Karate Free Sparring 23 Jan 2011

My first sparring attempt in a long while, I had a couple of points with a kick and a punch to the midsection, however, I need to stay my ground and keep the opponent on the backfoot while executing the moves, thanks to Looi my lawyer friend for posting this on youtube.

Don't Stop (Thinking of Tomorrow) - Fleetwood Mac 1979

This song is the ultimate 'get up and go' song. The lyrics are so simple and pure, it was the hit from Fleetmood Mac's album Rumours .

It appeals to me even now.


Don't stop thinking of tomorrow. It'll be here, better than before, yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone. Woooh.  

A song my father sang to me, perhaps 45 years ago.

This song is one which my father, Geoffrey Abisheganaden, used to sing to me when I was a baby, and I can still remember because he also sang it to my brother John. I always remembered the lyrics but never knew that the song was done originally by 2 jazz greats, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.

Love knows no boundaries for time will not lessen the love. Dad and Mum, I truly thank you for your guidance, time, and most of all,your love and companionship all these years. You are indeed very special and will not be forgotten.

Seize the day.

Anna Abisheganaden pictures - 2006 and 2007

Dining at one of her favourite restaurants, Imperial Treasures at Takashima, 

with Andrew (left) and Noel (right)

At Hannah's (centre) place, 2007.

                                       Going for her favourite Peking Duck. Andrew beside her.

Mum's Travels with me. 1973 - 2009 ; Anna Abisheganaden

                                                      In Penang Northam Suites, 2004

At the entrance of Northam Suites

My Mum was not an avid traveller, during her working days, she would be content to be in Singapore while my father, Geoffrey, would make trips to Europe, particularly London which he regarded as his 'second home'. That was in the 70s and 80s. I had a chance to go to one such trip with my father in 1974, when I will still 11 years old. That was when the plane ticket cost still put me under the 'child' category.

I still have vivd memories and pictures of that trip some 36 years ago, having gone abroad to Europe for the first time of my life. Anyway that is another story for another blog.

In the 1970s, with the Singapore Swimming Club, my Mum would bring my brother John and me to swim in regional meets called the Sanya Samaki Cup pitting our swimming club against the likes of Penang Swimming Club, Royal Bangkok Swimming Club, Singapore Island Country Club, Indonesia's Swimming Club, and the Manila Royal Polo Club. Those were heady days of fun and revelry, and I shall post some pictures of those days when I was a swimmer and swim team captain too. We went to many regional meets, to Haadyai, Bangkok and Chiangmai (bus) in 1973 and 1977, to Penang in 1975, to Manila in 1976 and also in our home city Singapore in 1977. She would chaperone us both plus other boys and girls, oh we had alot of fun and camaderie both competing and then enjoying everyone's company preparing for the last night's presentation of of club's tokens and send off dinner.

In the 80s and 90s, we stopped traveling together, as I was busy doing the National Service and then studying at the NUS and then NTI for the Bachelor of Engineering degree. I did make 3 major travels abroad during the heady 80s each for a month long. The first being a USA 30 day backpack trip in 1984, the next being another 30 days trip all over Australia in 1985 and finally a 36 day trip to Europe in 1987, all sponsored by my wonderful parents. Thank you very much, Mum and Dad !!   

After May and I got married in 1993, we were busy settling down with the young ones, Noel and Andrew, and my parents were still busy with their church and work activities. So my wife and I took our family to many places in Australia,Malaysia and Indonesia (Bintan mainly) over the 90s and early 2000+ years.

In 2000 to 2003, we went on several nearby trips with both my parents to Sentosa, and Bintan (twice I recall), to the Bintan Lagoon Resort and to the Club Med trips which I cherish and they really enjoyed the free flow of food, drink and activities. My son Andrew, was precocious 5 in 2002 and he was getting free crackers and junk food from all the holidaymakers in the ferry to Bintan, although my wife had firm instructions NOT to bring any junk food along !

I decided that since my business travels were short trips, I invited my mother along those trips and she agreed, altough she was concerned with my Dad's health, we had good domestic help. So we went to the following places in the early to mid 2000s, just my Mum and me.

In 2004 and 2005, she accompanied me to Penang, and Bangkok, both places she thoroughly enjoyed the eating and shopping. She made it a point to buy things back for her friends and for my Dad, such was her selflessness. In 2007, 2008 she accompanied me to Kuala Lumpur and Malacca, again she was a very independent minded person, going about doing her sightseeing and shopping without bothering me at all, we would meet up in the evening for dinner, and we had a memorable beef noodle dinner at Jalan Wong Ah Fook in KL in 2007. 

Ah, those days with my Mum. I know she is in a better place with my Dad and at peace. May God bless you richly Mum ! 

More pictures of the good times past - Mum and Dad's Birthday Dinner Nov. 2009

At Li Bai Restaurant November 2009

From Left : John,Hannah,Anna, Mark and Andrew

Anna and her first grandchild, Noel

Happy Times indeed !  Good food, loving family and new toys ! 

From Left :Hannah, Anna, Noel and Andrew

                                        Beside the Christmas decorations : Anna, Geoffrey, May and Joanna.

Goodbye my beloved mother Anna Abisheganaden 1930 - 2011

  

                                              Christmas Eve Friday 24th 2010

  My mother Anna Abisheganaden, went home to the Lord Jesus yesterday 8th January 2011. She passed away very peacefully yesterday afternoon at 1. 50 pm or so around lunch time. She lived a full life and is survived by her 2 sons, myself and John, 2 daughters in law, May and Rebekah, 3 grandchildren, Noel Hao Ren, Andrew Hao Jie and Hannah En Hui Abisheganaden and 2 'godsons' Ramani Munyandi and David Mitchell and her caregiver, Jonelyn or Joanna for short.
  
   I am indeed very saddened and shocked at her passing, and as this picture shows our gettogether during Christmas Eve 24th and the party she organised on Christmas day 25th she was all smiles and happy to meet all her siblings and close friends.

She will be missed by me, my brother, and our wives ann children and all the lives she touched.

"We reap where they have laboured, we reap what they have sown"    St Andrew's School Hymn.

                Mum, I love you and I will miss you dearly. Your  beloved son, Mark.  

(Bottom Team) Wolves 1 : (Champions) Chelsea 0 Dreams can come true !

szólj hozzá: Wo1-0Ch[matchhighlight.com]

     Well, I can only say that 2011 will be a glorious year ! Wolves stuck at the bottom, with no stars and a workmanlike team, scored an near impossible victory against a star studded, 2009/10 champion Chelsea starring Frank Lampard, John Terry, Didier Drogba, Peter Cech just a name a few of their 'galacticos'.

      Set your goals high and achieve them friends. Its time again to party. My no hopers Wolves are really a gem of a team eh ?   OLE OLE OLE !!

2011 - Resolutions

         Many people who set resolutions or goals each coming year do so in an attempt to better oneself. I have been doing so since 2002 when I took up running seriously and it has enriched my life in many ways.
         By setting goals, I am forcing myself to make sacrifices to improve on certain aspects of my life, but the trick in setting goals is this ; set them too high or too vague and you will break it or not achieve it very quickly and come down to earth. Setting it too low, and you will feel that you have not really achieved anything. So the main essence of setting resolutions are :


1. Set real, achievable goals within this year 2011. 


2. Break them down into personal, family, business and financial


3. DO NOT set vague goals such as "I want to lose weight" this year. Set measurable goals 
    such as "I want to lose 3,4 or 5 kg" this year and with that goal in mind, then break it down 
   further into current weight, monthly reduction (say 1/2 kg), quarterly reduction (1 kg) and 
   yearly  reduction (4 kg).


   Coupled with the goal of, say, losing 4 kg in 1 year, you should then make real plans to lose 
   that 4 kg. For me, it would be a combination and reinforcement every meal to eat 1/2 a 
   bowl or rice when previously it was 1 bowl.


   Then, I would start a walk/run program for 4 to 5 times a week each alternate day, no 
   excuses. Starting with1/2 hour walk, each day to slowly making it to 1/2 hour run and   
   increasing the run time and distance time slowly bit by bit. 


   Do a run log and write how your run went. What was the weather like and were you  
   struggling or pleased with the run after you finished it ? Find a partner to motivate you and 
   you have no excuses not to wake up early to go for that run. 


4. Set up these  realistic goals and review them every week, fortnight and month and so on.


5. Give yourself a small reward once you hit the small goals. Go and have a pizza once you 
    have lost say 2 kg. Stay off alcohol and binge parties. They do you no good. !! 


6. Surround yourself with people who will motivate you or like minded people. If you want to 
    quit smoking, do not hang out so much with your smoker friends and try to go to the gym or 
    sports center and make new friends there.


7. Convince yourself by finding role models who have successfully achieved the goal of 
    losing 5kg or quit smoking and ask them for reassurance or moral support.


8. Can you 'backslide', well that depends on the circumstance, for sure, it is never easy to quit   
    smoking and then BANG, once Chinese New Year or a stressful period comes, you hit the   
    packs again.


9. Find another activity to do - instead of snacking, or smoking go and read a book or go for a 
    run -  this replaces your focus point with another activity ; convince yourself that the new 
    activity is much better and REINFORCE that belief.


     Since I lost weight by running, I have looked better, am more healthy, suffer less gastric problems and made many more new friends through running groups, marathons and also like minded colleagues. So, I can say that my resolution to start running and lose 5 kg around 10 years ago has reaped benefits. 

     Go for it friends.  Have  a Great 2011 !!