Scribble & Scribble

A Pseudo Relationship

2011-01-18T01:06:00.004+08:00

I came across a blog earlier because I was searching for articles on "Pseudo Relationships" on the net. I just want to share this write-up I found at lovestoryblog.com.

Here goes...

The "parang kayo, pero hindi" stage. Others call it MU or mutual understanding. Pseudo-relationships. Pseudo-boyfriends. Flings. Almost like a relationship, but not quite. It is a phase where the persons involved are more than friends, but not quite lovers. Puwedeng may verbal agreement, puwedeng wala. One or both of you may have admitted your feelings, possible ding hindi. You just let your gestures do the talking for you. Walang pormal na ligawan na nangyari. Hindi kayo mag-dyowa. Pero sa kilos niyo, sa mga sinasabi niyo, parang kayo, pero hindi.

This kind of "relationship" can happen at different stages for different reasons. It can happen after a break-up. You still love each other, and you want to be with each other but you broke up for a reason. And for reasons that you alone know, ayaw niyo na muna magkabalikan.

It can also happen before a relationship, iyong pareho kayong nakikiramdam. Possible din na ayaw niyo munang mag-seryoso kaya kunwa-kunwarian lang muna. Testing lang. Puwede ring hindi puwedeng maging kayo kasi isa sa inyo may ka-relasyon na. Kaya habang hindi pa siya nakikipag-break doon(sabi niya makikipag-break siya soon pero di naman niya ginagawa), wala muna kayong relasyon para nga naman hindi siya nangangaliwa
kasi "hindi naman kayo."

This pseudo-relationship stage, for a time, can be fun. Lalo na kung naghahanap ka lang naman ng "kalaro." Pero huwag ka lang mag-e-expect na
may patutunguhan kayo kasi wala talagang kasiguraduhan.

So bakit ang daming nagse-settle sa ganitong setup ganoong hindi naman sigurado kung may patutunguhan?

Iba't ibang dahilan. Puwedeng for fun lang. Puwedeng "buti na iyan kesa wala" or puwede na iyang "pantawid-gutom." Meaning, habang wala pa iyong the real thing, doon muna sa kunwa-kunwarian.

For those who are not in a serious relationship, they would think that pseudo-relationship is better than no relationship at all. It would be fun, if all you are after for is that "kilig" feeling.

Mostly, ang rationalization ng mga napasok dito, "okay na iyun, kesa wala."

Aminado naman ako na once upon a time, may mga pseudo-relationships din ako. No commitments involved. For the simplest reason that they couldn't commit, because they were either committed to someone else, or that they weren't ready to commit.

Ang maganda doon, iyong kilig feeling. Iyong merong nagtatanong kung kumusta araw ko. Iyong merong ka-cuddle sa beach outing. Iyong kapag tumunog ang cellphone, mapapangiti na ako dahil alam kong galing sa kanya ang message. Iyong merong laging kasama. Habang wala pa ang the real thing, puwede na itong pagtiyagaan.

But then I learned that although it was only a pseudo-relationship, the emotions were real. And usually, in this kind of set up, ang nagmamahal ang lugi.

Una, you can't ask siya to commit. Since it's not really a relationship, you can't demand commitment from your partner. Ano ba kayo? May K ka nga ba magpasundo or mangsundo ng hatinggabi? You will always be uncertain about your role in his life. You can't expect him to be always there with you. And if you feel jealous of the others, you just have to keep it to yourself. Ano ka ba niya para magselos?

Pangalawa, what if you fall deeply in love with him/her? You can't be sure if he feels the same way. Baka nag-a-assume ka lang na mahal ka rin niya. Even if you are dying to tell him/her you love him/her, you can't. Because you're not sure if s/he'll like it. Baka mapahiya ka lang. This stage will always make you wonder where you are in the relationship. Or if there is a relationship at all.

Pangatlo, what if you become attached too much? What if you have invested all your emotions and that someone hasn't? What if you remain faithful to him/her, not entertaining others, only to find out that s/he is seeing other girls or boys?

Isa pang downside ng pseudo-relationships, it is fleeting. When a disagreement sets in, or when one of you gets cold, then that would be the end of it. Unlike in a serious relationship, hindi mo alam kung saan ka lulugar sa isang pseudo-relationship. Wala kang pinanghahawakan. Kasi sa pseudo-relationship, there is no "us." Meron lang "you and me," hindi "us."

Buti sana kung pseudo-pain din lang ang mararanasan mo. Kaso, hindi eh. Real pain. And usually, kahit tapos na ang pseudo-relationship, hindi mo maiwasan umasang one day, may karugtong pa rin iyun. And you will be miserable, hoping to bring back what you used to have, only to find out eventually that that someone is in another pseudo-relationship with somebody else.

Ang hirap, ano? You agreed to this kind of set up and then you'd end up hurting yourself in the process.

Pero puwede naman maiwasan ang pain eh. Puwede naman na hindi mo muna isipin ang future and just enjoy the feeling, without thinking of the consequences.

But if you are certain that you are going to hurt yourself in the process, kailangan mo mamili. You can be happy and live the moment without worrying what would happen next. Or you can stop settling with pseudo-relationships and wait for the real thing.

When I was younger and in a pseudo-relationship with an unavailable girl, a friend told me, "Sige, kung ayaw mong magpapigil, bahala ka. Magpakasaya ka. Pero huwag kang iiyak-iyak pagkatapos, dahil tatadyakan kita."

Ang bottom line lang naman, kung magpapasaya sa iyo, gawin mo. Ihanda mo lang ang sarili mo sa consequence. Dahil ang "parang kayo pero hindi" stage ay bihirang nagiging totoo. Usually, hanggang doon lang siya -- almost, but not quite.

Changes in Zodiac Signs for 2011

2011-01-14T17:14:00.005+08:00

Parke Kunkle, an astronomer in Minnesota, says that the change in the Earth’s angle will provide an all-new alignment of the zodiac signs this year. In addition, there may be a new sign - Ophiuchus (13th Sign).

Here is the new alignment:

Capricorn: Jan. 20 – Feb. 16
Aquarius: Feb. 16 – March 11
Pisces: March 11 – April 18
Aries: April 18 – May 13
Taurus: May 13 – June 21
Gemini: June 21 – July 20
Cancer: July 20 – Aug. 10
Leo: Aug. 10 – Sept. 16
Virgo: Sept. 16 – Oct. 30
Libra: Oct. 30 – Nov. 23
Scorpio: Nov. 23 – Nov. 29
Ophiuchus: Nov. 29- Dec. 17
Sagittarius: Dec. 17 – Jan. 20

Worried that your Zodiac Sign will now change? Most people are, including me (I'd like to keep my Libra sign). But they say the general idea is that whatever you were born under still stands true, but those born starting in 2011 will follow a totally different chart. What do you think?

The End of Facebook - March 15, 2011?

2011-01-09T17:22:00.006+08:00

WeeklyWorldyNews:

PALO ALTO, CA –Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook will be shut down in March. Managing the site has become too stressful.

“Facebook has gotten out of control,” said Zuckerberg in a press conference outside his Palo Alto office, “and the stress of managing this company has ruined my life. I need to put an end to all the madness.”

Zuckerberg went on to explain that starting March 15th, users will no longer be able to access their Facebook accounts.

“After March 15th the whole website shuts down,” said Avrat Humarthi, Vice President of Technical Affairs at Facebook. “So if you ever want to see your pictures again, I recommend you take them off the internet. You won’t be able to get them back once Facebook goes out of business.”

Zuckerberg said that the decision to shut down Facebook was difficult, but that he does not think people will be upset.

“I personally don’t think it’s a big deal,” he said in a private phone interview. “And to be honest, I think it’s for the better. Without Facebook, people will have to go outside and make real friends. That’s always a good thing.”

Some Facebook users were furious upon hearing the shocking news.

“What am I going to do without Facebook?” said Denise Bradshaw, a high school student from Indiana. “My life revolves around it. I’m on Facebook at least 10 hours a day. Now what am I going to do with all that free time?”

However, parents across the country have been experiencing a long anticipated sense of relief.

“I’m glad the Facebook nightmare is over,” said Jon Guttari, a single parent from Detroit. “Now my teenager’s face won’t be glued to a computer screen all day. Maybe I can even have a conversation with her.”

Those in the financial circuit are criticizing Zuckerberg for walking away from a multibillion dollar franchise. Facebook is currently ranked as one of the wealthiest businesses in the world, with economists estimating its value at around 7.9 billion.

But Zuckerberg remains unruffled by these accusations. He says he will stand by his decision to give Facebook the axe.

“I don’t care about the money,” said Zuckerberg. “I just want my old life back.”

The Facebook Corporation suggests that users remove all of their personal information from the website before March 15th. After that date, all photos, notes, links, and videos will be permanently erased.

Could this be true? I doubt it.

Here's what the people at Liquida has to say about it:

"It's a rumor based on a fictitious, satirical story published on WeeklyWorldNews.com, a tabloid-style website (and formerly a weekly newspaper) best known for such past scoops as 'Alien Spaceships to Attack Earth in 2011' and 'Megan Fox Is a Man.' It isn't news. It barely even qualifies as a rumor...."

FREE Trip to Boracay!

2010-01-11T11:30:00.006+08:00

I have always wanted to go back to Boracay. So this is good news! WOW Philippines Travel Agency is giving away a FREE Boracay Package!

Win a Free Boracay Vacation Package by WOW Philippines Travel Agency

WOW Philippines Travel Agency, Inc. is celebrating it's 5th year in business during July of 2010, and we would like you to have a chance to celebrate with us, so we have decided to give-away a FREE Boracay Package complete with 5 Star accommodations at the luxurious Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel on Boracay Island. The lucky winner will win the following Boracay vacation package.
Vacation Package Inclusions:

- 5 Days / 4 Nights Luxury 5 Star Accommodations at the Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel

- Flights to Boracay from Manila to Caticlan Airport on Philippine Airlines

- Island Transfers - Door-to-Door from Manila to the resort and back to Manila Domestic Airport

- Three (3) Meals each day, Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

- Boracay Activities - Horseback Riding, Island Hopping, Glass Bottom Boat

- PLUS - 5,000 peso Spending Cash

Read More Information at: http://www.boracay-packages.com

Partners and Marriage by Kent Nerburn

2009-06-16T00:15:00.010+08:00

First post for 2009! Wow... A lot has happened, I don't know where to start! haha

Here's a little something about love... I found this on a friend's page (notes) in FB last January. It made me reflect on my past mistakes, and somehow guided me through the "selection" process. It's a well-written piece. Quite long.. but a good read! I highly recommend this... :) And oh, I googled this essay, and saw hundreds of sites showing the same thing. I found a post as early as 2007. But it doesn't matter, I'm sharing this to those who haven't had the chance to read it yet. :)

This excerpt, by the way, is frequently attributed to Eduardo Jose E. Calasanz, when in fact it is part of Kent Nerburn's book, Letters to My Son: A Father's Wisdom on Manhood, Life, and Love. Chapter 26.

My friend says this holds an advice for the married, planning to get married, single but not available, single and available, and even for those with no love life. So read on! :)

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------------------------------------

PARTNERS AND MARRIAGE
By Kent Nerburn

I have never met a man who didn't want to be loved. But I have seldom
met a man who didn't fear marriage. Something about the closure seems
constricting, not enabling. Marriage seems easier to understand for what
it cuts out of our lives than for what it makes possible within our
lives.

When I was younger this fear immobilized me. I did not want to make a
mistake. I saw my friends get married for reasons of social
acceptability, or sexual fever, or just because they thought it was the
logical thing to do. Then I watched, as they and their partners became
embittered and petty in their dealings with each other. I looked at
older couples and saw, at best, mutual toleration of each other. I
imagined a lifetime of loveless nights and bickering and could not
imagine subjecting myself or someone else to such a fate.

And yet, on rare occasions, I would see old couples who somehow seemed
to glow in each other's presence. They seemed really in love, not just
dependent upon each other and tolerant of each other's foibles. It was
an astounding sight, and it seemed impossible. How, I asked myself, can
they have survived so many years of sameness, so much irritation at the
other's habits? What keeps love alive in them, when most of us seem
unable to even stay together, much less love each other?

The central secret seems to be in choosing well. There is something to
the claim of fundamental compatibility. Good people can create a bad
relationship, even though they both dearly want the relationship to
succeed. It is important to find someone with whom you can create a good
relationship from the outset. Unfortunately, it is hard to see clearly
in the early stages.

Sexual hunger draws you to each other and colors the way you see
yourselves together. It blinds you to the thousands of little things by
which relationships eventually survive or fail. You need to find a way
to see beyond this initial overwhelming sexual fascination. Some people
choose to involve themselves sexually and ride out the most heated
period of sexual attraction in order to see what is on the other side.
This can work, but it can also leave a trail of wounded hearts. Others
deny the sexual side altogether in an attempt to get to know each other
apart from their sexuality. But they cannot see clearly, because the
presence of unfulfilled sexual desire looms so large that it keeps them
from having any normal perception of what life would be like together.
The truly lucky people are the ones who manage to become long-time
friends before they realize they are attracted to each other. They get
to know each other's laughs, passions, sadness, and fears. They see each
other at their worst and at their best. They share time together before
they get swept into the entangling intimacy of their sexuality.

This is the ideal, but not often possible. If you fall under the spell
of your sexual attraction immediately, you need to look beyond it for
other keys to compatibility. One of these is laughter. Laughter tells
you how much you will enjoy each other's company over the long term.

If your laughter together is good and healthy, and not at the expense
of others, then you have a healthy relationship to the world. Laughter
is the child of surprise. If you can make each other laugh, you can
always surprise each other. And if you can always surprise each other,
you can always keep the world around you new. Beware of a relationship
in which there is no laughter. Even the most intimate relationships
based only on seriousness have a tendency to turn sour. Over time,
sharing a common serious viewpoint on the world tends to turn you
against those who do not share the same viewpoint, and your relationship
can become based on being critical together.

After laughter, look for a partner who deals with the world in a way
you respect. When two people first get together, they tend to see their
relationship as existing only in the space between the two of them. They
find each other endlessly fascinating, and the overwhelming power of the
emotions they are sharing obscures the outside world. As the
relationship ages and grows, the outside world becomes important again.
If your partner treats people or circumstances in a way you can't
accept, you will inevitably come to grief. Look at the way she cares for
others and deals with the daily affairs of life. If that makes you love
her more, your love will grow. If it does not, be careful. If you do not
respect the way you each deal with the world around you, eventually the
two of you will not respect each other.

Look also at how your partner confronts the mysteries of life. We live
on the cusp of poetry and practicality, and the real life of the heart
resides in the poetic. If one of you is deeply affected by the mystery
of the unseen in life and relationships, while the other is drawn only
to the literal and the practical, you must take care that the distance
doesn't become an unbridgeable gap that leaves you each feeling isolated
and misunderstood.

There are many other keys, but you must find them by yourself. We all
have unchangeable parts of our hearts that we will not betray and
private commitments to a vision of life that we will not deny. If you
fall in love with someone who cannot nourish those inviolable parts of
you, or if you cannot nourish them in her, you will find yourselves
growing further apart until you live in separate worlds where you share
the business of life, but never touch each other where the heart lives
and dreams. From there it is only a small leap to the cataloging of
petty hurts and daily failures that leaves so many couples bitter and
unsatisfied with their mates.

So choose carefully and well. If you do, you will have chosen a partner
with whom you can grow, and then the real miracle of marriage can take
place in your hearts. I pick my words carefully when I speak of a
miracle. But I think it is not too strong a word.

There is a miracle in marriage. It is called transformation.
Transformation is one of the most common events of nature. The seed
becomes the flower. The cocoon becomes the butterfly. Winter becomes
spring and love becomes a child. We never question these, because we see
them around us every day. To us they are not miracles, though if we did
not know them they would be impossible to believe.

Marriage is a transformation we choose to make. Our love is planted
like a seed, and in time it begins to flower. We cannot know the flower
that will blossom, but we can be sure that a bloom will come.

If you have chosen carefully and wisely, the bloom will be good. If you
have chosen poorly or for the wrong reason, the bloom will be flawed. We
are quite willing to accept the reality of negative transformation in a
marriage. It was negative transformation that always had me terrified of
the bitter marriages that I feared when I was younger. It never occurred
to me to question the dark miracle that transformed love into harshness
and bitterness. Yet I was unable to accept the possibility that the
first heat of love could be transformed into something positive that was
actually deeper and more meaningful than the heat of fresh passion. All
I could believe in was the power of this passion and the fear that when
it cooled I would be left with something lesser and bitter.

But there is positive transformation as well. Like negative
transformation, it results from a slow accretion of little things. But
instead of death by a thousand blows, it is growth by a thousand touches
of love. Two histories intermingle. Two separate beings, two separate
presence, two separate consciousnesses come together and share a view of
life that passes before them. They remain separate, but they also become
one. There is an expansion of awareness, not a closure and a
constriction, as I had once feared. This is not to say that there is not
tension and there are not traps. Tension and traps are part of every
choice of life, from celibate to monogamous to having multiple lovers.
Each choice contains within it the lingering doubt that the road not
taken somehow more fruitful and exciting, and each becomes dulled to the
richness that it alone contains.

But only marriage allows life to deepen and expand and be leavened by
the knowledge that two have chosen, against all odds, to become one.
Those who live together without marriage can know the pleasure of shared
company, but there is a specific gravity in the marriage commitment that
deepes that experience into something richer and more complex.

So do not fear marriage, just as you should not rush into it for the
wrong reasons. It is an act of faith and it contains within it the power
of transformation.

If you believe in your heart that you have found someone with whom you
are able to grow, if you have sufficient faith that you can resist the
endless attraction of the road not taken and the partner not chosen, if
you have the strength of heart to embrace the cycles and seasons that
your love will experience, then you may be ready to seek the miracle
that marriage offers. If not, then wait. The easy grace of a marriage
well made is worth your patience. When the time comes, a thousand
flowers will bloom...endlessly.

**********************************************************************

Meteor Over Alberta

2008-11-23T12:27:00.002+08:00

Possible meteor lights up the skies in northern Alberta
Huge flash also seen in Sask. and Manitoba

By TAMAS VIRAG, Sun Media (Thu, November 20, 2008)

EDMONTON — The bright flash of light across the Alberta sky earlier this evening wasn’t a bird and it wasn’t a plane.

It was a meteor seen from across this province and even parts of Manitoba.

“I did hear a boom ... I lifted my eyes and this bright meteor was falling,” said Marcellin Gobeil, who lives on a farm about three kilometres west of Beaumont.

“It came down pretty fast, but it lasted a long time, a lot longer than I’ve ever seen it,” he said, adding the massive and awe-inspiring spectacle painted the dark sky at around 5:30 p.m. in bright shades of orange, green and blue. “When it hit the ground it was still lit.”

One Edmontonian even called the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre – the organization in Ontario that tracks airplane crashes throughout the country – shortly before the heavenly apparition was confirmed as a meteor.

“Somebody called here, she was driving downtown Edmonton and she saw a huge bright light turn orange,” said Capt. Pierre Bolduc with the centre, adding RCMP have gotten hundreds of calls.

Nikki Booth, spokesman for Edmonton Fire Rescue, said they also got calls about the flash of light, but did not respond to it, as they believed the meteor landed south of the city.

Gobeil, however, says the rocky space invader most likely slammed into the ground somewhere in Manitoba, which is just fine by him, after the moment of fear the apparition caused him.

“I was kind of scared, actually. I didn’t know what the heck it was and, to me, it was going to hit the town of umont and that’s where my kids are,” Gobeil said. “It looked so close, and when I didn’t see any explosion or anything I said, ‘Good, it’s gotta be way past that.’ ”

“The question now that remains is whether anything made it to the ground,” said Chris Herd, a science professor at the U of A. “This thing was so bright it indicates that it’s a pretty good-sized piece of space rock.”

Herd is hoping that reports from the public will lead to finding the rock – if any of it survived the fiery fall – so he and others at the university can analyze it.

Anyone wishing to report their sighting is encouraged to do so at miac.uqac.ca.

Source: http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2008/11/20/7482001.html

Most Beautiful Bottom In The World

2008-11-17T07:03:00.001+08:00

I didn't know they were holding competitions for the most beautiful bottom in the world. I could have joined! haha :P kidding. :)

Melanie Nunes Fronckowiak (R) from Brazil, and Saiba Bombote (L) from France pose after they won the female and male final of the "most beautiful bottom in the world" competition in Paris last November 12, 2008. 45 finalists from 26 different countries took part in the competition. Winners received a modelling contract and 15,000 euros ($18,769) prize money. Hmm... looks like I have a lot of work to do in the gym. lol

More photos:

The Winners

Contestants

Source: REUTERS/Vincent Kessler (FRANCE)

Los Angeles, California Wildfire

2008-11-16T05:01:00.008+08:00

Sources say the blaze started Friday night in northern Los Angeles and has burned more than 2,600 acres. The fire was driven by high winds, causing it to spread. Thousands of residents fled in the dark. I can only imagine how scary this is.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles County.

These are photos taken by Dan Steinberg. As you can see, flames burn on both sides of Interstate 5, the main freeway linking Los Angeles to the north. Click here to view the slideshow.

Here's an excerpt from the Yahoo News Article:

"You could see absolutely nothing," said Jackie Burns, 77, who, along with her husband, Len, fled their mobile home at 3 a.m. as the fire raged through the neighborhood. "It was like looking into a black hole. It looked like the end of the world to me."

Scary. I honestly haven't seen a wildfire as huge as this one, but I guess I haven't seen a single wildfire in my life... yet. hehe

Wikipedia cited, many states in the United States, Canadian provinces and many countries around the world use Fire lookouts as a means of early detection of forest fires. Did they see this coming? Daniel Berlant, a spokesman at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said, "the dry conditions make it perfect for more fires".

A wildfire is a natural condition - a natural part of ecosystems in many, but not all forest types. It is sometimes essential for forest regeneration, but when lives are at risk, then we have to do something to prevent huge, destructive ones from happening. Like maybe, find ways to improve the wildland fire suppression techniques? And it's always safer to live far away from wildfire prone areas, in the first place. Still, any kind of fire can happen anywhere, right? Even in big cities... But there are places with high risk, and there are places with low risk - you take your pick. If you're destined to die by fire, would you like to be burned by a forest fire, or fire caused by faulty electrical lines, or fire started by a candle in a lowly shack in the mountains, etc... hehe Sorry, just kidding. :)

165 homes were burned on Saturday. It's a sad and serious matter. I hope they'll find a nice, cozy home before Christmas.

Read the full article at Yahoo News.

Christmas Poll Widget

2008-11-08T05:05:00.021+08:00

I've added a cute new widget today! YAY! Thanks to MicroPoll.com. I was so excited with the outcome, I placed it on my page even if it's still November. =) Christmas is already in the air in the Philippines. The weather's starting to get colder and colder (at least where I live; as for the other cities, I'm not sure), and some people are actually starting to shop for gifts. Yup, as early as today! :) Coca-Cola has started to air their Christmas Ad on TV... I'm listening to Christmas songs aired over the radio at this very moment... Lots of Christmas Decors and Christmas trees are on display everywhere... Well, you get the picture. :)

Anyway, back to the widget... It's a poll widget, really, but after a few minor tweaks, now it reminds me of Superpoke in Facebook, except simpler. It's amazing to know it's customizable. You can set the color for the Title text, the Title background, Poll Border, Poll Background, Question and Answers Text, Chart/Bar graph, etc. You may even display an image for each answer option, thereby, adding appeal to your polls. Not bad, if you want to, let's say, get your reader's opinion on what dress to wear on Saturday, or whom should you go out with... Add a picture of every girl/guy you like in each of the choices, and find out what others think by gathering votes! Hehe Just my imagination... :) Read more about the poll's features here. Oh, and it's free! You do have an option to upgrade to MicroPoll Advantage and pay $15/Month (or more) to get advanced features, but I guess the free account's already cool by itself.

The only slightly-negative thing that I've found so far is, if a user chooses the Multiple-answer type of Poll (just like the one on my page). When someone votes, the counter counts the number of answers chosen, not the number of voters. So, if for example, I'm the first voter in my poll, and I'll choose "Smile at Wen" and "List as Naughty", the results would show there were 2 votes, not 1 voter. So it would give the site owner the impression that two of his/her readers have voted, but in reality, there was only 1 voter who clicked on two answers.

The poll provided by Blogger counts the number of voters, not the answers chosen. But this is just a minor thing, I guess... Unless you're doing a research, then you need accurate data for Statistics. Important thing is, the poll serves it's purpose, and that's to count the number of votes on each answer. My poll's not for the count, by the way. It's just for fun and interaction. :) I hope you'll click on it, it's not adsense... =) And voters remain anonymous (your identities are all safe with Santa, don't worry), so you can throw snowballs at me all you want, and I won't get back at you.. =P hehe This widget will be up and running til Christmas.

If you want to create your own poll, here's the link: http://www.micropoll.com/. Have fun and be imaginative! =)

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Thank You, Subscribers!

2008-11-06T23:43:00.022+08:00

Wow, I can't help but notice the increase in the number of SCRIBBLE & SCRIBBLE Subscribers these past few days. From 0, to 6, to 10, to 13, to 19, and it did went down to 16 for a while, and now at 21! It's a new record! ^_^ It's not many, because I've seen sites with tens and hundreds of subscribers, but I consider myself lucky enough to have some anyways. :) I started this blog last October 15, and I am very grateful for the seriously kind-hearted people who noticed it. hehe It's barely 23 days old... I've seen blogs with only 1 or 2 subscribers, or none at all, and they've been in the blogosphere for a while. =( I always find myself signing up for email subscriptions to those sites, because I know how it feels to see a "0 readers" text on the tiny feedburner button. That's where it all starts, a perfect zero...

I would like to take this time to say THANKS to each and every one of you guys, for your support. My top blog friends, so far, are: xgenesis007, gerimox, and ronald. I appreciate your comments and visits guys. Thank you very much! You never fail to lighten up my day. I invite all my readers to go visit xgenesis' blog, gerimox's blog, and ronald's blog, too! They'll do the same for you, I can guarantee that. Raj, Bhavin, Zelmarqs and the rest of the visitors from BlogCatalog, MyBlogLog, and all the other sites, THANK YOU! I hope you'll visit again soon! :)

And if anybody could tell me, please help me on this one... I'd like to know if there's any way for me to find out who the other subscribers are, e.g. email subscribers, and those who clicked on the RSS feed icons? Feedburner doesn't seem to supply me with the list of email addresses... or maybe I should look harder...? =) I'd like to return the favor somehow. I would subscribe to my subscribers' site content, too. (If I haven't yet) ;-)

I also have one concern... With the frequency of my posts, my emails might end up in your Spam folder. Please let me know if this is happening... So I can find a way to make the email delivery right. :)

Once again, thank you very much! :) My readers' count may go down, or go up from time to time... I'll understand that... But I sure hope it will steadily rise. hehe Thank you!!!

P.S. If you're new to this site, and would like to subscribe to my feeds, please do so. And please let me know, so I could do the same. Thanks!

Britney Spears and Chris Crocker

2008-11-04T08:30:00.010+08:00

I was browsing through YouTube last night. I wanted to view Britney Spears' new Womanizer video. I went over the search results, and I watched the Director's Cut version. She really gained weight, didn't she? :) I noticed her thighs in some of the scenes, particularly when she was standing. Hehe But her body looked fit when she was naked and lying down. The song's catchy, by the way, and I guess she did it again this time. Way to go Britney! And oh, the guy in the video is so cute. =)

The reason I wrote about this is not entirely because of Britney's new music video, but also because of Chris Crocker, Britney's fan. Remember him? hehe Every person is entitled to his/her opinion, and it's a free country, so let him be... :D If you haven't seen his video - the video which possibly ranked No.1 in YouTube's most viewed videos in September 2007 (10,042,520 views as of today) - here it is:

Britney's Fan Crying

And I probably am very late with this... but I discovered the following video uploaded on September 13, 2007 by NatLamp (NationalLampoon.com), just this morning... hehe Am I the only person on earth who don't know about this? I don't really spend so much time on YouTube, so it's not surprising. :) This video was a response to Chris Crocker's video. I just have to share it! =D If you haven't seen this yet, enjoy! It's got 3,527,683 views so far... so maybe, about 6,514,837 people who viewed the Britney Fan Crying video didn't view this yet. hehe

LEAVE CHRIS CROCKER ALONE! Britney Spears Responds

On a serious note, we're all humans, and we must respect one another. :) I included these videos in my blog not to humiliate them further, or anything. Hehe They made their videos available in public anyways, so it was their choice. I am not a die-hard Britney fan, nor a Britney-hater, but I respect her as a person, living her own life trying to express her creativity through music. Believe it or not, I respect Chris' sentiments, too. I don't know him, and I haven't seen other videos of him. True, he might have done that for publicity, but it may also be a real outburst... Who knows, he might be a super emotional guy. We can't blame him for what he feels. NatLamp, on the other hand, appears to be making funny videos for a living, so that's their calling. :) hehe They want to make people laugh. We're humans. We act, we feel, we see, we observe, we reflect, we criticize, we understand, we ignore, we respect. It's all a choice, really. :)

Happy Diwali! =)

2008-10-28T20:00:00.001+08:00

A row of lamps, part of the Diwali observance.

From Wikipedia:

Diwali (or Deepavali) is a major Indian holiday, and a significant festival in Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Many legends are associated with Diwali. Today it is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs across the globe as the "Festival of Lights," where the lights or lamps signify victory of good over the evil within every human being. Diwali is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the month Kartika.

2007 date: 9 November
2008 date: 28 October
2009 date: 17 October (Tentative)
Celebrations: Decorating homes with lights, Fireworks, distributing sweets and gifts.
Observances: Prayers, Religious rituals

Photo uploaded on July 11, 2006 by dhondusaxena
(http://flickr.com/photos/dhondusaxena/187469545/)
Uploaded to Wiki by User Nikkul

Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe...

2008-10-28T10:00:00.004+08:00

In connection with my previous post, I'd like to share the pictures of the other cars on display in the 2008 Paris Auto Show. I know these photos are readily available on the net. But I'd like to keep copies of them in my blog... I guess you could say this blog is not merely a scribbling page, but also a collection of some sort -- things that I find interesting. So, enjoy! And take your pick! Let me know what you like best! :)

Click on the image to enlarge. :)

Photos by John Lamm
Source: http://autos.yahoo.com
Arranged by: Me. :)

I Love This Car!

2008-10-27T00:00:00.013+08:00

*Sigh* Will I ever get to drive and own this car... The 2009 Ferrari California. This photo was taken at the 2008 Paris Auto Show.

A lot of new models from different reputable car manufacturers were made for the Show, but I liked this best, for a lot of reasons I don't even know where to begin. It was love at first sight. =) Watch me, I'm asking Santa for one on Christmas. haha JK! :)

Mike Monticello said, "the photos don't do this car justice, the Ferrari California looks absolutely stunning in person."

It has a fully retractable hardtop, with dual-clutch transmission. It's the first-ever production Ferrari with a front-mounted V-8. It is packed with the latest and greatest from the engineers in Maranello.

Ferrari says the California "is aimed at owners who desire a car which embodies everything the Prancing Horse represents in terms of sporty design and innovation, but also seek a car with greater versatility than ever."

Features:

can be ordered in a 2+2 configuration — children seating only — or for more storage space for weekend outings
top is slick in its operation, and only takes 14 seconds to go from open to fully closed
4.3-liter direct-injected flat-crank V-8 produces 460 bhp
Ferrari's first dual-clutch gearbox with not six speeds, as on every other recent Ferrari, but seven forward gears
Ferrari claims the California will be able to hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than 4 seconds.
steering wheel-mounted F1-style paddles
new suspension system (double wishbones at the front and multilink at the rear)
new evolved F1-Trac traction control system and Brembo brakes with CCM (carbon ceramic material) discs as standard (this latter feature is shared by the other models in the current range)
new aluminium-trimmed centre console
Ferrari California's chassis and bodyshell are both made entirely from aluminium
has an ejectable roll-bar to ensure that its occupants are protected should the car overturn - Ejection time is under 190ms
front retractable airbags (driver and passenger sides), side retractable air bags in door panels, bi-xenon headlights and LED rear lights
panel with analogue instruments (tachometer and rev counter) and four-screen TFT Multidisplay
new infotainment system with 6.5'' touchscreen, Sat Nav, USB connection, Bluetooth, hard disc, voice commands and IPOD connector

FERRARI CALIFORNIA TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHTS
- Length: 4563 mm
- Width: 1902 mm
- Height: 1308 mm
- Wheelbase: 2670 mm
- Front track: 1630 mm
- Rear track: 1605 mm
- Dry weight: 1630 kg
- Kerb weight: 1735 kg
- Weight distribution: 47% Front - 53% Rear
- Fuel tank capacity: 78 l
- Boot capacity: 340 l, 240 l (with roof retracted)
TYRES
- Front: 245/40 ZR19"
- Rear: 285/40 ZR19"
- Front (optional): 245/35 ZR20"
- Rear (optional): 285/35 ZR20""
CARBON-CERAMIC BRAKES
- Front: 390 x 34 mm
- Rear: 360 x 32 mm
ELECTRONIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
- CST with F1-TRAC Stability and Traction Control System
- TPTMS Tyre Pressure and Temperature Monitoring System
ENGINE
- 90° V8 Direct Injection
- Bore and stroke: 94 x 77.37 cc
- Overall displacement: 4297 cc
- Compression ratio: 12.2:1
- Maximum power output: 338 kW (460 CV) @ 7750 rpm
- Maximum torque: 485 Nm (49 kgm) @ 5000 rpm
PERFORMANCE
- Maximum speed: 310 km/h
- 0-100 km/h: under 4.0 sec
- 0-400 m: 12.2 sec
- 0-1.000 m: 22.1 sec
GEARBOX
- F1, dual-clutch, 7-speed plus reverse
- Manual 6-speed + REV
SUSPENSION
- Front: Double wishbone
- Rear: Multilink
FUEL CONSUMPTION
- ECE Combined: 13.1 l/100 km
CO2 EMISSIONS
- ECE Combined: 305.6 g/km

The Ferrari California is available in a choice of 16 different pastel and metallic colours, and it's priced in the range of the F430. According to rsportscars.com, it's base price is rumored to be just under $200,000. It's veeerrry expensive for me. I wish I'll win the lottery or something. hehe

Top & Bottom Photo by John Lamm
References: http://autos.yahoo.com/ and http://www.netcarshow.com/
Photo Gallery by www.netcarshow.com
Official Website: www.ferraricalifornia.com

Your Fingerprints Say Something About You

2008-10-26T05:55:00.006+08:00

Yup. You read that right. I found this article days ago, and I thought you'd be interested (if you haven't heard about it yet). In the fortune-telling world, there's palm-reading, and card-reading, crystal balls, and things like that. But fingerprints-reading? That's a new thing for me. :)

We all know that every person in this world has a different set of fingerprints - they differ in "prints" in it's most strictest sense, but did you know that there only 2 kinds of shapes? The circle, and the wave. These shapes create a pattern, for example: 5 circles, 5 waves, or circle-wave-circle-wave-circle, etc. And I guess some people may have the same patterns. Why? We only have 5 fingers on each hand, and there are only two kinds of shapes. Mathematically, we can only produce so much combinations from two shapes and only 5 fingers. :) Because of this, some people may have the same fingerprint pattern, as some people may have the same personality, but they are never identical (-both the fingerprints and the personalities).

One interesting thing to know about this is that, apparently, in the old days, the Chinese, especially the prominent families, scrutinized the fingers of their prospective daughters-in-law to ensure they did not "unwittingly welcome women who had fingers that showed alternate circles and waves on their fingers, as it was commonly believed that such women would bring trouble into the family, being particularly difficult to control and usually very aggressive." Hehe Quite a preventive measure, huh? :) But I feel sorry for those who were rejected, just because of their fingerprints.

The Chinese were convinced that studying the waves and the circles that appear at the tips of everyone's fingers is a way to read the person's personality and destiny traits.

If you would like to know what your fingerprints say about you, look at your thumb first, then your index finger, your middle finger, your ring finger and then your little finger - in that order. Guys should examine their left hands while women should look at their right hands.

Refer to the diagram shown above, to distinguish between a circle (O) and a wave (W), and read the interpretation below. :) Good luck! Let me know what you have! ^_^ I have the OOOOW pattern, and what it says is surprisingly true...

Fingers: OOOOO (all whorls)
Means: This person is very confident, has a strong character and a hot temper. He/she is an independent person. The luck of this person changes dramatically in life from one period to the next. The undoing of this person will be his/her hot temper so it is vital that this person must learn to be patient and calm.

Pattern: WWWWW (all waves)
Means: This person is a straightforward honest person who goes with the flow. The fingers indicate someone very sensitive, who is especially suited to design and creative work. People with these fingerprint patterns tend to be shy and uncomfortable in social situations, so are not suited to work in PR, politics or any kind of work requiring them to meet people.

Pattern: OWWWO
Means: If you can choose a prestigious working career, you will be very successful. However, you should avoid the tendency to get big-headed and you must never take your career for granted. You should also watch your back, as you tend to attract jealousy into your life and could get betrayed. Always look for long-term benefits.
Pattern: OWWOW
Means: You will need to work harder during the early days of your career. When you reach middle and older age, you will get recognition and wealth luck. So your life gets better the older you get.

Pattern: OWOWW
Means: It is vital that you resist the tendency to be narrow-minded in your attitudes and in the way you think and work. Try to be humble and learn as much as possible. This is how you will get influential help that brings you to the peak of your business and career life.
Pattern: WOOOO
Means: You are a very clear-minded person. As long as you work hard, you are guaranteed to be successful. Even though you tend to be in a hurry, there will be those who help you along. You are also a person with a kind heart.

Pattern: OOOOW
Means: Because you are kind and have an in-built polite attitude, you will easily get help from older persons and friends. You will enjoy great success in your working life and your only weakness is you don't trust people too easily. This can make you too conservative.

Pattern: OOOWW
Means: You have a tendency to be bad tempered, and rather quick to judge. This is a shallow attitude and could easily get you onto the wrong path. If you can correct this tendency of yours, you will have great success. The potential is in you, so try to be calm in your approach.
Pattern: OWWWW
Means: You have good character but can only become really successful in older age. Be prepared to have to work really hard during your younger and middle age periods, but you will become a successful person in older years.

Pattern: WOWWW
Means: You are very good in the social skills. No matter what industry you are in, you like to take risk and you will always face uncertainty. Be careful as the later years of your life could bring yet more challenges. Take less risk as you get older.

Pattern: WWOWW
Means: You are a person who has high vision and heavy responsibility. Be careful. Your visions could get you into serious difficulty. Better to stay more grounded, then your life will have greater success.

Pattern: WWWOW
Means: You are very intelligent and will enjoy a lot of scholastic honors. You will have a smooth life and benefit from wealth luck. If you can work hard, you will become a great and successful person.

Pattern: WWWWO
Means: You will inherit a business or property from your parents or from an older person. Even though you are a capable person and can be successful in your own business, your tendency towards impatience could get you into a lot of difficulty.

Pattern: OOWWW
Means: You have a tendency to be proud and snobbish, although deep inside you are a kind-hearted person. Your social skills however need improving. Your relatives tend to take advantage of you.

Pattern: WOWWO
Means: You are a deep thinking person. At a young age, you are already thinking of your future. You will enjoy a smooth and peaceful life; you will be very happy in your old age.

Pattern: WOWOO
Means: You are a very sociable person and you enjoy the carefree kind of life going out, partying and clubbing. When you reach middle and older age, you will rely on people to support you. Be warned, if you do not prepare yourself, you might have a hard time during your older years.

Pattern: WOWOW
Means: You are not an easy person to control or to convince, as you are something of a rebel. If you can stay focused on what you want from life, you will be successful. The problem is that you can be fickle and vague in what you really want from life.

Pattern: WWOWO
Means: Your whole life is full of ups and downs, successes and failures. However, if you can move steadily step-by-step, you can enjoy a peaceful life as you grow into maturity.

Pattern: WWWOO
Means: You are very kindhearted person and there will be good people in your life, as you will attract these kinds of people towards you. Work hard and you will easily reap your just rewards. You will definitely become successful.

Pattern: OWWOO
Means: You will get recognition and become famous. Even though your life appears unstable during your earlier years of working life and you need to work hard in your thirties, when you reach maturity, your life gets better and better.

Pattern: WWOOW
Means: You are a very capable person, but you tend to lack good judgment. You also tend to start something and then lose interest. Stay focused if you want to succeed.

Pattern: OWOOW
Means: You are a noble person with a good character. You tend to be very helpful towards colleagues and friends so you are a popular person. Because you can think in-depth and have sensitivity towards others, you will enjoy success in the creative fields.

Pattern: OWOWO
Means: You are blessed with a fast and formidable intellect. You work very quickly and with great effectiveness. However, your character is very aggressive and people tend to be intimidated by you. If you can correct this trait, you can rise to great heights.

Pattern: WWOOO
Means: You are a very straightforward person. But your thinking tends to be rather naïve and shallow. Even though your suggestions are good, if you don't think through what you say, you should not be surprised if people tend to ignore your views. Your speech tends to lack power.

Pattern: OOWOW
Means: You are a high-minded person, able to see and grab opportunities. You are best suited to work in the financial and investment fields. Your luck gets better as you grow older.

Pattern: OOWWO
Means: You are a very honest and reputable person. You have little urge to get rich or pursue material wealth. But watch it, if you don't know how to take care of yourself, you can easily get conned and taken advantage of by people.
Pattern: OOOWO
Means: Your social skills are good, so you attract guidance and help from influential people. Many people help you in your rise to prominence, and your luck turns fabulous in later years.
Pattern: OOWOO
Means: You are a very brave and hardworking person. A lot of people trust you when you are young. However, unless you work at preserving your reputation, you could make enemies on your rise up and find that life becomes harder as you get older.

Pattern: OWOOO
Means: You are a kindhearted character and easily get along with others. You are not good at doing business, but you are good as a teacher or even as a spiritual master. You can enjoy success in the academic world.
Pattern: WOOWW
Means: You are reputable and have a peaceful character. So you are definitely someone who can become successful and recognized. However, because of your tendency towards pride, you could end up offending the wrong people.
Pattern: WOOWO
Means: You are a simple but logical person. If you can focus on the fundamentals of life and adopt a step-by-step approach in your climb up the success ladder and not be too impatient, you will benefit from wealth luck and be honored by people.

Pattern: WOOOW
Means: You are a straight talking person who is forthright in your approach. You are strong in character, playful but you also easily offend people. But you are also lucky because when you reach middle age, you will rise to a prominent position and your luck really changes for the better.

Source: http://www.knowledgebase-script.com/

Unconscious Sex?

2008-10-25T23:43:00.002+08:00

Thanks to the Sponsored Links, I learned something new today. This ad caught my attention, because I never really expected to see something like this in my blog. I've never mentioned the word "sex" in any of my previous entries. Although, I do have lots of entries on health, so I guess that's the reason why this ad from healthline.com showed up.

I haven't heard of "Sleep Sex" before. Do you have any idea what it is? I searched the net, and saw an article at webmd.com. This is what I found out...

Sleep Sex, a.k.a. SBS (sexual behaviors during sleep), is "the forceful initiation of relations while in the unconscious state of sleep". In other words, making love unconsciously. Gee.. I never thought that's even possible. Skeptic? Here's an email from a woman who has a husband who's experienced Sleep Sex:

My husband has a difficult time falling asleep at night. Within that first hour after he finally falls asleep, he will initiate sex with me. He is a very different person while doing this, much more aggressive, groping and playfully biting me. I used to think he was awake and doing this consciously until I would confront him the following day and he wouldn't have any recollection of what he did.

This could be scary. Innocent people could be charged for rape because of this, and rapists could probably use this as an alibi.

And guess what? Sleep Sex is not limited to men. This scares me even more. Read on:

In several cases in the Stanford study, women had started moaning ("with sexual undertones," the researchers noted) within a few minutes of falling asleep. In another case, a woman had started fondling herself violently and compulsively while sound asleep.

I honestly wouldn't wanna be caught doing that - especially not by my family, or friends... haha... But how would we know if no one would tell us, right? Who knows? You've probably done something like this! hehe And someone might have caught you fondling yourself, and they thought you were.. what.. masturbating? =P Sorry for the quite vulgar words... :) But yup, a thing like this can be interpreted in many ways. Even the experts have yet to decide if this could be formally categorized as a parasomnia, i.e. sleepwalking.

Luckily, Christian Guilleminault, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., have speculated that 1% of the population may have sleep sex - only 1%. :) This is good news for the majority.

What causes Sleep Sex?

The reasons are not clear, but most often, people who engage in sleep sex have a history of other sleep/neurochemical disorders.

Michael Mangan, PhD, an adjunct professor of psychology at the University of New Hampshire in Durham likens sleep sex to multiple personalities: "Asleep, this is essentially a different person." He further stated that fatigue and stress, as well as drug and alcohol use, can precipitate incidents.

Guilleminault says that patients are confused and don't see reality. Here's something from the webmd.com article:

All of these behaviors could come from abnormal brain activity, though in some cases people may not experience the muscle laxness that is supposed to come during REM sleep, which can lead to forceful behavior they would otherwise be too weak to initiate. "These people exhibit slower brain waves," Guilleminault says, suggesting confusional arousal. There can also be abnormal breathing, resulting in less oxygen and a more confused mental state.

I personally feel sorry for the victims of Sleep Sex, I'm sure there are. =( Researchers say there's treatment available: If a person has a seizure disorder that is contributing to the behavior, that can be treated. Otherwise, clonazepam, in the benzodiazepine family, has proved helpful. It is best to consult a physician. But first and foremost, how should one seek help if he/she isn't aware that he/she has it, right?

To Print or Not to Print - The Latter's Not An Option

2008-10-25T21:13:00.008+08:00

I was giving my sister's boyfriend a big favor last night. The two of them are currently on vacation, and won't be back until the 28th. They're both taking MBA, and my sister's bf needs to submit a paper today. But since they're currently miles away from here, he sent me the file through email, and asked me to print everything - all 51 pages! =O Moreover, I had to give the document to his secretary the following day (that's this morning), so the secretary could hand it over to the university instructor.

51 pages... having to wake up real early in the morning... these two I could handle. But the thought of printing everything using my printer, with it's newly-bought ink - that's what drives me crazy. When my sister and I agreed to share my printer for her thesis, she volunteered to buy the ink. I'm using the Epson C45 Printer - it's not the high-end type, but it works. hehe I've had it since... *I can't remember*... and ever since I bought it, I've always used original Epson ink cartridges. I don't do refill, and I don't use replacements. When my sister used it... Yup! You guessed it right. She bought a replacement. She said, the original ones weren't available, so they bought those cheap ones. And the ink smellsssssss!! Whenever we print things, we have to air out the room so we could breathe. =/ And I heard replacements or refilled cartridges can very well trigger technical problems. Bottom line is, take it from me, don't buy replacements. It's for your printer's health, and yours.

P.S. I managed to print everything, and I came out alive. :)

Our New York-style Pizza Experience

2008-10-24T22:00:00.015+08:00

Pizza - one of the most wonderful things ever made. =D I'd eat pizza any day! :) If you wanna know what my favorite is, I couldn't give you a straight answer. I'd honestly have a hard time choosing! Each pizza restaurant has it's own amazing specialty - and I have my own personal favorite on each one. Today, I craved for Yellow Cab Pizza. My favorite from their menu? The New York's Finest.

I was with my brother this afternoon. We went to the mall to have my mobile phone fixed at the Nokia Care Center. (If you haven't read the story about my phone's near-death-experience yet, please click here.) The service man told us to come back after 3 hours, and my phone will be all set by then. So while waiting, we roamed around and did some window shopping... and headed to Yellow Cab! Guess what? We ordered the 18" New York's Finest Pizza. Yup! And there were just the two of us. haha For comparison, seated on another table, was a family of three (mom, dad, and a child). They ordered the 14" size... :) The 10" size is good for 2-3 persons. The 14" size is good for 3-4. The 18" is probably good for 5-6 people. haha We didn't finish everything off, obviously. I only ate 2 slices and a half (if I remember it correctly). My brother ate 5 slices and a half. haha We brought the rest home (there were 4 slices left), for our mom, dad and two for our sister. We were soo full! And very thirsty! At the end of the day, my phone's back to it's normal working condition, and we realized we just gained more calories than what we've lost in the gym these past few days! ^^ Good thing we can eat a lot without worrying too much on becoming fat. Maybe it's a genetic thing...

Do you like pizza? What's your favorite? :)

Photo of Yellow Cab Pizza Box on top, courtesy of Gita Asuncion

Tucker by Gaby Basora Photo Shoot

2008-10-23T23:58:00.018+08:00

I just received an email from Ford Models, Inc. I'd like to share it with you guys. It's for those individuals who are interested in fashion. It's a photo shoot done on the Tucker by Gaby Basora, just recently. In this video, you will witness behind the scenes footage with Ford Models, Lucie B and Ana Leticia.

Gaby Basora is a stylist and an editor for family-oriented lifestyle magazine called Violet, which was created by Charles Mingus’s daughter, Keki. To give you an idea of what Gaby's fashion style is, below is a question asked by Amy Larocca of nymag.com, followed by Gaby's answer:

How would you describe your style?

"I wear whatever the hell I want. I like to wear a vintage swimsuit over tights and boots— that’s actually my favorite outfit. I wore that to a Richard Phillips opening, and I was like, Paint me, Richard Phillips! I should be in a painting!"

Click on the "Read more >>" link to watch the video of the Tucker by Gaby Basora Photo Shoot... Enjoy!

Photo source: nymag.com
Info from: Ford Models, Inc.

The Pains of Blogging

2008-10-22T13:45:00.003+08:00

The title could be misleading, but I prefer to keep it. Hehe I haven't felt pain in my shoulder - not until I've spent long hours in front of the laptop - blogging. Yup, I'm talking about physical pain, not the agony of waiting for the google check to arrive, site visits to rise, site PR to increase, layout beautification, not-to-mention having to compose entries, review each line for errors, and polish them so they would come out with enough sense to be made available to the public. Now those are really important things and could be painfully time-consuming, but I'd like to talk about physical pain.

Normally, during the day, I merely create ideas in my mind while I'm in the office. When I get home, that's where the execution starts. I spend long hours in front of the laptop before and after dinner - to check mails, visit my social networking sites, and work on my blog. A large amount of time is attributed to blogging.

According to safecomputingtips.com, poor posture is the main cause of shoulder pain. Some of the principle causes are:

* Poor arm support
* Working by keeping your hands away from your body
* Pain in the neck muscles
* Forward leaning
* Sitting too low
* Improper chair height
* Desk or keyboard tray too high
* Poor typing techniques
* No elbow supports

I may have all of the above. haha The workplace that I have in my room needs a heavy dose of some ergonomics make-over... and I need to check my posture. Good thing I read the article, now I can do something about it.

If you're experiencing the same pain, here are the suggested tips to make your blogging (or office) life less painful:

If your armrests are too high you will be raising your shoulders up and creating pain. Thus, check to see if your armrests are at the proper level. Adjust your armrest so that your shoulders are completely relaxed and elbow rest comfortably on armrests. Don't set it too low, or you'll create pain in the elbows and lunar nerves.
Moving and clicking your mouse frequently when it is too far away can create shoulder pain. So keep your elbows close to the sides of your body. This will reduce the strain on the muscles and relieves you from pain.
Sitting too low can cause continuous contraction of the shoulder lifting muscles. This causes disturbance in the flow of blood which in turn leads to more contraction, and the muscles spam and cause pain. So adjust your chair height.
Position the keyboard lower than elbow and some distance away from the computer user, tilting the head downward at the monitor and supporting the weight of the arms can lower the risk of shoulder symptoms and disorders.

I am now aware of the real causes of my shoulder pain. I could blame blogging, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to have proper posture in the first place. It also helps if I change my position from time to time. Dr. Shelley L. Jones (PhD, RN, COHN-S [Certified Occupational Health Nurse Specialist]) said it best in these lines:

Many people experience some discomforts as they work. This is usually because they stay too long in one position. It is important to vary your work tasks so that your muscles have an opportunity to recover periodically. Holding a muscle in one position too long allows waste products to build in muscle tissue. This is called static load. Static load is what happens when you carry a sack of groceries out to your car. The farther you have to walk, the heavier the sack begins to get. So it is with any kind of work that you do. The longer you stay in one position, the longer more static load you have. This leads to the aches and pains that you may be experiencing in your office work.

I just hope my shoulder pain will go away now. I'm heading to the gym tonight for some workout. But that's another story. Happy blogging! =)

Most Expensive Shoes in the World

2008-10-21T13:42:00.009+08:00

I wondered how far designers would go when it comes to footwear. I wondered how much the most expensive shoes in the world is, to date; how much people are willing to pay - considering shoes are only meant to keep our feet warm and clean, in it's most basic sense... and we only step on them, literally - walk on dirty streets, even. I started my search, and I found these...

The most expensive shoes in the world is... Harry Winston's Ruby Slippers!! Nope, Harry is not the new Dorothy for the Wizard of Oz. hehe JK! :) Seriously, it's designed by Ronald Winston of the House of Harry Winston. It has 4,600 rubies totaling 1,350 carats (plus 50 carats of diamonds). O_O Javiar Barerra set the precious stones, and it took him two months to do that. The ruby shoes were made in 1989, but were still on sale in 2000. Wanna buy? They're only worth $3 million.

Stuart Weitzman's creations follow. His Cinderella Slippers, worth $2 million, were worn by Alison Krauss at the 2004 Academy Awards. They are studded with 565 Kwiat diamonds—55 carats of clear diamonds and a single 5-carat gem. But unlike Cinderella's slippers, these are not made of glass. If you wanna take a peak, they're currently on display in Beverly Hills, California.

Stuart Weitzman and Le Vian evening shoes are also worth $2 million. They are made of silver leather set with 185 carats of museum-quality tanzanite gemstones along the ankle bracelets, including the two 16-carat gems hanging from each... and 28 carats of diamonds along the front straps. I only have diamond earrings... =/

Stuart Weitzman’s Ruby Slippers are next in line. Oscar Heyman Bros helped in the creation. They were designed for the 2003 Oscars, but were never worn due to the solemn mood of the times. The Ruby Slippers cost $1.2 million, with 642 Burma rubies weighing in at 123.33 carats, and the settings are made of half a pound of platinum.

I wonder how it would feel like to wear any of these shoes - millions of dollars underneath your feet. hehe I certainly wouldn't walk around wearing these in the streets for shoe-preservation purposes and security reasons... =) I wouldn't allow dirt and germs on my million-dollar shoes, and I wouldn't wanna be seen being mobbed by robbers in the streets, pulling each of my legs, while fighting over my shoes. haha Nah, okay, maybe that's an overstatement. But really, it's amazing shoes as expensive as these exist. =)

Source: http://most-expensive.net

The Falling Sensation

2008-10-20T06:44:00.008+08:00

Do you ever get the feeling of falling when you are going to sleep? And just then, your body jerks as if you want to stop yourself from falling?

I experienced this sensation twice last night (and many times in the past). I finally got curious, so I searched the amazing world wide web for answers and explanations. I then found out there's a technical term attached to it. It's called a hypnic jerk. Or if you prefer the more complicated name, it's called a hypnagogic myoclonic twitch.

Turns out, hypnic jerks are incredibly common - around 70% of the total population have these. However, they are more common in people with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) or people who are sleep-deprived. And yup, you can count me in. Although... the "restless legs syndrome" doesn't sound so good. I refuse to accept that. hehe I'm only sleep-deprived. ;)

Jake Young, a MD/PhD student said:

The cause of hypnic jerks is not entirely clear. During sleep onset, a part of the brain called the reticular formation sends a signal down the spine that causes your muscles to relax. (Actually, if I understand correctly, it causes a change in response of motor neurons from activation to inhibition. This is called the "reticular response reversal" and has been the subject of considerable research.) The theory is that occasionally this signal to relax is misinterpreted by the muscles as a signal to contract causing the spasm.

Scavenger of blurtit.com said:

The body jerks because it feels like you're falling, and your brain sends out a reflex twitch signal to try to pull you back form the brink. You feel the falling sensation because your brain literally disengages from the body while you're asleep. This prevents you from moving around too much in your sleep, especially if you have very vivid dreams.

Some people don't get a "falling" sensation. It's more like floating for them. In which case, their brains sometimes act to pull them back down to earth. Either way, the lack of contact with the body and where the body is in space is very disorienting for the brain.

Hypnic jerks aren't harmful, although they may wake you up again.

And yup, I wake up every time. =/ But this time, I can smile and say: "Sorry for rocking the bed. I just had a hypnagogic myoclonic twitch..." =)

References: http://scienceblogs.com/ and http://www.blurtit.com/

My Phone Is Dying

2008-10-19T08:00:00.001+08:00

The Nokia N80. I've had this phone since January of 2006. By the time I bought it, it was the latest in the N-series, and it used to costs a lot (i paid around $565). But I guess it's nearing it's death now, and it's price have depreciated big time. =/

Days ago, the earpiece failed to work; I couldn't hear the callers, I had to plug in a headset. Nobody knows what triggered the 'disability'. Last night, the display started to fade away. Whenever I slide open/close my phone, the display or screen turns white, and fortunately comes back after a few seconds. But I know the display would eventually die out.

I guess it has something to do with the flex - the insulated wires in between the two parts. I'd have to have it repaired soon, or I'd probably need to buy a new phone. And this time, I think I might just go for the box-type designs, no more slide-up/slide-down/clam shell/rotary or whatsoever designs for me. *sigh* and it's not even on the budget.

On the brighter side, it has been 3 years (almost), and it did serve me well.

Update: (10/24/08) I had my phone repaired. Yup, the flex was the culprit for everything. I had it replaced, paid around $20 for the flex and service cost, and now it's A-okay!! :D

Photo courtesy of phonescoop.com

New Widgets!

2008-10-19T07:30:00.006+08:00

I added two new widgets in my blog today. You can easily find them at the right side of the page. Click on the jack-o'-lantern icon to get your daily dose of Halloween thrill. And don't forget to cast your vote in the poll before leaving the site. Thanks very much!

I'd be happy if you would... because so far, I have nothing yet. =( Thanks xgenesis007 for following!!! ^_^ I'm very grateful! I'm following your blog, too!

UPDATE: The Halloween widget was (obviously) deleted when Halloween was over... :)

The Vehicle of the Future?

2008-10-18T22:39:00.007+08:00

Meet the Aptera Typ-1 model - a vehicle designed for economy and efficiency. At first look, it could easily be mistaken for a miniature airplane or an alien spacecraft - but nope, it doesn't fly. And it isn't a car, either. Due to it's built (it's 3-wheeled) and it's weight, it is registered as a motorcycle - but this time, there's no need for a helmet. ;)

It might look tiny, but it can comfortably accomodate someone as tall as 6'5"! It has a "two-plus-one" capacity - driver, front passenger, and an infant seat (newborn to age 3) in the middle behind the front seating. The manufacturer claims there is enough storage space to fit 15 bags of groceries, two full-size golf club bags or even a couple of seven foot surf boards. Hmm.. but what if a family has 4 or more members... Do they need to buy two? The maker said future plans may include 4-seat models.

More features and specs:

The Aptera's composite safety cage is similar to Formula-1 cars - "Eyes Forward" vision system with 180 degree rear sight picture displayed in the driver's field of view to enhance situational awareness
Stability: It features traction control, a low center of gravity and a wide track width which makes for a very stable platform
Driver and passenger Airbags
Skin: Monocoque construction or structural skin provides 360 degree protection for the occupants. Monocoque construction was first widely used in the aircraft industry, starting in the 1930's. - so that's why it looks like an airplane...
Speed: Top speed for the production model exceeds 85 mph, going from 0-60 in under 10 seconds.
GPS navigation, CD/MP3/DVD player, Large View Rear Camera, and complete vehicle diagnostic system
Charging time: Typical time would be 2 to 4 hours.
LED interior and exterior lighting for maximum energy efficiency
Solar assisted Climate Control System so you always enter a comfortable Aptera that is never too hot or cold
Color: White - for keeping your Aptera cool in the summer and it makes the vehicle very identifiable at night which is an added safety feature, but, different colors might be produced in the future
Gasoline engine
Cup holders
The windows can be opened.

With just a small deposit of $500, you can already reserve for one. Their goal is to begin production of the all-electric late this year and the hybrid in late 2009.The approximate price for the all electric version is $27,000 and the plug-in hybrid is $30,000. But initially, this is only made available in California, as they have not set up maintenance centers in other states yet, nor in any other countries.

Oh, and in case your wondering what happens when an 18-wheeler truck passes the Aptera? The manufacturer stated the aerodynamic shape allows air to slip seamlessly over the vehicle body, such that there is no effect when a large vehicle passes by. The thought of it is scary, though... It could get squashed if the truck driver can't see it from high up in his seat.

Read more about the Aptera and it's first traffic-stopping drive in NYC at the Popular Mechanics blog - October 15, 2008 entry.