Se-Tar-Bucks Is A Charm

Thanks Bestie for my awesome Starbucks charm and top-up. XOXO

And that surmises my short update because I need to sleep to recover from my sore throat. Nites! Have fun reading my recent MPO discourse. Tomorrow, I'll get to the long awaited Bersih 3.0 report.

This is for Yesterday LXXX - Nareh Arghamanyan Blows My Mind

Actually this post is dedicated to my awesome MPO experience the previous Saturday, but yeah.

I was actually super exhausted after the Bersih participation since I took 2 hours to get home. I was wondering whether to still go for the MPO performance, since a friend who was going opted out to get more rest, and going alone is always a bummer. Somehow, my spirit hungered for music more than my body longed for sleep.

I arrived early in the hall, this time sitting close to the stage on the left side of the hall (with what I now know to have the greatest views for a piano concerto performance). Before the orchestra even tuned their instruments, an announcement was made that the guest conductor couldn't make it, so Kevin Field, who was initially intended to lead the first half of the night, took over. The first piece was Adagio for Orchestra by Barber, a deep and resounding lament that is epitome of American mourning music. It was a great start that somehow tied in together with what I experienced at Bersih ( I promise I will get to around and write about tomorrow), a tribute of sorts to Malaysia.

Then after the Steinway and Sons was pushed to the middle, the pianist walked in with comfortable poise followed by the much honoured conductor. Then the magic happened. Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 is a piece that I know well, and I have quite a high expectation for any performance that I should listen to, but when I heard her play the three chord phrases that signify the start, I knew I was in for a great time. She swept the audience of their feet, jerking into a free fall drop down a well controlled roller coaster. At times, she is even since bouncing on her chair to apply the necessary urgency and tension required for this dramatic and passionate concerto. As she ends her first movement, the crowd bursts into an early applause for too many good reasons. The next two movements is history well told, and she left this strange feeling in our mouths that asked for more.

For the second half of the night, she was to play solo pieces to replace the guest conductor's Concerto for Orchestra by Bartok. Her selection was formidable. She started with Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite for solo piano, leading the crowd with familiar pieces. To her, this is just the tip of the iceberg, just a minor finger exercise, and a small moment to sample a small selection of her personality. Next, she conquered Rachmaninoff's Études-Tableaux, making me lose focus in technical segments that required us to have more listening skills than she needs dexterity and finesse. The cream of the crop was her last choice, Balakirev's "Islamey", an oriental fantasy crafted into a fast moving deterioration of the human spirit as it traverse an impromptu ethereal world. It was a truly magnificent rendition.

She received 6 encores (in addition to her first applause), and performed two encore performances. The first was an unknown piece that I should (hopefully) remember when I hear it again. The second one was sudden, as she sat down with as much force as she started Khatchaturian's Sabre Dance with immense intensity and speed. Her final encore gave her standing ovations from many, and this marks my first MPO visit that totally amazed be beyond measure.

Her name? Nareh Arghamanyan. Oh, and I just found out from Wikipedia that she is one year younger than me. Dayum.

The Next Few Days

Again, not a good time to write stuff, but I do have stuff to write, so I'll put what I have to cover over the next few days here:

1. My participation in Bersih 3.0
2. Today's MPO performance
3. Something I learnt both from Bersih, my advertising stint last year, and, well, everywhere else about connecting to others

Arrest Me Maybe

But you cannot kiss an idea, cannot hold it or touch it. Ideas do not bleed. They do not feel pain. They do not love. - Evie Hammond

Gearing up for Bersih 3.0 tomorrow. I have so much to write, but am caught at another inappropriate moment and mood to disclose much. Keep safe tomorrow people.

Of Surveys and Pretty Much Nothing Else Important

I actually somehow spent time to complete this survey today, although I have to admit that it is quite long and I don't like doing long surveys coming from a background of research. What's with people and long survey's anyway?

You can do it here if you want to contribute: Global Men's Health and Rights Survey 2012

Other than that, feel really bored and sleepy today. Meh. Feeling... detached. Actually looking forward to Bersih 3.0 now, although I'm still a little afraid of I don't know what.

Worn shorts to work for two days now. I should still keep a backup long pants/jeans in case I have to run out and meet clients (I really need to get a comfortable pair. Dockers?). Ugh, and I haven't got my laptop yet, still waiting for Ivy Bridge, but probably not waiting for the Keplers.

That's all.

Ready, Set, Sit!

Probably going to sit down on Saturday. Somehow, Bersih 3.0 is appealing to me so much. Yes I'm scared.

God save my country.

The Pants/Jeans I Bought In The Past Sucks Balls

I really don't know how to choose my pants/jeans (well, maybe except for that awesome Cape Cod white slacks) which translates to horrific chaffing moments during a 7 hour recce at Taylor's Lakeside campus.

Tempted to wear shorts to work tomorrow. Ugh.

Today I also stayed in the office until 8, just because I'm the key holder. Great power indeed comes with great responsibilities.

Anyone wanna take me pants shopping?

The Problem Of Falling Asleep

It's a long, long way down, eh?

Yesterday I was properly in bed by 10.30 (late by half an hour), then I tossed and turned before somehow drifting asleep. Then I woke up sometime in the middle of the night, my body was feverish, my throat dry, and my whole body aching. I was thinking, 'Crap, the moment I wanted to make this change in my life, this had to happen.' I was actually thinking of cancelling my first early morning gym plan, but when I saw the time on my phone, I realised it was only 12.30am, and I had time to salvage my sleep. I quenched my thirst with the cup next to the bed, took a wee in the loo, and cradled again with my bolster.

I really have no problem waking up, I just have problems falling asleep.

I woke up surprisingly rested, although I thought I was a goner until I started walking around and realised it wasn't so bad. I went downstairs and took a liquid breakfast, then ferried myself to the gym at 6.30 on the dot. It was relatively empty, and I was somehow expecting more early bird gym freaks, but the privacy and quietness gives me sort of a tranquil environment to focus.

During my fourth exercise, I began to feel nauseated. I stopped my routine a little short because my stomach was still digesting and I probably didn't have enough food.

Am thinking about sleeping earlier and waking earlier (as if it's not early enough), and I already have several friends on my back pleading me to be a little more owlish. But sacrifices have to be made, and it's not like I'm uncontactable during work or the rest of the day.

Tried to patch my phone to ICS today, but Samsung Malaysia is still being an ass.

Other than that, nothing major. Time to sleep.

Lark Awakening

I was thinking. I don't work out well at night because I'm generally a morning person, but it's hard for me to do a morning schedule because of work and all. Then I thought, why not.

So from today onwards, I'll be sleeping at 10.00pm and waking at 5.30am for my liquid breakfast, followed by 6.30am gym session and 8.00am breakfast. How long will I last? I'm not sure. I'll see how my body likes (or hates) this new routine, and I'll adjust accordingly. Wish me luck.

Also, I deleted Grindr. I... want a closer connection to people (that I both already know and not know yet) and I don't want to grow my relationships in the ways that I currently do. I desire the change, and perhaps, I'll know who I should spend my precious time with after time.

I'm trying to go after several guys, a lot of which are probably false ends, but we'll see. My heart probably can't handle it, but that's what I have my friends for.

Peace out, it's almost sleep time.

This is for Yesterday LXXIX - 8 Seasons

Went to watch 8 seasons at the MPO, so here's the round up.

First there were Vivaldi's 4 seasons which somehow conjured in my head a dramatic story of a farming village full of intrigue and suspense. Spring was pleasantly springy, giving me an effortless time of prancing through open meadows and also giving first sight to the dramatic relationships between the many villagers. The third movement was a little slurry, perhaps suggesting a hotter and more terrifying summer. Summer was hot, humid and the sun blares down on all living things, parching them with ripples of indiscriminate heat.

Fall signals the pastoral moments, of people rounding up everyone for the reaping of the harvest with a little murder intrigue in the middle. And somehow, the third movement covers everything up, letting the criminal escape again. But winter judges much, with steely and icy shards raining down hard in a blizzard of emotions. Nature buries all the drama living the innocent behind to come to a abrupt pause before spring comes again.

Overall, not such a bad experience (and the 4 seasons sounds so much better in real life (everything does, but yeah)), but the soloist and conductor Richard Kaufman seem to own a vintage violin which somehow moaned a little during the performance. Hmmm.

Then we were delighted with Piazolla's 4 seasons of Buenos Aires, a more contemporary tango collection depicting different emotions of the two dancers. Less intrigue, but plenty of turmoil that both parties go through to find true love. For this collection, the order was different because the composer was in the Southern hemisphere, and the seasons were inverted as per fall, winter, spring summer.

The pieces were a little similar (in terms of techniques used and motives), but I guess I'm not the best critic to offer a more objective view. My favourite was spring, which was probably a time for love and romance with the fresh breeze of floral aftertones and rich and passionate nights spent in sexual activities. Winter was also frigidly compelling, with that strange excitement you get from the thrill of the hunt.

Also found another MPO kaki, I'm so blessed but I guess I pray for too much sometime.

24.5"...

... is the circumference of my head. In US sizes that's an XXL. Ugh. Talk about insecurities.

Have a great weekend guys! Tomorrow's going to be a long one for me, which isn't such a bad thing, but the fact that weekends exhaust us more than weekdays just seem so wrong.

Adrenal Fatigue

I've always wondered why I can still feel dehydrated although I drink a lot of water. Then today I found something in Google: Adrenal Fatigue.

Adrenals are two small glands sitting on top of our kidneys, and along with the thyroid, creates energy and secretes important hormones, in this case, aldosterone. Aldosterone is secreted to regulate water levels and the concentration of minerals, like sodium, in your body to keep you hydrated. Because the adrenals are also responsible for regulating stress responses, a high level of stress (perceived or real) will cause a surge of aldosterone to flood the blood stream. This spike of hormones will carry water out of the body unneccesarily when the stressors disappears.

Some tips I should take to heart to help myself:

1. Drink water regularly in small amounts. Drinking too fast will dilute your blood, and cause faster excretion of water by the kidneys.

2. Drink alkaline. Simplest way is to add baking soda into water, best to dilute till you reach a 8.5 to 9.0 pH level.

3. Control your blood sugar levels. Which means eat more complex carbs and eat smaller but regular meals.

4. Take care of your stressors and have sufficient quality sleep. This is probably one of the most crucial elements that I think is plaguing youths and young adults these days.

I don't know how many other people have this problem, but I hope this helps.

This is for Yesterday LXXVIII - Just A Sad Realisation That Gyming At Night Just Isn't The Same

Title says it all, but not much I can do unless I want to do a liquid breakfast, then detox right before or at work. Maybe I should try it soon...

I Am Because We Are

Humans are social creature no matter how you say it. It's not often that I just copy an article from somewhere, but here you go:


UBUNTU

An anthropologist suggested the following game to a group of children in a tribe in Africa: He placed a basket full of fresh fruits under a tree. He then said that whoever reached the basket first in a race would be the winner of all the fruits. As he gave the signal to begin the race, the whole group held hands, ran bonded together and then sat and enjoyed the prize together.

When he asked why they had done such thing, when he had offered the possibility to one to be the ultimate winner. They replied: "UBUNTU" - how could one of us be happy (feel happiness) while the rest are in despair, unhappy?

UBUNTU in the Xhosa culture means: "I am, because we are."

I wonder whether the creator of the Ubuntu operating system thought of this...

Just A Few Things I'm Missing At This Point In Time

Swimming in cool waters with the sun on my back.

Spending time with selected friends.

Being proudly productive.

Knowing for definite that I'm being trusted.

Praying deeply.

My proper gym routine, diet routine and sleep routine.

Shopping.

The smell of fresh bread.

Deep sleep.

Avocado salad.

Hugs.

Looking up at the sea of stars.

Knowing that I'm wanted by someone I want.

This is for Yesterday LXXVII - Hits and Misses

Watched Battleship today with the close friends, and it was not a terrible movie despite the horrid character progression and wonky storyline.

Managed to gym today too, but somehow I was so tired (obviously from my screwed up sleep routine).

Ended the night at McDs in Centrepoint with the close friends, ensuring another late night.

I seriously need to be a little more selfish. haha.

This Is For Two Days Ago III - The Recurring Bad Habit

Woke up underslept, and spent the entire morning (and early afternoon) napping to make up for lost time, but I know it myself that recovered sleep is not good enough since the damage is already done.

From late afternoon till the evening, I was in the city with my godbrother, spending time to catch up and shop a litle (him shopping more than I am, since I was saving up for a laptop and I didn't see anything I particularly love). Also my first time eating at Din Tai Fung (at the one in Pavillion); I ordered the braised beef noodles and it came really strong and hearty together with a bowl of wantons we shared, which was sadly not up to par. We retired to the hidden food court of Lot 10 to sample the Mochi we bought at Tokyo Street in Pavillion; the green tea mochi was the best albeit a little weak. The caramel macchiato and purple yam is disappointing, but they were good mochis nevertheless.

On the way back, I received a message that my close friend was back from Singapore, and we spent the late night supper-ing at the Kayu outlet in Kota Damansara plus the Hokkien Mee near Sunway Giza. Another late night and another round of lost sleep...

Dropping Clients

My boss was on the verge of dropping a client, then I think the client sensed it and begged for my boss to continue on. I wonder what the outcome will be...

I like people who drop out for what they believe in, like Shay Pierce who dropped out from the Draw Something development team after Zynga bought over OMGPOP. There are some things more important to protect than our own jobs in life, and I wish more people learn to understand this.

Happy weekending people!

This is for Yesterday LXXVI - Temporal Demographics

Went to gym late at Curve around 9.30pm, and noticed that it was still a little filled (albeit bearable). There wear considerably more thinner people there compared to the standard hours where hunkier guys are just everywhere. Good to be in a more homogeneous crowd, haha.

Strength has diminished, but will gain it back slowly but surely.

This Is For Two Days Ago II - Second Round The Zodiac Cycle

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me-eeeee, happy birthday to me!

Spent the morning serving breakfast deliveries to selected few, then cooking for a warm and intimate dinner with friends. Some people call me crazy, but that's simply joyful.

Of Perfect Tiramisus and Slightly Burnt Semifreddos

Cooked those two and realised I'm freakin' tired.

Tomorrow is a day filled with cooking and love. Muax and huggies!

Sleep beckons.

How To Make Piperade

Piperade is a french sauce/soup made mainly with peppers. I made a batch as the base for my confit biyaldi I'm making two days later. It's really simple, really.

1. Roast peppers, turning them over once in a while to let the exterior caramelise evenly. Put them in a bowl and cover with cling wrap until is returns to room temperature, then peel skin off, remove core and seeds, then dice. (I made an impatient mistake here of not waiting for it to cool down, silly me.)
2. Take one can of whole tomatoes (You can use 4 whole read tomatoes if you can find really nice ones (by foreign standards, that is)). Dice. Reserve liquid in can.
3. Add olive oil to pan. Saute tomatoes in its juice for a while. Add diced peppers shortly after.
4. Simmer on very low heat with lid of pan tight, stirring every 20 minutes and adding water when it gets too thick. Generally a basic piperade is done in about 30 minutes with one stir, but I decided to let it stew for longer to develop a more intense flavour.
5. Serve with eggs, meat or as a soup. Or make confit biyaldi like me.

The original recipe has onions and garlic too (useful easy flavours to add), but I'm making this edible for my mum, who is on a lifelong satya vegan diet. Can't wait for tomorrow for more cooking!

Managed to gym today too, somehow. Realised I'm not fully well yet.

Missing some friends. I hope they miss me as much.

Surprisingly, I'm Happy On The End Of This Weekend

Title says it, but somehow I have this assuring calm and peaceful joy after the weekend has ended.

Sailing today was generally good, picking up the techniques and skills slowly but surely. I also seem to have the habit of injuring myself without myself realising it until it has already healed or someone else tells me about it. Don't know whether that means that I'm getting stronger or I'm desensitised to pain, but I'll claim it's both.

I'm hosting a dinner party in 3 days, and I can hardly hide my enthusiasm. One of my new favourite places to shop at is Ben's Independent Grocer in Publika. It's not exactly the cheapest place, but they have some rare ingredients (like rhubarb, squash and other imported goods) which can be cheaper (and totally accessible) compared to bigger hypermarkets. That and I'm a sucker for their bakery at the back. Still gotta do more grocery shopping over the course of two days, but I'm totally prepared for it. Whenever I buy groceries, I walk with this sense of open-ended wonder and productivity; unlike other forms of shopping that I enjoy (such as clothing, stationary and books), I am certain that the groceries I buy can be transformed with love into wonderful dishes for myself and others.

I'm still single. Not that I'm proud of it, but it means that someone out there is going to be very lucky in due time. :)

I'm also recovering smoothly, and gym routines will be reinstated soon. Yay me!

Got two magical cards in the mail. I'm so happy! Snail mail is the way to go. Love you both!

I shall end the day converting my weekend high into optimism and simple joy to spread to everyone. Happy Easter!

This is for Yesterday LXXV - Since Primary School

"I've always known you were gay since primary school."

How is that possible when I didn't even have any feelings at that time?

Accompanied a friend to club, glad he had fun. Fortunately, didn't stay too late.

This is for Yesterday LXXIV - Easter 2012

Went for a Easter production with a friend and a fragment of his family.

Good Friday shouldn't be celebrated, but remembered, because it is human to forget and because the celebrations should be done on every other day too not just this one.

Happy Easter.

Whoever Told Me That Work Will Make All This Feelings Go Away...

... lied.

Easter is coming. Time to insert selah.

Oh God.

Tribute of Thanks

Exactly one week from now, I will be embarking on a project I want to for quite some time. Let's hope it all works out.

I'm getting healthier. Thanks for the prayers.

Today, I went for the first ever recce of the year and was at a contractors' meeting. Everyone was trying to be as politically correct as possible. Meh. But I guess that's how the world works these days.

Oh, I don't know whether I ever mentioned this before, but the only thing worse than me getting sick is me spreading my sickness to others. Please stay well peeps!

First Day of Work Of 2012

I just wished I was healthier. If you think my rantings were bad when I was emo, it's worse (or perhaps nonexistant) when I'm sick-ish.

kthxbye

Of Open Windows and Sticky Mirrors

Decided to open more windows at home, literally. Good (clean) air flow promotes healthier living. I guess this is an apt reference to opening windows (or perhaps it was doors) to greater places (greener pastures) (I need to stop abusing the parentheses).

Liberated my sister's old mirror panels and hung 8 in my room during my rare re-positioning of bedroom furniture, looking at yourself in all panels shows a fragmented perspective. Let's break the narcissism in me.

I think this post has been kind of random. Hmmm. I need to get well, I already missed the first day of work.

Of Smoke, Onlookers, and My Body

Today was a very tiring Ching Ming experience, which as many of you Malaysian Chinese would know, involves families going to their ancestors' graves to clean up and offer booty and respect. Starting this year's day with a bad sore throat and not enough sleep, I was pondering the damage we actually do to the Earth (and somehow in other aspects, ourselves) when Hijau by Zainal Abidin played on the morning radio.

The amount of smoke in the graveyard areas were bad as usual, although somehow the sun was forgiving despite the total lack of clouds like previous years. As Chinese burn paper gold and silver as well as other paper goods fashioned to look like household objects (or houses in that matter), there were puffs of smoke in all directions, each coloured depending on the intensity of the inks used in the paper products. I've even heard that people burnt petrol staions and iPads...

The queue to my grandfather's grave, which was in Ipoh instead of with the other three in Bidor, was horrid. When we finally got to the entrance, there were no actual reason for the traffic jam (other than idiots cutting queue and people stopping by the main temple at the bottom of the compound). Silly.

On the way back from Ipoh, we encountered various traffic nuisances. Can we stop looking at accidents and slow down? Seriously. A 2-hour journey became a 4.5-hour journey because of people trying to get the numbers of the cars involved in the accident to buy lottery tickets. Silly.

I need to listen to my body more. Not that I haven't been doing so at all, but at times I have no idea why I get sick and all. I hope I survive tomorrow.