Showing posts with label Updates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Updates. Show all posts

Monthly Round-up: September

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

A month has come and gone and surprisingly, it passed by like a blink of an eye. Sure, there were a lot of things that happened along the way but I would like to recall all the things I did last month and add things that I did this month. I think it kind of puts my life into a new perspective, don't you think? Well, I just want to see what I have accomplished this month and if I followed through with my plans for this month.

What happened in August
  • enrolled at Global NCLEX Review Center [last Saturday was the last day of our class and I learned a lot of strategies from Miss Thelma Macabeo. I know her strategies in answering the NCLEX exam are the best!]
  • finally met a few Bisaya speaking friends [finally I made quite a few friends from my study group from the review. We're planning to go to Universal Studios this Saturday. I hope we can make it.]
  • I finally gave up drinking soda I am still struggling to give up soda but for the record, I don't drink it as much as I did before!
  • finished two ALL Stephenie Meyer Twilight Series books (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, & Breaking Dawn) and the draft of Midnight Sun
What happened in September
  • It's hubby's birthday on the 28th! I wasn't able to attend [obviously] but I made a slew of phone calls his way, made a digital scrap page for him and then some [it was mushy, really] and Pyertubs replied [tear jerker]!
  • possibly buy my own Nikon D SLR (I'm crossing my fingers) bought my own Nikon D40 SLR
  • will probably enrolled in a photography class at L.A. Valley College [basic Photography]
  • will probably create a book review blog with Lurchie and Ehn (we haven't talked about this one yet) finally created our book review blog Books Books Books!
  • lose weight (but not by much!) still the same weight. Lost a couple of pounds but nothing major.
  • Went to the Japanese Gardens in Van Nuys, California
  • got the hang of my SLR but still practicing
  • Went to the Lake Shrine in Pacific Palisades, California [post later]
  • Ate a lot of Chinese food
  • Re-opened my deviantart profile, multiply account, and flickr account
What will happen in October
  • hopefully get my eligibility from the Board of Nursing (crossing my fingers and then crossing them again)
  • I would really, really, REALLY want to dress up for Halloween [sexy witch or seductive pirate costume]
  • go to Universal Studios on Saturday
  • take a slew of photographs to hone my skills [char!]
Hmm... I guess that's it then! I'm having trouble remembering what I want to do next month! I hope I'll have more things to do in the coming weeks.

Ciao all!









October Calendar from Digital Scrapbook Place

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I Snagged Page Ranks!

Friday, September 26, 2008

A few hours ago, Mommy Ruby gave me a heads up about the new PR updates going on. I wasn't expecting anything from Mr. G at this point because I had quite a let down a few weeks ago when they updated their PRs and they snubbed all of my blogs.


Well, not anymore! It seems like today is full of surprises. THREE of my four blogs managed to snag PRs!

Deranged Insanity, my main blog has finally reached PR 2. Before I had my own domain, it was given a PR3. PR2 is not bad because I just purchased my own domain two months ago.
Traipsey Turvey, my relatively new travel, suroy, lakwatsa, reviews, and food blog also managed to snag a PR2!


PierrEzrah, Pyertubs and my blog still got an N/A. It's not new but we don't seem to update that blog as much as we would want to. No matter, it is still one of my favorite nooks where Pyertubs and me can share our thoughts to each other and our readers.

The most surprising thing was that 'ez-rə fō-tə-grafs and 'skraps snagged a PR1! I never expected that one because all I've ever posted on that blog are photos that I took and digital scraps that I did! Well, I see a silverlining here! It seems that my efforts haven't been in vain!


So guys, how did all your blogs do?









Image: Google Images

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My Single-Lens Reflex

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

I'm so happy, I almost peed in my pants! Hahaha Well, I didn't, thank God! But I got my new Nikon D40 SLR cam a few hours ago! I don't mean to gosh all over the place but I'm just ecstatic!

We were supposed to get a Nikon D60 but we decided to get the D40 instead; it's cheaper, by the way. Because I'm just starting out, I decided not to invest heavily on the darn thing because I might want to get something better in the future.

I am also going to sign up for a beginner's photography class at L.A. Valley College so that I will learn how to handle all the mumbo jumbo about my camera. I admit, I never read the manual that goes along with all the gadgets I get even though I know that I should! I just tinker around with them until I know how to use them which is not good at all.

Nikon D40 Features
  • Extraordinary Nikon image quality: The D40's high-resolution image quality is made possible by Nikon's high-performance 6.1-megapixel Nikon DX-format CCD imaging sensor and exclusive Nikon image processing engine which assures stunning sharpness and color.
  • Easy operation with intuitive controls: Intuitive controls make the D40 point-and-shoot simple, enabling even first-time SLR users to capture beautiful memories perfectly.
  • Nikon's smallest digital SLR ever: At just over 16 ounces, the beautifully styled and compact D40 makes high-performance digital SLR photography easier and more convenient than ever.
  • Fast startup with instant shutter response: Fast startup combined with super-fast shutter response and rapid-action shooting at up to 2.5 frames per second makes it easy to freeze special moments instantly.
  • Includes 3x AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II lens: Designed exclusively for use with Nikon DX-format digital SLRs, this ultra-compact 3x zoom offers Nikkor sharpness and versatility in a wide variety of shooting situations.
  • Shoot at up to 2.5 frames per second: The D40 can fire continuously at a speed of up to 2.5 frames per second, capturing high-quality action sequences of children in sporting activities such as soccer, baseball and much more.
  • 2.5-inch color LCD monitor with 3 colorful display options: Playback images are easy to see and function menus are easier to use with a larger and brighter color LCD monitor. The large 2.5-inch LCD monitor enables image preview at up to 19 times magnification and has large type fonts and easy-to-view menus as well as three all-new display options: classic, graphic and wallpaper.
  • High-performance 6.1-megapixel Nikon DX format CCD imaging sensor: Nikon's DX-format CCD image sensor delivers vivid color and sharp detail, great for making beautifully detailed enlargements of 16 x 20 inches and beyond. High resolution also provides room for creative cropping.
  • In-camera image editing: Highly versatile in-camera editing features include: Nikon D-lighting, red-eye correction, image trimming, image overlay, monochrome black and white, sepia and cyanotype along with skylight, warm tone and custom color filter effects. These features provide greater creative freedom, without the need for a computer, for those who prefer to send pictures directly to a printer.
  • New advanced help menu system with assist images: The D40's newly introduced "assist images" help you select the appropriate settings for many camera features by showing an example image typical of that setting as well as an advanced help menu for the current item selected. The D40's question mark icon (?) indicates that help is available for the currently selected item. Just press the help button beside the LCD monitor to see a context sensitive help page.
  • Fast, accurate 3-area auto focus: The D40's advanced 3-area AF system and the refined algorithms inherited from more advanced Nikon digital SLR cameras deliver fast, efficient and precise auto focus. AF refinements deliver greater precision with fast, more consistent subject acquisition and improved focus tracking for consistently sharper pictures.
  • Image optimization options: The D40's image optimize setting lets photographers adjust color, contrast and sharpening as well as other image settings according to the type of scene or output desired. Settings include: normal, softer, vivid, more vivid, portrait, custom and black and white, each of which are automatically adjusted based on sophisticated Nikon algorithms or user-selected settings for optimum results.
  • Built-in Speedlight with i-TTL automatic flash control: Nikon's innovative i-TTL flash control evaluates flash exposure with incredible precision to achieve better automatic flash balance and deliver outstanding results. The built-in Speedlight is always at the ready bringing beautiful exposures to darkened conditions as well as adding a flash to outdoor situations for enhanced twilight shots or an added impact to daylight images.
  • Bright, accurate SLR viewfinder: A large viewfinder makes composition easier, and overall viewfinder brightness makes focusing in low-light photography possible. The bright and sharp viewfinder, with 0.8x magnification, ensures precise composition.
  • Automatic exposure with 8 digital vari-program modes: Eight Digital Vari-Program modes include: auto, auto (flash-off), portrait, landscape, child, sports, close-up or night portrait, each of which adjusts automatically for optimal results under varied conditions.
  • Nikon 3D Color Matrix Metering II: The D40's 3D Color Matrix Metering II evaluates each scene for brightness, color, contrast, size and position of shadows and highlights, selected focus area and camera-to-subject distance, comparing that information against an onboard database of more than 30,000 actual photographic scenes
I bought my cam at Best Buy and their service is really good. I love how they answer all our questions regarding the product and what's more, they give out the pros and cons of each of the products. I even noticed that they don't convince you to buy the expensive one either! Sweet!







Location: Best Buy
Info: Nikon




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End of the Month Round-up

Sunday, August 31, 2008

I grabbed this meme idea from Lurch and decided to write about the things that I did, or forgot to do, this month.

The end of the month usually marks a beginning of the new month and a signal that time is passing by swiftly. But I guess it just depends on how you look at it.

What has happened last August
  • enrolled at Global NCLEX Review Center
  • finally met a few Bisaya speaking friends
  • got our Wedding video.
  • I finally gave up drinking soda
  • been an active member sa Paraiso Philippines Forum
  • finished two Stephenie Meyer novels (New Moon & Eclipse)
  • Ate Pho twice in one week (yummy!)
  • started eating veggies (errr...yummy?)
  • I didn't enjoy Silliman University's Founder's Day (obviously since I'm far away from home)
  • I forgot all of my friend's birthdays! I'm sorry guys! I just remembered when I saw Lurchie's post.
  • went to Palm Springs, California (will post about this later)


What will happen in September
  • It's hubby's birthday on the 28th!
  • possibly buy my own Nikon D SLR (I'm crossing my fingers)
  • will probably enroll in a photography class at L.A. Valley College
  • continue avoiding soda as much as I can
  • will probably create a book review blog with Lurchie and Ehn (we haven't talked about this one yet)
  • lose weight (but not by much!)









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Choppers

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

I always associate choppers with war. I guess it's because I haven't actually been on one and every time I see one, it's usually related to war. I know this is not true but whenever I hear the sound of the choppers, I immediately think that we are under attack!

I know choppers are used to airlift patients to a hospital. I know choppers are used to bring supplies to other parts of the world. I know choppers are used in the NEWS or put out fires. But even though I know these, alarm bells still go off when I hear the sound of the blades.

So, you might be wondering why I'm yakking about choppers when I'm definitely not a chopper enthusiast. Well, it was just a less than 10 minutes ago that the said choppers stopped buzzing around over my head. I wonder if they're chasing somebody this time.... Either way, alarm bells start ringing and for an insane moment, I felt a little scared; it might be war or something. Who knows? The chopper buzzed above my head like a bunch of mosquitoes for almost 30 minutes. I wonder what that was all about. It'll probably be on the news tomorrow so I'd better check that out.

On a different note, I have been pretty busy to update my blog and write articles. I do drop by my favorite blogs at night, though so that I don't miss the blogosphere grapevine. That's the extent of my blogging these days. You see, I'm trying to focus and turning on my lappy or my pc doesn't do the trick. I usually end up surfing and blog hopping for hours on end and it's not good for my current goals (I'll talk about this one in the future). The ADD bug seems to bite me constantly and it's getting rather scary.

Just give me a holler when you need me! I'll still keep on checking my messages!

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Blog-nouncement: Sticking to this template

Sunday, June 22, 2008

I have decided to stick to this template as of the moment. I've been having problems with building my template and it's been giving me headaches all day!
This template is just a clone from my Traipsey Turvey blog but it suits my purposes just fine. I'm still in the process of adding the banners and links so please bear with me.

Thanks guys! Btw quite a few of you have been tagging me and I haven't gotten around to doing the tags. I'll try to do them tonight.

Okay, I'm off to watch a movie!



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Blog-nouncement: Undergoing Blog Renovation


I am in the process of modifying my blog. Currently my blog is so cluttered. I need to keep it clean.
please bear with me.




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Learnings: HTML Your Bloglist

Friday, June 20, 2008

To everyone who exchanged links with me, I am now adding you the old fashioned way. That means linking the blog using HTML codes. Please please do so because using blog rolling scripts and such do not generate backlinks to your blog at all. I apologize to all my previous xlinkers since I just found out about it a few hours ago. thanks to Mommy Ruby. Ah, I am totally a blog newbie!

So please please please link back to me using HTML codes as I will not link you back if you are using other scripts. This is really a win-win situation and both of us will benefit from this. I know your other xlinkers would appreciate it, too.

Thanks a lot guys!

To view my blog roll click Deranged Roll



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Blog-nouncement: Traipsey Turvey is betterthanezrah.COM

To all my readers (I do have quite a few droppers but I just don't know if they really are readers!), I'd like to formally announce the opening of my new blog Traipsey Turvey. If you have read my previous posts you would probably know that Mommy Ruby and I blundered BIG TIME! But fortunately, Mommy Vhiel saved the blog err day! Thanks you Mommy Vhiel!
So now I have two new blogs with their own domains! I know this is tricky but I'd like to let you know that http://www/betterthanezrah.com is DIFFERENT from http://www/betterthanezrah.org

Traipsey Turvey has the .com while Deranged Insanity has the .org. Please update your links accordingly. Leave me a message if your links aren't on my list or if you want to xlinks. Thanks!



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Bye Bye Rankings

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

I am terribly disappointed right now. I know the consequence of getting my own domain would mean that my PageRank would revert to 0. My Technorati authority is also down so I'm pretty disappointed right now.
Here are my current stats right now:

Powered by  MyPagerank.Net

So if you would please update my links, fave me again, and change my URL on your memes and tags, I would appreciate it. Thanks!



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www.betterthanezrah.com

Monday, June 16, 2008

Hi guys! I have officially purchased my own domain! http://betterthanezrah.blogspot.com is now http://www.betterthanezrah.com. So guys who linked me, I'd appreciate it if you would update my link in your bloglist.




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Ramblings: Still Tired

Thursday, June 12, 2008

I had to wake up before 9 AM this morning because the Time Warner maintenance man would be coming over to check our phone, cable, and internet connection. It seems I can't escape crappy connection even if I'm here in the US! Oh, their connection is really fast, there's no doubt about that. Unfortunately, their signal was crappy yesterday. It kept on going on and off every 10 minutes or so. And it wasn't just the internet connection but the cable and the phone line, too!
Well, it's working fine today but I'm still holding my breath. I'm still pretty tired owing to the fact that I had little sleep last night. I think I slept around 4 AM.
I did finish re-reading for the nth time Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Have you read it yet?



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Thank You EC Droppers!


I know I should have thanked all my EC droppers at the beginning of the month but it actually slipped my mind! I was so busy packing my stuff and getting all my paperwork and requirements ready so I'd like to apologize.
Thanks guys for showing me some love and dropping your cards on my blog.


Dropper # of drops
Crissy's Haven 23
A Girl For All Status 23
Delta's Dark Den of Destruction 20
Pinay Mommy Online 18
Pheandy's Blog 16
The Daily Ramble 14
From the Eyes of my Heart 14
And Life Goes ON for a Filipino MOM 14
Pixel Shoppe 13
Mariuca's Perfume Gallery 13





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Public Service Announcement: Blog Leave

Monday, June 9, 2008

I'm leaving at 2 PM for Manila and 10 PM for the US. Obviously there will be a major blog leave from the Deranged Blogger! Please bear with me.





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Down in the Dumps

Saturday, June 7, 2008

I've been feeling a bit under the weather the whole day! No blogging for me! i did finish 2 e-books that I've been meaning to read so my day wasn't a total loss after all.

Tonight is also my going away party organized by the head lurch Never Dainty. We will be at Hayahay tonight at 7 PM. Although it's not Reggae Wednesday, we're anticipating that we would still enjoy ourselves (pics will be posted, I'm sure!). A few close friends who are presently working in Cebu are also coming. This date was a nice choice for my party as the weekend is a long weekend owing to the fact that Monday is a holiday. Then, I'm off for adventures unknown. Wish me luck!

P.S. I also hate long plane rides.



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A Few More Days

Monday, June 2, 2008

I only have a few days left here in Dumaguete then it's bye bye Philippines hello United States. I'm currently experiencing bittersweet emotions here. I am excited to leave and start a new life for me in the US unfortunately, this means that I would leave my hubby of 2 months behind. This is really hard for me. Well, we did try this before back in '06 when I stayed in the US for almost a year. We were still dating at that time so I guess this time won't be different.
Leaving is always hard for me. Not only to I detest leaving the people I love behind, I also loathe packing and I am always postponing it up to the last minute! Ha! Things really get left behind in this case but I am making sure that the essentials would be packed and ready to go before June 10.


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