Join And Win Sweepstakes In The Comfort Of Your Home

As a stay-at-home mom and full-time housewife, there comes a time that I really needed to unwind without leaving the house unattended.  I mean, I go out with friends sometimes or just me and my darling daughter go to town for a little recreation.  But there are moments that I don't want to go out but I want to have a me time at home.  What I do is just I go to the guestroom, play some mellow music. And while watching my little one playing with her dollhouse, My Little Pony, and Little Pet Shop character toys, I also relax.  Thirty minutes to an hour of relaxation and doing nothing helps me recharge.

Sometimes, when I am done with my blogging tasks, I enjoy just browsing the Internet for good reads, tutorials, and giveaways or sweepstakes.  I like getting new updates on news, technology, and current events especially the latest news in the Philippines on the Internet.  Because of the time difference, I couldn't watch the Philippine news program on television.  

Meanwhile, watching cooking tutorials, and do-it-yourself (DIY) home improvement stuff, and beauty tutorials are fun and enjoyable to watch as well.  There are so many tutorial videos you can search on the Internet.  Once you learn about these things, you will not stop looking for more.

On the other hand, I also enjoy joining giveaways and sweepstakes.  In fact, I already won several products, items, and cash.  My favorite Instant Win Games site so far is JuliesFreebies.com.  It has lots of giveaway/sweepstakes listed on daily basis.  They are updated daily and so many games that you will be interested to enter.  The site also gives you a chance to claim free product samples from various brands.

So there you go.  Relaxing and winning.  Head to JuliesFreebies.com and let me know if you win something.

Our Wi-Fi Internet Is Up!

Yay!  I am so happy that the Wi-fi is back!  We had no Internet connection for five days because the router got busted from the severe thunderstorm Monday. I woke up to the loud thunder and it seemed like it was just right outside our bedroom window.  

When I tried checking my online stuff, then I learned that our Internet connection is down.  I checked the router if the lights are flashing but they're not.  Solid green lights.  And that was the problem.  I left a voicemail to the technical department of our ISP that Monday.  Five days passed but nobody called me back.  So I tried contacting them again today.  I didn't get some luck getting thru the technical department's direct line when I called three times and waited for like 10 minutes each time.  I decided to get somebody from a different department.  And hurray!  A lady from the billing department answered and I courteously asked her to transfer me to the technical department.  After two rings, someone answered.  What the h---?

My concern wasn't very difficult.  I just want to know what the solid green lights mean and what troubleshooting we should do at our end.  That's all!  Then the guy said that the router was ruined and non-functional now.  We have to get a new one.

So that's what we did.  I bought a new router from Walmart for $32.  The installation was very easy.  Thanks to the lady who answered the phone.  And thanks to the guy who responded.  Now our Wi-fi Internet is up!  :)

Help! My Screen Is Sideways!

 "Help!  My Screen Is Sideways!"  These were the words I was muttering in the middle of the night in our living room.  

I was just only a photo away to finishing my last article when this very annoying thing happened last night.  You see, I was in the process of editing a photo.  When I tried rotating it, unexpectedly my dell computer screen also rotated sideways!  The touchpad was also functioning sideways.  I mean, how could that happened?  I had no idea what keys I pressed that lead to this sudden catastrophe.  I restarted my computer but when it opened, the screen was still sideways. 

Nervous, pissed, confused...I tried my best to find a solution online.   Thankfully, I found one immediately.  And according the thread in the forum, here's what you should do when your screen gets sideways:

Best solution  

h1p  October 19, 2011 2:57:45 AM 
 

laurag said:

My dell monitor screen has turned sideways. How can I get it back to normal?

Try pressing Ctrl + Alt + UP Arrow Key, or try Ctrl + Alt + and a different Arrow Key.
If that does not work: Right-click on empty Desktop > Graphics Options > Rotation. 

Whew!   If I wasn't able to find technical help online and didn't fix , I could have taken the computer to Walmart. 

I was very frustrated that I didn't even took a picture of the screen.  Darn!

Princess Hour Episode 7 Is Cute and Funny

Well, I am back to watching Korean drama again.  I am currently watching Goong (a.k.a. Princess Hour).  I am enjoying it so far and reminiscing the giggles and fascination my young cousins and me had 8 years ago.  :)  Funny, romantic with a little drama.

"Strike back!" - Chae-kyung (Princess Hour).  A line from the cute scene where the Crown Princess visited her school and reunited with her best friends. Episode 7, I think, is the cutest and funniest episode so far (I am still in episode 10 as of the moment).

Basics to Small Business SEO

Sometimes it is easy to make the mistake of treating a small business like a large corporation when doing SEO. Small business SEO needs to be done differently than large business SEO. The primary difference is a prioritization of the tasks to be done and a smaller approach to grow over time. Small businesses do not have the same monthly budget that a large corporation does to spend on the SEO. 

Keywords for Small Business Online Marketing Efforts

The best way to work on SEO for a small business is to focus the efforts. This starts by choosing a smaller set of keywords to target. Choosing too many keywords with a small budget will water down the efforts and cause results to be much slower in coming. It is also good to mix the initial set of keywords with only a couple of highly competitive terms. Having keywords that are deeper into the niche may bring smaller results to begin, but will help build a foundation and bring ranking results quicker that are more tangible 

for the client. 

Link Building Efforts for Small Business

Link building has widely been known to help organic rankings. However, things are changing quickly and it is easy to do more harm than good for a small business if not careful. Therefore, focus early linkbuilding efforts on very credible places, such as DMOZ and the Yahoo directory. It is also good to consult with a small business on the importance of a blog and utilizing social media to help push out the content they create. This will get a potential flow of backlinks coming in that the search engines like and that will never be punished. Lastly, optimize the images on the site for image search. With Pinterest, it is amazing how many back links can come from people finding the images through image search. Small business SEO is about doing less, doing the most important first, and doing long-term items. Do not take risks with shady SEO tactics to get quick results that may damage the business down the road with an inability to get good rankings. Build for the future with solid, best practice SEO strategy.

Brought to you by OrangeSoda.com

SAVING ON FLIGHTS

Guest written by our friend Mason Abbott

I booked our flights to a wedding in April using our clear internet connection. I used a website called Kayak.com. The website searches through all of the other flight websites to try and find you the best rates and times. I ended up finding the best rate on Travelocity.com. Then, I used my Ebates.com account to log onto Travelocity.com to purchase our tickets. Ebates is really a cool website. You use it as a spring board to do your internet shopping and you can get money back at the end of the quarter. We booked our flights and they were pretty expensive. Both ended up being a thousand dollars. We did get two percent back. That meant that we got twenty dollars back. It was sent to our PayPal account at the end of the quarter. Any money back is some money back. I love to save money and feel so much better spending money when I feel like I am getting a discount. I love Ebates.com! I just wish Ebay would sign up with them too.

Tough Challenge

I am so busy with my offline life that I haven't been able to focus on attending my new website.  My honey is helping me with my online business.  And the first thing to do is to design my website.  We are getting recommendations for  web designing which includes Honolulu Web Design in the list.  Sure I want to have a professional website designed according to my line of business, yet in affordable price.  This is a tough challenge for me but I hope I made the right choice.

Privilege Of Free Information

What is going on in the cyberspace right now?  Trending the SOPA/PIPA bill that the US Congress is wanting to pass.  It is becoming a very serious issue on the Internet community.  The SOPA or Stop Online Piracy Act (Congress 2011) is a counterpart of the PIPA or Protect Intellectual Property Act (Senate 2008).  

So let's get to what I wanted to express here.  I am opposed to this.  Why?  Because all in all, it will cripple the Internet.  Does it mean they will block connection from the outside world?  Could be. There is gonna be a huge impact on websites, web browsing, e-commerce, and even online freedom of speech. 

Internet user like me always surf and search using the privilege of free information.  I am very thankful that the Internet is another way of communicating with family and friends. 

Effective Advertising Campaigns Can Help Your Business Grow

If you want your products and services to be well promoted to be able to gain patronizers, join the team of advertising experts who can help lead your business to success.  As the competition in the market gets tougher and tougher, most businesses do not last long in their particular industries.  It is because there is a lacking factor that brings in the money - effective advertising campaigns.

New ideas come in everyday in the advertising world.  The products or services that companies are selling need a better exposure so customers can rely on the credibility of their products and services.  But deciding on which Advertising Agency to choose to promote your business totally depends on you.  You should compare and research which advertising agency has the potential of giving your business the exposure it needs such as Internet marketing and mixed media advertising. The most popular type of advertising now is the Internet campaigns.  The general public relies on the Internet to look for products and services.  Some of the customers consider reviews and cheap prices.  On the other hand, an effective Advertising Agency can lead your business to potential customers if you pick wisely.  So it is your decision to make.  Advertising strategies are changing as technology is advances.  If you trust the chosen ad company that they can expose your products and services to the consumers out there in an effective way, there is no question to ask.  The selling opportunities come next and profits will increase. 

Happy Moment

Our family is very grateful, especially my father, to God above for giving us the chance to find his long lost sister.  Lots of thanks to my relative, Facebook as well, and to the Internet in general.  I knew that one day we will find her. 

My other aunt sent me the profile page in Facebook.  And it was confirmed that she is my father's older sister.  When she named my father in her message to me, I was convinced.  We started exchanging messages the next day telling her information about her siblings and our family.  Then she called her siblings one by one.  Oh that was a very happy moment for them both.  Imagine, more than 40 years my father did not hear any news or word from her until two days ago.  What a wonderful advance Christmas gift.  Don't you think?

Parents' Place

My parents bought this old beach house back in the 1950s and when they died I inherited it. I know it sounds like a great deal but the thing was practically falling apart and it needed thousands of dollars’ worth of work to even become inhabitable. My husband and I have spent the last two years turning it into the vacation house of our dreams and doing restoration and I think this summer will be the first time we really get to live in it and enjoy it which I’m really excited about! We decided it would be great if we could rent it out and make a little extra income off it when we’re not there so we had to update the furniture and install internet, which we looked into at WILDBLUEDEALS.Com. Now that it’s in tip top shape I don’t mind having people over and some of those people don’t even seem to mind paying for the privilege! It’s nice being back by the water again even if it was a total ordeal getting it all together…

This guest post from Werner Rogers

Review On Google Chrome

Since the new browser Chrome has been launched, I did not get the chance to try it until now.  I downloaded it and, as of the moment, using it.  Its features are simple that the navigation on windows are easy.  I am liking it because it loads faster (unlike IE).  I can open multiple windows without crashing.  When I am on the Internet, I multi-task.  So I love fast responding browser. 

Privacy and security setting is very important to Internet users like me.  And in Google Chrome, your online activities are secure too.

Website Hosting For Me

It's been a long time that I have been thinking about this but still I couldn't make up my mind. Confused on what to do, I consulted a friend. She recommended someone who offers an affordable web hosting service. Yes, this is what bugs me right now (besides other matters).

I have to work on hosting my websites this year. But first, I need to understand how the shared web hosting works. I learned that it is the cheapest type of hosting. My friend's websites are shared hosted. And she hasn't experienced any problems with it. That's what I want. Problem-free. I cannot afford to entertain website problems right now. That is why I need a reliable hosting company that will provide an immediate solution if a problem comes up.

Cheap Hosting Service For Your Website

My dear friend has finally working on her upcoming online business. She had already set up a website for her online business. We are so proud because her determination is strong when it comes making money. Who doesn't?

The question is, how and where will she get cheap hosting for her website?

A web hosting directory is helpful. She can find top web hosting providers with high ratings and check their reviews for reference. That way my friend can decide which hosting service to choose for her website. Once established, it will be easy for her to manage her online business without a hassle.

Twinkling Lights Of Christmas

Guest post written by Marty Ford

It doesn't officially feel like it's the Christmas season until our whole family is standing in our front yard and watching me flip the switch to turn on all of our Christmas lights. My wife always makes the joke that it's like the National Lampoons Christmas Vacation where Chevy Chase flips the switch and knocks out power to the rest of the town. Well that doesn't happen, but I do like to make sure that my family gets to see all of my hard work's result.

I was online a few weeks ago, ordering some of the last Christmas lights for our house, when I came across some DIRECT TV INTERNET BUNDLE specials, read a little more about them and signed our family up for one of them.

I'm especially excited about some new Christmas lights decorations that I put up this year, like a huge inflatable snow globe in the shape of a snowman that has fake snow blowing inside of it. It looks so neat! I have a spotlight on it so that you can see it at night even better, although it lights up itself.

Blogging Tips And Techniques Help You Make Money Online

Though I am pregnant, I still spend time to surf the Internet and tend to my blogs. Making money online has been a part of my daily routine on the net. My earnings is doing pretty good. It helps me in so many ways.

When I started blogging two years ago, I thought I would not be able to handle it. There were evenings I stayed up late doing minor adjustments in my websites. Then I have to submit them to search engines and free directories so I get traffic. That's the cool part. The rankings are good too. That is what I am happy about. Thanks to all the readers.

I did not get into making money with my blogs, yet, for a few months. I had to research and read some blogging tips and techniques articles. They helped me a lot. One of the concern I ahd before was the website hosting. It was really hard to find a very reliable hosting service. But with the help of other bloggers and web hosting reviews, the problem was solved. Now I know which one is better than the rest of the web hosting websites.

There is a lot you can do to make money online. Just look for ideas from reliable sources. Bear in mind that the Internet is not safe. Always be aware of the limitation. Blogging can be stressful too. But with proper time management and the right attitude on the freedom of expression, we can be professional bloggers like the others.

Free Online Games Download

It is great to have Internet at home. Besides getting connected with family and friends, the opportunity of learning new things is endless. And when it comes to entertainment, I can say that there is no boring moment on the Internet.

Playing games online is one of my hobby. But I only play educational online games. Online games are free to download. In fact, I have Text Twist in my computer for years now. It helps increase my vocabulary skills. Also, the game enhances my typewriting skills since I have to type real fast to beat the timer. And it is nice to beat your own score with a high one.

Save Time On Local Search

Most people still rely on a phone book to look for a particular product, business, or a service company. They look for the contact number to get directions. But there is one better than that.

Now, online local search is also a big help and is just a click away. If you are looking for a cozy restaurant to hold a party and having a hard time locating the place, use the local restaurants search. Searching the points of interest at the local yellowpages on the Internet can save time.

Preparing For A Future Online Business

A friend talked to me on her idea of putting up a business. She is just waiting for the right time when to get her husband's approval on setting up her website and web hosting. She was planning this agenda for months now. The purpose is to prepare for a future online business.

A managed hosting is truly a big advantage to those who are engaged in a business online. In this case, website owners do not have to worry about managing websites by themselves because the hosting company will take care of this matter. What's great about managed hosting is that, a server colocation is supplied for data storage for a fast connectivity to networks . In my opinion, the traffic to the website is huge.

My friend should consider acquiring a managed hosting for her website. I wish her success on her business endeavor.

Get Unlimited Web Hosting

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Nexx Inc. All opinions are 100% mine.

Blogging has become my hobby. And I am earning from it too. Though sometimes my schedules get tight, still I can do my online jobs. I am hoping to get a treat for my blog anniversary this year. What is it? Unlimited Web Hosting and domain name. It has been my wish since I started blogging. What I am considering right now is unlimited hosting. There are hosting sites that offer this service but only the reliable one will get customers trust. But will Nexx capture the interest of website owners?

Here are Nexx web hosting plan includes:

*Unlimited Bandwidth
*Unlimited Disc space
*one free domain
*unlimited email service

Having your own domain name and hosting is a big advantage to your website. Check Nexx for more information on their plan.

I have been thinking about this for a year now. I hope things will go in favor with me so my plans will be achieved. Anyway, Mhar's Display will turn two years old in July. It's been a long time I stayed with my hosting website. Do you think it is time for me to get web hosting service? Would Nexx will be a good choice? I need all advice I can get.