I'm back..

to blog hor li si...hahah...

Hmm..so what should i blog about? Given that i haven really been blogging for quite sometime and last few entries were revolving around the same topic..

Oh well, it's the festive season now..so let's just talk about Xmas..how did everybody spend their Xmas? I know of people who climbed 3000+m..people who just nuahed and pigged out..and of cos people who were trying to 'kiap' a (fake)$5 note in a swimming pool..using their toes..

For simplicity, i shall categorise my Xmas season into pre, during and post periods..

Pre-Xmas There's the yearly tradition of meeting up-cum gift exchange with my sec sch folks..after someone introduced some new confusing rule(everybody picks a number and tat number determines the order of choosing the preferred gift ' #1 has no choice, #2 can 'snatch #1's present and so on)..the gift exchange started..

Of cos, it has to be my dear pal wei, who has absolutely no idea how the rule works, to be #1. Got a decent radio-cum-alarm clock cum-ipod speaker gadget tat came in a shape of an iron..well, since she's the first and has the widest choice, she has to be contented with the danger of having her present 'snatched' by the next person..
I got to go next and decided to go for size..chose the biggest one and it turned out to be a wrist pad for the keyboard..ok lah, some fanciful stuff tat i won't buy for myself but won't mind as a gift..so decided to spare wei the trauma of having her gift snatched away from her..

Then things start to get a little complicated from here..to cut a long story short, there were some mutual exchanges including a portable BBQ set(courtesy of yours truly), and i ended up with a 2007 diary..kinda similar to wat i'm using for 2006..except tat it costs much more(apparently it burst the budget of $15 vs the free one i got) I'm really ok with the present..but it just really doesn't justify the cost..at least to me(sorry!)

During XmasXmas day itself was spent with my ssc folks..no gift exchange this year..owing to the sheer number of NILIPIs and newly-employeds..Nevertheless, it was entertaining enuf..with their attempts at a 'shao nian te gong dui'..some water telematch games ripped off a taiwan variety programme..needless to say there were quite a few unglam poses and shots from them while i was happily curling up in front of the tv watching my TAR :)

Then there were the more 'intellectual' games..which had ALPS going around hugging people, Ah Seng doing her best 'carebear stare', 0.5 saying 'i love you' all the time and of cos, the winner of all - OSIM who had to put her leg up to her ear..all without attracting anybody's attention..

Or how about Win Lose or Draw..which ALPS and instructor can read each other's mind so well tat a random shape can be 'Jurassic Park'..and how Ah Seng can guess 'I know what you did last summer' correctly, based on 7 strokes..
Oh, and did i mention Taboo? And how Ah Seng has to breastfeed my children for me next time..

***************
Ah, seemed to have blogged quite a bit liao..shall space out my entries a bit...will leave Post-Xmas for a later entry..think i'll have quite a bit on post-xmas..

-

Din realise it's been some 2 weeks since i last blogged..

Partly cos i'm facing a drought in my inspiration(ha..like real) and partly cos i couldn't log in to my blog..

Ok, i just wanted to make sure my blog doesn't die from neglect..will be back for more blog entries..i promise..

A day in the life of a runspirator

First of all, for the benefit of those who are not sure of wat a runspirator is..according to the official Singapore Marathon runner's kit brochure - A runspirator is 'anyone'..anyone who inspires someone..anyone who inspires someone to go beyond the limits and challenge themselves at the Singapore Marathon. Runspirator = Run + inspiration + 'tor'..geddit?

For those of you who think being a runspirator is easy..i must remind all tat i ran almost 20km last year(though i only ran 6 this year). And there's the timing..being the mobile runspirator cum cameraman(ok lah, i did so voluntarily one lah), i had to arrive no later than the runners..which means 530-ish..AM. The only difference being i dun need to force my breakfast down and shit at the unearthly hour of 430am..

After the obligatory 'before' photos(apparently someone spotted us cos of the camera flash ; never fails to work - whip out the camera and people will miraculously appear from nowhere), the runners went off to their pens(again, for the sake of non-runners readers, the holding area for runners before the flag off is also known as the pen..ala pigpen)

Being the mobile runspirator also means i need to plan my every move with precision..with roads closed and open only to runners(not even to pedestrains or runspirators at certain sections - i was plucked out towards the end), i need to figure how to get to point X before the runners..

First stop - Marina South (3km & 12km)I had planned to cycle there and hoping to catch them at the start of the loop..but due to the sheer numbers of runners in the early stages, i had problems negotiating thru traffic lights and pavements on my bike. Next best alternative? MRT. So it was Raffles Place - Marina South for me. But the bloody train took 18 mins to come(it was barely a 3mins ride) and i end up missing them on their way in..

Together with a few other runspirators, we waited for the last runner to pass us and duly crossed to the other side of the road and waited patiently for the runners to come out of the marina loop..and within 5 mins, led by the car with the timer(is there an official term for it??), which was cruising, not even crawling..the elite runners are running out already..yes, they are tat fast..

I was easily the most sedate runspirator there..while the other runspirators gradually got more and more exicted as more and more runners passed..i was standing there, barely showing any emotion..so expressionless i was, the official there din even bother to hand me those whistle things which she happily gave out to the rest..

And because it's the first lookout point for me, i wasn't very sure of the order of my ssc folks(yes, they have an 'internal ranking'), which resulted in me missing a couple of them..ah lian even had to call out to me, instead of me spotting them..haha..& of cos, there's twink and meiren who ran past me before i could take out my camera..not one who can stand missing out on a photo op, they have no qualms about backtracking 20m so tat i can capture them..my frens..sigh..

Raffles Quay(14+km) Back at the Raffles Place MRT, i hurried up to ground level..tried to spot them folks..but think missed them liao..(which proves that running is faster than taking MRT)

Picked up my bike..tried to cycle along the route but realised that my tyre seems to be going flat..A quick calculation tells me that long cut + a flat tyre almost means i can hardly keep up with the runners..Plan B - Runspirators bus. Yes, buses are available to fetch runspirators from point to point to catch the runners in action..
Boarded one at Adelphi..thinking where should i stop..again, the long detour made me suspect tat i might miss some of them if i alight at PA..besides if i drop at PA, i'd never make it in time to catch them at ECP(unless i run ..but i was conserving my energy, having promised to pace 0.5 back to the finish line).

ECP (25km) So i ended up getting off at ECP. Went to look for our runspirators..wasn't hard to spot them, with a big picnic mat and 1 big cooler, not to mention runspirator-hubby, 1 runspirator-sis and 1 runspirator turned runner..i daresay we're one of the most elaborate groups around..Managed to catch all of them, except for instructor who has already u-turned and was the other side of the route liao..everybody seems to be going strong, no doubt benefitting from the almost-perfect weather(i didn't like it when it rained..cos it meant i can't take any photos)

Stadium Drive (36km) Had taken the runspirator bus to PA, which is somewhere at the 37+km mark where we also have a runspiration station..i took a look at my watch and decided there's a good 15-20mins before the first runner arrive, so i backtracked to national stadium..found a good spot just after the 36km marker and parked myself there..While waiting, i also became a standing clock..having asked 'wat time is it now?' by runners no less than 3 times. Got a bit confused by my ssc folks cos their coming-in sequence changed a bit after ECP and i could no longer predict who is appearing next..good thing is, at this stage of the run means most of the runners have slowed down considerably..thus easier for me to spot them..saw quite a few other familiar faces too(including CLH, whom meiren have a 'problem' with)

Finally my target appeared..poor 0.5 was suffering cramps in both her legs..stupid me had left behind the deep heat rub in my bike and could offer no help except to hobble alongside..but her cramps were so bad we had to stop twice before PA station..meiren also overtook us at this time..luckily, a kind soul offered his deep heat and 0.5 managed to last till our next runspiration station..

Stadium Link (37km) More H20 and a powergel managed to get 0.5 started again..enroute to first bridge, we saw twink and 10..both seems to be struggling a bit too..but there was only 1 of me and quite impossible to pace all 3 of them together..in the end, i stuck with 0.5, having promised to run the final stretch with her..

The Final Countdown Finally, we saw the 40km marker..then the 41km flag..last stretch liao..tried to will her on(i learnt my lesson last year and kept my mouth shut this time round, no more corny lines from me)..her 2 angels were waving madly as we entered padang..it was also at this time, i was 'chased off' by the officials 'u, get off the lane..NOW!' i stepped off..only to jump in 20m down the lane(catch me if u can, boo! >.<)

The rest were all cheering for her in the last 30m...again, i forgot to siam..so tat she can have a nice finishing photo..sorry! With a huff and a puff, she finally stepped on the mat and crossed the finish line..gong xi gong xi!
And that's the end of my runspiration experience..thank you!

p.s. if any of u want to know ur split timings, i can tell u according to the photos i took at the various points..

It's over..

Months of training finally paid off in yesterday's marathon..thanks also to 0.5's 2nd sis powerful chants, blessed with the perfect weather, most of them managed to better their previous timings..well done folks!

Shall blog about my runspiration experience in a later entry..

Meanwhile, enjoy the photos at http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=tthjh81.6qkau7id&x=0&y=k0yey8

42.195

You don't choose to run a marathon despite its difficulty but because it is hard.

You like the feeling of aiming for a distant goal and eventually reaching it..

The hardest part is over ~ The fun starts now ~ The race is a victory lap

More last minute tips..

Plan to rest completely the final day or two. Save the trained-in strength for the biggest day, when you need it most.

Expect any of your physical ailments to magnify as the marathon approaches. Imaginary problems becomes real and small ones grow large. Also expect them to do no real damage and to vanish when the race begins.

Forget about doing any warm-up running. Save every step for the marathon and warm up over the first few kilometres as you settle into your pace.

Start with the intention of making the first kilometre or so your slowest of the day. (You probably have no choice while fighting the crowd, but don't let the early slowness trouble you. You'll soon be up to speed)

Divide your marathon into 2 equal parts. Feel that you're holding back in the first half when your natural urge is to speed up. Run the second half of your marathon much differently than the first. Push on when your natural urge is to slow down. Take pleasure in passing the people who passed you earlier.

Don't think you'll sacrifice a lot of time with walking breaks. A 1-min break each mile totals 26 mins of walking. But you still cover distance while walking and probably net only about 10 mins lost.

Final countdown..

Look how far you've come since the first marathon training, the distance of your long run has jumped by more than 50%.

Consider what causes bad marathons. Mostly it's running too few or too many miles in training. Another common source of problems : running too much, too late. Don't try to pack in extra work the last week. It won't help. Nothing you do in training now will make your marathon better. But it's not too late to make it worse. It's never too late to hurt yourself, so don't.

Realise that training has a delayed-reaction effect. You don't draw your ability to run from what you run this week, but from a reservoir of fitness filled weeks and months earlier.

Kind of..

It's been kind of busy for me lately..'kind of' cos it's not really busy compared to some of my friends..but for me to stay in my office till 730pm..and to continue working at home till 12.30am..is busy for me..such that i pushed all dinner appts this week to next week..in fact, i think i overbooked myself liao :Þ

Well, the reason why i'm so busy is i have a kind of a marathon this weekend(actually i have 2, 1 on Fri nite & 1 on Sat nite) Anyway, it's 'kind of' cos it's not the usual running marathon..it's a cycling marathon..120km over 12 hours..can be considered marathon lah hor?

So they're kind of keeping me busy..'kind of' cos it's not like i've not handle 100pax event before(actually it's 'kind of' small-scale, if compared to the good ole days in NS)..but when you're heading the route com and the marshall com and the logistics com and the reception com and the registration..it really can be quite a handful..or should it be palmful? (sorry, private joke..heh)

I think i'm kind of blogging rubbish liao..ha..so i think i'll kind of stop..

Yes, kind of..

Psyching up for the long run..

Never forget that racing - especially at marathon length - is uncomfortable. You can't improve without sometimes venturing into discomfort. But these occasional ventures must be separated by returns to your comfort zone.

Aim to run at least two-thirds of the marathon distance before raceday. View your long run as a fulldress rehearsal. Test the shoes and clothing you'll wear on actual day, and the food and drinks you'll take, and the intervals at which you'll take them.

Take your long runs as much as one minute per mile slower han projected marathon pace. At faster paces, these runs become too much like the marathon itself - and require long recovery periods that interrupt regular training.
If possible, extend your longest training run to marathon length. Try to train as much time as you expect the marathon to take, even while going less than 42.195km becuase of the slower training pace; in other words, get used to lasting the full time of the race.

Simulate the marathon distance in long runs, but at a slower pace. Mimic racing pace in your fast runs, but only at shorter distance; Combine full distance at full pace only when it counts - in the race itself.

(armchair) marathon trainer

No..i am not running the marathon..as usual..

In contrary o 0.5's blog..no, i'm not worried that you cmi..i just want u to run to ur fullest potential..

Anyway, i'm now reading this book 'Marathon Training - The Proven 100-Day Program for Success'..ok, so we dun have 100 days to the marathon now..still i think the tips work, whether it's 10 days or 10 weeks to THE DAY..

From what i know, the running gang is gearing up for THE long run next week..so i shall focus on the injury prevention areas..

Check your fatigue level. Long runs are supposed to tire you temporarily, but if the feeling lingers longer than a few days, ease the effort of your next long one by slowing the pace or taking walking breaks.

Check your pain level. Any soreness that lingers from one run to the next requires attention. It's your warning that a small problem could grow into something major if ignored.

Rule for running with minor aches and pains: If they cause you to limp or if the pain increases as you run, stop. But if form is normal and pain eases you warm up, continue cautiously.

If you're hurting slightly, use the first kilometer of the day as your test. Decide only after this warm up whether or not to complete this days workkout. Sometimes stopping does you more good than continuing.

Dun think any of these is new but hey, we need reminders every now & then..what should be done, what could be done, blah³..

More tips on the way..

Duh for the second time in a week!

Some of u might have known this..i've been having this eye infection for..how long? 2 weeks?

Anyway, i've gone to see the doc last week and he confirmed it's conjunctiva(or like wat osm insisted, it's 'zhen yan')..gave some eye drops and eye cream which i've applied(whenever i remember) for the past 1 week..and told me to go back for a followup if it doesn't recover in a week

It didn't seem like it has fully recovered when i looked into the mirror this morning and so, i went back to my doc..

The visit went like this :

Doc:So how's your eye?
ZXL: Seems like it's still a bit red..
Doc: Let me take a look(shone a torch into my eyes..ouch)
Doc: It's recovering well..smaller area as compared to last week..just continue with the eye drops & eye cream..
ZXL:Orh ok..

The cost of this 30 sec consultation : $15..not even more of the eye drop or eye cream(which is finishing cos i always squeeze a lot in attempting to reach my eye)

Now i understand why he can afford to change car every now & then...

Duh!

I'm sitting 10m outside my office..trying to tap onto my WiFi..

And this is all because i forgot my keys..so duh right..

My life is getting boring(& predictable?!), so blogs getting less frequent..only when stupid things happen then i'll have something to blog about..sigh..

Wanna see me eating mushroom??

Yes..tat..and how we carried off a picnic in a shopping mall..visit www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2100494294

Thanks folks..

Just like to say thank you to all who remembered and wished me HB..

An observation was..people seemed to prefer msging first thing at work..i received about 5 smses between 825 - 840am..Someone speculated tat it could be cos pple refer to their diaries when they start work..hence they'll see 'ZXL's BD' on the 18th Oct entry :Þ

2nd most popular time to sms was lunch time..got a couple during the lunch hour of 1230 - 130pm..

Of cos, there're also the 'weird' timing ones..there wsa one at 130am from an ex-classmate..maybe she just finished her nightshift? and THE 630am one(yes, it's u MsK)..when moi, in my dazed mode, tried to sms a thank u reply, only to end up pressing the call button by mistake *.*

Then there's the yearly tradition(ok, so this is only the 2nd year) of Ms Ex-Evertoner's routine..it starts with a sms: 'are u free now?'(instead of the normal 'HB'), then a call..followed by the HB song played on her organ..xie xie :)

Till the next year..thanks pal!

After so long..

the initiation ceremony for MsK finally took place..at 5am..wintessed by a dozing-off 0.5 and a too-tired-to-even-chew-my-prata twink..

Watever it is, MsK has officially made the leap from one Team SA(South America) to another Team SA(SSC Alumni)

Huan ying huan ying..re lie huan ying :)

Commercial Time..

Last call for Ladies' Nite(no..unlike the Ladies Nite club-style, ladies do have to pay..and guys are allowed this time round..unless u come in a skirt)..

http://www.terraoutdoors.com/event_details.php?eid=32

Just weight and see..

Had actually wanted to blog about an article in Life yesterday..but the site was down and i couldn't log in..

In any case, someone read my mind(correctly) tat i will blog on it..hmm..am i getting so predictable?

And in case u're wondering, it's the article by Sumiko Tan..about how females are obsessed with their weight..maybe i'm one of those 'privileaged' ones who are deemed 'unqualified' to talk about this topic..but hey, i do have my 'xiao pang' moments(or days, in fact)..and i'm proud to say i managed to lost 3kg and 4% fat, all by controlling my diet and upping my workouts..

Yes, i'm all for healthy lifestyle and by default, tat includes a healthy weight..which should be achieved by healthy means..not thru aneroxic means like inducing vomiting and all..juicing is fine(once in a while, if done correctly..or if ur wedding is 2 weeks away) Watever it is, i definitely do not admire posh-like figures..matchstick legs and all..fairy godmother or not..

So if u're healthy..even if u're 52-25..i think tat's perfectly fine :)

Love is in the air..

True Love: Let's calculate the odds (ST, 6 Oct 2006)

True love is like a kick in the head. No, really. It's not just that it comes out of nowhere, knocks you sideways and changes your lifeforever. It is statistically like a kick in the head.

Most statistics are about things that usually happen or that most people share: prices, salaries, IQs, political opinions. These qualities are called 'normal distributed'. If you chart them, the graph they produce is that old favourite, the bell curve.

But love is different. True love is rare; we can only hope to find it once in a lifetime, and maybe not even then.
The curve that charts love is very narrow - more like a steeple than a bell. It is called a Poisson curve, and its classic exemplar was the chance of being kicked to death by a horse while serving in the Prussian cavalry.
The normal distribution was discovered during the 18th century when confident Age of Enlightenment tyoes assumed that all people, places and times were pretty much alike. Statistics that produce a bell curve(like, say, the heights os everyone on your street) show a clear average, with plenty of readings within a predictable range around that averagem called a 'standard deviation'. Common qualities, such as height, are easy to forecast.
Simeon-Denis Poisson lived in the more unpredictable 19th century. He was more interested in rare events. He wanted to discover how well you can predict the chances of one such event occuring during a given time(improbable); two events(very improbable); three(like totally improbable); or four(so improbable you can forget about it).

While the bell curve describes things we can expect, Poisson's formula predicts things we fear or hope for - things that, though rare, could happen at any time. In World War II, the British used it to predict the likelihood of any particular neighbourhood in London being hit by a V-2 rocket. Telephone companies use it to predict the likelihood that any particular numbre is going to ring at a particular moment(it's low, although it somehow higher when you're in the bath)

The chance that the store will run out of your cat's favourite food, that you'll have a fender bender on the way home, the chance that a war will break out somewhere today: If there's an average occurence of any event over time, Poisson's formula can predict a likelihood for the here and now.

True love is such an event. It could be today; it could be never.

All we know is that it happens to some people, sometimes. This makes me believe that the hope of meeting the love of your life is also governed by the Poisson curve. If so, it suggests some interesting conclusions. Film director Woody Allen pointed out that being bisexual doubles your chance of a date on Saturday night - but sadly, Poisson shows little change in response even to this drastic rise in probability.

His curve, applied to finding true love, charts two things: the chance this rare event will happen once, twice, thrice in a lifetime, but also how likely it is to happen at all in progressively more unlikely circumstances. When you move away from the back of the horse, the chance of being to death falls precipitously. Similarly, edging away from the kind of people who are the current focus of your affections(in the hope that say, a Florentine millionaire-poet-ski champion will come knocking at your door) makes the chance of success drop away much more quickly that it would for normally distributed phenomena.

This implies that your best chances come from seeking out and sustaining friendships with the people you already like most, rather than devoting too much time to the exotic alternatives. Rare things become near-impossible once you compound their rarity - say, by buying a lottery ticket only on your birthday.

In probability, we have only two ways to control fate: through standards and through opportunities. If you want to avoid a bad Poisson event(like the fender bender), you maintain high standards by driving as defensively as you can. You steer clear of certain routes at certain times to avoid giving the other idiots too many chances to hit you. Finding love, too, demands high standards(this is, afterall, the person who'll share your existence) but you need lots of opportunities.

Go speed dating, by all means - remembering that it only selects for a good date, not necessarily a good mate. Skew your social life towards those events where you can find out more about potential partners than whether they are just great dancers. Use every experience, good and bad, to refine your vision of that unknown ideal so that when one chance comes, you won't let it slip away. Every step will take you closer to the centre of that Poisson curve.

So..wat're ur odds?

Hi-part to hi-pop

Unless u're one of my ex-colleagues reading this..i doubt the subject line makes any sense to u..

I meant to blog this yesterday..when i was staring at 2 computer screens for almost 5 hrs straight..but my blog wasn't too cooperative and refused to load properly..perhaps it's angry with me for neglecting it for so long..

Anyway, the reason why i was staring at 2 screens yesterday was cos i was doing work..unbelieveable but it's true..i was holed up at home on a Saturday cos i needed to rush some work..even more unbelievable was the fact tat at one time, i had 1 desktop and 2 laptops on at the same time..(far from being the IT expert..it was precisely i couldn't get the work done on 1 single platform, i had to split them up to be done separately..and due to a 'technical problem, i had to watch the same video clip lasting 40mins, for 7times..IT..blah!)

Ok..enuf of kaobei-ing..back to the subject line..

Once upon a time..i was in 'Hi-Part'..these days(some of u might have not realise it yet), i'm back in Stadium.., not as a 'Hi-parter' but a 'Hi-Popper'..

I didn't realise about this Hipart-Hipop thingy until i was chatting with one of my ex-coach on friday..She was aware of my hipart involvement in the past and was curious about my re-apperarances in her office lately...and she casually remarked 'Oh so u went from hipart to hipop..' and i was like 'oh yeah hor..'

Yes..tat's right..i've gone from one end of the spectrum to the other end..from servicing 4000pax down to 4 pax..it's a bit difficult to explain the work i do..but it's a lot of video analysis and match statistics..definitely 'Hipop'..

Seems like things have gone a full circle..hmm...is tat good or bad?

Announcement

This announcment may be a couple of days late..but nonetheless..

My ex-colleague, aka Ms Organics-makes-my-hair-oily..who later became Ms P..is now officially known Mrs Lui..

Japanese..Korean..

Tat's right..the subject line's referring to TV drama serials..

At the risk of incurring the wrath of many Changjin and KSS fans out there..here's a line tat i came across recently..

'Television is a medium cos anything well done is rare'

Time Flies

Didn't realise it has been almost 2 weeks since i last blogged..

Yes, it has been quite busy for me lately..this was how i spent my time:

70% work
20% socialising(in any case, due to the nature of my work, work time & socialising time sometimes get confused and overlaps..like how i can interact with meiren amidst goats and frogs during a farm ride)
10% simply to nuah(yep, i MUST have my nuah time..if not i'll feel grouchy..ha)

It's kinda strange too..how i end up with so little free time..if u look into my diary, it's not exactly tat full..but somehow each day managed to get filled up..and a lot of things planned for 'this week' gets pushed to the 'next week' & next & next..

As saying goes, time passes a lot more quickly when one's happy..so i guess i'm a happy person :)

Congratulations!

Congrats to Team NI who came in first for the Waterfest Urban Race!

Finally we got a first after joining sooo many competitions(& complaining about them being kelong..no complaints about this..except maybe about the 300ml, 400ml, 500ml water challenge..haha..)

The day started off with quite a dramatic start..from Ms Chan's attempt to drive my Vito to 0.5 puncturing a tyre..Nevertheless, Team NI(No Income) managed to overcome all odds to complete all the tasks in the fastest time..

Gong xi gong xi!

More photos at http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=tthjh81.78indinp&x=0&y=mtvqyt

It's true..

After you've washed ur car..it WILL rain..

For the first time eversince i got my vito, i finally sent it to a car wash today(after being nagged endlessly by the mildly jie-pi 0.5)..and guess wat? Yes, it rained..for the whole day..Coincidently, it was also the first time there was such a heavy downpour in weeks..

Wat can i say..life's like tat *.*

I like girls who live to eat (ST Life, 28th Aug 06)

Food is such a pleasure in life that it's a turn-off to watch a girl treat eating like it's a chore..

Thanks to these supposedly sure-fire, low-carb, weight-loss diets, I hardly see a woman finish her plate of rice or noodles anymore. Every other gilr i know leaves large portions of rice or noodles unfinished on the side of the plate. And most of the time, these women aren't anywhere near fat. (I dun believe in no-carbs diet..i still think carbs itself is NOT fattening..it's the stuff tat goes with carbs tat's fattening..the gravy, the sauce, the meat, etc..besides..u'll never feel full if u dun take carbs..)

Worse, so many women eat so little these days, it's seen as the norm rather than the exception (so i guess i'm the exception..going by the amount of carb i eat)

I still remember one ex-colleague's response when i asked her out for lunch. She smiled and replied: "No thanks, i just had this big apple for lunch," stressing on the word 'big' and cupping her hands to show me its supposedly melon-like size.

The last time i checked, women, too, need to eat three meals a day. And an apple doesn't count - even if it really is the size of a melon (neither does carrot juice..heard me, Ms P?)

I once witnessed a near catfight break out between a few women about eating - or the lack of it.

It was a work lunch with five women from an organisation that i was meeting for the first time. Four of them told the waitress that they didn't want any rice, but the last one was having a regular portion.
"I don't know why you all don't like rice. I always like to eat a lot of rice," scoffed High Metabolism Girl, a slim female who apparently loves her carbs.

Never mind that there was a male stranger sharing the table, for out came the claws.

"No what, I don't see you eating much rice usually," came one swift reply. "And we do eat rice, it's just that today, we decided to skip it together, " another retorted.

High Metabolism Girl never looked up from her bowl of rice for the rest of the meal. I'm not sure i did either.

Between a skinny girl who gingerly navigates around her food like a UN inspector looking for landmines and a normal-sized - or even slightly chubby - girl who loves her food, give me the latter any day. (Bonus if she likes white white stuff..ha)

It's a huge turn-off to see someone treat eating like a chore, especially since you'll probably be spending a lot of time having meals together. Whatever the romance the candlelight dinner provides will be snuffed out if she dumps half her plate of food on you, instead of telling you how tasty it is. (While i have frens doing tat to me, dumping food to me ie, not the candlelight dinner part, it's cos they genuinely can't finish their portion..n i'm perfectly fine with it..in fact, i more than welcome them doing so :Þ)

And it's worse if they're pround of calorie-counting(Opps, i think i'm the one guilty of calorie-counting..rather than my dining companions) I mean, it's dieting for vanity for crying out loud, not going on a hunger strike for peace.
I just think it's a shame if they can't enjoy one of the few real pleasures that life has to offer. (Yes, i do enjoy eating..even though i may be fussier than most pple about wat i eat..i believe moderation is the key)

I suppose i like women who live to eat, not eat to live - and i know plenty of attractive women who do that. We have to do it three times(at least five times for me), so why make it so painful?

Exactly.

Barter Trade

This idea is nothing new..barter trade..in fact, it's the most 'original' trade..i got something u want, u got something i want ; we trade; u happy, i happy. Simple.

Then as society progressed, ie. got more complicated..money or currency comes into play..where services or goods are exchanged for a common currency..which can be used for the purchase of other goods and services (this is Econs Prof ZXL at work)

But since i've somewhat regressed..so it's back to basics for me..why do i say so..take the other day for example..
I managed to get some 'free labour' on wed..got twink and 0.5 to do some 'no-brainer' work in my office .. punching holes, cutting, binding....& what a brilliant job they did :) Was feeling a bit guilty about exploiting them..then decided it was in exchange of the door-to-door chauffeur services i provided for the wakeboarding session :Þ

Think barter trade is especially relevant for the NILIPIs(No Income, Low Income, Parttime Income)..while NILIPIs are not the richest in terms of money..most have time or services to spare..

Which is not too bad a thing..right?

Rated PG

Haiya..got people commented my entries getting raunchy wor..i say..it's only as obscene as your mind thinks :Þ

Okok..since i pride my blog on being a PG site..i will blog about other topics then..

So wat's up recently? As i recall the happenings over past 2 days..and the conversations i had..i realised..most of them revolved around.. ahem..the preferred mode of food poisoning - puking(shang tu) or laosai-ing(xia xie)..& yesterday the conversation even covered some of the more exotic locations for doing so..in both urban and rural settings..

Hmm..tat doesn't seem too palatable either does it?

Ok lah..think tat's enuf rubbish for a Saturday afternoon..till the next entry..

Baseball Tutorial - Version II

Seeing the popularity of my previous tutorial and how many eager students i have out there..Prof ZXL has decided to come up with another tutorial..

First base - Hold hands (got feedback previous tutorial too 'advanced' wor..)
Second base - Snorkelling*
Third base - Diving*
Homerun - Discovering the hidden treasure cove

*Assuming the water level be = the layer of clothes on the baseball player

(Cheem) quote for the day

People do not become happy by satisfying their desires. They become happy by living within a belief system that restrains and gives coherence to their desires. Above all the other necessities of human nature, above the satisfaction of any other need, above hunger, love, pleasure, fame..even life itself..what a man most needs is the conviction that he is contained within the discipline of an ordered existence - Walter Lippmann

Baseball tutorial

I remember there was a bit of confusion over the terminology of 'bases' some time back..i found some rather enlightening definitions in a particular 8-gua magazine..

1st base - Kiss
2nd base - Exploring in the North Pole
3rd base - Trekking south of the border
Home run - Reaching the summit

Hmm..doesn't it make things clearer to the 'explorers' out there? ^o^

A summary of my week..

Judging from my blog topics..it seems like i had a rather boring life lately..which is kinda true..in the sense tat nothing earth-shattering had happened to me..

In fact, i think i can summarize the past one week in words - sleep, eat, work, exercise(in descending order of time allocated) ..and oh, struggling with a 50 tonnes heavy van..

Sleep - Wat..dun u sleep too?
Eat - Enough said about wat i eat..and how much i eat..
Work - Started doing some freelance video analysis thingy..in case u think this is gonna boost my 3-figure income..i'm not earning anything for it..yet..
Exercise - Somehow, i suspect this proportion is going to increase over the next few months..since the ssc folks have again signed away 5.5 hours of their lives(according to 0.5)..while i'm not taking part in The Running Event at all, i think i need to train up a bit..even as a 'casual runspirator', i ended up running almost 20km last year..

Struggling with a 50 tonnes van - Had just finished loading up bicycles for a ride when i was on the way to Ms P's birthday dinner..before i could even reach the ulu place..the van suddenly made some spluttering sounds..all the indicator lights started flashing..and then, it died..in the middle of east coast road..during the rush hour of 7pm..managed to restart the engine..some lights on the screen remained on..started driving but the van felt 10 times heavier..the steering wheel was so stiff tat even negotiating round a bend was a challenge..drove to a petrol station but nobody could make any sense of the problems..the only solution..to drive it back..

Anyway, we had since concluded tat the problem was tat of the power steering belt snapping..which explained why i had to use all my strength to steer the van..to drive a van without power steering is somewat challenging..to drive a continental van without power steering is even more challenging but still manageable..to drive a continental van loaded with 10 bicycles and loads of barang without power steering is f***ing challenging..(special mention to 0.5 who was sitting next to me all this while listening to my barraging without a nary of complaint)

Oh well..the week is coming to end..not too bad to end a week..blogging away on a lazy sunday afternoon : )
I'll leave you readers with a couple of shots taken from yesterday's ride..presenting Ms Chan, Wee2 and 0.5..

Mama..YS..Ms P..somebody's angel..somebody's sister..

Mama..YS..Ms P..somebody's angel..somebody's sister..

I concluded..Nov/Dec is peak season for mating..tis the season to be jolly..falalalala...

Something is wrong..

..somewhere..

Apparently blog-city(the domain host lah, not city city lah) has just released a new version of this whole blog thingy..

Which is why the font on my msg board suddenly shrank..which is also why i wasn't able to log in previously..which is also why some of my blog entries had disappeared into blogo-sphere..

Hmm..let me try & get used to it..in the meantime..wei, any solutions to my minitoons board?

Horoscope for the day :

Libra

The law of cause and effect is immediately noticeable when it comes to your body and brain. For example, when you get too litle sleep, your mind slows down. Eat better. Get more rest. Read a book.

Chicken brown rice, anyone?

Mind Your Body, 2 Aug 06

On Monday morning, many a bleary-eyed member of the public would have opened a newspaper - over their morning coffee and kaya toast - to be greeted by the good news of how the Health Promotion Board wants to transform our hawkers into health-conscious service providers (I am one of them..though i do not drink coffee and seldom eat kaya toast)

I wonder how many people would have stood up and said 'Well, it's about time! I can't wait to have the pork lard in my hokkien mee replaced with monounsaturated olive oil; it's good for me and best of all, it'll taste better!' (Again, i'm one of them..in fact, i not only stood up..i even did a little jig of happiness)

That was about as likely to happen as global warming reversing. (So, global warming reversing is not happening..but look at the number of measures in place to reduce it)

It's more probable that people skipped over the articles, in a state of complete glazed-over denial, or rolled their eyes and thought, leave my bak chor mee man alone! And then went out and had a second breakfast of you tiao and black tar coffee. (Now i'm not of one of them..nope..not me..on the contrary, i almost let out a whoop of joy when i read that Tiong Bahru market is one of the hawker centres earmarked for such an exciting makeover)

To be fair, the scheme is voluntary and does not demand a drastic makeover. Hawkers are being encouraged to replace at least one ingredient with a healthier alternative, not a tall order by any means.

But to hardcore hawker food lovers, even such modest demands would be mind-boggling. Why be something you're not? (Have u even tried in the first place?)

Frankly, it would take a whole lot more to make hawker food truly healthy. (Think we gotta look at things in perspective here..less unhealthy does not = truly healthy)

Am i getting old or wat?

Had a night cycling event last sat..though i wasn't the one cycling(as usual, i was the safety vehicle)..i felt drained at the end of it..so much so that i feel i'm still recovering from it..2 days after it..

Went to sleep only at about 8ish am on sun..caught 40 winks and was up by lunchtime..spent the rest of sunday nuahing..including a 30min therapy session at my fave place, ie. the supermarket..walked thru each & every aisle before leaving the place empty-handed..only to end up buying a carton of milk from the mama shop below my house..another sign of getting old?!

There was a time when people said that Singapore won't make it..but we did..opps, national day approaching, feeling patriotic..heh.. Anyway, there was really a time when i was able to 'make it & 'thon out' the whole night and still be relatively fresh the next day..but seems like times have changed..or rather, moved along..

Ever since i've been 'seasonally unemployed'..i've been clocking about 8-9 hours of sleep almost everyday..these days, i try to be in bed by midnight (though there are times when i doze off at 10ish) and be up by 9..tat should give me the recommended(or in fact, more than) hours of 7-8 hours of sleep..but despite tat, i still feel tired during the day..like now..i feel like i'm in the 'gimme-5 mins-of-total-quietness-and-i'll doze-off-in-no-time' state..

Am i really getting old?

Backlogs..

Ok..let's start with last thurs..

Thurs, 20th July 2006

It's 0.5's bd..gathered some ssc folks for steamboat-cum-bbq dinner @ Marina South. What could have been a normal dinner turned out to be quite an adventure..with 3 of them, including the bd herself, battling with live crabs and all..but bravo to them, they managed to slaughter the crabs rather professionally..

With the crabs settled..the next challenge was to avoid getting attacked by the hot oil..so we did what everyone else at the restaurant was doing..ie. stand and eat..(at first i thought it was some kind of ploy to burn more calories so they can eat more..given it's an all-u-can-eat buffet)

At the end of the 2 hrs or so, everyone was stuffed silly with food..but there was still the bd cake to go..luckily for us(?!), the cake had shrunk to half its original size..and once again, we proved the theory of 'cake tastes better when eaten with chopsticks' :Þ

Cutting cake with chopstick.. Eating with spoons..
***************************************************
Fri, 21st Jul 2006

Happy cos it's concert day today..even happier cos i din have to pay for the concert :D Tried jioing pple for the Z Pop concert sometime ago but nobody was keen(to spend the money) in attending..only my dear 0.5 offered to accompany me..well, good for her..since she managed to free-ride on my free tics, $128 one ok..hmm..maybe can take it tat it's my bd pressie to her?! idea leh..heh..

First up was Fish..Fish Leong lah..not tat fish..not too bad lah..always quite neutral towards her..next was Jeff Chang..*screams*(courtesy of 0.5, who seemed more excited about him than i was..& even singing along to his songs..while urs truly was sitting quietly thruout the concert) Pitch -perfect singing, as usual..his live singing never disappoints me..the only gripe i have? the mr soon-perm on him..tsk³

It was Harlem Yu's turn to entertain the crowd next..with his ktv-friendly 'qing fei de yi'(or 'qing bu zi jing' to 0.5) Again, 0.5 was happily singing and waving her lightstick madly everytime he turned towards our direction..while i was trying so hard to merge into the chair..

Last but not least, it's Jolin's turn on the stage..hers was a case of visual entertainment more than audio pleasure..just amazed how she can pranced about the stage with her 3 inches heels..

And then, there was the 'HIGHLIGHT' of the night..President Nathan came on stage to give away plaques to the sponsors..aiya, it's a charity concert afterall mah..& throughout the entire presentation..we were commenting how our ssc folks can easily do a better job at ushering, blah³..

难以忘记初次见你 一双迷人的眼睛
在我脑海里 你的身影挥散不去
握你的双手感觉你的温柔 真的有点透不过气
你的天真我想珍惜 看到你受委屈我会伤心

只怕我自己会爱上你 不敢让自己靠得太近
怕我没什么能够给你 爱你也许要很大的勇气
只怕我自己会爱上你 也许有天会情不自尽
想念只让自己苦了自己 爱上你是我情非得已

Strange..

It seems like i'd laid off blogging for quite a while..it's not tat i'm lazy(ok lah, i am.. but.. i do try to make some efforts to blog..sometimes) or i've got nothing to blog(in fact, i do..from live crabs to live concerts) But for some reason, i couldn't log in to blog-city for the past few days from home..

Hmm..now let me see if i can still remember wat was it tat i wanted to blog about..gimme some time..

I'll be back..

Hair For Hope 2006

This coming 30 July, my fren Bee will be participating in the Hair For Hope 2006. She will be shaving her head to raise funds for the Children's Cancer Foundation.

Hence, here I am, soliciting donations on her behalf.. all proceeds will go to the Children's Cancer Foundation.
If you are too scared to shave your head(like me), you can at least do your part by making a small but meaningful donation..donations can be made online via http://www.ccf.org.sg/hfh/online/pledge.php?find_shavee=ung+bee+koon (Tax Rebate of 2 times of donation amount)

More information about the Hair For Hope 2006 can be found at http://www.ccf.org.sg/hfh

On behalf of Bee, thank you..

A shapely run..

Sacrificed my sunday morning to watch some women run..

Captured some of the more chio women on film :) *Refer to http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=tthjh81.3tpz789t&x=0&y=-uw39og

one hand or two hands?

Is it me or did Superman used to fly with one arm extended straight & the other bent at the elbow? You know, the action we always make when we say Superman! when we were younger?

But when i caught the movie the other day, it seems like Superman has taken on a new flying position..ie, both arms extended straight? Instead he bent his legs..if u had noticed, he always land with one of his legs bent..

Hmm..never a serious Superman fan..not sure if it's evolution or aerodynamics or watever..but one thing i'm quite sure is i prefer the old flying style..

why??!!?!!?!

Why did Zidane..a respectable player..with more than 100 caps on his sleeve..playing in his last WC Finals..have to go headbutt a player..for seemingly nothing??!!

Sad..very sad..

Italy or France?

Tonight is THE night..

Unless you've just returned from Pluto, you should know that tonight(or tecnically speaking, tomorrow early early morning in Sg time) is the World Cup Finals..between European neighbours France & Italy..

All the late nights over the past 1 month(though i must admit not all are cos of WC) will be coming to an end..& as promised by zxl to zxl..i've maintained a fairly healthy lifestyle this week..give & take 1 movie marathon session at my place last nite..from 'ziyi zhang' to earl to johnny depp..

Life should revert to a norm slowly after tomorrow..maybe i'll see more of my football-crazy pal, Wei online..haha..let's come out for dinner after WC yea?
A
nd in case u're interested, i'm placing my bet on France..2-1..

busy?

Ohh..it's been a week since i last blogged..

Hmm..was quite busy lah..world cup lah..triathlon lah(nono, i din participate..but well done to everyone who completed it!)..instructor flying back to UK lah(she mistakenly thot her flight was on sun when it was on sat..resulting in a bit of gan cheong-ness)..

Actually it was ok-busy lah..not exactly busy-till-no-time-to-eat kind..in fact, i think i was rather busy eating too..haha..In a matter of less than a week, we managed to strike off 3 items on Team SA's homecoming food list..& in the process, added a few more :Þ In particular, the dinner at the crab bee hoon place was quite successful(despite its ulu location) and between the 13 of us, we had a good mix of alumnis vs patrons, we managed to put away 4 or was it 5? crabs and 2 servings of xiao man tou..

Then there was the big match on friday nite..a lack of kiasu-ness saw us wandering for 45 mins..from chijmes to carlton to funan in search of a place to watch argentina lose to germany(sorry folks, they were playing on german soil afterall)..In the end, we just stood outside a small pub outside excelsior..not cos it was the best, but simply cos it was already 11pm and the game had started..

Seems like we need better strategy if we wanna catch the finals in comfort..do i hear anyone offering their house?? :Þ

Instructor!

Finally! I can call myself an instructor too!

Had completed the 4-day cycling instructor course on sun..it wasn't exactly easy pie..considering the fact tat i haven't been on a course in eons..& i was still recovering from my fever & all..& it was raining the whole of sun when we had to have our practical sessons..

We had a few funny moments too..like when we had to carry our umbrellas and practise conducting a lesson..or pretending to be problem students when someone else was teaching..

So, cycling lessons anyone?

Feeling fat & out-of-shape..

Have been feasting everynite..for the past 1 week or so..eversince my instructor has came over..followed by the homecoming of Team SA..so if i'm not bringing my instructor out for dinners, i'll be fulfilling my duty as alumni chairman..

Let's see what i've eaten this week..geylang twice..in 2 consecutive days..food street at chinatown..tze char at AV..tze char at Bukit Timah..& a very confusing kolo mee dinner..

Hmm..think i've got at least 1 more seafood lunch & a more tze char dinner coming up..oh no er!

Add the fact that i'm still not feeling 100% fit and i've been really busy with my course..i haven't been exercising much lately too..

K..shall give myself until the end of this week to 'luan lai'..will revert to my ZXL Diet next week..stay tuned..

Instructor..(cont'd)

Din manage to get The Instructor out to meet my instructor the other nite..she was too busy catching the World Cup..instead i got her good fren, ah meng out instead..

Went to pick my instructor up from orchard..then went scouting around for a nice place to chill out & catch a bit of soccer action..when ah meng suggested this pub near bugis where her fren was performing..

The highlight of the evening must have been the part when meng got her fren the band member to dedicate a song to my instructor..but..my instructor chose that very moment to go to the loo! But apparently she could hear the dedication from the toilet..it was quite a funny scene to see her surprised/shocked/bewildered expression when she came out..

In any case, thanks ah meng..though the timing can be improved on :Þ

Football. Fever

Yes, as some of u know by now..i've caught the football fever..literally..

Temp went up to 38.4 at one pt yesterday.. yet i was still shivering under the covers..and the head was feeling 2 tonnes heavy..

Blame it on the late nite actions lately..too heaty liao..think it's time for some jia jia liang teh..

Instructor..

Yes, there's another instructor in my life now, besides The Instructor tat the SSC folks know so well..she's the instructor whom we flew in from UK..

Went to fetch her from the airport yesterday and spent quite some time figuring out which ang moh lady was her..trying to keep a lookout for a single ang moh lady..had a few 'targets'..but they all turned out negative..finally we hit bingo(thanks to 0.5 who was there playing guessing game with me)..turned out she's younger and chio-er than i thought..haha..

Anyway, she being the typical british..we've arranged to go for a drink later and catch the world cup..see if i can get the other instructor to come along..

Last Call..

Those keen in catching the ZPOP Concert on the 21 July..please indicate your interest by Tues, 20 Jun..i wanna get the best seats for the lower price($98) lah..heh..

Thank u for your cooperation..

Anybody keen?

Jolin Tsai! Harlem Yu! Jeff Chang! Fish Leong! 21 Jul 2006 (Fri), 8.00 PM, Indoor Stadium! $148, $128, $98, $68!!!

visit http://www.sistic.com.sg/SOPApp/SOPPortal/portal_proxy?uri=OR3bg!eO17PVjcJA8n4wCOtWUG8eTTsJFM for more info..

Me & My Mercedes :)

So it's a mercedes van..but still it's mercedes..& it's (half)mine..hahaha...

'Something to be said for doing nothing'

Mind Your Body, 7 June -

Time has become a blur; time to do nothing, a fantasy. No wonder so many of us have tranquil scenes of empty seas and sunny skies on our computer wallpaper. They are all pictures of that mythical place called One Day..
Boredom has become something to be feared, and is much underrated(though i think many of us here wish we could have a good dose of it some days)..

We are slowly forgetting that not every moment has to be filled up. Just think, in the not so distant future, there may be 'do nothing' camps and 'stop to smell the roses' camps because if someone doesn't organise them for us, how will we know how these things are done?

I smell a biz opportunity..

"Slow down. It might save your life"

That's the title of the article by ST columnist Sumiko Tan in Sunday's papers..in her article, she mentioned this book 'In Praise Of Slow - How A Worldwide Movement Is Challenging The Cult Of Speed(2004) by Carl Honore'. According to her, the book is about modern society's obsession with doing things faster and better, and how this has taken a toll..

This addiction to speed starts from the moment we wake up when the first thing we do is check the time. From that moment on, 'the clock calls the shot', Honore observes.

'Falling behind at work? Get a quicker Internet connection. No time for that novel..? Learn to speed-read. Diet not working? Try liposuction Too busy to cook? Buy a microwave. And yet some things cannot, should not, be sped up. They take time; they need slowness. When you accelerate things that should not be accelerated, when you forget how to slow down, there is a price to pay.' And the price is heavy - poor health, diseases, traffic accidents, bad or poor superficial relationships, poor quality of life, the inability to look forward to things and to enjoy the moment when it arrives.

The book is not against speed per se and neither does it rail at worldly pleasures. Rather, it contends that the key to a fulfilling life is balance - knowing when to work hard and fast, but also when to stop and relax.

I think i should get this book..& maybe u out there too..

Just like the good ole days..

Had a nite cycling over the weekend..after an initial delay of almost 40mins, we finally set off from ECP..

And as usual, i had taken on the 'support vehicle' role..a role i had been trained in since my ssc days(thanks to 0.5 who had 'risked her life' sitting in the 1837 the first time i drove it)..& there she was, sitting next to me in my mercedes(van) thruout the whole nite..

Of cos, we had a sweeper van too..& guess who was behind the wheels? It's none other than ah meng, the other designated support vehicle driver back in the ssc days..& guess who's besides her? It's none other than instructor..yes, for those doubting their friendship..they're really quite 'arh' with each other..well, at least they managed to sit next to each other for 12 consecutive hours & keep themselves entertained..

We finally finished the whole event at about 7.30am sunday morning..bleary eyes & all..

Didn't really think much of the whole arrangement until a friend asked me about them..only then i realised they're all my 'ex-colleagues'..think i'm so used to working with them tat for a while, i forgot we're actually all from different organisations these days..

Ahh..those were the days..

smrt challenge

Strategy, adventure and fun – the SMRT Challenge returns in July with more power-packed activities to send pulses racing!

This year, the SMRT Challenge will be held on 23 July 2006 at the Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza, which is the starting and end point for some 1,000 participants. Cracking clues, conquering physical challenges and performing courtesy and safety related tasks will be the order of the day, and attractive cash prizes worth some S$15,000 await top challengers.

Anyone interested? Teams of 4..alumnis & patrons all welcome..

Check out http://www.smrt.com.sg/indexn.html for more details..

With reference to previous blog..

First item : Da Vinci Code - Watched..rather entertaining..as a movie..

Second item : Initiation - Initiated..0.5, Meiren & Twink..with beehoon goreng, tissue prata, roti john & teh tariks(now u know why i cannot afford to initiate alumnis one by one anymore..MsK..think you'll be the next..)

Third item : Flea market - Completed..sort of..ssc folks opened for biz on sat..raked in sales of $200++..not too bad at all..was supposed to be my duty on sun..but it was a wet sunday morning & wet sunday mornings are just not meant for flea markets..so we ended up going in search for Singapore's best wanton mee(as ranked by Sunday Life)..never knew it was just 2 mins from my house..after finding wat we thought was the perfect parking lot, we realised the kopi tiam's closed(yes yes, it's my fault..never see the 'closed on sundays' on the article)..so we went for Singapore's best chicken noodles(as ranked by ZXL)..followed by Singapore's one-of-the-best almond paste..yes, our flea market as somehow miraculously turned into a gourmet trail round chinatown :Þ

Hmm..maybe it's not just the initiation ceremonies tat costing me my waistline afterall..

This Thurs, Fri, Sat & Sun

Thurs, 25th May. - Da Vinci Code movie session. Those who haven't watched, those who want-to-watch-2nd-time-cos-first-time-fell-asleep, those who can't find pple to watch with.. are most welcome to join in. Details will be confirmed closer to date.

Fri, 26th May - Alumni Initiation Ceremony for 0.5, Meiren & Twink. In view of the ever-growing alumnis(& chairman's waistline), initiation into alumni club will be held monthly. Patrons & observers are most welcome to witness the procession.

Sat, 27th May & Sun, 28th May - Flea Market @ Cineleisure open space (i just hope we dun end up buying each other's stuff)

Hup toh soh - part II

Much To-Do about nothing (Life, 21 May)

'It was past midnight last Saturday and tantalisingly close to quitting time at work. Hurrah, my weekend is about to start. I was looking forward to a relaxing two days. I would sleep in, read the papers over breakfast and finish reading a very interesting book about Japanese home cooking. There was also a pile of magazines by my bedside to read and a box of chocolates to indulge in.

But then I remembered I wanted to get my parents a new vacuum cleaner, had to go water their plants, had to go check out some stuff for work and before i knew it, i had scribbled two-page To-Do list; one for Sunday and the other for Monday.

Even before it could take shape, my lazy weekend had shrivelled up and died.

While ricocheting from errand to errand the next day, head throbbing and blood pressure up because the bloody carparks were all full, i wondered - not for the first time - if i was stark, raving mad.

I'm not the only one either.

A colleague told me how she had planned to spend the three-day Vesak Day weekend reading, with a pot of coffee nearby. But then, there was the laundry to do, the groucery shopping and this and that. Needless to say, very little reading was done.

Another could not just have a casual conversation with a colleague. She automatically separated a big bag of lychees someone had brought to the office from their stalks. Kill two birds with one stone - why not?

Then there's the friend who is in no danger of becoming a couch potato. While watching television, she reads, tracks her family spending for the day and plans dinner menus for her family 10 weeks at a time.

Why can't we just relax, kick back and do nothing?

I don't know about them, but doing nothing makes me jittery and guilty..

It's a strange thing, this guilt. At the end of the week, I can say confidently that i have earned the rest.

But there is the niggling feeling that life is short and i have to make the most of it. And i suppose nothing beats the feeling i get when i've ticked all the stuff on my To-Do list.

Like many working people who have no time to socialise or run errands during the week, i also feel compelled to cram sa much as possibile into these two days.

Sitting aournd, watching television and eating chocolates can wait till i finish what needs to be done. But, alas, something else always needs to be done.

Despite all this, I have become better at relaxing over the years. I can now read for a couple of hours without getting out of my armchair to do anything more complicated than making another cup of tea. Recently, i surprised myself by having a nap.

The world hasn't ended, so maybe i can do more of it. It could make me a whole new person; calm, collected, you know, Zen..'

Hmm..maybe i should recruit this writer into the Hup Toh Soh club..

How many ways can u eat a cake?

Or at least we like to think there's more than one..

There we were at the corner kopi tiam..after placing orders for san lao hor fun, chee cheong chicken & claypot tofu..we decided to tuck in to the 'dessert' first - Ms Chan's bd cake..leftover from tues..ermm..it's a weeklong celebration mah..

With no forks around, we simply took up our chopsticks and soup spoons & starting eating the cake..just like tat..

A Fullerton yoghurt cake..being eaten in a tze char kopi tiam..with chopsticks..hmm..wonder how it felt..?!

But who cares..like wat 10 said, it tastes better this way : )

hup toh soh

Someone just commented tat my blog is suffering from a drought..quick check on my blog..opps, realised last entry was a week ago..

So wat's up these days? Besides becoming a 'frequent visitor' to our neighour across the causeway these days(i set a new record for myself the other day - receiving a phone call to go in to JB..went JB..back in Sg..in a matter of <5>

When i was in Msia over the weekend, we met an ang moh who has been travelling round the world..& i really mean, round the world..he's started from Texas..went down to South America(Team SA, did u all come across a guy on motorbike? It could be him..his name is Jim)..then flew to UK..did both western & eastern europe..then down to Australia & NZ..& now on his Asia leg..he's been on the road for the past 2 years..& the best part is..he did all this on his motorbike..cool eh?

Always feel happy for people when i see them pursuing the dreams & appear genuinely happy doing so..some people can be (too)rational & say there's a price to pay to fulfil a dream..but i think u can't put a price tag when it comes to happiness..more money doesn't equate to more happiness..likewise, less money doesn't necessarily means one will be less happy..it's no secret tat i'm now earning a fraction of wat i used to..but i don't think my quality of life has deteriorated any..if any changes, it's for the better..

Just read 10's blog..glad she's happy(or perhaps happier?) with her lifestyle now..seems like she's starting to enjoy the slower pace of life..

Yes..it's really the simple things tat matter in the end..sometimes, all it takes is a hup toh soh..

Announcing..

..the arrival of CJ 0.5, who touched down in Singapore's Changi Airport on 6th May, 1816 hrs..

Yes, for those who are still not aware, she's back already..& even made her first 'public appearance' yesterday..

It's gonna be busy times ahead for alumni chairman liao..

Opps, it happened again..

Recall - Instructor's farewell dinner..instructor spouting Hoegaarden on Mrs Chua..

Earlier on..at a restaurant near to some Mango Tree..Mrs Chua spouting tea across the table..

Next merlion..predicted to be 10...beware of sitting next to/across her at next gathering..

4WD

Was just thinking..hmm..like nothing much to blog about recently..and then i suddenly remembered i had my first 4WD experience last weekend! I've always wanted to try 4WD(4 wheel drive, not 4D hor)..& though it wasn't me at the wheels(CMI lah), it was still rather exciting for an 'urban' driver like me..

First of all, i must emphasize..4WD is NOT a comfortable ride..we bounced & jerked so much i was quite sure some parts of my body will come loose..this was made worse by the fact tat ou xiang & i decided to be 'garang' & sat on the open deck at the back..rather than the internal seats..there were a few times when i felt i was really gonna be thrown off the vehicle(i wonder if this is how i-gallop feels like)..Sitting outside has its other drawbacks too..both of us suffered cuts & scratches everytime we 'bashed' thru the bushes..thanks to this particular thorny plant, my fingers have 5 holes now..

It's also not recommended for people with little or no patience..to cross a small gap sometimes takes 30 mins..to scrutinise the surrounding area..pick the suitable logs..carry the logs..adjust the logs(repeat the previous steps as many times as it takes to get the vehicle over)..there was this one trench..when we 'tio stuck' for more than an hour..cos there was a sharp turn immediately after the gap & our 4WD din manage to turn in time..so we 'jin tui liang nan'..go forward cannot, gostun also cannot..we practically had to move the vehicle inch by inch..cos one wrong move could result in the vehicle falling into the trench..this is also why it's advisable to have 2 4WD travelling together..in case u need to haul one vehicle up..

Ahh...when will i get to be behind the wheels of a 4WD..

ET phone home..or not?

There's this newspaper article today tat got me holding up 4 limbs in total agreement - Roaming charges yet to dip despite telecoms tie-ups..

It's almost like a marketing essay so i shall not bore everyone with the details..just let me pick out the para tat really got me nodding my head..'But there has been no real change to what matters most to consumers - pricing..One vital benefit is sorely missing : lower roaming charges. For some telcos in the region, roaming prices can be well over three or four times the domestic rates. The cost to the telcos? Just one or two cents to deliver a call to a roaming customer, compared to delivering a local call..'

And yes, i really dun get it..call rates have fallen quite a bit eversince the mobile market in Sg liberalised in 1997(dun pray-pray ah, i did my FYP on this topic) but as so rightly highlighted in this article, overseas call rates have not moved southwards as much as its local cousins..WHY??

It's not surprising for me to chalk up 3 figures amount for just ONE phone call..& this is despite the fact tat i'm not exactly one who loves chatting on the phone..i can understand if it costs US$2/min to call from the Himalayans..but can someone tell me why on heaven & earth does one bloody phone call from Germany back to Sg cost S$4.50/min??!! Do the German telcos have something against Sg telcos or wat?? Think even ET will think twice about phoning home if he knew about the charges..

And dun even mention SMSes..i still gripe about the $0.60 everytime i send a text in msia..esp when i'm just across the causeway in JB..c'mon..surely i'm not much further from woodlands than say someone in boon lay sms-ing to someone in changi..with my msia trips getting more & more frequent..pleeeease forgive me if i 'ignore' ur sms..

With frens(& one 0.5) all over the world..i'm looking forward to the day when i dun get a heart attack when i receive my roaming call bill..

Tetris/Brick game/Block game..

Did u get it??

The 5 characters are from the game tetris..

Locker or wall?

Latest addition to the 'either or' series of questions! Locker or Wall?

For those who are keen to find out more..gimme ur answer & i'll tell u the qn in full..heh..

3rd entry in a nite..

Hmm..maybe it's to compensate for the lack of blog entries lately..this is my third one within 20 mins..

Some things have come a full cycle already..one of my first blog entries was on MsK's birthday..a year ago..& guess wat it's her birthday again today..shall i sing a bday song..? nah..anyway, i also remembered she called me in London during my birthday last year..& this year, it was my turn to call her..in SA..so many things happened in this 1 year hor..

Let me introduce..

Mr I : The aristocrat of the group. Super-efficient. The only one who can clear four lines at once.
Mr O : The, er, square. Stubborn to a fault, he cannot be turned.
Mr T : The opposite of Mr O, he swings either way.
Messrs L and J : The twins can clear three lines each.
Messrs S and Z : Commoners who have lived together for so long that they look alike.
Sounds familiar?? I'm sure you know them..it might be quite some time ago since you last saw them..but am pretty sure u've met them at least once before..

Still can't figure out what characters are they..? Hint : I got their profile from Digital Life..

The nite i got sprayed with toilet jet..

Just when i was lamenting about how boring my life was..had a rather interesting nite wif a few frens yesterday..
There were 4 of us..including the 2 JMs..one back from UK & the other back from NZ(rem wat i said about my frens are all over the world)..we met up at this cosy little place in Gillman Village..the food & drinks were not too bad..but wat was more interesting was..the toilet system..

The NZ JM..whom i just realised, has this thing for 'checking out toilet flush system' everywhere she goes(think she must have mixed with sheep too much, brain all gone woolly)..'there's the tap system, the sensor system, the pull system, blah³..' giving me a 2-min overview on toilet flushes..and there she was..inspecting the toilet in the restaurant when she found this button next to the toilet bowl..'wat's this?' 'maybe it's the toilet flush?' someone offered helpfully ' flush? i don't think so..' & the next thing we knew, a jet of water sprayed straight out from the toilet bowl onto the 3 helpless frens standing outside the cubicle..

'WAT WAS TAT?' we demanded..'u see? i knew it wasn't the toilet flush! it's for washing ur a**h***!' and NZ JM happily pressed the button AGAIN..& we got sprayed on AGAIN..& to think tat we were standing some 3m outside the cubicle..imagine the force on ur a**h*** when u're sitting directly on the toilet bowl..@_@

Ok..enuf about the NZ JM..we'll talk about UK JM now..she's been away in UK for the past 3,4 years? maybe the london bombings had gotten to her but we thought it was rather morbid when she revealed she has the habit of glancing at the orbiturary when flipping thru the newspapers..at the grand old age of..27++

Anyway, we decided it's time she be 'singaporeanised' again..why do we say so? When i say a 'dinosaur & tissue' supper, u'd know(or do u not too) tat i'm referring to the milo drink & the tissue prata..And even though it was only recently tat i've gotten the official definition(from the authoritative kopi tiam down the road) of tissue & paper prata..but at least i know, & of cos eaten, them before..but UK JM has never in her 23 years in Sg heard about the existence of tissue/paper prata.& when.we tried to get her to guess wat a dinosaur was..giving hints like it's a 'power' version of milo..all she can come up with was a lame 'red bull'..sigh..someone get the lady a dinosaur please..

My my..i really do have some interesting frens..

summary of my not-so-interesting week

Wow..din realise it had been a week since i last blogged..

Was i really tat busy? hmm..ya lah, ok-busy lah..but also not no-time-to-eat busy..Lazy? Never denied this..hmm, think it's more of there's nothing 'blog-worthy' recently..

Let me recall the week tat passed..wed - office, thur - office, fri - msia, sat - msia, sun - msia, mon - work, tue - work..tat's about it lor..nothing particularly worth mentioning about the msia trip too..except tat i ate like a pig(even this is not news to frens..i think)..Oh, the resort we stayed in sedili has got fantastic views of the south china sea though..can sit on the deck chairs(made of bamboo, first time see) and nuah away the day kind..best thing is, it's facing the east, so it offers a chance to see sunrise over the horizon..i did make an effort to wake up early to catch the sunrise..but alas, the sky was a tad bit(oh, getting influenced by this phrase) cloudy..so all i managed to see was some orangey hews behind the cottony backdrop..hmm..i'll be back..even if it's just for the half-chance of seeing a perfect sunrise..

And of yes, how can i forget last nite..a simple dinner wif meng at chinatown ended up being a 'mail-drop exercise' around my estate..hmm..waiting for hours for appts..helping to pack office..free labour..think she must have saved my life before in my previous life..

Yup, tat's life..at least in this life..

2 weddings and a funeral..

Remember the movie '4 Weddings & A Funeral'? Think it was some 10 years ago..in fact, more than tat..since i remember i was in sec 4 when i caught the movie..(opps, unwittingly let out my age liao)

It was my fave movie for quite a while back then..anyway, as far as i can remember, Hugh Grant met this lady(Andie MacDowell) at a wedding.. 3 more weddings & a funeral later..he decided she was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with..

In the past 1 month or so..i've attended 2 weddings & a funeral..while i did not meet the love of my life on any of these occasions..i did sort of decide wat to do with my life..for the next 2 years at least..

And coincidentally during this period, no less than 5 pax had asked me about my plans for the future too..must say i'm quite touched at their concerns..it's frens like these tat u can really claim 'mei you bai jiao'

The latest 'function' i attended was tat of my lao shi's funeral(if u had followed my blog, u would realised this)..where the one thing everyone remembered about her was her passion & dedication to music..

Now..wat do i want to be remembered for when i die..& tat should guide me into my future..

Tribute to Wang Bin Lao shi (1954 - 2006)

Had gone down to the wake with wei last nite..we were slightly baffled by the fact tat compared to the rest of our teachers, we felt relatively close to wang bin lao shi..it's like, she taught us music only once a week(or so i think) during our lower-sec days..it's not tat much..if u're comparing with other subjects like english or maths(i shan't mention chinese cos i think wei will have an adverse reaction if i do so) where u see the teacher almost everyday(or so i think again..i really dun rem much about lessontime in sch..)

In any case, wang bin lao shi did leave a deeper-than-most-teacher impression on me..despite the fact tat i'm not the most musically-inclined student(hey u, stop sniggering) nor a choir member(though i think i did attend a few choir sessions before..aiya, was hanging out with quite a few choir members then mah)..wat i remember about her most were her larger-than-life size..her booming voice..& of cos, her passion for music..

Did not really have much news of her after i left sch..so it was a bit of a shock to receive news of her passing away last weekend..When we took one final look at her yesterday, she had lost weight since our school days..apparently from the chemo treatments for her liver cancer..

May lao shi rest in peace..

wang bin lao shi

Received news tat my music teacher in sec sch has passed away this afternoon..condolences to her family..

crushes

I finally have some time for my fave activity - read the papers..(wat did u think i was gonna say? have crush?!)

Was rather amused with this Life's article..& coincidentally, i just read a blog on crushes too..

'The whole of my being would be..concentrated on the existential plane of sharing time-space with such a wonderful person..Crushes may come in many shapes and forms..but they all share a characteristic of distance..they represent the gaping gulf over which we must leap to reach our desired selves and lives..
Whether you confront a crush depends on how much you want a particular dream to materialise..And whether your answer to such a confrontation is yes or no, the foregone conclusion is that if their worlds are the ones you wish to belong to, then you alone must have the courage to get there - with or without them..
Re-reading my communications with an ex-crushie had me roaring with laughter for five minutes..Even i thought the me of yesteryear sounded like a wild, deranged stalker..'

Hmm..when was my last crush..?? Well, tat's for me to know..& u to find out..hahaha :Þ

The day after the race..

Yes..Team SA had survived the race..& as a team, we managed to complete the race..though i think we barely managed to avoid coming in last(2nd last)..but as snowman puts it so rightly, we aim to complete not compete..we're afterall, all virgin adventure racers..

Just wanna say a big THANK YOU to all who had shown their support to Team SA..particularly to our 'sponsor' ou xiang..who not only delivered our bikes early in the morning but also went round the route taking photos of us(though i wished she hasn't taken so many of me in the waters)

The post-event report will come after i come back from my dim sum 'carbo loading back' session with the alumnis..

Campus Superstar

Just finished watching the post-campus superstar celebrations episode..quite enjoyed the series actually..though i did not catch every single episode..it's easily my favourite among the many reality contests recently..wat superhost..superidol..din make any effort to watch them..in fact the only episode of superidol i watched was the finals when i was having my latenite dinner with meng at a kopi tiam..or maybe cos CS is a singing contest..so i can relate better..since i often receive 'comments' about my singing too..??!!

Was watching the CS finals along with a tired ms chan last nite..while i had no grouses about the overall champion..was just a tad sad for my personal favourites(told u i'm a semi-fan liao) - adriano & geraldine..just find tat adriano's more entertaining & geraldine more 'sud' lor..

Anyway..think the other reason why i like this programme is tat i personally feel the contestants are genuinely enjoying themselves & u dun find it condescending when they say 'i dun feel sad about being eliminated or i'm just glad i came so far' sort of stuff..the contestants being teenagers, seem so true & somehow, u believe them when they say they will treasure the friendship & bonding among them..whereas some of the adult contestants in other contests just appear so 'fake'..

Ahh..the innocence of the young..sigh..

the race

Yes..our race..let's start from the very beginning..shall we? it's gonna be a long blog..so grab a cuppa & make urself comfy..

Left home at 0630 to cycle from my place to the bike deposit area..reached 5 mins later & instructor was already there..got our bikes from ou xiang..was asking her for the rest of our stuff when she let out a big 'OPPS!' Apparently, she had packed all our equipment into a bag & left the bag..AT HOME..

But no worries, we had 2 hours to our flag-off and there was ample time for her to drive home & back..so instructor and i just sat at the carpark & ate our breakfast while waiting for our team member 10 to come..10 reached just before 0700 & we just sort of indulged in each other's excitement & gan-chiongness for a bit..

Shortly after, ou xiang returned with our stuff & we started distributing our equipment..camel bag - check, power gel - check, gloves - check, compass - check, blah³...once done, we deposited our bikes & went down to padang for registration..

It was the SOP at the registration counter..check in bags, body marking, etc..(oh, the bibs..pink! so 'tak-match' with my attire) Of cos, there were the usual good luck hugs & hi-fives all round(aiya, most of the officials are 'ga ki lang' mah) With time to spare, we even went for a warm-up run..

The open categories got flagged off first..some of them looked real pro..& we jokingly commented, in terms of gear & outlook, we're among the top..no matter wat, we'll not lose in terms of 'sey'..

Aha..it's our turn for the flag off..baaahhh..airhorn sounded & off we went..we had to run from our start point at padang to prince edward rd where we had deposited our bikes earlier..it wasn't exactly tat far but i got mild stitches 5 mins into running..i always had this dilemma..i'll get stitches without fail, if i eat anything within 3 hrs of running..but boh bian, if i dun eat, how am i supposed to last thru the race?

Anyway, we got to checkpoint 1..where our first challenge was to inflate the balloon & twist it into a sword..we spent 5 mins searching for our air pump & a good 10 mins inflating the balloon..in the process, we must have burst 4 or 5 balloons & scolded twice as many f***..

Tat done, we took our bikes & cycled to mt faber..on the way, 10's bike chain came off & she the youngest, in terms of cycling age, managed to put it back on her own..well done! Continued to cycle to the foot of mt faber..we could cycle or push our bikes up(we chose the latter option), checked in at the second checkpoint & continued on foot to the top of the hill..was panting quite a bit when we got there..but the task, shading the letters of 'ADVENTURE SINGAPORE 2006' off murals on the wall was relatively easy for us..

Made our way down to collect our bikes & this time, we had to cycle into Sentosa..did a sudoku at CP 3..decided to combine efforts with a few other teams(from diff categories obviously) then ran off to the rope stations..

As we didn't have our own harnesses, we had to queue up for them..waited about an hour before it was our turn..getting some rest & chatting with other times in the meantime..first up was the rope ascending..since only 2 members needed to do it, we decided to let 10 rest cos we needed her for the swimming section..so i went up first..was 3/4 up when 'BOK!' i had hit my head against the ceiling..my vision spun for 2 secs..but thank goodness for the helmet..if not, i think my IQ score would drop 20 points(i had hit my head too while trying out the traverse on sat)

Instructor came up next without much difficulty & together with 10, we made our way to the abseiling section..as mentioned in my earlier blog, we agreed instructor will be the lead when it's running time, 10 to be THE(one & only) swimmer in the waters..so i'll be the first in all rope course..abseiling was a breeze for us..each taking no more than 10 secs to abseil 3 storeys down..

Time for traverse..it was slighly tougher than the tryout at padang cos it was further & so the rope sagged a bit towards the middle & we were actually skimming on water surface half the time..the last 10% was really a test of arm power which thankfully all of us had..

Done with the rope station, we went back to collect our bikes & cycled back to prince edward rd..from there, we were to get to fullerton..it was 1+pm & the sun was out shining in full force.. the run there was quite a killer, at least for me..but i would think instructor had no problems sprinting off..

We sort of knew we had to get into the waters at fullerton..true enuf, we were supposed to jump off the sidewalk ledge into the open waters underneath..take a look at 2 pictures placed on the walls & answer a few qns on them..sounds simple right? but dun forget, 2 out of 3 are non-swimmers!

As promised, we(meaning instructor & i lah) did not make a fuss over jumping into the waters..like we said, jumping into the waters is not a problem for us..the problem only begins after we jump in..*o*

It must have been quite a scene when all 3 of us were in the waters..with 10 trying to hold on to the both of us & yelling out instructions 'lie on ur back! open up ur arms! thought i told u all to practise kicking on ur bed last nite?!' (we did not forget our sense of humour even in the waters) Even ou xiang who was there couldn't help but to scream at us too 'keep left keep left!' All the while, instructor and i can only reciprocate with 'am i doing it correctly? am i moving in the right direction?' Think we were easily the noisiest team around.. :Þ

And for the last 10m, i was actually hugging onto the safety canoe who veered me towards the merlion steps..In any case, 10 lived up to her words and managed to push/drag/shove us to shore..applause applause! *as ou xiang commented over lunch today, we, rather than the waves, were more of a hazard to the other teams, & apparently quite a few teams had to swim a big loop just to avoid us..hahaha

With the most challenging part(for us) completed, we continued the last section of the race..running back to padang..all the way asking 'how do i look? is my hair messy?' (rem..'sey' is very impt to us) We had one last task to complete..& tat was to climb up the rockwall..& only one team member need to do so..

Since 10 has already done so much in the waters..the choice was between me or instructor..she has more 'arm power' while i had slightly better technique..so we settled for the fairest method of deciding - scissors, paper, stone. Instructor's scissors cut thru my paper & off i went..there was actually one point when i was just holding on to the grips using my 2 arms with both feet dangling in the air..a big no-no in rockwall climbing..but wat the heck, it was the last part already! Used watever strength i had got left in me and reached for the last grip & finally, Team SA had completed the race..

Dunno dun care wat our timing was..we were just glad we managed to finish the race..congrats to us to thank you to all..