I am continuing with my morning walk/jog for half-an-hour.  With all the sweat and breathing hard, I felt good.  This cardiovascular form of exercise is good for my health and I aim to keep myself healthy with this enjoyable form of exercise. The morning air is fresh and felt good. One meets the regular runners, joggers, tai chi group and others who regularly perform their own exercise routine.
Sometimes my wife will accompany me and we walk together around the lake. But she is not too regular.  How I wish she is as enthusiastic as I am with this morning physical exercise routine.
After a few kilometers of jogging, one starts to breathe hard and this fills your lungs with lots of oxygen.  One is energised. It's a good feeling. I think all distance runners feel this exhilaration.  Sometimes one gets into a condition called the "runners high" - feeling a kind of buoyancy, a lightness, almost floating. Yes, it's invigorating.

Looking through all the photos taken during the year - brings back fond memories of the things I did.
Most of the photos are the grandchildren while they are at play. What else do children do? But the difference here is I, the grandfather, by bringing the grandchildren to the playground enable them to have great fun and burn all the energy so that they would enjoy deep peaceful sleep.  Their parents are busy at work.  I began to think how much they must envy me for enjoying the company of their children while they are stuck in their jobs

Soon, in a few more days, it'll be 2015. Another year has gone and I'll be a year older, which means I'll be 77 years old in another one-half month.  What a life it has been.  We all have our ups and downs in our life and I seem to manage to go through all the tribulations unscathed - wiser, more mature and hopefully more humble.

I am beginning to realize that not all very religious people are good people.  Some can be very obnoxious.  I have met a few of them and now have resolved to avoid them like the plague.  They are too self-righteous.  They like to flaunt their religiosity and show a "holier-than-thou" attitude. I am amused at their theatrics.  A more ominous development is the tendency of some, who are in a position of authority, are beginning to flex their muscles and threaten to muzzle those who criticise them. They are using officialdom to impose restrictions and prohibitions in accordance to their interpretation of the religion. I view all these developments with the greatest of repugnance.  These religious people have a 14th century mindset.  They are out of sync with the dynamics of 21st century, multi-racial society. They should be placed in the museum where they belong.

Our house renovation is still going on.  I wonder when it'll be completely ready for occupation again. For now, my wife and I are staying in our eldest son's house, about 7 km from our house.  In this house, we have a room availed to us; quite comfortable and my wife can cook too which makes the grandchildren happy.  Eating in the shop is not too appetising - nothing like home cooking.
On 3rd Dec, my brother-in-law died.  He was 84.  His wife, who is my elder sister died just a few months earlier.  She was 79. My wife and I attended their funeral.  The passing of a close family is always very sad.  However, many old relatives, in-laws came to attend the funeral and we have a chance to meet each other. After that, we all go our different ways. Life must go on.

Life long learning: that's what I'm experiencing now. I have just bought a new notebook computer.
It's a macbook air and am now in the process of learning how to uses it. It's an entirely new world for me: being so used to microsoft and migrating to a mac is a big moment of discovery. Lucky for me, I have my niece, who is studying in the university and she has acquired a macbook air at a discounted student price. She is now teaching me on how to use this notebook.  Yes, how wonderful - a 17 year old girl teaching a 76 year old! It's great. One is never too old to learn.

These last few weeks have been quite hectic for me and the family. Two grand-daughters went down with dengue fever and was hospitalised.  The mother of one of the grand-daughters too, went down with the fever and was also hospitalised. I was very much troubled and felt terrible anguish at these happenings to our family. I am grateful to the hospital staff who conscientiously attended to those down with dengue fever. These are the dedicated doctors, nurses and staff of Klinik Seksyen 7, Shah Alam and the doctors and nurses in the Hospital Tuanku Ampuan Rahimah (HTAR), Klang. I felt deeply indebted for their selfless and dedicated service.

Attending a computer course

I have just attended a computer course - on how to compose, edit and design a basic blog.  This is meant for beginners and non-computer savvy people, like myself.  About 12 people attended this course - being held at the local mosque.  I quite like it - a new experience for me.  Hopefully, I am able to improve on my blog postings and make a better presentation in future postings.  And I still consider myself as still groping about, slow on the uptake but nevertheless eager to learn.

This is a family photo during a Hari Raya.

Reading is another passion of mine.  I am a member of the National Library and I regularly go to this library to borrow at least 3 books at a time.  Sometimes I completed reading all 3 books, but at other times either one or two of the books as some may turn out to be uninteresting.  One particular book which I recently read at one go (from 7.30 pm to 12.30 am) was entitled: "And I alone survived" by Laurene Elder.  She described her ordeal in getting down a mountain slope after the Cessna plane with two other people on board crashed on the mountain slope. The other two died.
"Lauren Elder's story is an evocation of the will to live, a triumphant affirmation of the capacity of a human being to fight on when every instinct screams that it would be better to lie down and die in peace.  It is impossible to read this book without feeling of pride that one is of the same species as its author."
I agree with that description of the book.  What a good read.

I am getting more and more excited these last few days.  I just bought me a new Smart Phone - the Samsung Galaxy S5.  This is a new high tech stuff for me and even though I receive a thorough explanation from the salesman, I am quite baffled how to operate it and use all the features available.  I couldn't even get it started when I brought it back home - because I don't know how to scan my finger for security detection.  I even jumble on my alternate password - oh gosh.  Lucky for me, my grandson came to the rescue.  Yes, he's just 11 years old, but very tech savvy.  Now I am slowly getting the hang of it, and I am excited.  This Samsung Galaxy S5 has so many features, I think it'll take me several months before I can get fully acquainted with it.  For a 76 year old, life is getting more and more exciting.  And I aim to enjoy every moment of it - before I am being sent to the scrap heap.

Just read in the newspapers recently, a Kenyan runner won the London Bridge International Marathon, in about 2 hours 4 minutes plus.  Wow!  What an admirable achievement.  In the female category, also won by a Kenyan.  Very admirable.  In the Penang Bridge International Marathon, the first three places were all won by Kenyans.  They are really great runners, these Kenyans.  They must have trained very hard to be able to achieve what they have achieved.

Writing this on the morning of the 15th February, 2014.  I am exactly 76 years old today.  Life goes on as usual.  Normal activity such early morning jog around 5 km, followed by light calisthenics in the room, with light weights of barbells and dumbells.  Feels good.  Nice to do physicalworkout and have a sweat.
Yes, to be healthy at this age is very important to me.  Always in my mind:  You must work hard for your health.  And that, is exactly what I always do.  And I love every moment of it.
There is another interesting phenomena that I noticed.  When I was 60, I could do the 10 km run in 60 minutes. At 70, the time taken: approximately 70 minutes.  Maybe when I am an octogenarian, I might be able to do the 10 km run in 80 minutes?  Hopefully so.  Its a target eagerly looking forward to.

As a septuagenarian, I like reading books on health, as to be healthy is the most important thing at this juncture of my life.  Recently I read this book: "Anti-Ageing Handbook" by Dr. Geraldine Mittons - New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd. I particularly like this piece: What is youthful ageing?  Good health and youthful ageing have many dimensions.  This means having all your body parts in good working order; having a good memory, with precision in thought and action; having enough energy to enjoy physical activities; going to sleep and awakening easily; being able to laugh and be playful; being able to love and be loved; being able to enjoy the support of a wide circle of friends; being flexible and open to new adventures; being able to  appreciate the beauties of nature and the environment; having a purpose and meaning in life; having spiritual well-being etc, etc.

I feel inspired on reading this book.  It has lots of advice on keeping you healthy and to be healthy is my magnificent obsession.

Once a month, I will take the commuter train to go to Kuala Lumpur from my house in Shah Alam to pay my internet bill.  This trip of about 30 km will take about 40 to 50 minutes.  Most times the train will be crowded and when I boarded it, it will have standing room only.  No problem as there is  plenty of standing space.  There are times, when I am pleasantly surprised: while standing, one lady would stand up and gave me her seat.  Sometimes, it's a he - young people standing up and giving his/her seat to an elderly chap. I am grateful to these kind people.  We do have nice and considerate people.  These kind gestures from complete strangers made my day.  Happiness!

This is just the first month of 2014 and I am not feeling too good.  Some Muslims are making big noises because the Christians in the country are referring to their God as Allah, in their Malay language prayers.
This conflict and bad feelings between religious people makes me feel very sad.  It amazes me that these so-called religious people are harbouring bad feelings.  I would like to think that a religion is supposed to make us humans into better human beings, full of love and compassion and feeling of brotherhood.  Apparently it's a paradox.  There is a lot of anger and bitter feelings between these religious people.  I feel sad.  What a start for a new year.