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Monday, April 18, 2016

Instagram Snapshots ~*December 2015*~

I had wanted to switch from a monthly instasummary update to a quarterly one for 2016. Just when I wanted to do Jan, Feb and Mar 16, I realised that Dec 15 one is missing.

December instagram snapshots are mostly about the season of giving which you would have seen in these posts: Christmas Over To New Year Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.

In all OCD nature and for record purpose, I will not want a missing Instagram snapshot series and so here is December instasummary sealed here on my blog.




~*1 December 2015*~
Blogged about our first dining experience at Mitzo. Clickable link in IG profile.
#roastporkbelly #siuyuk #烧肉 #mitzosg #instafood #ilovefood #eateateat #fatdieme




~*3 December 2015*~
Automatically transforms into a pig whenever the hub is around... Sautéed clams in sherry wine, grilled beef with foie gras, paella, sangria, sliced pineapple with ice cream and sweet wine. Totally fat die us!
#spanishfood #serenity #instafood #ilovefood #foodie #foodporn #fatdieme #eateateat




~*5 December 2015*~
Family 全家福照 at Cuzzie Caleb's wedding. Congrats Cuzzie Caleb! #ilovemyfamily #全家福 #familyphoto




~*5 December 2015*~
Me and my forever youthful mum with fascinator!!! She picked those props out among all the props. OmG. I always felt such head gear could make one look super classy Brit or fashionably chic or plain stupid. Well I hope we belong to the former two. 😁 #fascinator #meandmymum #looklikesisters




~*9 December 2015*~
Have you done your Christmas shopping yet?
Lazada Singapore Online Revolution will close with a 3-day final sale from tomorrow, 10 Dec to 12 Dec. Expect great deals up to 90% off!
For more details, check out the link on my IG profile.
@lazadafashion @lazada_sg #lazada #christmasshopping #megasale #bokeh




~*10 December 2015*~
I got myself and my sisters @kappo77 and @kezel 2016 schedule books for Christmas! I was undecided between choosing the Tare Panda or Kutusita Nyanko cat and got the cat in the end. I'm so happy that unlike last year, Kinokuniya stocked up on lots of pretty Japanese style 2016 schedule books this year. I'm also so happy that I'll be able to start recording all the important meetings dates in Jan 16. Been feeling so handicapped without the January space. #schedulebook #planner #tarepanda #kutusitanyanko




~*10 December 2015*~
After exercising, it's time for food! Beef pie that tasted like lasagne at #starbucks #weworkouttoeat




~*11 December 2015*~
DFO Family Day at Universal Studios Singapore. We had a fun filled day with the OED family. It's always more fun to queue up together and take rides in a group. I've not played till so tired for a such long time! #universalstudios #universalstudiossingapore #uss #familyday #ilovemycolleagues




~*12 December 2015*~
My Danboard arrived in the mail today!!! I'm EXCITED beyond words!!! Now I'm torn if I should pick one to keep and give the rest away or to keep them all. #firstworldproblems #danboardmini #danbo #collectibletoys




~*12 December 2015*~
This year's season of giving started with volunteering at Touch Young Arrows for a Christmas event for the kids. Another coach and I got the loudest and most active boy in class for the wishes and dreams activity. It took a while to crack the tough nut and then we became friends. He even asked if he would see us again and that he would miss us. Awww... When you give your heart out, you also get a heart in return! ❤️
#spiritofgiving #volunteering #touchyoungarrows #christmas2015




~*14 December 2015*~
Annual gelish manicure session. Purple and deep red Christmas nails in an attempt to match my hair. #instanails #nailart #manicuremonday #christmas2015




~*17 December 2015*~
Super love my new Chip and Dale cable organizers and Gingy earphone winder. Never will I see tangled wires in my battery juice pack pouch again. #disneytsumtsum #chipanddale #gingy #cuteness #christmas2015




~*17 December 2015*~
When we said that we have been frenz for 20 years, we all pretended that we knew one another since we were 5. So you know, we are REALLY 25 years young. :p 😜 #galpals #friendsfor20years #capitolpiazza #ilovemyfriends #oldfriends #christmas2015




~*18 December 2015*~
On the last Friday before Christmas, we had one for one large scoop Ben and Jerry's ice cream. Creamy... Fruity... Delicious but sweetness overload. #BenAndJerrys #icecream #sweetnessoverload #fatdieme #ilovefood




~*19 December 2015*~
A Moroccan Christmas tea and a wefie with the Christmas tree. Ooh, that rhymes. #christmas2015 #christmastea #wefie #galpals #ilovemyfriends




~*20 December 2015*~
Purple hair update

My 3-tone purple hair taken under natural day light streaming in from the window 6 weeks after the colour job

The reddish purple has faded the most with some parts turning pinkish

The violet has turned to what the reddish purple initially was

And I stupidly didn't include the indigo (bluish purple) streak in this photo which has also faded to a more obvious bluish purple as opposed to how dark and nondescript it was at the beginning

My dark brown base colour (which I liked) has also become a lighter brown (that I like too)

For more accurate depiction, I will also include photos taken under sunlight, warm and cool indoor lighting along the way as the colours and hair condition look different under different lighting

#purplehair #purplehairdontcare #longhairdontcare #instahair #mypurplehair #mylittlepony #unicornhair




~*20 December 2015*~
It's been a whirlwind of Christmas preparation, Christmas gatherings and running of errands the past few days. Ate lots of good food, drank lots of mystical tea, had a wonderful host and enjoyed great company today! Badly wished to replenish all the lost sleep but there's still a load of presents to wrap tonight. #christmas2015 #christmastea #ilovemyfriends #greatcompanygreatfood #ineedsleep




~*21 December 2015*~
It takes Facebook Memory to remind all of us that the Bimbos and Himbo met on the same date for our Christmas gathering 2 years ago. For this Christmas, we missed Bimbo @xtinaong, got transported back to 1933 and laughed the whole place down. One thing remains constant... We are really bimbotic. #christmas2015 #bimbosisters #bimbos #besties #galpals #ilovemyfriends #1933




~*22 December 2015*~
This year's Christmas cards come in the form of a Lucky Kitty. They aren't very Christmassy and the conceptualization for these cards were inspired by sheer silliness. Damn boh liao I know. Now... I wonder how many people really rubbed their Lucky Kitty's tummy. #christmas2015 #luckykitty #ilovecats #handmadewithlove #handmadechristmas #boliao #bohliao #无聊 #christmascard #CLEOBuzz




~*22 December 2015*~
My bimbotic friends are too bimbotic. They really rubbed their kitty's tummy as soon as they received their good luck kitty. We thought that the punchline came from @gerrachong but watch till the end. #christmas2015 #rubthekitty #kittytummy #handmadewithlove #bimbos #bimbosisters #boliao #bohliao #无聊 #ilovemyfriends #那个colour会smudge #christmascard #CLEOBuzz




~*24 December 2015*~
It has since become a tradition to find a new house to crash every Christmas Eve. Like last year, it was a great department Christmas party coz of our efficient party planner, great host with a lovely home and of course the amazing OEDian spirit and warmth. #christmas2015 #ilovemycolleagues #ilovemyfriends #christmaseve #christmasparty




~*25 December 2015*~
I kinda wished we were in a cold wintry country celebrating Christmas like this throwback picture taken in Paris. It's past midnight here in Singapore. Merry Christmas! May this Christmas sparkle and shine for you, and may the year ahead bring an abundance of peace and joy to all of you. #merrychristmas #christmas2015 #christmaswishes #throwback #bluechristmas #sparkleandshine #christmasinparis




~*25 December 2015*~
It's a black and purple Christmas. The past few days were spent with frenz frenz frenz so today is all for the hubz. Really excited to go for our first Gold Class movie

Hubz said
It's a preppy brown and blue Christmas. The past few days were spent with work work work and today I still gotta slog for the wife. Spent 80 bucks just for movie




~*26 December 2015*~
Lots and lots of presents to unwrap on Boxing Day! Gotta rope the hubby in to help with the unwrapping too. Beads of sweat rolled down my face and neck just from unwrapping these gifts from the people at work (and arranging these for photo taking). #christmas2015 #boxingday #giftsfromtheheart #feelingloved #ilovemycolleagues #ilovemyfriends #christmaspresents #CLEOBuzz




~*26 December 2015*~
My tradition to unwrap Christmas gifts on Boxing Day continues. Here are the gifts from frenz I've met up with so far. #christmas2015 #boxingday #christmaspresents #ilovemyfriends #feelingloved #giftsfromtheheart #galpals #CLEOBuzz




~*28 December 2015*~
Christmas with my other family tonight. We don't look our best here. We look totally wacky. But it is definitely our cutest shot. Check out how many hands were holding little Mia down as the countdown timer went off. She was more excited standing right in front of the phone and looking at herself in the screen than being with us in the shot. #christmas2015 #ilovemyfriends #ilovemyfamily #besties #galpals #godkids #feelingloved #iphonefrontcamera




~*28 December 2015*~
What went on behind the scene of the wacky Christmas props photo... P, @cyngapore @123jaselim and I were eagerly putting on the props and readying ourselves on the sofa but there was a little girl who loved walking to the phone to look at herself in the screen a lot more than to sit with us. We always had to dragged her back to the scene and place a Christmas prop on her. Cuteness overload! #christmas2015 #besties #galpals #godkids #ilovemyfamily #ilovemyfriends #feelingloved #cuteness


~*28 December 2015*~
Hello Kitty in the house. A Christmas wefie with Bestie Cyn. The last time we had a 2 of us wefie was months ago. #christmas2015 #besties #galpals #ilovemyfriends #hellokitty




~*29 December 2015*~
Ma La Xiang Guo 麻辣香锅 at Alexandra Village Hawker Centre! This is the first time I'm eating the same type of food for lunch and dinner on the same day. When the hubz heard that I had Ma La Xiang Guo at Vivocity Kopitiam for lunch, he had craving for it and I decide I could do with ma la for dinner too. Verdict? I prefer this one! More flavourful, more spicy and cheaper. #麻辣 #麻辣香锅 #mala #malaxiangguo #hotandspicy #ilovefood #instafood #foodie #foodporn #yummyinmytummy #eateateat #fatdieme




~*30 December 2015*~
Last department lunch of 2015 with whoever that was left in the office today. A few of us had the soba and mini salmon rice bowl set from Watami. Photo credit @ange1ajane #watami #soba #japanesefood #lastlunch #yummyinmytummy #foodie #foodporn #instafood #fatdieme #eateateat




~*30 December 2015*~
Tonkatsu at Tonkichi for dinner. Can never get sick of Jap food. Not the most tender and not the least scratchy tonkatsu around. #tonkichi #tonkichitonkatsu #tonkatsu #foodporn #foodie #instafood #fatdieme #eateateat #friedfood #japanesefood




~*31 December 2015*~
Purple hair update

My hidden 3-tone purple hair taken under warm indoor light close to 8 weeks after the colour job

Hair doesn't look as shiny as the natural day light photo I posted about 2 weeks ago.
The reddish purple has faded the most with some parts turning pinkish at the ends

The violet and reddish purple parts blend in to look almost similar at times and could only be differentiated under certain lightings

It is always difficult to pick out the indigo (bluish purple) streak to snap even though it has faded to a more obvious bluish purple as opposed to how dark and nondescript it was at the beginning

My dark brown base colour which faded to a lighter brown did not fade further.
For more accurate depiction, I will also include non-filtered photos taken under sunlight, warm and cool indoor lighting along the way as the colours and hair condition look different under different lighting

#purplehair #purplehairdontcare #longhairdontcare #instahair #mypurplehair #mylittlepony #unicornhair #nofilter




~*31 December 2015*~
I'm an 80s baby and I've never ever liked the Generation 4 My Little Ponies until I saw this Water Cutie

It was her 2-tone purple hair that first caught my eye, followed by the unique transparent body filled with water and glitter for a fabulous, sparkly look. "Her hair is purple! Just like me. And she is a unicorn pony. I love unicorns!" I texted the hub

I don't think he even cared a hoot about my purples and ponies and unicorns, merely humoring me by agreeing she's pretty unique

I went home with my heart still on the pretty pony and started reading up on Generation 4 My Little Ponies. This unicorn pony is called Rarity and her characteristic traits are 90% me! It's a sign for me to buy her!
http://mlp.wikia.com/wiki/Rarity

So I went out and bought her. I'm loving her to bits and haven't regretted my decision of buying her on impulse

And that is my frivolous pony story to welcome the new year

#mylittlepony #mylittleponyfriendshipismagic #raritypony #rarity #purplehair #unicornpower #toycollector




~*31 December 2015*~
On the last day of 2015, I would like to say something which I've said before on my blog 2 years ago

Thank you to those who hated me, they made me a stronger person

Thank you to those who loved me, they made my heart bigger

Thank you to those who were worried about me, they let me know that they actually cared

Thank you to those who left me, they made me realize that nothing lasts forever

Thank you to those who entered my life, they made me who I am today

Just want to thank all of you for being here in my life

As we usher in the year 2016, let us all be wiser and be grateful for our blessings. My new year's goal in 2016 is to accomplish the goals of 2015 which I should have done in 2014 because I made a promise in 2013 and planned in 2012.
Happy new year!

Monday, April 11, 2016

Bubble Bump Bubble Bummed... Why Bubble Bump Soccer Is Not That Safe As Claimed

Disclaimer: I wrote this because of my own unpleasant experience and I'm in no way holding anyone else responsible for my injury but myself. I hope that anyone intending to play bubble bump would take note of all that they should know which isn't stated on the website and make a well informed decision of whether to go ahead with the game.




Two months ago on the Friday before Chinese New Year, our department had a Bubble Bump Soccer sports event after the department CNY lunch.




Some of you may have known that it was from playing Bubble Bump Soccer with my colleagues that I injured my knee and have never fully recovered till now. My closer friends also know that this knee injury has contributed greatly to the bouts of feeling upset about my overall health and physical well-being.




Let's look at some fun and happy pictures first before I elaborate more on how if I could turn back the time, I WOULD NEVER have played this stupid game.

This picture is fun coz everyone was spontaneously dressed in either black or in CNY bright colours like red, pink, orange and yellow whereas our boss was in between in shades of grey.




There are a few places to play this game in Singapore. We played it at The Cage @ Kallang. Before the game, there was safety brief and game instructions by the facilitator.




It was initially really funny to see my colleagues being bumped and rolling around. There were also instances of being flipped completely upside down with legs flailing in the air. Everyone outside of the cage kept laughing at the silly sight and some even took videos to enjoy after the event.




However, it wasn't exactly funny once you are in the bubble suit. Each game lasted only a few minutes and by then all of us were drenched in sweat. Unless you are some Greek god, there is no way you could play two consecutive games in a row. We definitely had to take turns because it was way too tiring.




Besides Bubble Bump Soccer, we also played Bubble Bump Invasion which was the more "violent" and competitive game.




Now we come to the 5 reasons why I hated being in the bubble suit:
  1. The bubble suit was damn smelly even after disinfecting. I almost died from the stench. It didn't help that the straps were fabric and most of the stench came from there. 
  2. It was really hot in the suit. Your perspiration would just flow out like the Niagara Falls all the way from head to toe. 
  3. I could hardly see through the suit even at the transparent parts. 
  4. It was very stressful on the body, creating severe strain even after a mere 5 minutes. For somebody who had been exercising regularly, I felt a huge strain on my neck, shoulder and back even with the safety straps on. In fact, the first bubble suit I was in had a practically useless pair of straps that kept slipping off my shoulders. The facilitator had tightened it to the max but the straps still kept slipping off. In the end, I had to use lots of arm muscles to lift the bubble suit to compensate for ineffective straps. I cannot imagine how this game is bearable for people who do not exercise regularly.
  5. The loose straps caused lots of velcro chaffing and totally spoilt the surface of my brand new Puma dri-fit top. 
The next and final bubble suit I had was much better. Straps that fit. No sweat stink except for chemical plasticky smell. Slightly lesser strain to neck, shoulders and back but same amount of sweat. This suit made the game more bearable until the accident occurred.

~

The Knee Injury

A colleague bumped into me and as I "flew" up, I felt and thought I heard a pop in my left knee. I felt as if my whole calf had pushed into my thigh thus creating a trauma in the knee and that pop sound.

As I lay down on my back flat in the bubble suit, I felt severe pain in the outer knee as I started to hyperventilate in the very stuffy suit.

Nobody knew what happened initially as there was a lot of commotion all around and it happened in a flash. On top of that, most of my colleagues' gaze were on the other side of the field where something unpleasant was happening too.

Now, the trick to getting up in that silly suit whenever I fell was to roll over with belly down and to kneel my way up to a complete stand. For the many times I fell, I could easily do that even with the whole weight of the bubble suit on my neck, shoulders and back, and with the restrictions at the thigh area.

After lying there with nobody noticing that I was having problems, I tried very hard to stand but I couldn't. I used every ounce of energy left in me to roll to my knees with all my might. I tried heaving myself up by alternating my legs, only to have my left knee give way and collapse each time I put pressure on the left.

My next instinct was to wiggle myself out from the bubble suit. I thought that with the weight taken off my body, I might just be able to stand.

With the hyperventilating, I was running short of air in the bubble suit. I knew I had to get out or I might just faint in the bubble. Yes, there is a hole at the top and bottom. But when you have been running around in a plastic suit all drenched in sweat and with heat radiating from your body within the bubble, you would definitely feel short of breath easier.

I tried very hard to wiggle myself out and when I was finally out of that stupid bubble and tried to walk, I crashed down onto the ground. I thought I was too tired and tried to stand again, my left leg trembled and gave way as I collapsed onto the ground once more and then the third time.

I then realised that I could no longer feel anything in my left leg as I witnessed my left leg trembling nonstop.

By then, some colleagues saw that I was sitting on the grass trembling and hyperventilating and started scrambling to my side. I tried to speak but no voice came out. Nobody knew exactly the extent of my knee injury as I kept pointing to it without speaking. I had never ever felt anything like this in my life. It was a mixture of pain, anguish at not being able to control my left leg and fear of what was happening to me. I felt incapacitated, like my left leg wasn't mine.

~

Why Bubble Bump Is Not That Safe

This game is claimed to be safe for both the young and old as long as you follow the simple rules or have no back injuries or other severe physical injuries.

I seriously beg to differ.

This game has since caused lots of injuries to physically fit people. After learning about my knee injury, I have friends telling me how people they know had sprained their ankle, twisted their knee, hurt or strained their back and neck and dislocated their shoulder from playing the same game!

My TCM and my friend's orthopedic doctor confirmed that this game is truly not as safe as claimed. The most common injuries are twisted ankles.

As stated on almost all Bubble Bump websites locally and internationally, the bubble suit is made out of durable material which will absorb heavy impact well with two straps inside the inner sphere for you to strap your body with for a secure fit, and two handles for holding on for additional safety.

Yes all these are just as safe as you can get.

If you were to look at the whole suit, your body is safely cocooned but the legs are vulnerable in the open and carrying more weight. Your legs, your knees, your ankles are bearing lots of unnecessary weight and pressure especially when you twist and turn with the bubble suit restricting your upper body movement which would normally react together with your legs to maintain stability.

~

How Acupuncture Treatment Helped

On the day itself, I could not even walk as my left leg would tremble and lock. My colleagues had to send me right up to my door step and helped me into my house.

Later that night, I made my way alone to the TCM for my first acupuncture ever. Guessed how I walked? I hopped on my right leg all the way from the cab to the clinic as the left simply could not take any pressure. Although I hated the nervy feeling of the acupuncture needles, I was amazed at the powers of Traditional Chinese Medicine! I need not hobble and could walk with a limp after the first treatment!

Pardon the flabby tummy and stumpy legs.



~

Aftermath

I spent the next few days of CNY celebrations in clothes that could match my ballerina flats and had to put on an ugly knee guard. For the next few weeks after the knee trauma, I could not even apply pressure on my left leg. My knee would shiver, jerk, lock and twist outward to the side, causing pain to the outer flesh, muscle, ligament (whatever those parts that are not the bone part of the knee are called).

The only thing I can do now is walk almost like normal. However, I cannot do lots of simple daily activities like going in and out of the car normally, boarding and alighting from a bus, chasing after a closing lift, standing too long on a long crowded commute to name a few. My knee continues to lock, jerk and twist outwards if I tried to do my normal activities that put pressure on the left side.

For the last 2 weeks, I had not experienced any jerking, locking and twisting but I could no longer bend my left leg normally or even use squat toilets. The flesh above and below the outer knee would hurt when bent.

Without being able to bend normally, I won't be able to attend my usual pilates class that involves lots of squats and bending of knees for goodness knows how long. Even the yoga classes that I attend involve lots of knee bending too. To think that I just signed up for a 2 year package in January!

I have since stopped all yoga and pilates lessons and in fact, all forms of exercise. I was just beginning to get into the regime of regular exercise, feeling a lot more positive about my health and getting myself more toned, only to have everything terminated by this stupid knee injury.

So far, I have undergone 3 acupuncture sessions and have an appointment with the orthopedic and sports clinic at a public hospital tomorrow.

From all that I have read on the Internet about knee locking and twisting, I self diagnosed my condition as some form of meniscus injury. The doctor affiliated to my organisation suspected an ACL tear.

I do hope that the diagnosis from the specialist would be more accurate and I hope a scan could be performed to make sure there isn't any loose bone fragments in my knee during the accident or a keyhole surgery is required to remove the debris. I'm praying for the best.

I actually do feel extremely lousy and very upset at myself for playing Bubble Bump.

My knee injury had added quite a lot of angst whenever I have bouts of depression. Maybe I'm using "depression" too loosely but to be very honest, I do get very depressed in phases especially in the domain of health.

I just want to lead a normal life.



~

Update after seeing the specialist today (12 April 2016):

: ( The knee orthopedic specialist confirmed that the knee injury is 100% an ACL tear. He did various tests and the 3 tests for ACL tear all proved positive.

: ( A torn ACL is not able to heal on its own. The specialist advised that if I were to continue rigorous sports, it would be sensible to undergo reconstructive surgery to repair the ACL. However, for non-athletes, it is perfectly alright not to go through this. I could still decide down the road if I want to opt for it.

: ( Suspected lateral meniscus tear.

: ( Suspected lateral collateral ligament tear.

: ) X-Ray scans revealed no bone fragments, thankfully! No need for debris removal surgery.

: | An MRI scan would confirm all suspicions and pinpoint the exact injuries though the specialist said that the scan is inconsequential to my physiotherapy treatment unless I am opting for reconstructive ACL surgery.

: | For now, I would go for physiotherapy sessions every week to build up the muscles to compensate for the lack of ACL support while allowing the meniscus and ligament tear to heal on their own. I would perhaps get a second opinion from the people there on whether I should opt for the ACL reconstructive surgery in time to come.

Sad max.

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