Black is Beautiful
…or black and white for that matter. Then, I still have black and white films but now, I just set my camera or do post-processing to get that. I posted something related to Black in another meme, it’s here. There I did tackle about skin color not defining the people that we or my kids are friends with. Friendship knows no colors. It’s something that we should overlook — beauty is...
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Favorite Word(s)
Mirage (mi-räzh’) n. An optical phenomenon that creates the illusion of water, often with inverted reflections of distant objects, and results from distortion of light by alternate layers of hot and cool air. Also called fata morgana. Something illusory or unobtainable. — I took on a liking to this word back in college, our first year Literature class while discussing one of the short...
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Finding My Me Time
Stop. Take time to smell the flowers. – This is what I always remind myself and I do it literally with the bonus of taking photos of the flowers too. ^_^ Perhaps you’re like me, a busy bee who tends to the needs of the kids, the husband and a home-based business. When do you have your me time then? For me, it is my solitude. It’s the time when I would reflect on the day gone past or...
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Pirate Ship Playsets
Playmobil Pirate Ship
Our trip to Zirndorf’s Playmobil is still fresh in the boys’ minds, particularly the pirate ship and log raft adventure that they would often play pretend as pirates using their bed bunks. They’ve often asked for a playset. Pirate ship playsets are too off the budget for us and since we don’t have a yard to put it into, I would often take the kids out. It’s spring anyway, they enjoy the big playground opposite our place.
If you are planning to buy playsets for your kids, consider the following so that you get the best and experience the best from your purchase. You could choose pirate for a theme or a simple swing set with all the other features – slide, ladders, rope and net climb, rock wall and more.
1. Measure the yard where you want the set placed. Allow a buffer zone for each side of the set.
2. Consider putting mulch, sand or rubber as base for your set. These will reduce the chances of getting the kids bump their heads on solid ground. Scout shops for the best deals on mulches.
3. Trim away the trees that could be of hazard to your set, do this weeks before you install your purchase.
4. Choose which type you’d buy. Wood, Plastic or Metal? Each has its pros and cons, metals would be the sturdiest but you can’t upgrade or add accessories as they are almost always fixed. Plastic playsets would be the least to last and more appropriate indoors but it’s easier to carry outside too. Wood-made are also sturdy and it would be easier to add more when you fancy something that is not in the set.
5. Pick your set with the help of the kids. Ask them what they’d want included in it. As you shop, have a feel of the swings and if you don’t feel like it, you can always shop for something else.
6. Pick a set with a lifetime warranty or at least one that will cover replacements and all for a long time.
7. Consider shipping costs. There are sets that you can take home there and then and assemble right away. There are those that is shipped or delivered and will be installed by a group of men sent by the company you bought the playset from. To make installation flawless, hire such, talk with the company and you may add a few dollars for the installation, sometimes they come in free.
8. Maintain and clean your playset. Weeds and other things can corrode wood, water and sun can decolorize plastics and in time, bolts get a bit loose, make sure you are ready to fix these or plan ahead to avoid them.
With all these, let your kids enjoy a wonderful playset that would surely be an important part of their childhood.
Fun Pirate Adventure set that kids would love!
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Shopping With a Difference: How to Buy a Company
For those thinking about starting a new business, the chances are that they’ve considered launching something from scratch by developing fresh ideas, researching a market proposition and building something from the bottom up. But starting in this way does present a number of challenges, such as the lack of an existing customer base, the marketing challenges of being ‘heard’ in a saturated market, establishing steady cash flow and hiring staff, all without the benefit of an established reputation or track record.
Consider the Alternatives
Buying a company is something that most of us don’t consider. And yet it’s a less risky solution than starting afresh. By purchasing a business you take over an operation that’s already generating income and, hopefully, profits. It will come with a reputation, staff and an established customer base and have a position in the market. You won’t need to reinvent everything as long as a successful formula for running the business is already in place.
*google image*
The Big Picture
There is the inevitable downside that purchasing a business costs more than creating a new one. However, financing is easier to come by as investors and bankers feel more at ease lending to or investing in a business with a track record. Additionally, buying a business can give you legal rights to copyrights and patents, which can be highly profitable in their own right. Of course, you need to be clear about what you are buying and weigh up the facts carefully – picking the wrong business may harm your finances severely if you find yourself faced with obsolete stock, high manufacturing prices, outdated processes and controls and resentful staff.
Taking a Strategic Approach
Firstly, think about what type of business will suit you. Look at an industry which you understand and are familiar with. Consider which business types will match your experience and skills and look at other factors too, such as size of business that you’re seeking in terms of number of employees and sales base. Then look at geographical region, assessing business costs and the labour pool in that area. You can then start looking in the ‘businesses for sale’ columns in local, trade and specialist press, or put your own ‘looking to buy’ ad in the press to generate interest. Network hard and put your contacts to use – they may serve you well.
Using a Broker
A business broker is another route to finding a suitable business for sale. Most are hired by sellers to find the right buyer and assist with the deal negotiation. They work on a commission basis – around 5-10% of the sale price – but the assistance rendered can often far outweigh the cost in terms of genuine value, particularly to first-time buyers. If you are confident in your approach and looking to manage your budget carefully, though, consider approaching a broker only at the final-negotiation stage.
Getting the Team in Place
Beyond that, you’ll need a support team made up of an accountant, banker and lawyer in place to manage the acquisition. They will help you during the due-diligence period, which ensures that the sale goes through correctly and the business been valued correctly.
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A son’s first hero
That quote actually goes “Dad – a son’s first hero, a daughter’s first love.” Since only son2 is in the photo I cut the last part out but I hopefully get to use it sometime when I have a photo of only hubby and daughter.
Moms and Dads play different roles in a child’s life and I believe how a dad treats his kids would define that role. I’ve said before that my kids tend to be closer to their dads because I am strict when it comes to certain things. No matter, I’m happy that my daughter and my boys have that close and fun relationship with their dad…nothing’s more priceless seeing them like that.
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Fab Bathroom Lighting Fixtures
Having a bathroom that is well lit follows that the bathroom lighting fixtures installed are the appropriate ones. Even the smallest bathroom spaces need considerable lighting but not much just well-lit for a comfortable feel.
If your bathroom has windows, it is a good source of natural light.
In choosing bathroom lights. consider the following points toy have a well-lit bathroom without sacrificing your preferred design.
1. Assess your bathroom lighting. Turn on all possible lights and see where shadows are cast. Visit the nearest furniture store and see which style you like best. Take notes of of the dimensions, the brand even color.
2. Decide on the style you like or what would fit your bathroom.
3. Choose bathroom ceiling lights that are not harsh. Too much light could be blinding while too little could be straining. Lights with frost glass works well (translucent).
3. For the mirror, the best ones are those that surrounds the face with light. This is to minimize shadows under the chin, eyes, cheeks, and forehead. Wall-mounted sconces on either side of the mirror works well.
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Strengthening relationships with simple gestures
Whenever I see this photo, which I took 2 or more years ago, I am reminded of the simple things that hubby would do and little gifts he would give to make me remember him even on a no-particular-day day. A single red rose, a bunch of gerbera daisies and maybe a bar of my favorite chocolate that doesn’t come easy around this region. There were 3 white roses that he handed me during our first official day as a couple. Nine years and a half more I still recall that day with thrill, remembering the way we were so full of hopes and I’m glad those hopes made us what we are today.
So if you got no time to visit that corner flower shop, here are some tips I could give you (as a starting couple) when looking for gifts for her and some other tips on what you can do to strengthen your relationship with her.
1. Send her flowers and other things she’ll love. It is much easier nowadays than it was when hubby and I were dating. With a click of the mouse you can send her hand-tied flowers, chocolates, balloons and other trinkets – sent the next day or better yet, on that same day! Gifts can be personalized as well, like a box of cupcakes with your own message to the recipient – telling her how much you missed her.
2. Call her every so often. She would surely feel your concern if you call her asking if she’s safe home or if she had lunch already. These simple gestures would go on her daily notes (or her blog) as “sweet motions.”
3. Go shopping together. That’s buying even a simple dress, a pair of earrings or wedding anniversary gifts for a celebration you’re attending on the next Saturday. Going with her to shop for birthday gifts for her parents, siblings and spending time with her in such ways will let her see you as a “patient” partner.
4. Dine at her favorite restaurant even if you don’t agree with her choice of cuisine. Even if your palates have different preferences, it’s a big plus if she sees you eating her favorite food that you have come to list on your “no-no” food. Who knows, that might be the one food you’ll learn how to cook in all your life.
5. Go Mountaineering. Go snowboarding, kayaking, bicycling, bunjee-jumping or simply exercise together.
There are a lot more things that can draw one closer to the person he adores and if by persistence and true intentions she says yes to him, the next tips should be; how to make a relationship fun and memorable.
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Touching Fish
Kids were really excited when I told them we’ll be visiting the Haus des Meeres, sort of Singapore’s Underwater World but also featuring amphibians, reptiles and birds under one building. We arrived around noon so we were in time for the feedings of those gigantic Kois. There were a lot kids who came before us so the kids lost their want to feed them and urged me to go see the snakes first. We did and after going about they felt hungry. We decided to eat, relax a little and went about the other areas until we got to the ground floor again where the Kois are contained.
They were huge compared to the ones we had at home. Touching them is allowed so they were thrilled and placed their hands into the glass tub – giggling while being “kissed” by the kois. They would touch them too saying “slippery” all the time. Little boy is actually a bit small for the container so I had to hoist him up.
There are a number of Kois and you can clearly see a Ki-goi below. There were also Kohaku, Taisho Sanke, Ogon and other types. We spent around 20 minutes touching and watching these beautiful creatures. Had we no winter and had we a garden with a big pond I’d surely take Kois for it!
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Missing this meme:
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Dating then and now
Back in the days, when I was in college to be exact, online dating sites were slowly getting popular. I haven’t tried that though…The trend then was you’d get into a chatroom, back then it was mIRC (Microsofts’ Internet Relay Chat) that was the most logged into. ^_^
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Over they years, this kind of getting to know and meeting someone online first before actually meeting them in person became prolific. I even know of some who got married to someone they met online. I have reservations of course, getting to know someone online is different from getting to know them in person. We’ve read it over and over again; one can always present himself/herself differently. There are also reports of dates getting out of control and we are warned about stranger danger…it’s but natural since we’ve heard that from our parents when we were kids: to not easily trust someone we don’t know.
Having said all that though, there are still sites that offer dating for parents, that would be single parents, that has produced couples that had stayed together since they met. Like my good friend based in Canada now. Her husband unfortunately died after two years into the marriage, she was left with a one-year-old. I can’t imagine how heartbroken she was. Our other friends suggested that she try an online dating site, just to have something to get her mind off the heartache. She did after a year of persuasion and she has had 5 dates before finding someone that she’s spending her life with now. It could be sort of a fairy tale to some — but it happens.
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