Imeem.com, my new haven

I can’t explain it, but I’m having a lot of ‘dull’ moments at work. No, don’t think I don’t love the job. I do! I even had my desktop wallpaper designed with an ‘I love my work’ cup at the bottom right of the screen. I like the co-workers. We all get along pretty well.

I think it’s those silent moments when everybody is too engrossed in their work that sometimes drives anyone crazy. In my case, too much silence makes me sleepy, and when I’m sleepy I cannot think, and that is not good at work. 0_0

I keep myself awake with loud mp3 music from my local hard-drive but the repetitive nature of listening to the same music (I don’t have much saved) can also make me sleepy.

In the course of lazily surfing the net, I stumbled upon Imeem.com. I once visited the site but I never gave each much thought until recently when finding anything new to form a new kind of distraction is a welcome break to the ho-hum afternoon at work. And I searched playlist after playlist of hits from my high-school and college days to bring back nostalgic moments and revive my lost energy to continue my work again. ^^ Ha! Old music pretty much works to uplift any mood.

Not to mention, I found a playlist of complete Disney Love songs. I got a bit giggly over that, remembering romantic moments among Disney characters. I even researched on ‘Top annoying songs’ and ended up playing Mambo No.5 . Livin’ La Vida Loca, Lambada, Macarena, Vengaboys, etc. over and over again in the course of the afternoon, on loud speaker, that everyone else in the office were laughing over my choice of music but were singling along appreciatively. I guess they were grateful too for the temporary disruption of silence. ^^

Ahhhh… music. Where will we be without it?

Popularity: 2% [?]

Creative Sparks

I’m hyped over it! Creative Sparks by Jim Krause is one of the books every creative mind (or any mind bent on harnessing their creative power) should invest on. It has page after page of strong visual concepts and creative exercises to help minds ignite their imaginative power. There are several reliable chapters to base real-life, on the job, tried and tested concepts to work upon everyday. It is a reliable source of information for creativity and quality source for inspiration especially for designers, who at one time or another get into slumps. My co-designers at work love my copy too. Since the purchase of the book, it seemed we have this unspoken agreement that each one of us would purchase a different design-related book by Jim Krause and will lend the book to the other designers after reading it. One already purchased the Color Index 2 and the other ordered Design Essentials, both books of the same author.

Jim Krause, you are a genius!

Popularity: 3% [?]

A Phase for Business

Recently, I seem to go to this unconscious level of stabilization for the future. I’ve been reading articles on passive income, on earning online, on forex trading, etc. Is this some biological indication of time running out for me? I’m in the latter part of 20s and maybe somehow, my mind is telling me to start creating out a nest to fend myself in the future. I have to be totally honest, that I don’t have much to be proud off with regards to savings or to being business-minded in any way.

Now though, I find myself reading the following books for a plan to earn extra income very soon. The fact I honestly stated earlier I have no mind (or experience) in business, the following resources helped me a lot in generating knowledge for my financial endeavors. If you are a beginner on business-related stuff, maybe these could help you out too. ^^

Wealth within your Reach
Pera Mo, Palaguin Mo! by Francisco J. Colayco

A Beginner’s Guide to Short-Term Trading: How to Maximize Profits in 3 Days to 3 Weeks by Toni Turner

Entrenreneur 45 Home-Based Business Ideas
This is a Special Edition Publication of Entrepreneur Magazine. It lists down 45 different businesses with step-by-step guides, selling tips, and pricing instructions.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Quiet Love: The Love of Solemnity

Yesterday, I attended my boyfriend’s elder sister’s wedding. It was a garden wedding and though the weather threatened to rain anytime, it gave the precious gift of time for the wedding to finish and for quests to assemble in the reception hall nearby. It was my first time to attend a wedding and I didn’t expect it to be at a boyfriend’s family matrimonial gathering.

As expected, with my boyfriend being the younger sibling, the question asked of me a couple of time through the event was “When will your turn be next?” I just smiled and shook my head. Everybody who knows us knows I am not ready to get hitched. We both are. Time will only tell if we are bonded for life. Looking at him now though, I am content as to where we are. I do wish it will last and that our bond will strengthen.

I do wish that despite the flaws we have, we will never forget that it is our flaws that made us harmonious. I remember an expert in a graphic novel titled “After Eden” by Arnold Arre. The lovers, having a date in a carnival agreed to have some fun at a fortune teller’s tent. The fortune teller, smitten by the young couple’s personas, told about the story behind ‘clasped hands’.

Fortune Teller
“Look… the fingers represent our good sides and the gaps between our shortcomings. Now watch this. We bump our fingers together-our good sides- and what happens? There’s tension! Conflicts! Painful too.
But… if we allow the other person to fill in the gaps… to fill in our shortcomings, we create harmony. This is where the fun begins! A link is made. An unbreakable union. Hence. The Clasping of Hands.

Neat concept huh? ^^

I think that the concept applies very much to my boyfriend’s older sister and husband? Why? Well, they tend to be quite of the special kind of people, born with some shortcomings that us, born normal, may not tend to live without.

The couple wed yesterday are both deaf. They communicate through sign language, body movements, eyes and lip reading. I was at first perplexed with the idea as how they would start their life together and communicate with other people. My mind was placed at ease upon observing the guests yesterday. There was quite a segmentation from those who can hear and those who can’t. Nevertheless, the air was filled with happiness and joy for the happy couple. And nobody seemed to be completely uncomfortable in each other’s presence. Family and friends are ready to assist, to mingle, to share joy. They were there seeing the growth of the newlyweds, witnessing how each dealt with their disability all through their lives and how at last, each found a partner to clasp hands with through eternity.

I find it wonderful. The newlywed may not hear well but they seem to hear each other very well. They complement each other very much. Maybe, as the cliché saying would go, “They complete each other.”

Popularity: 2% [?]