Random thoughts

It is almost September, which would mean that it would be another 3 months before the year comes to an end. Time really flies, eh? I have already worked for almost 3 months, having started work on 6th June. I realized I do not have the luxury of time nowadays, whereby chores that cannot be done during the weekdays can be pushed to the weekends, or the school holidays. There's simply no more school holidays to talk about! There's so much packing to do in my room and I have no time to do them. Sigh. What's more, I do not even have the time to settle some paper work that I have to handle, like reading through my insurance policies and updating them, sending back some replies from Epson for my printer warranty and etc etc... So many things to do, yet so little time?

While I was running last Thursday, I was so energetic and mentally alert. It was a good run nevertheless. I had just made a new friend recently who's actually a fellow backpacker and a full-time lawyer and social activist now. She's in the midst of steeling up her own social enterprise. Well, she was someone I met recently at the Social Entrepreneurship Forum. And the S.E. she?s setting up is one that will actually organize trips to developing countries and bring the participants to meet the local VWOs and charities and activists in the various areas. Through traveling, she hopes to expose the local youths to think on a more global scale and to look beyond themselves. More often than not, traveling shows you the world and allows your mind to broaden while exposing you to the different cultures and the REAL world. You would then not just focus on the micro world that you came from, but also look at things on a bigger scale, and think of the environment around you on a global platform. Suddenly, you would feel that the whole world is so big, and you are just a tiny being part of it, but yet there are issues that might provoke you into changing your life's perspectives.

That was what happened to the lady I met. As well as to me. I now know what I really want in life and those old dreams that I used to have, which I felt so strongly about until recently, have all changed when I realized all I wanted to do in my life is to travel. Travel and connect with different people and different cultures from around the world. I want so much to travel, that I realized my dreams of being a marine biologist and an OBS instructor have been pushed back to the back of my mind. I have had plans to save up and perhaps go back to study about the marine world one day in the future, and to be a marine biologist, I have to be a diver 1st. Friends who are close to me should know my fascination with the underwater world. However, after my 'failed' attempt (having been cheated of my money by a dive school) of being a diver, it's not really a 'top' in my agenda anymore. I did dive! And in fact clocked 6 dives, but the 'dive instructor' ran away without issuing me my dive cert. Argh.

As for being an OBS instructor, I was hit hard in the face when I met a friend a few weeks back. To my surprise, she's an OBS instructor now! I used to admire how the instructors would live a life away from the corporate world on Ubin and just immerse themselves in imparting lifeskills in an environment which I highly adored: Nature. I'm still harbouring thoughts of being one, to be honest. But definitely, the fact that it had not sprung into my mind for so long also indicated that I have so many other things I want to do at the time being. One plan is to actually go to London to work as a radiographer. I have a friend in London whose mother used to be a nurse. There are agencies in Singapore that can arrange such job attachments at a fee. And I have found out from sources about working there as a RG. The pay there is good, as compared to Singapore. I personally do not like working in a hospital, enclosed within 4 walls, facing patients, breathing in the cold air all the time, and not knowing whether it's rain or shine outside in the natural world. However, the reason why I'm so keen to go to London to work one day is because of the fact that I can travel! I can earn enough pounds to travel and yet pay for my parents' living expenses in Singapore! My senior who used to study there told me there are lots of kiwis and aussies who would work for half a year and then travel for the other half. Whoa oh! My dream!

I know I have only just started work not long ago, and plans may change along the way. I could be offered jobs whereby I can travel or require me to travel. I might quit being a RG totally, and go into some other areas. Or perhaps, I might just go be an OBS instructor after my 3 years bond with SGH. That would be another 3 years? bond with PA. Don't think I'm very keen to bond myself again. But who knows? Things will change. All I know now is that I LOVE to travel and intend to do that my whole life. It's really the only thing that I'm so definite about doing for the rest of my life. If only there could be a TV program that wants to produce a documentary and pay me to live among the different communities around the world, I would gladly do it! Hah!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have too many things I want to do at the moment. I have to focus on my life at the present and treasure every moment, enjoy everything that I'm doing. Every swim, every run, every hike and every exploration around Singapore simply add on to my life experiences and make each day worth living. Work may not be the highlight of my life, but it's taking up so much of my time that I must learn how to cope with it in a cheerful manner. I may have plans for the future, and thinking of those dreams that I have keeps me alive. However, I must never be too pre-occupied with the future and fail to live out the present. This is a promise I'm making to myself. Focus on the moment, and make the best out of every second. Life would be so much more bearable in this way.

"The true meaning of peace refers to the inner freedom and spiritual elevation of each individual."
--Salaheddin

New Balance Real Run 2005

This is the 1st year that New Balance is organizing this run. It?s pretty well-organised except for the fact that they did not provide enough lockers (there seems to be more last year) and there was no staggered flag-off times. Everyone started at 845 am. Whoa oh. Mad rush. Yilin and I were late and we arrived at the bus stop at 825, only to find a long queue. Hence, we decided to walk and got to the starting point at about 842 when they already flagged off. Since we were already late and there were no lockers, we took our own time to warm up, sort out what to bring along, attached the race chip to our shoe and then dumped our bags on top of the lockers. Quite a smart move, except I had to run with my camera and handphone in the Ziploc bag in my hands.

Starting late has its own advantage. There are no other runners to jostle with you and at least u can start at the right pace as it?s very important. One thing I noticed was the rather heavy traffic that ploughed the roads of Sentosa. Surprisingly, on a Sunday when they have a run event. We had to stop for cars at the very beginning of the run. Geez.

Slopes. Tarmac. I was taking to them well. Better than I expected actually. Suffering from gum pain that spread to the side of the neck since Thursday night, I was not expecting much from this run although I know I have trained rather sufficiently. My gums have been a pain in the ass (read: mouth) since Thursday night. Despite the many herbal teas, panadols, and honey drinks I have taken, and even rubbing salt and rinsing my mouth with saltwater and Oral B (which is DISGUSTING!!!), the pain has went down significantly, but is still there. Yilin said it should be gum infection which she suffered from before as well. I would need antibiotics to make it go away? Argh. Another visit to the doc which I am not covered under1! I have to pay for the doc fees myself even though I have worked for almost 3 months already!!!!! Just another week to go! Why don?t this problem come knocking next week or later?! Argh. I will have to go see doc tomorrow if the pain still persists. Darn.

It was the sand after about 5-6km of run on tarmac. The 1st part was surprisingly alright. And a considerably short stretch as well. Tarmac again. Then somemore sand. And this stretch was longer. I was concentrating so much on the sand and trying to find the right footing on the harder sand and also darting from people that I did not notice almost all the people were WALKING on the sand! In fact, when I looked up twice, all those ahead of me were simply taking their own sweet time WALKING on the sand! The organisers might as well just organize a New Balance Real WALK for them! These people are obviously here for the dri-fit tee! DUH!

The sand stretch this year is 0.4km shorter and I find it so much more bearable. Most probably because I have prepared myself well this year and am fitter than last year? Although the sun was shining down hard on me, I was really surprised that I endured the entire run very well. Must be due to the 500ml of honey drink I took in the morning on the way to Sentosa and the amount of fluid and fruits intake the day before. Hydration before a race is so important!

The last stretch was actually through cycling trail which was part of the route last year. Not really cross-terrain, just the surroundings. Haha. Tarmac actually. But there were so many walkers and slower runners u have to dart! And especially school kids who are wearing their school tees and walking together in a row. I told a bunch of 5 girls walking abreast off. They are ridiculous! It was very mild. Simply ?Excuse me. Don?t walk abreast.? No running etiquette at all! What the?!?! There are many others as well. I would be able to finish my run in a shorter time if I need not care about these ?road-blocks?. Sigh.

I regret not timing my run on my watch. Only took note of the time that I started at. If I?m not wrong, I took a total of just a few seconds less than an hour to complete the whole run!!! So happy with myself! I took about 1hour 15min last year if I did not remember wrongly even though the stretch of sand was just 0.4km longer! Overall, I?m feeling very good after the run, even up till now, though it?s already 11pm, I haven?t felt any sense of fatigue in me yet!

Met many runners from the sgrunners forum. Very interesting, being able to meet some people whom u exchanged tips and views with on a forum in real life and all of us share something in common. Running. I know some of them are very active and they have even gone on runs together. Whoa oh. Just nice to find a group of people with whom I can hang out with during events in the case if no close friends of mine are joining with me. Most probably will join them at the aquathlon next Sat at Sentosa. It?s going to be a long day starting from 0930 till 1530. Gotta prepare myself well man?

I actually met many people at the run. Tay, my ex-classmate and who was so helpful as to allow me to tumpang my camera and handphone with her at the very beginning of the run when I bumped into her. Otherwise, I would have to hold on to the heavy cam in my hand throughout the run! And I might not be able to perform so well! Thanks girl!

Also met people I did not wish to see. I knew he would be at this run because of the tee. A very cheapskate fellow. Argh. He went to the toilet halfway during the run and I saw him as a result. :p

Also saw a radiologist. Surprise, surprise. Someone from my department! Consultant. So he should be in his fifties?

Radiographers from KKH. And a phototech as well.

Lijen, my junior, who used to be in Judo in secondary school and track and field in JC. She?s the lean and tall type, but I overtook her! See what training can do to a person?

Some other schoolmates from JC.

Nifal! Met him earlier this year after the NUS Biathlon. A fellow judoka from another school, with whom I got to know in Thailand when we represented Singapore to go there for friendly matches. Those were the good, old innocent days man?

Yilin and I bathed and then went to Seah Im Food Center for lunch. Had a hard time deciding what to eat, as I realized I have abstained so much from unhealthy food that I have no cravings for the food that I used to love. Which is a very good thing actually, as my body is only attracted to healthy food nowadays.

We then sojourned to HarbourFront Centre and decided to settle our bums down at Coffee Club for a drink and cakes! That?s one sinful thing I cannot resist. :p We had a very good and thoughtful conversation on our future and about marriage and getting attached. Hah. Topics that I would not discuss just with anyone. Or rather, topics that are so not me!!! Haha.

We went down to the harbour and stood there enjoying the sea breeze for about half hour before heading home at around 6! I was hoping to get home at 4-5pm? There?s so many things I have yet to do this weekend. Now, they have to wait till next weekend!

3rd Sep: New Balance Aquathlon. 1.5km swim, 10km run. Flag-off time? 12pm!!!! I?m really praying hard that it would not be too hot nor would it rain! Sigh. Gotta get enough rest this week!


"It's faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes life worth living."
Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

I'm back!

Have not blog for sometime! I'm back... My computer was down for almost the entire month and only got it up and running on the 16th Aug. Actually typed something last Sunday but it was erased all due to some screw up by the system! Argh! Wanna thank everyone who expressed concern for me over my last entry. I'm more stable now, since my family matter was more or less settled on 6th August. However, I'm just hoping that such issues would not occur again. There's much more responsibilities that I have to shoulder now, since I'm working. But definitely not going to let that weigh me down and prevent me from becoming the person I want to be and doing the things I like! That includes travelling! I will do all that will allow me to live my dreams. After all, I live for my dreams...


"Happiness is not a destination. It is a method of life." -
Burton Hills

Like a crumpled paper...

Been rather worn out over some family issues at home lately and not been able to blog regularly... Anyway, i'm still using my friend's computer and do not have any access to my photos at all. Would love to post some photos on my blog though.

I decided to change the template of my blog to something more soothing to the eye and also for a fresh look. It's green now and it's definitely more welcoming to the eye than the white background that was the old template. It's reminiscent of the very therapeutic Nature that I always look to for refuge and peace of mind. Perfect template.

I really have no inspiration to write much too. Till the next time when I have the time and energy. Ciao!