At the moment

Playing MindJolt on FB is really addictive. Playing Twibik on MindJolt is particularly soothing, not so much because of the game but more of the background music. It can really put one to sleep. Exactly what I need....

Doing foot reflexology (or any type of massage) is really addictive. I find myself itching to get the next one already....and I just went 5 days ago...ahaks!

Attending Body Attack can be addictive. Tried this program out for the first time a week ago and I returned today for my 2nd class. As nice as it is, I don't think it's something I will be doing on a regular basis since it is too much of a calorie burner. For now though, I'm addicted to it.

How come doing housework isn't addictive??

Bringing the feet to life

For someone who has never done foot reflexology before, I have been itching to try this out for the past 1 month. Now I can say, been there, done that. To encourage better blood circulation, I encouraged myself to go for regular massage in order to have better results. Here are some reviews of the places I have tried out.

Pusat Rawatan Cinta (WARTA Shopping Centre, Bangi)

The name of the shop seemed a little kinky but there was nothing kinky going on here. Owned by a Malay couple. The lady was able to advise some of the little problems I have, namely..weak left kidney and knees (ya, I injured both knees before). For a first timer, this experience wasn't bad as the massage was gentle. However, it is slightly more expensive. RM30 for a half hour massage. I can get cheaper elsewhere.

Break Time Traditional Massage (1st Floor, Endah Parade, Sri Petaling)

With so many foot reflexology shops (I stopped counting at 10, and that is just on one floor) to choose from in this shopping complex, I finally settled on this one. Started off with soaking feet in warm water with sea salt, which I assume was to get rid of any odor and to soften the feet. Unlike my first attempt, this one is slightly more painful cos first of all, it was a guy who did the massage, and secondly, he was using his knuckles. He repeatedly asked if I was ok which I assured him I was, though I was silently "screaming" in pain...ahaks. Despite this, it was really nice. I felt all the tensions just draining away. Felt so much lighter too. The massage was priced at RM20 for 40minutes and RM30 for 1hour. I like this one so I may return for another massage here.

Patrick Wong Foot Reflexology (2nd Floor, Endah Parade, Sri Petaling)

The cheapest but the most painful foot massage I have encountered thus far. Owned by a Mr. Patrick who can speak English so I was able to ask loads of questions. Started off with soaking feet too but no warm water and no sea salt. Humpph! Mr. Patrick also used his knuckes and since he is quite a big sized man, naturally the energy he put in were more. I was told my digestive system was a little weak (I kinda suspected this). Unlike my visits to other foot reflexologists, Mr. Patrick spent equal time massaging both feet and legs. I assumed Mr. Patrick is a one man staff at his shop so it is best to visit during non peak hours ie. weekdays or else make prior appointments. RM18 for 45mins. 10 times, free 1 OR 20 times, free 3.

Arokaya House (Sunway Pyramid, LG2, near Marrakesh Zone)

Opted for their Foot Reflexology + Back Massage package. This is pure Thai traditional massage center. Lovely Thai settings with english speaking Thai staff. Started off with warm feet bath + sea salt. Despite 3 previous attempts at foot massage, I still couldn't help but grimaced when the Thai girl was working me. When she whipped out a wooden stick, I braved myself for the worse. Surprisingly, it wasn't that bad. The customers around me were mostly sleeping or resting their eyes during their foot massages. I, on the other hand, have not reached that stage yet. The massage started off with feet/leg, arms then the back. The kneeding was damn good despite the pain. Couldn't help but tensed up at times, which isn't good really. Left the shop feeling extremely fresh and light though. This package is priced at RM60 - 1 hour. There is a 10% between the hours of 10am-12noon.

Next target: Full body massage. Till then, cheers!

What invasion?

Did a back to back Body Pump and Body Combat "GX Invasion Night" theme classes. What was so special? Actually nothing la, except the instructors were all GXMs (Group Exercise Managers). Not the kinda theme classes where one has to dress up.

Surprisingly, I had all the energy in the world, sorta like a mini energizer bunny unleashed. I do back to back Pump/Combat on Saturdays and usually by the 2nd class, I already was dead tired, but that was not the case last nite. Not sure where all those energy came from, prolly from the roti canai I had earlier before class....ahaks. I don't usually make it a habit to eat an hour before class but I was attending 2 classes on a weeknite PLUS Adrienne was craving for naan anyway.

Tracks for Body Pump were mainly old tracks except for Shoulder Track, which was from the current release. Love Summer Rain for Chest Track. The class was full but not packed, just nice. Crowd was quiet, very typical, despite the instructors trying to pump it up for motivation. Saw a couple "not so newbies" carrying heavier than me for warmups. I should be ashamed but I chose not to be.

Tracks for Body Combat were also mostly old tracks. Was very happy that the warm up was Angels (BC25), hadn't done that in a while. Had an older guy standing next to me who was very confused in the class so he left, barely into mid class. Good for me cos I was less distracted. I was already distracted enough, what with other instructors snapping pictures of the on-stage instructors, both in Pump and Combat. How come they didn't snap pictures of us members??

It was interesting to see middle aged women dishing out cash to purchase Polar watches at the promo table in the gym. One lady spent RM533! I think out of so many promo booths the gym had in the past, this one sold like hotcakes. I would be tempted to get one too, if only those watches weren't so damn big for my skinny wrist.

I have officially been poked

I braved myself to visit an acupuncturist a week ago at Da Cheng Chinese Physician & Acupuncturist, Puchong Jaya. The sinsei (chinese physician) is a Taiwanese. After explaining to him the reason for my visit (cannot sleep well at nite), he proceeded to ask some questions and pressed certain parts of my body to assess pain. Since my problem was not a physical problem, the sinsei seemed to have slight difficulty assessing me. Ended up I required 3 needles..2 near my armpits and the other on my neck. All on the left side of my body. Needles used are new, rest assured. The sinsei opened them right in front of me. After inserting the needles, I was told to rest or sleep for 30 mins. Easier said than done, in my case.

I was prescribed some chinese medicine to be consumed for 3 days; in powder and capsule form. All in all, it cost me RM83; RM12 (for consultation), RM20 (for acupuncture), RM36 (6 powder packs) and RM15 (3 capsules). Very expensive, IMO. Next time will settle for one that do not require medication. Anyone who wishes to try out acupuncture must ensure that they go to a certified acupuncturist.

Can't really tell what is the effect of this on my insomnia. Sleep has improved though not smooth yet. Cheers!

Da Cheng Chinese Physician and Acupuncturist Sdn Bhd

159, Jalan Kenari 23A

Bandar Puchong Jaya

47100 Puchong Jaya

Tel: 8075 8579

The ban on yoga

Pics courtesy www.theyogainstructordiaries.com

I think that this ruling is ridiculous and I pity all those muslims who practice or teach yoga, either part time or as a profession. If I am a muslim, I would be extremely disappointed and pissed. However, since I am not, this ruling has no affect on me. As tempted as I am to join in to condemn this ruling, I realise that it is not for the me, a non muslim, to be so busybody in this matter. It will surely inadvertently lead to commenting on one's religion.

TARA 3 - And the Winner Is...

Managed to catch the last 5 minutes of TARA 3 Finale last nite. Saw Team Honkies and Team Pinoys digging sand. My Team Bolehland was nowhere to be found. Not only that, the ladies who were behind, were having their usual fun doing the Detour task. At that point, I knew Team Bolehland could not possibly be the winner. So, scrapped my intention to catch the repeat show at midnite. Both Honkies and Pinoys were neck in neck discovering the chest buried deep in the sand but Team Honkies managed to came in first to the pitstop where the other ousted teams were waiting for them.

Winners of TARA 3

Somehow, the final run to the pitstop (for all final 3 teams) didn't seem as happening as in previous TARA 2 where the contestants then were more spirited in their celebration of the winner and runners up.

The race started and ended in Bangkok. So predictable and boring. And yes, my early season prediction was right on the money. I had Sam & Vince as the winners and I was right! Woot! Overall, TARA 3 was alright but I like TARA 2 so much better.

When singing is not singing

When one is sleep deprived, one easily gets angry and feels irritated but worse still, one can easily gets a headache. I walked out of Giant Hypermarket yesterday with a headache, thanks in large part to the karaoke promoters who thought they could sell the products better by happily karaoke-ing their lungs out. No one could escape the out of tunes, out of notes screaming singing of the duo, who obviously gave themselves too much credit. I told myself to quickly grab the stuff I needed and get the hell out. I don't know what gives but I just couldn't find lemons anywhere. Not in Giant, not in Tesco.....just cannot find. Fresh lemons, bottled lemon juice....just cannot find. WTF!

At the checkout counter, I was approached by a credit card promoter who obviously was immune to the word NO. I can fully understand that he was just doing his job but when I replied NO with a thank you, not once, not twice, but THREE times, I really meant NO! That's your cue to get the hell out of my face,you silly man. Don't make me use the F word. Needless to say, my drive back home was full of silent cursings, mostly targeted at the traffic.

This morning I find myself having a headache still. Unbelievable.

Income Tax comes calling

I cleared my credit card payment last week..woot!....then I realised I actually overpaid. Silly...

Then, today I received a mail from the Income Tax telling me that I owe them money. Sigh.....

TARA 3 Countdown begins (Leg 10)

My Team Bolehland

This is a do or die leg for Team Kiasu, having came in last in the previous leg. Teams travelled to Bhaja Cave where the operation hours applied. After getting the clue, teams must now take the train and locate a statue of Mahatma Gandhi where some crucial info lies. It remains to be seen whether the teams know what they are looking for.

Team Bolehland were the first to arrived while the rest of the teams had difficulty locating the statue. They then made their way to Standard Chartered Bank where they have to key in the birth year of Gandhi to retrieve their clue. Though Team Bolehland took notes earlier, they realised that they had missed out the most crucial info. Luckily for them, the locals knew the answer. Team Honkies and Team Kiasu too asked for the locals help. Team Pinoys, on the other hand, failed 3 times and were penalised 10 mins.

Despite this, all 4 teams caught up at the airport on their way to their next destination, Muscat, Oman. My predictions on the next country was wrong again. Damn! I suck at predictions. Anyway, once in Muscat, teams had to drive themselves to Al Alam Palace, where the next clue required them to drive to Nizwah Fort. Teams ran round to locate the clue box, upon which, they must then go to Mutrah Souq where they faced their first Detour. Team Bolehland was first to arrive and settled for "Count It", in which they must count the numbers of dried limes in a sack. All 4 teams could not get it right the first time. A frustrated Team Pinoys alternated between this and the other task of matching the right picture to the right carpet, which ultimately cost them time. Again, despite this, all 4 teams caught up at Wadi Tanuf where they faced Roadblock. Crossing the canyon gap on a traverse.

Sam (Team Honkies) started off first but found himself physically exhausted halfway. Ida (Team Bolehland), on the other hand finished the task first with absolutely no problem. As if being beaten by a girl and getting zoomed past by Team Pinoys wasn't bad enuff,Team Honkies ended up taking the 4hours penalty because they failed to complete the task. But, for their consolation, they found out Team Kiasu too failed to complete the task. The self-proclaimed "Fuzzie don't do physical" elected to do the task instead of her more "fit but height phobia" partner. They came in last and were eliminated. Too bad, I really like them. Team Bolehland who ran a flawless race was crowned winner of Leg 10. Woot!

Memorable Quote of the Week - "Please make way for the old lady" - AD (Team Kiasu), referring to her achy body, as she got into a cab.

Next country Teams race in - Thailand.

Next team to be eliminated The Winner - I want Team Bolehland. I know I predicted S&V in the early season but having watched the mums' spirits & wits throughout the race, I favor them.

Why or why...

am I having difficulty sleeping and/or staying asleep for a good nite's rest every nite? WHY am I having dreams every nite?

TARA 3 - Countdown begins (Leg 8 & 9)

LEG 8

Missed last week's episode (Leg 8) and only managed to catch half of the repeat show 2 days ago. I was wrong in my prediction. The teams flew to Cochin, India instead of Cambodia. Missing flight connection caused Team Honkies and the siblings from Team Bolehland to fall behind the other teams. My other Team Bolehland, I&T, who were last in Leg 7, had lady luck on their side when they were ahead of all the other teams due to their efficient taxi driver and managed to finish their Roadblock and Detour tasks quickly. They had to arrive first at the pitspot to avoid a 30-minute penalty. However, Team Pinoys beat them to the pitspot, causing the moms to end up on the 3rd spot. Meanwhile, the siblings H&B were racing neck to neck with Team Honkies but ended up being eliminated instead...ahuhuhu.. IMO, they wasted too much time perfecting their Detour task....bleh!

LEG 9

4 teams remained. Who gets to go home? Teams travelled to Pune, India where they have to play a game of cricket with the locals. Team Bolehland of I&T surged ahead on subsequent tasks with a good taxi driver while Team Honkies, Team Kiasu & Team Pinoys got lost with theirs. However, I&T were slowed down by their rickshaw driver on their way to Equity Tower where they have to convince a passerby to tell a joke, which were judged by a panel of judges. Team Honkies did well and managed to surpass Team Bolehland. In the final Detour task, teams either crush & sell 40 glasses of sugarcane or navigate a cart loaded with pots to deliver 70 unbroken ones. Both not easy feats. However, Team Honkies, with their physical strength, again surged ahead and came in first at the pitstop. Team Bolehland really needs to step up their sense of URGENCY, if they want to be in the Top 3. This is the 2nd time back to back that they had lost their leads at the last second.

Meanwhile a frustrated Team Pinoys got lost with directions and fell behind. Woot! Before heading for the pitstop, teams encountered U-TURN, whereby a team which are U-Turned, will have to go back and complete the other Detour task. See.....this is just plain STUPID! Why place U-TURN just before a pitstop? Shouldn't it be earlier in the leg so that a team that was U-Turned at least have a possible chance to catch up, thus making it more exciting?? Hello...Producers!...Your creative team sucks! Team Bolehland intended to U-Turn Team Pinoys but realised they didn't have their picture with them. Shucks! A neck to neck race between Team Kiasu and Team Pinoys saw the latter U-Turning the former instead and causing them to be last in the pitstop.

So, now Team Pinoys have already exercised their YIELD AND U-TURN options....and I'm pretty sure this will only add on to existing tensions between them and the remaining teams. It will be interesting to watch.

Memorable Quote of the Week - Sorry, cannot remember anything memorable being said.

Next country Teams race in - I'm sticking to Cambodia (simply because it's closer to Thailand, the finishing country)

Next team to be eliminated - I'm tempted to say AD&F simply because of the 30-minutes penalty but if I&T can do it, so can Team Kiasu. Team Pinoys....OUT you go!

Exercising my brain

Bought this today at Popular Bookstore, IQ - Grow Your Mind. Such a cute title, almost like it's hinting to me to not just exercise my body but to include my brain as well.

It consists of 6 sections:
Section 1 - Word Power

Section 2 - Thinking Numerically

Section 3 - Visual

Section 4 - Memory

Section 5 - Personality

Section 6 - Advanced Logic

The exercises are a lot harder than I expected. An hour has passed by and I have only managed to answer 4 out of 12 questions. Still cracking my head solving the rest...still on page 2. This is bad....

I'm being mean today and I don't care

I guess it is strange when I consider someone I don't even know as my public enemy #1. I don't care though. I have my reasons. I was in Body Combat class this afternoon and the crowd was a little lesser than the usual Saturday crowd. Prolly due to Master Combat being absent. PLENTY of spaces in the studio. I repeat, PLENTY. I decided to stick to my comfort zone...ie. at the back of the studio.

Midway thru the start of the class, I realised someone standing behind me. Remember...I was already at the back of the studio..so the gap between me and that other person was real close. Oh no, not another joker, I thought. I turned and there she was...my arch rival...public enemy #1. Just when I thought I had seen the last of her, she reappeared!. I decided to stand pat even though I could move forward a little. Hell, I wasn't the one late to the class ok! I wasn't the one who was so blind to notice other available spaces. I stood firm, not giving out any of my space. I was very glad none of the members near me gave way either. Thank you ladies. Ya ya...I know I talked about tolerance earlier but today I didn't care. I wasn't gonna be nice today.

In Track 6, my enemy realised that there was no way she could do back kick in the space that she was in and moved to the empty space in front of me. Where was her brain earlier? After going thru 5 tracks, equivalent to approx 25-30 minutes of class, now onlyshe came to her senses?? Had she had remained at the back, I would have kicked her all over...with full force and without any guilt. So there!

Hiak!

Exercise some common sense please.

Tolerance is something a gym member has to put up with, especially when it comes to popular classes, eg. yesterday's Body Combat, which is and always will be full house. The studio was already packed when I stepped in, thus having to stand at the back. Fine with me.

One joker came in later and stood close in front of me. Fine with me. The class was full, I could understand that. This joker, who did jabs like as if he was swimming, then kept moving backwards as the first track started. Not much room for shuffling, scissors nor front kicks. A member next to me was obviously more pissed off than I was, hence he asked the joker to move forward a little, which fell on deaf ears. At one point, I accidentally kicked the joker's hand but I found no reason to apologise. Not my fault what. Silly man. Few tracks later, the member next to me turned to me and criticised the joker. No idea what the fler said cos it was in cantonese but I understood the bottomline of his message. Gave him a nod and a big smile to indicate that I agreed with him....ahaks.

That aside, this morning's newspaper headline "National Fatwa Council to make a ruling on yoga" caught my attention and made me laugh. Apparently, a local joker lecturer, Prof.Zakaria Stapa of UKM, advised Muslims who have taken up yoga to stop practising it as it deviates from Islamic beliefs. Errrr....Prof. Zakaria, you ever heard of EXERCISE? Moron!

First there was the ban on tomboys, now it's yoga...so, what is next? Not only do we have stupid politicians running our country, now it seems that we also have stupid professors teaching the next generation. Scary!

Nori Maki anyone?

I found a healthier snack to feast on....Nori Maki Rice Crackers, classic japanese rice crackers wrapped in tight hugging seaweed. Super crunchy and super crisp. Unlike some other types of rice crackers, this one does not contain msg.

The package claims FAT FREE, CHOLESTEROL FREE AND NUT FREE. OK, I'll take their word for it. Definitely no nuts though. It also says "You will become addicted once you try them". That is so true...I definitely can't stop eating since I open it.

The package is resealable and the zipper actually seals well. It's priced at RM4.75 (yes, not cheap). I bought mine at Jusco Supermarket.

TARA 3 - Countdown begins (Leg 7)

Leg 7. Teams travelled to Macau, China. See...my prediction was right on the next country. China! errr...ok...HK is China too...ahaks.

The first task, IMO, was ridiculously easy. Delivering gold fishes to an acquarium to get their next clue. With Operation Hours applicable, some teams managed to catch up though. At the ferry terminal, G&T (Team Pinoys) were smart to exchange their tickets with other passengers for earlier tickets. Not enuff with a good 15 mins head start off H&B (Team Bolehland), Team Pinoys decided to YIELD Team Bolehland, causing Henry to mutter "Scum" when their arch rivals were about to leave after the Roadblock task of climbing the Macau Tower.

The tomboyish AD&F (Team Kiasu) looked so clumsy wearing dresses at the DETOUR task of playing blackjack. Their giggles were enough to set me off giggling as well. Looked so silly...giggling all by myself in front of the tv. Meanwhile, Team Pinoys decided to do the other task of completing a lion dance routine. At one point, Geoff fell on his tailbone and I was like "Yeah.....that's karma for yielding my Team Bolehland".....I know, so cruel of me. Anyhow, Team Pinoys still came out on top at the pitstop despite having difficulty with their last task of arranging the Chinese zodiac lanterns.

I&T (other Team Bolehland) were playing catch up the whole time and still came out last at the pitstop. The girls were in tears but luck were with them as it was another NEL. Ida, in particular, was relieved when Allan didn't have to take their money....again.

Memorable Quote of the Week - "When you walk, keep your legs closed and together" - Bernie (Team Bolehland), to Team Kiasu before leaving the Blackjack table. Hilarious!

Next country Teams race in - Cambodia (yes, still Asia)

Next team to be eliminated - I&T (Team Bolehland). Twice in the bottom...time to go la. Or they might just as well end up first, since I was dead wrong in my last prediction!

Masking with Dainty Design

Of late, I couldn't resist checking out sheet facial masks in Guardians and Watsons. Got myself 2 pieces of Dainty All-In-One Collagen facial masks at RM13.80 over the weekend. Or one can get 5 pieces at RM26.90. Was indecisive between Dainty and Neutrogena's Deep Hydrating mask, having read good reviews about this 2 products in beauty forums. Finally, decided on the former.

Collagen, a type of protein, makes up about 25% of our body's total amount of protein. It provides firmness and strength to the body tissues. As we aged, collagen degrades and leads to wrinkle formation.

Effects of All-In-One Collagen Mask :

1. To whiten and re-hydrate your skin

2. Prevent wrinkles by increasing skin elasticity

3. To repair and re-conceal wounds and sunken scars

4. To facilitates the recovery of skin metabolism

5. Modulate and stabilizes skin pH

I am not too sure of the effects above it left on my skin after just using 1 piece. The mask was a little big for my face but I guess all the better to cover every inch of my face eh?. Had a little difficulty opening up the whole mask because there were too many foldings. This mask covers the eye area as well, including eye lids. The essence didn't drip down my neck which was good. If anything, there were plenty of the essence after I put the mask on my face, that I actually used it to wipe on my neck, no waste.

After using, my face did feel more hydrated and radiant. Face didn't feel sticky at all, even after massaging in all the leftover essence. I believe my fine lines are also minimised but it did nothing to my laugh lines, at least not yet. My stubborn pimple scars did look lightened slightly. Gonna try a few more of these and see the overall effect.

TARA 3 - Countdown begins (Leg 6)

Last nite's leg was booooring! The teams flew out from Taipei into HK (advantage to Team Honkies, of course). Roadblock - get past rugby players (who were SUPPOSED to stop the teams) in order to get to the clue box. Rugby players my foot! Even my grandmother, god bless her soul, would have no problem doing that.

Henry&Bernie (Team Bolehland), imo, chose the wrong task in DETOUR, because it cost them time. No doubt Henry, a chef by profession have no problem gutting fishes but tell me, how difficult can it be to crack open fortune cookies, the other task? The other teams sure didn't have a problem.

Searching the Ladies Market for a girl with the same handbag may seem difficult but certainly not un-do-able. Team Honkies, who were ahead the whole time, naturally came in first at the pitstop, Ida&Tania (the other Team Bolehland) came in last but it was NEL.

This is what I think about TARA 3 after watching 6 episodes. Unlike TARA 2, this season, the producer decided to cut cost by staying close to neighbouring countries in Asia; Thailand->Vietnam->Taiwan->HK. Tasks are getting relatively easy with each passing leg.... despite the "Toughest Race Ever" tag. Out of 6 legs thus far, only 2 (Legs 2 & 3) were exciting. Too many whiny teams. Too many quitters. Too much acting.

Memorable Quote of the Week - "Hot water, hot water" - Ida (Team Bolehland), running past the crowd after completing the task at Ladies Market.

Next country Teams race in - China (close to HK)

Next team to be eliminated - Geoff&Tisha (Team Pinoys)

Sensibility

Today at work, I found out some disturbing news about unfair treatment. Favoritism in the office is nothing new but when unfair treatment is being practised openly, it is just wrong. It sends a wrong message to other employees. It de-moralises the affected employees. So quick to judge, criticise and blacklist when one made mistakes but gives no credit when that person delivers. I feel bad for a couple of colleagues who are being unfairly judged. I know I won't like it if I am in their shoes. Don't do upon others what you don't like being done to you. It's all about karma.

Work aside.....

Was at the gym last evening and saw something which annoyed me for some time already....happened before. One lady, in the changing room, was on the bench texting and has no sense to see that the bench she was sitting on was pushed very close to the lockers. I somehow managed to slide my tiny frame in between the bench and available locker. Opened the locker door, put my bag in and was ready to go change when I noticed that the lady kept glancing behind as if afraid that I was peeking into her sms because of the close proximity. Talk about stupidity! She couldn't push the bench further away issit? I barely had enough room to turn anyway. Sensing her consciousness, I purposely stood behind her and took my own sweet time to slowly rummaged thru my bag....making her even more nervous...hahaha.

Ok, all evil aside, I had a more enjoyable time embracing the new Body Combat 37 in my 2nd attempt. Found out that the correct name for the Capoiera martial art in Track 6 is Esquiva, and not Skiva (which sounded like the lingerie brand...teehee). Esquiva, a form of Capoiera, is more on evasion than contact. Whatever it is, somehow to me, Capoiera is more of a dance form than martial art.

I like this new Combat release purely because there are lots of scissors and I love scissors purely because it's a reminder that my knees are fine.....touch wood! The next few classes will be more on refining the techniques.

I'm beat

Returned to pumping and combating today after skipping those classes for almost 2 weeks. I swear, my stamina and strength levels have dipped significantly of late. For the past 2 months, my attendance record at the gym has been quite pathetic really. For the kind of membership fee that I am currently paying, it certainly didn't look worth it.

I returned in time for the Les Mills new releases. I did not anticipate much changes in Body Pump 67 and I was right...although I must say the warm up track was a little weird, kinda messy. Squat Track has plenty of bottom halves. Tricep Track quite a killer especially with the kickback towards the end. It seemed to go on and on. Shoulder track, which I also failed miserably, was simply wicked. Plank crunch was something new introduced into this release for the Abdominals Track. It's gonna take me a while to adapt myself to my once a week Body Pump workout, instead of the usual 3 classes per week. It will definitely affect my weights selection and improvement.

The new Body Combat 37 has plenty of new movements, noticebly the Brazilian capoeira in Track 6, which I think is called "skiva", or something like that. Lots of squats and lunges. Not something that I was looking forward to, considering that, just an hour earlier, I was doing squats and lunges too, in Pump. Thighs were still burning from that. The Muay Thai track has 64 knees, on each side. Conditioning track started off with crunches, followed by wide and tricep push ups, something I was able to do relatively well, thanks to all those time spent doing Body Pump. Overall, this new release was not bad. Music wise, I'm not too crazy about it.

It was raining heavily when I was leaving the gym but I was able to rush home, shower and grab a bite to eat before leaving for my facials. I was looking forward to the shoulder massage, which I needed, especially after an exhausting afternoon. Unfortunately for me, the beautician did not do a good job, unlike the usual times. I left the facial centre with a throbbing headache, something which I had been experiencing intermittently on a daily basis for a week already.

Looking forward to an early rest tonite and hope for better health ahead.

Amazing Race Asia 3 - Early season prediction

Amazing Race Asia Season 3, otherwise known as TARA, started airing last month with much anticipation and is now into Episode 4. With 10 brand new teams, this season has been dubbed "The Toughest Race Ever". This makes me wonder....if Season 3 is the toughest race ever, does that make Season 4 and beyond cupcakes then?

As predicted, there are more models, actresses, beauty queens , TV personalities in TARA than the average Joes. For entertainment purposes, this isn't all that bad. It boosts ratings, no? Sure, we all want the "normal" people to win the race but let's face it, deep down in our hearts, we like the existence of these celebrities in this show, even though we bitched about it. Bear in mind, if you are not from this elite group, don't bother applying to be in this race. Really. Don't waste your time.

My top 3 this season - Henry & Bernie (Team M'sia), Sam & Vince (Team HK), Ida & Tania (Team M'sia). I think these 3 teams are very competitive, strategise well and don't bitch at each other. Key ingredients to winning.

Early season awards (drum roll please):

Most Likely to Win it all - Sam & Vince (Team Honkies).

Most Likely to Win the most legs - Henry & Bernie (Team Bolehland).

Most Dramatic - Niroo and Kapil (Team Capati), thank god they were eliminated in the last leg. How much more drama can we take?

Most Laidback - A.D. & Fuzzie (Team Kiasu)

Most Annoying - Ida & Tania (Team Bolehland), but hey, still one of my favorites.

Most Dumbest - Natalie (Team Tomyam). Sorry Natalie, you are alone in this one.

Most Misunderstood - Geoff & Tisha (Team Pinoys), I see nothing wrong with Geoff.

Most Untrustable - Oliver & Mai (Team Tomyam). Karma bites, dude.

Teams that have already been eliminated thru Episode 4:

Leg 1 - Neena & Amit (Team Capati) - dunno much about them.

Leg 2 - William & Isaac (Team Kimchi) - So much hopes for this duo.

Leg 3 - Natalie & Pailin (Team Tomyam) - Quitter. (singular)

Leg 4 - Niroo & Kapil (Team Capati) - Quitters.

For the last 3 legs, Team Bolehland Malaysia has been first at the pitstops so congrats...Malaysia Boleh! Woohoo! Tune in to Amazing Race Asia 3, which airs on AXN, Thursdays @ 9pm. For more details, log on to http://amazing-race-asia.axn-asia.com/index.php.

Satisfied Thursday

I was stopped by a salesguy yesterday as I was making my way to the gym. The young chap pushed a leaflet up my face and upon closer look, I saw that it was a Fitness First promo offer. I politely declined. Sheeesh....so blind cannot see that I'm carrying a gym bag? The young chap was not to be easily discouraged....he decided to pursue further, blocking my way. Feeling irritated by then, I told him I was already a member.....and he goes "member??". My goodness, stupid or what??

I expected to see Mr. Mat Salleh for Body Pump but the class was replaced by Mr. GXM himself instead. Reminded myself not to simply judge people. The class went well, quite tough but as suspected, my energy and strength level have dipped significantly of late. Singles tricep pushups almost killed me.

After Pump, went off to get ready for Yoga but realised that I had forgotten to bring my towel. That's the problem when I kept changing bags. Yesterday forgotten to bring my water bottle for Body Combat (huge huge mistake), today towel. Felt so handicapped without my faithful towel by my side in Yoga. So incomplete. What else will I forget next....

Rushed out of the gym Speedy Gonzales style so that I could go home to catch Amazing Race Asia 3 on AXN. Way to go, Team M'sia...Henry&Bernie (1st at pitstop), Ida&Tania (3rd place). Woohoo!

Is this how it's gonna be?

Stepped into the gym last nite for Body Pump. Iron Lady was absent. Replacement instructor was a young fler from FF Penang. Didn't look muscular at all but damn, looks can be so deceiving. He had the energy level equivalent to the Duracell bunny. The young fler gave excellent cue-ing and instructions, prolly the best out of so many instructors I've seen so far. It was one of those class where I didn't have to keep looking at the instructor because the instructions given were crisp and clear. Kudos...

It was a killer class. Either because the tracks were tough OR it was because lately, I only did Pump once a week instead of the usual 3 classes. Well, I'm gonna have to get use to this because next quarter, my Pump schedule will be reduced to just 1 class/week.

Fatigue set in quickly last nite. I was already exhausted after Squat track. Unfortunately for me, last nite's class had no recovery in chest and bicep tracks, loads of pushups, 2 sets of 4 continuous clean&press with plenty of 7 rows, tricep dips, a lot of singles and bottom halves during bicep and lunges. My body was begging for mercy. The thoughts of "Why am I torturing myself?" did come across my mind several times during the class. My body practically shut down. For someone who doesn't sweat much during a Pump class, last nite was an exception.

Credit to the young fler for making my body worked so hard last nite. I hope he sticks around for more classes. My cardio will be tested this Wed. Can't wait to see how it will turn out...

This kind of statement makes my blood boil.

An email sent out today by the HR Dept..

"2. The day after Raya which so happens to be a Friday ( 3rd October ), has been declared as a compulsory holiday and employees' are to utilize their annual leave for this purpose."

Blardy hell! Wasting my annual leave. When comes Chinese New Year next year, I WANT to see a similar e-mail stating all employees MUST take compulsory leave!

ish....ish

Tried to practise crow pose (yoga) earlier tonite but failed so miserably. Searched YouTube for some upclose guidance. Those people make it look so damn easy. I feel like a dungu....sigh! I think it's high time I take yoga a bit seriously. So weak at so many poses....so not satisfied.

For somebody who is single, I realised that I have way too many things in my house. I seriously need to unload some of these stuff. No more shopping for home decors and most importantly, give away all those freebies that I've gotten over the years. T-shirts, mugs, notepads (so many), army knife, mini USB hand massager, coffee plunger, flask, etc etc....all nicely boxed up. Truth be told, sometimes I wonder if people might feel insulted if I give them stuff which I got for free.

I broke my blender yesterday...damn! So careless in the house. To date...broke a Vision pot, several plates and oh....burnt a couple of pans too. Sheesh!

Waiting for good things to happen

I miss gym more than I want to admit. I will have to get use to less gym-ing for the next quarter as the schedule for all gym classes have been changed to accomodate year end low attendance. Conflict of timing and cancellation of certain classes means I will be dropping a few regular favorite classes. Sucks. Hopefully the schedule for next year will be more favorable and some of my favorite instructors will return then. Hopefully la...

I hate how the local political scene is being played rite now and god knows how this will impact our economy next year and years to come. It interferes with my plans for the future.

Something fishy is going on with my apt's JMC (Joint Management Committee) and some of the owners are secretly meeting to strategise fighting back during this Saturday's EGM (Extraordinary General Meeting). Being a former RA (Resident Assoc.) committee, I have also been dragged asked to show support. There has also been requests on returning to the committee (and possibly into the new JMC) if we succeeded in our quest. I will support as much as I can but I seriously do not wish to return as a committee member. However, I fear I may have no way out. Therefore, I am very angry at the current materialistic JMC & RA committee for not upholding their honesty in running the apt, thus creating this whole mess. On the flip side, I have now read the new "Law of Malaysia. Act 663. Building and Common Property (Maintenance and Management) ACT 2007." Took me a while to digest the contents.

I still don't like nor trust the person who owed me money even though this person finally told me I will be paid end of the month. Why wait so long to pay? In the meanwhile, the cc company continuously charge me interest rate. Can't blame them, so blame the fler, who in the name of work, I had trustfully allowed the transaction to be charged using my card. KNN!

On a happier note, my wish for one-on-one yumcha with a somebody finally materialised last week. So many opportunities wasted in the past and I wasn't about to let it happen again this time. I have to try, at the very least. Was very surprised that the conversations were effortless. Secretly I wish for more but anyhow, I value the friendship.

So, will anything good happen out of all these?

If I can have one wish...

Babbling away

I attended a training recently where lunch was almost 2 freaking hours late and when it finally came, it was McDonald meals. Cold and soggy. To add to my insult, I got a parking saman from MBPJ that day.

I went bowling for the first time after many eon years. I striked just ONCE, masuk longkang many times. Nonetheless, it was the quality time spent with a friend that matters.

Somebody owe me a lot of money and not paying me back. I don't like nor trust this person anymore. Ever!

My heart felt a little heavy recently when I heard stuff about someone that I didn't want to hear.

Which is worse? Pretend not to know the truth OR pretend to ignore the truth?

I think it's sweet when someone I like can remember stuff I said months ago when I myself cannot even recall having said it before.

Due to personal & family matters, I will have to skip most of my regular workout classes at the gym for the next 2 weeks. Ever since membership fee increased, I seemed to be going less. Something's not right with this equation.

Sometimes it is best NOT to tell someone that he/she appeared in your dream. It might seem cute to you but sometimes people might get the wrong idea.

I really need to stop GOOGLING somebody's info. No work to do meh....

Ever since I got free (that's right...FREE!) internet access at home, I've been lazy-ing on my bed more than ever over the weekend. No life meh?

In the past 2 mths, 8 birthday & newborn cards have stopped over my cubicle, asking for contributions. I've cut down on the amount given. Sorry la....where can tahan.

I love my gym shoes. They comfort me when I'm down.

I love these to death

Shotglasses from Australia, Canada, Hollywood (Universal Studios), Singapore (Underwater World).

Shotglasses from Hard Rock Cafe. Love the Special Edition glasses from Dallas & San Antonio.

More glasses from HRC

Rainforest Cafe shots - Singapore. I walked 20 mins from city centre to reach the restaurant.

Shots from Planet Hollywood

More PH shots

Assorted shotglasses from all over the world.

I finally got the shelf.

These are only partial collections....

Going off tangent

It is Day 3 of my no rice "diet". I hate calling this dieting cos in the first place, I shouldn't be on DIET plus I do eat noodles, proteins, sandwiches with lots of fruits and water, so technically, it's not dieting. The reason I'm even attempting this, is purely for experimental purposes, which isn't working btw. Anyway, just a couple more days to go (if I can last thru the weekend) and then I shall be back for a "eat til I drop" diet.

I enjoy yoga classes, somewhat, but I realised that I suck when it comes to any asanas that require the usage of a wall. Why is that....Consciousness? Fear?

Of late, I've been spending like as if money grows on trees. I even have thoughts of a new pair of sports shoes. To be fair, I think I do finally need a new pair (esp for Body Combat) and I hope to grab one before the Carnival Sale is over, just so I won't feel too guilty about spending too much. I hope somewhere, some stores will have the Merdeka Sale as well.

I cut my hair a week ago, which I suspected, is the main culprit behind people commenting that I look younger. After a lengthy explanation to my stylist, he commented what I wanted was actually bob style. Yes, I know it's bob style. However, I was looking for a funky bob style, not the boring one. I decided, after this, no more very short bob style. Don't like the "you look young" comment. Nice, but no thanks!

It will be a quiet affair this weekend. Foregoing a couple of classes at the gym cos those will be done by replacement instructors. Again, I must stressed, nothing wrong with replacement instructors. I'm picky, that's all.

Life is getting too boring...

Childhood revisited

Remember this?

Kalkitos - Hugely popular in the 80's. Scratch the back of the transparent sheet to transform images onto the cardboard. Available in various designs eg. dinosaurs, cowboys, flintstones,..etc. I loved these.

Rubber band jump rope - Make a long chain out of rubber bands. Two people stand facing each other holding it. The player then tries to cross the rubber band chain. If successful, the height is raised higher. Whom ever can go the highest wins. Zero point. I used to do quite well :-)

Game & Watch - Hand held electronic game. Most G&W featured a single game. Titles available are such as Cowboy Town, Donkey Kong, Mickey Mouse, Popeye (which I owned and loved very much...unfortunately it died on me), etc. Of course, these days we have the more sophisticated Nintendo Game Boy and Sony PSP.

Wooden Toy Piano - I had one that was black in color. It was the closest thing to having a real piano at home. No idea what happened to it already....

Trump Cards - not sure of the exact name of this card. My cousins and I used to play this (cards belonged to my brother)..we would divide out the cards and compare the horsepower, speed etc etc . The higher number will win. Whomever has the most pile of cards will win the game. My bro had the airplanes and ships cards.

Who can forget these games? Snap, Happy Families, Memory Match & Old Maid. My favorite was Happy Families. Ahhhh.....the joy of collecting the families.

Body Combat Bootcamp

Body Combat on Saturday was as hot as it can get. It was Body Combat Bootcamp! See, the week before, we were informed about this special class. 2 hours of BC, members were told. Interesting, I thought. Challenging too, no doubt. Might be fun too, for sure. I mean, any diehard BC fans would welcome continuous Combat sessions.

So, there I was on Saturday. Skipped earlier usual Body Pump class to conserve my energy for the 2 hours BC showdown. Then I found out it wasn't what I expected. The 2 hours would cover 1 hour of training & 1 hour of BC. Ok la, not bad...1 hour of training. Can learn all the proper techniques of BC. Oh man..I was not mentally prepared for what was about to be thrown my way...

Members were divided into 4 groups, each occupying one side of the studio. We started out with warm ups..from slow jog to quicker jogs. I had no idea slow jogs can be so tiring...ahaks. Then the real test began. Members had to do 8 different sets of exercises, each of 2 minutes duration. Once the whistle was blown at the 2 min mark, each group had to run to the other side of the studio to do the next exercise. It continued on until all 8 sets of exercises were completed. I was like, what?? No BC techniques training??

So, we had to do Jumping Squats, Sit ups, Push ups, Lunges, Jab-Upper-Hook (ahh...see see..got some BC here), Running Planks, Muay Thais and Jumping Jacks. Each of 2 mins duration. It was harder than it sounds. C'mon..you try doing push ups for 2 mins! 3 instructors were on hand to push motivate the members. At the end of the 8th exercise, members were breathless. Water time!

Just when we thought it was over, it was round 2! Same exercises, same time duration. I was like, wtf! For real? Seriously? I was screaming! Midway thru, the energy was practically drained out. So much so that I had to crawl from one side of the studio to the next. Good god...this is not what I signed up for. It felt like I had been left in the desert without water for days. I was screaming for my body to go on. The jumping jacks was easy though. I did that none stop at the last set (ahhh...so proud). When the final whistle was blown, everyone were relieved, to say the least. We slumped to the floor, like a piece of lifeless doll. It was over...finally.....oh wait, so not over yet. Still got 1 hour of BC to cover. After a much needed 5-10 mins rest and for the cleaners to mop the disgusting sweats off the floor, members continued on for the normal 1 hour BC.

I bet a lot of proper techniques were compromised since members were lacking the energy. I know mine was. Nonetheless, we still found energy for the shouts and yells. Overall, excellent bootcamp. I would do it all over again if there was another one organised in the future, now that I know what a BC bootcamp is. Hiaks!

Oh, body still aching..

It arrived!

The postcard that I sent to myself from Saigon's Post Office!

It took 8 days for the postcard to be delivered.

Stamp cost 7,000 VND equivalent to ~ RM1.40.

I was here! (that's what I wrote). Woohoo!

BTW, the lady selling us stamps wasn't very friendly. Maybe cos we were Asians very "kan cheong". She was very friendly to the kwai-lows though.......pui!

Places of interest in Saigon

Ben Thanh Market - the largest market offering everything from t-shirts, lacquerwares, paintings, fruits, shoes, bags, silks, etc etc. Be prepared to haggle. Sellers have become wiser over the years so don't be disappointed if you can't bargain as much as you wanted to.

War Remnants Museum - Formerly known as Exhibition House of American War Crimes. A must visit for tourists to understand the impact of the Vietnam War on the Vietnamese people. Gruesome photographs of man's cruelty during the War. There are display of American airplanes, helicopters and tanks used during the war in the museum compound.

Picture of American soldier holding the charred remains of a Vietcong soldier who was burned to death by a Napalm Bomb.

Reunification Hall - Formerly South Vietnam's presidential palace.

Notre Dame's Cathedral - A French-built Catholic cathedral in the city centre.

Saigon Central Post Office - constructed when Vietnam was part of French-Indochina.

Inside the Post Office - Gothic Architectural style. Hundred times more beautiful than any post offices in Malaysia.

Water Puppet Show (Mua Roi Nuoc ) - The show started off with musicians singing folk songs with traditional instruments. The entire puppetry show was in Vietnamese (accompanied by music) so I have no idea what the storyline was. The puppeteers are hidden behind a bamboo screen and skillfully move the puppets.

Practice makes perfect

It's amazing what a week of no exercise can do to one's body. I returned to the gym over the weekend to resume my workout only to find that I lacked strength, stamina and focus. Struggled during Body Pump, even with lighter than usual weights. Lunges was done without the bar and only with a 2.5kg plate. Even that I struggled. It didn't help that midway thru the class, I was feeling a little floating, perhaps due to the painkiller pill that the doctor had prescribed me earlier in the morning. I didn't know that painkiller can cause drowsiness.

Despite my condition, I continued on to Body Combat. Stubborn me! I was "alright" for most part, except for the occassional lapse of concentration. Went up to Master Combat after class for some pointers on my upper cut techniques which I realised by now must be incorrect since she has twice signalled (in the past 2 weeks) that I was not doing it correctly. Turned out I wasn't totally wrong; just needed slight improvement. The key word....practice practice and more practice. Preferably in front of the mirror. I did just that over the weekend and I have to say, I wasn't comfortable....at all. Aaarggh! Master Combat said the reason I felt less strength was because I needed to take a break but I told her I just came back from a holiday break...ahaks!

I woke up on Sunday with body soreness all over and I'm still feeling it now.

A glimpse of Saigon

Lady selling lotus by the road side. She let us taste the seeds.....tasteless!

Women selling pho bo (beef noodle), a must try vietnamese delicacy.

Fruit seller near the Ben Thanh market. Fruits in Saigon are huge!

Pink guava....I've never seen anything like this!

Typical petrol station in Saigon.

People squatting for a meal by the roadside is a common sight in Saigon.

Messy telephone cables everywhere..

Statue of a Han warrior outside Ben Thanh market.

Saigon River...brownish...just like Sarawak River!

Typical Vietname shoplots