Monday, December 26, 2005

Yesterday's Rice, Today's Porridge

That sentence came from a 12th BOATer. I thought it was interesting. The leftover of yesterday's butter garlic & herb rice with raisins was so nice, a few could not bear to throw it away. It became today's porridge for breakfast. I'm not a fan of rice and water as porridge but ninja and gin tonic were happily slurping up.

I visited Pulau Hantu. There was Hantu Kechil and Hantu Besar. At low tide or not so high tide, you can wade your way across from one island to the other. It's a really idyllic place that you want to be in and do nothing but nothing. And we enjoyed ourselves very much by doing nothing but eat, chit-chat and play. There's no electricity at night. So everything was pitch black.

There were people attempting to fish, catch jelly fish and crabs while some others were collecting snails, millipedes and saga seeds. From time to time, sinister laughter came from the stacko game because the stake was to get dunked. The rest of the time, we were just eating non stop. Fun does comes in numbers. There were 24 of us in all.

I want to...try diving here. I miss diving, its been several months since my last dive. Even though, it may not be much but I think it ought to be an experience worth trying.

The water was pretty clear at some places and suspended with much silt and sediment at the lagoon. Its quite hard to think they can actually see that much marine life here. There were lots of jelly fish but mostly small ones. They were not enough to be lethal but certainly made their prescence felt. Most of the time, the first creature I see when I put my face into the water, was the jelly fish. And all along they thought they were sea ticks :P I must have been so brave to have actually swam inside the water.

It was funny when we were recalling how K fell out of his hammock when it gave way and the 'room mate' (me), ignored the commotion totally thinking they were changing places and taking cover because it started to rain. Someone else thought a coconut had dropped. It's so ironical because we were all still admiring his DIY hammock that is so neat and light earlier in the afternoon. Now, I guess we would think twice about attempting to DIY our own hammock :P

We were singing 'christmas carols' before the gift exchange. But obviously, we were terribly at it. There was the X'mas gift exchange played in a new style like you play musical chairs. With a budget set at $5, you get to see how creative people got. Some half of the people exchanged creativity with money by exceeding the budget. I magically got a present from the same person twice this year.

'MURDERER' was fun. It caused a lot of explosive laughter to come from many of us. Laughter is really the best medicine. It's not played in the usual way. We used 2 decks of poker cards and played it like 'HEART ATTACK' with a 'MURDERER' card amongst them. At the end of the day, we synonymously agreed to make 1 person pole danced whether or not he was the last one to reach the tree in the blackness of the night. The 'MURDERER' unfortunately couldn't escape and was forced to pole dance when he didn't know how to and was too shy to attempt. But he was a good sport. Haha. it's fun to watch shy guys stand and scratch their head in clueless abandon.

The 12th BOATers, for the first time in their life, realised what GOOD FOOD really meant while being outdoors. Good food need not be, expensive. That is of course. No one gets disappointed each time I decide what food we will eat. It is something, I cannot be more confident about. Tried, tested & proven. I hope this will also signify the start of more good food for future trips.
The only slight disappointment came when, someone commented on how we should bring Annie along for the next trip so we will all have good food.

Friends who don't go camping with me probably never knew I could cook at all. Well, too bad. Invite me to your party next time then.

Posted by LiTTle-FooT at 11:20 PM with 2 comments

Friday, December 23, 2005

Conn-ed

I have a lunch reception on the 30th while some others work 0.5 days, supposedly to celebrate Christmas? Or is it New Year? In the initial communication, we were told 'junior staff' pays $5. Now the email says SAs pay $15! WTH. There's an SS category which pays $8. I don't see $5 anywhere at all. I really shouldn't complain because 'management' pays $50. It's just a dumb buffet lunch where I eat, you eat. I look at you and you look at me and we try to create meaningful conversations. If its good, we probably get to sit down. You know, such functions are usually FOC at many other places and if its not, its probably not held at all.

I feel so cheated.

Posted by LiTTle-FooT at 11:20 PM with 0 comments

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Fact of The Day

Did you know that your stomach contains one of the most acidic substances in the world? HCl acid has a pH of about 1.0 - 2.0 and its right there within you. It's the only place in your body that has the ability to tolerate such acidity. I read an article that says that your blood cannot become acidic by consuming acidic food. (Really?) And if Hcl is already so acidic, how can taking something of lesser acidity make things worse? I thought about it. Quite true. Then does it really matter whether the foods you're taking is more acidic or alkali?

To some it does. If you suffer from reflux where the food actually comes out of your stomach after mixing with the HCl and because its very acidic in nature, the other parts of your body is not able to tolerate it. It's an awful feeling. Hence, the intake of acidic food is really not recommended in this case.

Frankly speaking, if you were a supplement company, would you not do research with findings and evidences telling one that you do not need supplements?

Of course I don't buy his nonsense. I'm just nodding my head in mechanical agreement. Except that, I don't see why you should also make me a believer of your beliefs.

Posted by LiTTle-FooT at 11:15 PM with 0 comments

MILK 2

Did you know that your stomach contains one of the most acidic substances in the world? HCl acid has a pH of about 1.0 - 2.0 and its right there within you. It's the only place in your body that has the ability to tolerate such acidity. I read an article that says that your blood cannot become acidic by consuming acidic food. (Really?) And if Hcl is already so acidic, how can taking something of lesser acidity make things worse? I thought about it. Quite true. Then does it really matter whether the foods you're taking is more acidic or alkali? To some it does. If you suffer from reflux where the food actually comes out of your stomach after mixing with the HCl and because its very acidic in nature, the other parts of your body is not able to tolerate it. It's an awful feeling. Hence, the intake of acidic food is really not recommended in this case.

Frankly speaking, if you were a supplement company, would you not do research with findings and evidences telling one that you do not need supplements?

Of course I don't buy his nonsense. I'm just nodding my head in mechanical agreement. Except that, I don't see why you should also make me a believer of your beliefs.

Posted by LiTTle-FooT at 1:49 AM with 0 comments

Sunday, December 11, 2005

Falling in Love Again

I first did sports climbing way back in 2002 when I dragged some friends along. It was almost my first and my last. I stopped. The motivation wasn't there and I couldn't possibly climb alone. SAFRA TPY wasn't half as interesting as the one I did yesterday. It also showed me that, a vertical, straight faced wall isn't always the easiest wall to climb! We were all deceived. And although I only climbed once, the satisfaction was immensely tremendous. If not for the lack of time, I would have tried the 2nd wall. Now, I wanna do it again, I want to get shoes! My climbing techniques seriously suck, but who cares! ---
I tried cardio salsa. It was cheap, so what the heck. And I signed up. I wanna salsa again, very badly. The teacher was good and she taught us techniques that never before I have learnt in my earlier classes. She's a 4 times champion in SEA Amateur Champion in Latin-Ballroom dance. Her style, of course was latin and very ballroom (not Cuban at all). It wasn't very cardio but I think it advocates dancing salsa without a partner. If you're interested to know how much of a workout you get, it uses the same muscles as you would for belly dance.

Posted by LiTTle-FooT at 1:47 AM with 0 comments

Saturday, December 10, 2005

Social Work

I went shopping for kitchenware for the home with this other engineer. The VIP is late as usual. I mean, you drive a Lexus, not a lorry. Why do you insist on delivering 30 chairs plus many other bulky items in your tiny Lexus?! Oh, it was to show sincerity, the engineer told me. You have a brain, but you use it the wrong way. Creating unnecessary work for yourself to do.

Why would a person in the normal frame of mind ask 2 girls who neither look big sized or strong and muscular to go shop for big heavy kitchen utensils and 30 foldable chairs?

Posted by LiTTle-FooT at 1:45 AM with 0 comments

Thursday, December 08, 2005

MILK is acidic. I didn't know, did you?

Cool! I learnt something new today. Instead of giving you calcium, it will rob you of calcium. Why? Because milk is acidic! Hurray! Drinking milk will cause your body to be acidic. Hence to neutralise it, it draws calcium out from your calcium stores, your bones.

Do you know why young people who suffer from cancer die faster? Cos they move around too much! Too much free radicals produced, hence they die faster. Didn't you know why extreme marathoners fall sick after completing a marathon? Cos they produce so much free radicals and not having enough antioxidants, the immune system weakens and they fall sick.

Even if it were true, does it imply that your human body does not have the ability to adapt and condition itself? I know so many people who have completed,5k, 10k, 21k and 42k marathons and none of them have ever fallen sick because of a marathon. Dehydrated yes, fatigue yes. But they have never fallen sick. Maybe you would, but the normal, healthy person doesn't usually.

In all of your health reasonings, I do not see exercise and training as one of the key components at all. And for someone who pops about 10 pills a meal, its not surprising. Do you understand why we need Ca in the first place? Bones? Yes, do you know how your bone mineral density builds in the first place? I guess that no one really knows that drinking Ca fortified foods will never build your BMD? All it does is ensure you have enough for your body functions so it does not draw from your Ca store in your bones! I'm glad I didn't attend my CPT for nothing!

I have the burning urge to buy some litmus papers and test all the milk available in the market now. I shall now launch a research on MILK. Grr..

Posted by LiTTle-FooT at 1:43 AM with 0 comments

Wine & Dine

2 dinners in a week, I think its too much. And just a few weeks ago, I had lunch with him. I admit the food was good but its everything but normal. It's really the last 'ECA' I would be most keen on. Guess what? I was told to push away all my other appointments! Damn, all nicely masked in the name of 'exposure'. I only forced myself to go because I didn't want to appear un-nice.

Its only ok if I do not have to cancel my appointments to meet yours! I certainly do not fancy getting your 'rich man's diseases' or putting food into my mouth unnecessarily! And your supplement talk is making me sick. I feel a tad sorry that people would probably be lying to you so that you could hear what you wanted to hear. Talk about using one poison to cure another poison.

Friends have warned me to becareful.

Social work? Why should you want me to be involved? I thought, I only do it because I want to and not because you tell me to? Now, I seriously wonder what is your motive for getting involved in such projects.

Posted by LiTTle-FooT at 1:36 AM with 0 comments

Random Thoughts

My favourite picture of the moment has invariably got to be that retro pink committee photo. Tastefully done up by a professional photographer and graphic artist. If you have seen the original picture and the final cut (better if you have been through the session), you will know what I mean. This is what I call, digital revolution. :) We have a 4R copy. It's on my shelf at home and I cannot help but look at it each time I pass by. 18 hunks & babes. Woohoo!
---
Core Strength Training. Balance is a combination of taichi, yoga and pilates. I cannot extol enough of the benefits of core strength training and proper technique and form. It's all about control. It is art and beauty in itself and looks extremely asthetically pleasing to the mind, body and soul.

Posted by LiTTle-FooT at 1:18 AM with 0 comments

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Do You Believe in Coincidences?

When coincidences happen one too many, do you believe life is trying to tell you something?

Posted by LiTTle-FooT at 12:27 AM with 1 comments

Monday, December 05, 2005

c2pit ma la ton

I stayed out the entire night. The race has come and gone. It looks a success to most people I'm sure.

I volunteered in the race as a first timer and chose to be at the start/end point. I wanted to see how they run the show, the operations, the logistics after taking part in 2 runs this year. I was hugely disappointed. Everything was messed up right from the beginning.

Email notification + briefing date - It seems they have no idea what they wanted, much tell decided on your allocations. I got 2 emails with the second one changing my position because of "due to lack of resources". I couldn't make it for the new position's briefing anyway.

Briefing - Was ok, they were out of point and repeated the points and told us everything that the start/end point marshals did not have to know. Things we had to know, route details, handouts, layout, maps etc was a question mark. Fail.

Collection of T-shirts - Another total failure. We should have gotton it during the briefing actually. I got the sms on Thursday. I was told to collect it during THEIR office hours on Fri and Sat at ulu National Stadium. The race, on Sun. Maybe volunteers are supposed to be jobless with nothing to do.

I reached the place within the stipulated time frame. There was no one around, no one in the office. I called the person in charge who told me that she was out running errands and told me to wait for her. Guess what? It was 1130 when I called. She would only be back at 2pm! See what I told you about them thinking volunteers have nothing better to do? You think your office is located at a orchard Road or something. I couldn't wait. I couldn't. She told me to take the t-shirt on Sat itself. (Then why did you even bother asking me to come and collect in the first place?! Anyway, I realised not everyone got the same message).

I was freaking mad and gave her a piece of my mind insisting that she did something about it, because she wasted my time (I had to wake up earlier) and wasted my cab fare there. In the end, she told me she would be back in 20 minutes.

Race Day - Reporting time at 330am. It was another big mess. There were easily several hundreds volunteers. But there was clearly no signal where the different volunteers should be reporting to. I went to A who referred me to B who referred me back to A. There was supposed to be a pre-briefing but there was none heard. The ic looked just as lost. We had no idea where exactly was the start and end point, where the information counter was. We were basically clueless as to how to get in and out among the barricades put up, where participants could get water and my orientation of the entire place could not be worse. We were also not prepared for what to expect on that day. Many did not come prepared with sun protection (cap, shades, sunblock, towel etc). I brought my sunblock and cap, luckily or I am going to be in a worse condition than now. I don't understand why people who want to be tan think that by not applying sun protection, they will be so. Yes. they will, and probably premature photo aging and skin cancer too. Besides, getting burnt is just not the way to get a tan.

Breakfast was 1 Kit-kat, 1 biscuit, 1 ok cake and 1 not nice kaya bread, 1 apple.

The volunteers were deployed. The race started. By 7am, most of all the races had started. By right, my job had ended. Then came a few people who seemed in desperate need of volunteers and just wanted to pluck us out without checking. I ended up at the end point dispatching drinks to the runners who finished their race and got a broken blister on my finger. Most of the time, we were just hard labourers, carrying cartons of ice mountain. Where were they guys who were there initially? I think they must have DIED or MELTED in the hot sun.

Lunch was some not very nice fried rice, 1 wanton, tofu and some red coloured chicken. Not very nice but edible. Better than not nice + not edible.

The end of the event was miserable too. They know how many hundred volunteers they had. Yet, there was only 1 person allocating the monies. The volunteers had to queue up for an entire hour (I did for 1.5 hours - How am I supposed to know route marshal and start/end point marshals are not the same) under the hot sun with no shelter, no seats, almost no drinks. Don't they realise that after a night of almost no sleep, a day out in the sun, sunburnt and now finally when its ended, what? Quene up in the sun. I wish I could faint, I really did but then of course, I didn't.

Peeve1 - we were about the only people given cotton tees.

Peeve2 - I am now severely dehydrated and a little burnt.

Looking after ourselves may be our personal responsibility and we are afterall not students who needs to be spoonfed anymore. Ironically, there were many volunteers who are students who were forced to volunteer and fulfill their CIP and probably need to be spoonfed.

Volunteer Management - Fail.

Posted by LiTTle-FooT at 12:18 AM with 0 comments