Having "Me" Time

My internet is finally back in working order today.  I think all this weird weather has been causing havoc to everyone and even disrupting cables.  Thailand at the moment is in a strange state indeed.  In the north we have earthquakes, in the south we have flooding, high waves of 2-3 meters are causing people to leave the islands, and in the northeast we have drought.  Bangkok itself is experiencing abnormally cold weather.  People are suffering. Those in the south of Thailand have had to evacuate their homes due to flooding.  Beautiful beaches where once we would dream of laying on the white sandy beaches looking out towards the sea has become a place to stay away from.  Entire beaches which were once 25 meters long are now underwater and roads are being destroyed.  Now is not a good time to go to the beach.  Who knows what the world will be like in the future?  Some say it'll snow in Bangkok.  It's hard to believe but the...

Today I read an interesting article in the New York Times entitled  "What's Your Biggest Regret?" it's interesting that one should study about it, but I suppose to learn and understand human behaviour, we have to take surveys and see what others feel.  Interestingly, the most common regreat among American adults involves a lost romantic opportunity.  This was from a sample of 370 adults. Second was family issues. It makes me think about "regret." Some consider it feeling a deep "remorse" or a sadness for a loss or absence of something.  Some define it as the "opportunity lost" or a "sadness one feels after an action one wishes one had not done."  Whatever definition you give it, it is basically a feeling one feels when one wishes one had taken an action rather than the one had. Then I thought about what my deepest "regret" was.  This was not easy as I tell myself not to "regret" any decision I make becaus...

At 8.30pm today we had Earth Hour.  An hour when everyone worldwide together turned off unecessary lights and gave the world a much needed rest.  I think it's a wonderful initiative and one that I hope continues on every year.  Perhaps it will gather momentum and move to be twice a year.  Who knows.. it's such a simple gesture but one that is a great reminder to us all to take care of this earth we live in. It always amazes me how simple gestures can be so powerful.  This Earth Hour was initally started in Sydney in 2007 and it has since expanded across the globe.  Wonderful, thank you for having started this.  One hour we say might seem little, but in reality its effects are much more than we realize.  Millions of households simultaneously turning off lights will of course result in energy being saved and thereby having less environmental damage on the earth.   The important thing about this E...

A few weeks ago I went for the first time to a restaurant not far from Bangkok that made me feel like a child again.  It's called Baan Nam Kieng Din, around 45 minutes drive and located on the beautiful Utayan road which is between Nakorn Chaisi and Phuttamonton.  It is very near to the Buddhist Park at Phuttamonton which has the highest standing buddha image in the world. Yes, it's incredibly big.  If you combine the dinner with the buddha image it makes a wonderful afternoon out. Anyways, this restaurant is wonderful in that it caters to people of all ages and when you go there, you feel like you escape the world a little and go on a little holiday.  The drive out under the big wide sky relaxes you and the spacious garden greets you upon arrival makes it feel fun and exciting.  The garden isn't just any garden, there are small ponds with a pair of black swans, enclosures with bunny rabbits running around and ducks of all sizes that just...

This morning I went running and still even though its been over a year since I started running, I still can't quite get the breathing right.  I take short breaths in and long breaths out.  I gasp for air and my legs start to go all wobbly.  All I can think is when do I next get to stop.  Oxygen isn't getting to me fast enough.  I feel like I'm suffocating a little.  I can feel my lungs heave against my chest.  I reach the end of my minutes and I heave for air. This is not how my breathing should be and it makes me tire more easily than I should.  There has to be a better way to breathe.  I can't quite get over my neighbour who is running along as if he were out on the countryside smiling, looking left and right.  His breathing is calm and relaxed.  His running looks so easy.  His feet are quiet.  I take a peak at his speed and he's running at 10.5 km/hour!  Wow. That's ve...

Earlier this morning rain poured down in Bangkok as if the Gods were angry at us.  Sounds of thunder roared all over Bangkok alternating with flashes of lightning.  Wind gushed against the window, flowing through trees and reorganizing the branches;  making them look as if they had just got out of bed.   It rained so hard that it could literally be raining cats and dogs.  Temperatures dropped from the mid 30's (celsius) to the mid 20's. Last week, temperatures in Bangkok dropped down to 18 degrees celsius and lasted for roughly two days.  It was the coldest two days I've ever experienced in Bangkok (since I've been here on a regular basis since the year 2000).  It was strange.  I could sleep in my room without opening windows nor turning on the air conditioning and snuggle under my blankets.  Even then I was slightly cold.  I had gotten used to Bangkok's sizzling temperatures.  Others wore jacket...

We've all heard of "Good" fats and "Bad" fats but do we really know how to look out for them? I always get a little loss looking at the label.  Sometimes there is the polyunsaturated fat or transfat? Monounsaturated and Saturated.  Anything that has the word "fat" in it sounds scary, when in reality some of those "fats" are actually good for you!  Below is a great video explaining how to watch out for "bad" fats on food labels :)  Let's all take care of our health.  A little here and there helps a lot.  Remember, each little step that brings you closer to good health is a step in the right direction!