Great food in Manchester

The people who know the real me needs no introduction to my inclination to eat out more than I should. Here are a few photos of the places I’ve visited with my partner, friends and family over the lat few months:

Simple at Tib Street, Manchester:

Simple is situated at the heart of Manchester, England, although relatively few people know it exists. Although it is known largely due to its cocktails, their food is amazing too. Pictured below are: Chicken and mushroom stuffed chicken, BBQ half-rack ribs and another pic of Chicken and mushroom chicken; Chocolate and peanut butter torte, a blurry glimpse of the bar/restaurant, and my favourite chocolate chip sundae.

Ban di bul:

Ban di bul is a Korean restaurant which is also located in Manchester city centre. It is a rather small and simple restaurant which serves up the best Korean food in the city. Pictured below are: Korean hot and spicy rice cake (ddukbokki), spicy tofu and pork with rice (?), Hite beer, and deep fried pork with Korean sauce and rice (?). I don’t know the Korean names of the two dishes but they tasted great!

Drink Tea Eat Cake:

Drink Tea Eat Cake is a tea and coffee place (again) located in Manchester, England. They serve homemade fairtrade teas, coffees and cakes which begs you to come back for more.

Visit all these amazing places if you can! You won’t regret it!

Communication difficulties in Autism- my personal view.

First things first. I want to wish everyone of you a happy World Autism Awareness Day!

Autism affects between 1/100 to 1/88 individuals and yet those who are affected are still often misunderstood. Indeed, students with Autism are more likely to be bullied in school compared to any other ‘groups’ of students. Perhaps a reason for the high rates of bullying stems from people’s lack of understanding of the condition. Individuals with Autism experience difficulties in Social Interactions, Communication and Imagination/Flexibiity of Thought. It is also important to note that it is a lifelong disorder- a child with Autism will become an adult with autism. Furthermore, Autism manifests in many different ways. As Francesca Happe said recently, “once you’ve met one person with Autism, you’ve met ONE person with Autism”.

An individual with Autism’s difficulties in communication (in my experience) is the one that makes day-to-day activities challenging. For instance, a student with Autism might burst out crying in the middle of a lesson in school because he/she is tired or bored. In extreme instances, individuals with Autism may physically hurt another person just because they wore a different pair of shoes which unsettlled them. in other cases, people with ASC may not speak at all (either by choice or not). I know that these are extreme, bordering on ‘stereotypical’ and I acknowledge that not every single person with Autism will behave in these ways. These are just examples.

Whilst it is important to be aware that communication difficulties is a part of Autism, to me it is important to acknowledge that we too have a difficulty. They know what they want and don’t want. They know what they want to get across. They know what they feel. What they find challenging is finding a way to let us know what those thoughts and feelings are. Whilst they have a difficulty in producing the ‘right’ ways of communication, we struggle with understanding what they want to get across. Communication is a two-way process and since it is us (“neurotypicals”) who (ideally) have more capacity to be flexible and adaptable to situations, the responsibility to communicate effectively falls into our hands.

It is of paramount importance for us to actively search for ways of  understanding those who have Autism that we regularly have contact with. As I’ve mentioned earlier, people with Autism are as unique as you and I. Communicating with one will almost definitely be diferent from another. We should take time to understand the patterns of their behaviour, know what triggers distress and observe body language. Our initial guesses may be wrong, but an active pursuit will go a long way.

 

For more information about Autism, visit:

www.nas.org.uk

www.autismspeaks.org

 

For a blog about first hand experiences of Autism, check out:

http://autismmumsdads.wordpress.com/

http://aspergersgirls.wordpress.com/

“That’s gay”: evidence for the continued existence of homophobia

Having worked in primary and secondary schools in England and Wales, I’ve had my fair share of lunchtime and breaktime duties. These times are spent supervising pupils on canteens and playgrounds, listening to their conversations and observing the way they interact with one another. One of the most striking things that I have noticed is their use of the expression “that’s gay” when pertaining to something negative. For instance, a child might say “I’ve got English next”, to which another child would reply “oh that’s gay! I have PE next”. Not only do I hear this in school playgrounds, but in adult conversations as well. People use the word ‘gay’ interchangeably with negatively charged words such as “bad”, “terrible”, etc. I couldn’t help but ask why. Is this a reflection of how we as a society see homosexuals?

According to Cox et al. (2010), society still assumes that everyone is heterosexual unless proven otherwise and that sexual minorities are seen as deviant. With gay rights activists and legalization of gay marriages in certain countries, one would hope that homosexuality is lessened substantially nowadays, but expressions such as the one mentioned still shows that people openly display homophobia and/or a negative attitude towards sexual minorities.

I know from researching this very area that we have moved on from total negativity towards sexual minority to accepting and acknowledging their existence. However, whether you are aware of it or not, using the expression in question does not help the move away from the horrible past. So please, stop using it.

What does Chris Brown, Luis Suarez and John Terry have in common? The responsibility of the famous

Recent football events involving John Terry and Luis Suarez (separate incidents) have caused a major stir in  football. John Terry was caught on camera shouting racially abusive words towards Anton Ferdinand:

People can easily make out what Terry shouted towards Ferdinand. This incident caused John Terry to be stripped off the England captaincy, and is still being investigated. In a separate incident, Patrice Evra of Manchester United claimed he was also racially abused by Liverpool’s Luis Suarez in their match last year. This resulted in an 8-match suspension for Luis Suarez. However, in Liverpool and United’s match a few weeks ago, Suarez refused to shake Evra’s hand during the start of the game, causing the issue to remain unsettled:

Also recently, Chris Brown was slammed after winning a Grammy for the Best R&B Album (F.A.M.E.) and being nominated for both Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song, on top of being allowed to perform in the said awards show. People’s anger stems from Brown’s domestic abuse case against Rihanna which occured only a few years ago (disturbing details from official court documents available here).

These incidents highlights the responsibilities of these famous people. They must realize that day in, day out, they are in the public’s eyes. People search for their videos, pictures and the latest news about them. Every action should be calculated and precise because people of all ages from all over the world, thanks to the internet and the media, can know what they are up to. Whether they like it or not, they are role models. I am not saying that we all do everything that these celebrities and sports people do. However, I cannot deny the influence they have towards our choices. Otherwise, why put them in commercials? Terry and Suarez represents not only their teams’ ethos and pride, but also the whole of football. Similarly, Chris Brown represents hiphop and is a part of the whole music business.

What they’ve done is terrible and shouldn’t be done ever again. But I do believe that all of them deserve a second chance. There is no doubt that I am angry with each of them. No one should ever be allowed to beat up another human being, let alone your romantic partner. Nobody should get away with racially abusing someone else, regardless of whether the whole world is watching or not. But we all make mistakes, small or big. Yes, Terry, Suarez and Brown should know that they shouldn’t have done what they have but the damage has been done. I just wish that they have learned from their experiences.

People will always remember what these three have done to tarnish their reputation. It is up to them whether or not they want to win their fans (and the whole world) back and how they will do it. It is also up to us to give them a second chance. People should remember that we have a choice of whether or not we continue watching Terry and Suarez’s games, Brown’s concerts and whether or not we continue buying Brown’s records. I just hope that other celebrities and sports personalities learn from these mistakes.

Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper: Asperger’s Syndrome’s Poster boy?

Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) is a form of Autism that is in the mild end of the autism spectrum. Similar to other forms of autism, AS is characterized by deficits in social communication, social interaction and imagination, but usually have average or above average IQ levels. People with AS always think literally, have little to no clue about facial expressions, tone of voice, and gestures. They find other people difficult to ‘read’ (Theory of Mind), hence may view others’ actions as confusing and also fail to behave in socially appropriate ways. Most conversations with them are one-sided, with them leading and rarely taking your opinions. Finally, they stick to their routines and have a special interest that they may excell on.

Anyone who is familiar with the show ‘Big Bang Theory’ will know that all of the characteristics mentioned above describe Dr. Sheldon Cooper, played by Jim Parsons (pictured). In the show, Sheldon is a top physicist who works in a university and hangs out with his friends Leonard (who is also his roommate), Raj and Howard. Being a physicist is an ideal job for people with AS due to the literality of the subject (as supposed to social sciences). Most of Physics are underpinned by mathematical equations which are perfect for AS-affected individuals, as supposed to, say Sociology or Psychology which are founded on researching human-beings in ways that Sheldon will find repulsive.

Sheldon also do not understand sarcasm (see video below). To be able to get sarcasm requires abstract thinking, knowledge of varying tones of voice and a firm grasp of the social situation one person is in. Sheldon do not possess any of these- Leonard actually ended up putting a ‘sarcasm sign’ for him to understand. As seen in the video clip below, Sheldon struggles to understand the consequences of his actions and also Penny’s and Leonard’s emotions.

Also, he is incapable of ‘faking’ his emotions in order to avoid hurting other people’s feelings. In the video below, Sheldon does not agree that Raj is getting featured in Time Magazine’s 30 under 30 issue. As a result, he insulted Raj. His friends then decided to invite Raj to dinner. Notice how Sheldon asks how he can fake his happiness. Children who have AS are often given social stories which teaches them how to behave appropriately in different social situations.

Sheldon also voices his dislike in a change in his routines. The first video below shows Sheldon explaining why he sits in a specific spot in the couch and what difference it made when he tried to sit on a different space. In the second video, the group decided to eat Thai food instead of pizza, which Sheldon is used to. He explained how he likes consistency and in order to accept ‘anything can happen thursday’, he persuades the others to go to the comic book store. Getting others to agree to what they want is a common tactic employed by people with AS.

 

 

Although there was no mention that Sheldon was diagnosed with Aspergers’ Syndrome and even Sheldon reasoned that ‘his mother had him tested’, all signs point to AS. We should note however, that even though Sheldon may have AS, he is managing to live significantly comfortably. He has picked a profession that suits his condition and most importantly, allows him to excel. He has surrounded himself with people who not only tolerates him, but teaches him how to behave in particularly difficult situations. His friends mostly agrees to what he likes, and even though they usually find being with him a challenge, they still see the positive side of him.

I believe that Sheldon’s situation in the Big Bang Theory shows us a good example of living with and being around people with Asperger’s Syndrome. It shows both the fun side and the difficult side of being with individuals with AS. Granted, not every episode shows the gang’s good side in terms of dealing with Sheldon, but never the less, it shows that people with AS can be brilliant and at the same time, a good friend to be with. Whether they purposely did it or not, I think the makers of the show is doing a good job.

 

For more info on Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome and other ASDs, visit www.autism.org.uk

 

Bug Art: Manchester Museum’s Big Saturday

Since I was a kid, I was always fascinated with science. As I got older, one of my wishes was to work in a museum because I’ve always thought that museum workers are really clever and they know all about science. Today, thanks to the British Science Association, I had the opportunity to fulfill my dream, even for just a very short time. Along with other volunteers, I helped set-up a stall that aimed to explain the process of pollination to children. We also gave the kids the chance to make their own bees to take home.

This is the model bee that one of our colleagues made for us and the kids to copy:

Looking at the picture below, we aimed to explain pollination through the use of visual aids. The flowers of the left contained little soft balls that represented the pollens. The bee takes them to a different flower for pollination or to its beehive (which is where the bee is sitting):

These are my colleagues in action:

Look at all the people having fun:

There were also some other exhibitions and activities during the day. Here are the pictures of some of the insects on display:

But I guess the best part of the Big Saturday is the maggot painting. Maggots were placed into trays with paper and paint and were guided by the one painting either by brush or by torching them. (Any reader who can explain this better please comment, as I have only caught a glimpse of this).

These are the maggots:

And here are some of the paintings. Can you see the maggots?

For more info about Manchester Museum’s upcoming events, visit: http://events.manchester.ac.uk/calendar/tag:manchester_museum/

My favourite guitar solos of all

As a guitar player, I’ve always been asked to name my favourite guitar solos of all time. I’ve been inspired by players from different genres and my favourite solos/songs change from time to time. Below are only a few of my favourite ones. Please note that they are not ranked and I am not claiming that they are better than any other songs that were not on the list. This is simply a list of the solos that inspired my own personal style of playing. These songs are the ones that I would listen to time and time again:

Mr. Big’s Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy. Introduced to me by one of my best friends, Mr Big features Paul Gilbert- one of the best alternate-pickers of all time. This song took me a month to learn and 3 months to perfect.

Ozzy Osbourne and guitarist Randy Rhodes’ Crazy Train. This song has the groove that makes me wanna pick up my guitar everytime I hear it. The solo’s easy to learn but involves leggatos and tapping techniques that I believe every guitarist should have in their arsenal:

Guns n Roses’ Paradise City. No, it’s not Sweet Child o’ Mine. This song’s solos are far more complicated (for me) than Sweet Child’s and far more harder to learn and play- I still don’t know how to play this song in full.

Pantera’s Walk. I don’t need to explain why I like this song and it’s solo. If you’re a guitarist, you SHOULD know how to play this note for note. This is one of those solos that you don’t change when you play it live.

Avenged Sevefold’s Afterife. Yes, A7X lost it’s appeal when they went mainstream, but this song’s riff and solo is just out of this world. Learn to play this really really slow in order to play it up-tempo:

Derek Trucks’ I Wish I Knew. Honestly, I can’t pick a single song that will represent the genius of Derek Trucks. Just watch and learn:

Poison’s (Ritchie Konzen) Until You Suffer Some (Fire and Ice). I know the songs cheesy. But everytime I hear the solo, I always wish that I was the one who wrote it!

Al Di Meola’s Mediterranean Sundance. I know this is not your typical song and it may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but watch him! I am too scared to try to play like him!

Gary Moore’s Still Got The Blues. Slow, easy listening song with a mean, mean solo!

B.B King’s The Thrill is Gone. This man plays fewer note than most guitarists, but the notes that he plays are the right ones. I never knew what the BLUES is until I’ve seen this man live:

Lastly, my favourite solo of them all is John Mayer’s Slow Dancin’ in a Burning Room. I honestly don’t know why I love this solo so much. Everytime I hear/play it, I discover something new. I would never get tired of this song:

Trains, trams and aspirations: what’s the difference?

Every afternoon I take the tram from work to my house. This afternoon, the second tram was more than a half hour late. People were huffing and puffing at the platform complaining to each other about how tired they were and how terrible this occurance was. But yet, they waited. Our faces lit up everytime we hear the sound of a new tram coming our way. Collectively, we sighed after finding out that those trams were not what we wanted.

Some decided to take an alternative transport, while some including myself waited. This got me thinking about life.

We all have dreams and aspirations. We want to get somewhere and most of the time like me and my fellow passengers at that stop, we all have an idea how to get to where we’re going. Much like passenger who’s going to the city centre to pass some time who might decide to go back home if the tram’s cancelled or delayed, people who are uncertain about what they want may abandon a goal after a hurdle.

But what happens if we need to get home and the trams are not running? We find a way to get home, right? We take a bus, a taxi or even walk for miles just to get home. Sometimes we wait a few hours or days. Why? It’s not that we have no choice, it’s because we really want to go home.

The next time you set yourself a goal, ask yourself these: do I really want this? Am I prepared to do whatever it takes and labour how ever long it takes to get there?

Remember, when we are trying to go home, we never ask ourselves whether we can walk 15 or 20 miles. We just do it. So when you set yourself a goal, always think that you’ll achieve it, as long as you really want it!!!

Ibanez Artcore AS73

I bought this guitar about 8-9 months ago due to my obsession with jazz guitar music and BB King, plus I liked how semi-hollow bodied guitars look- even though it made me look smaller when I’m on stage. Originally, I wanted to buy a Gibson 335 but I simply can’t afford it. So I went to about seven music shops in Wales to try out alternatives. I tried several Epiphone guitars, including their take on BB King’s Lucille, and I settled on buying a John Lennon Casino. However, 2 days before I was about to buy the Casino, I stumbled upon a youtube clip that featured the Ibanez AS73. I was fascinated by how good it sounded on the video, and after a few searches online, I found that it costs cheaper than the casino.

Having 3 Ibanez guitars so far back then, I already know how good the quality of their guitars are. Particularly how the neck feels when playing. So I went back to the music stores and tried one. Whilst noodling around, the shopkeeper said that if I bought the particular one that I’m playing right then and there, they’ll give me a 10% discount and a free case. So I did.

Here she is:

 

I didn’t have to change anything on the guitar apart from the strings- i like 12s on the 6th and 5th, and 10s on the others.

The playability is exactly what you expect with an Ibanez guitar. I feel like I’m playing a super-strat up until the 20th fret-which is pretty good for me. I am able to play fast-picking runs and emotive bends very very easily.

The sound is really good as well. As mentioned, I haven’t changed anything so the pick-ups are still stock. I am planning on replacing them with Seymour Duncan Jazz and JB soon, but don’t get me wrong, the stock pick-ups work really, really well. I play this guitar through a Vox Valvetronix amp set in the AC30 output, without any effects in between. That set-up responds very well with picking dynamics, resonating every note played. With the right amount of overdrive, feedback is not an issue.

The guitar is so versatile, it allows me to play songs from BB King’s catalogue upto AC/DC!

If any of you are thinking of getting a semi-hollow guitar, I suggest you seriously consider the Ibanez AS73 before buying anything else!

 

My 2011 in pictures

I spent the first hours of 2011 with my partner, our family and friends.

A few weeks later, my partner celebrated her birthday again, with friends and family…

In April, me and my friends played a benefit gig for the people suffering Aplastic Anemia, which sadly was the cause of why one of our friends is no longer with us.

The gig was a success as it raised quite a bit of money and the people seemed to have had a good time.

We also said goodbye to two of our friends who moved to Den Haag. These guys warmed our hearts with their generosity, whilst inspiring us at the same time with their continuing success in their lives.

Dr. North is a magician on the grill

One of the prettiest moms-to-be I’ve seen:

I visited Pistyll Rhaeadr falls in North Wales during the spring. This place was breath-taking. I didn’t realise that there is such a lovely view in Wales!

A milestone has been reached by my partner in 2011. After 3 years of hard work and dedication, she graduated with flying colours!

I then went back home to the Philippines for a while with my partner. One of the first things we did was watch basketball- courtside! This game between UST and Ateneo was a really good one.

We visited Singapore, the tidiest and one of the most friendly cities I have ever visited…

Look at this for food choices:

And of course, we shopped at Bugis Street:

We then went to Boracay, Philippines, the greatest, most beautiful and relaxing beach I have ever been into…

When we got back to the UK, we moved to Manchester in preparation for the start of my Master’s Degree. Manchester is amazing. The city feels so alive and vibrant. I love how multi-cultural the city is. I also like how the buildings look.

This is a bonus: Old Trafford Stadium, the home of Manchester United Football Club:

Made new friends in uni…

Friends visited me for my birthday…

Remember our friends who moved to Den Haag? We visited them just before Christmas, and look, they have a baby! Thanks again for letting us stay at your place…

We then visited Amsterdam. Most of the pictures we took may offend people so, these are the only ones I will show you…

PS. Thanks, honey for the birthday gift!

My girlfriend and I spent Christmas at our place with our families. Our parents ended up cooking everything and doing everything for us, which was great! Family times are the best times!

Lastly, we had a meal at Wagamama on New Year’s Eve. We decided against cooking and staying in because that’s what we have always done for the past few years.

All in all, 2011 was a fantastic year for me. This is the reason why I do not have a New Year’s resolution this year. I think all I have to do is carry on what I have done. Here’s to another year of awesomeness!!!