The weather seems to be changing. This week, it's been hot and dry compared to last week when we still experienced intermittent rain in the afternoons or evenings. This morning when I awoke, it looked quite hazy outside my window as shown in this picture. I hope this is not the beginning of another hazy spell.
This is one of the few rare moments where I wax lyrical about technology. I have never been (and doubt I will ever be) a gadget freak or tech geek. To me, as long as the gadget meets my needs, it will suffice and I will only start learning how to use a function when I need it. Instruction manuals are a waste of time and paper on me.
Since getting my Nokia N73, I've used it to make and receive calls, SMS and take pictures. And when I had to move the pictures to my computer, I didn't even bother to read the manual in detail. That's why I think technology is so great that even for a person like me who wings it most of the time, I still achieve to get it working, and that was even without installing the software from the CD rom provided! Luckily, my printer (another invention that has advanced so much -- from just being a printer long ago, to now a fax, a scanner, a copier, that is "photosmart" as it is called) allows me to connect my phone directly to it, or insert a camera's memory card to save photos in my PC.
Over the weekend, I explored the video function of my phone and recorded an impromptu act by none other than our family entertainer Caitlin. In order to save it in my PC, I had no choice but to install the software from the CD rom (see what I mean, now I will do it because I need it). Of course, I didn't bother to read the manual. I simply inserted the CD into my CPU and voila, it's so user-friendly!
So now my phone, PC and printer can 'talk' to each other. There are so many other functions in my phone I've yet to use since it is yet another wonder of technology. But you know me now, I'll cross the bridge when I need to!
Check out this video of my 'feng tau' (headbanging) kid, courtesy of Nokia N73 and Acer.
Car insurance is a must if you own a car. Over here in Malaysia, you would need to check with each insurance company individually if you wish to compare rates to get the best deal. That would involve many phone calls or if you prefer the Internet, you could check out the rates in each of their websites.
Advantage Auto Quotes is a website which offers American vehicle owners one-stop convenience in their search for better insurance rates. All they need to do is simply fill in an online form specifying their coverage needs and they will be provided competitive quotes from various insurers.
Browsing through this site, I find it quite interesting that in the United States, insurers get pretty detailed in offering different types of coverage such as for sports cars, trucks, SUVs, classic cars etc., and for individuals, families, business and even those with poor driving record!
Sigh....I've spent a lot of hours the past few days on the net scouring for deals, packages, researching on locations, accommodation, activities etc for two possible destinations: Hong Kong (Disneyland included of course!) and Singapore.
Since our plans for a holiday during the national day weekend was kind of last-minute, we missed out on some good package deals for Hong Kong. And even if I were to plan the trip myself, it wouldn't be possible as most flights on MAS, Cathay Pacific etc are fully booked. One way would be to travel via Macau on Air Asia but the thought of the transfer from the Macau airport to the ferry terminals to get across to Hong Kong island or Lantau island (where Disney is located), plus the odd and possibly delayed hours of the lowcost carrier just got me tired.
So now we're looking at Singapore. The last time I visited was nine years ago so it's about time I guess. And Caitlin has yet to experience the famed Singapore Zoo and its night safari. Hotels in Singapore seem pretty full too with the current "Uniquely Singapore Weekends" promo going on.
Keeping my fingers crossed that we can find decent accommodation at a decent price considering that four adults and one kid will be spending 3-4 nights there.
Points redemption from our credit cards, I discovered, comes with some catch. While it was not stated in print (not even fine print!), their free stays are mostly reserved for non-weekends (I should have guessed). With this limitation, we could hotel hop to save a few nights' cost but preferably not.
Having signed up with one blog advertising site to explore how to make money through my blogs, I've come across another site today. This one, called Blogsvertise, makes the process of registering your blog and becoming a member very easy. All you need to do is register yourself for free, have a PayPal account, and they will email you the opportunities with the necessary requirements.
Taking an excerpt from the Blogsvertise homepage, this is how it works:
"We assign tasks to registered members with the internet website address and what to talk about on their blog. The topics/tasks will be simply emailed to you once your account registration is approved.
You write up an entry in your blog about the internet advertiser however you want! You can review the site, compliment it, relate to it somehow in your daily life, or even complain about it, and link to the website at least 3 times in your blog/journal entry.
In exchange Blogsvertise pays YOU in PayPal per blog entry, for writing about the advertisers web site. Payouts are automatically sent to you after your entry is approved and the payout period has passed."
I've just signed up with Blogsvertise and I do hope they will email me with interesting stuff to blog about!
