August 29th, 2010 by Rochelle
I left my previous company and joined a new one just recently. August 2010 marks the beginning of a new career path for me. Crossing my fingers for a less bumpy ride ahead.
Breakfast with team mates at Yellow Cab, Eastwood (That's me in blue)
August 15th, 2010 by Rochelle
Stress is not an alien word for moms. We eat stress for breakfast. No matter how excellent we are at time management, we still get the beating due to the tons of work we juggle at home. It doubles the challenge for working moms who don’t have nannies or a solid support system we call extended family, who can look after the kids when we’re out. I’m tired of being tired! So while we toil most of the day, we deserve some pampering here and there to keep us sane at the very least.
What are the best stress busters you can think of at home? I made a list of what I do to relieve stress, although I have to admit that sometimes my body fails to budge and I just remain a zombie, lol!
1. I’m a sleepyhead so I take time to doze off whenever I could. But there was a time when my work became too stressful for me that even my favorite sleeping habit was affected. I was surprised to learn that emotional stress and anxiety can adversely affect our sleeping patterns. My sleep disorder started to affect my health badly so I decided to quit my job before it kills me. I now have a new and promising job that’s less stressful but equally compensating.
“Continuing to do the same thing
in the same way and expecting
different results
is the definition of insanity.” – Albert Einstein
2. A luxurious bath. It doesn’t mean drowning myself with expensive bubble baths and petals and what-have-yous but I just take time to enjoy warm water with my favorite body washes either from Body Shop or Japan Home. Feeling fresh and clean always makes my day plus smelling sweet (like strawberry, cherry, vanilla, etc) makes me high!
3. A soothing massage. Totally relaxing, I get to sleep easily whenever I get some good kneading and stretching with the use of aroma therapeutic massage oils.
4. Relaxing linen sprays to set a zen mood especially in the bedroom. Thanks to Spa Essentials for sending me a couple of massage oils and linen sprays for free! Two weeks ago, I was lucky to have been chosen as winner in Spa Essentials’ July contest on Facebook. I’m now using their products and I can honestly say that my sleeping patterns have gone better. I alternate using their Sleep Easy and their Stress Relief linen sprays on my beddings.
You too can try the zen effect of Spa Essentials in the comfort of your own home. No need for trips to expensive spa centers. Find the Spa Essentials products that suit you in all SM and Watsons stores nationwide.
4. Online games and social networking sites. I have to get to the internet every.single.day or else I’d lose my sanity! Need I say more? Lol!
5. Movies and TV. They help to get my mind off the pressures at work. When I’m done with the cooking and cleaning and washing the dishes and grocery shopping, I spend some “me time” watching feel-good flicks like “The Ugly Truth,” “50 First dates,” among others and funny TV programs.
6. Youtube. So handy if I wanna hear my favorite songs or view some funny commercials or even long-forgotten episodes of my favorite Ally McBeal.
7. Satisfy sweet tooth cravings. When we’re stressed out, our body releases a hormone called cortisol which increases our appetite for sweets. And being able to satisfy our cravings especially sweets, our body releases feel-good endorphins. I’m a sucker for cakes and pastries so I normally stuff the fridge with them. Goldilocks and Go Nuts Donuts should give me a loyalty award.
8. Positive Self-Talk. I believe in the Law of Attraction so I think about my dreams, my inspirations, my goals. They keep me going. I count my blessings and as much as possible, I don’t dwell on negative thoughts.
“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
How about you? How do you relieve stress at home?
July 25th, 2010 by Rochelle
This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NMEDA. All opinions are 100% mine.
It’s not everyday that we hear stories like that of Jessica Cox, the feisty Fil-Am woman who can fly a plane without arms (she was born armless). Cox not only flies a plane, she also drives her own car with ease using only her legs. Cox doesn’t seem to need modifications to the car she drives or the plane she flies. But whether we admit it or not, not all physically challenged individuals can duplicate what Cox is amazingly able to do. But definitely, being differently-abled doesn’t mean that one can’t enjoy the ease and comfort of riding a vehicle like a van, a pickup truck or any car for that matter.
When it comes to mobility, NMEDA (National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association) makes sure that their dealers adhere to safety and reliability standards of vehicle modification, aimed at enhancing accessibility for all people including the physically challenged and the elderly. NMEDA is a non-profit trade association that advocates quality vehicles for all. Their members are required to adhere to the safety standards of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
NMEDA Dealers
I always thought all wheelchair vehicles are created equal. But then again, since no two people with disabilities are identical, it makes sense that it’s not advisable to buy “generic” wheelchair vehicles that are easily found online. NMEDA’s accredited dealers offer personalized modification of wheelchair vehicles per client, with in-depth consultation/evaluation and even proper training and product refinements. NMEDA dealers offer handicap vans and vehicle modifications to suit one’s needs and lifestyle.
Quality Assurance Program
“The Quality Assurance Program (QAP) is the only nationally recognized accreditation program for the Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry. It is based on the principle that in order to satisfy customers consistently, companies must have a systematic and documented approach to quality,” according to NMEDA. Hence, with QAP’s principle, one can be assured of superior quality when it comes to automotive mobility for persons with disability.
Looking after our loved ones with physical impairments is a challenging task especially when it comes to mobility during emergency. But if we can make our lives so much easier by looking into such alternatives, why wouldn’t we?
As a call center agent, I’ve had quite a number of calls and small talks with persons with impairments talking about how hard their situations are. But one caller struck to my memory the most. She was a sweet old lady who was using her wheelchair to move about. She said her family finds it hard to carry her into the van whenever she needs to visit the doctor and she fears that during emergency cases, it would be even harder for them to transport her. At her end, she finds it inconvenient to travel so she only leaves the house when it’s about doctor’s appointment.
For caregivers and family members, transporting a physically challenged loved one could be a disaster without proper training or even the proper equipment. I didn’t know that there are companies that actually modify vehicles for such a cause. Old age or physical impairment need not hamper one’s zest for life outside the four corners of their room.
Click on NMEDA to find the nearest qualified dealer in your area and let me know when you’ve found one. I’ll be glad to hear from you.
July 23rd, 2010 by Rochelle
Movie enthusiasts, here’s one good reason to mark your calendar this July 28!
Angelina Jolie is about to take you to the edge of your seat again with her latest action-packed film, “SALT.” The exciting part? A special screening is in the offing this coming July 28, Wednesday, 7:30-9:30 pm at Greenbelt Cinema 1.
The special screening is brought to us by Nuffnang and Heaven Ice Cream.
Divine ice cream pleasure is HEAVEN Ice Cream.
Give in to the richest, smoothest, and creamiest by NESTLÉ Ice Cream. Revel in the exquisite goodness of its four sophisticated flavors—Belgian Chocolate Bliss, Strawberry Dream, Vanilla Almond Secret and Butter Pecan Obsession. HEAVEN Ice Cream is made with only the finest ingredients and contains no artificial food colors. Available in 800mL(Php 175) & 450mL(Php 115) tubs across supermarkets, groceries, and convenience stores nationwide.
July 22nd, 2010 by Rochelle
I was snooping around different blogs while dropping EC when a post about BC Bloggers caught my attention. I knew nothing about BC Bloggers in the past but upon reading that it’s gonna help your blog gain popularity, I gathered it’s a pretty nice way of growing one’s blogging network and it could positively impact one’s PR too. Here’s how it takes to join in according to Paula:
Are you new to blogging and is finding it hard to gain links to your blog?
Are you tired of exchanging links one blog at a time?
Are you looking for friends in the blogosphere?
If you said yes to all of the above then you have come to the right place. BC Bloggers will help your blog gain those precious inbound links in an easy and systematic way. It is also a cool way to meet friends in the blogosphere.
So what do you need to do? Just follow these simple steps and you’re in.
1. The success of BC Bloggers depend on the number of people joining. So please spread the word about BC Bloggers 4 and invite other bloggers to join.
2. Put the BC Bloggers badge in your sidebar. You can find the code below.
3. Make a page dedicated to BC Bloggers where you intend to post the links. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the navigation bar or at the sidebar as long as it is linked in the homepage.
4. Once you have done steps 1, 2, and 3 fill out the Application Form. One blog for each form. If you have another blog to add then fill out a new form and submit. Please be careful when putting your blog url especially in HTML format. Deadline of application is on August 12.
Join now and spread the word. Come one, come all!
