These are pictures of the sunset seen outside along my corridor today. It was a stormy day and it had rained heavily earlier in the afternoon. When I returned late after a conference that I was forced to attend-‘Advanced Neurology Imaging’- at National Neuroscience Institute(NNI), I was lamenting to my friend how late it was cuz the conference ended at 540 today, but my attachment actually ends at 430 everyday! We could not leave cuz our ‘dear despotic’ lecturer was there to watch over us like caged birds so that we do not ‘pontank’ the lecture at all! It started at 9am in the morn with 2 lectures by doctors and professors for 1 hours. Then teabreak at 1015 to 1045. Then it was another hour of lecture from 1045 to 1145, with 15mins of Q&A. Lunch was at 12! After which 1pm started a ‘live’ interventional procedure whereby they do something to a patient to make him well and it was filmed ‘live’ and shown to the audience. It lasted from 1 to 330! Thereafter, teabreak from 330 to 4 again. The last hour of lecture from 4 to 5 actually. But it was delayed today till 540! ARGH…..

Some of u may envy that we get fed every 1 hour or so… :p I dun. It’s so unhealthy to snack in between meals. Din eat during the morn teabreak. Then there’s the part when I need not work n can learn new stuff from the conference right?? BUT BUT BUT!!!!! It was a complete waste of time as the amt of content that we (my classmates n me) could understand were so limited! They are talking about ADVANCED IMAGING down here…. Whoa oh… while we r still struggling with our BASIC CT, MRI and Angiography reports, they r talking about ADVANCEMENTS in these ‘cheem’ stuff here…. Boy, were we lost among all the images and technology they were talking about! Even some of the young medical officers dun understand fully! Hah! Don’t even mention about us Radiography students!

Still got half a day to go tmr! Sighz… Think I will run back to the dept to help out after the morn teabreak rather than wasting my time sitting out there in the cold theatre trying to make sense of what the speakers r talking about…. The longer I sit there, the stiffer my knees get, the more susceptible they r to aches when I run.

And that was what happened today. Cuz of the lack of movement and having my knees angulated at that particular 90degrees(the most at which was only 120degrees?) for one whole hour before I can stand up to stretch, running took its toll on the knees. Came back to go running at only 7pm, when the sun was setting n started off slow… did manage to pick up speed, but knees were aching before that.

At least the beautiful sunset I saw when I stepped out of the lift made up for the lateness in coming home. I was pleasantly surprised that it was still so bright n beautiful even thou it rained cats n dogs with thunder and lightning earlier.

I love sunsets. They have a calming effect as the skies begin to turn dark blue and dusk approached. I guess Im pretty lucky to be staying in an area where I can admire the stunning views that Nature has got to offer.

I love running. Strangely enough, I have to say that it’s an acquired thing. *Weary laugh* I can still remember those days when I was forced to run for TAF club, forced to run for trainings, forced to run during PE lessons! I hated it! Guess when u’re forced to do smth u dislike, it will only amplify the abhorrence for it. Sighz.

But those were the old days. Nowadays when I run, it’s always voluntary. The crisp air that welcome u when u start running after a rain, the fragrance of frangipanis that often wafted through the air, the aroma of ‘zhi cha’ when u run past a coffee shop, the occasional damp smell of the grass when I run past my secret ‘green haven’, and the occasional reek of the drains or carcasses of animals…. These r the many different scents I will experience during a run. And when I dun have my FM radio with me, I will hear the various noises made by the birds, water, vehicles, people…

It’s always an ‘awakening’ experience after every run. The work of endorphins I suppose. When I feel vexed, I always manage to find peace after a run. The most recent one was a great sense of serenity during the run after a heated quarrel with my mum at home. I din know I needed the peace until I experience it. It was therapeutic.

The views made the run even more interesting. I have explored new running routes during longer runs of 1 hour or more and have managed to know my neighbourhood better. It’s interesting when u chanced upon new landmarks and places. A bit like traveling, I suppose. There’s tt sense of adventure and unknown that appeals so greatly to me. And being among Nature got to be one of the finest things in Life for me.

Ironically enough, I have been so disciplined the past 2 months cuz im actually training for a run that’s coming up in less than 2 weeks’ time! If u have not already guessed it, im taking part in the Standard Chartered Half Marathon. Hah… pay $40 to go torture myself… That’s the ironies in Life eh?? When I was given the chance to run all I want during school days, I din want to. Now, actually paying money to go test my endurance and determination! Self-inflicted torment perhaps? I dunno if im prepared well enough, but the past 2 mths of training has certainly seen myself growing stronger in terms of mentally, as well as physically the strength of certain muscles in my thighs and calves. More often than not, it’s always the journey that matters. And it’s no exception this time round. I cannot believe that I can actually train for 6 days in a row with intersperses of running, swimming, cycling and some strength training. Even during the Judo days, it was only 3 days in a row the most? And it was FORCED training! Hah!

Oddly enough, I enjoyed those trainings though I do have to drag myself to some of them. But it’s the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment after each and every one of them as I look back and seen how much I have grown from the beginning.

I had my radio on today as I ran. It’s exactly one month from X’mas from this date and they were playing Christmas carols! Oh my goodness. How time flies…. Im glad I had decided to do my half marathon this year end. I was predicting that I might not have the strength to train for it next year after I have started work. Since I have the time to train this year, y not? N most importantly, I have a great pal to run with!

Im never a ‘run’ person. But I have put aside that n my physical make-up to go for the run of my life. Year end is coming. What have u accomplish this year?? Life is short, she’s so precious…. Hope u have achieved what u set out to do at the beginning of the year. For me, my solo trip to Vietnam before I turned 21 and this half-marathon after I turned 21 gotta mark the year of 2004 for me. They’re sort of landmark achievements for me as I dared to believe in myself and my dreams. After all, dreams are what make Man great, aren’t they?


“It’s one of the strange ironies of this strange life that those who work the hardest, who subject themselves to the strictest discipline, who give up certain pleasurable things in order to achieve a goal, are the happiest. When you see 20 or 30 athletes line up for a distance race, don’t pity them, don’t feel sorry for them. Better envy them instead.�

-Brutus Hamilton, silver medalist, 1920 Olympic Decathlon