Sunday, 3 May 2009
LEE HOM ROCKSS!!
MUSIC-MAN is the theme for this year's concert! Before we get into the stadium, everyone was pushing and squeezing through the security check entrance. Me and Eunice managed to push our way in, and so she let the guard check her bag followed by me. After checking my bag, the guard wants to check her bag again. We were like "check already ma..". Thn the guard says "Bu yao jia jia (Don't pretend) laa.." with a fake smile. *pfft!* The concert started around 8.15pm with some local artist. Don't know who were they. =p. If I'm not mistaken, Music-Man came out around 8.30pm with his first song, 'Yao Kuan Che Me Le' slowly. HAHA! The whole crowd were screaming & shouting! You can't imagine how the crowd react. *out of breath* Fuhh! Moving on, unfortunately, the line that we were seating was a 'DEAD LINE'. Our line was SOOOO CALM and QUIET. Which is not a very normal scene in a concert. Sad case! The girl sitting next to me even yawned! Felt like I wanna smack her on the face. SHEEESHH!
Anyway, the concert went on wildly with excitement and screaming voices of crazy fans. LOL! I admit I'm one of the screaming fans. >.<. Hmmm, he sang 28 songs, I can't recall all the songs because he sang too many. =p. These are the memorable songs that he sang for the night; 'Yao Kuan Che Me Le', 'Xin Tiao', 'Luo Ye Gui Gen', 'Forever Love', 'Bu Wan Chen De Xuan Lu', 'Can You Feel My World', 'Ni Bu Zai', 'Jian Dan De Ge', 'Gai Bian Zi Ji', 'Gai Shi Ying Shiong', 'Kiss Goodbye', '(chinese version of Mary Says)', etc. That's all I can remember. LOL!
At the end of the concert, everyone was shouting for encore. Unfortunately it really end. =.=ll. We told each other that the next concert, we will all sit together instead of 1 here and there. Buy together, sit together, SCREAM together! HAHA!
Sunday, 26 April 2009
Thursday, 23 April 2009
AT LAST!!
Saturday, 11 April 2009
My so-called packed schedule
This is for some of you who's been asking bout 'how's my life', 'how am I' and 'what have I been doing lately'. Felt like crying when I read my friends' blogs. Almost most of them are enjoying their college life whereas me? What am I doing? How's my life? Why is it like this? I know I shouldn't complain coz I chose this road for MYSELF. T.T . Why is life so unfair to me? Why can't I enjoy life like most college students? Just take a look at my daily schedule. I hardly have time for myself. It's like I have NO LIFE!
Weekdays except Wed: Work, 9am-6pm; College, 6.30-9.15pm; Eat, Do Hw & sleep.
Wed: Work, 9am-6pm; TV, Online, Do HW, Eat & Sleep (almost the same routine except I don't have class).
Sat: Girls' Brigade, 2-5pm; TV, Online, HW, Eat & Sleep.
Sun: Church, 11.45-1.30pm; Chinese Class, 2-4pm; after class have to go to Granny's place for dinner and the same old routine mentioned.
The only time I can hang out with friends are either after college; Sun, after class or if I skip GB, I have an extra free day. I want FREEDOM!!!
7 Ways to Slash Stress
1. Start your day with meditation
Spend time every day in meditative relaxation, with calming music if you desire. Start with five minutes and work your way to 15 or 20 minutes each day. Meditation is your number one way to reduce the output of stress hormones and avoid adrenal exhaustion, serious threats to your health.
Try this Stress Release Meditation: Breathe consciously, relax, and with each exhale focus on relaxing each area of your body in sequence, starting from the top of your head and moving all the way down to your toes.
2. Manage your mood with diet and herbs
Chinese Medicine considers the liver to be the center of your emotions. To allay stress and balance your emotions, keep your liver healthy and happy:
• Every day, eat lots of green leafy vegetables, barley grass, seaweed - anything high in chlorophyll - to keep the liver in good health.
• Take 500 mg dandelion daily for a month or longer to cleanse the liver and help release built-up anger.
• Take 400 mg white peony root daily for 1 to 3 months to soothe the liver and balance your mood.
• Schisandra berry protects the liver from chemicals and calms the spirit. For emotional anxiety, take 200 mg daily for a month.
Take these herbs anytime during the day and before bed in tea or capsule form. All the herbs are available from health food stores and Eastern medicine practitioners. Many of my patients have had remarkable results with Calm-Fort Elixir, an all-natural formulation of herbs to calm your spirit. For more information, click here.
3. Suppress stress with positive thinking
Instead of letting your thoughts run wild with anxiety, say affirmations to yourself, such as "I can handle the tasks I have ahead of me. I enjoy my responsibilities and fulfill them well." In fact, repeating positive affirmations can actually suppress the cortisol that the adrenal gland releases in times of stress - leaving you peaceful and calm.
4. Get stress out of your head and on paper
Writing in a journal every day can help you release thoughts and emotions that are causing you stress. Write from the position of an observer, recording your thoughts without any judgments. Just write it down so that you can see clearly what is going on inside. The next step is to identify the source of any anger or stress so you can begin to make changes. Looking into your thoughts give you the opportunity to gain insight into your feelings and reflect the underlying issues.
5. Unblock tension with exercise
The constant pressures of your job and family can lead to chronically elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is a direct cause of muscle and joint pain. Clenched jaw? Lump in your throat? Chronic back and neck pain? These can all be manifestations of stress in your body. Release physical tension and clear these emotional blockages by using massage therapy, exercise, yoga, tai chi, or qi gong to get the circuits moving.
6. A Retreat to Avoid Burnout
Overloading your brain is a recipe for stress and health problems. Information overload is particularly harmful at midlife because we have less tolerance for stress, which can contribute to high blood pressure and heart disease. Press the "reset" button on yourself. Give yourself a retreat from the stresses of modern life. Take one day out of the seven-day week to minimize "screen" time. Don't watch TV, don't check email, and don't look at the news - it will be there tomorrow, and after a day of rest, you will be refreshed and ready to look at them.
7. Perspective from the Natural World
Use nature to reduce stress. Go outside, hike in the woods, walk on the beach, anything that puts you in contact with the natural world. It is difficult to feel stressed when you are surrounded by nature's abundance of vitality and wonder.
By Dr Mao : http://health.yahoo.com/experts/drmao/16392/7-ways-to-slash-stress/
6 Natural Tips for Deep Sleep
1. Relaxing Rituals to Rest Easy
In Chinese Medicine, nighttime is 'yin' time—or, simply, when the body takes care of itself instead of your desires. Proper sleep is required for your body to repair itself and regenerate. To reach deep, restful sleep, your spirit and heart must be calm. Excessive worry, anxiety, and depression can all disturb the spirit and activate the mind—making it near impossible to fall asleep and stay asleep. Rituals to sooth your spirit and induce a sleep response before bed include soaking your feet in Epson salts for 15 minutes, writing all of your thoughts in a journal to get them out of your head, and practicing relaxation before bed, like the Stress Release meditation below.
2. When Food Disturbs Sleep
When you eat late, you wake up tired. Your body will be busy digesting your dinner while you are trying to sleep, so you won't feel rested in the morning. Do not eat anything for at least three hours before bedtime. Also, cut back on eating bacon, cheese, chocolate, ham, potatoes, tomatoes, and sausage, especially before bed. These foods contain tyramine, which inhibits neurochemicals like norepinephrine and can cause insomnia. And, of course if you have sleep problems, caffeine should be cut out.
Eat for sleep! Try eating more grains at dinner; carbohydrates tend to make people sleepy. Another snooze snack is a warm cup of milk; because milk is rich in the amino acid tryptophan, it can sometimes aid in deep sleep. Mix in natural vanilla flavoring for a soothing snack. Or if you prefer, eat 1 cup of natural yogurt an hour before bedtime.
3. A Peaceful Place for Sleep
Your sleeping environment makes a huge difference to the quality of your sleep. Do everything you can to create a quiet and cozy atmosphere. Ideally, your bedroom should be located in the quietest area of your home. Keep the décor minimal. Lighting should be dim and any music that is played should be soothing. Research has found that lavender, vanilla, and green apple are among the best scents to help lower anxiety and induce sleep, making these smells a good choice for a scented candle or heated essential oil. Try to limit your pets to outside of the bedroom because their movements will keep with your body from fully relaxing into deep R. E. M. sleep. As much as possible, your bedroom should be only for sleep.
4. Exercise Enables Sleep
People with regular exercise routines often sleep better and have fewer incidents of insomnia than those don't get regular physical activity. Exercise promotes sleep and improves sleep quality by altering brain chemistry. Exercising moderately for 20 to 30 minutes three times a day, combined with meditation or tai chi in the evening, will not only help you fall and stay asleep, but will also increase the amount of time you spend in R.E.M. sleep. In fact, for some people, exercise alone is enough to overcome sleep problems. Exercise in the morning or afternoon, but do not exercise for at least two hours before bed.
5. Herbs to Sleep Tight
A calming tea before bedtime can ensure a good night's sleep. Drink valerian or passionflower (or passiflora) tea before bedtime every night for one month. Simply steep 1 to 2 tablespoons of the dried herbs in one cup of hot water and drink just before bed. Or look for one with the traditional Chinese herbs zizyphus or jujube seed, bamboo shavings, and oyster shell, which soothe the mind and spirit.
You might also try Calm-Fort/Sleep formula with useful herbs like lily bulbs, polygala and turmeric that help manage stress and calm the spirit while relieving restlessness and insomnia.
6. A Sleep-Friendly Meditation
I had one patient with insomnia who also felt anxious and even a little depressed. In addition to acupuncture and herbal therapies, I decided to teach her a stress release meditation that she could do before bedtime to help with her anxiety. I am happy to report that she is now sleeping like a baby.
Try this Stress Release meditation, which works for the majority of my patients who have sleeping problems:
Sit comfortably or lie down on your back. Slow your respiration to deep, abdominal breathing. Utter the word "calm" in your mind with every exhalation. Focus on relaxing each area of your body in sequence, from the top of your head to your toes. Starting with the top of your head, inhale and then exhale while visualizing your scalp muscles relaxing. Say "calm" in your mind. Repeat this with each body part as you move down through all body parts, front, back, and sides, in succession: your face, throat, chest, arms, stomach, abdomen, thighs, knees, legs, ankles, until finally you reach your feet. When you've relaxed your feet, visualize all the tension in your body leaving through your toes as dark smoke. Practice this for at least 15 minutes before bedtime.
Note: Got this from Dr Mao http://health.yahoo.com/experts/drmao/17735/6-natural-tips-for-deep-sleep/
Bedtime habits that are runining your sleep
If you’re having trouble falling asleep, you’re in good company. An estimated 65% of Americans said they encounter sleep problems a few nights each week, according to a recent study by the National Sleep Foundation. Sleeping too little is linked with an increased risk for obesity and depression. But before you reach for a sleep aid from the nearest pharmacy, it’s worth re-examining your nighttime routine. Some of your favorite evening rituals could be responsible for that tossing and turning.
1. Setting a Bright Alarm Clock
The looming glare of your alarm clock can be distracting when trying to sleep. The goal is to have as dark a room as possible. Block the bright numbers with a book or consider buying a small travel clock. Your cell phone alarm may also do the trick.
2. Counting Sheep
When you just can’t fall asleep, it’s useless to stay in bed. If you’ve been trying to fall asleep for more than 30 minutes, the National Sleep Foundation suggests doing something mundane, like balancing a checkbook, reading or watching TV. An activity that demands marginal brainpower will lull your mind. Before you know it, you’ll be crawling back into bed genuinely tired.
3. Exercising Late at Night
Daytime workouts will keep you invigorated for hours. That’s why you don’t want to exercise within three hours of hitting the sack. Intense physical activity raises your body temperature and pumps your energy level—both interrupt a calm transition into sleep.
The above text are extracted from http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/bedtime-habits-that-are-ruining-your-sleep-199441/
Sunday, 5 April 2009
Updates on my college life
Introducing my new friends in college.
Catherine (Working in Bento King)
FOOD EVERYWHERE!
Mexican DelightMushroom soup
Meat balls
These were taken in 'Food & Tea' when I went out with Kai Lynn & Bee Leng the other day at TS.Black pepper beef noodle
Spaghetti wrapped with cheese.
ChickenPork Knuckle
Forgotten
Japanese Snails. YUMM!
Toufu with minced pork
Mayo Chicken & Thai Style Chicken
These pictures were taken in Kuala Selangor during a day trip with my mum and her friends.Passion Fruit. YUMM!
Dragon fruit. Not bad!
Longan. Never have a chance to try it but it looks good. =p
Chicken + Abalone + Sharkfin soup (In Cantonese it is called "Kai Bao Chi")
Don't know what it's called but it sure tasted good! XD
Awww.. Poor fishy!
Fried Rice
Prawns. Mmmm
CRABBY! MY FAV! =D
If I'm not mistaken the name of this is 'Onee' (It's yam + ginkgo inside the pumpkin)
This is how it looks like when it's scooped out. It's DELICIOUS!
Thursday, 2 April 2009
Earth Hour
The 3 of us ended up having dinner or should I say supper? in Quan's Coffee & Ice Cream House at Pandan Indah. We were starving to death and coincidently the person that came to serve us was a old friend of mine. =). After dinner, went back home carrying the word 'Disappointed' on my forehead. Such a EVENTFUL day that I'll never forget. =.=ll
Sunday, 29 March 2009
Stress is Sabotaging Your Diet Success
Grim, yes, but there IS hope. Just as our bodies are wired to react to stress, we're all also programmed to know how to wind down, whether it's by watching a funny movie, sitting in the sauna, sipping some chamomile tea (while dunking a cookie, of course!) or drinking a glass (or two) of wine with dinner. These activities switch on the brain's pleasure centers, blocking the production of the stress hormone cortisol and churning out happiness-inducing chemicals like serotonin instead.
When I feel a tightening in my back or neck coming on, I cope by doing things I love, like going for a long, slow run in the park with my dog. Try a few of these instant soothers, and watch your own stress go from ARGH! to Ahhh.
#1 Turn up the tunes.
Listening to music that has a steady (not frenetic) beat may cause brain waves to keep time and relax you, research from a music symposium at Stanford University in California reports. Load your iPod with a playlist of the songs that make you happiest.
#2 Phone a friend.
Pouring your heart out to pals can help you cope with bad feelings and brainstorm new ways to solve problems. And don't forget to return the favor: Lending an ear and offering support can make you feel needed and reduce anxiety. (Or drop them an e-card to say thanks!)
#3 Break a sweat.
Exercising for 30 minutes makes your body release chemicals that dull the physiological effects of stress response for up to a full day. But the effect only works when the activity is something you really want to do, so make sure you're psyched about channeling your energy in that cardiovascular direction.
#4 Use a better bulb.
Outfit your office lamp with an incandescent bulb, particularly if your cubicle is brightened by fluorescent lights. Incandescent and fluorescent lights work together to more closely mimic outside light. And it's sunshine (or the perception of it) that regulates the body's biorhythms. Not getting enough of it can affect hormone levels, suppressing the immune system and increasing the probability of mood swings, depression and sluggishness.
#5 Pamper yourself.
Whether you get a pedicure or splurge on a blowout, giving yourself special treatment reduces your blood pressure and gets your mind off what’s bothering you. Science supports this coping mechanism as well: A warm bath can activate neurons that increase serotonin, and a study from Bowling Green State University in Ohio found that a 15-minute massage can significantly cut anxiety levels. Not up for a splurge? Get the same effect from an at-home pedicure, manicure or blowout.
#6 Dine by candlelight.
The effect won't just make you look gorgeous. The dim setting actually signals your brain to release melatonin, the good-for-you sleep hormone which ensures a better night's rest. And catching enough zzz's helps keep your stress levels under control and your immune system humming. Can't sleep? See what your stress dreams are trying to tell you.
#7 Snuggle with your sweetie.
A simple 20-second kiss or hug increases endorphin levels, while having sex releases more calming hormones than any other form of sex play, researchers at the University of the West of Scotland at Paisley note.
#8 Keep a journal.
Jotting down your stressful thoughts can help you look at them more logically, potentially easing anxiety, mentally and physically. A study in the Journal of Health Psychology finds that a mere month of expressive writing can help reduce hypertension. Keep a pretty notebook handy at all times.
#9 Anticipate something awesome.
Or something tiny that makes you smile. The point is to look forward to something each day, whether it’s enjoying your morning java or counting down to an exotic vacation. Practicing this will keep your mind from focusing on what could go wrong that day.
#10 Exhibit your exhilarating moments.
Tape up pictures of three amazing days you’ve experienced, such as dancing at your wedding or crossing the finish line of a half-marathon. Honing in on the images for at least 10 seconds can lower muscle tension and stabilize your heartbeat.
#11 Give someone props.
Go on, pay a compliment to someone deserving. Research has shown that the more warm personal connections you make, the better your body is at jettisoning the effects of stress.
#12 Stress-eater?
Snack away the tension with these stress-busting foods.
Note: I got this from http://health.yahoo.com/experts/healthieryou/9061/stress-is-sabotaging-your-diet-success/
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Farewell for NS ppl
It's our last chance seeing the NS people before they leave to their respective camp site. So, here's a post specially dedicated to Teri & Huo Syan. Although both of them can't read this now, but they can after they return from camp. XD. We all went for church service before leaving to TS for movies. Went to BBQ Plaza for lunch and proceed to watch Race to Witch Mountain. A movie worth watching, you won't regret!


