Thoughts on Home-Based Jobs // Donate a Book

Working from home

I've been quite busy with work lately I spend most of my day sleeping and working during wee hours of the morning. There are pros and cons of working from home of course but one thing is for sure, it is not for everyone. Let me start with (3) advantages of home-based jobs (for me), first off I like that I can work in my own phase. I can have coffee or restroom breaks anytime I want to. I have control of how I would like to make use of my time. Secondly, I don't have to deal with the hustle of commuting to and from work. If you live in a neighborhood where commuting is such a pain in the neck and it will take you forever to get a ride, then you'd rather stay home, less stress. Lastly, if you are an introvert like me, you don't have to worry about dealing with people you dislike. I would rather spend my time in front of the computer finding something to do than talk about the lives of other people, especially during idle time. It's so typical of a workplace setting really. Now for the cons, let me just reiterate that these are just base on my personal experience. I must say that home based jobs are not very stable and reliable for the most part. If you are expecting a fixed pay or get paid twice a month then, this is not for you. Most home-based jobs are good for extra income but do not expect it to be as good as full-time jobs unless of course, you are in the I.T. industry or a full-time Youtuber.  Home-based jobs, in my opinion, might work as on-the-side jobs. Also, you have to pay your government benefits voluntarily because they will not take care of it for you compared to on-site jobs wherein you just have to work, work, work and wait until you get paid. I guess what I just miss about working on-site are the paid leaves, holiday pay and HMO (medical benefits). Nevertheless, if you are willing to take the risk (like me) if you are really fed up of your daily work routine, then go for it for a change. 

Donate a Book

My niece's old books

I've been wanting to donate my niece's used schools books for the longest time. We've been keeping all her books from grade three so imagine how many bundles of books we already have since she is now an incoming grade six student. I am in dire need of disposing of her used books because it has taken so much space in our storage room when, lo and behold, my sister told me that she saw books being donated in SM Store. She asked me if I can research on how we can donate all the books that's when I learned about The SM Store's #ShareMovement: Donate-a-Book Project, which is the official umbrella campaign of the SM Store Corporate Social Responsibility chain. This joint project of The SM Store and SM Stationery will give its shoppers and customers the opportunity to share the joy of reading by donating used and new books to less fortunate children. Designated booths have been set up in all SM Store branches nationwide where customers can drop their donations. Every donation entitles a customer a P50 discount coupon which can be redeemed from the SM Stationery section for every minimum P500 single receipt purchase on regular-priced items at the SM Store. This program will run from May 20, 2019, until July 8, 2020, so coupons will be valid from the said dates only.

Donate-a-book coupons

What's Up?

January is almost over and it's my sister's birthday today. Whoa! time flies. So what am I looking forward to this year? A lot actually. I really wish to travel again this year and get a really nice vlogging camera so I can create more travel videos because I kinda miss traveling every year like I used to. 

For the time being, my sissies and I are quite busy with our food cart business. Every business has its highs and lows and so far I must say that it's not going too well because it's a very TOUGH competition out there especially when it comes to food because you really have to come up with something unique to stand out and get noticed. There are risks involved and things don't always go your way. Well, I guess everything is a learning process and no matter what happens, giving up is not an option, to be honest, plus it's only been three months since we started. I am so far getting the hang of everything but still have a lot of things to learn and discover so hopefully luck we'll be on our side but we are determined to keep going. 'Nuff said.

I missed a lot of good flicks but I'm glad I'm catching up a bit. So far I've seen A Star Is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody, two of the most awaited movies on my list because my sister scored a really good copy. There's just way too many movies that I'm looking forward to this year I cannot wait for reviews I depend on them a lot. So there.

Welcome Year of the Earth Pig

Happy New Year! What can I say? I survived 2018. Since this will be my very first blog in 2019, I’ll just make it brief because I still have a little bit of hangover from the holidays. I’ve been busy with decorating, meal preppin’ and all that stuff and I must say I had a blast I hope you guys did too.  

In case you want to know what I’ve been up to these past few days (and months) you may watch this video and the rest of it on my Youtube channel. 

Have a prosperous and meaningful 2019 y’all! Cheers! 

"BER" Month Update

Hello there, glad to be back here after three months of not writing anything...well, I guess it's the time of the year.  As we all know, "ber" months are up and the holidays are just around the corner. My sibs and I have a new business venture that will keep us busier until the end of the year we're crossing our fingers that it'll work out because it's something new to us. 

So far our Christmas lights are giving us the holiday vibes already because we haven't set up our Christmas tree yet we are looking at selling our old one and get a white tree. We're thinking of changing our theme to a Winter Wonderland for a change. I'm still in the hunt for holiday inspirations I want this year to be quite magical or something (lol). I'm quite busy with my Youtube channel and if you're not feeling Christmas-ey yet, you can watch this short video called Calm Before Christmas.

But before Christmas it's Halloween first so in case you're looking for makeup ideas, I'd like to share a video makeup tutorial of Valak from the movie The Nun.

That's pretty much it for now. Happy Trick or treat. Cheers to the holidays!

Going VEGAN: Because I Care

It’s only been a week since I became a vegan and so far so good, I have nothing but good things to say. Some might say that becoming a vegan is just a phase and that there are people who, after switching to a plant based diet eventually go back to eating meat. Well, we all have reasons to our food choices and my reasons for going vegan are primarily to eat healthier and live a more compassionate lifestyle. Transitioning from being a vegetarian to a vegan was not so hard after all since I’ve always loved vegetables, I cannot survive a day without greens but no one said it would be easy either.

At first, I only wanted to try a plant based diet for a week because I have doubts that I can carry on without meat or dairy but only after a fews days I already noticed that I don’t feel bloated anymore however, the most challenging part for me is eliminating dairy from my diet because I grew up consuming lots of it. I have sweet tooth, I mean who doesn’t? I cannot live without eating my comfort food like ice cream, cookies, cake, etc. but guess what? it’s not the end of the world, there are non-dairy options which I’m excited to try soon. I survived without dairy for a week and I can do without it for the rest of my vegan life.


I also wanted to lose weight I even resorted to intermittent fasting but it caused my monthly period to become irregular which is kinda frustrating so I told myself that maybe I really need to focus on what I eat and not just my eating habits. Education is the key to understand things that are a bit unclear. It’s easy to believe that vegans are not getting enough protein from plants but after watching documentaries on Netflix like Cowspiracy, What the Health, In Defense of Food and Food Choices, I learned that protein initially came from plants and that protein deficiency was never an issue but the bigger problem is the cause of cancer which most likely is linked to carcinogen found in meat. My body is not a graveyard, therefore, I have to eat food to keep me alive and well and not bring me closer to the grave. One thing is for sure, I have made up my mind to finally go vegan... there is no turning back because of all its health benefits, it is also beneficial to the environment and animals. It is best to use all available resources on the Internet for good than to believe in myths that have no basis. 

I guess my only regret becoming a vegan is not doing it sooner. I know, guilty as charged. I am an animal lover so why just now? I am a pet owner, I feed homeless dogs and cats because I feel sorry for them that they’re not lucky enough to find a loving home. I even feed our neighbor's chickens and care for them like my own until I can no longer bear the guilt. I am being a traitor by making them feel that I genuinely care yet I still eat their kind? Aren’t cows, pigs, and chickens animals too? They also have feelings and they fear for their own lives. Only God can take away the life that is borrowed and we are not God to make the decision to end the life of these animals.   I am sick of feeling guilty but it’s never too late to change and be the voice for those who cannot speak. I know I cannot change the world overnight by going vegan but what matters is that I feel better that I am doing something about the situation and not just pity these helpless animals. We only have one planet and we all deserve a life worth living. 

I love animals and I will not eat them. Veganism is not a diet, it is a lifestyle. 

My Stay at Holiday Inn Baguio City Centre

I recently stayed at the newly opened IHG hotel in the Philippines, the Holiday Inn Baguio City Centre located along Legarda Road.


The international hotel chain finally opened in Baguio last June 5th, it is a nine-story building with basement parking which features 185 guestrooms, function, and a ballroom. HI BCC will be the first international hotel franchise to have opened in Baguio since Hyatt Terraces closed back in the '90s due to the strong earthquake that devastated the City of Pines.


I worked with IHG for a few years and it's been a while since I last stayed at an IHG hotel using employee discount but this time around I'm a guest looking to experience how things have changed.


If you're looking to travel the Philippines' Summer Capital and still in the hunt for a place to stay, please watch the video blog I created about my stay at Holiday Inn Baguio City Centre.

Netflix and Some Random Thoughts

Hello there, I'm back! I guess I haven't been around for quite some time now (about 4 months, I think?) I just have to take care of important stuff, yeah that's what it is. I'm addicted to Netflix recently because it seems like forever since I watched anything that I really enjoyed I didn't realize that I've missed a lot of good stuff already. I had iZombie, Bates Motel, Alias Grace, Oh My Ghost (Korean romcom series) marathon for weeks it was all worth my time and eye strain, lol. 

I also started uploading videos on my youtube channel like my makeup tutorials and past travels because I feel like I should have an outlet where I can help people by sharing my talent and travel experiences. I'm not looking to earn money or wanna make it big by becoming a youtuber or anything like that, my channel is just about the things that make me happy. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't give a damn if I don't have tons of subscribers, all I care about is the freedom to do what I like. 

Oh, by the way, it's back to school but my niece's vacation is just getting started (she'll be in 5th grade in August) hopefully we can make the most of it by going some interesting place away from people. It would be nice to get away from time to time.

VaVaVoom's The Vamp Stamp: Is It Worth Buying?

Whether you're a makeup noob (newbie), a pro, or simply just a makeup addict like myself, it's good to know about innovations coming out in the market that will help apply makeup easier. But the real question is, is it worth every penny? I've seen a lot of reviews about this product on Youtube and there's quite a lot of mixed reactions about it so I thought that it's best to try it myself to see if it works for me or not.


What the hell is it? 

According to thevampstamp.com, it is a patented stamp that allows smooth and perfectly winged eyeliner look. The person behind the brand is Veronica Lorenz, a celebrity makeup artist and co-founder of an iconic beauty product brand "the beautyblender,"  (yup, the popular makeup sponge!). Veronica was diagnosed with a benign spinal cord tumor in 2013 and lost the feeling and strength in her hands. Instead of losing hope, she turned a great challenge into an inspiring triumph by creating The Vamp Stamp brand. The VaVaVoom winged liner stamp was patented in 2014 and launched in 2017.


I purchased the medium stamp on eBay. It comes in three sizes: kitten, medium and large.

the Vamp Stamp kit

How it works

You can refer to this image for instructions on how to use it.

I think this is pretty self-explanatory

Final thoughts

I think this product is good for makeup beginners and if you are always on the go, but if you are comfortable enough with how you do your eyeliner then you can survive without it. So, is this worth buying? To be honest, it ain't cheap, if you can manage to apply your eyeliner the hard way, then you are good. If you just want to try and see if you are going to like it then it's up to you if you are willing to spend or take the risk in buying the fake version (which I discourage because of its possible harmful ingredients). I suggest to check out online reviews first before purchasing, I'm sure that will somehow help you decide whether you need it or not. 

Welcome 2018

Happy New Year!!! Welcome 2018, the year of the earth dog. 

I still have a little bit of a hangover from New Year's eve but I must say that I had a wonderful time spent with my family. My sister and I did all the cooking for Noche Buena and Media Noche it was quite tiring but was all worth it. 2017 was probably the most festive year for me because our decorations are well thought out. We decided to decorate for Christmas as early as September, I guess we're just really excited for the holidays lol.

I started working on decorating our living room coffee table which turned out well so I thought why not decorate our dining table as well? I draw inspiration from Pinterest where I found a lot of  Christmas dinner table setting ideas I'm just really happy on how well it turned out I'm looking forward to doing it every year from now on.

My Christmas presents 

We also had a mini kris kringle (exchange gifts) and opened our gifts at 12 midnight on Christmas day. I guess it is a mandatory thing especially if you have a kid in the family like my 9-year-old niece because kids love gifts right? I got a snow globe, a Hello Kitty mug, and phone case. Don't you just love Christmas? 

Our Noche Buena table setting and buffet bar. Video courtesy of my sister 

For New Year's eve, we had a movie marathon of some of our favorite Asian horror flicks after Media Noche. We waited until 12 midnight and watched fireworks display before opening our New Year's Eve presents. Usually, gift giving is only for Christmas but for us, it extends until New Year's Day just for fun you know. I got this cute message bottle thingy and ball that lights up when bounced from my 9-year-old niece Gabby.

Thanks, Gabby

We had the same dinner table setting for New Year's eve I just changed the table napkin foldings with a little help from Pinterest again of course. Our Christmas theme last year was quite rustic and we had a lot of the color gold so I'm thinking maybe this year it's something like a Winter Wonderland theme, we might have a lot of blue and silver for a change but we'll see.

Our Media Noche table setting and buffet bar. Video courtesy of my sister 

Wishing you again a Happy New Year, let's all make this year count. 

Cheers!!!

DIY Bedroom Moon Lamp

I always love to DIY (do it yourself) stuff and decorate, because why not make one yourself instead of buying especially if you're on a budget right? Talk about being practical, even some interior designers opt for a cheaper option but with a little help from creativity and resourcefulness, they can make things look expensive. Decorating doesn't have to cost a lot these days thanks to DIY tutorials on youtube anyone can pretty much make anything.

My DIY moon lamp

Last year my twin sister and I made a DIY cloud lamp for our bedroom using a 5-gallon water container,  used Christmas lights, cotton puffs from our old pillow and hot glue. I thought about throwing away our cloud lamp because the cotton puffs collected a lot of dust already it's time to make something else that will not invite too much dust in it. I saw a lot of DIY moon lamp tutorials on youtube but I find this video tutorial from Mad Stuff with Rob easier to follow that's why I'm sharing it to those interested to make their own moon lamp.

Here's a video of my DIY moon lamp tutorial. Please take note that you can always improvise if you prefer to use other materials. Special thanks to my twin Philly for helping me with the lamp and making the video, you can check out her blog too.

Please like and subscribe if you enjoyed watching my video and good luck in making your moon lamp. 

Lets Go Under the Sea at SEARENIABAY Cafe

Themed cafes are becoming really popular these days and if you're thinking about heading up north for the holidays then why not make the most out of your stay in Baguio and check out Seareniabay Cafe located at Block 3 Lot 3 Ciudad Grande Phase 1, Bakakeng Central. If you're a little mermaid fan (insert Ariel singing "Part of Your World"), then you will most likely enjoy this cafe. 

My sister, along with our niece arrived around noon and we got lucky because the place was exclusive to us the whole time but this is not a first, we also had the place to us last month when we visited the Unicorn Dream Cafe (you can read my UNDAS blog if you want to know more) so I'm not sure if we're just really early birds or where it's at that's why it's not crowded compared to other cafes in town. We ordered immediately because we had a tough time locating it we're quite starving already and we didn't know how long it will take for our food to be served. To be honest, it is quite far than we imagined we almost lost our patience looking for it so we thought this better be worth it. We spent our waiting time taking lots of pictures and shooting videos while our niece went on to try their cozy mermaid blanket which is available to rent for free. 

The under the sea vibe was there because of the mermaid wall art, it's cute and colorful I read on their Facebook page that it was painted by local artists. The throw pillows are really pretty my niece definitely love them but what I'm crazy about are their mermaid tail mugs and disco ball cups they're just super cute. I must say that the food was okay though there's nothing special about the menu but somehow still worth a try. 

If you want to unleash that little mermaid in you then visit Seareniabay Cafe, they're open on Tuesdays through Sundays from 11 AM-8 PM and close on Mondays.