2 Month Tragedy

WIKIPEDIA:

The 2013 Bohol earthquake occurred on October 15, 2013, at 8:12 a.m. in Bohol, an island province located in Central Visayas, Philippines. The magnitude of the earthquake at the epicenter was recorded at 7.2, located 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) SW of Sagbayan town, at a depth of 12 kilometres (7.5 mi). It affected the whole Central Visayas region, particularly Bohol and Cebu. The quake was felt in the whole Visayas area and as far as Masabate island in the north and Cotabato provinces in southern Mindanao.

According to official reports by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), 222 were reported dead, 8 were missing, and 976 people were injured. In all, more than 73,000 structures were damaged or destroyed.


It was the deadliest earthquake in the Philippines in 23 years. The energy of the quake released was equivalent to 32 Hiroshima bombs. Previously, Bohol was also hit by an earthquake on February 8, 1990 that damaged several buildings and caused a tsunami.

These are some of the snapshots taken during the tragedy.

5 days ago, the typhoon Haiyan had struck the Philippines, particularly the province of Tacloban (the capital of the Leyte province), and had left it 80% flat of food resources, shelter and water. So many social networks and websites do their best to get information to address every Filipino's need of assurance, calamity response and relief centers to help out the country in rising up from this tragedy. Personally, I feel overwhelmed, hurt and worried for my fellow Filipinos. It was hard to be happy (together with my husband) during our holiday trip seeing the victims calling out desperately for help everyday in the news. 

Philippines faces tragedy after tragedy, island per island, for the past 2 months. Not to mention, overseas Filipino workers here in Hong Kong alone are holding on to their jobs with the fear of being sent back because of the sizzling argument concerning the Rizal Park hostage-taking incident. But that's another story.

I am pretty sure no encouraging words will make sense right now most especially to the people who are currently experiencing the aftermath. Such great loss is too much to take. The victims, out of despair are holding out a gun to a fellow Filipino for his store not to be cleared out of its goods. People had become instant thieves because of absence of their basic needs. I have been discussing with my husband about the news and he had shared to me some of his ideas to make aid faster. One example is to clear Tacloban of the people who need critical care first (the wounded, the ones who were in intensive care and the pregnant ones, the wounded, the infants and kids whose immediate needs couldn't be put into halt) and make those who are able to work, be aggressive in helping out on establishing relief goods stations, heliports, and hospitals. That way, everybody moves. I concur and I believe this would help faster recovery of the province from the Haiyan affectation. Yet again, all that we could do is exchange ideas. This moved me into still trying to encourage families of the victims not to lose hope. Let me share my own story.

Nov. 7, we flew to Thailand, a much awaited breather from a very hectic season at work. Nov. 8, I learned that Haiyan, a 3 times stronger than Katrina super typhoon, had hit the Visayan region, Philippines. This is where the province of Romblon is located and this is where my dad is staying now. I wrote right away to my dad via Facebook. That's how we communicate. I expected that power lines will be off. Since then, my husband and I were in front of the TV every chance we get to know about Philippines condition. A day after, Nov. 9, my dad wrote back informing me that the eye of the storm had passed already and they were expecting heavy rains, flood and a lot of damage that they made my aunts and their families stay in our ancestral home (made of marble so they decided to gather there altogether) but there were none experienced even the day after. No damage at all to the province and they are all safe. If you would look at the map of the Philippines, out of 7,000+ islands, only 6 big ones covered Romblon to safety. I couldn't believe it that there was no damage at all as Haiyan covered the entire Visayas region. My relief was incomparable to any good feeling I have by hearing from them. My present to my Dad for his birthday last October was a camera so I asked him to take a photo of everybody and post it then tag me to have a look of everything.

my dad, my grandmother, may aunt and her 2 sons

my uncle, my godmother and Daryl, my cousin

I was at the edge of my seat waiting to hear from them. I am very thankful for this blessing for my birthday is about to come. And tonight, I prayed and thanked our God that twice He had blessed me this way. One was during my 18th birthday saving my mom from a critical condition brought by a blow on the head. And now, my 31st birthday keeping my dad and that side of my family safe. 

Besides this one, my husband and I reached Hong Kong safely too with no turbulence whatsoever, that I was worried the storm would bring. I called my dad right away to ask how he is doing and he told me the talk of the town in Romblon. 

He said, there was a man riding his motorcycle late at night of Nov. 7. He saw an old woman walking to the shores. He got curious so he slowed down and asked the woman where she was going this time of the night. The woman answered, "I am going to my children living by the shore to see them because these children of mine love me so much." The man feeling that everything was normal, and that she was doing her own thing, he bid her goodbye and reminded her to take care because a storm was coming. And she said, "That's exactly why I'm going there, to protect them...." "OK!" Then he let her go. Some believe that she was heaven sent to protect Romblon because the island is prayerful. It might just be a coincidence. Or maybe they were really protected.

Moving on, I hope that these dark times would lead us into getting awakened of what the Philippine government should be paying attention too. 

Lack of immediate action, better infrastructure, strong nation and humility above all to thank the countries who had extended their help. I was angered by this image because the person who reposted this in Facebook had captioned it "EMBARASSING!". I need not say more. The picture shows everything about a general in command. What the country exactly lacks. I don't know what's the sense of him coming to Tacloban to help if he acts this way.

Again, I salute those people who had helped the Philippines. Right now, what they are dealing with is dehydration and a number of diseases due to filthy water. I am calling out to the president of the Philippines to act according to the immediate needs of the people affected rather than imposing taxes on the goods being delivered. There are big donations that will help you build what was lost. A little bit of empathy so that you would somehow be poked to move. I am surprised that the American soldier being interviewed on TV is the one expressive of the pressure that is due to lack of time to give the people aid. All that I heard from you was imposing Tacloban as "in a state of natural calamity". Aides are coming in from different parts of the world because of that I know. But if you yourself should go there and help distribute the food yourself, please do so. Just saying, you should be the FIRST one there and not some other foreigner.

Here is a tribute from my colleague, Kel Parina.

I have friends whom I work with whose families are in dire need of help since access to enough food, clean water and safe shelter is difficult. Yet again, there is a tropical depression which is about to hit Philippines. Any donations or help that you are willing to give, don't hesitate to leave your email address below and we'll get back to you or send information to your email directly.

Keep the faith my fellow Visayans. Never lose hope.

God provides.

SIZZLER

The carnal taste buds of man would never deny its craving for grilled meat, chicken and seafood to perfection. It is seldom that I approve of a restaurant who knows how to cook my steaks but Sizzler located in Central Festival in Phuket, Thailand deserves a two thumbs up from my husband (who wants his steak meticulously well done) and I.

We have never heard of this place but we feel blessed stumbling on it as we strolled one of the 2 biggest malls in Phuket. We highly recommend it to tourists who desire great service, delicious food and enough serving. There's a wide variety to choose from.

Originally, Sizzlers started with a classic grilled steak or seafood plus a choice of salad and a roll until the owner started to include sandwiches and chicken combo meals until it paved the way for a change in the menu. We got attracted to the freshness of the food from the picture so we decided to have dinner there.

Being new to the place, we silently waited for our order as a very nice young woman invited us to go to the salad bar to get soup and salad for appetizers and reminded us that it comes complimentary to any order you do in Sizzler. We were impressed. I got cream of mushroom for my soup and prepared my own salad. Hogan made his own as well and this was already fun to do - very much appetizing.

Not too long, Hogan's order came and we were impressed with that much serving for each of the viand. Hogan went for the Grilled Salmon Teriyaki Steak which was cooked perfectly from outside in. The sauce presented the crispy skin of the salmon magically while the inside stays intact but soft, and as I tried it, it melted in the mouth gently. You could say it was fresh. And the other was Sizzling Grilled Prawns, again not burnt but you could taste the barbecue grilled experience. Smoky, garnished with garlic and sprinkled with little bit of chilly that made us go for more. You see, my husband and I are not fans of chilly but this one was good. We accepted the fact that more or less, staying in Thailand for 6 days would definitely make us eat chilli more than we usually did. So it was all good.





It's hard to satisfy Hogan's tactile sense probably because he is a good cook himself. He adores everything fresh and he makes sure that what he cooks is savory. When he says, "This tastes good." It means it's worth trying but that night, "Everything here tastes good. The salad actually had made me full almost." was all that he can say and just continued on until we were done with talking furthermore.

To convince you of how these viands were cooked fine, take a closer look via these images.

Sizzling Grilled Prawns served with roasted potato

Grilled Salmon Teriyaki Steak

As for me, I ordered a combination platter of Grilled Spicy Chicken and Grilled Pork Chop. I got attracted to the medium well pork chop photographed in the menu because when I order it, it always comes out dry and overcooked. But every time I travel, I always aim to feed my experience. I had doubts at first but to balance out Hogan's seafood line up, I gave it a chance and it did not fail me. I did miss out on seeing the word, "Spicy" with the chicken so I munched on the pork chop more. Served with mixed red, brown, white and oat rice with the salad on the side, it was a highly satisfactory meal. Behind the great number of sips from my pineapple juice (soooo refreshingly good), I had was nourished well. Too bad, we were so full (that's how worth it, the serving was, I ended up having a take out) that I wasn't able to have room for dessert.

Condiments Bar where you can get the soup, salad and dessert

Info to be considered:

Budget: 190 Baht/meal and up = 40-50 HKD and up
Mode of Payment: Cash (in Baht only), Credit
Location: Central Phuket
                     Central Festival 3rd Floor
                     Muang District, Phuket 83000
                     (076)249-788
                     0-89779-3141(Don't hesitate to check their website.)

SKY LANTERN

Hogan and I were waiting for our dinner to be served for our last night here in Phuket when randomly, a man holding two big lanterns passed us.

Hogan: Babe, there's a sky lantern.
Kyte: Oh wow!
Hogan: You want to fly it? You've always wanted to.
Kyte: Wow! Really?

(There was a photo I've sent to him in whatsapp captioned, "Take me here." I know, I know, Rapunzel's death wish. Ha! But seeing this photo surely made me dream.)

Hogan: You want to?
Kyte: That would be nice. We can do it for your dad and your friends.
Hogan: Oh yeah. Come, let's do it!

It was Hogan's dad's birthday yesterday. And he passed away last 2001. My husband always describes that day as the day he never wanted to remember.

To my father-in-law, wherever you are, I am forever indebted to you and Mama Sifou for bringing Hogan here on earth. I was able to find my better half, my soul mate. I am complete because of him and he always aims to live like you. He always talks to me about the lessons you had imparted on him and the values that you've instilled on him.  I know if we will have our kids in the future, he will become a good father because of you. He wishes for me to having met you and every time, I feel the ache in his heart because he misses you and loves you a lot along with his siblings. Thank you so much. Happy Happy Birthday!

Two of Hogan's friend passed away too. One before we left for our trip and one just yesterday. To these special people along with the 10,000 plus Filipinos whose lives were spared because of the typhoon Haiyan, we have let a sky lantern fly in your honor for a peaceful journey to afterlife. To the families whose loss can never be eased by words, may light be shed upon you to be able to build up that tiny hope you are holding onto.

the super typhoon Haiyan's eye on the Philippines

Haiyan aftermath

For my Laid Back Tuesday, I would like to share our first experience in letting off a sky lantern. It may have cost us only 300 Baht but there's something that felt very moving watching the lantern go. When we reached our room, my husband told me that he was thinking of bring me to the Lantern Festival for real.

But for me, it turned out, it was much better. Here's the video of a very good ender for our honeymoon trip. (Apologies for the video might be a little dark.)

"A sky lantern, also known as Kongming lantern or Chinese lantern, is a small hot air balloon made of paper, with an opening at the bottom where a small fire is suspended.

In Asia and elsewhere around the world, sky lanterns have been traditionally made for centuries, to be launched for play or as part of long-established festivities. The name "sky lantern" is a translation of the Chinese name tiān dēng. Sky lanterns have also been referred to as sky candles or fire balloons, however the latter term is also used to refer to balloon munitions used during World War II.

The Lanna people of northern Thailand use "floating lanterns" (khom loi) year round, for celebrations and other special occasions. One very important festival in which sky lanterns are used is the Lanna Yi Peng festival, which is held on a full moon of the 2nd month (Yi Peng) of the Lanna calendar (which coincides with Loi Krathong, the traditional festival on the 12th month of the Thai lunar calendar). During the Yi Peng festival, a multitude of lanterns are launched into the air where they resemble large flocks of giant fluorescent jellyfish gracefully floating by through the sky. The most elaborate Yi Peng celebrations can be seen in Chiang Mai, the ancient capital of the former Lanna kingdom. The festival is meant as a time to obtain Buddhist merit (tham bun, "fire lamps"). In recent times, floating lanterns have become so popular with all Thai people that they have become integrated into the festival in the rest of country.

In addition, people will also decorate their houses, gardens and temples with intricately shaped paper lanterns (khom fai) of various forms. It is considered good luck to release a sky lantern, and many Thais believe they are symbolic of problems and worries floating away."

- WIKIPEDIA

MEGAN YOUNG - accident in Haiti

This should be an awakening for everybody.
There are a lot of people and kids who are in need of our help.
1 out of 7 in the whole world are said to have no
enough food to eat, there are people who don't have shelter,
who cannot gain access to safety.

And yet, we don't get satisfied with our lives,
there's too much to complain about and
there's just a lot that we don't appreciate.

For a more detailed article click on the link below:
http://www.pinoydaily.com/2013/11/miss-world-2013-megan-young-and-ceo.html#.UnkMVFOABdh

LET'S TALK ABOUT DYING.

My serene Sunday encourages you to reassess how you live your life 

because there's no exemption alright with what he says, 

everyone of us will vanish in this 21st century.

After commemorating lives of those who had passed,
this All Saint's Day and All Soul's day,


HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED?

Legacy is the only thing that will make you immortal in this world.
As human beings, we have that general purpose which is to thrive.
But, as we all know, even our own selves are culprits in attaining this.
So many people deprive others of food, energy, shelter, medicine.
So many terrorists are not mindful of the lives they kill.

It's either we are too selfish to give others a helping hand,
or we have been corrupted by life itself that we become so succomed
to the idea of owning it when it is not ours to keep.
Whether you believe in owing God your life or not,
we tend to hack more than what we need,
hope for what we cannot have forever and
and intend to have control of almost everything and play God
when the most inevitable,
the most important,
but the most avoided
was never given a tiny bit attention.

DANCE for a CAUSE

Here is something to share on my Swaggin' Saturday.

THE 30-DAY CHALLENGE

In my previous post, I have mentioned how important it is to own a healthy eating habit. 

Now that November is here 

and the winter months are about to trigger the hibernate mode,

it is fairly important to own 

an active lifestyle by starting with a simple challenge. 

Take a close look at it. Notice that despite the progressive exercises, it also includes rest every now and then. Now, emphasis on the "challenge" transforming it into a "habit". I did mention before that our body is very much capable into adapting to anything new that you introduce it to. Most of the time, when gradually done, it becomes stronger to adapt continuously and even to an extent beyond imagination. I won't go overboard with what I will encourage you to do today. This exercise table is something that you can balance your food intake with keeping your body fit while eating right. There is no reason for you to neglect yourself as far as being sedentary most of the time. This chart will guide you all the way thru and the best benefit you'll gain is good physical and mental health.

BEING THE BOSS

One thing I noticed about people is that, they hate it when they are being told of what to do. Now, before you start any exercise challenge or workout regimen, decide for no one else but yourself. It could be of any form (yoga, tae-bo, zumba) that you think would work for you. This challenge that I presented is the easiest for those who are physically capable ("x" to the following for ex.: heart problems, bleeding, amputee). Nonetheless, there is still a number of special sets of exercises for everybody. You just have to find what suits you best.

Focusing on the chart, it does state at the bottom that you could split the day exercises however you want. It is very lenient that it didn't even include the speed of how they should be done nor the break time you should impose on yourself in between unlike those of the hard core exercise videos. It is liberating in a way that it encourages you to be your own boss. With that much discipline, dedication and will power to this, you'll develop a good habit and will gain a sense of self achievement. I figured that commitment is the name of the game. For you to be able to do it everyday, it is advisable to cut time from doing social networking to get ample rest (just a suggestion that may do you good). That way, you'd be able to start your day right. Better yet, you can start it early. Wake up 15 minutes earlier to do what is ought for the day in the chart above before you do your usual stuff. That way, a bath is more soothing, breakfast is more endearing and your drive is at its very momentum.

HOW TO DO IT PROPERLY

At first, you'd find yourself feeling awkward with all of these exercises. You should know that it's normal. But later on, your body will adapt to it, developing the necessary muscles, strengthening your core, making your mind more determined. That's the beauty of allowing yourself to do things gradually. It lets you see and feel the results and from that "before & after" standpoint comes a decisive moment whether to move on or not.

Also, here are some of the guidelines that you should be aware of when engaging to the exercise you do:

1. Do not under estimate the cry of your body for rest. Push it to the limit but be cautious. If you have chosen to do insanity for example, make sure you do the trial test first as instructed. You don't want "feeling great" to be substituted by "i wish i didn't".

2. Make sure you stretch before and cool down after any form of exercise for your body to get warmed up to avoid injuries and to minimize being sore the next day.

3. Don't overdo an exercise most especially when it's your first time doing it. Engage the right muscle group per exercise again to avoid injury.

4. Wear proper attire when going to the gym. Bring your own bottle of water or energy drink to replenish your thirst and bring your own towel. You can never be sure of the portable drinking fountain.

5. Having a work out buddy helps and some are motivated just by a pumping music. Some gym etiquette should be observed. Bring headphones with you if the gym music doesn't suit the work out you're doing. Don't chitchat with your friend like you own the entire room. Put back to where you got the weights, mats and gym ball that you used for others who need them too.

6. If you want to test your limits and you know that you need somebody else to assist you, don't hesitate by asking politely instead of insisting that you can do it on your own FOR SAFETY PURPOSES.

I have pretty much shared what I know. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to leave a comment below. If it includes, "Are you doing the exercise yourself?" I actually did with a pre-cardio workout. I suggest you take a jog first, 3-5 minutes, just to build up a sweat. Then do some stretches before you complete the suggested workout in the first image above. We're all in this together. Have fun and share what difficulties you have encountered.

Which do you eat more?

We, as thriving human beings need to eat. 

But have you ever given the line up of foods, you love to take, a thought?

Have you ever wondered whether you're getting the right nutrients or not?
Did you know that food is a basic need?

With the fast paced modern life we are currently in, we opt for fast food, whether at home or when eating out. Habits like eating while driving, eating for just 15 minutes or eating as you multi-task had been socially acceptable in order to keep our priorities at bay (deadline at work, attending to your kids) which clearly doesn't include taking your time when eating.

Today, on my Wine-and-Dine Wednesday, I would be talking about eating habits that you may actually own that hinder you from attaining a healthy lifestyle as you nurture your body. You may have adapted them unconsciously that they keep you from digesting your food properly and efficiently benefiting from it.

1. UNSTABLE MIND SET

Food is one of the basic needs we have to consume at least
three times a day in order to survive. But the world we live in now sets an environment where being skinny is the ultimate goal. In the entertainment world (as a very good example), you get more likely to be noticed or even get more projects if you're thin. Hence, 90% of these performers dedicate their lives (or are even obliged) into losing weight. There's nothing wrong about that most especially if you're overweight. In the name ofvsafety, being fit is the name of the game. But as I did my research, I got bothered on the "HOW" some of them take measures to attain such goal.

Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder.

A. Bulimic Episodes:

What most people don't know is that, our body has the capacity to adapt most especially when a predetermined mind set is involved. The will is the strongest power a human being beholds. Primaballerinas and supermodels for example are prone to engaging to bulimic episodes. How?

Most of these performers are young. They have a group of friends that eat "normally". But performers find themselves guilty when they try to eat like their friends as they hang out together, thinking about the criticsm they'd get at work with every bite they take. So, they make themselves vomit it out. At first, after a night out of karaoke and pizza. If repeatedly done, the body gets used to the vomiting it then it depends on the deed for psychological satisfaction. The body, "adapting" to it, perceives it as normal. Their "normal" friends don't know this so they think their friend is perfectly fine. Hence, bulimic episodes happen. Now that's when harmful effects start to arise. This is just but one example. It is somewhat behavioral in nature, usually due to a stimulus like peer pressure or a demanding job.

It's hard to deal with this one because it involves the environment, peers and lifestyle. The intervention should come from realizing the problem as an eating disorder and then coming up with a support group that would encourage you in adapting to a new lifestyle that is less stressful to avoid becoming a bulimic again. If you know some friends who have this eating disorder, extend help.


b. Anorexia Nervosa:

A more psychological in nature is Anorexia Nervosa where you think of yourself as fat when you're actually not. Now, this is a severe form of an eating disorder which could be fatal because people with this mentality is very hard to get convinced of the reality or to get treated.

Again, it starts with peer pressure, frustration from not being able to belong and despair for wanting to appear perfect. Bulimics may end up becoming anorexics if they don't get treated well.

Without proper nutrients, our body would easily deteriorate and our vital organs (e.g. brain, heart, lungs) won't function properly. The energy that our body needs come from the food and water we take. It is sad that the famous Karen Carpenter lost her life because of complications of Anorexia Nervosa.

These cases are severe forms of having an unstable mindset. It is important to surround yourself with positive reinforcement once you admit to yourself that you have been doing these. Have an active lifestyle where you could channel frustrations and find what you love doing best. Most of all, be "you". Do things for your own self and not for anybody's satisfaction or pleasing.

2. JUNK FOOD INDULGENCE

I would like you to look closely at this image.

I am pretty sure most of you eat 85% of the foods on the left than the ones on the right and you find those on the right, weird looking, tasteless and less interesting.

Seriously, I think I've skipped on soft drinks since.....uhmmmm... FOREVER! (Except if my friends would encourage me to taste something very spicy at one point or if I have to try a local delicacy like stinky tofu in Taiwan. But that usually just makes me take a sip or two just to get the previous taste out.). I easily get tonsillitis that's why I never liked soft drinks (it feels like burning my own throat with what they call the "spirit" since they're highly carbonated; together with chocolates and sweets. Basically, everything that is in food porn. Hahaha! I never loved eating pizza, pasta, anything with too much cheese and chips, but with rice? We don't have to talk about how to get me convinced. If blood is to a vampire, rice is to Kyte. That's always how I explain it to a lot of people.

And then I get to live in Hong Kong for 6 years. My eating habits changed in a way that I tried to eat a little bit of everything. I started to eat sweets (cakes, popcorn, fruits) but still not chocolates. Just the white kind. I loved pasta because of herbs and tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes are one of my favorites. I learned to love Kale, Chinese cabbage, celery and kiwi. I eat Nachos now but I still cannot even finish a medium sized bag.

So, my point, give your consumption of junk foods a thought because it will only give you zero calories, most of them have a lot of salt (the "silent killer") - maybe more than what you need, and most of all, it will go straight up your ass because of that bad habit of binging.

3. SKIPPING MEALS

For people who want to engage themselves into developing a healthy eating habit (a.k.a. healthy diet), it is important that a gradual transition is imposed. Meaning, you cannot just expect your body to adapt in a snap of a finger. It usually takes time and you replace the food that it was used to with a healthier kind so that every cell of your body would be nurtured still and cell deprivation would be prevented. For example, instead of plain white rice, eat the mixed one (brown, red and white rice) if you really need to get charged up before a dragon boat competition or perform in a parade. On days off, substitute consuming oatmeal instead of rice or pasta.

"If a client goes to you and asks for a good diet regimen, what would you recommend?

a. skip a meal everyday
b. eat 6 small meals in a day
c. eat 1 huge hearty meal that will last you a day and skip the rest
d. eat 6 big meals a day"

This was a board question that I encountered when I was taking my Nursing Licensure Exam. The answer is "b". Why?

Like what I said earlier, our body has the capacity to adapt. Now, increased metabolism is the healthiest way of utilizing your food. If you skip a meal, your cells will perceive this as a form of deprivation initially. So it will hold onto as much food next time as it adapts to your new diet regimen. The next time you'd exercise, your body won't fully utilize food because it is anticipating the deprivation sought before hand. So you'll be surprised that you are dying because of skipping meals but the weight you're loosing is not that remarkable. Same effect applies to choice c and choice d is quite self explanatory.

Skipping meals are a no-no. Breakfast, being the first meal of the day, should not be skipped because it is where that significant boost will come from. This prevents you from being sluggish midday, feeling stressed out and becoming moody due to low blood sugar. From a good 6-hour sleep during the night, your body expects you to feed it accordingly. When it gets deprived at this point, it will respond right away into binge eating making a pack or junk food and/or any food available so irresistable. This may lead you to missing out on the important nutrients and long term health problems such as high blood pressure (because of too much sodium intake) and obesity.

4. DEPENDENCE ON FASTFOOD

My husband and I find it liberating when we get to cook our own food at home. We see to it that our meals contain greens, are fresh and it should include a big portion of protein rich foods. But we are also guilty of depending on fastfood during busy days. And admittingly, we hate ending our day with a microwavable.

It is a continuous struggle and effort to prepare our own food most especially when we go home, tired from work. But we always keep our eyes on the price - we get to eat what we need to eat. We get rejuvenated and well nourished. We realized that it is cheaper as well. Realizing that KFC chicken costs hk$8/piece, more or less, while the fresh half chicken in the wet market costs just hk$25. It's more tasty, available to be cooked anyhow you want, you are not in the loosing end at all.

Also, the use of microwave ovens as a form of indulging on fastfood may induce harmful effects to the food that we eat and to our body. Nowadays, men and women alike, compose the workforce. Every now and then, microwave ovens are convenient both at home and at work. But the payment for the convenience we get is our own health. There are a lot of things that we should be kept reminded in using the microwave ovens but I want to emphasize on 4 things:

1. It is advisable to use ceramics and glass wares when heating up your food. Plastic wares are sometimes labeled as "Microwaveable"  but there is no legal basis for this on how safe it is.

2. Oil cannot be heated in the microwave because the radiating heat that bounces around the oven into your food acts greatly on the water content it has. Needless to say, it's useless to heat butter in the microwave as it is composed greatly of oil. You think it melts but it's just the icy water molecules that made it compact that reacts to the heat.

3. Don't settle in eating televesion dinners since heat that warms up your food comes from an electromagnetic radiation when using microwave ovens. These microwaves are much lower in the energy spectrum (secondary only to radio waves) hence, not killing any living thing that would ingest its gamma rays and x-rays.

4. Do not put eggs in the microwave, it'll be HUGE mess and it's not safe.


Well, that's a lot to share today. In the nearer future, I'll be sharing more facts about how to handle and cook food  for you to learn how to preserve as much nutrients and how efficiently it could nurture your body. If there are stuff that you want to add or you disagree on something about this post, please feel free to share your thoughts with me. Remember, "YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!"

Challenge to the Angels

It is very crucial to portray a Victoria's Secret Angel during the Halloween season
but despite that fact, a lot of 'em ladies and gentlegays choose this for a Halloween costume.
It continuously gets innovated every year though because of the "normal" people
adding their (because being an Angel is just extraordinary, huh!?)
own personal touch to the presented stylization.
Otherwise, what is the point of dressing up, right?
But then again, there are new creations that arise that are more daring, vulgar and adamant.
Sit down and relax as you watch this video of the The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2013.

And then there's this video of the gays
strutting it liberally that I'm sure you'll be surprised with.
They are no angels but they are as great and real.
Compare and share your thoughts by leaving a comment.
That's it for my Laid Back Tuesday. Happy Halloween y'all!

Tears of Joy

It is "No-Tears-Thursday" once again
and as your weekend is within an arm range,
I would like to give you a breather as you go further finishing your hectic schedule.

This is a good 8-minute skit from the show,
"Late Night with Jimmy Fallon"
that will temporarily make you forget stressful situations and fatigue.
Hang in there!

If you find these other posts interesting, just click on the link beside it.
1. Videos that will surely make you laugh. -  http://kytedalino.blogspot.hk/2013/10/just-for-laughs.html
2. World's Banking System - http://kytedalino.blogspot.hk/2013/09/for-our-own-good.html
3. Video Documentary about steroids - 
http://kytedalino.blogspot.hk/2013/07/steroids-are-they-good-or-bad.html

Just for laughs!

Sony Project HD Camcorder

For the past month, I have been encountering vloggers that had me laughing for weeks. Yep! You got it right! "vloggers" not bloggers! To give you a little bit of introduction, there are a bunch of types of bloggers. I'm going to tackle one particular kind called, "vloggers". They are video bloggers, meaning, instead of written posts, they use video as medium for their queries to be posted up. Of course, they aim to be in the second search engine in the world, YouTube (next to Google). Now, mind you, so many people got so famous because of their videos being viewed more than a million times, so much so to be called, "viral". With a wide distribution of android phones and tablets and because of accessibility of internet almost anywhere and anytime (easier than accessibility to food nowadays), watching videos via YouTube seemed so easy. Hence, vlogging had become so rampant that even the silliest and most nonsense ones land a place in the pool. Surprisingly, these silliest and most nonsense ones become the most popular and most viewed. I have a theory that no matter what you'll be saying important in front of the camera or not, people would go for any form of entertainment. That being said, I do filter what I watch, though the following could be silly but I saw it from a stand point that the power of words are just but unbreakable and that a person's capacity to create is limitless.

Take this video for example.

How did they do that? AUTOTUNE. As experimented on by T-Pain, Autotune is an audio processor used to correct off-key vocals to becoming in the perfect tune despite being faulty originally. In short, this is used for those who "can't" really sustain a key. You'll be surprised that your idols, Snoop Dogg, Lil' Wayne, Kanye West, Madonna and Britney Spears, to name a few, have used Autotune to perfect their hits. Christina Aguilera, (for her single, "Bionic") who admittedly used Autotune, defended that, if Autotune will be used in creative ways, then there's no problem. She didn't like the dependency on it growing from a lot of music artists since Time journalist Josh Tyrangiel called Auto-Tune "Photoshop for the human voice". She was later on seen wearing a shirt that says, "Autotune is for pussies" back in 2009. So many people went against it together with Christina Augilera. But, this was shocking for me as I read further on about Autotune in WIKIPEDIA:

"In 2010, the British television reality TV show The X Factor admitted to using Auto-Tune to improve the voices of contestants. Simon Cowell, one of the show's bosses, ordered a ban on Auto-Tune for future episodes. Also in 2010, Time magazine included Auto-Tune in their list of "The 50 Worst Inventions".

Neko Case in a 2006 interview with Pitchfork Media gave an example of how prevalent pitch correction is in the industry:

"I'm not a perfect note hitter either but I'm not going to cover it up with Auto-Tune. Everybody uses it, too. I once asked a studio guy in Toronto, 'How many people don't use Auto-Tune?' and he said, 'You and Nelly Furtado are the only two people who've never used it in here.' Even though I'm not into Nelly Furtado, it kind of made me respect her. It's cool that she has some integrity."

The next vlogger that gave me hicks because of laughing so much is Krissyblu. I don't know if that's her real name though but if you'd type these key words, "hot as hell" on you tube, it will lead you right on to her video which is now at its 2,026,054 views (right at this moment). But this is my ultimate favorite of all because I said "Amen" right after.

Videos about Miley? It can be freely researched in every search engine for you to figure out why Krissy had to start it up with a legislation and a prayer circle for her.

Now, for Filipino followers, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy this next video. Knowing that you'd be able to relate to him somehow, the things that he says are actual facts.

There you go folks!

Hope you enjoyed the videos for my

Laid Back Tuesday.

Thanks for dropping by!

Other posts that you may be interested in: (Just click the link on the right side to go to it.)

1. Asian Girl Remixes Rhianna's "Pour it Up": 
http://kytedalino.blogspot.hk/2013/10/asian-girl-remixes-rihanna-pour-it-up.html

2. Know more about the world's Banking System:
http://kytedalino.blogspot.hk/2013/09/for-our-own-good.html

3. How did PAPEMELROTI start:
http://kytedalino.blogspot.hk/2013/09/papemelroti.html

Write it down!

For my DIY Monday, I challenge you readers to start expressing yourself thru writing. 

Today, allow yourself to do your own novel by writing down
about your experiences for 30 days 

choosing any of these challenges (not necessarily in order) per day. 

I don't want to say anything that much but,

have fun and I'm pretty sure you yourself will be surprised

 of what you have written at the end when you read the final outcome.

I am working on my own too.

You don't necessarily have to start now.

Read everything; Gather your thoughts;

And write about it.

Who knows? It might get published.

SHOE SHOPPING

As promised, every Friday, is a Fabulous-Find-Friday and this week, I'd like to share to you my new found and purchased pair of heels from Nine West. What's the big deal about it? Read on.

I am known for loving shoes. Everybody knows this about me that even my good friend Josh presented it during my bridal shower on a cake stand, instead of a real cake, marking my deep preference for them above all else when it comes to shopping. Don't get me wrong, I'm no shoe shopaholic. (Oh wait, I'm not entirely sure, as when I got the Nine West shoes, my husband had to bust in the store to convince the sales lady,"Please, no more shoes for this woman!" Ha!)

WHY SUCH PREFERENCE?

There are 3 reasons why I admire them.

1. because they last much longer than any wardrobe, bag, furniture or gadget
2. they always fit, whether you gain or lose weight (except due to pregnancy)
3. they always win compliments whether you dressed up awkwardly or casually, a good pair can always zest it up.





NINE WEST PRODUCTS

So, my husband, brother-in-law, and I were strolling down TST streets that had let me into stumbling upon a small Nine West shop and literally justified the idea of a

BARGAIN. There were a line of high heels right in front of me worth HK$700 and up but were cut off of 90% of their original prices. One particular pair caught my eye, I held it, felt the sole and looked at the tag. It was a shouting amount of, HK$"I'M-JUST-190-DON'T-LET-ME-GO!" from HK$1,050. Ending, I didn't let it go. I went and asked for size 8 1/2, tried it and had fit perfectly. The cotton, heavenly sole flirted with my feet and made me forget about my bunions. Apparently, I have that much love for shoes but my bunions are always in the way for me to get what I initially like.

5 FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING:

1. COMFORT - This is my no.1 priority.

Here in Hong Kong, dealing with downtown alleys and streets, most especially in Lan Kwai Fong, are stressful when you are wearing stilettos. But of course, you want to dress up for that lovely dinner in IFC or the casual Vodka nights in Bisous so as not to be mistaken as one of the drags or lady boys besides the fact that you want to feel good. For me, I dance for a living and as far as clubbing is concerned, there's no other way to last a night of vodka, except to sweat it out. So, it's important that I'd find a pair that will last me awhile.

2. QUALITY - It may cost a fortune.

Usually, comfort comes with a pair that is of good quality. You may think that I may have a hidden affiliation with Nine West shoemakers but I am just but an avid fan. That being said , Nine West for a lot of people (and not just me), considers it one of their ultimate favorites. The other lady shoe companies are Aldo, Jimmy Choo, Chinese Laundry and Maud Frizon.

3. PRICE TAG - Learn to let it go.

Alright ladies, some of the mentioned shoe shops are intimidating for some. Together with Cole Haan, Vivienne Westwood and Manolo Blahnik, the shops I mentioned above are indeed pricey. I don't believe in luck. Hence, if any of these are in your shopping budget, (sales in Hong Kong are quite popular with huge cut back with the prices, most especially when the season changes) and if the first two factors are a check in your mind, by all means, get it. If not, don't feel embarrassed to leave at once. H&M, Cotton On and Bershka also offer nice fitting shoes. You'll never get wrong if you're honest to yourself separating what you need from impulse buying. Sometimes, it's much harder to swallow that you might be buying a very luxurious pair of shoes that you could feed a dozen kids in Haiti already with that much money.

4. RELIABILITY - List down the shops that you love going to when shoe shopping.

There are a bunch which are more than willing to cater your varied needs through their saleswomen. The least that you need are assistants that will woe you into buying what you don't want. Here in Hong Kong, there were shops that I encountered that won't let you know of the discounts they have. Their signs are in Chinese so, you are most often left in the dark about what you ought to know, fooling you into buying a pair for its original price when actually it's on sale. Be careful with those.

Next, I am an actual 8 1/2. Some shops just has an 8 flat or a 9 flat so you are more likely to buy the pair that fits you best. There's nothing wrong with that. However, it still doesn't meet actual satisfaction from you.

Some are also on sale but are easy to get damaged or easily wears off, either when it gets wet, or wearing it during long walks. They cannot even be returned or exchanged since they are on sale.

5. TIMING - Never buy anything in a jiffy.

When shoe shopping, make sure you're wearing something comfortable as you may need that ease to slid on and off from a bunch of choices. It is also good to try on shoes after you are done for the day. At work, after a walk, or after working out in the gym because your feet are then pooled by blood that  usually enlarges your feet half an inch bigger as compared to when you just got up from the bed.

Also, it's good to buy shoes when there really is an occasion to go to. Some of those that you really must have are, black closed shoes for interviews or any corporate events, beige pumps for weddings and romantic dinners, sandals/flats that offer rest every now and then and running shoes that are encouraging enough for you to get that tush well kept.

Related posts
1. MAGIC OF SHOES - here are the shoes that move me.
2. IKA BUTONI - The founder of Butoni Limited shares her inspiration for CENTRESTAGE 2017, Brand Collections' Show.
3. FASHIONABLY EFFICIENT - The POLYVORE ensembles for fashionistas on-the-go.