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01Sep 2006

The Globe-Innove Sponsored Blogger’s Meet at Temple Bar

I had so much fun tonight. Actually the most exciting part of the night was finally meeting and chilling with techies and bloggers in real physical time. I am thankful though that Globe-Innove sponsored this meet. For the first time in my life, I felt that I was not alone in my passion for internet work and online activities. I don’t know many people my age that are into the online world of blogging or even e-commerce.

Before the division into 2 groups, early birds like Jayvee, Abe (such an exuberant guy), Kiven, Bimbo and myself ate and talked about well…Google adsense. Psst, we can share Adsene tips some other time.

What can I say? The food, the company was great!

31Aug 2006

An Internet Cafe with Free Wi-Fi

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 3 Comments

As a media partner for the upcoming VoIP Convention in 2007, I was tasked to write articles for their souvenir program. My deadline was yesterday, rather last week. Oh dear, I have limited VOIP knowledge and time at my hands. The first thought that entered my mind was to interview Silverback ASP, the only Filipino-owned VOIP Provider (for outbound VOIP calls). I didn’t know Globe, Bayantel, and PLDT were using VOIP resellers (like Vonage, Packet 8 etc from the USA). I immediately got the appointment with Steve Davis, the CEO of Silverback ASP. As I stepped into their office, I was surprised to see the ITX Cafe/Silverback signage by the large window panes. Oh an internet cafe! As I looked in, I liked what I saw.

An informal ambience of comfortable chairs, swings, gorilla nest and computers in the corner for internet use . I was 30 minutes early for my appointment. You know, I’d rather be early than keep the other party waiting for me. As I eased myself on the chair, I turned on my macbook and was quite pleased that I got a wi-fi connection.

This is my dream business office setup. The virtual office was a plan but a physical office is so much better. Part business office, coffee shop with my baked goodies, and offering free wi-fi to the customers. It’s important to dream about a goal so it can eventually materialize one day. The most important value is having fun and doing business at the same time. Looking at the photos around the ITX cafe, the partners of Silverback ASP appear to be doing both. No wonder they moved to the Philippines and even devloped imindoro.net and providing internet service in Mindoro Island.

20Aug 2006

Computer Game and Internet Addiction: The Emergence of a New Clinical Disorder

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 46 Comments

A few days ago, I was at my aunt’s neighborhood to check for possible houses for sale. One of the most important considerations for moving in a new neighborhood is a fast internet connection. I visited an internet cafe inside the neighborhood, just a few meters from the vilage church. It was 8:00 PM and the internet cafe brimmed with high school and even grade school students playing some kind of war game, possibly Defense of the Ancients (DOTA) , an expanded version of Warcraft. I was horrified to see these kids. Shouldn’t they be studying? It upset me that the parents are not monitoring their children’s whereabouts.

Then I read today’s article in Manila Bulletin . “Computer ‘Addicts’ Rise in Defense of their hobby”

Better Games than drugs. Who would disagree with this reasoning esecially when cited by teenagers hooked on computer games? This is the reason why computer game afionados should not be restricted in pursuing their hobby, said Gladys, a self-confessed computer game addict

20Aug 2006

August Bloggers Meet sponsored by Globe Innove

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 7 Comments

(image by Kevin)
I am up and about at this time (2:00 AM) because I had to pick up my daughters at Eastwood. Now I can’t sleep. *yawn* Everyone is still awake. With nothing better to do, I checked my site stats and discovered a link from Jayvee’s site. As I landed on the site, I laughed when I saw that I was one of the The 12 Apostles of Globe Innove . I hope I am not Judas.

The occasion?

When: August 31 2006 (it is not on the 30th anymore)
Where: Temple Bar, Greenbelt 2 | 8:00PM
What to expect: It’s a surprise party (shhh!)

I heard that there were limited slots for this Globe Innove sponsored bloggers meet. According to Abe Olandres, ” they prefer bloggers with a fairly good reach in readership”. I don’t think I have that many readers but I’m sure this blog has a Google presence in a few important keywords. Hmm, I wonder what Globe Innove has to say during the Bloggers Meet. Will it be their unlimited dial up internet, the Broadband internet or the VOIP webphone? The last time I visited their booth at the Rockwell center, the guys remembered me. Hehe, it must be because I was bugging another subsidiary , the Globe Visibility if my Macbook is compatible with their mobile wireless internet. (Visibility works on a GPRS/EDGE platform)

Anyway, the rest of the 12 Apostles

12Aug 2006

Books That Changed My Life

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 10 Comments

I haven’t read that many books for a long time now. So when dear Cathy invited me to her meme on Books that Changed my Life, I wasn’t sure if I can come up with a list. I told her these books encompass the 40 plus years of reading books.

Here goes:

One book that changed your life:

The Purpose-driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? by Rick Warren
The book inspired me to move beyond the pain of losing a son . Because the book talks about starting a service, I initiated the formation of The Compassionate Friends Philippines with the help of Cathy and Alma.

One book you have read more than once:

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seus
I’ve read this over a hundred times that I have memorized it by heart, haha. This is one of my favorite children’s book and often read it to the kids at bedtime. I also read it to nurtture my inner child. I know …I know it shows I don’t read much.

One book you would want on a desert island:

The Holy Bible because it is the time to re-read it in a quiet place.

One book that made you laugh:

The Everything Cat Book by Steve Duno

This book made me laugh because my husband (who isn’t a cat lover) bought it for me. I think it’s such a loving gesture. It shows how much he cares about my love for cats.

One book that made you cry:

Lament for a Son by Nicholas Wolterstorff

I read this book to understand a father’s grief and the pain my husband had to go through.

One book you wish had been written:

“How (NOT) to live with your in-laws” or perhaps “How to please your mother-in-law without losing yourself”

One book you wish had never been written:

How to Make War (Fourth Edition): A Comprehensive Guide to Modern Warfare in the Twenty-first Century

We should make love not war.

One book you are currently reading:

Make your Words Work– by Gary Provost
I want to learn how to write but my sluggish brain can only take in new concepts one day at a time.

One book you have been meaning to read:

The Power to Change Your Life by Rick Warren

A newly bereaved mother who lost 2 children( and no surviving child) in one year gave me this book . She said that this book helped her move towards a positive resolution of her grief. Oh my god, her pain is double. I cannot imagine her pain at all.

Now it’s your turn… Happy week-end to everyone!

12Aug 2006

Myspace layouts: Popular and Free

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 3 Comments

Mommy Layouts

Mommy Myspace Layouts

Myspace Layouts and Livejournal Layouts by Lauren

I was checking out my daughter’s Myspace and Livejournal Layouts and was surprised to see that Naruto topped the list. I don’t see anything beautiful with the Naruto art. The page views says it all

Anime Layouts: Naruto [Kakashi] – 7,769 Views

Skinny Layout: Colorful Stripes – 4,414 Views

Skinny Layouts: Pink Stripes – 2,963 Views

Anime Layouts: Advent Children [Cloud] – 2,806 Views

Skinny Layout: Burberry Plaid – 2,694 Views

Simple Layouts: Louis Vuitton – 2,574 Views

Skinny Layouts: iPod – 2,493 Views

Skinny Layout: Pink Skulls – 2,030 Views

Skinny Layout: Tare Panda – 1,964 Views

Skinny Layout: Gray – 1,675 Views

03Aug 2006

Misadventures of a Photo Blogger: Part 2

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 5 Comments

A week ago, I received a call from Miriam, the chairperson of the VoIPCon Philippines Event Management Company thanking me for the wonderful photos and the VOIP convention entry I blogged about the event. I attended that convention in search for a [tag]VoIP[/tag] reseller in conjunction with future expansion plans for my online business. Miriam wanted to meet up with me because she wanted to have some sort of exchange deal for the upcoming [tag]VoIP Philippines convention[/tag] in March 2007. Right away, I explained that I have limited financial resources but I can help with the logistics.

Yesterday I met up with Miriam and Mar, her Operations manager. Mar expressed gratitude for the great photos of the VOIP event. I was surprised. “really? Why?”

Mar explained “We hired an expensive professional photgrapher who gave us 1000 photos but most of it were heads. We liked your angles! ”

I laughed “That’s because I was a participant and blended very well with the crowd. I mean Speaker Jose de Venecia’s bodyguard probably thinks I am harmless”

I was thinking, maybe amateur photobloggers see the event in another perspective. They shoot to capture the human emotions, that certain “moment”. Like in this photo below, I could not get inside the hall so instead I took a shot of the photographers.

29Jul 2006

Six Weird Things About Me

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 6 Comments

I have been tagged by Niceheart to list down six weird things about myself. Yet another [tag]meme[/tag].

So here are 6 weird things or habits about me. Beware I am obsessive compulsive in most of these weird habits.

1. I like my books to be arranged neatly in the bookshelves from tallest to shortest. Mind you, the books have to be aligned in a straight line too. Something like this

Actually, when I trained our helper to fix books from tallest to shortest , she did an even better job. I think she became even more OCD than me. Or was it she got contaminated with my obsessive disorder?

2. I want my bedspread carefully folded on the bed with very little crease. I have to pull it together with my other helper on the other end to attain an “ironed look”. I drive my daughters crazy by telling them to do this. I’ve since left them to fix their dorm beds the way they want it to be but at home, I end up pulling it for that “ironed look” when they are gone. Something like this:

I never used to have this strange habit but like number 1, my helper did a better job and I got hooked on that no-crease bedspread look.

15Jul 2006

Misadventures of a Photo Blogger: Part 1

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 4 Comments

Aside from this blog, I maintain a few websites and blogs for pro-blogging purposes. Don’t get me wrong, I blog for fun and with a goal in mind but if one can make money on the side, it’s an added bonus. ( If you have no idea what a pro-blogging is, read “How Bloggers Make Money Online“.) I became a pro-blogger by accident only this year after reading up on Google adsense and reviving abandoned domains left behind by my daughter. To my amazement, I discovered that my daughter’s Photo Gallery (which she started in 2001) raked in a modest Google Adsense income. The photos in demand are mainly food and Philippine scenery photos. Our lonely overseas Filipinos must be missing our lechon (roast pig) , barbecue and other Filipino dishes. Comments like “I can just taste it” or “How can I order this lechon?” etcetera prompted me to launch a Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Manila’s Daily Grind (sights and sounds). Taking amateurish photos is also a passion which I took after my father. Oh how I remember him saying “kodak . kodak! Picture! Picture!” even if I haven’t even imbibed the breathtaking scenery of wherever we were travelling at that time. And because of the random photos that dad took, I learned to beam a “closeup” smile. A picture is forever so why not give your best smile. Sadly enough, I took after my dad’s obsessive photography and now my daughters do the same… posing their pearly whites in the best smile they can ever emote.

You will always see me armed with my Canon Powershot and my cellphone camera ready to take photos that amuse or entertain me. My photos have inside stories that I’d like to share. I am also curious if my fellow photo bloggers encounter the same experiences like me.

(enlarge)
At the Fil-negosyo expo, the owner (partly shown above) of the booth asks:

“What is the photo for?”

“Oh, this is for my blog.”

“What is a blog?”

“I write about things on the internet. It’s like a website.”
(How do I explain it in layman terms?)

“Oh, you’re a columnist”

“Sort of. I write in my blog.” (Stumped. Lost in explanation)

Lesson: Not many people know what blog means. So don’t try.

26Jun 2006

VoIP Conference 2006

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 4 Comments

Just came from the First International VoIP Conference in the Philippines at the World Trade Center. The conference is timely because the House of Representatives just recently approved the VoIP deregulation bill on June 5, 2006. The Senate has yet to approve it. [tag]Voice Over Internet Protocol[/tag] ([tag]VOIP[/tag]) is a transmission technology that uses the internet to send voice and image in real time. Bah, I’m tired to talk about it so just browse the photo gallery