2010 in retrospective

At the end of every year, it's becoming a tradition to write about the year that has passed. Those 12 months, and 365 days, or 525600 minutes. Like the musical "Rent" sings " How do we measure a year? in daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, or cups of coffee? in inches, in miles..."

Work-wise i've developed my business a fair share, scored a business deal that has enough zeros in it. I've got a slew of happy problems. I understood a lot more about managing a big team, and managing others' expectations from me. I worked towards buying a Porsche, without feeling the pinch.

Of cos, at the time this blog post is written, COE (Certificate of Entitlement, a piece of paper you need to have a car in Singapore) is now pegged at over S$70k (est. 53k USD), for a car with a capacity over 2Litres. Pop goes whatever motivation i have to work harder. Maybe i should focus on handbags. In 2010, i bought less handbags, more love to Marc by Marc Jacobs and online shopping, due to the longer hours i clocked at work.

When one spend more time at work, the last thing i thought of doing is focusing on triathlon or swim bike run. No, i did not get fat. I actually feel leaned out. I lost muscles, i managed to still keep up my fitness a little, and eating a lot more right than usual. My skin's a little more fair. I drink and party far lesser than usual.

In May, i had one heck of an epic trip to Bali. Yea, 23 haters on board an airplane. Sure the trip tore apart some people, but it brought some closer to each other. I got nothing to complain. And i still have the same bunch of friends. Or more friends.

And you know what... the best way to end 2010 is to spend time with some haters, and have one heck of a time.

In December

December usually meant a marathon or 21km to mark the end of running races / triathlons i've signed up for the year. This has been the same thing since 2007. This year, I haven't been training much, leading up to the marathon. I chose to sleep in, or to go out to party up to relieve the work stress. For that, i paid dearly on the 5th December 2010. I took a really long time to finish the run. I deem that the walk of shame, and with bad tanlines to match. O woe is me! I look like i have a bad case of ugly stockings every time i choose to flaunt my legs. It's fashion faux pas all through the Christmas season.

Decembers also meant a lot more eating out, and a lot more socializing with friends over food and drinks. I told myself I am not going to put on more weight or i need to meet my resolution of getting toned & lean. Since i can't get toned, as i have no time for resistance training, nor any form of disciplined training, I might as well try to lose weight. While flipping a book, my sister and i chanced upon calorie counting, and how much calories do one human being use up a day.

Calorie counting is like weight watching, in a more detailed form. Every lil bit of food you put into your mouth is the calories. In case you think i didn't know that all along, i did. I'm just in denial. So now fried food and sugary stuff should be kept to a minimal. Did you know kueh tu tu has almost like 60 calories per piece? Or that McDonald's vanilla ice cream is like 150? Let's not even talk about cutting down canned drinks, and soda... my favorite coke. I'm such a coke addict. I wonder how much of a mess i'll be, cutting off anything i eat or drink on every whim. I am on day two now. You know, I might just survive this, for 2010.

Here's to a skinny bitch me ... for the end of 2010.

The return of the rice machines

Last night, as i was driving home, i noticed an EK4 egging cars on, meandering its way down the street. Life was good, just going with the flow of traffic, looking at an Naturally Aspirated (NA) car acting like an idiot, weaving in and out of the traffic. That is, until i noticed this loud blaring Evo zooming out from a street corner. Woohoo, time for some action. The EK4 swerved across three lanes, and then tried to stick to the tail of that turbocharged machine, refusing to let it out of sight. That moment was pure joy for me, as i let out a snigger.

It was that very moment i realized how much i love driving, and the cars. Of course, how big of an ah lian i truly am. I'm Eve, i love cars both NA and turbocharged. I am a ricegirl, and used to read Import Tuner within the walls of my college dorm. My dabbling with cars then were the 4G63 Mitsubishi Eclipse Turbos, the GT3000, and the RX7. Drag racing was a thing in midwest. However, I drove a simple Gen3 Volkswagen Golf cabrio, looking fly and basking in the sun and attention of a open top ride. Fast forward a couple of years, i am into a different breed of cars : continentals. I like the sound of the ferraris and the maseratis. And i would love a Porsche Boxster S. I can't imagine life not loving cars. However, any given day, i will dye my hair, get into tiny shorts, and a tube top, and jump at the chance to pose in front of a nice ride (my ride of cos). Even if I no longer had the same figure when i was 21 though, sadly :).

Today, I would still love to jump at the idea of driving my dreamcar around Sepang International Circuit, engaging the car with every turn of the circuit, and embracing that fun and excitement. But for now, i'm quite happy with the Mini, it comes with a turbo definitely.

the road onwards to another 42km.

15 days to marathon. tick tock tick tock!

Recently I started running. I finally decided I needed to get my game on (which is no game, to begin with) for the marathon. I finally accepted how absolutely unfit I am, engaging muscles that were left idle for the past months. It's all in past tense cos now i've been running. Twice a week, or thrice. Over an hour and half each time. The alarm bells went off, so let's get this party started.

Well, i started running partly due to the fact that my other half has decided he's gonna start to work out, that has upped the ante to me working out. He's more keen in muscle building, but throws in a few 5km runs here and there, and outrunning me each time we do so. I have to outshine, or at least try to. I can't win, when it comes to the boy. He's crazy, and he believes in method training, thanks to his programming mentality. So i've been going for hill repeats. They are short, they are intensive, and they're muscle numbing. Oooo, and they raise my heartrate to insane levels. And i enjoy the feeling of having a good workout. Ever the sucker for pain, i always return with grumbles, yet always managing to go a lil further, and more loops. I have to win in other ways that i can.

So i have only this to say to Singapore Marathon 42km course (all the way from Orchard to Clarke Quay to East Coast), like what Cee-lo sings, "f*** you". I'm going to finish the course, regardless of the pain and suffering. I am egoistic, and i can't take No for an answer, and most importantly, i figured what i am going to wear for my marathon this year. :) See you guys at the Singapore Marathon.

Run beside me

It's weeks leading up to the Singapore Marathon. My 3rd SCSM. I had to start running, whether i like it or not.

Along the way, i am thankful i always have good people around me, who would cheer me on to make sure i don't walk. Matthew o Matthew... come back soon, so we can go run. This year, i managed to somehow get Reeves to go along with my program. As he said : "I'm not looking at the calender, it always say i'm too late". Well said!

On Saturday evening, he decided we should run. It was a case of the storm chasers. It was wet and rainy, hot and sunny. One minute it poured, the next it drizzled, and then it stopped. We had to run, with little time to get our body prepped for the long distance. Well, of course, i walked a little. But i'm happy. Cos i clocked a distance that i haven't been doing in a long while.

Onwards for the week! Run....!

Shoulder pains

I work in IT. My work is mostly done over my 13 inch Apple Macbook Pro. I have an stretched muscle due to ergonomics. Obviously, my chair and my table are not of ergonomic standards. Tsk, so much for someone who is certified OSHA trained.

So post run on Sunday, i was talking to Kelvyn and Reeves about it. And this is what Kelvyn had to say

"you have not gone in your aero bars for far too long, that's why when hunched over computer will pain. Cos both are same position"

Repeat after me. WTF. Seriously, Kelvyn.

Hot hot hot

I can't think of a better word to describe the weather these past few days. HOT. My mom's been nagging that i am too sick to go for the New Balance Real Run. I've lost my voice and nursing this incredulous sore throat all week. But those who know me, would know i am insane, crazy, and never listening to the sound advice.

I was coughing when i woke up at 5ish am to conquer my 15km. I knew it's not going to be a good day, not when i woke up drenchedin perspiration. While i was out on the cross terrain of the New Balance Real Run. I kept gasping for air. And my poor ankle ( ok, i admit, i should quit getting on three or four inch heels, but i love them so much) had this swell that came on. I knew it's not going to be a quik run. I am going to do my personal worst timing. And darn right i was. I walked most of the way, i don't need to disclose my time.

I only have this to say : yes i could die another day, just not today.
And i will never ever go for a run longer than 3km on this kinda cough and sore throat, it's not worth it. I'm just darn glad i survived it, and made it home.

to run or not to?

After a series of lil runs i had this week, i succumbed to my illness --- bad ass sore throat. By that, i meant i brought sexy back. The husky, hoarse yet sexy voice has been here to stay. Minor pains here and there, mostly bodyaches, brought me thinking i am dead for Sunday's New Balance Real Run.

Yikes! Panic panic panic. It's now a day before. My voicebox isn't anywhere perfect. I still sound like i operate one of those chatlines, with a voice that lures everyone to go "sexy sexy". Now the decision is to be made. To run or not to run tomorrow?

Running out of a rut

It had finally dawned on me that I have barely two months to go. Yes, YongFeng, 7 weeks is a month odd. And those dreaded 42km across Singapore. It's a distance I have done a few times over. Why the fear? Tried going running a few times And I can't seem to overcome the 8km mark, how am I going to deal with those 42km?

I went down to east coast park to show some love to the guys running Newton 30km. I cant possibly envision running that far. It was weird seeing faces scrunched up in pain and dazed! Hui Koon and Enrico were zooming as usual. When can i ever run 30km under 3 hours? For now I am just worried about finishing.

Any brilliant advice? Anyone? I need to run 42km soon.

With a face mask on my face, I think the best plan i come up with is I will go running anytime I can whenever I can and preferably everyday. One foot in front of another, i will get there.

Headstrong and softhearted

I had a conversation with some friends today, mulling over the lack of preparation for the year-end marathon. I signed up in May, thinking "i have six months, why panic?". Wrong move, with the amount of fluctuations and changes i have with work.

With 9 weeks to go, i wonder about my plan for the race. I ran 5km last night. Then i knew it's time to panic. NINE MORE WEEKS! I told Matt "yea, i'll just keep running, unless money gets the better of me, and i chose to make money instead of running". and told others that "even if my head is willing, my heart is unwilling, then why force it?"

Then comes the term : headstrong and softhearted. I haven't heard other words that says the head is soft, and heart is hard. It just didn't seem right.

For now, i'll keep on running. Cos that's the only way i can do or panic, just barely 9 weeks away from 2010 Marathon. :)

the big 30 --- i wanna be a skinny bitch

I remember when approaching the "big" 2-0 then, that i had views and dreams that 2-0 is really very old, and filled with big dreams. And i even made a pact to marry a friend of mine, if i turn 21 and was single then. That rolled around, and i was attached to someone else then, so nothing came out of that.

The 20s was filled with excitement and partying, and making a new social market for myself. As i made my way to mid-20s, i thought how wonderful life is if i got hitched at that age and had a kid. When i started turning 27, i felt i wanted to conquer the world, and just focus on building a name and reputation in the telecomms industry. Towards the end of my 29s, the man who silently rooted for me despite all the ups and downs, decided to propose. I crossed 30 being engaged to the same wonderful man i knew.

Now turning 30 for less than a week, i went to do my first sunday run as a 30 year old, with Reeves hinting "it's because i am 30, and scared of being fat". Perhaps he's right. The next 10 would be a scary thing. Lots of changes in life. One thing's for sure : i wanna be a skinny bitch.

Pls pardon me while i slowly try to conquer the world.

Growing pains ...

I spent the weekend, celebrating Sandra's birthday (Happy birthday my bff 2010 and cheers to turning 30), and spending the entire Sunday with Purdue mates. Purdue --- something that can't be replaced in my heart.

Mark mentioned over dinner to his "friend" about how wonderful life would be if we all stayed at Hawkins, and how absolutely fun. His "friend" thinks it's childish. But hey, he's right. We all miss school days. I miss being worry-free, care-free, and of cos having a blast. I was the kid who goes to every class, but tries her best to stay awake. I was the kid who loves her car so much that she cries. I was the kid that listens to hip hop music, and loves her modern classical.

Now the kid is turning 30, and feels the greatest satisfaction is from her work, and being recognized for the effort. Another thing getting older is my car. My poor lil red monstahhh is checked into the workshop, and i got his "bigger bro" - the clubman, as a courtesy loaner. I still love cars, and still cry over my cars being sold / damaged. I think the clubman cooper is really nice to drive. With a longer base, it's more stable. Am i getting older? Nooooo... i still love my lil red monstahhh.

The turning of a decade

In a matter of days, i turn a digit older. And a new decade awaits. A decade gone by. When i was turning the big 2-0, i had my best mates with me, and i received a total of 13 soft toys, from Hello Kitty( i still have that) to Pooh Bears. I still talk to the same people from back in Purdue, and home in 310 (LA baby...). Even if we are miles away, i still miss them dearly, and we can always pick up where we left off.

Now i am turning 30. They say 30s is the new 20s. I wonder about the drive for life and think back on that wild ambition i had when i was going to graduate from Purdue. Sure, i wanted to be part of consulting / finance / banking. Ten years down, post graduation, I still am in banking, but on the side of being served and the one who owned a business that is bank-rolled. But still I am always surrounded by friends who are awesome, and constantly challenging my thoughts, while leaving me grounded.

I have friends, whom i don't believe would be the ones to get hitched, who are now in 2010 married with kids. I have friends who are still chasing that college dream of making it big in the market and rolling the dough. All of these friends make a part of me. I guess, to an extent, all the hands i've shaken, and the numbers exchanged, and the sms-es flying across the space, all these are the little things that make me who i am today. All the emotions, the tears, the joys, the sadness, the happiness.

In the past 10 years, i've gone through a life of no mobile phone to being totally dependent on a phone that has internet. I had a simple Intel Pentium 1 computer, and now i have a Intel Core 2 Duo computer. Technology has seen such huge changes. And i turn 30 with the Internet Service Provider's introduction of fibre network to my home. I came from T1, and dialup, just barely 10 years ago. I'm glad i was part of the change and progress technology has.

Aahhh, who would have thought life would present that many changes and challenges? From non sporty to loving triathlons or even 70.3, who would have thought that I would like that? Well, now for the biggest commitment in my life. I am turning 30 and i am getting married. :) Life's good.

Management of People's Relations, Moods and Tempers

Having studied human communications throughly, through a couple of semesters in college, i thought i knew how to handle and understand how people read each other, and understand each other. I was wrong.

I've been going through a very turbulent last few years with the office. The 9/11 crisis, the economic recession in 2009, and now the expansion, we've gone from free to very busy. I'm stretched to the limit, and i do think my fellow colleagues are too. Temperament flares, moods swinging in extreme ways, human behaviors at its worst ( or perhaps only i think so).

I've been blessed with a very good team. But even the best team goes through a spectrum of moods. It's in every human nature to complain and bitch. And not everyone gets along with everyone. And i understand that. But all I just pray in 2010, for the rest of the year, my team would be understanding, and come into office smiling, and have a happy mood when coming to work. And i've read that i should not embrace a "work sucks, i hate coming to work" and hating doesn't begat goodness, cos i believe if you're not happy, perhaps it's time you decide your future. We can't always have a happy ending, and not every year everyone can leave work early, and be free enough to go for a cup of coffee. Work is work; a company need to stay profitable or perhaps the company should close.

Go to work happy, and make it work for you.

If you hate it, perhaps it's time to go.

Live life as a Christian, and love thy neighbor as thyself.

Only then, will others know that we're Christians, and know that Christ is the way of life.

Amen!

A holiday for family? or for progress?

As i hear the F-16s' engines roar by my window sill, i can't help but feel the pride being from Singapore. It's the nation's 45th birthday. And the 10th National Day celebration i've been home from US. As with most public holiday, it's family time. Today i had lunch with mom over brunch. We had a good chat over how Singapore has grown, and how happy we are living here. I had a 2pm deadline for that lunch, and had to drop her off for her to do her own chores. I have a meeting. Yes, a 2pm meeting on a public holiday. A national holiday gazetted by the government, and more importantly, a holiday that should be very important to every Singapore citizen. Alas, work has to be done, and i went.

I walked out semi thankful it ended an hour 30 minutes. With a acne infection, throbbing pain, on my nose tip, i just wanted to have a stress-free day with my family and friends. Well, things are moving along. They have came to an understanding of the stress and the demands the market is moving at, compromising certain concerns that i have.

I am appreciative for what God has given me, and presenting the chance for me to grow up in a place where i love, and my family and friends. Happy Birthday Singapore!

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Over the weekend from Saturday, i had a dinner with my girlfriends, their husbands and the babies. Relaxing weekend, and i can't help but feel good about the weekend. Sunday was spent recuperating on the lack of sleep, but I went for a lil jog walk at Henderson Waves, Hort Park, to check that i can move. Well, i can't, but still i manage to workout a lil. And had a good night with my friends sharing waffles, burgers, while they had some beer.

Now that marks a very good weekend.

I lost my temper

I always felt that the customer is always right. Always always right, well there're always exceptions. I've been very exhausted from endless meetings, 12 hours notice period for meetings, and basically a change of my standard operating procedures.

Does the customer recognize the pain in making the contractors / suppliers go through, when you force a change upon them? Do they realize the efficiency of meetings and changes? You're outsourcing yet you choose to dictate how the outsource runs their companies. Errmmm... why outsource?

I've outsourced a number of projects out to other corporations, to ease my headache. In good faith, you trust these guys to do well. Just like a delegation of jobs to your subordinates or to your colleagues. You do it in good faith.

I do not disagree that sometimes the good faith the client has upon the suppliers is tarnished by a certain individual, and thus the need to impose changes and regulations to assure the quality, or even adding the pressure on others to confirm to more stringent controls. I cracked under these very sources of pressure given by other allies / rivals / competitors who dirtied the name and game of the business.

Ahhh, the perils of corporate world. Am i giving a damn about the pressure? No, i'm just going to pick and choose my battles. Am i ready to fight back harder? You bet your last dollar i am. :) Watch out world , here i come.

Choosing what to grow...

Being a businesswoman, i'm often faced with challenges. The same challenges i'm sure a lot of Small Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) faces.

1. Financial Cashflow, Balance Sheet, Profit & Losses
2. Risky Business. Seemingly, the more risky the business venture seems, the more money it rolls.
3. What aspects do we expand, if forced to do so?

So what do i do? Do we try the new venture in baby steps? or go with a big bang? The everyday decisions that seemed to bog me down. I can't seem to go on any kind of runs, or workouts. Or am i just procrastinating them?

Whatever the case is, i am always sleepy.

Effective and Efficiency?

This week i spent a whole lot of time in external meetings. I wonder if i walked out having a better idea of what i was to delegate to my staff, or if i even had any understanding at all. What is the right amount of time for a meeting? Does it make effective communication? Does it boost efficiency?

Try six hours. I walked out monday morning, with a whole chunk of work waiting for me. I felt unaccomplished. I walked out none the wiser. I had no idea where to lead the team, nor to plan the next move. I had a similar lengthy meeting on Friday. I felt lost, and demoralized after. I had no questions nor answers, as i do not know what i was to do. No project details were ironed, but only touched on operation issues, which is to issue staff with certain weapons.

My own internal meetings are informal and lighthearted and no more than 30 minutes. Everything i would want to reiterate to my technical crew, i would have summarize and told them.

Having gone through two 6-hour-long meetings, one 3-hour-long meeting and spending more than 60 dollars parking my car in my client's office, enough is enough. A friend said a meeting over 60 minutes isn't effective nor efficient. And i wonder the extent to which i agree. I don't feel the amount of knowledge that i should have.

I think someone need a better agenda, a purpose, a direction.

Of breakups and emotional stress

Before anyone thinks i'm having problems, i am. That is, with work. Emotional, physically, and psychological stress. People control and politics, and skivers, and workers. And i have a less than 100 employees company. I marvel at huge corporations, with massive scaling processes, and wondered how they make millions of dollars and control millions of people. How a successful leader is born, or is that successful leader groomed. Questions that i try to seek answers for, and that might prove too hard to find. I need to walk it to learn it.

Is love like work that questions surround it? I question also on love and its complexity. How much hurt a person can cause, or how much time a person needs to realize love's gone? How does one handle breakup and relationship? Perhaps mom was right, i'm this stone-cold-hearted bitch. I don't believe in too much tears over a man, only over my late father whom i still miss and love dearly. He may have drilled in me that sense of thoughts like a boy, in his few years of life with me. I may be young, but he taught me to dream, taught me not to cry, and told me there's no point crying on things lost. I was made to throw away a toy, being a young toddler, and instructed not to cry. I may have whimpered a little, but that was all i could do. Or perhaps his death might have made me a stronger young woman, through my growing years, devoid of emotions from the taunting of strangers to family.

Or maybe i'm just insensitive and scared of being vulnerable. Tears, to me, are for the weak. And it's always about "i look so good, i look so good without you", so sings Ms Jessie James. I always believe time can always heal the pain, and maintained good friends to the ones i had once loved so much. Yet i wondered why my friends have such a tough time dealing with lost love. I definitely thank God for blessing me with good friends and love. And i pray the same for my friends to open their hearts and minds and to stop crying, cos crying doesn't solve anything. Moving on does.

Today, i'm still in love, with life, with work, and big corporations. And definitely, the man who has silently been my pillar of strength and support. Thank You.

Weight : Fat or Bulk?

I met a friend over lunch some time last week, and he kindly told me that i lost weight, resulting in me having this silly grin to my face that day. Truth be told, even if i have a tough tomboyish front, i have the same insecurities and nonsense any other woman have : my weight issue.

I dislike the fact i have flabby arms, flabby tummy, flabby thighs, flabs everywhere. I took up some sort of yoga-stretching whatchamacallit (alike to yoga, not quite yoga), coupled with my cardio sessions ( one running session and badminton session). And just leaving the rest to God to help me lose weight, through praying. Well that didn't pay off, i believe i was at my tonest during my run-up to Singapore marathon 2009, i should really thank Matthew for that.

I changed my diet, with the amount of flak and bitching the haters came up with. They were all on this no (low) carbohydrates diet : no noodles, rice, etc, and basically plenty of meat and vegetables. I can't deny my love for noodles, the Asian in me needs to have noodles, so i guess i have to just have more vegetables.

But i can't help but wonder, if my weight loss is due to bulk loss, or is it really fat loss? I haven't been exercising, definitely no more crazy swimming, cycling or running sessions. I'm just going about my daily duty and eat regularly. So i have definitely lost some bulk, and some color to my skin. But fats? I am not sure. Hmmm.... Now that gives me the reason to go out and get one of the fancy schmancy weighing machines to check it out. Time to go shopping!

i TRIed

Those were the words i muttered, when i met Matthew & Danny at the carpark Sunday morning. "i tried...", pointing to my spandex cladded butt and running tank top. I woke up, wrestling with my devil who told me to stay in, on a nice gloomy Sunday morning. The better me won, got dressed and soon found my way on the expressway headed to East Coast Park to go for a run, a 7km run.

Pitter patter, as i watched the sky drizzle on my windshield. The optimism in me said "ahhh, well, the rain is here, but not at east coast park". As i pulled into the carpark, the ground was wet, and weather was gloomy. I asked the guys why they stopped, they noted that it was raining, pointing to the direction i was going to attempt my run.

"Breakfast?" someone said. Ahhhh , sounded like music to my ears. To choose breakfast and the amount of bitching these bunch of guys have, over running on wet tarmac. It's not difficult to wonder which i choose. Afterall, i am Eve, and honestly, i TRIed.

The catching up over breakfast was a refreshing change, and that made me think "it's time to cut the slack, and brush up on 6am runs... " And to honor my commitment to my duo-teammate, Reeves, who was pleasantly surprised i am up that early to try going running.

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Over the weekend, i watched two friends attempt their version of a triathlon : swimming 500m (in an umarked distance pool?!? Shady? i think so too), cycling 10k on a stationary bike, and then run on the treadmill over 2.4km. I realized how much i miss the competition and doing a triathlon. I may not be the best, but hey, i tried.

Spending lunch together thereafter was strangely calming and like a breath of fresh air, as if we're all back in Bali, and in holiday. And meeting up again over dinner and movie, and supper has become a standard staple in my life. No complaints there.

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i love my weekend :)

7:51:26

Those were the numbers i saw this morning at the back of a t-shirt my neighbor wore.

The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon t-shirt.

Being the kaypoh (or known as nosey) Singapore-born, bred and educated individual, it always piqued my interest to see how everyone's timing for those 42.195km are. I know i won't be putting my timing on my tee for the world to see, as i felt ashamed of anything above five hours.

However, seeing my neighbor's tee with those numbers reminded me how one should always see their own achievements and accomplishments. It's not about timing, nor results, but of one's fulfillment of dreams and accomplishments. To my former training buddies (former- as i have stopped and found my passion lies in my work, instead of triathlons), 7:51 is a disgrace, anything beyond 6 hours is considered real bad effort for marathon. Whereas to every other individual, this accomplishment of finishing those 42.195km in pain and suffering is their accomplishment, and item off their bucket list.

So be appreciative and contented with your own achievements.

It's through contentment that you fail to see flaws in life, and perhaps find happiness.

And the crowd goes wild....

Once every 4 years, you either embrace it or loathe it.

Most women loathe it. The punters in that demographic however love it.

Orchard Road gets remarkably quieter during the evening, and now even on rainy days (well, if you haven't heard the news, it flooded like at least a foot high along the main stretch lately). Men skip family plans, using up whatever concessions or bag bribes they have offered to their wives, girlfriendss or family, all in pursuit of their passion. The restaurants, bars and coffeeshops reports a higher income.

All for that one month.

What are we talking about?

22 men running after one ball.

In some matches, there can be 22 multi-millionaires. It's the world cup.

And i'm not loving it. Maybe because i'm part of the deployment. I see the uglier side to things, and the demands by other humankind get real fugly. So much so that it makes me respect the customer service reps a whole lot more. So now that deployment is well on its way, i'm planning for the days ahead.

With bated breath, i sit planning my road, as i wait for the rush for the EPL, and a whole brand new slew of complaints.

Be nice, people!

A change will do you good

It's been some time since i made changes to the blog. So now's a better time than any other ... with the introduction of easy to use navigation bars from blogger. Of the picture : i like the pic, courtesy of a friend of mine (kaachaphotos), it was taken when we were out grabbing a sandwich together. And the pic was taken randomly. I should really call him again, before he gets really busy with his wedding. Congrats btw.

And to others, the lack of blog posts only meant that i am really busy with work and it's mundane, same old routine. Sleep, wake up at 7, get to work by 8am, lunch at 12, work to 8 or 9pm, dinner, home. There's hardly any progress in my workout routine, nor schedule. I haven't been maintaining my fitness. There's no point to write down anything.

Often, I wondered how i ever did a 70.3, it leaves me baffled. I would however want to do another 70.3, perhaps in the year 2011. Since my love for tri has been forced to simmer, it may deem right to continue my narration of my exploits, true to my taitai-nature, on fashion and style. I guess i should be spending some time on my latest handbags acquisition, or a snapshot of my collection of high heels. Very unlike my partner in crime, Matt, who's going to spend his next post on how to build his sports fitness and how he's going for his next Ironman race. At this point, i can hear him smacking his hand on his forehead.

To Matt, let's run. Pink calf guards?

Bali Dreaming...

What do you get when you pack a Jetstar airplane with 23 other friends?

Yes you heard right. TWENTY FOUR people. 2 4!

Mayhem, laughter, chilling, and a extreme bunch of hating.

We spent 5 days in Bali... well, 3 full days in Bali.

I may not have come back more tanned, sssshhhh! i get even more tanned when out doing my thing : swim.bike.run. But i love the early mornings when i wake up, get to breakfast, go back to the pool, hangout, have lunch, chillax by the beach nursing ice cold Bintang or Heinekens, dinner... and bed! That was so chilled out, that i miss Bali the minute i got back to Singapore.

I think it's not the place, it's the friends. You eat, drink, party with 23 other friends. What's there not to love? Well... hate in this case, cos this is a bunch of haters.

So the haters, i loveeeeee!

Switching my diet all over again

It's been a week since i began my soda diet.

Every meal out becomes a challenge. Only then I realized how much i actually love that liquid in a can. Truth be told, i haven't noticed how much i actually adore Coca-cola, and what it does to me. I can probably tell you offhand about how much benefit i have from that brown liquid: i really enjoy a nice cold coke before i go for a run. And nothing cures a hangover than McD's fries and an ice cold coke. My recent love for drinks in can / bottles has been expanded to carbonated drinks like Pokka Sparking Fuji Apple : rich in vitamin c, and free from preservatives and artificial colouring. Or that Oolong Tea. Who could forget Pokka Green Tea, when you have it served with martell? It came to my head that it's the sugar from these drinks, that might possibly be making me fat. So i embark on this month long fast from soda, sugar or syrup concentrated drinks.

I swapped to having sugar cane juice, lime juice (anything this sour can't have that much sugar?), and mostly, water. I carry a bottle whenever i can, wherever i can. By the weekend, i realized i had to take some green tea to wash down with the whiskey, and chugged loads of water after. By Monday of a brand new week, in a bid to cheer up a friend over lunch, i ordered coke.

Truly it was happiness in a can.

Till at 2am in the morning of a tuesday, and i haven't gone to bed, that was my nightmare. Great... a week without much caffeine or sugar, and now, i can't sleep!

Johnny Walker

My boyfriend calls me Johnny Walker.

Why?

I wanna keep on walking in the malls and everywhere else :)

Keep on walking!

The race to lose weight

While out for dinner last night, i had this weird eureka! moment of sorts. Maybe i shouldn't describe it as a eureka moment. I do know i've put on flab. I saw it with my own eyes in the fitting rooms, as i went shopping.

Waiting in line for the dinner table to get ready, i remarked to my friend about the need to lose weight. Sigh, this is where the peer pressure sets in. Most of my friends are tiny, skinny, and young. Me? I have nothing to fight. As the reality of turning 30 sets in, i realized how absolutely unfit i am for a beach holiday.

With that in mind, i struggle to kick my badass soda habit for a month, and start my ass running.

I need a fab body in a month. Tell me how? This was my resolution for every year. I haven't got started on it. Sad but true.

Of Ben & Stuff...

Life goes on. A month has passed.

As i drove home earlier from Monday night yoga session, i tuned into the local radio stations. The song "Lose Yourself" by Eminem was on. I remembered Ben, and had a smile on my face. It was one of the songs he told me he would play before he set off on a ride. It would psych himself up in anticipation of the fun and the ride. Each time i hear it, it reminded me of him, i remember psyching myself up for the ride ahead.

I got home, and got an email from a kind someone who remembers Ben. He wanted to know about a certain object and googled it. And out came the link :

http://pedaldamnit.blogspot.com/2010/01/planet-bike-smart-superflash-rear-light.html

He talked about Ben's helpfulness and dedication in talking about safety. And yet he's reminded that Ben isn't around anymore. At that moment, i felt the tug in my heartstrings.

I decided to check out BenMokPedalOn.Com and in it is a beautiful chinese article written by anonymous. Read it, feel it, and i miss you Ben.

How many bad news can one take?

It's a rainy Monday. I woke up, feeling all ready to battle with my work problems. Work went well, surprisingly. Sometimes, when technical or manpower deployment issues are not considered the worst of the list of issues at work, it's usually the interpersonal relationships at work : the politics and the temperaments of employees. Sometimes, some things are better left unsaid, and let it sort itself; other times, it's best to just nip it in the bud.

A friend informed me about his mentor's stroke and his depression. I can empathize with the mental struggle and torture of seeing someone important lie in the bed, in hope for a gleam of hope that he will stand up again and sit next to you to enjoy that nice beer.

I went on the rest of my Monday, and wondered about the failure of replies of the text messages from my fave yoga teacher. He's young, vivacious and infectious with his laughter. I love his stories about the different food places he would go to, and his funny antics. I like that he bothered to know us, and to know we're lazy and cheeky. When i walked into his class today, i realize his mom was taking over his class, and i thought "oh maybe he's down with cold / tummy ache again..." Then his mom informed us at the end of class that he seemed to have a cancer relapse, and is going to get his blood tested. My heart sank. My sis looked stunned and sad, and said "i don't wanna do yoga, if i don't see him". We love him to bits. And we hope, pray and wish from the bottom of our hearts that he will recover.

Please, 老师, be strong and fight it. We miss you a lot, and your funny stories about food and life. See you in class soon.

reigniting that passion...

"He will make a way, when there seems to be no ways.

He works in ways you cannot see, He will make a way for you and me..."

Lyrics that i have sung, as a little kid in Sunday School. Lyrics of a song that i never fail to hum even as i grow a little older each year, as i truly believe in my faith and religion.

I have been down and despondent, sometimes even unmotivated, to make changes of any sort. Be it with work or with sports. Well, i've been getting reminded of the impending temporary halt to the project that kept me overly occupied for two months, and that calling to return to swim bike run.

The calls of visiting too many shops, making me lusting after new carbon bikes, and the numerous websites i am looking at to look at bicycle parts. I haven't found time to cycle yet, perhaps soon.

I did go for a swim. Albeit a funny one, cos i barely swam 200m, when thunderstorms came and save me from being an embarrassment to my own fitness that i can barely swim these days.

Ahhhh... and running! maybe i will succeed soon enough.

For now, learn to relax and sleep more... as i watch Take That sing their lungs out on the telly.

It goes on.

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned in life: It goes on." ~ Robert Frost.

How true. It's been a few weeks since Ben has passed on. The wounds are fresh, but our lives moved on. Friends and customers have been asking me about my absence during the point of time when Ben laid in the hospital fighting to live on, till the day we sent him off to God. I felt the importance to continue relating the incident and the amount of pain we, as friends, are going through, as we watch his once vibrant vivacious life slip away. The importance to remind everyone how fragile life is, and to watch for the safety of cyclists on the road.

I've been talking to Mr. E over the incident and told him it's important to tell everyone when they asked. We talked about the amount of media frenzy, and the aftermath of the incident. It's in our hearts that some action would be taken by the local community over the awareness of cyclists sharing the roads. But as Mr. E would say, this comes with a price. And at what price?

The price of losing our friend.

in loving memory of Ben Mok

Mr Benjamin Mok Chee Kong, aged 35, and another cyclist were involved in an accident with a vehicle on Sunday, 21^st March 2010 at 2125hours. The police report places the accident site along Clementi Road, headed towards Upper Bukit Timah Road.

Ben, a freelance writer and cycling enthusiast, traveled extensively to countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, Australia and the USA on solo cycling expeditions. His journals are widely read online and followed by cycling communities worldwide. He was due to return to the US to start on his PhD.

Sadly, his dream will never be fulfilled. Ben passed away on Wednesday 24^th March, 2010 at 0614hours at National University Hospital of Singapore.

His adventures can be followed on Pedal!Damnit! and also check out BenMokPedalOn.Com

Ben's a personal friend. The guy who got me on my first road. The guy who went with me when i first got my Scott CR1 Team with Pro parts. The guy who argued with me cos he was too worried i can't do bike commuting home alone from East Coast. The guy who never fails to wait for me, if i am lagging behind in a ride. The guy who gets really worried when i start to get tired during a ride. The guy who calls me "char siew pao mei" (CSPM).

His death has caused me much anguish. I told a friend,"it's the waiting... the waiting for a miracle, yet in my heart i knew there might be a chance that i will lose him". On the day i heard the news of the mishap, i cried badly. The words ICU did not sit well in my dictionary nor heart. I can't help but to cry when i first saw him again. Every night that i stood by the ward, i couldn't help but to feel terrible. I am though amazed of the guy. How he touched the lives of many. Friends of his, whom i've never met, who sat around with us and amongst us, as we pray for Ben.

Ben, you'll be missed. Badly, by Erik. And i perhaps cannot listen to "8Mile" by Eninem again, without tearing.

Singapore Biathlon 2010

So the time came for 2010 Singapore Biathlon again. Matt has revealed in his blog about how it should be called Aquathlon, but we'll leave this to someone else to explain.

The few days before, i was really unsure how i would do. I can count with the number of my fingers the number of runs and swims i have done in 2010. For your information, i have 10 fingers. and 10 toes. Yes i know, 10 runs / swim sessions is a very sad number. I still do chi yoga once a week, for calming myself down, and to stretch my muscles out. Having done 2 Macritchie runs on the past two sundays, i guessed it will have to help.

I went to the Biathlon with no timing in mind. Good if i hit 2 hours. Best if i did anything better, i wasn't going to complain or whine about how badly prepared i am for the race or how dismal i have done.

The waters was calm in the morning. Calm and peaceful. I met with Shanley, and decide to use her as my benchmark. Both of us haven't really been swimming much. When the officials fired off the starting horn, it's embracing the washing machine styled swim. Not only are the swimmers of different shapes and sizes, as well as age, i am embracing seabugs. Nasty pesky lil things that i can't see, that loves to take a nip or sometimes a bite out of me. Those bites range from my face to my arms. I got mobbed by those nasty sea critters. All i thought was "man... how come this is taking forever?" as i waddled in the waters. That end of swim sign never looked better, as i struggled out of the water still scratching myself silly from the bites. The allergy has set in.

I told myself i would stay calm and try to run the entire 10km, but to anticipate some walks. Once out of transition, my heartrate shot up and i was unable to catch my breathe. I met Maye-E along the way, and we had a lil chat. Before you knew it, she waved me along signalling that all she wanted to do is to run, and not walk, and for me to go faster if i can. As i plodded along the East Coast park, i heard a familiar voice. It was of Matt. His HR was also out of whack when he met me, and slowed to a walk. I grabbed him and told him to move along, and to find his pace. I also had to "undo his zip" of his .... trisuit. Heh! I did get to smile to a few people, chat with a few friends through the run. And by some time, i knew i was on the right track to finish running through that 10k. So much for being branded a "walker" all the time at races and my motto being "keep on walking!".

When i cross that finish line. i knew i have broken my PB.

Surprised? :)

i came in 1 : 45 : 32.

This, without training... i am baffled!

Coping with training and professional life

As Matthew always say, " do not against something that pays for your hobbies", i have embraced work differently. I've always been a workaholic of sorts. But sometimes, i'm only human and lose my cool.

I've started leaving a lot more things in the hands of my trusty assistant. God bless their kind hearts. I've been working more on growing businesses and getting more welfare for my employees. I understand they have families; they need their time away from that workdesk to keep their sanity and cool while dealing with clients, and contractors all day. I always tell them "work hard when you need to; when there's free time, please leave early and get some rest and come back fighting".

I've started doing a weekly early morning run. I've been sleeping early. Now all i need is more strength, caffeine and lovingly coke to last me through the day. That's coca-cola for you.

0622hrs

Do you know what you were doing at 0622 hrs anyday?

I know what i was doing on Thursday morning.

"Do you know the enemy, do you know your enemy. Gotta know your enemy. wah heyyy" sings the alarm. I rolled awake, walked to the bathroom, and walked back into bed. Thoughts flowed through my mind : Road Bed Road Bed? roadddd or bedddd...? My body's aching and tired, and could use more sleep. And i knew what Green Day was singing when they sing about the enemy, cos mine's the alarm clock and bed. More yawning ensues. ZzzZzzZZZzzZzzz !

Who won?

At 0648hrs, i laced up my shoes and walked out of my door, and watched Singapore awaken to the break of daylight, and the kids getting to school. The traffic starts to build up. I see dazed faces, sleepy faces, and happy faces of kids, and continued to plod on. With every breath i take, i put one foot in front of the other. I had finally gone on my first pre-work run. Sure, i felt tired by midday, but i fixed that with a mug of diluted coffee. All i know is i have renewed my confidence in what i can do, and what i can run.

:) it was a good run.

flowers...

I'm not big on flowers, yet i can't deny how happy they make one feel. Just when you think the world is going to collapse on your shoulders, i had a pleasant surprise this morning. In the form of blue and white. Very nice colors, and selection. Something unexpected from a group of friends. :)

Thank You, SBW. For the care & concern.

And most importantly, for your love!

Golf

I have been toying with fantastic ideas for some time. Even more so, when i realize i do not really have that much time to focus on training. Then i figured i need a sport to do with Mr. E. I always wanted to find something that could put us together and spend some time together, while i get to do something i love. So i figured why not Golf?

I have golf gear sitting in my room that's collecting dust. He used to play it, i used to play it. We're fine with going to the range, rusty as we may be. We both love Adidas for Taylormade golfwear. And we both love Tiger Woods.

By the way, we maintained our stance : Tiger Woods is first, and forthmost, a very good golfer. And too bad his dirty deeds and numerous amorous liaisons have spilled to the papers and probably put a ding on his goody two shoes. But we still think he's a good golfer. And he just needs to have a good comeback to the golf scene. And soon, people would remember what he's good for : GOLF.

Ooh, before we get started on sessions, i need to refresh my skills and read on techniques. Now let me go dig out Tiger Woods' book "How I Play Golf", which Mr. E chuckled and continued with "and still maintained my numerous affairs..."

Heh :) Welcome to the world of Tiger Woods.

Sometimes Love comes around...

Sitting alone in the office on a friday before the Lunar New Year at 8pm is a very sad thing. Yet i figured i should pen the events down. This week alone, i've been through some emotional rollercoaster. It's as though life throws you a curveball, throwing it out of whack. All you can do is just muster some courage and walk on.

In the midst of the week, I received a call from a friend who informed me that she's deleting me off her facebook account, not because she hates me, but she hated to see the pictures of the one she gave her heart to, whom had also broken her trust, faith and heart, and is also a friend of mine. At that moment I felt so sad for her that i shed a few tears. I know that she's a nice person, and someone i like having around me. At that same time, i knew the significant other, and couldn't believe my ears. She turned to me for answers. I had none, just cause i knew exactly how she is feeling. As a woman, I may have all the nasty words in the world. But when it comes to matters of the heart, i can only say it overrides all logical sense and every wrong will be seemed right, just cause you love someone. If you really love someone, let them go when love is over. Love and respect yourself first and foremost, before attempting to love others.

At that very same day, a friend of mine informed me he found someone. That was great news. He confided in me that he felt that his "someone" wouldn't keep him as 1st priority. Having walked out of the battlefield recently, i guess his priorities towards love has changed. But i am glad he gave love another shot. To you, always keep an open mind, you do not know about tomorrow.

Sometimes love comes around,

and it knock you down,

Just get back up,

when it knocks you down.

And pls know i'm always here :)

Why do it if you're not having fun?

Over the past two months, as i sit slouched over my seat staring into my computer, i lamented, whined and bitched about how absolutely horrible my life is. I have been clocking 12 hour days trying to cope with my project. Two months down, i am coping surprisingly well, and am starting to let go of bits and pieces of the project. I realized i can't hold all the responsibilities, yet i had to. It's a love-hate thing.

With the amount of time i spent at work, thinking about work, it's safe to say i have not much time for anything else. Weekends are precious. I choose to skip rides / runs on sundays, in favor of sleeping in. The love of my life told me "why do it if you're not having fun".

I love my work, passionately love it, because it gives me a sense of satisfaction. And the responsibility weighs heavily, just cause i have men who are dependent on that paycheck to feed their families. It's a huge hierarchy to take care of. Now I know why the world's greatest CEOs have to always spend hours thinking and innovating to keep their employees' tummy filled. I don't quite agree with others when they said "why work so hard, when you don't have time?" I don't work all the time, i just work like a lot of other people. I may no longer have an easy schedule, allowing me to stroll in at 10am, and leaving by 3pm. To me, everyone has a different plan in life, some people are happy earning a lot more money, some people are happy just doing what they love but everything they do is still through hard work and some careful planning. I am a believer of what you reap is what you would sow.

I choose to skip my ride or run on some days, cos i am too tired. I can't psych myself to be doing 40 laps in the pool, nor run that 10km. I won't be having fun doing it. Why is wakeboarding / wave-riding a better option? Because it's fun, i get to interact with some friends and long-lost ones. My priorities always lie with the waters. Flow riding may not be much of a workout, and it comes with the price of whiplash. But hey, i am having a smile, and thinking about the technicality to it. But with the Singapore Biathlon coming up in less than a month, having no swim training or sessions in the past two months, i can only say one thing : HOW? HKL!

i think i better make time to head to the pool. and maybe run that 10km now and then. and skip mingling with friends over dinners. I know for sure, i will have fun on the race day, just cause everyone's there, and there'll be plenty of laughter. And i'll be smiling.

Sunday...

Sunday is always a day of rest. A day made more precious and valuable after i started working on the project, as i work mondays to saturdays. A day to catch up on family & friends. A day to get my ass out on the road, bright and early.

There are some days i will rush home early on Saturday, anticipating the rush of Sunday mornings. There are some days i wake up, wondering why i am awake at unearthly hours when the sun isn't shining yet. I won't lie about this, but i have wished some mornings it was pouring hard outside my window pane, so i don't have to roll my bike out to meet. When it does rain, dammit, i would have wanted to be out there cycling or running. I belong to the female species, that are more fickle-minded.

No matter what my mood may be in the early morning, once i hit the road, whether to run or to ride, i would have the biggest smile.

The sweat, the heavy panting, the feeling of pain that is going to make me keel over, plus that battering of my legs are soon forgotten with that rush of adrenaline. And breakfast.

I look forward to Sundays, a day of rest, a day of food, a day of fun with friends.

Last Sunday, i had Macs breakie and a Hand Burger over lunch. Yum Yum.

Dear Matt...

Dear Matt and fans of Matt, who have ventured into my blog,

Thank You for reading. And accompanying me thus far.

While Matt has been lauded as somewhat of a counsellor and guiding light and pacer, and an extraordinary friend, i think he has to fail to see who i really am. Amidst that

light that i am a tryathlete. He has helped me and

encouraged me in my journey through my marathon. His words also ring in my head, as a gentle reminder of being appreciative and thankful, and that my life isn't as bad as it seems. Life as a part time fun seeking triathlete has been a blessed one so far.

If you haven't read my past years' blogposts, a run through of my mostly read websites should give you an inkling of who i am, as Eve.

My top few fave websites, in no particular order are :

• Triathlon Family Forum
• Purseblog
• Bag That Style
• Matthew's Blog
• Reeves' blog on innovation and branding
• Enrico's blog on leadership
• BagaholicBoy
• WhoWhatWear ... blog on latest fashion fads and outfits.
• TedTalks
• Net-a-Porter for seeking inspiration on what else to wear

One could then deduce what kind of girl i am. A girl with mixed identity. I have came a

long way in terms of my sporting life. What Matt doesn't know is before 2007 (refer to picture on right of girl in blue dress), i was but the average girl. I am fair-skinned, long hair, occasionally parading my flouncy curly hairstyle, trotting my latest huge Louis Vuitton bag to Orchard Road. Now i am still considered "fair", but only to the triathletes and runners. I have a simple hairstyle that i could just tie it up before heading out to partake in any form of sports. I still shop but look at a lot more tri suits and running wear. I don't think it's however wrong to put my prada bag onto my aerobars, while pushing my bike when sending it to service.

One minute i talk about bikes from Cervelos to Pinarellos, the next i am talking about the next bag i want the Proenza Schouler PS1, or the Alexandra Wang laidback style of oversized tee and cuffed shorts. I don't forget my roots.

A funny incident to put the whole "omg, did she just say that?" into your world. During the first ride of 2010, I tied my hair into a bun and attempted to put my entire head of hair into my helmet, only to realize it won't work. The helmet is too loose to be safe on the road. So i turned to Julian for help. And he shook his head and went "aiyoooo". And he go on to say that he knew i am a bimbo. The blonde roots illuminated.

To one & all, welcome to my bimbo world.

I am a bimbo and darn proud of it.

But please don't get me started on how Singapore got their network on, cos i'll probably make you piss in your pants with my very limited knowledge having being in the IT Telecoms field for a period of time.

{The End}

The writer Eve has left the building, with her tod's bag in tow, and those smashing 4 inch heels and she's intending to go clock her 14km run later in the day.

Easy Money.

Some days you are free. Others you are too busy. One should never forget the bad day, as well as they remember the good days. My mom puts it across to me that human beings are forgetful. They forget when they actually have so much time on hand that they can facebook all day, and when the work falls hard and fast on their laps, they forget that it's time to put in that extra mile.

Being an employer, and having to listen to a team of men lamenting about how tough their job is, i wonder if they put themselves in my shoes. Do i need to listen to their bad experience? I have talked to quite a few of them, and i told them :"i've heard them all, all the bad experiences. Do you want to conquer and continue? Or leave? There will be no bad blood, if you stop spewing crap". I do give them their well-deserved "bitching hour", as i call it. I know when they feel down and upset. I would give extra jobs to those that i know whom have gone the extra mile to make my job an easier one.

I have met men who just think money are an easy thing to earn. And that their job should be as easy as what they feel it to be. Yet they fall short of my expectations when they are supposed to do X to Z. Instead, they called back and bitched to other current and potential colleagues about how bad i am, and the service is. Let me tell you this : you would get what you deserve, just wait.

Before you wonder why i stopped my sports, i am tired lately from work. The pressure, the amount of stuff to do is still increasing. Do i lament about it? Yea, but i fight on. Cos i believe in payback. There's no such thing as easy money. Perhaps there is, if you sell your ass.

And the workload piles on

Matt, besides being my running pacer, is someone who never fails to motivate me. His words kept repeating : don't be angry at something that pays for your hobbies. As the work starts to multiply, and my stress levels go haywire, i stop and think back on what he says. So the inner anger is gone.

I need to go run.

the vicious cycle of business

Recently, I had the privilege to covet a contract that supplies manpower to help deal with overflow issues faced by other contractors. The client planned a 100 piece per day workload for us, and told us to furnish guys. We went through a lot to hire the correct help to deal with the issue.

However, it seems like i got the bad end of the deal. Especially when i see 11 piece a day. And i can't afford to retain the current set of employees, let alone new ones. Today i felt particularly bad when a potential employee had to be told that we can't accept him after he has resigned from a competitor because our client could not furnish us with the appropriate number of duties.

In his words, he said i am "putting sand into other people's ricebowl".

Tell me how am i not going to feel upset. I've been good so far. I try my very best. But yet sometimes i had to fail my own men.

The first run of 2010

I fell sick right after the ride. Truth be told, i am not all well yet. I am every doctor's nightmare, the patient from hell. I can't sit still. My work is driving me crazy. So I did a brief session of yoga mid week in the midst of my tight schedule that cleared my nose, as i held my pose. That reaffirmed my faith that i had to move to breathe well.

I made a few calls leading up to the weekend. I had to either ride or run. I can't swim, knowing very well of my run in with pneumonia-like symptoms, and the usual condition of water in lungs whenever i swim when sick. At 7am on Sunday, i pushed the P2C out and went for my second ride on Sunday with a runny nose to have a piece of toast and those yummy runny eggs (yes, to match my runny nose). But the ride went by too fast, as i stood there with a friend staring at the door step of Ya Kun, only to realize they are not opened yet. We had overestimated ourselves and the timing. So we managed to climb a wee bit of Mt Faber, ahhh, the memories of pain and panting. I like. Not to the mention the wonderful weather. That made my Sunday really happy.

I forgot how fast the weekend has gone by. As i struggled to deal with the work schedule and stress plus Monday blues, i knew i had to squeeze whatever time i could to pamper myself and to get my workout in. So I embarked on my first run this evening, after a hearty dinner with the family. Along the way, i enjoyed the sights of running at 9pm. It felt good to be back on the road again, however short the distance may be.

New Year Resolutions Twenty Ten. & That 1st Ride of 2010

Twenty Ten.

It's been 10 years since the millennium bug left us worried what would happen when our heavily reliant on IT society crosses the year 2000 mark. That ended up in dust. All our worries are for naught. Ten years on, has it been that long? We're now looking at 2012 to see if the world as we know it to be would cease to exist. I guess, for now, let's live it for the moment. And like Chris Allen or The Script would sing ...."gotta live like we're dying".

What's my resolutions this year? I was to declutter, get lean and get into grad school for 2009. And i said i would attempt 50%. I did, i think. I threw some old stuff, I got slightly leaner in my last day of 09, than i did in 08. I gave up the graduate school idea. Things happened along the way of 2009, i decided to sort out what my focus should be, and further evaluate what requires more of my time. So that's good.

For 2010, i want to

1. Be more focused in work and building my business
2. Be a lil more toned and lean.
3. Be more appreciative of my surroundings. The family & friends.

For 2010, i didn't want to start the first week on a bad note. I spent New Year's Lunch with the family. I did my lil party, resolved not to be too drunk. I went on my first bike ride.

The 2010 Triathlon Family Leisure Ride. A 30k (thereabouts) ride. It was enjoyable. And refreshing. I met a lot of old faces, and some new ones. Caught up with the drama, and the sweat. And many thanks to Yongfeng for that Christmas Present. Love it... and of cos, to bitch along the ride. The thing is i felt i need to ride more. The bar tape's coming off, which meant i need to spend more time with the machine.

End of the day, i felt slight saddle sore... but really happy. I am really happy.