Initial Test Shots Using Nikon D3000 DSLR

The moment I bought my Nikon D3000, I quickly did test shots so that I can assess if it's really a "worth the buy" gadget. Well, I can say that I am satisfied with the results on my initial test shots because the set turned out to be acceptable according to my photography knowhow considering that I am not yet familiar with the different manual settings of the DSLR.

I am still in the process of learning so please give me a little more time to improve my shots. Hopefully by next time, I will be able to get used to the settings and adjustments.

Manila City Hall

Quiapo Church

Intramuros

Small variety of oranges (poorly focused though)

My PC keyboard

Loads of Happenings Await My New Year

My 2010 has already been fully booked with a lot of meetings and gatherings like birthday parties, work projects and many others that will keep the start of my year busy. I sure need to have a lot of preparation so I will not screw up any of these scheduled meet-ups.

One in particular is the first birthday of one of my godsons which will be held on the latter part of January. It will obviously be a kiddy party so I have to get ready more with it for it to turn out just as planned.

I have always been proficient when it comes to shopping online so I am confident that I can fully organize it prior to the event. If you are in the same situation as me who is in the search of finding baby stuff and presents, you might want to check out the links that I included for a lot of choices for babies and toddlers like toys, clothes and nursery furniture.

My First Digital SLR: The Nikon D3000

It's official! I already have my very first DSLR camera. I got my new Nikon D3000 last Saturday at Mayer Photo in Hidalgo, Manila. My friend and I decided to buy the unit in Manila because it is way cheaper compared to those being sold in our local malls. We got it at Mayer's for only US$580 (PhP26,000) as opposed to those sold here in Pampanga that cost around US$650 - US$700 (Php 30,000 - 34,000).

The Nikon D3000 is an entry level single-lens reflex digital camera and a successor of the Nikon D60 and D40X. It has an easy-to use interface which is ideal for beginners in the photography hobby. Unlike its predecessors, the D3000 has a larger LCD screen of 3 inches and has features that sit below the D5000 like the 11-point AF system. One unique feature as well is the Guide mode that gives the user a step by step tutorial on what to do and what to adjust when taking photos.

Now I can start doing photoshoots again, but this time, using the real thing. The first thing I need to do right now is to familiarize all the many different settings and adjustments of the camera in order to take better shots. Since it's my first DSLR, I got blown away by its many different buttons and functions. I'll have to spend more time with the product manual first before attacking to the battle field (laughs).

Me, Jamie and her Lumix camera.

The 2010 Homebuyer Tax Credits

A lot of good benefits await those who want to get a house of their own. Renting a unit just brings no good and in fact, it's just a waste of money. Why rent a house, when you can own it? I have here a very interesting post about the benefits of Tax credit extension.

You will see on the video a lot of informative and useful facts that tackles the 2010 Homebuyer Tax Credits. This concern is for the benefit of US citizens or those who are longing for the American dream.

To summarize everything, first time buyers gets a tax credit of up to $8000 if the house will be bought prior to April 30, 2010. Just one of the important qualifications is that you didn't own a house for the past three years.

There is also a wonderful offer especially for families because they can get up to $6500 tax credit if they lived in their current home for 5 consecutive years in the past 8 years.

You have to take advantage of this now because future extensions are not offered so you have to hurry so you can sign the written and binding contract by April 30, 2010 which will close by June 30, 2010.

In The Manger As He Sleeps

“No greater gift is there than love..

What the world needs is love..

Yes the world needs your love..”

We went at Clark today for a little shopping since most stores are on a holiday sale. We dropped by first at the nearest BDO ATM to extract cash. And on our first stop at Parkson's Duty Free, as we park, my heart was crushed by this young kid sleeping at the edge of the street all alone. It made me realize in one way or another that I am still very fortunate. Very lucky, that never in my life did I slept in the streets or begged for food to strangers..

Christmas is a time for giving and sharing. I hope that each and everyone of us would realize that Christmas is not just a season, rather, an everyday routine. That each time we wake up in the morning, we should re-live the sacrifice and love that Jesus Christ shown us, not by dying on the cross, but by simply showing care and love to the unfortunate especially the poor young ones... :)

Merry Christmas everyone!
Originally posted Christmas of 2008.

My 2010 Game Plan: One Step at a Time

I can already feel the Christmas chill but I am even more excited for the coming new year. I have listed down a little game plan for 2010 and I am hoping that I can employ it well. Actually, I started implementing the plan this month and it's been running pretty fine so far.

First was when I decided to move house for the "so-called" independence thingy. As of the moment, I am in the process of completing the household necessities like the furniture and the appliances. It feels good to me when I enter the house and I see all the fruits of my hard work, though I don't really consider myself as hardworking (laughs).

And this week, I am already set to buying my new DSLR camera so I can start doing photo shoots again, but this time using a better camera. I will blog about my new camera next week when I am no longer busy.

Next year, I am thinking of taking a bigger step ahead as I am planning of buying a new car. Not necessarily brand new but at least, a ride new to me. Hopefully I will be able to earn more for this. I was window shopping for cars online awhile ago and it really made me drool over a lot of choices. I personally like lexus because of its sleek look or something like the nissan versa or a dodge viper. This 2010 nissan cube seems cute to me.

Bidazzled's Bid for a Cause plus FREEBIES for My Readers

I enjoy joining auction sites because I sometimes get amazing products for unbelievably cheap prices. Well not always if there are some other determined bidders who are eager to get the auctioned product as well.

Bidazzled Entertainment Auctions, one of the most renowned in the auction market has an extra-ordinary offer on their services that allows you to save up to 90% on the products that they feature. The best thing here is that Bidazzled is up for a charity cause by funding a lung cancer foundation (The Ruch Foundation).

This is a different kind of auction because nobody loses. Well, if you win, you actually save more than 80% retail and if you don't, you still get a reward of 50 Bonus Bids which is like a big discount for the next item you want to purchase.

In fact, from the time it was launched on November of this year, two winners have already won Nintendo Wii's using only their 5 free bids. So if you want to be a part of this ultimate bidding experience, Bidazzled is rewarding my readers with 15 FREE additional bids which can be used until January 15th. You just have to enter the following codes when you register with them:

Blog: BBP1202A
Twitter: BTP1202A

Hurry and take advantage of this offer and be overwhelmed with their products as well as their referral program.

Cucumber - Natural Benefits and Curative Properties

Cucumber is well-loved by many especially on salads or just by simply eating it raw directly from the fridge. Cucumber belongs to the gourd family and has a considerable number of health benefits. The fruit, for your information is comprised of 90% water making it perfect in providing that refreshing feel. It is also commonly associated worldwide with skin and facial treatment.

One of cucumber's main roles to the skin is toning as it corrects the skin's complexion, removing uneven and dark spots. Cucumber extract is one of the effective natural astringents and it is proven to be helpful in reducing eye bags and dark circles around the eyes as well as in preventing acne and pimples. Since cucumber has the same hydrogen level with our skin, it is popularly used as a face pack to soothe and soften the irritated and stressed skin.

Yesterday, I tried applying the cucumber ritual on my face. Here's how I did it: Recommended to refrigerate it for about 30 minutes for an added cooling effect. Just take a few slices of cucumber and cut them into thinner portions so it can easily stick on your skin. Place them around your eyes and face and leave it for about 30 minutes, then rinse with cool water.

Got My Very Own Fridge Today!

This week is starting to feel a little boring for me since I have less pending jobs and I am almost done on my last project. Well, it's better this way because I can prepare for Christmas and the New Year celebration.

Yesterday, since I don't have anything to do, I decided to buy a new fridge for my room. I just called Saver's Appliance Depot and purchased the unit via COD (Cash on Delivery). And just this afternoon, my new ref was delivered to me. It's the newest Slim Beauty collection from Sanyo. Perfect for me!

I quickly took some photos of my new fridge and emailed it to my friend who's even more excited than me. Right then and there, she asked me to go online so we could chat about my newly purchased fridge. She asked me to log on to a free chat room which is fast and user-friendly.

Solar Powered Sticker Phone by Liu Hsiang-Ling

Cell phones can be considered today as one of man's basic necessities since most of us interact with mobile phones in doing our activities and daily routine.

And recently, industrial designer, Liu Hsiang-Ling developed the first of its kind eco-friendly Sticker Phone that self-charges using the sun's solar power. This is a unique kind of mobile phone invention as it can be sticked on to your window or your car's windshield via its suction to collect solar power and have it stored on its on-board battery to keep it running.

The phone is made from silicone material and it arches back making it flexible enough to quickly stick on to window glass and even to jagged surfaces.

The Healthy Way to Lose Weight

There are a lot of weight loss products in the market that promise a body beautiful shape in no time. But we all have to be open to the fact that some of these are too good to be true and might risk your health. I know a lot of cases about fake dietary products that caused health risks and unwanted side effects.

One diet pill that I am familiar with is Xenical which is made by Roche. I guess this is one of the most widely used products and is usually recommended by doctors to those who want to lose a considerable amount of weight in just a span of time. Actually Xenical works more as a fat blocker that prevents excessive weight gain therefore maintaining just the ideal body mass.

The best thing to do if you are planning of taking weight loss products is to confer with the experts for you to make sure what you are using is genuine and effective. I suggest you consult DietPham.net before you Order Xenical to at least be informed about how these diet pills work. There are also a lot of information reviews on the site about the different weight loss products available on the market.

Manny Pacquiao Honored in Philippine Post Stamps

In line with the People's Champ's success in helping reclaim international respect for the Philippines through his boxing prowess, the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) will be issuing Manny Pacquiao Philippine postage stamps which will be released on limited edition collectors' item quantities.

Pacquiao will be the first Filipino athlete to be immortalized in a Philippine stamp and be given such an honor by the PhilPost. This will also pioneer the "Kaya ng Pinoy" project of PhilPost which will feature a series of exceptional issues covering Filipino success in sports and the arts.

Perfect and Easy to Prepare Gourmet Gravy Recipe

Ever since, mom has been in search for that one great gravy recipe that she could easily prepare at home. Since I don't cook, I really can't tell why she's having a hard time in preparing the right gravy taste. There was one time that she made a watery gravy that seemed like an exotic juice for me.

Well, I wish to end my mom's disaster with gravy so I did a little research and asked some friends online about tips or a product about quick and easy preparation of gravy. As I scout for helpful resources online, I came across a Club House gravy tips video that talks about the best way to cook a perfect homemade gravy in less than 30 minutes. I will let mom watch the video as soon as she gets home later so she could absorb the tips.

If you are interested to improving the taste of your meal with great tasting gravy, check on the video and realize how easy it is to prepare one. Since I am already on the Club House site, I took the chance to explore the website and learn more about their products. You can also join the Club House newsletter sign-up and contest entry which can be found on the site as well.

Chapel of the Holy Guardian Angel Opens - HAU's 75 Million Peso Project

The Holy Angel University (HAU) administration finally unveiled the newly built Chapel of the Holy Guardian Angel last December 09, 2009. The chapel was in commemoration and devotion to the Holy Guardian Angel which is the school and the city's patron figure.

The inaugural ceremony was graced by Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Seated with her, along the front pews of the church during the holy mass was the university's president Dr. Arlyn Villanueva. Politicians such as Angeles city mayor Francis Blueboy Nepomuceno and mayoralty candidate Edgardo Pamituan were also among the many big names who graced the event. The Philippine Madrigal Singers serenaded the night of the celebration and performed some of their famous masterpieces.

The construction of this 75 Million-Peso chapel inside the HAU campus which started November of last year was spearheaded by Highspire Inc. And the overall structure of the retablo altar and interiors were designed by the well known Presidential Merit Award recipient, Willy Layug.

Here are some of the photos of the Chapel of the Holy Guardian Angel. (credits: hau.edu.ph and Leiann Baltazar)

The retablo and the altar

The interiors

Holy Angel University ECE students pose in front of their new chapel

Chapel of the Holy Guardian Angel

Something Sharp and Cheap this Christmas

We only have a week left before Christmas and I bet you all have your presents lined up under the Christmas tree. Now is the time to relax and get ready for the most wonderful time of the year but not for me because I am still on a rush to shopping and completing my list of persons that I will be giving presents on our Christmas party.

Weeks ago, I started buying different greeting cards and gift items little by little so as not to hurt my pocket. And at this moment, I have three more persons left that I still need to buy presents. One is my uncle who will be home from Chicago and will stay here for about a month. I am actually planning of buying him a genuine all-purpose dagger like this SOG Flash II knife that you see on the picture.

The knife has a 3.5 inch long serrated blade with a black Zytel handle that has a dual thumb studs for ambidextrous handling. The knife is equipped with a security lock for an added protection when the blade is closed. What I like about this knife is it's cheap. You can actually have it for only $50.95 from its original retail price of $84.

Different Ways to Tie Your Sneaker's Shoe Laces

If you feel sick and tired of the same old tie style of your shoe laces, here are some cool tricks from a creative mind over the web on how to tie your shoe laces differently using weaves and knots patterns. I tried doing some of these tie tricks just several minutes ago and I got hooked up and felt like I have tickled the artist in me.

Now, don't get surprised if you see my shoes on different tie styles everyday. Try it and experiment your own style.

Portable Player Dock Exlcusively Made for iPhone/iPod

From the time Apple invented their wonder devices such as iPhone and iPod (Nano, Touch, etc.), mobile music has become even more popular. Almost everyone nowadays is equipped with headphones, listening to their favorite music while on the streets, in the malls or anywhere. This probably is one of the most successful inventions of man.

Personally speaking, I am also musically inclined and I do also have my iPod Touch music player with me which I bring all the time wherever I go. Music for me is my natural stress reliever and I just listen to it every time I feel burnt out.

Yamaha understands our desire for music that is why they created another innovative device that can be integrated to our iPhones or iPods. It's the newest Yamaha PDX-60 Speaker Dock that is packed with an exclusive Yamaha yAired (a Yamaha trademark) wireless technology so you can instantly connect your iPhone/iPod to it in real-time and get instant high quality sound. My favorite feature of the speaker is its ability to charge the iPod/iPhone from both speaker and cradle. It also has a card-type remote unit for handy iPod functionality.

The speaker comes in four different color variations to match your color preference especially your device.

Oprah with the Obamas at the White House Christmas Special

The most powerful couple of the United States, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama talked about their Christmas gift rituals on Oprah's Christmas special at the White House.

Oprah toured around the White House showcasing its holiday decorations- THE OBAMA WAY. Part of the interview, Mr. Obama said that he gives nicer stuff than he gets but then Michelle objected as according to her, she gave him good gifts last year. It's good to see the presidential couple talk about their personal stuff. The President even talked about his Holiday gifts experience from his early childhood days.

Watch out for this once in a lifetime episode from the Queen of Talk this Dec. 13 at 10PM EST on ABC and see for yourself how the Obamas celebrate the holidays.

Say Goodbye to Acne with Dr. Dermal's Holiday Treat

When I was on my early teen stage, I have always had problems with my skin because of acne and pimples. And since all of us went into the adolescent stage, I guess everyone can relate to this dilemma. I am sure there are many out there who are also struggling with acne. Finding the best way to treat and prevent it is probably the number one question that you have in mind.

There are actually a lot of available creams and applications to treat acne and pimples fast. One of the most renowned is Dr. Dermal's all natural-based acne products that are tested and endorsed by dermatologists and are proven to be safe and effective.

And the good news is about to be told. In line with the holiday season, Dr. Dermal is actually giving a treat to their customers by offering 50% discount on their wide range of best acne products which will run this whole month of December. Residents from the US and the UK get to avail also of free shipping which can save a lot of bucks.

Take advantage of this promo now and treat yourself with the most innovative acne range that is guaranteed to have no side effects and works gently to protect our delicate skin.

Towel Warmers Review

Towel warmers are electrically powered holders that gently release heat to warm the towel for a comfortable after-bath feel. These are very important especially now that the cold season is here. Most of us experience the dilemma of taking a shower despite the freezing cold because we simply have no choice but to take a bath. Due to this, a lot of households prefer of having towel warmers in their bathrooms to at least give a soothing feel as soon as we're done on the shower.

I personally like this Jeeves towel warmer on the picture that is available on Quality Bath, an online shop that caters to providing bathroom stuff and accessories that come in trusted quality and affordable prices. The warmer has a sleek and contemporary design and it really is a good compliment for this bathroom design. The interior is simple yet striking and perfectly planned.

I also like their variants of Myson Towel Warmers (which are also available on their website) because of their elegant construction.

This is the perfect time to get your new towel warmer or have one as a holiday gift to your wife or husband. Visit on the site's information guide to know more about electric towel warmers.

An Early Christmas Thought

The Christmas spirit is now starting to invade us, boosting up our spirit of peace and love. Just the thought of it already brings emotion, joy and excitement especially to children. For most of us, we find it as a time of the year to meet again old friends, relatives and our elderly.

And certainly, Christmas will never be complete for kids without Santa Claus, his reindeers, the Christmas tree and the socks hung all over the house. For it was engraved into their minds that Christmas is a time to make wishes and have their dreams come true.

But let us not forget that the most important thing about the occasion is the spirit of sharing - let us share all the blessings that we harvested all throughout the year and let us not forget to be thankful for what God has given us.

I hope that the essence of the season will go on all year and allow us to grow closer everyday as a great community of a thousand faces and facets, but with one heart with God.

Best wishes for all and advanced Happy Holidays!

All Original Web Content Provider

The web continues to grow and evolve into a complicated yet very useful form of media and the growing popularity of blogging continues to influence a lot from all over the world as well. Maintaining a successful blog is all about creating quality contents and ideas. When your posts are unique and informative, your readers will look up to future posts and come back to your site from time to time.

I understand the feeling that sometimes, we just don't know what to write and before we know it, weeks have already passed since our last post. We don't want that to happen as we may lose our target traffic. Nevertheless, if you don't want to suffer from the dilemma of extracting topic to write about, there are a lot of services online that provide good and quality editorial articles at a reasonable cost. In fact, some big and reputable blogs that I know are actually getting the service of a content provider and even hires writers to at least lessen their duties and responsibilities.

So if you are dealing with this kind of situation, I suggest you consult a website content production company that provides pure content you are sure to be original.

This is what You Call a Huge Christmas Tree

I admire the creativity of the guys who thought of this concept. I would love to have a Christmas tree as huge as this. It's fascinating, don't you think?. Thanks for giving me an idea on our next year's Christmas tree. And I promise it will be bigger than this (laughs).

Photo by Manny Chen

Yamaha PDX-60 Speaker: A Perfect iPod/iPhone Companion

One of the gadgets that I bring with me all the time, aside from my cell phone, is my iPod music player. His name is Sparky and it's been around 3 years since I bought it. So far, it's still functioning just as good as new and I have no plans yet of replacing it with a new upgrade.

As a music lover, my day just can't go on without my iPod with me. Actually, I have already more than a thousand songs saved in it. Every week, I download music online and add them up to my song collections. The demands for iPods continue to increase dramatically because of their unexplainable charisma to the people and of course, their user-friendly interface.



There is one gadget from Yamaha which I found to be as an ideal present this Christmas. It is a Yamaha PDX-60 Speaker Dock specially designed to offer that ultimate sound experience while enjoying music, movies or games on your iPod or iPhone (I actually did some research about it). Don't underestimate this speaker because it is packed with superb sound quality giving you that well-built, rich and vibrant bass sound.

I really fell in love with the speaker, specifically with its auto power on/off feature and I am eager to own one. The speaker is available in four different colors to match your style and personality. I think I have to add this Yamaha PDX-60 Speaker as well on my Christmas wish list.

Digital Cloud Formation in London for 2012 Olympics

Something to watch out for in the coming 2012 London Olympics is the Digital Cloud project of the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) that will be implemented as one the event's highlights. It will literally be a giant cloud that will be floating in the skies with the support of two 400-foot mesh towers.

This digital cloud will be made out of inflatable plastic bubbles and to be used as an observation deck that projects images and data showcasing specially the happenings and highlights of the Olympic event in real time.

One of its features is the "zero power" technology as it will harvest all the energy it produces and is purely based on a combination of solar power and regenerative braking to convert potential energy into useful electricity.

This will definitely be a massive digital display that will be witnessed by a great audience in London's vicinity.

Limited Edition Spellcasting Dungeons and Dragons Soda

Dungeons and Dragons is a one the most played fantasy online role-playing games that first became popular as a board game that was published around the 70s. The game appears to be more of like a miniature war game that follows a ruling system in order to go on to the next level.

Due to the popularity of this combat adventure, Jones Soda finally released its Spellcasting beverage that allows you to feel the enchantment as if you really are in the world of Dungeons and Dragons. Dungeons and Dragons Soda is available in many different magical flavors that come in great-tasting fruity variants with these six out of the ordinary DnD-inspired names: Potion of Healing, Sneak Attack, Bigby's Crushing Thirst Destroyer, Dwarven Draught, Eldritch Blast and Illithid Brain Juice.

The influence of DnD has drawn a lot of huge crowds in the gaming and entertainment industry from the time it was released. And now, DnD is also taking over the beverage market with the growing popularity of Dungeons and Dragons Jones Soda. To those who are interested to make an order, the sodas come in cases of six and twelve. Hop into their website and get that DnD magic within you.

LG Chocolate Touch with Dolby Mobile Review

 Adventure is the name of my game. I am a mobile person and I always go to different places. At the same time, I am a tech fanatic and I make sure I have my electronic gadgets with me like my camera in capturing and documenting my adventures and a laptop so I can quickly do post-processing and editing on my shots and upload them to share it with friends.

Recently, I started my quest on that one cool gadget that literally has it all. Something that supports all forms of communication and multi-media functionalities incorporated into one sleek device.

So far, one mobile phone was able to meet my long list of qualifications and criteria. The newest LG Chocolate Touch with Dolby® Mobile allows you to do multi-tasking because apart from the usual text and call features, it is also internet-enabled so you can use Social Media like Facebook and Twitter at anywhere you are. It also has its signature Dolby Mobile technology transforming music experience to its superb sound quality. The LG chocolate has also a 3.2MP camera for better quality pictures and videos.

This newest addition to the LG collection would definitely be included on my wish list this Christmas.