I’ve been traveling this past month for work. Media trips allow for a lot of refreshers especially in the tech scene. October found me immersed with the next generation of bloggers in BKK for Cherry Mobile while November flew me across the pond to Israel for an immersion with the local startup scene. The BKK trip had an unexpected surprise with a Tronsmart travel pack which included a 4-port wall charger and 10,000 mAh battery pack.
My gosh I had no idea charging technology has evolved like this. Both devices come with charging tech called Volt IQ and Qualcomm Quick Charge 3 which are safer and inherently faster ways for charging gadgets. The former detects what type of service you have and adjusts the wattage for maximum charging possible while the latter works best with other Qualcomm Snapdragon powered phones (4x faster charging)!!
FACEBOOK: Tronsmart Philippines
Tronsmart products are available at SM San Lazaro, SM Southmall as well as all Urbanize and Elecom stores.
Working as an Uber driver can be a fun and profitable experience. The main benefit of working as an Uber driver is that you (mostly) get to set your own hours, which means that not only do you get to work when you want to, but you can either make a full time living with Uber or just an extra side income if you already have a job.
Here are the top four strategies for working as an Uber driver that you should use if you are thinking about working for Uber or already are:
Keep Food and Water In The Car
Since you could potentially be driving for hours, it’s important that you keep yourself fed and hydrated. Keep snacks and some water in your car, so you won’t waste any cash or time going to fast food restaurants.
2. Don’t Drive Around In Circles
Simply driving around randomly in circles is a common mistake that new Uber drivers make. In reality though, driving around endlessly isn’t going to do anything except add more wear to your car.
Instead, you need to stick to a certain area in your town or city and only pick up passengers in that area. This way, you won’t have to drive several miles on your way to go pick up a passenger. Keep in mind if a passenger has to be kept waiting for you for an extended period of time, they might cancel the right.
3. Make Use of the Uber Passenger App
In addition to the Uber driver app, you should make use of the passenger app as well. The passenger app will tell you where the other drivers are, so you can select specific areas that don’t come with much competition.
While you’re at it, you may want to avoid the ‘hot’ areas because those areas will be flooded with other Uber drivers. You’ll actually likely make more money picking up drivers in areas where few other drivers are.
4. Know About The Bathrooms In Your Area
This should go without saying, but you need to become area of the best restroom facilities in your driving area, and specifically facilities that have free parking. This can be particularly difficult to locate in downtown areas of big cities. Grocery stores and coffee shops are your best bet for places that have restrooms and free parking (though granted you’re also technically obligated to buy something from them so long as you’re going to be walking in and using their restroom facilities).
Working As An Uber Driver
All in all, these are some of the more basic but essential strategies that you will want to keep in mind as you begin your career as an Uber driver. You’ll be glad to hear that working as an Uber driver is something you can get the hang of quickly after only a few days of doing it.
There’s a huge disparity in men’s grooming products in the Philippines — this became apparent when I was looking for a shaving brush and shaving soap for use at home. Say what you want, but hipster barber culture has had that effect on me. My facial hair grows rather fast and although I am far from ready to upgrading to a straight-edge shaver for a nice wet shave, I do appreciate good shaving lather on my face. No matter what I do, the ubiquitous shaving cream you find from Gillette still leaves me unsatisfied.
After much research on the types of brushes that are locally available, I was able to buy a PRORASO boar hair shaving brush from The Barberian Barber Shop in Westgate, Alabang. I chose this because many online review sites recommend brushes made by Omega because of its quality + affordability and in this case, it seems like Omega acts like an OEM for Proraso brushes. I also checked online, and you can get the same brand from Slickville, a local online store for men’s grooming. Lazada also carries a number, but these brushes are from Parker — not hating on these — they’re actually pretty good, but I really wanted something from Omega. Between pricing, Slickville is by far the cheapest, at P780.00 for the brush plus you can also pick up shaving cream and patchwork for your skin. The Barberian however does sell Proraso shaving soap, which is what you need to form a thick lather before you shave.
Oh my God smell that Italian mint!
The Proraso shaving bowl is contoured to fit your hand when building lather with the brush.
For other brands, Slickville Barbers at the second floor of Uptown Mall sells a lot of pomade, shaving soap and grooming kits. You can find boar, badger and even synthetic bristle shaving brushes (if you are vegan or allergic to animal hair).
Many people have asked me why I’ve decided to hipster-ize my grooming regimen and to be honest my answer would be “because it feels good.” I think the art of shaving shouldn’t be treated with shortcuts because hurrying it can literally cut you. Building lather takes time — about 30 seconds to a minute of dry rubbing your brush. I think it is also enamoring to experience how your brush grows with you. Boar brushes are the cheapest of the lot — but once you break them in, they’re really soft.
Digha is a beach town in West Bengal on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. It is a tiny hamlet that is away from the roving tourists that mob most other beaches in the country. When you come here, you will be greeted by the sun, sand, and gently swaying palms. Most of the beaches are unspoilt with calm waters and gentle waves. This hidden paradise is a travelers dream as it combines the stillness and calmness of a getaway that comes with its own unique marine landscape. You can book hotels in Digha that are on the beachfront and greet the mornings with a calm sip of coffee, an excellent book, and the gentle sound of waves complemented by the warm rays of sunlight, that glisten off the waterfront and golden grains of sand.
The peaceful nature of this tiny untouched part of India willmake you forget your tensions, making it the perfect place for some relaxation and rejuvenation. Here are a few of its most loved beaches.
Shankarpur Beach: This beach is 14 kilometers from the main town of Digha. It was discovered fairly recently, leaving it still shrouded in relative tranquility, while giving you plenty of options when it comes to hotels and resorts. A tree-lined lined beach with calm waters, makes this beach a must-visit.
Udaipur Beach: This untouched beach is just three kilometers away from Digha. Tall casuarina trees dot the line of the beach. The few fishermen’s shacks on the coast run food stalls serving up the freshest seafood you’ll ever eat. There are buses running from Digha regularly to Udaipur beach. The seclusion and pristine waters are great reasons to visit this beach.
Frazergunj Beach: This beach goes on forever, 7 kilometers to be exact. The beach has white sands and can be accessed directly from Kolkata. The beach is known for its population of a wide variety of bird species so don’t be surprised to see birdwatchers lurking amongst the trees. You can also sail to the island of Jambudeep from this beach.
Junpat Beach: This beach is 40 kilometers from the main town and also has great choices in terms of resorts of the area. The beach though is the main attraction. It is accessible only when the tide shifts and exposes the beach. You would not want to let this get by without a visit. Junpat also is a center for breeding ducks.
Talasari Beach: One of the most pristine beaches in this area, you are sure to find peace and quiet here. As the palms sway in the mild ocean breeze, you must take a walk on the beach. You will see fishermen out in the distance, and if you happen to be there at sunset, you can watch the fishermen bring in the catch of the day.
Digha is home to some of the best and most spectacular beaches in the country. If you love the sand and the waves and do not like to be encumbered by tourists and pollution, this beach town is, hands down, the best option. So, be it for your honeymoon, or a trip with your best buds, make your way to West Bengal and book hotels in Digha for the perfect destination to create unforgettable memories.
Ever feel like you missed the boat on your chance to be an artist?
You’re not alone. After all, responsibilities tend to get in the way of our creative aspirations over time. Between our careers, families and day-to-day stresses related to keeping up with it all, it’s not uncommon to feel creatively discouraged and wonder what could have been.
However, it’s arguably easier than ever to pick up a creative hobby from the comfort of your home. This is especially true given the number of free tools and online communities out there to support aspiring artists.
Whether you’re looking for personal fulfillment or a more productive use of your time, a creative hobby can most certainly do the trick. Easing yourself into such a happy is probably less of a hassle than you might think, too. Consider the following four avenues that allow you to harness your creativity from home.
Composing and Musicianship
It’s never too late to give up on your musical aspirations. For pop stars, rock stars and everyone in between, composing music on your own time is an absolute breeze nowadays with so many digital tools and guides for beginners.
For example, you can download a digital audio workstation (DAW) such as Reaper for absolutely free, allowing you to record, edit and publish your own audio files in a matter of minutes. With the help of samples and loops from sites like Cymatics.fm, you have the early makings of an awesome hope studio that sounds professional and leaves you plenty of room for experimentation.
Despite popular belief, you need little more than a laptop to get starting with composing these days.
Digital Art
Given the rise of touch screens, learning to draw digitally makes the process of becoming an artist much less daunting for newbies. Whether through a Wacom tablet or your personal iPad, just about anyone can learn to draw with the help of endless YouTube tutorials and projected geared toward beginners.
The best parts about learning to draw digitally, though? Room for creativity and error. Versus traditional painting, undoing your mistakes is just a click away; furthermore, you can play around with just about any color palette or art style you want without being restricted by traditional materials.
Video Editing
With the explosion of YouTube and video content as a whole, there are seemingly endless opportunities for those looking to get started with film editing. Anything from cooking tutorials to home improvement projects and beyond are totally fair game. If there’s something you already do in your spare time that you can teach the masses, you’re already game to become a vlogger yourself.
You don’t need pricey equipment to get started with video editing, either. Smartphone cameras are the bread and butter of most of the vlogosphere; meanwhile, finding the right video editing software doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, either.
Writing
If you’ve been sleeping on an idea for a brilliant novel or story, there’s no better time than now to get started. After all, many great artists didn’t come up with their best pieces of fiction until they were a bit older, anyhow.
Participating in National Novel Writing Month and other sorts of creative competitions can be the perfect catalyst for getting started with your story. When you set deadlines for yourself and free-write, you’d be surprised at just how much you can get on paper.
Don’t let your creative aspirations totally pass you by. Instead, examine which creative avenue makes the most sense for your skill set and situation to start making your artistic dreams a reality.
