My company, Philexcel, offers subleasing of offices and factory buildings to locators inside Clark Freeport Zone. As such, we cater to different nationalities who have businesses inside the freeport zone. I just found out recently, that there is a portion in our area where there are flags of different countries, representing all countries of our locators inside our business park.

These different world flags are prominently displayed fronting the M. Roxas Highway in Clark for everyone to see. When I went to see to see them, it is like passing in front of the United Nations building in Metro Manila wherein different state flags are displayed.

To be honest, I never noticed them before. I saw the flagpoles but never really bothered to looked up and really see them. But I learned that some of our locators are very much conscious of their flag and how it is displayed.

Some would even call the office, especially the new tenants whose country has not been represented before, and ask us why his country’s flag is not displayed. There are also others who would call to tell us if their flags is not properly displayed or is  dirty.

I guess we should be conscious of our flag too and observe if it is displayed properly, if it is clean or if it needs to be replaced. It is after all, it is the symbol of our country.

All work and no play, makes the struggling blogger a dull boy. Yes, even blogging can sometime be a chore, that is why we need some time away from our blogs too. That is why I like attending events like iblog6, because it reinvigorates the passion for blogging especially when you’re having that feeling of “burnout.”

But when there are no events or meet-ups, you find others means to amuse yourself. I was always curious about those warcraft characters that the kids speak of during conversations over meals.

I’m not really a gamer, so I don’t have any idea what these online role-playing games are all about. I was surprised that they are not free and you need to buy some credits to be able to play. But my son told me he knows of a site where one can buy cheap wow account to be able to play the game. Hmm… I’m sensing applied psychology here.

Anyway, it seems like it’s working, and it looks like I am inclined to have my own world of warcraft character soon. I’ve never assumed any other character online. I always reveal my real identity because I know I don’t have anything to hide. But I could make an exception on these online role-playing games. Oh well, let’s see.

While in the heat of the campaign trail you will often hear the promises of all aspirants of providing home for the poor. In reality though, you are oftentimes left on your own, and your best bet is finding a home equity loan in order for you have your own home. This is especially true after elections and the candidates no longer need your vote and therefore they forgot all their promises.

Anyway, their promise is for the poor anyway. If you are in the middle bracket, you really have to fend for yourself to be able to get a decent roof over your head.  That is why you are working, and you are working hard, to be able to provide a shelter for your love ones.

There a lot of institutions you can go to, to inquire about home equity loans – these are the banks, government agencies, non-government organizations or NGOs, and some lending companies with such a facility.

Those are for the offline, or the real world options. Then there are also the online options just in case you want to get to know more about home equity loans before you apply for one. The Internet, as we know it always full of information. We can everything with just click of the mouse.

Researching about home equity loans before actually inquiring about it is a good idea. That way, you will know what to ask, what they mean when they answer your questions, and what do all those terminologies mean?

If you are ready and would like to inquire, one website that can assist in getting your own house through home equity loans is Lending Expo. You can actually start your research at their site on lendingexpo.net, they have a lot of information on the subject.

Whew! I am glad that was over. So I survived another school year. Unfortunately though, it will be just a short breather, because in a few weeks’ time enrollment for the next school year begins. Right now, while there’s a lull in allowances, I am looking for textbook trade in centers in our place so I can convert my kids’ textbooks to cash.

I usually buy my kids the books that they need for the school year because I do not want them being behind in their studies just because they do not have a book. Sure, I would borrow if I can find a source to reduce the expenses. Unfortunately, I can’t really find one because most of the time, the books were revised. Very enterprising, ei?

That is why, at the end of the school year, we always end up with the books adding to our stocks. And no one in the family would actually use them again. So, I am really, seriously, considering of converting them to cash and at the same time, reducing the clutter in our abode. Besides, it would also be good for the environment. Bringing them back in the market for resale would reduce the need to print more books, thereby saving our trees which would otherwise be cut just to make papers.

Anyway, I’ve said a mouthful. Here’s looking ahead to another school year… from a father’s point of view, unfortunately.

My friend surprised me one day when he said he is going to invest in a real estate and buy his family a house. Although skeptical I am with my friend, I played along with him. “Yes, it’s true,” he said. “I’m going to buy a house at the Puerto Vallarta real estate,” he added as a matter of fact.

Curious, I said to him “That sounds like an elegant village you’ll be living in, you must have struck a goldmine my friend. Care to let me in your secret?”

“Well,” he started talking, “remember the saying being at the right place, at the right time? Boy! Was I ever in a perfect timing! Never thought I could get lucky like this!”

“Really? So what is it?” I asked anxiously.

“I met an old millionaire inside a bar one day, and he was looking for anybody to take his bet, offering a fortune for the taker.”

“And what was the bet all about?”

“He was asking four stupid questions and will pay anybody who can answer all of them.”

“And what were those questions?”

“Well, they were; 1) How can you lift an elephant with one hand? 2) How can drop the egg on a concrete floor without breaking it? 3) How can you for seven days without sleeping? and 4) What will happen if you throw a limestone into the Red Sea?”

“Hmm… sounds like tough and tricky,” I murmured.

“They are, but if you’re a smart-aleck like, those were peanuts!”

“Okay then, how did you answer them? I might bump into the same millionaire one day, you know.”

“Okay, here they are:”

1) How can you lift an elephant with only one hand?
I will show you how, but first you need to show me an elephant with only one hand.
2) How can drop the egg on a concrete floor without breaking it?
I can drop a dozen eggs on the floor, and I’m sure it won’t even crack. The floor is concrete, remember?
3) How can you for seven days without sleeping?
Simple! I will sleep at nights!
4) What will happen if you throw a limestone into the Red Sea?
First, it will get wet… and then, it will sink.

“Oh, by the way, don’t be absent on my housewarming!”

As a blogger, one of my earnest wish is to buy myself a laptop computer so I can “blog on the go” and access the internet while I stay in those hotspot WiFi zone which are quite many in the Angeles City already. And this laptop, I would jazz up with cheap laptop accessories so I can personalize it and at the same exercise my creativity.

There is one requirement for my purchasing my laptop which I believe is causing me much delay in owning one. My requirement is that the money I would use to buy my laptop should purely come from my online income, whether it is through blogging or from my affiliate accounts.

It is causing me delay because I really don’t have any steady online income to start with. But still, it is my requirement. So, when you see me carrying a laptop and browsing the web while I sit at the foodcourt in SM Clark, then that only means I am already earning online.

I admit that I have always been a fan of WWE. Yes, I know they are scripted and all, but that’s what I like about them – the great storyline. There is really writing effort put in those twists. Lately though, I am starting to follow UFC too, the real fighting match. And what UFC lacks in storyline, it makes up in actions. Once, I searched the web for UFC Fight Pics and was delighted to see familiar faces… former WWE Superstars who jumped to the UFC to test their skills in real fighting.

Yes, the likes of Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar, no matter how tough and intimidating they may be in the WWE ring, surely won’t have it easy fighting against Christ Tuchscherer, Kendall Grove, Tito Ortiz and other homegrown UFC superstars.

Now, if you ask which one I like best, I will still go for WWE just because I love following a great story, and this one really got it. And like I said, for action… it’s UFC.

I was talking with former classmate the other night through the Yahoo! Messenger and I learned that he is now living in La Jolla, San Diego, California where he work and live with his family. He was actually asking me to come over and visit him sometime as he was bragging to me of the best restaurants in La Jolla that he have already sampled.

Maybe I should say that my friend’s standard of living was rather high, all because he can afford it. He is after all an executive in an IT company in California. He can very well go to all those expensive restaurants that he is telling me. And yes, I believe he is to get me envious.

But no, he is still the same down-to-earth guy that I know. It is just how we kid each other. I know my friend too well. So, not really to be outdone, I asked my friend “Well, do those restaurants you’re telling me serve kare-kare, sinigang, sisig, and pinakbet?”

“Darn!” he replied, “you sure know how to me miss home!”

There was a time when I planned of migrating to Canada, because I have no job here. Unfortunately, I can’t… for the very same reason. I have no job here. I have nothing to put on my resume. Anyway, since I made a plan then, I learned some French word because I was told you have to learn the language.

I learned words like vidéo surveillance because I was planning of putting camera around the house after our clothes on the clothesline were stolen. Learned about Vélo électrique which means electric bike, but I don’t know if it’s safe so I passed.

And this summer I plan to get my daughter some cours de théatre paris, honestly, I have no idea if I even used that phrase correctly. I guess I need to brush up and get serious… so I can make plans again.

Yes, I was not able to watch the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey last Sunday. Not just because we don’t have cable TV, but because our TV was broken. On his next fight, I’ll make sure I get it fixed, or better yet, buy a new one. I will also be looking for a DIRECTV service provider in the city so I can watch the fight and more shows in crystal crisp reception.

That’s what I read from DirectSatTV.com – cystal clear reception and a lot of television programs to choose from. It would be perfect if I could get this summer so the kids won’t get bored at home. Besides, staying at home watching TV is far more economical that bringing them to the mall.

So, my first option — after paying for the coming enrollment would be to get a new television. Once I finally able to get us a TV I’ll scout around the city to see where I can Get Direct TV.

And back to missing the Pacquiao-Clottey fight, I heard there wasn’t much to be missed… still, Pacquiao won. And that is that.