Mar 16, 2015
A Smiling Dog Contest at Instagram
Mar 15, 2015
Learning from Rejection
Why I was rejected
In this learning process after the "No", I realized why and was told so. I have been writing online for many years and freewheeling my way around the net, ranking, getting content found, becoming popular, gaining a voice, having followers, establishing credibility and a good reputation... it all is for naught when it comes down to writing "exam-grade" work.
I have become slack. The online world has spoiled me, pampered me, made me succeed. The target audience is easy to reach with tweets and Facebook status updates. The quality of content that I wrote wasn't suffering, it actually became more fluid and got results - and it became second nature to me to write with keywords. To add more content, I place 'fluff' and these additional words do help in getting ranked - but that's all squat when it comes to book writing.
Rejected not just once but twice
You should have heard the comments I got from my family and felt what I did when I got rejected the first and second time. For a few moments, I fancied myself to be like the author of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling who got 12 publishing rejections before it was approved. I felt like I was in good company. And the pride inside me raised its ugly head saying, I have a voice, I have a following, I get hits!" And then, I took a deep breath and I had to place both feet on the ground and think of what that guy who rejected my book said...
"You're a good writer. I like that you're determined. Did you have any form of formal training?"
My answer was "no". I have trained myself to write online, got other kinds of training like how to write using keywords and use backlinks, all these things - but to learn how to write? Aside from what I learned in school which was so long ago, I never did seek to learn how to write. I write with a passion and with the dedication that I learned from my grandfather, Jose Villa Panganiban, and what he taught me always comes to mind and then I think about how no one would have ever rejected my grandfather's work. "
After that second rejection, being the determined character that I am, the challenge came to mind:
I will not allow myself to be rejected one more time by that guy.
The time he had spend talking to me and tutoring me was valuable time. He believes in me and am making me a better person. Improvement always has space in my life and I would be a fool to think that I am the best. I saw my flaws and am learning from rejection.
What I am doing now
I don't like being rejected and for that matter, who does? So right now I am studying, taking formal training on how to write. I must be humble, not bank on what I have accomplished online but strive towards the next "chapter" of my writing career.
Failure is like a toddler falling down while learning how to walk. If the child doesn't stand up again and try, that kid will never learn how to walk. I feel like a toddler and I am grateful for the one who rejected me that offered his "hand" to help me up.
Mar 14, 2015
Diet Tip: Eat When Hungry
Eating When Hungry
As I go by the rule to eat when hungry and lately, I have been eating really late like at 4 pm. It worked for me. If I am not hungry, I usually won't eat as there is no time clock controlling my stomach. I don't eat a lot as a general rule but when I do wait until I am totally starving, I end up having a complete meal with dessert which is, in fact, a normal meal.
Where I Learned this Diet Tip
I have a grand-uncle who lived until the age of 94 and only during the last few month of his life was he no longer moving about. This man was strong with a sharp memory. My granduncle Ambrose smoked like a chimney, swore like a whore, and drove his car like a maniac, often screeching to a stop when he parks his car when he visits us.
To see him so stong, agile, talkative, and full of life was fascintating and yes, he was quite a character. What made me wonder is why he was so slim yet full of energy unlike most people his age and even if he was a smoker, it didn't seem to make him unwell.
During one of his visits as we had coffee, I asked him, "What's the secret to your long life?" and he answered, "I eat when I am hungry and stop eating when I am full."
Quick Cooking at Home
In a notable stint of forgetfulness, I was hungry and in a hurry to cook rice as the meal was ready. The food that my daughter took home was chicken curry and of course, it is best with hot steaming rice. So I went and washed the rice and plugged in the rice cooker. Ah, and I forgot to add water as that should be done up to a level of around an inch above the rice. So, after the time passed I decide to check if the rice is cooked and now it is Crunchy rice! Oops! I am still hungry and can't eat yet as now I have added water to the crunchy Rice and am waiting for it to be cooked and I did hope that it would work - but it didn't! I had to cook a whole new batch of fice.
One of my fave things to cook is corned beef with long green chilis to add some kick to the dish and make me burn calories with the spice. These long green mild chilis make a distinct difference to the taste of food and when I feel like a little spice, the heat level of these green chilis is just right and may be made milder by removing the white parts and seeds. A very simple dish to cook, I just open the corned beef, add a whole chopped onion, and a couple of deseeded and julienned fresh chilis. I place in a little water like around half a cup and allowed the mixture to boil. I add water so I won't cook with oil as corned beef has oil already. When the water evaporated, the dish is cooked!
When I am bored with the food at home like corned beef and would rather not take a lot of effort to cook, and also when I want something salty to go with a heaping of rice for that high-carb meal, I eat dried fish. Dried fish is a popular Filipino preserved product made from various kinds of fish that has been dried in the sun. It can be fried in oil or grilled lightly to cook. This dried fish has an overpowering smell, obnoxious to some who do not like to eat it but mouth-watering to the ones who like it. The ideal way to eat dried fish is by using the hands and dipping it in vinegar that may have chopped garlic added to it. The typical side dish of dried fish is chopped tomatoes. I love it but only eat it once in a while because it is very salty and I end up eating a lot of rice!
Since there are only 2 to 3 of us eating in the house right now, it is much easier and it provides the variety of food to buy lunch. Over here in the Philippines, we have small food stores called "carinderia". The food is in various pots and if the cover is not see-thru, you'll lift the cover to see what's inside. Then, upon making your choice, they will scoop out the measure and pack it. Rice is measure out per cup. I frequent this Muslim carinderia near the house as I like the food and have seen the kitchen which is very clean. What I like is that there is no pork and that gives me the variety I desire as I make a lot of pork dishes at home. Buying food from carinderias a practical choice to make.
This diet rule of mine is easy to adhere to when at home as when out, it's so difficult to diet!
Though I am basically a rice eater, I love potatoes and have to eat these at least once a week. I like all kinds of potato food preparations like chips, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes but most of all I love French fries. In search for the best on among the fast food chains here in the Philippines, I tried McDonalds, Jollibee, and Tropical Hut - among them all, I love the KFC French fries. These are thicker that most and have a special kind of crunch to them as I think they are lightly coated with flour and seasonings before being cooked. I can eat a small mini bucket on my own. McDonald's French fries ranks next for me and once, when it was a Sunday so we went there to have Sundae and the chocolate syrup was drizzled over it and the soft serve vanilla ice cream and French fries to that I had satisfy my cravings.
As, I confess, there's sometimes a food craving that I have and it can't be curbed! Chocolates are good for you once in a while especially the dark kind. But then my food craving hits me the feeling goes no longer considers my having to think if it is good for me or not - I want chocolate and I feel like I am a brat. I want to eat KitKat chocolates and Cadbury Fruits n Nuts, I want to eat ice cream that has chocolate flavor with whatever else that goes into it except for cherries. I am dreaming of chocolate and when it is the middle of the night and unless I order a chocolate fudge sundae from McDonald's... I won't get to eat chocolate until I go to the store. I want chocolate and it such an urge that I can extoll the virtues of chocolate all over the world! It has thiamine that makes one happy and it is a trigger food that brings back the taste sensation pleasant memory. I want chocolate and the other day I saw a post about chocolate chip cookies and that made my mouth water. I want chocolate and even if I keep on writing it, I won't be able to give in to my craving tonight - so I think I will drink the Hersey's chocolate syrup? Bad, bad, bad - but it'll be so good to stream that chocolate topping into my mouth!
What I Drink
At night, I like to drink milk, just the good white creamy kind. I do like chocolate milk and have tried other flavored milk but it is still plain milk that's best for me especially during those nights that I can't sleep as it is so quiet and it's a good time to write. Milk makes me feel full and relaxed.
I tried making my own sun iced tea before by leaving a tea bag in the pitcher and placing it in the sunlight but that takes long and if I boil the tea bag with water and let it steep, the process takes fast and then I let it cool and add citrus fruit like lemons. Yet, I don't really have the time nor the patience anymore to make my own iced tea so what I do is buy the powdered ones that come in sachet packs that are good for making a liter. This eliminates the need of having to measure out the right amount of scoops. It also is sweetened so I don't have to add sugar. The powdered iced tea I choose must have high vitamin C content and it goes through a taste test and I check to see if the powder mixes easily and after left standing for a while has no particles on the bottom. The foam is also important so when I place the iced tea in the pitcher and add the water, there is a lovely foam top. I like iced tea because if is refreshing and note that I water down the 1 liter mix to make 1 and a half liters as it still taste okay anyway.
Coconut water is so refreshing and so good for our health, especially when it is fresh. Over here in the Philippines, sometimes a coconut is cut in half for the white fleshy meat but when one wants to drink the slightly sweet cloudy white coconut water, it is best to chop one side and make a hole to pour out the wonderful natural beverage that needs no ice nor sugar, thought you may add those ingredients plus some of the scrapped meat to make it more awesome!
Eat When You're Hungry
No use in starving ourselves to lose weight. Eat when you're hungry and eat the right kind of food. When you step out, enjoy the delicious meals, then when you are back home, stay on your diet. Don't let the clock control your stomach, let the natural urge and the hunger the time to eat.
We all eat too much once in a while and there are food temptaions all around us. Prevent this at home buy not buying food and beverages that are fatting such as ice cream and chips. Enjoy these when you eat out, as a treat, and you'll see that you'll lose weight.
If you are working and don't stay at home that often, brown bag your lunch or opt to buy healthy and filling complete meals, avoiding the process kind and chosing home-cooked dishes that you can buy from small stores. When working, there is a set time for your meals, and make the most of that eating time by having the correct nutritional intake.
Drink healthy beverages throught the day. These will keep you full and satisfied. If you have food cravings, do indulge yourself once in a while so you won't feel deprived.
Just remember - eat when you are hungry and stop eating when you are full.
Mar 13, 2015
How My Uncle Dealt with Prostrate Cancer
My uncle, Binggoy Dominguez was a
cheerful guy, kind and accommodating. He always greeted us with a smile and would tell us funny stories.
When my Dad, Alonso, broke his hip and was lying down in bed at home after surgery, my Tito Bings, as we called fondly called him, arrived from the US to visit Dad.
"Look at me, Al.", he said. "You had a broken hip but you're not sick like me. The doctors they told me that I have stage 4 prostate cancer and I have had this for years. I became depressed, not wanting to eat, and then I realized - I have no pain!"
I stared at my uncle in rapt fascination as he waved his hands around to punctuate his story. "I heard you rode a bike to work, Tito."
"Yes," he said, with that familiar twinkle in his eye, "I did because I feel no pain. I am doing all that the doctors told me to do as they told me I am sick but I no longer act like I am sick."
And, he stood up and moved to dance. "I just keep cha-chaing." After saying that, he did a couple of cha-cha steps to emphasize his point, then my uncle insisted that my Dad sit up and Dad tried as my uncle held him. They were both smiling their half smiles, as I watched, knowing that my Dad was a stroke victim and had survived two heart attacks and after surgery, felt weak.
When Dad was sitting up in bed, propped with pillows, my uncle went on his next wave.
"You eat, Alon!" said Tito Bings as he was handing over canned ham. "Do you like this?" Dad nodded yes and so my uncle decided to get 2 more cans from the car and placed these on the side table.
"You eat plenty so you don't look sick. Look at me, I eat and eat. And you have to stand up and move."
Dad smiled. We all knew that Dad couldn't. Still, my uncle pushed him. "Raise up your hands to exercise." As Dad raised his hands, my two aunts, my Mom and I were all smiling, knowing that Dad was weak and trying so hard to please his brother who was so encouraging.
When my uncle left, Dad asked us to open the ham and he ate a lot. "Binggoy looks okay." Dad said.
That visit from a man who had the kind of cancer that most men fear - shows that the attitude overcomes any illness and disease - and makes each day one that is lived.
* Since my uncle found out he had prostate cancer in the late stages over 5 years ago, he had followed the doctor's orders to the letter. Last year, since the experimental treatments would no longer work and he was informed that there was nothing anymore they can do for him, he came back home to the Philippines. I asked why he came home and he said, "I have to fix a few things."
All those years since he got cancer, he lived normally and spent quality time with his family like going to Disneyland. He went to work and rode a bike as he had no pain. He told us hilarious stories of his hospital treatments like how he felt like a guinea pig but won't be paid to be experimented on, and how he saw the med tech did a slingshot move when extracting his blood then missed the vein.
This past month my uncle has been in and out of the hospital and he passed away today. He lived a life that was full and turned his situation around, making it one to encourage others...and after years of battling cancer, he has won the battles in a big way as he had the quality of life.
If life gives you overwhelming situations and you want to overcome, you can do what my Tito Binggoy did.
Just keep cha-chaing.
Mar 11, 2015
Clash of Kings Review
Free to download and free to play, the Clash of Kings is the war game that requires you to build your castle and defend it.
With the ease of use of SimCity to build your castle to make it an empire, there are battles to be fought and resources to be gathered from the various areas like farms and forest with auto-collect.
Strategy is required as the other people who you will be battling with have their own strategy, too, of course. It's time to put to use the strategies from the Art of War book and expect the battle to be epic every time.
Clash of Kings is free to download and free to play.
You can play the game without buying any additional game items.
Click this to get your FREE download Clash of Kings
Mar 4, 2015
BoostInsider Review: Make Money Online
Earn with Boostinsider Instead of Bubblews
When Bubblews, the ad revenue sharing site, failed to pay me for 3 months of 2014 and then I was shocked to see that my last redemption which was on Nov. 10 was in the cutoff for their announcement of non-payment before Nov. 11, I got dizzy and decided to make a few complaints and let go of that website. In fairness, when the tide was high at Bubblews, I did make a lot of money - but then as websites go, that one came to an end for me.
I searched online and I don't remember exactly how I did find the site and I signed up for free. Then I didn't know what to do exactly so I waited as advised for them to email me if I was active already. I did get an email and then started promoting my referral link.
Then ad campaigns were assigned to me. These were interesting things to promote such as a remote control that works like a universal remote for many of the devices in a home like to close the blinds and it can be controlled wherever you are in the world.
What I liked about sharing the links on my social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook is that people do respond because of the product. It's not old rehashed items but things that are innovative and sometimes ever free.
When I shared my link, a few of my friends signed up and one asked me why she wasn't earning. I explained that the reason why is that what counts when the link gets shared are the clicks that come from the US. I told her to share these links on Twitter and since she doesn't have a big following to use hashtags such as #Free so that her tweets will be found. That was effective and she started earning.
To boost up earnings on BoostInsider one can use a variety of methods such as writing about in in a blog, sharing the link often, and maybe even create a video. This make money online website has complete tutorials on what to do to earn and the team replies in a timely manner to respond to any of your questions.
If you want to make money online with a low payout of 20 dollars, you can sign up for free for Boostinsider. Start today to earn extra money online in an easy way by sharing ads.
Won a Free Dog Costume for Dino Dog!
Bailey, the Dino Dog
I do join a lot of contests and love to join dog contest, and when I won at the PriceAngels website the amount of 10 dollars, it took a long time for me to decide what to buy with this coupon as there are hundreds of unique items in their store that has nearly everything under the sun such as cellphones, home decor, and those As Seen On TV products.
PriceAngels had a choice of dog clothes and though the bunny outfit was so cute, after much deliberation, my daughter and I decided to chose this dinosaur outfit made out of plush material. The great thing about this retail website is that it offers free shipping worldwide so I didn't have to pay anything extra for this purchase that cost around 9 dollars using the coupon that I won!
So we waited in anticipation of the new dog costume for our beloved pet. After nearly a month, which seems like forever when I am excited, I got a postal notice that there was a package ready to be picked up. I rushed to the postal office and yes, it was the dinosaur dog costume.
Bailey has worn this to turn into a dino dog quite frequently like when we went to Tagaytay to keep her warm during those cool nights and during a dog costume contest for Halloween last year at Alabang Town Center were we ended up getting a lot of freebies though we didn't win, it was such a fun event!
If you want dog clothes that make a difference, search online for such websites and for sure, you'll be able to buy something unique.
Feb 18, 2015
A Treasured Recipe Collection
Feb 13, 2015
Be Cavity FREE with Colgate Free Dental Kits!
Free Dental Kits
February is Oral Health Month according to the Colgate Facebook Page and they are encouraging everyone to take a pledge towards having Zero Cavities. This concern is especially targeted for children for the parents to teach them how to brush their teeth regularly. With this ongoing freebie, one has to pledge to brush and do other things for good oral health care. Do you want a free dental kit?
Click here to get a FREE COLGATE DENTAL KIT
Please share and tweet this post!
Feb 10, 2015
In Search of the Perfect Gooey Chewy Brownie
Then, there is the gooey kind that oozes with goodness. As I go forth and search for the perfect gooey brownie, there have been a few batches made that are fails. Edible but not lovable, the first one that I made was a hit as what I did was adjust the baking time by lessening it.
This first method of reducing the baking time works. The way to do this with any ordinary brownie recipe is to bake it and check for doneness with a toothpick. Insert the toothpick at the edge and that can come out clean or with a few crumbs - and the middle part should still be rather wet so the toothpick won't come out clean.
The next method I read about was to add an extra egg. A brownie recipe typically has two eggs so you must make it 3. This was done is a Martha Stewart brownie recipe and she also used a recipe with less flour which is another method that I read about. I love Martha but I haven't tried this recipe yet as what I am looking for is a brownie that is oozing with goodness from the middle, with that decadent chocolate spilling out when sliced.
I did find a recipe that had condensed milk in the brownie and that looked absolutely wonderful yet it was topped with a whole load of chocolate chips that seems overwhelmingly sweet and that is not what I yearned for nor what is a must for me to sell as I don't want to make ordinary brownies as I desire awesome ones. yet for now, the first method which is to reduce the baking time does yield chewy, delicious brownies that are adored by everyone.
Jan 21, 2015
Online Promotion Boosts Your Business
How many ads do you have out in the neighborhood? Posters around the area, flyers, word-of-mouth but still the number of people who go into your store leaves much to be desired. After a hefty investment, you think that you can't spend anymore for promotion but know that if you are not out there online, there won't be much income from sales. So you struggle, create a Facebook page, and notice that hey, people do arrive but then only a few.
A professional internet marketer can help you boost your business and get long-term results.You get to tap the power of the internet to capture your target audience far and wide, not just in your immediate area where there are ads. You'll get to promote what you have, share special events, and then once it gets shared on the various social sites with the right description (not just yummy yummy must try), there will be results of walk-in customers who shall make it a point to flock to your place.
I have a proven track record of promoting events and ranking websites, blogging about the restaurant, and getting to share what the potential customers need to know for them to stop and enter the place.
For inquires, you may add send me an email at lucindadominguez@gmail.com
I guarantee results.
Make Money Online with Link Sharing
There's this international site that has the same style but then the earnings are a lot better. The minimum I have earned is 8 cents and then the max is 21 cents per click - and that's when someone clicks the link that I share to social networking site like Twitter.
Yet, there are conditions to make money online with this link sharing site. There are rules to be followed to ensure that their online campaign isn't used in a bad and abusive manner. This make money online with link sharing will request you to submit the URLs that you shared so they can check. Another thing is that some campaigns require clicks from the US though for sign ups which earn too it is international.
If you want to earn online the honest way and make more money than other link sharing sites, click here to learn more. I just love their method and it's not tiring at all to share links.
Jan 20, 2015
Throwback: M.Y. San Graham Sweet Treats Demo At Gourdo's
Maxi, Timi, and Tyg
I have always been camera shy and my daughters, Timi and Maxi, took over the no-cook food demonstration to make M.Y. San Graham Cracker houses willingly. My nephew, Tyg, who is also a foodie, pitched in to help as there were a lot of kids in our M.Y. San Graham Crackers event that was held in Gourdo's that supplied not just the venue but the other ingredients the kids required such as icing and candies. This was a free event and there were lots of children who did hands-on to help make the M.Y. San Graham Cracker houses and the parents were very appreciative of this fun learning experience.
It is important to teach kids how to cook and prepare their food.
As my kids were growing up and my nephews and nieces were frequently in our home, I never did worry about what they were going to eat. Putting aside the fact that there were maids to do the cooking for the meals, all the kids would go into the kitchen and prepare their own food. Maxi surprised me one day when I got home and she had made a pot of sinigang, saying, "Mama, I cooked dinner!" which she does until now.
Timi was making her own breakfast from the time she was grade one. I would wake up in the morning and see the frying pan, tong, and the plate, glass, and utensils she used in the sink. She typically cooks hotdogs for her breakfast. At an early age, after she watched Martha Stewart on TV, she got a whole chicken and butterflied it. She loves to cook and bake and aside from studying food trades, she had developed her skills by learning from cookbooks books and TV shows, and now she is part-owner of a restaurant in Teacher's Village.
If you like Japanese food and would like to enjoy affordable and delicious meals and try few unique dishes in an al fresco atmosphere, go to Samu Eats located at Z Compound, 33 Malingap Street. Teachers Village, Diliman, Quezon City. It opens at 3 pm and closes at 10 pm. You will surely love the food.
|
Make Money from Referrals
There is no sign up fee, no joining fee, nothing to pay so that one can earn at this referral website that accepts international members. But, you do have to do simple tasks to earn like answering a few questions. And to earn from referrals, they must sign up, do some work, and get paid, and you will get 20 percent of what they earned. If they earn more than 10 dollars, you earn more. The thing is, the people who sign up under you link have to earn for you to make money from referrals. There is no limit to how many people you can refer and they will pay up to the 3rd level referrals.
If you want to make money online with a website that has easy tasks and is also as source of referral income, click this link to learn more.
Make Money Online with Answers
This make money online website pays for questions. The pay is small but then if you answer any of the questions there and it gets approved, you earn 3 cents if the answer you gave is shorter than 50 words. The more words, the bigger the earnings yet it might not be approved if it not a good answer. This make money online website also pays to write articles, reviews, and it also gives commission from referrals.
If you are interested in making money online, click this to learn more.
Sep 17, 2013
Ideal Wedding Venue
If the cold stoic interior of a hotel isn't the romantic wedding you've been dreaming of, there's a beautiful garden in Tagaytay that might be the ideal one for you.
The place is called Casa de Carlo and it is the Spanish ancestral home of Carlo Callejo.
For inquiries, you may visit http://www.casadecarlo.com/
Garden Wedding Venue
If it has to be perfect on your wedding day, and you would prefer to not have the event in a generic place that looks like many venues, there's a place in Tagaytay, Philippines, that may be the one you've been dreaming of.
We only get married once and if you want to have an unforgettable, romantic wedding, one of the best event venues in Tagaytay, Phlippines is Casa de Carlo.
For more information, visit
http://www.casadecarlo.com/
Dream Wedding Venue
Casa De Carlo |
It's so beautiful and perfect for garden weddings.
This event venue is located in Tagaytay, Philippines. To see more, you may visit http://www.casadecarlo.com/
Oct 29, 2012
How To Get Whiter and Flawless Skin - Tip #2
How To Get Whiter And Flawless Skin - Tip #1
COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises brings back the authentic storytelling roots of Blogging, awards winners of Write to Ignite Season 3
Global award-winning communications group COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises has finally concluded “UNMASKED: The COMCO Mundo Write to Ignite...
-
Monde Mamon A Monde Nissin Product Review Ready-to-eat snacks are what comes to mind when one hears the word Monde. Nearly ...
-
You'll know the difference from the very first sip. It'll make you feel full and satisfied. It has the perk of the world's ...
-
A real virtual closet, as you get to shop online, offline! Get to see the items for sale and on SALE at the lifestyle boutique, Your Fash...