I am finally back at pilates class! Went for a 3-mth break since last Oct since I wasn't able to do many of the 'stunts' due to my back pain. The new Jan class suppose to start on 20th Jan but since we know the instructor for almost 4yrs, we decided to gatecrash his class today.
Well, after a good 3-mth break, I am still able to do many of the exercises without much difficulties. The tail bone is no longer in pain (except for long hrs of sitting) and I am glad I am back to my normal self again :). And our instructor is great and very caring! (He has been interviewed on Simply Her before) and guess, if nothing goes wrong, we will be sticking with him for another year.
Hope to be fitter in 2010 with all our exercise routines in place!
January 6, 2010
January 3, 2010
Dr Lee's Article - The True Nature of Friendship
Sharing an article by Dr Lee who writes for Sunday Times bi-wkly. She touches on the true nature of friendship this wk which is extremely close to my heart. Though there is a saying: "There is no forever friends or foes" Personally, I disagree on the friends portion as for me, if a friend is made truthfully and sincerely, this friend will last you a lifetime even when you are no longer studying/working together or get to see one another often.
I typed this out from Sunday Times and I dedicate this to Val (hope you will enjoy this!).
By Dr Lee Wei Ling - Director of National Neuroscience Institute
~Genuine relationships are built on more than mutual goodwill and exchanging favours.~
I had gone to bed at 7pm on Dec 30 from sheer exhaustion. I woke up at 2am and responded to e-mail on my Blackberry.
I noticed that I had missed two phone calls from two very close friends. It was obviously inappropriate to return the calls at 2am, so I e-mailed to say I’d return the calls during lunch time.
I then went back to sleep and have just woken up at 6am, trying to recall what day of the week it was because that would determine my schedule for the day.
For a moment, I thought it was Friday, New Year’s Day. It was only when I went outside to pick up the newspapers that I realized it was only New Year’s Eve.
I do not usually place any emphasis on “special days” – whether it be Christmas, New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year or birthdays. These days are determined by the calendar, but to me they are no different from regular days.
In fact, they often are less pleasant than regular days as I dislike the noise and crowds of special days. I solve that problem by simply staying in my room at home on such days, clearing e-mail and paperwork. This applies even to the reunion dinner on Chinese New Year’s Eve.
I am by nature not a sociable person. Indeed, I had become asocial by the time I reached pre-university in school. I do have friends and I have never neglected to help any of them when they needed help.
But for most of my adult life, I have not been willing to spend more time than necessary on conversations and social interactions with my friends. I felt that would be a waste of time –time that could have been better spent reading medical journals, analyzing research data, exercising and other “more important activities”.
It was only since 2001, after repeated bouts of illness, that I learnt that friendship does not just mean mutual goodwill, but also spending time with friends talking about things other than medical research.
Staying for months in hospital makes any friend dropping in to see one a welcome relief, though I was not bored as such as I could work on my laptop. As prisoners know, solitary confinement (even in a hospital) can be terribly punishing on the spirit.
Human beings are social creatures. We are social not just in the trivial sense that we like company, and not just in the obvious sense that we depend on others. We are social in a more elemental ways: Simply to exist as normal human beings requires us to interact with other people.
There is a Chinese saying, jun zi zhi jiao dan ru shui xiao ren zhi jiao tian ru mi. The literal translation is : “The friendship between two honourable people is as understated as water”.
Many of my English-educated friends have difficulty grasping this concept. They would often exclaim in surprise: “Surely you have changed the saying. The relationship between two honourable people must surely be as sweet as honey”.
No, I have not reversed the idiom. The friendship between two good honourable people is understated. Each will help the other when help is needed even before a request for help is issued. And when one offers to help, the other would accept without feeling any obligations to return the favour.
The “friendship” between two petty people, on the other hand, is as cloying as honey. When on offers to help, the other would feel that at some point the favour would have to be returned.
The simplest analogy for this saying is as follows: Between honourable friends, there is no account of how many favours I owe that friend and vice verse. The relationship between petty people, on the other hand, requires an accurate account, since for every favour would be expected. As far as I can help it, I avoid such friendships.
I am not in the habit of making New Year resolutions. We should change our undesirable behaviour and mend our ways as soon as we discover that our behaviour is less than honourable; there is no need to wait for the New Year to resolve to do so.
2009 has given me both suffering and happiness. I expect the same of 2010. Bu to all readers who feel a New Year represents a new chapter in life, I wish you a Happy New Year, filled with true friendship and good deeds. And may 2010 be a better year than 2009.
I typed this out from Sunday Times and I dedicate this to Val (hope you will enjoy this!).
**********************************************
The True Nature of Friendship.By Dr Lee Wei Ling - Director of National Neuroscience Institute
~Genuine relationships are built on more than mutual goodwill and exchanging favours.~
I had gone to bed at 7pm on Dec 30 from sheer exhaustion. I woke up at 2am and responded to e-mail on my Blackberry.
I noticed that I had missed two phone calls from two very close friends. It was obviously inappropriate to return the calls at 2am, so I e-mailed to say I’d return the calls during lunch time.
I then went back to sleep and have just woken up at 6am, trying to recall what day of the week it was because that would determine my schedule for the day.
For a moment, I thought it was Friday, New Year’s Day. It was only when I went outside to pick up the newspapers that I realized it was only New Year’s Eve.
I do not usually place any emphasis on “special days” – whether it be Christmas, New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year or birthdays. These days are determined by the calendar, but to me they are no different from regular days.
In fact, they often are less pleasant than regular days as I dislike the noise and crowds of special days. I solve that problem by simply staying in my room at home on such days, clearing e-mail and paperwork. This applies even to the reunion dinner on Chinese New Year’s Eve.
I am by nature not a sociable person. Indeed, I had become asocial by the time I reached pre-university in school. I do have friends and I have never neglected to help any of them when they needed help.
But for most of my adult life, I have not been willing to spend more time than necessary on conversations and social interactions with my friends. I felt that would be a waste of time –time that could have been better spent reading medical journals, analyzing research data, exercising and other “more important activities”.
It was only since 2001, after repeated bouts of illness, that I learnt that friendship does not just mean mutual goodwill, but also spending time with friends talking about things other than medical research.
Staying for months in hospital makes any friend dropping in to see one a welcome relief, though I was not bored as such as I could work on my laptop. As prisoners know, solitary confinement (even in a hospital) can be terribly punishing on the spirit.
Human beings are social creatures. We are social not just in the trivial sense that we like company, and not just in the obvious sense that we depend on others. We are social in a more elemental ways: Simply to exist as normal human beings requires us to interact with other people.
There is a Chinese saying, jun zi zhi jiao dan ru shui xiao ren zhi jiao tian ru mi. The literal translation is : “The friendship between two honourable people is as understated as water”.
Many of my English-educated friends have difficulty grasping this concept. They would often exclaim in surprise: “Surely you have changed the saying. The relationship between two honourable people must surely be as sweet as honey”.
No, I have not reversed the idiom. The friendship between two good honourable people is understated. Each will help the other when help is needed even before a request for help is issued. And when one offers to help, the other would accept without feeling any obligations to return the favour.
The “friendship” between two petty people, on the other hand, is as cloying as honey. When on offers to help, the other would feel that at some point the favour would have to be returned.
The simplest analogy for this saying is as follows: Between honourable friends, there is no account of how many favours I owe that friend and vice verse. The relationship between petty people, on the other hand, requires an accurate account, since for every favour would be expected. As far as I can help it, I avoid such friendships.
I am not in the habit of making New Year resolutions. We should change our undesirable behaviour and mend our ways as soon as we discover that our behaviour is less than honourable; there is no need to wait for the New Year to resolve to do so.
2009 has given me both suffering and happiness. I expect the same of 2010. Bu to all readers who feel a New Year represents a new chapter in life, I wish you a Happy New Year, filled with true friendship and good deeds. And may 2010 be a better year than 2009.
Spring Clean Part IV
Making use of 30mins before I hv to clean up and pack Kerin to her phonics class, I reorganise the TV console area clearing lots of old DVD/VCD of the kids. *I think i am getting better in doing house cleaning - can speed clean efficiently :) LOL* Anyway, found alot of Bob the builder DVDs (1 even in wrapper not opened yet!) and Thomas the train + alot of photoframes!
Looking for a home for the DVDs..(Any takers?!)
Looking for a home for the DVDs..(Any takers?!)
She wants to be just like Mummy
Kerin is in the state of copying me, she will do whatever I am doing. Things she are 'copying' are : -
* Having long hair - She wants to be like mummy when mama ask her to cut her hair short.
* Wearing her version of malindi shoes - She wants to be like mummy when I wear my crocs malindi out (she has a kids version).
* Putting makeup - She wants be like mummy whenever I put on some makeup before going out. She has a toy version and Kel was amused to see her brushing her eyes, cheeks and 'putting' her lipstick on!
*Carrying her own bag - She wants to be like mummy carrying a bag for shopping.
Well, 1 thing I hv yet to influence her is.... to get her ears pierced! She is terrified of pain and no matter how we try to 'coax' or 'bluff' her, she simply refused to get it done. Well, she is copycat with principles?!?!
* Having long hair - She wants to be like mummy when mama ask her to cut her hair short.
* Wearing her version of malindi shoes - She wants to be like mummy when I wear my crocs malindi out (she has a kids version).
* Putting makeup - She wants be like mummy whenever I put on some makeup before going out. She has a toy version and Kel was amused to see her brushing her eyes, cheeks and 'putting' her lipstick on!
*Carrying her own bag - She wants to be like mummy carrying a bag for shopping.
Well, 1 thing I hv yet to influence her is.... to get her ears pierced! She is terrified of pain and no matter how we try to 'coax' or 'bluff' her, she simply refused to get it done. Well, she is copycat with principles?!?!
January 2, 2010
Time to Go back to school
After 6-7wks of play, it is time to go back to school. Time to start our wkly revision and studying and early mornings..**Sob**
Bght this for Juz, a more matured look (hehehe..)
Bght this for Juz, a more matured look (hehehe..)
Spring Cleaning III
1st Jan 2010..we spent half the day..doing...SPRING CLEANING Again!!!!! Hahahaha.. this time is the shoe rack + door area. I hate to say this.. I love to buy shoes but i hate cleaning the area. Anyway, after a good cleanup, kel and me realised that actually, I don't hv alot of shoes *LOL*. The females in the hse just hv doubled qty of shoes as the males..(nothing big deal wor!) hehehe..
We were so engrossed that we only hv lunch at 2pm and after lunch, we venture into the study room and did a mini 1 (cos I am really tired..). Till the next time I clean again..*still hv 6wks to go before CNY* No worries..time is more than enuff, do whatever I can manage.
We were so engrossed that we only hv lunch at 2pm and after lunch, we venture into the study room and did a mini 1 (cos I am really tired..). Till the next time I clean again..*still hv 6wks to go before CNY* No worries..time is more than enuff, do whatever I can manage.
January 1, 2010
Malacca trip 26th - 28th Dec
We went for a 3D 2N to Malacca on boxing day with our extended family (PIL, parents and Kel's auntie). This is the 2nd time we went on a holiday together and this trip like the last one was fun! We choose a hotel (highly recommended by friends who hv been to Malacca *many many times) where eating, shopping and sight seeing were very convenient.
We took off at 8.30am and reached Malacca ard 2pm. Took a quick lunch at the hotel Nonya Restaurant, chkin, rest and we began our first day shopping!
We went ard the hotel area to chkout the malls and familiarise the old folks ard the area before we call it a day. (Since everyone was very tired due to the morning ride).
Day 2 :
Morning was free and easy (read : everyone is free to make plans) but to meet ard 12nn for lunch. So, we chkout the nearby malls, took the kids to ride rickshaw and booked an afternoon duck tour for the family.
Our first good lunch was at BeiZhan where food is GOOD!! at very reasonable price. This place was highly recommended by Kel's colleagues (they even gave him the items to order!!) and after lunch, we went to Makota's Mall for more shopping before meeting at 4pm for our ducktour.
Evening time was spent strolling at Jonker Street where the street will be closed at 6pm for roadside stalls to be setup. Lots of good local food available + lots of things to get frm clogs to beaded shoes (hand-made) + lots of tidbits (the famous San Su Gong) and souvenirs to get.
Dinner was at Jonker Street Teo Soon Loong Teo Chew Restaurant. Thks to Kathlyn and Sarah who passed us the name cards and reminded us to call and make reservations wks before we leave for Malacca. The food is SUPER DELICIOUS! and the place is a very small setting and they do not accept any walk ins customers. Well, this marked a very good ending of Day 2. :)
Day 3 :
Kids and kel went to the pool (which i purposely avoided.. since my last fall!!) Went shopping with mum since dad is too tired (hehehehe... away frm his bed..he didnt really sleep too well). Got alot of bargains mainly for the kids. As for the adults, there aint too many stuff suitable for mum and me. We chkout at 1.30pm, hv lunch and waited back at the hotel for our rtn coach to Singapore.
I am glad that the old folks enjoyed the trip since they are more adventurous than us while the kids can sit through the coach ride without much hassle. Touring with olds and youngs prove to be a challenge for us..esp kel who hv to act like a mini tour guide but then, what is more important is all of them enjoyed. The kids hv their grandparents for company and the old folks hv us (the younger ones) to bring them ard. I am still in the midst of loading all the pics in FB, do chk it out!
We took off at 8.30am and reached Malacca ard 2pm. Took a quick lunch at the hotel Nonya Restaurant, chkin, rest and we began our first day shopping!
We went ard the hotel area to chkout the malls and familiarise the old folks ard the area before we call it a day. (Since everyone was very tired due to the morning ride).
Day 2 :
Morning was free and easy (read : everyone is free to make plans) but to meet ard 12nn for lunch. So, we chkout the nearby malls, took the kids to ride rickshaw and booked an afternoon duck tour for the family.
Our first good lunch was at BeiZhan where food is GOOD!! at very reasonable price. This place was highly recommended by Kel's colleagues (they even gave him the items to order!!) and after lunch, we went to Makota's Mall for more shopping before meeting at 4pm for our ducktour.
Evening time was spent strolling at Jonker Street where the street will be closed at 6pm for roadside stalls to be setup. Lots of good local food available + lots of things to get frm clogs to beaded shoes (hand-made) + lots of tidbits (the famous San Su Gong) and souvenirs to get.
Dinner was at Jonker Street Teo Soon Loong Teo Chew Restaurant. Thks to Kathlyn and Sarah who passed us the name cards and reminded us to call and make reservations wks before we leave for Malacca. The food is SUPER DELICIOUS! and the place is a very small setting and they do not accept any walk ins customers. Well, this marked a very good ending of Day 2. :)
Day 3 :
Kids and kel went to the pool (which i purposely avoided.. since my last fall!!) Went shopping with mum since dad is too tired (hehehehe... away frm his bed..he didnt really sleep too well). Got alot of bargains mainly for the kids. As for the adults, there aint too many stuff suitable for mum and me. We chkout at 1.30pm, hv lunch and waited back at the hotel for our rtn coach to Singapore.
I am glad that the old folks enjoyed the trip since they are more adventurous than us while the kids can sit through the coach ride without much hassle. Touring with olds and youngs prove to be a challenge for us..esp kel who hv to act like a mini tour guide but then, what is more important is all of them enjoyed. The kids hv their grandparents for company and the old folks hv us (the younger ones) to bring them ard. I am still in the midst of loading all the pics in FB, do chk it out!
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