by personal | May 31, 2011 | Opinion
I don't know but I feel a little homesick. I had friends in the UK whereas here I hardly have any. Though I didn't have that many friends in the UK, I have almost none in this country which are around the same age as me. I think I need people my age to talk to. When I went out with my cousin who took me to a barbecue (He is around my age, a year younger) I talked to his friends and him, it felt like home. Once I get into University, I'm hoping I can make friends and go out a lot more with other people and generally socialize a lot more.
It kind of hit home as my friends who I used to work with posted on Facebook saying they missed me along with the rest of the guys. I miss them too. I miss their charm, the fun we had, their character and just the way things were. It was like working with brothers and sisters, we all got a long and sometimes there would be disagreements, but it would be sorted. We would support each other if anything went down and it was generally great talking to those people. I miss that. I don't have that here. I don't really talk much to my family. If my sister was here with me it probably would be different. Though I hardly talked to her when in the UK, though it would be different as she would only have me to talk to. But she would probably feel extremely homesick considering she has a lot more friends than me.
But whatever the case I miss my real friends back at home or my work friends. We had really good times and they were really good people too. I just wish I could have at least hugged them before I left. Anyway's time to move on in life and make new friends. 😮
by personal | May 29, 2011 | Updates
Sad to say I had come across a situation where it was a decision as to whether to help defend someone or not. I don’t want to make this a big issue, but I still had this on my mind. What lengths and at what point am I willing to help someone who is being abused by another person.
So okay, here is how the situation played out:
I’m eating my breakfast in the park. A nice salad bowl and some macaroni with some nice sauce and small amounts of cheese.
Then I see a 2 guys, one who looks around his 70’s and who walks with a walking stick, who is sitting down. The two of them are arguing about something or the other, but I can’t speak Chinese that well nor understand too well. He looks around his 40’s, he is a young bloke in comparison to this other guy however.
Okay. So they are arguing, that’s fine, people argue and usually say sorry later to each other. But the younger guy was walking off and then they started shouting at each other. The younger guy walks back, picks up a bottle full of water and whacks this old man around the head. He hit this guy with this bottle really hard from the way it looked. This older guy fell off his seat, but quickly picked himself up. I can presume that the younger guy started cursing at him, as he was shouting after he did what he did.
Okay, so he only hit him around the head with a bottle. I felt very, very inclined to go do something about it. But the younger guy, kind of walked off and didn’t do anything more. The older guy looked fine and not to hurt by what had just happened.
It wasn’t just me watching, it was a groups around me and groups who were sitting across me who saw it all unfold. Like me they did nothing.
Where I would intervene…
I don’t have a clue what they were arguing about. But if the younger guy kept laying into the older guy, I would have done something. I probably would have hit the younger guy or done something to at least stop him. It looked to me that the younger guy and older guy had friends also sitting in the same area. The friends of the older guy did nothing, but that is probably a no-brainer as they looked the same age as this older guy if not older. But if this younger guy, kept hitting or kept assaulting this older dude, I would have probably laid into the younger guy and pointed him to the exit. I find it unacceptable to hit someone that old who can’t protecting himself. If you are going to hit someone for any reason, then let the terms be even and let that guy at least have a fighting chance. Although I do not like violence, sometimes you have to resort to violence when others choose that option, you do that instinctively when you a) have to defend yourself or b) have to defend others being attacked who have violence inflicted on them. I have this quote on my Facebook information page, which has a part, where you can state your favorite quotes, mine is:
“English philosopher Edmund Burke said, The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing.”
Is for good men to do nothing… I feel sad that I kind of didn’t act. But I made sure I was close by afterwards, if the younger guy started up stuff again on the old guy. The younger guy just sat down very near to the old guy and they just didn’t speak to each other. I’m not sure if they were relatives or what, but whatever the case, I would have protected the old man, if the younger guy started assaulting him again. I would have done something. That says a lot as there were groups around witnessing what was going on as well and they just started in amazement.
If you are reading this, what would your reaction be? Keep in mind you are in a country, where you can’t understand what people are saying.
by personal | May 27, 2011 | Updates
Man did I sweat like a mad man today, for the 2nd day I ran in 30 degree weather and the weather in Taiwan is very humid, which makes it harder to breath sort of as the air is thicker and much warmer. Or at least it feels thicker but it is definitely warmer and especially when you are heating up with running in that sort of weather, breathing in hot/warm air doesn't help in keeping you going.
I guess I'll just go later on to the running track when its a little less heated. I had some nice spaghetti with a few vegetables mixed in with it that I bought from Family Mart and a large bottle of water. 😀
I did my 4 laps around the running track and 20 sit-ups and I actually did 20 press-ups in the morning too. (Though I was supposed to do that 8 hours ago, not in the morning.)
I also found some great tips on losing weight on Yahoo Answers! (Yeah not the best source for information, but if the content is good then…):
1. If what you are eating has less than 1 carb, count it as 1 carb just to be sure.
2. Totally avoid caffeine at least for the first two weeks on the program.
Me: If there is one thing I've done, I have totally avoided any type of caffeine. I've just drunk water and I have sinned a little by taking a sip of some lemonade. But never that much. But water is my main drink now. I remember I used to drink cola in England all the time. That was when I was in fact in shape. But I never really slimmed down. If I had stopped, I probably would have been even fitter than I used to be.
3. Drink a MINIMUM of 8 glasses of plain water or seltzer daily.
Me: As said, I've been drinking water all the time. I constantly drink it. I don't drink too much, but I do drink quite a bit. Especially in weather where it is as hot as it now. Water is a must.
4. Don't weigh yourself more than once a week
Me: I guess I understand this. You don't want to be too disappointed if you lose more weight in one day than the other. So its best to just leave it on a weekly basis. Then you realize you have actually lost more weight than you thought.
5. Take starting measurements as well as weight – sometimes you'll lose inches before pounds
Me: I have been weighing myself and I've lost around 18 pounds, I've already lost 3 pounds, so just 15-16 to go. That would according to a BMI calculator put me at 23.7 BMI, normal weight would be from 18.5–24.9. So in regards to being in shape, that would be well within the boundaries.
6. Avoid any type of "low carb" sweetener for the first two weeks
7. Don't compare your loss to someone else's – this is a YMMV thing (your milage may vary)
Me: I guess I like to do this all the time. Compare myself with others an state why I'm not losing that much weight or why I can't run as far as some people on the running track. But my motivation was the fact that I was a few years ago, quite active in running and I used to be like that. So I know I can get it back and will. That is my motivation I've found.
8. Stalls are common around the third week so don't panic.
Me: The only time I have failed on my diet is when I ate 5 pizzas. But I made sure I ran it all off. I went running round the track 8 times and around the park 7 times. In that day I ran a total of 12 times around the track and drank plenty of water.
9. If you follow your plan to the T and don't lose, consider Candida as a possibility and avoid vinegar, cheese, mushrooms and any other fermented food
Me: Can't say I eat any of that. Though I sometimes will eat cheese in a nice sandwich, but I don't think if you eat a little bit of it, it will keep you of course in losing weight. I just believe if you keep the balance between eating food you require to exercise you require to lose weight then that is where the balance strikes.
10. Have bloodwork done before starting so you have a comparison.
Me: Not sure why this is even a suggestion. If you want to lose weight good, but I think it is over the top to go in for "blood work" just to lose some weight. Perhaps if you are losing a lot then I can see the need. I'm trying to lose around 1 stone. If I do that, then I'll be in-line and in-weight according to my BMI. It can be done.
Whatever the case I am slowly losing weight. That is the best way after reading a lot of comments and just researching on the net. Hopefully I can make it and feel proud to post my newly shaped body of the future.
by personal | May 26, 2011 | Updates
That used to be me. I'm quite jealous as one of the guys round the running track today was constantly running without stopping. Admittedly I could only handle 3 runs without stopping around the track. This guy was relentless. He kept going, going and going. Then I looked at myself and thought, one day that will be me. Once I reach that fitness level, I think I will be happy with myself. I just want to be able to run round a track constantly and only my breath stopping me from running. It seems that legs start to waiver if I run too much. I guess I need to lose weight in this area. But when I was around 16, I could run for miles without stopping. I was the relentless guy. I used to run 4 miles around my school track most of the time especially so in P.E. I could always lap around the group in my class and leave them behind. I could literally run as opposed to jog the whole way round.
Today on this date, I am pathetic. I can do 3 to maybe 4 runs without stopping. This is significant however as yesterday I could only achieve 2 runs around the track without stopping. I really pushed myself for the 3rd round but for the fourth, I just tried sprinting, then stopped half-way.
Anyways I'm happy with what I have done today. I ran around the track this afternoon 4 times and earlier in the day I ran round 7 times (In intervals), so 11 runs around the track in a day is quite a considerable amount for a beginner like myself. (Though I really used to be an expert) – I just need to get my fitness back and maybe that will self-motivate me if I have the power.
I guess I was quite disappointed, but I've got to look away from the past and look into the future. But I always, always remind myself, if I had not broken my leg years ago, I probably would have had a six pack, won my school's cross country race and would have had different views on life.
Whatever the case, bring on the future. 🙂
by personal | May 25, 2011 | Updates
My new goal in life right now to get back on track is to learn Chinese. That is my primary objective. However my smaller objectives which usually get pushed to the side are:
Getting fit
There was one point in my life where I was extremely fit, I could go for miles without stopping at a good fast pace and I could do this without struggling much. Especially so in the previous cross country run’s my school hosted. I usually came 3rd place, but you have to remember I was up against bigger guys in year 11. So the race was kind of unfair. But I had people in my class who I would say that were also quite fit. But they didn’t have the stamina. They may have been faster, but they would stop running after a certain period. I guess I had that determination back then to keep going. So I want my old self back and my aim is to go to the running truck, and do the following:
- Run 4 times around the running truck in 30º degree weather. Though I am not using the weather as an excuse, but I could probably do a damn lot more if the weather in Taiwan was not so hot.
- 10-20 press-ups per night.
- 20 sit-ups in the day.
- Generally not eat fatty foods.
Though I did sin today and I ate 5 pieces of pizza. When it comes to pizza I cannot hold myself. If it was McDonalds, KFC or some other fast food restaurant food, I would not have touched it. But pizza is one of my most favorite foods. Though if someone does bring back pizza I will not fall into temptation again. That is a guarantee. – So that is the last time I will be touching pizza.
Generally I’m going to eating less.
My current weight as it stands is 96 kg. I am overweight. Though you really can’t see it as my fat is spread around, but will admit I do have a little bit of a belly and horrible love handles which I would love to get rid off. Though when I look at pictures of myself, I actually look quite athletic. But when I take my shirt of that is where there is a disaster. You can see my fat for miles, lets just say.
Whatever the case, I’m hoping to lose all of it. Well of course not all of it, but most.
I am considered overweight for my height. I am 6’0″ and I have a BMI of 26.2. If I go jogging for half an hour a day I can burn 336.96 calories which is 2358.72 calories per week. Though once I become fit, I would like to aim for 1 hour of jogging per day. I really need to buy a stopwatch just to time myself and keep myself on track. Unfortunately I live in Taiwan and I do not know of any place to buy a stop watch. So I guess I’ll have to use a phone or something. Though a stopwatch would be nice.