
Monday, September 30, 2013
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
NEEDS

And the most adorable girl in the world sums it up here. I can imagine her exact tone of voice as she says it. (And no, I don't post a photo of everything I eat. But yes, there are times when I can't help it. Food's too pretty!)
"…my dad finds Twitter just infinitely unrelatable. He’s like, 'Why would I want to tell anybody what I had for a snack, it’s private?!' And I’m like, 'Why would you even have a snack if you didn’t tell anybody? Why bother eating?'"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/15/lena-dunham-interview-quotes_n_1601073.html#slide=1101618

Friday, July 27, 2012
Be Happy For No Reason

Saturday, July 21, 2012
Young Scientists

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photo taken from this site |
I went to a (public) science high school and yes, we had to come up with investigatory projects for the annual science fairs, too. I remember going through the motions, swabbing bacteria samples, testing the anti-bacterial properties of some seaweed and not really feeling the gravity of what I was doing. It was a requirement we simply had to complete. Wish we had more encouragement back then.
If anything, I really wish our educational system put as much effort in promoting sciences and not just the arts. We need good science programs, not just schools passing off as "science high schools" and not having the proper equipment and the facilities to support our advanced science classes.
Anyway, I'm not saying that my life would be any different had we had the proper program and facilities. But it could have. Maybe I'd be a forensic scientist by now(one of the many things I wanted to be, growing up), investigating murders everyday. And maybe there would have been less kids confused about what they wanted to do and who would eventually end up taking nursing (as was the popular course for the undecided during my time) instead. I have nothing against nursing, I just feel that a lot were pressured into taking it because it was popular, but without any real desire of actually being a nurse.
Going back to this genius kid... How could hundreds of older, more experienced scientists not have figured out what a 15 year old could figure out? I guess there's really a lot that a young, simplified mind can figure out. Must really start them young, I suppose. Out of coincidence, I found a very apt bible verse in my email a few days back. “For although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.” – Matthew 11:25
Here's to young scientists:)

Saturday, June 2, 2012
Officially Ravenclaw

The Sorting Hat has spoken. I am a Ravenclaw, just like I've always wanted to be. Yey! I've always thought the word "Ravenclaw" sounded pretty cool and besides, I want to be in the same house as Cho Chang. Also, I'm extremely glad the Hat considers me smart enough to get into such a brainy house.
The Sorting Hat asked me a series of questions ranging from choices between black or white, river or forest, which mystical creature I would like to study, what scent would draw me in, etc. Finally, the sorting hat asked me to choose between Ravenclaw and Slytherin. In my mind, I was like Harry. "Not Slytherin." I picked Ravenclaw and that's where the Sorting Hat placed me. My friend Pam, an extreme Harry Potter expert and fan, is jealous because apparently I'm a Hatstall. What's a Hatstall, you ask? You can read about it on Chapter 7 of Pottermore. Ha, I'm not giving it away just like that :)
I know I'm lame 'coz I only started Pottermore recently. I'm still trying to catch up. So far, it's been kind of slow, but there are some really interesting tidbits from J.K. Rowling. I've had much more fun playing the Harry Potter Playstation games back then, but then again, Pottermore isn't a video game anyway, so it's not fair to compare. Pottermore allows you to explore back stories and interesting trivia that you'd never know just by reading the books. J.K. really has the whole wizarding world figured out. The coolest I've read so far is Professor McGonagall's parents' story.
I'm slowly treading through (took me a while to figure out Potions!) but I'm enjoying the ride. Can't wait to experience the rest of the chapters. Hopefully, I get to contribute to the Ravenclaw house points so we'd win the house cup. Current standing is Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. How very true to the book.
And so I end this in the words of the great Albus Dumbledore, "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"
:)
Addendum: A few weeks back, I learned that both my brothers also ended up in Ravenclaw. Now isn't that cool? I swear we didn't talk about it. We can be like, the Weasleys of Ravenclaw. Ha! :D As much as I don't want to put pressure on her, I really hope our baby sister ends up in our house when she finally gets sorted. She's our own little Ginny!:)

Wednesday, February 29, 2012
The Force :)


Monday, December 5, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Edward Cullen?:)

Saturday, October 22, 2011
Disney Trailer Mash-ups

So I went on a Youtube frenzy and found other random movies, Disney-style. Here are some of my favorites.
Disney and the Deathly Hallows: Ron is super buff here. hahaha
Toy Story Inception:
Titanic (Disney/Fox style): The characters change at some points, but the flow of the story stayed the same. This one's not a trailer, but a shortened version of Titanic.
But my all-time favorite is the Disney princesses as the Mean Girls. I've seen this before and I don't care how many times I watch it. It still makes me laugh.
Obviously, the superstars in the Disney world are Ariel and Prince Eric.haha They keep playing different roles in all these movies. :) Best Actor and Best Actress.

Thursday, June 17, 2010
Lip gloss therapy

Coming home from a very draining vacation weekend, I wasn’t feeling well at all. Not that I didn’t enjoy my weekend because really, I had a blast. It was just physically tiring.hehe
But there’s nothing new lipgloss can’t fix. I super love lipgloss (anything for the lips, actually. ask my friends). They’re instant mood boosters. I think our boss knew that when she got us(Billi and I) these as pasalubong from her New York trip.
:):):)
These, among other things. Other things included a cute purse (our brand, of course), a New York pencil and…
yey! The Patricia Field Sex and the City 2-inspired clover charm necklace:) (Patricia Field is a renowned celebrity stylist who did costume design for Sex and the City and The Devil Wears Prada. She also designs shoes for Payless, the brand I’m working for right now.)
How cool is that? I was thinking about getting this necklace once Payless opens in Manila, but now I actually have one. :D
So there goes my cough, headache and body aches. Reduced by half.haha I still have to take Alaxan, Bisolovon and Biogesic, but at least my spirits are up. :)
Thursday, September 3, 2009
One great article to justify my bad habits. Very enlightening!hahaha

Being bad is good for you: Playing blaring rock music and skipping the housework can actually boost your health
By Victoria LambertLast updated at 9:10 AM on 01st September 2009
GOOD FOR YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE
We used be warned off getting angry because it raised blood pressure, but now it seems letting off a head of steam may bring physical benefits.
Researchers from the Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh have found that people who respond to irritating, high-stress situations with some righteous anger maintain lower blood pressure and secrete less cortisol, known as the stress hormone, than people who respond with fear or bottle up their feelings.
It seems to be about how you react to situations. Demonstrating a level of anger that seems proportionate - such as letting off steam at an unjust situation - helps you develop increased feelings of control and optimism. But being fearful or frustrated doesn't, leading to a rise in the stress hormone, which when experienced for prolonged high levels, can lead to heart disease.

Video cameras recorded the subjects' facial expressions and researchers identified fear, anger and disgust.
They also recorded blood pressure, pulse rate and secretions of cortisol. The people whose faces showed fear during the tests had higher blood pressure and higher levels of the hormone than those who got angry.
VIDEO GAMES
BOOST METABOLISM
Despite being blamed for their part in the obesity epidemic, video games might actually help us get fit and lose weight. Scientists at the University of Miami hooked up 21 boys to various monitors while they played Tekken 3, a mock martial arts contest, on a Sony PlayStation.
These showed that during the game the boys' heart rates speeded up, they used more energy and began breathing more quickly. Study leader Dr Arlette Perry concludes that playing video games could have a positive effect on health, provided they're not substituted for real sport. 'It's better than just sitting there watching TV,' she says.'
SWEARING
EASES PAIN

Dr Richard Stephens, a lecturer in psychology who conducted the research, believes it may explain why swearing is still commonplace. Having observed his wife swearing in labour, he was motivated to find out why.
He believes swearing is connected to our adrenaline response and that it could even have evolved to allow our ancestors to fight back when attacked by predators.
'In the volunteers who swore, we also found they had an elevated heart rate, so it could be that swearing increased their aggression levels. Increased aggression has been shown to reduce people's sensitivity to pain.'
In the study 64 students submerged their hands in a tub of iced water while repeating their own chosen swear words. The task was repeated later using non-offensive words.
The swearing volunteers were able to keep their hands submerged for an average 40 seconds longer. When questioned about perceived pain they also rated it as being lower.
LAZING ABOUT
ADDS YEARS TO YOUR LIFE
People who get up early and busy themselves all day long are heading for an early grave, says public health expert Professor Peter Axt. He believes lazing about is the key to a long life and an antidote to professional stress, provided people are otherwise healthy.
He suggests: 'Waste half your free time. People who would rather take a midday nap instead of playing squash have a better chance of living into old age.' Research shows that people who run long distances into their 50s are using up energy they need for other purposes such as cell renewal and fighting disease, he adds.
As examples of his thesis, he has pointed to the increased longevity of zoo animals - for instance lions in the Serengeti live only eight years, but can live to the age of 20 in a zoo; Arctic polar bears last 20 years in the wild, but 40 in captivity. Human examples are priests, nuns and monks, who tend to live quieter lives.

The findings suggest that daydreaming, which can occupy as much as one third of our waking lives, is an important cognitive state where we sort through important information.
GETTING STRESSED
BOOSTS THE MEMORY
While long periods of stress such as redundancy or divorce can leave your immune system depleted and your body prone to infection, researchers at the University of Buffalo in the U.S have found that a short stressful incident can boost your learning and memory.
This is due to the way cortisol, the hormone produced when we're stressed, affects the part of the brain which controls learning and emotion. Acute stress increases transmission of glutamate, the substance that passes messages in the brain - and improves working memory.
Zhen Yan, professor of physiology and biophysics, explains: 'Stress hormones have both protective and damaging effects on the body. This is why we need stress to perform better, but don't want to be stressed out.'
In the study, rats were trained to complete a maze, then half were put through a 20-minute forced swim - placing them under acute stress. They were then put through the maze again. Scientists found the stressed rats made significantly fewer mistakes as they went through the maze compared to the non-stressed rats.
AVOIDING HOUSEWORK
PREVENTS ALLERGIES
Rising numbers of allergies and auto-immune conditions (such as psoriasis, where the body attacks itself) are often blamed on the 'hygiene hypothesis'; the idea that our modern sterile society is too clean.
But dirt may not be the key. A survey last year carried out at Bristol and Brunel Universities found that women who used a lot of household cleaning products during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth are increasing their child's risk of developing asthma.
The study, which examined 13,000 children from before birth, found that early life exposure to such chemicals was linked to a 41 per cent increase in a child's chances of developing asthma by the age of seven. The chemicals in these products may have irritated the child's airways.
LOUD MUSIC
STIMULATES THE BRAIN

According to researchers at Manchester University, music fans are stimulating part of the inner ear known as the sacculus, which responds to the beat in music. This gives the brain pleasure and makes us feel good - during the music and afterwards.
The sacculus, which is not thought to have any hearing function in humans, appears to be sensitive only to very loud volumes, above 90 decibels.
Neil Todd, an expert in the scientific study of music, explains that the sacculus seems to be part of a primitive hearing mechanism that has slowly been lost as humans have evolved.
He said it has a connection to the part of the brain responsible for drives such as hunger, sex and hedonistic responses.
When these desires are satisfied, the brain is stimulated into releasing feelgood hormones that make us calm, happy and responsive. So to trigger a dose of happy hormones on a Monday morning, you should, in theory, choose Black Sabbath over chamber music.
FIZZY DRINKS
COMBAT DEMENTIA
Despite concerns about rotting teeth and obesity, drinking two cans fizzy drink a day might help you avoid Alzheimer's and improve your memory by 20 per cent.
Neuroscientists from Glasgow Caledonian University said as well as the elderly who were struggling with short-term memory loss, people studying for exams could benefit - perhaps because of the sugar rush.
Psychology lecturer Dr Leigh Riby focused on an area of the brain known as the hippocampus, which creates new memories but declines with the onset of dementia.
Using memory tests and brain-imaging techniques Dr Riby assessed volunteers after they had guzzled fizzy drinks containing either 25g of sugar (the same as in a can of Coke) or twice that amount.
The hippocampus lit up with activity after participants had a sweetened drink and they were able to recall 17 per cent more than without a drink.
'It is accepted that when humans face a stressful situation they experience a natural rise in glucose in the body, particularly in the hippocampus,' he said. 'We also tend to remember these dangerous or scary occurrences more clearly than other memories.
'This glucose-memory system has evolved to help humans survive. Unfortunately, it is compromised in old age.'
FIDGETING
FIGHTS OBESITY
It may be irritating at the theatre, but natural fidgets are doing themselves a favour. U.S. researchers from the Mayo Clinic have found that people who always seem to be on the go are more likely to be slim - and may spend two more hours a day being active than their tubby friends.
The extra motion, whether it is tapping, twitching, stretching or yawning, accounts for an extra 350 calories a day, or between 10 to 30lb a year.
Endocrinologist James Levine of the Mayo Clinic, who led the research, says: 'There are absolutely staggering differences in the amount of fidgeting between people who are lean and people who are obese. The amount of this low-grade activity is so substantial it could account for obesity quite easily.'
The team also found that while we are born wigglers or sitters, there's no reason to stop a person deliberately adopting a fidgety habit. 'Some say obese people have no choice about their weight,' said Levine. 'But I would argue the opposite.'
BEING UNTIDY

Normally, the average bed houses 1.5 million house dust mites, which feed on scales of human skin; the mites' waste contains allergens which are easily inhaled during sleep and can particularly affect those with allergy problems such as asthma.
An occupied bed, or a made one that retains the warmth and moisture after the person has left it, is the ideal home, but house mites are less likely to thrive when moisture is in short supply.
According to Dr Stephen Pretlove, who led the study, mites survive by taking in water from the atmosphere - your body sweat while you're asleep.
'Something as simple as leaving a bed unmade during the day can remove moisture from the sheets and mattress so the mites dehydrate and die.'
PLAYING BINGO
EASES DEPRESSION
Gamblers may be healthier and happier than those who don't like a flutter, says research conducted by Yale University in America.
This found that moderate gambling, a weekly game of bingo or trip to the races, is a common denominator in adults who live past 65 and that those who gambled were mentally healthier adults of the same age.
This could be due to increased activity, socialisation, and brain stimulation, says Rani Desai, associate professor of psychiatry who led the study.
The results are also consistent with other work on healthy ageing: that having an active brain and a social life staves off dementia and depression. For instance, playing poker online will keep brain cells active; bingo or a trip to the Grand National will get you out of the house.
As most studies on the effects of gambling have found negative health benefits (and all the risks of addiction) the researchers say they were surprised by the findings and will continue their investigation.
-thanks for this Elbert:)
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
i had a dream

***
I was at a sort of event that I had to go to with my family. I felt one of my canine teeth was loose. I was trying to keep it in place, but it came off eventually. I told my mom, but she didn't seem surprised. She looked at me and asked, "Was that tooth permanent?" (Like I was in 2nd grade all over again) For some reason, I wasn't sure if it was or wasn't.haha I was just hoping it would grow back.
Anyway, that wasn't the only tooth that came off. After a while, I had gaps on my front teeth. I was thinking about getting braces to get my teeth closer at lease. But no. Soon, all my front teeth were gone. I looked at the mirror and felt really bad about about my smile. I was so depressed(the feeling is still so clear in my head right now.haha). And then, to make matters worse, the entire row of teeth on the upper left side of my mouth fell off as one row, like as one whole chunk. I was crying already.
My mom told me to suck on this grapefruit (or some citrus fruit. the point is, I wasn't sure how it was supposed to help) and I was spitting out blood. Also, I had the feeling that I was gonna die soon.haha (Been having lots of these dreams lately ohno!)
Oh yeah, this dream had a nice side too. I was talking to Piolo Pascual. An actual conversation. The sad part though, is that I had no teeth. But whether or not he noticed, he still talked to me anyway, like was normal. :)) He's nice!hahaha
Anyway, to cut this story short, I woke up.. Checked my teeth.. And was so relieved that I still had every single one and that they weren't loose.
***
Hm.
Do dreams actually mean anything?
***
I did a bit of Googling, and this is what I found online:
Teeth are one of the most common dream symbols.
- strength and aggressiveness
- youth, vitality
- greed or devouring instincts, envy
- your self-confidence or estimation of your abilities
The last one doesn't sound so good. But then again, I've heard that dreams are reflections of our fears. Seriously, in my dream, I was so desperate, I even considered going to a cosmetic dentist (which Belo will soon be partnering with here at Medical Plaza,haha). Omg, I think this may be an effect of looking at the "before and after" teeth pictures that our creatives guy, Wilby, saved into my thumbdrive!hahaha Or maybe I'm just subconsciously scared of loosing teeth and loosing my smile.. =S hahaha
Friday, January 16, 2009
would you? =)



Would you go to church if you read this sign in front of it? It's very witty, I must say. I like it =)

As a child, would you have eaten your vegetables if your baon looked like this? I probably would have.hahaha
Would you let your kid ride this thing? It's so creepy! Now I can't look at Donald the same way. tsk.
Would you get married if you got this fortune cookie?

(I actually know of a perfect example for this.hahaha) See picture below.
hihi. =)
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
men can breastfeed?

Q: Can Men Breastfeed?
A: Odd as it seems, men can lactate. In their 1896 book, Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine, Dr. George Gould and Dr. Walter Pyle recount several occurrences of men breastfeeding their young. The stories include a sailor who put his son to his breast to quiet him and started producing milk; a South American peasant who sustained his child with his own breast milk during his wife’s illness; and a Chippewa man who put his infant to his breast following the death of his wife and produced enough milk to rear the child.
The phenomenon hasn’t stopped. In 2002, a Sri Lankan man named B. Wijeratne lost his wife and was left to care for their 18-month-old daughter. When the child refused powdered milk, Wijeratne tried something different. “Unable to see her cry, I offered my breast,” Wijeratne told a Sri Lankan newspaper. “That’s when I discovered I could breastfeed.”
Wijeratne isn’t alone. All men can breastfeed, because they possess the two most vital components for lactating—mammary glands and pituitary glands. Mammary glands, which produce milk, are present in all mammals. In fact, they’re one of our defining characteristics. In some cases, such as with mice, the mammary glands of the males are too underdeveloped to function. In humans, however, they’re fully formed in both sexes, complete with breastfeeding ducts and nipple.
Of course, for a human to actually breastfeed, those mammary glands have to be activated somehow. In women, this usually happens during pregnancy, when the brain’s pituitary gland starts releasing large amounts of a hormone called prolactin, which prepares the breasts to produce milk.
All men produce small amounts of prolactin during their lifetimes. It’s released after orgasms, for example, and may be responsible for the associated feelings of satisfaction and relaxation. But typically, it’s never present in large enough quantities for men to breastfeed. Under the appropriate psychological circumstances, however, the mind can demand that the body produce more of the hormone. This often happens to mothers who adopt children and suddenly find they can nurse. And as Dr. Gould and Dr. Pyle have documented, there’s a long history of it happening in men, too.
This article was written by Shea Serrano and originally appeared in the September-October issue of mental_floss magazine.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Sunday, July 22, 2007
the disappearing cockroaches

and i need enlightenment.
i have this thing against cockroaches. kill. kill. kill.
so anyway.
i've lived in this house for a little more than a month and i've killed 2 cockroaches in my room. (yeah, gross. they enter through the space between the floor and the door.. aargh.) i swear the house is clean, the maids clean all the time. but it's too open. if you know what i'm talking about. anyway. that's not important in this story.
the first one, i had trouble killing, as it was the flying kind. the second one, it was dead in 5 seconds after 5 hits.hahaha
so, since it's past 12 when these cockroach murders happen, i do not like going down to get a broom just to sweep them dead creatures out. because hey, i can do that in the morning.
so here's the thing.
the first time it happened.
i woke up, checked underneath the slipper, ready to sweepsweep the dead thing. and lo and behold. it was gone.
i woke up a bit late, so i figured, maybe the maid came in to clean up?
it wasn't a strong suspicion, but it wasn't entirely impossible either. i let it pass.
after all, i was glad i didn't have to clean up anymore.
the second time it happened.
i killed the poor thing at around 3 in the morning.
i double locked the door. meaning i locked the knob, and locked the (i don't know how you call it) chain bolt thingy.
and then i went to sleep, leaving the dead thing on the floor.
i woke up at around 8 the next morning.
waah, it was gone. without a trace. just like that.
and it couldn't have been a human body that took it. i double locked remember?
so the question is
do mice eat cockroaches? (i'm thinking maybe there are mice in this house? eeeeep, no!!)
do lizards eat cockroaches?
can ants take away whole cockroaches in say 4 to 5 hours?
or could it have been some mysterious ghost or mumu who took my bloody cockroach sacrifice?
i am so lost.
if anyone can enlighten me.
please.
i think the next time i kill something, i'll stay up all night just to see what happens.
and then i can sleep in peace.