Winston Sih2013-05-22T10:12:09-04:00Winston Sihhttp://www.huffingtonpost.ca/author/index.php?author=winston-sihCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Winston SihGood old fashioned elbow grease.How to Avoid the Holiday Bloattag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.22775042012-12-12T11:15:12-05:002013-02-11T05:12:01-05:00Winston Sihhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/winston-sih/ 1) First (and most important) suggestion: Be realistic. Avoid starting a diet near the holidays, as you are most likely setting yourself up for failure. Instead, set a realistic goal and maintain that weight.
2) Hors d'oeuvres are delicious, but be picky and choose a few favorite snacks and eat them with moderation vs. eating one of everything on the table. The calories, fat, and sugar all add up.
3) Just because there are more dinner parties around the holidays, don't starve yourself. Starving yourself often leads to binge eating, which can do you more harm than good.
4) Beat the bulge and avoid drinks that contain alcohol and caffeine, as well as fruits that are acidic in nature.
5) Portion control -- be realistic about sizing. Most importantly with a buffet table, resist the temptation to eat everything. Eat the things you want most, and remember to eat in moderation.
6) Pace yourself. Often, people are eating so much that the stomach doesn't have enough time to catch up and digest the food. The key is to eat slower so that you can savor the food while allowing your body the chance to tell you that you're full.
7) If you are bringing a dish to a potluck party, set an example and bring a healthy dish. Your host will appreciate that you're offering a healthy option to their guests.
8) Keep exercising. Even if finding time is difficult, find a way to incorporate it in your daily routine during the holidays. Yoga is great source of staying physically active and is a big stress reliever.
9) If you (or your party guests) suffer from certain health conditions like celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, look online, as there are a variety of helpful recipes and resources for hosting those living gluten-free.
10) And lastly, enjoy yourself! These are suggested tips and will differ from person to person. It's important to take the time and plan out your ultimate goals before heading into the holiday season. Remember that you can enjoy all of your favorite foods without overeating.
What tips do you have when it comes to not overdoing it come holiday time? Share them in the comments below!
For more on diet and nutrition, click here. ]]>Christmas Tree Trimming Tipstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.22580302012-12-07T11:39:31-05:002013-02-06T05:12:01-05:00Winston Sihhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/winston-sih/ Pick the tree: If you're opting for a real Christmas tree, the best trees recommended are Douglas fir and Fraser -- they are known to last longer if they are properly cared for.
Find the proper base: Make sure you purchase a stand that is appropriate to the size of the tree. This ensures that it is sturdy and won't topple over with ornaments, tinsel and string lighting.
Break from tradition, and place your tree stand in a watertight planter: This is a great trick if you want a change from the classic tree skirt. You create more room for Christmas presents and it gives you a tailored, modern effect.
Keep the tree in the right climate: Making sure your tree stays in consistent temperatures ensures that the tree will not dry out. Another helpful tip is to mist the tree from time to time. Adding a small amount of sugar to the water will also help extend the lifespan of the tree.
The rule about lights: Lights should be strung on before adding the ornaments. Ornaments will help conceal the wires and integrate the lighting deeper in the branches, versus only on the outer branches.
Sort your ornaments: Sort your ornaments by color or theme palette before you start hanging them on the tree. This will allow you to better balance colour schemes -- giving you a more polished product.
Make the tree last: Most real trees should last approximately two weeks. The key is to keep the water replenished and to ensure the tree is freshly cut. To maintain water absorption, cut one inch (two centimeters) off the base of the tree's trunk.]]>Apps and eBooks to Get Your Kids in the Halloween Spirittag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.19654112012-10-16T10:49:09-04:002012-12-16T05:12:02-05:00Winston Sihhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/winston-sih/ Scrap It: Halloween HD - FREE
Scrap It: Halloween HD is a free app, allowing you to upload photos and create a Halloween-themed e-scrapbook. You can pick through hundreds of photo effects and choose from stickers, text fonts and a variety of themed background images. Once you're finished, you can preview your scrapbook as an image slideshow, or even upload it online to share with friends and family.
Halloween Card Creator - FREE
Halloween Card Creator allows you to create fun and spooky Halloween cards to share with your friends and family. Cards are easily customizable with fun graphics and background, and you can publish the final product online. For $0.99, you can upgrade the free version to include more clip art options.
Scary Sounds - FREE
Scary Sounds, a free app, lets you create your own haunted house of horror! You can choose from a sound bank of scary sounds, or even create a combination of sounds to loop. Sounds include growling, laugh, howl, screech, wicked witch laugh and wolves howling. Attach your smartphone to a speaker and create a spooky ambiance for your next Halloween party.
Carve a Pumpkin from Parents Magazine - FREE
Carve a Pumpkin allows your kids who want to try out carving a pumpkin before attempting the real thing. Your kids are able to pick from a library of crazy eye, nose and mouth shapes, or you can carve your own jack-o-lantern. It's fun, interactive, and easy to use. Once your kid has finished, they can add their own message and share their creation online.
Great Halloween Recipes - $0.99
Great Halloween Recipes allows party hosts to discover new and tasty recipes to help you make the most of the Halloween theme. You can find many interesting treat ideas including appetizers, main entrees, mocktails and dessert ideas.
Great Halloween iBooks
Franklin's Halloween - iBookstore ($5.99)
Franklin and his friends are excited about the upcoming Halloween costume party. With tricks and treats and a flying ghost, Franklin and his friends enjoy a night of mystery fun.
The Little Engine That Could Throw a Halloween Jamboree! - iBookstore ($0.99)
The Little Engine That Could celebrates Halloween by throwing a jamboree full of fun games and contests.
Disney Princess: Sweet and Spooky Halloween - iBookstore ($3.99)
It's Halloween and the Disney Princesses are celebrating this sweet and spooky season. Cinderella carves pumpkins, Ariel dresses up in costume and Belle explores the creepy corners of the Beast's castle.
Count Dagmar - iBookstore ($6.99)
Help Count Dagmar, a vegetarian vampire, get ready for his party. Count fuzzy bats, silly monsters and friendly ghosts in this delightfully wacky and sweet interactive book.
Five Little Pumpkins - iBookstore ($5.99)
Light up pumpkins, watch ghosts fly and discover hidden animations on every page. Toddlers enjoy the rhythmic story and vibrant illustrations.
What apps do you have on your smartphone to get you in the Halloween spirit? Share them in the comments below!]]>Tips for Teaching Your Kids the Importance of Wants Versus Needstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.18313362012-08-30T11:20:16-04:002012-10-30T05:12:01-04:00Winston Sihhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/winston-sih/ Before making the trip to the mall, have your child clean their room and pull out the previous year's school supplies: This allows you to determine what he/she actually needs for the coming school year, as opposed to what would be nice to have. It also cuts down on the drama while you are in the store. Make a list that separates needs from wants, and talk to your child to clarify what the absolute needs are based on your available budget.
It's important to stay positive: Tell your kids that if they remain under budget, they could have extra money to purchase a few other items on the "wants" list. Budgeting is an important lesson to teach early on, and it's one that will serve your children well throughout their lives.
Focus on 'must-replace' items and encourage your child to earn money toward nice-to-have splurges: It may be better to replace a broken backpack and stick with a current laptop for another year if money is tight at the moment. If your child wants a new computer or cell phone but doesn't really 'need' it, then discuss ways they can earn money to put toward those pricey purchases.
Do your homework: Before hitting up the mall, remember to do your research! Go online -- there are many great parenting resources like Today's Parent, where parents share past experiences and shopping advice and find out what your child really needs for their age group. Needs shift as your kids move through elementary school, to high school, to post-secondary education, so make sure what you're getting is age-appropriate and can be reused down the road.
What suggestions do you have when it comes to teaching your child about the importance of wants versus needs? Let us know by leaving a comment below!]]>Five Tips for Back-to-School Tech Shoppingtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.18313322012-08-27T10:31:46-04:002012-10-27T05:12:03-04:00Winston Sihhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/winston-sih/ 1. Make a list, and prioritize.
A brand new computer can make a sizeable dent in your credit card. So, as with grocery shopping, when going back-to-school shopping ensure that you make a list and prioritize what you need and what you merely want. Chances are you only need the bare necessities and the all of the other gadgets are simple wants. Bear in mind that you can go a long way with a small budget -- even when it comes to technology.
2. Do your research.
Before hitting up the big box electronic stores, remember to do your research! Keep in mind that stores often mark up prices come back-to-school time, and sales associates sometimes try to sell you electronics that you really don't need. Instead, go online -- there are many great parenting resources like Today's Parent -- where parents share past experiences and shopping advice, and find out what your child really needs for their age group. Needs shift as they move through elementary school, to high school, to post-secondary education.
3. Hunt for the sales in flyers, and online.
Keep an eye on the weekly flyers and online on store websites. Parents often make the mistake of leaving back-to-school shopping to the last minute and they -- literally -- pay for the procrastination. Flyerland.ca is a great all-in-one destination for local flyers, and big box stores have sales early on in the season with limited quality items. Laptops also go on sale late-July/early-August, and that is the ideal time for families to head to the store and save some money simultaneously!
4. Cash-strapped? Take a look at feature phones.
The reality is, we live in a smartphone-dominated world. They aren't cheap to start with, so if you are a little cash-strapped, be sure to take a look at feature phones. Cell phone carriers, like Rogers Wireless, offer an inexpensive alternative to having a smartphone that maintains access to social networks like Twitter, Facebook, and email; without the added cost of an actual data plan. They can range from $7/month and up; versus the $25+/month with a traditional data plan.
5. Find the free alternatives to expensive programs.
Companies like OpenOffice offer free or inexpensive alternatives to productivity software tools like Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop. There are no strings attached -- they are simply open-source software choices (maintained by free developers) that offer significant savings to a family, giving the same amount of functionality as the traditional paid software, without the high price tag.
What tips do you have when it comes to back-to-school tech shopping? Share them with us in the comments below, or Tweet me @WinstonSih!]]>Are Tablets Really the Future of T.V.?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.14536062012-04-27T15:55:21-04:002012-06-27T05:12:02-04:00Winston Sihhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/winston-sih/new study released by Viacom indicates that "Tablet devices have emerged as the leading second-screen alternative to television for viewing full-length episodes, according to 'Tapping Into Tabletomics.'"
The American study drew from an online survey of over 2,500 people between the ages of 8-54 years old, in addition to extensive interviews conducted with tablet users in New York, and Los Angeles.
Some of the results indicating that over the span of a few years, tablet computers have exponentially increased to the second preferred full-length television viewing device, behind the traditional television. The rising tablet trend accounts for 15 per cent of all full-length TV show viewing. Viacom's press release says:
"Since tablets came into play, FLTV show viewing on desktops and smartphones has declined the most. Top genres viewed on tablets - comedy and music - align more with computers than the TV. Reality is the top genre viewed on television, followed by drama, science fiction and sports."
It was found that there is a clear correlation between Netflix subscribers, Apple TV owners and AirPlay users, as they are also aggressive tablet users.
Other results from "Tapping Into Tabletomics" included that over one third of both AirPlay and WhisperSync users -- 35 per cent and 34 per cent respectively -- report that they watch more television shows on their tablets because of the wide availability of mobile applications.
While tablets are being reported as the second most-watched source for television shows, are the number percentages high enough to fuel the trend for the several years to come?
A large number of users are also participating in a "dual-screen" companion app experience -- proving to be quite a success. Traditional television shows -- a great example being Citytv's Canada's Got Talent -- are integrating a digital interactive application. It allows viewers to interact via chat, Twitter and Facebook, into the television-watching experience acting as a complementary add-on, rather than separate television screen altogether.
"Our audiences are some of the most deeply engaged and active across social platforms," said Colleen Fahey Rush, Executive Vice President and Chief Research Officer, Viacom Media Networks. "Co-viewing apps create more meaningful ways to reach them and represent an entirely new level of engagement for fans of our content."
With the popularity of the iPad and similar tablets, these results may appear obvious to some. The traditional television still reigns supreme when it comes to providing the best experience. While the tablets are great for providing convenient on-demand content, the reality is people are still going to desire to watch their favourite football game, or HD content. The tablet is simply too small to watch games for hours on end.
Other factors one must take into consideration would include the ISP bandwidth, data usage bucket caps, reliability of the connection, and processing power/graphics of the tablet itself.
Are you watching more content on your tablet, versus your desktop PC? In past experience, what was the selection like for you, in terms of programming? Is it comparable to a traditional cable/satellite subscription? Do you find companion-apps to be a huge distraction to the show, altogether? Sound off in the comments below.