Group dynamics?

Different groups have different size. Some have more members, some less.

Every groups have different purposes, hence the varying size. This also apply to group chats.

This blog an anecdote on why I left some group chats.

I was invited to a group chat, which consisted of 4 boys, 4 including me. Basically, the purpose of this group is to have some 'bro-chat'. That's our platform to discuss on our outings and latest gossips (actually cars... but I'm not into cars)

The one of us left the group. Maybe because he felt alienated (serves him right for being a double-sided sword). Since, we have known his true colour, the chat evolves into gossip chat, gossiping on that boy.

Then, the group 'expands' by adding more girls. Initially, we still can carry on with our regular guy chats. Then, the boys were outnumbered by the girls, and it's hard to have a regular 'guy-talk'.

So I left the group and told them it's personal and they could private message me directly.

The group owner (by owner I mean the creator) kinda warned me that I would miss the updates.

It's been a couple months since I left the group, and I don't miss it at all... I occupied my free time exercising, losing weight faster than when I were in the group.

I have better sleep.

I have more time to explore the world myself.

Yes, I feel liberated.

I left the group because it doesn't serve it's initial purpose, which is to be a platform for us guys to talk anything guys talk about without being judge by the girls.

exes... and crushes

I was hanging around with my classmates, Joyce, and Josh and Marie.

They were talking about someone by the name of Angie. They are 4-6 years younger than me, so obviously, I don't know which Angie they were talking about.

After a few minutes, I said

"Which Angie? Angelica (my elementary school crush's full name)" and laughed. I was laughing because I don't expect them to know her.

Apparently, 'my' Angelica (now I feel weird and possessive...) is Joyce's cousin.

Ooopppppsssss!

So I told them, I had a crush on her... and also another 5 boys.

"She must be so pretty" Josh and Marie interjected me.

And I said the worst thing. I told them she used to be so pretty but now she's fat!

Sour grape?

Angelica is married, and I unfriended her on Facebook.

Sorry Angie. Didn't meant to say those demeaning words. It's just awkward to be your friend when we barely speak, and when we used to have history.

And it's awkward to call someone's wife pretty.

I got punched once because I talked to a burly guy's girlfriend. It hurts so much, now I avoid speaking to married ladies, unless they are my bestie... and I know their husband personally.

C'est la vie

Thank you readers!

Thank you readers from around the world!

Breastfeeding room.

In this part of the world, breastfeeding in public could provoke uneasiness.

I mean it's ok to PDA but not breastfeed your baby in public.

So what's wrong with breast-feeding? It's something natural. It's good. But why some are not ok with seeing mothers breast fed their babies in public?

Erotic? I beg to differ.

PDA is also kinda 'erotic'.

I asked my friend Joe, on her opinion of breast-feeding while away from home.

She thinks that, she preferred doing it in public instead of a confined room. In her opinion, it's not fair for mothers to go to a room to breast-feed while the others are enjoying themselves outside. Mothers should not be sidelined just because they are breast-feeding.

What if, there's a breast-feeding room, where mother can have their privacy while watching the busy streets or green scenery or aircraft taking off and land?

Maybe we should have a breast-feeding suite, where mother can be alone with their baby while watching the world outside through a one-way mirror. Alone yet not secluded.

Good idea? Not a good idea? Don't bother about breast-feeding?

That's just my 2 cent.

Thanks for reading! Love you all.

Au revoir 747

Air France is retiring the 747s from it's fleet.

Quite a sad news as most airlines are retiring them, before I could ride on one.

Now I wish that with some magic, some company is going to buy more 747-8 instead of A380, so that the legacy could continue.

Or should I start my own airlines like Sir Branson?

Well, at least, or I hope, Roni Hawi cover a trip report on the final flight.

how to cook when you are alone at home...

It's almost 2 months my mother is away. So I need to cook for myself. Actually, I do the cooking most of the time.

Here is my easy time-saving way to prepare foods.

First, I buy a whole chicken "breast".  At the hypermarket I do my shopping, the breast cut refers to a whole chicken sans head, wings and thighs. So it's more than just breast.

And also dried kidney beans, carrots, cabbages, cream cheese and milk.

I would 'boil' the chicken and kidney beans. Is it called boiling or poaching or just making broth. Here, I get some chicken, kidney beans and broth. I also add in some of the discarded vegetable scraps (carrot peels and the outer leaves of the cabbage). I would remove some of the large vegetable scraps before storing the beans and chicken.

Then I would shred the chicken. Feeding the stray cat with the bones and fats and skin. This is the protein source in my salad; along with the kidney beans.

My salad dressing is just cream cheese, oil, vinegar and some milk and salt and pepper. Blend these et voila, my salad dressing. So shredded cabbage, carrots, chicken, kidney beans and the dressing.

Don't forget the broth. I use it for my porridge. Oats. I like my oats salty, not sweet. Just like congee, salty or umami. Sometimes it's barley.

And the easiest protein source is definitely eggs. They are versatile. I could just add them into my glass noodles. Just prepare some 'bumbu dasar' on Sunday, and what's left every morning is to soak the glass noodles in hot water (boil extra for a pot of green tea) and saute the bumbu dasar add eggs, the shredded chicken and finally the noodles and seasonings.

Eating the glass noodles, oats, barley, salad and sometimes grilled tempeh help me with my weight loss. I lose approximately 5kg in 12 weeks. Well, that and my exercise. I could say that my exercise is not very hard, just the right intensity.

And I hope I could continue with maintaining my healthier lifestyle.  Balanced diet and physical activities. No fad diets, just common sense. For exercise, aim for bigger muscles, for the afterburn effect. So I do squats and weight lifting. I must admit that I hate cardio. I replace my cardio session with hiking or skipping ropes.

Wish me luck and success to a healthier me!

*bumbu dasar is a genius Indonesian invention. Just blend chillies, some shallots with oil and salt. Prepare them in bulk so that you would not need to process these ingredients everyday before cooking.  

New Year and the past year.

It's new year. And I am already in my 6th year of my PTSD. Something which changed my life.

Well, changes and risk is part of one's life.

Last year, I took a 180 degree turn and studied Business after 7 years of Medical School. Change is inevitable. It's quite a big risk to take. I could say that I'm not good with money. I lose some money in an investment, thanks to my uncle, who promised to take care of my investment while I studied to become a doctor.

These also drives me to understand more about the business... all the investment, the principles, ethics in business.

I could say I enjoy studying business because it involves a lot of calculation. I like maths. Well, I used to hate maths when I was younger, but then it becomes interesting after Mr. R and Ms Lu taught me the 'art' behind mathematics. (same goes with music, I used to hate music class because my music teacher is a terror, then Ms Sakai cultivate the love in music)

Enrolling into the music class was a big risk at that time. I have no basic foundation in music.

With the same spirit of taking the necessary risk, I studied business.

Changes and risks... without them life could be mundane. If I were to be a doctor now (with my PTSD), could I survive? Maybe it's a secure job, maybe it's boring, with all the bully from the senior doctors.

Personal anecdote on Chinese Herbal Store.

Went to the Chinese herbal store. Apparently, Pu-erh tea are similar to wine. The older they get, the expensive. Both are fermented.

The store owner described the tea like a sommelier.

"The tea in that tea caddy is from 2005, it's worth $350. That one is younger, harvested in 2013, so a tin would cost you $50"

My favourite store is still the one in an old shopping complex in the big city, near my former school. The nice lady would spare time to explain some of the herbs and roots in her dainty store. What I like most is flower tea (tisane). Be it rosebuds, or chrysanthemum or lavender.

I like the smell of the herbal store. Maybe because of the spices such as the pepper roots and 5 spices.

And I only use watermelon frost to treat my aphthous ulcer.

Brings back the memories of the good old days, when life is about exploring and experiencing new things. And it's already a new year.