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

And suddenly

I don’t feel like doing anything anymore…

New Divide

Dispatches

A video on the Terror in Mumbai…

Channel 4 – Dispatches (June 2009) – Terror in Mumbai from Mskadu on Vimeo.

Legendary Trip 2!

To con-tin-new where I left off last night, on 20th June, I left for my hometown, Bhubaneswar (BBSR) with Pupsy since dad was fine on his own. I bought my first non-aeriated drink at the Airport and it was one of my fav fully awesome ones – Snapple – Mango Madness. =)

Everyone was so thrilled that I was back that I was very touched and felt the love all around me, esp my cousins and granny – who I still insist was trying to flirt with me!

I went for a concert since we had passes and one of my sister-in-laws was singing and my uncle’s childhood friend was playing – Kishore Kumar was a music genius… Legen-wait for it-dary! Shall post one of my fav songs once I’m done with this. =)

The lead singer – had almost the same voice and look like Kishore-da

This lady was the stage turner for the duet – love the chemistry betwn them – her voice sucked though! =p

Prutyasha (hope I got that right) one of my distant sister-in-laws also sang a few songs – her voice was so much nicer!

My uncle’s childhood fren – lost in the passion of music. =)

The next day was Sunday, so we could whack a day trip! Off we went to Maa Tarini temple where apparently, if u make a coconut offerring and ask for something, you’re sure to get it. Well, it’s kinda obvious what I asked for. We met up with Sukanya’s family on the day trip – who’s close to Sush’s family too.

Sush and me again!

My eldest uncle and Sush

My youngest uncle

Sush’s Dad

The people who went there

Sush and Sukanya’s Sis

I loved this hut – looks so laid back

This is a crap translation of the name of the place – esp for a hotel!

The week after that was the annual Chariot Festival, where the God goes his aunt’s house for a few months. SO to celebrate this, we had prayers that day. A few years back, I sat for the prayers but this year i had a bad tummy ache, so my eldest uncle sat for the prayers.

The holy fire

The aunt-home-going God and his siblings

Our family butler (Hari) who came the house the very day I was born =)

The prayer offerings which Hari cooked – Love his food! Awesome! =p

Then we went over to my cousin’s place to see my nephew of 7 months. He’s so chubby and cute!

Spoilt brat loves the air-con! His little piece of heaven that is…

Cousin and me

Then we went over to my eldest cousin’s place to meet her and her family. I love the verbal jostling with her cuz she’s really damn funny and witty! Her husband on the other hand is damn shy and he can’t say shit but just blushes and gives up! Damn cute couple!

Husband, wife and me

Retro casette!

My youngest 2 cousins

Sush and me

Super whacking session!

Dinner plan was with my two yougest cousins and Sush. We went to Tangerine 9 and whacked till we were full, fat and happy! Haha… We talked so much cork that we were reeling laughing for next three good hours. My youngest cousin literally fell down laughing! This went on for a good four nights over dinner! =p

My cousin and me went to Mayfair, a super posh shopping area to do some window shopping! Her treat for the evening! =)

I loved the colourfulness of the place!

Yummynessess!

A couple of days, we went to puri Jaganath – the God who went to aunt’s place. Apparently, very few people can get to see him there and so it was a unique opportunity cuz it was not as crowded – ually there are 1/2 million people there at once – i do not mean figuratively, there are crowds of 1/2 million on festive days.

My niece

And cousin

Niece, a distant nephew and me.  The fella is damn funny! We had an awesome time!

And one last whacking session with cousin – Haka.

The buffet is damn worth it! 4 Sing dollars! =p

One last pic – cuz she wanted to look taller! =p

I miss the place and the people already! Most probably, my next trip… will be my wedding. =)

My Legendary Trip 1!

Is what I would call my trip to India this time around! Well.. besides having a lot of fun and carbo loading till I gained 3 kgs(!), I actually kinda re-conciled what I’ve been looking for and what I’ve been missing out on. One point of self-discovery is that no matter where I live and where I work, I will always want to go back there from time to time – cuz at one point in time or the other, I miss the place really dearly – not just the food or the people, the feeling of being settled and being back home – with family.

This post is gonna be a shorter version of the looong story that I’ll prob tell u ppl in parts! So here goes! =)

Vidhana Soudha at night – There’s a cheesy line written on the top… try to read it!

Our driver, Viswanath tried his best to take a pic… after much much coaxing!

My cousin and me (mum not in pic) are squeezed into out little car at the back! =p

The ladies

And the gents

And began the holiest week of many years I’ve had in a long long time! I went to a new temple literally everyday from Iskon in Bangalore to Tirupati to the temple near our house to even Puri Jaganath – after the Chariot Festival. Like my cousin told me, we’re gonna have a life full of blessings considering how many temples we’ve been to so far!

Iskon Temple, Bangalore

Then I wanted to take pics of our house in BLR and wow! The mansion is a mother load so huge that I had to take samples of the Taj Mahal mum and dad had built after a lot of pain and sweat.

Balcony

Living Room 1

Living Room 2

Bedroom

Prayer Room

Grand Staircases… slippery too!

A REAL dorky pic of me on the living room wall. Taken when I was in Sec 2… I can see why I was alone with no frenz!

Look at the hair, the tummy, the glasses, the bloody backpack! SHEESH!

The next day, we headed to Mysore, a small place near BLR (abt 280kms away) which was the capital of the state previously. I had been there last when I was 6 or 7 and so for me, it was like being there for the first time again! As for mum and dad, it was a second honeymoon trip to what was 26 yrs ago! OMG! And for me… I took a pic for comparison. Once the old pics are scanned and up, I’ll show u ppl – promise!

Sleeping Vishnu Temple

Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace

Cam-whoring again…

Honeymoon pic spot – 26 yrs on, Chamundibetta Temple

Temple outside Mysore Palace

Mysore Palace

YELPS!

A pic of me at the very same spot after 25 yrs… I’ll show u when I scan the original

The musical fountain

And the beautiful dome fountain – my fav of all!

A pic of the place from practically every Bollywood movie in the 80s and early 90s.

The next day, we intended to go to the Museum and the Planetorium – obviously, nothing happened when we met up with Sukanya – Pupsy’s fren who lives in BLR. All we did was the take a lot of pics and talk a lot of rubbish and played UNO – to the point we even forgot our tea and screwed the initial plans! Totally worth it! =)

Sukanya and Sushree

And the three S-ess (No puns intended)

Sukanya in her beloved room with her beloved kapohed lampshade

Evening, we headed down to Prabha aunty’s house to meet Vani Didi and Ajay. They were so young I last remember them tt Didi now has a son of the same age that I was when I first knew them! OMG! After so long, I didn’t even know where to start trying to catch up. Btw, the house Ajay built for his dad and mum is so beautiful and functional, as an engineer, it makes me tear in joy! Then we 4 went for a quick dinner to retire for the night… cuz next up was Tirupati.

A nice place just near home. =)

Love BLR, the weather is so nice u look exactly the way when u left home after ure bk!

The next day, our road trip began at 430am to Sukanya’s place and picked her up and off we went to Tirupati. Although I was hoping to get to know her better, the poor girl had a whole trip of motion sickness – which our driver Mahadev was very nice to constantly look for drug stores to buy medication. Also, he knows so much that he made the trip worthwhile and cracked a lot of funny jokes along the way. The two of them were def lost.. and I had to laugh twice – once with Mahadev and once more after translating it! My Kannada was surely brushed up at the end of the trip! =)

5am from a Hyundai Tucson

Outside

And Inside

Ms. Motion Sickness with her power Remedy

We’re still good to go… till the ascend began. After tt we all looked the same

The awesomest driver, Mahadev!

Sukanya and Me at Woody’s – I ALWAYS loved to stop here for tea since I was a kid!

The next big thing was shopping and what we did instead was eat more and take more pics! We found this huge butterfly made of paper cups in a shopping mall! It’s to raise awareness of re-cycling and re-using. But for us, it’s just another prop!

After this I headed to my hometown which I’ll continue in Part 2 cuz its almost 3am now… OMG!

Shitty Holiday

The biggest made this year was to go to India for a holiday…

I should have just stayed alone at home. Better than the daily brain fucking over here. Sheesh… I’m pissed off and I wanna come back home asap.

I’m off

To India! After almost 3 months of waiting, its gonna be great seeing mum and dad again tonight! =)

And I leave behind friends and loved ones… for a month! I’ll be contactable by email though so keep me updated people! And I hope I can blog too!

Miss you peeps!