Everyone's a Critic...

...so why can't everybody accept criticism graciously? When it comes down to it, it's all a matter of pride. And learning to look at things beyond yourself. But if you're in one of those glum, depressing days when you feel like you're perpetually at the receiving end of the critique's parade, here's a handy guide to graciously surviving criticism. If that's not enough, maybe a day or two in a safe, secret, warm fuzzy hideaway will do...

But really, handling criticism is all a matter diplomacy...just as dishing out criticisms and compliments in the right manner and delivery is a technique in subtlety (or brazenness, if done poorly). You have to learn to be your own king, concierge and ambassador too. Yes, and when the going gets rough, learn to do a self-deprecating cartwheel and somersault like a cheerleader-slash-comedienne will do.

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Seeing Cellulite

Cellulite can be such a nasty thing. Hearing and seeing it on TV and the internet makes you feel like it's such an ugly, ugly disease. Truth is, it is just one of the female body's natural phenomena - just like monthly periods and mood swings are part and parcel of being a woman. Not convinced? Read more about the facts, causes and treatments (or non-existence of such) for cellulite here.

Oh, and BTW, said article on cellulite made it to the Factoidz Article Spotlight some time this week! It's been getting steady hits lately so I'm so happy :)

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Funny Jeepney Signs

One of the fun parts of riding jeepneys here in the Philippines (besides the sometimes interesting characters you get to ride with) are the various signs and posters you can see inside different jeeps. Call them vulgar or obscene, but you have to admit these brightly painted works of art are provide some insight into the colorful Pinoy psyche. I've compiled different pictures of funny and interesting jeepney signs from all over the web, added translations too for non-Filipino readers out there. You can view and read all of them here.

For more serious reading into the jeepney driver's subculture, you can read Hermenia Menez's article, "Jeeprox: The Art and Language of Manila's Jeepney Drivers" published here.

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Setting Up Gmail On Your Symbian 60 Phone

How do you configure your Symbian 60 phone to receive and send your Gmail messages? Here's a 20-step guide:

1. Enable IMAP in your Gmail settings.
2. Select 'Messaging' > 'Options' > 'Settings' > 'E-mail' > 'Mailboxes.'
3. If you have never set up email on your phone before, select 'Yes' to define a new mailbox. If you already have other mailboxes, select 'Options' and then 'New mailbox.'
4. Select 'Start' to begin the setup wizard.
5. Select 'IMAP4' and then 'Next.'
6. Enter your full email address (including '@gmail.com') as the email address and select 'Next.' Google Apps users, enter your full address in the format 'username@your_domain.com.'
7. Enter 'imap.gmail.com' as the incoming mail server and select 'Next.'
8. Enter 'smtp.gmail.com' as the outgoing mail server and select 'Next.'
9. Select the appropriate access point and then 'Next.'
10. Enter a descriptive name for the email account mailbox name.
11. Once your mailbox is set up, select it from the email mailbox settings screen.
12. Select 'Connection settings' > 'Incoming e-mail.'
13. Enter your address (including '@gmail.com' or '@your_domain.com') and password.
14. Select 'SSL/TLS' for your security (ports) and define your port as '993.'
15. Select 'Back.'
16. Select 'Outgoing e-mail.'
17. Enter your email address (including '@gmail.com' or '@your_domain.com') and password.
18. Select 'StartTLS' for your security (ports) and define your port as '587.'
19. Select 'Back' and change any other settings according to your preferences.
20. Check our recommended client settings, and adjust your client's settings as needed.

You can read more about it here. (I'm posting it here for future reference, in case I need to reset my phone again :p)

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Commuting in the Philippines

Navigating the Philippines' potholed, polluted streets can be a challenge. Learning the ropes about our public land transport system can be even more puzzingly frustrating. Speeding drivers, road rage, miscalculated change, the loss of personal space, sweat and smell and even cuckling chickens and the occasional robbery/holdup - that's part and parcel of public transport every commuting Filipino has accepted as the norm. (once in a few years there's also a bus or train blast - just like what recently happened to an airconditioned passenger bus this month). But commuting has its little joys and pleasures too (saying, squeezing tight beside a cute guy! haha) Decades of riding tricycles, jeeps, buses, and trains can reveal more about the Metro (and the rest of the country too) than riding in comfortable, sterilized private cars will do.

photo from pinoypandesal.blogspot.com

Want to know the trick to commuting in the Philippines? Read more about it here.

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Cardillo Heaven

I just managed to recreate my favorite aunt's fish cardillo recipe... and it was just heaven! Takes me back 15 years ago when I would eagerly watch and wait while Auntie Ellen cooks and serves the steaming hot dish to me and my famished cousins (well, not so famished really, more like hungry after 5 hours straight of playing outside ;p)

(photo taken right after making cardillo...yum yum yum!)

Cardillo is one of my favorite dishes because it is tasty, healthy, and very easy to prepare. Plus it has lots tomatoes and eggs in it... two of my favorite foods ever :) You can read my five-step guide to making sumptuous fish cardillo here.

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Beauty and the Breast

I'm currently doing some (geeky paper/research/statistical study) work on common societal perceptions to the female breast. In other words, how do people in different culture perceive and value the aesthetics of the female mammary glands? It seems like there is quite a disparity between female breast perceptions across the Atlantic - while going topless is quite commonplace in a lot of European countries there are still a lot of taboos associated with exposing your breast in the American public.

(Photo credit)

I've compiled some stuff that I've posted online - it's about the factors that affect breast size and shape. You can read it here. I don't want to go into value judgments on the breast yet, as it's quite complicated with so many factors to consider (culture, religious belief, exposure to mass media, etc.) :-p

Anyway, what's interesting is that apparently wearing a bra can actually weaken breast support by making the supporting ligaments atrophy. These ligaments weaken through disuse until they eventually lose function. Of course, doing strenuous exercise or sports without a bra is equally damaging (and painful - ouch!) to your breast support structure. The solution? Wear decent bra support when exercising or doing sports, or when your breasts are heavy with milk during pregnancy and childbirth - but go au naturel on your chest the rest of the time.

(Photo credit)

Wearing tight, ill-fitting bras, on the other hand, can cause serious damage to your circulation as it cuts off lymphatic channels. It can even crush your chest area abnormally, too.

To be honest, rt's actually quite liberating - physically and in a way, culturally - to go around the house not wearing a bra. For someone who grew up in a relatively conservative, Catholic country like me, it will however take some serious guts to go out of the house bra-less. *sigh*

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