Three pieces of masks

We received our 3 pieces of masks in the mail today. It's a good gesture but I somehow find it impractical. Three masks for three people in my house and for only one time use.

The practice in Taiwan is different. They allow each person to buy 2 pieces of masks per week using their ID card. The price is controlled and they make sure they produce enough stock. And the have a system to ensure you adhere to only one purchase per week.

It is still ok now we are mostly at home and do not need to use it so often. But when MCO is lifted, it will be another story. Will we have enough supply for the entire nation?

I certainly hope so.

Will there be another panic buy when MCO is lifted?

pearlie

My big blob of water blister

The blister I have on my finger now isn't so bad but I have never had one this bad.

The entire scalded section of my finger is now a water blister. 

I'll save you from the sight of it. 

I googled and found out that water blisters are fluid-filled sacs on the skin and they are formed when when the outer layer of the skin is damaged and the body sends blood to heal and cool the injured area. 

The blood sent is in the form of blood serum without clotting agents or blood cells. Ah, that why it's not red but clear fluid.

These serum sacs serve as protective pads with the outer layer of skin protecting the wound from infection, while new skin is being formed underneath and the fluid absorbed. 

Aren't our body is so amazing in self-healing itself?

Though most times it cannot.

And it is now top most in our responsibility and priority not only to protect ourselves but to protect others by social distancing ourselves.

pearlie

A slight scare

I had a slight scare today. I'm praying and hoping all will be okay and that it's nothing in the end. 

pearlie

Have you been stress eating? I am

How have you been controlling your food intake being isolated at home?

I find it more difficult because I keep wanting to eat. I don't think it's because I'm more comfortable at home or that food is more available. 

I think it's the stress.

Which is why I find this helpful.

I always keep a packet of Fisherman's Friend Cherry Flavour in my office drawer to pop one into my mouth after lunch to stop myself from eating anymore. But I don't do it all the time. 

I now have a packet on my table at home. 

And I think my stress has been sky high. I keep popping them into my mouth. 

It's working though because not only am I maintaining my weight, I am beginning to lose some. 

But I'm hungry now.

pearlie

MCO Day 10, WFH Day 8

Believe it or not we have gone through 10 days of restricted movement and 8 days of working from home. 

I am exhausted. 

Working from home during this MCO period has been non-stop for me. The moment I start work at 9:00 in the morning, it's a non-stop day until at least 7:30 in the evening, and on some days up to 10:30 at night. There is literally no break in between because lunch breaks are cooking time and that has become work too.

I am exhausted.

The nice thing though is I just received a text message from a colleague appreciating what I have been doing at work. His encouragement and nice words certainly brightened up my evening. Thanks Krishnan. That meant a lot. 

I am encouraged.

That actually brought me to tears because it has been quite an emotional week. My son returned from the US and we are worried about his health and our health. And I have been praying for a friend who had contracted the Covid-19 virus and I received news that he has passed away this morning. RIP my brother James Wong.

I am downcast.

But why so downcast O my soul, put your trust in the Lord, by day He commands His steadfast love and by night His song is with me*. I will trust and depend on Him fully, my God and my Abba Father. And it's a good thing that it's now Friday and the weekend.

I will re-charge. 

pearlie

* Psalm 42:5a, 8a

Work From Home Day 3

It's the third day working from home and I'm already exhausted. Why is it that I feel so much more tired working from home compared to in the office?

I kept to my hours just like in the office. I don't even have to drive or get stuck in traffic.

So why am I more tired? 

Is it because it's warmer at home? I don't walk as much as in the office? I don't have colleagues to talk to and laugh with? 

I really have no idea.

pearlie

Getting ready to work from home

Our government gave a Movement Control Order to restrict our movement in the coming two weeks. 

With that, we still have a day today at the office to get ourselves ready: for our core functions to work in office and non-core functions to work from home. Since we are an essential services organisation, we can still operate in this period of restriction, but we are keeping it skeleton with just the core functions in the office. 

It was indeed a busy day getting communication out to staff, and getting logistics and equipment ready. 

We were also busy testing out our tele-conferencing tool as well. Not preferred, but not a choice. 

And for the first time in our lives, we need to have enough necessities stocked up at home in these coming 2 weeks.

I have been stocking up bit by bit in the last month. I had realised then that if it did turn into a panic buying, which did, it will be troublesome if not too late.

However, I did not buy any perishables. So when I went to the supermarket at the mall where my office is situated this afternoon, I'm quite surprised it was still quite well stocked. I have heard of panic buying in many other supermarkets in the last 2 days. Probably this one is not in a housing area and hence lower in density and demand.

I am glad I managed to get some bananas and vegetables and raw chicken. 

I don't have a lot but I think I am all set for the next 14 days working from home.

The challenge now is getting the hang of working from home. I never like the idea. I very much prefer work in the office, rest and leisure at home. 

But life has certainly taken an unexpected turn. 

pearlie

Virtual church from home

We did not go to church today, at least not physically. 

But virtually.

I am not used to it. It is so difficult not to be distracted. 

But it looks like this will be a norm for a while until it all comes back to normal.

Quickly I hope but it doesn't look very promising. 

So we all do need to do our part and practice social distancing to slow down the spread and not overwhelm our healthcare capacity.

pearlie

Act Today or People Will Die

I have been following the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus ever since I saw the signs that were put up in Incheon Airport when I return from Seoul back then on 1st Jan 2020.

Its spread has been devastating and scary. And it has now reached the shores of so many countries that some may become worse than Hubei province if not contained well.

I have been watching it on YouTube and reading articles but this long article from Medium.com is now a must read: - Coronavirus: Why You Must Act Now.

The article concludes that the one thing that we must do now is social distancing. It will be tough to lockdown countries and companies, businesses and religious gatherings. But it must be done. Even a day of lockdown will slow down the spread quite substantially. 

I pray with all my heart that it will be contained soon, after which we will still have to face another huge problem of its aftermath.

pearlie

Is catfish safe to eat?

I have been having fried catfish for lunch quite frequently lately. However, I have been having the feeling that catfish may not be so safe to eat.

This was when I found this article quite interesting. 

My biggest worry is the fact that catfish are bottom-feeders. But the article pointed out that when it comes to bottom-feeders, so are lobsters. Well, that's true.

Some say that catfish has a lot of the unfavourable Omega-6 fat. But I'm reading mixed reports on whether it is good or bad. I still don't know. 

But what is indeed more worrying is the level of toxins in the forms of mercury and PCB especially in farmed fish, which I am sure where the ones I ate came from.

So, I probably won't eat it as much now. 

pearlie

Photo source: Rasa.my

We bought an oximeter

I have a hypochondriac with me and with the COVID-19 outbreak, we bought an oximeter.

We have been watching too many YouTube videos and found out that this might be a good thing to have; to show that at least our blood is well oxygenated. 

Our oxygen saturation is safely at 98 to 99 percent and our pulse bar graph is strong and even. 

Hopefully it stays that way day in day out.

pearlie

How to get myself to exercise everyday

I have posted my 2020 new year resolutions at the start of the year, and I made progress today.

I am good in all the resolutions except this one: exercise.

I know I needed to get active again and so when I made the resolutions, I decided to cycle 45 minutes every evening, but I have not done anything since. 

Until yesterday and today. I got on my stationary bike and cycled for 45 minutes. 

I am one who is very low in discipline. I know that but I did go to the gym every Monday to Friday morning back in 2014 and 2015.

This was because back then, I was always early at work since I need to drop my son at school. But it all stopped when he started college. 

So I thought about it yesterday wanting to get back to that commitment I had. I realised that it was the fact that I like to maximise my time and my resources. 

I had time back then to kill and so it was beneficial that I maximise it with something that I can do and since there is a gym at my workplace, why not. 

What can I maximise now to get on that bike?

Again I want to maximise my time as well but I also like to watch TV and YouTube but I find them a big, big waste of time that I'm prepared to ditch them. 

But what if I can do both, maximise my time and yet get entertained at the same time. 

So I said to myself: no bike no TV, no TV no bike. 

I've done it but only 2 days so far and I do hope it will work. 

And I must say that it is the book that I have been reading and talking about so much that got me here: again it's Sönke Ahrens's How to Take Smart Notes. 

He said, "bring those who really don’t like exercise but know they have to do it into a sustainable workout routine by focusing on one thing: Creating satisfying, repeatable experiences with sports. It doesn’t matter what (they) are doing – running, walking, team sports, gym workouts or bicycling to work. The only thing that matters is that they discover something that gives them a good experience that they would like to have again. Once (they) find something, they are encouraged enough to try something else as well. They enter the virtuous circle where willpower isn’t needed anymore because they feel like doing it anyway."

Fingers crossed this will last a long time. 

I have a TV series to finish watching and so I need to get on that bike. 

pearlie

Losing weight!

I began to seriously work on losing some weight back in September 2016 and I reached my desired weight goal in July 2017, losing 10 kilos in 10 months.

I did it by using the FitnessPal app, religiously inputting my food intake everyday.

I limitted myself to 1000 to 1200 calories a day but I don't really deprive myself of the food that I want to have. If I really want to eat something that is higher in calories, I will eat in smaller portions and will have lesser to eat in calories for the day. It's like a daily budget I have. 

It worked for me because I don't feel deprived. 

But after reaching my goal, I had some struggles trying to maintain it and I did gain back 2 kilos. 

But I wasn't going to give up. 

I knew I had to change my strategy since my body must have gotten used to my eating behaviour. And since I didn't do anything extreme--I eat like I always do, just in smaller portions--I was able to maintain my eating lifestyle, except that I found it very hard to maintain let alone lose more weight. 

Then I decided to skip breakfast. 

I know. I know. You may be the one who'd be the first to tell me that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But my response to you will be, "says who?" 

The thing is I don't feel hungry at all in the morning. And it's the most inconvenient meal. And I feel fine just having a good lunch and dinner. 

So I did that for several months and all is good. 

Then I notice my husband skipping dinner sometimes. And I must say, I sometimes get quite lazy to eat at night. I usually get home too tired and late to cook. 

So I began to skip dinner once in awhile. And I feel fine.

It was only until recently that I realised that I have inadvertently started practicing intermittent fasting without knowing it. Haha.

So I read up on it and did a bit of research. I know there are proponents and opponents. But what I do is to listen to my body. If I really feel very hungry and if I feel that I must eat, I would. I don't force myself. 

And since July 2017, not only have I maintained, I have lost 2.3 more kilos logging in at my lowest today.

I don't have to lose anymore. It will be ideal just to maintain it between plus one and minus one of my desired weight. 

But the danger I have seen with many who successfully lose a lot of weight is that it is never enough. Once you've reached your goal, you'd set a new goal and once you reach that, you'd be greedy and want to lose even more. 

We must stop somewhere. 

We must admit that we look good with a little bit of fat in us. Just a little bit... you'll look much better, younger and healthier. 

pearlie

A losing battle to good food

I have so much snacks in the office and at home that I am definitely going to gain weight this Chinese New Year. 

I gained 2 kilos during CNY last year and I want to try very hard not to this year. 

But I think it’s going to be a losing battle. You just gotta given in to good food once a year. 

pearlie

Photo: breadetbutter.wordpress.com

Way too much sleep

I talked about my jet lag when I returned from the US last month. 

I gave it about 8 days but I was already feeling okay on the 6th day after I returned. 

However, there is one difference though. I find that I get sleepy very early ever since I am back, and that it quite unusual. 

I used to sleep at about 12am and I did that for several nights alternately but I was exhausted at 8pm last night and slept till 7 this morning. 

And that’s 11 hours of sleep. It’s way too much sleep. 

It’s now 9pm and I’m again exhausted and with a headache too. 

I wonder if I’m still under jet lag, albeit slightly. 

pearlie

Now I know what jet lag is

I did not experience any jet lag when I arrived in the US, but now that I’m back, I am having it bad. 

I’ve never experienced anything like this before. The furthest I have flown before this was to Qatar, a 5-hour time zone difference, and when I returned, I just went on as usual with no jet lag. 

But this time it’s bad with it being a 16-hour time difference. 

The Mayo Clinic describes jet lag as a sleep disorder and the symptoms can vary but will worsen the farther you travel. And it takes about a day to recover for each time zone crossed. 

With the 16-hour time zone I’ve crossed, if you minus 24 hours or a day from it, I would suffer from jet lag for a total of 8 days. 

This means I will only feel better this coming Sunday. Oh boy...that’s many more days to go. 

The symptoms I have encountered so far are:

• daytime fatigue - I get very tired after lunch time

• difficulty concentrating

• stomach problems - I keep burping

• a general feeling of not being well

• sore achy muscles

• panting after walking up the stairs

• dizziness

• splitting headaches - I woke up in the middle of the night with the worst migraine in a long time 

• eye twitching for one whole day from morning till night - and it was really irritating and uneasy

I am trying to get by each day normally but it’s hard. I don’t think taking naps is recommended but I think I should take controlled naps to rid of some of the fatigue. 

It is certainly a blessing that the next two days are public holidays. Thank you God!!!

But I will have to think twice next time I plan to fly again. 

pearlie

My Projects for 2018

Happy New Year and a Blessed 2018! 

Selamat Tahun Baru! 

新年快乐 万事如意! 

새해복많이 받으세요!

It was since 2016 that I am giving myself three projects every year. I don’t want any resolutions because they have a bad reputation of being broken. 

My projects don’t get broken. They are either completed or I don’t find them interesting enough and I abandon them. 

I know. I know. It’s the same thing but I’m still calling them my projects. 

I had these three in 2016, with their success and failure noted here. 

And in 2017, (1) I kind of succeeded in completing my 20-book challenge but I’ve always gone way beyond the minimum count of 20 consecutively since 2012. But I’ve only manage 20 in 2017. (2) I wanted to join a more “technical” choral group. I passed the audition but on my first rehearsal, I didn’t like the way it was done and so I quit. (3) I wanted to learn a new language. I started on Korean and with the progress using the tools I have, I went into Mandarin as well. But I’m still a beginner. Language isn’t an easy thing. 

So what’s in it for me in 2018?

1. I just started my 2018 book challenge in Goodreads and I’m being realistic. I know my limitations but I want to do more than 20 and so I have set it at 25. I hope I can surpass that and despite sounding rather resolution-ish, I have to do something about my recent addiction to the television. 

2. I am giving my language learning another year. I feel I am really plateauing at the moment but I need to press on and so I will. I hope to give a good report at the end of the year. 

3. I’ve inadvertently set my mind to lose some weight beginning September 2016 and walk more since December 2017. And I have done quite well. Maintaining it is much harder and so my third project will be to maintain my current weight, though I’m quite set on losing a couple more kilos and for a person who doesn’t like to walk, I need to keep on walking. 

So there you go, let’s see how I will fare this time round. 

pearlie

Fitbit Alta HR vs. Mi Band 2

It all started with my attendance at the introduction to the BookDoc app event that I got motivated to walk more. 

Gone were the days when I would go to the gym every weekday morning. I now need something else to get myself a bit more motivated to be active. 

And so I decided to get a fitness tracker. 

Fitness trackers have not appealed to me before but from what I gathered from my hubby who has worn one for the past one month, I thought it would be a good idea to get one for myself. 

And so off we went to Low Yat Plaza today. 

We were soon seated at a storefront and whilst at first I wanted the same model my hubby is using, the Fitbit Alta HR, he also told me that his friends are very happy with the Xiaomi Mi Band 2. 

The Fitbit Alta HR and the Mi Band 2

And the price difference is significant - RM680 for the Fitbit vs. RM165 for the Mi Band 2. The storekeeper told me that the Mi Band can do what the Fitbit can, it’s only the brand I will be paying for. 

So I was torn. I like the Fitbit design better and obviously the brand but the Mi Band is more than 4 times cheaper. 

I thought and thought and weighed and weighed...the Mi Band 2 it shall be. 

The moment I decided to go with that, the storekeeper started rattling on about what the thing can do. 

I don’t know why he didn’t tell me when I couldn’t decide between the two because with what he started telling us, my hubby responded sadly that his Fitbit can’t do those things. 

And it’s not small stuff. 

For one, the Mi Band 2 vibrates when I get a text message from WhatsApp. And not only from WhatsApp but also from WeChat and Kakao, which happen to be the very apps I use to connect with my language friends. The Fitbit only connects to iMessage, and who uses iMessage these days?

Also, the Mi Band 2 changes its display at the twist of the wrist, whereas the Fitbit needs to be tapped, so you need both hands. 

The Mi Fit app syncs with Apple Health. Fitbit does not. Apple Health consolidates everything you have on health and so it’s important to sync with Apple Health. 

But the biggest is this: the Mi Band 2 battery will last for 20 days. The Fitbit Alta HR battery only last for 7. 

The only thing we found so far that the Mi Band 2 doesn’t do that the Fitbit does is a continuous heart rate measure. 

But one thing I’m not too happy about is that from today onwards, my Bluetooth will have to be on all the time. My phone will now run out of battery very often before the day is out. 

This is not good, but I’ll have to get used to it...and use my power bank more often. 

pearlie

Do you know how you use your time everyday?

In my current interest in the topic of health and lifestyle, I found a very interesting app called Life Cycle. 

I have uploaded it before but to begin using it, it needs to run for 48 hours. 

I remember when I first did that some time ago, nothing happened after waiting for 48 hours. And so I deleted it in disappointment not realising I should have just wait it out a bit more. 

I tried it again. This time I let it run for 48 hours and then I left it be and soon it started kicking in and now that I see what it does, I really like it. 

The app tracks my time automatically and at the end of everyday, I will be able to see how I have spent my entire day. 

For a person who loves big picture and who almost always think about the purpose of life, this helps fills my curiosity and brings me some sort of a simple understanding and order to my life. 

pearlie

I do actually walk more than I thought I would

My hubby got himself a FitBit recently and he is quite obsessed about accomplishing his desired number of steps every day, and he was quite infectious. 

But I did not do anything about it until very recently when I was introduced the BookDoc app that gamifies it all - apparently if you can achieve a minimum average of 3000 steps a day, you can retrieve rewards through the app. 

It was only then when I activated my step counter in my iPhone. 

The BookDoc people told us that the norm in Malaysia is only at 2500 steps per day. And I half-jokingly told my colleague that I will be terrible at it, that I will probably only walk 200 steps a day!

However, I was quite surprised that I actually did manage an average of 3000+ steps over the past few days. And what’s amazing for a person who hates to walk is that I am better than the Malaysian norm. 

The trick now is to walk like what I have been doing for the past few days.

This is a good motivation for me - not so much the rewards, but the fact that I can and do actually walk more than the norm, more than I thought I would. 

pearlie