The first half of the first month of the year has given me enough time to start a few projects. These, however, aren't meant for me to get richer or what. It's for educational purposes. In other words, I'm learning new things (investing money and time) merely for the sake of fun, creativity, and well, just to get rid of boredom. It's actually fun because I need to upgrade my skills and knowledge in this dog-eat-dog world. To give you a clearer picture...

Take a look at this site I just made exclusively for the videos and audios that I've accumulated these past few days/weeks. Or click here:
http://mymaria.podbean.com/

There's more to come in the following weeks, that is, if I don't get a new job or projects (paid, this time!) that will again take up 20 hours of my time each day. Not that I'm complaining. I actually prefer being busy than not doing anything at all. (I've done that for the first 20 years of my life! Bumming around I mean.) Being productive is so much better than possessing an idle mind which eventually becomes a devil's workshop. True.

Another thing that has been keeping me in check is my "skin project", which I have yet to reveal as soon as I accomplish this thing. I'm very excited about it and hopefully see results in the end. This one's really got me all worked up... stressed and broke. But hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. ;) I'll keep you posted about this one but as of now, you'll just have to wait and see... since that's exactly what I'm doing, too. Also, I'm seriously considering getting a makeover in the next week or two. There's a new salon that opened up in town owned by a friend who just became a sough after make-up artist for celebs in Manila and decided to move back home to operate a business. I guess it's another one of those theres-no-place-like-home decisions almost all of us go through at one point in time. I will definitely blog about that project when it happens.

Looking for cool contests and joining those that I find exciting, even the intriguing and controversial ones, are also still in my agenda. I haven't lost hope or motivation for this (yup, I even got time to do it) and it's pretty exciting to know that there's 12 months of contests to look forward to this year! I also want to keep my optimism in check. I could still remember that time I won TWICE when Auction.ph was launched back in 2007 or was it 2008?! I really did win two DVD players just by signing up or registering... No joke! Well, one account was under my name and the other under my mom's name. Tee hee! Another similar thing has just begun. All you gotta do is sign up for PAKYAW. Click photo below:



Furthermore, my weight project is 100% complete and I'm not sure I want to share my secret to the world. *insert evil laugh here* And honestly, a lot of my friends have benefited from it -- friends that are actually in my circle here. So cyber buddies, if you must insist, send me a message on Facebook, tweet, or email me and I'll do my best to share with you this SUPER GUARANTEED METHOD of losing weight and trust me, it won't cost you an arm or a leg. Just the usual... a bit of discipline and well, a lot of water. For more details, do get in touch with me. I'm not utterly selfish. I share what I know, but I just don't want people stealing my ideas all the time and taking credit for it. Ugh. So annoying!



I didn't get back my 25" waistline doing just nothing, you know. ;) And the Holidays just ended! But trust me when I say, I didn't break a sweat losing 3 inches off my waistline and the unwanted 12 pounds. Friends of mine (names withheld!) lost as much as I did and Noodle Boy even lost 15 pounds! But hey, if I share you my secret, then you'll have to be sworn in to secrecy and give me your first born child. LOL. I kid, I kid!

Alright, that's it for a quick blog update. I'll write some more next time when I come up with amazingly brilliant ideas for a blog entry. Don't worry, I don't suspect I'll be getting a mental block any time soon. *knock on wood*

What about you guys? What's keeping you busy and do you have something for me to do while I still have time to do it? Come on, pitch me some ideas in the comments!


xoxo,

So the word is out that Cebu Pacific is at it again with their crazy promos... and by crazy I mean it both ways. Good because you can get flights... FOR FREE. But otherwise, you can drive yourself mad trying to book a seat or what. So here's something for everyone... my friends most especially.



Let's go to Coron, Busuanga! What do you say? But I need 150 of you guys to confirm and book a seat.



It's easy. You don't have to go through the website. All you need is your FACEBOOK account. If you don't have a Facebook (who doesn't?) then it's time you sign up for one!

Now go to my LINK after you've logged in.
Or click here: http://apps.facebook.com/fly_one/?ref=fbshw725032130

The traffic is crazy as expected... so...



Now when the page/app loads...



Be my guest. Literally.

Next, look for my plane. This is why we should be FRIENDS. :)



And then once you've located it, click it to view the plane and completely fill out the details of the form that comes up subsequently.



Alright. That's it.



To get to 150 confirmed passengers, you can ask your friends or your family and let me know so I can confirm their seats on the plane, too!

Now let's all cross our fingers and pray that we will ALL win this trip!



P.S.  Don't worry about where to stay in Coron, because there are plenty of deals such as the 3 Days / 2 Nights for as low as PhP 3,750.00 per head package or the 3Days 2Nights Package WITH EXCLUSIVE TOUR & DINNER @ Php5200/person package. Actually, there are many more promos and packages that can be found online, but first we need to get this plane so we can all fly to Coron for FREE!!!

Go!!! CLICK HERE NOW!


xoxo,

 

Another year, another 365 days of cool contests online. I've never considered myself really lucky. I haven't won the lotto, right? But chances are, I usually get Lady Luck's nod when it comes to contests. I enjoy contests. I'm not a very competitive person evidently as you can see that I'm not into sports.  But as far as playing cards, gambling, and writing competitions, I've been doing it for as long as I remember. Even before the dawn of the Internet.

I come from a family who plays madjong almost everyday; hosts madjong, piat2x/pusoy, and poker sessions at my house; and goes to the casino whenever there is a chance to. When I went to Las Vegas with my mom, I could literally see the sparkle in her eyes. I wasn't really there for the games... If you know what I mean. ^_^



Well, that's just some of the photos because you know what they say, "What happens in Vegas..."

I digress.

So anyways, this year started good as far as online contests. I happen to win a prize from Yugatech's BB give-away. Not the BB itself, but I got this Globe Tattoo USB. Not bad at all! :)

Last year's lucky streak was by far the greatest I've had. Starting off with claiming the prize from Century Bangus. I truly believe that the more you give, the more you receive. So I started my own contest in celebration of my birthday, which I plan to do again this year. So watch out for that one. It's coming up pretty soon!!! And then there was the Havaianas Give-Away I hosted as a Thank You for being chosen one of the top 10 winners of the Havaianas Happy Soles contest.

There were other contests I joined but didn't win last year. Nevertheless, I always have fun writing my blog posts (no pressure really) since I am very passionate about writing. The numerous awards I've received during my academic years with my writing and speech talents plus the recognitions and positions I've held as a writer making me very skilled in this area do make blogging very easy and it comes naturally. I thank God for this gift.

I don't really think about the competition when I join blog contests. I just do my best... and of course, I join a lot of them so there's a big chance that I get to win some of them. I always tell my friends who ask me why I win a lot that it's just like the lottery. If you don't buy a lotto ticket, then what odds do you have of winning? You got nothing to lose when you write a blog post. Well, if you have time to do it anyway. There were also contests I've missed because I've been busy trying to run a business and then there's the occasional writer's block I have to deal with.

Facebook contests were aplenty. It started with the Acer Connects promo that Noodle Boy and I won together. I think he's my lucky charm. Since then I won twice with Maybelline. From a random contest and a survey, participated by hundreds if not thousands of FB fans. I also won for my mom a gift pack from L'Oreal and won for myself the Limited Edition Pilipinas backpack from Jansport Philippines. And who can forget my EPIC WIN from I Commit to Change and Pantene PRO V?

There had also been mini contests I've joined but wasn't able to get the prizes when I won them. Time, travel, and location always factor in. Like the Nokia OVI contest, the Globe's Betcha Can Remember promo, the OpenRice promo and a consolation prize which I have yet to claim from them by the way, and also I have yet to receive my prize from the PensAndLens Photo contest!

And so for 2011, I hope I have time to join more blog/photo contests and should Lady Luck be on my side, hopefully win some more. I am not a sore loser though. I have enough experience at winning and losing contests and honestly, I think these contests are opportunities for me to unleash any creativity I still have untarnished by alcohol in my system. I swear, if I didn't have a blog or a phone, I pretty much think I have early Alzheimer's. I forget a lot of things, events, and even people. Blogging my life is turning into an early memoir.

And I'm not just going to limit myself at just writing and photography for this year, I'm also exploring the world of videos. Writing and photography was last year's project/New Year's resolution. Time to take it up another notch.

So here's a recent video I made out of sheer boredom and some creativity given the light of the situation. Don't judge me! This is just for fun! Watch this:



If you didn't laugh at the video, then there must be something wrong with you. Tee hee... Now get over it because it's time to WIN some prizes! You and me both!!!

Check out my TUMBLR blog and leave some comments there and you might just win for yourself an entire month's supply of Minute Maid (granting that blog will be considered VALID by the sponsor as there are some issues that have been raised).

In any case, it sure is a FUN read. You can see I put some effort in it so spend some more time blog hopping and head out to my TUMBLR blog and enjoy the post!


xoxo,

I was going to blog a summary of my 2010 but I think everyone else is doing it, so I won't. ^_^ Besides, no point looking back... I got the entire 2011 to look forward to!

Not to sound totally ungrateful but okay, I'm glad to have been given another chance to live and try to make a difference. I'm glad to have ever supportive parents (in spite of the occasional bickering that comes with living with them). I'm glad to have the best boyfriend in the whole world... and having had one too many, I have every right to claim that Noodle Boy is THE BEST and I have no intention of leaving him, entertaining other guys, or continue dreaming of Ryan Reynolds. I'm glad I still have my sanity intact so I can plan for the future (which is about time!) and I got my iPhone and apps to help me get by.

Someone once asked me last year that I ought to blog about my favorite apps for the iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch. My memory is failing me, I'm sorry but I forgot who it was. (Please let me know if you happen to be reading this so I can credit you!) Then a couple of minutes ago I was asked by Sweet of the PensandLens fame over at Formspring once again about my favorite apps.

So now I will reveal to you some (just the ESSENTIALS!) of the 200+ apps I have that make my everyday life a breeze. Seriously, since I got an iPod Touch back in 2007, the  iPhone 3GS in 2009, the iPhone4 and iPad in 2010, my daily life has become manageable (since I'm such a scatterbrain). But I'm trying to change that, too, because I've made it my *ONLY* New Year's Resolution this year -- I SHALL NOT BE A SCATTERBRAIN. How hard can it be? It's just ONE New Year's Resolution. I ought to NOT break it! So, this is where my apps come in. They will have to guide me on this. And of course, the constant coaching from the love of my life, my Noodle Boy.




Okay, so with no further ado. I present to you, ang mga sumpay sa akong kinabuhi, the apps that keep me sane. (And yes, I do use them almost everyday!)

1. HootSuite and Twitpict for  iPhone / Osfoora HD for  iPad. This is for Twitter.

2. Facebook or Facebook Touch HD for the iPhone / Friendly or Friendly Plus for iPad because you can have multiple accounts logged in. Pretty self-explanatory. Pixelpipe or iLoader for iPhone. For when I need to upload pictures from my mobile and too lazy to transfer pics to the computer.

3.  Pages and Numbers should I be left with just the iPad to work on. Got the iPad camera connection kit to plug in a USB keyboard for faster typing!

4. MyPhone+ for iPhone to sync my contacts with Facebook. Saves me from getting individual pics for caller ID and input other info about my friends. ;)

5. Pingle for iPhone and Flipboard for iPad. Social networks integration. As far as they go, there's like an app for every social network and instant messenger there is. I got Foursquare, Tumblr, Chikka, Flickr, YM, Skype, Formspring, and even Posterous that I hardly even use! And best of all, they're FREE.

6. Ring It Up Pro is important for people who suck at Math and do business nevertheless. Like ME. I need it to keep note of the money that comes in and comes out each and every single day. I am so bad at finances, especially budgeting... you have no idea. Gosh! I don't even have a wallet for Pete's sake! This app helps me a great deal in running SALA Lounge + Café.

7. iPeriod for iPhone and iPad. Because the last time I checked, I'm a girl. DUH! I also used Woman Calendar before. Lots of other alternatives for menstrual calendars in the App Store.

8. iTeleport for iPhone and iPad for the times I am away from the computer and need to use it pronto. Also for spying. Hek hek hek!

9. iBooks for iPhone and iPad because I like to read. Especially when I'm in the loo. LOL! I got 600+ books and I don't think I'll ever finish all of them even in 5 years. Unless maybe if I poop a lot? HAHA! Oh and the quintessential Archie Comics, of course.

10. Skyfire for iPhone and iPad. Because a browser ain't the same without flash!

11. Tapatalk or Forum Runner because I enjoy forums.

12. I swear there's a million Flashlight apps in iTunes for the iPhone... but this particular Tiny Flashlight Pro works for me. Got lots of other lighting options, too!

13. Megaphone for iPhone. You'll never know when you'll need a microphone. ^_^ The same goes for Fone Home. Better safe than sorry.

14. WiFi Photo and PhotoToMac gets the job done when transferring photos from the iPhone to the computer via WiFi. No cable needed. Dropbox and DropImage for when I need to share my files with other users/computers.

15.  IdealWeight and Nutrition Facts or Nutrition Genius for the times I feel health-conscious. Throw in the Two Hundred Situps and Pedometer while you're at it.

16. I'm not really musically-gifted or inclined, but Noodle Boy is so I got Air Harp, Chord Play, Pocket Guitar, Finger Piano, Instant Guitar Solo II and Ocarina.

17. Word Lens for when I need the translations ASAP.

18. For photo editing and effects, since I love love love vintage photos, the apps that top my list are Hipstamatic, Instagram, Lo-Mob, LOMO, Infinicam, PictureShow, and CAMERAtan. Truth be told, this is the main reason why I wanted the iPhone in the first place. So that I can take all the vintage shots I want without film! ^_^

19. Movies HD for iPad for my movie database.

20. Weather Pro for iPad for when my mother bugs me about checking the weather. :)

As for GAMES and other ENTERTAINMENT/FUN apps, do you really want me to enumerate them all? Hmm... I'll think about it first. Seriously... There's just too many. Alright, I'll give you my TOP 10  games, not necessarily in order of importance:

1. Bruce Lee Dragon Warrior HD
2. Labyrinth 2 HD
3. Cut the rope
4. Fieldrunners
5. Phineas & Ferb
6. Stand O'Food
7. Despicable Me
8. Angry Birds HD
9. Family Guy Time Warped
10. Hangman RSS HD

The following camera apps are for the iPhone only. Haven't tried it with the newer iPod Touches with camera. Maybe they'll work. Maybe not. But check them out anyhow.

ProCamera to substitute for the built-in Camera app and also it gives the very good option for Fullscreen Trigger or Big Button. Just tap anywhere on the screen to take a pic. Very handy. Also lets me adjust focus and exposure. WOOT! I also recently discovered the Auto Portrait. For camwhores like me, this is a very essential app! You have to try it to believe me. ^_^ Full version lets you use the volume button as shutter!

Camera Genius and Burst for the times I just want to shoot A WHOLE LOT of successive photos. The Magic Shutter. Simply because it's MAGICAL! Check out their video.

The 360 Panorama is awesome! You've seen what it can do right? HERE. And how can you possibly ignore Toon Camera and Incredibooth? iPhoneography is all about having fun!



All this and more... don't you just love having the iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch? I DO! And I'm not even getting paid for posting this. (Also I can't wait for the opening of the Mac App Store come January 6!!! WOOT WOOT! )

Anyway, I'm simply sharing what I have that I am also thankful for them because they really do keep my sanity intact. If sharing is indeed caring like what we've accomplished yesterday during the Three Kings celebration...



...then I've started my New Year just right!

What about you guys? Got anything to share? ^_^ Or if you have apps you want me to check out, leave your comments below. ;)





xoxo,