Felicitations, all.

Just came back from the gym. Eh? No.

Actually, just came back from the Shop & Save opposite my house after a quick burst at the gymnasium above Tampines Swimming Complex. Arrived there a little before 4:25 only to be told that the gym would close at 5. Probably in view of Vesak Day. So went in, grabbed the weights and did the upright row, press up...military press and all, all in a crazy 3 set many rep manner. So much that when I went back to the rack to get my water bottle, I had to take it down from the top rack that I put it on to a level that was at my hip 'cause I simply had trouble lifting my arms from the Shoulder Regime today.
When the instructor came round to chase us all off, it was really the end, and I got to the men's to loosen up and down my protein mixture. Vanilla-flavoured. Really nice.

On the bus 81 backhome, saw a weird thing. there was this middle aged man with a woman who looked much younger from the back view in front, a few seats' distance, and he kept hugging, kissing her, drawing her to his body. Kept squeezing out all the gaps made by their bodies until they were stuck together. And the old man was unashamed. (he actually wasn't that old). So I thought that the woman couldn't be his wife. She was much too young. So I thought she was a China bride or Vietnamnese woman he married or a prostitute. (But she looked too decent). Later, when she got off, I saw that she was a skinny maid.
Really thought invoking:
1) Old men are really lecherous and need to 'get some'.
2) Would I love my wife in future as much as I would love her during our passionate courtship when we are both old, and not turn to (any) younger woman?

And then got home, and my mother opened the door and sent me off to the supermart to get milk, bread and salt. Got the wrong kind of salt that cost $4.50 instead of $0.40!!! Was so immensely stunned. Made a trip back again and bought cheaper salt (will give the 'less sodium' kind to my grandmother. helps her hypertension) and also a nice small bottle of milk, the Meiji kind that I used to like at TPJC. Pity it isn't at Meridian. Got it at 90 cents. Really satisfactory, both in taste and cost. Have developed a fetish for milk now. The milky smooth taste overflowing with natural, cold sweetness.

Haven't really got much done the whole day. Thought I could dive into the study bit just coz the foolscap paper always missing was now bought. But wrongo. Only managed to make sense of Atoms, Molecules and Stoichiometry totally. Though total understanding came at a heavy price of one whole morning... Been putting 1 hr efforts everyday. Not the ideal. Plan to hit 48 hrs a week. Bless me. It takes more than just planning to serious study.
May tomorrow and the days after be more bountiful. But it's really up to me to make it bountiful ain't it.

Have been dreaming of a possible outcome romantically. But the female lead is fuzzy. Weird how it ends up this way. I'm not hoping for anything anymore with * any longer, it should just blow by. I got more important things now in my life. And getting back on form in Karate. Strength doesn't matter as much as Spirit. I think when I was in Secondary 3, I can beat me now. Funny how it seems, when a much smaller and weaker me can face-off the stronger and taller me. It's really about your mental core. I might be taller and faster and more flexible now, but I'm more cowardly in the ring now. Something to frown on for the week. Martial lingo, not exactly common sensespeak. So, gomen-nasai. (bows)

Also have been considering the supernatural and GOD. Was quite cheerful on the return trip from a Changi Village dinner outing yesterday when sister, Eunice was out, singing the praise songs I used to sing when I was in Sec 2's discipleship with Pastor Jimmy. Kinda missing the simplicity back then. And still remember how I overstayed in school for discipleship and used the extra money to take a taxi home. Remember feeling that it was the most worth taxi fare ever. $4.30 I think. Kept telling the uncle to drive faster to avoid reprimand in store at home. But was in 2004. A long way back.

After Monday's outing with the school for the End of Term 2 bash, had late dinner and talked with some of the class who were able to stay at Bugis. Jeremy, Gemma, Faye, Crystal, Hakim, Andrew. Might have had more. Forgot. The topic was mostly Hakim's special sight and the unfortunate encounter the rest had at Sentosa earlier the year.
Wondered the existence and purpose of ghouls in this plane of reality. GOD's Word didn't very much account for the propagated tales of ghosties and hauntings we've been hearing. Was very apprehensive about Hakim's sight until Jeremy confirmed it. Amazing really.
Conclusion: These manifestations of the unfriendly are meant to misle us and throw us off our faith and sway us by frightening us and causing us to ditch our GOD and turn to another less believeable divinity that might be effectual against the particular spirit that our dear priest might not successfully expel.
Food for thought: Not all exorcisms are successful, and not all priests and reverends can expel all demons.
I remember a passage in the Bible where Jesus' disciples failed to drive the demon in a man away. Jesus later did it himself and said that 'this kind only comes out by fasting and prayer'.
Significant. So can we just unbelieve in our GOD just because one single "salesman" of our faith can't handle a spirit?

Ah bother. Had to come up with a short accounting of how I made off with the 15 over days not documented in my humble blog. But most of it can be blamed on Blogger's problems. Just watched movie(s), worked out some and bought protein powder which I always wanted to, and left BB some distance behind, and am still bruised seriously in my left instep; will be breaking 7 tiles at the end of the month to edge nearer to Shodan; will take up a Taekwondo National Poomsae Competition, will need to run outdoors more, and achieve an even tan. Could have more. Just can't remember.

Alas, my stomach wails. I shall take leave. Goodbye all fair maidens. And _____men. Can't think of anything. Usually like that when I'm hungry.

Just realised that my circle of effect is really small. And that my world has shrunk especially after I've gone up to JC. The links at the side of the page show in especial. But I'm not sad or affected by any of it, but merely thoughtful. In fact, I'm bothered by the fact that I've to say 'hi' or be polite to every single person that I've ever known or briefly encountered. The average person knows 200 people by name. Am I to call out 200 people(maybe a small bit lesser) out everytime I pass anyone?
That's crazy.
So if I don't go up to you, bow, curtsie, kiss your hand, or lay prostrate in reverence, do pardon me.

The above was probably an inspiration from a few peoples' extensive links. Goodness.

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That aside, I'll talk about the week. Ever since I've gone up to JC, hardly a week goes by that I'm not bogged down by, homework, tests, stress, compulsory events, and spontaneous and unannounced and compulsory events, or it would be ALL OF THE ABOVE. Honestly. Give this poor man a break. He doesn't exactly deserve it, but yeah, every nice guy should get his kit kat once in a while. This week, there have been so many stuff going on: TKD training in anticipation of the competition, Mothers' day, SPA, Test, Tutorials... and I thought the break from BB parades was actually the herald for a line of long, useful weekends where I could sleep more and work more, instead of heading home after 4 hours in the stupid asphalt grounds that used to be my school 7 months ago.

This weekend, my family has a Mother's Day celebration at Changi Village, the ritual hangout that has been my family's home lodge since 19??. My grandfathers worked there, and my father and uncles grew up in that place, swinging up and down the 3 storey buildings that lined the road. I remember my youngest uncle swinging off the ledge from the second storey, disappearing over the parapet. He swung up later to astound us. When I grew taller later, I realised that there was a convenient concrete foothold that he was hiding on when he climbed out...
It's nice to go back there as a semi-adult, but now that all of us, cousins have grown up, we've gone different ways. No longer do we look forward to go back to play games that we loved when we were kids. We just went to there-our grandmother's house-to go there. THE END. Growing up really makes a lot of change, change.

It coincides, unfortunately, with Tessa's farewell. Sadly, won't be going, though people did sms me to get me to go. I want to, actually, and I would have gone if there wasn't competition tomorrow. Cherrie will be there, I think, and this alone makes me want to ditch everything and fly there. But can't. Was actually thinking of calling her last night, but the combination of a week's TKD training, Wednesday's gym with cousin Gabriel killed me on Friday.
I don't check my phone now as much as I used to, and only realised she had messaged me this morning...Was imagining how would we see each other again. Bedok Swimming Complex was in one of those bubbles of thought. LLS (laugh like siao). Childish maybe.
Told Boon to send my regards though.

Gabriel is really solid. His regime was so extreme, I'm hurting even now, and I can't straighten my arms now. Each part of my body siphons of the pain slowly everyday. But today, my forearms still hurt shit-load. Damn. But I'm growing, that's a call for joy. There's one passage in April's issue of Men's Health that said "following exercise, an enzyme called cyclooxygenase produces molecules that helps muscles grow larger. These same molecules cause pain and soreness" No pain, no gain. Proven (QED).

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Life is full of misfortune. If you're looking for them to pass, you'll actually be just laying in wait for more to descend from above.
Nobody said life was easy.

I was kinda praying that I would be able to scrape through today, even if it would have to be 'just barely', but alas, things never progress the way one wants them to be. I woke up in the morning, and wished I didn't.
BUAY TAHAN. The only thing I could produce after one whole night was just question 18 in the Cell Physiology and Biochemistry Tutorial about the silly mitochondria. Not in the mood to be appreciative of the wonders that the LORD has set in place.
And my Chemistry Atomic Structure was left undone, and so was the Extra V.A questions.
So went to college, hoping that whatever it was, I wouldn't get discovered, and would be able to head home to rest.

PE was a bit relaxed, with Adil telling us about the NAPFA, and then asking us to run 1 round around the track. I realised that I run best when I look at my own feet. Rhythm and monotony in running is almost the same thing, and eases the mental torture. Although I might look a bit silly in my refusal to glance up. Then went to do all the physical exercises with the medicine ball. And concluded PE with a push-up frenzy session with Hakim just before we took off from the gallery for recess. made me sore all over. That part of the day at least was decent.

But dammit, the Math test on Functions and Graphing Techniques that was gone by from the previous weeks was dealt back to us, I got a glorious 7/30. Really glaring number.
Ms Ng said, "can do better." DUH! pity it was the only strand of comment I managed to squeeze out of her after lingering for a few more seconds even after taking the paper over.
Spent a lot studying Functions and totally ditched Graphing Techniques. And only managed 7!
But it was like the middle range in class... Even though I was the lower end dude who always never does his tutorial.

Ms Ng gave us a little talk that probably was meant to make us abate our rampant, lacksaidical lifestyle that driving us straight for ruin. Actually, the feeling in me felt exactly the same way. The more I don't study, but instead shut down in lecture or don't revise when I go home, and don't touch tutorials; it's a lousy life that reaps nothing, but rather, sows the seeds for regret later on. (If I do get retained). And the more I don't pick up the pieces, it'll be too late, and things will get shitty in a vicious cycle. Sucks, but yeah. Happening now.
So positively, what will I do?
1) be more religious
2) be more dilligent
3) be less of a conniving slacker

But the best thing, was I grabbed a copy of the "Abs Diet" workout manual from the college library. Might try to fit it into my lifestyle, but seeing as the foods and special makan-bits are hard to get and make...won't be easy.
Nothing's easy nowdays...
Waiting for June to be like tomorrow.
Curses, cruel circumstances; I pray thee will have to suffer a pain-full circumcision without the gentle ease of anaesthesia in your crotch!

hence:
Ciao, Singapore, Asia, Eastern hemisphere of the World, the world, the expansive star systems that encompass our very own and puny Milky Way, and sly spying alien life forms from undiscovered planets light years and some away...

Yesterday's TKD training was kinda uplifting.
Haven't lost any bit of flexibility even after a week long hiatus as a sick potato.
I hate being sick. It's always when I lean back and say-"Ah...Haven't been sick in a while" and WHAM! the next day, I'm like dead.
So. The Poomsae Competition is coming (don't ask me why a TKD Pattern Display competition is called that) on 13 May. And things seem to be moving on a decent track. Will be doing the individual display and a mixed gender pair with Ke Yi. She's quite nice to have around. But sometimes, really need notice before I do see her. Lack of stature la. Like when was at the atrium. Lucky she doesn't have my blog address. If not I'll have a earful.
Have to win...cause its just a movement display.
And. Trying to make my muscles prominent and functional. Luckily got a cousin who's a Dragonboater. He's gonna help me draft my training on next Wednesday. (by the way, the ang-mohs pronounce it wenz-day.)
But he told me this: bulky cannot run fast.
I want to be bulky and fast. So how. Lean is best...?
Not exactly willing to settle for just lean leh.
That's how I'm feeling now.
I think the regime that I had today at Tampines wasn't exactly bountiful. Not satisfied. Hardly satisfied nowadays.

So. Will have to accomplish the following:
Biology Summary Map
Chemistry Atomic Structure tutorial.
something I can't remember.lol.
(Coming right up.)
Thanks, derek, for reminding me.
And I think its timely to include a short tribute to derek.

He's been a darling, and has been helping me through lectures, tutorials and college. He was there to tide me through Chem and Math tutorials when the slacker evil twin in me took over my system the night before and didn't do the homework. He was the one to remind me to do stuff and he was the one I depended on all the time when I needed accurate information...I love you, dear. It's not homosexual love, but its gratitude, a whole truckload of it! Thanks handsome!

Waiting for the auspicious hour just before 12 that will spur me to do work properly.
Ciao;Singapore, Asia, Eastern Hemisphere of the World, the World, the extended atmosphere of the boundaries of planet Earth, and sneaky spying aliens from faraway star systems.

Taekwondo Sparring

I wish to do this story justice, and so, I have set aside a separate post for this account to fit into.
It tells of how a self-assuming Boy who brought himself, full of 5 years of Kyokushin Karate to a basketball court in the intersection between Kaki Bukit and Bedok/Tampines to immerse in Taekwondo Sparring. It tells of how there was something called 'mutual underestimation', though it was more on my part, and of course, mild blood and gore.
Funny how it's always when the lights go out when I get humbled. Always. In 2005 when I received my first and hopefully last Technical Knock Out (TKO), and now, 2 years on when I thought I was all high and mighty, I received a bloody nose from a Taekwondo exponent.

My thoughts: Sempai Colin was right earlier, the same day. My kicks aren't as good as they can get just yet. And that I was presumptous that people would observe the rules they set down to protect themselves. If you've been a faithful follower of my daily sins and trangressions; you might've remember that I said that I was too nice a bugger out in the ring. I still am.

On Sunday, immediately after the Kyokushin Outdoor Training concluded, I downed the sexy Double Fillet O Fish and took Bus 21 to Bedok Reservoir Rd where I was supposed to attend the Taekwondo Training.
The sir lamented at my lateness, but had me join the seniors, who were kicking targets before the sparring.
We did some kicks that weren't exactly foreign to me. Lead leg kick, and switch foots over to kick. Did the movements the way sir directed, but subtly still preserving some Kyokushin flavour.

We were then taken apart to do the Jumping Double Kick, which was new to me. I fell and landed on my right hand, and that explains my wrist today. (I thought nothing of the wrist then. It hit me like a hammer did only the next morning.) We tried the triple run through kick, which I couldn't really get. But I think I was the most showy and outstanding in the Jumping Side Kick which I'd always thought i couldn't do.
We were to run from a distance, jump up and launch at the heavy bag. Like the advice I gave a dude there, I didn't think, but simply did it. I ran, leapt up at the mark and drove my leg into the bag. As I sailed into the bag, I realised that it wasn't exactly perfect, but was really not too shabby.

After all that, we were placed in gear for sparring. They suited me up in this blue body guard, which I've always been uncomfortable in.
But never mind that, I was told to face my opponent, a long time trainee in that club. He was a brown belt, I think.
So we faced off, and when the Black Belt I was chatting with previously said "GO", I edged and slipped in towards the bouncing Brown. I think they called him Chris. I slid in and gave him a high roundhouse to the head with my right. It connected. I don't think I used much force. Part of me wanted to knock him down then; the other part was adamant about remaining civil. I heeded the civil part of me unconsciously and slowed when the swing reached just before his side.
It hit him with a loud thwack. And he was jolted that he stopped and swayed abit. I instantly regretted it and apologized to him repeatedly. Once he was okay, we continued. He tried some kicks which I defused and then returned, none of them any hard.
He tried to come at me and I kicked his mid-section with my right and he slipped and fell in a sorta embarrassing way.
It was then I was nicer and took his kicks and listened to him scream and yelp like a girl while he tried to hit me. His kicks, I couldn't feel probably because of the guard, but I remembered I attempted a feeble right axe at his head. I knew it wouldn't work because we were so close. I think it was then I lost focus and grasp of the situation. I was still sparring.
He came at me and I closed our distance and when he was hugging me, I expected things to halt then until his right leg smacked into the left side of my face. And immediately, I began to bleed. Of course it was over then.
And I went to nurse the nose while he came with me. It was kinda weird, having your nose done in like that.
I was pinching it, waiting for the bleed to go away and talking to them all in the weird nasal way.

They were surprised at me for sparring so fiercely initially and that they confessed that none of them dared to really spar like that.

After that, I thought a lot.
Was it because I lost the drive of Kyokushin half-way? Or was I too nice and gracious? Or was I largely uncomfortable?
I know that my left hand was down when his instep came. It was negligence on my part as well as gross undermining my opponent, who wasn't as bad as I projected.
Nevertheless, I will fare much better in my next bout and will begin to set out to do now. No bugger will do that to me again.

I'm now mad at my lao bu. Today, I've been grievously sick, reeling from the twin brothers-in-arms of cough and cold medicines, drowsy and heady, and full of resent. Funny how a week's shift can change things so much. Last week I was looking forward to this week to be the best so far, especially after my back recovered from the injury. And now. I'm cursed with illness and ailment, and my mother and grandmother has once again leapt to broach the topic of me dropping my training in Kyokushin Karate.

Its not the first time it's happened. Now that I'm having all the facial discomfort-afflicting trio of feverishness, sorethroat and clogged mid-section, they blame this on my Karate. WTF. My grandmother claims that it's 'the exertion from your kicks and punches that made your nose go bad'. I'm not angry at my granny for that, just exasperated at her. It's a bit silly really. Until she threatened to go over and give Sensei a mouthful. -.-
My mother likes to think that I've expended a lot of time into Karate and now Taekwondo and also, my scarce gym routine. And now she's forcing me to boot off one by one; and she's rallied all my relatives to persuade and pressure me.

And even when and while I was studying, and I was doing so seriously, she came over and dismissed the hours I'd put in, and said over and over again, it rings about my ears even now! I'm disgusted by this sneaky sorta attack that is being mounted at me.
I made a mistake in 2005 by leaving Kyokushin training for a 6-month hiatus, and look where it got me.
And now they are asking me to regard something that I'm determined to make part of my life as a past time which I should forget, starting right about now.

FUCK.
Stop that, woman.
You asked me about my direction in life and in Karate and you pretend to know what I've been doing outside. There are things in my training, bits and pieces that I don't tell you and you don't see. Why do I bother? There are bits and pieces of my life I tell and show you, but you still don't see. Explicitly: when I'm studying my arse off!

You don't get to be good at something without putting blood and guts into it, goddammit.
I'm not going to those days where my legs would feel stiff and my hands-heavy.
When I'm in the ring, I have full rein over my whole body. It's my hands and legs dancing that protect me, and not any diplomacy. It took me a lot to go back to Karate when it was 2005. I haven't been through any of the rigours of the training for about 6 months in total, the forms and techniques were blurred, and my limbs were slowed. Others might have progressed forward while I'd have slid backwards.
When I went back: Dinie had won the SMAIA tournament and also represented Singapore at the International Youth tournament in Chiba, Japan.
It was something that I could also have, but I missed because i was slacking my royal bum off at home, doing nothing and all of it not worthwhile.

And so, if you were to pull me out away from it, would I still do well in the other aspects of my life? I joined Taekwondo for 3 reasons:

1) To refine my leg techniques and make it faster.
2) To earn another Black Belt in another Martial Art
3) Because there aren't any course fees.

There! Would I have joined Canoeing? Thank God I did not. If I'd did, there would no longer be space for Karate. Why won't these dumb adults understand that Karate isn't a hobby, isn't a venture for me to exhaust my frustration and anger, isn't a way to breed violence, isn't a way to brawl? But a way of life.
If I could have it my way, I'd get on a plane to fly to Tokyo. And train full time.
But then, in Singapore, you're useless if you don't have anything substantial to show for grades. So I plough on. Shaddup about me dropping any of them. Not just you, mother, but also, the rest of the stupid world. I'm too mad to bother about some exceptions to that.

I planned to unveil a furious training regime so that I can take the Dan test in August and also, so that I can fight better. And this compels me to mention the crazy Sunday that was past and chiefly responsible for my discomfort, though not directly.

Chinese Physicians

A word of advice to the world, who might want to seek TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine).

1) Never go into a shady shop that has toilet-like sliding doors.
2) Never go past the toilet-like sliding doors to ask to see "the doctor" who turns out to be a middle-aged ahpek reading LianHeWanBao.
3) Never venture into the deeper end of the shop with the shifty looking man into his so-called "diagnosis room".
4) The diagnosis room should have a bed.
(At this point in time, you should probably leave.)
5) Don't, Don't stay IN the room if the bugger takes your pulse on one hand, can't find it; takes it on the other hand and declares you have wind, with a look of mock solemness.
6) Even after you've told the man you need to see your ailing back, he thinks you're there for cough or whatever not.
7) Do not believe the man, who repeats 2 strands of thing. Wind causes back pain. !!!!!!!!! WTF.
8) He declares your back, which is aching worse by the minute, fully functional.
9) He charges you S$30 for a tube of black pills.

I mistakenly went to the goddamned wrong Medical Hall and had to pay S$30 for my folly. When I finally bashed my way to the real deal at Tampines Avenue 4 BLK 801, I was really really mortified. At my S$30 and wasted time. The real deal was one with a large red signboard and a long, long queue.
When I got to see the doctor, I spent less than 1 min in the patient's bench, and I just told him 3 things. Karate, Sprained or Strained, Yesterday. He got me on the bed, facedown, and began.
He felt my back, found out where was hurting-right lower back and started.
He got some balm or salve and started rubbing it on my back, and kneaded and chopped down.
Then he turned me on my side, placed my arm and leg on my left and cracked my back from the side. Oh God. He turned me the other way, and cracked my other side. He then rubbed and massaged again. He then placed some suction bamboo cups on each side of my backbone and let it hang there.
The cups were removed, and my back pain, minimised. Tenfold.

Really shows something.
TCM is god-like.
Frauds are all over the place.