Stress Level On A High

What can I say?
My eye bags are touching the floor.


Work has been ridiculously insane for me the past few weeks and of late, I have been nothing but exhausted and grumpy.

I told YB that perhaps I am as shitty as I feel, inefficient.

But when I think about it, only half of it is true. There are other factors affecting my work progress and I think I am not fully to be blamed.

*shrug*

I can't remember the last time I woke up at 3.40am and the first thing that pops into my head is work. Argh.

They say that one should prioritise the important stuff but it never goes that way all the time. In fact, there are so many other things that get in the way!

Every so often, I have had the urge to blow up and scream at the top of my lungs (in the office). I want to tell the bosses to get a grip on things that I am no superwoman with only one (small) brain and a pair of hands. There is just so much work I can attend to in a day!

I don't remember the last time I lost sleep on this but I do know that my health is at stake now. I'm at the office for 12 hours at a minimum. And with only 6-7 hours of sleep a day, hey, I'm heading for a burn out, man.

Hmmm. I need to tell my bosses that I need some help with my work as soon as possible and hopefully they can do something about it.

*mental scream*

You can't tell me to stop running at night and after work because that's the only time I get to release the stress.

Anyway, work is making me more and more unhappy these days and goodness knows what I'm going to do about it.

Or what the bosses can do about it.

Hopefully they'll care enough to listen to me.

I hate my work right now!

Random Pics

That Labour Day Weekend. 

Chubby cheeks of a niece reached out to grab my phone. Don't you just want to pinch them cheeks???

Brownie at KLIA's Secret Recipe. Bleurgh.

 Blossoming tree along the driveway at my parents' home.

Beef noodles at Taman Hilltop - Kedai Kopi Lee Sheng. Yum!

 The traffic we had to brave through in order to have beef noodles for breakfast.

Kiansom waterfalls at Inanam. Paid RM1.50 per adult but it was dirty and slippery and had nothing much to offer!

I still think KK has the BEST sunset ever.

 Out of the blue, I had cravings for Veda Blu ice-cream ... and was so darn excited to spot Ferrero Rocher flavour!! Oh my. The only time I ever had it was in Melbourne back in ... 2006? 2007? I can't exactly remember!

 Aaaaah ...

The trip back to KK was indeed a good short getaway from the hustle and bustle of work. I was hoping to catch up on my sleep but it never happened. We only ran once out of the 3 days we were there, but it was better than nothing.

There was no excessive eating so thank goodness I didn't return to KL 2kgs heavier. Phew!

The highlight of my trip was definitely carrying my niece around and trying to keep her entertained! =)

~~

p.s. Oh man, the pictures from my iPhone really sucks!

Dutamas Runners : Andrew Choa

Andrew Choa is perhaps one of the few people whom I know who worries a lot. ;D He joined Dutamas Runners about a year ago, perhaps thinking he'd get more training with us but instead, he found people who constantly talked about food all the time. ;)

Andrew's day job can be described as:

"I find it quite heard to explain to people my job title. I used to be in advertising for a few years before switching into the servicing line. “Kuli Olang” in a nutshell. Hehehe...."

1. How long have you been running and participating in events?

Running activities had been vaguely present in my workout routines the last few years; but nothing really serious. To begin with; I’m not much of a runner. However, the running bug really bita back in early 2010 for the Putrajaya Night Marathon. I still remember I signed up for the easiest one; 7.7km with friends. It was from here that I realised how slow I was! By the end of it, I felt incomplete and decided that I need to train and push more.

The rest is pretty much history. Plus, a friend challenged me that one day he will
want to see me in a Full Marathon (the thought still scares me!)

2. Were you an athlete in school during your teenage years?
Hmmmm....not really. Does being a hyper-active rascal counts? Hahahah...

My mom & uncle who are quite regular runners had tried to introduce me to running at a young age. It didn’t really catch on as I was very impatient (who isn’t when they’re teenagers?) and I dread pounding my feet on an endless loop at the park.

Though, I did use to vent out a lot during my active Taekwondo years.

3. You've signed up for your FIRST marathon this year! Are you geared up? How does your training plan look like?

OH YES! In fact there are 2! I gotta be frank; I’m scared sh*tless!

You can say I’m pretty much geared up but I do try not to think about it too much. I
remembered when I over-prepared myself too much for a major run in 2011. Got myself overly excited and was sleep deprived. At the end, I got injured close to the finish line and I felt rubbish.

In terms of training plan; I have an ambiguous one. Although I do keep track of my
training, I don’t necessarily plan a strict one. It’s pretty much of mixture of the regular road/ treadmill running but keeping it short distance. It’s all about quality than quantity, right? ;) I started trail running as well this year just to keep things interesting.

4. When you're not running, how do you destress? (Cook up a storm? ;D)

Hahaha...pretty much so. The cooking bug had me bit since at a young age. Although my cooking now is more towards a healthy cooking; like less meat and less oil. Besides that, I enjoy photography and am quite a bit of an avid window shopper.

5. We've seen you in compression gear before. Are you a firm believer (of the gear), and why?

I just really own a pair of compression calf guards and I only used them for competitive run events. During these events, I tend to push a little harder than usual and just a safety precaution to avoid injury. It really does help a little but my advice is not to rely too much on it and not to use them during regular training.

6. Is your mum your no #1 fan? Has she attended any of your running events before? 

I would say so! In fact she was very surprised that I picked up running again (albeit at a later age). But she does express a concern that I might be over doing it and turned a little fanatic; judging from the running shoes I have! Mom jokingly says “I’m worse than a woman!”

She hasn’t attended any running events I’ve been to but she always has a great time
looking through the photos.

7. What's your favourite brand for running gear?

Nothing in particular and I’m not very brand loyal. As long the gears are comfortable and fit to the purpose. I am a little picky about running shoes though. I do indeed do a very scrutinizing research and testing before any shoe purchases.

8. What is the one thing you think our Malaysian running events should have?

Proper organization. That said, I think the running events in Malaysia is getting better and better as the years go by. Sure there are mishaps here and there sometimes, but I do give organizers the benefit of the doubt. Unless of course, there is a major screw-up that is unforgivable. Cross fingers!

9. If you were stuck on a secluded island, what are the 3 things you'd miss the most?

It’s very hard to say. First and foremost, I try my best not to be stranded at all!

If I were; I would say, family & friends.

YT: Eh, the last line is a bit too cheesy la. I think the 3 things for you would probably be: kitchen, food and ... the laptop? ;P

 Anyway, we are definitely cheering you all the way on your maiden (and second) full marathons which are soon to come. Good luck in your preparations! Woohoo! At least you won't be a FMV* anymore, come this end of May. ;)


~~
*full marathon virgin

Going Oink at S.wine Cafe

Tuesday, 24th April 2012 - We arranged for a quick dinner and drinks with 2 friends from the oil & gas industry (friends with big salaries ;D). YB and YL were quick to suggest S.Wine cafe at Publika, and well, since I didn't have any better ideas, I went along with it.

You see, our breakfast experience the other time (our first time at the cafe) was not over the top fantastic, especially for the price they were charging.

 I ordered the Mexicana beans with pulled pork and bread with mashed avocado and was quite disappointed with the size of it.

I anticipated loads of mashed avocado on my bread, I guess.

Ok, never mind that.

The beans were a rip off. They tasted like plain baked beans from a can, with pulled pork added to it. What's so Mexican about baked beans, I kept asking YB.

Hummfh.

YB ordered the Big Breakfast because he had high hopes. At RM37.90, who wouldn't, right?

All I can say is that the sausage was good. And that was it.

Fast forward to Tuesday.

We heard rave reviews of their lunch and dinner items so we thought we had better go back there and give it a second chance.

Busy on a Tuesday night.

You get a rough idea of their menu. ;)

YL ordered the Pan Fried Pork Chops with Sauerkraut (RM26.90). The sauce was yummy, but I didn't taste the pork chops. It must be good because it was the second time she ordered it.

I had the Spaghetti Carbonara with prosciutto, I think (RM23.90). The raw egg took us by surprise as it was our first time seeing it in a carbonara dish. Don't mind us, we were quite the sakais. ;D

It was creamy with a hint of smoky porky bits (oh gawd, I am not a food review writer, ok, so do forgive me!) which was far different from a standard carbonara dish. The prosciutto, however, was more like roasted pork i.e. siew yuk. Hmm.

Nevertheless, I'd say it's a MUST TRY.

YB ordered the BBQ Chorizo Cheeseburger with Bacon (RM23.90). I crossed my fingers that it would be as good as the carbonara but I didn't get to taste it until he gave me my half share.

I can't describe it.

The patty was juicy and tender and a delight to the palate. I ate slowly, savouring each bite.

It could have been the barbeque sauce or the melted cheese which added flavour but I swear, you MUST TRY.

MUST TRY.
(I have never been this adamant before!)

But the fries were no biggie.

VK had the Hainanese Pork Chops (RM23.90) which I didn't get a picture off as he dived right in once the plate hit the table. He said it was not too shabby.

As the place is small and tight, it's not conducive for old friends to chill out and chat. Instead, we moved to Overtime for beer after dinner before calling it a night.

~
Address: Tucked in the non-halal section of Ben's Independent Grocer, lower ground of Publika.

~
Other reviews:
Eat Drink KL
Health Freak Mommy

That Banana Choc Chip Muffin

You know, that muffin from Starbucks?
It gets to me all the time.

Have I told you before that I reeeeeeallllly want to make giant banana choc chip muffins like the ones sold at Starbucks?

I think I have, but it look so much better here.

A weeks ago, I was thinking to myself that I haven't baked banana cake since ... well, my father-in-law's birthday in November last year.

I missed the fragrant smell of banana cake baking in the oven so I set out to bake one. (Honestly, I was torn between muffins and a cake loaf!)

But I couldn't recall which recipe I had followed during my earlier attempts. I settled on the one I found in my folder and crossed my fingers that it would turn out OK.

I ended up with something like this.

Mehh. It sure didn't look that appetising but thankfully it tasted better than it looked. ;)

I just added half a cup of chocolate chips to this walnut banana cake recipe and swapped walnuts with pecans.

Up North

Two weeks ago on Tuesday, I had to make an overnight trip to Penang with the bosses. We stayed in Gurney Hotel & Residences, which was facing the sea.

We were given a free upgrade to a VIP room - how cool is that??

My immediate boss kept teasing me about having an unwanted 'roommate' and I did my best to wave away his teasing as if I wasn't scared.

The view from the window was not too bad. 

It was drizzling by the time we checked in at the hotel and couldn't walk to Gurney Drive for an early dinner.

Instead, we went around the block to the mamak for tea.

Along with tea, we ordered some naan and tandoori chicken. We shouldn't have but then, we were kinda hungry.

IT WAS AWESOME!

Never have I tasted soft and tender tandoori chicken before. Seriously. It doesn't look like it, but it was soft and juicy. We were in seventh heaven.

I've only tasted dry tandoori chicken in KL, so honestly, this chicken was a pleasant surprise.

We took a walk on the 7th floor of the hotel, admiring the facilities provided. There was a sandy volleyball court and a football court, gym area, pool and table tennis area, and kiddy water slides in the pool.

It was really nice.

Maybe I'd go back again ... who knows.

Anyway, we ended up having supper at Gurney Drive's hawker centre because the chicken and naan kept us full for a few hours.

I don't think we ordered anything memorable. 

*thinks hard* 

Nahhh.

That night, I slept with ALL the lights switched on in my room because I'm a scared-y cat. It didn't help matters when my immediate boss played a prank call on me!

Ok, I suspected it was him but I only asked him in the car on the way back to KL the next day. He started giggling and our boss ratted out on him. Oh geez. 

Before we left Penang/Kedah, we visited a factory in Lunas, Kedah and once again, we met with resistance from the security guards. We tried negotiating our way in but they refused us entry, despite our authorisation letter.

I busied myself with this little pup who came to greet us at the gate. Awwww.

Instead, we were directed elsewhere to another lot situated a few minutes away and was told that it was the one we were looking for.

I don't know about you, but I get really fidgety during long car rides with bosses. It's like, I'm expected to be on my best behaviour, gossip about work and stay awake throughout the entire journey.

I have a horrible tendency of nodding off whenever I'm in the car, and I feel bad for the hubby sometimes but I really can't help it when my eyes can barely remain open. 

Work is such a mood-busting shit for me these days. I wish I had help to sort out my backlog! It's killing me bit by bit and I really can't wait til I move on

Dutamas Runners : Yloon Wong

He's one of the guys I know with a 'nama glamour' on Facebook - and he goes by the name of Yloon Wong.

I don't think his parents named him Yloon, right? Hehe.

His occupation? Senior Technical Operation Engineer.

1. How did you start participating in running events? Were you a runner during your school days?

I started running during my school time (1992 to 1994). I used running to improve my stamina. Especially during Taekwondo competitions, it helped me to drain my opponent's energy and to surprise those elite opponents in free sparring event.

I still remember when I was 17, I managed to complete the Larian Merdeka-10km in 50minutes. I don't know why I cannot get this timing anymore. :( Maybe old already and need more training or maybe I didnt have any bad habits.

I stopped after my school time and start running back again on my first 7km run during Mcdonald run 2009.

2. How often do you run in a week?

Normally 3 times a week, and may be none too. But most of the time, I would say 2-3 times per week and clock around 7-8km per run.

3. Besides running, do you do other sports? What happened to basketball?

Yeah, I play basketball with a group of friends weekly (provided no rain ler), and we normally do full court instead of half.

All my basketball friends asked me, whether I went for secret training? How come my scoring accuracy improved tremendously???

I think the answer will be after I have seasoned myself to run 20-25km run per week, this improvement in stamina gives me a better control during the game.

(Photo courtesy of Elaine / Victor)

4. Do you believe in power gels? ;D

So far no, maybe I don't do or never do 42km. But I will just whack if the sponsor or the organizer is giving out free during the run. :-)

5. When your children grow up, will you encourage them to take up running as a hobby?

Of course I will encourage them to run, and I hope to run with them.

6. What was your most memorable running event and why?

I think our (Dutamas Runners') handicap is the most memorable run, why ah, maybe it gives me the chance to pia as there is a chance to win out by not letting fast legs like Melvin overtake me. Haha..

7. How did you know Captain KYK of Dutamas Runners?

From Facebook group of Dutamas Runners. :-)
I joined Bukit Aman runners, but they are too fast ler... normally I can't see their shadow during the run and they hardly organize breakfast event leh... (YT: Breakfast is a very important meal after running! ;D)

So I decide to scout for another group of runners and so happen I bumped into Captain KYK who was recruiting via facebook.

8. Did you quit any vices once you started running?

The answer is NO, due to I still do bad habits like sleep late, and friends will triggered me to go drinking till 2-3am maybe once a while.

I think this the reason I cannot improve my pace to a faster pace. :-(

 4th place at the Dutamas Runners' Handicap Run

9. Your dream run would be ....

My dream run would be to run faster and faster, at least to tag along with our Captain KYK or our Mr. Tomato. :-)

(YT: We are still trying to get him to sign up for his first full marathon but he's adamantly against it. So, perhaps YOU can help us convince him to make that crazy step? ;D)