My Writing Experience with Essays.ph

I used to work as an editor/writer for a BPO company.  The pay was good but the amount of time that I spent working basically ate up most of the time that I spent with my loved ones.  Don't get me wrong because I loved every minute of it since I was what one would call a “workaholic”.  Add this to the fact that my colleagues also spent the same number of working hours at the office that we became a close-knit family.  Soon enough, I got married and we started a family.  This was when I started to see things in a different perspective and finally decided that it’s about time that I begin my new career as a wife and a mom.  The salary would definitely not be comparable to the one I received while I was employed but I was sure that I was making the right decision.

I now have a home-based baking business that keep me busy whenever my son is away at school.  The sad part of my business is that there are certain months of the year that you hardly get big orders, which makes me want to look for another outlet that would keep me busy.  This was when I decided to go back to writing but this time around I wanted to be a freelance writer.  There are a couple of online “middle-men” or companies that provide writers with possible work projects but it may be a bit hard to break through the initial barriers, particularly if you are up against other more experienced freelance writers who do not care a whit if they charge lower than the existing rate as long as they are able to cinch a project.

Many online writing jobs are available but one does have to worry whether it is a scam or legit.  I have had my fair share of scam work and I’ve learned that for one to avoid getting scammed, one should take their time to review the website that offers the online work.  Visiting forums is one terrific way to get an idea if the company is legit or not.

After browsing around several websites and discussion forums, I was definitely glad to have encountered Essays.ph.  They do require the writer to submit an application form and even a test write-up to check if the applicant has the capability to produce articles that are up to par with their standards.  You also have the option of working on a full- or part-time basis.

I was still a bit hesitant to work with them since there have been several discussion forums claiming that this is just one of those online writing scam sites, but it wasn’t enough to deter me and I had the gut feeling that this was definitely worth a try.

I was so relieved that Essays.ph is definitely not a scam company.  Writing projects are available 24/7 and they have updated their site to make it easier for writers to claim writing projects.  The amount you earn actually depends on how many articles you’ve written.  Payment for finished articles is provided through several payment options and you can even request payment transfer on a daily basis. 

If you love to write and think that freelance writing is your cup of tea, why not try to sign up with Essays.ph so you can earn while doing what you love in the comfort of your home.

Hidden and Buried Feelings

"Speak your mind, don't keep it all bottled up inside," is an age-old solicited and unsolicited advice that I get from family and friends.  "Ignore it and it will soon pass," is another advice that is conveniently passed around, whether you like it or not.

Both are sound advice but then when is it time to follow one advice and not the other?  What if you reach your saturation point, what happens after?  Do you really let it all simmer up inside you until you can't hold it in any longer?

As a mom, a wife, a daughter, a relative, and a friend, one is burdened with the task of trying  to listen to other people while I try to make things work, smile and nod at the right time and say the right thing at the right moment.  You ask me if everything is okay, I answer back with a resounding YES.  Little do you know, however, that I am starting to harbor resentment, doubt, and even hurt deep inside because I am starting to feel like a person whose feelings are often times overlooked.

I am a person who has her own thoughts, feelings, and desires ------and I want these to be fulfilled too.  I try not to think too much about myself instead I try to focus on the positive side of life, but then there is a question that begs an answer, "what if????"

Graduates and Graduations

Time flies so fast. Wasn't it just a few months ago that I hesitantly enrolled my son in Kindergarten school? Now he has just graduated from Preparatory school last March. In fact, we are proud parents of a 5-year-old little boy, who simply breezed through the Preparatory level just like he was playing with his toy cars.

There were the usual tantrums and fights between him and his classmates but these were the little kiddie fights that lasted only a minute or so and was easily mended by a "I'm sorry" from either of the parties involved. From a little boy who barely knew his letters and numbers, he can now read fast and even add and subtract numbers. He would have a go at us saying words in Mandarin and get frustrated whenever we mispronounce our words. He loves to befriend anybody he comes in contact with, is such a curious kid, and does not feel intimidated by large groups of people (he has consistently won an award for speech contests in their school).

Now he is ready for the "big" boy school. This coming school year, he will be in Grade 1. I keep reminding him that he should act and behave as a "big" boy does, and he, for his part, keeps promising that he will act and behave as is appropriate for a "big" boy.

Excitement and pride filled our hearts as we attended the school's culminating activity. I had to fight back tears (of joy) as I watched my son and his classmates perform on stage for the last time as Preparatory students. We would miss one of his teachers who had to move on to another school. She really helped us (parents) and our kids enjoy the learning process while at the same time enjoying and reveling in the fact that they were kids.

We won't know until the school season begins whether my son will have the same or a different set of classmates, but one thing is for sure, as long as we give enough time and attention to our little one, he shall always look forward to the task at hand and be proud of his accomplishments.

Hats off to you and the rest of the graduates for 2010-2011!!!

New Acquaintances and Friendships - or so we thought

It has been some time since my last posting on this blog, not that I am too lazy to write, mind you, but because I have had my hands full with my son's school activities, my baking business, and of course, being a wife to my beloved husband.

A lot has happened and recent events have made me want to write my heart out on this blog. Too often we hear the saying, "Trying to find a good friend is like trying to find a needle in a haystack." Personally, I think finding a needle in a haystack is much easier than finding friends that you can keep.

The time came that we met a new set of friends. Between me and my husband (hubby from now on), hubby was the one who was able to spend more time with them. Before I go on with my blog, let me tell you that hubby and myself included are the sort of people who tend to care deeply for friends so much so that we treat them as family. Malice and jealousy walks right out the door while happiness and joy enters the room when we begin to care deeply about another person .

Back to my story. As I've said, hubby had the chance to spend more time with them, a couple of ladies (all married, mind you) who sought his advice about car maintenance and fix-ups. Being the gentleman that he is, hubby helped them and actually enjoyed their company since he only gets to come home twice a week. Everything was nice and happy, we were one big happy group that included sons and daughters, husbands and wives. Little did we know that all of this was about to change.

I received a disturbing text from hubby that the ladies suddenly decided to ignore him with no explanation whatsoever. Needless to say, hubby was deeply hurt since he was starting to care deeply for our new set of friends. He tried his best to understand what was going on but we were both clueless, that is until yesterday morning.

He had a group discussion with all the ladies present and was indeed surprised when they told him why he was being ostracized by the group --- one lady in particular thought that hubby was falling in love with her. As the discussion progressed, one lady slipped and gave the hint that the lady in question was actually falling in love with hubby. Surprised was too mild a word for how hubby felt when he was informed about this fact. Here he was hurting inside because he was being ostracized by people he thought were his friends, when all along they just took the lady's side of the story. A simple sentence of, "I am beginning to love you" was definitely misconstrued since hubby actually meant, "I am beginning to love all of you as a friend." She was falling in love with hubby while hubby had only friendship in mind.

For my part, I too was hurting because I know my hubby well and the truth was a far cry from what they believed. The sad part was the other ladies were condoning what they were seeing just so their group would not break up because they were having a lot of fun. Yeah right! What kind of friends are these that condone actions no matter if they would end up hurting other people?

We finally had a good, long, and thorough discussion, and decided that we would just go with the flow. We lived and was happy before they came into our lives, so why should we be bothered and sad just because they showed their true colors.

I guess the sadness in me is due to the fact that it really is hard to find a new true friend. Hit or miss is the best way to describe this. I hate the fact that my hubby made me promise to pretend that I knew nothing about the situation and that I should continue to join these ladies should they invite me. I made it clear to hubby that I was in no way interested in joining them, in fact, their initial attempts to include me in the group made me feel like a stranger. I have had previous experiences in joining a group of people and from experience, I get the feeling that I am really not that welcome. I hate the fact that I don't get to defend hubby because the gentleman in him allowed these ladies to continue with their false presumptions.

It pains me that the man I love is wronged and there is nothing I can do about it......or is there????

A Time To Reminisce

It has been some time since I last wrote on my personal blog and this is all because of becoming busy the past few months with my baking business.  The orders have begun to pile up that there have been instances where I decided to decline a few orders while accepting more than one order for a particular day especially if the person making the order is a close family friend or relative.

Never in my wildest dreams had I ever thought that what once was a dream would become a reality -- baking and decorating cakes and cupcakes.  The year 2010 is now nearing its end but I already have confirmed orders for the year 2011 and God willing my business will continue to prosper.

Every now and then I also get a request from former clients to write an article or two, but thankfully they understand me when I inform them that the submission of the article might be delayed in a day or so just because I received a big cake or cupcake order for that week.

I have learned a lot since I started my home baking business last February 2010 -- whew! It feels like I've been in the business way more than that. Becoming a member of the Filipina Homebakers Online has also helped me a lot when it comes to my homebaking concerns. Not only do they offer advice but they also provide you with a camaraderie that you never thought would be possible among competitors. Healthy competition is the name of the game -- so healthy in fact that we never hesitate to recommend a fellow homebaker in case the client resides in a location that is nearer to a fellow homebaker or in cases that the baking schedule is full.

I am also thankful that despite my having a busy baking schedule I still get time to spend with my precocious 4-year-old son and be an active participant in his studies and school activities.

There are a number of reasons why I am so thankful for the year 2010 and the best is yet to come :)
Having my cake and eating it is really the greatest thing that ever happened to me.

The First Examination

It's that time of the school year where the teachers test their students' knowledge and if they were able to absorb any of the stuff that is being taught. This is also the case with my 4-year-old who is currently enrolled in kindergarten class.

The examinations have been announced way ahead of the schedule date, approximately 2 weeks before, but I am still busy making a few reviewers for my son to study at home before he takes his examinations. Unlike other mothers, I have opted to let my little angel enjoy his early school years, thus we make his review session similar to play time. He actually calls it "work" since he gets to sit properly on a chair and write on a table that is specifically made for children's use. So instead of saying, "Mommy I want to study," he would say, "Mommy let's work."

It always makes me smile the way he views homework and his study sessions as an exciting part of his daily routine. I was once worried if his interest would not wane once he started attending classes, but now I know that I really had no cause for worry because he is learning and loving every minute of it.

I am so looking forward to the results of his first periodical exams :) Here's keeping my fingers crossed.

When The School Bell Rings

It has been quite some time since I last posted on my blog because my four-year-old son has just started to attend kindergarten class. It's his first time to spend a few hours away from home and from my supervision. This might be why until now, even after 4 weeks have passed, I am still having butterflies in my stomach whenever I bring him to or fetch him from school.

I know that school is just another form of society that our children needs to adapt to and cope with, but I also understand the feeling of maternal protectiveness when you see him or her trying their best to make friends with other children their age, only to have their efforts snubbed.

You don't know how appalled I was to see that a 5-year-old sweet looking little girl could have the nastiest trait when it comes to making friends. It broke my heart to see my son trying to befriend her only to have her answer back with a self-important retort. You could just imagine how I wanted to scold the little prima donna for her bad attitude, but then her grandma was with her and she was no better. I had to settle with trying to assure my son that everything was okay; that it was not his fault that he wanted to be friends with everybody; or that he loved to hug people even if he hasn't met them before.

That little incident did not bode well for my son's behavior. He suddenly did not want to be left at school. He wanted me to sit outside his classroom even though the classroom door remains closed during class hours. Now, each and every time I bring my son to school, I make it a point to be there just in time when the school bell rings so he would not have time to "socialize" outside the classroom -- I may not be able to control myself when a similar thing occurs again.

I know that children have to learn the hard lessons in life but the way I see it, we should be there to help soften the hard blows. I just keep telling myself that in a few years, in case the prima donna doesn't transfer to another school, my son would be ignoring her and others like her because he is more equipped in dealing with that type of situation. I have to think like that otherwise I might not bring my son to school again.