Deciding to Work

Post contributed by Leonard Phelps

Deciding to work from home with a big decision because I was really worried it would affect the quality of my work. It wasn't that big of a deal in the sense that I usually work pretty independently but for things like missed meetings and phone calls, I was really concerned. I sat down with my boss and came up with a plan for how we work to have me at home most of the time and things have been going pretty well. IT made some suggestions for me like getting WirelessInternet.net service and even within our quest for me to have a new laptop and monitor which has been really helpful. I'm actually more focused than I ever was at the office but the biggest challenge is just that I get kind of bored by midafternoon and I have to bring myself back in. It's hard not to want to lay down and take a short power nap when your bed is in the next room and there are no colleagues around to judge you!

Thank God It's Weekend!

People are shouting today TGIF!

And I shout Thank God it's Weekend!!! Why not? I have the entire weekend to enjoy! And it is the husband's first weekend to relax after the Spring semester classes began. Unfortunately, he still has a class today until 3pm so I am still sorry for him. 

The weekend ahead will be full and busy. Tomorrow, the husband is scheduled to preach. And he hasn't prepared a sermon yet. We might also sing-- all three of us, so if all's well, we will. Most of all, a guilty-pleasure-sounding as it is, I look forward to tomorrow's lunch, because I can get to eat a variety of yummy foodies at church! Foods that I didn't make and prepare, so hooray!

A weekend is always a time looked forward by many, so let's all have a terrific days to rest and relax! Stay safe and warm and happy, everyone! ;)

Carbonite Pro Review

I have been settled with my back up program for all of my files in my hard drive but not yet for my websites. The carbonite pro review should help me find the best feature that I need when it comes to choosing the backup program that can make all the contents of my site safe and protected.

How about you? Are your online business protected and backed up? I mean, that's when it comes to the contents of the sites you're managing, okay? See, it is very important to have an outlet to go to whenever an undesirable circumstance makes the entire system of your sites crash. If you lost all of your date and important contents, it would be the worst case scenario is there is nothing you can do because you didn't store them in the first place using a backup storage.

That is why I am decided to choose for a backup program for my small online business gig. There are 10 online backup that I am comparing right now and it seems like carbonite pro tops the list. Let's see how well all others rate. I should be able to decide soon just basing on the features and reviews that other users give.

Valentine's Day Wine Gifts

So, Valentine's Day is fast approaching, right? Have you thought of what best to give to someone? Wine Gifts could be a great option, if you haven't considered it yet. I am thinking of getting one for a special person in Las Vegas and a basket of a Valentine's Day gift would be perfect.

Below is an infographic about some fun facts of a champagne. Read it and enjoy thinking of that perfect Valentine's Day gift for someone dear in your life! ;-) 

Brought To By Wine.com, Purveyors of Fine Wine and Champagne

How Important is Online Backup?

I've spent three hours this morning chatting with a friend. Yes, three long hours! Don't blame me; there are just too many things to talk to and to catch up with. Our conversation involved questions about our computer files and as an IT expert that she is, she asked me if I do online backup of my hard drive. She emphasized how important it is to have a backup for all the files that I have in my hard drive to which I agree, because... truth be told: I have learned my lesson the hard way!

Yep, late last year, my computer crashed on my because of virus attack and I didn't have a backup yet for all of the files in my hard drive. Now, I am an active campaigner to my friends about having backups for everything, so that they won't be hurt that much once a virus attacks their computer system and all their files will say goodbye for good.

One good site that can do online backup is mypcbackup.com! It is a free backup service and signing up for an account is free so you might want to take a look at this service. Signing up for an account will make you able to download the free application which is compatiable with windows and macs.

It is a comfort that everyday, as you use your computer, you are guaranteed for a no more loss of data from accidental deletion, hard drive crashes or computer theft because mypcbackup.com did so much wonders in giving you a safe storage of all your files. You don't want to miss signing up for an account from them!

BPC # 22/366: Triz's Noble Deed

I never thought a 5 years old can already do so much wonders! Aside from being such a good daughter to me and her Daddy, she expressed to us many times that when she grows big, she wants to become a missionary. The Dad and I always tell her that we want her to become a Medical Doctor so becoming a missionary would make her work in a broader field since she will not only get to tell people about Jesus, she also can extend her medical assistance to those who need it. Her plea? She wants Mamang to become a Nurse so that we will partner together for such cause. Yes, yes, we will go to Nursing and Medical School together! Ha ha ha.

Anyway, this post is not about Nursing and Medical School but about Triz's most recent deed. The story can be told in the following photos:

On the 3rd day of the New Year, I placed her 10 inches of locks in a padded envelop to be sent to Locks of Love as her donation. She kept bugging me that she wants her hair be cut, too, after watching over me sitting at the salon for almost an hour having my own haircut a couple days before 2011 ended. She knew that I was going to shorten my hair for pregnancy's sake and that, the 10 inches that will be taken off from mine, I will send as a donation, too. When she learned what the cut hair can do to children with cancer, she didn't hesitate to give hers as well. The next day, I cut hers myself. And after the New Year, I let her mail it herself.

Triz at the Post Office about to say good bye to her locks!

She was so excited to realize that her hair that was cut will be put into good use. She kept on asking me if I wrote the correct address in the envelop that she will mail because she wants her hair to really reach the Locks of Love mailing address.

Well, yesterday, after three weeks since we mailed her hair donation, we got this in the mail: A Certificate of Appreciation to the donor herself: 

When she opened and read it herself, she was so thrilled. She was like, "Wow! I couldn't believe my hair can now be used into a wig and will be used by another child!" And then she exclaimed, "Thank you, Mang, for helping me do this! This makes me so happy! You are the best mom in the whole wide world!" 

Of course, she's biased, so don't believe her! LOL.

366 Blog Photo Challenge

Just Cloud Storage

As much as we want to clear up our place from the clutter and let some of them go to our storage area in order to have a spic and span space and atmosphere at home, we also would desire our digital and online life to be unclutter, don't we? If you're like me, you would find cloud storage to be so beneficial. Why not, when it can make your computer clutter-free and safe from system crash-up or failure. Like for example, if virus has ruined your pc, you can retrieve the files that you need when cloud storage is your partner.

Oh, I'd want to go hand in hand with JustCloud! I have learned my lesson the last time my computer system crashed on me and most of my important files saved in my hard drive were gone. The good thing is, signing up for an account at justcloud.com is FREE and easy, and once you're signed up, you are capable of choosing the folders and files that you want to be stored at your JustCloud account and enjoy the safe encryption and storage of your materials. You can check out the features of this relevant site and see if they're what you're looking for. The easiest thing about having JustCloud to help you back up your files is that such software is installed in your device and it constantly backs up your files. Once you need what you've backed up, you only have to log in to your account and there, a cPanel is available for you to browse those much needed files.

Works really best for people like me and may be you, too, who needs protection for every document and file saved in one's hard drive.

Guitar Lessons for the Daughter

My 5-year-old daughter is starting the Beginner's Piano Lesson that I've enrolled her in. She promised us that once she's good in piano, the next lesson she'll take will be for learning to play the guitar. I am not sure if she would want to play an schecter damien elite electric guitar but she is so fascinated with the Dad's fingers every time he strums those guitar strings. Oh, I would really love to have a daughter who can play one or more musical instruments. I am a frustrated piano player myself and I hope my daughter can fulfill such dream for me. As early as now, I am already encouraging her to aim for high towards being a musician. To have a good melodious voice and to be able to sing is a talent, but to be able to play musical instruments is not, so she has to learn it while she is able.

How about you, fellow moms? How do you like your kids to be a music lover or a musician?

School Days

School days are back for us! For the professor husband, yesterday was the official start of Spring semester. For the homeschooler daughter, we have informally started to be back to our curriculum since January started. I hope to finish all of the lessons and textbooks before May so wish me luck on that one. I've been a little slow these days because of my morning sickness and some minutes to be stole for blogging, and the husband said that's completely fine because the daughter is pretty advanced accordingly. Now that it's officially back to just me and the daughter being at home from Monday to Friday, life becomes even more silent and, yeah, silent! Lol. We sure miss having the daddy all the time! But life goes on so he has to work so we can eat. Ha ha ha.

As long as there are nights in every 24 hours, that is completely okay. For now, my complaint is the gruesome weather. I feel like I've had enough of winter already so I hope warm days comes soon enough so the pregnant me can go out and take a walk daily outside. School days are tiring, but when you love learning, you can always see the fun side on it! :)

Be Rescued!

I would want any of my loved ones and friends to be rescued if they've become addicted to drugs. If long beach drug alcohol rehab treatment center could be accessible and affordable enough, why not? A place like this in Long Beach can surely be a good one towards sobriety and recovery, isn't it?

A friend's brother has been put into a rehabilitation center by my friend's family because of drug attention and on such case, I have seen how determined the family was to rescue their family member. I can't imagine how tough it was for the parents. I can only say how lucky such family was for having the financial resources to pay for the rehabilitation expenses.

Any kind of addiction, especially drug addiction will lead someone not to betterment but to nothingness and worst scenarios. Thus, my theme is: be rescued, if addiction has started to crawl in to your system. There's nothing like being free from the slavery of drugs and alcoholism!

To Backup Online or Not

It's only been less than two months since I am using my new TouchSmart All in one computer. The last computer I used crashed down on me because of Trojan virus and it was very unfortunate that I didn't have an online backup for all my files except for those documents that I have saved as drafts in my blog sites. Because of that, I have learned my lesson. 

My old computer crashing down on me made me unable to save all of the edited files, especially photos that I saved in my hard drive. The ones stored at the portable memory drive were safe though, but there were many that really weren't retrieved it was was a pain in my back, my butt, and my heart. I sure don't want to go through the same situation again and so the best thing to do is to back up everything that I have in my hard drive.

How do I do that? Well, wpdesigner.com is for me and everyone else who is looking for an online backup for all of your important files. We don't want those documents and images to be forever gone in just an instance because of the most dreaded virus so better be prepared that sorry in the end. The site that I am looking at for online backups features three affordable rates that we can compare and study. As early as now, I have already decided which one should I get for my own files. I surely have learned my lesson the hard way and I don't want to go through the same pain again.

Blogging using my little helper

I am curled up in the couch the whole afternoon today watching TV until American Idol and until right now. The frigid weather makes me so entitled to this posture right now. Gosh, despite the 70 degrees Fahrenheit that our thermostat is recording, it feels like the chilling temperature outside is crawling within my skin. It is so cold. If you're wondering what our weather is around here, it's this:

 

The past two days have been cruel as well, have been below zero. And it is not doing any good to me at all because it makes me lazy even more. The husband, who has been reporting to the university for meetings and conferences prior to the official start of the Spring semester on Monday is badly braving the arctic weather. This afternoon, when he got home, he was all blushing with tears and waters from his nose dripping. He said he was having frostbite. I can only be sorry for him. Sure, we are now looking forward to Spring! But we can still endure. I mean, we have to, because it's only mid-January. :D

And because I am curled up all afternoon until tonight, I am just blogging from the couch using my little helper-- my mighty reliable Dell netbook. Thank God for portable electronic device that lets me connect to the world wide web! With my netbook, blogging goes on despite the frigid temperature! :)

That Icky Plumbing Drama

When my daughter was 4 years old, I experienced the most icky plumbing drama I've encountered with her. It was when she tried to flush off a washcloth that's made of fabric in the toilet bowl. And why did she do it? To escape from the wrath that she was expecting from mommy. Because I have been telling her time and again to only write on a piece of paper, not on anywhere else. But, the excitement she felt brought by the new markers she got for Christmas made her decide to try the markers on her bedroom wall. After doodling a lot on the wall, she realized what her mom has been telling her what not to do with the marker. Her witty brain instructed her to get a piece of washcloth, wet it a little bit, and wipe it on the doodles she did on the wall. And after all the markers were transferred to the washcloth, she thought that she won't be able to clean it herself, so flushing it on the toilet bowl would be the best option. Take it from a 4-years old!

Sure enough, that caused a plumbing problems in our bathroom. I am just thankful that my husband was able to solve the problem. I don't know how he did it; he just told me not to get mad with our daughter. Ha ha ha. And of course, the daughter was able to receive more lessons from the mom. :D

Since then, such circumstance never occurred again. And I am definitely not anticipating for it anytime in the future!

When we moved to this apartment unit four months ago, our Landlord did a Water Heater Replacement for our unit to make it sure that we won't be complaining with anything once we start with our residence. So far, so good! We have no complaints whatsoever with our apartment rental. I think it is a need for all landlords to do it to their units so that the tenants will have a problem-free living. 

However, in times when undesirable circumstance like heating or plumbing problems happen, it helps to know that there are plumbing companies out there (like RotoRooter!) that can rescue us from such plumbing mess! Have you tried their services yet? 

I am participating in a blogger campaign for Bucks2Blog about plumbing and
was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Flowers in February and March

There shall be showers of flowers for me next month and the month after that. Why? Because it is Valentine's Day on the 14th day next month and a month after that-- it is my birthday. Lucky, right?

Last year, I turned 28 years old on the 28th day of March and the husband and daughter got me these:

 

It was so beautiful I wished it wouldn't wither and die. Well, real flowers do so I can't do anything about it. I only got to enjoy its beauty for a week, but the thought that it was given by two special people who showed me love and care was good enough to create a memory that will last a lifetime.

Don't you just love giving or receiving flowers? I do. I try to send my sister and mother-in-law fresh bouquet of flowers on Mother's Day and I love the happiness brought by doing so.

If you're like me, you can click here and start choosing the kind of flowers that you will be sending to someone special in your life. It will be worth it!