DoLE issues National Heroes’ Day holiday pay rules

DoLE issues National Heroes’ Day holiday pay rules - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Yup! One of my fave topics indeed... holidays and holiday pay! LOL ^_^ It's not a working day for me today; well, not technically, that is. I didn't have to go to the office, but I did have a tutorial earlier today. Plus there's another one later tonight. Ahh I love holidays. These are days I can bum around during the day and sleep endlessly for many hours! However, since I got caught up in this earning online thing, I'd rather click away the hours than sleep them away. LOL! :D For those who are working today, it would be good to check out the guidelines such as the article on the Inquirer or you can also visit the website of the Department of Labor & Employment.

National Heroes' Day (Araw ng mga Bayani) is a public holiday in the Philippines, celebrated yearly on the last Monday in August. The country, on the 30th day of August, commemorates the "Cry of Pugad Lawin" by Filipino revolutionaries called the Katipunan led by its leader (Supremo) Andres Bonifacio. For history enthusiasts, just click through the links I've provided to read more about the terms. 

I believe though that more than the historical value, there is a need to spread the true meaning of heroism, not just in the country but throughout the world. Locally, there is a need for more vigilance on the part of the citizens to ensure that there is good governance of the nation. We've known this for a long time, but what have we actually done about it? There is a need for more helping hands in various sectors of the country as the nation's underprivileged abound. I do hope that something is already being done to improve this. So, I hope that in addition to enjoying the holiday, you're also thinking of ways of helping the country on its way to progress. After all, great things start from small beginnings. Enjoy your day! Till next blog.. ta-tah! ^_^

Venus of the Universe

Yup! You guessed it right. If you're up-to-date with the latest headlines, I'm referring to none other than 2010 Miss Universe 4th Runner-up Venus Raj. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of beauty pageants. So why am I blogging about it? LOL! Well, for one thing it has been a while since a Philippine representative ever made it to the finals of an international beauty contest, esp. one as prestigious as the Miss Universe pageant. The news actually came as a breather from Monday's tragic hostage taking event in Manila. I didn't get to watch the pageant per se, but I read news articles about it. I've also seen a few clips from the news. 

Raj was asked by American actor William Baldwin during the question-and-answer portion about the biggest mistake she made in her life and what she did to correct it. Her reply may not have been the most brilliant one, but what do you actually expect from a 22-year old who hasn't lived her life to the fullest? To me, questions like that require deeper thought, if you want an intelligent answer, that is. On t.v. last night, several clips were shown about public personalities who were asked the same question in the past. That included former President George W. Bush. Even he commented to the press that they should have written that question and handed it to him in advance so that he could answer it well. One t.v. personality said he wouldn't answer it in front of the camera. LOL! ^_^ Tough huh? It was made even more difficulty by the fact that the whole world is watching. 

Venus Raj's reply to the question: "You know what, sir, in my 22 years of existence, I can say that there's nothing major, major problem that I've done in my life because I'm very confident with my family, with the love that they are giving to me." 

One thing for sure, Venus's reply caught on. "Major, major" is talk of the town. Even I find myself using the expression sometimes. LOL! ^_^ She's back in the country early today. I would expect there would be a 'major, major' welcome for her in her hometown in Bicol! :p With that said, till another blogging day! Ta-tah! :D

Pet Peeves

I've been debating with myself on whether to blog about this topic. I haven't focused much on negativities that I don't really want to start. Sometimes, however, you gotta face some stuff that really annoy you. Perhaps then you'll find a way to curb that annoyance. LOL! ^_^

For those who aren't familiar with the term, 'pet peeve' is defined as 'a minor annoyance that an individual identifies as particularly annoying to him or her, to a greater degree than others may find it.' I'm sure we all have one, one way or the other. So what drives you up the wall? For me, here's a short list of my pet peeves (in random order):

Fatigue

Have you ever felt like that guy in the picture? I have from time to time. In fact, that's exactly how I've felt since the week started. Even I can't explain it sometimes. I know that  it has been a busy week for me since last week. Still I don't usually feel so tired. 

Fatigue (also called exhaustion, lethargy, languidness, languor, lassitude, and listlessness) is a state of awareness describing a range of afflictions, usually associated with physical and/or mental weakness, though varying from a general state of lethargy to a specific work-induced burning sensation within one's muscles.

Now, could this be fatigue I'm feeling? Well, there's physical fatigue or muscle weakness. I'm not totally exhausted but there are moments of weakness. Like I wish I could get the day off and spend the whole day in bed doing nothing. LOL! ^_^ Or this could simply be laziness setting in. I guess I might still be adjusting to my busy schedule which started just last week. I sure hope the feeling gets better. 

Then there's mental fatigue which manifests in sleepiness. That would be me yesterday. I was basically just plain sleepy and lethargic. Sure, I'm some kinda late sleeper. But I still somehow manage to wake up feeling refreshed. Yesterday, I was a bit too exhausted to think. You'll notice I have skipped a few days in between blogging. :p Perhaps I just need multivitamins. Anyway, I purchased some last night. I'm feeling better when I woke up this morning. It must be working! LOL! ^_^ So for you people out there having the same symptoms, it must be telling you to slow down a bit with activities. Take lotsa rest & remember your vitamins! Till next time.. Ta-tah! 

Aquino launches presidential website to get feedback from people

Aquino launches presidential website to get feedback from people - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Honestly, I would rather that my blog site be apolitical. However, from time to time, I can't help but comment on interesting stuff in the headlines that catch my attention. I think that's in line with my intention of being random. I saw the article on the paper about the launching of the presidential website. It's not the first time that I have checked it out. I've done so a few times during the past administration. But today was the first time I revisited it, mainly due to the news article. I wanted to know if indeed it was true that citizens of the country can now post their views and suggestions on the site. I was struck by how seemingly simple the new site looks, compared to the previous one. For me, it now looks more user friendly. The part I like most is the link that reads 'Transparent Government.' Clicking on it takes you to a page where there are comments from various posters. At the bottom is where you can send in your own comments/ suggestions. That's pretty interesting if you ask me. I commend the government's efforts of reaching out to the people. I only hope that this would pave the way for better governance of the nation. After all, the people of the Philippines truly deserve a better life. 

Screen shot from the President's website

Mobility and Disability

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NMEDA. All opinions are 100% mine.

When I hear the word mobility, what comes to my mind is movement. One that involves going from one place to another. Clearly, this is an easy thing to do for a regular person like me. A person with mobility impairment, however, may have difficulty with walking, standing, or even traveling about. We all know that in this day and age, it is hard to engage in activities that don't somehow involve some traveling about.This could be tough for people with mobility impairment. It's a good thing that there is a non-profit trade association as NMEDA. NMEDA is an acronym for The National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association. It is an association of mobility equipment dealers, manufacturers and rehabilitation professionals dedicated to provide safe, reliable vehicles and modifications to enable people with disabilities to travel about safely.

No two people with a disability are the same. It is best to consult with your local NMEDA mobility dealer before you even consider buying the ideal vehicle or modifications for your special needs. Buying only from a NMEDA dealer assures you of quality purchase. To make things even better, NMEDA has a Quality Assurance Program (QAP), a nationally recognized accreditation program for the Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry. NMEDA dealers who participate in the QAP are held to extremely high standards of quality assurance for consumers. The public is then assured of the highest level of quality when purchasing vehicles or modifications for their specialized needs.

Caregivers have one of the toughest jobs in terms of taking care of their patients. They may even be required to take their patients wherever and whenever required like regular visits to the hospital or health care facilities. As such, they need to be able to transport their patients safely. Having the proper equipment can help a lot in assuring the patients' safety. It can also prevent injury to caregivers, esp. if they need to transport heavy and bulky wheelchairs or scooters.

Finding a local NMEDA dealer is quite simple and easy. Just check out their website, click on locate a dealer, and input your ZIP/Postal Code. You can even search by State/Province. So if you are in need of mobility assistance or know anyone who is, visit the NMEDA site today and find a dealer near you. A NMEDA dealer can greatly help persons with disabilities get back onto the road to independence.

King of the Jungle

(credits to the owner of the picture)

Tonight my daughter and I had one of those bonding nights again. The last time was probably a month ago wherein she asked me to watch with her a vcd of Barbie and the Three Musketeers. That was part of her collection. As it turned out, the movie wasn't so bad. Being young at heart, I actually enjoyed it. But I guess what was more fun was the fact that it was a mother-daughter bonding night. Going back, tonight she asked me to watch Lion King II with her. I don't know why she suddenly developed this fascination for the Lion King movies. I know I've seen the movies a long time ago. But it would be fun to enjoy another bonding night so I agreed.

Friday the 13th

Yep! You read it right. Today is one of those days wherein the thirteenth day of the month falls on a Friday. Some folks who are superstitious believe this day to be a day of bad luck. Are you one of them? I sure hope not! For me, Friday is Friday, no matter what the date is. I’m just looking forward to a longer weekend, as it’s a non-working Saturday for me this week. Well, technically speaking, I still have my tutorials, but at least I won’t need to go to the office. Besides, tutorials pay better. LOL! ^_^

Holiday law to be reviewed

BusinessWorld Online Edition: Holiday law to be reviewed

A new administration usually brings about new implementation. This time it's for Republic Act (R.A.) 9492 or the holiday economics law. August 21 is right around the corner. This is the day the nation observes Ninoy Aquino Day. 

Malacañang issued Proclamation 13 late yesterday declaring holiday on Saturday, August 21, instead of the Monday nearest to it. According to the news article, implementation of the holiday economics law will be on a case-to-case basis.

Prior to this proclamation, that particular Saturday is supposed to be a working day for our office. I wonder if we'll get to enjoy the holiday. I sure hope so! :D

When It Rains……

                                                  

it pours! ^_^ Ever heard of that expression? I have! Often too! Upon looking it up on Google, I realized how a lot of people actually have a negative connotation about the phrase. Some even referred to a string or series of unfortunate events or circumstances. I, on the other hand, choose to look at it in a positive way. Admittedly, there are times in your life when you get a lot of good offers, and you don’t want them to end. It’s one of those times at the moment for me. I’ve recently just accepted freelance tutorial jobs. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. Somehow I’ll need to work around my busy schedule in order to enjoy the same things I’m enjoying. But what the heck! Opportunity knocks once so I’m grabbing it. :D

Here Comes the Rain Again...

All right! I would admit my blog is a bit late in the coming. It's been almost a month since the first typhoon hit the nation. Typhoon Basyang (international name: Conson) hit Luzon last July 13. It left more than half of the island, which includes Manila, without electricity. Imagine how that felt! No cable tv watching for my mom and no Internet service for me and my daughter. Gosh, we felt so isolated from the outside world. We tried to keep track of the happenings then by calling friends and family. Rumors that power would be restored in two to three days circulated through text. It was a good thing it wasn't true at all. However, it did take more than 24 hours before we got back our electrical power at home. I missed work the day after the typhoon hit as there was no train service at all. Work is like more than an hour and a half away.

Worry-Free Driving

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of RepairPal. All opinions are 100% mine.

While I was surfing the net the other day, I came across this really interesting car maintenance site, RepairPal. I was quite curious about it that I decided to explore the site. It turns out that RepairPal is quite a resource for car owners. You can compare repair price estimates for your car, search for a car shop near you, store information about your car on a custom page, get the best information about your car customized to your year and model, and learn more about car parts and systems in an encyclopedia page. That's pretty cool if you ask me!

Let's say for example that you're from a busy city like Los Angeles. Incidentally, I read somewhere that Los Angeles is the largest city in California. I don't know if I would believe this but apparently there are more cars in California than people in any other US States. So you're in Los Angeles and you want to find a car repair shop nearest you. There's a complete listing of Los Angeles Auto Repair Shops and Mechanics on RepairPal. The list actually goes a long way. It would be difficult not to find a car repair shop near you. It definitely beats having to look it up in a telephone directory.

Let's say your car is a Honda Civic 2001 model. The link on car info can take you there. You can see ratings and reviews by other owners, post questions and answers, browse through common problems pertaining to your car make and model, and see recalls and technical service bulletins. Wow! I find that pretty impressive.

What if you're having car trouble and want to know more about it? There's the encyclopedia link that can help you. It has helpful hints on how to's and lots more. Say you're experiencing engine trouble and someone tells you your head gasket needs replacement. Just click on the link for engine and then head gasket replacement. Voila! The site is a rich source of information about car parts and systems. Well, don't just take my word for it. Go ahead and check out the site and see what you'll find. For the meantime, have a worry-free driving day! :D

Brought to you by your friends at http://www.blogsvertise.com

Potential for Income Earning Online

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

I've been surfing the net for quite some time now, mostly to do research stuff. Last year, a friend introduced me to a well-known social networking site. That was my first try at social networking online. I must admit I enjoyed the games and meeting new people on the site. But now, I'm exploring the possibilities of expanding my knowledge that includes earning potentials. I've heard people talk about being paid to blog, to click, to read, etc. I'm so new to all these, having just begun my blogsite a few months back. My main reason was that I love to read and write. I love sharing my views and ideas with as many people as I possibly can reach with my blog. A few days ago I signed up with one of the 'paid to blog' site. I haven't received any offers yet so I decided to explore further. On the homepage of payperpost.com I found a link for SocialSpark.

Today, I gave it a shot and signed up. After all, I do want to try my hand at anything that will help me earn extra income. I was hesitant at first because I was wary of complex procedures of signing up. (Sign up for SocialSpark) I actually found the process simple and easy. I was just a bit unsure of which category to choose as my blog's theme is not confined to any particular topic but rather more on general topics that interest me. Putting in tags for my blog was another one that sort of delayed the process. I had to choose the more general terms to include as tags. Now that I've signed up, I'm here to take the first challenge. First, I've got to read about the site's Code of Ethics. Then I need to create a blog post talking about SocialSpark. As I have just signed up, I'm still in the process of learning all that I can about the site and the potential it offers. I do hope that my first blog will pass the marketplace standards the site requires. I can't wait to explore the possiblity of earning income from blogging!

Sleep..Sleep..Sleep!

Sleep!!! Ah, one of my favorite terms. Even more, it's definitely one of my favorite pastimes as well. :) It's almost the weekend once again. One of the things that I love most about the weekend is having the spare time to sleep longer than usual. Sometimes we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life that we don't have much time for anything else. That includes sleep! Well, I would admit that I'm a late sleeper. On weekdays, I don't usually sleep earlier than midnight at the very least. I don't know why but I just feel like maximizing my awake time. I remember when I was younger,  my mom used to scold us for waking up late on weekend mornings. Back then, I would stay up late 'coz of school work. As it turned out, those extra hours of sleep on weekends was actually good for me. I came across this interesting article. It read "Lying in at the weekend boosts your brain power, study shows." The article claims that those who get extra hours of sleep during the weekend tend to wake up more refreshed on Monday morning. That's when most are expected to get back to work or school. Hmmm, no wonder I did quite well in school back then. I got my extra boosts of sleeping till noon. LOL! ^_^ Well, nowadays, I work on alternate Saturdays, so I then only have once a week to sleep in. Still I'm thankful for that. My most favorite times are those when I didn't need to rush. Those times that I can just sit around and not do anything. Everyone needs a quiet time or two once in awhile. For me, that's maintaining balance and order in an otherwise busy schedule. I truly miss working from home. :p Well, do enjoy your weekend but remember not to stay up too late! You'll need to sleep in to recharge from the week's activities! Till next time... Ta-tah! ^_^

A Fragment of the Past

I'm not much of a history buff, but I must admit that there are certain topics about the past that really interest me. I remember having watched this very interesting episode one late night on the National Geographic channel. I'm quite positive that the title of that episode was The Journey of Man. Perhaps it's the same one as the picture featured here. In that episode, a group of geneticists have worked on the question of how the human race populated the world. They arrived at a startling conclusion that the "global family tree" can be traced to one  African man who lived 60,000 years ago. So, why the sudden interest in this, huh? I guess it's 'coz of the article that I read yesterday on Google news. The article's title caught my attention as I glanced at the day's headlines. It read "Archaeologists unearth 67,000-year-old human bone in Philippines." 

This was the photo in the article, a foot bone discovered at the Callao caves near Peñablanca, 210 miles north of Manila. Here's a little more info on Callao Cave. It's interesting indeed how I have never even heard of the place nor have I been anywhere near it. Anyway, back to the article, it seems that at this time, this could be the earliest human fossil found in the Asia-Pacific region according to the professor who headed the discovery team way back in 2007. It would be amazing if they could indeed make more discoveries. Perhaps this would give us more clues to our past. So who were these early people? And where did they come from? Would this mean that early humans already possessed knowledge of sea travel? Or even better, did they have the know-how on how to build a boat? Wow! So many questions remain unanswered. It's mysteries such as this that I truly find interesting. Let's hope that we'll find some answers eventually. On that note, I end my blog for today. It's almost the weekend once again. May you take the time to enjoy it! Till next time... Ta-tah! ^_^

Illustrating a Pantun

Previously I blogged about my daughter's project for her Filipino class. The blog was about three different types of poems. This is actually a follow-up on that project. This time around they were asked to compose yet another pantun. On an illustration board, they were to draw about the pantun that they composed. The reason why I'm sharing it here is plain and simple. I'm just a proud mom who wants to let the world to know how proud she is of her daughter's talent. :D

This is the first stage, a freehand drawing done by my daughter. She said that this was inspired by Romeo and Juliet. She has somehow developed this fascination for tragic love stories -- Titanic is another one of her favorite. Staying on topic, I decided to sort of document the making of this project. I'm truly amazed by her talent. It seems that those hours she spent in art class when she was younger is now paying off. :D

                                    

After drawing the black outline, she then started coloring the background using her oil pastels from Pentel Arts. I did help her out a bit by suggesting the broken heart design where her poem is written. One part of the background is in darker blue to depict night, while the other is in light blue to depict day. She is night, and he is day.

                                  

Here it is finally! The completely colored artwork done by none other than my talented and gifted daughter. :D I truly believe she deserves to get a high grade for this project. And just to share the poem she wrote, here it is:

                                        

Till another blogging day... I hope you enjoyed this one. May you also find the time to write that poem you always wanted to compose. Ta-tah! ^_^

Sandpainting

Sandpainting is the art of pouring colored sands, powdered pigments from minerals or crystals, and pigments from other natural or synthetic sources onto a surface to make a painting. These are often temporary, ritual paintings prepared for religious or healing ceremonies. It is also referred to as drypainting.

Sandpainting is practised by Native Americans in the Southwestern United States, by Tibetan monks, by Indians, by Australian Aborigines, and by Latin Americans on certain Christian holy days.(source: wikipedia)

Isn't it great knowing something new every day? I've been meaning to share some of my daughter's artworks over time. She has worked on quite a few sand arts. It's one thing to admire the works and a lot more to know that sand art is a broad category that actually includes sand sculpture, sandpainting, and sand bottles. It's cooler to know that sandpainting truly has an interesting history.

                                                                                    

In modern days, sandpainting is most often practiced during Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico and the United States. Streets are decorated with sand paintings that are later swept away, symbolizing the fleeting nature of life. Of note are the sandpaintings done during the Seattle Dia De Muertos Festival.

It is truly interesting what we learn when we research more about it. Anyway, here are some more of my daughter's artworks.

I hope you enjoyed today's blog. May you find your own form of creative expression. Ta-tah! It's August!!! :D