Last day in Bangkok
Can't really blog much today... using a Mac instead of PC to access the internet and I'm somewhat confused with how things work. The fact that the ladies at the cyber cafe are cutting onions aren't really helping to make things easier. Was actually planning to post some interesting pictures here but I guess it will have to wait then...
Anyhow, We're flying back to KL tonight. In the mean time, we're heading back to the Central World Plaza to buy shoes for gf's dad before going to Mah Boon Krong for last minute shopping.
End of holidays....
|
----------###----------
Tired of walking...
After 2 days in Bangkok, it really doesn't feel like a holiday... Almost non-stop walking from one place to another. The nearest Skytrain station to the hostel Thong Lo and it's 15 mins' walk away. It's really hot here even at 8am! One good thing that I shaved my armpit hair...
Yesterday went to see the Grand Palace and a standing buddha, then we went to MBK centre, which really look more like Sungei Wang Plaza. In the evening, we were at Patpong Night Market, something like our Petaling Street. Only difference is they have pubs with pole dancers there.
We're heading to the Maenam Chao Phraya and Wat Arun after this brief stop at the internet cafe. Later on we have a 6.15pm appointment with Body Combat at
Fitness First Landmark Plaza!
Just found out that we came out 5 in the Love-In-Tune Contest by
Hitz.fm... thanks for those who voted for us!
|
----------###----------
How do you know you're in Bangkok
SAWASDEE KHRAP KRUNG TEP(BANGKOK)!!!
Ahh... land of the rot titYeah, we reached Bangkok around 9.30am local time and didn't really do much yesterday. We slept through the afternoon before heading to World Central Plaza, Bangkok's answer to Sungei Wang Plaza. It's currently going through renovation and it's scheduled for re-launch in June 2006. We had snacks before we went to Lumpini to visit the Suan Lum Night Bazaar. The place is huge... you can do your shopping/bargaining for great stuff here. OCD bro asked me to get him a leather waller around RM20. I saw one and the seller said normally he sold it for 1250 baht, but for me he would give 600 baht. Anyhow, at the end I bought it for 300 baht. Gf and I also bought some other stuff before we headed to the Lumpini Stadium to watch the Muay Thay matches.
Don't have much to blog- only 20 mins free from the hostel. So will do more when I come back to KL. However, do visit this blog from time to time for some short updates.
Before I forget, if anyone is thinking of visiting Bangkok, you may be interested to know that the exchange rate offered at the Bangkok International Airport is RM9.13 for 100 baht- we exchanged all out money at Mid Valley for 9.35. So, do think about saving some of your exchange when you are in Bangkok.
|
----------###----------
My final thoughts on Malaysian Idol
This is my last time talking about Malaysian Idol competition till 2006. There are better things to think about... like my Bangkok trip.So, Did Daniel deserve the win?
Let's review the reasons some people say he deserved it:
1) He is multi-talentedYes, he can write his own songs and play some musical instruments. But does that make him a good singer? It's like saying that a good pharmacist will naturally be a good doctor, or a good surgical instrument maker will turn out to be a good surgeon. That remains to be seen.
2) He's got a huge fan baseHow many? He got 1.2 million votes in the final, but that does not mean he had 1.2 million people voting for him. A friend at the gym told me that her maid was going to vote for Daniel 20 times! I'd like to see in future competitions where the organizers could adopt a system that allows only 1 vote per phone. I think that would be more fair to the contestants.
3) He improved throughout the contestYes he improved as he progressed, but if he were in a singing contest judged by people in the music industry, I doubt he could make an impact. Did anyone look at Abang Roslan and Kak Jee's face during the press conference? They said as much as they could to support Daniel, their expression told me a different story. I could still remember last year's press conference being more relaxed while this year's felt a bit solemn.
To be honest, Nita didn't do well in the final either. Even on Saturday, she was having another off day.... Farah deserves a singing contract out of this- she was FANTASTIC in the final's special presentation! Dinah was very good as well and Jackyln was... well, Jacklyn was still Jacklyn...
Next year, I'm expecting more cute guys in the competiton.
Labels: personal
|
----------###----------
Launch at Cheras Leisure Mall
Sunday was the
Les Mills new launch at Fitness First Cheras Leisure Mall. I was scheduled to do BodyCombat with Janis and Calvin. Since I wanted to join the BodyPump class at 1pm, I went to the first church service at 8.30am. So, by 11.15am I was already there.
The entrance
what's inside
That's Eric Ting who is with the sales team. Eric is trained in BodyStep, BodyJam and BodyPump, and last week he completed BodyAttack training as well. He's from East Malaysia but I got to know him in Penang when we both joined FF as members. Like me, he's very passionate about group exercises.
And here we have another GX coordinator, Crystal Tan. She takes care of FF Menara SPK. The BodyBalance top on the left is for sale at RM25. We have sold most of the tops actually- my girlfriend wanted to get a BodyJam top but they didn't have her size anymore- should've bought it for her on Thursday...*sigh*
The treadmill area is quite big, but it was kinda quiet that day. I think most people were going for the new launch. After all, it's always more fun to workout in the studio than doing it on your own.
The juice bad for member to relax and read newspapersWhen I reached there,
BodyStep had just concluded and up next was
BodyBalance.
Nicholas and Klevin(no, I didn't not mispell his name) did the launch. Nick is the coordinator for FF Menara John Hancock while Klevin is a fellow Group-X instructor.
(note to self: really need a good camera!)
members in action
Since I pimped for Janis, a lot of guys have expressed interest in knowing her. Here we have the hopefuls lining up to submit their info and have their photos taken by Janis. Apparently she will go through the data and select a few for the second round. The members were lining up for
BodyPump. It's time to get Pumped up!
Mr Incredible Wes Carter is in da house!BodyPump was presented by Crystal and our resident
kwai lo, Wes Carter. Wes is the Master Trainer for BodyPump and RPM and he also oversees us as the head teacher for BodyPump and RPM at FF.
That's Klevin trying out
BodyJam wearing a BodyBalance top. I think Klevin should apply for next year's Malaysian Idol contest because he's cute.... SURE CAN WIN!
Jacq gettin' jiggy with it!On the right is Riyo, coordinator for FF The Curve. Riyo is Japanese and she's a fantastic instructor on stage- actually together with Jacq, they are my gf's favourite BJ instructors. They are also one of the many reasons I will never do BodyJam- I can't look as good as them.
Wes and Lynn also did the launch for
RPM.
Don't let his expression fool you- He's having a ball riding it.
Didn't take any picture of the BodyCombat because the camera batteries decided to raise the white flag. Anyhow, it was another fun day for us and the members, especially. Tonight will be my last participation in the new launch as I will be leaving for Bangkok tomorrow morning.
So, unless I can get access to the internet, there won't be any blogging till next Monday...
|
----------###----------
Sad news
Just heard that my colleague Sim Beng Choo had passed away on Saturday- She had been a diaysis patient for many years.
She was such a wonderful lady. :-(
|
----------###----------
1.2 million people can't be wrong, can it?
Caught a glimpse of the post Malaysian Idol press conference. Abang Roslan and Kak Jee didn't look that happy... seems like they were trying to justify Daniel's win.
The best part was when a caller asked Nita, "How do you feel losing because of popularity and not talent?"
Anyhow, Farah was fabulous tonight! Jac and Dinah were great and way ahead of both Daniel and Nita. It will be interesting to see how Daniel and Nita progress in their respective career.
ah beng album vs. caberat album, anyone?
Labels: personal
|
----------###----------
Yesterday's Les Mills launch
Welcome to the 3rd Quater Les Mills launch at Fitness First Damansara Uptown.
I went straight from my office. This is what greeted me when I got there.
That's my name...Jacq and a couple of ppl were at a table selling the new tops for the launch. I got mine from Jacq as I was launching BodyCombat. After changing my clothes, I went straight to watch the BodyJam class in action.
(note to self: Must get good camera next year!)
"stop, in the name of LOVE..."Suaimi and Jeremy were dancing their way into the hearts of the members. Suaimi is the
Grope Group-X Coodinator for FF Summit while Jeremy is a fellow Group-X Instructor like yours truly. Incidently, this is the 2nd time for Jeremy and I to work as colleagues- we were in
Padini back in 2000.
As you can tell, some were really letting it all out! Check out Evelyn, the lady in front!
Jeremy doing something cool...Up next: BodyPump!!!
Your BodyPump presenters: leng lui and Ben
Members setting up for classI decided to join the class since it's the easiest way to learn the new release.
"Good job, team!"
This guy was a regular when I was teaching BC thereHalf way through the class, there was loud music coming from the other room- RPM has begun!
Here we see the members working hard in the last mountain climb track.
If you don't sweat in RPM, something is wrong with you
Horny Herny and Jon Wong presented RPM
BodyStep continued where BodyPump left off, and it was Jacq and Suaimi's turn to show their stuff.
That's Jeremy with the camera
"If you're new, please raise your hand..."
Listening to the final instruction...My apologies that I cannot show you the class in action as the pictures I took came out very crappy.
(2nd Reminder: Must get good quality digicam)Last but not least, it was finally time for some ruthless agression with BodyCombat!
I passed the camera to
leng lui to take pictures and I forgot to ask her to take the class in action. Again, the camera was a big letdown and there's nothing much to show you. Ben kick started with the first 5 tracks and I finished them off. I was nervous going into this one, and when I took over from track 6, I tried to relax myself and enjoy the music. When Muay Thay comes in, it was a whole different story. I think I didn't say much in that track- merely went "Arrrrghhhhh!!!!" together with the music. This release's Muay Thay has easy choreography but it is energy zapping!!! I went straight into the last Power track, then did the push-up/abs workout before we finish the night with a beautiful cooldown, inspired by the movies The Last Samurai and Lord of the Rings.
One for the albumLike the top the instructors are wearing? You can purchase any of them at RM25 on the new launch day of the gyms. I particularly like the BodyPump and BodyComabt for guys and the BodyJam for ladies. Maybe I will take a couple of shots for Monday's blog.
"Hi, I'm leng lui!"Leng Lui's name is Janis. She is the Senior Group-X Coordinator overseeing FF Cheras Leisure Mall and also helping Jacq with a couple of other gyms.
Herny, the coordinator for FF Damansara Uptown, is the one in blue and the lady on the right is Lynn, the coordinator from FF Menara Maxis.
what is her hand doing?Finally we have Janis standing next to the most powerful woman in Group-X,... my National Group-X Manager, Jacqueline Wong. Jacq is trained in BodyPump, BodyCombat, BodyStep, BodyJam, RPM, BodyBalance,
BodyBeautiful, BodySlam, BodySnatch, Bodywhatevernot. She is also a Master Trainer for BodyStep.
Sorry guys, Jacq is married... but I think Janis is not, dunno still available or not though. However, if you are keen to know her, here are 2 options:
1) Join Fitness First Cheras Leisure Mall if it is convenient for you. She's based there, so you will get a lot of opportunities to see her. Otherwise, you can join any other FF since she teaches there as well.
2) Give me your name, phone number, age, and attach a passport-size photo, and send it to
mee_goreng@yahoo.com. I will pass your details to her...
Overall, it was a fun night for me, though I was exhausted after the class. Something about being in a launch sort of pushed me to work a little harder yesterday- I almost had cramps on my right thigh and foot just as I was about to go to bed. Nevertheless, I look forward to the next 2 launches at Cheras Leisure Mall and Wisma Consplant Subang.
|
----------###----------
Malaysian Idol or Malaysian Idiot?
This Saturday, we have the rare priviledge to decide who we want to be our ambassador to the world and I urge you fellow Malaysians to choose wisely.
Some may argue that the Malaysian Idol competition this year is not as exciting as last year because we don't see a standout performer like Jac(we are also more concerned about the rising cost of living nowadays) but a decision has to be made on who will be our next Malaysian Idol.
Cuteness Appearance seems to be an important factor for
some a lot of people- take a look at who is still in the race so far. Nowadays, with a marketing plan, you can sell almost anything, eg. F4. Please don't tell me F4 did so well in their debut because of their singing ability. Granted, they can sing.... but so can William Hung. For me, I don't patron a char koay teow stall because the lady who serves me is a cute girl.
Anyway, back to the Malaysian Idol final. Please, if you are going to vote, choose someone you can be proud of- one who has
SUBSTANCE.
On another note, my gf is still in the running for the Hitz.fm Cornetto Love In Tune contest. For more info, please read
this previous entry. Last day of voting is 23 Sept at 5pm. Apparently they are going to announce the winners between 26 Sept and 30 Sept.... hopefully we will come back from Bangkok and get some good news!
Labels: personal
|
----------###----------
Les Mills new launch
Tomorrow is the beginning of the week-long
Les Mills new release launch for us at
Fitness First. I am priviledged to be in the Body Combat launch team this time(was actually asked to help out in RPM as well, but had to go Bangkok).Tomorrow we start with
FF Damansara Uptown, and I will be teaming up with Ben Sim for the first time. I always see him as a technical instructor while I think I'm more performance-based. So putting us together should be something like coffee and coffee mate, things should work out fine.
The schedule is as follows:
5.30pm
BODYJAM - Jeremy & Suaimi
6.35pm
BODYPUMP - Ben & Janis
7.00pm
RPM -
Horny Herny & Jon Wong
7.40pm
BODYSTEP- Jacq & Suaimi
8.45pm
BODYCOMBAT - Ben & Alvin
Compared to my previous particiaption in the RPM launch, I think the BodyCombat launch is more stressful. If I ever make a mistake tomorrow, it's gonna be SOOOO obvious! Doing RPM is more relaxing because even if I were to screw up the choreography, no one would notice (except maybe the co-presenter).
Anyhow, I will bring m camera along for the event and show you guys/gals what we do on a launch day. I will also be launching at
FF Cheras Leisure Mall on Sunday(3.30pm) and
FF Wisma Consplant Subang(8.45pm) Personally, that's one thing I like about working out in a gym with 10 branches- you get to move around and experience different stuff and atmosphere from time to time.
FF members may pre-register for the classes by bringing a non-member friend to the class. So, if you are interested to attend and you have a friend who's a FF member, you can ask your member friend to pre-register you for the classes. Alternatively, if you don't know any FF member, you can email me at
mee_goreng@yahoo.com and I'll try to help. Below is the date and branches we are doing the launch- see if any of them is convenient for you to attend:
22 Sept FF Damansara Uptown
23 Sept FF Menara Maxis
24 Setp FF The Curve
25 Sept FF Cheras Leisure Mall
26 Sept FF Wisma Consplant Subang
27 Sept FF Menara John Hancock
28 Sept FF Menara Summit
29 Sept FF Wisma SPK
30 Sept FF Menara Axis
1 Oct FF Island Plaza Penang
SEE YOU!!!
|
----------###----------
Fan mail: reducing spams
As usual, I constantly get mails from my
admirers readers and today here's another one worth sharing:
This is actually a reply to a comment I made that his blog was spammed.
So what is a SPAM?
Example:
As you can see from above, a spam is anything that looks like a advertisement, or a link that is unrelated to your blog. The funny thing in my example is the
silly blogger actually replied to a spam, thinking it's a real compliment.
He should've realised that his blog is fruit basket case, nobody in the right frame of mind would find him interesting, well except his baby doctor gf who got conned.Anyhow, to answer the question, if you use the comments supplied by Blogger.com you can do something to reduce spams. Just follow the instruction below:
So what you do is this:
I'm using
Haloscan instead and so far I have yet to receive any spam. So maybe if you have loads of spams, you might wanna consider disabling the Blogger.com comments and use Haloscan instead.
Hope this helps.
Labels: personal
|
----------###----------
Things to take note when you visit me
(Note: This is one entry my OCD bro should never EVER read.)Don't let this thing fool you- this is a furniture.
Does anyone you know leave his/her vacuum cleaner in the living room? Well, this is a permanent feature in the living room. My OCD brother leaves it lying around since he always uses it a couple of time in a day. Come to think of it, the worst thing that could happen to him is for this vacuum cleaner to
rosak...
Please also remember that there are a couple of things you should not do when you're here. (Thanks to my eldest bro for being kind enough to demo!)
RULE #1
Please note that the pillows on the couch are for display only. Therefore you should never put your arm on it for added comfort. By doing so, you will dirty the cushion cover. Not too sure whether you can use it for back support either.
Rule #2
This is a common mistake my dad used to make. Foot MUST remain on the floor at all times. Reason? It will dirty the coffee table
lor...
Rule #3
This one is a bit complicated. You should NEVER do anything on the couch(i.e.eating, sleeping, crossing your leg, etc). In fact, sitting on the couch is NOT ENCOURAGED as it will dirty and soften the cushion of the couch. However, if you really must sit on it, please take note of the arrangement of the pillows as you are required to put everything back in order.
There are other rules and regulations you need to observe, especially in the kitchen area, unfortunately cannot take picture anymore coz OCD bro came out of his bedroom to watch TV already. Maybe next time....
Labels: personal
|
----------###----------
Weekend of national tragedies
1.
7 people died after a car rammed into a police roadblock opposite Tesco in Penang. How could it possibly happen? Was the area properly lit up? Did they wear reflective clothes?
2.
Daniel made it into the final of Malaysian Idol with the HIGHEST votes, at the expense of a more talented Farah. Granted, this year we did not have a standout performer like Jac but Nita and Farah were way better than Daniel. Once again, it shows that talent isn't important as long as you can attract young girls to vote for you. So what if ALL the judges
hentam his performance on Friday? Did anyone else see the Friday performance? Surely you cannot imagine Daniel your next Malaysian Idol?
Stupid weekend...
Labels: personal
|
----------###----------
Bangkok heat
Less than 2 weeks to go before I leave for Bangkok and I'm getting excited. Think about all the
beautiful thai ladies wonderful food and interesting places I get to enjoy with my gf....
This is my first trip to Bangkok since 1985. I went on a tour with my mom and sister then, I think I still have the photos somewhere in my photo album back in Penang. Sad to say, I can't remember much of the trip, except the transvestite show we watched in Pattaya. Guys who looked more feminine that some of the
female Body Combat instructors girls I know here.
Anyhow, this trip was planned in July, way before the stupid
Waja scam hit me in the face. I probably would've cancelled the plan if I hadn't bought the air asia ticket then. My gf would've been very disappointed then... Well, can't change anything now, so might as well do my best to make it as enjoyable as possible.
For this trip, budgeting is the #1 priority for me. In fact, we're staying at the guesthouse which costs about RM18 a night per person. So most of the money will be spent on shopping, eating and visiting places of interest.
I want to be prepared for my trip, knowing how much I will need to set aside. So, I've been surfing the net for the pass few days and
Virtual Tourist has been pretty helpful so far. A fellow blogger
Gina just came back from her Bangkok trip and her blog has been informative as well. Another site I found very "
geng" is by this
ang mo at
http://www.bkk-gui.de/.
This guy is really something. He's got almost everything you want to know about Bangkok covered. From shopping to finding thai female life partners... you name it, he's got it- even "adult entertainment"!
But my main interest for this trip is definitely
the chicks watching a "live"
muay thay match. I've seen it on TV, I've tried to imitate it in class, but nothing beats watch 2 fighter beating the living hell out of each other. It's gonna be brutal and bloody, so I hope my gf can stomach it. The only set back about watching a muay thay match is it's quite expensive- around 800 baht for tourists. Still, at least it is better than a fruitcake I know driving with 2 friends all the way from Penang to Bukit Jalil in 2002 to watch a couple of guys pretending to kick one another's arses.
I've listed out a couple of places to visit with Virtual Tourist's assistance. There are actually plenty of Wat one can visit in Bangkok but I'm NOT that keen on looking at buddha statues. So besides the muay thay match, the highlight of the trip will be the shopping at Phat Phong and Suan Lum Bazaars.
I have set aside a couple of hours on Thursday 29 Sept to visit
Fitness First Thailand because I cannot afford not to workout for too long. It will be interesting to see how they teach Body Combat in Thai(may copy some stuff back for personal use!). I'm not sure if I can enter with just my GXI card- will try to get a FF passport booklet from the front desk before I leave.
Of course there will be visits to some temples, the Grand Palace, Chinatown, etc. I was initially thinking of going to the
Safari World but I may substitute it with a visit to
Damnoen Saduak floating market and Nakhon Pathon(Rose Garden)-the latter costs about 50% less than the former.
Will be discussing with gf to finalise the itinerary within the next 1 week.
|
----------###----------
Why you shouldn't buy fake DVDs
This is one fine example why you should not support piracy, especially if you are in China(the ones we have in Malaysia are of better quality though...)
http://www.winterson.com/2005/06/episode-iii-backstroke-of-west.htmlAnother busy day for me here in the office....
Labels: personal
|
----------###----------
Can you help us?
I need some help here... My gf has entered
the hitz.fm Walls Cornetto Love in Tune contest and we need to get as many votes as possible.
So if you would be kind enough to do us a favour and vote for us via sms:
I promise if we win
I'll do Body Jam naked in any of the FF gyms we'll be very grateful to each and everyone of you!
Voting ends 5pm 23 Sept. If you like to know how her entry sounds like, click
here.
Labels: personal
|
----------###----------
no title
Didn't really think I would do this but somehow after reading some comments at a particular forum got me into writing my experience with
Fitness First.
I started as a member in July 2003 when FF opened its branch in Penang. My sole purpose of joining the gym then was to do some body building(I'd slacked off since I started working in 1999). I was with a small gym then but I was only paying Rm50 a month and that wasn't motivating enough for me to be consistent. So, I figured that if I were to pay more for the subscription, I would be "encouraged" to go regularly.
Up till then, I had no idea what group exercises was about- it was a lady friend who asked me to join her to do Body Combat. Since the name "Combat" sounded macho, I followed her to an afternoon class one Wednesday(I was still doing sales, so got long lunch hours). I had fun but I paid the price- body was in pain for about 3-4 days. It was then I found my passion with group exercises.
From Body Combat I ventured to Body Pump and Body Step as well, but I stayed away from RPM because it was torturous inside the cycling studio! Honestly, I had imagined myself teaching Body Combat and Body Pump but never in the world even thought of attending RPM classes as a particpant!
Eventually I got my training in BC in March last year and that was how I started teaching. Now I do an average of 2 classes per day except Wednesday which is my gym Sabbath. I am also in the process of taking up another 1-2 classes on weekdays and maybe convert Saturday into my Sabbath.
You can probably tell from this blog that I enjoy the gym stuff more than my full-time job. If I were any younger, I might just resign from my desk job and go full time fitness industry... or maybe still not too late to do that?
|
----------###----------
Finally, something for mature audience
“Do you still remember your childhood dream about a silver shooting star? The dream still remains somewhere in your heart unbroken. The year 2005, it took us 39 years to come across the shooting star again…”With that introduction, say hello to Tsuburaya's new Ultraman for mature audience-
Ultraman: The Next .
Being a sucker for anything Ultraman-related, I was pretty excited with the direction Tsuburaya has taken lately. First, it came out with the Ultraman Nexus series in 2004 which has an actual storyline with less monsters(unfortunately didn't do well in Japan because children couldn't appreciate it) and now this movie.
The movie premiered on 18 December 2004 across Japan and I was hoping that it could perhaps make its way here to the local cinemas too. Unfortunately that didn't quite happen but heck... At least Speedy chose to release it in VCD. I was on my way to the car park at Cheras Leisure Mall last Sunday and the video shop was showing it on TV. I just knew I had to get my hands on it!
Now, there are 2 language versions of the movie: Malay and Japanese/Cantonese and of course I took the Jap/Canto version(Actually I couldn't care less about the Cantonese dialogue as long as they give me the chinese subtitle). As usual, it comes with 2 VCDs...
However when I opened the cover, something else was inside too.
Looks like the people at Speedy and KFC did not do their homework on the movie - any parent who buys this movie for their young children is unknowingly wasting their money. There are far too much drama and talking that the kids are going to fall asleep watching it.
Like I said earlier, the target group here is the adults, people who grew up with the Ultraman mythology. So the movie flows more like a sci-fi than and kiddy stuff. In fact, the hero doesn't turn into the gigantic warrior using any special device. Instead, he has to go through a seemingly painful mutation before changing into the silver giant. Speaking of the giant, this Ultraman looks nothing like his predecessors.
First and final transformation- the initial transformation reminds me of the Bio Booster GuyverIt looks like he's wearing an armour instead of a suit, which kinda tells you he's serious about kicking a$$es! There's only one monster in the movie, dubbed The One by the scientists. It is a beast that is capable of mutation- transforming from a human, to a small beast, and subsequently into more powerful forms as it absorbs other lifeforms into its body.
At the centre of the movie is the hero Shunichi Maki. Unlike previous Ultraman hosts who were young, single and (almost!)carefree,this guy really has a tough life. Maki was a middle-aged F15 pilot who left the air defence to spend time with his family; his 5-year-old son is suffering from a congenital blood disease that threatens to kill him before he turns 7. He's a man who just wants to be with his wife and son as they go through this difficult moment, but fate has chosen him to be Earth's hope against a monster that was going to destroy the planet. For more on the movie, do check out
www.ultramanlah.com which has an
archive on the movie. There you can find an excellend review plus an article where the director Konaka Kazuya talks about the movie.
I enjoyed the movie because it gives me a new twist to the Ultraman story- a story that doesn't make you laugh at its silliness. Rather it makes you empathise with the struggles of a father who's trying to do the right thing and be with his son at the same time and the pain of a scientist who must kill her loved one who has turned into a monster.
Hopefully, there'll be more such feature films coming in future.
Labels: personal
|
----------###----------
Surprise, surprise
Q:
What's better that 1 pair of FREE Nike shoes?
A:
2 pairs of FREE Nike shoes!Introducing my Nike Spin Trainer.
This is the best picture I could get from the net, though mine is actually silver and navy blue and not black as shown.
I really didn't see this coming. Yesterday morning I got an sms from
Leng Lui(a senior group-x coordinator- I call her
leng lui for obvious reasons) that my Nike shoes were with her. I was puzzled
since I wasn'' cheating on my gf and left my shoes with Leng Lui at her place as I had already collected my Nike shoes from Mommy(another senior group-x coordinator). Turned out that I got this one for cycling.
I tried the shoes yesterday evening and the cutting is slightly smaller than the regular Nike shoes- after all, it's for studio cycling. Fortunately, I can still wear 'em without much discomfort(another RPM instructor couldn't wear his).
Though thankful for the 2nd pair, I am sort of caught in a situation as to what to do with it. I am already using Sidi cycling shoes with Look pedals so I would definitely not wear this Spin Trainer for my RPM.
In moments like this, thank God for eBAY that I can sell my shoes for cash After much consideration, I'm gonna keep this for a while and maybe use them later for Body Combat. I think they will look stunning when I do my side kicks.
Speaking of Body Combat, last Friday we had a Body Combat tuition with Jacq. Jacq gave a feedback to this guy that his technique has improved much; no longer he is a Body Jam instructor who teaches Body Combat, but a Body Combat instructor. That comment made me think about myself as an instructor. I am currently doing Body Combat, RPM, and Body Pump and I wonder where I am. Am I:
a) A Body Combat instructor who teaches RPM and Body Pump?
b) An RPM instructor who teaches Body Combat and Body Pump?
c) A Body Combat and RPM instructor who teaches Body Pump?
d) An instructor who is trying to teach Body Combat, RPM and Body Pump?
I am neither trained in martial arts nor race cycling- the closest things were imagining myself as a kung fu master(as a kid) and cycling to buy groceries/food. As for weight training, my first experience with weights was in 1998 after being dumped by my S'porean ex(yeah, low self-esteem).
I wish I could ask my gf where I stand as an instructor, but
since she worships me, she'll probably say I'm the greatest instuctor in the universe she could be biased- so the search for an answer goes on...
If I may list down my favourite programmes, the order will be this:
1)Body Combat
2)Body Pump
3)RPM
However, at the moment 60% of my classes is RPM, and 20% each for Body Combat and Body Pump. I wish I could do more combat but the fact of the matter is we are short of RPM instructors. Some more we have quite a number of BC and BP instructors around so the pie is pretty small for everyone to share. Hopefully with more gyms opening next year, I can secure more BC and BP classes. Another encouraging fact is with the conclusion of 2 RPM instructor trainings, there are now more RPM instructors to help us out.
Maybe next year I'll do Body Balance? (If you're reading this, Jacq... You can't pay me enough to do Body Jam!!!)
Labels: beyond gym
|
----------###----------
Old flame
Before I really knew her, she was already well known among the blokes. Even the ladies talked about how good and beautiful she was. I had always wanted to make her part of my life but I often wondered if she was way above my league.
Eventually in 1996, we started our relationship right before I left for my studies in Sydney. And throughout my time there, I took pride in having her beside me wherever I went. Sure, I had others that came along during that period, but deep down inside she was the one I loved the most.
Then something happened. After checking with some of my friends, I began to suspect that maybe she wasn't as trustworthy after all. I have entrusted her to take care of me, but somehow she might have been more interested in my money only. Slowly and surely, we began to drift apart and in 2001, after one incident which I shall not digress yet, I decided that enough was enough- I told her that she would need to show me more care and protection or I would never ever be with her again.
I thought that it would be the end of our relationship, but alas, we crossed path again in 2003 when I joined
Fitness First. She was still as beautiful as ever-if not more- and apparently she had gone through some changes. Even though we met almost everyday at the gym, I tried to stay away from her and stick to the others. But slowly, I was beginning to let my guard down and finally I warmed up to her. I discovered that she was actually collaboraing with the gym on a long term basis. So, there's no way I could ever avoid her again.
As months went by, the more I spent time observing her the more I learned to trust her again. However, there was still one big barrier that was preventing from trust her completely. But, now that I am working for Fitness First, we have become- sort of- a TEAM.... and Tuesday night, she finally gave me a dare; a challenge to trust her completely with my whole being....
including my feet.Introducing my first sponsored
Nike shoes.
The model is Nike Shox 45 for cross training, and they couldn't have come at a better time- my old Adidas outsoles are very thin now. I've not used Nike shoes since the 1st generation Presto I bought in 2001. Sure, the Presto were very comfortable walking shoes but they provide no ankle support- a couple of times I twisted my ankles on uneven ground. For a pair of shoes that costed RM250, I felt then that I was being ripped off. It was then that I decided not to buy any Nike product.
However, after working out at the gym, I began to have quite a lot of people using Nike products that I started buying the tops for my classes. To be honest, I totally love the Nike Dri-FIT, Sphere tops but I was still hesitant about getting Nike shoes.
As a part-time with Fitness First, I had been getting sponsored Nike products but this is my first pair of sponsored shoes.
Like any other Nike shoes, this pair of shoes looks great! I have not tried them in my classes yet but this time round, I'm more confident in them now. I took my sister shopping in July before she went back to Shanghai and she bought a pair of nike trainers. So far she said that the shoes have been excellent. If only I can get my hands of the Nike Free...
Besides the shoes, I also got the following stuffs:
THANKS NIKE!!!!!
Labels: beyond gym
|
----------###----------
More bulu ketiak...
I was walking around Brooklyn when these cool guys drove by
They said "we’re looking for a good time baby, wanna ride?"
I flashed my biggest smile,
I said "hey, sounds like fun"
Then I flash my armpit hair.
They turn. They run.
Armpit Hair! Armpit Hair! (it’s a weapon)
Armpit Hair! Armpit Hair! (use discretion)
Well, I hear that the Senate is planning a convention to pass an amendment
On body hair prevention. I’m planning on attending,
I’ll be sitting in the front row.
I’ll have chains on my pits screaming
"Hell no, it won’t go!"
I’m like Inspector Gadget, when I unfurl my curls
I lasso all the bad guys, then I rope in all the girls.
Well, I figure I owe ‘em cause they saved me
From the clueless and the hairless Patriarchy!
Armpit Hair, Armpit Hair! (you know it)
Armpit Hair! Armpit Hair! (grow it, grow it!)
Well, I want to go to Europe, the land of Brave and Free
Where it’s considered natural for girls to be hairy.
Where gillette don’t make a profit off of keeping women busy
As pleasers with their shavers and their razors and their tweezers.
So to all the boys and the men with the furry, furry masses
With the ape like backs and the very hairy a**es.
I don’t find that particularly pretty
So get your opinion out of my hairy pitty.
Armpit hair! (forget..) Armpit hair! (gillette)
Armpit hair! (don’t cut it) Armpit Hair! (rapunzel swung from it!)
excerpt from[Armpit Hair](mammally factual)©2001 Alix Olson.Note: I was planning to publish the entire poem but realised that some parts are rated R, and this blog is supposed to be MA(Aussie ratings, because Malaysian ratings basically don't mean much). On a happier note, I'm pleased to inform you that my hair is growing well!Labels: personal
|
----------###----------
Things that make you go "Huh?"
Nothing much to blog about today. I need to do some statistics for my boss... so, here are a few things that caught my eyes recently.
At Taman Tasik Perdana
This is quite a dangerous move. Doing this exercise will put a lot of pressure on the lower back. The lower back should stay on the platform all the time. You don't need to take your legs up all the way to work your lower abs.
This reminds me of what our DPM said about reality talent shows, "No hugging, we're Muslims" How about "No kissing, we're Malaysians?"
Shopping Centre in Cheras
So the theif goes free?
I'm moved too... to laughterAt the pharmacy
Wanna get horny?Labels: personal
|
----------###----------
My Nike Tribal Challenge preliminary round
Sunday morning we went to the first service at 8.30am because of the afternoon Nike Tribal Challenge at Menara Summit. Driving from Ampang to USJ is quite far by Penang standard but with the help of Kesas highway, we reached USJ within 30 minutes.
We were supposed to have another practice but Ann and Evie came late. Finally when everybody was around, we worked on a few extra performance stuff we thought of after watching The Curve's preliminary round.
I have no idea what I looked like dat...The class started at 2.15pm, led by Swee. She's supposed to do the warm up and then the 2 tribes would take over, before she wrapped everything up.
Kat's team was up first and they did BC 16 The Whistle Song and BC23 Hardcore Paradise. They had a full team of 3 girls and 2 guys. You could defintely see the energy oozing from their performance. With loads of showmanship, they had done their homework, though I felt some of the stuffs they did looked rather unnatural and somewhat disorganised compared to Terence and his tribe(cannot help it, have to mention them again). Technique-wise, I thought it could have been better.
They did okay with the songs but in the second half of Hardcore Paradise, the entire tribe went off beat for about 10-15 seconds- perhaps they got a bit carried away with it. Anyhow, the good news for them was they managed to find their way back into the beat.
After that, it was our turn. I made in the introduction and got things started. We did BC24 Sexy and BC20 I Don't Need Nobody. My objective of choosing the 2 songs was to show 2 different contrast: 1 with smooth sensual movement, the other pure power and energy. Most of our showmanship was in our first track and the emphasis was on the entire tribe's technique.
Ascending elbows with clean shaven armpits
Combat guard
Jab comboSwee took over after we were finished and at the end of the class, my boss Jacqueline actually announced the results. We lost by 1 point to Kat's tribe. It was a bit disappointing but all is not lost.
Somehow right before the result was announced, I had the feeling that we were 2nd- the fact that Jacqueline was looking at me when she mentioned that the 2nd team may still make it to the final via wildcard, probably helped a bit.
So what went wrong? Looking at the competition at The Curve and Summit, it was pretty obvious what the MAIN criteria was: SHOWMANSHIP. No doubt Kat's tribe had more to show in this department.
When I said that I was going the wrong direction with the practices, she made quite a profound statement:
"You were training us to be instructors...."
That's the spot.
Being a perfectionist in the things I do, I tried hard to improve the ladies' technique that I'd neglected the fun factor of the tribal challenge. Most of the practices, you'd get "guards up", "roll your shoulders", "set your heels," etc instead of more showmanship. Darn, I suck as a tribal leader, but I sure did one heck of a good job as a teacher- I'm convinced at least 2 of my tribe members can now attend a Body Combat instuctors' training and pass it.
Friendly competitionSo what's next for the tribe?
I think everyone should start praying hard(the whole tribe is made out of christians who worked in the medical line since Jean pulled out) for the wild card. In the meantime, we won't be practising unless we are selected for it... but I'll be looking at the songs again to see what other fun stuff we could do in the tracks for the final round should it happen.
Even if we are not chosen to the final round, it has been a nice experience getting to know Ann, Jean and Evie. It's been wonderful taking up the role of a teacher for once in Body Combat. For the three ladies and my gf, at least they will always remember to keep their boxing guards up in every Body Combat class.
|
----------###----------
Rumble at The Curve
The tribal challenge officially started last weekend. Of the three programmes, my only concern was of course Body Combat. So Last Saturday, immediately after my RPM class in Menara SPK, I rushed to The Curve with my gf to see Terence and Renee in action... and boy I wasn't disappointed!
It's a pity I didn't bring my camera that day. When I reached there, the first tribe led by You was presenting track 2 and 3 from the current BC release. From outside, the tribe looked pretty disorganised. The tribe members seem lost at times, not knowing what was coming next. They're gonna be steamrolled by Terence and Renee, I thought to myself.
Terence's tribe was next. All his tribe members(all females) wore black camisoles and he was wearing his BC top. They also had dogtags around their necks(though Terence lost his after the presentation) and with black wraps on their fists and black/white army fatigues bottoms, they really looked the part!!! They presented power track 1 from BC23 and track 6 from BC24. Techniquelly the tribe members were not that good but it was fun watching them. For track 6, Terence even started the track like a drill sarge with a cigar in his mouth and a revolver!!! The tribe members didn't look nervous(if they were) and they seemed to be having loads of fun.
Next on was Renee's tribe. They were wearing all black with words like "ARMY", "COMMANDO" on their top. With yellow wraps, they didn't catch that much attention as Terence's tribe, but they were power and energy personified! Their presentation of track 3 from BC16 and track 7 from BC15 were powerful and the moves were well executed, though I wonder how her tribe was allowed to do 2 power tracks(the rules state that tribe must do 2 contrasting tracks). It was a very tight presentation overall.
So who won?
My gf and I both agreed that Terence's tribe was more fun to watch with good showmanship. However, I felt that Renee's tribe had superior technique and should get the win over Terence.
I later found out that Terence's team won the qualifying round because of their showmanship. I was looking too much into the techniques of the tribe members and that proved to be a fatal mistake.
(To be continued...)
|
----------###----------
Final practice
Last Friday night, the tribe met at Fitness First Menara John Hancock right after my Body Pump class for a last practice. Didn't really do much but corrected their technique and helped them to remember the choreography.
The guy behind is not part of the actJean, who is not participating anymore, was there too.
"Just trying to be supportive..."Most of the time it was the final opportunity to get everything right. Call me a perfectionist, but techniques are very important to me(which leads to one problem, that I will digress later).
"Not when I'm drinking!!!"
Huh? Your friend said I pretty meh?
You wanna take pic, just take lah- I couldn't care less anymore...
OK, now you can shoot me...Since I only had about 1 hour's break before my RPM class, break was short and we went back to work.
Yeah ladies.... show me clean armpits!FF Menara Summit, here we come!
|
----------###----------
Life without bulu ketiak
This is my second day with my armpit hair. So how did it go yesterday?
I am feeling a bit of discomfort- a bit of
geseran and sticky.... makes me wonder how did the ladies(and some guys for that matter) can tahan this. Gotta remember to buy talcum powder to smoothen the skin later.
So I don't think this will be a permanent thing for me. The hair must come back once the tribal challenge over. At most, I will probably just trim it in future so that it doesn't resemble a wild bush. And just because I have nothing better to do, I have a link for you to go
HERE.
Speaking of the challenge, looks like Jean will not be joining us anymore. She will be flying to KK on Sunday morning for work and won't be back til 16 Sept. Even if we were to enter our team at the last gym to have the challenge(15 Sept at FF Wisma Consplant), it will still be too late. I will check with the judges on Sunday if Jean can participate in the later stage should we make it to the semi-finals. Not hoping much though...
My tribe is slotted to compete this
Sunday FF Menara Summit at 2.15pm. But the one to watch is still the clash between Renee and Terence at
4pm FF the Curve this Saturday. It's such a pity they are facing off in the first round because I think both tribes are worthy of a place in the finals. No offence to any other tribes competing there, but I think the winners of The Curve will be one of these 2 tribes -Maybe the losing tribe will then be given a wildcard entry to the next round too.
Seems to me that most combat tribes are doing muay thay tracks. I can understand that muay thay tracks give you a lot of chances to show power and aggression in the competition but the tribes should also consider the execution of the elbows. A lot of people, including some combat instructors, can't do the elbows properly and it will spoil the tracks. I had wanted to do power track 1 but my tribe members wanted muay thay so I had no choice. So, I chose one which I think is an easier muay thay to do. Hope things will turn out fine this Sun.
I will try to take some pictures of our tribe and let you all know the outcome of the preliminary round.
|
----------###----------
Goind bald for my tribe
No, I didn't shave my head.
It's rather unfortunate that my hair on my head is rather soft- I can never do much styling with it. Some more it's so little that people think I have a receding hairline. Anyhow, I will be wearing my bandana for the competition so the hair no a problem here.
My problem is I will be wearing a sleeevless top and for the muay thay track, executing a ascending elbow would expose my unsightly armpit hair. So yesterday night with the assistance of my gf, I did something I've never done before in my entire life- I shaved my armpit.
This is how it looks like now...
...
...
...
...
...
...
almost as smooth as a baby's bottom...
|
----------###----------
How I spent my Merdeka...
This normally doesn't happen to me but I actually went shopping with 3 ladies yesterday. Before you think I was in ABC(alligator, buaya, crocodile) mode, let me clarify they are my tribe members for the upcoming Nike Tribal Challenge: My gf, Ann, and Jean. The last member, Evie, couldn't make it because she was have stomach pain
probably her aunty is visiting her again, if you ask me.
We met at Mid Valley City and started our shopping at Studio R for our wraps. Everyone was late except my gf and I. Anyhow, eventually Jean turned up, followed by Ann. We had planned to get black wraps for our hands since we wanted to wear red top with black bottom, but unfortunately they only have red ones. I then suggested that Ann, Jean and I should wear black top with red wraps and I could lend my 2 black wraps to my gf and Evie. So Ann and Jean got their red wraps while I bought a bright yellow one for my own use in class. We then proceeded to look at other shops like Why Pay More?, My Dance Shop, and Puma(because Ann wanted a pair pumas). I tried to help out with the clothe selections but realised that my feminine side has gone dormant for far too long since my uni days(when I was hanging out with 5 female uni-mates then). I decided to stop helping because my taste was obviously out of sync with theirs; besides, it felt a bit too gay.
After Ann for her Puma shoes, we decided to have our lunch... which was when I remembered my camera in my waist bag. So I took it out and tried to take Ann and Jean's picture.
"darn that cup!"This is Ann. She's in her 20's (though she looks very young because of her petite build) and works as a medical saleslady with a renown company. She was the person who left her number at the front desk of FF Subang Jaya for me. Apparently she used to attend my Friday combat classes there before I moved to another location but when I first met her, I could not remember seeing her before(I still can't!)... maybe I'm getting old
or she's too short for me to notice.
She didn't really want her pictures to be taken, especially after my gf said that I was going to publish them on my blog. However, Jean was more than happy to help me with it.
Thanks for being a good sport!Jean is also in her 20's and she works as an auditor with a top accounting firm... which is quite odd because she doesn't look nor behave like one
since people who deal with numbers are the most boring people in the world. Like Ann, she looks much younger than her age. When I first met her, I thought she was still studying!
Evie(might as well mention her too though she wasn't around), who should be in her 20's as well, is Ann's colleague. She's quite tall, probably around 5ft7in or so. Because of her long limbs, she faces the same problem like me... we both have to work a little harder to look strong with our Body Combat execution.
While we ate and chatted I tried to take Ann's picture again but she spotted me...
"No, no, no...."
I'm not going to give up, I told myself.
After lunch, Ann and Jean wanted to have some Baskin Robbins because of the 31% discount. So they headed for their ice-cream while I went down to the car park area to get a quick hair cut at
X-Cut. RM15 for a 15 min cut was not bad a deal(too bad my camera battery was weak and I wanted to try to shoot Ann again later).
When we went back to Baskin Robbins, we found Ann and Jean eating away their quart. It was exactly at their moments of ecstasy and vulnerability that I managed to do this.
YES! I've got you!By the time she realised it, it was too late. So they did the next best thing: continue to indulge in their Baskin Robbins.
Ta-dah... Finsihed!Once they're done, We went straight to FF Summit for our practice. Miraculously, Evie was no longer in pain(gas, she said) and would be meeting us there.
So we practise in the mini studio together, again me helping them to fine-tune their techniques. Overall, things look much better but my main concern now is their side kick execution. Hopefully the other tribes are having similar problems because doing beautiful side and roundhouse kicks are probably a huge challenge; even some instructors can't get it right.
We practised for about 1 hour and we also took a look at the main studio where our competition will be held this Saturday. We sorted out our position and by then, the gym was closing( the gym closed at 5pm because of public holiday).
We changed our clothes(Ann, Jean, and Evie didn't bathe) and went our separate ways since my gf and I were going to watch Red Eye at GSC. Somehow we bumped into them again on our way to the cinema and my gf decided to have some tom yam, sort of like a prelude to our holidays.
By the time she's done, it was almost 6pm and we bade farewell to the three ladies and left... but not before I took a shot at Evie- she's the one in the middle.
Next practice: Friday 8pm at FF Menara John Hancock!
Labels: personal
|
----------###----------
The flag is down
There you go- introducing my new banner!!
Hope you like it... Brand new banner, but same old crap.
Labels: personal
|
----------###----------
