Mutterings of Yogini

When was the last time I blogged about yoga? It's been a LOoooooong time. Am proud to say though post-MBA classes I have resumed yoga with a regularity most anal types can be proud of. Back to 3x minimum per week. Of the many new xmas presents I got myself, it includes 2 brand new yoga mats. C was incredulous, why do I need so many yoga mats for (current count = 7). Pure yoga classes are getting alittle better, I did find a few teachers I like going to. There's even one Franck who is just as good as Vivian. Being that good, his classes are always packed. Signs of a good teacher. My arms and torsao is aching from all those chaturangas. A thought just occured to me - I've been doing that for years, yet still going to yoga and multiple pushups still make me ache. Wonder why. I want my smaller butt back, it's recently been let to grow more than a little. C doesn't mind, but when one doesn't quite fit into recently bought new pants. I mind.

Sidetrack a little, I braved Isetan sale to snag a steam iron for 100 bucks. It's freaking shocking how maybe a thousand people can throng the stores of Isetan at 8.30am in the bloody morning. The sight of so many pple in a dept store that early in the morning is absolutely shocking. Even worse than wet market. Gawd, all these aunties.

Xmas... time of Eating

There's really a lot to eat during this time of the year - gatherings in office, friends' houses, even food at home. We did a potluck at Jac's place where I contributed a (you guessed it) salad. At Veron's place last week we had a nice western meal. This weekend at DD's place for...No Signboard Seafood. Yum. In contrast though my Xmas day was spent quietly myself - yoga, groceries, and a first-time risotto. I am so proud of myself for making that risotto, for a first attempt I must say it's rather fabulously fantastic. Here it is:

Colourful Mixed Vegetable Risotto (serves 4):
1 Carrot, 1 Celery, 1 onion
handful of mushrooms
2 ripe tomatoes
200g Risotto
2 Tablespoons pure butter
Olive oil

- dice everything up. Fry onion & mushroom in olive oil for few minutes on medium heat. Add carrot & celery for few more mins. Add tomatoes last. Add butter, some salt + pepper. When tomatoes softened, add risotto, stir for few mins more. Add 1.5 cups water or more, bring to boil, simmer 15 mins. Voila.

Yum. Yum yum. Pair it up with a simple salad, red wine. Fabulous.

Christmas, Time of Giving

Christmas, time of giving....to myself that is. C found my stash of branded designer goodies (see previous blog) post K-fashion phase. His eyes goggled at how much I had spent, I feel somewhat abashed myself. Especially he is right in pointing out I have yet to buy him a birthday present, and also had nothing to give him for Xmas present. He was rather sweet about it of course, and seemed pleased enough that super-atas Wen of the designer goods is back, rather than the perceived rather disastrous K-fashion, cheap tacky freebie gold bag and balloon pants phase. I still miss them of course. I did get 2 presents from C, one of which he had to brave orchard road shopping and mad crowds to buy a nice piece of overpriced leather. It made me so proud of him, under normal circumstances he avoids mad Orchard like the plague. Come to think of it, he should be proud to have a gf who shops for him. Save him from the crowds. ahahhahahaa.

My other present from him? Brand new SE hp. O2 sucks. It's a wonder I lasted 2 yrs with the sucky phone. God I'm glad this is over. Back to numeric keypad sms-ing. Yay.

Hello Taiwan

Was in Taipeh for a few days on business trip for the first time. It's a nice city, beautiful weather. Of course it puzzled me how people would bundle up like a bah-zang even in temperatures of 24 deg. Out came all the long coloured stockings, boots, coats etc. We were dressed like as if in SG, normal blouses, slacks, in comparison to the Taiwanese people, a bit more "duh".

Experienced smelly tofu, umm, it's truly like bad long-kang water, enough to make one gag. But somehow I got the gung-ho spirit, able to eat a good half portion of it. Not bad, tastes like regular tofu, just smells like toilet. Taiwanese food is truly something different, very good, even better was Hakka cuisine which was extremely different. Hosting guests is a grand affair I think, even at lunch we were offered 11 courses. burp.

Went shopping and bought a long winter overcoat, and a leather bomber jacket. What do I need them for in sunny hot humid SG? Dunno, but they look nice mah.

Of course, signs of festive eating are showing already. Especially when one cannot fit into and button up brand new pants bought less than 2 months ago. Hamburger layers were bad before, now it's truly....spilleth over.

K no more

It's over. My association with K-fashion, that is. Just as suddenly it appeared and spread like a bad rash, it's subsided now to a dull zing. It was a brief but memorable encounter. Somehow the thought of Far East plaza doesn't excite me as much as it would anymore. I am safely back in the arms of high-end branded fashion, C would be so glad. As proven by recent acquistions (let's see, there was reward present, hard work present, year end present, Xmas present....). Of course, my other big problem now is how much wardrobe and cupboard and storage space I DO NOT have. Bags and bags and luggages are strewn all over the floor, my room looks like a warzone now.

Of course, high-end fashion is much more expensive than K-fashion. ouch. Ouch ouch ouch and ouch. Just as certain the several zeros at the end of the charge card slips do not refer to rupees but SGD. :P

Ah well, merry xmas to myself.

Deck the halls and fa-la-la-blah blah

Oh man, it's that time of the year again - shopping for xmas presents. More a chore than joy. This is one of those times I am glad I do not have many friends, else the shopping list and accompanying headache will probably be intensified x1000, not to mention the accelerated depletion of the bank account. Actually I'm not sure what's worse - having to buy 100 cheap presents for acquaintences or 20 presents worth a min of $50. Hmm, if I buy a tod's for myself, does that count as 1 present or 30 presents???? Speaking of which, Holly's bday is coming up, she turns 3. Yes 3 and still an airhead bimbol.

Q: How many Hollys does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A (by Holly): What's a lightbulb? Is it edible?

The thing with Holly is, all you have to do is look at her and realise there ain't no lights turned on in her head.

Boo.

Is Europe a Country?

There's something to be said about stupid americans and dumb blondes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juOQhTuzDQ0

Now, imagine if Holly was the one being quized:

Q: Which european country has the capital Budapest?
A (by Holly): This might sound like a stupid question.....
Holly (cont'd):....but is it edible?

Duh.

Anatomy of a Yogi

Exams are over. Finit. Done. The end. Yay.

Finally, it's over. Last paper bye-bye. I didn't put much effort in studying for this one though, and I don't think I would have scored well anyway. But I think I've got enough to pass. That's the mantra I learnt from C, he said we only need 51% to pass, who cares whether the MBA is a merit, a pass, or an A* student. So 51% is the mantra I've been chanting for weeks. Now I only need to focus on my final assignments and the big project.

Speaking of mantra, I'm spending 3 days at an anatomy workshop. The body is pretty amazing stuff, and only humans are anal enough to name every single part even little cartilages or ligaments in the body. And mostly all in latin. Why can't folks make it easy and say, part 1, 2, 3....... there must be a thousand names. God only knows. Anatomy in relation to yoga and understanding the practice is amazing, a lot of things now makes more sense to me. Now I know why I'm tight in the hammies, why my pelvis tilts and how it relates to lower back pain. Yeah, yoga teachers with intimate knowledge of anatomy are certainly great teachers.

School is over. Finally I can get back to real yoga classes on a regular schedule. No more flabby butt and arms. Maybe more practice will help with the saggy boobs. I could even invent a new posture called Boobsasana?