Comparing Mortgage Rates

Before getting the house or he car of your dreams, be smart and compare different mortgage rates first. A lot of loaning companies promise to give you mortgages in quick easy steps but don’t rush. It’s always best to study their offers before you decide which mortgage is really the best for you.

But if you if you want to make it easier and quicker, go to a site that compares mortgage rates. You don’t have to deal with different loaning companies one by one because websites like AAXA Discount Mortgage will do that for you. Known as one of the industry leaders, AAXA Discount Mortgage uses state-of-the-art technology to improve efficiencies and smooth out the lending process. Their website is user friendly and comprehensive. You can immediately search for morgages by filling up a short form! Go visit their site and learn about their company’s excellent reputation and get yourself the lowest mortgage rates there.

Remember When the Earth Moved?

My sister and I were talking yesterday and she was asking me if we were affected by the recent earthquake here in China. Fortunately, we are very far from the center so we are safe. The recent earthquake left almost 15,000 (and counting) people dead and the survivors are now forced to stay outside their homes for safety. I can imagine how sad and difficult it must be for them. I know because I also experienced such thing. I remember on July 16, 1990, Philippines experienced an earthquake with the intensity of 7.8 (same intensity like in Chengdu) and I remember clearly how it happened.

It was about 4:30 in the afternoon and we were still inside the classroom preparing to go home. When our teacher asked us to stand and say our “Goodbyes” for the day, it happened. The floor shook so hard, everybody was stunned. The school building where we were is built on a tilted land. Sometime during the ground was shaking, the floor was cut in half, the half remain untouched but the other half collapsed taking half of classroom furniture and half of the pupils. Fortunately, I was one of those who were standing on the remaining part of the floor. Right after that, she pupils started to scream and cry and when the ceiling posed to collapse, the teacher who was also stunned got her senses back and urged the students to rush out of the door. I was the last pupil to go out of the room. If my teacher didn’t drag me out, I would have just stayed there.

Oddly, I didn’t crying. I just sat calmly on the ground as instructed and I watched other pupils cry and scream while teachers are trying to calm them down. The school officials didn’t allow anybody to go out of the gate but the gate was open for those who would like to enter and stay on the school grounds. We have a wide open ground and it should be the safest place in the entire neighborhood.

I was there watching all the chaos but strange because I remember I was not feeling anything. Only when I heard my older sister calling out my name I felt my heart beat faster. My sister and I were the same school. I was in grade 3 and she was in grade 6. Like the rest, she was already crying but was calmed when she found me. We hugged and when she asked if I am okay, I didn’t answer. I cried instead. I cried hard. I felt weakened and I was very scared. I was screaming and calling out “Papa” and “Mama”.

After about an hour, we saw our papa rushing to us and the sight of him gave me the feeling that everything was okay again. We hugged and I heard him uttering a soft prayer thanking God that we are safe. Then finally he said we can’t go home for the night but he promised to build us a tent and we could play Indians. He instructed my sister to keep an eye on me while he gets some things to build our tent. He promised to be back and he made me promised to stay with my sister. After an hour or so, he was back with things he can use to build the tent, some warm clothes for us, blankets, canned good, and candies. He put up the tent while we watched him and I remember, it was a crappy tent but for me it was the greatest. It rained a little bit that night but I slept peacefully knowing that my papa is there and everything will be alright.

The earthquake left around 1,000 people dead in our city and 600 more in nearby municipalities. Just a few compared to how many died in China now but just the same, it was still a difficult time. We lived in tents for months because aftershocks happen so often and it was not safe to stay in our homes. Almost all shops were closed, medical help was difficult to get, and sanitation can’t be maintained because toilets are not enough for the number of evacuees and garbage are not collected regularly. It was the rainy season so that made it more difficult.

Now I pray for the people who are affected by the recent earthquake.

52 Kilos and Happy

I am quite pleased. From 55 kilos last February, I am now down to 52 kilos. I wanted to lose two kilos more to give me an allowance for an upcoming holiday to the land of the best chocolate cakes and schnitzel—Austria. We only have three weeks before the holiday so I am not sure if I could still shed off that much weight but I will try because I would like to enjoy Austrian cuisine as much as possible without worrying that I will go over my ideal weight of 52 kilos again.

Early this year, I made a weight loss plan because I gained three kilos from Holiday overeating and I wanted to shed the extra three kilos immediately before another kilo adds to it. My weight loss plan does not include going to the gym but I did try. After two or three gym sessions, I stopped because it is so not me. I decided that if I really wanted to lose some weight, I should lessen my food intake and I should see to it that I eat healthy. Losing three kilos didn’t happen overnight but with my weight loss plan, I achieved it two and a half month later.

Of course each person needs different approach when it comes to losing weight so my weight loss plan might not work for you but if you are looking for resources on how to lose weight, you should check out Weight Loss Diet Help because they offer different weight loss tips and programs. If you visit their site you’ll be able to access information necessary to losing weight such as weight loss tips, easy fitness program ideas, healthy diet and nutrition suggestions, exercise plans, and other practical advice for losing weight in a healthy manner. Weight Loss Diet Help also compares leading diet plans and weight loss programs such as Nutrisystem, Medifast, Weight Watchers and eDiets. It also lists online coupons and discount promotions for these diet programs, so you can save when you join.

Building Your Dream House

Choosing a home plan could be a very difficult thing to do specially if you haven’t made up your mind yet so make sure you are not rushing into anything. Check our some sites like HousePlansAndMore.com because such sites offers a wide variety of house plans to choose from. They offer pre drawn home plans ready for you to purchase and build as is or to use as a basis for your own custom design. When building a house, you should also consider possible future enhancements, expansions, or developments. With HousePlansAndMore.com, you can be sure that your home plan requirements are met and don’t worry about your budget because due to their wide array of home styles and sizes to choose from, you’ll surely find something that will fit your budget.

House Plans and More also offers a wide variety of home building resources and helpful tools all in one convenient website organized to make your home plan search simple and easy and that’s not all. Their project plan collection includes log home plans, garage plans, shed plans, backyard project plans, and other home related plans. So before putting your effort and your hard earned money into building your dream house, you might want to check out HousePlansAndMore.com first.

Special Vans

Companies like IMED Mobility have been serving the physically challenged persons for years now. They are one of the largest and notable dealers of Wheelchair Accessible Vans or more commonly know as WAV. They offer these vehicles for purchase or for rent. If you visit their site, you’ll see their wide selection of wheelchair vans catering to every individual’s needs and requirements. They have new wheelchair vans as well as used vehicles with a brand new handicap van conversion. Handicap van conversions allow clients to save up to $7,000. IMED mobility also provides other mobility equipment such as driving aids products, lifts, controls, and a lot more. Another great thing about IMED is that they offer financing which you can apply anytime and don’t worry about excessive prices because with IMED, vehicles and other products are offered at very competitive prices.

Blogging Updates

My blogging is a little slow for me these days. Maybe because it became like a work to me that is why I am starting to lose interest in it. Blogging now entails self imposed pressures to exceed the previous month’s earnings so it’s more like a race now than a hobby. I have a lot of blogs too and I always feel bad if I can’t update them all at least two times a week.

Other than the demands of blogging, there is also the expected nuisances of moving (to God knows where!). Until now we are not yet sure because we still don’t the **** papers on our hands.

In other news, I am also a little bit disappointed because as far as I know I am trying to encourage friends to blog and I try to help them from the simplest aspect of blogging like how to upload a photo to earning from their blogs but I think I am taken for granted. I don’t know why maybe they think that there I am earning money from teaching them. Hah! Or maybe they are thinking that I am earning money from their blogs because I set it up for them, etc. I am doing most of the work. What they do is only to write contents. Maybe they are sceptic about my nice gesture. People are weird.

His Kayaking Ambition

We were watching “Into the Wild” yesterday and when my husband saw the main character paddling down the river, he immediately said that he would like to do something like that. It scares me a little bit because it definitely looks like it is dangerous but he said that it should be safe with the right training and equipments.

Then he started showing me a site about kayaking and explained to me the difference about Whitewater kayaking and Sea Kayaing. He said that if the idea of him paddling down the rapids does not make me comfortable, he can do Sea kayaking where the water is suppose to be less violent. After that, he also showed me kayaks equipments like airis kayaks. These Kayaks should be the lightest, most compact high-pressure inflatable kayaks in the world. Also these Kayaks are rigid, durable, tear and abrasion resistant, quick to inflate, simple to use and so portable. He wanted to have a kayak like this and not like what the character in the movie used so he can bring it easily every time we have the chance to visit the sea.

On Leaving our Flat

I meant to take pictures of our flat but until now I haven’t done it yet. I don’t know why. It could be just my usual lazy self or maybe I don’t like to leave this place yet.

I will surely miss this flat when we leave. We’ve gotten so comfortable here and most of our memories are here. I remember in the beginning when Marcus said I can decorate and rearrange the flat according to how I like it but other than rearranging some furniture, we didn’t change the place that much. First because the owner forbids us so and second because we know we are going to leave this place at some point. Now that we are actually leaving, I am a little bit sad. I like this place. I like its high windows and spacious rooms. I am also so used to its kitchen…my kitchen. Because I know exactly where to find things and this makes me move around swiftly and comfortably. Sigh*

This is me. I get so attached to places, things, and people and this makes it hard for me separate myself from them. I really feel at home in this place and I wish we don’t have to leave it.

Interesting Clocks

I think owning grandfather clocks suggest wealthy living and fine taste. I say so because it is common for the old rich families to have such kind of clock in their library or somewhere in their houses. In our case, we never owned one and I don’t think I want to have one even if it suggests grandeur and wealth. Personally, I think Grandfather Clocks are fine things and looking at one sure impresses me but I don’t think I like the massive structure and the constant chiming in the house. I don’t have anything against grandfather clocks or against those who want to have one but as for me, I would be happy with simple wall clocks or those elegant and neat mantel clocks.

Smart Alternative to Chlorine

Summer is almost here and it’s the perfect season for having lazy days lying in gardens and swimming in pools but before you let yourself and your kids do that splash, make sure that your pool is free of harsh chemicals that can harm your family. Say no to chlorine treatment for your pools because this can be a potential cause of asthma for kids and as well as cancer. Chemically treated pools are also hazardous to the environment.

Try EcoSmarte Pool Cleaning System. It’s the new technology in keeping your pool clean and free of bacteria. It’s a very smart alternative to chlorine and salt water pools that utilizes chlorine generators and salt chlorinators. EcoSmarte’s natural oxygen technology is 100% chlorine-free. The system manages and removes minerals without the use of salt or brine discharge, and is reputed to be easy to use, safer, and more effective than either traditional pool filters or chemical treatments. With EcoSmarte, you can be sure of the following:

• Swimming in a pool that is free of hazardous chemicals
• Saving money every month with the energy efficient pool filtering and cleaning system
• Saving money by not having to buy harsh water treating chemicals
• Generate cleaner water, which means healthier water for you, your family and the environment
• Feel confident in your choice with the five year warranty that is offered on all products
• Have a 60 day satisfaction guarantee
• Knowing that 5% of all Ecosmarte profits go directly to environmental charities

By using EcoSmarte, you are not only looking after your family’s health but also, you are indirectly contributing in protecting the environment.

If you are wondering how this technology works, here is a brief explanation.

Every time your pump runs, the EcoSmarte oxygen electrodes deliver a non-chemical shock to your water when the water passes through the pressure line. Once per week you test your pH and copper levels. You will switch the button on your Electronic Control Unit and ionize for 4 - 8 hours depending on your pool size and bather load. This will put copper in your pool. Copper, by the way, is a great algaecide and deadly to viruses. And guess what? According to EPA, the EcoSmarte system runs pools at a safe drinking water level! Yep, that’s right. And don’t worry about gulping harmful chemical because if you were to gulp two gallons of pool water treated by their EcoSmarte, you would ingest the same amount of copper found in a multiple-vitamin which is to say that EcoSmarte Pool System is completely safe.