Melusina

Melusina is said to have been the wife of the founder of Luxembourg, Count Siegfried. When they married, she had one particular request, namely that Siegfried must leave her alone for one full day and night every month, and that he should not ask or try to find out what she was doing. Of course, Melusina was such a beautiful girl, that Siegfried could not refuse her this one small wish, and all went well for years and years, when on the first Wednesday of the month, Melusina would retire into her chambers in the "Casemates," a network of caverns underneath the city, not to be seen again until early light on Thursday.

Melusina gave the Count many beautiful children.

But one day, Siegfried's curiosity got the better of him. Wondering what on earth she might be doing alone all the time, he peeped through the keyhole, and was shocked to see that Melusina was lying in the bathtub, with a fishtail hanging over the rim. Mermaids like Melusina have a very keen sixth sense, which tells them instantly that they are being watched, and thus she recognized her husband through the door, and jumped out of the window into the river Alzette below, never to be seen again. Except every now and then, some people say they have seen a beautiful girl's head pop out of the river, and a fishtail rippling the calm waters of the river Alzette.

In Bäringen, Germany, during a wind storm, they say that Melusina is crying for her children.

Another tradition states that, on Christmas Eve, the people shake the leftovers from the tablecloth so that Melusina, sometimes also known as St. Melusina, might also have something to eat.

Vitamin D

Half the people in Western Europe and North America get insufficient amounts of vitamin D. Elsewhere it is even worse!

Because two-thirds of the world population have insufficient vitamin D, the conclusion is that the vitamin we take from food it is not enough.

Currently, the recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 200 international units (IU) for people up to 50 years old; 400 IU for people 51 to 70 years old; and 600 IU for people over 70 years old.

Adequate intake of vitamin D is associated with decrease in the incidence of breast cancer, colon cancer and type 1 diabetes mellitus, the positive effect generally occurring within five years of initiation of adequate vitamin D intake

Vitamin D is converted into a steroid hormone by our organism. Its receptors are present in more than 37 target organs in the body (e.g. immune, brain, cardiovascular systems).

Some foods containing Vitamin D are: mushrooms, salmon, sardines, tuna fish, cod liver oil, eggs. They may not be very delicious, but we cannot forget the most important source of all: sunshine!!

Music as a mirror of you

In spite of its prevalence in daily life, the sound of music was silenced in Psicology, for many years.
However, recent studies show its link with personality and social behaviour.
People use music to express their ideas, values, culture. For short, to express who they are in all its essence.
But, personality is a complex concept, and relying only in music to explain someone's personality is a defficient approach.
These studies must be read with a critical eye.
One of the conclusions, for me the most puzzling, states that the personality of a classical music fan and a heavy metal afficionado does not differ greatly.

Paranormal Activity

This is a 2007 American horror film written and directed by Oren Peli.
It was made in a very simple way. In fact, all we see is the footage that a couple (Micah and Katie) make, while attempting to discover by whom and how their house is being haunted.
Almost everything happens during the night, when they are asleep. Their bedroom door opening and closing is the prelude for another strange events that will lead you to a climax that you have been long fearing.
Although the fate of the characters doesn't change, there are three alternate versions for the end.
How can we interprete the movie beyond its direct meaning?
First, it shows the human inability to deal with things that are beyond their control. As humans desperatly need an explanation for everything, we can easily remember the ancient folklore that explained the storms and the bad crops as the revenge of some mystic god, the human deviant behaviour as the work of demons. Don't think that science can explain it all, but the human imagination that preceeds the aquisition of that knowledge is boundless.
Second, as we witness the decay of the human relationships, it is conforting to see a couple so united in fighting their invisible enemy. I believe that, for most people, after hearing their partner is experiencing supernatural phenomenon is enough to make someone pack and leave. Taking the easy way out, is an everyday motto.
Finally, the complete abandonment of people in need. You can extrapolate that idea to almost all situations in life: sick people, poor people are left alone without any help or way to get help as they face the worst time of their lives.
Watch the movie and take your own conclusions. Can't wait to read about them.

And so it begins...

My story will not start with "Once upon a time", because, starting with those words, almost implies a "Happily ever after" in the end. And I cannot promise that as it is out of my power to foresee such fortunate outcome.
As a new journey of my life ends and a new one begins, I wonder how differently it would be if some events had not taken place at all.
Some occurences, as small as it may appear, may trigger bigger ones that change the course of your entire life. In most of the times, you don't notice them or even given them all its worth.
Life is tricky but so wonderful in its complexity.
All you have to do is simply enjoy it!