July to August

First up.. what happened in July and where'd I disappear to in August?

Well, some of you remember that aside from finally keep myself seriously preoccupied with work, I was applying to business schools around the globe. To be completely honest, I was pretty much out of options for attending business school in 2007 as most application deadlines had run out.

I'd sat for the GMAT test (thats what I visited Shanghai in June for), but since then had changed my mind and decided to join the business full-time.

Then, on the 10th of July, came the email....

the University of St. Gallen invited me to send an application for their 1-year MBA program. Deadline: 15th July.

My first reaction: Burst out laughing at the thought of going to Switzerland to study... no way did I wanna put that burden on my parents.. Just the tuition itself was about Rm. 150,000, so you can understand my concern.

A couple of evenings later I casually mentioned it over dinner to dad, just as a joke. Apparently he didnt take it as humorously as I did, since he sincerely told me to get my butt online and apply ASAP.

So what did i do?? Thats right.. I was up till 3 or 4am filling out the application just a couple of hours before the deadline..

Anyways, so in a couple of days I get an email saying they'd like to set-up an appointment for a telephone interview.. and a few more fine days later, on the way home from the gym 1 evening, I get a call from the admissions dude askin me if I'm free to talk now... great!! this is an interview for an MBA programme, I haven't prepared anything at all, I'm not even in the proper environment.. so naturally what do i say???: Sure!!

45 minutes later, the call's over, and I felt it went pretty well... but the thought looming in my head was 'Why the heck should I make my family afford this???'.. so my crooked brain decides: hey, if these guys with supposedly 'high' requirements are accepting me, then y not look at some university better than it, but cheaper and ranking among the Top 100... so I find EADA in Barcelona, Spain, and decide to apply for their MBA programme instead...

Long story short, they refused me admission to the MBA programme, but decided to offer me admission to their International Business masters programme instead.. So i go: COOL!!! I'm headin to Barcelona!!! Spanish Chicks all around!!!

Or thats what I thought, neways...

Dad came home a night later, and I updated him on the situation.. so he spoke to a personal friend of his, who has alot more expertise in this stuff than the 2 of us combined... n then sits me down, and asks me why did i not wanna attend the Swiss uni.. simple reason: the Money!! plus i didnt really wanna trust an upcoming program, so i wasnt sure about it... after some research, we find out the uni's really well ranked, but its just their MBA programme thats new and unknown... Dad pretty much figures out the reason I'm more interested in Spain:

Dad: You just want to go to Barcelona to watch Ronaldinho play!!
Me: No Dad!!! Honest... (I really didnt... up to that point until dad mentioned it..)
Dad: Then why not choose the Swiss uni??
Me: Because it just sounds fishy the way they're aggressively recruiting me... I'm not THAT good!!
Dad: Look, lets consider the Swiss uni.. after all, the guy said you have chances to get a loan!!
Me: Ok.. let's see (I hope I dont get the loan.. I hope I dont get the loan!!!

1 day later: I get a call from the admissions officer at the Swiss uni: We're offering u 50% loan...

Me: Oh Crap!!!
Dad: All Right!!! Look, its definitely a viable option now!!

another 2 days later: I get an email from the Swiss uni: We're offering u 100% loan...

Dad: Thats settled then!!! You're going to Switzerland!! Trust me, its a good uni, and the MBA programme will be too!!!
Me: I'll Never Get to see Ronaldinho Playyy!!!! :(

So neways, within another day or 2 we're talking visa requirements with the uni, and it turns out I have to return to Paki-land to arrange for my Swiss visa...

A week later, I'm back in Paki-land.. on the 14th of Aug (Independence Day), amid bombing threats... within a few days I've applied for my visa.. unfortunately, around this time my grandmother (May she Rest in Peace) took to being ill, and I was among the ones taking turns keeping watch at the hospital...

Mom shows up on the 27th... unfortunately, it was due to Grandma's condition... on the 29th, amid growing fears regarding Grandma's condition, I cut my Birthday Pizza (instead of cake), and a few hours later boarded the flight to Karachi, where I would catch the Emirates flight to Zurich via Dubai.. (First time in my life I got to celebrate my birthday in 3 different countries simulteneously!!!)

And so, after nearly bashing a kid's head in during my 10 hr layover at Karachi airport, I was on my way to Zurich!!!

Up Next: It Begins...

I'm Back!!!

So!!! What have i been up to for the past.... 5 months or so???

And why have i decided to update my blog NOW, of all times?? when ive had countless opportunities to do so previously and loads of stories to share with all my readers (a.k.a. the select few)...

Well, I shall answer the 2nd question first... I know ive had holidays when ive had nothin to do but laze around.. late nights when im just re-watching old movies.. but the best time is obviously during a Hideously boring class... I'm sure you would all agree :)

Annyyywayyy... here's what's coming up in the next few posts (no more delays this time!! this is a Hideously boring and LOOOONG class!!! so i'll finish it all off today..):

i) What happened in July?
ii) Where'd I disappear to in August?
iii) September onwards: What the HECK am I doing in this part of the world??
iv) Job/Internship searches.. they never end, do they?? Sigh...
So... lemme crack my fingers, bitch-slap myself awake, and finish off the remnants of my iced tea... and lets get Cracking!!!

Now That's some spooky shit,...

Ok, I realize I haven't written in a while... n heck, most of the ppl who read this blog I keep in touch with anyways...

anyways, its the end of the 1st semester (of my MBA programme, for those of you i Haven't kept updated).. n during my week off, we're attending a short series of job-hunting seminars to help us search for an internship and, subsequently, a job :)

anyway, since tonight was an early night, a bunch of us decided to get together and use the massive projector n screen in the main auditorium as our personal cinema... just watched 'Disturbia' and before goin home, we thought of freakin out a buddy by watchin some bits of '1408'...

gettin to the scary parts in a bit.. SHIT Scare movie, folks!!!

I'm out for now... Will update soon on what I've been up to since July (or whenever the last time I blogged was).

Cheers, peeps!!!

Where are they now???

yea yea...

I know i havent blogged in a while..

keep yer pants on!!! i'll get back to u guys in a bit...

Cheers!

I’M TAGGED, THEREFORE…

Rules:
Repeat subject header “I’M TAGGED, THEREFORE…”
Copy + paste these rules in your entry.
Complete these 15 totally useless statements & questions.
Mention who you were tagged by, followed by 8 people who you’ll be tagging.

WARNING!
Fail to do so and you’ll be cursed eternally with a 3-holed nose and a low-cost flat.

Here’s another tag game. Blame it on Kotak!

If I was an opposite gender, what would my party clothes be like? Slutty!!! (thou women who give off an intellectual look turn me on like there's NO tomorrow!!! but thats another story for another time..)

At 10am this morning, I was… err.. checking up on a courier shipment to Korea, i think.. either that, or checkin my email...

At 10pm tonight, I will be… deciding between stuffin myself silly, actually gettin some work done, or headin to the bar for some companionship

Who should be the next Malaysian Prime Minister? anyone but Badawi... there, i said it...

If my spouse told me to do without sex for a year, I would… bathe in a tub of ice??? drug her??? i dunno.. i seem equally capable of either :P

If I was a piece of a car, I would be the… Insignia on the hood...

If I was told one day that I would have to give up either 1) anything chocolate OR 2) ever seeing the beach again, for the rest of my life, which one will I give up?
hmm.. i guess it'd be chocolate... thou i grew up next to a beach but never took enough advantage of it..

Singapore is good for… its Education, maybe?? never been there yet...

If I could only say 3 words before I die, what would those last words be? I did it!!!

Who would I like to be left on a deserted island with? The Jessica trifecta maybe (Biel, Alba, Simpson)... oh wait... maybe not simpson... (it aint about the Sex, ppl!!! Honest!!)

Die by drowning or by fire? Fire.. I'm gonna burn in Hell neways.. so mite as well start getting used to it now... (not to mention i already live in a friggin Microwave of a country...)

What one single thing would you buy with your last RM9.95? hmmm.. cheap toy gun and a bus ticket to the nearest bank, i think... simple, but effective...

If I opened a night club, what would I call it? err.. off the top of my head... Casa Diablo???

Don’t cheat: what’s “bulbous”? ehh?? another word for big?pulpy? i think ur lookin for Webster on that one...

I think my ass is… Totally Grab-able :P

And now I will tag:

Salameander
El Diablo
Munaks
Micyuki
Jasmine
Bodicea
Andrew
(this last spot open... lemme know if u wanna be tagged :D )

Gold-(dis)membered...

You say im Sittin on a friggin Gold Mine, free to dig into it as deep as I possibly can and extract as much gold as I can manage...

I merely point out the staggering number of deaths among mine workers...

Down again..

Sigh..

Mann, i dunno.. im just feelin depressed again... everythin just sucks right now...

i barely know anyone here, and any possibility of a social life depends on my mastery of the local dialect, since the locals arent ever gonna be even remotely keen on learning English.. atleast not in this decade..

i dunno where im going with my career.. ive resumed workin with dad for now, and there's hopefully hopefully some plans in the works, but i really dont feel like talking bout em since i) i dun wanna jinx em, and ii) it'll make me feel just THAT much worse if i talk about em n they dont happen... i guess i'll write bout em here once its confirmed...

Nothin's particularly happened to get me down all of a sudden.. i guess its just a sudden realization of a few facts... the realization that it all just seems to be tumbling downhill for me, right now... and wuts worse is i dun know who to talk to bout it.. cuz it doesnt seem like support's comin from anywhere.. i guess at these times men come to realize the one true fact: you really are alone in this world, after all...

oh well... if u find urself going thru this post, i sincerely hope you dont let it get u down... i guess this happens to me every once in a while...

i tend to get depressed... REALLY depressed... moody, and easily irritated... not to mention, sometimes repetitive..

i also tend to get REALLY depressed... oh wait i already mentioned that...

ah well... gotta go on somehow.. on my own...

Coke...Cooke...Coore...Coors.... How'd THAT happen???

My powers of observation have been fooled.. yet again... On my way to buy some onions to prep lunch, I stopped at a supermarket, and, in a rush, picked up a can of Coke Light...


I came home, cooked up a decent lunch, grabbed a glass n some ice, n plopped down infront of the TV... i open the can, n thats where things start to go weird... fine, my observation isnt as keen 24/7, but my super-human heightened sense of smell picked up the scent of alcohol in the air... so innocently, i begin to pour the contents of the can into the glass.. n out comes a pale-yellow fluid, totally not what I expected from a can of Coke... turns out, in my rush id picked up not Coke Light, but:

When i picked it up I thought its probably Coke Light in some sort of local packaging... I wonder how much of a boost Coors has seen in their sales since adopting the Coke Font type...

Lesson learnt: Ppl will use almost any underhanded tactic to get a sale these days... n always be more observant...

N to the curious: No I didnt drink the beer... I absolutely hate the taste of beer, regardless of whatever wonder it appears to be to others...

All in a Hard Day's Work...

I always knew the Chinese were hardworkers, especially their women.. but this is just a bit too much for the mind to process:


P.S. Dont make me out to be an advocate of Child Labour.. That lil kid just happened to accompany her dad on a delivery run... Honest!!!

Shanghai in Pictures...

Well, enuff talkin bout Shanghai between the previous 2 posts combined.. here u'll find some of the pix i took... more (and better) pix r on my uncle's camera, which I will upload once i receive them:

1) the motel room we got... REALLY REALLY cheap for Shanghai.. n as u can see, not too shabby at all!! (another 10 points up for grabs if u can guess which bed was mine :P )


2) the first place we visited in Shanghai... Nanjing Lu!! we first visited this place at night-time, n it was beautiful.. for some reason I cant recall right now I didnt whip out my phone-cam right then n there to capture it... hence these pix were taken the next evening during our 2nd visit there:


3) Up next, is the famous Bund, also known as the Waterfront or Waterfront Road to some.. This place, I presume, is most famous for the dazzling view of Pudong u get from across the lake... hopefully these pix will support that statement:



4) We also spent a considerable amount of time at Cheng Huang Miao, famous for its old-looking buildings and, more importantly, its cheap markets selling stuff at HIGHLY-negotiable prices... a woman's paradise, in short :P..


5) We tried visiting the Shanghai National Museum (or sumthing by that name).. im not really a museum kinda person, but my uncle insisted we go.. so bein the good nephew (really!!), i tagged along... alas, we arrived there just a few mins after ticket sales had closed for the day.. nevertheless, the faithful camera still delivered:

6) and Finally, a couple of random pix:

Shanghai Continued...

The first day (and night) in Shanghai went great: Caught the train on time, no problems upon arrival in Shanghai, checkin in to the motel or finding my test center, The GMAT went well (with minimal prep, thank God), we got a really cheap motel, and i found a BK after the test!!

so here's how day 2 went:

i) woke up at 8.30am, got dressed, showered, n made sure i had all the necessary docs for my passport renewal before i left..
ii) arrived at bout 9.30 at the consulate in shanghai... had to make copies of docs, fill out forms, pay some fees, blah blah...
iii) contemplated going to the Zoo.. instead we decided to first hit KFC for some finger lickin Fun, and hit up Cheng Huang Miao to visit what someone told us was a bunch of old buildings..
iv) upon hitting Chen Huan Miao, was pleasantly surprised to find a HUGE bazaar, including a handicraft market, where i bought stuff..
v) bout 2-3 hrs later, decided to check out the Shanghai Museum.. got there just after 4pm, only to find out entrance tickets were no longer being sold..
vi) made friends with 3 girls at the park (who i believe were conmen.. or rather, conwomen) who convinced us to check out a tea-sampling festival... didnt do it, cuz i refused to pay the fees they were askin for.. walked right out...
vii)ended up at Nanjin Lu again (supposedly called Walking street as well), this time in the daytime.. again got approached by bout 50 pimps n DVD- hawkers... passed by an adult toy shop... phone ran outta power by this point, hence no pix... weird incident occurred inside the toy shop, mainly caused by language barrier issues..
viii) by evening, i had to rush off to meet a couple of ppl i discovered thru the net engage in capoeira training twice a week.. training was good, followed by a roda.. by this time my uncle was waitin downstairs ready to go, so i went thru just 2 games (with both their instructors) and rushed off after saying goodbye... a group composed of very friendly and welcoming indivduals, their training certainly provided me the workout my trip was missing..
ix) 10am: PIZZA HUT!!
x) to the masseuse!!! ahhh that felt good..
xi) tired from the walk all day, the capoeira session, and relaxed from the massage, i hit the sack at bout 1am..

Day 3, which pretty much concluded the trip, went like this:

i) got up lazily, and we packed our stuff up.. uncle's flight was at bout 4pm, so id take him to the airport around 1pm to get checked in... no time for breakfast, as it would require searching for a decent joint...
ii) took a cab to the railway station.. n caught a bus to the airport from there...
iii) hung around at the airport for a bit.. then ditched uncle once he was checked in :P
iv) took the bus back to the railway station, which took AGES cuz of the afternoon jam.. one sucky thing bout shanghai, there's alot of traffic, which can pretty much be expected of any metropolitan city, i guess...
v) bought a ticket for the last bus back to Yiwu, giving me time to scout shanghai on my own for abit..
vi) after varying between Nanjing Lu and Chen Huan Miao (see previous post), i decided on the former, since it was nearer to the bus station and wouldnt get me too caught up in the jam during peak hours.
vii) had some food (my ONLY meal for the day), and walked around Nanjing Lu with my bag..
viii) interestingly a business proposition with a hooker came up.. more on that some other time.. or not...
ix) took a cab to the bus station, where i oh-so-patiently waited for my bus to depart... n finally began the 4-hr journey home..

needless to say, day 3 was not as eventful (aside from the hooker incident) as the previous 2 days... just ended with urs truly comin home to find dad gone out for dinner...

PIX to be up Next!!! with a few captions here n there :)

SHANGHAI!!! You had me at 'Welcome...'!!!!

Tired, Tired, Tired...

Not gonna write much for now..just gonna say the day's been going good, and am FRIKKING TIRED now!!! here's how it went:

i) Slept at 2am after finishin off with packin (I pack like a woman.. seriously)
ii) woke up at 5.30am to get showered n dressed
iii) caught the train at 7.40am
iv) arrived at shanghai at 10.40am
v) Checked into hotel, then headed off to the testing center ASAP for my GMAT Test (which went well.. got the results already :D )
vi) bought a BK meal n went back to my motel room to enjoy it (my first meal since the previous night)
vii) went touring.. first Nanjing Road, then the Bund (will post up pix later... spectacular view!!)
viii) checked out Xin Tian Di, premier Bar-hopping joint here in Shanghai..
ix) am now sittin here tryin to figure out this PC so i can tell u guys bout it...
x) gonna go get some dinner (PIZZA!!!.. well, maybe) and probably hit the sack to allow my legs to recover from the entire day of walking, and my mind to recover from GMAT stress and staying awake during the test :P )

tomorrow morning: heading to the embassy to get my passport renewed.. and another day of touring...

annnndddd....

I've arranged to attend a group of capoeristas' training session in the evening!!! RODA, RODA, RODA!!! WOOOHOOOO!!! hopefully there will be pix and/or vids...

Will update in detail later... Ciaos!!!

oh, n Shanghai Women... Ahhhhhhh!!!!!! (Nuff said for now... ask me in private)

I dont mean to sound Condescending but...

Hmm.. you know what???

After reading the previous 2 posts (both parts of 'Ever the Lone Gymmer'), I've sorta arrived at a conclusion:

This guy (The Manipulator) has something against me.. I dont know what it is, I dont know why, or for whatever reason, but I'm pretty sure he genuinely has something against me (he's already caused me to waste more posts on him than on She-Who-Greatly-Irritates-Me):

i) He keeps reminding me how built and muscular he used to be back in his home country
ii) He specifically came by a number of times to consider registering at the gym I work out at... finally succeeding, hence the pissed off Posts...
iii) He tries picking on me by tellin me I overeat and Im fat...
iv) He asks me to choose his clothes (WTF???)..
v) he asks me to choose his PC (WTF 2 ???)
vi) he wants me to advise him on his workouts (like there's ANY way in hell im gonna do that for him after all this shit... or maybe i cud screw it up for him.. hehehehe...)
vii) Heck, he bloody hell has nothin better to do than stare at me while im workin out in the same vicinity
viii) He keeps reminding me how un-social I am and how socially adept he is...
ix)He's bloody, friggin Rude!
x) All he can do is show off bout how much money he's made in life here and back in Pakistan...

Hmm... u know, im not brash, arrogant or cocky enuff to say it, but it seems like he's got some sorta inferiority complex he needs to deal with... n somehow it has somethin to do with me, or using me as a target to make himself feel superior.. but then y try to emulate me by asking for my taste?? maybe cuz he's SURE his taste in stuff SUCKS???!!! :P

Oh n did I mention that he rebuffed the same instructor who helped us out with the supplements previously?? She comes up to him to advise him.. sure, she had an alterior motive as she was trying to get him as a personal training client, hence more money for her (Cha-CHING!!!)... but instead he has to act the cheapskate n get her to write out an entire routine for him for free, and then tells her there's no way he's paying for lessons... he told me this himself, and I later found out, upon her confiding in me, that she was in trouble for not having sold enough lessons that month... so obviously u cant blame her for makin some money so she cud keep her job... if, on the off-chance, she happens to read this: Emma, youre HOT, and a GREAT instructor, and you'll have LOADS more clients in the future... but I still wont stop nagging u until u help me fix my stretching issues!! :P (guy's gotta improve his compassos, right?)

Sigh.. U know what.. after considering all of the above.. Ive decided I'm just gonna let him have it the next time I'm the least bit annoyed by his behaviour... hence, this quote from 'The Punisher':

- 'Sic vis pacem parabellum - If you want peace, prepare for war.'

(Hey, maybe it wasnt such a great movie, but this one quote stood out, dun ya think???)

Ever the Lone Gymmer (Part 2)

So here's what happened after he registered at the gym.. he drags me n the common friend out to help him buy workout clothes... Sheeeesh... talk about a complex... the only reason I consented to go along was cuz I'm on very good terms with the common friend, and the common friend agreed to miss Mandarin class along with me, so i wouldnt feel so bad bout it :P... neways, so 2-3 hrs later, he ends up with 2 pairs of training pants.. THATS IT!!! WHY??? cuz he cant F***ing make up his mind on what he wants... First, he asks us to choose a trainer for him to try on, and then he asks us to ask the salesgirl for a larger size, and finally he wants to buy XXL or sumthin, when he's barely like 5ft tall!!! sheeesh... despite numerous attempts at reasoning with him by sayin 'look, YOURE going to be wearing the clothes.. YOU decide what you want. we'll tell u if it looks good (thats the way it usually works, right ladies???)', he still wants US to choose his clothes for him... (this happened once before when he asked us to accompany him to buy a PC.. 'U choose a PC, guys, and tell me what u like, and I'll buy it'...)

N did I mention he now wants me to 'Help' him buy a workout bag... F*** Off, Mate!!! I've got better things to be bothered with... n he doesnt even have the nerve to ask me himself.. he asks the common friend to ask me to buy him a bag... sigh, the common friend's actually a very naive and innocent kid (compared to us), so either he doesnt realize when he's being used, or he's too nice a guy bout it.. i think its the latter, since he's a really nice dude n really smart too...

so neways, on to wut i mentioned at the end of the previous post:

So!! you wanna see wut my workout's like??? Suuure... Come Right This Way!!

So the Manipulator decided to drop in at around 5.30 or 6 the next day seein as thats when I told him I'd be in... n it just so happened that that was the scheduled day for my weekly Kicks/Pushups session... Here's how the routine goes: 16-20 sets of 10-20 reps of any kick, with each set followed by 10-15 reps of a variation of a pushup.. if all goes as well, i end up completing somewhere in the vicinity of 200 kicks and 200 pushups... peanuts for the average capoeirista or army recruit, im sure...

so neways, he walks into the room, and catches a glimpse of me throwing Compassos, and just stands there staring... so once im done with my set, i say hi, n tell him alright, get changed n blah blah n i'll see u among the weights later... so he goes off to presumably get changed... n then after 20 mins or so he comes in, and finds me grinding out pushups of the Queda da Rins variety with my legs straightened out (for non-capoeiristas, its a twisted sorta pushup where ur legs swing about throu the motion), and once again I find him staring... n then finally he speaks up: I dont want to do this, I wanna go lift weights... I felt an inward smile growing :)

but that wasnt all... I had to prove to myself AND to him how much more intense my workouts are than he imagines...

so I finish off my capo workout (during which I noticed at several instances him loitering around the gym rather than training... laziness, or waiting for urs truly to guide him?? i dont know...), by which time i'm absolutely drenched in sweat.. I realize ive got time to hit some weights.. so i went out, and loaded up some barbells for some heavy Clean n Press sets... i invite him along to train, which he accepts, using the cowardly excuse 'Im not afraid of ur workout.. if i cant do it, ill just back off' (I mean CMON!!! wud Instructor Rafael have tolerated that shit in Capo class??? Hi Rafa, Im not afraid of doing handstands, but im just gonna back off if I dont feel like it...Seriously, I wont divulge into the details of wut wud happen if I ever did that)..

So neways, barbells r loaded up with light weights since I havent lifted weights in quite some time.. n the instant I start with the drill, he runs off saying 'Man this is going to make me tired, I dont want to do this'...

Needless to say, Me = Confused...

Isnt getting tired part of the satisfaction and a good indicator of a fulfilling workout?? I mean, do u wanna lift measly 2-lbs weights n expect to be bulging like Arnold in a couple of weeks?? Ohh yea, I do forget, he wants supplements, doesnt he... not to mention, all the instructors are supposed to combine all their efforts and prowess into sculpting his miniature 5ft frame into the next Franco Columbo.. Urgently needed: A lesson in Humility and Work Ethics!!! Once again, I invite my Bantus friends to ponder Instructor Rafael's reaction to this statement.. :)

so neways, workout completed, I met him at Mandarin class later... n while we're waiting outside for the previous class to conclude, he tells me 'listen what ur doing is not good for u at all, u should do stuff to lose weight, this is only for fitness, dont do this...'

At this point, my mind started going 'Ummm, weren'y u sposed to be the Dipshit who pretends to know nothing bout working out??' so I didnt exactly lose it there, but i decided not to hold back: 'Listen, I know what I'm doing, and what my goals are.. You wouldnt understand the way I train, but I do... Dont bother with changing my routine, Ive got my stuff under control'..I dont even think I wanna bother givin him an intro to capo, since he'd probably say weird stuff bout it which would only serve to get me ticked off and a lil bit vindictive...

n to top it off, I dont think he has the slightest HINT of how to behave in a gym.. i mean, im not saying u shud know which is ur shrimp fork and how to use a napkin, but u have to be aware of others' around u... YOU DONT GO UP TO SOMEONE IN THE MIDDLE OF A F***ING BENCH PRESS AND ASK THEM FOR THE TIME!!! AND YOU DONT START SULKING IF HE DOESNT GIVE YOU AN IMMEDIATE REPLY!!! AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THE DAMNED CLOCK FOR YOURSELF!!! oh n lemme add, for no reason at all, he starts gettin cocky n tellin me 'Just gimme 1 month in the gym, and I'll be great friends with everyone here and be much more social than u r n will know so many ppl'.. uummm ok.. like I even care, dude... :s.. i mean, i enjoy makin friends n all, especially with hot chicks with a common interest in workin out (ahem, ahem..), but my main reason for joinin the gym is to get in there, go thru my workouts, and get the heck outta there n attend to other stuff...

That was the end of that... but wuts pissing off is being picked on for having weight issues and being bulky... Hey, I can pick on ppl for being scrawny too, but I know everyone's different, just cuz ppl arent like u doesnt mean its bad... n most importantly, i'm not the kind of person who prefers socializing by picking on others' weaknesses... Apparently he thinks he's back in high school where ppl respect the bully... I guess im just waiting for the instant when things get out of hand and I can finally put to good use the few lessons in boxing I got from my aussie friend... but ive gotta be mature bout it, since I've got a reputation at the gym, and I dont wanna start fights there.... Heck mann, the gym's where I do most of my socializing.. not to mention, meet all the women.. but i digress...

I guess all im going to do the next time he starts acting idiotic is deliver a warning: Either learn to speak politely in public with the proper etiquettes, or dont bother comin up to me... I know most of the folks I know out there wud have knocked this guy's teeth out by now, but I actually prefer non-violence to the alternative.. n also that i like the current image i have at the gym... Plus I believe in the following quote I read off somewhere in Wikipedia:

- 'Violence is the last resort of a fool'


GRrrrr!!! This is SO Pissing OFF!!! Maybe I should just stop thinking and let him have it the next time he frustrates me...

Ever the Lone Gymmer (Part 1)

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!!

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??

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...

(Dis)Satisfaction Guaranteed!

Spiderman 3 was released, what, 2-3 weeks ago?? This goes to show that some people are just NEVER satisfied:

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...

Sigh..

Its just one of those times...