The words of a bored man on a Saturday morning

And just like that another week has passed us by... one blink of an eye, a flash of light, a snap of the fingers, a bark of a dog... you get my drift. Despite having established a set of lofty goals to be achieved by March next year, I have not really taken the first step to doing anything about it yet. 

So now here I sit in front of my computer, my dog in my lap, a warm latte on my right as I wonder where to go from here. Diving it is then... now to get the time and place :)         

One day to the night run :)

Tomorrow marks the flag off of the inaugural Singapore Sundown Marathon/ Ultra-marathon. Taking into consideration the events of the past two weeks, I decided (way earlier...) that running a 10 km leg of a team event would be the least taxing on me. 

The latest news to hit the front page of our local papers was Dr Chee Soo Juan's testimony during his defamation hearing. Just for the record, I have no political prejudice  against anyone nor any party. I believe in electing the party most capable of improving the lives of Singaporeans and leading us into 21st century. In my opinion, Dr Chee's behaviour for the past couple of elections and in general can be described as extremely unruly and crude. As a Singaporean, I am terribly embarrassed by his behaviour and demeanor. Most of his attacks against the ruling party are simply unfounded and extremely personal. If he is the representative of what an opposition should be, then I'd say it'll be better to do without. With his semi-crazed accusations, wild gesturing and overall extremely quirky personality, how can he ever expect to be in a position of leadership... Then again my opinion is merely a reflection of how I, as a layman feel, about the whole saga. I admit I was sympathetic to his cause earlier when he first started out. But his failure to provide better alternatives to the current policies in place and is public slamming/ undermining of the government of Singapore during his "overseas conferences" has directly resulted in my lost of respect for him, both as a person and as a political leader. 

Ok on a less intellectual note, my wound's healing very well! I should be able to engage in some serious cycling and running soon. My cycling buddy's bike is finally up and we should be able to clock some serious mileage in Mandai and Lim Chu Kang soon. 70.3 in less than 4 months time... a lot to do in very little time. The thing about training for endurance races, especially very long distances, is that the process of training for the race is more memorable then the race itself. Taking last year's 70.3 as an example, I can barely remember how I ran the race, but the journey there, will forever be etched in my mind. 

Today will be spent reading, blogging and gymming. I am looking to make a year-end trip to the States and a June/July trip to Redang for diving. I hope these trips do materialize, I have been wanting to travel since forever.

Anyway updates on my third rocket test flight... I shelved the whole damn thing... It just ain't happening. R quoted something from Marlowe during our conversation last night. Its amazing how relevant an age old poem can be... enjoy.

It lies not in our powe to love or hate,

For will in us is over-rul'd by fate

When two are stript, long ere the course begin,

We wish that one should lose, the other win;

And one especially do we affect

Of two gold ingots, like in each respect:

The reason no man knows, let it suffice,

What we behold is censur'd by our eyes.

Where both deliberate, the love is slight:

Who ever that lov'd, that lov'd not at first sight?

- Christopher Marlowe;   

  Last verse of Hero and Leander: The First Sestiad

Rocket Science

The first ever experiment I engaged in, I seriously underestimated the force of the explosion. Upon ignition, the combustion/explosion triggered failed to propel the rocket to the intended flight and after a 3 second flight, exploded in a flash of light and debris. 

The second test flight wasn't successful either. The detonator did ignite but due to the poor wiring, failed to ignite the rocket fuel. Upon fixing the wiring and replacing the detonator, a subsequent test flight was initiated. This time round the detonator was faulty and after a series of pops, failed to ignite the fuel too. The arrival of the monsoon season hindered further proposed flights for the season.

The third official test flight just commenced a month back. Despite the rocket being in working conditions and all previous technical issues sorted out, a series of unfortunate events has grounded the test flight. The crew seems to be divided in two with regards to when the flight should be carried out and the type of payload to be placed in the rocket. The test flight will be postponed indefinitely till the team can get its act together. 

I am hopeful that the third flight will be successful. Nevertheless, I maintain my earlier stance that rocket science is a tricky affair and that a failed third attempt will not dampen the spirit of the crew in general. It is disappointing to have failed a third time, but good things don't come easy. We're still deciding whether to proceed with the third test attempt and we're hoping for the best.

What you need to know about me

Its amazing how presumptuous some individuals can get with time. 

Forever mistaking silence as weakness,

And always taking a mile when given an inch.

Here's my three-part reply to you, you and you.

There is no nice way to say it but I guess it was my mistake to attempt to do so

Nothing happened. Period.

Rejection is never easy, but there is a limit to how long one takes to get over it. 

Getting angry and all filled with angst is not going to help things out one bit.

Avoidance is the name of my game, that I know you should get by now.

No lies were told, no promises were made, so don't go faulting me on what I never did.

I would like to believe that there were sparks at the start.

There was no doubt at all that you left me aching for more.

Then reality came into play. 

Age is merely a number, you once told me, its the stage in life that matters most.

I tried to avoid rationalizing the whole situation, but I couldn't help myself there.

It was only then I realized we were merely passing travelers on the same road heading in opposite directions.

I have mentioned it before, and I will say it again.

My enthusiasm for the next chapter in my life has died for numerous reasons.

Despite having the cover of a thrilling adventure novel, my pages read more like an outdated travel guide to the deserts of the Sahara.

I know what I want despite being new to the whole idea and all, so thanks but no thanks. 

Don't try and know me cause sometimes things aren't the way you think they're supposed to be.

Know your limits before you bite of more than you can chew.

New Perspectives

Life isn't fair. Some people have it all, some people have nothing at all. If you think you're privileged, there is always someone who has that much more than you somewhere up there. If you think you're down in the dumps, then you can always find a hundred more living in conditions far worse than one can possibly imagine. Certain materialistic stuff such as wealth and... well basically wealth, can make that lifetime of existence a little bit more comfortable but it certainly is not the sole ingredient for satisfaction in life. I believe that happiness cannot be bought nor found but it has to be made. I hope I get it right. I am getting pretty bored of screwing things up.

You're not alone

I believe all storms will come to an end. I believe that the coldest nights will too past and that with every sunset, there will come a sunrise. I know that your strength, perseverance and tenacity will get you through this rough patch in your life. Most importantly, I want you to know that you're not alone as you find your way through what must seem like the darkest tunnel in your life. Just be strong and hold on.

Unfounded Fears

I always believe that it is only oneself that can truly find his/her own happiness. I believe that if you want something and know the full consequences of getting it, then go get it. Sitting around, rationalizing, thinking about it and blaming the whole damn world around you for your absolute lack of action isn't going to aid in any way whatsoever. Worrying about ever single damn opinion isn't going to bring you any closer to your goal. Ultimately you just become pushy and the whole thing becomes a mere obsession which you secretly not want to get away from. Nobody really cares if you'd ask me. Just you.

The truth about cats and dogs

Sumo, my not-so-little miniature schnauzer, has a rather peculiar temperament. He spends the bulk of his time lying patiently by the main gate awaiting the opportunity to unleash a chorus of unprovoked barks at any unsuspecting passerby. He used to be rather excited and all about chasing cats when on long walks but an extremely painful encounter with a tabby cat one and a half times his size 4 years ago taught him a lesson he will not be forgetting for a long time to come. 

I usually bring him with me when I am running errands for my mum or picking up my sister from school and this morning was no exception. After sending her to school, I headed back and on the way back to the house, he ran head on into a small cat. What was interesting to note was that the cat had no idea my dog and I were rounding the corner and he too was preoccupied with the search for a spot to defecate. Hence, he literally bumped into the cat. What happened was even more amazing. Both animals were totally stunned, caught entirely off guard and they just stood there, no hissing, no scratching nor barking for a good 3 seconds just looking at one other. The cat recovered first hissing and backing off really slowly, its fur bristling on ends. Sumo on the other end gave a short yelp and decided to depart gracefully without a scene, trotting away as if nothing ever happened. Ah, what a sight... its amazing how the simplest of things become blog-worthy after the single most boring three weeks of my life. 

I loaned my mum's vaios for the last two weeks so I could play KOTOR II, which I had loaned from a friend. The game was rather enjoyable and despite having played it numerous times previously, the sheer fact that the game was like a red herring's sort of game made it really fun as there were endless (alright numerous... there is a limit to being either good or bad) possibilities to how the game could end. I first ended the game as god-like Jedi consular/master and was looking to end my second round as a Sith Lord before I was rudely interrupted by the matriarch's incessant screaming and constant insistence that I had degenerated into a computer addict and been bumming around way too much. Well I am technically still recovering from an operation and have yet to fully recovered. There isn't much I can do but bum around. (Yet running her errands seem a perfectly good use of my time...) I returned the computer back to her, clearing off all the game files too as she insisted. Bah, I do need to get out of the chair too... but that sense of non-accomplishment at failing to finish as a Sith Lord... I guess I'll just have to get over it... Haha... 

The Adidas Sundown Marathon is just round the corner. I am pretty my wound seems to be healing very well and I should be able to manage the 10km run. I just hope the stitches along the side of the wound would de-solve by then as I am afraid that they might cause friction burns during the run. The last couple of weeks have been good on the mind and soul but terrible on the body. I foresee a lot of work to be done once I am up and about... However till then, there are cakes and donuts to be eaten, latte and tea to be drunk and tons of slouching around and nothing to be done... Cheers!!

"You better stop lazing around and give me back my computer! Go and do something! Like... Something! GO!" 

- the Matriarch on a bad hair day

Hope

Watching David Cook become the new American Idol certainly made me think twice about my own future to come. David Cook, a bartender from Kansas City (I think), rose from total obscurity to superstardom in a matter of a couple of months. Six months is all it took for Mr Cook to put himself on top of the world, a place he'd never imagined he'd be anywhere near in his lifetime. I don't know where I'll be in three months time let alone 6 months. As mentioned before in an earlier post, I have some dreams I'd like to fulfill before my 21st year draws to a close next year. I don't really need superstardom, but the perseverance, peace of mind and focus to get those goals.  

"At the end of the day, the show is about finding a star. In my opinion, David, you came out here tonight to win, and what we have witnessed is a knockout." 

- Simon Cowell to David Archuleta upon the conclusion of his last song. 

I need to do to my life what young Archuleta did to his song. And my journey begins today. Congrats Mr Cook on a race well done :)                      

It pays to learnt at another's expense

Another blogger was arrested yesterday for the publishing of racist remarks on his personal blog. There is a short write out in today's edition of the Straits Times and a follow up on a blog bulletin Tomorrow.sg. We live in a very different world these days; with more sophisticated technology resulting in increased connectivity amongst our society both in and out of cyberspace. Every little action or comment we make travels significantly further then we could ever imagine and every impact potentially generated greatly magnified by that many times more. I am pretty sure that when published that post, he never pictured himself being eventually arrested because of that very rash comment. 

Browsing through the after-math of the whole saga (We're a nation of serial drama lovers thanks to the negative exposure on our free-to-air channels... just an opinion...), it is pretty obvious that the poor blogger has already been taken to task. His actions should not be condoned and as observed, he has been clearly made an example of by the relevant authorities. 

With my disapproval of his actions explicitly spelled out above, I do sympathize with him in some ways too. He clearly had severe misconceptions about the limits of expressing a personal view online. He made too personal an attack on the man instead of the deed and that got him into trouble. This incident too raises another crucial issue that we need to address soon... Are we living in a racially harmonious society or a racially tolerant one? Sometimes I get the feeling we're living in this picturesque society, our faces and cheery news merely a mask for the true feelings we conceal all so well within ourselves. People like are clear indicators that we're not achieving that picture perfect society that we would like to have and that there is a lot more work to be done. Is racial harmony truly an achievable goal or a mere ideal, good to dream about, impossible to achieve?

"...pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion..." 

- The National Pledge

Happy 18th Birthday Sis

Thanks for being there regardless of the good times and the bad times. 

You're perhaps the closest friend I will ever have (I think it goes both ways). 

You do get pretty annoying at times but at least you make up for it :)

I wouldn't have you any other way... :) 

I hope you like the flattering pic I dug up of you to commemorate your special day... HUGS!!!

Happy Birthday Sis and all the best in all your future endeavors...

P.S. You saw it coming didn't you :) Wahahaha.....

Points to ponder...

There are a couple of issues to address in this particular entry, so without further ado we shall plunge into the very first one which involves the tearful and all together emotional (I thought I'd add a bit of drama to bring the mood up/down a notch) departure of M to the land of Ice hockey and atlantic lobsters (I hope I got that right). You will be missed regardless of your failure to uphold your end of the bargain with regards to more coffee sessions and gaming sessions prior to your departure. Despite a hundred percent improvement over your last visit back, two sessions at Starbucks barely qualifies as remarkable in mine or anyone else's opinion. Nevertheless, have an enjoyable time over there and should circumstances permit, we'll fly up to join you come the season of giving and taking. 

The wound is healing very well indeed according to the man who sliced me up, and given proper care and constant cleansing, I should be up and running in no time. It has been a week since the procedure and with the exception of the periodical discharge and occasional discomfort, I am more or less almost fully functional. During today's follow-up with the doctor, I reviewed the final report with him and got a chance to view the pictures of the sectioned (removed) piece of meat. Call me sick and all but I noticed a slight resemblance between it and a piece of pig's intestine from the Kway Chap store. We shall conclude the update on my medical condition here, and you may take a 5 min breather to refresh yourself in the washroom :)

Soon after the follow up, I headed to the NTUC fairprice supermarket to do a bit of grocery shopping with my mom. The trip was rather uneventful as expected but one incident did get me thinking. I am not sure if you recall the hype over the over usage of plastic bags in supermarkets, bakeries and other outlets a while back. For those who were not around or simply could not be bothered by the whole saga, the background is as follow; 

- The people of Singapore, who's interest are represented by tedious associations with fancy plans (No ill intent there...), decided that the community as a whole should give back to Gaia and Mother Nature hence marking the start of the mini green revolution

- Part of the "Go Green" campaign includes the reduction in the usage of plastic bags across the board, and one of the means of incorporating this objective into the revolution includes charging individuals for the use and distribution of plastic bags

- Soon after came the usual backlash on the forums and in the supermarkets against the poor aunties who had no idea why the heck they were being screamed at by the angry customers who refused to pay for the bags. 

- And with every other uproar we have, the whole thing died a natural death about 72 hours later.

With the rather high level overview out of the way, we shall draw our attention back to my grocery outing with my mother. The whole irony of the plastic bag saga lies in the fact that the despite the restrictions put in place by the various committees the transparent plastic bags within the stores were still free for all to use. So what you had eventually were; aunties lugging out large amounts of groceries in those "green bags" in which all the fruits and frozen meat were individually wrapped in the small tiny transparent bags, as they didn't want to risk dirtying the reusable bags. This, in my opinion, negates the whole purpose in even initiating this exercise. Its just like spending a dollar to save 45 cents. It simply doesn't serve the purpose. 

I believe that following in the examples set out by grocers in the US and other western countries (as observed in CSI, Desperate housewives and other western serials), which is to use recycled paper bags instead for the individual wraps; OR the associations could propose that the producers better shrink wrap their products hence removing the use for small plastic bags altogether. (I just downed some really strong medicine so I ain't in the best of state to come out with the best counter proposals now :P ) 

Well my two cent's worth on the issue anyway. I have been tasked with picking up my sister later from school so its best I catch some rest before I head out. Till the next entry then.

"It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations." 

- Sir Winston Churchill 

"I love quotations because it is a joy to find thoughts one might have, beautifully expressed with much authority by someone recognized (as) wiser than oneself" 

- Marlene Dietrich

In my humble opinion, the above two quotations best explain why I do what I do at the end of every entry. Like a cobra flashing its hood or a peacock erecting its tail in a fan-shaped manner, I brutally attempt to showcase whatever intelligence I may contain after three years of sever neglect through the quotation of quotes by others, in hope of ascending to ranks of these noble intellects in time to come. I hope that answers your question :)

Ouch...

Its fast approaching the 1 week anniversary of my procedure (again despite it being merely a number, it is amazing to note how quick time passes by you whilst you're having fun... or busily engrossed in dealing with low grade pain.), and I suspect my worse fears are coming through. I think the wound is fast becoming septic. Despite the constant love and care showered upon it, the wound doesn't feel right no more. It feels all achy and there is an apparent discharge from the stitching points (or whatever you call it). It usually takes a disaster for me to truly appreciate the nature of the initial problem and the simple solutions I could have turned to before letting the matter get all out of control. I should have taken my veggies and fruits... if only... :( Anyway, there simply isn't much point sobbing over spilt milk and infected wounds. I will be heading back to Mount Elizabeth tomorrow for a follow-up with the surgeon, hopefully it isn't as bad as what I think it is. My GP did mention briefly that small amounts of swelling and discharge is merely part and parcel of the healing process and there simply isn't much to go all edgy over. Easier said than done I tell you.

It is almost 12pm soon and upon the stroke of noon, I shall have to make that agonizing 247m journey to the food-court to purchase lunch for the matriarch and I. I really am in no position to make that long trying journey, but she simply doesn't give two hoot about the agony I am in. "Be a man, it is only a small slit so stop whining over it and get up and do something, I have been through worse" she says with an air of superiority. There simply isn't much to argue about there cause she has undergone much more drastic operations in comparison to mine, so mine is rather minor to her. "I wouldn't even consider it an operation" she smirks. I was under general anesthesia for two hours and it sure as hell is an operation to me. And the question to ponder about is not how large the slit is but WHERE the slit is. So there, I have made my stand. I do concur that my threshold for pain ranges between the values of 0.2 to 0.7 on a scale of a hundred but I do feel that that shouldn't make me any lesser of a man... right? The point to note here is that I admitted to having a rather miserable tolerance level for pain and that admission in its own right should warrant some form respect (in my humble opinion that is)

As I browsed through the blogs and Facebook profile pages of friends, and friends' acquaintances and those belonging to the in-laws of my friends' acquaintances, I realized that despite the "all-happy-to-be-a-solitary-anti-social-mountain-tortoise" exterior I do miss (just a teeny bit... Isaac, I ain't about to kill myself over it) the mindless nights out at the clubs or just chilling out with friends. I still don't take rather well to alcohol so its absence isn't cherished in anyway whatsoever. I do miss the long bike rides with JJ, the pain (good healthy ones that is) and the feeling of endorphins rushing through my blood after a good Triathlon training session. My couch potato days are soon drawing to a close and the thought of being up and about and busy to do anything again is simply exhilarating. Soon the conversations will evolve from "I am in too much pain to do anything or go anywhere with you" to "Sorry mate, I've got... and... and.... and... and.. and... blah blah blah... another time k?" Soon, soon... :)

"Half out time is spent trying to find something to do with the time we rushed through life trying to save." 

- Will Rogers (1879-1935) New York Times April 29, 1930

I guess Mr Rogers realized the problem a bit too late. Let us try not to be the ones quoting the same quote as we lying coughing on our death beds. :)

Listen now and listen clear...

My sister and I managed to catch Prince Caspian courtesy of Nuffnang at Parco Bugis Junction earlier today. The movie did live up to expectations I guess with the excellent portrayal Prince Caspian and the additional characters brought to the big screen from the third book. As it is after all a print to screen, my recommendation is to at least read the book (or the entire series if you do have the time or the mental capacity to do so, bearing in mind it is a children's series after all) before catching it in cinemas. The experience was on the whole enjoyable and despite the discomforts of walking more than 15 steps to get to a washroom, it definitely felt good to be outdoors again. 

I'd just to take a little time to deviate from the pleasantries here and make a small comment on children (screechy loud ones) in cinemas. It is only simple basic courtesy to take the child out of the cinema should he or she start making noise. Next, if one is late for any movie screening, do note too that it is only polite to move as fast as possible through aisle and through the seats to get to yours. A bobbing shadow moving violently and slowly right smack in front of you does not help with the blood pressure. There... angst all down in a short and sweet manner...

Perhaps the last general comment I shall log in tonight will be about human behaviour in general. It is only human nature to spectate. Be it a fall at a bus stop, a fight in the school cafeteria, an ugly dispute between neighbours in private estates or a bloody civil war in some godforsaken country, the observation remains the same, a large number would rather busy themselves doing nothing. You, my friend, are not alone. I have been on both the giving and receiving end and I agree life's a bitch.

"The equations are simple pal. For every individual that feels for you when you are down, there are five people out there who simply don't give a shit and twenty more whose hearts leap for joy at the miserable state you're in. Face it. The numbers don't lie." 

- Jason Yip (yes, yes I am still alive and in no position to quote anything but hey... I think this makes sense...)

History has a habit of repeating itself

I knew the score the moment the game started,

I saw the end before the journey began.

If only you could see the things I see,

If only you knew the things I know.

A blink of an eye and the deed is done,

Neither words nor tears can right that wrong.

Love is not what you think it is,

A costly lesson for you it has been.

You should have looked before you leapt,

You should have thought twice before you made your move.

Experience and Wisdom are the tools you will need,

To built that dream in which you seek.

The most important thing to note,

The most crucial lesson of them all.

Things are never what they seem,

Like a mirage always mistaken for a stream.

I am sorry for your loss I really am,

But I am sure you've heard of the words that follow,

What you reap is what you sow,

What goes around too comes back round.

Perhaps you knew what I had known

Perhaps you did see what I had seen

I think you knew you had it coming,

I think you too knew the ending.

This was definitely no happily ever after,

But a Lesson in Love it was to be.

 

- Jason Yip 

  

101st post :)

In the blink of an eye, a couple of clicks on the mouse and a few strokes on the keyboard, I have finally posted my 101st post. Some people commemorate their 18th birthday, their 25th wedding anniversary, their child's 1st month and so on and so forth. Ultimately, it is just a number and I guess that my 101st post is something worth mentioning, at least on this blog.

I published my very first post on the 20th of September last year, and I never imagined the post would continue thus far. Blogging started as something I wanted to try out for fun. There was a lot of fanfare going on about blogging and how therapeutic writing and hacking away at the keyboard publishing entires on the World Wide Web was. Initially, I found the whole concept of blogging rather ridiculous. Why would anyone in their right frame of mind spend hours posting entries online and maintaining a blog? I was a skeptic and I needed to see for myself what the big deal was. I posted my first entry, followed by a second one, then a third and I have never looked back since.

Blogging, as unlikely as this may sound coming from me, did provide me with the outlet I have been looking for all this time. I wrote down how I felt about certain events in my life and my take on some of the stuff going on around. Through writing, I guess I managed to let go of some of the angst and excess emotional baggage I've got lugging around with me all this time. In some way, I might even add that seeing my thoughts and going through my older posts did help me see things in a more rational fashion.

I have enjoyed what blogging has brought for me thus far and I guess blogging has now become an extremely significant event in my daily routine. This chapter in my life will soon come to a close upon my matriculation in June in three weeks time. It has been rather smooth sailing thus far and I hope the fair winds and smooth seas keep up for the next leg of my journey. I have some pretty ambitious plans laid out for the next one year to come and I just hope I have the mental tenacity and perseverance to see them through. 

This is going to be a long shot given the rather low readership on my blog but may I ask if there's anyone out there game for an expedition to the Himalayas come 2009, most probably around April and June? 

The lack of painkillers is... disastrous :)

Oh shucks, I just realized that my dosage of painkillers will end by tomorrow evening. I tried doing without the afternoon dosage of painkillers against my better judgment and man, am I regretting it. So much for taking it like a man :) 

“One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love.” 

- Sophocles (496 BC - 406 BC), Oedipus at Colonus

I think the word tribal girl was looking for was morphine, painkillers and death :) The last I checked love was the weight and source of the worse kind pain ever known to man. I maybe wrong, but I guess only time and :) will have to prove me wrong.

Heal the world, make it a better place, for you and... ahh screw the world... and heal my #$% and make it a whole lot firmer :P

It has been approximately three days since my surgery and the wound's healing very nicely. No infection thus far and minimal discomfort, the doctors too concur that I am making remarkable progress. If only my life mirrored my recovery :).  

Dad left pretty early this morning, catching the morning flight to Brunei, his home away from home for the next three to four weeks to come. We had a nice dinner at the usual haunt BFD, the only difference is we tried the East Coast outlet instead. Dinner was excellent as usual with the addition of live band turning out tunes from Bon Jovi, Pink Floyd and the rest of the gang from the 70s to 90s. Mum didn't take too well to the outdoor dining without the usual zero degrees climate but the rest of us had great fun chilling out and just enjoying each other's company. 

"Hitting the wall" is the phrase used to describe athletes when they reach a point in their sporting career where they just can't go any further, perhaps due to excessive training or just sheer exhaustion at having do the same thing over and over again. "Burning out", the more popular terminology used in describing such phases, can too happen to just about anything else in one's life. I, on the other hand, have never done anything to such an extreme extent that warrants me burning and crashing out. I guess the only one time I could safely I say I got so sick of any activity was perhaps swimming, during my secondary school days.

I have never really blogged or mentioned about anything that happened during the earlier parts of my life and a great deal of misunderstandings and ill-feelings from the past still linger up till this very day. Firstly, I was never exceptionally good at swimming. Sure I may have got into a couple of finals here and there but I have never really excelled in it. I started swimming in primary three and continued right up till the end of my secondary school days. 

When I was in secondary one, a rather nasty incident happened between me and another swimmer during a particular training session. I guess that was where things started to spiral out of control. What hurt be deeply was not only the fact that I was accused of something so treacherous and something I really wasn't capable off but the fact that I was accused of such a deed by the parent of a very close friend. A friend who I hung out with, went to french classes with, trained with and so on and so forth. Nevertheless, as we were only 13 then, we tried to maintain the friendship to no avail. Things quickly turned sour and before long the issue blew way out of control. That incident changed me in so many ways. It definitely made me grow up a whole lot faster and it surely affected the way I dealt and interacted with people. This incident soon became the focal point of a lot of attention in the swimming scene back then and it soon defined the person I was and how others saw me. The conflict seared across all aspects of my life, seeping into my school life, extended family interactions so on and so forth. It was a long battle and after a long four year tussle, we were cleared off all misdeeds. At the end of it all, there wasn't that sense of victory which one would expect to feel after so long a battle but more a sense of relief and resignation. As with all other battles big or small, it isn't a victory that concludes any battle but the resignation of the side which has lost the most which ends a conflict. We didn't loose much expect a couple of restless nights, time and energy which could have been better spent on more constructive events over those four years. I can't say the same for the other side though. On hindsight, the question I always ask is, was it all worthwhile? Was there a need to spend so much resources in trying to bring the other party down? What was it that you wanted to achieve at the end of it all? What sick pleasure did you gain by it all? It has been almost 6 years now since the conclusion of that mini-drama in my life and still the questions linger, like a shadow refusing to fade away in the midst of the setting sun. It isn't a big world that we live in these days and if by chance should you ever chance upon this entry, I'd just like to say that given the chance I'd like to find out from your side what really happened... how did this all start... and perhaps if you knew my side of the story you'd than truly understand why there was little or no basis at all in yours in the first place... :) I guess this is how letting go feels... tired and aching fingers at the end of a long hacking session away at the keyboard:)

With that of my shoulder, I guess it's time to get back to my mindless gaming and regular lattes whilst I am at it. Till the next entry!

“Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome.”

- Isaac Asimov

US science fiction novelist & scholar (1920 - 1992)

Pain in the Arse... in the literal sense of the phrase :)

The procedure went pretty well, well... much better than expected I guess. I expected a hell of a lot more pain. However, due to the significantly lesser number of nerve endings down there and the life-saving painkillers I am downing every 6 hourly, the ordeal has been rather bearable, almost painless and free of discomfort in fact. The cleaning ritual isn't too bad either. I was mentally prepared to undergo 2 to 3 hours of "severe discomfort" on a 2 times daily basis but, it turns out that the incision was rather superficial and a simple rinse and dry technique is more than enough to keep the wound clean. Again, the lack of nerve endings there makes the cleaning too a lot less uncomfortable. Given the rather superficial incision and my age, the doctors are expecting me to take one to two weeks to fully recover. Till then, I guess I'll be hanging around at home, "BUMMING" around :) Thanks for the calls and messages anyway :) 

My time so far has been divided between KotOR (Knights of the Old Republic II:The Sith Lords, which to you without a clue out there is the single most enjoyable game I have ever played in my freaking miserable gaming career...), reading stories of individuals who have undergone an infinite times more amount of pain and discomfort I have gone through, trying to make heads and tales of the whole procedure of investing and Blog/Channel surfing. So... despite my temporal partial incapacitation of the lower half, or should I say lower mid-section of my body, I am having a pretty good time here.

I chanced upon a book given to me by a good friend which depicts the life-changing story of John Maclean, a promising young athlete who's entire life came to a crashing halt when he was knocked down by a truck during a bike ride down under. The book titled "Sucking the marrow out of life", is a chilling yet altogether heartwarming story of his struggles and triumphs against the immense odds stacked against him after the accident. Despite becoming a paraplegic, Maclean succeeded in beating the odds of survival and went on to conquer the Kona Ironman Race, swim the English Channel and do so much more than what any other person could even dream of achieving. His story, as mentioned above, did make me feel a whole lot better about my teeny weeny procedure but more importantly, it made me sit up and reevaluate my life thus far. It made me want to make a change in my life. I realized that more often than not, it usually takes a disastrous tragedy/incident before people start going "Oh... if only I had this... If only I had that..." Why wait till then?

So with that thought in mind, I did manage to put aside some time to really think through about what I would like to achieve by the end of this year. Now that I've got the health pertaining issues out of the way, I have got more important goals to achieve and targets to meet. This year too marks the start of my tertiary education and despite the rather anti-climatic final decision I made with regards to where I intend on pursuing my education, I would like to do well enough to either a.) transfer to the course of my desire OR b.) transfer to the university with the course I desire. I must say I have learnt a rather important lesson about time management and the importance of staying the course and keeping focus at an extremely great price 3 years ago and I doubt I'll be forgetting the cost of that lesson anytime soon. I successfully completed the inaugural Singapore Half Ironman in September 2007 and I am looking to do the same or improve on my timing at this year's Singapore 70.3 too. (Just submitted the application form:)) Should all things go according to plan this year and should I be feeling all motivated and all by the completion of this year's Half Ironman then I'll most probably be kicking off my plans to participate in next year's full Ironman in WA. Kudos to me if I even get that far I guess, but hey, it is always nice to have a plan right? Now all I've got to do is make it work :)

“Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.” 

- Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)

Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

I still remember the very first time I picked up The Chronicles of Narnia book series. I remembered the greyish bookset cover and the 7 pastel coloured books within that little box. I was 7, maybe 8 years old than and I remembered that as with every other new book I got off the shelf, I couldn't wait to get home, rip off the plastic wrappings and immerse myself in the adventures of Narnia.

Unlike the release of the movies, which follows the original order by which the books were published, the chronological order of the books were renumbered and arranged in 1994 when HarperCollins took over the series. The Magician's Nephew became the first book, the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe the second and Prince Caspian the third. The three most memorable books from the series for me includes the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Last battle and the soon to be released on film, Prince Caspian.

The movie, Prince Caspian, marks the return of Lucy, Peter, Susan and Edmund to Narnia to take on King Miraz, leader of a race of men known as the Telmarines in the summer of 1941. Prince Caspian, under the tutorship and guidance of Doctor Cornelius, had been ousted from the kingdom by his uncle the treacherous King Miraz. The young prince's flees to the forest where he chances upon the talking beasts and comes to learn of their fate under the iron rule of the Telmarines. Prince Caspian summons the the 4 former leaders of Narnia back to his aid by blowing on Susan's horn. Together the 5 of them, aided by the talking beasts of the woods and the great Aslan, launch a battle to regain control of the kingdom of Narnia. 

When I look back upon my childhood, this book series is one of the memories which has left the deepest impression on me. Watching this movie is a definite must for me as it has always been a childhood dream to see the battles of Prince Caspian and the 4 kings and queens on a screen other than the one in my imagination.

GO Speed! GO!

"It's a kid's show, why are you even asking me?"

"Speed Racer ar... I don't think I can make it... Sorry!!"

"You... watching Speed Racer? Please la!"

"Isn't Ironman showing too? How about er... something else?"

With the above comments in mind, I guess it finally occurred to me that if I did not catch this movie before today ended, I'd most probably be waiting for the DVD release a couple of months down the road. So after a fruitless last minute request to M for company to watch Speed race on the big screens (FYI, M decided to play that insufferable WoW game instead of being a good sport and keep and old friend company), I decided to just cough out that S$6.50 (Golden Village member!!!) and be a kid all over again. 

The movie Speed Racer is basically an onscreen adaptation of the very successful Japanese anime Mach GoGoGo (マッハGoGoGo). I haven't read the anime at all though I vaguely remember seeing the white car and the fancy animations many years back. The movie reviews are all over the internet so I shan't bother with a review here. 

The movie was really well produced and the story-line pleasant and really wholesome. The Wachowski brothers were responsible for the script writing and the directing of the movie and it is evident from the reviews (including mine) that they have done a splendid job. The kaleidoscope of colours and the futuristic theme of the whole movie greatly appealed to me. The cinematography was beautiful too with the whole film itself a work of art. Family, Loyalty, Friendship and Passion are perhaps the best four words used to describe the overall theme of this movie. The great chemistry too between the casts certainly helped in making the movie a success in my opinion. I do understand that the movie hasn't been getting good reviews from press and the papers but I guess "one man's meat is another man's poison." Love it, Hate it, this movie is definitely going to be a cult classic :)

Kudos to Yik too for his performance in iTalentstar :) Cheers! 

"Every one of us has to find a reason to do this. You don't climb into a T-180 to be a driver. You do it because you're driven." 

- Racer X

Darkness falls

Count back slowly from Ten to One

Take a deep breath,

Just a slow deep one

Relax, Loosen up! its already begun

Ten, Nine, Eight,

The voices just fade,

Seven, Six, Five,

The light too dies.

At the count of Four,

My eyes grow heavy.

The room spins round

As a distant Three sounds.

Silence, Darkness enveloping all around,

Unconscious and helpless before final count.

-Jason Yip 

edited by Andre Yeo

All it takes...

On the bus journey to Malacca, I watched a rather inspirational video which has shaped my aspirations for the near future to come. A fellow athlete brought with him the 2007 video-documentary of the Hawaii-Kona Ironman 2007 video which he shared with all of us.

The Ironman race can be considered to be one of the toughest races around to date. Starting off with a 3.86km swim in Kailua-Kona Bay, followed by a 180.2km bike ride across the Hawaiian lava desert to Hawi and back and ending with a 42.195 (full marathon) along the coast of the big island, it certainly is a race to be reckoned with. The video showcased a number of the top athletes in the triathlon scene and a number of remarkable athletes. The professional athletes are certainly worthy of all respect but it was the other non-professional athletes who left me speechless. They include a double leg amputee, a 70 over year old grandfather who lost his vision in both eyes, a teenager who was involved in a near fatal traffic accident 2 years prior to the race and a 75 year old grandmother who shows no sign of stopping with the 2007 Ironman race the 4th or 5th race under her belt. The video showed their struggles and how they prepared for the (in my opinion) most grilling race of their lives. The camera crew followed them through the race and showed them at their best and worst moments.  

Many of us take what we have for granted and I am no exception to that too. It almost always takes a near disaster or for what we have to be taken away from us before we start to appreciate them. These athletes have inspired me in so many ways and perhaps the greatest lesson I have taken away from that video was simply to cherish the time and the good health I have now. Nothing in this world is ever permanent, be it love, good health or even the material things in our day-to-day life. Sometimes it is better to realize this important fact of life now then to have never realized it at all. A fellow athlete once explained to me that going with the rhythm is the single most important factor which many long distance racers use to keep them going. The first step is always the hardest but once u start, all you need to do is listen to your body and keep it going. I have taken that first step a long time ago but have never found that inner willpower to take it to the next level. The viewing of this video has certainly injected that spark I need to reignite that inner strength to soar to new heights I just hope I am able to see this through to the finishing line.

Life is simply one super long distance race and perhaps heeding all the lessons I have learnt from my participation in Triathlon would enable me to run the race of life in a much smoother and efficient manner. Ironman 2009? I sure as hell am going to try for it :)

“Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.” 

- Og Mandino (1923 - 1996)

No Pain, No Gain

Today marks the end of an extremely fulfilling trip up to Malacca for the annual International Malacca Triathlon. This is my first Tri Race overseas and I must say that it has been an extremely enriching experience for me. The group that I tagged along with comprised of experienced racers with tons of competitions under their belts, professional athletes, recreational riders and new faces to the scene. It was a rather varied bunch and the diversity certainly made the trip much more memorable. 

My performance today was rather disappointing. I could have done much better if I had put in more effort during the training sessions. My swimming standard seems to have dropped drastically and I definitely wasn't prepared for the hilly ride. My run leg wasn't too bad taking into consideration the lack of training in that discipline.  As soon as I am fully recovered I am going to launch full-force into Tri training... :) 

Malacca, or the outskirts of the city town, is a rather pleasant place. The absence of the hustle and bustle of city life certainly had a calming effect on the mind and body. Malaysian drivers, contrary to what I always believed, are extremely gracious towards cyclist (at least to the racers there...) and they never fail to give a smile or a "honk" in encouragement... 

With the race out of the way, I guess the next big thing up on the list would be the medical highlight of the year for me this coming wednesday. I am getting pretty nervous but I guess there's no point getting nervous or upset over the inevitable...

"No Triathlon, No Life" 

- as seen on a fellow competitor's shirt in Malacca

Thurs Night Out

I was counting the number of ERP gantries one has to cross to get from Tampines to Far East Plaza and from Far East Plaza to Plaza Singapura and from Plaza Singapura to Paradiz Centre. To make this journey you'll need to cross approximately 5 ERP gantries including 1 on the way home. On top of that, you'll need to cough out a further S$6 - S$7 dollars for parking at each of the parking lots which will result in one incurring a total amount of approximately S$22++ just to use the car. That is just the incurred cost not including the petrol and the possibility of getting fined. (Pardon the bitterness but I just got my first speeding ticket today...) 

Traveling by public transport is significantly cheaper. It will cost S$0.90 cents to get from home to the interchange by the feeder bus and another S$1.50 by train to get from Tampines to Orchard. There it is possible to walk from Far East to Plaza Singapura to Paradiz without boarding any form of public transport (but that's just me...) and S$2.20 to get back to Tampines from Plaza Singapura via Express Service 518. Grand Total: S$4.60. I guess it kinda makes sense to the people who erect these gantries that if these people can afford a car, I am pretty sure they can afford letting my little evil gantries "PEEP" money out of their little blue cards...

On a lighter note, I am pretty glad I got my hair done today and my Mother's Day gift sorted out. Dinner with J and M was thoroughly enjoyable too and I am hoping we could squeeze in one more before one of them flies of for further studies... I'll be heading off to Malacca this weekend for my first overseas triathlon race. I doubt I have had enough training but I guess there isn't much which can be done now. :) 

A smile, 

A laugh,

A pat on my back.

A hug,

A joke,

An arm round my neck.

The simplest things the above might seem,

The silliest verse too this may seem,

Words are only worth that much

A meet-up soon, perhaps for a hug?

- Jason Yip

 

Pleasant evening

It's a pity I still can't appreciate the effects of alcohol. The sheer thought of loosing self-restraint and becoming a total fool in front of everyone still haunts me every-time a toast is made or a vodka-red-bull is shoved in my direction. Perhaps it is the possibility of offending someone with the gibberish that comes spewing out whilst under intoxication, but more I think, in what hurt the truth may bring should it be left unchecked and unrestraint... Whatever it may be, I enjoyed last night very much... :) 

“Alcohol is the anesthesia by which we endure the operation of life.” 

- George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)

Happiness

It didn't take much, I must admit, for you to charm me over. Everything was perfect, exactly as what I would have imagined it to be. I didn't really say much cause I just couldn't find the words to form what I need to say... besides as I told you... words don't do justice to how I felt. The cascade of emotions all rushing by me in all directions at the same time...  Thank you for the perfect evening :) 

:)

Not a word need be spoken,

Not a sound need be made.

Neither need not be together,

to feel the other's warm embrace.

Nor do they need to see each other,

to bathe in each other's eternal gaze.

As both sit beneath the same blue sky

Their faces caressed by the same cool breeze

Regardless of time, place and mood

All they have has left them by,

All they want has come and gone.

Yet both still smile as the hope too fades,

Cause what they need is here and now.

- Jason Yip

Another one bites the dust...

In the mere blinking of an eye, another weekend has come and gone, just like that. Spent the early afternoon gymming before heading over to my aunt's place to tutor her two kids. Dinner at Ikoi, Miramar Hotel was excellent as usual. 

As the new academic year looms ahead, my honeymoon too will soon draw to a close. The rest so far has far exceeded my expectations. I do regret not traveling to the nether regions of this crapy world of ours but I guess I did in some way make up for that by having a whale of a time in the little red dot :) 

Anyway... I have taken the first step on what I hope will be a long and fruitful journey in time to come... It's just that I can't seem to find the ledge for my next step yet... oh well :) 

“Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.” 

- Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)

I am just hoping that this journey will last past the first step... 

Saturday Night Fever

Thanks once again Ethan and Shaun for that wonderful gathering last night. I enjoyed myself thoroughly. The food was delicious, the company excellent and the conversation thoroughly meaningful. Thanks once again for all the tips and advice on everything :) and kudos to Ethan and Shaun for their excellent hospitality. There will be another one soon right?

“If you explore beneath shyness or party chit-chat, you can sometimes turn a dull exchange into an intriguing one. I've found this to be particularly true in the case of professors or intellectuals, who are full of fascinating information, but need encouragement before they'll divulge it.” 

- Joyce Carol Oates (1938 - )

Blogging

I still remember the day I told my sister about swearing off blogging and all things related to it and social networking on the internet... too clearly in fact. I guess blogging has been that avenue I have been looking so had for to express myself. I guess blogging is the easiest and most convenient way of broadcasting oneself as how on

e would like to see himself as to the world out there. 

Anyway on a more personal note, I have been accepted by two universities in the states, one in sunshine land and the other further up north. I have to make a decision by June and its amazing how difficult it is to make that decision when the time actually comes. I am rather apprehensive about taking that plunge but I guess I have slightly over a month to continue deliberating over the "to go or not to go" question. 

Anyway, photography is the latest thing I have taken up and I'd gladly accept any pointers, tips, or recommendations to photography classes... I need all the help I can get... 

“The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you've got it made.” 

- Jean Giraudoux (1882 - 1944)

 

Friday Night Out

Spent the evening at the NUS University Cultural Centre with my sister watching my alumni's biannual Dance Showcase. 

The performances were excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Memories of me attending my very first dance night 5 years ago at the same location came flooding back to me. The atmosphere, the chatter and the whole mood... all exactly the same just that now I hardly recognize a face in the crowd. Its good to know that somethings just remain the same regardless of how much the world around us evolve and change.

All the items were cheery and beautiful but kudos especially to the Indian Dance Group. The music died midway during their final item but the sheer disappointment they must have felt, they shuffled back into their initial positions and restarted the performance again... No confusion, nothing... Well Done Ladies!! 

Perhaps a little change in the routine would be good for me... Hip-Hop or Salsa.... hmmm :)

“Dance is the hidden language of the soul.” 

- Martha Graham (1894 - 1991)

Simple Modifications/ improvements

Just managed to do up some simple improvements to the blog... Will continue working on the template design :) Cheerios

Making sense

I guess the most honest of statements are usually made when one is in the midst of an intense discussion, where one is least guarded. Those that make the statement usually remain blissfully unaware of the hurt they have caused till the same hurt is inflicted upon them. Even so, they remain entirely preoccupied with the injustice done upon them and have absolutely no recollection of the times when they themselves were at the giving end. 

“What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.” 

- Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC), The Confucian Analects

Help needed

I must admit that some of the blogs published on the net are simply works of art in their own right. I ain't exactly the tech-savvy sort so till I succeed in figuring out how to read html, xml, and  so on and so forth... this will have to suffice for now :)