so called life

Blow Dry and Air Dry

smblite — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:42:46 +0000

adapted from Anna Lynn C. Sibal

Should the hair be blow dried or air dried?
It is a matter of preference, actually. Some people do not have much time to devote to styling their hair, or want to achieve the maximum styling they can get for their hair, so they opt for blow-drying it. On the other hand, there are some people who think that blow-drying is a waste of electricity and is the quickest way of damaging the hair, so they opt to have it air dried.

Which is better, you may ask?
Both ways of drying the hair have their advantages and disadvantages, and there are proper and improper ways of doing both. Read on and find out what these are.

Air drying. Air drying is usually done by people who have short and low-maintenance hairstyles, or by people with curly hair. There are also people who have long hair yet have their hair air dry, as air drying does not subject the hair to excessive heat. Therefore, the hair is not as susceptible to damage as hair that is blow dried.

TIP:

hair is at its weakest when it is wet.
do not rub hair with the use of a towel.This will make your hair brittle.
do not pull your hair that much when it is still wet.
use fingers to fluff after the water is blotted out of your hair

Blow Drying. Blow drying the hair is the most convenient way of doing it, and because most people live fast-paced lives, blow drying the hair is the way most people want to do it. Moreover, drying the hair using a blower adds volume to the hair. But inasmuch that blow drying is very convenient, it is also dangerous to the hair, especially if overdone. It can make the hair very brittle.

TIP :

when you blow dry, make sure is not soaked with water. Blot water out first.
keep your toll at least 6 inches away from your hair.
Protect the outer strands of your hair from being over-dried by bending over and blow drying your hair with your hair hanging upside down.
Stop while the hair is still slightly damp

Whether you air dry your hair or you blow dry it is completely your own choice based on your own lifestyle and preferences. But whatever you do, always remember that the hair is fragile. Be careful while handling it.

FRESH FRUIT SHELL SALAD

smblite — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:47:10 +0000

Ingredients:

2 170g cans NESTLE Cream
1/4 cup NESTLÉ Premium Squeeze – Orange Juice
1/2 cup NESTLÉ Cottage Cheese
1 cup shell macaroni, cooked al dente
1 cup pineapple chunks, drained
1 large fresh orange, peeled sectioned seeded
1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1/2 cup green grapes, halved
1 red apple, cored and chopped
1 lacatan banana, sliced diagonally 1/4 inch thick
1 tsp salt or to taste
2 tsp sugar

Procedure:

1. Blend NESTLE Cream, NESTLE Orange Juice and NESTLE Cottage Cheese.
2. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl.
3. Toss in cream mixture.
4. Cover and chill before serving.
5. Toss gently before serving.

Feeding Frenzy 2

smblite — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:23:26 +0000

My son Kenneth really love this pc game. He even made it up to the last level of the game. It is an underwater mystery in this side-scrolling aquatic adventure also from the maker of Feeding Frenzy. It has:

60 lively levels.
2 gameplay modes
wild new power ups.
new fish and characters.

screen shot 1

screen shot 2

Kids will surely love this game as my children does. Click for download.

I.Q block

smblite — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 02:36:08 +0000

I have read an article saying that “IQ testing is a method used by psychologists to measure what is generally considered intelligence.Most IQ tests consist of subtests measuring various qualities, such as factual knowledge, short-term memory, abstract reasoning, visual-spatial abilities, and common sense”.

Every parent desire is to have their children an average I.Q. so here I share what my children have for their mind exercises. It is an I.Q block. A plastic made puzzle commercial give away from Malaysia Airlines. My son Kenneth loves this much. We take turns in playing this and still my youngest Nicole is the timer…. see the photos!

figure 1

scattered.

figure 2.

craze in the block

smblite — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 02:05:43 +0000

A wonderful present from a family friend made my children busy these days.. even me huh! Ever heard of Bedlam Cube? A puzzle block invented by Bruce Bedlam. And its objective is to assemble the poly cubic puzzles. If you’d visit their site, you’ll find it their a very wow toys.And they are not just plain toys. It helps us develop our I.Q skills. It took us hours how to solve the puzzle. Few puzzle twist and rotations. Luckily, just last night..we made it!

before.

the front.

the right side.

the back.

the left side.

the top.

and the bottom.

thanks to my SE k810i phone for the photos!

Things you can do for your skin

smblite — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:39:40 +0000

SUCK IT UP. If your skin can’t hold on to the products your put on it, you are just wasting money. Look for a lotion or bathsoap containing “hyaluronic acid or glycerin, they keep skin supple.
VOTE RED. A recent British study found that subjects who ate five tablespoons of tomato paste every day suffered milder sunburns than those who didn’t. Researchers think that lycopene, a powerful natural antioxidant found in tomatoes, provides the sun shielding benefits.
TAKE A CHILL PILL. Stress can mess with your complexion.

4. GET ALL IN A LATHER.Anytime you sweat, your body produces more sebum ( an oily pore clogging secretion). Never attempt to skip the shower after a lunchtime workout since bacteria love to feast on sweat and oil. Simply rinse off under cool water to avoid setting up yourself for breakouts.

5. COVER YOUR MOUTH. Your lips along with you eye and upper chest have the thinnest skin on our body, so they need extra shielding. When the skin cancer originates from the lips, it’s especially aggressive and has a higher risk of spreading. To prevent this grab yourself a lip balm with sunscreen.Avoid chapping by wearing an unflavored balm. Good tasting gloss encourages licking and saliva dries out your lips.

6. USE AN ANTI-AGER — NOW!!. Do not wait for the first crow’s feet to appear before you reach for that little tube. Even women in their twenties should be using a topical retinoid -unless they pregnant or nursing. We need retinoids since it contains Vitamin A - the most potent agent for preventing and reversing sun damage and signs of aging. They are the ultimate multitasker. They speed skin renewal by shedding dull, pore clogging cells and increase collagen product to prevent wrinkles.

Five Minutes

smblite — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 16:57:06 +0000

If you wake up as weary as you were when you went to bed the night before, try to recall what you were thinking about the last five minutes before you went to sleep. What you think about in that five minutes impacts how well you sleep, which determines what kind of day tomorrow will be.

When you sleep, your conscious mind is at rest, but your subconscious mind remains active. Psychologists call the subconscious the “assistant manager of life”. When the conscious mind is “off duty” the subconscious mind takes over. The subconscious carries out the orders that are given to it, even though you are not aware of it.

For example , if the last minutes before going to sleep are spent in worry, the subconscious records and categorizes that as fear and acts as if the fear is reality. Thus muscles remains tense, nerves are on edge, and the body’s organs are upset which means the body is not really at rest.

However, if those last five minutes are spent contemplating some great idea, an inspiring verse , or a calm and treasuring thought it will signal to the nervous system, ” All is well”, and put the entire body in a relaxed, peaceful state. This helps you to wake up refreshed, strengthened,and confident.

Many of the days that begins badly started out that way because of the night before, during those critical last five minutes of conscious thought. You can input positive,healthy thoughts into your conscious mind and pave the way for quiet,restful sleep by simply meditating on God’ word as you drop off to sleep.

” He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty,I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress;My God, in him I will trust.”

Survival Skills

smblite — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 02:24:07 +0000

Jocelyn’s face tured red. She didn’t look like the average person who used food stamps. She was dressed for an office job in a nice dress and heels. She felt people stare at her as though she’s done something wrong when she pulled out the food stamps. She quickly paid for her items, then hurried through the door. If she’d had her children with her, maybe people would have understood. Even though she had a job, she didn’t have enough money to feed her family, and she felt ashamed.

That same year,she had needed emergency surgery for an ovarian cyst that kept doubling in size every two weeks. The doctors were afraid it was cancerous,while she was more afraid of the hospital bill. Explaining her dilemma to the doctor, she learned that the welfare system would cover her unexpected expenses.

The same week that Jocelyn needed surgery, one of her sons was hospitalized wi th that appeared to be spinal meningitis.The doctors refused to put off her surgery, and she ended up in a ward without even a telephone. With her eleven-year-old son in another hospital some fifteen miles away.she had neverfelt so alone.And because they were new to the area, there was no one to talk to, or visit, her young son – not even her.

“Lord,I’m all alone, Jocelyn prayed. “Please help me talk to my son.”

When she told her doctor about her situation, he had her moved to a semi-private room, where a phone waited beside her bed- all the docrtor’s expense.

Are you in desperate need? Put your trust in your loving Father, and boldly aske Him for help. And He will take care of you.

Green Tea Helps You Lose Weight

smblite — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 02:58:19 +0000

Tea is the most commonly consumed beverage in the world after water. Whether it is black tea, green tea or red (oolong) tea, they all contain polyphenols which give tea its antioxidant properties.We barely understood that green tea originates in China and now become associated with may cultures around the globe. Even westerners, who traditionally consumed black tea, and many of them are now also into green tea. Especially there are scientific and medical studies that regular drinkers of this green tea may have the chances to lower heart disease.The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).
EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

It also compliments as one of the effective weight loss management today Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo. Research has shown that the substances contained in green tea can actually raise your metabolism. But there is only negative side effect reported from drinking green tea is insomnia due to the fact that it contains caffeine. However, green tea contains less caffeine than coffee: there are approximately thirty to sixty mg. of caffeine in six – eight ounces of tea, compared to over one-hundred mg. in eight ounces of coffee.

Herbs for Health magazine cites a Japanese report stating that men who drank ten cups of green tea per day stayed cancer-free for three years longer than men who drank less than three cups a day (there are approximately 240 – 320 mg of polyphenols in three cups of green tea). Meanwhile, a study by Cleveland’s Western Reserve University concluded that drinking four or more cups of green tea per day could help prevent rheumatoid arthritis, or reduce symptoms in individuals already suffering from the disease. And Japanese scientists at the Saitama Cancer Research Institute discovered that there were fewer recurrances of breast cancer, and the disease spread less quickly, in women with a history of drinking five cups or more of green tea daily.

Producing the perfect cup of green tea is a tricky process. If not handled properly, those same polyphenols that provide health benefits can ruin the flavor, making the tea taste “gassy.” It’s particularly important not to overbrew. While it’s best to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for each variety of green tea, here are some general instructions:

Use one tea bag, or 2 – 4 grams of tea,* per cup.
Fill a kettle with cold water and bring to a boil.
After unplugging the kettle, allow it to stand for up to 3 minutes.
Pour the heated water over the tea bag or tea, and allow it to steep for up to 3 minutes. If using a tea bag, remove the bag.
Allow the tea to cool for three more minutes.

*One to two teaspoons, depending on the variety of green tea you are brewing.

If you are worried about your health and wellbeing then you really should consider drinking green tea as part of your daily routine. Iced green tea is becoming a very popular drink nowadays. You get all the benefits of green tea with its high levels of anti-oxidents mixed in with a thirst quenching chilled drink.

But all the brands of bottled Green Tea are heavily sweetened with either sugar or artificial sweeteners. It ranges from 7 to 11 or even more teaspoons of sugar per 500ml bottle. It’s not useful for your teeth and specially for your weight. If that’s not enough some brands offer a diet Green Tea version sweetened with aspartame and ace-k. So you don’t enjoy pure Green Tea because of enjoying the very subtle flavor.But Green Tea is very good without sweetener of any kind and if you get real good tea (imported from China or Japan) you don’t need to put anything else in it to make it taste better.

14 Days of Love Planner

smblite — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 03:34:34 +0000

It’s already the “month love”. Have you already prepared for the “big day?”.. Freshen up with tips on how to inspire “more” the one you love.

Day 1 – Send an ecard
Send your love an e-card today to kick off your 14 days of love. If you have trouble choosing just one, send one every day until Valentine’s Day! No membership required, totally free, and sure to put a smile on their face.

Day 2 – Dinner in Bed
Pamper your love tonight with dinner in bed. Casual or elegant picnics in bed are a fun, romantic way to step outside of the box and connect with your partner.

Day 3 – Desktop Theme
Give your partner with your own creation on his desktop. If he is miles away from you, send him/her a shot of your monitor.

Day 4 – Whisk your partner away for an impromptu picnic or to watch the sunset.

Day 5 – Take an love quiz together.
Or play board games together. Special people far away from you can also have fun together. Invite him/her to play over online. There are also some special features to some messengers online like Yahoo. Invite a game to paly with.

Day 6 – Make them a good compilation CD.
Be creative.For sure you are particular to his/her favorites.Google it ,download then burn. But make sure that your disk is already scanned free from virus.

Day 7 – Read to each other from a favorite novel, book of poetry.
Share stories from your favorite book. Or create a story that you two are the in the leading roles.Make sure to have a happy ending.

Day 8 – Treat your love to lunch.

Day 9 – Play a romantic game for two.

Day 10 – Ten Reasons Why.
Create an idea on how he / she will know the reasons why you love him / her.
One idea is leaving him / her a love notes to like pockets,wallets,desktop tables etc..

Day 11 – Printables.
Share printable from the web. Add some inspiring notes.

Day 12 – A “Kissable” Surprise.
Scatter “hershey’ kisses” on his table,car,closet… and share the sweetness together.

Day 13 – Love Coupons
Go together and treat your love ones to a spa,salon.

Day 14 – “Meet Me” Hunt
Get prepared on this special day. After day 13, be in bed early to wake up early the following day. Cook at home instead of going outside. For a change, meet your partner from workplace and surprise the preparation at home made by you