Making a choice: A Brighter Life

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I  smile as I flick through the photos from my little red wooden box. As I gaze at the photos of my children, the laughter springs to life in my memory bank. Life has not always been nice and dandy but that is not to say it remained sad or lonely. Life is  about making a choice: should it be sad or happy? dark or bright?  I wish I knew that life were about choices when I was at the deepest pit of my misery but thanks to loving friends, I got out of it and chose a life that is happy and bright. When made that choice, it does not mean I will ignore feelings of sadness. It means working towards the goal of a happy and bright future.

my daughters

A brighter life for me will be cherishing my golden years and contributing to the future of my children.  I made this choice after I decided to live a new normal after the death of my son.  I know I will not be as young and vibrant so I needed to prepare living a comfortable life beyond my golden years. That meant fixing my finances through long term investment and  a sound retirement plan.  I deserve to have the self-esteem and peace that accompanies financial responsibility. The future of my children does not only lie in providing them material wealth.  Helping out in community activities also contribute greatly to my children’s future. What better legacy is there than making a difference in my children’s life by being of service to others?

brighter life website

Everyone has their own ideas of a brighter life. Sites like brighterlife.com.ph provide inspiration. You may also ask yourself “How do you imagine a Brighter Life? Is it having comfortable lifestyle? To be able to provide for your family’s needs? Perhaps you want to leave behind a lasting legacy?” Just like a friend you can talk to, the Brighter Life website provides lessons in life and financial advice. Divided into five categories, it is easy to relate to because it tackles relationships with five aspects of our lives: finance, health, family, career and the future.

Topics in personal finance is quite useful to me. Though my family invested in real properties and Sun Life Financial Investments, I also want to know more about stock investments.  Being a newbie in the stock markets, it is heartening to read articles like the “The Road to Becoming Stocks Smart”.  I can relate to the writer’s fear of the unknown. I need to conquer that fear too by getting to know the ropes of the stock market.

There are more topics that will surely enlighten you. My good friend Randell Tiongson writes about Pinoy Style: Financial Planning. Randell has “ personally been a witness to many individuals who had relatively good income and yet failed miserably with regard to being financially secure.” Preparing for a brighter with a financially secure future requires taking action today:

1.Increase your cash flow;

2. Reduce or eliminate debt;

3. Take baby steps in savings and investing;

4. Review your finances periodically;

5. Communicate with your family.

For more tips about personal finances, visit http://brighterlife.com.ph

Grab the opportunity: Be a Certified  Blog and Social media entrepreneur

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I am excited about 2014 for the possible opportunities that will come my way.  The start of the new year offers a wonderful opportunity for me to reflect on 2013 and to set goals for the months ahead. I took concrete steps on the direction of this blog ever since I started in 2006.   Yesterday, I blogged about “Speaking and Consulting” as possible income opportunities.   It is another business model to sustain my advocacy in using social media for social good. Sure, I will still get ads, sponsorship, create content and collaborate with projects but I want to diversify. I am in control of my blog and I know I need to take risks to reach my goals.

I believe bloggers can generate revenue by being a blog and social media entrepreneur. There are many benefits of being one.  Some of the things you can do is creating and sharing relevant content; building and managing online communities (managing a forum or Facebook page) ; becoming a digital advocate or influencer; starting a blog movement or communities of like-minded people; building a blog network; creating a win-win social media campaign; helping out with the online presence of NGOs; and building social media presence for people or businesses.

Readers often ask me tips on how to tap the potential of their blogs and social media network. The question on their minds is “How?”

While I would like to sit down with them, I believe I won’t be able to deliver all the tips in one day. You can also do it by trial and error like I did but it will take years to acquire those skills.  If you want to fast track your blogging direction, the best recourse is to acquire the skills and knowledge from resource speakers who walk the talk, and are subject matter experts.

I came across, the Ateneo – DigitalFilipino Digital Entrepreneurship Program called,  Blog & Social Media Entrepreneur Course “with the aim of creating a movement – to encourage the growth of online entrepreneurship and serve the growing needs of businesses locally and internationally.”  Janette Toral partnered with Ateneo De Manila University and eLearning Edge to offer this program which started in 2010 , to support her advocacy in developing more “blog and social media entrepreneurs” in the country.  They combine online course access, hands-on activities, and consultations via webinar. See the modules in the infographic below:

blog and social media entrepreneur

One advantage of this intensive 14 – week online mentorship program is one can learn at any time of day and from anywhere as long as one has internet access. How convenient!

Another advantage is this program is different from similar courses in the market because it goes beyond the creation of a project plan. The one-on-one consultation plays an important role during this stage as well where Janette Toral also collaborates, if necessary, to help carry out a participant’s project.

What makes the program unique in comparison to other programs available is it required completion of a live project per module. As a result, by the time a student finishes the program, they have three projects in their portfolio.

Want to increase your income for 2014?  Grab the opportunity.  Consider being a Certified Blog and Social Media Enterpreneur.  Ideal students for this program are those who aspire to establish their own “personality” brand. They will be able to use the skills and experiences learned in doing the same for others – person, product, service, company and advocacy.

Investment for the program is only P25,000.00. It may look big at first but can be easily recovered by an entrepreneur on their first two projects.  The online class starts on January 25, 2014. Contact Janette Toral (@digitalfilipino) on Twitter or send a private message on facebook.

Speaking & Consulting : Social media, Pro-active parenting & Wellness

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How time flies. The year 2014 is my eighth year as a blogger. When I look back at my grief journey, the turning point is the day I became a blogger on February 25, 2006. It must have been my angel that touched me that one night. I embraced twitter a year after including facebook and other social media networks.

Never in my wildest dream did it occur to me that this new life without my son would open doors to an even more meaningful life. Three years after in 2009, an opportunity presented itself to me to be part of the Automated elections in a PCIJ training. I grabbed the chance. I felt sad that the democracy that we fought so hard in 1986 was getting fragile. I felt the same heaviness in my heart as I saw the corruption slowly destroying our country. What will happen to the country that my children will inherit one day? I wanted take an active role in advocating social change.

jane and myself 3

My good friend Jane Uymatiao (@philippinebeat) together with other citizen advocates in Blog Watch are committed to make a difference in the lives of the Filipino people by helping them make more informed decisions. We help make things happen , one blog post at a time, one tweet at a time , to advocate social change as well as serve as a nonpartisan citizens’ watchdog and collective conscience for transparency and good governance. Being part of that positive change is a meaningful life to me. Blog Watch Citizen media, an emerging media is so much a part of my life aside from this blog.

To sustain an advocacy requires time and money that could have otherwise gone to saving up for our senior years. This is where Jane and I talked about developing our income channels yet doing what we are passionate about: advocating for social change.

Why not offer our services? Though, Jane and I are invited as social media resource speakers, we don’t actively promote ourselves. For 2014, we have moved to a new direction: expanding our services to include social business consultancy, and more topics for social media and pro-active parenting with a new category on “Reinventing One’s Life”. Jane writes about this new chapter in her life.

Here is a general background of the services Jane and I are offering:

1. Social Business Consultancy

Social media presence is no longer a “nice to have” feature of your business. It is a “must have” to be present on social media and give personality and better customer service to your customers and clients. We can help you align your business goals with social media engagement. Applying a new philosophy and methodology to your digital approach will naturally make your business and your overall strategy…meaningful and social.

2. Social Media Resource Speaker

Speaking topics include:

a) Personal branding
b) Brand advocacy- effectively turning customers into brand advocates is a company wide effort
c) Social media content
d) Developing a crisis communication plan
e) How to develop social-media enabled leaders in their spheres of influence
f) Using social media to advocate for social good (company advocacy work, disaster risk reduction)

3. Pro-active Parenting

Speaking topics:
– A safe school program to prevent bullying, abuses and discrimination
– How to establish a digital trust fund for your children
– Teenagers: Why they Should Care About their Digital Footprint
– Parenting in a digital landscape

4. Reinventing One’s Life

Speaking topics:
– Rediscovering Passion in One’s Prime
– Learn the power of forgiving and letting go
– Loving and taking care of yourself
– Finding purpose and meaning in one’s prime
– Developing a wellness mindset

With this new thrust, we will be able to achieve a better work balance, as we continue to earn adequately to sustain our advocacy and boost our retirement savings.

For more details about how Jane and I can work with you, please send me an Email at noemidado @ gmail.com or the form below

The price of sight: is Lasik worth the cost?

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wearing glassesI wear two pairs of eyeglasses, one is for reading and the other is used for driving. I know I should have just one pair of glasses for both purposes but I don’t like to wear those progressive lenses. My high school classmate told me to try Lasik procedure since she has tried it herself. I saw for myself how she does not need reading glasses anymore. I guess it is my fear of the unknown that stops me from going through this procedure. I know that without glasses, I get increased comfort while driving, participating in outdoor sports or doing activities that could cause eye strain. I will never have to worry about losing my eyeglasses. I always carry a spare in my purse or in my car because sometimes I just lose them somehow. There is this infographic that provides information if Lasik procedure is worth pursuing. I am aware of the risks and complications in the Lasik procedure so it is best I see my medical doctor if the Lasik procedure is for me.


Via: King Lasik

Holiday Weight Management Guide

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christmas feast

The year is 2006. My daughter pinched my flabby arms “mom your arms are soft and flabby” then nestled her head on my arms. That statement didn’t sound too complimentary to me but to my daughter, my flabby arms serves as a comfort pillow to lie upon when cuddling by the couch. I looked at the mirror and felt bad that I gained weight around my waistline. I lost 30 pounds in 2005 but I gained 10 pounds back because I have not been monitoring my weight for a year. Ugh. That’s what I discovered when I enrolled at Fitness First Weight Management Program in November 2006. I spent 7,700 pesos for a 11 week program of diet and exercise. It was an early Christmas present to myself. The best gift I can give myself is to take care of ME. Health is wealth after all. I neglected myself for a long time now and the ravages took a toll on my heart, blood pressure and diabetes. Life has been so blessed the past years that I look forward to a bright and healthy future.

Armand, my weight management consultant gave me a two page handout on “Holiday Guide to Eating” based on the American Council on Exercise, 2006. He’s a really nice , conscientious guy who worried I will over-eat during the holidays. Through the years, I have kept this holiday guide so I thought I’d share it with you . The italics are mine.

Guideline no. 1: Portion control is everything
Many people lose weight and keep it off with the simple strategy of portion control. Eliminating or even limiting certain foods is brutally hard during the holidays. So do the next best thing. Eat reasonably small portions, limit the foods you know you should limit, and don’t stuff yourself.

This really works. In parties, I just take a spoonful of everything. With desserts, I get a taste off from my husband’s plate.

Guideline no. 2: The next best thing to behaving perfectly is behaving well.
Most of us know by now what our “trigger foods are and the effects certain foods have on our mood, appetite and energy. If you can’t abstain from problem foods all of the time during the holidays, abstain from them most of the time. “Most of the time” is a lot better than “none of the time”.

Guideline no. 3: Get off the diet mentality
This is the corollary of Guideline No. 2. If you think of yourself as being “on” or “off” a diet, you’re going to get into trouble. Why? Because as soon as you go off, you go off, as in “deep end”. Don’t set yourself up for this disaster. A taste of cake doesn’t mean you’ve “sinned” and definitely doesn’t mean “what the heck, I might as well eat the whole thing”

Guideline no. 4: Don’t skip meals
A common strategy during the holidays is to skip breakfast- and lunchp because you know a big meal is comig , so you “save up” the calories for the celebration. This strategy backfires, because you come to the meal starving and wind up eating more than ever intended. Which leads to….

Guideline no. 5: Never arrive hungry
You know what foods you need to stay away from. Wll, those foods are a lot harder to resist when you’re starving and your blood sugar is in the pits. An ounce of prevention goes a long way here. A glass of juice, some crackers, a slice or two of cheese or bread with some peanut butter will keep your appetite at bay. Try any of them an hour or so before the big holiday dinner and watch your willpower soar while your waistline stays in place.

Guideline no. 6: Go to the buffet line with a small plate
A full salad plate looks like a lot of food and psychologically “feels” the same way. You can always go back for seconds, or even thirds; but all of this slows down the eating process, giving you more time to feel full. And more often than not, the larger portions of food you have eaten if they had been on your plate will wind up staying on the buffet table.

Guideline No. 7: Bring snacks while shopping
Prowling the mall for hours leaves everyone starving and vulnerable to the usually bad fastfood choices.

Guideline No. 8: Replace sweet with spicy
Craving for sweets sometimes evaporate when you put something pickled or spicy in your mouth. It’s okay to indulge the occasional sweet craving , but eat something spicy or pickled first and you may find you no longer want to.

Guideline No. 9 : Be sure it’s not thirst.
Many times when we crave food, it’s not really hunger that’s driving the urge, it’s mild dehydration. So drink tons of water. A slice of orange, lemon or lime will flavor the water and cut your cravings; flavored non-caloric seltzers accomplish the same thing.

Guideline No. 10: Finish your big holiday meaks within an hour of starting
The body produces a second insulin hit if it senses a lot of food coming in continuously . You can avoid that second hit (and the subsequent fat storage that it triggers) by finishing within an hour of starting. If you see something you like that you forgot to eat within the hour, that’s fine; just save it for tomorrow. It’ll still be there and you won’t be wearing it on your hips.

Guideline No. 11: Begin each meal with a salad
It fills you up, provides fiber and is a wonderful alternative to bread.

Guideline No. 12: Divide your plate into thirds
Think protein, vegetables and the carbohydrates you probably crave. Imagine that your plate is divided into thirds, one section for each food group. The carb section has to include not only the starchy carbs that are staples of holiday dinners but the desserts too. So if you’re going to eat dessert, adjust your portion of the other carbs accordingly. Together the “meal” carbs and dessert carbs should make up about one-third of the holiday meal.

Guideline No. 13: Fiber is your secret weapon
Not only is finer supremely healthy and directly related to the reduction of risks for a whole host of diseases, it is a huge player in the weight-loss field. It also contributes to a feeling of fullness.

Guideline No. 14: Plan ahead
During the holidays, try to plan around where you’re going, what temptations are likely to arise and how you’re going to deal with them. Decide in advance what you’re going to allow yourself, but prepare for it so you don’t go overboard. Don’t be afraid to taste things without finishing them.

Guideline No. 15 : Eat Slowly
Hormones signal the brain when you’re full but it takes about 20 minutes from start time before you feel it. Slow eating not only aids digestion but also gives your brain a chance to know what the stomach is doing. If you make the meal last, by talking, putting down your fork between bites or just plain waiting, you’re less likely to eat on “automatic pilot” and more likely to realize you’re full.

So it says plan ahead. It’s been a Christmas tradition to order “Lechon Paella” from Luijoe’s godfather (Lydia’s Lechon ) in our family gatherings . I’ve warned my husband that it’s really unhealthy to have all that greasy food. But he says , it’s only once a year.

Now what do you usually eat for Christmas lunch, dinner or noche buena?

christmas ham

Stress of Christmas Shopping

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christmas-shopping

Are you done with your Christmas shopping? I am not done yet. A lot of my friends dread the rush to the high street to buy a bunch of last-minute Christmas gifts. It has now been scientifically proven that Christmas shopping really is one of the most stressful activities Guess what? I don’t feel stressed out with the Christmas shopping per se although I admit that the traffic is always a challenge to one’s patience.

Somehow I love to be in the hustle and bustle of shopping and listening to Christmas carols as I browse through the items. That photo above was taken in Glorietta 2 a few years back. I can recall vividly the crowd of Christmas shoppers moving to and from the mall. My hubby stresses over the crowds so he starts his Christmas shopping before December. They say the earlier you start your Christmas shopping , the less stress you will feel. I don’t like to shop early because there are no Christmas carols. Where is the fun in that.

I guess the reason for the stress varies but I just want it to be an enjoyable experience. Another reason is I already reduced the stress levels by following certain guidelines:

1. Be efficient

The great bargains are at the bazaars but it is crowded at this time. I limit myself to two department stores. It is less crowded , less hassle and one can really focus on the shopping.

2. Know your budget

With my list, I already set a budget for each person. . Much of the stress comes from you feeling pressured to purchase fancy gifts for loved ones, even if it results in overspending and debt.

3. Shopping Online

Online shopping is not only extremely convenient, but it is also fast, simple, and efficient and allows you to get the bulk of your holiday shopping done at once. My daughter is such an expert in online shopping at ebay that I got hooked at it as well. It spares me from the traffic congestion and fighting for parking spaces , and waiting in long checkout lines.

4. Shop alone

It is normally fun to shop with friends or family but sometimes it can add extra stress to the situation. It is definitely easier and quicker to shop without young children or others who have no idea what they want to purchase. The quicker you are able to get your Christmas shopping done, the easier the experience will likely be on you.

And lastly, enjoy the season. Feel the Christmas spirit.

I often take a moment to relax and enjoy the season by indulging in a pampering session at the salon or spa. Managing my schedule is also a priority. I limit the events that I attend to, the parties and even drop writing assignments. While caught in traffic, I gaze at the beautiful twinkling lights of the christmas parol as the Christmas songs are played in the car. If the traffic is really bad, I play Andrea Bocelli’s “Our Father” song on repeat.

I feel it is a waste of time to stress out when stress can be minimized. Stress will also add wrinkles to my face which I want to avoid.

Taking steps to reduce stress as much as possible can make the holiday season much more fun and helps relieve the anxiety of shopping . Hope you enjoy your Christmas by managing your time and budget and being efficient.

Bright Ideas for energy efficiency

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Sparkling and dazzling lights surround around our Christmas tree. Hundreds of tiny lights run along the garlands like waves stretching all the way to the second floor. The girls’ bright red and green Christmas stockings hang on the garlands, just waiting to be filled up with yummy candies and goodies on Christmas day. These pretty colored things make me giddy as I recall fond childhood memories. The Christmas celebration is not complete with these twinkling lights adorning my home.

christmas lights

But wait… though I may be dazzled by brilliant lights, I should be mindful of the power cost. I received a Meralco advisory for a November rate change in October. Like any other consumer, I wouldn’t want a bill shock so it is great that Meralco gave me a heads up.

meralco notice

In the advisory, electricity rates are expected to have upward adjustments in November and December 2013 and may possibly carry over to January 2013. This is due to the scheduled maintenance work of some power plants and the Camago-Malampaya natural gas pipelines. The advisory further explained that the scheduled maintenance of the Camago-Malampaya pipeline , from which Sta. Rita and Ilijan power plants obtain their fuel is from November 9 till December 8, 2013. Together these two power plants supply about 50% of the Meralco ‘s energy requirements. Both will continue running at a limited capacity but will have to use more expensive fuel, as opposed to the cheaper natural gas from the Malampaya pipeline. This also means Meralco will source more power from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM). All these are expected to drive up generation charge.

That got me worried about my November bill which I just paid yesterday. When I compared my October and November bill, an estimated 11% increase is shown.

Meralco became even pro-active by meeting with a few mom bloggers. They explained the upward adjustments but they are doing all they can to mitigate the impact. One way is securing a new Power Supply AGreement (PSA) with Therma Mobile Inc. for the supply of additional energy to take effect immediately upon the approval by the Energy Regulation Commission (ERC). As a result, the anticipate upward adjusment are significantly lower than if Meralco had been more dependent on WESM.

Managing Power Consumption

gingerbread-garland

Another way to minimize the rate impact is by reaching out to us on the energy efficiency tips especially when there are more lights being used this Christmas season. This is something within our control and is very do-able.

1. Use LED Christmas lights .

They use 33% less power than regular bulbs and also last much longer.

2. Reduce wattage of your lights from 10 W bulbs to 7 W bulbs for 30% savings.

If you cannot change large Christmas bulbs for your interior and exterior decors, consider reducing its wattage. Switching from a 10W bulb to a 7W bulb saves you as much as 30% on your consumption.

3. Regulate the period your lights are on with a timer.

Set a timer to switch off Christmas lights and prevent them from staying on all day or all night. This can be purchased in most hardware stores.

4. Unplug all devices when not in use.

TVs, DVD/VCD Players, computers, stereos, game consoles still use energy in stand by mode. When not in use, unplug them. Electronic appliances produce heat. Extra heat requires more energy from your air conditioners and increase cooling costs.

5. Use a power board

A power board can supply power to multiple appliances at the same time and allows you also to switch them off using the same switch.

6. Switch off lights when not in use.

Utilize natural light whenever possible.

7. Set the thermostat of your airconditioner at comfortable temperature level ( 25C)

The consumption of airconditioners comprise the bulk of my electricity bill so all of us should take note of this energy tip.

For every one degree increase in thermostat setting, savings may reach up to 5% of total aircon operating cost. Use a timer. Set air conditioner’s timer to turn off your unit to reduce operating time.

meralco virtual engine

There are more energy efficient tips at meralco.com.ph and even their twitter account @meralco. You can also access Bright Ideas wheh you download the Meralco Virtual Engine (MOVE) app on your phone or tablet. It is so cool because you can have a fun time educating your children and other household members on these energy efficient tips. It also allows me to view my latest electricity bill, the nearest Bayad Centers, the Meralco office directory, and compute my consumption costs on the Appliance calculator.

meralco tip

Even without the upward adjustments, energy efficiency is a household objective but it is good to be reminded especially in this season of brightly lit households.

Do you agree that sharing online (despite decreasing anonymity) improves 21st-century life?

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I finished the Coursera Course on “Understanding Media by understanding Google”. I am so glad I completed the course. For the last essay, Prof. Owen R. Youngman told us to write our thoughts on sharing our lives online.

The subtitle of Jeff Jarvis’ most recent book Public Parts, which we did not read but whose contents are central to the online debate at The Economist, is “How sharing in the digital age improves the way we work and live.”

In no more than 400 words, take a position on whether our decreasing anonymity online, and the increases in data collection and information sharing that accompany this decrease, either improves or damages 21st-century life.

These are my thoughts:

——

Our decreasing anonymity online, and the increases in data collection and information sharing that accompany this decrease, improves 21st-century life.

gravestone for my son

In 2000, I lost my precious six-year old son and my whole world collapsed. I was devastated for many years until I decided to  live a new normal  in 2005 and start The Compassionate Friends, a grief support group to bereaved parents. I didn’t feel it was enough so I started a blog so other parents would discover it by using a search engine and search “grief support group in the Philippines”.  Sharing the changes in my new life  were shown in my blog entries. I wanted to offer hope that there is a new normal after the loss of a child.  During our meetings, talking helped. As I gave comfort, I too found comfort.

Jeff Jarvis in Economist Debate on Social Networking  affirms the benefits of sharing. “Sharing is a social and generous act: it connects us, it establishes and improves relationships, it builds trust, it disarms strangers and stigmas, it fosters the wisdom of the crowd, it enables collaboration, and it empowers us to find, form and act as publics of our own making.”

How did that lead to a better life? See, grief is taboo at least in our culture and through grief education, these bereaved parents were able to start living a new normal, a productive life even without their child around. Through the group, the bereaved parents decided to work towards a positive resolution of their grief , yet knowing that their child will always be with them in their hearts and in their minds.

Blogging also opened doors for me.  I soon received recognition and awards which provided more traffic to my grief support advocacy site and my blog. It is not easy sharing the depth of my sadness to strangers but I felt I was at the stage of my grief that I needed to offer hope that there is a life after a death of a child.

Sarah Perez in If The Government Can Access Our Facebook Data, What Happens When We Have Computers On Our Faces?, agrees that agrees that “by recording and sharing bits of ourselves and our lives, from the days of cave paintings to Instagram photos and now to the very number of steps we’ve taken and beats of our heart, we are somehow not as alone as we feel.”

As I reach out to offer hope in my blog posts,  grief is no longer taboo.  Sharing not only gives us something to do with the energy of grief, but also establishes the continuity of memory and spirit of one who was so much a part of our lives. Life is so much better.

Caring for tomorrow: I pledge to drive safe

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Dreaming of a safer tomorrow? Go further. When I think of the future, the safety of my family and loved ones comes to mind. There are things we can control and those that we can’t. I certainly have control of my driving habits.

carefortomorrow-ford

I did not know what lay ahead beyond the sign at the door to Ford’s “Caring for tomorrow” campaign . I had told my friends that Ford Philippines was launching the “Caring for Tomorrow” campaign to promote public awareness and safe driving habits, and to invite drivers to pledge to drive safely for their loved ones. Together with Arpee , Wenchie, Rhadem , Kaye, Aleja , Sofie, and Jay , we got to experience the premium advanced features and technologies that Ford is making available across its model range.

The experience was quite an eye-opener for me and my friends. Though, I have test driven the Ford models in the past, this was the first time I saw an overview of all the safety features in various Ford models. Let me show you.

ford focus third age 1

Rhadem, Wenchie and Sofie wore Third Age suits and felt the stiffness of arthritis and poor vision. It’s great FORD considered the comfort of third age passengers like our grandparents. “Third Age is now considered by many to be the “golden years” of adulthood. It is generally defined as the span of time between retirement and the beginning of age-imposed physical, emotional, and cognitive limitations, and today would roughly fall between the ages of 65 and 80+. ” They need special care inside the automobile.

ford focus third age

The men wore empathy suits to feel what it is like to be eight months pregnant. I know how that felt during my eight month of pregnancy. There was not enough room between the steering wheel and my huge belly. You can see that there is comfortable space. Just check the photo below.

empathy suit 1

My friends at the backseat were seated comfortably with enough leg room for stiff legs.

third age inside ford focus

Getting out of the car is also easy because of the booster pads on the seat.

booster in ford focus

I love the idea that Ford even thought of our pets. After all, pets are family members too. Look at the safety seatbelt demonstrated in this stuffed dog.

pet safety

See how the safety engineers are dressed up as Third age users.

safety engineers from Ford Focus

For the Ford Explorer, the main goal of the the inflatable seat belt is for rear-seat occupants. “The advanced restraint system is designed to help reduce head, neck and chest injuries for rear-seat passengers, often children and older passengers who can be more vulnerable to such injuries.”

inflatable seat belt

A game show tested our knowledge on safety practices.

game show ford focus

For instance, what would you do if you are sleepy after a night out with friends? I would take coffee and try to nap a bit before driving. Ford has an answer to sleepy-heads. The Ford’s Driver Alert (in the new 2.0L Ford Focus Sport+ ) uses advanced technology and sophisticated algorithms to analyse driver performance and issues a warning if the driver shows signs of drowsiness or erratic steering.

ford caring for tomorrow

Ford’s MyKey is designed to help parents encourage safe teen driving habits . The easily programmable key limits a vehicle’s top speed, limit radio volume and encourage safety-belt usage by muting the radio until front occupants buckle up. Isn’t that cool? Any parent would want this “guardian angel” feature.

car keys ford focus
(Photo via Arpee Lazaro)

Another safety feature is the hands-free, voice-activated in-car technology using the Ford SYNC, an integrated in-vehicle communications and entertainment system that allows the driver to make hands-free telephone calls, control music and perform other functions with the use of voice commands, radio controls and even the car’s steering wheel.

voiceassist

One of my favorite feature is the the Ford Focus Active Park Assist. I have never mastered the art of parallel parking and I was excited to show Wenchie who had similar difficulty . With just one click of a button, the Focus will actively search for available parking spots and sensors around the car will steer it into the parking spot perfectly. The driver still has full control of the accelerator and brake, but the car does all the heavy hand-eye coordination. The wheels actually pivot the car into place. This is a priceless stress-reliever.

parallel parking park assist

Watch this video taken by Arpee while Jay tested out the Active Park Assist. You will be enthralled.

The Active City Stop low-speed collision avoidance technology is another safety feature to help prevent collisions at speeds up to 10mph, and help reduce the severity of impacts at speeds below 20mph.

Let me point out that most of these safety features are available in the top of the line model of the Ford Focus. No wonder the price is 1.2 million pesos.

active city stop

By the end of the tour, my friends and I were so overwhelmed with the innovative safety features that used to be available only in high-end European cars. The culminating activity was signing a pledge to drive safely because we care enough for the future of our loved ones.

caring for tomorrow pledge to drive safe

I scribbled: I care for the future of everyone. I pledge to drive safe.

driving ford focus

You may also want to read Arpee Lazaro’s article on Ford Focus: A New Level Of Safety.

Google’s intention to digitize all the world’s books a good thing?

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I always challenge myself to be a better person. I also challenge myself to learn something new whether it be a hobby or a course. The opportunity to learn something new came when Coursera opened a six-week course on Understanding Media by Understanding Google. Online media has been my life ever since I turned to blogging in 2006. The course syllabus was really interesting but could I go through the discipline of quizzes, and peer-graded assignments? That I had to see. The online course started on September 16 and I knew it would be a busy month due to my anti-pork activities. There were times I could barely catch up with my readings and cramming everything in one day.

The good news is I finally finished six weeks. Yes, Today I submitted my quiz and essay for week six. I am not sure I will get a high grade but I am sure to pass as I believe the past five weeks have given me satisfactory scores in my quizzes and perfect scores in peer graded assignments.

With all that behind, I’d like to share some of the essays I wrote for this course. But before that , let me explain the rationale of this course.

Most of you know that Google Inc. is one of the key success stories of the Internet era. When I first heard of Google in the late nineties, it was only meant to be a search business. Through innovation and acquisition, Google has touched the lives of nearly every person who lives life online. For instance, Americans spend more than 3,400 hours per year using consumer media, the field where Google’s impact is most profound. I don’t have data for the Philippines but I can safely say that Google is the number one search engine. Citizens of the world increasingly must understand what the company has wrought not only to manage their offline and online environments, but also to interact and engage successfully with anyone in their professional and personal lives.

It is through understanding Google that we can begin to understand media.

google books

The first peer-graded assignment was about Google books. Here is the question.

Is Google’s intention to digitize all the world’s books a good thing or a bad thing, and for whom? Carefully cite at least two sources from the readings or lectures in support of your answer, which should be no more than 300 words in length.

Here is my essay:

 It is my dream that people from developing countries have access to open knowledge. As a little girl, I poured over the encyclopedia series that my father bought for us.  I believe access to books at an early age piqued my curiosity about the world, science and arts. Imagine if every child around the world had access to books at their fingertips.

It is my belief that Google ‘s intention to digitize the books is a good thing because it will provide readers’ “access to millions of books they currently can’t find or have trouble getting through libraries.”

In  countries like the Philippines where I live, public libraries are not available to many cities and even if available, the collection of books is very limited.  Having books within reach will  produce “generations of avid readers and a knowledgeable, engaged citizenry.”  With the digitized copies available online, anyone with access to a network can search for books and get it quicker since Google is known for its greater search results and efficiency. Even if the digital divide is wide in our country, the government will soon  provide internet access to schools with personal computers and tablets. Students can then easily browse the web and search for books to do their research.

Google books will never be a replacement of a traditional library.  Students should still be able to borrow books from the school library. I view digitized books as an alternative when the printed version is not readily available.  I hope to see Google’s digitized books  shared with a   universal library that is established to “make all knowledge available to all citizens” around the world.

What do you think?