cher’s scribbles

43 Things: Live Healthy0

Living healthy for me means keeping up a healthy lifestyle, not just eating healthy food. I’ve started attending Yoga classes and I think that’s a good start. Yoga is a great way to detoxify my body and my spirit. (I will post a blog on this soon.) Well aside from yoga, I’ve been maintaining a healthy balanced diet with the occasional giving in on binges. (hehehe)

One thing more is I try to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. I used to hate drinking water, well at least more than necessary. Well now I’m keeping my resolve. Living healthy gives me more benefits in the long run and all I can see is more positive effects than negative. I encourage everyone to live a healthy lifestyle. It will make us appreciate living even more. I’m sure of it.

Posted under 43 things life list

Out of the ordinary Beauty Tips that work0

1) Powder Your Roots 
If your hairline starts to look greasy, dig up a big, fluffy makeup brush, and dip it into a pot of loose powder. Tap it once on the back of your hand to remove the excess, then dust it over your roots. It mops up oil and blends into your strands, so no one will know you didn’t shower. 
2) Scent Strands with Perfume
Spray a light shot of fragrance into the bristles. Run it through strands from roots to ends and your hair will smell amazing throughout the day.

3) Cure Calluses with Vaseline
Slather on the petroleum jelly, and put on socks before bed to dissolve tough calluses overnight.
4) Spot-Treat Smudges
Dip a cotton swab in eye-makeup remover, and trace it along your lids to erase any slipups or goofs when there’s no time to redo your whole look.
5) Fix a Flushed Face
If you turn red and stay that way after exercising (like seriously red for hours, even though you’re healthy and hydrated), take an antihistamine like Benadryl when you leave the gym to reduce redness.

6) Soften Your Bod with Avocado
Take a ripe avocado, remove the pit and skin, and mash it up in a bowl. Slather it all over your body, let it sit for 20 minutes, then rinse off. Your skin will be sooo soft — avocado is a natural moisturizer.
7) Super-Glue a Nail
Instead of tearing off your nail when it breaks, put a tiny dab of Super Glue over the split, and paint a generous layer of your favorite nailpolish shade over it. Go for an opaque option (like red, purple, or coral) to camouflage and seal the crack.
Use Makeup Remover on Stubborn Lipstick
Don’t try to rub off red lipstick (which makes it smear across your mouth — not so sexy). Instead, take a cotton ball or tissue, dip it in makeup remover, and just dab to erase the dark stain fast.
9) Tame Brows with Eye Cream
Pat any kind of rich eye cream over brows to help keep them hydrated and banish those icky white specks that look like dandruff. 
10) Buff with Baking Soda
If you find yourself streaking (not glowing) after applying self-tanner, put some baking soda on a loofah, and scrub away the stripes.
11) Brush on Hair Spray
For the final step of your blow-dry, spray hair spray onto your brush, and run it through strands from roots to tips. This way, your do isn’t so plastered and stiff but still holds volume and shine.

12) Boost Body Lotion with Baby Oil
If you’re craving shiny legs that aren’t greasy, blend a drop of baby oil into your normal body lotion for extra luster.
13) Dab Essential Oil on a Hangnail
Put on apricot oil, the kind found in health-food stores, to protect cuticles from turning rough and raggedy.
14) Quell a Cold Sore with Cream
When a cold sore is coming on, dab a bit of thick moisturizer, like Aquaphor, over it to prevent it from getting worse.
15) Freeze Your Eyeliner
If the tip of your eyeliner pencil crumbles and smears on your lids, store the liner in the freezer for 15 minutes before use so the tip is firm and goes across your skin smoothly.
16) Use Toothpaste on a Zit
Use just a pea-size amount. Let sit for 15 minutes to absorb the oil so the pimple won’t get more clogged, then wash off.
17) Heat Up Your Curler
If you have stick-straight lashes, try blasting your metal eyelash curler with a hair dryer for a couple seconds to heat it up so your lashes bend more easily. And use a waterproof mascara. The formula dries faster than other mascaras, so it sets the curl more effectively.

18) Use Soap Without Water
You know those fancy bars that are actually too pretty to use? Toss them in your underwear or tee-shirt drawers to make your skin smell delicious.
19) Groom Brows with a Toothbrush
Mist an (unused!) toothbrush or eyebrow comb with hair spray to help flatten and tame unruly brows.
20) Put Diaper-Rash Cream on Dry Spots
Slather on a thick layer of diaper-rash cream to heal cracked elbows and feet.
21) Lubricate Your Lashes
An easy way to draw attention to your eyes without putting on a pile of makeup is to comb petroleum jelly lightly through the tips of eyelashes to get a sexy, subtle sparkle.
22) Steamroll Flyaways
Spray on hair spray, then roll the can over your strands. The round bottle fits the curved shape of your head, locks in the spray, and flattens out frizz.
23) Spike Lotion with Bronzer
If you don’t have time to book a self-tanning session, mix a few pumps of body bronzer with regular hand lotion and pat it on your legs for a gradual dose of sexy, beachy color.
24) Air-Dry Your Curls
Let your hair dry indoors before going out in the cold. The curls will be really bouncy and piecey-perfect.
25) Press a Tea Bag on Splotches
If your skin is sensitive or just looking irritated and puffy for some reason, steep a bag of green tea for a minute or two, let it cool down, and dab it over your face. The antioxidants in the tea take down inflammation.

26) Shave with Conditioner
Ran out of shaving cream? Do double duty by coating your stems with a thick hair conditioner. It softens the hair so it’s easier to shave off and makes legs feel amazingly silky.
27) Amp Shine with Vinegar
Mix one part vinegar with four parts carbonated water, and soak dry hair. Leave on for 15 minutes before you shampoo to lock in shine and combat dullness.
28) Exfoliate Your Pits
If your underarms start to look dry and flaky, an easy trick is to exfoliate them with a gentle face scrub to keep that skin pretty when going sleeveless.
29) Customize Your Body Lotion
Instead of shelling out for an expensive perfumed body product, you can make your own by pouring a few drops of fragrance into any scent-free lotion. Rub it on-the scent will last for hours.
30) “Brush” with Mouthwash
If you’re too wiped out after a late night of partying to clean your teeth, rinse with water and mouthwash, then use a dry toothbrush on the area where your teeth hit your gums.
31) Make an Egg-White Mask
To revive tired, dull skin without hitting the spa table, try this: Crack open an egg in a bowl, separate the yolk, and use the egg whites to make a face mask. The proteins help to heal and restore skin’s moisture. Leave it on for five minutes, and rinse off.
32) Dry Sensitive Skin with T.P.
Instead of drying your face with a scratchy towel, pat with toilet paper-it’s ultrasoft on delicate skin (and bums!).

Source.

Posted under Beauty and Style

What friends and friendship is…0

create your own using Wordle.

Posted under word cloud

Join the hunt!0

Mousehunt is another application for Facebook from HitGrab that currently has about a million users. It’s the most popular application in the social networking site. I got invited to install the app around June and I’ve been hooked ever since. Here’s the application box entry on my profile.

The Gameplay

Much like Fish Wrangler, the game allows you to hunt for mice every 15 minutes. Being online also allows you to sound the hunter’s horn and bring your friends on hunts. First you have to choose a trap and a type of cheese for bait. When you accumulate enough points and gold, you can buy better traps and cheeses. Earning enough points also improves your hunter rank. Currently I’m in the grandmaster league.

The Mice and the Traps

From the very mouse I caught to the mice I’m still catching, I’m still amused by the creativity that the dev team devoted to the art and the concept. The traps’ art are really good also. When you visit the trapsmith, you get just a thumbnail view of the available traps so it’s a nice surprise when you see your configuration on your profile page.

Here are some of the mice that I’ve caught so far.

Special Features

Although the game concept is very simple, it can get very addicting. I sometimes find myself just waiting every 15 minutes just to click on the hunting horn. It’s very fun checking what mice you’ve caught in the log. Sometimes the mice bring special items with them, it can be extra cheese, lab research points or even special maps to get you into special places.

Because of the large number of users for the application, developers have to upgrade their server databases a lot and these can cause a lot of downtimes and error notices on Facebook. The developers found their way around this so that it won’t cause any more frustration than necessary from the users, they offer special cheeses as rewards and occasional contests where you can get prize mice.

Although I may have reached a high level in the game at this time and I’m still awaiting the latest upgrade from the developers, I would still be clicking the hunting horn just the same. Facebook users won’t be disappointed with this app. I highly recommend it.

Posted under Reviews

I caught a fish!0

Fish Wrangler is an application in Facebook that I’m currently addicted to. I’ve been playing since July. Now that I think about it, well it’s been 3 months now. It’s just one of the 3 applications that I regularly open everyday. Here’s a screenshot of my setup.

At first, I thought that this was just going to be another clone of another popular application in Facebook called Mousehunt. Well, in some ways it is but since I was able to play it during it’s beta stages, I was able to see it distinguish itself from the other popular app.

The Gameplay

It’s simple really, to start.. you have to choose a pole and a bait. That’s it. If you’re online, the game allows you to fish every 15 minutes. You get to rank up in a fishing class based on the number of points you accumulate. Experience points and Gold are gathered from the various fishes you catch in the islands of Favoria. There are several islands where you can fish, but you can’t just go to these islands, you have to have a boat and use them to travel. When you log off, the game allows you to be online for an hour where your crew (your other friends that are online and on the same location as you) can still include you on fishing trips. After that, the game provides hourly checks where a random mate checks your net if it has caught any fish.

The Supplies

Well first your need a pole, there are several kinds available depending on the location you are in. After you’ve chosen your pole, you have to buy chum or bait. Again, depending on the amount of gold you are willing to spend, there are several kinds available. Of course, the more expensive the chum, the better chances you get for catching better fish and lesser instances of losing your bait. There are also skills that you need to improve on before you catch the rarer fishes. When you get a boat, you might also need to spend on fuel. Plus poles and boats are also prone to breakage, so there’s also a handy repair shop in the island where you can have them repaired.

The Fishes

By default, at the start when you haven’t caught any fish yet, you will only be able to see the silhouettes of the fishes when you view the fish list. As soon as you’ve caught one type of fish, you will be able to see the artwork that the game developers prepared for you. These are no ordinary fishes either, with names such as Miny fish, Tiger Shark fish, Ninja Fish and a whole lot more.

I’ve progressed quite a bit in the game and I’ve got a super pole and I’m on the island where you can catch the rare sharks. Here are some of the rare fishes I’ve caught so far…

Night Fishing

This is another feature in the game where you can join a group of friends on a pre-ordained time, and the game automatically sends you on a night fishing trip. As you may have seen on my screenshot above, I am on a night fishing mode. When you are in that mode, you have to wait for around 5 hours before you can make any changes to your game. The entire group splits the profits and points from the trip.

Special Items

These are random items caught with the fish. They can be anything from attractants of a kind of fish or a jug of rum which allows extra catches on the night fishing trip and a fuel drum, which allows you to load extra gallons of fuel on your boat.

So far, I’ve really enjoyed the game. I don’t mind that sometimes it takes forever to get a particular pole or to accumulate enough points for a skill. The game has enough innovations to get me interested. If you have a facebook account, I’d definitely recommend this application.

Posted under Reviews

Window Treatments 101 post 11

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of different window treatment styles let me first provide you with a window primer.

A window is an opening in an otherwise solid and opaque surface that allows the passage of light and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound. Windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent material. Windows are held in place by frames, which prevent them from collapsing in. Wikipedia.

common window types:

Awning – A window with a single sash hinged at the top to open up and out from the bottom.

Casement — A window with a single sash hinged on the left or right that opens out with a crank or lever. Casements provide maximum ventilation.

Double-hung — A window with two sashes that bypass each other vertically when opened from the bottom and top.

Fixed glass or Picture Window — A window that does not open. They come in a variety of shapes to combine with other windows. Large fixed windows are often called picture windows.

Gliding or Sliding Window — A window with two sashes that move horizontally in a common frame.

Simulated divided light — Any window with muntins affixed to the inside and outside of a panel of glass to simulate the look of true divided lights. Snap-on grilles can be removed easily to clean the glass.

Single-hung – A window that features an upper and lower sash, but only the lower sash is operative.

Specialty – This term refers mostly to unusual shapes, such as triangular, round, half-round, and other nonstandard configurations, including bow and bay windows. Most are fixed-sash (inoperative) and are included to create architectural interest.

Tilt – A double-hung window with sashes that tilt for cleaning.

True divided light – Any window with multiple individual planes of glass assembled in the sash using muntins.

Transom window — A window above a door; if an exterior door the transom window is often fixed, if an interior door it can often open either by hinges at top or bottom, or can rotate about hinges at the middle of its sides. It provided ventilation before forced air heating and cooling.

Jalousie window — Also known as a louvered window, this window is comprised of parallel slats of glass or acrylic that open and close like a Venetian blind, usually using a crank or a lever. They are used extensively in tropical architecture. A jalousie door is a door with a jalousie window.

Clerestory window — A vertical window set in a roof structure or high in a wall, used for daylighting.

appearance and style:

• Double-hung and single-hung windows can be found on traditional Cape Cods and colonials, multistory Victorians, early-20th-century bungalows, and other “period” architectural styles. Muntin and grille designs provide strong stylistic cues, but the basic design remains versatile. They are appropriate for all but the most cutting-edge contemporary home designs.
• Casement shapes tend toward the tall and narrow, so wide wall openings usually feature multiples, sometimes with a fixed picture window in the center. Ranch-style, Prairie-style, and other 20th-century home designs often feature this type of window. Grilles will help create a more traditional look, while an unbroken expanse of glass provides a contemporary flavor.
• Awning windows take on a more traditional flavor when fitted with muntins, but look contemporary when unadorned.
• Sliders typically have a strong horizontal orientation, so they often work best with home designs such as ranches or Prairie-style buildings that have strong horizontal lines.
• Fixed-glass windows impart a decidedly modern feel when they’re large and uninterrupted by muntins or grilles. Smaller sizes with grilles and appropriate trim can mimic most traditional looks.
• Specialty windows can complement a traditionally styled larger home. On smaller residences, which historically have featured simpler window shapes, specialty windows are more appropriate to contemporary designs.

function:

• Casement windows provide generous ventilation relative to overall window area, because the entire sash swings open. Exposure of the outward-swinging frame can be a problem if rain arrives suddenly. High winds also can be hard on casement windows.
• Awnings, with their horizontal rather than vertical orientation, offer the advantage of shedding water harmlessly if left open during a rainfall. Though they can be used alone, awnings are often installed above or below large picture windows to provide ventilation at the top or bottom of a wall.
• When maximum views are the objective, a picture window offers the least obstruction. Ventilation requirements are often handled by installing operative windows above, below, or alongside.
• Specialty installations such as a bay window provide more light and ventilation in a given amount of wall area; they create a more spacious feel and room for sill shelves, window seats, and other features; and they add a lot of charm besides.
• Test the operation of windows in the showroom or store; they should open easily, quietly, and completely.

additional terms:

Additional Window Terms

Argon — A gas injected between layers of glass to increase insulation. (Argon insulates better than air.)

Dual-glazed — A window with two panes of glass, with air or argon gas in between the layers for insulation.

Jamb — Each side of a window’s frame.

Low-E (low-emissivity) — A coating applied to glass to reflect heat and harmful UV rays.

Muntin – A strip used to separate glass into multiple lights. (Vertical strips between panes are known as mullions.)

Pane – The term for the glass part or parts of a window.

R-value – A window’s resistance to heat loss or gain. The higher the value, the better.

Sash — The framework of the window that holds the glass.

Sill — The bottom of the window frame.

Trim — Any decorative, nonessential parts of a window.

Triple-glazed – A window with three panes of glass, with air or argon gas in between the layers for insulation.

U-value — The amount of heat escaping through a window. The lower the value, the better.

Posted under Architectural Elements, Materials, Soft Furnishings

A Whole New You0

Sometimes it’s a good thing to give yourself a whole new makeover, paired with starting a whole new life. This is inspired by a post from Ivillage’s Beauty and Style section.

• Start from within. Inner and outer beauty is expressed spontaneously when body, mind and spirit are in balance. These can be helped by meditation or Yoga.

• Add some color. A quick update on your look if you don’t want to get a new haircut is to add some new color highlights or to drastically change the color anyhow.
• Shape your brows. You won’t believe how a little plucking and tweaking can give your eyes an instant lift. Subtle changes in your brow shape can also infuse a dramatic change in your face.
• Style Yourself Sexy. Adding extensions will create fullness and texture; cutting bangs can create softness around the face, while layers make for instant sexiness and playfulness. “Keeping your hairstyle fresh will keep you younger looking and help you to feel like the most beautiful women on earth.”
• Whiten Your Teeth. Lunchtime whitening is the new “It” treatment among urban fashionistas and a great way to instantly zap a little sexy into your appearance.
• Do Your Part. Flipping your part to the other side, moving it deeper toward the ear or zigzagging it will give your hair lift and will change the way your hair frames your face.
• Lose a Size Instantly. Spanx may be all the rage, but it’s not the only way to go slim. Tummy Tuck Jeans slim the lower abdomen, contour the hips and lift the butt via a special crisscross panel technology. It’s magic that makes you look like you have been going to the gym, even if you really just indulged in a cupcake!

• Wear Glasses. “Glasses are a fun and practical way to update and transform your look,” says Lisa Gear, style expert for LensCrafters. “From ‘new-retro’ cat-eye frames to bold bright colors, glasses are a smart fashion accessory to express your personal style, whether it’s casual or sophisticated.”
• Imbibe in Water. If you don’t already, drink up! “I drink at least 10 to 12 glasses a day,” says Lisa Lillien, founder of Hungry-Girl.com and author of Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World. ”It keeps my skin looking good and makes me feel energized. And drinking a few glasses of water before meals keeps your appetite in check.”
• Learn an Instrument. Learning an instrument can be more fun and happen quicker than you’d imagine and it’s a great way to instantly reinvent yourself.

Posted under Beauty and Style, Zen and Stress Management

Tips on Saving Gas0

I live about an hour away from the nearest city and I’ve always brought a car to work. My car is a 2007 Honda Civic and it’s pretty fuel efficient. One full tank of gas usually lasts me for around 2 weeks, which is great considering how far I have to drive everyday. There has been a surge in gas prices in the past months (it has finally gone down, thankfully) and I’ve learned several tips on how to minimize my gas consumption.

• Have your car checked for regular tune-ups. This the most important thing because there’s nothing that can hinder a car’s performance more than faulty gears and meters.
• It’s best to step on the gas pedal lightly and on the break pedal too. Studies have shown that you consume more gas when you hit a full break and then shift onto first gear again. I put on chill out music when I’m driving so that I’m more relaxed and less likely to be racing and braking.
• During traffic jams, keep the car in neutral and not in gear.
• When you’re parked somewhere waiting, just turn off the car engine and not leave it idling.
• Sometimes it’s better to keep the A/C on instead of rolling down your windows. Open windows cause more drag, thus making you step on the gas pedal a little harder, wasting more gas.
• If possible, join a carpool. Well, this didn’t really work for me because I live the farthest. But if you are able, ask your friends to take turns with you in bringing a car, that way you can also save on your car’s mileage.
• Plan out your trips carefully. If possible draw out a route which covers lesser ground.

Posted under Career and Work

On Top1

I found these really cute monitor toppers on the net. These are available online at Klear Gear and at Home Accents Galleria.

Posted under Techie Stuff, cute stuff

A leave of absence0

Sometimes every couple go through a phase when they get irritated by every little thing that the other person does. Arguments are almost always a constant. All couples go through this. Although the best solution should be to talk things over and open the lines of communication and somehow reach a compromise on your differences, a temporary break can also be an alternative. But voicing this out to your partner may spell doom. Well, sometimes you might just need a little break or breather to think things over and figure out what’s been going wrong in your relationship.

Here are some tips on taking a break without having to break up:

• Spend an entire day with yourself. Resist the urge to call him. Be on temporary hiatus for a day. If you don’t want him to worry, leave him a message early in the morning where you’ll be and that you’ll get in contact with him the very next day.
• Take a break from the issue at hand. Let it go for a while and let yourselves dwell on the issue for a certain amount of time. Make sure that you set a time when to talk things over to finally resolve the problem.
• Go out with your girlfriends and have fun. Enjoy being without him for a while but don’t do anything that you might regret.
• Reach out to friends and family for advice. Sometimes you need to see the big picture, and other people can give you an insight.

Posted under Relationships