Dear friends,

I would like to share this snippet from a book (which Ernest has kindly passed to me) where I read about my Idol, Bruce Lee. Really inspirational especially during times when we feel that "we can't" anymore. Use this little story to remind yourself and to push yourself, always.

Stirling Silliphant (a student of Lee's) relates an interesting story that perfectly  embodies Lee's attitude toward progressive resistance in cardiovascular training,

as well as his refusal to let a person-in this case Silliphant -underestimate his own physical potential: 

Bruce had me up to three miles a day, really at a good pace. We'd run the three miles in twenty, one or twenty, two minutes. Just under eight minutes a mile 

[Note: when running on his own in 1968, Lee would get his time down to six,and,a,half minutes per mile]. 

So this morning he said to me "We're going to go five." 

I said, "Bruce, I can't go five. I'm a helluva lot older than you are, and I can't do five." 

He said, "When we get to three, we'll shift gears and it's only two more and you'll do it." 

I said "Okay, hell, I'll go for it." 

So we get to three, we go into the fourth mile and I'm okay for three or four minutes, and then I really begin to give out. I'm tired, my heart's pounding, I can't go any more and so I say to him, "Bruce if I run any more, "-and we're still

running-"if I run any more I'm liable to have a heart attack and die." 

He said, "Then die." It made me so mad that I went the full five miles. Afterward I went to the shower and then I wanted to talk to him about it. 

I said, you know, '''Why did you say that?" 

He said, "Because you might as well be dead. Seriously, if you always put limits on what you can do, physical or any, thing else, it'll spread over into the rest of your life. It'll spread into your work, into your morality, into your entire being. There are no limits. There are plateaus, but you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. If it kills you, it kills you. A man must constantly exceed his level."

(Taken from "The Art Of Expressing The Human Body")

So, when things seem daunting, and times are bad. Or when you seem helpless or ready to give up...remember, it is just a Plateau. PUSH BEYOND THAT.

Cheers!

New Earth Inspiration - Flapping Ducks

Dear friends,

Some of you may be curious to read the title, Flapping Ducks. Well, just a little something (yet profound) which I would like to share with you, something that I learnt from the wonderful book, A New Earth.

In the book, Mr Eckhart Tolle wrote on his observations on ducks. He noted that immediately after two ducks finishes a fight, they would swim away in separate directions, flap their wings vigorously and then float around as if nothing has happened. And he explained that through flapping their wings, the ducks were able to release all the negative energy that was built up during the fight and they do it immediately. So, the ducks are able to revert to the calm state almost immediately.

Imagine, how wonderful it would be if we can do the same. But alas...alot of us can't do it. Or rather, we "chose" not to.

Everyday of our lives, we face challenges, quarrels or fights and huge amounts of negative energy and emotions are built up within us. And more often than not, we keep that energy in us and that energy grows, to the point of hurting us in the end. Question to ponder over, is it worth it?

Of course not. But the strange thing is, the one who allows the hurt to grow and to build up, is none other than ourselves. It is we that who are not willing to forgive, to let go and to forget. Why? It all goes back to our EGO, the identification with things, whether tangible or intangible.

Think about it, unless involves the safety and future of another, a fight (either emotionally, physically or verbally) is usually started because we feel that something is right and we are defending it against another. It is usually started because of a clash of what you believe in, and what the other party believes in. 

"It's mine." 

"You're wrong." 

"That's not true." 

"I am correct."

"I don't agree with that." 

"I am offended."

"What're you talking about?"

"That's absurd."

"Oh, why can't you shut up."

And to make matters worse, even after when the fight is finished, your mind still holds the scenes of the fight, repeating it in your mind, again and again and again and again. 

Recall...all the fights you have ever had...and you would see that this is so true.

But the question is...Is what you think truly right? Is what the other person says, truly wrong? How certain are you? Could it be possible that, there could be flaws in your own ideas? Could it be possible that, there could be truth in the other person's thoughts?

And unless you are arguing about the natural laws of life (like gravity, heat, earth revolving around the sun, aging, etc), can you really be so certain that your way is the right way? And if not, is there truly a need for the fight in the first place?

What I would just like to ask, is it worth getting upset, hurt, angry or sad just to win an argument or fight? Is it worth hurting and upsetting another just to get your point across? If it doesn't hurt anyone, wouldn't it be better to just turn your back and leave the fight? And if the fight has already happened, wouldn't it be better to just be like the ducks, flap yours wings, clear all the negative energy and just move on?

What is more important? Your health or your EGO?

You decide.

Cheers!
Ken

What I Have For Supper After My Training.

Dear friends.

Another Food Post again. hahaha. Well, some would be wondering how I still manage to keep my body in shape with sooooooo much food.

Well, the truth is, I exercise quite a bit. So, my workout rate, burn rate, outweighs my calorie intake rate. I am a food lover, and that is why, I exercise so much. haha. So I can eat MORE. Doesn't really makes sense, but it works for me. :) And it keeps me healthy too.

Back to the posting.

Because of the weird hours of my training (which starts around 6.45), I usually take dinner very early (around 4.30) or skip it completely if I had a late lunch. And after 2-3 hours of training, I would definitely be hungry. So, usually, I would head down to Rochor Beancurd (which is weird, as it is found along Selegie Rd...I don't get it...haha.)

The Famous Signboard. With The Bean Man.

My Supper Cum Dinner for the night. :)
Beancurd, Soya Bean Milk and You Tiao
Now, alittle more about the food.
The Youtiao is definitely the best I have ever had in Singapore. It is soft and fluffy, with just the right amount of crisp. Unlike others, which are just too crispy and makes you feel like you are eating biscuits instead of Youtiao. But warning, it can be really FILLING.
Anyway, one of the things I also like about Youtiao is the way it is cooked. You can just split it and share with your friends. What a way to build relationship. haha.

The Soya bean's sweetness and taste is just nice. Thick enough and exceptionally nice if warm. Drinking it cold would only dilute the taste. (My own preference though.) Yummy.
Time to show you beancurd. Well, to me, I can't really tell the difference. People would tell me it is smoother, thicker, softer, etc etc. But to me, it taste the same. So, I shall not comment too much about it.
My Favourite way of eating Youtiao. It is just like the OREO advert. Only longer, and easier to DUNK.
So you SPLIT (But PLEASE SKIP the licking part), DUNK, SOAK and EAT.
HEAVENLY! haha. When you have the taste of the warm beancurd and youtiao in the mouth. As you bite, the liquid just spreads out in your mouth. YUMMY. I am salivating now.

Anyway, that's all for my supper. :)
For those who are coming to Singapore, or are keen to ask for any type of food, or have any wonderful recommendations, please let me know. :)

Guess Who Is This Ninja.

This is a pic that I must definitely show. It is sooo adorable.

Took it with my wonderful C902 Camera. And the model is...Guess.. haha.

The Mysterious Ninja K

No price for accurate guesses, but fun. :)

Clue...this person can be found in my list of blogging kakis.

Next, I must show you M DD, which stands for Mini DD. This is the Xmas present from DD. haha. She is a really sweet girl. :) Blessing to me.

Dessert Part Two... hehehe.

Dear friends.

Another Dessert Post. haha. Well, this time round, was at Hougang Mall. And after lunch, Daphne and I went for Dessert. Actually, we were already VERY FULL, but heck, why miss out on good food.

Initially, we wanted to just order one each...but...ended with two each. haha.

We had Orh Nee (Yam Paste), Xing Ren Hu (Almond Paste), Mango Sago with Pomelo and Pumpkin Cake. (Apologies for the lousy photo quality.)

First off, Pumpkin Cake. Usually, Daphne explained why she liked this so much. She said that it was because, we usually find Carrot Cake, and this is like the only stall that has Pumpkin Cake (which is very true). You should try it.

Next up, is the Almond Paste (warm). Thick (as you can see) and fragrant. The taste would linger in your mouth for a while. Best of all, the sweetness is just nice. :) Good for those who don't like desserts which are too sweet. (like me)

Mango Sago with Pomelo. Now, this is comparable, if not better than Ah Chew. 1) The mango pieces are bigger and 2) the mango taste is stronger. Good. Good.

Lastly, Orh Nee. Well, you can pass on this one. I find that it is just average. The taste of the Pumpkin is alittle bland. The Gingko nuts are just a few (just around 4-5). I suppose you can get similar Orh Nee from Hawker Centers at a lower price.

Overall, a no frill simple dessert stall that is for the masses. Try it only when you have the time, or when you pass by it.

Photos Part 3

Our second trip to Medan. And because the airport is so interesting, I decided to show you what the inside looks like. 

This is what the luggage collection area looks like. 

After we reached, we went for the BEST Duck Noodles in Medan. And it was great.

The boss of the place cooking. Look at his intensity and skills.

This is the soup/stew that is boiled with Duck meat and Bones. Traditional way of cooking with Charcoal. The soup was really rich and thick.

And served dry, with soup. And a bowl of deep fried Garlic is provided. Great.

After arriving in JKT, we had Ah Chai Noodles. Below are the pics of the stall...

The dirtier the place, the tastier the food?

The dish washing area is just next to the fridge.
Well, fresh meat.
This chef was really good with his wok. Very skilled.
Preparing the soup.

Verdict. The food was delicious. haha.

Anyway, below were taken on the second day in JKT

DD using my computer just before we met Yenny for lunch at HACHI HACHI..She had her favourite...hahaha. After which, we went for Resource briefing.

After briefing, took a picture with Tara, who just had a School Year Book photo taken and was still in her dress. 

On the night of 17th, we went out with Yenny to celebrate Selvia's birthday.

We had to sit/squat throughout the dinner. haha. Couldn't feel our legs after dinner.

Nice spread of Sundanese food. 

Selvia and Yenny posing as Herbivores.

Peter and myself messing around with the Fish Head.

That ends the part before JKT camp.

Below are taken after the camp, before Medan.

Klaudia. She is such a nice girl. Very sensible.

Look at our eye bags. haha. Tired but enriched after the camp.

Ran into the Surabaya resources at the Airport. Great bunch of kids.

End of part 3

One more part to go. :)

Photos Part 2

This is when we went up to the Pearl of Lake Toba.

A beautiful place which overlooks Lake Toba.

Below is the supposedly main building. And I was standing in the midst of the Organic Farm. Fresh Veges.

The view around the main building.

And this is Lake Toba, viewed from atop. Great view.

This is where they intend to build cottages...right smack in the forest.

A mini waterfall with an adorable man posing right infront. haha.

For this pic, I got drenched...Ah chooo.

The wooden stairs leading up to the cottages.

The little stream in front of the cottages. 

Two adorable men posing right in the middle of the stream. haha. We almost tripped while skipping from rocks to rocks.

Below is the Marquisa (passion fruit) garden. You can just go right in and pluck whichever fruit that catches your fancy.

The flower...really beautiful.

The fruit. 

End of part 2.

Pictures To Share.

Dear friends,

Below are some of the pictures which are taken during my trip to Medan and Jakarta. Enjoy.

First up, the airport of Medan.

A small and cosy little international airport with only 2-3 luggage lanes. :)

First stop, was breakfast. Curry Bee Hoon. Just look at the stall and where the food are being prepared. In the back alley. Cool!

Main lobby of the hotel. New hotel, and very cosy.

The lounge.

The best place of the hotel...Our ROOM. haha. A suite that is very nicely furnished. Overlooks the swimming pool.

And just behind the Hotel is this drain (or river). As you can see, there are people in the middle of the river washing their clothes. They also shower, wash, drink and clear their bodily waste in the same river.

This pic is of a little marsh that is just behind where Novi stays. Right behind a row of houses. The great thing is that there is an abundance of fishes in the water, king fishers and birds in this area. I won't be surprised if I find Crocs or snakes here too. A nice habitat for wildlife, just next to a residential area.

And just 300m away is this grand temple. Really beautifully built.

After touring of the area, we had a dinner buffet. Guess the price? It was at just 35000 rp each. That's just around 4 SGD. And it is all you can eat. Just look at the spread.

End of Part 1.

More to come.