This is a continuation of 'Damned Manipulators'... Its an anecdote that enhances the advantages of working out alone, and what a f***ing pest a workout partner can be at times.. NOTE: i do NOT in ANY WAY mean this within the context of a capoeira class (where partners are more or less evenly matched, and VERY RARELY, if ever, slow down the other person), but rather within the confines of a gymnasium, where not taking ur workouts can cause serious injury in the course of lifting some heavy iron...
So, when we last left off, said manipulator was intent on purchasing previously mentioned workout supplements. After weeks of repeatedly calling me up and letting me know 'i'll drop by ur gym today/tomorrow, make some time for me', he finally decided to drop by the gym with a common friend to check out supplement prices.. by this time, he'd already enrolled at another gym, let his membership expire after going thru just 1 workout, renewed his membership, and let that expire without a single workout... lots of money to waste, i presume...
Firstly, he doesnt try to speak chinese at all... he's been thru the same sessions the other classmates have, but he refuses to use his chinese in public, and instead forces n instructs those around him to communicate with a local on his behalf.. not that we mind helping out, but he cud be a lil more appreciative and a lil more gracious when askin for help, instead of literally ordering ppl who he calls his friends to 'do his bidding for him'... such ppl really PISS me OFF!!!
Second, being a long-time member of my gym, I share a friendly rapport with all the staff members there, especially the instructors... So this one female instructor who speaks quite a surprising bit of english offered to explain to me n my friends all the instructions... So once again, the dude literally orders me n the other friend to speak to the instructor n then translate wut its all about... this ive already gotten used to, so no point complaining bout the same thing over n over again.. wut REALLY got to me was in the middle of our whole talk with the instructor, he interrupts and barks 'you know what, these supplements arent a good idea at all.. im telling u, dont go for them, just train and eat naturally...' OHh Man!! like i said, such ppl REALLY PISS ME OFF!!!
Next, he starts teasing me bout my current health condition... fine i'll admit ive got some problems, but hey, Im improving my fitness every day with each strenuous workout i go thru, and my strength levels have improved to levels ive personally never experienced before.. no im not saying i cud outwrestle the Hulk, im just sayin its a new personal high... so neways, said Manipulator starts saying 'man im in ur gym now, lets see wut ur workouts are, ill show u wut ur doing wrong with ur workouts, u need to train harder', while at the same time asking me for help saying he doesnt know shit about working out and he doesnt know how to use any equipment, so he needs my help to show him what to do and to help arrange for an instructor to assist him with every workout... how convenient, this muscle-building thing, aint it? buy a few supplements, have some instructors tell u EXACTLY what to do, and then glorify ur results in the mirror... niceee...
So neways.. I decided its bout time I shut him up... by actually showing him one of my workouts! :D
To Be Continued...
The rest of this story will be up soon.. its not that I'm into creating mystery or suspense by having u guess how he ended up... im just too sleepy right now, cuz its past 2am.. have a heart n let a blogger get some sleep, ppl!!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Comin up soon: GMAT!
I FINALLY managed to successfully register myself for the GMAT test earlier today.. have been trying to do so for days, but there were weird credit card issues to overcome first..
neways, the point of this post is not to lament over credit card woes, but rather to unleash pent up worries over the test, which is basically used as an entrance exam for business schools worldwide... I dont really have much time to do the test and submit the results, hence I had to register to take it early and make sure I get the test results to some unis on time... neways... ive been thru similar tests before.. last year I took the GRE, on which I performed alright... Math was good, English was OK..
basically the GMAT's a test of high school math n english, but its a really TWISTED, SICK, n SADISTIC test.. it twists questions n tries to trick u.. hence most of ur time is spent on figurin out any tricks on the test, rather than solving the problem itself... i guess its meant to simulate analytical issues u can face in the business world or doing a business program, so it sorta makes sense... Math's always been my forte, so I've gotta look to perform really well on the math section.. English shud be OK, hopefully.. just alotta analysis and not so much focus on the vocabulary, so its something I hope I can handle..
Sigh.. I just keep givin myself more reasons n ways to end up insane, dont i??
neways, the point of this post is not to lament over credit card woes, but rather to unleash pent up worries over the test, which is basically used as an entrance exam for business schools worldwide... I dont really have much time to do the test and submit the results, hence I had to register to take it early and make sure I get the test results to some unis on time... neways... ive been thru similar tests before.. last year I took the GRE, on which I performed alright... Math was good, English was OK..
basically the GMAT's a test of high school math n english, but its a really TWISTED, SICK, n SADISTIC test.. it twists questions n tries to trick u.. hence most of ur time is spent on figurin out any tricks on the test, rather than solving the problem itself... i guess its meant to simulate analytical issues u can face in the business world or doing a business program, so it sorta makes sense... Math's always been my forte, so I've gotta look to perform really well on the math section.. English shud be OK, hopefully.. just alotta analysis and not so much focus on the vocabulary, so its something I hope I can handle..
Sigh.. I just keep givin myself more reasons n ways to end up insane, dont i??
A Lesson in Gym Etiquette
With the recent turmoil (thats been goin on for quite some time now) going on in my life, the only suitable outlet for my anger n frustration is the gym.. For me, aside from the usual gymmy (is there such a word???) stuff such as running or lifting weights, the gym has become the place I work on my capoeira and do the lil bit of socializing I have managed to accomplish since my arrival in this country bout 8 to 9 months ago... Hence, its safe to assume the time I spend in the gym is probably the only thing keeping me sane so far...
However, I've noticed a few people have no idea how to go bout behaving themselves in such an environment, let alone in public places... it surprises me to observe the VAST number of ppl completely unaware of appropriate public etiquette.. behold, a few Do's n Dont's in this matter:
i) Stop Wasting Time (Part 1): y do people INSIST on acting all eager to get on the treadmill, practically racing to beat other gym members to use the treadmill, setting the timer for 40 minutes and going at a SPEED OF 4-5 KM/HR?????? i mean seriously, im not sure what ur purpose for using the treadmill is.. either ur warming up for a workout, or ur looking to go long distance to burn fat quick... but trust me, the only thing u lose this way is a race with a turtle... wuts even worse is that ppl set the timer for 40 mins, and then get off after 2-3 mins, having already eliminated other gym members' hope of using the treadmill in this lifetime, thanks to the intended 40 min run!!
ii) Stop Wasting Time (Part 2): this one goes primarily for the ladies who engage in the following: the other day, i wanted to use the leg-press machine... turns out there's already someone using it, so i generously wait, hoping to hop on the machine after she's done with her sets... however, she's sitting there with a magazine, the weight she's lifting on her legs is barely 20lbs, and she's going on n on n on n.. well u get the idea... once again, WHY do people believe that if they keep doing one exercise repetitively Over n Over again, that part of their body is gonna grow immediately?? it was CLEARLY OBVIOUS this lady was hibernating at the press-machine intending to tone-up her ass to Jessica Alba standards, n in her mind the obvious way to go about this was to keep pumpin on the machine until the ass showed up... FRUSTRATING, I tell You!!!
iii) Do NOT Obstruct: This is fairly straightforward, easy to do.. YET SO MANY PEOPLE DONT!! when u see someone working out in a particular area, stop obstructing their workout space.. DO NOT go n purposely stand in their workout space n limit their movement.. it makes people VERY VERY ANGRY!! and when they're lifting weights, DO NOT get in their way.. not only does it stop them working out, its DANGEROUS!!
iv) Do NOT bring your kids to the gym: I'm talking bout lil toddlers who's just grasped the fine art of walking/crawling... Actually, wait, its ok if u bring your kids to the gym, provided you keep an eye on them at ALL times to make sure they dont cause any harm to themselves or others... the LAST thing you should do is get interested in your ass-workouts (see above), become totally oblivious of ur kid(s)' existence, and let them go wandering bout.. clearly, u shud be aware they get adventurous and try to pick up weights on their own, come in the way of others lifting weights, or trip n bump their head on something made out of solid steel.. the other day i had to interrupt my workout to make sure a kid didnt smack herself in the head with 2lb dumbells, all cuz the mother couldnt be bothered to look after the kid n decided to let her loose in the gym... n keep in mind the instructors arent always walking around free to make sure ur kids dont come to any harm... they have work to do, and baby-sitting isnt included in the job description..
v) Stop Ogling at the women: OK, I admit I do this myself.. but NOT in the following way: there r several dance classes every evening, some of which are belly-dancing sessions.. now i'll admit, generally we guys like to observe women in motion at the gym, especially considering their fancy get-ups.. n heck, i'll admit it, here ladies LOVE dressing up (not saying if they do it well or not), n the gym is no exception.. however, during dance classes (mostly all-girls dance-classes), the ladies r there for a reason other than attracting male attention (im guessing)... so oodles of guys drooling at the adjoining window doesnt really make em feel like goin at their workouts to the max, im sure... although, i dont really mind, to be honest.. it just leaves more equipment free for me to use while the dance class is goin on :D
vi) Keep the air around you clean and fresh: You know the gym is one of few places where several individuals may crowd into a limited vicinity... hence, always ALWAYS REFRAIN from passing gas when surrounded by other members!!!! I cannot STRESS THIS ENOUGH!!! i was workin my way thru a spinning session the other day.. my bike was one of those at the back.. i prefer it as its closer to the door, and a fresh cool draught comes in everytime someone enters/exits.. however, it also has the disadvantage of you staring an ass (literally) head on during the entire class... lets just say all of a sudden the air went extremely foul.. Definitely not the kind of fresh cool draught I had in mind...
vii) and Finally (for now), Stop misusing equipment in the shower room!!: U can take that for any meaning ud like, and ud probably be right... here's wut happened the other day: I come outta the shower, all dried off from my trusty towel, and went up to use the hair-dryer... and i see a guy at the mirror, butt-naked, using the hair-dryer.. now, ppl like to walk around butt-naked in the shower room all the time, so i didnt take any offense at that.. however, wut ive observed here is ppl dont bring their own towels.. hence they take showers, and then use the hair dryer to dry em off... so here's wut this guy does... he's drying himself using the dryer... and then PUTS THE DRYER BETWEEN HIS LEGS!!!! Me = SHOCKED (needless to say..)... at this point, id pretty much been 99% convinced not to EVER touch that dryer again, and started to walk away.. u know what he did to shove that remaining 1% in my face?? thats right, he took it between his legs again.. only this time, from the other way round.... im never using hair-dryers again.. nuff said..
Share your traumatizing gym experiences (if you dare) in the Comments Section...
However, I've noticed a few people have no idea how to go bout behaving themselves in such an environment, let alone in public places... it surprises me to observe the VAST number of ppl completely unaware of appropriate public etiquette.. behold, a few Do's n Dont's in this matter:
i) Stop Wasting Time (Part 1): y do people INSIST on acting all eager to get on the treadmill, practically racing to beat other gym members to use the treadmill, setting the timer for 40 minutes and going at a SPEED OF 4-5 KM/HR?????? i mean seriously, im not sure what ur purpose for using the treadmill is.. either ur warming up for a workout, or ur looking to go long distance to burn fat quick... but trust me, the only thing u lose this way is a race with a turtle... wuts even worse is that ppl set the timer for 40 mins, and then get off after 2-3 mins, having already eliminated other gym members' hope of using the treadmill in this lifetime, thanks to the intended 40 min run!!
ii) Stop Wasting Time (Part 2): this one goes primarily for the ladies who engage in the following: the other day, i wanted to use the leg-press machine... turns out there's already someone using it, so i generously wait, hoping to hop on the machine after she's done with her sets... however, she's sitting there with a magazine, the weight she's lifting on her legs is barely 20lbs, and she's going on n on n on n.. well u get the idea... once again, WHY do people believe that if they keep doing one exercise repetitively Over n Over again, that part of their body is gonna grow immediately?? it was CLEARLY OBVIOUS this lady was hibernating at the press-machine intending to tone-up her ass to Jessica Alba standards, n in her mind the obvious way to go about this was to keep pumpin on the machine until the ass showed up... FRUSTRATING, I tell You!!!
iii) Do NOT Obstruct: This is fairly straightforward, easy to do.. YET SO MANY PEOPLE DONT!! when u see someone working out in a particular area, stop obstructing their workout space.. DO NOT go n purposely stand in their workout space n limit their movement.. it makes people VERY VERY ANGRY!! and when they're lifting weights, DO NOT get in their way.. not only does it stop them working out, its DANGEROUS!!
iv) Do NOT bring your kids to the gym: I'm talking bout lil toddlers who's just grasped the fine art of walking/crawling... Actually, wait, its ok if u bring your kids to the gym, provided you keep an eye on them at ALL times to make sure they dont cause any harm to themselves or others... the LAST thing you should do is get interested in your ass-workouts (see above), become totally oblivious of ur kid(s)' existence, and let them go wandering bout.. clearly, u shud be aware they get adventurous and try to pick up weights on their own, come in the way of others lifting weights, or trip n bump their head on something made out of solid steel.. the other day i had to interrupt my workout to make sure a kid didnt smack herself in the head with 2lb dumbells, all cuz the mother couldnt be bothered to look after the kid n decided to let her loose in the gym... n keep in mind the instructors arent always walking around free to make sure ur kids dont come to any harm... they have work to do, and baby-sitting isnt included in the job description..
v) Stop Ogling at the women: OK, I admit I do this myself.. but NOT in the following way: there r several dance classes every evening, some of which are belly-dancing sessions.. now i'll admit, generally we guys like to observe women in motion at the gym, especially considering their fancy get-ups.. n heck, i'll admit it, here ladies LOVE dressing up (not saying if they do it well or not), n the gym is no exception.. however, during dance classes (mostly all-girls dance-classes), the ladies r there for a reason other than attracting male attention (im guessing)... so oodles of guys drooling at the adjoining window doesnt really make em feel like goin at their workouts to the max, im sure... although, i dont really mind, to be honest.. it just leaves more equipment free for me to use while the dance class is goin on :D
vi) Keep the air around you clean and fresh: You know the gym is one of few places where several individuals may crowd into a limited vicinity... hence, always ALWAYS REFRAIN from passing gas when surrounded by other members!!!! I cannot STRESS THIS ENOUGH!!! i was workin my way thru a spinning session the other day.. my bike was one of those at the back.. i prefer it as its closer to the door, and a fresh cool draught comes in everytime someone enters/exits.. however, it also has the disadvantage of you staring an ass (literally) head on during the entire class... lets just say all of a sudden the air went extremely foul.. Definitely not the kind of fresh cool draught I had in mind...
vii) and Finally (for now), Stop misusing equipment in the shower room!!: U can take that for any meaning ud like, and ud probably be right... here's wut happened the other day: I come outta the shower, all dried off from my trusty towel, and went up to use the hair-dryer... and i see a guy at the mirror, butt-naked, using the hair-dryer.. now, ppl like to walk around butt-naked in the shower room all the time, so i didnt take any offense at that.. however, wut ive observed here is ppl dont bring their own towels.. hence they take showers, and then use the hair dryer to dry em off... so here's wut this guy does... he's drying himself using the dryer... and then PUTS THE DRYER BETWEEN HIS LEGS!!!! Me = SHOCKED (needless to say..)... at this point, id pretty much been 99% convinced not to EVER touch that dryer again, and started to walk away.. u know what he did to shove that remaining 1% in my face?? thats right, he took it between his legs again.. only this time, from the other way round.... im never using hair-dryers again.. nuff said..
Share your traumatizing gym experiences (if you dare) in the Comments Section...
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
(Dis)Satisfaction Guaranteed!
Spiderman 3 was released, what, 2-3 weeks ago?? This goes to show that some people are just NEVER satisfied:
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
i give up...
Sigh...
We all hear about those people who give up on life, and just float thru their daily activities with no foreseeable goals, no will or drive to succeed...
Usually its not that these people are born with no purpose.. its just that they face rejection over n over n over again, until all theyre left with is a heap of rejections and a totally useless and disgusting impression of their self-worth, leaving them to be nothing more than dried out shells of their former selves, incapable of EVER generating a positively lasting impression among others..
Unfortunately, I have turned, albeit unwillingly, into one of these people...
We all hear about those people who give up on life, and just float thru their daily activities with no foreseeable goals, no will or drive to succeed...
Usually its not that these people are born with no purpose.. its just that they face rejection over n over n over again, until all theyre left with is a heap of rejections and a totally useless and disgusting impression of their self-worth, leaving them to be nothing more than dried out shells of their former selves, incapable of EVER generating a positively lasting impression among others..
Unfortunately, I have turned, albeit unwillingly, into one of these people...
Monday, May 07, 2007
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Feliz Terceiro Aniversario, Bantus Capoeira Malaysia!!!
Celebrations!!! The capoeira group I belong to, Grupo Bantus Capoeira, is celebrating the 3rd anniversary of its branch located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia!!!
(pause for applause....)
Wow!! 3 years pass by really fast!! I havent been a member of the group since its inception in KL, but being present at the previous year's anniversary celebrations, I remember it like it was yesterday... or maybe thats just me..
Neways, if ur in KL, and happen to read this in time, DO drop by the academia (URL listed in my links, u'll find the address there) for the festivities commencing at 8pm (KL Time), and take some food along.. the more the merrier!!! and do let them know ur there to compensate for my absence.. they'll appreciate u even more for that :-P ... well, either that or u get Compasso'ed out the window (dunno wut that is?? then DEFINITELY visit!!!)..
Unfortunately, being where I am, I am unable to attend.. n if i chose to, it'd be a BITCH of a commute gettin there n back.. seriously...
i'd honour my group by going all out in a training session at the gym tonite, but since im burdened by work n the possibility of improving my chances at a better future, i cant make it... however, I dedicate a thoroughly enjoyable session of berimbau-playing (SERIOUSLY not speaking metaphorically right now... ) tonite, with Bantus/Capoeira songs belted out by the high-strung voice of yours truly, and the rest of the week will be spent engaging in capoeira workouts meant to destroy the practitioner... with sufficient recuperation time added in later, ofcourse...
Cheers!!!
(pause for applause....)
Wow!! 3 years pass by really fast!! I havent been a member of the group since its inception in KL, but being present at the previous year's anniversary celebrations, I remember it like it was yesterday... or maybe thats just me..
Neways, if ur in KL, and happen to read this in time, DO drop by the academia (URL listed in my links, u'll find the address there) for the festivities commencing at 8pm (KL Time), and take some food along.. the more the merrier!!! and do let them know ur there to compensate for my absence.. they'll appreciate u even more for that :-P ... well, either that or u get Compasso'ed out the window (dunno wut that is?? then DEFINITELY visit!!!)..
Unfortunately, being where I am, I am unable to attend.. n if i chose to, it'd be a BITCH of a commute gettin there n back.. seriously...
i'd honour my group by going all out in a training session at the gym tonite, but since im burdened by work n the possibility of improving my chances at a better future, i cant make it... however, I dedicate a thoroughly enjoyable session of berimbau-playing (SERIOUSLY not speaking metaphorically right now... ) tonite, with Bantus/Capoeira songs belted out by the high-strung voice of yours truly, and the rest of the week will be spent engaging in capoeira workouts meant to destroy the practitioner... with sufficient recuperation time added in later, ofcourse...
Cheers!!!
Mais Uma Vez...Nao Macaco... :(
DAMMIT!!!
Chickened outta attemptin the Macaco (for the non-capoeiristas out there, its a really cool capo move!!) yet again during my workout last weekend... DAAAMNN!!!
Still gotta work on my fear of eatin floor... wud help immensely if the floor wasn't as hard, though... no suitable mats around to use either...
Will try again.. tomorrow...
Must get it.. i know i can do it.. i just KNOW I CAN!!! n i WILL!!!
Chickened outta attemptin the Macaco (for the non-capoeiristas out there, its a really cool capo move!!) yet again during my workout last weekend... DAAAMNN!!!
Still gotta work on my fear of eatin floor... wud help immensely if the floor wasn't as hard, though... no suitable mats around to use either...
Will try again.. tomorrow...
Must get it.. i know i can do it.. i just KNOW I CAN!!! n i WILL!!!
Monday, April 23, 2007
Ahh, the smell of burning rubber on wet pavement...
'Twas a dark, stormy night (I read somewhere that stories that begin with this statement usually have a higher 'enjoyment' rate... but this time it REALLY WAS a dark, stormy night)...
So like I was sayin, it was a dark n stormy night... mainly cuz nights r normally dark (or else somethin's SERIOUSLY not right), n well, the storm had lasted all day long... One thing I gotta say bout this country, transitions between seasons are definitely anything but smooth... Most other places I've been in, the weather smoothly slides from summer to autumn to winter to spring, and then comes back full-cycle to summer again.. Then there r those countries where the weather almost NEVER changes, Malaysia being a prime example of this... I'm not saying I dont find it pleasant to live in constant summer (im more of a warm-weather person, the reason for which u'll find out in a sec), but it can be a tad bit unpredictable when planning outdoor events, not to mention causing highly irregular traffic problems... so neways, the weather here's starting to change for the warmer, gettin hot enuff a couple of nights back to tempt me to revert to my commando ways (in the sack, ofcourse, nowhere else...), but i managed to hang on to that slight bit of decency i had regained during winter (and my trip to KL...) n made it thru the nights throwin off nothin more than the blanket I'd gone to bed with...
neways, lets pretend I didnt just reveal something Highly inappropriate...
Gettin back to the story at hand, there I was, loungin around at home, thinkin bout wut to have for dinner, since there was nothin much to munch on at home... actually, to be perfectly honest, there's always loads to be munched on at home, by the grace of God... however, I tend to be a victim, more so than the average fatass, of the occasional junk food craving, so i decided to cavort over to the local joint for a bite of some fresh, extremely juicy, tasty, and mouth-wateringly tempting meat.. now, now, before u get any ideas, im just talkin bout hittin the local McDs for a Big Mac n some Spicy Chicken, nothin else... (mmmm Big Mac... Mmmmm Spicy Chicken...)
so i donned my Adidas jumper, mp3 player, picked up my wallet n keys (always ALWAYS gotta remember to keep my keys on me at ALL times, since the doors here automatically lock from outside) n headed downstairs to take a walk thru the cool, wet night to the Big M...
strangely, the instant I hit the streets, I picked up a strong scent of burnin rubber... instinctively reacting by checkin myself for burning parts, I realized the only rubber I was carryin was in my shoes, n there was NO friggin way i was goin fast enuff to burn that up... so i figure the roads r all wet, n the SERIOUSLY RECKLESS driving here cud pair up with that to exude a strong enuff smell of burnin rubber without folks gettin too suspicious, so i keep on my way...
by now i realize im walkin upwind, and against quite a strong wind, i shud add... this fact first became obvious by my earphones flying off (recovered safely, for the curious), n the smell of burnin rubber becomes more evident... then i cross the junction, n find the reason for the smell:
A taxi cab stood by the curb, literally half-burnt to a crisp amidst a relatively massive cloud of smoke... u ever see those cartoons where a character gets burnt to a total n complete crisp, only to fall to the ground in a heap of ashes.. this was pretty much the state of half the car... n there was a group of 5-6 firefighters workin furiously to extinguish all possibilities of a blow up, even thou all flames had been successfully put out... havin personally witnessed a previous incident of a car engine explosion, i understood the reasoning for this...
The weird thing was, every friggin passerby had to stop by and gawk at the wreck... IDIOTS!!! the problem with half of us asians is we're ALL suckers for free entertainment... cant the dumbasses realize these guys r workin fast to minimize the risk of explosion n potential injury to anyone nearby, n these guys r enhancing that risk every inch they edge closer towards the car??
havin said all that, i made to get outta that crowd Asap, partly cuz i didnt wanna contribute to the danger myself, but mostly cuz i had something else on my mind, which was hopefully burnt to a crisp to a slightly lesser extent than the automobile id just passed (Mmmm... Big Mac... Mmmm... Fries... Mmmm.. Spicy Chicken... Mmmm.. Juicy... Mmmmm.... Spicy.... Mmmm... Crispy...)..
so basically, long story short (mainly cuz lunch is comin up n im starvin, so im gettin lazy n wanna finish off this post quick), i got to the McDs just as it started rainin once again n the wind picked up pace... I felt someone up there really wanted me to stay home n enjoy a home-cooked (by myself) meal... on the way back, i noticed the wreck again, this time completely extinguished and thus abandoned by the firemen, but nevertheless still surrounded by a group of gawking and gaping shop-owners n the usual loiterers..
Annyyyways... so i got home, n quicker than u can say "Bob's Your Uncle", took my food, the laptop n a movie or 2 up to my room (if ur interested, the movie of choice for this night was 'Four Brothers'), and shut the door to enjoy this weekend night... Basically the whole point of this post was to rant about the stupidity of the locals here (partly owed to their village mentality and lack of education) in the face of potential danger, and complain bout the general driving capabilities here...
Also, last nite, as I brought home my meal n took it up to my bedroom to unwrap before diving right into it, I realized how pathetic life is startin to become for me, as other guys wud most likely be 'unwrapping' a different kind of meal on a weekend night, n here I am lookin fwd to a measly big mac n chicken... I'm not sayin i wanna turn to a life of player'ism n bed a diff lady every night (contrary to popular belief), but it seems im definitely taking to the life of a soon-to-be Fat-Ass... Stuff's gotta change... and soon...
Mainly, the changes to be made around here are in myself... Realized I still have a long way to go in terms of gettin my life straightened out n findin a direction to start upon, but at the same time, even a journey of a thousnad miles must begin with a single step...Help me Lord!!!
So like I was sayin, it was a dark n stormy night... mainly cuz nights r normally dark (or else somethin's SERIOUSLY not right), n well, the storm had lasted all day long... One thing I gotta say bout this country, transitions between seasons are definitely anything but smooth... Most other places I've been in, the weather smoothly slides from summer to autumn to winter to spring, and then comes back full-cycle to summer again.. Then there r those countries where the weather almost NEVER changes, Malaysia being a prime example of this... I'm not saying I dont find it pleasant to live in constant summer (im more of a warm-weather person, the reason for which u'll find out in a sec), but it can be a tad bit unpredictable when planning outdoor events, not to mention causing highly irregular traffic problems... so neways, the weather here's starting to change for the warmer, gettin hot enuff a couple of nights back to tempt me to revert to my commando ways (in the sack, ofcourse, nowhere else...), but i managed to hang on to that slight bit of decency i had regained during winter (and my trip to KL...) n made it thru the nights throwin off nothin more than the blanket I'd gone to bed with...
neways, lets pretend I didnt just reveal something Highly inappropriate...
Gettin back to the story at hand, there I was, loungin around at home, thinkin bout wut to have for dinner, since there was nothin much to munch on at home... actually, to be perfectly honest, there's always loads to be munched on at home, by the grace of God... however, I tend to be a victim, more so than the average fatass, of the occasional junk food craving, so i decided to cavort over to the local joint for a bite of some fresh, extremely juicy, tasty, and mouth-wateringly tempting meat.. now, now, before u get any ideas, im just talkin bout hittin the local McDs for a Big Mac n some Spicy Chicken, nothin else... (mmmm Big Mac... Mmmmm Spicy Chicken...)
so i donned my Adidas jumper, mp3 player, picked up my wallet n keys (always ALWAYS gotta remember to keep my keys on me at ALL times, since the doors here automatically lock from outside) n headed downstairs to take a walk thru the cool, wet night to the Big M...
strangely, the instant I hit the streets, I picked up a strong scent of burnin rubber... instinctively reacting by checkin myself for burning parts, I realized the only rubber I was carryin was in my shoes, n there was NO friggin way i was goin fast enuff to burn that up... so i figure the roads r all wet, n the SERIOUSLY RECKLESS driving here cud pair up with that to exude a strong enuff smell of burnin rubber without folks gettin too suspicious, so i keep on my way...
by now i realize im walkin upwind, and against quite a strong wind, i shud add... this fact first became obvious by my earphones flying off (recovered safely, for the curious), n the smell of burnin rubber becomes more evident... then i cross the junction, n find the reason for the smell:
A taxi cab stood by the curb, literally half-burnt to a crisp amidst a relatively massive cloud of smoke... u ever see those cartoons where a character gets burnt to a total n complete crisp, only to fall to the ground in a heap of ashes.. this was pretty much the state of half the car... n there was a group of 5-6 firefighters workin furiously to extinguish all possibilities of a blow up, even thou all flames had been successfully put out... havin personally witnessed a previous incident of a car engine explosion, i understood the reasoning for this...
The weird thing was, every friggin passerby had to stop by and gawk at the wreck... IDIOTS!!! the problem with half of us asians is we're ALL suckers for free entertainment... cant the dumbasses realize these guys r workin fast to minimize the risk of explosion n potential injury to anyone nearby, n these guys r enhancing that risk every inch they edge closer towards the car??
havin said all that, i made to get outta that crowd Asap, partly cuz i didnt wanna contribute to the danger myself, but mostly cuz i had something else on my mind, which was hopefully burnt to a crisp to a slightly lesser extent than the automobile id just passed (Mmmm... Big Mac... Mmmm... Fries... Mmmm.. Spicy Chicken... Mmmm.. Juicy... Mmmmm.... Spicy.... Mmmm... Crispy...)..
so basically, long story short (mainly cuz lunch is comin up n im starvin, so im gettin lazy n wanna finish off this post quick), i got to the McDs just as it started rainin once again n the wind picked up pace... I felt someone up there really wanted me to stay home n enjoy a home-cooked (by myself) meal... on the way back, i noticed the wreck again, this time completely extinguished and thus abandoned by the firemen, but nevertheless still surrounded by a group of gawking and gaping shop-owners n the usual loiterers..
Annyyyways... so i got home, n quicker than u can say "Bob's Your Uncle", took my food, the laptop n a movie or 2 up to my room (if ur interested, the movie of choice for this night was 'Four Brothers'), and shut the door to enjoy this weekend night... Basically the whole point of this post was to rant about the stupidity of the locals here (partly owed to their village mentality and lack of education) in the face of potential danger, and complain bout the general driving capabilities here...
Also, last nite, as I brought home my meal n took it up to my bedroom to unwrap before diving right into it, I realized how pathetic life is startin to become for me, as other guys wud most likely be 'unwrapping' a different kind of meal on a weekend night, n here I am lookin fwd to a measly big mac n chicken... I'm not sayin i wanna turn to a life of player'ism n bed a diff lady every night (contrary to popular belief), but it seems im definitely taking to the life of a soon-to-be Fat-Ass... Stuff's gotta change... and soon...
Mainly, the changes to be made around here are in myself... Realized I still have a long way to go in terms of gettin my life straightened out n findin a direction to start upon, but at the same time, even a journey of a thousnad miles must begin with a single step...Help me Lord!!!
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious... WTF???
Americans have WAYYYYY too much free time/money on their hands:
FYI, 13yo skool grl is nu US txt mssg chmpN
Am I the only one noticin how these ppl keep comin up with new ways to promote stupidity?? First the Razzies, then William Hung, now this???
Seriously... GET A FRIGGIN LIFE!!!
FYI, 13yo skool grl is nu US txt mssg chmpN
Am I the only one noticin how these ppl keep comin up with new ways to promote stupidity?? First the Razzies, then William Hung, now this???
Seriously... GET A FRIGGIN LIFE!!!
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Capoeira Para Vida!!
Here's somethin for my capoeirista friends to absorb...
I was browsing thru Capoeira: The Roots of the Dance-Fight-Game (by Nestor Capoeira) earlier today, n came upon the following:
Menino quem te fez?
Boy, who formed you?
Quem te deu tanta quarida,
Who gave you so much shelter,
Quem te moustrou a beleza,
Who taught you the beauty,
De dancar dentro da briga?
Of dancing within the fight?
- 'Au' by Ronaldo Santos
Kinda subtly captures the essence of capoeira doesnt it?? I found it in a chapter pertaining to the concept of Malicia, so I guess it sorta gives off hints of the sly aspects of capoeira, n what games can turn to within the roda...
I was browsing thru Capoeira: The Roots of the Dance-Fight-Game (by Nestor Capoeira) earlier today, n came upon the following:
Menino quem te fez?
Boy, who formed you?
Quem te deu tanta quarida,
Who gave you so much shelter,
Quem te moustrou a beleza,
Who taught you the beauty,
De dancar dentro da briga?
Of dancing within the fight?
- 'Au' by Ronaldo Santos
Kinda subtly captures the essence of capoeira doesnt it?? I found it in a chapter pertaining to the concept of Malicia, so I guess it sorta gives off hints of the sly aspects of capoeira, n what games can turn to within the roda...
Its a good flick, Lads.. Savvy???
Alright, alright, this isnt the first time I've had to eat my words, but its definitely one of the few times I actually enjoyed it...
I FINALLY managed to watch Pirates of the Caribbean... both parts, yes...
Contrary to a friends assurance months ago, I did NOT want to watch POTC... I had relegated Johnny Depp to be forever limited to flicks like Charlie n the Choc Factory, Sleepy Hollow, e.t.c.. Not really bad flicks, just not stuff that QUALITY movies r made of..
neways, gettin back to the point.. id pretty much resolved never to watch Mr. Depp roaming the high seas dressed in rags, huntin for riches.. until I got SERIOUSLY bored a few weeks back.. n pretty much the only movie which looked remotely interesting (n which i hadnt watched) at the movie stands, was Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl... I got it, n it lay unwatched on the sofa for weeks... then came the next SERIOUSLY boring night... n i popped it into the dvd player...
turns out i was hooked... the concept of the movie was interesting enuff, but to be honest, it was his acting that did it.. i pretty much always enjoy watching characters that get sarcastic in the face of danger, n this was no exception...
Watchin the first movie got me searchin for the 2nd... finally managed to download it via torrents last night... watched it this afternoon... it wasnt as good as the first, but its def well worth the watch.. with a nice lead up to the 3rd installment, comin up soon...
So, dear friend, who just a few months ago I could not get to stop filling my head with POTC related nonsense (u know who u are :D ), u've won this round...
Good thing the next part's comin up soon... I'm not really good with the whole patiently waiting gig... dont even get me STARTED on waitin for Spiderman 3...
P.S. Dammit, after watchin Jack Sparrow spew sarcasm all over the big screen, I'm gonna be mimicking him, talkin with a british accent for weeks!!!
Cheerio, Love!!!
I FINALLY managed to watch Pirates of the Caribbean... both parts, yes...
Contrary to a friends assurance months ago, I did NOT want to watch POTC... I had relegated Johnny Depp to be forever limited to flicks like Charlie n the Choc Factory, Sleepy Hollow, e.t.c.. Not really bad flicks, just not stuff that QUALITY movies r made of..
neways, gettin back to the point.. id pretty much resolved never to watch Mr. Depp roaming the high seas dressed in rags, huntin for riches.. until I got SERIOUSLY bored a few weeks back.. n pretty much the only movie which looked remotely interesting (n which i hadnt watched) at the movie stands, was Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl... I got it, n it lay unwatched on the sofa for weeks... then came the next SERIOUSLY boring night... n i popped it into the dvd player...
turns out i was hooked... the concept of the movie was interesting enuff, but to be honest, it was his acting that did it.. i pretty much always enjoy watching characters that get sarcastic in the face of danger, n this was no exception...
Watchin the first movie got me searchin for the 2nd... finally managed to download it via torrents last night... watched it this afternoon... it wasnt as good as the first, but its def well worth the watch.. with a nice lead up to the 3rd installment, comin up soon...
So, dear friend, who just a few months ago I could not get to stop filling my head with POTC related nonsense (u know who u are :D ), u've won this round...
Good thing the next part's comin up soon... I'm not really good with the whole patiently waiting gig... dont even get me STARTED on waitin for Spiderman 3...
P.S. Dammit, after watchin Jack Sparrow spew sarcasm all over the big screen, I'm gonna be mimicking him, talkin with a british accent for weeks!!!
Cheerio, Love!!!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
So much to do...
U know that saying: So much to do, and so little time??
Well, this is similar... only im not sure how much time I have... which is sorta worse, cuz if u have a deadline to work with, then u strive to work faster n beat that deadline... or atleast, thats how my mind works.. i usually need sumthin to keep me on the edge.. like someone puttin a gun to my head n threatenin to pull the trigger if i dun finish off that last piece of broccoli... or sumthin to that effect...
I've gotta:
- Write application essays for 3 diff programs... altogether thats bout 11 essays... done 4 of em so far... was just made aware of the rest...
- Get started on the intranet system I'm sposed to do..
- Gotta build up a contacts database... its easy, but hideously menial..
- Put together supporting docs for all those applications im sendin out
the worst part is none of the applications im sendin out have stated deadlines... all it says on the website is 'we are now acceptin applications'.. i guess i gotta keep workin on em until the day it suddenly says 'we are no longer accepting applications'..
N just found out another program isnt accepting applications from international students cuz its a part-time program, n visas for part-time program r pretty much impossible to arrange... good thing i found out bout that before i started working on the essay n application form...
Just takin a lil breather for lunch... n i gotta make sure I hit the gym today... havent worked out in a few days.. all the hard work prior to that went down the drain.. oh well...
Sigh... so much to do, n no idea how much time I have...
Well, this is similar... only im not sure how much time I have... which is sorta worse, cuz if u have a deadline to work with, then u strive to work faster n beat that deadline... or atleast, thats how my mind works.. i usually need sumthin to keep me on the edge.. like someone puttin a gun to my head n threatenin to pull the trigger if i dun finish off that last piece of broccoli... or sumthin to that effect...
I've gotta:
- Write application essays for 3 diff programs... altogether thats bout 11 essays... done 4 of em so far... was just made aware of the rest...
- Get started on the intranet system I'm sposed to do..
- Gotta build up a contacts database... its easy, but hideously menial..
- Put together supporting docs for all those applications im sendin out
the worst part is none of the applications im sendin out have stated deadlines... all it says on the website is 'we are now acceptin applications'.. i guess i gotta keep workin on em until the day it suddenly says 'we are no longer accepting applications'..
N just found out another program isnt accepting applications from international students cuz its a part-time program, n visas for part-time program r pretty much impossible to arrange... good thing i found out bout that before i started working on the essay n application form...
Just takin a lil breather for lunch... n i gotta make sure I hit the gym today... havent worked out in a few days.. all the hard work prior to that went down the drain.. oh well...
Sigh... so much to do, n no idea how much time I have...
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Short of Inspiration?? Read On...
Being a former basketball addict, I can pretty much recall most of the major events during Michael Jordan's dominance over the NBA.. The man provided sheer inspiration to many a basketball player... What most people were unaware of is the mentality, the drive behind all the championships n awards... I guess u have to read a couple of biographies, watch a few documentaries to understand that side of MJ a lil better...
Having said all that, if u have even the slightest hint of an idea of the achievements the dude accomplished, and , more importantly, are looking for some serious inspiration from watching a short video clip (or a collage of highlight reels, if u will), then I strongly recommend that you click on the following URL:
Michael Jordan - Fear
P.S. Im not exactly sure why the clip editor named it 'Fear'... but the soundtrack is just SWEEEEEETT!!! (I think its from 'Requiem for a Dream'.. there are several remixes of it out there, I'm not sure exactly which one is used in the video)
P.P.S. While I'm on an inspirational high right now, I highly recommend watching 'Invincible', which came out Late 2006. Based on a true story, the movie just kicked ASS for sheer inspiration... I particularly enjoyed the scene where Vince Papale's best bud gets tricked into helpin him jumpstart his car to find out he's just been selected to play for the team...
Having said all that, if u have even the slightest hint of an idea of the achievements the dude accomplished, and , more importantly, are looking for some serious inspiration from watching a short video clip (or a collage of highlight reels, if u will), then I strongly recommend that you click on the following URL:
Michael Jordan - Fear
P.S. Im not exactly sure why the clip editor named it 'Fear'... but the soundtrack is just SWEEEEEETT!!! (I think its from 'Requiem for a Dream'.. there are several remixes of it out there, I'm not sure exactly which one is used in the video)
P.P.S. While I'm on an inspirational high right now, I highly recommend watching 'Invincible', which came out Late 2006. Based on a true story, the movie just kicked ASS for sheer inspiration... I particularly enjoyed the scene where Vince Papale's best bud gets tricked into helpin him jumpstart his car to find out he's just been selected to play for the team...
At a loss for words... for ONCE!!!
Take a look at the following:
1) Explain the reasons why you have chosen to apply to this particular Programme (100 words max)
2) Describe how you can contribute to the programme and your fellow participants in class (200 words max)
3) Describe a situation or experience that demonstrates your leadership ability or potential. The situation or experience does not necessarily have to be related to your current job. (300 words max)
4) Describe a failure you encountered and how you handled it professionally and personally. (300 words max)
These r 4 questions I recently had the pleasure of musing over.. Why would I submit myself to such torture, u ask?? Cuz they're part of the application process for admission into a respected uni...
My only problem is this:
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO QUESTIONS LIKE THAT?????!!!?!?!?!?!?!?!
- Wouldnt I want to keep my reasons for doing something like that private? Or do u just wanna make sure I'm doing this for 'the right reasons'?
- What self- pitying, insufferable moron would enjoy recounting past professional/personal failures to regale over pints of alcohol to potential future lecturers/professors/e.t.c.?
- If i was able to demonstrate sufficient leadership abilities n potential, would I be applying to your program in the first place???
- Contribute to the programme?? Errmm.. isnt it the programme that's sposed to be contributing to me???
Neways, frustrations aside, I managed to compose my final responses earlier this evening, and posted them via the online application system.
I guess I may post up my answers here sometime in the near future, when I am sufficiently assured that they will not be potential cause for future embarassment (read: when Pigs can Fly!!!)
1) Explain the reasons why you have chosen to apply to this particular Programme (100 words max)
2) Describe how you can contribute to the programme and your fellow participants in class (200 words max)
3) Describe a situation or experience that demonstrates your leadership ability or potential. The situation or experience does not necessarily have to be related to your current job. (300 words max)
4) Describe a failure you encountered and how you handled it professionally and personally. (300 words max)
These r 4 questions I recently had the pleasure of musing over.. Why would I submit myself to such torture, u ask?? Cuz they're part of the application process for admission into a respected uni...
My only problem is this:
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO QUESTIONS LIKE THAT?????!!!?!?!?!?!?!?!
- Wouldnt I want to keep my reasons for doing something like that private? Or do u just wanna make sure I'm doing this for 'the right reasons'?
- What self- pitying, insufferable moron would enjoy recounting past professional/personal failures to regale over pints of alcohol to potential future lecturers/professors/e.t.c.?
- If i was able to demonstrate sufficient leadership abilities n potential, would I be applying to your program in the first place???
- Contribute to the programme?? Errmm.. isnt it the programme that's sposed to be contributing to me???
Neways, frustrations aside, I managed to compose my final responses earlier this evening, and posted them via the online application system.
I guess I may post up my answers here sometime in the near future, when I am sufficiently assured that they will not be potential cause for future embarassment (read: when Pigs can Fly!!!)
Friday, April 13, 2007
Let's see you shake that ass... NOT!!!
So there I was, minding my own business, diligently workin on buildin my capo skillz in a particular section of a particular room at my gym.. n the bellydancing instructor walks in... she's a babe!! actually im just being very complimentary right now... she's pretty good looking, thou kinda short for my liking... but MANN can she shake it on the dance floor...
Neways, i better get back to the topic at hand before I lose focus... so she walks in, changes the music to her own: tunes that girls normally like shakin it to, i guess... so far this is totally normal, cuz she often comes in while im workin out, n works that ass to some tunes of hers, diverting my attention sufficiently long enuff for me to cool down in one way, and heat up in others...
so today was no different... she's practising her stuff, n im practisin mine... n in walks this dude... normal lookin dude, with specs n a crewcut, dressed to sweat it out at the gym... at this point im takin a breather, hence allowed my attention to focus on the goings on in the room (no, no, I wasnt staring at the instructor again... u gotta believe me!!! find it IN YOU to Believe me, Dammit!!!)... so this guy walks in, faces the mirror............
I'm serious.. this dude was shakin it like there's no tomorrow... n to the tune of the music!!! (Shakira's 'Whenever, Wherever' was playin at that point)... so there I was, relaxin in a corner.. TOTALLY shocked at what I was witnessing... so I did what any normal human being with the slightest tinge of a sense of humour would do...
I took pics :)...
unfortunately I wasnt equipped with a high-res camera, but instead had only my pathetic phone-cam... n the timing was bad, so bear with the following:
Neways, i better get back to the topic at hand before I lose focus... so she walks in, changes the music to her own: tunes that girls normally like shakin it to, i guess... so far this is totally normal, cuz she often comes in while im workin out, n works that ass to some tunes of hers, diverting my attention sufficiently long enuff for me to cool down in one way, and heat up in others...
so today was no different... she's practising her stuff, n im practisin mine... n in walks this dude... normal lookin dude, with specs n a crewcut, dressed to sweat it out at the gym... at this point im takin a breather, hence allowed my attention to focus on the goings on in the room (no, no, I wasnt staring at the instructor again... u gotta believe me!!! find it IN YOU to Believe me, Dammit!!!)... so this guy walks in, faces the mirror............
and he starts BELLYDANCING!!!! WTF???
I'm serious.. this dude was shakin it like there's no tomorrow... n to the tune of the music!!! (Shakira's 'Whenever, Wherever' was playin at that point)... so there I was, relaxin in a corner.. TOTALLY shocked at what I was witnessing... so I did what any normal human being with the slightest tinge of a sense of humour would do...
I took pics :)...
unfortunately I wasnt equipped with a high-res camera, but instead had only my pathetic phone-cam... n the timing was bad, so bear with the following:
 |
There u have it ppl!!! maybe plenty of uve seen sumthin the likes of this, but it was most DEF a first for me... a Bellydancin Dude!!! (10 points if u can find me in the pic :P )
Oh, n later on he borrowed the instructor's belly-dancing skirt, put it on, n continued shakin away... no pics of that, cuz I still like my phone too much to have it violated that way....
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
One more Round!!!
Check this out:
Yup!! Thats my bruised knuckles... Nope, I didnt finally unleash my fury upon 'She-Who-Greatly-Irritates-Me'...
Recently, a friend of mine n I have taken to finishin off our workouts with a couple of rounds on the pads... Simply put, we hold up the pads for each other for 3-minute rounds, n go as many rounds as possible until we're tired out... My friend's got awesome strength n stamina (he's a much more experienced boxer than myself), so holdin the pads up gets to be quite a workout for my shoulders..
I on the other hand, have a stamina level comparable to that of Homer Simpson!! luckily I can pack in a lil bit of power every now n then... so that explains the bruises...
But it actually feels good lettin loose on those pads n givin it ALL I've got!! n it doesnt hurt imagining the face of 'She-Who-Greatly-Irritates-Me' as my target... allows me to come home at night with a smile on my face :-D
P.S. I enjoy the session even better when its time to work my kicks on the pads ;-)
 |  |
Yup!! Thats my bruised knuckles... Nope, I didnt finally unleash my fury upon 'She-Who-Greatly-Irritates-Me'...
Recently, a friend of mine n I have taken to finishin off our workouts with a couple of rounds on the pads... Simply put, we hold up the pads for each other for 3-minute rounds, n go as many rounds as possible until we're tired out... My friend's got awesome strength n stamina (he's a much more experienced boxer than myself), so holdin the pads up gets to be quite a workout for my shoulders..
I on the other hand, have a stamina level comparable to that of Homer Simpson!! luckily I can pack in a lil bit of power every now n then... so that explains the bruises...
But it actually feels good lettin loose on those pads n givin it ALL I've got!! n it doesnt hurt imagining the face of 'She-Who-Greatly-Irritates-Me' as my target... allows me to come home at night with a smile on my face :-D
P.S. I enjoy the session even better when its time to work my kicks on the pads ;-)
Faked Out!!!
Ever see those movies where you've got these Big Bad Baddies who hatch some ridiculously evil scheme to circulate counterfeit currency around the city/country??
I became a victim of such a conspiracy last week...
I was rushing to my evening mandarin classes after a gymmin session, n hopped into the first cab available... the driver seemed pretty friendly, had a good chat (in mandarin, too... that means my mandarin conversational skills r improving Big-Time!! WooHoo!!)n when i arrived, turns out I didnt have change, so I paid him with a 100... no problems, as cabs usually carry alotta change here (found it kinda surprising when I first got here)..
so my change included a 50... i was still a novice in the art of differentiating between original n counterfeit currency.. little did i know that I was about to receive a crash course that very night...
later that night, i went out with a couple of friends for dinner, n threw in my 50 as we split the tab later.. turns out, my 50 was rejected as counterfeit... when i took a closer look at the note, turns out it was almost PLASTIC!!! n the hologram looked TOTALLY forged now that I took a closer look!!! Man, did i learn my lesson that nite... but its pretty common, so its not like they called the cops on me or anything...
neways, so i had that 50... n tried gettin rid of it a couple of times: at the bakery, cab rides, other restaurants... it got rejected EVERYWHERE!!! n then last nite, i went to the night-market to fill up my weekly quota of pirated (but excellent quality) movies... n just casually handed the shop owner my 50 n continued browsing the shelves... he was inspecting it (Damn, i thought... he's gonna reject it too...).. turns out, he hands me back my change!!!! Finally!! I'd gotten rid of the fake 50.... considerin id pretty much relegated that 50 to 'Lost-Money' earlier, i decided to splurge the balance...
So later that nite, a couple of burgers n fries later, a content n well-fed Diego hit the sack, having learnt a valuable lesson in the detection of counterfeit currency, and glad to have finally placed that 50 back into circulation within the economy...
I became a victim of such a conspiracy last week...
I was rushing to my evening mandarin classes after a gymmin session, n hopped into the first cab available... the driver seemed pretty friendly, had a good chat (in mandarin, too... that means my mandarin conversational skills r improving Big-Time!! WooHoo!!)n when i arrived, turns out I didnt have change, so I paid him with a 100... no problems, as cabs usually carry alotta change here (found it kinda surprising when I first got here)..
so my change included a 50... i was still a novice in the art of differentiating between original n counterfeit currency.. little did i know that I was about to receive a crash course that very night...
later that night, i went out with a couple of friends for dinner, n threw in my 50 as we split the tab later.. turns out, my 50 was rejected as counterfeit... when i took a closer look at the note, turns out it was almost PLASTIC!!! n the hologram looked TOTALLY forged now that I took a closer look!!! Man, did i learn my lesson that nite... but its pretty common, so its not like they called the cops on me or anything...
neways, so i had that 50... n tried gettin rid of it a couple of times: at the bakery, cab rides, other restaurants... it got rejected EVERYWHERE!!! n then last nite, i went to the night-market to fill up my weekly quota of pirated (but excellent quality) movies... n just casually handed the shop owner my 50 n continued browsing the shelves... he was inspecting it (Damn, i thought... he's gonna reject it too...).. turns out, he hands me back my change!!!! Finally!! I'd gotten rid of the fake 50.... considerin id pretty much relegated that 50 to 'Lost-Money' earlier, i decided to splurge the balance...
So later that nite, a couple of burgers n fries later, a content n well-fed Diego hit the sack, having learnt a valuable lesson in the detection of counterfeit currency, and glad to have finally placed that 50 back into circulation within the economy...
Crash!!! Bang!!! SPLAT!!!
My back's feelin just a teeny bit stiff... i find it always loosens up when i stretch for a workout thou, so its nothin to giv 2 hoots about... but on a related note, I had my 2nd big capoeira-related crash:
I was attemptin to do a walkover... for those of u unfamiliar with that, you go into the bridge position, and attempt to flip your legs over n come up standin straight... or sumthin to that effect...
neways, so the other day i saw these stepping platforms that they use for aerobics piled up in the corner of the gym.. so i came up with a brilliant strategy for workin on my walkover:
Start off with 5 or 6 platforms placed one on top of the other, n attempt to do the walkover pushin off them... as i keep gettin better, i remove a platform, so i get to push off closer to ground level.. n finally, one day, id be able to do the move pushin myself off from ground-level...
Come on!! Lets hear it!!! You know u wanna say it!! Its right on the tip of your tongue!! Here we go:
"YOU'RE A GENIUS!!!"
neways, so i decided to go for it... lined up 5 of em.. got into the bridge position.. n pushed off... turns out i didnt have the mechanics right, n didnt push off in the right direction.. so what happens???? i almost get myself up into a handstand position, n then my left arm gave way (due to the preceding arm-workout which left me pretty much exhausted). So yea, on my way down, my leg hit the platforms: so i land sideways on the hardwood floor, n ALL (YES!! ALLLL!!) the platforms collapsed in a heap right on top of Yours Truly!!!
Surprisingly, I didnt get hurt a bit!!! I just preferred to lay there under all the platforms, since I felt oddly comfortable... go figure!! so the instructors nearby who'd witnessed the mishap rushed over to help me out, thinkin I wasnt movin cuz I was seriously injured...
Neways, a couple of sorries, n a few mins spent dusting myself off later I was back workin on the move... not from the platforms thou!!! Nooo way!!! aint goin for THAT idea again!!! Brilliant Strategy can Kiss My Ass!!!
I was attemptin to do a walkover... for those of u unfamiliar with that, you go into the bridge position, and attempt to flip your legs over n come up standin straight... or sumthin to that effect...
neways, so the other day i saw these stepping platforms that they use for aerobics piled up in the corner of the gym.. so i came up with a brilliant strategy for workin on my walkover:
Start off with 5 or 6 platforms placed one on top of the other, n attempt to do the walkover pushin off them... as i keep gettin better, i remove a platform, so i get to push off closer to ground level.. n finally, one day, id be able to do the move pushin myself off from ground-level...
Come on!! Lets hear it!!! You know u wanna say it!! Its right on the tip of your tongue!! Here we go:
"YOU'RE A GENIUS!!!"
neways, so i decided to go for it... lined up 5 of em.. got into the bridge position.. n pushed off... turns out i didnt have the mechanics right, n didnt push off in the right direction.. so what happens???? i almost get myself up into a handstand position, n then my left arm gave way (due to the preceding arm-workout which left me pretty much exhausted). So yea, on my way down, my leg hit the platforms: so i land sideways on the hardwood floor, n ALL (YES!! ALLLL!!) the platforms collapsed in a heap right on top of Yours Truly!!!
Surprisingly, I didnt get hurt a bit!!! I just preferred to lay there under all the platforms, since I felt oddly comfortable... go figure!! so the instructors nearby who'd witnessed the mishap rushed over to help me out, thinkin I wasnt movin cuz I was seriously injured...
Neways, a couple of sorries, n a few mins spent dusting myself off later I was back workin on the move... not from the platforms thou!!! Nooo way!!! aint goin for THAT idea again!!! Brilliant Strategy can Kiss My Ass!!!
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