As The World Turns

Its time for more pick my jaw off the ground, get my butt off the bench, get my feet moving, time.



Thankfully something came along to do the trick.
This new movie from Disney (eh Disney?) starring leng chai Mark Wahlberg. He's beefed up quite a bit.



And lagi leng lui Elizabeth Banks. Enuff said.


Ok quit gawking.

It's a knocked down, get up, got going, feel good movie.
It's not about a rags to winning the Superbowl movie.

But it is about a rags to being somebody movie.

As coach Dick Vemeil said, its not just about ability.

It's about heart.

The main charactor tries harder than anyone else.

How far are you willing to go?

Tagged....
So I'm gonna screw it and just do it.
6 random facts about me.
1) I weigh over 215 lbs (for those living on metric planet thats over 97kg) .... though I don't look it and I'm 5'9" (or 1.75m)
2) I have a fear of heights and yet I wanna fly an airplane, go figure....
3) It took me a long time (like 30 years) to figure out how to kill cockroaches.....by hand.....cos I didn't like the smell of a dead roach....
4) I can use a whole can of bug spray trying to kill that damned roach and thank god there are no king sized flying roaches here *big grin*
5) I'm a movie addict
6) I'm a car/motorcycle addict...

Any one reading this and wanna screw around, please do.....

******************

So its coming up to 2 months I've moved locale and embarked on a new adventure.
Naturally the initial smooth sailing honeymoon period is now over and I'm taking a hard review of things on hand. Lots of things I need to work on. Not the least probably having to take on a second job to help pay the expenses. Things are certainly more tempting here than in Lake Louise, see this, see that, wanna get LOL, I'm a Libra so I'm tempted by shiny things. Sometimes you just have to wonder why you get yourself into such things in the first place anyway. LOL

Anyways, today is my off day and I went to my fav shopping place aka the bookshop known as Chapters which can be found all over the place. Chapters have more branches here than Popular Book Store has in Singapore and they are big, about the size of Kinokuniya at Ngee Ann City (they also have Starbucks mated to them :P)

Whilst browsing the aisles, this book by (Sir) Richard Branson caught my eye.



It's a simple book. I actually finished reading it while browsing, but I'm a fast reader. I finished Tom Clancy's Red Storm Rising in 3 days although it did take me a wee bit longer for the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. The book is a concise, fun in the sand summary of his ups and downs. He gives a coupla rather useful pointers which I think applies to everyone and its cheap, but I didnt get it, but I will tomorrow so I can remind myself of what to do and what not to do.

But really, the title of the book says it all, in whatever you think about doing.

Just don't think so much and

Screw it, lets do it.

I'm watching the Emmy presentations right now live on tv.

My Fav show The Amazing Race won again as best reality tv series. . . .yayyyyyyy . . . more seasons to come.

And the original Charlies Angels got together to do a presentation. Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett and Jacyln Smith who hasn't aged one bit, I wonder how she does that.

But what tugged at my heart and reminded me of my own mortality was the segment of In Memoriam. A tribute is paid to all the actors who have gone on the pearly gates of heaven.
Actors whom you grew up with and no longer here.

Dick Clark had a special Emmy, but he had suffered a stroke and now doesn't look anything like what he used to, more frail, like Kirk Douglas. Seeing how much older the other actors now are, like Harrison Ford, a far cry from Han Solo days.

My own white hair popping up, the need for reading glasses, falling in love with money (egads!), getting more ornery...

Ok I'm going to a spa to get younger.......

Just Added:

I think I've partly figured out how these people stay looking so young. I noticed they have hardly any wrinkles. This is also supported by a little survey I've been doing at work, since I get to check people's birthdays (I know how old you are! snigger). The result of the survey shows that the happy, chirpy ones are the ones who look the youngest.

So don't be: Grumpy, Angry, Sad, Pouty, use Botox and oh stay out of the sun . . . .

Happy Face..

I'm trying hard to fall in love with the Hyundai Elantra. Its nice, its comfy, its its
it somehow doesn't move me.

But its got a really good deal going on it at the moment. Interest at 0.9% for 5 years cos Hyundai is making room for the 07 models.

Or should I up the ante to get the Accent Sport but its going at 5.9%. Is also smaller and won't hold my golf bags in the trunk.

I need to fall in love with one.

For fun

This is Friday's Zodiac... for a long time I never could match my moods to the Zodiacs that are online. it has finally dawned on me that, when I saw them whilst I was in Singapore, I was actually one day ahead of what is published....wooorrrr no wonder..... have fun folks.

Aries:
A new and exciting potential love relationship could pop into your life today, dear Aries. This is apt to be the kind of instant attraction that sets your nerves tingling and your blood pumping! Whether or not you decide to pursue this attraction, of course, depends on your situation, but whatever you decide, you're likely to enjoy feeling the thrill of it today. Therefore, make sure you look your best when you go out! You'll be glad you did!

Taurus:
Today, dear Taurus, you should be feeling especially energetic and enthusiastic. Therefore, this is a great day to start a new enterprise, perhaps involving your home. But it could be of just about any kind. More than one opportunity could present itself to you. One could entail creative activities, and the other might be more mundane. Undoubtedly, whether you decide to take both or only one, you're going to be busy for a while. Work hard!

Gemini:
This is a great day to start any project that concerns writing, acting, or speaking, dear Gemini. Your creative energies should be flowing freely and abundantly today, and you should enjoy the rush of new ideas that keep popping into your head. A number of stimulating conversations with close friends should keep your energies churning. Expect to spend a lot of time on the phone, or perhaps in the car dropping in on these friends. Enjoy your day!

Cancer:
If you aren't already into real estate, gardening or interior decorating, dear Cancer, today you might discover a talent for one or all of these fields and decide to pursue it. You might have it in mind as a possible source of future income, and therefore you could consider looking into getting some formal training in the field. Which one you choose, if any, is of course up to you. Consider them all carefully and then decide which is best.

Leo:
Your energy and enthusiasm for life should be operating at a very high level today, dear Leo. You may therefore want to get together with some of your friends, and you might even organize an impromptu social event of some kind. Exciting news and stimulating conversation should keep your mind busy for a long time. At some point you'll want to work off some of that physical energy, perhaps by taking a brisk walk or going for a workout. Enjoy your day.

Virgo:
A chance to make some extra money could come today through someone whom you know slightly, dear Virgo, perhaps from a social event you both once attended. You might not be totally familiar with the type of work involved, but today your mind is sharp, and so you'll probably pick it up quickly. The only downside: You could work harder than you need to, and therefore there's a danger of tiring yourself out. Take care of yourself.

Libra:
A social event or group meeting could fire your enthusiasm about new goals that you may share with the others present, dear Libra. These goals may involve giving you a chance to use your creative talents as well as to enjoy the companionship and camaraderie of your fellow group members. Therefore, whatever events are scheduled today might all prove to be both satisfying and enjoyable activity for you. Don't hesitate! Move on ahead, do something worthwhile, and have fun!

Scorpio:
Today, dear Scorpio, you might begin work on a project that you've been wanting to do for a long time. This may be career-related or personal, but either way, it should advance you in whatever direction that you want to go. The only downside: You might be a bit too hard on yourself and far too critical of your work. Try to be objective and view your own work as fairly as you would view the work of others.

Sagittarius:
Today, dear Sagittarius, you're expanding your horizons. You and a friend could plan a vacation that you're really excited about. It could involve a trip by air, perhaps across the ocean. The trip is mainly for pleasure, but it probably involves a place you've always been interested in and are anxious to see, so it's an educational trip as well. You have a lot to look forward to. Make the most of it, and have fun.

Capricorn:
Some good news may reach your ears via the grapevine regarding your career. This might involve a raise in salary, dear Capricorn, or it could be new benefits, a new profit-sharing plan, or anything that may involve investments or money that comes your way above and beyond a paycheck. Contracts or other legal papers that are executed today should definitely work in your favor, so if you've been putting off signing any, do it today!

Aquarius:
Plans for a party or group gathering of some kind could take up much of your time and energy, dear Aquarius. You might have a lot of letters to write, phone calls to make, or other communications to take care of, but this is likely to prove to be a great excuse for getting in touch with your friends. Today could well prove to be a kind of party-before-the party, which is right up your alley. Enjoy your day!

Pisces:
Though you might wake up today feeling a little feverish, dear Pisces, as the day progresses you'll be your old self again. You should be putting a lot of effort into work, particularly mundane chores and tasks that you'd rather not do. Get them out of the way and then move on to projects that interest you and can fire your ambition and motivation. Work hard in the morning and enjoy the rest of the day.

From: www.astrocenter.com

I was totally bored out of my mind today at work. 5 of us fighting for scraps being thrown our way today, which was not much in the first place. Usually there is only 2 of us and no one was coming in. So much so that I rearranged my scheduled off day on saturday to tomorrow so I can continue car hunting, so its my Friday today! Being so bored then, I was walking the aisles and came across this...wahhh been looking for this for such a long time.

Now I now have a new addition to my desk. Its tiny, half the size of a handphone. :P



Now back home and browsing thru someone's blog, I came across something I haven't read for a long while, I decided to have a visit and OMG...so the chun... This was what was said for today.

From Astrocenter

Libra:
Today you're likely to find your routine too boring for words, dear Libra. If so, you'll have a sudden powerful urge to cut loose and play some serious hooky. Still, you may feel the pull of obligation. This feeling should pass. If it persists beyond today, however, you might need to re-evaluate certain areas of your life. There are lots of opportunities out there, and life is too short to be stuck in a situation that doesn't allow you to grow.

Hmmmm, not sure about the last bit yet, but I gotta admit it's been at the back of my mind.

Someday
When we are wiser
When the world's older
When we have learned
I pray
Someday, we may yet live
To live and let live

Someday
Life will be fairer
Need will be rarer
And greed will not pay
God speed
This bright millenium
On its way
Let it come someday

Someday
Our fight will be won then
We'll stand in the sun then
That bright afternoon
'Til then
On days when the sun is gone
We'll hang on
And we'll wish upon the moon

There are some days dark and bitter
Seems we haven't got a prayer
But a prayer for someday better
Is the one thing we all share

Someday
When we are wiser
When the world's older
When we have learned
I pray
Someday, we may yet live
To live and let live

Someday
Life will be fairer
Need will be rarer
Greed will not pay
God speed
This bright millenium
Let it come
Wish upon the moon

One day, someday soon
One day, someday soon

- All 4 one
The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Its time for another headache. One as usual that involves forking out money.
It also involves a certain passion. It is time to get a new car.

The present car, while its a stout workhorse, is showing its age and may need repairs soon.
I've always had a mechanical affinity for things and I can tell in another couple of months I'll need to replace the clutch. This being Canada and Alberta, the cost of labour is ridicously high (which also accounts for the quality of living). I've had estimates of approximately $1000 to have the clutch replaced. It would have cost me less than half of that amount in Singapore (and in SGD too) to get it fixed at the factory dealer somemore...sigh....

So its probably cheaper to get a new one. Now the headache is this.

Do you get something practical, 4 doors and a boot that will easily take 2 golf bags?



or do you get something that is more interesting to look at but you can't get 1 golf bag in without rearranging the rear seats?




So this is the current toss up. The Hyundai Accent Hatchback or Sedan?? These are the cheapest cars I can find on the market right now that is loaded with options, they each run at the same price, approx CAD$16K

I can forget about the colours, just gotta get whatever's available on the lots.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions, ......

Just watched this movie, damn funny. Great way to unwind at the end of the day.

I get a long weekend this week, cos I worked last sunday. But I get another headache:

Which is better? Which to go see? Which to try?





Cobalt, Pursuit, Optra, or Wave?

Choices choices choices...

Headaches, headaches, headaches....

Looking at the recent and ongoing uproar over the plans to blow up planes with eyedrops and toothpaste and the resulting ban on stuff including KY Jelly. It is clear the terrorists have been playing with toys such as these.



Chem C1000 Chemistry Set (aka how to make explosive toothpaste)

Enroll in Chem C1000 and perform 75 diverse experiments -- without having to take a dreaded exam!

Professor Probenius is your professor in this terrific introduction to the world of chemistry and chemical reactions. He provides clear instructions for performing the experiments, offers safety advice, explains the observed reactions, and asks and answers questions about the results.

Build a mini fire extinguisher and make water flow uphill in experiments with air pressure. Entertain your friends with chemistry "magic" tricks and learn the sccience behind them. Identify the elements in chemical substances with dazzling colors in flame tests. Discover how to get electricity from a test tube in electrochemical reactions. And lots more! C1000 builds a strong foundation in chemistry with exposure to a broad range of chemical phenomena and hands-on lab experience.

Great for pubescent terrorists with nothing better to do usually aged 30 and up. Includes a FREE 40-page manual on how to clean toilets.



Physics Workshop Experiment Kit (aka how to make plastic models fall apart using plastic models)

Like chemistry, physics is an essential science for everyone to study, and Physics Workshop is the essential introduction to physics.

Through building 36 models and conducting subsequent experiments, you will learn the fundamental laws of mechanical physics. This hands-on approach is both fun and effective because the principles of physics are demonstrated right in front of you.

The Physics Workshop includes more than 300 building pieces. The full-color 64-page manual presents assembly instructions, experiments and explanations in a richly-illustrated, easy-to-follow manner. The laws of physics rule every move we make and every breath we take. With the Physics Workshop, you'll learn first-hand why we do what we do. Don't make a move without it!

Suitable for terrorists with brain of hamsters aged 28 and above.

****************************************************

But seriously why the lengths of trouble with explosives? Just use this kit. Create, muddle, spread all the slime you want. People will voluntarily throw themselves off the plane, pilots included. Except for those people in the movie Snakes OnThe Plane. If it was a Chinese airline, the snakes would all have become lunch.



Disgusting Science Kit

Grow your own friendly germs and fuzzy molds. Mix up a batch of coagulating fake blood. Even make a stinky intestine. Learn the science behind unmentionable bodily functions while doing some truly NASTY experiments. Suitable for adolescent adults ages 28 and above.

*burp*

Ask any person who is successful in whatever he or she is doing what motivates him/her, and very likely the answer will be "goals". Goal Setting is extremely important to motivation and success. So what motivates you? Why are you in college? If you are in college because that's what your parents want, you may find it difficult to motivate yourself. Sure, it's possible to succeed with someone else providing the motivation for you. ("If you graduate from college, I'll give you a car!" or worse "If you don't graduate from college, you won't get a car.") But motivation that comes from within really makes the difference.

Certainly, you need some intelligence, knowledge base, study skills, and time management skills, but if you don't have motivation, you won't get far. Think about this analogy. You have a car with a full tank of gas, a well-tuned engine, good set of tires, quadraphonic CD system, and a sleek, polished exterior. There it sits. This car has incredible potential. (Have you heard that before?) However, until a driver sits behind the wheel, puts the key in the ignition, and cranks it up, the car doesn't function. You guessed it; the KEY is MOTIVATION.

Interest is an important motivator for a student. So is a desire to learn. When you link these two things together, you create success. Often success in an endeavor leads to more interest and a greater desire to learn, creating an upward spiral of motivation toward a goal you have established.

So be honest with yourself. Are you genuinely interested in being in college? Have you set realistic goals for yourself? How can you develop the internal motivation that really counts? When it comes to motivation, KNOWING is not as important as DOING.

http://www.d.umn.edu/kmc/student/loon/acad/strat/motivate.html

A little white envelop greeted me when I got home today.

Its my new Visa card!!! Yippee.

Now you're probably wondering whats the fuss? As long you work, meet minimum income criteria can get one right?

Aitelyu, its a nightmare trying to get a credit card or any kind of credit here. You can earn $100,000 a year and still won't get a credit card. Since I'm new to the country, I have the credit history of a chipmunk. I.e. zero, natch, nada, kosong. I don't exist in the credit history world of North America. So after a year or working, making regular deposits and most importantly finally working for a bank, hoping to hell for staff priviledges, I finally got a card! Otherwise I'd have to plonk down a large sum of $$ to get a secured card which I'd been trying to avoid. But truth be told I wasn't expecting to get it though so...

Whew!

Today was a holiday here in Canada. Don’t ask what the holiday was because I haven’t got a clue and I’m too lazy to go and look it up.

Basically all I did today was golf, drive, tv, bike, blog, in that order.

Went to a new driving range today to un-perfect my slice, I think I know what’s wrong. I’m just trying to kill the ball. Easy, steady fella…

After that, I headed south to a little town called Okotoks. Its got one little rustic street but the rest is pretty much standard Canadian new town. It did have one interesting feature though. It’s called the Okotoks Air Ranch. It’s an estate where you have an airfield surrounded by houses. You get the build the kind of house you want. Buy the acreage and plonk the house on it and of course go flying whenever you want to, which is literally across the street. I’m dreaming about this place now..sigh…*dreamy* I was so taken in I forgot to grab pics of the houses which I assure you are very nice.



After my little sojourn and lunch in Okotoks, I headed for the nearest mall where I grabbed the second season of Battlestar Galactica, I desperately want to know what happened to Adama and Sharon. Interesting, no spoilers here for those who like sci-fi.



BTW ladies, Jamie Bamber who plays Apollo in Battlestar, is one good looking dude. Sadly there is only ONE hot chick (the one in the middle, Tricia Helfer ex-supermodel, she plays a Cylon, sigh) in the series. The rest are so covered up in military overalls u can't see anything...


Then after satisfying my galactic desires, I headed to Fish Creek Park and did a bit of biking. My stamina still sucks, need to work on it more. I also saw a coupla of deer today. Plus a few ground squirrels…ahh nothing like these guys to get you laughing.

I just watched this movie!!!
Farneee!!!!
Then again I like Motor Racing..
but it ain't about the racing..
Just think of ermmm... Will Ferell kinda comedy
But still good ole fashioned family fun.
BTW this is all about NASCAR racing



More people go watch the Indianapolis 500 race than you get at a World Cup soccer match....



This how a NASCAR racer looks like. Erm these are "Chevrolets" but I ain't complaining if you gave me one.



This is a Formula One racer. This is a Ferrari. I'd rather have one of these.

But right now, this is the only race car I can afford.....:(

WHUP !!!

Thud !!!!

Bam !!!!

Whup Thud Bam !!!!!!!!!

Rattle Rattle Rattle Rattle !!!!!!!!!

Whup Whup Whup Whup Whup !!!!!!!!
BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM !!!!!!!!
BAM THUD WHUP WHUP !!!!!!!!

Waaaahhhhh

WTF is happening?? What is that horrendous noise?????

SMACK !!!!!!

I look at my car’s windscreen and suddenly I see this splattered blotch of ice on it..

HAILSTORM!!!

OMG, this one is serious, not the M&M/mothball sized hail, this one sounds and looks serious…it's, it's, it's, it's .... raining golfballs!!!

When the hail comes down and hits the ground, it explodes, waaahhhh matcham war movie, like exploding artillery shells.



Quickly and gingerly, I back the car out from the carpark and look for shelter. WTF this Calgary. Multi-storied carparks are rarer than white tigers. Driving through the hail is a bitch. I can can hardly see the road, going by almost pure memory of how the road runs. Have the windshield wipers on at full speed already and this is very rare for me to turn it on at full. I'm used to riding through the rain so I can usually still out of the windscreen but not this time.



The hail is coming down in baskets exploding all around. I finally take cover under a flyover. This is so funny, I rarely used to take cover under flyovers when I was riding my bike and now in my car, I'm taking cover! LOL

Thats ice on the road, not snow, in August!



Soon, the ice begins to pile up a bit.



The after the hail comes the rain. I can now say the hail/rain here, when there is a system coming through, is heavier than that we get in SE Asia..... day turning to night, even the streetlamps decided to come on..



Weather.... can be so extreme, so hot hot last week and now brrrrr
Thank goodness it was soft hail, if it was the solid soild type, my car would be a wreck by now. I hear they actually seed the clouds to soften the ice up...whew

*******************************************

Ok, got tagged by Selba a little while ago and finally got my ass moving, erm its still stuck to the chair, see pic, this is what I got on me at the moment...

My fav at home wear, tees and shorts


My current fav watch

And pretty much nothing else....

Courtesy of Yahoo Health

"Pick up the weights"

Posted by Gabrielle Reece
on Tue, Jul 25, 2006, 11:17 am PDT

Want to boost your metabolism? Be a musclehead. All you ladies out there who don't want to get "too big" lifting weights at the gym, listen up.

The one thing that really does help you lose weight or stay slim is how efficiently your metabolism works. So what does resistance training have to do with your metabolism? Science.
The reason an individual becomes overweight is scientific: They're taking in more calories then they're burning. On the rare occasion, it can be attributed to something else, but usually it's that simple. Crazy, huh? All this talk about losing weight and it really comes down to burning more calories or the same amount of calories you consume in a day. Did the heavens just part for you and the light coming shining down? Why have we gotten so far away from the simple truth of it all?

OK, enough preaching-let's get back to your muscles. If you're doing a cardiovascular activity (running, biking, swimming, walking), you burn calories for the duration of the time you're exercising. Now if you build muscles, your muscles become a calorie-burning machine. So let's say you lift weights for an hour. Your muscles will burn calories all day long.

I read about a study done by Tufts University that stated women who resistance trained for 15 weeks increased their metabolic rate by 15%. That's 1% a week! Walk that one around the block.
Why? By building muscle tissue, the ladies create tissue that burns calories even when they're not exercising. That's why when you go on a starvation diet, the first place your body attacks for calories is not the stored fat, it's the healthy yummy muscle tissue. Good stuff, those muscles.

I'm not talking about becoming Arnold. I'm talking about supplementing your exercise life with some form of resistance training. If you're truly paranoid about getting too big, then lift very light weights and do 12 to 15 reps. If you're not doing any kind of sport performance, then do time under tension training. That's where you do an exercise for a minute or two. Time under tension training isn't good for you if you're trying to be explosive (jumping or sprinting). It's not great for the fast twitch muscles. If you're just working out to look good and stay healthy, then it's wonderful. Any weight you can lift for 2 minutes isn't going to make you big. Trust me. Muscle is your metabolism and butt's friend. Love muscles.

If you want to take care of your metabolism function, then try to get decent sleep and don't skip meals (especially breakfast). You start off your day behind the metabolic eight ball if you skip the first meal of the day. Your body spends the rest of the day playing catch up, and you're not functioning at an optimum level. Once you get this system dialed-eating well, exercising, and adding resistance training to your life-it does become easier. It's like priming the water pump. Yes, you have to work hard in the beginning to get the water out, but once things start flowing, then you just have to tap the handle to get a bucket of water. Look at your calorie burning efficient self the same way.

I will say it one more time before I go-it's just science. Granted, overeating is a tricky emotional topic, but the way to stay a certain weight or get down to a desired number is very straightforward. "

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/gabbyguide/311/metabolism-its-just-science

PS:
I just realised its my one month anniversay of moving to Calgary. Time really moves, one month liao.....