I Published an Ebook on Amazon!

 Check out this e-book that features three thought-provoking stories to blow your mind!

A collection of three though-provoking short stories that deal with mature themes such as suicide, abortion, and concubinage.

A lady who cannot escape her grim realities even while awake and dreaming, a group of women trapped in an oppressive household, and an accomplished man visited by his past self. Be enthralled with the characters and be shocked by the events in these short stories, The Open Trap, Two Worlds, and The Dream:

Excerpt from Two Worlds

Out of nowhere, a strong force circles around Liza’s neck. An invisible icy hand starts choking her. She can hardly breathe and her whole body feels heavy with an unseen burden. “Help! Help me,” she strives to say to the crowd. But blaring music drowns her shouts. The people, including her friends, continue to dance merrily. No one seems to notice she’s in danger.  It is available on Amazon for only USD2.50!

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Protecting the Health of Your Canine Family Member

Protecting the Health of Your Canine Family Member

Your dog is more than just a pet.  You may regard him or her as a beloved family member for whom you want the very best.  Despite your best attempts to safeguard your dog's health, you may be unable to stop the onset of aging and the host of diseases that come with it.  You may be able to keep your dog healthy, energetic, and safe by ordering supplements like cetyl-M, dog glucosamine, iron tablets, and more online today.


Caring for Older Dogs

As your dog ages, you may worry about his or her health.  You wonder at what point your canine friend will develop debilitating problems like hip or joint pain, heart murmurs, dimmed eyes, loss of hearing and smell, and other issues.  

It is true that eventually age and time will take their toll on your pet.  Still, you can may be able to halt the process to some degree by adding supplements to your dog's daily diet.  

Some vets may sell these products in their offices.  However, vets also charge top dollar prices, which may be beyond your budget.  You can buy the right quantity at a price you can afford on the website.

The website is also set up to help dog parents like you research the importance and benefit of using supplemental products in your dog's daily regimen.  You may already buy and feed your dog the highest quality food on the market. You likewise make sure he or she gets enough exercise each day.

However, when you add a supplement to the dog's daily diet, you might see a marked improvement in your furry friend's energy level, ability to move, and response to you and other stimuli.  He or she may even start to act like a younger dog again.  You can find out more about the benefits of the products by reading the descriptions online.

Ordering online is simple and fast.  You can use the toll-free customer service number to indicate what products you want to purchase.  You can also add the quantity of the bottles of supplements you want to buy to your virtual shop cart and check out on the website.


Age may be creeping up on your dog faster than you would like.  You can halt some of its effects by adding online dietary supplements to your dog's everyday diet and routine. 

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Philippine Passport Renewal In No Time At DFA Megamall, No Need For Appointment

So my Philippine passport has been expired since 2012 but I have not given it much thought until my US-based sister who is out to go to the Philippines for a short vacation generously decided to give our whole family (well almost) an all-expense paid trip to Macau. At first it got me sad because I realized my expired passport will not allow me to be part of her treat. 

My husband and I tried to set up an appointment for passport renewal online but it just made me sadder. I am sure folks who have tried to use that system will be able to understand. There are no open schedules unless we can wait for about two months. We even considered getting a schedule in DFA satellite offices in nearby provinces but then did not attempt since schedules there are full too. 

Until I saw the exceptions in DFA passport appointment system which includes senior citizens and minors up to 7 years old. My mother and daughters fit this criterion so we all excitedly went to DFA Alimall in Cubao one morning to apply for passports (renewal for my 74-year old mom and first-time application for my 7-year old daughter). 

I picked DFA Alimall since I heard that it was easy to apply for a passport here but I was disappointed. The security officer told us that only my mother will be allowed to apply for a passport since they do not prioritize giving the exception privileges to minors. Apparently, my daughter can only apply if accompanied by a parent is who is a valid passport holder. Since my passport is expired, it was out of the question. I am hoping they would allow me to renew at the same time so my daughter can have a passport but they would not. I questioned their rule because I read that other satellite offices allow it. Besides, they seem to make things difficult for a minor to apply for a passport. 

When I mentioned it to the officer, she made me feel like it is really impossible for my daughter to apply for a passport without an appointment. They even asked me to go to DSWD to apply for a travel clearance for my daughter which will be another tedious and quite costly process. 

I was losing hope when I thought of inquiring in DFA Megamall and was so surprised when the security officer told me that surely a minor below 7 is allowed to use the special lane as long as the child is accompanied by a parent (even if the parent has no valid passport). Apparently, the parent can renew or apply for a passport together with the minor. Thus no need to set an appointment for me too! I was so happy to hear what he said! I cannot believe that the officers in DFA Alimall did not even refer me to DFA Megamall if they cannot accommodate us. Well to be fair, they may be unaware that it is allowed in DFA Mega. 

Anyway the passport processing in DFA Mega is smooth and fast! The officers are all very polite and efficient too. So this post will have a happy ending after all. My husband and I were able to renew our passports and our daughters are now passport holders as well. 

Thanks to DFA Megamall for accommodating us! Kudos for great service! So parents of minors who immediately need to renew or apply for a passport and are also frustrated with the online appointment system. You may want to apply with your kids and try in DFA Mega. 

Disclaimer: This post is based from my experience and I do not guarantee anything with regards to passport application in DFA Mega. As you know, rules may change in time. Let us just hope for a better DFA passport application and renewal system soon.

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Weekend Escapade in Tagaytay

To say that my husband and I (and even my eldest daughter) are busy the past weeks or months is an understatement. It seems we have been running here and there trying to fulfill duties that keep piling up. Well, to sum it up we really need a break. So I browsed group buying sites to search for hotel deals. Luckily, I found this deal which seems to be perfect – an overnight stay for 2 at Tagaytay Country Hotel, free 45-minute body scrub or body massage, dinner, and breakfast. All for less than 3thou and I can even bring my two daughters along!

We originally planned the getaway in time for our 7th wedding anniversary. But alas, hubby needs to work the weekend of our anniv date so we just scheduled our getaway for March. The sched we got seems ideal too because it is the weekend after Sophie’s 3rd trimester exam and right after knowing that I got promoted at work. So it feels like a reward time for all of us.

Well on the day itself, we all woke up early and were out of the house by 7:30 am. Our first stop is Jollibee for a hearty breakfast.  After taming our grumbling tummies, we head on to Tagaytay. The weather was a bit hot but just right for a joyride. We reached Tagaytay proper a little past 10am. It’s still early so we decided to stop by Robinson’s Supermarket to buy snacks and drinks. After about an hour, we are ready for lunch. We want to eat at Eli’s since I read some pretty good reviews on the net but was disappointed to find it closed.

We had to find another resto that serves bulalo and found Diner's Cafe Original Bulalo. The place is not so crowded but I found the service a bit slow. I find the staff  helpful and friendly as well. Good thing, we had a perfect view of Taal Volcano from our spot on the second floor.

The hot bulalo tastes good but maybe they can add more veggies in it. We also ordered sisig but maybe we should have ordered a veggie or a fish dish because i found the bulalo too fatty. Good thing, they serve free coffee on the resto. 

After lunch, we are ready to go to the hotel.

What I think about the Tagaytay Country Hotel - to be continued

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What Can I Do To Become A Healthier Person?

In many cases, people want to become healthy yet don't know which steps to take in order to start experiencing profound levels of wellness. If this is your current dilemma, this article can help you move beyond the world of sickness and lethargy and into a realm of vitality. Use the tips and tricks listed below to start becoming a healthier person right now:

1. Utilize Testing Kits To Identify Disease.

In many cases, the primary reason why an individual doesn't become healthy results from the fact that they have an undiagnosed condition. If you are experiencing adverse symptoms yet don't know what's going on, consider the value of utilizing testing kits from organizations like Diagnostic Automation. There are a wide range of kits you can purchase online. Some of them include:

Elisa test kits
Anemia kits
Cancer kits
Diabetes kits

2. Get Your Body Moving.

Another strategy you need to implement as you strive to become more healthy is getting your body moving. Exercise is important for many reasons, including the fact that it helps improve mood, eliminate toxins, enhance metabolism, and improve digestion. Unfortunately, contemporary American societies are oftentimes sedentary, which is part of the reason that many people fail to experience the profound levels of health they desire. Yet you don't have to fall victim to this behavioral pattern. Get your body moving now by joining a local gym or purchasing fitness DVDs that you can do at home. If you feel that you'll need extra motivation to get and remain on an exercise plan, hire a personal trainer.

3. Create A Meal Plan.

While many people make plans for areas of their life like finance and retirement, it's interesting to note that they oftentimes overlook the value of creating a meal plan. Yet doing so can work wonders for individuals who are serious about getting healthy. When you carefully design a meal plan based on your nutritional requirements and the caloric intake that will help you maintain or lose weight, you'll likely find that you start to look and feel better. Resources like www.cronometer.com can assist you with the process of recording your eating daily habits so you can continually update and optimize your meal plan.

Conclusion

If you're ready to become a healthy person, know that the secret to success is finding strategies that work for you. Use the information found in this health guide to get on the path to profound wellness right now!

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2016 Philippine Holidays

This year has relatively fewer holidays than 2015. But hey, it still pays to be informed. So here is the official list of Philippine Holidays for 2016. Start planning your much-deserved vacation as early as now!

 (From the Official Gazette)

January 1, 2016, Friday – New Year’s Day (Regular holiday)
January 2, 2016, Saturday – Additional special non-working day

February 8, 2016, Monday – Chinese New Year (Special non-working day)
February 25, 2016, Thursday – EDSA People Power Revolution (Special non-working day by virtue of Proclamation No. 1071, s. 2015)

March 24, 2016 – Maundy Thursday (Regular holiday)
March 25, 2016 – Good Friday (Regular holiday)
March 26, 2016 – Black Saturday (Special non-working day)

April 9, 2016, Saturday – Araw ng Kagitingan (Regular holiday)

May 1, 2016, Sunday – Labor Day (Regular holiday)

June 12, 2016, Sunday – Independence Day (Regular holiday)

August 21, 2016, Sunday – Ninoy Aquino Day (Special non-working day)
August 29, 2016, Monday – National Heroes Day (Regular holiday)

October 31, 2016, Monday – Additional special non-working day

November 1, 2016, Tuesday – All Saints Day (Special non-working day)
November 30, 2016, Wednesday – Bonifacio Day (Regular holiday)

December 24, 2016, Saturday – Additional special non-working day
December 25, 2016, Sunday – Christmas Day (Regular holiday)
December 30, 2016, Friday – Rizal Day (Regular holiday)
December 31, 2016, Saturday – Additional special non-working day

The proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eidul Adha shall hereafter be issued after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined in accordance with the Islamic calendar (Hijra) or the lunar calendar, or upon Islamic astronomical calculations, whichever is possible or convenient To this end, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) shall inform the Office of the President on which days the holidays shall respectively fall.

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Is Going Green While Remodeling Worth It?

Remodeling is always a great thing for homeowners to do. However, there is even more benefit to remodeling when one of the purposes of remodeling is to make everything in your home greener. Tax credits are one incentive to go green, and there are many other good things that are an important part of green renovations.

Some Common Areas for Improvement

One of the primary things that many homeowners are concerned with is making sure that they correct existing problems that may affect their home's efficiency. Doors and windows, if not already energy-efficient, can make your home lose a lot of energy. If possible, install doors that don't feature windows in order to prevent extra air from escaping. All your doors and windows should have good weather stripping, and doors should feature adjustable sweeps.

Paint and Flooring Considerations

Many homeowners don't realize how many eco-friendly options are available for both paint and flooring. These products easily compare to traditional options in their versatility and convenience. You'll be surprised, in a good way, with the unique decorating options that are available for both types of products.

Paint and Wallcovering Options

Many of the options for decorating walls are very effective but largely unknown to non-environmentalists. Eco-friendly wall plaster is one option that many homeowners have started to rediscover. If you want a unique vintage look, consider using colorful ceramic or glass tile. Bamboo wall flats make a good alternative to wallpaper. When using paint, consider either low or VOC-free paint, as well as milk paint.

Several Exciting Flooring Options

Reclaimed or recycled hardwood provides the beautiful look of natural hardwood, without damage to environmentally-sensitive areas. Cork and bamboo are two types of sustainable wood that have a good track record for durability. You will also find that natural linoleum offers many of the advantages of its traditional counterpart, while also resisting germs and bacteria. carpeting constructed from recycled plastics is another great option that many enjoy using.

Do You Want to Take More Drastic Steps?

Remodeling is a good time to consider whether you want to take more drastic steps, such as installing solar panels or heaters powered using alternative energy. Cost will be a major factor in such decisions, although you will see decreased energy costs. However, options like solar panels are flexible and allow you to start off small. Every small step you can take will make a good impact on your home, so you will want to get quotes now.

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