Thursday, January 31, 2008

Small Business Endeavors

Jeff
More than a year ago I decided to engage in a small business, buying and selling of used cars, without any Small Business Financing from banks and the type. I did have a private individual who helped finance the first and probably the last car I would buy and sell. That endeavor didn’t work out well. I thought that maybe if I had a Small Business Loan that was enough to start me up with that business and having dealt with the right people I would have made it.

EzUnsecured.com provides easy processing, fast funding and excellent service for Small Business Loans applications. If you’re interested to try, visit their site.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Application Exercise for the Single Stroke Roll

Jeff
This is a follow up entry to the Single Stroke Roll lesson that I recently posted. This is a fill that you can use and an application of the previous lesson. Start practicing at a slow tempo then speed up as you grow comfortable with the tempo you are practicing in.


Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Your Options During an Emergency

Jeff
We live in a world that is imperfect. People disappoint us, some things we put our trust on disappoint us, like our jobs and our salary. I haven’t always like the idea of loans because I’ve heard of the statement that ‘the borrower is servant to the lender’ which is true. But sometimes emergency situations arise and even as we are waiting on our salary to come it’s just not there yet. So what other options do we have?

TrustSource.org is a website where you can read reviews of people about payday loans and cash advance sites they have used and have ranked. You can find sites here that can supplement your monthly income when needed. Whether you need money for paying bills, car problems, a quick grocery run or for medical emergencies, you can find sites here that are specialized on your particular need and situation. The minimum requirements are first, you have to be employed for at least three consecutive months, and must have an income of at least $1,000 and you must have a valid checking account that is open for at least three months. Applying for a payday loan or qualifying for one is fast and not difficult. A piece of advice: make sure to be responsible enough to include in your list of bills the payment for the loans you have.

Drum Rudiments: Single Stroke Roll

Jeff
This is the first of a series of entries about drum rudiments. You can play them on the snare or on a drum pad. The purposes of the rudiments are...

1) to develop the proper way of holding the drum sticks,
2) to develop the proper way of hitting with the drum sticks,
3) to develop the strength of the drummer's stroke and
4) to develop playing comfortably at slow and fast tempos.


Instructions on how to play rudiments:

*The best way to practice is to have a metronome with you. The metronome helps you identify the tempo you are playing in. (examples, 45 bpm, 60 bpm) bpm means beats per minute

*The letter "R" means you strike with the right hand and "L" means you strike with the left.

*The notes on the scale are 32nd notes so you hit a total of eight strokes for every beat. For example, you're practicing at 60 bpm, so that tempo is equivalent to every tick of the second hand of a clock, which is one beat. So for every second you must be able to play 8 strokes (4 right strokes and 4 left strokes alternately) total.

*Start practicing at slow tempos then go faster as you become comfortable (remember the purpose of the rudiments) at the tempos you are practicing at. Level 1 (44-56 bpm), Level 2 (58-70 bpm), Level 3 (72-84 bpm), Level 4 (86-98 bpm), Level 5 (100-112 bpm) Credits to vicfirth.com

Monday, January 28, 2008

Tips on Handling Your Finances

Jeff
Are you having shortage on cash? Have your expenses for this payday exceeded your budget? Here are some tips to get you right back on track.

1) Make a list. Write down what you own, what you earn and what you owe. Keep good records, keep receipts. This will help you evaluate your spending.

2) Tell your money where to go. Make a budget and try to stick to it. Instead of being controlled by your money, take control of it instead.

During an emergency you can make a cash advance or a payday loan. You can try TrustSource.org. Their payment options are flexible and services discreet so that you get the cash you need immediately. Applying and qualifying at TrustSource.org for payday loans is quick and easy. Just make sure you include paying what you owe off in your budget on your next payday.

3) Give back to God. Tithing is important. It is an act of worship where we say that God is first even in our finances. It all came from Him anyway so it is also an act of gratitude when we give our tithe.

4) Save for the future. You can try the 10/10/80 principle. You can tithe the 10%, save another 10% and live off 80% of your income. Many people who have grown wealthy followed this pattern.

5) Share your blessings. That will keep the blessing on you flowing. Instead of being stagnant we must be flowing rivers of blessings.

Try these and see what happens.

Glasses For You

Jeff
I have met people who have a hard time taking public transportation because of their eyesight problems. I’m fortunate to have 20/20 vision. If you don’t have that kind of a vision you can checkout my Great Discovery: Zenni Optical! Zenni Optical $8 Rx Glasses include lens edge polishing and beveling, anti scratch coating, full guarantee plus many more. Today’s Best Thing Found: Zenni Optical. Below is a sample frame they have available at their site.


Sunday, January 27, 2008

Drum Notation of the Rosanna Groove

Jeff
Here is a follow up entry to my last post. The drum notation Rosanna groove, as explained by the late Jeff Porcaro of the band Toto (their popular songs are Georgy Porgy, I'll Be Over you, Lea, 99, I Won't Hold you Back, and many others) is posted below. This is a sure challenge for those who read music and play drums unprofessionally. I myself have not even reached half of the skill needed to play this groove but it has been a continuous goal for me. Even though I can play different musical instruments I never really had any formal training or study on music. I've always just widowed the patterns for drum grooves and tried to learn musical notation.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

One of My Favorite Drummers

Jeff

One of my hobbies is playing musical instruments. Yes, I can play some instruments. I first tried it when I was in 2nd year high school, I was in a band but played the guitar then. When I was in college, I think it was during my sophomore or junior years, our church purchased a drum set and that's where I started to pursue learning how to play drums. During that time, the bass guitar (I played the guitar prior to this) for our worship team at church. But I started to learn playing the drums and never tuned my back. Lately (for the past 2 years actually), though, I haven't really been able to play drums anymore because I'm more focused on teaching the Bible and leading worship at church. But I do miss it and I really haven't lost that rhythm in me. is a video of one of my influences and favorites.



The late Jeff Porcaro of Toto explaining how he came up with the Rosanna groove.

A Photo at a Coffee Shop

Jeff
When the daughter of my former pastor came back here for a visit last week, my family and I were able to spend some time with her. We parked at Metro Market Market and walked all the way to Serendra and Bonifacio High Street. We got tired of walking and eventually settled in a coffee shop (SBC)to try to get some wireless internet connection. Our friend showed us some pictures from a social network account she had and while doing so, I got a moment to view this cool (I think it's cool) point of view and illusion. I just had to take a picture of it.



Let me explain the photo. We were seated inside the coffee shop and my seat was beside the glass window. There was a paper cup in front of me and it created a reflection on the glass window. Outside the window was a tray and the picture shows what it looked like. Nice, huh?

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Other Attempts at Photography

Jeff
Here are some of the other pictures I took. This time, not from Metro Market Market.

This was taken at my former school, Central Colleges of the Philippines. Just zoomed into one of the plants on the campus grounds.

These flowers were taken at SM Mall of Asia at the seaside. There were numerous flowers in the flower box and I just picked out a few of them.

The sea side of Mall of Asia.

This is a part of the overpass from Mall of Asia to the sea side.

A hanging chandelier at Hussein's in the Fort, Taguig City.

Same as above, just zoomed in a little bit and took it black and white.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Just Tried Photography

Jeff
Below are some of the pictures I took when we first got our Canon A620. While it was brand new, I was so inspired to take photos of anything around me. Some of these shots I even submitted to photography communities online and got some positive and helpful feedback. I just wish I had the time and inspiration again to take more now.

Feel free to use any picture as wallpaper if you can stand 'em. :) Just please give me a ping back to let me know you did.

A hot dog stand on the ground floor taken from the 2nd floor at Market Market, Taguig City.

Just experimenting on the shutter speed. Taken also at Metro Market Market from one of the fountains at the food court beside Heaven and Eggs.

This was taken at the playground outside Metro Market Market.

The tents above the playground outside Metro Market Market.

The tents against the wall of Metro Market Market.

Monday, January 21, 2008

From Father To Son

Jeff
After a few weeks my family and I finally were able to visit my niece, Shane, again. She is less than a month old and has started to gain weight (good for her). My son, Jed was very excited to see her. Aside from being able to visit Shane, we also were able to bring home the bed that I used when I was still single. That bed has been around for more than ten years now. My mom has been asking me since early last year to bring this bed to our house so my son can use it.

After I set up the bed and my wife had put on a bed sheet my son, excited, immediately wanted to get up the bed - now it's his bed. Not that he was excited to sleep on it, he really just wanted to jump on it - yeah, that's how playful my 2-year-8-month-old son is. I personally think he's not yet ready to sleep in his own room; he's gotten used to sleeping on the same bed where his mama and papa sleep. But, we do want to slowly train him to sleep on his own bed, and not beside me and Jennie anymore.

I'm just amazed how time flies quickly. I couldn't stop recalling the feel of that bed when I slept on it, and now Jed would need to start getting used to that new feel underneath him. Oh, well. that only means on thing - I'm getting old. :)

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Mount Peniel Campsite, Capas, Tarlac

Jeff
Today, I woke up at 4:48AM and started to prepare for our trip to Mount Peniel Campsite at Capas, Tarlac. This trip was a business trip. Our objective was to negotiate and settle final arrangements for our upcoming summer youth camp this third and fourth week of April. This was not our first time at this camp site. We held our youth camp last year at this same site. At 6:15AM my pastor friend and I were on our way to Quezon City to pick up our other companions. By 9AM we were already at Mount Peniel.

This camp site houses 600 heads in its rooms and dormitories comfortably. But at last year's camp we were able to fit in about 1,100 participants by maximizing every room and using their five other session halls excluding the covered basketball court which we used as our venue for our general assemblies. The rooms, dormitories and session halls in this camp site are all named after Bible characters, that is because the owners are Christians. They also have prayer cells within their camp site, so they're not only a camp site but a prayer venue as well. Before we conducted our meeting, the owners showed us a small scale model of their planned expansion - a new building which will add additional dorms, rooms and prayer cells to their existing facilities. They plan to finish this project next year.

The name of their camp site was taken from Genesis 32:30, "So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, 'It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.'" This is because the owner of Mount Peniel encountered God personally and she began a personal relationship with God that turned her life around and changed her for the better. She and her husband built and currently manage the campsite as a ministry to churches and Christian organizations by providing for them an affordable prayer venue and a camp site.

Our meeting with the owners were really swift and they were really easy to deal with - I believe it is because we share the same life objectives even in our different endeavors and that is to share to people how they can have a life changing personal relationship with God. We hope to settle our deal and make necessary reservation arrangements in the next two to three weeks.

Posted below are pictures of the campsite from our youth summer camp last year:


(Clockwise from upper left: Campers playing in Mount Peniel's playing field; Campers from our church (SBC Makati) hanging out just outside the mess hall; Our camp theme last year; Mount Peniel's covered court which we used for our general assemblies.)

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Bloggers of the World

Jeff
Feel free to grab this post. Just make sure you post it in the same way... no ripping, nor cutting. Just add in your url and let the train roll. . .



0-Cotojo 1-Lisa , 2-Kim,3-Deborah, 4-Pearl, 5-Sandy,6-Jesse, 7-Chris, 8- Colin 9-Santa, 10-Blog Elf, 11-Jackie,12-Marzie, 13-Adrian, 14-Jos,15-NAFA SG, 16-Paula, 17-Sue,18-Kathy 19-Maartje, 20-Morgan,21-Greg, 22-MaryAnn, 23-Eric,24-Hawk, 25-Carol, 26-Diane,27-Ev Nucci, 28-Surjit, 29-Kuanyin,30-Christy Z, 31-Sandee, 32-Robin,33-Hanna, 34-Maunie, 35-Kim,36-Bobby, 37-Billy, 38-David, 39-Jennifer,40-Aryst, 41-Winston, 42-Christy,43-LilyRuth, 44-Jess, 45-Rudy,46-Lynda, 47-Lili, 48-Sandy G,49-Ange, 50-BlackWyrm, 51-Vincent,52-Colin & Anne, 53-Blandly Urbane, 54-Marco,55-Mihaela Lica, 56-John C, 57-Aziz-sm,58-Ugyen, 59-Lansy, 60-Alex Badalic,61-Victors, 62-Nostalgia Manila, 63-Franco Yong,64-Herby, 65-Rubie, 66-Santaram & BVK,67-Jean-david, 68-Namgay, 69-Catherine,70-Yunita P, 71-Debbie Dolphin, 72-Lorimer Black,73-Dream Catcher, 74-Fred Plimley, 75-Anja Merret,76-Maria Lourdes, 77-Jon B, 78-Aayush,79-Denise, 80-Dharmendra P, 81-Brent D,82-Jerry & Daryl McCoy, 83-Brian B, 84-Calvin Innes,85-Pieter Marburn, 86-Jessica Field, 87-Taflas,88-Alex Sysoef, 89-Norie, 90-Justin Stanley,91-Ashish, 92-David Ledoux, 93-Thanate Tan,94-Kevin, 95-Etienne, 96-Gerbera,97-Christina, 98-Abhishek d, 99-Uprai,100-Texas_Jam, 101-Azmiel, 102-Daniel,103-Kristin B, 104-Luwis, 105-Adavait,106-Now Sourcing, 107-Buen Amigo, 108-Kiran Pande,109-Peterson Wong, 110-Lynn, 111-Chessnoid,112-Luis Hipolito, 113-Joliveira, 114-Jennifer & Pete,115-Team Dog, 116-Megan, 117-Mark,118-Raivyn, 119-Mel, 120-Andrea,121-Jen / domestika, 122-Mimi, 123-Bobo,124-Lynda Lehmann, 125-Dread Bob, 126-Julie,127-RennyBA, 128-Bobbarama, 129-Becky,130-Magdalena, 131-Michelle, 132-Stacie,133-Climate of Our Future Team, 134-CashMarble, 135-OilOffShoreMarine,136-Jos Additional BlogLove, 137-Piper, 138-Barbara,139-Ann Clemmons, 140-Deb, 141-madang.com,142-RamblingMoo.com, 143-blogginginmypyjamas, 144-StylewithPassion,145-Chinneeq, 146-Dora-zooropazoo, 147-Babyshern,148-HiPnCooLMoMMa 149-Rachel’s Soulful Thoughts 150-When Silence Speaks,151-Dancing in Midlife Tune, 152-Underneath it All, 153- I am Dzoi,154-Hobbies and Such, 155-moms…..check nyo, 156-Choc Mint Girl,157-Amel’s Realm, 158- My Thoughts, 159-Rusin Roundup,160-Juliana’s Site, 161-Max, 162-Rooms of My Heart,163-A Great Pleasure, 164-LadyJava’s Lounge, 165-Jesie,166-Steven, 167-Trinity, 168-Leena,169-Nick, 170-Nessa, 171-Debbie Dolphin,172- Anna t, 173-krrey_boo, 174-Logic,175-Steve Ho, 176-Virtual Entrepreneur, 177-WalksFarWoman,178-Anna, Beth & Cory’s Mom, 179-Toon, 180-Belinda181-EPSpeaks, 182-Teacher Julie 183-jafajfer,184-pmonchet, 185-Aslan, 186-arouetvoltaire ,187-Tanny, 188-Il vaso di Pandora, 189-Non Lineare,190-Omniamundamundis, 191-LineaNeuronica, 192-Semplicemente Lisa193-la penna che graffia 194-Angelbaby, 195-Divya,196-Cyn, 197-Donna, 198-Liudmila,199-djeblog, 200-Gracie Belle, 201-Reverend Ray,202-Walter Winstuff, 203-Denny, 204-Terry (mee mOe),205-awannabe, 206-Z.S., 207-Il Gnagnera,208-Kevin Grieves, 209-DatCurious, 210-DatMoney,211-Sanni, 212-Rolando’s Quiet Space, 213-SatoNa ,214-Levian , 215-21Knots, 216-PuTLie,217-Riciard’s, 218-Darlene, 219-Rantings of a Woman,220-La Place de Cherie , 221-Enjoying The Ride, 222-A Window To Our World,223-Juliana, 224-Retchel’s Pure Life, 225-We Are Family,226-Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, 227-Echoes of Life, 228-My 3 Boys and I,229-Mammagatta, 230-Juliana’s Lair, 231-Bless Sanctuary,232-Confessions of An Army Wife , 233-Jean’s my So-called Life, 234-So cute tiny pixels,235-Denz Techtronics Blog, 236-Wanna Be On Top!, 237-Carpe Diem,238-My so-called Life, 239-TEEBOB, 240-Kikay,241-Alaverde33, 242-CC’s Lifestyles and Reviews, 243-Pinay’s Lifestyles,244-Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, 245-The Creativity Of Me, 246-OzLife247-Scattered Thoughts of Mine, 248-Another Journal of Mine, 249-My Drama,250-By The Way, 251-Paul, Toni and Lance - Bridging the Distance, 252-Live Love Pink,253-In The Lance’s Mind, 254-My Life, 255-Rants and Ramblings,256-WorldBlog, 257-Our Journey to Life, 258-Simply the best,259-Paul and Toni, 260-Alpha’s Blog, 261-because life is fun,262-The Simple Life of a Baghag, 263-Rose DesRochers, 264-Sweet Lullaby, 265-AnitoKid, 266- Lisa WAHM, 267-Ben Spark268-Kesa, 269-Mauro, 270-Sindi271-Alianorah, 272-Jennie, 273-CTN,274-Jeremy, 275-Polliwog’s Pond, 276-Yvette,277-Ali (DorisDay), 278-Rodney, 279-Alice,280- WBAustin, 281-Max, 282-Rodney283-Karen, 284-Michelle, 285-Stacy286-SvenMarin, 287-CoolingStar9, 288-Billy Jack,289-bbrian, 290-Cris Zimermann, 291-Franx,292-Ramil, 293-JaniceNW, 294-Cathrina Jones295-Bels, 296-Raman, 297-Jeques,298-NPSG, 299-Anndi, 300-Georganna,301-Jeane Michelle Culp, 302-Sam Chan, 303 Imagination 304-Kumowai 305. Keep 306.Feel 307.Sail
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