DownloadHelper

There might be a gazillion reasons why Mozilla Firefox is the best web browser and one of these reasons is that it is the only web browser that you can fully personalize. Anyway, this post is not about Mozilla Firefox but rather about it's media download extension that is very helpful and easy to use (not to mention supports a lot of sites): DownloadHelper.

You can download download helper here.

That is of course you are a Mozilla Firefox user, if not you better replace your old slow and not very innovative web browser. Just search for my download Firefox button at the side to start experiencing the web in a new and much more exciting way.

Gosh I sound like a product spokesperson! Anyway, I used this Firefox extension to download anime videos from www.crunchyroll.com and boy was I satisfied! The Wi-Fi internet connection at the XU library sometimes turns off so my video streaming also gets cut off.

Besides, it's faster to download a flash movie than wait for it to load. And if you want faster downloads use DAP as your download accelerator. You can click here to download DAP.

Windows XP vs Windows Vista

Actually, my laptop is a Vista capable computer and that it's supposed to have a Windows Vista as an OS. But I was given a choice to either have the Vista or a Windows XP. I didn't have any second thoughts and I quickly decided to have a Windows XP as my operating system. Here are the reasons why I chose an old W XP to the new Windows Vista:

1. Windows Vista is a memory-hungry OS, it will only slow my laptop.
2. Most programs that I plan to install aren't Vista capable yet.
3. The only difference that I see in Vista is the design and maybe some tools and programs that I'm never really going to use.

If you would see my desktop above, you would first think that it's a Vista because of the sidebar. Well you're definitely wrong! This is actually a Windows XP desktop with the tool Google Desktop which you could download for free at http://desktop.google.com

Google desktop offers the same quick search capability of Windows Vista and you can download several gadgets and widgets that will suite not only your style but will also be very useful like my system monitor (which is just like the one Vista has).

In short, since I don't have enough memory and computing power I won't go for Vista. Besides I'm very happy with Windows XP and my laptop's current speed.

Back To My Personal Life

Oh my God! I can't believe what's happening to my blog! It's slowly turning into an advertising pot hole! Ok, time to refresh my self why I wanted to blog in the first place. I wanted to blog to express my self, to share my ideas, and to develop my creativity and stuff but all I'm doing now is wanting to earn more money! So this is what you call "Compulsive Blog Addiction" huh? Like it's already 2:23 AM and I am still up blogging... Actually I was still searching the net for more pay for blogging sites when I suddenly realized that I should just stop and focus on writing posts rather than searching for more ads to place on my blog because this is a personal site after all... but still, earning money while doing what you like is very tempting. Ok, the rooster just crowed meaning it's already morning and I have to sleep... hmm... so good night, or rather good morning world! I'm off to bed!

My New Acer Aspire 4310 Laptop!

For many days, or rather weeks, I have been going on and on about laptops and I have been obsessed with laptops to the point that I couldn't concentrate on studying.

But after several weeks and with one swipe of a Citibank Credit Card, presto! My new Acer Aspire 4310 Laptop:


Picture Credits goes to: http://komku.blogspot.com/2007/10/acer-aspire-4310-and-3dmark03.html as I am very lazy to take a picture and upload photos of my laptop anyway, they look the same.

You might be wondering why I didn't get the Acer Aspire 4315 or the Asus X51R... anyway the Acer Aspire 4315 is actually phased-out in the Philippines and the 4310 is way better as it has a built in web camera and microphone perfect for web video conferencing! Here are the specs:

Operating System - Windows XP (thinking of upgrading to Vista...)

Processor - Intel Celeron® M Processor (1.73 GHz, 1MB, 533 FSB)

Chipset - Mobile Intel® 943GML Express Chipset

Memory - 1.5 GB DDR2 RAM

Display Screen - 14.1" WXGA TFT Crystalbrite LCD, 1280 x 800 pixel resolution

Video Type - Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 950

Video Memory - 224 Shared Memory

Hard Disk - 80 GB SATA HDD

Optical Drive - Built-in Super Multi Double Layer Drive

Weight - 2.6 kg

Dimension - 344 (W) x 246 (D) x 37/42 (H) mm

Network Interface - Built in 56K Modem, Built in 10/100/1000 Gigabit LAN

Wireless LAN - Built-in Acer Invilink Wireless LAN ( 802.11b/g)

Card Reader - Built in 5 in 1 Card Reader

Battery Type - 6 Cell Battery, 44.4W Li-ion battery pack

Battery Life - 2.5 hour Battery Life
Actual battery life may vary, depending on usage and configuration.

Although the Asus X51R is better than the Acer Aspire 4310 (here is my post about the Asus X51R laptop: http://vincentbautista.blogspot.com/2008/02/asus-x51r-series.html) my mom got me an Acer because of it's great promo: 0% Interest!

Anyway I am very happy with my laptop and despite it's humble Intel Celeron 1.73Ghz speed, it's still fast enough to meet up with my multitasking and stuff, so in short I love my laptop! ^_^

It is fast enough to play some games like SIMS 2 and Red Alert 2 so I have no problem, non at all. The battery life is actually good. The speaker is not that good but I won't be using my laptop for playing music at parties so it's ok.

Over all, I give it an 8 out of 10 because it's functionality and ease of use (lots of quick access buttons, I love it!) plus it's very affordable price of Php 30,000 makes it an ideal laptop for students like me. I can really use this laptop as a student nurse for my research and case presentations. This laptop is actually very good for presentations with LCD projectors because it's compatible with any LCD projector, I actually have used this laptop for 2 presentations.

This laptop is a great buy people!

My New Acer Aspire 4310 Laptop!

For many days, or rather weeks, I have been going on and on about laptops and I have been obsessed with laptops to the point that I couldn't concentrate on studying.

But after several weeks and with one swipe of a Citibank Credit Card, presto! My new Acer Aspire 4310 Laptop:


Picture Credits goes to: http://komku.blogspot.com/2007/10/acer-aspire-4310-and-3dmark03.html as I am very lazy to take a picture and upload photos of my laptop anyway, they look the same.

You might be wondering why I didn't get the Acer Aspire 4315 or the Asus X51R... anyway the Acer Aspire 4315 is actually phased-out in the Philippines and the 4310 is way better as it has a built in web camera and microphone perfect for web video conferencing! Here are the specs:

Operating System - Linux (but mine is windows XP)

Processor - Intel Celeron® M Processor

Processor Type - Celeron M 530 (1.73Ghz, 1MB, 533 FSB)

Chipset - Mobile Intel® 943GML Express Chipset

Memory - 512 MB DDR2 ( Upgradeable up to 2 GB )

Display Screen - 14.1" WXGA TFT Crystalbrite LCD, 1280 x 800 pixel resolution

Video Type - Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 950

Video Memory - 224 Shared Memory

Hard Disk - 80 GB SATA HDD

Optical Drive - Built-in Super Multi Double Layer Drive

Weight - 2.6 kg

Dimension - 344 (W) x 246 (D) x 37/42 (H) mm

Network Interface - Built in 56K Modem, Built in 10/100/1000 Gigabit LAN

Wireless LAN - Built-in Acer Invilink Wireless LAN ( 802.11b/g)

Card Reader - Built in 5 in 1 Card Reader

Battery Type - 6 Cell Battery, 44.4W Li-ion battery pack

Battery Life - 2.5 hour Battery Life
Actual battery life may vary, depending on usage and configuration.

Although the Asus X51R is better than the Acer Aspire 4310 (here is my post about the Asus X51R laptop: http://vincentbautista.blogspot.com/2008/02/asus-x51r-series.html) my mom got me an Acer because of it's great promo: 0% Interest!

Anyway I am very happy with my laptop and despite it's humble Intel Celeron 1.73Ghz speed, it's still fast enough to meet up with my multitasking and stuff, so in short I love my laptop! ^_^

It is fast enough to play some games like SIMS 2 and Red Alert 2 so I have no problem, non at all. The battery life is actually good. The speaker is not that good but I won't be using my laptop for playing music at parties so it's ok.

Over all, I give it an 8 out of 10 because it's functionality and ease of use (lots of quick access buttons, I love it!) plus it's very affordable price of Php 30,000 makes it an ideal laptop for students like me. I can really use this laptop as a student nurse for my research and case presentations. This laptop is actually very good for presentations with LCD projectors because it's compatible with any LCD projector, I actually have used this laptop for 2 presentations.

This laptop is a great buy people!

Vanilla Sky - Umbrella

The first time that I've watched this music video I went ballistic it was so cool! At first I thought it was down right hilarious but when I started listening to the song, I liked their version better than Rihanna's.

So who are these guys? What is Vanilla Sky? Vanilla Sky is an Italian pop punk group formed in 2002. Their first album, Play It If You Can't Say It, was released November 6, 2002. To date they have released 3 albums, and are most well known in mainland Europe.

Members

• Vincenzo Mario Cristi – Vocals, guitars
• Luca Alessandrelli – Drums
• Francesco Sarsano – Bass
• Daniele Brian Autore – Vocals, guitar

MyPhone: iPhone Imitation or the Next Best Thing

I was quite amazed when I first heard of MyPhone. I was sitting in my classroom waiting for my class to start when my seatmate borrowed my classmates phone. At first I thought, "Wow, what a nice Nokia phone." And then I realized something peculiar, it also looked like an iPhone because it also had a touch screen and what amazed me more was the TV tuner. My curiosity got the best of me and I already started fiddling with the gadget and checking out it's features and mind you I was blown away. But you know what really made me drop my jaw in disbelief? It's ultimate low price of Php 6,000! Like what? I thought that my friend was lying but guess he wasn't.

This was the phone that I was talking about:

T11 Multimedia Phone

Specifications:

Network: GPRS/GSM 900/1800
Camera: 1.3 Megapixels CMOS
Display: 240 x 320 pixels, 2.8", 262K colors TFT
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, USB
Feature: Webcam function
Memory: 1MB Built-in User Memory
Expansion: Micro SD/T-flash memory card slot up to 2GB
Device Control: Touch screen and Alphanumeric keypad
MEssaging: SMS, EMS, MMS
GPRS: Class 10, WAP 2.0 browser
Sound: 2 stereo speakers, 3D-surround effect
Multimedia: MP3/MP4 player/Video Recorder
Battery: 950 mAh
Dimension: 109.3 x 57.6 x 14.58 mm
Weight: 95g

Standby time: 50 - 150 hrs.
Talk time: 120 - 180 mins

This is actually very amazing. But what makes things even better is that the company that produces these products, Solid Group, Inc., is a Filipino owned company geared towards providing Filipinos affordable yet of good quality and technologically advanced phones.

Imagine, where can you find a Windows Mobile Pocket PC that retails for only Php 20,000? And what's even more innovative about these products is the ability to use two active sim cards (even of different networks) at the same exact moment without the need to switch between the two sim cards!

But the question now is if these products could really stand the test of time and most importantly is if the keys are durable enough to withstand constant button pushing of the texting-addicted Filipinos? The product may be quite innovative and all but I wouldn't really rush to buy one. I may have to listen to the testimonies of present owners of the phone to know if the phone has defects or down sides.

I don't want to be like those Filipinos who went crazy over a cheap Filipino laptop brand - Neo, only to find that it isn't very durable because it's only made of cheap materials. And what's worst if the materials are made from China. I would rather buy a more expensive phone than risk having the phone blow up in front of my face.

If you really want to know more about these products then please visit the company's official website: http://www.myphone.com.ph

The Making of the Case Presentation

Who ever thought that I could also be a control freak and an organized systematic person. It was quite amazing how I made up a Daily Plan of Activities for Saturday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I was quite glad that my group mates were cooperative and had had the same passion "uwag" like my self in the making of our case presentation (CP).

There was someone though that wasn't able to come because of some serious reasons but I do hope that this person was telling the truth and didn't absent himself for nothing unimportant.

Anyway, I have a positive feeling for the good outcome of our case presentation. I'll just post the contents of the CP here when it's already finished.

Laptop Reformat Blooper

I did quite something stupid last Wednesday, January 30, 2008. I reformatted my friends laptop and I forgot to bring the Windows XP serial number! So while I was in the middle of reformatting the laptop at the library I encountered the serial number prompt and I really panicked. "Oh oh..." I said to myself. I had to search for a computer in the library that had a CD-ROM reader quick so that I could read the serial number found in the CD, well I hoped that the serial number was in the CD-ROM. Unfortunately the only computer with the CD-ROM was being used. So I had to walk down from the fifth floor of the library to a near internet cafe. Fortunately, the person at the internet cafe was very kind and allowed me to peek at my CD with no charge at all. But unfortunately... guess what, there was no serial key in the CD.

So what did I do? I went online using the library computer and searched for Windows XP serial numbers (I know that this was wrong, but it happened to be an emergency). I found none of course, instead I found a software that allows you to see your serial number in your computer. So I used it to peek at the library computer's serial number and I used that number to reformat my friend's laptop.

Problem solved! The only problem now is that if the Genuine Validation Program is ran on her laptop then she would most probably need to get her self a genuine personal copy. In my opinion having the Genuine copy is the best and only option so don't ever try what I did guys!

Asus X51R Series

Oh my it has been a month and several days since I first posted about my mom getting me a laptop but I still didn't get one yet and so as I keep on posting every week, IT"S SO FRUSTRATING!!!

Although I know that you just don't get money anywhere, it is so stressful to have to wait and expect because my mom sets dates that she says she'll get me the laptop but she keeps on moving them on and on and on. Honestly, I think that she's just testing my sanity to see how long I would remain sane. In fact there are times that I feel so drained already and that evil thoughts come in to my mind like robbing a computer store or something! Grr!!!

But today my mom told me that instead of the Acer Aspire 4315, that I have always envisioned in my mind that I'll get it, she'll get me an Asus X51R series. Actually this laptop is more expensive than the Acer Aspire 4315 and it's better in some aspects. It also has it's downsides of course.

But before that here are the technical specifications:

:: Processor - Intel Celeron M 520 1.6 GHz 1MB L2 Cache, 533 MHz FSB

:: Mainboard - ATI RS400/RC400/RC410

:: Memory - 512 MB, DDR2 PC5300 SDRAM, max. 2048MB, 1x512MB

:: Graphics adapter - ATI XPress 1100 - 0 MB Chip/Clock rate: 329/333MHz

:: Display - 15.4 Zoll 16:10, 1280x800 pixel, WXGA Color-Shine Glare Type TFT Display, glossy: yes

:: Harddisk - 80GB 5400rpm Hitachi HTS 541680J9SA00

:: Soundcard - Realtek HD Audio

:: Connections - PCCard, Microphone, Headphones, 4x USB 2.0, VGA-Out, Kensington Lock, LAN, Modem

:: Networking - 802.11b/g Wireless Lan, 10/100 Ethernet, 56K Modem

:: Optical drive - DVD +/-R (DL) Matshita UJ-850S

:: Size - height x width x depth (in mm): 36x365x264

:: Weight - 2.74 kg

:: Battery - 4400 mAh lithium ions battery

:: Others: 4 in 1 Card Reader

So the good thing about the Asus X51r is that it's a dual core. The downside is that it only has a 512 MB memory as compared to the Acer Aspire 4315 which has a 1 GB memory and is already packaged with a Genuine Microsoft Windows XP.

But I can always upgrade it to a 1GB RAM right so it's quite ok.

Here is the link to my Acer aspire post if you would like to review it:

http://vincentbautista.blogspot.com/2008/01/asus-eee-vs-acer-aspire-4315.html

School and Student Nurse Rivalries

It really can't be helped. There will always be school rivalries and student nurse rivalries. The rivalry would always stem from the debate of which school is better.

With the numerous nursing schools that are sprouting in the Philippines we can't help but ask wether the quality of education and the standards of teaching are maintained. That is why nursing schools should really prove that they are not one of those mediocre nursing schools existing.

Of course it has been a well known fact that Xavier University (XU) is a well respected and reputable Jesuit institution not only in the Philippines but in abroad as well. That is why other schools can't help but compare itself to XU because the standards and curriculum of the XU - College of Nursing (XUCN) is an acceptable measure of excellence. I can't help but reiterate the well known fact that ever since the XU College of Nursing opened, it had always produced batches of nurses who always pass the PRC board exams 100%.

This fact threatens other schools that is why they resort to dirty tactics to defame and destroy the reputation of XUCN, which of course they never succeed in.

That is why there is always an uneasy feeling when two schools have their duty together because criticism and backstabbing will never be avoided.

But it is unfortunate though that our clinical instructor had to reprimand us from our so-called behavior of feeling superior than other student nurses because it is quite ironic that we feel superior in the ward but actually are inferior in the classroom when faced by several hard medical-surgical nursing concepts.

I just hope that my batch and I could live up to the expectation of being an Atenean nursing student. Because if we can't then we better consider transferring schools and that would be a VERY TRAUMATIC experience... huhuhu...

Injured Finger!

Ah! I injured my finger! Ouch! Like it's so hard to encode right now... huhuhu but I'm still trying to function normally.

I won't allow this impairment to hinder me from doing my ADL's or activities of daily living huhuhu.

It does really hurt. I can rate the pain with a 2 out of 10 pain scale with 10 as the highest. I already applied ice to prevent further hematoma and inflammation and also to desensitize the pain fibers.

I won't drink Mefenamic acid or any analgesics for that matter because I fear that my body would adapt to it and it wouldn't be effective when I really need pain killers.

I do hope that my finger heals soon. Oh yeah my finger got injured because it got stuck in a folding chair as I was about to get of the van. Darn it, what bad luck!

The Student Nurse is Sick

Ok, I can't believe that I'm sick again. I was just in the hospital last December 30 to January 2 and now I'm fearing that I might be admitted in the hospital for the same reason: tonsillitis or pharyngitis.

It's either one of the two because my doctor really didn't inform me of my medical diagnosis but I'm sure that it's either of the two. I have a long history of tonsillitis so I'm not anymore surprised if I get Rheumatoid Heart Disease.

For those who don't know what tonsillitis or pharyngitis is here's a quick overview:

Pharyngitis and tonsillitis are infections in the throat that cause inflammation. If the tonsils are primarily affected, it is called tonsillitis. If the throat is primarily affected, it is called pharyngitis. A person might even have inflammation and infection of both the tonsils and the throat. This would be called pharyngotonsillitis. These infections are spread by close contact with other individuals. Bacterial infections are more common during the winter. Viral infections are more common in summer and fall.

I'm not sure though if my sore (yeah I have one near my uvula and it's painful) is caused by a virus or bacteria. Either way my doctor gave me this medical management:

• Clindamycin (300 mg BID PO) - is a lincosamide antibiotic that is used to treat the infection causing my pharyngitis/tonsillitis
• Mefenamic Acid (500 mg TID PO) - an analgesic that is prescribed for the pain

And for my nursing management (I added this one ):

• Warm saline gargle BID (that's twice a day)
• Good oral care
• Increase fluid intake and rest

I would like to add a pathophysiology of my disease condition but I guess that it would be over-doing it right? I have a few ideas though why I got infected:

• There are times that I fall asleep with out brushing my teeth
• I have a tooth decay near the tonsils
• I'm genetically predisposed to tonsillitis/pharyngitis - a very unlikely reason hahaha

Medical-Surgical Nursing Book as a Sleeping Aid

Moving at the speed of Nursing... This slogan seems so ironic in my case. I am guilty of sometimes using my medical-surgical (MS) book as a sleeping aid. I can't help it sometimes, I realized that reading MS could stimulate me to sleep.

I know that this is a bad habit so I'm trying to break it. I really should pull myself together because there's only a few weeks left before finals and I'm still unprepared and my quizzes are very low.

It would be a miracle if I passed MS at all. But I would make up for my wasted time by studying more: this is my promise.

Practicing Clinical Instructors

For me, Practicing Clinical Instructors (PCI's) are just students. They aren't really clinical instructors. They are still learning to be one. They should admit that they aren't fit enough to be called a nurse yet because they still are student nurses.

But it really annoys me when some PCI's think that they are far more superior than us and that they are equals with our clinical instructor. But I beg to differ. They still have a lot to learn before they can be a CI.

There are PCI's thought that are very approachable and respectful. They treat us as equals rather than subordinates and they never say side comments that are not only useless but degrading too.

That is why I'm never happy when PCI's are around because they are just there to nag us around to do our jobs.

Wheezing In the Abdomen?!

I was really frustrated when I heard from my duty mate that a student nurse from another school interrupted their assessment.

It would have been ok if he just stopped with what he said, "Excuse me what are you doing here, that's my patient (in Cebuano)". If I were only there I would have replied, "I never knew that you were the patient's owner." We already asked permission from the nursing station if we could re-asses our patient for our case presentation and we were not on duty so we weren't "stealing" his patient.

Anyway I really got pissed of when my duty mate told me that he just grabbed the stethoscope and insisted that he takes the bowel sounds instead implying that we were dumb and didn't had the needed skills to auscultate the bowel sounds.

But look who's dumber now Mr. SN of "Fun"? I was on the verge of looking for this guy and giving him a piece of my mind when my duty mate verbalized what he said, "The patient has wheezing in the abdomen!"

I immediately had fits of laughter. Like what?! Come again? Wheezing in the stomach? Oh really? Because if we would review our respiratory system wheezing would be a high-pitched whistling sound associated with labored breathing. Wheezing occurs when a child or adult tries to breathe deeply through air passages that are narrowed or filled with mucus.

I wonder if Mr. Wheezing really auscultated the stomach or the lungs because as I know wheezing is a breath sound, how on earth would it become a bowel sound?

So MORAL LESSON Mr. Wheezing from "Fun": Don't ever think that you are better than us in skills or whatsoever because we all are still learning and XU Nursing students have the skills and KNOWLEDGE to match whatever your school might boast of. And, don't underestimate us if you can't even differentiate that wheezing is a respiratory sound and not a bowel sound!

There's A First Time For Everything

Never in my wildest dream would I expect to be late in my duty days!

And sadly my worst fear came true...

My duty would start at 5:45 AM and I woke up at 6:15 AM! Imagine that! I was 30 minutes late for my first day of duty at the surgical ward. Being late brought about a weird feeling. I woke up feeling tired and sleepy because I stayed up until 4 am to finish my requirements. At first I didn't think that I was late. I looked out my window and told myself, "Hmm... it's finally morning..." and then I suddenly realized that I had duty and I couldn't help but mutter the words, "Oh God, all the angels, and saints I hope that I'm not late!" Yeah right! I wish!

I was lucky though that a taxi just passed by my boarding house when I went out and boy the adrenaline rush didn't feel good at all. I was worried and I was sweating... and oh boy... I didn't take a bath.

My duty mates were already taking down their endorsements when I arrived. I was a mess and I expected my clinical instructor to shout at me or something but strangely enough he was very cool tempered, lucky for me.

Although I got 8 hours extension (which hopefully I won't have to serve) the day was quite good. I promised my self that I wouldn't be late for the next day but guess what, I was late. But I caught up to the pre-conference during the second day so it was ok.

So this time, I promise myself to always finish my requirements as early as possible and I should sleep early too so that I could still wake up!

NGT Feeding

It was quite amazing to have actually been able to feed someone through a nasogastric tube (NGT). To those who don't know what a nasogastric tube is, it is a tube that is inserted in the nose that passes at the back of the mouth, through the esophagus and opens directly into the stomach.

Tube feedings are given when a person is unable to eat or tolerate enough food and/or oral supplements to meet his/her nutritional needs.

It's quite easy to feed a patient via NGT. Just make sure that the tube is patent and is correctly positioned in the stomach by injecting air and auscultating (listening with the use of a stethoscope) the right upper quadrant of the abdomen for a whooshing or gushing sound. If there is the sound then pour the nutrient mixture or "bolus" into the asepto syringe and allow the bolus to flow through the tube. Just remember to kink the tube when opening or adding a bolus to the syringe to prevent air from entering the tube and causing stomach distention. And to finish the feeding, flush the tube with 30cc or 30 ml of water.

There's nothing hard with NGT feeding. It's just that your arms would really ache especially if the bolus would flow very slowly because it's too viscous or the patient requires frequent feedings.

Want To Earn Money By Simply Clicking Stuff?

My gosh. Remember my post about the survey thingy? It really is believable. Like I already have a paypal account and I'm just waiting to earn more money and redeem it. You have to reach $75 to redeem your earning but with $4 per review, the $75 is not that hard to reach!

Interested Here's the address: http://www.awsurveys.com/HomeMain.cfm?RefID=vincentb88

And oh yeah, while your at it why don't you check this out:
http://bux.to/?r=vincentb88

How you make money with bux.to?
You view websites in 30 second sessions via the "Surf Ads" page. Once the 30 seconds is up, you'll either get a green tick sign or a red 'X'. The green tick sign means you've earned $0.01 and as premium member $0.0125 for the visit and the 'X' means you have not earned money for the visit. You'll get red X's when you have more than one website from the "Surf Ads" page open. When this happens, you get no credit.

A valuable benefit to both the members and the advertisers is the repeat exposure that the advertiser gets. Whenever you click and view a website, you can visit that website again in 24 hours as long as the visit cap hasn't been reached. That's right! After 24 hours you can click and view the website again. This gives the advertiser optimal exposure by using "repeat advertising" and it further increases the members earning potential.

Reading in the Operating Room: Is It Acceptable, Just Because We Can?

Reading in the Operating Room: Is It Acceptable, Just Because We Can?

by Terri G. Monk, MD, and Adolph H. Giesecke, MD

Like the stock market, which waxes and wanes in irregular, dysrhythmic undulations, the interest that residents and practitioners have in reading in the operating room (OR) follows a similar course. Recently, we have observed that reading in the OR has gradually crept back into our practice; it is in a waxing phase. We understand why anesthesiologists are tempted to read in the OR (“Watching surgery is like watching paint dry,” and “I have no time to read at home so I need to make up for lost time in the OR”). This subject became the focus of serious discussion in a panel on patient safety presented at the recent annual meeting of the Association of University Anesthesiologists in Sacramento, CA. We feel that reading in the OR seriously compromises patient safety and are opposed to it for the following 4 reasons:
First, reading diverts one’s attention from the patient. If, because one’s attention is diverted, 1 or 2 minutes of warning signals are missed, then the remaining time may not be adequate to evaluate the problem, make a diagnosis, and take corrective action. The consequence may be a severely injured patient. However, with improved monitoring techniques (pulse oximetry, capnography), it can be argued that this scenario is less likely.
Second, the patient is paying for our undivided attention, and most well-informed patients want to know if we plan to turn over a portion of their anesthesia care to a nurse or resident. If we are obliged to honestly answer that concern, then, should we also be obliged to inform the patient that we plan to read during a portion of the anesthetic? If patients knew, they would probably request a reduction in our fee for service or choose another anesthesiologist. On a personal level, we would not want the anesthesiologist caring for us or our family to read during surgery. Is it fair to provide less vigilance to our patients than we would expect during our own anesthetic?
Third, it is medico-legally dangerous. Any plaintiff’s attorney would love to have a case in which the circulating nurse would testify, “Dr. Giesecke was reading when the cardiac arrest occurred. Yep, he was reading the Wall Street Journal. You know he has a lot of valuable stocks that he must keep track of.” It is possible that if anesthesiologists informed their malpractice carriers that they routinely read during cases, the companies might raise premiums or cancel malpractice coverage.
Fourth, the practice of reading in the OR projects a negative public image. In this case, the nurses, technicians, aides, and surgeons represent the public. The officers of the ASA must occasionally serve as spokespersons for our profession at press conferences. Usually this follows a highly publicized disaster. It would be very difficult for them to defend the practice of reading in the OR. The public perception of our manner of practice is critical to the future integrity of the practice of anesthesiology. Let us strive to project an appropriate image. Reading in the OR should NOT be part of the image.
Despite our strong objections to reading in the OR, many of our colleagues feel differently. In 1995, Dr. Weinger wrote an article for the APSF Newsletter discussing the practice of reading in the OR and pointed out that there were no scientific data on the impact of reading on anesthesia provider vigilance.1 He concluded, “In the absence of controlled studies on the effect of reading in the operating room on vigilance and task performance, no definitive or generalizable recommendations can be made,” and the decision to read or not should be “a personal one based on recognition of one’s capabilities and limitations.”1 This commentary generated a flurry of letters to the editor from anesthesiologists supporting both sides of the issue. Advocates of reading said it was no different than “any conversation with another person in the operating room about topics unrelated to patient care” or “listening to music” during the procedure, while opponents called the practice “appalling” and “totally unacceptable.”
In an attempt to resolve the controversy, the APSF awarded a patient-safety grant to Dr. Weinger in 1997 for his project entitled “Scientific Evaluation of Anesthesiologist Performance: Further Validation and Study of the Effects of Sleep Deprivation and of Intraoperative Reading.” In a recent abstract, Weinger reported that anesthesia providers read in 35% of cases, but found no evidence that vigilance was different between reading and non-reading periods.2 He concluded that intraoperative reading by anesthesiologists “may have limited effects on vigilance and therefore may not a priori put patients’ safety at risk.”
While there appears to be no conclusive evidence that reading in the OR affects vigilance on the part of the anesthesiologist, we still object to this practice. Former President Bill Clinton was highly criticized for his affair with an intern, despite a lack of evidence indicating that this indiscretion affected his performance as president or adversely affected the country. When asked in a recent CBS television interview why he had an affair with Monica Lewinsky, Mr. Clinton responded, “For the worst possible reason: just because I could. I think that’s just the most morally indefensible reason that anybody could have for doing anything.” As anesthesiologists, we know that we can read in the OR and recognize that there is no scientific evidence that reading in the OR adversely affects a patient’s outcome. Would we, however, want to defend this practice in a television interview?
Dr. Monk is a Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, and Dr. Giesecke is a Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Management and Former Jenkins Professor and Chairman at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas TX.

References
1.Weinger MB. In my opinion: lack of outcome data makes reading a personal decision, states OR investigator. APSF Newsletter 1995;10:3-5.
2.Weinger MB. Assessing the impact of reading on anesthesia provider’s vigilance, clinical workload, and task distribution. Available on the web at: http://www.anestech.org/Publications/Annual_2003/sta117.html. Accessed on August 9, 2004.

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http://www.AWSurveys.com/HomeMain.cfm?RefID=vincentb88

Naruto Shippuuden - Episode 43

Oh my gosh! Naruto Shippuuden - Episode 43 is out! Can't wait to watch it right now.
Here's a link to the video:

http://www.crunchyroll.com/showmedia?id=253470T

And for those who have no idea what Naruto Shippuuden is here's a little summary:
Naruto Shippuuden is the continuation of the original animated TV series Naruto.The story revolves around an older and slightly more matured Uzumaki Naruto and his quest to save his friend Uchiha Sasuke from the grips of the snake-like Shinobi, Orochimaru. After 2 and a half years Naruto finally returns to his village of Konoha, and sets about putting his ambitions to work, though it will not be easy, as He has amassed a few (more dangerous) enemies, in the likes of the shinobi organization; Akatsuki

It's really fun watching Naruto because you get to imagine what life is for a ninja! Hahaha! But like many anime, they also reflect certain truths about life and human beings. In this anime, Naruto and Gaara are hated and treated as outcasts because they are different. Although the two are very kind they are treated harshly because the people around them fear them because they carry a great power that could destroy their whole village. But it's nice to know that the people around them had a change of heart after both Naruto and Gaara risked their lives for the people who hated them.

Naruto also talks about friendship and how wonderful it is to have at least one person to appreciate your existence.

After Midterms What’s Next?

At last, midterms have long passed and gone. This midterm week wasn’t that stressful at all and the exams were quite easy. They seem easy for me but I’m not sure if I fared that well. But it’s a good thing that I got a good score in my NCM 102 – RLE (medical-surgical nursing) because my prelim exams, both in RLE and lecture, were bloody (lots of wrong answers and red X-marks)! But as expected, with the good comes the bad. My lecture exam is missing! I thought that my clinical instructor was joking but oh my God, the world came twirling around and I fainted! Well, I didn’t really faint. But for a person who lost his exam and who is uncertain if he passed or failed, I seem quite relaxed actually. Thank God for my come-what-may attitude because if I keep on obsessing about my grade I might actually become a patient at Davao Medical Center – Psychiatric Department.

Right now I am in relaxed mode but ready to face the challenge that my chosen profession may throw at me. Char. I have learned so much from this week. I have learned that I am actually a morning person than a night person; I learn more and retain more when I study in the morning than at night. Also, to pass medical-surgical nursing I need to borrow the great war plan: divide-and-conquer! I need to study and read ahead before the semi-finals if I really want to pass.

Goodbye Xavier, Liceo Here I Come

“Goodbye Xavier, Liceo here I come,” a normal phrase from nursing students of Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan who have a sense of impending doom. It has been a tradition in the College of Nursing to have a lot (half of the population) of third year students fail in NCM 102 (Medical-Surgical Nursing). And if they do fail, they have two options to choose from. One, they become “off-sem” or they don’t go to school until NCM 102 is offered again to students. Second is the very difficult and heart-wrenching decision to transfer to another school.

All my life as a nursing student, I have been constantly challenged to put my gameface on and do my best to excel because I have to live to the expectations of being an Atenean, a student nurse from Xavier University. We are invigorated whenever a clinical instructor (CI) reminds us and says, “This is Xavier University, if you can’t live up to its standards, then you better transfer to another school.” This may sound harsh but it only shows that our CI’s care for us and they don’t want us to fail. I have a lot of CI’s who I really look up too because they are the ones who I want to be someday. Like my CI’s I want to be a graduate of Xavier University and be a pure blooded Atenean nurse who is committed, competent, compassionate, and a good conscience.

I remember my clinical instructor, whom I idolize, telling the class that we shouldn’t cheat because we are only degrading our intelligence, because every one of us has the capacity to excel because we are all intelligent, if we wouldn’t be then we wouldn’t have been accepted at Xavier. And this is quite true because out of 1000 plus applicants from around the Philippines, only a few are chosen, around 400. The XU College of Nursing does not accept transferees from other schools and second coursers. This may be because having a small number of students would provide an environment conducive for learning and so that the famed 100% passing rate in the board exams tradition won’t be discontinued. One of the greatest fears of nursing students from Xavier is that they will be the one to break the record of having a 100% passing rate because ever since the College of Nursing opened, all of its batches have graduated with a 100% passing rate. As my clinical instructor would say, “The problem is not passing the board, but topping it.” It's no wonder why Xavier is recognized as a Center of Exellence in Nursing.

I am proud to say that I am a student nurse from Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan. But sadly I would be transferring to another school next semester. Fortunately I’m not transferring to any other school in Cagayan de Oro, thank God! I’m not transferring because I failed, I got kicked out, or I can’t afford to go to school anymore. I’m transferring because I’m moving away somewhere this coming April or May and I don’t want to say where for now. But even if I transfer to another school, I would always be an Atenean at heart. I have been studying at Xavier University since high school and it’s very unfortunate that I can’t graduate as an Atenean nurse. But I will continue to practice what I believe in and all that I have learned during my formation as an Atenean.

Asus Eee vs Acer Aspire 4315

It was my mom who texted me one day and told me of the existence of this laptop. My mom said that it was small and it was a very nice laptop. I was at first skeptical about the said laptop and decided to do some research about this wonder laptop called the Asus Eee PC.

I would have to say that for a small laptop it actually has very good features. And you would get these features at a very small cost. So how much will it (Asus Eee PC 701) retail in the Philippines? 17,999 pesos! At the said price, it is actually cheaper than the announced price of USD $399, if converted using 44 pesos to a dollar. It’s cheaper to get the Asus Eee PC here in the Philippines!

But don’t get your hopes up yet guys. Just check it’s specifications so that you can judge for yourself what this so-called Asus Eee really is:

· Processor: Intel Celeron M ULV 900MHz

· Graphics: Integrated Intel GMA 900 GPU

· Storage: 4GB of Flash-based storage (SSD) (there is also an 8GB version)

· Memory: 512MB of DDR2 RAM (667MHz)

· OS: Xandros Linux (Asus customized, preloaded with OpenOffice, Skype, and google applications)

· Screen: 7-inch screen with 800 x 480 resolution

· Ports: 3 USB 2.0, 1 VGA monitor out, headphone jack, microphone input, SD card reader (SDHC compatible), Kensington lock slot, Ethernet 10/100

· Webcam (0.3 MP)

· Battery: 4-cell 5200 mAh 7.4V Li-Ion (rated at 3.5 hours)

· Wireless: 802.11b/g Atheros

· Input: Keyboard and Touchpad

· Weight: approximately 2 lbs with battery, 2.5 lbs travel weight with AC adapter.

· Two-year warranty

In my opinion, the Asus Eee Notebook would be a great toy for children. It is also a very good laptop for students and people who will only use it for research and word processing works. Don’t expect to play games in this PC or be able to install programs like Windows XP and Photoshop with the very limited 8GB storage memory.

It’s a good thing that I researched the specifications of this laptop first rather than quickly agreeing to get this laptop. Although Asus is a well respected brand, it’s specs doesn’t suit me at all.

So I’m still hanging on to my dream of getting that Acer Aspire 4315 with much better specs but for a much higher price of course. But the Acer Aspire is pretty much worth it with these specs:

• Intel® Celeron® M Processor 530SR (1.73GHz, 1MB Cache, 533MHz FSB)
• Mobile Intel® GL960 Express chipset with integrated 3D graphics, featuring Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) X3100, up to 358 MB of Intel DVMT 4.0 (8 MB of dedicated, up to 350 MB of shared system memory), supporting Microsoft® DirectX® 9.0
• 14.1" Wide XGA CrystalBrite (200 nit) Color LCD supports 1280 x 800 pixel resolution and dual display via Acer GridVista
• 80GB SATA HDD
• 1GB DDR2 RAM
• Integrated 56Kbps modem & 10/100 Mbps LAN
• Integrated 802.11b/g Wireless LAN
• Integrated DVD/CD-RW combo drive
• Two built-in Acer 3DSonic stereo speakers
• 6-cell Li-Ion Battery Pack (2.0 hours battery life)
• 3xUSB, 1xVGA port, ExpressCard/54 slot, S-video/TV-out (NTSC/PAL) port
• 344 (W) × 246 (D) × 37/42 (H) mm
• Weight 2.6kg
• 1-Year International Traveler Warranty
• Acer Designed Carrying Bag
• Genuine Microsoft Windows XP OS

For Php 32,000 the Acer Aspire 4315 is a great buy indeed!

Blogging Boom

It has recently occurred to me that the number of bloggers has actually grown and that blog sites are popping like mushrooms everywhere. For those who don’t know what a blog is, it is like an online diary or a site where you post your reviews, thoughts, pictures, videos, and whatever media you my have.

As a friend of mine commented, people are going Adsense addicts. Adsense by the way is a great new product by Google that allows you to earn money by allowing ads to flash on your webpage. The more page impressions or clicks and referrals to those ads, the more money you own. Unfortunately on my part, I only get around 10 people who visit my blog every day and this would earn me only a few cents. But hey I did already earned around $6 since last year. This is a great feat for an amateur personal blogger as my self.

But I am quite impressed by the blogs of my friends. Their blogs have such substance that makes my blog seem so shallow and all, but hey it’s a personal blog after all right? I can post anything I want no matter how boring it is. But seeing those blogs of my friends poses a great challenge to me. I will improve my blog, not just to earn more money but for personal satisfaction too. Maybe once in a while I’ll place my reviews on gadgets, movies, or whatsoever because my friend said that reviews tend to get more viewers.

Anyway here are some blogs of friends and contacts that really caught my attention:

1. http://republikaneri.blogspot.com/
2. http://laytech.blogspot.com/
3. http://kirbitz.blogspot.com/
4. http://mikekrismac.blogsome.com/
5. http://yu-rico.blogspot.com/
   

My First Surgical Case

I am quite lucky to have been able to have my first surgical case at Xavier University Community Health Care Center. I was able to scrub in an excision or removal of a fibroadenoma at the left breast. A fibroadenoma is actually a sort of cyst or mass in the breast. It's actually benign so there was nothing to worry about. I was fortunate to have worked with such an intelligent, skillful, and understanding surgeon. The surgeon has showed me great surgical techniques that I thought I would only see on TV. It was amazing that I actually helped him do those procedures. Actually he could have done it himself. I wasn't really that helpful. Like it was my first time to scrub-in and it really took some time for me to think of what to do next. Dr. Perez was very understanding and he really helped in guiding me what to do. He must have empathized with me since he was also a nurse. He is actually still very young for a talented surgeon. I really had a difficulty in addressing him because I keep on calling him sir instead of doctor. Always remember to call doctors doctor because it is a bit degrading to be called sir because sir is only for male nurses and patients. Its a complex world of medical professionals. Anyway it was quite embarassing when I broke my sterility (that's the absence of microorganisms) but I won't say how because people might use it against me in the court of law. Hehehe. But my mistake wasn't that bad and the operating room nurse was kind enough to let me of the hook that time. The operating room is very amazing. Kind of like a magical place. Imagine in the morning I had to work in the ward and them in the operating room in the afternoon. I was so tired and I wanted to go home but once I entered the operating room adrenaline rush swept all over my body as an operation was actually already begun. It was a shame that I wasn't able to take pictures of the operation but we actually didn't think of taking pictures that time. We had several minor operations and each operation was like a new experience. If I were given a choice to choose where I would specialize, I would definitely say the operating room.

Filipino CEO Sex Scandal

It's quite amazing how this keywords could attract so many readers. Like I've read in some blog that the words sex scandal could really attract people to your blog or website. If you did open this blog because of the said keywords then the statistics must be true. What is it with human beings and they find something controversial very interesting and amusing. Maybe human beings are just finding ways to spice up their lives with things that are out of the ordinary like sex scandals. If people had enough time and their own private place, camera, and girlfriends/boyfriends then I guess we would have an abundant supply of sex scandals because people would do the things that are forbidden to fulfill one's curiousity and to stir up one's boring routines that we call life. I think that all of us have thought of doing something wrong just to see what happens. Imagine slapping your teacher. Isn't it interesting to find out their reactions? Maybe we provoke to feel that we truly exist. I don't know with others but this is just my idea why people do stupid things.

Goodbye Laptop

I had mixed emotions when my mom texted me one day and told me that our installment plan for my laptop was accepted. I was supposed to get an Acer Aspire 4315! Like it had 1 GB of RAM already and it already has a pre-installed Genuine XP! What a sweet deal! Naturally I would be ecstatic and all because I could already get my laptop anytime in that week. But all my hopes and expectations were washed down the drain when she told me that we needed a co-buyer that was a close relative. One would say that that wasn't a big deal at all. But in my case it is a big deal. My mom's relatives are all in Manila. My dad's relatives are here but the only one's living near the city can't even afford to support themselves, how in the world can they become co-buyers of a techno stuff that they would have to work for for several years to be able to barely afford the downpayment. Don't get me wrong, my dad does have successful sisters but they live so far away, one is in Cebu and the other is in California. Actually the store was happy enough to allow my mom to have her officemate co-sign the contract. Her officemate was actually very willing to be a co-buyer, God bless her. Everything was going smoothly and even fast but unfortunately my mom's husband had to get in the way of my dream. He is such a disappointment and I bluntly say that I am ashamed to have him as a father. Like who in their right mind would tell a credit officer that we had plans of leaving the country? He even showed the credit inspector my mom's text telling him not to say anything stupid like what he just said. He talked like a stupid parrot telling the credit officer that my mom gives post-dated checks, which isn't true, and even told the credit officer that my mom had plans of early retirement. Who in their right mind would allow us to purchase anything if we weren't financially stable. The fact is we are financially stable but my stupid father had to open his big mouth and destroyed our reputation. So right now my dreams and all my plans for my laptop are gone. To think that I could have used the laptop to simplify my study life. But all of that is gone now. My mom told me not to be depressed and all because there are a lot of stores but that atore had the laptop which I really wanted and I would have to prolong the anguish and agony of obsessing about that freaky laptop. Grr! How hard it is to convince me that it's just a stupid piece of wires and chips but what can I do, I've been waiting and expecting too long already for that laptop to materialize but then all of the sudden poof! It disappeared like that. How much longer do I have to wait! I do understand my mom but I still blame my dad for ruining it for me.

IVF Fan

Presenting the "IVF Fan: A quick reference for students and busy nurses plus a way to cool off in the ward!"

This is a project that I made. Our clinical instructor (CI) told us to use Intravenous Fluid (IVF) bottles and be creative in making a quick reference thingy. It was really fun racing each other to complete collecting 6 types of IVF. We really got down and dirty and searched every IVF bucket we could find. It was a great experience but I wouldn't want to do it again cause it's very draining. ^_^

New Year in the Hospital

Who would have thought that I'd be spending my New Year's Day in the hospital because of Tonsillitis? Yup that's right, I was hospitalized for having too much chocolates. So if you want me to die, send me lots and lots of chocolates. Don't worry I'll be sure to eat it, it will be a slow and painful death...

The first 2 days were fine because I had my assignments to keep me busy (I hate the Nursing-student life). But the last 2 days were agonizing! The boredom just drives me crazy! I thought that I should just study to spend some time but then my laptop obsession turned up and I was so excited and frustrated because the future of my laptop is so dim. I hate it when my expectations aren't met.

Anyway, this is my second time to be admitted in the hospital. I couldn't remember my first time because I was so young back then but I remember every moment in the hospital right now. My admitting doctor was very nice and it's all thanks to her excellent clinical eye and medical management that I was feeling better on the second day already. I had fever up to 40 degrees Celcius and I was suffering from chills due to my super inflamed tonsils that had already started to have pus. It's not a good picture people. I'm very prone to tonsillitis, pharyngitis, and all mouth diseases so I tend to stay from dirty foods but why do I still get tonsillitis?!

It really feels nice when I'm injected with my antibiotics through my IV line, it feels so cool. I just hate it thought when people comes into my room every four hours even in the crack of dawn but my nurses and even wardmen are very nice. I also like my room, i really felt that I was in a hotel and I'll just ring the bell if I wanted anything. My bathroom was also clean so I really didn't have any complain about it.

I have been discharged now and I feel like a million dollar (wonder why I used this cliche). Good thing too that I stayed at a company owned hospital because oh my, the bill was very expensive. As the saying goes, "Mahirap magkasakit". Translation: Don't ever get sick because you'll just get worst when you see the bill.

On Exchanging Links

If you want to exchange links, please do not hesitate to inform me by placing a comment at my chat box or in any of my posts. You may also e-mail me at vincentb88@gmail.com for your exchange link request.

You may also add this button to your site as a link:

Here is the code :

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If you want you could also add my other blog, MY NURSE'S NOTES

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Reset Button

Who would have thought that I would get sick during the holiday. Yup I am so sick. I have fever and possibly pharyngitis (again). I just hate being sick, but then it's a good excuse to delay studying and doing other school stuff because of the reason: I'm sick. ^_^

But again I won't slack of because my grades are not so good. Lost my scholarship already and I'm not prepared to fail cause I promised my self I won't.

How nice it would be to have a reset button. Just yesterday I was sweating like crazy because my brother's mp4 won't turn on and I was afraid that my mom won't get me the laptop I wanted because the money would go to the repair of the said mp4 instead. Anyway lucky for me that the great mp4 had a reset button and everything went to normal without any data loss too.

How great it would be if we all had a reset button right? Then all those wasted time I had being idle would have been used for studying and I won't be at the edge of my seat fearing for the worst.

Ok. I'm being idle again, back to studying. I have to give more effort this time if I want to pass the dreaded course I chose. Darn it!

Ateneo de Davao Univeristy (ADDU)

This picture was taken last month (November) and I really like this pic. it shows that I have actually achieved one of my dreams and that is to visit ADDU. I have planned to visit ADDU when I was in Davao for our psychiatric affiliation but I was only able to visit my sister school when I came back to Davao for our medical examination.

being infront ADDU was a sense of accomplishment for me. Don't get me wrong I am a true blue Atenean. I have studied at Ateneo since high school. And if only I could already take care of myself and live alone during grade school then I would probably be studying in Xavier University Grade School (Ateneo de Cagayan). There's a lot of pride in me hehehe. But I do love my school. That's a fact.

I was about to write about my Davao experience but it's too lengthy and I'm a lazy bum hehehe. Anyway I wasn't really able to enter the campus since it's already dark and we were only there to buy some Pomelo from the sidewalk vendors infront of the school hahaha. Like we stopped at the side of the road (you can actually see my tita's car in the picture) and the vendors came to us (imagine that). We then decided to go out because we wanted to taste which vendor's pomelo is good (it was already more like eating if you ask me). The vendors really opened pomelos and gave each one of us. We then ofcourse bought a lot because the vendors would lose a lot because they really opened their products for us. I had a picture of the trash we left behind infront of Ateneo hahaha I am so bad.

Laptop Dilemma

I have wanted to get a laptop for so long. It’s already a proven fact that a laptop is a necessity and not just a want. A laptop is a need especially for a student nurse like me who constantly needs to be constantly updated and who need to research stuff.

I asked my Mom once if she could buy me one because my two laptops are unfortunately permanently out of order. To my dismay she asked what I need it for. We already have two computers in the house but I can’t really use them because I stay at a boarding house and it’s not time-efficient, not to mention cost-effective, to just come home to use the computer. Sure the school has computers and all but the laboratories open late and the computers are the library are constantly used by silly students who have no conscience and just use the computers there for opening their Friendster account. I understand that their tuition includes the use of the computers but it’s a library a place of learning not socializing.

I could also go to internet cafes but it would be such a hassle. Not to mention dangerous, an internet café is filled with strangers and possibly evil elements.

I asked my mom if I could bring my computer at home to the boarding house and she then told me that bringing a computer to the city would be difficult and all plus I had to pay for the additional electricity use. To my surprise she then told me that she would buy me a laptop instead. I was really overjoyed

I couldn’t sleep and I constantly keep on thinking about that laptop. I’m obsessed with the thought of actually having the laptop in my arms like it’s crazy. I’m already suffering; I’m in anguish having to wait for January to get my laptop.

Actually the waiting part is bearable but something awful came up. I have rummaged around the city for computer shops and it all came to two stores who had the laptops I want. One store had an installment plan but only had Neo laptops which is within my allotted budget. A Neo-Q Note Endura 540SLe to be exact:

Neo notebooks to be honest are cheap. So cheap that it makes you wonder if it would last a month or so. I have surfed the net and to my big dismay my speculations where right. Neo Enduras doesn’t endure at all. Some Neo customers had bought Neos and it only lasted for 8 months. There are a lot of complaints about it and the customer service is very poor. Like I am praying and hoping that my mom would reconsider and won’t buy me a Neo.

I am hoping that she buys me an Asus X51R series which doesn’t only have a faster processor (Intel Dual Core 1.86 Ghz) and many more superior features. It beats Endura on almost all aspect and it only is php 7,200 more expensive. If you ask me, I would rather buy a well-known brand from a doubtful one. But if ever I get a Neo, I would be sad but at least I get a laptop right? I’ll just have to be very careful with it and I would have to buy laptop fans because it easily heats up.

The second store has my dream laptop. An Acer Travelmate 5520! It actually is like the Asus X51R but only a bit faster with a superior graphics card. But I bet my mom would get me either an HP Compaq Presario C702TU or an Acer Aspire 4315 Notebook. They really have the same specs to each other (even with the Neo Endura 540SLe) but I would prefer the Acer from the three (HP, Acer Aspire, Neo). The HP may be a better brand but its design is sort of... uhm... square? The second store does have my laptop of preferences but they don’t have an installment plan. I doubt my mom would buy it directly with cold hard cash. But I do hope that things work out with the second store. My mom has some connections with the said store and she could arrange for something. But unfortunately the said person is on leave. I do hope that that person decides to return ASAP so that things will be worked out and then I can get my laptop (an Acer or HP, NOT a NEO, God forbids) by the second week.

I would rather wait for a month longer as long as I don’t get a Neo for a laptop.