292 steps

I am getting further and further away from my flat rectangular shape. It's not an attractive body shape, but that's my shape for many years.

Well, many years when I was younger.

For the many more recent years, that flat rectangular shape is developing a bulge. It's getting bigger and bigger.

While round is also a shape and I have nothing against it really, I simply prefer the rectangular more. For my body shape, that is.

So I have been exercising since early May, every alternative weekday.

I would take the rubbish out after I washed the dishes, take the lift down, and climb the stairs back to my unit.

That's 17 floors, 292 stair-steps, and takes me around 6 minutes of steady walk without break.

Don't know how long this will last. I can but try.

Other |flickering fling| category entries.

So be it

Just want to put in record that today is the day I decided that, after the stock at home runs out, which is pretty soon, that I no longer want to have Coke at home.

Also, I no longer want to have potato chips as supper.

Don't get me wrong, I will still drink Coke and I will still eat chips, it's just that I no longer want to have Coke readily available at home, and I want to eat something healthier (hopefully) as supper.

Because my health is a mess now and I am in constant discomfort in a daily basis. I would like to live to 50. Nobody cares so it's up to myself.

It's a thought at the moment, and soon when the stock of Coke runs out, it will commence in earnest.

How long will I last? I honestly have no idea.

I can but try.

Other |flickering fling| category entries.

收心·养生

健康检查报告没有想象中那么糟糕，但也不是很好。还要见几位不同的医生，所以有待接续。

跨年的四天长周末，不算真的休息到，但就突然有了个觉悟:长周末过完，就要好好收心，新的一年要有个好的开始。

还有就是今年要好好养生。当然和刚做完的健康检查有关联，但其实也不完全是因为它，就是不喜欢自己健康状况不佳这么久了。厌倦了自己这状况，要改变它。

开始每天监测血压。当网上订购的、医生推荐的维生素补充到了后，就会开始常年服用。要好好看待那睡眠质量的问题，还有就是要多点快走。

也有那进一步反社交的想法，没有什么特别原因，就是感觉人类很累人。养生就该远离这些烦恼，不是吗？

希望不是只是个五分钟热度的新年计划啦…

心语细述 |系列|

Honeymoon is over

November, my self-proclaimed slacker month, is over.

Back to eleven entries per month. Not sure to feel happy or sad.

Slacker extraordinaire gotta slack, but then I also like to write... So conflicted.

Anyway, back to eleven entries per month, so can't be slacking off for too many days.

Or do I have to? Hmm...

Time for a change? Or perhaps still sticking to eleven entries for this month, so that this year will end with 125 entries as usual, and only starts in January, a new year thing?

What should the number of entries per month change to? Or simply random every month without a fixed number?

Something to mull over.

Other |temperamental thoughts| category entries.

Pickleball, round 5

Played my fifth game of pickleball yesterday with colleague friends at a proper indoor pickleball court.

My first pickleball game was played in an indoor court as well, but that was a converted garage and I can't in good conscience called that a good court.

That said, all my subsequent pickleball games had been outdoor in a shaded basketball court, so the first indoor court was still better since it's a real pickleball court and the wind factor was eliminated. If only the flooring and the lighting were done better...

Anyway, basketball court is free of charge while the indoor court has, to my opinion, still quite a high cost comparing to other indoor racquet games. So can't really complain.

Here's hoping with more pickleball courts popping up everywhere, the price will go down to a more reasonable and economical range. *fingers crossed*

Before I write this entry, I checked and found out that my previous last pickleball game was back in June, five months ago. Time flies.

Well, the colleagues still have regular pickleball games, it's just that I have been bogged down by work so I have not been joining them since June. To be honest, the after pickleball game traffic is also a factor, need a lot of self-convincing that the waste of time in the bad traffic is worth it.

Anyway, was a great session yesterday, enjoyed the game and the camaraderie. But two hours for four players was too much for me, I am super unfit so despite taking more breaks than the other three, I am aching all over today.

More importantly, it's a gathering of colleague friends, so it's all worth it.

Pickleball series: | 1st |  | 2nd |  | 3rd |  | 4th |

Other |enjoyable events| category entries.

Pickleball, round 4

Played my fourth game of pickleball today with colleagues at company's basketball court self-converted to pickleball court with portable net.

More players today, good. I played two matches and it's time to go.

But due to tomorrow being a public holiday, the traffic was already bad when I left, took me an hour to get home.

Still find pickleball to be fun, only today I was overshadowed with depression and the heaviness in mind and heart.

Hope I will be in a better mood next session.

Pickleball series: | 1st |  | 2nd |  | 3rd |

Other |enjoyable events| category entries.

Pickleball, round 3

Played my third game of pickleball today with colleagues.

At company's basketball court with our portable net. We are not that pro fussy really. =P

I like to think I suck less now. New players that joined for the first time today definitely helped with that delusion, hehe.

We had enough players to rotate in between matches today. That is good, old geezer like me needed the break in between.

Again, a fun experience, so still looking forward to the next game. =)

Hope I won't be aching all over tomorrow...

Pickleball series: | 1st |  | 2nd |

Other |enjoyable events| category entries.

Pickleball, round 2

Played my second game of pickleball today with colleagues. First game was back in January.

Yes, I still suck at pickleball. =P

But I think I suck less this time so I will take that as positive progress instead of being paired with superior-skilled team mate, hehe.

Just four of us today, and we played in company's basketball court, using tape to mark the pickleball court outline, and with an easy to assemble and disassemble portable pickleball net.

Truth is I am already huffing and puffing during the warm up, but we played two complete matches.

Had a fun exercise, will definitely play again given the chance.

The traffic home though, that was horrible, meh! And I expect to be aching all over tomorrow.

I am very out of shape.

Other |enjoyable events| category entries.

有感而发：情感投入（又x3）

刚看完了一个2024年上播，叫〈恋爱兄妹〉的韩国恋爱综艺节目。是我至今看过的恋综里数一数二的节目。

五对兄妹或姐弟同居一个别墅里三个星期，和手足外的异性相互认识、约会、探索爱情。前两个星期在韩国，多数人都还有工作的情况下互动和一起生活，而最后一个星期则是全部人都是没有工作，到外国度假的情况。

真的是又情感投入了，看完最后一集后我很难入睡那种。应该是因为除了甜甜的爱情、单恋的心酸惋惜，还有那暖暖的亲情，然后就是那令我气愤的渣男行为。

我理解不是每位出演者都会配对成功，我明白出演者需要时间和机会去认识和了解其他人，确认自己和对方的心意，这些都是恋爱综艺都会有的情节过程。但我不能够接受的是两个星期建起，逐渐加深的感情，可以突然成零，像开关一样。

要知道是连其它出演者都觉得他们已经像新婚夫妇那样的情况，那男的就突变，一刀两断。给的是连他的亲妹妹都听不懂的烂理由，更不用说我们这些观众了。

是的，高大威猛哥，你那身材样貌是迷倒了全部女出演者，每一位都被你牵着走。我也完全被你前两个星期的专一骗了，为你和优雅姐稳稳的关系喝彩，为这对像似新婚夫妇给上满满的祝福。然后你的渣男行为彻底毁了一切，你是我最看不起的出演者。

优雅姐，你真的是辛苦了。你们韩国人对MBTI的热爱让观众知道你是唯一一位内向的出演者，和其他九位外向的人同住在一起生活，我这超内向人想了都累。喜欢你的优雅和气质，是人都会被高大威猛哥那两个星期的全程专一骗过去。心疼你。

姐夫猎人弟，喜欢你的直率，你对姐姐的关怀。我们都希望你姐的爱情修成正果，但我们都被骗了。

忙内妹，你的始终如一是令人敬佩的，像别人真诚告诉你那样，不是你有什么缺点，就只是爱情不能勉强。

孔刘哥，多么希望你和酷妹会修成正果，很遗憾，唉… 真的也是心疼你。

酷妹啊酷妹，为什么？那么容易就被打动吗？真的无法祝福你，就只有满满的遗憾。

颤抖哥，你绝对是大赢家！样貌最平凡的你，靠你的真诚、直率和专一，言行一致的赢得美人归。对感情、爱情就是应该这样的态度和样子，我向你致敬！对你妹妹好点吧…

辅导博士姐，真的要好好珍惜对你那么忠诚专一的男人哦。或许你也被动摇过，但很庆幸你不是另一位被渣男动摇的受害者。感谢你帮助其他出演者解围，你的弟弟完全是被你救了！绝对赞同你说渣男感情ON/OFF像AI不像人。

AI弟，还是觉得你心机重，托你姐姐的福你有个好结局，好好答谢你姐姐吧。

可爱妹，是的，你的哥哥的确是很可爱，哈哈！喜欢你的开朗和亲切，你是把大家融合的胶。不要独自乱想，感情需要互相灌溉滋养，关系需要坦诚相对。

看完〈恋爱兄妹〉，还真的有点难想象能够被下一个恋爱综艺节目这么的情感带入。希望我是错的啦！

有感而发 |系列|

Revisiting Sword Coast

Back in 2018, I reinstalled Baldur's Gate I and its expansion the Tales of the Sword Coast, intended to finally complete the expansion areas and get my character ready for Baldur's Gate II.

Let us just say that I still haven't played Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn and its expansion Throne of Bhaal, game that I bought like some twenty years ago. slacker point +1

What I remember is that I have made it to Baldur's Gate, my last save was just before I enter the city. My plan was to follow the main storyline to level up my characters, then to explore all the Tales of the Sword Coast quests and areas, then only go finish off the last boss to properly end Baldur's Gate I.

This blog entry in 2019 confirmed my goldfish memory is right for once. However, when I loaded my saved game, my party was not in front of Baldur's Gate, but in the wilderness in between Beregost and Nashkel. At least the journal says I am in chapter 5.

Probably didn't save the last saved game files (changed computer since), or perhaps this is indeed the latest progress because my main character is a human thief (with stats to dual class to mage) and no longer the half elf mage/thief multiclass.

Anyway, so ya, questing in Sword Coast once again. One can always hope that this time will be the time that I finally complete the Tales of the Sword Coast, and am ready for Baldur's Gate II.

Slacker time applies, as always.

Other |geeky gaming| category entries.

有感而发：情感投入（又又）

刚看完了一个叫 Offline Love （线下恋爱 / 离线找真爱）的日本恋爱综艺节目。

不曾相识的五男五女，各自分散在法国一个美丽的城市里，在没有手机、网络和电子设备的情况下，靠缘分和手写信件来相约、相见。

节目组有提供一本类似旅游指南的书本给每位出演者，一直到第三天晚上全员被召集一同共进晚餐之前，出演者都是靠认出那本指南书来确认其它出演者的。

要相见要么就是靠缘分，要么就是手写信件写下日期、时间、地点，投入其它出演者的邮箱里，希望对方会及时收看到，和会应约。然后就是耐心等待。

我还是第一次看日本综艺。单纯由这出恋综给我的感觉是，相比韩国人，日本人比较有礼貌、比较会提他人着想、和比较真挚。

喜欢没有手机、完全离线、靠缘分、靠书信、提前规划的主题。喜欢出演者不同的个性，有酷酷的、可爱的、活跃的、内向的…

为两情相悦、双向奔赴的男女感到喜悦，感觉甜甜暖暖的。也为单恋的男女出演者感到心酸惋惜。感谢他们的真情流露，我又被情感带入，体验了那些情绪感觉。

期待下一个真诚好看的恋爱综艺节目，让我又又又情感投入。^_^

有感而发 |系列|

Gathering

The supposedly Chinese New Year gathering with colleague friends finally happened yesterday.

Despite my many attempts in recommending a restaurant on the island, the dinner was at mainland.

Took me slightly more than an hour to get there, "contributed" to the puasa traffic.

And yet when I got there, many commuting from mainland were still not there yet. Shame on them!

The gang of colleague friends who ate together, played together, and had interactions outside of work. Yes, I wasn't so antisocial back then...

Food was good, but that's not the main point. The main thing is the laughter, I had a great time. =)

Other |enjoyable events| category entries.

天马行空：纯想

今天放工后累到开始头痛，所以晚餐前乖乖躺在床上做死尸。

但偏偏脑子不肯休息，竟然开始了一大堆如果的假想，越想越令自己好奇。

有没有一个平行时空里的我，是没有原则、彻底黑化的？那样的我，会做出多少骇人的事呢？

有没有一个平行时空里的我，是坚守了爱好，靠摄影或写作维生的呢？

有没有一个平行时空里的我，是和初恋修成正果的呢？

有没有一个平行时空里的我，是不婚主义者，和社会隔离，隐居郊外的呢？

有没有一个平行时空里的我，是选择不生孩子，只过两人世界的呢？那样的生活会是怎样的？

有没有一个平行时空里的我，是有会黏爸爸的女儿的呢？想想都妒忌…

有没有一个平行时空里的我，是靠老婆养，吃软饭的好命小白脸？

有没有一个平行时空里的我，是选择了不修读博士学位，拿了硕士就出来工作的呢？早那几年开始工作，结果究竟会是怎样？经济能力是不是会比现在好呢？

有没有一个平行时空里的我，是大学后就留在国外工作、生活的呢？

老实说我还真蛮好奇的…

如果真的有平行时空，我又有能力观察它们的话，我还真的很想看看究竟是怎样？好奇宝宝就是要知道而已，没有想要改变什么。

天马行空 |系列|

Pickleball

Played my first game of Pickleball today with colleagues. It was a team event.

Let me be frank and direct and get this out first: I suck at Pickleball. =P

Eight of us, all first-timers. Four males and four females, just nice for two sets of mixed double. Regardless, whoever paired with me loses the game, haha.

I am guessing I am not used to the size of the paddle, always missing the ball. And yes I suck, but we already covered that.

Nevertheless I had fun, hope this will be a regular team event.

Expect to be aching all over tomorrow though, for I is weak. (Yes, that's on purpose.)

Other |enjoyable events| category entries.

有感而发：情感投入（又）

刚看完了韩国二零二四年播出，一个叫 Couple Palace （情侶宮殿）的恋爱综艺节目。

五十位女士和五十位男士寻求结婚伴侣的一个节目。经过不同的环节配对互相满意的伴侣，再逐渐看发展的程度开始计划结婚的过程和事项。

有越来越坚信的伴侣，也有成了伴侣但发现不合适或种种原因变回单身的男女。过程有很多令人心动的甜蜜，也有很多令人心疼的情节。情人老婆仔说是节目效果，我选择相信是真情流露。

为那对互相喜欢但女方父母反对的情侣感到心酸和遗憾。支持那些勇于表示的纯情直男，为他们的成功喝彩，也为他们的失败惋惜。

尊重那些最终勇敢求婚的男女，那些错了会自我反省勇于认错的男女，那些真的是为了寻求结婚伴侣而参加节目的男女。

而那些渣男渣女、那些自以为是、那些为了刷知名度、那些纯粹玩玩心态的男女… 我真的是不能理喻你们，完全不在一个频率上。

一大把年纪了我还是会被情感带入，看这恋爱综艺节目我的情感会跟着起伏。会跟着心动、会跟着开心雀跃、会心痛惋惜、会感动、会感伤、热泪盈眶。

也许那就是为什么我喜欢看恋爱综艺节目的原因吧？

〈 单身即地狱〉第四季开播了，虽然觉得这节目的出演者越来越像是为了知名度而参演，这仍会是我接下来看的恋综。

有感而发 |系列|

Wandering

If I ever not have to worry about finance, if I had enough money for the whole family to live comfortably without needing to work, then I would most likely spend my time writing.

There are several stories in my mind. None of them complete, all half-cooked, and will stay that way unless I actually have long stretch of undisturbed time to start writing them down, to flesh them out, to have uninterrupted train of thought, to evolve into full stories.

I don't have that luxury, I barely manage to go through the week without working overtime and still have deliverables meeting my own standard. The reality is I have to work overtime every so often. Like today, a public holiday, but I need to work to ensure I can get things done, because too many meetings this week that waste my working hours.

So the stories remain in my mind, and every so often some new ideas or story arc will pop up, adding to the stories. My mind has been wandering more the usual these few days, hence this entry, and the piecemeal notes I scribbled down.

Initially wanted to have a short paragraph on the ideas that popped up these few days, but they are too fragmented, and I don't have the time to organise them and flesh them out into something that make sense.

Oh well, perhaps something to do when I retired.

Other |flickering fling| category entries.

Antisocial went social (2)

Went out to a ten persons gathering on Friday evening.

Anything more than four is probably a no no for me nowadays, too much of a social outing.

But for these colleague friends who had spent so much good times together, I made the exception.

So it's braving the Friday after work traffic, which was horrible as usual, reaching the destination about two hours after I left home.

Dinner and chat, then to karaoke.

Karaoke, something we loved so much back in the days, still much fun and laughters this time round, but the passion was somewhat lacking. Maybe it's just me.

The second Covid has ruined my lung capacity. The shortness of breath has rendered me unable to sing, my voice is so weak now.

Oh well, I still enjoy the time, just being with these people.

Other |enjoyable events| category entries.

Antisocial went social

As I become more and more antisocial, I attend less and less social activities, especially those that involved large number of people I am unfamiliar with or not close to.

But I went to a farewell lunch yesterday, because it's for my hiring manager, who has a special place in my heart, and because there were only a handful of colleague friends, all of whom I am close to.

Colleague friends who were there when I first joined the company, who did some crazy and funny things together all those years ago that we probably can no longer do now without incurring some code of conduct infraction. Things have changed.

Anyway, for these people, I am willing to go social.

And I honestly enjoyed the meet up.

All the best to my hiring manager. He is someone who has earned my respect, I know he will do well wherever he goes.

Other |enjoyable events| category entries.

有感而发：情感投入

看完了一季韩国二零二三年的恋爱综艺节目，和它的后续。

那位甜美可爱，性格讨喜的女出演者，一个月的节目过程里，即使是多位男出演者们的最爱、被邀约不断，一直都守着第一次约会就令她心动的那位内向男的初心，婉绝了其他男出演者的好意。

偏偏内向男太为其他出演者着想，知道其他男出演者都喜欢那女生，自己又不喜欢复杂错乱的情感和屋内情况（要一起生活一个月嘞），所以压抑自己的情感，令自己煎熬，也让甜美可爱女心酸委屈。

明明互相喜欢，可以在一起的两个人，始终都没有在一起。男的自私一点的话，很多的痛苦煎熬就不会发生了。

结果最后一个两天一夜的外出旅行中，连其他男出演者在知道甜美可爱女对内向男那么重的心意后，都开始为他铺路的情况下，太看别人眼色的内向男始终没有向甜美可爱女提出约会邀请，而是选择了他知道也是向着自己但没有其他男出演者追求的另一位女出演者。

那一天，甜美可爱女终于都心灰了。而已被拒绝过的，唯一一个知道甜美可爱女对内向男的心意后没有为内向男铺路的，那个内向男非常在乎，说是像自己兄弟般的室友，就趁虚而入安抚甜美可爱女，邀她约会…

旅行后过几天就是最终选择了，趁虚而入男就快马加鞭一直和甜美可爱女约会，最后终于得到美人归。

后续那几集，记录出演者在录制节目结束一个月后的情况。全部出演者都关系好好的，当然，那只是录制结束一个月之后，大家还记忆犹新的时段，节目也才刚刚上映。这恋爱综艺节目是去年五月到九月上映的，后续是九月到十月吧？

好奇宝宝网上搜寻了下出演者的近况，看到有文章说趁虚而入男和甜美可爱女去年十月头分手了，那几乎就是节目和后续上映完后的时间点。

唉，我这太过情感投入，希望全部爱情都可以甜甜蜜蜜、情感移入同理心太重的人，只有叹息…

有感而发 |系列|

Hamster's building craft

Another weekend spent building stuff for the hamsters.

They have already made a hole on the floor in the central building of the linkage that connects the two containers that are their living space, and they are working on making a hole on the mid-landing of one of the stairs.

First they pee on it, then when the cardboard is soggy and wrinkly they chew it until they make a hole. Destroyers of cardboard buildings, all three of them.

No appreciation of the time and effort I put in to make those buildings, ungrateful furry brats! And the problem is we threw away all the other buildings when Cocoa passed away, so there is no alternative linkage bridge at the moment. =(

So I have to build a new one, and this time I am going with ice cream stick instead of cardboard. Well, the wall of the central building will probably still be cardboard, given the size, but the floor will be wooden ice cream sticks.

Over the last few weekends I have made a spiral staircase, one straight staircase and one folded staircase. All three are meant as the first part of the linkage of the two containers, the ground to central platform part.

Yes, really only need two but I made three for variety and back up.

Still no central building, and also need to bridge the gap between those staircases and the central platform, which I intend to do with a short staircase or bridge structure.

I purposely designed it this way so it's easier to isolate the three hamsters when it comes to giving treat, just remove the bridge structure and I have three areas for each of the hamsters to eat in peace without the others attempt to steal their treat.

Anyway, still much to do, so I guess still many weekends without the time for anything else.

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