She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named

It would seem that the March 08 election tsunami has only strengthened the UMNO-led government's resolve to crush all dissent and alternative viewpoint. I may not agree with every tactic in the opposition handbook, but I certainly believe in every person's fundamental rights and freedom. This, the government cannot seem to get in its head. And everyday, the crackdown on citizen's liberties go unnoticed. Such as...

Altantuya Sharibuu - the next Lord Voldemort? Since when has the police been tasked as the nation's censors, dictating what speakers can say? Also read the viewpoint from Lim Kit Siang.

The UMNO government seems to think that only the opposition parties hate them. Well, lots of everyday Malaysians are also disappointed at the racist, blind, and illogical decisions of the people who walk in the Corridors of Power. That's why I will begin to blog more on political issues. I'm no Jeff Ooi, but I feel as the nation's young generation, we need to stand up and be heard. I urge all Malaysian bloggers to also write about the gross injustices perpetrated in the name of law and order. In our lingo, we need to tell the powers-that-be, "Dude, that's SO not cool."

Jom Makan!

Seems like my body is adapting to the increased food intake, so I'm slowly getting ready to resume Operation: Eat.

On Sunday night I had: BBQ chicken drumstick, char koay kak, or chien (oyster omelette), yam cake, economy rice with 3 veges, steamed corn, and ham chim peng (deep-fried pastry with red bean filling). All washed down with a glass of warm barley. Before you freak out I shared most of the food with other people as well so it's not like I single-handedly tackled everything. Still, I had a filling meal and it definitely didn't cost as much as going for a buffet.

I proceeded to have a lovely time in the toilet on Monday morning.

BodyJam 49 Sizzler

[Note: Oh I've been waiting for the return of jazz for the longest time! Trash Jam (Good Luck) from 41 is still a playlist favourite!]

BODYJAM® 49 blurs the lines between dance class and studio workout. The authentic Latin styles in the Smooze Salsa, the long floating lines of Street Jazz, and the uplifting basic steps of House Dance are gonna have your class sashaying, swivelling and screaming like never before! Of course, now you get two options of funk you can drop on your class and when they start wanting more, you can deliver with the advanced options. Is there a better way to start a workout than with a seven minute Freemasons’ remix? Swing your hips, add some flava with a hand clap, then Rock it out in the chorus. The Smooze Salsa to Joy Enriquez’s classic Latin anthem will get the room sizzling before the high-speed Samba to Loaded introduces the Ricky Martin Revival you’ve been waiting for! Combining classic dance studio style with the hotness of Hip Hop is where our Street Jazz takes over. Kanye West, Keri Hilson, Lil Wayne and Beyoncé push us through one incredible fly-though-the-air, ‘please can we do it one more time?’ routine. Then we’re Burnin’ Up Ze ‘Ouse with authentic house steps which will take your class on a musical journey they won’t want to leave. The key is to keep it small – the steps are simple but the speed will create a little chaos in your class! New moves Freeze & Go and the Swivel Turn are added before you rip off the roof to the hugest Britney remix you’ve ever heard. You’ll feel like you’re sashaying across a BODYJAM® cloud of funk, like your feet aren’t even touching the ground!

I'm Officially Boycotting 2009

At the turn of this Year of the Ox, I read several forecasts by Feng Shui masters and Chinese Zodiac experts that 2009 will be a tough and challenging year for me.

Wow, I had no idea just how bad things will get.

I'm not even going to indulge the year by recounting all the mishaps that I've encountered, barely past March. From small to big, 2009 seems bent on taking its toll on me, and you know what? It's working.

So I'm officially boycotting 2009. I'm gonna block it from my mind and keep happy thoughts. Decades from now I'll make sure I subconsciously repress it. I don't mind recalling 2007 or 2008 in my golden years, but 2009 will be inconspicuously missing. I'll see how 2010 behaves before passing judgement on it though.

Damn it!!

A Boy Can Dream

Recently Dell Malaysia announced a VSS scheme for 500 lucky employees to take up. Although I don't work in Dell I also fantasized what I would do with all the money I might have gotten. A boy can dream, right?

And speaking of dreaming, I got an email being passed around regarding a vacancy for a Computer Science lecturer at TAR College, Penang. Hmm... I've always wanted to be a lecturer (one of my ambitions while I was still studying, I admit). So I just sent in my resume and see what happens.

If I was eventually offered that job, would I take it? That's a huge question that I don't know the answer to. My current job is pretty secure despite the economy tanking, but on the other hand there's my ambition calling out. Hmm, decisions decisions.

Even if I never get it, a boy can dream, right? *sigh*

Three Pronged Approach

I'm slowly bouncing back from my case of persistent diarrhea. I think my commenters were right is saying that I was probably stressing my digestive system with a sudden influx of FOOD.

Anyway, I'm still maintaining a steady stream of calories into my body, but I'm taking a few steps to help it along:

1. Chewing my food properly: I admit I'm a quick eater, gulping down food like I've been starving since 1985. But now I'm making a conscious effort to get at least 30 chews before swallowing it down. Why? Chewing breaks down food into mush that is easier to digest, and saliva contains important enzymes to begin the process. By rushing my chewing, I'm missing an important step in nutrient absorbtion.
2. Taking a probiotic supplement every morning: My Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) might be caused by unsavoury bacteria lurking around. The probiotics I'm taking have about 16 strains of beneficial gut bacteria that should help to keep my stomach healthy from all the food I'll be wolfing down. A common criticism of probiotic supplements is that stomach acid kills most of them before they reach the colon... I just hope my supplement is good enough to survive that.
3. Taking an enzyme supplement after certain meals: I'm guessing that my body has not been producing enough enzymes to deal with the sudden influx of food, hence it was unable to absorb many nutrients. I'm hoping this enzyme supplement goes a long way in encouraging my body to start producing more and also break down the carb- and protein-rich foods. Again, the questions with such supplements are: "Is the dosage enough to make a difference?" and "Is it effective when introduced artificially?" I can only hope.

Put on Hold

Well, barely 1 week into Operation: Eat and I have to suspend it temporarily. I'm still having diarrhea though I'm not (trying my best) taking any dairy products.

Chronic diarrhea can indicate any number of scary problems, so I have to go cure this before I strain my digestive system with all the extra food I'm planning to eat.