My father looks to be in better shape than his peers. He's been known as an avid exerciser for many decades and leads a disciplined life, waking up at 4am while being in bed by 10pm. As he got older, health issues such as high cholesterol and backaches started to appear. That's quite normal. Health checks over the years more or less gave the same reports and I guess it enabled him to feel assured even though they were not great results. About fifteen years ago, he was scheduled to have an angioplasty due to blocked arteries. Unexpectedly, on the procedure day, the doctor called it off as he couldn't find the problem that had manifested just weeks earlier. My father attributed it to his exercise regime and a homemade supplement which I call it the super (smelly) vinegar. Earlier this month, he met an insurance friend who recommended a policy and that provided a free health check. Coincidentally, the same heart specialist mentioned above was the panel doctor and since he knew my father's health history, suggested a CT scan. Together, we went for the results review. The doctor's opening statement went something like, "Your calcium score is very high." We were partly surprised because his ECG treadmill test was tip top. I learnt something new; calcium indicated the presence of fatty deposits. Then the breakdown of information came and to put it simply, there were two arteries flagging danger. It's deja vu as an operation has been fixed for early May.
On a work trip to Osaka, I had the chance to visit the ongoing World Expo. Miyaku, the mascot, was at the entrance to welcome many visitors, mostly locals from what I can tell. There were especially lots of students, probably a weekday excursion organized to let them appreciate the various countries' culture condensed within a pavilion. No matter where you go, queues of at least thirty minutes were common and mostly without shelter. Luckily, the temperature was pleasant although the place could do with more shades. Generally, each country tried to present a theme such as sustainability, city vibrancy etc. Unfortunately, it's not possible to even cover ten countries properly in a day. I liked the French vibe of fashion and aesthetics, the cheery optimism of Spanish colors and impressive technological advancements of the Saudis. Brazil and Indonesia were rather subdued. A cluster of smaller African participants gave a glimpse from a tourism angle. There's still five months before the site would be torn down and replaced by a casino resort, much like our MBS. Based on this initial impression, I would love to go again before it closes but worry over the summer weather.
As mentioned last month, I was on the lookout for new running shoes. In the same Japan trip, I visited Karuizawa for a half day shopping at the outlet. It's a first experience, one that's been on my mind ever since Terrace House appeared on Netflix. This quiet town is about an hour away from Tokyo and the outlet was just beside the train station. Super convenient and really expansive area, great for a day out with family. It's divided into east and west sectors with many prominent shop labels and some pockets of refreshments. Happily, I found what was needed at the Asics store, purchasing a Patriot 13 and Glideride Max for S$200 in total. Since then, I had tried once on both shoes and felt comfortable with the fit.
Tip: Alps Masamune Junmai Ginjo, smooth and easy, slight fizz, cleansing
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