I Joined Fitness First

Since I’ve stopped working at an Assistant Instructor at my college’s gym, I’ve also stopped stepping into the gym for the past 2 months. 23^rd December 2006 to be exact was the last time I stepped into the gym just to submit my pay claim form.

The last time I measure my weight at the gym, it was 72kg, and now it’s showing 77kg on my house weighing scale. Thanks to all the good food and my eating habit with no exercise at all [except my fingers (while on the pc)]. My belly is showing and I’m currently being called fatty by my friends. How sad? :-(

So I went around fitness shops around the Klang Valley asking for equipments quotation thinking to convert one the empty rooms in my house as a small workout area for me. What I had in mind was a treadmill, cross-trainer, and a bench press’ bench. Of course, with other miscellaneous items as well like weights and barbell.

The most pain in the ass part was the price of a treadmill and a cross-trainer. For me, I wouldn’t want something with too simple features, but advanced features with at least 15% percent incline and 20km/h on my treadmill. But the better the features, the higher the price goes.

Anyway, I got myself quoted from a few fitness shops like Johnson Fitness, Kettler and Fitness Concept. The price tag for everything goes up to a whopping RM9K for my “not so basic after all” needs.

It was definitely not going to be reasonable to my dad. And personally, I would have other factors to make me reconsider about;

1. To train at home would need higher level of determination and discipline.

2. Long term maintenance of equipments. It’s humid at my house plus with the air, it would cause the equipments to rust. The treadmill’s motor and belt would be a headache too in the long term.

3. Might not know how long I would really use the equipments. Who knows one day I might find something better to do than working out.

So I actually decided that I would sign-up as a member in a decent equipped gym somewhere near to my house. However, I went to check out 1 of them, and It was disappointing. In terms of environment and equipments that are not so well maintained.

My cousin, Lim Soo Aun who is a personal trainer at Menara Manulife’s Fitness First told me that there’s a promotion going on for Family and Friend’s package for a monthly fee of RM175 RM105 for a Passport membership.

I went over to Fitness First at Menara Manulife yesterday to check the gym and chicks out, and straight away I signed up a 1 year membership contract with them with a monthly fee of RM105 for the mentioned Passport membership. I paid a total RM328 [RM19 (February’s fee) +RM105 (March’s fee) +RM105 (1 month deposit)].

Stay tuned for reviews on Fitness First branches all around Klang Valley.

My Birthday

Yes, Happy Birthday to myself today. I was born 1 day after Valentine's Day, and 2 days before Chinese New Year in 1988. So I'm considered to be born in the year of Rabbit in the Chinese Zodiac Calendar. I'm not a Dragon boy :'~(

When I was young, probably from age 1-6, my parents used to celebrate my birthday for me without fail. Birthday cake, cooking good food and inviting people whom are familiar to our family.

When I was 7 onwards, before my birthday, I would start demanding for things for my birthday, to make it MY DAY! Therefore, it's a MUST for my parents to fulfil my demands. It could be anything, from a bicycle, to the latest video game and the list goes on. I remember I would sometimes be unfair towards my parents by demanding more ON my birthday itself if they were to give me my present BEFORE my birthday. How smart am I?

All this happen until I was 14. I overheard a conversation somewhere I could not recall where? Or was I dreaming? I’m not sure. But it just flows by where I heard that for some children, their birthday is also their mother’s death day due to birth complication.

When I heard about that, I paused for a moment to think about it. And it totally changed my view on children celebrating birthdays.

I came to a point that on my birthday; it’s the day I should be grateful that I was born safely without birth complication, I was raised by two wonderful parents and since I was born, my parent has been ‘GIVING’ me all the time(Both tangible and non-tangible), not only on my birthday. So, what there is more to be demanded?

Since then onwards, I never had the thought of wanting my parents to celebrate or giving me anything on my birthday. Even friends, I don’t expect any material things from them. It’s not all about wanting people around me making me happy only, But EVERYBODY around me, Family members and people I am familiar with, should be happy as well.

On my birthday, it’s the day I should be counting my blessings and be grateful. I would also think about the less fortunate, and try my best to do small contributions with my small savings. To me, it’s all about gratitude and 'giving back'.

P/s: Thank you to all my friends whom sent me Birthday greetings. May you all too enjoy what you've wished me.

Valentine's Day

I've searched around the internet but I still don't know the true meaning or reason why people celebrate Valentine's Day. There are various versions of stories mainly related to St Valentine or also known as St Valentino to some, back in the 3rd century of Rome.

Today, Valentine's Day is the day where tons of pressure will be built up for guys thinking of what to buy and what to do for their girlfriend on February 14 every year.

If you don’t perform up to their standard of expectation, they would probably say that you don’t love them.

Take a moment to digest. What is true love?

One of my favourite stories about Love comes from the book “Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung?” by Ajahn Brahm

The story goes like this;

Ajahn Brahm was in his first year as a monk in northeast Thailand travelling in the back of the car with two other Western monks with Ajahn Chah. Ajahn Chah suddenly turned around and asked a young American novice monk sitting next to Ajahn Brahm and said to him “You are thinking about your girlfriend back in L.A.”

The American novice’s jaw dropped almost to the floor in surprise. Ajahn Chah had been reading his thoughts accurately. Ajahn Chah smiled and told him not to worry. The American novice was told that he could write a letter to her, ask her to send him something personal, something intimately connected to her, which he could bring it out wherever he misses her, to remind him of her.

“Is that allowable for a monk?” asked the novice in a surprised manner.

“Sure! You should ask her to send you a bottle of her shit. Whenever you miss her, you can bring out the bottle and open it”.

Well, Shit is something personal. When we express our love for our partner, don’t we say we love everything about them?

Take a break to digest it once again.