The Journey. It’s Mine. [My personal take on love, life, parenting and blogging.]

Look what routing mess Smart Bro got!

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Trace 2

Trace 3

Been home alone since Thursday night, hoping I could do some decent amount of work without Raine in the house. (I sent him packing to Lola’s house after class on Thursday afternoon. Regular class for him resumes on Wednesday.).

Since he left though, the rain never stopped. It’s been the 3rd night and I have weathered heavy downpours and thunderstorms. I’m really surprised there is still electricity as that’s always the first to go even at just the sign of heavy rains. Fortunately, I just experienced flickering of electric power.

As far as the internet connection is concerned, the connection always slows down whenever it is raining. Is that really true for Smart Bro? I just don’t get it.  It shouldn’t be right? Anyways, I just used those down-times to get some much-needed sleep.

The internet connection is holding on for now. I’ve been ‘locked up’ here for days (I just went out once last night to stack the food supply) and it would be a disaster if I get disconnected to the rest of the world. I’m giving myself some 24 more hours here, then I’m off to the barrio to be with the family in time for the November 1 activity (All Saints’/Souls’ Day a.k.a. Day of the dead).

In the past, my computer used to be bugged down by viruses. My brothers were then in school and have been using usb drives for their school stuff. Mine was the only computer in the house and they used to insert their usb drives in the said computer to transfer files and do stuff. Of course they use those sticks in school and internet cafes where computers are host to viruses.

So my computer was often infected and my brothers knew nothing to repair it then but re-install the OS. That was also the time when I was just using a free version of an anti-virus.

Anyways, that all ended when we’ve discovered Google Documents. Oh, the joys of cloud computing!

Not sure if I mentioned it here already…last month I got a free 3-in-1 HP printer from Smart Bro. Of course in exchange for it I had to sign up for my account’s 2-year retention. Not free after all.

Anyways, it’s just too convenient to have a printer of your own that you can use anytime. I remember Raine and I had to go out to the nearest internet cafe for some of his homework and pay pay outrageous printing charges! I know I gotta spend money on ink refills but it’s good to have a printer of your own in the house, period. He he.

So since getting the said printer, I am having a blast scanning old photos and important documents. Before I knew it, I’d be scanning receipts, printing letters and address labels and such.  Get the picture?;)

A decent (even point-and-shoot) digital camera is something I badly need. Digital cameras don’t come in cheap however, so I’ve always been hesitant to get one. For years I have been relying on my good old 2 MP camera phone.

But for months now that said camera phone has finally retired (it is more that 3 years old!) and I am left with a crappy 1.3 MP camera phone that doesn’t even have a USB cable so I can’t transfer the photos to my computer!

Any suggestions on affordable, decent point-and-shoot digital cameras? I’ll really appreciate your input.

Smart Bro’s frequent down times recently is getting to my nerves! I’m thinking of getting a back-up ISP or maybe ditch Smart Bro altogether.

Here in my barriotic city, I have the following options:

Bayan DSL

Globe Broadband

Sun Broadband

Which one is better? I’d appreciate your feedback. Thanks a lot!

Good thing I got up really early today and got a head start with publishing blog entries. Little did I know that my day would be spent chatting away! A huge chunk of my morning was spent video-and-voice chatting with a long-lost friend now working in Qatar. It was really, really nice reconnecting with her. Before I knew it, it was time for Raine’s lunch break.

Then when I got back home after our lunch, my seaman brother was online and wanted to chat as well. So we then spent more than 2 hours of continuous video-and-voice chat on YM. It was really a lot of fun! If only my brother isn’t always too busy we could do this more often. Good thing he got a few hours of break earlier before his night shift.

Now, I should get  back to work! He he.

Others dream of a Mac. Mine is a Sony VAIO E Series in hibiscus pink please…

It free to dream right? So there you go… He he he

Anyways, I’m done with netbooks. It’s just good for kids and students.

Now I should start buying lotto tickets to make this dream come true. Ha ha ha!

Dream on Glo!

There was a time in 2004 when my computer crashed. I lost 2 years of Raine’s photos. The photos were the first two years os Raine’s life in which I painstakingly took photos of him on  a monthly basis. Lame I know, but I can’t help it, I’m such a proud mom.

Anyways, I’ve since made back-ups in CDs. But then I found out that CDs don’t usually pass the test of time. I mean time will come that your CD will be unusable. The perfect solution is an online backup.

For our photos, I use Flickr. For my documents I use Google Documents.

However, there are photos that I cannot post online. So I still have to have another back-up such as in a CD. Same goes for documents, even if I can keep it private online.

These days I make sure that my computer is fully protected and secured. (A good, licensed anti-virus software is a must.) Nobody is allowed to plug in any USB stick (most probably infected with virus!) even for matter of life and death circumstances. My brothers are not even allowed to use my computers anymore. Why? They love going to websites laden with malwares and other scary stuff.

I know that there is no such thing as 100% protection and secured as far as personal computers are concerned, but it doesn’t stop me from taking measures to come close to it.

What about you, how do you deal with back-ups and protecting your computer?

Since August, I have using Smart Bro. I have no complaints so far except that they keep changing my IP address. Notice that Live Traffic Feed I have on the side bar? If you see Sorsogon, Philippines in there that used to be me. Used to, take note.

Then it became Legaspi, Philippines.

Now it’s Tabaco, Albay, Philippines.

To the blogs I’m visiting and you have a traffic feed, I still do visit. But I don’t register as Sorsogon, Philippines anymore. IP addresses can be tricky, specially if they keep changing. But good thing that doesn’t happen to your Personalized Jewelry. Just imagine if it does.

In March, I got myself a licensed AVG 8.5. Now it has been upgraded for free to the 9.0 version. I chose it mainly because I’m comfortable with it. I had been using the AVG free version for years.

In choosing an antivirus software, here are a few pointers you might wanna consider:

• Does not slow down your PC
• All-new technology: antivirus + antispyware engine
• Advanced anti-rootkit technology
• Cutting-edge Proactive Protection
• Full protection against email-borne threats
• Ideal for Netbooks that need malware protection (if you are using a netbook)
• Real time protection against viruses, spywares and malicious websites.
• No automatic credit card charge each year!

So what antivirus software are you using (or plan to use)? So far I have no complaints with mine.

Raine and I just got back to the city early this morning. First of all, i lived like a pig (read: eating, sleeping and watching TV only) during the whole weekend. My mother was sooo kind enough to give me that break. Raine was of course happy to play with his playmates ’round the ‘hood. So it didn’t matter whether it was lola or me tending to him.

I felt the -ber chill this weekend. I was wrapped in clothes, from head to toe. Bathing was a tremendous challenge, what with the water being icy cold. Well maybe not really…but to me it was. Anyways, If only I didn’t have to take a bath. He he. So I boiled water in the pot each time.

Or maybe it is just really hot in this city?? I really don’t know. I’m getting a temperature shock each weekend we come home. Early this morning, we were already waiting for a jeepney by 6 am. I was wearing long pants( for a change!!), a top and a light jacket. Ang lamig kaya ng hangin sa dyip ano! Anyways, by the time I brought Raine to school…I was still wearing that very outfit but sans the jacket.

One mom couldn’t help commenting: uyyyy…first time kita makitang naka-pants ah! I laughed. Then said: oo nga eh. Eh nag-pantalon na ako…kasi baka isipin ng mga tao di ako marunong mag-suot ng pantalon eh. Then we laughed together, out loud.

Anyways…this has truly been a long day and I am surprised that I am still standing. The highlight of my day though is getting my free cellphone from Smart. Woohoo. Nothing fancy, but i like it (Nokia 5000). Free ba naman, who am I to complain?! Di ba?