hanging on

I'm hanging on another day
Just to see what you will throw my way
And I'm hanging on to the words you say
You said I will be okay

- Broken -

to arthur

Looks like no one from Guinness called me today... in reference to this. :(

But to Arthur nevertheless!

pacesetter

At the moment, I feel the fittest in more than a year. Not much by the sound of it. But that was because I was running in many races last year. Mostly 5.0km distances, one half marathon. Yesterday, I ran 5.0km for fun.. in a time of 30:52 minutes. I would give myself a pat on the back for it. However, I can still do better. But sometimes I wonder whether is it possible to push myself further up another notch.

At rest, my heartbeats per minute (bpm) can reach 84. That's actually a bit on the high side. A 'normal' person's bpm is 72. And, athletes' bpm can be as low as 60. It's either I am always restless, (my blood pressure is normal) or I don't have a strong heart. Sometimes it does scare me. But I wouldn't get that to my head. I think I know my body's limit. If I can't set another foot forward, I should recognise it. I should mention that 'should' is a word I hate. It's intimidating, and even condescending.

There are many times in which I tried to test the limits of my barrier, but not necessary punching a hole in it. I will run fast, hard, even though there's a possibility that I can't oxygenate my vitals enough. Usually prior to that, I will feel my body heating up - hence I would be pulling my sleeves up - to cool myself passively. When my body's warnings are still unheeded, I will start to yawn continuously, as I slowly feel light-headed... ... ... ... ... ...

Those are risks and circumstances that I am aware of. But no pain, no gain right? I am ready to go beyond my comfort zone...

Today, I met up with some friends from school. Karoake-ed and watched The Ugly Truth before heading home. I still have lots to do for the orientation. I already feel less committed - still bittered that I had not done enough (apparently - in the eyes of my classmates) - to lead the society... sighs. And yet, I don't want to fail... for my sake... not anybody's else.

err... 4 pointer?

This could be fake....



But the six men – previously high school basketball players, now roommates at Texas A&M – say they will sponsor one child through the charity Compassion International for every 100,000 views of their video.

summer's over

Mood moon has been shining over me at a wrong angle again...

To make things worst, I had less than 5 hours of sleep! Oh wells. Gonna have to get used to that. Semester starting next week. But have to prepare the junior's orientation this Friday onwards.

Sighs.. I have to take one good look at my eyes now... free of eye bags. Okay. Mental picture. I wonder how bad it will be 3 months from now.

Anyway, I had lunch at Yummy Duck at Kuchai Lama. It's one of my dad's client's investment. So, I had to try la. It's something like a chicken/duck rice restaurant. But it was like a high end Hongkie-styled place. Anyway, I had noodles instead of rice. The meat were so-so la. A bit too fatty for my liking, especially the char siew. I prefer Aunty Gina's Yuk Kee at Taman Connaught.

Then, we went to KLCC. I went to Kinokuniya. Practically the only place I would go. First thing I saw was Valerie!! Ex senior back in VI. Now, in food industry course. So, we did some small talk, a bit of catching up. And if we had any business card, we would have definitely exchanged! It was kinda that formal.

Anyway, I promised to help her spread this survey she is doing. It's her Restaurant Management project. She needs about 200 participants. So far she has 70++. Please fill it up ya?? Thank you!! She also said...

1. Please note that you do not have to answer the first page of questions if you answer 'no' for the first question.
2. If you are currently overseas, put current location as your hometown.

After that, we parted ways. Then I went around looking for something to read. I searched through the bestsellers and found the Time Traveler's Wife. I have seen the trailer. Looks really good... I mean original and moving. So, I took it off the shelf. But what really sold me was the review by Evening Standard on top of the front cover. It reads - 'Here's the next The Lovely Bones... A rare book'. And it so happens that I am halfway reading The Lovely Bones!! Very excellent so far!!

I made my purchase, but didn't leave the bookshop yet. I sat there and read Outliers. It's so interesting reading about the statistics of successful people. I read till page 62 :p Don't think I will be buying it. Haha. I will just finish it slowly page by page every time I go to a bookstore.

Then before going back, I went to BEST. They sell tech stuffs. I went browsing, looking for a reasonably priced video camera. All I need is money.

where's the sun?

I woke up at 6pm. Seriously. No joke. Damn sia-suey... embarrassing. A personal worst. No hangover... not that I remember I had any beverage at Hartamas. Oh well. Since I got up to an evening, might as well make the best of it right? So I ate a bowl of cereal, let it mix around somewhere in there *points to belly button* for about 15 minutes and left the house. No warm-ups. So I hit the ground running.

I felt a bit lethargic. I mean my legs felt heavy even on the first 1km. That's pretty unusual. But I managed to push myself to 4km in 25minutes. Not great. Just okay. I struggled in the last few kms. A bit slow. Can be improved. But I was that tired. I felt lightheaded... like hypoxia. Not enough Oxygen. You know, when you are having hypoxia, your decision-making can be quite bad. So that's why when I got home, I got a bit of yelling when I leaned against the sofa to catch my breathe. Yeah... I didn't cool down. Maybe I should... next time la...

It was because I wanted to see the United-City highlights again. HAHA...

magnificent 7

I was up till 6am this morning. Came home straight after 12.30am and watched the highlights of the United-City derby. At Uncle Chow's house, we all watched after 70th min. That time was 2-2. I was honestly not exactly happy. I really wanted to watch the whole game. But we had this family dinner. But I went nevertheless. At least I had the chance to congratulate LunYao for his graduation. Anyway, 2-2... I thought... man... I missed so much. And dinner wasn't even filling at all. I noticed during dinner, everyone at the 'kids' table were patiently waiting for another phantom dish. I also admittedly was still saving 2 scoops of my rice (only first bowl) in anticipation for something else... anything really. But then they started clearing our tables. So I gobbled down my plain rice before the waitresses could get their paws on my bowl and chopsticks. Damn... all of us... ShiVern, LunXiang, Uncle Sian, myself were praying for at least desserts. Lo and behold, when we summoned all our energy into our combined prayers (no holding hands), desserts came.

We left, our stomachs still growling. In the car, I asked my parents how was dinner. They said "good". I said I it wasn't enough. My sis ditto-ed that. My parents were shocked and then started lecturing about the cost of the dinner. Sighs... They said everyone at the 'adults' table were satiated. Anyway, at home after that during the highlights, I had some yam cake, albeit a bit heavy for a midnight snack. My grandma and mom made it.

So sitting at Uncle Chow's sofa, I silent wished the game to have more action. 10 minutes later, Giggs's cross was met by Fletcher. Everybody shouted!! I just punched the air. I was kinda in the silent mode... still. Uncle Khing also talked about the game at Old Trafford a few weeks back. He reminisced about the loud celebrations there at the Theater of Dreams. Anyway, the theater still had enough time for some more drama. Rio gave the ball away to Barry.. we were all like "no... No... NOOOO...". It was like an opera. The reverberating "No (s)" filled the air, each getting louder and louder, as the other grown-ups still chatter-away about something, something. As for us 'kids' around the tv, including Uncle Khing, we were all grumbling, cussing at Rio for his carelessness. At the moment when he had lunged forward, I rather he gave away a penalty. Anyway to preserved the 3-2 lead. But at 89:57, City were back leveled at 3-3. I felt like ripping my hair off. Ok probably we had brought Rio back from injury too soon. He didn't play against Besiktas in midweek. SO.. perhaps he wasn't sharp from his lack of games so far this season.

So, at the Stretford End, of TTDI, we were all silent. Uncle Fook Far came out from the toilet, and was like "WHAT HAPPENED??" Uncle Khing brought him up back up to level, just like the score. We were still all grumbling. Then my mom, 3 minutes late, "Har?? JooLian, 3-3 already ar???" *Grunts*... I went. The guys (LunYao, Xiang, ShiVern, Loong Sheng) were like out the door at 93rd min. They had planned to go Hartamas during dinner. They were talking gibberish to me about 'snake??' or was it 'snape??'... some foosball terms which I don't get. Anyway, my ass was still glued to the chair. I wanted to still stick with the team. Uncle Chow was like "Wei.. they calling you ar". At 94:30, I stood up. The fourth official had indicated 4 mins of injury time. So, I thought it was nearly over. This must be time added on to time added on, I thought. Then, a freekick at 95:00. I was near the door, still feeling upset about the scoreline.

All of them popped their head back in when they heard there was a freekick. But the ball was headed back out. Lousy freekick! Tevez (at City) came rushing out, but Rooney got to it first and launched the ball back into the penalty box. It came back out again, only to come to one man, Giggs. He sent the ball to the left of the penalty box, with a fine long pass, where he found OWEN, who somehow had found some space. Richards had left him there all alone. The second after that (95.28) seemed to be broken into flashes of a movie timeframe, like everything was going in slow motion. Frame by frame, each millisecond was played. I was suddenly looking at it from different points of view, different areas of the stadium itself. It was like the movie series '24'. My vision was broken down into 4 parts. Owen controlled the ball excellently. One of his only touches after coming on as a sub just before Fletcher scored his second. You could hear the beats of our hearts. It was nearly in our mouths. The fans all stood up in a superbly red wave-like fashion. Pupils dilate. Richards came lunging towards the ball. Given the City keeper closed the angle on Owen. Somehow the sun pierced through the clouds at that precise moment on the man with the ball. You could only focus on Owen's right boots. He lifted the ball over the diving keeper, just inches over the sliding tackle of Richards. Eyes of the world were all on the ball. With our pulse nearing 150 beats per second, with each gland in our body all pumping like crazy, with adrenaline coursing through our veins, with dopamine all over in our brain, we all shouted GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!

20/09/2009 after 20:09

Dear noisy neighbours:- Your players make money, Our players make history...

the RC boys

One of the many things I learnt back in VI was perhaps character. 7 years in that school have prepped me to become someone capable of withstanding the mightiest of adversaries. I have learnt that "No" is not an answer I can attune to. To me, it does not carry any meaning whatsortever. When you say "no", you will only be spurring me to another unknown level that I am willing to venture into. When you say "no", I will take it as a challenge. And I can't turn down a challenge...

I love running in the rain. The only problem I have is that I am afraid of getting my shoes all sodden. So for the sake of my shoes, the most ideal rainy-day-runs would be a light drizzle which is enough to completely wet my hair say... after 4 minutes.

Running under the swollen clouds is also so much more cooling. You could be sure that you won't be overheating your 'motors' and muscles excessively and may even run that extra mile. However, without the right warm-ups, you might as well forget about running. It's like starting a car. You got to make sure the engine is hot enough; not too cold.

Anyway, for me, I always find an amazing bliss running in the rain. It reminises me of school. The rain always seem like a reprieve from the blistering sun. It's like the Heavans opening up, sparing us young men from the heat strokes easily suffered from enduring the physical activities our seniors put us through. There were many times which I relented to the unceasing seemingly meaningless torture I put myself through. When I was told to step into the line of fire, I did. When I wasn't, I did as well. Wtf right? But I am so glad I had done all of it. I am so glad that I have been taught this simple life lesson. It's all about unity. Friendship. Sticking together no matter what. You jump, I jump.

I was watching Band of Brothers last week. The first two episodes clearly depict the lifestyle us guys had to manage. It wasn't as tough as those military jocks. But it was hard enough for us 13-15 years olds. Push ups (knuckles with sharp pebbles in our grasps were pretty tough). Jogging in leather shoes. Those were the days. If you ask if I was toughen up by that exposure, I will say absolutely. There's nothing left we can't face.

Jog log: 3.5km in 21 minutes (Pretty much similar to last run. But stopped because it was getting dark - I was stepping into too many puddles. Oh and lesson #83 - Always tie you shoelases tightly. You don't want them to come loose during your runs!)

cute poster

what's up?

4.01pm: Clouds have covered up the sky. I have to blare up the radio - listening to the news. Thunders and lightning are already shaking my house. Not pouring yet.

I went jogging two days ago. Kinda last min thing. I think I was at the field at 7.05pm. I had no warm up this time. So, my muscles had to pump exponentially the moment I hit the track. Prior to that, I was washing my toilet. Although.. I did sweat a bit amidst the heat of the water and the chemical cloud in the shower area. Suffocation.

4.07pm: News ends. Thunder getting really loud. I think the last one just burst one of the gray clouds wide open. There's an obvious leak in the cumulonimbus up above my roof. The next door's house is still bone dry.

Anyway, I did more of a faster jog than normal. I wanted to push myself. But soon, I was sweating very heavily. I needed to focus on my breathing. And I could feel some rumbling deep in my bowels. Not a very good sign. You got to remember to empty all your tanks first before attempting to do any physical. Anywho.. I made it to 3.5km in 20:49 minutes. Pretty good. I would have done 5.0km in under 30 minutes.

Lost my connection briefly for about 10 minutes. I hate my line connection.

4.23pm: It's still drizzling lightly. Forecast for my jog later looking bleak. Should I unplug my line now? Don't want anything to spark here.

I watched 'Up' yesterday. I thought it would be very childish. The pre-movie clip nearly confirmed my guess. But as the movie progresses, it was actually pretty good. Cute, touching, got that Disney's moral values and Pixar's cool animations. I would grade it a 4 out of 5. The princess and the frog looks really cool.

Got a call from Uncle Chow. Luckily I could recognise his voice. He usually doesn't intro himself. Lol. He asked why am I still bumming.

4.37pm: Hopefully the skies will clear in one and a half hours time. Urrghh.. I am sick of hotdog buns.

fate

What is fate?

Have you ever wonder? What drove you to wear that shrunken faded t-shirt you hardly ever worn, only to be spotted in it by one of the only person who ever knew you bought it? Are each and everyone of us driven or bounded by some inexplicable power and stellar cosmic energy? Are our lives predetermined and woven into a silky piece of tapestry made by the Gods? We share our lifetime with six billion other people and all of us are interconnected to one another within a six degree of separation. What is this force that calls upon and compels two forgotten people into a collision course?

What is fate?

13 years on and somehow... and how... we bumped into Vicky, our US/Canada tour guide eating at a restaurant we supposedly wrote off a while back. She's married and has a daughter too.

OH... and on the same night, I pulak was at Wangsa Walk where I saw an ex-colleague. It was about a year and a half since I left the bank. Never saw her since. First time I saw her new born daughter too.

And was it in the stars that I got a really delightful text message?? That particularly text made my day.

What is fate?

It's some high octane fuel which generates that bit a magic in your life. It's something which is awesome and surprising. It feeds the need in our soul to believe in the impossible. It's something which gives us the courage face adversaries and to make things possible. It gives us the rush to see things like they are meant to. It's something that makes us feel like the children of the universe. It's the answer to our hopes and prayers. It's a blessing, it's untimely, it's a gift, it's a curse, it's alive, it's comforting, it's a menace, it's divine, it's a sign, it's perhaps in the mind.. but it does bring all of us a tad bit closer.

If 13 years is no boundary, what's 13 hours away?

I hate telemarketeers

I laughed everything off while watching/listening to these vids!! =D JJ & Ean take note!

more rye - the benefits

Which loaf of bread do you normally get from your neighbourhood 7-Eleven or from the friendly Breadman? Usually I would automatically pick the wheat whole meal bread, unless there’s chicken curry at home - then I would go for the plain loaf. However, there’s a healthier alternative to these - rye bread.

Rye bread is a type of bread made with various percentages of flour from rye grain. It can be light or dark in color, depending on the type of flour used and the addition of coloring agents, and is typically denser than bread made from wheat flour. It is higher in fiber than many common types of bread and is often darker in color and stronger in flavour.

When it comes to health, rye bread certainly has some advantages over wheat bread.

A new study published in the Nutrition Journal showed that a breakfast of rye bread may help with weight control. Volunteers who ate rye bread for their breakfast experienced less hunger later in the day (up to eight hours!) compared to those who ate wheat bread. The strongest effect was for rye bread made with rye bran. The fiber in rye bread does have an unusually high water binding capacity which causes it to expand in the intestines. This could lead to a more pronounced sensation of fullness. So, in a way, it may actually help in weight loss.

Rye has also been the focus of recent research by the Finnish company Fazer which hopes to promote rye more widely as a health food, even for children. They have found rye to be a good source of "prebiotics" and fibre, making it a valuable food for cancer prevention (typically breast and colon cancer). It is also recommended as having a role in preventing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Rye bread is also a good source of magnesium which helps to control blood pressure and optimise the health of the heart.

However, those with grain allergies or allergies to rye should avoid consuming it. If someone allergic consumes the grain or comes in contact with it, a doctor should be consulted to make sure the symptoms don't worsen. Some symptoms are skin rash, itching (for eg. in the eye), swelling, upset stomach, headaches and difficulties in breathing.

Hmm.. sounds like I should really try this healthy nutritional tasty alternative. Have you had a piece of rye bread lately?

in the rye where I was caught

The Catcher in the Rye is a 1951 novel by a reclusive author, J. D. Salinger. It’s a touching tale of teen angst and alienation, and it follows troubled anti-hero Holden Caufield as he wanders around New York after getting kicked out of boarding school. Holden Caufield has even become a culture, an icon for teenage rebellion and defiance. A true classic, this novel was among the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005 as chosen by Time, and named by Modern Library and its readers as one of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. It has been frequently challenged in the United States for its liberal use of profanity and portrayal of sexuality and teenage angst.

I feel sorry as hell that I ain’t gonna tell you what the title of the novel is supposed to mean. I mean that’s just phony right??

I read this book when I was 17 I think. Prior to reading it, I didn’t know what it was about. The plain cover of the book and the lack of summary at the back nearly deterred me of reading. I haven’t even heard of it. Just that my cousin recommended to me, stating that it was a must read, one of the most influential book ever written.

The best thing about this book is that every bit of it is very true. Very honest. Pure in a way. Definitely a more mature (of the characters) version of To Kill A Mocking Bird (another all time favourite). It’s a book where all teenagers can relate to.

This book was also featured in the movie Chapter 27 - a true story about the murder on John Lennon outside his house in Manhattan. In the movie, the lead actor who plays murderer Mark David Chapman thinks his story was predicted in the book and he is Haulden Caulfield.

Someone else who also 'lived' the character, an author by the name of Fredrik Colting who wrote the apparent sequel (under the pseudonym J. D. California) - "60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye" is seen as an updated version of "Catcher". The book, which has already been published in London, has a 76-year-old man named Mr. C meandering about New York after escaping a retirement home. However, at this moment, Manhattan Court are considering arguments if the book should be released in the U.S., as Salinger claims it could ruin his copyright. It all depends if the book is original enough to be published as "fair use" of copyrighted work.

The 90-year-old Salinger, a notorious recluse who was raised in New York City, has been extremely protective of his creation over the years, even refusing a request by director Steven Spielberg to adapt "The Catcher in the Rye" to film.

This is one book where I beg you to read, whether you are a teen or not.

lari lari

Yay! Today I managed to hit 5.0km in 32 minutes! :D But I was so beat after it. I was so out of breath. Ok.. I prob could have gone a bit further. But definitely won't make 10.0km. I will try to push myself next time. Maybe improve my timing first. Right now, gotta rest my muscles. We shall see how tomorrow.

nine-o-nine

This video is sooooo hilarious! I watched it like 12,743,012,931,083 times! Timmy Gordon's expressions are priceless! And the group even exist on Facebook! XD

when I was at sea

You see things; and you say, "Why?"...

Dolphins are naturally playful creatures. Even a picture of a dolphin can be quite delightful for any of us.

They have been portrayed in art and literature throughout the centuries, and some have believed dolphins are as intelligent as humans. In fact dolphins have more sophisticated language than any other creatures. They have been known to represent mental attributes and accomplishments of humans themselves. When this symbol is used, it usually denotes the giant strides upward through the use of one’s mental faculties, and, a dolphin could be like a pat on the back with a well done thrown in for good measure.

Dolphins and ancient folklore have appeared many times throughout the Western history. They are found in many groupings of the Gods, including Apollo, Poseidon and Athena. Generally speaking, the dolphin is seen by the ancient Greeks as a guide to worlds unknown.

Dolphins will often communicate that they will always be there to protect you. It doesn't escape observation that dolphins keep people from sinking too deeply into the sea. They usually seem to appear when you are going through a crisis and find that they soothe and calm yourself. The exploration of the boundaries of what it means to be human and non-human are commonly mediated by dolphins.

Alternatively, it suggests that a line of communication has been established between the conscious and unconscious aspects of yourself. Dolphins represent your willingness and ability to explore and navigate through your emotions.

This kind of communication is often reported as deep, wordless, telepathic, profound, reassuring and anciently wise. It can extend to other deeply moving experiences which can put you in contact with a deep spiritual nature. Awakening from these spiritual connections and guidance is often described as serene, peaceful, happy, energised and blissful.

...But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"

- George Bernard Shaw -

phew....

On Saturday, I have decided to do a bit of cardio - to give my stamina a big test. So I headed to the 'Green Lungs' of Wangsa Maju. It's a hilly area where the route can be as steep as 35°. As expected, there was a lot of huffing and puffing going on.

This time, I tried to give my muscles a lot of straining; but careful not to give myself a hamstring/hernia injury. I only stretched them to the limit I was comfortable with, with each long strides.

Jog Log:- 3.8km in 32minutes.

While jogging, there are really lots of things going on in your head. A real cocktail of mashed up stuffs bouncing about in that skull of yours. So to control whatever manifestations I subconsciously conjured up, I count... I count just about everything - the steps I take, the distance, the occasional joggers I passed, but not the time; that's hardly motivating. Somehow I feel a sense of accomplishment when I do my own counting. It keeps the mind away from the struggles I am facing. So that's tip #51 on this post of Guide to Jogging - Always count on your way up to the mount.

After that, I dropped by at the newest mall in Wangsa Maju - Wangsa Walk.

free stuffs

I was looking for an office application when I stumbled on this treasure trove of FREEBIES! Hope they work for us peeps in Malaysia :)

1. Free Software

For most of your computing needs, you can get free software. For word processing and spreadsheets, go to OpenOffice.org. For antivirus protection, head to http://free.avg.com. There is also Avast! For free basic photo editing, check out http://picasa.google.com, or for more advanced touch-ups, try Gimp.org. And to manage your finances, use the free programs at Mint.com or Wesabe.com.

2. Free TV and Movies

Head online to watch free episodes from hundreds of TV shows -- old and current -- as well as free movies. And it's perfectly legal. Hmm.. I get mine from eztv. I get my music from Blubster .

At OVGuide.com you'll find a list of TV and movie sites including Hulu.com, Veoh.com and Fancast.com, as well as individual network Web sites, such as ABC.com and CBS.com.

To stream Malaysian radio/tv programs, just go here.

3. Free Financial Advice

Not to toot our own horn (okay, maybe just a little), but Kiplinger.com is a treasure trove of free financial advice. Our tools and calculators will help you get on the right financial track.

Our expert columnists will answer your personal-finance questions. For instance, Kim Lankford answers your general financial questions, Janet Bodnar tackles family and kid topics and Knight Kiplinger advises readers on ethics and money matters.

4. Free Mobile Apps

You spent all that money on a new iPhone. Now download some free apps to help you save money and recoup the cost. For instance, the free Mint.com or Quicken apps help you track your spending and manage your money and investments on the go. AMT Hunter can help you find a surcharge-free machine near wherever you are. And iShop can help you search for the lowest price on an item before you buy.

There are plenty of other useful applications at the iTunes App Store, with free recipes, weather updates, diet help, music, games and more.

5. Free Tech Recycling -- With Benefits

Not only is it getting easier to keep your old electronics out of the landfill, but you may even get some free cash in exchange. Services such as BuyMyTronics.com, Gazelle.com, MyBoneyard.com and GreenPhone.com recycle or refurbish your old tech and send you a check in return. They take cameras, cell phones, MP3 players, game consoles and more.

If you can't find anyone willing to pay for your dinosaur, look for other free places to recycle. For instance, Best Buy will take many of your tech castoffs at no charge. And keep your eyes open for free e-recycling days in your city.

6. Free Video Games

If you're looking for games for the kids -- or an excuse to act like a kid yourself -- head to Kongregate.com, Popcap.com, Pogo.com and OnlineFlashGames.org for thousands of free online and downloadable games of all types.

For educational or just-for-fun games suited to young kids, check out PBSkids.org, DiscoveryKids.com, NickJr.com and Scholastic.com/kids.

7. Free Digital Storage Space

With free online backup storage, you can protect your important files and photos from computer crashes, theft or natural disaster.

For instance, Spideroak.com and Myotherdrive.com each give you 2 gigabytes of free and secure digital storage space. You can also store your cherished photos and videos at sites such as Photobucket.com and Flickr.com. You can also store your pics at photo-print ordering sites such as Snapfish.com, Shutterfly.com or Walmart.com, as long as your account is active.

- From Yahoo -

Since we are talking about free stuffs, here are some bonus for you!
1. Free complete Harry Potter series eBooks --> here
2. You can also save money (and time) of making your passport pictures over here. Besides, you can also try to fit yourself in different outfits, before deciding the perfect one.

ePassportPhoto.com is the Internet passport photo booth, empowering people around the world to make free and valid passport photos. We put an end to the passport photo rip-off - join our revolution today by following 3 simple steps for making free passport photos!

3. Scenario below...

Me: Eh check out this vid... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cPW7WV6uRg&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fconcretequarters.blogspot.com%2F&feature=player_embedded

You: WTF! Why the link damn long-wan??!

Me: Ok sorry... wait.. Alright.. go here --> http://tinyurl.com/jlk28

You: Eh?? So short already? Sure same ar?

Me: Yup :) I did it at tinyurl!

Are you sick of posting URLs in emails only to have it break when sent causing the recipient to have to cut and paste it back together? Then you've come to the right place. By entering in a URL in the text field below, we will create a tiny URL that will not break in email postings never expires.

4. Sighs... you won't believe how bad the connection is in Malaysia... agonising!! Some of my British friends can ditto to that. That's why I so love FreeDownloadManager! Since my internet speed very crappy and my line is quite fragile (always disconnect), this behbeh is damn helpful!

It accelerates downloads by splitting files into sections and then downloading them simultaneously. As a result download speed increases up to 600%, or even more! It can also resume broken downloads so you needn't start downloading from the beginning after casual interruption.

Sweet!!! =D


P/s If you know anywhere else we can get freebies, do post in the comments. Thank you :)

sweat out

It has been awhile since I indulged myself in the leisure and pleasure of jogging. I love jogging...; period. But why haven't I been doing it? Well, I guess I wasn't that confident with my stamina after quite a long time away from it. So since Monday, I made of point of weaning myself back to this sport. Would I do it?? The reason why I am asking you and myself that is because I have been putting this off for so long... call it procrastination.

Where I went jogging...

Also besides that, for approximately two weeks, somehow the field looks rather empty. I mean less crowded than before. There used to be lots of footballers people playing football there.

Anywho, I am proud to say I jogged on Monday and Wednesday. Haha. It takes a bit of self-deceit to get myself to do it, but at least I did it.

Here's the log... albeit the awfulness:-

Monday:- 5.6km in 52 minutes.
Wednesday:- 3.0km in 24 minutes. (with more stress breathing - pushed myself a tad bit harder)

Still kinda off from how I was able to run last year --> 5.0km in 33 minutes.

But I would take heart with the improvement :)

I realised there's one thing better than MP3 being played while jogging --> comedies or MTV Made! =D

I love the gym I have been going to of late. Unlike the old one, this one is very well equipped. And the people/patrons are classy. Ooh and they have a fruit basket which you can feast on like a happy monkey. I know I was. I had two bananas and an apple :p But of course the membership comes with a hefty price. It's RM48 a day; and I won't want to bewilder you with the price of long-term membership. Having said that, I love the place.

Anyway, on Monday, after burning irons and blazing on the treadmill, I pampered myself :)

First:-

Sauna.
Guaranteed to make you sweat like a pig in less than 10 seconds flat! Oh. Bad idea to bring my phone in there. >< It was totally steamed up from inside out.

Ok keep in mind, that before this, the last time I was in a sauna, was my first. Back then, after 5 seconds, I was already suffocating. This time, I was determined to see what was all the fuss about.

I was about to enter when this guy went in...

Aren't obese people or people with heart probs not supposed to use the sauna?

Except he wasn't wearing any underwear. Ok la... he had a towel around his pot belly. But nothing underneath, I swear. I saw him coming out of the jacuzzi earlier. So... I realised everybody was quite happy to remove their pants in the guys dressing room. Should I be worried? Then I somehow remembered a scene from Hot Chick.

I tried to google that.. boy I had more than I bargain for! What was I supposed to search for again?

Anyway, I let him be done first while I pretended to be busy. Then I was reminded of a scene in The Simpsons and what it would be like if I were to be in there with 'Homer'. Awkward moment with a naked guy. Should you be friendly? Or remain quiet? I wonder what would have freaked me out first. Claustrophobia or...

I also got into just my towel and when in after he came out. Damn steamy can... But syiok. Stayed in there about 3 minutes. Wonder what's the recommended duration though...

I showered after that, then take a peak or two before going into...

Second:-

Jacuzzi.
I could seriously have fallen asleep here man. Damn comfy... I didn't bring my trunks. So I wore my jogging pants instead. Since it was loose, air bubbles was building in there and I kept floating to the surface. I thought of removing it. But nah.. Anyway, it was a great first time thing. Haha. Damn jakun in the jacuzzi.

If the world would to crumble around me, I couldn't care less.. it was THAT comfortable!

I grabbed some water to replenish the water lost from my body after using the sauna.

After that...

Third:-

Steam bath.
It's kinda like a sauna in here. Check out the charcoal on the left. I wonder if I could BBQ anything there. Anyway, the whole room smelled like cocoa butter (in the wooden pot on the right). I smelled like chocolate after a good 2 minutes in there. Sweet!

I did a quick touch-n'-go in the shower after that; just to get rid of the sweat, but hopefully to retain the smell (of the cocoa butter, not the sweat).

This place is damn equipped...

Lockers.


A place to groom ourselves... any girl would dream to have at home. ;)

Ahh... bliss... damn refreshed kao kao. I recovered the lost calories with 1 quart and 1 pint of Baskin Robbins after that :p

** Mental note: Bring clean underwears if I am planning to go to the gym next time. Sweaty ones can really smell rancid.

blup blup

Follow more smart ways to save our planet on IBM.