Saturday, December 13, 2014

Are You Done with your Christmas Shopping?

Christmas is just really around the corner and I have to say that I'm pretty excited already. Shopping makes me excited as I can shop for my loved ones and of godchildren. I have many godchildren that I only see every Christmas when they come to see me and to receive gifts. It is sad but exciting as well as I get to see them. While writing this post, I remember another 2 godchildren of mine that I have not shopped for their gifts and that will send me to the mall once again. I am thinking of giving school stuff for one of my godchildren for I know she can use it.

It's nice to give headset or headphones to teens for they are always listening to music or maybe playing games at home. You can check out this Headphone Buying Guide if you are planning to buy them as gifts. Christmas is giving and sharing. It's also the time to splurge (I'm guilty of this). No matter how I tell myself to not too much for myself but I still shop.. Oh well.... I deserve it too. I'll just work hard again next year to save.

Shop now and put those wrapped gifts under your Christmas tree! 

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Addiction Problem among the Children

Addiction seems to be the one of the biggest problems in nowadays world. There are so many types of addictions that sometimes it is extremely hard to recognize them. We can distinguish two main types of this problem. First one is the addiction to substances like alcohol and other drugs. Second is about behavior. People may be addicted to surfing the Net or eating. Usually the second category is straight connected with the experience which people feel during the activity. As far as eating is concerned, the pleasure coming from this activity is so high that stopping it may result in a big shock.

Kids and addiction
Children are the group that is the mostly exposed to any kind of threats. It mainly comes from the nature of the young person. Kids want to learn new things, want to try everything, especially what is forbidden. Everybody knows the story about Adam and Eve, which is the best explanation of the children’s desire. The more something is hidden and unavailable, the stronger the desire to have or experience it might be. In the same way young people are trying to get what they should not have access to. The most popular addictions among kids in these days are: narcotics, including alcohol, tobacco, marihuana and other chemical substances; computer and internet addictions and pornography.

Computer addictions
Nowadays you can find basically everything in the Internet, from the movies and video games to pornografic and brutal content. That’s why it became the most desired thing among the young people. They use it for everything, starting from the school related things like doing homework (however I would call it copy – paste work) ending with entertainment. Games and social media made the Internet environment very dangerous place in terms of wasting the kid’s time. Currently they are able to spend all day in front of the monitor just playing games. Porn and violent content is the second thing that attracts kid’s attention. This is especially dangerous, because children’s mentality can be hurt and it may have very dramatic consequences in the future like lack of openness to others and problems with creating new relationships. Apart from mental problems, health condition is also exposed to big overload because of lack of sleep. It may lead to the serious nutrition problems.

How to deal with that?
There are several ways to fight with addiction. The best practice is of course to prevent such a behavior. Education and building awareness from the very beginning is crucial to grow an aware kid who we will be able to recognize the threats. Another way of preventing these kinds of problems is to install parental control software. Parental control software is usually able to perform many kind of controlling activities like for instance blocking access to the violent websites, filtering the email box or regulating the time span in which user is able to use the computer. On the other hand, there are a lot parents that already have problems with keeping their kids away from the computer. In this case the parental control programs may also help, but parents should think about some more radicals moves. Specialist therapy should the first step after detecting any problems regarding the computer addiction.

If you are interested in the topic of parental control and if you want to get more information about the problem, feel free to visit http://www.pcwebcontrol.com/ and get familiar with PCWebControl. It is third party software designed for Windows operating system that fully supports the process of setting up control over the computer users. 

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Keep Calm and Sing Your Heart Out

Imagine a world without music. For sure it will be dull, boring and lifeless place to live in. Music is universal, music transcends message, soothes our soul and calms our spirit.

Listening to music is one of the things that I make sure to do everyday. Be it on my phone, radio or over the internet, I have to make sure that I listen to music all the time. I listen to music when I am down, happy or just want to groove or during my exercise time every morning.

There are those who loves to sing no matter if they are just an ordinary people, novice or professional singer. It doesn;t matter as long as you want to pour some emotions. Singing can relieve our stress, believe me.

Listen to  music if you want to reminisce, groove or just want to have a company. If you want to play some musical instruments then that would be great. Learn more about us at MusiciansFriend.com if you want to purchase some musical accessories and more.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Stage Fright

Students need to participate in school's extra curricular activities as much as they can. This can give them extra points in their grades and as well as it can expose them to various events to gain confidence and exposure. I remember my nephew D who is in his senior year joined an academic group about marketing of sorts. Standing in front of his classmates as well as his teachers make him nervous. Apart from that, talking in stage with stage microphones can be pretty scary but those didn't hinder my nephew to deliver his defense and oral speech.

I'm sure he is so nervous but he knows what he is doing and studied his piece thoroughly that's why his stage freight disappeared as what he told us. He did a pretty good job and got a thumbs up from his teachers. Now, he has to wait for his grade that I know will be a good one.

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Cropping The Video With The Help Of Software

The video making process is interesting and all sorts of filters are done to make the videos appropriate. For all sorts of video making process you have to follow the steps and that is about it. It is quite easy to crop the video in seconds. There will be multiple times when you would be requiring cropping the video so you have got all the chance to do it whenever possible.
There is no need to worry when you have to do away with the unnecessary information from the video. The important elements should be highlighted in all aspects thus it becomes utmost important to show what is required in the video. From the panel the bars are removed and then it becomes beautiful. There are ample changes that can be done to the video without any hindrance. To get the finished product look all you have to do is to remove the obstacles. The editor from Movavi is best suited for cropping the video. The video has to be added to the video creation software to enhance the look. The part that you want to crop should be highlighted and then the necessary changes should be made with saving the product in the format of your choice.

The format that supports your device should be chosen. There are certain steps that have to be followed:
•    First step is to install the program on your personal computer which has to be done by downloading the editor of video and then installing the file. The instructions have to be followed for installation of the correct software.

•    Second step is to add the video that is cropped and then the choice between the two modes. Story board and Timeline are the two modes to choose from. Videos in multiple numbers can be worked with if you use the option of Timeline Mode. Tracks of audio can also be added in that. As far as Story board is concerned all you have to do is to work with a single track at a time with images. You can also switch between the two modes by clicking on the button provided in the centre. The files of media have to be added.

•    Third step is to crop the video which can be seen before from the area of preview. The frame has to be predefined.

With such easy steps the task is complete.


Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Travelling With Your Family Dog – Tips To Consider

Travelling with your family dog can be a wonderful experience or a true nightmare. Most people out there will believe that it is not a problem to travel with pets but that is definitely not the case. In fact, with some breeds it can be a huge problem. We should also highlight that there are dogs that simply do not feel great when they travel by car or dogs that are not used to a really long car trip. That is what every single dog owner has to understand.
In order to give you a helping hand, let us offer some really simple tips that can easily help you out. We are confident in saying that you will have a much better experience when travelling with dogs and the advice is suitable for basically any pet to some degree.

Making The Car Ride Enjoyable
This is obviously the most important part. The longer the ride, the more stressful it will be on the dog! You need to realize that even if the dog has no problem with short trips, he may end up faced with problems as you go for a longer trip. It is very important that you make the car ride really enjoyable and relaxing for the dog.

If you know that the pooch has some problems with car sickness, go to the vet for some medication. In fact, this is a really good advice even if your dog never had car sickness problems since on long trips it can happen.

One of the really easy ways to make the car ride enjoyable is to schedule many breaks. It is a tremendous way to make everything great. Also, the dog will need to go to the bathroom more often than during a normal day as he is travelling by car.

Arranging Accommodations
Too many dog owners out there simply assume that they can take their dog with them and that accommodations will not be a problem. This is a really bad approach since most hotels and motels do not allow pets. With this in mind, make sure that you take advantage of online resources like the list for dog friendly hotels by My Pawson to see what opportunities are available on your trip.

Do not simply use the internet and assume that the same policies are in place as what is written. Sometimes these sites are not actually updated for long periods of time. You have to call and when you make your reservation, ask about the dog policies that are in place. You will be surprised to notice that various motels and hotels have strict rules and in most cases you will need to pay an extra fee. Also, some of the establishments that were pet friendly in the past are not allowing pets at the moment.

Conclusions
The two main tips we offered above are the most important ones to consider. Besides that, what counts is listening to your dog. If you feel that he is nervous, stop. Make him feel at home when you reach your hotel room and all should be great. Also, arrange for plenty of exercise!

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Saving for the Kitchen

If graphic designing is my passion and hobby (see my digital items at my ETSY STORE: JennyLDesignsShop), I have to say that cooking is another thing that I really wanted to be good at. I'm no by means a great cook but I can cook good meals for my family that they enjoy. I guess they don;t have other choice but to enjoy my cooked dishes for they will go hungry..lol

I just envy those chefs and cooks who can prepare great dishes all teh time. I have to say that most of the times, I found myself thinking what to cook for that day. In fact, yesterday I was stuck knowing what to cook that I only end up cooking rice and asked my SIL to just buy some cooked viands for our lunch. There are really times that I don;t know what to prepare or should I say I got lazy. But when my cooking diva in me kicks in, you'll find me at the kitchen cooking a lot of dishes with a smile on my face.

In the recent years, I managed to buy durable pans that I can consider a great investment in my kitchen. It's pricey but I know I can use them for so long without worrying that I need to buy another pan. I'm eyeing a cookwear organizer like this and I'm sure that my pots and pans will be neatly organized.
I should have bought one a long time ago but now there's a good reason for me to shop soon as a birthday gift or Christmas gift for my kitchen. It's always fun to envision some new changes in the house all the time.

Friday, August 8, 2014

Relaxing Music



How's your day lovelies?

Mine is very productive as I have made quite a lot of graphics, (digital papers and cliparts) that I sell at my ETSY store JENNYL DESIGNS SHOP. Come take a peek.

Right now, I'm trying to relax for while while listening to a relaxing music such as the one that I have posted above. It helps me destress and clear my mind. Sometimes working on photoshop for more than 8 hours or so can be tiring so I need to take a break all the time. Music and sleep are my companion. They are my best friends lately hehe..

Day is coming to an end and I'm wishing that tomorrow will be another creative day for me and all of us who are working. I still need to browse for some musical stuff at musiciansfriend.com and of course at my fave Pinterest.

Friday, May 16, 2014

HS 30th Grand Pearl Anniversary Reunion

An upcoming Highschool reunion before the month ends makes me busy these days as I am part of the organizing committee. It’s my pleasure to have been chosen to be one of the organizers particularly a Treasurer and the one who will update our group in Facebook.

Our grand reunion is a very special one as we will be celebrating our 30th Grand Pearl Anniversary Reunion. Our last major reunion was held 5 years ago during our 25th Silver and it was only held in a clubhouse of one of my batchmate’s village. This year, we decided to hold it in a 3-star hotel with a Hollywood Theme.

I know this will be a grand reunion where we can meet our batchmates once again after so many years. We surely hope that most of what we invited will come to celebrate this joyous event.

Few days ago, I was searching for a perfect semi-formal dress and fortunately I found a black mini-dress that looks decent and suit my body type. Now, I’m still searching for some nice accessories that will go with it.

Now, I am excited along with my co-organizers who are also dedicated and active in making our reunion a success. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it will be a night of fun, laughter, chit-chats and maybe some tears as we remember our dear departed classmates too. Ahhh.. I can’t wait….

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Beating the Summer Heat

It's summer here in our part of world and the heat is unbearable most of the times. Summer started in March and it will end I guess first week of June.

Temperature ranges from 33-36C the whole day and it's humid and sticky as well that you need to take a bath 2-3 times a day to cool you off. Cold water and lots of watery fruits can also help us hydrate.  There are already some affected by heat stroke and if not addressed early it can lead to death.

Using umbrella, hat, shades and even sunblock can help when you are out most of the times. It's burning and exhausting all day long. El Nino phenomenon is already forecasted and strong and mighty typhoons will come soon.

I hope and pray that not much destruction will come ever to our country just like what Ondoy in Sept. 2009 and Yolanda in Nov. 8 2013 left us.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Songs of Praise in the Church

I am very proud of my friend who is a very dedicated Christian. She and her family are so faithful in their faith and church and they will never trade their faith for any worldly riches in the world. They have dedicated their lives in serving the Lord and will continue to do so. The songs of praises to the Lord are heard during their weekly church servings in their humble church. Complete with sound system along with drums, piano and guitars their church is filled with music and praises all the time. I'm sure they are always looking for the musical products that they can use in the church and studio 10 from musicians friend
will be a good option for them.

I also had the chance to attend one of their worship during the baptismal or dedication as what they call it of my godchild and their service is not ordinary one. There are a lot of singing, praises and testimonials. Like any other churches, their mass is sacred and solemn.

Up to now, they are still singing songs of praises for the Lord during their Sunday services while they have Bible studies every Wednesday. Children are also involved for they have Bible study for children and musical ministry that they are enjoying.

The Joys of a Family

Last Christmas was the best holiday we have ever had as a family for we are complete. Wish my dad is still alive so that he witnessed how big and grown up his grandchildren now. He only was able to see 2 grandchildren that time in 1989 and now they are 11 all-in-all. Some have works already while the youngest is 9 years old.

My siblings with their family came home from Sydney and Riyadh  for our grand reunion last December and we all had a grand time. We've been to many places for our vacay, dining out and even shopping. The memories are priceless!

They are all back in their second home but last week, my niece and my sister w/ hubby came home for another quick vacation. It was so short that wish we could spend more time with them again. I hope they will be back this Christmas once again or if not another 2 years again.

I am wishing that all families are enjoying their time together for the memories and bonding times, like what I have said are priceless.

Monday, March 17, 2014

In Search of a Nice Acoustic Guitar

My niece is taking up Bachelor of Entertainment Management degree at AIM (Australian Institute of Music) in Sydney. This course can let students combine business management education with a creative focus and since she is into it, she might as well learn how to play some musical instruments.

While she took a short vacation here last week, we end up stopping by a music store to find for the perfect acoustic guitar that can sound great with amps like bugera v5 and the likes. She tried several guitars but end up buying nothing at that store for she wants a quality one. I guess she might just look for one in Sydney but for sure the price is so incredibly high compared here.

I'm just wishing her good luck in her course since she only started this year. She told me that it is tough but if she really wants to excel and finish that course, she needs to study very hard and be good at it.

Slow Work

Ahhh.. ... this 1st quarter of the year is kinda tough for me... Didn't have a lot of work since January unlike last the last quarter of 2013 . I'm just hoping and praying that it will peak up once again very soon as I need to save for some monthly expenses.

This is the 1st time that I feel like I'm on bottom so much that I need to think of some other ways to earn. I love my work online but the Google updates and some other advertiser's requirements, it seems that  my blogs are tailing at the bottom.

I'm not losing hope and I know I can make it big again because I need to.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Guitar Playing Dog Toy Poodle Mocha

I can't help but to smile when I saw this cute toy poodle dog playing with her "daddy"on the guitar. Mocha, seems to really have an ear for music and the guitar because she knows when to strum the string! Goodness, I will not wonder if one day she will also tinker with reverb effects and sing with him..lol


Watch this cute video and for sure it will also make your day. How'd I wish my own dog Sophie will do the same. I might have to introduce my dog to music and musical instruments to be like Mocha.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Family Reunion and Jamming with the Band

It's already 2 years in a row when our clan (mother side) had a reunion. It's certainly not an easy task to reunite all your relatives so I salute my mom's cousin for organizing our reunion. Each family has our own color theme so we can recognize easily on what family you belong. The fun started at around 11:00 am with the registration started at 10 am. My family came around 11:30 with food contribution and raffle prize.

To tell you the truth, I really don;t know each and everyone on our clan. It's ceratin that I might have seen them on the street or grocery not knowing they are my relative already. We have abig clan anyway that is why we can't know each and every single one.

The reunion started with a prayer and right after that the introduction per family. My mom's siblings and their families are present to represent our clan. There are games, raffles and surprise numbers and I have to say that we have a good bunch of relatives with good talents.

Some can dance while many can really sing. In fact, they even jammed with the band that we hired for the occasion. The sound system was also loud and clear so we had hired one of the best musicians that we have on our area. I bet they can also get heath and allen gl2400 at guitar center if they want to upgrade their instruments.

Since the reunion is successful, our next reunion will be on May 2016. Can't wait for it!

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Creativity in Kids

Every child has its own liking and passion and parents or their guardian should always be ready to support and lend them a hand when they need it.

Every child wants to explore everything in their surrounding and that is the way they also learn. If you see your child always looking for paper, crayons or pens, always make them available. Kids love to draw, doodle and make a mess in the paper. Cut and paste, making all sorts of creations that can their feelings of emotions.This is their way to show their creativity and who knows one day, they will love painting or visual creativity.

Some kids love to sing and dance to express themselves. You can never turn away a child whose passion runs in music for they will eventually end up with music in the end. Getting them to join a music class or perhaps a neighborhood band or something can make them more confident. There are also a lot of instruments you can buy online like floyd rose special at guitar center ift hey need it for their practice or performance.

Local Artists' Controversies

Lately a lot of local artists are having a lot of controversies.. Nothing new with it I guess. They are on public eye and media is sometimes hyping up the issue so they will have more viewers or readers.

For many of us who loves to read and hear stories of celebs, it's always sad to know that some artists who have good image will be caught in a not so nice issues. People or their fans look up to them all the time and the mere fact that they are a public figure they should be careful in everything that they do. But, who can blame them anyone? They are humans and they commit mistakes too.

Another very intriguing and hot issue today is the alleged rape case filed by Deniece Cornejo to Vhong Navarro (actor/comedian). I am following the case as it unfolds and every now and then they are on the news. The evidences are very vital and those will help the case. I know that whoever is saying a lie will regret all the actions they have done.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Hard to Find Items Online

I'm slowly getting back to work after the long holiday with my family. Our Christmas and New Year celebrations are super fun and memorable because we are complete as a family on 2013. Now that my siblings who lives overseas are back to their own routine, I'm working again and at the same time looking for great finds online since my work requires me to be online all the time.

Summer is coming very soon here in our part of the world so I see it as an opportunity once again to do our yearly home improvements and repairs before rainy seasons begins in the middle of the year. I always pass by home depot stores hoping to find unique pieces for our home as I'm planning to give our living room a mini-make over. It's always refreshing to see some new items like furniture or decor in the house. Hard to find items online is a great place to find items that sometimes we don't normally find at our local stores and it's a good alternative place to shop.

If I delegated January 2014 as shopping freeze month for myself, I can't wait for Feb to come for I can shop once again..lol.

Happy New Year!

Wow.. it's a brand new year for all of us and I hope you are all having a great start!

My holidays are very hectic and so fun because my 2 siblings came home for the holidays this year making our family complete. I have to say that Holiday 2013 is by far our happiest one for our family bonding is awesome. Words are not enough to express the happiness that we all had.

This year, I'm hoping for more adventures, good health, more blessings and love.

How to Keep Your Pool Clean

If you regularly clean your pool, you will save both money and time. Having a properly maintained pool will make your pool look inviting, sparkling clean and will be ready for whenever you or your guests want to use it. Whenever doing pool maintenance, make sure the pump is turned off first. Unmaintained pools can breed bacteria and viruses and can affect the eyes, ears and skin of pool users.

Clean filters

Clean out skimmer baskets weekly in summer to remove leaves and lint that may build up. A clean skimmer basket enables the filter to run more efficiently and will definitely improve water flow. Usually the filter should be cleaned every few monthsbut in the event of a storm, filters may need to be cleaned straight away to remove any debris that may have blown into the pool, such as heavy leaf litter. If there is constant heavy use of the pool, you may need to clean the filter more often.

Clean the pool

A base and wall of a pool needs to be vacuumed and cleaned regularly. Vacuuming will rid your pool of algae and particles of dirt. If you live in a windy area, the wind may blow dirt and grass into your pool.

Check the water level

Never let the water level get down below the tiles or below the skimmer. The water level should be half way up to the skimmer box opening.

Clean up the pool area

The area surrounding the pool needs to be kept clear of overhanging branches and trees that shed too many leaves. Leaves falling into the pool will block up the skimmer and make the pump work harder. Too many trees may attract birds and bird droppings in the pool will cause algae to bloom. When not using the pool, a pool cover can be used to protect the pool from debris.

Check Pool Chemistry

The pH and chlorine levels of the pool needs to checked regularly. Be sure to check the clarity of the water and the base of the pool to see if there is any debris being left behind. Always store chemicals in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight. Never store chlorine and acid side by side. You can test the alkalinity reading yourself or take a sample to your local pool shop where they can analyse the chemical levels in your pool. They will give you a print out of this reading. Alliance Pool Stores can assist you with any questions you may have about your swimming pool.

You should always be vigilant with pool cleaning and not become complacent or lazy during the winter months when your pool isn’t used as much. A lot of pool owners are opting to use solar pool heating so they can enjoy the benefits of their pool all year round. Pools are not only a great way to relax and entertain but can be used for exercise and health benefits as well. If you don’t wish to maintain your pool yourself, engage the services of a pool maintenance company with a good reputation.

Kim Blair Content Writer SF