health

ZenkX Tries…. Muay Thai?!

Well, actually…. no. XD

I can’t do Muay Thai for the life of me. XD

I am, however, thinking of taking up some self-defense/ boxing lessons from the local gym I’m working out in.

With my most-awesome-bestfriend-and-master (yep, Joyce is so brilliant, I’m just a peon compared to her XD), I’ve been going to the gym every Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday in an effort to lose some weight (since I’m on the verge of getting diabetic ~_~). So far it’s been working out rather well, I don’t know if I’ve dropped any pounds yet, but I don’t care. Hahaha! I’m just happy that I can breathe just fine again, I’m more energetic, and I have an outlet when I get off from work. Harharhar! Not to mention there are bellydance lessons too, which is AWESOME since I miss bellydancing so much. XD

Anyway, as usual for the typical government employee, my salary would be late again, so it’s going to be a while before I can enroll at the boxing lessons. But Joyce and I were given 2 trial runs (One basic and one advanced) so we pretty much have an idea about how much a$$-whopping we’re going to get if we enrolled. ~_~

By the way, this is the man who’s going to kick my fluffy butt in the ring when I enroll at his classes. ~_~

Support AThinLine.org, Stop Cyberbullying

This… was pretty much some part of my life in high school, except for the fact that FaceBook or networking sites were still non-existent then. We had to take insults like this right into our faces, and in my case, etched in the boy’s bathroom. ~_~

Still continuing on to the cyberbullying issue, I came across this video while I was looking to compare life insurance. It’s about A Thin Line.Org, which is a website and a program by MTV that deals with cyberbullying, sexting, and other abuses that occurs in schools nowadays.

It’s actually a really, really great program, that I wish would be implemented in schools, colleges and even workplaces here in the Philippines. Being the texting capital in Asia, cyberbullying is pretty much just as prevalent here as it is in the US.  Probably just as worse, since I see articles of suicides by teenagers in the newspapers.

It’s scary to think that us, the older generation, are letting these things happen. There are still no laws against all forms of bullying, and there are a lot of schools, particularly here in the Philippines, that do not have anti-bullying policies. Things like the ones happening in this video should never happen to anyone in real life. ~_~

Anyway, calling to politicians, mind you that we need laws against cyberbullying and other forms of abuse through digital means, because believe it or not, THIS *points to video* is happening here too. ~_~

Zenkx Against Cyberbullying

Man, the internet today is both an awesome and annoying thing, specially when it comes to things like bullying. ~_~

Just recently, I saw an episode of “If You Really Knew Me”, which addresses the modern concerns of High School students in the US, specially when it comes to “stereotyping”, where in students are seemingly grouped according to what the school society thinks them to be. They can be jocks, cheerleaders, nerds, outcasts, etc.

One of the thing that hit me during that show was about cyberbullying, or abusing someone’s well-being through digital means like texting, or through posts in FaceBook, MySpace or in their own personal blogs.

I find it really interesting and … disturbing, to think that these teenagers are practically ruining someone’s life by the words they say through the use of the InterNet and cellphones.

There was once a time when I was bullied in high school… way before texting was a fad. My friends were what they called nerds or outcasts, but I loved them, not because they are strange or anything, but because they were genuinely fun and really cool. My best friend, Joyce has been my friend since high school. And we had went through a lot of shit together from the bullies. We had chairs and books thrown at us. Joyce, particularly, being the smartest, was always pressured into doing someone else’s homework. She was called thin, and I was called weirdo. I had the biggest breasts in class, and they often picked at me because of it. Some went too far as to date me just to touch my breast for a bet.

I had… a bad time in high school, but it was Joyce, and my other friends, Beth, Juddee, Mary Jane, Joseph Ickx and Ericco who made me strong enough to not let a blade touch my wrist, because it would make them sad. When we were bullied, Beth would defend us, being a black belter in karate, and when we got so angry we would go out and hang at the mall, or sometimes in my house, where we would talk about things. It… made me really appreciate them and love them.

But now… it’s just scary. You don’t need physical contact just to be bullied by someone. Heck, you could be in the same school but not know each other until someone posts something awful about you.

I’ve heard about news of teenagers killing themselves because someone made an awful rumor about them… like them being gay, or fat, or weird, or being falsely accused of being something that they are not. As one who went through that ordeal and was able to not do it, I just wish that this kind of thing would stop happening. Life is too fun, and great and awesome, to be tainted by such false accusations. I wish kids who went through the same, and probably worse, scenario like mine would have the strength to stand up, and know that just because they called you something, doesn’t mean you have to be.

Watching all this… it is making me regret that I didn’t look into counselor careers or get a master degree in psychology. I just wish there was something I could do to make teenagers and people learn something about cyberbullying, and how it’s affecting people not just in schools, but even outside of it like in workplaces. ~_~

I Wanna Play Basketball!!!

All this video taping my officemates is making me envious. ~_~

Imagine having to play basketball for almost 40 minutes, and still be able to do it the next day.

I want to be that fit. ~_~

Granted, they are not exactly the most fit of people, (they are probably going to need some creatine powders to get rid some of their belly pudge, harharhar!) but I have to give them credit for being able to play that long. Heck, I can’t even shoot that basketball ball from the free throw line. (Yeah, I suck at basketball)

Anyway, all this watching is making me wish I was fit again. It made me start looking for home exercises. There was even one about prison exercises (you know, the kind that inmates do during their stint in jail) but being a chubby person like myself, it seems… scary. ~_~

I really need to get a DVD… I miss my Rachel Brice CD. I think I’m going to better as a bellydancer than a sports person. Hahaha!

Whisper Hungarian in My Ear

I don’t mean literally. XD

It’s just a new song I heard from Rachel Brice’s Serpentine DVD called “Whisper Hungarian in my Ear” by a band called The Toids. I really like it… its something that I’d want to hear everyday using home audio speakers.

In the DVD, this song has a choreography, which, unfortunately for a chubby bellydance newbie such as myself, is pretty hard. But I’m hoping I can learn it pretty soon. XD

I find the song really mysterious, and somewhat calming. I think it’s the violins.

Anyway, aside from the choreography, Rachel Brice and her friends actually created a “mash-up” short film with the song. It featured horror actor Bela Lugosi, and they merged the film with the dancing of Rachel Brice’s group, the Indigo Bellydance (which includes members Mardi Love and Zoe Jakes). It looks really awesome, actually. It’s like the three dancers are Bela Lugosi’s graceful ghosts seductresses.

Huwaaa… Rachel Brice Love! <3

It'll be a while before I can actually dance to Rachel Brice's choreography of this song, but I guess for the meantime, I'll dance it with my own choreo. XD

Going Vegetarian?

I don’t know… is there like a term for this? When you eat vegetables and not meat but you still eat like… meat-based products like hotdogs and hams?

I think they call it “confused”. XD

Anyway, yep, I’m “sort-of” going vegetarian… “sort-of” because I still eat hotdogs and ham (like, processed meats… but I don’t eat burgers anymore) but not meat that are cooked in meals and stuff.

I blame my mother… harhar! Just kidding, I blame my weak constitution, actually. My mom recently showed me a short documentary called “From Farm To Fridge”, and boy, it made me want to eat vegetables for the rest of my life. Granted, I’m sure not all farms in America (or the Philippines, in that matter) are as brutal as these, but still…

The sounds of pigs and cows being slaughtered sounds like human screams to me… it makes me feel awful ~_~

Anyway, so far, the “sort of” vegetarian diet is working out for me. It’s definitely WAAAAY cheaper when lunch time comes, not to mention it’s actually healthier for me. But I’m going to need some exercise along with this diet to shed some pounds. XD

In the meantime, I’ll go grab me some carrot sticks. I kinda need a snack. ~_~

Where’s Yoshitaka Amano-san? And Gaming News

With all these deaths and these tragedies going on in Japan, I’m beginning to worry about my favorite painter, Yoshitaka Amano. T_T

Oh man, I’m tearing up just worrying about him. (But hey, give me a break will ya? I already cried and howled with worry when I remembered Gackt, and I cried with joy when I found out he was alive ~_~).

Amano became my favorite painter after I saw his illustration of Final Fantasy VI in the internet, and after seeing his Vampire Hunter D art. They were masterpieces to me. The brushstrokes of his paintings were so fine, and it was just beautiful. I literally scourged around all National Bookstores in my area to find a copy of his collaborative work with Neil Gaiman called “Sandman: The Dream Hunters”. (sorry, Neil Gaiman fans, I liked the story, but I loved the art. XD)

I just hope he is okay. Amano-san, if you’re out there, please tell your fans that you are safe! We are so worried. T_T

*me regretting not being able to take online nursing degree begins now ~_~*

In other news about Japan, since I’ve already posted stuff about J-celebrities, it’s about time that I moved on to the every awesome Japanese Gaming Industry… which luckily will continue to thrive (hooray). Several of Japan’s gaming companies have now posted in Twitter about they’re current statuses. The first one I checked was Square Enix (of course, I’d try to find them first, they made the FF series!) and luckily they are all fine, although they’re online servers will be down for the week and probably longer due to power issues. Sony Entertainment is also okay, so are the Sega Community and Nintendo company. Hideo Kojima, of Kojima Productions and Konami (also creator of the gad-awesome Metal Gear series) is also okay.

Unfortunately, due to the destruction and also power outages in Japan, it has been announced that several games will have delivery issues, or will end up being altered or cancelled.

Ouch, I just hope Dissidia 012 won’t be one of them. ~_~

I hope that all these people are well somewhere, surrounded by people who have had online nursing degree to take care of them.

Home Acne Remedies

Aw man… I’m breaking out again. Stupid incoming summer weather. ~_~

I’m going to need home acne remedies pretty soon.

I hate summer, I like the fact that’s its nice and warm and we can go to the beach to cool down, but the warm wind and dry dust is making me break out so many acnes it’s disturbing.

I’ve heard that there are home made remedies that include stuff like oatmeal, fruits, olive oil, and other ingredients that can make good facial scrubs, toners, and other facial care products. My problem is I don’t know how to make them. Harharhar.

Ahh, well… Time to go researching! XD

Light It Up! Or Not…

Thank God for siblings. XD

My brother recently bought me an awesome little gadget, which I think would help me a lot. XD

They’re not really seen in point of purchase displays in malls in the Philippines, although I have seen several stalls of these around, and I am hoping that more people would be able catch up to this fad.

TADAHHH! It’s my first ever Electronic Cigarette, also known as an e-Cig.

It’s a neat little thing, you don’t have to light it up with a match, and you only need one stick of it. It has interchangeable “filters”, where the nicotine is. Yes there is still nicotine in it, but fortunately it doesn’t have any of the other toxic substances that can be found in ordinary cigarettes like tar, carbon monoxide, etc. Plus the nicotine actually has a lower percentage. One of the vendors I’ve asked told me that it has 40% less nicotine than a stick of Marlboro Lights, and one “filter” can last up to 150+ puffs.

It’s really great for someone like me, who smokes for psychological reasons rather than physical ones. I’ve been told that this gadget can help in making a person stop smoking real cigarettes, so I’m hoping that it helps me.

It’s way too late now, and I still have work tomorrow. I’m going to give this baby a trial run, and then I’ll add a full review as well for thos who are interested in buying something like this. XD

Hair Loss!

Something might be wrong with me. ~_~

My hair keeps falling in clumps that I feel like I’m going to have to buy hair loss products soon.

I read from a research somewhere that some diseases can be diagnosed just by looking at your hair, or in my case, the loss of hair. But when I look at the fallen hair, it just looks like it’s broken near the follicle (the part that attaches the hair to the scalp). Maybe my hair has gotten brittle due to all the shampoo and the treatments that I’ve done in the past.

That’s IT! No more hair rebonds for me. I’m going to leave my hair to it’s curly/wavy state and save myself from the panic. ~_~