Month: March 2015

A Dream is A Wish Your Heart Makes

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Been wanting to post this since it appeared on Disney channels on TV, but didn’t have the luxury of time. I know I’m late, but I’m posting anyway.

So, it’s now Rachelle Ann Go‘s turn to appear on Disney channels’ commercial with the song from one of my favorite Disney animations, A Dream is A Wish Your Heart Makes, from Cinderella. I’m not a fan of Rachell Ann, but I felt she sang this song perfectly! I kept looping the song for about two weeks on YouTube (that was exaggerated) as it was just lovely to hear. The way she pronounced every words in the song seems perfect (for my ear, at least). She has improved a lot, and I believe her experience with Miss Saigon really helped. Truly a good job, Rachelle. Admirable!

Listen here:

 

And because I love singing, I did a quick impromptu recording of the song as well. Haha. Excuse my English, please. I know it’s nowhere Rachelle’s.

A quick a capella of Cinderella’s A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes. Recorded using iPhone 5s’ Voice Memos app, with chant reading of the Passion of Christ in the background (if heard). It’s Holy Week!

Em Dangla ver 1

First Redesign

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Thanks to weekends when I usually find some time to work on personal and school stuff. I was able to quickly redesign my website with the help of some paid stock illustrations. Yes, I didn’t do the illustrations on the background and header image. I don’t have time for that right now and I still have some school work to take advantage of doing this weekend. The previous black/dark design I recovered from my old blog doesn’t represent me (or my personality) at all now thus the current change as well. Maybe the lighter design now speaks more about enthusiasm, cheerfulness, high hopes and positivity.

I wasn’t able to take a screenshot of the old design, but here’s the design as of March 2015:

Em Dangla ver 1

Em Dangla ver 1

Snatching in Manila

Snatching in Manila

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I was on my way home earlier today from my evening class in UST when my guy seatmate inside the jeepney had his head cap snatched by someone outside the jeepney. It was across SM San Lazaro around 9:20pm. At the same time the snatching happened, I was holding my iPhone. I felt lucky it wasn’t me. At the same time, it seemed absurd that a simple cap will be snatched! The guy beside me was with his girlfriend, and it took him some time if he’ll let his cap be gone, or follow the snatcher. He ended up deciding to follow the snatcher… with his girlfriend. Oh, why is that?

  • Was it the man’s ego? “Oh, my girl friend is with me. I should show her I’m man enough to fight for my cap.”
  • Was it the cap’s value? “This cap costs too much! It’s original!” or “My girlfriend gave this to me. It’s very important.”
  • Was it to give the snatcher some lesson? “F*ck you! I’m not letting you go of what you did. I’m fighting back for my rights as an owner of this cap, and I’m not letting you go without learning some lesson about good morals and right conduct.”

But really, it’s not about the guy’s reason on deciding to follow the snatcher. It’s about the snatcher’s reason on having to snatch a… cap. Common things I know these snatchers aim are gadgets, jewelries and bags (when they assume the bag has loads of money). But what could be a good reason for snatchers on having to target a cap? Was that a practice for the real snatching target? Eh. Crazy.

Personally, I’ve experienced being snatched in Manila area already. First one was back in my elementary days. I was wearing a dangling gold earrings my father gave me from Saudi. I was on my way to school. As I hop inside the jeepney, I felt someone lightly touched my earrings. As I sat inside, I wondered who was that. I actually even felt maybe it’s a friend who’s trying to kid me. But then, I realized, I no longer have my earrings with me. No one noticed. Neither I didn’t feel. From then on, I stopped wearing jewelries, and has not become a fan of jewelries ever since the incident happened. This happened in Peñalosa Street in Tondo, Manila. The corner of that street and Nicodemus Street is a stop over of jeepneys so until now, it’s a place I keep on coming back. It’s a memorable place indeed.

Second experience was when I was on my way home from school. It was still Mapua Institute of Technology – High School in Doroteo Jose Street in Sta. Cruz, Manila during that time. I was waiting for a jeepney as I stand along Rizal Avenue just near the same Dorote Jose Street when I felt my backpack’s zipper moving. I looked behind me and I saw that someone was startled for me looking. The guy who was around 13 to 18 years old looked down, which I did as well, and I saw my PHP 100 on the floor. The guy ran away in an attempt to escape. Then, I picked my money on the floor. I’m not sure if anyone saw what happened, but I felt lucky during that time. I was glad there was no knife or gun that was pointed on me. I then took my best to immediately ride a jeepney to home.

Well, it just so happened that I’m living in Manila, but snatching can happen everywhere.

I think these are some important things to take note to avoid getting snatched when commuting in Manila:

  • Put your bag in front of you
  • Avoid using your phone in public places
  • Avoid wearing jewelries in public places
  • Just bring enough cash that you’ll use for the day (will help you save too)
  • Stay alert
  • Never trust anybody you don’t know
  • Pray that you will be safe
  • ..and be thankful that you are
blue and black or white and gold dress featured image

The Controversial Optical Illustration Dress

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I never thought I’d post something about this controversial “blue and black” or “white and gold” dress that became popular over the Internet. Some people say that they see colors “blue and black” while another group says they see “white and gold.”

blue and black or white and gold dress

Blue and black or white and gold dress, the controversial optical illusion dress

Just speaking of the photo above (i.e., not the dress seeing in person or in actual), I saw “white and gold” the first time I encountered the photo of this dress, and I wondered why some people would insist on seeing this dress as “blue and black.” Were they lying? I didn’t really know and didn’t make further research, but random explanations appeared on my personal Facebook’s news feed.

Interestingly, these past few days, I saw the same photo of the dress again, but as “blue and black.” I was quite startled, because I was originally firm that the dress is “white and gold.” Until I saw another video that explained why:

The first time I saw the dress on that particular video, I was firm to seeing “blue and black” while my eyes focused on it. But as I progressed and understood the explanation behind it, I slowly saw “white and gold” again! I doubted myself so I repeated the video. And even though I know and I was sure that I saw “black and blue” on the video, I just keep on seeing “white and gold” again now when I focus my eyes on the dress. Interestingly as well, when I don’t focus my eyes on the dress, I see it as “blue and black.” Mind-boggling, really. But besides all the scientific explanations about the photo, I guess it has something to do with the current state of mind you have (like if you’re currently relaxed or stressed), or how you want to see things. Similar to the popular “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Then again, I’m not really sure.

When I see this photo of the dress again as “blue and black” while my eyes is focused on it, I’ll have to observe my state of mind and update here my observations.

On other note, if we speak about the dress in actuality (i.e., see the dress in person), BBC’s David Sillito, with the help of professor John Barbur, noted that the dress is actually blue and black. Changing the exposure, changing the color balance will make the dress appear to be color “white and gold.” See the video here: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-31666458

Personality Test using Johari and Nohari Windows

Personality Test

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Personality Test using Johari and Nohari Windows

10 years ago, in year 2005, I created myself Johari and Nohari windows where I am able to be aware of my positive and negative personalities that are (1) both perceived by myself and others, (2) not perceived by myself, but perceived by others, (3) perceived by myself, but not perceived by others, and (4) both not perceived by myself and others.

I think it’s been 5 years already since someone last contributed to my personality windows. I wonder what results I will get now if I share this again to my old and new friends.

I think the results is a fun and interesting way to check how others see you so you can maybe fix yourself for the betterment. Haha.

If you’re curious how this work, visit the links below.

For Johari Window, you basically just have to describe yourself in 5-6 words from the selection. Choose the top 5-6 words that describes you best. The words in the list are positive: http://kevan.org/johari

For Nohari Window, it’s the opposite as this one presents antonyms of the words presented in Johari Window: http://kevan.org/nohari

So I shared my windows to my friends on Facebook to see if I’ll get any new results. Meanwhile, below was the last data I gathered back in 2005-2010:

My Johari Window 2005-2010:

Arena

(known to self and others)

accepting, caring, cheerful, friendly, loving, religious

Blind Spot

(known only to others)

able, adaptable, brave, calm, clever, complex, confident, dependable, dignified, energetic, extroverted, giving, happy, helpful, idealistic, independent, intelligent, introverted, kind, knowledgeable, logical, mature, modest, nervous, observant, organised, powerful, proud, quiet, reflective, relaxed, responsive, self-assertive, self-conscious, sensible, sentimental, shy, silly, spontaneous, tense, trustworthy, warm, wise, witty

Façade

(known only to self)

Unknown

(known to nobody)

bold, ingenious, patient, searching, sympathetic

Dominant Traits

56% of people agree that EmDangla is friendly

All Percentages

able (6%) accepting (4%) adaptable (2%) bold (0%) brave (6%) calm (6%) caring (4%) cheerful (28%) clever (13%) complex (6%) confident (34%) dependable (10%) dignified (2%) energetic (8%) extroverted (2%) friendly (56%) giving (6%) happy (26%) helpful (23%) idealistic (6%) independent (8%) ingenious (0%) intelligent (41%) introverted (2%) kind (26%) knowledgeable (23%) logical (6%) loving (10%) mature (15%) modest (10%) nervous (2%) observant (6%) organised (21%) patient (0%) powerful (2%) proud (6%) quiet (15%) reflective (4%) relaxed (4%) religious (4%) responsive (8%) searching (0%) self-assertive (8%) self-conscious (6%) sensible (8%) sentimental (6%) shy (6%) silly (6%) spontaneous (6%) sympathetic (0%) tense (4%) trustworthy (10%) warm (10%) wise (2%) witty (8%)

Created by the Interactive Johari Window on 5.3.2015, using data from 46 respondents.
You can make your own Johari Window.

My Nohari Window 2005-2010:

Arena

(known to self and others)

incompetent, stupid, simple, insecure, vulgar

Blind Spot

(known only to others)

intolerant, inflexible, timid, violent, aloof, glum, irresponsible, withdrawn, unhappy, unhelpful, cynical, needy, unimaginative, brash, cruel, irrational, distant, childish, boastful, chaotic, impatient, weak, embarrassed, loud, panicky, insensitive, self-satisfied, passive, smug, rash, overdramatic, predictable, inattentive, foolish, humourless

Façade

(known only to self)

selfish

Unknown

(known to nobody)

cowardly, lethargic, hostile, inane, ignorant, blasé, imperceptive, vacuous, unethical, dispassionate, dull, callous, unreliable, cold

All Percentages

incompetent (6%) intolerant (6%) inflexible (13%) timid (6%) cowardly (0%) violent (6%) aloof (26%) glum (13%) stupid (20%) simple (33%) insecure (13%) irresponsible (6%) vulgar (13%) lethargic (0%) withdrawn (6%) hostile (0%) selfish (0%) unhappy (13%) unhelpful (6%) cynical (6%) needy (6%) unimaginative (13%) inane (0%) brash (6%) cruel (6%) ignorant (0%) irrational (6%) distant (6%) childish (46%) boastful (13%) blasé (0%) imperceptive (0%) chaotic (33%) impatient (20%) weak (6%) embarrassed (20%) loud (6%) vacuous (0%) panicky (40%) unethical (0%) insensitive (13%) self-satisfied (6%) passive (6%) smug (6%) rash (6%) dispassionate (0%) overdramatic (20%) dull (0%) predictable (20%) callous (0%) inattentive (6%) unreliable (0%) cold (0%) foolish (6%) humourless (6%)

Created by the Nohari Window on 5.3.2015, using data from 15 respondents.
You can make your own Nohari Window.

Feel free to create one for yourself and share the links to your windows to your friends.

I just hope that Kevan.org allowed editing of the Arena spot as I believe some personalities I perceive by myself have changed already. LOL. But thank you, Kevan Davis, for keeping these Johari and Nohari Window tools still alive, and for keeping our data.