Thank You 2011, Hello 2012

Things that I cherished that happened this year:

• Started a new venture, moving away from the traditional office work
• Started doing part-time jobs that are not IT related to enhance my other skills
• Started the process of having more church responsibility
• Learned who my real friends are and moved on from so-called friends
• Watched Breaking Dawn Part 1, craving for the second part
• 
  

Things I'm looking forward to this 2012:

• Last movie installment of Twilight
• S.O. coming here
• New church office
• Work-related training
• 
  

 
Things I should do this 2012:

• Daily exercise!
• Better time management
• 
  

Life and Online

For those who are always online like me......

Happy New Year everyone :)

Website Logins Tips

As I was checking the login features of my current project, I was thinking of more efficient ways to handle password generation specially for the first login of the user. Browsing the web for ideas, I found these tips which is really useful in designing a website login.

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

This is a good read to start the new year right

Learn from yesterday. Take all your past mistakes, and failures and use them for motivation in order to gain an advantage to succeed on your new ventures. Don't let the fear of committing another mistake or failing again stop you from trying new adventures and new opportunities.

Live for today. Never live for the past, live in the moment and seize the sensible opportunities presented to you. Be willing to take risks, as risk are one of the most important keys to living for today, and never let anyone, including yourself stop you from achieving what you know you can.

Hope for tomorrow. Make plans, set goals, and follow your dreams. Too many of us limit our hopes and ourselves by not dreaming big enough, or hoping big enough. Dream as big as you can dream, and work as hard as you can work in order to achieve your maximum potential.

The Truth Behind Christmas

The Date

• The date of December 25th probably originated with the ancient "birthday" of the son-god, Mithra, a pagan deity whose religious influence became widespread in the Roman Empire during the first few centuries A.D. Mithra was related to the Semitic sun-god, Shamash, and his worship spread throughout Asia to Europe where he was called Deus Sol Invictus Mithras. Rome was well-known for absorbing the pagan religions and rituals of its widespread empire. As such, Rome converted this pagan legacy to a celebration of the god, Saturn, and the rebirth of the sun god during the winter solstice period. The winter holiday became known as Saturnalia and began the week prior to December 25th. The festival was characterized by gift-giving, feasting, singing and downright debauchery, as the priests of Saturn carried wreaths of evergreen boughs in procession throughout the Roman temples.
• Roman pagans first introduced the holiday of Saturnalia, a week long period of lawlessness celebrated between December 17-25.  During this period, Roman courts were closed, and Roman law dictated that no one could be punished for damaging property or injuring people during the weeklong celebration.  The festival began when Roman authorities chose “an enemy of the Roman people” to represent the “Lord of Misrule.”  Each Roman community selected a victim whom they forced to indulge in food and other physical pleasures throughout the week.  At the festival’s conclusion, December 25^th, Roman authorities believed they were destroying the forces of darkness by brutally murdering this innocent man or woman.
• In the 4^th century CE, Christianity imported the Saturnalia festival hoping to take the pagan masses in with it.  Christian leaders succeeded in converting to Christianity large numbers of pagans by promising them that they could continue to celebrate the Saturnalia as Christians. The problem was that there was nothing intrinsically Christian about Saturnalia. To remedy this, these Christian leaders named Saturnalia’s concluding day, December 25^th, to be Jesus’ birthday.
• Christians had little success, however, refining the practices of Saturnalia.  As Stephen Nissenbaum, professor history at the University of Massachussetts, Amherst, writes, “In return for ensuring massive observance of the anniversary of the Savior’s birth by assigning it to this resonant date, the Church for its part tacitly agreed to allow the holiday to be celebrated more or less the way it had always been.”  The earliest Christmas holidays were celebrated by drinking, sexual indulgence, singing naked in the streets (a precursor of modern caroling), etc.
• The Reverend Increase Mather of Boston observed in 1687 that “the early Christians who  first observed the Nativity on December 25 did not do so thinking that Christ was born in that Month, but because the Heathens’ Saturnalia was at that time kept in Rome, and they were willing to have those Pagan Holidays metamorphosed into Christian ones.”[3]  Because of its known pagan origin, Christmas was banned by the Puritans and its observance was illegal in Massachusetts between 1659 and 1681.[4]  However, Christmas was and still is celebrated by most Christians. 
• Some of the most depraved customs of the Saturnalia carnival were intentionally revived by the Catholic Church in 1466 when Pope Paul II, for the amusement of his Roman citizens, forced Jews to race naked through the streets of the city.  An eyewitness account reports, “Before they were to run, the Jews were richly fed, so as to make the race more difficult for them and at the same time more amusing for spectators.  They ran… amid Rome’s taunting shrieks and peals of laughter, while the Holy Father stood upon a richly ornamented balcony and laughed heartily.”[5]
• As part of the Saturnalia carnival throughout the 18^th and 19^th centuries CE, rabbis of the ghetto in Rome were forced to wear clownish outfits and march through the city streets to the jeers of the crowd, pelted by a variety of missiles. When the Jewish community of Rome sent a petition in1836 to Pope Gregory XVI begging him to stop the annual Saturnalia abuse of the Jewish community, he responded, “It is not opportune to make any innovation.”[6]  On December 25, 1881, Christian leaders whipped the Polish masses into Antisemitic frenzies that led to riots across the country.  In Warsaw 12 Jews were brutally murdered, huge numbers maimed, and many Jewish women were raped.  Two million rubles worth of property was destroyed.  

References:

Origin of Christmas | The Real Story of Christmas | How it Began 

The Shocking Pagan Origin of Christmas 

Let it snow

Do you love snow? Do you like to experience snow but like me, lives in a snow-free country? Well, fret no more. Google gives you the chance to experience snow on your computers. Just go to google.com and type "let it snow" and see for yourself.

Freelance Salary Raise

As a freelancer, asking for an increase is a tough thing. But in my part time jobs, I had learned to increase my rates on new clients that I get. Here's a good article for freelancers like me to get that desired raise in a timely manner.

Better or Bitter 3

Better or Bitter 2

I really believe that how a person reacts to his past makes him a better or bitter person. A good proof of this is Jacky Chan's past and his present.

Common Sense vs Education

It is a thousand times better to have common sense without education than to have education without common sense.

Very well said.

The Truth Behind Christmas - Carlie Brown

Of course, that's why we don't celebrate this event, unlike the many religions out there. And yes, we are Christians.

Half Empty or Half Full

Have you heard of the question "Is a cup half empty or half full?". It's a trivial question which says if a person is a pessimist or an optimist. Well, since it has been an ongoing debate, here's the final answer to end the debate.


Dear: Optimist, Pessimist, and Realist..... While you guys were arguing about the glass of water....... I drank it. - Sincerely, The Opportunist.

The Real Angry Birds

Ever wondered what the famous Angry Birds would look like if they are real birds? Then wonder no more!

Asking the right questions

For QA's and developers, it is essential to know how to reproduce a bug so it can be effectively fixed. In order to do this, you need to ask the right questions.

From this article, here's the guide to asking the right questions:

• What version of software is being used?
• What operating system is being used?
• What patches are employed on the operating system?
• What is the hardware configuration?
• What is the actual error message?
• What happened just prior to the problem occurring?
• Any other proprietary information that might be relevant?
• Is the problem reproducible? If so, what steps were taken to reproduce the problem?

Stop eating....

Shared by a friend from her 6 year-old son.

"Mommy, my butt is eating my underpants!"

Zynga Facebook Games

Are you addicted to Facebook games? If yes, then you know Zynga. It's the creator of famous Facebook games, and their games is actually 4 of the top 5 games. Here's a list of the top 12 Facebook games in case you are wondering (like me lol). Are your games among the top 12?

Incidentally, Zynga is also in the news not just because of the games but because of how they are running the company. It really surprised me that such company with good game products will treat their employees this way. More of the story here.

Pizza Hut's Tuscani Pizza

The first time I saw the Pizza Hut Tuscani Pizza ad, I thought it’s just all talk, because it was an ad. Though admittedly, I was intrigued by what they’re saying that it’s unlike any thin crust pizza. I’m a pizza lover and I’m skeptical since all thin crust pizza that I’ve tried is not enough to satisfy my hunger. Due to my schedule, I have put trying it out at the bottom of my list. Until a friend told me about it again. She kept on raving that my curiosity was piqued and I scheduled to give myself a break and have a pizza day with my mom. Lunch, we went to Pizza Hut’s branch in Festival Mall in Alabang. It is located in the ground floor, just near the Alabang-Zapote entrance. Being seated by a courteous crew, we sat and I asked her the Tuscani pizza menu.  Choosing the right flavor for that first taste is not hard, I just chose the flavor with the most yummy toppings, and I ended up choosing Supremo. The crew even said it was a good choice. The wait is not that long as we were kept busy by the on-the-house garlic bread.

When the pizza is brought to our table, I can’t believe that it’s sooo full of toppings. I then took a slice, and the first bite is heaven. The pizza is deliciously juicy, the toppings are really good. I’m a picky eater and don’t usually eat bell peppers but the bell peppers in this pizza is real juicy. I can’t believe that I’m eating a thin crust pizza because the toppings are like of a thick crust pizza, minus the thickness of the crust which made the pizza more enticing to eat. And I can’t believe that with just two slices, I already felt full and satisfied. It usually takes 4 thin sliced pizza before I can feel the fullness. Surely, Tuscani Pizza is now one of my favorites, a must-try for all pizza lovers out there. For me, this deserves a spoon rating of 9/10. 

  

Trivia: Did you know where the name Pizza Hut originated? According to Wiki, it has been named "Pizza Hut" since the sign the owners purchased only had enough space for nine characters and spaces.

25 Worst Passwords of 2011

I know it's still a few days till 2011 ends but I found this article and I'm glad that my password is not one of the worst passwords lol. The top 5 worst passwords, which are really worst, are:

1. password
2. 123456
3. 12345678
4. qwerty
5. abc123

Is your password one of the 25 worst passwords? I hope not.

Bye bye Google Plus

It's been awhile since I used Google Buzz. I didn't really used it much, just tried it on occasion since I'm a Google products user. After all, they're free and innovative lol. Just learned though that Google Buzz is going away. Seems Google is trimming its products and focusing on more usable ones, which is good. Are you a Google Buzz user? If yes, then you should read this.

Medical Malpractice

Yesterday, my mom and I went to the nearby Alabang Medical Clinic to have her see a cardiologist. The diastolic reading of her blood pressure sometimes reaches 60-40 and my natural doctor friend suggest that she see a cardiologist just to be sure. When it was her time for the checkup, the doctor just asked her what she's feeling. She said that there are times that she feels the shortness of breath. The doctor then immediately prescribed Nebicar to her. I asked the doctor what's the purpose of the medicine. He said that it's for my mom's heart because she's experiencing chest pain, and even asked me if she is experiencing chest pain. I told him why ask me and I said he ask her. Then he said she said so. I was already in doubt at this stage, and became more unbelieving when he said that there are med reps outside who gives free samples, we just need to show them the prescription. He also recommended that my mom have an ECG and made another request for it. I asked him about the diastolic reading and he said that it's because of my mom's age. The ECG turned out ok. I asked my natural doctor friend about Nebicar, what are its medications. She told me that it's used to treat hypertension and acute cardiac insufficiency. Cardiac insufficiency? And acute already? Wow, that doctor must be a genius since he just asked one question and knows that my mom have that severe illness? It's really sad how the medicine world had become very commercialized. Their oath to protect lives has gone out the windows.

I had done a research on Nebicar and learned that it have a lot of recorded side effects, one of which is heart failure. Wow! A heart medicine that can cause a heart failure.

This isn't the first time that this happened to us. A few months back, my mom was admitted in the same hospital (unfortunately, this is the only one accessible to us) because of stomach problems and I wasn't feeling good myself. Because of the stress of us being sick at the same time, my mom's blood pressure went to 140/80 and she was immediately given a hypertension maintenance drug which she needs to take even when she was discharged from the hospital. Wow. I don't know why these doctors are in a hurry to prescribe medicines but not take time to check if their patients really need them. Can you blame me if I believe less and less on modern, commercialized doctors and favor the alternative, natural medicine?

Zero-Cost Prescription for a Healthy, Long Life

These insights from Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan is also like the "Law of Attraction" that I believe in. He said to claim the present, declaring "I am healthy, I am full of wellness, I am prosperous." and not use the future tense.


Below are some more of his tips:

• Physical activity or exercise 20-30 minutes daily. An hour's walk is equal to 10,000 steps a day, even if not continuous. Tan said, "Taking the tricycle has destroyed the body of the Filipino."
• Maintain friendships.  Follow the adage of to love and be loved. Keep ties with kindred spirits throughout life. Even donating to charity releases happy hormones called endorphins.
• Forgive and ask forgiveness.  He said social medicine evidence shows that this works although it may be the hardest act. If the hurting person lets 10 weeks or even six months pass, then meets the offender casually without evading him/her, forgiveness has taken place.
• Laughter and sex reduce aging. Watch funny films or videos. Take forced leaves and vacation. A happy life, Tan said, is one where "every pregnancy is planned, every baby is wanted and a person is free of sexually transmitted diseases."
• Have time for stillness, meditation and prayer.
• Eat lots of plant-based food (vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, lentils) apart from complex carbohydrates and deep-sea fish. Avoid white sugar, white bread, processed meat (tocino and longganisa). Go on a monthly fast by eating fruits and vegetable for three days, something other living creatures do naturally.
• Drink warm or room-temperature liquids, mineral water, dark chocolate (tablea), green tea. He advised against distilled water which is "dead water" as it has no minerals and doesn't rehydrate the body.
• Free oneself from addictions to smoking, alcohol, gambling, drugs and sex. Also toxic are secondhand smoke, chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and heavy metals.

How to View Webcam in Windows 7

I had been using Windows XP for as long as I can remember. Then I needed to upgrade to Windows 7 for work. Of course with change comes the puzzlement on how to use it lol. I am used to viewing myself on the computer webcam in exchange of a mirror here in my room lol. In Windows XP, it's just as easy as going to the Windows Explorer since the webcam is allotted a drive. But in Windows 7, to my dismay, I can't find how to do it. Good thing I found this and it really works!

A Different Kind of Working Experience

Working from home has opened new doors, and new experiences for me. I was able to try and do jobs that I'm curious to do but don't have the chance because of my position in the office, or just can't because it's out of my line of career and my work experience. Before venturing out, I can see that I can do a lot of things that I was limited to do when I was still in the office. And I'm right. Though admittedly, working from home is not that stable a career. That's why one needs to be prepared for months earning only minimal or no income if one wants to venture into this field. Luckily, I had prepared for that. I gave myself at least 3 months to try this out.

My first 3 months paid well. I had a stable work-from-home job as a Project Manager, which is in my line of work. I was earning the same salary I was when I was still working in an office, but have the flexibility of time, as long as I can deliver what is asked of me. I was also able to practice again my applicant sourcing skills, which I missed and loved doing in one of my previous jobs. I thought this is a long-term job but things happen. My boss encountered some financial problems and have to let me go.

After that, I was lucky to be hired as a part time personal assistant. During the trial phase, I thought my boss is cold, he was too formal on his communications with me. That doesn't mean that it's hard to communicate with him, in fact he answers inquiries fast. So I just did what I need to do to finish the job. There were two of us whom he has shortlisted and luckily, he chose me. After that, things changed. He became more at ease to talk to. Maybe that's just part of his test. I've been working for him for a month now, part time, and even though I'm earning a little less than the minimum wage since it's a part time job, it's a learning experience for me which I know I can't try out and do when I'm working in an office. And it's more than enough to pay the utility bills lol.

I then met an employer who showed me the other side of applicant sourcing. I thought that all applicants are prepared. Prepared meaning they send their resume on jobs their applying for at the very least. I learned that I'm wrong. There were many applicants who would just send you an email asking if they can apply for the job without sending their resume. Some send their resume without any subject and cover letter. Still, there were others who used cover letter templates, which they send to every company that they're applying for. How did I know that this is the case? Well, either they forgot to change the position that they are applying for, or they just attached both the cover letter and the resume to their email lol. It was a funny, though sometimes irritating experience. Even though, I still think that recruitment is one of the enjoyable jobs.

Technology vs Super Heroes

If there were super heroes living in this era, it will be very hard for them to keep their secret identity lol

Auto Spelling Errs...

Do you use your phone's auto-spelling feature?

My SO uses them and I can't count the number of laughs I had with it lol

Don't Lie

Well, being a parent is really hard.

Dropbox

I had made a previous post about Dropbox but haven't made any account in it. Until recently. One of my work-from-home jobs required having one since it's what their company uses. It's a cloud-computing company and everyone are working from where ever they want, which is not in the same office. I find it useful than emailing copies, though I still prefer Google Docs because it's easier to maintain and don't need hard disk space but Google Docs has it's limitations with file types.

Fast Lesson

Land on Your Feet

Happy 19th Birthday to me!

Earlier, I had posted that end of the world is my birthday. My birthday ended and nothing end-of-the-world-y happened. But what happened today are:

• 2nd day of another full time job. I applied, got interviewed, and started yesterday with this job. Though it's still in the testing phase, I hope this is the start of good start (redundant eh? lol)
• Lots of part-time opportunities. I need a part-time job now specially that I'm not sure how much I'll get in the testing phase of my current full time job, if any. Though I really hope that I'll get paid
• Just for laughs, I earlier posted that a job interview made me wait an hour and a half which resulted from the interview being cancelled by me. (Well, I really hate time-wasters). Now, the recruiter messaged me early in the morning inquiring what position I'm applying. I was surprised and I'm really wondering if I'm still interested for that job because I'm really not interested in working with her lol
• The highlight of my birthday is when our beloved pastor went to our home. I really feel blessed.

Firefox and Windows...

More Better

English is not my first tongue, and I didn't really think I'll be good in English but interacting with foreigners when I was still working in an office, and having foreigner friends and a loved one has helped me a lot in improving my English skills. In one of the research tasks I did for my part-time VA work, I found this link which made me realize grammar mistakes I might have made before but didn't know of. It also made me realize that even native English-speaking people makes mistakes that are common to non-native English speakers.

Remote Team Management

I'm on my fourth month now, enjoying working from home. During this short period of time, I've encountered the ups and downs of managing a team of online workers. I want to share with you some insights I had gained.

• Open communication is a necessity. You can impose a rule that without reports on what has been accomplished, they won't get paid. Setting up a specific time that they should be online and available for you to reach them and vice versa is also essential.
• Having their work submitted on a repository like SVN or Sourcesafe so that you have the codes, can check if they are working to your standards and so on can also catch slackers early on.

Screening developers:

• Resume, portfolio, work experience, and interview would tell how efficient a developer is. One can also give an exam to test their skills in the technology that you want them to use. Of course, having first-hand knowledge on that technology is essential.
• Based on http://developers.sun.com/toolkits/articles/manage.html , under the "How Do You Measure Up", I think giving the developers a character / EQ exam would also determine if they are fit to work from home or work in an office setup

(And based on that article, I found out that I really fit in working from home type.)


Here are some links I found that are worth reading:

• This gives a good example / analysis on remote management -- http://www.telogis.com/managing-remote-workers/
• This discusses problems (and solutions) encountered in remote management --
  http://remote-employee-management.blogspot.com/
• General guidelines in remote management
• http://www.bnet.com/article/how-to-manage-employees-in-remote-locations/165147
• http://developers.sun.com/toolkits/articles/manage.html

This post / research was inspired by a task given by my boss where I work as a part-time personal assistant.

Waiting....

One thing I've realized that I hate when going to interviews in applying for a job is the waiting period. It has been 2 years since I applied for a job and I already forgot about that. The interviews I have in my work-from-home job applications are always on time, which made me forget about that waiting time. Until now. I have an interview scheduled at 9:30AM and I hurriedly did the things I have to do before that time comes. But 30 minutes after and the interview hasn't started yet. I had already caught her attention by messaging her that I'm ready for the interview and she answered with an "okay". It seems she's the one who is not yet ready to give the interview lol. I am fighting the urge to interview her instead hahaha. Oh well. One of my flaws is I'm inpatient. It's the reason why I hate office meetings since I can't do anything while in a meeting. Which is very different when I'm working from home where meetings are productive. Oh well.... this waiting is really making me sleepy... *yawn*

Diapers and Politicians

Without God

The Link

The message made me laugh and also made me realized how things had changed. And I wonder who among you knows the link, or are wondering what the heck is this picture saying lol.

8 Twitter Mistakes

I have been currently active in browsing / interacting in twitter. And since I'm working from home, there are now more facets in the IT industry that I can try. One of them is using social networking media to achieve goals. I think this article will help a lot of twitter fans, both oldies and newbies, how to properly use twitter and be loved by your followers.

Happiness

Happiness isn't getting all you want. It's enjoying all you have.

And I definitely agree

Credit

Give credit where it's due. Pay your credit when it's past due.

This is from Chokoleit's twit, one among the good comedians we have

Cat Crash

You Are Above Them

Steve Jobs Died at 56

For those in the technology industry, or those who uses Ipad, Ipod, Itunes, and Mac, this is a sad day as Steve Jobs, founder and former CEO of Apple just passed away. More stories here

Leash

Now, just a thought... is this also applicable for human relationships?

H20

Unconditional Love

From an ex-co-worker's FB status:

Daddy (co-worker): Do you love daddy?
His son: Yes, because you have a touch-screen phone (which he was playing)
Daddy: What if I don't have a touch-screen phone?
His son: I'll still love you because you don't have a touch-screen phone

Haggling Tactics

My nephew, on his 4th birthday, doesn't want to wear his new formal shoes. He prefers wearing his red rubber shoes, red being his favorite color. Now, he eagerly wants to open his presents. His mom, my sister, told him he can open them if he'll wear his shoes.

Nephew: I'll wear my shoes then I'll open the gifts then can I take my shoes off after that?

Tot's Thoughts

As I have been hearing / reading / experiencing funny sweet tot's thoughts, I decided to put them here in my blog for some heart-felt smiles. This is also inspired by the blog I read when I need a smile.

Short Staff

Happiest People

No Need For Revenge

Better or Bitter

Greatest Problem

The greatest problem of most human beings is that they listen half, understand quarter, think zero and then REACT double.

Comfort Zone or Out of It?

Forgiveness

Forgiving takes time. And it's hard to forgive someone who constantly hurts you. I really wish that this thing will be settled soon so we can all move on. We deserve it.

Charity Work

Go For It!

New Seatbelt Design

OK, I promise to try not to be a nag lol

Man Belongs to Earth

The Other Side

After Monday and Tuesday

Happy 13th Birthday Google

Changes

Changes are part of life. Instead of fighting it, embrace it. Sometimes, it can be the best thing that ever happened. Just breathe, and keep moving forward.

Happy Man

Man is happy as he finds work worth doing.. and does it well.

This saying fits me to a T. I've been impatient and restless when workload was slow with my previous work, knowing that there are a lot of things to do but just don't have the details to do them. Now, it's only a week that I lost my job, though I'm still officially paid till end of this month, I'm impatient and restless and wish that I can find a new work-from-home job that suits me.

Gingivitis and Periodontitis

Gingivitis is a gum disease that is very common. It is known to affect 50% of US adult population. In Germany, around 95% of 18-year-olds have it. And there are even cases of deaths in other countries.

I'm suffering from gingivitis and maybe early signs of periodontitis. Since I'm not really into commercial medicines, and I had found out early on that the commercial mouthwashes tend to make my gums more softer, I looked for alternative ways to cure ailment and make my gums healthier.

Baking Soda as a Toothpaste

Yep, it doesn't taste good. It's salty and the first time I used it, it's really yucky. But the effects are instantaneous too. To create a baking soda toothpaste, just mix 1 tsp of baking soda with 1/4 tsp of hydrogen peroxide. Wet your toothbrush and dab it in the mixture. It will just absorb the right amount of baking soda toothpaste that you can use.

You can also add mint oils or lemon extract to the baking soda toothpaste to make it more appealing. Some also said just sprinkling baking soda on your regular toothpaste works. Or simply dabbing a wet toothbrush to a container of baking soda powder would do the same.

Apple Cider Vinegar as a mouthwash

Just mix 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar to 1 cup warm water, put it in a container and use (gargle) as needed.

Floss

I've read that the right way to floss is to do it before brushing. The idea is to loosen up and remove the particles in between teeth. I used to floss after toothbrush but now I do it before I toothbrush.


By the way, these tips are also good for fixing bad breath.

Bug vs Defect vs Issue

I saw this as a ym status of a colleague who is a QA and since I'm also doing QA works now, I wondered myself what's the difference. And here's what I found:

Bug
- things that a software does that it's not supposed to do
- things that a software doesn't do but it's supposed to do


Defect
- a quality problem that is discovered after the program has been deployed to clients

Issue
- can be a bug or a feature enhancement request


Reference: http://testdog.com/knowhow/bugs vs defects.html

One Word

If I had to describe myself in one word, it would be "bad at following directions".

Common Sense

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- And maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies, don't spend more than you can earn and adults, not children, are in charge. His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place.

Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition. Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife Discretion, his daughter Responsibility, and his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights,I Want It Now,Someone Else Is To Blame,I'm A Victim.Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, do nothing.


This is an FB status that I think rings truth. Just glad to know that most of these laws are not yet in place here. Though I can see them slowly coming in place, starting with parents are not allowed to give corporal punishment to their children (House Bill 682 and Senate Bill 1812)

Happily Married Husband and Wife Week

One of the most visited posts in my blog is Husband and Wife Week and this is another FB status I found which is sweet

Happily Married Husband and Wife Week -- If your spouse is still your best friend, works extremely hard, has been with you through triumphs and tragedies, who loves you when you're at your worst, and whom you are PROUD to be married to, copy and paste to your status....

On Jobs

When choosing a career, remember this. "A steady income is poor compensation for a job you hate." Choose one which you love & commit to it.

vs

A job can be done no matter how hard it is, if the price is right.

The first one I saw from an FB status. The second one was the sentiment of my friend and ex-co-worker. I favor the first though my friend says idealistic ways go away with age. Maybe she's right. Or maybe she has grown cynical because of what she has experienced. And hopefully, I won't grow as cynical as she did.

Let Go and Let God

Let go and let God.

This is a status message of a colleague and this is really for me. For a lot of reasons:

• A lost job which I've grown to love
• An ex-friend who had shown her true colors
• A not-so-successful vacation (which is related to the previous reason)

Yeah, it's time for me to let go and let God.

Just Once

Sometimes.... when you cry... no one sees your tears. Sometimes... when you are in pain... no one sees your hurt. Sometimes... when you are worried... no one sees your stress. Sometimes... when you are happy... no one sees your smile. But FART just ONE friggin' time.....And everybody knows!! :}

Lie Detector Robot

A dad buys a lie detector robot which slaps people when they lie. He decides to test it at dinner.

"Son, where were you today?"

The son says "at school dad." Robot slaps the son!

"Ok, I watched a dvd at my friends house!"

"What dvd?" "Toy story." Robot slaps the son again!

"Ok, it was a porn" cries the son.

"What! When I was your age I didn't know what porn was" says the dad. Robot slaps the dad!

Mom laughs "HaHaHa! Well, He's your son." Robot slaps the mom........

Degrade to Upgrade?

Never degrade another person in order to upgrade yourself. Hate depreciates YOUR value, not theirs

Goal

A goal is a dream with a deadline.

Thinking about it, I have dreams in life and goals in work... now maybe, I should have a goal in life too.

First Football Game

A guy took his girlfriend to her first football game. After the game, he asked her how she liked it.
"Oh, I really liked it," she replied, "especially the tight pants and the big muscles, but I don't get why they were killing each other over 25 cents."
Dumbfounded, her date asked, "What do you mean?"
"Well, they flipped a coin, one team got it and then for the rest of the game, all they kept screaming was: 'Get the quarterback! Get the quarterback!' I'm like, hello? It's only 25 cents.

4 C’s for communicating with your kids

Be Confident.
Be Clear.
Be Concise.
Be Consistent.

Best Out-of-Office Email

For the workaholics out there who can't get away from work even when on vacation, this is really for you. Glad to know I still don't need this yet. lol

Complete, Not Compete

Husbands and wives were designed to complete each other, not compete with each other.

This is so true. And I'm really saddened when hearing about couples who are with insecure and immature individuals.

Want to have a six-figure $ job?

And I was browsing around and found this. Now being innovative and having passion for what you do really makes a difference.

The Truth Behind Windows XP Wallpaper

Ever wonder where this default Windows XP wallpaper originated? Then read this

Early to Bed, Early to Rise

I love sleep. And I love going to bed early and waking up early. It makes me energetic and refreshed and have a good start at work. Now, reading this article, I now know why. The saying "Early to bed, Early to rise, Makes a man, Healthy and wise" is indeed true.

World's Biggest Domed Arena

To God be the Glory

Computer Use and Depression

I've noticed that there are times after using the computer that I feel sad or easily irritated when I've been happy early on. Lazying around after catching up on sleep and playing some computer games, I decided to search if prolonged computer use can cause depression and here's what I found:

http://www.ehow.com/facts_6081962_computers-depression.html

http://www.healthkicker.com/732095208/internet-usage-may-cause-depression/

Disclaimer: I'm not depressed when doing this lol

Why do women wear high-heels?

Ever wonder why women wear high-heels? Read on

Foot Prints

Some people come into our lives and leave foot prints in our hearts. Others come into our lives and make us wanna leave footprints on their face.

The 5 Essential Skills of Supervision

Supervisors need to master the 5 essential skills of supervision:

- Planning the Work: Taking the direction of higher management and
translating it into actionable plans for the team.
- Leading and Managing Performance: Removing the obstacles to better
performance so employees can meet their own and the organization’s
objectives.
- Organizing the Work: Assigning people, equipment, and tasks to meet
work goals.
- Communicating: Bridging the communication gap between management and
the staff.
- Coaching the Team: Coaching the members is the most effective way to
develop the skill levels of the team so that they can meet the goals of the
business.

Quezon City Facts

We used to live in Quezon City before we moved to where we are now. As the youngest of 3 children, it is where I started living independently. But I don't know a lot of things about Quezon City. And this quiz is really enlightening. How many of these have you answered correctly?

Enjoy Life

There are 5 things in life you can not recover:
A stone...after it's thrown.
A word...after it is said.
An occasion...after it's missed.
The time...after it's gone.
A person...after they die.

Life is short. Break the rules. Forgive quickly. Kiss slowly. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile, Enjoy Life.

Money and Friends

Acquaintance. A person whom we know well enough to borrow from, but not well enough to lend to.
— Ambrose Bierce

Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.
— Oprah Winfrey

Before borrowing money from a friend, decide which you need more.
— Author Unknown

Money can't buy friends, but it can get you a better class of enemy.
— Spike Milligan

With money and wine, you will have many friends, but when you are in trouble, will you see even one?
— Chinese proverb

The richer your friends, the more they will cost you.
— Elizabeth Marbury

It is better in times of need to have a friend rather than money.
— Greek proverb

Friendship is friendship, but accounts must be kept.
— Chinese proverb

I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world.
— Thomas Edison

Treat your friends like a bank account — refrain from drawing too heavily on either.
— Author Unknown


If you want an accounting of your worth, count your friends.
— Merry Browne

Friends that you can buy [with money] are a dime a dozen, and will shortchange you if given a chance.
— Author Unknown

The holy passion of friendship is of so sweet and steady and loyal and enduring a nature that it will last through a whole lifetime, if not asked to lend money.
— Mark Twain

Friendship is like money, easier made than kept.
— Samuel Butler

The richest man in the world is not the one who still has the first dollar he ever earned. It's the man who still has his best friend.
— Martha Mason

When you are young and without success, you have only a few friends. Then, later on, when you are rich and famous, you still have a few . . . if you are lucky.
— Pablo Picasso

You never really know how many friends you have until you buy a house with a swimming pool and a tennis court.
— Author Unknown

This is no time to lend money, especially upon bare friendship without security.
— William Shakespeare

A home-made friend wears longer than one you buy in the market.
— Austin O'Malley

It is not helpful to help a friend by putting coins in his pockets when he has got holes in his pockets.
— Douglas Hurd

4S Strategy Dengue Prevention from DOH

Search and destroy
Seek early consultation
Self protective measures
Say no to indiscriminate fogging

Tai Taxi Incident

I would just like to share what happened during my recent trip to Davao. It's actually what happened before I got to the airport. This is not to defame anyone but to warn everyone so that this incident wont happen again.

I called the Tai Taxi base at around 930pm Sunday, July 31 to request for a pickup at 3AM the following day, Monday, August 1. The operator who answered my call is Jozel, and I specifically asked her if I can be at the airport at 330am if I leave here at 3am and she said yes. I told her where I'll be picked up, on the corner of Purok 6 and Ilaya streets in Alabang.

August 1. around 230am, I called Tai Taxi base again and asked what's the plate number of the taxi who'll pick me up. She verified if it's for 3AM pickup and I said yes. She said the plate number of the taxi is TYE 626. I asked her if the driver knows where I'll be picked up and she said yes.

245AM, the driver of TYE 626, Maqui, texted me and asked me where he'll pick me up. I was surprised since the operator told me he already knew where I'll be picked up. Nonetheles, I gave him the place and told him how to get there.

2:59AM, no sign of the taxi yet. I texted Maqui and asked him to text me if he's already at the agreed pick-up place. He replied with "ok po, wait lang po tnx".

3:05AM, I texted him again, telling him to tell me if he already got lost. He didnt replied back. 3:09 I called him and he said that he was in the men's room but is on his way. 3:13AM, I told him to text me because we'll be late. He again replied at 3:15 with a "ok po mam tnx".

3:16 I asked him where he is and told him the time. He then replied back at 3:19 and told me that he might be lost. He also texted me that we'll reach the airport by 3:30AM. I replied back and gave him specific instructions on how to go to the pickup place.

3:26 he texted me that he made a wrong turn. I texted him back to give him instructions on how to get to the pickup place from where he made the wrong turn.

3:29 he texted me he'll be there in 3 minutes.

He was able to reach the pickup place at 335.

Deadly Penguins

PLEASE post this as your status if you know someone who has been eaten by Penguins. Penguins are nearly unstoppable and, when hungry, also breathe fire. 71% of people won't copy this into their status because they have already been eaten by Penguins. Another 28% won't because they are hiding in their showers with fire extinguishers awaiting the coming Penguinapocalypse. The remaining 1% are awesome and will re-post.

Another FB funny status I saw from one of my FB friends

Home is Where the Heart Is

Home is where the heart is, and you're still the home I picture in my future..

Saw this from a friend's FB status, and I can truly relate

Your Room and Life's Insights

When I woke up this morning, I asked myself, "What is life about?" I found the answer in my room. the fan said "Be cool." The roof said "Aim high." The window said "See the world!" The clock said, "Every minute is precious." The mirror said, "Reflect before you act." The calendar said "Be up to date." The door said, "Push hard for your goals." The floor said, "Kneel down and pray"

Cheesy

Donita Rose - OC at it's finest?

Are you as organized as Donita Rose? Read this and see for yourself

Chickens and Gravity

Q: Why do chickens raise their heads after drinking?
A: They cannot swallow. They need gravity to push water down

Failure - A New Beginning

Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.

~ Henry Ford

Laughter

Q: What is the scientific reason why people laugh?
A: Laughter is an isntinctive tool to show that the stimulus is positive.

Heat Island Effect

Q: Why is Tuguegarao City the hottest city in the Philippines?
A: "Heat island effect". Heat trapped in a valley between mountains

Google+ vs Facebook 2

Sexy Belly?

Word of advice. Don't try to act sexy when your belly is hanging over your jeans.. That's just NASTY LOOKING..*Just saying *


And I really need to push myself to exercise lol

Maturity

I'm mature enough to forgive people, but I'm not DAFT enough to trust them!

Laugh and Life

Just because I laugh a lot, doesn't mean my life is easy. Just because I have a smile on my face, doesn't mean that something's not bothering me.

And sometimes, those who laugh a lot are the ones who have troubles that they hide behind that jolly face. And I believe, those who laugh a lot are strong, intelligent people that knows how to face life's challenges. But that doesn't mean they don't need a hug o two.

Why is it called a Building?

Q: Why is a Building called a Building when it is already Built?
A: It is a noun from the old English word "bilden" which mean house.

In the Elevator

Q: Why do people tend to be quiet while inside an elevator?
A: Each person has a 2 feet invisible space, you do not talk this near unless intimate

Twitter

I was wondering around twitter (was following pag-asa and decided to browse around) and saw Kuya Kim Atienza's twitter page and decided to follow him. I'm not a twitter fan but I think I'll visit this site more from now on. I'll be adding trivia posts here too, mostly courtesy of Kuya Kim.

Are you a car?

Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

Wait, Try, Believe

good things come to those who WAIT
better things come to those who TRY
best things come to those who BELIEVE in their efforts

So be patient, work hard, and believe in yourself. Most of all, have faith and trust God.

All, Not Parts

In a relationship you have to love a person for all of who they are, not just the parts you like.

Skyway Accident

This is one of the things I'm grateful that I'm already working from home

Heart vs Circle

If you love someone, do not put their name in a heart because hearts can be broken, instead put their name in a circle, because circles go on forever.

Live Life!

We should challenge the impossible, explore beyond our comfort zone, refuse to be limited by boundaries & never settle for less than we deserve.

Google+, Blogger, and Google Blogs

As I am getting addicted to using Google+ in posting updates (I like Google+ posting preference using circles more than FB), I want to share my blog posts to Google+ as well. I know that this should be easily done since Google+ and Blogger are both Google products. Searching how to do this trick, I found this:

Google intends to retire several non-Google name brands and rename them as Google products...

Blogger and Picasa aren’t going away, of course — they’re two of Google’s most popular products. Instead, according to two sources familiar with the matter, Google intends to rename Picasa “Google Photos” and Blogger will become “Google Blogs.”

The transition from Picasa and Blogger to Google Photos and Google Blogs will occur “in a month to a month and a half,” we’ve been told. The date aligns with the likely public launch of Google+. Mashable has been told to expect the public debut of Google+ on or before July 31.

So there, maybe I need to wait for Blogger to be Google Blogs before I can do what I want.

More story here

I will not abandon you

The Lord has made a solemn promise, and He will not abandon you, for He has decided to make you His own people.

~ I Sam. 12:22

Never too old

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream!!!

And just like a local saying here, only carabao grow old. So live, dream, survive!

Burning Summer Heat

Friday Warning

WARNING: It is Friday. Please proceed through your day in an orderly fashion. When you arrive at 5pm you have made it to the weekend and may act accordingly.

For a typical student / employee, Friday means weekend. For me, it seems I don't crave for Friday as I used to. It's because the daily stress of weekdays is not as tough as it was. Though it maybe that I work longer hours, I work in my own pace. And so far, working for my boss has been enjoyable.

Yahoo Smileys

For all those who are fond of using yahoo smileys, here is the list of all yahoo smileys, including those hidden smileys in v.11 (beta). Now which one is your favorite? :)

Sesame Street and Angry Birds

5 PEARLS OF WISDOM TO REMEMBER

1. Money cannot buy happiness but it’s more comfortable to cry in a Mercedes than it is on a bicycle.
2. Forgive your enemy but remember the bastard’s name..
3. Help a man when he is in trouble and he will remember you when he is in trouble again.
4. Many people are alive only because it’s illegal to shoot them.
5. Alcohol does not solve any problem, but then neither does milk.

Why Women Gain Weight

I just found out!!!! With time, women gain weight because we accumulate so much information & wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room, it distributes out to the rest of our bodies. So we aren't heavy , we are enormously cultured, educated & happy. Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think, Good Grief look how smart I am, I must be a genius !!

English Easy?

Three Methods to Wisdom

By three methods we may learn wisdom:
First, by reflection, which is noblest;
Second, by imitation, which is easiest;
and third by experience, which is the bitterest.

Listen to Your Heart

Always listen to your heart...it's on your left side..but it's always right!

This made me laugh, but based on experience, what your heart wants is what will give you peace and happiness.

Google+ vs Facebook

Not the Reason to Give Up

God said...Trials are not the reason to give up, but a challenge to improve yourself. Difficulties are not an excuse to back out, but an inspiration to move.

The Art of Programming

If debugging is the art of removing bugs,
then programming is the art of inserting them.


This is one of my colleagues Skype status and I can't help but laugh. Good thing I'm no longer a programmer lol.

Q & A on Men

Q: Where is the only place you can find a faithful man?
A: 6 feet under!

Q: What does it mean when a man is in your bed gasping for breath and calling your name?
A: You didn't hold the pillow down long enough

Me Killing Time vs Time Killing Me

When it's vacation I try everything to kill time
When it's school days TIME tries everything to kill me.


This is from a friend's FB status. Of course, "school" can be replaced with "work"

This quote made me realize two things:

1. I do the same before when I was still going to work
2. I now kill time productively - doing a little work while doing non-work things like playing FB games.

This is really a change from the old days.

Free Facebook + Johnny Depp

On December 25th, 2012 Facebook will start charging you for your account. But if you get naked, stand on your dining room table, do the Macarena while singing ''I Will Survive'', then, & only then, will Johnny Depp come down your chimney to tell you that your account will stay free. Paste this to your walls or YOU will be transformed into a goblin. :)

Another FB funny status from my FB friends

Always Praise the Lord

I will always praise the Lord no matter what happens and I will never stop praising Him..I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me; He freed me from all my fears.

~ Psalms 34:1,4

Together....

Together forever, Never apart, Maybe in distance, But never in heart.

I saw this from a friend's FB status and made me sad. The thought is very sweet and I remember the times our hearts are still together and now I wonder if they still are, or if they ever will be :(

Behind the Smile

Behind a smile there's a feeling of hope that every thing will work out right. in God's time, in God's perfect time.

This is very true to me, to what I'm going through now. I know God will never leave me and He will provide for what I need

Winners in Life

The winners in life are not those who have never tasted failure, but those who have failed again and again but never give up.

And they can still smile and be happy and have a good outlook in life even though they had tasted a thousand failures just to attain that special prize. The winners in life are those who never quit, as the saying goes, "Quitters never win".

Dear Smokers

"Dear Smokers,

Please get a plastic bag and cover yourself whenever you want to start smoking to enable you to enjoy the smoke 100% by yourself. I don't want any percentage of it nor do my friends who don't smoke. Don't kill me if you want to kill yourself.

P.S.: Copy and paste this message at your profile to support the keep-smoke-away Campaign"

I just saw this from a friend's FB stat who also have a skype status to that effect on smokers, and I cant help but say, "A very nice idea!" lol

Books

From a FB status of a friend who is a bookworm, like I am. Though I haven't read in a long time

For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you.

Being Wise vs Being Strong

Being wise is better than being strong; yes, knowledge is more important than strength. After all, you must make careful plans before you fight a battle, and the more good advice you get, the more likely you are to win.

Proverbs 24:5-6

You've Changed

Have you ever noticed that when people tell you that you've changed, its only because you've stopped acting the way that they want you to?

The Narrow Road

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
~ Matthew 7:13-14

That's why even if there are a lot of Christian churches, only few finds the true church. I just hope that my love ones will be called in the fold.

3 words

3 words,
8 letters,
3 syllables,
5 vowels,
3 consonants,
...2 nouns,
one emotion,
many meanings........

" I love you" ♥

awww... so cheesy *sigh*

Malunggay

I didnt know malunggay is full of these wonderful nutrients

• Malunggay leaves helps strengthens the immune system.
• Malunggay can help restores skin condition, controls blood pressure, relieves headaches and migraines.
• Malunggay tea can help strengthen the eye muscles.
• Malunggay tea can help heal inflammation of the joints and tendons.
• Malunggay tea can prevent intestinal worms.
• Malunggay can help increase semen count.
• Malunggay help normalize blood sugar level therefore preventing diabetes.
• Malunggay has anti-cancer compounds (phytochemicals) that help stop the growth of cancer cells.
• Malunggay helps relax and promotes good night sleep.
• Malunggay tea is used to treat fever and asthma.
• Malunggay help heals ulcers.
• Malunggay is high in calcium (four times the calcium in milk), therefore lactating mothers are advised to consume malunggay leaves to produce more milk for their babies. The young malunggay leaves are also boiled and taken as tea.
• Malunggay contains three times the potassium in bananas.
• Malunggay contain four times the vitamin A in carrots.
• An ounce of malunggay has the same Vitamin C content as seven oranges.
• Malunggay leaves contain two times the protein in milk.
• Malunggay seed is used to clean dirty or polluted water.

Original article here

Be of Good Courage

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all you that hope in the LORD.

Psalm 31:24

Facebook Addict

You know you have a problem when you're reading the newspaper and start looking for the like button.

Well, unless of course you're like me who reads the daily news on FB news pages lol

Trust in the Lord

Those who trust the Lord will find new strength. They will be strong like eagles soaring upward on wings; they will walk and run without getting tired.

Isaiah 40:31

To Get Something

"To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did."
-Unknown

I did what I haven't done, and I pray that I'll get it with His will

Gravity in the Morning

Science trivia:

did you know that GRAVITY is stronger at morning?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
It is proven in the fact - try getting out of bed in the morning!!

RealFeel

I think this is the first time that the RealFeel temperature is lower than the actual temperature. I love this cool weather, just not the rains that goes with it. Don't really hate the rains, it's the leaks and floods that I hate lol

Two People

Good relationship doesn`t need any promises, terms or conditions.. it only needs two people:
SHE who can trust and He who can be loyal..

Worries

"Worries are like birds.. Let them fly-over you. But don't let them build a nest on your head. Life is a precious gift. Keep it worry free."

Havent heard this saying till now, but I do try not to worry and its description of building a nest on the head is quite accurate lol

Finding Our Wayq

People who are meant to be together; always find their way in the end. Might not be today, nor tomorrow... but they always find their way

I hope we find our way soon. Very soon.

Trust in the Lord

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

Thank God

Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God.

The Eyes of the Lord

The eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love.

Psalm 33:18

Almost Killed Me

I knew a police officer that kept a bullet, and his wedding ring from his ex wife around his neck on a chain. I asked why, he said, it was a reminder of the two things that almost killed him. lol

Just read this in a comment on one my FB friend's status and this made me laugh

Old Adage

Never talk to strangers.

But if you can't help it,

Never, ever, trust strangers.

I've heard this from a news reporter discussing the recent crimes related to online friends met on networking sites such as FB, and I couldn't agree more to his warning.

Never worry

Never worry about anything. Instead, in every situation let your petitions be made known to God through prayers and requests, with thanksgiving.

And my God will fully supply your every need according to his glorious riches in the Messiah Jesus.


Phil. 4:6,19

The Father

As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

Psalm 103:13 NIV

I'm afraid to do something I know that is against His will. It doesn't mean that I dont transgress, I have my weaknesses, but I dont intentionally do it. And I hope that He'll forgive me and hear my prayers

Total Lunar Eclipse

Today is a total lunar eclipse. Unfortunately I didnt see it, just got out of bed lol. Anyway, here's Google's logo for today's natural phenomenon.