Ever since I started working from home, I always try my best to keep with the latest trends in technology, investments, marketing, etc. True enough, working from home is the future of businesses. However, there are still lots of companies and individuals who are not yet adapting to the current economic and business changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sadly, there are still who are resistant to change, and worse, do not want to accept change.

I could still vividly remember what Bro. Dennis Magbanua said during the faculty meeting we had at College of Saint Benilde-Antipolo Campus: "Only those who refuse change are left out of the process of evolution." People and businesses who cannot adapt to the changing needs of society get extinct.

Thankfully, there are businesses that are willing to help other businesses and individuals to thrive in these trying times. 

MyBusybee, Inc. had recently organized a webinar series entitled "Coping with the Accelerated Digitalization: Empowering Organizations with Digital Tools." The webinar series was divided into three sessions. The first session held last July 22nd talked about the importance of data research in business, pivoting from traditional business to online business, and the use of AI in chatbots. The webinar was also shown live on MyBusybee Inc.'s Facebook page.

I listened to the whole duration of the event, and to be honest, I learned a lot especially about the importance of the use of digital tools in business. The digital tools could help businesses thrive and adapt to the changing needs of their clients. 

It was mentioned during the webinar the importance of having the right people and the right business fundamentals. Secondly, businesses should maximise the use of AI chatbots as it encourages reduced cost in solving the problems of the customers. Moreover, businesses should also aim to be a solution provider for other businesses and customers. This is where MyBusybee, Inc. comes in.

MyBusybee, Inc. has established itself as one of the forerunners in providing digital solutions in the Philippine market. MyBusybee, Inc.'s CEO Mr. Rico Hernandez during the webinar mentioned that building partnerships is the key to success of every businesses. 

I am excited to learn more about the use of digital tools in business in the next two sessions on August 5th and 22nd! Join me to learn by registering on this link: https://www.mybusybee.net/busybee-webinar/. Don't worry, it's free! You can also check updates about the upcoming topics on MyBusybee's Facebook page. If you were not able to catch up the first webinar, you can still watch it on Facebook.

As you all know, Kib and I love watching movies. Every now and then, I also share my thoughts about the movies that we have watched. One of the latest movies that we have watched is "The Mitchells vs. The Machines." 

"The Mitchells vs. The Machines" is an animated movie about a dysfunctional family who is trying to win against the robots. Even if it is an animated movie, it is packed with family values that you can adapt to in real life. The movie made me realize a lot of things about our present family setup. People see us weird, but this movie reminded us that there are people who also love weird!

Here are the things that Kib and I learned from the movie "The Mitchells vs. The Machines":

1. Disconnect to connect. Everybody in the family except the father is fond of technology. When the father requested that no mobile phones should be on the dining table, it was hard for the rest of the family members not to take a look at their gadgets. Later on, being disconnected from technology has saved them and the world from the machines that are trying to take over. Being disconnected from technology develops connectedness among family members. 

To be honest, I'm a bit guilty about this, that is why whenever we go on holiday, I try to enjoy the surroundings more. I also have to set an example for Kib who is starting to build his digital identity.

2. Different interests make family members drift away from each other. Katie, the eldest daughter, took interest in filmmaking. Her dad doesn't support her interest despite passing the entrance exams to the university she liked. In the middle of the movie, Katie and her father compromised which later on, helped in saving the world.

Family members can have different interests, but towards the end of the day, they're still family. Your family will always have your back even if there are times that you disagree with each other.

3. At the end of the day, your family will always have your back. Even if you may have disagreements and hurt each other, your family will always be there for you. It may seem corny for some, but your family will be there for you during your low and high moments. Savor those moments with your family.

4. Parents must also learn how to listen to their children. Parents, remember that your kids have also some smart ideas to say. Children can also teach us some valuable life lessons. Children feel they are important when parents listen to their suggestions.

5. It's okay to be weird! In the movie, the Mitchells were admiring the Poseys because they are talented and proper. Little did they know that the Poseys also admire them for being cool and 'weird.'

Yes, do not mind what others say about you and your family. It's okay to live a not-so-normal life. It's okay to be awkward. It's okay if others see your life as ordinary. Who knows, people around you like the way you live your lives because you do not live to the expectations of others.

Check out "The Mitchells vs. The Machines" on your favorite movie-streaming website! I do hope that you will love the movie too!

 6 years ago, my mom wrote a blog entry on how I became a blogger. Since I'm blogging again, I wanted to do a retelling of this blog by rewriting it and adding my recent blogging journey to this retelling. I just wanted to do this, since I had just passed my renaissance phase of blogging.

Now, why don't I bring you guys back to 2015, which was when I started to write blogs. Since my mom wasn't good at writing when she was young, she would encourage me to follow in her footsteps. That was when I first got into blogging. 

I didn't really know much about computers at the time, so I would mostly just use a laptop to watch YouTube or play Adobe Flash games on the internet. And now that I'm training in being a blogger, I would start using an old laptop to write blog entries. 

My blog writing process was very slow at the time. Why? Well, let me explain. Firstly, I had to write a draft on pen and paper. I wasn't able to make digital drafts for me to just copy-paste yet, which sucked. Next, I would copy down everything I wrote down to make a new entry. Simple, right? Not really. My typing system was still beginner level since I would just use my index fingers to type, unlike my current typing system where I would use my index and middle fingers to type (which is still just as fast as typing with all of your fingers, not gonna lie).

Then after that, my first and only blog on my first domain was born. You can read it here, though I'd doubt that you would find anything useful there. A few weeks or months after my first entry, I instantly lost interest in blogging and never wrote again.

Now, fast forward to 5 years later, about late 2020. My mom wanted me to take on a new hobby to keep myself busy with my new laptop, so I decided to find fun and exciting ways to keep myself busy. That was when I rediscovered blogging. Considering that I'm aspiring to be a vlogger where I tell about stuff I like, I wanted to stick to a less public and cheaper way to share my interests. So, why not blogging?

And then there I was, staring at my computer screen, thinking about what to do next. Since I know that strangers would be reading my content, I had to go under a pen name to keep my identity hidden and to keep myself safe. That was when JJ Nakamura was born. And then shortly after I had picked out my pen name, the name just stuck as a nickname (primarily the JJ part), since I wanted to have a friendly and catchy nickname others can call me. And besides, JJ is just the initials of my first and last name.

After I had set up everything for my blog and named it, it was time for me to make my first entry. Things started to set sail from there. And shortly after I had made my first entry, my mom decided to reach out to me about my writing skills and ask me if I could contribute to this site, which I would then agree to. 

However, since I had few interests at the time, my content was kind of stale at the moment, so tend to write on and off for the remainder of the year and during early 2021. Then, after finding out about the Amazon Prime superhero animated series, Invincible, and heard about some pretty cool games on the internet, I started to write regularly once more. Things were going smoothly for me there. However, at the time, since I'm a big fan of the aforementioned show, Invincible, I wanted to write regularly about it, so I decided to make 2 recaps of the show (with the second part currently being made). Unfortunately, that never stuck.

And then along came Yakuza, which is now considered to be one of my favorite video game franchises of all time. After playing the remake of the first Yakuza game, Yakuza Kiwami, I decided to blog about Yakuza regularly now, since the series itself is not only awesome, but it's also bizarre.

And then that brings us to today. I'm almost done typing out this entry about the retelling of my blogging journey and blogging renaissance. Thank you for sticking with me throughout my journey, everyone. -Kib

When a Filipino family migrates to the United States, the first thing that they need to do is to find a place to settle down. They can live with their relatives for a week or two, but longer than that might be already a burden for the host family. 

Los Angeles is one of the popular places to live for Filipinos in the United States. I have plenty of relatives and friends living there. Los Angeles is also very accessible by plane if coming from the Philippines. There is a direct flight from Manila to Los Angeles via Philippine Airlines.

However, Due to the rising cost of owning real estate in the United States, the most practical thing to do in the meantime is to rent. According to Zumper, in Los Angeles, the average rental fee for a one-bedroom apartment is around $1,995.00. It may look high, but actually, there is a 7% decrease in the rental fees from the previous year.

Zumper is a popular site in the United States to look for condos, apartments, houses, and rooms for rent. It has listings in major cities in the country. What makes Zumper unique is that it has an app that you can easily navigate to find a place to live. Zumper's listing is also updated in real-time.

There are lots of factors to consider in looking for a perfect apartment, condo unit, or house to rent for the whole family, particularly in the Los Angeles area. Here are the things that you can put into consideration when hunting for a place to rent in Los Angeles:

1. Budget. The first thing that you have to put into consideration in looking for a place to rent is your budget. How much are you willing to spend on rent? 

2. Location. You may choose the condo, apartment, or house depending on how near or far it is from your office. You can also put into consideration its distance from the school your kids attend or its distance from the nearest market or hospital. Another factor to consider location of your rented apartment, condo, or hours if it is near public transportation if you don't have your own car.

3. Number of Rooms. For a big family, it is very important to consider if the rooms are enough for the whole family. You also need to consider if there is enough moving space and privacy for each family member.

4. Size of Living Space. Apart from the number of rooms, you need to consider the size of each room. Some families want a big kitchen, but only enough space for bedrooms. Others like a huge living room and a small kitchen.

5. Amenities. Condos and apartments have special amenities compared with single-detached houses. Gyms, swimming pools, lockers, etc. are only some of the amenities that you also need to consider if looking to rent.

Apart from the above-mentioned factors, you may also want to consider the parking space, storage space, and available utilities (cable, Internet, phone, gas). Ask all the questions to your prospective landlord/landlady before you decide. Do not rely on the photos; you have to go to your prospective place to rent for you to envision your living space and for you to gauge its distance from the nearest market, school, or office. Envision yourself living for at least a year in that place. 

Presently, I'm reading a book entitled, "The Overseas Fabulous Pinay: A modern Filipina's handbook on how to thrive abroad." Somehow, the book has helped me to envision how to start a new life abroad. You may also want to check this book out on Amazon so that you will also have an idea of the things to look out for in finding a place to rent.

There you go! I do hope that you will have a successful house-hunting in Los Angeles! Los Angeles is a fun place to live as it has lots of places to visit and shop.

One of the things that Filipinos are accomplishing these days is to secure a Philippine National ID. 

The Philippine Identification Systems Act (RA 10055) was signed into law in August 2018 which aims to establish a single national identification system for all Filipino citizens and resident aliens. The national ID system will also help the government easily identify individuals from different economic, cultural, and disadvantaged groups. Moreover, the national ID will be used in any other means, such as doing digital transactions and avoiding fraudulent transactions among fellow Filipino citizens.

Since the start of 2021, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) had started rolling out registration lists for each city and municipality in the country. At first, representatives from PSA went to gather information from everyone and wrote them on a piece of paper. In March 2021, they have announced that the registration for the National ID will be online (you may check it out here). 

The national ID system has two steps: first, is the online or paper registration, and the second is the biometrics registration. The biometrics include fingerprint capture, retina scan, and photo capture. Individuals ages five years and up can register for national ID. 

At this point, people are still confused about which is the right way to register.

Based on the press releases by PSA, all available methods for the national registration, both paper and digital are acceptable. The only question that Filipinos have in mind is: when will we have our turn?

Here are the ways to register for the national ID system:

1. For those who have registered for Step 1 via a PSA representative coming into your place, there is no need for you to register online. You have to wait for your schedule for the biometrics which will take months to be scheduled.

2. For those who have registered for Step 1 via the PSA online registration system, you can wait for the appointment schedule in your area. The online registration will generate an appointment number and registration number on which you will submit on the day of your appointment. PSA will be going to each city and municipality in the Philippines so be patient in waiting for an update on your online registration.

3. Walk-in registration. Big shopping malls like SM and Robinson's all over the Philippines have opened their doors to allow walk-in registration for Steps 1 and 2. However, please note that there is a limited number of registrations accommodated daily so please be early should you decide to choose this option. Know how many registrations that each walk-in center can accommodate first (it can vary from 150-300 registrants daily), what time do they start giving out numbered forms to the registrants so you can plan your day very well. The ages of the individuals allowed for walk-in registration depend on the IATF rules. Some areas already allow individuals as young as 15 years old, some allow 18 years old and above only.  

When you have decided to do a walk-in registration, please bring two valid IDs as they will scan them. Make sure that the ID that you will bring bear an ID number. You can bring either of the following IDs: driver's license, PRC license, SSS/UMID ID, passport, postal ID, voter's ID, PSA birth certificate, valid school ID with a visible student number.

On capturing your photo, women should not wear heavy make-up. Remove contact lenses (colored and prescription) for a retina scan. Earrings should also be removed. Wear appropriate clothing (no sleeveless top).

During the walk-in registration, a printout of the registration will be given to you bearing a QR code. PLEASE DO NOT LOSE IT. You can also take a photo of the said paper should you misplace the paper. You will not be able to claim your ID if you lost the paper.

I will also suggest that you bring a book or your work (if you're doing a remote job) if you will choose to do a walk-in registration.

Kib and I were done with the national ID registration, we will just have to wait for the delivery of the IDs in 3-6 months.

If you have time, you may opt for #3, but if you can wait and want to be sure of the slot, register online and wait for the appointment schedule. I would suggest registering all your family members under one mobile number only for easy tracking of the appointment schedule.

Be counted! Register now!

One of the most exciting and nerve-racking things to do is to move to a new place. It means a new environment, new friends, a new neighborhood, new work, new school, among others. Moving to a new place can also be a bittersweet moment as individuals leave the things that they have gotten used to.

Moving to a new place takes a lot of planning. You need to do a lot of research about the place if it fits your personality and your needs. In addition, you need to check if the cost of living is high or low. 

I've recently read a book, "The Overseas Fabulous Pinay" by Donna Avellana-Künzler (read my review about it here). The book tackled everything a Filipino needs to know about living in another country. To be honest, I've been also thinking of moving to another country, and one of the countries that I'm eyeing is Canada, maybe in the Calgary part. I've heard that there were lots of Filipinos in the area so I won't have any problems adjusting to the culture. Probably the major adjustment that I and my son will have is the weather. 

Living in Canada has lots of benefits for single parents like me and it is the nearest in the United States where most of my relatives live. If not for this pandemic, I could've been processing my papers already. I have been already checking online for the available houses in the Calgary area. You may also check out Calgary Homes for Sale on Redfin. I've learned that Redfin is one of the most reputable real estate listing sites in Canada, so if you are looking for homes all over Canada, check out Redfin's website.

Anyway, I'm writing this blog as a reminder for me in the future should I start planning for our migration. I will write down tips on how to pack your stuff which somehow I've also experienced when we moved into a new home 16 years ago. During that time I didn't listen to my parents and I was at work when we moved. The movers were the ones who packed my stuff, and as a result, I lost some of my personal stuff.

Moving can cost a huge amount of money, so try to save some bucks, so what I'm going to write about are money-saving tips in packing before a move.

1. Ask friends and family for old big boxes for packing instead of buying new ones. You don't need to buy new boxes that you will not use again in the future. Instead, ask your family and friends to donate the big, old boxes that they do not use anymore. This is to save you cost in buying new ones. Reinforce the box with packaging tape so that the contents will be secured inside the box once the movers have lifted them. 

2. Don't forget to label the boxes! Labeling the boxes is beneficial for you and for the movers. It will help your movers to place the boxes in a particular room of the new house. You don't want your bedroom stuff to be left in the kitchen by your movers. In addition, this is also to help you identify what are the contents of each box so that when you start unpacking, you already have an idea where to place each item. 

3. Use towels and shirts in protecting fragile items instead of buying peanut foams. Fragile items such as small appliances, drinking glasses, and plates should be handled with care. If these are not packed properly, do not expect the movers to also handle them with care. Wrap the fragile items with papers (no need to buy kraft papers, old newspapers and magazines will do) and use towels and cotton shirts as paddings.

4. Have a garage sale or give items for free. Don't feel obliged to empty your old house. You can leave some things there or much better, hold a garage sale for your neighbors and friends. They understand that you cannot bring everything with you and moving is costly, so definitely they'll support you on this activity. You must create a list of what items to be sold at the garage sale for easy inventory. Sell it at a low price so that it will sell fast. Please note that holding a garage sale can take much of your time too. You may also opt to sell your items too at second-hand store goods but be prepared that your items will be sold to you at a very low price (to give space for profit).

You can also give some of your items for free too! Friends and family will love that you are giving away the items that you will leave behind.

5. Do not mix stuff from other parts of the house in a box. When a box has extra space for other stuff, don't be tempted to fill it up with other stuff from the other parts of the house. This will save you time in looking for it when you start unpacking. 

There you go, here are my money-saving tips for packing! Are you now ready to move?