Are you a mommy? Do you blog?! If so, then have you considered monetizing your blog to optimize its potential?

When I started to blog last November 2007 I never really knew anything about earning online. All I was concerned about was updating about my son’s developments, writing relevant parenting topics and sometimes just expressing my opinions on current events or entertainment. After a few months, I gained a few online mommy friends and learned from them that I can monetize my blog. My first concern was will this affect the contents of my blog?

Actually it doesn’t. It’s up to you (the blogger) to know which assignments to take and what’s not. Besides, I find it a challenge blogging about something new, I actually learn and earn at the same time! Now, who wouldn’t want that? It’s practical blogging for money. You can stay at home and take care of the family and earn right in the comforts of you own bedroom.

IZEA the company behind SocialSpark has created a great venue for moms like me who blogs to earn extra money to augment the growing family’s income. It’s so easy to sign up, since SocialSpark is also a social networking site, you can add friends, visit their blogs and give them props. Just like in facebook BUT better. I must admit, compared to other companies out there offering to advertise on blogs, SocialSpark is set from the rest because you don’t have to bid, grab or wait for a task, you can add yourself to the queue and wait for you time to blog.

Once an email is sent to you, there’s 12 hours for you to finish a task. That’s it! So, why are you still here?! Visit SocialSpark now and be a hip mom who blogs like me!

Chi’s VISA was approved today. Yey, that’s exactly 14 days from his submission of the application. We were expecting it next week, but great that it has come earlier.

The next step would be purchasing the ticket. We already have his insurance card so no problem there. It would take 3 working days to stamp the VISA so +fingers crossed+ we are hoping there would no longer be any delays. His start date was already moved several times. At first it was June 02, now it’s August 4. He will be working abroad for 9 months.

I am still a happy camper for now because we can still spend time as a family for exactly 1 month. Which brings me to the big occasion coming up aside from Chi’s leaving. In 10 days we will be celebrating Ozzy’s terrific 2nd birthday. Yup, yup! The boy is officially terrible talented.

Initially we planned a kiddie party in Jollibee but decided against it mainly because Ozzy has a few ‘kid’ friends and most of the guests would be grown ups, so why push it right? We’ll have a proper kiddie party in the proper time. For now we’ll just have a simple gathering.

I’m already shopping around for great baby gifts! I’m torn between clothes (practical) or a new bike.What do you think? What’s a great gift for a two(2) year old?

…In magic.

The most popular illusionist and escapist of all time would be Harry Houdini because he was the very first to try acts which require him to free himself from jails, handcuffs, chains, ropes, and straitjackets, often while hanging from a rope in plain sight of street audiences.

Admittedly even though all kinds of magician’s secrets are revealed on television and print there will always be that mystery to them. Nicholas Sarantakos better known as Criss Angel best known for starring in his own television show, Criss Angel Mindfreak is on a league of his own and may as well be the next Harry Houdini or better.

Angel, an American illusionist, musician, escapologist, stunt performer, and actor is set to appear at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas to perform his most notable illusions which include walking on water, levitating, floating between two buildings, causing a Lamborghini to disappear, surviving in an exploding C4 Crate, cutting himself in half and getting run over by a steamroller while lying stomach down on a bed of glass.

I am such a non-believer of magic and such but watching performances of our modern illusionist like Criss Angel make me think otherwise. There is certainly fascination and awe on my part especially when objects or the people are lifted off the ground!

Cirque Du Soleil is schedule to perform on the 1st of September 2008 and will be featuring CRISS ANGEL called ‘CRISS ANGEL Believe‘. Don’t forget to check it out and to WIN FREE INVITES join the TEXT MESSAGING CONTEST (Text ‘Believe’ to 22122 to win 2 tickets to ‘CRISS ANGEL Believe’).

Sulpicio Lines Inc.’s flagship vessel sank off Sibuyan Island in Romblon province on Saturday noon with most of its more than 700 passengers still missing, in the company’s worst sea disaster in a decade.

According to reports from the Coast Guard, the M/V Princess of the Stars was bound from Manila to Cebu, carrying 626 passengers and 212 crew members; it capsized hours before its arrival at the port of Cebu.

The captain of the 23,824-tonne Princess of the Stars “gave the orders to abandon ship shortly after it listed,” sending passengers and crew scrambling for life rafts, crew member Reynato Lanorio told DZBB radio from his hospital bed. “It seemed like everything happened in 15 minutes. Next thing we knew, the ship had gone under,” he added.

Apparently, this captain is the dad of my hubby’s officemate, he together with most of the passengers & crew are still missing. Read the rest here and here.

More pictures & news HERE.

I was tagged by Sasha of Sasha Says to…

help spread the awareness on the ‘Breast Cancer Awareness’ month of June. Please help convey the importance of regular examination and early detection of breast cancer in order to catch this disease when it first erupts, maximizing the chance of survival and recovery.

These are some facts I got from Cancer Research web site. How many people survive breast cancer?

• More women are surviving breast cancer than ever before
• Breast cancer survival rates have been improving for more than twenty years
• In the 1970s around 5 out of 10 breast cancer patients survived beyond five years. Now it’s 8 out of 10
• Breast cancer survival rates are significantly higher among women from the most affluent areas compared to women living in the most deprived areas
• Breast cancer survival rates are better the earlier the cancer is diagnosed
• Around 9 out of 10 of women diagnosed with stage I breast cancer survives beyond five years. This drops to around 1 out of 10 diagnosed with stage I

So I advise women out there to have their breasts checked if they feel something wrong with it. It doesn’t matter if it’s a false alarm, an unnecessary worry on your part. What is important is that you’re doing your part in preventing it.

Help spread awareness. You can help the lives of many women by spreading the word about The Breast Cancer Site. If The Breast Cancer Site receives 8 million clicks on the pink button in June, their premier sponsor -Bare Necessities- will donate $10,000 for more free mammograms. CLICK the pink button today!

Thank you, Sasha for passing this tag along. Now, I would like to ask my friends to spread Breast Cancer awareness through their blogs: Dana & Debbie, Mitch, Arlene, Maline,Momie Milet,N!cE,Pat,Paul & Toni & Jammy

Many of you shopaholics may have heard of the great black friday sales that happens the day after Thanksgiving; but for those of you who have no clue what it’s all about let me just say read on!

Black Friday (shopping) is the day after Thanksgiving in the USA. Since Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday in November, black friday sales may be as early as the 23rd and as late as the 29th of November. Black Friday is not an official holiday, but many employers give the day off, increasing the number of potential shoppers. Retailers open as early as 5 am or even earlier and offer lots of deals to draw people to their stores.

Great huh? Want to know something greater? Aside from saving money when shopping on black friday sales; you can avoid the hassle of having to stand in line with the crowd by shopping online! In the Black Friday Website you can browse online your favorite stores like Toys R Us, Babies R Us, Ikea, Sears, Target, Wallmart and see what great discounts they offer. Not only that, their website sends out email alerts that let you know when new black friday ads have been posted. This is a great way to plan holiday shopping months ahead.

I am saving up for the black friday sales starting right now!