I Have a New Domain

For easy recall, I've set up a new domain name. From now on, both domains, www.CeciliaReginaMarmol.com and www.RJMarmol.com will point to my http://rjmarmol.blogspot.com blog site.




I Got Paid $20 USD for My First Article

Just the other day, I got the news. My blog article has been approved. I'm getting $20 USD for that single article. Isn't that awesome? :) I'm beginning to like this paid blogging thing. It was so easy to earn it would seem I'm pulling your leg, dear reader. But it's true. It only took me a few minutes to write that article and now I'm blogging my way to the bank ( well, it isn't much but for a single article , and for a newbie like me, that's good news ). Why don't you guys try it? If you like writing/blogging, it's not wrong to earn from it. So long as the articles do not violate your conscience or beliefs. Besides, you can always choose what you want to blog about. So choose the ones you love. :) There's no harm in trying. You can even start by reviewing my posts. See how easy it is. Everyone's on it already. I know you love blogging. Isn't it time you earn from it? :) Share your thoughts.

Debilitating Diabetes: How to Cope

You've heard the news. You've seen the patients. You've probably read everything there is to know about Diabetes --today's dreaded disease. And I'm sure, you have a friend or a relative somewhere with the same ailment. Diabetes has become so widespread that the consumer market is now flooded with "zero" sugar food and beverages, sugar replacements or alternatives and the likes. While at the same time, fastfoods and convenience stores loaded with sugary products thrive like mushrooms in the forest..they just wouldn't stop coming up with more and more "preserved" and "instant" food products that either cause cancer or diabetes. Never has there been an all-time high in the consumption of "processed" food until now. Diabetes mellitus, Type 2 patients are exponentially growing in numbers. And it's been said, time and again, that this type of Diabetes is actually "acquired" through lifestyle. If that is true, and I'm quite sure it is, then we can expect more diabetics in the years to come. Now, the question is, how do you cope? I'm no expert at this. I'm not a doctor. But my father died from diabetes and hypertension almost 5 years ago. My mother, who's turning 65 this year, also has diabetes and hypertension. My father-in-law also died of diabetes. I am therefore predisposed to it, and so is my husband and my son. So, if anything, I am but a person exposed to Diabetes in more ways than I can possibly be. So, I have devised my own "Top 5 Ways To Cope with/Prevent Diabetes".

1. Nothing beats discipline. - Foods that provide "guilty pleasures" actually cause you more than guilt. It makes you sick. Train yourself to eat only fresh and vitamin-rich foods.
2. Don't hang out with the bad guys. - Smoking and drinking (alcoholic beverages, of course) increase the risk of getting Diabetes or dying soon from it. So, quit now while there's time.
3. Take supplementation/medication. - Whatever vitamins and minerals you can't get from food, make sure you take supplements for. If you already have Diabetes, never skip your medicines. Sure, meds are expensive but not taking meds can cost you your life.
4. Avoid stress. - You know what they say, "don't sweat the small stuff". Have a happy disposition. Be optimistic.
5. Get fit or die. - Diabetes is manageable. It can't kill you if you won't let it. Exercise regularly and boost your immune system.

So, there you go. Again, I'm no expert at this but I just wanted to share this to increase awareness. You might say, "yeah, right. as if there isn't enough awareness already..." Well, you might be right. But then again, if that's true, why are you reading this?" . Love you guys! Take care! Peace out! :)

Art Imitates Life


I'm delighted to have been part of an art-lover's blog. Thanks to Tom Hardy. He manipulates photos in Photoshop and asked if he can use some of my blog photos. And boy, am I glad I said yes. He used some of my "riverview swimming photos" and I must say it's really nice. The edited photos look impressive and well-made. I knew you can do a lot with Photoshop but when you actually see the result, it still invokes a feeling of awe. Maybe because I never had that kind of talent in terms of art. It's fascinating how art captures life in such a vivid yet abstract form. Sounds contradicting, but it makes sense to me. The colors appear as if dancing to a rhythm, very nice contrast... I would have wanted to embed all photos here but I feel that Tom deserves credit for a job well done so I'd rather send you to his site for more of my photos edited by him. See all of Tom's art at his blog site. Thanks again, Tom. Keep 'em coming!

Hey, Guys I Have New Blogs!

I found it difficult to classify or categorize this blog since the topics here have been uncontrolled for quite some time. This is supposed to be my "personal" blog chronicling my life but eventually turned into a collection of varied topics. To make things easier for me and to practice structured blogging, I recently created new blogs to cater to various topics. This is also an attempt to create or find a niche that I'll be comfortable and able to sustain long-term. I blog about many things and still want to blog about many more. I only hope to have enough passion and skill in me to ensure all blogs are updated as often as possible.

Here are my new blogs. I hope you guys get to read these as well. :)

"One Political Filipino" - http://onepoliticalfilipino.blogspot.com
- "I am political sometimes. I am Filipino, always. My take on political issues."

"Watch and Learn: Movies and Reviews" - http://rjmoviereviews.blogspot.com
- "I watch. I learn. I blog. Movie reviews from a nobody. It's about time the mere mortals write reviews. :)"
"Songs with Sense: A Collection of Loved Lyrics" - http://songswithsense.blogspot.com
- "A lyrics blog of songs I love. This is the soundtrack of my life."

"Romancing the Eee PC" - http://romancingtheeeepc.blogspot.com
-Others call it "Love at first sight." I call it destiny. I was never a hopeless romantic until I met my Eee PC. Love never felt this good. And it's getting better everyday... Life and love of an ASUS Eee PC lover.

My Summer Officially Started Today at RiverView



I know, right? Summer started months ago. But not for me. :) My summer has just begun. It's a few days late though (should have started on my birthday, April 8), but you know what they always say, "it's better late than never.." so I guess I'll settle with "late". Anyway, this swimming schedule is a spur of the moment thing. Ritchie thought of it the night before. I wasn't really ready, but heck, I know my husband, he changes his mind at the last minute so I thought, yeah, right, swimming..blah, blah, blah. :) But as it turned out, he was serious about it this time that he didn't even sleep when he got home from a 10pm -6am work schedule.
About RiverView, it's the closest resort to our village so convenience is one factor fully satisfied by that. It has one kiddie pool and one olympic-sized swimming pool. Bert Lozada's Swimming School holds classes here during weekends so we we're able to see some kids learning how to swim. They're actually good. And I envy them. I don't know how to swim and I'm reluctant to learn now that I'm 29. Somebody told me you're never too old to learn swimming or driving or anything. But somehow, I feel different. I think I have subconsciously accepted that I'll never learn how to swim. It's frustrating actually. It's very disappointing that I don't get to enjoy attending pool parties the same way swimmers do. That's because I either dip in the water and stay at one corner or refuse to dip altogether. :) I hope I still learn how to swim. Maybe one of these days, "one of these very ordinary days" as the Barry Manillow song goes.. :)

Here's Good News, At Last!


I've been reading some news these days and nothing has changed, really. It's all the same -- politics, crime, poverty, etc.. So when I came across something more positive, I couldn't help but share it. Besides, everything good is worth sharing.

I've watched "An Inconvenient Truth" on an orginal VCD (not bragging, just expressing support in the fight against anti-piracy that supports terrorism all over the world, but that's a different topic altogether, so I'll save it for next time :)haha..)I bought from Odyssey few months back. And it really is "an inconvenient truth", if it were true. There are of course skeptics who say that it is completely absurd or exaggerated, but these skeptics are those who actually know nothing about climate research so I guess I'd rather believe statistics and solid data rather than seemingly profound yet empty words lacking proof of any form. And the "Aries" personality in me would want to focus on prevention rather than cure. All of us should, actually. Now, the government, amidst all the politics and economic crisis has managed to devise this plan (i hope not just to distract us all from all the other political issues,though)of including climate change in the curriculum for the next school year (that's june of this year). The news reads "3 State Agencies to Integrate Climate Change Topic in Education Curriculum". According to this news, and I quote "To raise awareness on climate change, the Presidential Task Force on Climate Change (PTFCC), Department of Education (DepEd) and the National Power Corp. (Napocor) recently signed a memorandum of understanding aiming to integrate a subject or topic in climate change in the school curriculum.". This is what I'm talking about. Let politicking take a sidestep for a while and let's concentrate on matters that involve us "all" and when I say all, I mean "all the world", "all of us". I'm not saying we'll have to ditch politics altogether because it is also essential in our lives. What I'm saying is that while we're at it, let's not forget that there are issues that are bigger than "lozada" or the rice crisis or the price increases. There are issues that are beyond us, of a bigger impact and relevance. Let us not forget that. And let us be aware of our responsibilities. Just a thought. To read the full news article, click here.

I Signed Up for PPP!


Hello all! You may have noticed changes in my blog since last night. I've long been toying with the idea of trying pro-blogging for a change, but I've never really got the time to research on it until now. All over the net, there are hundreds I guess, if not thousands of companies that do blog sponsorship through blog advertising. As if tv, print and radio weren't enough, and evidently it isn't, marketing and advertising has tapped into the blogworld resource. The world has definitely changed a lot since then. The emergence of such companies opened up a whole world of opportunity for advertisers and bloggers alike, considering that they will now benefit from each other. Of all the companies offering pro-blogging jobs, and mind you, there are a lot ( and most of them are actually scams, so beware), I was convinced that PayPerPost (PPP) is the real deal. I did a lot of net research and read from a lot of people who actually benefited from PPP in more ways than you can imagine. And for a stay-at-home mom like me who enjoys writing, this seemed like such a great opportunity to pass up. I actually had second thoughts about doing pro-blogging if only for the reason that I might not be able to write about things that I love in exchange for this money-making blog topics. That to me is not a sacrifice I'm willing to take. I love writing and the last thing I'd ever want to happen is to sound dull and boring because of I've lost interest in what I write about, or worse, be forced to write about things I do not like at all. But PPP seemed too good to be true. And even so, I wanted to give it a try and see how far this will take me. Right now, PPP and myself are on a "getting-to-know-you" stage. And I'm so eager to know more about PPP. With PayPerPost, you don't have to sacrifice anything. You can and will always write only of things you love, love, love. I thought this wouldn't be possible for a paid blog but it is with PPP. The burning question for those who are not familiar with it is of course, the payment terms. How do I get paid? Don't we all love the answer to that question? :) PayPerPost as the name suggests, pays you per post (per article). And it pays you by sending credits to your PayPal. So if you don't have a PayPal account yet (where have you been all these years?), I suggest you sign up for a PayPal account first. Don't you worry, it's not rocket science, it's definitely easier than preparing your tax returns.. :) I remember the first time I stumbled upon PPP on a Google search, that was towards the end of last year. I was itching to try it but felt disappointed when I found out that your blog has to be 90 days old based on your first post and should have at least 20 posts at least for it to be approved. And so I waited, I almost forgot all about it until I scanned my e-mail and saw the PPP message when I first signed up. I resubmitted my blog last night and was immediately approved. Their response time is oh so fast. It's good to know though that effective yesterday, blog requirements are not as strict as before. Now, you can have your 30-days-old and up blog approved as long as it has at least 10 posts! I wish I had that chance! :) So to all bloggers out there, I suggest you sign up now. There's absolutely nothing to lose and a lot to gain! Join me now and let's give it a shot. I know you guys have been blogging for the longest time now. It's about time time that you get paid to blog now! Who knows, it might just be well worth it. And I'm pretty sure it will be. Hmmm, I wonder what I'll do with all the money I'll get...hahaha! :) Let me know what you think! Bye for now, I've got some blogging to do (about things i love, of course). :) All the best!

Beanstalk Cafe: Inspiring a Natural View


Me and my sister managed to talk a bit yesterday over coffee (frappe, actually) at Beanstalk Cafe at the 5th floor of the Calamba Executive Center, fronting Mart-One grocery at Crossing. Meralco Foundation Institute's new branch and a Globe Business Center is housed in the same building. When I first came in, I couldn't believe how many establishments they can pack in there..it's a really small one, you know. Beanstalk naturally occupied the last floor. I thought I wouldn't like it. But, boy I did. The frappe was good. The guys serving coffee were all nice and friendly. But most of all, it had a nice view of Mt. Makiling. It made me think about the irony of life -- that while we strive to be as hip and "high-tech" as we can possibly be by surrounding ourselves with gadgets, it is still our nature to seek calm and serenity; that as hurried & busy we all have been, we still desire to stop & reflect. P.S. I'm blogging from my mobile phone. :-) Now, if only they had wi-fi there...hmmm.. :)

I'm Officially 29 Today

There's no stopping time. And although I'd like to discuss whether it is indeed linear as we know it or cyclical as the Mayas believed it, I'd rather not. Today is my birthday and many things happen when a person celebrates his/her birthday. That, I want to discuss. I was born on a Palm Sunday. So, I'm used to celebrating my birthday occasionally within Holy Week or plus minus a few days..That being the case, my birthdays are mostly quite. No fireworks or festive celebrations. It doesn't bother me one bit though, as I'm not too critical when it comes to that. But there are a few occasions when I had memorable birthdays, not because I had a party of some sort, but because I was either physically ill or emotionally battered. Today's not an exception. And it's mainly my fault. I have been reckless and insensitive and I only deserved what I got. Enough said.

Panic Buying and the Media

I have a sari-sari store. For those who aren't from around here (in this country), it's a convenience/retail store. I've opened barely a month ago and I must say, it's hard work. It's no joke to open up such a low-end business . Inventory and price monitoring is a pain in the neck. In the short span of time that my little store is in operation, I've seen consistent and drastic price increases across all basic commodities. Sometimes, I don't even know if it's still reasonable , considerate and humane to have a 1 peso profit margin. A lot of people depend on sari-sari stores for their purchases and I can only feel empathy for us all who stretch our budget just so we can spend within our means. It started out with pan de sal, then cooking oil, then rice... and now, everything else is having a price increase. Though I know it's inevitable, I still believe that this is manageable. Only that, we lack strict implementation on century-old (allow me to exaggerate) policies. It's very frustrating that this is happening in an economically-challenged country as ours. What could be worse? I can't even think of any. I think these "guys" prepping for the presidential elections this early should do something about this rather than busying themselves in organizing political campaigns disguised as "congratulations, graduates!" ads. People who are in power whether as a result of an electoral process or a capitalist business venture, should help out the government and the people survive this trying times. Just a little over a week ago, I can buy rice for 28 pesos (of good quality) and sell it for 30 pesos. Now, the one selling for 34 pesos looks just a bit nicer than NFA rice. And while the government is assuring us that there is enough supply to get us through the "ber" months, the groceries prove that there really is lack of supply (and by that I mean, supplies are not available because of various reasons, be it insufficient harvest, too high demand, or as a result of hoarding by rice cartels). And the media isn't helping by bombarding us all the more with bloated and sensationalized news that rice purchases will eventually be regulated/controlled per household. We are Filipinos, we worship rice. A lot of us can survive without meat but can hardly eat without rice in the table. So what do you expect? Bingo!
Panic buying. At least those who have the extra money to spend. So now, the restaurants are seemingly unaffected by the situation, because they can certainly panic-buy. I hope the media finds a way to attack the issue from a different perspective and devise creative ways to influence the people to stay calm and act appropriately relative to the situation and not fan the flames of panic that is now consuming all of us. Instead of reminding us every now and then that there is lack of supply, why don't they (the media) research on and show alternative ways of solving the problem? Or at the very least, refrain from exaggerating stories. I know it's not their job to solve this issue, but we all have a role to play, and evidently, panic-buying is happening as a result of someone's role not being played-out well. Who's role? You tell me.

Cracking the Code


This is a boring day. Since I woke up, all I've been thinking is reconfiguring my home wi-fi. I was informed my wi-fi range has reached beyond the 5m radius that I prefer. Its radius can now provide free wi-fi to at least 20 households. And I have no plans of sharing my connection to the entire village. Hmmm, come to think of it, I can earn from this if only I wanted to...a few hundred bucks from each household multiplied by, say just 10...that's gonna pay for my monthly broadband connection..and more actually..but what the heck, I won't do that. It's been a while since I checked the signal strength outside and I totally forgot to move from WEP to WAP2-PSK security encryption. WEP provides very weak protection, not to mention how annoying it is to have to encode MAC addresses for filtering. So, now I had no choice but to deal with reconfiguring my router...I turned off SSID broadcast, configured a password.. I'm not done yet, but I should be in a while.. when I'm done, I might write again..

10,000 B.C - RJ's Movie Review

This review is long overdue. I think it's more or less a week since I've seen this movie. Nevertheless, I'll just try to recall the plot. Besides, how much I remember about the movie will actually tell whether it's a good one or not. :-)

I've read in one of Yahoo Movies' recent article that this movie is actually included in the Top 10 Most Historically Inaccurate Movies. It's a historian's nightmare. Now, if I'm to disregard that, I would still say that this movie felt wrong from the very beginning. The mere poster itself at the movie theaters (not this photo on the left) immediately made me raise my eyebrow (the left eyebrow.. lol). Hmmm, so this guy's like fighting/hunting the woolly mammoth??! It felt wrong that mammoths coexisted with men. Aren't these creatures supposed to be living in the Antartica or anywhere else colder? I mean, these creatures are woolly for a reason, it's an adaptation to their environment. If so, then what are those guys doing there? Contradictions, contradictions, irregularities..

Now, if I'm to disregard that too, I would say it still felt wrong the moment I saw the mammoths carrying loads to aide captured people/slaves in building pyramid-like structures for the false "god" that oh-so-easily died (without even putting up a good fight) as soon as the spear thrown by the lead character young hunter D'Leh pierced his torso. Okay, it might be the scriptwriter/director's idea to illustrate how false this "god" is or simply put, how "weak a human" he/she actually is. It just felt incomplete to me. Also, it wasn't mentioned ( or maybe I wasn't paying enough attention when it was mentioned..lol..) why they even considered him/her a "god" in the first place if this so-called "god" of theirs can't even pull a bunny out of a black hat. Some history-telling shedding light on this obscure belief of theirs would have made it more interesting.

The lead character, young hunter D'Leh wasn't as impressive an actor as he should have been. The beautiful blue-eyed Evolet - D'Leh's damsel in distress was just that -- beautiful. She didn't exude a character that should have been more visible in the movie.

Overall, I'd say, if you don't really give a damn about history, have lots of money to spend on entertainment and just want to pass time and be entertained without thinking, this movie is good enough. But if you'll be spending your hard-earned money, this movie isn't worth it. But in consideration of the mammoth chase/hunting scene, I give it 2 stars.