Tabula Rasa

Walking anyone?

2008-07-27T23:27:00.001+08:00

A leading lady in a Japanese Series once said : Love is like a waiting for a Taxi, you don't know when it'll arrive .....

When you are waiting for one, you don't seem to be able to hail one. BUT that doesn't mean there's no taxi, there just no VACANT taxi for you.....

Then you get the bright idea of getting a better chance of hailing one across the road. As you wait patiently on the other side the road, several vacant ones just zoomed past when u once stood.... then you went back to where u waited originally....

You then think maybe one will come by if I wait patiently. As time ticked by quickly, you decided to actively search for the taxi within the area.... Either way.. it's to no avail...

Finally, you've decided to give up and just walk back.. As you turn to walk up the street, several taxis; old ones, brand new ones, plain blacks, colourful ones and a few others just came right up to you.... Overwhelming your senses...

As you walk towards the one you think will give u a safe and comfy ride to your destination, the headlights shining on you... giving you insights into yourself and the surroundings

As for me, i have crappy luck in getting taxi. Am used to driving or walking that I find taking a taxi can be, despite a few rather pleasant rides, ultimately a daunting experience.... The unnecessary small talks; the incessant chats that takes place when all you want is some peace and quite as you head home; the stressful journey back as the driver recklessly take you on a roller coaster ride ignoring your plea to slow down/speed up....

I think I shall walk a little first before I start hailing for a taxi :)

elo... anyone there?

2007-09-20T15:19:00.000+08:00

Been awhile huh...... some of you out there are probably shouting " that's an understatement" and yes I can hear the sound of your eyeball rolling in your sockets as well.

Work has been manic since I last blogged, had to take 3 months sabatical from teaching classes. Suffered the consequences though, pants are bloody tight and there are definitely more white hair these days...

Facebook is my latest addiction, especially Scrabulous... so easy to get hooked onto that... come join me there!! :)

Tagged!

2007-04-11T23:41:00.000+08:00

I'm back!!! Been awhile.... will be a short post, leaving for Gebeng 2moro morning for a meeting then back again in the evening.

I've been tagged.... now I have to reveal 6 weird things about me.... darn... where to start?!!!

1. I love my McD Fries with McD Choc Sundae... yummy! :p
2. I go through phases of being an obsessive-compulsive. Geometrics and doing things "evenly". ie. whatever I do with my left hand/legs, I MUST do the same with the right (with the exception of writing). I've since overcame that... otherwise there's NO WAY I can teach BodyJam. I prefer to deal with geometric shapes that are "even", squares and circles are fine.... trapeziums and right angle triangle... I'll twitch (cannot fold into equal half).
3. Another of my obsessive-compulsive behaviour... I hate keeping price tags on my books and CDs. Totally despise retailers who uses price stickers with strong adhesives...
4. Like FBB, I MUST wash my feet before I sleep.
5. I talk/argue with myself in the car, especially during solo long distance drive. Try it...very therapheutic :p For instructors... very common... we practise our cueing in when we drive. It's even more frantic when it's closer to launch dates :p
6. I can will myself to get goose-pimple... :p

ok.. that's all for now!

breathless

2007-02-06T14:26:00.000+08:00

Been pretty busy with work, was planning to update the blog but when it comes to weekends.... I just want to rest!

Went for Richelle's Pump last Fri after a looong hiatus from Pump..... ouch! Fingers cramped as a result of gripping the bar too hard. Shall call her Ri-Brit-Chelle (hehe try saying that fast...croak!), she asked the crowd (esp Lap Cheong) to be as stronger as her... like Britney... during the "Stronger" bicep track.... I just found it funny lor :p

After the class... oowww... Biceps, Triceps and achilles heel were sore!!! and I had to go gung-ho for the Sat class :p Last night at Cosplant was good as well. 23 pax, not bad for a 9.45pm class.... well done guys! thanks for staying back so late!

Driving down to JB shortly for work, back on Thurs night....

Leech & Lilo! here's a montage of some food pics :p

Will update soon.... I promise!

2007-01-18T11:04:00.000+08:00

Nope, the blog is still alive.... well barely. It's been a pretty hectic 07, just started my new role in Sales and as with most transition, am doubling hatting at the moment. The whole company is also undergoing restructuring simultaneously and on top on that there was an industrial dispute recently. Madness!!

Had the intention of updating the blog when I came back from my short break in Thailand. (Ko Samet and Bkk).... well, at least I had the good intention to update right? :p

Shall try to update by end Jan.... :)

Xmas in Cosplant! :)

2006-12-19T22:47:00.000+08:00

Xmas came early to FF Cosplant J The SSU came decked in fabulous red and cute santa hat. The energy in the class was amazing!!!!! The rest of the class did very well too! Started off with hip-hop warm-up followed by Disco with the class looking fab as usual and then the room was almost set ablaze with Ran-Kan-Kan latin block!

Will be off to Penang for meeting 2moro then back to KL on Thurs. Sis coming back from Melbourne on Fri nite! :)

Sat will be the Charity 1.5Hr Combat at the Curve with FCI & #1 in Tianjin :) after that will be away for a long break till 3rd Jan! :)

Cook till you drop...

2006-12-19T22:42:00.000+08:00

Pic of dinner spread a few weeks back... was dead tired after that! Had helped from Mel, Mark and LT in assembling the food :) thanks guys! Had plenty to drink that nite! Lots of great red wine, Sweet dessert wine, Honey Plum wine and some more alchohol… and that’s the night before I went for Nike Rockstar training for the next 3 days…. Severe lack of sleep is an understatement….

Will try to organise another cookout soon but the next few weeks will be impossible. Xmas, New Year and work work work....

Red Hot SSU of FF Consplant! THANKS! hugz!

2006-11-28T15:45:00.000+08:00

As I was walking towards the class, I was greeted by members of SSU in Red . A few of them huddled in one corner with their back to me. Started wondering what surprise they'll throw at me later on in the Jam class....

8.44pm... After the intro and just as I pushed play, they came running in and thrusted a lovely package to me and proceeded to sing the B-day song! So sweet of them! hugs! THANK YOU VERY MUCH guys. Love the gifts! the planner is very handy ( I have bad memory and I still haven't gotten hang of using PDA), the Pen is nice too!

Subang Mon Jam Class will never be the same without the SSU (Syiok Sendiri Unit) :p

still got pulse!!

2006-11-21T01:06:00.000+08:00

Contrary to the various rumours, news of this blog's death has been vastly exaggerated! :p hehehe

Was supposed to update the blog this morning at work but the server was having some problem. The dear IM manager decided to shutdown internet access (hopefully just for a day). I nearly went bonkers!! no MSN! no Internet! aarggh!! help! Didn't realise the power of the net has over me.... scary!

Did the double classes in Subang today, had a fab workout! The crowd is fantastic as usual, especially Jam! You guys know who you are! My SSU (Syiok Sendiri Unit)! Combat was great too but tiring as usual. Late Jam-Bat or Jam.Com are always tiring for me. Long day at work then str8 to class, normally dont have appetite for food before class. For Monday's class will have to plan my food intake carefully. Class starts from 8.45 till 10.45. Missed my 6pm snack today due to a contract review with a colleagues. Was bloody hungry right before class started... the show must go on! The minute the music starts.... ..I'm like Norma Desmond at the end of Sunset Bouvelard.... in a trance like state, hands outstretched towards the cameras, uttering " All right, Mr DeMille, Im ready for my closeup..."

Well...... I'm not exactly as psycho as that Norma Hen (is that what you call the not so young chics?) . By the time the class ended, I was in post cardio euphoria.... hungry but buzzing with adrenaline!

Got home and had "imported" Mee Jawa... mom brought it back all the way from Sungai Petani :p and for a light dessert? Homemade sorbet! need to tweak the flavour a bit more. Got carried away with Blue Curasao... a tad too sweet at the moment, need more orange and lemon juice. It's now a weird lime green colour.... anyway, time to zzz!

Let's Do The Time Warp Agaaaaiiinnn....

2006-11-01T22:52:00.000+08:00

1st Nov 06 3pm ish

Ring Ring Ring...

KH : Hello!
JW : Hello! err KH?
KH : Er! Yes
JW : KH?
KH : Yes! It's me J?
JW : Hello! err KH? Happy Bday 2 U, Happy Bday 2U.. Haapppyy (a sudden bust of laughter on the other line)... err KH is it your bday today?
KH : Hahahahahahaha! you did it again!!!! hahahahaha! This time right day, wrong month!!ahahahah
JW : WHAT?

By then I was hysterical, nearly on the floor. My colleagues thought I was mental... :p

Flashback to about a year ago.....

Ring Ring Ring .....
KH : Hello!
JW : Happy Bday 2 U, Happy Bday 2U, Happy BBBBBBday 2 Uuuuuuu! Haaaapppyy BDay 22222Uuuuuuuu!
KH : ....... silence
JW : KH?
KH : err... Thanks!!! but my B-day was yesterday..hehehehehhe
JW : WHAT?.....

2 min later

Ring Ring Ring .....
KH : Hello!
MW : Happy Bday 2 U, Happy Bday 2U, Happy BBBBBBday 2 Uuuuuuu! Haaaapppyy BDay 22222Uuuuuuuu!
KH : ....... snigger...
MW : KH?
KH : Thanks!!! But my B-day was yesterday..hehehehehhe
MW : Huh?
KH : U r not the 1st one.... :p hehehhe

Mirror, Mirror on the wall....

2006-11-01T14:38:00.000+08:00

Halloween Jam at SPK! Great crowd, fantastic energy and totally wild! :p The Horn didn't stay in place for a long time. The one I got was for kids and it twisted and kept falling off! especially during the 2nd block (contemporary club block). The make-up.... I look like a drag queen!! Think i can audition for Rocky Horror Show as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, all I need now is a corset, fishnet stockings and a pair of Mahnolo! akekekeke

Fabulous members in SPK!

The two "Head-Hantus" :p The Witch and the Devil(...or drag queen?)

After the class..... ( Grizzabella look)

Pics from Cameron

2006-10-31T11:23:00.000+08:00

Here're the pics... can't seem to upload onto the existing post... and 3 pics are the max I can upload for now... sigh

Guinea Oinks...

2006-10-31T10:48:00.000+08:00

For some unknown reason over the raya break, I decided to try my hands at cooking. Decided to venture into some Japanese themed light dinner, had my cousin over to be the guinea oinks... :p Found it very therapeutic to cook :)

It's a simple 3 course dinner starting with a Dashi based soup with Shimeji Mushroom and tofu. The base is maded from konbu, bonito, mirin and shoyu. Daikon is then braised in it together with some chopped ham. Shimeji mushroom and Tofu is added in before serving. I also tied a ribbon of leek on the shimeji mushroom (forgot to take picture).

Next came braised diakon with sauteed duck liver and leek confit. Main course is a mixture of flavour and texture comprising of miso marinated halibut with grilled Negi asparagus and tear drop tomatoes, buttered mangetout + asparagus and mashed orange and purple sweet potato :p

Was too lazy to work on the presentation, so I just plonked everything in the bowl and plate. Will need to work a bit more on the flavour of each dish. Will try cooking again one of these days... any volunteers for food taster? (eat at your own risk!)

Where's my pics?

2006-10-30T10:19:00.000+08:00

Is there a virtual graveyard for all my missing pics? Been trying to upload pics onto the blog. Been getting a confirmation note but pics still missing! Is it me or a problem with blogspot? Is this the punishment for not updating the blog regularly? Have mercy on me!!! :p

The Crawl Up The Highlands

2006-10-29T14:35:00.000+08:00

Six and a half butt numbing hours of drive is how long it took to get to Cameron Highlands over the Weekend. Foolishly thinking that most people would have left on Fri, a friend and I decided to check out YTL Cameron resort over the Deepavali weekend. The jam started around Sungai Buloh, the North-South Expressway looks like Federal Highway during peak hours. Never again will I make the same mistake!!

Was surprisingly mellow and calm throughout the journey, not a single expletive or curse came out from my mouth! A rare feat! Of which I was rewarded with the spectacular view enroute to the resort. The road leading to Brinchang from Simpai Pulai is fairly new and pretty easy to navigate through. It offers some magnificent view of the valley set against the setting sun with refreshing breeze gently caressing your face as you ascend. The drive reminds me of the drive from Cape Town to the Cape of Good Hope; the sheer drop of the valley and the cool fresh air.

The Resort was formerly the Merlin and was refurbished by the YTL group. There are only 56 rooms, a Spa village, Function rooms, several F&B outlets (including Gonbei) and a Jim Thompson Shop.

Dinner on Sat was good but the drive up took its toll on me. Was suffering from massive headache throughout the dinner. The starter of steamed Asparagus with smoke salmon was pleasant. The Asparagus were excellent, steamed to perfection, it was fresh and crisp. The smoke salmon wrapped on the base of the asparagus wasn’t spectacular, I didn’t think it brought any new dimension to the vegetable. Next came the French Onion Soup, I’m a sucker for this dish, then again when I’m ill… soup is my comfort food. The broth was rich and wholesome with generous servings of caramelized onions. Main course is a decent serving of tenderloin served with 3 different sauces/condiments (béarnaise, Peppercorn and mustard) and vegetables. Dessert was apple pie, which I found too sweet for my liking. With a full belly and a headache… bed beckoned! (mental note to self:- must do more cardio to burn it all off!!)

After breakfast, headed off to BOH plantation, the drive there is a nightmare! Part of the roads are only as wide as a lorry. Traffic were bad both ways, there were times when there were deadlocked. Twenty cars and trucks on each side stuck on a single lane road with hills on one side and tea slopes on the next. BOH should have put in more thoughts when they put in the visitor centre, a shuttle service from designated venue would have avoided that and reduce all the emissions from the vehicles.

The weather was pleasant! No haze, fresh air and clear blue sky!! Was hoping to visit other flower and vegetable farms but again… the holiday traffic were horrendous!! Ended back in the resort early for a scrumptious Sunday Roast instead :p After stuffing myself with Roast Beef &Yorkshire pudding & loads of the totally yummy corn, I parked myself in the reading room with my book until…

TEA TIME!! :p walked to the Smokehouse for afternoon tea. The scones were crumbly, cream was decent and strawberry preserve was a tad too sweet. The set of 2 scones + condiments and a pot of tea cost almost RM 30. As I was finishing the treat, it started to pour…… whilst waiting, I ordered an apple pie ala mode (RM 25). Prefer this to the one I had the night before, it’s not too sweet and has a little tartness in the pie which I like. The rain seemed endless, instead of waiting and running the risks of spoiling my dinner appetite by me ordering more cakes, I braved the rain and walked back to the resort. Pretty pleasant and brings back memories of student days back in the UK.

Dinner at Gonbei is as part of the package. The set comes with Potato salad, Sashimi, Sukiyaki and Macha/Goma Ice Cream. Had an extra order of Gindara, tori syoyaki and Sake. Sashimi’s fresh and sweet! Loved the amaebi and maguro ( would be fab it was ohtoro!) Am supposed to take photos for all the dishes… but I kinda forgot… to engrossed in eating! Hungry mah!!! :p Would have loved to take a walk after the meal but the rain prevented that. Early night it was!

The drive down was a LOT faster, took me under 3.5 hours to get back to KL!

Hedonistically Luscious

2006-09-26T18:19:00.000+08:00

Cholesterol level hiked up one decimal place over the weekend! It’s been a fabulous weekend filled with ample supply of food and drinks! J I’m a happy chappy!

Started off with a B-day dinner on Fri nite at Café Café, almost endless supply of wine coupled with the delectable Wagyu Cheek in Burgundy sauce…. Heaven!!! I’m also a sucker for truffle scented mash potatoes… ended the night with some vodka back in La Bodega in BSC.

6 hours later I’m at the Curve practicing for the Jam launch… surprisingly fresh and perky, the Verbana shower Gel from L’Occitaine probably helped. Helped out a little taking some photos for the Pregnancy- Focus Balance Class before dashing off to participate in the company’s Treasure Hunt in One Utama. Before you can shout out “Jack Sparrow I’ll grind your marrow” I’m back in the Curve getting ready for the 2.45pm Jam class. Always a joy seeing members having fun and moving in unison during Jam! Simply PRICELESS J

45 min later… Sat Combat! This is my Favourite Combat Class (hereinafter be referred to as “FCC”), the crowd, the energy, the club set-up….. and to think that I almost give up on Combat a few months back! Thanks for the support guys!! You know who you are! Anyway, back to the class….Tried to coach the class on front kick and for some unknown reason it came out as “ Aim to the knee, kick and retract… your kick must be strong… and FIRM!” …. FIRM!! What was I thinking!!! Well at least this is not half as bad as the one I said in Jam (another anecdote for next time) …. :p

Fast forward to the evening…. Dinner hosted by FBB was simply fabulous!!!!! I was shameless enough to hum and “try” to sing some excerpts of songs from musical I love. Hrmm is that why some of the guests left early…. ;p

Neil Gaiman revisited

2006-09-18T19:21:00.000+08:00

Was tidying up my room over the weekend when I found my collection of "The Sandman" and "The Dreaming" ended up re-reading them the whole evening. These are stories that one will appreciate more as you grow older. Mr Gaiman is one amazing fella! The story arcs are intelligently written covering a myriad of genres. The stories are weaved with a touch of film noir here, a dab of superheroes actions there; intertwined with murder mysteries laced with prickly topics on religion, sexuality and politics.... You also get generous doses of mythologies, histories and fantasies!

The Sandman is, in my opinion, one of the most original and sophisiticated comic series I've ever read. It breaks away from the conventional comic genre, the art is amazing (very subjective). Dave Mckean's cover are surreal and beautiful. The protagonist is Dream (a personification of dreams and stories). He's one of the 7 Endless. Each has names beginning with D. Destiny, Death, Dream,Destruction,Desire,Despair and Delirium (who used to be Delight).

There are hundreds of memorable quotes from Sandman, here are some of my favourites:-

"But he did not understand the price... Mortals never do. They only see the prize. Their heart's desire, their dream.... But the price of getting what you want is getting what you once wanted."

- Dream

"Have you ever been in love?
Horrible, isn't it?
It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens your heart and it means someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses. You build up this whole armor, for years, so nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wandered into your stupid life.... You give them a piece of you. They don't ask for it. They do something dumb one day like kiss you, or smile at you, and your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so a simple phrase like "Maybe we should just be friends" or "How perceptive" turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart.

It hurts . Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt,a body-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. Nothing should be able to do that. Especially not love.

I hate love"

- Rose Walker

Rose's quote didn't register much when I first read it back in school. Today, I thought to myself, Neil has capture the essense of the bitterness of being jilted/dumped/rejected very well.

Wickedly green and melodious

2006-09-12T14:39:00.000+08:00

Still listening to Wicked! the Musical. Several songs just kept being stuck in my head apart from all the new Les Mills releases. This is the downside of learning new choreo, you'll be listening to the same songs to death while practising. By the time you start teaching them, you'll sick of it. It's always a treat when you get a releases that has great choreo paired with awesome songs. BodyBalance and BodyJam usually have that. Combat songs however are quite forgettable (IMHO) :p

Anyway, one of my favourite songs from Wicked is Defying Gravity. An uplifting song at one of the most crucial moments in the show. The lyrics reflected Elphaba's progress into her own independent woman (she's always been a tough cookie anyway..being born green and all :p)

Some excerpts from Defying Gravity :-

Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by the rules
Of someone else's game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleepI
t's time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes: and leap!

It's time to try
Defying gravity
I think I'll try
Defying gravity
And you can't pull me down!

....

So if you care to find me
Look to the western sky!
As someone told me lately:
"Ev'ryone deserves the chance to fly!"
And if I'm flying solo
At least I'm flying free
To those who'd ground me
Take a message back from me
Tell them how I am

Defying gravity
I'm flying high
Defying gravity
And soon I'll match them in renown
And nobody in all of Oz
No Wizard that there is or was
Is ever gonna bring me down

------------------------------------------------

Haha... Very Slippery hor!

2006-09-07T17:21:00.000+08:00

“Hello! Anybody there?”, “Eh! The Tabula Rasa fella still around ar?” , “ An un-updated Blog is like an unused organ” . So here I am! Been very busy for the last few weeks. Was in Singapore before Merdeka for a workshop then back to lots of work and gym commitments (new launch coming up).

The Singapore trip has got to be one of my worst experience at the airport. Flight was supposed to depart at 1850, we finally left KLIA at 2330 and when I got there, one of my luggage is still in KL! Pathetic!! Workshop went pretty well but was intensive mentally and mildly strenuous. First day started 0830 on Sun and finally ended at 2215, was like a zombie after that. The next two days were better 0715 start on Mon and 0830 on Tues. Both ended early by 1800ish. Spent the new day lazing about at the gym and a bit of shopping to get my mind off work.

On Merdeka day; before I left for airport, yours sincerely glamorous strutted, slipped and fell right in front Paragon accompanied by the collective gasps of the crowd around me. There I was, flat on the floor, looking up at the sky wondering what the heck just happened. First thing I said was “ Haha… Very slippery hor!”… got up and just walked away J

Weekend was hectic, Sat combat class was fun and then off to entertain overseas friends. Lots to drink and eat that night, Sun was just spent lazing around. Had lovely Dim Sum ( I still prefer the non-halal version) brunch at EEST @ Westin. The evening was allocated to learning choreo for new releases (mainly Jam).

The week started manically with series of meetings, site visits, contract negotiations, classes & tuitions(Jam and Balance). Love the new Jam, the movements are different and the music is pretty cool. Balance this time round is challenging and the music goes pretty well with the movements. Love the Forward Bend song (can’t reveal it yet until the launch). I urge you guys to try all the programmes out when it’s launched at individual clubs!

Was listening to Don Mclean’s “And I Loved You So” earlier and got hooked on it all over again. Is it the way he sang it? the lyrics? I don't know. I supposed it's one of those being there at the right time and state of mind.

" The book of life is brief
And once a page is read
All but love is dead
That is my belief

And yes I know how lonely/loveless life can be
The Shadows follow me
And the nights won’t set me free
But I don’t let the evenings bring me down now that you are around me"

Enough drama mama moment and don't go speculating who the you is. None at the moment! Now listening to “WICKED- The Musical” , it’s hilarious, witty, dramatic and catchy! The book is a lot more cynical and sinister than the musical but well worth the read. A great twist to the Wizard of Oz story.

Bruised!

2006-08-22T00:45:00.000+08:00

Still trying to sleep....physically tired but mentally alert... Thanks to my back-to-back Jam-Combat at Consplant. Everyone went bonkers! full throttle all the way from Jam! My thigh bruised now after Jam Track 6 with all the slapping! :p hehehe

Had a great time tonight! Thanks for the energy!

Jam tracklist:-
1. Blame It On The Boogie Jam 22
2. Let's Get Down Jam 25
3. Work Jam 22
4. Pop Jam 19
5. Zoot Suit Riot Jam 22
6. Brotha Jam 22
7. Adrenalina Jam 31
8. Feel The Need Jam 25
9. Pate Pate Jam 22

Combat tracklist:-
1. Angels Combat 25
2. Livin' On A Prayer Combat 24
3. Endless Summer Combat 18
4. Blood Is Pumpin Combat 20
5. Power Of Love Combat 25
6. Take My Breath Away Combat 21
7. Going Insane Combat 21
8. Razzia 2 Combat 18
9. Somebody To Love Combat 21
10. James Bond Theme Combat 18

LM Q306:- I Hear Maddy Everywhere.....

2006-08-21T18:41:00.000+08:00

19th Aug 2006 - Les Mills Quarter 3 Workshop.

BodyCombat kicked off the morning with a bang. Great seeing Ben and Renee on stage, good chemistry between them. This release will certainly test your endurance to the max! Loved the music as well, Paffendorf's Be Cool meets Madonna's Vogue! awesome!! The push up, as Ben said, is a fabulous chest enhancer. Ouch!

BodyJam... kicked A** HOT HOT HOT!! Go loco with the latin moves. Ran Kan Kan sets the floor ablaze with latino groove. Mucha Caliente!!!! It's like a fiesta in the studio! Arnold and Melissa were fantastic! The Comtempory Club... it's unique, it's challenging, it's simply incredible! Danny and I were victims of "She-With-Whips-For-Hair".... whenever there're spins, we'd both recoiled with fear... :p I really liked the music in this release :) for a moment I heard Hung Up mash with MJ/PM's Say Say Say.... I could be wrong...

BodyBalance..... I kept my composure! 2 releases in a row! an acheivement! :p BodyBalance is a very personal programme. It has the ability to open the floodgates of my eyes. Hey! I'm a sensitive guy!!! :p Another top notch release, soothing and matching music with the choreo. Perfect way to end the day.

Been To Loo and Splitted Toenails

2006-08-17T11:49:00.000+08:00

This will be an ultra brief update, leaving for a meeting in 10 min! My inauguaral trip to Bintulu was as exciting as watching paint dry. It's a last minute work trip, here to evaluate potential new business. A fellow colleague and I decided to check out the new shopping arcade nearby and our tour of the entire shopping departments took less than 20 min :p

The night was spent reviewing documents and downloading mails from the office. Took bloody 2 hours to download 6 miserable emails (normal sized). Decided to sleep early and I just had to kick the cabinet right before I zzz. The result... split toe nails. Stopped the bleeding then went off to bed. Hope I'm ok for classes this weekend.

Snapshot of the week

2006-08-15T00:36:00.000+08:00

Been a busy, hadn't had time to update the blog as frequently as I'd hope to. Another crazy week ahead! Anyway, here's a quick overview of the last week.

Had a Team Building and brainstorming session in Bukit Tinggi middle of last week. Achieved the objectives set up and yours sincerely is also accountable for delivering the finished product by mid this week! Stress!! Being an absent minded fellow that I am, I forgot my toothbrush, the sundry shop had nothing left but the cute little one below… couldn’t stop laughing while I brushed my teeth later that night :p I personally like the bunny rabbit print :p

Will be going off for a meeting on Wed in Bintulu, back in good old KL on Thurs. Let’s hope I can make it on time to the theme class in Maxis J what will FCI and his team wear?

Couldn’t make it to my Sat Combat at the Curve, had to cover a Bollywood Class in Manulife. Power-Peggy replaced me, members had fun in her class! Way to go!! J
Now Sat night was great! Fantastic company, a cornucopia of Arabian feast and a workout!! Check out FBB’s blog on the wonderful Arabian Night! Someone also commented on my outfit… whether I was in partial drag :p my shirt pocket + the parking ticket made it looked as if I’m wearing a bra. Which brings me to a topic of discussion recently about abundance of estrogen in the air (esp in the class) and whether inhaling it would lead to development of mammary glands :p

Felt ill this morning when I got up, call in sick for half a day. Mom made me my favourite porridge (dried Scallops, Dried Shrimps, Chic Stock and Tung Choi). Yum!

Heading off to dreamland soon, chilling out a little after the back-to-back Jam-Combat in Consplant. Pretty good crowd of 40+ for the 8.45pm Jam and 28+ for the 9.45pm Combat.

2006-08-07T19:01:00.000+08:00

Bangers and Bubbly

Had an excellent Gym Session on Sat at the Curve, started with Pump. Riyo had us work hard! The Smooth Criminal chest track was a killer with no breaks in between and I had to choose that day to increase the weight. Should have taken the cue and maintained my normal weights…but no! gung ho! Increased the biceps weight (don’t want to be booed ma! Tale for another time) , we will rock you indeed. I was crying out for mama half way through! :p yup.. I know I’m a BodyPump weakling!

Next was NRSW Bollywood, shadowed Riyo together with Ken. It was a blast! Made a few boo-boo though, confused with my left and right when I switch from members side to mirror image… brain fart! As usual great workout, legs were like jelly by the end of it.

Then came my Combat Class, never seen the class so packed! More than 68pax! Could it be the pimping? :p hehehe. Fantastic energy from the members! You guys totally rock! Let’s do it again in 2 weeks time, can make it to class next Sat. Will be covering Bollywood class in Manulife. The following Sat is the quarterly workshop for instructors.

Sat evening was spent vegeing out with friends and an early night.
Had a lovely Sunday brunch with another friend at Jarrod and Rawlins. Eggs, Sausages, Bacon, Bread, OJ, Wines and Champagne :p hic! I can get use to that! Got home and crashed out till late evening. Got up for a quick bite and retired soon after…was aching from the workout on Sat. Needed to rest for the back-to-back Jam-Combat class in Cosplant on Monday.

2006-08-03T21:07:00.000+08:00

Me Gustas Cuando Callas - Pablo Neruda
Me Gustas cuando callas porque estas como ausente,
Y me oyes desde lejos, y mi voz no te toca.
Parece que los ojos se te hubieran volado
Y perece que un beso te cerrara la boca.

Como todas las cosas estan llenas de mi alma
Emerges de las cosas,llena del alma mia
Mariposa de sueno, te pareces a mi alma
Y te pareces a la palabra melancolia

Me gustas cuando callas y estas como distante.
Y esta como quejandote, mariposa en arrullo.
Y me oyes desde lejos, y mi voz no te alcanza:
dejame que me calle con el silencio tuyo.

Dejame que te hable tambien con tu silencio
claro como una lampara, simple como un anillo.
Eres como la noche, callada y constelada.
Tu silencio es de estrella, tan lejano y sencillo.

Me gustas cuando callas porque estas como ausente.
Distante y dolorosa como hubieras muerto.
Una palabraentonces, una sonrisa bastan.
Y estoy alegre, alegre de que no sea cierto

******************************************************
I Like It When You're Quiet-Pablo Neruda
I like it when you're quiet, It's as is you weren't here now,
and you heard me froma distance, and my voice couldn't reach you.
It's as if your eyes had flown away from you, and as if your mouth were closed because I leaned to kiss you.

Just as all living things are filled with my soul,
You emerge from all living things filled with the soul of me.
It's as if, a butterfly in dreams, you were my soul,
and as if you were the soul's word, melancholy.

I like it when you are quiet. It's as if you'd gone away now.
And you'd become the keening, the butterfly's insistence.
And you heard me from a distance and my voice didn't reach you:
it's then that what I want is to be quiet with your silence.

It's then that what I want is to speak to your silence
in a speech as clear as lamplight, as plain as a gold ring.
You are quiet like the night, and like the night you're star-lit.
Your silences are star-like, they're a distant and a simple thing.

I like it when you're quiet. It's as if you weren't here now.
Aws if you were dead now, and sorrowful, and distant.
A word then is sufficient, or a smile, to make me happy,
Happy that it seems so certain that you're present.

******************************************************

Picked up my Neruda collection, randomly flipped to a page and this is what I got. Love the bittersweetness of it :)

Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) is widely considered one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. His funeral is also a key moment in Chilean history. It marks the first public protest against Pinochet's dictatorship.

Now, some may ask how did I come across Neruda? Am I a being fan of poetry? nope. The truth is a lot simpler.... Did a search for Nobel laurette who died in the year that I was born in and his name was one of the many that popped up ( i was that bored back then...) The next day I popped into Kinokuniya to get a collection of his poems. Interesting and some are intense... wish I know Spanish. Would love to be able to appreciate the beauty of his poems in its original form. no matter how well it's translated, a lot of the essence would have been lost. That basically applies to so many other work of art/entertainment. An obvious one is foreign movies.

A recent topic in the Fitness Fever forum mentioned favourite movie. There are countless movies that I adore and it's impossible to name just one. There are however a few that I'd always have a soft spot for.... Cinema Paradiso and Ill Postino. If I can speak and understand Italian, I'm certain I'd love them even more and would have suffer severe dehydration..... from excessive sobbing :p

Salaam Namaste!

2006-08-02T23:57:00.000+08:00

NIKE ROCKSTAR WORKOUT (NRSW) BOLLYWOOD launched! Had an awesome time last night launching the programme with Juwita and Leo! The two ladies are amazing! Couldn't have survived without them! :)

NRSW Bollywood choreo is mainly Hip-hop/funk/R&B infused with authentic female indian dance moves.The workout is intensive when done properly, couple that with the catchy music... absolutely fantastic!

Had to move out from the comfort zone when I first went for training. Training for trainers was intensive and prepared us well to teach the classes. Had to drill loads to get it right (still working on it to get it perfect!), dancing is not my forte, it's something I need to practise hard on. I'm more comfortable with the instruction bit :)

Getting the indian flavour right requires some understanding of the whole Bollywood culture. Didn't have time to research much so ASTRO it was... Bollywood films! and some basic reading on indian classical dance helped a little. Stable core, strong legs, versatile arm lines (sharp and gentle depending on the choreo) and a lot of facial expression. Add those on top of the quintessential choreo of the programme.... hard work! but well worth it when you see the joy of the members. The energy one gets when members smile! shout! scream! holler in class is indescribable! For a moment everyone is connected and that's amazing!

Looking forward to the next 5 weeks of more NRSW Bollywood fun! (the programme will last for 6 weeks only!)

Debut

2006-08-02T14:43:00.000+08:00

Finally got my act together to put up a blog...... That line took me 10 minutes to compose. It's really annoying how you have so much to say but when trying to put in down on paper.... The 5 lanes highway in your mind suddenly transformed into a muddy trunk road. When you take a look behind, all you see a just pure catastrophe; chaotic, anarchic, profanities abound everywhere.... Well you get the picture.

So Tabula Rasa it is... a clean slate, that's where I'll start. This blog will grow and evolve slowly from the various experiences and sensory (cyber ones la!) perceptions of the world.