Cousin

We were able to spend a couple of days with Tyler last week. He and Gabe played and played and they even let Raygen and Ridge join in. Tyler found a salamander in our sprinkler box and named it Camo. He wanted to take it home with him to Texas but we didn't think the flight attendants would appreciate that too much. They had sleep overs, went on a horse ride, went swimming at Riverdale Resort, shot Gabe's air soft gun, made their own slushies, and chased the kittens all over creation. Gabe misses him already and can't wait to see him again!

Dexter the movie-From my point

Someone has to say it:
Dexter is by far the coolest thing that has been on TV for a long time.

How do I explain this?
Okay, remember Six Feet Under? How every week before it started you get all euphoric and giddy in the head? Yeah, that's how Dexter makes me feel. I'm in love again.

Dexter is the story of Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a charming man who works for the police. There's one problem: Dexter doesn't feel any emotions. But he does feel the need to kill.
So his foster father, Harry (the wonderful James Remar) taught him to use this urge for something good.
So while officially, Dexter is the "splatter expert" under the Miami detectives, in his free time, he hunts the bad guys, in his own, well, special way.

Okay, this all sound itchy and like another of these Moonlight (did anyone watch that? I stopped after 20 minutes, because my lunch was coming up...) genre rip-offs, but it's not.
Dexter is a smart, edgy, great, funny, smart, sad, smart, extraordinary, smart show, with great actors and actresses, and even though I've only watched the first six episodes so far, I am totally hooked.
Michael C. Hall is a totally charming guy (any Six Feet Under watcher will agree), but the pulls off something that isn't the typical psycho killer act.
Dexter's thoughts are hilarious - the way he copies human emotions, because he can't feel them himself, the way he tries to understand why humans do things - grieve, have sex etc. - and you have to love him, no matter what.
The other characters are amazing as well - Dex's foster sister, Deb (The Exorcism of Emily Rose's Jennifer Carpenter - who'da thunk it?) is such a crazy, witty and uber-hard working tomboy.
Dexter's "girlfriend", Rita (played by Julie Benz, who was on Angel a couple o' years back) is turning into one strong lady after she has been broken by her ex, who repeatedly beat and raped her.
Angel (David Zayas) and Masuka (C.S. Lee), two of Dexter's colleagues are frikkin' hilarious, but they're no jumping-jack's, either.
Sergeant Doakes (Erik King) is funny and interesting to watch, and the at first very unsympathetic Lieutenant Maria Laguerta (Lauren Vélez) - love the name - is turning into one of my favorite female characters on TV.

So, this show is great. If you can stomach some blood and strong language, I suggest everyone should watch it. It's not a soap or anything, but if you like mystery with some personal drama thrown in there (as seen above: like Six Feet Under, maybe Angel), you should love it. There's a turn around every corner (or Dexter waiting behind it - who's to say?), and this show keeps me fascinated every single second. Did I mention how smart it is?

Advertise in Yahoo!

Hello,

Did you know Yahoo Groups is THE MOST USED INTERNET GROUP
Today!

If you have never advertised in Yahoo Groups, you are
missing out on a lot of traffic!

If you have advertised on Yahoo Groups, you know the dilemma of
POSTING DAILY to each group, over and over again, and if you use
your email client, you can only post in groups of 10 at a time,
because of the YAHOO's TOS and how Yahoo has the groups set up.

SO, how'd you like to SET up your Yahoo Groups, Set up Your
Messages, and Set up your TIME FRAME to have YOUR COMPUTER Email
these groups EVERY DAY, on time, every time - EVEN IF YOUR COMPUTER
IS SHUT OFF!!

The man who made my heart move

daddy and i were on our way back to pertama complex..but before we make it to the entrance, we saw a crowd and we were wondering what drew the attention of the crowd and turns out

some pictures belongs to

this man and his motorcycle..
where is his motorcycle pic?
be patient, please..scroll down slowly
and you have to read the notes in the picture below

never cross my mind that oh-well-i-think-you-should-know-by-now..
he looks normal, you know
and yes, this man hails from russia

list of places he has been travelling since 2000 (click on the picture if you are curious)
i wonder when he will reach egypt :P he reached malaysia through singapore

last but not least, i hope this (click to enlarge the picture)

and this

does not deter him from carving his name in the guinness world of records..
i wish him all the best and may lady luck will always be by his side
i also wish that i can travel around the world like he does right now
but i have to put that idea on hold since i have so many things to do..hehehe

and remember the motorcycle picture that i did not put up earlier and ask you guys to be patient and scroll down slowly..
this is it people! the motorcycle he rides throughout the journey :)

p/s: if you guys are lucky, he might still in town this week at outside of pertama complex..fyi, pertama complex is located next to sogo..if you dont know sogo, i dont know how to describe it anymore..lol..i know i should blog about this earlier (if you notice the date of this post, its been in draft all along)

My Fashion Experience

I just returned from seeing Utah's new uniforms. I'll have details on the new look online and in the print edition, but overall Robert Johnson and Darrell Mack really seemed to like them. The two modeled them Thursday, with Johnson picking the white uniform to wear because it made him "look bigger."

I liked the look too, although at first glance there isn't much of a noticeable change. In general I'd say the uniforms keep with Under Armour's tighter-fitting style. The guys really liked how the pants fit, with them being tailored to their waist size rather than having to go with a medium, large, etc. The jerseys are snugger and aren't as baggy either. The players were really excited about the cross trainers too. They've had those since May and really like their fit.

Coach Kyle Whittingham gave the uniforms his approval too.

"I'm not a uniform guy, it doesn't matter to me what they look like as long as players are happy, but from what I've seen it's a sharp looking uniform and well done," he said.

Perhaps the most interesting piece of uniform news was that Whittingham acknowledged the team is still bugging him to wear a black uniform, and it sounds like he is going to relent.

"We are kicking around the idea of a black uniform, that is still in the works," Whittingham said. "If we do go that direction, it will be a special occasion. We're never going to become a wholesale black uniform team, but there might be an opportunity if we go forward with it this year."

Both Mack and Johnson said they wanted black ones at some point. "I'm hoping for black jerseys but these are good," Johnson said. "Utah is known for red and white."

So here is my opinion. If Utah breaks tradition and wears a different color it will be in the bowl game if Utah makes it to one.

Jerseys have to be ordered way, way in advance and Under Armour is going to need the extra time to get them ready. Plus, players get to keep their bowl jerseys and I'm thinking that is the one they'd want most. What do you think?

Now onto some real football news, Utah's offensive line will get some help this season. Signing a financial aid offer and taking a tour of Utah's facilities Thursday was Viliamu Nau, a 6-foot-6, 315-pound offensive lineman from Mt. San Antonio College, which also produced current Ute Aaron Tonga and incoming Ute Aiona Key.

Nau was originally headed to Oregon State then had a change of heart and contacted Utah's coaches, he said.

"I asked them if they needed some help," he said.

They do, but more on the defensive line. I wouldn't be surprised if there is some shuffling on the lines when fall camp starts.

Whittingham said Key, David Reed and Dudley LaPorte are still finishing academic work and have yet to join the team. Their arrival keeps getting delayed. Originally they were supposed to be here by June and now it looks like August is the target date.

"Nothing is ever a certainty, but at least we hope to get two of three here by then," Whittingham said. "It's always a little bit of an unknown when you have guys working through the summer."

Gemfibrozil Lopid

Gemfibrozil Lopid - when administered at the same time with a special diet - is efficient in treating exceptionally high serum triglycerides levels that may cause inflammation of the pancreas (a condition known as pancreatitis). Serum triglycerides are fatty substances found in your blood. If your body does not react to a plain strict diet, then you may require Gemfibrozil Lopid.

Gemfibrozil Lopid is as well used to decrease coronary heart disease risk in patients who need to lose weight but do not respond to exercise, diet, or any cholesterol- or triglyceride-lowering tablets.

Should I take Gemfibrozil Lopid?

Your doctor can decide this for you. As a common rule, although, Gemfibrozil Lopid is only given to people whose bodies do not respond to exercise and other and weight loss systems (including a strict diet). Gemfibrozil Lopid is not a cure - it is simply a supplement to traditional weight loss measures. If you are serious about getting all the gains of the medication, you have to stick to the exercise and diet program that your doctor will also recommend. Gemfibrozil Lopid can help in keeping your cholesterol at common levels and in lowering your heart disease risk - but only if you do your part, too.

What's the precise dosage?

Gemfibrozil Lopid must be taken about half an hour (30 minutes) before your breakfast and evening meal, accurately as your doctor prescribed. If you by chance miss a dose, don't upset - just take Gemfibrozil Lopid over again as soon as you realize that you've missed a dose. Never take two Gemfibrozil Lopid doses together.

Does it have unwanted side effects?

Sure. Like many other drugs, Gemfibrozil Lopid may well set off side effects that are hard to predict, such as abdominal pain, constipation, acute appendicitis, diarrhea, fatigue, eczema, headache, indigestion, vomiting, vertigo, and rash. If these side effects persist, notify your physician as soon as possible. Only your physician will be able to determine whether you should keep taking Gemfibrozil Lopid or not.

In some rare cases, Gemfibrozil Lopid sets of malignancy, abdominal pain (occasionally causing appendectomy), gallbladder disease, or other grave and possibly even fatal disorders in the abdomen.

Caution

The next drugs may initiate muscle-wasting if used at the same time with Gemfibrozil Lopid.

1. Lipitor (Atorvastatin)

2. Mevacor (Lovastatin)

3. Lescol (Fluvastatin)

4. Zocor (Simvastatin)

5. Pravachol (Pravastatin)

These prescriptions diminish cholesterol levels.

Gemfibrozil Lopid should in addition not be taken by patients whose cholesterol levels are only a little elevated, since its benefits hardly outweigh the risks of severe side effects.

Cleared for take off

I just got back from the appointment with my surgeon. That all went very well - except for the part when he peeled off the bandages with no warning. I guess warning wouldn't have helped. The hernia sites are looking good. They also removed a skin keratosis and the tests from that showed that it was nothing to worry about. I have now traded two odd belly bumps and a small ugly skin patch for three bright red incisions. Neither of those options is particularly attractive. The swelling around the incisions should go away over time. That's something to look forward to.

I'm supposed to be off work through next week while I do stretching and light exercise. I'm allowed to drive but have to be careful that I don't hit anything and cause the seat belt to yank at my incisions. So far in my life I have been pretty good about not hitting things with the car and I'll try to keep that up. I can't do heavy lifting or anything really strenuous for the next eight weeks. After that I should be able to consider myself done with this.

I will be able to do some work related stuff from home which will keep me from getting too far behind and from going insane with boredom.

There was one other interesting piece of info from today. I had been having pains in my right side for some time and had attributed this to recovery from that lung surgery last year. I noticed this week that they had stopped. It turns out that the pains were very likely caused by the hernias instead. They usually hit me at work in the afternoon after having been at a desk for a long time. I'll test the hernia theory when I return to work. I hope they don't come back. They made for some long and difficult afternoons.

Cellulite

Having cellulite on leg is common for most people. These cellulite can also affect other parts of the body but the legs and thighs stand the most chance of developing it. A lot of women have cellulite in their legs and thighs. Those who have severe conditions may never be able to wear skirts and shorts again. This is why some people shouldn't just dismiss cellulite as merely a cosmetic problem.

In the field of cosmetics, cellulite is already considered a minor problem. This is because cellulite is not really life threatening. It won't kill you to have cellulite. It can however, make you suffer emotionally. A lot of people have suffered from depression because of cellulite. The unsightliness of cellulite makes it embarrassing. Once it gets worse, you would want to hide your body even from people who are close to you.

There are also other options aside from covering up to hide those cellulites. Here are some suggestions on how to successfully battle cellulite on leg and thigh problems:

Liposuction

This is the preferred surgical procedure if you want to get rid of cellulite. In this procedure, a thin tube is inserted through a small incision. The cellulite will then be suctioned out. Liposuction though is very expensive and may not even work for a lot of people. Elderly patients and those who have inelastic skin may eventually suffer from a worse cellulite condition after liposuction. The procedure is also not advisable for overweight individuals. It is merely a toning procedure and not intended for weight loss.

There are qualifications if you want to submit yourself as a liposuction candidate. You should be physically fit, emotionally fit, have elastic skins and close to your ideal weight. Candidates should also have realistic expectations. Even when liposuction is successful, some individuals do still end up with some remaining cellulite.

Liposuction also have some side effects and risks. After the procedure, you would have to endure some bruising and swelling. In some cases, individuals may also suffer from infections, anesthesia reactions, bleeding and organ puncture.

Natural Solutions

If you do not have a lot of cash and if you are not a risk taker or a good candidate, then you had better steer clear from liposuction. One good alternative for people who cannot undergo the procedure is to use natural solutions and remedies.

Another option available is the anti cellulite cream. A good cream product should ne able to penetrate into the skin of your legs and thighs to help break down fat and improve blood circulation so that cellulite can be eliminated from the body. Make sure that your natural product contains cellulite fighting ingredients. Some of the ingredients that have been deemed beneficial are caffeine, L-carnitine and green tea extract among others. For best results, always use your anti cellulite product only as indicated. Maintaining good habits is also a must. If you don't eat right and exercise, you will make your cellulite on leg problems worse. It's like putting the fat back after getting rid of it

Miracles

Between this blog, regular old email, Evite, Facebook and the celebrity gossip sites I secretly love, it's a flippin' miracle that I ever get anything done on a computer. Say what you want about the Internet, though: There is some awesome stuff out there and I think we're all better for it. For example, today I have found:

A friend of mine from college wrote this piece on the tribal-war murder of one of Kenya's most celebrated runners.

Another friend sent me this link to Snoop's "What I have learned" in Esquire magazine-- do yourself the favor and read it, especially if you have children.

And Yahoo! sent me this ridiculous series of photos of a surfer's close encounter with a shark.

My father

My father makes me argue the opposite view, whatever it is", I heard a girl say ten years ago. Little did I know then, that this girl's journey and mine would cross for a good while, and while on the larger scale of things, she and I didn't share a whole lot in common, this single quote has been traveling in my backpack ever since...

When designing a business plan, ask yourself, to whom would this plan make sense right off the bet? Whom can I convince to accept this 'other-wise' wild proposition?

Given that your business plan is targeting a particular behaviout, can you enhance it-this is the equivalent of cross-sell? But in a smarter manner, because not only would you tie it to natural expectations, but you would tie it to surprising propositions as well...This is where the perk of arousing interest comes flying.

Why do large store chains make money, and why do credit analysts advise people to make a list and to stick with it? Precisely because the large store chains offer enough variety that motivates 'purchases' that are un-natural. Chances are indeed that if you are in to buy baby food, you'd end up buying diapers and wipes, just to save on the gas. Chances are that the baby's stuff is close enough to the toys' department, so you could buy a toy; that department in turn is not far away from the card department-wait, Johny's birthday is coming up. Need some paper, oh, look, crayons, for the little one. Shish, I am right next to the jewelry department, oh, look at the ear-rings. The store is organized to lead you through a very natural journey, so the associated purchases are driven by the journey that the store manager had outlined.

Some stores are richer and allow you multiple shopping journeys. Your entry points are usually two. However, the aisles are organized in a way that allows you to begin your journey from the left, the right, the middle, and anywhere in between. As a result, your wacky choices of merchandise would be really wacky.

Some stores are strict and allow you one pathway alone. Basically, there is a well-defined entry-point and a well-defined exit-point. The trick in this stores is in the layout- all the aisles are exactly the same, and remembering where the cheese is, could easily lead you the napkins section and you would easily acquire a set of cheap napkins...

Some stores maintain a consistent organization. Week in and week out, aisle 2 is the milk aisle. For some people, this is comforting, because they would just follow their list.

Other stores move things around. Hide and Seek. This brings the hunting instinct in people. It would frustrate the bargain seekers and the list-adopters, but for the non-frequent shopper, or for the shopper who is after the deal, this arrangement seams like an opportunity to enhance the shopping list.

The idea is that the association between products is not driven by the shoppers as much from the store itself. Given that the journeys within the store are limited, with enough shoppers entering, all journeys would be well attended and shopping patterns would emerge.

Does it, then, mean that you should offer Diapers and Ear-rings to the shopper I highlighted initially. Or if this is a natural journey, would you lead her to yet another sub-journey by offering her some car tires?

If you send out a catalog with a generic offer, all you are doing is reminding your client that you exist and are a source for their needs.

If you send out a combo variety deal offer, you are accomplishing the same, plus expanding the horizon for new experiences. Maybe 5 packs of diapers at 50% is worth the new set of tires, after all winter is right around the corner. Sounds, wacky! Why should it be! If she is going to buy the ear-rings with the diapers, why would you be offering her a deal on the ear-rings. Make her husband tag along, get some tires. Maybe he will buy some fluid too...or check his breaks...

Offering similar or offering different? Which makes sense? Both do? Which works? That is a different question...

There is no absolute...you can argue and support either side...today you might get one answer...a year from today, the answer could be very different...

Language of emotions

For years this phrase has decorated my computer and only today did the meaning of it finally dawn on me as I reflected on a response I’d made to an e-mail.

Language of Your Emotions

Emotions don’t speak – we do. We feel the energy moving inside us (emotion = energy in motion) and interpret the feeling with words. For example I may feel emotion in my throat and refer to it as a frog in my throat, lump, tightness, constriction, scratchiness….etc. The words we end up choosing in each instance to describe an emotional feeling is no mistake. They are most often a metaphor or a literal reflection of what the emotion itself is trying to reveal. This is the “language of our emotions” that we need to listen to.

In the e-mail today, the person referred to feeling tightness in their throat. My suggestion was to listen to the word he used to describe the sensation. What happens with tight? How does anything flow through something that is tight? What does tight need – perhaps lubrication (softer thoughts) or a loosening (easing up of negative thoughts)? The emotions we feel are often connected to the thoughts we are thinking about the situation – not necessarily the situation itself.

For example, the other day I was feeling frustration as my friend was with another task instead of being ready on time to leave for the Spa. I thought we had agreed to leave at a certain time to avoid having to wait to get in. Thirty five minutes past that time I was feeling antsy! I noticed the emotion of frustration rise as I felt the sensation of a pressure in my chest. Chalking it up to being an inner signal that we’d have to wait if we didn’t hurry up, I’d made it (the emotion) about the situation.

When we do leave, we end up taking the wrong route, so now we were an hour late (pressure contributing to taking the incorrect route). By now my thinking had became so warped that I found myself almost hoping we’d have to wait to get in so that my inner signal would be proven correct. Oh my!!! As I caught that thought, I realized that if we did have to wait, I’d be the one responsible for creating that experience for us. I was the only one adding pressure (my feeling of pressure) to the situation; my friends were both focused on enjoying their conversation throughout the drive. I was cutting myself off from the harmonious energy connection flowing between my friends by thinking “pressure thoughts”, hence the feeling being in my chest and heart area.

Finally, as I realize what I’m doing, I take a deep breath….and I remember how grateful I am to be spending this time with my friends. Even if we did have to wait, we’d be together, enjoying each others company, which was the whole purpose of the outing. Like magic, suddenly, the pressure was released. As my mood shifted, I realized we were on the wrong route, which one we were suppose to be on (now there’s an appropriate metaphor :) ) and helped direct us to it.



The situation wasn’t the cause of the emotion and pressure; it was the thoughts. As I continued holding onto thoughts of pressure, I was adding pressure to the situation. Once I changed my thoughts the pressure released and the situation began to reflect our new collective energy of enjoyment and cheer.

Our thoughts do change our outcomes!

Next time you’re feeling an emotion, as you give it language, notice the words you’re using. Acknowledge either the literal or metaphoric meaning and notice how your thoughts are affecting the situation. Sometimes, it will be about the situation, however more than not, it will be about the thoughts of it and the language you use about how you’re feel will point you into the right direction, helping you to recognize what you can do to turn it around!

Listen, to the language of your emotions!