On substance abuse

It’s quite alarming to know that in the US, substance abuse or drug dependency is a major health concern. There are many reasons how such dependency happens not just with drug addicts but even with other patients who have different medical conditions. Those who are dependent on the drug heroin are opiate dependents, as well as those patients who were prescribed by their doctors with prescription painkillers such as opiates or narcotics. They take the drug to relieve their suffering, only to be heavily dependent on it even after years that the wound has healed. Some even become too dependent that they have increased their intake of the prescribed opiates. It’s too sad that some doctors are just irresponsible, prescribing too much in quantity of such drugs.
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Online shopping for unique timepieces

Few nights ago I slept late due to some online activity… well, I was just browsing on some flipflops and sandals on eBay and got hooked. Oh well, it’s easy to just walk around the aisles of the Internet when shopping for some items, isn’t it? I’m not that new to e-commerce transactions but when it comes to eBay, I am still a newbie though, and a bit hesitant to start bidding.
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How to have a healthy skin?

What’s the secret of those who never seem to have problems with their skin? I’m really asking this as I am currently worried about my skin. Even though my face is not really a candidate for the best acne treatment, I am quite okay with how it is despite being oily sometimes.

What I am concerned these days are the warts growing on some parts of my body. They seem to be multiplying so fast. I bought a salicylic acid solution and started using it for few days yet. I hope it will have some positive results as I am getting impatient about seeing these ugly warts everyday. If things don’t get better, I will have to see a dermatologist then.

Colic information

As babies can suffer many possible unseen conditions, a consultation with a pediatrician is necessary. One unpredictable cause of a baby’s discomfort is colic. A baby can cry for more than three hours without any visible cause, and this is very taxing to young parents.

One reason for colic could be gas problem, which can be solved by switching formula to soy bean. This gas is usually caused by food that has not been digested well. There are some milk bottles that are designed to minimize colic, such as Avent by Philips. This is what my baby nephew is using as well.

A welcome news is: though Colic can last for some time, this can disappear without medication or any kind of treatment. Young moms and dads just have to be more patient until the crying stops. 

Precious metals investment

Most fashion-conscious individuals would think about precious metals, such as gold and silver, as important jewelry pieces and accessories. They’re very much right, but I hope they also know about these precious metals as good investment products. The beauty of gold and silver is not only based on their being stunning jewelry pieces, but their intrinsic power to preserve one’s wealth makes them even more attractive.
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Painful period

I haven’t been feeling well the past two days. I had painful dysmenorrhoea and it really dragged me down during those days, I wasn’t able to finish my tasks. Ugh, blame it on some sour dish I feasted on that caused my tummy to become too acidic and added more to the pain. Well, I guess most members of the female species could very well relate with me.
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On wrinkles and grey hair

Few weekends ago, SM mall celebrated Grand Parents Day. We were there that weekend although we really didn’t know about it before going there. We only knew when we were handed some discount coupons. Dad and Mom were with us and yes, they’re senior citizens already, although we really didn’t shop some items for them on purpose. My sis had to buy some important clothes and other stuff that she’ll bring back to Europe.

The kids were with us so I’m sure my parents were just happy to be with us even if they were not able to buy some stuff. We just enjoyed being together in the mall, with the little girl running around and the baby smiling at the shoppers and salesgirls. My parents were just happy to accommodate my sis’ needs, after all her time is so limited here.
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Don’t skip breakfast!

Have you been skipping breakfast thinking that it would help you lose those unwanted fats? Well, if you say yes to this question, then better change your thinking now and do have a hearty meal for breakfast. Skipping breakfast slows down metabolism and just puts your brain in a “starvation mode”, thus you consume more during lunch time, which means extra consumption of food than what’s needed. That would not be good for your diet plan, yeah?
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Getting help on legal issues

It’s really a big problem when you need help on legal matters and you’re clueless about how things go. This was our challenge when we decided to take legal action against somebody who duped us with our money. Being in a family of engineers with everybody having technical background, our legal know-how was just limited to the basics. We’re just thankful that we got a lawyer, as recommended by a relative, who helped us through and explained to us the details and the process. We also got our money back as a result, as the other party got afraid and agreed to settle matters before we take the case to court.
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Bird-watching

One of my grad friends is a big fan of nature and especially bird-watching. She would even do research on the species of birds and would post some bird photos on her Facebook wall. I recently saw one of her bird-watching pics where she was wearing a hat and with binoculars on both hands. I’m not sure if they were Bushnell binoculars, but I bet she would like to have a brand new power-packed pair for her next field trip. With her love of nature, a pair of binoculars would be helpful in seeing more beautiful creatures up close.

Wrinkle-free

Seeing my high school classmates on Facebook made me realize that people do change after many years, and not just with their looks but also with their way of thinking. I’m glad most of them have positive views about life and even post inspiring messages in their walls. Who would have thought that my then naughty and rowdy classmates would grow up to be responsible and well-respected successful persons and I’m proud of them.
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Discounted salon services

My high school buddy dragged me to the salon one time. She wanted to look glamorous for our evening affair and party, and also persuaded me to do the same.  So we did a side trip to a nearby salon to have our hair and makeup done by the pros. Weee…I am not that particular about my looks but went along anyway. I’m thankful to her though as we really looked our best that evening!

Having your beauty needs done by an expert really helps a lot especially for important social functions. The only downside would be the cost which could be much compared to doing your own makeup.  But if you don’t know some makeup application essentials, then better head on to the beauty experts.
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Going generics

There have been a lot of advertisements for generics these days. The main selling point is that they’re usually less expensive than branded medicines while the content or formulation is still the same. This gives an alternative to those who can’t afford high-priced branded drugs such as antibiotics, pain relievers or anti-hypertensive medicines.With the high cost in health care nowadays, it’s just practical to go generics when your personal budget is limited.
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On getting refunds from online purchase

Customer satisfaction is always important in a business, especially with online merchants. Just recently, my sis ordered online for some kiddie clothes. Some of the items did not meet her expectations and looked inferior in quality. Even the brand name was not as advertised. She’s planning to write the seller to complain. She’s not a newbie to buying online and so far, this transaction has been the most disappointing.
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HS Alumni homecoming memories

Just recently, I attended our high school alumni homecoming and it was a blast being with classmates from the past. I can’t even recognize some of them. Either my old classmates expanded their waistlines or some looked more mature and with noticeable wrinkles. Anyway, we attended the dinner and program at our school gym and after that we had an evening of bonding and drinking (especially the guys) at a local restobar.
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Accumulated stuff

One important thing I still need to do after finishing some pending tasks is to get rid of old documents. Ugh. I can’t believe they’ve accumulated to a bunch of useless paper junk and I’ve kept them in my shelves for years! Just think about past receipts, outdated manuals and brochures and even some old business cards.
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Comfy home shopping for moms

After spending a shopping day at the SM mall with my sis and her two kids, I now can really understand why moms would just want to stay at home and do online shopping. With a three-year old and a baby on stroller, it was such a challenge to go over the aisles in peace without the kids demanding your attention. I had to chase after the little girl as she had fun hiding and running around the department store. Whew!

Well at least there’s online shopping which is truly a big help for moms as they can just conveniently browse over their favorite brands online, just type in some keywords and presto! Also, another good thing about online shops is finding great deals and discounts, especially from coupons.
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Online shopping for life insurance

One of my favorite business mentors recommends getting insurance as one of the many ways to have financial freedom. I know some people are not comfortable with getting insurance but it’s just being practical. For those who have not yet decided on the type of insurance policy and the amount of coverage, it’s best to do a comparison and do some research.
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Getting kids into sports

Most kids are very much active and full of energy. Thus, getting them into sports, dance lessons and other fun activities is a good way to exercise their little bodies and keep them fit. It’s just like my little niece who seems to never get tired of running around while I’m already tired of chasing her.  This is why we enrolled her in swimming lessons to give her some sports activity that she would be interested in.
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Business woes

Going into business can be a rewarding endeavour especially if you’re doing well when it comes to sales and marketing, and your profits are more than enough. There are some disadvantages though about having your own business. For instance, one of the hassles that would usually plague business owners is collecting payment from clients who seem to have suddenly become sick with amnesia, purposely forgetting that they have a bill to pay for your product or service.

When we still had our family business of computer training for engineers, we’ve encountered evasive non-paying clients too. And yes, we had to keep on calling them to remind them of their bills. Just like what we have experienced, most businesses have this debt collection problem with their clients as well.
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Learning from the pros

After college, fresh graduates would automatically look for a review school where they can study for about three months or so before taking the licensure exam. With the many review schools around, it could be tough deciding which review center to enrol at.

Most students would go for the experts, especially seasoned instructors and well-designed courses, plus review schools with comprehensive review materials and learning tools, modern classrooms and complete facilities. Yup, review students would not mind the cost as they’re willing to invest in a quality review school. After all, passing a professional licensure exam equates to a great career in the future.
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Robert Kiyosaki’s CASHFLOW Quadrant

I got more inspired and motivated about going into business and investing after learning about Robert Kiyosaki’s CASHFLOW Quadrant.

As you can see in the figure above, there are four quadrants which represent four major ways how income is generated. At the left side are the E for Employed and S for Self-employed, at the right side are the B for Business Owners and I for Investors. According to Kiyosaki, one should move from the left to the right side of the quadrant. Thus, going into business and investing is the means to financial freedom.
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What would you do?

A friend is having problems with her marriage and I really feel sorry for her after hearing her story about how her hubby is treating her, physically and emotionally hurting her. This is why she’s thinking of working abroad, and being a nurse, she hopes to land in one of those jobs in healthcare to get away from such difficult situation. She’s currently living in the same house with the guy but things are not the same. They’ve got kids, which makes matters more complicated. If you were in her shoes, what would you do? 

Just another busy weekday

Whew! What a productive day it has been. I’m not only glad that I’ve done some pending errands and tasks but I’m thankful that at least I’m still up and about until now and not feeling tired or sleepy yet. Oh well, is it because of the brewed coffee I drank late afternoon?

A major accomplishment for the family today is Little C’s first day in her swimming lessons and we’re so happy that it turned out great. Her swimming instructor really knows how to handle kids. Watching the pics and videos Dad took during their lesson, we observed that the instructor has the authority as a teacher to Little C whom we know is not the easiest kid to manage around.

Anyway, we got visitors here at home today as well… Uncle F and Auntie V and my little cousin Bea came over. After lazing around the house, bonding with them, we went downtown to drive Mom to her meeting while we dropped by the nearby mall to send some important package (two VCDs for my Auntie N in Manila). The package was light but I felt like a ton of bricks have been lifted up from my shoulders after sending it. It’s because Auntie N kept sending me SMS since two weeks ago to follow up on whether I have already sent it or not. I know Auntie was just overexcited to receive the package, but it was just so stressful to me since I have to prioritize tons of things before accommodating her request. I immediately called her up to inform her about the shipment and she’s just so happy about it. I’m happy as well coz it’s one heavy task off my list.

So what’s next on my To Do list? Accounting! Okay, I’m outta here.

A lawyer you can trust

Isn’t it that most people would associate lawyers as “liars”? I guess this general misconception is just unfair for those who are practicing the profession in an honest and ethical manner. I know some lawyers who are really good in what they do without compromising their integrity. Thus, a word of advice from me… don’t just decide on a lawyer that’s popular or a smooth talker, get recommendations from your friends and do a bit of research on a lawyer’s background, especially his track record and the cases he handled.
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Financial success

It’s very inspiring to receive some emails about financial success, especially when the stories are based from your friends’ real life experiences. Recently I got news from a friend that his investments are doing good. In just three weeks, the money he invested already earned him about 8%, an amount you cannot get if you put your money in a savings deposit account in a bank. He also encouraged us to attend a seminar about investing. I am really inspired by his story, considering that he only started few weeks ago.
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Toy Story 3

Who’s Buzz Lightyear and Woody? Well, I really don’t know much about these lovable characters before. Not until I watched a trailer and some clips of Toy Story 3 on YouTube recently. My 3-year old niece was watching videos on YouTube and clicking on one video to another, so I had to make sure she’s watching some “valid” links. The trailer is really nice, with more toys this time… there’s even Ken and Barbie! Anyway, Toy Story 3 was already shown here in cinemas few months ago. I bet a lot of kids really enjoyed the movie.

Dreaming about a Disneyland vacation

My sis and her kids are here on vacation until next month. So we’re planning about going to some tourist spots where my cute niece can enjoy playing and swimming. A nearby mountain resort, about less than an hour’s drive, is our best choice. Well, with our limited budget, we can’t go to Boracay as planned. Oh well, going on a trip really has to be prepared for, not just with fixing our schedule for it, but financially as well.
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Accessories for me

Since last week, my sis and I have been shopping for semi-formal clothes, specifically for evening affairs such as dining out or attending parties. I guess we just want to update our wardrobes, especially since most of my clothes and shoes selections are just shirts, jeans, shorts, Capri pants and flip-flops. Now I want to add some semi-formal and formal wear so I can be ready for upcoming parties and affairs. I’m also looking for some accessories to match my clothes, and a set of gold earrings is definitely on my list.
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First ride on an RV

One lazy afternoon, I was having a nap when suddenly my cellphone rang. It was my Mom calling me and she sounded so excited. Her eager voice on the other end informed me that she’s inside the RV of a famous personality and would like to have a photo taken when they arrive. Yikes. Still sleepy, I told her I can’t take her picture as I still am in dreamland and thankfully she understood.
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