watz up doc???

Ski Accident

2010-02-10T03:26:00.007+08:00

My worst fear has finally come to face me and bite me in the ass. No one's fault really. When you make the decision to place your life at the hands of two poles, and two skinny long skis to help you get down an icy, slushy slope, that's the risk you place upon yourself for indulging in an extreme sport.

Applying R.I.C.E

I am now officially one of those pathetic, pitied upon, embarrassed skiers who needed to be brought down the slope by ski patrol on a toboggan.

It was January 16th 2010 at Crystal Mountain in WA, only my second run of the day on the long greens, that I fell after completing a left parallel turn. Apparently, I fell the 'wrong' way ie I fell on my back, my bindings did not come off, and I spun down the slope for a good 20 to 30 feet before coming to a stop. Oh have I mentioned that the conditions that day were horrible? No powder snow, it was all blocks of compact ice with slippery parts. Also, my rentals at Crystal were the worst I ever had. The boots were so uncomfortable even while standing stationary.

I did not feel much pain as it happened. Just maybe a little achy on the knees. However, when I tried standing on my feet again, that's when I realized something major has gone wrong in my right knee. The moment I bear weight on my right knee, I felt immediately the two bones that make up my knee joint (tibia and femur) were going in opposite directions. That marks the end of my ski season, pretty much.

Kudos to the Ski Patrol team and EMTs (emergency medical technician) at Crystal for they have handled my situation very well and professionally! Back at the clinic, I was given R.I.C.E. Folks out there, when facing with any acute musculoskeletal injury, remember R.I.C.E for immediate management:-

Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation

So do not be afraid to rest, apply ice compression (make sure there's no direct ice-skin contact) and elevate the injured limb above the level of your heart. All these measures are taken to reduce immediate swelling and inflammation that comes with the injury. If there is puncture wound, or uncontrollable pain and excessive swelling or discoloration of the skin, please seek help at the nearest clinic/hospital as soon as possible.

Party favourite: Baked Chicken Wings

2009-04-16T03:44:00.003+08:00

Got an invitation to a pot luck party but have no idea of what to bring? Try this extremely simple with no hassle of messy clean ups and still have the spare time to dress up, do your hair, put on make up and make an appearance in style!

I have tried a variety of chicken wings marinade and they are usually too expensive to buy ( to cook for a party of say forty, you most likely need to buy more than 1 bottle of marinade) or it just doesnt taste good. This recipe is definitely a keeper. I must stress that the wings MUST be left to marinade OVERNIGHT or 24 hours. You could marinade it for only 4-5 hours but trust me, it tastes WAY BETTER if you left it longer.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

5-6 lbs chicken wings

1/2 tsp white pepper

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup soya sauce

1/4 cup ShaoXing chinese cooking wine

1/2 tsp Five Spice Powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 large onion finely chopped, mash it a little with the back of your knife

Method:

1. Clean the chicken wings and pluck out any unwanted feathers
2. Mix all the above ingredients and the wings
3. Leave it to marinade overnight in the fridge
4. Line your baking tray with foil (for easy clean-ups) and arrange the wings close to one another and bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 Fahrenheit for 1 hour.
5. Midway of baking, flip the wings and baste the wings with the left over marinade. Continue to bake.

Ps. The garlic powder can be substituted with finely chopped garlic. The reason for me using powder and wanting the garlic and onion to be extremely finely chopped is to minimise or avoid them getting burnt during the baking process.
Im sorry to say that I dont have pictures of this dish but will post one should I bake wings again!

* lbs=pounds
tsp=teaspoon

Raiding the pantry Part 1: Honey Bunches of Oats cereal

2009-04-15T05:23:00.004+08:00

I set eyes on it, bought it, ate it and fell in love with it! This is definitely high on my favourite cereal list! It's crunchy and lightly sweetened (presumably from the honey). A must try!

I can live with the calories :D

Impress the in-laws Part 1: Tau Yue Bak

2009-04-15T04:56:00.006+08:00

Want to impress your in-laws or even your own parents? Try this simple yet flavourful and delicious pork meat cooked in an aromatic herb gravy a.k.a 'Tau Yue Bak'.
The extra long cooking time ensures a tender pork meat that 'falls off the bones'. The aroma of the gravy reminds me of 'Bak Kut Teh'.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 lb pork meat (preferably shoulders or ribs)

1 star anise

1 and half tbsp dark soya sauce

2 tbsp light soya sauce

3 cups of water

1 tsp black pepper

10 cloves of garlic with skin intact

salt to taste

Method:

1. Add star anise, dark and light soya sauce, pepper and water to a pot. Bring to a boil.
2. Add the pork and allow to boil for another 10 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and lower heat just enough to simmer.
4. Continue to simmer until meat is tender and sauce thickens according to your liking. (I usually allow it to simmer for an hour or so)
5. You have the option to add other ingredients such as 'tau pok' or hard boiled eggs.
I would add the tau pok with the garlic and continue to simmer. As for the eggs, first boil eggs separately. Crack shells and add in once the dish is done cooking.

Ps. This dish tastes better when eaten the next day as it allows the flavours to develop.

* lb=pound tbsp=tablespoon tsp=teaspoon

Culinary TIPS: Buttermilk

2009-04-14T05:48:00.004+08:00

Buttermilk is a common ingredient used in baking. It is easily found at the local supermarket here in the U.S but not so commonly sold back home in Malaysia, and NO it's not butter + milk.

What is buttermilk? It is a watery liquid containing small butter grains that is produced from the churning process of making the actual butter.

If you are unable to find buttermilk or simply ran out of one, this milk recipe can be substituted to make buttermilk.

Ingredients:

1 cup skimmed milk
1 tbsp lemon juice

Method:
1. Mix the above and leave it to set in the fridge for say 10 to 15 minutes. It is then ready to be used in replacement of buttermilk with the same measurements in any recipe.

Rest assured, there will be no added lemony flavour to your recipe.

* tbsp = tablespoon

Ham & Bacon's journey to Neverland

2009-04-14T02:07:00.007+08:00

I love animals. I can remember vividly the moments when I got my first pet goldfish. I was about 9 years old. As my father was clearing the backyard, he found a couple of junk huge glass bottles and had a 'brilliant' idea of rearing fishes in them. How excited I was!
Obviously that idea did not work out as we had planned. Imagine trying to 'insert' delicate, fragile goldfish into a glass bottle with a NARROW opening! Hmmm.... we may have been able to get them in but the thought of trying to wash the 'tank' is out of this world.

Finally we ended up buying the whole basic set ie an aquarium, pump, food, lights, fake vegetations etc and the cost kept escalating! I somehow believe the glassbottle aquarium was my father's sneaky idea to get my mother to agree on keeping a pet as we didnt have to spend $$ on an aquarium which can be costly.

Since then, I ve had not only numerous goldfish but also 4 hamsters, a pair of birds, many cats and my very own Shih Tzu (dog).

Owning and caring for a pet is a very fulfilling job. I would imagine the same for a mother nursing and nurturing her own child. For me, it is a good way to de-stress after a long day's work. Of course comes with owning a pet is the responsibility to care for its overall wellbeing and health. They should be treated and loved like one of the family. Doing research of the pets which you may be interested in bringing home is crucial to avoid disappointments and frustrations that can potentially lead to cruelty and abadonment.

Hubby and I recently adopted 2 male Syrian hamsters.
Getting them was no easy matter! From the start, I was adamant to get a Syrian breed as they are easier to tame and definitely easier and more fun to handle as they are larger in size in comparison to the dwarf hamsters (which I think are living 'ornaments' ie it's really fun to watch but not very fun to play with)
We visited PetCo and turned out that they had no Syrians and we frantically called all the nearby PetCo chains to find out that the supply for Syrians had stopped as they kept getting a batch of wet-tails (a form a severe diarrhoea in Syrians that can cause severe dehydration and death).
I was very disappointed and my search of an hamster pet was delayed further.

Lo and behold, I was browsing Craig's list and found exactly what I wanted and not just one, but two! Ham & Bacon were purchased from a lady that lived in Covington (which is 45 minutes drive from Seattle) and she was fairly honest about the hamsters fighting before but no serious injuries. I paid $30 for 2 hamsters, one glass aquarium cage with one igloo home , water bottle, food dish and a wheel. Not a bad deal at all! Dear hubby was the sweetest to drive all the way and back just to fetch my lil' darlings.

Feasting together

Ham curious to know what's happening outside his igloo

They were 2 months old when I got them.

Easter Sunday!

2009-04-12T08:47:00.009+08:00

It's Easter Sunday! A day to remember Jesus' resurrection from the dead after being crucified on the cross to shed sinless blood for OUR forgiveness of sins. Thank you Jesus!

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
King James Bible, Matthew 11:28

Surprise surprise! More about me in coming posts!

2009-04-12T08:29:00.002+08:00

Waddya lookin' at?

What's for tea-time? Banana Fritters (a.k.a Cekodok)

2009-04-11T01:17:00.010+08:00

What do you do with left over bananas which if left uneaten, will ferment into a banana alcoholic eats with ugly bruised fruit: definitely NOT good eats!

'Cekodok' is a Malaysian snack made of ripened mashed bananas and flour. It is usually made 'fresh', deep fried and sold piping hot usually at a side street stall (all the exhaust fumes must somehow make them tastier!) Sold alongside with it are other popular snacks like 'Pisang Goreng' which is bananas coated in a batter and deep fried. Other forms of roots or vegetables can be used such as sweet potato and yam.

This is a very simple recipe to follow to make 'Cekodoks'. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 ripen bananas, mashed

1/4 cup plain flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1/4 tsp brown sugar (optional)

Oil for frying

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl
2. Heat oil in a wok or deep pan at medium heat.
3. Scoop 1 tbsp full of batter and let it 'slide' into hot oil.
4. Flip 'cekodok' once or twice to allow uniform cooking.
5. Fry till a slight tinge of dark brown and strain to rid of excess oil
6. Serve hot

Tips: Bananas are usually picked green and allowed to ripen during the transportation process or right within the enclosed plastic wrap of your local supermarket.
To accelerate ripening, you can place the unripen bananas with say one ripened left over banana in a brown bag and leave it overnight.
If you wish to extend the shelf life of the bananas, the fruit should be kept at room temperature and not within an enclosed space such as a plastic bag. When it is about to turn brown and has been out on the counter for a few days, you can then place them in the refrigerator. A cooler temperature such as 4 degrees in the fridge, will temporarily inactivate the enzymes. However dont be alarmed as the skin will turn brown at a faster rate in the fridge although the fruit remains unaffected. They can last for another week or so and by then should be eaten or discarded.
Never deep freeze bananas unless you wish to make ice cream or sorbet.

How I long for these...

2009-04-09T01:38:00.012+08:00

Mum's cooking
Family dinners
Our large dining table

Malacca's Baba Chendol

Ice shavings topped with luxurious concentrated palm sugar and thick coconut milk with generous servings of 'atap-chee', red beans and jelly

Klang Bak Kut Teh
BYOT (Bring Your Own Tea) concept
Side serving of 'Yau Char Kuay'

Manicure & Pedicure
Don't mind the ugly feet

These are a few of my 'deeply-missed' since being far away from home.
As a result, I have resorted to DYI (Do It Yourself), experimenting home cooked foods on my own, and attempted to give myself a foot / hand spa but to no success in creating beautiful French mani / pedi.
Hubby is my very own food critic :D

Homemade Yong Tau Fu

2009-04-07T04:35:00.007+08:00

Yong Tau Fu has been one of my favourite eats but mum rarely made it as it was fairly time consuming (or so I thought then). We used to frequent the original Ampang Yong Tau Fu which used a combination of fish and pork minced. Since the opening of a branch near where we live, we hardly stepped foot into the original shop and as the other chain of shops only uses fish paste, they were deemed halal and we could bring our Muslim family and friends.

Yong Tau Fu is essentially a Malaysian dish in which bean curd is stuffed with fish or pork paste (finely minced) and is served in a clear broth. Many variety and combination has evolved since and now sides from using bean curd or tofu, vegetables like brinjals, chillies, ladies fingers and bittergourds are used to make yong tau foo. Some requires to be deep fried before serving with the broth.
It is then eaten with a dip of chilli sauce and a sweetened black soy bean sauce. For those who are carbohydrate dependent, you can eat them with a bowl of rice or noodles of your choice.

The following is my version of homemade yong tau fu. The recipe is simple to follow and it takes a slightly creative mind to recreate the stuffed vegetables. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 to 1 and half lb white fish fillet (Spanish Mackerel, Tilapia etc). Using spoon, remove flesh from skin

1/4 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp light soya sauce

1/2 tsp sugar

1 egg white

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp salt mixed with 4 tbsp water

Method:

1. Pulse fish fillet in food processor until finely chopped (If one does not have a food processor, pls dont hesitate to use a cleaver and do the manual chopping/mincing yourself)
2. Add in the seasonings of white pepper, sesame oil, soya sauce, sugar and egg white. Mix to combine.
3. Add in cornstarch, salt water and return to food processor. Switch to highest speed to create a paste like consistency. The result is a fish paste that is ready to be used as 'stuffing'

4. Prepare any tofu (brown 'tau pok', firm square tofu etc) or vegetables (bell peppers halved and seeds and veins removed, etc) of your choice. Use your creativity to create a pocket in each of the tofu/vege.
5. Fill the 'pockets' with the fish paste usually about 1 and half tsp full depending on the cuts and size of the tofu/vege.
6. Finally pan fry or deep fry the yong tau fu till light brown.

* lb=pound
tsp=teaspoon
Uncooked yong tau fu can be stored in the freezer except for stuffed tofu

What's for breakfast? Flapjacks?

2009-04-04T04:38:00.011+08:00

Here's a tried and tested Flapjack / Pancake recipe that does not require buttermilk.
Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup unsifted plain flour

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup milk

3 tbsp melted butter and allowed to cool

2 eggs at room temperature separated

Method:
1. Mix all dry ingredients together in a big bowl ie. flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. In another bowl, whisk milk, melted butter and egg yolks (wet ingredients)
3. Beat egg whites separately till stiff peaks.
4. Stir wet ingredients into dry flour mixture to make a batter. Do not over-stir
5. Fold in egg whites.
6. Heat skillet or flat pan with a little oil over medium heat. Preferably use non-stick skillet.
7. Spoon half cup of batter to make 1 pancake.
8. Once bubbles start to form over the edge, flip pancake to cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes.
9. Serve immediately with maple syrup / favourite jam / butter spread.
10. It is possible to use the same batter recipe and make smaller pancakes with red bean filling to make Dorayaki
11. Makes 6 large pancakes

* tsp=teaspoon
tbsp=tablespoon

Time to move on

2008-09-07T18:07:00.003+08:00

Hi folks! Yes, naughty me for abandoning this blog close to a year now. Lots have taken place. Some good memories and there were a couple of not-so-good memories. As the day draws near for me to leave Singapore, I have mixed feelings. Part of me really am excited to start a whole new chapter in my life, the other part of me partly cries out fear of the unknown, uncertainties and of course the sadness that comes with farewells from family and friends.
Oh my darling Chomel is now back in KL with my family. Such a fortunate dog, she got to FLY back home (some folks out there have never stepped onto a plane before!)

Doggy diapers

2007-10-07T21:45:00.001+08:00

Chomel has been paper-trained to do her 'business'. I have to say, what a huge improvement from say one month ago! She now pees on newspaper. In fact she even urinates exactly in the centre of the newspaper. Is that not good news? However, there has been mis-cues when it came to passing motion. She has, targeted correctly, and other times , slightly OFF target, and worse still elsewhere such as the toilet shower floor. Hmmm... smart dog. Toilet of all places! haha... maybe im underestimating my dog's real potential. Who knows, given time she may even use the bowl. hehe...

Well, have i mentioned in my earlier blog that my lil' darling has reached doggy 'puberty'? Yes, she had her doggy 'menses'.
It is almost 2 weeks now, and she's still having it.
I have not the heart to keep her in her play pen the whole day. So to allow her to run around freely around the apartment and avoid staining the floor / furnitures, I had her wear DOGGY DIAPERS! haha. I salute whoever invented those.

Chomel resting on her pillow while I blog away

Can't sleep

2007-10-03T00:48:00.000+08:00

Had dinner at Clarke Quay on Monday night with Susan. Such a beauty with the sweetest smile and kindest soul, someone I was fortunate to be acquainted with. Our loss, she is due to return to New Zealand for good.

Will miss you dearly

Strangely enough, I can't stop playing this song over and over again in my head. A song introduced to me by a fellow buddy / colleague, someone I looked up to and respect. A 'Trance' kaki as well!
The lyrics, it is meant for you... whoever you are...

4.30 A.M, I'm awake again
Singing to the dark through open eyes
While dreaming I see only you and me
Stuck between desire and compromise

If I said I want you back I'd be a liar
There's nothing left of us to long for anymore
But inside the ashes burns an endless fire
And every night I can't help reaching out for more

And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep
And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep

You're leaving me scars scattered in my heart
A road map of all the places you have been
And I can't escape, can't wash this away
Love has burned your mark so deep within

If I said I want you back I'd be a liar
There's nothing left of us to long for anymore
But inside the ashes burns an endless fire
And every night I can't help reaching out for more

And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep
And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep

And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep
And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep

[Above & Beyond]

Makan Makan

2007-10-02T01:33:00.000+08:00

My best friend of 6 years came to visit last Thursday. Boy oh boy, it was a fun filled 2 days with shopping, endless girly gossips, and best of all FEASTING!

It was fate that brought us together - 10th September 2001 - was the day we sat next to each other on the bus and soon realised we were housemates to be! There was no stopping since :)

We both share a craving for excellent Japanese buffet. One I highly recommend in which its fresh sashimi taste still lingers on my tongue till today, is the Japanese restaurant at Equatorial Hotel Penang or Kuala Lumpur. Ahhhhh...... Then, the weekend buffet lunch cost around RM63++ and dinner RM 88 ++. Pricey but definitely worth it.

Sadly to say in Singapore I have yet to try a Japanese buffet that can match that of Equatorial's. I have in fact settled for the ever cheap 'sushi' buffet at Sakae Sushi.
Very reasonably priced at $16.90++ pp on weekdays from 3 to 6 pm. There is a catch of course ;) The buffet is only limited to coloured plates ie. mainly sushi and inari and all other $1.90 plates. Sashimi is NOT included. Any left overs will be charged. Hence, I have resorted to hiding my extra rice sushi under heaps of endamame shells. hehe....

Ooops. Too much wasabi

The buffet also includes one miniature bowl of udon, 2 mochi ice cream and 2 portions of fruits pp.

I can eat wayyyyy more than that. Try me!

Have I mentioned that Shabna is a really good cook? Well, being the sweetest thing she is, she made me dinner! A fancy one too! Hah!

We had steamed salmon with asparagus, mushrooms and baby potatoes. Ending with a home made Tiramisu, made with extra love and care :)

Steamed Salmon seasoned with salt, pepper, lemon juice and sprinkle of rosemary herb

Tiramisu with a personal touch

Miss you Shabz!

David Copperfield, anyone?

2007-09-23T22:56:00.000+08:00

Who grew up watching David Copperfield walk through Great Wall of China, make the statue of Liberty disappear and watch him fly, raise their hands.

Me! Me! Me!

See, I can lift the entire liberty island with my hand!

Copperfield will be in Singapore on November 2nd and 3rd for his new Asia tour " World of Wonder". It will be held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Ticket prices range from $68 to $148. Check out Copperfield for more information.

Mmm... As a child, I have always been fascinated by magic or some may call it illusion. I have grown up watching then "wow" Harry Houdini to now "wow" David Copperfield, David Blaine and that eerie guy whose show appears on national tv and reminds me of Marilyn Manson. eeeee....

Of course, until today the only MIRACLE that I truly believe in is the birth of Jesus Christ who humbly came to this earth and took our place of sin even when we do not deserve it, so that we may have eternal life with our Father in heaven :)

Okies, so I like magic tricks or illusion. I think it's highly entertaining. Over the years I have mastered a couple of card tricks (extremely great ice breaker for parties!) A colleague of mine who shares the same passion and more has himself mastered the art of coin disappearing. I was impressed.

To see what Im capable of, feel free to watch my MAGstICk Act carried out in front of a crowd at the Botanical Gardens, Singapore (don't mind the poor quality of the sound. Action speaks louder than words. hehe) :-

Ain't I cool? You're just envious :p

On a more serious note, anyone interested to watch Copperfield on Nov 3rd (Saturday) with me? I am looking for a 'kaki' to go with.
No worries, I dont think there are dead chicken meat with blood as offerings behind the curtains. Pray! Before you enter :)

ATB at Ministry Of Sound

2007-09-22T12:14:00.000+08:00

I rested, and ate well yesterday that I was well on my way to hit the club last nite.

Yes, I was there at Ministry of Sound featuring ATB (Andre Tennerberger) spinning at their Main Arena. And my oh my it was A-W-E-S-O-M-E! Totally!

We arrived VIP style (yup no queues, no cover charges) at midnight but the resident dJ kept spinning till one. Not bad, he got us all hyped up into the mood already while waiting for ATB in anticipation.
Finally there he was, in the box, applauded, cheered and 'worshipped' by some.

He started of with a stunning opening of Ecstasy and wow what an entertainer! He could get the crowd going and going not just with his fantastic mixes and songs, but verbal que, sorta 'interacting ' with the crowd.

Okie the best I could get out of my pathetic camera phone

I was just blown away. My friend and I refused to barge from our dance spot (which is a comfortable anterior of the speakers and subwoofers. haha) and we danced for more than 2 1/2 hours continously! With hits like Let You Go, Killer I just did not want to leave the place :)

Anyways, physical pain (we had antalgic gait walking to the taxi stand ie. limping) and hunger led us to end the day with a nice hearty meal and comfy chairs at Swenson's at Orchard Rd that is opened 24 hours.

Kristine, a dear friend of mine for 3 years now. Always been there for me. My only girlfriend who shares a common passion for Trance. Love ya loads :)
(This pic was actually taken at Paul Van Dyke nite at Zouks couple weeks ago, not last night)

Oh one more juicy detail before I sign off.

I got 'picked up', near molested by a......... GIRL!
*blech blech blech----- pooooooooiiiiii*
Some young punk who already had her 'partner' came on to me and held me by my waist and.....
*bluek bluek blech yuck yuck yuck *
Ok that's enough I cant take it no more...

Im sick coz...?

2007-09-21T10:17:00.000+08:00

Im sick, it sucks.

And, it sucks why?

Coz ATB is spinning at MOS, Singapore tonight, THAT's WHY!

Arghhh...... Thank God the fever has settled so has the muscle aches, but the runny nose and cold is driving the lights out of me!

How how? A superb foreign DJ whose songs I listen to over and over and over again for many years now is finally spinning it live here and I have opportunity to experience just that!

but of course, Im sick....
It sucks

Over-doing it, you say?

2007-09-18T00:14:00.000+08:00

Oooo I forgot to mention in my previous blog that my other aim during my time off from work now is to.... shed some pounds.
Okie that was phrased too nicely. Basically Im way overweight and need to lose it!
My trip back to KL didnt help as I was literally eating bout 5 meals a day. All thanks to the deprived-me of excellent roti canai, teh tarik, nasi lemak, wan tan mee, fried koey teow and of course the best of all... mum's and dad's cooking!

So, to help me achieve my goal I have signed up with a local gym which my flatmate and I 'stumbled' upon during our quest to search for da ultimate gym that can save us from falling further into the land of no return! hehe.

The gym is called Sky the fitness club situated at 16th floor of Harbourfront Tower 2 next to Vivo City.
Extremely affordable rates (remember, im without salary this month :) ) with fairly decent equipment and an extraordinary view of Sentosa island and the waters beyond that. Best of all, it offers a concierge service as well as a cosy lovely place to dine in and relax.
Very nice...

Since I came back from KL, I ve been going diligently everyday. Have to make full use of my $$$ / investment.
Sky also offers variety of classes ranging from their most popular Yoga class conducted by Master Suresh who apparently has decades worth of Yoga teaching experience, to kick boxing classes (anger management anyone?)

Today, for some reason I was highly motivated and enthusiastic about working out that I joined 3 classes with Steps in the morning followed by Latin Jam and Yoga in the evening.

Steps class was very fun. Of course it could have been more fun if there were more ppl than just... ME alone with the instructor.
Latin jam was a totally different ball game altogether. IDid I say that I wanted ppl? Oh yea there were people and when the music started it looked like they've done this ALL their lives! I was so lost at the steps. So many Jennifer Lopez's moves. Nevertheless, I truly enjoyed myself.

I ended the day with a Yoga class. This was my 2nd Yoga class that I have attended. My oh my... it was nothing like the first. Oh the first one was easy -pee sy. Again, I was the novice. Everyone else were doing stands on their HEADS! Both feet up in the air, straight. Followed by weird ass movements of the legs mid-air mimicking the blades of a helicopter, cycling, and twisting and turning of the spine - mid air! hah beat that!
Okie, so I panicked and chickened out. As they were carrying out their highly skilled movements, I signalled to the instructor that I wanted to leave, but... nope - not allowed.
Master Suresh reassured me that I wont do 'stunts' that my body cant cope.
Guess what?

I did it.

Yup, balancing on my head with my legs up in the air. I wished i had a picture to show.
Also, I managed to do other weird ass stuff in all the most awkward positions that you can think of! hehehe.....
Apparently during the class as we had our heads and spine bent backwards almost reaching our toes, I blacked-out.

Yes, I was in la-la land when I felt something hitting my head and slapping my face.
When I opened up my eyes, all eyes were starring at me. Everyone else was well seated and me? Oh just sprawled on the floor with my chin on the mat and the instructor patting my head.
Oh how embarrassing!

Likely a vasovagal syncopal attack that I had or maybe just really low sugars ;)

Well, no worries folk!

Please continue to support me in my quest to lose weight.

Till then....

My Chomel misbehaving? Noooo....

2007-09-16T22:09:00.000+08:00

My cutie pie is reaching 10 months now. She has been behaving extremely well for the past one week since I came back from KL. While I was at KL, Chomel (my pup's name to those who are not familiar) was left with a boarding. I highly recommend this pet shop that offers a variety of services such as grooming, pet-sitting or boarding as they were the ones that literally saved my doggy when she had bad knots in her fur and had contracted some skin infection.
The shop is called 'Hot Dog' and is situated at River Valley Rd.
Click on here Hot Dog for more information

I was so happy to see Chomel when i picked her up at the shop. However, these were some of the comments thrown at me about my pup:-

1. Very friendly dog in deed
2. However, shows no respect for newspaper and urinates everywhere EXCEPT on the paper (apparently she chewed up most of it)
3. Barks unnecessarily
4. unable to differentiate right from wrong
5. unable to obey simple commands like N-O
6. still very friendly and gets along well with ALL dogs

Sigh. Even I cant perfectly execute all of the above ;p Especially #4 and 5

Anyways, I accepted all the comments made humbly and vowed to train my doggy to be a Super Dog within the next 2 weeks. Ok so she ' s not so clever at basic stuff, but hey at least my Chomel knows her name and is able to SIT on command :)

So first on my list.

1. To get Chomel paper trained ie. to pee and poo on newspaper (instead of the kitchen floor, living room floor, dining room floor, utility area floor or the lower ground floor of my apt)

To carry out this task, Ive constructed a mini play pen for her.
In it, there is a 'toilet' area, constant supply of fresh drinking water and the best of all her 'rest' area with a comfy bed & pillow , 'carpet' and toys

Chomel and her CRIB

Cutie pie on her miniature bed

Like human, dogs are fairly clean animals too. This play pen distinguishes between her 'rest' area from her 'toilet'

With a lot of effort of feeding at the appropriate time and cleaning up the newpaper once it's been littered and giving Chomel loads of praise everytime she does it right, Praise the Lord Hallelujah my pup has been doing it right with accidents kept to a minimum of 2 times.

More post to come about Chomel's progress ;)

End of HOship

2007-09-10T22:15:00.001+08:00

4th Sept 2007 (*ammended: it should be 2006) was my first day at work as a houseman, or better known as 'H-O' at Singapore's largest women's & children hospital, Kandang Kerbau or also better known as 'K-K' Hospital.

As I have remembered, it was hell...

Colleagues busy at work while me slacking away :p

Like all things in life, nothing comes easy. Unless of course you're some kind of child protege.

Still in disbelief, one year has passed and one year of internship is over!
All the dreadful long hours, night calls that drained the life of you, topsy turvy sleep - wake cycle and eating - sleeping habits, have been conquered not easily but victoriously!

Funny, it has only been a week but im already missing...
The early morning mad rush ward rounds...
The unreasonable, demanding consultants...
The forever complaining relatives of patients...
The staff nurses that either make you or break you *grin*...
Fellow wacky House Officers...