Meow

The loves of my life. 

Hips don't lie

For 10 years I've had a desk bound job. It involves sitting, sitting and more bloody sitting. I realise that I spend more of my day sitting than standing. Some days, even more than sleeping. 

It is phenomenally bad for the hips and some 2 years ago, before I started consistently attending yoga classes, I could barely sit cross legged on the floor. When I sat my knees would be floating up, unable to relax and fall to the ground. My hips are tight to begin with, and 10 years of excessive sitting just made it worse. 

As I delved deeper into yoga and it's many theories and teachings, I learnt that negative energy is also stored in my hips. Feelings of fear, anxiety, frustration, disappointment, and everything I don't need. I'm sure much of this bad stuff I unleashed onto the world but it appears that the rest of it, I've kept. Other than that, just having naturally tight psoas or perhaps the way my hips are built could surely be one of the root causes. 

So all this said, I'm a big fan of hip opening poses but the only challenge I have with them is the emotions that come after.  It sounds all very hippy and new age but actually, it's ancient. Knowledge that has been around forever only to be rediscovered during a session of hip openers.

While I feel an immense relief in the hips I also feel mellow, almost sad, but not. And this is happening more and more frequently as I let my mind free itself during practice. Doesn't matter if I do ashtanga or yin practice. Same range of strange emotions. Perhaps, before, I was too concerned about the poses, or the stretch, or at times the pain, to realise it. But of late, I seem to have tapped into an ocean of dissapointment and frustration that has manifested itself into my body. Am I slowly letting go? Could I be coming to terms with myself? My true self? My first world problems ? 

It could be 10 years before I make it into lotus pose. But if there is a will, there surely is a way. It could mean more changes than I intend but that's quite exciting isn't it? So much realisation. No wonder Shakira says "hips don't lie". That woman knows what's she is on about. 

Ku De Ta, Marina Bay Sands

So for the first time in the entire 2013, this aunty went to a club. There was a close friends wedding and i had pledged to them that i would endure a night out. And so i did.

I hung up my stilettos, mini skirts and plunging necklines sometime in 2011 so going to a club is a pretty big deal for me.

Going to a club for aunties 101.

• It cannot be a spontaneous visit. One must mentally and physically prep at least 1-2 weeks before.
• Getting 8-9 hours of sleep in the day prior to club visit will ensure minimal yawning during outing. 
• Clothing, must not be too tight or revealing. Going for classy married lady, not skanky 25 year old. 
• Shoes either trendy flats or platform heels to prevent toes going numb after 1 hour. Unacceptable. How i did this in my 20's is beyond me.
• Make sure you get into the VIP area with your own posse as married Aunties and sex hunting singles have no business mingling. Everything is better in the VIP area (this doesnt apply to all clubs btw). This requires some very happening friends which i am very lucky to have. 
• A beverage with caffeine (like a Vodka Redbull) will prevent you from expiring after 1.30am which is WAAAYYY past bedtime.  
• If you have a choice, go to a no smoke club. If Malaysia don't have go Sg. Sorted. 
• If Saturday crowds are too much for you make everyone go on a Sunday. I was lucky, it was a Sunday. 

Might i say, while i didn't think much of the club, Ku De Ta has a spectacular view.

 The last point. It's the company you go with that will make the night so much less painful and perhaps even quite meaningful. :)

My Threadless Collection

I am a online shopping addict. There i said it. I have memorised my credit card number front and back and shop so much online that i don't even know what to do in a shopping mall anymore. There is the rare occasion that shopping malls come in handy, like buying a formal/cocktail dress, looking for shoes, and getting groceries. But otherwise, if it can be bought online, and shipping is free (MAJOR BONUS), aunty is going to go for it.

So, one of my top 10 favourite online shopping haunts is Threadless. Oh Threadless, how you just know what t-shirts i want. How you lure me with your free shipping deals and 50% sales. Oh Threadless you evil one. TAKE MY MONEY!

I almost made another large purchase today as there are sales on, but the USDMYR exchange rate is making me vomit blood. I can't handle the 3.29 rate. I pretty much only shop when there are sales at it will cost about RM30-40 per tee which i think is a mighty fine price for a quality cotton tee with special artwork.

Do hashtags work on blogger? #threadless ?

Exchange rate aside, on a brighter note, here is the collection!

1. Banana Kitty

 

2. Its Meow or Never. There is even a trailer on YouTube here Meow or Never Video

3. Beautiful bubbles and a turtle

4. I can haz cheeseburger spaceships? Priceless. 

 5. Celestial Cat.

 6. Cats have taken over the Internet. Priceless.

 7. Mister Mittens Adventures. I wish they made more tank tops. These are so comfortable and have a nice relaxed fit. On me at least.

 8. Predators of the ocean. Epic.

 9. Yoga animals!

Broga Hill, Seminyih

I'm sure there have been many posts about this little gem of a hill in the Malaysian bloghosphere but why not another one?

Broga Hill is located in Seminyih and is just past the Nottingham University Campus. Its a modest hill at only 400m in height but offers spectacular views from its peak. The climb is easy and non-life threatening (like Bukit Tabur where so many unfortunate accidents happen) and you can reach the summit in 1-1.5 hours if you go at a medium speed.

The best time to hike is at 6am i reckon. That way you can enjoy a beautiful sunrise and also see the night lights before sunrise. A headlamp or torch light is very useful for the morning hike so do remember that! I forgot to bring a light so i had to use my Iphone's torchlight.

Regular jogging shoes will do the trick but hiking shoes will provide much better grip at the steeper areas. My parents (in their 60's) found the hills a bit steep for their liking.

To reach the final peak of Broga, one must first traverse three hills. Literally. Mild hills but going up and down, then up again then down, then up again then down, then up at last, is a must. But its rewarding. A great morning weekend activity.

To note, i went to Broga Hills with Rebel Bootcamp which organised the hike as part of their October 2013 graduation celebration.

Anthony Vinyards Organic Grapes

I am a true lover of grapes. Green grapes, red grapes, black grapes, you name it. I also love grapes in their dried form, raisins! But that could be a story for another day.

So today i've gone fruit shopping and while ogling the grape section, the sales assistant tells me, "Lychee grapes, very sweet!" Lychee grapes? wtf.

But lo and behold, I try one and it literally tastes like lychee. These are no ordinary grapes. The packaging on them proudly said Anthony Vinyards Organic Grapes. Complete with USDA stamp of approval. The price was also extraordinary, at RM38 per kilogram. -__-

Website  - Anthony Vinyards

Even with the exorbitant price, i bought a bag and am crunching through now them as i write this post. I think the ones that i bought are the Crimson Red Seedless grapes. They are so good i would buy them again in a heartbeat. The grape is firm, the skin is thin and the flesh is so juicy. I'm getting very little tongue numbness from the tanins as well.

Well considering that these grapes have been grown out of a 5 year old vine, hand picked and harvested in California and shipped all the way to Subang Jaya, RM38 sounds reasonable. Right?

Ashtanga Yoga

Super fun time!