Crossroads

I've been in my comfort zone for too long. Soon, trials will come knocking on my door!

The time has come for me to make a big decision!

It has been confirmed. Starting next month, I'll be working at Centro Klang as a part-time personal trainer. There's a problem though. My working days is between Monday to Friday, which means I can't go to cell group anymore on Thursdays in order to sustain my job. If I have to sacrifice cell group, that means I am putting God aside!

The first day of July is the day I'll be signing the contract to finalise things up. I could ask my boss to give me a day off on Thursdays in exchange of working extra hours during Saturdays so that I won't neglect my religious obligations. Even so, this alternative will cause another problem to occur!

You see, most of the running competitions I've participated so far are held on weekends. If I choose to give up my Saturdays instead, my career as an athlete will be in jeopardy. There is just no perfect solution to my predicament. This one cannot! That one also cannot! Either way will force me to make a sacrifice in favour of the other. So the question is, will I put God or my career first? I'm at a crossroad here people!

Which way should I take?

The reason why I put alot of emphasis on this issue is because the outcome can either elevate a whole new breakthrough into my life or tear down everything I have build on & bring me back to the drawing board again! Because of one stupid decision, my life in 2007 was a living nightmare. Surely, I do not want a repeat of 2007!

Going to cell group is like going for Christian fellowship, just like the one you see during high school. It may look like a small matter or rather an unimportant event but I've seen people backslided before for not coming to cell group, among other things as well such as prayer meeting, church, etc. Not immediately of course, but you will see their lives start to fall apart slowly bit by bit. This is something I want to avoid of, which is why I must think this through very carefully!

To create a win-win situation with God, I was thinking why don't I attend another cell group during weekends. Ar see so simple, problem solved! But, but, butt! I doubt my leaders will accept this idea, I'm not really sure why but I have a strong feeling it will not go down well with them (think of Wayne Rooney transferring to Liverpool).

Whatever it is, I only have less than a week to make a decision. God, tell me what should I do!


27th June, 7am at Dataran Merdeka. Be there or be square!

Annually, this is one of the biggest marathons in M'sia. When I say biggest, it means there are hundreds of celebrities & personalities participating in this run. Apart from that, the number of runners is enough to make an army! I'm glad I can now give myself a reason to start hitting the treadmill again. So far I know six people will be joining this event too, one of them who is none other than my favourite guy, Teh Yong Yuan!

Courtesy of Nova

Seriously, you gotta love this dude! He's the reason why I keep coming back to serve in the usher ministry again & again. He's like the best brother anyone could ever have, gayishly speaking. It's very hard to find people like him nowadays who just want to build a relationship with you rather than seeing what you can offer him in return. Mystery Shopper gives his professional recommendation that you go make friends with this bloody son of a...

Anyway, you'll be shocked to know that Teh is planning to run a full marathon this coming Sunday. A full marathon is worth 42km, that is like four times my category which is only 10km! My God, only elite athletes can compete in a full marathon because they are mentally prepared & physically conditioned for such long distances. Whereas Teh is just...you know, Teh. Nevertheless, I admire his spirit for attempting the impossible. And it is his spirit that earn him my utmost respect for him, both as a leader & friend ~

"To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them" - Charles de Montesquieu

When Learning Is No Longer Joyful

Your best days as a student is during university, or is it?

Tan Vi June actually has this shirt!

C'mon people, is university life really that bad? Besides describing it as boring, tough, stressful, hectic or hellish, don't you have any positive comments at all? I am gonna pursue my basic degree this coming September. You guys should be encouraging me, not the other way around!

One of my previous postings stated on why I envied others whom are studying in traditional universities besides mine;

"What I really want out of my university years is a campus life. In other words, a campus life is where I get to hang out & make new friends, join clubs & societies, represent the university as a delegate at special events & who knows, probably get a girlfriend! That is what OUM actually lacks in, a large space for students to develop their social & creativity skills"

However, this is not the case though. Whenever I ask you people on how's life in uni, I can expect only the typical response, which is either boring, tough, stressful, hectic or hellish because of assignments, exams & presentations! So cham meh? I thought being a student is suppose to be the most exciting & enriching experience of your lives!

If this is the only picture I can remember of myself when I grow old, then forget it. Count me out!

Hell no!

You guys very funny lah. I am the one suppose to be complaining you know because I thought (ar see, again I thought) I'm at a disadvantage here because my chosen uni is not a 'normal' uni, you get what I mean? In other words, I don't attend lecture halls or tutorial classes like everyone does. Instead, I am given the flexibility to arrange meetings with my prospective lecturers of where & when to meet up. Come to think of it, it's actually a good thing isn't it?

OUM, are we destined to make beautiful music together?

But seriously, show me some enthusiasm about your respective unis & courses, okay guys? It's awesome to be a student, & it should be. Always be hungry to seek knowledge. Always be curious to know how things work. And please don't complain, because there are others out there whom are not as fortunate as you to even get an education in the first place. The next time you see me, you know what to do right? Encourage me ~

"I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework" - Lily Tomlin

Sell Sell Sell

I finally got a job, yucky sucky! That sounds so mature!

Guess which gym am I working for?

These are the criteria I've set myself for consideration before finding a job;

1. Working hours must be between 4-6 hours per day
2. Saturday & Sundays are my off-days
3. I can still participate in sporting events & go for church
4. Cannot, & I mean cannot clash with studies
5. Workplace not too far from home
6. Most of the time, I only need to use either English or Malay during conversations
7. I get to wear shorts for work
8. Wages not less than RM800 per month
9. I can still be myself, literally
10. Hot chicks, lots of hot chicks. That means a KFC outlet has to be nearby

A bit too much right? I may be ACE certified, but that doesn't mean I could use my qualifications to call the shots rather than my prospective boss. Nevertheless, if I cannot fulfill all of the criteria above, I should at least able to secure a part-time position. This is the main priority, go part-time!

But very hard lah to find a part-time job at fitness centres these days! Everywhere I went around Subang also told me the same thing, "We only want full-time staffs, not part-timers." Just when I'm about to give up my colourful lifestyle by working full-time instead, an idea popped up in my head.

I remembered while I was still undergoing through the process of getting certified, one my coursemates managed to find a part-time job in a well known gym nearby the Curve. Therefore, I've decided to do the same thing by first visiting that particular gym's main branch in Klang.

Centro Klang, so far?

It's not that far lah actually. Just take a RapidKL bus from the Sri KL School & then you will reach Klang in less than 30 minutes! How I know ar? This is something you'll obtain after working for awhile as a mystery shopper, navigation skills motherfeather!

The manager I've met over there for interview was actually a very nice person. She has no problem in hiring me part-time. The only thing she's concerned about me is my lack of experience in doing sales & inability to converse in Chinese! Alright I'll explain what does the first problem mean.

All commercial gyms have only one goal, which is to sell sell sell. If they can't sell, then can't get profit. And if they can't get profit, then they can't expand or even survive! As a personal trainer in commercial gyms, I have to persuade potential clients to sign up up for membership as well as personal training sessions in which my course did not prepare me for this aspect, the business part!

The second problem is that the people in Klang, whom the majority are Chinese either don't speak England or American, similar to their cousins in KL. The manager went on to say that these folks are not sophisticated nor cultured unlike those living in the suburbs. But I want to stress one thing. It's not about who is better. We are just different, that's all! Sorry ya please don't get mad if you're from Klang or KL!

So to avoid language barrier, I asked the manager if she can employ me in this branch instead;


PJ Trade Centre, motherfeather!

Honestly, I really fell in love with Damansara ever since my course started here last February. I'll be damn happy if I can get this branch instead of Klang. Just imagine it, the Curve & 1 Utama is like just located beside your workplace everyday. So awesome right?

Even if I must work in Klang, it's okay, it's okay *pat myself on the back*. At the end of the day, the company I'll be working for is a BIG name in the fitness industry. I can't tell you which gym exactly because I want you to personally ask me in person, muahaha!

"Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary" - Cecil Beaton