Been such a nice week! Its time to do stuff...but what should I do!?

Things are starting to stabilize for me. It has been a tough last year, and the year before that, and the year before that! But I am more clear on my goals, values and beliefs. Still waking up with a bit of anxiety about god knows what, but must say the angst has subsided a whole lot. A little introspection can go a long way. I find that in order to feel good you have to continually put effort towards maintaining it by reminding and educating yourself on a consistent basis. Of course equally as important is to put forth an effort and take action. 1 step at a time. Slow and steady. Progress....is progress...

Many instances in the past when I start to feel a bit better, I quickly take this feeling for granted and resort back to my old habits. Instead, now I make sure that most nights I remind myself of my priorities and of the things that really matters to me. I'm still very far away from where I want to be, but I have a vision. Although still blurry, as the days go by, the vision becomes a little bit clearer. And I don't even need to put on my glasses :).

I was at the Worlds Biggest Bookstore, Toronto, with a very specific mission. And that is to find a book on a very specific topic. A topic that I won't be revealing on this post :P. However, I came across another book that wasn't exactly what I was looking for. It was Michael J Fox's "Always Looking Up." I went with my gut feeling to pick this one up instead. Maybe because someone close to me has Parkinsons, maybe because I have always been fond of Michael J Fox, or maybe because it was in the clearance section :P Regardless, this book just felt right.

Always Looking Up concerns the last 10 years of Michael J Fox's life and how he is dealing with his retirement from acting. I am only a chapter in but would like to share some quotes that stood out to me so far.

"I had been Mike the actor, then Mike the actor with PD. Now was I just Mike with PD?"

"My left hand guides my right hand up to my mouth, and once the back of the Oral-B touches the inside of my upper lip, I let go."

"I can usually tell whether shaving is a good idea on any particular day, and this morning, like most, i decide it's to o early to risk bloodshed."

"I made reference to myself as being a "lucky man." After a few edits, I kept going back to those two words, and eventually they found their way onto the cover of the book. They fit then, and they still do now."

"The answer had very little to do with "protection" and everything to do with perspective."

Some videos below.
Chao

Been receiving emails from people showing support and requesting information. Just want to say thanks for the support :) and keep those questions coming. If I can, I will help. Don't be shy!

Baoy

Hey, I'm Asian. You can't expect me not to make at least one post on the first Asian American in the NBA right? Jeremy Lin everybody!:

This may only apply to Ontarians but Happy Family Day! I really shouldn't be at work Saturday morning but I am, so sad. At least I have a big family gathering at a buffet resturant to look forward to! Let the face stuffing begin.

Watch these videos:









TKO Fighting Arts fighters training hard.

I received a very good question that I am ashamed to say I didn't mention in one of my posts:

http://on-baoy.blogspot.com/2010/06/canadian-reserve-forces-before-ou.html

This question was where does one go to actually sign up!?

Well the answer is easy :)

Go here:

http://www.forces.ca/en/centres/findarecruitmentcentre-110

Find the closest recruiting center to you home and get your ass in there! Come ready with questions, inquiries, and concerns. They will provide you with all the information you need to make your application.

-Baoy

I received several similar emails/posts concerning Sak Yant by Ajarn Thoy and just wanted to answer some of them here for future readers.

First go here for the first part of this post:
http://on-baoy.blogspot.com/2010/06/getting-sak-yant-tattoo-from-ajarn-thoy.html

1. Does Ajarn Thoy speak English?
Ajarn Thoy speaks broken English. He understands more than he can put into words so if you have something to explain or complex to say, bring some pictures and use hand gestures! He has a collection of photos of his past work so you can go through them and chose the one you want instead of trying to explain to him. I also suggest you bring your own images just in case!

2. How much does it cost?
Traditionally, its suppose to be on a donation basis. But because of the overwhelming number of customers, Ajarn Thoy does charge a fee based on the complexity, size and color of the Sak Yant. The Khao Yord that I received (photo below) cost 1000baht which is about $30 US.

3. Are the needles safe and do I have to worry about catching anything?
I am going to boldly say (after speaking to many people and doing much research) that it is quite safe. Ajarn Thoy sterilizes all the needles after using them. I even asked him to show me and he did. Furthermore, Ajarn travels abroad to do tattoos so he's as legitimate as it gets in Thailand. You may find cheaper with other lesser known local monks, but no guarantees on the cleaning the procedures.

4. Do I have to book an appointment?
No. Just call in and make sure they are open and show up. There might be a few people there and the wait can be long so be sure to show right at noon (when it opens)! Note: When you get to the temple just say "Sak Yant" or "Ajarn Thoy" to any of the monks and they will point you in the right direction. Picture of the building where the tattoo is performed to your right.

5. Does Ajarn perform tattoos on women?
Yes he does.


6. Does it hurt!?
I don't have a regular tattoo so I can't make that comparison. However I did think it stung quite a bit. How much it hurts will also depend on the spot you want it done. From what I hear, it hurts more around areas with lots of fatty tissue. So go jog!




----

Any more questions you guys have please post at the bottom or drop me an email at dennis_luu@hotmail.com

If you are in Thailand and need assistance you can always contact myself at anytime as well. Getting your very first Sak Yant is a very neat experience so I wish you guys have just as much fun as I did!

Train Hard.
-Baoy

Stay away from the giant penis. Don't ask me why there is a ribbon on it. And don't ask me what it is doing at a temple.

---------

Contacts:

Samnak Sak Ajarn Thoy-Soi On Nut 25 Wat Tong Nai

Google Maps -Click Here to View

Sukhumvit Soy On Nut 25,
Bangkok 12:00 a.m. – 18:00 p.m.
Telephone 0899963745

Congrats to my brother for landing a kickass job at Samsung Head Office! You worked so hard the past year in the ring and at work. You deserved this.


Thanks to Brutot for helping me put together my new computer! Intel i3 3.29Ghz processor, Radeon 4800 Series, Gigabyte Mobo, 4 gig G Skill Ram - a definite upgrade from my Asus laptop. Can't wait to start gaming and streaming on this comp!


Oh, also a quick thanks to my dad for sparing me his old computer and parts so that I can build this one.

Train Hard!

...still itching to fight.

Spring is coming up here in Toronto. Maybe another month or 2? Either way, time to get ripped for the beach! haha. The question is what kind of workout and diet program I should go on. Still thinking about it, but definitely leaning towards tapering off the carbs, lowering salt intake, lots of water, and continuing to lift heavy but in lesser time.

Another session today. Wasn't the best session but definitely some improvement! I am not lifting as heavy as I did before. In fact, all my numbers dropped a good 10%. But I do feel myself getting stronger as I am getting back into the swing of things.

Numbers for today's session:

Bench: 3 sets of 5= 205 lbs (dropped from 215)
Deadlift 1 set of 5= 295 lbs (dropped from 325)

I'm quite happy with the numbers, even with the slight drop. It's OK. Gotta think long term right?

For a post workout meal I had a protein shake, Snickers chocolate bar (it's ok to have after a work out as simple sugar spikes insulin levels which provides the necessary energy for recovery), 4 pieces of tuna sushi, and 2 eggs.

Train hard.

--

www.stronglifts.com

A free power/weight-lifting program, and some real good information worth reading.

--

Yet again I get the urge to fight. Or at least train some combat friggin sport. I miss muay thai and my friends at TKO. You will never find a better group than the guys at TKO fighting Arts in Kitchener/Waterloo. If you are around that area, definitely check out that gym.

-you get punched in the face.
-you lose a fight.
-you miss a lift.
-you fail at anything in life.

-you let it go.

Doing what you don't want to do, in order to get to where you want to be. I never did understand this back in the day. When I first trained Muay Thai, I was obsessed to say the least. It was always on my mind! At school, at work, when I got home, during my walk home, and even when I shut my eyes at night I can see myself throwing kicks and knees. It wasn't work. It wasn't hard. It was fun. I was addicted and I looked forward to training everyday. Then somewhere along the way it got difficult. And less fun. The competition was tougher, and there were more expectations and pressure to perform. That's when the test comes. That is when true discipline is required.

I will let Joe explain what I am trying to say more in depth. Watch it. It's worth your while.

So I just moved to a new place. Moving. Story of my life! This time I swear it wasn't by choice but because my landlord decided to sell the house so I had to go! Too bad because I really liked my old place. However, I'm starting to really grow fond of my new place. More privacy and a spacious balcony overlooking a garden!

Another good thing about the move is that I am just a few minutes away from my home unit in the army. So not only is it more convenient to go to work, but the unit has an awesome gym to work out at! Saves me money from getting a membership at a commercial gym. FYI, if you are in the Toronto area you can also sign up for a membership at the military gym. Not sure about the rates but probably cheaper than the chain fitness facilities. I will post the rates when I find out.

For more information or receive a tour from the gym call (416)-633-6200, press 0 for operator and ask for the PSP (Personal Support Program) department.

Some photos below.






What more can you ask for? Free weights, chin up bars, barbells, squat racks, machines, ballistic balls, med balls, and whatever else you see there.



This is just me showing off my dogg tag! Jeez, guys get this a few months in but it took me like 4 years! That's the military for you.

Anyways, train hard!

Baoy