Beyonce, preggy?

Just when I thought I was wowed by her over the top performance at the VMAs, Beyonce has put the cherry on top of the ice cream. After belting out octaves after octaves of her soulful song, she threw away her microphone, opened her jacket and stroked her tummy with a big grin on her face. Jay-z who is in the audience side was beaming with pride. Oh I guess there is a bun in the oven. Congrats!

Is it not what it looks like?

Pint sized models are causing a stir lately as they get involved in commercialization that are age inappropriate.
It started with a 10-year old girl’s photo spread in Vogue France that some think are not suited for her age. They have branded the poses of young girl, Thylane Loubry Blondeau as inviting or provocative.

Barely two weeks after that, a new controversy this time again in France, has sprung involving pre-schoolers about age of four in lingerie assuming sexy and racy poses. Many have broken into outburst condemning the sexualization and exploitation of very young kids who do not have any ideas what they are getting themselves into.
Just this week, another blow to the innocent minds of pretty young girls went viral. In United Kingdom there is a pole dancing class offered for toddlers. British parents are actually paying good amount of money for their little daughters to learn stripper-dance style on a pole. Psycho therapists are calling the provocative lessons as vulgar and a clear form of exploitation.

You do not have to be a feminist or sexist to understand what is wrong in the pictures shown or situations illustrated. The acts maybe pure and innocent to the kids themselves but to most, it is suggesting of something. Just a simple question would help settle the controversy: would you want your child to be in this situation?

A mange not a manger

Talk about pets. Apart from their awful by products, what concerns the owners is the mange they tend to acquire even if when we shower them with TLC. Mange according to the freedictionary.com is any of several chronic skin diseases of mammals caused by parasitic mites and characterized by skin lesions, itching, and loss of hair.
One website described mange as debilitating, annoying, and excruciatingly painful condition for your pet. So it is crucial that any pet owner knows how to manage mange at any given time.

A good cover up

I have resigned from my corporate work for almost two years and while I have free medical check up and some medicine coverage in my new work but it is limited. My previous work has offered unlimited and unconditional health and insurances coverage. At this point in time, I am thinking of getting myself an affordable term life insurance that I know is very substantial in this hard economic time.

Hello Kitty!

We have had once owned a pet cat but due to its awful urine and poop odor we have decided to give the poor kitty away. Too bad that it is only now that we have learned about the cat urine odor remover from our neighbor. They have lots of pet cats in the house but they manage to have foul smelling odor contained. Now, we are on the look say hello, kitty!

The outbreak

Dengue outbreak has reached its highest number of cases in history. It does not spare anyone from children up to adults. In our ward there have been three cases of dengue admitted in the past 2 weeks. They already belong to the adult work force that is why their hospitalization is covered by their disability appeal. The platelets that went down dramatically to alarming levels have been corrected through transfusion and hydration. Two of them were already sent home.

Planking what?

Have you seen a person lying on his or her abdomen? Do not be shocked to see people suddenly drop on their abdomen from nowhere or if you passed a person stiffly lying in prone position on a sidewalk, on staircases or bridges. It is called Planking.
I actually first hear of it last week when my nieces are mentioning the word repeatedly in a children’s party. They just assumed prone position for the longest period they could without lifting their heads or moving a muscle.
Seriously, I found it stupid. I mean what satisfaction does one get lying prone? It is way different from long boarding, bike exhibitions and gadgets obsession most of youths are engaging in.
I chanced upon a documentary about it on GMA New TV and it made me think that making it to be a subject matter on a documentary, it means that Planking is making waves in our country. It is not as simple as lying prone on the floor. Plankers take it to the extreme by doing it in awkward and dangerous places like on the edge of a roof top, on top of a microwave oven on top of a refrigerator, on top of a vendo machine.
It is viewed as a different form of promotion. There is a dedicated website where one could post his Planking stunts.
I just hope that nobody gets hurt because before it became a hit in the country, a man died in Australia trying to perform a dangerous Plank stunt.

The sweet thought

While I serve a government hospital, it is notable that most of the wards serve pay patients. For one, it is from the paying patients we get our funds.
I am assigned to pay ward so I am used to seeing fruit baskets and flowers in the patients’ rooms. But I was particularly surprised and well, actually curious to see a present they call Shari's Berries gift baskets for Dad. I learned that my patient’s daughter is a nurse in California and she got the idea of sending getting his dad some thoughtful present even if she is miles away.

The difference is...

To break the monotony of my day off, I decided to go to the flea market to buy me some fresh fruits. I decided to get serious with my diet and watch what I eat.
I learned that avocados are packed with good cholesterol so I scored 2 kilos. They are in season so they are cheap like mangoes in the summer but unlike mangoes I could not eat an avocado on its own. I have to put some milk and sugar to make it palatable.
I dropped by a small grocery store which to me is more of a sari-sari (variety) store but since it says on its sign board that it is a grocery store, I am obliged to call it that way.
I bought 2 cans of milk and I was surprised to see at the counter that they actually use POS with receipt printer. So it is actually a grocery store!

The final survey

There are times that I feel was on the edge of my seat. My anxiety over the future gets me big time but after a few deep breathes my minds starts to get clear again.
Just like when I was one of the chosen staff to be the frontliner for the Accreditation Canada International final survey this week. It is like the ISO of all the big firms in the world. I do not want to think that our hospital is so ambitious to get the Diamond rating as we already tapped the Gold rating last year.
I am not familiar with the hospital policies and I did not have the time to run through loads of hard and soft files. I just kept my fingers crossed that they would not arrive at my ward during my duty but great Heavens know that I need some miraculous medal pendant to pull the whole accreditation off.

A good laugh

I had my first movie for the year. I am not a fan of moviehouses for some comfort and economic reasons but I think it is the time of the year that I should pay an old acquaintance a visit.
Since it is our pay day and I think I owe myself some R & R after pulling myself through the 2-day ACLS course, I talked my colleague into spending the rest of our day at a moviehouse.
I heard a lot of buzz about this indie film which is an entry to the 2011 Cinemalaya in Manila. I know for one that having Eugene Domingo as one of the lead actors will surely make it spot on comedy hit.
The start of the movie was complete drag for me. I was annoyed by the narration of a guy who I later found out to be the director of the indie film in the movie.
The movie is about two guys who dream of making it big in the independent film making world. Their concept for their first project was a situation of a single mother in the slums. How she tried to raise all her 7 children in the midst of below the line poverty. The project will try point the cause of child prostitution to poverty.
The story depicts how the aspiring indie film junkies struggle in coming up with the final script and who will play as the lead part.
Eugene Domingo played herself in the movie and her portrayal of herself is really a non-stop sidestitch spree.
I was expecting for more laughs until Domingo fell off the septic tank accidentally and that was it. It just kept us hanging. Almost all the moviegoers had the same comment: Yun na yun? (Is that it?)
Domingo is undoubtedly funny and the praises for her acting are just well fitting. The words of mouth are really powerful and if the film was indeed an independent and low-budget, I am sure the producer or producers are still not done counting their return of investment as of this writing. Kudos for the cheap yet good laugh.
Why do I have this feeling that Star Cinema has something to do with this film? It has their signature touch hidden somewhere.

Just got lucky

I feel happy for my colleague who happens to have a very thoughtful and caring boyfriend. Her boyfriend is always on the road supervising the sales for an auto repair shop software in a region up north. After our night shift, we decided to go to an immigration consultancy firm. We were ready to hit the road but I was pleased to learn from my colleague that her boyfriend has sent ride to get us to and from our destination. I would not mind having a fight with my boyfriend if it means thoughtful surprises after.

Tale of a shutter bug

My colleague has decided to branch out in terms of arts. He joined the photo exhibit sponsored by the hospital that we work in. He had a couple of photos shot in a different perspective called artcarved which I find very interesting. I hope that he is able to sell all his art works so he could treat us out as he promised.

Something new

In the next episode of GMA News TV’s Power House, Mel Changco will be visiting Congresswoman Lucy Torres-Gomez’s house. I once saw their house’s interior and exterior designs on magazine a few years ago and I am interested to see it on TV. Maybe they have spruced up they abode a bit. I am expecting to see sienna sinks stainless steel sinks in their home. I wish I were rich.

The cold feet. Literally!

The alarm went off at 3:00 a.m. today. I had to get up and prepare for my next run- The 35th Milo Marathon. I have prepared myself for this but I am not physically prepared for a bad weather. I decided to proceed to SM MOA where my friends are waiting. Actually, they did not wait at all. I was trying to phone and text my friend but she did not reply. I guess she ran away with the pack.
Around 5:00 am I was on Buendia Ave and I heard loud sirens from motorcycles escorting about five runners who I thought were on the 42K category. Most of them were Kenyans. Well I am not surprised. Of all the runs I have joined where there are prizes, Kenyans were always there. Good for them. I know they need ‘em money. I was there for fun.
I reached at 5:30am MOA after negotiating with a cab driver to get us there (I played good Samaritan and offered carpool to a couple of guys who are sporting Milo singlets like me). Everyone’s busy fixing themselves at every corner of MOA. While thousands braved the rain, I contained my hunger for some endorphins sitting on a bench outside a restaurant at MOA. I just decied to wait for my friends there. I chickened out because I could not stand the cold breeze wearing dry clothes how will I endure the chills when I am soaked?
I have once run in the rain in UP oval and I just hurt my ankle. I did not regret that I had cold feet my intentions are good and I think to help a child get a new pair of shoes which is the aim of Milo Marathon.
Until next year.