I’m a great fan of the Pagoda T-shirt. I had some reservations at first, due to its old man image … but now I no longer care, simply because I am old heh heh …

Wearing it as an undershirt, sweat doesn’t show on your formal wear when it’s hot … and then the sweat that the Pagoda has absorbed cools you down.

Wearing it as a T-shirt at home, it’s like not wearing a shirt at all, because it’s so thin, but the advantages of wearing a shirt are still there, in that your skin doesn’t stick to the furniture, and the sweat doesn’t just trickle and roll down your body which is ticklish.

Unfortunately Pagoda T-shirts are not so easy to find, and they are quite dear at more than RM10 apiece. Fortunately there is an alternative: Edwin undershirts. The cutting and sizing scheme are the same, the only difference is the cloth. I can’t say which material is better though; it’s simply not the same type. Anyway I’ve tried both and they both achieve the same ends. It’s just a matter of feel, if one wants to be that particular (which I’m not).

In terms of price, Edwin undershirts are cheaper (less than RM10), and in terms of availability, they can be found at Giant. I do hope that Edwin continues to produce these T-shirts. I’m not partial to either, but I do welcome competition as the driver of quality and low price.

… the reason there are 60 minutes in an hour is due to the mathematics of the Sumerians, Babylonians and Egyptians and the structure of the human hand.

— Why are There 60 Minutes in an Hour? by Gary Wallace

Note: I can’t verify the historical accuracy.

Someone I know recently bought a second-generation 5-year-old “recon” 2.4L Toyota Estima for RM125,000.

Try looking out for it. There are a lot of Estimas on the road! You can see the first generation here and there, and a few people are rich enough to afford the 2006 model, but it’s very easy to spot the 2000 model.

I wonder why official distributors can’t bring in reconditioned previous-generation cars. Grey importers are certainly raking it in with the 2000 Estima.

First generation, 1990-2000:

Second generation, 2000-2005:

Third generation, 2006-present:

Model years and images from Wikipedia.

No, this is not to ask non-smokers to start puffing away; it’s for smokers who would like to cut down.

First, you must want to live. If you feel that life is pointless, and you don’t care if you die tomorrow, by all means, smoke as much as you can afford.

Second, you must have a strong desire to cut down. The reason you’re smoking in the first place is because you enjoy it – the nicotine rush; the way it goes with teh tarik; as a way to release tension and chill out. On the other hand, you know it’s stupid – it’s a waste of money; it causes cancer; your mouth stinks. But your nicotine-altered mind has counterarguments for everything: everyone has a hobby and this is mine; we’re going to die anyway; and there’s always chewing gum.

Therefore you will need a “higher-order” reason. For some people, it’s religion (a “return” to God). For a friend of mine, it was the birth of his first child. For others, it’s increased self-awareness and a desire to regain control of one’s life.

Once you have a reason, it’s just a matter of technique. Cold turkey is definitely one method: just stop. But what I’m going to describe here is something more gradual.

First, you must recognize that smoking is not just a habit, it’s a lifestyle. So you need to make some big adjustments – no more after-office lepak sessions, for example, or even a new lunch crowd. As I said, big adjustments. So set your expectations accordingly.

Second, lie to yourself. If you say, “I’m going to quit smoking”, you’ll get stressed out by this herculean task and you’ll immediately need a cigarette. Start with small lies. After lunch, instead of lighting up, say to yourself, “I’m going to skip this one, just this once.” Once you’re able to do this for a couple of days, go for a bigger lie – the first cigarette of the day. After (or before) breakfast, say to yourself, “I’m going to smoke only in the evening, just for today.” Then, after a couple of weeks of this positive self-delusion, you can go for the whopper: “I’m not going to smoke, just for today.”

Third, stop buying packets and start buying sebatang-sebatang (loose). Most kedai mamak and some kedai runcit sell these. Seek and you will find.

Fourth, avoid the triggers, such as Nescafe, teh tarik or spicy meals, and drink lots of plain water. Lots.

Finally, don’t worry too much about the lapses. Cutting down is a continuous process that can take months and even years. Remember that reducing your intake by even one a day translates to more than 300 sticks a year. So celebrate every victory with a feeling of deep satisfaction! You are in control. Woohoo!

Further reading

3 Bulan (Malay)

1. You can make calls
2. You can send text messages
3. It’s cheap!
4. It has a flashlight!