Hype or Halo? A Review by TheSaint

Hype or Halo: Real Talk for the Real World Hype or Halo is where technical precision meets the "everyman" perspective. While we understand the nuts and bolts of how things work—from the bitrates of a streaming blockbuster to the specs of the latest gadget—we know that at the end of the day, you just want to know: Is it actually good? We bridge the gap between "industry jargon" and "is this worth my Saturday night?" Our mission is to take the complex and make it relatable, filtering every movie, product, and service through a lens of practical, real-world value.

[hypeorhalo]

The Tribit QuietPlus 71: Why This Budget Beast is the very first product I ranked with a perfect Transcendent Halo

I’m just going to come out and say it: I was so incredibly impressed with how the Tribit Flybuds 3 performed that when the time came to look for a new pair of wearable audio gear (one that’s over the head and had full cups since I have really small ear holes), I didn’t even bother looking at the usual high-end suspects even though I had more than enough moolah to buy one. I went straight back to the source. I decided to trust my gut—and my cheap-ass instincts—and get my next gear from Tribit as well. Enter the Tribit QuietPlus 71.

Let’s be honest for a second. Most tech reviews you read online these days are written by self-proclaimed audiophiles who obsess over graphs, frequencies, and soundstages that the average person can’t even perceive. I’m not that guy. If you’re like me, an average joe who doesn’t really have ultra-strict audiophile standards when it comes to your music selection, you just want something that works, sounds great, and won’t break the bank, this product is definitely for you.

After putting these headphones through absolute hell, here is my honest, unfiltered take.

Built Like a Tank (Accidentally)

Here is a fun fact: Tribit never advertised the QuietPlus 71 as being shockproof. There is no military-grade drop certification stamped on the box. Yet, if you were to look at my daily routine, you’d think I bought them specifically for a demolition derby. This headphone has fallen more times than I can honestly recall, but against all odds, it still works in absolutely tip-top shape.

To give you a concrete example of the abuse this thing has survived, the highest I’ve dropped this headphone is approximately close to 6 feet. I was mid-workout, entirely focused, and aiming for my dumbbell shoulder press personal record (PR). As I was about to reset, I hit the dumbbells right smack on the body of the right cup, the headphones slipped, plummeted straight to our concrete garage floor, and made a sound that made me curse out loud. I paused, picked them up, put them back on my head. Lo and behold, Slipknot’s Nero Forte is still playing impeccably on both speakers. No cracks, no internal rattling, no loss of Bluetooth connection. Just pure resilience.

Weathering the Storm and the Sweat

It isn’t just impact that these headphones have survived; they’ve also conquered the elements. On one particular afternoon, I took them out for a casual walk. Out of nowhere, a light rain started pouring down. In a moment of pure forgetfulness, I completely forgot that I was wearing this specific headphone and not my other, officially IP-rated waterproof earbuds.

By the time I realized my mistake, the earcups were visibly damp. I braced myself for the inevitable static pop of a short circuit. But guess what? It still survived getting slightly wet without skipping a single beat. When you combine that accidental weatherproofing with the reality of intense, high-intensity workouts, this pair proves its worth. You won’t mind drenching it with your head sweat or banging this against metal equipment while working out. It just takes the punishment and keeps on playing.

Zero Battery Anxiety

When it comes to battery endurance, I can’t tell you what the absolute maximum limit is because I’ve never actually managed to drain the battery entirely on this headphone. My usage pattern is pretty specific: I usually just use this when I’m working out.

For my routine, it easily lasts for a total of 3 hours spread across an average interval of 45 minutes per workout session. I leave it on top of my desk, pull them out days later, and they are always ready to rock.

When it does come time to top up the juice, the convenience factor is off the charts. I didn’t even bother unpacking the cable it came with. Instead, I just used a standard USB-C cable that I already had lying around the house. The internal charging tech is incredibly forgiving—regardless of what specific charging brick or head I used, it charged up pretty well and pretty fast every single time.

The "Average Joe" Sound Test

The Setup: Purchased off the Tribit Official Store in Shopee on April 8, 2024. The Software: It's worth noting that Tribit has its own proprietary software for optimized audio, but unfortunately, not for this specific model.

Regardless of that lack of app customization, the headphones still sound absolutely great straight out of the box.

Let’s talk comparisons. I’ve never personally owned ultra-premium headphones like the famous Sony WH-1000XM series. However, I’ve sampled a pair off a close friend of mine to see what the hype was about. I queued up my usual tracks, and to my absolute surprise, the Sony sound profile weren’t that far off from what this budget-friendly Tribit delivers.

My conclusions are based entirely off the actual music I played on the headphones. I’m not listening to pristine, classical FLAC files. I mostly listen to heavy, energetic, and raw tracks:

90s to 2000s alternative rock

Hardcore metal music

The occasional heavy-hitting beats of DMX, NWA, and Eminem

For these genres, you need a punchy low-end and clear vocals so the electric guitars and rap verses don’t turn into a muddy mess. The QuietPlus 71 delivers exactly that.

The Final Verdict: Transcendent Halo

So, what is the ultimate verdict on the Tribit QuietPlus 71 headphones? Two words: Transcendent Halo.

It is relatively cheap, especially when you compare it directly to the steep 28k+ PHP headphones from Sony which, in my experience, didn’t really sound so drastically different to justify the massive price gap.

If you are looking for a pair of headphones that are genuinely comparable to very expensive models—provided you are not looking to endlessly tweak equalizer settings and just want to run them straight off the box—this is your holy grail. For the everyday user, this device will treat your ears to a beautifully balanced sound output of the mids and the lows. It is an affordable, indestructible powerhouse that lets you focus on your music and your workout PRs, rather than worrying about babying a fragile, overpriced piece of plastic.

P.S. I loved the headphones so much that I’ve decided to buy silicone protectors to aid with the sweat wicking properties of the stock cushions which I also got from Shopee PH

[hypeorhalo]

Red Sonja 2025, Halo or Hype?

Remember when you were a kid and wanted everything everyone else had?

You wanted to be part of the "IN" crowd, stashing 25 bucks from your school allowance just to snag a balcony seat at the local theatre for whatever blockbuster the masses were lining up to see. (Ahhh, the good 'ol days when cinema tickets were still under a hundred PH peso 😅.) Back then, when video cassette decks were the absolute pinnacle of home entertainment, I used to ridicule my mother because she loved renting low-budget action/comedy movies—the kind of B-list cinema starring Michael Dudikoff or Chuck Norris in bizarre, Hollywood-skewed versions of reality.

Let's be honest: kids thinking their taste is superior to their parents' isn't a generational quirk; it’s a universal rite of passage. And yes, Chuck Norris is absolutely a B-lister, regardless of his legendary internet meme status. I never understood her preference, until the cinematic universe pulled a fast one on me: I started becoming exactly like her.

By my mid-30s, I found myself hunting down DVDs of low-budget movies (LBMs) and genuinely enjoying them. It turns out we eventually morph into the very things we judged our parents for.

Which brings us to Red Sonja (2025)—a modern remake of a fantasy/action-adventure flick that is, like it's predecessor, totally forgettable, even for hardcore sword-and-sorcery aficionados like me who usually swallow this genre whole.

The Practical, the Historical, and the Surprisingly Good

Let’s start with where the money actually made it onto the screen. Given the production's modest constraints, the practical and CG effects are surprisingly well-executed. The digital creatures blend seamlessly into the backgrounds, avoiding that cheap, green-screen glow that usually plagues mid-tier fantasy reboots. There is a tangible texture to the world that outpunches its weight class.

Equally impressive is the cultural world-building. The film accurately depicts multi-racial tribes, which makes historical sense given the nomadic groups roaming what resembles the western archipelago's topography during the era of barbarians. Instead of defaulting to the standard, whitewashed Euro-fantasy tropes, the film embraces a broader, more expansive canvas that gives the setting some much-needed gravity.

Then there is the combat. The action sequences are a massive upgrade from the 1985 source material. In the original, you could practically see the actors intentionally clashing their swords together, completely devoid of any real intent to strike their opponent. To be fair, that was the industry standard of the era; stunt coordinators simply weren’t given the creative liberty or time they enjoy today. (Think of the original Star Wars duel between Obi-Wan and Vader—absolute trash choreography by today’s standards ).

In this 2025 iteration, the swordplay has weight, friction, and genuine stakes. The choreography leans into brutality rather than pageantry, making the battlefield feel genuinely hazardous.

The Technical Glitches and Modern Distractions

Unfortunately, while the front-end action delivers, the back-end execution stumbles hard. The film's pacing and narrative hooks are incredibly generic. The script struggles to sustain tension between its major set pieces, causing the momentum to sag. I found myself checking my phone every so often while the film was playing—a telling sign that the storytelling wasn't doing its job.

Compounding this narrative drift are some incredibly sloppy technical oversight. The editor clearly dropped the ball in post-production, leaving a cut where Sonja’s modern bra strap is visibly showing. In a genre completely dependent on historical immersion and escapism, spotting modern synthetic undergarments completely shatters the illusion. It’s a glaring continuity error that screams a lack of attention to detail.

Heavy-Handed Agendas and Empty Motivation

The writing doesn't fare much better when it tries to establish deeper meaning. The film suffers from a highly predictable plot burdened by an obvious religious agenda that awkwardly recurs throughout multiple scenes. Rather than letting the mythology develop naturally, the movie repeatedly pauses to beat the audience over the head with thematic messaging that feels incredibly forced.

By the time the third act rolls around, character logic dissolves entirely. The motivation driving the other damnists to follow Sonja into the final conflict is vague and completely unmotivated. There is no earned emotional payoff or narrative bridge to explain why these cynical, self-serving survivors would suddenly risk everything for a devoid cause or the cliche to do "what's right". They methodically line up to fight because the script requires a climax, not because their journeys led them there.

Final Thoughts

So, is it a good movie? Not really. It’s a feature built entirely on hype. To be fair, the original source material didn't exactly set a high bar to aim for, so clearing it isn't much of an achievement, which unfortunately, this film wasn't able to do.

If you share my soft spot for low-budget action movies, you might find some superficial entertainment in the creature design and the visceral sword fighting. But as a cohesive piece of filmmaking, it’s a generic, poorly edited distraction that can't even hide its own wardrobe malfunctions.

Verdict: Max Hype

It doesn't possess the nostalgic charm required to push it past hype-status, and the modern marketing is entirely hollow if at all, exists. It's the ultimate background movie—perfect for scrolling through your phone while the swords clash in the background

[hypeorhalo]

Comprehensive Long-Term Review: Xiaomi Water Flosser 2, Halo or Hype?

Field-Tested Perspective after 17 Months of Continuous Daily Use

1. Overview

This technical evaluation analyzes the performance, durability, and practical utility of the Xiaomi Water Flosser 2 over a 17-month testing period (Purchased from Shopee PH on December 20, 2024). While the device offers impressive battery resilience and consistent pressure output, it presents mechanical vulnerabilities in nozzle sealing and operational limitations in lower-tier pressure modes.

2. Product Specifications & Market Positioning

2.1 Pricing and Market Stability

Price Uniformity: Throughout the time I’ve owned and shared this water flosser with my wife (1-year, 5-month, and 1-day testing window) market pricing for the unit has remained entirely static, which means product pricing has held its own despite the recent inflation spikes in the global economy. Also, the manufacturer (Xiaomi) hasn’t released its successor, which tells us that there is currently still a demand as of writing this article.

Box Contents & Requirements: The unit ships with a Type-C charging cable and multiple specialized nozzles. Note that it does not include a power adapter; testing was successfully executed using a generic 5V USB wall adapter that you can buy in any electronic store.

2.2 Power Architecture & Battery Longevity

The battery subsystem stands out as a core strength of this device.

Parameter

Performance Metrics

Real-World Duty Cycle

4 to 5 days of continuous daily use (shared by 2 users, brushing 1–2x daily).

Degradation Rate

0% noticeable capacity loss after 17 months of heavy usage cycles.

Overcharge Protection

Leaving the device on the charger does not cause battery deterioration.

3. Operational Performance Analysis

3.1 Mode Efficacy Breakdown

The Xiaomi Water Flosser 2 features multiple pressure profiles, though their clinical utility varies significantly:

"Strong" Mode: The only mode deemed effective for genuine debris removal. However, even at maximum pressure, it cannot completely replace traditional floss.

Gentle Mode: Fails to effectively dislodge or remove food particles trapped in interdental spaces.

Pulse Mode: Primarily limited to gum massage applications; practically useless for active debris extraction.

Technical Verdict: To get actual results, you'll want to skip the gentle settings and stick straight to "Strong" mode. Even then, let's keep it real: water alone won't cut it for those stubborn, tightly wedged particles. For a truly sterile, deep clean, you still need to pair this device with traditional waxed string floss.

3.2 Nozzle Ergonomics & Attachment Gimmicks

While the device ships with a variety of specialized attachments, they are largely gimmicky in practice.

The Standard Nozzle: This is your daily driver, though I didn't find a practical need to even test the other specialized variants.

Tongue Cleansing: The flosser's tongue flush attachment is easily outclassed. For optimal oral hygiene, I still vastly prefer deploying a dedicated Oral-B Vitality electric toothbrush for tongue scraping. (Stay tuned—I will be dropping a full technical review on the Oral-B Vitality next!)

4. Hardware Vulnerabilities & Maintenance

The primary failure point identified during long-term testing involves the structural integrity of the nozzle assembly:

[Nozzle Body] ---> [Rubber Gasket Sealing Layer]  <--- FAILURE POINT (Loosens at 6 Months)

The Issue: After approximately 6 months of daily and pressure stress, the factory rubber gasket on the primary nozzle came loose. Unfortunately, there's no replacement gasket/locking mechanism available for the main body.

The Fix: To restore the hydraulic seal and make the unit operational again, I had to manually apply a layer of cyanoacrylate (super glue).

5. Final ROI Verdict: Bright Halo

Despite the minor 6-month gasket hiccup and the fact that the extra attachments are mostly marketing fluff, the Xiaomi Water Flosser 2 is a remarkably solid buy. It delivers unrelenting battery life, handles constant charging like a champ, and gets the job done where it counts. If you couple it with standard string floss for the ultimate tag-team oral routine, this device earns its spot on your bathroom counter.

[hypeorhalo]

Send Help (2026) Halo or Hype?

Movie Review: Send Help (2025)

Rating: (A Raimi-esque Descent into Corporate Madness)

Sam Raimi is back, and he’s brought his signature blend of visceral body horror and pitch-black comedy to a remote island setting. Send Help isn't just a survival film; it’s a cathartic, blood-soaked fantasy for anyone who has ever felt like a disposable cog in the corporate machine.

The Corporate Soul-Crusher

The film’s opening sequence is its strongest hook. For any "aging employee" who has given their best years to a company only to be met with cold indifference, the introduction hits like a freight train. Raimi masterfully builds a sense of righteous indignation toward management, making the subsequent chaos feel earned. It sets the stage for our protagonist, Linda, whose background in Strategy and Planning becomes her greatest weapon—and her greatest curse.

Signature Raimi: The Good, The Bad, and The Bloody

Fans of Evil Dead will recognize the DNA here immediately.

The Style: Expect the classic "Raimi Cam"—hyper-kinetic jump-cut montages and those uncomfortably tight, disgusting close-ups of things entering mouths.

The Gory: While the practical effects are generally top-notch, some of the CGI is  somewhat left wanting, even when watching the film in my 26-inch computer monitor at 1080p, the digital sheen pulled me out of an otherwise visceral moment.

The Pacing: The character development is lean and efficient. We learn exactly why Linda has the skills she has without the film lingering too long on exposition.

Survival vs. Sanity (Spoiler Alert in the following paragraph)

The film takes a sharp turn into psychological territory when Linda considers passing up a rescue. Is she "crazy"? Not in the traditional sense. She isn't a manic villain; she’s a logical planner who has reached a breaking point.

However, the film plays with the idea of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Avoidant Personality Disorder, where the trauma of her past (including the implied planning of her ex-husband's death) makes the isolation of the island more appealing than the "civilization" that discarded her. The dark comedy shines here: the ending is a perfect, twisted punchline to a life spent being undervalued.

Fact-Checking the Tropes

Search & Rescue

For a high-profile American CEO, Thai authorities (and private contractors) would likely lead an intensive search for 14 to 30 days before transitioning to a "recovery" phase.

Island Ecology

Yes, large trees (like Teak and Banyan) and land-based wildlife (wild boar, macaques) are common on larger remote islands in the Gulf of Thailand or the Andaman Sea.

Hypothermia

While Thailand is tropical, monsoon storms and wet clothes can drop body temperatures significantly. If a storm lingers, mild hypothermia is a genuine risk. As a resident of a fairly close southeast Asian country with a weather that's very similar to the story's setting, I questioned the scene where they were soaked in the rain and needed body to body contact to warm off, like these are Americans that grew up in an exponentially colder climate so the chances of mild hypothermia occurring in a tropical rain storm is very slim.

The Cockatiel

A cockatiel can only survive 48 to 72 hours without food. If Linda was gone for a month, the original Sweetie has, unfortunately, croaked.

Deep Dive: The Logic of the Island

The Language Barrier: While many "Boat Men" in tourist-heavy Thai regions speak English, the "perfect English" portrayed by the character in the film is a bit of a cinematic stretch—likely used to facilitate the plot.

The Shallow Grave: Why would a strategy expert bury someone so shallow in relatively small island? I mean, this is the same person that, at the start of the film, seems to have all bases covered when it comes to workplace efficiency and normally, this behavior transitions outside work. It speaks more about her current mental state at the time and despite her logic, the trauma of the act (and her history) suggests she was theoretically more focused on the symbolism of the burial than getting away with murder because it's one of the things that befuddled me all throughout the film as to why that engagement ring was focused too damn much. Should I have another sit-in with the movie?

Final Thoughts and Verdict: Radiant Halo

Send Help succeeds because it understands that the horrors of the corporate world are sometimes scarier than a deserted island. Despite some shaky CG and logic leaps, it’s a triumphant return to form for Raimi. Personally, as a middle-aged corporate slave turned freelancer, I can very much relate to most of how the protagonist behaved throughout the film. That being said, this film for me, is a radiant halo.

[hypeorhalo]

3 Essential Tips on transitioning for end of contract employees (Philippines)

The employer and employee relationship is like a marriage of sorts, specially if you, the employee have grown fond of your job and would like to do this task as long as you have reached retirement age. But what would you do if the door of your current employment would no longer need your services and decides to cease or close?

Like any other sensible rank and file employee, I searched on means to transition smoothly. Looking for answers in the interwebs for tips and suggestions that is locally applicable as possible. Unfortunately, I  met a roadblock since going through the Google hits for "severance transitioning philippines","end of contract philippines","transitioning from one job to the other philippines" and so on has yielded results based that weren't applicable for the Philippine employment setting. I know this is not a rare occurrence since one of the leading sources of Philippine employment is the BPO industry where if the client decides for whatever reason to cease operations, the employee is left in a stymy and the BPO employer is left to treat the employee like a ping-pong throwing them from one account to the other which if you are already in the intermediate level position, would most likely feel like a demotion. That or chose to stay in a floating status where you are still an employee of the organization but on standby till they find a suitable position for your experience which isn't viable for some since we depend on our day to day salaries to survive (because floating entails no pay). If you have encoutered the same dilemma we encountered, here are tips to help you survive.

1.) If you have been given a notice when your employment would end, plan at least a month ahead and coordinate with your immediate supervisor or recruitment specialist/HR regarding their transition plan for you and/or your entire department. Ask about where they plan to transfer you and if possible schedule interviews before the end date. It should give you enough time to decide whether to continue your employment with your current company or to pack and go. As a personal tip, if you are not satisfied with the company's exit strategy, do not hesitate to move on... Do not settle for a job where you will not be comfortable with. Ask for options and if everyting presented doesn't sit with you, then its time to say sayonara kaisha! In the long run it would eat you inside out and would lead you to resignation which wouldn't be good for your resume.

2.) Search online for applicable jobs relevant with your area of expertise (or whichever comes close) and schedule appointments with their HR. In today's day and age, it is far easier to go job hunting. You can use Jobstreet, JobsDB or LinkedIN and use search strings like your current job description or a part of your current role since job titles could be very misleading :-) For example, you are given the title "Technical Specialist" and use it as a search string. the resulting hits would most likely give a diversity of JD's or job descriptions that would not fit your qualification or experience. Instead, use a part of your job role which in my case, used "UNIX/Linux", "Monitoring", or "Financial data". You'd be surprised with the creative naming conventions employers use to entice job hunters but if you look closely, its basically the same role. Kind of reminds me of an old employment joke here in the Philippines about "Floor Managers" XD.

3.) Updating your resume: It might not occur to you, specially if you've spent years in a particular job, how outdated your resume is! Before putting in the specifics, remember to be aware of your current job role as you will be using this to make any updates. It is also good to add a little bit of "spice" to catch the eye of headhunters but not so much that you would be lying about your capabilities. It's a big NO-NO to embelish your job experience as employers have a way to gauge your capacity as a potential employee and even if you manage to fool the recruitment officer, there will ALWAYS come a time where you or an event will blow you out of that company. A good example of "spicing" your resume without going overboard are the usage of synonymous words/phrases ("Handle inbound calls" to "Manage customer interaction") A simple rephrasing can show recruiters your ability to expound and build more "character" in your resume.

It is good to keep in mind that it is still better to stick to one company and accumulate that ever valuable tenurship but if your options are limited, then it isn't a bad idea to move on. Whatever your decision may be, it will be ultimately up to you, the jobseeker. Remember not to force yourself to like your next job, it should be a mutual relationship where the employee and the job would mold as one, kinda like the principle of yin and yang. Good luck!

[hypeorhalo]

Focus(2015) movie review

Focus(2015)

Rating R13 - Sexual situations ensued among the main cast minus the nudity

Genre: Action/Romance

Starring : Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Gerald McRaney

Director: Glenn Ficarra and John Requa

I love Will Smith. Ever since watching him in Men in Black back when I was a teenager I'd continuously anticipate every one of his movies, notably, his portrayal of Mike Lowrey in the Michael Bay hit Bad Boys I & II. Can't count how many times I've watched and continue to laugh at his antics there, specially the "taking my niece out for a date" scene. In my opinion, Smith has magnificently transcended all the movie genre's I adore and made it uniquely his own... comedy, horror/suspense, drama, action, you name it he's played it, playa!

Focus, essentially a love story that revolves around the criminal underworld of conmen. Nicky's(Will Smith) love for Jess(Margot Robbie) will be tested amidst flimflammer "ethics" and their developing passion. Summatively, an interracial Bonnie and Clyde minus the murders :-)

As the opening sequence transpired, a nudging feeling bothered me... telling me that I'd hate this film. I for one, have been a victim of countless racketeering from pick-pockets, fraudsters, scammers and thieves that gave me a biased antagonism against the main characters but that feeling was clearly alleviated as soon as the plot unfolded.

The film cleverly took the sting out of my tendentious feelings towards con artists and made me focus on the fostering admiration between the main couple. It also takes a smart approach in providing awareness of their basic modi and logically explains the science behind their operations and how it is intrinsically carried out. Actually, it also gave me a rudimentary perspective on the psychology behind their actions, drama included. It is like watching a 105 minute, romantically augmented episode of National Geographic's Scam City.

The movie is not unique per se as there are dozens of other criminal love stories out there that film fanatics would unquestinably prefer over Focus but this definitely ranks among the upper echleons of criminal romances along with True Romance and West Side Story (well, at least in my opinion). This is one film that crosses the boundaries between male and female movie genre preferences as it possess both the unrighteous shadiness that most men like and the raunchy love story that women prefer. If you and your significant other are squabbling over what to watch this coming movie date night then this is a feature I could recommend for you, enjoy!

[hypeorhalo]

4 signs that your child may need eyeglasses and tips to cut back on your expenditures (Philippines)

I think we could all agree that the eyes are probably the most important sensory organ that God has blessed us with. We use sight as a medium for gaining, fortifying, and improving our knowledge so without it, the world would be a very dark and terrifying place to live in, no pun intended.

When one becomes a parent… I mean REALLY become a parent, not just one who passes his or her own gamete which results in a child, you would wish the world for them… success, happiness and above all, to turn out as a responsible individual. So a certain disability would be devastating for a parent who longs for all the aforementioned appurtenances for their children, specially if that disability involves eyesight.

My goal is to assist other people by sharing information on this blog for probable signs that your loved one may need vision correction and ways to minimize your expenditures in the process, specifically if you live in Manila, Philippines.  

1.) Sensitivity to Light -  This is one of the early signs you could easily notice your child may manifest, specially if you live here in the Philippines since almost all parents I know have or may have sun-bathed their babies to counteract infant jaundice (yellow discoloration in a newborn) or just because their lolo or lola said that it is beneficial for their apo’s :-) In our experience, our little boy was REALLY sensitive to light like he was a creature of the night (vampire :-)) because he would air-tightly shut his eyes as soon as we begin his daily, early morning sun-bathing session. He would even cry if we expose his face even for a fraction of a time bathing in sunlight! Watch out for this one parents as we don’t want you to easily dismiss this like we did.

2.) Watching too close to a digital medium (TV/Computer/Tablet/Smartphone) - Children nowadays have been exposed to more and more digital media. It is seldom that I hear a child who does not know how to basically use these devices so if your tot brings these handheld gizmos too close to their face to watch, it is a clear sign of poor eyesight.

3.) Squinting - Connected to light sensitivity, your child may be squinting their eye to limit light that pass through the lens of their eyes to the retina. It enables the child to focus their eyesight better on a subject. We noticed our kid often squinting his eye when his mother teaches him to read and identify letters/numbers or objects in a flash card.

4.) Using his fingers to focus better on small letters or objects - Although this could be a common gesture for children when learning to read, using a pointing tool or his fingers could be an indication that your child has issues with his/her vision. If this habit is coupled with one of the aforementioned signs then it may be time to visit the eye doctor.

Now that we’ve identified the initial signs your child may have uncorrected vision, it is time to share pointers on how to get his/her eyes corrected, specially if you have a limited budget.

Ophthalmologist - The first step to get your child’s (or anyone for that matter) vision corrected is to have him visit the eye doctor. Ophthalmologists use a more intricate approach in testing your eyesight such as, but not limited to the application of dilating drops and retinal tests to specifically identify vision problems. Some of you may have gone straight away to an optical shop (doesn’t matter if its a multi branched, big name optical shop. we’ve been to most of them) and have an optometrist asses your vision problems but I encourage you to visit an ophthalmologist first. For one, me and my significant other committed that mistake when we were younger and were forced to wear corrective lenses that were either unnecessary (for me) or a lens of a lower grade scale that made her vision worse as the years progressed. We also learned from the ophthalmologist we brought our son to that corrective lenses only assists the user with their vision but will NEVER lower your lens grade, it is sadly a myth told by some opticians and/or optometrists to get you to purchase their products. ONLY a surgical procedure such as Lasik can restore your eyes brightness to a healthy 20/20. Since we are already in the topic of “optical” myths, another famous discussion is the excessive use of gadgets and watching close to the TV/computer will lead you to ruin your optics. This information was debunked years ago and may be classified as old wives tale since there have been no medical evidences that prove the activity damages the eyes so hooray for young gamers and couch potatoes! Gluing your optical orbs on the screen will not endanger your eyesight ;-)

Going back to the topic, we canvassed and contacted various ophthalmology clinics around the metro and found that the average professional fee charged for a consultation is around 800 PHP but good tidings to you budget conscious folks out there as we found a place that charges only 315 PHP. It is Clinica Caritas which is located in 3588-B P. Sanchez Street, Santa Mesa, Manila. The Ophthalmologist’s schedule is on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 11AM - 2PM. You can contact them with this phone number if you have further inquiries or clarifications (713 6527). There is also a Clinica Caritas in Farmer’s Plaza Cubao, Quezon City but we haven’t visited that branch yet, just putting this here to spread awareness. They probably charge the same fee as the one in Manila since they are the same organization.

Lens/Eyeglasses - If your ophthalmologist prescribed your child to wear eyeglasses, most probably it would be made out of polycarbonate lenses as these are very durable and would not shatter in case he/she encounters an accident. The cheapest polycarbonate lens we inquired is from Executive Optical - EO. The average cost of a polycarbonate lens with equal or less than 2 diopters of astigmatism(-2.00) ranges from 3000 - 3300 PHP but in Executive Optical - EO, the cost is only 1950 PHP! That is more than a thousand bucks cheaper! But since our kid was prescribed with 2 1/2 (-2.50) diopters of astigmatism for his lenses, they would have to make customizations which more than doubled the amount to 6270 PHP (which is still, by far, cheaper than other optical shop’s fees since the price for a customized lens like ours ranges from 6950 - 7700 PHP). We were also informed that the brand they used for their lenses is Hoya Japan. I did my research and found that this brand is very credible and esteemed for its high quality based on an online forum for professionals using optic lenses (http://www.optiboard.com). In terms of completion time, others offered to finish assembling the lens in 15 - 20 working days while Executive Optical - EO gave us a projection of just 10 working days! truly efficient! Including the very child-friendly frame brand Babiator (plastic aviator frame for kids and toddlers) which we got for just 970 PHP, the total cost for our tots eyeglasses is just 7240 PHP. Free pairs of adjustable, garterized eyeglass holders/lanyard were also provided for our active toddler! That is really good customer service in their part! The EO Branch we went to is in Market! Market! Taguig but Executive Optical branches can be found in major malls all over Metro Manila. For more information on this optical shop, you can visit http://www.eo-executiveoptical.com/

We hope this article would help other parents and/or people determine the early signs of poor eyesight for our young ones. I believe that there are always alternatives for cutting the cost for just about anything and quality should not suffer for it. You just have to be dedicated in finding the right product/service that fits your budget. A healthy pair of eyes plays a huge role is shaping a child’s future, making sure that those are in tip-top condition should be considered a priority for parents.

As the 16th century playwright, William Shakespeare, idiomatically put it… “The eyes are the window to your soul” so make sure to be vigilant if there are signs that something is wrong with those valuable sensory organs. You may wish them to become a hero like Batman but I’m definitely positive that you wouldn’t want your children to be blind as a bat, would you? God bless everyone!

The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light ~Matthew 6:22

References:

Importance of the Eyes: Augenklinik Stralsund

How to read eyeglass prescription: Sight & Hearing Association

Vision Facts & Myths: Kidshealth.org

OptiBoard Forums

Babiators

Caritas Health Shield

Executive Optical : Love your eyes

Cover Image from BabyMagz

Bible Verses: openbible.info

[hypeorhalo]

The Zalora Experience: A review by a frequent shopper

Shopping - There are a lot of people I know personally that find this activity relaxing and is also a form of stress relief called retail therapy, (Ha! was not aware that this term existed till I started researching for this review). It does not matter what gender you fall under, the shopping bug could get you at one point in your life and could be, get this, a life long condition <<< no surprise there babes and gents, it can get compulsive! A form of shopping that has been around since I was a little kid (was born in the early 1980’s) is catalogue shopping which I think was popularized by Avon here in the Philippines (correct me if I’m wrong). A bit of historical tidbit on this, catalogue shopping or mail order first started in the English country of Great Britain in 1498… WOW! that’s even earlier than the discovery of the Philippines by Ferdinand Magellan. Anyway, mail order has since transcended to its original form in brochure-type catalogue and went digital in the dawn of the now recognized form in e-commerce, online shopping, and one of such websites I am currently doing a review on is ZALORA.

ZALORA is a Singapore based business that started in 2012 and further expanded it’s reach to Southeast Asia and Oceania where you might come across it as “The Iconic”. ZALORA is an online retailer focusing its products in the realm of fashion and beauty where shoppers can conveniently browse through their catalogue using a computer browser (Chrome, Safari or Firefox… forget IE) or their application that you can download through the Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store using your handy dandy smartphone (I said the last phrase in true Blue’s Clues fashion). The online tycoon made it really easy peasy for us consumers!

Me and my wife ventured late on this online shopping thing. We always had our doubts with online retailers or the security regarding their services because of the rampant fraudulent activities that we’ve been seeing and reading in social media and reputable news channels so we only tried their services last quarter 2014 (It wasn’t ZALORA though). Testing the waters, we eventually tried various online merchants and eventually came across ZALORA. to begin our quest, we downloaded their app in our smartphones since it’s more convenient browsing while lying down (Lazy, I know). Upon opening the app, we were immediately welcomed by a familiar output with the addition of functional pictured rows you can easily swipe left or right to go through a specific catalogue. You can also categorize between male and female items from the splash screen by clicking on the options icon on the upper left portion of the screen, neat-o! If you already have an item in mind, you could use the magnifying glass icon in the welcome screen to search for an item and later apply filters to narrow down your search. Within a couple of minutes accessing ZALORA, I was breezing through this user-friendly app to various items to my liking!

Then lookie here I finally made a selection, people, and now for the registration… every entry was well labeled and organized so the registration was also, as with the rest of the app, a cinch. I chose COD (cash-on-delivery) since I am very skeptical about security then proceeded to tapping the confirmation button to execute the order and instantaneously a confirmation email was received with shipment details indicating that the shipment was free of charge! As I did a little checking on their website, I found out that for items worth 995 pesos and up, the shipping is free, cool huh? The order was placed on December 23, 2014 at around 2:00 AM because it’s a follow up christmas gift for Wifey and I also wanted to use the coupon code for minus 250 bucks for the first purchase made in ZALORA. A couple of hours passed and I was again alerted through email that the shipment is now in transit and may expect the item within 1-3 days which I think is a reasonable timeframe for any shipment to arrive at your doorstep.

I even dismissed the message and sank my expectation even lower to at least 5 days to a week since it is the christmas season, but a gleeful surprise was awaiting me… We were doing our usual afternoon chores when a guy in a moped with a large backpack called our attention from beyond our gate. As I came closer, I noticed that the ZALORA logo was in the gargantuan pack and soon, the man identified himself as a courier for the company and asked to speak with the name in the order form, which was none other than me. Within less than 8 hours, the package was delivered on a hectic term, which was really impressive to think I’d get the parcel on the same day, neatly packed in an elegant looking box inclusive of the order and return forms, hassle free!

From that day forward, we ordered a couple more items from ZALORA with an average turn around time of 8-10 hours upon placing the order, which was very consistent indeed! We haven’t tried calling their customer hotline since we never encountered issues with our orders but for the heck of experiencing it, I tried keying in their number at [phone] just to ask a couple of questions that was already readily available in the FAQ section of the ZALORA app or website. Upon going through their IVR (Interactive voice response) and transferred to an available representative, I was promptly greeted and my inquiries were well taken care of which, by local Philippine standards regarding customer service, I would rate my experience with them a 10 out of 10 (I rated how the call was handled). By the way, customer service via phone is available only from 9 AM - 7 PM Mondays through Fridays and 10 AM to 5PM for Saturdays but order statuses can be verified through the ZALORA website.

Altogether, our experience shopping using ZALORA was very gratifying, indeed. We hope that they would continue their splendid service and fast turn around time as long as the business exists. To tell you the truth, my wife got so hooked on catalogue shopping that she has been making it a routine browsing ZALORA’s stuff whenever she has free time albeit house chores and kids, that is how pleasantly satisfied we are and hope that you will share the same sentiments we did with ZALORA!

[hypeorhalo]

Wolves (2014) Movie Review

Wolves 2014

Rating: R18 - Gore and Violence, Scenes of mutilated bodies. Brief nudity shown, sexual situations were demonstrated among the lead cast.

Genre: Horror :-)

Cast: Jason Momoa, Lucas Till, Merritt Patterson

Director: David Hayter

I absolutely love stories about werewolves, period. As a kid, I envisioned myself becoming a werewolf every time there was a full moon! or wishing I’d turn out to become one. I’d growl and howl to my parents indignation. These creatures of the night symbolized primal savagery and feral transformation that made this therianthropic brute almost every introverts favorite monster, I know it was mine. Having said that, It comes to no surprise that I am inclined to watching movies about these hellions.

Wolves, a story about a small town juvenile all star football player named Cayden Richards (Lucas Till) that has everything going for him till puberty takes over and turns this perfect scenario topsy turvy. He then wanders around the american back roads in a badass bike in search for answers which leads him to a back hoe town conveniently populated with his kind… Pretty cliche, don’t you think? Well it doesn’t stop there folks.

As I said before, I love stories about werewolves so I might stand biased with this critique but as the first couple of minutes rolled, I immediately came to the conclusion that this would be a straight-out crap-fest. From the first scene where he was having a phantasmic nightmare and was instantaneously comforted by his parents, I thought to myself… “WHAAAAATT?! that’s ridiculous! Is he still sleeping with his parents? How could this John Cena sounding lead be a demagogue alpha? LOL” You must also watch out for the awkwardly hilarious way they dash as wolves, totally ludicrous and downright dumbfounding which kinda reminds me of the way the apes ran in the Wahlberg starred Planet of the Apes flop. I was starting to feel that this was more of a satirical comedy about werewolves rather than a nerve wracking horror. The fact that my favorite Game of Thrones star, Jason Momoa as Connor Slaughter, the big bad villainous wolf did little to stir my thoughts regarding this flick really puts a total eclipse on this werewolf flick. In all fairness, I still thought that the cast’s acting was still above the monotonic portrayal by Twilight standards, LOL, still pretty low, I know but thats how butt-ugly this is. But to the film’s credit I did like how they went old school with costumes and makeup and didn’t rely on CG at all which could’ve really made me hit the stop button and call it quits even if the werewolf designs were kinda like the bastard children of Beast from X-MEN and the lemurs of Madagascar.

All in all, I think if you would ever want to view a hilariously mind-numbing werewolf flick then this could fill 90+ minutes of your time… or maybe not! David Hayter should just return to being the voice of our beloved Snake from the Metal Gear series to save face for this mangy, flea bitten excuse for a werewolf movie that he directed and Momoa being a savage warrior where he is truly king. Hey, I guess you could also watch this to get a few laughs and take pointers on how NOT to make a movie about werewolves.

[hypeorhalo]

The Imitation Game Review

The Imitation Game 2014

Rating: PG - Some controversial issues were tackled in the story such as homosexuality. No nudity shown. Some disturbing acts of violence.  

Genre: Biographical Film

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Charles Dance

Director: Morten Tyldum

A deep, modulated voice welcomes the audience from the beginning of the film which pretty much reeled me into watching the movie with such focus and interest. It’s as if the voice was personally speaking, telling me to immerse myself in the intriguing life of Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch), the enigmatic protagonist which coincidentally, cracked a German encryption machine called the “Enigma”. I must warn the potential viewers though that you must intently pay attention to each scene transition to fully understand the story as the timeline often flashes back to give further elaboration on the previous or next couple of scenes. Aside from the bewitching narration, what also piqued my interest is the lead’s love for math, logic and machines which will be spread out through the whole of the feature so if you are a certified geek, you would certainly be predisposed in watching this movie. We all know the axiom that goes “Behind every great man is a great woman” from a similar scenario in Babbage and Lovelace (The father of modern computers and the first recognized programmer) to the infamous Bonnie and Clyde of the criminal world, Alan Turing had Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley), who was not only brilliant and intriguing by herself but was also the catalyst that gave our hero back his compassion and empathy. The supporting cast does not fall short of an exemplary performance with Hugh Alexander (Matthew Goode) playing the part of the deuteragonist that offers a fair competition to Alan, Charles Dance who geeks-from-around-the-world know as the guy who played the eerie daddy-vampire in Underworld which amusingly carried over that same wicked aura as the dubious Commander Denniston. The movie’s pace was also well balanced from the top to end, even for a biographical film which often in it’s genre suffers from long, tedious scenes of utter boredom because of the lack of flair in them but certainly not this one. Most notably, the quotes in this movie touches your soul from its take on violence, incredulity towards self and others and moral philosophy.

The movie adaptation which stemmed from the Andrew Hodges novel, in my opinion, really delivered all throughout. It will leave you questioning your views on sexuality or gender preference and how it is irrelevant to one’s achievements and aptitude as a person. You may also ponder on a dilemma yourself as the end credits roll but one thing I am assured, this movie did not get critically acclaimed for nothing! Best biographical film I've seen since Braveheart!

[hypeorhalo]

4 Budget Friendly Tips in Supporting your Child with Cerebral Palsy in the Philippines

One of the corner stones in every couples lives is the coming of their little angel (or angels in our case). God’s little blessings to continue humanity and the legacy we will eventually leave behind. As parents, we all want what’s best for them, right? We will invest our time and attention with our little bundles of joy as much as we can possibly afford to ensure that they will carry on, well equipped to ultimately tackle the world… but what if you find out that your babe in arms has a HUGE hurdle she would start with the moment she takes her first breath?  Devastating, indeed. 

The condition I am referring to is cerebral palsy (which I will further refer in this article as CP). Our ‘unica hija’ (at the moment of writing) was diagnosed with athetoid CP or dyskinetic CP. Living in the Philippines with a child that has such a condition is very tasking specially if you, like us, are the vast majority of proletariats that has just enough financial capacity to get by everyday life. We often look for a more viable solution to our predicament and in the current age where information flows out of every gadget and gizmo we can get our hands on, be it owned or borrowed, where do we turn to in getting the said data? You guessed right, the Internet. 

I thought that I’d just ‘Google it’ since everything can be found using a search engine with the right key word/s but lo and behold, we couldn’t get a definite link to guide and help us with what we were looking for to assist our special needs baby. We spent countless hours, burning the midnight oil on multiple sites and forums compiling knowledge that could point us to the right direction, be it local or international. Browsing through comments, trying this and that then finding out what works for their baby is not available here in our country.  (Sigh)… We were often pulled back to square one which is super frustrating and eventually lead us to feeling depressed and desperate. That desperation led us to pursue a wild goose chase going through different addresses posted in X forum that was either no longer operational or were too expensive for our budget. But remember, no effort is left unrewarded my fellow parents! In the long run, we did find a solution for our problem. Thank God!

Which is why I decided to share the solutions we stumbled upon with other parents from the Philippines who also use the inter-webs to search for a more affordable solution to our predicament. 

1.) Hong’s Children Center for Cerebral Palsy - It’s a Korean ran institution that caters mainly, but not limited to children with CP using the Bobath approach. How is Bobath different from plain physical therapy? according to Wikipedia, the goal of applying the Bobath concept is to promote motor learning for efficient motor control in various environments, thereby improving participation and function. How is that helping our Moma? (Moma is the nickname of our CP angel :-) ). We have seen drastic improvements with her motor skills like grabbing, head movements, longevity of sleep, rolling over, etc. since bringing her there a year ago. The assigned teachers (Its what they call the therapists here) are interactive with their clients and parents. They ask the parents to bring assignment notebooks so that at the end of each session, they can provide their professional assessment and pointers to parents on what needs to be worked at home which is good, since we can also apply the therapy ourselves! 

The best part about this is that each therapy session costs only 700 php (as of January 2015) which is very affordable for the value of service provided and improvement you can look forward to seeing your little angel do. You can pay them a visit at the 13th floor of Strata 100 building, Emerald Avenue Pasig City.

2.) Use simple toys or thingamajigs - Our Moma’s favorite toy is a short christmas tinsel that we use to encourage her to grab and at the same time follow with her head to utilize her neck muscles. We lead the decor left, right, up and down then let her grab it once we notice that her vision is focused on the object then praise her for each successful try. Its really simple yet effective! You could also use anything from discarded candy wrappers to the cane senior citizens use (as long as the cane has a circumference that the child can grab 80% of the way). The important thing is that the object you use should grab your little tot’s attention, something that she is interested in so you can practice basic hand and eye coordination with her. You will know when to stop once your kid looses focus and seems uninterested to continue. 

3.) Social Media - Join cerebral palsy support groups in social media. Since the families with special needs children rarely congregate here in the Philippines, it’s a good thing to also find support that you can view in the comfort of your homes (or office if you’re allowed to :-) ). The simple images , quotes or videos that members post regarding the development of their CP angel is a silver lining to parents who feel hopeless and depressed about theirs. Even if the groups are mostly based in the United States, you can still communicate with them through private messages and comments to ask for tips and advise. We also found a page called ‘Maya’s Hope’ in Facebook that helps children with disabilities from around the world by looking for financial sponsors and providing assistance to poor families with special needs children. Who knows, your child could also get sponsored by the said group and you could get assistance from various kind souls from around the globe. You can try ABR Canada and Cerebral Palsy Parents Information Group in Facebook as well.

4.) Spend time with them - If there is something that you can give without spending a dime it is your time with them. Nothing spells encouragement better than quality T-I-M-E. It is also proven that disabled children who have healthy EQ strive better into improving their condition. A simple playtime with your CP angel would do wonders in the long run.

So there you have it dear parents, these are the 4 tips you can do to help our little angels in getting better and living with their condition. Nobody can predict what can happen in the future even if the present seems bleak. There are always miracles happening around us so never lose hope because God never abandons his children.

See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. 

- Matthew 18:10

Reference and links:

https://www.facebook.com/HongsChildrenCenterForCerebralPalsy

https://www.facebook.com/cerebralPalsypeople

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobath_concept

http://www.biblestudytools.com/matthew/18-10.html

https://www.facebook.com/abr.canada

https://www.facebook.com/groups/CerebralPalsyInfo/

https://www.facebook.com/MayasHope