December 22, 2017

Matthew's Educational Trip 2017 (Part 2): Tagaytay Highlands


After having a short stop at Nuvali in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, the next destination is at Tagaytay Highlands.

Tagaytay Highlands,Highlands China Palace, Animal Farm


Along the way, the weather suddenly shifted and began to rain.
Tagaytay Highlands,Highlands China Palace, Animal Farm

We had a short snack at Summer Garden located in Highlands China Palace. Also, I framed some view in the area. Check other photos below.

Tagaytay Highlands,Highlands China Palace, Animal Farm

After the meal, we had another short stop at the Animal Farm located also in the area. Animal Farm is a "petting zoo and home to miniature animals from different parts of the world."

The track in the area is easy to follow that you can roam around even no tour guide assists.

There is a llama as soon as you enter the park.

Tagaytay Highlands,Highlands China Palace, Animal Farm

Matthew is afraid of touching animals. But look at him with the bunnies, are they having a secret conversation?

Tagaytay Highlands,Highlands China Palace, Animal Farm


There are also aquatic animals in the area.

Tagaytay Highlands, Highlands China Palace, Animal Farm


Meet Chino the Orangutan. He seems to behave but beware, he is just preparing to spit you. Silly one, right?
Tagaytay Highlands,Highlands China Palace, Animal Farm


There are also other animals in the park. Tiger, native pigs, snakes, guinea pigs, peacock, ducks, and civet cat are just a few of them.

Here are other views I framed during our stay at Highlands China Palace.

Can you spot the bird?

Tagaytay Highlands, Highlands China Palace, Animal Farm

I think this one is the lodge and spa. View taken from the Highlands China Palace.

Tagaytay Highlands, Highlands China Palace, Animal Farm


Tagaytay Highlands, Highlands China Palace, Animal Farm

Next post is our experience at Tagaytay Sky Ranch.

Have you been to Tagaytay Highlands?
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December 12, 2017

Matthew's Educational Trip 2017 (Part 1): Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna


Matthew had their school field trip last month. This time, the trip headed south. Mommy and I joined him.


We departed the school vicinity at around 6 in the morning. With the traffic in the Metro, we arrived our first stop in Sta. Rosa, Laguna at around 10 in the morning.

Good weather welcomes us at our first stop – Nuvali. 

"NUVALI is the country’s first and largest eco-city development, built on the principles of sustainable design. A project of Ayala Land, NUVALI is a 2,290-hectare mixed-use development that straddles the cities of Sta. Rosa, Cabuyao, and Calamba in Laguna." (https://nuvali.ph/about-us/)

I know that there are lots of nice spots in the place like the Magical Filed of Lights, Bike Trails, and residential places, we did not explore the entire. Instead, we just had a short visit to the lake and fed the Koi fishes.


This particular place is good relaxing venue while watching the fishes swarm for the food as you drop into the water. The food bought from them at 15 pesos per pack are the only allowed to be fed.


A short trivia: The lake collects rainwater which can be used for landscaping, irrigation and even firefighting.

 Here are the fishes!





That was our short trip to Nulavi. Next will be our trip to Tagaytay Highlands and Sky Ranch.

Have you visited this place before?
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November 30, 2017

Unboxing Electrolux MobiOne Bagless Vacuum Cleaner


Electrolux Vacuum Cleaner, MobiOne, Vacuum Cleaner

Finally, I was able to share this one. It has been months since I have an update on my blog. Medyo busy due to heavy workloads. 

My old vacuum cleaner is still working but it seems not work that good especially on the car. Dust and pebbles are not removed totally. This made me decide to get a new one. I picked the Electrolux MobiOne Bagless Vacuum Cleaner.

Electrolux Vacuum Cleaner, MobiOne, Vacuum Cleaner

Design
The sleek design looks elegant and lightweight. It has wheels making the user more comfortable while in use.

Compact Size
Electrolux MobiOne is small enough that can fit into small space.


Electrolux Vacuum Cleaner, MobiOne, Vacuum Cleaner

Cord
You don’t have to worry taking care of the cables before storing the unit after use. With just one push of the button, the cord will automatically wind inside the unit. Check the short video below.




Accessories
The package contains two chrome metal tubes that can be used as an extension of the handle or can be used to clean hard to reach areas.

It has also an upholstery adapter that is ideal for cleaning couch and corners.

Electrolux Vacuum Cleaner, MobiOne, Vacuum Cleaner
Accessories
With bush nozzle and combi-crevice nozzle, dusting off small areas like keyboards and other appliance is easy. 

Power
In spite of MobiOne’s compact size, it is still powerful with a 1400W motor. It has great suction ability that it can easily collect all the pebbles inside the car. Also, the dust that seeped into the carpet can be easily removed. 


Cleaning

Electrolux Vacuum Cleaner, MobiOne, Vacuum Cleaner

Just remove the tub and put the trash in the garbage. To clean further, just remove the filter and wash with soap and water or just fill any rectangular sink or basin and soak the tub to wash out dirt. Just be sure to dry it up before using to prevent electric shock.

Replaceable filter
Since it is bagless, it has a replaceable filter that is available in stores.

Electrolux Vacuum Cleaner, MobiOne, Vacuum Cleaner


Low noise
With 81 decibels produced noise,  the Electrolux MobiOne is quiet and not irritating to ears.

Here are the other features of Electrolux MobiOne Bagless Vacuum Cleaner.

Filtration: Bagless
Main Colour: Ebony Black
Filter: Micro Exhaust Filter
Cord Length: 50 cm
Weight: 3.2 kg (cleaner only)
Dust container Capacity: 1.2 L
Price: PhP 4,098.00 (at Abenson Appliance Store

Aside from carpets and couch, I tried using Electrolux MobiOne Vacuum Cleaner for dusting off window screens.

With Electrolux MobiOne Vacuum Cleaner, cleaning household will be easy as 1-2-3.

Disclaimer: This is not a paid post.
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November 29, 2017

10 Habits that Kill Good Luck of Students


Current research suggests that a significant part of student youth tends to be harmful habits and addictions. Addictive behaviour is a serious threat to the health of students, adversely affects their mental and physical condition, becomes an obstacle to successful learning, creative activity and high ability to work. They often apply to writing essay service for the help, where you can order a custom essay . It is established that the influence of constantly acting risk factors leads to a violation of the mechanisms of self-regulation of physiological functions.

habits, students, school, tips
photo source

The list of 10 habits that kill good luck

1. The manner to draw conclusions in advance

One of the major mistakes of many people is the habit of hurrying out what and how. And then, following the ill-considered conclusions, a person begins to act in error, not even waiting for the truth. They often badly do any writing paper because of this. But the fate is capable of adjusting such unexpected turns that could not even come to the fore.

Also, the habit of thinking that we know everything about the behaviour of a person and is able to predict it is also false. Very often, due to such judgments, there are conflicting situations and various misunderstandings.

2. The manner of translating everything that is happening dramatically

Small failures occur very rarely, and it is not necessary to pay attention to them and collect insults. This behaviour is a constant disturbing state, which won’t help to bring luck and happiness.

3. The manner for all to look for patterns and stereotypes

When we start to define a thing by a template or fit into a stereotype, we often drown in mistakes. Everything can be completely different, so do not hurry to drive everything under certain limits.

4. The manner is divided into two camps

Life is so diverse that it is capable of throwing the most unlikely variants of action. It cannot be absolutely everything either very good or very bad. You need to rejoice for what you have, without the habit of idealizing.

5. The manner of summing up

It is impossible to adjust all our successes and failures under one comb and summarize them. Each event must be priceless.

6. The manner of perceiving everything is too close

The extraneous problems must remain such: another neighbour's illness, bad news on TV, failures of a former colleague, etc. You can sympathize, but this should stop.

7. The way to succumb to the emotions that suddenly flooded

A similar way of perceiving the world is not true, it's just your emotions.

8. The manner of the soulless is to accept everything

To be successful from you did not turn away, it is necessary to accept optimistically. When you wait, believe and hope for good - it must happen. Negative personalities are not able to catch all the opportunities that they face.

9. The manner of doing everything strictly according to the statute

A person, without noticing himself, can impose restrictions and limits on himself. Of all this, he has only extra complexity and unnecessary nerves to anyone. What to do if there are no obstacles.

10. The manner of remembering past images

The past must remain in the past. All the failures and disappointments that catch you over should not be kept in your memory. Only with faith and success for the better, you will all succeed.

How to get rid of these habits. A few writing tips:

Find out the maximum effects of your habit. As a rule, we rarely know about all the consequences that may result from one or another habit. For example, doing the assignment, not by rules can badly affect the results.

You better apply for writing help. To roughly speaking, do not feel all the pain of some of your habits, which you will feel if you do something bad.


Read More »

November 21, 2017

How Your Ideal Romantic Getaway Should Look Like?



Of course, each person has their own notion of a romantic trip. If we’re talking about a lonely dreamer, then nothing more sentimental than a trip to Paris comes to mind. And for a young married couple, romantic getaways will be associated with the sea, blue sky, fun, and so on.

Experienced couples will choose a more practical vacation: a shopping center or a mountain resort.

In other words, romance can be different. But there are still some general rules or even questions to consider when going on a romantic trip. This article is kindly provided by the site https://uabrides.com

Purpose of travel
Your goals can be different, from finding that special someone or a holiday romance to showing your loved one the place where you grew up. In short, romantic couple getaways never happen without a certain purpose, and you need to clearly define it.

By the way, for those who are looking for their love, defining the purpose is even more important: such people are too shy to admit that they go on a trip to find a soulmate. But in the end, all they get is a disappointment. Don’t be shy about your desires.

Number of travelers
You can’t go on a romantic trip with a group of other people. Romantic weekend getaways are designed only for two, or, sometimes, for one traveler. A trip that involves more than one couple is not romantic.

Timing
For couples in love, this parameter doesn’t matter, but if you’re looking for love, it’s better to go in spring or summer. Why? Sun warms up not only sea and sand but also lonely hearts. During these seasons, people usually feel even more romantic.

Where to go
If we’re talking about best romantic getaways, what can be more beautiful than Italy? Many people dream about it. Why not make your dream come true? After all, this can be a once-in- your-lifetime opportunity!

This country has become famous among couples throughout the world for its beauty and legendary history. Magnificent architecture, amazing nature, pristine seashores, and friendly locals – all this makes Italy a perfect destination for romantic beach getaways.

You can also see the humble Venice, the beautiful Verona, and the magnificent Florence with your own eyes. Also, you’ll get the opportunity to visit the capital of Italy – the eternal city of Rome and take a tour to one of the best vineyards. Every Italian is proud of their wine. You can taste this it in any local restaurant or bar.

Milan is known to be the capital of fashion. In addition to romance, you can upgrade your wardrobe with works of the most famous fashion designers. Are you interested in fashion trends? Visit one of the fashion shows. It’s much more entertaining than watching them on TV. A variety of art exhibitions and museums are waiting for you in this beautiful city.

If you only can visit Italy in winter, there are still a lot of things to do there. This country is also known for its ski resorts. Even if it’s not the kind of experience you expected, you still won’t forget this romantic trip!

Snowy landscapes are amazing, and the air is perfectly fresh.

Since there must be romance in your journey, pay special attention to Lake Como. The landscapes here are really fascinating, and the climate is very mild. Be sure to go to Naples. It’s the place where all the cultures and languages of the world are gathered.

In the end, you need to visit Venice. Without a trip to this city, your romantic getaway in Italy can’t be complete. After all, Venice is a symbol of love.

Perhaps someone may try to talk you out of visiting Italy because it’s quite an expensive trip. But remember: you may not get a second chance to visit this wonderful country. Organizing a romantic getaway is a perfect reason to visit Italy.
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September 30, 2017

Converse All Star: Legit or Counterfeit


I always wanted to own a pair of Converse All Star. After a long delay of owning one, I finally got one.

A post shared by Maye Domencil (@mommymaye) on


This kind of shoes is one of the famous and common in town. This is also widely imitated. But how can you determine if the one you are buying is genuine or fake?

Here are some tips to determine if your Converse All Star is genuine or counterfeit.

Packaging

Of course, this should come in a Converse packaging. Some have paper stuffing or tissues on it. Signs of being fresh is also noticeable compared to counterfeits.

Shoe Size Label and Tongue


Converse All Star, Original Converse, Converse, Chuck Taylor

Real ones have the “MADE IN” at the top of the label and a QR code on the bottom right part. 

Converse All Star, Original Converse, Converse, Chuck Taylor


Check also the stitches around the tongue. It should be even and not loose.

Chuck Taylor Patch


Converse All Star, Original Converse, Converse, Chuck Taylor

A legit Chuck Talor has only one color, navy blue. An original has a stamp of a star and Chuck Taylor signature only. This should be printed clear and neat. The color must not smudge even faded. Items made before 2008 has a ® under the All Star logo whereas units manufactured after 2008 have not.

Toe Cap and Pinstripe


Converse All Star, Original Converse, Converse, Chuck Taylor

Converse All Star, Original Converse, Converse, Chuck Taylor

The rubber toe cap should be straight parallel to the bottom laces and must be made of solid rubber. The pinstripe printed on the edge of the sole should be crisp, smooth, and evenly printed.

Sole and Insole


Converse All Star, Original Converse, Converse, Chuck Taylor
Insole

Converse All Star, Original Converse, Converse, Chuck Taylor
Dot on the sole
Original pairs have one small dot on one side of the sole. The insole of legit one has a “CONVERSE” that is plainly and sharply printed with hard space between each letter.

Heel Logo


Converse All Star, Original Converse, Converse, Chuck Taylor
Heel Logo
Genuine has an either “ALL STAR” (before 2008) or “CONVERSE ALL STAR” (After 2008) texts on the heel logo.

Price and Source
A pair of authentic Converse is normally sold worldwide between $50 to $100 and manufactures in either Indonesia, China, Taiwan, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan, or Malaysia.

Have you already checked if your pair is Genuine or Counterfeit?
Read More »

September 26, 2017

Movie Sharing: Gifted


Chris Evans starred this movie as Frank living with his niece portrayed by Mckenna Grace as Mary.

Mary does not want to go to school and just continue homeschooling with Frank but the later refuses since he already taught everything to Mary and he wanted Mary to experience socializing with others and gain friends.

Gifted, Movie, Gifted the Movie
Screenshot from the movie
At school, Mary got bored over the first grade Math with her teacher Bonnie (Jenny Slate). Bonnie started to give difficult arithmetic questions where Mary answers correctly. After the recess, Bonnie asked the principal to have a walk-in observation of Bonnie’s class. As soon as the principal entered the room, Mary asked her to call Frank because she wanted to go home.

After the class, Bonnie talked to Frank about the incident and told him that Mary is a gifted child. Frank simply replied that he taught Mary about Trachtenberg Method and walked away.

Gifted, Movie, Gifted the Movie
Screenshot from the movie
Bonnie do research about the said method and found out that Mary’s mom Diane was a Math genius and working for Millennium Prize problems on the Navier-Stokes Equation before she took her own life. Since then, Frank took the responsibility of caring Mary.


One day on a school bus, Mary saw a bullying incident. She stands up and breaks the nose of the senior student. The principal called Frank to the school and tells him that Mary can get a full ride at the school for the gifted nearby. Frank refuses the offer for he just wants Mary to have a normal childhood. The principal called Evelyn, Frank’s mother.

Evelyn was a rich, bossy Englishwoman who has opposite ideas with Frank. She soon appeared at Frank’s home and met Mary for the first time. She wanted to get Mary and bring her to Boston where Frank disagreed which lead to the court.

Gifted, Movie, Gifted the Movie, Chris Evans
Screenshot from the movie
In the series of court hearings, the conflict between Frank and Evelyn continue. They found out that Evelyn was disappointed with Diane for being weak in completing the Millenium Prize problem, Frank giving up his professorship at Boston University, and her husband disrupting her career.

Instead of accusing something, Frank simply insist that he wanted Mary to become a normal child, which can be forbidden if she will stay with Evelyn.

In the end, Evelyn wanted to put Mary under foster care near Frank’s house and make her go to school for the gifted. Frank agreed but suspected that Evelyn was still with Mary in the foster family’s home.

Gifted, Movie, Gifted the Movie, Chris Evans
Screenshot from the movie
Frank rushed to the house and throws a file in the table and tells Evelyn she must see it. Mary runs outside but she was caught by Frank and ask for forgiveness. Mary hugs him and asked not to leave her again.

Gifted, Movie, Gifted the Movie, Chris Evans
Screenshot from the movie
Evelyn was about to call the attorney but he stopped when she saw the file that it was the complete solution for the Navier-Stokes Equation. This was given to Frank by Diane and asked him to publish only after Evelyn dies. Frank told Evelyn that she can already publish it but will leave Mary alone or else, he will get it back and will stick with Diane’s instruction. In tears, Evelyn takes the deal.

At the end, Mary attended morning classes in the university and the elementary schools in the afternoon.

What I learned from the story is that however bright or genius they are, kids are still kids and they should experience being one. 

Have you seen this movie too?
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July 14, 2017

30-Day HIIT and Ab Challenge


Losing weight needs a lot of discipline. I managed to shed about 10 kilos in less than a year but it seems I am starting to gain back extra pounds again. Kaya nga ayaw ko na muna tumapak sa scale.

I felt getting heavier again since Lenten Season. Kain-tulog lang kasi ginawa sa Nueva Ecija. I need to get back on track. For now, Mommy and I are doing the Darebee's 30-Day HIIT Challenge.

This challenge does not need any equipment or weights or even hitting the gym to finish. We are currently on Day 10 of the challenge.



How do we manage to do these challenges? All we have to do is wake up early.

Since we have work from Monday to Saturday, we get up from bed at 4:30 am. Before we start, we prepare our food for breakfast and dinner. 
A post shared by allan (@chemist_dad) on

Once we are waiting for the food to be cooked, we will start the routine. Most will only take about 3 minutes and so far the longest is 18.

A post shared by allan (@chemist_dad) on

Aside from the HIIT Challenge, we also added the 30-Day Ab Challenge which focuses the belly area. It consists only of sit-ups, plank, and flutter kicks.

I will make an update after finishing the challenge.

What is your fitness routine?

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July 7, 2017

Electrical-Related Fire Safety at Home


From time to time, we hear from the news that there is a fire. The most common cause of such incident is due to electrical means. Left cell phone charger plugged, damaged electrical wirings, electrical overload to name a few.

How can we avoid electrical-related fire? Here are some things that we can do to avoid this untoward incident:

Electrical Devices
Turn off any electrical appliances like heaters, conditioners, and ovens when not in use especially if you are leaving your home.
Ensure that devices that generate heat must have proper spaces all around for proper ventilation.
Check regularly the wires, plugs, switches. Replace if found damaged.

Cords and Electrical Outlets
Never place cords or extension cords under carpet.
Fully unwind cords to avoid.
Do not overload electrical outlets by plugging too many plugs.
If found any sign of damage, replace immediately.

Lights
Use the proper lighting fixtures for each area at home. Using the wrong type can cause a fire. LED lights produce less heat than CFLs. Speaking of LED light, do you know when and how it was invented? Check it HERE and see how electricity including the discovery of LED light was.


Keep attention on dim, flickering or surging lights. This should be checked and replace immediately.
If heating of switches is observed, turn them off.

Aside from the above-mentioned, prevention is the best way to avoid electrical-related fire. Never attempt do-it-yourself electrical work for it will not only cause a fire but electrocution too.

Do you have any electrical safety tips too?
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July 5, 2017

Unboxing Creative SBS E2400 Speaker


This is another overdue post but I need to share this since I really love listening to music.

There are movies I downloaded with low audio even I put the TV’s volume at maximum. There are also movies that the volume suddenly increases especially the special effects.

As part of our “home beautification”, I finally got a speaker that will be connected to the TV to enjoy watching movies and TV series at home.

I got this Creative SBS E2400 Speaker System.
Creative Speaker, Home theater system, Creative SBS E2400, multi-media speaker
Source: Creative Asia
The box contains the main subwoofer, two satellite speaker, RCA connectivity to TV sets and DVD players, and a remote control.

The sub-woofer is made of a wooden cabinet for superb bass reproduction.

Creative Speaker, Home theater system, Creative SBS E2400, multi-media speaker
Sub-woofer

Here are the other features of Creative SBS E2400 Multi-Purpose Home Entertainment System:

As Speaker Output
Connecting to TV is easy. All you need is a jack with 3.5mm ends. Connect it to the headset output of the TV while the other end is connected to the input of the main speaker. This can be also used for connection to portable players, smartphones, laptops, and tablets. This, perhaps, can be used with Guitar Center, kay guitars for better audio output.

Creative Speaker, Home theater system, Creative SBS E2400, multi-media speaker
Satellite Speaker
It only took me time before I used the speaker connected to the TV since the connector included in the box is only for DVD players.

Remote Control


Creative Speaker, Home theater system, Creative SBS E2400, multi-media speaker
Remote Control
Changing the music or volume can be done in just one click with the remote control.

USB Flash Drive Connectivity
The speaker has also USB slot where you can save music into a thumb drive and play.

Built-in FM Radio
Also, it has a built-in FM radio. However, I need to add an extension on the antenna or buy an indoor antenna since it doesn’t work well.

Price
I got this from Electroworld for PhP2500.

This set is considered as entry-level multi-purpose home entertainment speaker system with a power output rating of 24 watts of raw audio but still let you pick on different multiple equalizers presets.

What speaker system do you have at home?
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