Math difficulty? Consider it problem solved!

Almost everyone struggles with Math problems at some point, except for those who are really gifted with the ability to understand completely abstract mathematical concepts with ease.

I wasn't one of them. I studied hard to understand techniques to solve word problems, probability calculator, linear programming, equivalent fractions, calculus, prime factorization, and many others. Good tutors worked with me through various practice exercises and were really helpful. I've had many of them from high school to college.

Sometimes, it's hard to find an available tutor near your area. The Internet is a useful tool. Many websites offer interactive tutoring services to students from all levels even for Mathematics. TutorVista is one of the most notable especially if you need help in K12 or college math courses.

Sponsored links are brought to us by friends at tutorvista.com

Grown-up talk

I smile at how things have changed.

People around me, they talk strange. Investments. Business. Marriage. Children. Debts. Mortgage. Insurance. Health care. Career shift. Make-up. Gadgets. Reputation. Boss. Separation. Immigration/working abroad. Savings. Sex. Car loan. Travelling. Credit limit [list goes on]

There's a lot of buzz on these various topics but they're not the types of talks I frequently hear before. Now, I hear them all the time. I talk about most of them with my friends and those around me as well. Isn't that strange? I've learned grown-up talk. Am I grown-up now?

Hello, world!

Look who's back!

I am!

No more graduate studies to fill my schedule! I can now go back to writing on this long, forgotten blog. I miss it!

Hopefully, I can write way better than before.

Addressing driving safety concern for people with disabilities

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NMEDA. All opinions are 100% mine.

There are two people with disability in my family. My father lost his hearing when he had a vehicular accident even before I was born. My brother, on the other hand, is both nearsighted and colorblind. Hearing and seeing are both important senses for driving but they seem to do well despite these handicaps.

But for the families and loved ones of people who have disabilities who drive - we can't help but express concern for their safety on the road. We don't wish to deter their determination to function like a normal person but we also want them to always be on the safe side. So it is better if they have vehicles that are suited to their special needs.

No two people with disabilities are alike. Each person has a different need. I have learned this from a non-profit organization NMEDA that educate consumers about buying safe driving vehicles, products and equipments for disabled people. They promote adherence to safety standards set by he National Highway Traffic Safety Administration though they don't sell anything at all.

This association has dealer-members however. These dealers are qualified to sell specially designed vehicles with modifications for disabled people. Taking care of disabled people can be very tough and it lowers the self-esteem of the person to be dependent on others. NMEDA dealers know exactly how it feels so they assist from giving advice, in-person evaluation, customization to your product and needs and even training and further product refinements. Their main aim is to allow elderly and disabled people allow independence again to function normally.

For the safety concern, it has a quality assurance program that is nationally recognized and accredited for its Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry. This program is based on the principle that companies must have a systematic and documented approach to quality in order to satisfy customers consistently.

If you are from any state in US, you can find your closest qualified dealer by going to nmeda.org.

Required: budgeting and money management skill

Money comes and goes away quickly. Whether we earn little or much, we need to properly plan and allocate our finances appropriately so we can have enough for our needs, savings, tithes credit repayment, other personal spendings and have spare cash in case of an emergency.

Making a budget is important to ensure that we are able to provide for the essential needs for current living and for future security such as when we have unforeseen events such as sickness, accidents, deaths and eventually for retirement when we're in old age.

I know I needed to do this since I started working. In fact, every single purchase is documented so I can trace where my money went. I started planning on how I would make ends meet or ideally never run out of cash but have more for savings. But it is easier said than done. Spending is just much easier than saving. I discovered a better way.

Recently, I became a member in a local cooperative in our city. As a requirement for membership they hold a seminar where they discuss their background, services, benefits and boy! I was surprised that they also prepared a talk on family budgeting and financial counseling They even included a presentation for gender development and family enrichment.

From this seminar, I learned that we should plan all our resources appropriately - and this does not only apply to money but to our time, effort and space as well. So I am gonna share the guidelines for successful budgeting that I have learned from this seminar as follows:

1. The family should know why it needs a budget or plan. The objectives of the plan must be clear.

2. The family budget or plan should especially be suited to the family income, needs and desire.

3. All members should be brought into the plan with each one being responsible for the success of the plan.

4.The plan should be revised periodically and hold family counsels on it.

5. The members of the family should keep in mind that it is important to have a good family income and use it wisely.

6. The members of the family should make up their minds and stick to the agreed budget.

Although these guidelines are for families, I think the same rules apply to individuals. Living within means is good but it is better to live below our means (lifestyle) identifying needs from wants. Sticking to the budget is very important and this requires self-control and discipline. I've learned from my experiences in the past - those should help me wiser decisions at present and in the future.

Pledge to start a healthier lifestyle

Most people never worry about the state of their health till they reach a certain age; to some people it's 40, others 50 or 60 and later when they start having symptoms of certain diseases. I realized that taking care of my health and fitness should start early and that we should keep watch over what we feed our mouths and to make extra effort to counter the sedentary lifestyle because of the conveniences modern living. Decide to start doing it now.

Heart disease, kidney failure, liver malfunction, stroke, hypertension, diabetes and cancer are caused mainly by our diet and lifestyle. So, to minimize our chances of acquiring these serious illness, pledge to cut on the following favorites:

1. Sweet foods and desserts. Never starve yourself with your favorites but indulge only in small portion or serving. This could be very difficult if you really like to eat chocolates, ice cream, cake, leche flan, pastry, among many others.

2. Salty foods like chips, fries, chicharon, soy-based dips and dishes (adobo, barbeque) taste really good but too much sodium in our body harms our kidneys and joints.

3. Fatty/fried dishes. We'd have to visit KFC less frequently even though we love eating Coronel Sander's friend chicken. Choose to eat soup-based meals that are boiled, poached or braised

over grilled, fried or sautéed.

4. Watching too much TV/browsing idly on the Internet. If radio waves from TV and computer monitor weren't toxic enough, sitting down in front of the tube and doing nothing else is very unproductive and unhealthy, too.

5. Soda/Alcohol intake - It's an empty calorie which contributes greatly to belly fat. Other serious ailments are caused by soda and alcohol as well.

In addition, it would be good to do more of these:

1. Eat more dark colored and leafy vegetables. They're nutritious and rich in fiber which would make metabolism work faster. They also have vitamins and minerals and other nutrients which boost immune system and fight with free radicals.

2. Eat more fish meat as healthier substitute to red meat (pork/beef). Meat products are good sources of protein but these type of meat are harder to breakdown and takes two-four days to be fully digested.

3. According to a recent research, green tea targets belly fat as a fat-fighter and helps reduce excess weight from our body.

4. Drink more water - not only will it flush toxins and other harmful oxidants, it also keep the body hydrated, plus sufficient water keeps skin healthy.

5. Exercise and do circuit training for 40 minutes 3x a week. Exercising releases endorphins or a.k.a happy hormones which improves mental health. It also keeps muscles toned and firm. Workout to get rid of those bulges in your tummy.

6. Drink milk. The body can only absorb calcium during the first 25 years of our lives, so stock-up much of this very important mineral especially because it keeps our bones and teeth in perfect form.

There you go, let's keep the health revolution going!

Photo credit: here and here

Bits of advice when travelling

Everyone can afford travelling nowadays. Many airlines have promotions and seat sales from time to time. It can get as cheap as a few dimes on some rare occasions. I guess many people have been bitten by the travel bug. It's a good thing because it stimulates the economy.

I love to travel, too. In fact, I decide my domestic and international travel schedule as early as possible to save for the expenses will be incurred during these trips. I'd love to travel with style, too, you know.

One thing I have learned about my recent experiences is that it is better to travel light. Airports are such big places to get lost in and if one has so many luggages, it's hard to maneuver his/her way out.

It is also very important to invest in good quality luggage sets. I especially like my trolley to have at least four wheels so I can just twist and turn it wherever I want it to regardless of its weight. Even a plus if your luggage sets are as stylish as Tumi Luggage and Briggs and Riley Luggage. Most people have black suitcases so why not opt for more colorful or decorated ones, they're much easier to spot on the conveyor belt.

If traveling internationally, it is also important to keep the necessary documentations handy like passport or visa, tourist permit, among others to avoid being arrested or questioned by immigration police. Cash and credit cards should be readily available to, and as much as possible, convert to the country's local currency before departure or to US dollars which is standard exchange currency.

Importantly, a traveler should have presence of mind during the whole journey so he/she can keep watch on his/her belongings and not fall prey to robbers/tricksters and to reach the destination and return home safely.

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Why I say Movies should have a label: "watch out before you watch"

To kill time, out of boredom, people watch movies.

To relax, people head to the nearest theaters and see a feel-good movie.

To have quality time together, friends and families watch films.

There are many reasons why people love to indulge for a few hours to see them.

To be entertained, informed, experience drama - the list goes on

But sometimes, these can be disturbing, too and I learned it the hard way.

So I resolve never to watch a movie again before reading its reviews and critics. I skip on movies with themes about violence, crime, nudity and pornography. I read the storyline beforehand, too. And to be safe, I watch family drama/comedy movies most of the time - just to make sure there are no scenes inappropriate for me.

⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

-Philippians 4:8

Math is neither easy nor difficult, isn't it?

Many people say Math is difficult yet many others say it is easy.

There's no point in arguing on whether Math is easy or difficult. While it may be true that some people are naturally good at it (like many geniuses that we know), for ordinary people like us, Mathematical ability, like language skill, is acquired with constant practice.

Some of the reasons why students struggle with their math courses especially Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 in high school and college (which most students have to take anyway) are:

• attitude or mentality - Math is what one thinks it is. If one thinks it's hard to understand, it really is.
• teachers - they are either too intelligent to understand student's difficulty in the subject or know too little to explain/simplify it
• not doing homework/practice exercises - one becomes skillful at doing something by constantly practicing so if one does not do any exercises, it's hard to master Mathematics
• refusing to seek help/get a tutor who can supplement and explain what are learned at school.

So, it's really neither easy nor difficult. Some people just have to work harder than others to master it. That's exactly what I did in college - constant practice and asking help from tutors who can explain difficult problems.

Note: Sponsored links brought to us by http://www.tutorvista.com/algebra-1

A new beginning commences

Photo credit: here

You can't go back and make a brand new start but you can start today and make a brand new ending.

-Whit Criswell

It makes sense, doesn't it?

Right after graduating from university, I didn't know what exactly I wanted to do with my life. I just woke up each day getting by and enjoying a carefree existence. Now that I am turning 25, I realized I need to make concrete dreams; visions of the future; define my territories; discover myself, acknowledge my limitations and so on.

It's not that I didn't have any direction, I did but because life presented itself with many opportunities, it made me indecisive . I made many back-up and contingency plans but my original plan is vague and abstract.

Having experienced both the joys and harshness of the real world, I can say that I have matured as a person. For this, I am thankful to my family and friends who have in every way support my decisions even when I was wrong and they were right. My boyfriend also helps me become aware of my strengths and weaknesses so I can work out to maximize my good points and reconstruct my attitude towards my low points. Surely, God has strategically placed them in my life because they help him shape me into how I can truly be perfect.

I'm turning 25, there's no point going back to relive old memories or to regret over my failures. I have become who I am because I chose to and I can be what I want to be in the future because I will and have decided to.

Japan's prime minister quits eight months after landslide victory

While most politicians in the world do everything to stay in power amidst criticism, protests and rebellion, Japan is perhaps the only country in the world where leaders rule successively only for a matter of months or years.

Yukio Hatoyama resigned after being pressured by his Democratic Party of Japan to step down after a failure to fulfill his promise to move American base in Okinawa elsewhere.

A few days ago, Mr. Hatoyama insisted he would not quit his post but would try to iron out the issue with his party members. On Wednesday, June 2, he announced his decision in an emotional telecast address saying that he wanted to change Japanese politics but admitted of his "failings".

I have been following Japanese politics since I started being an ESL teacher to Japanese people almost three years ago. I think this is the fourth time Japan's prime minister resigned in a period of four years.

News source: BBC News UK

Venturing out into business

I am not a business-minded person but observations of recent trends in our global market today made me realize I should expand my horizon to be receptive and develop such frame of mind.

There's no such thing as job security nowadays. It's even quite difficult to find a decent and self-fulfilling job. Money has become tighter as companies give fewer and fewer raises and benefits. It's tough competition out there in the rat race. People are incurring more liabilities than assets. There should be a way out to this, I thought. I can't remain trapped in this old system of employment which offers limited space for professional growth and personal development, not to mention - stunted financial gain.

A well-delivered presentation for a business oppurtunity for a franchise opened my eyes to the a wider spectrum of possibilities. The speaker quoted Robert Kiyosaki from his famous book, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and shared such insights such as:

• Having a job is a short-term solution to a long-term problem
• Why climb the corporate ladder when you can own the ladder?

I thought, why don't I try and invest on income-generating projects instead of travelling on leisure or on house renovation? So, I searched online for possible businesses I can do - took note of those which seem profitable and feasible in my area and that which I could personally enjoy. I thought that maybe checking up franchises for sale may also be another option especially since I don't have any business-related experience/expertise yet. This seems the best idea so far since the marketing strategies have already been proven effective so there is small chance for failure.

Right now, I couldn't decide what to do. There are just too many choices to select from. But eventually, I hope I can eventually venture out and create my own business.

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should I or should I not?

Sometimes, I think of deleting all my social networking accounts. It's not that they're such a hassle but because I'm afraid I maybe sharing too much of myself to the world.

Take this blog for example. If I search my name though Google, I get some results directing to some of my posts in this blog - posts which if I look back now, seem to be very private or personal in nature. I feel like I've bared my soul for everyone to see.

So I thought of quitting blogging altogether but am still having second thoughts for now. I think what I had written cannot destroy my reputation nor demean my character. Maybe I am just like many others, who are finding ways to express themselves regardless if people are looking (or not).

Investments one must make for online success

More and more people have discovered how the internet can be a gold mine. There are just so many ways to earn money online - and sometimes we have to make an investment to build our portfolio, to establish our names, to make our business secure.

One investment that a person contemplating an online business needs to consider is the web hosting. It's one most important factor in an online venture. Everything on a web site is hosted on a web server and this requires utmost reliability. A web hosting doesn't have to be expensive. This blog is even hosted on a free web hosting server and domain and I haven't had any problem with it yet. However it is important to have one's own "brand name" and hosting a web site under a free hosting service will tarnish somehow a good business name's credibility. Paid hosting services also provide better customer support. Take a look at a comparative web hosting rating and some other considerations in webhosting from Webhostrating.com.

Another consideration that must be taken into account is web design. The look and feel creates the attractiveness and sometimes reliability of a website like the way people like to see beautiful people. Women invest on cosmetics, we have to invest in simple yet elegant "look" for a higher "face value".

Third, one must create quality service. If it is a blog, one must write quality content with good grammar and catchy titles. If it is a video how-to, the instructions must be detailed and direct to the point. So at times, one must hire people who are able to do these things well. However, if already skillful, invest time and talent on these stuff.

It is also necessary that one works on being indexed by leading search engines so exchanging links with other similar websites is a common trend and SEO writers have been in demand. Lastly, advertising might be helpful in attracting visitors and clients to your online service.

An accomplishment report

How long have I been away?

It must have been more than a month. I haven't really counted. I haven't written anything in these blog because I have been up to something.

A few months ago, I shared in this blog that my sisters and their families were coming over so we planned on reconstructing/renovating the house to accommodate more people.

We started the house reconstruction last February 1 and it ended last March 19. I had been busy with it for the whole duration.

On March 17, my boyfriend's mother had a heart attack and had been confined in the hospital until April 5 when she finally succumbed to death at 61.

My boyfriend wanted to come home for his mother's funeral so the wake was extended and lasted two weeks. However, the company did not allow him to. So even when h wasn't able to come home, last Saturday his mother was laid on her rest.

As you see, my hands had been full for the past months. But here I am again. Ready to bare it all once more time.

Transfixed

Everything seems peaceful and quiet now but my mind is far from that. It's so chaotic there and i am so disturbed by so many things. I am not worried. It's not anxiety. It's not stress. There are just too many things running through my head for the past few weeks or who knows it might have been going on for months!

I hope that explains my absence and non-activity on this blog.

It's as if I were frozen and could not move. Somebody please tell me that it's over and I can move on...

Learning, working and loving what I am doing

Have you ever felt like you were in a rut and everything you're doing doesn't seem enjoyable anymore? It has all become a routine and not as exciting as before.

This has been how I was feeling for sometime now. The need to work hard and earn made me numb. I was just doing things because I have to and I need to and not because I love to. Just like a lost love, I need to find a way to rekindle the tender feelings I have with regards to my work and study. I have to choose to love doing them everyday - a decision I need to make.

So here I go again, with a renewed sense of commitment, gladly say, I'll do my best to learn, work and be what God wants me to be.

Drained

I guess it's time to stop writing
Words don't flow as smoothly as before
No matter how I pounce my head
Nothing ever comes out

My words have become plain
Thoughts have lost their luster
There's nothing new nor helpful that I can say
I might just have to let it go

I've lost touch with the friends I've had through blogging
I've lost touch with my inner self who used to be eager to share her soul
I am hanging nowhere
I want to write but I can't anymore

House needs to be redesigned, reconstructed

My sister and her family of five are spending the summer vacation at my parents' house from March 23 until the start of the new school year in June. I just booked their plane tickets and the kids are so excited to invade Davao city again. My parents are also so eager to meet for the first time the cute little baby girl that my sister gave birth to last year. My sister from Bangkok is going home, too. It's going to be a big family reunion! And my other sister and her family of four might join us as well.

Design of locker

Now this troubles my mother because there are only three rooms in our house. There will be three school children, one toddler, two infants, three couples which includes my parents, me and my other sibling who's still single.

Our home is not enough to accommodate this big number and the kids will be in riot because of limited space. So my mother and I have been thinking of renovating our house to reconstruct the second floor.


To save space, I've been contemplating on making wooden lockers as part of the walls in-built in each room. There should be a locker in the kitchen and one in the living room. I've been buying cabinets and they're still not enough for everything. Then, there must be lockers everywhere.

Thea and Ken, 4 and 2

It would also be nice to have the house carpeted from all corners so we don't have to worry about the kids stumbling or falling.

I guess that's all I can ask. After all, we couldn't afford to have everything so convenient in a very limited time.

I am excited for the reunion and the whole-new house. I hope so.

Counting!

How time flies so fast!

Yesterday marks my second year in RareJob, an online school where I have been teaching and meeting Japanese people.

Eight more weeks to go before my first semester as a graduate school student at UPOU ends.

Seven months more, I'll be celebrating my silver year in this world.

A year and a few months later, I'll be married.

Thank God for new milestones everyday and for His promises.

PhotoCredit: here

New Year's health Goals

Last year, I've been telling myself to start working out this year. I've visited the nearest health club. It's too quiet and no one seems to be going there anyway, except the person in-charge. So, I must resolve to work on my own at home. Well, good luck to me.

Aside from working out at least twice a week, here are my other health-related targets for this year:

1. Don't forget to drink my vitamins so they don't just expire.

2. Sleep immediately after midnight - that's after I finish doing my part-time job at night.

3. Eat less junk food and minimize eating out at fast-food chains.

4. Brush and floss more thoroughly.

5. Get more sunshine early in the morning.

Hurray! There you have it. These are just some of my goals related to fitness for this year. Wish me luck.

How about you? What are your health-related resolutions for this year?

First post for the new year

A new year has come but I'm still my own self - too lazy to write a new post. I'm too scared to open this blog because it's been neglected for more than a month. Maybe the statistics has dropped significantly or no one is ever visiting this anymore?

Well, it's time to bounce back and starting hitting that publish button again.

I wish I had the same drive back then when I was still starting out.