The Sun At It's Warmest

The heat indices recorded this year have toppled previous records.  No wonder the Statue of Liberty decided to strip down to its undies at 40 degrees Centigrade.

Well, what do you know April 28, 2024, Iba Zambales prides itself on a dangerous heat index at scorching 53 degrees Celsius. PAGASA has already reminded us that 42 to 51 degrees Celsius is already unsafe and perilous ... how much more with 53?

Lest we sound like a broken record, we are reminding the madlang Pinoys to be extra careful to curb and limit the time they spend outside under the scalding and sweltering heat of the sun, especially from 9 AM to 4 PM. 

If going out can't be prevented ... make sure to bring a hat or umbrella ... and always remember to bring some water to prevent dehydration.

The world is now warming faster than at any point in recorded history. Warmer temperatures over time are changing weather patterns and disrupting the usual balance of nature.

Heat Stroke - First Aid Kit 101

When the heatwave turns deadly and the heat index is at an all-time high - Pagasa's effect-based classification reminds us that, a heat index between 42 degrees Celsius and 51 degrees Celsius is categorized as a dangerous level in which heat cramps and exhaustion are likely ... while a heat stroke is probable with continued exposure.

Let's suppose the humidity in the air is high ... that stops and prevents the evaporation of sweat from the skin. In that case, you can easily toast and barbecue your brain ... and your other vital organs overheat ... as you literally grill your insides from an elevated body temperature. When sweat does not dry out and evaporate like it used to ... it prevents our body from releasing heat quickly. The heat is contained inside your body furnace ... like an oven making you feel like you are burning.

The body normally cools off by sweating  ... and when sweating does not happen ... our body's temperature control system is carrying a heavy cargo ... more than it can handle.

This is the time for you to be on the lookout alert for signs that will lead to sunstroke - signs like elevated temperature ... skin is red-hot and dry (no sweating seen) ... feeling faint, woozy or unsteady ... tachycardia ... or headache and possibly high BP.

When you see these classic signs ... look no further ... because you are dealing with an emergency situation. Stay focused... and don't be the first person to jump ship.  You are needed here.

It is just common sense ... that when you deal with heat-related conditions - your first old reliable management is to cool down the person. Cooling down here doesn't mean literally chilling out ... calming down ... or going easy to relax  ... you dumdum.

Cooling down the person means ... cooling measures.  And what cooling measures can you think of that will benefit heatstroke patients? Come on this is an emergency ... do something.

If you are not used to grace under pressure ... and you can't function when the going gets tough ... (and the tough keeps going) it is not acceptable that you will just say: "My mind went blank ..." when you could have done a simple first-aid trick ... and simple emergency care ... when it mattered. There are 1001 things you can do to kill a cat ... and the same thing can be said of sunstroke -- there are 1001 ways you can do as measures.

These management are simple ... and it just pains me to know ... you never have thought of one.

1. Bring the person in a shade. Is that not a cooling first-aid? Or a place that is sunless, covered, and cool.  If it happens on a farm ... bringing the person under a tree or any leafy shrubs will be great.

2. If it happens in your house use other methods of cooling down.  Place him under the shower ... or let him cool down in a tub.

3.  If it happens in an orchard ... give him a good sprinkling using the garden hose. 

4.  If it happens in a commercial complex ...  a dip in the fountain is a welcome move.

5. If you are in the market or mall ... give him a treat he will never forget - give him a rocky road or butter pecan ice cream.

If you feel that's expensive ... ice candy or samalamig can be a good option.

6. If you are in the streets ... bring him to life by placing him in an air-conditioned store. If there is none ... douche the poor guy with a pail of water. Just do it ... pronto ... and mind the stabbing stares later.

7. If you are in a high-rise building ... break the sprinkler system by all means ... if you have the guts to do so.

Other time-tested cooling management include:

1. Place a wet face towel on the patient's head or face.

2. Give him a sponge bath.

3. Apply an Ice cap to the head.

See everything looks simple ... and all it takes is a boy scout who is ready with a snappy mind to think fast and quick. 

Whatever methods you use to help a patient, some of them are funny ... some are grotesque, offbeat, and freakish ... but at the end of the day ... you save the person's life.  

That's all that matters.

Fixed Mindset VS Growth Mindset

In the image above ... the Fixed Mindset says, " I know everything". .. anything they don't know ... they don't care. The Growth Mindset on the other hand says:  "I don't know enough"... so anything  they don't know... they will try their best to discover it."

A FIXED MINDSET means that the person believes that intelligence and talent exist, belong...  & pre-determined by factors present in an individual at birth. If you are an Eistein ... you believe that intelligence will be carried over and will sail you through ... for the rest of your life. In the same vein ... if you are not that intelligent ... that is only how far you will go. If you are not good at writing ... no matter what you do ... you will still be the same half-baked cock-eyed dreamer wanting a place in the sun ... in journalism.

People with fixed mindsets don't see life, circumstances, or themselves as fluid and capable of change. For example, they believe that intellectual and mental capacities ... expertise, and competence are qualities you either have or don't have. 

In contrast, another group of people at the other end of the spectrum (GROWTH MINDSET) means they believe intelligence and talent can be developed with ceaseless repetition, patience ... determination, and constant practice.

I tend to believe I belong in this group. As a student before... in my internship, as I was gradually exposed to the nitty-gritty demands of my profession ... I almost gave up ... because I could not stomach inserting a nasogastric tube in the patient's nares ... I felt I was like a wicked buffoon terrorizing my patient with a lot of heartless pokes. I realized with constant practice ... a little confidence ... and a desire to help the patient ... there was a time in my career when patients were looking for me ... I made a name for myself.... a title that they chose me  to be doing this invasive procedure on them.

Going back to someone with a growth mindset ,,, this group views intelligence, abilities, and talents as learnable and capable of improvement through effort and time. On the other hand, someone with a fixed mindset views those same traits as inherent, incapable of change ... and permanent. 

A fixed mindset is termed inexorable - these people are stubborn and hard-headed ... and will not succumb to change their minds no matter what. They are highly resistant to change ... and hate being convinced to change direction. 

A fixed mindset is a self-perpetuating restraint that handcuffs a person from achieving their full potential. A fixed mindset prevents individuals from developing skills, knowledge, and abilities to the extent they can. Believing that abilities and intelligence are fixed traits, leads to the resistance of challenges and their fear of failure.

This mindset can derail and limit personal growth and shackle his ability to realize what he can achieve to its full extent. They easily give up and retreat without giving a good fight, abhor stumbling blocks and impediments, and avoid threats and ultimatums. They also bury their heads in the sand rather than listen to criticisms ... and whatever small successes one has achieved ... is very intimidating to them.

Students in a school with a fixed mindset may think his scholastic hurdles are proof of their inherent incapability.  They often back off ... and the lack of incentive and motivation disintegrate ... resulting in dismal academic output. They also shy away from challenges, fearing failure may reflect their intelligence.

Why am I discussing and sharing this with you?

Our mindset, or mental attitude and disposition, significantly impacts how our lives are shaped and how successful and fulfilled we feel.

If there are things we need to perfect ... need to study more ... then let us give ourselves the chance to grow and conquer. Give ourselves a tap on the shoulder for having the drive to continue and search ... and experiment.

The term "mindset" describes the underlying attitudes, ideas, and presumptions we have about the world, other people, and ourselves. Having a fixed mindset and the desire to stop in the middle of the game will cripple us ... and tie us down ... and we are left wondering the "what ifs".

Photo Story

We can't grow with a fixed mindset. How could you ... when your brain is locked ... and you throw the keys.  In Tagalog how can you learn new things ... "kung sarado ang utak mo?"

With a growth mindset ... we can never LOSE ... and there is no LOSS.

There is only one thing we can do here in this type of mental attitude.   We PRACTICE what we have LEARNED ... and LEARN what we need to PRACTICE.

When you are in a growth mindset ... your mind is open ... and you welcome difficulties, obstacles, and stumbling blocks that were spread like booby traps along your way.

Challenges are considered exciting ... rather than view them as threatening. You don't need to raise the white flag of retreat early in the game.  Consider your hard work ... an opportunity to improve yourself ... and see you grow ... and make you a better person.

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Oxymoron 101

           

Oxymorons are figures of speech that are contradictory, antithetical ... opposing  ... and are at odds when grouped together. To understand it better ... it is a phrase that combines two words that seem in conflict ... or incompatible with each other.

The classic example of an oxymoron is DEAFENING SILENCE. The night is silent or quiet... and you can almost hear the pin drop.  How could you possibly combine silence with deafening? Meron bang " nakakabinging katahimikan" in real life? The two words are "in opposition" to each other ... no question about it. 

But there was a time in my life when I agreed I could use deafening to describe silence. That was the time when I was sick ... and I was left alone in the house.  The situation was so surreal ... because I even saw myself covering my ears. The tranquility was so eerie ... it was deafening because I could even hear my heartbeat ... and the house gecko making that guttural "squawk" was magnified ten times more ... enough to give me a good scare.

So oxymoron's words clash ... and if you just pause for a while and clear your thoughts ... the doubting Thomas in you will make your hands up and retreat at the end ... and become a new convert ... yes oxymoron's two words can be combined to make a phrase. Take these examples:

1. EXACT ESTIMATE - Estimate means you roughly CALCULATED ... it is an "EDUCATED GUESS".  All you did was APPROXIMATE ... so how on earth could you possibly say ... it is EXACT? How could you possibly say it is CORRECT and ACCURATE in every detail ... when what you did is only SPECULATE and ESTIMATE?

Exact Estimate is an oxymoron.

2. FOUND MISSING - This is another oxymoron. Is this for real? How can you found something that is missing? If you are missing ... you are GONE ... you were LOST ... you were MISPLACED. You are nowhere to be found. Placing found next to missing seems incongruent.

The phrase "found missing" is correct and usable in written English. You can use this phrase to indicate that something has been absent ... missing ... or can't be found. For instance, "The championship trophy was found missing from the glass case in an empty hallway of the university's athletic building."

See English language can welcome all kinds of abnormality ... oddity and irregularity into its tent ... making it an anomaly if you start asking questions.