Getting excited about my trip!

Few more days to go and I will soon be off somewhere in Europe! I am so blessed to be going on a trip like this. It’s not really one of those luxury vacations with lavish hotel accommodations or going on a shopping spree in another country, it’s more of visiting my family there and of course seeing new sights and getting to know the culture of other places.

Spreading the linky love!

I usually just drop by and quickly scan my blog for some new messages without posting anything when I’m really busy. And it makes me one happy blogger reading comments to some of my posts and notes left in the tagboard. Yup, they really make my day!

1.) Put me on your links with the anchor text essential tidbits linked to the url http://tidbits.i.ph or you can copy and paste this code to your site:
<a href="http://tidbits.i.ph">essential tidbits</a>

2.) Leave a comment here that you have linked me up in your site. Don’t forget to include your blog name and url.

Messy!

Aarghhh… with a major upcoming trip just few weeks ahead, I am having a hard time trying to fit all my pending tasks within schedule. The mess in my room can attest to that – clothes and beddings to be washed, disorganized desk, some papers and plastic bags here and there… ugh, what a sight!   I need to buy some plastic containers to help me organize some of my stuff. 

Smart BRO prepaid wifi: mobile broadband access for everybody Part 2

Continued from
Smart BRO prepaid wifi: mobile broadband access for everybody Part 1

Connecting to the internet with Smart BRO prepaid wifi

After starting up your laptop, here are some steps to activate your internet access:
1. Insert the sim card in the modem
2. Plug the modem to any USB port in your laptop
3. A welcome wizard interface automatically pops up (my OS is Windows Vista)
   - read and accept the license agreement
   - select folder where you want the program to be installed
   - installation is in progress
4. Click finish to exit the wizard when the installation is complete
5. Go to the start menu and open Smart BRO
6. Click the circular icon on the menu (second from left)
7. Click connect
8. Once connected, a ‘State: Connected’ will be displayed at the bottom of the window

9.To end the connection, just click the disconnect button

Those who need broadband access while on the go won’t have to worry about maintaining a fixed monthly payment as required by postpaid accounts. Thus it means bigger savings since you only load your sim as needed. Another good thing is you don’t have to submit financial documents to purchase the kit, so it’s available for anyone.  

Updates!!! Read about it here > What’s up with my SmartBro prepaid WiFi account? 

Having a healthy self-image: Looking good inside and out

Sometimes personal questions (which could also be asked in beauty pageants) such as “Which part of your body do you dislike the most and why?” or “If there is one part of your body that you could change, what is it and why?” can be easily replied by some though it would make others ponder on their physical appearance. For those with healthy self-image, they would readily answer that they are happy with how they look and didn’t need to change anything. It’s just a matter of attitude anyway. For those who are well-off, looking good physically can be easier with just a visit to the dermatologist, cosmetologist, plastic surgeon, enrolling in a gym or taking some diet pills such as Xenical or Alli.

When I was still a teen, I was conscious about my petite height. Barely five feet tall, I wished I was just like my taller classmates. And then there were those unsightly zits on my face which really made me awkward. Nowadays, I’ve overcome those negative thoughts about myself as I learned to appreciate what I am and develop myself as a well-rounded individual. Self-image is really an important thing and when a person doesn’t feel confident about himself, either he finds ways to compensate for what he lacks or cultivate on whatever gifts and abilities he possess. What really matters is how we see ourselves as somebody unique and special, and to develop our talents and assets to the fullest. 

Dancing is an effective stress reliever

So far, cutie sis and I are on disc 2 of our hip hop abs dance-exercise routine. The moves are kinda simple but really physically demanding, I sometimes stop to catch my breath. I like the ‘let’s take it to the dance floor’ part where Shaun T and his dancers teach you some dance moves, it’s a fun way of shaking those fats away.

Dancing is really effective as a stress reliever. I highly recommend it for those who are mentally exhausted with their studies or jobs. It also gives you a natural high. While getting high on drugs could mean ending up in drug treatment centers, dancing can help you get a slimmer and healthier body plus more enthusiasm and zest for life.

Smart BRO prepaid wifi: mobile broadband access for everybody Part 1

While I was in Manila for more than a month, I was enjoying my stay at my techie bro’s condo. The only thing that made me sad was the lack of internet access, so I had to login at internet cafés just to keep myself updated with my online tasks, emails, blogs and with chatting.

It was quite tough for me since I am so used to having unlimited broadband access here at home unlike at the cafés where we had to stop at 9pm. Another thing that concerns me is the risk of getting my accounts hacked when using public computers.

Recently while watching TV, I was glad to see one commercial where Sam Milby and Toni Gonzaga were running along with a lot of people and getting excited about Smart BRO’s prepaid wireless internet broadband service. Wooww… it was a dream come true for me! Exactly what I needed for my internet access concerns while on travel. Funny how I even asked some cell card dealers before if they’re selling prepaid internet cards. Now it’s finally here!

Continued to Smart BRO prepaid wifi: mobile broadband access for everybody Part 2

Updates!!! Read about it here > What’s up with my SmartBro prepaid WiFi account? 

Wooden furniture provide that comfy look

What’s your preferred design for your dream home? While furnishing my techie bro’s condo, I also visited the other units and observed their interior design. Most are using contemporary furniture using leather, steel or glass materials. Some use traditional sofas with carvings and printed fabrics.

Wooden décors lend a homey feel in contrast to the usual leatherette sofas and PVC home accessories. For my bro’s condo, some small teak furniture for accent or a wooden mobile serving tray could have been apt for the dining area. But well, we really had limited time to look for the right décors and furniture to blend with the condo unit’s modern theme.   

Talent in selling?

Have you ever met those sweet-talking persons in the malls, giving you brochures and selling you some real estate properties and whatever? I wonder if they can also sell some used Cisco equipment or my old ECS Desknote. Oh well, this thought just crossed my mind since I still haven’t found somebody who would be interested in buying my Desknote. Maybe those sales agents can help me with this dilemma. *winks*

Lights out!

Just when the weather is getting hotter, our electricity service provider lets us down. It’s just so disappointing when you’re busy with work and suddenly the lights have gone out and the electric fan’s turned off leaving you with a dark and hot room environment. And then you think of ways to make use of your time with no computer or TV turned on. These power outages happen daily and go on for about an hour or so. Ugh… 

Hot hot summer

I just looked at the weather widget in my desktop sidebar which displays the temperature at 34 degrees Celsius. Arghhh… it sure is getting hotter these days. How I wish I’m high up in Baguio or someplace cooler. The beaches are great places to hangout too during the summer season. Once you’re in the sea, you don’t feel the heat anymore since the water temperature is colder.

After our Punta Bulata overnight stay, the beaches of Sipalay are next on our list of beach resorts to explore. We have a brochure here from the Sipalay municipality showcasing their tourist attractions of white sand beaches and diving spots. Hmmm… let’s see when we can have our next family beach getaway. In the meantime, I’m just getting myself used to the scorching summer heat. 

Punta Bulata photos

Gazing up at palm trees, walking barefoot on the white sand, picking up shells, watching the sunset, feeling the cool breeze blowing through your hair…these are just some of life’s simple pleasures when on the beach where the minutes seem to stand still as you hear the waves crashing on the shore.

Here are some photos from our overnight stay at Punta Bulata in Cauayan, a municipality south of Negros Occidental. 

Read more about ‘The Punta Bulata experience‘ at my travel blog happysteps.net.

Let’s do the HHA!

Cutie sis would send me YM messages when she’s up in her room. It’s a convenient way of ‘talking’ to us since we have our rooms on the ground floor. Anyway, this morning she typed, “Let’s do the HHA!” I wonder what that meant…and then I realized HHA = Hip Hop Abs. LOL. Ok, we’re trying to get slim and fit by dancing to some hip hop moves by Shaun T and hoping by the end of each session we burn some calories and get rid of some excess fats.

With so many people getting health-conscious doing all sorts of fitness and diet programs from belly dancing, tennis lessons, slimming pills to colon cleansers, I prefer shaking those unwanted fats away. Dancing is definitely a good outlet for stress too.  

Just some PayPal funds transfer blahs

After learning about PayPal’s new withdrawal feature allowing fund transfer to local banks, I was very much excited to try it out and add my BPI savings account. But I was in Manila then, and can only access the Internet in a public computer. So I saved my excitement for few more days until I got back to Negros and was able to access my PayPal safely at home.

Healthy dancing

Cutie sis and I are getting worried about the bulge in our tummies. We plan on starting an exercise routine to help us slim down. Nope, we can’t afford those pricey ellipticals for now, maybe in the future when we will have our own gym here at home. LOL. To stay on budget and make it more enjoyable, dancing as a work out is the best option for us. We just need to get to the basics of healthy living – proper diet and regular exercise. Did I hear somebody say, “…and enough sleep and rest too!”

The Pacbaby

My cute baby niece is like a pacman! She bites on ANY thing (paper, cloth, plastic, etc.) that her little hands can grasp. She is in her teething stage so that explains why she likes putting something in her mouth. She has a big appetite too, and eats whatever you feed her – banana, biscuits, rice, fish, whatever! Even the strap of my black handbag is one of her favorite ‘food’.

What else hasn’t she tasted (or bitten) so far? A computer mouse, toolbox, magnifying glass, stapler, cellphone charger…name it, she’ll bite it!  Her other favorite ‘dishes’ include anybody’s fingers or hair, strings, wires, rubber mat, pillow… and the list goes on and on. Arghhh…babies are funny sometimes.

Business dreams

Going into business takes a lot of guts, the level of risk sometimes depends on the type of business, whether it’s the traditional or franchise type. We usually get apprehensive when diving into a new money-generating project particularly if it’s new to us. But last week, I was inspired by Tita D who told us about her sugarcane plantation business. I realized going into any kind of endeavor is a sort of trial and error until you find what works for you.

Tita D used to be in the food business before giving it up and opening a relatively bigger variety store. And then she invested in the sugarcane business which is now doing really good. Most successful businessmen started with whatever little resources but their guts, determination and desire helped a lot to finally make them realize their dreams.

Positive thinking

I am getting excited for a major trip this year. Thank God for the blessings and for showing us the way despite some hitches and discouragements. Anyway, I won’t be writing much about the details, but I am just so grateful that I will finally be stepping foot on some of my dream destinations soon.

I remember what I have learned from watching a DVD of The Secret by Rhonda Byrne where one of the speakers explained how “thoughts become things” and whatever we keep on thinking about, we give power and control in our lives, be it a negative or positive thought. In my case, I just kept on thinking positively about my travel dream and praying about it. There are still some challenges regarding my passport and visa but I know I will be there soon.