Travels Trick Art Museum Inside Happy Dream Land, Boracay 12:58 PM We enjoyed the unlimited picture taking at the Trick Art Museum inside The Happy Dream Land after our ATV trip. (Click on individual photos to view in full size) Trick Art Museum Inside Happy Dream Land, Boracay Hey, did you find this post helpful or entertaining? Please go ahead and share. Share buttons on the left and at the bottom of the article. Big thanks! Subscribe to About Life And Love by Email
Travels Capturing Philippines' Beauty 8:00 AM There's no question that the Philippines is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. According to the latest survey, three islands---Palawan, Cebu and Boracay--- are among the top 5 most beautiful islands in the world. So, if you disagree, go check the numbers. 😉 I have personally explored a few places in the Philippines and captured its beauty on my phone. There is no doubt. It is indeed captivating. Truly, it is more fun here. (Click individual image to view in full size) What is worth capturing in the Philippines? The scenery See the pristine beaches, white sand, rich marine life. Climb the wondrous peaks, be surrounded by the sea of clouds, explore the caves. Travel down memory lane with historical buildings. There is just endless options with what you can see in the Philippines. Here are a few of my travels captured from my phone. Boracay Fortune Island Calaguas Isla de Gigantes Guimaras The Ruins, Talisay Balay Negrense in Silay - Paris of Negros The people Filipinos are world-class when it comes to talents and skills. But more than that, we are known for our hospitality and resilience. We treat our guests like royalty and make sure their trip will be something worth remembering. We remain strong even in the face of tragedies. photo credit: CNN Celebrating love amidst the storm and flood. (photo: Boy Wander) And we are confidently beautiful with a heart. (photo: Google images) Festivals Filipinos are revellers in general. We love to have fun albeit in a loud way. Thus, there are fiestas anywhere. Every province in every region celebrates a certain festival that depicts history, reflects the culture and celebrates oneness. As expected, it's always vibrant, fun, and it could get crazy sometimes. Here are a few famous festivals enjoyed by locals and foreigners alike: A parade of flowers at Baguio's Panagbenga Festival Yes, the floats are made of fresh flowers. (photo: Gridcrosser) A thanksgiving for the bountiful harvest at Kadayawan Festival in Davao (photo: Equator Asia) A thanksgiving dedicated to Sr. Santo Niño at Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo (photo: Primer.com) A festival of smiles to remind everyone of the time the people of Bacolod chose to smile in the face of economic crisis at the Maskara festival. (photo: Islands of the Philippines) The food Your trip to the Philippines, that is, capturing Philippines' beauty will not be complete if you don't try Filipino foods. Adobo, sinigang, sisig, tinolang manok, kare-kare, halo-halo are only a few of the many traditional Filipino dishes that will capture your heart and make you ask for more. Anthony Bourdain (photos: Buzzfeed) Favorite destination to capture The next place I want to capture the beauty of in the Philippines is somewhere I haven't gone to yet, but dying to see---Palawan. It's been consistently on the top most beautiful islands in the world. It's kind of crazy to say that Palawan is my favorite destination because I haven't been there yet. I don't need to be there to know that Palawan is worth capturing. Palawan, I knew I loved you before I met you. If this snap of Palawan can't convince you to visit, I don't know what could. (photo: Palawan Island Philippines) The Philippines is such a beautiful place you'll fall in love with. It's good to keep memories of your travels. I mostly travel with my smartphone and that's what I used to take photos. Invest in a good camera to make capturing Philippines' fascinating beauty a whole lot better. Hey, did you find this post helpful or entertaining? Please go ahead and share. Share buttons on the left and at the bottom of the article. Big thanks! Subscribe to About Life And Love by Email
Listicle How To Stay Sane And Productive Working From Home: Campaign Monitor Review 9:47 PM I work online. Social media management, content and copywriting are my main focus. As of this writing, I also have wedding plans to do and house duties which include taking care of our 17 dogs. All these resulted to me sacrificing my time blogging. I used to actively engage with subscribers and followers. Now I can barely post. Not complaining! My life has beautiful plot twists. But I know that I must put time and effort in maintaining my relationship with my faithful blog family as this is the main reason why I started to work from home. But how do I stay on top of things without going crazy? How to stay sane and productive working from home? Here's my Campaign Monitor review and other tips I'd like to share based from my experience. How to Stay Sane and Productive Working from Home 1. Keep your environment conducive to working. I used to work in the bedroom. Big mistake! Your bedroom is a place for resting, not for working. As much as possible (and please make it possible), do not work in your bedroom. Although you're working from home, keep "home" separate from work. You'll see your bed and that will give you the feeling of wanting to "lie down for just a minute" and be comfortable. That's procrastination waiting to happen. That will result to projects delayed and tasks half-done. If you want to stay productive while working from home, don't work in your bedroom. 2. Keep distractions away. What distracts you from focusing on your task? For me that's my phone. Sometimes the dogs asking for neck scratch too. Dog owners know the struggle. Put your phone away or turn to Airplane mode. There are also productivity apps you can download. For your dogs, establish a routine. Give them treats before you start working or after. Whatever works for your pooch. Don't let them in your working area if they get too hyper or needy. Personally, I find it helpful if I feed them first or play with them before working because by then they're full and tired and they would just want to sleep under the table or beside me. 3. Have a routine. I'm lucky have clients who let me work anytime I want as long as I finish the hours we agreed on. I choose to work as early as I can so I can work some extra or run personal errands and end the day early too. Establish a routine around your schedule like going to an office. Have breakfast, check emails, decide on which task to work on first, have a break and allow yourself to rest. Campaign Monitor Review 4. Schedule ahead of time. I'm thankful that there are apps and tools that allow me to schedule ahead of time. I can schedule social media posts and emails. Recently, I've come across Campaign Monitor. What I like about Campaign Monitor It is easy to use. Signing up is uncomplicated. If you're new to email campaign, there is a short tutorial video that shows you a quick overview of how to start and monitor your emails after sending. They have professional looking email designs ready to use and easy to customize. They have pricing plans to suit your budget. You know they have the best intention for your business and subscribers because before you can send a campaign, you will be required to verify your subscribers list. You just need to answer how you obtained your list and how often you email them. But that leads me to what I don't like about this tool... What I don't like about Campaign Monitor I have answered the questions so I can set up my email marketing but I didn't get a reply. It takes forever for their support team to respond. I've messaged many times about my concern but still hasn't received any feedback. Based on my experience, I'm giving Campaign Monitor 3.5 stars. 5. Step away. Take a few minutes to step away from your desk. When work is getting too much, when I encounter some good old writer's block, I find it helpful to take a few minutes away from my laptop. What do I do? Take a shower. My best ideas for some reason come to me while I'm in the shower. Amazing how many articles I've finished writing in my head while enjoying a cool bath. Snack. I don't just snack on any food because food affects the way you think and feel. So you also have to be mindful about what you're putting inside your body. Read a few pages on whatever book I have my hands on. Watch funny videos or vegan cooking videos. Play with the dogs. When you remove work-related thoughts in your head, you find yourself ready for more ideas to come in. 6. Take vacations. Vacation does not need to be grand. You don't have to book a flight to Bora Bora or Maldives. Mini-vacations could be great and helpful. How does being away from work help you achieve more at work? Your brain needs to reboot. Your body needs to rest. Your soul needs to recharge. A healthy, calm body, mind and a soul at peace make you productive. Vacations help you stay sane because stress from work can drive you crazy. How about you? How do you stay sane and productive working from home? What is the email campaign tool you use? Please share with me in the comment! Note: I have received compensation for this review but all opinions are my own.
Travels Dream Summer Destination 10:36 AM Summertime is always the best of what might be. -Charles Bowden Temperature rising, humidity seeping into your skin, Mr. Sun making sure his presence is felt by every living creature under his reign...ahhh, summer. We can surely feel it now. Where's your next summer destination? I usually go to the beach when summer beckons. Boracay, Fortune Island, Isla de Gigantes, Baler, Calaguas---these are only a few of my favorite beach summer destinations. It's the perfect time to submerge in the pristine clear waters of the Philippine beaches, and sink my feet in the white sand to relax. But, this summer I dream of going to a cool place. Someplace different from my usual summer destinations. This year, I want my summer escapade to be an escape from everything that screams of summer. Away from the heat of the sun. Away from the sand on my feet, and the smell of salt in the air. This year, I dream of going to Japan. Dream Summer Destination: Japan Why Japan? Cherry blossoms Cherry blossoms is one of the many reasons people visit Japan because it's trademark to them. I love pink and I love flowers. And I love to see something new and be surrounded by nature. Cherry blossoms is enough reason for me to want to visit Japan. The cherry blossom season typically takes place in early April. So that's still summer here. Pinterest Mt. Fuji A majestic landmark and icon, you can't not go and see Mt. Fuji when you're in Japan. With it's perfect symmetry and unique appearance, this majestic mountain is on top of my list. One Japan Harry Potter World It is unforgivable for a Potterhead like me to visit Japan and not see the Harry Potter world. It's a crime! I want to drink butterbeer, visit the stores in Diagon Alley, get my wand at Ollivander's, and experience the magic all over again. Inside the magic Ghibli Museum Speaking of magic, who didn't fall in love with the magical world of Hayao Miyazaki? The moment I saw Spirited Away and learned about Ghibli Museum, I knew I have to go there before I die. I'd like to visit Kiki's Bakery, see Howl's Moving Castle and Castle in the Sky exhibits, and step into the fantastic creations of Mr. Miyazaki. Tofugu Hachiko As a dog foster parent, I know the depth of a dog's love, loyalty and dedication. The most popular story of which is of Hachiko's. No, I can't watch the movie. I might get a breakdown. But I want to see and give my reverence to the great Hachiko in his well-deserved and honored monument. Pinterest Castles and temples There are a lot of astonishing architectures in Japan. Most of which are their castles and temples that could rival and easily beat their modern buildings in beauty anytime. White Heron Castle or Himeji Castle, Edo castle, Kinkaku-ji, Matsumoto Castle and Senso-ji. There are just a few of these beauties I want to see in Japan. Faxo Where's your dream summer destination?
