There's something similar about the tensions of a twelve o'clock lunch crowd, and a row of closed daisies, waiting to bloom. You can see that both are queuing for something; there is a restlessness in their still focus on the present.

Then, when the diners have their meals and sit at the groups of tables outside, there is a rhythm to the eating, the drinking and the pausing. Just as the first rays of sun start to warm the outsides of the petals, each bit of nourishment soaks their insides; the hydraulic-like depression pulls the tensions away, and blooms ensue.

The diners sit back in their chairs and begin to carry on conversations again, their quirks and distinguishing marks making them individuals. The flowers, too, are suddenly unique characters, where they were once simply a mark in a carpet of flower beds. The bees take time with each one.

Anyway, after running a game, I started messing with that 10%, because it had just 'critted' me several times in a row, and that wasn't the tension I was after, so I bumped it down to five.

It was then that I realised I was screwing around with tension. Just like those illusionist GMs who want to give the impression a TPK is possible (for the tension it gives), but not make it so evident that it can indeed actually happen (oooh, I read one of these guys on the D&D board just yesterday - I should have recorded the link? Or would that be sad?).

Anyway, I was essentially doing the same thing - adjusting the tension of play.

But that's not fair, because you can lose in my little game. It's not just the impression of being able to lose - it is there.

There's something more to this - it isn't just that the illusionist GM is trying to just fake a certain level of tension. I was adjusting tension in my game - you can adjust tension in a game with a win/lose condition, and you can adjust tension in a illusionist game...both tension adjustings are the same in either case. I wonder what that something more is? I thought it was the emotional betrayal...someone makes you feel tense about an outcome, when really that outcome is fixed and no tension is warranted. Hmmm....

La mayoría de las personas no saben relajarse. Muchos incluso creen erróneamente que la relajación es el subproducto de alguna actividad placentera (salir de fiesta o a cenar con los amigos, ver la televisión tumbado en el sofá, etc.) Las actividades placenteras pueden producir algún grado de relajación, pero no el suficiente.

La relajación es una habilidad aprendida, y como tal, requiere de una práctica constante para mantenerse. La relajación actúa en la persona en cinco niveles distintos: muscular, nervioso, emocional, mental, y espiritual. Estos niveles no están separados, sino que interactúan entre ellos de muchas maneras. La práctica del Systema aporta múltiples beneficios de salud derivados de armonizar los mencionados niveles, además de preparar al individuo para afrontar las situaciones de stress. Mediante técnicas combinadas de respiración y relajación el practicante toma conciencia de la tensión en su cuerpo, para después eliminarla. En posteriores posts se profundizará sobre estas cuestiones.

Awareness

Awareness comes from both developing an understanding of how the body, or the hip joint in this case, works (which we've already talked about in Part I) and adjusting or bringing attention to the way you think as a result of this understanding. The number one problem for students struggling with turnout is that often they are thinking about what they see happening to the pelvis rather than what is occurring in the joint. Teachers can help their students develop x-ray vision by discussing the actions of the joint in anatomical terms.  Many students do not even have a clear picture of how their bones and muscles look so keep in mind that diagrams can be very helpful.  Of course, accuracy with terminology is great also, but what students really need to understand are the concepts behind what the bones and muscles are doing. This is far more helpful than talking about visual imperfections like "lifting hips" which occur when students are not properly using their turnout. Consider using mental imagery to aid in this kinesthetic understanding. For instance, in her article Turnout is a Verb, Linda Kjesbu suggests imagining the quadriceps "as you would a barber shop pole that continually rotates up and out, around the leg." This image hints at the idea of upward lengthening and outward rotation of the whole leg - a different picture and feeling all together than opening the feet like a book or in the shape of a slice of pizza, which is only what we see happening on the outside.

In Conditioning for Dance, Eric Franklin uses the image of the pelvic floor opening like a fan in turnout.  With this tool one can visualize that the sitz bones come together as the femurs open away from each other. Attention is drawn to a very important portion of the body - the base of the centre - which will help students begin to harness the power of the pelvis in jumping, leaping, and other movements.

In addition to imagery, tactile information (sense of touch) can also be extremely helpful for a dancer. Encourage students to find bony landmarks on themselves and one another. Find ways to isolate certain muscles through manipulation and touch while encouraging the use of mental pictures. Again, I will highly recommend Conditioning for Dance as a wonderful reference for this type of sensory learning.  You will also find a variety exercises with bands and balls targeting specific areas of the body. For an in-depth understanding and analysis of joint and muscle actions, I constantly refer to Sally Fitt's Dance Kinesiology. These make excellent additions to a teacher's dance library.

Release

Too much tension in the musculature around the hip joint is often responsible for limiting the degree of turnout. Therefore, releasing that tension is key if you'd like to improve outward (and inward) rotation. Tight inward rotators inhibit outward rotation and visa versa. Dancers have varying methods which they use to accomplish release in the hips. Some use passive and lengthening stretches and others utilize props like balls to facilitate an opening within the joint.

A common stretch for the inward rotators is the prone (face-down) frog. In this stretch it important to avoid

forcing or pushing the turnout of the hips because doing so can damage the tissues and ligaments surrounding and leading from the hip. A more gentle and effective version of the frog can be done either sitting or lying supine (face-up). While sitting, place the feet together and hands just below and outside the bent knees. Push the knees outward against the force of hands which are pushing inward. Hold this for about 20-30 seconds, then release, opening the knees wide and stretching the inward rotators. While lying, point both knees to the ceiling. Open one knee toward the floor and press down with this leg, lifting the thigh, hips and lower spine off the floor. Maintain this press and lift the opposite leg off the floor so that only the rotated leg and the shoulders are supporting the body. Hold this for 20-30 seconds (breathe!) and then release and lie with both knees open wide, then repeat with the other leg. Both of these stretches utilize reciprocal inhibition, a method of increasing flexibility favored by dance medicine specialists.

Strengthen Without Tension

Many dancers have more turnout capability than they are able to use because they lack the strength in their outward rotators and supporting muscles to fully open and maintain turnout in the hips. Strengthening these muscles is a gradual process and can be done primarily during technique class, focusing particularly on rotation during plié, fondu, and passé/retiré exercises. Performing prone leg lifts and the Pilates side kick series also target the appropriate muscle groups. Make sure you have a trainer, guide, or teacher when learning these, however, so that you are not repeatedly strengthening or targeting the wrong muscles. Turnboards, discs, and other devices are also becoming popular for strengthening the outward rotators.

No matter what method of strengthening you practice, it is essential to focus on doing so without tension in the muscles. "Squeezing" the buttocks is never a good idea when trying to achieve turnout. This language is often tossed around in dance classes, perhaps because the gluteus maximus is partially responsible for achieving turnout, and it is a muscle we can see working. However, squeezing implies that the contraction is a forceful one which will only lead to over-development of the muscle and possibly injury. Dancers should always strive to create less effort in movement as opposed to more, therefore it helps to pay more attention to the opening and lengthening involved in turnout rather than constantly contracting or holding tension in the muscles, which leads to muscular imbalance.

Avoiding Injury

Almost all injuries in dance are caused by imbalance. Imbalance in muscle strength is created when one muscle group is overused or underused in relation to the opposite muscle group. For instance, the excessive use of the outward rotators in dance can cause sciatic syndrome, a condition in which the sciatic nerve, which runs through the deep rotators, becomes pinched when this muscle group is constantly working without release. For this reason alone it is important for dancers that work in turnout to make time for stretching the external rotators. We've all done the sitting yoga twist (pictured right), which is a great stretch for this muscle group. Reciprocal stretches, like the ones for the inward rotators above, can be effective for the outward rotators as well. Lie supine with your knees up and press the insides of your knees together, holding this for 20-30 seconds. Then, open the feet and drop one knee (in inward rotation) toward the floor. Press again and then drop the other leg.

Another serious consideration is that when dancers chase the almost impossible ideal of true 180º turnout, and outward rotation is forced beyond the range of one's bone structure, an abnormal erosion of the hip socket occurs. This is probably the reason for the high numbers of aging dancers with arthritic hips. Avoid forcing turnout now and you will lessen the chances of needing a hip replacement later in life. Creating false turnout (as mentioned in Part I) can also lead to problems. Excessive pronation can cause shinsplints, strained arches, bunions, misaligned knees, and strained ligaments. Issues such as these have a way of working their way upward through the body, and will in turn cause strain in the hips or cause pelvic tilt, which often leads to back problems and iliopsoas shortening/pain. As you can see, rolling in to get that little bit of "extra" turnout is clearly not worth it.

At the beginning of this two-part article, I asked two questions:  How important is turnout, really? And is having extreme turnout really ideal? What I hope you take away from this article is that it is not the degree to which one is capable of turning out, but the healthful and educated approach to achieving the individual's own potential for turnout that is important.  As for the importance of turnout itself, I believe it is only as important as we allow it to be.  Even most ballet professionals, I think, would agree that having extreme turnout is trumped by mastering the ability to properly execute and maintain the degree of whatever outward rotation that exists.  This attitude, when applied to training or teaching, can transform a student's technique. Coupled with the knowledge of how turnout works, it allows the dancer to dance longer and stronger. It is never too early for a dancer to begin to make kinesthetic connections to the movements they are producing in dance class.  Turnout can be properly enforced with imagery and knowlege by teachers who have their pupil's wellness in mind.

If the turnout is mastered early and properly, the student, and later the dancer, does not have to waste energy on the placement but instead can concentrate on the muscle energy needed to  jump higher to turn better, and to control the weight of the leg.

- Istvan Ament, A Systematic Approach to Classical Ballet: A Four-Year Program

Tell me about your successes or frustration with turnout.

Do you think too much emphasis is placed on the degree of turnout? If so, what are some ways that teachers or educators can correct this?

Do you think the ballet aesthetic is changing?

What are some images, stretches, or exercises relating to turnout that have worked for you?

If you study classical ballet, you are well aware that the outward rotation of the hips (or turnout) is essential to the training and traditions of this form.  Even if you are not a trained in ballet, as a dancer you probably use turnout at least some of the time.  Concert or theatrical dance forms (like modern or jazz dance) in particular utilize turnout within their movement vocabulary. Ask most dancers, and you'll discover that turnout is high on their list of things to improve and increase.  But how important is turnout, really? And is having extreme turnout really ideal?

The human body is designed primarily for forward motion.  We walk, run, sit, and stand in the sagittal plane.  In dance, the use of turned out legs is primarily utilized for ease of motion on the proscenium stage, a venue in which the performers present movement to an audience which sits entirely on one side of the stage (as opposed to all around or on three sides).  When dance (ballet) moved to this forum from the royal courts, dancers spent more time moving side to side, necessitating a degree of turnout.  Since then, this rotation of the legs has been exaggerated, accepted as the ideal, and adopted as the aesthetic in ballet.

With developments in dance medicine, most dance educators would now agree that 180-degree turnout is not truly a necessity in ballet or otherwise (although this has yet to really change ballet tradition).  Sideways locomotion certainly does not require rotation to such a degree.  Turnout does allow the greater trochanter to avoid the ilium as the leg is lifted above the waist,  however 180 degrees of turnout is not required for this clearance.  In fact, some research (discussed here) suggests that "most dancers have a maximum rotation of 55 degrees in their hips."  This means that many who appear to have 180º turnout are probably making up the difference in the lower leg.  I suspect that dancers who have danced for years without injury probably discovered early that it is not how much turnout you have that is important, it is how you use what you have. Therefore, it is imperative that one have an understanding of how the hip functions, what is improvable and what is not, how to increase turnout safely and without injury, and how to make the most of what one has.

What Is Turnout?

In anatomical terms, turnout is the outward (sometimes called lateral, or external) rotation of the hip joint.

The hip joint is the joining of the head/top of the femur (thigh bone) to the acetabulum, or hip socket

(seen in the diagram below).

This joint is a ball and socket joint, which allows for a wide range of motion on all three planes (sagittal, lateral, and transverse).  The hip joint can produce flexion (forward of the body), extension (as in standing, not the unfortunately labeled lifting of the leg which is actually flexion in anatomical terms), abduction (away from the midline of the body), adduction (toward the midine of the body), inward rotation (turning-in), and outward rotation (turning-out).  Most dance movements are a combination of these actions.

The hip joint is very complex and most of the muscles surrounding the socket are responsible for more than one action of the hip joint.  These muscles both initiate and restrict movements of the hip. The outward rotators are pictured in the diagram on the right.  The muscles that pass posterior (behind) the hip joint contract to initiate turnout while the anterior muscles lengthen, and those anterior (in front of) the joint contract to initiate inward rotation while the posterior muscles lengthen. If this is confusing, picture the spine of a book - when the book is opened the outside edge of the binding contracts while the other edge lengthens and visa versa.  This inverse relationship is true for all muscle actions and is the key to analyzing movement.

Turnout, although often used in dance as a noun or a position, would more appropriately be considered an action, a verb.  Outwardly rotating the hips requires continual action within the body even when the rotation is held or maintained.  The work does not stop once the position has been attained because maintaining turnout is not what the body is designed for.

Turnout does not occur from anywhere other than the hip.  A false turnout can be achieved by pronating the tarsus (rolling in) to create the illusion of a wider turnout than is being achieved by the hips alone.  This causes a twisting in the knee, a joint which is only designed to extend and flex in the sagittal plane, and this usually leads to misalignment of the pelvis, which actually reduces outward rotation.  False turnout also creates the potential for a myriad of injuries, as we'll discuss in Part II.

How To Recognize Proper/Improper Turnout

There are some simple visual cues that teachers and students can look for that indicate if turnout is being executed properly and without force.  First of all, if someone is bending their knees (no matter how slightly), turning out, and then lengthening the legs, they are very clearly forcing their turnout. If you try this, you'll see (and feel) that the feet are rolling toward the big toe (pronating) to maintain this position. When you hear teachers say "knees over toes," they are asking you to properly align the turnout of your legs and avoid pronation both in standing and in plié. When the legs are opened without force and turnout is supported with the deep rotators, iliopsoas, and abdominals, one should be able to trace a line directly from the hip, through the center of the knee, and to a point between the second and third toe of the foot.  A neutral or properly aligned pelvis (with the sitz bones pointing downward) is a good indicator as well because when the turnout is forced, generally the pelvis will tilt, creating a swayed back.

Dance instructors looking for indication of false turnout will expect to see the feet roll in, the pelvis tilt, and the knees and toes pointing a different direction than the center of the hip joint indicates.  When a dancer is forcing turnout beyond their physical capabilities, tension will appear in the buttocks and probably other areas of the body such as the shoulders or neck.  A dancer who consistently performs with false or forced rotation in the hips will eventually complain of sciatic, knee, foot, and/or back pain.  Therefore, if a dancer is having any of these problems it is always a good idea to pay special attention to their turnout and alignment while dancing.

Nature vs. Nurture

Almost everyone "afflicted" with what he/she considers a limited degree of turnout has at one time found solace in the idea that, for some, the degree of turnout is limited by the unchangeable structure of the body and not for lack of trying.  It is true that some have a narrow sacrum which allows for more efficient locomotion overall.  Men have a narrower sacrum than women, giving them the potential for more impressive jumping skills.  Of course the width of this area varies among women as well.  But, before you begin to think that having a narrow pelvis is ideal, some have observed that this narrow pelvis often is paired with a forward facing acetabulum.  This facing results in, you guessed it, a lesser degree in outward rotation than those with a side-facing hip socket.  The depth of the acetabulum can also affect turnout.  A shallow hip socket allows for higher degrees of both outward and inward rotation in the hip than does a deeper hip socket.

Aside from these natural limitations, turnout is only hindered by problems in how we have nurtured (or not nurtured) the muscles and tissues surrounding the hip. There are three ways in which a dancer can nurture their ability to turnout and to actively maintain that turnout during movement:  Awareness, Release, and Strengthen Without Tension.  And we will learn more about these in Part II!

Editores y Coordinadores de la sección: Salud Mental en el Trabajo
Hoy en día, hablar en público forma parte del desempeño laboral en muchos puestos de trabajo, empezando por las reuniones de departamento y acabando por las presentaciones de venta, negociaciones o exposición de resultados.
Para una gran mayoría de personas, hablar en público supone un gran obstáculo que superar, en definitiva, “tensión”. Los síntomas provocados se asocian con el temblor en las manos y voz, exceso de sudoración en manos y axilas, aumento de la respiración cardiaca, tensión muscular, pérdida del apetito, etc. Además, a esta situación tan incómoda, se sumar el miedo a ser evaluado por los demás, ser ignorado, a decir cosas que tengan poca relevancia y sobre todo a sentirse fracasado.
Todo ello provocado por los mensajes que la persona se dirige a si misma antes de la exposición, siendo éstos del tipo: "van a decir que sólo digo chorradas”, “qué horror hablar en público”, “no sirvo para hablar en público”, “que mal lo voy a hacer”... En definitiva, el conjunto de mensajes negativos, emitiendo una mala percepión de sí mismo, además de verse incapaz de superar lo que le provoca esa ansiedad.Para poder superar el miedo o ansiedad de la que estamos hablando, es vital tener claro que lo primero que hay que hacer, es “pensar que se puede superar”, es decir, confiar en nuestra capacidad para enfrentarnos a ese miedo y superarlo con éxito. No acudir al camino más rápido, “la huida”.
Hay varias formas de enfrentarse a este reto, y por supuesto, conseguir superarlo depende de muchos factores, la intensidad de ese miedo, las experiencias vividas, las exigencias de cada individuo, incluso el estado físico. Sería necesario conocer la situación de cada lector para poder concretar y trabajar en este sentido. Aún con esta limitación, en cuanto al tiempo y espacio, se puede conseguir excelentes resultados siguiendo estas pautas que han abierto muchas puertas a la superación de este objetivo:
1. Conocer el lugar dónde va a transcurrir la charla. Es importante que el ambiente le sea un aliado y no algo desconocido. Debe encontrarse cómodo con el entorno.2. Otro factor de suma importancia es conocer y entender cuáles son las expectativas del público al que va a hablar, y si es posible, conocer al público en sí.3. Analizar la situación, desde el objetivo de la reunión, el orden de intervención, y la posibilidad de hacer participar al auditorio.4. Anticiparse a las posibles preguntas que le puedan hacer y preparar las respuestas de las mismas aporta seguridad a la hora de enfrentarse a la participación del público.5. Conocer bien lo que va a exponer. Es de gran ayuda, grabarse y verse luego para ver qué se puede mejorar. Si no le fuera posible grabarse, haga ejercicios de visualización de la exposición que va a realizar.6. Es conveniente prepararse una buena presentación, haciendo de la presentación una gran entrada, que sirva para romper el hielo.7. Practique todo lo que pueda. De esta forma tendrá confianza en sí mismo. 8. Ser natural. Si trata de ser alguien que no es, se le notará.9. Sonría y mantenga el entusiasmo.10. Apóyarse en medios audiovisuales, si esto no fuera posible, es suficiente con papel y rotuladores.11. Es importante mantener un ritmo adecuado, sin acelerar la velocidad de exposición.12. Estructurar de tal forma la presentación que tras la exposición de cada una de las partes, se pueda realizar un pequeño resumen o conclusión de lo dicho.
Estas pautas le serán muy útiles a la hora de preparar su charla. Para una buena exposición en público es clave la preparación y el entrenamiento de aquello que vamos a exponer. Poseer el conocimiento en profundidad  del tema del que se va a hablar, aporta la seguridad para vencer al miedo.¡Suerte con su próxima presentación en público!

Las investigaciones coinciden en afirmar que la eficiencia mecánica de un músculo mejora cuando aumenta la temperatura corporal. Un esfuerzo agudo de elevada intensidad sin tener preparada la musculatura, provoca microrupturas en la fibra muscular.

Esto a largo plazo, y con la acumulación de ejercicio puede generar una lesión mucho más grave. Por esta razón, el calentamiento tiene una gran función preventiva de lesiones a corto y largo plazo.Naturalmente, existen excepciones a estos consejos.

De esta forma, los estiramientos sí son útiles en personas que sufran algún tipo de rigidez muscular (para eliminarla antes de empezar a ejercitarse más intensamente) o para trabajar ciertos músculos a los que normalmente no se les presta demasiada atención en algunas actividades (como, por ejemplo, flexores y abdominales).

El calentamiento general debe proceder al específico; el primero en nuestro país no excede a los 15 minutos según el tipo de enseñanza (se conoce que en países fríos pueda durar hasta 25 minutos). En la educación física, el entrenamiento de duración general es mayor que el especifico, mientras que en el deporte de rendimiento es a la inversa, a excepción de la etapa de preparación general.

El empezar a sudar es tal vez la indicación de que la temperatura corporal ha aumentado suficientemente. En cualquier caso, lo que hay que tener en cuenta es que el aparato cardiovascular se haya preparado gradualmente para la actividad (porque podemos sudar en estado de reposo en días cálidos).

Los niños menos acostumbrados al ejercicio regular requerirán un calentamiento más lento e intenso que los individuos que hayan desarrollado una más eficiente respuesta de los sistemas de producción de calor durante el ejercicio. Esto significa que sus sistemas de pérdida de calor reacciona más rápidamente, por lo que sus tejidos corporales necesitarán actividades más intensas o un calentamiento más efectivo. ]]> http://sutramaya.wordpress.com/?p=234 Fri, 10 Oct 2008 01:44:43 +0000 CuppyCake22 http://sutramaya.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/budak-budak-buang-kes-2/ Yesterday adalah hari yang paling stress. Dah la banyak kerja kat office. Jarang kuar lunch, tapi semalam I kuar gi lunch. Sebab banyak kerja sangat. Kepala jadi kusut. Kusut yang terlampau. Dalam kul 6pm baru balik rumah. Lewat dari biasa. Ingat balik rumah bleh laa relax sket. Hilangkan kekusutan. Sebab bagi I yang homely type ni, Rumah Itu Syurgaku. Tapi sayangnya balik rumah, tension bertambah teruk. Ada notes ditampak di depan bilik. Dah lupa pulak isi notes tu sebab panjang sangat. Tak sempat nak snap pulak cos’time tu marah sangat. Kemas barang then tanggalkan terus notes tu. My roomate pulak dah membebel-bebel sebab tengah bengang ngan housemate kiteorg yang sedikit psyco. Budak tu sekor yang sewel sket. Yang sorang lagi boleh tahan la orangnya. Yang herannya, dalam sms or notes cakap kasar bukan main. Tapi bila cakap depan2 baik yang amat, cam pijak semut pun tak mati. Pengsan pun tak rasanya semut tu. Penakut rupanya. Nama dia Ira. Heeeee…geram betul I tau. Boleh pulak tu dok senyap je dalam bilik berjam-jam. Mula kiteorg balik smpai tgh malam, orang dah nk tido. Diam je dok dalam bilik tak kuar-kuar. Takut pulak. Kiteorang bukan marah sebab suke-suke, kalau dah diri dia tu memang pembersih dari mula, tak apa. Ni tak, dah kena tegur baru ada hati nak bersihkan dan kemaskan rumah. Pas tu bleh pulak siap tegur2 orang lain. Ces. Padahal, selama hari ni sape la yang dok kemas rumah and buang sampah dieorg yang busuk tu. Kusut betul la. Lepas raya ni pulak, bawak masuk kucing pulak. Dok dalam sangkar kecik pulak tu. Sangkar tu pulak die letak dalam bilik ampaian. I basuh baju dah tak bleh idai dalam bilik tu cos’kucing tu ’o-oh’ busuk. Takut melekat bau ’o-oh’ die tu kat baju. Kalau tuan die tak basuh, bau busuk tu sampai ruang tamu. Tapi tak salahkan kucing tu laa. Die tak salah pun, yang salah tuannya yang bodoh sangat. Heeee... tension nyer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The more familiar something an RPG setting, the more likely it's cliche.  On the other hand, the less familiar it is, the harder it is to relate to - and immerse quickly in - while playing.  There's a give and take.

What I like to do is an achor point scenario, where the larger setting is painted in broad, genre-centric strokes.  Within that are key focal points, anchors of originality or inspiration.  The setting is really driven by these, but they're easy to understand against a familiar backdrop.

In my fantasy setting I want to include a classic evil kingdom, full of narrow Gothic architecture, black-armored knights and dark magic.  A centerpiece here is that it's ruled by a dragon.  This dragon is essentially the devil - he or she is an evil god or demigod who seeks to acquire, horde and possess.  The dragon knows everything, and so is sought by pilgrims the world over.  As the devil figure, the dragon also lies about everything in order to possess the inquirer (and all his or her belongings and loved ones).

Now this generic evil kingdom begins to take some form.  It's got a purpose driving it.  Opportunities for conflict come up in how others respond to this bright neon evil.  Countrymen within the dragon's kingdom might hate or fear their god-king.  Evil wizards or even priests of the dragon's own cult might be jealous or seek to overthrow their inhuman master.  Neighboring kingdoms might seek to pillage, or avoid the evil kingdom all together out of revulsion.

Giant visible markers in the setting create tension points around which many, many smaller conflicts and motivations can arise.  They also create a sense of expectation and wonder - if the dragon is featured even in the background of an adventure, the players will feel palpable excitement at the prospect of one day meeting the dragon face to face.  That energy can permeate a campaign, using any one of the big markers as a climactic promise.

How long could you last without sex???

Men seem to be under the impression that women don’t appreciate or need their romp in the sack just as often.

I beg to differ. I think with the stress amounts women have they actually need it more.

I tease my boyfriend sometimes and threaten to withhold sex if he’s
being a jerk. He lets me get away with it and assumes that I will win
but the really is–I’m not sure I could. I mean, I could last a week or
so but really for a young woman under stressful job circumstances the
release of all that tension is necessary.

So really ladies, how long do you think you could go without sex?

And men: how long could you? (Two minutes… Hahha. Jk.)

xoxoxo Ms. Interpreted

Here am I again .. Blogging out my entry that might just probably bore you to death..

haha .  . as usual im very intimidated my the approaching exams  , because the exams happens to begin tomorrow .. and I still feel that im not ready as I worry on what questions that is going to be given .

Anxiety ? Stress ? Tension ? .. Talk about 3 in 1 coffee powder .. blended in for the perfect mental chaos ..

@_@

Well, its 11.30 now .. and I'm falling asleep - tired due to the evening tuition that i have from 6-7.30 p.m and then loaded with revision books to make me more Geeky ..

So here I'am now blogging this Boring entry , so it is best to end this post now and K.O to slumber land .

-Saruchan-

P/S : Tomorrow is the Beginning of the Year End Examinations .. Guess What ? The frist sub is MORAL ..

Brilliant , what a fantastic-worthless subject to start the party ... I guess this is just warmin' up ..heh ..

Paps on in the 10th.  Wow, that was a close pitch (1-2, one out).  Comebacker, 2 down.  Strikeout, 1-2-3.

K-Rod in ... took the Game 2 loss, good part of the lineup up ... Papi hanging tough ... 3-2 count now ... tough walk ... Youk looks bad on first two changeups, well one good changeup and one bad one he was fooled by the pitch ... hangs in, rips a single ... Bay also goes down 0-2 on two good changeups, worked the count to 2-2, waves at another good changeup ... two down, Mike Lowell labours up to the plate ... WOW, hard to see where that pitch missed ... just outside ... K-Rod is miffed ... 2-0 to Lowrie, a walk is not wildly heroic seeming, but it sure looks good if it happens ... flyball to right, sigh

The 11th

Papelbon threw a splitter!  But on 3-2, back to the gas, strikes out Anderson.  Texeira again, he has had a great series ... Texeira lays off 2-2 splitter, he has such a great approach, won't chase ... and draws a walk, which Papelbon does not do often, first since July!  First pitch single for Vlad bounding ball up the middle, 1st and 2nd ... time to get nervous ... Hunter up, who has had a good series ... Angels probably deserve to win this, all sorts of opportunities ... good pitch to Hunter, 1-2, Paps keeping Hunter jammed ... innocent fly ball to right, 2 down ... Gary Matthews Jr up, dangerous though in long term a zero offensively ... jammed him twice with fastballs up and in ... up the ladder, strike 3 ... good 2 innings of work

After the laborious 10th, KRod is done, Jered Weaver in ... good pitcher to have in this situation, though he falls behind 3-1 on Mark Kotsay, but comes back to get him, one down ... first pitch, Coco Crisp dumps a single into CF, maybe get some baserunning action?  Crips fakes to 2nd, strike one to Ellsbury ... caught looking at a dicey strike 3, don't get thrown out!  Pedroia in a big slump in the postseason, but a contact guy, still a good choice to have up there ... Another throw to first, crowd losing patience as am I ... pitchout ball 1 ... and of course, Crisp steals it anyway ... with Ortiz up, hard to imagine them intentionally walking Pedroia, even if he is an "MVP Candidate" ... Pedroia hits a rocket, but right at Chone Figgins ... off to the 12th

12th inning:

Javier Lopez in ... Red Sox starting to get to bottom of reliever barrel, promptly gives up a single to Mike Napoli ... Howie Kendrick bunts, as Scioscia always does ... gets the runner to second ... after 16 hits, the Angels finally break the dam with Eric Aybar ... game is over 5 hours, I guess I want it to last longer

Papi up against Weaver ... walks Ortiz, Youk and Bay have cracks at this ... hopefully no DP of course ... Youk just gets under it, flies to CF ... Bay's turn ... nasty breaking pitch, 0-2 ... good fastball, strike 3, even with a missed location ... Alex Cora time ...

Well there goes the liveblog tradition ... need to make sure they win!

5-4 Angels in 12

Si señoreeee!!!,  ska japones, de gran putaaaa!!! increibleee!!! muy buena banda che, se las recomiendo, de verdad una banda de musicos extraordinarios con toda la actitud skaa!!!

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra - Full-Tension Beaters

1 Filmmakers Bleed
2 5 days of TEQUILA
3 Theme From Enter The Dragon
4 Skarade Dub
5 Brave Eagle Of Apache
6 Jon Lord (Live Dub)
7 Howlin' Wolves
8 The "BIG MAN" still standing
9 Monsoon Town
10 interlude
11 Guts For Saxophone
12 interlude
13 Streaming Tears
14 Sayo-nara Mina-sama (Good-bye, Everyone)
15 In A Sentimental Mood

Descarga:

http://rapidshare.com/files/150837155/tokyo_ska_paradise_orchestra_-_full-tension_beaters.rar

When you were at school the day would be broken up with breaks in the playground where you could talk to friends, play games, have a run and generally let off steam.  In the world of work it’s not so easy to find a chunk of time everyday where you can do your own thing but it maybe possible to dedicate one lunchtime to doing something that will relieve stress and allow you to recharge you batteries instead of eating at your desk, in the staff restaurant or rushing to the bank. 

Making a change to your routine by carving out one hour in the middle of one of your work days to do something different will give you something to look forward to and may yield great benefits in reducing your stress and tension levels  making you feel more able to deal with the demands of work.  Here are 3 suggestions to try one day this week:

Walking club

Why not start a walking club with some colleagues, where you can agree in advance a series of walks in the local area lasting for about 40 minutes allowing some time at the end to eat.  The walks don’t have to be particularly vigorous but the club do need to take responsibility to take part consistently. The benefits are numerous but will include, getting to know colleagues better, increasing fitness levels and reducing tension. 

Start or join a games club

This can be a simple yet very effective idea where a few of you can decide on a game such as scrabble and arrange to play every week for an hour over lunch. The group can remain small but if more colleagues show interest then perhaps go to your employers and present it as a morale improving initiative for staff.

Start or join a book club

Workplace book clubs are gaining in popularity and are again an effective way to do something completely different from your work while getting to know the people who work in your organisation. The concept is very simple and will mean the group decides on the title of the book for the month and you all then buy a copy and then meet back at regular intervals to discuss the story. In some cases book clubs will arrange to watch a stage or screen adaptation of the story adding another feature to the social aspect of the club.

The workplace ‘playtime’ is an opportunity to use some of the valuable time you have in the middle of your day which may teach you something new, improve your health and help you to make new friends all of which are excellent ways to improve confidence and reduce stress.

By: Tony L. Jefferson, Jr.

Anger builds

Tension rises

Emotions flare

My thoughts turn sinister and visions of evil play scenes in my mind

 Everyone’s a fucking target

Everyone gets what’s coming to them

Violence overtakes my body

I become its tool of destruction

Feeding off of the energies of the weak and pitiful

Fuck them all and fuck them twice

The devil has come to roost and I’m bringing my all

 I strike all that oppose me and bring ill will to all

I am the bearer of bad news
the angel of deceit

The spoiler of the good life

My goal in the world is simple

 To make each and every person miserable

Make them feel horrible

Depressed

Hopeless

I will do whatever it takes at whatever the cost

 Fuck the Good Samaritan

I’ll leave your ass to die

I’ll kick sand in your teeth

 My boiling point has been exceeded

I enjoy your suffering

You are dirt under my feet

Something to be pitied

 Blood is rushing

Hormones are jumping

Adrenaline is pumping

 I want to turn your smile upside down

 I want to make your day the worse ever

Condiciones para la relajación:

* Buscar un lugar silencioso y solitario
* Escoger, a ser posible, un ambiente natural: el azul del cielo y el verde del campo (que son los colores más relajantes)
* Conseguir un ambiente de penumbra u oscuro que nos proteja de la distracción que provoca la luz.
* Evitar las molestias tanto del calor como del frío, pues uno y otro impiden la concentración.

Ejercicios de Relajación

Para alcanzarla sigue los siguientes pasos:

* Evita cualquier prenda de ropa que pueda oprimirte: cinturón, cuellos, corbatas, zapatos…
* Túmbate sobre una superficie rígida, pero que no sea ni muy dura ni muy blanda. Es bueno hacerlo sobre una alfombra.
* Coloca el cuerpo boca arriba. Las piernas ligeramente entreabiertas y los brazos extendidos a lo largo del cuerpo.
* Cierra los ojos sin apretar mucho los párpados y quédate totalmente inmóvil.
* Pasa revista a todos los músculos de tu cuerpo concentrando sucesivamente tu atención en cada uno y alejando la tensión que pueda haber acumulada en alguno de ellos.

· La mente: que hasta ahora ha estado dirigiendo su atención a los miembros del cuerpo, una vez que éstos se hallan en calma, debe relajarse ella misma sumergiéndose en la imaginación, visualizando escenas agradables, placenteras… (por ejemplo, la contemplación de una hermosa puesta de sol desde una verde colina; tumbado sobre la limpia arena de una playa recibiendo la brisa del mar y el murmullo de las olas; etc.).

Ejercicios de respiración

El cansancio y la fatiga en el estudio provienen muchas veces de una mala ventilación.  Para mejorar puedes realizar el siguiente ejercicio de respiración:

· Túmbate de espaldas con la nuca apoyada en el suelo, las rodillas flexionadas y los brazos extendidos a lo largo del  cuerpo. Cierra los ojos, entreabre la mandíbula y relaja la lengua y los labios. Concéntrate sólo en tu respiración durante tres o cuatro minutos.

· Inspira por la nariz lenta y profundamente contando hasta cinco. Contén la respiración tan sólo un segundo, y espira despacio por la nariz contando de nuevo hasta cinco.

"Art is born in attention. Its mid-wife is detail. Art may seem to spring from pain, but perhaps that is because pain serves to focus our attention onto details (for instance the excruciatingly beautiful curve of a lost lover's neck). Art may involve broad strokes, grand schemes, great plans. But it is the attention to detail that stays with us; the singular image is what haunts us and becomes art. Even in the midst of pain, this singular image brings delight."

from the Artist's Way.

En total, se incorporaran un total de 240 sensores de cuatro tipos distintos: acelerometros, sensores de penetración de cloridricos, potenciometros lineales y galgas extensiometricas. Los primeros mediran las deformaciones verticales debidas a la carga del trafico. Los segundos se usaran para evaluar las condiciones del firme de superficie y posibles grietas en funcion de la penetracon de las sales en el pavimento. Estos datos permitiran tambien acometer las reparaciones necesarias cuando el coste para ello es aun economicamente aceptable. Los potenciometros mediran la presion de las juntas de expansion y soporte, informacion a correlar con los datos previstos de diseño durante la vida del puente. Finalmente, las galgas mediran la temperatura y la cantidad de fuerza por metro cuadrado en el asfalto. Usando toda esta informacion, se espera tener informacion en vivo sobre el estado fisico del puente y prever posibles rupturas.

Los sensores se conectaran mediante fibras opticas acopladas a la estructura y, una vez multiplexadas, se enviaran de forma inalambrica a los centros de analisis. Si 240 sensores (100 para mantenimiento y 140 para pruebas de investigacion) puede parecer un numero excesivo, en Georgia Tech comentan que un nuevo puente colgante de Hong Kong tiene previstos mas de 1000.

With the memory of the lemon aroma in my mind I left my house and went for my morning walk and just had to savour the delightful scent of several wonderful roses along the way.   As I walked I realized that I was carrying a lot of muscular tension in my body.  It came to me that everyone responds to stress in a different way depending on their energetic makeup.

There are basicaly three different kinds of response to stress either physical, emotional or mental.  Some people, like myself, physically brace themselves as a protection..feeling that if they are not tense they are not prepared for what might happen.  It made me giggle to think that I had developed that pattern. Others distance themselves from their emotions and other people  because they feel that is the only way they can survive the intensity of their feelings.  The rest become rigid in their ideas and thoughts so that it is impossible to change their opinions or minds about anything because they seek safety in stubborness of thought.

Thank you lemon wedge for triggering this realization!!

~Heather

www.lightbodies.com