Koala bear, native fauna in Australia

Photo by (c)Tomo.Yun

Meme for Wordless Wednesday.

Related post for Koala bear and Australia.

Don't try this Diet at home

"My doctor has advised me to give up those intimate little dinners for four, unless, of course, there are three other people eating with me."

-Orson Welles

Don't get desperate! Don't jump on the fad diet bandwagon. Man does not live by celery alone. Horror stories abound of fad dieters who have harmed their bodies, sadly some even lost their lives, by ignoring their need for a holistic approach to losing weight.

When a little boy was asked what he would do when he got big like his daddy. He quickly replied, "Stop eating jelly doughnuts!" Common sense is just as important as carbohydrates. We don't have to give up reasonings just because we gave up chocolate fudge cake. We need caution. You've heard the saying, "Don't try this at home." It might just as well be said about diet. Perhaps the best place to start a sensible diet is at the doctor's office. Start with a professional opinion about weight loss, not the advice on page one of the so called weight loss magazines at the grocery checkout counter.

It is important that we get the whole view on health and diet. Be sure that our bodies' need for nutrition are met, even as we reduce the intake of food.

Touring the Cities of Brisbane and Gold Coast

Well, after writing about England, I got into checking out some other places of interest. Let us now focus on a nearby country to Malaysia, namely Brisbane and the Gold Coast of Australia. Ah, to make sure that accommodations are taken care of, there is always the reliable guide online at Hotels in Brisbane.

Brisbane is the third largest city in Australia and it is situated in the eastern part of Australia. It is also the capital and most populous of state of Queensland. The city got its name in honour of the British astronomer and administrator Thomas Brisbane, who was Governor of New South Wales from 1821 – 1825. In recent times, Brisbane has enjoyed being host to the 1982 Commonwealth Games, the 1988 World's Fair (Expo '88), and the 2001 Goodwill Games. A new airport and many new buildings were constructed in preparation for the fair. So never fear of any lack of Brisbane Accommodation.


So let us get to the meaty stuff now. What are some interesting places to visit and activities to be had when in the city of Brisbane? As a nature lover, I would like to see and possibly carry a koala bear if permitted. That can be arranged at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary which is officially recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's first and largest koala sanctuary with over 130 koalas. Impressive! Ah, who can forget kangaroos, baboons, spider monkeys, sun bear, boa constrictors, buffalo and fallow deer plus many more variety of native fauna? Then there are the scenic spots and botanical gardens for a cool walk or refreshing drive thru. Some popular spots and parks are Rocks Riverside Park for the whole family, Colleges Crossing, Holman Street Terminal with the glorious Story Bridge, New Farm Park, Kangaroo Point Cliffs and many more. These parks are equipped with picnic spots, playgrounds, BBQ facilities and amenities.


There is also the must see South Bank Parklands in Brisbane as it was the site of the 1988 World's Fair. After the World's Fair, the area was transformed into a public park by the Queensland state government. The park features beaches, promenades, restaurants, museums, and many other fun attractions. It is a popular destination for tourists and Brisbane residents at leisure. There’s the cinemas, regular free live entertainment and many festivals and fireworks throughout the year. It is really a happening place!

Now is the Gold Coast any less attractive in terms of fun and enjoyment? By no means. Situated in the southeast corner of Queensland, Australia. It is the second most populous city in the state and the sixth most populous city in the country. For the thrill seekers, all kinds of heart racing activities are available. There are games such as laser tag, sling shot amusement device at the Funtime-Adrenalin Park, Le Man Karts racing, and more. So head over to the Gold Coast Accommodations to get your bookings done.

This post is brought to you by Cheaper than hotels

Recognizing Serious Sleep Disorders

SOMETIMES one’s symptoms may indicate a serious sleep disorder. Chronic insomnia, which lasts more than a month, is often related to more serious problems, including depression. Chronic insomnia may also be a symptom of a serious physical ailment.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep. These episodes, called apneas (literally, "without breath"), each last long enough so one or more breaths are missed, and occur repeatedly throughout sleep. When apnea alternates with periods of rapid, heavy breathing (hyperapnea), they may be due to lack of oxygen in the brain, accumulation of acid in the blood, increased pressure on the brain stem, or heart failure. Apnea may be associated with such harmful conditions as irregularities in heartbeat, high blood pressure, and decreased contractile force of the heart muscle.

Central apnea occurs when the brain’s respiratory control center doesn’t give the command to breathe regularly. With obstructive sleep apnea, the upper airway at the back of the throat actually closes, blocking air movement. Mixed apnea is a combination of the two and is the most common diagnosis. The victim of any type of apnea can end up in virtually the same condition as someone who stayed up all night, every night!

Those with sleep apnea may live dangerous lives, for they can blank out while on the job or at the wheel of their automobile. They may suffer from high blood pressure, an enlarged heart, and an increased risk of stroke or heart failure.

There are several treatments—all best supervised by a medical sleep specialist. The most effective nonsurgical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is the use of a device to create continuous positive airway pressure. The patient wears a mask over his nose at night, and a pressure regulator (custom-set by a physician) delivers just the amount of air needed to prevent apnea. If this does not rectify the condition, there are several surgical approaches, including using laser or radio-frequency waves to remove excess tissue from the throat.

Narcolepsy

The main characteristic of narcolepsy is overwhelming excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), even after adequate night time sleep. A person with narcolepsy is likely to become drowsy or to fall asleep, often at inappropriate times and places. Daytime naps may occur without warning and may be physically irresistible. These naps can occur several times a day. They are typically refreshing, but only for a few hours. Drowsiness may persist for prolonged periods of time. In addition, night-time sleep may be fragmented with frequent awakenings.

Symptoms usually appear in adolescence and the disorder afflicts men and women equally. The cause of narcolepsy is unknown, although genetics may play a role. Some research suggests that narcolepsy may be a type of autoimmune disease, in which the body attacks some part of itself.

In addition to sleep attacks, about 80 percent of narcolepsy cases are accompanied by cataplexy, a loss of muscle control that causes the person to collapse, often following a sudden surge of emotion, such as laughter or rage. More than 60 percent of narcoleptics experience sleep paralysis, an inability to move for one or two minutes even though fully conscious, which can induce an intense feeling of fear. Narcoleptics may also experience hypnagogic hallucinations, usually vivid, emotionally charged, and unpleasant visions, which occur at the onset of sleep or upon awakening.

Narcolepsy typically starts between the ages of 10 and 30. Sufferers sometimes develop what is called automatic behavior, wherein they appear to behave normally but do not remember the passing of extended periods of time. The tragedy of this disease is that it often goes undiagnosed for years, while the victim is viewed as lazy, mentally slow, or peculiar. It is presently considered incurable, but symptoms can be treated with medication and adjustments in life-style—with varying degrees of success.

Other Sleep Disorders

Two other disorders, sometimes appearing in combination with each other, directly affect the limbs, resulting in chronic insomnia. One is periodic limb movement disorder, in which the legs, and sometimes the arms, jerk and twitch during sleep.

A separate disorder is restless legs syndrome, in which sensations deep within the leg muscles and knees cause a powerful urge to move, thus preventing the sufferer from falling asleep. While this condition is sometimes associated with lack of exercise or poor circulation, some cases appear to be related to caffeine intake. Alcohol consumption is also known to aggravate the condition at times.

Bruxism is a disorder characterized by grinding or clenching the teeth during sleep. If it occurs regularly, it can cause abnormal wear of the teeth and extreme jaw discomfort, resulting in serious insomnia. Depending upon the degree of the problem, treatments vary from oral surgery to wearing a mouth guard at night.

This limited look at just a few of the many sleep-related disorders illustrates that it can be dangerous to ignore them. Treatment may be simple or complex, but it is often essential. If you or a loved one suffers from chronic insomnia or shows signs of any serious sleep disorder, it may be wise to get professional help soon. Even if treatment does not totally eliminate the problems, it may significantly reduce the risks involved and make the situation easier for all to endure.

*Erratic, heavy apnea snoring is not to be confused with the occasional light, rhythmic snoring of many sleepers—the major detriment of which is that others in the same bedroom are kept awake.

(909 word count)

Related post:
How much sleep do we need?
Sleep debt and Sleep disorder

Unconcious Mutterings- Week 247

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Inaugural :: speech
   
2. Pledge :: vow
   
3. String :: attached
   
4. Trot :: Basketball ----From the Globe Trotters
   
5. Fitness :: health
   
6. Cinder :: dirty
   
7. Edge :: cliff
   
8. 31 :: age ---actually this number has no significance to me
   
9. Blue :: sea
   
10. Leather :: bags

This is a great meme at Unconscious Mutterings whereby the participants are active in blog hopping and commenting. Plus the meme is fun in itself because the word cause you to reflect on many things past and present. The mind is a wonderful thing and when put to good use can come up with marvelous results.Come on, join us at Unconscious Mutterings! Looking forward to see you there.

Related mutterings:
Week 246
Week 245
Week 244
Week 243
Week 242

Dieting is a life long journey

"Tough diets never last, but tough dieters do."

- Mark Hollingsworth

A diet that is any good for the whole being doesn't last for a couple of weeks or even a couple of months. It isn't just about getting into a new pair of pants or a new dress for a party or dinner. A diet is suppose to last our whole life. As they say, "You are what you eat."

Every bite of food that we take in is part of our daily diet because it is our necessary intake of food. So we need to choose a diet that we will last and it must be one that will keep us healthy for the long haul. Dieting is a series of daily choices that ultimately will be measured in how much we weigh and, in some cases, how long we live. What we decide about our dietary options today will directly affect our dietary requirements five, ten, or twenty years from now. In other words, cheese cake today, bulges tomorrow!

We must not try to cram a lifetime of good eating habit into one month. We need to choose eating habits that will last as long as we do. It doesn't have to be peas and broccoli at every meal.

How much sleep do we need?

A normal night’s sleep is most easily divided into two types: what is commonly called REM (rapid eye movement, or dream) sleep and non-REM (nondream) sleep. You can tell that a person is in REM sleep when the bulge of his eyeballs can be seen rapidly moving under his eyelids.

So, what happens when we are regularly deprived (voluntarily or involuntarily) of these repeated cycles, thus creating a sleep debt? If we get fewer consecutive hours of sleep than we need, we won’t get as much of the last and longest REM sleep period, which is vital to mental health. If our sleep patterns become irregular, consisting of a series of naps, we often don’t get to the deep delta sleep that is necessary to mend our bodies. Those in serious debt suffer from shortened attention spans, memory and vocabulary loss, a lessened ability to think analytically, and diminished creativity. What triggers the body to demand sleep? A number of factors evidently combine to create a circadian (daily) rhythm, or wake-sleep pattern. Brain chemistry appears to play a role. Also, there is a nucleus of nerve cells located in the brain that evidently helps control the sleep cycle. This “clock” is situated close to where the optic nerves come together. Light thus influences how sleepy we feel. Bright light wakes you up, while darkness induces sleep. Your body temperature is also involved. When your temperature is highest—typically midmorning and midevening—you are the most alert. As your body temperature drops, you become increasingly drowsy.

How much sleep do we need?

Scientists tell us that, on average, humans require about eight hours of rest per night. But studies also show that individual needs vary dramatically. An honest self-analysis can determine if you are already in a healthful pattern or are experiencing a sleep debt. Experts generally agree on these signs of healthy sleep: · Sleep comes easily without resorting to drugs or fighting restlessness or anxiety. · You are rarely aware of waking up in the middle of the night, but if you do wake up, you can go back to sleep quickly. · Waking up occurs naturally at approximately the same time each morning and usually without the aid of an alarm clock. · Once you are up and going, you feel awake and fairly alert all day.

Practical Points

What about those with occasional insomnia? Some experts suggest these practical steps:

1. Avoid alcohol as well as stimulants such as coffee or tea near bedtime. Many people mistakenly believe that alcoholic beverages will help put them to sleep. However, clinical studies show that alcohol can have a rebound effect and keep you awake.

2. Quit smoking. One authority notes: “Smokers have greater difficulty falling asleep, because cigarettes raise blood pressure, speed up the heart rate, and stimulate brain-wave activity. Smokers also tend to wake up more in the middle of the night, possibly because their body is experiencing withdrawal symptoms.”

3. Avoid extreme mental or physical stimulation just before bedtime. Exercise promotes proper rest but not if done immediately before trying to sleep. Tackling big problems or mental challenges just before you go to bed can interfere with the relaxed mood often needed to drift off to sleep.

4. Make sure that your bedroom is quiet, dark and, where possible, relatively cool. Regarding noise, consider one famous study of people living near an airport who claimed that they no longer heard the airplanes. When their sleep patterns were tested, their brain waves recorded each landing and takeoff! The researchers concluded that the test subjects averaged about one hour less of quality sleep each night than those in a quieter zone. Earplugs or other methods of reducing noise would have greatly assisted them in getting restful sleep. Some find that white noise (defined as any low-frequency, steady, and monotonous hum), such as made by an electric fan, is especially helpful if there is a need to mask street sounds.

5. Be cautious about taking sleep-inducing medications. There is growing evidence that many drugs prescribed to induce sleep are habit-forming, lessen in effectiveness with prolonged use, and have damaging side effects. At best, such drugs may be useful for short-term therapy. Since insomnia can be brought on by stress, it is thought that one key to healthy sleep is making the time just before going to bed a quiet, pleasant period. It may be helpful to set aside the cares of the day and do something enjoyable, such as reading.

Some Common Misconceptions

1. Drinking caffeinated beverages is the best way to stay alert on a long drive. Studies suggest that drivers often mislead themselves into thinking that they are more awake than they actually are. If you cannot avoid making a long, nighttime drive, it is better periodically to pull over in a safe area and take a short nap (from 15 to 30 minutes), followed by walking or jogging while stretching arm and leg muscles.

2. If I am having sleep problems, napping is the answer. Perhaps, but many experts believe that the ideal pattern is one long stretch of sleep every 24 hours. A short, midday nap (typically 15 to 30 minutes) may help restore alertness during the afternoon slump without throwing your longer sleep cycles out of rhythm. But napping within four hours of bedtime may be detrimental to healthy nocturnal rest.

3. The dreams we remember have robbed us of proper rest. Dreams (usually occurring during REM sleep) are a sign of healthful rest and typically happen four or more times during each normal night’s rest. Studies indicate that the dreams we remember are simply those from which we were awakened, either while they were happening or within a couple of minutes after they ended. On the other hand, a nightmare may create anxiety and make going back to sleep difficult.

Related post: Sleep debt and Sleep disorder

(977 word count)

Feast 166

Appetizer

Name a great website you would recommend to others.

OnlineCinema for movie lovers.

Soup
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 as highest), how often do you dream at night?

1 or I can't remember any of it recently.

Salad
Did you have a pet as a child? If so, what kind and what was its name?

I have 4 tortoises. I can't remember their names as that was more than 15 years ago. I have their photos though. They didn't die, they got too big for me to care for them.

Main Course
If you had the chance to star in a commercial, what would you choose to advertise?

Hmm...not too sure about this one. Perhaps a weight loss machine one as I am trying to lose weight. I don;t trust any of those diet meals or pills though.

Dessert
What is your favorite kind of hard candy?

Lollipop

Meme from Friday's Feast

World of Warcraft

Onesome: World--Wide Web resources? Is there one particular area of your life, personal or professional, where you use the web as an informational resource? Knitting? Medical? Research?

Research for my blog posts and to find other bloggers.

Twosome: of-- the 168 hours in a given week, how much time do you spend on the computer? No, we're not looking to plan an intervention, just curious...

About 35 hours a week.

Threesome :Warcraft-- games? Poker games? Role playing games? Do you play games on your computer? Really? What kind of games?

Use to play mahjong and card games (not with money but against computer).

Meme from The Back Porch

Change in Attitude

Come join the photo meme at Wordless Wednesday which is available now daily! No requirement except to post a photo and perhaps go look at other participants photos too. They are really great.

10 Useful Internet Sites

1. WatchTower

2. Wikipedia

3. Google

4. Blogger

5. BlogCatalog

6. OnlineCinema

7. TheDailyMeme

8. Digg

9. Feedburner

10. Feedjit

Meme at Ten on Tuesday

Sleep Debt and Sleep Disorder

Millions of people are in a serious debt today. This "debt" has a major contributing factor to wrecking their cars, damaging their careers, and even ruining of marriages. Just what kind of debt are we talking about? The culprit is sleep debt. It can adversely affect their health and life span. It is a deficit that contributes to immune suppression, creating susceptibility to various infections. Conditions as different as diabetes, heart disease, and extreme obesity, as well as other health problems, have been linked to it. Yet, most victims are oblivious of this debt.

Sleep debt develops when a person does not get the amount of healthful sleep needed for well-being. This can be caused by voluntary sleep deprivation resulting from a person’s life-style or by involuntary sleep deprivation because of illness.

Medical researchers estimate that earth’s population is now getting, on average, an hour less sleep per night than what is needed. While this may seem slight, a nightly six-billion-hour debt has become the focus of research into both the variety of sleep-related illnesses and their impact on the quality of life.

The medical world once viewed the chronic inability to sleep as just one disorder, commonly called insomnia. However, a commission created by the U.S. Congress recognized 17 distinct sleep disorders. At any rate, insomnia has so many causes that it is often considered to be a symptom of other problems, much as a fever suggests some sort of infection.

Many doctors note how difficult it is to get their patients to take sleep debt seriously. One doctor complained that chronic fatigue is even considered “a status symbol” by some. And because their condition often worsens very gradually, victims of sleep deprivation may not recognize that they suffer from a serious sleep disorder. Many reason, ‘I’m just getting old’ or, ‘I can’t cope with life, so I tend to shut down’ or, ‘I’m tired all the time because I can never get the long rest I need.’

Reversing this sleep debt is a complex challenge. But understanding how a healthful sleep cycle works and learning to identify the signs of sleep debt can provide the motivation to change. Recognizing the symptoms of a serious sleep disorder can save lives.

*As I too suffer from insomnia which is caused by eczema (skin problem), I would like to share more articles that I had read on this matter with you folks. Feel free to drop me a comment and share your experiences.

Related post: How much sleep do we need?

(412 word count)

Health

1. Do you take vitamins and if so, what?
Spirulina

2. Do you make an effort to eat healthy, or you eat whatever you feel like eating?
I eat what I feel like eating but sometimes health does not permit. I have eczema and can't take too much seafood nor diary products.

3. What two types of food do you have a hard time staying away from?
Pizza and fried chicken.

4. What are two food items you refuse to eat?
Liver and intestines. (In chinese dish called Bak Kut Teh)

5. Are you pleased with your daily diet or do you think it could be better?
Should take more vegetables and fruits for sure.

This meme is taken from Tuesday Twosome

Curious as a Cat- Week 88

1) What was the most powerful moment of silence you've ever experienced?

When I told my husband to be at that time about my sad childhood experience. We sat in the dark for a while reflecting and pondering.

2) What are friends for?

To share experiences, moments, not having to impress and just being own self.

3) What one school subject has turned out to be the least useful or worthwhile? Is that a surprise?

Geography. I didn't have much interest in it. The teachers didn't make the subject interesting either. But I find that in the blogosphere, our world gets smaller and we meet folks from different parts of the world online. It helps to know a little about their country and background. I had to search the maps most of the time but at least, I am a little interested now.

4) What kind of power do you want most?

To fly.

5) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.

Public Domain Photo

Reminds me of the biblical passage that depicts paradise-"the wolf will reside with the lamb..." ok, here it is a fox and a deer. Close enough, a predator or carnivorous type of animal with the meek one. Nice photo.

This meme is taken from Curious as a Cat

Still in the midst of moving

The moving thing is making me rather restless and unsettled. The things are not unpacked fully yet. There is the window without any window panes. Took them out to fix air conditioner. And guess what, it was raining so heavily outside and there are no window panes at the window.

So my mood is a little crazy this week. I didn't even update my blogs yet. Phew! I need to prepare some posts soon. And start promoting my blogs again. If you are here regularly, please bear up with me.

Unconcious Mutterings- Week 246

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Las Vegas :: casinos
   
2. Linus :: rhymes with sinus? I honestly don't know what this word means.
   
3. Struck :: Love as in love struck.
4. Movie :: Bollywood
   
5. Anxious :: starting new things, for me is moving to new place, getting new tuition students next month. New experiences.
   
6. Bandit :: thieves.
   
7. Picks :: choosing.
   
8. Lasso :: a rope hoop.
   
9. Dinner :: should not be close to bed time.
   
10. Bargain :: is something I am hopeless at.
    

This meme is taken from Unconscious Mutterings

Words Ending in OWL

~ I Say You Answer~

1. Screeching Owl is an eerie sound.
2. Night To Howl belongs to the wolves?
3. Evening Prowl in search for supper. (After dinner snack or dessert-see photo for bubur pulut hitam)
4. Nasty Scowl will generate nervous laughter from me.

This meme is taken from The Saturday Special

Food for thought

Photo meme from Wordless Wednesday

Worry Wart

What two things in your life do you worry about the most?
My brother and my sister. Both are living abroad. I am the eldest and can't help worrying about them.

What two things in your life do you worry about the least?
Budgeting about family expenses (taken care of by hubby dearest) and death (old age is a different matter though).

Does worrying cause you physical pain or not? If yes, what?
When I think too much, it does cause sleeplessness and that will bring headaches and fatigue. For me also the outbreak of eczema when under stress.

What are two things/ways do you use/do to ease your worries?
Discuss and talk with hubby. He knows how to reduce my stress level. Read the Bible and prayer.

What are two things you would give up in your life just to be worry-free?
Money and material things. But realistically speaking, that may cause other worries too.

This meme is taken from Tuesday Twosome

High School Musical 2

The summer brings excitement to the East High Wildcats as they go over their plans for their break from school. Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) stresses over getting a job with the price of college looming on his mind, as well as trying to make sure he and Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) are able to stay together all summer. Sharpay and Ryan Evans (Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel) plan on spending the summer at their family's country club, Lava Springs (Fabulous). However, Sharpay's summer plan also includes separating Troy and Gabriella by getting Troy hired at Lava Springs. What Sharpay does not plan on is Troy talking to the club's manager, Mr. Fulton (Mark L. Taylor), into hiring the rest of his friends, including Gabriella and her best friend Taylor (Monique Coleman), and Troy's best friend Chad (Corbin Bleu). Fulton is unable to fire the Wildcats at Sharpay's command, since her mother (Jessica Tuck) approved their hiring, so she orders him to make them want to quit. Troy offers to help his friends working in the kitchen and convinces them that they can work their hardships out.

Work This Out-Song


Sharpay schemes harder than ever to make the Wildcats miserable, and win Troy, who has to choose between two worlds: his own with the Wildcats and Gabriella, or another where Sharpay's family can offer him a way to college and other luxuries he has only dreamed about. Meanwhile Kelsi writes a duet for Troy and Gabriella, but Sharpay steals the duet from the two of them and forces Troy to sing it with her, holding his future over his head. A visit from a fellow college basketball team, the Red Hawks, causes a rift between Troy and Chad when Troy chooses to spend time with the Red Hawks instead of his friends. As Troy grows further away from what was formerly his, Ryan is pushed further away from Sharpay. Taylor and Gabriella even invite Ryan to the baseball game, and Chad offers him Troy's place in the game. Troy and Gabriella's relationship is silently strained to the breaking point when Troy sees Ryan with Gabriella, sparking a little jealousy, as well as Troy's now tentative friendship with Chad.

I Don't Dance - Song


When Sharpay finally crosses the line by banning the Wildcats from performing in Lava Springs' annual Star Dazzle Talent Show, even though Ryan has been working with the group to put together a performance, Gabriella confronts Sharpay. She makes it clear that she refuses to play Sharpay's "game," and quits her job at Lava Springs. Troy overhears the exchange and tries to persuade Gabriella to change her mind. They emotionally sing the song "Gotta Go My Own Way," in which Gabriella tells him that she'll miss him but that she can't trust him anymore due to the way he'd been acting lately; she returns the necklace he had given her and leaves crying. Troy realizes the error of his ways (during the song "Bet On It"), and goes to apologize to Chad and the others. Ryan gets help from the Wildcats to conspire to get Troy and Gabriella back together. Troy confronts Sharpay and tells her that he won't sing with her because of how she treated his friends, causing Sharpay to burst into tears. The Wildcats later convince Troy to sing in the talent show, which he does only under the condition that they are allowed to perform as well. They arrange for Troy to sing a song ("Everyday") without Sharpay, which he thinks he's singing alone until Gabriella arrives just in time to sing with him. In the end, Sharpay herself proudly presents her brother Ryan with the award for the talent show. After the talent show, the Wildcats (including Ryan and Sharpay) all head out onto the golf course to enjoy the fireworks. Troy and Gabriella finally share their first kiss, and the summer ends with a pool party and the Wildcats' celebration of a great summer together.

Everyday -Song

Related post: High School Musical

Curious as a Cat- Week 87

1) Is there an emotion that you think has gotten stronger as you've aged? If so, why do you think that has happened?

Compassion. I guess with age and experience, one can learn to be more understanding to the plight of others such as illness, loss of death loved one, mental depression, failure in relationships and the broken friendships.

2) Describe the (group of) friend(s) you enjoy hanging out with the most.

Offline- my hubby and Christian brothers and sisters. Online- my brother who is in India and my sister who is living in Australia.

3) What are the criteria necessary for being a good parent?

I am not a parent but being a tutor to kids, I would say patience and self sacrifice. Give of one's time, love, actually almost all resources that one have is needed to make a good parent.

4) What kind of cowardice do you most despise?

Fear of men. Conforming to peer pressure or from society and submitting to traditions instead of doing the right thing in our Creator's eyes as set out in his Word, the Bible.

5) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.
Snow White's evil stepmother who wants to be the fairest and therefore poisoned the apple and gave it to Snow White.

This meme is taken from Curious as a Cat

Related Posts:
Week 86
Week 85

Tetris

Tetris is a game of falling blocks. This game is originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in June 1985. A pseudorandom sequence of tetrominoes (sometimes called "tetrads" in older versions) - shapes composed of four square blocks each - fall down the playing field. The object of the game is to manipulate these tetrominoes, by moving each one sideways and rotating it by 90 degree units, with the aim of creating a horizontal line of blocks without gaps. When such a line is created, it disappears, and the blocks above (if any) fall. As the game progresses, the tetrominoes fall faster, and the game ends when the player "tops out", that is, when the stack of tetrominoes reaches the top of the playing field and no new tetrominoes are able to enter.

PS: I can't sleep so I played this game for a while. If you like it, do post and let me know what was your high score like.

How do I earn from my blog?

I don't deny that I would like to earn some money from the time spent on maintaining and promoting this blog and my other, CoolChatBlog. Don't get me wrong, I do like to blog and write but at the same time, I need to make ends meet as well. Blogging happens to allow me to earn some pocket money while I teach kids as a private tutor. Edited to add that since I wrote this in October last year, I already am blogging full time now.

So how have I monetised my blog here? Besides Adsense, which is not so good with non niche blogs, I am trying out some affiliate banners which you can see in the sponsor section. It is not so easy because the commission is based on sales and not visitors or page views.

In addition to setting up advertisements on my blog, I am having greater success with earning through paid post with Payperpost, Smorty, SponsoredReview, BuyBlogReviews and Blogsvertise and already had sponsored posts and payment from the respective companies. They all have their respective rules and requirements for qualifying. Payout is generally after two weeks to a month of waiting period. Some pays earlier such as a week or so. Feel free to comment here or ask any question you have regarding these companies or even blogging in general here. I will do my best to assist you in earning through blogging if you are interested. Thank you for visiting.

Unconcious Mutterings- Week 245

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Illicit :: secretive
   
2. Go :: move
   
3. Jacket :: dinner
   
4. Blow :: candle
   
5. Coach :: practice
   
6. Effort :: sweat
   
7. Leadership :: dynamic
   
8. Snore :: irritating
   
9. Fearless :: lion
   
10. Network :: meme

This meme is taken from Unconscious Mutterings

Previous Uncounscious Mutterings posts ::
Week 244
Week 243
Week 242

PS: I am in the midst of moving this week and didn't have the mood for long windy answers. So just short one word crisp answers for this week. You feel free to comment here and give me more than one word though.

Moving house this weekend

I wonder why some folks (like myself) like to read what is happening daily in other people's lives? I mean this whole thing has mushroom all over the blogosphere where folks are musing, ranting and raving about what happens to their lives and in their lives. For that matter about their pets and plants as well. Not that I am complaining here because I enjoy meeting and chatting with folks through their blogs too.

Err...well, anyway this weekend I will be getting ready to move into another apartment. And things are rather unsettled now, of course but hope to get back into the normal routine again before the end of next week.

Ah, and how can a journey through one's life be "exciting" without a photo or two eh? More to come as the moving process progresses...

Ok, can't resist putting another favourite place that I go swimming often. A private pool at my parent's condominium.

Feast 164

Appetizer
When was the last time you were surprised?

Can't really remember. I like to live life as calmly as possible.

Soup
Fill in the blanks: My eyes are dark brown, but I wish they were grey.

Salad
If you were a Beanie Baby, what would you look like and what would your name be?

I will be a Furston the sheepdog. (Photo on the right)

Main Course
Name two things you consistently do that you consider to be healthy habits.

I go swimming and drink distilled water.

Dessert
What brand of toothpaste are you using these days? Do you like it? Why or why not?

Colgate. It serves its purpose.

This meme is taken from Friday's Feast

Friday Fill In #41

1. Once upon a time sounds like a fairy tale beginning.
2. I hate screaming and people talking loudly on the phone.
3. To calm a troubled stomach of flatulence, drink white tea and ginger.
4. Way down my parent's apartment is a nice cozy coffee house.
5. Keys have a mind on its own when you are in a hurry to use them; locks get picked when you least expected it.
6. Have you seen giant pandas before? They're so adorable!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to go swimming and err...moving house, tomorrow my plans include catching upon some leisure reading, probably need to do some packing up as well and Sunday, I want to laze around!

This meme is taken from Friday Fill In

Is home schooling better than formal education?

Home schooling is somewhat still a revolutionary thing in the part of the world that I am living in. I have been personally brought up through the formal education way which consists of 2 years of kindergarten, 6 years of primary school and 5 compulsory years of secondary school. Nevertheless, there have been more and more exposure or perhaps I should say more choices available now with computers and Internet at the tip of one's fingers. The Internet can be the gateway to knowledge that is.

Being a private or personal tutor to students for more than a decade now, I would say that most kids need personal attention rather than a classroom setting. Many parents were complaining that their children are neglected in their studies and they cannot cope nor catch up with the syllabus or rather parents most were actually more worried that their children are "learning" undesirable traits from peers instead of the teacher. Then there is also the fear of the child's safety which is a real concern these days, with sexual predators and kidnappers out there.

Sometimes, parents choose home schooling for educational rather than ideological reasons. They are fed up with overcrowded classrooms, low academic standards, and safety problems prevalent in many public schools. Disappointed by the often lackluster results of institutional teaching, they believe that they can help their children more by giving the one-on-one attention that home schooling makes possible.

Home schooling also makes it possible to integrate the family's daily activity in the child's education. Instead of using textbooks only, daily experiences such as shopping and checkbook balancing, for example, can help their students comprehend money management, while home repairs make for an excellent primer in measurement. This way the child can see the practicality of the lessons learned.

Do parents need high credentials to qualify as good teachers? . “Parents need not know all the answers in order to encourage their children to seek after answers to their own questions,” says the book Home Schooling—Answering Questions. Children can be directed to appropriate source materials. Parents and children can learn together. And where advanced training or expertise is required, private tutors can be hired on a part-time basis.

(368 word count)

Musicians and Their Funny Ways

1. Do you like it when musicians do covers of original songs? Why/why not?

Sometimes. I guess it depends on the song. Some cover versions are really nicer than the original.

2. Do you think musicians in general are weird? Why/why not?

I think folks in the entertainment business are molded to act and behave in a certain way to promote their business. Entertainers might think that they are unique or different than the others but in the end if they want success, they are "molded" already.

3. What about when a musician goes out of their realm and tries something new? Are you able to keep an open mind about it, or are you one of those people who likes their artists to stay in the same general area musically? Why/why not?

Depends on what it means by goes out of their realm here. I mean let's say I like the Carpenters (sorry, I am an oldies person here so can't think of any newer artists at this moment) and suddenly Karen Carpenter (if she is still alive) starts to sing rock or hip-hop, then I cannot accept that. I already liked her voice singing those nice sing-along songs.

This meme is taken from 3x Thursday

Bang the Gong

Photo courtesy of Nostalgic Images

Onesome: Bang--ing your head against the wall? What haven't you been able to get to this week that you really wanted to? ...any hope for next week?

I am moving to another apartment. So getting things packed and ready to go...or supposedly so.

Twosome: the-- other side of the coin: What have you seen this week that was just really so cool/neat/tight/pick your own buzzword that you just had to describe it to someone?

Cool-getting to know folks through the Wordless Wednesday meme. There are lots of them who had great pictures and many conversations going on.

Threesome: Gong-- Okay, do you have one of those cute little gongs in your house? ...or a larger one in your garden? Just askin'...

None. No gongs big or small nor wind chimes in my house.


This meme is taken from The Back Porch

Coconut Crab

This is a Coconut Crab climbing a tree. The coconut crab climbs coconut palms to get at coconuts, which it breaks open with its powerful pincers and eats. It is found on the islands of the South Pacific and Indian oceans.

Photo meme at Wordless Wednesday

Blog Action Day

There is a mass blogger action on this October 15 to blog about any issues we are concern about regarding the environment.

The three ways to get involved in are:

• Post on your blog relating to the environment on Blog Action Day
• Donate your day’s earnings to an environmental charity
• Promote Blog Action Day around the web

High School Musical

Strangers Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) and Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) attend a New Year's Eve party at a ski lodge over Christmas Break. They find they have amazing chemistry after singing "Start of Something New" in a karaoke contest, and exchange numbers. A week later, Gabriella's mother is transferred and Gabriella begins classes at East High in Albuquerque, New Mexico where Troy sees her in homeroom. After checking that it's her on his cell phone, Troy accidentally gets detention, along with Gabriella, his best friend and teammate Chad Danforth (Corbin Bleu), scholastic decathlon captain, and soon-to-be best friend of Gabriella, Taylor McKessie (Monique Coleman), and Drama Club co-presidents Ryan and Sharpay Evans (Lucas Grabeel and Ashley Tisdale).

Starting Something New-Song





After homeroom, Troy and Gabriella see each other and start to re-introduce themselves. As they talk near the sign-up sheet for the winter musical auditions, Sharpay sees them and assumes Gabriella wants to sign up. With Ryan's help, Sharpay determines that Gabriella is an "Einsteinette", and put an article of her previous academic achievements into Taylor's locker. During detention, Taylor approaches Gabriella and invites her to join the school's scholastic decathlon team. As a result of the detention, both Troy and Chad miss their basketball practice, much to the annoyance of Coach Bolton. During a confrontation between the coach and Ms. Darbus, it is made clear that neither of them has any real respect for the work that the other does. Troy eventually takes part in basketball practice, but he can't seem to stop thinking about Gabriella ("Get'cha Head in the Game").

Troy skips basketball practice during free period to go to the auditions, which Gabriella also attends. However, both are too shy to come forward, so they hide behind a janitorial rolling cart as Sharpay and Ryan perform their version of "What I've Been Looking For". When Gabriella finally decides to audition, Troy offers to sing with her, but Ms. Darbus says it is too late.

After a confrontation with Sharpay, Kelsi Nielsen, the composer of the musical, trips and drops her notes and piano music. Troy and Gabriella rush to help her, and she offers to let them hear how the song was supposed to sound. Troy and Gabriella then sing the slower version of the song, "What I've Been Looking For". Ms. Darbus hears them from behind the auditorium entrance and gives both Troy and Gabriella a callback. The next day, Sharpay sees the callback sheet and is furious. Once Chad and all the basketball players find out that Troy skipped basketball practice to audition for the musical, they all are shocked.

At lunch, everyone has learned that Troy is doing something highly out of basketball players' nature, and the students start confessing their secret passions and talents ("Stick to the Status Quo"), including basketball player Zeke Baylor's love of baking. Gabriella slips and accidentally spills her lunch all over Sharpay's shirt. Sharpay tells Ms. Darbus that Gabriella did it on purpose and tries to convince Ms. Darbus that Troy and Gabriella are trying to destroy the musical.

Troy asks Gabriella to meet him in his secret hideout, the balcony of a greenhouse. There, she reveals that singing with him at the party was like meeting a new friend at kindergarten; he felt like a best friend although she hardly knew him. Meanwhile, Zeke attempts to talk to Sharpay, who says that she would rather stick pins in her eyes than watch Zeke play basketball. He asks if that would be uncomfortable, and she snaps back, "Evaporate, tall person!"

Chad and Taylor decide that they need to devise a plan so that everything can go back to normal. The basketball team tricks Troy into saying that Gabriella isn't important while she watches them through a wi-fi link. Gabriella is hurt and confused about where she and Troy now stand ("When There Was Me and You"). Troy tries to talk to Gabriella as normal, but Gabriella tells him she does not want to do the musical anymore and that it was never really important to her.

After feeling guilty about ruining Troy and Gabriella's friendship, and noticing that they are no longer interested in the basketball game or the decathlon, Chad and Taylor decide to tell them the truth. Chad, Zeke, and Jason explain everything to Troy in the greenhouse and offer to support him at the callbacks. Taylor and the scholastic decathlon team tell Gabriella what they did, but Gabriella is still angry and hurt because of what Troy said, convinced that he meant it. That night, Troy goes to Gabriella's house, but she pretends to be busy with homework. Troy phones her from her backyard, telling her that the guy she met on vacation is much more like him than the guy that "said those stupid things". He climbs onto her balcony and starts singing the harmony of "Start of Something New" in attempt to persuade her to go to the callbacks with him. Gabriella then forgives him, and they start practicing the callback piece at school together with Kelsi.

Soon Sharpay and Ryan overhear Gabriella and Troy practicing, and feel intimidated by the competition. Together they convince Ms. Darbus to change the callbacks to the same time as the basketball championship and scholastic decathlon. Kelsi overhears their conversation with Mrs. Darbus, she and the others are devastated, but the scholastic decathlon and basketball teams and Kelsi work together to come up with a plan.

On the day itself, Taylor and Gabriella send a code by computer into the system to disrupt the basketball game by shutting down the scoreboard, and boil a hazardous chemical to stall the decathlon.

As Troy and Gabriella then rush to the theater, Sharpay and Ryan finish performing their song, "Bop to the Top", confident that they will get the part. Troy and Gabriella show up after Ms. Darbus has called their names twice, and she tells them again that they are too late. Many other students start streaming into the auditorium to support them and Ms. Darbus has no choice but to allow them to perform "Breaking Free." After they sing Breaking Free Troy kisses Gabbriella on the cheek. In the end, Ms. Darbus gives the parts to Troy and Gabriella. After winning both the scholastic decathlon and the basketball game, the entire school gathers in the gym to celebrate ("We're All in This Together").

We're All in This Together-Song



After the celebrations, Sharpay finds Zeke alone in the gym and tells him that the cookies he made are the best things she has ever tasted. Zeke answers (quite suggestively) that he might even make her a crème brûlée.

Related post :: High School Musical 2