bi..cy..cle, bi..cy..cle, i want to ride my bicycle, i want to ride my bike…

i’ve picked up cycling recently. got a 2nd hand two-wheeler a few weeks ago for $190 and that’s good! am not sure if’s it’s something i would do for long or something that i can afford much time on.

i’ve since gone on 2 rides. first was from home to bedok reservoir and back. a short and manageable distance with long intervals in between as we had to adjust the seat height and angle a couple of times along the way.  the 2nd was to ECP and back! still not too bad. i was reminded of a night cycling trip donkey years ago. i believe we started from ECP and then to hougang area and then to the airport and back to ECP!

i’ve enjoyed both trips so far. but still need to work on my core. i was a little unstable on the bike especially when it is at some narrow paths or sharp corners. alternatively, got to change the tyres to some thicker ones which helps in the balancing.

so far, we have added lights, a new seat, a bike stand and a new (cheap) helmet! i saw one ivory pearl white helmet for over $100. was very tempted but decided against it. we’ll see how i get going on this new adventure.

rebounding

went for a rebounding session just now with my collys. one of them – kareen jio-ed some of the collys to start a private group session of rebounding. it’s their 2nd session but my 1st. it’s just a 1 hour session but i perspired alot – which is quite rare, even when i go to the gym.

basically, u bounce on the rebounder and do exercises.

you can see the below link for the benefits of this exercise but what’s interesting to me is the detox effect of rebounding. go to the link for the detox write-up and also to see the table of comparison for calories burnt between jogging and rebounding.

my collys arranged for 8 sessions – twice a week, 1 hours each. i think the trainer – ash pua charges by group basis i.e. the more people you have to share out the costs, the lesser you pay. for about a group of 10 of us, we have to pay about $25 per pax per session. the re-bounder is provided but i know a couple of my collys have purchased it for exercise at home.

BENEFI

 

Rebounding helps us to reduce weight by burning fat.

Rebounding prevents jarring impact on the ankles, knees and lower backbone compared to hard surface exercises like jogging or rope jumping.

Rebounding aids lymphatic circulation by improving the millions of one-way valves in the lymphatic system, thus strengthening the immune system.

Rebounding improves mental acuity and can help children with learning disability.

Rebounding helps eliminate varicose veins by strengthening the walls of the veins.

Rebounding assists in the rehabilitation of a heart problem by reducing the resting and exercise heart rate.

Rebounding strengthens muscles, including the heart.

Rebounding prevents osteoporosis and improves arthritis by increasing the density of the bones.

Rebounding improves our sense of balance, agility and co-ordination.

Rebounding firms abdomen, arms, legs, thighs and hips.

Rebounding improves bladder control and prevents incontinence and constipation.

Rebounding can help in visual therapy.

Rebounding helps hyperactive children rest better.

my medical check-up results – may ’08

i’ve never done a comprehensive body checkup before and decided to go for one…

i went to the clinic last sat and the doctor said i would get my results in about a week’s time. i received a call from the clinic’s assistant on mon afternoon informing me that my result are out and the doctor asked me if i can meet her on wed at 8.30pm…. wow, i thought to myself – results out so fast, just within 2 days and it’s not even after 1 work day le… i must confess that fear crept in… it’s either the results is so good that they do not need to send for any more testing or it’s very bad that require my immediate attention…

i told the nurse i couldn’t make it for the medical results review on wed evening and asked to see the doctor on sat morning. after hanging up the phone, i was un-settled and decided to re-schedule my appointment for wed evening and go get my results instead… can’t bear to wait till sat morning la…

it’s a 2.5 page of report. the doctor had previously used someone’s medical results report to walk me through and tell me what to expect in the test i.e the areas which will be examined. so, i know, ratings and markings in red is not good.

so, she opened my report in front of me… opps, 1st page got 1 red rating somewhere in the middle of the page. but she had to walk me through from the top. ok, my uric acid marking needs to be lower. and that means i have to change my diet and avoid quite a number of kind of food. she showed me a list and i reckon that my favourites of ikan bilis, soya bean and bean products, mushrooms are probably what’s causing it. there’s some other long list of food to avoid but they are not what i usually eat anyway (internal organs, alcohol, asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, french beans, strawberry, tomatoes….), so that’s not too bad, i guess . oh, chicken essence and durian, mussels, scallops, cockles, fish roe also not good…

ok, then next page, more red markings!!! my haemoglobin marking needs to be higher i.e. iron level needs to be higher i.e. need to eat more red meat like pork and beef or take iron supplements…. okie, that’s not too difficult. just got to eat less of chicken and fish… oh, but cannot eat too much of pork and beef too cos’ that can cause your uric acid markings to go up too. the other red markings are linked to my haemoglobin markings.

my hepatitis B marking is ok but on the low side. doctor asked if i have taken hep B jabs before. i did. it’s 3 jabs plus booster jabs. the latter last 5 years so need to get it done every 5 years. so, i decided to get a booster jab just now.

i’m very thankful that all the other testings are normal and good. it’s quite a comprehensive medical check-up:-

diabetics screening

renal function screen

bone and joint screen

lipid screen (cholesterol)

liver & biliary

thyroid

hepatitis

tumour markers

STD screening

haematology

urinalysis

urine microscopy

so, i now need to watch my diet and eat less of some stuff… guess, balanced diet is best and most important. i’m also relieved that doctor say, next year just need to do test for uric acid and haematology. the next full medical check-up can be done in 2 to 3 years’ time.

i would encourage those who have never taken one to go for one too.

it’s good to know that low count of red blood makes me feel tired easily. and it’s interesting that i have not really felt the symptoms of uric acid yet i.e joints pain… so, i guess it’s good to have early detection.

i’ve learnt to pronoun this word…

… conjunctivitis… (and also to spell the word)… i don’t know about u but i have problems pronouncing this before. tho’ it is not as “smooth” now, it is nonetheless better than before.

see, i contacted allergy conjunctivitis on sunday. doc does not think it is viral conjunctivitis (i.e. sore eyes) cos’ there is no case of sore eyes around me. sigh…another outbreak of allergy. i’ve actually been quite “down” about it (ok, not thaaattt down la…).. this whole thing about me being allergic to “stuff”.

years back, it started with allergy to a kind of medication. then it was bird nest, then it was a kind of preservatives (a kind that’s found in red bull)…. then last year, i started contacting serious skin allergy. one of the causes is my dog! the itch on my face can be so bad that it’s actually too painful to sleep at night.

i had a number of out-breaks during my travelling last year. just when i thought i had identified the cause (was a tube of moisturiser) and got rid of it, i had another outbreak during my recent HK trip …. not sure if it’s even wool that i’m allergic to now.

last tues, i had an allergy breakout – not on skin but the area around my left eye swelled up. it was either a vegetarian dish i had during lunch or the piece of bread i bought from the confectionery that i had for tea-snack. it would be a pity if it was really that confectionery bread cos it was VERY yummy

last sunday, after worship rehearsal, i went to catch up with a sister. she pointed out to me that my eye was red. but it didn’t bother me – no itch, no pain. later in the evening, when i was bringing my family out for dinner, my dog did his full works of struggle, shaking off his body etc and my eyes started acting up. it itched and was tearing. it did get ok during dinner and actually ok when i went to bed too. but i woke up next morning to find my right eye very red and area around it swollen

i went to the gp and was hoping that it would be diagnosed as viral conjunctivitis but the doc didn’t think so. it was depressing… was wondering if it was the soya bean and the mian jiang kua i bought from spc for a quick lunch before worship rehearsal that was giving me the the allergy reaction. the doc didn’t think so (Good!! can u imagine being allergic to soya?!!)… he said could be dust mite…

woke up on tues with equally red eye but still made my way to work cos’ needed to finish off some work. but was feeling ache in the lower back and in the joints while driving to work and very tired… but somehow the office environment seems to be “good”. i felt better gradually… finished off some work and even went for meeting last night.. but ended up going home with a fever. throat was also sore. doc did say on monday that the conjunctivitis is also causing the discharge/drips to affect the throat. minus the throat, i felt fine to go to work today (wed). i did, finished my day’s due and went to the doc again in the evening. YES, throat is very inflamed and infected; thus the fever and aches…i’m very prone to throat infection cos’ of my sensitive nose. once it “flows” excessively, i will get throat infection. but this time round is very very pain that i don’t try to swallow if i can help it. the doc actually gave me 2 days’ MC to stay at home to rest… wow, 2 days le. i hardly get 2 days’ MC… think the doc always see me very gungho – always say no need for MC on a number of occasions (cos’ can’t afford to take time off from work tho’ not in top form). feel kind of bad and ‘paisay” to have to be on MC but i still do look forward to the ‘rest’…

fish bone

had unagi set lunch at yoshinoya this afternn with ex-colly. taste is not bad but the bones are bigger than usual and i got one/couple stuck in my throat. i ate some bread after lunch to try “wask” it down… seems ok in the afternoon. but could still feel “it” in the evening when coming home. fren says i should go see the doctor as he said his fren’s mum died due to a fish bone cutting her throat

soooo…. i made a trip to the GP tho’ my mum insisted that i should go the hosp. she said GP can’t solve the problem for me. she said she went to the hosp to get hers removed some years back.

anyway, i saw the GP. after “aahhhhh… ” for so long and for so many times, she said she can’t see any bone. she said it could be due to a scratch or the abrasion that i’m feeling something. abrasion caused by me swallowing down bread after lunch and rice for dinner just before i saw her…

she prescribed me some gargle, anti-bio-tics and medicine to prevent swelling. prayerfully, it’s just scratch due to abrasion and not any more complication that i need to go find some specialist or go hosp during the coming long weekend la… so troublesome …

{updated with pics} in HK on biz – experiences so far…..

[original post 3 march 6.20pm]

it’s a new experience again coming to HK on biz this trip. the last time, i said there was a hotel representative waiting for my boss and myself immediately when we got out of the plane. this time, yes, there was a lady flashing for my name – nothing new and unexpected. this time, there was buggy service for me right in the terminal and i was quite pai-sai man to get on it and be ferried to the immigration check-point. but that kind of ended the ‘pleasant experience’ of the trip thus far.

i reached the hotel to check in. oh, before i go on, i must say, i’m quite impressed with the hotel service. this time, there was no limo to pick me up unlike the other time, cos that time my boss was with me. i took the airport express to HK island airport express terminal and took a cab to the hotel. when i arrived, the porter opened the taxi door for me and said “welcome, ms ong”. that’s quite remarkable, i thought!

anywayzz… was saying – got to the hotel to check in but found that the credit card i intend to charge my hotel accommodation to has expired and i din even realise and i do not seem to have received the new credit card. to make the matter worse, that’s the only credit card i brought with me this trip – cos’ i brought a differnet wallet to HK and left the rest of my cards in singapore *unwise*

so, i had to put a cash deposit of HK$3750 as guarantee. thank God i changed enough HKD at the singapore airport just before i departed. amount just enough for the cash deposit and that’s only enough for 1 nights’ accommdation – tax and service charges not included yet! yes, i would need HK$25,000 for 5 nights’ accommodation – that’s S$5,000!! anyway, they let me check into my room. i called up the bank and it took forever to get a customer service officer on the line. almost 10 to 15 mins!!… to cut the story very short, i’m still waiting for the hotel’s confirmation that the problem is ‘resolved’ for now. if not, i duno  *sigh, sigh*… ok lah, prayed about it last night. leave it to God. just that, because, it turned out like that, it dampens my spirit and i was feeling homesick last night already (i did know even before i left SG that i would be homesick; judging from my last biz trip and i din expect it to come so soon )

i still made a trip to ladies market last night tho . i remember what anthea posted about the “yu-dan” and i decided to give it a try too. (i’m not adventurous when it comes to food.) actually, i’m not sure what they are? seems like fishballs? but i concluded that i prefer the normal ones who have in singapore.

i also tried something new near ladies market. they put a lot of kinds of ingredients in a plastic bag and you choose what kind u want and they mix it altogether into what’s like a cold salad. think the sauce and paste is garlic and chilli cos’ they asked me if i want garlic and chilli. but i think it may not be all. taste is interesting. salty tho’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

this morning when i came to work, i realise that i’m almost the minority who is “under-dressed” as in, i do not have the ‘winter-wear” with me. i’m surprised to see the majority wearing long winter coats and jackets. i didn’t think of packing anything extra-ordinary except for the business suites and clothes i wear usually in SG. the weather forecast says it’s about 14 to 23 degree. air-con temp i thought. can’t be that bad. besides, i thought the office would have central heating. i found out from my collys that heating/heater is not norm in HK. so, i’,m actually feeling cold in the office and even when we went for lunch just now. and alas! i caught a cold. quite bad. the dustbin is filled with my used tissue now. boobbbbboo………..

**basket of “wanton”, cooked within 4 hours**

nasty bug

my 4th day in HK! has it been that long?! my running nose is still quite bad. after taking medication from my collys, i’m not getting better. my nose and area around my mouth are peeling from the abrasion of blowing my nose with tissue paper.

i managed to end my day pretty early last night. went to bed at 10.30pm; hoping to be feeling better by the time i wake in the morning. during the night, i felt so dry in my mouth and throat, felt feverish, felt achy… felt really miserable… despite having slept for so long, i still could not wake up to report to work at 8.30am. decided to sleep in some more and make it for a later meeting at 10am. went for meeting feeling faint and light-weighted. now feeling better as in not feeling so light-weighted but still alot of “stuff” stuck in my nose.

quite a miserable feeling. not sure if i can and should make the day trip to shenzhen tomorrow after all… am thinking of adjusting my itin to return home earlier.