Coffee for runners

Runner or not, I am drinking my coffee. But being a runner makes coffee more worth it.

Wonder Women

Everytime you see me, you know I am full of stuffs. My 'thinking' face and squinting eyes does show clearly I am nothing but a lady filled with things to do. Ample. I am damn tired. But I try. I try to make time for everything I love - friends, colleagues, my fav TV dramas, run, swim, Olympics, etc. which makes me one superhero.

Not that I am boasting. It does make me a superhero, I guess. Mum calls me  Wonder Woman. Most women are anyway, particularly this generation, this era. Mum herself is. We have a career, we cook, we clean, we own a property/car, we run, we swim, we yum cha, we breed, we educate, we pay the bills, etc. I cook almost every other day after work, I clean the toilet while I bathe, I study unrelated subjects (read: mathematics) to climb the career-ladder, yet I go running every other evening. I teach swimming in the evening, but not before I make sure my car gets a wash, or I teach swimming, then off I go with my make-up on and dainty dress to a fancy dinner party. I pick up some novels to read and finish it within a week, etc. etc. etc. Now, I do think Galileo got it wrong: The earth revolves around me.

Me ...probably. But with a smaller cuppa. 

As for "me" time, you would definitely think I am the sporty type - putting "me" time on runs/swims. But nah...you are wrong. I am quite a couch potato, sitting watching How I Met Your Mother or The Kardashians or Criminal Minds...and right now, the Olympics. I turn on my laptop in front of the TV screen, essay a few reports while sobbing on Mobbed or cheering for Uchimura Kohei on pommel horse or Park Tae Hwan on his freestyle heats,and while Draw-ing Something on my phone (**yes, hate me for still playing that game).

My Idol spitting water - OK. My swim students spit in the pool, I scold jia-lat.

** I am into Park since Beijing 2008. See previous post.

Yes, I am Wonder Woman, but I am still human. Like many superheros on TV, I err, I love, I hate, I have feelings. Sometimes I don't care enough. Honestly I have one very bad trait: I get jaded with things very fast. Many instances have shown me what I can really be: when I over-indulge in something I loved so a lot, I can suddenly go all cold about it. For no reason. I will hate doing it altogether and I have no qualms quitting it. Doesn't happen all the time, but it happened with Aikido. It happened with Entomology. It happened with Swimming. So I do not go over-board with my indulgences cause I could get jaded. Every day, I pray I don't get jaded with running. So, I try not to over-do and out-run myself on marathons or other races.

I dedicate my 'me' time to my new Samsung Galaxy S3. A blessing-in-disguised, I supposed, that my first smartphone got pickpocketed whilst browsing some recipe books. Stupid, I call myself, for not being vigilant of two male foreigners browsing on recipe books(!!!) near me. Yes, I have a world-view of thinking guys lately have great passion in being chefs themselves (think: Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ram), I never would have thought they were thiefs. Nevertheless, once I realised it's missing, I instantly got a new Samsung. Now I am so addicted to my super-fast, super-slick S3. Yummmy!!!!

I got two scuba diving trips coming up this August and October - Phuket and Sipadan. See, I am full of stuff despite being sooo freaking busy. Mum said she hates me being involved in so many 'rubbish'. Hey!!! 

I also got myself a property after searching for the looongest time. I bought this condo on impulse. Well, it's primarily bought for investment, and the location is great, so WHATEVER! But looking at the huge awesome swimming pool, I think I might 'merasmikan' it with several bouts of freestyle, butterfly, back and breast, and pee in it, before I tenant it out. (I think I bought this place only because of the pool).

I also have to study to climb the f**king career ladder. Sh*t! I thought I don't have to ever study again since I've gotten my doctorate. But nope. Here it comes again! And worse: it's all new subjects, unrelated to what I graduated in (read: studying insects). I have to learn physics and engineering and .....errr...part of it: MATHS. I hate maths, like a lot. I guess learning is part of life and it never ends (but studying is not). Warning friends: if I do get cranky, please forgive me: it's because of my studying = bad grades = no naik pangkat = no naik gaji = cranky!!!

Milk foam on my upper lips. I am a Nespray Kid!

You will still see me in some coffee chains on weekends especially. This is one habit that ......I can never get jaded. Never.

Coffee Dilemma

The Coffee Dilemma

A man and his wife were having an argument about who should brew the coffee each morning.

The wife said, "You should do it, because you get up first, and then we don't have to wait as long to get our coffee".

The husband said, " You are in charge of the cooking around here and you should do it, because that is your job, and I can just wait for my coffee."

Wife replies, "No you should do it, and besides it is in the Bible that the man should do the coffee."

Husband replies, " I can't believe that, show me."

So she fetched the Bible, and opened the New Testament and shows him at the top of several pages, that it indeed says:

"HEBREWS"

Psalm Of Caffeine

This is actually one of my fav. verse in the Bible. Memorized!

Psalm 23 (New King James Version)

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

¹ The LORD is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

³ He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD

Forever.

I know what you did last week!...and last, last week too!

Listen up, you! I know you know who you are. I dedicate this post to these you-know-who-you-are. Others not related can read up also. There's never a secret within me, eh???!??!?! :)

To Perakians and Nizar,
Congratulations to all! Pls Pls, no more tussles...and help the Perakians who has been abandoned for months. For once, we want a law passed (like murderlized all Mat Rempits; oh that's Federal law horrr). Sorry. Forgot my Pengajian Am already.

To investigator from IGB,
Thank you for the pompt response. I hope the investigation into the brick-fall incident can and will be concluded soon and come back to me when you're done. I wanna know what actually happened. I hope the one responsible is found. If not, Vouchers also I accept wann.... :P

To you, girl,
As a friend, what have been said is said. What have been done, is done for you. I don't know what to say and do for you anymore. It's only you who POSSESS the ultimate cure to solve this insomnia/depression and cry-when-no-one-is-around. Because I know you're strong, that's why I know you can make it through this. But also because you're stubborn, that's why you hold-on to it. Let go!! Some ppl take 2 years, some ppl take 2 weeks (I know who!), and some *dumb* ppl never get over it. Let me tell you the truth, the other species has ALREADY gotten over it. I know: He's gotten over it. No point bringing you anywhere (clubbing, swimming, meet new people, makan, PicknBrew) if you can't let go and move on. Because in the public, ppl can feel your insecurities and your inability to open up. Trust me, I am pro in this situation (pay me!). CAN'T MOVE ON, NO NEW LIFE. STUCK is all you get. But I know next week will be better for you. I know cause my EQ is high and I am freaking evil Gemini who knows both side of the gender's punya thinking (now pay me!). Hahahaa.......

To my boss,
Aisehh, give me a break marrr. I didn't know I have to teach lehh cause: Wesak day = public holiday = I also holiday.

To Mum,
Sorry arrr, didn't know you played reverse pyschology just like I always do to many. Karma. You did ask me not to come back to Ipoh marr during Mum's Day. You said soo mah-fun. Now you say I ngm-hou-soon to you and lonely! Nevermind, your beloved son coming back from Kansas; all my problems (with u) solved. Kakakakkaa!!!

To Ivy Chai,
GO TO SLEEP , god-damnit. It's 2.50am.

First trip to Kluang, Johor

Although my seniors went to Kluang several times to collect insects there, I've never followed. Most of the time, they come back with some insect larvae, I would gladly just take them and make them my OWN culture. What a pity - they were sweaty, tired and with just a day's trip there, and all credit goes to me.

There was no escape this time. I must go to Kluang. Kluang is famed for its agriculture and their coffee. I've one SIF friend that is a Kluang-born kid, now working in KL - O. Puay Seong (sorry, FFK during raya!). I've tried Ipoh Original white coffee, Kemaman's White Coffee, and now the original Kluang RailCoffee (but it's famous for the Kopi-O, not the white coffee). It's a buzzling town, selling loads of shoes and kain for baju kurung/Melayu. The main reason I went there, however, was to screen through the all Kluang's hardware shops for ONE particular pesticide sprayer that I desperately looked for.


Not surprising that small towns usually cooks good food. Not talking about the Kluang Railstation food but the Malay stall down the masjid which cooks the most delicious Kuay-Tiow goreng. My Professor, the driver, Arshia and I shared(!) a plate of kuay tiow goreng (everyone jaga health marr), but ended with each of us (except me) tah-pau another packet home. My Professor said, "Charge everything to our research grant. Tah-pau more. Buy more". I should have just bought a pair of shoes and charge it to our grant :P

We visited the kilang membuat sprayer - the ever worldwide famous JungChung Sdn. Bhd. World famous, but I bet none of you would have known :P Come on, who the hell does all this spraying experiments but me and my 7 other labmates. In this Malaysia, only 8 person cares about such company.

Reached UPM about 10.30pm. I was tired, but not sweaty. The van driver blasted the aircon. Arshia and I hugged each other behind the rear seat to sleep............





.........YOU WISH!

A 'horror' movie called "The Urge"

I decided to head back to Ipoh. Meeting a family doctor and a family who celebrates the return of their VIP daughter to Ipoh. Since the afternoon barbeque at a farm in UPM (see previous post), I've not pass motion. If I get my maths right, it's been 14 days(??!??!?! ) since I last poo-poo. This remains the most embarassing medical condition yet for me, but hey, it's an extremely SERIOUS medical condition - not a laughing matter! Many people theorized about my condition for not having the urge to go toilet and I think I would gladly sum up their reasons and publish a paper entitled "No Urge in Poo-ing Is a Big Problem for Ivy. Coffee may be the cause." and get a Ph.D.

I know everyone's being helpful, but I unless I go to see a doctor, no solution is reliable. Solutions/Reasons proposed by various individuals: Prunes, Durian (!?!), Vitamin C, Lack of Magnesium, Lactose intolerance, Petai, Papaya, Dragon Fruit, Durian (?) Durian(?) and ya, Durians (REALLY?!). Thank you, my new housemate for buying me prunes extract that costs her a fortune, but unfortunately money can't buy my Urge.

And people, please STTTOOOPPP blaming my Starbucks. My medical condition has nothing to do with coffee. I'm sure of it. If non of this stop, I will post a video on Youtube crying and begging everyone LEAVE MY COFFEE (habits) ALONE!! (hint: leave-britney-alone video) :P

Coffee in me.

I took a difficult break from labwork despite having more piling up in weeks to come. Still I was glad to have took it.

My parents and I made a trip to Kuantan town and then all the way up to Kemaman where we drank the more-famous-than-Ipoh-white coffee's Hai Peng's original coffee at its original shop. The only thing about this coffee is that it's not 'white-coffee' like the Ipoh one, however, still creamier and had a better aroma and taste! (Hey, I still love Ipoh Old Kopitiam, ok?!). While 'Oldtown Kopitiam' had too many franchises around KL with Bangladeshies, Vietnamese or Filipino people serving me, the only Kemaman Hai Peng shop I know of is in IOI Mall next to Popular Bookstore. Not promoting here, but I think Hai Peng's coffee is sooo superb and my dad had to say this: I'll go all the way to Kemaman to taste it again! (later I reminded him that IOI had it too) In fact, the Kemaman original shop is very small and had a 'very old-feel' to it (older than the Ipoh original one); you can see his generation still living there and still living their (grand)father's dream of not-over-expanding the business and kept it original by grinding coffee beans right behind their shop. I think it's older than the Ipoh one. It's like since 1920s. I dunno, man...wiki/google it! HERE.

Awana Kijal about 15 min from Kemaman was a thrilling sight. The beach was beautiful but the waves were a huge horror! You could surf in there! I had a great time at their olympic size pool and had steamboat buffet at night. My parents left me alone in the room while I work on my laptop, while they took strolled along the beach. Finished every sachet of the hotel's free supply of Nescafe 3in1 and conciously dreamt of Kemaman's coffee and also ximut tea (from Oldtown Kopitiam) after.

P/S: Ya, gotta thank Leong for the buy one free one Starbucks vouchers. You spoil me. And ultimately killed my NY's resolution. Thanks...