Thanks to my colleague Liza, I’ve signed up for oDesk – an online community that brings together freelance professionals with clients who are looking to outsource jobs. I haven’t actually applied for any jobs yet because you need to take a test before you can be eligible for any. Prior to taking the test, I’m reading up on what it really means to be working with oDesk.
It all seems legit and the job postings range from data entry ones to more complex web design and database maintenance. There are a lot of blog writing opportunities there too. Technical writers would find a lot of opportunities from oDesk.
I have a job that pays well, why am I turning online for more? I want to save up for more things and most importantly, we’re preparing to get married next year. Any extra income would be so welcome.
Plus, I spend HOURS online everyday anyway. Might as well channel that to something really productive. 🙂
Okay, I will admit it. I just had to turn the computer on before I went to work this (or yesterday) afternoon, and do a little more browsing. While going through the beautiful handmade products over at Etsy, I got several ideas and set out to learn what I could about them.
I saw a store that sold bags made from recycled plastic bags so I wanted to find out how those were done. I also remembered a comment on a blog post I read about a quilt made from coffee cup sleeves (amazing work). It was about fusing plastic and using that to water-proof the quilt so it can actually be usable. That led me to searching the net for fusing plastic bags.
It appears to be a very simple process. I can do it. I want to do it. But I have no idea what to make. You know, I wouldn’t know what to use the fused plastic fabric for. The different sites showcase various uses for it, but not one thing that I would really want to make for myself or others that I know would be used everyday. Know what I mean? Ahh, me and my ideas. I really should have a partner in crime who is far more creative or artsy than I am. 🙂
If you’re interested, head on to Etsy Labs for the simple tutorial, and you can check out this short video too.
I visited the IkeaHacker on Monday night, and it led to me to this site and then finally to Etsy. I saw so many handmade products that I wish I had thought of doing, some I would want to buy, and some I would love to learn how to make. But this, well, I KNOW I can’t ever make anything like this (click on the image and visit iPAPERCUT’s shop):
The closest that I would get to anything like this, would be the papercut snowflakes we used to make as kids. 🙂
From ColorMeBella’s blog, what really prompted me to follow the links to Etsy was her attempt at making Marble Glass Bead Magnets. They don’t cost much to purchase and ship and would make awesome whatever presents to friends and family and is okay for both young and old (whatever presents for me means whatever the occasion is). I was contemplating purchasing several sets from different sellers but it would also be neat to try making them myself (if I have the skills required to make them, that is). Trusty Google led me to links that will probably allow to me get this project going. I’d have to find out next if I can source materials easily (so far my chances look bleak). 🙁
Having taken a break from making truffles has had me thinking about another possible social entrepreneurial project. I am not yet sure if it will actually take off but I hope that it does. I want to keep it with the family for now, since nothing’s been drawn up yet anyway. I will blog about it eventually – when it happens, or when it flops. 😉
It’s my mom’s birthday, by the way. Happy Birthday Mom! 🙂
I feel like I’m on vacation right now but I’m just on my regular weekend off. I had such a fun day yesterday – water fun under the sun! I had the best company ever – boyfriend, my friend from work Vanette, my niece Dalnes and my nephew Esban.
Vanette loves swimming. She’s gone to two swimming courses in the three years I’ve known her. We’ve been talking about taking a dip for the whole month of April but didn’t get to go then. Oh when we finally got to go, the sun was really on it’s brightest and hottest! Yesterday seems like the only day in the past week that didn’t have rains in the afternoon. There were threatening rain clouds at around 4PM but they didn’t blow over Taytay (the municipality where the resort is at), and even when it started drizzling as we were on our way home, it was just brief like the wind just blew them over there.
We went to Club Manila East, a resort that’s about 35-45 minutes away from here. This was the same resort that Vanette and I went to 3 years ago with 3 of our other guy batchmates from work (who are all no longer in the company). This visit was in stark contrast to the first one: we were practically alone there on that Friday afternoon while we shared the resort yesterday with hundreds of people! They have more pools this time around though so it didn’t really feel very crowded, except perhaps in the Beach Waves pool.
As my dad drove us in to the entrance of Club Manila East (CME), we were overwhelmed by the number of people hanging around at the gate and the vehicles that filled the parking lot. Thankfully, the queue for tickets wasn’t that long so we were in after about 5 minutes. While waiting, Alfred lifted Esban to see the people on the kayaks. We also saw the sign for surfing lessons up front. At first we wondering, how could they do it? Surely, the artificial waves wouldn’t be that strong. Later in the day, we learned just how possible it was to really ride those waves!
The only thing that kept me from really enjoying the trip to the max was that I caught a cold the night before and it’s just no fun swimming with colds. I also couldn’t stand the intensity of the sun’s rays. It was really awesome that one of CME’s maintenance guys put up our table and chairs about five feet from this pool that had the least people in, and right under a mango tree! Shade! We had the coolest spot ever and we only had to pay 100 pesos for it. Before we got that spot we wanted to rent a hut or a cabana but all of them were already taken. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise really.
The kids really maxed themselves out swimming, it was fun to have them because they could both swim already so we didn’t always have to fuss about them. All we had to was just make sure we had our eyes on them. They did venture out on their own to the Kiddie Pool on the other side of the resort. Dal is very capable to watch her brother though so I didn’t worry too much. They came back in less than 15 minutes.
The first pool we checked out was Beach Waves. Of course, within 5 minutes of our arrival, the kids were on there. Good thing too because the waves just started. Us three adults didn’t get to experience the waves yet in the morning, it’s like the waves went on break or something. So we checked out the other pools and found our awesome shaded spot.
When our pool (yes, I claimed it) was closing at 5PM, we decided to go back to the Wave Pool. Vanette and I would not leave without getting a taste of it (not literally okay). Alfred and the kids went there after lunch so boyfriend already knew why Esban just couldn’t get enough. So off we went and WOW, those are some waves. The whole time I was thinking, real waves are more forgiving! Haha. We stayed for like three cycles, the last one were just at the “shore” where the waves break. It was so much fun. I kept worrying about Esban though because as violent as the waves were, he kept taking them on and pushing forward! I had Alfred and Dal alternately chasing after him. Near sundown though, he was the one who said we should go – he was hungry and looking forward to going to SM Taytay!
The shower rooms weren’t crowded as I though they would be. Thank God. There wasn’t much hassle getting the kids cleaned and dressed up. Esban even came back for me asking me to hurry – that’s just because we thought it was going to rain. We had to take pedicabs to the main street as the shuttle was no longer available (too bad, we were looking forward to taking a ride on those). And then we took a jeepney to SM Taytay. We really just wanted to check it out a bit and maybe find something other than Jollibee to eat, but we ended up eating at McDonald’s! I figured it would be easier to get a cab from there too. Okay, it wasn’t easy, but we did get a cab that agreed to take us home.
Esban fell asleep on the ride home, just as expected. He came up here after lunch to tell me he liked it at CME and wants to go back. That’s just as expected too. I want to go back too sweetie 🙂
Any regrets on the trip? I guess only that I didn’t borrow Edsel’s camera pack to get the digicam water proofed. Another would be that we didn’t ask other friends to tag along. There’s always a next time. 🙂
Oh, this has turned into a long post and I haven’t even mentioned the water proof paper bracelet they make you wear upon entrance. No worries, I’ll have another post on this later with pictures! I’ve just transferred them from the camera and checking them out!
I’ve added a Windows Live Messenger IM Control onto my blog the other day. This is to allow anyone reading my blog who I don’t personally know or have on my buddy/contact list in Messenger, to know my online presence and initiate a real-time conversation.
I’ve been using Messenger – in one form or another – for a long time. Pre-NCO days (my current employer), I’d use Yahoo Messenger. But in the past 3 years, Windows Live Messenger is an official communications tool at work. I personally love the custom emoticons!
Back to the point… Over to the right, in pastel orange (?) is what’s called an IM control. It willl show you when I’m online on Windows Live Messenger, and if you’re browsing through and have something you want me to know right away, you can go ahead and send me a message and I’ll respond. The real me will respond, not just some bot. 🙂
I was really excited when I read about this feature (which has been around for months before I found out!) and tried it out right away, first through my verabear.com, and then here on the blog when I got home from work.
Anyhoo, when you click on the link to Begin a conversation, you’ll be prompted to use a Windows Live ID (msn or hotmail email address) that you are currently signed in with, or you can sign in using a different ID, or you may send an anonymous message. If you choose the latter, you can just enter a nickname and we’re all set to chat!
I’m kinda sad though because I haven’t actually received any chats through the control, makes me wonder if people come by to visit at all? Nah, as I said before, I post for myself mostly, but getting feedback from people who breeze through always feel like virtual hugs.
Now, if you want to have IM control on your blogs or Web sites too, it’s very easy. First, you must have your own Windows Live ID – any MSN, Hotmail or Live.com email address is already a Live ID. You can sign up for one over at http://login.live.com
Next, you’ll need to go to this link to allow others who may not be on your contact list to see your online presence through the Web sites you post the control in. If you don’t put a check on the option that says Allow websites to see your Messenger status and send you messages the control won’t work.
After saving that setting, click on the Create HTML link over to the right bar on the same page or click on this link so you can configure the color and type of IM control you’ll use, plus get the code to put on your blog.
You may choose from a chat conversation window like mine (which you could resize on your blog to accommodate more chat history if you want). There’s also just a small button and the WLM buddy icon that will announce your online presence. The beauty of those smaller icons is that if a person clicks on it, the conversation window will pop up on it’s own window. The person contacting you may continue chatting with you even when they navigate to a different page. I’d probably switch to that control some time.
These instructions, and more about Windows Live Messenger, could also be found over at http://messengersays.spaces.live.com/
