An Excellent Employee Time Tracking Solution

ClockSpot is now considered as one of the preferred employee time tracking solution for small and big businesses alike. Here are two of the testimonials:

"We spent months looking for an affordable online time clock solution for our clinics. Clockspot was by far the most robust and affordable web time clock we came across. "

Dr. Chen-Kung Ho, M.D.
Neocare of Central Georgia, inc.

"Keeping our timesheet online helps us keep our sanity managing remote employees. I can't imagine going back to Excel speedsheets and dealing with data syncs after using Clockspot. "

William Moore
Underwave Technologies, LLC

Why invest on ClockSpot?

• It is a practical solution for business whose operations consist of deploying and monitoring field personnel. This is the easiest way to track employees’ time anywhere, anytime. Their online timesheet and phone time clock is accessible via phone or internet.
  

• It helps businesses of any size prevent further losses due to time wasted or pilfered by employees simply because their work times are not monitored properly and efficiently. With a web time clock businesses can easily track time allotments for certain tasks and can measure them objectively. Moreover, with the reporting features of Clockspot, you can easily see and predict some business trends deemed essential to your operations.

Take a tour today or view a demo, and see for yourself why this solution is worthy of your investment.

Related posts:

• Save Time and Money for Your Business Through Clockspot
• Tasks Management, Not Time Managment
  

>>Read the rest of the entry...

Give Back to Your Community, Give for A Cause

One way for a young professional or young businessman to make an impact to his community is by giving back a part of his earnings or profits to charitable institutions or worthy causes. One such cause, I would recommend Charity Boat Donations through BoatAngel. They accept boat donations and sells them at ebay for the purpose of creating and distributing absolutely Free DVDs. Recently, they have just completed their anti-drug-use documentary film D.O.P.E., which stars skateboard legends Jay Adams from Dogtown's Z Boys, Christian Hosoi, Dennis Martinez (world champion), Bruce Logan (world skateboarding champion). The movie portrays their rise to fame, fall into prohibited drugs, their freedom from addiction. Below is a sample trailer of this very informative and inspiring movie:

I have always campaigned against drug-addiction, for I have seen how some of my friends and peers wasted their lives because of this vicious vice. Your donations at BoatAngel will help further this cause. This will them reach young children and teenagers who are likely prone to drug-addiction, and probably, with your generous help, you can save their lives. ‘Tis the time and season for sharing and giving. If you have not given back to your community, this could be the right time and reason to do so.

I believe that your kindness will surely be reciprocated by the Almighty above in different ways. I wish you more success in your professional/business life come 2008 and the years to come!

>>Read the rest of the entry...

Dubai Apartments

Dubai can either refer to one of the seven emirates that constitute the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the eastern Arabian Peninsula, or that emirate's main city, sometimes called "Dubai city" to distinguish it from the emirate. It is situated on the Persian Gulf coast of the United Arab Emirates and is roughly at sea level (16 m/52 ft above). The emirate of Dubai shares borders with Abu Dhabi in the south, Sharjah in the northeast, and the Sultanate of Oman in the southeast. Hatta, a minor exclave of the emirate, is surrounded on three sides by Oman and by the emirates of Ajman (in the west) and Ras Al Khaimah (in the north). The Persian Gulf borders the western coast of the emirate. (Wikipedia)

Dubai lies directly within the Arabian Desert. However, the topography of Dubai is significantly different from that of the southern portion of the UAE in that much of Dubai's landscape is highlighted by sandy desert patterns, while gravel deserts dominate much of the southern region of the country(ibid.) The sand consists mostly of crushed shell and coral and is fine, clean and white, which makes this place attractive to tourists.

Dubai is one of the interesting destinations in the Middle East. If you are planning a trip to Dubai either for business or pleasure, do not stay on hotels. The homely ambience and comforts of Dubai hotel apartments and Dubai villa are preferable. Better yet consult the experts in the area, consult Dubai Apartments.

Dubai Apartments is an online short term rental portal that connects tourists with owners of self-catering apartments of Dubai and other hotel apartments. To date, it boasts as the biggest short-term rental portal in Dubai with over 120 self-catering properties in its lists and networks. The website contains everything you need to know about hotel apartments, details of amenities and rates, and most of all important information about the prosperous city of Dubai.

If you are looking for a luxurious apartment yet cheaper, or probably you are working on a tight budget, again, Dubai Apartments is just the right place to refer from. You will be offered with a wide array of options to meet your needs, budget, and desires for a comfortable stay in this lovely city. Whether you are looking for a luxurious hotel or furnished apartment on a short-term basis, they will assist you in meeting those requirements. Therefore, on your next trip, make Dubai Apartments your first choice so that you will be ensured of quality accommodations. (Note: This is a paid post.)

>>Read the rest of the entry...

Start 2008 Right by Being Thankful!

One of the best long-term investments in self-management and managing people is a well-placed "thank you." It seems, as if, it is almost impossible to bank too much on this kind of currency. We need to know that we are recognized by others as having made a contribution to our department or organization. We need to be affirmed as an individual in the role we are playing. We want our efforts to be recognized in public. This one of our important basic human needs according to Maslow.

If you tend to be a problem solver -as I do -you may be emphasizing needed improvements rather than past accomplishments more often. This kind of emphasis sometimes fills up so much of our view of the world that we forget to be grateful, both to others and to our Maker, for all the good things we see and we have.

A daily routine of identifying or recognizing a task well done with a note, a short email, a SMS, a phone call, or a personal word of commendation will open up communication channels among your peers, employees, and business partners. This gesture will also build strong bridges toward future and more productive relationships. On the other side of the coin, do not be reticent about accepting 'thank yous.' When someone tells you that you have done a good job, offer a simple thank you and accept theirs. In intimate relationships, like friends and families, a warm hug or a simple tap on the back will surely make a huge difference on the recipient's feeling of importance.

As the 2007 draws to an end, why not make a list of all the people who have influence you in a positive way, who have been there when you were needing company and/or people whom you think you have forgotten to show appreciation to this past year. Then, send them heart-felt thanks in any way appropriate. For those dear to you, an old-fashioned and affectionate bear-hug will be one of the most meaningful ways of showing how thankful you are. IMO, there is no better way to start the new year right than this.

Here’s to a thankful new year to us all!

>>Read the rest of the entry...

Medical Assistant Training Programs

“According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are about 800,000 doctors in practice in the United States, with only 500,000 medical assistants working for them. As such, the medical assistant field is expected to grow substantially within the next ten years, especially as more doctors become overloaded with patients. The job is challenging, but there are many rewards, not in the least the chance to provide patients with the best care available.” (www.medical-assistant-training-schools.org)

This is good news to those who are aspiring to become medical assistants. But it is not easy. To grab this opportunity, one who aspires must undergo medical assistant training programs that will hone his / her skills and core competencies needed to be successful in this field. Medical assistants are important support staff for medical practitioners. They help alleviate some of the administrative tasks that are usually necessary but may take the time and energies of doctors. To be efficient in fulfilling these tasks, a medical assistant has to be knowledgeable and competent. Hence, it is highly recommended to enroll in quality medical assistant programs provided by refutable medical assistant schools; Medical trainings schools that provide quality and up-to-date technology in the medical profession.

>>Read the rest of the entry...

Furnace Filters

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency indoor air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. Replacing your furnace filters periodically is imperative. A quality furnace filter from WEB Products is your primary defense against air-quality problems specially this cold season.

There are many factors that affect indoor air-quality, but bad and clogged air filters are the most common culprits. Check your air filters regularly and have them replaced when warranted.

>>Read the rest of the entry...

My Last Yuppie Advice for 2007

With 10 days remaining for 2007, there is nothing much to do. My son and I were packed and ready to go in less than 24 hours for our holiday vacation in Hawaii. I am already off from work and will resume on January 2, 2008. While I will continue posting here, let me just leave this last yuppie advice; something that you might want to digest through the holidays.

Have you considered thinking or contemplating about these things?

Once I get out of high school I am going to see the world in travel... Once I finish college I am going to see the world and travel... Once I get married I am going to travel with my spouse After our kids are older we are going to see the world and travel... When our kids get out of high school we are going to see the world and travel... As soon as we retire we are going to see the world and travel... Now, I am out of school, kids are gone and I am retired if I was younger and my health was better I would see the world and travel.

I did. I don’t want to think anymore in those lines come 2008. I will seize each moment to excel in what I do, find opportunities in problems, and strive to be happy in what I have and in what I don’t. While I am still young, I will enjoy life and live it to its fullest without regrets. As they say life is too short to spend it on meaningless and senseless pursuits.

So here’s my last yuppie advice for you my dear friend –don’t wait, before it’s too late! Do what you have to do now. Follow your dreams, give your best, and be happy.

I wish you success and a good life for 2008, and beyond. Happy holidays everyone! Cheers!

>>Read the rest of the entry...

Save Time and Money for Your Business through Clockspot

Here is an excellent tool to employee time tracking for small business owners or for those who manages off-site personnel – Clockspot. This is an online time sheet equivalent to that old-time card and bandy clock. It is the easiest way to track employee time from anywhere. Every day, businesses lose thousands of dollars paying employees for time they didn't work. Clockspot will help your business save time and money through this innovative online time clock. Here are its salient features and benefits:

• Clockspot is ideal for business with off-site personnel. Employees can log-in by phone or through the internet.
  

• Clockspot is secure. You can specify where your employees log-in by assigning a specific IP address or computer.
  

• Clockspot can track how much an employee spends to accomplish a given task; hence you can allocate specific and realistic time frames for any projects. More so, it can generate real-time reports of on-going projects.
  

• Clockspot can give you an insight on how your business performs in time-bound specific business processes through using its business analytics and tools. You can have access to real-time data anytime, anywhere.
  

• Clockspot is cost effective. No set-up fees required. No long-term contracts. No cancellation fees should you decide to stop the service. Use it and be billed on a monthly basis starting at a $10/month, depending on the number of employees you will be covering. Click here for competitive pricing schemes. More, if you want part of the cost covered, refer other businesses through their affiliate programs and you will save more on the service fees. Take a tour here today.

Related post:

• Tasks Management, not Time Management

>>Read the rest of the entry...

Alcoholism and Drug Addiction: Siamese Twins of Social Disorders

This might easily be construed as an off-beat entry here, but it’s not. I have always been an anti-drug-use advocate since college. Not only that, I was an alcoholic myself. I never realized it, ‘till this problem wreaked havoc in my career and relationships. I had to seek help and undergo treatment to free myself from alcoholism. Some of us may have these problems without realizing it. In a brief, what is addiction? How does one get out this bondage?

“Addiction is defined as an overuse of any substance that changes the natural chemical balance of the brain. It is basically agreed upon that addiction encompasses biological, psychological, and behavioral factors.” Though addiction can be identified easily as an individual problem, it does not negate the fact that alcoholism and drug addiction are Siamese twins of social disorders. These social ills transcend classes in our society. These are not problems that plagued only the rich and the famous, because they have an unlimited access to ‘booze’ and the money to spend, but of the lower spectrum of our society as well. Unfortunately, many young professionals seem to have these issues. Casual conversation with them would reveal that they use the boost that drugs offer in order to cope with the challenges of work or pursuit of careers.

These social disorders, like other social issues, are curable. With proper treatment and counseling, anyone can be freed from this bondage. The key is assisting an individual with any of these problems to realize that he has a problem. Then find and undergo alcohol rehab and/or drug treatment programs that will help him get out of addiction. There are hosts of drug rehab programs and facilities today that offer such effective services which can easily be tapped. Help somebody today and refer him/her to one. Let us help our society rid of these Siamese twins of social disorders.

>>Read the rest of the entry...

All in a Day’s Work: Working Away from Home (Part 2 of 2)

By Shiera*

Majority of the Japanese don't speak English so they might avoid engaging conversation with a foreigner officemate. Maybe that's one of the reasons why I never even knew the names of the persons seated next to me.

As a Filipino, I'm fond of eating every 30 minutes or so. If I were in the Philippines, a pack of potato chips wouldn't usually last for more than 5 minutes if I ever decide to pass it around. In here, you'd think twice of doing that. The Japanese are so polite that most of the time, they won't refuse even if they want to. I've stayed here long enough to have learned suppressing my self from passing food around.

How serious should you be at work? I've been glancing at my officemates' screens as far as my myopic eyes could see and yes, you guessed it right. I've never seen a non-work related window in their screens during work hours. How do they ever remain awake after staring at the documents or the source code? I should really ask tips from them.

How long do I work? It depends on the others, especially the team leader or the manager. It may appear rude to go home ahead of your superiors. Currently, my work starts at 9:00 o'clock but my leader usually works beyond 7:30PM. Everyday, I'd have to hope and pray for someone to go home early so that I could follow suit 15-30 minutes later.

Usually, they hold welcome and farewell parties. If you're the one who's being welcomed or if you're leaving the company, the others would pay for you. These parties are expensive at least for me and for many of the Filipinos. Monetary aspect aside, these parties are one of those rare times when they talk to the others, even if you're a foreigner. Others may even try out their English skills at you. However, don't be surprised when those people who chatted with you would not be as friendly the next day.

These are just my observations and comparisons between the Japanese and Filipino work environment. I still find some things bit difficult to get used to but I'm getting there and I kind of like they way things are. After all, I am just an alien in this land.

Read Part 1 HERE

*Shiera is our guest blogger. She is a Filipina friend and a young professional who works in a cozy office in Osaka, Japan. This is the first part of her post about her sojourn in Japan to work. She authors the following: BISDAK BABBLES, SYDNEY EXPERIENCE, EXPLORING KANSAI & SHAYNA LEXINE

>>Read the rest of the entry...

Data Management with NOAH

The laptop probably is one of the single piece of equipment that I cannot live without today. My life seems to revolve around it. My work, finances, special projects, purchases (yeah that includes my shopping and grocery list), personal stuff, and almost everything else are managed in my ThinkPad single handedly. Still, I am looking for an application that I can use to organize these in one single interface. While outlook is quite efficient, I am still looking for a single platform that can efficiently manage these things. Then, came Noah.

Noah is an award winning data management software that can virtually organize and manage all your computing stuff in a single interface –online or off-line.

Emails, web bookmarks, working files or docs, contacts, it's all in there somewhere. But how do you dig through the thousands of ad-mails and spam-mails to find that really important one from your client, or your friends. Remember that sales proposal you prepared for your client? Where did you place it? In Noah you never have to spend hours searching for this kind of stuff again, it's all in one place arranged by date and time. If you can roughly remember when something happened, you can find it with a few clicks, and you will find everything else that was happening during the same day, hour, or minute. Because Noah organizes all of your information automatically, exactly the way you want it. Therefore, virtually everything is at the behest of your finger tips. Working on my laptop now and blogging has never been easier when I started using this amazing data management platform.

What more? It works well with Widows XP and Vista, requires minimum hardware specs, and it is FREE to download. Download here today, and see how Noah organizes your computing life in a breeze.

>>Read the rest of the entry...

Tasks Management, not Time Management

Have you wondered who devised time reckoning and why the clock or your watch was invented? There are several suggestions as to where and who began measuring time. For me, that is moot and academic. What is important is time measurement was meant for us to manage our activities not time itself.

Each of us were given an equal amount of time each day, hence we cannot add nor subtract any therefrom. The 24-hour period given to us, whether managed or unmanaged will slipped us and cannot be recovered. Hence the phrase ‘Time Management’, IMO, is a misnomer. What we can manage, however, are our activities to fit the time we have in a day. If viewed this way, here are three implications in the business setting:

1. Working professionals will become more conscious about managing their work priorities and therefore will accomplish more. An employee time tracking implemented by an employer is meant to place a parameter by which an employee have to render work, and possibly avoid unnecessary overtimes. Hence, an employee’s primary duty is to manage his tasks in order to fit within the work time-frame given.

2. Managers and supervisors will become conscious about their staff performance in any given word day or time-frame. How does it feel when you arrive at the office on time and it is still half-empty? Half of your staffs or colleagues are not yet in. Customers are already waiting in line. Worse, there are those deadlines to meet in so a short time. Frustrating huh. Correct this by closely monitoring your staff’s attendance through an online timesheet.

3. Business owners and CEO will be conscious about managing their business performance through a timely analysis of their business output against specific time frames. Are business targets or sales quota met on time? Deliveries made JIT (just in time)? Are loss manhours monitored? Loss manhours are profit losses, and in the long run, will be translated as business losses. These things can be prevented. Track your business performance against specific time elements or frames by employing business analytics and reporting tools that come with a web time clock provided by Clockspot. Discover trends and anomalies via these tools and see how you business fared against various time factors.

Wherever you are fitted in the above, take a paradigm shift today. Start managing your activities around the time frame you set. Let me hammer this down with the words of David Allen:

“You can't manage time, it just is. So "time management" is a mislabeled problem, which has little chance of being an effective approach. What you really manage is your activity during time, and defining outcomes and physical actions required is the core process required to manage what you do.”

>>Read the rest of the entry...

A Yuppies Advise: Finding the Right Date

I got this from one of the text messages forwarded to me:

“My boyfriend used to ask his mother, 'How can I find the right woman for me?' and she would answer, 'Don't worry about finding the right woman- concentrate on becoming the right man.'

It sure made me grin… and –ouch! We are always on the look for the Mr. and Ms. Right and yet we are not even doing anything to make ourselves the right man or woman.

On another note, before you even think of finding the right person, perhaps you should first take time to get out of your shell and socialize. Now, if you have difficulty in meeting people in person, (like me? *grins) you can try the chat lines. Meet people first over the net through free chat. Then, get to know about him/her (your potential date, and probably Mr. or Ms. Right) through that sensible phone chat. Get the basic info that you consider as possible matches to your preferences. Then from there, decide whether you’d like to go into the next level. (Read my poston dating Do's and Don'ts.) Simple huh? Am I making sense? Have your say please.

>>Read the rest of the entry...

A Yuppie Advise: Mismanaged Finance Indicator

A well organized life includes managing your finances well. I have observe that some young professionals have the tendency to squander what they earned on their first job. Understandably, if you have spent 5 years of your young life in college, study your ass-off, then finally you landed on a good paying job, it is but proper to enjoy the fruit of your labor. Agree. However, this should not be to the detriment of your finances and your credit rating.

Here are some kernels of yuppie advices:

• Learn to value every single cent you earned.
  

• Save for unexpected emergencies. As they say, “save for the rainy days.” So that, you do not have to run into bad credit loans.
  

• Should you are caught in a financial crunch; make a loan but compare offers first. Do not just fill-out the first credit card or loan application that you received without checking the TOS and the interest rates in particular.
  

• Be wise. Protect your credit rating, because a poor or bad rating is an indicator of a mismanaged personal finance.

>>Read the rest of the entry...

All in a Day’s Work: Working Away from Home (Part 1 of 2)

By Shiera*

Japanese companies in the Philippines are far cry from the Japanese companies in Japan. No, I am not referring to the remuneration, nor would I be talking about the company benefits here because these, after all, depend on the company and other factors. Just like in the Philippines and probably anywhere in the world, there are companies here that offer very attractive remuneration, and there are those many would only consider as a temporary respite as they traverse along their career path.

First, let's deal with the one that meets the eye: dress code. Most of the companies I've worked for, do not implement dress code - you are free to wear whatever you want. Of course, we're all aware that it's inappropriate if we don't put on business attires to interviews. In my previous office, there was a Japanese lady who wore short shorts and boots to work! Keep in mind though, no matter how casual everyone in the company is, it is an unwritten rule to wear business attire on the first day in a company.

How about the office? I only experienced having a cubicle of my own once. The rest, having even at least a medium-high partition in front is a big treat. In my current office, I could see the whole span of the office laid in front of me. I don't want to get caught closing my eyes for a bit, so fighting off sleep is one of my top priorities. How about the small daily perks? Some companies offer unlimited supply of green tea, black tea, and/or black coffee. Others don't even provide a water dispenser.

So how are the Japanese as officemates? If you're used to the friendly work environment like in the Philippines, workplaces in Japan would come as a big shock for you. In the Philippines, officemate means a new friend. Here in Japan, an officemate often remains as an officemate no matter how long you have stayed in that company. No contact details exchanges. Rare chitchats are limited to the weather, Japanese food, and some facts about your country of origin. "Are you married" and "how old are you" types of questions may be perceived as invasions of privacy, so wait until they initiate such topic. Even so, it is still safe to avoid asking personal questions.

*Shiera is our guest blogger. She is a Filipina friend and a young professional who works in a cozy office in Osaka, Japan. This is the first part of her post about her sojourn in Japan to work. She authors the following: BISDAK BABBLES, SYDNEY EXPERIENCE, EXPLORING KANSAI & SHAYNA LEXINE

>>Read the rest of the entry...

A Yuppie Advise: Manage Your Yuletide Expenses

The yuletide season sometimes makes me depress rather than be excited. Unlike most people, this particular season brings back bad memories I’d like to forget. But heck! Why be sentimental about it. Time to let go eh. Besides, I got a son to fend to and great friend to celebrate Christmas with. However, although ‘tis the season to be jolly (pa la la la), ‘tis the season (also) to spend (pa la la la). Sorry for the downer. But it’s true. According to surveys, the average expenditure for a regular professional or employee during this holiday season is four times the normal. Can we celebrate the season without spending? I wish that would be the case. Ah! Reality bites.

Are you worried about your expenditures during the upcoming holidays, like me? Or probably, you are still worrying about those unpaid bills and hence you do not want to think about the holidays yet? Well, there is a relief for that - Payday Loans . Short term, easy to pay and low interest loans to augment your holiday expenses. Now, ‘tis the season to be jolly, pa la la la.’ ^_^

>>Read the rest of the entry...

Bed and Breakfast Toronto

If you will be spending your holidays in Canada, don’t miss the beautiful and elegant city of Toronto. Equally beautiful is a web log dedicated to it –Toronto Bed and Breakfast. Almost everything you need to know about this city; sights and sounds, Toronto hotels and restaurants, fashions and glamor, lifestyles, and more, is being blogged here. Should you decide to stay longer, make sure that you are checked in one of the finest Hotels in Toronto. Enjoy your holidays there! Cheers!

>>Read the rest of the entry...

Why I still use a pen and a notebook?

This is the digital age. While I have a PDA and one of the smallest laptops available in the market, I still use a pen and a notebook. I carry them with me all the time. Frankly, I can go anywhere without my cellphone and my PDA but not without my pen and my pocket notebook. You may call me old fashion, but wait till I give you the reasons why.

• Reminders and other priority lists. It is convenient to write and place these things on a small notebook, and I don’t have to worry of running out of battery.
  

• Ideas and thoughts in written form. As soon as an important idea or thought come to mind, it is a lot easier to have them scribbled down. More so, it is easier for me to organize these thoughts when I am literally writng on a note than tapping the keyboard.
  

• Easily accessible lecture notes guide.
  

• Provide a handy place for first or rough drafts; posts, lecture notes, agendas, emails, memos, etc.

I know, these things can easily be stored on a PDA with a handwriting recognition feature. Nevertheless, a pen and notebook still serve me better. How about you?

>>Read the rest of the entry...

Poker: An Art Form or A Way of Life?

"Poker may be a branch of psychological warfare, an art form or indeed a way of life – but it is also merely a game, in which money is simply the means of keeping score." ~Big Deal by Anthony Holden

My good and reliable friend, Wikipedia, defines poker as a

… type of card game in which players gamble on the superior value of the card combination ("hand") in their possession, by placing a bet into a central pot. The winner is the one who holds the hand with the highest value according to an established hand rankings hierarchy, or otherwise the player who remains "in the hand" after all others have folded (the player who makes an un-called bet.)

I’ve never played poker but I wanted to. I want to learn its rudiment. I love watching people who play it. The emotional intensity increases when one by one the players are folding and the stake is skyrocketing. Holden is right. It is a psychological warfare. It is a game of guts and wits. Albeit, it is still a game. Holden on the other hand pointed out a good metaphor for life in poker. In this blog’s context, I’d say it is an excellent metaphor for life’s career. To say, your success could invariable be achieved through wits and guts, and hard work on the tail end.

Now, going back on playing poker itself: if you want to experience the thrill of playing this game, you can do so online. Although online poker is not as intense as the real mackoy, nevertheless it offers almost the same thrill –that is outwitting your unseen opponents online.

So, is poker an art or a way of life? How?

>>Read the rest of the entry...

Your Parents are Life’s Best Gifts to You: How do you return the favor?

“Your folks are like God because you want to know they're out there and you want them to approve of your life, still you only call them when you're in a crisis and need something.” ~Chuck Palahniuk

Your parents are life’s best gifts to you, regardless whether you belong to a broken home or not, raised by a single parent or by foster parents -these people took the hardships and pains in raising you the person you are right now. Hence, they deserve the best from us in reciprocity.

Would you just allow others to take on your responsibility halfheartedly? I dare you to look back. Who was the first person on your side when you were broken hearted? Hurting? Grieving? Making a career decisions? Getting married? Buying your first car? Celebrating with you on your first baby? In dire financial needs? Distress? No one to turn to? The list of can go on. Just take a few moments to look back. Whom do you see in those times?

Our parents, my parents that is, love us unconditionally. If you are a parent right now, you know what I meant. They deserve the best care home you can afford. Again, look back so that you do not need to look for any other rationale why you should not give them the best care that is due for them -from their children. Your parents are the best gifts you had in a lifetime, how do you return the favor in their retiring age?

>>Read the rest of the entry...

Good Hotel Discounts for Spanish Speaking Travelers

As a frequent traveler , both domestic and international, I have always considered two important expenditures that needed to be reckoned: Transportation and Accommodation. In a related post, I already discussed about how to avail free airfare-miles via using a frequent flyers program of your credit card.

Hotel accommodations comes the next big expense in travelling. Hence, a good discount in hotel reservations or booking is a big saving. The good news is, Spanish Speaking travelers in the US can now also enjoy fabulous accommodation discounts from Hotels.com en Espanol. Now, they can avail of descuento en hoteles. An immediate inquiry at Hotels.com en Espanol, and a dedicated Spanish-speaking customer service representative will immedaitely facilitate their booking requirements.

>>Read the rest of the entry...

Great Holiday Getaway Destination

Christmas Holiday is one of the longest holidays every year, as we all know. It pays that we plan where we are going to celebrate or spend it with our love ones.

A good option is traveling with your family and spending the holiday at a beautiful resort where you can really relax and have fun. There is just the right place for that to help you plan that much awaited vacation –Resort United. You will find great resort hotels there, like the famous sunshine coast hotels, to satisfy your cravings for a blissful vacation. This travel and resort reservation site is commendable for its easy to navigate features –you won’t get lost ^^, in looking for that ideal resort hotel you want, because you’d be able to immediately decide the amenities you want in a few clicks.

Instead of spending a white Christmas, why not spend a fresh-breeze Christmas by the sea, by the coast should I say. Give yourself a good break from the tedious life of work, spend the holiday in a beautiful resort!

>>Read the rest of the entry...

Online Social Networking: HELP !!!

This is a bit of a confession, hear me out will ya.

I am not fond of socializing. Really. An ISTJ person loves to stay on his nook with a book (forgive the pun there ^^), and now with his laptop tied on his wrist so that it can accompany him wherever he goes. Thank God for wi-fi, now I can virtually surf the internet anywhere.

Social networking over the net is not that easy for me. In person, as I have said, I am an ISTJ, I socialize rarely. I hate parties and big gatherings. I feel that I would drown if I stay longer in a crowd. I’d like this to change.

What forced me to get out of my shell was my job –an HR Practitioner. Oh men! That is people management dude –so I am compelled (by virtue of my responsibility) to interact with people. Imagine how difficult for me to interview job applicants, it drains me of emotional stamina. Though over time I got over it. I managed. In fact, I did well. Besides, I am a behaviorist student. Ironically though, I have not given attention to my own personality profile. And still, I haven’t improved my social skills. Except, I guess, meeting a prospective girlfriend. (*grins)

Albeit, Online Social Networking has opened a new window of opportunity for me to interact and make friends online, hopefully, improve my social skills. I am still struggling, but I am doing fine (I suppose ^^). Forgive me, if many times I visited your blog/s, yet I leave no comment, but I do love to read your entries. I am still trying to get out of this rut. I am changing that now. I will comment regardless. I am starting today –given the time.

Will you help me? Or at least, give me some tips on how to improve my ‘Online Social Skills’?

Thanks. ^_^

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Travel Saving Tips: Free Airline Miles

Credit cards when misused can be financially disastrous. An active lifestyle is attached to this kind of problem. Spending beyond your means to sustain the kind of lifestyle you are living will eventually drive you in deep financial trouble. Not to mention that a poor choice of a credit card provider can even spell trouble in itself.

I have always advised my colleagues and my staff not to jump on the first credit card offers that they receive. I tell them to compare, compare, and compare. And pick the card that will suit their needs. In my case, because I am a frequent traveler, a couple of Airline Credit Cards always come in handy and proves to be more economical. How? The more you use them in purchasing your airline tickets you gain free miles, where in the long run you can convert them into a free airline ticket or discount. In the end, I save which offsets the interest rate I am paying.

Again, get the card that will suit your needs and use it wisely. Sounds so easy huh? Do it dude, it will serve you well.

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7 Goal-Deterring Culprits of 2007

“Ideas without action are like being all dressed up with no place to go.” ~Harvey Mackay

2007 is coming to a close. As I look back, especially reviewing what I have done the last 11 months with my planner spread, I have realized that I have a lot of big plans and great ideas that are supposed to be implemented this year. I barely accomplished half of them. What went wrong? What prevented me from accomplishing these things? Here are 7 culprits, I thought, that prevented me from accomplishing what I have set to do for 2007:

1. Procrastination. I kept on pushing the dates for accomplishing these things until I realized that this is now the 2nd of December. Argh!


2. Reactive instead of pro-active. I failed to anticipate problems and obstructions to my goals, and most of the time I over-reacted on certain issue and problems detrimental to my goals.


3. Motivation. I simply lost it along the way.


4. NO Compelling Rationale. I failed to established why I set those goals or want to those ideas initiated in the first place. Another arghh!


5. Unrealistic Goals. Should I expound this?


6. Absence of Faith. I wavered on my belief that I can accomplish more if I put my head and my heart in these things. More so, I left-out God in the closet.


7. Negative Pareto. I spent more energy and time on the 80% less important and neglecting the 20% most important goals and projects.

2008 will be different. I will prevent these things from deterring me with my goals and projects.

How about you? have you assessed where you are right now in relation to your plans and goals for 2007? What prevented you from accomplishing them?

Related posts:

• Procrastination