Updating

I just got a warning from Entrecard that I need to get this blog updated or else they're going to have to sack this one out.  I wouldn't want that.  I know I have been quite negligent when it comes to updating this blog.  I am hoping to get this blog shifted to wordpress and have its own hosting.  

Aside from that I am also looking into claiming another domain with homeschooling as its niche.  Now the challenge is to get hold of that perfect domain name.  Suggestions, anyone? :-)

Wood Burning Stove is Eco-Friendly

As someone who prides herself to doing her share for an environment, I am more than glad to invalidate the misconception that a wood burning stove is not environment friendly. It is in fact, eco-friendly. Wood burning is environment friendly, basically because wood in itself is a carbon neutral fuel. It means that whatever carbon it releases as it is burnt, it also absorbs.  

This is one very important aspect of wood burning to me, being an advocate of environmental preservation. I have practiced it from the time my son was newborn, by using leakproof cloth diapers instead of disposables and making my own wipes too, among other different things. It is just best to be able to give back to the environment what we could do from our end. Getting ourselves a wood burning stove is one of them. Written in association with Wood stove suppliers.

Thinking of a name for my next domain

We really appreciate our friend Neil of NeilMaranan.com of all the help he has given us right from the time I first claimed my very first domain, MarriageandBeyond.com.  He has patiently led us through the ins and outs of being webmasters and as of late, with the domain disaster the former owner of eznet-hosting.com has done to its clients, he was still there to lend a helping hand. 

As we move towards our two years in the blogosphere (business wise), I am now thinking of another name for a domain.  Most of my sites are niched ones, which I am thankful for.  This way, I could categorize each subject and for each post I could zero in on what is within its niche.  

Now that we are seriously into homeschooling, I am hoping to claim a domain that is niched around homeschooling.  Although I could easily have the subject squeezed in my primary site, MarriageandBeyond.com, I wouldn't want to bombard it with everything about homeschooling.  Now I need to think of that good domain name for a homeschooling site... 

What to look for in a woodburning stove

As my family and I are looking into getting ourselves a wood burning stove, I have been investigating on how to wisely choose such kind of stove. A serious wood burning stove buyer should choose one that is made of cast iron or steel. This is the most tolerant of extreme heat that almost always equals to durability.  

While we are aware that wood burning stoves do not come cheap, especially the good quality ones, it will actually prove to be cheaper for us in the long run. Plus the fact that this site will even save me 50% off from the regular price. Written in association with Woodburning stove suppliers.

My son aced his first unit test

After a month of officially homeschooling our son, I am glad to report to you that he has aced his first unit test. While it is true that most of the lessons we have been going through are more of reviews of previous things I have taught him right from when he was still very young, it is still such a joy to watch him progress before my very eyes.  Especially when it comes to the things that he is still not very good at, like his fine motor skills and paying attention.

The curriculum that School of Tomorrow provides us homeschoolers are just so neat that it makes it so easy for teachers to homeschool our children with the best quality of education a parent could give their child.  I will always be grateful for the privilege of being able to homeschool our son. 

Switching to Wood Burning Stove

It was a couple of years ago when I first thought of getting our family a wood burning stove. During that time, cooking gas has hiked up and doubled its cost from the regular amount. It was a great deal back then because I was not yet into freelancing and our budget then is really hurt by the prices of practically all consumables of which prices hike up by the day. I did not find a good brand of such kind of stove then. 

It was just timely that I saw this site selling just the very thing that I needed, now that the price of cooking gas is once again going up. It is just the most practical way to go, especially now that we are paying for our son’s preschool education. Written in association with wood burning stove suppliers.

Meet and Greet DPWH Secretary Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr.

Yehey! invited us over to meet and greet DPWH Secretary Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr., yesterday, March 19. It was a fun afternoon conversation. He and his staff were accommodating and answered every possible question anybody from the roundtable threw at him. 

There sure were a lot of things Secretary Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr. shared with us, right from his experiences during his service in the military, to the most recent reappointment as the Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways. 

A profile of the secretary from the DPWH webpage:

HON. HERMOGENES EDEJER EBDANE, JR. 

February 15, 2005 – February 5, 2007, July 4, 2007 to present

Prior to his reappointment as the Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Secretary Hermogenes Edejer Ebdane, Jr. served as Secretary of the Department of National Defense, National Security Adviser and Director General of the National Security Council, Vice-Chairman of the Anti-Terrorism Task Force and National Anti-Terrorism Coordinator, and the 13th Chief of the Philippine National Police. He is a veteran, of 34-years, in law enforcement, intelligence operations and public safety administration. 

Secretary Ebdane, has background in the field of engineering. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. 

He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in the Philippine Military Academy in 1970. He earned a master’s degree in Criminology, and a doctorate in Peace and Security Administration. 

The retired Four Star General has enhanced his civilian and military education by undergoing several senior-level courses and trainings which include the Command and General Staff Course at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College; Incident Management Training under the U.S. Counter-Terrorist Training Group; Senior Crisis Management Course sponsored by the U.S. State Department; Senior Police Officers course at the Singapore Police Academy; Senior Police Executive Course at the International Law Enforcement Academy in Thailand; and Basic and Advance Intelligence Courses from the National Intelligence Training Center and the Special Intelligence Training School. 

He has posted significant accomplishments in the following top-level positions and assignments: Provincial Commander of the Nueva Ecija Constabulary Command; Commander of the Presidential Guard Battalion; Commanding Officer of the PC Special Action Force; Director of the Western Police District; Regional Director of the National Capital Region Police Office; and Chief of the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force or NAKTAF. He was also the PNP Director for Human Resource and Doctrine Development, Deputy Chief for Administration before being appointed as the Chief of the Philippine National Police from July 2002 to August 2004. 

In recognition of his outstanding service and achievements, he received highly coveted awards and distinctions including the Distinguished Conduct Star; the Philippine Legion of Honor; Two Distinguished Service Stars; the PNP Distinguished Service Medal; Medalya ng Katangi-tanging Gawa; Bronze Cross Medal; Military Merit Medals; the PMA Cavalier Award for Leadership and Command Administration; Master Parachutist Badge; and numerous other citations. 

He was born on December 30, 1948 in Candelaria, Zambales. He is happily married to former Alma Cabanayan with whom he was blessed with three children. 

Indescribable by Louie Giglio

The hubby and I watched these clips last night and were blessed. I just had to get this embedded so I could watch them in the future again. I hope you take time to watch.

We Made It!

We finally able to go out and have that most coveted Valentine date, before the love month ended! There were a couple of bloggers events we went to and we really enjoyed the Jazz fest at Eastwood. We were actually out from noon till late night.

We hope to be able to go out on dates, even once a month. :D

FDA Warns About the Psoriasis Drug, Raptiva

Health is wealth. This saying remains true to this day. The hubby and I know at least a couple of loved ones who suffer from Psoriasis and we see that it can really be a serious disease if it is not managed and treated well. Psoriasis is an auto immune-system disease that is characterized by red patches around the skin and Raptiva has been a popular drug taken by people who has Psoriasis and has been found to be related to a deadly brain infection that is named Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalophathy or PML.

Warnings have been sent out about this medicine, people have been told about the possible effects. It will be best to have your doctor’s opinion about this issue. Investigation was initiated by the United States Food and Drug Administration on deaths that are possibly related to PML.

If you happen to know of someone who has been using the aforementioned drug and have suffered damages, you might want to check with http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/post?slot_id=33089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raptivapml.com. Mark & Associates, P.C. provides services that is in direct connection to this drug. Know your right to claim if damages have occurred because of this drug. It is always best to be in the know than suffer the consequences when it is too late.

No V Date Yet and Some Events Coming

The month is almost over and the hubby and I haven't had a decent V date yet! We are both hoping that this coming weekend will be "it" day for us. I have already talked to my folks to take over taking care of my son for half of the day this coming Saturday as the hubby and I will attend a couple events.

We are excited to be meeting 198 other bloggers this coming Saturday in SM Marikina for the WiFi testing. My friend Mhel will be coming over with Rizza and I am hoping to be able to meet other bloggers as well. The hubby and I have met a handful of new online buddies via Plurk. Thanks to Earth of Earlingorgeous. I have created a Plurk account middle of last year but never got the hang of using it! Earth was the one who encouraged me to get active once again. I then deleted my old account and created a new one. :D And now I cannot stop plurking.

You can add me up plurk.com/Jennie_A/invite if you have a plurk account. :D

Elegant Spectacles that Fit the Budget

I spend so many hours in front of the computer every single day, which is why I know I should not be surprised why eye strain has been almost like a permanent thing these past few weeks. Now I know there are prescription eyeglasses for only $8.

I’m sure you have read about Zenni Optical in the New York Times. Now seeing straight without breaking bank is possible because of Zenni. And I wouldn’t really mind if I sport this pretty pair in the future. It is guaranteed durable and looks hip enough for me.

Busy Everyday

I have long accepted the fact that with the choice that I made of being a work from home mom, comes the pressure from all corners of the home and more from the internet. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do. I wouldn't have it any other way. I tried getting a nanny, but our experience wasn't the most pleasant to say the least.

True, it can get crazy. Especially when the pressure would come from every corner. Which makes it necessary for me to keep a balance and resolve to have a sort of "me" time every chance I get - to keep my sanity.

A devotion to prayer each day is important. I miss one and I go silly with decisions I make, big or small. But so far, in our more than seven years of being married and caring for the little guy for almost four years, practically single handedly. I know this is something that I am not going to regret until my dying days. :D

Restoration

One of the major issues that we know exists in the community where our church is located is drug abuse. It has been ongoing even in the urban area and is the number one cause of crime in our society. As a church we can only counsel and advise private drug rehab to those who are willing to listen. It is part of the restoration process of an individual who has given himself to drugs for some and who would like to get back to his feet.

24's Season 7

The hubby and I have been doing marathons of the first few episodes of 24, Season 7. After a year of delay, 24 is finally back. First I thought Tony Almeida has gone totally crazy and got into the enemy's boat, but things are more than what they seem. As predictable as things are in the plot, every episode is still heart stopping as ever. :-)

On Home Troubles and Loan Modification

Oh the troubles of keeping house! Now the issue is in the bath. For some reason that we cannot figure out just yet. The hubby cannot yet get down to it. Water just keeps on collecting around the bath tub, which keeps us mopping in a regular basis. My ever reliable handyman/hubby thinks it is the recently installed bath faucet. His theory is because he did not use the right tool size, the faucet was not properly sealed, that is now what’s causing the water leakage. I know he will soon take care of the problem when he gets the chance. He is really busy right now.

As troublesome as issues around the home can get, it is still a real blessing to be able to have our own home. If it were not for the loan modification that was granted to us when the loan was still new, it would be really hard for us to pay off the amortization. It is really important to be able to adjust the kind of loan that you have to better fit your ability to pay. Otherwise the interest rate and package have the potential to bury you in deep debt. Incidentally, you can check out Arizona Loan Modification to have your existing loans checked. Sometimes the easiest way to manage your finances is start with paying off your debts and if at all needed, get a loan modification.

I'm Finally Kicking Out Smartbro Off Our House!

I cannot be happier! For almost two years I have put up with SmartBro's disservice. The DSL setup guy finally came today and got my DSL connection installed. I am currently immersing myself to a whooping 1.7mbps connection speed. But it won't be long until it stabilizes to the speed that I subscribed to, which is 512kbps. Which is not bad considering I have been putting up with smartbro's average of 100kbps in my normal days.

As if SmartBro knows I'm kicking them out very soon, these past days I have been experiencing a speed connection as low as 50kbps! Yes, that 's worse than having a dial up for an internet connection. I wonder why SmartBro every called themselves broadband connection. I have gotten tired to calling them with their agents sounding like automoted robots. They say the same things but never getting to a resolve to my main problem which is my turtle speed connection.

Made Me Glad

I keep singing this song over and over for some days now. Made Me Glad by Hillsong. I thought I'd paste this here instead of having to look for it over and over again via YouTube. :-)

I will bless the Lord forever
I will trust Him at all times
He has delivered me from all fear
He has set my feet upon a rock
I will not be moved
And I'll say of the Lord

You are my shield, my strength
My portion, deliverer
My shelter, strong tower
My very present help in time of need

Whom have I in heaven but You
There's none I desire beside You
You have made me glad
And I'll say of the Lord

You are my shield, my strength
My portion, deliverer
My shelter, strong tower
My very present help in time of need

Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Book Cover

I am so hooked! After having finished Stephenie Meyer's book, Twilight, in no time. I am now almost done with the second book, New Moon. I just can't stop. Now, during the times that I get up from my bed resting (doc's order), I just go around browsing reading some more from the author's website.

A very interesting trivia on Twilight's book cover.

The apple on the cover of Twilight represents "forbidden fruit." I used the
scripture from Genesis (located just after the table of contents) because I
loved the phrase "the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil." Isn't this
exactly what Bella ends up with? A working knowledge of what good is, and what
evil is. The nice thing about the apple is it has so many symbolic roots. You've
got the apple in Snow White, one bite and you're frozen forever in a state of
not-quite-death... Then you have Paris and the golden apple in Greek
mythology—look how much trouble that started. Apples are quite the versatile
fruit. In the end, I love the beautiful simplicity of the picture. To me it
says: choice.

The Worm and Open Sports

During the 90’s my husband loved the team Chicago Bulls. Among the players he loved that contributed to the great reign of the Bulls, aside from Michael Jordan of course, is Dennis “The Worm” rodman. He was great at offensive and defensive rebounding and added extra factor to the Bulls defensively. His attitude, fashion and hair style on and off court made him stand out and become known as the bad boy of basketball.

Now, with all these experience, popularity and credentials, an online sports destination known as OpenSports.com has signed “The Worm” a.k.a. “Dennis the Menace”. Now, OpenSports.com was started by Mike Levy, a former CEO of CBS Sportsline.com. The Press Release, which can be read at prweb.com/releases/2008/11/prweb1630124.htm, mentioned how great the partnership is because of Dennis Rodman’s expertise and the kind of entertainment he can provide through “self-written blog entries, video logs and participation in interviews with various sports personalities on and off-line.” I personally think that this will be something to look forward to.

How about you? What can you say about this partnership? Do you think this will be a great combination? Do you think that Rodman will create the desired effect among sports fans with his expertise and experience?