Having "Me" Time

Yesterday morning I went running as usual.  Unlike other days, instead of watching Bloomberg news, following currencies and stock market movements, I decided to watch Oprah Winfrey.   There was an interesting show in which she had brought a bunch of obese teenage boys and girls to attend a workshop. I guessed most of them must have weighed over a 100 kgs.  It wasn't their size that fascinated me, but what they did during the workshop.  It changed their lives. They faced up to their fears and acknowledged what it was that had been gnawing at them inside and causing all this unhappiness and emotional overeating.  It's something that many many people succumb to without realizing it and then they get stuck in this vicious cycle that becomes hard to break and detrimental to their health. The workshop had these teenage boys and girls start sentences with " If you really knew me, you'd know I ......"   A lot of things came out.  A lot of ...

Yesterday when I wrote about the Indian Temple I failed to mention that on the same street is also a wonderful Chinese Shrine for you to visit if you've never been to one.  Like other Chinese shrines I've been to they have the same distinctive red colour and a pair of dragons lining the entrance. This shrine, however, too must have been newly renovated and the colours were so vibrant it made you forget that you were anywhere but in China.   I felt as if I had entered another world, away from the traditional Kuala Lumpur. There were chinese characters everywhere and smoke from the incense swirled up into the air.  I particularly loved the spring shaped incense at this temple. I had never seen them anywhere else and they were hung by the entrance with notes attached to them.  Beautiful. If you get a chance to walk down the street, stop by the chinese shrine for a little escape into a calm and peaceful world.  It reminds us of how many cultures can s...

Thinking back to my trip in Kuala Lumpur, there are still a few things I have yet to write about so I thought I'd write a bit more on it for those who plan to take a visit there.  There is a street called Jalan Tun H.S. Lee not too far from Chinatown that is home to a few shops selling all the party goods you could possibly want and interestingly a Hindu temple.  The temple had just been renovated when I went there and the colours were bright and vibrant.  I must say its my first time inside a Hindu temple.  There is one in Bangkok, which I must admit I have still yet to visit.  It is on my "to-do" list. The entrance is uniquely hindu with all the sculptures of the hindu gods.  Many deities are depicted on the pyramidal shape above the front door and painted in a variety of colours.   I see Ganesh, the diety that takes shape of an elephant.  Others, I am not so sure of their names.  The colours are striking though and very unique. It ...

Six years ago on this very day my true love died.  Dyzio od Abruchy.  He was a miniature dacshund, rusty brown in colour with a fluffy tail and eyes that made you melt.  Born in Poland and raised in five different countries, Dyzio was a well-traveled dog who was loved by all who knew him.  He traveled on the plane. First class with a ticket and private box.  He was indeed a lucky dog.  He was my baby. He spoke not Polish his birth country, nor English, but spoke Thai.  He understood when I told him to go fetch his toy upstairs and bring it down to play with me.  He understood when we told him to keep quiet. I got Dyzio in Poland where I had been living with my parents at that time.  It was 1993 and the Solidarity movement in Poland had just won their first elections in a Communisty country.  For the first time, Poland was moving towards a free market economy.  Everything was changing, and it changed fast. I...

In many countries in Asia today, people are celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival.  China, Taiwan, and Korea are officially closed for holidays.   Each year, the date is set according to the Chinese calendar and falls on the same day as the autumnal equinox.  This is when the moon is supposed to be at its most beautiful being at its fullest and roundness. I look outside on my balcony, but the clouds hide the moon.  I won't get to see the beautiful white moon tonight. In China, I hear the festival is a big event with lanterns, parades, dances and other rituals that date back over 3000 years ago.  There are so many legends behind this festival, I wonder which one is true. Is it the one about the moon goddess of immortality and the rabbit, or the one about overthrowing the Mongol rulers?    On this day of celebration, people eat mooncakes which I personally love and find absolutely delicious even though I don't celebr...

I like to dream.  I dream of all the things I want to do and be.  I dream that one day I'll be able to play golf like a pro.  I dream that one day I'll sing like a bluebird.  I dream of traveling the world and having my own set of books. I dream so many things that I wonder where to start.  Each day, each week, I come up with a new dream.  I wonder if this lifetime I'd be able to accomplish them all. There are just so many things to do in life. I have work, I have family, I have errands, I have social obligations.  Perhaps I need to have nine lives like a cat. As said matter of factly by Alex:  "We only have 24 hours in day." It's important to dream your dreams, but its also important to focus your energy on what dream you want to accomplish most and when. If your immediate goal is to lose weight, then ignore all your other dreams for the moment and focus on losing weight.  It'll take time.  It alway...

Words can have powerful meaning and effect on people.   Of course we all know that its the "actions" that count and not the "words", but don't underestimate the power of choosing and saying the right "words."  Words are a form of communication that is irreplaceable.  Afterall, it is how we humans communicate to one another. There are those who speak without thinking and just say whatever comes to mind.  There are those who speak from their emotions and those who choosing their words wisely before speaking.   There are those who speak a certain way and use words to try and gauge your reaction to a certain topic and those who twist your words around. Words in effect are a reflection of the person we are. If we always use negative words which emphasize how horribly tragic our life is and miserable it is, it can have an adverse effect on our brain.  Everyday, we'll be infused with words describing the sorry state of our lives.  Everyday we ...