Lex's Jottings on Life

Selfish people who are always busy

2023-07-10T01:03:00.000-07:00

Today, I want to share an all-too-familiar tale of encounters with the elusive species of "busy" people. You know the type—the ones who magically vanish into thin air when you seek their company, but mysteriously reappear when they need something from you. Join me as we dive into the curious world of these self-proclaimed busy bees.

We all have those friends, acquaintances, or even family members who conveniently disappear when you extend an invitation for a coffee catch-up or a fun evening out. It's as if they possess a sixth sense that alerts them only when you're about to enjoy some quality time together. You patiently wait, anticipating their arrival, only to receive an apologetic text message or a last-minute cancellation. Sound familiar?

However, here's the most baffling part: when they find themselves in need, their "busy" facade magically dissipates. Suddenly, they have all the time in the world to reach out, ask for favors, or seek your expertise. It's like an alternate universe where priorities shift and their calendar opens up to accommodate their self-serving agenda.

At first, it's easy to empathize. Life can be hectic, and we all have our fair share of obligations. But when this pattern repeats itself time and time again, it becomes harder to ignore the underlying issue—their blatant selfishness. It's as if they view relationships solely as a means to their own ends, only appearing when they need something.

What's truly fascinating is their ability to make you feel guilty for not being able to fulfill their requests. They master the art of emotional manipulation, making you question your loyalty or friendship. Suddenly, you find yourself asking, "Am I being unreasonable? Maybe I should drop everything and help them out." But don't fall for it! Recognize that genuine relationships are built on mutual respect, understanding, and reciprocity.

It's crucial to establish healthy boundaries with these individuals. Remember, you have your own life, obligations, and dreams to pursue. While it's essential to be there for your loved ones, it should never come at the expense of your own well-being or happiness.

So, what can we learn from these encounters with the "busy" brigade? Firstly, it's important to value your time and prioritize relationships with those who reciprocate your efforts. Surround yourself with individuals who genuinely care about your well-being and make an effort to be present in your life, even when it's not convenient for them.

Secondly, recognize the signs of selfishness and set boundaries accordingly. Don't feel obliged to drop everything when they come knocking at your door. A genuine relationship should involve mutual support, and you deserve to receive the same level of care and attention that you offer.

Lastly, don't let these encounters jade your perspective on relationships. There are countless kind-hearted people out there who value your time and cherish your friendship. Focus on nurturing those connections and building a network of individuals who genuinely care about you.

In conclusion, encountering selfish people who conveniently claim to be busy is an unfortunate reality of life. However, by recognizing their patterns, setting boundaries, and surrounding ourselves with genuinely caring individuals, we can navigate these encounters with grace and prioritize relationships that bring us joy and fulfillment. So, let's celebrate those who make time for us, rather than chasing after those who only show up when they need something.

My bad

2021-10-15T20:06:00.003-07:00

Maybe I’m getting old. I’m getting triggered more easily. Am I wrong to expect people to be detailed in their documents? A single typo or careless mistake snowballs into expensive mandays. And when pointed out, a nonchalant “my bad” is the answer.

I hate this word. My bad. It is lazy, unrepentant. Bad enough that you committed a mistake, you’re even too lazy

to admit it and apologize. You can’t even be bothered to utter the few extra syllable. Do you think saying my bad instead of my mistakes will negate the action? Pretty self delusional. Are you trying to emulate youngster lingo in a professional environment?

Let me just give you a tight slap.

Pain? My bad.

On social media

2021-03-26T19:40:00.001-07:00

There's 2 online incidences this past week, and reinforced the idea that just about any idiot can use the internet.

1. A Buy nothing group that is an outlet for people to post their items for donation

This illiterate SOB (apparently he can't read or he thought this group was a classified) said he was a single father who was currently staying in an apartment in the outskirts, and was looking for help (sympathy?) to find a double storey terrace landed house for RM500. Because he was asked to leave by landlord (gee, I wonder why)

Find me a landed house you can rent for RM500 in the outskirts of KL and I'll find you a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, deal? For RM500, you couldn't even hope to rent a master room in the city. Other forumers kindly gave him suggestion to rent a flat, but noooo...he had health problem, he must stay in a landed property (although he is currently staying in a flat)

I, for my naivety, posted, "You want to rent a landed house for RM500 , kidding right?"

And stepped back cringing, knowing the internet is filled with champions of the less fortunate. About 2 ladies with fake ang moh names stepped fwd to belittle my "character" and "what I posted reflected who I was". Yes, I'm a cynical bitch who tells things as they are, instead of coddling people. Especially those who are looking for patsies like yourself to 'sponsor' their misfortune. Another told me to shut up if I had nothing nice to say. This is a very common theme in this group.

Might I add that the said 'poor' person looking for a house to rent for RM500, had a daughter studying law and also asked for 'donation' for a laptop.

He was pretty rude , and eventually the mods removed his post. Serve you right.

2. This was an anxiety group

A lady posted that her cholesterol was 2xx. And asked if it was high.

Somebody replied and said, yes it was. And the author proceeded to say, she was told it was only borderline.

WTF

You already knew the answer, so why bother correcting the person who said something that did not concur to yours? Were you looking for validation, or the pleasure of telling someone they were wrong?

Makes me think that most people on FB are just attention seekers.

Of course when I posted and asked, why did you ask when you already know, she bit my head off. Like a crazy pitbull. Because I dared post something to question her.

Just like driving, we are polite and superficial in real life. And we revert to the monsters we actually are while driving, and while online.

A Martial art journey

2020-12-07T09:58:00.003-08:00

I started Taekwondo late, when I was 16. Back then Taekwondo was everything to me. I trained it everyday. I had many friends. My instructor was my everything and I did everything I could to make him proud, which wasn't very often because I wasn't very good at it. I got my black belt 2 years later, yeah Taekwondo black belts are not that difficult to obtain and I assisted to teach in classes. I remembered I didnt even know how to tie a double loop at that time and was already asked to teach a class solo because nobody was available. From 16 to 18, I did a lot of Taekwondo and Taekwondo was the first martial art I sought out the first night I spent on campus when I should be looking for my faculty. But I digress, sometime around when I was 18, I dabbled awhile in karate. I was just fascinated with the forms. My Taekwondo friends made fun of me. But I persisted. In Uni, I competed more under another coach who pushed me far beyond my limits (not in a good way) to the point I tore my ACL. I quit for almost 2 years due to the injury and got fat during this time. After surgery, I dabbled more in refereeing where I made new friends. Those were fun times. I still wasn't good in Taekwondo, I just wasnt built for it and my first instructor made it very clear I had slow twitch muscles, not a good thing in Taekwondo. Add to the fact I hated running, and that I had short legs, everything was against me.

I was USED for awhile, it seemed that a lot of Taekwondo instructors in my country were USERS. As in they used you under the guise of training you to teach. When the cold hard fact was, they dumped you classes to teach at your own expense, and pocketed the fees for themselves. This went on for a year until I wised up. There was no conscious decision to quit. I just woke up one day and decided to quit training Taekwondo. I still went for refereeing events, even took my international referee license which sparked outrage by some, but thats a story for another time. I dabbled in wushu for awhile where I learned the danger of studying under an instructor who had no clue what he was teaching. That would also be a story for another time. I was a spinning compass since 18 until Kyokushin Karate became my North at around 23-ish going on 24. This would be no fairy tale of a prodigy finding his/her purpose. I didnt miraculously become a champion overnight or became extremely talented at Karate. In fact, it seemed that my seniors never liked me and they would try to knock me out whenever there was a chance. There was no camaderie compared to Taekwondo. It was to each his/her own. Survival of the strongest. I once saw a senior get kicked in the groin and he was left there to crawl to the side. No one came to his aid. When I took my first test, the seniors set me up to fail. But I was young, I was stubborn and I persevered. Obtaining my black belt in Karate took longer than Taekwondo, but I never set out to obtain it in the first place. It was thrust upon me even though I never wanted it.I remembered when I was fresh in Karate, 100 kicks were easy, 100 punches were difficult. Now almost 20 years later, the opposite has become true. 1000 punches are easy, 100 kicks have become difficult. It doesnt mean Karate emphasises more punches than kicks, just that over the course of 20 years, my knees have deteriorated that much.

In this period of 20 years, I've had my own classes, hosted my own tournaments on national and international scale. I set out on this martial art journey with no plan in mind, but I had hoped that my original instructor (the one who set things in motion) would be proud of me. I was so wrong. 30 years later, I realized that the human condition prevails in all forms; yes, even martial art instructors that I once thought was perfect and could do no wrong.

The human condition? I am proud of you and will be with contact with you as long you serve a purpose to me. When that purpose ends, so does my pride and my interest.

How did I find out this bitter truth? I foolishly tried to give him some karate tshirts and other memorabilia I had made for a recent tournament. Naively I thought he would be glad to have them as souvenirs. That even if I was no longer doing Taekwondo, he would be proud of me. Imagine my surprise at his close mindedness. I believe the exact words were: it would not be proper for a Taekwondo instructor to wear a karate tshirt.

So I became the opposite of what he was. I never labelled my students of not having talent, and that they are stuck in their physical bodies and will never achieve anything beyond what they were born with. I coached fighters based on their physical strengths, not mine. I pushed them beyond their physical limitations, not mine. Because when I teach, it is not about me. It is about the student.

I made sure my students do not make the same mistakes I did which were never corrected. Beginners have my full support until their lack of enthusiasm or effort dissuade me to focus my attention to other beginners who put in the hours and effort.

Once, a long time ago, a girl looked forward to Taekwondo classes every weekend 2pm to 3.30pm. At the ending of Sunday classes, she was already anticipating next Saturday's classes. Every movement and exercise excited her. And she performed them to the best of her ability. Today, this woman 26 years later still looks forward to class. She no longer follows, but conducts. Her knees hurt when she walks down the stairs. She has to wear kneepads for seiza so that the bone spurs in her knees will not dig into her joints. Sometimes, the fracture from wrist to elbow still hurts when it's cold. She cannot kick as well as she can when she was 16, but she sure as hell can punch and strike harder. But the most important lesson of all.

Never live your life trying to earn the approval of others.

My descent into racism

2020-09-10T20:14:00.004-07:00

Never used to be a racist. I always thought that underneath the color, we are all the same. How naive I was.

We are not born racists. Personal experiences turn us into racists.

For example, we think of a certain race as lazy or have twisting, taichi tendencies. When they are asked to do something, we get 1001 excuses and they start playing the blame game. At first, we do not associate this behavior with skin color. We lay the blame on individual character. And a character behaves this way, due to cultural and social upbringing. Where they come from and how they are brought up, this is their norm. Yet as time progresses, we start to encounter more and more members from the same race that exhibit the same tendencies. A pattern emerges.

Another example, we think of a certain race as exceptionally dirty, rude and loud. Yet, where they come from, this is a survival tactic, due to the sheer volume of population, if they are not rude and loud; they get lost in all the chatter.

So can we excuse these behaviors just because they are committed by members of a certain race? If we accept the behaviors, we are guilty of racism as well.

"He is lazy, because he is red/green/white/black/yellow/purple/pink, so that's ok"

No, it's not.

An asshole is an asshole no matter the skin color. You should not tolerate assholes just because they are a certain color or a misunderstood/oppressed race.

And don't even get me started on gender equality.

Always available

2020-02-27T20:27:00.002-08:00

Tired of whatsapp and other messaging platforms. It gives the illusion that I am constantly available. I only love my mobile for it's entertainment value, not so much for it's function as communication device. With the mobile, people can call me 24/7. Is that a good thing?

I'm in contact with a person , who would fly into rages if I do not respond immediately. As in, I would be in deep shit, if I do not read and start typing the minute his message is sent to me. I live such a stressful life.

Once, a long time ago, I deluded myself that lunchtime was ME-time. I could read my fav novel on my phone and ignore any messages that came in. Oh, the stress of dealing with the fallout of this delusion. It took hours to cajole that said person. The stress and effort of dealing with the aftermath was just not worth the ME-time.

I'd also get messages asking me to fix things on this website that I'm doing for free.
It's come to the point where I just remove my gmail and company email widget from my phone.

I wish my phone would get stolen more often then I have an excuse not to reply.
Or I'd say my prepaid plan (I'm on postpaid LOL) ran out of credits or out of data. I have to resort to lying just to not be available 24/7.

So tired of this digital life.

I don't like being wet

2020-02-25T03:13:00.001-08:00

Ya, call me kerbau. What I especially hate are

wet floors
wet floors seeping into my shoes turning my socks wet and my toes wrinkled
sweaty bodies (mine and others)
wet hair
wet anything
wet fur

Wetness and humidify damage electronics.

Wetness cause slippery surfaces that lead to injuries.

I guess anything wet that doesn't dry properly leads to mold and musty odors that I just cannot tolerate. For a few years, I was ridiculed for wearing clothes that smelled from musty odors (thanks to not knowing I'm supposed to clean washing machines every once in a while)

It's no wonder I cannot swim and don't drink much water. Maybe I died from drowning in my past life, who knows.

Therefore I try to waterproof everything that I can. Current obsession is finding proper waterproof sport shoes.This is quite an impossible task actually. It seemed only hiking and soccer shoes are waterproof. What the heck.

Loving myself

2020-02-12T03:29:00.001-08:00

Whatever I'm feeling, it will pass.

Breathe in 5 seconds, hold for 2, exhale through mouth for 5. Use fitbit or Calm app

I can't change the situation

Let it go, not everybody is perfect

This will not bother me

Listen to soothing and upbeat music. Have earbuds always charged and on standby

One exercise session a day + the routine plank and push up

Massage my neck

Declutter one area when I feel like it

Humidifer , essential oils

Play some idle games and hidden object games

Draw, paint, burn some wood

new year, new resolutions

2020-01-13T02:42:00.001-08:00

Blood test result came back quite ok actually
It's the new year and in order for things to change, I must change

Emotionally

forget about being a people pleaser
be less upset
accept that some things are out of my control
not everything needs to be perfect
take it easy
reward myself more
enjoy & be thankful for the little things in life

Body

2 more potato diets this year
Drop to 75kg
at least 500 punches per week
at least 1 yoga session per week
at least 1 gym session per week
strengthen the bum knee

My projects

get member system done
Publish & print another book. sell at least 20
maintain a high traffic martial art related website
Youtube videos? (at least 10 videos this year)

That's quite a lot this year

Wish me luck

Sensory Deprivation Tank / Float Therapy

2019-08-13T03:50:00.002-07:00

So I've been doing this sensory deprivation therapy thingy. It's a pod filled with epsom salt and you strip naked, close the pod and float in it. I figured what the heck, try something new.

So here's my experience. The visit is per appt, so I had to leave office at 715pm to reach Hartamas before 8pm. Met up with Mel who was very friendly and informative and explained all the steps required. The pod was in a small room and it looked like a spaceship, something Superman would arrive in. I took a shower, put in my ear plugs and stepped into the pod.

To be honest, I was scared as I did not know how to swim and the loss of control and unnatural buoyancy of the salty water threw me off. I kept hearing my loud heart beat due to the ear plugs and the more I paid attention, the quicker my heart beat.

There was a neck pillow and a fibre foam head support which suspiciously looked like a toilet seat; as I couldn't find a comfortable position for my neck. I turned off the lights and closed the pod and tried my best to enjoy the experience. It was difficult, to be alone with my own thoughts, but slowly I forgot about my thundering heartbeat. Toward the end of the one hour, I started to feel restless and then nauseous as I kept drifting around due to my movement.

When it was over, another quick shower and towel off. Then Mel explained the benefits of floating. It was too long and I was really hungry (cos I was doing potato diet) so didn't really pay attention. 1 hour of floating costed RM180. For repeat floats, she offers discounts.

A week before my 4th Malaysia Open, anticipating a stressful tournament, I booked another session. Unfortunately, Aunt Flo decided to rear her ugly head 30 min before my session and I had to postpone.

Second session, I requested Mel to play my own music, so she gave me a bluetooth speaker and I streamed Tamara Levitt's soothing voice over the Calm app. Amazingly I couldn't hear my heartbeat this time and the session passed by quicker. I even napped for awhile.

As for the benefits, well, I floated with destressing in mind. I felt really refreshed and lucid after the session. It was supposed to improve sleep but I don't really have trouble sleeping except for the usual Netflix distractions.

Will I float again? I will give floating another 2 more tries before assessing.

Horrid neighbors

2019-06-10T20:33:00.003-07:00

So I'm part of this whatsapp group of the local neighborhood.
There's something about the anonymity of hiding behind your mobile that turns an otherwise polite member of society into a troll

Now it was clearly stated this was a security related neighborhood group. Yet people felt free to :

send good morning messages and good bless you everyday
spam
share their political views,
cures to cancers
outdated posts of missing children
complaints of dirty drains and then a plea for somebody to please do something
religious doctrine
repeated spams because their thumbs had seizures
pictures of accidents & dead children
rumours

and today, I get messages cursing cats. Excuse me? I assume cats have suddenly evolved to own smartphones and can read since their anger was directed to the cats.
Thankfully other members of the group told him off.

Smartphones have really changed the way we communicate. Any Tom Dick and Harry with functional fingers and an IQ of 10 can pop up a post and it goes viral because no one bothers to verify its authenticity.

It's truly sad because it looks like the only 'smart' one in the relationship is the phone and not the idiot at the other end of the keypad.

i hate whys

2019-04-16T22:45:00.001-07:00

I hate it when people ask me why

why are you sick?
why don't you cut your hair?
why are you here?
why did you do this?
why are you fat?
why are you poor?
why did you hurt your knee?
why is so and so...

As if answering the why, the problem will resolve itself. I hate whys, it is a victim question, trying to displace guilt, finding a reason for something happening, when effort should be on solving the problem.

Weird things you find for sale on Lazada

2019-04-16T00:05:00.002-07:00

1. Tomboy binder
to hide em boobs, because you know...you were born a female

2. Men panty hose

3. Sanggul bunian
gross man...this is like marimo, but hair...
ewww

4. skin of a tiger
this particular one from the face of poor tiger, who is probably frolicking in the jungle, sans a patch from his face

5. head traction
it's like....a trainer on how to hang yourself

6. heart of a camel

7. sperm of an elephant

and here i am , shopping for bags on lazada.
What a boring life I lead

My fitbit progress

2019-04-01T22:24:00.002-07:00

You can't improve what you don't measure.

Seeing all those UP arrows, really motivates me more

while 26 min less sleep than last week allows me to make adjustments for this week.

Fitbit charge3, so far so good

Full review to come soon

Push over

2019-03-22T00:50:00.003-07:00

I used to try to emulate the Japanese and their courtesy, you know, all the bowing and the giving way and the politeness. I'd give way while driving, allowing others to cut queue. I'd hold the lift doors for people. I'd let others go through or pass me by.

As time went on, I realize that I was becoming a softie. In Japan, this worked because the kindness is reciprocated. But in Malaysia? When you give way, you become a push over. People view your politeness as a weakness and they take advantage.

So note to self. No more Ms Nice Girl. Y'all can go fuck ourselves. It's a dog eat dog world.

2019 - YASurvey (yet another)

2019-01-08T21:12:00.000-08:00

Describe your present state of mind.

Goddammn bored (same!)

Where do u usually hang-out?
~~Mines, IOI~~
MrDIY

Ever stepped on shit on the road?
Every damned day on my porch(same!)

Last movie u saw & with whom?
~~COnstantine. with suann~~
the Island, with D

Most expensive thing u bought with your own $?
camera = 1108
pda = 999
phone = 1111 (holy shit dude!)
house - 328k
harley - 105k
Good looks or brains?
Brains. Definitely(same!)
and good temper

They say "you are who you hang out with".
~~I hang out with tkd fraternity, my x school mates~~
karatekas, fb friends

Have you ever fallen in love with a friend?
Just a crush that disappeared in a few ~~days~~ years. THank god

What would u do if u caught your guy/girl & bestfriend sleeping together?
~~Die~~
kill both of them

If you could be someone else for one day who would it be & why?
I'd be ~~Jet Li~~ (he's now an old fart with a thyroid problem) or Mike(same!)

Ever punched someone?
At every tournament(same!)

What did that person say to you?
Ouch

Which do u prefer? jollibee or Mac?
KFC
Marrybrown!

Wendy's or kfc?
~~KFC~~
Wendy's (KFC has deteriorated)

Who would u choose, the one u love or the one who loves u?
the one who loves me(same!)

Ever broken someone's heart?
Never(same!)

Ever had your heart broken?
Yeah...(same!)

What do u do to the ppl who broke your heart?
Nothing. Try to be friends. in vain(same!)

What's inside your bag?
~~Tissue. Wallet. Pad. PDA. Phone. A book that i write my thoughts in. Pen. Car key.~~
ipad, 2 phones, noox reader, pad, book, stylus, wallet, deodorant, a book that I write my thoughts in

Fave past time?
~~TKD. Reading. Online pool~~.
Karate, reading, watching netflix

Biggest regret in life?
~~Being born~~
wasting $

Worst experience you've been through?
~~Broke a ligament~~
Betrayed by a friend (CT)

Best place you'd rather be?
~~Australia~~
NZ

Would u kiss on a 1st date?
Yes(same!)

Last time u cried?
~~Last month~~
Last year!

Most embarassing thing u did for love?
~~Told him i loved him~~
Told the truth

Are u in love right now?
~~Yes, blissfully yes~~.
Nope

Is someone in love with u?
~~I hope so~~
Yes

Describe your past love life in songs.
~~If I never knew you~~
It's just...a little crush
What are words

oh my joints

2019-01-07T20:26:00.002-08:00

I started Taekwondo when I was 16. Moved on to karate when I was in my 20s. I'm 40 this year. That's an accumulated 1248 hours of training (with the assumption of 1 hour per week for 24 years).

On top of that, a devastating life changing ACL tear which put me off active training for almost 2 years. 2 knee surgeries after, I took my 4th dan in Kyokushin karate last April and it was hell on my knees. Never fully recovered from it. Was plagued by ever increasing knee pain. I felt it the most when I took the stairs. And I learnt to hate the stairs.

No amount of solutions helped. I couldn't take glucosamine due to seafood allergies. Expensive knee guards did not work (my meniscus injury happened while I was wearing one). I stubbornly refused resting on my laurels as the answer.

This led me to Solgar no. 7 supplement. It was by sheer luck. I initially had another joint supplement in my shopping cart but I cancelled that order due to the amount of pills I had to swallow per day. Solgar no. 7 was actually my 2nd choice. It contains all herbs :

turmeric root (Natural Anti-Inflammatory Compound)
willow bark (pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory)
boswellia serrata (natural pain killer)
uc-11 standardized cartilage (chicken sternum cartilage) -
ginger root (pain reliever)
cayenne pepper (May Help Relieve Pain)

I felt the effects on the 2nd pill. Now I'm wary of most supplements, monitoring my body for side effects and solgar is best taken once every 2-3 days. This is not a cure, but it made my daily life easier and I can train as normal now.

Most significant changes I felt:

- climbing up and down stairs pain-free (only knee pain sufferers will understand this)
- able to do full squat

Knee pain affected my flexibility hence my ability for high kicks. I have regained this ability.

You owe it to yourself to give Solgar a try.

star trek

2018-12-24T03:14:00.000-08:00

It represented a clean future. A commanding captain with sexy British accent and high ethics. A group of officers serving together despite their differences. A clear evil that is wrapped up in 1 or 2 episodes.
The innocence of an Android striving to be human.

I'm rewatching Star Trek TNG. Used to stay up late (only to fall asleep when it came on) until 1145pm just to watch it on tv3.

Patrick Stewart is brilliant as always. And watching all these a second time around when I'm older, i'm able to appreciate many things I missed the first time around.

Such as, moral implications of a commanding officer's decision. The many talents of Brent Spiner. How Jonathan Frakes can never sit or get up from the seat properly. The optimism of Whoopi Goldberg. Star Trek's diverse cast and controversial issues (from LGBT to race to euthanasia)

I hated Patrick Stewart for awhile when he was mean to this guy.

But as a guy ages, I realized that he is only human, like the rest of us. And he is coming back as Jean Luc Picard in 2019! Looking forward to that.

Toxic attributes that I dislike aka verbs that set me off

2018-12-13T02:59:00.001-08:00

Asshole

2018-12-10T02:04:00.005-08:00

An asshole is a person who

is an adult but sits in a bookstore aisle to read books free
and refuses to move even when you're trying to browse books
one who is taking a test but chooses to tell you , the examiner, that you are wrong
one who cajoles and begs for a favour, only to ignore yo u once the favour is done
tell lies
think they are so high and mighty that they cannot do chores
gives other credit for things that you do
is a batu api, causes dissent amongst others and then fade in the background to watch the drama
forwards rubbish in whatsapp groups without checking facts
betrays others to get fast track things

So many assholes in this world

vices

2018-09-19T23:47:00.003-07:00

I've got a few terrible vices. It's not really the matter of money, but it's cluttering my life and my house since I collect them like crazy

1. Bags, bags, bags
Not the LV or Gucci or those expensive kind, but not the cheap kind either. I mean brands like Timbuktu, Terminus, ebags etc etc
I look for messenger bags, backpacks and the occasional sling bags. The more compartments the better. It's like I'm trying to organize my life around my bags. I think at last count, I have about 15?
My favourite at the moment is an Arctic Hunter (China brand) backpack that can be separated into 2 bags and that proved handy especially when I travel.

2. Tables
Well, I've got around 5 of these in the house, ranging from 4 worktables (2 is in the living room for our workspace), 1 bar table, 1 dining table and 1 foldable put away laptop table. Again, this revolves around a vain attempt to organize or compartmentalize my life.
I remember when I was younger, I'd lie on the floor with all my stationery and books spread out in an organized circle.

3. Notebooks (the paper kind)
Well, thank god it's the paper kind not the electronic kind, or I'd be broke and writing this under a bridge somewhere. Most popular spot to find them is Mr Diy or lazada. They've got a really good choice of cute/unique notebooks. I prefer notebooks with unlined pages, not that I write anything in them, mind you. Usually I use them either as journals or note taking (when I read books)

4. Earphones (wireless)
I need them for my Calm app meditation, binaural beats, ASMR etc etc
and I seem to always misplace them or they'd end up in the washer. Nothing beats the Jabra Pulse btw, but one side is spoiled now.

Your son/daughter are not you

2018-03-16T01:35:00.000-07:00

Dear parents,

I know 10, 20, 30 years ago before I was born, you were a seasoned black belt or world champion or had the strongest punch/kick/block, one person can fight 100 person. But now it is 10,20,30 years later. Your uniform no longer fits, you can barely lift your leg above your knee and you send your child to learn karate from me.

You put your hopes, dreams, aspirations on your kid and you project yourself onto your kid, thinking if you were talented in martial art, DNA dictates your kid will also be a martial art prodigy.

Then you get mad when things don't go your way. You are appalled when your kid does not display the same prowess or even interest in martial art as yourself 10,20,30 years ago. When your kid gets reprimanded, you get mad. When your kid does not qualify to take test, you try to strong arm your way and demand that I bend to your will. When my teaching methods does not concur with your 'principles', you try to dictate how I should teach. And when things don't go your way, you pull your kid out, effectively branding them as quitters; no matter how you try to sugar coat it.

Which begs me to ask this question, why oh why did you send your kid to me when you think you can do a better job of teaching? Why oh why do you burden him/her with tons of tuition and swimming, gymnastics, running, and then get mad when they cannot FOCUS on karate?

Sincerely,
A karate teacher

Sound advice

2018-03-15T05:08:00.000-07:00

I was @ the gym today because there was no electricity in the office. Therefore I had the rare luxury of going to the gym + lunch after. Since I was early (lunch time), there was a lady in the steam room. Usually I have the steam room to myself. She gave me a scare as she covered her face with a towel, like so.

You know there is a code of politeness in the steam room.

Avoid eye contact
Let's not talk while we are half naked

Much to my dismay, she started to make conversation in an attempt to be friendly. She asked me how long I've joined the gym and if I participated in any classes. Then she started giving me tips on losing weight (mind you, she was bigger sized than myself) and told me she lifted 30kg. Later I found out she used the cable machines, which were in pounds, my dear, not kilos. You were lifting 13kg, not 30kg.

But never mind lah, I smiled politely and sniggered to myself.

2 days after 2018

2018-01-03T19:42:00.000-08:00

[`*My Adores]]

Food:Tomyam(still the same!)
Drinks: Bullet proof coffee (sedapnya astaga, still the same, OMG)
Pastimes: reading self help books, bohobeautiful yoga, adriene
People: myself, HM (His majesty), boss
Things : ipadPro, xiaomi mi max 2 ~~Samsung note 5 (it didn't explode!).~~

[[`*I Enjoy]]

1) paint by numbers
2) karate
3) biking
4) offroad biking
5) online shopping
6) yoga
7) meditation

[[`*My Detests]]

1) traitors
2) snakes (the human kind who stab you in the back)
3) empty cans (talk loud, but no action)

[[`*I Miss]]

1) Having 2 good knees
2) My $$
3) My youth

[[`*My Wish List]]

1) Land
2) Bungalow
3) Attention from P
4) Electric bicycle
5) Sebastian
6) Debt free

NAMES YOU GO BY:
1. Mun
2. Yu-Munnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
3. hungheykwun
4. ~~Wendy~~ Kristina Lex
5. Sensei
6. Oi
7. Wei (I just realized number 6 and 7 combined is the name of my friend, haha - Oi Wei)
8. Cibai

THREE THINGS YOU HATE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. stubborn
~~2. Snore when I sleep (or so I've been told, embarrassing) *- no more after the FESS surgery~~
3. Tummy (want tummy tuck)
4. * perfectionist (so I'm told)
5. easily ruffled

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU:
1. *Idiotic FB shares where people pop up in videos and BOO at you
2. Another leg injury (it happened!)
3. Ghosts (especially creepy Japanese ghosts that crawl)
4. * My bank account !

THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS (all same as last year)

1. ~~Coffee~~
2. ~~Tissue~~ (wtf, did I have diarrhea?) Ipad with Pencil
3. ~~Comb~~ spare Tshirt for gym or karate
4. Phone

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS AT PRESENT:

1. What are words
2. Shape of you
3. Any nature sound
1. Carry on my wayward son
2. Frozen (I know the lyrics!)
3. Immortals

THREE NEW THINGS YOU WANT TO TRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS

1. 4th dan grading
2. stunt biking
3. make $100 from store
4. be silent

1. 3rd dan upgrading  (I chickened out last year)
~~2. Paint a picture~~  (done!)
3. Cut my hair short
1. Offroad scrambler (done)
2. Dropshipping (nope)_
3. 100km in a year on the treadmill (currently at 51.4, so says my Jabra) (done!)

THREE THINGS YOU JUST CAN'T DO:

1. forget my grudges
2. get my cat to stop peeing in house
3. declutter

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:
1. Be truly remembered
2. Vegas!
3. Continuous contributions to a pet shelter

So many things to buy....

2017-09-26T09:45:00.002-07:00

To buy list

1. Solar spotlight from Aliexpress
2. Amazfit or some fancy schmancy smartwatch (eyeing the GS8 that is lacking a timer)
Stupid smartwatch makers, do you really think sports people only use stopwatches to count up but not down?
3. Waist pouch (my never ending search for the ultimate waist pouch that can fit my ipad)
4. Infinix china phone (ridiculously hi def camera with big ROM)
5. Land (don't know when HM - his majesty, my new nickname for him will ever decide which land to buy)
6. Another 2 KnaggLig (I love em pallet boxes from ikea)

No wonder I'm always broke.