Fruit Lovers In Hiding

It's the bane of any woman....

I discovered recently that the orange peel at my thighs have grown more obvious. It didn't help that my pear-shaped body (I'd like to think of myself as having the J-Lo body type hehe) actually accentuated the lumps 'n bumps.

hey....these are top quality fruits ok.....

On further thought....does it really matter? Why do ppl place such a high expectation on a woman to remain firm & taut, orange-less? Even stars like Kylie & Jennifer Love weren't spared of the cruel jibes & it's sad - 2 women at their prime having to contend with what the public expects them to be.

Many fail to realise that wisdom & true beauty takes time to penetrate into one's inner self . They'll take over the place occupied by self-doubt & ignorance - and when they do, all imperfections are pushed out & we are whole. Why then do we get disgusted looks for having wrinkles & orange peel?

So ladies...no matter what apple, orange, pear, rambutan, pomelo or soursop body you have...the next time you see orange peel on yourself - hold your head up high & be proud of the journey you've taken!!

I've decided that the man who'll win my love & everlasting devotion has gotta be a fruit-lover....someone who'll take me for who I am - orange peel, pear shaped & what not.

Hey, It's a Mini Gym Workout...

I've so far went for 4 physio sessions. The first 2 were pretty uneventful as the therapist thot that my ankle was still too swollen to work on. "It's hollow....see??? " she poked her finger on the swell n sure enough there was a temporary dent on my ankle. So it was ultrasound-cold pack which was slapped on at each session.

The physio area is quite interesting...familiar machines like the treadmill, stepper, cross trainer, stationery bikes (yessssss) & simple weight machines are available...together with yoga mats, fitballs the place actually looks a like a small gym.

Started off the session with a 10-min ride on the bike (oh yesyesyesyessssss). Then came the balance workout -

Therapist (a certain Miss P) : Y'know, ppl usually sprain their ankles coz their balance is bad. If their balance is good they could've kept fr falling...
Moi : Izzit ?? (ok....i gotta admit that balance isn't one of my strongest points....it's one thing i have to constantly work on for my dancing)
Miss P : (Thinks I'm not convinced) Ok this is what I want you to do. Stand on ur right foot n move ur left foot to the front of ur right foot then to the back....do this 30 times....then switch over n stand on ur left leg n repeat 30 times....
Moi : (Ok....I can do that....no sweat....)
Miss P : .....with ur eyes closed....
Moi : (OH SHITTTT....)

It wasn't simple....but I improved with every session.

Next balance workout....Miss P dragged in a plank with 2 arched legs...kinda like a rocking chair n put them between 2 railings.

Miss P : Now....stand on the plank....rock forward & hold for 5 counts....then backward & hold for 5 counts....WITHOUT moving ur body....use ur ankle joints....
Moi : (i can do this....i can do this...)
Ms P : ....without holding on to the railings....(what da...do these ppl go for KGB torture courses??!)

If that wasn't bad enough -
Miss P : remain standing on the plank....(passes me a ball)....now bounce the ball on the wall n catch it when it bounces back....30 times....
Moi : (Boingboingboingboing.....)
Miss P : (a short while later) 30 times already ??
Moi : Nope....70, 80 times.....(gloat, gloat)

I automatically pulled my posture upright as i normally do during dancing...it helped to maintain my balance. Wow....i didn't know that salsa can help in physiotherapy :p

Some resistance training added on with giant elastic bands - can be done at home using a huge bath towel.

Latest workout (added on in 4th session) -
Miss P : Use the sides of ur big toes to lift the ball, count till 5 ten lower down, 20 reps....then repeat with ankles n then sides of ur feet....

This one was a great workout for the quads as well.

One more week to go, so i'll be milking those sessions for all they're worth.

My Poor Car

Me & my car (past & present) have always had a wonderful relationship. They're some of my most faithful companions...they're not flashy, but we've gone places together & they've always brought me to my destinations safely. And I always return the favor by making sure they're regularly serviced & kept neat. Ppl who've been in my car can attest to that. So when a faithful companion is injured, you can imagine the wrath on my part.

Was on my way to see Doc yesterday when I approached a motorbike which has a side wagon. The wagon was piled high with metal sheets & all sorts of stuff you can expect to find from a junkyard. It was obvious that the wagon was overfilled as the bike driver was driving at snail speed & was struggling to keep it moving.

Seeing that, I decided to overtake the vehicle as I had a chance to do so. There was a clear stretch of road ahead of me shortly before the turning into Doc's office. However as soon as I overtook, the lights turned yellow & I knew I wouldn't be able to make the turn. So I hit the brakes & went as far as I could before I stopped, knowing the bike was behind me.

3 seconds later....there was a screech & a huge jolt at the back of my car. Before I know it, the wagon was stuck at my friend's side. The bike driver (an Indonesian) came to my window with a shocked look. He apologized for not being able to stop on time....my suspicion is that the bike's brakes were faulty as well & added to the overweight wagon, my poor car stood no chance even though it stopped a distance from the bike.

I asked to see his boss, but he said that he works for himself. He may or may not be lying; anyhow I have a nagging feeling that he may not even be legit. It'll be no use lodging a report...besides that may even trigger a chain effect which will eventually impact the family he may be trying to support. There's no way that he could afford to pay for the damage, so I'll just put it down on bad luck.

*SNIFF* My friend's disfigured...

Knock us as much as you can....me & my faithful friend shall bounce back.

90% Healed??

After 6 weeks, there's still a bulge around the ankle joint which can jolly swell up towards the end of the day. Some days there's a sporadic dull pain & on other days it was fine. It's kinda eating me that it's taking that long to recover & wonder if there's any hidden injury that I'm not aware of...

Forced the GP to give me a referral to an ortho specialist who reassured me that the ankle is healing; however since it's a bad sprain it'll take longer than usual to fully recover. He then put me into 2 wks of therapy.

Doc just declared that I'm now 90% recovered....how he got the number baffles me.

But 2 docs saying the same thing can't be wrong.

I Survived Gym!!

After a near 6-week absence from the gym, I finally returned to the Happy House Of Torture. With Doc's advice in mind, I headed for the area which no one will see me go before my injury....the treadmills & machines section. Being a regular group exercise groupie, I brace myself for another 4 wks of boredom. I survived a 1-hour workout with almost no strain on my bad ankle & hey, it didn't swell up as I feared it would.

Even though I have limited workout options, I'm glad that I can do something to strengthen my legs & at the same time keep the rest of my 40-year-old body from the effects of gravity. I know it'll be hard to watch others do my fave RPM, BodyJam, BodyCombat & BodyPump tracks...but I guess I'll have to wing it for the time being.

Service With A (Forced) Smile

Very few friends know that I've once considered going for flight attendant tryouts when I was in college...just another one of those moments of madness.

Being petite I knew I wouldn't make the height requirement. Back then I used to wonder what the fuss was all about just because I'm 1cm shorter than the min height reqt. It was only when I started flying frequently on my job that I realised height is needed...to reach the overhead compartment.

It was also during my flights that I realised it wasn't such a glamorous job after all - firstly its a chore having to slap on all those thick makeup & create a typhoon-safe hairdo...and I'm a hopeless slob.

It is also unavoidable for any rookie attendant to be assigned economy class duties but that has its extra downsides -
- Standing for long hours, doing balancing acts with that hot cuppa in your hand & having to smile thru the whole act. There are times when you wonder whether you're hired to serve or be a circus act...
- Having to brush past the shoulders of those "bigger" male passengers....I can bet you that some of them enjoy it
- Having to eat leftover airline meals - not that they are good to begin with. You can't afford to starve or even worse, faint due to low sugar levels during long haul flights
- Having to serve meals - and then collect the cutlery & crockery - in record time
- Having to unbuckle yourself from the seat to run to a jakun passenger who has conveniently got up from his seat to talk to a neighbouring friend whilst the plane is queueing for take-off
- Having to remain patient when a passenger keeps making silly demands - happened in my recent flight back from Tokyo. It was bad enough that I was coughing my lungs out, I had to travel on economy beside this Msian guy. As with my other economy flights, I'll usually board early as kiasu Me wanna hog compartment space ~

Moi : (Buckled up, settled down with magazine. Took aisle seat as usual on economy flights)
Guy : (Came in fashionably late) Oh excuse me....
Moi : (a bit annoyed....but remained calm...unbuckled myself, stood up & let the guy thru)
Guy : (Fidget, fidget, fidget....)
Moi : (What da????!)
Plane took off....
Attendant : (Bringing the 1st drink) Would you like some juice?
Moi : (Took a drink) Thanks
Guy : Do you haf champagne?
Moi : (Hah?)
Attendant : (Sweet voice) No sir, we don't serve champagne...
Guy : You don't haf champagne?
Attendant : (Still sounding sweet) No sir we don't ...
Guy : What about sparkling wine?
Moi : (Siau...)
Attendant : (Trying very hard to sound sweet) No sir we don't have that either...
Guy : Has it always been like that?
Moi : (I gotta save the poor girl). Muttering to my magazine I went ~ Wellifyouareinbusinessclassyoucanhaveanythingyouwantbutthisiseconomy....
Attendant : (Heard my muttering...regained composure) Yes, if you are in business class then you can get champagne
Guy : (Obviously thirsty from all his talking) Get me a beer then
Attendant : Yes sir, in a moment

Later on during the flight, when meals are served...
Guy : I'd like coffee....with fresh milk
Moi : (Wha...??! Ok if it wasn't for the earlier has-it-always-been-like-that champagne thingy I wouldn't have reacted to this one)
Attendant : I will get it for you sir after I've served dinner
A few minutes later, attendant returned with cup of fresh milk ...
Attendant : Here you go sir, I'll serve the coffee in a minute
Captain : (Over PA system) L&G we are currently experiencing some turbulence. For your safety there will be no hot drinks served....
Moi : (HAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA.....)
Guy : (Stares at cup of milk)
Attendant : I'm sorry sir I can't serve you coffee at the moment
Guy : Errr....get me a 7-up then

To all you flight attendants out there....for all that you go thru in the skies, I salute you.

Post-Injury Therapy Blues

It looks like I'm not thru with the barks & roots yet...I still feel a massive pull around the joints whenever I do stretching exercises on the ankle. Sigh.

The only bright news is that the limbs are indeed a lot more relaxed with swimming, and Doc has taught me more stuff to get those wretched muscles & ligaments back in shape -

Doc : ok...after you're done swimming...stand at the balls of your feet....and count to 50. that way, you'll strengthen both ur calf & hamstring...
Moi : ooohh....like wearing hi heels...
Doc : NONONONO HI HEELS....
Moi : aiyah...i mean stand like wearing hi heels...
Doc : ohhh....ah yeah lah (writing prescription) remember ur diet ah....
Moi : (*!#%&!!)

And I tend to get tired very fast lately. Could it be a reaction to the sudden halt in activities, or am I coming down with something again....

Whip Up The Speedos

Today's session has gotta be the shortest one so far. All Doc did was take a look at my ankle, press his thumb at the flattened bulge & went ~

Doc : aha...it is way less stiff than 3 days ago
Moi : yes ah?? (sure or not?)
Doc : (writing prescription) remember....no tea...chinese tea, teh tarik, whatever tea....
Moi : (suddenly wide awake) oh....that means i can take everything else? (i'm seeing ice-creams running towards me)
Doc : oh no no....still cannot take spicy, chilli, tea, cold stuff (ice-creams suddenly make U-turn *@!*#!!)

However I have a feeling that my bittersweet affair with the medication might be ending soon & the ice-creams, teh-o ais limau will all come running back to me. Doc told me it's time that I start rebuilding strength on my leg...told me to go swimming. By stopping salsa & gym visits, I thot that my fitness levels will hit rock bottom...so this is good news.

So it's time to whip up the swimsuit & make full use of the condo pool...after all I'm paying $$ for its maintenance.

A Moment Of Marked Madness

Months before my birthday I told myself that I'll get a tattoo on my lower back...just to leave a mark for turning 40.

Since my bday had come & gone and all I now have is a twisted mess of ligaments, I'm now thinking...what kind of mark should I then make? Spotted a model on a magazine cover with a pierced bellybutton. Well well well....

Realign My Sanity Please

Just now, Doc asked me how I'm feeling. I told him that I'm not doing that bad but not doing that well either - there was still pain on the ankle joint everytime I apply direct pressure on it or when I try moving my foot in an awkward angle. My foot's mobility is still somewhat limited even though I don't hobble around anymore. He checked my pulse & told me that I'm exhausted...which is true as I had a horrendous time in office last week & I hadn't fully recover from it over the weekend. Told you before...you can't hide anything from him.

He twirled my foot around & asked me to tell him in which position the ankle hurt. As expected, it was when the foot was bent towards the left as that was how I sprained it (duhhhh). Then begun a massage session which I can't even describe how painful it was. In a desperate attempt to prevent myself from screaming cold-blooded murder, I broke out in cold sweat...mind you, I was in an air-con room. Even Doc's Snoopy slippers couldn't put a smile on my face.

Surprisingly after a short massage (it felt like eternity though) he twirled my foot again & I found that it could be bent to a much wider angle before I felt any pain. Hey, the torture session worked. Motivated by the answer, he started massaging again to get more results. @*&#!%!!.....

I'm bracing myself for another painful session this coming Friday. After my ankle has healed, I wonder if I need additional sessions to realign my sanity. Well, at least the good Doc is merciful - he has taken off the earthworms from his latest prescription.

Suddenly Everything Looks Taller

Following Doc's advice of no high heels, I went to get myself a pair of flats. I figured that they look better than sandals in office.

Due to my bunion problem, I've steered clear of killer stilletos n pointy toed footwear but my shoes have always got some amount of heel in them. Probably the last time I've ever worn flatties to work on a weekday was like 10 yrs ago.

I sure walk funny in them...

Deliberate Stupidity??

It's always great going to Bangsar once in a long while despite its congested roads, SPGs & the occasional pretentious club hoppers. After all it had been my home for 25 yrs & it's interesting to see how it has changed since the last visit.

Took some ppl from the regional office for dinner at Telawi Street Bistro...known for its great food n relaxing ambience. Enjoying the entrees of mozarella tomato salad & lamb rolls (thank gawd they still serve something that don't break my diet) when we heard a guy shout "DON'T F**K WITH ME!!!" again & again for 5 long minutes.

Even though my guests are from HK & have undoubtedly encountered such scenes before, I secretly wished that someone will just walk up to that guy with a beer bottle (an empty one of course - no point wasting good beer on such a buffoon) & knock him out cold to spare me from further embarassment.

Turned out that one of the guys in the bar area was hitting on a girl who was with her bf...hence the outburst by the bf. I hope his actions have been alcohol-driven & not arising from plain stupidity...thinking he can get away with it. Isn't there supposed to be an unwritten social rule that a guy shouldn't hit on a girl who's with another guy...even though the girl herself is looking for a "sideline activity" & he's getting the come-hither signals from her?

As much as I love you guys & acknowledge the fact that most of you will defend me in my hour of need, you gotta admit there are a few of your kind out there who probably need some serious Pentium upgrade in their heads. If you haf a hot-looking gf & you wanna show her off, you're in for a busy time if you chose to hang out in an area that is basically a large pick-up joint. If you're busy ogling other girls, don't blame other guys for taking advantage of your moment of diversion. If you do not wish other guys to hit on ur girl, keep an eye on her or at least pay her enough attention so that she doesn't in turn get distracted by others.

Have your hands all over her as much as you want...for I'd rather witness gross PDAs than watching u embarass ur girl, cause distress to the others n worst of all, humiliate urself by public outbursts n profanity.

Lemang...Please Don't Foresake Me...

I just realised that this is the 1st Raya that I'll have to live thru without lemang n serunding *SNIFF*

It Takes A Posse To Bring Out The Best In You

When I first took up salsa 3 yrs ago, it was for the mere intention of picking up a new skill...a welcome diversion from my drab, mundane job & an outlet for stress. The first one-and-a-half years went on uneventfully. I dutifully turned up for classes but hardly went to the clubs...most of the ppl in my class weren't the clubbing type anyway. It didn't really bother me as I got what I wanted...or so I thought.

After the initial quiet period, more & more ppl signed up for classes...a group started forming & that was when things really took off. Despite coming from different backgrounds with different interests, we just simply clicked.

Any newcomer to the group will be amazed at how different we all are - with ages ranging from the mid 20's to late 40's, there are architects, businessmen, insurance agents, IT ppl, accountants (a few of them actually), bankers, marketeers, diving instructors, lawyers, kindy teachers, engineers, even a therapist for special needs children...the list goes on.

Apart from a love for the dance, we discovered that we also have other common interests - from shopping (I'm definitely not in this group LOL), travelling, photography, good food, japanese anime, fantasy stories, scuba diving to stuff like treasure hunting, car racing & theatre plays. There's always someone to do something or go somewhere with.

The Posse (as I call them) never fail to welcome a newcomer to the group, so the group's always growing. In fact the staff at Devi's Tmn Tun (the studio's right above it) recognise us & we in turn know a lot of them by name. One sight of us heading in & they'll start rearranging tables coz they know we are a big bunch of ppl...not to mention big eaters as well. Heck, we even taught them how to make perfect half-boiled eggs. We'd like to think that we have glamorised the place for them...but sorry lah, we still have to pay for our food haha.

The Posse's teh-tarik sessions are legendary. We can spend hours in conversation - swinging from mere nonsense (or talking cock as the gang calls it) & bitching abt ppl with attitude problems (ie those notorious ones who do badly in class & yet don't accept constructive feedback) to deep, profound discussions of life & problems.

Our salsa outings are now restricted to Little Havana on Fridays & for some of them, the Attic on Sundays.
On Saturdays some may plan for movies or what I call the crazy man's nite out - dinner at PJ followed by clubbing (they are Heritage Row kakis), then karaoke (read : atrocious renditions of 60's & 70's songs), ending with dim sum breakfast at Cheras. As mucn as I get taunted there's no way I'll be sucked into an all-nite outing like that.

But it has not always been an easy ride for us. There were times when we had heated arguments or took sides in a disagreement but we've always managed to talk things thru & never bore grudges for long. However when anyone needed encouragement, support or help, the Posse was always there for one another. We lived thru bad dance days, our instructor's comments on our dancing, shitty days in office, boy-girl problems...the list goes on. They are not afraid to tell someone off or give a reality check to ppl when they get out of line, but it's done out of honest, genuine concern. Somehow I can never seem to ask of the same from most of my non-salsa friends.

Some ppl outside the Posse find us intriguing...they seem to be amazed by the energy that the group has. I guess it's the way we were "brought up" in class...to always believe in ourselves & in one another, to value discipline & hard work, to give & accept criticism in a positive way, to encourage others & help one another to improve. It's the carpe diem attitude that has driven us to accept challenges & try new things. In fact, some of us have also seen changes in the way we interact with our families, colleagues & friends.

But if I was asked how a group of ppl who are so different stick together, I guess it's because of that...we're so different to start with. It'll always be an interesting journey of discovering one another...and a constant challenge to bring out the best in one another as we grow as individuals & friends.

To the Posse - I thank you for being in my life & for making me a part of yours. I will never be the person that I am if not for all of you.

When "Loose" Is A Nice Word

When you're a lady at 40 you'll probably turn murderous at the mere mention of words like "droop" "sag" or "loose". However it was music to my ears when Doc gave me good news - the injured ligaments have been healing well & have loosened up, which meant no more needle sessions!! The bulge will take some time to subside but everything is healing up nicely. He has even lifted the ban on seafood.

My 4th course looks dodgy...i saw them putting in stuff that looks like dried flattened earthworms.
*GULP* what to do...just close 1 eye lah...

However Doc warned that this is the riskiest phase of the recovery process - as the ligaments are now loose but still weak, it'll be easy to injure them again. His orders - no high heels, walk less & wear an ankle guard. Sigh. Grounded again.

They Really Look Good

After 10 days of grounding myself at home, I just couldn't take it anymore & dropped by the studio to see how the Intermediate 2 class is doing. If not for my injury, I'll be in that class.

Having been assessed before being accepted into that class (the most advanced level at the moment), it's an entire different ballgame for those of us who cleared the nerve-wrecking assessments. A higher expectation on strong dance discipline & focus on technique. Learning how to stand out in a crowd despite any physical disadvantages we may have (eg petite ppl like myself).

Sure enough, I witnessed the gang learning a superb, albeit technical routine & it's great to see attention paid to little details. Then comes Showtime...where everyone gets paired up & the routine will be performed one couple at a time whilst the others watch. Cikgu Sam usually videos all the routines. When you felt that you're oh-so-cool when dancing, try watching yourself on video. Part of the fun is laughing at how cacat everybody looked.

The gang told me that they're 1 girl down & asked when I'll be returning. I held my leg up to show them my ankle & they nodded. I really gotta get well quick.

The after-class teh tarik session at Devi's was great as usual...all the gossip & cock talk made up for the fact that I was surrounded by food that I can't touch (incl the teh tarik). The tandoori chicken never looked more tasty, curse....

It's Up There With Birth Contractions

I discovered to my delight today that I can walk almost as fast as I could before the accident. However the bulge below my ankle joint indicates that things are not quite back to normal yet.

More good news when Doc announced that the swelling & bruises are gone, however the ligaments are still weak. Then began another sadist session which was probably the most painful I've gone thru so far. I think Doc finally unleashed his full strength as the bruises are no longer there. In fact it was so painful that I yelled. So it was a case of -AARGH....*whew*....AAARGH....*relief*....OOWWWW....*calm*....OH SHIIITTTT....kinda like childbirth contractions. And it went on until Doc was satisfied he's done enough work with his hands & proceed to stick needles into my ankles again (they're 3 inches long btw).
I would've loved to bash him up...perhaps after I've recovered.

Begun my 3rd course...a slight switch in herbs which resulted in a grass-smelling concoction. Sigh.

Gr...Gro...Whatizit??!

One of my friends recently became the proud dad of a baby boy. When it came to the time for us to decide what to give the munchkin, there was a lot of thought invested on getting the baby something practical - something that the kid can use for many yrs, can use anywhere he goes, preferably something durable that can even be passed on to his future siblings...after all, we are Chinese & will want our money's worth, thank you.

One of the guys found something unusual on the Mothercare website. It's marketed as Grobag...it is supposed to be some kinda sleeping bag for the baby. So instead of bringing along a small mattress, pillows, blankets etc everytime they leave the house, parents can now just carry a Grobag & stuff the kid into it everytime he needs a nap and presto...baby will be kept warm & comfy.

cute-as-buttons Shen Jay, now 5 wks old, modelling the latest & hippest in nursery accessories.

lurve the i-hear-no-evil pose...

Kids have it so good these days. If a Grobag ever existed during my baby days, I bet you that it'll probably be something homemade - perhaps a quilt blanket made of leftover pieces of cloth (most likely left over from homemade pyjamas or curtains) which is then sewn together to form a bag. I still keep a quilt blanket which my late grandma made for me, which I wouldn't trade for any amount of $$ in the world - heck, it's one of the warmest blankets I've ever owned. Also in my drawers - my baby blanket - a light blue flannel blankie with a bumblebee stitched on it. Call me a sentimental fool but I'll never throw away anything handmade or bought with a lot of love...especially from those days when money was barely enough to go by.

Do Things Happen For A Reason?

This is probably the only time that I'll ever post so many blog entries within a week. My life for the past week has slowed down significantly as I temporarily throw out all of the robust activities that has become such a big part of me. Heck, I've even been walking a lot slower than I usually do. Perhaps it's a sign from the powers-that-be that I should give myself a break from routine. Or is it a warning sign that I've turned four-O & shd probably take better care of myself than I already am? So do things really happen for a reason?

Looking back at the past 5-7 yrs, I've gained a lot of friends, new skills, developed a more gung-ho attitude (sometimes with embarrasing results) & probably seen a lot more than I did in the first 30 yrs of my life. All these reqd very conscious effort that I shd come out of my shell or risk being left behind. At the same time I've lost touch with old friends or we've just simply grown apart due to the different paths we've chosen to take in our lives.

Some time ago I read an article in Cleo (probably the only local ladies' magazine that has some substance IMHO) on how we shouldn't cling on to friends despite knowing that they have grown apart from us. It's a big lesson on letting go & giving one another opportunities to make new friends & learn new experiences. Having realised this, I don't feel so guilty abt missing some old girls' get-togethers as there's really no common ground to bind me with them anymore except for the past.

I find that it also applies to my past relationships - it has become easier to accept the fact that sometimes things don't work out the way they were intended to. So I have the choice of deciding if I want to dwell in the past or to release the burden of bearing a grudge, learn my lessons & move on.

People change with every breathing moment. They gain new experiences, make mistakes & learn lessons as they go along. This is the inherent duty of any human being as they walk the face of this earth. Something is seriously wrong with anyone who does not change with time, or deny that they have changed.

Living in the 21st century meant better education opportunities for all, more knowledge to grasp & more challenges to face. People always wonder why married couples grow apart. To me, a marriage is a union between 2 people...2 human beings who are still very much individuals in their own right, evolving & improving all the time. Sometimes the paths they ultimately choose may differ - it has nothing to do with love lost, it's just a natural progression of their lives. Changes may occur during the marriage - it could be something as simple as a job or career change which will trigger off the entire chain of events.

That was exactly what happened to one of my aunts - she filed for divorce from her husband after 20 yrs of marriage. Her past romantic life was taken out from the script of a soppy 70s Taiwanese love story - her then-boyfriend (a terrific guy) had to work overseas for long periods of time, asked his friend to keep an eye out for her, and being the sentimental person she is (she did watch a lot of those Bridgette Lin-Chin Han films), she ended up falling for & marrying this friend (now her ex-husband). Relatives questioned my aunt's wisdom in choosing a husband, so it wasn't any surprise to them that the marriage bombed; but everyone was astonished that it took so many yrs to happen.

Now don't get me wrong...I'm all for marriage; however I will go into it with a sense of realism, to always cherish & appreciate my other half, to encourage him to grow as a person as long as we are capable of walking together in this wonderful journey called Life.

Of course a lot of ppl out there will disagree with my views - you have every right to. After all we are charting & walking our own paths. Live & let live.

Swell...no more!!

The smelly herbs & strict diet seem to be working. No more swelling...I can now see the metatarsals on my right foot. Never before have I loved my skinny feet so much!!

A bulge remains at the ankle joint, which meant that the ligaments haven't healed yet. It's still painful when I overexert so I'd better be a bit more patient. Looks like Doc's still gonna have a field day with his sadistic ways. But who's complaining.

Freak Show!!!

Just came home from a follow-up visit to Doc. He said my ankle's getting better, there's less swelling n all.

So the "realignment" session begun. He just seems to know which spots hurt the most & have this sadistic tendency to apply pressure on the worst spot, bending my foot back & forth, and asking "this is the spot that hurts most right?". Can someone remind me to bring along a pickaxe on my next visit.

The above was followed by a 20-min acupuncture session...4 needles below my ankle joint. I managed to whip out my hp & snapped a pic when Doc left the room for awhile -

my foot isn't THAT swollen ok...it's the camera angle

Doc changed the composition of herbs for my 2nd course - the boiled stuff tastes worse than the previous course, but I'll do anything to be able to return to the dance floor. An artist must suffer for her art, non?

Interesting fact : Do you notice that most ppl tend to sprain their right ankle instead of left? That's because we exert more body weight on the right foot. Sounds logical...Doc couldn't be pulling my leg...or shall I say foot (just punning).

This Is REALLY Not My Year :-(

I finally fulfilled my wish of going to Siem Reap, took 700+ shots, feeling really good abt it. It was so far a good outing till my 2nd last day when I went to Kbal Spean which is abt an hr's drive fr Siem Reap. The 2nd half of the journey was on potholed, red soiled roads. It didn't help that it rained the night before, so the roads were turned into puddles of red mud. I told myself the place had better be worth the trip...

Kbal Spean is famed for its 11th-13th century stone carvings on river banks & the river bed located near a small waterfall. What I wasn't told was that everyone had to do a 30-45 min hike up a hilly area. Sure, I'm in perfect physical condition to do so, but hiking is not exactly my cup of tea. Going uphill was as usual a breeze, but coming down was a different story, as I've got a bit of a vertigo problem n have this feeling that i may fall easily...

Got to the waterfall, sweaty n all, hoping to get some really good shots but the some of the carvings were heavily eroded n it took my frens quite some time to identify them. The noon sun was shining thru the jungle foliage n created specks of light on some of the carvings, so the pics didn't turn out as well as I hoped.

Well...you win some, you lose some, I thought. So we were making our way back to our van when I stepped on a wet tree root, slipped n landed my right ankle in an awkward position, lost my balance n fell on my tush.

The first few seconds was excruciatingly painful but being the trooper that I am, I made the rest of the downhill climb with little help from my friends.

My ankle now looks like a swollen blue-black glob. I could've attached a pic of it here but wouldn't wanna be sued for causing distress haha.

Seeking traditional Chinese treatment...not that I don't respect Western medicine, but in the case of sprains n strains trad treatment is better as it focuses on the source n not the symptom of the problem. Western docs would probably give you a jab n pills to ease the pain, but those things do practically nothing for misaligned muscles/ligaments which need to moved back to their original positions. Sounds like moments in hell (and feels like it too) but if that's not done it'll be easy for the same problem to recur the future. This girl has had enough sprains to know.

Doc said treat ankle first, then back. Okie dokes. Commented that the ligaments n muscles have stiffened up, so he happily stuck 5 acupuncture needles on my foot, left them there for 15 mins n then declared that the muscles have relaxed somewhat. Sent me home with 3 courses of herbs n a strict diet (no cold food, nothing sour or spicy, no crabs, prawns, squid...bananas?).

Strange things these Chinese medicine...break the diet n it's back to square one...you'll have to start the entire course all over again. Good ol' doc can't be cheated...one check of your pulse n he'll know if you've sneaked in the odd bowl of assam laksa or ice cream.

It's pretty fascinating to watch the workers at the clinic assemble the herbs. Using a small handheld dacing they'll measure x taels of root, bark n what not. I watched them closely in case they put in some dried bees or bugs. Hey...I need to know what I'll be drinking.

bark, bark n more wood. confirmed bee/bug free...

..everything goes into the pot...

...5 ricebowls of water, simmer till there's only 1 bowl left. how to know when it's already down to 1 bowl? experience la...

...boil n bubble, no more toil n trouble???...

...ok...at least it doesn't smell as bad as it looks...

...trust me. this is the only thing on earth that will get rid of the aftertaste...

...*ack* *gag* 1 down 2 to go....from Course #1

With the injury, that'll mean that I'll be missing salsa n gym for at least a month *SNIFF*

With the strict diet, that'll mean no ice-cream, jellies, watermelon, teas, roti tisu, lamb varuval, ikan bakar, marmite crabs, sambal...so much for my coming birthday celebration *SNIFF*

BUT...I'll escape the ragging by my salsa posse as I'll miss my bday dance wahoooo.....

Mother Nature, You Can Be Pretty Cool

Mother Nature sometimes presents me with great photo opportunities, like this one of the water markers which I took during a low tide at Karambunai, Sabah -

It may not be an award-winning shot, but it sure makes one heckuva wallpaper on PC.

It Can Never Get ANY Worse Than This

I thot the cough was getting better, but it flared up again on the eve of my business trip to Seoul. Completely lost my voice the following day which left me no choice but to cancel my flight in the last minute. I really hate ditching my boss on such an important trip, but I won't be of much value as a voiceless presenter.

ENT doc said that my voice box got infected which explained the disgusting crap that I've been coughing out.

Regained some of my voice today, though I now sound like a cross between a transvestite & a boy touching puberty :p

This REALLY Sucks

Here I am, in Tokyo for a week, with so much project work to cover...
But living in Roponggi which has like 7-8 salsa clubs & looking forward to some salsa on Friday...

I had to fall sick during the flight to Narita...

This really sucks :(

An Almost Perfect Vacation :)

Workshops in the afternoon...
Learning some neat stuff...
Dance party in the evening...
To be tickled silly by (and to tickle !!) a top Aussie instructor...
The chance to dance with many others...
Opportunity to witness & be awed by some of the best salsa dancers in action...
Learning how much I can gain by stepping out of the box...
Realising that what I've learnt may not necessarily be all that I know...boy did I surprise myself...
Also realising that it's not about the fancy moves, but rather the personality of the dancer that determines a good dance...

MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL -
Watching the all-new Team Havana performing amongst the greats...
The stronger-than-ever unity of the HE posse...
The nite time poolside carnage!!
Watching your salsa mates get thrown into the pool. It's futile to resist...
Witnessing their drunken antics...and drinking some crappy stuff they passed off as fantastic...
Being in the company of some of the most fun-loving ppl I've grown to adore...

If only I hadn't gotta go to bed, the vacation would've been perfect.

That's the MSF at its best.
For all of you who missed it....nyehnyehnyeh nnnnyyyeeehhhh nyeeeeehhhhh..........

Owwwwww...Tum on Fire

Wanna discover abdominal muscles you never knew you had???
Do 10 minutes of non-stop super body waves & reverse body waves.

Word of Caution : Your abs will be sore for the next 3 days. Unless you love pain, pray hard that you don't cough or choke on your food/drink...

But it's such good pain. I wouldn't mind doing it week after week. Currently imagining myself having abs that rival Beyonce's. Ah...the power of dreams ;)

I really need to practise...

twas a cool routine we did at class last nite...at least that was what some onlookers thought. but technically challenging for the girls. the whole pushing n pulling n tension n all will only work if the guy's leads were equally strong. didn't help that some of the guys in class were softer than goosefeather pillows & a couple of others were treating their partners like roti canai. so bosongggg...

i struggled with the moves but managed to get it right in the end. thot i got everything down pat when a partner change got me paired up with cikgu aisha. she nodded n nodded her approval on my moves till the last move which was the usual CBLT...kacang putih stuff to an Intermediate, but cikgu aisha suddenly said "you got a lazy right leg". apparently my right foot stepped backwards too early after completing the turn. i usually ace this move in class n during practice...but then again, i haven't been practising in the studio for almost 2 mths. padan muka ler....

looks like it's gonna be sunday afternoon practice in studio again. sigh...

Twisted Gastronomical Twists

the Chinese will eat almost anything - from newborn rats to pink fat worms to animal genitalia & other unthinkable stuff you can imagine. i beg to differ, but that doesn't mean i've not eaten some pretty weird or disgusting stuff-

coral fish - believe it or not, i was once forced to take this. it wasn't something that i'm proud of & i told myself i won't do it again. nemo will always look cuter in water than in my stomach.

black egg - back in 2004 i visited the Owakudani Valley in Japan....it's a volcanic area with many hot springs. one of the specialties there were eggs boiled in the hot springs itself. the mineral content of the spring water was so high that the eggshells turn black by the time the eggs are cooked. i bought one & it took almost a whole day before i was convinced enough to eat it -

It's really an egg....

.......still not convinced???? .........


.....point proven. note the teeth marks muahahahaaa............

super-contaminated, half-raw pork - happened during my college days when bbq parties were the rage. the grill was set up in a backyard which was so dark that torchlights were used to "illuminate" the food, which made it worse coz we couldn't see if the meats were cooked right thru or just burnt on the outside. unfortunately for me, the piece which i took was the latter & let me tell u...when food is prepared at a rented house with no fridge, rest assured that it's party time for those unicellular critters called bacteria.

in the middle of the nite i was throwing up, running fever & chills n basically feeling like a shithole. went to the clinic like 4 times over the next 7 days but nothing which went down my throat stayed down...not even a mouthful of water. i had to sleep on a reclining chair as that's the only way i could keep from puking. the olympics were on that year...and rtm/tv3 just HAD to telecast weightlifting events the whole day. let me tell you, pot-bellied bald men in tights doing the clean 'n jerk are not a turn-on....more so when your stomach is on strike.

"i demand to be released!! i'm innocent. the bacteria made me do it"...

by the 7th day, my mom got so worried that she even went to consult a temple medium who confirmed that i wasn't possessed by something. she then took the last resort of going to a chinese herbal shop n bought me something called pin tsai wong in chinese....a herbal anti-toxin. it was in cube form, ground into powder n turned into capsules. 1 cube makes abt 8-9 capsules & they burnt a cool RM90 off the wallet. 1st dosage : 2 capsules each, 2nd dosage after 4 hrs : another 2 capsules....and i was up n running with the appetite of a lion. till today i still swear by that herb. lesson learnt : i can't stomach red meat which is not well-done. ever since that incident i've cut down drastically on porkers, sigh...

bug/worm/some creature-in-a-pea : during my days as an auditor, my assignments can get really stressful so i sometimes munch to beat the stress. on this particular assignment i had this bag of green pea snack with me which i'd grab a few at the same time n pop into my mouth without looking. so happened that 1 of those peas had a dead insect in it (either a bug or a worm). i crushed it in my mouth, it tasted funny but instead of spitting it out, i chose to swallow it....

same symptoms as super-contaminated pork above, it was pin tsai wong to the rescue again. but i was spared of the weightlifters this time 'round...

fresh, live, flying bug - this has gotta top all the above "foods". i was swimming at my condo pool in the early evening, sky getting dark, doing the breaststroke, strong technique n all. then i raised my head above the water, opened my mouth to breathe when i realised that i was in exact collision course with a bug which flew at the same level as my mouth.

hohoho....view from the bug's perspective....

before i could say "holyyy craaaappppp...." the critter's brake system failed & it flew straight into my gaping mouth. as there was no gripping surface at the back of my mouth, it slipped downwards into my oesophagus n ended up contributing to my body's protein stores. it really tasted like crap by the way.

Head up, shoulders out, stomach in!!

i bumped into one of my latin juniors at 1U the other day. got a flash update from him on what's happening to our other latin classmates. as it turned out, the 6 musketeers have now dwindled down to 2, one of the 4 ex-musketeers have broke up with her long-time bf & quit class. i have only been absent from their lives for less than a year, but what a difference 11 mths made.

latin is one of the most technical dance forms i've ever encountered. 5 different dances, each with a personality of its own. in order to dance them well you have to be consistently precise in your moves. all the moves are so sharp (even with the slow rumba...my fave of the 5) which meant that any slack move will be immediately obvious to all. no such thing as grooving or styling (like in salsa....:p) to cover up mistakes.

i belong to the 2-left-feet category which meant that i had to work harder than the rest to be as good. perhaps it was the determination to push myself that left me with a bunion problem and cranky knees (found out from an orthopaedist that i was flat footed, which meant that my knees will take extra blows everytime i stomped too hard). in the end, i had to make the painful decision to quit the dance to preserve my foot & knees. thankfully salsa is a lot more merciful on them. phew....

my latin instructor, the great cikgu henry chan, suffers from what i call "artisticitis" - symptoms include mood swings & the tendency to give stinging comments at the worst possible time. but like any other good teacher, he makes the extra effort to coach students who take the dance seriously & shows pride whenever they done well. he teaches the NATD syllabus & has some of the highest-ranking NATD students in the country.

as i now reflect on those 6 yrs of sweat, cramps & pain, i realise that i've learnt much more than dance. sure, i've learnt a lot on the value of discipline & hard work when it comes to any form of dancing & how to take harsh comments positively, but some of the things that cikgu said in class are also applicable in life :-

1. "Head up, shoulders out, stomach in! You'll look taller & slimmer" (i lost count of the number of times my ponytail got pulled for dropping my head a single inch) ~ always put your best foot forward
2. "Good dancers are not born that way. You have to work hard to be good" ~ give of your best & the best will come back to you
3. "Don't complain that the floor is no good or your shoes are no good, it is you who's not good enough" ~ recognize your own weaknesses & correct them before blaming others
4. "The music is never too fast; you are too slow" ~ the world will continue to change & move no matter what, and you'll have to keep up with it if you don't wanna be left behind

i may not have relished those moments when my ponytail got pulled but thank you cikgu henry, for the lessons in life.

Confessions of a Shutterbug

it has only been about 3 years since i developed an interest in photography. not that i'm up there with the greatest but for a reasonably ignorant photographer, i've had my fair share of moments. my pics have been downloaded quite a number of times dun play play....

during my past vacations i have puzzled some of my travel mates & ppl in my tour group as i always seemed more interested in taking pics of things & scenery rather than myself...sometimes holding strange poses or lying down to get good angles. haih don't they get it...they see themselves like 100 times a day, last thing they want is to see themselves in pics. but i do snap pics of other ppl, the curi-curi ones are the best :p

my current piece de resistance -

I was at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Sydney back in Jan this year...smelled something heavenly & traced the scent to a huge tree with glowing white flowers as big as dinner plates. I would've taken this shot at many other different angles but Mr Bumblebee suddenly got fidgety & turned to face me. So it ended up being a case of shoot 'n run....

and what can i say abt sunrise/sunset shots? it's like capturing a moment in time. no 2 moments are the same...one second late, the earth would've moved & the lighting will be different.

Taken from my bedroom window...

started off with my dad's compact digicam (the dear old man luvs to buy techie stuff but is afraid to use them). it has gone places with me & had given me lots of good pics. i've since graduated to a Rebel 350D, the baby of the Canon DSLR family. suddenly forced to learn basic photography over the Canon website...malufying nye...

opening ceremony for my new toy at the Sepang F1 where i managed to almost freeze the entire F1 fraternity at their top straight-line speeds @ 1/4000 shutter speed. fuuyoh....

Heeeeerrre's Lewis!!!

the SLR offers almost endless shooting possibilities for any newbie. depending on the cam's features & your ability to adjust the cam settings (when using manual mode) the outcome can be pretty interesting. downside ~ if you're really into the hobby the SLR lens can burn a huge hole in your pocket as most of them will cost more than the cam itself :(

will be off to Cambodia soon...and hoping to show all of you some pretty neat temple shots & curi-curi pics...will keep you posted.

Sometimes I just don't understand

Instead of having to constantly defend yourself furiously
Even when there's no need to,
Which can cause a lot of hurt to those around you,
Isn't it easier for you to just acknowledge your insecurities
And then deal with it?

Dontcha juz lurve those powderful swooshing moves...

my experience of dancing on what was suspiciously a floor made of linoleum tiles. dodgy leh...

complaints of the floor ranged from slippery to sticky...but will it stop a cili padi from dancing? nah...

some dude (or dudette) put baby powder at the outer corner of the floor...desperate attempt to make their dancing more powderful ler. aisey, can someone tell these ppl that a salsero had actually slipped on their powder & had a powderfully painful fall. i hope those who used the powder have equally powderful wallets coz they all may haf to replace their powderfully powdered shoes. sigh....

first dance - at the sides of the floor, in full view of all who were sitting in front of the stage area. cool fast number by DJ Domingo, me smile, spin-ash was at his usual sinister best, leading spins like nobody's business. me smile, cameras clicking at us (gloat gloat), me smile some more, my tiny skirt went twirling...gawd, i hope my undies didn't show :-s

suddenly spin-ash led a double CBLT & i felt like a bunch of paddy stalks being whacked for rice during harvesting. swoosh...glide over the floor & out of line i went. *@&!*!! but again will it stop a cili padi from dancing? NAH. me still smiling :)

more swooshes came over the next 4 hrs of dancing. if i were really a bunch of ripe paddy stalks i'd be a friggin' bald bunch by now.

to mambojays, spin-ash, serembanpuan - thanks guys, for great dances. mwah mwwwwaah :-x

Oi Mr Con-Air...where got air...

lately LH has been absolutely STEAMING....and not in a good way. Mr Air-con seemed to have gone thru a personality change & became Mr Con-air instead. by 11pm the dance floor turns into a parade of wet shirts/tops...haih...can someone pass me optrex...

these days it's only place which I pant not bcoz of some hot-looking dude...rather bcoz it's like a doggone sauna on the dance floor.

Riches...or Richness?? Your Choice...

We were born into this world.
We grow up, go to school & slog our way to good grades.
We graduate from college, get a job & start the arduous climb up this thing called the corporate ladder.
We help our employers save costs, get reports on time, make more money, gain recognition...
But did we really help make a real difference in someone's lives...even if only for a moment in time?

One weekend I was lunching.
Munching my baguette & minding my own business.
When a lady set up a makeshift stall in front of me...a table with a chair.
Placed her wares on the table...uninflated, long balloons of many colors which looked no bigger than chopsticks.
Out comes the balloon pump, some marker pens...
And then she started performing her brand of magic.

With deft twists n turns, in no time she transformed her otherwise plain table into a colorful, happy display unit for balloons in shapes of teddy bears, cartoon characters, animals, flowers...
Kids passed by the stall...faces lighted up.
Grown-ups stopped to take a look.
Kids cajoled their parents, but who could say no? It wasn't a high price to pay to see happy faces on their children.
The number of balloons on the table dwindled...but was quickly replenished.

I do envy the balloon seller.
She may or may not be earning as much as I do, but she's a richer person than me...
For she's in the business of making people happy.

When a Salsero Growls

A late Saturday nite at Little Havana. The steamy dance floor was still crowded with sticky, sweaty ppl who couldn't seem get enough of that beautiful dance called salsa.

A song ended & another begun...suddenly I heard the familiar sounds of a guaguanco intro. DJ Joe decided to spin Johnny Polanco's Guaguanco con Rumba.

Me: Fuuyoh...gotta get myself a partner quick...ahhhh...spin-ash...grab...drag...
Spin-ash : Fan, fan, go under fan....
Me : Bar area...fan....

The ever-cool-yet-shy Mambojays was spotted standing at the bar area, scanning the dance floor. He spends more time on the sidelines these days than on the floor, to us girls' dismay...

Spin-ash : I lead, you follow
Me : You lead, I follow...wait a sec...pause coming in the song...hijack time heheheeeee...squat & bums-up!!
Someone at the bar : Grrrrrr!!!
Me: Wat da...Mambojays??! Ok ok, mebbe he was looking at someone else...
Spin-ash : Shine time!!
Me : Aaargh!! Grapevine into shoe polish shine...
Spin-ash : (Looking really smug by now)
Mambojays : Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!
Me : Hah...he was really watching me ah?

A salsero's growl...it's the best compliment a salsera can ever get :)