Blog Badge: What Do Your Stars Say About You?

This is me daw. It's a yes and a no. First, I don't think I'm the one who waits since I think my patience is not that long. Yes, I am dominant and truly, my family loves me so much. Yes, I wanted to have the last word - like 'frankly my dear, I don't give a damn! Then walking out. Well, and yes, most adjectives fits me well.

Lets101 Quizzes - Fun quizzes for blog & myspace

The Voice Within

Written by Christina Aguilera, Glen Ballard


Young girl don't cry
I'll be right here when your world starts to fall, ooh
Young girl it's alright
Your tears will dry, you'll soon be free to fly, ooh

When you're safe inside your room you tend to dream
Of a place where nothing's harder than it seems
No one ever wants or bothers to explain
Of the heartache life can bring and what it means

When there's no one else
Look inside yourself
Like your oldest friend just
Trust the voice within
Then you'll find the strength
That will guide your way
You'll learn to begin to
Trust the voice within, ohh

Young girl don't hide
You'll never change if you just run away, ooh ohh
Young girl just hold tight
Soon you're gonna see your brighter day, ohh

Now in a world where innocence is quickly claimed
It's so hard to stand your ground when you're so afraid
No one reaches out a hand for you to hold
When you're lost outside, look inside to your soul

When there's no one else
Look inside yourself
Like your oldest friend just
Trust the voice within
Then you'll find the strength
That will guide your way
If you'll learn to begin to
Trust the voice within

Ohh yeah, ooh, yeah ohh

Life is a journey
It can take you anywhere you choose to go
As long as you're learning
You'll find all you'll ever need to know
(Be strong)
Break it
(Hold on)
You'll make it
(Be strong)
Just don't forsake it because
(No one can tell you what you can't do)
No one can stop you
You know that I'm talking to you

When there's no one else
Look inside yourself
And like your oldest friend just
Trust the voice within
Then you'll find the strength
That will guide your way
You'll learn to begin to
Trust the voice within, oh yeah

Young girl don't cry
I'll be right here when your world starts to fall, ohh

==========

I like this song a lot. This reminds us to always, always trust ourselves. There are times that we declare and we say that people around us become our strength and our weakness, but in truth, it is within us, what we believe it to be - is what it is and will be. I remember the saying that 'what you think is what you are'. And yes, in time, everything we think about evolve to reality. So, in times of trials and sufferings, always, have faith that everything will be alright. Be positive and always trust that you can do it! (This is just me rambling again...)

Top 10 Post - Natal Abdominal Exercise

A number of women experience trouble bringing their abdomen back to its original tone and size after childbirth. For most, a combination of Kegel and abdominal exercises will work. The change in a most women's bodies is due to the laxity of the abdominal muscle wall. It is important to remember that your body has simply changed, and not necessarily for the worse. Some exercises can help your abdomen return to its original size. If your abdomen still does not seem to be returning to its original size and shape after you've give these exercises a try, you may wish to look into an actual physical reason for this.

It is important that you regain the strength of your abdominal muscles, after the birth of your baby as strong muscles help prevent lower back injury, prevent abdominal organs from " dropping forward" through lack of support and help you to regain a flat stomach. Try combining these with Kegel exercises to get the maximum benefit. The pelvic floor is a "sling" of muscles that supports your internal organs, e.g. your uterus, bladder and kidneys. To keep the pelvic floor (also called the Kegel muscles) strong, you need to exercise them. You can find your pelvic floor muscles by stopping and starting the flow of urine when you urinate. The squeezing that stops the flow of urine are the pelvic floor muscles contracting. Now try contracting and relaxing your Kegel muscles while sitting at your desk, driving in your car and watching television! Aim for a goal of 100 Kegels each day.

Regular abdominal exercises such as sit-ups and crossover sit-ups, which target the sides of your abdomen, should not be done until a few weeks after delivery. A woman must also allow her abdominal muscles to heal before putting more strain on them. Any weight loss should be gradual and any exercise should only be done if it makes you feel better, not worse.

If your muscles are weak, concentrate on the regaining the strength by performing "Pelvic tilt" before trying anything harder.

Pelvic Tilt:- Lie on your back, knee bent up and feet flat on the floor. Place hands on your stomach so that you can feel the tightening muscles. Gently tighten your stomach muscles and push the arch of your back towards the floor. Squeeze your bottom tight. Hold the position till the count of 6, and then relax.

Elbow to Knee lifts: Gently bring one knee and your opposite elbow together. Then bring your other elbow and knee together. Work up to 20 rep, altering sides.

Ab Crunch: Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the floor and ankles pressing down on the floor. Hold your hands behind you head and then raise your head as you contract your stomach muscles. Breathe properly and work up to 10 rep.

Sit-Ups:- Lie on your back with your knee bent and hands alongside your head. Sit up and touch you knee. Swing your hands up into the air repeat at least 10 times.

Elbow to the Floor: Sit on the floor, knee bent and hands together in the front. Slowly lean backwards, pressing each elbow towards the floor. Repeat 2 one each side, and gradually work back to your starting position. Repeat the whole sequence, working up to 10 repetitions.

Reach your toes: Lie on the floor with your hands just above your shoulders and bend your hips so that your legs are vertical and crossed at your ankle. For a beginner, you can bend your legs at the knees.

Lift your head and shoulders off the floor, gently reach up towards your toes and return to the starting position. Work up to 12 repetitions.

Stomach Tightener: Lie on the floor, knees bent and arms resting on your thighs. Lift up slowly, sliding your hands up your thighs towards your knees. Breathe out as you lift up. Work up to at least 12 repetitions.

Note: Do this exercise slowly and it will really give your stomach muscles a thorough workout.

Bi-cycling on Elbows:- Lie on your elbows and keep your lower back on the floor. Now tighten your stomach muscles and alternatively kick your legs out in front of you. Repeat 10 times on each leg.

Leg Stretch: Lie flat on the floor and hold your knees towards your chest. Place your hands just below your knee for support. Lift your other leg off the floor at 45 degree angle, pushing your lower back to the floor.

You can leave your head on the floor or lift your head and shoulder off the floor, as your stomach muscles become stronger. Change legs. Repeat 10 times alternating legs.

Elbow to opposite knee:- Lie on your back, knee bent close to the chest, arms behind head and elbows touching the floor.

Straighten right leg forward, slightly off the floor. Lift head, touch opposite elbow to left knee. Repeat on opposite side. Working up to 15 repetitions.

These are some of best post-natal abdominal exercises. As pregnancy and childbirth can weaken the pelvic floor muscles which support your bladder, it is important that you make Kegel a part of your workout routine. Kegel exercise strengthens muscles that hold the bladder and many other organs in place. You need to understand that any workout will show you long lasting effect only when combined with other parts of the body , a cardiovascular regime and a well balanced diet ,one that is especially designed for a postnatal woman.

Besides there are certain things you need to consider before starting on a post natal workout like. past experience with exercise, consultation with your doctor before commencing the workout, type of delivery you have had, stop immediately if you feel dizzy or sick etc.

Let your body be the guide-never over do the exercises and stay committed.

Excerpt from Womenfitness.net

Banana-Me

Grabbed this tag from Junelle and I found out I'm a banana...I like that!

You Are a Banana

You are mellow, easy going, and a total softie on the inside. People find it really easy to get along with you. You suit most tastes. And while you're very sweet, you're not boring or ordinary. You have an attraction to the exotic, and you could show up anywhere... doing almost anything! You are spirited, energetic, and a total kick to be around. You're also quite funny. Your sense of humor is on the goofy side, and it fits you well.

What Type of Fruit Are You?

Colorful Baths

Saw these really colorful baths in BHG and I just love the colors!

















Which one do you prefer?

Faith in Miracles

This is a must-read email from a friend, really touching.

A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured the change out on the floor and counted it carefully.

Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes.

Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention, but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster . No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter.. That did it!

'And what do you want?' the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in ages,' he said without waiting for a reply to his question.

'Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,' Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. 'He's really, really sick ... and I want to buy a miracle.'

'I beg your pardon?' said the pharmacist.

'His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?'

'We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you,' the pharmacist said, softening a little.

'Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs.'

The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, 'Wh at kind of a miracle does your brother need?'

' I don't know,' Tess replied with her eyes welling up. 'I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money.'

'How much do you have?' asked the man fromChicago.

'One dollar and eleven cents,' Tess answered barely audibly.

'And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.'

'Well, what a coincidence,' smiled the man. 'A dollar and eleven cents - the exact price of a miracle f or little brothers.'

He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said 'Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the miracle you need.'

That well dressed man was Dr.. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed free of charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well.

Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.

'That surgery,' her Mom whispered. 'was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?'

Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost ... one dollar and eleven cents plus the faith of a little child.

In our lives, we never know how many miracles we will need.

***So keep the faith!

Knot Picks: Cake Trends

I'd like to share with you Knot's trendiest cakes! Yummy and pleasing to the eyes!


Polka Dots
Orange, apricot, ivory, and white fondant dots play up this cake's modern shape.


Paisleys
A cascade of burgundy and orange paisley accents on a brown marble-banded cake looks decidedly fun and different.


Flowers
A creamsicle-hued, three-tiered cake practically pops off the cake stand when accented with bold orange flower cut-outs.


Elegant Clusters
Clusters of sugar-made daisies and black-eyed Susans add a fresh summer touch to an otherwise modern chocolate cake.


Delicate Blossoms
Pale green flowers accented in gold are just the right touch for this two-tiered, organic buttercream cake.


Sugar Carnations
Place a small "table" cake covered in sugar carnations at each reception table for a fun conversation-starter.

More in The Knot Magazine

Navy Drill

Amazing coordination!

Dedicated to Dear Labidabs

Stress-Free Homework

I've noticed that whenever I give homework to my students, some of them ended up not meeting my expectations. I thought that I thoroughly explained everything to them, but then again, I might not have. I read some tips to make homework stress-free. I guess this applies to lower elementary and high school, but I think in can be applied in college too...

1. Write it down. This really helps a lot. I remember one time I dictated an assignment and I just rolled my eyeballs when I saw what some of them has written.

2. Check for Understanding. I think the problem here is that, when you ask questions whether or not they understand what you are talking about, they would all say 'yes', even if they did not. They just want to end the topic and go home.

3. Make sure it is legible. I sure am writing legibly and still there are others who are hastily copying or reading something that ended up with the wrong answers, again.

4. Give Examples. What I noticed with this is that they follow it to the letter that when you try to eliminate verbatim and changes the thought but similar meaning, they would still get lost.

5. Have a Rationale.

6. Assess it. The way I assess assignments are either giving them quizzes or oral recitation. You'll know by then how much they learned, and who among them does not know what they are doing. Sometimes, lazy students just copy assignments from their classmates.

7. Give Sincere Praise. College days should be ruthless and gentle at the same time. And yes, I do praise.

Women and Weight Loss

I read in the Oprah Magazine online how women do math with regards to weight loss. Funny, because I do refer to my BMI as justification to how I weigh at this time. But when I think about it, I still think I'm heavy and i still aim to lower my weight 5 kilos less (my weight ranges from 50-54 kgs depending on my food intake). Before, i used to weigh 48 kilos, but according to my BMI, I am still within my ideal range.

Anyway, back to the article, I would like to quote this:

"Hang out with people older than you, preferably much older. This has three benefits:

(a) You probably have fewer varicose veins than they do.
(b) Truly old people are inspiring; they tend not to give a damn about what they look like in bathing suits.
(c) Except for my elderly neighbor, who once greeted me by announcing that I'd gained weight in my face, older people are usually effusive with compliments. My friend Luba, who lived to 99, used to tell me how beautiful I was every time I saw her, even though she was blind."

Better read the whole article as I found it enjoyable and makes me wanna try my bikini for the first time..hehehe

As for the BMI, this is how you calculate it:

Excerpt from WikiHow

After you've calculated the results, better read the steps, tips and warnings indicated by the above site.

3 Rules for Successful Weight Loss

By Catherine Guthrie

Illustration: Yuko Shimizu

By now we know what we should eat: fruits, veggies, lean meat, and so on. But researchers are finding that how we eat can also have a big impact on our waistlines. Do you stand at the kitchen counter? Indulge in snacks in front of the TV? Decide you're hungry when you smell something savory? Three recent studies suggest a pinch of awareness may be just what the weight loss coach ordered.

1. Sit down, enjoy yourself. Canadian food psychologists gave the same amount of food to people who were either sitting in twos at a table or standing at a kitchen counter eating out of plastic containers. When the researchers tracked what the subjects ate at the next regular meal, they found that the countertop diners ate roughly 30 percent more than those who had been sitting. One reason may be that standing while eating makes a meal feel more like a snack, says Patricia Pliner, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto Mississauga and the study's lead author. The takeaway? "Don't eat on the run," she says. It won't feel like a meal, and you may subconsciously grant yourself permission to eat more later.

2. Inhale, but don't indulge. Scientists at Yale University School of Medicine recently discovered that a food's smell lights up different brain regions than its taste does, which could spell trouble for people watching their weight. The circuits aromas activate are designed to make us seek out the food, which psychologically can lead to cravings and possibly binges, says Dana Small, PhD, an associate professor of psychiatry at Yale who ran the study. She compares the effect on the brain to drug-seeking behavior: "The smell puts people into an agitated state, as in, 'Get out of my way; I must have chocolate.'" Being aware of your nose's power over your brain could help. "You might be able to desensitize your brain to tempting food smells by repeatedly ignoring them," says Small.

3. Be conscious. Although it won't surprise anyone who's ever glanced down from the TV to find an empty bag of corn chips, a study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior found that people's caloric intake can balloon by up to 71 percent when they eat in front of the tube. Brian Wansink, PhD, a professor at Cornell University and the author of Mindless Eating, explains that munching while watching TV or even reading can be a bad idea for two reasons: "First, you don't pay attention to whether you've had 14 or 40 chips. Second, you often don't stop eating until the end of the show, regardless of whether you're full." If a snack attack hits during your show, reach for low-calorie, high-fiber foods, such as grapes or air-popped popcorn, rather than calorie-dense foods like ice cream or chips. And never bring the whole package to the couch: Just grab a handful or fill a small bowl.

Excerpt from: Oprah Magazine Online

Have You Ever?

Grabbed this tag from Fidelity's Lily of the Valley. Thanks for dropping by and for t

1. Have you ever been on TV?

• I did! Me and my childhood friends became the 'official dancers' of the old ABS-CBN show Wow, Bigat!
  

2. Have you ever sung in public?

• Lol! A lot of times. The first time was in Grade V, on stage. Then when I became part of a choir singing soprano. Then in front of my classmates in high school and college. Then in a contest in HDMF (waaah, hubog ako partner nagkanta!) and now, videoke. eeeeh!
  

3. Have you ever dyed your hair blond?

• Once! My cousin dyed me brown and turned blonde! I went back to work wearing that exact color and my boss told me to change it! (Kahiya!)
  

4. Have you ever eaten frog legs?

• YES! It tasted good but can't take it though because I can imagine the frog.
  

5. Have you ever received a present that you really hated?

• Not really. I like everything that's given and libre.
  

6. Have you ever walked into a lamp post?

• Hmmm....hindi pa. Siguro pag nagkita kami ni Harry Potter.
  

7. Have you ever cooked a meal by yourself for more than 15 people?

• I did...and it was spaghetti...hehehehe. I like cooking.
  

8. Have you ever fallen or stumbled in front of others?

• Hay naku! OO! The worst was when I fell down the bleachers in High School and all who were playing inside the gym froze as they all watched me down, down, down. Ugh.
  

9. Have you ever done volunteer work?

• A lot of times. I like the feeling of doing something good for others.
  

Katie: On My Own

The first time that I really noticed Katie Holmes was when she performed 'On My Own' in Dawson's Creek. Since then, I sometimes read articles concerning her and that time, I really liked this gal.

Ever since she got started dating heartthrob Tom Cruise in 2005, I noticed that she aged. She's still young but she looked troubled and unhappy. Well, that's just me speaking.