18 posts tagged “life”
I feel a lil guilty for neglecting this blog. Haven't had much time to update here. the last month or so has been crazy with work that actually brings in money for me. Such as working on the Men's Health Singapore website.
We've given it quite the revamp by adding in way more content than we used to have. You know how magazines used to do the In This Issue...and put up teaser headlines to force you to buy the mag? Well, we've discarded that and you'll find 2 years worth of tips and tricks you can use for a better life, our tagline is 100% Useful after all. Do peruse if you can.
If you register (it's free) you get full access to our MH Runner's section as well; our special section on how you can be a better runner, regardless how active you are. Registration also gives you access to our contests. One of which is our Surf & Win promo. You just answer a handful of questions and that's it. It's not hard but you will need to check the site a bit. It's not just about fitness and it's not just for men. We welcome the fairer sex's point of views as always and we've got some grooming tips, recipes and money advice as well among others. I have my work blog there too. You can go there if you miss me. I'm the guy with the pencil for a headshot! LOL.
Speaking of other blogs, I'm looking at switching to another blog to be honest. Vox has been great but I'm trying to maximise my blog more and frankly, Vox is quite restrictive with what I have in mind. I've been trying out wordpress for the moment. You can go to The Odd Fellow for the moment but I'm in the midst of setting up my own personal site. Domain name's settled, hosting sorted. Just the content and design. Hopefully by June/ July. Will update soon. Better way to contact me these days is via twitter. Follow me @kazitoshi
So yeah, that's me. So, how you doing?
Not many thoughts in the end haha! But here's the final part of it. The rest of the stuff I thought about and wrote during my trip can't be shared with you guys sorry!
Stoned
I admit Halong Bay was a beautiful spot and I can see how magnificent the location is. For the life of me though, I can't see how some of those rock formations got their names. I tried. I really did. But some of those names left me scratching my head! I could only nod in agreement when my guide pointed out the rocks to us, take a quick snap and then squint and stare very hard to make the connection! Maybe I just don't have a very good imagination. What were those Vietnamese fishermen smoki
Surreal
I've experienced many moments that make me go "WTF?!" but this ranks quite high up there on the surreal table. There I was, floating peacefully on a boat down Halong Bay. The sun was getting ready to set and we've just finished an afternoon of marvelling at the gorgeous rock formations and caves that the Bay boasted. As we came to the end of our tour, activities on the boat had pretty much wound down. Our guide was busy below deck as we neared Cat Ba Island, and we were all rather tired.
I was freezing, but enjoying the moment, as the evening breeze said hello and the rocks stared down at us instead. My fellow tourmates were either busy snapping photos, napping or chatting about their coming stay on the boat. Suddenly I heard the sounds of a harmonica. The song was faintly recognisable but I think it was Frank Sinatra's 'My Way'. I stopped to stare at the Korean guy who was playing, wondering if I was imagining the whole thing. I turned my gaze back to the cool blue water of the bay, and I chuckled.
Peace
After the assault on my privacy and senses that is Hanoi, it was nice to find solitude on Cat Ba 2 beach. As I write this, the place is practically deserted, save for the handful of staff and some bored-ass tourists mucking around. The only sounds in the background are the crashing of the waves and the spluttering of a motorboat heading out to sea. I did my 2009 lifeplan during my 2.5hours on that beach. It was definitely worth the 2km trek from my hotel.
as part of my new year's resolution, i'm trying to keep fit. Shush those of you laughing at the back. Really, I am. Well, trying is the operative word.
I kinda miss my NS days when I was you know, slim and shit. Plus I'm 30 now and I am getting worried about my deteriorating health. Then I end up smoking cos I'm getting worried. it's a vicious cycle I tell you.
But I can't run because of my gout, and I've had to give up competitive football due to the high-impact nature of the sport, again to gout. Plus I am not a swimming fan though I love girls in bikinis. So what's the next best thing?
I bought an exercise bike! Scoured Ebay and eventually found an OTO Kinetic Bike bidding at $120. Unfortunately I was in Hanoi so was unable to participate. However the buyer was extremely helpful and somehow, his neighbour had a similar model selling for $150. That's about half-price of the brand new machines I'd seen in stores so I thought it's a good deal.
Transporting the damn thing from Bedok North to my place was a bit of a headache but thanks to a 7-seater taxi it's now found a new home in Teck Whye Lane. I've been using it too! Twice a day in fact. It's been quite fun. I don't know if I've been losing weight haha but well, I'm happy at least I'm indulging in some form of exercise everyday though.
Hopefully I'll have something positive to report in six months time. Then again it's early days so maybe I'd have sold the machine by then. Oh well willpower don't fail me now!
i imagine it must be frustrating at times for people who go out/hang with me. They might think I'm a little indecisive when it comes to picking a place to eat/coffee or something to do. it's not that i can't make up my mind, it's really because i don't care.
let me straighten it out - i don't care about details that don't affect the outcome of a particular event. in short, if it eventually doesn't matter, then why bother too much about it? don't sweat the small stuff.
when it comes to social situations i.e. hanging out w friends, it's the company that counts for me. we can sit down in some park for hours w drinks from 7-Eleven and I'd be fine really. I'd be equally content spending the evening at a movie, dinner or coffee. Although I have certain dietary restrictions, I am not very fussy or particular. I'd watch any kind of show and okay, maybe i'd consider budget or convenience before proposing a place. Otherwise I'm a simple man. So long as I know I'm in the company of people I enjoy, even the office is a fun place to be, know what i mean?
It's a different story when it comes to work though. I know what I want and I make sure I get it. I admit I'm more of a big picture person, and I work best with someone who takes care of the details so I focus on the ideas. I can focus on details but my mind tends to run away once certain concepts kick in. But when I have to, I can be so annoying it's maddening. Still if I have a target to meet, then I can be quite single-minded and even selfish. I've learn to separate these two aspects from my work and social life though.
So remember, next time if you ask me where to go, where to eat etc, and I say ''anything", it's not that i'm wishy washy, it honestly doesn't matter to me.
well, i'm back in singapore after a week in and around Hanoi, specifically, Hanoi, Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island. I have to say the weather was cold because it's winter. I expected that but didn't expect temperature to dip so low. I think it hovered around 13 - 18 deg. celsius while i was there which is pretty chilly coming from humid singapore. Still it was great to wear my jacket every day and sport a scarf too. Although wearing the same jeans night and day for 7days straight didn't hit me till I reached the airport. ditto for the cigarette-reeking jacket. I wouldn't mind some of that cold here!
the truth is, i wasn't there as a tourist per se. As in, I wasn't there to sight see all that much. I fitted in whatever i had time (or desire) to view and just did my own thing for the most part. I tried to get what I could for those who asked. If I didn't well, this trip isn't about them.
Ultimately, I wanted to get away from people, home, office, whatever is familiar around me. I wanted time and peace alone.Me-time. To Plot. Reminisce. Forget. Forgive. Cut. Focus. To Think about the year past. the year that's now and to sort things out in my life, especially now that i'm 30. For the most part, it was a productive trip.
Funnily, Hanoi probably isn't the best of places for quiet reflection, considering its crazy-ass traffic but I found solitude on Cat Ba Island and its pretty desolate beach(it is winter after all). I managed about 2 1/2 hours of thinking and self-debate which was really productive. The 1km trek up-slope was definitely worth it. Some of those little observations I'll post up soonish, along with the pictures.
I need to settle some administrative matters firstly so later peeps.
i need to leave for the airport in about 3hours. i'm about half-packed. i am unsure where or what i'm gonna do in Hanoi. Am I going to Sapa? China?? Halong? I haven't decided. Damn it. Okay that's another resolution - be more decisive. and uh, don't be so distracted. okay i should stop blogging now and finish packing etc. Will try and update if i can.
peace voxland.
kaz
2008 was a bittersweet one on so many levels. Everytime I thought I had something to be happy about, something else came along and fucked it all up. It didn't just happen once though. I had my buzz killed so many times, I was afraid to accept good news by the end of the year.
On the surface, I admit there were quite a few fun moments last year but they can't quite cover up the fact that on the whole, 2008 was a pretty shitty year. I should have been happier than what I'm feeling now, but whatever joy I experience was wiped out by the feelings of resentment, confusion and anger. I do give my thanks for a few things (as listed below) but I kept waiting for the rug to be pulled under my feet. It was that kind of year.
I sincerely hope that by the end of 2009, we'll be able to look back with a proper, mega-watt smile and be genuinely happy to say we've had a good year. Outlook is bleak though and the dirty snowball of fail from 2008 will most likely make its impact felt even harder this year.
But hope, as they say, springs eternal. And I've never taken anything for granted anyway. I subscribe to the school of hard knocks theory that if you want something in life, you've got to work to make it happen. Just don't lose your self-belief.
things i am thankful for at the start of 2009:
1. I still have a job despite the uncertain economic landscape.
2. all things considered, i'm working for a large and successful local corporation. I still have half a year of probation though. i hope it passes without too much of a hassle.
3. my mum's health is much better after starting dialysis.
4. I have new friends at work who have made the office(s) a welcome second home and work a lot less of a chore.
5. at this point in time, i still enjoy what i do for a living.
6. i am embarking on a major new project at work
7. i can pay off my bills and household commitments each month, and still be relatively comfortable. i wish i was even more comfortable though.
8. i have not totally lost all my old friends. and it's nice to know most of us still care enough for each other.
things i hope to achieve by end of 2009:
1. Be a lot healthier
2. Be more financially successful
3. Produce better quality work
4. live life outside the office better
let's see if i can stick to these 4! heh. Have a good one guys and may whatever you work, and wish for, come to fruition.
okay so i turned 30 today.been waiting to turn 30 for the longest time.i don't know why, i'm weird like that okay.
the original plan was to throw a McDonald's party (cos I've never had one) but since I don't have many friends, plus I'm getting rather lazy to plan parties these days, I pulled the plug on that. Maybe next year. Anyway, how was I to battle ZoukOut?
The party money is thus going towards funding my Hanoi trip in January. And not to mention my brand-new Canon G10 digital camera. I'll share some shots when I upload them. It's damn fierce can. And not cheap, even after the media discount.
Still, I was looking forward to celebrating my birthday in some way, was supposed to go out today but I busted my knee a couple days before and it still hasn't healed properly. I was so looking forward to shooting with my camera and well, just being out. I can walk without my cane now but it's still a bit awkward. So any merry-making (however little) will be on hold till next week when my body parts get better. I wish there was some way to just replace faulty parts with brand new ones sometimes. Le suck, I know.
Obviously I couldn't do much today cos of my impairment, but thank god I got my laptop's internet connection up and running. Otherwise I'd be shit bored.So besides ordering t-shirts from threadless.com, renewing my Flickr account and breaking in my Google Chrome browser on my laptop (which I seldom use for surfing), I did cheer up a bit when I satisfied my pizza craving. Pepperoni. Yummy. Blame it on Food Paradise, the Discovery Travel & Living programme. They had a special on pizzas and I was salivating for a deep dish afterwards. I actually have a story to submit but meh.
I have a few posts lined up too, the more introspective ones you know, and recaps for the year, especially my Top 5 entertainments lists for 2008.Watch out for those soon! Thanks for the well wishes from those who actually read this blog. Yes, all 5 of you.
kaz
My mum's a big fan of forensic detective drama series like CSI, Criminal Mind, Cold Case etc. She actually follows the plot and can identify who's who whatever. So one night, while we were surfing channels because it was really boring.
Mum: Okay, stop. We can watch this.
Me: Kidnapped (the TV series on AXN)? Ok. What's this about?
Mum: I believe they kidnap people.
Me: ...
it's been two years since i'm on vox. it's been great to have an aside to just rant, comment and share my thoughts with noone in particular. time hasn't been kind though, and i haven't been updating my blog as much as i'd like. i've got quite a few things and events i'd like to post about but the last month has been rather turbulent.
my mum was warded for 2 weeks with final stage renal failure. the doc gave her 3 months if she didn't agree to dialysis treatment (she's been avoiding it since the start of the year). thankfully, she agreed this time but of course, now comes another headache in terms of the ongoing treatments etc. She's way better now though so that's the most important thing.
on top of that, i'm being redeployed to another division in a role which is yet to be explained to me. this was after they informed us that our title was being discontinued. i'm awaiting for the full brief which should be happening soon. i hope.
it hasn't been easy but i'm thankful that the people around me who knew of my predicament were so understanding. thanks, really.
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