Ah, life

Currently slaving on a project I should've finished last month. I kept procrastinating on this because I knew I'd be able to stumble on a more elegant solution to my dev enquiries. And I did! I'm done with the code and I'm doing some testing and validation before moving to UAT. I'm glad I tested this out (well, that's a must) 'cos I was able to fish out a logical error in my workflow which resulted to my partial deliverable being inaccurate. What a shame!

Earlier this evening I had a health risk assessment from our clinic. As usual, yet another validation of why I feel awful everyday. I'm overweight. Obese 1 in fact. And just so I'd remember, here are my stats:

Current body weight: 69 kg (152 lbs)
Ideally: 45-55 kg (100-121 lbs)
BMI: 28
Body fat %: 37.9% (acceptable is 25-32%)
Body age: 47 (I'm frkn 28)
Visceral fat: 8.5 (normal)

Yeah so the only normal reading I have is my visceral fat and pulse rate lol. Can't be too happy. I definitely gained so much weight over the past few weeks. I blame rice. Don't we all. I'd like my weight to be down to 140 lbs first, that's enough to fit in some of my old clothes. I think even the upper range of my ideal weight is ridiculously thin for my height. But of course, thin is normal. At least healthy normal.

Oh well.

5 Possible Reasons You Can’t Get To Sleep

For some of us, getting to sleep can be a real mission. It can result in hours of tossing and turning, which can become more frantic as it gets to the early hours of the morning. There are many factors that can stop us from getting to sleep easily. Here are five possible reasons you may be struggling to drift off.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

You’re too stressed

Stress can keep many of us up at night. When stressed, our body releases cortisol which makes our mind more alert and our body more energised. Taking the time to de-stress before bed could help to flush out this cortisol so that your mind isn’t racing and your body isn’t tense. There may be forms of bedtime meditation that you can try in order to get yourself de-stressed. A hot bath meanwhile is another effective stress reliever. Avoid stressbusters such as exercise, which may simply perk you up and make it harder to sleep.

You’ve been consuming the wrong foods/drinks before bed

Certain foods and drinks will make it harder to go to sleep. Caffeine is the biggest culprit – coffee or tea before bed is best avoided and you may want to limit chocolate (this often contains caffeine too). High-sugar drinks may also keep you up, whilst fatty foods may cause bloating that makes getting to sleep difficult. Instead, try foods like honey or oats, which can help you get to sleep by promoting the hormone melatonin. Bananas and almonds are also good sleep inducers due to their content of magnesium.

You’ve been looking at too many bright screens before bed

Staring at a bright TV, laptop or phone screen before bed could be tricking your brain into thinking that it’s still daylight hours, delaying the release of melatonin. Try to make it a habit of turning off all devices with screens an hour before going to sleep. As mentioned earlier, you could try having a hot bath or meditating instead, or you could read a book – anything that doesn’t involve a screen.

Your bed/bedroom is too uncomfortable

An uncomfortable bed could also be preventing you from getting to sleep. If you suffer from any kind of back or joint pain, you may find that a soft mattress exacerbates the pain, whilst a firm mattress provides more support. Alternatively, some people may prefer a soft mattress that they can sink into. It’s also important that your bedding doesn’t make your too hot or cold – consider using different materials of sheets for different seasons to help regulate temperature more easily.

You’ve been lying in too late

Lying in late will make it harder to go to sleep at a reasonable time. Because you haven’t been awake long enough, your body and brain won’t be ready to sleep. Try making an effort to get up earlier even if you have no reason to. If it’s your day off from work, you may still be able to get a lie in – you may just want to keep a cut off point such as 10am to prevent you lying in too long so that you can then go to bed at a reasonable time the following night.

[Solved] Cannot link Paypal to GCash

After a bazillion years of trying to get GCash to respond properly to my concern, I finally got the answer I'm looking for. I don't want to go into the details of how frustrating it is to deal with GCash support kasi ayoko ma-highblood so let's just get into the details of why I wasn't able to link my Paypal account smoothly.

Root causes:
1. My Paypal acount type is business
2. My first name in Paypal is wrong (it included my middle name)

So yeah, before you attempt to link your Paypal account to GCash, make sure to take note of the following prerequisites:

• Your first and last name on Paypal must be identical with your first and last name on GCash
• Your Paypal account must be setup in the Philippines
• Your Paypal account type must be personal (not business acocunt)
• Your GCash account must be KYC-ed (fully verfied)

When I first tried to link my Paypal account, I kept on getting this error:

"We are unable to link your account. Please make sure your credentials are the same in both your PayPal account and GCash wallet"

The error message was followed by two emails. The first was a preapproved payments plan registration notification, and shortly after -- its cancellation.

The message prompted me to check my details both on Paypal and GCash. My email, full name, and even home address are exactly the same down to the very last character. So what gives?

I kept asking GCash support about it. I've gone throught Facebook, Website, and InApp support.

They're all trash.

I told them that I've checked my details and they all match. And if they could just provide me which details don't match, then I'll work on it. But hey, they just can't do any more digging. I was convinced that my details were perfect, but I still don't get what's wrong. They kept on resending the steps and guidelines and it was getting frustrating having to deal with their very incompetent support group. Eventually I took my problem with Paypal, but the answer I got was as dismal. The verification part is made on GCash's end so they're the one's who can answer my question.

Then I found this thread on Reddit discussing the issue. OP found out that his first name in Paypal included his middle name so he requested to have it changed. I figured it must be the same case with me. I just need to validate if my first name really included my middle name.

But heck, there's nothing on my Paypal dashboard that says this is my first name. I have no welcome banner when I log in, and my profile simply states my full name, as in <first> <middle> <last>. I was wondering where I could see a clue of what my actual first name is.

Until one day, GCash responded to one of my many emails with yet another set of steps and guidelines. But this one's longer and more detailed. It included the prerequisite that your Paypal account must be PERSONAL type and not BUSINESS.

I felt pretty hopeful! So okay, I requested to downgrade my account. From business to personal. No biggie, my Merch by Amazon account got terminated anyway so there's no reason for me to run a business account.

When my request got approved, I logged into Paypal and noticed this change:

I don't know why I had to blur that lol

I have a welcome banner now!

Okay so apparently Paypal doesn't greet its business account holders looool.

And also, I got to validate that my first name is indeed wrong! I mean, welcome templates don't usually include your middle name right? It's usually just Welcome <firstname> or Hi <firstname>! 

Great. So that's it. I had my name changed at Paypal, which was quite an ordeal too. I had to request thrice, each with a note that says not to include my middle name with my first name. All of them were executed wrongly. They'd say congrats we've changed your name but nothing has really changed! I'm still being greeted with my middle naaaame aaarggh. That's the time I contacted support through email, not by contact-us form, and thankfully they responded correctly.

Finally I was able to successfully link my Paypal account to GCash, and cash-in my money instantly.

The name change also did not affect my Paypal to Bank transactions, so I'm glad. No more waiting 3 days to withdraw my earnings!

Frustrating! Why you can't link your BDO Debit Mastercard in GCash

Last update: October 2, 2019 (Successfully linked BDO Mastercard to GCash!)

Long story short, BDO blocks GCash transactions because it considers it a high risk app.

According to a BDO customer support agent, Mastercard has added more security layers in its platform restricting several apps, like GCash, from transacting with your bank account in order to minimize fraudulent activities. 

In order to link your BDO account to GCash, you have to call BDO Hotline and request to whitelist your account. In this process, you have to confirm that you have no other means to shop online, or have no other card you can link to GCash. Otherwise, they won't process your request.

BDO clearly doesn't want you to link your account to GCash because of its many potential security threats. But I think they're not allowed to explicitly discourage you because that's denial of service? Hehe

So if you're considering using your BDO card for GCash transactions, look for other options. Or just quit using GCash altogether, their customer service sucks so much it opened a new level of disappointments for me. 

Story time!

The only reason I wanted to link my BDO to GCash is to allow me to transfer my BDO funds to my BPI account without having to go out to withdraw and deposit. It was an exciting thought, to be able to cash in my money from BDO and move it seamlessly to BPI. Real time and without charges. Wow. That's just so ideal for me as I've been doing this whole withdraw then deposit process manually for the past 2 years. 

But when I tried to link my BDO Debit Mastercard in GCash, I always receive this unfortunate message:

"Sorry, your card enrollment cannot be processed. Visit http://bit.ly/DebitCardErrorInfo to know more about failed enrollments."

So what should you do?

1. Forget about asking GCash Care or reaching out to any of their hotlines. 

They were NEVER helpful in my months long attempt of trying to ask WHAT'S WRONG. Even if you've provided ALL the details they need to look into your account, they will always, and without fail, ask for it again. They never review your request. They're just delaying your request until you eventually give up and forget about it. 

I call it rude, lazy, and a fckn customer service disgrace. But then I thought they were probably doing it on purpose to discourage people from actually using BDO because the bank has put so many restrictions on GCash. 

At this point they could have told you to call BDO instead to whitelist your account right? BUT NO. They don't know that detail. Or they're purposefully withdrawing that basic information.

Which leads me to only step that matters,

2. Call BDO Hotline at 02-631-8000 (landline)

Tell them you can't link your BDO account to GCash. They will inform you of the Mastercard security features they've put in place blah blah blah and ask you if there's really no other card you can use. Then they'll get your account number, card number and a few other info for verification.

They'll lodge your request to whitelist your account number and have you wait for 4 hours or a confirmation message coming from BDO. After that, you can try linking your account again...

I got this message from BDO nine hours after the call and immediately tried to relink my card.

Did it work?

NO! It didn't! Much to my dismay, which I'm growing more fond of, my card still won't link, and I'm still getting the same unfortunate message.

So what now?

Nothing. I don't want to deal with it anymore... at least for now. 

If you're experiencing the same problem, I hope calling BDO to whitelist your account works for you. It didn't for me, but I sincerely hope it works for you at least. Please let me know if it does, I want to learn of success stories! Maybe I'll try to look into it another time... when I'm not feeling so hopeless.

Haaaaaay! 

UPDATE (August 2019):

I tried to link my BDO debit Mastercard to GCash again, AND FAILED. I called BDO to confirm why it's still not working even if I've already had my account whitelisted, and the customer rep told me I need to coordinate this with GCash because everything is fine on their end, at least concerning my account.

I emailed GCash support once again, sent all the details they needed, and finally they answered with something more conclusive:

So it's BDO's fault?

So that ends it. No luck getting BDO to work on GCash. Hay.

IMPORTANT UPDATE (October 2, 2019)

Finally! Linked my BDO Debit Mastercad to GCash! Was also able to successfully cash-in from my linked BDO savings account as well, for no extra charge -- the very reason I stick to GCash for my interbank transactions. FI-NA-LLYYYYY!!! 

Thoughts? I think it's ultimately a Mastercard issue. I feel sorry for blaming BDO and GCash for all of this. But hello, they should also know not to keep their customers in the dark about what's happening with their credit companies. With this level of issue, we need technical answers.

It's also worth noting that we had OTP problems recently with our other Mastercards from Security Bank and BPI, which we escalated to customer service. Interestingly, they got resolved at the same time. Then I got the idea of randomly trying to link my BDO (even if I was 100% sure it would lead to more unnecessary frustrations) since it's a Mastercard, and holey moley, for the first time in this gruelling journey, IT FKN LINKED.

So, my advice? It's not you. It's them. So just wait it out.

ALTERNATIVELY - Use PayMaya

Alternatively, if you still can't find yourself to link BDO to GCash, TRY PAYMAYA instead. I've been able to cash-in money from my BDO account to Paymaya, then from Paymaya to my other bank accounts. FOR FREE. 

How?

1. Download PayMaya on your mobile device
2. Register using my invite code so we both get ₱50 credits!
   
   COPY PASTE THIS INVITE CODE: 
   3K6FPH4
3. Click on Add Money >> Using Debit or Credit Card >> Using New Card
4. Enter your BDO Mastercard card details, along with the amount you wish to transfer
5. Cash-in amount will be credited to your PayMaya wallet in real-time
6. Now, if you want to transfer your PayMaya funds to another bank account:
   Click on Bank Transfer
7. Enter bank details >> Continue
8. Funds will be sent real-time using InstaPay

Niggling Pains That Can't Be Ignored

Image by Ernesto Eslava from Pixabay

Nobody likes being in pain, but one of the most common complaints that people have, is that they're in some sort of pain. Whether it be because they're aching, because they've got a medical problem, or something has just started causing severe pain out of the blue. There are literally thousands of causes for this, yet we're so bad at actually finding out what's wrong. So many of us put up with pain until it's completely unbearable, until one day it gets too much, and finally a doctors trip happens. But realistically, we should be sorting the problems we're having as soon as possible, to make sure that we have the best outcome. So we're going to run you through some of the paints that definitely shouldn't be ignored, and simple thing that you might be able to do to get it sorted quickly!

Joint Pain

Joint pain is something that we're all going to experience at some point in life, especially as we move towards the older years. But even as young healthy people, we will have all of the joint aches and pains that older people have. It's due to the work we do, and the way we look after our body. People who sit in offices a day are known for their problems with joint pain, but mainly in the neck. But neck pain isn't something that should be ignored, and just shrugged off because you know it's related to your job. You should start practicing a better position at work, ensure that your back is straight and you're not slumped over. This will straighten your posture, and allow your neck to sit in a neutral position rather than tilted. It takes all of that pressure off the neck joint. Doing light rolls of your head and neck stretches to relieve any tension is also advised!

Something Caused By Injury

Now this is definitely something that can't be ignored, yet again, so many of us do. Injury can occur for many different reasons, from lifting something to heavy, to sports related injuries. Physiotherapy is always recommend when you've been injured with something that's long lasting. So torn muscle or ligaments, it's almost essential to have the physio to help the injured area repair to the optimum level. Don't ignore any pains that you're having through injury when it's long lasting area. It's always best to go the your doctor or to A&E, just to make sure that there's nothing more serious going on!

The Worst Kind Of Aches

There's nothing worse than both tooth and ear ache. Both are such a niggling pain that can lead to headaches and other aches. There are quick remedies that can soothe some pain, such as resting your ear on a hot water bottle, and for the toothache, getting into the dentist as quickly as possible is essential. There are emergency dentist appointments for people in serious pain, so never leave it!

So if you're going to take anything away, it's that you go to the doctor or whatever medical professional is relevant, and always get pain treated before it gets any worse!

Life Lately

I missed to write daily accounts of what's up this week so I'm just gonna share what's happening to me so far. Errr... Wala naman hahaha. Nothing interesting. I finally got a desk for our room, something I've been wanting to buy for months but can't 'cos it was out of stock for a while lol. Spotted it at Landmark this weekend, and finally took it home.

Can I just say. This table is rare. Nobody makes tables that are 90cm long. Like what heck right? Desks are either 80, 100 or 120cm long. But well, this little corner in our room is exactly 93cm wide so an 80cm table would look awkward. So yeyyy for finally getting the perfect sized desk!

It actually opens up to a dining table too. The tabletop is folded and there's a swivel mechanism underneath that allows it to transform. Cool. Didn't need that feature though but could be useful someday! :D

Next project, a headboard! So I can read on the bed lol

Monday was a holiday in light of the elections. Didn't vote. I've never voted actually. Whatever love I have for this country is easily trumped by life's smallest inconveniences. Too far, too hot, no parking, voter's reg is a hassle (hope there's an online portal for this), I could generate a hundred excuses just to avoid participating in the elections. I call it privilege. I'd rather chill at home than exercise my right to suffer suffrage. Our ballots are only going to get sabotaged anyway. And they did, right? Doesn't mean I don't get to have opinions on matters of state though. I didn't research enough to bet on anyone, I thought I liked some candidates from Otso Diretso but when I answered a quiz about key issues that mattered to me, none of them was a match. Hmm...

Anyway. Let's leave it.

How To Mix and Match Pizza With Sides

Image by Igor Ovsyannykov from Pixabay

You probably know exactly what pizza you want to order when you ask your friends, “Where are pizza locations near me we can order from?” A tasty pizza can turn a good night into a great one. However, depending on the size of your party, you may need more than pizza to keep everyone happy. After saving money on the cheapest pizza specials available, you can end up with more money in your pocket to spend on the perfect size.

For the Health-Conscious

Pizza naturally comes with a lot of calories. If you want a healthy side to even things out, then you should order a chicken Caesar salad with your meal. It comes with crisp Romaine lettuce along with all-white meat chicken. It comes topped with a creamy Caesar dressing and shredded cheese, making this one salad you will have no problem getting down.

For the Game Day

Pizza and buffalo wings are a tradition as old as the Super Bowl. Bone-in wings are covered in a delectable buffalo sauce and baked to perfection. They pair incredibly well with a Philly Cheesesteak pizza. You can search online for “philly cheesesteak pizza near me” to find a local restaurant that will give you the perfect meal for the perfect game.

For the Party Animals

When a party is in full swing, you need food people can grab and take with them easily around the room when they want to mingle. Garlic knots fit the bill perfectly. People can grab a plate and get a slice of pizza and a couple of tasty garlic knots. They are made out of fresh dough and covered in a delicious garlic parmesan seasoning. It is the perfect way to take your party to the next level.

Everyone’s taste is different. You can mix and match to your liking to find the perfect combination you will want to order time and time again. Give it a whirl by ordering pizza with a side today.