1 .Be yourself… Everyone else is already taken… – Oscar Wilde
2. “You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching,
Love like you’ll never be hurt,
Sing like there’s nobody listening,
And live like it’s heaven on earth.”
– William W. Purkey
3.
One of the first few photos taken from my new camera around our neighborhood, before the sunset. It’s just a very short test run but I’m pleasantly surprised with the results.
Humorous quotes of the week:
“Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.”
― Mark Twain
“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.”
― Albert Einstein
“This life is what you make it. Not matter what, you’re going to mess up sometimes, it’s a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you’re going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends – they’ll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything – they’re your true best friends. Don’t let go of them. Also remember, sisters make the best friends in the world. As for lovers, well, they’ll come and go too. And baby I hate to say it, most of them – actually pretty much all of them are going to break your heart, but you can’t give up because if you give up, you’ll never find your soul mate. You’ll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything. Just because you fail once, doesn’t mean you’re gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don’t, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life’s a beautiful thing and there’s so much to smile about.”
– Marilyn Monroe
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
– Mark Twain
“Elegance is not standing out, but being remembered”
– Giorgio Armani
“The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.”
― Gloria Steinem
“Ever notice how ‘What the hell’ is always the right answer?”
― Marilyn Monroe
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
― Dr. Seuss
It’s never too late to learn. It’s never too late to learn. It’s never too late to Learn.
I’m back to school today, for my first ever proper art class. My heart rate started to accelerate before the class from excitement of fulfilling one of my childhood dreams: To learn drawing and painting.
It’s a 10 weeks’ course with one of the best art school in Australia, which has been around since 1890. I probably won’t mention the school’s name until I can produce some kind of artwork, but will make notes on my progress from time to time.
I’m feeling a little exhausted from standing long hours on my feet and traveling back home in the rain. But I am so HAPPY and can’t wait to be back for more.
Here’s some impressive artwork from the School:
My first consignment – Drawing the outline of a child statue:
Despite the rain, the classes are very full. Our group is learning the basic drawing and painting. Next room, the life drawing class is on with a live model. OMG. The first time I’ve seen a naked live model! Please excuse me. I feel like a schoolgirl again.
Pairs 2012
“The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.”
― Mark Twain
“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”
― Oscar Wilde
“A wise girl kisses but doesn’t love, listens but doesn’t believe, and leaves before she is left.”
― Marilyn Monroe
The first hot Yoga class I took was Bikram Yoga in Sydney Brookvale Studio, year 2001. Back then that was the only Yoga studio offers Bikram Yoga in Sydney. Back then not many people practice Yoga in Sydney at all.
I went to do Bikram Yoga not because I wanted to be cool or anything, it was because I had no idea what we were up to. It happened that I had some hip friends at the time and they dragged me to the yoga class one day. I still remember that day. There was a big empty room for people to put bags and shoes with big filtered water bottles. Next to it was this hot Yoga room with floor to ceiling mirrors at the front. I stayed at the back row, trying to follow the teacher’s verbal instruction and experienced students in front of me with great difficulty. But really, most of the time I was doing the “dead body pose” (pose number 13), the only one pose I could master from the very beginning.
What Is Bikram Yoga?
Bikram Yoga is a unique form of Yoga that it is practiced in a room heated to 37- 40 degrees. It comprises a series of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises designed to scientifically warm and stretch muscles, ligaments and tendons, in the order in which they should be stretched. Each Yoga pose except post 25, Spine – Twisting Pose is repeated twice during the practice. One class lasts 90 minutes. You are supposed to hold one post for 1 minute. It is the repetition of Bikram’s yoga series that allows beginners to develop concentration and body mind awareness.
Why So Hot?
A lot people can’t stand the heat. But I didn’t mind it at all. There are a few reasons as to why it is beneficial to practice it in a hot room:
- Muscles, fascia and connective tissue become more elastic allowing for greater flexibility with less chance of injury
- Promotes sweating which assists the detoxification process using the body’s largest eliminating organ – the skin
- Heart rate becomes elevated which improves the cardiovascular system (heart and lungs)
- Improves strength because proteins can be utilised more effectively
- Warmer temperatures produce a fluid like stretch that allows for greater range of motion in the joints
I was hooked to Yoga for life because of Bikram Yoga.
In front of Cologne Cathedral, if only I could fly up to the top
Dresden Germany
Bikram Yoga In Sydney
Back in early 2000 before 2006, Bikram Yoga in Sydney was HOT. I mean, not only the temperature, Bikram was THE Yoga style of the era. Lots more Bikram studio opened since the one in Brookvale. Each one followed the tradition to have a introductory 10 days pass. For $20 you can practice as much as you can in the first 10 days. Every now and then, there was a new Bikram Yoga studio open. My friends and I almost tried each one of them in Sydney. Bikram offers Yoga training program in LA, USA, a lot of early students took it and became Yoga teachers later on. From what I can see, Bikram Yoga in Sydney is becoming less and less popular nowadays. People are still practising Bikram Yoga. It’s just that less and less people are keen on it. Over the years a lot yoga studios changed owners. Lots of yoga studio changed yoga-teaching style to other forms of yoga. Yes, Bikram Yoga a beginner’s Yoga class and the 26 poses never change. If you think Bikram Yoga is hard, try hot Power Yoga:).
There are still quite a few good Yoga studios that practice Bikram Yoga in Sydney. It’s better to find one close to your home or work so that you don’t have to travel too far. If the idea of sweating for 90 minutes doesn’t scare you, Bikram yoga could be the beginning of your yoga journey.
Yay! It’s Monday again!:) This week is going to be a great week because of:
- Exercise. This week I’ll continue with last week’s routine, swimming for 30 minutes everyday, 5 days a week.
- Blog. Can you believe I have a degree in journalism? Once upon a time, I saw my articles and name on newspapers quite often. Ok those were not written in English but still, I should have kept on writing. I don’t mention it now because it was such a long time ago and I hardly make time to read or write now, in any language. So last week, I pushed myself to post 6 blog entries to get into the rythm. This week, I’ll try my best to keep this online journal going.
- Healthy food. Oh relax, it’s not about dieting and starving… I will keep eating, to my heart’s content. But stay away with junk food.
- House keeping. Yes Internet, you’ve heard it right. From this week I’m trying to be a
betterhouse keeper. Start with my desk everyday! Remember that saying? A clean desk speaks a happy mind. - Australia Day. Instead of a lazy picnic in Centennial Park, this year we might try one of these things around Sydney.
This is a total irrelevant photo. I was on a cruise last year late August and snapped it with the mobile phone camera. The image is a bit fuzzy but the sunset on river Thames was just amazing.
Happy Monday!
London 2012
“It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done.”
― Vincent van Gogh
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
― Albert Einstein
“Crying is for plain women. Pretty women go shopping.”
― Oscar Wilde
“Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein
“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.”
― Oscar Wilde
“We dream to give ourselves hope. To stop dreaming – well, that’s like saying you can never change your fate.”
― Amy Tan
Year 2013 started with spectacular fireworks all over Sydney harbor. I’m feeling lucky to call this amazing city home.
Last year, for the first time in my life, I wrote some personal goals in a spiral bound book and kept it for the whole year. It turned out to be a great way to stay on track so I’ll be doing same at the beginning of each year and pray harder for each year to go a little slower.
My main goal for this year is to manage my time better so that I can read more books and spend more time on the beach.
Speaking of books, I want to finish the book that is lying around unfinished for the last 10 years– The Story of Pi. Now that someone has made a movie out of it, I’d better manage to at least finish reading the book. I’m up to page 53 as I write this, so there’s a good chance it’ll be finished by the end of January. At least read 1 book/month, 12 books this year. Trust me Internet, I’ll make an effort.
Sydney has been mostly blessed with warm beach weather since 1st of January this year. And boy, did we enjoy the blissful time off. We spent the New Year’s Day at Pearl beach. In the first week of January, we drove through the scenic roads and notational parks to the south coast, north coast, and central coast. We soaked up in sun. We spied crabs walking sideways in theirs caves. We swam in calm ocean water. We let roaring waves crash on us too. We went home everyday with glowing suntan, lots of photos, and happy memories that never fade.
Scenic Drive Through Sea Cliff Bridge To NSW South Coast
I can be one of the moodiest people and suffer from green grass syndrome frequently (someone is having better hair, more fun, more successful and happier at the moment). A couple of days ago we drove pass this cute house painted in a bright color on the way to Kiama with a sign says: “Carpe Diem” fixed on the front wall of the house. What a perfect reminder of life is all about: Carpe Diam/Seize The Day.
With that in mind, here’s to the New Year, enjoying/making the most out of each day, endless possibilities and creating a life of your dreams.
“Read, read, read. Read everything — trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it.
Then write. If it’s good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out of the window.”
― William Faulkner
“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us. And the world will live as one.”
― John Lennon
“I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”
― Albert Einstein
“It would seem that you have no useful skill or talent whatsoever,” he said. “Have you thought of going into teaching?”
― Terry Pratchett
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
― Albert Einstein
“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.”
― Groucho Marx
“The worst part of success is trying to find someone who is happy for you.”
― Bette Midler
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”
― Oscar Wilde
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”
― Pablo Picasso
