Talon: World's First Smart Ring Gaming Controller

Do your kids enjoy playing online games? Do you have a apps on your smartphone that you usually use and wish you can use those apps hands-free?

Look no further!

Introducing Talon. It is the world's first smart ring gaming controller. Yes, you read it right. It IS wearable smart ring that lets you play games and control apps with simple gestures and waves.

Talon is currently being developed by Titanium Falcon, Inc. in San Jose, California. They are a start up company that aims to bridge the gap between wearable technology and online gaming. Their team is composed of experts in various fields, responsible for bringing an advanced hardware project like this to reality in a few months.

I am sure you are excited to own a Talon. I am too! If you want to learn more about the product and how you can help to propel this wonderful device in the market the soonest time, please click HERE.

This Is For You, My Future Daughter-In-Law

Dear Future Daughter-In-Law,

Let me introduce myself. I am your future Monster-In-Law. 

I am the person who carried your boyfriend in my womb for nine months. I was the one who nurtured him, fed him, potty trained him. I was the one who took him to school and back, stayed up late watching over him when he was sick. I was the one he called when he was happy or sad. It was my pinky finger he held on to at night until he was fast asleep. When he was little, he would always come home from school with a surprise for me - a piece of candy, some left over soda or half a cupcake. He sat with me on the couch while I watched my favorite soap opera. He was my baby boy.

Until he met you. 

And everything changed. Rarely do we talk anymore. He comes home late at night. You say he is your night in shining armor. I think otherwise. You treat him like a slave, waiting on the wings to serve your every whim. He commutes several miles to bring you a jacket to cover your butt because you had a strike-through during one of your monthly periods. Let me ask you this - how often do you change pads? Once a day?!! My goodness! Any girl would know how often you should do that. And why did you have to wear white jeans? Arrrggghhh!!! My son went out in a thunderstorm because you had to call him for "help." 

He loves you, but do you love him?

He stays with you every weekend. He cleans your dorm, scrubs your toilet, and cooks a meal for you. Lucky you! He never does that for me anymore. His room at home is a mess, he uses the toilet like he does not care if he leaves the floor wet, and he only comes downstairs when it is time to eat. He dumps a hamperful of dirty clothes, expecting me to wash them for him. He tells me he has no time to do his laundry because he has to run out to meet you. If ever he is at home, he spends most of his free time on the computer, chatting with you. Why can't he chat with me too? There are many things I want to share, stories I want to tell, but it is all about you! You want this, you need this, you want to go there, you demand him to be near. Have you ever thought that I need some time with my son too?

What kind of spell did you cast upon my boy? Witch.

Are you ready for a life with my son? You'll have to remember, you will not only marry my son, but you will marry the entire family - and that includes ME. 

My boy chose you, and for me to "like" or even "love" you as a daughter, you'd have to seriously consider these:

1. Learn more about Me. I am not a whiner. I don't complain about petty things and I do not rely on anyone to help me out of the rut. I climb, crawl and pull myself out. I am independent. I am handy. I am tougher than you think I am.

2. You should know how to cook. I don't want my boy to come running home to me because you burned the pot roast. You should know how to work your way in the kitchen.

3. You should be patient with his mess.

4. You should give my boy some alone time with his buddies.

5. Do not, I said DO NOT be poking around in his wallet. That is the only thing private in a marriage.

6. Do not nag. You may argue, but no nagging. Respect begets respect.

7. Do not hurt my boy. If you hurt him, I may, or I will hurt you too. Remember, I did not raise him to be a helpless victim of your bullying.

8. You must do everything within your means be a good mother to your future children. Remember, they are my grandchildren. There are times that you will lose your patience with them, but then again, do not hurt them. Because if you do, I may, or I will hurt you too.

9. Do not try to please me with fancy gifts. It is not my nature to want those things. Practicality is my game. I would rather have long walks and worthwhile talks with you to get to know you better.

10. Every now and then, you will receive unsolicited advice from me. It is not that I am meddling in your life, but I am after your welfare. I will not be speaking of things I read from a book or from an online article. I will be speaking to you out of experience.

You have to know Me. I am very transparent. My facial expression and body language is all you need to understand how I feel.

WYSIWYG. (What You See Is What You Get)

So, future daughter-in-law, did I scare you enough? I hope not. These are things I want you to understand and accept. You will spend the rest of your life with my boy and I am the first-hand authority on everything you need to know about him. I am his very first "Wonder Woman" - until he met you. But for now, be content with the title "Wonder Girl." 

I hope you remember all these as you walk down the aisle in a white dress, ready to exchange vows with my boy. 

I will be witnessing your solemn marriage and try my best not to smirk. Haha.

Don't forget to thank me for raising the Man of Your Dreams. I will be out of the picture soon. He will leave the life with me and start a new one with you. My son chose you to love, so I guess I love you too. 

Best regards,

Your future Monster-in-Law

Lose Weight 3x Faster With SLIMQUICK® Pure Extra Strength Mixed Berries Drink Mix

"I am getting too fat. I need to lose weight."

How often do we hear this from friends, family members and colleagues? Almost everyday.

Part of the aging process is slowed metabolism which in part, causes weight gain. Most of us engage in some form of routine exercise, however, we find it frustrating to lose 2 pounds and gain 3 pounds back!

There are 6 main reasons why women have trouble losing weight. These 6 main reasons are hormones, slower metabolism, stress, low energy, appetite and water retention. 

Good thing we have SLIMQUICK® Pure Extra Strength Mixed Berries Drink Mix is designed for women to help them lose 3 times the weight by addressing the 6 physical reasons women have trouble losing weight. It is formulated to help women to lose weight 3 times faster than any other supplement.

What makes SLIMQUICK® better than others out there in the market? Aside from being 0 calories, it contains all natural ingredients like antioxidants, calcium, vitamin D and BioPure Green Tea™.

BioPure Green Tea™ is exclusive to SLIMQUICK® Pure. The fat burning component of green tea has been isolated and added to increase your metabolism rate, therefore helping us lose weight in a faster, healthier and more effective way. Tastes great too! 

SLIMQUICK® wants to make sure that we reach our weight loss goals and they understand that it is difficult to do this without any support. This is the reason why they created the SLIMQUICK® Community where we can collaborate with other women also trying to lose weight. We can exchange recipes, view meal plans, and support from the SlimQuick coach and learn helpful tips for weight loss. Now, we don't have to feel left out and alone in this weight loss journey! How cool is that?

 

For those women who love to take on a challenge, SLIMQUICK® offers its customers to join a program to lose 25 pounds. We get full emotional support, weekly motivational tips, healthy recipes and exercise advice to get us through the journey.

Take the first step towards a slimmer, healthier figure. Grab your stash of SLIMQUICK® Pure Extra Strength Mixed Berries Drink Mix in the following establishments:

But wait, this doesn't stop here! They are offering $5 off when you purchase SLIMQUICK® Pure Extra Strength Mixed Berries Drink at any of the participating stores! Click HERE to print your discount coupon.

 
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post powered by Brandbacker for SLIMQUICK® Pure Extra Strength Mixed Berries Drink. I have been compensated and received the samples for free.

5 Amazing Bodies of Water ~ My Beautiful Planet Earth!

Our planet is amazingly full of natural wonders. Hills, valleys, mountain ranges and bodies of water so beautiful you'd think you are in paradise.

Today, I am writing about some amazing bodies of water. Looking at their pictures alone leaves me awe-struck! So without much ado, here is my list of my planet earth's amazing bodies of water.

Great Blue Hole, Belize

The Great Blue Hole is a large sinkhole off the coast of Belize. It is located near the center of Lighthouse Reef, a small atoll 70 km (43 mi) from the mainland and Belize City. The hole is circular in shape, over 300 meters (984 feet) wide across and 124 meters (407 feet) deep. It is a popular dive spot where scuba divers can marvel at the crystal clear waters, stalactites in submerged caves and rare species of fish.

Lake Hillier, Australia

Lake Hillier, also known as the "Pink Lake," is a salt water lake located in Middle Island, which is part of the Recherche Archipelago off the south coast of Western Australia. Its vibrant pink color is believed to be caused by the reaction of the salt with the organism Dunaliella salina, The pink hue is permanent, unaffected by temperature or weather changes. 

Mosquito Bay, Puerto Rico

Mosquito Bay is located in Vieques, Puerto Rico and is known to be the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world. In the waters of Mosquito Bay, the organism Pyrodinium bahamense, which is classified as dinoflagellates, are abundantly thrive. The magical blue luminescence is produced when these organisms come into contact with another larger organism, or when they are agitated. 

  

Jellyfish Lake, Palau

Jellyfish Lake is a marine or saltwater lake located in Eil Malk Island, Palau. History states that the lake was once connected to the ocean, however, geological changes occurred that caused salt water to be trapped in the lake basin, isolating it and the organisms that thrived in it. The jellyfish that are found in abundance in this lake is the Golden Jellyfish. Through years of evolution and little to no predators to disrupt them, these jellyfish lost their stingers. Humans can safely swim in the lake without fear of being stung. It is now a popular destination for swimmers, snorklers and divers from around the world. 

Taal Lake, Philippines

Taal Lake is one of a kind in the world. Located in the southern part of the main island of Luzon, this freshwater lake fills the Taal Caldera, which is a large caldera caused by a series of volcanic eruptions some 500.000 to 100,000 years ago. What makes this unique is that Taal Lake, according to folklore, is known to be a crater lake, and that the surrounding towns are part of a giant volcano. Why is this so? You would notice (as the photo shows), there is a landmass in the middle of Taal Lake. That is the "Volcano Island" In the middle of the volcano island is another lake, the main crater lake, and in it is another tiny island, called Vulcan Point. Therefore, this unique body of water and land formation is aptly described as "An island (Vulcan Point) within a lake (Main Crater Lake), within an island (Volcano Island), within a lake (Taal Lake), within an island (Luzon)." 

I hope you enjoyed reading through this post. What other bodies of water have amazed you? Feel free to share them in your comments. 

Violet's Smile: Defying the odds of Lissencephaly

Today I write about something you may have never heard of before. But for me and my husband's family, it is a word we have associated with other words like "hope," "love," "miracles," and "Violet."

This word is Lissencephaly.

What is Lissencephaly? It is a rare gene-linked brain malformation characterized by the absence of normal convolutions (folds) in the cerebral cortex. In layman's terms, it is called "smooth brain." Children with lissencephaly generally have significant developmental delays, but these vary greatly from child to child depending on the degree of brain malformation and seizure control. Life expectancy can be shortened, generally due to respiratory problems.

This is an MRI image comparing a normal brain with that of Lissencephaly.

Violet is my husband's great-niece. She was born on August 14, 2012. She was diagnosed with Lissencephaly shortly after birth. Her parents were devastated, but they did everything they can to help their daughter. The little fighter that she is, Violet proved to be a strong little girl, showing signs of improvement, defying all those senseless statistics.  

Despite her constant battle with seizures, and the long travel from their home to the hospital for medical appointments and therapies, Violet is a happy, pretty little girl. Her curly hair, expressive eyes, and radiant smile will surely melt your heart. She can sit up unassisted and is able to communicate through sign and body movement. Violet will be turning three on the 14th of this month. Another milestone achieved. Thanking the Goodness of the Lord for this blessing! 

 This is Violet. She'll be turning three on the 14th.

If you live in or around the area of Pittston, PA, we would like to invite you to attend a fundraising event for Violet, to help the family with the medical expenses. It will be on August 22, 2015. Tickets are $15/seat. 20% per ticket sold will go towards the therapy, travel and medical expenses of Violet. Below is the event banner where you can contact the organizers for tickets. 

If you would be unable to attend, or live too far away, and still want to help and show your love, please feel free to visit Violet's GoFundMe page. Any donation would be highly appreciated. You may also follow her on Facebook for updates and you may send her your birthday wishes too.

GoFundMe: http://www.gofundme.com/teamultraviolet

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004961055057&fref=ts 

Have a happy Sunday and may your kind heart be continuously blessed.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

It is the first Monday of August.

I sit here thinking about going back to work tonight. Lately, I seem to have fallen out of love with the work I have been doing for the past decade. Blame it on the lack of sleep, on the dwindling salary I receive, on the changes that have put so much pressure at work. For the past few weeks, I have been seriously considering quitting.

My dad once told me, "Before you make a major decision in life, get a piece of paper. Fold the paper in half. On the left side, label the heading with the word 'Pros' and on the right side, label it with 'Cons.' Write down all the positive things about your proposed decision on the left side, and all the possible negative things on the right side. When you are done, read through it and weigh out each and every entry before you finally decide what you want to do."

It was good advice back then. It still is today. And so I put it to a test today. Here is what I have written down:

So, as you can see, there are more positive things that can happen if I quit my current employment and concentrate on work-at-home jobs. But I still have to think long and hard about this.

Regular Income Jobs vs. Contract Based Jobs:

Employees get paid a daily rate for completing 40 work hours per week, regardless if you do your job or not. If you don't, then you still get paid. If you excel in your work, then you get paid extra bonuses. In contract based/work at home jobs, you get paid a flat rate for the entire workload which you are required to complete in a few days or weeks. They usually pay very well, however, the drawback would be stability. You cannot depend on being awarded contacts every time. There will be lulls and it may be a long one.

HMO Plans vs. Government Health Insurance:

One of the perks of being a regular employee is you are provided with health insurance by an HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) provider. The monthly dues are paid for by the company you work for. Some companies even provide HMO benefits for their employee plus three dependents. If I opt for being self-employed, I will have to pay out of pocket for my monthly fees and make do with the Government Health Insurance that can only be availed of if I will be confined in a hospital. I could buy up my own private health insurance, but that would be very expensive.

Social Security and Retirement Benefits

Regular employees have mandatory deductions in their paycheck which goes into their Social Security Fund. The company also contributes two to three times the amount the employee pays per month. So that's me and my employer saving for my retirement benefits. If I chose to be self employed, I will have to pay a lot per month to maintain my current rate for Social Security.

Family Time, Less Stress, Healthier Meals vs. Graveyard Shift and Fast Food

I have been wanting to stay home and be with my family more. It is so nice to be able to earn my keep while minding the needs of my family at the same time. I get to prepare healthier meals for myself and my family. I will get more rest, therefore less stress and less sick days. As an employee doing the graveyard shift for a decade and living on fast food has given me uncontrolled blood sugar levels, gastritis, and elevated blood cholesterol. I come home physically drained and irritable. This is not the mom I want my children to have.

Be my own Boss vs. Having a Boss

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to do everything at your own pace without somebody breathing fire down your neck everyday? That would feel so much like heaven on earth. However, I would miss out on creating "code names" for people higher up the corporate ladder who do nothing but make others' lives miserable. Me and my friends have become so creative at this. We have "the Tele-tubbies," "the Whale Shark," "Shrek," "Princess Fiona," "King Albino," to name a few. LOL. That I would surely miss if I opt to stay at home to work.

So, have I decided to quit or to stay put? I still have two sons in college and losing a regular income might mean disaster. My hubby told me to wait until one of my children can take me in as their dependent for health insurance coverage. Little old pessimistic me was worried that I might be too old to qualify when that time comes. Haha.

And so, I will be patient and wait for the opportune time when I can go for my dreams and work at home. When that moment comes, I will then sit down and do what I love to do best - to write.

Pizza Party after the Monthly Team Update Meeting

Lighter moments with the team at the Videoke room at work

Breakfast at 4am with my fellow Quality Analysts

Early morning pig out at Pizza Hut

Wishing everyone a more productive and fun-filled week ahead!

#Motivation Mondays: Creating Tracks

Good morning, Monday! Its going to be another grueling week. As much as we want to avoid it, we have to get up, make breakfast, get dressed and rush off to work.

I whisper a prayer and with one foot out the door, I greet this brand new week with hope and thankfulness for the blessings of family, health, and an opportunity to earn my keep.

Angel of God, my guardian dear

To whom His Love commits me here.

Ever this day, be at my side

To light and guard,

To rule and guide,

Amen.

What Was The Biggest News In The World On The Day You Were Born?

The past few days has been dark, rainy and gloomy. When you live in the tropics, you expect to wake up bright and sunny day almost everyday. The rain is a welcome treat to farmers, and a much needed break from the heat for city dwellers, but to have rain for a whole week is not much fun at all.

And so, I sit here, thinking about things to write about. I wanted to write about something that would uplift my spirits, something to make me feel good about myself, or at least write about something I just found out about.

I chose the last option. I went to one of my favorite websites, www.history.com and checked on "This Day In History." I was just curious if there was any significant event in history that happened on November 13 (that's my birthday). Well, here's what I found out:

On November 13, 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington, DC. It is a V-shaped wall made of black granite, inscribed with the names of the 57,939 Americans who died in the conflict. It is such an inspiring monument to the honor the sacrifice of these young men and women.

I found out there are a lot other things that happened on November 13, some good, some bad. It was just nice to be able to learn more about history and of the things that happened on the same date as the day you were born.

Do you want to find out what significant event happened on the same day as your birthday? Click on the link below to find out. There's definitely a surprise for you. 

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

Happy Monday, everyone!

Know Your Brass Instruments: The Euphonium

Today I write about another brass instrument that produces an extraordinary sound. It is a compensating euphonium.

What is a euphonium?

A euphonium is a valved brass musical instrument resembling a small tuba in appearance, produces a tenor pitch, and played mainly in military and brass bands. There are two kinds of  euphonium - compensating and non-compensating. There are two basic groups of euphoniums: compensating and non-compensating. A compensating euphonium includes extra tubing. This "compensates" for the tendency of the sharp low register. By depressing the fourth valve, air is redirected through an auxiliary set of slides on valves 1 through 3, when they're used. These slides lower the pitch even more, so the lower notes become closer in tune. Non-compensating euphoniums have a fourth valve that operates like any other valve. The pitch is lowered 2-1/2 steps in this case, and the player must make the necessary adjustments to bring the low range in tune.

So now we know that the compensating euphonium is a better choice, next time we are in market for one, it is best that we keep this information in mind.

Dysport for Botox

Today, we are no longer forced to live with wrinkles, folds and other facial imperfections. We are able to alter our appearance with numerous cosmetic procedures thus restoring our confidence and most importantly, our looks. Among many different treatments that are available to us, botox ranks as the most popular procedure in North America. As such, it is regarded as the core services provided by various aesthetic companies.

Given that this industry is constantly on the rise, stiff competition is expected. There are many companies which are offering drugs for botox. Standard choice for most cosmetic doctors is Botox, brand name that launched entire procedure. However, as of late, Botox is starting to fade and it gives room to a new and improved medicine called Dysport.

Like any other drug which is used for this procedure, Dysport has botulinum toxin type A as its main component. It is well known that this toxin is one of the strongest toxins in existence. It can cause various issues to our body and it is the main cause for botulism. Unfortunately, in some cases, patients reported symptoms of this disease after being administered with Dysport. This happens because the drug starts shifting within the skin and this spreading leads to vicious ailment. Before using Dysport or any other similar drug, it is necessary to test yourself and determine whether you are allergic to the drug. As it usually goes with medicines, even though they can help us in various ways, some of their components can be bad for our organism. It comes as a no shock that a drug which is based on strong toxin will possibly produce side effects.

There are some precautionary measures that you need to take before using Dysport. Pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding should not use this drug under any circumstances. It has been reported that Dysport can impact children in different, unforeseen ways. Besides this, people who are above 65 shouldn’t use it as well. Some diseases and conditions can prevent you from using the medicine such as diabetes, asthma, muscle weakness, skin issues, bleeding disorders, heart condition etc. Whatever may be the case, it is always best to consult with your doctor prior to treatment.

Drug is inserted into the skin by using thin needles. Process is painless and easy to recover from. In worst case scenario, if your skin is very sensitive, you will need to put an ice pack. However, you can expect swelling to pass after just a few days. 

Given popularity of this treatment, it is easy to understand how every pharmaceutical and cosmetic company wanted to have piece of the market. Nowadays, there are numerous online pharmacies that are offering this drug. But, have in mind that some drugstores don’t have valid certificates, so you need to be very careful when purchasing the drug online. If you decide to buy Dysport from Medica Depot or similar company, you can be certain that the product which you are receiving is of highest quality.