There’s a gadget that I came across which can prove to be very useful to a lot of people and for a variety of purposes.  It’s a tiny GPS unit, a tracking device, which can be tracked live on Google Maps.  The maker is GTX Corp.

The product actually makes a lot of sense.  In the area of parenting and caregiving, it would greatly ease the worries of parents when it comes to child-safety.  They can easily track the whereabouts of their children, specially those who might need extra special attention because of a medical condition, say autism.  When the care of an older loved one is entrusted to us, our older parents or grandparents for example, this would be a good gadget to have if they have a tendency to wander off without our knowledge. 

A tiny GPS unit will also be very useful when going to a crowded place and there’s an increased risk of losing sight of or being separated from one’s companions, most importantly the children and older people.  And let’s not forget our dear pets, too!  It would be a great comfort to know that should our pets ran off, they can easily be found.

People who are in danger of being kidnapped for whatever reason, be it political or otherwise, will feel safer having this gadget.  How about in places where there are high rates of carnapping?  Then the car should have one as well!  And in business for example, employers’ can easily track their delivery trucks and their employees’ exact location. 

The list of uses for this GTX Corp product just goes and on.  Do you doubt that your hubby (or wife!) is really at the office doing overtime work?  That’s something to think about.

“getting to know you” moment at the car dealership on pick-up day (10 April 2008)

happy father and daughter in their new toy….the happy mother, that would be me, took this pic.

Thank you, God for this wonderful gift. 

I have another WW entry HERE.  More Wordless Wednesday HERE.

That’s me!  ;)  I admit that I do feel guilty not contributing to the “family treasury” when I used to be able to do so with gusto before we moved to the US.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve embraced and come to love being a stay-at-home-mom, so much so that I wouldn’t trade it for anything.  However, there’s just this nagging feeling that I have to make myself “useful”.  Then it dawned on me, why not finally get paid to blog? :D

So, I did the most logical thing. I signed up with PayPerPost to do just that…get paid to blog!  Why not?!  A lot of my blogger friends are PPP posties already and they’re all very happy to be earning through their blogs.  Who wouldn’t be?  It’s just great to be able to do something you love…something you’re already doing day-in and day-out…and get paid for it. 

I’ve been thinking about diving into the paidblogging pool for a long time now and now that I’m in it, I feel a teeny weeny bit of regret that I haven’t done so sooner!  Grrrr.  But there’s no time for regrets now.  This venture is turning out to be all too exciting for me.  I am so eager to get my hands on those precious opportunities at the PPP marketplace.  Those opps will be my ticket, make that my family’s ticket, for a December homecoming to the Philippines and not to forget the reason for all this, savings, savings, savings!  Ok, a little shopping spree would be great, too!  Hee hee!

Get paid to blog…it all sounds so magical to me!  Kaching!  Kaching!

When relatives from the Philippines came to visit and stayed with us for a few days last week, my daughter, Abby, was in her little miss entertainer best. :)  Here are some pictures of her taken last Sunday at The County Line in San Antonio.  She was playing “magic” with her Tita (Aunt) Rina in these pics…

I realize her hair is a bit of a mess.  I attribute it to the warm (and getting warmer!) Texas weather.

For the best beef ribs, please visit my other entry HERE.

and Wordless Wednesday (Monday Edition)

I wasn’t able to join last week’s photo hunt so I’m determined to join this week’s.  The theme is “unique/funny signs”.  I went to my photo archives for the sign which I’ve always thought to be unique…

Watch out for crossing longhorns!  This photo was taken at the Fort Worth Stockyards where twice daily, there’s a cattle herd drive.  I find this sign unique because in the Philippine provinces where water buffalos (carabaos) abound, there are no such signs.  And sometimes, those water buffalos actually cross the street!

Happy photo hunting and have a great weekend, y’all!

I have another photo hunt entry HERE.  More photo hunters here.

Para sa linggong ito ng LP na may temang “Hugis ay Parihaba”, pumili ako sa mga larawang kinunan ko sa Houston, Texas noong buwan ng Enero.

(For this week’s LP theme, “Rectangular/Elongated Shape”, I took my pick from the photos taken in Houston, Texas when we visited the city last January.)

Ito ang San Jacinto Monument, nakalista bilang pinakamataas na stone memorial sa buong mundo.  Inalay ang memorial na ito para sa “Mga Bayani ng Battle of San Jacinto” at para sa mga taong nakipaglaban para sa kalayaan ng Texas.  Mapapansing dalawa ang pahaba sa larawang ito…ang stone memorial at ang mahabang katubigan sa harap nito.)

(This is the San Jacinto Monument, listed as the world’ tallest stone memorial.  This memorial is dedicated to the Heroes of the “Battle of San Jacinto” and everyone who contributed to the independence of Texas.  There are two rectangular shaped subjecs in this photo…the stone memorial and the rectangular body of water in front of it.)

Ang San Jacinto Memorial sa malapitan.

(A closer look at the San Jacinto Memorial.)

Hindi kumpleto ang pagbisita sa Houston kung hindi pupunta sa NASA o Houston Space Center.  Makikita sa larawan ang isang nakahigang space shuttle na matatagpuan sa isang gusali sa NASA at tampok na bahagi ng tram tour.  Ito ay kuha mula sa likod ng space shuttle.

(A trip to Houston is not complete without a visit to NASA/Houston Space Center.  In the photo is a space shuttle, which is housed in one of the buildings at the NASa grounds.  It is a part of the tram tour.  This photo was taken from behind the space shuttle.)

Ito naman ang kuha mula sa bandang harapan ng space shuttle.

(This is a photo taken from the front of the space shuttle.)

Sana’y naibigan ninyo ang mga nilahok kong litrato para sa linggong ito.  Mabuhay!  Bisitahin ang mga pahaba sa Dallas DITO.

(I hope you enjoyed my entry for this week.  For Dallas rectangles, click HERE.)

I know a lot of people will think I’m crazy for saying that I miss the cold, specially those who live in places where winter is a little too harsh.  Hee hee.  So allow me to rephrase my title to “Missing the Texas Cold”. :D  It does get pretty cold here in Texas during winter time.  But most of the time, it’s bearable and nothing that  two layers of clothing and a trusty jacket couldn’t handle…here in Austin at least.  Winter tends to be harsher in the hill countries, which have their share of snow.

Now, it feels so much like summer already.  Good thing I have these pictures of Abby to help me “think cool”.

These pics were taken at the Dallas Arboretum last December.  Abby was such a good sport and gladly obliged to a mini photo shoot. ;)  I love it when she agrees to have her picture taken! 

Enjoy the rest of the week, y’all!