10 minutes until I knock off for the day. Feeling pretty crappy at the moment. Guess the long weekend and the fact I slept at 1am plus last nite came to haunt me for good. But the irony is that I had been sleeping more over the weekend. Though I woke up early as usual without alarm, I did go back to sleep and later slept until noon.
Its just that today would have been a longer day for me, 5 periods but later one got shifted to tomorrow. So that freed up some time which I spent printing the ws to be used for the lesson. That left me rather stoned. Think is the weather. Its like those wanna rain, not rain type weather. Its colder than usual and its making me feel rather uncomfortable to be in the air con office. Luckily I have the jacket. Its not that cold but is just the discomfort from the increased humidity and the cooler temperature.
So after my work for the day ended, I just stoned infront of the laptop checking FB, stocks and even blog. Just to distract my mind from thinking too much about lessons and workstuff. Really zoning out... think tonight sleep earlier a bit.
Dont really like this weather thingy, sensitive to this type of drastic change in weather in the short course of a day. Hope dont come down with something. Dont want to. Later by hook or crook, still be heading for gym. But hopefully wont feel as chilly as now.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Picking up the slack / Life and its share of woes
Picking up the slack
Had been a bit busy with gym, classes, assignment that by the time I reach home, mostly just wanna bathe, surf Internet on I-touch and then sleep with anime in the background. Hadn't been practicing guitar, only did it once last Sunday then by the time I went for class on sat, can't recall as much. So during lesson, not able to play all those barred chords cos not familiar with their positioning, have to slowly find them hence can't follow the playing at normal speed and the other was that my slapping technique is not correct and hence slowed my playing speed too... That was cos I wasn't exactly taught the proper technique under previous instructor. So today I picked up the guitar and practiced barring and correct the slapping technique. Couldn't keep up for too long before fingers pain. Skin gotten thinner cos haven't practiced as much. K everyday going to practice a bit. Evaluation coming in 3 weeks time, not exactly having polished guitar playing. Dunno if I can hijack a guitar at work and hide somewhere to play but tomorrow I got a very hectic day so guess I'll practice after work and gym, assignment, classes. Gambarimasho!
This long weekend had been rather indulgent for me. In what respect, guess it's food-wise.
On fri, I ate upsized pasta with calamari rings and later had a kungfu tea at far east. So that's a lot more of food than what I had been eating for a while.
Then on Sat, I shared a half chicken with with Ting (though i try to avoid eating that on normal days but really the area near my guitar school only has either chicken rice or wonton mee) and after I had 1.5 yu tiao with beancurds in soy milk. Really yummy. That's what I get for not eating breakfast that by 2.45pm, I was starving. Note to self to die die also eat breakfast otherwise this is what might happen again.
After that we headed shopping around a bit at Taka. I bought a 3/4 exercise pants for my gym sessions. It would be helpful cos sometimes I really didn't feel like wearing long track pants cos either of the weather or whole day at work in cargos, wanna air my legs a bit at times. But guy's berms are too baggy and long. Glad to get something new to wear.
Later we ate at mos burger and I ordered a mos chicken set with salad instead of fries, a croquette and butterfly ebi. Which had Tab and Ting staring at the amt of food I bought though seconds ago, I told them I wasn't that hungry... Ya literally eating my own words. I did finish eating them though I had to endure very lame rendition of the 'ebi butterfly' song from Tab. I swear those are my first and last butterfly ebis... Later at night still had a tall hot green tea latte. Think quite a bit of calories over the long weekend.
But still alright, I had gone for gym twice this week, monday and wednesday after I pon-ten jap class. Then today I went for the 3rd session. Though I had hit the quota, but IF I dont go, the alternative would be to stay at home which I already did up until 6pm. I reached there around 6.30pm and did my usual 1.5hrs workout and finshed by 8pm which is the closing time for the gym on weekends. Had a bathe and scrubbed myself with the facial and body scrub. Later before I sleep then put on mositurizer and muscle cream. I feel rather "light" after the workout, like all the worries are "worked out" of the system at least temporarily, a great sense of peace with oneself.
Life and its Share of Woes and Fears
Well everyone has their worries and frustrations, arising from all sorts of reasons. Some are family-related: worries about their health, mortality and not-so-close ties. Personal: own fears about loneliness, envy about what others have and what you seemingly dont have, own insecurities about self-worth, abilities, fears about the future and what it might hold, worries about regrets in the future, even living in regrets in the present and continuing to do so, fear about one's own mortality. Fears about finances: worries about how to support oneself until retirement or death, how to support a family, how to meet financial constraints. Job-related: afraid that the job might lead nowhere in life, pay and job prospects, job satisifaction, job security. And the list goes on and on, from major to minor worries and fears.
The long break that I had from the previous work, even with the problems faced, I spent quite a bit of time not only pursuing things I wanted to do but also a lot of self-reflection. Not that I have reached enlightment in any manner but it has let me gotten a better idea of my fears, insecurities, regrets in a sense. I came to some conclusions about certain issues at least for myself.
True at times, life itself taxing and tiring and even bothersome. Isnt it easier to just be released from it all? Nothing that much to look forward to...
Then I realized the cliche that "being alive means possibilities are still there". What possibilities? I guess its the possibility to change one's live, oneself. It wont be immediate but it would make me happier. True certain periods of my life, I hated my life. Then it took me this long to realize that I can do something MORE about it instead of just whine and resign myself to fate. True I get exhausted fighting at times, but if one way doesnt work, try another and another, until it works for you.
Looking back at the bond thingy, I set myself a time frame of surviving until after the bond. I applied for transfer, I did started exercisng then to combat the stress, I headed out to town after work to de-stess, I started another course after putting it off year after year, I started spending my money not just on necessities. It wasnt all that successful, in fact many a times, I despair and whine on the blog.
But after I left, things didnt go that smoothly too. In my plan, it was supposed to be more smooth-sailing. But hit right smack in the eye of the storm brewing in family troubles. After much taxing and stressing, reached a certain point of ampathy and moved on.
The foray into stocks empowered me greatly. The decision to exercise more regularly, eat breakfast, gave me more sense of well-being and also the courses gave me order in that rather aimless period of life.
I came to realize and revisit certain fears and insecurities. Eg I wasnt very comfortable being unemployed for too long even when I had the $30k to draw down. I wasnt comfortable when by the 7th month, I had drawn up to $11-12k for expenses. I wasnt comfortable in taking too big a pay cut for a new job, IF I cannot make it up somehow. I wasnt going to 'slave and slog' my remaining youth for very very long hours at a job. At times I wonder about my singlehood and the loneliness involved. Yet life doesnt always go the way one planned, but its still about leaving as little regrets.
The worries dont go away and are still there. The difference is my attitude towards them. I am not just resigned to some of these problems, I am taking some steps to 'work' it out eg exercise to combat weight and health problems, investment and assignments to combat financial insecurities. Though I am not doing anything constructive for my Singlehood dilemna... maybe I should revisit this part and think about what I can do constructively.
The end result so far is that I am generally happier compared to what I was, a year ago. More relaxed and comfortable with myself, like myself a whole lot more. Yes I am still flawed and far from perfect, yet I feel I am getting better somehow. Yes still have many, many, many things to work out... Guess I will be a work-in-progress assignment until the end of my days.
There is no gurantee that at the end of my life, I would be rich, married, have a family and lead a happy life. That is a view only optimists subscribe to. Yet IF I can look back at my life and feel that I have led it with more satisfaction and less regrets, then I think that its a good life then. With these thoughts close to me, I face each day and move on forward cos whether I like it or not, time is never stopping for anyone and Life doesnt replay.
Had been a bit busy with gym, classes, assignment that by the time I reach home, mostly just wanna bathe, surf Internet on I-touch and then sleep with anime in the background. Hadn't been practicing guitar, only did it once last Sunday then by the time I went for class on sat, can't recall as much. So during lesson, not able to play all those barred chords cos not familiar with their positioning, have to slowly find them hence can't follow the playing at normal speed and the other was that my slapping technique is not correct and hence slowed my playing speed too... That was cos I wasn't exactly taught the proper technique under previous instructor. So today I picked up the guitar and practiced barring and correct the slapping technique. Couldn't keep up for too long before fingers pain. Skin gotten thinner cos haven't practiced as much. K everyday going to practice a bit. Evaluation coming in 3 weeks time, not exactly having polished guitar playing. Dunno if I can hijack a guitar at work and hide somewhere to play but tomorrow I got a very hectic day so guess I'll practice after work and gym, assignment, classes. Gambarimasho!
This long weekend had been rather indulgent for me. In what respect, guess it's food-wise.
On fri, I ate upsized pasta with calamari rings and later had a kungfu tea at far east. So that's a lot more of food than what I had been eating for a while.
Then on Sat, I shared a half chicken with with Ting (though i try to avoid eating that on normal days but really the area near my guitar school only has either chicken rice or wonton mee) and after I had 1.5 yu tiao with beancurds in soy milk. Really yummy. That's what I get for not eating breakfast that by 2.45pm, I was starving. Note to self to die die also eat breakfast otherwise this is what might happen again.
After that we headed shopping around a bit at Taka. I bought a 3/4 exercise pants for my gym sessions. It would be helpful cos sometimes I really didn't feel like wearing long track pants cos either of the weather or whole day at work in cargos, wanna air my legs a bit at times. But guy's berms are too baggy and long. Glad to get something new to wear.
Later we ate at mos burger and I ordered a mos chicken set with salad instead of fries, a croquette and butterfly ebi. Which had Tab and Ting staring at the amt of food I bought though seconds ago, I told them I wasn't that hungry... Ya literally eating my own words. I did finish eating them though I had to endure very lame rendition of the 'ebi butterfly' song from Tab. I swear those are my first and last butterfly ebis... Later at night still had a tall hot green tea latte. Think quite a bit of calories over the long weekend.
But still alright, I had gone for gym twice this week, monday and wednesday after I pon-ten jap class. Then today I went for the 3rd session. Though I had hit the quota, but IF I dont go, the alternative would be to stay at home which I already did up until 6pm. I reached there around 6.30pm and did my usual 1.5hrs workout and finshed by 8pm which is the closing time for the gym on weekends. Had a bathe and scrubbed myself with the facial and body scrub. Later before I sleep then put on mositurizer and muscle cream. I feel rather "light" after the workout, like all the worries are "worked out" of the system at least temporarily, a great sense of peace with oneself.
Life and its Share of Woes and Fears
Well everyone has their worries and frustrations, arising from all sorts of reasons. Some are family-related: worries about their health, mortality and not-so-close ties. Personal: own fears about loneliness, envy about what others have and what you seemingly dont have, own insecurities about self-worth, abilities, fears about the future and what it might hold, worries about regrets in the future, even living in regrets in the present and continuing to do so, fear about one's own mortality. Fears about finances: worries about how to support oneself until retirement or death, how to support a family, how to meet financial constraints. Job-related: afraid that the job might lead nowhere in life, pay and job prospects, job satisifaction, job security. And the list goes on and on, from major to minor worries and fears.
The long break that I had from the previous work, even with the problems faced, I spent quite a bit of time not only pursuing things I wanted to do but also a lot of self-reflection. Not that I have reached enlightment in any manner but it has let me gotten a better idea of my fears, insecurities, regrets in a sense. I came to some conclusions about certain issues at least for myself.
True at times, life itself taxing and tiring and even bothersome. Isnt it easier to just be released from it all? Nothing that much to look forward to...
Then I realized the cliche that "being alive means possibilities are still there". What possibilities? I guess its the possibility to change one's live, oneself. It wont be immediate but it would make me happier. True certain periods of my life, I hated my life. Then it took me this long to realize that I can do something MORE about it instead of just whine and resign myself to fate. True I get exhausted fighting at times, but if one way doesnt work, try another and another, until it works for you.
Looking back at the bond thingy, I set myself a time frame of surviving until after the bond. I applied for transfer, I did started exercisng then to combat the stress, I headed out to town after work to de-stess, I started another course after putting it off year after year, I started spending my money not just on necessities. It wasnt all that successful, in fact many a times, I despair and whine on the blog.
But after I left, things didnt go that smoothly too. In my plan, it was supposed to be more smooth-sailing. But hit right smack in the eye of the storm brewing in family troubles. After much taxing and stressing, reached a certain point of ampathy and moved on.
The foray into stocks empowered me greatly. The decision to exercise more regularly, eat breakfast, gave me more sense of well-being and also the courses gave me order in that rather aimless period of life.
I came to realize and revisit certain fears and insecurities. Eg I wasnt very comfortable being unemployed for too long even when I had the $30k to draw down. I wasnt comfortable when by the 7th month, I had drawn up to $11-12k for expenses. I wasnt comfortable in taking too big a pay cut for a new job, IF I cannot make it up somehow. I wasnt going to 'slave and slog' my remaining youth for very very long hours at a job. At times I wonder about my singlehood and the loneliness involved. Yet life doesnt always go the way one planned, but its still about leaving as little regrets.
The worries dont go away and are still there. The difference is my attitude towards them. I am not just resigned to some of these problems, I am taking some steps to 'work' it out eg exercise to combat weight and health problems, investment and assignments to combat financial insecurities. Though I am not doing anything constructive for my Singlehood dilemna... maybe I should revisit this part and think about what I can do constructively.
The end result so far is that I am generally happier compared to what I was, a year ago. More relaxed and comfortable with myself, like myself a whole lot more. Yes I am still flawed and far from perfect, yet I feel I am getting better somehow. Yes still have many, many, many things to work out... Guess I will be a work-in-progress assignment until the end of my days.
There is no gurantee that at the end of my life, I would be rich, married, have a family and lead a happy life. That is a view only optimists subscribe to. Yet IF I can look back at my life and feel that I have led it with more satisfaction and less regrets, then I think that its a good life then. With these thoughts close to me, I face each day and move on forward cos whether I like it or not, time is never stopping for anyone and Life doesnt replay.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Early bird versus Night owling
In the recent weeks, I find myself waking up b4 the alarm rings at 7am. While compared to some who wake at 5.30, it's still late, but for me it's early cos previously the earliest was 8-8.30am cos I was in the afternoon session. And mostly still zombified mode. Now is wake up quite alert everyday. And I mean Everyday of the week... Even on holiday, and weekend, I would wake up even with no alarm clock. Great to know that my body alarm is working but may e it should have an "off" button included... On some weekend mornings, I am the only person except my mom whose up while everyone else is still sleeping...
Also I "try" to sleep earlier. At times 11-12 plus. I don't keep track of exactly what time I sleep cos sometimes am awake a bit longer watching abt 1 episode of anime but sometimes fall asleep within several minutes of the anime. Later on I would wake to switch off the tv and then go back to sleep. Sleep is more deep, attribute to exercise and all the running around plus good neck support pillow.
The good thing about waking in the 7-8am region is that one can eat breakfast relatively unhurriedly on the weekends. Also the day seems to last longer due to longer waking hours and I can't do the night owling as much cos I would be have been awake for 16hrs by midnight, need sleep then. Still haven't eaten breakfast yet, I was doing some expenses tracking and bills calculation. Need to head out soon, think will have to eat-on-the-go. This week I father neglected guitar, jia lat... Later in class surely dunno how to play... Sighs. How to get a good balance? Maybe I shouldn't have gone out the whole day yesterday... But the movie was worth it, finally caught Ip Man 2. Met Tab and ate pasta dinner with candle.
Also I "try" to sleep earlier. At times 11-12 plus. I don't keep track of exactly what time I sleep cos sometimes am awake a bit longer watching abt 1 episode of anime but sometimes fall asleep within several minutes of the anime. Later on I would wake to switch off the tv and then go back to sleep. Sleep is more deep, attribute to exercise and all the running around plus good neck support pillow.
The good thing about waking in the 7-8am region is that one can eat breakfast relatively unhurriedly on the weekends. Also the day seems to last longer due to longer waking hours and I can't do the night owling as much cos I would be have been awake for 16hrs by midnight, need sleep then. Still haven't eaten breakfast yet, I was doing some expenses tracking and bills calculation. Need to head out soon, think will have to eat-on-the-go. This week I father neglected guitar, jia lat... Later in class surely dunno how to play... Sighs. How to get a good balance? Maybe I shouldn't have gone out the whole day yesterday... But the movie was worth it, finally caught Ip Man 2. Met Tab and ate pasta dinner with candle.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Work-Life Balance finally???
Man I have been feeling a bit of tiredness especially in the morning at work. Think its partly my own for clocking in extra hours for classes, gym and assignments outside of working hours. Think the travelling around has gotten to me.
Not that I cant function. I 'power down' during the free periods and 'start engine' whenever I am in class. Then when there is enough power built up, I start doing work-related stuff during my free periods, things like getting ws ready, thinking of what to do etc etc.
And of course during free periods when I am waiting for power to build up, I would stone a bit infront of laptop and check out FB, blogs, share prices due to the market condition now. Just that there really isnt too much to do at times cos of the whole 8am - 5pm type of office working hours. So there isnt that option to go back earlier like when I was an Educator.
BUT during those days, I remembered that I hardly go back earlier say at 1-3pm. I hardly ever get to go off that early. It was considered very good IF I could leave around 4-5pm when I was in the a.m. session and later when I on floating arrangment. Just recalling those days really gives me shudders. I wouldnt want to voluntarily go back for that type of arrangment unless I am desperate for money.
I rather like my current arrangment where though its office hours, I leave by 5pm plus, reach home around 5.30pm and still can have to option to go for other stuff outside of work. Its more of a work-life balance cos there is time enough for stuff, be it recreational, interest or more of income. Though its a bit tiring at times, my stamina and endurance has improved greatly from the regular and disciplined exercise regime. So far I went to the gym twice already, Mon and Wed. Thinking of going on Sunday also so that I can hit 3 times a week. Body is feeling a bit tired cos of the exercise but no major pain, think slapping on the muscle cream before I sleep after the workout helps. Cos my current job is a contract-type, renewable every year, hope can stay on at least for a couple of years.
I think I am slowly turning into one of them, or at least maybe slightly less than half. Now during class, I dont sit down. I stand and walk around continously to check on students, I bring extra changes of clothes especially on days with cca activities, I left a jacket and sweater at work for use when needed, I can eat lunch within 20mins if I focus on the task of eating, even the whole bowing and smiling and waving hands, I just do and follow without too much thought.
There are admirable points about the people. They really are efficient. Meetings are held once a month (at least the one which I need to attend), they already churned out 3-4 newsletters for each level covering the activities done so far, the combined 3-schools magazine is already printed out and distributed to staff, think students also, all are kept in the loop about what is happening in own level through daily schedules done and printed and left on the desk daily, other levels keep u updated with their newsletters, and school events, schedules and info are printed and left on your table and even given earlier during the monthly meeting. Best part, they start prompt and end promptly for meetings. Admirable points about punctuality and efficiency.
But they apply their expectations differently to own people and foreigners. They have the cultural expectation of staying back late after work which doenst apply to us, also certain protocals to follow which they dont expect us to follow. So that's good news for me.
Not that I cant function. I 'power down' during the free periods and 'start engine' whenever I am in class. Then when there is enough power built up, I start doing work-related stuff during my free periods, things like getting ws ready, thinking of what to do etc etc.
And of course during free periods when I am waiting for power to build up, I would stone a bit infront of laptop and check out FB, blogs, share prices due to the market condition now. Just that there really isnt too much to do at times cos of the whole 8am - 5pm type of office working hours. So there isnt that option to go back earlier like when I was an Educator.
BUT during those days, I remembered that I hardly go back earlier say at 1-3pm. I hardly ever get to go off that early. It was considered very good IF I could leave around 4-5pm when I was in the a.m. session and later when I on floating arrangment. Just recalling those days really gives me shudders. I wouldnt want to voluntarily go back for that type of arrangment unless I am desperate for money.
I rather like my current arrangment where though its office hours, I leave by 5pm plus, reach home around 5.30pm and still can have to option to go for other stuff outside of work. Its more of a work-life balance cos there is time enough for stuff, be it recreational, interest or more of income. Though its a bit tiring at times, my stamina and endurance has improved greatly from the regular and disciplined exercise regime. So far I went to the gym twice already, Mon and Wed. Thinking of going on Sunday also so that I can hit 3 times a week. Body is feeling a bit tired cos of the exercise but no major pain, think slapping on the muscle cream before I sleep after the workout helps. Cos my current job is a contract-type, renewable every year, hope can stay on at least for a couple of years.
I think I am slowly turning into one of them, or at least maybe slightly less than half. Now during class, I dont sit down. I stand and walk around continously to check on students, I bring extra changes of clothes especially on days with cca activities, I left a jacket and sweater at work for use when needed, I can eat lunch within 20mins if I focus on the task of eating, even the whole bowing and smiling and waving hands, I just do and follow without too much thought.
There are admirable points about the people. They really are efficient. Meetings are held once a month (at least the one which I need to attend), they already churned out 3-4 newsletters for each level covering the activities done so far, the combined 3-schools magazine is already printed out and distributed to staff, think students also, all are kept in the loop about what is happening in own level through daily schedules done and printed and left on the desk daily, other levels keep u updated with their newsletters, and school events, schedules and info are printed and left on your table and even given earlier during the monthly meeting. Best part, they start prompt and end promptly for meetings. Admirable points about punctuality and efficiency.
But they apply their expectations differently to own people and foreigners. They have the cultural expectation of staying back late after work which doenst apply to us, also certain protocals to follow which they dont expect us to follow. So that's good news for me.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
To "Pong" or Not to "Pong", what will it be?
Tab did tell me that she might not be able to make it for this week's jap due to work. We did "ponten" jap class cos she had alot of grouse and stress from work. So after dinner, we headed to Kino and walked a bit but headed home earlier.
Then I did say that I would go... but IF its me alone... doing ws in the class, also not that enjoyable and learning much. Hmm... I am tempted to go the gym instead and then head home to practice guitar. Argh guitar evaluation is coming really really soon. K so I have somewhat decided that I will do this instead.
But the following weeks, I think I should head for jap class irregardless of whether she goes or not cos for the next 2 weeks, Tab wont be going too. Think po-ten two weeks in a row is enough. Hopefully I will feel obligated to go.
Then I did say that I would go... but IF its me alone... doing ws in the class, also not that enjoyable and learning much. Hmm... I am tempted to go the gym instead and then head home to practice guitar. Argh guitar evaluation is coming really really soon. K so I have somewhat decided that I will do this instead.
But the following weeks, I think I should head for jap class irregardless of whether she goes or not cos for the next 2 weeks, Tab wont be going too. Think po-ten two weeks in a row is enough. Hopefully I will feel obligated to go.
Market down = Opportunities to enter but beware of entering Too early
Stoned and zoned out a bit and lost my train of thoughts.
The stock market turned downwards within May and I didnt have that much time to monitor. My dad who started talking to me just last weekend mentioned that its going into bear.
So on Monday, I checked stock prices in my portfolio and sold off 1 lot from 2 counters that I bought and held on using cpf. This two lots are from the time of the previous America mkt meltdown, so the gains are quite nice. Though I didnt sell at the 'best' time aka the highest price, but at least locked in most of the gains. Too bad everything goes back to cpf. At least hopefully, free up some funds for cpf investment. I better see and make sure they transfer the funds back to cpf asap.
After selling off that cpf lots, the rest of my lots are IN THE RED!!! Cos in the recent week, prices have plunged quite a bit. So those shares that I bought using cash, some prices have reached LOWER than what I paid for, hence in the red. BUT I comfort myself that IF I can find the capital, cos almost used up all liao, I can use this as an opportunity to look for a good buy-in price. There might be more down-side in the recent few days, weeks. But on the other hand, I dont want to over-stretch myself and lock up too much of my liquid money inside the market.
So after almost exhausting my capital, the miserably bit left, short of using my reserve account, I am adopting a "Wait and see". Cos already bought in some, so in not that great a hurry to buy. Cos in a down-trend, the earlier you buy, the more it falls and the redder the losses get. I do tell myself that though I would wish to trade but if there's nothing to gain from Short-term trading, then its more into the mid to long-term view.
Partly is like most capital inside liao. Invested, so whether like or dont like, is in for the ride, whether it is up or down. Its now on "Holding Power". Then if can find more funds, maybe buy-in at points which I think is cheap enough for that counter. I still have that bunch of Company Annual Reports on the floor of my room, waiting to be read. I did open them up, glance at a couple of numbers... and also send out forms for AGMs and also request forms for the annual reports around April period.
Now very stoned. Should be looking at the market closely, just checking some counter's prices on the laptop when I am free during work. I cant run java but can just check the prices to see if got good deals. And have to resort to using Broker instead of own trade cos cannot access my own account. Have to explore Mobile Trading and find out about that cos using brokers, commission is more expensive by about $10 for just less than 1/2 minute of conversation.
The stock market turned downwards within May and I didnt have that much time to monitor. My dad who started talking to me just last weekend mentioned that its going into bear.
So on Monday, I checked stock prices in my portfolio and sold off 1 lot from 2 counters that I bought and held on using cpf. This two lots are from the time of the previous America mkt meltdown, so the gains are quite nice. Though I didnt sell at the 'best' time aka the highest price, but at least locked in most of the gains. Too bad everything goes back to cpf. At least hopefully, free up some funds for cpf investment. I better see and make sure they transfer the funds back to cpf asap.
After selling off that cpf lots, the rest of my lots are IN THE RED!!! Cos in the recent week, prices have plunged quite a bit. So those shares that I bought using cash, some prices have reached LOWER than what I paid for, hence in the red. BUT I comfort myself that IF I can find the capital, cos almost used up all liao, I can use this as an opportunity to look for a good buy-in price. There might be more down-side in the recent few days, weeks. But on the other hand, I dont want to over-stretch myself and lock up too much of my liquid money inside the market.
So after almost exhausting my capital, the miserably bit left, short of using my reserve account, I am adopting a "Wait and see". Cos already bought in some, so in not that great a hurry to buy. Cos in a down-trend, the earlier you buy, the more it falls and the redder the losses get. I do tell myself that though I would wish to trade but if there's nothing to gain from Short-term trading, then its more into the mid to long-term view.
Partly is like most capital inside liao. Invested, so whether like or dont like, is in for the ride, whether it is up or down. Its now on "Holding Power". Then if can find more funds, maybe buy-in at points which I think is cheap enough for that counter. I still have that bunch of Company Annual Reports on the floor of my room, waiting to be read. I did open them up, glance at a couple of numbers... and also send out forms for AGMs and also request forms for the annual reports around April period.
Now very stoned. Should be looking at the market closely, just checking some counter's prices on the laptop when I am free during work. I cant run java but can just check the prices to see if got good deals. And have to resort to using Broker instead of own trade cos cannot access my own account. Have to explore Mobile Trading and find out about that cos using brokers, commission is more expensive by about $10 for just less than 1/2 minute of conversation.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
A highlight and a cut $167 a bit ouch
This Sunday is another where I cancelled the driving slot. Since I cleared the gym quota yesterday, today got rid of the drive slot, free to go for a hair cut. After checking that maybe go out with family to eat in the evening, so I called for an appointment at 2, came home near 5. Again almost forgot the whole boredom of highlighting plus also treatment. Closed my eyes several times to rest.
Irritating weekend, so rare that really no reason to wake up early but still I woke up near 8am, and can't go back to sleep. So started the day, dabaoed breakfast, ate pork porridge which I didn't like and went to Central to check out the ringgit exchange rate but not high enough to exchange so headed home to wait for hair appt time.
The highlight colours are not that obviouc, hopefully will turn lighter. I didn't dare go for the really gold ones... Next time. Now stoning around and waiting for dinner.
Irritating weekend, so rare that really no reason to wake up early but still I woke up near 8am, and can't go back to sleep. So started the day, dabaoed breakfast, ate pork porridge which I didn't like and went to Central to check out the ringgit exchange rate but not high enough to exchange so headed home to wait for hair appt time.
The highlight colours are not that obviouc, hopefully will turn lighter. I didn't dare go for the really gold ones... Next time. Now stoning around and waiting for dinner.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Bubu
Another week where nothing much happens. I looked forward to after-work on Friday and headed to town... But the Nandos chicken had a super long queue by the time came over... I waited and killed time at the arcade. Playing just $2 on the music cube game and a round of mahjong. Then I sat at the seat inside and played I-touch. BJ was kinda crowded and most restaurants had long queue. Our dinner at Nydc, was kinda not that satisfactory, cos it took quite a while for my order to come and I ordered a sandwich. When it came, it tasted pretty good compared to Tab's order. The 'shiok' part is eating the 'mango tango' from the Rockery. Very nice.
We didn't do much else except go toilet, and walk around to find toilet. Headed home rather early but Bo bian cos didn't want to bring 'extra' friends home. Reached home, can't remember what I did maybe is sleep earlier.
Today woke up before 8am though I had no assignment and hadn't set alarm. Tried to sleep more until 9am, then later go eat porridge breakfast and dabao lunch for dad. Cold war is over after my sister bought him a cake and after he blew the candle, I just said "Happy birthday" and zipped my mouth. Watched naruto anime and then headed for guitar class.
Cos Tqb didn't feel well, I went home straight after. Practiced guitar and then headed to gym. That clears my 2nd quota this week. I don't think I will go tomorrow cos my next is Monday and doing 3 consecutive days of gym is tiring and overly repetitive cos I always do the same routine so brain rests and can go into auto-pilot mode. This sat was like how I spent last sat too, going to the gym cos not meeting up. Not much complaints either just that I have to remind myself that the results would take time... Given I had put on the weight over 2 years so need about that time to lose. To persevere and persist and keep this routine up.
I remembered mentioning that I got broader but actually I realized that's fats. Cos the same t-shirt, is fitting on me now, not that tight on the armholes nor the shoulders. Good to know that I have "slimmed" down elsewhere too and not getting broader cos I do free weights. Those seems to help combat the flabby arms more so than what swimming did. I think my arms are less flabby and more toned. Now instead of 'looking' muscular but actually is all very soft, now some parts are really firmer. Good for me. Think I will try to up the weights used and the number of sets cos today's session I hardly sweated much, dunno is it cos air con cold or cos I wear cooler cotton clothes or just body outgrew certain workouts.
Dabaoed a Subway meatball sandwich home for dinner, no cheese. Mom went back to her hometown, we eating dabaoed 'za fan' mainly. Sleep is beckoning me... Think I shall cut and highlight hair tomorrow.
We didn't do much else except go toilet, and walk around to find toilet. Headed home rather early but Bo bian cos didn't want to bring 'extra' friends home. Reached home, can't remember what I did maybe is sleep earlier.
Today woke up before 8am though I had no assignment and hadn't set alarm. Tried to sleep more until 9am, then later go eat porridge breakfast and dabao lunch for dad. Cold war is over after my sister bought him a cake and after he blew the candle, I just said "Happy birthday" and zipped my mouth. Watched naruto anime and then headed for guitar class.
Cos Tqb didn't feel well, I went home straight after. Practiced guitar and then headed to gym. That clears my 2nd quota this week. I don't think I will go tomorrow cos my next is Monday and doing 3 consecutive days of gym is tiring and overly repetitive cos I always do the same routine so brain rests and can go into auto-pilot mode. This sat was like how I spent last sat too, going to the gym cos not meeting up. Not much complaints either just that I have to remind myself that the results would take time... Given I had put on the weight over 2 years so need about that time to lose. To persevere and persist and keep this routine up.
I remembered mentioning that I got broader but actually I realized that's fats. Cos the same t-shirt, is fitting on me now, not that tight on the armholes nor the shoulders. Good to know that I have "slimmed" down elsewhere too and not getting broader cos I do free weights. Those seems to help combat the flabby arms more so than what swimming did. I think my arms are less flabby and more toned. Now instead of 'looking' muscular but actually is all very soft, now some parts are really firmer. Good for me. Think I will try to up the weights used and the number of sets cos today's session I hardly sweated much, dunno is it cos air con cold or cos I wear cooler cotton clothes or just body outgrew certain workouts.
Dabaoed a Subway meatball sandwich home for dinner, no cheese. Mom went back to her hometown, we eating dabaoed 'za fan' mainly. Sleep is beckoning me... Think I shall cut and highlight hair tomorrow.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Zzzzzing @ Work
Hmm yesterday was tiring. I felt tired, had my lessons reduced to 2 periods cos the level wasnt in, they went for outdoor activity. Then inbetween lessons, I have like 4hrs of free time. Spent it surfing, FBing, and things here and there.
After that still had cca. Had a friendly match but misadventure, cos bringing them to wrong venue due to miscom. After we arrived, I still had to give instructions here and there to ensure that the matches got started instead of just standing around, waiting and waiting. So after things got started then I still walked around so that when one set finishes, can continue another round.
So I left 1hr later after than my usual. Headed for assignment, damn stoned. Even more stoned after that... ultimate stoned when I returned home. Then talked with sister, went to sleep earlier after putting in the Naruto dvd and letting it play in the background. Its just to diffuse this 'too much of Japanese' cos of work, so I listen to lighter use of Japanese in anime. Otherwise, everytime hear Jap think of work. So hope to cancel out the effect.
Then woke up ultimate stoned today. Even my collegue noticed that I was very slow and stoner than usual. I have no lesson at all cos of cancellation of sole class for the day. My sister actually asked if I had to turn up at work, which I still did have to. To be fair to me, I did do work-related. I actually had already printed out a set of flashcards and laminated them on Tuesday, then today I cut it and sort it into 3 sets and at the same time, enlarge and laminated another set for the next set. So after that even lagi more stoned.
I did head out for longer and more luxurious and delicious lunch nearby at Ginza. I even wore jeans and t-shirt though many have done so, its just I decided that after work, I would just head down-town irregardless whether anyone is meeting up. Either to just watch a movie to chill or just walk around irregardless.
A bit too cooped up feeling maybe cos last weekend, I didnt go out, just headed for classes, work, assignment and gym. Really like not much and feeling the fatique a bit too much that I wanna a change in routine by going out, also a reward for my 'working' hard esp the fatique from yesterday.
So town, here I come!
After that still had cca. Had a friendly match but misadventure, cos bringing them to wrong venue due to miscom. After we arrived, I still had to give instructions here and there to ensure that the matches got started instead of just standing around, waiting and waiting. So after things got started then I still walked around so that when one set finishes, can continue another round.
So I left 1hr later after than my usual. Headed for assignment, damn stoned. Even more stoned after that... ultimate stoned when I returned home. Then talked with sister, went to sleep earlier after putting in the Naruto dvd and letting it play in the background. Its just to diffuse this 'too much of Japanese' cos of work, so I listen to lighter use of Japanese in anime. Otherwise, everytime hear Jap think of work. So hope to cancel out the effect.
Then woke up ultimate stoned today. Even my collegue noticed that I was very slow and stoner than usual. I have no lesson at all cos of cancellation of sole class for the day. My sister actually asked if I had to turn up at work, which I still did have to. To be fair to me, I did do work-related. I actually had already printed out a set of flashcards and laminated them on Tuesday, then today I cut it and sort it into 3 sets and at the same time, enlarge and laminated another set for the next set. So after that even lagi more stoned.
I did head out for longer and more luxurious and delicious lunch nearby at Ginza. I even wore jeans and t-shirt though many have done so, its just I decided that after work, I would just head down-town irregardless whether anyone is meeting up. Either to just watch a movie to chill or just walk around irregardless.
A bit too cooped up feeling maybe cos last weekend, I didnt go out, just headed for classes, work, assignment and gym. Really like not much and feeling the fatique a bit too much that I wanna a change in routine by going out, also a reward for my 'working' hard esp the fatique from yesterday.
So town, here I come!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Things to do when I am in my .....
Me and Tab pon-teng the Jap class cos during dinner, saw that Tab was rather stressed about this past two weeks and the events one after another. Over dinner we were talking about work, the wallets I bought, about what happened over the past week. Then offered her the option to skip class, just for that one. Usually I am quite against skipping cos already made all the effort to travel all the way down and even ate dinner just for that. But occasional exceptions can be made.
So we headed to Kino, after letting her decide where to head to, to chilll a bit. She actually met her boss there, how unfortunate but was too bo chap about it. Later we walked and talked a bit more and headed to the usual spots to take our respective buses. Though I did dabao Yuan Yang before I boarded the bus. The plan was to practice guitar, cos might not have that much time during the week to do so. It was a rare occasion to reach home earlier. Hopefully can find more opportunities to practice. Moving to 3rd out of 5 songs, havent commited to memory yet but just practicing. Its been a while since I practiced this song, always been just practicing for the current song. Did until fingers a bit sore, then watched a bit of anime before sleeping.
An interesting thread of conversation is this whole on-going conversation about things to do in one's life. It started with Tab's whole thing about dressing up as a hot Grandmama when she's in her fifties, in short mini-skirt, bright tubes, never mind the bad dress sense and appalling visual fest. We saw a lady who dressed quite hot, but her make-up not well-drawn and it started this whole string of conversation. Tab mentioned that she should put down stuff to do before a milestone in one's age, eg
"When I am in my forties, I shall go and sing badly in a karaoke joint and terrorise the bengs there. If they are not terrorized, it doesnt count."
Or
"When I am in my fifties, I shall go and dress as a Hot Grandmama and terrorize the eyes of others, with no regards to their viusal well-being. And if they are not terrorized, it doesnt count." *Not to mention the amount of traffic accidents caused...
Then I listened to all this and said to her,
"I seriously think its just you. You are just rebelling and trying to test all of the limits at those ages cos you dont have things to lose then."
She refuted by saying that there are easier things to do with one's life. For example a ficticious girl whose name concidentally mirrors mine, BoundHell, say she wanted to get a guy, its easy she said. All she had to do was to dress and show ample cleavage and hang around certain parts of Orchard. I did tell her that sounds like prostituting oneself, but she emphasise that its not cos its only showing AMPLE cleavage, not showing all. Then when there are guys, suddenly having fainting spells and be in distress.
*Right.... rolls eyes*
BUT she argued that it takes another whole different courage to say Dress up like that hot grandmama.
*Right..... rolls eyes again*
"Dont you want to dress like that when you are older, dont you think it'll be fun?"
"Nope, I dont" *rolls eyes*
"I want to say again, its just YOU and your testing of society's limits cos you just have been too goodey good and law abiding. SO having late stage of rebelling."
So up to this point, we had walked until Far East and I got my Yuan Yang and soon after we boarded the bus.
If she had her way, I guess, its going to be a day to remember then.
So we headed to Kino, after letting her decide where to head to, to chilll a bit. She actually met her boss there, how unfortunate but was too bo chap about it. Later we walked and talked a bit more and headed to the usual spots to take our respective buses. Though I did dabao Yuan Yang before I boarded the bus. The plan was to practice guitar, cos might not have that much time during the week to do so. It was a rare occasion to reach home earlier. Hopefully can find more opportunities to practice. Moving to 3rd out of 5 songs, havent commited to memory yet but just practicing. Its been a while since I practiced this song, always been just practicing for the current song. Did until fingers a bit sore, then watched a bit of anime before sleeping.
An interesting thread of conversation is this whole on-going conversation about things to do in one's life. It started with Tab's whole thing about dressing up as a hot Grandmama when she's in her fifties, in short mini-skirt, bright tubes, never mind the bad dress sense and appalling visual fest. We saw a lady who dressed quite hot, but her make-up not well-drawn and it started this whole string of conversation. Tab mentioned that she should put down stuff to do before a milestone in one's age, eg
"When I am in my forties, I shall go and sing badly in a karaoke joint and terrorise the bengs there. If they are not terrorized, it doesnt count."
Or
"When I am in my fifties, I shall go and dress as a Hot Grandmama and terrorize the eyes of others, with no regards to their viusal well-being. And if they are not terrorized, it doesnt count." *Not to mention the amount of traffic accidents caused...
Then I listened to all this and said to her,
"I seriously think its just you. You are just rebelling and trying to test all of the limits at those ages cos you dont have things to lose then."
She refuted by saying that there are easier things to do with one's life. For example a ficticious girl whose name concidentally mirrors mine, BoundHell, say she wanted to get a guy, its easy she said. All she had to do was to dress and show ample cleavage and hang around certain parts of Orchard. I did tell her that sounds like prostituting oneself, but she emphasise that its not cos its only showing AMPLE cleavage, not showing all. Then when there are guys, suddenly having fainting spells and be in distress.
*Right.... rolls eyes*
BUT she argued that it takes another whole different courage to say Dress up like that hot grandmama.
*Right..... rolls eyes again*
"Dont you want to dress like that when you are older, dont you think it'll be fun?"
"Nope, I dont" *rolls eyes*
"I want to say again, its just YOU and your testing of society's limits cos you just have been too goodey good and law abiding. SO having late stage of rebelling."
So up to this point, we had walked until Far East and I got my Yuan Yang and soon after we boarded the bus.
If she had her way, I guess, its going to be a day to remember then.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
A bit of a boring weekend
Friday, was feeling tired and decided to go home. I thought of going for the 2nd time to the gym but when I reached home, felt too tired. So ate some, watched anime and fell asleep from 6 plus. Woke up briefly around 12am then slept again. Quite a deep sleep.
Sat, woke up before 8am feeling refreshed, and headed downstairs to eat porridge. Came home, checked stocks a short while and the. Headed out for assignment. After that, headed for guitar lesson. Since Tab was busy at camp, I headed home after eating mee pok set $5 at Po Mo.
My area has kick-boxing at $65 from 22nd may until 7th aug, 5.30pm to 6.30pm. Anyone I interested?
I headed home and then rested a bit, before I went to the gym near 6.30pm. It was rather empty and did my 2nd workout. Went home at 8 plus and stopped to buy "grocery" to stock up at workplace. Cos no canteen, so have to eat out and also stock some stuff. My tastebuds went on a rampage and I bought 2 bags of wasabi potatoe chips, 12pax coke lite, 12pax green tea, 4 cup noodles and a 40pax plain crackers. Wanted to get the tempura seaweed but can't find. Wonder how can I bring all those to workplace without letting students see the contents. That's a lot to bring... Maybe bring over the week. Had a good body and face scrub then slapped on lots of muscle cream.
Sunday, woke up before 8am and got my sisters and mom to eat porridge together. Then as both are heading out shortly after, I walked over to help them buy their craving, Mars bars and Kitkat bars. Cos the supermarket don't sell in singles, bought a 3 pax pack of each. Practiced guitar until fingers a bit sore. That was the end of productive usage of time. Later after dad headed out, I watched some cable tv. Then after he returned, I went to the room to watch anime. Had cancelled today's driving slot to cut hair or even go gym. But the heat so I stayed on the bed, blowing fan and soon fell asleep. Woke up a few times to toss and turn. Woke up at 7 and ate dinner. Nothing much else to do now, the weather is cooler now due to the rain. Tempted to walk over to get the tempura sea weed but restraining myself.
I better bring and make myself tidy up the huge pile of clothes, sort through working and non- working clothes. The pile had been left for quite a while... Yet not willing to do it.
Sat, woke up before 8am feeling refreshed, and headed downstairs to eat porridge. Came home, checked stocks a short while and the. Headed out for assignment. After that, headed for guitar lesson. Since Tab was busy at camp, I headed home after eating mee pok set $5 at Po Mo.
My area has kick-boxing at $65 from 22nd may until 7th aug, 5.30pm to 6.30pm. Anyone I interested?
I headed home and then rested a bit, before I went to the gym near 6.30pm. It was rather empty and did my 2nd workout. Went home at 8 plus and stopped to buy "grocery" to stock up at workplace. Cos no canteen, so have to eat out and also stock some stuff. My tastebuds went on a rampage and I bought 2 bags of wasabi potatoe chips, 12pax coke lite, 12pax green tea, 4 cup noodles and a 40pax plain crackers. Wanted to get the tempura seaweed but can't find. Wonder how can I bring all those to workplace without letting students see the contents. That's a lot to bring... Maybe bring over the week. Had a good body and face scrub then slapped on lots of muscle cream.
Sunday, woke up before 8am and got my sisters and mom to eat porridge together. Then as both are heading out shortly after, I walked over to help them buy their craving, Mars bars and Kitkat bars. Cos the supermarket don't sell in singles, bought a 3 pax pack of each. Practiced guitar until fingers a bit sore. That was the end of productive usage of time. Later after dad headed out, I watched some cable tv. Then after he returned, I went to the room to watch anime. Had cancelled today's driving slot to cut hair or even go gym. But the heat so I stayed on the bed, blowing fan and soon fell asleep. Woke up a few times to toss and turn. Woke up at 7 and ate dinner. Nothing much else to do now, the weather is cooler now due to the rain. Tempted to walk over to get the tempura sea weed but restraining myself.
I better bring and make myself tidy up the huge pile of clothes, sort through working and non- working clothes. The pile had been left for quite a while... Yet not willing to do it.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
New wallet/s
It started on Friday after lunch. Everyone seems and feels tired cos this week was kinda "long" cos shortened lunch time to create an extre period of some event. Also with medical checkup for students, plus my own classes on wed, and club activities plus my own assignments and other classes, no wonder felt tired.
So my collegue was telling me how she very 'gian' a particular wallet. Told her to give me the web-site, it's called "Poketo" and I looked at the range of wallets, quite like the Lisa Congdon 3 which resembles a wooded forest. Then my collegue wanted to order the 10 in a set but it's too many so I decided to share half with her. So on top of the 10, which the design is random, includes current range and past and out of print range, We each ordered the particular design we very 'gian'. So in a short 1/2 hr, we spent almost USD$85 per person. I really need a wallet, the current one was given by friends, used until damn holey and on the brink of destruction. Though the poketo wallets have fewer compartments, I don't mind carrying lesser stuff in the wallet. Maybe have a main and sub wallets and separate coin pouch too. We decided that when the 10 arrive, we will take turns to pick a wallet each so it's fair that can somewhat choose the wallets even if not all the designs are nice. So now is wait for it to be shipped over in a few weeks time.
The muscles in my legs are aching a bit since thur. Why? Cos I ran with the students twice around the school and almost died. Needless to say I was the last runner lor. Man, running long distance eg 1.6-2.4km is not my forte lor. Last week, I ran one round already wanna white-flag. Then thur, after one round, still had energy, I decided to try 2nd round and found myself lagging behind as the round progressed. Also I don't find it in me to dash even though I wasn't out of breath, just kept to a constant pace, though I stopped a few times to catch a bit of breath then started cos not supposed to stop. Man think I would have to do this more regularly to improve my speed, endurance almost there. But I won't be adding running to my gym routine cos stationary running is too boring, mentally I can't persist. I need to run outside type but don't want to strain knee-cap so leave the running to club activity times. It's twice a week btw. After club ended, a collegue looked at me and asked what happened to me, I told her I ran outside with students.
She said "You look like shit?"
I answered her "Ya, I feel like shit."
then I slapped on muscle cream on the kneecap but forgot the thighs and calves, woke up next day with mild aches in them. Dunno why maybe is food, my weight is 67.5kg. So luckily it has stayed there. So this could be my equilibrium weight so need to up exercise or really watch diet to try to lower to another lower weight. Unless I am like my sister who can eat soup for lunch for 6 months, I am not able to repeat her feat. Knowing myself very well regarding the issue of eating the same food daily, I think I would have more success if I try to increase the exercise eg more session or try to do some exercise at home with my weights and also geoky's spinning tummy disc. Can also do crunches and abdominal exercise on days I don't go to the gym. That would also effectively upy exercise amount. Sething to start doing.
So my collegue was telling me how she very 'gian' a particular wallet. Told her to give me the web-site, it's called "Poketo" and I looked at the range of wallets, quite like the Lisa Congdon 3 which resembles a wooded forest. Then my collegue wanted to order the 10 in a set but it's too many so I decided to share half with her. So on top of the 10, which the design is random, includes current range and past and out of print range, We each ordered the particular design we very 'gian'. So in a short 1/2 hr, we spent almost USD$85 per person. I really need a wallet, the current one was given by friends, used until damn holey and on the brink of destruction. Though the poketo wallets have fewer compartments, I don't mind carrying lesser stuff in the wallet. Maybe have a main and sub wallets and separate coin pouch too. We decided that when the 10 arrive, we will take turns to pick a wallet each so it's fair that can somewhat choose the wallets even if not all the designs are nice. So now is wait for it to be shipped over in a few weeks time.
The muscles in my legs are aching a bit since thur. Why? Cos I ran with the students twice around the school and almost died. Needless to say I was the last runner lor. Man, running long distance eg 1.6-2.4km is not my forte lor. Last week, I ran one round already wanna white-flag. Then thur, after one round, still had energy, I decided to try 2nd round and found myself lagging behind as the round progressed. Also I don't find it in me to dash even though I wasn't out of breath, just kept to a constant pace, though I stopped a few times to catch a bit of breath then started cos not supposed to stop. Man think I would have to do this more regularly to improve my speed, endurance almost there. But I won't be adding running to my gym routine cos stationary running is too boring, mentally I can't persist. I need to run outside type but don't want to strain knee-cap so leave the running to club activity times. It's twice a week btw. After club ended, a collegue looked at me and asked what happened to me, I told her I ran outside with students.
She said "You look like shit?"
I answered her "Ya, I feel like shit."
then I slapped on muscle cream on the kneecap but forgot the thighs and calves, woke up next day with mild aches in them. Dunno why maybe is food, my weight is 67.5kg. So luckily it has stayed there. So this could be my equilibrium weight so need to up exercise or really watch diet to try to lower to another lower weight. Unless I am like my sister who can eat soup for lunch for 6 months, I am not able to repeat her feat. Knowing myself very well regarding the issue of eating the same food daily, I think I would have more success if I try to increase the exercise eg more session or try to do some exercise at home with my weights and also geoky's spinning tummy disc. Can also do crunches and abdominal exercise on days I don't go to the gym. That would also effectively upy exercise amount. Sething to start doing.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
$$$ and I have 3 feet
Just reached home after my assignment, already quite late and I am stoned but I take micro-rest on the bus, train journey. So more awake now still.
This post is inspired on the train journey. This is somewhat reminscient of my past 'temp' and 'intern' days where I work on a full-time hours and still headed out to work after. But I had 2 then max abt 3 sessions. But more 'free' time yet little energy or stamina to do much stuff. That was working 2 jobs to get one decent income.
Now, though I took a paycut for the full-time, with the extra stuff, it has effectively bumped my income higher than my last pay. But I have to work for it with extra hours. Yet there is a difference, it is I chose to do so. I don't need the extra income but it is definitely welcomed, to help
build up the diminished personal reserve, save extra for end-of-year lump sum insurance payments. That's the short-term goal. So I have 2 feet and am dabbling in two diff aspects for work, generating 2 incomes though one is more unstable.
And Yet I am not just passing time this way, cos I actually spend time doing courses, pursuing interests though the current 3 of jap, guitar and the impending driving continuation seems taxing at times yet when I do them, I rather enjoy them on different levels. So that's the 3rd feet in
dabbling with stuff but the possible 3rd income is from the investment portfolio. The recent big falls recently saw me selling some counters to 'lock-in' the gains, also the falls in subsequent days saw me buying a couple of lots as they reach my target price. Though immediately the following day, I lost on paper cos prices fell more but by now, less than a week, those has risen back to slightly higher than my purchase price. How will things be like tomorrow? Dunno if even greater falls, or rises, not much capital left. My updating is affected by my many days of consecutive days heading put, so I am writing on paper then transfer on weekends? Not actively monitoring live prices nor trading. Have to stay invested longer I guess until I can work out a more effective way to do this.
This post is inspired on the train journey. This is somewhat reminscient of my past 'temp' and 'intern' days where I work on a full-time hours and still headed out to work after. But I had 2 then max abt 3 sessions. But more 'free' time yet little energy or stamina to do much stuff. That was working 2 jobs to get one decent income.
Now, though I took a paycut for the full-time, with the extra stuff, it has effectively bumped my income higher than my last pay. But I have to work for it with extra hours. Yet there is a difference, it is I chose to do so. I don't need the extra income but it is definitely welcomed, to help
build up the diminished personal reserve, save extra for end-of-year lump sum insurance payments. That's the short-term goal. So I have 2 feet and am dabbling in two diff aspects for work, generating 2 incomes though one is more unstable.
And Yet I am not just passing time this way, cos I actually spend time doing courses, pursuing interests though the current 3 of jap, guitar and the impending driving continuation seems taxing at times yet when I do them, I rather enjoy them on different levels. So that's the 3rd feet in
dabbling with stuff but the possible 3rd income is from the investment portfolio. The recent big falls recently saw me selling some counters to 'lock-in' the gains, also the falls in subsequent days saw me buying a couple of lots as they reach my target price. Though immediately the following day, I lost on paper cos prices fell more but by now, less than a week, those has risen back to slightly higher than my purchase price. How will things be like tomorrow? Dunno if even greater falls, or rises, not much capital left. My updating is affected by my many days of consecutive days heading put, so I am writing on paper then transfer on weekends? Not actively monitoring live prices nor trading. Have to stay invested longer I guess until I can work out a more effective way to do this.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Week at a glance
So nothing much else very exciting happening. Just feeling stoned. I have finished the lessons for today. Instead of 3 periods today, I got 4 cos of a make-up due to some events in the week.
Then in one of my free periods, I walked over quickly to dabao lunch. Cos for the next 1.5 weeks, shortened lunch of 35mins. It meant cant really walk out and eat. Also today we missed the bento lady so didnt order. Tried to call but nobody picked up. See how things go tomorrow. Maybe more dabaoing in the days to come.
My own lessons with a class is starting this week. Meaning I am the only teacher instead of the current assisting teacher. Its once a week on wed. So have to keep the fingers crossed and see how it goes. So far I have printed out and prepared the stuff needed. Sometimes I already found the resources, left printing out, which I try to do when I have too much free time on certain days. So far no marking load, few ws to make etc. Hope it remains so.
Got to remember to run a few errands this week, pick up my altered pants from P.S, pick up photocopied teacher's resources, go for gym and try 3 times due to weight yo-yo-ing, Iron more working clothes, tidy up clothes, PRACTICE guitar and memorise the songs cos evaluation coming.
Then in one of my free periods, I walked over quickly to dabao lunch. Cos for the next 1.5 weeks, shortened lunch of 35mins. It meant cant really walk out and eat. Also today we missed the bento lady so didnt order. Tried to call but nobody picked up. See how things go tomorrow. Maybe more dabaoing in the days to come.
My own lessons with a class is starting this week. Meaning I am the only teacher instead of the current assisting teacher. Its once a week on wed. So have to keep the fingers crossed and see how it goes. So far I have printed out and prepared the stuff needed. Sometimes I already found the resources, left printing out, which I try to do when I have too much free time on certain days. So far no marking load, few ws to make etc. Hope it remains so.
Got to remember to run a few errands this week, pick up my altered pants from P.S, pick up photocopied teacher's resources, go for gym and try 3 times due to weight yo-yo-ing, Iron more working clothes, tidy up clothes, PRACTICE guitar and memorise the songs cos evaluation coming.
Sunday, May 09, 2010
Lunch
Dad still not talking to me. He headed out on his own just around 11am. Then mom took her time and we headed down in a cab.
Surprisingly most restaurants are NOT packed but rather empty. Guess the downpour had something to do with it plus many celebrate earlier in anticipation of the crowds for Mother's day. We orders quite alot, 4 mains plus 3 side dish, 1 dessert and 4 drinks. That cost me about $70.50.
But I must say I ate very happily cos the wasqbi prawns are very fresh and crispy, the Oreo coffee is very thick, the oyster omelette is nice too and the dessert of 'liang bing' is very refreshing. It's like a 'wen you xue' with ice, some sugar syrup and juice of the lime. Very refreshing and light, definitely worth eating again. Mom is on talking terms with me.
I hadn't picked up my pants yet. Thought it was at marina but turned out to be P.S... Argh have to go down asap, Its already more than a month. We walked around marina and felt rather sleepy, I managed to buy my pair of badminton rackets from a spor equipment shop, each $26.22 instead of $60-212 for those super pro. The rackets I bought, the body is also very light. Now I Need to look for cheaper shuttlecorks cos a tube of a dozen cost $39!!!
My sister bought a figure twister which we took turns to try when we reached home. Took a cab home, we were too sleepy to shop much. Went to the nearby pasar malam also nothing much. So lunch treat cost abt $95 including can fares. Rackets
cost $53.
I am very stoned now, be going to gym near 5.30pm plus. Dunno why my weight is yo-yo-ing again. Better try to up the exercise I do and limit the food more... Dunno I had been eating normally but... Guess this weight loss will take a while.
Surprisingly most restaurants are NOT packed but rather empty. Guess the downpour had something to do with it plus many celebrate earlier in anticipation of the crowds for Mother's day. We orders quite alot, 4 mains plus 3 side dish, 1 dessert and 4 drinks. That cost me about $70.50.
But I must say I ate very happily cos the wasqbi prawns are very fresh and crispy, the Oreo coffee is very thick, the oyster omelette is nice too and the dessert of 'liang bing' is very refreshing. It's like a 'wen you xue' with ice, some sugar syrup and juice of the lime. Very refreshing and light, definitely worth eating again. Mom is on talking terms with me.
I hadn't picked up my pants yet. Thought it was at marina but turned out to be P.S... Argh have to go down asap, Its already more than a month. We walked around marina and felt rather sleepy, I managed to buy my pair of badminton rackets from a spor equipment shop, each $26.22 instead of $60-212 for those super pro. The rackets I bought, the body is also very light. Now I Need to look for cheaper shuttlecorks cos a tube of a dozen cost $39!!!
My sister bought a figure twister which we took turns to try when we reached home. Took a cab home, we were too sleepy to shop much. Went to the nearby pasar malam also nothing much. So lunch treat cost abt $95 including can fares. Rackets
cost $53.
I am very stoned now, be going to gym near 5.30pm plus. Dunno why my weight is yo-yo-ing again. Better try to up the exercise I do and limit the food more... Dunno I had been eating normally but... Guess this weight loss will take a while.
Saturday, May 08, 2010
Tired day, at least o slept and ate well
I woke up early around 7.30am, earlier than the 8am alarm. Went downstairs to eat porridge with egg again. Really exceeded my usual 2-3 eggs per week quota. So far I've ate almost 1 egg a day. After that headed out for assignment, after assignment, rushed down for guitar. Reached half hr late cos I left late plus still quite a distance from town. After lesson, headed to find lunch and ate U-mian mee pok set B at basement of Po-Mo. It comes with the mee and either coffee or tea. Chose coffee. Verdict is very nice, the mee pok and also the coffee very smooth. Though the same at my area would cost me $3.70 but taste-wise it wins. Don't mind eating it more often after guitar. The name is Eat, eat, next to subway.
Went home, stopped at tiong bahru to run an errand. Today nothing so I headed home, it rained heavily and I was caught in the downpour. But despite being wet after dashing across the road, I find myself smiling and feeling amused at how long it's been since I ever walked in the rain and that nice, cooling feeling of rain. Yep it's been a while. Dried off and change. Was thinking of heading to the gym near 6pm after nap but guess too tired, woke up near 7pm. It meant not enough time cos gum closes at 8pm on weekends.
Have to make it tomorrow then. At this point dunno about tomorrow lunch. I drew out money but for the past 2 days, dad is giving me cold, silent treatment. Mom also not speaking to me since yesterday morning. Cos when she asked me if I was heading out for the nth time in so many days, I answered irritably that I rembrandt abt that 'extra friend' thingy and would head home even though had dinner outside. Then she flared up, was asking cos she wanted to cook Chinese medicine and blah about other stuff all at one go. I ate my bread and coffee quietly then and headed to work. Almost everyday being reminded of NOT to come home late due to those 'extra' following home blah blah. How you expect me to know if you going to say other stuff when everytime is ask whether I be heading out and staying out, with no mention of intention... Really nothing to say. My fault partly but if wanna give me cold treatment then go on... I just sleep more in relative peace and practiced guitar and watch anime.
Dunno how long this double 'cold war' will last.
Went home, stopped at tiong bahru to run an errand. Today nothing so I headed home, it rained heavily and I was caught in the downpour. But despite being wet after dashing across the road, I find myself smiling and feeling amused at how long it's been since I ever walked in the rain and that nice, cooling feeling of rain. Yep it's been a while. Dried off and change. Was thinking of heading to the gym near 6pm after nap but guess too tired, woke up near 7pm. It meant not enough time cos gum closes at 8pm on weekends.
Have to make it tomorrow then. At this point dunno about tomorrow lunch. I drew out money but for the past 2 days, dad is giving me cold, silent treatment. Mom also not speaking to me since yesterday morning. Cos when she asked me if I was heading out for the nth time in so many days, I answered irritably that I rembrandt abt that 'extra friend' thingy and would head home even though had dinner outside. Then she flared up, was asking cos she wanted to cook Chinese medicine and blah about other stuff all at one go. I ate my bread and coffee quietly then and headed to work. Almost everyday being reminded of NOT to come home late due to those 'extra' following home blah blah. How you expect me to know if you going to say other stuff when everytime is ask whether I be heading out and staying out, with no mention of intention... Really nothing to say. My fault partly but if wanna give me cold treatment then go on... I just sleep more in relative peace and practiced guitar and watch anime.
Dunno how long this double 'cold war' will last.
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Even more D-plus bread!!!
Yes I bought one at 7-Eleven thinking that it would do nicely for breakfast tomorrow. There's a special offer, selling for $1 instead of $1.35-$1.50. I dont see the new flavours with filling type so I settled for this Peanut Bits one. That was at Tanjong Pagar.
When I reached home, at the 7-Eleven near me, I went in and found ALL 3 D-plus bread that have filling!!! How could I resist? So I bought another 4 bread... thinking that I can eat one a day for breakfast and that's a week's worth of breakfast. Bought 2xRed bean paste, 1x purple potatoe paste, 1x white bean paste with chestnut. And I really love these flavours with filling type.
Reached home only to realize that today is already Wed. I only have 2 more work-days... So I gave 3 to mom, and 2 sisters. They been seeing me eat, so let them try lor. Dunno so far I just put on their table. See what they say after eating. Looking at the bread makes me look forward to breakfast tomorrow.
Stick-in-the-mud
Irritating stick-in-the-mud my dad is. I wanted to treat my mom and family to the taiwan cafe place, as part of my first full-time salary thing, plus mom's bdae and also mother's day. Only just finished reserving places at Xin Wang the taiwan food place then I told my dad about going down to eat. First thing is he complained that its inconvenient, though I offered to point on directory map how to go. Keep going on and on about how should just eat nearby, how inconvenient town is blah blah, how he's not the type of person to go downtown to eat, how parking is inconvenient... So I just told him, he not keen, we all take cab down ourselves, dont need to treat give him a treat. That shut him up. Yar if that's how its to be, then I rather we all go in a cab either with or without him. Have until Sun morning to see how things turn out.
If he wants to be a stick-in-the-mud, how is he going to taste other food. Its like the other time, when I actually managed to get him to drive down to Plaza Singapura to eat at Cartel and he discovered the Ox Tail soup. Or the other time when I told him I will treat at the BBQ chicken place in Ginza where the Beef Hamburg is splendidly delicious. I dont know what will happen but there are just really limited food that are nearby despite being delicious, and many have eaten quite a few times already. Sometimes its not about just the convenience but its to try something new. I dont think my family has eaten much of taiwan food other than the taiwan sausage or occasional big chicken cutlet. Why not be more adventurous? Its NOT like I am telling dad to drive all the way to East Coast to eat say Carrot cake. Though he has driven to East Coast as an excuse to eat satay many a times before. What's with the excuse of parking. From what I know, there are quite a few carparks in Marina itself, also in Esplanade, its more of the cost of parking.
I have just smsed my other 2 sisters to inform that I reserved a place and timing, dad is nagging, maybe we go in cab on sunday. So far one replied okay. Other one should be okay also, waiting for her sms. So if dont want to drive, at most get 2 cabs lor. if not 4 of us can get into one. My mom doesnt go out that much, limited by similar thinking and her bladder is very active, limited by that. Its a chance to go out and walk a bit. Can even show her the IR, Cedele carrot walnut cake and others. At least she is more willing to walk than my dad.
__________________________________________
This part is about the food that I have been eating. Last month or so, I finally was able to wake up quite early after practising for work. The other part was practicing eating breakfast. So on a Sat morning, I woke up early and hungry. I headed out to eat and actually finally ate at this porridge place downstairs. Its a rather renowned porridge store that dunno why shifted to the coffeeshop below my block. But cos I am not really a porridge person (my idea of porridge being the hokkien or teochew style of plain porridge with dishes), so the whole fish porridge with you tiao doesnt really appeal. Also I had eaten some before from the nearby hakwer stalls and those werent fantastic. They were only eaten in occasional times of me being ill and my stomach very sensitive to food.
So I ordered a Fish porridge with egg. It came looking quite unimpressive. Then when I put in soya and mixed in the egg. I scooped some and put into my mouth. Its very smooth, the fish is very very fresh, the little bits of chinese veg put in gave it a very cruchy taste. There were long and very thin ginger slices that added to the overall taste. The you tiao also matched very nicely. The portion is also just right. Not overly filling yet satisfying. That's the most Delicious porridge (cantonese style) that I had ever eaten in my life. Its called 眉姐 porridge. Unfortunately they only do biz in the early morning, up to before lunch time. Then closes. Cos the Zi Char stall is too powerful, no point fighting. So far I have eaten there at least 5 times in the past month. I can only eat during weekend mornings if its open.
The 2nd time I ate there, I noticed that people actually ordered a side dish. So I ordered that on top of the fish with egg porridge. Its a 生鱼 salad of sorts. Yes I ate that happily with the porridge. The fish is really very fresh, thinly sliced, with their sauce, bits of veg and also lemon juice. Its really very tasty. Was very full after that. That's my first time actually ordering Sheng Yu with porridge. I know that some porridge stalls actually sells that but I have never ordered for fear of tasting Stale fish with overly fishy odors.
I remember sometimes wishing that I could wake up earlier to eat it but during weekdays, just dont have that much appetite or enough time to slowly enjoy a bowl of porridge. But I do have cravings for the porridge. That's just how good it is for me. So far I've eaten it yesterday and today for breakfast. Still not sick of the taste. Been recommending my mom to go try it. Hope to eat it a bit more before they close off...
The 717 durian stall at the same coffeeshop has ceased operations. NO..... my durian moouse cake.... though I hadnt eaten you for in like at least 6mths due to diet reasons but you have left me for good..... *boo hoo* Yes, it ceased operations. Not surprisingly due to the location, not that much brisk business. So I can only go for that heavenly durian moouse cake in Bugis Junction that is IF I can work it into my occassional treat.
That's all for updates of food in my area.
If he wants to be a stick-in-the-mud, how is he going to taste other food. Its like the other time, when I actually managed to get him to drive down to Plaza Singapura to eat at Cartel and he discovered the Ox Tail soup. Or the other time when I told him I will treat at the BBQ chicken place in Ginza where the Beef Hamburg is splendidly delicious. I dont know what will happen but there are just really limited food that are nearby despite being delicious, and many have eaten quite a few times already. Sometimes its not about just the convenience but its to try something new. I dont think my family has eaten much of taiwan food other than the taiwan sausage or occasional big chicken cutlet. Why not be more adventurous? Its NOT like I am telling dad to drive all the way to East Coast to eat say Carrot cake. Though he has driven to East Coast as an excuse to eat satay many a times before. What's with the excuse of parking. From what I know, there are quite a few carparks in Marina itself, also in Esplanade, its more of the cost of parking.
I have just smsed my other 2 sisters to inform that I reserved a place and timing, dad is nagging, maybe we go in cab on sunday. So far one replied okay. Other one should be okay also, waiting for her sms. So if dont want to drive, at most get 2 cabs lor. if not 4 of us can get into one. My mom doesnt go out that much, limited by similar thinking and her bladder is very active, limited by that. Its a chance to go out and walk a bit. Can even show her the IR, Cedele carrot walnut cake and others. At least she is more willing to walk than my dad.
__________________________________________
This part is about the food that I have been eating. Last month or so, I finally was able to wake up quite early after practising for work. The other part was practicing eating breakfast. So on a Sat morning, I woke up early and hungry. I headed out to eat and actually finally ate at this porridge place downstairs. Its a rather renowned porridge store that dunno why shifted to the coffeeshop below my block. But cos I am not really a porridge person (my idea of porridge being the hokkien or teochew style of plain porridge with dishes), so the whole fish porridge with you tiao doesnt really appeal. Also I had eaten some before from the nearby hakwer stalls and those werent fantastic. They were only eaten in occasional times of me being ill and my stomach very sensitive to food.
So I ordered a Fish porridge with egg. It came looking quite unimpressive. Then when I put in soya and mixed in the egg. I scooped some and put into my mouth. Its very smooth, the fish is very very fresh, the little bits of chinese veg put in gave it a very cruchy taste. There were long and very thin ginger slices that added to the overall taste. The you tiao also matched very nicely. The portion is also just right. Not overly filling yet satisfying. That's the most Delicious porridge (cantonese style) that I had ever eaten in my life. Its called 眉姐 porridge. Unfortunately they only do biz in the early morning, up to before lunch time. Then closes. Cos the Zi Char stall is too powerful, no point fighting. So far I have eaten there at least 5 times in the past month. I can only eat during weekend mornings if its open.
The 2nd time I ate there, I noticed that people actually ordered a side dish. So I ordered that on top of the fish with egg porridge. Its a 生鱼 salad of sorts. Yes I ate that happily with the porridge. The fish is really very fresh, thinly sliced, with their sauce, bits of veg and also lemon juice. Its really very tasty. Was very full after that. That's my first time actually ordering Sheng Yu with porridge. I know that some porridge stalls actually sells that but I have never ordered for fear of tasting Stale fish with overly fishy odors.
I remember sometimes wishing that I could wake up earlier to eat it but during weekdays, just dont have that much appetite or enough time to slowly enjoy a bowl of porridge. But I do have cravings for the porridge. That's just how good it is for me. So far I've eaten it yesterday and today for breakfast. Still not sick of the taste. Been recommending my mom to go try it. Hope to eat it a bit more before they close off...
The 717 durian stall at the same coffeeshop has ceased operations. NO..... my durian moouse cake.... though I hadnt eaten you for in like at least 6mths due to diet reasons but you have left me for good..... *boo hoo* Yes, it ceased operations. Not surprisingly due to the location, not that much brisk business. So I can only go for that heavenly durian moouse cake in Bugis Junction that is IF I can work it into my occassional treat.
That's all for updates of food in my area.
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Keeping an resemblence of the daily routine
I'll be on holiday until thursday when I return to work, due to the golden week holiday. So far I havent been sleeping late. I still wake up at 7am when my alarm goes. Its just I dont have to stuff some breakfast down. I could take my time to do the morning routine and then head out either downstairs or next door for breakfast.
Yesterday I ordered my before-I-started-work usual breakfast of "Mee Pok" plus coffee. The surprising thing is that I couldnt finish all of it. Previously during the 'training' period I used to make myself eat breakfast, I would even order up to a large one. I have noticed this slight drop in appetite. Not that I am going into extremes to lose weight. Its more like my body does not want to finish it. In fact I am already full.
I have noticed that the portions that I eat for main meals is going down especially for lunch and dinner on weekdays. Not that I dont get hunger pangs. Its just after breakfast, by lunch time, I am somewhat hungry. After lunch to dinner, not too hungry. Though at times, the stomach is a bit empty then munch a musli bar/plain crackers. Also the gym workout reduces my appetite. Initially felt hungry after gym, gradually moving to eating just enough to get me through to breakfast. Guess this is a better life-style change with overall benefits. Also I have more energy to last through the day even though the mind is stoned at times. The body is up to it.
Weekends I try to really watch what I eat. I do still eat a breakfast on Sat. Its a light one of bread. Then eat out for lunch and at times dinner. I would try to make sure I eat moderately (not high calorie-laden food) for both meals taken outside. Also have to make sure not to exceed total calories of 2000 for females. If each meal is about 500 calories, then definitely can have deficit. I dont really go all out to count specific calories, I cant do that without a calorie-counting guide book which I also dont really refer to. Its more based on the general understanding of which food types are high in calories.
But generally I try to avoid eating food like Laksa, Curry, Chicken rice, fried kway tiao and others very high-calories. Even fast food. But at times IF I cannot avoid, I get a Coke Lite/Zero and eat very few or no fries at all. Think I am still not a soupy food type person but I dont mind eating rice. So the good o'le Za Chai Fan is good enough for me. I dont subscribe to the Atkin's diet at all. Those who abused it by taking it too literally ended up with multiple coronary by-pass. Also my argument against it is that IF I eat my carbs (rice with veg and meat) for dinner and I make sure that I am full and wont have a tendency to eat dessert after. Then the Overall calorie count is still lower than one who eats the veg and meat, omits most of the rice, then later eats desserts after. I rather go for the obvious lower calories in rice on the whole than the calories-laden dessert and sweet drinks. Overall is also good for the life-style change of not eating extra after say 8pm.
Sunday I do without breakfast at times though recently I am making myself eat it also. If head out for lunch with family, I also try to make sure I eat moderately and also have a lighter dinner. The lighter dinner is possible cos my fixed gym work-out is on Sunday. Anytime on Sunday before the gym closes. So say 2-3hrs after lunch, 3-4pm, finish about 6-7 then come home to eat light dinner. Of course at times tempted to get some hawker food etc but I remind myself that I dont wanna put back those calories so easily through the mouth. So I would drink more water and make my way home for dinner. FYI, home cooked dinner is definitely lower calories than outside food unless your mom whips up curries,大鱼大肉 for every meal.
Managing the taste-bud aka the mouth is really a challenge. Its so easy to be tempted. What works for me is to translate that food that I am tempted by into duration of work-out and that can put me off. Of course I do give in now and then but I try to balance out the daily calorie or if not weekly overall calories.
Eg IF I had eaten breakfast of bread (300 calories) with coffee (100 calories) and for lunch I ate mee goreng (600 calories) with drink (100 calories) then dinner wise, I would need to eat a light one of generally rice with veg and meat to balance out (400 calories) 300+100+600+100+400 = 1500 calories. Of course have to make sure NO dessert or Sweet drinks to add more. That's 500 calories deficit. If I had chosen to eat something equally filling but less oily than the mee goreng, I can make a bigger deficit.
If for the whole week, I have been eating generally like above, then a dessert say on a Sat evening, wont do too much damage at all. It just meant, there is a lower calorie deficit for me for the week.
So to make it easier for me, I am seriously trying to cut out the place of desserts and especially sweeten drinks from my diet. Also trying to train my taste-buds to adjust to blander stuff gradually. I would think that this weight loss would still take me a while. There is really NO instant cure short of those invasive surgery but what I want is to be able to maintain and keep it up for a much longer term.
So far this is the 27th consecutive week of going to the gym dilligently without a break in the routine. Looking through my earlier blog posts, I am glad to see the drop in weight, more toned look, more stamina. Also the feel-good factor. Yup reduced stress especially after workout and added satisfaction. Though I did start out the gym feeling jelly after the first few work-outs. Now after a routine, I still come out feeling a bit sore but very at peace with myself.
Let's motivate each other to continue with this weight management effort and continous gym workouts.
Yesterday I ordered my before-I-started-work usual breakfast of "Mee Pok" plus coffee. The surprising thing is that I couldnt finish all of it. Previously during the 'training' period I used to make myself eat breakfast, I would even order up to a large one. I have noticed this slight drop in appetite. Not that I am going into extremes to lose weight. Its more like my body does not want to finish it. In fact I am already full.
I have noticed that the portions that I eat for main meals is going down especially for lunch and dinner on weekdays. Not that I dont get hunger pangs. Its just after breakfast, by lunch time, I am somewhat hungry. After lunch to dinner, not too hungry. Though at times, the stomach is a bit empty then munch a musli bar/plain crackers. Also the gym workout reduces my appetite. Initially felt hungry after gym, gradually moving to eating just enough to get me through to breakfast. Guess this is a better life-style change with overall benefits. Also I have more energy to last through the day even though the mind is stoned at times. The body is up to it.
Weekends I try to really watch what I eat. I do still eat a breakfast on Sat. Its a light one of bread. Then eat out for lunch and at times dinner. I would try to make sure I eat moderately (not high calorie-laden food) for both meals taken outside. Also have to make sure not to exceed total calories of 2000 for females. If each meal is about 500 calories, then definitely can have deficit. I dont really go all out to count specific calories, I cant do that without a calorie-counting guide book which I also dont really refer to. Its more based on the general understanding of which food types are high in calories.
But generally I try to avoid eating food like Laksa, Curry, Chicken rice, fried kway tiao and others very high-calories. Even fast food. But at times IF I cannot avoid, I get a Coke Lite/Zero and eat very few or no fries at all. Think I am still not a soupy food type person but I dont mind eating rice. So the good o'le Za Chai Fan is good enough for me. I dont subscribe to the Atkin's diet at all. Those who abused it by taking it too literally ended up with multiple coronary by-pass. Also my argument against it is that IF I eat my carbs (rice with veg and meat) for dinner and I make sure that I am full and wont have a tendency to eat dessert after. Then the Overall calorie count is still lower than one who eats the veg and meat, omits most of the rice, then later eats desserts after. I rather go for the obvious lower calories in rice on the whole than the calories-laden dessert and sweet drinks. Overall is also good for the life-style change of not eating extra after say 8pm.
Sunday I do without breakfast at times though recently I am making myself eat it also. If head out for lunch with family, I also try to make sure I eat moderately and also have a lighter dinner. The lighter dinner is possible cos my fixed gym work-out is on Sunday. Anytime on Sunday before the gym closes. So say 2-3hrs after lunch, 3-4pm, finish about 6-7 then come home to eat light dinner. Of course at times tempted to get some hawker food etc but I remind myself that I dont wanna put back those calories so easily through the mouth. So I would drink more water and make my way home for dinner. FYI, home cooked dinner is definitely lower calories than outside food unless your mom whips up curries,大鱼大肉 for every meal.
Managing the taste-bud aka the mouth is really a challenge. Its so easy to be tempted. What works for me is to translate that food that I am tempted by into duration of work-out and that can put me off. Of course I do give in now and then but I try to balance out the daily calorie or if not weekly overall calories.
Eg IF I had eaten breakfast of bread (300 calories) with coffee (100 calories) and for lunch I ate mee goreng (600 calories) with drink (100 calories) then dinner wise, I would need to eat a light one of generally rice with veg and meat to balance out (400 calories) 300+100+600+100+400 = 1500 calories. Of course have to make sure NO dessert or Sweet drinks to add more. That's 500 calories deficit. If I had chosen to eat something equally filling but less oily than the mee goreng, I can make a bigger deficit.
If for the whole week, I have been eating generally like above, then a dessert say on a Sat evening, wont do too much damage at all. It just meant, there is a lower calorie deficit for me for the week.
So to make it easier for me, I am seriously trying to cut out the place of desserts and especially sweeten drinks from my diet. Also trying to train my taste-buds to adjust to blander stuff gradually. I would think that this weight loss would still take me a while. There is really NO instant cure short of those invasive surgery but what I want is to be able to maintain and keep it up for a much longer term.
So far this is the 27th consecutive week of going to the gym dilligently without a break in the routine. Looking through my earlier blog posts, I am glad to see the drop in weight, more toned look, more stamina. Also the feel-good factor. Yup reduced stress especially after workout and added satisfaction. Though I did start out the gym feeling jelly after the first few work-outs. Now after a routine, I still come out feeling a bit sore but very at peace with myself.
Let's motivate each other to continue with this weight management effort and continous gym workouts.
Monday, May 03, 2010
Any damage?
Today being another week, I stepped on the weighing scales after the morning routine, drinking some water and no breakfast yet to see if the weekend of food had done any damage to my weight loss.
Phew, though I hadnt lost anything since the last weigh-in, there is also no increase. Yay! So I have still gotten 2kg off. Now weighing in at 66.8kg. Still have quite a way to go to hit the target of 61-62kg which was my University weight.
2 weeks back, we did the weigh-in of students for their physical fittness. Then some female collegues were remarking how heavy they were. I told them my weight and though we are about the same height, they both still weigh lighter than me. They did say that I dont seem that heavy. Meaning that I weigh heavier than I look. I guess that's cos of my body frame. I can carry more weight without looking too fat BUT that's not an excuse NOT to try to lose those extra weight. I would tell them that the fats are at the stomach and butt and thigh areas. Those need working on.
So far gym routine I have stuck to. Except for that 3rd time, which is a struggle to find time in my schedule. I do hit minimum twice a week, about 1.5hrs each session, Cardio 25mins, Machines, Free Weights and Crunches+Stretches+CoolDown. I forgo the bringing of shower stuff because the gym is very near to home. I'll head home for dinner and shower after the work-out.
I am glad to say that my fittness level has increased tremendously. I feel as fit as I was after Graduation. Cos in university, didnt really go to gym much. Its more of after Graduation, before NIE that I exercised in the gym regularly. The only thing left is to work towards the weight-loss down. I did notice my pants getting more loose and stomach is a bit flatter. Nope its not completely flat... its just smaller than what it was. For my pants, I bought 1-2 sizes bigger cos of the weight gain. Now its getting looser a bit. Good for me. Hope to keep up the MOMENTUM and see it through this time.
I realized what made it more effective this time is the amount of Discipline I kept to. I did make a few life-style changes. The first and foremost is eating breakfast. Its not a heavy one, just a D-plus bread or at most 2 slices of bread with coffee. Then by lunch, I am still alright, but I made myself eat. Though my lunch hasnt been too healthy cos its hawker food, been eating stuff like mee goreng, herbal lamb soup, ikan bilis fried rice, pai gu wang rice and stuff. I find that by dinner, I am not really that hungry. If in the middle of meals, I got a bit of hunger pangs, I would eat a Musli bar (90calories) or a pack of plain crackers (80calorie) that can defer the hunger pangs esp on days that I have to go the gym. This is to prevent the body going into Starvation mode where they conserve calories and then you really feel like stuffing yourself.
Also being quite discpline and selective about things I put into my mouth. Desserts are a no-no for me as well as carbonated soft drinks. If I cannot resist, I would settle for the diet version. Trying to cut those out also. Been drinking mainly unsugared tea, water and a cup of coffee daily. Why this resistance against dessert?
Simple. Cos when I stepped on the stepper and did a 20min workout + 5min cooldown, the counter reads 215 calories burnt. Then if I eat say an entire slice of cheesecake, which is already more than 100g of servings anyway, it is definitely way way higher than the measley 215 calories that I spent 25mins trying to burn. Of course I burn more than that through the exercise done via machine, free weights and cruches. My point being, it took so much effort to burn through those calories, I dont want to put them back into my body so easily. If I wanna have dessert, the occasional ones are okay. For that I am lucky I dont have much of a sweet-tooth. Its more of the sweet drinks I must avoid. I am settling for plain water mostly too. Its not easy and its a lifestyle change. But I guess there's no other way about things sometimes.
Also I am going to persist this time. I am frankly quite sick of my weight yo-yo-ing up and down and still be at 68.8kg. Though I am glad that though I almost hit 70kg, I did manage to keep it down at 68.8kg. The irritating fact is that though I had been exercising rather frequently for this past 8 months (7mths of joblessness + 1mth of work) and also since Jan 2009 onwards, I hadnt make any significant and persistent weight loss. I would lose 2kg, then gain back, lose again, then gain back. Though I have kept to the 68.8kg area, its NOT good enough.
This time, Exercise coupled with Diet, I hope to make it count.
Phew, though I hadnt lost anything since the last weigh-in, there is also no increase. Yay! So I have still gotten 2kg off. Now weighing in at 66.8kg. Still have quite a way to go to hit the target of 61-62kg which was my University weight.
2 weeks back, we did the weigh-in of students for their physical fittness. Then some female collegues were remarking how heavy they were. I told them my weight and though we are about the same height, they both still weigh lighter than me. They did say that I dont seem that heavy. Meaning that I weigh heavier than I look. I guess that's cos of my body frame. I can carry more weight without looking too fat BUT that's not an excuse NOT to try to lose those extra weight. I would tell them that the fats are at the stomach and butt and thigh areas. Those need working on.
So far gym routine I have stuck to. Except for that 3rd time, which is a struggle to find time in my schedule. I do hit minimum twice a week, about 1.5hrs each session, Cardio 25mins, Machines, Free Weights and Crunches+Stretches+CoolDown. I forgo the bringing of shower stuff because the gym is very near to home. I'll head home for dinner and shower after the work-out.
I am glad to say that my fittness level has increased tremendously. I feel as fit as I was after Graduation. Cos in university, didnt really go to gym much. Its more of after Graduation, before NIE that I exercised in the gym regularly. The only thing left is to work towards the weight-loss down. I did notice my pants getting more loose and stomach is a bit flatter. Nope its not completely flat... its just smaller than what it was. For my pants, I bought 1-2 sizes bigger cos of the weight gain. Now its getting looser a bit. Good for me. Hope to keep up the MOMENTUM and see it through this time.
I realized what made it more effective this time is the amount of Discipline I kept to. I did make a few life-style changes. The first and foremost is eating breakfast. Its not a heavy one, just a D-plus bread or at most 2 slices of bread with coffee. Then by lunch, I am still alright, but I made myself eat. Though my lunch hasnt been too healthy cos its hawker food, been eating stuff like mee goreng, herbal lamb soup, ikan bilis fried rice, pai gu wang rice and stuff. I find that by dinner, I am not really that hungry. If in the middle of meals, I got a bit of hunger pangs, I would eat a Musli bar (90calories) or a pack of plain crackers (80calorie) that can defer the hunger pangs esp on days that I have to go the gym. This is to prevent the body going into Starvation mode where they conserve calories and then you really feel like stuffing yourself.
Also being quite discpline and selective about things I put into my mouth. Desserts are a no-no for me as well as carbonated soft drinks. If I cannot resist, I would settle for the diet version. Trying to cut those out also. Been drinking mainly unsugared tea, water and a cup of coffee daily. Why this resistance against dessert?
Simple. Cos when I stepped on the stepper and did a 20min workout + 5min cooldown, the counter reads 215 calories burnt. Then if I eat say an entire slice of cheesecake, which is already more than 100g of servings anyway, it is definitely way way higher than the measley 215 calories that I spent 25mins trying to burn. Of course I burn more than that through the exercise done via machine, free weights and cruches. My point being, it took so much effort to burn through those calories, I dont want to put them back into my body so easily. If I wanna have dessert, the occasional ones are okay. For that I am lucky I dont have much of a sweet-tooth. Its more of the sweet drinks I must avoid. I am settling for plain water mostly too. Its not easy and its a lifestyle change. But I guess there's no other way about things sometimes.
Also I am going to persist this time. I am frankly quite sick of my weight yo-yo-ing up and down and still be at 68.8kg. Though I am glad that though I almost hit 70kg, I did manage to keep it down at 68.8kg. The irritating fact is that though I had been exercising rather frequently for this past 8 months (7mths of joblessness + 1mth of work) and also since Jan 2009 onwards, I hadnt make any significant and persistent weight loss. I would lose 2kg, then gain back, lose again, then gain back. Though I have kept to the 68.8kg area, its NOT good enough.
This time, Exercise coupled with Diet, I hope to make it count.
Saturday, May 01, 2010
1 month of full time work
Not been updating as much partly due to heading out almost everyday after work. I would head home, bathe and change and then head out again. Either to go gym, go for work dinner, go for courses and stuff. Hardly at home much or by the time I reached home, too tired to switch on the laptop. Instead using I-Touch to check face book and a bit of stock prices.
Finally, reached the end of my first month at the new workplace. So far quite alright except though sometimes I wish to help more but not sure how I am supposed to help. Also that some things they need, I dont have ready-made stuff to use and making one from scratch takes alot of time and energy. Also dont always have inspiration to make such resource.
Finally reached the last round of dinner at workplace with collegues. Have been going to one every week for 3 consecutive weeks. Really meant my fridays are taken up. Cos one is for combined 3 schools, one is for my level, one is for this school alone. That meant all are the 'first' of its kind. Given in the Chinese culture, its respectful to attend the 'first', it meant attending all 3. Dinners so far have cost me $50+20+70 = $140. The one with much more delicious food is the one with the level. Ate at Manhill restaurant and the "Paper-wrapped chicken" is very good.
The other 2 are held in function room with buffet but the value is not there. Last night's one was really very very darn expensive "Za Cai Fan". I have been eating Za Cai Fan for quite a while, my area has cheap, delicious ones and even IF I order 2 meat, 2 veg, it at most cost $3.80. Last night's was $70 for a meal of "Za Cai Fan" dishes. Maybe to them its exotic but in no way does that qualify for the term "International buffet"? Think even Goodwood High tea is cheaper compared to what we paid. The locals were all like (saying to each other local) how very overpriced it was. To top it off, it was not delicious at all. Standard of dishes is only so-so. All heart-pain.
I'll be on holiday until thur when work resumes due to the Jap holiday called "Golden Week" Though its not really a week, I found out from collegues that it already started this thur in Japan itself but hasnt in S'pore for them. So its a shortened version of the original golden week. Hmm... One of the conversation lines going around was asking each other what they plan to do for the week. Quite a few are going back to Japan, some are going to the IR, some are going travelling abroad to nearby Asian countries.
Me? I plan to sleep more, exercise more at the gym, go for maybe a haircut plus highlight again, borrow some resources, catch up on my guitar practice (evaluation coming), catch up with friends, and also find some personal time. Not sure if I want to go visit ex-collegues at ex-schools... That one I have to see if I am up to it. Let me finish off today's assignment.
So far my schedule is still a bit tight cos of gym routine being upped to 3 times. but for the past 3 weeks, I have only gone twice. The third is hard to squeeze time for. But as I am in a sports club (cca) and I try to do with the students (including running for 10mins), maybe the 1hr x twice a week club activities can replace that 3rd gym session. Hmm.... hope last night's dinner wont make a dent on my waistline. I only ate a helping, taking every dish there.
Have to keep up the routine of exercise with proper meals at proper times plus better food choices, no desserts.
Finally, reached the end of my first month at the new workplace. So far quite alright except though sometimes I wish to help more but not sure how I am supposed to help. Also that some things they need, I dont have ready-made stuff to use and making one from scratch takes alot of time and energy. Also dont always have inspiration to make such resource.
Finally reached the last round of dinner at workplace with collegues. Have been going to one every week for 3 consecutive weeks. Really meant my fridays are taken up. Cos one is for combined 3 schools, one is for my level, one is for this school alone. That meant all are the 'first' of its kind. Given in the Chinese culture, its respectful to attend the 'first', it meant attending all 3. Dinners so far have cost me $50+20+70 = $140. The one with much more delicious food is the one with the level. Ate at Manhill restaurant and the "Paper-wrapped chicken" is very good.
The other 2 are held in function room with buffet but the value is not there. Last night's one was really very very darn expensive "Za Cai Fan". I have been eating Za Cai Fan for quite a while, my area has cheap, delicious ones and even IF I order 2 meat, 2 veg, it at most cost $3.80. Last night's was $70 for a meal of "Za Cai Fan" dishes. Maybe to them its exotic but in no way does that qualify for the term "International buffet"? Think even Goodwood High tea is cheaper compared to what we paid. The locals were all like (saying to each other local) how very overpriced it was. To top it off, it was not delicious at all. Standard of dishes is only so-so. All heart-pain.
I'll be on holiday until thur when work resumes due to the Jap holiday called "Golden Week" Though its not really a week, I found out from collegues that it already started this thur in Japan itself but hasnt in S'pore for them. So its a shortened version of the original golden week. Hmm... One of the conversation lines going around was asking each other what they plan to do for the week. Quite a few are going back to Japan, some are going to the IR, some are going travelling abroad to nearby Asian countries.
Me? I plan to sleep more, exercise more at the gym, go for maybe a haircut plus highlight again, borrow some resources, catch up on my guitar practice (evaluation coming), catch up with friends, and also find some personal time. Not sure if I want to go visit ex-collegues at ex-schools... That one I have to see if I am up to it. Let me finish off today's assignment.
So far my schedule is still a bit tight cos of gym routine being upped to 3 times. but for the past 3 weeks, I have only gone twice. The third is hard to squeeze time for. But as I am in a sports club (cca) and I try to do with the students (including running for 10mins), maybe the 1hr x twice a week club activities can replace that 3rd gym session. Hmm.... hope last night's dinner wont make a dent on my waistline. I only ate a helping, taking every dish there.
Have to keep up the routine of exercise with proper meals at proper times plus better food choices, no desserts.
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