Love Sick...

Didn't know that dogs can get love sick. Wonder if they'll pine away and maybe become a heap of bag-n-bones if they stop eating...

What happen is this: 

My exercise buddy's owner is currently out-of-town on a work trip. It has been only 5 hours since the dog's owner left home and this fierce looking but chicken-livered dog is whining and making small little sighs every now and then. It is getting on my nerves, never having been great with noisy people and now being subjected to the love-sick behaviour from a 15 months' old dog that is sooo attached to its owner. It has stopped eating its lunch (unheard of) but it couldn't turn down a treat. But as soon as the treat is safely on its way to the stomach, the dog returned to its favourite spot: by the gate, looking at the goings & comings around the lift lobby area a floor below. No playing of toys, no chewing of sofa cushions (so far!) but I guess this dog is just going through the phases like a normal teen in puppy love (pun intended!) would.

So the plan is to skip out of the house and head for work earlier than intended. At least, I get to enjoy some free air-conditioning and hopefully, it will be abit quieter at the office.

To Beat The Mental Game, Beat Your Pet First!

Ok, don't take it literally. I'm talking about staying on the exercise plan.

I've discovered a good way to keep me motivated. Beating my dog when we go for long walks. You see, my dog is a hardworking dog. She absolutely must burn off excess energy or she'll rip my furniture apart or terrorise the smaller (although older) dog. Hence, the necessity for long walks to keep her spirits up and keep her from getting into naughty behaviour. 

She's my new exercise buddy and she trembles with joy whenever I bring out her leash. She is really good at keeping up when I jog every 5 mins or so into our hour long walks in the mornings or evenings. She bursts into speed sometimes & I have trouble keeping pace with her but she always looks at me with her tongue hanging out, as if she's encouraging me to run with the wind and breathe with my mouth. She's great fun to be with and I am absolutely delighted to have her for company. 

Back to the Grind!

Its Huffing & Puffing time for me. Time when I feel I am putting on weight and need to lose some drastically. Well, not drastically but quickly and hopefully, effectively. Meaning "stay away, flabby rolls, Helllooo muscles!"

I am examining some of the weight loss tips my colleagues have kindly passed on to me without me asking. (So kind of them, huh!) One of the most sensible one includes eating sensible portions of food, raising your metabolism rate in short bursts throughout the day (sweat it out, babe!) while cutting out sugar and most refined food stuff such as bread or chocolate. (Yum!) 

I will give it a try as I think it is the most promising one, having seen my colleague's new svelte figure. So my motto for this week is :"Stay smelly!"

7th Month

Yesterday was the start of the Lunar 7th month, the month when the chinese believe that the Gates of Hell opens up and its inhabitants are free to wander for 30 days. This is either a very lucky or unlucky month; most people believe that more deaths or unexplainable stuff occurs during this time so they try to go home before dark, avoid swimming for fear of 'water spirits' n generally hold off celebrations or renovations and delay travel plans for the month. Some people consider this the lucky month because some stuff costs less during this month, example, wedding banquets are cheaper as the demand is low, renovation packages are also cheaper. Entertainers who specialise in getai or chinese stage performance find their schedules packed as business owners, associations and clans engage them for ritual performances which in the past were meant for the wandering spirits but is now popular with the living. 

As on the 1st day of every 7th month, I perform a short ritual that is also repeated on the last day. After dark, I will gather joss-sticks, incense, sweet rice cookies, a pack of tea leaves, gold paper ingots, paper money & assorted paper charms & burn them outside my house. This is the 'gift' to the dead, an acknowledgement that the living is aware that the spirits are around and a sort of bribe to ask them to leave us alone during their time back in our midst .