Back to jumping rope

If you think that jumping ropes are just for kids, try skipping for five minutes and you’ll be amazed that it’s not that easy. I just finished doing a 10-minute jump rope cardio workout (see video below) and until now I’m still trying to catch my breath.

I got inspired to try jumping rope workouts when I read on a forum where people affirms that it can tone the arms and legs, and make the tummy smaller. A few months ago, I bought a jumping rope from Toby’s at P145. I started to jumped rope for 15 minutes every other day for one week. After the first day, my calves and thighs were aching so badly. So, I stopped and got too lazy to continue.

Deep fried Oreo cookies, yum!

Oreo is in itself a comfort food. But what happens when you coat it with a light batter and deep fry until golden brown?
 

Heaven…
 

Thanks to my sister who introduced me to another yummy treat to include on my list of comfort food. Today, I took my first big bite into a deep fried Oreo cookie at The Old Spaghetti House.
 

TOSH’s deep fried Oreo cookies a la mode (P90).

Facebook turns into a cartoon and anime photo album

Browsing my Facebook account these past few days is like flipping through the pages of a cartoon and anime photo album.

The message below was posted and went viral on Facebook. Reports say that this post has been circulating since December 1, also the same date when the “Change your profile picture to a cartoon character campaign” Facebook Page was created.

“Change your profile picture to a cartoon character from your childhood andinvite your friends to do the same. Until Monday (Dec 6) there shouldbe no human faces on facebook, but an invasion of memories. This is acampaign to stop violence against children.”

Connecting to Yahoo!, GoogleTalk, Skype, Twitter and Facebook simultaneously with Trillian Astra 5.0

Seems impossible, right? But it is POSSIBLE.

People who are close to me might be wondering how in the world I am able to go online with not just two, but seven email accounts all at the same time. I have one each for my online stores and personal accounts, some of which are working since I was in high school.

So, here goes the story of how I manage one Skype, one Twitter, two Google, five Yahoo! email accounts and three social networking accounts.

I was introduced to Trillian, an instant messaging (IM) software developed by Cerulean Studios, a couple of years ago by my brother. Back then, we only had one personal computer at home that is shared with my four siblings. Imagine each one of us waiting in line for their turn to get online. If my memory serves me right, the version we used to connect to our different IM accounts was Trillian Basic 3.0.

Click photo to view a larger image.

How to convince potential clients that you are a legit online seller

One of the many challenges online sellers in Multiply or “Multiplyneurs” face when starting up is convincing potential clients that they are legit sellers and not bogus. I believe that this challenge is mostly experienced by Pinoy Multiplyneurs because e-commerce, the buying and selling of goods and services online, is a concept that is not yet fully embraced by Filipinos.

As an online seller myself, I, too, have encountered this dilemma when I launched my online store in Multiply last year. Back then, there was no Multiply Trust program to identify online sellers who have been “verified” by Multiply. However, I was still able to build customer trust and soon orders were coming. 

Take a peek inside Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf’s 2011 Giving Journal

It’s becoming pleasantly cooler now that  Christmas is just around the corner, making it impossible for me to resist a warm cup of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf’s (CBTL) coffee.  Aside from getting the 2011 Giving Journal, what makes CBTL’s coffee (tea and yogurt) more enjoyable this season is the thought that you are “changing lives with every cup.”

The 2011 Giving Journal is a huge upgrade from last year’s journal notebook with blank pages  (which is my notebook of choice when jotting down business-related notes, making to-do lists and doodling). Not a bad reward for gulping down 24 CBTL drinks:  1 Original Ice Blended, 1 one Tea Latte, 1 Apple Caramel Ice Blended or Apple Pie Tea Latte and any 21 drink of choice (Original Ice Blended, Frozen Swirl, and coffee- and tea-based drinks).

LSS: I love the way you lie

I found this very soothing version of I Love the Way You Lie (orig. by Eminem and Rhianna) by Stephenie Gee, a Korean born and raised in New York. The lyrics of the song is actually a mix of another musician and Gee's words.



Mp3 download available here.

4th Auto Review Run for Road Safety & Courtesy set on Sept. 25

Instead of the usual conference room table and chair set-up, sponsors, exhibitors and the press were treated to a very unique press conference and sponsors’ briefing of the 4th Auto Review Run for Road Safety & Courtesy at the Bluewater Day Spa. The early comers were given a complimentary 30-minute foot massage. I have to admit, it was the most unique (and most pampering) press launch that I have been to.

As the aromatic and calming scent in the Spa Theater at Bluewater Day Spa lingered in the air, Mr. Ron de los Reyes, Auto Review’s host and race organizer , discussed the details of the race. With the theme “Run Fit, Drive Fit,” the fourth Auto Review run aims to highlight the “correlation between good health and good driving. It has been found out that people who engage in sports like running can have good disposition when driving.” 

CBTL's Swirl Rewards Card

I don’t exactly know why I like Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL) better than other coffee shops. It may be the homey ambiance, feel-good music or simply the excellent coffee and tea concoctions.

I love coffee. And I feel like I’m starting to fall in love with tea. That’s why I decided to get a Swirl Rewards Card. For P195, I think the perks that come with the card were worth it – free WiFi access at any CBTL branch and merchant discounts (I just hope they will get more participating merchants).

I joined the BB cream bandwagon

I am not a fan of make-ups especially foundations and other creams that make me look and feel heavily made-up. I am a white shirt-jeans-slippers girl wearing moisturizer-powder-blush-lip gloss on a typical day (you get the picture). So when I first heard of BB cream from my sister, I had second thoughts on trying it out. The thought of “cream” alone makes me think of whiteheads and breakouts.

So, I did a little research first and found out that BB cream actually stands for “blemish balm cream.” According to online sources, this cream is originally used in Germany by laser skin surgery patients as a medical, not cosmetic, product to heal their skin imperfections. The Koreans turned the cream into a cosmetic product known today as “ the secret” of Korean celebrities.

Multiply launches Trust and Promote programs

About 80 percent of the online stores in Multiply are based in the Philippines, which is aptly dubbed as the Multiply Nation by the Entrepreneur magazine.  

Multiply executive chairman Claudio Pinkus led the launching of the Multiply Trust and Multiply Promote programs attended by over 70 Filipino online sellers (including the author) at the ABS-CBN, ELJ Communication Center on June 23, 2010. As of May 2010, there are 50,000 online stores in Multiply, 40,000 of which are Philippine-based. 

Daydreams

Once in a while I find myself staring blankly in space; thinking of nothing in particular but bombarded with countless thoughts and musings about everything. This often happens to me while traveling in a bus. Even the 20 minutes ride from our house to the office triggers my neurons to work in frenzy. My thoughts and ideas seem to pour faster than my hand can write or type it. 

So, here lie my thoughts, ideas, realizations and musings about life in general.

A few random things about me:

• I love it when it rains. I do not know why I feel more comfortable when the weather is gloomy. The rain  somehow washes away the negativity around me.
• I love wearing jackets (sweaters, hoodies, blazers, etc), complements my fondness for the cold weather.
• My favorite color is purple but I don’t own any clothes of that color.
• All my siblings are musically inclined. I know how to play the guitar but never got beyond the basics.