Others may take this transition literally, and there might be some actuality to it but most of the clothing produced by this development in evolution are custom-made, although there are people like http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/Scrubs-for-Women/Original-Scrubs/ who make it ready-to-wear for the commercial masses. They are available both for professionals who need them for its real purpose and to fashionistas as well, without compromising quality and accuracy.

Others are more into the real scientific and follow documentary serials like HBO’s Autopsy.  Dr. Michael Baden does not look like someone you would lust after but he does project the proper character that the show wishes to convey to its audience.  He sports the same omnipresent scrub suit and he looks dapper.  He is very similar to Gil Grissom of CSI in his own right.  If real-life credentials were on the table, Dr. Baden is the king of his field.

In a way, we owe the comfort we feel around these medical people to those doctors on the telly. No matter which era you were born into, and no matter how you insist on the television being nothing more than just a mini cinema screen in your living room, there is always a hint of influence from the shows that we follow or inadvertently catch on air.

As I grew older, I did not have time for such leisure.  Between my day job and the other things I do on the side, I barely have time to have a proper meal during the day.  No matter how much I want to squeeze a new thriller title into my hectic schedule, time simply would not allow it.

Despite the limits that my lifestyle has imposed on my time, I still make it a point to spend at least an hour on the treadmill everyday.  Whether in the morning before I start my day, or at night at the end of it, it is the least I can do to keep my body from charging me for overtime.

If I had been a bit older, books would be a thing of the past.  I may not be able to hold a paperback until I retire.  Thank god for wonderful technological innovations like the new nanotechnology staple called mp3 player, I am able to catch up on the latest title by my favorite authors.  I used to shun the idea of audiobooks but I have learned to embrace it.  It makes multitasking for busy people like me, very possible.  I can have mp3 books on my portable mp3 player while on the treadmill.  There are websites like Digital Audiobooks are widely available to common citizens.  You can download audio books from their range of genres.  Whether you are a beginner or a veteran at audio book downloads, this website is for you.

Now you do not even have to go to a shop to get a bulky novel. You can do it right at your office desk while waiting for a printout and it will only take a few seconds and you have your copy!

I recently took up running as a hobby.  I have been a bit blue lately and I learned from previous experience that sweating it all out at the gym or the park is one thing I can do to feel better.

Though I have been forbidden to spend more than ten minutes on the treadmill as I am already quite skinny, I would try to stay on it for at least an hour when my trainer is not around.  I have also been part of a few half marathons in just a couple of months.  I have been using the same pair of trainers for the past three years and it was only now that I started to feel pain in my left foot, just right at the index toe.  I thought I need someone with the proper chiropodist training to get my feet checked but for now, I learned that my local trainers shop offers free assessment even if you are not buying anything from them.

They have a treadmill set up with a video camera which is strategically located behind your calves to show the pronation of the arch of your feet.  The degree of the angle at which it bends determines what type of running shoes you need, whether it is for stability or motion control.  I have always known since I was a child that I am flatfooted, no need for chiropody courses to determine that, what I did not know was, it is just my right foot that is flat, my left is not so I was advised to get stability shoes, which is what I have.  I figured I just have to get used to this running business again and see how the foot goes.

As I grew older, sanitation became more clear to me for what it actually means.  When one is old enough to get ill, knowing the culprits cannot be seen by the naked eye, it shuts down your sense of security.  It is useful to have something constant that can be associated with hygiene and cleanliness without much effort.  This used to be exclusive to doctors lab coats which may come off as elitist to some hence making it seem intimidating. Something similar can be said about the hospital nurse uniform. Hospital staff on the other hand, who wear medical scrub sets, tend to have an aura that is more in touch with the masses.  Not only do they project utter asepsis, they have matched that quality with the familiar comfort that would often remind someone of his own grandmother.

Winstrol is one of the most common anabolic androgenic steroids. You have the option to pop it as a pill or directly inject it in its liquid form. This steroid is made for short term use. It works well with other steroids but just like everything else, should be used sparingly. Anavar on the other hand is perfect for long term use because it is not as aggressive as Winstrol. It does not promote muscle growth but it strengthens existing muscular tissue, giving you the edge of quality over quantity.  It was originally manufactured for the treatment of blood diseases along with other conditions that eat away muscle.  It is common for women to choose Winstrol over other steroids because of this distinct characteristic.  If you were to enter a competition, the use of these are not to be considered.  Most institutes of sports do not allow steroids, regardless of the purpose of use.  If you wish to use it to look good at the beach, you may do as you please.

Like Chuck Palahniuk, Irvine has a common theme in his work, making it easy for his readers to identify it with him.  His characters are people of unconventional inclinations like drugs, sex and similar perversions.  Even his short stories have such recurring theme.  In Trainspotting, Mark Renton, Sick Boy, Spud and Tommy are friends in Edinburgh, living the simple life.  Sick Boy the swindler junkie shoots up with Renton and Spud while Tommy the square jock was a model athlete until his girlfriend Lizzy dumped him over their lost sex tape which Renton stole by pretending to borrow a football video. Tommy slowly but surely turned into a junkie and started to the life of a destitute drug addict in a filthy house with the kitten he got as a peace offering in an attempt to win Lizzy back.  He eventually died of toxoplasmosis from the cat turd he left laying around the house.  Their other friend Begbie played by Robert Carlisle, does not get high but he drinks a lot and is just as bad a drunk as his junkie friends.  I can go on forever and completely rewrite the novel in one post but I would like you to read it yourself.  It is quite an experience.

Ecstacy is one of his collections of short stories.  The three stories boasts detailed accounts of the lives of a necrophiliac, a sadist, a paraplegic, a druggie and a dealer.  Irvine has a gift for colorful narratives that I do not want to ruin for you.

It is a good thing that Italian cuisine can be very flexible.  They have all sorts of ham and sausages but they also have dishes that are mainly vegetables.  One of my favourites is pizza margherita.  The classic recipe is mainly tomatoes, cheese and basil.  The simplicity leaves no room for error, wherever you have, it is almost always perfect.  The only variation is in the cuts of the ingredients.  Some places have big slices of tomatoes and cheese that melt in place, topped with coarsely shredded herbs, some use oregano instead of basil, some use both.  Some crush the tomatoes into a chunky sauce that is spread evenly on a thin crust.  Others make it with a crust so thick it is almost like a bowl for the toppings as the inside tends to slightly cave in.

I will eat it in any way it is prepared.

One can get a Standard Room for 1750php.  This includes a queen-size bed, air conditioner, wardrobe, cable television, mini bar, wifi and a hot and cold shower.  You also get one free beer from their own Score Bar and one stub for a free coffee or tea, depending on your preference.  For the very low price, it is a very good deal.  It was not spectacular but everything was working and seemed clean.  The staff are friendly as well.

The room I got is on the second floor.  Right next to the stairs leading to this is their other bar called Mai Tai, which is quieter than Score.  It is right next to the pool, in front of the beach.  Beer is sold at 30php from twelve noon to five in the afternoon.  Regular price is 45php.  Their cocktails are surprisingly good.  Food was good and was reasonably priced.

Unfortunately, the resort was not on the best part of the beach.  The water was so murky, it turned the inside of my top brown.  It was extremely busy as well, it was impossible to swim around without bumping into someone or a group of people.  They did not have kayaking either which was a shame.  The staff said I had to go to White Rock Resort which was on the other side of the beach for kayaking.  I could not complain because the entire getaway was a last minute thing.  I was lucky to get a room near the water.

The pool closes at ten.  You can still swim in the sea beyond that time provided you sign a waiver that states the resort is free from any responsibility in case anything happens to you.  The shore was empty so it was a treat to finally be able to swim without the crowd.

The following night, I decided to redeem my beer stub at Score.  The bar was nice, complete with a pool table and a dart board.  They share the same menu with Mai Tai.

Like I always do before heading out for a trip, I scrounge the interwebs for good deals in good locations.  I came across Les Caraibes Resort while Googling for batangas resorts kayak.  I realised not all resorts have their own kayaks for rent hence the search phrase.  A day in the beach is never complete without kayaking.  Of all the establishments in the area, Les Caraibes was the only one that did not publish their rates.  It only had a friendly writeup on you can contact them to work out how they can give you the best value for your money depending on the season.  The other resorts started at 4500php that does not include the compulsory in-house meal package, which starts at 500 per head per night.  I sent a text message to the mobile number listed on the website and within minutes, I got a call.  The smallest room they have can fit eight people and cost 3500php.  Just add 300php for your own bathroom with a hot shower and air conditioner.  They have their own bar and restaurant that allows the flexibility of paying as you order, no set meals whatsoever.  They have kayaks for rent at 200php per hour.

From Quezon City, I took C5 to get to South Luzon Expressway.  I left home at nine in the morning, forty minutes later, I was at Exit 50, Batangas, Lucena, Legaspi, the second to the last exit of the expressway.  I tried to take the Santa Rosa Exit on the way to a different resort in the same area before and ended up getting so lost and wasting an hour trying to get back on the right track to STAR Tollway.  I thought there was a way to get there via the said exit but I was dead wrong.  I have learned from that terrible ordeal and recognised the very comprehensive and detailed directions on the resort’s website.  In two hours from home sweet home, I was in home away from home.

The huge room for eight was set up to accommodate me on solo flight.  There was a queen-size bed to the right of the glass sliding doors, a night tiki night table, a wardrobe, a shower/toilet and a separate room for a sink for washing your face and brushing your teeth.  It had a fiberglass roof and pebblewash floor which I found really cute.  After dropping my stuff off, I headed for the bar.  Cocktails range from 130 – 150php and are made with local spirits.  Imported spirits go for 95php per shot.  Local beer starts at 40php.  I had a pina colada for 130php and proceeded to my usual drink: vodka and lemon soda.  I have learned my lesson with cocktails and have gotten into the habit of ordering a shot of vodka and a can of soda separately.  I do not like being under the sun during midday, the skin is the biggest organ of the human body, mess with it and you will be messed up for life.  I waited it out at the bar.  They also have picnic huts by the shore that are free for guests.

I decided to go for a swim around two in the afternoon.  I could not wait any longer.  The sand was so white and the water was so clear, it was simply enticing.  The waves were pretty aggressive so I decided to go kayaking.  I never learned how to swim with my head above the water despite being in the beach every weekend when I was a little girl until I was old enough to say I was no longer a little girl.  Kayaking was the only way I can be as far out in the water as I want to be without drowning.  I paddled into the horizon until the resort looked like a scale model.  I paddled into the part of the beach that extended to the other resorts.  It only made me realise I made the perfect choice with Les Caraibes.  The waves were so intense, there were times I did not even have to paddle.  God bless kayaks.  The trickier part was trying to get back to shore.  The waves threw the kayak over my head as I descended.  I ended up sitting on an inflated rubber ring I got from one of the vendors right outside the gate of the resort for 100php.  I sat on it and watched the sun set, behind the beautiful gray skies.  I started to prune so I went for a shower before a meal at the restaurant.

I ordered the vegetarian pizza and the arrabiata pasta.  I thought I died and went to heaven.  The pizza, for 320php, averagely sized but was overflowing with big pieces of eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, capers and grated cheese.  The pasta was just as yummy.  I did not see a single Visa or Mastercard sign anywhere so I had to ask if they accept credit cards.  With the good food and the good bar, I knew I was going to ring up a huge tab.  As I guessed, they only accept cash.  I did not remember any mention of it on the website but for a place so nice, I did not mind.  The owner said their application for the POS is pending and they will have it in a couple of months if I decide to come back.  The nearest atm was in San Juan which was a thirty-minute drive from the place.  I took my keys and headed for the road at ten o’clock in the evening.  There are two rural banks along the main road of the municipal hall and I suspected that they will not be able to cater to my card so I had to ask around for a major bank.  Locals were helpful enough to point me to the right direction.  With dough in hand, I swiftly drove back to the resort for more vodka now that I can pay for it.

When I got back to the bar, I learned that the entire place is open 24/7.  You can have a drink, a dish, or go for a swim anytime you wish.  After a couple of shots, I went for another swim.  The water was so clear, it made me so glad I did not have to fly down farther down south of the country for such a beautiful beach.  I am a huge fan of night swimming.  They have lifeguards all day to watch over swimmers.  I had enough alcohol in me to tolerate the cold water and I swam to my heart’s content.  I did not care that I was starting to prune, the water was just too nice.  I did not leave until I thought I had been in too long.  As I headed back to my room, I realised it was one of the best nights of my life.