It is how I respond to it....

One reason why I started this blog was to allow my family and friends to keep up to date with my current-events. I also wanted to use it to re-discover myself and use it as a medium for me to share some of my ideas, world-views and even photos, so I don't have to constantly repeat myself to the various groups of friends and relatives such as cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.

It is how I respond to it...

Nowadays, I rarely drink anything alcoholic, not even beer and I don’t smoke. I go to the gym to improve my health and fitness. My aim is to get to my ideal weight, built a lean, mascular and fit body. I have taken less rice and noodles, refrain from oily foods and sweetened-drinks. As a result, I normally eat at home and when I go out with friends, I normally order Fruit Juice w/out sugar or Plain Black Coffee w/out the sugar and milk.

Why do I do this???

Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.
- Carol Burnett

I am now in my early 30's and my Wife has already start to say that I have a physical body of 50 year man. Even my Doctor agrees after the results from my blood-test indicates multiple over-the-hill (more like mountains)readings. To add to the list of my sins, I never bother to change. Sure there were that occasional good deeds but the change did not come from my heart. It was not until early last year, when I was climbing up 2 flights of stairs and my chest hurts, my heart-rate was so fast and furious (not to be confused with the movie, but it was just as dangerous)...that's when I decide that I really need to do something about it.

Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.
- Lou Holtz

When I go out, no matter it is with friends or clients/customers, I seldom order any thing to eat, just either orange juice without sugar or ice-coffee without sugar or milk. They would ask why am I not eating or even tempt me with their food. True, given my history, I would definitely give in. But now, I realized that by simply saying "No, Thanks" or "I have to eat with my family", they let me be. It is how I respond to it. In addition, I refrain from private drinking-parties and again, they would tempt me or say "Scare of your wife?", in which I say, "Yes, I am scare of her losing me." and they let me be. It is how I respond to it.

Because I love my family and I don't want my Wife to lose her husband to stroke, diabetes, heart-attacks or liver-diseases or cancer. I don't want my Son to lose his father to stroke, diabetes, heart-attacks or liver-diseases or cancer. I don't want my Mom to lose her son, like she did her husband to Liver Cancer. And I do not want to lose them as well. All the people I love are going to lose me unless I do something about it.

Back to Gym.

I am going back to the Gym starting tomorrow.

Although both my wrists still needs to rest, there is nothing wrong with my lower part of the body. So, I am starting my Cardio training again, and work on my Legs Major Muscles, 20 mins of Sauna. Finally my Abdominals and Stretching.

More of this later. Have to prepare to sleep now so I can wake up 7am tomorrow for Gym.

Injuries.....of the present and that of the past...

I injured both my wrists and left ankle because I was overloading during my Gym Workouts.

It happened more than 2 weeks ago and since then, I have been taking it easy with light weight only. But on Monday, it was hurting more and more. So I decided to go visit the Chinese Traditional Doctor who after 3 mins of treatment for each wrist, (which by the way was bending my wrists and twisting it with a low but audible poping sound) told me that I had partial dislocated joints and was biting into the nerves and tissue (is that even possible??) but as it was getting more and more inflammed on Monday, I guess there would be some truth in what he was saying (more of this later).
As for my ankle, I had slight pull in my tendons which will take 1 week to heal provided I sit down most of the time and not walk/run much, if at all. And my thoughts ran back to my younger days...

The past...

I know that injuries come with the terriotory but I had not expect it to be this bad. The last time I had this bad was from my street-fights back in Toronto, Canada, back in the mid 90s.

As I was in my early 20s, I still thought that I was invincible and allowing my hormones to dictate what my actions as opposed to logic and rationale. I studied Shito-ryu Karate back when I was a teenager and then studied Wing-Chun Fists from my friend (more on this later). After 7 years of training, you would have thought I have gain enough maturity but it only serves to put me in extreme situations.

In any case, I was arrogant and foolhardy. Reckless and Hot-headed. I also often drink at pubs and odd places in the neighbourhood, often with my buddies. It was not until sometime in mid-90s that I picked a fight with someone who looked at me the wrong way where my right hand was practically dislocated by someone whom I thought was a push-over. I also suffered 2 punishing blows to my solar-plexus which literally took the wind out of me. Almost lost consciousness.

What shocked/stunned me the most was that I did not exactly know how I was defeated. All I remembered was I slided in left at a 45 degrees angle, which was his blind-spot and launched a right back-fist to the right temple of his head (tai-yang xue) but my blow struck nothing but air. Before I knew what happened my right hand (no longer was holding a fist) emitted a bone cracking sound, followed by immense pain. Next thing I felt was 2 blows to my solar-plexus, forcing me back at least 5 steps before stopping and falling on my back. (He had let go of my right hand and must have struck me with that same hand).

I then realized the meaning of the words often warning me of my arrogance from my Sensei and my friend. "Yi San Gen You Yi San Gao" or "There is always someone better than you."

He helped me back and without saying a word just left me barely standing outside the back of the Pub Restaurant. I admitted that it was my fault for picking the fight and thinking I was invincible and all that. After my visit to the Chinese Traditional Doctor, I was told that whoever that person was who did this had held back or my hand would have been paralyzed for life. And the blows to my solar-plexus missed the nerve-points located there but my back-bone was not so lucky as they have to be popped back in place, but with no permanent injuries.

After that I met up with the guy again, but this time on friendly terms. I want to treat him to a round of beer which he refrained saying that coffee would do. I found out a few things about him. Apparently he was trained in the Shaolin Temple in China since he was 7 years of age. And he had only immigrated to Toronto, Canada about 6 months ago. He was 25 years old then. He studied Eagle-Claw Hands, Arhat Fists and some internal breathing systems and some weaponaries. Then it was not a shame (at least on my part) to lose to someone who has been training all his life. After that we hardly meet up anymore... I guess he is the loner type who tries to blend into the surrounding rather than wanting to be focus of attention.

Funny, why this memory came up...

I realized that many of the advises that my Mentors and Coaches (including my Sensei and the friend who taught me Wing Chun Fists mentioned) is true and comes with experiences which I have yet to understand. Over the years, I have my fair share of challenges and obstacles in life and these reminders seem to float up to the surface of my mind and helped me through the challenges and obstacles, by not falling into the traps of discouragements, disillusions and mostly, it kept me striving to be better than what I am (or was). It has helped me in building up my business and also staying focused in my Life's Principles (more of that later).
Through this experience really showed me that there is still a lot I have yet to know and humbled me down. After that particular incident, I am less inclined to pick a fight...although I still love Martial Arts.

Back to the present...
Of the last 2 years, I have hardly spoke much about Wing Chun Fists or Karate or anything similar to this. I guess, I know in my heart, that for someone who have not been praticing at all for the past 5 years, should not really discussed too much...

Those who knew me in Canada, today, often mentioned that I have changed a lot, for the better. I am more calm and relaxed, less inclined to show-off, more patient and humble. On the negative side, put on more weight (yes, became fat) and just last week, developed a strong craving for Mango Cheesecake. Right now, I am a 7-day resting day which I joked to my Wife it is my sabbatical from the Gym.

Those who knew me in 2000, today says that I have changed a lot as well, for the better. I have achieved much business sense and acumen, in other words to be calm and decisive in matters during negotiations and deal-making, more frugal in my spending habits, able to develop better business and marketing plans, less theory, more plans of actions with experience and sound rationale to back it up and knowing when to cut my losses and walk away. On the negative side, I have to learn to make time for my family and spend quality time with them, make it a point to come home for dinners at least 5 times a week, spend at least 2 hours a day with my Son, and basically just to be at home after 8pm every night. That is what I intend to make it so but often managed to accomplish about half of that only.

Only in May of last year, did I start to go back to the Gym for some physical training. I have been injury-free until 2 weeks ago. I guess, I just have to be more careful.