Cheska’s Pride

I was thinking of putting up a post about the most valuable relics in history. However, I’ve decided to just include the most famous ones (for this article, Christianity’s) since people perceive the value differently (religion is indeed a sensitive topic).

Relics are important object or items that bear religious significance. There are relics in almost every religion - Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and especially Christianity - and they are usually preserved and treated as memorials. For this particular post, I will be talking about the relics in Christianity’s history.

Holy Grail - I bet everybody knows about the Holy Grail, either from the bible itself or from popular media. It has been the subject of many films and shows on TV. As you most probably know already, the holy grail or chalice is the cup used by Jesus Christ during the Last Supper. It is said to possess mysterious powers, the most popular being its supposed ability to give eternal life to anyone who drinks from it. It has also been mentioned in various legends, one of them being in stories of King Arthur.

Gifts of the Magi - Currently in the St. Paul Monastery in Mount Athos. The three magi, also known as the Three Kings or Three Wise Men, were known to be the people who visited and gave gifts to Jesus Christ after he was born. Among the four gospels, The Book of Matthew was the only one that mentioned the incident. According to Matthew, the three magi brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and mhyrr. The gifts have been criticized as useless for a carpenter’s family, however it Mary and Joseph may have sold the gifts to pay for the costs of traveling to Egypt (during their escape from Herod’s order).

Crown of Thorns - Also a well-known relic, the crown of thorns were composed of woven thorny branches that was put on Jesus Christ’s head before he was crucified. There have been at least 700 thorns that various people claim to be authentic but not all of them are.

Spear of Longinus - Also called the Holy Lance or the Spear of Destiny. It was the spear that was used to pierce the sides of Jesus Christ while he was on the cross - the purpose was to ensure that he was already dead. The incident was only mentioned in the book of John and not in any other gospel. Initially, the soldier who pierced Jesus was not named, however, various records have indicated the name of the soldier being Longinus - making the Latin name Lancea Longini correct. Various relics have been found and was claimed to the Spear of Destiny or even just parts of it. There are various spears held in different locations but knowing which one is the “real” one is still up to debate. The spear has also been featured in various media and is most often depicted as an object with mysterious power.

True Cross - Probably the most well-known among all Christians, the cross was the object used to crucify Jesus Christ. The name “True Cross” was given to the physical remnants of the said cross with the most popular part of it being the INRI inscription on top. The cross itself is no longer in its whole form and have been broken into parts and reformed into small crosses with one of the largest held at Santo Toribio de Liébana in Spain. Based on the stories leading to the discovery of the relic, I’m not sure whether to believe that the parts are really from the cross itself.

Ever wondered how the clothes you wear started out? Well, most of them started appearing during ancient times. Underwear, for example, didn’t appear as they are today. They were developed to fit the culture and views for a certain period of time. Let me show you some of the facts:

Brassiere - The earliest bra recorded were shown being worn by Minoan women around 2500BC. The bra-like garment exposed the breasts but held them upward. Later, the Greeks were shown wearing garments that prevented the breasts from moving while walking. The Romans copied it but designed it so that it would prevent the growth of young women’s breasts or to hide large breasts. These were similar to corsets. During the medieval period, It was only until around the 1920s or 1930s that bras were developed to hold the breasts instead of flattening them.

Underwear - Unlike bras, women’s drawers only started to appear around the 17th century. They were made up of two seperate leggings that were attached to the waist or corset and reached the calf. And yes, it doesn’t cover anything between the legs.

Shoes - During early times, Roman soldiers were shown wearing sandals called the caliga. Later, they developed a style more suited to British weather called gallica. The difference? Caliga exposed the toes while the gallica was closed. During the 17th century, women decided that pointed toes (on the shoes) were more feminine. It was during that time that buckles were used to fasten the shoes. Women used ribbons instead of buckles. Boots began to gain popularity during the 19th century, and in the 20th century designer shoes became prominent.

Sources: http://www.jenellerose.com/htmlpostings/history_of_the_bra.htm,
http://www.northampton.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?categoryID=1482&documentID=142

I admit, the title seems to be a bit misleading. Actually, I’m writing this not to show you some pink gadgets for women but to show you a particular article I read a few months ago.

Read it here.

Anyway, the reason I brought this up was due to an observation I had after visiting a few stores while shopping with a friend. Whenever I went to a store selling different gadgets, the “female” version of a particular item would include a pink-colored one. I found it funny especially when I recalled a similar observation with baby stuff - blue for boy and pink for a girl. Ha ha!

Personally, I like pink. But I wouldn’t like every single gadget that I own to be pink! IHow about you?

While shopping, a friend asked me to accompany her to a jewelry store nearby. Since I also liked the idea, I agreed. There were a lot of gems in there (obviously) but one stood out in particular among all of them - a rather large diamond attached to a gold ring. To my surprise, she mentioned something about curses and jewels. Curious, I did some searching and found some interesting legends about cursed jewels, so here’s what I found.

Hope Diamond

Probably the best known cursed jewel around the world, was said to have been taken from the forehead of a Hindu idol. Some sources say it was a priest who stole the diamond who later sold it, while some others say it was found in one of the mines in India. Either way, it was later bought by a man named Tavernier who later sold it to King Louis the XIV.

Some sources claim that the curse started to appear while it was in the hands of King Louis the XIV. Others claim it started when King Louis the XVI was beheaded along with his wife Marie Antoinette. Afterwards, the diamond was passed on to different people who would suffer the curse. The diamond would then later come into the possession of a man named henry Philip Hope who would give the diamond its name.

The family who had probably suffered the greatest because of the effects of the curse would be the McLeans. Edward McLeans mother died along with two servants (the cause of death was not mentioned), their nine-year-old son died in a car crash, their daughter committed suicide at the age of 25 (said to be from overdose of sleeping pills), Edward McLean himself was declared insane and died in a mental institution.

The diamond is now on display in the National Museum of Natural History.

Sources: http://history1900s.about.com/od/1950s/a/hopediamond.htm, http://www.underworldtales.com/hope.htm

The Black Orlov

Another diamond that was said to have been stolen from a Hindu idol. JW Paris, the diamond dealer, committed suicide by jumping off from the top of one of New York’s tallest buildings after selling the jewel. Later, Princess Nadia Vyegin-Orlov and Princess Leonila Galitsine-Bariatinsky also committed suicide by leaping to their deaths.

The diamond was later cut into three separate gems to break the curse. None of its owners have suffered the same fate as the previous three.

Source: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/news/2005/sept/news_6429.html

Delhi Purple Sapphire

Another gem that came from India. However, unlike the previous two, the misfortunes that befell its owners have not been elaborated.

A young curator named Peter Tandy found an amethyst with a note that accompanied it three decades ago. The note said, “This stone is terribly accursed and is stained with the blood, and the dishonour of everyone who has ever owned it”. Apparently, it was written by a scientist named Edward Heron-Allen.

The scientist, being the last owner of the jewel, sealed it inside seven boxes and included the said note. The note ended with, “Whoever shall then open it, shall first read out this warning, and then do as he pleases with the jewel. My advice to him or her is to cast it into the sea.”

Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article2935508.ece

Well, I’m not a believer of myths and legends but the history behind these jewels are interesting to read. How about you?

After taking some time off from my busy schedule to browse the Internet, I was able to finish three things. First, i was able to sign up for a contest, with the prize being five nights for two people at your choice of a European setting. Second, I was able to find some weird gadgets, which is the topic for this blog entry. And third…I finished this post, of course!

I had mixed feelings about ranking these gadgets and accessories since I’m not really sure which among them is weirder than the other so I simply made a list. Here are some of what I found.

Fun Sliders Carpet Skates - Do you like to skate? Well, I do! But there’s no way you are going to make me wear these things! However, if you feel like zooming through the office going from one department to another, then these are for you!

They cost $15.99 a pair.

Taken from: Gear Fuse

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Cake PC - Seriously, I didn’t think it was a piece of hardware at all! What looks like a Black Forest Cake is actually the case for a PC! What’s even more surprising is that the artistic creation only costs around $100 compared to other gaming cases that go for around $150 and above. Still, if you have one of these, make sure to warn your friends when they visit or they may stick a knife through your computer case.

Taken from: The INQUIRER

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Meat Bag - I’m not talking about humans, or whatever the popular usage of the word is referring to. It’s literally a meat bag! Well, I’m not sure if it’s really made of meat or not, although the former would surely be gross.

Taken from: Gear Fuse

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USB Drive Swarovski Crystal Engagement Ring - Old news but still worth mentioning. A lot of people had negative reactions about this particular gadget, and their arguments actually make sense. Who on earth would want something like this? For me, a proposal is considered a serious thing, so if my boyfriend happens to give me one of these as an engagement ring, ooooh…I don’t even want to bother describing what will happen.

Taken from TFTS

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Lippi Selk All-in-One Sleeping Bag - Do you hate it when you have to bring along a sleeping bag when you have to camp out? Or would you like a sleeping bag that allow you to move freely? Well, this particular item is for you! This wearable sleeping bag allows just that. Since you wear it, you won’t have to carry extra luggage and the design allows you to move freely! It comes in three colors: Yellow, Army Green, and Dark Red.

Taken from: Drink Stuff

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Rubik’s Cube Security Device - Well here’s something for your stuff’s security! If you’re the type that loves puzzle, well here’s something for you. The way the cube works is you set up a color combination which you can solve to unlock. You can also set it up to become time-based and will switch to a different color combination when it’s not solved within the time-limit. Although some people would love this, I find it too weird and impractical for my liking.

Taken from: Yanko Design

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Pileus WiFi Umbrella - Leave it to Japanese to think of something weird yet strangely appealing. This umbrella allows you to take pictures that could be uploaded to Flickr via a built in camera and wireless Internet connection. In a few minutes, you can view it from the screen underneath. It also has a Global Positioning System and would probably incorporate a video camera in the future. I definitely want one of these.

Taken from: Popgadget

Okay, so Earth Day has passed and I know most of you took part in the events to demonstrate your concern for the environment. The way you celebrated the event may have been different depending on where you lived or stayed during that time (you may have been taking a vacation in Italy and attended the concert) However, it’s not only during Earth Day that you can show it. Recycling, energy-saving methods, waste segregation - these are but the most common practices people do everyday. Instead, why not show your love for mother nature with clothes!

You might have seen clothes that are labeled as “environment-friendly” in stores. But what, exactly, makes them different from the others? As you might have guessed, it’s the fabric! Just growing your regular cotton requires a huge amount of insecticide and water. The production of the fabric itself produces chemicals that are harmful to the environment.

So how can a certain material be considered environment-friendly?

• First, renewability. The shorter the time the resource can be renewed, the better.
• Second, the amount of resources that are needed to produce the material - of course, lesser is better.
• Third, the amount of space required to produce it.
• And fourth, the amount of chemicals required for processing to make it available in the market.

With those factors in mind, here are three examples of fabrics that are considered as environment friendly:

Hemp - No, not marijuana. Ha ha. Hemp is easily the one with the most potential for being environment-friendly. The crop grows very quickly and requires less care than the other crops used to make fabric. It can also grow with just the normal amount of rainfall instead of artificial methods like, say, irrigation. Hemp has the natural property of being mold and rot resistant so imagine that on your clothes! (Left picture taken from http://www.simpleshoes.com/ecosneaks/)

Wool - I’m sure when somebody says wool, the word “sheep” immediately comes into mind. True enough, wool is the fiber acquired from the hair of sheep, goats, and other domestic animals. With that in mind, insecticides are out of the question since the fabric comes from animals, not plants. However, there are a few downsides to it. Animals, of course, secrete waste material - and while grazing, may go into bodies of water like rivers. Second, the material needs to be bleached to make it white which requires the use of chemicals that are potentially harmful to the environment. (Right picture taken from http://www.marcjacobs.com)

Linen - Linen is made from flax and is one of the oldest produced fabrics in the world. The plant requires minimal fertilizer and pesticides, so that’s a good thing. The fabric is soft, flexible, and it is also stronger than cotton. Depending on the method used for harvesting and processing, it may or may not be environmental friendly. Of course, if the natural methods are used it’s definitely environment-friendly. (Left picture taken from http://www.underthecanopy.com).

It’s amazing how some people can be very creative, especially in a fashion emergency.

I just read about an article from last week regarding the creation of a new bra. Elaine Cato, a runner-up of American Inventor last June, designed the bra when she couldn’t look for a backless bra for a New Year’s Eve party. She took apart one of her regular bras and created a backless version from it. Later, she developed it to become the 6-in-1 bra she entered in American Inventor. Cool, huh? Although it’s not for me, this can be good news for busty women who would like to flaunt their backs.

While we’re on the topic of bras, here are some interesting facts:

- A bra can have up to 40 different parts to assemble.
- The average bra size is 36C.
- 75% of women are wearing the wrong bra size.
- The most expensive bra is the “Millennium Bra”, which is covered in 1,988 sapphires and is approximately $10-million worth.
- The largest bra worn by a woman, according to the Guinness Book of World …

After the last week’s weirdness — there was someone who consoled me readily — I have a cute pet dog named “mudkip” (yes, I named him after a pokemon) only because he’s so cuuuute!

Since I have to be extra careful in taking care of my little mudkip, I have to make sure that I give the right kind of food, when and how frequent (or infrequent!) dogs have to take a bath and such. I came across a site with factual information on dogs, as well as other animals.

Here are my favorite facts:

“Dogs and cats, like humans, are either right of left handed… or is that paws?!” – My mudkip’s definitely a right-pawed pooch! He uses the right paw to pry stuff open.

“Nose prints are used to identify dogs, just like humans use fingerprints!” – I have no idea how to make a noseprint of mudkip that I can display in a frame. I don’t want to attempt this without consulting a vet either, as chemicals for noseprinting might harm my cute little mudkip! (And yes, the spellchecker scoffs at the words, “mudkip,” and “noseprint.”)

“Cats have over a hundred vocal sounds, but dogs only have about ten.” – They may have just ten vocal sounds, but it’s enough for me to know if it’s an enthusiastic bark, an angry bark (meaning, danger danger, Will Robinson!) or just a plea for food.

What about you, what’re your favorite fun facts about your pets?

I had the worst day ever! I was on my way to the campus when I bumped in to my ex-boyfriend with his fiancé. I felt very bad because we broke up a couple of months ago because he told me he wasn’t ready for a serious commitment and he had to focus on his career. I was so devastated by then. And now I see him so happy with his new girl.

As I walk farther away from them, questions keep on rambling inside my head. I thought he wasn’t ready for a commitment? Why is engaged to a girl he just new a couple of months ago? Did they meet when we were together? Was she the real reason why he broke up with me? Why not me? Why her? Am I not good enough for him? All these questions circled my brain and the harder I think the harder for me to get an answer. I guess I will never know the real answer to this unless I talk to him. But should I really do that? He might think I’m desperate or crazy asking these questions after all those months. Should I just stop thinking about it and let it go? I really don’t know.

These are just practical tips I can share with you on how we can improve our management skills.

• Sight your Vision
  

The vision should start from within. If you believe in the goal you set upon yourself and be committed to it, then people will sense the effectiveness of your leadership. People will follow you with respect.

• Have Passion
  

Passionate people are the ones who succeed in their field, may it be business or sports. Passion can define a person’s ability to lead people; making a mark to anyone you meet. Great leaders have a great sense of passion.

• Decisiveness
  

Meaning you should have the power to make decisions on the spot. Not like people who postpone and can’t decide for themselves. It doesn’t mean that you are always right but you have the ability to decide and be responsible enough to face your own decisions.

• Be Reliable
  

Like what I have said, a great leader owns up his/her faults and does not look for people to blame. A person brave enough to face the reality of his mistake can produce a true leader.

• Never Limit yourself
  

Move out of your comfort zone. Some people play along in their safe zone but they don’t know is they can’t grow with that kind of attitude. Never stop yourself from doing things you wanted just because you can’t do it perfectly. You’ll never know and learn unless you experience it.