heaviness in breathing

The semester hasn't begun but the extracurricular activities I signed up for (in pursuit of the monetary benefits...hehehe of course, it's all within the bounds of good reason) are somewhat stress-induced. Or maybe I'm just anxious. (image from Medline)

At least there's playhouse Disney and spongebob squarepants to keep me sane...? Hey, normal is a relative word---almost indefinable. ^_^

CSI fever peak

I was devastated after watching the season finale of CSI. I hope hope hope that Warrick's not dead.

Sara's gone. Now Warrick's dead?

It just wouldn't be the same anymore. I mean, yeah, the lab tech roles are being developed, but nothing beats the original cast. The chemistry that the CSI characters have is very very rare. That makes CSI way better than other forensics shows (especially the other CSI spin-offs). The chemistry is real...the actors are not over-acting....even Hodges developed into a likeable character.

Crime, forensics, interesting plots --- this combination will always be marketable --- but you have to have the "it" cast. A cast that is versatile...not only individually, but as a whole. Like an orchestra. CSI can be dramatic, hilarious, intellectual, freaky, self-deprecating, timely & relevant. The writers are brilliant. The cast is brilliant.

CSI is truly a pioneer.

Of course, it's not the first crime show but it's atypical. It's not dependent on two or three highly paid actors. Everybody's a star. I'm just so in-love with the whole concept. When I saw the very first episode, I knew it was going to be unique. William Petersen (Gil Grissom) is an outstanding actor and co-executive producer---I wonder why he hasn't won an Emmy yet.

CSI will remain as one of my objects of fanaticism.

I miss Sara Sidle. I actually received an autographed picture of Jorja Fox when I wrote to her a few years back. I wish she'd make a cameo really soon.

eng, shruk, choochoot

...that's car, truck, train in my son's language.

He prefers his own version of verbal stenography (or oral shorthand...shorttongue...hehehe) over normal conversational Filipino/English. What's interesting is that people find it easy to converse with him, perhaps due to all the associated body movements interlarded in his sound language.

I find it incredibly interesting and amusing. Never ever a dull moment with my kiddie.

Earth's fury (more of God's wrath)

In just a few weeks, tens of thousands of people have died...about 25,ooo in Burma....over 7,000 in China...and just two days ago, 9 people in Laguna, Philippines. All ordinary people like you and me (unless you're Bill Gates or among the world's extraordinary). Death is such an inevitable reality that we can never escape. Time is the only determinant. Time. And how much do we have? Very little. And the very small amount of time that we all have is almost entirely spent on self-centered and self-glorifying activities.

I will openly admit that I'm scared to die. I'm unprepared for it. And then, I think of how it was like with those who died in Burma and China....and those who were shot execution style in Laguna. Would I rather die in a freak accident or because of cancer? Boy, those who are terminally ill are probably luckier...because, they have more time. Time: that precious commodity that is more valuable than money.

normal behavior

I might not seem like the type, but I have a tendency to over-think and over-analyze events that have recently happened...and be completely affected and consumed by all the petty little specifics. Another appropriate synonymn to over-think and over-analyze would be over-interpret. Yes, it's such a waste of potentially productive time. We all know the old adage: there's no use crying over spilled milk....or fussing over and becoming paranoid about the possibility of spilling your milk, for that matter.

I hope I'm not the only one afflicted with this sensitivity issue because my self-image will depreciate even more. I'd like to think that females are more keen about details than males--to put it into a gender-sensitive sense. But it's that same keenness that actually leads a woman to fits of jealousy, hysteria and suspicion. Oh well, such is the complementarity of man and woman...woman, the emotionally sensitive sex; man, the denser sex. Of course, that is just my humble, non-expert, honest opinion.

the age of health consciousness

I'm a late bloomer in terms of fitness...well, I'm a late bloomer when it comes to many things. My husband and I recently started to use the stationary bike about two weeks ago. I actually envy my husband's determination and diligence (he exercises everyday for half an hour) and he already lost 10 lbs since he started cycling! Considering that he did not employ some form of drastic nutritional deprivation, that was a lot of weight lost.

I can only cycle every other day because I can't wake up as early as my husband (I'm in-love with sleeping) but it's probably a good start, especially since I've been sedentary since I was a fetus. I'm not really very particular about weight loss...I prefer visible loss of matter---the jiggly adipose type---at the hip region. Aha! I'm superficial! Uh oh. But really, breaking a sweat and increasing my heart rate feels deliciously tiring.

Oh well, I might as well admit that I'm joining the bandwagon. No, I don't want to be waif-thin. I just would like to be fit...fit enough to be ignored. Neither too fat nor too skinny. Just within the normal body mass index range.

It is a well-known fact that drastic weight loss can lead to all sorts of diseases in old age and that exercise prevents heart-related problems. So hooray to exercise and all its benefits, whether skin-deep or deeper.

everybody procrastinates

My piano teacher of over a decade informed me that we were going to have some sort of gig this June entitled "A night with Chopin" and that I won't be required to memorize my piece. At least I was going to play something I've played before, except that when I played that piece in the past, I didn't have a ganglion cyst on my right wrist. Anyway, the pain isn't that bothersome...only when it's really cold.

So instead of the minimum 2 hours per day of piano...I decided to just take it slow...maybe half an hour per day? Tsk. tsk. tsk. This always happens to me when there's an important piano event. I don't play as much as I should at home...I only play when there's nothing coming up. Plus, I've had this growing ganglion cyst for more than 2 years and I still haven't visited an orthopedic surgeon.

I am a selective procrastinator.

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On a lighter note, my son has acquired the skill of imitating sounds...whether a catchy song, an ambulance siren, a Ferrari engine...it's completely amazing! Plus he's starting to say phrases. Of course, when he's asked to show off his skills in front of people, he deliberately stays mute. Artist.