Working from home, with VPN access to my company’s network, and regular Teleconferencing, speedy internet connection is a must!
Here I’m going to share my speed test results using Ookla.
March 19, 2020 afternoon
March 20, 2020 morning
March 24, 2020 morning
Stay tuned for more results!
I am out of the house after one week of working from home due to the nationwide Enhanced Community Quarantine.
9:00AM First stop at MLhuillier along T. Samson Avenue near corner Llano Road for my brother’s transaction here.
He was about 10th in line, and we stayed in this spot for about 30mins.
9:30AM Second stop at Puregold Deparo, where there’s already a long line of people. I was thinking of withdrawing cash from the ATM, but it is offline.
Photo above is in front of Puregold Deparo, along Deparo Road. From this spot, we followed the trail up to the UV express terminal, then to the Basketball court, then back to the side of Puregold.
We still do not have our quarantine pass since we are awaiting for door-to-door distribution. We enlisted at the Gillian Hills Subdivision Homeowners Association officer a few days ago. But no worries, as a Puregold staff assured us early on at our queue that a valid ID is enough to enter their store.
As we were nearing our turn, I noticed some line of people building up in front of the Metrobank ATM, so I left my spot temporarily and went to the ATM. I’m 11th in line, and was able to withdraw and return to the queue for Puregold.
When it was our turn to enter the store, the lady supervisor posted a “No Quarantine Pass, No Entry” notice at the door. We argued, but to no avail. We were asked to go get our quarantine pass and return, good thing we can skip the line!
It was 12:00 noon.
Thank God the Barangay hall, around 5minutes away, is open. We need to submit a photocopy of our valid ID showing the address, and around 10minutes later, the quarantine pass is issued, free of charge!
12:30 PM we were already holding our own quarantine passes. My brother and I are heads of different households.
So off we went back to Puregold and were able to enter once the guard verifed our names on the list.
1:15 PM I was done with my grocery and started queuing for the cashier. I was 5th in line and it took me an hour before it was finally my turn!
Good thing my brother finished paying earlier so he was able to check The Generics Pharmacy within Puregold for some of my pharmacy needs.
I was back home at almost 3PM, exhausted, thirsty, and hungry after six hours of effort to secure dry goods to last us for 1 or 2-weeks. If only I could stock up for a year’s worth of goods!
Still thankful to God for the strength, provision, and good health amidst these trying and dangerous times!
Coconut Oil has many known benefits to our overall health, inside and out. Many do not know that making this oil at home is so easy, and has an equally amazing by-product: the “Latik.”
On New Year’s Day of 2019, I gave my first shot at making coconut oil.
I used coconut milk (gata) from 3 mature coconuts I bought from Novaliches Bayan. I had them pressed by the machine used by the vendors so I skipped the tedious task of pressing the juice out of the coconut meat!
Immediately as I got home (around 15 minutes from the market), I poured the coconut milk onto the pan and started the low flame. This is how it looked after around 30 minutes of boiling:
Gently mixing the coconut milk from time to time, one will notice that the bubbly whitish part seem to be set apart from the clear, oily part.
After about another hour under continuous low fire, it begins to turn brown:
The oil becomes more prominent and one can separate it from the brown part, which by now has turned solid. This just needs another 30 minutes and then voila! We have around 5 ounces of coconut oil and a lot of Latik for our delicacies. Overall, it took 2 hours to make this.
I hope to do this again for my future coconut oil needs!
Yes it’s been that long since my last blog and I’m glad I got down to write my first blog this year.
Many have come and gone in those long 17 months that I really long to share with any reader who might come across this.
Since August 17, here’s a rundown of what came which is worth sharing in my next blogs:
❣️Signed-up as Mary kay Beauty Consultant and conducted my skin Care classes and made sales
❣️Spent holidays in the province and stayed in the hospital when we got back
❣️Sent my 3-year old to preschool
❣️Went on a cruise ship
❣️Finished my Victory Weekend
❣️Found a victory group for me and hubby
❣️Experienced my all-time low in my 11-year-long career
❣️At the same time experiencing my all-time high: Got promoted to Senior Manager
❣️Had my son’s eyes diagnosed with astigmatism and got him wearing his glasses right before turning 4.
❣️Had my Paymaya account
❣️Signed up at Frontrow International, as well as VIP Club Philippines
❣️Had 3 more addition to my team, and had a rough journey against all odds
Whew the list is long! Will i be able to catch up? Yes hopefully so!
In this age of digital technology, who would want an analog radio? Me of course! Something that will give me access to FM and AM stations, and with bonus MP3 player via USB, mini SD and SD cards! But wait, there’s more! An emergency flashlight, and a capability to be a speaker for microphone!
It has 4 power sources namely: internal rechargeable battery, the regular 2 1.5V batteries, AC through the power cord, and from solar panel if available around.
I got this wonder for Php500 and it comes with red accents, perfect for my birthday!
Although it’s made in China, it’s sound is superb and not the ear-wacking quality. It has huge volume too!
Am loving this!
I came across shopee.ph last year in my search of a cosmetic product. I downloaded the app via google play and created an account there.
About Shopee (excerpt from the website: shopee.ph):
Shopee is a fun, free and trusted way to buy and sell instantly online. We are a leading mobile-first marketplace platform in Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines) and Taiwan. Join millions of others on Shopee to list products and shop for deals online. Shopping online on Shopee is safe and we make sure of it. Get the item you ordered or get your money back with Shopee Guarantee. Create and browse listings for free, at no extra charge. Join our Shopee community and start shopping today!
Not only is it a platform to buy, but to sell as well. So I posted my first product during that time, and only after several months did I add other items.
Last week I received a notification that somebody purchased my item – the very first product that I posted. I was so happy and the transaction went so smooth by just working within the app. Right now the item is being delivered by the courier, which is the LBC Integrated.
What you will need:
It’s important, and as indicated by shopee.ph, that you make all transactions (conversations, payment, shipping confirmations) through shopee.ph to avoid fraud and untoward experiences.
Pros of shopee.ph
I find this app a lot better than the other buy-and-sell platforms like olx because of the following:
Because of this I’m inspired to maximize this app and sell more items online. Indeed it’s a great partner in making business at the tip of our fingers!
When my son was in the hospital, it is important and very challenging to keep him in a steady position while awake when his two-year old self is naturally up and about.
My smartphone and data plan played a great role in giving him videos to watch on youtube. We were able to watch lots of Play-Doh videos, until he fell in love with the toy and can even pronounce it well! “Wow, Play-Doh!”
The moment we were back to normal routine we bought his first Play-Doh sets of four colors. One set costs Php100 at Toys R Us, SM Fairview, and that is on-sale when we bought. We bought two sets, so he has a total of 8 colors.
Several months back we had this Popo mold that came with a Jollibee Kiddie Meal. We then decided to keep it since the little boy can’t play with it yet. Now is its time to shine. (See left-most item, that’s the mold). We used it to make lots of Popos, as my son enjoyed watching us! Soon he will be the one doing this all by himself. Such happy and sweet memories to cherish with Play-Doh!
This is a late post. It was written in December 2016.
At exactly 8:00 o’clock in this Friday December morning I was entering the premises of PRC Head Office.
The area of Morayta brings back memories of being a fresh graduate reviewing for and applying for board exams, and then getting the license.
Now almost 10 years later not much have changed especially withinthe PRC premises. It’s still dark upon entering, and the counters and offices are much like the same.
I filled out the forms for renewal and change of name due to marriage. I needed 2×2 photos with white background and the notarized form- all that were accomplished in one of the stalls outside.
I paid Php1065 for this and I will be getting the plastic card February 16, 2017 onwards.
After several weeks, welcome myself back to blogging! With this comeback I am very happy and excited to announce that I already got my 2017 daybook from Mercury Drug!
I’ve been a fan of the drugstore company’s daybook since they started on it in 2013. All those years I’ve been choosing the red variety (except for 2013 which is white and no other option is available). It’s just this year that I’d try to choose a different color. Well there is red and green as well.
For those of you who don’t know how to get this, it can be yours in exchange of 30 points from your Mercury Drug Suki Card, and Php200 worth of purchases at any Mercury Drug store will give you 1 suki point.
I was just surprised that unlike the previous years, this doesn’t come with discount cards. I hardly ever use them anyway so it’s just for those who are expecting for those perks.
Its pages are similar with the 2016 daybook, but it now features healthy food.
A lot to unpack with this orange goodness.
I’m now excited for 2017! ☺
After my first attempt to renew my LTO Driver’s license and failed, today I pushed myself such that I am at the LTO office at East Avenue at 10:00AM. It’s a Monday and I’m glad that I saw no long lines upon entering the compound.
I was directed by the guard to the renewal section, where a staff assisted me by giving me the form to complete, and instructing me to get my medical certificate at OCNT Clinic. He almost-whisperingly gave the directions towards the clinic, with a soft warning not to mind the people that are approaching by the sidewalk.
Indeed there were lots of people who attempt to coach LTO clients on where to go next, but they do not look like LTO personnel. They’re in ordinary clothes and most of them wear slippers. My advice is to ignore them 100% and walk as though you know where you are going.
I went on outside the compound, as instructed, then walked towards my left (that is, towards EDSA). There are lots of people along the sidewalk. Some were filling out the LTO form for the client, and some are offering their assistance saying, “medical po, dito po.”
Across the first crossing was the pink building, which the personnel instructed me not to go upstairs but go left towards OCNT. A man was so persistent saying that medical is upstairs, and no fee will be collected from his assistance. He was leading the way upstairs but I paused and stopped by in front of a shop at the ground floor of the building, where I bought Zesto juice to assess the situation. OCNT is not readily seen up to this point, and I had to ask the guard where is OCNT. It was on the next building, just adjacent to the pink one which is now really surrounded by “assisters” waiting for their next LTO client. I found out from the guard that in the pink building there are other clinics that administer the medical exam.
I proceeded to OCNT, which appears to be a law firm or notary services center of some sort, and a table is occupied by two “medical”personnel. The guy tested my sight by making me read the chart, while the woman wrote on the receipt and medical certificate. I was done in less than 5 minutes. Oh I almost forgot, I paid Php200 for the piece of paper.
I then walked towards the LTO compound, contemplating on what was going on? Medical certificates are to be issued by LTO-accredited physicians, and there must be a lot of them physicians, including those in the pink building because I saw LTO banners in front of their stalls. It could be that those guys trying to assist me gets something by referring people to one of those physicians, making me now think that the personnel who instructed me to OCNT gets something from OCNT for his referrals.
Upon returning to LTO I filled out the form and indicated the changes that I wanted to do: my name, address, birthday, and status. When I returned the form to the personnel I attached the medical certificate and copy of my birth certificate (for correcting my birthday) and marriage certificate (for changing my surname). The personnel then told me that an Affidavit of Discrepancy is needed, which can be obtained from someone inside a room adjacent to his post. He went inside the room to call the woman, who immediately assisted me on a table outside. A notarized affidavit was ready, and she only needed to fill out the details that I want to be changed, and then I signed. She collected Php 100 for that.
I attached the affidavit to my documents and had them reviewed by the personnel, who finally gave me my number after verifying my requirements.
I was then directed to enter the renewal area, finally an air-conditioned room! This is at 10:58 AM, and the queuing system indicates that client 160 is being served. I’m 178, so it’s gonna be my turn soon having at least 3 windows accommodating clients for the first step. I’m pleased at how things are going, because I was expecting the worst from LTO. Having their ISO certification revoked, and the most common knowledge that it’s been ages since they last issued real license cards (because to date the official receipt serves as the temporary license), and that plate numbers will be available only by the 2nd quarter of 2017!
When my number was called I submitted my documents at Window 3, where my records have been partially updated I think. And then after a while my picture and signature was taken at Window 4. The tellers each have their microphones so everyone’s properly guided behind the glass that separates them from us. I paid Php 517 something at Window 7, and finally had my Official Receipt a.k.a. temporary license from Window 8. I was told to follow up after 3 months to know if the card is ready by then.
At 11:45am I was ready to leave LTO. The process was remarkably alright as I finished my renewal in less than 2 hours. I just have to wait for the actual license in card form.
It is my wish that LTO will rise up from all its failures and bad reputation, and that they be truly that government agency that won’t be called crocodiles.
Update: I was able to get the license (plastic card) on January 25, 2017.
About Here and Now 