Most of the pictures posted in my blog were taken using my Sony WX5, Nokia n73 and 7610 handphone.
If you have any comments pls leave on my cbox.
31 March 2010
Daiso Swimming goggle $2
Finally i decided to buy a swimming goggle to protect my eyes. All the while i've been swimming with naked eyes. I never buy goggle then because i felt that $20+ for a goggle at royal sporting house was quite a deal. So you can figure out why i bought my goggle at Daiso. Its only $2! Lol.
Just tried my goggle at the swimming pool, it was fine. As long as water doesn't get into my eyes, its cool. Haha. The strap was only one piece of rubber though, outside goggle normally is double strap of rubber. Hope mine doesn't snap so soon. So many years never use goggle, i feel not very comfortable, feels like the goggle blocking my nose breathing.
Wow ages man, the last time i used my Carbonex 8 badminton racket. When i took it out from the dust today, the hand grip's rubber already melted. I went downstairs, bought a LI-NING towel grip and changed it. :) Take a good look at my Carbonex 8, does it look 10years old to you? In fact i have already forgotten how old is Carbonex 8. It was a gift from my aunty, like over 15 years back. Since then i have been using it for all badminton matches.
Today first time play badminton with Joe0 they all. That's another new sport we played! Pretty cool right, every weekend play sports, exercise healthy living. And the best thing is it doesn't cost a lot to play sports, what is cost is lots of... sweat! Healthy living starts from yourself. Start today and influence your friends to join you! Cycling, swimming, jogging, soccer, rollerblading, badmintion, tennis, kayaking... so many! Choose one you like! PS: Dancing at club is not counted :)
Woot saw this nice video about rollerblade slaloming at Orchard Ion and other parts of Singapore. Very cool man, can perform at crowded Orchard. Wait until i got this standard sure play in front of Istana! LOL. (joking) Talk about rollerblade, i already 2 weeks haven't play already. My liner after washed still lying on the floor haven't fix back yet, new wheels also haven't de-wax. zzz.
Joe0 got a queer liking for capsicums. That was pretty surprising for me, cause capsicum got a strong pungent taste and not many people love it. I've never really consume capsicums in my daily meals at all, maybe only once or twice a year in relatively small quantity. She mentioned that capsicum is a healthy food, but how is it beneficial to our body? Being a nutrition enthusiast, here's what i found.
Capsicum is also known as pepper in America. They are mostly use as spices, vegetables and medicines. Capsicum contains low carbohydrates, low fat, low sugar, low sodium while packed with good nutrients like protein, vitamin C, vitamin A, Provitamins E, P, B1, B2 and B3. (Sounds pretty good for weight control while gaining the good nutrients).
Medical benefits of capsicum: - Increases metabolism (for weight loss), - Antioxidant (prevent cancer, heart disease), - Simulates gastric secretions to help with digestion (no need yogurt already), - Lower blood pressure and triglycerides, - Good for treating colds and fevers (think good for Crispy), - Helps prevent migraine headaches (think good for Crispy), - Decreases allergic reactions, - Anti-inflammatory, - Muscle spasms
Red and yellow capsicums taste better as they contains about 2 teaspoons of natural sugar. Green capsicums have little sugar and so taste more bitter. Think i can try adding capsicum to my chicken meal the next time round and see how it goes. :)
Today we full troop went to Sentosa, make up for our previous unfulfilled Sentosa trip. Weather was still fine until the moment when we wanted to take a cab to Sentosa, it rained again! The rain seemed about to stop, so we proceeded to Sentosa Siloso Beach.
We had some moments of fine weather when we reached Siloso Beach. I even bought a Volleyball to add to the fun. That's right, we had a volleyball game. I haven't touch volleyball since my primary school days, nevertheless, we had fun tossing the ball around. I should have taken a picture then. Because soon after, the sky started to rain again! zzz. Deja Vu! We were at the same shelter under the rain at Siloso Beach just like last sunday lol. I bought my suntan lotion twice and never get to use it at all haha.
Even though i lost the volleyball in the end, i got a try of volleyball, basketball and soccer with it. And it make me realised that i really love sports. :) I never really touch sports in my poly and younger days, only recent years then become much sporty. So vast difference that some friends asked me why the change. I said; some things if i don't try now, most probably i will never try in future. If now you are still free, young and full of energy but yet you don't try, what would be the possibility that you will try when you are older with more responsibility and liabilities?
Download videos from website Part 2. Using Orbit (IE and Firefox)
Ok now share with you guys how to download videos directly from website, part 2. If you are using Internet Explorer, or if you doesn't like Downloadhelper for Morzilla Firefox, here is a better alternative. Orbit Downloader, i like this one. :)
Download Orbit here. It is a free software, compatible with Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. Yes, you can uninstall Downloadhelper from Mozilla Firefox if you find Orbit better. Technically Orbit is better cause it accelerate download speed. Also, Orbit is more simple and easier to grab videos now, after their recent patch. Having said all these, have you done installing Orbit already? (Do not install other softwares bundled with Orbit, they are not necessary.)
Once Orbit is installed, open Internet Explorer and go to youtube. Find any video and wait for it to start playing. Once the video starts playing, shift your mouse to the video. You should see a pop up "GET IT".
Click on GET IT. A new pop up for download comes up. Lets see my picture for description in case you are lost.
Be sure to remember and select your download location, you don't want after download have to search high and low for the video! After that is done, click the "DOWNLOAD" button. To monitor on the download status, you can either: - mouse over Orbit's icon at the Taskbar, - Open Orbit and see the downloaded %
Voila! Done! Simple? As i recommended last time, VLC player is good for most videos playback. ownload it here.
FAQs Why doesn't i see GET IT when i place my mouse on the video? - GET IT is disable. Find Orbit's icon at Task Bar. Right Click and check "ENABLE GET IT BUTTON FOR CATCHING MEDIA" and "BROWSER MONITORING".
Yay next week got one new movie that i want to catch: Whip it! It's a movie about roller derby, close relative of rollerblade. :) I have seen the trailer, seems good! Take a peek!
Nice or not? Before watching this movie, it is best to know what is roller derby, the skating game those girls were playing. Wikipedia truncated: Roller derby is an American-invented contact sport, on formation roller skating around an oval track, with points scored as certain players lap members of an opposing team.
To understand Roller Derby better, just watch this simple explanation video.
Today Sentosa outing was not very fun leh. Raining :S Few minutes after we reached Siloso Beach, rain started pouring. We had to have our mini picnic under a shelter, watching the rain. After chilling out for less than an hour, we decided to get out of the boredom and return back to VivoCity. Today i bought my suntan lotion, but no chance to use it. Never mind, next time. :)
Swimmers take note, with effect from 5th April 2010, there will be one weekday morning that will be close for maintenance. The swimming complex will open from 2.30pm to 9.30pm on maintenance day. ie, no morning swim. So for Geylang East swimming complex, every monday no morning swim.
Speaking of swimming, i just received an email pertaining to swimming at Devil's Pool. Heard of it? The Devil's Pool is a naturally formed pool near the edge of the Victoria Falls, 108m height Zimbabwe Africa. Interesting part is that you can swim to the edge of the falls without falling! Sounds crazy because won't the current push you down the falls? But alot of tourist are doing that. This is possible due to a natural rock wall just below the water and at the very edge of the falls that stops their progress despite the current. Reminds me of Bukit Timah's cliff edge! I would love to swim in Devil's pool!
Show you guys one magnificent river of Singapore. Singapore River @ Zion Riverside! What's so special? Take a look.
What's the yellow yellow stuffs covering almost the whole surface of the river? Dead leaves with garbage. I almost thought its a yellow road filled with leaves since i can't see the green river anymore.
Lets see whats we have here: mineral water bottle, food styrofoam boxes, paper cups, packet drinks, can drinks, bamboo stick for hanging clothes??! WTF... amazing! Is this a offshore rubbish dump?
Yay my liners are dry already. I took out my liners and washed together with my guards. They dry fast when the weather is sunny, only need a day. Can't stand my rollerblade getting more and more smelly haha. Now after washed and dried, they smell carefree and odorless! Haha! Now i can put on my rollerblade and season my new wheels.
I think i will make this my monthly maintenance: - wash liners and guards - clean ball bearings (sand, dust, check any rust) - check if need to flip or rotate wheels
You only need 1 day to completely dry the liners and guards, don't hesitate to wash them if they start to smell. They are easy to dry don't worry.
Today i bought a man-tou at Crystal Jade, Great World City.
I had been eyeing it for one week, always contemplating to try it when i walk passed during lunch time haha. Why because i seldom see man-tou selling ready made outside. Buns alot, but this is not bun, its man-tou. Man-tou is like older generation buns you saw from those very old dramas, mostly sold to poor people. When i see man-tou, i think of beggars using their black filthy hands eating it ferociously.
One Crystal Jade's Man-tou cost only 80cents, as big as my palm. It is not available at Takashimaya Crystal Jade. It is sold cold and hard, not right out from the steam fridge. Available also in strawberry and black sesame flavour. The original flavour i tried is very nice, bland light sweet taste with the "cold and hard like rock" bite. Reminds me of poor people eating man-tou. Good old times.
How to get there: Free shuttle bus from Orchard road to Great World City. Level 2 Great World City.
Yay bought new wheels just now, Seba 76mm 85A, $36 at Hvper. Now i can set rocker settings to my rollerblade.
Why/What's rocker setting? Here's the information i gathered:
Full Rocker (aka Banana Rocker) - Middle 2 wheels bigger size than the outermost front/back wheels. - The bigger the 2 middle wheels, the more difficult to balance. Imagine standing on 2 wheels only! - mainly for better response to rotational movement (especially good for Slalom). - To a certain point, mimics ice skate's blade. (ice skate's got the shape of a banana frame). Maybe good for me next time if i play ice skate haha.
There are other wheels setting like HiLO which is good for people who tends to fall backwards, or anti-rocker. More details can be found here.
Later i going to sandpaper my wheels to get rid of the wax. I don't like the gripy feel of new wheels, very easy to lose balance. You will need a alien key to remove the wheels (Some rollerblades need 2 alien keys). If you are removing the wheels for the 1st time, you may need to break the torque. After breaking the torque, later when you put back the wheels, do not tighten too tight. Because the alien key might "round" the nut.
For changing old wheels to new wheels, you need to take out the ball bearings and install onto the new wheels. Use the alien key to hook out the ball bearings. Good chance to clear off any sand or particles inside the ball bearings. Picture shows ball bearings (3 parts on top), and wheels with and without ball bearings.
After removing the wheels, just gently use sandpaper and sand away the layer of wax. Use a higher rough grade sandpaper helps. When the wheels feel smooth and dry, its done. See the color before and after de-waxed. :)
I was thinking, since i am quite a forgetful person, i had better write down some notes on the tricks i've learnt to date. I don't want next time if long time never skate then forget and have to re-learn again. I am going to write comments based on my own personal experience and feels, so if you think otherwise on my comments you are free to go ahead with your own style of doing the tricks. :)
T-brake shall be my first trick here. T-brake is the most basic braking/stopping method, irregardless whether you are a recreational or freestyle skater. (Lets ignore Heel brake :P)
There are 2 common methods of T-brake. Braking foot on the side, making an "L shape", or braking foot right behind the front foot thus making a "T shape".
L-shape. Notice the braking foot is not place directly behind the front foot. This is a harder method than T-shape because you will easily become a "V shape". When the legs are "V-shape", you will turn around. The front leg must always face forward.
T-shape. The braking foot is right behind front foot. Same thing, front leg must face forward or you will twist and turn.
How does T-braking works? Why do i have a sharp stop instantaneously instead of a smooth brake to stop? To have a smooth steady braking, please look at the position of the braking foot.
Braking foot placed directly straight down behind front foot.
Braking foot is tit at an angle around 40 degree.
Whats the difference between placing the braking foot straight down or at an 40 degree angle?
For newbies like me especially if your wheels are brand new, your wheels will have a layer of wax. If you try holding your rollerblade at 90 degree to the ground and try to slide, you will feel the power of the grip. That's the reason why you come to a sharp instantaneously stop instead of sliding smoothly to stop.
Similarly, hold your rollerblade at 40 degree an try sliding on the ground. Better?
Therefore to have a smooth T-braking, the braking foot should tit at an angle rather than placing 90 degree straight down.
FAQS
Why do i tend to turn when i T-brake? Reasons could be: - Front leg not pointing straight, - Your legs are "V shape" or "C shape" other than "L or T shape", - Too much pressure on the braking foot (Slowly get used and add pressure) If you are going to turn, lift off the braking foot and brake again! You have to be firm on the braking foot, do not let it drift off!
It is very hard to place my braking foot at 40 degree. - You are standing too upright and both of your legs are too close. For starters, try front leg's knee bend a little, thus easier for hind braking foot to place at an angle. Front knee bend gives better balance too. See picture.
P/S Beginners can try T-brake on rough grounds like roads. It is easier than smooth ground like inside a rink. Friction on rough surface makes braking easy. :)
Feel like buying 76mm wheels and make my rollerblade rocker. Before buying always must do some research on net haha. I found out that the measurement for hardness of wheels is call Durometer. It is rated by a numeric digit with an "A" behind, ranging 78A-93A. Look at example below:
72/85A means 26mm diameter wheel with durometer 85A hardness. The higher the durometer's numeric digit, the more hard the wheel. So 85A is harder than a 76A wheel.
Some wheels the durometer are not indicated on the wheels itself. So if you really want, you can google the wheels online before buying.
So what are the difference between hard and soft wheels? Based on what i research from other sources:
Hard wheels: Longer lasting, Less grip hence Faster, Harder ride (does not absord shock as good as Soft wheels) Hard wheels are used for sliding as they are less gripy and won't wear off easily after sliding.
Soft wheels: Wear out quicker, More grip hence Slower, Softer ride (absorbs shocks and bumps better) Soft wheels are good for Slalom. These wheels allow you to carve and rip corners at high speeds without sliding out. But they wear out quickly if use for sliding.
So i think i better buy one that is hard enough for slides and normal distance travelling while can still do normal slalom. 85A seems good, same as my current wheels. After all, my aspiration is to learn both slides and slalom haha. Master of all trades.
