The Living Grace

Prevention and Treatment of Yeast Infection

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 06:30:00 +0000

FOOD AND HEALTH: Prevention and Treatment of Yeast Infection

Sources reveal that yeast infection is a colonization of a type of yeast called 'Candida albicans' in a part of the body, mouth, ears, etc., but more commonly in a woman's vagina. Three out of four women will experience at least one yeast infection in her life, but many experience recurring yeast infection. Yeast infection is brought about by the use of antibiotics, compromised immune system, or change in the ph balance in that area. It is more common in pregnant women because of the many changes in the body that makes it harder to maintain the ph balance in the area and due to the increased amount of sugar in the pregnant woman's body. Although yeast infection is not serious, it should be treated immediately and should always be prevented.

The symptoms of yeast infection include vaginal itching and pain when having sex or urinating, plus a whitish, thick and sometimes foul-smelling discharge. Yeast infection is treated with anti-fungal creams and suppositories or by oral anti-fungal medication. For first-timers, it is recommended that you see your gynecologist for proper diagnosis and treatment. Pregnant women are also treated with the creams and the suppositories but the oral medication is not recommended as they have not yet been proven safe for the baby.

As usual, prevention is better than treatment. So here are the steps you can take to prevent yeast infection:

1) Hygiene is number one. Always keep the area clean and dry by washing with mild soap, rinsing with water, and then wiping with clean tissue or cloth to dry. Always wipe from front to back after a bowel movement.

2) Don't use douches or any perfumed bath product because they can cause irritation. Also, never use petroleum-based lubricants during intercourse; water-based, so they say, is much better.

3) Always use clean, cotton underwear to let the air into the area. No nylon or lycra which trap the air and become breeding ground for yeast. Always wear pantyhose with cotton underwear beneath.

4) Don't wear tight-fitting pants or tights that hug or cramp the area.

5) For pregnant women, limit your sugar intake.

Sources: http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/yeastinfections/ht/preventyeast.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_5619235_treat-prevent-yeast-infections.html

http://yeast-infection.com/yeast-infection-pregnancy.html

A New Art Form and Entertainment -- Sand Animation

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 05:07:00 +0000

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN: A New Art Form and Entertainment --Sand Animation

This photo is from http://www.kseniyasimonova.com/

Many of us find pleasure in various art forms like painting, sculpture, comedy, film, and many others, but art has evolved in time and artists have discovered many other materials to use in order to express their art, like using coffee and sand and various other materials.

My brother posted this video in his facebook wall and I looked for the original video of it in you tube. It is a great and entertaining video that touches the heart, a new and interesting art form that we all may discover to appreciate and perhaps, develop into our own way of expression of art.

The video is titled "Kseniya Simonova--Sand Animation (Ukraine's Got Talent)". The artist is a young, 24 year-old lass whose hands work wonders in that lighted platform with what seems to be brown sand. It is an art form with a story to tell, presented uniquely by the artist's use of sand to express each scene, each story to her audience. In this presentation, which she used as an entry to "Ukraine's Got Talent 2009" where she won, she started off by depicting life in peaceful Eastern Europe, perhaps her own country, and then went on to express the effects of war --World War II--and its devastation, how people got separated from their loved ones, the pain, the struggles, the loneliness, the grief. But then in the end, when soldiers returned and families were reunited with each other, there is hope again for a better life, for peace, and life returns to normal.

As you watch the video, you would note the emotions of the audience in that venue and how it touched their hearts. See for yourself if it would touch also your own heart.

"Your Body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit...And You are Not Your Own"

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 06:25:00 +0000

SPIRITUAL FOOD: "Your Body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit...And You are Not Your Own"

The following verses remind us that we have to take care of our physical bodies. As Christians, we know that our spirit-man is already saved but in order to walk this earth, we need a healthy body to be able to completely fulfill our assigned purposes, for our own family and loved ones and for God's kingdom. Therefore, smoking, excessive drinking, and drugs are all bondages of the flesh that we need to remove through the help of Jesus by the Holy Spirit.

James 4: 14 "Whereas you do not know that will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for little time and then vanishes away."

1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."

1 Corinthians 9: 27 "But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified."

Luke 4:18-19 (Jesus spoke this) "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor (in spirit); He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

Keeping Your Teenager From Smoking, Drugs, Alcohol

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:46:00 +0000

ISSUES OF LIFE /FAMILY: Keeping Your Teenager from Smoking, Drugs, Alcohol

Adolescence is that stage of life wherein a person is no longer a child but not yet an adult. Although adolescence may start earlier, it usually start at the onset of a child's teenage years, a time when he/she starts to seeks his/her own identity and seeks the approval of peers--a group outside his/her own family. That is why this is also the stage when parents, more or less, shift to a higher gear in raising their teens. Realizing that, unlike when they were kids, they could not be with their teens 24/7, concerns about peer pressure and influence would arise, together with smoking, drugs, and alcohol addictions.

So how do we keep our teens from smoking, drugs, alcohol and other forms of vices which are harmful to their health and well-being? Remember, what we first learned before, that our own life is our child's training ground. Whatever we do, they think they can also do. So if you don't want your child to smoke, you should not smoke also. I was guilty of this as I smoked while my baby grew into a child until I stopped when she was already 11 years old. When I was still smoking, she used to imitate me with her lollipop stick and I used to tell her that it's bad what I was doing and she shouldn't do that also. But of course, I was kidding myself. When I stopped smoking, I had a long talk with my 11 year old, me and her Dad, and we explained to her why we stopped--first, because smoking is not good for the health; second, because we don't want to die but live longer and be with her long; and third, because we love her so much, we also don't want her to inhale the smoke so she would remain healthy and strong. And after explaining this, we urged her not to do the same for the same reasons. So, the first step is to live what your preach.

The next step is to shift your relationship with your teenager a notch or two higher. If you were close to your child before, this is the stage that you should become much closer. This does not mean you go hug and kiss him all the time. You need to stop what you're doing and listen to your teenager's rants or woes, otherwise, he/she would look for somebody else to pour out to. You need to converse with him/her, express your opinions and your love for him/her, and give your parental or friendly advice. In other words, keep the line of communication open. You need to be the one whom your teenager can trust and go to whenever he/she has problems. When communication is open and there is trust, you can now explain to your teen about the dangers of smoking, drugs, and alcohol and how it would hurt you to know if he did those things, not for yourself but for him. However, a parent always knows when to correct a child and to impose rules and regulations in his own household.
Other steps include encouraging them to join sports group or clubs in school where there are teacher-advisers who could monitor them. Another step is to invite your teen's friends to your home so that you would know them or encouraging your teen to do buddy homework or projects in your home instead of somewhere else.

It is true that we cannot eliminate our teen's curiosity for the things that the world tries to lure them with. But we need to be alert and sensitive so that we can prevent more damage at an early stage. Here are some of the warning signs that may guide us so we could recognize if our teen is using drugs, alcohol or even smoking: glassy, red eyes; frequent use of eye drop; sudden weight loss; slurred speech; skin conditions; breath smells different or hair reeks of cigarette; disappearing of some possessions or petty theft in the house; paraphernalia; new friends; and rudeness or disregard for whatever you are saying.

Ah, do not worry. Every morning, lift your children to the Lord and He will cover them with His hedge of protection for you. But if your teen pierces through that hedge, still do not fret, because if you have done everything you can do as a parent, your teen would remember that and would always come back to you.

Cleaning and Maintaining Your Home Appliances

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:17:00 +0000

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING: Cleaning and Maintaining Your Home Appliances

Life at home becomes more pleasant and really easy for a housewife with all these home appliances--oven, stove, washing machines. In America and Australia and other parts of the world, they have their dishwashers. In the Philippines, we need electric fans and air-conditioners. But as much as many of these gadgets help us ease our chores at home, they also need cleaning and maintenance which we, housewives, take on the responsibility.

When we purchase these appliances, we normally get a manual which show us the DYI (Do-It-Yourself) steps to cleaning them, plus in it we find their service centers with numbers which we could contact in case our appliance suddenly conks out. The manual would also suggest after how many months you need to have your appliance checked by their own professional service personnel. Therefore, in order to maintain your appliance for it to serve you a lot longer, you need to follow their suggestions. But in order for it to function a hundred percent, you need to clean it yourself. Here are some cleaning tips that you can do or ask your helper to do for your appliances:

Note: The number one thing to remember when cleaning electrical appliances is to see to it that the unit is UNPLUGGED.

1) Electric Fans -- Easy. Remove the fan blade cover (some are screwed, so unscrew them) front and back (if back cover can be removed). Using a clean paint brush, brush away the dust in between the grill of the fan blade cover. Remove the fan blade. If it is made of plastic, you can wash it. But if it is made of metal or tin, use a damp cloth to remove the dust, then use a dry cloth to dry it. Replace all the parts making sure that screws are tight.
2) Air-conditioner -- For window type, every month, you should remove the window cover and remove the filter that traps the dust. I usually get an old toothbrush and scrape away the trapped dust from the filter, then I wash it together with the window cover and dry them with a dry cloth. Replace these parts and your air-con will be cooler. Twice a year, you need to call a service center or a refrigeration company to take out the whole air-con and wash it clean, check the motor and freon reading. Here in the Philippines, it would only cost P400 to P500. For the bigger air-conditioners, you need to have them cleaned by their service centers regularly in order to maintain them.

3) Washing Machine -- After every wash, you need to wash also the inside of your washing machine because the lint and the minerals from the water may clog its parts. It is advisable to use warm water with lemon or a cup or 2 of vinegar and run a cycle to remove the impurities, probably once a month. If you have fabric softener dispenser and bleach dispenser, you should also remove them and soak them in warm water with detergent for a while. Of course, you need to rinse your washing machine with another cycle of warm water to rinse off the vinegar and other grime that's stuck and rinse also your dispensers. Check also your hoses; it is recommended to change the hose every 5 years.

4) Oven -- It is important to clean the oven every after use. Wipe off any dirt with the use of damp cloth. For grimes that stick, you can use baking soda soaked in warm water and liquid detergent and scrub it off. The inside of the oven is as important as the outside. If your oven is gas, make sure the gas is turned off before you clean the inside of the oven. There are many appliance companies nowadays that offer cleaning and maintenance of your stove-oven for you. Aside from cleaning it like new, they would check the parts of your oven if they need to be replaced and your oven would look brand new.

Whatever your appliance is, you need to keep it clean and maintained so it would last long. There are many appliances today which are like 'disposable', meaning they get busted easily. What this means is that if you bought your appliances cheap, do expect that it would conk out easily. So be wise when you purchase them.

You Can Quit Smoking

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 06:21:00 +0000

FOOD AND HEALTH: You Can Quit Smoking

   The world knows that smoking is really bad for the health. That is why it is prohibited to smoke in public places, nowadays, and even in private establishments such as office buildings and even in airplanes. The reason? Second-hand smoke is as dangerous as direct smoking. Even cigarette companies have also agreed that "smoking is, indeed, hazardous to health". But why are there so many, still, who have not stopped this habit? Why couldn't they quit smoking?
     Perhaps they should consider these facts which I gathered from the article of Dr. Tyrone Reyes in The Philippine Star newspaper's Health and Family section, titled "Stopping Smoking: You Can Do it!". Today, he said, 17.3 million Filipinos aged 15 and older still smoke and tragically, smoking kills 10 Filipinos every hour. Smoking is a major cause of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral artery disease, together with other diseases as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and pneumonia, even lung cancer. Also smoking may attribute to other health problems as cataracts, sinusitis, dental disorders, aging skin, diabetes, and get this, men--erectile dysfunction. Hellow!
     Well, don't fret smokers because I also smoked before and tried to stop several times and went back to smoking, even with all the warnings and with all the danger signs. I started smoking when I was 22 and before I completely stopped in 1999, I was a chain-smoker smoking 3-4 packs a day. Uhu, uhu, uhu! Just reminiscing this makes me cough it out. Nicotine is really addictive and quitting is hard if you don't have the will power to quit. I tried to stop through some gimmicks like not buying cigarettes (but asking from someone else), stopping but eating too much candy or nicotine gum, etc., but to no avail; I went back to the same habit. I was able to stop it for more than 9 months when I got pregnant but went right back to smoking when my baby was more than a month old. My husband was a smoker too.
     So how did I finally quit? In April, 1999, my husband received Jesus as Lord and Savior and I followed after a month. But in August of that same year, we both decided that we would quit smoking and resolved that we would never go back. We were taught as Christians that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that we should take care of our own bodies. Therefore, we prayed together for the Holy Spirit to help us go through with this decision. And so, we decided the day and went cold turkey; I stayed home for a week but my husband went out to work. The urge was there but not as much as I tried to stop before. Then days went by, weeks, months, years. We're bondage-free! Yes, smoking is a bondage just like any addiction.
     Perhaps our way is not applicable to you. But it takes your decision, your will power to resist, your resolve to quit. As you set your mind to it and truly fix your eyes on the benefits of your decision, you can really quit. Cold turkey is the best way to quit, but to keep it really cold is up to you.

Symbolism in a Christian Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 05:07:00 +0000

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN: Symbolism in a Christian Wedding

Podge and Joyce with Pastor Joey Rafael

One of my friends in the Worship Ministry of our church invited me to the wedding of her only son, Podge, to his fiancee, Joyce, last Saturday, August 14, in San Pedro, Laguna. Since last year, the couple have been planning this wedding and it turned out great. This goes to show that you can have a proper and decent wedding on a budget if you plan ahead and know where to look.

Photos above: table bouquet, the string

quartet, the seated bridesmaids, the

wedding cake, the couple with the

groom's parents

Photos this level: Of course, me and

my friends plus Luisa, the mother of the groom. Right photo, my friends with pastors from Nigeria and their friends.

The wedding took place in a garden restaurant which truly caters for weddings and events. The set-up was great, even the table bouquets and the seating arrangements were in the table as you enter. Our associate pastor, Ptr. Joey Rafael officiated the wedding covenant and as he spoke, it reminded me to share the many symbolisms that we have in a Christian wedding--the exchange of rings, the unity candle, the Bible, the veil, the chord, and the coins. As I have posted this already many times past, a marriage is not a contract. It is a covenant between the unified couple and God. So, with this in mind, here are the symbolic meaning of the things that we use in a Christian wedding:

1) The Bible -- represents the Word of God which is Jesus, the manual of life which the couple should put their faith on to live their life as a family.

2) The Unity Candle -- symbolizes the union of husband and wife as they chose to live together and grow together in Christ, who is the light of the world leading their way.

3) The Veil -- placed on the groom's should and on the bride's head. This symbolizes the responsibility of this unity is place on the man's shoulder and the woman's submission to the leadership of her husband as Christ is the leader of the church.

4) The Chords -- placed around the veiled groom and bride. This symbolizes, again, that the husband and wife are now one.

5) The Coins -- a symbol of prosperity.

6) The Exchanging of the Rings -- symbolizes eternal or unending love for one another.

One thing Ptr. Joey reminded Podge which I really like: "Remember, that your wife's place is beside you, not under your feet".

"For There Is Nothing Hidden Which Will Not Be Revealed"

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 05:41:00 +0000

SPIRITUAL FOOD: "For There is Nothing Hidden Which Will Not be Revealed"

Although we can keep secrets from some people, there is Someone whom we cannot keep anything from--our God. He sees everything, He knows everything, He sees us from the inside out and knows the intents and thoughts of our hearts. So, if we have committed a sin or an error, He knows it even if we hide it. If we draw near to Him, though we lie, we shall know His truth(His word) and His truth shall set us free.

Psalm 69:5 " Oh God, You know my foolishness; and my sins are not hidden from You."

Psalm 139: 1-4 "O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. There is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether".

Psalm 44: 21 "Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart."

Mark 4: 22 "For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light."

Psalm 119: 10- 11 "With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments. Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.

Keeping Secrets

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 09:35:00 +0000

ISSUES OF LIFE: Keeping Secrets

When we were teenagers, we used to love to whisper to our close friends little secrets that we trust them to keep. "Shhhh... don't tell anyone", is the usual beginning and final statement when telling someone a secret. But these secrets eventually are bared and create issues between you and your friends who got itchy to divulge them to others. And why not? Trust is the issue for you and they betrayed that trust. Or is it the issue, really?

A secret is a truth that you are covering for. Whatever the reason that this truth is being covered or hidden, it will eventually come out in the open. The Bible says that "there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known" (Matthew 10:26). Like a water leak from your pipes, the secret tends to find a way out so that little by little the secret leaks until the full measure is drawn out. The trouble is, when you entrust someone with that secret and that someone uncovers it for you, it becomes a gossip topic and before you know it, everyone knows what you're hiding.

Have you hidden a secret from your parents, your husband, your boss? That secret is usually a boo-boo that you've done, otherwise you wouldn't hide it. What if it was something that you need to pay for, like a petty theft or a crime, would you compromise your best friend's integrity by telling him/her of this? Would you feel betrayed if he/she prefers to divulge your secret to the authorities?

To me, keeping secrets is like lying to someone you love or to someone that would be affected by your kept secret. You need to lay your cards on the table to give them a full view of who you really are. If you have secrets right now, you need to take them off your chest and bare them so that you could be free from the baggage you've been carrying for a long time. Maybe the consequence could hurt someone for a while, but honesty is still the best policy.

Curtains, Drapes, Blinds--Serve Their Purpose for Your Home

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 09:23:00 +0000

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING: Curtains, Drapes, Blinds--Serve Their Purpose for Your Home

All photos courtesy of Photobucket

Windows and glass doors are part of our home and are placed there for us to gain access to the outside and let the air and sunshine in. In order to control the air and the light that comes into our home, we place curtains, drapes, and/or blinds over these windows and glass doors depending on our home's style and needs.

With the varied, wonderful materials available to us today, curtains, drapes, and blinds are used for many purposes. Firstly, they provide privacy for our home covering us from the outside world, yet when using light, opaque fabric, you can still let the light into your home, but not too much. So, secondly, they control the light that comes into our home. Thirdly, they are decorative pieces which add ambiance to your room. Depending on the style statement that the homeowner wants to impart, curtains and drapes are added attractions that complement his furniture set up or to dress up a grand window. Curtains and drapes also set the mood of your room through choices of color--to give warmth to the room, choose dark colors like burgundy, dark green, etc.; to lighten up the room and make it cool, choose light or neutral colors like beige, white, etc. Fabric patterns can also add style to the room; a striped fabric can give an impression of a taller ceiling and blinds could give an impression of coziness and modernity. Another purpose of curtains and drapes are for acoustic purposes. Ideally, a home theater or music room should not have windows, but there are homeowners who prefer to maintain their windows in these rooms. But the glass in window panes causes sound to bounce off. The solution? Use acoustic curtains so that the sound is contained inside the room.

There are many types of curtains and drapes--some standard, some pleated, some with valance and some just hung in great curtain rods. Blinds are being used more in modern homes but there are some colonial-style, Spanish and Mediterranean-style houses which use blinds in them in combination with drapes or curtains.

Well, whatever your style of home is, curtains, drapes and blinds will serve their purpose for your home.

Making Frozen Blackberries into Desserts

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 05:37:00 +0000

FOOD AND HEALTH: Making Frozen Blackberries into Desserts

Shopping for steaks in South Supermarket in Alabang, we found frozen blackberries which my husband concocted into desserts--first, the healthier version and second, the more sweet version. So, here are the photos and the recipes.

BLACKBERRIES WITH BERRY MIX YOGURT

250 gms. frozen blackberries, thawed

3, 125 gms. berry mix Nestle yogurt, slightly frozen

6 pcs. Oreo berry cookies, separated

Steps:

Lay 3 single Oreo cookies with the berry cream at the bottom each of 3 ice-cream bowls. Place the rest of the single Oreo cookie-halves, without the berry cream, on a cheese cloth or clean dish cloth then pound with a mallet to coarsely chop the cookies, then set aside. Put thawed blackeberries on top of the Oreo cookies in the bowls as much and top with scoops of slightly frozen berry mix yogurt. Sprinkle with chopped Oreo cookies. Serves 3.

SWEETENED BLACKBERRIES WITH SELECTA VANILLA ALMOND ICE-CREAM

250 gms. frozen blackberries, thawed

1 1/4 cup sugar

2-3 tbsps. water

Merengues, 12-15 pieces

Selecta Vanilla Almond Ice-Cream

Steps:

Place sugar in a pot and melt into 2 tbsps. water. Place in medium heat, stirring constantly until bubbly. If too thick, sprinkle more water. Add blackeberries and stir into caramel but not vigorously. When the sauce is a bit thick, remove from heat and cool for 30 minutes, then chill. Prepare 3 ice-cream bowls. Place 2-4 pcs. Merengues at the bottom of the bowls. If too big, crack the Merengues into big chunks. Scoop ice-cream into balls. Add sweetened blackberries with the sauce. Serves 3 or more.

"What It Means to Be Poor", by Usuario?

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 08:09:00 +0000

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN: "What It Means to be Poor", by Usuario?

Photo of a farm courtesy of Photobucket

My brother, Paul, who is a resident of Singapore e-mailed me a slide show titled "What It Means to be Poor" and I can't find the original page of this in the internet. The power point presentation says that the author is Usuario. If it was really you who authored this story, it is a great lesson to be learned and I applaud you for it. I found the same story in a web page with the same title (http://www.naute.com/thinkery/poor.phtml) and here goes:

What It Means To Be Poor...

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country
with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people can be. They spent
a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very
poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"
"It was great, Dad." "Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked.
"Oh Yeah" said the son. "So what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.

The son answered, "I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a
pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no
end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.
Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a
small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We
have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they
grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends
to protect them."

With this the boy's father was speechless. Then his son added, "Thanks dad
for showing me how poor we are."

Too many times we forget what we have and concentrate on what we don't have.
What is one person's worthless object is another's prize possession. It is all
based on one's perspective. Makes you wonder what would happen if we all
gave thanks for all the bounty we have, instead of worrying about wanting more.
Take joy in all you have, especially your friends. Pass this message on.

Author Unknown

Isn't this a great lesson learned? How ironic for a parent to teach his child, when he should learn first. Well, the photo slide sent to me is really so much better, and here's the link:

https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AaTnLlVfYHjlZGhmd3Q0azhfMWhwNWNnZGY3&hl=en

BC BLOGGERS LINKS

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 06:32:00 +0000

http://www.mommydiary.net">Mommy Diary
http://www.happythoughtshappytot.com">

Happy Thoughts
http://www.handyreviews.net">Handy Reviews
http://sweetypaula.com">Paula's Place
http://wahmsapinas.com">WAHM sa Pinas
http://dadedidodu.com">Dadedidodu
http://www.celebritydiary.net">Celebrity Diary
http://chromaticnote.com">Chromatic Note
http://cuppasunshine177.blogspot.com">Sunshine in a Cup!
http://iamjennyholic.blogspot.com">Jennyholic, Confession Of An Addict
http://addicted2contest.blogspot.com">Contest and Promos for Pinoys
http://myoweinilife.com">El Oweini's Life
http://cupofmeme.info">A Cup of Meme
http://thingsweshare-jr.blogspot.com/">Things We Share
http://www.jh3riz24.net/">Jh3riz24 TiPs
http://www.joahnavernheart.com">What's Inside Joahna's Heart
http://mysassychef.blogspot.com">Recipes and Reviews | Sassy Chef
http://josiesfiles.com/">Josie's Files
http://www.happyandhealthyme.com" target=_blank">Happy and Healthy Me
http://joycesebastian.blogspot.com">The Diary of a Blogger Wannabee
http://blogistajuly.blogspot.com/">Lifes A Wheel
http://blogizzzta.blogspot.com">Inside and Out
http://julieta-lifeisfullupanddown.blogspot.com">Julieta-Life is full up and down
http://www.thedomainfairy.com/">My Daily Notes
http://www.myplace-home-family.com">Mom's Place
http://www.lifestylehomemaking.biz">Lifestyle & Homemaking
http://www.dickdujour.com">The Dick Dujour
http://www.cupsandlowercase.com/">Cups and Lowercase
http://www.pinaymomjournal.com">Pinay Mom Journal
http://www.momentarylife.com/">Momentary Life
http://www.techieliz.com/">Techie Liz: Virus and Hardware Issues
http://miratemplen.blogspot.com/">Pearls On the Path: Finding Gems and Joys in Ordinary Things
http://yashirokuru.blogspot.com">Yashiro's Journal
http://atwerpslife.blogspot.com">The Twerp and I
http://urbanitemom.info" target="new">Urbanite Mom
http://elghrasya.com">It's all about life
http://www.prosperitymelandria.com">Wonderful World of Peachy
http://melandriaonline.info">Melandria's Musings
http://melandriaromero.info">Something to Live By
http://nelgin-thedove.blogspot.com/">Spreading Sunshine
http://newlywedscravings.blogspot.com">Cravings of the Newlyweds
http://www.easymomstips.com">Easy Moms Tips
http://lifeswinksblinksandtears.blogspot.com">Lifes Winks Blinks and Tears
http://yestohealth.blogspot.com">Yes to Health
http://blogginginpajamas.blogspot.com">Blogging in Pajamas
http://contestavenue.blogspot.com">Contest Avenue
http://www.internationalgiveaways.info">International Giveaways
http://acallcenterlife.blogspot.com">A Call Center Life
http://myocampofamily.blogspot.com">Cook and Crave
http://contest-time.blogspot.com">Contest Time
http://chicshoppingbag.blogspot.com">Chic Shopping Bag
http://www.thevirtualonlineassistant.com/">The Virtual Assistant
http://gabbymandigma.blogspot.com">Growing Up With Gabby
http://nicaonabudget.blogspot.com">Nica on a Budget
http://nicabookshelf.blogspot.com">Nica's Bookshelf
http://www.sandokatpalayok.com">Clay Pots and Wooden Spoons
http://nikacatbagan.com">Chronicles of Nika
http://www.bloggingpinay.com">Blogging Pinay
http://www.mobilepinay.com">Mobile Pinay
http://www.addictako.com"> Addict Ako
http://www.peachandthings.com">Peach and Things
http://blowingpeachkisses.blogspot.com">blowing peachkisses
http://expatpinaybiz.blogspot.com/">Pinay Expat Blogger
http://www.everythingbeautifulrachel.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Everything Beautiful
http://www.jeromejames.info/">The Adventurous Little Prince
http://cablayextraordinarylife.blogspot.com/">MyLifesGood
http://jandeliciousmoments.blogspot.com/"> Deliciously Spicy Moments
http://faeriejan.blogspot.com">Hugna: Jan’s Glimpse of the World

Hey, Let's All Join BC Bloggers 4

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 06:03:00 +0000

PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS: Hey, Let's All Join BC Bloggers 4

This blog is 7 months old and I need to get it earning for me already. But one thing's for sure, I need to get more inbound links and traffic, so I've decided to join BC Bloggers 4. I kept seeing that badge in other blogs and now I understand why--bloggers help fellow-bloggers.

BC Bloggers is the brainchild of Paula of Paula's Place. With the success of BC Bloggers 1 to 3, many former BC Bloggers are joining again this time around. Well, come and join us! Click on the badge below to know the mechanics.

"The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom"

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 05:49:00 +0000

SPIRITUAL FOOD: "The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom"

Wisdom gives you the ability to make good decisions in life. It is either taught or learned from experience. A parent gives advice to his children, a teacher to his students, a boss to his employee, a pastor to his flock--wisdom is being passed on from generation to generation. However, we must be able to distinguish from the wisdom that comes from God and from the wisdom of the world. For the wisdom of the world leads to carelessness, self-centeredness, greed and corruption, but the wisdom from Above is pure, gentle, loving, righteous and comes from the Word of God which is Jesus, Himself.

Proverbs 9:10-11 "The fear (awe) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you."

Proverbs 4:7 "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding."

Proverbs 4:10-13 "Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many. I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble. Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go. Keep her, for she is your life."

Proverbs 3:7 "Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and depart from evil."

1 Corinthians 3: 19-20 "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, 'He catches the wise in their own craftiness', and again, 'The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile' ".

Ephesians 5:15-17 "See then that you walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools but as wise redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is".

James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given him."

Living Wisely Versus Wasteful Living

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 09:01:00 +0000

ISSUES OF LIFE: Living Wisely Versus Wasteful Living

Do you love to shop? I do. Do you like new and trendy things? I do. Do you like nice things in your home? I do. Do you want a new car or a new cellphone? I do. Do you want to celebrate birthdays of you, your kids, and your hubby with a great party? I do. Can you afford it? Hmmm....

One primary reason why people are in debt is because they live beyond their means. Yes, our "God is the God of More-than-Enough", which has been the declaration of many Christians, but it doesn't mean that you can spend more than you can afford now. I believe that as you declare this today and believe it in your heart, it will manifest to you in the near future. But as long as you cannot afford it yet, you must walk and live wisely with what He has provided for you in the meantime. You must be a good steward of the things He has entrusted you with. Yes, everything is the Lord's.

Sometimes, our eyes are too wide to see the vast things we are tempted to buy and like a cowgirl, we are too quick to draw out our credit cards without thinking how we are able to pay it later. This is also a form of gambling because you are gambling with your future. Okay, perhaps you have the money to spend today, but what about your future? To many Filipinos, they would say, "Bahala na!" (Come what may!) which was actually derived from the word, "Bathala" (God), meaning "God will provide". Do you think if you splurge your allowance, your Daddy will give you more?

In the Bible, Solomon encourages us to consider the ways of the ant--a tiny insect which does not have any ruler, yet has the initiative to gather food in the summer so that when rain comes, he has enough supply (Proverbs 6:6). Solomon, the son of David, was said to be the pinnacle of Israel's wise men because he asked God for wisdom, instead of wealth, to rule his people and it was given to him, including the wealth that he did not ask for. "Wisdom" is the ability to live life skillfully, to make sensible decisions and judgments based on personal knowledge and experience. To a Christian, wisdom comes from Above and to be "wise" is to be able to apply God's words into our everyday life, diligently obeying His will and purpose for our life.

Prodigal or wasteful living leaves you with nothing. It is not a sin to buy good things and to enjoy the fruits of your labor, however, it is unwise to splurge on something that will only last a while and then thrown away. It is wise to prioritize your spending and save something for the future. The Bible says, "See that you walk carefully, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is" (Ephesians 5: 15-16).

Recycling Left-Over Food

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 07:19:00 +0000

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING/PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS: Recycling Left-Over Food

With all the hunger in the world, it's almost a crime to throw away left-over food. That is why when we eat in restaurants, left-over food goes into "doggie" bags which, in the Philippines, are mostly intended for the pet dog at home. Just curious--I know that we also give our dogs dog food, why not give the "doggie" bags to those poor beggars and street kids begging near the restaurant, if you don't want to eat the left-over yourself? Just asking.

Anyway, what I'd like to discuss here is the left-over food after your meals or after a party in your home. I have a friend who could whip up a great meal from the left-overs and from whatever is in your fridge. Do you have left-over roast chicken? She could make a great chicken salad out of it if you have the mayo, the celery sticks, white onions, and if you have apples, she'd put that too. Or, she could make a hearty macaroni soup with that, too. If you have left-over steaks, she'd whip up stir-fry veggies in olive oil with it or make great "salpicao" (a Spanish dish with cubed steaks sauteed in chopped garlic and olive oil) pasta. She could also make great baked macaroni into left-over corned beef and turn sardines into a great pasta sauce. However, I think you cannot whip up something else from left-over Chinese food. What I do is cook something else Chinese to accompany the heated left-over Chinese food so that my husband can eat it again. With my almost expiring bread, I could also make into bread pudding for snacks and dessert.

Well, I know many good housewives can whip up magically something great from left-over food. Always remember that you need to do something with that left-over food as soon as possible until the very next day so it won't spoil. Always transfer left-overs from the "doggie" bag into separate food containers and put them in the fridge the minute you get home.

I found this photo in Photobucket, village kids scavenging for left-over food at a village wedding.

But, if you and your family are not into eating left-over food and you're in the Philippines, don't just throw them away to rot and become compost; give them to the hungry, the needy and to the "basurero" (garbage truck people). Or simply, don't cook beyond what you need so as not to waste food. But again, if you are generous and kind, you could cook more and give these people a taste of your great home-cooked meal. And what a blessing you will be!

Ballroom Dancing--Good Exercise to a Better Health

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 05:52:00 +0000

FOOD AND HEALTH: Ballroom Dancing--Good Exercise to a Better Health

Have you ever heard of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers? Well, they popularized ballroom dancing in the 1930's. But as any fad, it faded through time, but then rose again in mid 1980's and from that time lingered on and off, yet developing into a much bigger scale. At that time, many rich middle-aged women wore their sparkletty clothes and hired good-looking D.I.s (dance instructors) to escort them to ballroom dancing venues to display their grace, together with their "bling-blings" with the most important accessory, the D.I. But these rich matrons soon found out that this ballroom dancing is not only a social function but also a form of exercise. With all the sweat and the fat dripping in their "haute-couture" clothes and adding the sparkle to their "bling-blings", how can they not find out?

Ballroom dancing refers to a set of partner dances, enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world, according to Wikipedia. The term "ballroom dancing" was derived from the world "ball" which originates from the Latin word "ballare", meaning "to dance". Today, ballroom dancing has also emerged to become a dance sport with various dance competitions organized by the World Dance Council.

Tango, waltz, foxtrot, samba, salsa, swing, cha-cha, etc. are the names of various dances danced in ballroom which are, today, popularized by the t.v. show "Dancing with the Stars". But the great benefit of this ballroom dancing to individuals is that it is a great workout. According to various sources, dancing for 30 minutes continuously would burn you 200 to 400 calories, the same as walking and swimming. Wow! Dance is also a weight-bearing activity which builds bones and most beneficial to menopausal women or women prone to osteoporosis. Also, mostly the movement in ballroom dancing is backwards, unlike when you jog or use a treadmill, the movement is forward. Therefore, ballroom dancing works the back of your thighs and buttocks as well. Plus the core muscles that it also works out are your abs and back. It is also a great way to unwind or relieve stress or pressures form work.

When I saw my friend in the mall whom I haven't seen for almost a year so fit and so trim, she explained to me that it was because she does ballroom dancing with her husband at home with the help of an instructor. How romantic! Of course, I researched about it to be able to share it in this post. In the Philippines, you can find various ballroom dance studios which can instruct you with basic and advanced ballroom dancing and it would cost you Php5,000 for a 12-hour session with flexible schedules, so they say. But you can also form your own group with a minimum of 3 students and pay Php500 for a 2-3 hour session. Of course, the more people there are in a group, the lesser the fee per session.

So, what are you waiting for. Let's dance!!!

Other Sources: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/dancing-your-way-to-better-health

http://hubpages.com/hub/Is_Dancing-Good-Exercise_

"Dance Now" by Planetshakers--Dancing to Praise the Lord

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 05:13:00 +0000

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN: "Dance Now" by Planetshakers--Dancing to Praise the Lord

When we praise God, we sing hymns of praise and worship Him through music. Praise is an expression of one's faith in Him. As a Christian, one cannot help but dance when we sing praises to Him because "in His presence, there is fullness of joy".

I've already posted a song by Planetshakers, but let me first give you a brief background on who this Christian band is. According to Wikipedia, Planetshakers first started in 1997 as a Christian youth movement that begun its annual conference in Adelaide, Australia, but grew into an international ministry. Born out of Paradise Community Church in Adelaide with its Pastor Russel Evans, it expanded and moved to Melbourne in 2004 into what was known as the Melbourne City Church but later named the Planetshakers City Church with a mission--"to empower a generation to win a generation". The Planetshakers worship team or band's music is contemporary style of praise and worship tempered with mainstream rock and pop which catered to the youth conference.

"Dance Now" from the Planetshakers' "One" album is a fast paced praise music with words that encourages the worshiper to get up and dance for the Lord, expressing the freedom that we have in Christ Jesus and our faith in Him.

"DANCE NOW"

I'm not holding back
I've got to give You praise
With every part of me I'm breakin' out
I've got to let You know
That You're my everything
With every part of me I'll praise you now

And I will dance and sing
You know I'm gonna shout it out
To You my King
'Cause You are all I need now

                           It's time to get up and dance
                           'Cause we're free now
                           It's time to lift up your praise
                           And shout it out now
                           It's time to break off the chains
                           'Cause it's a brand new day
                           And everything is ok
                           Let's dance!

                           Dance now
                           Everybody shout now
                           Liftin' up our praise now
                           Dancing in this freedom we know

"You're Invited!" --Dhemz's 2nd Giveaways from Vegas

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 08:19:00 +0000

Well, as promised, Dhemz is inviting you to her 2nd Giveaway from Vegas contest and of course, I am joining again. I haven't won any blog contest yet but it's a good thing to try. Congratulations to the winners of the first Vegas giveaway contest (No sour-graping, he, he!).

So here are the mechanics:
1. Subscribe to these blogs: Dias Spot, Life's Perception, & Great Finds & Stuff
2. Follow these blogs: Dias Spot, Me & My Passion & Great Finds & Stuff
3. Add these blogs on your blog roll: Dias Spot, Me & My Passion & Great Finds & Stuff
4. Blog about the giveaway contest
5. Place the badge anywhere in your sidebar
6. And Add your link entry here.

A total of 10 participants will get the chance to win the giveaway contest (7 participants for LV giveaways and 3 participants for $25, $15, and $10).

There will be 2 separate drawings on August 30, 2010 (I just want to make sure all participants are on the list):
*a raffle draw for the Las Vegas giveaways
* cash prizes will be drawn through random.org
Ten (10) lucky winners will be announced on September 1, 2010. Good luck everyone!

"You are a Son, an Heir of God through Christ"

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 07:43:00 +0000

SPIRITUAL FOOD: "You are a Son, an Heir of God through Christ"

A Christian's position here on earth is through Christ and no one else. He is what he is because of what Christ had already done, not because of his own works. Therefore, in order to enjoy the benefits of Christianity, he must know who he is in Christ Jesus and the promises that are attached to it, so that he may be able to exercise his faith and fulfill the purpose he was called for here on earth.

You were chosen and has been blessed:

Ephesians 1: 3-5 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly place in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will."

You are a son (a child of God) and heir of God through Christ.

Galatians 4: 7 "Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."

You are more than a conqueror through Him who loves you and nothing can separate you from that love.

Romans 8:37-39 "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ our Lord.

Health is yours because it has been paid for by His stripes.

1 Peter 2:24 "..who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes we were healed."

It is God's will for you to prosper in every area of your life (finance, business, relationships, etc.) and be in health.

3 John 2 "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers."

Confidence in Who You Are

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 05:17:00 +0000

ISSUES OF LIFE: Confidence in Who You Are

"Loser!" "Failure!" "Stupid!" "Liar!" "Adulterer!" How sad that these words have been declared by people to their friends and loved ones, sometimes, even by parents to their own children. Has someone shouted at you one or more of these words? Remember what we have learned about words having life or power. Sometimes, these words are received and become embedded in someone's heart and mind that leads to feelings of depression, condemnation, low self-esteem and even to suicide.

The Bible says (Proverbs 23:7) that "For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he". Therefore, whatever you regard yourself as, that you are. What ever you think you can do, that you are able to do. Confidence is the certainty that you can do what you think you can do. Perhaps since childhood, words have been spoken into your life that made you lose that confidence in your self, therefore, you need to renew your mind. You need to delete those things that have been encoded into your mind and heart and replace them with new thoughts and beliefs.

David asked God (Psalm 8: 4-9) "What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?" and further expressed his awe that man had been given dominion over all other God's creations. David again expressed God's concern for man in Psalm 139:13-17 by praising Him for he was fearfully and wonderfully made and for His precious thoughts for him which He revealed in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts I have for you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope". So, what am I saying here? That if this is how important you are to God, how much more should you regard yourself as important.

Therefore, "You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you" (Philippians 4:13), yes, even women. So where does your confidence come from? Our confidence is in Christ Jesus who has done everything for us; all we need to do is believe. Our own strength and abilities may produce something in our life but the perfect will of God will produce good things and even more. Paul said in Galatians 3:28-29 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if your are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise". Are you a female? Then you are definitely included in that promise.
So now, who do you think you are?

The Biggest Loser--An Inspiration to the Obese

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 06:42:00 +0000

FOOD AND HEALTH: The Biggest Loser--An Inspiration to the Obese

How do you go from humongous to fit? It seems so impossibly hard, especially for the obese. But NBC's reality t.v. show, "The Biggest Loser" has become an inspiration to many people in the world who has an obesity problem.

According to Wikipedia, obesity is a medical condition by which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems such as, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breathing difficulty during sleep, certain types of cancer, osteoarthritis, etc. This condition is commonly achieved by excessive dietary calories and lack of physical activity. It may also be a result of genetic susceptibility and in a few cases, by endocrine disorders (like Oprah, so she said), by medications or psychiatric illness.

Obesity is determined by a measurement of our BMI (Body Mass Index), measured by kg/m2, which is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms(your body mass) by the square of your height in meters. For example, a man who weighs 146 kg. and has a height of 177 cm., here's the computation:

146 kg. = 146 kg.

1.77m x 1.77m = 3.13 m

146/3.13 = 47 kg/m2 BMI, which makes that person morbidly obese.

Here's Wikipedia's Classification Chart for BMI:

BMI (kg/m2) Classification

Less than 18.5 Underweight

18.5 - 24.9 Normal weight

25.0 - 29.9 Overweight

30.0 - 34.9 Class 1 Obesity

35.0 - 39.9 Class 2 Obesity or Severe Obesity

40.0 - 44.9 Class 3 Obesity or Morbid Obesity

45.0 and above Super Obese

The primary treatment for obesity is, of course, dieting and physical exercise. But there are some who resort to anti-obesity drugs and even to bariatric surgery (gastric banding, meaning the stomach is ligated or diverted).

Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide. Yes, "preventable" because there is a treatment. In the U.S., First Lady Michele Obama campaigns against childhood obesity, perhaps because she believes that if at an early age one has the will power to control eating habits and has the will power to exercise, you can also do it when you are an adult. Yes, again, the will power is the issue why obese people remain in their condition, even for the non-obese. That is why "The Biggest Loser" is a great inspiration booster for many, worldwide, because if those oh so big people can diet and really exercise, I can also do it. Right now, this program has syndications all over the world--Australia, Japan, Asia, etc., because it is a great program to fight obesity in the world. Also, their web pages and web clubs offer many ideas regarding diets and exercise routines. What's more? During the finale, your eyes would gape from the before and after images that you'd never imagine could happen to a super obese, looking hopeless before, but looking great after. But they'd never look great without the hard work through physical exercise and the determination to choose and eat the right food. After that, you need the determination to continue doing what you're doing to maintain your figure and health. Hey, the contestants in "The Biggest Loser" always have doctor's supervision. Therefore, if you're obese, consult your doctor first before going through the diet and exercise routine.

Another source:

http://www.oregonlive.com/movies/index.ssf/2010/07/the_biggest_loser_casting_call.html

Preparations for a House Party

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 05:44:00 +0000

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING: Preparations for a House Party

A good housewife should know how to throw a party or entertain at home; if she doesn't, she, instinctively, tries to learn how to. Why? Because sometimes, the husband brings home some friends or his boss, sometimes the family get-together is at your house, many times you need to throw a kid's party for your child's birthday, sometimes you need to host dinner for your friends and neighbors, etc.

There are several tips you'd find in the internet on how to prepare for a party. But these are general rules I've learned from my own experiences which I've added to those found in the internet and I would like to share them with you. One general rule is regarding the number of your guests. If your guests can all sit at your dinner table, prepare for a sit-down dinner; if your guests are too many for your dinner table, prepare a buffet.

Sit-down dinners are, to me, like a first class service in a long-haul flight. You have to remove the used plates for every course--green salad, soup, entree, dessert. It's okay if you have maids like we do here in the Philippines. A great idea is to turn a console table in your dining room into a salad and dessert table where your guests can get their salads and desserts and then sit down at the dinner table. All you have to serve individually are the soup, if you are serving that, and entrees. Then you can offer tea or coffee with the dessert in a big tray.

     Buffet is the best thing for medium to large parties because you don't have to serve, individually, your guests. All you need to do is to replenish the chafing dishes and display all the soft drinks, pitchers of iced-tea and water, and bottles of wine, and your guests can help themselves. If the party is really big, here in the Philippines, you can hire one or two waiters who can service the beverages for you.
     Here are some tips that might help you in your preparations for a party.

1) Always stick to what you know--Food preparation is essential to a party because you socialize with guests through food. So if you're preparing the food, stick to the ones you can cook with your eyes closed and your friends have tasted and said, "Hmmm...delicious. Can I get the recipe?"
2) Choose food that you can prepare ahead of time--The worst scenario is that you're still cooking while your guests are already arriving; you would look so haggard and won't be able to socialize much.
3) Choose to have your food catered, if you don't have the time to prepare--Do you know that, many times, it is cheaper to have a caterer do your food preparations than you, yourself? Aside from providing you with waiters, they also bring the buffet table and the centerpiece (flower arrangement, sometimes with small fountains or ice sculpture,etc.) as well as the dishes, knives and forks, etc. All you have to do is socialize.
4) Always allot at least 15% more food and drinks against the number of your guests-- This is a wise move because, oftentimes, there are more guests than you invited or plate accident happens where the food is dropped.
5) Prepare your fridge and serving dishes, plates and utensils ahead of time--Before you buy your groceries for the party, clean out your fridge so that there would be room enough for your party food. Estimate you serving platters, dishes and utensils against the number of your guests. In the Philippines, we are used to borrowing from a neighbor, a friend, or a relative.
6) Buy your party groceries in bulk--This will save you a lot of money buying in wholesale.
7) Show a little flair--A motif makes the party interesting, like Hawaiian or whatever you feel is your style. A friend of mine made a Hawaiian buffet so she scooped out the insides of large pineapples and watermelons and served her chicken macaroni salad and melon ball salad in these fruit containers underneath a bed of cut banana leaves.
8) Choose your lighting, music, decors, etc. that would be conducive to socializing--No loud music; instead you can put on soft, piped-in music. The lights should not be too bright, but also not too dim.
9) Clean as you go--Pick up pieces of tissues from tables, empty plates and glasses, etc.

     Remember, a great party is a well-planned party.

Fashion Do's and Don'ts

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen Araneta) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 07:59:00 +0000

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN: Fashion Do's and Don'ts

I'm no fashion expert but I think it's time to discuss this. I found a great video web page (http://www.videojug.com/interview/fashion-fundamentals-3 ) that gives us simple fashion tips that are practical for us, everyday women. The video is an interview with Ms. Jess Zaino, a style expert.

So many fashion trends, so many fads, so many rules, sometimes we can't catch up if we want to be trendy. However, fashion trends keep coming back but combined with simple modern flair. For example, the mini's, the Audrey Hepburn look styled into evening wears, the bell-bottom pants, the flats, etc. But according to Ms. Zaino, timeless fashion do's include great fits, meaning the fit is important as the style itself. Several fashion do's or must-haves, she says, include a great suit, great pants, a v-neck cashmere sweater, great tee shirts that are fitted wonderfully to your body in the basic colors like navy, white, gray and black, a great pair of shoes and a signature accessory. My own fashion do's include, yes, tee shirts, but also great jeans, summer dresses, cool blouses and pants, and the basic evening dress which may or may not be black--all for the hot Philippine weather. Ms. Zaino further adds that we should stick to what's classic and simple and you'll be chic forever.

Now, for the biggest fashion don'ts, Ms. Zaino said: Don't go out of the house looking sloppy; Don't wear sweat pants (unless you're exercising); Don't wear things that are ill-fitting; Don't wear things that show-off too much information, like a thong in a low-rise jeans or very low neckline showing off your great chest.

Here's what's more interesting. The following are various terminologies that the fashion world are now using which are no-no's to fashion:

"Wedgie" --this means that the material of your clothes rides up the person's behind (gluteus maximus) or when your underwear goes up your behind.

"Muffin-top" -- When a woman wears way-below-the-hips that the fat tends to roll up the tight jeans and lodge over the ope to create an illusion of a muffin top. He, he. When I wear my low-rise jeans, I have that, but I hide it with long blouse. Shhh...

"Behind cleavage" -- You know what I mean because I can't write the "b...tt "word here. This behind cleavage is seen when a woman sits with her low-rise jeans showing off her thongs in between her behind.

"Wardrobe malfunction" --this word was coined by Janet Jackson when she inadvertently flashed the half side of her chest at the Super Bowl a few years ago. Therefore, check your wardrobe before wearing them so you won't have any accidents such as this showing off inner parts to the world.

"Mono B...b" --Sometimes, we wear too tight bras that the bra pushes our frontal parts in the middle of the shirt creating a single chest component.

"Back B...b" --This one comes out when a woman wears too tight bra that the extra fat at the back kind-a spills creating a roll at the back.

These words basically describe fashion conditions which we don't want to be in. However, some of us do, yet there are ways which we can style our clothes to hide these imperfections. The problem is, sometimes, women tend to go for the fashion trend rather than for a great look. Sometimes, they know they have a problem, in certain areas yet they still insist on wearing those clothes that are too tight and too low that they tend to show the parts that should not be shown.