Kayaking at Lake Cochituate

I have a limited swimming ability so when my son asked me if we can go kayaking I was hesitant. But obviously, I was convinced. It was a very nice day and a great opportunity for me and my son to enjoy the nice weather. The lake is big and there were lots of people kayaking so I felt safe. I also told my husband never to lose sight of us in case we needed help. My son learned how to swim when he was younger and learned how to kayak in a summer camp. Ever since, he's wanted to kayak with me. Well, guess what, his wish was granted and he was very happy. Take a look at the pictures.

Easy Fix

The IT person in the company where I work for is also one of the owners. There was one time when he mentioned to me about the custom software that he is using. I think he is the most knowledgable person when it comes to computers. Whenever we have some technical difficulties at work it will take him only a few minutes to fix the issue. I don't have the patience when it comes to fixing computer problems. I think that's why there are computer experts. I haven't really seen him get frustrated over computer problems. But I think the key here is having the right custom software just like what Konverge provides.

Affordable Fun for the Family

In these hard economic times families are looking for ways to have fun that are affordable. Personally, it's what I've been doing for a while now. I've been saving aggressively but at the same time I don't want to sacrifice our usual family fun time. What we've been doing is visit local parks, ponds, and lakes. If you have children that's not picky where you spend your family time together then these destinations are sure hits especially if they love the outdoors. Massachusetts abounds with great ponds and trails and you can check out the list here. Last weekend, we checked out two great ponds in Middlesex County - Walden Pond in Concord and Horn Pond in Woburn. Walden Pond is great for swimming and you only have to pay $5.00 for the parking. Picnicking is allowed so you can bring your own food. Horn Pond is great for walking and biking and they also allow picnicking. Parking at Horn Pond is free. I have a free parking pass at any Massachusetts park so this saves me a lot of money.

Pictures above were taken at Walden Pond. It was a busy day at the pond but we all had fun. Right when you enter the parking lot at Walden Pond you can see the replica of the house of American writer (among other titles) Henry David Thoreau.

When we walked around Horn Pond in Woburn, MA, we had some nice surprises. We saw a goose and a gander with their babies. My son couldn't stop watching them and wanted to bring home the babies. We also saw a wild bunny. It was really a great outdoor experience.

Where to Learn More About Phenphedrine

A lot of people take diet pills because it's the fastest way to lose weight. But sometimes in their rush to shed those unwanted pounds, they overlook to do some research about the diet pills they're taking. This attitude can be dangerous since there's a lot of diet pills out there that are not even approved by the FDA. Just recently, the FDA recalled some Hydroxycut products due to reports of 'serious health problems ranging from jaundice and elevated liver enzymes, an indicator of potential liver injury, to liver damage requiring liver transplant.' If you're serious about losing weight the safe way you should try reading the phenphedrine reviews online. They're really informative and they're personal reviews from people who have tried the diet pill.

Amazing Views

There's no doubt that Vegas hotels are one of the best in the world if not the best. To stay at the Bellagio or Four Seasons is an experience itself. Las Vegas is on the list of our future destinations. For the meantime, we'd love to see all that New England has to offer. Yesterday, we made a day trip to Jefferson, New Hampshire to travel back in time to the Old West. We visited Six Gun City and we're impressed with the place. I could tell that they're after the safety of all its visitors. When my son tried the water rides at least three park employees were watching him. It was their opening day yesterday and as I predicted the place wasn't crowded which I prefer compared to other big water parks. My son had a blast and we'd love to visit the place again. They're giving away free passes yesterday which are valid until Labor Day. I had fun taking pictures of the amazing views at the park.

I Support the Credit Card Reform

We all know that credit card companies thrive on high interest rates. Aside from this, their businesses are also sustained by fees on late or missed payments and when credit cardholders go over their credit limit. Other credit card companies also impose fees for over the phone payments and account balance inquiries. This is not including other surprise charges.

It's about time to put a stop to credit card companies that abuse the consumers. I support Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), chairman of the Banking Committee in his effort to save all the consumers who have become victims of the credit card industry. On Friday, President Obama will sign the bill and will take effect in nine months.

The passing of the credit card bill caused dismay among members of the American Bankers Association. They are concerned that "the Senate bill will have a dramatic impact on the ability of consumers, students, and small businesses to obtain and use credit cards." However, I see this bill as a reminder that the present administration is working for the good of the people. In closing, I'd like to quote Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), "We've got too many hard-working families in Massachusetts struggling to keep their heads above water, and the last thing they need is to get whacked with unfair credit card fees."

Barefoot on Rugs

When I'm at home, I love to walk barefoot or with my socks on. After wearing shoes for the most part of the day, I look forward to taking them off as soon I walk in the house. The soft and cushiony area rugs that we have at home add more comfort to my tired feet. I'm so happy that we have finally added the area rugs to our hardwood floors. It hasn't only helped me with my feet but also reduced some noise as we walk around the house. Living on the top floor is not easy especially when you have a kid who seems to know only how to run.

Battleship Cove - Fall River, MA

It only took us an hour to get to the Battleship Cove in Fall River which is located at the southeastern part of Massachusetts. The Battleship Cove is the world's largest exhibit of naval ships. The place was starting to get busy when we got there. I learned that some kids were having their overnight camping at the ships.

This was just one of the beautiful views we saw as we're approaching Battleship Cove. The bridge you see in the picture is the Charles Braga Bridge. You can also see the World War II battleships.

This is a closer view of the World War II battleships taken from the Fall River Heritage State Park.

Fall River has one of the most beautiful parks I've been to. In this picture is the park's visitors center area.

Artificial Light

I prefer natural light. Aside from being economical and environment-friendly, natural light gives me a feeling of calmness. However, there are times when days are gloomy and this is when the need for artifical light comes in. Since I spend most of my time indoors, my need for natural light is greater compared to people who get to spend more time outdoors. I'm careful with the kind of lighting fixtures that we use at home. I prefer recessed lighting and halogens because of their bright and natural effects. Progress lighting has the best general lighting products. Choosing the right light for my house has never been this easy at lightshowplace.com. They have great prices and excellent customer service. Check them out for yourself.

A Tough Recovery for the Economy

For two months I have enjoyed substantial gains in my stocks - only to be dismayed by this week's losses. I'm a big believer in the stock market although I'm only a miniscule investor. I believe that investing in stocks is a good way to build wealth overtime. If you want to get rich overnight, the stock market is definitely not the right place to start.

April's gain due to promising unemployment results was dragged by low retail sales in the same month. This week I lost 56% of my gains. As you can see, the stock market is not for the faint of hearts.

Investors are holding their breaths as data about housing sales will be reported on Monday, housing construction on Tuesday, and regional manufacturing on Thursday. Depending on what the data would be, I'd either gain or lose some more. If you're interested keep checking back as I will post updates here.

The Computer Revolution

Computers have become an important part of the modern life. Personally, I don't think I can function well without it especially when it comes to paying my bills, communicating with my family and friends, and doing some online work. More and more households now have acquired more than one computer. We have four at home; three desktops and one laptop. I remember the time when we only had one computer, we had to take turns. It is a great relief now to be able to use a computer whenever I want to. However, since we didn't buy the computers at the same time, my files and downloads are in different computers. I've heard about KVM switches (short for Keyboard, Video, or Visual Display Unit, Mouse) which allow a user to control multiple computers from a single keyboard, video monitor, and mouse. These devices are not only used in data centers but they can also be used at home. Technology can really make our lives easier.

Getting Ready for the Stress Test Result

The result of the 'stress test' conducted by the government to determine which among the 19 US financial firms need to raise more capital will be released tomorrow; however, media reports have hinted that things are not as bad as what investors have feared. The 19 companies that were tested are: JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citigroup Inc., Bank of America Corp., Wells Fargo & Co., Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Morgan Stanley, MetLife Inc., PNC Financial Services Group Inc., U.S. Bancorp, Bank of New York Mellon Corp., GMAC LLC, SunTrust Banks Inc., State Street Corp., Capital One Financial Corp., BB&T Corp., Regions Financial Corp., American Express Co., Fifth Third Bancorp and KeyCorp. I have a few shares with Citigroup (C) so I'm really anxious to know how it's going to perform tomorrow at the stock market. Financial analysts are expecting the government to ask Citigroup and a few other banks to raise more capital. After a 4-day rally, I hate to lose money tomorrow with Citigroup. It will be a thrilling day tomorrow for all investors.

The Best Fitness Investment

For people who want to stay fit and healthy, a treadmill is a great investment. Coupled with a well-balanced diet, using the treadmill for an exercise routine will result to looking great and a better health. Having a treadmill at home is very convenient. You can use it at any time and as often as you like. You can buy a treadmill online or in stores and to make sure that you get the best price make sure you check out nordictrack.com and click on the treadmills link. Make sure you check out their Mother's Day Sale and Deal of the Week.

Beautiful Boston Sunset

I had the opportunity to snap a picture of this beautiful Boston sunset while we're on our way to my friend Mira's house last weekend. Sunset signals the end of the day in a very beautiful and breathtaking way. Watching the sun go down is very relaxing and it makes you look forward for a wonderful day ahead.