Up

Up - Olly Murs feat Demi Lovato

1. Did a tonne of upper body work today, achy. But on the bright side, body fat is now within the normal range, I was a little over a month back, and some muscle gains, though minimal still. That one strict pull-up isn't happening end of April, guess I was a little too ambitious with that goal.

2. I am not sure if it is thick-skinned of me to go about my pre-birthday wishes like this, but does it, or does it not, make sense to ask for things that I actually want instead of receiving more lotions / bath soaps / accessories that I don't actually need?

I have a 20% voucher for World of Sports - because my colleague is awesome that way, she goes for all these runs and gives me all her vouchers and coupons; and it has a 2 week validity (which means it'll expire before my birthday) and I wanna get more Mizuno sports bra(s) because they're really nice to wear. Doesn't matter that I already have sufficient to last me a week without doing my laundry (but I'm not yucky like that).

3. Today, I realized that I'm more pink than I think I am. My slippers, toe nails, backpack, phone, wallet, skirt, were all pink.

4. What's happening in Nepal is devastating. I am not sure if it's wrong for us to go on with our happy little lives when somewhere else in the world, you know people are suffering. Guess this applies not just to Nepal, but all the war torn countries, poverty and all that. Sure acts as a reminder to appreciate all that we have, no matter how little or how small.

5. Yesterday was convocation for the juniors. I've graduated 4, or 5 years ago now! And my friend is getting married in 3 weeks, super exciting. If we're not getting older, I don't know what else is real.

6. Boss taught me about Bursa listing and all that jazz today. Made me realize that my I-know-enough-about-life-to-have-a-good-life attitude is really shallow. There's so much that I don't actually know. Coming back to Bursa listings and whatnot, I'm still not quite there yet, say, 10% is all that I understand remember from the lesson. Yikes.

7. A worm was sacrificed this morning when I boiled my broccoli, which I didn't end up eating for lunch after all because I had a unplanned lunch date. And coach officially told me to cut down on carbs for dinner from now on. Not that that's an issue since I don't usually have carbs for dinner anyway.

8. I usually try to make sure I hit 10 if I ever do lists, but I'm running out of ideas.. Sans for the fact that I've been wanting to tell people that I really need a lot of sleep. 7.5 hours is the minimum before I get all grouchy the next morning. But I'm still young! Why do I need so much sleep I don't get it.

9. I had a haircut. I don't really like it. My fringe gets in the way of everything I do. And I've resorted to just pining it up. But everyone (who have noticed, which is not many), have said that it looks good. So weird.

10. Yay, 4 day work week. With Monday down, that's 3 days left to go! Think I'll try and go swim some this long weekend. And climb some too, it's been 2 weeks with no climbing.

Wokay, there 10! Bed time. Sweet dreams! x

Hot Chocolate Craving

I'm better off just going to sleep.

#TGIF

Awake When It Is Bed Time

Awake - Tycho

I started listening to Tycho when I was introduced to him by a friend whom I had a crush on. Ha! But you know what they say, if you're still listening to the songs when the crush is over, it has to be good songs.

I tend to just use Spotify for my music now, which I have to admit, is the best investment I've made this month!

1. I hadn't realize that changing watch strap can be so expensive. Either that or the watch shop in the concourse area in MV charges more than elsewhere.

2. I need a haircut as I've been waking up to bad hair days. 4 days in a row. If I can't make an appointment with Jo @ Jantzen who was the one behind my awesome from-long-to-short-do, I'm considering if I should just walk over to one of the many salons during my lunch hour..

3. I really want to get a new pair of training shoes. But I am also afraid that I'll get another pair which "isn't the right fit". My Asics are running shoes which doesn't give me the flexibility for weight / strength training. My Skechers were a tad too big to begin with, but now they just slide off my foot when I attempt burpees. And my Timberlands have been collecting dust because I've not used them since I successfully scaled Mount KK. Meh.

4. I also never knew slippers were so expensive! I wanted to get a spare pair to keep in my car, because I have a tonne of legitimate reasons why I have never worn my current keep-in-the-car-spare-pair that needs to be thrown out.

5. Today's training was probably the least intense training I've had. Am I slacking off or am I becoming stronger that I don't feel as tired as quickly anymore?

6. I am inclined to think that broccoli is my miracle food. I had broccoli for lunch 4 out of 7 days (and ate nonsense for all my other meals) last week and my trainer asked me if I had lost weight. This week, I couldn't get any broccoli and my trainer asked me if I gained weight.

7. I think I'll go back to microwaving eggs - they're so simple to prepare! There's literally no preparation!

8. My latest favourite stance is headstand without wall support. There's something liberating about being upside down. And being strong enough to balance my own weight. And to know that I'm in control enough to not fall backwards.

9. The weather has been really quite bipolar lately. Please don't rain while I go for my lunch date tomorrow. But don't be too hot either because either way, I don't want to go back to the office drenched.

10. I am reeeeeeally itching to go shopping. As you can probably already tell. But, must. resist. temptation. Especially since my spending capability is limited at this moment. For my birthday, I have a request. Please don't surprise me with gifts. Just bring me shopping, and foot the bill.

Can? x

We Light Up The World

Firestone - Kygo feat Conrad

So much awesome in this. I saved it in my songs list when I heard it on Spotify, but it really become that much more awesome when it was playing while I was running earlier. My new workout tune.

Just as I was typing this, I realized my finger was bleeding from a pretty deep cut. It hadn't hurt at all, but now I wanna cry. I've applied some leftover minyak gamat from my last stitch incident. Let's hope it seals on its own.

And while we're at that, I do have a peculiar love for buying plasters. Haha!

I think I'm on a runner's high. My legs are gonna hate me tomorrow though.

They Say, You Fake It Until You Make It

I've always taken that advice with a pinch of salt. I believe it when it comes to, "Even if you are having a bad day, just keep smiling, and your brains will conspire with all the Earth to make you feel happier". I don't believe it when it comes to things like, "You dislike eating papayas but you eat them anyway until one day, you'll love papayas."

You get what I mean right?

Are You Mentally Strong or Just Acting Tough? I glimpsed through this article late last night after my climbing session, and it made me re-think how I approach the above all together.

1. Tough people believe failure is never an option. 
2. Self-portrayals of toughness mask insecurities. 
3. Tough people say, “I can do anything.” 
4. Acting tough involves pride. 
5. Tough people suppress emotions. 
6. Tough people thrive on power. 
7. Acting tough is about tolerating pain. 

Please go read the full article by Psychology Today for better understanding.

A good friend of mine was telling me how it's funny that I, the Psychology graduate keeps reading these things when I should already know all of it. Which is a true statement on all counts. But I guess it's one of those things where, knowing it and actually knowing it, are two completely different things.

A couple of people have been asking me, "What is it that has gotten to me that I am so gungho about working out suddenly?" And my responses have been constant, "I want to be become stronger" or "I want to become a fitter version of myself, no excuses no more".

It just occurred to me that what I am doing, is acting tough (albeit through real action and working my body to its core) in hopes that I will eventually become mentally stronger.

And in between all that, cracks appear and in as much as it frustrates me, my tough exterior breaks down to show signs of mental weakness.

So, you don't fake it until you make it. You just make it.

The thing about sailing is that the community is so small that once there's an event, 50% of your friends will be there. And it sucks to not be there with them all. But if that's a decision I made, I just got to suck it up and like their posts on social media without feeling like I'm being left out. Ha!

I'm training my mental strength! x

Addicted To A Memory

Addicted To A Memory - Zedd feat Bahari

1. While I absolutely love hearing "You've lose weight ah?", it's the most dangerous thing to hear because then I go bonkers with my meal intake.

2. I am quite sad because my detox tea was invaded by some tea leaf eating bug. To think that the container was labelled as airtight. =(

3. I'm not sure if I actually like the song above. It's a 50-50.

4. The truth is hard. But I am grateful to have friends who will call me out when I am being childish.

You Are 50% Weird 

        Normal enough to know that you're weird...

But too damn weird to do anything about it!

       

         How Weird Are You?

     Blogthings: 100's of Fun, Free Quizzes!

 
5. Only 50% weird.

6. I've realized that my favourite genre of music would be Acoustic.

7. I wonder if Spotify is making my computer lag?

8. A cheap(er) version of the neoprint bikini set! I've been wanting to get myself a pair ever since I learnt about Triangl - but they are so amazingly expensive.

9. Alas, I don't have that beach bod yet. And even if I did, I'd likely spend the money getting more workout attire. Higher utilization, and higher returns too.

10. Dinner was absolutely amazing; I couldn't find broccoli and decent sized purple sweet potato in TMC; I managed to get milk though; need to think about how I'm gonna pack my lunch tomorrow; and I can't seem to do the 'eat something light before you workout' because I just feel like throwing up every single time.

I had to squeeze in multiple sentences in that last one because I was not done yet and 10 is a good number to end on! x

P/s: Rain always makes me think of you.

Wired Weirdly | Weirdly Wired

My colleagues at my new workplace think I am weird. And my ex-colleagues think it's a correct description.

Hm... 

Now that I think about it, maybe I really am a weird cookie. Just a little! But I am pretty confident they are thinking in terms of a more endearing kinda weird, which makes me somewhat adorable? I hope. LOL

But I wanna be a tough cookie instead. /hee

Why Is My Computer So Slowww

When I am extremely tired, I don't write, because I'm just too tired to. When I am moderately tired, that's when the problem comes. Thinking, followed by more thinking, and then it doesn't end.

I had planned to go for a run earlier, but it poured right after I got home and changed into my sports wear. There's still some daylight now that the rain's over. But I'm lazy now.

A part of me is pleased for not buying the items I really liked from Sports Direct earlier. But another part of me keeps thinking about it.

I've been craving sweets all day today. Had some icecream just now, but perhaps because they've been in the freezer for so long, wasn't yummy. Expired icecream if I may.

Boiled orange sweet potato. It really isn't as yummy as the purple ones. Need to go stock up on broccoli and milk, someone helped finish my 2L milk carton which was only bought yesterday - it's a first this household finished milk so quickly!

And because orange sweet potato wasn't very sweet, I made myself a 3-in-1 Nescafe. And I did exercise a little in the confines of my room. But I also did fall asleep on my mat mid way through. Hahaha!

Spotify Premium woooooot yeah!

P/s: Highly doubt that run will take place.

Midnight Forest

1. That's the color of my nails. It's a glittery dark green almost black. Love the color. Too bad it's an old bottle and the polish has thickened.

2. A cup of hot chocolate would be absolutely lovely about now.

3. I have so much to to read, and I mean, actual materials, but all I wanna read is Dramabeans.

4. Why is it that everytime I use the boiler, there's ants.

5. I really don't like ants.

6. I discovered I still have a bottle of DIY bubble hair dye. Should I? Nah. Too lazy.

7. I tidied up my closet today, and if I ever say I don't have clothes to wear, I deserve to be smacked.

8. Same goes to bags.

9. And shoes.

10. Out of the 21 items on my to do, I'm left with one - filing taxes. Which I'll probably do tomorrow.

Have a nice sleep in Saturday as the rain pours outside. x

An Open Letter

Dear you,

I believe it's okay to complain once in awhile, let's call it, a way of letting go. You vent. Done. Move on. Be happy. But if you have a constant need to complain about everything and everyone under the sun, and you're not going to end there, then my friend, you're in for a sad and miserable life. That much I can assure you.

I understand that everyone has a particular agenda in their lives that they're particularly proud of. Mine would be the fact that I sail - and it bumps my cool factor up a couple of notches every single time. However, you can only be talking about that one thing this much. Anymore than that, your bragging rights turns into something that, for the lack of a better word, is no big deal.

And life is more than just one thing. Really. Explore. Don't limit yourself. Look beyond.

Nobody is less important than you are. So respect them, their time, their everything. Unless they give you reason(s) not to. Then don't bother. But you don't have to be mean and un-polite about it. In all that you do, try to be the bigger person, you'll realize that you've got so much more to gain even if ultimately the situation does not favour you, you know you've done the right thing.

It should never be about one upping another person, to show the world that you're better. It's about you being proud of you. Always.

What is honesty? You tell the truth. Who are friends? People whom you need to be honest to. But the truth can sometimes be painful. And friends are not the people you want to hurt. Ironically, I just noticed hurt is in word truth.

So what do you do?

Sincerely,
Ai

Top 10

1. I went for my first chiro session, Mom bought me a package.. It was, interesting. I could hear my bones go "Crack, crack!"

2. I had KFC for dinner after my chiro session because I was starving. So yums! If I could eat KFC everyday, I just might.

3. I must've eaten something wrong, either that or the combination of eggs with tomato and garlic for breakfast, followed by prawn noodles and chocolate sundae for lunch just isn't acceptable.

4. I really think I should do some light workout before I call it a day. But I am tired. Meh.

5. I still have not filed my taxes. And I need to cut my nails if I'm serious about climbing tomorrow.

6. I've been eating healthy - boiled broccoli and steamed sweet potato for the past two days, think I am gonna do broccoli for breakfast tmr, since we're having pizza for lunch in the office. And I'm likely to pack myself a peanut butter sandwich to eat while en-route to the climbing gym.

7. I am also mighty proud of myself for walking out of Uniqlo empty handed. But I guess that's what happens when your pocket is empty too.

8. I am peeved at two things. That I can remember. 1 - I paid an extra RM1 for parking because I just exceeded my first 3 hours. 2 - My nut mix was infested with ants this morning and I only realized it after I poured it into my Greek yogurt. Both nuts and yogurt were EXPENSIVE stuff but I really didn't want to feed myself with ant protein.

9. My detox tea should be brewed by now.

10. I watched Furious 7 with daddy, and I cried at the end. So here you go.

 See You Again - Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth

Happy Easter

Above All 

1. I am really not very fond of nuts. I don't know why I can't be more tolerable to food that is actually good for me. Like papayas and bananas. /yuck

2. There are two things that are currently on my wishlist, which I am hoping someone would volunteer to buy for me.

Foam roller from Sports Direct

And some ripped jeans. Or just a pair.

Image from We Heart Fashion

It's a DIY link, so I suppose it's possible I just cut one of my current jeans instead of spending money for a pair, but.. I don't have that many pairs of jeans to begin with.

3. The few things that have been occupying my non-work-related time as of late would be: personal training, climbing, cooking simple meals, bible study fellowship and that's been pretty much it. Admittedly, the first three things are there because getting fit is one of the core goals I have for myself, this year at least.

4. My face has been a serious mess. Acne, scarring, redness, pimples.. you name it, the face has it all. And although I always say that if anything has to go wrong, my face is what I'd protect first because it's my rice bowl, I don't really really mean it. But in this current scenario, I do feel it is high time I seriously considered my skin condition.

5. So I booked myself a facial under mom's package, I have consent just in case you're wondering, and had professional help to clean up my face. My beautician said that it would be best I regularly have my facials, and I'm going to listen to her.

6. I've been feeling particularly happy about this weekend, I'm not too sure why. Maybe it's for a combination of reasons.

a) I accomplished most of my to do's yesterday (including bathing Scottie, with the exception of filing my taxes) before my PT session,
b) It is Easter weekend, thank you Jesus,
c) I don't actually have any work which will require me to work from home,
d) The weather has been pretty nice,
e) The weekend actually feels long, which is a good sign because I feel relaxed!

7. The ends of my hair is blond-ish again. I reckon the only way for it not to turn into a golden shade is if I stop coloring my hair in any other shade than black. Though it annoys me, I'm not annoyed enough to spend any money to rectify the color. So, I'm just whining.

8. Thinking to myself earlier, perhaps the reason why I am always talking about myself, is because I can be accountable to what I say about myself.

9. I am really excited about the prospect of one of my best buddies getting married! In 40 days and so the countdown begins!

10. What shall I have for dinner?

Saturday Eve

I should really go pack my bed which is currently covered in my massive pile of clean laundry.