Top 2 free iPhone app of the week

Beginning today, i'm going to blog weekly about my top 2 pick of free iPhone app of the week. This will include my own personal perception of the picked iPhone app, how did it go through while using it, personal comments and raves, but most of all, you'd expect a positive recommendation. My choices would be uncategorized, could be in the range of games, entertainment, utilities, social networking, music, productivity, lifestyle, reference, travel, sports, navigation, healthcare and fitness, news, photography, business, education, weather, books and medical. (Whoa! that was a long list!)


So, check out this fresh batch of my top 2 picks!


NINJUMP

One of the best way to kill time is indulging yourself in an absorbing game on your iPhone, absorbing in the sense, it creates a "time flies" effect while playing it.
Take the case of NINJUMP. I had my ringer turned on highest vol when i first launched this app. It has immediately captured my likeness of its background music. Playing this game is just by tapping the screen and the cute lil' ninja will jump from one wall to another. Not complicated eh? Quite simple, but there are more in to it that would make you ask for more. (ie) hitting/killing three same obstacles in a row will have your ninja levitate further in heights. Did i forget to say that the goal of this game is to achieve greater heights? (think about doodlejump...). One thing i don't like about it is the one (1) life per game, yep! you have to start over again once you die. And i guess that was the reason why this game is somewhat addicting, it bars you down to beat what  you have achieved by going back to square one, keeping your momentum to go on further unnoticing that you've spent an hour already toying around the app. Trust me, you gotta try it!!!



SIXPACKAPP

In relation to my regimen of a healthy lifestyle, i got this app back in June or prolly May... but only this time i was able to appreciate what it has to offer. For those who could not afford to enroll in a gym due to time or budget constraints, well this app is a timing. The categories its offering are A+, with the how-to's, info, steps, tips and its best catch are the descriptive photos, take note, it's not illustrations, but real-life photos in executing those exercises.
My routinary push-ups and crunches and tricep-bicep moves got flavoured through the instructions of this wonderful app. I recommend this because it's direct to the point and the how-to's are visually easy to follow esp if you have only a mattress, a gymball and dumb bells to use. Oh yeah! you can use this app without wifi. It serves like a database on the go whenever you wanna check out some tips and positions in doing a work-out.







~mAC

Resisting Temptation

Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before. 

Mae West 

It's so hard to resist the temptation of devouring kavsa (chicken grilled or prolly "tinuno" with fancy rice) or any meat produced delicacy. Why? for i'm in the fifth day now of NO RICE /  NO LIVESTOCK MEAT REGIMEN DIET. Hahaha. I know! i don't need to reduce my size or weight, infact i need to gain more actually but the hell in gaining weight, i like my mesomorph type of physique at the moment.

Except for fish, veggies, and fruits, and of course those dressings, all are prohibited to be swallowed by my mouth at this food journey i'm in at this instance. It all started when i stumbled this website (thanks to kamAr for posting this on fb) :

http://www.justcleansing.com/

It's actually a loose following of what's suppose to abide as per the articles of the above website. I made a variation in bits and pieces and i love the way i customized it. Although i'm aching to eat chicken meat already, (wtf, what more of pork? i cant cuz im in a country where pork is "haram" or is prohibited), my tongue juices did not fail to resist the temptation despite the many kavsa house around the neighborhood. In the back of my mind, it's saying... "it's all a matter of practice and discipline and consistency". Wehehehe! Let's see how far could i go on this pre-training on the way for me being a pescetarian.

Yup! i long and i planned to be a pescetarian in the future. (pescetarian - a portmanteau between the italian word "pesce" and the english word "vegetarian". from wikipedia). It's a state of eating where primarily fish and seafood produce are exclusively taken in as a diet, in addition to all the veggies, grains, beans, eggs, and dairy. Ain't that unsuperfluous? Well, it's gonna serve a healthy lifestyle when it comes to the morale of eating and diet.

So, on my way to it, i'm conditioning my mind and body to do the needful and make it perfect each day that passes. As of this moment, i took pride and happiness to see myself burping eating lots and lots of fruits and veggies. Two hours back, i just had this simple mixed salad dressed with cottage cheese and yogurt. Oh boy! my tastebuds has been satiated with satisfaction.

Oops. I drink soda no more. It's been one hell of a no no eversince. it's not that i religiously stick to it but on most occasions, i refrain in gulping such bevarage like pepsi or coke or any of the sorts. H20 would quench my thirst, leaving me full and extinguishing any hotness i feel especially being here in a tropical country.


I feel good sharing this extra endeavor here in my blog for i could relate for any progress in the future. I'd definitely blog about this again. If i was a victor in fulfilling this plan - be a pescetarian at least or if i would be a loser- succumbing to old habits. We'll see!

Lastly, a goal needs to be realized or else, that goal would be demoted to be only as a wish. My main goal actually is to be a vegan. Health gurus are saying that one must undergo the science and physiology of pescetarianism first before entering vegeterianism. The logic here is so profound that i made myself to be at peace with that premise. Indeed i have started already. :)






~mAc

August 13th, Friday

"All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much. "

-George Harrison 

Despite the week's buzz, hecticity and intensified heat around the Kingdom, i managed to get in touch with some friends to celebrate Amado's birthday. Yep! that's August 13, it was a Friday. Contrary to superstitions about Friday the 13th, i'd say that it transpired coolly and smoothly. We had a small social interaction with my fellow closed-knit friends in the the city.

Food for the occasion is no bigtime nor with fancy dishes. We settled with two things only:
1. Fish Fillet Dips
2. Salad

However simple those blessings are, it made a funtastic glamour and appetite for everyone of us in the throng.

It did make a superb appeal to savor the moment with these match:

When everything was set and the table got ready, the heat surged up as the videoke got rolling. Happiest are the times like this, when moments of bonding and no-reservation of whatever you wanna say, comes along, heard and digested, without thinking twice. But of course, no alcoholic drinks. We got resolved by bottles of non-alcoholic beverages to complement the salad and fish fillet.

I had a great time during the full three hour course of the gathering. Singing out loud with the rhythm of Eagles, Michael Johnson and some classics (you know those usual songs rendered among plebeian when videoke party is up).  It's been a while i reckon, exercising my lungs, breathing the notes of melody and topping it all, enjoying the sensation and fulfillment of singing. LOLZ.

Being with great friends like this elevates a general conscious awareness of where you belong to. It defies loneliness and boredom in relation to being away from the real home. It creates connection and reminiscences of the good 'ol days. Bringing thy mind and emotions to the yesteryears of memory lane where good times and pure fun are vaulted deep down in the strings of our retention cells and nerves.

... One of my most multi-talented friend here in the Kingdom, so to speak, a jack of all trades, with the innate taste of the arts and creativity, a born leader and joker of the sorts, with the windfull spirit when it comes to standing on his ground. Let me extend my wishes and compliments to a one of a kind friend of mine, Amado "Budds". Long live and more birthdays to come.!!!

So where's the cake buddy? :)








~mAc

Ramadan

"Loyalty and devotion lead to bravery. Bravery leads to the spirit of self-sacrifice. The spirit of self-sacrifice creates trust in the power of love. "

-Morihei Ueshiba 

This post might be too late already but hey, i pondered it's still jiving with this month's major themes in the calender, the last week has been full of hustle and bustle for me cuz of the transition in my shift schedule to be in a "broken timing".  It's because RAMADAN has finally arrived.

(photo courtesy of vladstudio)

Eversince i was a kid, the fascination  in seeing the moon crescent leaves me in awe and wonder. I didnt know though that this has a significant connection with Ramadan. Although it was taught to me in history classes back in elementary and high school,  i never had the full appreciation of its beauty and essence until i knew just recently with the association to the holy month of the Muslim world.

Ramadan's the ninth month in the Islamic Calendar, the holiest time for Muslims worldwide in observance for fasting and the offering of more prayer than usual.

One of the many facts that i recently unraveled as per my conversations with my Muslim friends is the process on how to determine the start of the Ramadan season. It's a must that the naked eye must see the first sighting of the moon crescent, to officially start this holy religious tradition. As per articles of reading via Wikipedia, this sighting of the crescent of the moon rooted from Saudi Arabia.

Fasting is being observed between the time where the sun has signaled its first ray (mostly during dawn) until the sun has finally sets in again (sunset). At these timeframe where sunlight is visible, it's a must to practice fasting - no eating or drinking of any sorts. This holy sacrifice would halt as soon as  darkness starts to creep in after the sun sets, and would begin again during dawn time. This will continue for the whole month of the Ramadan and being revered by all Muslims.

It's also noteworthy that the season of Ramadan varies every year just as the moon crescent appears from the naked eye. I gathered a table from Wikipedia presenting the start date and stop date of the season. I was thinking all along that Ramadan would be always in the month of August but i was found wrong upon learning that the lunar calendar goes 11 - 12 days shorter than that of the solar calendar. I reckon that this table verifies the fact that these were approximates:

(photo from Wikepedia)

This year, it happened that the official start of this holy season was August 11th. And as per the table, it would end this September 9.

Greetings to all the populace of Muslims around the world in celebration of Ramadan.






~mAc

Accident

Literally, a befalling; an event that takes place without one's foresight or expectation; an undesigned, sudden, and unexpected event; chance; contingency; often, an undesigned and unforeseen occurrence of an afflictive or unfortunate character; a casualty; a mishap; as, to die by an accident.

-Accident, as defined by BrainyQuote.com

It's been a week since the passing of that jerky accident where it ruined the newly drew-out SUV of my friend. I'm glad no one's hurt. Everyone is in proper shape and composure although i felt a surge of guilt on what happened to both of the vehicles.

So this uncomfortable mishap happened last Friday, July 30th, giving an aftermath of preventing us in attending an important event. (we had the first leg completed but on the second round, it turned out to be this way). I guess everything happens for a reason.  Let me rephrase that, I do believe everything happens for a reason.


My buddy is driving so smoothly and flawlessly without any tinge of braking, like i know and felt that we never slowed down. It's only that during our conversation, i was pressuring him to get into a faster pace. And upon saying those words, there you go...

A loud thud heard impacting me to jerk forward (though i was wearing my seatbelt); and lest we know, the unnecessary indeed came up!

It's an understatement to say that aside from the fact that the offender was left unscathed, everyone is cool. I got used in Manila where  shouting and rudeness would bark out from both parties. But here, we waited patiently for the policeman to arrive and make a report.

It would seem implausible to consider that only 4-5 exchanges of phrases and clauses happened between my friend and the unnamed Egyptian - who dislodged the SUV's behind (though he speaks English), i reckon that the guy focused mostly in reaching for the help of the authorities. I dialed 993 on my phone but the other party can't understand English and neither would i speak nor understand Arabic. Ending for the Egyptian driver to speak to the insurance company which in turn sent out for the policeman to accomplish a report of the accident.

Around 30- 45 minutes have passed when a car patrol came into view, took shots on both of the autos and silently internalizing the damage. (this is for real folks!, without interrogation at all). Neither he asked for how did it happen nor seek both parties for explanation. He went inside to his mobile car, drew out some papers and started filling out the forms in arabic after he has retrieved the licences of both including the insurance company of the offender. We waited patiently close by on his car's side. Then he opened the side window to let the papers be signed. Gave one copy each of both parties and he left off. A total of 10 minutes in finalizing the report. There were statements, no direct orders or whatsoever. (i'm sure he's not deaf or mute)

And here's the irony of it all. The report was written all in Arabic language. My friend and i just shrugged and we moved on our way home.

Here's a shot of my friend's SUV

... with the offender's frontal damage almost billowing the windshield of his Toyota Yaris.

Later this week, i learnt that my buddy claimed for a repair damage on his car against the insurance of the offender. His SUV unfortunately is under maintenance at this moment. Hopefully, it would be released sometime next week.

The accident has no drama, no hubbubs, no flaring emotions spilt over. Only the process of shedding objectivity to results and resolution. Somehow it created intense pressure unseen but it has passed so abruptly.





~mAc