Saturday, August 9, 2025

Sleep

 

We know the importance of sleep but it is now a modern age problem with old and young. Even the young is not spared after a hectic day of screen times with games or watching videos, the relentless swap of videos after videos, then its like falling into a rabbit's hole, scrolling deep and deeper, deeper than you can come back up.




Scientists found that the brain literally starts eating itself when it doesn't get enough sleep.
New research reveals a troubling link between chronic sleep deprivation and long-term brain damage.
Scientists studying sleep-deprived mice discovered that prolonged lack of sleep causes the brain’s immune cells—astrocytes and microglia—to go into overdrive.
Astrocytes, which normally prune away unnecessary synapses, began breaking down more brain connections and debris, while microglia, responsible for clearing damaged cells, showed heightened activity. Although these processes may initially serve a protective role, overactivation of these cells has been linked to neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
These findings shed light on why chronic sleep loss is increasingly associated with heightened risk of dementia and cognitive decline. Sleep is a vital state for brain maintenance—it clears toxic waste, consolidates memory, and reinforces crucial neural connections.
Without it, the brain's restorative systems falter, impairing attention, memory, and emotional stability. As Alzheimer’s deaths have surged 50% since 1999, understanding sleep’s role in brain health has never been more critical. This research underscores the urgent need to prioritize sleep not just for daily function, but as a safeguard for long-term neurological health.
This is a powerful reminder: your brain needs sleep to survive and thrive. 🛌🧠

Life Lesson from Coffee

 



A group of successful graduates once visited their former professor.
They had built impressive careers, held prestigious titles, and lived seemingly perfect lives.

While waiting for coffee, their conversation turned to the stresses of work, exhaustion, and the pressures of adulthood.
Some laughed.
Some complained.
Some philosophized.

The professor returned with a tray full of mismatched cups —
porcelain and glass, ceramic and plastic, elegant and chipped, minimalist and ornate.

As the guests chose their cups, the professor quietly observed…
Then he spoke:

“Notice how you all instinctively reached for the finest cups — the fancy ones.
Not a single person chose the worn-out or plastic ones.
And that’s the root of much of your stress.”

“You wanted the coffee — not the cup.
But you focused on the cup’s appearance, not the essence of what you came for.”

He continued:

“Life is like coffee.
Career, salary, status, home, car — those are just cups.
They don’t define the richness of life itself.”

“Sometimes we get so distracted by the ‘cup’,
we forget to savor the coffee.”

☕ So drink your coffee with joy.
Not by comparing.
Not by competing.
Not by glancing sideways.

Because the happiest people aren’t those who have the best of everything —
but those who know how to make the best of what they have. 

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Joshua Bell with his USD 3.5 millions Violin


Be at the right place to be valued and listened to!  Context matter ! 


https://woodpecker.com/blogs/joshua_bell_subway.html#:~:text=During%20a%20January%20morning%20rush,unprecedented%20social%20and%20musical%20experiment.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnOPu0_YWhw


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZeSZFYCNRw




2007 Subway Station


https://youtube.com/shorts/UfKqTHlMLXs?si=Z58d88RhOveHH5Ua

Saturday, November 30, 2024

Menu Categories

I must confess I am obsessed with anything to do with organising and sorting. I love recipes and I actually read my recipes carefully, comparing one to another, trying to figure out, without making the dish, could I try which recipe is better in textual and in taste. Sometimes, I would read up to 10 to 15 recipes and since most are very convincing, they used words like "Best grandma's recipe", "Best recipe in town", "Mama's best kept secret recipe", normally, I will short list to about 3 or 5 as being very good recipes to try. I would proceed to test them out one by one. Very often, I have to edit the recipes a bit due to personal taste and preference. Sometimes, the ingredient required is not readily available in Sabah.

I have thus far established a few Recipe Folder for my key festive seasons. I have one clear folder for Christmas Recipes and another one for Chinese New Year. Since these recipes are repeatative, every year, I need to prepare them at least once or make big production and give away as gifts. So I figured, they deserve a folder by itself.

Well, for the normal recipes, I need my book too, I started copying into a spiral notebook and the spiral wire gave way and started to come out, it is now beyond repair. There are many good recipes inside which I must copy out before it decayed further.

I have thinking of categorise my recipes into groups, so here are some suggestions I find in internet :-



  1. Group by the meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
  2. Group by Courses - Appertiser, Soup, Main Course, Side dishes, Desserts, Drinks
  3. Group by  Category - 

organize recipes and cookbooks challenge

  1. Breakfast
  2. Lunch
  3. Beverages
  4. Appetizers
  5. Soups
  6. Salads
  7. Main dishes: Beef
  8. Main dishes: Poultry
  9. Main dishes: Pork
  10. Main dishes: Seafood
  11. Main dishes: Vegetarian
  12. Side dishes: VegetableS
  13. Side dishes: Other
  14. Desserts
  15. Canning / Freezing
  16. Breads
  17. Holidays
  18. Entertaining

Appetizer Recipes
Beverage Recipes
Beef Recipes
Breakfast & BrunchRecipes
AppetizersBeveragesBeefBreads & RollsBreakfast & Brunch

Brownies, Bars & Candy Recipes
Burgers, Brats & Hot Dog Recipes
Cakes & Cheesecake Recipes
Cookie Recipes
Dessert Recipes
Brownies, Bars & CandyBurgers, Brats & DogsCakes & CheesecakesCookiesDesserts

Dips, Spreads & Sauces Recipes
Ethnic Recipes
Fish & Seafood Recipes
Grilling Recipes
Healthy Recipes
Dips, Spreads
& Sauces
Ethnic RecipesFish & SeafoodGrillingHealthy Eating

Holiday Treats Recipes
Kids Cuisine Recipes
Main Dish Recipes
One Dish Meal Recipes
Pasta & Pizza Recipes
Holiday TreatsKids CuisineMain DishesOne Dish MealsPasta & Pizza

Pie Recipes
Poultry/Chicken Recipes
Salad Recipes
Sandwiche Recipes
PiesPorkPoultrySaladsSandwiches & Wraps

Sides Recipes
Soups & Stew Recipes
Vegetarian Recipes
Sides Soups & StewsVegetarian


Cuisines


Recipe Categories