KM Level P1 test, Hols are coming

I was sick for about 1.5 weeks, hence stopped going for KM. I rested at home until last Sat that was the grading test.

Was reminded to bring enough water cos it could last as long as 6hrs. I brought but I didn't expect the testing duration to be six hours, I had expected maybe a lot of waiting time. I had 2 small packs of milk for breakfast.

FromLavender, we walked over. No girls cos the other two couldn't make it. I partnered with a guy about my build. We started with a revision of the P1 syllabus. Going through every move a few times in turns. After 4hrs of revision, with some water breaks in-between, I was feeling kinda light-headed. I bought chilled canned sweetened drink like Pokka carrot juice & isotonic drinks from a nearby vending machine to sustain me. Needed the sugar n salt to keep going. 

Then the actual formal grading started. We were told that we are assessed from the revision part until the final grading. Can get it so long as don't screw up badly, yet it was little consolation to get through another 2hrs. It was intensive and we had to be aggressive and reactive. I was out of breathe n coughing a lot from the chilled drinks. The multiple assailants drill was really really taxing. Almost wanted to give up. Movements sluggish. Out of breathe. 

Finally it was over. Had a short ceremony to get our patches and certificates. My left foot was cramping up and I had a bad stitch on the right. Apparently as explained by the head is that body is exhausted n short of the salts hence the cramps n the stitch was from very warm muscles that sat still from resting so sudden movements caused stitch. I see. I almost wanted to cry cos just so exhausting and relieved that it was over. Not doing that anytime soon.

After we have finished, I went to change out of my sweaty gears into fresh clothes n had a wet wipe down n put on lots of the Sea Breeze deo water. Met up with Quet for a super late breakfast n lunch at Soup Spoon for me. my hands were a bit trembly  n later dessert n tea at Ma Kaision. The tea time set is very good, for about $7.50 for a dessert n a tea. My apple caramel cake was very refined and good. But I went back home after and soaked all my sweat-soaked gear n had a bath. 

That night I drank a 1.5 liter of isotonic drink and stayed mostly in bed. Had scratches and some bruises. Next day woke up with lots of muscle aches but bearable so long as I stayed in bed which I did.

Monday back to work, I had to suffer the even sorer muscles as I had to move about at the workplace as well as the stairs. A bit of inconvenience  for the stairs but after going through the 6hrs grading, it kinda changed my perspective on training. As in what we did in KM lessons and the intensity of the grading is really different. I can actually survive that, so this little pain is just a small thing compared to that. Reached home and slapped on more muscle cream. By Wed I was good as new but I decided to take a week break from KM, didn't have any breaks for 8 months since I started going under package. Started in Aug so it's almost a year. 

This week has been eating a lot more. I see my tummy bigger. Erm next week I am restarting KM at the Adv class. Just SMS for one tomorrow. I see if I can do twice first. Then move on to thrice. A week of little exercise n lots of food does "wonders" in the bad sense to one's fitness. Restart slowly...

Also work is ending soon, three more workdays. Cannot take it too easy cos weekdays I tend to eat lesser. Hols is not good for my waist. 

Exciting thing is I am going to go for a trial lesson for drums. I've got two songs for guitar to figure out. Bought the full band score from the Internet. Also planning on finishing up the Grade I music theory book n moving on to the next one.

So for now that's what my holidays would be like.

Been sick

On Thur, a heavy day, I was struggling to get through my final lesson, at the last period. Feeling really unwell though I started off ok. Cough acted up really bad. 

I didn't go for cca and went back after I finished marking the test. Very last minute, very tough to get through that. That evening I saw the doc and actually got mc for the next day, a Fri. 

With meds in my system, I still headed to work with the intention to leave once I've finished the two classes I had. There were a couple more absentee scripts to mark, also had to finish keying in all their component scores and deciding on their grades. In the end, I didn't go for that class cos combined and did some activity while me and another colleague checked the grading. Once that was done, I left. Urged to leave earlier by the mgt. Left before noon and concussed in bed after lunch and meds.

Woke up to head out just for steak dinner at LeBouchons with friends. My first experience eating bone marrow from cows. Later I found thru Internet that its high in mono-non-sat fats. I had some nutrients but mainly fats. I didn't know that until after... though Tab asked me if it was fats. I ate most of it though it was a bit too much cos it was very rich n greasy. Ate with the toast, and two bread buns. K a been-there-done-that. Won't order it again unless there's people eating.

By the time my steak came, I was half-full but still ate the whole. It was still good with the horse radish condiment. After dinner, we walked towards the Esplanade. I wasn't up to staying out. Feeling weak and cannot focus, so I took a bus back once I've reached. It took a long time to come, man talk about conspiracy... 

Reached home, took meds. The next day, I was still unwell. Having bouts of headache combined with dizziness. One moment I was ok, next I just wanna be in bed. It came on and off over the weekends. Though on Sat afternoon, I headed out for colleagues' farewell lunch. Pricey... bobian.

I headed home immediately after that and zonked out. The bouts continued into Sunday. Even on Mon morning, when I woke up for work, still not well enough, I called in sick and went to see the docs again. This time there's no anti-biotics, some meds for the headache and the giddiness. Stayed home, only headed out to get doc queue number, see doc, dabao dinner. Mom went back to Msia on Monday itself. 

I went back to work and am still not fully recovered. Am still not fully mentally focused at times. Can feel the bouts still but much much less severe. With the meds, becomes a dull throb. But felt better than before. Luckily for whatever reason, my counterparts decided to change the plans for more lessons into watching a movie. It's a good idea except that watching the same movie 5 times within a space of a week is too much to bear. After watching twice, I brought work in to do. Made a ws based on the movie, wrote some notes, checked their corrections of the writing. Bleah, bored after watching twice. Sometimes like this, I'll rather have lessons though it might be taxing cos sometimes I find it a waste of time that's why I crafted the ws to relate it back to the language. 

Lessons are resuming soon. 

Trading 2 days of KM for other stuff to do

In the end, I didn't go for KM on Thur n Sat. Fell asleep very early on Wed, by the time I woke, it was 2am. So didn't msg. On Thur I felt the body's fatigue, decided to go watch a movie at JCube, to break the monotony. Also use the opportunity to explore the new mall, Jem. But my plans to finally catch the Man of Steel was thwarted cos it ended its run. Argh... fine, it was either Despicable Me 2 or the Lone Ranger. Decided to watch the latter  and a later show, 9.30pm so that I could eat my dinner and also explore around.

Ate KFC 2-piece meal, an improvement from the usual 3-pieces. Added a small coleslaw n diet coke. After that, I walked around JCube, before heading over to Jem. It has shops that you can find in town like H&M, Marks & Spencer's, Uniqulo and some other unique shops that meant one doesn't really have to travel all the way to town. Cos the west is not that near to town.

I ended up buying 2 packs of butter-mint sweets, a pack of potato chips recommended by Zuan. The exotic flavor with truffle oil. Then I went to the NTUC and ended up with salmon sushi. I find I am developing a taste for raw salmon, cos the last few times, I have been buying those boxed variety sushi that comes with salmon sushi n I rather enjoyed eating it with wasabi n soya sauce. This was my first box of pure salmon sushi. 

Went back to JCube and sat at the spectator stand for half hr, waiting for the movie to start and also read thru my own KM notebook to revise. 

The movie was amusing cos of Johnny Depp. It's a good movie to put your brain on the backseat. But I didn't realize the time until it ended. It was midnight! So I rushed out during the credits n hopped on this bus but it only dropped me halfway cos its those half service type. Manages to grab a cab that cos me $7. Ok, given I rather enjoyed the whole night out, exploring n watching movie.

Fri, I had to decide if I wanted to go KM. Met Tab n DF for sukiyaki dinner, ate lots of meat. Later we played Wii at the game lounge. That 2 hours felt really long playing Raving Rabbits - Time travel. No instructions n we felt stupid n old initially cos didn't know. Was kena trashed by them. Now I know I can't dance, think, run or fly... It was kinda fun and don't mind playing others.

Sat - went out with parents n sis to IMM for early lunch. Ate a karage n tempura soba bento plus a bowl of rice. My sis looked on as I ate and asked why add the rice. I told her I better eat it cos that's brunch, if just the soba bento alone, I might end up eating a plate of char quay tiao too, so the rice is a better option, can keep me fuller. Indeed, I felt full after. Bought a bunch of sundries at the Giants, didn't know they have Earl Grey Milk Tea for pokka. Tasted good. Also bought a black cheesecake cos it's Bamboo charcoal. It's okay, don't taste the bc, but the cheesecake is really lighter than the usual ones. I did end up eating some stuff like choc, blueberry crumble, the cheesecake and drinking Honey Jim Beam. Dinner was home-cooked. Definitely over-calories. Sunday also kinda ate a entire large bag of chips.

Make up on weekdays, lighter lunch and simpler dinners, until the weekends. Planned for 3 Adv KM classes. Really 临时抱佛脚 but no bian.

Epitome of discipline or just no life?

After 6 days of heavy eating out of 7, finally I broke the cycle by packing in sandwiches for breakfast and then lunch today. Granted not that healthy too cos one is Bak Gua with 2 slices bread (breakfast), other is pork floss with some butter on 2 slices (lunch). Dinner was a large bowl of fishball 老鼠 mee tai ba. I did drink 2 coffee, 1 caramel pudding 190ml for 110 cals to keep hunger at bay, and a power 鸳鸯 to wake up for KM class. The overall quantity of food I ate has decreased. Will continue this until Fri before dinner.

Grading is coming soon. So I had a pretty bad experience of going for my 1st Adv class under the kee hiong instructor. I went for the beginner class on Mon, and after that those course mates whom are down for grading asked if I was staying on for the Adv class for revision. I asked and it was 360 def. I decided not to stay cos it was only Monday and Tue was one of my heaviest days, so I told them I'll try on Tue instead. I msged for class and said I might join the Adv class after beginner. Would decided then cos depends on the body, can tahan or not.

This time, there's 5 beginners so we were asked to practice 360 def and inner def, adding to what we did in the beginner class of inner def 2 rhythm. So it was intense. But we could revise more stuff. So despite doing 2 warm-ups, at least it was more fruitful. Bathed in sweat, more than the usual. Will try to attend more of the adv classes possible.

Went home and ate my late dinner of Fishball noodles n milo. Filling. Bathed and shampooed the hair. Paste plasters on the sore bruised spots on my forearms which includes top and bottom cos did both inside and outside def.

Wed is my Chinese doctor visit, will rest up though I was thinking of going for the adv classes more. Mixing in beginners class too. Just to get used to the later timing of the adv class and the fatigue level, hunger levels too. So by Tue, I went for "3" sessions, a double, today and a single yesterday.

Thur I would go again, maybe 1 or double. Maybe try an Adv class and also try to go this Sat morning too. Just to mix it up and also follow course mates who at going for that. Easier when you have a sparring partner of your level. That would make it a total of 5 sessions over 4 visits in a week, a new record. My most was 3 separate sessions.

It really looks like either I have no life or leading a disciplined life... Think if u intensify up until grading, after it, will take it a bit easier...at least it whips me up in shape. Consciously it reminds me to rein-in the eating cos I do feel a bit heavier on my feet, so will try to control and get back in shape before grading. 2.5 weeks to go.