The Story of my Nokia E63

Another of my posts which took some time to write is my birthday gift to self. Two months have passed since my birthday already. Anyhow, I'd like to share to you guys what I got myself for my birthday. At least, although it's a late post, I've explored much of its features (at least the basic ones).

Anyway, most of my friends know that I'm not much of a gadget girl. It's more of I have no patience to really learn specs and also, my brain is more programmed to work on canvases than understand software concepts. For a good eight years, I've lived through my old Sony Ericson T610 and refused to get a new phone. The only new phone I get is the one that comes every 2 years in the Sun Cellular Rewards Plan. However, I've realized the need to because the increasing number of contacts I have makes my phone hang each time it functions. The VGA camera doesn't help much in taking pictures at low light settings. Most of all, each time I turn off my phone, whenever I turn the phone back on, the battery life magically drains. So for my birthday, I decided to get a new phone.

For my new phone, I needed something that's one, fairly decent in terms of basic use - a good-quality camera (at least 2MP), bigger and expandable memory, user-friendly, durable, and nothing too complicated. WiFi is an option but not a necessity and I prefer keypads over touch-screen features. I consulted the boys since they are more versed in tech stuff as I am (ah... the perks of having male friends) and their inputs have been quite useful for me to find the perfect phone.

While hanging out at Town Center and window shopping, I saw the Nokia E63 being sold at a friendly price with a very friendly 0% interest installment plan (no way am I going to plunk heavy cash right then and there). After much contemplating, I decided to get it for myself as a birthday present. When I showed friends and family what I got for my birthday, they were like, "It's about time!"

I got the black variant. I really wanted the red one, but the store ran out of the red and had it only in blue and black. I thought black would be the better choice. It looks like it's such a serious phone, which is quite the opposite of me since I'm hardly ever a serious person. However, it's a work phone and it needed to be serious. The QWERTY keypad feature makes me avoid shortcut texting so I'm more formal when I'm texting clients and makes it faster for me to type longer texts.

Features-wise, I like the bigger memory capacity so it could make me store more contacts, especially with work since I meet a whole lot of new people each time. The calendar feature (plus the alarm I get 30 minutes before call time) makes sure I never get to miss important appointments, shoots, events, or clients.

Whether work or play, inputing my schedule here saves me a lot of time and missed appointments.

Camera's also 2MP, which gives relatively good resolution, so I could use this in place of a bulky camera when I take pictures during events. It could also be my plan B camera if my camera conks out.

It also stores music aside from features, so I could use this as my music player in case I get bored when I walk along the mall.

Okay, so what's the most over-used function this one has? It would have to be the WiFi function. Hahaha. Remember earlier I said that WiFi is a plus but not necessary? Turns out I need that a lot. Checking Facebook and Gmail has never been more convenient.

And I could keep my Karma up with live Plurk updates with WiFi being available almost anywhere I go. Competitive I know. Same with Foursquare too.

Watching YouTube before lulling myself to sleep while in bed. So as not to disturb others, I have my headset so the sound is isolated only to me (works too when I'm watching video tutorials while in a resto).

A recent discovery I've had with it is the Quickoffice program, which I highlighted above. Just like MS Office, I could create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Whereas the latter two have yet to be explored, the document part enables me to take down notes I might find useful. Then if I do blog about it, all I have to do is synch my phone to my PC and the document I typed in is as good as a Word document. Then cut-and-paste and edit as usual. Back then, I used to fumble for something to scribble on to only to lose the paper or if I have it, I have yet to decipher my handwriting. It's practically a mini-laptop. Except that it could fit into the pocket of my man-slacks.

Of course, much of these features have yet to be discovered (still again, I have the boys to bug about that, which I do all the time I pester them). I'm glad it answers to all my needs without me having to refer to the manual again and again. In fact, I haven't even read the manual yet.

And so you may ask what happened to the old phone? It hasn't rested yet. It in fact holds another SIM card. Hahaha. This phone in fact came with another SIM card. I was at first decided not to use it but while transfering contacts, I used the new SIM on my old phone. When I saw how the signal didn't fail during the recent typhoon, I decided to keep that number too for emergency purpose, should I need to make a call during calamities when all signals are down.

I'm trying to figure out if Nokia E63 has a Plants Vs Zombies application. If it does, you know where I'll be glued at if there's no WiFi when I'm bored and out of the house.

The 401 on Passport Renewal

I got my passport renewed a few weeks ago. It was indeed paperwork and it does involve falling in line and no cheating. Although my international travel is quite scarce, it's important that I renew my passport because I'll never know when I could travel or would travel. So, better be prepared.

Anyway, I decided to write this post in order to help anyone who would like to renew their passport the old-fashioned way, meaning lining up, hands-on, no fixer needed. It was my first time to handle this myself, and this time, passport renewal requires personal appearance. I used to have phobia while handling papers like these, but it turned out easier than I expected. All it took was research.

The Preparation:

First of all, I gathered my materials. For application of my machine-readable passport, I needed:

• Present passport (in this case, the old green passport), with photocopies of inside and back cover plus photocopies of pages showing latest Bureau of Immigration departure and arrival tamps
• Original and photocopy of birth certificate (NSO-certified, which you could have delivered to you. Read details here. I found out how convenient this was, since all i needed was deposit the money in the bank and follow instructions, which were very self-explanatory.
• Pictures = the passport picture now is 4.5cm x 3.5 cm colored photo with Royal Blue background. With collar (white is always safe), and ears showing. no earrings/headpieces/glasses/colored contact lens. For the passport application, we would need three of these.
• Passport application form, which could be downloaded from the DFA website.
• Proof of existence, just for safety, like valid ID and photocopies of those as well

These are requirements that I had for my condition, since I'm for renewal and I'm single. For married women, newly-single/widowed, or first-time applicants, this could vary. So the first thing I did was to gather all the necessary papers. I ordered one copy of my original birth certificate from the NSO and it was delivered to me in 2 days. I'm glad everything was done online. I also downloaded and printed out my passport application form. I was also OC to photocopy all these documents for safety.

I also had my picture taken. There are specific requirements as to how the passport picture should look like. I just took an extra effort to make myself look presentable in the picture, meaning, I made sure my hair was fixed, I had a good shirt (with collar) on, plus makeup was kept light and prime look. No smoky eyes, heavy lashes, or deep lipstick.

After I got my materials right, I scheduled an appointment to make my life easier. Appointments can be made online through the DFA website. However, I don't get to choose my appointment schedule so once I got the email of my appointment date, I had to clear everything for that day. I also had to print that email out since I'll be showing that when I apply.

On The Day Itself:

My appointment was supposed to be 9 AM, but I decided to go there earlier lest the line be long. The night before, I gathered all equipment necessary plus I armed myself with a book to read.
During the day, I made sure I looked decent but not overdressed and wore my favorite footwear: FLATS, since I'll be lining up and walking. I also was told that I won't be entering the DFA which was right smack on Roxas Blvd, but it would be on the side-street, the one in between Cuneta Astrodome and the Maritime School. I had my appointment so all was okay. I was told to go to Gate 2 Window 1-4 and wait for my turn. How I knew where Gate 2 was? I asked the security guard. No fixer needed!

When my turn came, the girl on Window 1 asked for the printout of my appointment email. I handed it to her and checked my requirements. After which, she issued a receipt (yes my dears the passport isn't free). So I lined up on the cashier and paid for my passport (I gave an exact amount). After which, I was told to proceed to the auditorium for biometrics.

At the auditorium, I was told to line up on the line that said email appointments. Now here's where I needed to have my eyes peeled: The dude on the computer encoded my information on this form. He let me double check and see if all the information is true, correct, and free of typos. Once done, he printed this out, pasted my pictures and let me sign on the box. I then proceded to have my fingerprints taken and then I was done for the day. FAST! Some had the option of having their passports delivered, but I opted for picking up my passport myself, so I had to go back on the date scheduled.

Picking Up My Passport:

On the receipt, there's a date and time as when the passport would be ready. On that scheduled appointment, I went back to the DFA and went to Gate 3. Since my appointment was in the afternoon, lines were longer and I did wait a bit long. When we get inside, we weretold to place our receipts face-down on this box on the window with the first letters of our last names (like in my case, the window for people with last names that start with A, B, C, and D). The guys behind the window would get the clump of receipts and then look for our passports. I then had to wait for my name to be called, meaning I had to strain my ears and filter out the one voice that called out my long, legal, baptismal name, which I refuse to reveal in my blog.

Once my name was called (I had a very common last name, so I waited quite long), I went to the counter and the dude handed out my new brown passport. I checked it again and made sure there was no error and signed that I have received it.

I left the vicinity without any hassle, save for waiting in line.

The trick really, is to do a lot of research. Before I renewed my passport, I asked around and went to the DFA website. As you can see, I did this the traditional way, without having a travel agent with me. The appointment really helped though, and so did the downloadable form, since it saved me time and effort of filling up my form there.

It's relatively easy, since all I did was renew. For special cases, it could be a different thing. However, research really is the key for this, so it pays to read the site first for requirements. It does cost a lot, but it's definitely worth it. Also, it pays to come early too. :)

No To Haggardness

We all have that don't we? We got that "haggard" phase at the end of the day or at the middle of the day. Name it - we're fatigued, flat-out, and all we want to do is just go home and snooze. However, not only do we feel it, we also look haggard as well - our complexion is sallow, our eyes puffy, and we just look plain blaaah.

So, here are some tips that we could use to perk up our day - sans nicotine and caffeine overdose, which could dehydrate the skin.

1. Rehydrate. Haggardness = dehydrated skin. How do we rehydrate? WATER! Our office has a whole water dispenser right? Use it. Remember how in kindegarten we were always told to drink 8 glasses of water? That's the key. It replenishes lost moisture and also flushes out the body's toxins. Got a long flight? keep hydrated with water. You can also carry a plane-friendly facial mister to re-energize and rehydrate the face from yucky, dry, recycled plane air.

2. Detox or take a break. Yep. just like the commercial. If drawing relaxes you, grab a scratch paper and start doodling. You can also surf the Internet for the latest chika or your favorite YouTube channel. Take an office break and detox by reading your favorite beauty/lifestyle/tech blogs or blog as well. These little 10 minutes can also refresh and recharge you. When I was working back in the office, I take a break from transcribing reports by blogging or catching up on the latest chika or watching 80s cartoons in Youtube. It preps me up and gives me my much-needed energy for the day.

3. Have a snack. There's a merienda time right? Go down to Jollijeep and have your favorite turon (bananas also give energy). Sip some warm tea.

4. Take a power nap. This is, if your work allows it. If you really must get some shut-eye, a 10-minute nap can do wonders. Just don't abuse it by taking your afternoon siesta. :P

5. Meditate. Working nonstop for hours can make you see stars later on. Believe me, I've had that experience. I worked nonstop even if my body was crying "TAKE A BREAK ALREADY!" It came to the point that my hands were shaking and I had to pause. When we're about to reach our breaking point, I've learned to just pause first. Close your eyes and think of your favorite vacation spot or just empty your mind and breathe slowly.

6. Do a quick exercise. Remember how after an exercise session we have this "feel good" vibe? Actually, here's the thing, when we exercise, our body releases chemicals called endorphins, and these produce that "natural high" or sense of well-being. Okay, I'm not telling you to hit the gym but you could get a quick endorphine rush by taking a quick walk to stretch your legs. Or combine with #3 and walk to your favorite coffee shop (okay, so I said no caffeine but a little nonfat iced coffee drink won't hurt, huh?) Your body will thank you for it. Plus, the atmosphere change could relieve you of the "office rut".

7. Aromatherapy. It really works! If you're jittery and anxious, take a whiff of lavander, which has calming properties (remember how spas smell like lavander?). If you need energy, have a citrusy and light fragrance with you. Spritzing your favorite cologne also helps.

So, here are stuff that might help you re-energize mid-day when you need that extra oomph at the end of the day.

This Is For You, 80's Pinoy Kids...

Un-makeup related, but I thought it's definitely worth posting:



Roderick Paulate sings at the Rick Astley concert with Rick Astley himself. I didn't watch it live but this YT video really brought the house down.

I grew up having Rick Astley being blared in the casette tapes and radio as much as the Jonas Brothers are now, so Rick Astley is familiar to me plus his songs were the "field demonstration" and "school morning exercise" videos. So two 80s icons in one stage... the video speaks for itself