Okay, went back to the GYM last Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (moving up to a 4-days workout from the regular 3-days one)
Just some numbers:
Classic snatch: 65 kgs
Power snatch: 60kgs
Classic C&J: 80 kgs
Power C&J: 75kgs
Snatch Pull: 100kgs
C&J Pull: 110kgs
Front Squat: 100kgs
Back Squat: 120kgs
Press: (a measly) 50kgs
Beijing 2008, Here I come (Yeah right!)
Monday, December 18, 2006
Thursday, November 23, 2006
A feast around East Asia
Followed up the Japanese Gourmet on Friday with a family gathering on Saturday at my brother's favourite Korean Barbecue restaurant in Ampang (where there is a proliferation of them due to the concentration of Korean expat families there).
We arrived late because we were too busy getting lost and tracing concentric circles in the traffic grid.
By the time we arrived, the party has already started.
So, just hop right into barbecued-unmarinated meat, spare ribs, surlion, rib eye, green onions (with accompany side dishes of kim chee, kim chai, miso paste, pickled radish, pickled summer vegetable, soft tofu, soup).
So excessive of us typical chinese, there was definitely more on the table that we can handle.
So gungho of us typical chinese, we dig into the whole thing.
So specialized of us typical chinese: The granddaughters were nibbling on pickled vegetables and decorating their food; the daughters and daughter-in-law were tasting everything and nibbling at the meat while concetrating on conversation; the sons were eating everything to stretch the money's worth; the parents were mothering each other (well, mum was mothering dad more often than not).
And smacked right in the middle of the table was this 3kg mass of kim chee-drenched noodles, fried with escallops, octopus, prawns, crabs, cockle shells (We tried to conquer it, but no luck for this family of nine).
So what happened to it?
The restauranter picked out the seafood (and the family piled it all on my plate, so nice to be the sacrifical lamb - NOT) and fried the noodles, kim chee sauce with rice for us to take away.
So bloated of us typical chinese after the meal is over that I could skip breakfast and went straight for the feast of a chinese lunch in our family institution, Sek Yuen, along Jalan Pudu, just down the road from our family doctor's clinic (in case we need emergency medication for bloatedness, indigestion, excessive eating, etc. And that was assuming that you survived the 200m walk to the clinic with a bloated belly).
So 11.30 am: My elder sister and I took a detour to Mydin and we got lost thanks to her navigation (She kept on rambling that it was on the left side of the road, left side of the road, left side of THAT road on the right hand side of THE road; which...you know what I mean). So dropped her off at that shop at 12.20pm, and traced concentric circles and figure-8s in the downtown traffic grid. Picked her up and went straight to the restaurant (which she kindly dropped references to mum breastfeeding me at one of the tables post birth, how illuminating. I recall playing with my godsisters in Sek Yuen thanks to the wonders of photographic evidence, but breastfeeding in plain sight in the family restaurant in 1980 Malaysia?).
So resume to the new and improved 11 (or was it 12) course Chinese feast.
Crispy chicken skin on a bed of minced chicken meat, skin was perfectly crisp (Ricky would loved this) but mince chicken filling was chewy, bitey and less flavoursome than the skin.
Tai Shou (a.k.a pig-meat-in-crispy-soy-skin style dim sum, Ricky would so die for this)
Chinese Chicken Soup: So typically barbaric of chinese soup, you can see the chicken chunks in the soup. So typically poor of chinese soup, you can see the bones on the chicken chunks. So typically flavourful of chinese soup, you can taste the double-boiled strong broth (which also means the chicken is overcooked, hence tougher than leather). So typically pure (or wasterful) of the chinese soup drinkers, we drink the soup and pass on the chicken leaving nothing but a pile of bone and meat in the bowl.
The usual Char-Siew-Siew-Yok combo (honey glazed meat and roasted meat)
Kai Lan in oyster sauce
Hakka style Lamb spare rib (and the granddaughters said that I look barbaric just sucking on the marrow of the ribs)
Fried Vegetable in a Yam Basket (who substituted MY chinese dried chillies for that digusting capsicums and red chillies, and one of the granddaughter has her first 'bite' of red chilli)
Butter fried prawns (the messiest thing in any feast)
Wax rice (just kidding, it is actually Duck rice with chinese sausages, for those with no iron mouth and tongue, beware for this thing has duck feet and duck neck). So waxingly good that I will waxily wax lyrics about it waxiness, waxing down your throat into your gullet as it waxes your intestine.
Now that comes down to just nine dishes...What were the other three? (Bloated Horror experience blocks out the other dishes)
So Japanese on Friday,
Korean on Saturday,
Chinese on Sunday.
What an exercise in digestion.
We arrived late because we were too busy getting lost and tracing concentric circles in the traffic grid.
By the time we arrived, the party has already started.
So, just hop right into barbecued-unmarinated meat, spare ribs, surlion, rib eye, green onions (with accompany side dishes of kim chee, kim chai, miso paste, pickled radish, pickled summer vegetable, soft tofu, soup).
So excessive of us typical chinese, there was definitely more on the table that we can handle.
So gungho of us typical chinese, we dig into the whole thing.
So specialized of us typical chinese: The granddaughters were nibbling on pickled vegetables and decorating their food; the daughters and daughter-in-law were tasting everything and nibbling at the meat while concetrating on conversation; the sons were eating everything to stretch the money's worth; the parents were mothering each other (well, mum was mothering dad more often than not).
And smacked right in the middle of the table was this 3kg mass of kim chee-drenched noodles, fried with escallops, octopus, prawns, crabs, cockle shells (We tried to conquer it, but no luck for this family of nine).
So what happened to it?
The restauranter picked out the seafood (and the family piled it all on my plate, so nice to be the sacrifical lamb - NOT) and fried the noodles, kim chee sauce with rice for us to take away.
So bloated of us typical chinese after the meal is over that I could skip breakfast and went straight for the feast of a chinese lunch in our family institution, Sek Yuen, along Jalan Pudu, just down the road from our family doctor's clinic (in case we need emergency medication for bloatedness, indigestion, excessive eating, etc. And that was assuming that you survived the 200m walk to the clinic with a bloated belly).
So 11.30 am: My elder sister and I took a detour to Mydin and we got lost thanks to her navigation (She kept on rambling that it was on the left side of the road, left side of the road, left side of THAT road on the right hand side of THE road; which...you know what I mean). So dropped her off at that shop at 12.20pm, and traced concentric circles and figure-8s in the downtown traffic grid. Picked her up and went straight to the restaurant (which she kindly dropped references to mum breastfeeding me at one of the tables post birth, how illuminating. I recall playing with my godsisters in Sek Yuen thanks to the wonders of photographic evidence, but breastfeeding in plain sight in the family restaurant in 1980 Malaysia?).
So resume to the new and improved 11 (or was it 12) course Chinese feast.
Crispy chicken skin on a bed of minced chicken meat, skin was perfectly crisp (Ricky would loved this) but mince chicken filling was chewy, bitey and less flavoursome than the skin.
Tai Shou (a.k.a pig-meat-in-crispy-soy-skin style dim sum, Ricky would so die for this)
Chinese Chicken Soup: So typically barbaric of chinese soup, you can see the chicken chunks in the soup. So typically poor of chinese soup, you can see the bones on the chicken chunks. So typically flavourful of chinese soup, you can taste the double-boiled strong broth (which also means the chicken is overcooked, hence tougher than leather). So typically pure (or wasterful) of the chinese soup drinkers, we drink the soup and pass on the chicken leaving nothing but a pile of bone and meat in the bowl.
The usual Char-Siew-Siew-Yok combo (honey glazed meat and roasted meat)
Kai Lan in oyster sauce
Hakka style Lamb spare rib (and the granddaughters said that I look barbaric just sucking on the marrow of the ribs)
Fried Vegetable in a Yam Basket (who substituted MY chinese dried chillies for that digusting capsicums and red chillies, and one of the granddaughter has her first 'bite' of red chilli)
Butter fried prawns (the messiest thing in any feast)
Wax rice (just kidding, it is actually Duck rice with chinese sausages, for those with no iron mouth and tongue, beware for this thing has duck feet and duck neck). So waxingly good that I will waxily wax lyrics about it waxiness, waxing down your throat into your gullet as it waxes your intestine.
Now that comes down to just nine dishes...What were the other three? (Bloated Horror experience blocks out the other dishes)
So Japanese on Friday,
Korean on Saturday,
Chinese on Sunday.
What an exercise in digestion.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
My most expensive dinner to date (for two)
Okay, booked a table for two (Me and Rose) at Iketeru in Hilton KL, Friday evening, ordering the Festival menu (I paired mine up with wine)
Starters:
Two dishes
The smoked duck breasts tasted sweet thanks to the succulent pickles that was paired with it.
But the eye catcher was the pike in ponzu sauce decorated with mushrooms, veggie and salmon roe.
Soury smoky yet enjoyable
Soup:
Forgot to ask the chef what stock he used but the clear soup had a trace of oyster masked by plenty of japanese white radish and baby mushrooms.
The spanish Sherry that was paired with it really gave it some depth to tease out flavor of the soup.
Sashimi:
I love the richness of the tuna belly, so tender that it breaks apart in your mouth yet chewy too. (Rose says that one piece was more than enough for her)
The sea bream was thinnly sliced and lightly dab with fragrant sesame oil.
The Hokkaido prawn was interest when eaten raw with a hint of olive oil.
The Italian white wine that went with this one was a mismatch because it suited the fishes, but not the prawn.
Steammed dish:
Just learned that Wagyu is actually the name of the region that produces the meat (just like Kobe beef comes from Kobe).
This dish is probably one of the highlights for me that evening.
Again, meat so tender that it breaks apart on the slightest touch from the chopsticks, yet to juicy and tender and full of saucy flavours. (Rose says it's too sweet for her but I do like my meat sweet)
The French red wine also went well with the meat (just wish that the waiter could actually serve the wine beforehand and introduce me to it instead of me asking them to 'erm-herm')
Hor d'oeuvre
A selection of Japanese autumn delicacies wrapped and steammed in a Hoba-leaf, the aroma was still lingering in the air throughout the dish (and even after it)
Top marks for the grilled tuna cheek generously lathered with a robust white miso paste (Rose detected brandy in it, so prayers won't be heard for 44 days). And the selection of prawn tempura, gingko nuts and fried sweet potato chip was excellent. But the piece that took the icing on the cake has to be the brandied chestnut, nestled in it roasted shell (which was edible too!)
Sushi:
I was curious to find out what the Toro in Toro Sushi means, and chef Ricky Kamiishi explained it to be Tuna belly (again).
Yet all three sushi tasted different from the Sashimi earlier, so chef Kamiishi highlighted the different preparations of each individual meat, including marinating the first, grilling the second and salting the third. The garnishing of Wasabi (first), ponzu (second) and roasted garlic (third) really compliment each of the sushi.
The change from an australian white wine to a italian sauvignon failed to excite me at first until I sipped the chilled wine. Now that was truly refreshing.
Dessert:
Was alternating bites of the lime sorbet, musk melon and japanese sweet pastry (Rose wants it softer and bigger portion eventhough she failed to finish the tuna sashimi earlier) but I beg to differ.
Grilling the chef:
Chef Ricky Kamiishi was wonderful enough to brave our interrogation of his dishes, Rose has a lot to say to him and we truly enjoyed his company. He even pointed out that he is bringing in the deadly Pufferfish (which is a winter dish) soon. I will definitely have to come back for it soon.
Souvenir:
Shamelessly asked for a copy of the Festival menu, now in the hands of Rose.
Last words:
I am not a gourmet, so sue me :P
Starters:
Two dishes
The smoked duck breasts tasted sweet thanks to the succulent pickles that was paired with it.
But the eye catcher was the pike in ponzu sauce decorated with mushrooms, veggie and salmon roe.
Soury smoky yet enjoyable
Soup:
Forgot to ask the chef what stock he used but the clear soup had a trace of oyster masked by plenty of japanese white radish and baby mushrooms.
The spanish Sherry that was paired with it really gave it some depth to tease out flavor of the soup.
Sashimi:
I love the richness of the tuna belly, so tender that it breaks apart in your mouth yet chewy too. (Rose says that one piece was more than enough for her)
The sea bream was thinnly sliced and lightly dab with fragrant sesame oil.
The Hokkaido prawn was interest when eaten raw with a hint of olive oil.
The Italian white wine that went with this one was a mismatch because it suited the fishes, but not the prawn.
Steammed dish:
Just learned that Wagyu is actually the name of the region that produces the meat (just like Kobe beef comes from Kobe).
This dish is probably one of the highlights for me that evening.
Again, meat so tender that it breaks apart on the slightest touch from the chopsticks, yet to juicy and tender and full of saucy flavours. (Rose says it's too sweet for her but I do like my meat sweet)
The French red wine also went well with the meat (just wish that the waiter could actually serve the wine beforehand and introduce me to it instead of me asking them to 'erm-herm')
Hor d'oeuvre
A selection of Japanese autumn delicacies wrapped and steammed in a Hoba-leaf, the aroma was still lingering in the air throughout the dish (and even after it)
Top marks for the grilled tuna cheek generously lathered with a robust white miso paste (Rose detected brandy in it, so prayers won't be heard for 44 days). And the selection of prawn tempura, gingko nuts and fried sweet potato chip was excellent. But the piece that took the icing on the cake has to be the brandied chestnut, nestled in it roasted shell (which was edible too!)
Sushi:
I was curious to find out what the Toro in Toro Sushi means, and chef Ricky Kamiishi explained it to be Tuna belly (again).
Yet all three sushi tasted different from the Sashimi earlier, so chef Kamiishi highlighted the different preparations of each individual meat, including marinating the first, grilling the second and salting the third. The garnishing of Wasabi (first), ponzu (second) and roasted garlic (third) really compliment each of the sushi.
The change from an australian white wine to a italian sauvignon failed to excite me at first until I sipped the chilled wine. Now that was truly refreshing.
Dessert:
Was alternating bites of the lime sorbet, musk melon and japanese sweet pastry (Rose wants it softer and bigger portion eventhough she failed to finish the tuna sashimi earlier) but I beg to differ.
Grilling the chef:
Chef Ricky Kamiishi was wonderful enough to brave our interrogation of his dishes, Rose has a lot to say to him and we truly enjoyed his company. He even pointed out that he is bringing in the deadly Pufferfish (which is a winter dish) soon. I will definitely have to come back for it soon.
Souvenir:
Shamelessly asked for a copy of the Festival menu, now in the hands of Rose.
Last words:
I am not a gourmet, so sue me :P
Friday, November 17, 2006
Bond is good, Girls are hot, Gadget-free-Action-lite movie was good, but Plotline was predictable
Spoilers to follow, throughout the whole thing.
No criticism of Daniel Craig here, but I would really wish the producers would stop offing the BONDS girls so quickly. Three leading ladies gone (except for the d.a.m.e) and I am left wondering about the future plotline.
Back to the story first, Vesper as a possible (supposedly the) mole was pretty predictable and I caught the idea the moment she started punching in the secret password to the account number (Bond used her name, but anyone who was scrutinising the keypad when he was punching it in would have known), but I didn't have the exact reasoning (as some would have deduced the same time as Bond had, before he got captured; So nice of him to fill in the blank spot. Hint: I make a bad criminal detective, absolutely no deductive reasoning, just pure leaps of brilliance/enlightenment/realization).
Since someone leaked the secret to Le Chiffre, it was either Vesper or Mathis (then again, it could have been both, courtesy of Bond again). Despite Mathis being off screen most of the time, Vesper's on-screen tells were not very subtle either, so must have probably been the director dropping hints left, right, up, down, centre, here, there, anywhere, everywhere? (Note to d.i.r.e.c.t.o.r and producers: I hope you are planning to bring back something S.P.E.C.T.R.E-ish)
Let's see, how many hints did they drop about SPECTRE anyway.
If they are, I do hope that they bring back better superiors (all of the original ones were too cheesy. Well, some of them were nice, just that they diedly cheesily).
And Jeffrey Wright is the #-what incarnation of Felix Leiter? (or is that an interchangeable alias for all CIA field agents and superiors?) So beware of anyone introducing himself as Felix Leiter.
If there is anything I like about this Bond movie, it was the inclusion of free running (a.k.a parkour). Thank you Sebastien Roche for one of the nicer (no-car) chase scene in any Bond movie.
And if you are wondering why I called this Bond movie Gadget-free, it was because the car had no machine guns-missile launchers-invisibility cloak-remote control driver-interchangeable license plate-whatchamacallitjig that most Bond movies had AND Bond's watch does nothing, absolutely nothing.
Same goes for the bug, I just don't get the timeline from the time Bond preps the thing until he tracks it down in Le Chiffre's room. Most directors will show Le Chiffre pockting his inhaler for crying out LOUD!
But if you want to talk about the defibrilitator, the antidote for digitalis, Bond tracking our hand phone SIM cards via Sony VIAO laptops (wonderful product placement, never missed it for a single second).
Now if they will only invent a handphone with a built-in EMP generator to fry my SIM card before I expired, I bet that a lot of terrorists will just die to acquire one of those, not to mention including the protocol in all future terrorist manual: REMEMBER - Always FRY your SIM card before you D(eliberately/) I(nadvertently) E(xpire)) etc.
If you still want to quibble, then fine; I will go as far as to call it Gadget-Lite.
Last words: I love the look on Daniel Craig face after the bomber realized he turned himself into a suicide bomber.
PS: IF you people were really kepoy about who I watched the movie with, it was with the staff at the hotel that I am working at. Yes I got the seat ALMOST (I emphasize ALMOST) under the screen but then again it was the PREMIERE theatre so I enjoyed it with a modest serving of caramel popcorn (badly covered, not enough caramel) and a smoothie (poorly made, the flavored water and fruity mush separated after leaving it lying around for thirty minutes).
Last, Last words:
Good Trailers: Eragon (too choppy though)
Bad Trailers: Deja Vu (lousy concept of the trailer, even lousier movie concept)
Ink Attack "Mo Gong" (not enough meat in the trailer)
Cicak Man (I no longer have any idea why people adore Saiful Apek)
Good Ads: Heineken (Unchanged since 1873, love the six-pack
Bad Ads: just about everything else!
No criticism of Daniel Craig here, but I would really wish the producers would stop offing the BONDS girls so quickly. Three leading ladies gone (except for the d.a.m.e) and I am left wondering about the future plotline.
Back to the story first, Vesper as a possible (supposedly the) mole was pretty predictable and I caught the idea the moment she started punching in the secret password to the account number (Bond used her name, but anyone who was scrutinising the keypad when he was punching it in would have known), but I didn't have the exact reasoning (as some would have deduced the same time as Bond had, before he got captured; So nice of him to fill in the blank spot. Hint: I make a bad criminal detective, absolutely no deductive reasoning, just pure leaps of brilliance/enlightenment/realization).
Since someone leaked the secret to Le Chiffre, it was either Vesper or Mathis (then again, it could have been both, courtesy of Bond again). Despite Mathis being off screen most of the time, Vesper's on-screen tells were not very subtle either, so must have probably been the director dropping hints left, right, up, down, centre, here, there, anywhere, everywhere? (Note to d.i.r.e.c.t.o.r and producers: I hope you are planning to bring back something S.P.E.C.T.R.E-ish)
Let's see, how many hints did they drop about SPECTRE anyway.
- Mr White mentioned it at the terrorist camp.
- M mentioned it in her apartment.
- M hinted at it in her briefing of Bond in the Bahamas.
- Le Chiffre pleading for his life from Mr White. (note to self: please find the definition of Le Chiffre to see if it corresponds to any known colour. Same goes for Gattler? SPECTRE was numerically order, maybe the new one may be colour-coded?)
- Oh, and the climatic battle-destruction-carnage scene at the end when Le Chiffre has already died (by the way, whatever happened to the poor fellow pinned by the elevator when Bond went to rescue Vesper, there was absolutely no sign of him. But then again, I am myopic, so it may be my eyes. It must be my eyes)
- Mr White, walking off with the case of money (pretty easy for him to make a switch with Vesper before she met Gattler; or perhaps Gattler when they ran into the building. In case you thought he went through the rubble but no, he was not wet.)
- M in her debriefing of Bond (dropping hints of kidnapping, blackmail, extortion, murder, etc. Where have I heard this ranting before?)
- Bond not killing Mr White (why shoot him in the leg unless you want to interrogate him about the organization. But then again, maybe Daniel Craig may be the one to give Bond a sadistic streak. Hint: He enjoys pain and Bond-age somewhat)
If they are, I do hope that they bring back better superiors (all of the original ones were too cheesy. Well, some of them were nice, just that they diedly cheesily).
And Jeffrey Wright is the #-what incarnation of Felix Leiter? (or is that an interchangeable alias for all CIA field agents and superiors?) So beware of anyone introducing himself as Felix Leiter.
If there is anything I like about this Bond movie, it was the inclusion of free running (a.k.a parkour). Thank you Sebastien Roche for one of the nicer (no-car) chase scene in any Bond movie.
And if you are wondering why I called this Bond movie Gadget-free, it was because the car had no machine guns-missile launchers-invisibility cloak-remote control driver-interchangeable license plate-whatchamacallitjig that most Bond movies had AND Bond's watch does nothing, absolutely nothing.
Same goes for the bug, I just don't get the timeline from the time Bond preps the thing until he tracks it down in Le Chiffre's room. Most directors will show Le Chiffre pockting his inhaler for crying out LOUD!
But if you want to talk about the defibrilitator, the antidote for digitalis, Bond tracking our hand phone SIM cards via Sony VIAO laptops (wonderful product placement, never missed it for a single second).
Now if they will only invent a handphone with a built-in EMP generator to fry my SIM card before I expired, I bet that a lot of terrorists will just die to acquire one of those, not to mention including the protocol in all future terrorist manual: REMEMBER - Always FRY your SIM card before you D(eliberately/) I(nadvertently) E(xpire)) etc.
If you still want to quibble, then fine; I will go as far as to call it Gadget-Lite.
Last words: I love the look on Daniel Craig face after the bomber realized he turned himself into a suicide bomber.
PS: IF you people were really kepoy about who I watched the movie with, it was with the staff at the hotel that I am working at. Yes I got the seat ALMOST (I emphasize ALMOST) under the screen but then again it was the PREMIERE theatre so I enjoyed it with a modest serving of caramel popcorn (badly covered, not enough caramel) and a smoothie (poorly made, the flavored water and fruity mush separated after leaving it lying around for thirty minutes).
Last, Last words:
Good Trailers: Eragon (too choppy though)
Bad Trailers: Deja Vu (lousy concept of the trailer, even lousier movie concept)
Ink Attack "Mo Gong" (not enough meat in the trailer)
Cicak Man (I no longer have any idea why people adore Saiful Apek)
Good Ads: Heineken (Unchanged since 1873, love the six-pack
Bad Ads: just about everything else!
Monday, November 06, 2006
Bad Things comes in pairs
Never would I have expected that my family (read Dad) emergency would be coupled with my own personal emergency.
So was at home, up late at night (Okay, I lied, it was 2.30am in the morning on Saturday) tending to Dad (while watching anime, which has been hopelessly dubbed into English without any of the usual Japanese emotional dialogue; at least no more squeals).
Rubs eyes,
washes eyes,
pain in left eye,
wash eyes again,
dry out eyes and look into mirror,
Is that a gray transparent patch in the outer corner of my left eye?
What is this sticky line doing on my eyeball?
AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, wake up mother.
briefed her,
attempt to remove sticky line, (she fails, I succeed)
went to nearby government hospital for free consultation (Thank God, I lived in Selayang)
(And Thank God I didn't go to Penang, where I got struck down with a viral infection earlier this year)
Waited 3 hours and 23 minutes before I see the doctor.
Eye infection, okay.
Nothing serious, good,
just contagious, even better.
Get medicine (still have to come back on Monday to pick up the eyedrop)
Go home, put in medicine.
Sleep.
All in the course of one morning.
PS: Thank you doctor for the MC, it was total invaluable when my boss harangued me in the afternoon. After hearing the medical diagnosis, was put on MC indefinitely for the next few days.
(Thus explains this new post because I only post from work and I just came over to try to give my boss the infection)
So was at home, up late at night (Okay, I lied, it was 2.30am in the morning on Saturday) tending to Dad (while watching anime, which has been hopelessly dubbed into English without any of the usual Japanese emotional dialogue; at least no more squeals).
Rubs eyes,
washes eyes,
pain in left eye,
wash eyes again,
dry out eyes and look into mirror,
Is that a gray transparent patch in the outer corner of my left eye?
What is this sticky line doing on my eyeball?
AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, wake up mother.
briefed her,
attempt to remove sticky line, (she fails, I succeed)
went to nearby government hospital for free consultation (Thank God, I lived in Selayang)
(And Thank God I didn't go to Penang, where I got struck down with a viral infection earlier this year)
Waited 3 hours and 23 minutes before I see the doctor.
Eye infection, okay.
Nothing serious, good,
just contagious, even better.
Get medicine (still have to come back on Monday to pick up the eyedrop)
Go home, put in medicine.
Sleep.
All in the course of one morning.
PS: Thank you doctor for the MC, it was total invaluable when my boss harangued me in the afternoon. After hearing the medical diagnosis, was put on MC indefinitely for the next few days.
(Thus explains this new post because I only post from work and I just came over to try to give my boss the infection)
Emergency! Emergency!
Okay,
Trip to Penang, check!
Car, check!
Luggage, check!
Scrabble gear, check!
Winning mentality (despite knowing that Aaron will be there), check!
Family emergency, check!
There goes my plan to make Premier division, check!
Life really throws you a screwball to mess up not only your best plan (more likely, your only plan).
It also has to strike it where it hurts the most.
Oh well, at least my Dad is more important to me than Scrabble.
(and he is half a century older than me)
And God, if you are listening. I want my Free Pass to Heaven right now.
Trip to Penang, check!
Car, check!
Luggage, check!
Scrabble gear, check!
Winning mentality (despite knowing that Aaron will be there), check!
Family emergency, check!
There goes my plan to make Premier division, check!
Life really throws you a screwball to mess up not only your best plan (more likely, your only plan).
It also has to strike it where it hurts the most.
Oh well, at least my Dad is more important to me than Scrabble.
(and he is half a century older than me)
And God, if you are listening. I want my Free Pass to Heaven right now.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
The Laws of Traffic
Just some feeble-minded attempt at updating my blog.
Fact:
Was travelling to work today.
Just 2km outside my home before the Great Selayang Wet Market, I am overtaken by a Green Proton Saga aeroback(?) model driven by an elderly Sikh with the usual Sikh decorations (ie Khalsa symbols) on his car. Traffic conditions was a mere crawl.
Immediately diverted to usual backroad behind the market and headed straight for lunch at my favorite curry restaurant about 200m away from the jam. Rejoined the crawl (with a full belly,) 12 minutes later and 500m down the road. Noticed said Sikh driver and his car immediately on my right hand side, crawling in the fast lane.
Mr Singh overtakes me again somewhere in the crawl and I lose him. 5km later when I hit the freeway, I find him driving 4 cars ahead of me again being held up by some other car in front of him.
Hypotheses to be discussed:
1. Selayang Traffic Jams are so bad that you can actually have lunch at a wayside restaurant in exactly the same time it takes you to crawl 500 meters.
2. The Fast lane only allows you to go faster than most other cars for less than 10kms until you crash into some slowcoach driving in the fast lane at half the speed limit.
Discuss in the comments boxes please :P
Fact:
Was travelling to work today.
Just 2km outside my home before the Great Selayang Wet Market, I am overtaken by a Green Proton Saga aeroback(?) model driven by an elderly Sikh with the usual Sikh decorations (ie Khalsa symbols) on his car. Traffic conditions was a mere crawl.
Immediately diverted to usual backroad behind the market and headed straight for lunch at my favorite curry restaurant about 200m away from the jam. Rejoined the crawl (with a full belly,) 12 minutes later and 500m down the road. Noticed said Sikh driver and his car immediately on my right hand side, crawling in the fast lane.
Mr Singh overtakes me again somewhere in the crawl and I lose him. 5km later when I hit the freeway, I find him driving 4 cars ahead of me again being held up by some other car in front of him.
Hypotheses to be discussed:
1. Selayang Traffic Jams are so bad that you can actually have lunch at a wayside restaurant in exactly the same time it takes you to crawl 500 meters.
2. The Fast lane only allows you to go faster than most other cars for less than 10kms until you crash into some slowcoach driving in the fast lane at half the speed limit.
Discuss in the comments boxes please :P
Friday, September 01, 2006
Who moved my thumbdrive?
Searched my pockets this morning - no thumbdrive.
Went through my backpack - no thumbdrive.
Riffled though my drawers, clothes on the floor - no thumbdrive, nope!
One room upheavel later - still no thumbdrive.
One house rampage - no thumbdrive yet.
Vacuum the car (I really did it) - no thumbdrive yet.
Went through the dustbin - no thumbdrive at all.
Let's face it, this tiny little miracle of technology somehow has managed to turn my life upside-down when it decides to play hide and seek. It does contain a lot of important business documents (among other things like music, personal CV, blackmail material; all crammed into just 256 MB of disk space. I really want to upgrade to a 1GB thumbdrive to make space for more incriminating documents to blackmail other)
And I found that it was still sitting at the same terminal since last night......
At least no one has bothered to access my files. (or a secret stash of XXX, which is also password protected anyway)
Sometimes, I wish I wasn't so absent minded these days.
Went through my backpack - no thumbdrive.
Riffled though my drawers, clothes on the floor - no thumbdrive, nope!
One room upheavel later - still no thumbdrive.
One house rampage - no thumbdrive yet.
Vacuum the car (I really did it) - no thumbdrive yet.
Went through the dustbin - no thumbdrive at all.
Let's face it, this tiny little miracle of technology somehow has managed to turn my life upside-down when it decides to play hide and seek. It does contain a lot of important business documents (among other things like music, personal CV, blackmail material; all crammed into just 256 MB of disk space. I really want to upgrade to a 1GB thumbdrive to make space for more incriminating documents to blackmail other)
And I found that it was still sitting at the same terminal since last night......
At least no one has bothered to access my files. (or a secret stash of XXX, which is also password protected anyway)
Sometimes, I wish I wasn't so absent minded these days.
Friday, August 11, 2006
10 reason why I am a lousy Scrabble player
I can't think of one.
Why don't you readers post as many reasons as you can think off (in the comment section) and I will choose the 10 best ones.
The actual reasons:
1. Can't win a game to save my life.
2. Can't see common everyday words.
3. Can't draw decent tiles
4. Don't have enough time to study
5. Can't even beat a computer at this game (Record against Quackle thus far: Quackle 378, Me 0)
6. I get distracted easily.
7. I talk too much.
8. I always overtime.
9. I play phonies (all the time).
10. I failed every spelling test since 6 years old.
Why don't you readers post as many reasons as you can think off (in the comment section) and I will choose the 10 best ones.
The actual reasons:
1. Can't win a game to save my life.
2. Can't see common everyday words.
3. Can't draw decent tiles
4. Don't have enough time to study
5. Can't even beat a computer at this game (Record against Quackle thus far: Quackle 378, Me 0)
6. I get distracted easily.
7. I talk too much.
8. I always overtime.
9. I play phonies (all the time).
10. I failed every spelling test since 6 years old.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Blind Masseur
Pretty effective,
And you get to have it in your birthday suit since they can't 'see' anything.
RM60 for 90 minutes is a bit on the pricey side (but much cheaper than the bangkok one)
I got one and now I can't even get myself to even walk into any gym, much less my usual one.
Anyone want a spine-cracker?
Henry
And you get to have it in your birthday suit since they can't 'see' anything.
RM60 for 90 minutes is a bit on the pricey side (but much cheaper than the bangkok one)
I got one and now I can't even get myself to even walk into any gym, much less my usual one.
Anyone want a spine-cracker?
Henry
Monday, August 07, 2006
Forgot to post my Friday gym workout
But I am not going to be bothered about it.
So weekend with college frats.
And I ended up at the curve with two of them (you know who you are),
And we sit around discussing the MSA.
Let's face it,
what is so appealling about the MSA?
(No newsletter, no gathering, the Scrabble corner was obtained from Mrs Yap's effort, ratings officer is never ever appreciated, neither is the archivist, is there enough tournaments in a year to recoup one's membership fee through discounts?)
What has the MSA organized last year and this year?
(1 tournament in 2005, 1 tournament so far in 2006)
What has the committee been doing? Are they doing their job? Does the MSA even updates it members with the latest development?
So weekend with college frats.
And I ended up at the curve with two of them (you know who you are),
And we sit around discussing the MSA.
Let's face it,
what is so appealling about the MSA?
(No newsletter, no gathering, the Scrabble corner was obtained from Mrs Yap's effort, ratings officer is never ever appreciated, neither is the archivist, is there enough tournaments in a year to recoup one's membership fee through discounts?)
What has the MSA organized last year and this year?
(1 tournament in 2005, 1 tournament so far in 2006)
What has the committee been doing? Are they doing their job? Does the MSA even updates it members with the latest development?
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Still a gym weenie
Arrived, warm up and sat on the bench waiting for a free platform for 20 minutes.
Did the clean & jerk,
started out with 50kgs, 3 reps.
60kgs, 3 reps
70kgs, 4 reps, all failed.
downgrade to 65kgs, 2 reps, still fail
My confidence really has taken a blow.
Pull was typical.
70kgs, 1 set of 3 reps down and 3 reps up.
moved up to 80kgs for 2 sets
and did 90kgs on the last 2 sets.
But still not doing it perfectly.
Front squat was pretty good for me this time.
Did 70kgs for 5 reps.
Then banged out 80kgs for 2 sets of 2 reps.
Decided to up the ante with 90kgs.
On the 1st rep, coach helped me on the upswing,
while I managed the 2nd rep on my own (albeit a bit dangerously awkward upswing).
Pressed about 35kgs back and front for 1 set (3 reps each) and called it a day.
Did the clean & jerk,
started out with 50kgs, 3 reps.
60kgs, 3 reps
70kgs, 4 reps, all failed.
downgrade to 65kgs, 2 reps, still fail
My confidence really has taken a blow.
Pull was typical.
70kgs, 1 set of 3 reps down and 3 reps up.
moved up to 80kgs for 2 sets
and did 90kgs on the last 2 sets.
But still not doing it perfectly.
Front squat was pretty good for me this time.
Did 70kgs for 5 reps.
Then banged out 80kgs for 2 sets of 2 reps.
Decided to up the ante with 90kgs.
On the 1st rep, coach helped me on the upswing,
while I managed the 2nd rep on my own (albeit a bit dangerously awkward upswing).
Pressed about 35kgs back and front for 1 set (3 reps each) and called it a day.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Gym report #pain
Started with snatch 30kgs for 6 reps,
moved up to 40kgs, doing 3 sets of 3 reps each.
Aimed for a peak of 45kgs. Could do 4 reps nicely.
Coach came back and I attempted 50kgs --- both reps were unsuccessful.
Oh well, move on to the pull.
60kgs with no straps, no problem but man! my wrist do hurt.
Did 70kgs for 2 sets,
And attempted 80kgs on the last 2 sets.
Back squat.
60kgs for 6 reps,
70kgs for 3 reps,
75 kgs 3 reps,
80kgs 3 reps.
85 kgs 2 reps (broke my personal best)
90kgs 2 reps (yay! another 5 kgs before i can back squat my body weight)
90kgs 2nd set, 1 rep good,
2nd rep slipped off my back and nearly bowled over my coach :P
moved up to 40kgs, doing 3 sets of 3 reps each.
Aimed for a peak of 45kgs. Could do 4 reps nicely.
Coach came back and I attempted 50kgs --- both reps were unsuccessful.
Oh well, move on to the pull.
60kgs with no straps, no problem but man! my wrist do hurt.
Did 70kgs for 2 sets,
And attempted 80kgs on the last 2 sets.
Back squat.
60kgs for 6 reps,
70kgs for 3 reps,
75 kgs 3 reps,
80kgs 3 reps.
85 kgs 2 reps (broke my personal best)
90kgs 2 reps (yay! another 5 kgs before i can back squat my body weight)
90kgs 2nd set, 1 rep good,
2nd rep slipped off my back and nearly bowled over my coach :P
Friday, July 28, 2006
I want my music!
I live in Malaysia and am starting to appreciate jazz but I have a difficult time tracking down the music that I love (Currently collecting Lee Rittenour and Ramsey Lewis, among others).
It is very frustrating to find that elusive album by an artist, especially if it is not some pop-driven, mass-marketing, brain-dead piece of work. After my normal supplier closed shop four years ago, I was forced to switch to Tower Records; Now, they tell me they no longer do special order to help me get the music that I want, which means......Hello, Amazon.com!
I haven't switched to online music downloads because most of the music is not portable (hence, cannot download) unto my peripherals, hence my reluctance to spend money on them. Would rather just get my hands on the album.
Just wish that there was an easier way to make music more accessible to the masses. The current claims by the industry standardbearers is full of crap.
It is very frustrating to find that elusive album by an artist, especially if it is not some pop-driven, mass-marketing, brain-dead piece of work. After my normal supplier closed shop four years ago, I was forced to switch to Tower Records; Now, they tell me they no longer do special order to help me get the music that I want, which means......Hello, Amazon.com!
I haven't switched to online music downloads because most of the music is not portable (hence, cannot download) unto my peripherals, hence my reluctance to spend money on them. Would rather just get my hands on the album.
Just wish that there was an easier way to make music more accessible to the masses. The current claims by the industry standardbearers is full of crap.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
On sore muscles and achiness
When i first started my weightlifting sessions, I had achy and sore muscles about 24/7 in the first two weeks.
After the Penang/Bangkok hiatus, coming back to it almost made it me regret taking it up since it was worse.
But now into the second week, I find none of the achiness or soreness in my muscles anymore even if I skip practice for 2-3 days.
Can anyone give me an explanation?
After the Penang/Bangkok hiatus, coming back to it almost made it me regret taking it up since it was worse.
But now into the second week, I find none of the achiness or soreness in my muscles anymore even if I skip practice for 2-3 days.
Can anyone give me an explanation?
Workout for the 26th
Nothing much,
did Clean & Jerk, started out at 40kgs (3 reps).
upgraded to 50kgs and banged out 2 sets of 3 reps each.
Did another 3 more sets of with 60kgs.
Coach moved me over to the pull.
Still have some issues with my technique and timing.
Anyway, did about 60kgs and pulled 2 sets (usual reps) before hiking up to 70kgs on the last set.
On the back squat.
I did 1 set (6 reps) at 50kgs,
repeated the set at 60kgs,
The next 2 sets (3 reps) were done at 70kgs.
Then at 75kgs, I did another 2 sets (2 reps).
Final test, 80kgs.
Down, up (with coach's help) return weight to stand, dismantle it. (Next time, I will make it)
did Clean & Jerk, started out at 40kgs (3 reps).
upgraded to 50kgs and banged out 2 sets of 3 reps each.
Did another 3 more sets of with 60kgs.
Coach moved me over to the pull.
Still have some issues with my technique and timing.
Anyway, did about 60kgs and pulled 2 sets (usual reps) before hiking up to 70kgs on the last set.
On the back squat.
I did 1 set (6 reps) at 50kgs,
repeated the set at 60kgs,
The next 2 sets (3 reps) were done at 70kgs.
Then at 75kgs, I did another 2 sets (2 reps).
Final test, 80kgs.
Down, up (with coach's help) return weight to stand, dismantle it. (Next time, I will make it)
Competition is good
Coach's daughter and newcomer got into a clean & jerk competition, egged on by all the veterans.
Since the former was such a slacker and was very complacent in her progress, one improvement from the newcomer got her to take her work practice seriously.
Basically, coach has always been having a headache getting his daughter to try the lifts at higher weights, she has always been mucking around at 35-40kgs for both snatch and clean & jerk.
So yesterday, while she was just lifting 40kgs for clean & jerk, the newcomer managed to lift 35kgs on her first attempt.
Quick glance over, and somehow the green 10kgs weights were transmuted into yellow 15kgs ones, making it a total of 45kgs.
She nails her first lift, but then they started mirroring each other.
When one makes the lift, the other will also nail it.
One fails, they both fail.
Might be interesting to have a synchronized weightlifting competition for girls :P
Since the former was such a slacker and was very complacent in her progress, one improvement from the newcomer got her to take her work practice seriously.
Basically, coach has always been having a headache getting his daughter to try the lifts at higher weights, she has always been mucking around at 35-40kgs for both snatch and clean & jerk.
So yesterday, while she was just lifting 40kgs for clean & jerk, the newcomer managed to lift 35kgs on her first attempt.
Quick glance over, and somehow the green 10kgs weights were transmuted into yellow 15kgs ones, making it a total of 45kgs.
She nails her first lift, but then they started mirroring each other.
When one makes the lift, the other will also nail it.
One fails, they both fail.
Might be interesting to have a synchronized weightlifting competition for girls :P
Cock-Ups
Was driving to work today, took the usual route and parked at the traffic light waiting for it to turn green.
Some idiot of a traffic police shows up and releases the traffic coming from the opposite side of the junction. Guess what?
There was no other traffic police at the previous junction behind me, so the vehicles piled up, slowing down both the other roads (including mine). And the policeman immediately starts talking into his radio clip by his shoulder. Took another 3 minutes before the traffic cleared up and he resumed normal traffic.
Hope he learnt his lesson because I really got screwed this time
Some idiot of a traffic police shows up and releases the traffic coming from the opposite side of the junction. Guess what?
There was no other traffic police at the previous junction behind me, so the vehicles piled up, slowing down both the other roads (including mine). And the policeman immediately starts talking into his radio clip by his shoulder. Took another 3 minutes before the traffic cleared up and he resumed normal traffic.
Hope he learnt his lesson because I really got screwed this time
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Probably need a quick change of clothes
And I will be back at work within the next 3 hours (inclusive of 1 hour nap).
Note to self: I don't know how Nigel does it, but I am beginning to get the hang of it.
Note to self: I don't know how Nigel does it, but I am beginning to get the hang of it.
The Trip to Singapore Nationals
(Have an irritating mosquito around my computer and I forgot that I don't have any insect repellant. So hoping right now that it is not an AEDES sub-species)
Anyway, was invited to TD the Singapore Nationals.
So I tried out the new luxury bus service from Konsortium.
Pretty comfy (double decker, wide seats),
pretty fast (no midpoint rest stop, total travel time 3 hours to JB, according to my watch),
pretty pitiful that I cannot buy a return ticket (Going back by Transnasional, who claim to have upgraded their fleet. We shall see if it is true later)
So arrived in Larkin approximately 3.40am.
Got leftover supper for breakfast while waiting for 1st commuter bus.
Okay SJE at 4.15am for just RM2.40
Board it and breeze through Malaysian immigration checkpoint.
Board same bus and head to the Singapore immigration.
Get off bus and walk straight into ten lines (and counting) of Malaysian and mainly PRC tourist (who were taking forever to get immigration clearance).
Fill out immigration form and went queue hoping (this one shorter, nope that one shorter. Should I gamble on this one opening in the next five minutes or sticking with my slow ploddy one?). Ended up second on a newly opened queue after six attempts. (I got clearance around 5.30am)
Went downstairs, missed my bus. Board the replacement and sat all the way to Bugis (I forgot that Queen Street is near Bugis, was hoping to get off somewhere else like Toa Payoh, Kranji, etc)
Anyway, walk 500m to Bugis MRT station and braved the early morning rush (It was 6am at this point) and managed to arrive at the AMK station 20 minutes later (or 17 minutes if SMRT wants to quibble about their efficiency).
Proceed to cheese Andy and Cheah off about tournament venue and travel options before I realized that the only reliable info I have is the only Scrabbler who has to journey from the farthest reaches of Singapore to play in this competition, ie Boon Lay, hence I called Yen Nee.
Lucky for me that she has all the details, so I managed to make my bus trip in time (to get some savings on the transfer thingy)
Arrived at "the Serangoon (CC)" around 6.45am. Procceed to get completely bored and have breakfast for the next 2 hours.
Thank god Wilson came to open the hall early so that I can discover that Windows 98 doesn't recognize Thumb drives (wow! technology is so obsolete!)
Anyway, even installing it with CD doesn't work.
Andy arrives early enough to troubleshoot all the wordjudge program while I get Wilson to set up a third computer for pairings (and Andy to set up the pairing program).
Thank god only Div A in the morning (at least they have been trained).
Everything went swimmingly in the morning (and I chatted up a wonderful assistant by the name of Serenella, or Seren for abbreviation)
Div B were supposed to report in at 12noon, (I expect quite a few were assuming I would start play at 1pm)
Hurhurhur, I told them to go have lunch and announce that they would start at 12.40pm while I go and have lunch with Div A. Jobeth and EWOK turned up to help, Yes!
So gave Div B their 5 games quota for Day 1 and they wanted more (greedy people, cheah should make them play 21 games next year in two days)
Div A was a headache because I had to schedule 9 games into, but it was pretty interesting to see Goh Jiang Pern running away with it on Day 1 (since he is also the defending champion).
Went for dinner and some miscommunication ended up increasing the cost of dinner (when several people opted out of Chi-Chiak) while Tony, Ricky and I dug into tofu, veggies, chicken and pork that was so tasty it convinced two others to join in (nothing beats watching people drool at what you eat)
Overnight at the Wees was wonderful while watching family antics (they may beg to differ) in between snippets of conversations.
Day Two started out late (probably because I forgot to 'personally' inform Tony that I need to be there early enough to set up the venue and I didn't know that he has going to chauffer three other people, excluding Hubert and Me)
Anyway, was lucky that Cheah was briefed on the new layout of the hall, made it much easier to coralled, erm......actually herd the Div C players between briefing area and playing tables.
Since I wanted silence, I was quite lucky to have printout of the pairings to be posted within 5 minutes of receiving the last result slip.
One problem though, somehow all the divisions became odd today (I blame Div C on Cheah, Div B on Aloysious, Div A on Li Wei's tummy)
Anyway, Jobeth and EWOK both skipped out on me but I still have my trusty Seren to batten down the hatches and Karthik showed up more to observe Div A and Div B rather than run Div C (as I was more incline to sit at my computer today to speed up data entry and pairings rather than run around the tournament venue troubleshooting)
And Ricky went off to get a new haircut and I wanted so much to rub his scalp (stingy tabards was charging S$5 a rub and neglects that I am a poor Malaysian thanks to the exchange 'daylight robbery' rate)
Anyway, Div B was a foregone conclusion, Div C was full of many many comedies of error (In Round 5, I had to reconstruct a game that was disturbed because someone sneezed so hard that the tiles flew off the racks and board in the last 15 minutes before the round ended.) and Div A was so full of drama (I particularly like Cheah's quote: 'it's a conspiracy, I tell you.')
So dinner was on the winner and back-to-back champion, Goh Jiang Pern. And it ended up being Andy's favorite food, Chicken rice since most of the restaurants in Novena were under renovation (and Andy complained about eating Chicken rice for the fourth consecutive time in two days. It's your choice! Andy! Or more correctly, Your Habit!)
Cheah drove me off to catch my commuter bus back across the causeway. Having timed it, I think I can stay until 10pm if my bus leaves at midnight, but that will be for the next trip.
I had fun (screwing as many people as I could but I will not reveal any details), hope you all had fun (not at each other's expenses)
Anyway, was invited to TD the Singapore Nationals.
So I tried out the new luxury bus service from Konsortium.
Pretty comfy (double decker, wide seats),
pretty fast (no midpoint rest stop, total travel time 3 hours to JB, according to my watch),
pretty pitiful that I cannot buy a return ticket (Going back by Transnasional, who claim to have upgraded their fleet. We shall see if it is true later)
So arrived in Larkin approximately 3.40am.
Got leftover supper for breakfast while waiting for 1st commuter bus.
Okay SJE at 4.15am for just RM2.40
Board it and breeze through Malaysian immigration checkpoint.
Board same bus and head to the Singapore immigration.
Get off bus and walk straight into ten lines (and counting) of Malaysian and mainly PRC tourist (who were taking forever to get immigration clearance).
Fill out immigration form and went queue hoping (this one shorter, nope that one shorter. Should I gamble on this one opening in the next five minutes or sticking with my slow ploddy one?). Ended up second on a newly opened queue after six attempts. (I got clearance around 5.30am)
Went downstairs, missed my bus. Board the replacement and sat all the way to Bugis (I forgot that Queen Street is near Bugis, was hoping to get off somewhere else like Toa Payoh, Kranji, etc)
Anyway, walk 500m to Bugis MRT station and braved the early morning rush (It was 6am at this point) and managed to arrive at the AMK station 20 minutes later (or 17 minutes if SMRT wants to quibble about their efficiency).
Proceed to cheese Andy and Cheah off about tournament venue and travel options before I realized that the only reliable info I have is the only Scrabbler who has to journey from the farthest reaches of Singapore to play in this competition, ie Boon Lay, hence I called Yen Nee.
Lucky for me that she has all the details, so I managed to make my bus trip in time (to get some savings on the transfer thingy)
Arrived at "the Serangoon (CC)" around 6.45am. Procceed to get completely bored and have breakfast for the next 2 hours.
Thank god Wilson came to open the hall early so that I can discover that Windows 98 doesn't recognize Thumb drives (wow! technology is so obsolete!)
Anyway, even installing it with CD doesn't work.
Andy arrives early enough to troubleshoot all the wordjudge program while I get Wilson to set up a third computer for pairings (and Andy to set up the pairing program).
Thank god only Div A in the morning (at least they have been trained).
Everything went swimmingly in the morning (and I chatted up a wonderful assistant by the name of Serenella, or Seren for abbreviation)
Div B were supposed to report in at 12noon, (I expect quite a few were assuming I would start play at 1pm)
Hurhurhur, I told them to go have lunch and announce that they would start at 12.40pm while I go and have lunch with Div A. Jobeth and EWOK turned up to help, Yes!
So gave Div B their 5 games quota for Day 1 and they wanted more (greedy people, cheah should make them play 21 games next year in two days)
Div A was a headache because I had to schedule 9 games into, but it was pretty interesting to see Goh Jiang Pern running away with it on Day 1 (since he is also the defending champion).
Went for dinner and some miscommunication ended up increasing the cost of dinner (when several people opted out of Chi-Chiak) while Tony, Ricky and I dug into tofu, veggies, chicken and pork that was so tasty it convinced two others to join in (nothing beats watching people drool at what you eat)
Overnight at the Wees was wonderful while watching family antics (they may beg to differ) in between snippets of conversations.
Day Two started out late (probably because I forgot to 'personally' inform Tony that I need to be there early enough to set up the venue and I didn't know that he has going to chauffer three other people, excluding Hubert and Me)
Anyway, was lucky that Cheah was briefed on the new layout of the hall, made it much easier to coralled, erm......actually herd the Div C players between briefing area and playing tables.
Since I wanted silence, I was quite lucky to have printout of the pairings to be posted within 5 minutes of receiving the last result slip.
One problem though, somehow all the divisions became odd today (I blame Div C on Cheah, Div B on Aloysious, Div A on Li Wei's tummy)
Anyway, Jobeth and EWOK both skipped out on me but I still have my trusty Seren to batten down the hatches and Karthik showed up more to observe Div A and Div B rather than run Div C (as I was more incline to sit at my computer today to speed up data entry and pairings rather than run around the tournament venue troubleshooting)
And Ricky went off to get a new haircut and I wanted so much to rub his scalp (stingy tabards was charging S$5 a rub and neglects that I am a poor Malaysian thanks to the exchange 'daylight robbery' rate)
Anyway, Div B was a foregone conclusion, Div C was full of many many comedies of error (In Round 5, I had to reconstruct a game that was disturbed because someone sneezed so hard that the tiles flew off the racks and board in the last 15 minutes before the round ended.) and Div A was so full of drama (I particularly like Cheah's quote: 'it's a conspiracy, I tell you.')
So dinner was on the winner and back-to-back champion, Goh Jiang Pern. And it ended up being Andy's favorite food, Chicken rice since most of the restaurants in Novena were under renovation (and Andy complained about eating Chicken rice for the fourth consecutive time in two days. It's your choice! Andy! Or more correctly, Your Habit!)
Cheah drove me off to catch my commuter bus back across the causeway. Having timed it, I think I can stay until 10pm if my bus leaves at midnight, but that will be for the next trip.
I had fun (screwing as many people as I could but I will not reveal any details), hope you all had fun (not at each other's expenses)
Friday, July 21, 2006
The Gym Session before the bus trip
At least I had the decency to shower and change before the trip.
Anyway, coach was late today because his water seeped into his engine (although the flood was only 1 foot deep), so I did the Snatch.
First 2 sets (6 reps each) were done using the 20kgs barbell.
Another 10kgs and I did 3 more sets (4 reps this time) before I tried the weight that I have a 3% chance of success --- 40kgs.
So got first one (100%)
miss second one (50%)
got third one (67%)
and fourth one (75%) (coach also arrived at this time)
then miss fifth, sixth and seventh (45%) (hhhmmmm, do I see a trend?)
Got the eighth one (50% again)
and missed the last one (38%)
Anyway, did some pulling, snatch-style
So 40kgs was loaded for 3 sets (3 reps from starting point and 3 quick ones immediately following the last rep)
Think I loaded another 10kgs and did another 2 sets (same reps as above).
So moving on to something I haven't touched in weeks, Front Squat.
So 40kgs was very very easy even at 6 reps for 2 sets.
Added another 10kgs and procceed to bang out 3 reps on the 1st set but only 2 on the next set.
Last attempt was 60kgs.
Down, uuuupppppp........threw the bar away (PHEW!)
That's all for now.
Anyway, coach was late today because his water seeped into his engine (although the flood was only 1 foot deep), so I did the Snatch.
First 2 sets (6 reps each) were done using the 20kgs barbell.
Another 10kgs and I did 3 more sets (4 reps this time) before I tried the weight that I have a 3% chance of success --- 40kgs.
So got first one (100%)
miss second one (50%)
got third one (67%)
and fourth one (75%) (coach also arrived at this time)
then miss fifth, sixth and seventh (45%) (hhhmmmm, do I see a trend?)
Got the eighth one (50% again)
and missed the last one (38%)
Anyway, did some pulling, snatch-style
So 40kgs was loaded for 3 sets (3 reps from starting point and 3 quick ones immediately following the last rep)
Think I loaded another 10kgs and did another 2 sets (same reps as above).
So moving on to something I haven't touched in weeks, Front Squat.
So 40kgs was very very easy even at 6 reps for 2 sets.
Added another 10kgs and procceed to bang out 3 reps on the 1st set but only 2 on the next set.
Last attempt was 60kgs.
Down, uuuupppppp........threw the bar away (PHEW!)
That's all for now.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
First gym sessions in two days
No juniors today, they have all gone to Korea for the Asian Championships.
Apparently there are two categories in the Juniors, which I have never even heard off.
The first batch that left already are competing in the Junior Men/Women category, competitors must be under age of 20; while the second batch leaving in 3 days time is competing in the Boys/Girls category, where you must be below 16 years of age.
And no, there are no competition for those under 12 years old. (Sorry but something to do with growing up first).
Another point of interest, 3 Sir Lankan (or is that Ceylonese) weightlifters in town for two days with their manager (Yes they will be coming back tomorrow). One of them looks like a distant cousin of their favorite spin bowler, Mulitharanan (did I get the spelling right? whatever)
Started out with the clean and jerk.
20kgs barbell: 4 sets of 4 reps each.
Then I added another 10kgs and did about 2 sets of 3 reps each before my coach advise me to slow down to 2 reps. I did another 3 sets and we upgraded the whole load to 40kgs.
I did another 5 sets (1 rep) before adding another 10kgs to make it 50kgs.
Another 5 sets (1 rep), no problems.
For the last 3 sets, we just added another 5 kgs just to see if I can break my personal best.
And I did!
Okay then we did the pull, about 3 reps per set with 3 lights ones at the end following the last pull.
We maintained the 55kgs barbell earlier from the Clean & Jerk and I did 2 sets before we upgraded it to 65 kgs for another 2 sets.
Last 2 sets were done on a 70kgs barbell.
After questioning my fatigue, coach moved me straight unto back squat.
So I tested out 50kgs and did 1 set of 8 reps while coach wasn't looking. He came back and told me to cut it on my 5th reps (and I confessed I did 8 reps on the last set)
So he upped the weights to 60kgs.
I managed 3 sets of 3 reps each and the coach immediately added another 10kgs to the barbell (actually he ordered, I added).
So I did another 3 sets of 2 reps each (broke my personal best as well) before coach tried out 75kgs for one last rep.
I went down but the way uuuuuupppppp was a real sssssttttrrrruuuuuggggggggglllllleeeeeee (and that is even with coach helping lighten the barbell off my shoulders). Somehow the weight managed to tip to the left.
So end of gym. Can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store.
Apparently there are two categories in the Juniors, which I have never even heard off.
The first batch that left already are competing in the Junior Men/Women category, competitors must be under age of 20; while the second batch leaving in 3 days time is competing in the Boys/Girls category, where you must be below 16 years of age.
And no, there are no competition for those under 12 years old. (Sorry but something to do with growing up first).
Another point of interest, 3 Sir Lankan (or is that Ceylonese) weightlifters in town for two days with their manager (Yes they will be coming back tomorrow). One of them looks like a distant cousin of their favorite spin bowler, Mulitharanan (did I get the spelling right? whatever)
Started out with the clean and jerk.
20kgs barbell: 4 sets of 4 reps each.
Then I added another 10kgs and did about 2 sets of 3 reps each before my coach advise me to slow down to 2 reps. I did another 3 sets and we upgraded the whole load to 40kgs.
I did another 5 sets (1 rep) before adding another 10kgs to make it 50kgs.
Another 5 sets (1 rep), no problems.
For the last 3 sets, we just added another 5 kgs just to see if I can break my personal best.
And I did!
Okay then we did the pull, about 3 reps per set with 3 lights ones at the end following the last pull.
We maintained the 55kgs barbell earlier from the Clean & Jerk and I did 2 sets before we upgraded it to 65 kgs for another 2 sets.
Last 2 sets were done on a 70kgs barbell.
After questioning my fatigue, coach moved me straight unto back squat.
So I tested out 50kgs and did 1 set of 8 reps while coach wasn't looking. He came back and told me to cut it on my 5th reps (and I confessed I did 8 reps on the last set)
So he upped the weights to 60kgs.
I managed 3 sets of 3 reps each and the coach immediately added another 10kgs to the barbell (actually he ordered, I added).
So I did another 3 sets of 2 reps each (broke my personal best as well) before coach tried out 75kgs for one last rep.
I went down but the way uuuuuupppppp was a real sssssttttrrrruuuuuggggggggglllllleeeeeee (and that is even with coach helping lighten the barbell off my shoulders). Somehow the weight managed to tip to the left.
So end of gym. Can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
I have not gone back to the gym for two days now
So that means today is a must go, but I fear for my aching muscles (much better now, thank you!)
Still reading up on the Italian scandal-judgement-repercussion, no signs that AC Milan will be selling KAKA to Chelsea (that will show them that money can't buy everyone, including Ronaldinho, Gerrard, Gattuso, etc)
Still reading up on the Italian scandal-judgement-repercussion, no signs that AC Milan will be selling KAKA to Chelsea (that will show them that money can't buy everyone, including Ronaldinho, Gerrard, Gattuso, etc)
I am boring
If you know of any interesting Scrabbler blogs out there, drop me a link now because I have been trawling through most Scrabble blogs and they are boring as hell, not to mention that 40% of them are actually spammers which makes it even worse at times...
Just the other day in Bangkok during King Cup, Nigel Richards says I write my column like a football commentary (Guilty as Charged)
Just the other day in Bangkok during King Cup, Nigel Richards says I write my column like a football commentary (Guilty as Charged)
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Bought my bus ticket down for Singapore
Hope to beat the Causeway rush on Saturday but no promise.
Btw, that gym post below was for yesterday's session.
I think I have to give today a miss to rest my aching back and hips and thighs and .......
Anyway, will still have to come to Singapore on August 10th to attend a friend's registration ceremony to his uni-sweetheart.
Btw, that gym post below was for yesterday's session.
I think I have to give today a miss to rest my aching back and hips and thighs and .......
Anyway, will still have to come to Singapore on August 10th to attend a friend's registration ceremony to his uni-sweetheart.
1st day back at the gym
Didn't see some regular faces, but most of the juniors were there outdoing each other along with some new juniors as well.
Started out with warm-ups and good morning exercises.
Had to wait about 30 minutes before the juniors cleared the room.
Did the snatch with the 15kgs barbell,
started out well with the 1st set of 12 reps,
but when I started out on the second set, it fell apart from there when I stumbled on the 3rd rep and the bar fell on my right foot.
So I took a break and resumed. Managed to finished 6 reps in the 3rd set and retired before my hips buckled.
Increased the weights by another 10kgs and I stumbled again on the 4th reps, this time the barbell hitting my left foot right above the ankle.
Did one more set of 6 reps before my coach moved me to the Clean & Jerk.
So started out with the same weight (25kgs) for the Clean and Jerk, did about 2 sets of 2 reps before managing a 3rd rep in the 3rd set.
I then walked over to the opposite platform and loaded a 20kgs barbell with 10kgs and started using that.
My coach came back and watch me complete one set with 3 reps before telling me to add another 10kgs to the barbell.
I missed the 2nd rep in the 1st set but caught the others quite smoothly. I no longer feel any pain on my palms and I still have to learn to push my elbows forward and catch the bar on my collarbone.
2 more sets and I set up the stands for my back squat.
I banged out 8 reps on my first 2 sets with the 40kgs barbell before adding another 10kgs.
At 50 kgs, I manged 6 reps each in the remaining 4 sets before calling it a day.
Sat around kibbitzing my coach's daughter clean and jerk with whoever was left in the gym at that time.
Started out with warm-ups and good morning exercises.
Had to wait about 30 minutes before the juniors cleared the room.
Did the snatch with the 15kgs barbell,
started out well with the 1st set of 12 reps,
but when I started out on the second set, it fell apart from there when I stumbled on the 3rd rep and the bar fell on my right foot.
So I took a break and resumed. Managed to finished 6 reps in the 3rd set and retired before my hips buckled.
Increased the weights by another 10kgs and I stumbled again on the 4th reps, this time the barbell hitting my left foot right above the ankle.
Did one more set of 6 reps before my coach moved me to the Clean & Jerk.
So started out with the same weight (25kgs) for the Clean and Jerk, did about 2 sets of 2 reps before managing a 3rd rep in the 3rd set.
I then walked over to the opposite platform and loaded a 20kgs barbell with 10kgs and started using that.
My coach came back and watch me complete one set with 3 reps before telling me to add another 10kgs to the barbell.
I missed the 2nd rep in the 1st set but caught the others quite smoothly. I no longer feel any pain on my palms and I still have to learn to push my elbows forward and catch the bar on my collarbone.
2 more sets and I set up the stands for my back squat.
I banged out 8 reps on my first 2 sets with the 40kgs barbell before adding another 10kgs.
At 50 kgs, I manged 6 reps each in the remaining 4 sets before calling it a day.
Sat around kibbitzing my coach's daughter clean and jerk with whoever was left in the gym at that time.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
The blackhole of a blog
The only reason why I am writing this is out of frustration when 1 in 5 of my post to my blogs doesn't get published and the contents irrecoverable.
I don't what is the fault behind this,
be it server communication problems
(most of my posts disappear while waiting for them to be uploaded and I also get a lot of error messages from the blogspot server now and again while typing my posts),
formatting problems
(posts have been sucked into the blackhole whether or not i used the blog icon on my google toolbar or the form from my blog homepage),
etc but I want to see how many people have experienced the same problem as me (albeit even if not on my level of frequency)
I don't what is the fault behind this,
be it server communication problems
(most of my posts disappear while waiting for them to be uploaded and I also get a lot of error messages from the blogspot server now and again while typing my posts),
formatting problems
(posts have been sucked into the blackhole whether or not i used the blog icon on my google toolbar or the form from my blog homepage),
etc but I want to see how many people have experienced the same problem as me (albeit even if not on my level of frequency)
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Causeway Scrabble Challenge has been announced
At last,
which got me wondering...
Which 30 players would you like to see play in the Premier division in the Causeway Scrabble Challenge? (remember to pick only 5 players each from Australia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand)
Just post your answer in my comment blog
which got me wondering...
Which 30 players would you like to see play in the Premier division in the Causeway Scrabble Challenge? (remember to pick only 5 players each from Australia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand)
Just post your answer in my comment blog
Sunday, July 09, 2006
The World Cup party in Bukit Bintang is just getting started
Went down to scout around one hour earlier while shopping for some things. Now safely snuggled back into the office finishing some overdue paperwork before I join the crowd.
Anyway, most of the setup was done in the afternoon (mobile toilettes, etc) but i will attempt to describe what it looks like.
The setup is pretty sparse. Several rigs have been raised along Bukit Bintang, only every other one carries a multiple-LCD displays. At least the France and Italy booth were correctly placed where they should be --- just outside the building where I am working. So quick chat with the promoters and I walk off with plenty of goodies.
At one end of Bukit Bintang, we have our good old Giant LCD screen, which Maxis outfitted with a billboard size football backdrop that fits the football displayed on the screen from time to time.
Pretty smart of Hotlink and Maxis to grab Bukit Bintang so soon.
I am probably hearing Flipsyde 'some local hip-hop act channelling the wrong pitch over the buzz of my office equipment and computer. I heard that they will be bringing in the 'Crazy Frog' later on.
Anyway, nothing is even happening at KLCC. Go BB!!! We rule at every party.
Anyway, most of the setup was done in the afternoon (mobile toilettes, etc) but i will attempt to describe what it looks like.
The setup is pretty sparse. Several rigs have been raised along Bukit Bintang, only every other one carries a multiple-LCD displays. At least the France and Italy booth were correctly placed where they should be --- just outside the building where I am working. So quick chat with the promoters and I walk off with plenty of goodies.
At one end of Bukit Bintang, we have our good old Giant LCD screen, which Maxis outfitted with a billboard size football backdrop that fits the football displayed on the screen from time to time.
Pretty smart of Hotlink and Maxis to grab Bukit Bintang so soon.
I am probably hearing Flipsyde 'some local hip-hop act channelling the wrong pitch over the buzz of my office equipment and computer. I heard that they will be bringing in the 'Crazy Frog' later on.
Anyway, nothing is even happening at KLCC. Go BB!!! We rule at every party.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
King Cup epilogue
Back home and been through the polyclinic for the usual post-travel check-up.
Day 1: 5-0, + 298 (4th place)
Slight improvement over last year. The only major difference was that I avoid Nigel Richards this year (actually delayed it until Round 6, so kena sic!) while I met him in Round 5 last years hence the 4-1, +100, 14th place finishing on Day 1.
Beat: Prakash, Odette, Chatchawin, Akegapun, Marut
Day 2: 3-5, - 160 (22nd place)
one extra game, one extra win. I delayed the matchup with Nigel and Atiruth so ouch! And the follow up just had to be a table filled with my cab mates: Andy, Aaron and Alpha. Being the non-A male on that table, I lost to Andy and Aaron to drop even further. Then I hit the speed demon, called Alastair Richards. Lucky for me, his last rack was FJLSX and I stuck him with the FX to overcome a 42 points deficit. The horrible thing was that he left me with two minutes to figure out the endgame. Then I lost to Daniel Srichawala after he hit me with FUrMENTY which I had never seen before (apparently it also has an angram....BAH!). So sit down for rematch with Marut, nuff said, he lost again (why doesn't this happen to me more often). Another game with Thien T and I settled the day with a so-so record.
Last year was also iffy: 2-5, - 121, 38th place
Day 3: 5-2, + 134 (10th place)
Whee, I love charging up the standings. Wish everyday was like Day 1 and Day 3.
so started out with stupid losses to Apirat and Sompong. Then John Lam gave away his game to me. Then I picked up wins over Michael Tang, Apirat (rematch!), Marlon Prudencio (a bingo-bango-bongo looks nice) before finishing off Nawapadol S (thanks to a 122 point ZEROING thru his WALKER).
I also did well last year going 5-3, + 20 (26th place) They key now being my positioning.
Day 4: 1-6, - 296 (40th place)
Why me! Why me! This is so freaking unfair. Even last year wasn't so bad when I maintained. I don't need anymore meltdown like this in my life. Not after Penang Open.
So down I go to Jakkrit, Tony, Marlon, Karen Richards, Chatchawin, Arun Methaseth before I salvaged a game from Ishtiaq Chishty.
I just wish that I could replicate last year's Day 4 where I went 4-3, + 28, 24 position. (Even that would have given me 6th hypothetically)
AAARGH!
Well, there's causeway anyway later this year and King Cup next year.
Day 1: 5-0, + 298 (4th place)
Slight improvement over last year. The only major difference was that I avoid Nigel Richards this year (actually delayed it until Round 6, so kena sic!) while I met him in Round 5 last years hence the 4-1, +100, 14th place finishing on Day 1.
Beat: Prakash, Odette, Chatchawin, Akegapun, Marut
Day 2: 3-5, - 160 (22nd place)
one extra game, one extra win. I delayed the matchup with Nigel and Atiruth so ouch! And the follow up just had to be a table filled with my cab mates: Andy, Aaron and Alpha. Being the non-A male on that table, I lost to Andy and Aaron to drop even further. Then I hit the speed demon, called Alastair Richards. Lucky for me, his last rack was FJLSX and I stuck him with the FX to overcome a 42 points deficit. The horrible thing was that he left me with two minutes to figure out the endgame. Then I lost to Daniel Srichawala after he hit me with FUrMENTY which I had never seen before (apparently it also has an angram....BAH!). So sit down for rematch with Marut, nuff said, he lost again (why doesn't this happen to me more often). Another game with Thien T and I settled the day with a so-so record.
Last year was also iffy: 2-5, - 121, 38th place
Day 3: 5-2, + 134 (10th place)
Whee, I love charging up the standings. Wish everyday was like Day 1 and Day 3.
so started out with stupid losses to Apirat and Sompong. Then John Lam gave away his game to me. Then I picked up wins over Michael Tang, Apirat (rematch!), Marlon Prudencio (a bingo-bango-bongo looks nice) before finishing off Nawapadol S (thanks to a 122 point ZEROING thru his WALKER).
I also did well last year going 5-3, + 20 (26th place) They key now being my positioning.
Day 4: 1-6, - 296 (40th place)
Why me! Why me! This is so freaking unfair. Even last year wasn't so bad when I maintained. I don't need anymore meltdown like this in my life. Not after Penang Open.
So down I go to Jakkrit, Tony, Marlon, Karen Richards, Chatchawin, Arun Methaseth before I salvaged a game from Ishtiaq Chishty.
I just wish that I could replicate last year's Day 4 where I went 4-3, + 28, 24 position. (Even that would have given me 6th hypothetically)
AAARGH!
Well, there's causeway anyway later this year and King Cup next year.
Monday, June 26, 2006
Weightlifting in Penang
No fans, no water, plenty of mosquitos, wonderful coach.
Still sick and weakened from last night but I will be heading back for one final session tonight before packing up my bags to go to Bangkok tomorrow morning.
For those wanting stats on my sessions.
Session 1 (Thursday evening):
I did some warm-up before learning several good morning exercises. The coach, Balasingam, is adopting the Bulgarian system.
So I told him about my weakness and we did about several sets of exercise 12 reps and gradually loaded the weights by 10kgs until I couldn't do 12 reps anymore.
Firstly, it was the snatch pull, 12 reps, using a 20kgs barbell and repeated until 45 kgs. This is also the first time I learnt to use the wrist ropes to help my grip.
Then it was switched to 8 power snatch, (3 below the knee, 3 above, 1 below and 1 above) did about 4 reps of this.
Some jerk extension, 5 front and 5 back. the weights were increased every 3 sets from 25 kgs to 45kgs.
Finally since I have some problem with my squat so we just did leg curls. Every 2 sets, we added another 15 kgs.
So the initial 15kgs leg curl ended being 60kgs. Boy were my thighs very sore.
The training partners were 2 juniors and 2 masters.
Session 2 (Friday morning):
With the tournament starting in the afternoon, I definitely wanted to get in some practice before it starts.
I did the warmup and good-morning exercise before doing the clean pull same using the same repetition as last night. About 12s reps before doing the 3-3-1-1.
Then the real McCoy, back squat. According to Balasingam, my squat is a full squat because my thighs do touch my calves. So everything done from a 25kgs barbell up to 45kgs barbell was done easily with 12 reps.
When we increased it by another 10kgs, I could only d0 5 reps and Balasingam immediately added another 10kgs on top of that to make it 65 kgs. (I thought that I couldn't lift it since I failed at doing 60kgs past 1 rep back in KL).
And the confidence booster was that I did 4 reps in 8 sets. Yippee.
While Balasingam left for work, I finished off the session with 3 sets of chin pull, 12 reps before warming down and leaving for Georgetown.
3rd Session (Monday):
After sleeping in late, thanks to some late nights with the Singaporean contingent, I head straight to the gym from the hotel and started feeling some queasiness (which was a sign of worst things to come, thanks to the stupid hotel)
After the normal warm-up and good-morning exercises, head straight to the 3-3-1-1 snatch pull. did about 8 sets with adding weights from 25kgs to 45kgs every 2 sets.
We switched to the clean pull 3-3-1-1 and and did the same amount of sets with the weights hitting 55kgs this time.
Then jerk extension, 5 fronts and 5 backs. The weights gradually increased from 25kgs to 45kgs but I wasn't able to generate enough strength and speed on the 45kgs weights (despite the reps going down to 3 each). Anyway about 10 reps of that, warm down and I headed back for some R&R.
Still sick and weakened from last night but I will be heading back for one final session tonight before packing up my bags to go to Bangkok tomorrow morning.
For those wanting stats on my sessions.
Session 1 (Thursday evening):
I did some warm-up before learning several good morning exercises. The coach, Balasingam, is adopting the Bulgarian system.
So I told him about my weakness and we did about several sets of exercise 12 reps and gradually loaded the weights by 10kgs until I couldn't do 12 reps anymore.
Firstly, it was the snatch pull, 12 reps, using a 20kgs barbell and repeated until 45 kgs. This is also the first time I learnt to use the wrist ropes to help my grip.
Then it was switched to 8 power snatch, (3 below the knee, 3 above, 1 below and 1 above) did about 4 reps of this.
Some jerk extension, 5 front and 5 back. the weights were increased every 3 sets from 25 kgs to 45kgs.
Finally since I have some problem with my squat so we just did leg curls. Every 2 sets, we added another 15 kgs.
So the initial 15kgs leg curl ended being 60kgs. Boy were my thighs very sore.
The training partners were 2 juniors and 2 masters.
Session 2 (Friday morning):
With the tournament starting in the afternoon, I definitely wanted to get in some practice before it starts.
I did the warmup and good-morning exercise before doing the clean pull same using the same repetition as last night. About 12s reps before doing the 3-3-1-1.
Then the real McCoy, back squat. According to Balasingam, my squat is a full squat because my thighs do touch my calves. So everything done from a 25kgs barbell up to 45kgs barbell was done easily with 12 reps.
When we increased it by another 10kgs, I could only d0 5 reps and Balasingam immediately added another 10kgs on top of that to make it 65 kgs. (I thought that I couldn't lift it since I failed at doing 60kgs past 1 rep back in KL).
And the confidence booster was that I did 4 reps in 8 sets. Yippee.
While Balasingam left for work, I finished off the session with 3 sets of chin pull, 12 reps before warming down and leaving for Georgetown.
3rd Session (Monday):
After sleeping in late, thanks to some late nights with the Singaporean contingent, I head straight to the gym from the hotel and started feeling some queasiness (which was a sign of worst things to come, thanks to the stupid hotel)
After the normal warm-up and good-morning exercises, head straight to the 3-3-1-1 snatch pull. did about 8 sets with adding weights from 25kgs to 45kgs every 2 sets.
We switched to the clean pull 3-3-1-1 and and did the same amount of sets with the weights hitting 55kgs this time.
Then jerk extension, 5 fronts and 5 backs. The weights gradually increased from 25kgs to 45kgs but I wasn't able to generate enough strength and speed on the 45kgs weights (despite the reps going down to 3 each). Anyway about 10 reps of that, warm down and I headed back for some R&R.
Sick and feverish (I think)
I blame my current hotel room.
I think it is loaded with dust mites and they are triggering all sorts of flem and allergies.
Will ask them if they can vacuum it to get rid of all the stuff.
Worse thing about them though is that they advertised as having dorm room.
When I arrived on Sunday, they showed me the dorm room. It had only one bed, no fan, no door, only a window, no locker and that necessitate me to switch to a single room with fan.
I think that they are a fake and will complain to the internet site about them after I have gathered enough proof.
Somehow, I no longer trust any hotel that are managed by people from the sub-continent.
Absolutely no value for money.
There should be more regulation to close down such hotel as these that does false advertising.
I think it is loaded with dust mites and they are triggering all sorts of flem and allergies.
Will ask them if they can vacuum it to get rid of all the stuff.
Worse thing about them though is that they advertised as having dorm room.
When I arrived on Sunday, they showed me the dorm room. It had only one bed, no fan, no door, only a window, no locker and that necessitate me to switch to a single room with fan.
I think that they are a fake and will complain to the internet site about them after I have gathered enough proof.
Somehow, I no longer trust any hotel that are managed by people from the sub-continent.
Absolutely no value for money.
There should be more regulation to close down such hotel as these that does false advertising.
Fade Away...
Typical tournament finish again.
Was in contention heading into the final matches and decided to have a titanic collapse immediately.
Day 1: 2-2, -78 (27th)
Day 2: 8-3, +278 (6th)
Day 3: 1-4, -86 (16th)
Overall: 11-9, +114
Must learn to recover quickly since that is always a problem.
At least the fish oil helped somewhat.
Stats of interest:
I normally average less than 1.4 bingos per games.
This time, I came out with 42 bingos over 20 games (including 3 phonies, ALIASED*, LEONINES* and UNGIVEn*)
Guess the fish oil and lexperting paid off somewhat.
Was in contention heading into the final matches and decided to have a titanic collapse immediately.
Day 1: 2-2, -78 (27th)
Day 2: 8-3, +278 (6th)
Day 3: 1-4, -86 (16th)
Overall: 11-9, +114
Must learn to recover quickly since that is always a problem.
At least the fish oil helped somewhat.
Stats of interest:
I normally average less than 1.4 bingos per games.
This time, I came out with 42 bingos over 20 games (including 3 phonies, ALIASED*, LEONINES* and UNGIVEn*)
Guess the fish oil and lexperting paid off somewhat.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
My first skin tear
Tore off the skin on the inside of my right thumb.
Was actually painless and didn't notice it until I saw it.
(Probably was due to the lack of moisture in the tear, not to mention the amount of chalk on my hands used to grip the barbell)
Anyway, for the rest.
Went for the C&J today.
Started out with 3 sets of 4 reps using the 20kgs barbell.
Added another 10kgs and banged out 4 sets of 3 reps.
Once we moved into the 40kgs zone. It was about 10 sets of 2 reps each. Overall success rate: about 60%, but technique could still use some improvement.
After doing the pull (6 sets of 4 reps using 40-60kgs), switched immediately to the arm extension from C&J position and used the practice to refine my arm position during the clean.
Problem is I had to use the 15kgs barbell with a small diameter to help my grip. Did add another 5 kgs on top of it to simulate a 20kgs barbell weight.
So I did about 5 sets of 4 reps each.
Well, that's all for now. Will continue some training in Penang when I get there.
Was actually painless and didn't notice it until I saw it.
(Probably was due to the lack of moisture in the tear, not to mention the amount of chalk on my hands used to grip the barbell)
Anyway, for the rest.
Went for the C&J today.
Started out with 3 sets of 4 reps using the 20kgs barbell.
Added another 10kgs and banged out 4 sets of 3 reps.
Once we moved into the 40kgs zone. It was about 10 sets of 2 reps each. Overall success rate: about 60%, but technique could still use some improvement.
After doing the pull (6 sets of 4 reps using 40-60kgs), switched immediately to the arm extension from C&J position and used the practice to refine my arm position during the clean.
Problem is I had to use the 15kgs barbell with a small diameter to help my grip. Did add another 5 kgs on top of it to simulate a 20kgs barbell weight.
So I did about 5 sets of 4 reps each.
Well, that's all for now. Will continue some training in Penang when I get there.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
I am such a weenie
20kgs barbell snatch movement. 3 sets of 5 reps each. Done
30kgs sntach movement, 2 sets of 3 reps each. Done
40 kgs snatch movement, 26 reps. Only 1 completed. (BAH! BAH! BAH!!!!)
40 kgs pull. 4 sets of 4 reps each. Done.
50kgs pull. 2 sets of 3 reps each. Done
Tried the front squat but my palms muscles were acting up.
So moved on to 40kgs back squat. 2 sets of 4 reps each. Done.
50kgs back squat. 2 sets of 4 reps each. Done.
55kgs back squat. 1 set of 3 reps each. Done.
now for the killer, 60kgs back squat. ! rep done, and the second one slid of my back when I went down. (BAH! BAH! BAH!!!!again)
Yeap, I am definitely a weenie
30kgs sntach movement, 2 sets of 3 reps each. Done
40 kgs snatch movement, 26 reps. Only 1 completed. (BAH! BAH! BAH!!!!)
40 kgs pull. 4 sets of 4 reps each. Done.
50kgs pull. 2 sets of 3 reps each. Done
Tried the front squat but my palms muscles were acting up.
So moved on to 40kgs back squat. 2 sets of 4 reps each. Done.
50kgs back squat. 2 sets of 4 reps each. Done.
55kgs back squat. 1 set of 3 reps each. Done.
now for the killer, 60kgs back squat. ! rep done, and the second one slid of my back when I went down. (BAH! BAH! BAH!!!!again)
Yeap, I am definitely a weenie
Monday, June 19, 2006
Moving Up
Back aching,
thighs aching,
shoulder aching,
wriest aching,
forearms aching,
have I left anything out?
Anyway, started out with basic movement using a 20 kgs barbel, after about 3 sets of 4 reps clean and jerk, I upgraded to 30kgs. 4 sets of that. same reps and I get a bit more confident and bring out the green weights. Altogether 40kgs and guess what, can only do 2 reps each. Okay then I did 4 sets of 2 reps before adding on another 5 kgs for my final two sets. Boy, did it start feeling heavy.
Right then, move straight into the pull.
Started out with 40 kgs, did about 4 sets of 4 reps each. Didn't feel right at times, but I continued to upgrade another 10kgs (mwa ha ha, tremble my little singaporean Scrabble juniors) did about 4 sets agains. Added an extra 5 kgs just to test myself. This time, only 2 sets of 3 reps each.
So what did I do once i finishing pulling (my muscles?). Back squat!!!
Loaded up 40kgs on the rack, did about 4 sets of 4 reps each, then posted 45kgs. I did 2 set with it and it felt a bit heavy so I upgrade it to 50kgs for one last set. Boy did I stun myself when I nailed 1 set of 6 reps easily.
And what do overconfident boys do? upgrade again.
This time 55kgs on the rack and my coach, Martin came over to assist me (and I really needed it, thanks Martin)
I did the first set and I wobbled on the 2nd squat, so we only did 3 reps. I banged out a second set before calling it a day with Martin.
Help cleaned up my barbell and did some arm extensions with a 20kgs barbell for warm down.
Interesting fact: My thighs are half the size of the people who are half my body weight. GAH! not to mention that I have almost no shoulder or back muscles at all.
Most embarassing thing to mention: Still cannnot overtake the juniors, even the girls.
thighs aching,
shoulder aching,
wriest aching,
forearms aching,
have I left anything out?
Anyway, started out with basic movement using a 20 kgs barbel, after about 3 sets of 4 reps clean and jerk, I upgraded to 30kgs. 4 sets of that. same reps and I get a bit more confident and bring out the green weights. Altogether 40kgs and guess what, can only do 2 reps each. Okay then I did 4 sets of 2 reps before adding on another 5 kgs for my final two sets. Boy, did it start feeling heavy.
Right then, move straight into the pull.
Started out with 40 kgs, did about 4 sets of 4 reps each. Didn't feel right at times, but I continued to upgrade another 10kgs (mwa ha ha, tremble my little singaporean Scrabble juniors) did about 4 sets agains. Added an extra 5 kgs just to test myself. This time, only 2 sets of 3 reps each.
So what did I do once i finishing pulling (my muscles?). Back squat!!!
Loaded up 40kgs on the rack, did about 4 sets of 4 reps each, then posted 45kgs. I did 2 set with it and it felt a bit heavy so I upgrade it to 50kgs for one last set. Boy did I stun myself when I nailed 1 set of 6 reps easily.
And what do overconfident boys do? upgrade again.
This time 55kgs on the rack and my coach, Martin came over to assist me (and I really needed it, thanks Martin)
I did the first set and I wobbled on the 2nd squat, so we only did 3 reps. I banged out a second set before calling it a day with Martin.
Help cleaned up my barbell and did some arm extensions with a 20kgs barbell for warm down.
Interesting fact: My thighs are half the size of the people who are half my body weight. GAH! not to mention that I have almost no shoulder or back muscles at all.
Most embarassing thing to mention: Still cannnot overtake the juniors, even the girls.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Lexperting...
Top 10k 8s: 2300 unsolved, 5416 on the list.
Must hurry up since I leave for Penang on Monday
Must hurry up since I leave for Penang on Monday
Friday, June 16, 2006
Injured my back
During yesterday's session.
Was doing a squat with about 35kgs when the bar slip off my hands, bounced off my back. OUCH!
Still finished the session.
6 sets of 4 reps basic movement (20kgs)
14 reps with 35kgs (hurt my back on the 8 rep)
6 sets of 3-4 reps pull (3 on 35kgs, 3 on 40kgs)
5 reps of back squat (3 sets on 40kgs, last 2 on 45 kgs)
right now, my back stings.
may have to schedule a doctor appointment on monday.
just hope it is not a slipped disc or any other massive injury to my kidneys on spine.
but then again, what was I thinking when I continued training and moving around now.
Maybe it is not as bad as I thought.
Will find out more on Monday
Was doing a squat with about 35kgs when the bar slip off my hands, bounced off my back. OUCH!
Still finished the session.
6 sets of 4 reps basic movement (20kgs)
14 reps with 35kgs (hurt my back on the 8 rep)
6 sets of 3-4 reps pull (3 on 35kgs, 3 on 40kgs)
5 reps of back squat (3 sets on 40kgs, last 2 on 45 kgs)
right now, my back stings.
may have to schedule a doctor appointment on monday.
just hope it is not a slipped disc or any other massive injury to my kidneys on spine.
but then again, what was I thinking when I continued training and moving around now.
Maybe it is not as bad as I thought.
Will find out more on Monday
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
No more aching thighs
Have started to learn to pace myself during the routines.
Today was concentrating on the Snatch.
about 5 sets of 5 reps basic technique
7 sets of pull (moving gradually from 15kgs to 35 kgs)
4 sets of 5 back squats (35kgs up to 40kgs)
and 4 sets of 5 arm extensions
Today was concentrating on the Snatch.
about 5 sets of 5 reps basic technique
7 sets of pull (moving gradually from 15kgs to 35 kgs)
4 sets of 5 back squats (35kgs up to 40kgs)
and 4 sets of 5 arm extensions
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Thigh aching
Have isolated the aching muscles to mainly the thighs since weightlifting needs a lot of squat motion (and I still can't do a full squat)
Climbing up & down stairs has become a chore and sitting down even worse (seems that downward motion is much more painful even minus the weights)
Climbing up & down stairs has become a chore and sitting down even worse (seems that downward motion is much more painful even minus the weights)
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Body Aching (Part 2)
Still haven't mastered the squat.
On the plus side, pulled 40 kgs from ground & knee level to upright position (about 4 sets of 3 repetitions each)
Worked on my Snatch and Clean & Jerk and tried to incorporate feet extensions (sideways) using a 20 kg bar
For the Clean & Jerk, my coach says I favored my right leg (more explosive force there)
Can't wait for tomorrow to come and see whether i can get out of bed or even climb stairs (My thighs are aching but not swollen yet)
On the plus side, pulled 40 kgs from ground & knee level to upright position (about 4 sets of 3 repetitions each)
Worked on my Snatch and Clean & Jerk and tried to incorporate feet extensions (sideways) using a 20 kg bar
For the Clean & Jerk, my coach says I favored my right leg (more explosive force there)
Can't wait for tomorrow to come and see whether i can get out of bed or even climb stairs (My thighs are aching but not swollen yet)
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Maiden Gym Session today
After reading up on the sports, I got an invite to practice at the National Sport Complex in Bukit Jalil today around 4pm.
Arrived to meet up with the coach cum national athlete (must dig his name out).
Went through the weighlifting basic routine, snatch, squat, clean & jerk (pull will be done another day, not tomorrow)
Needless to say, my whole body is aching.
Will provide more updates when I reached my milestones.
Arrived to meet up with the coach cum national athlete (must dig his name out).
Went through the weighlifting basic routine, snatch, squat, clean & jerk (pull will be done another day, not tomorrow)
Needless to say, my whole body is aching.
Will provide more updates when I reached my milestones.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Lexperting...
10k 7s: 2930 still unsolved on 2nd run.
10k 8s: 1466 unsolved/6370 on the list (slight improvement over the 7s at the same stage, 1st run)
Next lists:
4-7 JKQXZ
4s (3rd run)
5s
20k 7s
very ambitious undertaking, but i don't feel confident
10k 8s: 1466 unsolved/6370 on the list (slight improvement over the 7s at the same stage, 1st run)
Next lists:
4-7 JKQXZ
4s (3rd run)
5s
20k 7s
very ambitious undertaking, but i don't feel confident
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Lexperting...
Still stuck on 10k 7s:
2790 unsolved/2971 on the list (am getting there somehow at least I only have less than half the initial anagrams to solve in the 3rd run)
2790 unsolved/2971 on the list (am getting there somehow at least I only have less than half the initial anagrams to solve in the 3rd run)
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
SAS junior Clement was stick with VCC in a losing game and proceeded to reinvent the English Language with words such as 'CMOCLUKEVSIX' (left) and 'VCQAT' below
. Nice try, Clement.(Was inspired to create a new spot prize on the spot, 'Most Outrageous Phoney Unchallenged On A Board'. Problem: Encouraging Students to play real words is hard enough, not going to motivate them to play non-words)
Ong
Suanne's team in table 1 action against SPEC. It was over very very quick and needless to say, painless for one of the gentleman.My best photo of Ong Suanne (I really do suck with a digital camera, that's why I always have to clean up my photos. Must master Picasa before Penang Open)
2006 Interschool Scrabble Championship Photos
The venue at the Berjaya Times Square. We were located at the Lower Ground Concourse. (within speaker range of the Sudoku championship and fashion shows) What a tight spot.
Ta
n Boon Aik (SAS) working on his gameSAS in some Table 1 action on Day 1. Sue Wye Luun on the left with Tan Boon Aik on the right.
What did this SAS junior (Clement) did to get on to this blog? find out in the next post
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Interschool Exhaustion
What you get for doing 11 rounds of team pairings manually.
I really have to get that excel pairing system up by next year......
Anyway, got some really nice photos to share.
Will post them once i have cleaned them up
I really have to get that excel pairing system up by next year......
Anyway, got some really nice photos to share.
Will post them once i have cleaned them up
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Lexperting....
10k 7s: 2389 unsolved/3158 in the list (not making much headway at all)
I feel like giving up sometimes.
I feel like giving up sometimes.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Secular country?
Interesting statement...this country is secular insofar as mosque are sprouting up like mushrooms around the country even in places with low Muslim demographic density.
Other religious institutions (churches, temples) are being forced to move into commercial buildings, warehouses and are not built to allow them to be identify from their facade. Existing ones are being threatened with demolition if they cannot maintain them. Newer temples and churches are forced to circumvent the bureacracy surrounding such places of worship by building a house or warehouse and consecrating/converting it into a temple later (minus the decoration)
So much for religious freedom, you are only allowed to practice as long as you don't keep build a church or a temple.
Other religious institutions (churches, temples) are being forced to move into commercial buildings, warehouses and are not built to allow them to be identify from their facade. Existing ones are being threatened with demolition if they cannot maintain them. Newer temples and churches are forced to circumvent the bureacracy surrounding such places of worship by building a house or warehouse and consecrating/converting it into a temple later (minus the decoration)
So much for religious freedom, you are only allowed to practice as long as you don't keep build a church or a temple.
Lexperting...
10k 7s: 2nd run, 924 unsolved, 3742 anagrams remaining (as you can see, not making much headway even on the 2nd run)
10k 8s: 1st run, 1222 unsolved, 6659 remaining (boy do i suck at this)
10k 8s: 1st run, 1222 unsolved, 6659 remaining (boy do i suck at this)
Friday, May 19, 2006
Longest SOC game I have played online
3 players
default island
13 victory points
45 minutes of gameplay,
someone else won
(I came in 2nd with 12 points, at least I wasn't last. hehehe)
default island
13 victory points
45 minutes of gameplay,
someone else won
(I came in 2nd with 12 points, at least I wasn't last. hehehe)
Thursday, May 18, 2006
My Favourite Team wins
CBS.com
Yes, This hippies win the Amazing Race.
Congratulations to BJ and Tyler
Am going to watch it later tonight.
The only other team that I like were Ken & Gerrard from AR3.
Just wish I could have found someone to partner me for the Amazing Race Asia (probably being filmed as I write this)
Yes, This hippies win the Amazing Race.
Congratulations to BJ and Tyler
Am going to watch it later tonight.
The only other team that I like were Ken & Gerrard from AR3.
Just wish I could have found someone to partner me for the Amazing Race Asia (probably being filmed as I write this)
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Lexperting...
Last check....
3s: finished in 2 runs, next revision date next week
4s: 2nd run, 232 unsolved/ 0 remaining (initially 3260 anagrams to solve)
10k 7s: 2nd run, 344 unsolved/ 3980 remaining (initially 6685 anagrams to solve)
10k 8s: 1st run, 1037 unsolved/ 6800 remaining (initially 7597 anagrams to solve)
Doubt i will finish them in time for Penang Open.
Maybe I should just start on Collins and wait for the switchover......
3s: finished in 2 runs, next revision date next week
4s: 2nd run, 232 unsolved/ 0 remaining (initially 3260 anagrams to solve)
10k 7s: 2nd run, 344 unsolved/ 3980 remaining (initially 6685 anagrams to solve)
10k 8s: 1st run, 1037 unsolved/ 6800 remaining (initially 7597 anagrams to solve)
Doubt i will finish them in time for Penang Open.
Maybe I should just start on Collins and wait for the switchover......
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Back to some semblance of normalcy
Or it is normality now that I am back to work since Monday.
Not much time to write about anything else since I have to be back at post in about five minutes.
Not much time to write about anything else since I have to be back at post in about five minutes.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Happy Wesak Day
from an ex-buddhist (departed from it around 19 years ago)
Still believe reincarnation, dharma and karma all this while.
See you in the next life (unless you escaped the cycle)
Still believe reincarnation, dharma and karma all this while.
See you in the next life (unless you escaped the cycle)
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Benny Goodman - Sing Sing Sing
Just rediscovering this wonderful piece of music,
Apparently Jazz.fm from Toronto claims that there are as many as 7 versions that have been performed.
I am still shopping for the 1938 Carnegie Hall version since that is my favorite.
Trivia: this year will be the 20th anniversary of his passing. Another 60 more years before his music becomes public property
Apparently Jazz.fm from Toronto claims that there are as many as 7 versions that have been performed.
I am still shopping for the 1938 Carnegie Hall version since that is my favorite.
Trivia: this year will be the 20th anniversary of his passing. Another 60 more years before his music becomes public property
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Reduce to chauffering nurse to my house
Because we live in the middle of freaking nowhere!
And the town council hasn't bothered upgrading the public transport infrastructure.
Life like's that....Wonder what will happen when we get another two nurses for the other shifts.
And the town council hasn't bothered upgrading the public transport infrastructure.
Life like's that....Wonder what will happen when we get another two nurses for the other shifts.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Drawing tiles
my first Scrabble procedure rants (inspired by a thread on UK-Scrabble mailing list)
Basically, players are quibbling over the proper sequence of tile-drawing.
Whether you do it 1-by-1 or do a fist-grab, I think it is your own preference because we already have rules to fall back on when you do overdraw your tiles.
I used to be pretty erratic when it comes to this procedure.
In my novice days, I just drew by the fist.
About three years ago, I started adopting one-tile draw to instill some form of discipline in my game (and also cut down on overdraw, most of the time).
Nowadays, I just fist-grab the tiles and lay them out 1-by-1 before putting them on my rack.
As far as I am concern, the most important aspect of tile drawing right now is to maintain a distinct separation between new and old tiles before you mix them up so as to prevent and problems occuring when you have an overdraw situation.
my $0.02 worth
Basically, players are quibbling over the proper sequence of tile-drawing.
Whether you do it 1-by-1 or do a fist-grab, I think it is your own preference because we already have rules to fall back on when you do overdraw your tiles.
I used to be pretty erratic when it comes to this procedure.
In my novice days, I just drew by the fist.
About three years ago, I started adopting one-tile draw to instill some form of discipline in my game (and also cut down on overdraw, most of the time).
Nowadays, I just fist-grab the tiles and lay them out 1-by-1 before putting them on my rack.
As far as I am concern, the most important aspect of tile drawing right now is to maintain a distinct separation between new and old tiles before you mix them up so as to prevent and problems occuring when you have an overdraw situation.
my $0.02 worth
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Attend a High School chum's wedding
and caught up with about 40+ ex-chums.
Whee, what fun!
Still remember a few names, everyone looks the same except for a bald spot and some lovely partner. Must remember to bring one the next time.
Still going to source for their photos
Whee, what fun!
Still remember a few names, everyone looks the same except for a bald spot and some lovely partner. Must remember to bring one the next time.
Still going to source for their photos
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Discharge Dad out of the Hospital
And now it is going to a challenge (not to forget, a chore too) to manage his rehabilitation at home.
He is still bedridden so we have to carry him around most of the time and we can't even take him into the bathroom for a shower.
Thankfully, Mum is still continuing to engage the services of a nurse.
He is still bedridden so we have to carry him around most of the time and we can't even take him into the bathroom for a shower.
Thankfully, Mum is still continuing to engage the services of a nurse.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Dad's back out of ICU
Been in the general ward B406 for 3 days now.
Da Jie is really spoiling him with a CD stereo and a DVD player.
That's on top of the hospital supplied ASTRO channels.
Makes me wish I was.......
but that will never happen
Da Jie is really spoiling him with a CD stereo and a DVD player.
That's on top of the hospital supplied ASTRO channels.
Makes me wish I was.......
but that will never happen
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Out of the competition
Man, I do suck at singing...
Next 7 reincarnation...singers
So first one will be some tribal singer
second one will be a choir boy
third one will be opera (hopefully a tenor, if not a baritone)
fourth one should be a gospel singer
fifth one will be a jazz vocalist
sixth one will settle for a rocker
and the final one...superstar
Next 7 reincarnation...singers
So first one will be some tribal singer
second one will be a choir boy
third one will be opera (hopefully a tenor, if not a baritone)
fourth one should be a gospel singer
fifth one will be a jazz vocalist
sixth one will settle for a rocker
and the final one...superstar
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Bad Karaoke Session
Preparation for another reality talent show.
Wonder whether or not I will get the recall
Wonder whether or not I will get the recall
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
In and out of ICU
transferred to a private ward yesterday morning.
Now he is back in the Intensive Care Unit this morning.
I blame the private nurse we got, wasn't even medically qualified.
Would like hunt down the person who gave us her contact.
Now he is back in the Intensive Care Unit this morning.
I blame the private nurse we got, wasn't even medically qualified.
Would like hunt down the person who gave us her contact.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Day to Day
Mum is asking for a lot.
Remind me to rack up OT pay for services rendered while dad is incapacitated.
Remind me to rack up OT pay for services rendered while dad is incapacitated.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Da Jie is here
Got in around 1.30am this morning.
Mom took her to the hospital to visit dad.
I came in around the same time as my big brother and his family.
second sister joined us soon.
Geez, whole family reunion in two decades......
Just wish it wasn't in the hospital.
Still praying for dad to get well.
Mom took her to the hospital to visit dad.
I came in around the same time as my big brother and his family.
second sister joined us soon.
Geez, whole family reunion in two decades......
Just wish it wasn't in the hospital.
Still praying for dad to get well.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Saturday, April 08, 2006
On the date I was born....
Events:
1804 - Napoleon Bonaparte is proclaimed Emperor of France by the French Senate.
1910 - The Earth passes through the tail of Comet Halley.
1980 - 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption: Mount St. Helens erupts in Washington, killing 57 people and causing $3 billion in damage. (actually a few hours after I was born, maybe I should have waited just a wee bit longer)
Births:
1872 - Lord Bertrand Russell, English mathematician and philosopher, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature (d. 1970)
1901 - Vincent du Vigneaud, American chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1978)
1955 - Chow Yun-Fat, Hong Kong actor
Death:
1973 - Jeannette Rankin, first U.S. Congresswoman (b. 1880)
1804 - Napoleon Bonaparte is proclaimed Emperor of France by the French Senate.
1910 - The Earth passes through the tail of Comet Halley.
1980 - 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption: Mount St. Helens erupts in Washington, killing 57 people and causing $3 billion in damage. (actually a few hours after I was born, maybe I should have waited just a wee bit longer)
Births:
1872 - Lord Bertrand Russell, English mathematician and philosopher, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature (d. 1970)
1901 - Vincent du Vigneaud, American chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1978)
1955 - Chow Yun-Fat, Hong Kong actor
Death:
1973 - Jeannette Rankin, first U.S. Congresswoman (b. 1880)
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Dad's in the hospital
Will be posting less from now on....
but will continue bashing the MSA relentlessly if it makes any bad decision.
Down with the dictatorship! Free Scrabble!!!
but will continue bashing the MSA relentlessly if it makes any bad decision.
Down with the dictatorship! Free Scrabble!!!
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Waiting to be made redundant
Am looking forward to see my replacement as the ratings officer.
That president played his hand too soon.
That president played his hand too soon.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Wanting to win a National title while Ganesh and Aaron are still around
The Chariot often appears when hard control is or could be in evidence. At its best, hard control is not brutal, but firm and direct. It is backed up by a strong will and great confidence. The Chariot can mean self-control or control of the environment. This card also represents victory. There are many types of wins; the Chariot's is of the win-lose type. Your success comes from beating the competition to become number one. Such moments are glorious in the right circumstances. For a full description of your card and other goodies, please visit LearnTarot.com |
What tarot card are you? Enter your birthdate. |
I am The ChariotI no conform to stupid rules!
The Hierophant often represents learning with experts or knowledgeable teachers. This card also stands for institutions and their values. The Hierophant is a symbol of the need to conform to rules or fixed situations. His appearance in a reading can show that you are struggling with a force that is not innovative, free-spirited or individual. Groups can be enriching or stifling, depending on circumstances. Sometimes we need to follow a program or embrace tradition, other times, we need to trust ourselves. For a full description of your card and other goodies, please visit LearnTarot.com |
What tarot card are you? Enter your birthdate. |
I am The HierophantNext boring thing
Brain Lateralization Test Results |
| Right Brain (58%) The right hemisphere is the visual, figurative, artistic, and intuitive side of the brain. Left Brain (36%) The left hemisphere is the logical, articulate, assertive, and practical side of the brain |
personality tests by similarminds.com
Something to Bore Everyone ( (C) by Jim Geary)
| Your brain: 60% interpersonal, 120% visual, 140% verbal, and 80% mathematical! |
| Congratulations on being 400% smart! Actually, on my test, everyone is. The above score breaks down what kind of thinking you most enjoy doing. A score above 100% means you use that kind of thinking more than average, and a score below 100% means you use it less. It says nothing about how good you are at any one, just how interested you are in each, relatively. A substantial difference in scores between two people means, conclusively, that they are different kinds of thinkers. Matching Summary: Each of us has different tastes. Still, I offer the following advice, which I think is obvious:
|
 |
My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:
|
| Link: The 4-Variable IQ Test written by chriscoyne on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test |
Sometimes it is better to find out who is running the show
//...my world...\\
From what I can understand on this blog, it is a poorly executed tournament (which is expected when the organizers haven't approached the right people, ie the Interschool Scrabble Championship committee or the national association; both of whom are recognized bodies)
This makes it more important for each and every player to be responsible for finding out about the tournament in advance.
If there is something fishy about a tournament, best clarify it with the organizers beforehand or just observe this tournament during the competition to see if you are comfortable with the organization of it.
Most of the tournament rules are codified by the national association but independent organizers may have house rules that they should be announced beforehand.
As far as I know, the current competitive lexicon is still SOWPODS (aka OSW-International edition). A lexicon update should happen later this year when Mattel is switching from Chambers to Collins. So I really don't know what lexicon these organizers are using.
If people have any queries about private competitions (since this one was not sanctioned by either recognized bodies), I suggest that you people do get in contact with Mrs. Yap (012-302 2053) from the Interschool committee before taking any plunge.
From what I can understand on this blog, it is a poorly executed tournament (which is expected when the organizers haven't approached the right people, ie the Interschool Scrabble Championship committee or the national association; both of whom are recognized bodies)
This makes it more important for each and every player to be responsible for finding out about the tournament in advance.
If there is something fishy about a tournament, best clarify it with the organizers beforehand or just observe this tournament during the competition to see if you are comfortable with the organization of it.
Most of the tournament rules are codified by the national association but independent organizers may have house rules that they should be announced beforehand.
As far as I know, the current competitive lexicon is still SOWPODS (aka OSW-International edition). A lexicon update should happen later this year when Mattel is switching from Chambers to Collins. So I really don't know what lexicon these organizers are using.
If people have any queries about private competitions (since this one was not sanctioned by either recognized bodies), I suggest that you people do get in contact with Mrs. Yap (012-302 2053) from the Interschool committee before taking any plunge.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Alma Mater
Just seen my alma mater's name on a list of participants in International Islamic University's debating competition.
Should I go back there and help them?
Not that it is going to make much of a difference since they can't beat Penang's St. Xavier.
Should I go back there and help them?
Not that it is going to make much of a difference since they can't beat Penang's St. Xavier.
Monday, March 27, 2006
What the ****?
"The organisers are planning to have one open category and after 4 rounds to split the players in two categories. The top 20 or 30 to join the top category and the rest to the non-masters category depending on the number of entries." - MSA President
Has he run this past the committee?
How the hell is anyone going to do the pairings, I am not going to do it because I know the limitation of the program we normally use. Case close.
Has he run this past the committee?
How the hell is anyone going to do the pairings, I am not going to do it because I know the limitation of the program we normally use. Case close.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Mission accomplished
1814 and my third norm for my National Master Title in Singapore.
Will consider joining the GM race some other time.
Why?
Statistically, you have to be better than 3 of the other 5 GMs in order to stand a chance of getting your norms.
As it stands now, not very confident that I am superior to even any of the 5 up there
(Equal, maybe. Superior no way!)
Will consider joining the GM race some other time.
Why?
Statistically, you have to be better than 3 of the other 5 GMs in order to stand a chance of getting your norms.
As it stands now, not very confident that I am superior to even any of the 5 up there
(Equal, maybe. Superior no way!)
Friday, March 17, 2006
Leaving for Singapore
to compete in the LBH tourney.
Might run into Nigel at the train station if I guess his routine correctly.
Have not studied anything so am bringing my books along.
Not a good way to prepare for a tourney.
Might run into Nigel at the train station if I guess his routine correctly.
Have not studied anything so am bringing my books along.
Not a good way to prepare for a tourney.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Joint Rotary-Rotaract Meeting
Kevitpal just had to ramble on forever and ever and ever about the club activities.
Not to mention the wily Rotary club President who suggested that we should be eating when most of us were embarassed to do so in the first place.
On the fun side, membership grew by 20%. YAY
Not to mention the wily Rotary club President who suggested that we should be eating when most of us were embarassed to do so in the first place.
On the fun side, membership grew by 20%. YAY
Monday, March 13, 2006
Lim Boon Heng Cup here I come
And I haven't even purchased my tickets yet.
Will probably do that after confirming my stay at the Wees.
Anyway, will need to check with Yen Nee about my seeding.
Hopefully I will get to avoid the toughies in the opening round since I am in the top half, unless less than 16 players show up (which will necessitate me meeting Nigel! Cheah!! or even Tony!!!)
Will probably do that after confirming my stay at the Wees.
Anyway, will need to check with Yen Nee about my seeding.
Hopefully I will get to avoid the toughies in the opening round since I am in the top half, unless less than 16 players show up (which will necessitate me meeting Nigel! Cheah!! or even Tony!!!)
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Wikepedia Scrabbling
Still looking around on wikipedia.
Maybe I should create entries for TOUCANET and the regional Scrabble groups.
Maybe.
Maybe I should create entries for TOUCANET and the regional Scrabble groups.
Maybe.
Friday, March 10, 2006
Farewell to a Rotaractor
Murtuza Sial from India, who has been a close freind and member of the club will be leaving for Dubai soon.
Attended the dinner, skipped the after-dinner clubbing session. No more stamina.
Attended the dinner, skipped the after-dinner clubbing session. No more stamina.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Who let the duck loose on the Internet
Quack!
Quackle is out on the Internet, downloading it at the moment from the URL below:
http://web.mit.edu/jasonkb/www/quackle/
Will post more when I go through it. Have fun.
Quackle is out on the Internet, downloading it at the moment from the URL below:
http://web.mit.edu/jasonkb/www/quackle/
Will post more when I go through it. Have fun.
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Malaysian Open gets postponed
Why? Michael Wong and Roy are justing waiting for the MYS to flood them with cash to organised the whole shebang.......HAH!
Whole committee still doesn't understand the whole rating thingy......more mud to clean up.....
Additional criterias to sanctioning of tournament:
Someone suggested that tournaments with less than X number of Masters shouldn't be rated.
(Please hold on while thesis is being uploaded for your viewing pleasure on some other day)
Whole committee still doesn't understand the whole rating thingy......more mud to clean up.....
Additional criterias to sanctioning of tournament:
Someone suggested that tournaments with less than X number of Masters shouldn't be rated.
(Please hold on while thesis is being uploaded for your viewing pleasure on some other day)
Thursday, March 02, 2006
The Amazing Race Asia Buzzsite - AXN East Asia
Now that I am eligible to participate in the Amazing Race, am busy scouring my clubmates to find a racing partner. If we get casted, I wonder how will we fare.
For those who are curious, I have posted the link below for those who also want to apply.
The Amazing Race Asia Buzzsite - AXN East Asia
For those who are curious, I have posted the link below for those who also want to apply.
The Amazing Race Asia Buzzsite - AXN East Asia
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
LBH, Here I Come
Am dishing the Malaysian Open.
No interest in it at all, even if the AGM is finally going to be held.
No interest in it at all, even if the AGM is finally going to be held.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Australia Nationals, anyone?
Thinking of going down to Australia for the National Championship during Easter,
or should I wait until Penang Open, King's Cup and CSC to play some ozzies?
I hate making decisions!
or should I wait until Penang Open, King's Cup and CSC to play some ozzies?
I hate making decisions!
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Make up your mind
Was offered the post of club service director on Thursday.
Now it has been switched in bulletins.
Now it has been switched in bulletins.
Monday, February 20, 2006
I am more tired after weekends than weekdays
Okay, time to cut back on all other activities.
Weekends are suppose to be relaxing, not hell
Weekends are suppose to be relaxing, not hell
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Not even in the finals
Judges made snide commentaries about dress code and sexual innuendos.
Yippee!!!
Yippee!!!
Saturday, February 11, 2006
10 reasons why I should not participate in the District Speakerthon tomorrow
- I was sick for the past three days
- I have not prepared anything on any of the five topics
- Dinesh should have been chosen
- Some people didn't even participate in the preliminaries
- Kevitpal should have been chosen
- I don't want to get stuck in a car with ****** on both leg of the journey
- I suck at public speaking
- I am going to make a fool out of myself (and my club)
- My blasphemous speech will be rewarded by an 'Act of God'
- What on earth is 'stage fright'?
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Every action has an equal and opposite reaction
The expected dropouts have materialized already.
Think I will give up organizing tournaments after CNY seeing that masters and seniors players are such mercenaries.
You all want big money tournaments. Fine.
You all don't want to play in my tournaments because there is no big money. Fine.
Go organize your own tournaments then.
Think I will give up organizing tournaments after CNY seeing that masters and seniors players are such mercenaries.
You all want big money tournaments. Fine.
You all don't want to play in my tournaments because there is no big money. Fine.
Go organize your own tournaments then.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Got arrowed
It was supposed to be Kevitpal or Dinesh. NNNOOOOOooooo!!!!
Why does it have to be me who gets arrowed for the district Speakerthon.
Why does it have to be me who gets arrowed for the district Speakerthon.
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Club Speakerthon tonight
I wonder how many people will be befuddled by the topics I have prepared for them?
Evil is good, Good is evil
Evil is good, Good is evil
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Chinese New Year Open house
On top of the CNY tournament that I am organizing next month, I now have to play host to my Rotaract club this chinese new year at my home on Monday.
Let's all the chaos break loose.
Let's all the chaos break loose.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Travel: Scrabble & Life
create your own visited country map
Missed a chance to add India in January.
Will wait until next year.
Hope the Vietnam Open comes on later this year.
Let's see when can I add North America, since there are three countries for the price of one trip
Henry
Ticket to ride
Been playing this game online more often than Scrabble (unless Yen Nee is available for the marathon, which sadly is no longer the case).
How well am I doing? rated around 1420, ranked 771 on online play.
Have yet to see the top players and how they play, wish there was a ranking list to purvey.
Anyway, I am normally one of the better players around because I don't see a lot of 1400s in the playing room unless you want to go through everyone of their profiles just to find out.
A few tips and trick for advanced gameplay
America Map:
Build Coast to Coast and get those long distance ticket ASAP.
New York, Montreal, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Seattle and Chicago are the key cities to link up since they appear most often on the 20+ point cards. I once scored 199 linking all six of these cities while hoarding the destination cards that linked these 6 cities (which is quite lucky)
Europe Map:
Keep the Long Distance map and any short route within building distance of either end or in the middle. Be prepared to reroute our tracks creatively (and I do mean creatively). Identify weak spots in your chain and build those first.
More players (4 or 5 players):
Whether on the American or European map, just keep 2 cards (3 or 4 if they are all in close proximity) and build one long line up until the end, this is more productive than drawing new destination and building new tracks because you get to end the game quicker and penalize the slower players.
Less players (3 or less):
Draw new destination tickets for 1 or 2 turns, then build like crazy until the end. Try to finish all your trains on your second to last turn so that you can review all details before deciding if you need a last turn gamble on the unseen destination ticket.
How well am I doing? rated around 1420, ranked 771 on online play.
Have yet to see the top players and how they play, wish there was a ranking list to purvey.
Anyway, I am normally one of the better players around because I don't see a lot of 1400s in the playing room unless you want to go through everyone of their profiles just to find out.
A few tips and trick for advanced gameplay
America Map:
Build Coast to Coast and get those long distance ticket ASAP.
New York, Montreal, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Seattle and Chicago are the key cities to link up since they appear most often on the 20+ point cards. I once scored 199 linking all six of these cities while hoarding the destination cards that linked these 6 cities (which is quite lucky)
Europe Map:
Keep the Long Distance map and any short route within building distance of either end or in the middle. Be prepared to reroute our tracks creatively (and I do mean creatively). Identify weak spots in your chain and build those first.
More players (4 or 5 players):
Whether on the American or European map, just keep 2 cards (3 or 4 if they are all in close proximity) and build one long line up until the end, this is more productive than drawing new destination and building new tracks because you get to end the game quicker and penalize the slower players.
Less players (3 or less):
Draw new destination tickets for 1 or 2 turns, then build like crazy until the end. Try to finish all your trains on your second to last turn so that you can review all details before deciding if you need a last turn gamble on the unseen destination ticket.
Am I that important?
The insurance company came in today to interview 'key' personnels involves in the company's operation to assess the risk to the company should something happen to one of them. And I got called in for one of those interviews an hour before we clock out.
A few question here and there about my contributions.
Don't know how much I will cost the company in added premiums but the company is paying, not me.
btw, why haven't I gotten enough response to my Olympic Sports survey posted a few weeks ago. Am probably going to start getting involved soon.
A few question here and there about my contributions.
Don't know how much I will cost the company in added premiums but the company is paying, not me.
btw, why haven't I gotten enough response to my Olympic Sports survey posted a few weeks ago. Am probably going to start getting involved soon.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Bored at work
but finally managed to pass my board over to the foreman to package for shipment to UK. Personal business.
Maybe I should go into trading of illegally produce Scrabble boards.
Will the trademark owners sue me?
Still dittering over this.
Maybe I should go into trading of illegally produce Scrabble boards.
Will the trademark owners sue me?
Still dittering over this.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Someone got struck down by dengue
It wasn't me, just the Rotaract Club President who has been sick since last Tuesday.
And guess what, I got bitten three times this morning by an Aedes mosquito this morning.
Must be my lucky stars that it wasn't carrying the virus.
And guess what, I got bitten three times this morning by an Aedes mosquito this morning.
Must be my lucky stars that it wasn't carrying the virus.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Candidate Sport to pick up
Have narrowed down the list of sports that I want to pick up this year. Opinions welcome.
1. Archery
Now that Malaysia has a few decent archery ranges, it may be worthwhile to invest in some gear and time to become proficient. Probably handy too if someone crosses you.
2. Weighlifting/Powerlifting
Not bodybuilding mind you, just free weights plain and simple.
3. Triathlon
Ricky's influence. go figure.
4. Shooting
Like archery, only more expensive gear.
5. Judo/Wrestling
Hoisting and throwing Ganesh around like a doll has some appeal for me.
1. Archery
Now that Malaysia has a few decent archery ranges, it may be worthwhile to invest in some gear and time to become proficient. Probably handy too if someone crosses you.
2. Weighlifting/Powerlifting
Not bodybuilding mind you, just free weights plain and simple.
3. Triathlon
Ricky's influence. go figure.
4. Shooting
Like archery, only more expensive gear.
5. Judo/Wrestling
Hoisting and throwing Ganesh around like a doll has some appeal for me.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Got my clubmates addicted to board games
Tuesday evening at one of the clubmate's housewarming party, I bought along Modern Art and Ticket to Ride: Europe. Didn't take too long for them to start playing it and they love it.
Will keep them in my car for now until the next session.
Will keep them in my car for now until the next session.
Monday, January 09, 2006
To study or not to study
Working on the OSPD additions right now, still not touching the CSD yet but am compiling things slowly.
Should I get a copy of CED 7 and join the hunt alongside the WESPA Dictionary Committee?
a quick scan of lexpert showed several new words, especially the new 5v8s like auditee(s), acquiree, acoelous, peekapoo, etc
Will post additions and deletion here when I finish a section.
Should I get a copy of CED 7 and join the hunt alongside the WESPA Dictionary Committee?
a quick scan of lexpert showed several new words, especially the new 5v8s like auditee(s), acquiree, acoelous, peekapoo, etc
Will post additions and deletion here when I finish a section.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Monday, January 02, 2006
2006 things to do
1. Pick up an Olympic Sport.
2. Win a Scrabble Tournament (anyone will do)
3. Clean up the rating system
4. Master the new lexicon
SECRET WISH
5. Beat Ganesh 10 times
6. Make the Final 10 in Malaysian Idol
7. Make 10 M$
8. Get Yen Nee a boyfriend
That's all I can think of for now
2. Win a Scrabble Tournament (anyone will do)
3. Clean up the rating system
4. Master the new lexicon
SECRET WISH
5. Beat Ganesh 10 times
6. Make the Final 10 in Malaysian Idol
7. Make 10 M$
8. Get Yen Nee a boyfriend
That's all I can think of for now
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