don’t know what they wanted to learn. Well, I can’t also make a custom training module for them if they are not specific with what they want. Maybe they’re thinking of learning in a virtual classroom instead of traveling all the way to Thailand for training?

Online classroom sessions usually include participation tools, online desktop sharing, interactive whiteboard and more. This kind of learning using web conferencing technology has actually worked for some companies who need to train their employees in different locations. Personally, I still go for the real classroom training especially when it involves study visits. Companies who would like to consider virtual classroom technology can weigh the pros and cons first before deciding to provide online training to their staff.

Tags: learning, online classroom, training, virtual classroom, web conferencing

I know the Christmas season can be enjoyed even without the usual gift-giving tradition but how do you explain that to those who usually associate Christmas with lavish gifts, thirteenth-month-pays, sumptuous parties, grand reunions, fun vacations and bonuses? I wonder how those who are less fortunate than I am would welcome the coming holidays.

I remember one Christmas time when I used to work in an institution in Thailand, our community chaplain Fr. Maier made the rule to have not more than ten (or was it twenty?) Thai Baht for the cost of the gifts to be exchanged during the midnight Christmas party. With such a small amount as the limit, we were left thinking of what to come up as gifts.

What happened during the party was fun though, as we saw many handmade items made of simple materials, such as wooden sticks and paper, being handed over within the community as we exchanged our gifts which were mostly a labor of love and creativity from the giver. It was Fr. Maier’s way of telling us that we can still enjoy exchanging gifts without spending a lot. What matters most is the spirit of giving and sharing.

Tomorrow will be the first day of December (how time flies!) and I bet most of you have done some Christmas shopping by now. For me, I haven’t even made my list yet. Anyway, these are some questions that usually come to mind when I think about gift-giving:

• What is your motivation for giving the gift?

• Does the recipient really need the gift or you buy it just to give something and get over with your shopping?

• How much are you willing to spend for a gift?

• On kids, if they beg you for a Barbie Doll, Hannah Montana item or a toy robot, will you give in to their requests or give them educational toys instead?

• What about gift certificates instead of racking your brains thinking about what to give?

• Why not make handmade gifts instead?

• What would be a nice handmade gift?

A lot of questions usually come up about buying gifts especially when you have limited budget. What other creative gifts can you think of that cost less, or even nothing, but would make somebody happy?

This brings to mind a lighthearted moment with my former boss before. It was almost Christmas and usually Filipinos would tease each other about asking for gifts. I jokingly asked him for a Christmas gift and he wittingly replied, “Presence, not presents, hija.” Smart answer indeed! I wish I could tell that to my godchildren too!

Tags: Christmas, gift-giving, gifts

With the recent economic crisis the country is facing these days, most businesses have to resort to contingency measures. I’ve seen in the news lately about one of the country’s biggest businesses losing millions in their many ventures such as telecommunications and real estate. Admiringly, some businesses manage to rise to the top of the list of successful corporations. Why is this so? This is sometimes a curiosity for me. A lot of factors can be considered, and employee morale is one of them. As they say, the employees are the lifeblood of every business and to attend to their needs is essential.
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While I would really want to have some sort of celebration for this blog yesterday, a contest perhaps or some giveaways, sadly I can’t. Since last week, we have been busy for Dad’s birthday party for Monday during our community prayer meeting where we distributed some packed dinner boxes, and last Wednesday, it was yet another party with his classmates. We were just so pressured because of the food preparation since the people we expected to help us didn’t come for some reasons. Thankfully, we survived both parties.

Okay, this is just a quick note for the archives…

Today this blog hits its first year in the blogosphere.

That’s it!

Tags: anniversary

Environment-conscious netizens might be interested in a new way of hosting their websites. If they’re familiar with green web hosting, or web hosting that’s powered by green energy, then they might consider saving the earth by patronizing web hosting companies such as HostPapa.com or GoodAvocado.com. Hmmm…doesn’t HostPapa.com remind you of GoDaddy.com, another web hosting and domain registration company too? GreenAvocado promises professional eco-hosting services with their wind energy-powered products while HostPapa guarantees 100% green energy for their web hosting services. Anyway, these two green web hosting companies offer webhosting packages starting at less than $5/month.
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Tags: eco-hosting, green web hosting, top web hosting

Pleasant surprise number 1: Instant cash!

The other day while Dad was preparing my bedroom wall for drilling (for a woven wall décor to be hanged), Mom and I moved my bed and as I lifted up the foam, I saw a white envelope tucked under. I curiously opened it and found Php1,500 (about $30) inside. I think I placed it there many months ago and totally forgot about it! It was not really a huge amount but that instant cash was really a big help considering money is really tight these days.

Pleasant surprise number 2: Irresistible offer!

I got an email for another training project in Thailand for December. I already sent a quick reply (it’s a yes, of course!) with a proposed training outline and schedule for the participants. Now I’m praying this project will really push through. Please help me pray about it, OK? Thanks!

Pleasant surprise number 3: Early messages!

I got early text messages from a dear friend today, and nope they were not those forwarded chain messages I usually get. She texted me that she read my post about New York in my travel blog (she’s a regular visitor to our family’s blogs) and their family is planning to visit there next summer coz their US tourist visa has been granted. I am just so happy for them, I myself am dreaming of going to NYC. I was also amused coz she asked me if it’s okay for her to comment even if she has no blog coz she said she really wanted to comment. Getting text messages that are not the usual forwarded ones really make my day! 

How about you, any pleasant surprises that happened lately? 

Photo credits: happycaity.com

Update: The baby in the photo is my cute niece little C.

Tags: cash, friendship, surprise, text messages, training

While most of the people are looking forward to the coming Christmas season, some are quite hesitant about welcoming it. They’re terrified just thinking about the soaring expenses during the holidays especially now that prices have gone up. We were at the grocery last night and the price tags on some goods we usually buy (Milo, coffee, cheese, milk, etc.) made me pause a bit before taking them out of the shelves. Argghhh… who would want to go shopping like that?
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Tags: budget, Christmas, expenses, frugality, holidays

Better late than never! Here’s some linky love to last month’s top Entrecard droppers. Sorry this has been really late… this list was still on my drafts as soon as October ended but I’ve been busy since the first day of November and yesterday something big came up. Thank you Lord!!! Anyway, here goes…

BasBasBas.com (29)
Symphony of Love (26)
Communique by Ivanhoe (24)
rainydazeee (24)
Money Saving Pro (24)
Comedy Plus (24)
Pastel Corner (22)
Athletic Alley (21)
happy caity (20)
The Long Journey of My Life (20)

Thank you guys and gals for the regular drops. Salamat!!!

p.s. Top droppers will be featured on the sidebar soon! Watch out for that!
p. s. again, please visit and drop your ECs also at my travel blog happysteps.net!

Tags: linky love

Do you prefer buying environment-friendly products over those that are not? Somebody recommended to me a cellphone brand which supports Greenpeace Foundation, an international organization which aims for environmental protection and conservation and promoting peace. While most consumers support these global concerns, their purchasing habits are still not that totally dependent on whether a product is eco-friendly or not, maybe because most are not aware about which products are harmful to the environment and which are not.

It’s good that many companies are now integrating environmental awareness and conservation in their systems by producing biodegradable products or eco-friendly gadgets. For instance, Asus recently launched their Bamboo Series notebook PC which they claim to be “truly green” from conception, production up to recycling and disposal. It would be nice to use a laptop such as this, knowing that it will be properly disposed of in the future.

Another big plus is its Super Hybrid Engine feature which provides longer battery life than most notebooks with the same specifications. I also like its wooden case which contrasts with the sleek modern designs of most notebooks today. More eco-friendly products are featured at EnviroGadget.com such as the Energy Detective (a gadget for monitoring energy consumption), a water powered calculator, WaterMill, Eco Stapler or the Coleman Solar car battery charger.

Tags: Asus, Bamboo Series notebook PC, eco-friendly products, green products, laptop, low energy PC

I used to work in the quality control department of a telecoms firm and just reminiscing about those years gives me that feeling of thankfulness. Yup, I could ramble endlessly about how my previous telecom job was fun and challenging despite some personal discomforts like having to wake up early or wearing some stiff corporate attire.

While my main job description was research (that meant reading lots of articles, books and documents), it was also balanced with out-of-office work such as site visits and plant inspections. My colleagues and I were also tasked to meet different suppliers and evaluate the products/services they offer. It was like shopping some goodies for your company and choosing among the best at the most reasonable price. We were assigned to review, do research and decide on the product quality of telecom equipment to be used for our landline services in terms of function, design and technical standards.

My favorite part of the job was visiting the supplier’s plant where we learn more about the details of their production process. My colleagues and I also get to go to trade shows and visit the booths and displays of prospective suppliers. There would also be occasional field visits within the city and in other provinces to perform acceptance testing of equipment which to me was the best part since it gave me the chance to travel and be away from the humdrum of working behind my desk. I was also blessed to have been one of the engineers sent to Europe for a three-week training (it was my first trip to this dreamy continent) which gave me the rare chance to visit some of the tourist attractions during weekends.

Another big plus with my previous job was having to work with generous and understanding bosses and superiors. I know some employees would complain about how irresponsible, stupid or crazy their bosses are. My bosses were not angels and they had their personal faults but their professionalism in dealing with their staff, providing inspiration, encouragement and support during tough times, was a blessing. I made many friends with my office mates as well and still communicate with some of them. Thus, when I decided to call it quits to pursue a different career path, it was a difficult one for me. I’m always grateful for my previous telecom career, it gave me not just work experience but heartwarming memories and countless life lessons learned.

Tags: blessings, engineering, job, quality control, technical standards, telecommunications, thankful

This is the Cemetery Chapel with Ossuary at Kutna Hora, in Czech Republic where the bones of about 40,000 people were kept, and some were made into intricate decors – chandeliers, candelabras and other wall and ceiling moldings.

It felt creepy as I walked inside despite the many tourists inspecting the details of the unique artworks of skulls and bones.

Massive chandelier made of bones…eeeekkkk!

The Schwarzenberg coat-of-arms. Look at the huge pile of bones behind!

I wonder how the artist must have felt while holding those bones and skulls as he worked on them! Yikes!

You can read more about this chapel here.

To view more PhotoHunt scary entries, click here.

Tags: bones, chapel, Czech Republic, Kutna Hora, ossuary, scary

It’s exhilarating when one goes out into a vacation; he leaves his usual daily routine, forgets deadlines, or the dull regular office tasks, and enjoys the new refreshing sights and sites. I love being with nature, and for me, few days of relaxation would be best spent being on a beach or high up in the mountains. For instance, the beautiful views of White Mountains Arizona look enticing and make me dream of spending a vacation in this place. Aside from being gifted with nature’s attractions, it has a year-round social events (meaning one will not get bored!) and friendly people.

If its recreation one is after, there are winding mountain trails at White Mountains, and he can enjoy hiking or biking, or can just lazily move around to get the pleasure of the abundant beauty of nature. Or one can go fishing; there are plenty of lakes, streams, and rivers up there, which abound with different kinds of fishes. Or one can choose hunting different varieties of animals – elk, deer, antelope, to mention some. In fact, they have the Arizona Department of Game & Fish to handle different kinds of sporting challenges. Or if one goes for skiing and winter sports, the place offers some of the best ski resorts, they even have designated special cross-country skiing trails for enthusiasts.

Anyway, I’m just on dreaming mode for now… after our recent family vacation in Europe, still I’m looking forward for more travels to come next year.

Tags: Arizona, hiking, hunting, mountains, skiing, vacation, White Mountains, winter sports

It’s fun meeting up with former schoolmates whenever I’m in Manila. Having a get-together dinner would always be our way of catching up on updates about our careers, travels, hobbies, love-life (or the lack of it) and even politics. One favorite topic that we all loved to discuss was health, especially since one of my friends has decided to go vegetarian (though now she decided to include fish in her diet). I also noticed that another friend was limping due to joint pain while we were climbing up the stairs. She jokingly associated it with age. We just laughed along with her knowing that she’s still young enough to be worrying about getting old.

After browsing through the Internet, I’ve come across a usual joint pain which knows no age; it can strike even the young ones. Uh-oh. Osteoarthritis (OA), also known as degenerative arthritis, a degenerative joint disease, which is a low-grade inflammation resulting in pain in the joints, caused by abnormal wearing of the cartilage (the soft white bone usually found in joints) that covers and acts as a cushion inside joints and destruction or decrease of the fluid that lubricates those joints. This word is coined from Greek words “osteo”, “arthro”, and “itis” which respectively means “of the bone”, “joint”, and “inflammation”.

When there is inflammation, there is commonly pain. There may be no external swelling, it may not be seen but is felt only by the pain suffered, as it exists internally. Sometimes though, skin redness can be seen, or there is a feeling of heat. As the bone becomes exposed due to less protection by the cartilage, pain results especially when standing and the body bears the weight, which naturally affect the joints supporting the body. So now I know! Since the whole process of the affliction is slow, usually this is associated with age, but in cases which are more the exception rather than the rule, young people may be affected too.

There are however oral enzyme formulas, just like Medizym, a natural solution which have been used for long already to arrest inflammation, promote healthy joints, encourage robust circulation, support immune function and promote healthy aging. This directly influences the immune system for a quick inflammatory response throughout the body. Medizym is also recommended for many other conditions such as rheumatism that involve an imbalanced immune response.

Thank God my knees are very much fine and they’re not giving me any problems. But after seeing my friend, it made me realize that I need to care more of my health (particularly regular exercise) especially since I’m not getting any younger. Yikes!

Tags: aging, friendship, joint pain, Osteoarthritis, reunions

Whenever I buy something, particularly items or gadgets that will be used for a long time, I always check the warranty. For me, products with longer warranty period have an edge over the others. Any buyer who values his money would examine if a warranty is reliable. One thing he looks for is the track record, how long the company giving the warranty has been in existence, whether it is financially sound, or is properly insured.

A vehicle warranty is much more needed especially in the used car business; one has to be sure the purchase is covered by a dependable used car warranty. It’s best to see to it that claims are not just passed off to an unknown third party, much less a fly-by-night one. For instance, a good used car warranty coverage includes money back guarantee, choice of repair facility, free roadside assistance, protection for mechanical breakdown and wear & tear, unlimited number of claims and more.

A warranty provides peace of mind to the owner that the product or service he bought is of good quality. In all business dealings, whatever one purchases, the customer always wants to have a good buy, meaning that he is not shortchanged, or that he gets his money’s worth. People even could pay more just to be sure that the product he buys or the service he pays for will last for a long period, not that it will right away snap, or be damaged, even without any reason.

Tags: money back guarantee, product quality, warranty