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.