Mommy Banker

Work to live. Live to love.

Photography at the Alcove

CALL FOR PHOTO EXHIBIT PROPOSALS

The Alcove is inviting all interested photographers and camera clubs to submit proposals for exhibition in 2007. We can accommodate 20 to 30 photographs in black and white or monochrome for display. We will accept submissions from both local and foreign photographers but priority will be given to Filipino photographers.

The Alcove, a pocket gallery dedicated for black-and-white photography, has been mounting well-conceptualized photo exhibitions since March 2000. Housed at the historic Nielson Tower (now Filipinas Heritage Library), it also gives every exhibit a sense of history.

For interested applicants, please click on this link for more details.

AT THE ALCOVE THIS 2007

Break into the photography business with PHOTOGRAPHY FOR PROFIT!

You may have recently purchased a camera and enjoy taking photographs, spent time improving your photographic skills by reading a book or two and taking a short course, spent weekends photographing your favorite subject, thought of making a career out of it but do not know how, or started your photography business but you are not so happy with the results -this one-day course is intended for every photographer who thinks of becoming a pro regardless of your stage in photography. This is scheduled on January 20, 2007.

For the hobbyists, non-serious amateurs, and photo enthusiasts, we have improved our non-pro offerings for you.

Upcoming workshops
Digital 101 Jan 24, 26, 29, 31, Feb 2 6-9 p.m.
Primer on Lighting, Feb 3 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Digital 101, Feb 19, 21, 23, 26, 28 6- 9 p.m.
NEW! Pet photography Feb 17, 24 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Please note that schedule may change without prior notice.

For more details, please call 8921801, fax 8921810, email events@filipinaslibrary.org.ph, or visit http://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph.

December 22, 2006 Posted by jhorca | Photography | | No Comments

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Richard Carlson, author of Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff passed away a few days ago. Just 10 short days before his untimely death, Richard wrote his heartfelt advice on how to deal with the holidays and enjoy what matters most. Please do read Richard’s holiday message. It is more powerful and eloquent than anything I could ever share.As we get increasingly stressed while looking at the ever-multiplying Christmas list, a good mantra to recite would be.. “The holiday’s aren’t an emergency”. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Calm down and focus on those things that bring you and others joy.

December 19, 2006 Posted by jhorca | personal | | No Comments

Rules to Grow Rich By

I got these tips from CNN”s Money e-magazine. It’s a very useful guide for most of our financial questions.

Home

  1. For return on investment, the best home renovation is to upgrade an old bathroom. Kitchens come in second. It’s worth refinancing your mortgage when you can cut your interest rate by at least one point.
  2. Spend no more than 2½ times your income on a home. For a down payment, it’s best to come up with at least 20%.
  3. Your total housing payments should not exceed 28% of your gross income. Total debt payments should come in under 36%.
  4. Never hire an electrician or plumber who is going door to door.

Invest

  1. To figure out what percentage of your money should be in stocks, subtract your age from 120.
  2. Invest no more than 10% of your portfolio in your company stock–or any single company’s stock, for that matter.
  3. Aim to build a retirement nest egg that is 25 times the annual investment income you need.
  4. If you don’t understand how an investment works, don’t buy it.

Plan

  1. If you’re not saving 10% of your salary, you aren’t saving enough.
  2. Keep three months’ worth of living expenses in a bank savings account or a money-market fund for emergencies. If you have kids or rely on one income, make it six months’.
  3. Aim to accumulate enough money to pay for a third of your kids’ college costs. You can borrow the rest or cover it from your income.
  4. You need enough life insurance to replace at least five years of your salary–as much as 10 years if you have several young children or significant debts.
  5. When you buy insurance, choose the highest deductible you can afford. It’s the easiest way to lower your premium.
  6. The best credit card is a no-fee rewards card that you pay in full every month. But if you carry a balance, high interest rates will wipe out the benefits.
  7. The best way to improve your credit score is to pay bills on time and to borrow no more than 30% of your available credit.
  8. Anyone who calls or e-mails you asking for your Social Security number or information about your bank or credit-card account is a scam artist.

Spend

  1. The best way to save money on a car is to buy a late-model used car and drive it until it’s junk. A car loses 30% of its value in the first year.
  2. Lease a new car or truck only if you plan to replace it within two or three years.
  3. Resist the urge to buy the latest computer or other gadget as soon as it comes out. Wait three months and the price will be lower.
  4. Buy airline tickets early because the cheapest fares are snapped up first. Most seats go on sale 11 months in advance.
  5. Don’t redeem frequent-flier miles unless you can get more than a dollar’s worth of air fare or other stuff for every 100 miles you spend.
  6. When you shop for electronics, don’t pay for an extended warranty. One exception: It’s a laptop and the warranty is from the manufacturer.

=======================================
Motherhood has a very humanizing effect. Everything gets reduced to essentials. ~Meryl Streep

Subscribe to my feed or subscribe via email to get notified of my next post.

December 18, 2006 Posted by jhorca | Finances | | 1 Comment

Magsaysay Institute of Hospitality & Culinary Arts: A New Sun Rises

The Magsaysay Group will be launching the Magsaysay Institute of Hospitality & Culinary Arts (MIHCA) in the upcoming school year. The edge over CCA and Benilde? A close association with other Magsaysay affiliates which will surely lead to fulfilling careers in the Hospitality Industry here and abroad. The courses are developed and certified by the US-based Johnson & Wales University with internships in world-class hotels and restaurants. The programs include basic foundation courses as well as upgrading courses for those preparing for management-level positions.

Contact details:
Magsaysay Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Arts
3/F Times Plaza
United Nations Avenue corner Taft Avenue
Manila Philippines 1000
T: (632) 524-9586; (632) 523-8538; (632) 523-5653; (632) 527-6160; (632) 528-1627
W: www.mihca.com.phBTW, if you are looking for a career with the Magsaysay Group, you may apply online at http://www.magsaysaycareers.com. Positions are available in the ff areas:
1. Marine (Deck & Engine)
2. Hospitality (Cruise Ship)
3. Healthcare (Nursing & Caregiver)

Certification and Awards:
ISO 9001:2000 Certified by DET NORSKE VERITAS
Lloyd’s List Best Manning Agent 2005 (Asia-Pacific)
DOLE-POEA Award of Excellence 2005
DOLE-POEA Performance Awards 2005
Highest Foreign Exchange Earnings – Seabased Sector
Exemplary Welfare Programs & Allied Services
Exemplary Technical Capability
Highest Deployment of Seafarers

=======================================
Motherhood has a very humanizing effect. Everything gets reduced to essentials. ~Meryl Streep

Subscribe to my feed or subscribe via email to get notified of my next post.

December 17, 2006 Posted by jhorca | employment | | 3 Comments

Life planning

— I can’t remember now who the author of this article is, but the message is something which I’d like to share with everyone —Traditional financial planning is all about math and money. You look at how much you earn, figure out how much you will need in the future to maintain your desired lifestyle and try to come up with an investment plan that will help you reach the magic number that will allow you to retire. The process is generally about as exciting as balancing a checkbook and as emotionally draining as paying taxes. Unfortunately, many people choose not to deal with it all, preferring to put off worrying about the future until it arrives. Others go about the process with a sort of resignation born of the fact that, aside from death and taxes, your bills are just another part of life - they need to be dealt with because you don’t have much choice. However, there’s a quiet minority of investors that are taking a different approach. It goes by a variety of names, but “life planning” is one of the more frequently heard terms.

Life planning is different than traditional financial planning because the focus is more about who you are and who you want to be than it is about money. Unlike people engaged in the traditional planning process, people engaged in the life planning process don’t look ahead in an effort to figure out how to maintain their current lifestyles in retirement. Instead, they look at how to change their current lifestyle to achieve the lifestyle of their dreams. Read on to discover how you can use this approach to financial planning.

The Ideal Lifestyle
Many people credit the baby boomers for this trend - former flower children who grew up and were absorbed by corporate America, but who never lost their ideals. Just as the boomers redefined their “golden years” as a time to be more active than their predecessors were, some want to go a step further and redefine themselves.

For these people, the concept of money is intertwined with the concepts of spirituality, creativity, family, service and other emotional aspects of personal satisfaction. Happiness is measured in more than just dollars and cents. It’s not, “he who dies with most toys wins,” it’s, “he who gets the most out of life wins.”

For many, it’s more of a lifestyle change than anything resembling the retirement-planning process most of us are familiar with from 401(k) seminars at work or meetings with a financial advisor. The doctor who wants to be a painter, the law clerk who wants to be a poet and the city-dwelling office manager who longs for a cabin in the mountains are all increasingly turning to financial-service professionals for help in making those dreams come true. Of course, the money plays a big role too. (

Money and Sacrifice
There’s just no escaping the money (or the lack thereof). The mailman who wants to become Donald Trump is probably out of luck. However, the attorney who wants to trade in her suit to pick up a hammer and open a repair shop might be able to do it in cash. The others have to make choices, so they work with a financial advisor in order to determine how to develop the financial plan that will allow them to realize their personal goals.

Rather than trying to earn more money or build a bigger nest egg, a significant number of people need to make do with less in order to achieve their goals. Giving up the big house, trading in the BMW and skipping the month-long trips to Europe can help decrease expenses and enable people to trade in their day jobs for lower paying, but personally-fulfilling, professions and past-times.

If living in a small apartment frees up enough cash to increase time spent on the golf course, some people are willing to make the trade. In order to exchange the stress of corporate management for the quiet bliss of a career grooming pets, some people are willing to take a significant cut in pay. When you don’t like what you’re doing and know how you’d rather spend your time, life planning can help you make the transition.

December 16, 2006 Posted by jhorca | Finances, lifestyle | | No Comments

Trimming Expenses

Now that Christmas is just around the corner (and hopefully the shopping list has been accomplished), it’s time to make lists for the New Year. Let’s count the ways in which we can save on a few more pesos.
  1. Pay cash whenever possible. Psychologically, it’s harder to spend cash than use plastic.
  2. Research before travelling. There is a wealth of knowledge AND bargains to be found online.
  3. Plan your purchases. Don’t buy on an impulse. Patience is a virtue. If you see something you like in a store, chances are that it will be included in one of the many midnight madness sales which come at least once a quarter. Why pay full price when you can get it for 20% off? =)
  4. Open a separate savings account (preferably one of the higher interest money market accounts) for big-ticket items such as appliances, travel, or house.
  5. Use a budget, especially for gifts.
  6. Track your spending on paper. If you write it all down, you’ll probably spend less.
  7. Ask if there are discounts (before ordering in restaurants or checking out at the counter). You’d be suprised at the number of freebies you can get in restaurants if only you ask.
  8. Quit the cigarettes and the booze.
  9. Save all your change and use it to buy gifts next year.
  10. Have pot-luck dinners. Rotate the hosting.
  11. Have semi-annual garage sales. If you haven’t used it in over a year, chances are you won’t use it in the years to come.
  12. Only use ATMS where you won’t be charged service fees.
  13. With the rising cost of oil, look at fuel-efficient cars when considering your next purchase.
  14. Pay off your credit cards monthly and avoid paying interest.
  15. Take advantage of your company benefits — take that annual medical/dental exam. Health is wealth.
  16. Buy term instead of whole life or universal life insurance.
  17. Take advantage of VOIP for your long distance calls.
  18. Cut back on eating out.
  19. Buy energy-efficience appliances. They’re cheaper in the long run.
  20. Keep up maintenance on cars. It may prevent costly future problems.
  21. Pay your bills online. Check out the online bills payment facility of bancnet.
  22. Buy an e-pass or EC Tag. It will save you time and remember, time is money.
  23. Brown bag it or scout out the inexpensive place to buy lunch.
  24. Do you REALLY need that capuccino? =)

December 16, 2006 Posted by jhorca | shopping | | No Comments

Are you an ‘extreme worker’?

Do you know someone to exhibits these signs?
– Long work weeks — put in over 70 hours a week on the job
– Are available to serve clients and deal with their emergencies at any time of the day or night.
– Little time off. Take 10 or fewer vacations per year, far fewer than they are entitled to.

Sylvia Ann Hewlett, recently wrote an article in the Harvard Business Review about the rise of the “extreme worker”. Increased competition for high-level positions and declining job security has encouraged excessive work. The image of the overachiever has been glamorized and the financial rewards have been great. As has been the fallout in their personal lives.

We live in a world which celebrates the extreme.. from extreme sports to extreme reality shows. There is little room for moderation.

I don’t know if that is the American way of life which has insiduously seeped into our own culture. I look at envy at the Europeans who have such joie de vivre.. and take their month long vacations seriously. Laura Stack said it best: Overwork is not a competition worth winning.

December 16, 2006 Posted by jhorca | work | | No Comments

Supertyphoon Reming: We Need Your Help!

(picture taken by Edwin Bacasmas published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Typhoon Reming (Category 5) left death and destruction in its wake. Many of us will have already received the 13th month bonus. In the spirit of generosity and compassion, let us open our hearts and wallets to those left without homes and in most cases, without family members. Below please find a list of NGOs with solid track records in disaster relief operations. Let us help them help our brothers and sisters.

FOR THOSE BASED IN THE PHILIPPINES

(I) Philippine National Red Cross

A. Metrobank Port Area Branch

1) Peso Account
Account name: The Philippine National Red Cross
Account number: 151 – 3 – 041 – 63122 – 8 – MBTC

2) Dollar Account
Account name: The Philippine National Red Cross
Account number: 151 – 2 – 151 – 00218 – 2
Swift Code: MBTC PH MM

B. Globe G-Cash
Just text: DONATE RED CROSS then send to 2882

C. Globe Donate-A-Load
Just text RED then send to 2899

(II) CARITAS

A. Donations of food, medicines, clothing, and potable drinking water may be sent to Lanie Cabral, Public Service Coordinator, Radyo Veritas 846 at Veritas Tower, 162 West Ave., corner EDSA, Quezon City, Telephone Numbers 9257931 to 40 or Ms. Gina Santos, Administrative Officer, Caritas Manila, 2002 Jesus St., Pandacan, Manila, Telephone numbers 5639298 and 5639308.

B. Cash Donations may be deposited at
BPI – Savings Account – 3063-5357-01
Metrobank – Savings Account – 175-3-175069543
Fax copy of your deposit slip with name, address, tel. no and indicate “Typhoon Reming Victims” to (632) 563-9306, 563-4340 or email donate@caritasmanila.org.

C. G-Cash – Text DONATE amount CARITAS and send to 2882

D. For US based donors who want tax incentives, you may course your donations through Ayala Foundation USA.

(II) GAWAD KALINGA: Bicol Express

GK will be conducting two relief missions of December 13 to 15 and December 20 to 22.

A. Relief Goods Needed: Rice, Water, Canned Goods, Noodles, Candles, Matches, Clothes Drop off points for Relief Donations: Cervini Hall, Ateneo de Manila campus, Loyola Heights, Quezon City; Sagip Kapamilya Warehouse at 13 Examiner St., Quezon City.

B. Cash Donations may be deposited at
BPI, Greenhills branch.
Account Name: Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation.
Bank Account CA # 3101-0976-75.

C. To volunteer and join the Bicol Express trip: Please sign-up at the Gawad Kalinga Office at 349 Ortigas Avenue, Greenhills East, Mandaluyong City (beside La Salle Greenhills) or call telephone number (02) 726-7261.

FOR THOSE BASED OVERSEAS

(I) UNICEF
For those based in the United States, make a secure, tax-deductible donation to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, supporting UNICEF’s Emergency Relief Programs in the Philippines. Just click on this link.

(II) Save the Children
Donate now to the Typhoon Durian (Reming’s international name) and support the critical needs of children and their families in the areas of child protection, education and shelter. Just click on this link.

(III) Operation Blessing International
Operation Blessing International Relief and Development Corporation (OBI) is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) humanitarian organization based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA. Over 99.3 percent of all financial support received goes to aid men, women and children in need. Operation Blessing is currently focusing relief efforts on the two hardest hit areas, Albay and Cantanduanes Provinces. Please click on this link to make an online donation.

(IV) Ayala Foundation USA
Ayala Foundation USA is a registered 501c(3) organization that provides tax deductibility incentives to its donors. It is currently working closely with partner organizations in the Philippines that are directly involved in the relief operations. Among the partner non-profit organizations that have ongoing relief operations are Caritas Manila (www.caritasmanila.org.ph), the Philippine National Red Cross (www.redcross.org.ph), Ateneo de Manila University (www.admu.edu.ph) and the Alternative System for Community Development Foundation, Inc. (ASCODE, INC.) Please send your donations to:

Ayala Foundation USA
255 Shoreline Drive, Suite 428
Redwood City, CA 94065 USA
Tel. no. (650) 598-3126
Fax no. (650) 508-8988
E-mail: info@af-usa.org
Contact: Maya Ong Escudero
Executive Director (maya@af-usa.org)

For more information on how you can donate, please visit www.af-usa.org or go the Donate Now page.

December 9, 2006 Posted by jhorca | relief | | No Comments

Quote for the Day


“A gift isn’t a gift unless it has meaning. Just giving things to people, especially children, create the expectation of more things.” — Oprah Winfrey

December 1, 2006 Posted by jhorca | quote of the day | | No Comments

Invest in Someone Else

In one of the sites I regulary visit, there was a post about the 5 Investments Everyone Should Make. All of the suggestions were non-traditional: “your name” domain; exercise; something you’ve always wanted to try and time to think.It was the last item that caught my attention.

Invest in someone else. And by that, it doesn’t necessarily mean family. Be a mentor. Share your hard-learned lessons with someone else. Help them become a better person so that they too can mentor another person in the future.

Think of it as a long-term Pay It Forward.

December 1, 2006 Posted by jhorca | family, investment | | No Comments

« Previous Entries