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So I Stopped Paper Crafting

I got hooked to crafting with papers in 2017 and until a few years after that. That's why I bought cutter plotters: from Graphtec Craft Robo to Silhouette Cameo 3 and then the Silhouette Curio. I also bought some nice tools from We R Memory Keepers. I bought specialty papers from Prestige and Star Paper. Years later, I realize that I no longer want to pursue this hobby or my side business. I never really got back the money I "invested" because it has never been an investment, I didn't pursue this as a serious business as I have a full time freelance work and there is a small market here in the Philippines. It is hard to find customers who are willing to pay the right amount for your creative efforts. I used to design and craft invites for weddings and special birthdays and most customers who inquired only had a small budget for these. I realize it is not worthy of the time and labor that I will be putting into.  I remember a customer who I crafted a set of 30 for a we...
Recent posts

Cat Post #1

I have been taking care of cats for a very long time and most of the cats I have nurtured are all local breeds, most of them are strays that I adopted.  I have realized that cats also have different personalities. I have tried different cat food brands available in my country, both wet and dry food, and my cats have different taste buds. Some like dry and some like wet, and some like human food. I avoid giving them human food as much as possible because I don't want them to be able to eat something that might get stuck in their teeth or tummy. And I don't cook too much food, just enough for a couple. Some of my cats are also gentle and some are grumpy. Some are also playful. Some of them also learn fast compared to my other cats. Some of them also know exactly how to use the litter boxes while some just do their toilet business on the floor in the corner of the house despite having 3 litter boxes positioned on the corners. I love all of my cats though I cannot deny that I have ...

Receive Foreign Currency Through Transferwise

If you’re a freelancer with a client abroad, you will need to have an online payment account. I prefer Transferwise as it transfers money quickly from my Transferwise balance and into my local bank account. By quick I mean the money reflects in local currency within 1-2 hours. I have been using Transferwise since 2017 and that’s where my client sends my monthly compensation. If you have just signed up for a Transferwise personal account and are wondering how to receive your first USD/GBP/EUR/AUD/SGD/NZD, here is a step-by-step guide in opening a balance in foreign currency. Important: Make sure that you have verified your account first in order to start receiving money. You will need to have your primary ID cards with you and would need to take a selfie holding your ID. To learn more about verification, follow these instructions from Transferwise’s page . Note: For USD balance, you need to get verified and add at least USD 20.00 to your balance to get your USD bank details. Log into...

Bitten By A Cat

I have never imagined that I would need to get anti-rabies vaccine and boosters one day. Last Saturday, I was playing with our pet cat when suddenly she got pissed and bit me on my left hand. I immediately washed my bitten hand with running water and soap. I let it bleed because that is what people say when you are bitten by an animal. They say it would let the bacteria out, though I was not really sure about it. I even put on crushed garlic on my wound. Two hours later, I went to the FEU-NRMF ER with my fiance to have my wound checked, just to be safe. The doctor cleaned my wound and a few minutes later I was given some injections: Anti-rabies vaccine (Verorab) and Tetanus Toxoid. I was also tested for skin allergy for 30 minutes before they gave me the Anti-Tetanus vaccine. So here how it goes, in case anyone is bitten by an animal. When one is bitten by an animal, whether it is vaccinated or not, wash the wound immediately with soap and water, and go to the nearest ER or Anima...

Should We Get An HMO As Freelancers?

My fiance was scheduled today for an endoscopy at 10 AM today. He was supposed to use his HMO subscription, which is a Maxicare Gold plan. The diagnosis given by his gastroenterologist was abdominal pain, by which probably caused his recent acid reflux, that’s why he needed to do an endoscopy to confirm. But for Maxicare, it claimed that he was diagnosed with GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease), which they said was a pre-existing condition, therefore he could not have his procedure expenses be fully covered by his plan. We are well aware of the details in the brochure before he paid for the plan. We know what are the pre-existing conditions and dreaded diseases covered or not covered. It was listed on the brochure. But our question, how could Maxicare assume that his condition was pre-existing? So they give their own diagnosis to the patient now? How could they know better about the condition than the patient himself? Our doctor even talked to the Maxicare agent over the ph...

Getting A New Driver's License

Last week, I went to the LTO in East Avenue to get my new non-professional driver’s license. It was a Friday, the 1st of December. I was there at around 8 AM. It was a very tiring day and I had to come back the next day for biometrics and releasing of the actual card. In other words, one day was not enough in applying for a new driver’s license in this particular branch. For new drivers, here is an outline which may guide you in applying for a new driver’s license. Important: Arrive earlier than 8AM if possible. You may think you are already very early, but there are more people who would come earlier than you. The waiting area was already full when I arrived at around 8AM. Be sure to have your medical exam certificate with you to not waste time and so you will not have to go out of the premises to go to the nearest ‘clinic’ to get your medical certificate. There are many ‘clinics’ around LTO East Ave. I went to Charlyn’s beside Chowking V.Luna and got mine for onl...

Printing with Fuji Xerox CP115w

Printing with CP115w On my previous article about the Fuji Xerox CP115w color laser printer, I mentioned the things I like and not like about it, and the features that I hope it could do. One of the things that I hope this printer could do is to handle thicker paper/board. It is only limited to 163 gsm paper weight. So if anyone is printing on 200+ gsm paper using this printer, expect that it cannot even pick up the paper into its rollers. Here are the following brands and weights that I have tried printing with the CP115w and wouldn’t work: Sonoma 230gsm Olympia Metallic 230gsm Zanzibar 230gsm But it could print (though with some effort) on the following papers: Imari Coated Papers 200gsm/250gsm Zanzibar 200gsm The Imari Papers, though seem heavier in weight, appears thin compared to the other boards and can get through the printer without hassle. Consumables The consumables available in the Philippine market are the standard ones and mostly are available in Of...