TeamBuilding

We had our teambuilding last Friday (July 10) and spent a whole day in Zoobic Safari in Subic. When our team leaders was organizing it, I didn't feel any excitement because I've been to a couple of zoo everytime I accompany my kids in their educational trip. I thought I won't enjoy the teambuilding but I was completely wrong.

Assembly time was at 6am and exactly after an hour the team is complete and off we went to the destination. The travel is for an hour instead of 30 to 45 minutes. We took the SCTex way (Subic Clark Tarlac expressway), the bus is second class and it's a bit slow.

The Safari tour package that our company chose for us included our lunch and entrance fee. We did not enjoy the food in Safari Grill. If you plan to go to Zoobic Safari, I suggest that you go there with full stomach and have lunch or snack outside after the tour.

The best part is the drive thru and close encounters with the tigers wherein humans are inside the cage while tigers would come near you to grab fresh chicken that you can buy inside the zoo. Also, riding the choo choo train and pass in the territory of long necked ostrich.

After the tour, we had lunch in Safari grill, then played Pinoy Henyo and Amazing Race. We were all dead tired and hungry after the games.

This was another memorable teambuilding and teambonding, it was tiring but we all enjoyed it immensely.

Web Directories

The main reason why I engage in blogging is to generate extra income. I envy my officemates earning extra bucks doing article writing, however, since I do not have much time I can dedicate in article writing, I tried to discover another means of augmenting my income and there I found out about paid blogging. I signed up with blogspot and started posting everyday, met a lot of people and made friends. I also signed up with different blogging directories. However, I noticed no matter how updated I am with my blog, still, I seldom receive projects or opps and this is quite frustrating.

There are bloggers who would unselfishly share tips on how you can optimize your page rank which is one factor in order for you to get projects or opps and earn. It is suggested you visit other blogs or websites and exchange links with them, another and the best way is to submit your blog or website in web directories. Fortunately, you don’t have to shell out some cash just to sign up with web directories because there are free web directories you can find in the internet, it’s a matter of choosing the best web directories even if it is for free.

I chanced upon Jasmine Directory, a powerful and efficient business web directory. Submitting your blog or website in web directories is an effective mechanism to reach the widest range of visitors possible. At Jasmine Directory each link is thoroughly researched and must adhere to a strict and demanding criteria of information fluency and currency. Information and topics are well organized through categories for easy and faster access.

Please note there are also commonly used web directories you can register to, one example of which is Yahoo directory and business.com.

You may not know the advantage and usefulness of registering your website to web directories until you try it yourself.

Select the Best Insurance Plan

Or company is under a different management for more than two years now, since then, there were changes in the benefit and compensation package, honestly and admittedly, the previous management is a lot better than the current one in terms of benefits, compensation & trainings. Every quarter, as employees, we are requested to fill out the Employee Satisfaction Survey so the management would know how & where to improve.

Everytime I do the survey, I always say not to change our current health insurance started by the previous management. I am happy and contented with the comprehensive health coverage we are getting from the health insurance we have now. Believe it or not, some employees decided to stay in the company just because of the health insurance being provided by the company because our family or dependents are also covered. If your spouse or one of your kids get sick, you immediately bring them to the doctor or nearest hospital without having to worry of paying the hospital bills, furthermore, medicines amounting to a maximum of five thousand pesos is also part of the package even if it is just out patient.

A couple of months from now, our health insurance coverage will expire and I’m hoping the management will decide to renew the contract on the same health insurance company, otherwise, they should devote time in the health insurance plan selection & comparison process to make a wise decision.

Puto't Bibingka

I tried to cook putu't bibingka 2 Sundays ago using White King puto & bibingka mix I bought in my favorite supermarket. The puto was done perfectly but the bibingka was overcooked because I run out of foil that should be used as top cover of the bibingka. Nevertheless, the whole family ate everything in seconds.

What Happened?

I was so happy to find out this week that this blog reached a Page Rank 2. I've work so hard to maintain and update this blog on a regular basis. I bloghop and made friends. I make it a point to reply to the comments of those bloggers who visit my blog, I continue to exchange links with other bloggers and by doing so, my pagerank and Alexa increased giving me the opportunity to earn through the opps I receive everyday.

Imagine my surprise to see my page rank go back to ZERO this morning!? Unbelievable!!! Truly appalling!!!So many questions popped up in my mind...what went wrong? what could have happened? is it because it's the start of the month that's why my page rank will have to start to zero? Will Google be able to answer my questions if I try to get in touch with them? Can they bring back my PR2?

Probably my fellow bloggers can shed light on this issue. Do you guys know the answer/s?

I'm confused & exasperated.

Used Car Hunting

For somebody like me who can not afford to buy brand new car, I'll settle for used car or second hand car. I prefer a used honda civic car. There is an easy way for me to determine whether a used car will still be in good running condition for several years before purchasing it. My father owns a machine shop and has a friend with mechanic expertise. They can tell if the asking price of the seller of the used car is reasonable or if the used car will still last for several years through road test, regardless if it is a luxury car like Used Mercedes Cars or any other brand. By the way, the easiest way to hunt for used or second had car is through buyyourcar.co.uk.

Addicting Dark Chocolates

I have sweet tooth and I so love chocolates, whether it’s a chocolate bar or Chocolate Candies. Whenever I do my grocery every weekends, I make it a point to buy one chocolate bar or a slice of sinful cake and I would eat it while I watch my favorite shows. Aside from a relaxing massage in my favorite Spa clinic, eating chocolate is another way to release my stress and sometimes my depression. My hubby make it a point to bring home galaxy chocolates from Qatar and lately I noticed myself indulging in dark chocolates and I would love to try Gertrude Hawk dark chocolate especially their dark chocolate covered strawberries.

MYA & An Amazing New You

The FHM Philippines will feature the 100 sexiest women in their July issue, the alluring Cristine Reyes is on top of the list. On the cover is one hot mama Aubrey Miles wearing nothing except for a handshped mud to cover her breast. Aubrey Miles gave birth to her son with Troy Montero few months ago but her shape will make all other women insecure. You may say she is gifted for having flat abs even after giving birth but Aubrey must admit she did her part to maintain a sexy figure. She probably exercise regularly and watch the food she eats.

On the contrary, it is impossible for other women to regain their original figure after giving birth and some celebrities like Claudine Baretto will consult cosmetic surgeons. I told myself I will never undergo cosmetic surgery just to achieve a celebrity like figure if I happen to have the money. However, my decision will be different if MYA Cosmetic Surgery will handle my breast uplift and tummy tuck and other physical improvements. MYA employs skilled & professional surgeons, furthermore, this company is well known & respected in the field of cosmetic surgery, therefore, I am confident I'm in good hands and ready to see an amazing new me.

Making Time for Family

Making Time for Family
By Mimi Kight

Be Intentional

Times have changed since most families had two parents, a mom who stayed home and a Dad who worked nine to five. Families today are more complex. Single parents, dual-income families, a bajillion after-school activities, and in-house distractions like computers, Play Stations®, and the like mean that time together as a family isn't going to just happen. You have to make it happen.

Plan time together and insist the kids attend. This might make you unpopular at times. But think about your favorite childhood memories and you'll realize that most of them center around time spent with your family. Be committed to making family time a priority. Then, be creative about making it happen.

Quality and Quantity

When kids are asked the question, "What makes a happy family?" the response is almost unanimous, "Spending time together." According to experts, the myth that a large quantity of time can be replaced by less-frequent "quality" time just isn't true. Karen Dockrey, author of Bold Parents, Positive Teens (Waterbrook) puts it this way, "Daily time is irreplaceable. Five minutes every day is better than five hours on Saturday or a big family trip. The bigger chunks of time are only effective if there's already a relationship as a result of daily time together."

It's up to you to discover when that time works best for your family. Maybe it's at breakfast, on the drive to school, or just before bed, when things slow down a bit.

Eat Together

Okay, dinner seven nights a week isn't practical for most of us. But university researchers at Penn State, Harvard, and Depaul agree that children who grow up in a home where parents and kids sit down to eat together three or four times a week are less likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol and less likely to engage in premarital sex. They even found a correlation between family meals and success in school.

Meals are a time to share your day, to plan family outings, to air any beefs that crop up during the week. But be careful to keep things fun and light. Don't use meal time as a chance to reprimand the kids or harp on table manners while you have a captive audience. Keep distractions like TV or telephones to a minimum. In fact, it's a good idea to place a moratorium on all electronics until the meal is over.

Pray Together

In Matthew 18:20, Jesus promises, "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." I think this goes double for families. At least I know that some of the most powerful answers to prayers in my life have come after I've knelt with my husband and kids and prayed together. More than a quick blessing before meals, prayer time can be a time to connect with each other's hearts and see what's really important and weighing on each other's minds. Pray on your way to school in the morning or before bed at night. Keep a prayer calendar where you can keep track of special prayer requests and concerns. Be sure to praise together when the answers are given.

One-on-One Time

Before we had kids of our own, my husband and I took careful note of the way my sister and her husband raised their five children. One thing they did that we promised we'd continue is one-on-one time, each parent with each child. Now that we have four kids of our own, they'll tell you that some of their best memories are of a day at the zoo with Dad or an afternoon wandering through antique shops with Mom.

Getting a child alone, away from the natural competition that comes from siblings, relaxes something within him. You'll be amazed how well you'll get to know this burgeoning young person when it's just the two of you for an entire day.

Don't Compete with Electronics

Instead of allowing TVs, DVDs, and computers to take away from family time, try using them to enhance it. Rent a family movie and sit down to watch it together. I've started collecting DVDs of my favorite childhood TV shows and share them with the kids. Gilligan's Island is a favorite. Find an Xbox® game you and your kids enjoy and hold a family tournament. With new advances in home entertainment technology every day, how can a parent hope to compete for their family's attention? You don't have to. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.