Happy 大年初一 = GOOD !!

I had a FANTASTIC & really enjoyable 大年初一!

As I don't need to do any CNY visiting nor have to stay at home to wait for relatives to visit, I always have the whole CNY to myself. Interestingly this year I found two other friends who share the same luckury :P (CNY lah, everything also must be lucky lucky haha :D). We didn't think anyone else would be free to join us on 初一 and hence we decided to spend this joyous day together to just visit, nuah, jiak, workout (yes yes, workout! to dispel at least 8% of the guilt of CNY bingeing :P), and more nuah & jiak.

Due to some pressing matters that cropped up at the very last minute on CNY eve, DOP was not able to join us for the morning activities that were initially planned. So some changes were made and NOO & I decided to carry on with our morning plans before DOP were to meet up with us.

8:28:58am. Met up with NOO for a short run. After my long stretching (nowadays I try to stretch more before starting any runs), we started our slow jog. Just few steps after we started the run, I saw this spanking new school building that turned out to be my primary school! I got really excited and trotted up the little slope to get a closer look at my school. Wow, the school is now so big ! Seeing the big school logo really evokes so many old memories of my life back in primary school!

We ran and even managed to run past the site of my old primary school. The buildings were still there and didn't look any older than what my impression of it was. What a treat to be able to see both the old and new school buildings all in a morning! Both NOO & I had fun just reminiscing about the good old school days ... funny how the school looked so much smaller, how the road leading from the school gate to the assembly area seemed so much shorter than what I remembered it to be :)

I am soooooo glad to be doing a road run on CNY day 1! Hopefully this run symbolises more good & painfree & injury-free runs for the whole year. :) A BIG BIG THANK YOU to NOO for running with me at my slow-slow & short-short distance!! *big big bow* And THANKS for reminding me to slow down my pace at some point, and to allow me to extend my run a little to reach 5km in all! Yippeee! Finally cross 5km!! Can strike off one of my wish-list for Feb liao! *super broad smile*

10:18:08am. Next up, our first visit to the new spanking Fitness First club at One Raffles Quay. DOP was originally suppose to join us at the club for some workout and had made prior arrangements for NOO to visit as a guest.

Wow! The club ...
is ....
AWESOME!!!

Its HUGE & so new, with all the new gym equipments, rows and rows of treadmills facing the waters, rows of LCD TVs, a cool corner with sofas and chairs and magazines to nuah & relax (with a wonderful view to boot). We were both in awe!

After our own conducted tour of the club, we started our respective workouts with NOO trying to build up his muscles with some rowing, while I gamely hopped on this Cardio Wave elliptical trainer thingy. I first tried out such a machine during the Mizuno Wave Run last year. Even had a pic of me doing that back then. That elliptical training takes a little getting used to. Instead of going forward like in a running motion, this one goes sideways, so it exercises a different part of your muscles. I was feeling the lethargy on my adductors very early into the workout (GREAT!) and managed to up the speed bit by bit. NOO saw how I was enjoying myself and joined me after completing bulking up his upper body (haha). I called it quits after 20 mins feeling that I have warmed up sufficiently to go for my resistance training.

I was just soooo impressed with the weights machines! They are all brand new and they even have this panel attached to each of the machines to show the number of reps you do. Later DOP told me that these machines also allow you to record your training and to customise the training accordingly ? Not sure how that is possible since it only has an (+) & (-) button only. Nevermind, I'm sure we will find out more in due course.

We were expecting the gym to be peppered more with Ang Mos out on their workouts and less of chinese (since most should be out visiting?). But what surprises us was that majority of the gym rats were chinese and only saw a handful of ang mos out pumping iron.

I finished my workout with my typical HIP strengthening exercises. Wow, even the mats are brand new and I didn't have to suffer smelling all the sweat that had soaked right into the mat when I lie face down to do some of my strengthening work. Shiok!!!

Haha, can tell NOO was just as excited as I was at the gym! He said he almost felt like a boy in a toystore with all these new gadgets to play with. I couldn't agree more! I was having loads of fun exploring the equipment too! Later NOO came over excitedly, while I was doing my strengthening exercises, to tell me about the cool Kinesis equipment that the club has. I saw those machines but had no clues what they were until NOO explained to me how they worked. Its really cool! A quick google explained what the Kinesis Equipment does:

• This revolutionary new system is constructed of four panels with unique cables, grips and weight stacks that allow movements to be easy, natural and without restrictions


• Kinesis is a unique human-centric, resistance-based training system. It is not a machine but four panels of grips, cables and weight stacks that allow for 360-degree, three-dimensional resistance-based motions


• The objective of Kinesis is to re-establish the correct balance between mind and body resulting in a better quality of life

Again another new thing that I wasn't familiar with!!! (think we very suaku because later DOP told us that FF is one of the last clubs in SG to have this equipment! -__-")

We then just nuah-ed at the club "lounge" to enjoy the beautiful sights & sky while waiting for DOP to contact us and also to plan what to do next before our movie at 5pm. We nuah-ed till our stomachs protested and guided by our growing hunger, we washed up and left our newfound toyland in search for jiak.

Not knowing what or where to eat, we decided to just walk til we find some place with food that calls out to us. Sadly, most of the shops along Clarke Quay were closed and those that were open seemed either too upmarket or not something our bak tors (though churning like a busy washing machine by then) were interested in. So our stroll for food turned into a trek and we finally found this quiet little restaurant in Robertson Quay that serves Turkish cuisine. It was quiet enough (with only 2 patrons) & neither of us had tried Turkish food so we were game to try. Our bak tors both hoorayed in unison as our food came and we finally tucked into a good relaxing lunch close to 1:08pm.

Next up .....

Onion Rings & Just Follow Law ....

Blessings from the Temple

This is the scene outside the Guan1 Yin1 temple at Waterloo Street minutes before the arrival of the Year of the Boar. This is the second year in a row I was at the temple with my sis and family to celebrate the cross over to the lunar new year, to pray to the Goddess of Mercy (Guan1 Yin1) for good health and happiness for the entire family.

Somehow we didn't think it was as crowded as the previous year (probably the result of many people celebrating their CNY overseas ?) Everyone was jostling (some order was in place due to the many policemen controlling the crowd) and waiting for the clock to strike 12 to place their burning joss-sticks into the urn.

We counted down to 12, offered our prayers and left. To a wonderful year ahead!

:)

Pose Method ?

T di di is super nice. After reading all my whinings about my leg pain and problems in running, he took pity on me and took time out of his busy schedule and jio me to go to the stadium on CNY eve. Why ? To look at my running gait and see what could be causing all my pain, and to suggest improvements.

So we met at 7am and after some stretching, we found a spot (inside the area of the track) and we started the serious work. Several pointers he gave:

• My heel landing is very pronounced. To land more on my feet, with the weight distributed more at the fore to mid-foot
• To not kick back my leg when running but to lift it up (lift ankles up vertically) slightly (this is really difficult, i realise i kick my leg not lift - wah, so fitting of my name hor? :P)
• To lean forward not at the waist but at the ankle (this one reminds me of Michael Jackson dance moves where he could lean forward at the ankle - i always tot that was camera tricks. No ? :P)

As I'm quite retarded (seems like this isn't limited to just directions! :P) about sensing where the stress or tension is when I run, T di di suggested i removed my shoes to try out the running style so that I can feel the ground better. After many many repeated attempts, I think I still have not grasp the full concept ... not easy to change. Will need lots of time & practices ... T di di even videoed the way I run and we agreed that my left leg kicks & lands in a really awkward manner as compared to my right. No wonder I have so many problems with my left leg!!!! -_-"

We were suddenly greeted by a passing shower that led us to take cover (primarily for his digicam lah). After that he went ahead with his interval runs while I decided to go for my track jog. Unfortunately, I was just feeling totally whacked that day and after just 1 lap, I was just feeling so unwell that I decided to abort the idea to run.

Stretched some more and waited for T di di to finish his interval training before we headed to the nearby kopitiam for breakfast. Those shops that were opened still on CNY eve (and some already put up signs to say they will be BAU(Business As Usual) through the CNY period! Wow! No need rest ah ? Anyway, they had all jacked up their prices and the usual $2.50 per bowl of lor mee now costs $3.50.

In all, THANKS to T di di for being so kind and patient and offering to help me with my problem. *super big bow* Will try out the method bit by bit, and try to observe my running style more and slowly adjust based on T's suggestions.

;)

10 more hours

... to 大年初一!!

I'm all excited about CNY, the festivity, the fun, the goodies (jiak jiak and more jiak! *throwing myself into the sea of pineapple tarts, peanuts, love letters, kueh bakit, kueh lapis, spicy emping, assorted crackers, bak kwa etc.*, the renewed hopes, the wishes for the new year ...

May this year be filled with fun, love, happiness, good health, great prosperity for everyone :)

恭喜!!恭喜!!

Wishing one & all
步步高升

身体健康

心想事成

HUAT ah!!!!!!

Back On The Road

I wasn't feeling all too well yesterday and was also very very lethargic. So I procrastinated going for my run during lunch thinking I may go after work. But was feeling even more dead after work and hence decided to give myself one day off (v relak hor? :P) and skipped my planned run altogether.

Still feeling tired today. Was online, planning to go for a run later (with waning determination & motivation) when Teelee msn-ed me. Wah! Was really surprised to see him online coz he has been so busy at work. So last minute asked him whether he would be keen to run at the stadium. Teelee, in his usual style, said ok (HOORAY!!!) .

As luck would have it, Teelee got to the stadium and found that it was closed for a soccer match! Half of me was like thinking "Yay! Got excuse not to run!" but the other part of me was like "Oh no! No run again ? Not good! CANNOT!!!"

After a couple of sms exchanges, we decided to run on the road. So Teelee ran to my place, did some stairs training before we headed out for a road run.

As this is gonna be my first road run after so long, I had to be prudent and wanted to keep my distance to not more than 4km. Dear Teelee, the ever patient and accomodating dude, just kept to my pace and ran alongside me while we covered the stretch towards AMK (still far from it of course) and then made a u-turn back to my place, stopping at the food centre near my block for dinner. Total time taken was about 30mins so Teelee figured it was about 4km. I trust this human foodpod :)

We jiaked & chatted over a long dinner, catching up with what he has been up to in camp and his upcoming races & plans.

So glad to be able to run on the road after such a longggg break! Can't even remember when was the last time I ran with Teelee in HSP (Just checked my blog entries, the last time I ran with Teelee was 22 Aug!!! Half a year ago!!! I dun believe this!!!)! Though the distance covered is meagre, and I was like sooo not in shape that I was panting after a short distance, it felt good! really good to be out and running! Though it would be a very long time before I can join any SGRunners organised runs as I'm still too slow and out of shape, but I guess this is nonetheless a good start!

THANKS Teelee for agreeing to run with me, at my slow slow pace, at such a short short distance (paiseh!) and the wonderful company throughout! *super big bow that forehead touched the floor* :D

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!!!
:)

CNY Goodie Shopping

Went Taka last night for some CNY goodie shopping. Wanted to buy some goodies for happy snacking/pigging/munching during the CNY period and so tot to check out the Taka CNY fair. Surprisingly the place wasn't like packed yesterday. Crowded lah yes, but at least it wasn't arm-jostling kind of pack, so my friend and I was able to leisurely walk around.

There were quite a number of stores set up, some that I could think of Rasa Sayang, Pines, Amethyst, Bengawan Solo, Raffles The Plaza, Xi Yue Tang, Lavendar and many many more. So we went around trying out the various cookies and stuff, and I realise they all taste about the same to me. Maybe I was having lots of expectation about all the yummy stuff so was a little disappointed when we walked around the atrium like twice and I still couldn't decide on what goodies to buy. Nothing really stand out for me to just grab and pay for it ? :P

Also met Roentgen, who was there doing his own CNY goodie shopping! Haha .... he seemed just as lost as I was but later told me he was "conned" (yeah right! :P more like charmed ! haha) into buying some pineapple tarts from some young gals. He showed me the pineapple tarts and wow! they are HUGE! Big square blocks! What kind of pineapple tarts are those ?

We were tired from all the walking and sampling and by 9pm we were beat. So I ended up buying this atom peanuts (an indonesian food stuff) from the Rasa Sayang store. Also bought some chocolate wrapped in golden foils in the form of coins and gold ingots for my family.

The Amethyst store was selling the pineapple tarts like hot cakes! The baker was baking there on the spot and when we asked to sample the pineapple tarts, they said that they no longer offer the tarts for sampling!!!! (Wah!) and even if we want to buy their pineapple tarts, we will have to place our orders and collect on Friday (wah wah! so popular ??) Anyway, knowing that all pineapple tarts probably taste about the same to me, I didn't see a need to join in the crowd to order pineapple tarts. Anyway their tarts look a tad small, don't think its worth the while also.

Left the mall feeling super drained, and super jelat from all the CNY goodie sampling. In fact, I seem to have satisfied my craving for all the CNY goodies and right now, seeing another tart or love letter or even just the thought of it, makes me nauseous ! *puke*

No more CNY goodies for now ? Let's see how my body feels the next time someone offers me a CNY goodie :P

JelatJazzy

&#^@(*!)!

Just rushed to ICA during lunchtime to collect my new IC.
Rushed back to office, decided to grab a salad from the cafe in the same building. Got there, and they were closed for a private function!
Was sooo darn ARGHHHHHHHH!!!! *(#$&)(&$(*$#@()$ especially after a super irritated morning at work.

Ended up bingeing on unhealthy food to fill my stomach.

And now I'm feeling crap & guilty & fat ! And I can only blame myself for being such a pig!!! with close to nil discipline !!!

LumpOfLardPiggieJazzy

Control & Choice

Just finished this book from Paulo Coelho (The Devil and Ms Prym). In it, one of the main characters (Ms Prym) recalled a story about the encounter between a saint (Savin) and a villian (Ahab) and how the encounter brought about a change in Ahab. One conversation they had was as follows:

The villian challenged the saint:
"If, tonight, the most beautiful prostitute in the village came in here, would you be able to see her as neither beautiful nor seductive?"
"No, but I would be able to control myself," the saint replied.

"And if I offered you a pile of gold coins to leave your cave in the mountain and come and join us, would you be able to look on that gold and see only pebbles?"
"No, but I would be able to control myself."

"And if you were sought by two brothers, one of whom hated you, and the other who saw you as a saint, would you be able to feel the same towards them both?"
"It would be very hard, but I would be able to control myself sufficiently to treat them both the same."

Savin and Ahab had the same instincts - Good and Evil struggled in both of them, just as they did in every soul on the face of the earth. When Ahab realised that Savin was the same as him, he realised too that he was the same as Savin. It was all a matter of control. And choice. Nothing more and nothing less.

I read half of this book several years back on my plane ride back from New Zealand, but never got around to finishing the story until today. An interesting read.

My New Beau

Been contemplating buying myself a new mobile entertainment device since Dec (for my own xmas gift). But kept putting it off coz I couldn't justify getting a new one when my old ipod is still working though I have a few grouses with my existing ipod - its big & bulky to be used for running, its old and dirty and its getting cranky.

The big break came when one side of my earphones died. I'm actually very impressed with ipod earphones. This is the first pair of earphones that can last me for a good 2+ years before one side died. The rest of my earphones always gave up after few months of use! With the demise of the earphones, I finally have a valid reason to part with my $ for a spanky new ipod nano. I was lucky coz my good friend, who was helping me choose my new entertainment device, happened to have a friend who just won a 2GB ipod nano in a lucky draw and wanted to sell it at 25% off the retail price. Since the price of a pair of ipod earphones will cost an upward of $50, I thought it very wu hua to just buy the ipod nano from him. 2GB is definitely a far cry from my 15GB ipod but then, I don't really need 15GB lah.

So thanks to my good friend Allan, who kindly delivered my new beau to me on Tues nite and I've been using it since.

KJ is a contented gal now with a new mp3, with a color LCD (wow! what a breath of fresh air from my old ipod!). Now KJ just needs to get some new clothes for her new beau. :)

iPODJazzy

AquaFit

Been wanting to try out this AquaFit class ever since I joined the gym. However, always couldn't make it or too lazy to go :P

Already planned to go for the class after my physio session. The session @CGH ended later than I expected and I had to take a cab down so that I could make it for the class. Thankfully got there and was in time for the class! whew!

When I got to the pool, noticed that 3 lanes of the pool had been cordoned for the class while the remaining 2 lanes were left open for the swimmers to continue with their swim. A HUGE group of women had already congregated, chatting & laughing away while waiting for the instructor to arrive. Everyone seemed to know one another and needless to say, I was the odd one out and feeling extremely uneasy.

Started the class with the instructor making us run around the pool. All the ladies were chatting away and frankly, it felt like a market. I know I shouldn't feel this way but I really felt so darn out of place & embarrassed to be in that class! They were making such a din and it really felt like a public pool full of aunties (and one uncle) when this was suppose to be a gym!! So auntie lor the whole atmosphere!! -_-" But having said that, the class seemed to be having loads of fun just laughing with the instructor (they seem to be very chummy with the instructor, prolly attended many of his classes). The effiminate instructor, with a really beautiful smile (what a waste! haiz :P) was just coaching us from the side of the pool most of the time, shouting (in a strict yet fun manner lah) & blowing the whistle at us while commanding us to kick and jump etc. Many times we had to pair up with a partner who will hold on to a foam roller while we administer our kick or jump. Everyone was so enjoying themselves while I just find the whole thing a little bo liao lor -_-" *yawn* Many times I contemplated just getting out of the pool to grab my goggles so that I can go for my own swim, but I felt pai seh to leave the class half-way, so I just grit my teeth and hung on til the end of the class.

All in all not a class I truly enjoyed, but I *might* go for the class again coz this could very well replace my running and kick-boxing classes. I think there are still some impact coz some of the exercies require us to jump up and down but the impact is definitely much lesser. I might just schedule myself to go for this class once a week or fortnight ...

Oh yes, I was surprised to see Fennel doing her swim !! Too bad I was at the class and couldn't stop to chat with her. She left before I finished my class. Hope to catch up with her some other time at the gym.

Physio 10

Yes, today is my 10th physio session. Really questioning why I'm going still ...

Anyway, saw the physiotherapist, updated her about my running mileage, my pain etc. She also enquired about what other activities I did etc just to find out more about what could have contributed to my pain. She couldn't find a pattern but after seeing the mileage that I run, she said that i increased my mileage too fast (from 1.X km to 3km) and that spinning might also contribute blah blah.
She said the only way is to start from ground zero, and slowly "load" (either increase speed or time but not both) so that we can ascertain what could be the contributing factor. I told her point blank (politely of course) that I'm not keen to start all over again from scratch. She said its up to me and that that was what she suggested and she understands how I feel, but her wish is for me to get better.

Getting better is obviously my biggest wish too, but sometimes, we just have to balance between getting better with some reasonal amount of activity, and getting better conservatively. I think I will choose the former. I have opted for the latter for the past few months and yes, it helps but not totally. Anyway, I hear what she said and I will be more careful and also establish a proper pattern in my running mileage. She agreed that I need not go and see her coz I can record and monitor on my own. She said she wouldn't discharge me but will put my session as an open-date which I was fine with.

Next up, appointment with the sports doc. Judging from the x-ray he said that my bone is better and healing (HOORAY!) and that the current mild pain that I feel (he did some examination of both my legs, finding out where it hurts when he pressed down lightly) is probably the actual shin pain. I also briefly repeated what I mentioned to the physiotherapist. He did some assessment and decided to observe my running gait again. Lots of things he said but I shall not try to repeat them here (coz I oso can't remember liao). Anyway, gist of it is:

1. My ankle /calf lacks the flexibility and hence i wasn't able to bend my ankle far enough to form a 90 degrees angle without much of a force. What this means is that I am not able to run i think efficiently or properly lah .. dunno what.
   
2. My adductors are not strong and hence when I run, my knees tend to move inwards thus making my knock knees problem more pronounced. Considering that women are built with wider hips, so my problem seems more acute that my knees sometimes brush against each other when I run, especially when I'm tired.
3. So doc suggested stretching of my adductors and lots and lots of stretching on my calf to ensure i can do (1). I thick-skinly asked him how to stretch my adductors (coz he sound like I ought to know), then he was shocked to learn that he has not shown me the 5 stretching for runners. So here they are:-
• Calf & Deep-calf stretch - (Calf Stretch) To stretch your calf, stand a little way from a solid support and lean on it with your palms. Bend one leg and place your foot on the ground in front of you, leaving the other leg straight behind you. Slowly move your hips forward until you feel a stretch in the calf of your straight leg. Be sure to keep the heel of the foot of the straight leg on the ground and your toes pointed straight ahead. Hold an easy stretch for 30 seconds. Do not bounce.
  Stretch other leg.
  (Deep-calf stretch) - In the same position as the calf stretch, shift your weight farther onto your back leg and bend your back knee until you feel your heel wanting to raise off the floor. (Keep your heel on the floor, though.) You should feel the stretch in your Achilles tendon.




• Quadricep Stretch - Hold left foot with your left hand and gently pull your heel towards your backside, keeping the rest of the body straight. Feel the stretch in the quadriceps (thigh) muscles. Repeat with the other side.






• Hamstring stretch - From a standing position, put one foot on a chair. While keeping this foot flat, slowly straighten this knee until you feel a stretch. To increase the stretch, slowly lean forward from the waist while keeping your back straight and chest out.



• Adductor Stretch - Seated, put the soles of your feet together. With your elbows on the inside of your knees, gradually lean forward and gently press your knees toward the ground.


• ITB Stretch - with left hand on the wall, left leg straight and left hip towards the wall, slow lean towards the wall and lift the right leg and place it in front of the left to lend support.
  According to Runner's World, this is the best ITB stretch in the world. But this isn't the one that my doc demonstrated to me though.
  


(pictures plugged from here)

4. To consciously run with the knees facing outwards (have to stretch out the adductor muscles so that the knees can do that)
   

Doctor said that he will keep the follow-up session as an open-date (HOORAY!!!) and wished me good luck.

I saw MM Lee!!!

Yes, I kid you not! I saw MM Lee while I was waiting for my X-Ray films @ CGH.

The X-Ray ward was very quiet on Saturday and I was the only one there. First time I didn't need to wait (though I qualify that I never need to wait long each time I went for my X-Ray at CGH) for my turn. So while I was waiting outside for the films, I heard someone standing next to me and talking. I looked up to see this man with a earpiece stuck to his ear and talking away seriously, before I knew it, an entourage walked past me and there in the middle was this figure talking away with this really deep voice. This figure, is none other than MM Lee! He really has this aura around him, that just makes me sit up a little straighter, and just so full of respect for him :P He went into a room leaving behind some of his bodyguards loitering outside the room. Too bad my brush with MM Lee was just for that brief 2 seconds but well, was still quite a treat to be so close to someone whom played a humungous part in moulding this island into what it is today. I know this sound extremely silly but I was playing inside my head how if I could just go up to him and shake his hand and talk to him a bit :P hehe ... if I ever dare to muster enough courage to do that, I think I would have been restrained by his bodyguards & remanded in prison before I could even extend my hand for a handshake! :P

After collecting my x-ray, i returned to see the physiotherapist & the doc. More information here

Powerful Quote

"Happiness is something that multiplies when it is divided."

Got this quote inside one of Paulo Coelho book. Wow, very true indeed. Simple yet powerful message :)

Stadium Run

My first outdoor run in as many months!!

Wanted to do a test run on the track just to see how I would feel. I planned to do that last sunday but weak-willed me didn't execute the plan. Worried that I would again default on my plan, I asked whether Teelee would be keen to run in the stadium. Since I figured we can run our own pace and my slow 3km run duration should be sufficient time for him to do his interval training. And I would be more inclined to stick to my plan if I have arranged with someone to go to run together.

So on Sunday morning, after a few smses to confirm that both are still keen to run, we met up at the stadium near our area. Teelee was already running around the track while I reached. Think all the training / swimming that he is doing lately is doing him a lot of good, somehow I thought Teelee has grown more muscular ? *whistle* well done cool dude!! :)
After some stretching, I started my own slow run. Geez, I knew that it is very different running on a treadmill and on the track/road, but I was still unprepared for how I would feel after laying off road/track running after so many months. I felt completely drained less than 1 km into the run (and I was going oh-so-slowwwly!!!). Felt a little demoralised and disappointed but I pressed on. The disappointment was thankfully made up for by the kind weather. It was really breezy and cooling and I'm still glad to be out doing this short slow run. The nice breeze really helps to brighten up my day ... ah, I almost forgot how wonderful it feels to be out on a weekend morning doing a run :)

I again felt some slight shin discomfort on my right leg towards the 3km mark and so I stopped after 8 laps round the stadium and did a slow run and walk to cool down. There is definitely still a long road ahead before I can be back to my old running routine (or will I ever get back to that state ? I dunno) but right now I guess I just have to contend with running such meagre distances ... well, better than nothing I suppose ? And I do not wish to push myself and start running longer because I'm very sensitive to pain right now, every little twitch/discomfort and I get obsessively worried. I just don't wish to risk making the situation worse.

Well, just have to look on the bright side. I got some fresh air this morning and also more significantly I managed to meet up with Teelee ... its like sooo many months since we last have a run together. Though today technically doesn't count as a run "together", but still its good to be able to meet up with good old kaki ... it almost feels like the good ol days :P Just sadly can't run together, Teelee tried to run with me lah, but I was way tooo slow and I just didn't have the heart to torture him so I insisted he carry on with his run hahaha :P

Last but not least, THANK YOU Teelee for agreeing to join auntie here for a run or more accurately, to keep auntie company. THANKS !!! *bow* :)

Nauseating Lunch

Read about my nauseating lunch here :P

Yucks

Just had a lousy lunch .... read all about it here

Physio 9

After 3 weeks break, finally went for my follow-up physio session. Initially wanted to reschedule so that I can coincide both the doc's appointment with my physio session, but wasn't able to book a slot.

Since took half day leave, must fully utilise it ... target to do a swim and then head to vivocity to window shop a bit before heading to the hospital. Anyway, to cut the story short, didn't have time to do both so only did one - swim. Practised my swim, still very breathless and tense. Need more practice!!! And its funny how people around me were swimming leisurely and yet so much faster than me!!! They covered two laps while I was still struggling with my one lap! So embarrassing! But i kept reminding myself that its alright, that I'm just learning :P But its good to be able to relax by the pool while everyone left the pool to return to work ... so I was able to enjoy the pool all by myself for a little while ... nice :)

Physio session - as usual. Told her now I'm having right shin pain. She did some assessment and found that my right leg is now weaker than my left *FAINT* and that when I do my one-leg stand, my right ankle now wobbles more than my left *FAINTx2* haiz .... I dunno what to say about myself ... and she noticed that my knees tilt inwards each time I do my one-leg bend. So many problems hor ? So anyway, I will have to resume my one-leg stand exercises and she also prescribed me hip strengthening exercises. This would mean I have to be more disciplined and do these exercises more religiously. Will I ? Frankly, knowing myself. Answer is No. Yes, so who can I blame that I'm not recovering well ? :P

Did my run on the treadmill and she said she noticed my left foot kicks out more obviously than my right. I told her the doctor mentioned this in his very initial assessment of my running ! -_-" aiyo ... is this therapist for real ?? Anyway Darek also came over to ask me about my progress and asked what I did to be better. I said "Nothing. Just rest". Think everyone is as puzzled ?

Physiotherapist commented that my calves were very tight, warned me to be mindful. I hence requested for deep tissue massage. So after my hip exercises, one of the trainers helped to massage my RIGHT calf. Yes, right. Coz now the therapist found my right calf just as tight -_-" Wah! I'm definitely not used to be massaged on my right!!! The pressure he placed was unbearable that I had to stop him several times! Torture!!!!

I was wincing in pain with every step while making my way to the shower and heading to the counter to make payment :P and only felt the muscles loosening after the short walk to the train station (waited a good 10 mins for the shuttle bus only to find that it was packed and some people just thick-skinnedly jumped queue and board the bus! so gave up the wait)

Maybe one of my Feb goals is to tell myself to be religious in doing the hip & ankle strengthening exercies.

Already ??

Time flies ... its Feb already ?!?

Though Jan seemed to have passed by in a flash, but looking back, hey, I shouldn't be complaining since I achieved quite a bit last month.

1. I passed my exam
2. I picked up swimming and at least now I can go and practise my swim on my own
3. I resolved to kick (still kicking lah :P) a bad habit
4. I signed up for a new gym membership
5. Resumed short running on the treadmill
   

Realised (yes yes, it took me sooooo long to realise this ... a bit slow but well, better late than never) that its good to set small little targets and work towards it. At least I have something to work towards ...

So now I got to set some new ones for Feb to keep me going. But what leh ?

Daily Insight

One comes to believe whatever one repeats to oneself sufficiently often, whether the statement be true of false. It comes to be dominating thought in one's mind.

-Robert Collier-

Nice read

Read this article 2 weeks ago in the Sunday Lifestyle and it just captured beautifully what I have been experiencing & feeling ... was quite speechless as to how to pen down my thoughts and so just kept the article in my handbag, trying to wait for my thoughts to crystalise ...

Well, that didn't happen. :P

Was talking to a very good friend yesterday about this article and found that it is actually available electronically! So here it is ... you might not share the same sentiments as I do about this article, but nonetheless, a good read (in my opinion). I always like Sumiko Tan and this article just reinforces my support for her :P She rocks!

Shiokz!

Just back from my swim ..... can swim liao! Though still not good and I get very very very breathless after just swimming a short short distance, but hey, at least I can float without using the float! *victory*
Today my teacher pushed me harder and instead of the usual 2 laps (note that one lap of a private pool is MUCH shorter than the lap on a public pool hor), she made me swim 4 laps each time. And by the end of the 4 laps (punctuated by a short break during each lap) I'm always like heaving and gasping for air! Obviously I'm still tooo tense while swimming (makes a mental note to self to relax more and not be sooo phobic in water) but I think this is the best workout I have had since being injured!

But now I'm sneezing away .... the water was cold and it was really windy tonite. Freakin Freezin!!!! Hope I haven't catch a chill .... let's see how I feel tomorrow .... better dun fall sick!

Swim teacher said she will teach me how to tread water, and the back-stroke soon. Hooray! *big grin*

KL Pacesetters

Hit by no-mood-to-blog-bug. So will not be blogging about my trip up to KL for the KL Pacesetters.

Thanks to my partners-in-jiak, who have very efficiently blogged about our experiences in KL. Since I spent most of my waking hours with them, reading their blogs is good enough to document what I did too ...

so here goes ... read this and this.

To KL

So we are all going to KL this evening .... majority, as I found out, will be going via train while some of us are going via coach.

Been wanting to try out the Transtar first class (tink this is the CLOSEST i will ever get to travelling first class haha) coach ever since it was launched like years ago. But i never get a chance to try it. And FINALLY I'll be trying it tonight! YIPEEEE!!! Though I wouldn't be able to run, but at least this coach thingy is one thing i'm soooo looking fwd to. It better be comfy with plush seats etc!!!

Hope to meet up with the rest of the SGRunners folks in KL! Will be a big group of us ! *Happy*

See u runners there! :)

Blood Diamond

I just watched the movie Blood Diamond. First heard about this movie from chao mien. Didn't think I would be interested in such a "heavy" storyline but was intrigued to watch it after my swimming teacher gave me rave reviews about this show.

So on Sunday, being sian about having nothing better to do, and not wanting to waste my weekend just rotting at home, I decided to go catch this movie ...

And am I glad I did. The movie is simply awesome! In short it is about how rough diamonds are used by rebel movements to to finance wars against the legitimate government and how civil war is rife in the country and killing is rampant. I was totally engaged in the show the entire 2+ hours! Although the story isn't real, but I think most of it is based on what is / was actually happening in Africa. So armed with my curiosity, I googled to find out a little more about blood diamonds:

1. Watch this to have a very quick & simplified understanding of what this is all about.
   


2. Conflict diamonds - Conflict diamonds, sometimes called blood diamonds, are diamonds that are sold to fund the unlawful and illegal operations of rebel, military and terrorist groups. Countries that have been most affected by conflict diamonds are Sierra Leone, Angola, Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo -- all places where citizens have been terrorized, mutilated and killed by groups in control of the local diamond trade.
   


3. Kimberly Process Certification Scheme - There indeed is such a process. Why Kimberly ? Because in May 2000, Southern African diamond producing states met in Kimberley, South Africa, to come up with a way to stop the trade in conflict diamonds so that consumers could be confident that their diamond purchases do not contribute to violent conflict or human rights abuses.
   
   However, there are also reports that say the Kimberly Process, which is self-regulatory and voluntary, is nothing more than a public relations stunt in the part of the diamond industry. You can read more about it here.
   
   Download this to find out what you, as a consumer, can do when purchasing diamonds.
   

I'm sure this movie will help spread awareness about this illicit activity that is on-going in Africa (I for one is now a little educated about how my desire for a small little rock may cost so many people their lives). No doubt such awareness may be temporary and people will forget as time passes, especially when the repurcussions cannot be seen nor felt by the consumers, I'm still glad that this movie was made and brought the world to the attention of how millions of people out there are still suffering from such trade. While we are a population blessed with the everyday comfort and luxuries (all we worry about is having more $$, more time, less fats - haha, finding our purpose in life etc.), there are still millions out there suffering and living in hell. Worse of all, being tortured and abused and massacred by their own countrymen.

Well, with Valentine's Day near, do think about (and ask the few basic questions as mentioned in point 3 above) if you are choosing a rock for your loved one.

Is this going to put off the general public in buying diamonds ? Of course not. But hopefully people may start to insist on conflict free diamonds. Its only when there is demand and pressure from the market, that more could be done.

Highly recommended movie. In fact, one of the better movies I have watched in recent years.

To the Gym ...

I had the opportunity to try out the Fitness First OUB Centre branch today. All thanks to JT who is extremely kind to offer to bring me to the gym so that I can have a look around (I wanted to practise my swim). Thanks JT! Very very kind of you *MUACKS*

The branch at OUB Centre is pretty old but it has an outdoor pool and outdoor studio for spinning and body pump classes (& possibly many others). Very interesting concept to have an outdoor studio really.

As we were too early for the spin class, JT brought me to their other branch in One George St. Wow, that branch is newer definitely and has this pool that overlooks CBD and the Esplanade!!! Wow!!! Am I in awe or am i in awe ?? JT said that the view at night is even more spectacular. We saw this ang mo sprawled comfortably in this beach chair reading a book. The cool weather, reprieve from the recent incessant rain, makes outdoor nuah-ing/relaxing extremely conducive.
Even the walk back to OUB Centre was relaxing because it was a non-work day and the whole CBD was just peaceful. There wasn't the usual hustle and rush that we are all so used to and coupled with the cool weather and breeze, the walk back albeit short was simply enjoyable.

The spin class was alright. Its been MONTHS since I last attended a spin class. And what with my lack of strenuous activity for the past 3 months, my cardiovascular has taken an obvious beating. I was hardly able to catch up and less than 10 mins into the spin I was like wondering how much longer I could survive. Needless to say, I didn't follow the trainer's que to up the resistance. Felt really tired and breathless. Sometimes life can be so ironical. 3 months ago I was just thinking to myself that I was at my fittest and now, 3 months after, my fitness level is its lowest ebb. Ah well ...

Its actually very interesting to have a spin class out in the open. My very first experience and I enjoy it tremendously. The biggest contributing factor is not the class itself but because of the nice cool weather. Its really great to have the cool breeze blowing at you while you spin away. Shiok! But I can't imagine how they can spin when the sun is out, especially during the lunch time class. The place would be baking, how they could spin under such adverse conditions is beyond me.

After the spin, I went for a swim to practice my strokes before my next lesson with my teacher. The pool (unheated) is 1.4m deep and though a small pool, it served my purpose. There was only 1 other lady who was swimming in the pool and so I wasn't feeling too stressed out nor conscious about my not being able to swim :P I even managed to try running in the pool. Not sure whether I was doing it correctly though coz I was just trying to simulate running in the pool, which was really hard and I ended up tiptoe-ing the first few times and I had to consciously force my feet to touch the floor before i took the next step. It was almost as in I was running in slow motion and I guessed I must have looked really silly not swimming but running (or trying to !) in the pool. Thankfully my skin has thickened considerably as I age and hence I wasn't too bothered when people shot me funny looks :P

JT had to leave earlier for her next appointment while I stayed on to practise my swim a little longer before leaving.

I have to say that I'm just soo impressed with JT. This gal IS popular! Almost everyone at the gym knows her and the place seems like her second home! Amazing! :) Oh, and the sua ku me was very very impressed by this swimsuit dryer machine that they have! Didn't know of such an equipment until JT showed it to me. It spins dry your swimsuit in 5-10seconds flat. Ok, not exactly dry dry but hey, it makes the swimsuit so much lighter and easier to dry! :)

I should have done this earlier right after getting injured ... haha ... THANKS to JT once again! *MUACKS*

Physio 8

Just checked my blog entries. My last physio session was 20 Dec. So it has been a good 3 weeks since my last physio.

Was raining on and off the whole morning and it decided to get heavier by the time i was travelling to Simei. Well, as the physiotherapist said 3 weeks ago, they couldn't find anything particularly wrong with me, not with my running gait, nor my physical body. Hence, she did a re-assessment of my body from my feet all the way to my hip area. Just to see what she could have missed out the first time round. She noticed that my right hip tend to over compensate (for my weaker left ankle/leg) by tilting upwards when i do one-leg bends. That might potentially be a reason for my problem, but she couldn't be certain. Apart from that nothing much.

So I went on the treadmill to start a 1.2km SLOW (at 8km/hour) run as instructed by the doctor the last time I saw him (to start on the run after 1 more month of rest). I felt awkward, almost like an elephant running !!! :( Not a good feeling but still, I'm just glad I'm at least starting to run a little again, albeit slow and extremely pathetic distances!! I think I must be doing badly that one trainer actually came over to ask me whether I was alright! -_-"

As I ran, my physio came over to observe briefly my running gait. Both of us noticed that somehow my knees are nearer when I run now!!! *HORRORS* You mean my knock knees problem is worsening ???!!! *panic*

She asked whether there are any pains when I run, and thankfully there were none. So she just left me to my running and said that we will meet up 2 weeks from now. To give her time to read up more about what could have caused my problem, and to give me time to train under my doc's instructions and to report on my condition & progress thereafter.

So I just finished up my run, did another 1.2km walk (sian sian sian!!!) and ended my physio session.

First time my physio session cost so little! Less than $20!!! Almost fell off my chair haha :P But its good to see the friendly trainers again.

One good thing that came out of this session is that I met Tekko at the gym. He was also there for his physio session and was religiously doing his reps. We chatted a bit before we continued with our own workouts. We ended our respective sessions at about the same time and we headed to the soya bean / snack shop beside the clinic for some drinks & chit chat. Good to catch up with Tekko! Haven't seen him for a while already. Thanks to Tekko for his advices (not to run too much -_-", to cross-train etc.) and also VERY glad that Tekko is coming back strong after his surgery barely 5 months ago! Well, of course his hard work & determination paid off. Tekko told me that he worked out 6 days a week and no matter how busy (or sian) he is, he would still religiously do his workouts daily. WOW!!!! *kow tow* I'm such a SLACKER compared to him :P

Ok, let's see how things go ba for the next 2 weeks .... there are people who were surprised that I actually returned to see the physio :P Thought I gave up already ... yeah ... I'm about to ... see how ba ....

First Day of Work in 2007

Today marks my first day of work in 2007 ... wahahaha .....

Feeling super sleepy because I haven't had enough sleep for the past 2 days ..... just minutes into the office and I'm just waiting for the time to knock off ..... this is bad ..... REAlly BAD!!!

Ok, time to start work and clear my mountain high of emails ....

Happy Friday everyone! :)

BackToWorkSleepyJazz

A $0.38 Feast

As mentioned, have to THANK Roentgen for organising this Post Exam Dinner for me. *bow*
(After finishing my blog post did I realised Roentgen had also blogged about his experience here)

Roentgen, who had some Crystal Jade vouchers to utilise before they expire next week, was very kind to share the vouchers with us tonight. Initially we were keen to try the Crystal Jade Palace at Takashimaya but we were totally snubbed at by the Manager-on-duty! I was extremely put off by his condescending attitude towards us when Roentgen enquired about the use of his vouchers and he was not at all keen to entertain us (issit because we were using vouchers and hence were not considered paying customers???!!!!). He was totally unfriendly (refused to accept the vouchers) and bordering towards rude (he was not even making eye contact with us but smiled so sweetly and cordially when some other customer walked in! totally UNACCEPTABLE customer service *tsk tsk*) I could almost feel my arteries near bursting point. We didn't want to bother wasting our time talking to him any further than we should and prolly destroy anymore good cells in our bodies, so we left and decided to "test" out the other Crystal Jade chains in the vicinity (There are a good 6 or more CJ chains in Taka itself as we found out from the directory list later in the evening). Interestingly enough, the other 2 CJ branches readily accepted the vouchers without any problems! To think the CJ Palace Mgr even boldly claimed that NONE of the other CJ branches would accept the vouchers! What insolence!

Anyway, I digressed ... just need to get this out of my system. Ok now, the happier stuff ... :)

Finally, we settled on this Crystal Jade Jiang Nan Cuisine which served Shanghainese, Jiang Nan etc. cuisine. We ordered quite a number of dishes which I'm too concussed now to recall any of their names. Some pictures for u to drool over ... unfortunately the food wasn't much to rave about, but the place & service were excellent. The restaurant even have a bar/lounge for drinking. Quite a nice place to hang out .. but a bit pricey ...

JT even got me a piece of swiss roll to reward me for passing my exam! Wow, so sweet!! THANKS JT!! :D
Amid all the interesting food sampling and nice, warm & wonderful company, we spent a good 2 hours just eating and yakking.

When the bill came (we were still wondering whether we had busted the voucher limit or under ordered), we were sooooo proud of ourselves to find out that we were only $1.52 over the voucher budget! IMPRESSIVE!!! With 4 of us, that works out to $0.38 per pax for this high-class meal! What a steal, all thanks to Roentgen!

Thanks again to JT, Taz & Roentgen for the wonderful company tonight. It really is such a nice feeling to have friends to rally around you and to celebrate some happy occassion with!! I felt so light-hearted today, not just because one stressor is out of my system, but more so because I have wonderful friends to share this joy with. Thanks for being around for me :)

After ...

months of deliberation (on whether to go for the course) ....
weeks of apprehension (on when to sign up for the exam) ...
days of whining cramming ...
hours of intense concentration ...
minutes of anticipation ... (for the exam results) ...
and finally ...
...
...
...
...
...
...
seconds of jubilation ...
I ...
am ...
happy ...
to ...
report ...
that ...
...

I pass my exam !!! HIP HIP HOOORAY!!!
\(^_^)/

Got to thank my dear dear dear friends for ....

1. putting up with my constant whining for the past week
2. entertaining me & keeping me company over MSN during my rest/breaks
3. spurring me on and reminding me not to give up
4. having the faith & confidence in me that "I can do it!"
5. praying for me
   
6. remembering and wishing me good luck for my exams (especially to Taz, Loti, JT & Roentgen and my non-running friends Allan & da jie)

For all these, I thank thee. *bow so low tip of head touches the ground*

Special THANK YOU goes out to Roentgen, who despite his super hectic schedule lately, even round up some kakis to have a Post Exam Destress dinner for me. Wow! Am bowled over by such kind gesture!!! THANK YOU so much oldBones!!!! I feel extremely honoured and blessed. Thanks to BOP & SMoSK for spending the evening with me. Big Big Gam Siah!

More updates coming up .... for now, I shall try to get some sleep

:)
LuckyBlessedHappyJazzy

Road to Recovery

For latest, read here

18 Feb - 5.3km run & walk (on road)
Ankle exercies: No
HIP exercies: Yes
Stretching: Yes
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 0/10
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - 0/10

16 Feb - spin
Ankle exercies: No
HIP exercies: Yes
Stretching: Yes
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 0/10
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - 0/10

15 Feb - run on the road 30mins 4km
Ankle exercies: No
HIP exercies: No
Stretching: Yes
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 0/10 (mild right shin pain for a short while)
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - 0/10

13 Feb - swim 40 mins spin 40mins
Ankle exercies: No
HIP exercies: No
Stretching: No
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 1/10
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - 0/10

12 Feb - Run 5km walk 0.5km
Ankle exercies: No
HIP exercies: Yes
Stretching: Yes
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 0/10
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - 1/10 (occassional mild tingling pain on both shins)

8 Feb - *HORRORS* woke up with pain on left shin, walk with pain on back of outer left ankle. Run 3.5km walk 0.2km
Ankle exercies: No
HIP exercies: No
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 2/10 (pain on every step at outer left back ankle and occassionally on left shin)
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - ??/10

7 Feb
Ankle exercies: No
HIP exercies: Yes
swim

6 Feb - run 5km walk 0.4km
spin
Ankle exercies: No
HIP exercies: No
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 0/10
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - 0/10

5 Feb - swim
Ankle exercies: Yes
HIP exercies: Yes

4 Feb - run 3.2km on track (pain on right shin sets in towards 3km) walk 0.3km
Ankle exercies: Yes
HIP exercies: Yes
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 1/10 (mild discomfort on every step)
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - 0/10

3 Feb
Ankle exercies : Yes
HIP exercies: No
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 2/10 (SHIT!!!!!)
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - 0/10 (on and off)

2 Feb - run 3km (pain on right shin sets in towards 2.5km) walk 0.5km run 1km walk 0.5km (Total 4.5km run 1km walk)
HIP exercises : Yes (some)
Ankle exercises: No
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 2/10 (SHIT!!!!!)
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - 0/10 (on and off)

31 Jan - run 4.5km walk 0.2km
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 0/10
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - 0/10 (although on and off I felt "something" on my right shin - prolly just to remind me of its existence)

29 Jan - run 4km walk 0.4km
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 0/10 (still slight discomfort on my right shin)
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - 0/10 (feel some pain/discomfort on and off for both shins - haiz)

26 Jan - run 5km walk 0.4km
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 1/10 (feeling pain on my RIGHT shin now ?!?!?!?! *&$&(*^*$&@^%*!!!)
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - 0/10

24 Jan - run 3km walk 0.4km
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 0/10 (felt calf pain towards 2.9km so stopped at 3km)
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - 0/10
Swim lesson - 1hr 40mins

18 Jan - run 1.8km walk 0.6km
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 1/10
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - 2/10
*(%*&)@*&^@(^!

16 Jan - run 1.3km walk 1.1km
swim - practised for 45 mins
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 0/10
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - 0/10
Good!

13 Jan - run 1.3km walk 1.1 km
swim - practised swimming for 1 hour interspersed with pool running
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 0/10
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - 0/10
Good!

11 Jan - walk 0.3km run 1.2km walk 1.2km
Pain-o-meter recorded during activity - 0/10
Pain-o-meter recorded 1 day after activity - 0/10
Good!

Hard Habit to Break ...

Me been trying very very hard to break a bad habit .... 5 days already and counting ... wish me luck!

Read somewhere that it takes 21 days for a habit to be formed. I suppose that applies to forming a good habit ?

How do you break a bad habit ? Any suggestions will be welcome :)

My wish

is to go for a run NOW!!!
AN LSD! Run til I drop!
RUN RUN RUN!!!

:P

May You Be Blessed

Just got this from angelica_wonders ....

very beautiful clip (in both the message & the photography). Pls take some time to watch it. Its almost tranquil watching the clip and trying to remember the message ...

Managed to copy out the message and here it is ...

May you be blessed with all things good

May your joys, like the stars at night, be too numerous to count

May your victories be more abundant than all the grains of sand, on all the beaches, on all the oceans, in all the world

May lack and struggle be always absent from your life

And may beauty, order and abundance be your constant companions

May every pathway you choose lead to that which is pure and good and lovely

May every doubt and fear be replaced by a deep, abiding trust as you behold evidence of a High Power all around you

And when there is only darkness and the storms of life are closing in

May the light at the core of your being illuminate the world

May you always be aware you are loved beyond measure and you be willing to love unconditionally in return

May you always feel protected and cradled in the arms of God like the cherished child you are

And when you are tempted to judge may you be reminded that we are all one and that every thought you think reverberates across the universe touching everyone and everything

And when you are tempted to hold back, may you remember love flows best when it flows freely

And it is in giving that we hold the greatest gift

May you always have music and laughter

And may a rainbow follow every storm

May gladness wash away every disappointment may joy dissovle every sorrow and may love cease every pain

May every wound bring wisdom, every trial bring triumph

And with each passing day

May you live more abundantly then the day before

May you be blessed and may others be blessed by you

This is my heartfelt wish for you

May you be blessed.

Ok, I can't say I agree totally with the above. I don't agree that lack and struggle can be absent from one's life. Without lack nor struggle, how can we appreciate what we have ? How can we learn and be wiser from it ? As the message ensued, it said "May every wound brings wisdom". I agree with that.

"Love flows best when it flows freely" - you think so ?I dunno. I guess from what I've heard from friends so far... with all the baggage and past hurt, its very difficult for any sane adult to do this wholeheartedly ? :P awww well, its late... got to get some sleep. Think KJ is spouting lots of nonsense ...

New Year Countdown

Been busy and actually didn't want to blog about what I've been doing for the crossover to 2007, but somehow it just seems like something is amiss if I don't just do it. Argh! So for the sake of quelling that something inside me bugging me about not blogging, I'll just post a short one just to get it over with :P A very nice entry from Roentgen can be found here.

Been a great start to year 2007. Started with a celebration with the usual gang. THANKS to Roentgen who picked JT & me up to go to MR so that JT could pass the HWA bag to ultraman. Very nice to meet up with some of the SGRunners whom I haven't got to see since SCSM. Now that I dun run, dun get to meet up with these nice folks. Saw Meteor & Alvo, Cheow12 & wife, Cfred & Charmane, Bee, Cosmic, Sotong, Sxuanjing (who was busy taking pics), Stalza (not sure the spelling), angelice_wonders, tiwazz and many others. Most of them have done one or two rounds of the ultramarathon. Managed to catch up a bit with Charmane. We stayed for about an hour before leaving and were thrilled when we managed to cheer Bala, Ronnie & Teelee on our way out of MR! Even teelee looked shagged which is rare!

As Roentgen had previously arranged for us to while away our New Year's Eve afternoon at Settler's Cafe at Holland Village, we decided to head to there for lunch where we had yummilicious Mushroom Madness Oven Baked Rice & Pizza at NYDC. Lucky me rode on Roentgen's good fortune (whom JT wanted to treat for lunch), and got myself a free lunch. Thanks JT ! *bow*

Settler's Cafe was tucked quietly in a corner of a HDB void deck. I felt out of place when I first stepped in because the place was clearly packed with youngsters! Aiyo, felt like some auntie caught in the wrong place :P We nonetheless had a good time there and time passed really quickly.

We then met up with Divey at Wiener Kaffhaus - the Austrain coffee house. I chose the place for its simplicity (small & cosy) & serenity (I know we can have a quiet time there without having to raise our voice above the din just to hear ourselves). The food that night was alright, it wasn't as fantastic as the first time I was there (especially for the vegetarian sandwich). But I was pleasantly surprised by this pancake dessert with raisins (which had been soaked in liquor). JT led the conversation that night with serious discussions about NKF, our major plans for 2007 and about life, friendships, relationships and the like.

JT left us for her next appointment at 10pm leaving the three of us continue to yak away a bit more at Wiener before we concurred to adjourn to Villa Bali for after-dinner drinks.

The place was alright. Open-air but sheltered so even if it rained we wouldn't be soaked. We binged on their free flow of potato strips (think I counted our tidbit bowl was replenished like 6 times or more ! :P) and chatted over drinks. There weren't active conversations, basically we just ended up stoning. Even the usually gregarious and full of nonsense Roentgen was more subdue that night. Probably everyone just seemed a little more reflective, more deep in their own thoughts.

We welcomed 2007 with little fanfare. Had this super CMI guy counting down to the New Year and totally FAILED in psyching up the crowd (oh, I think he wasn't even attempting to !) We amused ourselves just seeing the bunch of young waiters/waitresses having fun when the clock strikes 12. Spraying one another with the confetti spray cans.

We finally left the place at 3am. Wow! HIP hor. Come to think of it, I don't think I have ever been out counting down on NY eve. *shake head* Let's hope I will get to do this every year ....

THANKS to JT, Divey & Roentgen for agreeing to spend the New Year's eve with boring me. *Bow* Really enjoy your company and your friendship! :)

Charlotte's Web

I just went to catch this movie on New Year's day and I have to say I love it !

Its a very simple story but very heart-warming and beautiful. Again reminding us about the true significance of friendship and also about the ordinary miracles around us. Apart from the heart-warming lessons, there are also harsh realities presented in a gentle way such as you can't keep one's attention or curiosity for long. Something that seemed extraordinary today, will become forgotten or lose its nobility tomorrow. And that when someone/something has lost its value, he/she/it will be discarded.

One of the original songs in this movie is Ordinary Miracle sung by Sarah McLachlan. Very nice melody. Actually I'm one who don't really pay much attention to the lyrics more the melody, rhythm :P

Anyway, I found the lyrics and would like to share the beautiful lyrics here ...

It’s not that unusual

When everything is beautiful

It's just another ordinary miracle today

The sky knows when it's time to snow

Don’t need to teach a seed to grow

It’s just another ordinary miracle today

Life is like a gift they say

Wrapped up for you everyday

Open up and find a way

to give some of your own

Isn’t it remarkable

Like every time a raindrop falls

It's just another ordinary miracle today

Birds in winter have their fling

But always make it home by Spring

It's just another ordinary miracle today

When you wake up everyday

Please don’t throw your dreams away

Hold them close to your heart

‘cause we’re all a part…

Of the ordinary miracle

Ordinary miracle

Do you want to see a miracle?

It seems so exceptional

That things just work out after all

It's just another ordinary miracle today

Sun comes up and shines so bright

And disappears again at night

It's just another ordinary miracle today

It's just another ordinary miracle today

I'm very happy to catch such a meaningful movie in the first day of 2007. Thanks to B & J for the company ! Glad I managed to catch this show with you ! :)

Afternote: Just recently Roentgen shared with us about how he has seen so many cases of people (with wife & children) in hospitals but having no visitation nor support while there are others who have no families and yet very well taken care of by the friends around him/her. Watching this show just helps to reinforce the point about the importance of kinship & friendship. About doing good for others and for yourselves. It doesn' t matter if I remain single but it matters to me to lead a fruitful life and to hopefully be blessed enough to have a group of wonderful friends around who will care enough to visit me when I'm old, withered and dying. :P Of course, everything starts with me ... can I be someone who will be loved by friends ?
And once again lead me back to a question that I ponder occassionally, who will cry for me when I die ?

Wow, heavy stuff for the 2nd day of the new year :P

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to You!!!
Wishin you a wonderful new year ahead full of peace, joy & happiness!
May all your wishes come true. May you find the true meaning of life, and may you continue to enjoy whatever you do :)