Blurry Discontentment

Hmm, what's with the abstract post titles nowadays? I don't know either.

Today is the decisive by-election in Permatang Pauh, featuring Anwar Ibrahim on one side and two insignificant shrimps on the other. ISA-detainee-turned-Chief-Minister Lim Guan Eng declared today a state holiday so that eligible Permatang Pauh voters could turn out in full force.

Unfortunately, I still have to work because as an MNC our public holidays are pre-allocated. So I was expecting a clear traffic day when "surprise! surprise!" there's a jam on the coastal highway leading to Penang Bridge.

I was really pissed off, but at the same time I still felt unbelievably sleepy. It really killed my mood for the day as I slowly inched along. I was expecting a multi-car pile up. Or maybe some fiery explosion ala Hollywood. Anything to make up for the fact that the jam is worse than normal days.

It was a police road block.

A frakking police road block, probably to prevent opposition supporters from going over to Permatang Pauh. I would say that's the most probable explanation because they just waved us pass without looking at our road tax sticker or faces. Likewise, they didn't stop any motorcyclists like they are so apt to. And I didn't spot any multi-car pile up that needed diverting.

So this is their strategy. Offend people by their insensitivity if they haven't done enough PR damage already. All in the name of national security.

Graceful Failure

Remember my class at Priority Fitness?

It's been cancelled.

Well, one must learn to deal with setbacks in life and I'm not really that disappointed. Attendance was really inconsistent, since Sundays at 10.30am is a quiet time there. So quiet, I only had one member attending yesterday! I was expecting a grand send off for my last class but only one lady came. And she was 15 minutes late too! Imagine going on a date and wondering if the other party is ever turning up. That's how I felt as I walked around the empty studio.

But that actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as I ended my last class by twisting my ankle and falling.

It was near the final track where we were just moving side to side and somehow I rolled my left leg outwards, lost balance, and landed on my butt. I was a little shocked and laughing at my own silliness, so I rested on the floor awhile.

In a true spirit of professionalism though, I continued instructing while I sat. I demonstrated as much as I could with my upper body while the poor member tried to figure out the legs. And for the final track and cool down, I stood back up and continued teaching. The twist wasn't that bad but I still couldn't do any turns or jumps. But I completed the class nonetheless.

So that's how I will always remember my class at Priority Fitness.

What's next? I'll appreciate getting my Sunday mornings back, and I also need to spend some personal time working on my BodyJam instructing. Apparently, I'm not wowing the neutral members enough. Gotta show 'em I own the stage.

(Side note: The actual reason for my class cancellation is that many members have been requesting for Belly Dance classes on Sundays.)

They're People Too, People!

I've read, and I'm sure you have too, about Indonesian maids who do things behind their employer's back. Things ranging from the minor, like falling in love with fellow Indonesian men and having clandestine meetings (shaggings?), to major things, like poisoning food and stealing money. The question is no longer, "Do we need a Nanny Cam?" but "Where should we place the three Nanny Cams?"

NEWSFLASH people: They are humans too.

Let's see how your mental health holds up if you are shipped to a foreign country and asked to work in isolation, doing the same menial housework every day. If your employers work on weekdays, you're left to your own devices 5 days a week. What are you going to do after sweeping the floor and wiping the window grilles (probably done by 11am)? Clean the TV cabinet for the 50th time?

Humans crave connections.
Humans need love.
Humans are social creatures.
Humans have a hierarchy of needs.
Maids are humans.

Do the math! You can't keep maids in isolation and expect her to do the same thing everyday, and not make her go mad. Spying on them with a Nanny Cam as if they were naughty pets further erodes their sense of humanity. Even prisoners sent to isolated confinement are not spied on.

If I was the maid, I won't be surprised if I go a little cuckoo or venture out to have some afternoon delights with the local construction men.

Figuratively speaking, of course.

BodyJam 45 Launch Videos

The launch videos are up on my Vimeo page. View the album.

Sample video:

Team Teaching

Lots of funky things happening lately! I finally joined the stage for BodyJam 45 launch at my gym on Tuesday. Don't ask me why the powers-that-be in my gym only launched the latest releases this week instead of 1.5 months ago. Rumours include DVDs that never arrived in the mail.

Anyway, the launch went pretty well despite some hiccups and messed up armlines. My height (6 feet) became a disability as I had not much room to manouver with three other instructors on stage!

I shot videos of us on the stage, so I'll post them here once they're properly edited and YouTubed. For now, here's us after the class:

From left: Ravishing Rachel, Crazy Chris, Zany Zemien, and Pretty Pauline

More important news is that I'll start team teaching with Chris beginning this Saturday! This is a big first step, as it gives me visibility to members. The challenge now is to impress them enough that they'll praise me in front of the club manager.

Anyone willing to take a bribe? :P