TARGET SET- WEEK 18

STATUS
Weight: 100Kg
CP % for Week 17: 85%
Reflection: I am going to a new strategy for my weight loss program. I will have an aim to clock a certain number of hours exercising in that given week. Having a schedule to keep is hard work (hard to keep), especially if I have work or if I have other plans for that day.

Week 18 >>>> 8 hours of exercise

TARGET SET- WEEK 17

STATUS
Weight: 100Kg
CP % for Week 16: 85%
Reflection: I will have to continue to watch what I eat. I have cut down on the sugary stuff. I will move on to the meals that I take. More vegetables, More fruits, More water, Less fried stuff, Less red meat, Less salt.

Week 17
17 Nov 08 (Monday) - 60 mins Gym
18 Nov 08 (Tuesday) - Rest
19 Nov 08 (Wednesday) - 70 mins Gym
20 Nov 08 (Thursday) - Rest
21 Nov 08 (Friday) - 60 mins Gym
22 Nov 08 (Saturday) - Rest
23 Nov 08 (Sunday) - 70 mins Gym

Love with All its Conditions

I had this thought in my head that I think it best to pen down, lest I forget. It is about love. I believe that many times, the media - TV and Movies and Radio and Newspapers...etc - romanticise the idea of unconditional love. I however believe that most love relationships are conditional.
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Love Between God and Man - UNCONDITIONAL
Needless to say, this is unconditional love. You know the story. We Sinners, HE holy. We undeserving. HE sacrificed... ok read the rest of it in the gospels, it is all there.
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Love Between Parent and Child - UNCONDITIONAL
I think there is something special about the relationship between parent and child. Parents (well most anyway) give give and give some more. Most do not think of what the child can give back in return. The child may behave is any distasteful fashion, but the parent will still love the child. That's being unconditional.
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Love Between Husband and Wife - CONDITIONAL
We have seen it before. Man declares his undying love for (what he believes to be) his soul mate. But really, the relationship between a man and a woman is conditional. No matter how loving and devoted the couple may be, it is untrue that their relationship is based on unconditional love. A couple is expected to stay devoted to one another. Condition. A couple is expected to be intimate with each other only, i.e. no hanky panky with the office secretary. Condition. The couple is expected to be truthful to each other. Condition. A couple is expected to remain faithful - both physically and emotionally to each other. Condition. The list goes on.
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So although it puts a damper on the romance portion of couplehood from courtship to marriage, it is a salient truth that for certain "loves", conditions are attached.

TARGET SET- WEEK 16

STATUS
Weight: 101Kg
CP % for Week 15: 75%

Week 16
17 Nov 08 (Monday) - Rest
18 Nov 08 (Tuesday) - 60 mins Gym
19 Nov 08 (Wednesday) - Rest
20 Nov 08 (Thursday) - Rest
21 Nov 08 (Friday) - 60 mins Gym
22 Nov 08 (Saturday) - 60 mins Gym
23 Nov 08 (Sunday) - 60 mins Gym

Mango Pudding

Got this recipe from a friend of mine. I have always liked mango pudding. I like mango (the fruit) and several forms/flavors of pudding. Also, I find that saying the word 'pudding' sounds funny even when spoken in a serious tone. I was quite amazed that mango pudding (snigger snigger...) is so simple to prepare. I sense some unbelievers out there... well I have inserted the recipe below, you be the judge. ( I will add some pics if I bother to take any ).

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MANGO PUDDING

Ingredients

1. Two Large Mangoes Chopped Finely
2. 2 Packets of Jelly Powder (I use Aeroplane Mango Mania Jelly Powder)
3. 1/2 a large can of Evaporated Milk (none of the low fat stuff, it'll kill the result)
4. 310ml of Hot Water
5. One Egg

Method

1. Add hot water with egg. Stir.
2. Add jelly powder. Stir.
3. Add chopped mango. Stir.
4. Add evaporated milk. Stir.
5. Pour contents into mold. Leave in fridge till it sets. I figure 2-3 hours should suffice.

Tips

1. I would chop half the portion of mangoes and puree the other half. The more you puree, the longer it'll be for the pudding to set because you will be introducing more fluids into the final mixture. But the end result would be a pudding of a softer texture with nice mango bits to nibble on.
   

Perth Trip 2008 - Food Recap

I have listed a few places that I would like to patronize once again on my next trip back to Perth. I have filtered out the 'Alrights' and the 'Mediocre" and the 'Not too Bads', leaving you with the 'Definitely Must Try Agains'

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I had the most amazing pizza and coffee (Fiori). The pizza I had was a half n half. Half duck and half seafood. Very nice. The coffee is fantastic too. This pizzeria is in Busselton which is a little far to travel for pizza, but if I do travel down south, I will attempt to pop by for another slice - perhaps the one with deer meat topping aptly called 'Bambi'.
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I had a very nice breakfast at this place. The coffee was fantastic (5 Senses). I realized that in Australia, I had to ask for an additional shot of coffee when drinking lattes, otherwise it would just taste like warm milk to me. Their breads were fantastic, so was their big breakfast. I did find the bacon a little too salty, but perhaps that's just because it is bacon.
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I had the most amazing Mexican meal at Freo. It was rather an unexpected find. We just walked into this rustic place and got served excellent food in mega portions. I like the ribs and nachos. I must remember to try something else if and when I have a chance to eat it again.

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This is an excellent affordable place to have an Indonesian Meal in Perth City. I must remember to eat the fish cake thingy (with the egg inside) as well as the chicken thigh with the sweet soy sauce.

TARGET SET- WEEK 15 (Resume)

STATUS
Weight: 101Kg

Week 15
10 Nov 08 (Monday) - Rest
11 Nov 08 (Tuesday) - 60 mins Gym
12 Nov 08 (Wednesday) - Rest
13 Nov 08 (Thursday) - Rest
14 Nov 08 (Friday) - 60 mins Gym
15 Nov 08 (Saturday) - 60 mins Gym
16 Nov 08 (Sunday) - 60 mins Gym

Perth Trip 2008 - Reflections

This is the 2nd time I have gone back to Perth for a holiday as a tourist and not as a student. It is significant for me because this is the first time I am fully 100% responsible for the financial resources required for this holiday. I refused any handouts from my parents because I wanted to do this on my own. It is like a rite of passage of sorts.
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This trip is special for me. I have learned a whole lot about myself and the people I love so dearly. I set off for Perth with 2 objectives in mind. To experience total relaxation and to spend as much time as I can with Bambi and Yaliooh. I guess the latter objective was not fully made known to these 2 individuals, for almost every single one of my 18 days in Perth, I was asked the same resounding question "What did you do today?" I always replied with the same truthful answer, "TV, cooking, basically Nothing Much." That satisfied the first objective. But the complete truth of the matter was that in fact, I waited the whole day in anticipation to spend some time with these 2 individuals when they return from their daily activities.
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I know in a certain sense that I would be a distraction to Bambi and Yaliooh, but I did not want them to break from their usual routine/activites just because I am in town. I was happy just to be around them. They are my bestest friends you see.
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I loved all the quiet, still moments I have spent with them. Walks, a short rest under a tree (Elliot), long drives, coffee, breakfast, shopping, boat rides, dinners, lunches, celebrating birthdays, music, watching TV on an insanely small television, cooking....
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This trip, I learned the flip-side of what it takes to be an unselfish friend. With our level of love for each other, I do believe we have no qualms about giving nice gifts to each other as acts of affection. It is not far fetched to suggest that for us, it is truly better to give, to let the other individual know how much he/she is cherished with a gift. But we resist receiving such gifts perhaps because it may be too expensive, as Bambi put it "this is too much" So I have learned that to be an unselfish friend also involves gracefully accepting gifts, not because it is a gift per se, but more so because you are giving the other person - the giver - an opportunity to show you how much you are loved, and to have an emotional connection with the giver(s). We all need affirmation sometimes.
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My colleagues was very much impressed by the gift I got, they went on and on about the exquisite design, about the colour, about the cost... but they don't seem to understand that this is well and truly nice to have, but I would have equally treasured a paperclip had that been given as a gift. It is not the gift, it is the emotions and sentimentality that is attached to the gift that makes it so very special.
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Thank you Bambi & Yaliooh for sacrifcing your time + your attention + your annual leave + your finances. I am overwhelmed by your acts of love and affection. I love you both dearly.