Are you lonesome tonight?

Well, Elvis, since you asked...
YES I AM!!!!!!!!!

Sujoy is in the states, Anjoli is at a sleepover...it's just me and the cockroaches.

:)

(I've tried getting rid of them, but they like us. They really, really do).


I went to an amazing concert this evening at the American School. I cannot explain just how phenomenal these teenagers are! The performances included voice, piano, cello, violin and trombone. They ran out of programs, but they performed pieces by Bach, Bartok, Schumann, and Chopin - those were the only names I remember. I knew one piece (which received a standing ovation) but I don't know who the composer was. It's sad, but I remember it from a Gilligan's Island episode!! Oh Sue. :)
Many of the kids memorized their pieces...I just can't get over that. I was COMPLETELY blown away tonight.

It's very sad, but there were very few people in the audience. I think it's a shame that so few parents and students were there to appreciate and support these kids - and it was FREE.

Ok, the cockroaches and I are going to watch You Kill Me. (Sujoy if you are reading this, I bet you just fainted!).

Bye bye!



You think I'm joking? (cockroach is on the right)





Extreme close-up of my "date" for the evening:

DHL Tai Tais

Well I finally got up the nerve to play "social touch rugby" at the American School last night!
The team is called the DHL Tai Tais (tai tai means "wife" in Mandarin. hmmm).
I absolutely loved it and I am SO proud because I wasn't worn out in the least. We have a really awesome Aussie coach - he had us do drills from 5-5:30,then we scrimmaged from 5:30 - 6:30.
I made some great catches, but I still need to figure out the plays. It's weird...you don't throw the ball like a football, you toss it (with a spin)and you must keep behind the team mate who tosses you the ball.
We played women vs women and for a bit with the "blokes" (husbands mostly).
I can't wait for Sujoy (hubby) to play - I hope he does!

Most of the women are FANTASTIC players - much better than the men! Yeah!
When I was leaving a few of the ladies told me I played really well. I shocked myself, to be honest!

:)

Just a Quick One...

Because it's LATE!


Thanks so much for your encouraging words. It really helps!

Well, I had a training session with my personal trainer at the gym today. She told me that the contest won't actually start until March 1st! Oh well. That's ok.

I've lost 2.o kilograms so far...but some of it is water and lean body mass! Only 1 kilogram was fat...but that's ok. As long as I LOST something- I am happy!
My fat percentage is now 32%, and ideally a woman should have 23% or less body fat...so, my goal is to lose 10% body fat by June 1st!

I have a few cute little snippets to share. About a week before I entered this contest one of the 3 year olds I teach kept smacking my butt saying:"fatty! fatty!" Yeah yeah yeah. Shut it!!! Little brat. Hee hee. Nah- he is RIGHT!
THEN the SAME morning - an older boy - who loves me unabashedly - put his arms around my waist - looked up at me and smiled - then patted my stomach and said:
"baby? baby???" ha ha ha. NOT QUITE! He is such a cutie. I give the kids "high fives"(no one does that here and they love it. Very American. Yes, I know). Whenever I give him a high five he grabs my hand and kisses the back of it (a ladies' man in the making, fer sure) then he mouths to me: " I LOVE YOU!" aw........I'm tellin' ya...the kids I teach - they make me very happy. And I agree with the teasing!!! Doesn't bother me in the least. Kids don't lie. It's refreshing, actually!
:)

I Feel Good!

Just got back from an hour of cardio on the *&^%ing treadmill...actually it was a really good workout. I jogged for a half hour and ran for a half hour.
I listened to great music...mostly Nina Simone, Gnarls Barkley and Bruce Springsteen.
I am addicted to these artists at the moment! I MUST add that I am also loving my friend James Casey's band's new songs. James is my friend in London who was kind enough to put me up in December when I impulsively went to see The Who! His band is called Ether City (I actually posted YouTube videos here in August). Check out Ether City's songs on their groovy new website HERE!!! (October 13,2008).

I am getting up the NOIVE to sing at an open mic night at a club that Sujoy and I went to over the weekend (to celebrate Valentine's Day) called,Sappho de Base. With Anjoli's help I will record myself singing something by Nina and maybe even Gnrarls Barkley and figure out which songs could be tolerated by strangers! :)

Sappho de Base is the COOLEST club - it's a lounge -very cozy.We chatted with the owner for a long time - we were there from 11 - 3am! (It's a late night club). The owner is a Taiwanese woman (who wore a very cool Stevie Ray Vaughnish looking hat!). She lived in San Francisco for many years. We went to see a local "Chicago Blues" band - they were fun...but even more fun was an impromptu set by 3 other musicians who were friends of the owner's. I told the owner I'd be back - she gave me her card and asked us to call her sometime and hang out! I love that the club is ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC. She wanted it to be a "non-profit" club - but a non-profit club can't serve alcohol! Anywho...here is their website: Sappho de Base.

I am happy to report that I have steadily been losing poundage! Ya hoo!! Hopefully, tomorrow I will be able to see how much lower my fat percentage is- I have my weekly training session with my sweetie of a personal trainer, Debbie. It's cool - because I am NOT starving myself whatsoever...just making healthier choices. I did drink over the weekend,but just didn't eat much! Like last year though, I plan on giving up alcohol for Lent. Heck, maybe I will even go to Church this year. Stranger things have happened.

I am nearly done writing up my recovery story from brain surgery for my Chinese Medicine doctor's blog. He has been bugging me for ages to write it up.I just have to tweak it a bit. Sujoy reminded me of some of the finer points I missed! My wonderful doctor, Dr.Chang, is going to have it translated,and also add which acupuncture points he used. I will share this article with brain tumor (support) organizations,and with my surgeons in Boston who will be SO pleased(and they can share my post with their patients as well). The before and after pictures are really remarkable! My main complaints, and I KNOW I shouldn't whine, BUT they are: 1.I do not feel that I need the platinum weight on my left eye anymore - it's TOO BIG and heavy, and NOT necessary, I think. 2. I can't smile all the way on my left side - the left side of my mouth doesn't open...so no more big smiles from Sue! :( It doesn't STOP me from smiling, of course, but I have learned how to smile for pics (I keep my mouth closed).
3. SOMETIMES I get annoyed not being able to hear in my left ear. If I am in a group, or if there is background noise,I have a hard time following conversations.
I AM REALLY TIRED of saying, "Excuse me? Sorry? Pardon?" Maybe I should learn how to read lips.

Ok that's the last of my bitching...for NOW.

After tonight's workout...I REALIZE that exercise has such a profound effect on my mood. It's just not something I need to do to lose weight...it is THE best cure for the blues!

Oh and the OTHER cure for the blues is...DANCING to the BLUES! OOh baby - Sujoy and I danced the night away on Valentine's Day. Just like old times. It was a blast. Thank you, Lord/Greek Gods(!) for MUSIC!!!!!!!

FYI, Sujoy and I fell in love at a blues bar called, Harper's Ferry in Allston/Brighton, Mass....aw!!!!!!
xxxx

Recipe for Life

My friend Anna in San Diego sent me this email.
I get tired of forwarding cool stuff, so I thought I would just share this via my blog.

I have been so down lately (but I am down EVERY February, no matter where I live).
I think there are some great ideas here:

Good Recipe for Life

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. While you walk, smile.
It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
Talk to God about what is going on in your life.

3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement,
'My purpose is to __________ today. I am thankful for_____________'

4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

5. Drink green tea and plenty of water.
Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control.
Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9. Life isn't fair, but it's still good. [YES YES YES AND YEEEEES!]

10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

11. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does. (I have been saying this to myself lately!).

12. You are not so important that you have to win every argument.
Agree to disagree.

13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

14. Don't compare your life to others.
You have no idea what their journey is all about.

15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you. [Yup]

16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words:
'In five years, will this matter?'

17. Forgive everyone for everything.

18. What other people think of you is none of your business.

19. GOD heals everything - but you have to ask Him.

20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

21. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick.
Your friends and family will. Stay in touch!!!

22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements:
I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.

24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

25. When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings.
You'll be smiling before you know it.

I'm Entering a "Biggest Loser" Contest!

ha ha ha!

I belong to a gym here in Taipei called California Fitness.
My trainer told me about a cool contest today. Whoever loses the highest percentage of fat in 3 months splits NT$100,000 with their trainer! $1USD=$32 NT (roughly)...so that's about $1500USD!

I need this incentive as I have consistently gained weight (fat!) since moving to Taipei!
eeks. I HAVE gained muscle weight TOO though...but still...gaining fat is very discouraging...especially since I DO work out (but not enough!).

My trainer said that the last person who won this contest lost 7kg in the 3 month time frame...so that's a good goal to shoot for.

They have a machine that calculates your body fat and lean muscle and how it's distributed. Oddly enough my upper body is stronger than my lower body!

It's good that they are calculating body fat only...I don't want to starve myself and lose lean body mass (which I did over the summer when I did HerbalLife for a spell).

I am psyched to have a GOAL now...but it's gonna be ROUGH.

I'll post BEFORE and AFTER pics at the END of the three months. NOT NOW!

I'm so hungry...hmmm...here we GO!!!

:)