Overheard ll

Love it! Love it! Love it!



Unlike most HK movies, the storyline is fresh and unpredictable.

Lau Ching Wan & Daniel Wu are my all time favourites.

Don't normally like Koo Tin Lok but I must say he did well this time.

Solid performance by the rest of the supporting casts formed by a group of seasoned and experienced actors.

Highly recommended !

Make Cake

We were enjoying a yummy meal at Departure Lounge, then the six year old says..


Koo koo (i.e. aunt), I need to make cake (i.e.pass motion)


Erm..can you do it by yourself?


No..


Ha? I need to go in with you?


Yes...


What do you need me to do? Clean you?


Yes.


Euw...please wait for your other koo koo to come.

 

Activating the Deep Core Muscles

Been reading up, just so I can talk some sense if I do go back to the doctor.

Was also looking for more information on whether I should go on complete rest, stay active and what are the recommended exercises that I can do.

This is not only relevant to those with back injuries.  This is for everyone..especially with our current lifestyle  of pro-longed sitting and limited activity, it is utmost important for us to maintain a strong and stable core. Relating back to when I first started exercising vigorously without a strong core or without knowing how to activate the core muscles - I developed shin pain, knee pain, almost sprained my ankle, etc - all due to lack of core stability and strength.

I can go on and on, I shall not bore you to sleep though, I just want to get this one most important point through - all our daily movements (even standing) are highly depending on the CORE.  When the core is weak, even doing something as simple as sitting up straight to read a book can be tiring. Sounds familiar right?

Read more HERE or HERE

I'm quite convinced that I have what they called  Sacroiliac Joint Inflammation , the symptoms are very similar.  Just click at the link if you are interested to know more about it.  I think I've read all articles available on the net on this.  The good news is, from what I gather, most cases recovered well with appropriate rest and physiotherapy exercises.  Only severe cases will require more invasive treatment like injection or surgery.

Last night I learnt a very simple core strengthening exercise.  So simple that we can all do it anywhere anytime.

The very first stage of a complete core strengthening program is about learning to contract and activate the two main deep stabilising muscles within the core - the Multifidus muscle and the Transversus abdominis muscle. 

 

Pictures and illustration taken from http://www.physioroom.com

Guess what, the part where the deep muscles are shown above, are where it hurts most during acupuncture and massage treatment, for me at least.

Try this:

In order to practice getting Transversus and Multifidus muscles to contract, it is easiest to get on all fours. Without moving your back, or pelvis, draw your stomach up gently - try to bring your belly button up towards your back. This is a very subtle movement so it is best to get your technique checked by a physiotherapist .

Note: 

This movement should not be confused with breathing in - it is important to breathe normally while activating the stabilising muscles.

Do not use the muscles at the front of the stomach - using your 'six pack' is not the correct technique.

If it is done right, you will feel a gradual relieve in your back as your core takes over the pressure.  Once you have mastered it, progress further by holding the contraction longer by 10 secs to 20 to 30 or even up to five minutes.

The beauty is once we get the technique right, we can do it while sitting in the office, car, while walking, etc...

I tried doing it last night and felt almost immediate relieve from the nagging stiffness and pain.  Felt great this morning too...but now back to some stiffness after sitting at the desk for too long.

You can read more about Core Strength HERE

Do not get me wrong, a proper Core Strengthening Program may have up four stages to like THIS ONE

and there are many other exercises like the plank and bridge, etc.  The above is just the one of the many which I find most relevant to all of us.

Hope you will like it...
         

If I may recap, my fitness condition was at the most tip top form in May after the Sri Lanka trip.  I started to have some back pain and major stiffness during the second day in HK during the end of May.

The doctor suspected I may have a prolapsed disc and / or some problems with the sacroiliac joint.  We decided not to do any expensive scan since I wasn't in extreme pain.  The plan was to work on strengthening the back and core which will lead to stronger spine support that allows the injury to heal itself.  I also went for TCM and acupuncture treatment.

I was better in a few weeks, did a 5km run at the end of June without much of a problem and enjoyed a very good work out at the gym the next day.  Unfortunately, my happiness was only short term :(

There was a relapse shortly after that, it was during the Body Balance class..some of the exercises were probably too strenuous for the back, I'm not too sure though, but the pain was so bad that I had to leave half way through the warm-up part of a Body Combat class.  That was like barely 5 mins into the class!

Whilst the discomfort and pain intensity wasn't as bad as the first time, thankfully, it is still  BOTHERSOME.  Visits to the gym is now down to only about once a week.  I miss RPM.  I've been eating loads instead... I'm growing bigger!

I haven't gone back to the doctor since the pain hasn't been that bad.  Continued with the prescribed core strengthening exercises, TCM treatment and now after understanding more about "deep muscles" - hopefully I will be better sooner.

Sigiriya Rock - The Palace & Fortress in the Sky - Part 2

Part 1 is HERE in case you missed it.

The winter palace is on top of this Lion Rock.  The Summer palace is at ground level.  I'm still wondering why the Winter Palace is so high up, wouldn't it be even colder?

The lion's paw climb begins here..

Need I say more?

Are you legs feeling weak yet?

I was more worried of the strong wind blowing us off these narrow steps..

Again, not for the faint hearted!

We made it!

Oh well..this fellow does it everyday...he comes up here for his afternoon nap!

This, apparently is one of the few swimming pool for the King.  Swimming during winter?

Red arrows show where the King sat while being entertained by performers

The following are some pics captured while making our way down on the other side of the rock..

Audience Hall = Parliament :D

Resting area for the King after his meetings 

Another angle shot of the resting corner..must be so cosy..just underneath the rock

The cobra head rock!

The end...thank you for folllowing the Sigiriya story :-)

This Sunday

This Sunday didn't quite turn out to be what I typically want it to be like.

1. Woke up still feeling wrecked despite so many days of rest and acupuncture yesterday

2. Supposed to head out for a light workout (since I needed to go to the bank) BUT God has his ways...the car wouldn't start !

3. Spent the morning calling n waiting for auto assist and to the neighborhood mechanic to get a new battery

4. Headed to the bank, cc payment due, dropped the iPhone! Very minor scratches but still!

5. Had lunch at fat spoon, love this place, will blog about it soon

6. Stopped by 'the house', glad to see that it's still intact :P

7. At home now, back still sore :(

8. Intend to walk the dog later, really need to loosen up

9. And do some cleaning around the house, where shall I start?


Ermmm... I'm in bed now (zzz..) don't think I can sleep but my back is really sore ...

More Crap

I ranted about how frustrating it is to be using Maxis for data access (here) ..ok..to be fair..I'm not sure if it's the same for other providers.  I heard it is much better with Digi - not sure though.  

Received a call last week from a third party conducting a survey on usage experience with both voice and data coverage.  I gave them my feedback..no good both at home and in office..regardless of voice or data.  

Every now and then I see this screen.  In a building, in the house, on the road..  And it is damn frustrating.

I was having lunch at the LG of a mall in PJ just now.  It's PJ..part of Klang Valley the main market centre of   the country.  And yet..I still get this.  Well, one can argue that it can happen in close up area..for instance in a cave, basement, LG ...fine.

But the the phone detected this...Maxis WIFI hotspot.

Yay..is this a way of compensating the weak mobile data coverage?

NOT.

It's chargeable!



I know..it's a common thing.  I see this all over HK..wifi hotspots are chargeable at public area.  Very few free hotspots.

But hello...you can only do this when the core infrastructure is functioning properly.   Don't you see it?

We are already paying for mobile data...but it doesn't function properly... .half the time is spent on waiting  for page loading..or switching between 3G and Edge hoping to get faster speed.  The rest of the time we rely on wifi when ever it is available.  In other words..we are paying for a service that we can't use!

Now..they wanna charge for hotspots access..
What about giving existing paying customers free access, say for 30 mins to an hour per location per day?

We get free wifi as customers in a eatery or cafe..why can't we get the same as Maxis customers, a very  unhappy lot if you don't already sense...

More than a work out..

It's no longer about forcing myself to drive to the gym or dragging my feet to the pool /  treadmill and looking forward to a break of sweat..and then giving myself 101 reasons to leave after 30 mins..

It's has become more than a work out..I can't agree more to THIS written by an instructor whom I enjoy working out with.

Well, I do need the regular work out cos I have a tendency to overeat ...  And I can't afford staying away for too long cos I'd end up eating instead.  Since, the gym fees are contractual, it makes perfect sense for me to spend more time at the gym instead of spending time and additional cash on food.  After all, each work out leaves me with an incredible sense of satisfaction and gleefulness.  Rejuvenation...

Secondly, somehow, sub-consciously I got acquainted to a regular routine, certain days, certain time, specific instructors,etc etc.

It's Thursday evening now, I'm normally at the gym at this time getting changed for a class.  Been attending this slot for quite some time.  Perfect time to sweat it out after a long day.  Great instructor.  Not too crowded.  Familiar faces among the other attendees, we don't talk much but somehow we got so used to each other's presence to the extend that we have our own known 'favourite' spots.  Everything just fits in somewhat nicely.

I was asking Mich who is also more a less a gym freak like me,  which is the key motivation point.  The class, the time or the instructors?  We don't have an answer.  I admit that I do have one or two personal instructors preference. There were occasions where I tried other slots, different day, different instructor, different group...I don't get the same 'results', for some reasons.

Anyway, why am I here..not getting my regular endorphin fix?

..cos I feel wrecked ~

Last work out was Tuesday night.

Ever since the injury, I realised it takes longer for me to recover from each work out...


I. shall. bounce back.

"Patience is passion tamed." -Lyman Abbott - http://tinybuddha.com

Sigiriya Rock - The Palace & Fortress in the Sky - Part 1

One of the seven world heritage site of Sri Lanka.

Proposed to be 8th Wonder of the World

Dated as far back as 7,000 years ago!

Truly amazing..

The Winter Palace is on top of this Rock - The Sigiriya Rock

Does this look like an elephant head?

A closer look at the bricks formation

Apparently, the King was transported up and down these steps on a carrier whenever he needed to leave the Palace in the Sky

A resting place when the King needed a break 

Almost 2,000 steps in total to reach the top

Breathtaking journey to the top..pity those who had to carry the King eh?

Some sources claimed that the entire west wing of the rock is covered with up to 500 paintings of women like these, only 22 is visible now.  Very very precious indeed.

Not for the faint hearted!

I think the sign says..."This way to the Winter Palace in the Sky" :P 

Stay tuned for Part 2 ;-)

Wish you are here..

Read this somewhere some time back, read this again today from Karen Cheng:

A 3 year old a child will say, ”Mummy I love you!!”

At 10 years old they’ll say, ”Whatever Mum.”

At 16 years, “My mum is so annoying!!”

At 18 years, “I’m leaving this house.”

At 25 years, ”Mum, you were right.”

At 30 years, ”I want to go to my mum’s house.”

At 50 years, ”I don’t want to lose my mum.”

At 70 years, “I would give up everything to have my mum here with me.”

I lost my mom when I was 23 :'( 


Coincidentally, I was dreaming about her last night..

Facebook and Friends

This - CLICK HERE - is quite hilarious.

I like the way he tested his 'Facebook Friends' by setting his birthday on a totally different month from his actual birth date and changed the date 3 times over two to three weeks but he still received birthday wishes on all three dates and some even from the same people :D


Excerpt:
"..The Facebook birthday greeting has become a symbol of all that is irritating about the social network."


"..  your Facebook account suddenly chatters with exclamation-point-polluted birthday wishes. If you are a typical Facebook user, these greetings come mainly from your nonfriend friends—that group of Facebook "friends" who don't intersect with your actual friends."


"..The wishes have all the true sentiment of a Christmas card from your bank. The barrage of messages isn't unpleasant, exactly, but it's all too obvious that the greetings are programmed, canned, and impersonal, prompted by a Facebook alert." 




Do you put your actual birth date in Facebook?  Or do you even put your birth date in Facebook?


I don't.


Do you wish your friends Happy Birthday in Facebook?


I don't (most of the time).  I prefer calling, sending a personal email or phone messages for close friends.  


For not so close friends (most probably those that I do not have their mobile number) I may drop them a private FB message or slit in a comment riding on someone's else wish or post depending on my mood and how much I interact with the person in recent years.


Otherwise, I won't bother posting a wish on a wall cos I don't want to add on to the clutter.  I wonder if anyone goes through each and every single post.  Especially those with hundreds or thousands of friends?


Speaking of friends, how many FB friends do you have? And how many are real friends? How many do you actually interact with?  By 'interact' I meant - at the very least "like' on something if not comment..or at the very very least share items in FB game...lol.




As of today I have 191 friends.  I add new ones on and off but I also 'clean' the list once in a while.  I just removed someone who is a personal friend to me but he doesn't contribute anything in FB.  He is just there and yet not there..so I removed him from my list :P


I did a simple 'analysis' on my FB friends not too long ago.  Out of the all my "friends"..


..only 64 have somewhat active interactions with me ..defined as those whom I remember had Liked or Commented in any of my posts in the past year or so


..16 are relatives..mostly inactive except for my own siblings.


..6 are useful for Cityville (Lol), well we do know each other from work, school etc..but not much interaction apart from exchanging game items. Haha.


The rest, a huge chunk of 101 are totally inactive!  As in..I don't remember interacting with them in the recent years.  You know..how strange and yet common it is when we add some one new..and for that few days he or she will be actively asking questions and stuff ..


Where are you now?
What do you do?
Are you married? Oh..why not?
Where do you stay?
We should catch up?


May 2 in 10 will actually meet up in person. But after that meeting,  the frequency of meeting up or interacting regularly slowly reduces from once a day to as low as once or none a year.  Is this true for you too?  Or am I being too cynical? 




Oh well, the 101 are still listed as my friends simply because they are still pretty active in FB..just so I have more things to read in my news feed and some are interesting individuals that I like to 'keep in touch' with. (read : stalk / creep) Lol.... 




Another thing is, it's still nice to learn about..A's holiday trip Tokyo or what G had dinner with the hubby at Souled Out.




That's what friends are for  :D

too short!

I kept complaining about hair growing too quickly, therefore I have to trim too often bla bla bla...






It's too short now!

When I'm down..

I woke up feeling very down for some reasons...could be hormones, could be lack of exercise endorphin,  could be lack of quality sleep but it didn't really matter.  Yes..I was in a lousy lousy mood, I needed a hug, I felt like crying but I know I shouldn't dwell deeper into it especially when there wasn't any real reason to justify feeling sorry for myself.  


So ..I tried to fight it.  "I'm ok. I'm good" was my answer to the regular "how are yous".  Well I did tell Jenny   that I was feeling down ...but when I don't know the cause..there's really no point talking about it.


Then I stumbled upon an article  in a site called Tiny Buddha - it's an article by a person named Allison Miller who was a passionate athlete in acrobatic, yoga instructor and massage therapist soaring great heights but fell (literally) back to the ground in a freak accident leaving her shattered inside out.

It's quite a lengthy article, I have not finished reading it..but the gist of it is about how she fought to come back to her feet by accepting the outcome and taking it as a 'doorway' to a new journey.  In four months she was up on her feet again.

If you are up against the wall, if you have lost a loved one, your health, a job, a sense of direction or a feeling of hope, if you so choose, you too can transform your most difficult situation into opportunity....she wrote.

I had no reason to be down anymore.  Do you?

While I was slowly getting myself back into 'light'...a friend who had been going through tough times messaged me in MSN.  I can't possibly whine to her..when I know I should be the one giving the support.  In the end, (I think)  I made her day...by encouraging to indulge a Burger Ramly Special..which I promised to buy and deliver later tonight.

Guess..what? It made my day too ...

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” ~Buddha

Beautiful Stories #2

This is dedicated to all my married friends :-)

Labour of love. I believe when I look back at my aunties arranged marriages. I questioned them how they can marry a stranger? They told me 'give and take'. I really solute them but I guess situation like this, ignorance is a BLISS!!!

Ever asked this Q to yourself?

"DID I MARRY THE RIGHT PERSON?" 

During one of our seminars, a woman asked a common question. She said, "How do I know if I married the right person?"

 

I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, "It depends. Is that your husband?"

   

In all seriousness, she answered "How do you know?"

 

Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's weighing on your mind.

Here's the answer.

 

EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse / partner . You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies   (unconventional behavior/habit). 

Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience.

   

You didn't have to DO  anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love... Because it's happening TO YOU .

People in love sometimes say, "I was swept of my feet." Think about the imagery of that __expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU .

 

Falling in love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience. But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria (excitement) of love fades. It's the natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts. The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.

At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, "Did I marry the right person?"

   

And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else.

   

This is when marriages breakdown. People blame their spouse for their unhappiness and look outside their marriage for fulfillment. Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most obvious.

   

But sometimes people turn to work, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances.  

But the answer to this dilemma does NOT  lie outside your marriage. It lies within it.

   

I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You could. And TEMPORARILY  you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later. Because  (listen carefully to this):

 

THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON;  IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.

 

SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't "find" LASTING love. You have to "make" it day in and day out. That's why we have the __expression "the labor of love." 

Because it takes time, effort and energy. And most importantly, it takes WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work.  

Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your marriage.

 

Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships.

 

Just as the right diet and exercise program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your relationship WILL make your marriage stronger.

   

It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable... you can "make" love.

 

Love in marriage is indeed a "decision"... Not just a feeling.  

Remember this always :  

"God determines who walks into your life. It is up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go."

  

When I'm frustrated...

And I thought I'm over and done with acupuncture needles, herbs and medication.  I was so ready and eager to bounce back, everything was looking good.  All of a sudden, I'm now almost back to where it all started.  Back to Mode : Recovery.   Don't ask me why and what I did to cause a relapse...I really don't know for sure.

:(

So frustrating.

So..when I'm frustrated, I EAT.

Lunch at Pit Stop Cafe, Section 17, PJ - Barcelona Chicken Chop

Food here is quite good with reasonable price. There's a wide variety to choose from. The other plus point is the location which is away from the main crowd.  It is right in the middle of the quiet Section 17 neighbourhood.  No pork served but alcohol available. I would say..it's can be a good place to have a quiet lunch or evening if you wanna get away for a quiet meal.  Oh ya..the Malacca brew coffee is quite good too. 







and I EAT.

Dinner at Kissaten, Jaya One - Char Siew Pizza

The pizza is awesome goodness.  Well..ok..I must have put on kilos of additional fat..but it was really really good.  This place will be my next regular spot.  The menu is so extensive..perfect combination of food I would say.  Pork is served e.g pork burger!   Alcohol available.  Mouth watering desserts with Haagen Dazs ice cream!  Illy coffee!  Need I say more?


See..?

When there is good food..I forget about my frustrations :P

Yasmin Ahmad

It's been 2 years since her passing..this is my first (may be second) time watching and listening to her in person.  She's truly a gem. Such a great loss ...

I watched the video all over again to pick out what I would like to highlight from this 15 mins speech.

She's..Natural, Spontaneous and speaks excellent English.

She's humble..
"..I'm only an ant..a drop in the ocean of wisdom.."


She's funny!.
"Jack Nicholson - pee aslo got charisma" "Shahrukh Khan..pee two buckets of charisma..cannot act, cannot sing, cannot dance, look abit like bangladeshi worker..but got charisma" 

LOL...

Her knowledge and openness to different teachings, believes and religions amazes me...

"Buddha taught about ..letting go ourselves"


"Lao Tze said..empty yourselves....being an empty bowl is more promising than a full one..a full bowl  you can't put anything in it..can't go anywhere.."


"The Prophet once said to some people who came back from defending a religion..with broken arms / legs who said that they've been thru the toughest battle ever...The Prophet S.A.W. said...no..the toughest battle is in us..that is to remove as much arrogance as you can, remove self importance, step back be nobody, so that you can be part of somethng much bigger.."


I learnt so much from a 15 minute speech...

if only...

But then..if she's still alive and kicking..I wouldn't have bothered to spend time clicking on the video..

Human is such.

A True Friend

‎Many people will walk in and out of your life, 
but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart




I like this quote alot.  Posted in FB recently..and got a few cranky comments ..as usual.  I believe it touched some hearts..or got many wondering if they had ever managed to leave any footprints in anyone's heart?


True friend or not, foot print or no foot print...it's really very subjective.  We cannot consciously control how we can be a true friend to someone.  It all comes from the heart.  Even if I'd think I've offered all I can as a friend and I deserve to be a true friend with footprints in the hearts of my friends...they may not think so.  And I can't control what they think of me.


I would say..don't bother..to be too conscious about it.  It comes from within...when we are sincere and truthful it will show and the foot prints will reach the respective hearts.  


I was caught off guard when Fafa Asked me why I didn't think of visiting her when I was in the same area yesterday (playing with Bobo).  Opps!  I had to be truthful that I totally didn't think about it ...he he. Simply because the highlight of the day was Bobo the dog and she's never an animal person..bla bla bla.  Excuses :D




That wasn't the first time, I was also caught when CLK 'confronted' me on why I didn't invite her to a lunch gathering recently.  Again..truthfully she wasn't in the mind :D  My excuse was..she doesn't 'appear' in the 'network' often enough...so she wasn't top of mind. Lol..what a lame excuse.  She concluded that she had fail to leave a footprint in my heart..therefor non existent


omg.


I must be such a horrible friend!


Anyway..as mentioned..it's a very subjective matter.  Non measurable.  Non quantifiable.  I will just remain as who I am.  And act from my heart.  If..it always so damn difficult to be nice and thoughtful ....it means ..naturally I'm a lousy  friend.  full stop. 




Another quote that I like goes something like this ~ Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer.. the acid test that indicates if you are a Friend starts here =) 



Do you ever stop to ask "How are you?"


If you do..


Do you wait and pay attention to the answer ?




oh..by the way, today is my childhood best friend's birthday..and I remembered to send her a SMS early in the morning. Yay.


  

BoBo the Beagle Pup

I had a good time at Mich's place playing with BoBo.

Such an adorable pup *loves*

Sharing is Caring

They are best pals most of the time..

They do 'fight' sometimes..especially when they eat..it's natural animal instinct..

On better days..they are civil :)

Sharing is Caring..indeed..

colgate

Can you spot what's different with this Colgate that I bought in HK?

So Irresistible..?

Those of you who know me in person would know for sure that I have neither a sexy nor beautiful outlook, the closest I get would be Cute or Adorable.  I always thought cute means ugly but adorable :P

Anyway..something funny happened at lunch today.  Well, some may find it outraging....but I'd just laugh it away, being me.  What happened was...

As I was making my way out of the coffee shop, a 'waiter' (one of those foreigners in charged of drinks), grinned/ smiled for the longest time at me.  I don't think I've ever had a stranger smiled so 'intensely' at me before..not even neighbours or co-workers in my office buildings whom I see much more often.  

So strange..

While I was still wondering if I looked funny today (may be I had food sticking at the corner of my mouth??)...a man sitting at a table that I was walking pass, who happened to be stretching out his hands, "accidentally" held my hand. I was like .."excuse me??" 

He let it go very quickly..in less than 3 seconds (I think)...lol.

One thing for sure, it doesn't seem like he did it on purpose...although it didn't make much sense how the hand can end up grabbing mine while it's suppose to be stretching. Unless he wanted to grab his bag which was nearby.      

Or ..unless..I'm so hot today that they couldn't resist! Lol..

I happened to be in sleeveless today :D  

That brings me to the much talk about "public service" Ramadhan TV adverts by 8TV.  I bet everyone would have seen and heard about those ads by now..if not..go HERE.  One of the ads showed an "outgoing" Chinese girl wandering around a Ramadhan bazaar wearing a sleeveless top - the "educational message" behind the 'creative' was meant to remind us to not to dress inappropriately during this holy month.  

Based on what happened to me today..may be those ads had some truth eh??  

Beautiful Stories # 1

Few weeks back, a friend sent me a word doc titled "Beautiful Stories". Only read it today when I was clearing my Inbox.  Here's story #1:

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived at the hospital to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would be able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry.

The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health.

He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late.

He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

I was surprised, and asked him, 'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?'

He smiled. As he patted my hand and said, 'She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is.'

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, 'That is the kind of love I want in my life.'

True love is neither physical, nor romantic.

True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

With all the jokes and fun that are in e-mails, sometimes there is one that comes along that has an important message. This one I thought I could share with you.

The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best

of everything they have. I hope you share this with someone you care about.

Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.

Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart!

Fun Run Done

I ran!  Without pain =)

Runkeeper

Unlike other races, I didn't stop to take any pictures this time. 

But..was kiasu enough to activate two tracking apps and my wrist watch..haha.   I

The Baby G stop watch clocked about 34 mins.  Sportypal above says 36: 36mins.  Runkeeper says 37 mins.  Makes sense..since I had to pause the gadgets one at a time ..haha,

Sportypal is a new app that I wanted to test.   It's more dynamic, where one can use it to record and track all kinds of activities  - running, cycling, sailing, horse riding. etc etc!  Not sure if I will continue to use it.  I wanted it mainly for it's Indoor workout function but it isn't available yet.   

The map has a hybrid version which Runkeeper doesn't have...more canggih in some sense.

Sportypal

..as you can see...its' just a very simple route around Precint 3 Putraya.  We didn't get to run on any of the famous Putrajaya Bridges..so no reason for me to stop for photography sessions.

Might as well concentrate on my running~

 really wanted to see how well the injury has healed.  All went well, almost ran the full distance without stopping.  Well, I did take short breaks when I felt some tightness but overall..I'm satisfied given the fact that I had not ran for three months.  

Sportypal

Let's see..(above and below)..speed was somewhat consistent at an average of 7-8 mins per / km.  Peaked at the 2nd and last km.  Slowest was when I stopped a few times towards the 30th mins (3rd km).

Runkeeper

Next run is Adidas King of The Road in end Oct.  16.8km on the NPE!  Woot...!

Hmm..I'd better start training...