Check on the following factors that can be useful if you are seriously considering blogging as a career:

Choose an Interesting blog name.  Carefully choose a name to identify your character and personality.  Perhaps, we haven’t got any idea on how to make an intriguing food blog name at the start.  Some bloggers just thought of random names they think are cute and pleasant to hear and read.  The point is that a person should associate himself on the chosen name for easy and interesting identification.  Think of a particular reason why you use that name can also be a key.

Select what blog platform to utilize.  Most bloggers avail of WordPress.org and really loving it.  There are more choices and just be sure to pick the ones you are comfortable of using.

Think of how to host your blog.  You may be considering if you want a self-host or a free hosting options.  At Wordpress.com, a free hosting is offered, and the server will be in charge of your blogs.  So that means if your blog name is Juanfood, your URL will appear as juanfood.wordpress.com.  If you are okay with simple hosting, this type is for you.  Any other upgrades and customizations are already available for a corresponding fee.

Select a host that is dependable.  Self-hosting will necessitate a good provider that you can place your blogs reliably.  Therefore, opt for the ones that have the best reputation and a truly recommended one.  Those who offer additional technical support can be a great advantage.

Attractive design and theme.  Just like in food presentation, of course, a colorful and inviting theme and design can add spice to a particular blog.  Colors and fonts are also great add-ons that can be very enticing with the eyes.

Photos and Images.  This is the most important in creating your food blog.  If you are blogging about food, a very appetizing image can definitely impress a reader to probe further on your blog.  You can post personal shots of your recipe or borrow from other resources.

In summary, if you want to increase your market and increase website traffic, advertise and promote in your social networks.  Connect and let your presence be felt.  Contribute and share your recipes and food reviews in other community sites.  This way you can gain friends and increase the level of search engine results too.

In this article, we will feature our interview with Lynn.  She is a General Transcriptionist and her work office is located in Baguio City Philippines where the company is connected to US clients.

She has been working as a General Transcriptionist for some time but she said she is a fast learner. She had attended a one-month transcription schooling and after that she left her job as a call center representative.  She immediately worked as a transcriptionist and currently enjoying the job. 

One of the factors that prompted her to pursue a career in audio transcription is that the work is less stressful.  She also stated that there is no need to argue with a customer since you only have to put into writing the message or audio given to you making sure that all transcriptions are correct.

She said that she can either work in an office or in a home based setting.  She is currently working in an office but somehow, it would be better if she can work home based because of the flexibility in working hours.

To be an effective and productive audio transcriptionist, she believes that one must have the the right attitude towards the job which is patience.  Confidence in transcribing is also important and the knowledge to use his or her time wisely by finishing the job on a specified time or even earlier if possible.  Because you will be dealing or hearing different accents that are somehow hard to understand, you must be patient enough to work as an audio transcriptionist  According to Lynn, this work can be easy and fun.

It was a long and stressful day at work so I decided to stay late in a coffee shop in Busaiteen, a town North of Bahrain and ordered my favorite cappuccino and donuts to this Filipina cashier whose smile is endless.

While on my laptop, she came and said ‘Hi.’ Her reliever arrived so we freely talked and our talk went smoothly. I came to know that this Filipina cashier with her three children were abandoned by his husband who works in Saudi Arabia, went for another woman, and left no support. Her son has a blood ailment who must do weekly blood transfusion which costs Php 3,000 per session in the Philippines. She tried her fate in Bahrain to earn a living and support her family. She worked as domestic helper from her previous two employers and both didn’t go well. Back then, she recalls that she was eating twice a day only with two kubus, a staple flat bread in the Middle East. She also recalls that she runs for trash bins to eat left over foods to fill her hunger. She coped with all of these. There was also a time that she almost got raped and decided to run away from her employer and seek for the authority’s help. The rest was history.

These were only some of this Filipina cashier's painful experiences. While listening to her, I feel the pain and that I almost cried. And so I asked her, ‘So, with all of these, how are you able to put a big smile on your face?’ She simply said, Because our family became stronger after that and that God has blessed me with a better work now as a cashier.’

Overseas Filipino Workers are said to be heroes of our generation as a lot of money are remitted each day. But for this Filipina cashier, this is the fruit of her labor, the tears and joy of her soul. Her narrative is just one of a thousand stories in Bahrain.

Thus, I have learned that events of one's life must not dictate the outcome of oneself. Like Lorna, she chooses to be happy and works hard for what she has and refuses to live in her past. I guess, for this, she truly becomes a real hero.

Imagine yourself making and printing lots of application letters.  Then you submit them to different companies with the hope get an interview and take the exam.  There are some who are fortunate enough to get a good job right away after applying.  But for some, they are just required to accept any kinds of job even though it’s not their top choice.

Become a Young Professional

For a young Filipino, the feeling of having a job gives the person the sense of independence.  Certainly, the primary reason of looking for a job is to earn.  It is the best way to make money than waiting for your parents to give you some.  It includes the need and the want of money.  You need to earn in order to help support your family and you want to earn just so to buy the stuff the you like.

But whatever your reasons may be, having a job means also being responsible in handling your finances.  For us Filipinos, we really compelled ourselves to find a job.  We are known for being hard working, so it simply speaks our attitude of looking for jobs even how hard it is, yet very rewarding.  That’s what our families are looking forward also from us.

Time to Share Your Blessing

What usually happens to us Filipinos is this.  When one member of a family landed to the first job, the parents are so proud.  It is also a long time practice that having a job means facing the responsibility.  Definitely, our goal is to support them.  Also, it is customary to celebrate this wonderful blessing.  We usually offer a thanksgiving mass, or having even just a little celebration for being so thankful to God for the job opportunity.  This happiness is usually shared to our families but even to our relatives and friends.  For us Filipinos, having a first job really means something to us.  As a person who achieves such goal is a fortune.  It is always a blessing.

Thinking about that everybody is happy is so heartwarming.  Sharing the gratitude to our family even for just a simple celebration can make you happy.  Regardless how big or small your salary is, what's important is you share your blessings.  It is best recognized if you buy something for the family.  It is very typical for a Filipino to bring home a cake, ice cream, pancit, or any native kakanin on the first salary.  Cakes and ice cream typically symbolize celebration to us.  It really makes the event special.  Pancit or noodles symbolizes the longevity of one’s life or success.  Kakanin or native foods will always mean the kinship of every member.

These are just our simple joys on how we celebrate our blessings by having some family activities.  It is worthwhile to do this once in a while.  Spending something for our family from our own pocket is not hurtful at all.  It gives our first salary more value.

Filipinos love extra rice.  The main cause of obesity is over consumption of food.  The usual path of calories should be from digestion to absorption, metabolism to energy production.  When too much calories are consumed, the substances that are not burned by energy will eventually turn into fat.  These then will cause alarming health concerns as fat blocks healthy circulation in the body.  Here are other causes of obesity which is also linked to overeating.

• Psychological problems. There is such a thing called emotional eating.  This happens when a person eats in order to relieve himself from remembering past experiences or current personal problems.  This is the most dangerous cause of obesity since it entails both psychological and physical warfare.
• Metabolic diseases. Some metabolic diseases like thyroid problems have complications of d gaining weight at uncontrollable amount.  The thyroid is related to metabolism and one disease called hypothyroidism slows down metabolism that causes weight gain even if lesser food intake is done.
• Voluntary Mistakes. This is also called lack of energy balance.  There are many people who do not take exercise seriously or are not doing physical activity on a daily basis.  It is important to know that an energy coming from food must be burnt equally by doing physical activity.

These are the major causes of obesity that raises the concern of increasing weight gain in the Philippines.  There should be an effort to promote a good weight management by the patient and allied health professional.  If you are one of the people who a has a BMI of more than 30, then you need lifestyle intervention that requires you to eat certain amount of food.  Here are quick tips:

• Eat more food that is high-in fiber, consider them as snacks instead of grabbing chips and sodas. Popcorn and orange juice can be a good combination to start.
• Avoid high-fat meals one day at a time.
• Find time to do exercise, start at 15 minutes.

Obesity can be avoided.  This statement relies on you.