Updates & #1000KM Goal

Today officially marks the half way point of 2016. Time is really one thing that never fail to surprise me every single year. I am still amaze how time passes so fast. Honestly, it really feels like just days ago that I am still back home in Malaysia, whining how it was going to be 11 damn months till I get to be back home, till I get to see my family and friends again, and that was 5 months ago.

Now, 5 months later, I have completed my spring semester and now half through my summer semester. I officially surpassed the half way point of my graduate course last month and in one month time, it would be officially one year since I moved down to LA. It's really crazy how time passes so fast and things changes so fast.

Looking back at my life last year and comparing it to this year, many things have changed. So many things had happened, both bad and good. Quite frankly, the first half of the year this year, was not the best time of my life. It was and is still the first time for me being away from home for a such a long period of time. On top of that, I ended two relationships that were important in my life.

But, it wasn't all that bad. I also gained new close friends, grew closer to my parents, gained new experiences and knowledge and was offered new opportunities. Compared to same time last year, my priorities really have changed and I think I personally also have changed quite a bit. I am confident to say that I have grew stronger physically and mentally and also have learnt to stand on my own two feet again.



Speaking about growing stronger physically, I have decided to change my #500KM goal to #1000 goal, just because of my progress so far:

January 2016: 30.5KM

February 2016: 15.8KM

March 2016: 30.8KM

April 2016: 107KM

May 2016: 107KM

June 2016: 93.3KM

TOTAL SO FAR: 384.4KM

TOTAL KM LEFT: 615.6KM

One of the few things that makes me proud of myself so far, this year. 6 months to go till the year end and 5 months till I am back home. I am really looking forward to see what I will achieve by the end of this year. 

Two Weeks Vegetarian Challenge.

I am finally done with my Spring semester! Currently I am having a short break and my summer term will resume back at the end of May. Two weeks before the Spring semester ended, Ninja asked me whether I was interested in going on a vegetarian challenge thing with her for a week. 

Of course, me being me, I was pretty hesitant at first. Then I thought about it, I did start consuming lesser meat a couple of months ago. I became from a person who eats meat at least two meals a day to just eating meat for one meal per day. I thought to myself, if I could reduce my meat consumption, I could definitely stop eating meat for 7 days. So, I took up the challenge!  

Me being excited to start something new, I immediately went out to buy groceries. Besides fruits and vegetables, I also bought other source of protein like tempeh and eggs. Frankly, the first few days were quite bad. It wasn't that my body needed meat, it was just the thoughts of it. Breakfast wasn't bad because on regular days, I just have a bowl of oatmeal and a toast. 

It's lunch meal that was bad for me, because I usually have meat during that time, and not having it, just makes me feel like I was not satisfied with my lunch. But it got better through the week. However, I started losing my appetite for dinner. Wasn't really sure whether being vegetarian actually makes you lose appetite, or the fact that the thoughts about having vegetables only for a meal, makes me lose my appetite. 

When we reached the seventh day of our challenge, Ninja decided that she wanted to continue, and I voluntarily joined her and we ended up continuing it for another week. So yeah, 14 weeks without meat. It may not sound like a big thing for you, but it really is for me. For 23 years of my life, I don't think I have ever gone a day without a meat because I just love meat that much. That's why I feel so damn proud to have accomplished this challenge.

What makes me even more happier is that, I am actually considering to continue it. I dont know how to describe it specifically, but I really like the feeling I get from it. It's not just the sense of accomplishment but also I also feel pretty damn good about myself overall. So yeah, I'm going to continue it :)

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April #500km goal update.

I am honestly quite proud of my achievement for this goal for the month of April. When I decided to set this goal, I know I wanted to achieve it, but I just didn't expect I would achieve this much in one month. I think for this month, I jogged on average about 4 days a week and the total distance came up to 107KM :)

January 2016: 30.5KM

February 2016: 15.8KM

March 2016: 30.8KM

April 2016: 107KM

TOTAL SO FAR: 184.1KM 

TOTAL KM LEFT: 315.9KM 

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Now You're Just A Stranger With All My Secrets.

I rarely share things on my Facebook page, well, unless it's really funny. The point is that I have never found anything that meaningful or more importantly something I could relate to entirely. But the other day, I came across this online article that my friend shared entitled Now You're Just a Stranger With All My Secrets. I have got to admit, the title of the article itself already caught my attention before I had the chance to click on it. And yes, I clicked on it, and it is one of the most relatable article I have ever read:

"It's sad yet ironic that you're a stranger now but you know all my secrets. You have the keys to my heart and soul yet you can't get in. You are holding my secrets but you can't hold my hand.

You're a stranger who knows what keeps me up at night and what I'm terrified of. You're a stranger who once calmed my storms and made me feel safe.

You know my demons and you tried to fight them with me, you know my darkness and you used to guide me to find the light. You're a stranger who saw my dark side and told me that it makes me even more beautiful.

You know my deepest secrets and you promised not to hold them against me. You know the things that I couldn't tell anyone else and you know the lies I told every else. You're a stranger I once trusted with my life.

You know who my best friends are and who is secretly my favorite. You know who I count on the most and you know who I talk to when I don't fell like talking to anyone else. You warned me about some of them and you told me to fight for some of them and I always listened to you. You're a stranger who was once my best friend.

You're a stranger who I once talked to about other strangers.

You know my dreams and how I plan to achieve them, you know what I truly want and what makes me happy, you know how I plan to change the world and what I really want to be known for. You're a stranger who was once a dream come true.

You know my words and my silence and you understand my ramblings. You're read my journals and my diaries and you've all my letters and you still have the letters I wrote to you. You're a stranger once I wrote about- you're a stranger I still write about.

You're a stranger I saw a future with, you're a stranger I was willing to love with all my heart, you're a stranger with memories that will remain engraved in my heart and you're a stranger who I once talked to about other strangers.

You're a stranger who knows exactly what I'll do to get over you and how I will pretend to be fine when I see you but when I get home I will cry myself to sleep. You're a stranger who knows where I escape to heal myself because you were once my sweet escape and you once healed me.

Now you're a stranger who I have to pretend never moved me, that your touch never mended my broken heart, that your words never soothed my wounded soul, that your smile never brightened up my day, that your strength never lifted up when I was down, that your eyes never made me forget all my worries and that your presence in my life never saved mine.

You're now a stranger, who I once believed will never be- who promised he will never be. You're now a stranger who said he was different but then turned out to be like everyone else."

Written By: Rania Naim

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It is okay.

During my undergraduate days, I always kept myself busy. If I wasn't doing my uni work, I would be either be busy with club activities or with my family or friends. I love keeping myself busy, because both my time and days passes by faster and it also made me appreciate time more. But then, ever since I moved down here to California to pursue my masters, my schedule has been the total opposite. Because I only have 2 days of classes every week which is on Tuesday night and Saturday morning, the rest of the time of the week, I have practically nothing on. 

Initially, I really did not like it at all, because I was not used to it at all. I have never been this free for a long time. Even before my undergraduate days, I was not even this free during my primary and high school days. Honestly, I also felt guilty, because I knew life isn't supposed to be like this. I thought that at this point of my life, I should not be this free and that I should have a job and start earning my own money and should stop leaching of my parents. I should be independent like how my elder cousin and some of my friends are, in terms of earning a living. 

Then, I applied for several jobs and still have not lucks in getting a job, which made me feel even worst. But then, these past few months, I learnt something I feel that is important. I learnt that it is okay to be wherever and however I am right now. Yes, I am not earning any money at the moment and yes, I am 23-year-old still relying on my parents, but I learnt that it is okay for now. 

It is okay firstly because I am not doing nothing. I am furthering my education, so I could get a better job in the future. It is also okay because not everybody figures out their career in their twenties. 

It is also okay because not everyone's lives is the same. I may not be financially independent now, but this does not mean, I will be a failure in the future. Lastly, it's okay because at this point of my life, I may not be financially successful, but I learnt one of the most important thing in my life, I learnt to love myself. 

So it is okay :) 

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Weekly Updates (Second Week of April 2016).

Last week's weather was rather gloomy. It rained several days but on Tuesday, it was rather hot. The temperature went up to 31 degree celsius, which I think it's quite high for spring. But then the rain brought the temperature down, so it has been a lot of jacket and sweaters the past few days. On a brighter note, I took the driving written test today and passed it! Starting my week very great, this week.

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Ipoh's Not So Hidden Treasures.

When I was young and still didn't knew what hometown really mean, I always told people that my hometown was Ipoh because that was the place where my grandmother came from and it was also the place where I go down to every Chinese New Year. As I grew older, I found out that Ipoh was not actually my hometown because I was born and raised in KL. But, I still like to think of it as my hometown because it reminds me a lot of my grandmother and my childhood memories. 

For me, Ipoh has always been my hometown but for most other people, it is place where they would go down for a day or so just to have amazingly good food which are not only authentic but at cheaper price compared to KL. If you have been to Ipoh, I am sure you have eaten the Ipoh's famous chicken floss hor fun (rice noodles), chicken rice, dim sum and even drink Funny Mountain's soya bean drink. But, this post isn't about those places, this post is dedicated to places who have plain simple good food that have not yet turned mainstream. So let's get down to it: 

#1. Big Tree Foot Yong Tau Foo- Pasir Pinji 

In Ipoh, my hometown is specifically located in Pasir Pinji. Even though, I did not know all the good food in Ipoh, I thought I knew most of the good food in Pasir Pinji, but I didn't. During my last trip to Ipoh in January, my friend, Artemis told me that I have to eat the Asam Laksa at the Big Tree Foot at Pasir Pinji, so I gave it a try and it definitely did not disappoint me.

Though I personally find the Yong Tau Foo just ordinary, I fell in love with their Asam Laksa. It had the perfect balance of sweetness, sourness and spiciness, and it is really difficult to find a perfectly balanced Asam Laksa in the market these days. Also, even though it only costed me like RM3 for a bowl of laksa, it had like chunks of fish meats in there! Highly recommend the Asam Laksa!

#2. Char Kuey Teow at Restoran Sin Lean Lee- Jalan Bandar Timah 

This is one of my dad's favourite to go breakfast place in Ipoh because it is located very near his old school. I know, I know, you don't go to Ipoh to eat Char Kuey Teow and I used to think so until my dad brought us there and it is not my favourite place to have Char Kuey Teow. I personally love Sin Lean Lee's Char Kuey Teow because unlike the usual Char Kuey Teow, it's more wet and goey because the egg that they top on top of it is usually not fully cooked, so if you like it more wet like me :P, give them a try! However, you really need patience to dine here because you usually have to wait for a minimum of 30 minutes.

#3. White Coffee at Kedai Kopi Xiang Er Nong- Jalan Peh Kee Koh

In the coffee market, we know that there is black coffee. If you aren't local, you probably have not heard of white coffee, which is the coffee that Ipoh is famously known for. As you can see, it is not actually white in colour. Though it looks like black coffee with milk, it doesn't taste like the normal black coffee and milk. The aroma of white coffee is distinctive and fragrant. I am not actually a big fan of white coffee, but when I do feel like drinking it, I usually buy a packet of iced one from here because they make it really kau (strong) and it is one of the best I have drank.

#4. Kaya (Coconut Jam) Puff at Ming Yue Confectionery- Jalan Peh Kee Koh 

If you are fan of pastries just like me, I strongly strongly recommend having a Kaya Puff from here. I have not exactly tried anything else from here because I love their Kaya Puff that much. Reasons why I love it: a) they are make from real actual kaya and not the fake bright green in colour kind b) the size of it is really small. It's both a good and a bad thing. Good, that you don't have to eat a whole big piece by yourself (like those kaya puffs you can find in regular stalls are big). Bad because they are super addictive, so you most likely wouldn't eat only one :P

#5. Muar Chee (Glutinous Rice Balls) & Fa Sang Wu (Peanut Soup Dessert) at Hong Kee Mah Chee- Pasar Pinji 

I love Muar Chee and I love Fa Sang Wu. Did you know that Muar Chee and Fa Sang Wu is such a good combination together? I bet you didn't know. This place is located super near my hometown. It used to be super hidden where the guy who owns this shop used to sell right in front of a random house along the street, below a big tree. But, the last time I went there, he moved to this small little turquoise house which can be spotted very easily.

But, he also told me that the turquoise is all temporary and that he will be moving again. However, if you do come by Pasir Pinji, you have to really come here. Though the Muar Chee isn't anything besides the ordinary but the Fa Sang Wu is really amazing as the consistency isn't too thick and it tasted like its made more of peanut than flour. And the guy who owns the stall actually recommended me to eat both together, because ordinary people like me would eat them separately. Seriously, they both go so well together!

6. Wat Tan Hor (Stir Fried Rice Noodles) at Tuck Kee Restoran- Jalan Yau Tet Shin

Like the Big Treet Foot place, I have not actually tried Tuck Kee until my last trip. I have heard of it but have not tried it because it only opens at night, if I am not mistaken and I always go down to Ipoh for less than a day and be back before night. Catering mostly for dinner, they have a wide variety of stir fried noodles to choose from, but that time when I went tried it I ordered their Wat Tan Hor and their famous steamed octopus.

Their steamed octopus wasn't anything special, but I did like the how well it went with their chili sauce. However, I did really like their Wat Tan Hor. All my life, I have eaten alot of Wat Tan Hor because it's one of my family's favourite noodle dish and I only have had one really good one before this. But, Tuck Kee's Wat Tan Hor could actually compete with that. It wasn't diluted and it had the right amount of seasoning. The next time I go down, I will like to try their Hokkien Mee.


#6. Yong Tau Foo & Teh Ais (Iced Milk Tea) at Kedai Makanan Kum Kee- Pasir Pinji 

Kum Kee really brings a whole lot of good memories to me because it is actually the nearest kopitiam (coffee shop) located to my house at Ipoh. When I was a kid, whenever I overnight at Ipoh, my family always went to Kum Kee for supper. It really has been a long time since I went there. They serve the usually Ipoh Yong Tau Foo, but what I really enjoyed there is actually their Teh Ais.

I usually wouldn't order Teh Ais because there aren't good ones. Most of the kopitiams serve diluted teh ais because usually they will premake the milk tea and then pour it over ice whenever an order is made which makes the drink so diluted. But I decided to order it from here because I saw one of the customer from the next table ordered it and the colour of the teh ais looked really 'kau', so I tried my luck and ordered it, which did not disappoint me. Then, I realize all their drinks are actually 'kau' because the they actually make the drink only when there is an order, which makes a whole lot of difference! If you are very particular with your drink being 'kau' or not, like me, you would understand.

That's all I have for this post :)

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