Friday, December 31, 2010

Life seen through Facebook statuses part 1

So this was what I did, I randomly picked 100 friends out of the 403 friendships on my friend's list, compiled and grouped their fb statuses and this was what I came up with. It's a hodgepodge of everything and just about anything. It can make you laugh, think and cry, but dig a little bit deeper, and you might realize, you're like em too. :)

PART 1 − 30 OUT OF 100

1. Dear 2010, can you slow down a bit? , xoxo - Rose Dawn

2. if you can't get over me, it's your problem..not mine!!!!! - Devie Grace

3. ..and maybe a HAPPY ENDING doesn't include a guy, maybe ON YOUR OWN...picking up the pieces and starting over, freeing yourself up for something BETTER in the future...maybe the happy ending is just MOVING ON!
-- As 2010 comes to its end,,,maybe it's about time that i should LET GO of 2yrs in holding on :'( — Anna Marin

4. " before as I reminicing the past bitterness is always there and i always sayin just wait and see give me time and I will soar not until the moment GOD give me this message " enough son don't grieve for something you already miss" Keep focus instead what lies ahead life has something to offer all you have to do is remove the negativity and see how much I really love you" and I sigh " thanks BRO"-Jayson Gonzalvo

5. "The Day: Everything that you receive in life is a blessing. If you don't think it is, then treat it like one. God will never give you something that you can't handle. If you think you can't, then maybe you need to pray a little more and have faith a little more. In the end, you will have to realize that we're not living for ourselves but for Jah and the greater good. Thank you everyone. =)" - Connie Marie

6. I said this before, I'll say this again . . .i so love my job!:o). Thanks, MNC! Sana sa Monday, ganito pa rin nararamdaman ko . . .he he he . .-Jing Umadhay

7. is an idealist: he doesn't know where he's going, but he's on his way. - Chris Emague

8. What's 'sisig' in english? - Karen Bolfango

9.never wrestle with a pig! And there are 2 reasons why:
Number 1: You get yourself dirty and number 2: The pig loves it! - Lyle Cuenca

10. I'm a little T-Rex short and stout!!..hahaha - Athena Espinosa

11. bY alMigHtyS gRaCe..., gOt mA UAE dRiViN lIceNcE...! - Mohd Faiyas

12. my life would be purposeless without you- Althea Lavigne

13.Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." - Henry Ford
How far are you from achieving your goals for 2010? How did fear prevent you from reaching them? - Trace Trajano

14. rain rain go away...busy MM wants to party parteeh! ♥ ♥ ♥ - MM Salutin

15. Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.
Robert Louis Stevenson- Eva Tafgar Roca

16. lee min ho is so handsome!- Cindy Balahadia

17. Maybe for the rest of the world it's an out of the ordinary scenario that a celebrity figure and sports hero like Manny makes it to congress, but in the Philippines, it's a trend. It's like a sure ticket to politics. - Maila Beniera

18. for 17 years, complete ko na naman ang simbang gabi. thank you ness sa pagsama sa Baclaran Church kahapon. Happy Christmas to all. may God bless us always. :-)-Merthel Ubugan

19. The cold weather makes me so lazy, I feel like I need to go to hibernate and come back to life when normal temp returns. - Eisee Macabeo

20. Congrats Sean Estrada for being the TOP THREE in PAM Accreditation 2010..I am so proud of you!! Love you..kahit bothered ka na baka hindi ka makapasa, you still made it on top!!!! yeah! SBARRO na ito..haha I'm so excited..hihi=) - Hazel Ubal

21. Dec.24,2010 3:30 pm me and Santie witnessed a sad xmas eve as fire almost destroyed a building in Guadalupe makati. standing outside the site i was saddened thinking how will those people celebrate xmas with nothing but the clothes they were wearing... =( - Zaiza Tiangha Santiago

22. mixed feelings... twisted! ...........which way?????? - Tina Fajardo Santiago

23. Cogito ergo sum - I think, therefore I am - Eden Dayrit

24. christmas is coming and im alone.i mz my family.i mz rashille.i mz all - Nero Cayago

25. still no internet here at home huhuhu i'm so sad -Sylvia Nica Caoili

26. I will pray for you everyday. This will be my way of loving you in 2011. - Bo Sanchez

27. never give up..when your heart becomes tired,walk with your legs..but move on..-MJ Panes

28. nguya lng ng nguya hanggang mawala ung lasa..hehe..!- Jinkee Guilaran

29.‎"Love deeply and passionately. You might be hurt but it's the only way to live life completely." Happy Holy Family!:)- Phoebe Bonifacio

30. imortal na! - Leah Sucgang


hehe...i love the last one most...
part 2 to follow tomorrow...sigh...slumber mode for now...

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

the stock market experience

I suck big time at Mathematics.

Seeing numbers was just like remembering that 78 grade I got from Algebra way back in high school. But after reading a few finance books and realizing that if I want to get a go at being a financially literate person, I would have to love numbers, or else, its good bye to my bank account and everything with it.

We attended a short seminar at a brokerage company called Citiseconline around 3 weeks ago. The trainer, the vice president of Citisec told us very clearly that day trading is a lot of risk. Bo Sanchez a famous preacher here in the Philippines also said to just leave the trading to the traders. But then again, since there's much a much bigger return at the riskier investment, we decided to give it a try.




The first stock we invested at was Petron. Good thing, there was a lot of hoopla regarding it being acquired by San Miguel. Thus, we decided to give it a try and buy stocks worth 20,000 for 14.70/share from Petron. For three days, we owned a part of Petron, and just when we felt it was right to do so, we parted with it at 16.20/share. I recall seeing the stock price go up. We would have made much more, but seeing that we made around 2000 bucks in just 2 days, it was a good investment, or probably as old people would usually say, just beginner's luck.

A week after, we computed possible earnings and decided to put our money at a company called Abacus. It showed potential with a yearly return of profit at 500 million. The stocks first traded at 0.85, we bought it at 0.90 per share. We made a mistake though, we forgot to check the holidays, and since the 24th and the 27th were both public holidays, our money stayed stagnant for 4 days. Awhile ago, the ticker screen (the screen that displays stock prices) was open once again. The 0.90 stock increased to 0.94 in just 10 minutes, then as quickly as it went up, the stock plummeted down to 0.86 before I could even press the "sell button". I was looking at the red on the screen and the numbers showing we lost 800 pesos already.




I was still keeping my fingers crossed, but I was looking glum. It was probably just beginner's luck. And just when I was about to text my fiancee to tell him we lost 800, the stocks changed from red to green. The 0.90 stock became 0.91 and closed at that price. Phew! That was one close call! I checked our portfolio and it showed we earned almost 200 pesos. Some would say it is too low, for me, I was just thankful we did not loose any money.

Now, after boring you with the long experience on trading at stocks, I realized some things. Hopefully, it would help some beginning day traders to know when to quit and when to keep on holding. (note: these were only based on what I observed)

1. When there's some news regarding a company and its good, people go into a buying frenzy. Watch that stock from the opening to the closing and observe if what I am saying is right. If people go into a buying frenzy, the stocks increase like crazy too. And so does your money, if you put it at that stock.

2. Know when to pull out - people loose thousands of pesos and even millions at the stock market because they get too greedy. Like me awhile ago, I was thinking the stock prices of Abacus would go up to 1 pesos per share.

3. In relation to number 1, if there is no news about the company after the buying frenzy, sell your stock fast (especially if the company is not listed at the top 30) it's better to have gained some, than too loose everything.

Oh and last but not the least, trading in stocks is like trading in real life. You may be in the red sometimes (like what happened to the people at Manila whose houses got burned by a fire last 24th) but everything is just temporary unless you want it to be. Companies change to green when they gain profit or are posting strong returns, so is life. You can only win, if you believe you can and if you try to evaluate yourself. Then you improve on your weak points and get on with life.

Awhile ago, I felt really bad seeing the red ticker screen on my Abacus stocks, but then I realized that everything is just temporary. Change comes more often. Sometimes things do not always turn out as planned but in the end, it's your next actions after the changes that matter most.

But tomorrow, I'd say goodbye to Abacus. And I do hope, it would be one good decision. Fingers crossed, ticker screen hopefully greener, the numbers much better.






And that's coming from someone who hates Mathematics. lol

Monday, December 27, 2010

Of Getting Thin and Diets

I was born 6 pounds but 26 years later now weigh 63 kilos.


Like majority of women in the world who are more happy loosing weight than gaining money (no pun intended), I am one of those who look at the mirror and see the flabby thighs and the muffin top oozing out of my hips.

A Kid's Dilemma

Since I was young, I had this hate and love relationship with food.

When I was five and forced to do those little beauty pageants parents love entering their kids into, I was asked just one question during the final round, "What is your favorite food?" . I looked around and saw the audience smiling, thought it was best to answer what I know and answered with confidence "anything as long as it is edible". Then the audience burst into laughter and I cried on stage thinking I got it all wrong.

3 years later at school, I saw a fat kid with a double chin. Upon going home, I barely touched my food and told my mom the food on the table would make me loose my neck. It was then and there that I promised to strain my neck every morning and check it daily on the mirror just in case the food I ate made it disappear...phew!

Teenage Angst
During adolescence, the fat disappeared and some curves began to show. But still, my legs were not shapely like everybody else's and I had a waistline of 27cm. At that time, the only ideal waistline was a 23 or a 24. Bigger than that, you're a walking flabby girl.

Now 26 years later, after countless diets of varied types, I have outlined which have worked for me and which didn't. Some were easy to stick to, some were a little bit more daunting.

1. The Oatmeal Diet
date tested: Feb 2005 in preparation for a College Ball
reason: needed to fit into that dress
plan: 1 week of nothing but oatmeal and brown bread with tuna.
result: lost 2 cm off my waist
sustainability: only good for instant and short term weight loss
and might lead to vitamin or nutrient deficiency if continued



2. The Muffin Top Diet
date tested: September 2010
reason: get rid of the muffin top and save on medication for allergies
plan: not to eat anything that can be a potential allergen for 1 week
result: 1 cm off my waist, 2kg off the scales
sustainability: unless you can thrive on water then do this
didn't help much with my chronic hives either (now I developed new allergies on new food I wasn't allergic to before)

3. The Water Therapy Diet
date tested: January 2008
reason: loose weight and pass my urinalysis exam
plan: not to eat anything with MSG or preservatives, drink up on the coconut water and plain water
result: white urine, a passed urinalysis exam, and some dark circles underneath my eyes, 2kg in one week, 2cm off the waist
sustainability: just good for medical check-ups...hehe

4. The Vegan Diet
date tested: May 2005
reason: detox, cleansing, loose weight
plan: no meat, dairy or seafood for 1 month , big heavy breakfast, fiber packed lunch, no dinner
result: frequent bathroom trips, lesser pimple breakouts, pinkish glow on the cheeks, 4cm off the waist, 5kg in one month
sustainability: high budget (imagine oil has to be olive oil and not plain vegetable oil) , everything has to be organic, can lead
to late night sneaking on the fridge for something to eat

5. The Pink Pill Diet / Hokkaido Diet
date tested: December 2010 to present
reason: loose out the weight I gained after going to Dubai
plan: 2 tablets before breakfast daily
result: less puffier face in 1 week, lost some fat in the abdomen and leg areas, still under observation
sustainability: depends on the result after finishing one bottle
fears: side-effects?

6. The Badminton Work-out
date tested: August 2010
reason: loose weight
plan: 2-3h badminton every night
result: 2kg in 3 days with controlled diet and lots of water
sustainability: due to muscle strain and my face drying out at the Dubai humidity, I kept at it for only a week
note: felt good afterwards but you wake up to pain on your arms or legs if you do not have a proper work-out.

7. The French Diet
date tested: July 2007
reason: loose weight but still eat what I want
plan: eat smaller portions, smell and savor the food before swallowing it
result: 3kg in 2 weeks
sustainability: good but can be destroyed once you go out with friends or family
note: without exercise, I lost weight and did not feel guilty even though I nibbled on my favorites every now and then

That may not be much of a diet list but I do hope I have altered your perceptions on things. There are quick fixes, like what I am doing right now. But you can also choose those which your lifestyle would complement. In the end, it would come back to why you want to loose weight. Me, it makes me feel good. I am not hoping to be like those Victoria Secret Models or those ramping it up on the runway, I just want to feel healthy and good about myself.

If I achieve my ideal weight and stick to it, I feel light and I feel less sickly.
It's not just about fearing I'd loose my neck. It's now more of me wanting to live longer and take control.



Now, can we eat a slice of cake? (wink)

My Cheapest Hives Cure Ever



It has been two years since the elevated itchy red bumps on my skin first came out.

At first glance, I thought it was some sort of insect bite from bed bugs or mosquitoes. Being a self confessed hypochondriac, I searched the web for immediate cures and creams to the so-calle insect bite. I applied Caladryl and even hydrocortisone. The bumps then became less protruding, but after eating meals, it came back out again. This time on other parts of my body even on my face and lips.

That was when I realized I had some sort of allergy which was probably triggered by my vacation to Pampanga. Either it was the dust, the stress, the "laing" (taro leaves with coconut milk) or just the weather. But then nonetheless, I was completely clueless as to how it started.

I then was diagnosed with having chronic hives. And I was having reactions to not just one but multiple food items. I could not and was not allowed to eat poultry, eggs, dairy, cheese, seafood, pork, anything with too much artificial preservatives, canned food items, dried fish, pineapples, mangoes, eggplants, okras, and even some spices.

With my hives being chronic, it meant I had it for life. I got frustrated, stressed, and at the same time, wondered if the Good Lord wanted me to go on a forced diet. But since the food items listed on my "not to eat" list was alot, I refused to follow it. And so the bumps came and became ugly elevated wheals.

I told myself, that's what medicines are for right? For me to still eat what i want to eat.

But before going the easy way with meds, I tried natural methods. I went on a strict 1 week detox diet which consisted of a detox formula my nutritionist aunt made, half a cup of Virgin Coconut oil, and no white rice, no meat stuff. Everything was organic, had fiber or was meant for me to go to the toilet every 2 hours. After flushing everything out, I felt good and the bumps went away, but then each time I ate, the bumps still returned. It was then that I found out I was allergic to seaweed, oats, and even whole grain too. Phew!

Since detox didn't work. There was only one option left and that was steroids to control the inflammation.

I had been drinking Celestamine, Betamethasone, and even Dextramethasone for the allergies. Every time the red bumps showed, the drugs forced my immune system to go back to normal. But it only controlled the external manifestation of the hives. Deep down, my immune system was still making unexpected reactions to food thinking it is there to harm my body.
After two years of consuming steroids, and after noticing that I am beginning to slouch like an old lady and tend to accumulate fat fast I decided to search for other cures.

I tried a chinese cream which worked at first but only lasted for an hour. The hives then showed on other body parts, and it was like playing chase the hives or something that I soon got frustrated and decided to look for other means.

After 4 hours of searching the net and realizing that hives is sometimes triggered by stress, I thought to myself, if I could control the stress it would probably go away.

Then came the options, either I go get a massage or try a cup of tea.

I preferred the cheaper way, A cup of green tea every morning at breakfast. At first, the bumps became less elevated, then it slowly disappeared. And voila, the hives did not and have not been coming out for two weeks now. I ate eggs and even chicken and still no red bumps.




So there, my cheapest hives cure ever. I am not sure how this works, or why it worked for me, but I surely did save myself from side-effects and a slouched back.

Till here then, the cup of tea at the counter is running cold. I do hope this works for other people too. :) And if it does for you too, please let me know. :) Oh and before I forget, only green tea works for me. The other kinds have no effect.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

a poem called flu

holding back a sniffle or two
believing there is
a cure for you

i wipe my nose dry
only to see
you have come
back
again for me

i tried to calm myself
to breathe in
breathe out
i try to relax
left no room
for doubt
that you'd soon go away
you'd soon let me be
you'd leave me to sleep
peacefully and free

but then you stayed
like an incessant prick
i am feeling worst
i am feeling sick

and so am left with no choice
but to
sneeze you out
bad virus called
flu