the I-can't-believe-I-exercised-so-much-today day

Woke up at the unearthly time of 5.45am for my napfa test this morning. It would have decided if I could go in NS a month later. Managed to clear all the 5 stations better than I expected, but once again, failed the 2.4km run :( By the time I came back they already stopped timing, so I have a blank score for my 2.4km! Oh well. Met someone from my primary school at the test. Never talked to him but he looked extremely familiar so I asked anyway. Turns out we had alot in common; enlisting on same date... both of us play the violin... we attend church nearby each other... he passed his napfa (err okay maybe not so similar then *pouts*).

Today was Fuyong's off-day, and we decided to go rollerblading. Wanted to do it since idunnowhen, but somehow put it off till now. Took a bus from Tampines and ended up in the middle of somewhere, walked quite a large distance before we kinda found our way around. By then my arm was semi-breaking because I tied my 2 skates with rafia string like they were salted fish and they were rather heavy. For those of you skeptics who don't believe I exercise at all, here are some pics to prove it!

This is Fuyong. Not many pictures exist of him. He kinda treats me like the paparazzi. But see how despite his pseudo-attempt at blocking the camera, he manages to strike a cheeky pose. A great future in the Hongkong entertainment industry awaits him.

And this is me! Going so fast that Fuyong could only get a back picture of me. Kinda weird to be wearing jeans, but sure beats leaving my skin on the floor (happened first time I skated), or looking like a dork wearing knee-pads. So instead, I chose to look like a nut wearing jeans while skating.

I don't really want to be around when I wake up tomorrow morning though. My usual exercise routine involves closing the windows when the sun gets in my eyes when I'm on the computer. My best friend tomorrow shall be... YOKO-YOKO!

me-day day 2

Yesterday was a real day-off for me after quite a hectic weekend, running around. Went to the pool sometime noon, since the sun wasn't particularly hot. Brought a novel with me, so in between mini-swims just lounged at the poolside reading.

Today was another such day. Slept at 4ish, woke at 11.15. Wasn't doing very much until about 1, when I realised that I only had 7 hours of sleep at night! Since I prefer to get as much sleep as possible during holidays, wanted to bump it to 8 by sleeping an hour. Slept at 2.15 and when I woke up, it was about 4.45 already. Went online and saw Xin Ning online and she also had a wasted day and wanting to make up for it, decided to go to Bukit Batok Nature Park for a jog. Not inclined to any real physical activity myself, I would have been completely satisfied doing my mental 2.4km run in the comfort of my chair. But since I promised myself to exercise everyday for this 2 weeks, and today being only day 2, it would have been really disappointing to renege on my promise myself.

After jogging for 5 minutes or so, she suggested going up the hill. Since the last time I was on bike, I only managed to go by those non slope-y or hilly areas as they were rather narrow and inaccessible by bike. Reached the top of the hill (umm dunno if there's a name) and it was some protected area so couldn't go any further.

Walking back down, I thought it was really nice that the park was so well kept, with lights and maps and paths and all. Although sometimes I think that the government could do better in certain areas, it is heartening that we have a park that is better maintained than perhaps major roads in other countries.

Saw some retirees jogging together around the park. Wondered if for most of us would we only be able to appreciate simple activities like this. Perhaps it is the knowledge that I will be a civilian for these last 2 weeks, or maybe I'm just older than I really am, but I think it's nice, sometimes, to just enjoy that little bit of nature and simplicity as opposed to running about in town.

A day with Brian, literally

After 24 hours, with 2 hours of sleep, bulging eye veins and a spinning head, it's been a blast with Brian! Met yesterday for lunch which was at Taka's Pepper Lunch. Brian insisted on paying because he won toto. The salmon pepper rice was pretty darn good! Then, walked around Taka and each of us got a T-shirt and wandered too dangerously close to the food section and we went in to get the chicken meat balls, skin and takoyaki. Having had too much to eat, it was time to work it off by shopping. Paragon and Heeren later, still didn't find a bag that looked particularly nice to me. Final destination was Raffles City since the buddy group was meeting at City Hall anyway. Got a bag from there at quite a nice discount too so we each got one. Thanks Brian and Kiat for the birthday present!

Later met the group for dinner, which was directed by Brian to the superb beef/meatball noodle stall at Purvis Street. The last time we hurried there after church was pretty memorable, and this time it didn't disappointed either. Decided that didn't wanna catch a movie with the buddy group and Brian offered to put me up for the night (somehow it always ends up this way after a friday night outing :/ ). Ended up Monster Hunting quite alot before Brian decided to go for supper and his mom readily agreed to let him take the car and he went to pick up his FOF. Those guys are seriously funny and pretty nice meeting them again, having met them each like once so far. Went to Xin Wang cafe at Siglap since it was nearby for them. Jonathan went to the washroom and came back with a packet of instant noodles in his pants because he said he couldn't resist. That guy definitely has a problem but he's really damn funny. The trip there and back averaged 100km/h, and at times I thought it was gonna be our last supper :/ But he's pretty steady so can trust his driving. Back to more MHF2 until like unearthly 5.45am and then we bitched until about 7am before sleeping. Woke up at 9am with his dad screaming at him for the car keys. Had to hurry down to the Bukit Batok shop as it opened at 10. With my superb navigational skills, we ended up pretty lost and made a huge detour. I think if we went on a road trip to Malaysia with me giving directions we may end up at Thailand.

The shop was darn busy as they were reoganizing stuff so had a late breakfast, before heading home. Somehow, just 2 hours of sleep doesn't seem all that bad O.O

Bukit Batok Nature Park

Decided today was going to be a me-day and to finally exercise since next week I'll be retaking my napfa and just thinking about getting fitter is not going to make me fitter. It's been a really long while since I've cycled, the last time being with John which ended up with rain so didn't cycle much. After I got the tyres pumped, I rode to Bukit Batok Nature Park. Passed by there a gazillion times by bus but never stepped in despite my house being so nearby. Cycled in through the carpark and there was quite a few joggers about. Along a particular stretch, there were quite alot of monkeys on the path, oblivious to everything else. I was worried that a monkey would jump out from the tree and hug my face and send me flailing about and crashing. Within the park, there are several interconnected routes, some more accessible by foot rather than bike. There was a playground/fitness area where I did some chin-ups, and one of the paths led to quite a nice view of the Xiao Gui Lin which has a small lake around. There was a sign below some trees that said "Beward of falling durians" (err, okay).

There are many weird people who jog though. There was this guy who reminded me of a bull, because he tilts his head downwards when he runs. Initially I thought he was tired so he let his neck muscles relax abit, but realised he was looking through the top of his eyes. Besides Bull-Man, there was a woman who was training her soprano voice while she jogged with her dog. Her voice was pretty good, but nevertheless weird to hear someone practicing during a run.

The day probably wasn't so good for some others though, as I saw the parking attendant printing a ticket from his machine beside a coupon-less car. Tough luck :/

HAPPY birthday to me

Birthdays have always been just-another-day affairs to me all this while. Today was extra special though, with all the wishes coming from all the wonderful people and even those who sms'ed from their ulu countries. My dad gave me a card this morning, as though I was living in another house, but it had a nice card inside. He gave me an ang pow too so I could buy my own birthday present =) Met Jason to go borders and ate Fish & Co. for the first time (suaku-ness level -1 now). After that I bought my own birthday present in the form of a fountain pen (Kevin told me I got it for 20 bucks cheaper, yay!). Got home and ate my birthday pie (a little sick of cakes so told my dad to get me a pie instead) and Quan Rung called me to sing a birthday song! She sang really fast and as usual I got the deer-caught-in-headlights feeling and didn't know what to say except thanks. I think my sis may have wondered if I just got notified of a lucky draw win after that or something, from the minute-long grin afterward.

Sometime later in the evening my mum told me there was a letter for me! Flipped it around and saw the legendary Kew address and immediately I knew who it came from (poor postman was too scared to un-deliver it when he saw the un-delivered address). THANKS FOR THE CARD QUAN RUNG EVEN THOUGH YOU HAD EXAMS AND ALL AND FOR MAKING IT COME ON TIME!

AND ALSO TO ALL OF YOU WHO MADE THIS DAY EXTRA SPECIAL!!

TAP 2008

Today was reflective service again. Was really stressed last night at/after practice, because I went to practice only needing to play 5 songs, left practice needing to play 7 for today's service. Decided to blog today instead so instead of bitching I would be giving thanks. During the solo parts my right arm refused to obey me and was trembling like nuts, giving right arm vibrato too (gotta get some muscle relaxant from Kiat's mom). Overall though, I think i didn't make too many glaring mistakes, which would have discouraged me further during the playing bit. Was kinda dazed while I was playing (happens all the time when I'm performing) but it all turned out alright, I guess. One of the barometers I use to gauge how well I played is how many wedding invitations I get after each service. Today I got none. The first time I played, I got an invitation to play for Brandon's funeral. Although indeed the focus should be on serving God and playing solely for Him, the onus is still on me to practice really hard and not make a mess of the whole thing and distract people from worshipping in the process of doing so. *must remember to practice MUCH harder next time*

After service was Psalmist's annual TAP (thanksgiving, appreciation and planning) session. Had lunch with the ministry at Bukit Timah food centre before heading to Christina's condo for the meeting. Was really fun at the beginning when everyone was cracking crazy jokes during 2 truths and a lie. The appreciation part was meaningful too, going round the circle and having people talk about how they appreciate each person. Came to the planning part, which was basically simple, but sobering, since the future of Psalmist is a big question mark, with developments in the future with regards to the congregation. Although everyone was making a joke out of it to lighten the mood, it was hard to ignore the regret that everyone had should any changes that takes away people from this ministry. The core team had put alot of effort into this ministry and many individuals have also stepped up to make this ministry into what it is today. Having said so, it is ultimately up to God and we hope that whatever happens, God's plan will be fulfilled, both in this ministry, and through us. One of the points was for us to strengthen both individually, and as a ministry, in terms of personal development, be it technical, or even strengthening how we play our instruments with each other, or getting new members. Personally, I feel I have not been putting in enough effort as a musician in this ministry, as I ought to. In the past, being responsible to my teachers gave me a certain ownership over how I develop. However, playing for God I should give many many more times the effort, in which I have fallen short, miserably.

It was quite a nice time today, spending time with other Psalmist members and getting to know a few of them better, since we do not meet up like that often. They're really jovial and always cracking jokes.

Got my first birthday present this year! From Xin Ning, which really cracked me up. Earring. Yeah hahahaha

Library

Today was a darn hot day, and I finished reading my library books, leaving nothing to do for the rest of my blissful unemployment, so I decided to get down to the national library to pick up some reads. Xin Ning was online and she wanted to drop her books off and get some research done so met up at bugis. First went to La Salle because she wanted to print something. From the side, I think the school is really ugly though, like a big black square with pockmarks. The glass facades everywhere is really cool though, from the front view. I think the students there are rather esoteric though, but they're really free to be whoever they wanna be there.

Went to Muji before heading to the library. I thought they'd have really cool and exotic stationery from Japan. Was a little disappointed though, but eyeing a fountain pen and I saw one there. Xin Ning swears their exercise books are notebooks, but yeah they still look to me like plain 'ol exercise books.

After picking up some books, headed to the reference section on the 8th floor. They had a really wide range of finance books. Could sit there and read forever. First picked up a book on currency swaps but halfway through I was getting a headache and besides getting only an impression, was pretty lost. Read up abit about unit trusts which got me wondering what to do with my ang pow money and meagre savings. Thinking of going into Singapore equity funds, but I think it's still on the high side right now, and gotta have to discipline to just dump everything and not fiddle with it for a few years. Maybe going to NS will help.. maybe. Now I know where to go when I get bored during the rest of my 1 month!

Threading

Been wanting to do it for quite a while now, because I feel my eyebrows are really messy towards the sides of my face, like finer hairs growing about the main eyebrow. Bugged my sister quite a bit about bringing me threading the next time she goes, but somehow it didn't happen. She didn't really want to bring me, so I asked her to help me pluck the stray hairs. She got her tweezers and roughly 10 hairs, alot of pain, and no change to my eyebrow later, I decided to just go threading to get it done more quickly, because plucking one by one was seriously an agony. Sis gave in to my bugging and mom drove us to Clementi. Quanrung, my ever-supportive friend said she would come over and laugh at me, and thank goodness she didn't, because the people at the shop had a good laugh already. Apparently the customers fill up from the chair nearest the shop front, to give the impression that there are people in the shop. Being the only customer at that time (my sis didn't pluck), I was supposed to sit at the front seat, but the lady in the shop decided to be kind and I didn't have to.

It feels weird though, closing my eyes and lying on the chair, and feeling the thread rubbing around. I felt really really vulnerable, but soon that gave in to the massive amount of pain each time hair was pulled. Teared abit as she kept going and after a while kinda got used to it so didn't cringe my face so hard each time hair was being pulled. Idunnohowlong later I woke up from the bad dream and had hair all over my face (I COULD FEEL HAIR SNOWING ON MY FACE EACH TIME SHE YANKED). Then my eyebrow area was really red like I had some rashes or skin allergy at that area.

The price to pay for neater eyebrows. Oh yah, it was $5 well spent :)

No. 4 & 5

I'm now officially unemployed since work ended last tuesday, but with all the public holidays and Chinese New Year festivities, it really feels like total holidays now. With this newfound abandon, it was time to pierce my ears again! Being dissatisfied with my previous 3 due to previous reasons, I decided to get my lobe and tragus pierced again, and this time right.

With the only supporter of my piercing escapades left, planned to go today to Far East Plaza with Xin Ning to get it done, since she did a tragus pierce there before. Before that though, she was looking for a AIDS test kit, which was really funny, as we walked into the clinic and burst out laughing nonstop. The other people waiting for consultation must have been wondering what sort of sickos these 2 were, doing something like that. After getting over with the previous uncontrollable laughter, we went up to the counter and Xin Ning found it really hard to get what she wanted across, like "Umm, I'm looking for the.. (scrambles to notebook to find the name) oral test.." then I added "Yeah the AIDS kit". I wonder what it seemed like to the receptionists then. Anyway, they didn't have it available, like a consultation for the doctor had to be arranged.

Going to Far East Plaza, the shop that she did it before was missing of the auntie who did it for her, with a really young-ish girl manning the shop. Neither of us wanted to get our tragus possibly destroyed by her so after asking around 77th street, Primitive ($65 for a needle pierce, REALLY OUCH!!), we finally found a shop at B1 that would do it for us with a piercing gun. Being the gentleman I was, I let Xin Ning go first. I had quite alot of faith in the girl doing it, because she had multiple ear piercings herself, including a tragus one. Even if she had no idea how to operate the gun, knowing that she may have some sympathy left for us crazy people was mildly comforting. She was TOTALLY steady; she was even going to do it with Xin Ning standing up like 20s after we enquired. Couldn't help but ask if Xin Ning wanted a seat (because I definitely would) and everyone burst out laughing. Talked quite alot of rubbish with the girl there until I realised it was my turn. It went much smoother than my previous one, without most of that blunt force feeling. Irked me that before my lobe piercing, as she readied the gun, one of the customers asked if they had idunnowhat in black. I was ready to pay for him to be pierced while I talk to the girl nonstop. Thank goodness, in all her steadiness, she didn't reply him, did the piercing then turn around cooly and said "No, we don't" (YOU GO GIRL!).

Ate cakes from Sun Moulin outside Isetan like some tramps along the way from MRT to Isetan Scotts. This weird guy was sitting beside me mumbling to himself while we were eating.

Met Fuyong who accompanied me before Xin Ning was free, and just walked around alot as he was hunting for bags and slim jeans.

Hope the piercing(s) this time turn out well! *crosses fingers and toes*

Last Day of Work

Almost 2 months have come and gone really quickly, well not so quickly if I recount the many times my eyes struggled to overcome the forces of nature and staring at the watch, in disbelief that time could pass so slowly. But it has gone all the same. It's been really interesting at work, like learning how much one could come to hate eating at foodcourts, how the rush of adrenaline is at 6pm. Anyway, it's been a great bunch of people that I've worked with, even the people from office next door whom we lunch with.

Decided to get cakes today for my own farewell from Sun Moulin below Isetan Scotts. The cakes there are OISHII!~ Everyone at work agreed with me too. The green tea cake, which is supposedly their speciality, and which I didn't try, seriously looked like carpet grass or a golf course. So I must try that next time and the tiramisu and the fruit tart and the egg tart and the curry bun and the melon pan and the WHOLE SHOP!

Actually, my last day of work was meant to be tomorrow, but the cakes were so good that my manager decided that I didn't need to work tomorrow. My colleagues got me a Cross pen with my name engraved it and a card they wrote well wishes and stuff on (THANKS EVERYONE!). It's been really great working with you guys!