Tanggal Tiga-Puluh Satu...

This image was found at www.google.com.my

Merdeka!

Merdeka!

Merdeka!

Malaysia celebrates its 50th independence today.

I have been alive for 31 out of those 50, i.e. that's about more than half of its nationhood. I'm grateful to be enjoying the fruits of independence even during these interesting times when a lot is going on behind the political scenes.

The other day, cirnelle blogged about patriotism and that got me off thinking about the movie The Patriot, you know, the one starring the hunky Mel Gibson?

Why was I drawn to that movie? Because that movie described how the "rebels" (later known as Revolutionaries in American History) fought against oppression under the British rule.

They were fighting for a young nation which will eventually become one of the greatest superpowers of the world.

Ever notice that Americans are always kept in touch of their roots about how their nation was born? It was a hard fight and they are taught not to forget how the got to where they are. Patriotism was taught (or brainwashed if you like to put it that way) and embraced as part of the culture.

Perhaps that's the message our leaders are trying to instill in us. However, I think most of us see otherwise. ;-)

Anyway, there was a point in time when I thought of not coming back to Malaysia and that was about 10years ago when the Asian Financial Crisis hit. A number of friends said that they'll stay put in Australia as they were afraid that they could not get a job when they get back.

I decided to go back. I'd figure that Malaysia had a lot of potential and I could help in the nation-building.

Boy, was I naive back then. (^ ^)

Before 1997, I was living overseas for a while and somehow, I felt being a Malaysian was very important. Probably because of some inferiority complex, I tend to get a bit defensive when some people talk bad about my country but also, I spoke with a lot of pride whenever a prominent Malaysian made it in the headlines - in a good way... *ahem*.

I was proud of my PM back then Tun M, because he had the balls to stand up against some of the superpowers. Well, some said that he was being foolhardy and etc, but to me, that was a patriot. He was willing to fight for our country both at home and international arena. Yeah, yeah, there were the political shows and etc, but he still did his best for the nation.

Anyway, today, I'm just glad that I was able to witness Malaysia turning 50. I'm just wondering what she'll be like at 100. Would she be like the other grand old ladies of other nations, where their children can look beyond their differences and work towards a brighter future? Or, would her children still bicker over small issues, failing to see the big picture, draining her of the rich resources, i.e. the human spirit and knowledge?

Happy Merdeka everyone!

Weak At The Knees

It has been a while since I posted anything. It has been a pretty hectic weekend even though I was at home most of the time.

MU finally won their first match via Nani's great first goal.

Anyway, I had a pretty decent workout on Monday after taking a pretty long break as I had been a little sick and tired.

Somehow, I managed to hurt both my knees. :-(

So, after hobbling around a bit this morning, I had to get a bit of relief.

I got a couple of products.

1. Futuro Comfort Lift Knee Support

I decided to get this one as my left knee is weaker than my right one as I use my right knee alot. :-P

My left knee is hurting a little more as I was working it a bit harder in order to balance up the strength of both legs. My right leg is a lot stronger as I use it when I drive my car. LOL!!

It is kind of comfortable and offers a lot of support. However, it still does tend to bunch up if you sit too long. So, I had to spend some time to adjust it if I wear it under my clothes.

2. Scholl Pro Sport (Knee)

This product is useful since I also needed some additional support whenever I work out due to my weak left knee.

However, this product also has the tendency to bunch up at the knees too, making it very very uncomfortable at the thighs too. :-(

All in all, both products are pretty good for support purposes but I don't think I will wear it during the work day as it will bunch up and makes it kind of inconvenient for me to adjust the elastic support.

Meanwhile, I've told my trainer about my painful knees and she is asking me to observe it for a while. If this pain does persist, my workout routine will need to be changed.

Update:
Both products really do help as my pain has reduced to a very minor level and I have 90% mobility and strength in both knees. However, a cold/heat pack is useful to reduce swelling or pain in the knees. Worse case - go see a doctor about the pain.

It's Friday Evening and I Hear Sirens

I just finished my internal training session at work.

Anyway, it is now nearly 7pm and the traffic is stuck. The roads outside looks like a big parking lot.

The air-cond at the office has stopped after briefly blowing all the cold air out for about 5 minutes. I have a feeling that they wanted to suck in all the fresh air from outside to refresh us.

Anyway, while going through some documents, I hear a very familiar sound...


**WWWWEEEEEEE WWWOOOO** **WWWWWEEEEE WOOOOO**

From this sound, I automatically pull my car to one side to let the "sound" through.

However, I'm stuck at the office, XX levels above the ground.

That sound does not sound good at all at this hour.

Sh*t... I think I may just camp at the office.

Have a good weekend folks! Hope that the EPL team you support does ok.

I'm praying hard. Very hard for the Devils...

P/S: Oh shit.. It started to rain... FXXK!!!

Flaaauuuwaaahhhh and Liiiiiiiiiiiifffff.... (Flower and Leaf)

I'm kind of lost for inspiration.

Like Cirnelle blogged about her Blogger's Stroke, I think I am suffering slightly from it today.

Nevertheless, I will take some time out to think about something meaningful to blog. After all, this is my personal blog and I don't have any specific topics to blog like zewt, Cirnelle or even Alvin.

So, I've decided to post a few photos I've taken quite some time back... It's from my trusty little compact digital cam - Nikon Coolpix 5900. It is a little antiquated but I don't think I deserve to get a better camera until I learn some proper photoshop camera techniques.

Palm in the sun

Hibiscus after the rain

Fernleaf - Not the milk, ok?

I did intend to put my camera to good use today to take photos of my colleagues stuffing their faces during this afternoon's potluck lunch. However, they were so busy with eating, they weren't in the mood to have their mugshots taken. (^ ^)

Oh well, I will try to think of something. Meanwhile, enjoy the photos.

Friday is just around the corner, I should be inspired to write something....

Don't Have A Whale

Comic strip from Mutts by Patrick McDonnell

Hehehe, I just opened up my e-mail and got this little strip from my comic subscription. Hehehe.. Aside from the fact that I look like a whale now, I find that what the little crabby said is true. :P

It is funny as it reminded me of what I'm supposed to cut out from my diet, which is CARBS!!!!

So, what constitutes CARBs or Carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates (from 'hydrates of carbon') or saccharides (Greek σάκχαρον meaning "sugar") are simple organic compounds that are straight-chain aldehydes or ketones with many hydroxyl groups added, usually one on each carbon atom that is not part of the aldehyde or ketone functional group. Carbohydrates are the most abundant biological molecules, and fill numerous roles in living things, such as the storage and transport of energy (starch, glycogen) and structural components (cellulose in plants, chitin in animals). - Taken from Wikipedia.

Anyway, from a nutritional standpoint, carbohydrates provide the energy necessary for us to do work. However, if you do recall your high school science, excess carbohydrates will be converted into sugars and later fat deposits in your body.

Have you ever felt sleepy after taking a lot of rice during lunch? Well, that is because your body has been through a temporary "sugar high" after your body has absorbed too much sugar to convert it into glycogen (fats), leaving your blood with a low sugar level. You feel tired, fatigued and even sleepy. [source]

Hence, "carbs" are a dieters nightmare. Not only that, but I think the food pyramid taught in school is just all wrong. We should be taking less carbs and more fruits and vegetables instead. So, controlling carbs is everyone's nightmare now!! (^ ^)

However, when you are starting to work out. You might find that your trainers or some nutritionists who tell you that you still need some carbs in order to give you energy in your workout. This means that although we are encouraged not to take white rice, we are encouraged to take more cereals, unpolished rice and fibre in order to "fill-up" the stomach.

By the way, white bread is not good idea as it contains too much refined sugar which is tend converted into fat. It is better to take wholemeal/high fibre breads instead.

Anyway, I've been cutting out rice from my diet for the past 3 weeks and substituting it with a bit of pasta, and wholemeal breads.

What are the effects? I'm feeling lighter and more alert after lunch. If I do feel hungry, I take some fruits to feel full. However, I try to stay away from the very sweet fruits but opt for stuff like guava or apples. I've not tried taking green apples as my stomach tends to get very acidic after that.

Anyway, it is a battle but I hope that I can win the war. (^ ^)

Disappointed... Slightly

In one of my posts, I've related that I'm already spending about nearly 8hrs per week at the gym, working out.

Today, I had my measurement, a.k.a weight, BMI calculation and found out that I've not lost much.

Hence, I'm fxxking disappointed with myself.

Sh*t.

I've been working out since 23-July and today, all I can show is that I've reduced about 1.65kg and only 0.7% of body fat loss. I've attended about 7 sessions to date throughout the last 3 weeks.

WTF...

I'm fxxking pissed with myself.

I've been cutting off alot of things in my diet. So much that I've been thinking two or three times about what I put in my mouth.

However, I got to admit that I have been naughty too. My diet went haywire for the last couple of days as I went out lunch with colleagues and friends. So, it is my fault. It is hard to choose the right kind of food when you're out with friends. Anyway, most of them are pretty understanding - though I still didn't quite enjoy my b'day lunch this year as we had dim sum and we always tend to overeat when we have dim sum.

So, what did my trainer have to say? Work harder - push myself more on cardio and etc. I should be doing 2 hours full cardio per session on top of my training. Whoa. That means I'll be doing 12 hours a week!

Anyway, today's session was not so intense as I was fxxking tired. I've not been sleeping well for the past few days. Besides that, I was working out on an empty stomach. Not a good idea.

What's my action plan?

1. Change my diet even more drastically.
- Cut off my milo completely. I'll just have to make due with only 2 cups per month. I take it without sugar, but with 1/4 cup of low-fat milk.
- More greens, a bit of quality protein (lean meat with little oil) and no carbs (rice, pasta, bread)
- More quality fruits (not too high in sugar - durian is not a good fruit)

2. Work out more
- More ab crunches before bed and after I wake up.
- More movement-related exercises.
- Spend more time at the gym.

As of now, I have not seen even 1 roti canai for the past two months. Same with teh-tarik too.

The last time I had nasi lemak was last month and even then, I felt that it was already too much. (^ ^)
I only allow myself 1 nasi lemak per month.

I've already cut out salt and sugar from my diet. Even limiting myself to 2 cups of coffee per week. The rest of the time would be just water or green tea. Natural juices are ok too but nothing beats the real deal, i.e. fruit.

Don't even talk to me about chocs. The only choc I taste is in my milo.

*Sigh*. It is tough. But I have got to do it.

For those starting their diets and exercise plan. Let's not be demotivated with such slow progress. Who ever said that this was easy was fxxking out of their mind.

Gambate!! 加油！！！

Go Play With Sticks and Stones-la!

Another China-related manufacturing scandal.

This time, this scandal has a world-wide effect. It involves children toys.

The last scandal involving China's manufacturing industry had to do with food, to be precise, certain ingredients in pet foods have been tainted. This caused some pets to die, i.e. mainly dogs or cats. When the pet foods company performed a detailed investigation, they found out that some food manufacturers in China were responsible for having ingredients being tainted.

I kept tabs on this. 'Coz I have a dog and ever since the Pedigree scare several years back which caused renal failure, I've taken her off the big commercial pet foods and went for those foods certified/recommended by the vets.

Meanwhile, due to this issue, several big companies in US decided to sit up and take a closer look at their operations, especially those where they outsourced ingredients or components from China.

Anyway, one of the more tragic news out of this new scandal is about how one manufacturer has committed suicide after learning that the products his factory manufactured contained lead in the paint and that it was being recalled. He paid his workers before hanging himself. The worse part is that the paint was supplied by his friend, who has disappeared once the scandal broke. So much for friendship.

The other issue I have with this is... Who in their right fxxking mind will put tiny magnets in toys???? What more, the tiny magnets can come out! Whoever designed these types of toys are real idiots. Sure, you can put labels to warn parents about small parts or the appropriate age for the kid to play, but who reads labels???

Due to this scandal, I now think I should throw away about 99% of my old toys which I intend to give away to my future kids or nephews/nieces as it is now dangerous. Hehehehehee... I can't imagine how I managed to grow up without much health problems due to such toys.

Oh well, back in the day when toys were a luxury, we had to make due with our imagination. We played with whatever was around us - rice, sticks, stones, earth, grass, old tyres, metal pieces, floor tiles... If you can make a game out of something, it was a toy. I remembered asking my grandma for rice so that I can make my five or seven stones. We had some spare cloth lying around and we thought it was a good idea. Boy, those days, toys were easy to come by. And I was an urban kid!!

These days, I doubt any kid will take up a stick to play with. When I say kid, I refer to the urban kid. Kids these days will settle for nothing less than the best toys - mostly electric generated. During my time, a battery operated toy was the ultimate type of toy to get for Christmas or your b'day.

Times have changed. Tastes have changed. Parents have a bit more spending power than parents of past generations and they can afford to splurge on their kids - buying some gadgets which will apparently increase their brainpower. Kekeekeke... I don't have kids but please do let me know in 17 years time if buying a really expensive toy which is supposed to stimulate brain activity in a gurgling baby to produce 25As in his SPM.

Sekian, Terima Kasihhhhh...

Assumption Wednesday

When I was growing up, Assumption used to fall on Thursdays. Today, being Aug 15th, it fell on a Wednesday. Strange, how the calendar has to adjust itself. (^ ^)

Anyway, the thought came to me when my mom dragged my half-dead @ss up from bed to get me to go to church this morning, since I couldn't go in the evening.

==: A slight digression as I explain what is Assumption :==
Assumption is a Day of Obligation for Catholic Christians to celebrate the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where at the end of her earthly life, she is assumed to Heaven both body and soul.

Mom: Today is wednesday, right?
Me: Uh-huh?? (half-awake, half-asleep)
Mom: Hahhh... I remember Assumption always fell on a Thursday.
Me: Hmmmm... Yea. I think the calendar shifted liao. (zzzzZZzzzz)

My mom mumbled something else but I couldn't grasp as my mind was still not awake at 6:15am in the morning.

Now, we celebrate the solemnity because The Blessed Virgin Mary is a model Christian, who submitted herself to God to be a "handmaid of the Lord" (Luke 1:38) and thus, reminding us to be like her. A model of grace, patience and faith. We Catholics give her great respect because she was the Mother of our God and of our Lord, Jesus Christ. And as I said before, a model of great faith for us to emulate daily.

I may have been asleep before, but I was fully awake to remember the message during mass today... I hope.

Happy Feast Day folks!

A Lot To Be Thankful For

For the past couple of weeks, the bible passages from Luke, i.e. Luke 12:35-40 and Luke 12:13-21, have been telling us to focus not on ourselves but on others as well as to prepare to meet God.

The notion of life after death plays out for the past few weeks as the bible passages remind us that our riches lie not here in Earth but in Heaven. That we should not focus on ourselves, i.e. self-centeredness but on God.

Certainly, that has kicked off a thought for me. I have a lot to be grateful for.

I may not be rich.

I may not be famous.

I may not have won any lottery or contest.

I may not be the smartest person in the room.

However, I am grateful for the following:

Good Health - I am somewhat healthy.
I'm still working on it. But I'm grateful that I wake up each morning, able to breathe normally, without pain or with the aid of machines. I am able to walk, run (not that fast) and do my work as a normal person. I have premature graying but heck, with the lifestyle we lead, and the people we meet, what's a few gray hairs?? I am grateful that I was born normal, with the capacity to the best of what God has given me. I should do more for my fellow man.

Love of Family.

My mom, dad and the dog - Snoopy (woof!!)

My 'lil sis and Snoopy (Snoopy - ain't I a cutie-pie?)

My future bro-in-law with Guess-Who??

My family ain't that big, I've got my parents and lil' sis and soon to be bro-in-law, not to mention my extended family. We keep in contact, don't squabble as much but support and care for each other. That reminds me, when are we heading down to Seremban to visit my eldest uncle? :-P

The STRONG Tan Senior Women

Part of the Tan clan (my eldest cuz, Ian on the piano)

Love of my dogs.

Oofy (at God's house now)

Yep, I had another dog before Snoopy. It was Oofy. She taught me how to love and live. She has the biggest heart which reaches out to anyone and anything. The birds may land and eat her food, she will not chase them. I believe she was a gift from God.

I'm white and tan, so cute... and I blog too!!!

Snoopy is my great companion and comforter. No matter how lousy my day was, she would come greet me at the door with a wagging tail. Even when she had just had her knee operation, she would still limp to me.

Love of friends.

My mates...

I often b*tch about my friends but I still love them. And I know that they have my back. We've stuck through thick and thin, laughter and sorrow. Though some of us are apart now, we're closer than we think we are.
P/S: If you're looking for EV in the pic, she's not there!! LOL!!! Her identity will remain a secret for now.

Great colleagues.

Farewell Dinner with iNavigate people

At Harsha's Engagement

I've met a number of interesting people in my working life. Some pleasant, some aren't but generally everyone is great. I do hope to work with some of them again for I know we were a great and formidable team. Without you guys I don't think we would have been able to win some awards for the company we worked for. I'm proud of you guys!
P/S: I don't have a photos with my current colleagues. I probably should bring the camera out again. So sorry folks...


Enough $$$ to keep me going.
As I said, I'm not rich nor famous. I just have enough in the bank to get me by. I strive not for riches but only to provide a better living for my family. My family and I have been through tough times. We know from that experience that $$ isn't everything. My job is pretty good and I'm contented with my career for now.

Some Talents.
I have some talents though I do not know what it is. Friends have said that I'm too modest with my artwork. Anyway, I do know one talent which I do not have - Blogging. LOL!! Judging from the no-comments and low numbers, my blog pretty much sucks. But it's ok. It's my blog and I know what I want to do with it!!

So, what should we strive for? The pursuit of happiness is a never-ending quest. However, if we stop pursuing it, maybe it will find us?

Besides that, isn't it our duty to bring joy and happiness to another person in this world? There is joy in receiving but there is greater joy in giving.

I'd suppose I should stop and smell the roses. Be grateful for what I have. Sure, i should continue to work hard, enjoy what I do, but I should also start giving to those in need.

We are so blessed. Have you ever stop to count your blessings?

Saggy Skin??

EV READS MY BLOG!!!!

Wow, now that is no surprise.... **Remembers the fiasco**

Anyway, after my last post, she pointed out a particular paragraph where I said something about "sagging skin"...

Yep! It's a lot and I'm doing all I can to lose it! That means a lot of cardio, strength training for upper and lower parts of my body so that I burn more calories and also tone my muscle gradually. The last thing I want to have is sagging skin after losing a lot of weight. To be realistic, I believe if I can lose up to 10kg by the end of the year, it'll be fantastic!!

So, she messaged me...

EV: Sagging skin....
Me: ???
EV: You sure you can lose all that weight? Hahahaa
Me: I think I can kua...

I think I know what she'll ask next..

EV: So... since you might get the sagging skin, maybe you can donate some to me?
Me: (O__o)
Me: Why? You want me to feel your pain as well???
EV: Yeah!! Since I need some skin to graft my burn, and you have extra skin, why not??

I gave it some thought. True, EV may need to undergo skin grafting to reduce her scarring. She's rather worried about her wound now.

Me: How can??? I'm AB bloodtype. I can only donate to same blood type. :D
EV: Eh?? You are AB-ar? Cehh.. Cannot donate to me-la
EV: **cries** How?? How??

Poor EV. She's still in a lot of pain. Her wound is "weeping", i.e. water is seeping through and it is healing slowly. Despite all that, she still has her sense of humour. :-)

It has been 4 weeks since her accident. Please pray for her speedy recovery.

Are You Willing To Eat Dirt To Smell Greener Grass?

I am ruminating...

Yes, it is waaaayyyy past my breakfast and now, I'm ruminating my food and thoughts.

Anyway, I had a "ping" from my friend who is now in Australia on MSN. She never really "pings" me unless it's to ask something. Heck, all of my close buddies tend to do that. I tend to "ping" people to cakap kosong (smalltalk) to pass the time. I digress... as usual... ** roll eyes **

Friend: Hello. How are you?
Me: Hey! Long time no see. I'm ok.
Friend: Want to ask you something.
Me: Sure, wassup?
Friend: You in programming?

Now, I've passed my biz cards so often to these friends and they didn't bother to check it out. My job scope has changed from junior programmer to technical architect in the span of 9yrs. Heck, they don't even know what is MSC. This.. despite them being lawyers and accountants. Don't they read the papers?? Go figure.

Me: Nope. I've moved on.
Friend: What do you do?
Me: I'm in code design and management now.
Friend: Ohh
Me: Why?
Friend: My friend's firm are hiring programmers. Will you be interested?
The company will get the work permit and then you can get visa.
Me: No.
Friend: Why? You want to come over or not?
Me: Yes but not now.
I'm in a project which will take me into mid-2008.
Unlike your job, I can't leave a project mid-way.
Besides, I think I'm technically too old to be a programmer now.
Friend: Ok. It's your choice.
But the longer you wait, the harder it will be.
Me: Why?
Friend: It does not matter whether you're technically young or not.
It's always hard to get the same job level when you move over.
You always almost got to start from scratch again
Me: What???

At this point, I got a pissed off. My friends in Aust have been pestering me to come over for ages now. Sure.. I'm in my early 30's and am still young. However, to compete for a job with people 10 years my junior? I think it's a bit risky, don't you think?

Besides that, my 9yrs experience count for zilch??? WTF?????

I told my friend off saying that in IT it is almost never the same. But she didn't respond. Probably got pissed off with me and went off.

So, I messaged another good friend.

Me: Eh... Ask you something...
IT Friend: yeah
Me: Would you go over to another country to start from programmer level again?
IT Friend: no
Me: My friend said that our experience here count for nothing when we go over
IT Friend: GTH
Me: Yeah.. I went WTF??
IT Friend: Which country is this?
Me: Aust
IT Friend: That place is one ego and screwed up place.
Me: Tell me about it...

I can't blame my friend. He was interviewed by some Aussie company for a high position and they were asking some nonscensical questions regarding software architecture. They even asked him how he got the knowledge. WTF. He was smart to turn down the offer as the package was not good enough. It was enough to just "get by" in Canberra.

So, the question is, would you be willing to eat dirt so that your kids/future kids can get to get better grass? There were many stories about doctors/lawyers having given up their profession just to be char-koay-teow seller in Australia because they could not get a job. As to the reasons why they can't get a job was not revealed, maybe they had a language issue or their certificates were not recognized. Who knows?

I've also heard some success stories from my mom's friend where after going through a migration agent, her daughter's who's an auditor managed to get a better position with one of the big 4 overseas.

My friend got her PR easily on her own, i.e. without the help of the migration agent. When she went over after having about 4 or 5 years experience, she found that it was difficult to get a job, despite having a professional certification in Finance. It seems that her CFA was worth zero dollars.

I'm not saying that if you are going to Aust, you'll won't be able to find a good job. Just that like in any job hunting situation, you have to find what suits your needs and career path plans. With the world being so flat, I believe that people will be searched out for their skills and hopefully, where their experience comes from will not result in ZERO years of experience.

So, what would you do?

I'm Getting There... Slowly...

It has been a while since I've posted something.

Yea, it has been pretty hectic around here. Two things dominate my life now - Work and Exercise.

Notice that "Exercise" is a bigger part of my life now ever since I started working out at the gym. It is a commitment I intend to keep for a long time to come.

Anyway, I have to work out about 3-4 times a week, for about 2 hours per session. That makes it 4 x 2 = 8 hrs per week, i.e. 1 "full" work day. Yep, that's why they call it Working Out.

My friends started to quiz me about why the sudden decision to work out. To them, me + gym do not equate. I was fairly active in my younger days playing basketball and badminton but I was never fit.

I have been fat all my life, other than the fact that I was a small baby at birth.

Anyway, the concerns about my health is what stirred me to go and join a place where I can torture myself or pay someone to help torture myself. Besides that, my little sis plans to get married next year and we can't look so different - She's thin, I'm fat.

One particular friend does not believe in the exercise approach and goes for the softer way of dieting.

Sure, that helps for a while, but once you stop or your meal replacement product goes EOL or Gawd-forbid the Company which makes your meal replacement product goes bust or etc..., you're back to square one. You pack on the pounds and worse still, the effect becomes worse, i.e. you become fatter! Why so? Because you're not making your body burn calories efficiently, you're just "starving" your body to pscyhe it to lose weight. Does that change your metabolic rate?? That answer is no....

How about those slimming places?

I shun such places. I've heard horror stories of such places using techniques and equipments to "melt your fat" but that's what it does only - MELT FAT. If you continue to eat, you'll still add on pounds. Besides that, when you first go to such places, you'll lose your water content first. The harder stage is when you've got fat to burn. That's why these slimming places will wrap you, chuck you in the steam/sauna to make you sweat it all out. After that, they massage you and voila, you'll lose your 10kg or $$ back guarantee.

I've heard otherwise...

One ex-colleague has gone from one slimming place to another, only to find that it is the same process and worse still, some people at these places make fun of you behind your back. Wait until those svelte beauties have 2 kids and hit 40... ** rolls eyes **

I for one, still believe in the straight and narrow path of proper diet and plenty of exercise. If you want good examples or role models, have a look at Demi Moore or Madonna. Both women look hotter than the Lindsay Lohans and Britney Spears now.

So, is the regiment helping? YES!! DEFINITELY!!!

I feel better after just starting 2.5 weeks back. I don't get headaches in the morning, my head is clearer, I have more energy during the day (before I exercise) and I'm starting to feel good about myself. The love handles around my waist has somewhat reduced a little but I've got a long road to go.

How much do I need to lose? 40kg in 1 year's time... (0___o)

Yep! It's a lot and I'm doing all I can to lose it! That means a lot of cardio, strength training for upper and lower parts of my body so that I burn more calories and also tone my muscle gradually. The last thing I want to have is sagging skin after losing a lot of weight. To be realistic, I believe if I can lose up to 10kg by the end of the year, it'll be fantastic!!

With each step I take to intensify my training and now that I'm starting to see that my body is getting stronger, I'm gaining more confidence. Confidence that I will be able to achieve my goal.

There is no greater joy than seeing your fats turn into strong muscle. I do not intend to be super muscular, I think that's for the guys but I do want to look toned and feel strong.

To those of you out there who still trust on the diet thingy, it will help to a certain extent, but nothing will help you keep the pounds off than good 'ol hard work of exercise. That's the honest truth.

Pssstt... If you're wondering how much weight I've lost so far.. I think I've dropped a couple of kg.. Time to celebrate.... with a kiwi fruit! :)

Dog Tired...

Just got back from the gym a couple of hours ago.

I had a lot of energy but after I took my shower and sat down to read my blogs and play with Facebook, I'm now really really tired.

Snoopy likes to dream about chicken... I don't... LOL!!

My workout was about 1.5 hrs today. About 30mins of cardio and about 1hr of strength training.

My bones are aching but I feel good. My head doesn't feel very stuffy and I have more energy now.

However, I've got to watch my right knee as it is starting to hurt. I feel that it is weak. Darn the years of driving automatic transmission cars but we can't help it because of the fxxking jams around KL.

I've been advised to increase my workout from 1hr to 2hrs!! That means I'll spend about nearly a full-working day (if you work 8hrs) at the gym. Whoa..... Intense but it is a worthwhile investment. Basically, I'm envisioning myself being more fit (ala The Secret style-y)

I'm dog-tired... I need to sleep.

Should I Stop Blogging?

A lot of hoo-haa is going on about bloggers being a threat, spreading lies and what-not.

*Sigh*....

Frankly, it is very bad to generalize that all bloggers are out to cause trouble. In fact, some blogs are really helping other people out, for example, the recent Blogathon held for charitable causes.

The US White House Presidential Race is heading towards the Internet as a new medium to disseminate information. They (read politicians) have realize that technologies such as blogs, video-streaming and etc. is here to stay. They have realized that in order to reach the new generation of voters out there, they have to learn to embrace this technology, use it to their advantage and not shun it.

I don't know. This is all getting a bit too ridiculous.

I'll still continue to blog. That's because I like to write about stuff going on in my life - although it's soooo borringggggg....

Besides that, I think I do post some useful stuff too, right? Hehehee.. (^ ^)

Sawadee-ka... Bangkok Hop-Over

I was down in Bangkok again last Thurs night as I had to attend a full day's meeting on Friday.

The company suggested that I go down the night before as my meeting began really early and so, the earliest flight would not be possible.

Anyway, I had to take MAS this time and dreaded the fact that there could be delays.

Boy, was I right! Not only was I made to wait for a full hour at the check-in at KLIA, I was made to wait another full hour in order to get on my flight to Bangkok. When I arrived at the gate, two things struct me.

1. No one was manning the gate. Not even a security/police personnel was in sight.
2. The gate's information was wrong. It stayed wrong until the last minute when I boarded the flight.

BTW, there was no announcement from KLIA about the flight being delayed. I think it was obvious that the flight would be delayed as at the specified boarding time, the plane was not even parked at the gate! *Duhh!!!* (-__-)

Anyway, finally my @ss was on the plane to Bangkok. The staff were courteous and efficient as usual. I had my late lunch/early dinner before arriving. The one thing which irked me was that they informed me that I only had one choice of meal left.

Stewardess: Would you like chicken or beef? However, I'm sorry that the beef has run out. Would you like the chicken?
Me: Errrr.. OK.. -_-"

I'd guess it was standard procedure to inform the traveller that there were other choices but it all ran out. Just that I found it funny 'coz it sounds so "scripted". HeeHee...

When I got to the new Bangkok Airport, I was glad to have reached solid ground.

You see, the weather around M'sia has been very cloudy and rainy lately, hence we have a lot of large rain clouds all over the place. So, where there is cloud, there is turbulence, and where there is turbulence... You get the picture.. You'll be riding a rollercoaster of sorts.

I really take my hat off to the air crew as they were able to balance the food trays and drinks during turbulence. If me, you'll get a free bottle of wine or juice or etc... in your lap or face...

Well, remember I said something about queues and delays at KLIA? I got more of the same thing (with repeat disco-chorus) at Bangkok. I had to wait in line for about an hour just to get through the immigration. Wonder why they were soooo slowwww....

Once I got out, I was so glad to be able to get into the taxi and head towards my hotel - Amari Atrium, where my lovely room greeted me...

It's a lot more modern than the room I got last time. I'd guess because this time I got the business rooms.

The bed was very inviting. I was so tired from all the travelling. After all, I had been travelling since 3:00pm (M'sia time). I managed to reach my hotel after 9pm (Bangkok time) despite touching down by 7pm. (o___0)

All I wanted was a nice shower. And guess what I found again...

Hehehee.. Looks like the yellow ducks I posted in the other site. LOL!! I wonder which serious executive would play with the rubber ducky while taking a bath??

Oh yea... The condoms are still available for purchase... It was neatly hidden away in a drawer next to the fridge. At least it is not conspicuous.

Needless to say, I slept like a pig since I was sooo tired.

Bangkok's skyline was rather interesting. I snapped a quick photo of the skyline from the window. If you look carefully, you'll find that the overhead highway is really really high up, unlike our MRR2, the road is straight... :P

Anyway, although my trip was rather short but it was an interesting trip this round. On my way back to M'sia I was also held up for delays both at immigration and by MAS again. *sigh*

Soon after, I read that MAS had fixed is trying to fix their delay problems... *Doh!!*