Cry

Psalm 61

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.

 1 Hear my cry, O God;
       listen to my prayer.

 2 From the ends of the earth I call to you,
       I call as my heart grows faint;
       lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

 3 For you have been my refuge,
       a strong tower against the foe.

 4 I long to dwell in your tent forever
       and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
       Selah

 5 For you have heard my vows, O God;
       you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

 6 Increase the days of the king's life,
       his years for many generations.

 7 May he be enthroned in God's presence forever;
       appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.

 8 Then will I ever sing praise to your name
       and fulfill my vows day after day.

Forgiveness

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”- Colossians 3:13

Attend Mass with Lola Mary

Start:	Jun 8, '08 4:30p
End:	Jun 8, '08 5:30p
Location:	Virgin of the Rule Parish

Zzzzz... :)

Psalm 62 (to lull me to sleep tonight)

Psalm 62

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

 1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
       my salvation comes from him.

 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
       he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

 3 How long will you assault a man?
       Would all of you throw him down—
       this leaning wall, this tottering fence?

 4 They fully intend to topple him
       from his lofty place;
       they take delight in lies.
       With their mouths they bless,
       but in their hearts they curse.
       Selah

 5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
       my hope comes from him.

 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
       he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

 7 My salvation and my honor depend on God ^[a] ;
       he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

 8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
       pour out your hearts to him,
       for God is our refuge.
       Selah

 9 Lowborn men are but a breath,
       the highborn are but a lie;
       if weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
       together they are only a breath.

 10 Do not trust in extortion
       or take pride in stolen goods;
       though your riches increase,
       do not set your heart on them.

 11 One thing God has spoken,
       two things have I heard:
       that you, O God, are strong,

 12 and that you, O Lord, are loving.
       Surely you will reward each person
       according to what he has done.

Mariah Carey - We Belong Together

For Richelle and Me

What's it all about?

It's not about the why not me?

It's not even about the why not?

It's the WHY that matters. And WHAT. And WHO.

That's all there is to it. And now I'm free. And I'm happy. And the ones who have always been there will

Thank you,

Misty

Pictorials to follow soon. Padayon pa ang hiring. Pls. keep posted. Thanks

Misty's Birthday/Anniversary

Start:	Jun 16, '08 11:00a
End:	Jun 16, '08 10:00p
Location:	684 Ompad St. Lapu-Lapu City 6015 Cebu

everyone's invited sa akong birthday party/videoke/potluck fiesta. sharo d mobusdik ato tiyan cge kaon ana. hehehe. bring your specialty/fave recipe na lang. mark your calendars ha, June 16, 2008.

For more deetz, you know where and how to reach me. :)

Verse for the day part 2

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”- Proverbs 15:1

My Soothing Balm for Today

Psalm 55

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Amaskil of David. ^[a]

 1 Listen to my prayer, O God,
       do not ignore my plea;

 2 hear me and answer me.
       My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught

 3 at the voice of the enemy,
       at the stares of the wicked;
       for they bring down suffering upon me
       and revile me in their anger.

 4 My heart is in anguish within me;
       the terrors of death assail me.

 5 Fear and trembling have beset me;
       horror has overwhelmed me.

 6 I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
       I would fly away and be at rest-

 7 I would flee far away
       and stay in the desert;
       Selah

 8 I would hurry to my place of shelter,
       far from the tempest and storm."

 9 Confuse the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech,
       for I see violence and strife in the city.

 10 Day and night they prowl about on its walls;
       malice and abuse are within it.

 11 Destructive forces are at work in the city;
       threats and lies never leave its streets.

 12 If an enemy were insulting me,
       I could endure it;
       if a foe were raising himself against me,
       I could hide from him.

 13 But it is you, a man like myself,
       my companion, my close friend,

 14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
       as we walked with the throng at the house of God.

 15 Let death take my enemies by surprise;
       let them go down alive to the grave, ^[b]
       for evil finds lodging among them.

 16 But I call to God,
       and the LORD saves me.

 17 Evening, morning and noon
       I cry out in distress,
       and he hears my voice.

 18 He ransoms me unharmed
       from the battle waged against me,
       even though many oppose me.

 19 God, who is enthroned forever,
       will hear them and afflict them—
       Selah
       men who never change their ways
       and have no fear of God.

 20 My companion attacks his friends;
       he violates his covenant.

 21 His speech is smooth as butter,
       yet war is in his heart;
       his words are more soothing than oil,
       yet they are drawn swords.

 22 Cast your cares on the LORD
       and he will sustain you;
       he will never let the righteous fall.

 23 But you, O God, will bring down the wicked
       into the pit of corruption;
       bloodthirsty and deceitful men
       will not live out half their days.
       But as for me, I trust in you.

Verse of the day

“so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”- Hebrews 9:28

How to find the perfect man

Back to basics: spelling.

Wrong spelling ra diay to? Kadugay nako human eskwela. Nawala man gud ako ID. Balik noon ko kinder. Oh well, playtime. Dakop dakop na pud. Wheee!

And that's how curiosity killed the cat! Hihihi. :P

Misty Forever

My weight loss secret revealed

These words come to mind...

forgiveness

acceptance

love

happiness

peace of mind

freedom

the future

guess that's all i really needed.

and oh, the ice cream diet works too. :)

Hmmm... Interesting

"We are living on borrowed time and we need to return it to God with interest. So live an interesting life."

One of the many words of wisdom from Juan-ito

How Technology Slows Us Down

i was wrong diay when i said high tech na c Lord. assumption of the mind na pud. the enemy is using technology against us in so many ways. like each time i get a message from jazey, some text missing pirmi. and when she invited me to join her and the gawad kalinga coordinator for our first meeting, i never got any of her messages, even though she sent it three times to all three numbers i have. or the fact na while i was searching for biblical passages online last weekend, my screen displayed an error--page cannot be displayed. got the trojan virus diay. good thing gi heal dayon sa avg nako after sa full scan. or the fact na daot ang connection sa phone lines when i called my daddy sa hospital. was trying to reach out and wanted to share His good news with daddy unta.

see this is what i've learned from all those blocks. we should not trust human-made things and technology. most of the time it is what the enemy uses to destroy us. the most obvious example is the proliferation of nuclear weapons. what were they made for anyway, d ba?

God made the world simple for a reason. but in our quest to better ourselves and improve our lives, we've lost the essence of His creation. the simplicity and beauty of communing with nature. that's what i've learned from all my walking jaunts. it wasn't an addiction after all, it was His way of reminding me that there's more to life than material things. and it came at a time when i was so caught up in all the problems that collecting material things can bring. i was up to my neck in debt, i coud barely sleep cuz of that problem. i was constantly buying things i didn't need, and that only made matters worse.

so when i finally understood that lesson, i was humbled by the beauty and majesty of the world around us. guess we don't need to improve His creations. Everything He made is already perfect. we're just making things worse by tampering with His project.

let go and let God.

that's my lesson for the day. and i'm no longer afraid to share it with the world.

Magka-abs na jud akong aping ani...

No wonder I love smileys so much.

If you'd like to play this game, scroll down to the bottom and work your way up to the top.

That's the law of nature. And there's a reason for that.

*   *   *

10,080 Minutes, 168 Hours, Seven Days, One Week

I hope that tomorrow and every single day will be just as productive as the past 7 days. The freedom that comes with His love is way better than any of my past guilty pleasures that I can’t help but smile all day and all night. Magka-abs na jud akong aping ani. The good kind of abs. :)

Today I learned the value of temperance and humility. And that the enemy works double time the moment we accept J.C. into our lives. A fierce struggle ensues. But I also witnessed the truth behind the words, “God has already won our battles for us.” He has, and He always will.

On Sunday, I basked in His glory in the Blessed Sacrament, which was how I came to fully understand the true meaning of the phrase “God is love.”

On Saturday I learned the value of letting go and total surrender. I also learned that in order to let go, I must confront my personal darkness, stare it in the face and say, “you shall not win!”

On Friday I said I would never need someone again, not if I could help it. And then I surrendered to the power of music, my first love, even as a child. A few hours later I saw the True Reason for the music in my heart and soul.

On Thursday I put on a brave face and gave the world a glimpse of the real me and the reason why I hide behind walls. And then courage fled so I retreated and crouched behind those walls once more.

On Wednesday I realized what we are all here for. No man or woman is an island. I saw it reflected in other people’s eyes as they reached out for comfort.

On Tuesday I realized I feared love because of the hurt that comes with it. Self-preservation. That is why I stayed in an Alcatraz of my own making for decades.

Trust Him

Trust Him when dark doubts assail thee
Trust Him when thy strength is small,
Trust Him when to simply trust Him
Seems the hardest thing of all

Trust Him, He is ever faithful;
Trust Him for His will is best;
Trust Him, for the heart of Jesus
Is the only place of rest.

Trust Him, then, through doubts and sunshine
All thy cares upon Him cast,
Till the storm of life is over
And the trusting days are past.

I'm Somebody!

I'm Somebody because I'm created
in the image and likeness of God.
God Himself has crowned us with glory and honour.
His glory is seen in us, and our bodies are for His glory.
I'm Somebody because Christ gave Himself for me.

He became human like me.
He leads me to God.
He forgives my sins.

He gives me endurance and inner strength.

I'm Somebody with Special Gifts for service.
The gift of encouragement,
the gift of discipline,
the gift of accepting others,
the gift of forgiving,
the gift of love,
the gift of prayer,
the gift of thankfulness,
and the Source of all gifts lives in me.

I'm Somebody with something to share.
I can share my Lord with friends, and with strangers.
I can share myself through humble service.
I can share myself through unselfish love,
and giving whatever I have.

I'm Somebody with decisions to make.
Decisions determine my destiny.
My decisions affect others.
Some decisions are difficult to make.
Christ will guide my decisions, if I let Him.

I'm somebody with Someone at my side.

God's Spirit will teach me everything, and lead me into all truth.

The First Words I Read When I Turned My PC On...

Last night while I was trying to sleep,
My son's voice I did hear,
I opened my eyes and looked around,
But he did not appear.

He said, "Mom, you've got to listen,
You've got to understand,
God didn't take me from you, mom,
He only took my hand.

When I called out in pain that day,
The moment that I died,
He reached down and took my hand,
And pulled me to His side.

He pulled me up and saved me
From the misery and pain.
My body was hurt so badly,
I could never be the same.

My search is really over now,
I've found happiness within,
All the answers to my empty dreams
And all that might have been.

I love you all and miss you so,
And I'll always be nearby.
My body's gone forever,
But my spirit will never die.

And so, you must all go on now,
And live, and understand...
God did not take me from you,
He only took my hand."

- Author Anonymous

Bye bye Mama and Papa. I'll miss you always. But now I know you're in Good Hands.

See you at the bright side.

Yes

I've been singing love song to Jesus the whole time and I wasn't even aware of it. He was singing His love songs too, singing them to me and with me. I was too blinded by fears to know it. But now I see why He brought back music in my life. It was His gentle reminder that He has always been my First Love and our Love Story began way back when I was very young. We have always shown our love and devotion to each other through music. And now that our love affair has finally resumed, it seems like no time has passed. I am still singing to Him, through Him, for Him, in Him and with Him. One in every way possible. Our voices blend in perfect harmony as we sing in unison about the joys He has to offer—His Kingdom, our salvation and the promise of everlasting life. Now I know what I’m here for: To serve Him and share the wonders of His love through our music. I will sing the highest notes for you Oh Lord My God. I will sing your praise. I will sing for Your Glory alone. Thank You for being the music in me. I love you Lord. My answer to your call is one resounding note that I will sing at the top of lungs until that note reaches Our Father in Heaven… YES!

Attachment: mandy moore - only hope.mp3

God Knows (Seriously!)

When you are tired and discouraged
from fruitless effort,

GOD knows how hard you have tried. (Whoa! How could I have ever doubted that?)

~~~~~~~~

When you've cried so long your
heart is in anguish,

GOD has counted your tears. :(

~~~~~~~~

If you feel that your life is on hold
and time has passed you by,

GOD is waiting for you. (I thought it was the other way around. So wrong. I'm sorry.)
~~~~~~~~

When nothing makes sense and you
are confused or frustrated,

GOD has the answer. (Amen)

~~~~~~~~

If suddenly your outlook is brighter
and you find traces of hope,

GOD has whispered to you. (Glorious!)

~~~~~~~~

When things are going well and you
have much to be thankful for,

GOD has blessed you. (Thank you, Lord. I am humbled by your endless love.)

~~~~~~~~

When something joyful happens
and you are filled with awe,

GOD has smiled upon you. :)

~~~~~~~~

Remember that wherever you are or
whatever you are feeling,

GOD knows! (Yep. He truly does!)

Called into Light (The bright side unveiled)

http://www.ruthshaven.com/christian/calledintolight.html
We’re called from darkness into God’s marvelous light,
To show forth His praises to those without sight -
Spiritually blinded because of sin,
In need of the Master’s touch within.
We rejoice in the salvation of our own soul,
Brought from darkness into His fold;
Then we think of those who’ve never heard
The gospel of Christ and His precious word,
And our heart cries out, "Lord, use me I pray,
To make Your message known today.
May Your light, somehow, shine forth through me
To open blinded eyes that they may see,
And be delivered from the state of darkness and sin,
As they enter Your kingdom of light within.
Just as You cleansed the leper and healed the lame,
When You give spiritual sight the miracle’s the same.
So thank You, Lord, that we’re called into light
By Your miracle working Power that gives us sight".

"Ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you
out of darkness into his marvellous light"
(1 Peter 2:9)

Between You and God

http://www.ruthshaven.com/christian/youandgod.html
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self centred;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you;
Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating others could destroy overnight;
Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will be often forgotten;
Do good anyway

Give the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.

By Mother Teresa

Christian Section - He is Always There

http://www.ruthshaven.com/christian/heisalwaysthere.html
We can't foresee the turning of the tide
When problems beset us and tears are cried.
Sometimes life deals from the bottom of the deck
Filling us with worry and leaving us a wreck.
The enemy seeks to devour and destroy,
Using deceptions to eliminate our joy.
While walking through the valley, our heads hung low,
The mountain top seems so high, our footsteps slow.
How many times have we traveled this road
To battle the frustrations of troubles bestowed?
Yet when we come to our darkest hour
God demonstrates His infinite power.
It doesn't matter how bad things might seem,
He always comes through, our faith to redeem.
God will not fail us in our times of pain.
He'll never forsake us, by our side He'll remain.
So when we find ourselves at a total loss
Or when the valley seems too wide to cross,
Just remember you're in His love and care,
Look over your shoulder, He's always there!

Oh, Lord. Your wonders never cease.

Christian Section - Seek and You Shall Find

http://www.ruthshaven.com/christian/seekandfind.html
Just one of those LAL (la lang) moments. Stumbled across this page while searching for a verse. :)

Bookmarked. Enjoy!

The Milo effect, Unveiled

Now I know why Milo is so appealing in my eyes. There's a vulnerability in some of his expressions that tug at my heartstrings and make me wanna comfort him, for no reason at all. A man who's not afraid to show some emotion. As Paris would say, that's hot.

To think he's playing a bad boy in this video and he hasn't even started bulking up for last season's Heroes yet.

No wonder nailad si Hayden, among others. :P

Bye-Bye, Feathers, and December 2008

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Spd_ERMmGDg
Two-words: feather-raising.

Wow! Mariah never ceases to amaze me. She's so gifted and yet so down-to-earth. Wish I could have coffee with her some time, just to see how her mind works. She seems like such a cool person to just chill with. Not afraid to laugh at herself or do silly things like interrupt ryan to quip, "my album drops today" then giggle. Such an entertaining personality. And I'm not just talking about her celebrity persona. So sweet, so nice, so silly, sooo Mimi. Definitely worth staying up late for, just to watch the replay of her fabulous performance on my worn-out tv. Wish I could bring the office Bravia home. :P

And she continues to inspire me. She's really toned now. Her arms and legs make me wanna head out to the gym right now, late as it is. Guess I've been putting it off for far too long. No more excuses. I wanna have muscles like hers. Hihihi. Subtle but obvious at the same time without looking icky.

Hmmm... that (very) lil black dress looks... well, interesting. Yet another item for the constantly growing December 2008 list?

And oh, david archuleta is just so darn cute!!! I wanna adopt him. Hihihi.

Kutaw Milo vs. Kutaw Ulo

Ok. If there’s one thing I learned over the past few months, it’s this—be careful what you say or do, and who you share it with because you never know how they might take it. For all you know, they might not even be that interested in what you have to say… or do. This is a gentle but not so subtle reminder that I’m sending out to myself. In case I fail to internalize the message, feel free to point out the obvious to me. Promise I won’t bite your head off. I’ve already bitten off more than I could chew anyway. Hehe.

Here’s the thing, divulging too much information tends to boomerang at me. Somehow the things I do, say or write come back to haunt me. So, as I was reminded during the past few weeks, nay, months, it’s best to keep your private thoughts private, no matter how much you’re itching to share it with someone or everyone, in my case.

The thing is, I miss sharing my daily entries to my future “might-always-remain-unpublished” novel with the world but if experience has taught me anything, it’s never to trust anyone completely, no matter how good they are to you now. Most people tend to let you down. I’m not being jaded, it’s human nature. We just can’t help it.

So my current practice is: share selected portions with different people and try to keep the innermost thoughts within my innermost circle—meaning, my PC, myself and Him. Who knows, reading this after a few months have passed by might help me too. Kinda like my “big mouth” blog entry last year. Lessons learned need to be documented so I’ve got something to look back on.

This practice has worked wonders for my psyche. The past few weeks, I’ve noticed that I spend less time obsessing about what I should or shouldn’t have said. I’m not saying that I’ve stopped doing that. My big mouth and restless hands just won’t allow me that respite. I still spend hours per month worrying about what I said or wrote. But, as my favorite expression goes, EVS! Hey, at least it’s dwindling to hours per month instead of days, as it used to be at the beginning. Because with each “oops moment” I make, a command is automatically stored in my head to avoid the same scenario in the future. Hey, I’m not perfect, but I’m trying to follow the best example around, if you know Who I mean.

I was about to commit the same mistake again tonight, simply because I’m brimming with joy right now and can hardly hold it in. But something stopped me. Someone said I should wait, think it through and consider the consequence when morning comes.

See, that’s the hard part. I’ve always been comfortable putting my thoughts and feelings into words but somewhere between 1998 and 2007, I lost my favorite outlet. I simply could not write about anything other than what I was required to submit for work. Of course, I’m not gonna blame this on someone else. Not even the Charness in my other life. This was all me.

But ever since the words started pouring in, I couldn’t help but share everything with the world. That was my undoing. People’s reactions only got me more confused than I was initially, and that didn’t help at all.

That’s exactly why I hate playing games, in most aspects of life. Games people play just muddle my head and confuse me. I feel like I’m being manipulated and it irks me to no end. Same reason why I tend to say what comes to mind. Some people call it being tactless, but I’d like to think of it as candor. I know that sometimes it’s unhealthy cuz being impulsive only leads to trouble. But over-thinking also leads to trouble. So I guess it all boils down to balance ei?

See, the thing is, when we say the first thing that pops into our head, it tends to be the most honest answer around. I learned that while I was in school, answering multiple choice questions. Picking my first choice has helped me get the best scores in my exams; same thing with my first public speaking award. Words spoken from the heart are so much easier to articulate than thoughts processed in our head. I experienced that firsthand today. No other details needed.

Guess I’ve been applying the same theory in my sharing method, huh? Problem is, when people start playing games, I’m compelled to retaliate, simply because I’m very competitive, in life and, as I discovered recently, even when it comes to the dreaded L-word. Love oi, not the naughty stuff. I just don’t want anyone to get the upper hand. That’s one of the reasons why Obedience is kinda hard for me to internalize. But that’s a series of journal entries that I’m not yet ready and willing to share.

I’m still hung up on the games adults play though. Why can’t some people just come right out and say what they really mean, instead of sending weird vibes, messages and signals that might take a lifetime to decode? If you must know, this only muddles other people’s head, like me, for instance. Kutaw ang show. May unta milo, ulo pa jud! Way lame, in  English, lame. Picked that meaning up somewhere.

I mean, c’mon, is it really that hard to tell someone you like/don’t like what they’re saying or doing? Oh puhleez! I know I’m probably guilty of the same thing sometimes but like I said, I’m mostly reacting. Pls forgive me for those times that may appear like I’m playing games on purpose. Nasobraan ra cguro kiat kiat. If this is tennis we’re playing, the ball’s no longer in my court, honey(s). :P

And so, instead of posting what really happened over the past few weeks, I’m gonna stick to my initial plan for now. The unveiling of my feathers, er, novel can wait. After all, even if other people might not be that interested, I know Someone who is; the best part is, he’s on call 24/7 with no strings attached and no need to second guess myself. Plus, He will never keep you up at night going over the things He’s doing. Somehow everything He sends my way is so easy to absorb, if only I would focus on His message and stop letting mere mortals waylay me, affecting my every move. Hey, having Him around is the best deal I’ve had in years. He’s available for you too, if you’re interested.

So there, sorry if this post is kinda ambiguous. I’m done sharing every little detail for now. I bet most of you will breathe a sigh of relief, huh? Peace.

No, this isn’t my swan song, I’ll still be posting random thoughts, music, videos and other stuff that strike my fancy or hit that oh-so-annoying chord in my heart. C# man cguro na nga chord. Hehe. EVS!

The dark side is sooo last millennium! See you at the bright side instead?

GB,

M

Nanglimbawt akong feathers?

From touch my body to pluck off my feathers...

Mariah, you're setting one heck of an example. Tsk tsk tsk. Naughty gene in overdrive again. *wink*

Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with NO AIR?

One word--CHAR!!!

Loved the song even before it was released as a single. Add Chris Brown to the equation and sold! And then came the video... wow! Truly intense. I can relate. Char na pud. Last na lang, promise.

Enjoy, lovers! :P

One More Reason to Love Idol...

IDOL GIVES BACK

Celebz using their influence to help disadvantaged kids in dire need. What a fab way to shine the light on the ones who truly matter, the issues that really count.

Moving, touching, inspiring...

I like Maria Shriver's message. Something about not waiting for leaders to spearhead our efforts to help others. One very wise wake-up call.

Lots to do! From my Forward days, Kung dili kita, kinsa man? Kung dili karon, kanus-a pa? Seriously!

Attachment: 14 Mariah Carey - Fly Like A Bird.mp3

NBC Reveals Heroes’ Season 3 Return: In a Word, Big | Heroes: NBC TV Show/Series - News, Episode Reviews, Pictures, and Fan Forum

http://www.heroestheseries.com/nbc-reveals-heroes-season-3-return-in-a-word-big/
Speechless now...

Wow! Can't wait til Sept. 15! (Heroes alert!)

It looks like NBC is very well aware that pulling the plug on Heroes’ Season 2 because of the Writer’s Strike has done great damage to the show among its viewers, because according to the network’s co-chairman, Ben Silverman, NBC plans a pretty major comeback for Heroes, including opening the September 15th Season 3 premiere with what he calls “a massive two-hour Heroes film”. Wow. Massive, huh? Silverman also talked about the scrapping of Heroes: Origins, the proposed Heroes spin-off show that was supposed to bring some big heavy hitters like Kevin Smith and Eli Roth into the Heroes universe.

    “We consciously chose to rest [Heroes] this spring so that [creator] Tim Kring and his team could get ahead of the creative and build up to a massive event–a three-hour Heroes night,” Ben Silverman, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, said during the network’s upfront presentation to advertisers in New York on April 2. “On Monday, Sept. 15, we’ll kick off with a Heroes clip show to try to bring back the audience and [then air] a massive two-hour Heroes film.”

    Silverman also explained why the heavily hyped, much-anticipated Heroes: Origins was scrapped. The show was originally conceived to help eliminate Heroes repeats, and directors and writers–including feature-film vets Kevin Smith, Eli Roth and Michael Dougherty–were already lined up before NBC dropped the idea.

    “We were taxing our creative team to do too much around that,” Silverman said. “We wanted 35 Heroes [episodes] and 12 Heroes: Origins, each of which was supposed to be a mini-movie and backdoor pilot. We reached far and challenged our people, and we decided it was better to focus on keeping the Heroes mothership as strong as possible.”

Heroes returns September 15th, 2008 with Season 3.

*Me sooo happy!!! Yay! Three-hour Heroes overload? One word, all I can say is amazing!*

The Secrets to Improving Your Body Image

http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/diet-fitness/improving-your-body-image.html?nlcid=ht|04-03-2008|
Sorry, too sleepy to write an epic novel about the 3 kilos I (may have) lost last month that's why I'm posting this link to act as filler. Hope this helps those who would like to help themselves. It appears body image isn't simply about losing weight.

As for me, based on my last count that's 15 kilos shed in 6 months? Unfortunately, our office scale is becoming as fickle-minded as I am. Contagious, ei? On Monday, it said I lost 3 kilos in March then on Tuesday, 2 kilos gone. Wednesday and today it said 3 kilos. Go figure! Hehe. (Hey, that's still multiplied by 2.2 when converted to lbs so I'm grateful.)

Unless the scale makes up its mind tomorrow, I'm gonna have to put off writing that lengthy post. That should give me enough time to think of a clever title. 10 kilos gone is sooo last season.

Tomorrow's plan: walk and think for 2 hours. Yep. No talking involved. :P

Found the best area too--Mactan Air Base. Right next to the office, cool breeze, lots of shade, with interesting sights and people to potentially see along the way, plus a safe path to traverse. Perfect! Scouting for the best bike routes there as well for my future two-wheel drive. *wink*

I'm upping the ante now that I made it past one and a half hours of walking without getting winded. Wish me luck? Anyone who's interested in walking with me, you're more than welcome too. :)

Why the AP isn't perfect

http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20080403/cm_huffpost/094762

"Mariah Carey Surpasses Elvis -- But The Context is Missing

Tom Alderman Wed Apr 2, 10:53 PM ET

The AP runs a story announcing to the world that Mariah Carey has surpassed Elvis for the most sold No. 1 singles on the Billboard Chart, and is now second only to the Beatles in single sales. Big. And statistically correct. But statistics, like everything, should be viewed in context.

Ms. Carey is appropriately humbled. The AP story says Ms. Carey is gratified not only because of her personal success, but what it meant for women and minorities. "That's a completely different era and time. I'm just feeling really happy and grateful," she said.

She certainly is justified feeling grateful but it's less about women and minorities and more about technology and distribution. It was a completely different era. Elvis and the Beatles sold their music in the mostly vinyl 45 & LP era where customers schlepped through city streets and malls to stores called Tower, Rose and Goody. Tower Records doesn't have stores anymore. Rose is gone and Sam Goody has no New York or Chicago location and its only Southern California outlet is in San Diego, California's second largest city.

Ms. Carey's time is the steroidal, digital download era where music is just a 99 cent click away, in-between meetings at the office. Digital downloads have created a tsunamical change in the music business. It's a given that many more record sales will be eclipsed in the download era. Ms. Carey can be proud she is among the first to demonstrate the power of digital sales. But to imply she's in the Elvis and Beatles sales league is like comparing Barry Bonds to Hank Aaron. Billboard might want to accompany Ms. Carey's success with an asterisk.

The AP bears responsibility here. One guess is the Carey PR people were the propellant behind this news story and the AP's Music Writer, Nekesa Mumbi Moody, ran with it without doing what lawyers call due diligence. Reporters are supposed to have well-honed critical thinking skills -- assume nothing, question everything. Where Ms. Mumbi erred is leaving out that all important ingredient in a news story called context. Context is the 'when' part of journalisms road map to Who? What? Why? Where? and WHEN?"

My take on the subject:

Good point. But that won't stop Mimi fans everywhere from celebrating this milestone. After all, in spite of the whole "vinyl vs. digital era" sales difference, she got to the finish line first. So it's still a BIG deal. No one really cares about semantics these days. Well, not most readers anyway. Though I agree that reporters should, nay, NEED to put everything in context

And while we're at it, perhaps we should spend more time reporting about stuff that truly make a difference instead of riffraff like which celeb is dating who and which starlet showed her privates. These days, don't know and don't care anymore, especially about the last part, which is always cringe-worthy. Guess there's another question reporters need to ask before writing about a subject--WHAT FOR?

These days I'm kinda getting tired of the whole celebrity fascination perpetrated by the media. Well, except if it's about Mimi, of course, who will always be my inspiration. Don't wanna argue about this dichotomy, to quote my fave diva. That's just the way I'm programmed.

Congrats M.C.! Hope E=MC2 will generate another errant AP story about one of the album's tracks surpassing the Beatles # 1 hits.

Mimi-isms

"I really can never put myself in the category of people who have not only revolutionized music but also changed the world."

"I want to encourage anyone else out there who feels like maybe they can't overcome an obstacle, I feel like I'm living proof ... never lose your faith," she added. "I'm seriously a grateful individual right now."

-- Mariah Carey comments on her latest career milestone, surpassing the Billboard record set by Elvis thanks to her 18th # 1 single--Touch My Body.

And THAT is why I will always be a loyal Mimi fan. :)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080403/ap_en_mu/music_mariah_carey

Chris Brown denies Rihanna relationship - Yahoo! News

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080330/ap_en_mu/people_chris_brown
Uhmmm... Ok. I didn't even know they were being linked as an item though I like the idea. :)

That Chick!

Very catchy! Who doesn't love ice cream?

My Anniversary

Start:	Jun 16, '08 12:00a
End:	Jun 17, '08 12:00a

Celebrating another year of [insert preferred word here].

Losing Weight: Persevering Through the Challenges on Yahoo! Health

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/capessa/3123/losing-weight-persevering-through-the-challenges/
Inspiring! Makes me wanna get out and walk two hours right now! In fact, I'll do just that. :P

Mariah Daily Journal

http://www.mariahdaily.com/news.shtml
My daily fix for all things Mariah.

Pretty Random Pix, Pretty Amazing People

Sorry it took me forever to upload these pix.

Hope the title makes up for the delay. Luv y'all!

Mariah Carey | Music Artist | Videos, News, Photos & Ringtones | MTV

http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/carey_mariah/artist.jhtml
This amazing "whistling" diva deserves an entire room in the MTV Hall of Fame!

Hey, if you can name another living artist who's about to surpass legends such as Elvis and the Beatles, let me know. :P

Mimi Drops E=MC2!!!

Start:	Apr 15, '08 12:00a
End:	Apr 22, '08
Location:	record stores worldwide (i hope)

Can't wait! This woman's a living, breathing, musical genius!

Mimi's official MySpace page

http://www.myspace.com/mariahcarey
The only reason why I'm reopening my MySpace account after a few icky propositions from some pervz. Seriously!
Mimi rocks!

Mimi's Touch My Body Promo Pix

Dinner with Brothers & Sisters

Ledger's Joker Makes Dramatic Entrance - Yahoo! News

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080315/ap_en_mo/film_batman_ledger
One word: WOW!

July 18. Mark your calendars.

RIP Heath. You will be sorely missed.

Crew honors Ledger by not distorting Joker role - CNN.com

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/14/ledger.batman.ap/index.html?eref=yahoo
Hurray! Perfect reason to head to Manila! IMAX, Mall of Asia, Cinnabon, (secret)...

Can't wait!

Better Sleep: Healthy Habits for Better Sleep

http://stress.about.com/od/lowstresslifestyle/tp/better_sleep.htm
Check out tip # 9. No wonder they say "it" is better than brownies! Married people are sooo lucky! :)

#2,3&7 are my faves. Do em almost every single night. #1 can do wonders too. Did it today. Still wish I had "access" to #9 though. tee hee. Kidding oi! My mind's not THAT one-track. It's not midnight yet, remember? :P

Sleep well everyone! Off to bed.

Stress and Emotional Eating: What Causes Emotional Eating?

http://stress.about.com/od/unhealthybehaviors/a/eating.htm
Amen!

Must-See Music Videos, TV Series, etc.

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

Sorry but don't have time to write a full-blown review for each of the videos below.

Just wanted to share with you my picks for this season's guilty pleasures. warning: saksak sinagol ni, may music vidz, tv series, etc. kamo na lang pili.

1. Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body" music video -- for fairly obvious reasons.

2. Chris Brown's "With You" music video -- love the song; love, love, love the video. Dunno why. (Ok, maybe I kinda wish Mr. E to the R would sing it to me? Hihihi. Can you blame me?

3. David "Enchilada" Archuleta's "Imagine" performance on American Idol on Feb. 27, 2008 -- gives me goosebumps each and everytime. Ditto on his "Another Day in Paradise" performance tonight. Ok, better watch this season's American Idol instead so you won't miss a thing.

4. A toss between the other David's "Hello" performance and Jason the dreadlocks guy's performance of what I will always think of as "The O.C." song, "Hallelujah" -- still from Idol. Both also gave me goosebumps. (or maybe my aircon's on overdrive? who knows?). Loved it!

5. The new season of One Tree Hill (OTH) -- hate the nanny, love Naley's super smart and talkative lil boy! Sooo cute! Brooke's hair is to die for and I wish Leyton would just get over all the drama and get back together! The bartender's H-O-T and Mouth and Brooke's new assitant make such a sweet couple, I literally found an an crawling on my LCD monitor last night. (Probably cuz I have dinner in front of my monitor sometimes when I'm multitasking but I'd rather use the other reason cuz it's romantic.) All nine episodes are a must-see if you're into OTH. FYI, they've grown up and the storyline has too. Nice!

Looking forward to the following:

1. H-E-R-O-E-S!!! To quote Britney, "Gimme More!!!" (I'm not asking you to watch THAT video though. Try "Piece of Me" instead.) Milo et al won't be back til next fall according to my google alerts! Huhuhu. Plus, he and Hayden have finally moved in together? More huhuhu.

2. Grey's Anatomy -- still waiting for Alex and Izzie to hook up. C'mon writers, watcha waitin' for? Gizzie is sooo last season!

3. Pushing Daisies (!!!) Private Practice (!!) Desperate Housewives, Chuck, Smallville, House, etc.

Finally, can't wait to see these HBO "classics":

1. Entourage -- please ask Milo to guest star but PLEASE, no Hayden!
2. Sex and the City movie -- OH YEAH! The girls are back in town!

Sorry for all the exclamation marks. I'm just super excited to finally catch up on my viewing backlogs. Will probably post a must-read list as well. Also getting a crack on my reading backlogs.

Promised myself I'll stay away from the mall this month. (Hope I last that long.) That's my penitensya for this year's lenten season. Been jumping from one addiction to another and now I realized that I'm a shopaholic and I need to get sober quick! That means more work, walking, reading, viewing, writing (natch!), and of course, I mustn't fail to mention the PRAYING. After all, there's no point in doing everything else if I forget that, right? Hope di ko gabaan gisagol nako ang last part with the others. Sorry Lord. :(

See y'all at the other side, I hope. Wherever that is. :)

The Ice Cream Diet

For all you ice cream fanatics (like me) out there...

Enjoy your guilty pleasure!

By: Sarah Robertson

 

Hot new research reveals that ice cream -- when eaten as part of a healthy diet -- may actually melt away fat, helping you lick extra pounds quicker than if you abstained! Plus, a dish a day helps you get healthier in other ways.

 

But before you reach for the pint, remember that too much Rocky Road can become Lumpy Hips. So we created a simple diet plan that allows enough calorie wiggle room for you to enjoy ice cream every day and still lose weight! You'll find the complete plan in The Ice Cream Diet (St. Martin's Press).

 

It's easy: Just pick from one of five breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners every day. There are more than 625 possible combinations, all of them quick and healthy, including frozen entrées and meals at restaurants such as Wendy's.

 

No matter what you choose, you'll stay within your calorie budget. Then you can savor your ice cream guilt-free! Women get 1 cup, and men get 1 1/2 cups of ice cream every day. You'll still drop pounds, because your treat is factored into a nutritious diet that totals 1,500 calories a day for women and 2,000 calories for men. Since you'll be cutting 300 to 500 calories from a typical daily intake, women can lose up to 30 lb and men up to 50 lb in a year!

 

To keep calories in check, choose a reduced-calorie ice cream. But don't say yuck just yet! To guarantee your satisfaction, the Prevention staff tested nearly 30 lower-calorie ice creams, bars, and frozen yogurts. (A tough job, but we did it for you, dear readers!) And we discovered some fabulous choices! All of them meet our diet's guidelines of 125 or fewer calories per 1/2-cup serving and at least 10% of calcium's Daily Value of 100 mg per serving.

Speed Up Your Weight Loss

 

The Ice Cream Diet's secret, slim-down-faster ingredient is its luscious supply of calcium. In a recent study, overweight people who took a calcium supplement lost 26% more body weight and 38% more body fat than those who ate the same reduced-calorie diet minus the supplement. Another group fared even better when they got their calcium from dairy products: They lost a whopping 70% more weight and 64% more fat on a high-dairy diet (three or four servings of low-fat dairy products totaling 1,200 to 1,300 mg of calcium a day). A good amount of the fat losses were in the belly too!

 

How does calcium help you lose? A diet low in calcium shuts down your body's fat burning ability, say experts. When your body doesn't get enough calcium, it triggers fat cells to store fat and get bigger. The Ice Cream Diet prevents this by building in healthy levels of calcium -- partly from all that ice cream -- so the pounds melt away. "You can lose weight by cutting calories, but you can improve your success by getting more calcium from dairy foods," says calcium expert Michael Zemel, Ph.D.

 

More Goodies

 

On the Ice Cream Diet, you'll be getting optimal levels of calcium, a mineral that runs low in most American diets. Only 14% of women ages 20 to 50 meet the current calcium recommendation of 1,000 mg a day, and only 4% of women over 50 meet the 1,200-mg goal. (The average female calcium intake is 652 mg.) Less than one-third of men reach those same goals.

 

Calcium is vital for strong bones, and studies now suggest that this superstar helps lower your risk of colon cancer, reduces PMS symptom, and more. In the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet recommended by the National Institutes of Health, three servings of low-fat dairy products plus eight or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily helped lower blood pressure as much as drugs in just 2 weeks! That diet describes the Prevention Ice Cream Diet to a tee.

 

Chill Cravings

 

Calcium aside, ice cream may satisfy cravings better than any other food. Your fear of devouring the carton is more likely to come true if you deprive yourself. Experts call it "forbidden fruit syndrome."

 

"When we tell ourselves we can't have something, we immediately focus our attention on what's forbidden, which increases our desire and chances of losing control," says Marsha Hudnall, R.D., of Green Mountain at Fox Run, a "nondiet" weight control spa in Vermont.

 

For many dieters, ice cream is the quintessential forbidden food. That's precisely why it's critical to practice having sensible amounts of this sweet regularly so you won't feel the need to binge, says Hudnall.

Ice Cream Does a Body Good

 

Here's what ice cream may help do:

 

    * Keep bones strong

    * Burn fat more efficiently

    * Lower high blood pressure

    * Crush cravings

    * Ease PMS symptoms

    * Fight colon cancer

    * Stop bingeing

    * Cut stroke risk

    * Boost immunity

    * Prevent kidney stones

 

 

What's Your Passion?

 

If you could have a daily splurge, what would you choose? We asked this question of visitors to our Web site, www.prevention.com. Here's what they said:

 

    * 553 (33%) -- ice cream

    * 365 (22%) -- pizza

    * 363 (22%) -- cookies

    * 225 (13%) -- french fries

    * 175 (10%) -- cheeseburgers

 

Total respondents: 1,681

 

Light on Calories, Big on Taste

 

In taste tests, some of these reduced-cal treats rated even higher than their premium cousins! Check your supermarket freezer case for other ice creams with 125 or fewer calories per serving.

 

    * Good Humor Fat-Free Fudgsicle FudgeBar -- Calories per 1/2 cup: 60, Daily Value of calcium: 10%

 

    * Edy's/Dreyer's Fat-Free Black Cherry Vanilla Frozen Yogurt -- Calories per 1/2 cup: 90, Daily Value of calcium: 30%

 

    * Healthy Choice Low-Fat Vanilla -- Calories per 1/2 cup: 100, Daily Value of calcium: 10%

 

    * Healthy Choice No Sugar Added Low-Fat Mint Chocolate Chip -- Calories per 1/2 cup: 100, Daily Value of calcium: 10%

 

    * Eskimo Pie (Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry) -- Calories per 1/2 cup: 110, Daily Value of calcium: 15%

 

    * Healthy Choice No Sugar Added Low-Fat Chocolate Fudge Brownie -- Calories per 1/2 cup: 110, Daily Value of calcium: 10%

 

    * Healthy Choice No Sugar Added Low-Fat Coffee Almond Fudge -- Calories per 1/2 cup: 110, Daily Value of calcium: 10%

 

    * Breyer's All Natural Light Vanilla -- Calories per 1/2 cup: 120, Daily Value of calcium: 15%

 

    * Healthy Choice Low-Fat Chocolate Cherry Mambo -- Calories per 1/2 cup: 120, Daily Value of calcium: 10%

 

    * Tropicana Chocolate Dipped Orange 'n Cream Bar -- Calories per 1/2 cup: 120, Daily Value of calcium: 10%

 

"I Lost 101 Pounds with a Daily Dip"

 

Name: Brenda Jay Kelly

Age: 36

Hometown: Nanuet, NY

Weight lost: 101 lb in 18 months

 

How she did it: "Once I realized you can be healthy without depriving yourself, I started treating myself to an ice cream sandwich made with vanilla frozen yogurt every afternoon or evening. When friends chastised me for 'going off my diet,' I'd correct them by saying, 'I'm not cheating, I'm eating!'"

 

The Ice Cream Diet Meal Plan

 

Indulge in ice cream every day, and still lose weight by choosing the easy, satisfying meals that follow. Select any breakfast, lunch, snack, or dinner, then you can "afford" the calories in an ice cream reward: 1 cup for women, 1 1/2 cups for men (using ice cream with 125 or fewer calories per 1/2-cup serving). Note that men's meals have some extras.

 

Breakfast

 

Average for women: 330 calories Average for men: 430 calories

 

1. Bagel and cream cheese. Spread half of a 2.5- to 3-oz bagel with 2 tablespoons of reduced-fat cream cheese. Serve with 1 cup of fruit salad and 1 cup of fat-free milk. (Men: Have a whole bagel.)

 

2. Bran flakes with blueberries. Top 1 cup of bran flakes with 1 teaspoon of sugar (if desired), 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries, and 1 cup of fat-free milk. (Men: Add a slice of whole wheat toast spread with 2 teaspoons of diet margarine.)

 

3. Strawberry Slush. In a blender, combine 8 oz of fat-free strawberry-flavored yogurt (no more than 120 calories per cup), 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen strawberries, 1 teaspoon of sugar, a small ripe banana, and several ice cubes. (Add the cubes one at a time.) Serve with 3 Reduced-Fat Triscuits. (Men: Have 6 additional Reduced-Fat Triscuits.)

 

4. Frozen waffles. Top 2 toaster waffles (check the label for no more than 170 calories per 2 waffles, e.g., Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Multi-Bran) with 2 teaspoons of maple syrup and 1 cup of fresh or frozen thawed strawberries, smashed. Serve with 1/2 cup of fat-free milk. (Men: Have 2 extra teaspoons of maple syrup, 2 teaspoons of light margarine, and an extra 1/2 cup of fat-free milk.)

 

5. At your desk, have a breakfast bar (no more than 150 calories, e.g., Kellogg's Nutri-Grain), an 8-oz carton of fat-free milk, and a large apple. (Men: Take along a plastic snack bag with 6 apricot halves and 8 almonds.)

The Ice Cream Diet

 

Lunch

 

Average for women: 365 calories

Average for men: 430 calories

 

1. Roast beef sandwich. Spread 2 slices of whole wheat bread with 1 teaspoon each of reduced-fat mayo and mustard. Add 2 thin slices of roast beef, 4 slices of tomato, and romaine lettuce. Serve with a 6-oz can of V8. (Men: Use an extra teaspoon of reduced-fat mayo and an extra slice of roast beef.)

 

2. In the microwave, microwave a frozen meal of 260 to 280 calories, such as Smart Ones Fire-Grilled Chicken and Vegetables or Lean Cuisine Enchilada Suiza with Mexican-Style Rice. Add a cup of raw veggies of your choice. (Men: Add a banana for dessert.)

 

3. Bean Burrito. Top a warmed 8" whole wheat tortilla with 1/3 cup of canned pinto beans (smashed), 4 tablespoons of shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, and 3 tablespoons of salsa. Roll up, and serve with 1 cup of baby carrots. (Men: Add a peach for dessert.)

 

4. Subway Sandwich. Have a 6" Subway Veggie Delite on wheat bread. Ask for 4 triangles of cheese of any type, 1 tablespoon of light mayo, honey mustard, or Southwest dressing, and extra tomatoes or peppers. (Men: Add an apple for dessert.)

 

5. Salad bar. Take 1 cup of mixed greens, 3 tablespoons of chickpeas, 1 1/2 cups of chopped raw veggies, 1/2 cup of plain tuna, 2 tablespoons of chopped egg or shredded cheese, and 3 tablespoons of reduced-cal dressing. Have a small slice of bread. (Men: Have 2 tablespoons of croutons and an extra slice of bread.)

The Ice Cream Diet

 

Snack

 

Average for women: 165 calories

Average for men: 215 calories

 

1. Just Milk and Fruit. Drink an 8-oz carton of milk along with a piece of fruit of your choice. (Men: Add 5 bite-size pretzels.)

 

2.Yogurt Your Way. Have 8 oz of fat-free yogurt in the flavor of your choice (no more than 120 calories per cup). Serve with 3 dried plums (the sexy new name for prunes). (Men: Add 4 teaspoons of trail mix to the yogurt.)

 

3. Peach Smoothie. In a blender, combine 8 oz of fat-free peach-flavored yogurt (no more than 120 calories per cup) and a peeled ripe peach or 1/2 cup of canned peaches (in juice, not syrup). Add 1 or 2 ice cubes, and blend until smooth. (Men: Add 1 large graham cracker.)

 

4. Fruit and cheese. Slice a ripe pear or apple, and eat it with 1 oz of room temperature reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (about the size of a 1" cube). (Men: Add 4 Reduced-Fat Triscuits.)

 

5. Iced Café au Lait. Mix 1 cup of chilled fat-free milk with 1 cup of room-temp coffee and 1 teaspoon of sugar (if desired). Add ice, and serve with 6 dried apricot halves. (Men: Add 1 large graham cracker.)

 

Dinner

 

Average for women: 390 calories

Average for men: 515 calories

 

1. Lentil soup with French bread. Heat 1 1/2 cups of lentil soup (canned is fine). Serve with a large slice of French bread (about the size of a woman's hand), spread with 2 teaspoons of margarine. Serve with 1/2 cup of red bell pepper strips. (Men: Have an apple for dessert.)

 

2. Pizza. Have 1 slice of a large (14") pizza (not thick crust) topped with 2 veggies, such as mushrooms and green bell pepper. Add a salad with 1 cup of mixed greens, 1/2 cup of chopped veggies, and 2 tablespoons of reduced-cal dressing. (Men: Add a 12-oz light beer.)

 

3. Pasta dinner. Microwave a frozen pasta dinner of 300 to 330 calories, such as Healthy Choice Manicotti with Three Cheeses. Add a salad with 1 cup of mixed greens, 1/2 cup of chopped veggies, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of low-cal dressing. (Men: Add 1/2 tablespoon of dressing and an orange.)

 

4. Wendy's Chili. Have a large chili and side salad; use 1/3 packet of fat free French dressing. (Men: Top the chili with 2 tablespoons of shredded Cheddar cheese, and have 3 packs of saltines.)

 

5. Dinner at the mall. At Schlotzsky's Deli, have the small Dijon Chicken sandwich from the "Light and Flavorful" menu, plus a small Garden Salad with 1/3 packet of light Italian dressing. (Men: Have the small Santa Fe Chicken, Chicken Club, or Corned Beef sandwich and the same salad.)

 

One Scoop or Two?

 

For a perfect serving every time, keep a tennis ball on your kitchen counter. One tennis ball equals 1/2 cup of ice cream.

 

Women: Scoop out 2 tennis balls' worth to get your 1-cup allowance.

 

Men: That's 3 tennis ball scoops (1 1/2 cups) for you.

 

Love the Diet? Read the Book!

 

For tons more mix 'n match meal plans that let you lose weight while you eat ice cream, check out The Ice Cream Diet by Holly McCord, RD. Published by St. Martin's Press, 2002. Available wherever books are sold.

Touch My Body (Seriously!)

Oh my! This is such a refreshing change from her usual style!

Ok, let me backtrack a little. I'm talking about Mariah Carey's new video (see blog title, minus seriously, natch!).

Before I go any further, I just have to gush over Mimi's significant weight loss. Wow! She looks fabulous! Even her face is noticeably slimmer. Brett Ratner wasn’t kidding when he said they just had to show off Mariah’s “Hot” body. She’s slimmer now but still voluptuous. Hey, if I look half as good as she does by December 2008 or even 2009 if needed, I'd be gloriously happy. Seriously! She doesn't even need photoshop anymore. Yes, I'm crossing that line, sorry.

All the Mimi haters out there can trash her all they want but one thing remains constant--this gal has the PIPES and she's not afraid to use it. Back when I was just a Mimi fan club neophyte, I was astounded by her eight-octave vocal range. It was unheard of back then, and I didn’t have the convenience of search engines to verify that tidbit either but just listening to her belt out tunes was proof enough for me.

These days, her “whistle register” as my favorite online search tool, Wikipedia, says, isn’t that visible though it still pops up now and then. But even though she has always defied critics and record label owners/producers by doing her own thing, writing, producing and performing her own tracks, Mariah has achieved astounding success, rivaling legends for Billboard and other chart records. See attached “proof” stolen from Wiki.

Oops, I got sidetracked. This is turning out to be a Mimi tribute when all I really wanted to do was share my mirth (thanks for the word, Briza) after watching Mimi’s video for the first time tonight. I guess this is why her role in WiseGirls as a wisecracking waitress was well-received. If she drops her awkward hand gestures, I bet she’d do well starring in comedy films. Well, maybe co-starring in a few first to test the waters.

I don’t wanna go into detail regarding the video cuz it’s something you’ve got to see on your own. But casting Kenneth the page (from hit show 30 Rock) is pure genius! He’s just the right amount of geek to play that role. Perfect! There’s a whole lot of playful romping (not even that naughty, contrary to what my pals and I were expecting), running around, games and my favorite part—her computer. Who knew Mimi had download speed problems too? I can totally relate! Who knows? There just might be a Nerd Herd (or was that Copy Nerd?) rep out there for me. Singit pa jud ang boylet oi. Hehe.

So before I reformat my hard drive, I urge all my friends (yep, you included) to watch the video if you can. Trust me it’s not what anyone would expect, considering the naughty song title and lyrics. It’s rolling on the floor laughing my “you-know-what” off funny. Hope it has the same effect on y’all. I’ll be sleeping with a smile on my face tonight, that’s for sure! Grazie, Mimi!

Enjoy!

Just had to attach this to my post. Got this from Wiki (again. Hehe.)

“The Emancipation of Mimi became 2005's best-selling album in the U.S. The album earned Carey a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album, and the single "We Belong Together" won Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song. "We Belong Together" held the Hot 100's number-one position for fourteen weeks (Carey's longest run at the top as a solo lead artist), and "Shake It Off" made Carey the only solo female artist to occupy the Hot 100's top two positions simultaneously.

"Don't Forget About Us" became her seventeenth number-one in the U.S., tying her with Elvis Presley for the most number-ones by a solo act according to Billboard magazine's revised methodology (their statistician Joel Whitburn still credits Presley with an eighteenth). The Beatles had twenty number-ones. Carey's singles have, collectively, topped the charts for 77 weeks, which places her ahead of The Beatles (59 weeks), and behind Presley, who topped the combined charts for 79 weeks.

Later in the year[sic 2006], Carey received a "recording star" on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and she has been inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame on October 21, 2007."

*GO MIMI!* :P

From One Bad Habit to Another... (Bad Mimi)

Ok. I've officially decided to delete all of the horoscope-related entries that I've added over the past several weeks.

After kicking my horribly addictive (and unhealthy) junk-food habit, I started browsing through the sites made available by yahoo via the my.yahoo.com homepage. That's where I stumbled across the IVillage newsletters that offer healthy living tips and exercise plans.

At the same time, the site also led me to horoscope.com. At first the entries were very entertaining, but later on I realized that I was addicted to the daily commentaries the site would send to my yahoo mail.

Even as I began this latest addiction, I started asking myself what He would say about this latest habit, which left a sinking feeling at the pit of my stomach.

Today I finally mustered up enough courage (after debating with myself for days) and asked a trusted friend, who's been travelling the straight and narrow path longer than I have, and he shared his opinion freely, albeit still trying not to offend me or hurt my feelings. So nice, my friend.

He confirmed my latent fears, that horoscopes deviate from His Word and His teachings, as they are created by human minds who claim the impossible--seeing the future. Only He knows what's in store for us and these predictions are merely coincidental.

WISE WORDS. And so I'm kicking this habit to the curb! I'm trashing all of my previous horoscope entries and I've deleted that option from my yahoo page, which happens to be very red and filled with roses and hearts right now. Hihihi. Call it Valentines day hangover if you will.

Goodbye Junk Food! Good Bye Horoscopes! Hello Life, Love & Lord! (Saved the best for last.) Hey, better late than never. Yet another Lesson Learned. Thanks bro.

Burn Off a Splurge (Perfect Timing!)

Burn Off a Splurge
Stop feeling guilty and start moving

It's okay to treat yourself every now and then. One of the biggest mistakes dieters make is letting a "slip" in their diet give them an excuse to pitch the whole plan and go back to their old ways. Leslie Sansone says it's part of a healthy lifestyle to indulge in your favorite treats once in a while. To ease your guilt, just go on an extra walk or fit in an extra workout, and you'll burn off those calories in no time. Try this month's plan to get those legs moving.

Weight Loss Update: 12 Kilos Gone! Yay!

Yes! It's been a heck of a ride but I'm so glad this weight loss journey I started during the last quarter of 2007 is moving along quite well. Sorry, it's not my intention to brag, never has been. I'm just super excited about the latest 2 kilos that I shed in the past couple of weeks. My weight kind of stayed the same in January so it's quite thrilling to finally make some progress once more.

Healthier choices=healthier lifestyle=healhier you. It's true what celebs say, you really have to overhaul your entire lifestyle in order to get consistent results. Junk foods are a thing of the past. Not so much when it comes to pastries and ice cream though. And pasta... sigh! I guess I'll never be able to turn my back on lasagna and spaghetti. Hehe. Oh well, I can live with that.

Next up, regular gym visits. My flabby arms and tummy need TONING, pronto! Can't wait to hear what my old trainers, Ramil and Jackie, have to say about my long overdue visit to their gym. Can't believe it's been 6 years already. That's how long I've avoided their gym when back in college I was one of their most frequent and ardent clients. Aerobics, PRT, even karate, I did all that. Too bad I stopped. That's when I started ballooning like crazy. Hopefully, this time I can follow through on this crazy adventure. Can't wait! Wish me luck, dearest pals. I'm sure gonna need it if I'm gonna live up to my December 2008 pledge. Hihihi. :P

iVillage Total Health - Healthy Living Program

http://www.healthylivingonline.com/
An extremely useful tool to become supercharged. Be sexy and healthy in no time!

Today's Supercharged Change: Stay away from trigger foods

There are many trigger foods that make you feel out of control. While it can feel like a chemical addiction, most evidence supports a behavioral response to food that we can manage, but not eliminate. There are five important steps in managing food cravings and maintaining some control. See if they work for you.

1. Identify the problem foods.

2.  Determine whether portion control or substitution with another food will be effective to satisfy but not trigger overeating.

3. Eliminate specific foods (not whole categories) that trigger rather than satisfy.

4. Avoid settings (restaurants and at home) that trigger overeating.

5. Substitute another behavior for the act of eating. For example, learn to knit or chew sugarless gum.

Here are three major food categories dieters struggle with and some suggestions to help satisfy those cravings.

For a sweet tooth: Try sugar-free gum and mints, sugar-free Jell-O and popsicles, 60-calorie puddings or low-cal hot chocolate (should be about 25-50 calories). Don't like low-calorie sweeteners? Try the single-wrapped peppermint Life Savers, peppermint Tic-Tacs, Altoids, or mini lollypops.

For a fat tooth: Look for 100-calorie bags of chips, pretzels or popcorn, low-fat single-serve cheese (Laughing Cow Light or Mini-Bonbel), extra creamy non or low-fat yogurt, turkey pepperoni (about 15 slices), or low-fat hot dogs.

For the starch lover: Find some low-calorie, whole-grain options that are about 50-70 calories a serving, including 100 percent whole-wheat thin-sliced bread, tortillas or mini pitas. You can also try a handful of a high-fiber cereal of your choice, which is about half a cup and 100 calories.

There are no "right" answers. This is truly a personal choice, and some of the best solutions are found by trial and error. What works for you might not work for someone else. So, be open-minded but realistic in your quest to conquer food cravings.

--Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD.

Alien

Kristina --

[noun]: An alien

'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Love Language: Quality Time & Acts of Service (Nice!)

The Five Love Languages

Your primary love language is probably
Quality Time
with a secondary love language being
Acts of Service.

Complete set of results

Quality Time:		10
Acts of Service:		8
Physical Touch:		6
Receiving Gifts:		3
Words of Affirmation:		3

Savvy, Saucy & Healthy

http://savvysaucyhealthy.multiply.com/
As promised, here's that site I've been prattling on and on about. My apologies for the delay. This is open to all gals and guys who plan to live a HEALTHY life starting RIGHT NOW!

Feel free to join the group and enjoy all of the functions exclusively available for members. Share testimonials, tips, photos, recipes... sky's the limit, or your imagination!

There's a catch: this site will forever be under construction. Members shall see to the continuing evolution of our group. So what are you waiting for? See y'all there! *wink*

Food Myths That Will Shock You (sample post from the Savvy, Saucy & Healthy site)

Food Myths That Will Shock You

I'd like to tackle some common food myths that seem to have taken on lives of their own. That's the topic of another TODAY show segment. (Scroll to watch the video from the segment below.)

What do you think of these? Do you have any others you've heard about to share? Leave a comment!

Myth #1: "Chinese Food Makes You Hungry"

This is a very old myth, at least several decades old, which comes from the way Chinese food "used to be" prepared.

Years ago, portions were much smaller than other cuisines, low in whole-grain carbohydrates (white rice), and low in fiber (most dishes didn't have much in the way of veggies), and relatively low in protein. So, this combo of factors can help speed up the rate of your stomach emptying, and cause you to be hungrier sooner.

Nowadays, Chinese food has more vegetables, more lean protein/tofu added, and you can get brown rice. Plus, the portions have grown to meet consumer demand. Quite a difference!

Answer? Chinese food does NOT make you hungrier later on than any other type of food.

Myth #2: "Turkey Puts You to Sleep"

This myth is most commonly associated with a Seinfeld episode where Jerry wanted to feed a girl some turkey to put her to sleep. "Turkey has tryptophan" and that will make her fall asleep.

Here’s the 411 on the sleepy stuff: Trypotophan is the precursor amino acid for the brain chemical, serotonin, that does promote sleep. More tryptophan in the brain makes more serotonin, which can make you sleepy, but it's not so simple.

The tryptophan in turkey (and all other proteins) is surrounded by other amino acids that compete with the tryptophan to get into the brain. That's where the tryptophan needs to go to turn into serotonin. In protein, the tryptophan is in smaller amounts compared to others, so when you eat protein, tryptophan can't get into the brain—it's out-competed by the other amino acids. (Have I lost you yet?) No extra trytophan in the brain = No more serotonin = No more sleep. That's why this is a myth. But, people are usually eating a giant meal when they eat turkey, which promotes fatigue, not the turkey alone.

Answer? Myth!

Myth #3: ”Drinking Ice Water Helps You Lose Weight”

Drinking water is always good for weight loss, but this concept is related to the idea that if you drink ice water, your body has to burn calories warming it up.

Technically correct, but the number of calories you burn are really tiny. It's about 1 calorie per ounce of ice water to warm it up. We would think it would take more calories to heat up the water, but it doesn't.

So, drink water, but only ice water if you like it. Of course, you also don't cancel out the calories of an iced beverage that has calories because it's cold (like soda or juice), although that would be nice!

Answer? Myth!

Myth #4: ”Carbohydrates Are More Fattening Than Other Foods”

Carbohydrates, whether fruits and vegetables, or starchy stuff (like breads, rice, pasta, potatoes) all have 4 calories per gram of food. This is the same as protein with 4 calories per gram. It's about half of what fat has at 9 calories per gram!

Where people get messed up is that they first don't realize that fruits/veggies are carbohydrates, rich in water and fiber, and the starchy carbs can be fiber rich, but of course, low in water.

It's a lot easier to gobble down refined starchy carbs (white flour), since there's no fiber to expand in our stomachs to signal we're full. So, people have the perception that carbs are more fattening, because it's easy to overeat on them, and then tend to eat less of the 100% whole grain starches. Plus, carbohydrates are combined with fat for dessert items, which means lots of added sugars (still carbs). But don't blame the carbs on that!

Answer? Myth!

Myth #5:”Spicy Foods Burn Calories”

While this feels like it should be true, it's a myth, when it comes to burning significant calories. We eat spicy foods, start sweating, and feel warm. Is that a metabolic effect? Yes, but such a tiny one, you can't count on that to burn many calories, and certainly not to justify eating a spicy meal just because you'll be burning calories from the spices.

The effect on us is more superficial—sweating and warmth—and not a robust metabolic one. But, you can use spices to rev up the flavor of lower calorie foods like chicken, fish, and vegetables!

Answer? Myth!

Myth #6: ”Avoid Dairy Products When You Have a Cold”

This is such a common myth that a number of scientific studies have been done to test this. The myth is that dairy products have been thought to promote mucus production, and thus should be avoided with colds and other upper respiratory problems, including asthma.

There is no consistent effect of dairy products on mucus production. It cannot be demonstrated that this is a problem. If you feel that you are affected, then don't do it, but don't avoid needlessly. It is possible to have this sensation, since milk can have a filmy residue in the mouth after drinking, but this has nothing to do with mucus.

Answer? Myth!