Over the years I have had many attempts at blogging, however, it never became anything regular. Over time, the themes changed and the blog takes on a new focus and new ideas as my life progresses. The materials previously written were never removed. They are a part of who I have been.
Since the last time I blogged, many things have happened. But it is finally time for a new chapter as Canada beckons.
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Sunday, July 13, 2014
P90X3
On Friday 11 July 2014, I started my new programme P90X3.
I had just finished Body Beast a couple of days before. Body Beast took me 520-over days when it was supposed to be a 90-day programme.
I can't remember how many days I took to finish P90X because I didn't document it. I know it was more than 180 because I had tried doing it daily but I didn't make it past the first month when I was doing it every day. I had to restart it after the first try failed.
In addition to that, I didn't stick to the every other day schedule either, so it must have been at least 200-over days.
The first two days of P90X3 is promising. I don't know if it's because I had just come from Body Beast, which was very high intensity because of all the added weight used, P90X3, using mostly my body weight, has so far not been very intense. Coupled with my 4 P.M schedule, I am hoping to really make it consistent and a priority.
Saturday was a break because of date day, but it's just a rescheduling of the rest day once a week so I don't see a problem.
Here goes nothing.
Wednesday, July 09, 2014
Body Beast Completed
Today marks the end of my Body Beast journey, finally.
I started Body Beast on 30th Jan 2013. What was supposed to be a 90-day program turned out to be more than a year, or 525 days.
I took almost 6 times the intended required amount of time but I am glad I finished. I didn't take down my weight at the beginning but I vaguely remember that it should have been around the low 60s.
I know that Body Beast is a great workout which works because at the peak of my growth I was at 70 kg and could clearly see my gains and feel them in the way I filled my clothes.
However, I also realised that I lose muscle weight very fast. I am currently at around 66 kg. Somewhere in the middle I stop working for a month and I lost 5 kg and was down to 65kg.
Great as it is, Body Beast is really lacking in mobility exercises. I will come back to Body Beast when I intend to build some more, maybe with more consistency.
Now it's time to move on to the next program.
I started Body Beast on 30th Jan 2013. What was supposed to be a 90-day program turned out to be more than a year, or 525 days.
I took almost 6 times the intended required amount of time but I am glad I finished. I didn't take down my weight at the beginning but I vaguely remember that it should have been around the low 60s.
I know that Body Beast is a great workout which works because at the peak of my growth I was at 70 kg and could clearly see my gains and feel them in the way I filled my clothes.
However, I also realised that I lose muscle weight very fast. I am currently at around 66 kg. Somewhere in the middle I stop working for a month and I lost 5 kg and was down to 65kg.
Great as it is, Body Beast is really lacking in mobility exercises. I will come back to Body Beast when I intend to build some more, maybe with more consistency.
Now it's time to move on to the next program.
Tuesday, June 03, 2014
Crowdfunding
Roy Ngerng, the Singapore blogger who is being sued by the Prime Minister, is all the rage these days on social media.
His defense fund fundraiser confirmed what I always thought was possible; if everyone contributes a little bit, as little as $10 even, I only need 10000 donors to hit my required funds of $100000 for my flight training.
I mean, what is $10 to most people? We spend countless more each day wasted on unnecessary items like $5 coffees and $12 cigarettes or that extra taxi to save on 10 minutes of waiting.
So I hope my plan will take off!
https://www.facebook.com/helpweeloonfly
His defense fund fundraiser confirmed what I always thought was possible; if everyone contributes a little bit, as little as $10 even, I only need 10000 donors to hit my required funds of $100000 for my flight training.
I mean, what is $10 to most people? We spend countless more each day wasted on unnecessary items like $5 coffees and $12 cigarettes or that extra taxi to save on 10 minutes of waiting.
So I hope my plan will take off!
https://www.facebook.com/helpweeloonfly
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Being a better man - shine your shoes
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2009/06/01/30-days-to-a-better-man-day-2-shine-your-shoes/
Day 2 of becoming a better man asks that I shine my shoes. When I first read this post, I tried my hand at shining my shoes. Before that, I hadn't done it since my army days, so granted it was a little rusty.
I had to google Youtbe videos
Day 2 of becoming a better man asks that I shine my shoes. When I first read this post, I tried my hand at shining my shoes. Before that, I hadn't done it since my army days, so granted it was a little rusty.
I had to google Youtbe videos
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Being a better man - defining values
I have been following this website, Art of Manliness, and reading the posts on and off. Though my best friend thinks that I have been reading too many of these crappy magazine advice and useless stuff than actually doing something proper, I have to say that I have found the articles on this website rather interesting and helpful.
But then again, I always reiterate that I don't follow everything blindly. I am more discerning than that. Some things don't apply to us, at the very least it's culturally inapplicable, but there are some things that are really worth thinking about.
Today, I am going to try something.
http://www.artofmanliness.com/category/30-days-to-a-better-man/
In this article, the author gave a list of 30 things that he felt make a better man. The number 1 item on the list is defining my core value.
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2009/05/31/30-days-to-a-better-man-day-1-define-your-core-values/
I have seriously tried thinking about this for a while, and it is hard.
What is a value?
value
ˈvaljuː/
principles or standards of behaviour; one's judgement of what is important in life.
"they internalize their parents' rules and values"
synonyms: principles, moral principles, ethics, moral code, morals, moral values,standards, moral standards, code of behaviour, rules of conduct,standards of behaviour
"society's values are passed on to us as children"
The author said to come up with as many as I want then bring it down to five. I thought long and hard and I came up with a long list:
1. Moderation
2. Family
3. Friends
4. Trust
5. Honesty
6. Independence
7. Gentlemanliness
8. Reason
9. Relativity
10. Self-reliance
11. Inner strength
12. Credibility
13. Reliability
14. Integrity
15. Self-improvement
16. Humility
17. Gratitude
Looking at my list, first I don't know if I got what it means to be a value right. Then I realised that I have no idea how to bring this list down to five.
I have always preached moderation to people. After all, in this world there is no room for extremes because things are never black and white. Then I realised that I actually love to operate in black and white because shades of grey in the middle are too hard for me to navigate.
Friends and family are important to me, but if you ask my friends and family, I don't think they will agree that I have been living by my words, even though I am trying to do that nowadays.
I find trust and honesty sometimes conflicting, because that white lie is necessary, and because I realised people who say that they want you to be honest seldom can accept the honesty.
Independence is, finally, something straightforward to me and something I value, but that could be because I generally love doing things alone and want people to not get on my case.
Gentlemanliness is something I have recently started aspiring to be. To my dismay, I generally suck at it. Plus, it is so vague that I don't really know what it comprises.
Reason, I think makes the world simpler. If someone has reason, I usually find their actions and request (reasonable, hence the term) but I think that it against relativity because people seem to perceive reason differently. And in this world, there are so many unreasonable people that being reasonable is pointless. People are usually illogical.
Self-reliance is closely associated with independence. I like to do things on my own and usually find myself struggling and refusing to seek help. I just don't want to trouble others for my own problems.
Credibility and reliability are very important to me. They are the two values my father is very particular about. He is a man I want to be but sadly, I find myself falling short most of the time. He always come through for people (even if my mom disagrees).
Integrity is about doing the right thing, even when people are not watching. When I slack off at times, I think about what would happen if something were to see me. But this is not integrity, this is still because of consequence. I think if I could get away with murder in this world, I would be doing the wrong things all the time. I should change.
I don't think I have an ego problem. I always believe that there are people better than me, and there are things I can learn from them. As the saying goes, ‘三人行，必有我师。’
And because no one owes me a living, I don't take people for granted. I am grateful to all the people who have helped me. Even in failed situations, I thank you for having tried, as long as you were really trying to help.
OK. Inner strength and self-improvement don't seem to be values, per se.
Looking at that, I am left with these:
1. Moderation
2. Family and Friends
3. Trust
4. Honesty
5. Independence and Self-reliance
6. Gentlemanliness
7. Reason
8. Relativity
9. Inner strength
10. Credibility and Reliability
11. Integrity
12. Self-improvement
13. Humility and Gratitude
Tidying things up a bit:
1. Moderation
2. Family and Friends
3. Trust
4. Independence and Self-reliance
5. Reason
6. Credibility and Reliability
7. Integrity
8. Humility and Gratitude
A little chunking, I have eight. I should write these down somewhere and let them be my guiding principles.
But then again, I always reiterate that I don't follow everything blindly. I am more discerning than that. Some things don't apply to us, at the very least it's culturally inapplicable, but there are some things that are really worth thinking about.
Today, I am going to try something.
http://www.artofmanliness.com/category/30-days-to-a-better-man/
In this article, the author gave a list of 30 things that he felt make a better man. The number 1 item on the list is defining my core value.
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2009/05/31/30-days-to-a-better-man-day-1-define-your-core-values/
I have seriously tried thinking about this for a while, and it is hard.
What is a value?
value
ˈvaljuː/
principles or standards of behaviour; one's judgement of what is important in life.
"they internalize their parents' rules and values"
synonyms: principles, moral principles, ethics, moral code, morals, moral values,standards, moral standards, code of behaviour, rules of conduct,standards of behaviour
"society's values are passed on to us as children"
The author said to come up with as many as I want then bring it down to five. I thought long and hard and I came up with a long list:
1. Moderation
2. Family
3. Friends
4. Trust
5. Honesty
6. Independence
7. Gentlemanliness
8. Reason
9. Relativity
10. Self-reliance
11. Inner strength
12. Credibility
13. Reliability
14. Integrity
15. Self-improvement
16. Humility
17. Gratitude
Looking at my list, first I don't know if I got what it means to be a value right. Then I realised that I have no idea how to bring this list down to five.
I have always preached moderation to people. After all, in this world there is no room for extremes because things are never black and white. Then I realised that I actually love to operate in black and white because shades of grey in the middle are too hard for me to navigate.
Friends and family are important to me, but if you ask my friends and family, I don't think they will agree that I have been living by my words, even though I am trying to do that nowadays.
I find trust and honesty sometimes conflicting, because that white lie is necessary, and because I realised people who say that they want you to be honest seldom can accept the honesty.
Independence is, finally, something straightforward to me and something I value, but that could be because I generally love doing things alone and want people to not get on my case.
Gentlemanliness is something I have recently started aspiring to be. To my dismay, I generally suck at it. Plus, it is so vague that I don't really know what it comprises.
Reason, I think makes the world simpler. If someone has reason, I usually find their actions and request (reasonable, hence the term) but I think that it against relativity because people seem to perceive reason differently. And in this world, there are so many unreasonable people that being reasonable is pointless. People are usually illogical.
Self-reliance is closely associated with independence. I like to do things on my own and usually find myself struggling and refusing to seek help. I just don't want to trouble others for my own problems.
Credibility and reliability are very important to me. They are the two values my father is very particular about. He is a man I want to be but sadly, I find myself falling short most of the time. He always come through for people (even if my mom disagrees).
Integrity is about doing the right thing, even when people are not watching. When I slack off at times, I think about what would happen if something were to see me. But this is not integrity, this is still because of consequence. I think if I could get away with murder in this world, I would be doing the wrong things all the time. I should change.
I don't think I have an ego problem. I always believe that there are people better than me, and there are things I can learn from them. As the saying goes, ‘三人行，必有我师。’
And because no one owes me a living, I don't take people for granted. I am grateful to all the people who have helped me. Even in failed situations, I thank you for having tried, as long as you were really trying to help.
OK. Inner strength and self-improvement don't seem to be values, per se.
Looking at that, I am left with these:
1. Moderation
2. Family and Friends
3. Trust
4. Honesty
5. Independence and Self-reliance
6. Gentlemanliness
7. Reason
8. Relativity
9. Inner strength
10. Credibility and Reliability
11. Integrity
12. Self-improvement
13. Humility and Gratitude
Tidying things up a bit:
1. Moderation
2. Family and Friends
3. Trust
4. Independence and Self-reliance
5. Reason
6. Credibility and Reliability
7. Integrity
8. Humility and Gratitude
A little chunking, I have eight. I should write these down somewhere and let them be my guiding principles.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
On journaling and gratitude
Life is fraught with many things, ups and downs. I have never been one who has the best memory to note and remember every little detail in my life. Perhaps this is where a good journal can come in.
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2009/06/07/30-days-to-a-better-man-day-8-start-a-journal/
These past days have been a great challenge. In fact these past weeks have been a great challenge. I think sometimes in life, we are so caught up with the many trials and tribulations we forget to give thanks to the little things in life. Today, I want to use this opportunity to give thanks. Gratitude is a mysterious thing.
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2009/06/04/30-days-to-a-better-man-day-5-cultivate-your-gratitude/
There are many things in a relationship that I can give thanks for, but at the top of my head, after a quick thought, these are the first few that came to mind.
I am thankful for my girlfriend, for:
1) Sticking with me and standing by me at the beginning of our relationship, despite the many emails and harassment she received.
2) I am not the most emotive or expressive person. Such is my character that I often portray an air of indifference. So I want to give thanks to you for being so enthusiastic about us even though I often made you feel like I am not in it.
3) For being supportive of my dream to soar into the skies. Despite the many uncertainties that it brings, you have been my pillar and worry more for me than I do myself about achieving my dream.
4) For always calling my BS and wanting to motivate me to become a better person, for my sake, even if it sometimes lead to resentment and arguments.
5) For willing to accommodate to some of my demands, albeit grudgingly, such as soccer nights and someday me-times.
6) For being OK with my many gross and unbecoming habits that would deal a death knell in many relationships as being simply too disgusting. And despite so, still always telling me that I am hot.
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2009/06/07/30-days-to-a-better-man-day-8-start-a-journal/
These past days have been a great challenge. In fact these past weeks have been a great challenge. I think sometimes in life, we are so caught up with the many trials and tribulations we forget to give thanks to the little things in life. Today, I want to use this opportunity to give thanks. Gratitude is a mysterious thing.
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2009/06/04/30-days-to-a-better-man-day-5-cultivate-your-gratitude/
There are many things in a relationship that I can give thanks for, but at the top of my head, after a quick thought, these are the first few that came to mind.
I am thankful for my girlfriend, for:
1) Sticking with me and standing by me at the beginning of our relationship, despite the many emails and harassment she received.
2) I am not the most emotive or expressive person. Such is my character that I often portray an air of indifference. So I want to give thanks to you for being so enthusiastic about us even though I often made you feel like I am not in it.
3) For being supportive of my dream to soar into the skies. Despite the many uncertainties that it brings, you have been my pillar and worry more for me than I do myself about achieving my dream.
4) For always calling my BS and wanting to motivate me to become a better person, for my sake, even if it sometimes lead to resentment and arguments.
5) For willing to accommodate to some of my demands, albeit grudgingly, such as soccer nights and someday me-times.
6) For being OK with my many gross and unbecoming habits that would deal a death knell in many relationships as being simply too disgusting. And despite so, still always telling me that I am hot.
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