Ohmigosh! It's My BJJ Blog

New URL

2008-12-31T19:42:00.003+08:00

I wonder what the heck I was thinking when I chose this URL. Come 2009, I'm going to drop the porn sounding theme. Welcome to :

http://mybjj.blogspot.com/

I guess this blog pretty much evolved from being my personal site of ramblings to a more focused subject which is also my hobby ~ Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu , short for BJJ

Visit to Crush

2008-12-19T00:48:00.011+08:00

The Jits withdrawal syndrome is getting worse, often sending us into state of boredom and loneliness. We had to find a place to get our fix and fast. On Thursday night, several die hard adicts paid a visit to Crush MMA gym. We arrived at the center at 8:45PM, class commenced at 9:10PM. Here's a field report of our encounter.

The class was thought by Brazilian Black Belt Marcos Escobar. Leong, Dingo, Willie and I were introduced to everyone in the class, there were about 13 students that night. We went thru a gruesome 15 mins warm up. This included bear crawls, jogging, sprinting, skipping, crunches, push ups, more bear crawls! Reminds me of Adam's class taught at KDT. After the torture, we were shown 3 techniques on how to escape from knee ride on belly. We were told to pair up to drill the same technique for 20mins. Water breaks were given at least 3 times thru out the class. After which we were then paired up again. This time the game was to simply escape from side control( for the the bottom player) or establish knee ride or submission for the guy on top. The person that manages to do this was allowed to remain in the game. Each person were given 3 rounds to stay in this game after which we switched.

We ended the class with at least 5 rounds of sparring, 5 mins each. I managed only 3 rounds. My observation is that the students here are more experienced if compared to Ding's, perhaps about the same level as the students at KDT. Each of them have their own unique game. I am glad to say that their students are quite good and live up to their ranks. Escobar was also very friendly and treated us much as his own students. One thing I notice that he had no qualms in giving tips to anyone even if you are a guest. While we were rolling, he kept yelling pointers at us. He calls us by our names, which I am amazed that he could remember all of us since there were 4 of us that night. I find such gestures very encouraging especially when you are on someone else turf.

Overall, the people here are relax and friendly, almost family like, when we left, they were singing birthday songs in Protugese I think :-). That was about 11PM. So, if you are looking for a Black Belt with several world titles under his belt residing in Kuala Lumpur, this is the place to be.

I would like to Thank everyone at Crush that made our visit a pleasent and enjoyable one!

Visit to Ding's

2008-12-16T09:30:00.007+08:00

With KDT closed for the year, I had to find me a place to practice. So I decided to drop by Ding's on Monday night.

The class commenced at 8PM sharp. Janson started the warm up session for about 15 mins. It was a bit more intense compared to the one I am used to at KDT but nothing that I couldn't handle. After which we were broken into 2 groups, Mandeng(the second instructor) lead the more experience grapplers thru a series of guard sweeps and Janson took the beginners thru a series of basic moves. After about 40 mins, we started drilling the techniques we learnt for the night. Also in the equation was drilling with both our hands in our belts. Where the objective is to sweep your opponent from guard without the use of your hands. We then spent the remaining 20 mins sparring with each other. Janson made me roll with 4 guys consecutively with 1 min rest in between and 5 mins each round! I was exhausted after that but it felt great and I had a lot of fun.

Overall, the people there are friendly. In my opinion, the class was very well run. Their format much alike KDT. Safety of participants were also accounted for at all times. People there are like a family and the atmosphere is relax. I had a great workout and met may new faces. Many of whom just started about 3-4 months. In all, we had around 13 students that night. With some familiar faces too like Chen and Leong from KDT. There were also 2 students from Crush, Fang and Raul. I had the opportunity to roll with Fang that night, this dude has certainly improved. The last time I rolled with him was more than a year ago. He has a wicked guard game now ;-)

Congrats to Janson and Mandeng for the great effort at spreading this wonderful art!

2009 Training Plan

2008-11-30T15:34:00.007+08:00

It's fast approaching the end of the year. Things are starting to take shape, my game is slowly maturing. It's now time to plan for more changes..

I did mention that I might be leaving this country next year. Due to the bad global economy, employers over there would rather offer jobs to their locals hard hit by recession. I would most probably settle for an internal transfer. That means I should be able to continue BJJ. However, I'll have to be more flexible with my training days. Since KDT don't do BJJ everyday and my job would involve more late nights. I'll have to rearrange my training days by adding CMD into the picture.

I've crafted out a plan for next year. Thanks to my training buddy Mikey, he got me off some basics on the stand up and what's it like to be pounded while in guard and mount, Thanks Mikey!! I notice that in BJJ we have all the time in the world to think of our escape. We even have the luxury of grabbing on to our opponent's Gi for technique too. Took my Gi off, put on some grappling gloves and the game changed so dramatically..God forbid if I ever got into a physical confrontation with someone that knows how to ground and pound!

I had a good chat with Mikey about balancing out our training regime with limited time on our hands. The drawback, we won't improve as fast if we focused solely on one. But at the same time, we would have a better idea of the 3 phases of combat ~ standup, clinch and ground work. In my opinion, BJJ focuses on 90% ground work, 10% clinch and practically little or no standup at all. I took a good look at my ultimate goal, which is for fitness, self defense and stress release. Therefore, I figure such an arrangement would benefit me.

Depending on my availability thru out the week, I'm planning to variant my training days by including 1 BJJ and 1 CMD in a week or whichever comes first. This would give me the flexibility to drop in whenever my schedule permits. I really hope to keep the same consistency(2x a week). I'll leave Saturday open mats an open opportunity....

Let's see how things go in 2009. My ultimate goal next year is the same as this year and the year before. Improve overall game, maintain physical and mental sanity! How am I going to achieve it? Answer: include CMD with BJJ training, consistency and discipline. Oh yeah...Have Fun Learning new stuff!!

2008-11-20T11:39:00.000+08:00

Grading, Promotions? What does all this mean?

2008-11-11T22:56:00.014+08:00

Just awhile back, a couple of my buddies at the gym were promoted. This got me wondering what the promotion is all about...Here's my perspective:

In traditional MA, promotions are awarded after a student have passed an official test. However, for BJJ I noticed that it's very different. At my gym, people are graded based on their everyday performance. There is no official grading syllabus, no pass or fail.. it's more like an informal affair. One fine day my instructor may decide to do some house keeping, the students are called out and are expected to roll with 3 other students consecutively for 4-5 minutes each.

I think the important value to demonstrate during the grading process is determination. From my experience, by the time I'm done rolling with the second person, I feel so tired that my fear of being submitted on my big day began to loom on me. Also, depending on whom you roll with, you can be sure your sparring buddy isn't going to go light on you. In fact, I strongly believe that a good sparring partner shouldn't be too light and at the same time too rough to injure you. The whole purpose of this test is to push you to your limits, only then we'll be able to see how the real you reacts when the adrenalin really starts to pump. Honestly, it's quite exciting to see people being graded. I was fortunate enough to be sparring buddies for 2 comrades that were graded recently. At first I thought I was too hard on him, but my worries subsided knowing that my real intention was not to hurt him but to bring out the best in him. The ceremony concludes after the student walks thru a gauntlet and the instructor ties the belt around the student's waist.

So at the end of the day it's not about tapping or being tapped out. In my opinion, the notion of promoting a student is to motivate the individual to improve his skills further. I also believe it's a way to commemorate a student's hard work. The criterion doesn't necessary mean that one has to be an unbeatable bad ass. Different schools have different training goals, I'm very fortunate to be training at a school that is supportive of a person's holistic growth rather than competitiveness.

Moving On...

2008-10-30T09:27:00.005+08:00

Come 2009, I might be moving on to something new. I say might because it's not certain yet. But the possibility is there.

Frankly, I'm glad I took BJJ up. It brought me so much enjoyment. For me it is a medium to boost my self esteem, weight control and a great form of stress relief. I always feel recharged, rejuvenated and most of all, happy after a good roll!

However, I don't live the pure jiu-jitsu lifestyle like some people enjoy. I have a day job and my day job needs some changes. I've been working for the past 7 years for the same company. My work have become stale. I've struggled to keep myself alive. I wake up many mornings, dragging myself to the office. I remind myself that this is a world wide phenomenon and that everyone goes thru the same thing and I'm not alone. Come 5PM, I look forward to my training. On days that I don't train I spend time conditioning. Usually working out outside my house. I don't think I can go on with the same job forever. I have decided that a change is needed. With changes comes sacrifices. So much so that my regular routines might have change too.

If things work out, I should be leaving this country with my wife for a good 3 years at least. I'm not sure if I'll be able to look for another training center over there but I would certainly try. I know one thing for certain, I'll miss home :-(

Year 2

2008-10-01T23:14:00.039+08:00

It's been exactly 2 years since I started BJJ. I remember my first day in class. We started off with drills that the instructor demonstrated earlier. After about 40-60 mins, he yelled at us to line up against the wall.

He told us that we were going to 'roll' and that we should put on our protective gear. For a moment, I thought we were literately going to roll from one end of the wall to the other. I just couldn't figure out why we had to wear mouth guards. I was mentally preparing for one hell of a 'roll' when I found out that rolling actually meant sparring. I watched the guys wrestle each other while waiting nervously in line for my turn.

Luck had me that I was to wrestle the biggest person in class. He was over 140 kilos, about 2x my weight. We started on our knees, I didn't know what to do, I started to sweat profusely. He grasped my lapel with his gigantic arms, then suddenly, BAAANG! I was on my back. The sweep was furious, I opened my eyes, and found a giant mounted on my chest. I couldn't budge nor could I get him off. I didn't know what to do, I remained motionless, my hands clasped in prayer. The corner of my eye caught the glimpse of the clock, hoping that it would go off sooner. With fury in his eyes, he asked the instructor "What should I do with him now?". The instructor yelled, "Finish him off...".

"Finish me off??! This can't be good. Why, Oh why, did I ever sign up for this?!...". After a brief struggle, my world went dark momentarily, I noticed that his entire curvature of his buttocks was on my head. He was practically sitting on my face. I couldn't breath, nor did I know how to escape. I didn't know what else to do, I tapped out in less than 40 secs. Everyone in class tapped me out, this went on for months.

After 3 months I begun to learn to defend myself. It started to take more time for people to tap me out but I was still on the receiving end. At first, this was very demoralising. I remember driving home after class telling myself over and over again to keep on training and not to quit. From 40 secs, my survival time increased to 1, 2 then 3 minutes. Soon, I found myself surviving the entire round.

I tried my best not to miss a class. I also started taking notes. Things really started to change after 6 months. I found ways to battle out of inferior positions, fight my way to guard where I attempted submissions that were mostly futile. I started to develop better awareness and positioning. Balance slowly improved. Opportunities for submissions present itself. I got my first tap after 8 months. I really can't remember the details. It just happen after a struggle. I think it was a triangle or something but it was definitely from guard. It's been 2 years now. Looking back, I truly enjoyed the experience. The people whom I trained with provided me with so much perspective that I that I could never go back to do Aikido again. Not that I felt it was a waste of time. On the contrary, I think I've gained so much from it. Just that BJJ is a whole new journey. It humbled me and made me see things realistically.

Though, it's only been 2 years, I feel that I've only begun to understand the very core of the basics. There certainly isn't any secret technique that my 'sifu' has not thought me. Neither do it involve any internal 'chi' to master. Just needs practice, practice & more practice. The learning process is still very steep but very enjoyable and satisfying...

Where Are We?

2008-09-12T10:27:00.004+08:00

We often receive visitors from all over the world. It's interesting to see the types of people that walk in our gym. We had Internet entrepreneurs , college kids, US Marines & visitors from other gyms all over the world. While, it's noteworthy to see so many coming to KDT. I wonder what is happening to the local scene? I hardly see locals walk in...I am aware that there are also other gyms offering similar programs but I'm sure they are in the same predicament too, or am I wrong?

Maybe Malaysians are lovers not fighters.. maybe that they find rolling with a bunch of guys repulsive. Another hunch is that Malaysians are slow in catching up with the latest scene. While the rest of the world have hop on the BJJ/MMA bandwagon, the majority over here are still hung up on traditional MA. I'm not saying that traditional MA is inferior, just that we don't seem to be eager to embrace change. I often wonder why (over in Malaysia) not many black belts from traditional MAs cross train in BJJ. I've approached a couple of Aikido sempais at my dojo to start BJJ, none of them ever took up my offer. Some of them never even heard of BJJ. Some say it's just a "one on one fighting" thingy...I certainly found that Aikido and BJJ come together very well. In ways that they are both grappling base, much of the principles can be applied. Example, staying relax, leveraging, timing, awareness, balance, etc. My left column is also telling me that some traditional black belts would rather stick to their old martial ways and not 'risk' starting all over again. I've seen Aikido instructors get too carried away, over emphasize their lethal effectiveness by flashing fancy techniques to much of the amazement of the uneducated audience. His unresisting uke is man handled, thrown into mid air and then tied up like a pretzel. I wonder if he ever gave thought to what he's realy trying to convey...

Food for thought isn't it?

Irene Lee's Blog

2008-09-06T12:08:00.001+08:00

My dear mom has started blogging too, mainly about exercise and nutrition. Check out her site here

Things Are About To Change

2008-09-02T09:27:00.004+08:00

Training have been rather positive lately, all of a sudden, I'm feeling fresh! It's been very enjoyable everytime I roll. The best thing my seniors are telling me that I am getting better and that I'm flowing better now. Such comments keep me motivated and want to train more! I also feel that it's relatively easy for me to set a beginner up into my trap. While I defend well, I'll need to start focusing on my offense. I see myself rolling for atleast another 8 months. My wife is expecting our first child. Once my kid arrives, I sure hope I can find the time to continue training. Alot of people are telling me that having a kid is a life changing experience. I don't mind the change, just that I hope I'll still be able to make time for the things I enjoy. I forsee slight changes to my schedule and I'm optimistic I'll be able to overcome it...God Bless!

Good Training Partners

2008-08-06T11:56:00.007+08:00

I've heard this countless of times, this and that can save you. You might end up on the ground, yada, yada, yada. For me BJJ or any martial art is what it is, a sport....

Most people take MA for self defense. After doing this for sometime , I'm glad I lost that paranoia. I no longer look at it as purely 'self defense'. For me it's fun and a great work out.

There are some MA that are more combat oriented like BJJ that require you to be more physical. I'm fine with that, I mean it's great to be physical, that's the whole idea anyway, it gets your heart pumping. However, there are times when we succumb ourselves to unnecessary injuries. I know I've mentioned that in any sport we are prone to injuries. But with combat sports, we place a lot of trust in our training partner. If we get an asshole partner, we will get injured or will injure someone.

At the moment, I'm fortunate to have a decent place to practice but still, I can't be too careful in choosing my rolling buddies. That's why I rather not roll with people I am not acquainted well enough. I need to understand his purpose of training. Much can be said when you ask someone this question but more can be seen when you watch him role a couple of times.

So next time you roll, ask yourself, how much you know of your training partner. Does he watch out for you? Does he ask you if you rather take it slow or drill or have any injuries? Is he controlled when pulling that arm bar? These are important attributes in a good training partner..

I'm rolling, rolling, rolling.......

2008-07-25T11:38:00.006+08:00

Lately, I've been feeling rather slow..but things have been improving lately. I feel a bit more reactive now...I think I got thru the slump...Goes the saying that we should just "weather the storm". Just like Kun-Fu panda, there's no secret! Just be patient and keep training no matter what. There are days when I felt like skipping class but I still manage to drag my sorry ass over. After training, I feel tired but happy that I've managed to pull it thru. I've told myself that I'm going to train regularly(3 times a week) until end of this yr. After that I'm going to revisit my goals for the future. Right now, my only focus is to improve my overall game. Still trying to sink into my blue...Looks like things are finally moving.....I should think my long term goal is to coach since I do not have intentions of competing. But that's more likely to happen in another 1-2 years of constant training. I don' think I'm ready at this juncture. Also, I'm not saying that when I start coaching I'm not going to keep improving, just that my focus now is more about myself. I'm enjoying the learning process so far. There's always something to learn from someone. I believe it's the learning curve that's fun, it's very satisfying to see myself progress...

This Book is Fantastic!

2008-07-03T14:16:00.003+08:00

The engine is fear! It keeps us alive. Yes! I definately can relate to it, see my previous post. John Will certainly had a colourful past. While most of us are contented with our day jobs and the comforts of life. This dude travelled the world and done the most outrageous stuff few will dare to venture. Being peniless (did I spell that rite??), facing near death situations, training under worst conditions and living the day like it's your last! Very positive outlook that we can all ponder....

If we didn't have fear or didn't know how to manage it, it would certianly ruin us. It's so enlighting to know that the things we dread the most, would be the thing that actually keeps us alive.

I would certainly recommend this book to those seeking that something that drives them...Enjoyable read! Now to book 2!

What is BJJ for you?

2008-07-03T13:53:00.002+08:00

Nice post by my sempai - Mike. I often ask myself, why do I drag myself 3 times a week to risk spirit and bodily harm! haha...I think I know the answer...I told myself that I must do something that scares me. That's what keeps me alive! I wouldn't be scared if I did Tai-Chi 3 times a week. Well, maybe it will be a different kind of scare :0) Life would be such a bore if I didn't have something to keep me on my toes...I'm sure that my day job isn't gonna give me that adrenaline rush..

I must admit, there are times when I am just oooh so lazy. I rather be bored to wits than scared to shits about something...

Let's see how long I'll continue to roll...

BJJ Safer than Tennis?

2008-06-10T23:51:00.007+08:00

Most people would think that contact sports are more injury prone than non contact ones. On the contrary, I think it's quite the opposite, for BJJ atleast.

I'm aware that during sparring sessions, there is a possibility that I could tear my joints or muscles. But I think this can only happen if either I or my partner are not careful. I felt that sprinting and sudden change of directions while chasing a ball on court have more impact on my joints and muscles. This is much more difficult to prevent since I have to run to keep up with the ball. I can just feel my feet pounding on the hard surface and the impact on my arms as my racket contacts the ball :-(

I felt that Jiu-Jitsu is much gentler on my body :-) Just that I need to look out for sudden bursts of movement generated either by my partner or myself. Other than that, I think it' a fairly safe sport...So far, I only had one injury in the past due to a sudden neck crank applied on me during no Gi practice. Oh yeah, I also feel that no Gi practice can be quite injury prone, might be due to less friction and faster game..

2008-06-04T23:38:00.001+08:00

Everyone!

2008-06-01T22:50:00.004+08:00

Saturdays are open mats. Meaning, we come for practice without the usual instructor lead class. I felt that this is the best time & place to learn from everyone. Everyone has something to share, from beginners to the advance players. I make it a point to 'roll' with different levels of players. The more advance players teach me to persevere, the intermediate ones taught me to strive and the beginners, enlighten me.

For fear of seriously hurting each other and the need to feed man's ego, some martial arts forbid practice with full resistance. I felt that this missing element is very vital in improving your techniques. While one may also argue the other side of this approach, this is not the objective. In my opinion, it's not the art that matters, what matters is how you practice. The 'how' steers the objective of practice.

We all look for ways to improve our techniques. As long as we practice in a safe manner, I don't see anything wrong with adding resistance. In fact, with live resistance, we know how to react to uke overwhelming force, this enable us to apply just the right amount of leverage to overcome it. Of course this must be applied in stages, else it will not benefit anyone. Finally, I believe, the spirit of harmony can still be practiced in BJJ.

2 nights in Paris

2008-05-20T04:10:00.003+08:00

There are small gestures that really touch my heart. To know that I have friends and families from different parts of the world is really wonderful. What is even nicer is that there are people with a heart of gold

From: "AUGER, Sebastien"

To: Rizan

Sent: Monday, May 19, 2008 6:26:41 PM

Subject: 26, 27 may

Hi rizan,I have booked and payed for you, 2 nights (26 and 27) in an hotel managed by a friend of mine.It's my gift for your honeymoon trip. It is not a 5 stars hotel but, it's OK. It's a well located 3 stars hotel, in the middle of Paris, at 15 minutes by feet from many touristic places to see.You can arrived at the hotel at anytime you want on the 26. We will have diner at home on the 26, and outside on the 27.I'm usually back from work at 8.30 pm. You can contact me at anytime on my mobile phone.We keep in touch before the 26.Sebastian

Sébastien AUGER

My Martial Art Journey

2008-05-12T23:17:00.019+08:00

In the past, I was never a fan of martial arts films, with the exception of 'The Karate Kid' :-). I never liked the way MA was made out in the movies. My dad on the other hand, glorified violence. He loved anything with blood. Van Dam, Steven Seagal, Jet Li, Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris. Anything involving bare chested men fighting would certainly interest him. He used to say Karate kid was for kiddies. He brought back hardcore flicks from our neighborhood video rental store. I on the other hand being much closer to my mom, hated 2 things, violence and soccer. I loved to watch what she loved, which was Sci Fi mainly by Steven Spielberg.

When I was in my early teens, I was looking for a hobby. My dad had just sign up at a recreational club (The Valley). As a dependent, I was entitled to use the facilities under my dad's membership. One day, I was wondering around the hallway of the club, I came across this poster advertising 'Aikido - The art of unarmed self defense'. Yes, I did not make that up, it was exactly what it stated. There was a man dress in very cool baggy pants flipping another man with a flick of his wrist. First thing that came to my mind, 'Cooool, here's something different'. I decided to contact the no. on the advertisement. In about a week I attended my first class.

At first, I had no idea what I sign up for, nor why I was training in the first place. My biggest blow was when I was told that the baggy pants was for black belts only! Anyway, I continued practice until I was in my mid teens. My dad was very proud I took interest in something so manly. He even asked me if I knew how to fight already. I had to explain to him that Aikido wasn't meant for fighting and that stuff like Muay Thai was much suited for such things. He immediately lost interest in what I had to say and said I should watch Steven Seagal instead.

During my mid to late teens, I was preoccupied with other stuff like chasing girls and partying with my friends. I slowly lost interest in any form of M.A. My mom opened a Fitness center nearby our home. That's when I started helping her out to make extra pocket money. During that time, there were Karate classes held at the premise but I still wasn't interested. I guess I was still searching for myself. During this period, I also indulged in other sports like Tennis, which I still actively play until today.

When I was in my early 20's, I wanted to be an airline pilot. I attended numerous interviews. Unfortunately, none of it worked out. Not sure why, but they wouldn't tell me the reason. Anyway, it was after one of those interviews that that really got me thinking. Feeling really depressed, I question everything I've done in the past. This included my short stint at Aikido. At that time, I thought that having a black belt meant I have 'completed' something. So I decided to start Aikido again. This went on for about 4-5 years until I achieved 1st Dan (Sho Dan) at age 26.

After a few years into my BB, I begun to ask myself. Is this what I really want? I soon found out that I needed a Martial Art that was more aggressive, physical, less artistic & straight to the point. I felt that I had so much more energy in me. I remember during my early Aikido days, one of my sempai was talking about the Gracie's. How this dude kick all other MAs. Other than youtube & the Internet, I never had the chance to see BJJ in action until one day I was Paris for a vacation. I visited Shihan Christian Tissier Dojo as a drop in student. It was there I saw 2 BJJers rolling after class.

Right after I returned to KL, I googled for a local BJJ club. That was when I came across KDTA. The irony was that KDTA was run by the same guy that taught Karate at my mom's gym more than 10 years ago. Back then when I was not interested in MA! I told myself that I will commence training but not after my wedding. I needed the money and BJJ wasn't cheap. In the meanwhile, I kept in touch with the center and vowed to visit this place.

It was months after my wedding I decided to give BJJ a go. The toughest thing to do was getting myself on the mat for the first time. At that time I was worried that the guys at KDT would find out that I'm a BB and they will kick my butt *HAHA*. Anyway, I didn't tell the guys at the gym only after a few months into the training. I told myself that I should be proud that I have taken up Aikido and there's nothing to fear about it. The irony was that the very first day in class, we were asked by the instructor ~ Adam Kayoom if any of us had prior MA experience. Everyone shook their heads but I decided to come clean and said, 'Yeah, a lil'. Emphasising, 'lil, with my fingers. Even that was a lie since I was already doing Aikido for years. It was only a 'lil while later during class, the guy that shook his head, whispered to me and told me he actually did Yoshinkan! ;-) So I wasn't alone after all!

The first few months of BJJ was tough, I was thrown around, choked into submission by everyone. Never the less, I just went with the flow. I guess I have my perseverance to thank for. I used much of my ukemi in avoiding serious injuries. It was after 3-6 months when I got my first tap. From there, I progress pretty quick. According to my instructor, I grasped the basics quite fast. Again, thanks to my previous MA experience. Also, I notice no one ever belittled me for taking up Aikido. At first, some had had negative feedback about it, but it never bothered me because it was their right to think what they wanted. I'm not there to change anyone. I was there to learn something new for myself. Like a sponge, I soaked anything my instructor visually imparted.

The rest is history or should I say still an open book...

(to be continued)

Iceman: My Fighting Life

2008-05-12T00:00:00.017+08:00

Now, first and foremost, I did not buy this book. While browsing for some good reading material at the bookshop I came across this cool cover of Chuck Liddell. I briefly read thru the book. I must say, this guy lead a very colorful life. He's been fighting ever since he was born. He claimed to never turned down a fight. As a child, Chuck often got into brawls. Due to his fighting problems at school, his mom had to bring him to the specialist. Not to mention the amount of encounters she had with the schools' PTA board. WOW! no wonder he's among the world champs in MMA. You need to be really ice cold to never decline a fight. Check out his dad, he's the man that taught him to pull his first punch. He (his dad) must be so proud, Chuck currently boast the hardest punch (pound for pound) in the league.

Amazing, simply goes the saying "the power of the mind". If you really want something badly, and you know you can achieve it, you will. Sheer determination....

Of course, along with determination, you need hard work. I can see that the mind plays a lot in a person's performance. On the mat for example, Mr Nice guy often dominated by the more aggressive players. Of course, Mr Nice guy could dictate the game if he had better fundamentals than Mr aggressive. All-in-all, I think if Mr Nice guy really wanted to stay on top, he'd better toughen up his mental because when Mr aggressive has the same skills as Mr Nice guy, he's in for a lot of trouble.

BTW, I wonder what those Kanji characters printed on his head represent?

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory & Techniques

2008-05-11T23:39:00.013+08:00

The first book I owned when I started BJJ. I spent great deal of time trying to differentiate these blokes on the cover. One minute Royler is at the bottom and Renzo is at the top and then bang!, they magically change positions. To make matters worst, both of them look alike. Gosh! Couldn't they at least make them wear different color gi?!

Overall, it's an OK book, 2.5 out of 5 stars. Loads of colored pictures and descriptions along with the difficulty ratings for each chapter thought. I would recommend it to those looking for the basic traditional stuff. When I say traditional, it's in comparison with Eddie Bravo's Rubber Guard stuff since that's a more recent line up to the BJJ techniques.

I remember I used to tag each page with paper clips after my instructor thought the technique in class. Soon, the book looked like it had braces on. Now, I switch to making my own notes in a diary but I sometimes cross reference it to my instructional books.

Hot Shots!

2008-05-10T13:32:00.006+08:00

Ever had these sort of person walk into the gym before? Young, hot blooded male that only have one thing in mind. To tap the shit out of you. It's not so much because of the tap, but it's how they tap you. They go crazy, they wrestle like their life depends on it! Frankly, when I first started I didn't have to mind such situations. I was just a guy in an oversize judo outfit. Mat sharks aren't interested in white meat at all. Darker meat are usually tastier! They rather have blue's for dinner. In the past, whenever it happen, I just go to the corner and watch the action from a save distance. Now, it's a different ball game. I feel like I'm a moving target, I feel like a rabbit with a crosshair on my ass.

Progress in Training

2008-05-09T11:19:00.010+08:00

I just find it soo amazing & how true this article actually is. It's like I'm reading about myself! Obviously, written by someone that had been there, seen it & done it. Too bad, I can only vouch until page 1 at the moment. BTW, the author, Prof Roy Harris is Roy Dean instructor.

If life is a box of chocolates, that also means it is made out of many bitter sweet experiences. While most old wisdom can be applied to daily life, it doesn't mean that it's always the same for everyone. Each person will experience life in different shades of colours. If Prof Roy Harris journal of a typical BJJ practioner is on spot, it's going to be one hell of an enjoyable journey :-) WOW, I can't wait to see what's in store for me in the future..

BJJ Transition plan

2008-05-07T09:24:00.014+08:00

Interestingly, I tested out the Rubber Guard techniques I picked up from Eddie Bravo's book. The night before, I took sometime to visualize my options available from guard, I even drew it on a piece of paper. Yesterday, after class I had a few mins to roll wif my buddy. At first I thought I was not going to play guard since I had top position at the initial. Somehow, I manage to fall to my back and my guard game quickly kicked in. I drilled the moves as pictured in my head and done in classs. Surprisingly, it worked. I managed to apply several transitions (see below). It's nice to know that my game plan is finally starting to emerge. Here's what I manage to cook up:

Rubber guard -> Mission Control to New York ---> Attacks: Omoplata or Triangle or Armbar ~ (Repeat these attacks in any order)

Though I did not get a tap, what surprised me is that I was able to switch between the attacks from guard. I guess at first I was apprehensive that if I transition I might lose my valuable position. Therefore, I did not dare to move away from my comfort zone. Now, I realise that it's much better to transition than to wait for my opponent to break my guard and establish some form of advantage over me. The trick is to move at the right opportunity. There's also several key points that you must remember, like which part of the body to apply pressure. If executed correctly, it works.

If I lose either one of the position, there will always be other opportunities. Just that I need to look out for it. The plan is to learn as many techniques and find which suits me best. The nice thing about it is when you see the opportunity and snag it. The frustrating part is when you tried to snag it but the opponent is one step ahead of you. Sort of like baiting you to take it and then bang! You end up on the receiving end.

Wow! Finally..I understand all those times my instructor kept yelling at me "Do something Rizan....Don't stay there!...Move...Move..." It takes a while to sink in, for some it's sooner, for me, it's just beginning. :-)

Eddie Bravo - Jiu-Jitsu Unleashed

2008-05-05T08:48:00.006+08:00

Been reading this book over the weekend. At first, I was contemplating to buy it. Since I thought, why spend money on books when nothing beats actual mat hours. I went ahead and bought it anyway. My first thought was that it was hilarious, Eddie is a really funny guy. One thing that stuck with me was that he's way cool and had a great sense of humour. I also learnt that buying BJJ books is not actually a waste of money after all. The difference is if you pick a book that you have actually practised the techniques. Nothing beats having a qualified instructor teaching you the moves and a book reinforces it. However, you'll waste your money if you pick a book that's filled entirely with stuff that you have never learnt or never pulled off in class. Basically, a book can compliment your training provided you already done the techniques. It was refreshing to really understand why I had to pull off 'Mission Control' and 'New York', coz, when my instructor first thought me it, I didn't know what it was for in the first place. Neither could I recall which was 'M.I' or N.Y', etc. I just drilled the technique in my mind without understanding it's mechanics. One thing I noticed, the pictorial fails to display several key/minor but important details in between moves. Which I was told was addressed in his second book, 'Mastering the Rubber Guard: Jiutjitsu For MMA Comp' .

Youtube Videos

2008-05-01T11:03:00.004+08:00

These videos have been upload sometime ago, not by me but by V Man

1. getting my ass kicked
2. getting my ass kicked again
3. return of pain
4. final pain

Not exactly the Mundials but heck, it was taken less than a year when I first started :-/

Working hard for the Fun of it

2008-04-30T09:48:00.005+08:00

Training have been more or less the same lately. Taking it light on some days, on other days I try to push a 'lil. Yesterday, was no different. No matter what, I keep telling myself to keep doing what I'm doing. I may get tapped out or not tapp out, but it doesn't matter. I find that it's getting more difficult to sub guys in da gym nowdays. Never the less, I believe if we stick doing what we do, we'll eventually get better at it.

Here's how my training schedule looks like on a weekly basis:

BJJ - 3 times a week, 1.5-2 hours each session. Mostly drill for about 1 hour, the remaining time is spent on sparring. On Saturdays, I try to roll for atleast an hour with different people. Another hour is spent drilling or watching and learning from others

Gym - 3 times a week, cardio conditioning includes push ups (20times x 3 sets), skipping (3mins x 3 sets), free weights (10mins) , stretch (10mins)

Oh yeah, it's also time to buy a new gi. I've torned about 4 uniforms since I started BJJ. The last blue one I bought is so patched up, it makes me look as if I need handouts. Unfortunately, I can't afford those branded stuff. I mean paying RM500 for a kimono do not make sense. I'm looking forward for some decent gi's to arrive soon.

Other than that, I hope to push myself more during training sessions. In less than 2 weeks, I'll be on vacation and won't be able to train for 3 weeks! While, I'm looking forward to a much needed break, I wonder how will I fair when I am back.

Aiki BJJ

2008-04-25T09:51:00.007+08:00

Many things in life have similarities and are link to one event or another. Some believe in faith, that everything happened for a reason. Be it good or bad. I believe if people could look for similarities rather than differences, the world would be such a better place. Before you say I sound like a beauty pageant contestant. Lets be reminded that conflict is often resulted by differences in views or opinions. So much effort is dedicated in being different than others. But so 'lil thought have been given to analyse how one event in life can be so similar to something done in the past, sort of like deja vu...

Just yesterday my coach made us do this drill that was very Aikish...It reminded me a so much of Aikido. Instead of trying to sub each other, this time, we had to flow with each other. It was different, it was like I had to reverse my state of mind *again*. It was more tiring than live randori, I felt so exhausted after 5 mins. Lying on my back gasping for air, flashes of my Aikido training begun to appear. It felt sort of like martial renaissance. Clips from an old film begun to roll at the back of my head. Falling, flowing, tumbling...Great sense of reconciliation begun to overcome my senses. It felt so good to know that my Aiki practise was alive despite learning something totally different. Well, not totally different after all :-)

What do you want out of your training?

2008-04-14T10:54:00.019+08:00

Good article from Roy Dean. I like his articles because I can relate to this man. Which brings me to my own perspective. In the end, it's what you want out of your training! Honest!

Take for example, If you learn Aikido with the intention to be a lean mean street fighter. Sorry to say, you are definately wasting your time. Same goes for any M.A. I mean, if kicking butt is your only priority then you are screwed big time. All it takes is for someone to pull up to you and put a bullet in your head. Not to mention a group of 'mat rempits' with parangs or helmets.

M.A has brought me self displine, confidence and improved fitness. I'm not rulling out self defense. In fact, that's the reason M.A was created in the first place. It's just that different M.A was created with different underlying philosophies. I get very cheesed out when I see Aikido instructors throw their ukes like a ragg doll. The uke is there for you to practise not to ravage! If the intention is to 'fight', then my advise is to take up some form of combat M.A that involve sparring with a live opponent. At least, the person is given a chance to defend hinself. On the other hand, if you are looking for something holistic beyond the realm of mortal combat, Aikido comes to my mind as a suitable art to learn. I would recommend kids to take it up at an early age because instead of teaching them to punch and kick their pals, it teaches them to fall, maneuver & tumble safely.

In a nutshell, what I'm trying to say is before you take something up, ask yourself, what do you want out of it? If you just want to be a black belt for the sake of telling others, then more power to you :-p the heck with others, it's your life no one can tell you what to do with it. Think about what you really want to achieve in the long run. Most of all, be realistic about your goals. In the end, it's not always about the end result that matters. For me, it's the thought process thru the entire journey. If it's enjoyable, then enjoy the ride as long as you can! Don't be a 40yr old virgin that regretted he never bunggie jumped!

2008-04-11T08:46:00.002+08:00

Action Plan

2008-04-10T23:04:00.003+08:00

i've been promoted to blue by my coach Sam Wee...i am proud i've achieved something that i've been putting time and effort. however, i kept thinking..what's next?

based from feedback from my coach, I've put together an action plan or 'to do' list:

1. remove inferior complex when rolling with blue belts

2. keep my balance by preventing sweeps as much as possible. i think i made considerable improvement in this area.

3. do not separate my arms from my body when i am in someone's guard

4. fight for better position especially when opponent is transitioning between positions. Do not rest at wrong places. Be more aggressive when rolling, too relax when i am in trouble

i vow to work on these points. i'm also going to make it a point to ask my coach and peers for feedback from time to time. i only have one month of practice before i break for a long vacation! i realise i'm never going to achieve all that in such a short period of time, therefore, i'm going to keep it as a long term goal...by end of this year i'll re evaluate myself.

the only challenge i see is if i can keep my promise to improve on those points

2008-04-02T00:23:00.003+08:00

it's 1230am and i can't sleep bcoz i'm still caught up wif my work. u know how it goes, u solve one prb, another props up. so i decided to get it off my back anyway. it's not the problem that bothers me..it's the enlightenment i received after i completed this assignment. hence, i'm going to write about it before i call it a day..

i've just finished another round of jits tonight or shall i say last night..this is probably the highlight of my day. i mean i never have to think about my work when i'm rolling... save to say, if i'm going to get myself thru this year i'm going to have to focus on my after hour activities. however, i find jits different...compared to playing tennis, my mind often lapse into problems between sets..but when u r busy rolling. there is absolutely no way this can happen..it's pretty hard to think about other stuff when someone is trying to sub u! u r fighting for positioning n there's lil time to ponder..the moral of the story is, even if it means i can forget about my problems for only 4x4mins, the peace of mind that comes with it is so satisfying!

the matrix

2008-03-26T19:45:00.006+08:00

the thought did cross my mind lately. typical working day..morning, answer emails...afternoon, answer emails, lunch, hit the gym or luncheon wif colleagues...after lunch answer emails again, prepare reports, attend meetings & tel conferences. in a nutshell, i play the office game till the sun sets...i've been doing this for the past 10yrs of my adult life. it's not the routine that's killing me...it's the daily politics i have to go thru..

i spoke to a couple of friends and colleagues..seems that i'm not alone...i know of a friend that's planning to retire from the rat race before he reaches 30yrs of age...i envy him for his courage and commitment to live a meaningful life!

as for me, i'm going to have to spend more time to plan what i really want to do with my life...the perils of having a day job is steady income. the truth, most of it is spent paying bills and taxes! corrupted politicians get rich but middle working class make ends meet

2008-03-06T09:55:00.003+08:00

just the other day, i received good comments from my peers...regarding my game that is.. i need to stay balanced and have more intent when sparring. i notice that i fall easily when swept. i also notice that i might have got this habit from to my past aikido practise. in aikido, we are thought to fall(ukemi) and go wif the flow rather than resist. in bjj, being sweep is not a good thing when you are sparring. i'm trying hard to change this perception and will try to focus on being fluid but balanced. i guess not everything from aikido applies to bjj...another thing i notice is that i have a lazy game with no intent other than to roll around until exhausted. after i analysed myself, i knew why this is happening...i'm worried that if i push myself too hard i might get injured. i guess i have to strike a balance between pushing myself to improve my game and injuring myself...i would like to thank the guys for pointing these out to me! it's the whole learning process that's fun!

3.0

2008-02-18T08:50:00.002+08:00

version 3 have finally rolled out. this morning at 6am, i instinctively rose up from my bed. co incidentally that was the exact time my mum was screaming her lungs off for that baby to come out. she didn't want it i thought, at least that's what i was told. at 17, i don't blame her, heck, i'm 30 and i don't even want a pet! times changed, people changed..but my love for my family grows deeper

2008-02-12T10:34:00.000+08:00

2008-02-04T09:37:00.001+08:00

i'm going to be 30 in 14 days time...how do i feel? physically, i feel good. in fact, my fitness have peaked over these years. mentally...ahh..it's been exhausting. lately, work has been quite stressful..i've learned that everywhere people are the same..humans are humans...we're all selfish, greedy and opportunist..oh yeah, the co has decided to keep me (for now). but that doesn't mean i'm going to rot in one place...i'm keeping my options open...

it kind of worries me you know...that i'm now out on my own...just 2 years back i had a family to fall back..in reality my parents are now officially divorced, my family's house of 17 years have been sold. my dad and mum are living separate lives. why does this worry me you say? well, for starters i'm a great worrier by nature...secondly...i've been living under my parents roof for more than 28yrs of my life. i've never been abroad for more than a month. then suddenly the situation changed when i got married..i moved out of my parents house 2 days before i got married. it happen after i had an arguement with my dad. i can't recall exactly why we had the arguement but i think it had something to do with my wedding preparations n the fact that he was always trying to control my life..he always had something to tell me to do and it's non negiotable...

it's been 1 and a half years since i've moved on with my life. i haven't spoken to my father since last raya. i stopped talking to him after an argument over my ailing grandma. she was diagnose with cancer of the colon. she's living with my aunt in j.b but my aunt needs a maid to help care for her. i called my dad, asking him to part with his current maid for my granny. he refused, complaining that he had no one to do his chores. this is coming from an old man that remarried to a 28 yr old house wife. despite my pleas for my terminally ill granny, he refused..he didn't even had the courage to speak to me. he just text me his opinion that he had his set of problems. i vowed to avoid him since that day...i have had it with him and his mediocre whining...i no longger wish to associate myself with him or his family...

the thought of having kids did cross my mid lately. however, i just want to be prepared for all the changes that comes with parenthood. i still believe my house needs a bit more furnishing and the kitchen needs a proper cooking cabinet...what about my children livelihood?! will i be able to provide them all that they need? i'm going to be a father..a leader of the family...once reign by my own father of 55years of age. he ruled with an iron fist..no nonsense..his instructions are non negiotable..he rather used his hand do the talking..nooo i don't want to repeat history but will i do any better? i'm now free from the clutches of evil and i want to make the best of it. even if it scares me..

2008-01-24T22:59:00.001+08:00

attacks against turtle position

1. choke from turtle - establish side control, bury your knee deep into opp. slid your right hand under opp chin & lapel and apply choke

2. choke from turtle 2 - establish side control, bury your left knee deep into opp, slid your right hand under opp chin & lapel, place your other hand's elbow (left) on the ground between opp hands to apply choke

3. choke from turtle 3 - same as no. 1. this time, place your other hand around the opp neck (like guillotine) and apply choke

4. armbar from turtle - establish side control with left leg buried deep under opp belly. use your other hand (left) to hold opp left hand (via under his armpit). step your right leg over opp belly and roll on your left shoulder to flip opp over to apply armbar

5. flip opp over from turtle - establish side control via left leg. slip both hands under opp armpits (under hooks). swap your left leg with your right by burying it deep into opp belly. sit back and hip bump opp over your right leg now

6. flip opp over from turle 2 - same as 5. Only diff is to use your left leg over to the other side of your opp belly to hip bump your opp over your left leg

7. flip opp over from turtle 3 - same as 6 but this time roll over opp head to flip him over (very fancy move, low success rate)

8. crucifix from turtle - establish side control, use your right leg to triangle opp right arm. your left hand should under hook opp left armpit. hop and roll over on your left shoulder to apply crucifix.

9. crucifix from turtle, neck crank - same as 8, use both hands to crank opp head sideways and downwards

10. crucifix from turtle, standard choke - apply choke similar to no. 1

10. crucifix from turtle, half nelson choke - apply choke as no. 1 but slid your left hand behind opp neck

11. crucifix from turtle, twister crank - apply choke as no 1 but lift opp left hand over your head

2008-01-24T10:17:00.001+08:00

BJJ Chronicles

2008-01-15T23:36:00.000+08:00

i did mention that one of my long term goals in practicing bjj is to be able to one day impart to others what i've have learn & experienced. i understand that the only way for me to achieve this is for me to be technically proficient myself. hence, other than attending classes as frequent as possible, i'm going to 'try' to start keeping notes of the techniques i've learn.

here goes, first class of 2008:

1. armbar from guard using leg push
2. armbar from guard using one arm under opp leg
3. if armbar fails:
a) switch to omoplat or
b) sweep opp with one arm under opp leg and puling the other to achieve sweep. either mount him or go straight for arm bar again, this time opp is completely on his back
4. if opp stands with one leg, grab it under and try 3(a) or (b)
5. if opp stand with both legs, go for knee bar. if miss knee bar, go for leg sweep and finish with heel hook. opp should be on his back after leg sweep.

there you go...not very descriptive but enough to jog my memory when needed. oh yeah, i also keep a notebook of my techniques right after class..i keep this in my car and read it whenever i'm stuck in traffic :-)

ps - > did i also mention that i paid a visit to dings a couple of times to practice with quico (klbjj team) during the long yr end break? i like the people over there, friendly bunch of guys. also had the opportunity to have supper wif them after class. nice to know that this art is catching up quickly in malaysia.

BJJ Keeps me Sane, Bye-Bye 2007

2007-12-18T22:59:00.000+08:00

i just finished the last bjj class for the year. it's been exactly 1 yr and 3 months since i first started. i can still remember my first day in class. i was clueless and didn't know any techniques at all. i attribute my past aikido experience in helping me progress this far. it thought me to stay calm, relax and not rely on brute strength. all these factored in, have molded me into what i am today, on and off the mat.

another notable success this year is my ability to stay injury free. well, excluding the minor bumps, bruises and sprains nothing serious happened. god willing, i vow to keep it that way for as long as i stay competitive free.

one important advise my instructor told me is to treat bjj as a game. he said "play bjj". this notion is pretty difficult for a beginner to comprehend, especially when you have someone trying to choke the hell out of you.

i used to suffer from flaky skin on my fingers as a result of gripping too hard on my opponents. lately, i notice i no longer have this prb. also, i notice that i don't feel as tired compared to when i first started.

in retrospect, i managed to develop a slow, controlled & somewhat technical game. i hope to refine a better game plan as i progress next year. especially in setting up attacks. i thought i have been spending a lot of time developing my defense.

i really hope that this exciting journey will continue to give me countless hours of fun and fulfillment in my life. somehow, i believe it complements my mundane office job. dragging myself for practice after a hard day at work is definitely not easy but to see that i've come this far in so little time is very encouraging.

my plan now is to continue studying this incredible art and perhaps one day i'll be qualified to impart my knowledge to the next generation. i hope to be the best i can be in my prime and hopefully continue to "tap out" people ;-)

i'm going to be 30 next yr and honestly, i've never felt this fit & confident in my life..

what pisses me off!!

2007-11-29T06:10:00.000+08:00

let me start by saying that i've been working for the same co. for the last 6 yrs. recently the co. announced a sourcing initiative. meaning they plan to transfer a significant amount of jobs to a 3rd party vendor. that's fine with me. i know that the co is profit driven and to remain competitive, it's natural to cut cost. as the days go by, the study became clearer. when the day came, they called us up one by one into a room. my boss announced to us individually if our jobs will remain in the retained org or outsourced. if our jobs are outsourced, we'll be expected to join the outsourced vendor chosen by the co. i told myself fine, this is life, nothing is forever, i'll go if i am told to go...i'll go...

it's been 2 months since i was asked to 'stay' with the retained org. citing reasons that my expertise are needed for a retained function. then yesterday, my boss gave us shocking news. he told me there's a possibility that my current role will be outsourced after all and that if i want to stay, i'll have to be interviewed for my current job! first they tell me to stay now they tell me that i might have to go...my first reaction was, what the fuck? make up your mind! is this how the co. treats their employees??

i feel like i'm being bullied, exploited...so much so that i've cancelled an order for a new car. why i cancel it? well, for starters there are just too many uncertainties at this point of time. i want to keep my commitments low. i told myself i'm going to take hold of my life. i'm not going to let the co. control me. i'm now seriously planning to start my own business. i'm going to let my wife handle it while i continue to grind this mill.. at least i'll have a second source of income because i'm not going to let a single corporation bully me!

so until i get it in black & white, my status-co...i'm not going to trust a single word this %$^* co has to offer me...

BJJ Video

2007-11-13T08:34:00.000+08:00

me getting my ass kicked by Vince......

Whenever I roll wif him, it's all about defense. There's never an offensive game. Usually, we'll roll for a complete 15-17minutes. Despite me always being at the disadvantage, I always come out feeling good. What makes it feel good? Well, I'm confident that the techniques applied do not hurt me *permanently* and I get to improve my awareness. At first it was very humbling to see a 40 yr old man flip me around like a roti canai. But after rolling wif him for about a year, I also find it easier with the less experienced people. I believe it does wonders in improving my defense.

All in all, it is always good fun to roll wif good ol uncle Vince :-)

having a good time @ bom brasil

2007-11-06T14:35:00.000+08:00

da china man in white with his office clones...we had a blast last week....celebrating a farewell of an ol colleague..heck he's not even leaving the co..just a dept transfer..but we always look for excuses to have fun!

What's been happening??

2007-10-24T09:58:00.000+08:00

...so much has happened lately..My dear grandma has been diagnosed with cancer of the rectum and liver. She is going for chemo treatment very soon. The Dr said that if left untreated, she will die in 12 months. She's now living with my aunt Rose in JB. The whole family including my aunt Angie and uncle James from France and Finland will be coming to Malaysia to visit her in the next few months.....

2007-10-09T13:55:00.000+08:00

2007-09-24T13:06:00.000+08:00

nadal, federer, sampras and gasquet are coming to kl! yahooo.....check this out http://www.ticketpro.com.my/akce/detail/31

u can be sure i'll be there!! this is like a lifetime oppurtunity..the last time i been to a match was when michael chang was in kl...that was more than 10 yrs ago...even that i was so late that i only manageto catch the last few mins of the match...all i remember seeing was chang rushing to the net and returning the ball between his legs...hehe...reason i was late?? well, my aunt angeline arrvied home late and we had to wait for her b4 departing to duta :-( anyway that was when i was like 14 or something..now that i am 30...i'm not going to wait for anyone....yipeeee

For Mummy

2007-09-10T09:02:00.000+08:00

as usual it was a terrific weekend...mum, murni and i were busy moving furniture between houses....it is indeed sad to see my parents house now void of inhabitants...i could swear i felt the presence of my deceased grandpa that afternoon....childhood memories filled my mind as i salvaged thru the piles of stuff stacked in my room...how sad indeed that this has to be the way it ends...i've spent a good 13 yrs olf my life in that bedroom...so much, let so little has to remain...

never the less, i truly understand that we are all starting new lives...mum has moved into her new condo and my house is finally furnished...the strange thing is that my grandfathers clock (yes, it's really my grandfathers clock) started to chime again in her new apartment...must be due to good fung sui then :-)

i also bought mum the new samsung 32" LCD to go wif her new apartment! i am so happy that i can do something for my beloved mother...and i do hope that she will be able to start living her life once again...this time happier....love u mum

as for my dad...at times i hate him...other times i truly understand that he did what he did as a father...perhaps one day i'll be in the same predicament with my own children....i just hope that i can inherit his good traits and forget the bad....love u too dad

so much so...i'm reading this book, "for one more day"...by mitch albom...it's about how this grown up man meets his deceased mother again..i have not finished the book yet...but the story is very touching and makes me reflect on my own life and how precious my family is to me....

13 going 30....c u at part 2

2007-08-27T10:34:00.000+08:00

at the speed of light...that's how fast life passes by.....it's already aug...soon it will be december..a yr will go by...i'll be 30 soon.....i remember when i was 13.....seems like i am on part 2 of my life.....it's ironic how this pic reminded me so much of my life rite now..often..we try to catch a glimpse of what goes by....most of the time...we miss some detail...everything seems blury when we look out. it's like riding a speeding train...destination....unknown....we never know if we are going the wrong way...but heck...who can tell what is wrong and which is right?? maybe we r moving too fast or just that we don't bother to stop n smell the roses....never the less...we learn from past experiences..the good times we cherish..the bad ones we learn....so far...my life has been good...the ride is going to be fast n maybe furious but i'm certainly going to be in the driver seat :-)

2007-08-20T10:47:00.000+08:00

from left: lil claire, aunt angie and mum at the mosque during my solemnization...*sigh* what a beautiful pic...regardless of my choices in life...my fam were always there for me.....i wish the world could be more like this...

there are just somethings that really work me up....

i really hate it when i hear so much talk about trivial matters in the local media...like how this ah beng made a rap out of our national athem n landed in hot soup for it....in my opinion, so what if he rapped the negaraku??? for goodness sake, he's an eminem wannabie lar...the local newspapers have splashed his story all week..inciting more publicity for him...

politicians are calling for his head...are we malaysians so naive that we'll be influenced by his propaganda??? i think there are other matters of national interest that we should be paying close attention to... eg buses crashing on highways killing 20 plus people...corruption in the police force...raise in rape cases..etc..etc...

i believe malaysians are too caught up wif trivial matters! people always asked me..u chinese or malay ah? so what if i'm african dude? does it matter? my family is made up of different races and nationality....i have relatives of chinese...malay...caucasian descent and life is still fantastic!..on the other hand...i am glad that i come from a mix parentage...it made me understand the various spices in life...i just hope that as our nation progresses further..we move away from trivial matters and focus on what's more important....to live in harmony regardless of our differences...happy 50th merdeka malaysia!

2007-08-14T11:41:00.000+08:00

i'm beginning to understand marriage now...its about giving everything that you got....its unconditional love for that person, trust, communication and co operation is imperative....maybe that's why it hurts so much if it fails...on the other hand....it can make u the happiest person on eart...i've not been married for long but i realise that this world is a actually a lonely place indeed....when others are all tied up with personal gains...you have someone by your side that truly loves and cherish you....i've been thru a lot..there have been difficult situations..i had to draw a line between friendship and loyalty to my wife..ever since i made those very difficult decisions my life seem happier...i just hope that that other person will finally realise true unconditional love...this world is made up of soo many types of people...hopefully we all make the right decisions when choosing our life partners...

2007-08-07T13:49:00.000+08:00

ben the wwe warrior...this guy is strooong...

lovely sharon tan....ms universe 1982

mua being so vain....

that dude on top me is 100kilos!

breakie time b4 the raft building event

mua being so gay again...

2007-08-07T10:58:00.000+08:00

my lovely team mates.....it's been such a pleasure working wif these guys and gals....best team i've worked for in my career.....

2007-08-07T10:53:00.000+08:00

last weekend was a blast....had a gruelsome 3 days 2 night team building event at avilion p.d.....lots of outbound obstacle, raft building, treasure hunting and after hour activities.....more to come when the pics come in...

my team captain speech...we won 2nd place :-)

2007-07-31T11:08:00.000+08:00

2007-07-24T15:19:00.000+08:00

mum, i and gin lane....

2007-07-23T08:59:00.000+08:00

annual dinner pic....more to come..

Double Promo

2007-07-20T08:36:00.000+08:00

yesterday was my lucky day......da boss called me in for my mid year appraisal meeting....shockingly he told me that my promotion has been confirmed....as of aug or sep i'll be promoted to a higher job group...not only that....later that night...my bjj instructor promoted me to 3 stripes! come to think of it i was more excited at my bjj promo then my job :-) wuhuuu...here's a group photo of us...oh yeah we have 3 new blue belts too! congrats to albert, fideal and paul!

my rolling buddies!

2007-07-15T17:33:00.000+08:00

horse phobia! my wife is very nervous wif animals...check her out...i had to persuade her numerous times for me to get this shot....

2007-07-11T16:41:00.001+08:00

my fam and i in france...

my cuz and his gf in finland...this dude can't get thru an airport metal detector without setting it off....

2007-07-03T11:08:00.000+08:00

the roads in kl was jam this weekend....it was so clogged that some motorist was clearly agitated...so agitated that a fist fight broke out...here's the story:

wifey n i was stuck at the t junction traffic lights in front of pudu jail and times square....suddenly....we saw a man come down his waja and grab a motorcyclist by his shirt...he dragged the man off his motorcycle and started punching him widly...within seconds, other passerby join in the fray...i was not sure if these people were actually trying to stop the fight or beating the poor motorcyclist...

my super hero senses kicked in immediately... i unbuckled my seat belt about to get down the car...luckily my left hand column stalled me..or maybe my balls shrunk i couldn't tell which one came first....just moments later i spotted a patrol car..this time i really got down my car, inside me i was saying don't be a hero...wifey thought i was heading towards the scene..she asked in a panic voice "where u goin?!!"....i didn't have time to reply...i dashed down the road towards the police car...the police man cooly wound his window down..i told him there was a fight a few meters away pointing to the direction of my car...he asked again "manaaa??"...i said "sana bang...sebelah kereta saya, warna biru tu"....the police man turn on the strobe lights...i was so excited, i thought he was gonna race down the streets with piercing blue lights n loud siren.. just like those wild police dramas on tv :-)

feeling that i have done my duty, i slowly walked back to my car, i soon realise that the patrol car was stuck on the other side of the road in the jam...his strobe lights was still on..until today, i wondered why he didn't use the siren..maybe it wasn't urgent enough to justify the loud siren.....anyway, i'm not a policeman so i am not aware of their procedures...we soon left the scene after the lights turn green and traffic started flowing......from the back of my rear view i can see that the motorcyle was flat on ground and a few people surrounding the motorcyclist...i just hope the police turned up on time to resolve the matter...

as unheroic as i may have been..i still thought i did the right thing.....i not only saved my life and perhaps another by alerting the police.....so kids....the moral to this story is....don't be a super hero...use your brains...the best defense is common sense...

2007-06-28T15:38:00.000+08:00

this is my 'bujang' car..bought it from some south african dude..i had 3 bujang cars in my life...all satrias...1 got stolen in front my house, another i gave to my uncle...and now this one...don't ask me why i chose satrias...i didn't reliase it until i bought my 3rd one..why i say its my bujang car? cause it's 2 doors, the seats r always smelly..n the suspension squeeks...it rattles here & there but it's been so faithfull...many times...i thought of trading it for a honda...but it speaks to me softly...to push her faster & harder

2007-06-25T11:41:00.000+08:00

mua....

mua boss...

mua comrade

2007-06-19T09:54:00.000+08:00

brought my visiting friend from belgium to the mosque in pj on sun...went for the congregation prayers of ishak....i left my shoes outside the front door...it was only five mins to find muah hush pups gone wif the wind...btw, that was my wedding present from my wife :-(

apparently it's quite normal for such things to happen malaysia...this is not the first time my shoes was stolen..someone tried to steal the same shoes the last time i prayed at another mosque...luckily a young boy witnessed the event and told me where the thief hid my shoes...we laid a trap for him but he didn't come back

my friend told me that it happens often in arab countries too where the penalty for stealing is "off wif his hands"...i wonder why people want to steal other peoples smelly shoes! anyway...i sure hope the thief catches leprosy....

it's been nearly 9 months of b.j.j now...i lost a lot of weight since....see before pic

after b.j.j pic plus lunch workouts:

i look forward to it every week...however...it doesn't seem to appeal to muah wifey..despite me bringing her to watch numerous times.....looks like she will only do aikido for now....i think she prefer aikido bcoz it's gentler....

2007-06-15T09:21:00.000+08:00

it's friday...my friend from belgium is in kl for a month....sugano shihan seminar is in july...looking forward to it...

things r looking good for now...my mum adopted a new name...huhu...i guess she doesn't wanna have anything to remind her of her past...good for her...we all love her...

nearly strain my elbow last night during bjj practise...was sparring wif roy...i was trying to escape from the arm bar...good thing i tap quick...else, i wouldn't have been too fortunate....despite being submitted most of the time from the seniors...mua still enjoy bjj..oh yeah...this week i blacked out 2 times during sparring...i know it sounds scarry but it's actually not...it's kind of normal when oyxgen is restricted to your brain for a split second...it's like someone turn the lights off and on immediately...it's gives u that rush!

2007-06-12T13:30:00.000+08:00

it's getting nearer...my co is going to outsource...for me, it's life as usual..to be honest, i accept anything that happens to me including death...life is too short to worry over such matters....by q3 this yr, our fate will be known...

my dear tennis partner's father is very ill...his dad is fighting intestine cancer in jb..the dr sent him home...usually, that means there's little hope left...times like this reminded me of my grandpa...the day before he passed away, the dr sent him home...he had difficulty breathing....he was struggling....i remember my uncle and aunt calling me to ask how to operate the oxygen tank my mum bought for him....i could hear his voice in the background, grumbling to my grandma that that wasn't the knob to turn it ON....he was readmitted to hospital the same day....i last spoke to him on his mobile...i asked him how he was doing, he was by his bed side, he had to take off the oxygen mask to talk..he told me that he's alright....though, i could hear he was struggling to speak but he was strong, never once i heard him complain about the pain....i then passed the phone to my uncle...they exchanged a couple of words......that was the last time i ever spoke to him...the next morning about 2am, i received a call at my parents house...the nurse told me that my grandpa passed away 30mins ago....that was the sadest day in my life....

he was so dear to me but it thought me a lesson, it makes me appreciate life and those around me.....

Best in JB, some say Singapore too

2007-06-05T09:20:00.000+08:00

It was my granny 82 bday on 1st June 2007. As a family we brought her for seafood dinner. Wifey and I travelled to JB to attend. She looked happy and healthier. Thanks to my mum that decided to send our maid over to take care of her. Here are a couple of pics at the dinner:

Here's my anime crazy cousin in singpore....

finally....the loving couple...

John Will Seminar June 1 2007 - Singapore

2007-06-05T09:16:00.001+08:00

It was a fantastic 2 day event. John started out with the basics on the first day, then moved to the more advanced techniques on 2nd. Overall I enjoyed the course. Though, there was a change in the 2nd day timing due to electrical maintenance in the building. I think John presented the techniques great detail and clarity. The people were nice and warm...looking forward to the second seminar in Nov...

2007-05-28T09:39:00.000+08:00

it's been a busy week...attended week long ethical hacking course at apiit...yes, ridiculous as it may sound, some people r making money by certifying script kiddies...unless u have no clue on how twelve yr olds deface websites, i c no reason why one should waste 5 days of precious life....

bjj is going fine, i think i'm actually making lots of progress recently...good people make good sparring partners....never felt better in my life after a solid one hour roll wif the guys...

it's been raining lately, which is good...wifey n i have been in high spirits...i'm going to try to finish off some pending werk in the office...god bless us all

World Champs

2007-05-16T13:52:00.000+08:00

here's another reason why i am so fortunate...this dude over here is currently the world thai muay thai boxing champion! and guess what? i get to train wif him...check his bio out

oh yeah...this dude, adam kayoom is also australian bjj cham.....again.....i am honoured to be able to work wif the world's best

2007-05-15T11:19:00.000+08:00

some woman r very cunning....yes...cunning.....that's god gift to them...men on the other hand have a uncanny weakness between their legs.....this is from real life experience wif them....but let me iterate, not all women r alike...some r naive and innocent...personally, i prefer the naive and innocent types...i'm not just saying this cause my wife reads my blog...but bcoz i've had encountered both species in my life.....

so...don't get caught wif your pants down anytime.....wuuuhuuuuu

2007-05-12T19:56:00.000+08:00

some pics of my wife n i during or last vacation toegether..

2007-05-12T19:49:00.000+08:00

pics of my wonderful b.j.j buddies...group pic not very clear..the guy in the 2nd pic is my instructor...

2007-05-10T11:54:00.000+08:00

i've been made gym convener for my co. i really need to find someone to manage the gym for us...it's falling to pieces...since i work out practically 4 times a week during lunch hours, i thought it was most sensible that i take up the responsibility....tonight is adam (my bjj trainer) last class. he's leaving to the US to enter u.f.c....geeez...i really hope he doesn't lose an arm or a leg....good luck to your endevour dude!

2007-05-08T09:41:00.000+08:00

2007-05-08T09:05:00.000+08:00

life lessons....don't dwell about the past..thats what i learnt...friends come and go..nothing last forever...today my co has announce a global separation scheme for permanent employees...we either accept to go wif the outsourced provider or be redundant and get v.s.s.'ed...i've been here for more 5 yrs of my life...that's the longgest i ever worked for a co. i remember when first joined...i was a green horn...worked my butt off to get myself converted...the h.r person that first interviewed me past away from colon cancer last yr...yes, the horrible bosses, ego fluffed peers, great politicians, biaches, the ups, the downs...i've seen em all....

never the less, the journey is unforgetable, this job took me around the world...the experiences will live in me forever....my late grandpa would be so proud of me...

2007-04-25T17:10:00.000+08:00

my fucking phone was misbehaving yesterday...since it's a company phone, this is what i wrote to my boss:

-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: 23 April 2007 21:45
To: My Manager
Subject: mobile phone allowance

Dear XXX,

I don't know why, but my mobile phone turned into a vibrator today, it refused to switch ON. Just kept vibrating like a Braun toothbrush :-/

When serviced, the technician said he found lots of hair and dust inside, he also said the IC board was toasted. Since it's been 2 years since I last purchased it under the company, are we eligible for asset refresh? If yes, how much, If not, it's ok.

Thank You

Regards,
Rizan

********************************************************************

Now, I can only forsee 2 things that might happen to me. Either I get an allowance for a new hp, or he'll tell me to go vibrate myself somewhere else...

2007-04-19T13:32:00.000+08:00

nothing much...i dont think we'll be able to make it to the good charlotte concert since it's an invite only event :-(

bjj workout has been tough! with the absence of sam wee, adam kayoom has been intructing the class for the whole month..it's one hell of a class...reminds me of a military boot camp...anyway, i don't mind, just as long as i don't get injured and i have a great workout!

oh yeah, wifey n r are planning for a holiday soon! yipeeeee

2007-04-17T08:53:00.000+08:00

i dont know why, as the days go by, i seem to love my wife more...yesterday, we had dinner at tgi with her fam...it was her mum's bday. we went to a place near her old house...we were half and hour early, so we walked around a bit, that place reminded me of the time when we were dating 6yrs back...she was and still is such a wonderful woman...i used to drive to her fam house to pick her up everyday...sometimes, i would even give her a lift back from class...

i met this wonderful woman while studying in college. actually, it was a friend of mine that spotted n pointed her out to muah...i took notice n pledged that i would get myself a gf before i graduated ;-) i enrolled in the music and drama society. actually, she was the class president so i knew i had to get myself on the board to know her, i actually stayed back late that day just so i could attend the first meeting. i did remember that i nearly left b4 the meeting started cause i tot it was just too long of a wait to meet a chick...however, my patience paid off..i made it to first annual general meeting, da first time i introduced myself to her, my hands were shaking and feet cold...i manage to get myself elected as class president! n she was my deputy ;-)

she was the first woman in my life that never turned me down..she was always there for me, always wanting to see me the next day...she never had some lame excuse as "i'm too busy for u today" or "i dont wanna see u today"...she truly loved me...no games just honest and sincere love...i guess that's why i fell in love with her...

her fam on the other hand never interfered wif our relationship...in my honest opinion, they are the first true muslim family i knew...they never preached to me, nor did they look down on me...they never talked bad about others...nor were they hypocrites..

to my lovely wife...i love u

my wife just before our dinner date yesterday

2007-04-16T09:42:00.000+08:00

wifey n i r planning to go for good charlotte concert this sat...but it really depends if i don't get beeped...i'm on call this week....

we spent the weekend shopping and busy sorting out our wedding photos...i burn a couple of ringgits buying cds at mid valley...mostly local bands...estranged (really like their music, the whole album rocks! check their video out at youtube search for estrangedkl), oag, samsons, sheila on 7, etc....good stuff...

oh yeah managed to get some of my photos online, it's not complete cause some of it failed to upload..

2007-04-13T14:34:00.000+08:00

it's friday again...thank god! always nice to know that it's end of the week. my body aches after yesterday gruelsome workout at kdta. never the less, i feel energetic...

i dont understand some people...at one min they r your friend, the next, they tell u to fark off...u ask them what's wrong, they don't want to tell u...or give u some meaningless answer...i do not wish to waste my time harping on such useless issue...if this 'friend' doesn't treasure friendship, screw it...there are others that are more worthy...its people like these that makes me wonder how the world around us is so complicated. most often...we don't always have the answer to everything...sometimes, it's best left unanswered....

looking forward to the weekend...rest, relax and unwind!

new hair style

2007-04-12T08:38:00.000+08:00

2007-04-11T11:39:00.000+08:00

2007-04-11T09:52:00.000+08:00

2007-04-10T10:43:00.000+08:00

2007-04-10T10:40:00.000+08:00

family squabble

2007-04-09T16:54:00.000+08:00

parents are still at it again..this time, my aunts(yes it's plural) are calling me...wanting to 'talk' to me! argh! i already have enough problems to deal with, why do people want to get involved in other peoples business? can't they just leave matters alone? i understand that they are concern for my mum..yes, she is undergoing stress due to the divorce and now the house...i believe when people interfere it creates more problems than solutions. for instance, it was on of my aunt that told my mum that my dad was having an affair...that sparked my mum into suspicion...i mean if she was to find out, why must it come from her own sister? why couldn't she find out on her own?

i'm already in a difficult position, being the only child...i want to be fair to both my parents. i am not after their property nor am i unsuportive of their decisions...i want to avoid selling a house i've been living in for more than 10yrs. the house where my grandpa recuperated after his surgery...i remember he painted the whole darn yard fence on his own! he even climbed the roof to fix me a telephone extension...thats the place where i used to snuckk back home after late night outings wif my friends...the place where i snuck my girl friends into my room.....

this is the place where i grew up...now that my parents are divorced they just wanna sell it n forget the whole thing...i bought a house in the neighbourhood just so that i can could be closer to them..now they wanna sell it...

i mean if they really can't agree in the end..yes, the house will be sold...i will try to salvage it if i have enough dough...but all these added responsibility on my hand..it's not going to be easy....let's see what happens...don;t get me wrong, i'm not cracking under pressure, nor do i feel stressed...i'm mr cool :-) in fact, i take great pride in being able to handle pressure...thanks to my job :-)

tv commerical? me??

2007-04-09T09:16:00.000+08:00

sunday was a farking hot day...got a sms from my instructor telling us that an agent is looking for talents for tv commerial...students interested was to attend this evening class..

arrived @ the dojo at 4...it was farking hot! even my wife had a migraine. anyway, the shoot was short, the camera man had me intro name, age, how long i've been practising, etc..even asked me to show some moves wif mua instructor...finally had to display a smile, angry and sad face...freaks me out...i tot i was on americas next top model or something...

the agent told me that if i am selected, i'll get rm800-1000 to appear in a 100+ commerical on tv...my tot is it all depends on which instructor gets the part...for me, i am just a student, so if mr low gets it, i'll most probably be his uke and get thrown around...oh yeah, agent going to audition mr tony too..i think he'll be a great candidate. he can probably show some kick ass moves...though , i could learn to enjoy the spot light, but honestly, i'm an i.t guy for goodness sake, i'm not used to being on t.v!

Love

2007-04-05T13:42:00.000+08:00

everyone around me are a product of love...for instance, i was born because my parents fell in love...

with all these luv going around..i often feel confused...i remember the time when i was having probs with my marriage...i started confining in another person, that person happened to be another women...we started out as friends, i found the companionship so compelling..it made me feel safe and wanted...unlike the prb i had to face whenever i returned home...emotions started building..i was slowly falling for this other woman..she on the other hand was very cautious..often analysing and not jumping on the wagon too soon...often, i was treated wif mix reactions..though, i was sure i felt some emotional attachment from her at some point...

things started to change when my marriage begun to heal...my wife touched my heart when she told me in tears that she loved me and that i was the only man in her life...she wanted things to be the same again, she wanted me to love her like before...i was touched by her sincerity...our marriage begun to heal...i am now happier..we worked out our differences...i now have no reason to seek attention from other than my own wife...

however, i felt that the other person in my life was in pain...my dear friend! the one that helped me thru the tough times...now she's alone...i felt sorry for myself..for my actions, for dragging her into my prbs....i didn't know how to react...on one hand i wanted to continue to be friends, on the other i'm afraid of getting emotionally attached...i've decided to reach out to her as a friend...she will need time to heal...i promise that i will be there when she is ready...

what did i learn from this episode? well, for starters, we are all product of love...we have to learn to love every living creature around us....for we are all God's creation....to find peace, we have to be honest, sincere and most of all love one another...

April is here..and I'm no Fool

2007-04-03T09:00:00.000+08:00

my parents are still at it...fighting and arguing everyday...the house is still the center of dispute...mum physically attacked my dad one day! she was so fed up wif the current situation, she lunged at him...good think my dad did not retaliate...i just pray they settle it amicably

as for me, life is still the same...going strong...somehow i am starting to feel a bit older as the days go by me...i feel a bit weak, slower than usual...i hope it's just the weather...

over the weekend, wifey n i went to summit...bought some computer goodies...we wanted to shop for kitchen cabinets but due to the uncertain situation at the moment with my parents house, we decided not...but i managed a do-it-yourself self for my printer :-)

i believe i need to understand people's feeling more, i need to reflect on what i say to others more often...recently, i feel like i have been talking without engaging my brain first...need to be more tackful...

oh yeah, wifey n i hung out with a couple of my cousin friends @ passion in kl....it was awsome! we dance, minus the alcohol though...my cousin got warned by a stranger after he got a lil too intimate wif someone else gurl while dancing ;-) never the less, he was in good hands at that time...

Job offer

2007-03-28T21:17:00.000+08:00

had a job offer today...while i am pleased that i am still in demand..i thought that the job wasn't suitable for me...i do not see myself working the same role for another company...heck! if i am going to do the same shit everyday, i might as well grind the mill in same company i've been working for more than 5 yrs! why in ever hell, do i want to move to a new company for a mere hike in muah salary?! i sometimes i ask myself why do i even bother posting my resume in the job market...i gave some thought to it...here's the answer

it's not that i am not happy at work...just that i need to always be on the lookout for better oppurtunies...i do not want to be complacent...i mean imagine if you've never been for an interview with an outside co for more than 5yrs! being interviewed and interviwing is a skillset..

the interview went well...however, i do not want to over sell myself for a job that i am not keen...best to be honest...but it's nice to know that i was very sure that i could do the job they expected :-) means my skillz are still bleeding edge :-)

futhermore...the co that was offering did not have work life balance...i think this is very important for the employees to be able to rest, relax and socialize at work....i just can't see myself not playing tennis with my colleagues or not working out at lunch time! call me spoiled....i think i'm just blessed...

Family bond

2007-03-27T08:52:00.000+08:00

thru out the weekend, i've learnt that what matters most are the people around you...most importantly your family...uncle shake...or should i say dato shake is in town...he's back to c that his beloved son is doing okay...

me on the other hand, been spending more quality time wif mua wife...she's so sweet...yesterday i was upset wif her, but she just knew how to calm me down....she's such a darling....no doubt, women know just how to touch a man's heart...yes indeed, i am truly blessed...

oh yeah, as for da pic wif muah best man...was taken at oldtown in cbj...hehe...still remember the shock on da chick face when i went up 2 her table 2 ask for her #....HAHAH...no worries it wasn't for me sayang ;)

Together for 29yrs.....

2007-03-26T09:11:00.000+08:00

today marks the last day my parents are husband and wife..

i still remember the stories my mum used to tell me about how they started out....mum was a 17yr old working at a bowling alley and my dad was a troubled married man...he was the supervisor at that time...one thing led to another and i was brewed...my mum's family was enraged by their relationship...over time, the matter settled down...my mum's family begun to accept my mum back into the family...

after 29yrs of marriage, at 9am local time today, they'll end their matrimony. though it is sad for me, i am sure that they will be happier...

at least both can start new lifes....its never too late to start fresh...to my lovely parents...i wish you both happiness...thanks for bringing me up...i tribute my life to both of you...

Very rare sight...

2007-03-23T11:19:00.000+08:00

BJJ Transition Techniques

2007-03-20T09:09:00.000+08:00

got this from kdta..basically it's a game plan for bjj. it desc how one can transition from one tech to another. the options are endless. you can even make up your own, this is just an example. no fix rule. i'm still figuring my way around the mats..that's the fun part of it

in my opinion, what makes m.a practise so fun is the learning process. i actually enjoy it! the prb comes when u think you've learn the techniques already. then comes the motivation factor, u feel as if u've been doing the same stuff over n over again..for the time being, i c myself doing this for awhile :-)

i do consider myself lucky, the guys at my bjj club are very supportive of learning. they pay less emphasis on winning. safety is always our primary concern during training..

The Present...

2007-03-19T09:04:00.000+08:00

pheeewwwww....thank god i grew out of it

The Past...

2007-03-19T08:57:00.000+08:00

this what happens when you have too much of a good thing :-)

2007-03-18T17:30:00.000+08:00

i remember this picture when it was taken, my granny was calling my mum from a distace to turn around for a pose...i guess she couldn't hear or maybe couldn't be bothered...strangely, my aunt's great dane seem to have bonded well wif my mum...this is by far the largest dog i've seen in my life...she's always droolling...yucks...it's like someone stuffed a pair of tennis shoes down her mouth....picture was taken at my aunt farm in le'tang monarc, france...about 2 yrs ago...

Master Trainer mum

2007-03-18T13:10:00.000+08:00

these ladies had a huge impact in my life...no, i am not talking about the horse. it's my mum and granny....they showered me with so much love that i do not think i could repay them in money...granny took care of me since i was born..mum nutured me till i was old enough to understand life...now that i am married i have another woman in my life. though it's been only half a year since i was married, i do agree that life has it's turning points....remember your first crush, breakup, first fist fight in school over some dumb girl, the time the skool thug wanted to beat u up for being so cocky...the time my dad wanted to beat up the skool thug :-), the time i got my first driving license....the time i graduated..the time i first met murni in college...the time when i first started my i.t company...the time i landed that job in the mnc i am now happily working at....all these, i tribute to my love ones..

i thank god for everything....