Delayed

Super long time since I’ve posted anything here. So here we go. After about 2 months.

Work is great. My job is getting busier by the week but still no complaints. It’s what I’ve been wanting to do from the start and now that I’ve started doing evaluations and reading up on post market issues, I’m really getting to the crust of regulations and how we’re gonna be running things in the near future.

My cousin, Pupsy was here for a week! Oh man! Been ages since she kept saying that she’ll be coming in a few months and finally she did come! We had a great time catching up – although time was tight after work and been tired all day to go out and have fun, but then I think we spent the time we had the best we could.  One more weekend would have been great but then in Singapore, I think she’s basically seen everything there is to see. Sush… why are the pics not on FB huh?

Running:

This was a crazy up and own experience. TNF100, as expected was a hellish experience but then I managed to finish it. Almost knocked out cold after the event. For the first time after a run, I sat down and cried like a baby – it really is that hard. But then I had to be a finisher – not for myself but for my partner – who after finishing the race actually came back to look for me. Thanks Elaine! =)

The next couple of weeks I just dreaded run and I hated the pain and the agony. Ghosts of TNF100 kept coming back again and again – till NB Real Run. I was strong again. My time from km to km was so fantastically consistent and smooth that I loved the fast pace race. Seems like the trail and the terrain running really helped. I missed my PB by 1.5 mins but wth! I knew that I was back.

Last weekend was the best run ever – I finished my marathon training for StandChart by clocking 45km in a little more than 5 hrs – no soreness or agony what-so-ever. It was a fantastic run.

Basically, that’s how life is when u start working I guess. Very little time to myself. And the time I’ve had, I’ve been watching a show Choon Hong recommended to me – One Liter of Tears.

Sheesh, this show really made my cry- more than once. It’s hard not to….

 

Complains

Everyone seems to compain about relationships and their jobs, but when u have neither to complain about, it doesn’t do much for you too.

Imagine you didn’t have what you have and are complaining about, and you get me.

It’s frustrating.

You are nothing

These are a few words of encouragement from Dad.

Awesome… Just perfect. Exactly what I needed to hear.

WinKey + R

Well, it’s been almost a week since my last post and I should blog about what I’ve been doing this week, except of course job applications and an interview here and there.

Tuesday was my second driving lesson in an auto car. ATC is so much easier than manual esp cuz it takes mind off all the ‘mumbo jumbo’ and keeps me focussed on the road. And when it comes to a hell hole driving place like Ubi, I think it’s for the best to go for auto – atleast for me. Driving around, Ubi seemed to be much more pleasant – despite the fact that learners still get picked on. Anyway, according to the instructor, he says I’m a good 7-8 lessons from my test booking so I guess I’ll be doing just that. Tmr is my next lesson. After many many months of procrastination and fear, I’m finally looking forward to Tuesdays cuz they’re my lesson days.

Wednesday was the first time in many years (last time was Sec 3 cross country quarter-finals) that I went to Macritchie Reservoir Park to pre-train for the 2nd TNF progressive (since I missed the first one). Thanks to Hussain for organizing and getting people to go for it cuz I think it was really really helpful to know what I was up against. Well, didn’t help much on Sat but that I’ll write later. So we were off with our hydration packs and new trail shoes to train for TNF and it was pretty difficult 10k run i’ve done in a long long time. Although it was multiple upslopes which I realized was my strength, and I kept whacking everyone of them, when it came to downslopes, I slowed down a lot – in the interest of my knees. Anyway, Hussain and me did the ‘Yellow’ 10.5km route in about 1h02m. Pretty good time I would say.

PRC’s ‘Recce Team’ – As Hussain calls it. (L-R) John, Choon Hong, Me, Hussain and Why See

Saturday, we carried out the full scale progressive run of 22+km ar MR again. This time, it was nothing short of hell and taught all of us runners what we’re up against. Thanks to Choon Hong’s ex-classmate, Ricki (aka The Bug) who’s a super pro and a damn fun fella to run with, we were orientated to the terrain pretty well. This time ard, we ran from MR Reserve to Bukit Timah Reserve and back. This of course, included Bt Timah hill – where it really really tested my upslope mettle – gotta thank NUS/Kent Rigde slopes for all the sufferring that partially prep-ed me for this madness of a run. Elaine (my TNF partner, who I shall refer to as ‘Partner’ henceforth) was sick all week but she’s an awesome runner too. Turning up in her 70.3 top, she’s really mentally strong. But the award for the most amazing person goes to Hussain – who did the distance at a really fast pace – during fasting month. I have no frakkin’ idea how the heck he managed to go all the way for 2h31m without a single drop of water and no glucose intake – considering he had the rest of the day left too! But we all did it and came out in one piece. For the 25km-ers they were pleased tt they can make it. For us 50km-ers, this was indeed a matter of concern – this was not even 1/2 the distance and we were maxed out.

At the Bukit Timah and MR junction

Summit of Bukit Timah Hill

Hmmm… I hope Saturday’s 20km progressive is much better. It better be, RunNUS is on the next day. Or else Jimmy and me are gonna suffer. (Maybe not Jimmy since he’s an 84km finisher!)

Partner and Me (Yeap… she’s always this hyper)

Since it has been sweaty and dirty all over the past two weeks, I haven’t gotten an opportunity to show the new PRC running singlet. It’s reddish-pink (to appease both sexes, I suppose) and pretty catchy!

Here goes:

As for RunNUS singlet, as it was last year, this year’s singlet is pretty nice too! The colour matches nicely with the new NB tri-tights that I bought for myself on Tuesday from Tampines-1.

Here goes again:

Also, I forgot to post this for a long long time. This is my first running medal ever! In Pri 4 (in India) for some 400m race where I came in 2nd. Haha… it says 1993! OMG!

As for the title, press Windows Key + R and you’ll know what I’m talking about!

Hmmm

Discoveries of recent have led me to a new perspective… but principles first…

Somehow related to this old post… on Spineless People

Long Overdue

Of a post! Well, obviously, nothing much is happenning in my life so there’s nothing much to write anyway. 

But I’ve been upto a few things recently… except job hunting of course. I’m off to India for a good month on the 7th. The tickets are super duper cheap – 160 with everything in! Tiger Air rocks! Can’t wait to see mum and dad after so damn long! =)

A few of us went blading last Wed. Pearl and Yuen Ling have been trying to organise but the weather kept playing games with them. But it was great weather on Wed and off we went! The turn out was pretty good and was fun hanging out after blading with a bunch of cool frenz! 

The blading dudes

The blading dudettes

 

The two champs who’re on their way to Olympic Glory

 

And the two Lance Armstrongs – who picked 2 wheels over 8

 

Oooh… I bought a new pair of running shoes. I wanted to just go and check out the prices and the stuff but since Yams got his tennis racquet re-strung, Eliza and Vin got new racquets, I didn’t want to be the only one left ou in the shopping spree! So here goes my new running shoes. I havn’t tried them on a run though so I can’t comment. They’re still being heavily appreciated for their beauty in my living room. =p (The though of which kinda made Eliza cringe thinking I’m weird… OEY! I’m not the only weird one. You are too!)

My new Mizuno Wave Rider 12s

 

 

I went out for dinner with Winston and Joanne again on Friday! They’re a fantastic couple to hang out with! They not only keep poking fun at each other but also very open in a comical way that makes you comfortable to talk about many issues (esp young parenthood, marriage, marriage proposals??) that I have no one to ask about! We literally had to be chased out fo the resturaunt. 

 

Sunday’s Passion Run was freaking awesome! Although I was feeling weird and perpetually tired, I finally managed to break the shit cycle and psycho myself to run at full blast for 15km –  the longest, fastest brutal push I’ve ever done – 15km in 1hr 16min 02 secs.

 

Went for some Tennis training with Eliza, Vin and my Shifu – Yammy. Thanks for taking so much time off to teach me the basics Yams. He’s a fantastic coach – critiqing, correcting and giving continuous feedback all through the two hours. Vin – sorry about the NASA action and rockets flying off man! Haha… sheesh! I owe you 4 tennis balls woth of tea now! Eliza… Haha.. you owe me Ben and Jerry’s – half a tub!

 

My Asics Gel Kayano are about to retire soon – 30th May  2009 after 42.195km. Amazingly, I have worn out the shoes i bought in min Jan – with over 1000km in this short period of time! Sheesh! The training better be worth it on Race Day next Sat night.

 

Time to  SUIT UP! and watch ‘How I Met Your Mother’! =p

A Conclusion

To my FYP since I have practically tried everything that there is to try! Haha… after one more set, I’m good to go for whole set of results for thesis. 

We had our overall presentation today and I’m glad it went well – esp since I messed everyone’s mind up with Organic Chem! Haha… Was pretty encouraging to hear Kristy say that she actually understood a wee bit of what I was doing after so long! Haha… wee bit = one inch!

But all in all, no matter what result I get I’m glad I tried everything that there is to try and that’s good enough a closure for me!

Comes at a great time too! I celebrate my 6th anniversary of enlistment! Haha… wat a day to be enlisted!

 

Oh and same goes my GEK module! Was a real pain editing pics but learnt that Yams has a real edge when it comes to photoshop! He’s good lar – damn good! Can’t wait to get over and done with the test! One more lap…

Believe it or not, year 4 has been the best year in NUS of my life – I have so much freedom that sometimes I dunno what to do – practically, I’ve done it all!

 

 

Run as much as I want to – even got time and energy to try stunts – this week being 10km/day for the whole week! Been running with the MIR team since the start of the year!

TV! Finished Friends, Mind Your Language, Goodness Gracious Me. Almost done with Star Trek TNG (7 more episodes to go). Finished Big Bang Theory (upto date). Watching Dexter’s Lab (Season 1 now).

Watched so many movies that I can barely count! I’m super updated with movies!

Slack at home on days I don’t want to go to lab and still not feel bad!

NO STRESS during reading week or studying for mid terms and still get good results - I LOVE THIS! Like Roops says… now it’s time for us to mock them! =p

Finishing papers and projects well almost on time – without needing to rush it!

Can blog/Facebook/MSN whenever I want to – just that I choose not to!

Read at almost two novels per month since December! WOW!

Have enough family time to go for Hindi movies again!

Time to cook whatever I want to!

Catching up with friends is one thing I gotta do when I get the time!

 

I love my final year in NUS! Gonna pull the ultimate stunt after BioMEMs exam – which is the only exam btw! =p

Stirb nicht vor mir

This song has a lot of memories to go along with… I’m surprised that it’s not on my blog…

Stirb nicht vor mir (Don’t die before I do) – Rammstein

 

 

The night opens her lap
The child’s name is loneliness
It is cold and motionless
I cry softly into time
I don’t know what your name is
But I know that you exist
I know that sometime
someone will love me

He comes to me every night
No words are left to say
With his hands around my neck
I close my eyes and pass away

I don’t know who he is
In my dreams he does exist
His passion is a kiss
And I can not resist

I wait here
Don’t die before I do
I wait here
Don’t die before I do

I don’t know who you are
I know that you exist
Don’t die
Sometimes love seems so far
I wait here
Your love I can’t dismiss
I wait here

All the houses are covered in snow
And candle light in the windows
They lie there together
And I
I only wait for you

I wait here
Don’t die before I do
I wait here
Don’t die before I do

I don’t know who you are
I know that you exist
Don’t die
Sometimes love seems so far
I wait here
Your love I can’t dismiss

Don’t die before I do

 

Passing

 

Err… in light of recent events, maybe I need an outlet and this is the best one.

Sometimes I don’t think so much about her but then one simple thing like mum taking out 4 plates to serve dinner or me threading the needle or turning on the TV in the morning to see her favorite yoga show in the morning brings tears to my eyes.

A couple of days ago a family friend’s wife was remembering how she and me used to be like good friends, with her constantly pulling each other’s leg, talking crap, watching TV together, playing Ludo when I was a kid, cooking her special dishes for me all the time and I can go on and on… So soon everything’s changed so much – and its irreversible.

I will always remember how proud she was of me after every running event I completed.

Thankfully granny passed away peacefully in her sleep within 2 days without much suffering. The two days were bad enough a sight to see – with her falling down from the bed to the point there were visible internal bleeding clots on the body. I will never forget the sight of her during the prayers at home before cremation. Every time I think about it, eyes well up. I can’t bear to see the photos mum and dad took because something inside me burns.

Taken on my 24th Bdae.

 

No more celebrations for a year. 

Last Note

After some contemplation, I have decided to shut this blog for good… however, the blog will be up with this being the last post.

I realise that I owe an explaination to my readers rather than randomly shut it down. Firstly, I have too many things on my hand at the moment and I think blogging is one thing that I need to let go of as work gets heavier. Secondly, it has become a source of dependancy to complain endlessly about things that will not change and I find it hard to accept and I’d rather keep it inside and live with it. Thirdly, I don’t know…

165 posts in 344 days and it ends today. Thanks to all my readers for your comments and support.

A parting song (Life for Rent)

 

 

Network, network, network

Hmmmm… been a real long time since I blogged so here’s a long awaited update.

I was busy with the FYP prelim 1 presentation and report (which was not too bad i guess) except that I was extremely nervous and a lot of jolts between slides… hmm next time must rehearse out loud and not slack. Sheesh…. next time gonna be worse with the examiner around! Nvm lar.. think about it when the time comes.

Dad was talking to me one of the days after a bad day of lab about how to get opinions from people about where you want to go in career and how to get there. I think all I needed at that time was the push to talk to people and find out more. And I went into frenzy mode emailing a lot of people who were nice to talk to me and express opinions.

Esp among these were Prof. Teoh who forwarded me to Kelvin – he was extremely friendly and gracious to explain what he does and the challenges and how the field can be useful to society. I think that was what I needed to spur me on to ask more people and get as many different opinions as I can to make a more informed decision about my career. Although it is kind of early, there’s no harm looking around for places that I can go and how I can be useful. Next, A/P Toh was very useful to intro me to the speaker of a talk on heart valves Mr. Goh, who entertained me and recommmended how I can go about getting experience and how to progress in a career in regulatory issues. Also, A/P Toh forwaded me to Mr. Kwek in HSA who corrosponded with me and I think I will talk to him sometime next week. Finally but not least, Dr. Hill from Centre for Bioethics gave me a totally different perspective on seeing things not from a law and regulatory but an ethical veiwpoint and how engineers and healthcare professionals face dilemma in the workplace. I would like to thank them personally on my blog for entertaining me and giving me a sense of direction.

But most of all, thanks dad for being so supportive. Time to brush up my resume and start aggressively looking for jobs.

But first, FYP beckons… and it’s not helpful getting chased out of my own lab! =s

Hmmm.. some things that I need to do this time of the month are: GEK Essay, HR Essay and TE presentation. Oh man! I’m gonna drown myself in projects!

On a different note, I went for Real Run and it was an awesome experience. I think I did pretty weel judging from my standards and I look forward to Peal Izumi next weekend…. time to up the distance from 21km to 30km…The marathon is coming. =)

Today

Hmmm I just felt like random rambling, but I rambling this way is more productive.

 

Today I find myself in the past,

Hoping things were there to last.

But as an icy chill runs up my back,

I cry for the day and hit the sack.

 

Today I smile at the little things,

No matter what the day brings,

For it feels like a beautiful day,

That smile is always here to stay.

 

Today I anger at myself again.

Somehow I need to ease the pain.

So I punish myself without the need,

It’s the very vows I do not heed.

 

Today I feel great satisfaction,

I see myself in the right direction.

No matter what the future brings,

Life always straightens out things.

 

Today I feel the fear of life,

Bothers me and cuts like a knife,

I don’t know where I’m headed to,

And I not know what to do.

 

Today I feel strange fascination,

Everything’s a new revelation.

My mind feels like a little kid,

So I do the silly things I always did.

 

Today I feel mighty weary,

My body hurts and eyes teary,

I need to get away from this place,

Give me time and a little space.

 

The past is a vault of history,

And the future locks the mystery,

But today is the present it is said,

So I smile and look ahead. 

 

All u guys…

Some I know very well, some I know pretty well and some I wish I knew u a little better….

Whatever the case, I’m gonna miss the whole bunch of you!

In no particular order…. here we go!

 

 

 

 

 

  

   

 

 

 

And if ure here on my blog and we dun have a pic together although we know each other well, we really need to take a pic tog!!!!

Just sometimes, I dun feel like going…. now is one of those times….