Fight The Heat

The heat is on!

Welcome back to Lyndon Speaks!

It is summer time in the Philippines! And due to global warming, summer in the country has gotten hotter to the point that the capital city has reached an all-time high temperature of 35.5°C yesterday. The Department of Health has warned Filipinos and tourists of the threat heat stroke may bring.

Heat stroke is a condition where the body suffers from severe high temperature. With this heat that we are experiencing, it is possible to acquire this condition. Symptoms of heat stroke are severe headache, confusion, increase in breathing, and a high body temperature of 40°C or greater. Heat stroke may cause death.

Because of this, it is just right for everyone to combat the heat. Here are some tips:

Drink plenty of water.


We are taught to drink 8 glasses of water everyday. But with this heat, we should drink as much water as we need. Do not wait until you become thirsty. Always make sure that you are hydrated. Always bring with you a bottle of water where ever you go. Even if you are indoors, make sure to gulp as much water as you could. Every after an activity that you perform, make it a habit to drink. Water will surely keep you alive from this scorching heat.





Ice helps.


Besides from water, ice is your good friend during the summer. You could put an ice on your forehead when ever you feel that you are in heat. You can also put ice under your armpits to cool off your body temperature. If you do not have ice with you, you could always do a cold compress. You could also use your imagination and use what ever you have as cold compress. For instance, you could use a bottle, fill it with very cold water, and put it in your forehead or damp your whole body with it. Anything to cool off your body.







Always take a bath.


Taking a bath 2-3 times a day really helps in cooling down your body temperature. Take a bath like there is no tomorrow. Make sure to shower thoroughly. Bathe your entire body until you feel refreshed. You should also make it a practice to take a bath before going to sleep. This will help you relax from the day's stress and also will help your body cool off for the night. Of course, take a bath before going outside (to avoid heat stroke and for other sanitary purposes.. :p).





Wear what is in.


Put all your dark-colored and thick clothes in your closet. You would not be needing those in this heat. Wear something comfortable. Wear thin clothes. Light colors work. During summer time, less is in. You could walk at the runway wearing the least amount of clothing, it is summer! This is the time to flaunt your abs and show your curves. Flip flops are in. Make sure to wear clothes that can let your body breathe.










Short is HOT.


Want to be as hot as the summer? Maybe it is time to change your hairstyle. This is the best time to cut your hair short. Try something that will show your face during the heat of this summer. Besides from having a low maintenance hairstyle, you'll also feel cool in this summer time. An added bonus is that you'll turn on the heat on others' eyes in a good way.



Stay indoors.


If you have no where important to go to, just stay indoors. Relax. Have a cold drink. Read a book. Turn on the air conditioning or the electric fan. Switch off other heat-causing appliances. It will also be helpful if you would unplug them. You could also try opening the windows where the air will blow in to your house.







Window shop.


I'll not be telling you to spend your money on malls. Rather, you can spend some time window shopping or having a cool fruit juice on your favorite mall. Have your friends with you and spend some quality cool time with them.






Always bring you weapons.


Umbrella, sunglasses, sunscreen, cap, mini-fan: these are your trustworthy weapons in this time of extreme heat. Make sure that you equip yourself with the best weapons and do not forget to have them as minute as possible.







I know that there are a lot more things that you can do to avoid having heat stroke. Whatever they may be, make sure to follow them and take care of yourselves. Summer may be shiny and gay but it may also be deadly.

Enjoy the heat everyone!

Heat on!
~Lyndon Jason
 

Signs To Help You Fish Out The Unwanted Boss

It is the status quo that employees are being evaluated of their performance when entering on a company or during performance reviews. Let us now turn the tables and let me help you fish out the unwanted boss.

Welcome back to Lyndon Speaks!

Below are the signs that will show you how incompetent a leader is. These signs are taken from BadBossology.com. Full article is also found by following the link.

Incompetent leaders...

Delegate work rather than balance work load


This allows all attention to be diverted from them in case of failure.

Lyndon Speaks: A bad boss does not know how to allocate resources efficiently. This causes work to duplicate or sometimes this causes unnecessary efforts to be exerted.


Reduce all answers to Yes or No rather than explaining their reasoning


A yes/no manager finds it a waste of time to find the real answer through intellectual thought.

Lyndon Speaks: Leaders should be able to give reasonings to their answers in an instant. Incompetent bosses do not know how to think ahead of time.


Not separate personal life from professional life.


They will bring their personal problem to work.

Lyndon Speaks: Leaders who cannot put away their personal lives from their professional ones greatly affect the output of the team. You should keep away from this type of bosses because they may stress you in ways you'll never expect.





 Manage crisis.


If you are a company that has crisis managers, then you can say goodbye to innovation and progression.

Lyndon Speaks: Leaders, and those great ones, know how to be proactive and does not only manage crisis. They just do not rely on what others think and say but they find their ways to speak out what they say. If something is wrong, great leaders speak out for the welfare of their team.


Create an environment where mistakes are unacceptable


Being held accountable for wrong decisions is a fear for them. 

Lyndon Speaks: It is just normal to make mistakes. A bad leader always points out ones mistakes. A good leader turns mistakes into learnings and help the team realize the good within a failure.


Humiliate or reprimand an employee within a group


A good leader takes employee problems away from a group setting to a more private setting.

Lyndon Speaks: Never, and I say N-E-V-E-R, reprimand an employee directly within a group. You may have other intentions of doing so, but it is just common sense not to do it in front of others.

 Not stand behind subordinates when they fail


Never leave your people to hang out to dry.

Lyndon Speaks: A good leader should not only stand behind his team's back but should also know how to defend them well. An act of defending a team member is not in anyway good if not supported by a well-grounded reason.

Encourage hard workers not smart workers


Poor leaders miss this connection.

Lyndon Speaks: It is not about the quantity or the time one gives for his work, it is all about the quality of the output. Follow my previous post regarding this: Work Smarter




Judge people on hours not on performance


Bad managers will promote the employees that work the most hours and not look at the smart ones who work less……….meaning have better time management.

Lyndon Speaks: This is similar with the previous one. A performance is not based on the number of hours you render work, not by the number of over times you have, not by the number of extended hours you exert, but by the quality of work you have done.


 Act differently in front of their leaders


This is an indication of low self-confidence.

Lyndon Speaks: Bad and incompetent leaders do not know how to act in front of their leaders when in doubt. Good leaders should handle themselves well when in great amount of pressure from their bosses.







These signs sure helped me in fishing out the rotten apples from the bunch of leaders and bosses that I have. And I am very proud to say that I am very lucky to have met great leaders like my Test Director and Test Lead from way back.

I hope these also helped you find out the best among the rest.

'til next time.

Fish on!
~Lyndon Jason
 

Filipino Superstitious Beliefs on Holy Week

Welcome back to Lyndon Speaks.

This is the time of the year when every Catholic is in a prayer mood, when each member of the Catholic Church reflects on the sacrifice that the Lord Jesus made to save us. And as a country whose majority of its people are Catholic, the Philippines is ready to celebrate the life and death of Jesus Christ. This week is the Holy Week.

As Filipinos, it is part of our culture, since the time of our ancestors, to believe in superstitions. We have those for New Year, birthdays, weddings, and so much more. And of course, we also have some superstitious beliefs regarding the Holy Week. I know most of you can relate and most probably still believe in these superstitions. Here are some:

Decorating doors with palms (palaspas in Filipino)


Yesterday we have celebrated Palm Sunday. After the Holy Mass, where the palaspas are being blessed, Catholics go home and decorate their doors with the palaspas. I remember when mom was still here in the Philippines, right after the Palm Sunday Mass she always put the palaspas on our door, replacing the already brown one from last year. It is believed that once a palaspas is hung on your door it will ward off evil. It will protect your home and will not let evil to enter your house. How about that for an instant and low-cost anti-evil charm?!



Never take a bath on 3:00pm of Good Friday


"Jason, maligo ka na. Bawal nang maligo ng 3:00pm!" [Jason, take a bath. It is not allowed to do it once the clock strikes 3] - this is my mom reminding me every Good Friday to take a bath before 3:00pm. This is one of the most famous superstitions we Filipinos believe. They say that if you take a bath on Good Friday, evil will befall on you. I really do not know the real rationale behind this. Maybe this is the way of parents to have their children take their bath. Well, what ever the reason is, this has been Filipinos' practice during Good Friday.




Do not make unnecessary noises


One way to keep the Holy in Holy Week is the constant reminders of parent to their children to keep quiet during Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Black Saturday. Old people believe that noises will wake up monsters and take you. Hahaha! I know little children fall into this belief. But I guess oldies use this excuse to have their children behave and respect the Holy Week.




Monsters (aswang) are most powerful during Good Friday


One of the most believed superstitions during Holy Week are about the aswang (monsters). People believe that since Jesus died during Good Friday, all aswang will bring havoc to the world. They will have a lot of powers during Good Friday. So beware! LOL!


Wounds heal longer when acquired during Holy Week


One way of parents to keep their children from trouble during the Holy Week is by telling them that once you injure yourself during the week, the wounds will heal slower than usual. Have you fell into this?! Hahaha




Amulets (anting-anting) and charms are best empowered and renewed during Good Friday


For those believers of the powers of the amulets and charms, it is believed that the best day to empower and renew these magical items are during Good Friday. It is also luck if you find one on a cave during Good Friday. It is also believed that faith healers (albularyo) have so much power during Good Friday.Whoa! There's so much powere during that one day! =)


Traveling during Holy Week will bring you accidents


Beware travelers! It is believed that you will be into an accident once you travel during the Holy Week. Just stay home if you cherish your dear lives. Hahaha. Maybe this is just one of the reasons our families tell us so that we'll just stay at home and spend the days off together as one.





I know that there are many more superstitious beliefs out there regarding Holy Week. These are just some of the most popular.

But whatever beliefs we have, I hope that one thing still remains in our hearts and minds - that Holy Week is the time to remember what Jesus did for us. This is the time for reflection, a time for prayers!

May you all have a blessed one! 'til next time!

Believe on!
~Lyndon Jason
 

When To Say Enough Is Enough

I passed with flying colors! =)

Welcome back to Lyndon Speaks.

Half an hour passed and I still do not know how to start. Hahaha.

The article that I'll be sharing is from Yahoo! news written by Ashley Jacobs from Wise Bread. For the full article, click here.

Here's the news (excerpts from it), the culprit for my inability to a good introduction:

--------------------oOo--------------------

10 Signs It's Time To Quit Your Job

1. You Aren't Learning Anything New
"If you have stopped learning at work, it's time to find a job where you will learn new things and grow professionally."
2. You Never Have A Day When You Wake Up Excited To Go To Work
"If you wake up every day and dread going to work, it's time to consider quitting your job."
3. You Spend More Time Surfing The Web Than Doing Your Job
"If you are bored and surfing the web most of your work day, you may want to think about looking into job options where you'll get more stimulation and responsibilities."
4. You Don't Like Most Of Your Coworkers
"If you can't stand most of your coworkers, it's time to think about finding a company whose employees you mesh with better."
5. You Aren't Making Enough Money To Pay Your Bills
"Go find a job that pays what you deserve."
6. You Spend Time Looking For Other Jobs
"So keep looking for new jobs and as soon as you fin a good one, take it and run."
7. You Haven't Gotten A Raise In The Last Two Years
"If your boss hasn't given you a raise in the last two years, ask for one. If he or she says no, get out now."
8. Your Boss Sucks
"But if your boss sucks all the time and takes advantage of your time, it's time to find a new job."
9. The Company Isn't Doing Well
"However, if business is down to the point where it looks like the company is going to go under, start looking for a new job NOW!"
10. You Are Stressed All The Time
"If you spend most of your days stressed about everything that going on at work, you are not at the right job."
 --------------------oOo--------------------

I guess that's it for now. I still have to do some self-study to widen my knowledge, condition myself to get excited for tomorrow, save some websites on my phone, budget my money to pay my bills, read emails from my friend 'Lina', budget my time - that little time which remains on my day, analyze the trend, and find ways to manage stress. =)



'til next time!

Find on!
~Lyndon Jason

 

The Metro Manila Skyway

Let us all party party 'cause the long wait is finally over!

Welcome back to Lyndon Speaks!

12 years after the Metro Manila Skyway has operated, the sky-reaching road opened its arms to the southern-most part of the Metro. The Skyway Alabang entry/exit points are now open.

The Skyway is an elevated highway above the busy roads of the South Luzon Expressway [SLEX]. It offers motorists an easy and fast access from and to the heart of the Metro and its southern-lying cities.

Initially servicing Makati City, Pasay City and Paranaque City, the Skyway has now opened its doors for people on the southern-most end of the Metro - the Muntinlupa City. The Skyway recently opened its entry and exit ramps along SLEX-Muntinlupa and the Alabang South Station.

Undeniably, Skyway lessens, in great amount, the travel time from the Metro to its southern cities as well as to the southern provinces of the main island of the Philippines. With the addition of the new ramps, motorists will enjoy traveling to the south and explore more alluring places without ever thinking of the heavy traffic jams on their way. Motorists will also have a breath-taking view of the Metro from above.

News reported that Skyway is yet to expand their roads up north - connecting the North Luzon and South Luzon Expressways. This stage is still under planning. While waiting for it, let us just enjoy the benefits the current Skyway offers us.

To guide you, here is the list of all entry and exit ramps of the Metro Manila Skyway:

Alabang South Station (North Bound [NB]/South Bound [SB])
SLEX-Hillsborough [between Sucat and Alabang] (NB/SB)
Sucat along Dr. A. Santos Avenue (NB/SB)
Bicutan along Dona Soledad Avenue (NB/SB)
Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NB/SB)
Magallanes Exit (NB/SB)
Makati - Don Bosco St. (NB)
Makati - Amorsolo St. (NB)
Makati - Pasay Road (SB)
Makati - Buendia Ave. (NB/SB)

Take note that the San Martin de Porres temporary entry and exit ramps (NB/SB) located before Bicutan (NB) is now CLOSED.

Also, watch out for toll fee increases in two weeks time.


That's it!

Happy traveling!

Skyway on!
~Lyndon Jason

 

The Jake Marathon

I just realized - I had a Jake marathon yesterday!

Thanks for coming back to Lyndon Speaks!

Jake Gyllenhaal
  • Born Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal
  • December 19, 1980
  • American
  • Son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner
  • Younger brother of actress Maggie Gyllenhaal
And yesterday, without any plans of doing such, I watched three Jake Gyllenhaal movies. I suggest you watch them and see how good Jake is as an actor.

Morning: part of my DVD marathon - Brokeback Mountain

Jake plays Jack Twist. The critically acclaimed movie tells a story of two cowboys proving that love is indeed a force of nature. Although I have watched this several times, I will not get tired of watching this award-winning movie all over again.


Afternoon: movie day with Mariel - Source Code

Jake plays the role of the dying Colter Stevens. The mind-boggling movie is all about how one can travel back in time and acquire details to help save the present. Make every second count! I'll definitely wait this in DVD.


Evening: pay-TV premiere - Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Jake stars as Dastan, the adopted prince of Persia. Based from the popular computer game with the same title, the movie is set in Persia where Dastan must protect a magical dagger from the dark forces. I have watched this on the big screen last year and did not regret watching it last night. I'm thinking of buying the DVD so that I can watch it anytime I want.


That's it! I advise you to grab tickets for the movie Source Code and get original DVD copies of Brokeback Mountain and Prince of Persia.

Have a happy Jake marathon!

Jake on!
~Lyndon Jason

 

Source Code

How does it feel to relive the last 8 minutes of another person's life?

Enter the Source Code and welcome back to Lyndon Speaks!

I just got back home after watching the movie Source Code. I'll not get into the details as I do not want to spoil those who want to watch the movie. All I can say is that the story is unique (I may not know of other movies with similar story lines but I guess there are just a few.). You'll also definitely be hooked on the thrilling scenes this movie offers. The characters, both main and supporting, will nail you down on your seats and will constantly keep your brain working.

Source Code stars Prince of Persia's and Brokeback Mountain's Jake Gyllenhaal. The movie is now playing in theaters.

What are you waiting for, enter the Source Code and be amazed of what technology may give us in the not-so-distant future!

We cannot change what "was", just always remember that as long as there is an "is", no matter what time that "is" is on, we can change everything for a better "will be". Make every second count!

"Everything's gonna be okay!"




'til next time!

Source Code on!
~Lyndon Jason
 

Delivery: The 21st Century Style

Ready for an all new food delivery service experience?

Welcome back to Lyndon Speaks!

Food delivery has evolved from phone to internet/online delivery. But what makes this new online service so exciting most especially for people who are too lazy to go out and get something to satisfy their appetite (just like me!)?

New look - you'll just love to place orders over a more interactive and beautifully designed website.

Convenient - you'll find everything made easier: creating your own profile that contains your personal information (i.e. your address) which is automatically typed in whenever you place your orders, keying in your secondary address which saves you time during the order process, and a history of your orders and last transactions.

Fun - placing orders online hasn't been this interesting and fun: you can avatarize yourself and create an online you which makes you feel that you are still part of the ordering process.

Fixed delivery charge - Php40.00 for everything you order: it doesn't matter how many, how much, or how big your orders are.

24/7 - it doesn't matter when you get hungry, they are always there to serve you.

Fast - you'll never get hungry!

So where will you find all of these?

Only at McDelivery!

Drop by and try their new online delivery service! They are now just a click away - here!


What are you waiting for? Order now and experience delivery - the 21st century style!

Deliver on!
~Lyndon Jason

 

A Must Read

hadew74358jhh bdsfjgf jfdghg sabdjf. sbdjagsfdjaf.

WEJndskadsakdhf! Dsjksdadfnlkj

dnaksfhdjbf nsdfkjfh hfieuryei ffhdgsjdfak hfdghigirus fndshfdhsg hdfih hkf. shdkjahf dsbfjdbf dfeiuf jdfjskdv djfbdsf. dkajbfdf sdajkbasfhakfbas sadbfedhqi. asd safbaskbf dasldjoiwf djabfjhbadf.

adfklfjdk fj d kjsfjioe. nff78 hfieuwfy87ewf 89ewyfiuewhf ehiwhfefjkn dsnadhfeif. ndakfdhkabfbsdf kqwrjewf ndfhew.


dhjaskhdfagf sjdfhuetruewr87 dbsf7834 ebfhufhek fdhefuewgri23 fdsjhfkefahr ekwrhe3 fuhiewu8 fuhfiwerihude fhewr783rguehf. jdksahkfhdjkf dfbeuirewu dfbsdhf. djhgfeg fdsfuhweuif hfiu89r 743y5rbsk vnsdkjfhsh iy4ifbs.


dhsajkffgaksfdkasgf dfhweufhsdjk dbfjdsfgs.

I hope you enjoyed today's post!

Happy April Fools'!

Fools on!
~Lyndon Jason