I'm on Diet

Yes, that's right. Me. Je. Mim. I'm on diet. Diet. A word that I never expected to do in my entire life. As when I was in my early teen age, I was skinny. Even after finished my high school, I only weighed about 53 kg (including wallets, clothes, jeans and cell phone). So all my life, I never expected or even thought about diet, how to do it, and above all, why I would do such a strict lifestyle.

I grew up in a society where diet was a symbol of struggle to achieve beauty and curves. Especially during my last years as senior high school student. Many of my female friends idolized and practiced diet. Some were very strict, some were just being on and off. Surely, because we were such young souls, it was not a surprise if most of us practiced diet on such wrong manner. I started to realize how young people understood died wrongfully when I heard my ex-girlfriend refused to have dinner for some days during a week.

Most of the girls, and I'm sure even until now, still believe that having zero dinner for some days would give them a good and positive result. I just couldn't believe it when I got some confirmations from some of her friends. That they all agreed no dinner = diet to reduce one's weight. Even I was never been in any diet program at that time, I was aware that such belief was wrong. It was a fault image and understanding of diet. Of course, I never told them that what they were doing was wrong. High school girls were able to create such mob and havoc, you know. For me, diet is not limiting your frequency of meals, nor eliminating daily meals such as dinner. Diet is limiting the portion for each meal. Starts from choosing carefully your dietary consumption. Get more fruits and vegetables instead of oily or fatty meat. Consume a moderate snacks in between meals, etc.

Anyway, the reason why I start to do my diet is not because I feel too chubby. I just try to reduce the wealth on my face. As I'm happy with my weight, I realized that when I'm over 66 kg, my face starts to look like Fat Albert. But of course, I'm a bit different as I have lighter skin color hehehe.. So since yesterday, I try to consume more fruits and vegetables, I reduce my meals portions. Be it lunch or dinner. For dinner, if I get my dinner after 8 p.m. then it means I could only eat salad with fruits as desserts. And dinner before 8 p.m. would be regulard dinner, only in smaller portions.

For snacks, my only options are fruits such as apples, rock melon, pears or watermelon; and fresh salad. So, salad and fruits will be my very best friends for the next couple weeks. I hope this will work just fine. I have to restrain myself not to have garlic bread for my midnite snacks or cornflakes (yes I love to eat cornflakes for my midnite snacks).

I do some little exercise just to burn up some fat especially around my belly. Of course some little indulgencements are acceptable for sometimes. However, I have to limit them into a moderate portion. So wish me luck!

Where Were You?

Four years ago, on 11th September 2001 to be exact, world once again was shocked and surprised by a man-made tragedy. Two planes hit the World Trade Center (WTC) at the downtown Manhattan. A deliberate attack on America's soil that is considered as a superpower country.

Where were you that day? Do you still remember how that day was like? Of course, I won't ask such questions to the victim's families or whose relatives were unfortunate enough to be the victim of the attack. But for those who saw or heard the news about the attack, do you still remember how you then spend that day? Do you still remember what your reaction was when heard or watched the news? Did you hope for something? Did you pray? Or did you wish something about it?

I do. Soon after the North Tower was hit, I heard about it from a friend who got a phone call from his family. Me and my friends were still awake and playing Counter-Strike in an Internet cafe. It was about 10 or 11 p.m. (FYI: I live in Australia). Soon afterwards, I went home, and watching the news while chatting on the net with my friends. As I lived in a studio apartment that day, the room was designed that I could get the PC just next to my bed and TV facing towards me.

I was there when the towers started to collapse, bury everything and everyone underneath it. I could not believe what I saw, for couple minutes I wish that it was just a bad dream. But it wasn't. After couple minutes, there were no more WTC. The sky of Manhattan was missing something, missing an icon that once represented one of America's pride.

I'm not going to discuss who is guilty or how that such tragedy could take place in America's own yard. I just want to show how sorry I am for those who lost their loved ones from the attacks. Thousands perished, most of them didn't leave any last message to their families and relatives. For their families, it's even hard to accept that the person they love so much was gone... without any single trace. All that prove they had gone is that they never went home. Everything that was left behind was buried under the ruins and debris from the buildings. Even at funeral and commerations, they never be able to find their bodies. Only those two straight beams to the sky where Freedom Towers are gonna be built that show the strength of the people would never die as long as they still breathe.

Any attack on civillians are meant to be condemned. Indeed, sometimes it is an inevitable act that planned to terrorize public. To spread and create anger, shock and tears among the society. However, a deliberate attack on civillians are an act of cowardice.

The September 11 was a tragic day that will be remembered for generations. It was a day that shocked and changed the whole world. Maybe, in the future, when we look back, we might ask ourselves if mankind is meant to continue living and explore the universe. Or will our race survive the devastating resulf of war among ourselves?

"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind."
John Fitzgerald Kennedy

"This little writing is to tribute all families and relatives that lost their loved ones in the September 11 attack, 2001. May we learn and stop the wars before it's too late"