Here’s my vote. Because I am a visual person and the first thing that attracts me to a blog is its aesthetics, I am voting for Octwelve. I’ve come across Luc Melgar’s blog a few times before since her portfolio is being featured on some well-known design sites I’m subscribed to. When I found out that it was a Filipina behind those awesome designs that’s being showcased alongside international projects, I felt proud. If she can do it, so can we! Only, I can’t.

It is blog designs like this one that makes me want to throw mine straight into the trash. And it is full-fledged freelance web designers like her who makes me want to give up my full-time job and fearlessly take on the Work-at-Home world. But, evidently, I’m still a looong way off, so I’m not gonna do that. Check out her rockin’ portfolio!

On a related note, the Philippine Blog Awards has opened 200 slots for bloggers who want to attend the Awards Night this Sunday. You may register here if you want a slot.

I know it’s not required, but I don’t mind including the sponsors in this post. They earned it!

• Level Up! Games
• Nokia
• Blog Bank
• Smart Communications
• Josiah’s Catering
• Rsun Technology Store
• Yahoo
• XFM 92.3
• Buddy Gancencia Reality TV
• Ultravision Photo and Video
• Clique Booth
• Aloha Board Sports
• Sheero Media Solutions
• YourPinoyBroker.com
• Belo Medical Group
• Inquirer.Net
• Toshiba
• ROAM Magazine
• PLDT
• Red Box
• Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf
• 2go
• Havaianas
• PLDT
• California Pizza Kitchen

Er, okay, that first paragraph didn’t sound so right. It sort of reads like I’m selling the place! Sorry. It is just too beautiful to ignore. I mean, take a look at the white sand and crystalline waters in the photos below. I’m still deciding whether the beach in Calaguas is better than the white sand beach in Pagudpud..

Aside from Calaguas island, we also went to the surfing spot in Bagasbas (it wasn’t surfing season though) drove to Tabaco City, and passed by the other towns in Bicol. Right before our flight home last Tuesday, we dropped by the famous Cagsawa Ruins and the volcano perfection that is Mount Mayon, which previously I only get to see in postcards and history books! See more photos here.

Cagsawa Ruins (steeple), the church buried by Mayon's deadliest eruption in 1814.

Mount Mayon, the volcano known for its perfect-cone shape

I can finally cross out Bicol from the list of places in the Philippines that I haven’t gone to. And it’s definitely one of the best. I’m starting to feel bad about the region I grew up in (Western Visayas) which, in my knowledge, isn’t as culturally rich as the others. But my hometown, Bacolod City, can definitely compete in the “scrumptious food for less” category. Incidentally, I have voted for Mayon Volcano as one of the new 7 wonders of the world. Have you?

On to the so-called “blog post.”

Two weeks ago, I received an invite from Yehey! to participate in their “Have It Your Way At Burger King” promo here in Manila. Guess I was lucky to be one of the 50 bloggers they picked. In normal circumstances, after I’ve received an invite I would register myself but when the day of the event comes, I’d be too lazy to go. I’ve actually missed a lot of blogger events this year because I didn’t feel like attending the parties (boo!). But with Burger King‘s promo, I knew I wouldn’t dare miss it. Because (1) I didn’t need to go to some party (antisocial much?), (2) I can bring 3 of my friends/family with me, (3) the FOOD is FREE, and (4) Burger King also happened to be one of our favorite fast-food restaurants.

Have I mentioned the free food?

A day before Sunday (my schedule), I read Jeff’s post about the way the other bloggers were treated at the BK branches they went to. Apparently, the managers and crew didn’t know what to do when the bloggers arrived. Another BK branch wasn’t even aware of this “special treat” that they were supposed to give. But even after reading about their experiences, last Sunday, Deej and I still visited the branch in Rob Galleria (the branch I chose) hoping to claim our free food. Yay!

Have It Your Way at Burger King

As opposed to the bad experiences the others had, mine was on the pleasant side. When I got to the counter at BK Galleria, I asked the manager if she knew about this special treat for bloggers. Thankfully, she recognized it right away. Not only was she very accommodating, some of her staff were very friendly too. I’m guessing maybe they got that warning from Yehey’s Marketing Solutions Specialist! Hee. We only stayed there for about 30 minutes, but it was a nice experience overall. Thank you, Haidee (the branch manager) and Burger King-Galleria!

I feel a little bad though because the “treat” should have been for me and 3 of my friends/family, but I only brought Deej. If it wasn’t such an impolite thing to do, we would’ve taken the extra meals out so we’d have something to munch on whilst watching The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. I didn’t enjoy the 3rd installment of The Mummy as much as I did its prequels, but that topic is for a whole other post (which I doubt I’d be able to write).

I digress.

Tomorrow, some friends and I are going out of town to visit the beautiful region of Bicol. This would be my first time so I’m a bit psyched. I could really use a break, you know. These past few months of ALL WORK AND NO PLAY have sucked the life out of me. Thank God for those two long weekends this August, too.

Anything particular I should be looking forward to in Bicol?

• Baguio
• Zamboanga
• Cebu
• Calbayog
• Caticlan (Boracay)
• Busuanga
• Batanes
• Tawi-Tawi
• Masbate

Sale is until April 30, 2008 (we’ve got 6 days left!) and travel period is between June 1 to October 15, 2008.

If my “travel buddies” and I do decide to go (Van, are you there? hehe!), the top destination on my list would be Busuanga, a place in the northern part of Palawan. I’ve always wanted to see Palawan, I hear it’s really beautiful out there.. this could be my chance! Hee.

I tried to book a round trip ticket on Asian Spirit’s website just to see how much it would cost, and I found out that it’s only around PhP 2500/pax (this comprises the “government taxes and surcharges” stated on the banner). Same goes for the trips to Boracay.

But I also heard Asian Spirit flights are perilous!! Can someone support or disprove this?

Hat tip to Donna.

Anyway, I’ve been wanting to update this blog but got no particular topic in mind, so the boyfriend suggested that I blog about his baby project, ActionJetz.

I think I’ve only mentioned my full-time job on this blog once before, but to those who don’t know, I’m working for a US-based company that sells handmade model airplanes, ships, helicopters, space shuttles, military plaques, and more. In a nutshell, my job is to make sure our websites are converting and that we’re meeting our sales quota every month. Check out our main website: Warplanes.com

Some time last year after I introduced them to one another, my Aussie boss hired Deej to create a Flash website that offers free airplane games and more. He wanted it to be something that can be enjoyed by his customers (who are pilots and/or aviation-enthusiasts) and their kids — but not exclusively. A few weeks and sleepless nights later, ActionJetz was born. Aside from the aid his friend gave him a couple of times, Deej the Flash Master worked on ActionJetz alone from the ground up. It’s one thing to create a “Flash website”, it’s another to code the Flash action scripts all by yourself to run the games, activities, account activation, dashboard, e-commerce, and the multiplayer engine. It’s something I can never imagine I’d learn to do, lol. Hats off to the boyfriend!

ActionJetz is a world filled with cute little jets that you can own and take care of, enlist in a competition, buy items for, and play tons of minigames with!

Joining ActionJetz is absolutely FREE! Although some features are only accessible if you have an ActionJet.

The pre-release of ActionJetz is now available for testing. This is an alpha release, which means that it will have bugs and usability issues. Also, there are some features which are not available at the moment. We need you to try out ActionJetz so that we can iron out the kinks before rolling out the final product.

So if you’re into online Flash games or jet airplanes, please do try out ActionJetz. Admittedly, it still has a few bugs here and there, but the good thing is it is being developed daily and comments and suggestions are welcome! Please please please show your support by registering. Hehe!

I am the owner of E.Webscapes Design Studio. We are a very busy blog and website design company and I am looking to hire a part time designer who has experience and knowledge with Graphic Design and CSS – as well as experience designing/developing themes for WordPress, Movable Type, TypePad and Expression Engine.

Compensation is generous.
Deadlines are not insane.
Team environment is virtual – - open and very friendly.

We have a very steady stream of new business, as well as a large client base and portfolio.

Hours: Part time
Location: virtual; remote (work from home)
Hours: Flexible

Please contact me for details – - we’re very busy at E.Webscapes and are looking to fill this position as soon as we find the right candidate for the job. Is it you?

To apply, go to this page. Already a LinkedIn member? Click here to apply.

What’s even greater about this Live Writer is you can connect directly to your WordPress.com or self-hosted WordPress.org blog (just enter your login details in the configuration popup screen) then it copies your “Weblog Style” so you can see the actual layout of your post while you’re typing. Here’s a screenshot of my Live Writer:

Pretty nifty, huh? You can can also choose the Web Preview option:

It’s packed, of course, with all the other useful blogging thingamajigs like “Save Draft”, “Spell Check”, “Insert Picture, Hyperlink, Table, Map, Tags, Video”, “HTML Code Editor”, and more. It also provides the quick links to your blog and your Dashboard on the left side of the screen, and it automatically uploads the images on your post to the “Uploads” folder in your server.

Windows Live Writer can be downloaded FREE from this page. Read more about it here. I tried to install Live Writer on my PC in the office, but apparently it doesn’t work with MS Office 2003. I’m not sure what it actually requires, but it works well with the MS Office 2007 on my laptop.

Evidently, Live Writer is only for PC users. Mac users can enjoy the same capabilities by purchasing MarsEdit at $29.95 with a free 30 day trial.

Btw, I got this desktop blogging idea here. This is not a sponsored post!

Hello everyone!

Just wanted to let you know that my CD is now available. However, at the moment it is only available in physical format and you can purchase it by clicking on the “Buy” tab on my site and clicking the picture of my CD cover.

For you digital junkies, the CD will be available on iTunes and Rhapsody shortly. They have already been submitted but I am still waiting for them to approve it.

Thanks again for all your support and I want you to know that CD #2 is already in the works!

Happy new years!

-Josh

So it’s true! The album’s here! I think it’s amazing that Josh Verdes has finally released it. And just in time for 2008, too. He’s not as popular yet as the other international artists, but I’m positive he is among Happy Slip‘s fans. It’s just a matter of time before he’d be a hit worldwide. Who could forget Save Me and Love at First Sight which were used in two of Christine’s videos? If you’re a sentimental person like me, it’s most likely that you’ve fallen in love with his songs too.

I think his album cover is also worth mentioning. I like the design. It’s simple yet it “says it all”. Not only that, I also find his official website‘s design really cool. I have a thing for acoustic guy artists, you know. What more if he has a rockin’ website? Lol.

Obviously, Happy Slip played a huge role in promoting Josh Verdes’ songs. I’m sure the CD would be a hit among her fans. And in this digital day and age, who isn’t a Happy Slip fan?

Josh Verdes → Official Website | MySpace | Get the CD | Listen to some songs

After months of waiting, the official WordPress for Dummies book by Lisa Sabin-Wilson is now available! You can get it at Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobel, Books-A-Million, Dummies.Com and Wiley.Com. But if you can’t wait for the book to be shipped, you can just get the e-book version from Wiley.com. Download the book’s teaser here.

About the WordPress for Dummies Book:

WordPress is one of the most popular blogging tools available, with over a million registered bloggers, and climbing! This all-new Dummies guide delivers just what would-be bloggers need to get up and running with WordPress and start communicating with the world. WordPress For Dummies covers blogging basics, choosing a hosting solution or setting up a host, developing blog content, syndicating blog posts with RSS, launching a specialized blog (including podcasting, photoblogging, mobile blogging, and videoblogging), and even earning revenue. It includes help on every aspect of installing and using WordPress, illustrations from real-world WordPress blogs, step-by-step tutorials on key topics, and insights from bloggers who use WordPress. (Read more)

Incidentally, the author, Lisa Sabin-Wilson, is also my boss at E.Webscapes Blog Design Studio. EW is just the best online company to work for with the most supportive co-designers and developers who are ready to go off their way to help you if you need it. It’s also a very organized place so if you’re looking into having a custom WordPress theme with your own specs, functionality, and other ideas in mind, you can request a blog design quote and have the chance to work with professional people *ahem*. At E.Webscapes, it’s not just about the design, but it’s also about establishing the overall functionality and flexibility of your WordPress blog, official website, or e-commerce site.

Win a copy of WordPress for Dummies

Anyway, if you’d rather not purchase the WordPress for Dummies book, there are ways that you can get it for free. One is at Leanne’s blog where she’s having a Pumpkin Carving Contest. This contest is perfect if you had just carved a fancy-looking pumpkin for Halloween and would want to put the thing to good use. Heh. You only need to take a photo of your pumpkin and submit your carving there. She will then post it on her blog and the owner of the pumpkin that gets the most votes will win a free autographed copy of WordPress for Dummies! The Pumpkin Carving Contest will end on the 31st, so if you’re interested in joining, you better pimp that pumpkin and set it up for a photoshoot today. (Read more about the contest)

But wait there’s more! You can also get the chance to win a free autographed copy of WordPress for Dummies at Lisa’s blog. She’s celebrating her 5th Blogiversary (Check it out – she mentioned me in her post! Lol) and she’s giving away 5 copies so you have more chances at winning. To join, you only need to:

Make a post on your blog about how WordPress has helped, or harmed, you with your blog. Include plugins you use, themes you use, stuff you’ve learned, opportunities you’ve taken.. people you’ve met. (Read more about the contest)

Just to be clear, I did NOT write this post as a contest entry. I just thought I’d help promote the contest. And I don’t think I’m eligible to join given I work for her and all, haha. Besides, I was promised I’d be sent my own autographed copy soon. *Hint hint*

I know of another upcoming contest that’s giving away a copy of WordPress for Dummies too, but I’m in no position to spill the beans, so, just watch out for that blogger’s announcement. Hehe.

Then again if you’re not up to joining these blog contests and you’ve got the moolah, you can always get your own copy directly.

Last Monday, I had the chance to meet a bunch of Pinoys who belong to a not-so-well-known industry here in the Philippines: manufacturing hand-carved military, civilian and airline display models. I could tell you about some of the handmade display models and wooden model airplanes our company sells over the Internet (since my boss says he doesn’t mind us disclosing that fact), but I won’t really get into that. More than the actual finished products themselves, I am amazed at the talented Filipino artisans who are behind them.

I was told by the owner of one of our manufacturers when he came to visit us here in Makati last month that we have to go to Angeles City so we can witness first-hand the process of creating wooden model airplanes from scratch. I distinctly remember him saying that visiting their place “..will make a world of difference”. He’s right, it really did make a world of difference!

We were in Angeles, Pampanga from 9:00am to 2:30pm last August 6th (I like to call it our very own “field trip”, haha). I usually just go up to San Fernando where my relatives (from my mother’s side of the family) reside, so it was nice to be able to visit Clark, Pampanga again. They showed us (Donna, Tin, and I) around the two manufacturing sites, one for the warplane models, the other for the warship models. The three of us listened as each of the owners explained the processes. It was “raining men” (haha) at the warehouse because everywhere you look there’s a row of guys who are either carving, sanding, painting, coating, wrapping, or packing the display models. They have an organized assembly line with 10 or more QCs who make sure everything is done correctly. I wanted to take a picture of all of them while they’re working but I didn’t want to be the rude, paparazzo-like guest from Manila (lol!). I was able to capture this guy’s picture though:

Go, Kuya! Kaya mo yan!

The job they do requires intricacy and patience. I know I wouldn’t be able to master what they’re doing in a million years even if I try (though I do find the painting process enticing). All of the models we saw are made of wood, except for some of the small parts which are made of resin (or prepaid cards! How’s that for improvisation?). No machines are used in the crafting process, everything is done by hand. From the main body of the plane or ship, to the smallest details — It’s art I’ve never known before! It takes a lot of endurance, talent, and guts to be able to put together the exact replicas (scale models) of the actual airplanes, helicopters and ships. You gotta hand it to them. That’s 100% Pinoy, baybeh.

These display models are being sold worldwide. You would think that these little planes and ships (that seem like toys, but are really not!) shouldn’t cost that much but once you’ve seen how they are being delicately done, you’d have to admit that they should be worth way more than they are. I know I did when I left that place!

Like I said, more than just promoting the products we sell at work, I’m acknowledging the talented, hardworking Filipinos in Angeles City, Pampanga. *Kabiasnan nyo! Pagmaragul da kayu!

*I hope that one’s accurate (I am not a native Kapampangan speaker. lol.) It’s supposed to mean “Ang galing nyo! Pinagmamalaki ko kayo!”