Hi, my name is Hana and I'm a shop-a-holic

I am in Singapore now to attend my cousin's engagement ceremony which is tomorrow. To kill time, I decided to go around the neighbourhood with my nephew. We ended up at an interchange with a chain of malls and I ended up buying two pairs of shoes and a hand bag. Sigh, can someone cure me from my shopping problem?

Incidentally, when I was in Indonesia, I was introduced to a friend of a friend and we got to talking and all. Naturally, we got to talking about our hobby and the first thing that he said was, "So, what's your hobby? ..shopping?"

I was so insulted that I quickly replied "Well, I LIKE shopping but it isn't my hobby!". Almost too quickly  that it was obvious I was trying to deny something. The truth is I am a shop-aholic. I utterly hate that word  because it is so cliche but that is a fact. I have a problem. A PROBLEM WITH SHOPPING. HANA, YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SHOPPING. THERE IS NO NEED TO SPEND ALL YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY EVERY MONTH. STOP, HANA, STOP!

Somebody please help me.

The Moon

The Moon: When you are the moon, there is a person people say is the sun. I saw the sun once, and he came past me, really fast. And it was an, it was called, the, an eclipse. And he came fast! But as he came past, I, I licked his back.
[sticks out tongue]
The Moon: And he doesn't know I licked his back! All in his yellow suit!... I'm the moon.

No pain, no gain

After a one year hiatus, I, yesterday after work,  finally visited my kickboxing studio . Gosh, I had to literally drag myself up the stairs! Actually, it wasn't really a hiatus because I did went for training once in a while but considering that I used to work out every SINGLE DAY, I'd say the one year was like taking a break.

There weren't many people in the studio when I came but that's a norm for this time of the year. You know, its the beginning of the year, people are still recovering from the holiday period and all. So I decided to start my training by running up and down the stairs for ten rounds. Now, my studio is located on the third floor so you know THAT wasn't easy...

I was going steady for the first five rounds, sweating profusely but not feeling out of breath or anything. This is no surprise as I used to this kinda of thing back in 2008. At that time, I was fit as hell, I could go for 20 rounds with ease, plus I did it WHILE gossiping with another studio mate. That was how fit I was, talking and laughing up and down three flights of stairs for 20 times.

So for yesterday, after the fifth round I found it harder and harder to climb the stairs especially the last few steps. It was as if my butt was weighing me down. I had to use all the strength I had to lift up my legs and complete a round. After about the eighth round, I was ready to give up but I thought how shameful it was to quit when you have only 2 rounds left. So, I managed to complete all of it anyway, yeay!

After that, I did some light exercises like squats, sit ups (this I managed to do about 200, so proud, ngeee) and thought, "Should I go up the stairs again for another 10 sets? "

You see, I was feeling guilty because that morning I ate a packet of nasi lemak! I know I have this healthy eating programme going on but I woke up late and didn't have time to prepare my lunch, let alone breakfast. And throughout the whole day I felt like kicking myself for eating the nasi lemak.

Hence, to redeem myself, I dragged myself again down the stairsand pushed myself for another ten sets of up and down three flights of stairs. Boy, was I really tired after that! (Note to self: think very very very hard before grabbing that nasi lemak from the pakcik in front of the office the next time.)

Tonight is even crazier coz' I'm attempting to execute in excess of 40 kicks per minute for three minutes straight for 5 sets in an hour - for six hours. Thats:

(>40 x 3) x 5 sets x 6 hours = more than 3,600 kicks!

But really thats nothing coz' in 2008 I executed 40 kicks per minute for three minutes straight for 5 sets in an hour for 6 hours x 2. That's about 7,200 kicks in 24 hours, so tonight is gonna be kacang je ( I hope).

This, ladies and gentlemen, is what I'm willing to go through to manage my weight. Funny this because after all this, I've yet to reach a healthy, super rocking body shape anyway! arghgghhhhh

You gotta love Mighty Boosh

Howard Moon: I've got new powerful moves now thanks
Vince Noir: yeah.....? Really? .... Did you send off for some new ones?
HM: yes I did, they arrived this morning
VN: First Post?
HM: First Post, yeah... the post that hurts the most

Its never too late

Its never too late to set resolutions. So here goes:

1. Quit smoking
• Its ironic because now that I've decided to seriously cut this habit, I always get seated at the smoking section in restaurants because that's the only place available. When I was a smoker, I remembered how difficult it was to be seated at the smoking area'! For example, I went to Delicious in Bangsar for lunch with Ya last weekend and we could only get seats at the smoking area. It was practically empty! Don't try to make this harder for me ok, God? pretty please...
  
2. Lose more weight
• I achieved my goal weight in 2008 through 6 months of healthy eating and intensive kickboxing training but unfortunately I gained some of it back though fortunately not all. But I'm afraid if I keep on with my current diet (which is what you all normally eat la, nothing unhealthy) and skip on my trainings I'd be piling up my pounds back to what I was in 2007. I was the heaviest at that time and I soooo don't want to go back there. Must...go... training.........must........start...arghh....today!
  
3. Do not skip my  kickboxing trainings! 
• As I mentioned, THIS is essential in my routine not only because of the losing-weight factor but also because I find that after a gap of non-training period, my mood swings get really terrible. I am such in a bad temper these days, I could shout at anyone for the littlest silliest things.
  
4. Produce a documentary
• I was inspired by my good and much loved friend and colleague Maria when I saw her documentary about students in Indonesia and their difficulty in procuring books because of financial difficulties. I have to admit that tear welled up in my eyes after I watched it. And after a lengthy conversation with her (at a salon in Jakarta, while I was waiting for the colour to set in my hair and she for her massage, hehe) I was compelled to do one in Malaysia as well. Believe you me, it is not an easy job but it is a challenge that I am willing to take up for this year. Wish me luck! 
5. Volunteer
• I want to do more social work this year because there are just so many people out there who needs a helping hand and I am more than capable to do just that.

I don't think the list is over ambitious so I have a good feeling I'd manage to fulfill all of them this year.

The year that was 2008

I had so many good things going on in 2008. A fantastic job and a great guy, among others and typical of me to ruin every single Goddamn thing just because I thought I needed to change my life. I'm such a douchebag!

THE ONE

Yesterday I went to Kampung Baru to meet my old office mates and some other Indonesian friends for dinner. As we were enjoying our dirt-cheap nasi goreng (costs only RM3!), one of us started talking about love, relationships and how he found The One in his life after waiting for so many years and all. He was also lecturing me on why I needed to have faith and open my up my heart and that sooner or later I will find my The One. To which my other friend who previously was in another conversation interrupted, " Huh?? but THE ONE only exists in The Matrix...."

LOLLLLL I couldn't stop laughing. That HAD to be the QUOTE of THE DAY.

But jokes aside, the guy who was lecturing me looked really happy and we all thought that his girl is really special. She's a keeper abang Jhon!