2008 Beijing Olympics

Yeah, that’s the latest buzzword now, with the Olympics well underway. I was tied up with month end closing but reminded myself to watch the opening ceremony last Fri after receiving some fireworks photos which was captured on the rehearsal night. Managed to make it just on time as was caught in huge traffic on the way back…maybe due to other ppl rushing home for the same reason!

And I have to say….WOW!! It was simply Awesome!! The fireworks, the whole opening performance..was jaw-dropping great. I’ve gotta say that this opening ceremony is one of the best I’ve seen. Directed by Zhang Yimou, the acclaimed director of such films like The Red Lantern with his favourite actress, Gong Li, he managed to encapsulate China’s 2000 year history in 3 plus hours with 22,000 performers dressed in lavish costumes and props. Slated for opening at 8.08pm on 8th Aug, 2008, the extravanganza is reported to have cost an estimated USD100mil. Even tho’ my stomach was growling hungrily as I haven’t had time to get my dinner, I could not tear my eyes away from the screen. Esp loved the part where the performers did some acrobatic stunts on a piece of painting and painted with their bodies on the huge canvas. And the other cool performance was from the group of young men who was very well-coordinated in their movements hidden in boxes like thingy, drumming an image of a huge chinese keyboard forming chinese words with Mexican waves. 

Bird's Nest

Fireworks

 

Right Vs Left Brain

This is a very interesting test to see whether you are more right-brain inclined or left-brain inclined. 

The Right Brain vs Left Brain test … do you see the dancer turning clockwise or anti-clockwise?

If clockwise, then you use more of the right side of the brain and vice versa. Most of us would see the dancer turning anti-clockwise though you can try to focus and change the direction; see if you can do it.

LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS uses logic detail oriented facts rule words and language present and past math and science can comprehend knowing acknowledges order/pattern perception knows object name reality based forms strategies practical safe

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS uses feeling “big picture” oriented imagination rules symbols and images present and future philosophy & religion can “get it” (i.e. meaning) believes appreciates spatial perception knows object function fantasy based presents possibilities impetuous risk taking

I have friends who see the dancer switches direction after awhile. Not sure what that means, probably they use both their right and left brain equally! I stared at the dancer for quite some time but it is still turning anti-clockwise!!!

 

Salsa Vs Capoeira

Oh gees, it’s been a really long time since my last post!! I was just thinking of whether totally abandoning this blog for good since I’m still totally addicted to Facebook! Nope, I doubt there’s a cure for me. I even have a Facebook application which tracks how addicted I am to Facebook to prevent me from being in denial mode!! If it’s any consolation, some of the other bloggers are also sucked into the Facebook wormhole!! Muahahahahaa…..it is like an epidemic!!

Seeing that I have short-term plus selective memory, I shall just write the gist of my trivial pursuits over the past few weeks or whatever that I can recall. *Snigger* Let’s see, I attempted a salsa and capoeira session. The verdict? Capoeira wins over salsa of course! For those who knew me well, I’ve got 2 left feet when it comes to dancing! Or at my best, am probably dancing like some robot…well, just imagine Transformer dancing and you’ll get the picture! Not sure why…I mean I do have a sense of rhythm and used to check out the latest clubs during my younger days! But I guess it’s more of a curiosity rather than the urge to actually dance….tho’ I can head-bang in rock concerts or Hard Rock Café… *Wink*

Anyways, I dragged along 2 chums to the Salsa Social Party over at Havana Estudio in TTDI to mask my humiliation when the need arise. The salsa teacher taught some basic moves in the first half hour and thereafter, we were all left to our own devices. The dance studio offers a monthly salsa social party on the last sat of every month for their students or public to enjoy. A RM10 entrance fee includes free flow of drinks (soft drinks) and pizza and dancing! The class started off with only a handful of newbies who guffawed (esp. me!) while trying to attempt the basic salsa steps. After the initial ‘fear of humiliation’ wears off, we were kinda enjoying ourselves twirling around. Of course, being the fairer sex has its perks when it comes to dancing cos the male are the ones who have to lead their partner thru the steps.

Now, I have tried ballroom dancing, line dancing, belly dancing and whatnots but have never really appreciated the arts. Ballroom dancing…nah, too slow…! I tried cha cha and was yawning continuously throughout the class which was somewhat embarrassing! Line dancing….I don’t have a good memory so I can only remember part of the steps and get lost midway! No, no, no…..and I thought over in the States, it was supposed to help the elderly to help improve their memory! Err….all I can say is…I’m unique! LOL…..

Ok, belly dancing…hmmm…..I was enthralled with the way the instructor was able to gyrate effortlessly to the middle east rhythm with swaying hips and midriff…..Hah! I thought…this looks kinda easy….so I went to a couple of classes….OMG….I had abs and butt pain thereafter!!! No, it’s not as easy as it looks…and there are variations to just simply gyrating and moving your hips up, down, left, right and center whatnots!!!

As for Capoeira, they have classes over at my new gym. I tried the class once when I went for a trial in Celebrity Fitness and the teacher was a Brazilian. It was tough!!! The class was quite advance and the instructor didn’t really bother whether the students could follow! Midway through, he started doing cartwheels to the right and left!!!1 I just stood there gawking and finally decided to just sit down and watch!

This time, the instructor was much more patient and went thru the basic moves with all. Mostly comprise gingas and the pace is according the background music beats! We were taught to do kicks in between the gingas, mostly in counts of 3. In between, we were made to do floor exercise to strengthen our upper body muscles!! Oh gees, nearly want to pengsan! We were supposed to do the ‘wheel pose’ (upside down table on all fours) and walked backwards across the studio!! Since we were beginners, we had the option to walk backwards on the ‘triceps dips’ position! We did this floor exercise TWICE during the entire class….boy, was my arms tired!!

The last floor exercise involved doing the cartwheels! Again?? Yeah, apparently, capoeira has a lot of cartwheels incorporated in it. But we were given the option of just ‘crawling’ sideways across the studio back and forth…..muahahahaha….sori unable to give an apt description of what we did! However, it was really hilarious and I laughed my head off….! Since I took my shoes off while attempting capoeira, I got a sore foot for the next few days! But still game to try it again….after all, BC has now incorporated basic gingas in it….will undoubtedly be of help when I do my BC.  

 

First Borns

 

This post is dedicated to those first-time parents to be.

 

First borns. What is it about first borns that make them extra special? For first time parents, a newborn baby is greeted both with much trepidation and joy. There is the joy of welcoming a new addition to the family and the anxiety in the proper way of bringing up the baby. First borns go through much trial and error in their upbringing as they are the guinea pigs for first time parents and set the benchmark for their future siblings. Being lavished with more love, time and attention than their younger siblings, first borns almost always are high achievers. Scientific studies have been undertaken to prove this.  Go to here.

Not only that, the baby is nurtured even before the time that they were born! Some parents to be go to the extent of playing music for the babies and educating them by reading to the fetus inside the womb. Of course, some babies end up becoming spoilt brats in the process as the parents give in to the child’s whims and fancies. So, due care must be exercised to ensure the child grows up into a well-adjusted individual. 

First borns have many mementos especially toys and photo albums. The first roll, first step, first wave, first smile, first tooth, oh well, basically first of everything is captured, filed and kept as a lovely reminder of the baby growing up years. Some parents even take snapshots of their first borns footprint and bound it into the album! There is a lot of amusement and amazing discoveries and the baby is practically treated as a king or queen. Every little move is monitored closely. Suffice to say, the world is their oyster. I’ve known many first borns to be high achievers, mostly academically but some are all-rounders.

Growing up with an elder sibling who is a high achiever is stressful to say the least. Not only do I get comparisons by my parent, since we go to the same school, we get the same teachers too so I do get compared by our teachers as well and sometimes get referred or called by my sis name. It’s like living behind a shadow throughout my childhood and adolescent years. Don’t get me wrong, I practically worshipped the ground that my sis walks on and to me, she’s like my idol, but it’s just that sometimes I feel somewhat envious of her. She is rather disciplined and planned her time properly juggling between her studies and extra-curricular activities. I, on the other hand would rather get glued in front of the idiot box after school. Homework is always done at the last minute before I go to sleep or on a Sunday night. I’ve even tried doing homework in the car on the way to my tuition!! Haahahaha…what an exhilarating ride that was! Nevertheless, I always become the teacher’s pet…well, for most of my tuition classes that is. Hahahaha….