How I wish Christmas is literary everyday, where people’s mindset circles in just two things, remembering and sharing. Let’s put business on a side and think for something different for a change. Let me share you my 12 wishes  for myself, and for the others this coming Christmas.

12. I wish to receive the nook e-book this Christmas. What is nook e-book? Well basically, the name speaks itself. It is said to be the better version of Kindle. It stores up to 1,500 e-books! How cool is that! plus other features like Wi-Fi, MP3 player, 2g internal memory  and its a dual screen!

11.  It would be nice also to receive or purchase (or in case my savings is enough) a PSP this Christmas. Yes, 2009 is finally coming to an end and I feel like I’m the last person who does not own a PSP.

10. I wish I could finally take tour out of the country, maybe next year after I accomplished my wish in number 3.

9. I wish to have more time writing the things that I love to write and I used to write like short stories, poems, essays.

8. I wish I could finally bring my loved ones in their most favorite places… I think I need to save more money to be able to do that.

7. I wish not to be stubborn and lazy finishing the other blogs that I started.

6. I wish for the betterment of the government next year as we vote for our next leaders.

5. No more addition to what had happened in Maguindanao and please, there must be justice for the victims.

4. I wish all Filipinos to be more optimistic and aggressive next year in terms of setting their personal goals. More Filipinos would take risks of getting themselves into business and please, I wish there would be lesser “lazy” Filipinos to be born next year and so forth.

3. I wish I could have all the means to travel and experience other parts of the country by next year.

2. Safety and good health for my entire family and friends, and for me.

1. Freedom for all. Freedom and liberty in all kinds of problems and burden in all shapes and sizes. Freedom from recession, war and diseases. Freedom from debts, poverty and hunger.

This coming Christmas, please share your love. The country had been through a lot in 2009. We had experienced losing symbolic figures like Cory Aquino, Francis Magalona just to name a few, we’ve been hit by typhoon which lead the country to mourn for the people who died and the livelihood that washed out in a snap and the Massacre in Maguindanao that killed over 50 people. Our beloved country is slowly losing its soul, we need to do something.

Share a love this Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

-Chai

Making homemade products is the call for all who wants to earn extra money without spending big capital.  Aside from the usual homemade products like Tocino, Longganisa, pastries and personalized accessories, why not sell something that will surely dig by the house’ budget commander… mothers. Why not create a homemade Soaps and Dishwashing Liquid?

Here’s how to make a homemade soap from Ehow:

Things you’ll need:

• Soap Coloring
• Soap Fragrance
• Soap Molds
• Colored Crayons
• Thick Bath Towels
• Coconut Oil
• Distilled Waters
• Non-virgin Olive (not Virgin) Oil
• Vegetable Oils
• Vinegar
• Vinegar
• Fragrant Essential Oils
• Lye
• Rubber Gloves
• Rubber Gloves
• Crisco Shortenings
• Candy Thermometer
• Measuring Cups And Spoons
• Mixing Spoons
• Plastic Bowls
• Rubber Spatulas
• Stainless Steel Stockpots
• Stirring Spoons
• Mitre Boxes
• Safety Goggles
• Safety Goggles
• Rubber spatulas

Procedure:

·         Dissolve 12 oz. lye in 32 oz. softened water in a plastic or glass bowl. If at all possible, do this outside or under an exhaust fan.

·         Add the lye to the water, not vice versa. Pour the lye slowly and in a steady stream, and stir constantly with a plastic spoon.

·         Set the mixture aside to cool. The mixture will heat up considerably due to the lye reacting with fats in the oils. This is called saponification.

·         Melt 24 oz. coconut oil and 38 oz. solid vegetable shortening in a stainless steel pot.

·         Add 25 oz. olive oil (not virgin) and any fragrance oils you want to use.

·         Allow oil to cool

·         -Grease the soap with Crisco

·         When both the oil and lye mixtures have cooled to room temperature, slowly combine them, adding the lye to the oils.

·         Stir slowly and constantly. If you see bubbles, stir more slowly.

·         Drizzle the soap into the pot once in a while. When it keeps its shape momentarily before sinking into the rest of the mix (tracing), it’s time to add whatever extras you want.

·         Stir your botanicals, grains and coloring into a cup of soap taken from the mix.

·         Combine that back into the original mixture.

• Pour the soap into the mold.
• Wrap the mold in a towel and leave it undisturbed for 18 hours. The soap mixture will heat up and then cool down. Avoid uncovering it until it’s cooled.

·         Allow the soap to sit in the uncovered mold for another 12 hours.

• Loosen the sides by wiggling the mold a little.

·         Turn the mold over onto a clean counter.

·         Cut the soap into bars with a knife. Some people use a miter box to make square corners.

·         Allow the bars to cure for three to four weeks before using. Smaller bars cure faster than larger ones.

Additives

·         Mix candle coloring into the oil solution. If it’s wax-based, melt it first in a couple of tablespoons of oil and then add it to the rest of the oil mix.

·         Realize that you can also use crayons for coloring. Experiment with colors. Note that purples are very difficult to keep true.

·         Use 1 tsp. per pound of soap of the following ingredients: cocoa powder for brown, cayenne pepper for pink-peach, liquid chlorophyll for light green, turmeric for yellow, paprika for peach and titanium dioxide for white.

·         Use 1 oz. essential oil to scent a 4-lb. batch of soap.

·         Know that 2 tsp. ground cloves makes a great-smelling soap. Try grated orange or lemon peel or ginger, too.

·         Use rose water instead of regular water for rose soap.

·         Oatmeal makes a great complexion soap. Use 8 oz.

·         Add 4 oz. cornmeal for a gritty texture.

·         Make soap with 1/2 oz. geranium oil for dry skin.

·         Use tea tree oil - 1/2 oz. - for problem skin.

Businessman and Malacañang special envoy on investments to China Francis Chua was elected as the next president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the country’s biggest and most influential business organization.

Chua, who will replace outgoing PCCI president Edgardo B. Lacson starting January next year, said that bringing the economic growth down to the masses would be the main concern during his presidency. Normally, a PCCI president has a fixed term of two years.

During a talk with reporters, Chua pointed out that the economy has consistently been posting economic growth even during the global financial crisis.

“The per capita income has doubled and the gross domestic product has posted considerable growth. Those figures were correct, they were not padded or doctored, but when people are asked if their life has improved, they would say their situation have worsen over the years. That is the big challenge, the economic growth has not translated to better quality of life to our people because there is unequal wealth distribution,” Chua said.

According to Chua the problem is not on the ability of the government to help, but rather on how to implement measures to bring the wealth generation down to the grassroots.

“The economy is growing and foreign revenues inflow are good, there is always a positive news about the economy but the problem is not on that side, the problem is equitable distribution of wealth,” he pointed out.

Chua said that this phenomenon is not unique to the Philippines but also in newly industrializing country like China.

“The eastern part of China is well developed but when you go to the western part, that is where poverty is very real,” he said.

Chua, however, said this is not a kind of a failure but is growing phenomenon because even a country as good China is facing this challenge.

“The challenge is for the government to develop economic measures that should put focus and bias for the poorest of the poor,” Chua said.

Chua said the forthcoming elections would be an opportunity for the citizenry to choose the right leader.

Chua is already planning of conducting a Presidential candidates forum purely on economic and business issues.

The only problem though in the holding of a presidential forum is the synchronization of schedules because the candidates are also busy campaigning in the provinces.

(Manila Bulletin, 12/18/2009)

With the advancement of technology and the increasing number of youth going fashion forward, T-Shirt designing is definitely in for 2010!

In T-shirt-printing business, you don’t have to start with a big capital to start operations. Your creativity is your major capital. But then, you still need to have a computer, computer inks, art materials such paints, silk screens, printers, stickers, other accessories and embellishments etc.

The basic capital for T-shirt printing is not less than P10,000 still depends on your market. Here’s some tips to follow in T-Shirt printing business:

• Be creative. Sleek and edgy designs are what people look for in a shirt.
• Make yourself and a couple of your friends a walking advertisement using your very own shirts.
• Don’t fear to experiment.Just create. create create. Remember that there is no harm in trying for the best.
• Make your own research. Follow the latest trend or make something unique.
• Give samples to some youth organizations. You may also start by creating clothes for certain organizations or “barkada”.
• Post your creation online.