I just thought of taking the blogging test again to see if things have improved.
It got worst.
I am definitely more addicted to blogging now than before.
82%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?
Well, thanks to my blogs, Architerra, Architelago, MomOnMobile, Munrebpost (which I basically just moderate) and Residences Manila, these prove that you can't stump passion when it's there.
I love blogging!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
When a 9 Year Old Idolizes Her Home Country
My 9 year old daughter composed an essay for her school's Academic Week.
When I read it, I became teary-eyed. I was proud of her effort, her evident gift for words. True, I saw at first the consistency of form, the literary devices she intuitively used, her mature use of grammar packed in a 200 word essay. I saw her careful and almost painstaking effort to type in the words and spellcheck them.
Yet I was immensely stirred by the insight and idealism she expressed in such a simple work. It comes at a time when jaded souls like mine, weary with all the bad news about the world recession, are refreshed with these images. It reminds me to re-focus and to re-discover the simple treasures we can find in our own backyard.
I thought, "If more people viewed their country the way my daughter viewed the Philippines, we'd probably be happier and more productive--no matter what state our nation is in".
No wonder they call the youth "hope of the Motherland". Enjoy the read.
“The Sampaguita Flower”
The Sampaguita is well known for its sweet smell, its beauty, and its lovely, pure white color. It is also quite small in size. It can be made into garlands sold to earn an honest livelihood.
Similar to the sampaguita, the Philippines is a modest country. Although our country is small, it is very beautiful. The people in the Philippines are very religious. They uphold purity and humility. The Sampaguita is also like that: white, with a simple yet pleasing fragrance. When the Sampaguita are made into garlands, they depend on each other's stems to stay connected as a garland. This symbolizes interdependence. We rely on each other to stay strong.
For these reasons, I believe that the sampaguita is the perfect symbol to represent the Philippines.
When I read it, I became teary-eyed. I was proud of her effort, her evident gift for words. True, I saw at first the consistency of form, the literary devices she intuitively used, her mature use of grammar packed in a 200 word essay. I saw her careful and almost painstaking effort to type in the words and spellcheck them.
Yet I was immensely stirred by the insight and idealism she expressed in such a simple work. It comes at a time when jaded souls like mine, weary with all the bad news about the world recession, are refreshed with these images. It reminds me to re-focus and to re-discover the simple treasures we can find in our own backyard.
I thought, "If more people viewed their country the way my daughter viewed the Philippines, we'd probably be happier and more productive--no matter what state our nation is in".
No wonder they call the youth "hope of the Motherland". Enjoy the read.
“The Sampaguita Flower”
If I were to decide on what I would send to an international exhibit to represent the Philippines, I would choose the national flower, the Sampaguita.
The Sampaguita is well known for its sweet smell, its beauty, and its lovely, pure white color. It is also quite small in size. It can be made into garlands sold to earn an honest livelihood.
Similar to the sampaguita, the Philippines is a modest country. Although our country is small, it is very beautiful. The people in the Philippines are very religious. They uphold purity and humility. The Sampaguita is also like that: white, with a simple yet pleasing fragrance. When the Sampaguita are made into garlands, they depend on each other's stems to stay connected as a garland. This symbolizes interdependence. We rely on each other to stay strong.
The Sampaguita starts out as a not-so-impressive flower bud, but which one day will bloom into a beautiful flower. We are like that. We started out as a country unexplored by the world. But now, we have many wonderful tourist attractions.
For these reasons, I believe that the sampaguita is the perfect symbol to represent the Philippines.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Are you Addicted to Blogging?
Just saw this post on Yugatech. I thought it was fun so I tried it out and this is the badge I got:
77%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?
77%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?
JustSayHi - Free Personals
Monday, September 24, 2007
Time Management for Kids
I found a cool link on PBSKids . The webpages teaches time management for kids. I was ecstatic: I've been looking for some references on this for some time.
The approach may be bit too executive-like for younger kids (and thinking of my 8- and 9-year-old kids, maybe they might find it boring). There's a pre-evaluation, a drill-and-practice crossword to help pique the youngin's interest. But it helps to motivate them by citing to them a benefit. Like, they'll have more time to play.
Well, my 9-year-old took to the crossword just fine. There's even a sample time budget worksheet--way to go!
The approach may be bit too executive-like for younger kids (and thinking of my 8- and 9-year-old kids, maybe they might find it boring). There's a pre-evaluation, a drill-and-practice crossword to help pique the youngin's interest. But it helps to motivate them by citing to them a benefit. Like, they'll have more time to play.
Well, my 9-year-old took to the crossword just fine. There's even a sample time budget worksheet--way to go!
Thursday, February 15, 2007
The Business of Online Home Search
I've been searching for a new house for the past several months.
I searched the Net with Google as the default search engine. I was just so pleasantly surprised to find even bigger, more innovative property and listing engines such as Trulia & Point2 Homes.
Point2 Homes was developed in Canada. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they listed over 500 agents direct from the Philippines! Many just recently joined, and I was glad to stumble upon it thanks to my habitual tendency to research. They had a lot of houses to show, too.
The technology and intuitive interface makes it easy to list and blog on a more regular basis. I first read about the possibility of doing a real estate blog integrated with other services such as online maps from Yuga. Google Maps energizes the home search process by plotting the location of those listed houses using of those green, squamous-cell-like 'things' that sort of pops out on the area like a mini-cobra. To what extent will it make the search easier--well, what do you think?
The concept of integration drives the continuous improvement of these sites. There's the blogs to build community of brokers. Well, not all brokers and agents can write. However, there were a few entries that seemed to read well about the area of their specialization.
Speaking of Point2Homes, this became an amazing online e-commerce application to come up with my own dynamic, databased new real estate listing website. I ended up including a good number of BF Homes, Paranaque direct listings--a result of those many days of searching on foot for the perfect house. These are the houses that didn't meet my needs, but may meet other home buyers' preferences!
I am now putting those listings on my pilot site, to load and syndicate with other Pinoy brokers across the world. Yup, I didn't forget to link to my own Architerra blog just to nudge the neural networking growth a wee bit.
I searched the Net with Google as the default search engine. I was just so pleasantly surprised to find even bigger, more innovative property and listing engines such as Trulia & Point2 Homes.
Point2 Homes was developed in Canada. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they listed over 500 agents direct from the Philippines! Many just recently joined, and I was glad to stumble upon it thanks to my habitual tendency to research. They had a lot of houses to show, too.
The technology and intuitive interface makes it easy to list and blog on a more regular basis. I first read about the possibility of doing a real estate blog integrated with other services such as online maps from Yuga. Google Maps energizes the home search process by plotting the location of those listed houses using of those green, squamous-cell-like 'things' that sort of pops out on the area like a mini-cobra. To what extent will it make the search easier--well, what do you think?
The concept of integration drives the continuous improvement of these sites. There's the blogs to build community of brokers. Well, not all brokers and agents can write. However, there were a few entries that seemed to read well about the area of their specialization.
Speaking of Point2Homes, this became an amazing online e-commerce application to come up with my own dynamic, databased new real estate listing website. I ended up including a good number of BF Homes, Paranaque direct listings--a result of those many days of searching on foot for the perfect house. These are the houses that didn't meet my needs, but may meet other home buyers' preferences!
I am now putting those listings on my pilot site, to load and syndicate with other Pinoy brokers across the world. Yup, I didn't forget to link to my own Architerra blog just to nudge the neural networking growth a wee bit.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
3rd Quarter Exam Fun Reviews
My daughters begged me to make their 3rd quarter test review more fun. Read: less boring. I remembered what Ms. Fahlmann, the children's pre-school teacher, said about using computer aided instruction: make sure you teach the concepts first on paper before allowing them to use the computers for practice. Otherwise, the program becomes a game for them. I did just that.
I went to my favourite Internet4Classrooms. I found ready made review activities for Language, Math, Science and Reading. For Religion, it was great interactive fun on EWTN Kids. The website was appealing to use for my kids. The sequential reviewer prompted you to memorize and understand the key concepts first (which I did with Sachi and Mira), then choose the appropriate Flash presentation and allow them to 'play' with it for practice. The children and I reviewed on different parts of Church, parts of the Mass, and the review of prayers.
But the interesting part was customizing on Quia a reviewer for their Social Studies module on Early Influences and Traders in the Philippines (for my Grade 3 daughter). The drag-and-drop interfaces made constructing the reviewer easy. The 30-day trial account is free, so make good use of it!
I loved Mathmastery for the timed cyberchallenge So did my little girls. They have a multitude of activities to make practice tests, mastery, time pressure practice of tables et al appealing to either visual or analytical learners. They can print out the best of all their challenges and print out a certificate of mastery.
Was reviewing this way effective for the kids? It was! I was ecstatic that they got 94 and above for most of the subjects we reviewed using the computer. And the kids were happy and appreciative. The best affirmation I got is when they gently 'boasted' about how I reviewed them using the computer. Then they told me that their classmates wanted me to do reviewers for them too. Well, I don't mind sharing with their Moms how to do the practice e-tivities.
I went to my favourite Internet4Classrooms. I found ready made review activities for Language, Math, Science and Reading. For Religion, it was great interactive fun on EWTN Kids. The website was appealing to use for my kids. The sequential reviewer prompted you to memorize and understand the key concepts first (which I did with Sachi and Mira), then choose the appropriate Flash presentation and allow them to 'play' with it for practice. The children and I reviewed on different parts of Church, parts of the Mass, and the review of prayers.
But the interesting part was customizing on Quia a reviewer for their Social Studies module on Early Influences and Traders in the Philippines (for my Grade 3 daughter). The drag-and-drop interfaces made constructing the reviewer easy. The 30-day trial account is free, so make good use of it!
I loved Mathmastery for the timed cyberchallenge So did my little girls. They have a multitude of activities to make practice tests, mastery, time pressure practice of tables et al appealing to either visual or analytical learners. They can print out the best of all their challenges and print out a certificate of mastery.
Was reviewing this way effective for the kids? It was! I was ecstatic that they got 94 and above for most of the subjects we reviewed using the computer. And the kids were happy and appreciative. The best affirmation I got is when they gently 'boasted' about how I reviewed them using the computer. Then they told me that their classmates wanted me to do reviewers for them too. Well, I don't mind sharing with their Moms how to do the practice e-tivities.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Home Management K.I.T.
For most of us Moms who have a thousand-and-one things to do at home but can't seem to find sufficient time to do these tasks well, please get a copy of Frannie Daez's book, "Keep It Together".
I find the book to be well-written, nicely printed, and full of practical tips on home management. There are many good lists in the book that seem to streamline the complex responsibilities of running the household. I can identify with the management cycle, especially the part on mission-visioning, and roles and goals creation. I liked too how she applied the Japanese 5-S philosophy to her own experiences in home management. Try reading the book for the Househelper's Guide--with the difficulty in getting and keeping maids nowadays, the tips given are invaluable and so practical.
I find the book to be well-written, nicely printed, and full of practical tips on home management. There are many good lists in the book that seem to streamline the complex responsibilities of running the household. I can identify with the management cycle, especially the part on mission-visioning, and roles and goals creation. I liked too how she applied the Japanese 5-S philosophy to her own experiences in home management. Try reading the book for the Househelper's Guide--with the difficulty in getting and keeping maids nowadays, the tips given are invaluable and so practical.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
A Dose of Vitamins and Good Cheer
Our friend and Bibliamate, Christian David, recently gave Gerry my hubby a nice present: a bottle of Intra capsules!
Intra is a popular vitamin supplement from the Lifestyles group. Christian is International Marketing Director for the company. And since you can only get the product through its network of marketing professionals,we were fortunate to get it direct from the head himself!
Gerry was feeling weak, feverish, and had a sore throat. Must have been due to the past few weeks of high-stress activities and shortened hours of sleep. Christian was kind enough to part with a bottle. He genuinely wanted to make Gerry feel better (as Gerry's wife, I sensed that).
Ger has been taking Intra for the past 3 days. And true enough he started to detox. The high fiber cleansed out the digestive debris and he started to feel a lot better. Combined with his anti-allergy medicine, the flu-like symptoms disappeared. I asked Christian, "Do you have something to lower high cholesterol?". I was only half kidding. I needed to bring my cholesterol down from a 200+ high risk level. I was already feeling dizzy most of the time, partly due to raised blood pressure combined with other pressures.
I read the flyer on Intra that claims it has 23 botanicals that strengthen's the body's systems. Perfect for those who lack sufficient nutrients due to imbalanced and usually rushed meals.
Christian also gave us some info on Nutria, another vitamin supplement from the Lifestyles, which we could use in tandem with Intra. The list brings to mind colorful images of a lush botanical garden: apple, rosehip, green tea, cherry, orange, prune, parsley, onion, mango, spinach, pineapple--it goes on and on. Plus nutrients like selenium, molybdenum, folic acid, beta carotene, zinc, chromium and much more. The list seems so comprehensive--and all of those nutrients found in one vitamin pill!
We all know that a pill is not a cure-all. But if you want to have extra insurance for good health and resistance to the elements, supplemental formulas such as those of Intra and Nutria are safe, sound and penny-wise propositions. I am happy that Intra worked for Gerry. He is usually skeptical about nutritional supplements. For years he handled the regional marketing of a popular multinational vitamin brand. So he knows that there are a number of questionable supplement claims out there. But he didn't question the positive results he got from Intra.
Though I know Christian wasn't trying to sell us any stuff, his perfect health and cheerful, intelligent disposition made him a convincing endorser of his own products. You can e-mail Christian David or text him at 0917-535-1312 for more of how you can benefit from Intra. Better yet, why not ask him about the benefits of joining their growing business group?
Intra is a popular vitamin supplement from the Lifestyles group. Christian is International Marketing Director for the company. And since you can only get the product through its network of marketing professionals,we were fortunate to get it direct from the head himself!
Gerry was feeling weak, feverish, and had a sore throat. Must have been due to the past few weeks of high-stress activities and shortened hours of sleep. Christian was kind enough to part with a bottle. He genuinely wanted to make Gerry feel better (as Gerry's wife, I sensed that).
Ger has been taking Intra for the past 3 days. And true enough he started to detox. The high fiber cleansed out the digestive debris and he started to feel a lot better. Combined with his anti-allergy medicine, the flu-like symptoms disappeared. I asked Christian, "Do you have something to lower high cholesterol?". I was only half kidding. I needed to bring my cholesterol down from a 200+ high risk level. I was already feeling dizzy most of the time, partly due to raised blood pressure combined with other pressures.
I read the flyer on Intra that claims it has 23 botanicals that strengthen's the body's systems. Perfect for those who lack sufficient nutrients due to imbalanced and usually rushed meals.
Christian also gave us some info on Nutria, another vitamin supplement from the Lifestyles, which we could use in tandem with Intra. The list brings to mind colorful images of a lush botanical garden: apple, rosehip, green tea, cherry, orange, prune, parsley, onion, mango, spinach, pineapple--it goes on and on. Plus nutrients like selenium, molybdenum, folic acid, beta carotene, zinc, chromium and much more. The list seems so comprehensive--and all of those nutrients found in one vitamin pill!
We all know that a pill is not a cure-all. But if you want to have extra insurance for good health and resistance to the elements, supplemental formulas such as those of Intra and Nutria are safe, sound and penny-wise propositions. I am happy that Intra worked for Gerry. He is usually skeptical about nutritional supplements. For years he handled the regional marketing of a popular multinational vitamin brand. So he knows that there are a number of questionable supplement claims out there. But he didn't question the positive results he got from Intra.
Though I know Christian wasn't trying to sell us any stuff, his perfect health and cheerful, intelligent disposition made him a convincing endorser of his own products. You can e-mail Christian David or text him at 0917-535-1312 for more of how you can benefit from Intra. Better yet, why not ask him about the benefits of joining their growing business group?
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
More Creativity than Candy on Halloween '06
I kept my promise to my kids that I'll change their Halloween costumes this year. They've been fairy princesses for the past 3 years. Same dress, same wings.For this year's treck to Ayala Alabang Village's traditional Halloween treat, my kids went to Toy Kingdom for new costumes to transform them into All Hallow's Eve vixens. Mira went as a pretty wizardress. Sachi, well, a princess with a crinoline collar and faux earrings. Others went out of their way to come up with more unique costumes. Check out the Dad who came as an M&M. His entire family came as a pack of M&Ms. I saw a Mom and her daughters come in Dalmatian-spotted shirts as a tribute to the doggy Disney movie. Another guy was dressed as the traditional Pinoy dead person: barong, head tied with a white bandana, pale face and cotton-balls-in-nose. My friend Pia P. brought her kids, nephews and nieces to Divisoria to buy cloth. Then went to a hard-to-find dressmaker in Baclaran to have a furry feline jumpsuit , bunny suit, and K-zone character costume made.
Dog lovers gave their furry friends a chance to enjoy the revelry in the frontlines. Here's Pumpkin the Pug (featured below) as Dracula. We met Happy the Poodle in carnival togs, terriers with warlock hairdos and another pug dressed as Batdog.
Noticeable this year was that the candies were fewer and some residents made kids think before getting their jaw breakers. Amidst the fiendish pumpkins, Freddy Kruger slashers, skeletons, and hodgepodge of Disney characters one resident was good enough to inject Christian spirit amidst the ghoulish displays. Kids listened to his talk on Jesus and the significance of his knot trick in Christian life (sorry, sir, didn't get to catch the entire spiel!). Then they got a goody bag with a Christian Ministry pamphlet.
I loved how one neighbor in Country Club Drive put up a huge, colorful taurpaulin display of marine and wildlife creatures on her lawn. She was with the Children's Environmental Awareness and Action Foundation , and made the kids' visit a fun and educational affair. Kids had a great time guessing what the different creatures were. My daughter thought the colored tarps were the giveaways, so I was surprised when she brought a stingray painting into the car! On the ghoulish side, another resident transformed her courtyard into a full-scale graveyard complete with gravemarkers with cute names, casket, cadaver and eerie smoke.
Kudos to those who gave cotton candy and dirty ice cream in place of the usual Halloween sweets. That's injecting Filipino spirit into this Western tradition.
After orbiting the neighborhood for 2.5 hours we hied off home to watch "Ghost Whisperers" series on DVD, complete with homemade nachos and cheese sauce. My husband and kids stayed awake with suspense til 2 am. I was dead tired with a headache and promptly fell asleep.
I think it was the most fun and least expensive Halloween I've had. The greatest shocker of the night was finding out that there wasn't any water in the second floor bathrooms.
Want to share your Halloween experience? Post it here!
Some Bogs with Blogger on the Go
Ok. After the initial excitement with Blogger Beta, I'm now trying to transfer my m-blog entries to my main blog, I just found out that it's available only in the US. Patience, patience. When, when?!?
In the meantime I have temporary m-blog sites for this experiment. Hmmmm.
In the meantime I have temporary m-blog sites for this experiment. Hmmmm.
Blogger Beta's Sticky Proposition
I just moved Mom on Mobile to the new Blogger Beta, after seeing the irresistable "Move to Blogger Beta" icon and a tip-off from the Geekette. Blogger made sure that I didn't have to lift too many fingers to do it: simply register for a Google account, and they automatically transfer the entire content to the new platform. Well, that's service.
I find Blogger Beta's emphasis on doing mobile blogging highly, highly attractive. Look how I got to capture my daughter's sleepy moment during Typhoon Milenyo and my retreat moments in Makiling Conference Center using my new Sony Erricson K800i . Thanks to Blogger's savvy tie-up with Sony Erricson, it's so easy to regularly capture blog-worthy moments in true anytime-anywhere fashion. Now, Mom on Mobile can really live up to its name! More on the m-blogging journey later in another post. . .
I can now make labels for my entries too. What I don't like, though, is that they have to tie me up to a new e-mail address, which I frankly don't need. I'm having a bit of a hard time uploading my photos too. Well, Blogger Beta's saved by the photo blog function in the m-blogging apps.
Blogger caught me in time before I completely became enamored with Wordpress: I was quite happy with the way Wordpress elevated my Architelago e-learning blog and Architerra real estate blogs to pro-sheen status. It was soo cool and efficient to organize my blog entries by my own named category. Plus it's e-commerce-savvy to have free blog stats to track your traffic! However, I missed being able to program my own keywords (so I'll be searchable, of course!) in Wordpress (or maybe I haven't found out how to do it in the templates?) .
So the move is complete, and Mom on Mobile is on an exploration trip with Blogger Beta. Let's see how far we can go!
I find Blogger Beta's emphasis on doing mobile blogging highly, highly attractive. Look how I got to capture my daughter's sleepy moment during Typhoon Milenyo and my retreat moments in Makiling Conference Center using my new Sony Erricson K800i . Thanks to Blogger's savvy tie-up with Sony Erricson, it's so easy to regularly capture blog-worthy moments in true anytime-anywhere fashion. Now, Mom on Mobile can really live up to its name! More on the m-blogging journey later in another post. . .
I can now make labels for my entries too. What I don't like, though, is that they have to tie me up to a new e-mail address, which I frankly don't need. I'm having a bit of a hard time uploading my photos too. Well, Blogger Beta's saved by the photo blog function in the m-blogging apps.
Blogger caught me in time before I completely became enamored with Wordpress: I was quite happy with the way Wordpress elevated my Architelago e-learning blog and Architerra real estate blogs to pro-sheen status. It was soo cool and efficient to organize my blog entries by my own named category. Plus it's e-commerce-savvy to have free blog stats to track your traffic! However, I missed being able to program my own keywords (so I'll be searchable, of course!) in Wordpress (or maybe I haven't found out how to do it in the templates?) .
So the move is complete, and Mom on Mobile is on an exploration trip with Blogger Beta. Let's see how far we can go!
Postscripts: Remembering Milenyo
Ok, I haven't been posting for a long time. But aside from the usual excuse that I've been busy (and a good deal dizzy not only with work, but due to a medical condition), I've been having connection problems with my dial-up service.
Thanks to my handy, new Sony Ericsson K800i's 3.2 megapixel camera , I was able to record moments and the almost surreal experience of living through a Typhoon Milenyo's howling vengeance. Driving through strong winds, walking through the streets in search of drinking water, food, or candles, running from the sweltering heat by checking in at the nearby Eurotel, the only place with a vacancy on that stormy day--I almost felt like I was part of a reality tv show. Seeing age-old trees uprooted and so much vegetation, power lines, and billboards wrenched from the ground like they were threads made me feel even more puny in the face of nature's power. We had regular power only after 3 days, some for a week or longer. Internet and mobile lines were unstable for a time. I'm just having some trouble uploading my images from September 28 as I passed through BF Homes Pque and Ayala Alabang Villages. Will do so later.
The one shocking-humorous experience was finding out (rather naively?) that there were only 2 tv channels available in the motel, and they were x-rated. I promptly pulled the plug and told the kids that the tv was dead. So we watched only DVDs on the laptop for our entire stay there.
Thanks to my handy, new Sony Ericsson K800i's 3.2 megapixel camera , I was able to record moments and the almost surreal experience of living through a Typhoon Milenyo's howling vengeance. Driving through strong winds, walking through the streets in search of drinking water, food, or candles, running from the sweltering heat by checking in at the nearby Eurotel, the only place with a vacancy on that stormy day--I almost felt like I was part of a reality tv show. Seeing age-old trees uprooted and so much vegetation, power lines, and billboards wrenched from the ground like they were threads made me feel even more puny in the face of nature's power. We had regular power only after 3 days, some for a week or longer. Internet and mobile lines were unstable for a time. I'm just having some trouble uploading my images from September 28 as I passed through BF Homes Pque and Ayala Alabang Villages. Will do so later.
The one shocking-humorous experience was finding out (rather naively?) that there were only 2 tv channels available in the motel, and they were x-rated. I promptly pulled the plug and told the kids that the tv was dead. So we watched only DVDs on the laptop for our entire stay there.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Missed Opportunity for Getting Another WiFi Customer?
Just peered at J Spot's article on Innove's missed marketing opportunity during a blogger's meet up at Greenbelt 2's Temple Bar. There's talk ( I read) about introducing 3G wireless internet connectivity.
When I inquired about this 3G service at the Globe Service Center in ATC, the customer representative directed me to Innove. They didn't want to say much about it, except to say that it really isn't out yet. Much as I feel the need to get the fastest connection possible, and to access anytime-anywhere, I wondered: Are Pinoys really ready to take full advantage of the 3G Internet service? Can we afford to pay for it? Why 3G anyway?
Back on earth, I asked J Angelo's expert opinion on choosing between GlobeWIZ and Airborne Access for wireless Internet subscriptions. Unless I can go to the Country Club everyday for free access to wireless broadband, I need to get my own subscription pronto! Dial-up is tooo slooow. the My Destiny cable broadband connection at home was just so slow, it didn't justify the Php 999/month that I paid for. Anyway, would love to hear what J Angelo has to say about WIZ, 3G and Airborne, plus his other recommendations.
When I inquired about this 3G service at the Globe Service Center in ATC, the customer representative directed me to Innove. They didn't want to say much about it, except to say that it really isn't out yet. Much as I feel the need to get the fastest connection possible, and to access anytime-anywhere, I wondered: Are Pinoys really ready to take full advantage of the 3G Internet service? Can we afford to pay for it? Why 3G anyway?
Back on earth, I asked J Angelo's expert opinion on choosing between GlobeWIZ and Airborne Access for wireless Internet subscriptions. Unless I can go to the Country Club everyday for free access to wireless broadband, I need to get my own subscription pronto! Dial-up is tooo slooow. the My Destiny cable broadband connection at home was just so slow, it didn't justify the Php 999/month that I paid for. Anyway, would love to hear what J Angelo has to say about WIZ, 3G and Airborne, plus his other recommendations.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Problogging is Family-Friendly
I felt more affirmed by the Problogging talk by the Pinoy A-listers in iBlog2.
I realize that problogging is really a leading-edge form of Minipreneurism. Hearing the panelists, it allows you to do what you love, make a more than decent living (Abe Olandres, Php7,000-85,000/month/BLOG for independent bloggers is NOT peanuts money!), use your creative and strategic skills, plus have time with the kids.
Work-life balance is a choice. Problogger Angelo Racoma showed at iBlog2 that this specialization is a family-friendly, marketable career.
I realize that problogging is really a leading-edge form of Minipreneurism. Hearing the panelists, it allows you to do what you love, make a more than decent living (Abe Olandres, Php7,000-85,000/month/BLOG for independent bloggers is NOT peanuts money!), use your creative and strategic skills, plus have time with the kids.
Work-life balance is a choice. Problogger Angelo Racoma showed at iBlog2 that this specialization is a family-friendly, marketable career.
Tag, You're (Blog's) It!
Just visited Technorati to explore how to get more blog traffic via tagging. Great for problogging.
Love iBlog2
I've been tweaking my e-learning blog, Architelago, this blog and Launch n Learn with Google AdSense. Successfully migrated Architelago to WordPress. . .and having a great online conversation with dynamic Pinoy Bloggers. Thanks to iBlog2. Wonderful. Now my daughters want to try podcasting. That'll be a great summer project for them--better than watching Nickelodeon all day!
Sunday, April 16, 2006
The Hands that Serve
Posted this Holy Week reflection as my way of serving God through this blog. We know so much, and yet how many times do we act on what we know, in the service of others?
Monday, March 06, 2006
Kids Love to Learn with Mom and the Net
I remember Ms. Fahlman, my daughter's former Senior Kinder teacher in Canadian International School . She said that online or educational computer games are effective for drills, practice or integration. But the key is to first teach them the concepts in class. Otherwise the CD program's learning aspect is lost on the child. So since then, I would lead my kids to do these edugames usually after they review their subject facts.
I'm writing this with my 6- and 7-year old daughters by my side. It's amazing how interested they are in doing their assignments when they know I'll be giving them Internet review games for their exams. My youngest stumbled upon the teacher tools on Learning Planet. And my eldest created her own crossword puzzle for her long test in Religion, with the click of the mouse!
Learning Planet's Spacey Math for Grade 1 and 2 was fun! The space fighter game builds mastery as they get to practice random multiplication math facts 'til table of 12. Mrs. McGowan's website has a drag-and-drop compound word drill that's under time pressure. Try Kidport's multiple choice test for other language arts skills.
Try out these other sites: Science by Edugreen; a gold mine of teaching resources at Internet for Classrooms; and Kids on the Net for creative writing. Even ordinary sites like Weather.com can be used for fun learning! The resources are endless. So what great sites would you like to share?
I'm writing this with my 6- and 7-year old daughters by my side. It's amazing how interested they are in doing their assignments when they know I'll be giving them Internet review games for their exams. My youngest stumbled upon the teacher tools on Learning Planet. And my eldest created her own crossword puzzle for her long test in Religion, with the click of the mouse!
Learning Planet's Spacey Math for Grade 1 and 2 was fun! The space fighter game builds mastery as they get to practice random multiplication math facts 'til table of 12. Mrs. McGowan's website has a drag-and-drop compound word drill that's under time pressure. Try Kidport's multiple choice test for other language arts skills.
Try out these other sites: Science by Edugreen; a gold mine of teaching resources at Internet for Classrooms; and Kids on the Net for creative writing. Even ordinary sites like Weather.com can be used for fun learning! The resources are endless. So what great sites would you like to share?
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Mom the Minipreneur
I checked out my fave PinoyTech Blog. I came across Miguel Paraz's article on Minipreneurs. The article shows how we get both freedom and control when we make a business out of doing what we love. Rapidly turn your hobby into a profit-making global venture, thanks to the free and accessible info technologies. The Net may seem to be common. But in the Philippines, using SMS to forward sales pitches has been a common practice to sell wares too.
How many of us have said we want to do something with our creative talents? The banana chip seller, the neighbor selling those Hong Kong bags, jewelry sideliners, and even those offering unique giftwrapping services like my friend Pia P. are potentially Generation C material once they take advantage of the market reach of selling over the Internet.
I'm no E-bay trader (yet), but I am definitely the quintessential bricks-and-mortar trader w/ some tech knowledge up my hem. I know the satisfaction of buying online--I've bought books, seminars, movie tickets and online courses through the Internet. I've saved time and money--for who ever said that when one shops for the item, you don't end up paying for other things like your meals or impulse purchase items you see on the way to the main shop?!? On the other end, when I lived in Singapore for almost four years I would sell export-quality Christmas linens, Filipino paintings, and items I personally picked out during my vacations to Manila. My marketing tool? A nicely designed e-newsletter and my database of friends and acquaintances. At that time I did it just for extra lunch money with the girls. But now. . .
If you have the desire to do what you love, a belief that you have a unique product or service to offer to the world, and some daring-do to experiment with the vast number of common collaboration and communication tools such as e-mail or SMS, you may be on your way to becoming a minipreneur. Moms are natural entrepreneurs--providing for the kids million-and-one needs as well as saving for a rainy day have always been prime motivators to earn a little cash.
Spotlight the Pinoy stay-at-home Moms (SAHM). Wherever she is in the world, you find her in some little business. Think of their tiny 'sideline' businesses of dried fish, generic powdered soap, yummy choco cakes, web designing, CD trading, Christmas gift items--the list is endless! With a little help from the Internet and some experimentation with her PC, the Mompreneur can expand her sales to markets beyond the referral network of her immediate neighbors. Trendwatching.com spots the explosive growth of Minipreneurs . And they've got the stats to prove it's on it's way to making you--and me--earn a tidy sum out of our little PCs.
How many of us have said we want to do something with our creative talents? The banana chip seller, the neighbor selling those Hong Kong bags, jewelry sideliners, and even those offering unique giftwrapping services like my friend Pia P. are potentially Generation C material once they take advantage of the market reach of selling over the Internet.
I'm no E-bay trader (yet), but I am definitely the quintessential bricks-and-mortar trader w/ some tech knowledge up my hem. I know the satisfaction of buying online--I've bought books, seminars, movie tickets and online courses through the Internet. I've saved time and money--for who ever said that when one shops for the item, you don't end up paying for other things like your meals or impulse purchase items you see on the way to the main shop?!? On the other end, when I lived in Singapore for almost four years I would sell export-quality Christmas linens, Filipino paintings, and items I personally picked out during my vacations to Manila. My marketing tool? A nicely designed e-newsletter and my database of friends and acquaintances. At that time I did it just for extra lunch money with the girls. But now. . .
If you have the desire to do what you love, a belief that you have a unique product or service to offer to the world, and some daring-do to experiment with the vast number of common collaboration and communication tools such as e-mail or SMS, you may be on your way to becoming a minipreneur. Moms are natural entrepreneurs--providing for the kids million-and-one needs as well as saving for a rainy day have always been prime motivators to earn a little cash.
Spotlight the Pinoy stay-at-home Moms (SAHM). Wherever she is in the world, you find her in some little business. Think of their tiny 'sideline' businesses of dried fish, generic powdered soap, yummy choco cakes, web designing, CD trading, Christmas gift items--the list is endless! With a little help from the Internet and some experimentation with her PC, the Mompreneur can expand her sales to markets beyond the referral network of her immediate neighbors. Trendwatching.com spots the explosive growth of Minipreneurs . And they've got the stats to prove it's on it's way to making you--and me--earn a tidy sum out of our little PCs.
Is it time to get a dose of the Tablet PC?
I've been a diehard user of the Palm for the past eight years. I've had 4 Palms, from the IIIc to my current Tungsten T2. It was great for research, even nicer now for storing JPEG photos coming from my handphone.
However, it has been a challenge to keep my patience when my Graffiti writing system can't tell a 't' stroke from the 'h' stroke after 4 tries--and no, it isn't the protective film barrier messing up the system. I've resorted to writing in longhand on the Writing Pad apps, just to speed things up. Very embarrasing when someone says you can copy their longhand notes from their trusty paper pad, while you struggle to complete the spelling of a single word on the silver screen.
With this irritation, I've been using Palmy (as I call my Tungsten) less for notes and more for taking down my schedule. But with the demands of realty work, I've started thinking of alternative gadgets. Like the Tablet PC. Agazzeri's Blog gives 10 sharp reasons why:
- Use Microsoft's most advance Operating System (Windows XP Tablet PC)
- Extend the way you work with your PC
- Work from anywhere with the most Mobile PC ever.
- Take your notes electronically
- Collaborate easily and effectively (but this is true of any mobile gadget equipped with Wi-fi, I'd say)
- Personalize your experience.
- Extend your applications with digital ink handwriting.
- Deploy and manage easily.
- Provide a global business solution.
- Get high levels of protection for critical data.
I guess this is an over-specification if you just need to file the recipe cards, grocery list, or the kid's practice sheets. But it becomes a rapid way to organize profit-generating data when you can convert your scribbles ASAP into the system, and electronically organize the different data into an integrated information system.
Of course, the set-back is the price: Php 90,000 to 120,000 for such a device makes me think I have to sell millions to justify this purchase! Other than that, the Tablet PC isn't such a bitter pill to swallow, is it?
What do you use to organize your home and business information systems?
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