Marinduque, Heart of the Philippines and My Island Paradise,Here We Come!
Marinduque Mainland from Tres Reyes Islands
View of Marinduque Mainland from Tres Reyes Islands-Click on photo to link to Chateau Du Mer
WELCOME TO MY SITE AND HAVE A GOOD DAY
If this is your first time in this site, welcome. It has been my dream that my province, Marinduque, Philippines becomes a world tourist destination not only during Easter Week but also whole year round. You can help me achieve my dream by telling your friends about this site. The photo above is your own private beach at The Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort. The sand is not as white as Boracay, but it is only a few steps from your front yard and away from the mayhem and crowds of Boracay. I have posted some of my favorite Filipino and American dishes and recipes on this site also. Some of the photos and videos on this site, I do not own. However, I have no intention on infringement of your copyrights. Cheers!
In my latest article/posting, I discussed some tips to consider when purchasing an automatic mahjong table. This
was inspired when when my Pinay Home Care Aide informed me that every
month as part of her entertainment, she plays automatic mahjong in the
residence of a friend ( another retired Pinay) a few minutes away from
my house. This activity is also part socialization and part gambling. The last time she played she lost $200 after playing for 8 hours. I advise her to adhere to a monthly budget for this activity.
This
incident reminded me of my younger years in the Philippines. At that
time automatic mahjong tables had not been invented/manufactured. But
playing mahjong in people's private residences as a gambling activity
was a very popular activity as there are no public parlors for gambling
at that time.
My aide information on this activity did not
surprised me. Knowing that mahjong could be addictive I now believe that
this is becoming popular in Filipino-American Homes specially for
Seniors and Retirees here in the US.
The host of this mahjong parties may make a little money from the TONGs (
contributions/payment/donation) from patrons of the game. During my
childhood years in the Philippines, I remember that the tongs varies
from 5 to 10% of the winnings of the player per game. Here in Sacramento
my aide informed me that the tongs is calculated based on the amount of
the winnings of the player and a little bit complicated depending on
the complexity of the game won.
Part of the TONGS is spent for the
food and drinks provided by the Host to the Players. The rest of the
tongs is income for the host. My aide informed me that her friend hosted
automatic mahjong games three times a week from 11AM to 9PM. A few of
the mahjong players have jobs, so scheduling is flexible. Bets are as
low starting at $2/4 per game or as high as your budget allows.
Here are more tips if you are really serious in buying an automatic mahjong table.
An Automatic Mahjong Table works by using magnetism. The table contains 4
powerful magnets which influence the magnets inside of the Mahjong
tiles. By using magnetism we can establish which side of the tile will
be facing up. This is accomplished by installing the magnets inside the
tiles with their poles facing in the same direction of the magnets
inside of the table. This will cause the magnets to repel and turn onto
the side where the tile numbers are not seen. We also use the magnets to
load the tiles onto a small conveyor belt to be distributed to each
wall. We then use sensors to count how many tiles will load onto each
wall and distribute the remaining tiles to the other walls where needed.
This process is repeated every time a new game is played.
Last Monday my home care aide (A Pinay) was 30 minutes late.
I was worried as she was always on time even 5 minutes early. She told
me she overslept. Later on she volunteered the reason why she overslept
was the fact that she played automatic mahjong in her friend's
house up to 2AM. Because it was late she did not go home and slept on
her friend's couch. Her Friend's house is only 5 minutes away from me.
Her own residence ( son's house) is 25 minutes away. I was curious about
automatic mahjong table so I did some search here's what I found.
The automatic mahjong table cost varies from the cheapest model of $300 to the most expensive model-$50,000.00. The one I like is described below and can be purchased from Amazon.
下单后您会收到一封确认邮件,请及时回复以便我们尽快发货,谢谢您的理解!You
will receive a confirm message from seller, please reply it so that we
can ship your order ASAP. Thank you for your understanding!
驰名品牌松乐,品质有保障。Tabletop Dimensions: 39′′ x 39′′ x 30.5" high from floor to
tabletop Weight: 220 lb Cable:110v, Length: 5 feet long The folding
table automatically shuffle tiles and push a button to roll the dice and
start playing in 3 seconds! Comes 2 sets of 144pcs 44mm (43mm x 32mm x
22mm) large size magnetic tiles plus 8 blank tiles. 超大手感牌
Never use
MAGNETIC CHIPS! They will cause table breakdowns!We will provide the
foldable table assembly instruction and Mahjong Table Convertible Modes
electronic document Never use MAGNETIC CHIPS! They will cause table
breakdowns!
Contemporary Pedestal Automatic Mahjong Table comes 2 sets
of magnetic tiles 144 tiles (1 Blue & 1 Green) The table can be used
not only with Chinese mahjong set, but also Philippine style, India
style...etc, but please double check the tiles picture and make sure
that is what you play, usually not for American mahjong style.
You can
easily switch the modes on the table according to your preference
: )
Example: Switch the code to "01" --- when playing 144 tiles (Traditional
Chinese Mahjong ) Switch the code to "01" --- when playing 144 tiles.
Tabletop dimensions: 38′′ x 38′′ 30.5" high from floor to tabletop
Weight: 220 lb Cable:110v, Length: 5 feet long High quality table motor
was designed by SOLOR Inc. and with the corporation of Panasonic team.
The tiles are pretty and it's nice to have the numbers on the Chinese
character tiles. Tiles were made of melanmine. 144 tiles Full Size
Mahjong Set unfold dimensions: 110 cm x 101 cm x 77 cm Package included 1
automatic mahjong table + 2 sets of magnetic tiles 144 tiles (1 Blue
& 1 Green)
Here's a video of how the automatic mahjong table works.
"Suicide isn’t something anyone likes to talk
about. Yet it is a serious and devastating occurrence in America and
throughout the world. Whether the person having these thoughts of
self-harm and ending it all is you, or a loved one, family member,
friend, or co-worker, suicidal ideation and behavior are a desperate cry
for help. Often, therapy from a professional suicidal therapist can
make a profound difference in relieving suicidal thoughts.
How Common are Suicidal Thoughts?
Individuals with psychiatric disorders, particularly bipolar disorder,
depression, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and
substance abuse are at higher risk of suicide. So, too, are those with anxiety disorders,
especially severe anxiety. Veterans and military personnel, members of
the LGBTQ community, and white men ages 44-64 and 85 and older are also
more impacted by suicide.
A fact sheet from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
shows that 12 million Americans had suicidal thoughts, and about 1.4
million tried to carry out those suicidal ideations. Among those whose
death resulted from suicide, men were 3.63 times more likely than women
to end their lives. Women, however, attempted suicide 1.66 times more
than men. Tragically, in 90 percent of the suicide deaths, the
individuals had a diagnosable mental health disorder or condition.
Therapy for Suicidal Thoughts is Not a One-Size-Fits-All Approach
When considering therapies that can relieve suicidal thoughts, it’s
important to recognize that there’s no single approach that’s
universally effective. Different treatments have different efficacy for
different disorders. Someone with treatment-resistant depression who’s
experiencing chronic suicidal thoughts may benefit more from certain
types of suicidal therapy than someone who’s thought about suicide after
losing a loved one or feels hopeless following a lengthy illness or
terminal diagnosis.
A suicide-specific form of psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy for
suicide prevention (CT-SP) has shown impressive results in reducing
suicidal thoughts and repeat suicide attempts, reducing depressive
symptoms, and increasing hope. A primary treatment focus is reducing
suicide risk factors and increasing coping skills. Central to the
therapy is the tenet that the individual will continue to have stressors
and problems, but armed with effective coping skills, they’ll no longer
be automatically triggered to suicidal behavior.
This form of suicidal therapy includes a strategy for relapse
prevention and making use of a hope kit to help prevent subsequent
suicidal behavior.
2. Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Suicidal Ideation
For someone experiencing chronic suicidal thoughts, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is
an effective therapy to reduce suicidal attempts and ideation.
Individuals suffering from a borderline personality disorder, for
example, not only need therapy for suicidal ideation that can help
ensure their safety, but they also need to learn new skills and access
resources that can lessen the fixation with suicide.
Chronic suicidality isn’t something that a person can tell themselves
to stop thinking about. It’s become a habit, a deeply ingrained
fallback that they revert to. While someone can’t control what they
think, they can learn how to better respond to the thoughts that come to
them. That’s where DBT can help. The suicidal therapist and other
suicide counselors provide the therapy. This type of therapy has been described as CBT that’s combined with Zen Buddhist principles.
Rather than fixate on suicidal thoughts, with DBT suicidal therapy
the person can master detachment that helps them look at the thoughts
from afar with a kind of curiosity. It’s like standing beside it and
looking without being involved in the thought. They’re better able to
objectively say that’s not them talking, it’s their depression, PTSD,
stress, or other condition that’s speaking.
Key aspects of DBT suicidal therapy are skills training in group
and individual psychotherapy, skills strengthening and addressing
motivational barriers, and skills application in daily life in concert
with regular phone calls to the suicidal therapist.
3. Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality
Called CAMS for short, collaborative assessment and management of
suicidality is a suicide-specific intervention that makes use of a range
of clinical techniques and theoretical orientations. CAMS helps in
suicidal therapy to understand the individual’s suicidality. This leads
to the suicidal therapist designing a treatment plan that’s specific to
suicide. The emphasis is on identifying and treating suicidal drivers
and developing a stabilization plan for outpatient use.
4. Neurotherapy
Neurotherapy is
an innovative treatment approach for people with conditions that
include depression, substance abuse, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, and other mental
health disorders. Neurostimulation therapies include
biofeedback, vibrational, and electrical stimulation approaches that
help in the brain’s neural repair process. They may also work to help
reduce symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, withdrawal,
cravings, and difficulties with attention and memory, among others.
Specific neurostimulation therapies, some of which have been studied
for their therapeutic value and effectiveness in reducing suicidal
thoughts include:
Research into the effectiveness of various seizure therapies and non-invasive brain stimulation techniques finds that some are more effective than others in reducing suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
Researchers looked at studies of these therapies as a key intervention
for suicidality. Seizure therapies included electroconvulsive therapy
(ECT), and magnetic seizure therapy (MST). Among the non-invasive brain
stimulation techniques were transcranial direct current stimulation
(tDCS), repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), and cranial
electrostimulation (CES).
Researchers suggested that tDCS in combination with sertraline or
other pharmacotherapy might be the best suicidal therapy for those with
depression. They support the recommendation of using ECT for acute
suicidal ideation. Overall, they conclude that combination therapy is a
better approach to achieving a sustained and quicker reduction in
suicide.
Although not a primary intervention for reducing suicidal thoughts,
physical activity, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness are proven
therapies that help individuals with depression and other mental health
disorders cope with recurring or chronic suicidal ideation and
behaviors. As such, these therapies should be utilized as adjunctive
approaches, with counseling and other psychiatric modalities the main
interventions ".
Are You Having Suicidal Thoughts?
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, have recently thought
about suicide, talked about it, or if you are currently thinking about
suicide, this isn’t an issue to tackle on your own. Please seek
immediate help by calling 911, a local emergency phone number or crisis
hotline, or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255).
I
have a close relative taking both an acne treatment drug ( accutane) as
well as an anti-depressant. Both accutane and most anti-depressants are
link to suicidal ideation as one of the side effects.
Thus
this blog is my search on some common medications which have been
linked to suicidal ideation as a dangerous side effect. If you know of
someone taking medications as listed below, consult immediately your
physician if your love one shows some symptoms of suicidal thoughts.
I hope you find this blog helpful and informative.
Medications With Suicide Risks: What You Need to Know
Drugs may have any number of dangerous side effects, including an
increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior. For instance, some
drugs used to treat other conditions, including some antidepressants,
acne treatment and smoking cessation medications, have been linked to
suicidal thoughts.
Doctors and pharmacists have a responsibility to be aware and notify
patients of any potential side effects of the medications they prescribe
and dispense. Moreover, medical professionals and caregivers need to
appropriately monitor and check in with the people under their care who
are taking medications with these risks. Otherwise, these already
vulnerable patients are at extreme risk of dying by suicide.
If you or a loved one has experienced suicidal thoughts or attempted
suicide after taking a medication, seek medical assistance immediately.
It is important to call your doctor right away if you or a loved one has
experienced any unusual mood changes or changes in behavior after
taking a drug. If you lost a loved one by suicide, talk to an
experienced attorney to learn about your rights. Call 214-618-8222.
A List of Medications That Have Been Linked to Suicidal Thoughts of Behavior
The following are some of the brand names of drugs that have been linked to suicidal thoughts or behavior:
The following are some of the signs that a drug may be leading to suicidal thoughts:
Worsening depression
Anxiety
Restlessness
Trouble sleeping
Panic attacks
Anger
Irritability
Agitation
Aggression
Dangerous impulses or violence
Extreme increases in activity or talking
Doctors are advised to monitor patients being treated with
anti-epileptic drugs for the emergence or worsening of depression,
suicidal thoughts or behavior, or any unusual changes in mood or
behavior. Doctors and other Prescribers should also alert the patient's
family members, after obtaining permission from the patient to do so, of
signs indicating possible suicide risk. Failures to properly monitor
and alert family members of risk are failures which can lead to a
suicide attempt. Patients also should not change their treatment without
first talking to their doctor.
Meanwhile enjoy these 4 photos of Macrine(RIP) and I in our younger years.
The
photos were taken at Los Angeles, Vancouver, Chicago and Washington DC
respectively during the Annual Marinduque Associations Dinner Dances
except for the bottom picture( MACA ) Marinduque Association of the
Capital Are) Christmas Caroling Group).
Are you a Jeopardy Fan? I am and the recent Tournament Of Champions Series prompted me to write this post.
One of the Questions on Jeopardy-Person who escaped from the Russian KGB after a performance in Toronto, Canada?
Analysis of His Dancing Abilities-
I
was watching Jeopardy several months ago. One of the question: who was
the person who run away(escaped) after a stage performance in Toronto
pursued by the Russian KGB. The answer was Mikhail Baryshnikov. This
aroused my interest and thus this article on this most celebrated ballet
dancer in the world( from Wikipedia).
" On June 29, 1974, in Toronto while on tour with the Bolshoi, Baryshnikov defected, requesting political asylum in Canada. He then joined the National Ballet of Canada for a brief time in a guest role. He also announced that he would not return to the USSR. He later said
that Christina Berlin, an American friend, helped engineer his defection
during his 1970 tour of London".
Mikhail Nikolayevich Baryshnikov (Russian: Михаи́л Никола́евич Бары́шников, IPA: [mʲɪxɐˈil bɐ'rɨʂnʲɪkəf]; Latvian: Mihails Barišņikovs; born January 28, 1948) is a Soviet Latvian-born Russian-American dancer, choreographer, and actor. He was the preeminent male classical dancer of the 1970s and 1980s. He subsequently became a noted dance director.
Born in Riga, Latvian SSR, Baryshnikov had a promising start in the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad before defecting to Canada in 1974 for more opportunities in Western dance. After dancing with American Ballet Theatre, he joined the New York City Ballet as a principal dancer for one season to learn George Balanchine's
neoclassical Russian style of movement. He then returned to the
American Ballet Theatre, where he later became artistic director.
Baryshnikov has spearheaded many of his own artistic projects and has
been associated in particular with promoting modern dance, premiering dozens of new works, including many of his own.
His success as a dramatic actor on stage, cinema and television has
helped him become probably the most widely recognized contemporary
ballet dancer. Baryshnikov has never returned to Russia since his 1974
defection and has been a naturalized citizen of the United States since 1986. In 2017, the Republic of Latvia granted Baryshnikov citizenship for extraordinary merits.
The other day, Carlos Avila( Macrine's nephew) posted on his Face Book a trio arrangement of Grand Pas de Deux
for piano, violin and viola that I enjoyed very much. I have replayed
it a number of times the last couple of days as it reminded me of our
younger years when Macrine (RIP) and I attended Ballet( Nutcracker
Suite/Swan Lake) and Concerts here in the US( Chicago, Kansas City,
Washington DC and San Francisco) .
Orchestral Rendition-Grand Pas de Deux-Nutcracker- Tchaikovsky-Gergiev
If you are not familiar with the term here's a summary from Wikipedia.
In ballet, a pas de deux[pɑ d(ə) dø] (French, literally "step of two") is a dance duet in which two dancers, typically a male and a female, perform ballet steps together. The pas de deux is characteristic of classical ballet and can be found in many well-known ballets, including Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and Giselle. It is most often performed by a male and a female (a danseur and a ballerina) though there are exceptions, such as in the film White Nights, in which a pas de deux is performed by Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines.
A grand pas de deux is a structured pas de deux that typically has five parts, consisting of an entrée (introduction), an adagio, two variations (a solo for each dancer), and a coda (conclusion). It is effectively a suite of dances that share a common theme, often
symbolic of a love story or the partnership inherent in love, with the
dancers portraying expressions of affectionate feelings and thoughts
between romantic partners. It is often considered to be the pièce de résistance and bravura highlight of a ballet and is usually performed by a leading pair of principal dancers.
Entrée
A
grand pas de deux usually begins with an entrée (literally "entrance"),
which serves as a short prelude to and also unequivocally denotes the
beginning of the dance suite. During the entrée, the dancers first
appear on the stage
and, typically with great pageantry, acknowledge each other and
position themselves near each other in preparation for the subsequent
adagio. Depending on the choreography, the ballerina and danseur may enter the stage simultaneously or at different times.
Adagio
The adagio or adage (meaning "slowly") part of a grand pas de deux features graceful and elaborate partnering
by the dancing pair. In the adagio, the ballerina performs elegant,
often slow and sustained movements while the danseur supports her. The
danseur, in turn, strives to maintain a display of poise and seemingly
effortless strength while providing support for the ballerina. The
danseur may support the ballerina in a variety of common ways, including
lifting her, holding and steadying her during turns, and offering a steady arm or hand for her to use as a "virtual barre"
when she performs balancing feats that would be difficult or impossible
without assistance. Because of this support the adagio is sometimes
called supported adagio.
Meanwhile enjoy this photo of my Christmas Capiz Parol from the Philippines
