| A blog on my journey as a WORK AT HOME MOM and my WORK AT HOME BUSINESS |

31 January, 2007

My 27 month old

Clayton is now 27months old and I'm really happy that he's developing a bubbly nature and fun personality. He's an active boy. He's mischievous and loves to play the minute he opens his eyes in the morning. What thrills me most is the expanding vocabulary he has now. Though he can't pronounce some words very clearly, I can see that he's attempting hard. He can now say, 'Scareds Scareds' (scared scared), 'Hungwy' (hungry), 'Cook Noddle' (noodle), 'Mama Angooey' (angry)... so funny! I just thought of sharing some of his smiley photos:

Inspiring story of Belisi

Take a moment with me and read about this: How many fashion brand owners embrace the guided principle of delivering luxury with meaning? Belisi, founded by Peter Belisi is one of them. I have read about the humble beginning of Peter Belisi, how he began as a bartender serving the elite of the Palm Beachers. Struggling to make ends meet with a new addition in the family, he and his wife have no savings to start a new business. Despite life challenges, Peter invested in a small tie collection and soon, his fine taste for fashion brought raving feedbacks from colleagues and customers.

With creativity and hard work, Peter crafted a niche in the accessories business focusing on fine ties, and recently added scarves and handbags to his luxury collection. Peter also believes that luxury is more than just beauty and sophistication, it is about giving back to the community and making the world a brighter place for those in need. You can learn more about fashion news and updates at Belisi.com

30 January, 2007

PuZZLe FrenZy


My little 2 year old is having this puzzle frenzy. He wakes up in the morning and the first thing he says is "Puzzle Puzzle". Sometimes, he would pull me out of the bed, passes me my glasses (he knows I need them!) and says "Go down, Go down".

I'm enjoying him grow and so thrilled by the speed on which he picks up a new skill. It gives me so much delight when he can complete some simple puzzles on his own. My husband used to say that I'm spending too much money on things too complicated for a 2 year old. But the truth is when you provide the opportunity for this little minds to be stimulated, you pave the way for them to learn.

I truly believe in nurturing and spending quality time with my boy. And I appreciate each moment I have with him despite the challenges of owning a home office.

Surprise for mum

Which mother does not like to receive nice surprises or gestures of love on Mothers Day? A gift does not need to be expensive or luxurious to bring joy, cheer and smiles to her face. What she wants is to know you care for her and that she is thought of on this special day. It's that simple.

I'm planning to surprise my mum this year with a bouquet of mothers day flowers. Dot Flowers, an online flower and gift shop offers beautiful flowers and a nice selection of gourmet gifts. Same day delivery is available designed from your local florist and flowers straight from the growers are available within the U.S. Most importantly, they are known for their impeccable customer service so you can be certain of prompt deliveries and all your gift giving needs answered professionally.

Fun dress up games for gals



I have never owned a single Barbie doll in my childhood days. I grew up sharing toys with my older brother, our childhood games were simple and creative. But the only thing I adored was paper dolls. I would buy sheets of dolls with different clothing cut-outs. My love for fashion started from that young! To save money, I would design different clothing for these paper dolls and play my own dress up games.

Technology has influenced the way we live and play. There are no more paper dolls these days. But there is a new way of playing Dress Up Games! With the click of your mouse, you can select the doll you like, choose your desired features, pick your dress, shoes, accessories and there you go, your doll is created! Every girl can be a doll maker within minutes in this fun-filled site. This is a fascinating game for girls. Oh, and for women too! That's because after you create your doll, it can be used as an avatar in chat rooms, forums and with the HTML code, it can be used as Instant Messenger icons.

Out of Page Rank Zero!

Finally, this page has a page rank of 2! I know it doesn't sound that impressive but at least I'm broken out of the big ZERO! I'm still working on increasing the page rank, will be nice to get up to 4 or 5.

Thank you everyone who so graciously link to me, for helping me get out of the Big Zero!! If you like to exchange links or blog posts with me, drop me a comment!

Want to date a millionaire?

Everything is going online these days. File your tax, buy your Valentine's Day gift, apply for a loan, pay your bills, sell your products, order a physical or e-book and even, dating!

I've been meeting friends online via the blog-o-sphere but I'm not quite sure about online dating. I heard about a friend sometime back who started dating online with this girl and the story turned out like a movie script. She showered him with lovely gifts, he reciprocated and they were both 'madly in love' within days. Things turned sour when the girl started sharing her sad story about being in financial debts and my soft-hearted friend actually believed her! To cut the story short, he parted with few thousand and she disappeared! And they had never even met from day one.

Here's my confession. I stumbled upon this millionaire dating site and for the fun of it, I checked out what it was really like. I was surprised to see up to 1,000 pages for the criteria I searched for. This shows that online dating is indeed popular and many individuals out there are looking for soul mates or simply wanting to make new friends. Well, I must say it is interesting browsing through those pictures and profiles, some of the descriptions are quite a fun read.

29 January, 2007

Link Love


I've never been to Germany but have heard nice things about this country. Couple of weeks ago, I was doing some blog hopping and stumbled upon some lovely photos taken by Army Mom, Charlotte. Her daughter is currently deployed to Iraq until October 2007.

Hunnagirl has an interesting question for me to ponder, "How Would You Spend $100 If You Just Found It?" Read about her observations and opinions on life discoveries.

Lisa has a new blog! She is also an expectant mother so do drop by her blog and leave her some nice notes.

For the latest internet and web2.0 news, check out Ezyweb's blog. It aims to expose new and exciting web sites and apps to the rest of the world. I like the colour scheme and icons on the header - nice blog!

Self Portrait Sunday


I am late this time... down with a cold (again)! Just feel like POP ART this time. For more self potraits, head down to DigiCass!

Financial planning

If you live in the UK and need some financial advice on loans, you can do some research in SelectLoans.

Looking back, it took me quite long to convince my husband to get a new car 3 years ago. After many weeks of persuasion, he finally agreed on a Nissan X-trail.

Taking up a car loan is very common when it comes to purchasing a new car. We checked out few banks and compared interest rates before settling for one. As we were not that sort who like to be tied down with personal loans, we did our budgeting and calculations to ensure a higher downpayment. My husband is the better one when it comes to making loans decisions so I usally leave him to make all the necessary arrangements and negotiations with banks.

There are some people who took up secured loans due to poor credit history. A secured loan is defined as a loan with the security of your home tied to it, meaning you could lose your home if you default on your payments. Well, this is definitely something I won't agree to! I do believe that you need to be wise when it comes to such financial planning.

I've been TAGGED!

Whoa... I've been tagged. By the way, this is the first time I've been tagged - do I sound 'suaku'? Oh well, this tag is a long one so bear with me... and if you have been tagged by me, it's because I like you! Oh yes, thanks, sweetpea, for this one.

1. Are your parents married or divorced?
Divorced

2. Are you a vegetarian?
No, I eat almost anything except snakes, dogs and other unfamiliar things.

3. Do you believe in Heaven?
Definitely!

4. Have you ever come close to dying?
Not really... is skydiving counted? I was grasping for air.

5. What jewellery do you wear 24/7?
3 diamond studs on my left ear and one on my right, my engagement diamond ring, my wedding band and my latest B1Zero.

6. Favourite time of day?
1am... when I can finally log off my computer and go to bed.

7. Do you eat the stems of broccoli?
Yes... it's crunchy.

8. Do you wear makeup?
A little. Loose powder, my eyebrow shaper and lip glaze (bronzer for social outings)

9. Ever have plastic surgery?
No.

11. What do you wear to bed?
Loose T-Shirt and shorts

12. Have you ever done anything illegal?
Can't think of any except illegal U-turns and jay-walking

13. Can you roll your tongue?
Oh yes!

14. Do you tweeze your eyebrows?
Of course!

15. What kind of sneakers?
Camper.

16.Do you believe in Abortions?
Not really except on rare cases

17. What is your Hair color?
Dark brown with streaks of ash and blue black

18. Future child’s name?
Don't know yet.

19. Do you snore?
Don't think so... even if so, I can't hear!

20. If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?
Spain, Italy, Carribean... and many more - do I have to name just one?

21. Do you sleep with stuffed animals?
No.

22. If you won the lottery, what would you do first?
Travel round the world and sponsor my mother and brother on their desired holidays.

23. Gold or silver?
White Gold, Rose Gold

24. Hamburger or hot dog?
Hamburger

25. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Salads

26. City, beach or country?
Beach.

27. What was the last thing you touched?
Vitamin E cream

28. Where did you eat last?
In a mall.

29. When’s the last time you cried?
Can't recall.

30. Do you read blogs?
Oh yes!

31. Would you ever go out dressed like the opposite sex?
No.

32. Ever been involved with the police?
Not really.

33. What’s your favourite shampoo conditioner and soap?
Aesop shampoo, no soap for me.

34. Do you talk in your sleep?
No.

35. Ocean or pool?
Ocean but I don't swim.

36. So, who has the original missing questions?
Huh?

37. Who would you take on a ménage à trois for a dirty weekend?
That's my secret!

38. Window seat or aisle?
Window.

39. Ever met anyone famous?
Yeah. Famous speakers, authors...

40. Do you feel that you’ve had a truly successful life?
Yes.

41. Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it?
Bite it.

42. Ricki Lake or Oprah Winfrey?
Oprah

43. Basketball or Football?
Basketball.

44. How long do your showers last?
5-10minutes.

45. Automatic or do you drive a stick?
Automatic.

46. Cake or ice cream?
Both.

47. Are you self-conscious?
It depends

48. Have you ever drank so much you threw up?
Yea, not often.

49. Have you ever given money to a beggar?
Yes.

50. Have you been in love?
Oh, many times.

51. Where do you wish you were?
Rollerblading by the swan river in Perth.

52. Are you wearing socks?
No.

53. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
No.

54. Can you tango?
No.

55. Last gift you received?
B One Zero - I bought it tho'.

56. Last sport you played?
Running after my son.

57. Things you spend a lot of money on?
Organic foods.

58. Where do you live?
Kuala Lumpur but hail from Singapore

59. Where were you born?
Singapore

60. Last wedding attended?
Can't remember lol

61. Spit or swallow?
Depends.

62. Favorite position?
Huh? Sleeping position? side ways.

63. Most hated food(s)?
Black black hokkien mee.

What’s your least fav.?
Oily noodles.

65. Can you sing?
Yup.

66. Last person you instant messaged?
My good friend from S'pore, Stuart Tan

67. Last place you went on holiday?
Perth, WA

68. Favourite regular drink?
Lemon in warm water.

69. Current Song?
Clayton's Bible Songs

70. Tag 3 friends:
Tracy Tan
Kat
Jeanette

Free Podcast Hosting

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The podcast market is still very new and is a fast-growing market among the online community. Yet, many internet markets are already riding on this wave as podcast has demonstrated its convenience and effectiveness in this new media communication.

And how do you like to be paid for every single download your podcast receives?

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Check it out now!

27 January, 2007

Fear and Limiting Beliefs

The previews for our upcoming seminar 'Internet Money Secrets' went well over the last 4 sessions and we had to date 40 registrations. Stuart shared his 'heart' out to the attendees and I could see that he was mentally and physically drained from those high-content presentations.

From talking with many who came forward to discuss their questions and concerns, I conclude that the greatest obstacle of entering into the internet business is FEAR. Fear of change; fear of learning something new; fear of technology; and the fear of failing. Having limiting beliefs is another obstacle for some.

Is fear also keeping you from embarking something new today?

Buzz marketing book


M
arketing speaker cum author, Mark Hughes has launched a book on Buzz Marketing. Reading from the the Fast Company magazine says about the successful case studies and the buzzing profile of Hughes, this book will set your business into real buzz with the six secrets outlined in Hughes book. He shares practical and inside stories of companies and brands breaking out in buzz. Hughes also has the reputation of renaming Halfway, Oregon to Half.com, Oregon. Read it all in Buzz marketing.

A gesture of love

Sometimes we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring. The truth is all of these have the potential of turning a life around.

A little act of love doesn' t have to be cost you anything. A hand-written note of 'I love you', 'Thank you', 'I appreciate you' can mean the world to the person you care about or love.

Little things mean so much and it goes a long way.

Valentine's day gift idea





Do you know you can get creative in saying 'I Love You' this coming Valentine's Day? There are many ways and occasions to show someone you care and Valentine's Day is one of them. But let's face it, sometimes we do run out off ideas when it comes to gift giving.

Honestly, I never thought thumb drives can make nice and meaningful gifts. It becomes special when it's laser engraved with the person's name on it. These useful ultra-small thumb drives come in 512MB, 1GB, 2GB or 4GB of portable storage and they are available in your choice of 14 exciting colors!

Check out the current online specials for any colour of your choice: 512MB Thumb Drive for $14.99 with FREE laser engraving. 1GB Thumb Drive for $18.99 with FREE laser engraving. 2GB Thumb Drive for $37.99 with FREE laser engraving. 4GB Thumb Drive for $69.99 with FREE laser engraving.

26 January, 2007

Why Internet Business?

Following from the preview we had yesterday, here are some advantages of owning an internet business:

• Reaching out to a 1 Billion Market

• Online Market Research

• Cut out inventory

• Save on advertising costs

• No need for own products

• Easy to measure ROI

• Low Start Up Costs

• 24 hours, 7 days a week

Enjoying the seminar business


The excitement is increasing as we confirm another speaker for this coming July. I enjoy the pleasure of meeting different professional speakers in their fields of expertise. To date, we had Jack Trout, Al Ries, Laura Ries, Ron Kaufman and Roger Dawson. And we'll be having Jay Levinson this year!

One of the motivation we got from organising seminars was the ability to highlight the awareness and importance of training in the Malaysia corporate scene.

I heard about a guy who renamed Halfway, Oregon to Half.com, Oregon, who recently wrote a book on how he did it & Buzzmarketing. Apparently, Mark Hughes has entered the professional speaker platform and his portfolio seems impressive with many reputable clients in his list. I should be checking him out for future events.

View my first video!



Ok.. I'm posting this again. I invite you to watch my first youtube video. Never done this but it was good fun. Please leave me your comments too...

Drifting back a little...

Allow me to drift a little... 3 years ago, I was making plans for Europe travel for the first time. Then one day, I had an uneasy feeling. I visited the pharmacy and bought a pregnancy test kit and guess what, I discovered I was pregnant! Was I jumping for joy? No. I was anxious, nervous and scared.

Lots of thoughts started to run through my head. I had to confess that I was concerned about how I would look and become in my pregnancy state. It was a selfish and vain thought but I didn't know what else to think. Suddenly I was confused. It took me a few days to 'digest' this discovery and likewise for my husband. It was a moment of excitement, and a moment of uncertainty.

We observed our friends with children, we saw how parenting changed their lives and focus. And we were least prepared to go through these lifetime changes and new discoveries in parenting at that point of time.

Little by little, as we dedicated our minds and thoughts to look forward to this new addition, everything became better and our outlook towards parenting turned brighter.

We began to realise that it was a God given blessing and we should embrace and celebrate it. There were many couples whom we knew who were unsuccessful in their conception efforts for years. With modern science and medical advancement, there are medical help such as IVF (In vitro fertilization) and PGD (Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis). Infact, IVF is an increasingly popular infertility treatment. And infertility should not be embarrassing.

There is a comprehensive site that provides detailed explanation on these programs. More information and other fertility treatment programs can also be found on the website.

Do you want to succeed in the internet?

I promise to give an update of the Internet Money Secrets preview yesterday.

We had a good turn out of almost 40 people in each session. Stuart gave his tips and valuable presentation on "How to generate traffic to your website... and get all the leads you want!"

As the internet marketers would know, this doesn't come easy and not overnight. It takes efforts, time, commitment, dedication and proper guidance and education. Many are made to believe that internet wealth is simple and quick. Yes? No! Throw out what you heard and read from the so-called gurus because like all businesses, it takes focus, commitment, time and efforts to be successful in the online world.

Before you think I'm a skeptic, I do believe success is possible, with the right formula of knowledge, proper mentoring or coaching plus YOU. We'll talk about you in the next few posts.

25 January, 2007

Creative templates

Five years ago, when my husband (who is also my business partner) and I began our seminar business, we had no clue we needed a web designer to design a nice website for the new company.

We were so new in this whole web thing that we bought an online DIY program and put up the site. Being a DIY program, we are limited by the templates available and what frustrates me most is the limited font editing features in the program. At that time, we didn't think that the website would be an important part of the company's branding.

After staying in the business for a few years, we recently decided to take up an offer to have our company's website revamped. We selected the company for the job and I was surprised that the next thing we were asked to do was to choose from a few templates. Then I realised that the web company actually had a few sets of ready templates for their clients.

Well, the disappointing thing was that the templates showed to us was nothing like the ones I saw in osCommerce templates. The osCommerce Cafe is the largest osCommerce template membership site on the internet. That means there is a wide selection of creative templates for any kind of businesses or products. This is a perfect stop for web designers who need multiple high quality designs and there are different types of membership available - 3 months, 6 months or 1 year. And during that time of a member, you can have unlimited access of template downloads.

Head down to osCommerce Cafe to check out the creative templates!

Crazy Day

It's going to be a crazy day today. We are having our first preview for our upcoming Internet Money Secrets seminar. This is going to be an exciting event with top internet marketers on the platform - Rich Schefren, John Di Lemme, Ted Nicholas, Stuart Tan and a mystery speaker!

Before rushing off to the preview, it's dropping Clayton off at WORDS, my 'shop and drop' place for Clayton when we have appointments like this. Then it's off to the preview, pick Clayton up again and off to the night session one.

Guess I won't have much time to read that many blogs today... ok, gotta rush! I'll be posting more about the Internet Money Secrets event!

Need something big?

Can you remember a time when you need to buy a gift for a friend of plus size and you don't know where to go? Asians are genetically smaller build and it can pose a challenge when you need to buy big size clothings. This is where a fashion business niche can be developed too.

KarensPlus.com is one shopping stop to fulfill this need and you can find just what you need for your plus sized friend. The site is updated with new add-ons every Thursday so you can always check back to find smart deals on clothing for all occasions.

Beauty talk

Let's talk about beauty. This is one of the largest business in Malaysia today. Flip the local newspapers and you will be amazed by the amount of beauty brand advertisements you can find.

As much as skin care brands are promising flawless skin and complexion, they can't reverse problematic skin conditions. Besides, skin care products can cost you a bomb!

Here are some DIY tips without burning a hole in your pocket:

For a clear complexion, drink cocktails made of apple juice with cucumber juice. Cucumbers are high in sodium which helps to keep your body cool.

Another good treatment for wrinkles is to pat your face with honey - ten times a day for two months, using only your fingers. Patting your face with honey helps to exercise your facial tissue. (Stay away from the ants!)

24 January, 2007

The Belisi story


In the next few minutes, you are going to hear an inspiring story of a bartender turned luxury fashion brand owner.

Before I read about how Peter Belisi began his luxury fashion business, I was 'made to believe' that he could be a fashion designer trained by some fashion school. But it isn't so! Below is the story of Belisi - How it Started.

Peter's story began in Palm Beach as a bartender with a wife and a newborn to support. With no savings, it was challenging to start a business. His creativity led him to invest the extra money he had on a small tie collection. Soon, his eye of good taste and fashion won him many positive feedback from co-workers and customers. That gave birth to the business of creating luxury line of accessories inspired by the Palm Beach lifestyle.

Peter believes that looking good and to be in style can be affordable. His designs focus on the best design and best quality, which is what Palm Beachers are looking for. '

What inspires me most is that the company donates a portion of your purchase to a cause of your choice. In other words, being in style is not just about looking nice, it's about touching the lives of others.

Giving up on Creamaid

If you are a blogger writing for paid posts, you probably heard of Creamaid. I did my first post on McDonalds two months ago and I was paid a good royalty of $10. Then, I did a couple more which didn't pay $10 but still good enough for the efforts.

But lately, I have been receiving alerts on new conversations and sadly, royalty for the post is as low as $1. Well, I think it's a little pathetic to write a post or review and besides, your post is subject to approval - all these for $1.

I feel like giving up on Creamaid, really. Another thing that annoys me is you won't be informed if your post is rejected. That means, you may have posted a link for the advertiser and not get paid at the end. Unlike PayPerPost, you have no chance of resubmission.

Yes, all these trouble for $1. Anyone has a comment on this?

Looking back


And perhaps traveling back to some of my earliest times of adulthood, I adore romantic holidays, white sandy beaches and sweeping ocean waves. Whenever I read about Mauritius holidays in holiday magazines, I will start my day dreaming affairs. I still hope to have a second honeymoon in Mauritius someday.

Browsing through travel sites is my favourite past time and yes, I just discovered another travel site that can get me to my dream vacation - Mauritius! Dialaflight also offers flights to many destinations, including flight to Malaysia.

My confession

Here's my confession...

I love long holidays! And a little luxury with holidays is even better! The truth is my travels will never be the same again because one of my travel partners is an active and curious toddler.

Some of the parents I know would prefer to leave their kids at home when planning for a holiday. But I can't. And I wouldn't. Clayton began his first overseas trip when he was 3 months old. Apart from Singapore, where I hailed, he had travelled to New Zealand, Shanghai and Perth, Western Australia.

I never find it a chore travelling with a little one. I must admit that there is more to plan and perhaps to bring, but the fun and joy we share together as a family is beyond words and description. It is memorable and definitely worth the 'trouble'.

Ever tight on budget?

Can you remember a time when you are tight on budget and you have some unexpected personal bills to pay? When you are caught in a bad situation and you need money urgently, a short-term loan till payday can be just what you need to help get you by until your next paycheck comes.

I have never heard of Payday cash Advance Loans in Malaysia, except for cash advance via credit cards or overdraft facility from banks. And of course, there are the illegal money lenders which led many victims to more financial woes and life threatening stories.

In the U.S., you can apply for payday loans and cash advances online, and without using a fax machine or having you to leave your home! But it must be remembered that payday loans is not meant to be a solution for anyone with long-term financial problems; it is only meant to get you by until you get your next paycheck.

The all new Prada phone


Another wish list down the line...

I just read about the new PRADA Phone by LG (KE850) in the inTech column today! If you adore sleek and sophisticated cell phones, plus, if you are a Prada fan, you will drool on this! Last week, I read about the new Apple iPhone and now, there is the Prada.

Features of the Prada phone by LG include:

  • Tri-band GSM plus EDGE
  • 2 megapixel camera
  • Bluetooth
  • Music and video player
  • Just 12mm thick
  • microSD card slot
And the good news, they will be in mobile phone and Prada stores this February (earlier than the iPhone), expected to retail around 600 euros. Umm... I better start thinking of a good reason to get a new phone!

23 January, 2007

What's new in soaps?

I grew up with soaps. Mandarin soaps. That's because my parents are Mandarin speaking and in school, speaking Mandarin was common in those days. As I moved into my teenage years, I mixed around with more English speaking friends and I became more aware of Soap Opera. While I was in Uni, my Australian guardians kept themselves busy with soaps in those lazy afternoons on winter cold days.

If you are a fan of soaps, here's a great site with daily in-depth updates for you! You will also read about star interviews, latest articles on the soap scenes. The site itself has a nice colour scheme - mauve pinks and warm grays. And if you can even interact, make friends or hear what others have to say in the lively message boards.

Do you comment?

I read an interesting article this morning about how some bloggers turn off their comments box feature. Lately, I have been receiving some spammed comments coming through my home office women blog. It's irritating to receive comments from 'no commenter'. This means, it's spammed with a long link with no true human commenting on your blog.

Lee at Blogaboutyourblog said this, "But it is important to the life of your blog to keep that connection with your readers. If I see a blog and I can’t comment on it I feel cheated. Like the transaction didn’t complete itself."

I agree with Lee that moderation is important in blogs but basically a comment is a great way to 'appreciate' the author. By saying this, it's not to say anything if you truly have nothing to say. But if you do, in all kindness and sincerity, do it. Kind words spoken can do wonders!

22 January, 2007

The No. 1 internet store for cell phones

We live in an age and time where our mobile or cell phone follows us wherever we go. Even if it's just stepping out to the convenient store which is 5 minutes from my house, I feel secure having my cell phone with me. However, cell phone snatch thieves are becoming so common in Malaysia in the recent years. To date, several of my friends have already had this awful experience of having their cell phones snatched by motor bikers.

As cell phones have become an important part of our lives, we like to find the best price plan to suit our needs and usage. Do you know that Wirefly is the No. 1 Internet Store for cell phones and plans? This means it has fantastic a track record for its reliability, good value and service. Besides offering a wide selection of cell phones, it is offering an attractive promotion right now. Order a new T-Mobile plan online and you get a $50 T-Mobile Rebate, for a limited time only. And that's not it. Wirefly offers free FEDEX shipping and if you don't like your purchase, you get a free return shipping too!

Finding a playschool for Clayton

I've been busy shopping for a playschool for Clayton. He's such an active boy that we think it's better to put him in a playschool to have his needs catered to. We checked the Montessori ones, Sunbeam and Fungates. It's amazing that playgroups have become so sophisticated with different emphasis on learning and teaching methods.

Personally, I would prefer a playschool with a big compound and not in a shoplot. Then, there is the teacher-child ratio to consider as well. I visited one school and it had only 8 students in the entire place! I thought that was a little too 'quiet' and pathetic.

I'm getting a little confused, a little undecided and tired from searching, comparing and thinking. I never thought finding a playschool for a toddler can be so complicated... oh dear...

Funny Photos

selfsunday.gif

mypicture.jpg

I posted this yesterday's in support of Cass’ Self-Portrait Sunday. I discovered some funny and creative features in the Photo Booth, it adds so much fun to the photos! Alex and myself wre roaring with laughter experimenting those cool effects.

Here is a funny one of Alex...

Public Domain

I used to think that you need to be a prolific writer to have a book published. It is still true if you like to have YOUR own book published. But recently, an internet marketer just shared the secrets of publishing if you can't write well, that is. According to him, many book publishers are using books from the Gutenberg files, a public domain directory where thousands of books can be found. One of the most popular ones which has been published over and over again for decades is Napoleon Hill's 'Think and Grow Rich".

21 January, 2007

Sunday Quote of the Day


It's another Sunday Quote of the Day. I am inspired to share this one:

"Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." Louis Brandeis

When you put the effort and time, you move towards possibility. You can make a difference.
Have a week of possibilities!

Be a top momma!

I'm a Top Mommma!

It's Sunday and it's a day of rest and relaxation. So let's have a little fun! I'd like to announce that I'm an official Top Momma too!

I came across a cute and interesting site called TopMomma.com

If you are in mom, a mom-to-be or simply planning to be one, you can qualify to be a Top Momma! Check out the page and don't forget to click on my photo to keep me on the front page too!

Like to work at Google?

I was reading this interesting article about what does it take to work at Google, the hottest tech company. Here is the list:

• Be a grad with a GPA standards of 3.7 average from Stanford, Harvard or MIT.
• Make sure you can get along well with others. You must be a team player, not a lone wolf.
• Have diverse interests and skills (from sky-diving to playing scrabble!)
• Be ready to get up at a whiteboard and write software code during your interview.
• Be a doer, not thinker - don't talk about the doctoral project you didn't build!
• Don't talk about money or getting rich.
• Don't discuss the competition.

Cell phone resource

Every morning when I flip the newspapers, I can help but notice the numerous cell phone ads and the competing telcom providers promoting its respective plans and attractive deals.

It can get confusing when there are so many brands, designs and options to choose from. Most people will choose their cell phones for its performance and lifestyle features and usually, the design of the cell phone will be the primary factor. Budget also plays an important role when deciding which cell phone is ideal.

If you are wondering which cell phone may suit your needs and meet your requirements, check out the top ten free Verizon cell phones. You can compare different price plans and cell phones right here, thus finding the right deal to suit you.

Home office women features Gayla McCord


I do a H.O.W. feature in my home office women blog every week and for this edition, I am happy to introduce to you - Gayla McCord of Momgadgets.com, who also manages a few other blogs. Some of you may have heard of Gayla, a 5-figure blogger. Gayla has an inspiring story to tell. If you like to learn more about how to succeed in the blog-o-sphere, don't miss out of Gayla's story.

20 January, 2007

Foundation of health

I am a firm believer that proper and healthy nutrition should start from young. To keep this personal philosophy consistent, Clayton is not allowed sugary junk foods or snacks. Some friends think I'm too strict and even call me a health fanatic. But starting Clayton with a good foundation in healthy eating is more important than what people say.

I do a lot of research online on health foods and nutrition matters. It is a subject of my passion and interest since the early years of my adulthood. That is also why I started a organic and natural health blog few months ago. I strongly believe that each of us should be equipped with sufficient knowledge about health foods and its benefits on our body.

Get angry, get hurt

As we all know, people often do things they normaly wouldn't when they are mad. But did you know that research has shown that anger can significantly increase your chances of having a serious injury, especially among men.

People who describe themselves as 'irritable' have a 30% risk for getting injured, while those who are felling hostile are doubling the risk of injury. The interesting thing is that anger is usually not associated with any kind of traffic accident. But there is a correlation between anger and sports injuries and assaults.

So next time when you are irritated by circumstances, hold your horses! Anger can be dangerous.

Cheap Broadband in UK

Broadband is becoming common and necessary in most modern households these days. During my last trip to Singapore, there is a telcom provider offering a FREE notebook when you sign up for a 2 year package. It was such a popular campaign that created a big hype that all the notebooks were snapped out within a week!

It is almost not possible to work smoothly without broadband as we work from home. It is a 'must' for us to work efficiently and frustrations are natural when there is any connectivity trouble on rainy days.

Eclipse Internet is offering UK residents a cheap broadband deal. They pride themselves in their award-winning, first-class customer support, great value and reliable broadband connectivity! The attractive promotion sees a FREE first month a a FREE wireless router.

You can assured of no downtime or unnecessary disruption when you switch to Eclipse. Offering great savings to UK residents, Eclipse Internet is totally dedicated to providing the best, high performance broadband experience.

Sleep deprived

I'm sleep deprived this morning. My dear Clayton woke up at 3am and was cranking up for 2 hours. I was upset, angry, tired yet I tried to show as much affection and patience as I can.

He is in his 3rd week of weaning and it is a difficult time, I believe. It's a milestone he has achieved even though we are still keeping the morning feed going. I still treasure this special moment and I'm also finding it hard to 'stop' this nursing journey completely.

It is so emotional, more so than I think or hear. Yet, I'm taking one day at a time. Showing more grace, more love, more patience and comfort. That is the joy and 'pain' of motherhood.

I love a new cell phone

My husband just got himself a new phone. But being a simple and practical guy, he bought one with all the necessary features, as basic as it can be.

I'm a little more choosy when it comes to buying a mobile phone. I value alot of the aesthetic features such as the size, weight, colours and the design! Camera phone features is the main attraction for me. Have you seen the Motorola Z3? It comes with a simple side camera key, you can snap photos in a 2 mega-pixel resolution. That means sharper, flashier and clearer pictures at a convenience of a click.

The features can be accessed whether the phone is opened or closed. The red, slim, stylish Motorola Z3 captures my attention right away. It is simply irresistible! Also check out the Motorola KRZR K1.

19 January, 2007

Diva's dreams

I'm constantly on the look out for fashion and lifestyle blogs. By now, you know that I adore fashion, I enjoy watching trends but not necessary following them. I like to be original, creative and being myself when it comes to dressing up.

In my early years of adulthood, I love colours. Then I started to embrace neutral and monotones. I love my wardrobe of blacks, earthy tones and some contrasting warm colours. Unconventional lines and cuts define my creativity and style, I like being different.



It is nice to know that there is a new blog 'The Diva's Dreams by Belisi' which features tips and fashion ideas for modern, independent, smart and stylish women. In addition to things related to fashion, it covers home decor, gourmet entertaining and etiquette stories. You can find lots of fresh information on the hottest designers, wardrobe ideas and even how to throw a successful party that gets everyone talking about it.

Saying a prayer

I just got home an hour ago from the hospital to visit a good friend I knew for a few years now.

He's a British while his wife is a sweet lady from Thailand. Both of them used to be our loyal customers while we were running our restaurant 5 years ago. I love this couple. They are adventurous, fun, easy-going, open-hearted and generous. And they both ride a Harley!

Richard is having a major surgery tomorrow to have a tumour in his spine removed. The word 'fear' is never in Richard's dictionary. This big guy who used to serve in the military is never fearful of anything - I mean 'anything'! But for the first time in a long time, I can sense the fear in his eyes when I was speaking to him. Under those smiles and cheerful eyes, he is worried about the surgery.

Doctors discovered that his blood pressure is over the roof; he is diabetic; he has two clots in his heart and he has lots of 'old' injuries from the past. I felt scared for my good friend and for a moment, I was at a lost for words for his lovely wife.

Richard and his wife are Clayton's unofficial godparents and they adore him. While I'm writing this post, I'm saying a prayer for him. I pray for God's hands to be on him and His mercy be upon his life too.

What is beautiful to you?




One of my favourite things is shopping. Like most women, I love beautiful things, fashion, stylish things, trends and sophisticated stuff.

Having said that, I'm not exactly a keen follower of fashion. The truth is beauty is subjective. Beauty isn't about perfect features, made-up face or being adorn with branded clothings and accessories. It may sound cliche to say beauty is within but everyone has a unique definition of beauty.

Belisi asks, 'What's Beautiful to You'? Oh yes, who is Belisi? Peter Belisi is known for his exquisite and high-quality designs and luxury apparels, yet with a simple definition of beauty. To him, "there's more to beauty than glitz and glamour."

For me, beauty is being real, down-to-earth, looking outwards and living a balanced life. This brings to my mind about a good friend I have in Singapore. She is one of the most sophisticated lady I know. Yet, she's always thinking of others, always giving, never thinks highly of herself despite her high professional position in the corporate world. Her friendship is so beautiful to me after 10 years and she's a role model I look to all these years.

The name BELISI originated from the Italian word 'bellissimo' which means "very beautiful". BELISI means sophisticated, classic, beautiful. So what is beautiful to you?

Link Love for Adam


Everyday I'm 'meeting' people over the internet and thanks to myBlogLog, I can even know who's reading my blogs. This adds alot more excitement to blogging these days. I also enjoy leaving comments to what I read in interesting posts by fellow bloggers. I mean, if you want others to read yours, you should also start to read others.

I came to know Adam, an Asian who lives in the UK via PayPerPost forum and he is one friendly and helpful guy. I was first attracted to his blog name - it was so Asian! Adam also writes http://autolah.blogspot.com.

Ok.. head down to check out Adam's blogs and don't forget to leave him a comment too!

18 January, 2007

Keeping in touch

How do you keep in touch with friends and loved ones across the miles? Other than regular communciation via emails, I enjoy sending greetings on special occasions.

I send e-cards to friends on a regular basis even when it's not a special occasion. It is always nice to send a greeting to cheer someone up, it's rewarding and a fantastic way to liven up friendship. Animated e-cards tend to capture attention. Moreover, e-cards allow me the convenience of sending at a desired date/time, much to your specification, not forgetting the lower cost compared to traditional mailing.

There is a wide selection of free animated eCards that are available for many occasions including birthdays, holidays and more at MSN Greetings. At the site, customers can receive a free 30-day trial to send eCards and that a yearly subscription (where you can send as many cards as you like) is as low as $13.99. As a member, you can schedule eCards to arrive on a specific date, so you won't have to worry about forgetting a birthday or special occasion, ideal when you are sending to friends or loved ones across the miles.

Clayton on Harley


I just found this picture while cleaning up my computer. It was Clayton at one year old on a Harley with a friend. Having a photo shoot for a Motor Publication!

Challenging Parenting

Whoever said parenting was easy must be daft or has not experienced being a parent at all.

Child rearing is a continuous process and does not stop even after the child decides to move out of the house when he or she turns eighteen. Even with years, centuries, and millennia worth of experience, nobody can still determine what parenting methods work and what do not. Parenting is unique to every setup and to every child and remains as unfathomable as ever.

With this nature, the best we can do is to prepare ourselves for a bumpy ride and cross our fingers that we rear people who will be significant contributors to society.

We don’t own our children. We’re merely here to teach them the ways of life as we know it so that they succeed and survive gracefully in theirs.

Every stage of child development promises a new of challenges and experiences. One of the emerging challenges that parents face today is the exposure of drugs among growing children, from adolescents to teenagers.

What do you do when you have a child who is struggling with drugs and peer influence? Sadly, some parents do not take time to provide solace for their children and they ended up with more trouble. I believe this calls for the importance of proper education, empowerment, providing hope and the ability to make healthy choices.

There is an adolescent drug treatment center that provides assistance and support to parents facing such challenges. Echo Malibu is more than just a teen drug rehab. It offers various treatment programs and professional care to adolescents and teenagers who are struggling from drug dependency, emotional issues or disorders and behavioural problems.

What seems comforting is that all treatments are conducted by professionals and experts in a conducive environment that does not intimidate or frightful.

If you need tips to deal with a growing child that might seem to be in trouble, there is even a page on the website that can provide some guidance.

My New Blog


Finally, I have launched my organic and natural health blog last week. This is one topic that I've always have a passion for, simply because it's part of me - being an organic foods advocate and natural health follower. I believe in the simple truth of 'First, do no harm'. And the thing is many people do not know that our body has the ability to heal itself when the right actions are taken in terms of diet and lifestyle.

I'm not a doctor. Everything in my health blog is from reliable resources and learnt through personal experience. I invite you to drop by and enjoy the journey of natural health with me.

*A special thanks to Ann who is so kind to drop me a link love and Osman, for linking this new blog. I truly appreciate your support and love. God bless you.

17 January, 2007

Busy, Busy, Busy

It's a crazy, busy day. I have a deadline to meet for the print ad to be published tomorrow. Yes, it's about our First Internet Marketing Summit and we are going to have few to speakers on the teaching platform. One of them is Rich Schefren, the guru of gurus.

Then, I have to prepare the graphics for our First Ever Writing Back event with Ron Kaufman this coming April.

I need to update my links for my sites, do some link love for some kind friends and continue my writing at PPP.

Ok.. got to run for now!

Be romantic

Are you a romantic person? I am. But my husband is not (giggling).

That's the problem. When we were courting, we were miles apart - he was building his business in Malaysia and I was starting out in my academic career in Singapore. I couldn't recall the countless love letters I wrote to him and those romantic cards. Did he reciprocate? What do you think?

I dropped many hints on many occasions and finally he told me that he was not good in writing romantic love letters. Actually writing Romantic Love Letters doesn't have to be that hard anymore with the advent of the internet!

A short one like this can brighten your sweetheart's day:
You are...
    loved
    honored
    respected
    treasured
    adored
    cherished
    longed for and...
    missed.
I love you,

If you want more ideas to delight your sweetheart, check out this love site: Romance For Everyone .

Now you too can write romantic letters!

The guru of all gurus in internet marketing

Anyone heard of Rich Schefren, the guru of the gurus in internet marketing? Rich is a genius in business building. He has been featured on most TV, cable network and major newspaper and have cashed in successfully in both offline and online worlds. His businesses have danced to the tune of over 35 million dollars in sales. His joint venture partners include multi- millionaires such as Jay Abraham, John Carlton, Jeff Paul, Stephen Pierce, Yanik Silver and Alex Mandossian.

And you know what? He's coming to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in April for our Internet Marketing Summit!

Like a new cell phone?

Alex, my husband has been complaining about the coming demise of his cell phone. He's quite a simple guy really. He inherits most of my 'old' cell phones - and they are usually not exactly 'old' per se. It's just that cell phones have become a trendy item for most people, especially teenagers in Asia and modern executives.


Cell phones have created a fashion statement in the recent years. From attractive features which include in-built high-resolution camera, audio clarities, planning functions, internet connectivity and not forgetting, the aesthetic appearance! Most of us would prefer cell phones which are sleek, slim, stylish, ergonomical and attractive!

Motorola has launched a wide selection of 'good-looking' phones and the top 10 cell phones of 2006 was once again the Motorola RAZR. It is only at 13.9 mm thin, 98 mm long and has the width of a credi card! And if you like to snap photos anywhere in convenience, this cool phone creates high quality images with its effective 4 x digital zoom. Most importantly, the quad-band technology keeps you connected in more than 100 countries worldwide, ideal for any business jetsetter!

15 January, 2007

Healthy Coffee-Anyone?

Starbucks logoImage via Wikipedia
Drinking coffee has become more than a daily routine and habit these days. It has infact become a lifestyle in most countries. In Singapore and Malaysia, there is a Starbucks, Coffee Bean, Gloria Jean and Dome springing up in every nook and corner of town and a new mall.

I am personally sensitive to drinking straight coffee. So I resort to mochas and lattes, with usually request for decaf if I'm having one after mid day. I enjoying relaxing over a coffee and book every now and then, especially when you have great company with you.

For those of you who are health conscious like me, I heard that there is a healthy coffee available. Ganocafe healthy coffee contains a herb known as Ganoderma in English or Reshi in Japanse. In Chinese medicine, Ganoderma is the 'King of Herbs'. The herb is organically grown which means it is without chemicals and pesticides. Besides, Ganoderma contains over 165 different anti-oxidants and more than 212 health promoting ingredients.

So who says coffee is all bad for health? But for me, in all things, moderation should always be the key.

14 January, 2007

Link Love Day


I'm sending some link love today:

Amy , a fellow postie, shares stories of her everyday life and experiences in her blog. She is a pretty mom with 3 children and we both share the same favourite book of the Bible, Proverbs. I hope she's feeling better and the headache had ditched her.

This is one blog you need to check out by Colleen, another postie I just got to know. Not only is she the top earner at PayPerPost, she, plus few others are committed to walking 60 miles over the course of three days - not to mention each of them has to raise at least $2200 to support their cause. I really like the illustrative header in her blog.

In 'simple kind of life', she shares her everyday life's stories involving her family and friend. Again, I like the header. I'm still trying to figure out what fonts she used, it is so familiar. I study typography in my postgraduate so I can't help it but notice this!

Feeling artistic

I am drawn to this opportunity due to my art and design training background. I did oil painting in my design college days and I was pathetic in the subject. As much as I admire viewing the paintings, I always make a mess with the oil paints.

What I like about oil paintings is the texture and depth that is achieved during the painting process on the canvas. I love abstract art, landscapes and still life. One of my favourite paintings till today is Van Gogh's sunflower. This piece of art is timeless.

The colours used in the Oil Paintings by Lori Twiggs reflect the emotions and beauty of life. I love the way she uses her colours to portray the different seasons and landscape. Personally I prefer the the picture of the docks by the riverbanks. The contrast between the red house and blue waters reminds me of the holiday we took to New Zealand in 2005. it reminds me of a seaside town in the North Island. The only difference I miss in the painting is the clear blue skies found in beautiful New Zealand.

The other one that reminds me of the land of the long white cloud is the one of the sheep grazing in the fields. The bleating sheep look peaceful and they reflect the characteristics of the Loving Shepherd.

Sunday Quote of the Day


I started "Sunday Quote of the Day" at my home office women blog on the onset of 2007. I was supposed to do that for this blog too. So I will start from this week onwards.

"One of the most valuable things we can do to heal one another is listen to each other's stories".
Rebecca Falls

Aren't you glad that our stories can be heard through blogging? One of the beauties in blogging is the healing it brings to our inner being when we speak our hearts and share our thoughts. And you never know that your story may even bring healing to another soul out there.

May you be an inspiration to someone this week.

New Shanghai

We just took a short holiday to Shanghai two months ago with Clayton and our good friends, David and Tracy. Both David and Tracy had left for Ningbo to set up a business few months ago so meeting them in Shanghai was fantastic for us.

It was my first trip to China and it was infact an eye-opener for me. I have heard so much about the new Shanghai but seeing it is a totally new experience. Shanghai is modern, urban and fast-moving in the retail and F&B industry. The highlight of the entire trip was the cheap and professional tailoring in the tailors market.

I also noticed that there was a big community of China Expats in Shanghai and many of them were fluent in Mandarin. MyChinaStart is a comprehensive China directory that will come in handy for anyone who are planning to work or live in China. It is also an useful guide if you are visiting China on leisure.

13 January, 2007

I love web templates

We are in the process of revamping our company's website. Four years back, we purchased a DIY website template to get started. As a graphic designer (at heart), I'm always paying a close attention to Swish Templates or any other templates. Sometimes I only wish I have better programming skills to get my hands into designing my own!

And again, everyone of us possesses certain skills that we enjoy nurturing and it is good to just focus on what we are good at. Strengthening our strengths, in other words.

12 January, 2007

Truths about breastfeeding

I'm a strong believer of breastfeeding and made the decision to breastfeed before Clayton was born. Though this breastfeeding journey was initially an uphill task, with support of a local breastfeeding community and some experienced mothers, plus lots of breastfeeding websites and resources, I did it.

*Clayton @ 3 months old

Here are some important truths about breastfeeding:
1) Breast-fed babies are less prone to illness than bottle-fed babies
2) Breast milk is more digestible than cow's milk
3) Breast-fed babies rarely become overweight
4) It is convenient (that's how I started travelling singlehandedly with Clayton when he was 3 months old)
5) It helps you to shed those extra pounds faster
6) Breastfeeding may provide some protection against cancer

Music Buzz

I love music since I was a child. Music livens my spirit and relaxes my mind. When I was in Perth for my postgraduate, I would keep the music going til the wee hours of the morning, my companion during my thesis writing.

There's a great music site calling for independent artists, bands and music lovers. So if you play an instrument, are a member of a band, loves music or aspire to be an artiste, drop by the site!

My first Blog Carnival

I'm running a blog carnival for anyone with a home office story and the deadline is today. To date, I have fabulous response and I can't wait to mention that in my hom eoffice women blog. If you have a story to tell, beat the deadline and submit your story by today!

Quality domains

When we set up our seminar business in 2003, the first thing we did was to find a domain and create a website for the business, to create an online presence. I remembered surfing the Net for a domain company and we ended with one.

Nowadays, domain business is growing extensively and has become a lucrative business. However, just like any other business, quality plays an important part too when you choose a domain name. As we are venturing into the internet business, we have been searching for some desired domain names and often times, those good names are not available.

The importance of a quality domain cannot be underestimated. It affects site traffic which determines the site popularity as well. Therefore, it creates more web presence for your products and services.

In the business standpoint, you would need to understand the value of a domain too. Some of the factors that influence the value of a domain are:
  • Existing traffic & direct navigation
  • Length of domain
  • Extension
  • Mindshare (Memory retention)
  • Composition
  • Trademark issues
  • Prestige
  • Industry presence
So if you are planning on starting a new business, it is worth investing on a good quality domain or domains. And you can watch how the business can grow and expand from engaging a wise choice.

11 January, 2007

Link Love for a respectable friend

I'm sending a link love to a friend I knew for some time. He is someone my husband and myself respect alot and I would like you to check out his blog. I'm sure you will find his story inspiring and heart-warming. Jangbokjae (korean name) became a full-time caregiver to his wife after she had a stroke. He's a blogging newbie so give him a morale boost and check his blog out.

60 Mandarin characters!

I took Clayton to his Mandarin class this morning on foot as daddy was outstationed. We had a nice stroll and he would ask me to 'bao bao' ('carry him' in Mandarin).

I also had the opportunity to find out his progress when having a chat with his teacher. To my amazement, I was told that he could recognize about 60 Mandarin characters now! That was impressive. My husband will be embarassed to tell you that he can't read more than 5!

That's the potential of little minds. They absorb like a sponge - good and bad - they are inquisitive and they learn so fast. That is why it's always important how we speak or conduct ourselves infront of our little ones. In Singlish, they can 'monkey see, monkey do'.

Technology Trends

I had a busy day today. My husband is outstationed and I'm left to babysit Clayton all by myself. Though I'm doing most of the caregiving and daily chores everyday, it does help to know someone is there to keep an eye when I need a breather. Today is an exception.

While Clayton was asleep, I managed to steal some time to write my blogs, send some link love, do some research over the web and reply some emails. I came across an interesting Video Email and Webcasting website. I'm sure many of us may have already heard or known the effectiveness of communicating through video. You have probably heard of Google videos and Youtube by now.

Technology trends are moving faster than we think. In time to come, other than sending emails, many of us will be sending a video email to our friends and family.

10 January, 2007

Planning a move?

My cousin had just migrated to Australia a month ago. I remembered having a conversation with her one day and she was lamenting about how stressful and tired in this entire packing and moving process.

Relocation is not an easy task especially when you are planning to move your 'entire house' (so to speak) to a foreign land. She was getting few quotations from movers and was contemplating if she needed a major shipper.

As we are also planning for a migration in few years' time, I am hoping that all we need is apartment movers and not using a major shipper. We don't intend to bring all our furniture like my cousin so having a mini mover that can take all our essentials to Australia will be much preferred.

From the conversation we had, I gathered that other than a prompt quote, support and reliability are both key to a good mover. I came across one mover with great reputation and if you are planning to do a move, check out MiniMoves.

09 January, 2007

Hosting your domain

I started by first blog in 2005 when I wanted a 'place' to pen down my thoughts, musings and lessons of being a first time mum. Then I neglected it because there was just so much to handle when I was the sole caregiver then. It was a blessing that Clayton was born after our events for the year.

I almost forgot about blogging until earlier this year, when I was exposed to abit more cyberspace news. The potential of blogging did not create much interest still until I came across a special feature in the newspapers about 'The Power of Blogging'.

Out of curiosity, I checked out few featured bloggers and then realised these people didn't just start blogs to speak their minds and post their birthdday photos. They were serious about making some extra money from the blog-o-sphere.

My curiosity continued on and led me to attend a 2-day internet seminar. For the first time, I became a little more interested about the worldwide web. I didn't even know much about website hosting. The only thing I recalled was to host our company's website in some'ready -to-go' website. I was a total newbie!

From the seminar, I learnt more about Dedicated Hosting, the advantages and the importance of finding a reliable one with good support. You wouldn't want to get stressed over lack of online help when you can't upload your pages or files to your site. Like the name suggests, dedicated servers means 'dedicated service', so to speak.

Thus, do your research, talk to experienced webmasters or internet marketers to ensure that you are getting the right package for your needs.

Humming to a tune

Clayton is beginning to appreciate songs and music lately and it just sent me smiles. I have always been actively involved in singing performances in my home church in Singapore, so I 'silently' wish that Clayton will be musically inclined.

He's been humming to his favourite tunes and it is so cute listening to those lyrics he tries so hard to get right. My little boy is growing up. He can now say 'Don't Kacau' when his daddy tries to be playful with him. 'Kacau' is malay word which means 'Disturb'.

Insurance and you

I'm quite certain most of us working adults have bought insurance for respective purposes - personal, health, home and car. We buy insurance to feel 'secure' and to ensure a certain of level if anything goes wrong.

Insure 121 that is a one-stop place for your insurance needs -which covers from car insurance
to home insurance. This UK website has nice pleasing coloured buttons and nice icons on the sidebar, which appears friendly and appealing. All the detailed information for various insurance needs are listed in the website.

Advertising space

I mentioned in my earlier post about Fuelmyblog.com. I checked the site out and participated in two advertising blocks. This morning, I received a comment on one of my blog and someone actually took notice of the ad I placed in that little advertising space.

Well, free traffic is still traffic, isn;t it?

08 January, 2007

Personal loan

I'm quite certain many of us have taken a loan of some sort. For me, the first (and only) loan I took was 10 years ago when I did my postgraduate in Perth, Western Australia.

Nowadays, personal loansare a common thing. In my opinion, you should take a loan when you need it for good reasons such as education, business or family emergency matters. I know there are many young working executives who have fallen the trap of overspending on credit cards and end up in a real debt trap.

Mortgages becomes very convenient for new home owners and business people. During the 1997 recession, many business people had failed to fufill their commitments to the banks, which led to many bankruptcy and bad debt situations.

Valentine's Day - anyone?

Are you a romantic person? I am. But sadly, my husband is not. I've been educating him for years to adhere to the season but only to be disappointed every year.

I love the occasion even though I know it is seen by most as a commercialised day. It's not so much for the gifts or the gesture of appreciating someone you care about or love. Just some sending aValentine Card can bring smiles and cheer to person you love. If you don't believe this, try doing that this year and you will be surprised by this small gesture can do for your relationship with your loved ones.

07 January, 2007

Sick child worries mum

How many of you know that a mother is most distressed when her child is sick? My 2 yr old was down with fever last 2 days and I was worried sick. He woke up crying a few times the last few nights and when I held that warm body, I was frightened.

Lots of thoughts were racing through my mind. I wasn't sure if I should take him to the paed and again, I should just monitor his condition. See, I'm one person who don't quite like to dose in drugs or medicine, especially so for a little child. I'm thankful for doctors and will seek help is I need one but I don't go running to one 'right away' when I catch a cold or flu bug.

I prayed and prayed and at one point, I was in tears when I held him to sleep. It must be a terrible time for him because mommy is weaning him too.

He woke this morning with a normal temperature but the cough is still bothering him. I'm just so thankful he's on the road to recovery.

05 January, 2007

Events for 2007

We are planning for our year's seminars and events and things are looking rosy.

Last year, we had marketing and branding experts, Al and Laura Ries speaking for us. They were great to work and we enjoyed their company. Both of them have such a wealth of knowledge that we were most thankful to have them in our speakers' portfolio.

We also run two events with Ron Kaufman, the world's most informational and inspirational public speaker in the area of superior customer service. It was the fourth year we were working together so you can see why. Ron is professional and never fails to deliver a world-class presentation.

I just got news that we would be having a few top internet marketers speaking for our first Internet Marketing Summit this April. I'll be posting more updates in the next week or so.

Last days of Nursing Journey

This is the fourth day Clayton has gone to sleep without nursing. For a toddler who has been nursed to sleep for the past 26+mths, it is an achievement for him. It is emotional for me and I believe it is the same with him. Yet, he has been sweet, 'understanding' and he made me proud.

On some occasions, I want to just give in but I know we have to end this for good. It will be a huge milestone for him when he's completely weaned.

Looking back, it has been an amazing journey. I must alot of people to thank.

04 January, 2007

Wonders of Garlic


Few days ago, I was hit by the cold bug again. My acupuncturist shared a wonderful and effective natural home remedy for cold/flu bouts. I chewed a clove of fresh garlic that night and repeated it the next day and the next day, I woke up with no more nose dripping! My nasal stuffiness was gone!

Most of us may have heard about the wonders of garlic. A garlic clove contains a pungent compound called allicin which has natural antibiotic properties. Here are some wonderful benefits of this blessing from mother nature:
  • Aids general immunity.
  • Aids in the prevention of heart disease.
  • Helps thin the blood, reduces clotting and helps control blood pressure and poor circulation.
  • Cleanser of the digestive system.
  • Helps cure flatulence or bloating.
  • Acts against inflamation and infection, including colds, coughs, respiratory problems, bronchial disorders and catarrh.
  • Kills internal parasites and is an excellent internal anticeptic.

  • Prevents cancer-cell growth due to sulphur compounds in garlic
  • Reduces low blood sugar
  • Lowers the risk of stroke
  • Promotes good circulation
So start chewing one if you are getting the cold bug. Just don't go straight to a business meeting after that!

03 January, 2007

BlogTipping


I came across an interesting and fabulous idea from a fellow blogger who shared about BlogTipping. What exactly is that?

Here are the basics:
  • Select three blogs (could be your favorites, new favorites or new discoveries)
  • Highlight three positives about each blog
  • Give one piece of constructive criticism (that’s the tip)
  • Don’t forget to categorize or tag it as blogtipping (so Easton can find you and give you some link love)
Mmm... I'm going to start blog tipping in 2007... maybe you should to.

Goodbye to nursing

This is Clayton's second night of sleep without being nursed. I've decided to wean him on the onset of 2007 and things are looking good.

As much as I want to end this nursing journey, I do feel a little 'sad' on the emotional end. No one except the both of us know how 'special' those moments were. Yet, this weaning process would be a milestone for him.

He's been taking it well except for some crying when he woke up middle of his sleep - it was equally tough for me - physically and emotionally.

But I know we'll move into a new level of bonding even as we say 'goodbye' to this wonderful nursing journey we have shared in the last 26 months. I'm treasuring the last few special moments...

02 January, 2007

MySpace - good or bad?

I was reading the recent copy of TIME Asia which featured the power of social networking in the digital media today. It was amazing to read about the creativity of different individuals who carved a niche for themselves by what they did. One of the interesting stories which stood out was the 'Madonna of Cyberspace', Tila Tequila.

One of the largest problem with MySpace is that it is overrun with kids and teenagers. Don't get me wrong. I do believe that MySpace is a powerful place to network, grow your business, make friends, establish your online presence and even build your profile. But the fact remains that it worries parents about what kind of friends and people their children are befriending. You can't deny that there are lots of sexual predators out there preying on young victims.

However, there is a fabulous and reliable software in the market that acts as a myspace spy. Other than recording MySpace blog entries, profiles, emails/pictures sent and received, SpectroSoft can also records chats from other providers such as Yahoo and Messenger. The multiple features of this software allows you to record online searches from Google, AOL, Yahoo and MSN.

01 January, 2007